Expert Interviews

Salvaging and Repurposing Furniture Tips

Monday, March 21st, 2011

Salvaging or repurposing furniture is a environmentally friendly way to find cost effective and unique furniture pieces for your home. We asked Carrie Thachuck, the owner of The Passionate Home for some tips on getting started. The Passionate Home is located in Langley and sells repurposed furniture and art.

What are some of the reasons people spend the time and effort to fix up things instead of buying them new?

Personally, I would choose to reclaim and restyle a piece of furniture over purchasing something new because I love the thrill of the hunt and love to make it my own.

Read the rest of this entry »

Interview: Healthy Relationships Year Round with Coach Kasia Rachfall

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Valentines is one day that focuses on love but as we all know relationships require ongoing expressions of love and commitment. We asked Kasia Rachfall for advice on improving your relationships year-round and she had some great tips to share!

Kasia Rachfall and her husband, Bryan, are the co-founders of Fresh Perspective Family, a company whose mission is to empower and inspire parents and kids from the inside out. She is the author of the book Keys For Moms: Enough is Enough! Simple Strategies For Identifying and Silencing the Lies You’ve Been Telling Yourself.

Read the rest of this entry »

Getting Fit Tips with Personal Trainer Natalie Barratt

Sunday, January 16th, 2011

If you’ve been to the gym lately you have probably noticed it is a bit busier than normal. People are working hard to accomplish their New Year’s resolution to finally get fit. It can be tough to know where to start in your journey so I met with a personal trainer for some expert tips.

Natalie Barratt didn’t need to set a resolution to get fit this year, she has been active her entire life. At 14 she started weight training and also enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, dance and martial arts. She started her personal training courses while still in high school and is now a certified personal trainer. She is also working towards her Kinesology degree.

Read the rest of this entry »

Charitable Donations Tax Tips with CA Ron Mulhern

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

The Christmas spirit and the rush to get end of year tax receipts make December a popular month for donating to charities. We asked chartered accountant Ron Mulhern for some advice on the rules regarding donations.

Q. How can you make sure you are donating to a legitimate charity?

A. If you are uncertain of the legitimacy of a charity, you can check Canada Revenue Agency’s website which has a listing of all Registered Canadian Charities. The website provides basic information about the charity, its finances and activities.

Q. What are the tax benefits of donating money?

Read the rest of this entry »

Preparing Your Car for Winter

Sunday, November 21st, 2010

Winter sure has arrived here in the Fraser Valley. As we are posting this article, it’s -8c outside. -8!!! We asked local mechanic, Brendan Grant, for some advice about preparing one’s car for the cold winter weather. We hear it’s going to be a cold one this year, so check out these great tips!

Q. Why is it important to prepare your car for the winter?

A. With colder temperatures bringing snow, ice and rain it’s clearly important to have your vehicle safe and in proper operating condition for the coming winter.

Read the rest of this entry »

Composting Tips With Langley Environmental Partners Society

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

Composting does not have to stop in the winter time. One can compost inside, in your garage or outside with some insulation in most weather conditions. We asked Liz Kendler of the Langley Environmental Partners Society for some tips on composting. The Langley Environmental Partners offers composting classes as part of their mission to “protect and restore the natural environment through education, cooperation and action.”

Q. To someone who has never composted before, how would you simply explain its benefits?

A. It’s estimated that a whopping 40% of our household waste is organic material. Some of our landfills are close to overflowing and all this unnecessary garbage is contributing to climate change.

Read the rest of this entry »

Halloween Party Tips with Newlove Decor & Design

Monday, October 11th, 2010

Halloween isn’t just for kids anymore. We turned to event planner, Erin Newlove-Nicholas of Newlove Decor and Designs for advice on planning the ultimate Halloween party for adults.

Q. Where are some local stores to get party decorations?

A. One of my favorite stores is Classic Party Supply and Rentals in Abbotsford. They have everything you could think of for any kind of themed party or wedding. Turkeys Party Makers in Surrey has a wonderful selection as well.

Read the rest of this entry »

Interview: Travis Rea Shares Meal Suggestions for Busy Folks

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

Travis Rea of Feed The Fire has shared some delicious Fall recipes for busy families and folks on the go. Travis is a Fraser Valley chef who specializes in healthy food, nutrition and chef services.

Q. The Fall is a busy time for most people, can you give a few meal suggestions that are quick, easy and healthy?

A: The best tips I can give to those who are busy and trying to feed their families healthier meals is to spend a little time planning ahead. Plan meals 2-4 days in advance and take little steps to speed up the preparation process. Recruit other family members to pitch in during the week by taking care of some of the cleaning or chopping of the vegetables. Or for example have someone prepare a casserole recipe that can be stored in the fridge and have someone else be responsible for putting it the oven the next day.

Here is a simple dish I do for the family. You can have this pre-mixed and then quickly cook it at a later time.

Read the rest of this entry »

Interview: Summer to Fall Transition

Monday, August 30th, 2010

For most people, the end of summer brings an end to lazy days and the return of a more scheduled existence. To help you with the transition we asked personal coach, Jennifer Priest, for some tips on adjusting.

Q. How should people prepare themselves for the summer to fall transition? Should they ease into the fall or go full force?

A. It really depends of the type of person you are. As a coach, the approach I use is tailored to the individual. Sometimes the end of summer is a time of preparation and then almost hibernating for winter.

Read the rest of this entry »

Back to School Tips with Abby Tutors

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

This summer has gone by so fast and in just 2-3 weeks school starts again. Whether your kids are in high school or just starting preschool, it is important to help them transition from the lazy days of summer to the busy fall filled with school, homework and extracurricular activities. We asked teachers, parents and owners of Abby Tutors, Ron & Marilyn Peters for some back to school tips.

Q: How you can you prepare kids for the transition from summer to back to school?

A: Before school begins, get your kids started on a schedule of sorts, if you don’t already have them on one. For instance, get them ready for early morning academics by having them do some type of school work right after breakfast. A good reminder for parents is that during the school year, have your kids do homework right after they’ve eaten and are ready for an activity while their minds are fresh and they aren’t hungry or tired.

Read the rest of this entry »

Email
Name