Category: feature

With Memorial Day Weekend approaching, you may already be thinking of ways to celebrate. As we gather to honor U.S. military heroes, marking the occasion can happen at home or out and about. From stay home celebrations to things to do in town, we’ve got plenty of ideas to inspire you.

Activities at Home

Set up classic yard games to enjoy over Memorial Day Weekend, great old-fashioned fun for people of all ages. You could even get some patriotic trinkets — think almost anything decorated with the American flag — as prizes for the winners. Fun garden games include horse shows, ring toss, cornhole, lawn darts, and bocce ball. You could also invest in a large set of Connect 4, chess, or a tumble tower to bring added fun to your outdoor party.

For a group that loves music and singing, karaoke can be a fun activity to get everyone in a celebratory mood. For Memorial Day Weekend, stick to singing patriotic songs over the mic. There’s a long list to choose from, with something to suit most musical tastes, with songs from, for example, Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lee Greenwood, Alan Jackson, and Faith Hill. Karaoke is a great activity for indoor parties, though you can certainly take the singing outdoors too!

Memorial Day Weekend Recipes

There are many delicious Memorial Day meals to look forward to, from an array of grilled meats with a huge assortment of side salads to veggie kebabs, pizza, dips, and fajitas.

Whether you’re having a sit-down meal indoors, a picnic, or a BBQ bonanza, these two suggested recipes are great for bringing a little more patriotism to the table.

People of all ages love cupcakes. So, what could be better than a red, white, and blue cupcake? The swirl-topped vanilla cupcakes are tasty and look fantastic.

Patriotic sugared cherries are so quick and easy to make, yet look so elegant and tempting set out on a platter. The fun delicious treats need just three ingredients: cherries, white chocolate, and blue sugar.

Memorial Day Home Décor

Add a patriotic American flag banner to your home for Memorial Day Weekend, similar to this one from Pottery Barn. Made from Burlap, it’s strong and sturdy enough to survive the elements outside for some time. Hang from your fence, decorate your porch or take it indoors to adorn a wall, mantel, or staircase. If you’re feeling creative, you could also create your own flag-themed bunting from fabric or card.

It’s quick and easy to add splashes of patriotism to the dinner table with stylish fabric napkins in shades of red, white, and blue. They look especially classy when rolled within a complementary napkin ring. You could purchase napkin rings decorated with the classic stars and stripes to take it up another notch. Alternatively, buy paper flag napkins for outdoor dining.

Local Events around LA

If you want to get out and about over Memorial Day Weekend, there are plenty of terrific options around Los Angeles for the whole family.

Head to Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro to visit the awe-inspiring Battleship Iowa. While an amazing attraction at any time of the year, there’s an exciting lineup of free events along with the per on Memorial Day. Live music, face painting, displays of military vehicles, and a remembrance ceremony are just a few things to look forward to.

Honor military men and women at Santa Monica Pier, host to the moving Arlington West, the area’s largest military ceremony. You can also pay your respects at the patriotic ceremony at Forest Lawn cemetery.

Topanga Days, between May 28th and 30th, features a laid-back vibe, music, food, and crafts, and Happy Face Music Festival, on May 28th, has Cajon-Creole music and food, as well as a large area for kids’ fun.

Looking to get away from the buzz of the city? Family-friendly farms are a great choice for treating yourself and your family to some quiet time! Set in serene locations, there are more than a few farms worth the LA traffic within California. Read on for our round-up of top farms you can visit!

Amy’s Farm

When it comes to family-friendly farms, Amy’s Farm is an excellent place to start. This urban farm is located just outside Los Angeles. The farm is a good choice if you need new ideas to incorporate into your home garden. The farm focuses on organic farming methods alongside the sustainability of implementing them. Your family will enjoy the guided tour that includes harvesting vegetables and feeding animals. The farm is closed on Sundays and Mondays, but you are welcome every other day, whether making your reservations online or looking for a stop and visit arrangement.

Avila Valley Barn

Sometimes a visit to the farm needs an injection of fun activities, especially if you tag your kids along, won’t you agree? The Avila Valley Barn is a fantastic place to visit, considering the harvest time and special holiday events held on the farm. Families can indulge in picking vegetables and enjoy the delicious farm-grown food. Children can pony rides as you get a chance to grill on the BBQ stands.

Tanaka Farms

Another excellent choice for family-friendly farms,  you’ll find the experience of a lifetime at Tanaka Farms. The farm focuses on interactive teaching for children all year round. Not only do the children have fun, but they also have some fun on the farm. In the meantime, you can enjoy the wagon rides as you tour the farm. And of course, there are market stands where you can just walk up any day of the week and grab yourself top-shelf products.

Gilchrist Farm

If you don’t have time to visit a farm during the week, there is no need to worry. Gilchrist Farm is the perfect farm to visit. It is only open on the weekends, so you don’t have to make unique plans to get out of work. Here you can snuggle goats and ride the farm train with your family as a bonding activity. Furthermore, the farm has many animals to pull your attention from the city life, including horses, chickens, cows, and ducks.

The Hana Field

Unlike many farms which focus on food and farm animals, the Hana Field focuses on flowers. The beautiful farm is like something out of a dream. The thousands of blossoms create a brightly colored view that brightens your day every time you visit. Please make a point of visiting the farm around July because that is the best time all the sunflowers start blooming. Even though it does not include flower picking, for just 5 dollars every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, you can get the perfect getaway from the busy gray city life.

The summertime is quickly approaching, the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer. For many, the summer heat translates to days at the beach and a variety of fun activities. But for many homeowners, your home requires TLC after every changing season. It’s time to ensure your home is ready for the summer weather with our helpful tips!

1. Change the air filter of your HVAC system

One of the most important things you can do to prepare for summertime weather is to change your air filters. During the summer, there is more dust in the air than at any other time during the year. Changing the air filter can help you save money on power. In addition, it also keeps your HVAC system from working too hard to cool down your home. Likewise, this can result in burnout and an even larger and more expensive problem to fix.

2. Add shade to your windows

Planting shrubs near your home’s windows or installing awnings or screens on them will provide enough shade to maintain your home cool as they will stop the sun from overheating the glass. Without shade, the excess heat will transfer to the inside of your home, which will overwork your cooling system, increasing your power bill.

3. Make sure your home is properly sealed for Summertime

It doesn’t make sense to try to cool off the outside portion of your home, does it? Well, any unsealed air leaks in the caulking around your windows and doors do just that. They let the cool air escape from your house and let the hot air in, so make sure you test all the stripping around the windows and doors and seal up any air leaks you find. You will reap the rewards as soon as you do.

4. Get your roof and siding inspected

Having your roof and siding professionally inspected can help you detect cracks, rot, and damaged areas that may need to be changed. It will also help you detect any mold and dirt that should be cleared out to prevent any air leaks from the inside, as well as rainwater leaks that could cause even more damage to your home’s structure.

5. Update your insulation for Summertime

Your home’s insulation plays a dual role. On one hand, it stops the cold air from getting in during the winter and on the other, it keeps the cool air from escaping during the hot summer weather. Additionally, you may find that certain unwanted guests may have found their way into your attic during the winter and may have damaged the insulation, making this the perfect time for any replacement and repair you may need.

6. Get those ceiling fans cleaned up

The last thing you want during the summertime is to breathe in all the dust that accumulated during the fall and winter on the blades of your ceiling fans. Get them cleaned up and get ready to enjoy the cool air it produces.

It’s time for the latest in the world of tech! We’re sharing bite-sized additions of the latest headlines captivating the world wide web. From the latest Airbnb redesign to Google’s AR Glasses and more, we have you covered!

Apple to Switch Over to USB-C by 2023

It’s the end of an era for lightning plugs. Apple will be making the move USB-C ports on its iPhones next year. The universally-embraced USB-C will follow suit of other apple products that have made the conversion in recent years. Likewise, the shift to USB-C could likely improve iPhone’s transfer and charging speed for future hardware designs. Of course, the final spec details will depend on iOS support. Many within the smartphone industry have already made the move over to using USB-C, so the move by Apple has been expected for some time. While Apple has not released an official statement, the change is likely to occur in 2023.

Airbnb Launches Redesign with New Categories and Split Stays

The popular vacation rental app Airbnb has launched a new summer redesign with a bevy of features to make travel even better. CEO Brian Chesky calls the redesign “the biggest change in a decade.” The rollout began this week for users in the US and will let users search for stays based on categories and plan trips that include more than one home. Likewise, the Categories features will serve as a filter for stays that include certain elements. Of course, this can include things like camping, surfing, amazing views and countryside, to name a few. In addition, Airbnb is highlighting its design category to spotlight over 20,000 homes  “chosen for their iconic architecture and interiors.” Chesky also stated more changes are underway but will likely not be seen by the public until 2023.

Google’s Latest AR Glasses Brings a New Reality

This week, Google held its I/O presentation to showcase a number of new products and initiatives underway. Of the announcements, the company gave audience members a look at its latest AR glasses. The latest iteration of its augmented reality spectacles would give wearers the ability to see languages translated right in front of their eyes. Likewise, tools like this can be of use to travelers or the hearing impaired. While there are no additional details on when the device will be available, the demonstration gave further insight on what to expect when it. 

Volkswagen to Resurrect Scout as Off-road EV Brand

The SUV pioneer Scout may soon get a new lease on life as an off-road electric vehicle. Volkswagen is considering resurrecting the brand with a focus on the US market. The company hopes the vehicle will be able to compare with the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. According to TechCrunch, the board of directors for VW is set to approve the plan this month. Once approved, the vehicle would operate as a subsidiary of VW, much like Audi, Skoda, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Bentley. While VW has declined comment to the press, the news has already been confirmed by VW CEO Herbert Diess. Likewise, the company hopes the vehicle will expand the company’s reach in the US.  Once launched, VW hopes to sell around 250,000 Scout-branded vehicles in the US annually.

NFT Copy Detection and Verification Features to be Added to OpenSea

Improvement authenticity will soon be coming to the digital marketplace of OpenSea. The company announced the news in a series of blog posts this week regarding updates. Likewise, such updates will include a new system to detect and remove copycat NFTs. In addition, the company will also include an overhaul of the account verification process. The copy detection system will be two-part so that users can have an easier time finding authentic content. One of the tools the company plans to use will include image recognition tech to can NFTs on the platform. The tech would then compare the scanned NFTs with authentic collections, looking for flips, rotations, and other variants. The company will also use human reviewers to look at removal recommendations.