High Efficiency Furnace

Sometimes we take the simplest things for granted. For instance, being able to feel comfortable in our own homes with warm heat in the winter and being able to easily cool down in the summer and clean ambiance in our dwelling does not just happen. You need to choose a high efficiency furnace that will do that. And it is also can provide an economical solution since a high efficiency furnace will utilize most of the fuel you pay for efficiently. Just think of all the money you are throwing out the window by not having a high efficiency furnace. It's that time again to insure that you will have a comfortable fall and winter season that you can enjoy in your own abode by upgrading to a high efficiency furnace.

Victoria Hotels

One of my favorite things about Victoria Hotels is that they include a complimentary breakfast in the morning. It is so convenient to be able to wake up in the morning and grab your breakfast without having to think about where to eat. You can spend time during a leisurely breakfast to plan out the sights to see and things to do during your day, since the Victoria Hotels are in convenient locations. For those that love to cook and try out local foods themselves, they even have kitchen studios . The only difficult part will be deciding on which of the spectacular sites to see or things to do while in British Columbia since Victoria Hotels provides everything else- spectacular accomadations, delicious breakfast, gated parking and convenient location.

Eating Healthy on The Road

Guest blogger: Karissa Martin

Summer’s coming to a close, so it’s time to go on that vacation you promised yourself you would take. It’s time to get bronzed and fit on your trip and come back ready to face the fall. There’s only one problem: healthy eating isn’t always on the menu on vacation―it seems like the perfect time to take a break from your usual healthy eating habits. To prevent yourself from gaining those extra pounds while having fun in the sun, try some of the following tips to return home feeling refreshed and thin!



Be aware of what you are eating! This is very important because sometimes foods have a lot more calories than you think. Go for vegetables and fish and skip fried or greasy foods. If you want to count your calories, there are a lot of websites that have the calories of various restaurants and their foods. Websites such as CalorieKing, DietFacts, and Calorie Count can be useful, and there are applications for smartphones to help you keep track of your calories. Some restaurants even have the nutritional values of their foods available on their menus.



Don’t be afraid to share your food. Share a meal with a friend or family member, or share an appetizer and get a side salad. Some meals are available in half or lunch-sized portions. If you want to get your own meal, you don’t have to finish it. If you have a refrigerator in your hotel room or wherever you’re staying, take the leftovers and eat them the next day. If you are drooling over the desserts, it’s okay to splurge a little, but eat a light meal. Go for a side salad, soup, or an appetizer instead of a heavy, large entrée. You can always share the dessert with your fellow vacationers or get a children’s sized or smaller dessert if they’re available.



Check out the local grocery store and get a picnic lunch to enjoy a low calorie meal on vacation without going out to eat. Whether you’re on the beach, on a boat, or in a park, a picnic lunch is the perfect way to share a healthy meal with your family and friends without breaking the bank―or packing on the pounds.


For healthy recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking and/or The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Shopping at Become.com

Everyone knows that one of my 'hobbies' is shopping for my kitchen, but with a busy work and travel schedule there is not always enough time, however, today I found a great solution to my dilemma. Shopping for kitchen sink mats ,a much needed item, was quick and effortless today with my online shopping find

Now that I know I can easily shop online for my newly acquired kitchen, the next badly needed item was a rustic wine rack complete the rustic look of the kitchen and of ocurse to store all those beautiful wine bottles.

I do get carried away and sometimes shop for things that I don't really need, but I must admit today I was able to comparison shop for things that I really do need. And what a diverse selection of things I found. The lat item that has been on my wishlist has been a coffee mug rack

I was able to find a great deal on one that stylishly fit into the kitchen and best of all, I found it from the comfort of my own computer,relaxed while shopping effortlessly online.

A Bit of Carpaccio in Tuscany

Guest Blogger: Lisa Zatulovsky

It is no wonder that the beautiful scenery of Tuscany’s lush greenery and regal mountains inspired Italy’s rebirth. From the Renaissance birthplace of Florence, to the rolling meadows of Siena, the region of Tuscany is a bustling center of architecture, arts, and cuisine. Producing some of the finest foods and wines of Italy, while housing some of the world’s most incredible artists and sculptures like Michelangelo’s David, Tuscany is arguably one of Europe’s most thriving regions.
Art tours, cooking classes, and wine tours are only a few of the incredible experiences offered in Tuscany, allowing you to get a feel for the flourishing region. Wine Tours in Tuscany provide a magical setting among grandiose Medieval Castles and aromatic vineyards. Tuscany offers exciting tours including an opportunity to see where and how their famous red wine Chianti is produced. Between Florence and Siena the picturesque vineyards, wine cellars, and ancient castles weave fascinating history with delicious wine, unique to the region ranging from lunch wine tasting tours with an opportunity to go horseback riding, to romantic evening wine dinners with savory antipasti like regional cheeses and prosciutto.
For a Tuscany inspired antipasto, pair Tuscany’s rich Chianti with Carpaccio, an elegant dish of thinly sliced meats. Chianti and Carpaccio is a wonderfully flavorful appetizer that romances the palette. Chianti is a fuller bodied red wine characterized by a velvety burgundy color. The skins of the grapes remain when undergoing fermentation, producing a bitter strong taste with cherry and floral notes. Chianti red wine pairs well with a red meat antipasto. Essentially a meat and cheese platter, Carpaccio has countless variations. Named after Renaissance painter, Vittore Carpaccio, the antipasto is reminiscent of his red-hued paintings. Enhanced by a rich Chianti, the meat platter is made with paper thin slices of meat like beef tenderloin or prosciutto, drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice and garnished with parmigiano reggiano shavings and capers. Experience the delight of a Tuscany wine tasting in your own home with Chianti and Carpaccio, perfect for an outdoor meal with a dreamy warm summer breeze.

Leonardo DaVinci & The Basic Art of Italian Cooking

Guest Blogger: Dan Rahim

Born out of wedlock in the middle of the Renaissance one of the world’s greatest minds rose to prominence and world-wide fame. He was a man, whose genius is still being fully understood today. Not merely a painter or a scientist, he broached every field, the sciences, engineering anatomy and every possible subject imaginable. He was as broad and diverse as Italy itself. He studied all across the country from Rome to Bologna to Venice.
Leonardo da Vinci is the most iconic painter of Italy. He is perhaps the most iconic person of the entire Renaissance. Paintings like the Mona Lisa have become so ingrained in our popular culture that they do not require an explanation. A simple look at the curving smile and everything is clear. The Last Supper as well is so ubiquitous, that references are found in movies, TV and even in children’s cartoons.
But Leonardo’s talents were not restricted to these magnificent works. In fact most of his artistic endeavors are not paintings, but his sketches contained in his many journals. Many find it shocking that a man with so much talent found it difficult to focus and finish a single task. He completed only a few dozen paintings in his life time, but hundreds of smaller drawings. In fact, some of his casual sketches have gained great fame. The Vitruvian Man (the naked splayed out man) is one of the most famous drawings of all time, copied time and time again in books and movies.
The Vitruvian Man is a testament to detail in drawing. In fact Leonardo drew the man as an example of how proportions of the body should be laid out. This came from Leonardo’s great experiences as an anatomist. Leonardo actually exhumed corpses and studied and drew the bodies. He was given permission by a hospital eventually to dissect the bodies and draw the bones, muscles and organs inside them. This provided some of the best representations of the human body up to this point. Leonardo is also the first to make drawings of the fetus in various stages of development.
But besides his schemes and drawings of the human body Leonardo was very interested in the physical world as well. His engineering feats were well ahead of his time. Leonardo da Vinci came up with the concepts and designs for many things that would not be built for a few hundred years, the most famous of which include the tank, the helicopter and hydraulic pumps. His imagination was boundless and his skill was almost as vast. Leonardo made his mark on the world in many realms and is still remembered today as one of the greatest men who ever lived. And if you are interested in DaVinci's influence on food and the Mediterranean Diet, look for the upcoming release The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style (release date October 2011) and follow DaVinci's travels throughout charming towns in Italy, his culinary related inventions, poetry and recipes that were influenced by his love for simplicity. Get a free pre release mini version of the book by sending an email to the publisher: primamediapublicity@yahoo.com

The Mysterious Vatican

Guest Blogger: Dan Rahim
copyright 2011 art of living, PrimaMedia,inc

What is the Vatican?
Many people don’t realize the there is still a monarchy in Rome. But it is not of an Italian King. In fact the monarch at this point is of German descent. But he doesn’t rule Italy, or Even all of Rome for that matter. He rules a small walled of section inside the city. This man is known by many as the Pope.
One of the smallest independent states in the world is Vatican City. There are very few permanent residents. Only the Pope and his officials are actual citizens and the Pope rules the city with an iron fist. This is only a slight exaggeration. The Pope is an elected official, but he still serves as a monarch of the city. The pope does have an assembly of Cardinals, however, to run the day to day operations of the city.
The city is protected mainly by Italy as Italy surrounds it entirely. There are, however, conspicuous guards within the city. They dress in rather old fashioned clothing and are known as the Swiss Guards. These guards are actually only the body guards of the Pope himself, but they function in protection of the city as a whole, but more on the level of police rather than actual military.
But when you think about the Vatican you don’t imagine this small bureaucratic government running a miniature country, you imagine the great cathedrals or the Vatican Museum, one of the world’s most visited Museums. This small government, though, is what makes all the sites accessible and is primarily responsible for the upkeep.
Everything from the Botecelli’s to the Da Vinci’s are kept within the city and maintained. A trip to the Vatican when in Rome is mandatory.

For more info on Italy and award winning recipes join 100,000 worldwide subscribers at The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm BLOG

Overdose on the Magnificence of Rome

Guest BLogger: Dan Rahim
copyright 2011 art of living, PrimaMedia,inc
The dark night sky is lit by small pin pricks in the heavens. Closer you can see the small lamps and large marble buildings. The buildings glow like giants under the lights of the moon reflected in the river below. The air is warm as the warm Mediterranean breeze tickles over you. The scents of the nearby restraints titillate your nostrils, teasing them like a warm lover through the night air. The air is humid but not so much so to be uncomfortable, more like a warm blanket covering the city. Pregnant with possibilities you walk along the streets of Rome.
The large marble buildings, the slow trickle of European time, a deep history, these are the things that make Rome a city of the giants. Once the seat of the world’s greatest empire, Rome is now one of the most visited cities in the world and for good reason. Nowhere else in the world can you experience all the great sites of Rome.
All the major sites should be seen. The Colloseum is perhaps one of the most famous. It is nothing but a spectacle in the night. It looms above the city like something from a movie. The white outside gleams a yellow from the city lights outside. The pictures you see in movies and on TV can not quite capture the majesty of the building.
The Pantheon is another of the greatest sights to see. The pillars of the ancient temple are astounding. A site where the Gods stood for the Romans, even today inspires awe. The white marble, looming steps are part of the grand design of the building. Not everything worth seeing in Rome is from the age of the empire however. There are a great many buildings worth seeing from the medieval age as well.
The Basilica of Saint Paul or Basilica di San Paulo as the Italians know it is one of these famous pieces. Though some see it as a religious site where the remains of St. Paul are said to have been covered by the Emperor Constantine, the site is of great beauty. The history of the site alone is overwhelming , though it has been rebuilt time and time again refinishing and fixing small cracks and replacing entire walls at times, the building was first completed more than 1600 years ago in about 370.
As far as the mystery of St. Peter’s body, there have been recent findings in the area. In fact, the sarcophagus was found underneath the basilica and recent carbon dating, which most historians find very reliable date the bone fragments remains to the first or second century, which places the bones at the time of St. Peter’s death.
There are many more fantastic pieces of history and mystery that lie beneath the city. Those can only be found by those who search. Rome as the vibrant heart of Italy is a must see for anyone wishing to truly experience the beauty that is Europe.

For more travel information and stories about Rome Italy join 100,000 worldwide subscribers at www.marialiberati.com

A Recipe & A Movie-Eat, Pray, Love, Fettucini Alfredo

Guest Blogger: Karissa Martin
copyright 2011 Art of Living,PrimaMedia,Inc
Liz Gilbert is suffocating in her marriage and her life in the opening of Eat Pray Love (2010). She “just wanted to slip quietly out the back door, and then not stop until [she] reached Greenland.” Her life was basically perfect, but she just didn’t feel anything anymore. She talks to a toothless medicine man in Bali while working on an article, takes a look at her life, and she decides that it’s time to get a divorce. After a quick fling with a younger man, David (James Franco), Liz decides to travel the world and find herself. She jumped from her painful divorce right to David, and she barely even had time to take a breath.

First stop: Italy (or eat). The beauty and the food envelop Liz and make her feel warm and a little happy again. With the help of her new Swedish acquaintance and an Italian tutor, Liz starts to feel comfortable and almost like she’s at home in Italy. After eating a lot of amazing food, embracing her new, bigger pants, and spending time with her new Italian family, Liz decides it’s time to move onto the next phase of her journey: pray.

India is the next stop, and it is all about meditation and prayer. After some “selfless, devotional work” and a nervous breakdown in the meditation room, Liz meets Richard from Texas. He becomes her mentor of sorts and encourages her, even when it may look like mockery. He knew that deep down she had “the capacity to somehow love the whole world.” Among other advice, Richard ordered her to stay in India until she forgave herself, and that’s exactly what she did.

Final stop: Bali. Liz makes her way back to Ketut, the toothless medicine man, and he doesn’t recognize her after her complete transformation. She was a sad, old woman, but now she is radiant. After nearly hitting Liz in his car, the beautiful Brazilian Felipe (Javier Bardem) starts falling for her. They both had a divorce in their pasts, and they understand what the other went through. Liz feels herself losing her internal balance while she’s falling in love with him, and she breaks it off with Felipe. She doesn’t know if she can keep herself happy and focused and love him, too.

Liz learned a lesson on her journey: “If you’re brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting…and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher and if you are prepared, most of all, to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself, then the truth will not be withheld from you.”

Through the laughter and the tears, the pangs of hunger may present themselves. If you don’t want to have to buy bigger pants like Liz, go for the healthier version of fettuccini alfredo to whet your appetite. You can eat alongside Liz while she’s in Italy, minus the guilt of eating fattening foods. Your eyes and stomach will be thoroughly satisfied after the delicious, light dish.
Healthy and Light Fettuccini Alfredo
Excerpted from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm BLOG at www.marialiberati.com, copyright 2011 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati
Ingredients
1 lb whole wheat fettuccini alfredo
1 lb chicken tenders(or chicken-soy based substitute)
2 heads of broccoli
2 tbsps butter
1 pint of fat free half-and-half
1 cup pecorino romano cheese
Method
1. Boil water and add fettuccini. Cook until al dente
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sauté in olive oil. Once cooked, drain the oil, add the butter and half-and-half. Pour everything over the fettuccini.
3. Steam the broccoli for 4 minutes and add to the mixture once the pasta is cooked. Add black pepper to taste.

For more recipes, get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Make Your Dish Into a Masterpiece with Oregano

Guest Blogger: Karissa Martin
copyright 2011 art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc

Oregano is a staple herb that is used in many recipes, especially when it comes to Italian and Greek cooking. It can be used fresh or dried, and it can be used in pasta, meat dishes, sauces, salad dressings, and even salads. It is an excellent, flavorful addition to a meal, and it is a great herb to keep on hand in your garden or kitchen. Easy to grow and delicious with a fresh scent, oregano is a perfect addition to any herb garden, indoors or out.

First step: go get some seeds or a seedling from your local plant nursery or garden center, or even search online. There are different types of oregano to choose from, Greek and Italian oregano being the most common. Once you’ve obtained the plant or seeds, choose your planting spot. Choose a place with plenty of sunlight and good water drainage. Oregano likes sandy soil, so, for best results, mix a little sand in your soil. Dig a small hole and insert your plant, or, if you are using seeds, place the seeds on top of the soil and do not cover them with soil. Water the soil until it is just damp―do not overwater.

Oregano does not need much water―only water your plant when the soil surrounding the plant begins to look dry. When the plant is about four inches tall, you can begin cutting it back and using the leaves for cooking. Cut it back periodically to keep the plant more compact and to encourage growth. When the flower buds begin to show, pull them off to keep your oregano’s flavor strong. Watch out for spider mites and aphids―they like oregano and will destroy your plant if they are left to feed. Try to use more organic methods of insect repellant because, remember, you will be eating this plant.

With its antioxidants and health benefits and ability to make any dish into a masterpiece, oregano is the perfect herb for any kitchen or herb garden. Dry it, freeze it, or use it fresh to add a touch of taste to your meal anytime.

For recipes using oregano get your copy of the Gourmand World Cookbook Award Winning Cookbook The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition