Guide To Choosing Movies For Your Kids

With the extensive exposure to media that children get nowadays, it is not surprising that many of them ‘watch’ their first movie even before their first birthday. Although mere exposure and actually watching and understanding the movie are two different things, it is recommended that kids younger than two years old are not allowed to watch television, or movies for that matter.

Still, once the kids reach a particular age, it is inevitable in some households that these kids will have watched a handful of movies. Media such as TV shows, online videos, and movies, are not all bad for the children because once children’s brains are mature enough to process these media, there could be benefits to this activity as well.

However, it is still very important to monitor and choose the movies for your kids. Below are some tips to help you choose movies for your kids.

·         Everything goes through you. Think of yourself as your children’s gatekeeper – you get to choose which movies and TV shows get to go inside your children’s brains and nothing goes directly to them without going through you. Set this rule firmly in their minds, so that your children will also get into the habit of asking you before watching anything.

·         Watch it yourself. The best way to find out if a movie is suitable for your children is to watch it yourself. Even if it is a Philippine movie, an old movie, an animated movie, or any other kind of movie, make sure that you watch it first before letting your kids do the same thing. Watch this movie with a critical eye, always asking yourself whether it is appropriate for your own kids.

·         Research. There will be times when it will be difficult for you to watch it yourself beforehand such as when you and your family will be watching at a cinema in one of the malls in thePhilippines. In these instances, your weapon is your research skills. Read reviews and ratings to find out as much as you can about the movie. However, your final judgment will only be based on these reviews so make sure that you do a thorough research.

·         Anticipate issues. For movies wherein some sensitive issues might have been tackled, it is important to ask yourself regarding your stand on these issues that have cropped up. Thinking through these issues will help you guide your child on said issues. 

Four (4) Post-Valentine Ideas For Busy Couples

Valentine’s Day this year fell on a Friday. It was also payday for majority of the companies in the Philippines which is why it was not surprising to see crowds of people and heavy traffic at the busiest parts of the metro. It is also for these reasons that some couples have opted to celebrate Heart’s Day after February 14.

How To Have Post-Valentine Date For Busy Couples

If you and your partner lead busy lives, one of the common struggles you might encounter is how to make your schedules meet. As many consider Valentine’s Day extra special for couples, the only way to mark the occasion is to be with one another before or after the event. Here are some suggestions that will only take three to four hours of your time. See which post-valentine idea is most applicable to busybodies like you.

1.       Hang out at home. There is nothing more intimate than being with each other alone. Start the afternoon by visiting the grocery store near you then cook dinner together. The experience is guaranteed to bring you closer as you play with the taste and scent of the dishes. Drink some wine, talk about anything and everything and share future plans. Want to get pampered simultaneously? Set an appointment for home-service couple massages to relax those aching muscles.

2.       Watch a romantic movie. Sometimes, simply going out, malling and visiting your favorite stores make a huge difference. After all, it’s all about setting aside some “us” moment that matters the most. Do some window shopping and eat out. End the night with the last showing of a comedy-romance flick in one of the Philippine cinemas. Buy yourselves popcorns and colas and savor the company of your guy or girl.

3.       Have a food trip. Feed each other and satisfy your cravings by trying a couple of cuisines and flavors in fashion. For instance, try something Capampangan at Abe, one of the restaurants in Trinoma. Stroll around the mall for a few minutes then have merienda at Parvati afterwards. For early dinner, keep it hot and spicy by dining in at Mango Tree Bistro, a Thai resto. To lose those extra pounds gained during your food-tripping escapade, belt out your favorite birit songs at the Red Box. This is a great opportunity to hold a private concert for him or her.

4.       Enjoy the great outdoors together. Bike around the village, go jogging or play tennis, the important thing is that you share these precious moments.

Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Cinemas To Go To

Finding cinemas in the Philippines is easy. In fact, almost every shopping center in the Philippines has at least a pair. However, selecting the best one is a different story. You see, despite the number of cinemas to choose from, only a few are actually well maintained and are good enough to give you the best viewing experience when watching a movie.

If you are on the lookout for such a cinema in thePhilippines, here are some things you need to consider first before you start buying tickets.

Maintained by a reputable company

Just because a cinema is found inside a shopping center in the Philippines, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s well-maintained. On the contrary, some malls ignore their cinemas’ conditions and just settle for monthly or quarterly maintenance instead of a more regular one. This is especially true for malls whose main attractions are not their cinemas.

If you are considering cinemas in malls, better go for those maintained by reputable companies. These malls are regularly serviced and all their facilities are always near or are at top quality. Since their brand reputation is their biggest investment, they will do everything to keep that reputation synonymous to excellence. This fortunately applies to the cinemas under their name.

 Not so cheap

Good cinemas are usually not so cheap. Some would rather use the word pricey, but you have to understand that quality conditions and regular maintenance come at a cost. So before you judge cinemas as being too pricey, you better take into consideration more than just the movie you’re watching. In fact, it’s easier to just think of the little extra you’re paying as the cost of the clean and ergonomic seats, the relatively germ-free walls, digitally enhanced audio, the nice smell, and the dry spotlessly clean toilets.

Offers Reserved Seating

Good quality cinemas do not stay hidden. In fact, they quickly become popular because people would definitely talk about them. So, if a cinema is usually catering to a lot of movie-goers, then it can be an indication of how good the viewing experience inside it is.

Because of this, good quality cinemas (if not initially, then eventually) come with reserved seating. This provides viewers with the extra luxury of time and removes the inconvenience of waiting. With this feature, you just buy a ticket, reserve some seats, and then go to the cinema just a few minutes before the next showing. No hassles, no waiting, just you and the movie on the big screen. Now that’s the best viewing experience.

Home Staging: Five (5) Tips To Finding A Professional Home Stager

While the need to seek a home stager is not a requirement for every seller, it has become a great solution for many. This is especially true if the person selling the house has no time to spare to do the prepping himself or he aims to increase the value of his property for a marketable and quick sale.

How To Find A Professional Home Stager

Learn where to start searching for a professional to partner with. Here are five (5) tips to help you out.

1.       Profile. In today’s digital age, it’s quite easy to check the background of the person you are eyeing to hire. Does he have a website? Is it difficult to navigate around it? Anyone in the field will understand the value of a good web design as it can quickly reflect character and artistic skills. Does it indicate his rates and pricing? Can you afford it? What can you say about his About and Contact pages? Make sure that his details are complete – name, address and phone number as these can signify if he’s legit or not. Is he on LinkedIn or About.Me?

2.       Portfolio. Check for sample works. For instance, if you live in the Philippines and you want to put your condo up in the market, how many Philippine real estate projects has he bagged to date? How long did it take him to finish one? This can show how in demand he is in the business and why he is so. Can you access the BEFORE and AFTER photos of the PH properties that he handled recently? In this way, you can assess how effective the transformations are as well as the quality of his work.

3.       Recommendations. Who referred him to you? Did you find him over the web or did a friend or colleague endorse his services? Look for testimonials to determine what his past and present clients have to say.

4.       Online Reputation. With the birth of social media, it’s fairly simple to verify now the influence and credibility level of an individual. Metrics such as number of followers, how many positive or negative sentiments are found on the social networking sites, the ratio of good feedbacks as opposed to complaints can all add up to his trustworthiness. Surely, you would want to be partners with someone you trust?

5.       Etiquette and Ethics. The minute you talk to him on the phone or exchange emails, observe closely his communication abilities. How does he speak or reply to your messages? Is he courteous? How good is he as a listener? Keep in mind that you’ll be working together so ensure that he is very professional and serious about his commitments.

Home Staging: Three (3) Things To Consider Before Hiring A Home Staging Professional

Selling homes is more than just employing the help of a realtor in enlisting your property, finding a buyer and sealing the contract. It also entails prepping your house in the most appealing way possible for a quick and successful transaction.

What To Consider Before Hiring A Home Staging Professional

There are several reasons why you should hire a professional. One is that his expertise can showcase the finest features of your residence in a way that it can compete with other new houses for sale in the Philippine market. If implemented properly, the value of your PH property can increase consequently. He can make the buying process faster too with his recommendations and technical suggestions.

If you’re a seller who is having second thoughts about seeking a home stager, here are some items to consider before you make a final decision.

1.       Identify the current condition of your residence. When was it built and how long has it been inhabited? How big is your space? Its physical state and size can very well dictate the amount of work that needs to be done. Are your interiors and exteriors still in good form? Do you need to repaint the walls or will cleaning and de-cluttering do? Assess the volume of required repairs. Do you need to change the carpet? Are the rooms suitable enough or do they need to be furnished too? Determine the areas that call for an upgrade and renovation. What do you do with the items you do not use anymore? Can you make big cash out of it? Gauge when is the best time to hold a garage sale.

2.       Evaluate which tasks you can do by yourself. Do remember that the whole procedure may demand a lot of your hours and skills as well. Can you handle the stress? For instance, have you set a target date of showing yet? With the bulk of work ahead of you, can you ready it on time if you were to do it all alone? Have you given thought on how you can highlight each room with minimal cost? What paint colors should you choose? Will it complement well with the rest of the interior?

3.       Determine your budget. While it seems easy to let a professional take care of the entire scenario, the question remains – can you afford his fee? Perhaps, you can do away with a consultant as a cheaper alternative.

Home Staging: Five (5) Steps In Turning Your Personal Photo Collection Into An Artwork

Anybody in the real estate industry knows the importance of prepping the home for a sell. It can easily seal the deal if prospective buyers see the property pleasant and homely enough or it can quickly break the transaction if they find something undesirable about it. Needless to say, it has become a requirement nowadays for future homesellers to stage their houses in the best ways imaginable.

Home Staging: How To Turn Your Personal Photo Collection Into An Artwork

One mistake to avoid during this phase is putting too much personality around the house. Keep in mind that each and every buyer must be able to visualize himself/herself as the owner and he/she will not be able to do that if he/she is surrounded with family photos as constant reminders that this is your residence. One trick then is to remove these traces and create a neutral vision similar to those applied in a luxury hotel that are both comforting and attractive yet depersonalized.

Learn how you can turn those photo collections into an artwork. Here are five (5) steps to follow through.

1.       Create a quick inventory of your personal mementos. Survey your surroundings and inspect which corners of your new house for sale have evidence of the current inhabitants – picture frames in the living room, photo albums in the entertainment section, picture collage in the library and so on. 

2.       Take them down and segregate. If there are wall pictures in the bedroom, put it down. Or set aside in one corner all framed photos of your kids in your home office. Bring them altogether and categorize according to usage and frames. For instance, those that go into the walls as decors, put them on one side. Those that can be found on top of side tables, place them on the other side. Separate based on the types of frames used – some may be made of metallic materials, others, of wood.

3.       Stick to one type of frame. Since the objective is to convert it into an artwork, consistency is the key then. Find one type that is neutral and consistent both in color and design and focus on using that to display all over your PH property for sale. Get their dimensions – is it 4 x 6, 5 x 7 or 8 x 10?

4.       Find pictures in the internet, resize and print them depending on the size of the frame. Stick to images that highlight landscape, nature, trees and flowers all in black and white. You may opt for colored ones if it works better with your interiors. Use software like Photoshop to edit them so it will fit the generic frame that you have on hand.

5.       Set these images on top of your personal portraits and position them strategically all over your residence. Do remember to keep them as balanced as possible. For example, your wall collection is all about beautiful settings in the country side – rivers, mountains and trees. Then out of nowhere, there’s a big-eyed baby included in the collage. Avoid inserting items that are out-of-theme and do not go well with the concept you are trying to depict.

Home Staging: Four (4) Secrets To Staging Your Bathroom Like A Luxury Spa

The golden rule when staging a house is to make it as appealing as possible to prospective homebuyers. This includes keeping it clean, neat and homely with enough storage space and legroom to give a comforting feel and atmosphere. How your house looks can give a lasting impression to every person who visits it and buyers are no exception.

How To Stage Your Bathroom To Feel Like A Luxury Spa

Bathrooms are one of the many home features that a potential buyer initially checks on when searching for properties for sale. It is safe to say then that it can be a deal breaker if not staged properly.

Here are some tips to transform your bathroom into a luxury spa. Learn how you can maximize each element to portray a simple and tasteful yet soothing spa-like experience.

1.      Decorations and Ambience. The secret lies to the decorations so as to create an aura similar to those found in spas. When you think of spa, you usually associate it with water and nature.

o    Plants. Start by incorporating life and adding greeneries to your condo bath – put in some fresh flowers like orchids or aloe vera on transparent vases and have them placed by the sink, tub or window. Scatter decorative twigs and berries on the top shelf.

o    Sea-inspired items. Bring in the feeling of being by the beach through shells, starfish and pebbles decoration.

o    Curtains and rugs. Get rid of the traditional shower curtains and replace them with something more flowing and relaxing to the eyes. Cover the floors with rugs that have ethnic vibes on it.

o    Toiletries. Ideally, there should be no trace or indication that there is someone living in your residence during the tour. However, you can give an illusion of being in a luxurious suite or resort by organizing the bath products on one corner. Ensure that they are all new and unused. Have a basket or glass jars for unwrapped soap bars and cotton balls. You can also drop some flower petals around the area.

2.      Towels and Robes. Pick towels that are ultra-white and organic during the touring event. You can roll them like in real spas and situate them near the sink; store them up in baskets by the floor or fold them up on a bamboo or wooden tray. Have some wash cloths readily available too. Slip a fluffy white robe on a padded hanger and place them within reach.

3.      Scents. Putting scented candles in various heights and sizes creates a serene mood. Also, get some natural aroma oils like rose, vanilla or lavender that can be added to the water for a more romantic smell.

4.      Lighting. Position some lamps that have soft lights in a couple of corners around the room. If your window needs replacement, opt for something where the glass can let in the light but can protect your privacy at the same time.