Lifestyle

Jeffrey Shaw, the 34-year-old founder of Underground Cellar, has changed the way Americans buy and preserve wine.

What Is Underground Cellar

Underground Cellar is a digital platform for wine lovers and wine collectors. In its Series A Funding, the California-based company raised $12.5 million. This gave the financial backing to revolutionize the wine collecting experience. Last year’s pandemic had an impact on wine sales overall as wine stores had to close their facilities. But in spite of that, Underground Cellar prospered. They continued to sell thanks to their gamification concept. For their members, they submit day-to-day offers on their website. The buy-in price is fixed, and it is set to the cost of the cheapest bottle in the bid. The game works this way: once you place an order for about six bottles of wine, at $50 each, half of your order could be upgraded, at no cost, to more expensive bottles. So if you wish to sell, you will be making a profit. Upon completion of your order, you will see which bottles you have received. Your order will then be moved to CloudCellar where it will be stored.

It’s a bit like a wager because sometimes you can’t get the upgrade. But who doesn’t love the thrill behind expecting to make free money?

CloudCellar

CloudCellar is a digital wine cellar. It has a capacity of up to 500 bottles of wine per user. The climate-controlled cellar is about 33,000 square feet and is located near Napa County, California. And it allows members to own and manage their wine cellar remotely, avoiding the stress of maintaining physical storage.

Underground Cellar not only benefits buyers, but wineries as well. “Some of the best wineries and winemakers wouldn’t respond to us two years ago,” Shaw said. “Now they are coming with tail between their legs, saying: we’d love to chat.”

Underground Cellar aims, besides selling, to educate users on wine, to present them with more expensive bottles. It hopes to broaden knowledge of vineyards and wines produced by small, unpopular wineries. In the future, they plan to add a service where customers can exchange bottles with other customers, which makes the platform more social.

By making a few changes around your property, you could potentially save hundreds of pounds a year on your overall home energy costs. Reducing your average energy spend will not only save your wallet, it will also make your household more eco-friendly, and so it’s undoubtedly worth spending a little time making some adjustments. If you’re not sure how to go about making your home more energy efficient then the following guide should help you out.

Replace light bulbs

Switching halogen light bulbs for LED light bulbs is a simple change but one that could save you huge amounts a year on your energy bill. An LED light bulb uses approximately 75-90% less energy than traditional light bulbs and on average costs just over one pound a year to run.

Draught-proof your property

Prevent heat from escaping by reducing draughts. Seal cracks in floors and skirting boards and apply draught-proofing strips to your doors and window frames. The more heat you can keep in the home, the less money you’ll need to spend on putting the heating on.

Invest in double glazing

Another factor that will always make your home feel less cold is double glazing. Double glazing insulates your home from the cold, drastically reducing your heating bills as well as providing an extra element of soundproofing.

Wash clothes at a lower temperature

Your washing machine uses a lot of energy and so the less washes you can make per week, the lower your overall energy bill will be. However, when you do need to put washes on, consider lowering the temperature. Washing at 30 degrees rather than 40 degrees is a small change, but one that is likely to save you some money.

Install a new boiler

The vast majority of your annual energy bill goes on heating which is why it’s so important to have a boiler that isn’t wasting excessive amounts of energy. Upgrading to a new A-grade condensing model with a programmer and thermostatic controls might be a pricey initial investment, however it will certainly save you huge amounts of money in the long run.

Buy energy efficient appliances

When it comes to replacing your appliances, choosing energy efficient replacements will have a big impact on your energy bill. You can see how efficient an appliance is from the EU energy efficiency rating label that should be found on most appliances. The most efficient rating is ‘A’, so this is something to look out for when searching for your next home appliance.

Install smart heating controls

If you don’t already have smart thermostats or heating controls in your home, you should definitely consider getting them installed. Heating controls allow you to set your heating/ hot water to turn on and off when you need it to, heat only the parts of the home that you need and set different temperatures for each room in the house. This allows you to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, without wasting any energy.

Insulate your home

A lot of heat can be lost through your roof and so insulating your loft and walls is important in preventing excessive heat loss in the home. Installing insulation alongside double glazing is therefore a great way to massively reduce your energy bill.

These certainly aren’t the only ways you can reduce your energy usage in the home. Simple everyday actions such as turning off standby appliances and being more careful with water usage will all help towards lowering your energy costs. However, we hope this guide has given you some inspiration to get started on creating a greener and more cost-efficient home.

 

When it’s your little one’s big day, you have more to worry about than just finding the perfect gift (though that’s certainly a critical factor, too). From guest list and themes to entertainment and refreshments, your party planning abilities will be put to the test whether you’ve got toddlers, 6-year-olds, or kids of all ages attending this shindig. For the best results, it’s crucial to plan your party well in advance. With a timeline that stretches from before the party to its aftermath, having a plan in place can help you stay organized and host the best party ever.

Two Months to Go

Well before the party, talk to your little one about what sort of a party they’d love most. Depending on your child’s preferences, they might have suggestions for the best toys to give to their friends as party favors, the perfect theme for the party, or simply the type of cake they’d prefer!

Once you and your kiddo have an idea for their dream party, you can start the planning process. First, create your guest list, order custom invitations, and book any entertainment or venue you‘ll need. Then, shift your focus to a different sort of priority: finding the best kids gifts for the birthday kid! There’s no shortage of gift ideas out there, of course, but the best gift of all may be a personalized option like a jigsaw puzzle of their beloved pet or a storybook starring them.

One Month to Go

By this stage, you should have invitations sent out and the basic logistics of the party set. You’ve found a perfect unique gift for the guest of honor, and everyone is getting more excited as the party approaches. At this point, the party planning gets to be even more fun. Now, you’ll set out to find the best party supplies, from decorations to party favors. You can also take time to hire any remaining services, like the bakery making the cake, a bottled water home delivery service to keep your guests hydrated, or any other services you’ll need to schedule in advance.

Then, you can finalize the menu, activities, and other party details as the big day approaches. You can create a timeline for the day of the party (leaving plenty of wiggle room for the best results) and follow up with guests who haven’t RSVP’d. Double- and triple-check your lists to ensure you have everything you need and make sure your special gift is wrapped and ready. If your party is at home, you’ll want to tidy up, too.

The Big Day

When the day of the party finally arrives, it’s sure to be a whirlwind of activity. Thanks to your preparation, though, your stress levels can be more under control. Finish any last-minute preparations and snap a few photos of details like the cake before guests arrive. During the party, you’ll want to make sure your child is having a good time. After all, it’s their birthday! Your schedule might include games, entertainment, food, presents, and cake, though the exact timeline will depend on your child and the guests who’ve arrived.

After the Party

Once the guests have dispersed, you’ll have some finishing up to do. You’ll need to clean up, of course, and pay for any bills that haven’t been settled already. Make sure your little one’s gifts are safely tucked away, with a list of gift-givers ready for thank you notes to be sent. Then, take a moment for a breath—you deserve a break after all this work!

Whatever your child’s interests, wish list, and age, some planning ahead of time can help you give them a birthday party they’ll never forget. Paired with the perfect gift, you’ll be parent of the year—at least until you usurp your own title next year.

No matter what type of lifestyle you’re living, you may often feel like you are not getting the most out of life. You probably spend a lot of your time working just to stay afloat, and sometimes that can really get to you. Between work and family and social obligations, it can be hard to find the time to do the things you want to do, or even to eat and sleep properly! Don’t allow yourself to get stuck in this mindset and let the years pass by as you become more and more unhappy. Make small changes now for the betterment of your own future. Here are 4 simple ways to improve your lifestyle.

Save Money

Having a savings account is a smart thing for just about any adult. You know that saving money is something you should be doing, but did you know that it can actually improve your lifestyle? Saving money now creates a better future for yourself. When you retire, you’ll no longer work and might not have much of an income at all depending on your circumstances. If you have a large amount of savings built up, you’ll be able to live the way you want to and not have to worry.

Work Smarter Not Harder

Being a hard worker is definitely a good attribute to have. However, if you are overworking yourself that is far from a good thing! You need to find ways to work smarter instead of harder so that you have free time to spend with your loved ones and also enough time to practice self care when needed.

Unplug

Sometimes the demands of daily life can be pretty overwhelming, and staring at your phone or computer screen all day certainly doesn’t help. Take a day off from your electronics every so often — turn off your phone, don’t check your email, etc. If you find it hard to do this, go camping or on a hike in a place with no reception to force yourself to unplug, or try a lock box for your phone/computer.

Shorten Your Commute

Shorten your commute by finding a job closer to where you live, or find a way to work from home (even if just part of the time). Spending several hours each week in your car and in traffic not only costs money because of gas and mileage, but it also takes time away from other much more precious and important things in life. Talk to your boss and see if working from home may be an option for you, and if not look for other opportunities in your area. You already spend enough time at work. Don’t add to that by spending hours driving there.

Creating a better life for yourself doesn’t have to take a lot of work or cause a lot of stress! Try out these easy tips and you will already be on your way to living better!

It’s time for you to get your leather jacket out of hibernation as fall rapidly approaches. You may be tired of wearing sandals and short sleeves for the last few months, so it’s time to refresh your knowledge on how to style this timeless autumn staple. Continue reading for tips on how to style a leather jacket.

Add a Touch of Sweetness

Leather jackets have a natural elegance. A floral dress with flouncy flowers can add sweetness to your leather jacket ensemble. The jacket’s rigid structure will be contrasted nicely by the light, flowing fabric of the dress. The floral pattern will also help to balance the jacket’s edge. You’ll get a well-balanced outfit that has a unique juxtaposition, which will add intrigue to your look.

Go Monochrome

Monochrome is a great way to make a bold statement with your leather jacket. Pair your leather jacket with black skinny jeans to embrace the uniqueness of leather jackets. Add a pair black sneakers or heels depending on the occasion to complete your look.

You can’t go wrong when you choose all-black clothing. You will look classic, elegant, and effortlessly stylish. This is why monochrome is undoubtedly one of the best ways to style a leather coat.

Dress It Down

Leather jackets can be worn for formal or casual events. You can dress up your leather jacket with jeans and a white shirt if you prefer a casual look. You can complete your casual look with some nice sneakers and an oversized handbag.

Vlone offers all the essentials to create the perfect leather jacket ensemble. From boutique pants to Vlone shirts and dresses to elegant dresses, we have it all. Shop vloneclothing.net to discover these amazing ways to style leather jackets.

 

The best online live casinos are those that successfully recreate the gaming experience just like a physical casino. In these places you can interact with the real dealers who spin the roulette wheel and deal cards just like in real casinos. This modality has become popular with the pandemic and nowadays there are hundreds of online casino sites where to bet.

 

The most acclaimed live casino games are blackjack and roulette. There are casinos where you can find blackjack tables with seats and live dealers where you can enjoy a game and choose the betting range that best suits your betting experience.

If you are new to Blackjack it is recommended that you read the rules before playing and practice with a virtual moderator on a website, in addition to avoiding tables with high betting limits as you could lose a lot of money if you don’t know some useful techniques or don’t have enough experience.

One of the good reasons to play online is that you can make questions to the dealer if you have doubts or there is something about the rules of the game that is not clear to you, there is a chat available in the room and throughout the game that you can use if required and interact with the dealer in real time.

Roulette is also one of the most entertaining games to play live. It is by excellence the one shown in movie scenes where the characters enter a casino and the action begins, players are seen experiencing different emotions ranging from anxiety to joy around a table together with other people who are also excited.

This game is exciting to play live because it will make you feel adrenaline and everything through your computer screen without the need to move from your home, with the possibility of feeling the same things you could experience in a real casino but this time playing live from your living room.

How does a best live casino stand out from the rest?

The best live casinos for gambling must follow a series of requirements that facilitate the player’s visit to the site so that his only concern is to concentrate on winning. The following is a list of the best live casinos to play online secure betting games and legitimate payment methods:

• Betway Casino
• Las Atlantis
• El Royale
• BetOnline
• BetUs
• Wild Casino

All these casinos satisfy the same conditions and that is why they are considered among the best to play live. In principle, for a casino to be good it must be safe, no one wants to lose money or even less to risk their personal information or bank details and that is why you must make sure that the casino where you enter has all the necessary licenses.

An online casino that is licensed is regulated by authorities with state authority, which means that they follow governmental laws related to the operations of online gambling sites and that all their movements are legitimate as otherwise they can be severely penalized.

Another thing that the best live online casinos have to have in order to be among the best in the world is reputation. This means being able to access reviews from people who have played on their site with a positive experience and responsive service from the casino staff. Reputation is one of the most genuine things you can get because people will not recommend something that they did not like or that they found to be a scam.

Safe ways of depositing and paying are fundamental for these gaming sites to prosper and generate peace of mind in the players. We know that a lot of money is at risk in online casinos and that ideally it should be handled with caution and responsibility, letting the player know that his investment is in good hands.

The important aspect is that the casino has safe payment methods, that is to say, known methods such as credit or debit cards, bank transfers with recognized banks, virtual payment methods that have government regulation and legal control of the money and above all that the payment to the player is fast and without any complications.

 

Many people tend to forget that the earth is our home; hence, instead of taking care of it, they tend to pollute it. Humans are constantly using cars, causing both air and noise pollution, using plastic, and polluting water instead of taking care of the environment.

It’s time for some lifestyle changes. Since a young age, we’ve been taught to ‘Reuse, reduce, and recycle,’ but are you doing so? It’s essential to try, and here’s why:

Why you Should Take Care of the Environment?

To Improve Human Health

Air pollution is causing humans harmful diseases like asthma and bronchitis. That’s not all, but it’s also leading to the ingestion of dangerous toxins in plants, affecting food quality. Of course, that’s only one of many reasons you should take care of the environment, but it should be enough to get you started.

To Combat Global Warming

The excess emission of carbon dioxide due to human activity is the reason behind the rise in the earth’s temperature. Therefore, it’s our moral responsibility to take care of the environment for us and for future generations.

To Protect Our Ecosystem

Remember, we are not the only ones living on the planet; other animals share our ecosystem with us. Sadly, due to human behavior, some of these animals are at risk of extinction. However, we can try saving them by reducing pollution and changing our consumption habits to preserve their natural habitats.

For Better Standards of Living

Saving mother nature won’t only protect animals, but it can improve living standards. How? By creating new jobs and opportunities for people, hence, decreasing unemployment.

Additionally, if the world stood together and went green, diseases will decrease, and so will hospital costs which means a healthier home for humans.

How to Take Care of the Environment?

There are so many things you can do to save our planet. These Include:

• Recycling: Recycle water bottles, plastic bags, paper, or other products; it can make a difference.
• Take a bag with you when shopping: Instead of depending on the plastic bags available at the grocery store, take your own recyclable bag with you.
• Using reusable water bottles: Instead of purchasing plastic water bottles, use a reusable water bottle.
• Repurpose: Reuse products available at home and make use of them. If you’re not sure what to do, check out DIY videos, they’ll give you an idea.
• Turn off the lights when they are not used.
• Use natural products to help keep the water supply clean.
• Reduce red meat intake

Another thing you can do is switch to electric cars or use bicycles to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, Dubai sets an example to the world by aiming to be emission-free from public transport by 2050. So hopefully, in the near future, electric cars will be trending and used by everyone to make a difference.

All in all, try your best to take care of the environment and follow these points, even if one of them, it can make a difference. If possible, you can also raise awareness about the issue by creating a blog, using social media, or reducing plastic waste.

 

There will soon be a day when we can return to some level of normality following the seemingly endless COVID-19 pandemic. Life will not be the same as it was before, however, and for better or worse the future will look very different to what has come before. Whether it’s working from home or taking regular antigen tests, here are the trends we think will still be around for years to come.

Mask Wearing and Testing

Mask wearing has been common in many Asian countries for decades, becoming an accepted part of daily life following outbreaks of other coronaviruses such as SARS. It might be one reason why coronavirus rates there have been relatively low.

They are fast becoming fashion statements as well, with many fashion brands now adopting masks as an essential accessory to any outfit. This again comes from Asia, with many Japanese fashion brands already selling matching masks and ensembles.

Even though it may not be long before masks are no longer mandated in public areas, we still think they’ll remain in use on public transport, protecting the population from endemic diseases like the flu.

Testing may also remain as a means of identifying ill people; strides have been taking in producing tests like the Healgen rapid antigen test, which can tell a patient whether they’re ill inside an hour, allowing them to receive quicker and better treatment and care.

Working from Home

Quite possibly the biggest cultural shift brought about by the pandemic is the exodus of the workforce from the office, and we think this is set to continue. Many companies are now embracing a more flexible approach to working, with employees only being required to be in the office for a few days each week.

Employees themselves are also keen to keep working from home as common practice, with positive attitudes towards home working increasing as the pandemic has gone on.

Not all employers, however, are quite as sold on the concept. Netflix’s chairman Reed Hastings said last year that working from home has no positive effects, suggesting there may be a settling in period before it becomes widely accepted going forward.

Our Approach to Personal Health and Wellbeing

The pandemic has made many people take much more care of themselves. Companies selling fitness trackers and apps have noticed a sharp increase in users during the pandemic, with many people recognising the need to take better care of themselves.

The closure of gyms during the pandemic has also prompted a huge increase in the sale of home workout programmes and equipment. Companies like Peloton are now seeing their treadmills become a household staple, and we think the convenience of having this equipment in the home will likely mean the practice continues.

A Retreat from the High Street

Shops that were deemed to be non-essential retail have spent much of the last year closed, and within this vacuum there has been a substantial increase in ordering online. The convenience of being able to purchase an item and receive it without leaving the house will surely remain as customers make this part of their routine. The implications for the high street are not rosy, with many shops likely closing and people being made redundant.

Even grocery shopping, a constant throughout the pandemic, has gone online. More people than ever before are choosing to order groceries to their home rather than leave the house to go shopping, largely due to safety concerns, however the convenience of this practice makes it likely that this will continue. We’re likely to see a sharp decline in shoppers leaving the house to make purchases in the future.

If you’re looking for a lateral flow or antigen test, why not check out the options from Handstations.co.uk click here.

 

When you have repairs that need to be done on your home, the most ideal situation is for those repairs to get done quickly and cheaply. But while most people prioritize these two things, what people often forget to think about is how much certain home repairs can inconvenience them when they’re trying to live through them.

If this is a big concern for you, here are three tips for making home repairs without disturbing your life too much.

Practice The Techniques First

If you’re the one that’s going to be doing the repairs on your own home, it’s wise to practice the technique you’re going to be using before you just jump right into the repair.

Oftentimes, if you mess up a home repair, you can find yourself in more hot water than if you hadn’t tried to make the repair in the first place. Knowing this, it can be very helpful to ensure you know exactly what you’re doing beforehand so that you can make the repair quickly and correctly. If you’ll need to be using power tools, Emmet Pierce, a contributor to MoneyTalksNews.com, recommends that you familiarize yourself with those tools prior to using them. And if you’re making a repair that you’ve never done before, try to at least watch a few videos of someone else making the same repair so you can get a little secondhand experience.

Choose The Most Non-Invasive Solution

We’ve all heard the phrase that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. This idiom rings true for most home repairs, too.

While you might be able to find a way to make your home repair that will be a little less expensive, if your main goal is to get the work done as quickly and conveniently as possible, you should try to find the most non-invasive solution that you can. For example, you might look into filling a crack in your foundation or replacing just one piece of something rather than the entire thing. By doing this, you should be able to make the necessary repairs without causing any unnecessary headaches for yourself.

Keep The Plumbing Where It Is

Some of the biggest and most inconvenient home repairs you can make involve your plumbing. So if you’re needing to repair or replace something related to your plumbing, James Glave, a contributor to This Old House, recommends that you save yourself some trouble by keeping the plumbing fixtures where they are.

While you might like the idea of moving your kitchen sink to the other side of the room or your toilet into its own nook, doing so can cause your timeline to be extended, your budget to burst, and your water to be off for even longer than you anticipated. So if you’re not wanting too much disruption to your life, keeping the plumbing where it is is the way to go.

If you want to be able to make your home repairs without having to tear up your house or your schedule, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do just that.

The idea of living a more simple, straight forward life, with less stuff and clutter sounds attractive to many. But often, they begin to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and defeated around the idea of owning less stuff. Let alone where to start even the decluttering process!

Decluttering your home and your life, doesn’t need to be as painful and as difficult as some make it out to be. Once you know how and you get the process started, it can be so simple and refreshing! There are many benefits to owning fewer things. Even as simple as being able to see your beautiful real wood flooring again!

Here are a few of the benefits…

Less to clean

Cleaning is already enough of a chore during your free time, so why make it harder on yourself by adding lots of things you have to clean around. Especially if they are things you have zero emotional attachment to, or worse, don’t even care about or are there…just because!

Less to organise

Finding the things you do want and use suddenly become so much easier. Things don’t just disappear into the abyss of clutter anymore. You can actually move around your home without knocking things over and enjoy the space as it was intended.

Less stress

Looking around at the clutter you have managed to build up over the years can be so nauseating, stressful even. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to look around and see a home you love, clutter free.

So now you know some of the main benefits of decluttering your home and your life, where do you begin in this clean up operation? Well, here are a few of our top tips to get you started…

Donate clothes

The best way to declutter your wardrobe and to find out what clothes you do and don’t wear, simply hang all your clothes with their hangers in the reverse direction. After you wear an item, face the hanger in the correct direction. After a few months, if you still have items of clothes facing the wrong way (clothes you haven’t worn), discard the clothes and take them to a charity shop for someone else to love and appreciate.

Create a decluttering checklist

It’s a lot easier to declutter when you have a visual representation of where you need to get started. You can use our decluttering checklist.

Take before and after photos of a small area

Choose one part of your home, like your kitchen counter, and take a photo of a small area. Quickly clean off the items in the photo and take an after photo. Once you see how your home could look, it becomes easier to start decluttering more of your home.

Get help from a friend. Have a friend or family member go through your home and suggest a handful of big items to throw away or give to someone else. If you defend the item and want to keep it, your friend has to agree with your reason. If they don’t agree, it’s time to get rid of it.

Use the Four-Box Method

Get four boxes and label them: trash, give away, keep, or re-locate. Enter any room in your home and place each item into one of the following boxes. Don’t skip a single item, no matter how insignificant you may think it is. This may take days, weeks, or months, but it will help you see how many items you really own and you’ll know exactly what to do with each item.