How to Make Your Home Entertaining

To have a home that is great for entertaining you need a good area both indoors and outdoors. The perfect style of home for entertaining is one with a large open living area, particularly one that includes the kitchen within this space, that way the cook isn't left out of all the fun. If you prefer to entertain outdoors you need a good paved area with some quality sandstone pavers, a veranda, retractable awning or patio and a good quality barbecue.

Veranda

You will need some sort of shade and shelter for an outdoor entertainment area. If your home doesn't have a veranda you can have one built or construct a patio area. If you don't want to have a shaded area out the side or back of your home all year round you can also have a retractable awning installed which means you can pull it out when you want to create a shaded area and then put it away so the sun can warm up your home in winter.

Pavers

You will need either a paved area or a timber decking, depending on whether your garden slopes away from the house or you prefer the look of timber. Paving is a lot easy to lay and there are great choices of outdoor pavers available in a range of different materials. You can set up your furniture on the pavers and they also look great around an in ground pool.

Lighting

For entertaining at night you will need adequate lighting if you are going to have your party outdoors. Fluorescent lighting is a bit harsh and creates a glare. For a better mood lighting turn off the overhead light and illuminate your outdoor area with garden lights or hang fairy lights in the trees. Have lights running up the side of pathways or even light some tiki lights in the garden, which are inexpensive. If you have a pool switch on the pool light to cast a lovely glow over your garden.

Garden

Whether you are entertaining indoors and enjoying the view of your garden through the windows or having a party outdoors, keep your garden tidy by weeding and trimming plants regularly. Mow the lawn or if you don't have time hire someone to come in and do it for you. Gardens look lovely at night with lights dotted through them or hang lights in the trees. For added atmosphere you might want to have a water feature installed.

Outdoor furniture

The range of outdoor furniture is fantastic. You can buy quality furniture that easily rivals your indoor settings. You can buy lounge suites that are as comfortable as your indoor set and furniture comes with all sorts of luxurious accessories like pillows, throws and table settings. If you plan on entertaining outdoors often invest in some quality furniture that will last.

Outdoor Kitchen

To create a really functional outdoor entertainment area you can install an outdoor kitchen. As well as the usual barbecue an outdoor kitchen will have plenty of bench space for food preparation and a sink for washing up.

Sea View

Captured from a restaurant in Indramayu (West Java, Indonesia) that has sea view. During our way to my husband's home town, we dropped by there for having a lunch.

The Weekend in Black and White

What You Should Do If an Earthquake Strikes

If you live in an area that is prone to earthquakes you need to know what to do. Even if you don't live in such an area you should have some knowledge of how to protect yourself because you might end up travelling within a region that is prone to quakes and you could find yourself caught up in one. If you live in an area that experiences regular earthquakes then it is essential that you protect your assets by having home and contents insurance, which will cover your furniture, personal belongings, your Westinghouse fridge, computer equipment and clothes.

Where to go during an earthquake
You need to know where the safest place to be is if an earthquake was to happen. Inside the safest place to be is under a table or if there is no furniture to get under you should stand against an interior walls. You should try to keep as far away from windows as possible.

What to do if you are outside
If you happen to be outside when an earthquake strikes the best place you can be is well away from any buildings, trees or anywhere that anything could fall down on you. If you are near a hill side you will need to watch for falling rocks. If an earthquake starts you need to try not to panic and move to the most open area you can find.

Supplies
You should have an emergency supply kit organised no matter where you live, even if earthquakes don't happen in your area. Other things could happen like storms or flash floods so it is important to be prepared. You should have a stock of emergency supplies such as fresh bottled water, tinned food, a battery operated radio with some extra batteries, a torch with spare batteries, a first aid kit and medical supplies, blankets, plenty of warm clothing and some basic tools, such as spanners, a hammer, screw drivers and a saw.

A safe home

You can help keep yourself safe by arranging your home so that if an earthquake hits then heavy objects are not placed up high where they can fall on you. Heavy books, vases, pots and pans and anything else of this nature should be stored in lower shelves and any breakables shut behind cabinets that can lock. Don't hang heavy mirrors or pictures above where people often sit or sleep.
It is also a good idea to anchor down heavy objects such as fridges, washing machines and other appliances.

Utilities
After the earthquake has finished you should turn off your utilities, such as the gas and electricity at the mains. This is where you might need your tools.

Afterwards
You need to make sure that you not injured before going to find anybody else. If the building you are in seems to be unstable you need to get yourself and everyone else out. Don't put yourself in unnecessary danger. There may be gas leaks so check you can't smell gas. Turn off the power and gas if you can.

Related source: Earthquake retrofitting

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Welcome Sunshine! 5 Great Ways To Celebrate Summer

Summer is an exciting time, especially for Aussies. The warm weather brings something out in us that the cold weather puts away for the months of winter. It seems to make us happier, lighter and ready to come out of hibernation and get active again. Summer is definitely worth celebrating.

If you’re one of those people who worked way too hard last summer, and missed the beach weather, got suck inside on a lazy Sunday afternoon or just couldn’t find the time to enjoy the heat, this summer is the one for you. Celebrate its arrival and make sure you make the most of it for however long it lasts.
So how can you kick summer off in style… and set a trend you stick to?
1. The traditional way
The best way for an Aussie to kick off the warm months is to have a barbeque bonanza in the backyard! Getting all your friends together is the sound of summer. Sausages on the barbie is the smell of summer. Freshly mowed grass covered in barbie tables and chairs are the sight of summer. Embrace the start of the season, call in the event hire company for entertainment, and encourage all your friends to do the same.

2. Get active
The warmer months are also a great time to get in shape – they are, after all, the months of swimwear and short shorts. Start off the summer with a plan to get fit and healthy and be the best you can be. None of these New Year’s resolution type plans that have no follow through, a genuine plan that you will start from day one and keep following! Focus on clear cut goals and use the summer to achieve them.

3. Take a break
As soon as the temperatures start rising, start making plans to have a break. We should definitely not spend the best days of summer sitting in an office! If you can’t find the time or the money to take a proper holiday, take advantage of the October long weekend, or just take one or two days and enjoy a special long weekend break. Summer’s here to enjoy, so don’t waste it!

4. Girls night out
Winter is a tough time to hit the town. It’s freezing on the streets, but too hot in the clubs for the big coats you desperately need outside. As summer comes around, it’s time to polish off the heels and the short skirts, coat on the fake tan and get ready to have a big one! Get the girls all together, some music and a few pre-drinks to start the night, then let the warm summer air send you crazy!

5. Get sexy!
Finally, if you’ve hidden away inside the four walls of your home and the colourbond fencing surrounding it during the colder months, you’re going to need to invest in cleaning up for summer. Think pamper pack for yourselves – and the girls if they are in. We’re talking manicure, pedicure, facials, hair – the works, so you can look your best, and feel your best when you strut your stuff down the street in summer.
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How to Live with Others

Learning to live with other students, roommates or your partner is something we will all pick up in time. However, you are not alone if you seem to struggle with finding great flatmates, or always come into conflict with those you live with.

Here are some tips that will help make living with others an easier process, and will help you avoid the common areas that can cause arguments or disputes.

1. Establish Boundaries.
When you first move into a new apartment together, or you meet your new flatmates for the first time: take the time to establish some boundaries and clarify what is and isn’t acceptable.

For example, is it okay to invite your friends over for dinner, or do you need to let your fellow roommates know first? How loud can you be during the evenings? Are there any days of the week where you need to particularly quiet?

It might feel a little awkward to discuss this first, especially if you do not know each other well, but it will save you from a lot of potential conflict further down the line.
Printing a list of the boundaries you have discussed and keeping this somewhere for reference (in the very rare case that you will need it) can also be a good idea.

2. Sync Your Times.
Cooking times, TV times and showering times are all areas that can get a little messy.

Be mindful of what time everyone needs to go to work in the morning and plan around this: maybe some of you will have to shower at night to avoid clashes in the morning.

If you have a very small kitchen, it is a good idea to stagger your cooking times, or look into cooking together.

3. Bond.Depending on who has signed the rental agreement, one of you will have had to pay a bond (unless you own the house yourself).

If you have all moved into the house at the same time, it is wise to suggest the bond is split evenly.

This will mean that, in the event something does break or you don’t get the entire bond back, the loss is shared evenly between all of you.

Establishing the bond as a condition of moving in will save you an unpleasant discussion at a later stage, especially if the bond is lost through no fault of your own.

4. Contract and Rent.
The most important part of a contract between flatmates is to protect you for when someone decides to move out.

Include a stipulation in the contract that they must give at least two weeks notice – meaning you will have time to find someone else – or perhaps even include a condition that they cannot move out until a replacement has been found.

This would mean if they moved out and did not fulfill these obligations, a debt collection agency would be able easily to help you get back what money is owed.

5. Give Each Other Space.
One of the best things about living with others is the opportunity to build long lasting, close friendships.

Just as you hear stories about flats that have turned out to be disastrous – there are also many success stories. Whether you moved in together already as friends, or whether you were complete strangers – you can become closer as a result of living together.

Remember to give each other space and respect the need for privacy when appropriate – and avoid spending too much time together so as not become weary of one another. Finding the perfect balance is difficult - but not impossible. Good luck!

Yellow Dome of Bogor Presidential Palace

I try to capture the yellow dome of Bogor Presidential Palace (Bogor, West Java, Indonesia). It's a pity that I failed to make a good photo. I decide to still share it here, as you can also see the yellow 'becak' (tricycle) there.