What to Look for in a Home Bar Furniture

Home entertainment means getting a bar where refreshments and delicious food will be served. You don't need to go to a local pub to entertain guests. You can instead give them an aged wine and fruits while catching up with each other.

If you're planning to make a bar that's cozy and inviting, you need to look for a design that will complement the overall décor of your home. It should be comfortable where guests can wander into the kitchen when the food that they are looking for is not available in the bar. Make sure your design is still eye-catching and elegant, possibly with a pop of color from a neon sign or light from a website like Neon Mama to really bring the bar to life. The seats should be high enough, and there should be plenty of shelves for the drinks. 

What to Look For when Designing

1. Cozy and Dark

Dark colors and palettes are ideal for a home bar. You can mimic the ambiance and character of the bar where you frequent. The clubs usually have lights and several comfortable seats from a legitimate home bar furniture website that will give them a great time. Choose recessed lights and install them accordingly. Add some ceiling pendants if you feel like it for a more natural, cozy, and romantic ambiance.

Some of the darker colors may manifest when the room is receiving natural light. This is perfect when the other colors of the surrounding areas are blue, black, or neutral tones. The cozy atmosphere is where you can get into conversations that are meaningful and enjoyable. 

2. Know the Right Appliances to Add

When you're in the process of designing your home bar, it's essential to choose the right furniture and appliance. Decide whether it's ideal for you to get a dry or wet bar. You may want to install a fridge or sink nearby for easier preparation of delicacies. Some add microwaves so they can eat their morning toasts at the bar before they go to work.

Include the costs of electricity, plumbing, and other utilities into the budgeting. Many homeowners may add asymmetrical patterns on the shelves and geometric designs to emphasize their decors. Others may prefer higher stools. The wooden varieties can offer aesthetics and a more chic environment, especially when the bar is near the living area. Know more on how you can throw club parties at home in this link. 

With endless designs available for the ceiling pendants, you can create unique lightings that are more to your tastes. Some showcase their bars with silver and gold hardware, luxury materials, and many textures with pops of colors for accents. The velvet bar stools will never go out of style, and they are easy to clean as well. Two-tiered islands are also more common so that guests can socialize, drink, and eat simultaneously.

3. Eclectic Designs

With the popularity of these areas nowadays, it's not surprising that other people begin to convert their older carriage house into a modern and chic room. The interiors of an old carriage behind a Victorian mansion have undergone a complete transformation that it's unrecognizable from its old appearance.

Some owners decide that recycled bottles are still in, but this doesn't mean that they have to sacrifice style. They were able to turn the bottles into light fixtures and combined them with ceramic tiles for added patterns. The sleek and casual fixture was warmed up by natural wood seats and walnut walls that the creativity resulted in an excellent organic and glamorous space.

While many think that a home's interior should be formal and more serious than the outside, the impact of laid-back and casual spaces shouldn't be totally discounted. In many homes, the bar's aesthetic gets the guest into a playful mood, and these are usually the beginning of fun conversations in eclectic homes.

The wallpaper should complete the look, but you can also add some light fixtures like sun-shaped lamps if you feel like it. Personalized bars often have blackboards as well where guests can write their notes and quotes, and you'll never go wrong with these.

4. Luxury is Always Welcome

Grand and extravagant bars often feel welcoming if this is within your budget. In many homes, the luxurious setting made these areas a centerpiece of the house where the guests go first to have a drink and relax. 

Ceiling pendants and recessed lights can dim the environment, but you can also get an interior designer's help for other ideas. Read more about the pros and cons of recessed lights here: https://www.thespruce.com/recessed-lighting-pros-and-cons-1821552. You can upgrade to the glasses and silverware so that they can match the room's aesthetic ambiance.

When you're still deciding on the room's layout, you need to position the bar in a way that it's not going to be an obstacle. It should follow the rooms' natural flow, and it should be integrated between the dining and living areas so they can be versatile spaces. This way, both rooms' luxurious ambiance can be incorporated into the bar, and everything will look more seamless.

What Are the Different Types of Tequila Available?

Anyone who has tasted tequila can testify to its unique and exciting taste. It is a distilled drink that is produced from fermented blue agave plants. It originates from Mexico and has become a worldwide phenomenon. It is popularly consumed more in Mexico and the United States.

It is a unique liquor and can only be produced in certain regions of Mexico. These cities include Tequila, Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacán and Tamaulipas. Those produced elsewhere do not qualify to be regarded as such.

Tequila can be consumed in a variety of ways. This can be straight or neat without adding anything but taken as a shot. Some shots are taken with lime and salt. This is because the salt lessens its burn in the mouth and throat while the lime enhances its flavor.

Some people prefer to enjoy theirs by swirling it around a glass, taking in its aroma and then sipping it. A final way it can be consumed is by adding it as an ingredient in other drinks such as margaritas. You can check out this and more in this article.

Types of Tequila Drinks

Although tequila may be made from the same plant and the same region, they do not all taste the same. They are of different types and each one tastes differently from the others. Here are the five main types available.

Blanco

Blanco has several aliases. It can be referred to as Silver, White, Platinum, or Plata. It is the youngest tequila type and it is made from 100% pure blue Weber agave. Typically, it is freshly distilled and aged for only a few weeks which makes it sweet.

Because Blanco does not spend time in aging, it remains clear and silverish. Some distillers may age it for up to two months for a smoother taste. Blanco is also one of the best for making margaritas.

Joven

Joven is a Spanish word that means “young”. This drink is most times a mixto. A mixto means it is a blend of other drinks often Reposado, Anejo and Silver and other additives. It is golden in color and known by different monikers like Gold, Oro, or Dorado.

Joven gets its color from additives and flavoring agents such as caramel coloring and grain alcohol. If you find a Blanco bottle named Joven, it means is a mixto of some aged tequila with an unaged one.

Reposado

Have you like many asked what is a Reposado? Just so you know, it is a Spanish word that means “rested”. This name is in reference to this drink being aged in wood casks from between two months to one year. A lot of distilleries often age their Reposado in bourbon barrels. This adds bourbon flavors to the final product.

The process of aging Reposado adds some natural golden color and subtle hints of flavors like nuts, coffee and vanilla. This tequila can be enjoyed straight or used in cocktails. It makes margaritas more dynamic and full of flavors. 

Anejo

Anejo means aged. It is a drink that is aged for at least a year or more in oak barrels. What this does is that it loses its agave characteristics, turns amber and takes on the flavor of the barrel. It also results in a rich and smooth drink with hints of caramel and butterscotch.

Anejo can be likened to when tequila has been made to grow and lose its innocence. It is delicious and can be used as a whiskey substitute. The best way to enjoy it is neat or neat with water.

Extra Anejo

These are ultra-aged tequilas. They have been aged for a minimum of three years and are darker. It is mahogany in color with a complex and smooth flavor. They are usually best sipped alone instead of using it as a mix for other drinks.

Which Tequila Type is The Best?

This is based solely on what you prefer and whatever you intend to use it for. It is best to use either a Blanco or a Reposado for making margaritas. Anejo and Extra Anejo may also be used only that they would give your drink a caramel and oaky flavor.

Also, bear in mind that the more it is aged, the more expensive it becomes. This means Anejo and Extra Anejo are generally more expensive than the rest. You can checkout the guide to buying tequila here https://www.simplyrecipes.com/what_tequila_should_you_buy to learn more.

Conclusion

Tequila is one of the best liquors that you can drink. Like most drinks, it is available in different variants based on the age of the drink. The best type to choose is dependent on the drinker but the aged ones seem to taste better.

9 Tips for Kids to Ace Their End-of-Year Exams

Year-end exams are right around the corner, and many students aren’t sure where to start when it comes to studying. 

Whether students are suffering from pandemic fatigue, procrastination, or are simply lost after several months of remote learning, it’s imperative they take their final tests and year-end exams seriously and study for them. Preparing for an exam is just as important as taking the exam itself. Finishing school with a strong transcript will also give students a leg up in scholarship applications, which use academic merit as a qualification.

Brainly, the world’s largest online learning community, recently conducted a survey of its U.S. user base about their year-end exams. Consider this: Approximately 56% of students said they were anxious about their year-end exams. 

Patrick Quinn, parenting expert at Brainly who’s also a former teacher and father of three school-age kids, has some tips to help students prepare for standardized tests, combat year-end exam anxiety, and ace their next big test.

Read and Review—Early and Often. First and foremost, students should start preparing for their year-end exams as early as possible instead of waiting until the week before. We forget 70% of what we have learned within 24 hours, according to the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve principle. Going over new ideas a day after class will help increase retention and comprehension—so make time each evening for a quick review. Break chapters into sections and review the material at the end of each before moving on. Make notes by summarizing the critical aspects of the reading so you can easily review them without having to reread entire chapters. Bookmark difficult sections to revisit later. Pro Tip: If it is written on the board, add it to your notes. It just might be on the test.

 

Set Study Goals. For each study session, set a goal to keep track of what you’re studying or revising. You can list out your goals as soon as you start with your study session or you can set them at the end of the session for the next one. Here are some examples of study goals you can set:\

I will work through at least five equations.

I will go through and summarize chapters 5 and 6. 

I will understand and learn the key concepts that were taught in class during weeks 1-3.

 

Study to Suit your Learning Style. Your learning style will help you to know what are the best ways to prepare for an examination. For instance, if you are an auditory learner, you may benefit from recording your notes and then listening to them later, or you can even listen to classroom lesson recordings. On the other hand, if you are a visual learner, pictures and diagrams can help you remember. 

 

Limit Distractions With Online Tech Tools. If you’re lacking discipline and can’t help but check your social media during lectures, there’s a great Google Chrome extension called Self Control that can add certain websites to a blacklist for a designated amount of time in which those sites will be blocked, allowing for no school work distractions. 

 

Have Fun with Words. Breaking down the material into small pieces and creating acronyms, phrases, rhymes, or metaphors can be a valuable—and fun—way to memorize concepts. For example, students learning the steps in the scientific method will easily remember an acronym like HOMER, in which each letter stands for one of the five steps: Hypothesize, Operationalize, Measure, Evaluate, and Replicate/Revise/Report. No matter how silly, this method can help students remember important concepts for their year-end exams.

 

Establish Rules of Study Time. Unless students are explicitly using online tools to study, it’s a smart idea to remove phones and laptops from the study area to prevent distractions. Every ding from a text message takes away from valuable study time. When your brain is constantly switching back and forth between social and academic spheres, students are also losing a chance to work on their focus and stamina during a test. Some other rules might include things like: 

If you are studying for a lengthier amount of time, pre-schedule breaks with set time limits. 

Snacks and drinks are okay during study time so long as they are not a distraction.

 

Focus on Understanding. For complex math problems and abstract concepts like the events that led up to a war, for example, the best way to ensure you truly know the information is to focus on understanding instead of merely memorizing. When you’re stuck on a tough problem or challenging concept while you’re at home studying by yourself, there are plenty of amazing free platforms you can utilize to get online tutoring help or step-by-step explanations on the material.  Brainly provides step-by-step guidance and explanations to all questions on its platform, helping students go from questioning to understanding and beyond. Another way to ensure you understand the exam materials ahead of time is to reinforce what you’ve learned by helping explain answers to other students’ questions in subjects you’ve already mastered, which is a core component of Brainly’s peer-to-peer learning community.

 

Review Best Practices for Test-Taking. Studying for a test is only half the battle! Taking the test and doing well is also very important, but for some, can be much harder. For this reason, test-taking is a skill that students need to learn for academic success. There are different strategies and best practices for each type of test question (multiple-choice, true or false, essay questions, fill-in-the-blank, matching, and so on). If students are unfamiliar with these, they can turn to this checklist of test-taking strategies for middle and high school students.

 

Finally, Take Care of Yourself. In the days leading up to an exam, students should remember to take care of themselves. This means getting a full eight hours of sleep every night, drinking plenty of water, getting adequate amounts of exercise, and packing everything needed for school the night before. Remember that students can think better when they have a full stomach, so don’t skip breakfast the morning of the test. Get to school early and do a ten-minute power study right before the test, so your brain is turned on and tuned up. Pro Tip: Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which can give you more energy and better comprehension. Yoga or a stretching session can help with concentration and focus.

“Not every studying technique works for every student, so experiment with a few of these important study tips to find out which ones work best for you. Test-taking can be a real struggle for many high school students. Even after studying for hours the night before, many students will have anxiety during test time,” says Quinn. 

5 Tips for Planning a Service with a Funeral Home

It's unfortunate, but death is a part of life, and all life has to end. Some people say it's hardest when you experience the death of a loved one for the first time in your life. They say it gets easier after you have been to a couple of funerals. But no matter what people say or how prepared you were, losing a loved one is never easy. For help getting through this tough time, check out the following tips on planning a service with a funeral home. 

Learn What Happens At a Funeral

Before you arrange a funeral, you must know everything that happens at one. 

Generally, three things happen at each funeral. First is preparing the body of the deceased. The second is holding the service. The final one is handling the internment. 

With all three of those, you have a variety of choices, and you need to pick the right one. Therefore, you should start educating yourself on the things that are involved in each part of the process. You can even find some helpful checklists on the internet for planning funerals, as they can help you make decisions. 

Pick the Right Funeral Home

When you know the kind of funeral you want for your loved one, you can start looking into funeral homes that can help you set it up. 

There are many funeral homes out there, which is why you should pick the closest option that caters to your needs adequately. Alternatively, a place where all the relatives, family members, friends, and acquaintances can gather. 

You can ask your close friends and family members to accompany you everywhere. It can be tough to do everything by yourself. 

Choose the Kind of a Service

Familiarize yourself with the types of funeral services that funeral homes generally offer. For instance, you can get anything from direct cremation to a full funeral with a proper burial.

When you're at funeral homes, they will most likely offer plenty of packages. At this stage, you're more than likely not to be thinking clearly because of the death. That is entirely understandable. But, you should still try to keep an eye out for these packages. 

Often, people don't look too deep into the details of a package and agree to it because it offers the basic things they need for the service. But you should only get what you want and not pay for anything more. You can even go out of the package. 

Keep the Service Personal

Not every funeral needs to be precisely the same as the other. For instance, everyone shows up at a cemetery. They sit on the chairs, listen to some eulogies, and finally bury the dead. That's what happens in most movies and TV shows as well. 

However, you don't have to stick with the basics. These days, many people are going with the option to personalize the funerals of their loved ones. It makes the funerals more unique and personal. 

Take Care of Yourself

Regardless of how ready you were for the news of their passing away, the death of a loved one can be incredibly heavy.

Therefore, you need to seriously take care of yourself during these challenging times. For starters, you should try to be closer to members of your family and close friends. While you can be alone, it's better not to be by yourself. 

If you're having a challenging time processing the death, you can also look into support groups or counseling. They can really help you process the death and move on with your life. 

Getting Ready For Graduation Season With Basic Invite

It is so hard to believe that we will soon enter the month of April. I mean really, where did the time go? We just celebrated our son's 13th birthday and are still working through our feelings on that one! In just another couple months, our younger daughter will hit another big milestone in her life. She will be walking across the stage to accept her diploma for her grad school program. And guess what? Later this year in December, my older daughter will be doing the very same thing herself! It's unreal thinking about having two of your children completing grad school and moving into the next stages of their adult lives. 

Today's conversation is sponsored by Basic Invite

We have such big milestones to start planning for and celebrating. Like us, many families are getting ready to have new graduates in their household whether it's high school or college. While graduations might be a little different this time around, the celebrations will still go on. Both of my daughters have been trying to find the right photographer to capture images so they can make graduation invitations and announcements.  We have spoken to other families who are planning to opt out of a large party, and are choosing a small dinner at a local restaurant. This is definitely the route that we are taking given the current climate around the world. 

I have been browsing Basic Invite to check out their selection of personalized graduation invites. One great feature that they offer is almost unlimited colors with instant previews online. Once you select a design, you can change the color of each element on the card. With over 180 colors to choose from, the invite is sure to be exactly how you want it! This is what sets Basic Invite apart from almost any other online stationery company. You can also request custom samples to make sure you are happy with the paper quality and colors before you are ready to have your final order printed. 

Basic Invite has over 40 different envelope colors to choose from. That's a lot compared to most places that tend to only offer white. All of the envelopes are peel and seal so they can be closed quickly and securely. They also offer an address capturing service that allows customers to share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media to request their friends and family’s addresses. The addresses are stored in the customer’s account and can be selected during the design process. Basic Invite offers recipient address printing at no cost on all card orders. A great place to start is with their open house invitation templates. 

Right now Basic Invite is offering 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51 

If you are planning graduation festivities, a baby shower, birthday party or wedding, be sure to keep Basic Invite in mind for your custom invitations and announcements. I better get on the ball right now since there is still time! Thank you for stopping by today.