#local griller in YOUR area needs help | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

your-dietician · 3 years

Text

Best charcoal grills in 2021

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/latest/best-charcoal-grills-in-2021/

Best charcoal grills in 2021

CNN —

There’s nothing quite like the smell and taste of a charcoal grill in the summer. Charcoal grilling takes a bit more time and attention to get things just right, so when you choose to use a charcoal grill for a barbecue, everyone knows you mean business. That’s also why it’s key to purchase a charcoal grill that you can easily control the temperature on, that stays as hot as you need it to be throughout the kettle and that requires minimal cleanup once you’re finished.

We tested six kettle-style charcoal grills because when it comes to grilling, simpler is just better. After a handful of cookouts over the last few weeks, there were two clear winners.

Best overall grill

The Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill measures 22-inches wide and comes in three colors. It’s the easiest grill to control temperature on, making it our top pick.

Best budget grill

With the 18-inch Weber Original Kettle Grill, you can still get the full Weber charcoal grilling experience for under $100.

CNN

Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill

The 22-inch Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill lives up to Weber’s storied history. The Weber charcoal grill has been around for nearly 70 years and, while the design of the kettle has barely changed, it’s easy to see why.

In our testing, the Weber Premium was hands down the easiest grill to control temperature on, with the flames inside the kettle responding expertly to any tap of the vents. Temperature control is key to successful charcoal grilling. During our cooking tests on the Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill, hamburgers cooked to a medium rare temperature and our chicken ended up juicy, with a solid sear on the outside. Other grills we tested either ran hotter and overcooked the hamburgers, or they weren’t hot enough and barely seared or cooked the meat.

The premium version of the original kettle measures 22 inches wide and comes in three colors. The premium version also includes Weber’s One-Touch cleaning system, meaning that it comes with a large enclosed ash pan for easy cleanup, and it also boasts a built-in thermometer and lid hook. While we found both Weber grills to cook flawlessly, the upgrades on the premium model make the Weber Original Premium Kettle Grill our top charcoal grill of 2021.

Rosanne Salvatore

Weber Original Kettle Grill

The true original Weber grill, the Weber Original Kettle Grill, can be purchased for under $100, making it our top pick for best budget grill. This grill measures 18 inches wide, which is a noticeable surface-area difference from the 22-inch grill. It does not include a lid hook or thermometer, and the ash catcher is not enclosed. That said, this Weber takes under 10 minutes to set up and requires no hardware. Like the Weber Original Premium grill, hamburgers tested on this grill cooked up to a perfect medium rare. The chicken we grilled took four minutes of sear time and 25 additional minutes on indirect heat to come up to a safe internal temperature. If you’re looking for the best affordable charcoal grill under $100 that will cook your meat to a perfect temperature, then this Weber is for you.

Starting a charcoal grill is definitely not as easy as starting a gas grill, so it’s important to understand how to do it correctly. You’ll need to purchase a bag of briquettes, and either lighter fluid or a handy charcoal starter. For our tests, we used a Weber RapidFire Chimney Starter. We filled it up to the top with briquettes and then put newspaper underneath, which we lit on fire and then allowed the coals to heat up for exactly 15 minutes. Once your briquettes are fired up and ready to go, you then dump them into the base of the kettle grill. After you pop the cooking grate over the red-hot briquettes, you’re ready to start cooking.

CNN

RapidFire Chimney Starter inside a charcoal grill.

There are two common methods for charcoal grilling: direct and indirect heat. Hamburgers are generally cooked directly over the flame, which creates a sear on the meat. Chicken on the bone is best cooked via the indirect method so that the poultry has time to come up to the correct, safe temperature without charring up or drying out. To cook via the indirect method, you push your briquettes to one side of the grill. Since the briquettes are red-hot when you dump them out of the chimney starter, we’d advise that you invest in a charcoal rake to help move the briquettes around the grill. As long as you have the correct equipment on hand before you start grilling with charcoal, it’s easy to use the indirect cooking method.

For our tests, we cooked hamburgers on direct heat for four minutes on each side and then compared their level of doneness. We also grilled chicken leg quarters by searing them for two minutes on each side over direct heat and then finishing them off with indirect heat until they came up to a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The two Weber grills both cooked our hamburgers to medium rare, while the Oklahoma Joe’s, Cuisinart and Char-Griller all ran slightly hotter and cooked our test hamburgers to medium. We cooked burgers on the Napoleon grill with the cooking grate at its highest level, which was pretty far away from the briquettes. Our test hamburgers only cooked to rare on the Napoleon. Each grill did a great job searing the chicken leg quarters while still leaving them juicy on the inside. The Oklahoma Joe’s Kettle Grill and Weber Original Kettle Grills gave the chicken skin the deepest sear.

@cnnunderscored

How do you like your burger cooked? Link in bio to shop! #grill #grillnation #grillin #grillingvideos #grilling #summer #bbq #commissionearned

♬ Ooh Ahh – johnny boy

We measured the temperature of the grill surface, as well as the internal temperature of the chicken, with an external thermometer to ensure that any built-in temperate gauges were accurate. For the most part, the built-in thermometers were accurate, with the exception of the Cuisinart gauge, which barely registered any temperature throughout our testing process.

We also took notes on assembly for each grill. Though you only have to endure setup one time, build time is definitely relevant if you’re picking up a charcoal grill for a last-minute barbecue. The Weber Original Premium Grill took 15 minutes to assemble, while the Weber Original Grill took only 10 minutes. The Weber grills were the only grills that didn’t come with a hardware pack. You can easily set up either Weber grill by yourself and it only requires you to use a hammer or screwdriver for attaching the handle and wheels. The rest ranged in setup time from 27 minutes to over an hour, with varying levels of difficulty and number of persons needed to complete the task. The Cuisinart Kettle Grill boasts on its box that it only takes 15 minutes to set up; it actually took us 27 minutes to complete the task. Both the Char-Griller Kettle and the Oklahoma Joe’s Kettle Grill took us 45 minutes to set up.

CNN

Chicken leg searing on charcoal grill.

The Napoleon Freestanding Charcoal Kettle Grill took the longest to set up, clocking in at an hour and five minutes of build time. While this grill does come with an included cart, which added to setup time, we also found the instructions hard to follow, and the amount of hardware included felt a bit overwhelming. If you’re going to purchase this grill, then we’d advise looking into having your local hardware store build and deliver it to you.

CNN

A variety of charcoal grills from Weber, Napoleon, Cuisinart, Char Griller and Oklahoma Joe’s.

Oklahoma Joe’s Blackjack Charcoal Kettle Grill ($279.99; homedepot.com)

The Oklahoma Joe’s Blackjack Charcoal Kettle Grill gets top marks for its design, which includes an attached hinged lid for easy opening and closing, an enclosed ash pan and a convenient removable side shelf. The lid sets this grill apart from a traditional Weber kettle, which features an unattached kettle top. We enjoyed the ease of being able to hinge open the lid on the Blackjack for a quick flip of our meat during our tests.

The Blackjack Kettle Grill also features two air vents, and it was easy to control the grill temperature with them. The bottom vent functions like most kettle grills, but the top vent is styled more like a traditional smoker vent. You mainly control the temperature on this grill from the bottom vent. We also found the built-in temperature gauge to be accurate. This grill gave both our burgers and chicken a really nice sear. During our testing, hamburgers cooked to medium, while it took the chicken about 32 minutes to come up to temperature.

One downside to this grill is the ash pan, which can only be emptied by reaching into the grill and lifting it up and out of the kettle. The pan is not as deep as the Weber Premium’s pan, so it requires more frequent cleaning, which can only be done when the grill is entirely cooled off. It also took us 45 minutes to set this grill up. But if you like the unusual venting system, you aren’t put off by more frequent cleaning and you want a charcoal grill with a few more bells and whistles than a Weber, then this may be the grill for you.

Napoleon Pro 22-Inch Freestanding Charcoal Kettle Grill ($499; BBQguys.com)

We were underwhelmed with the performance of the Napoleon 22-inch grill, which is most likely a result of the grill needing more briquettes to really work well. The kettle on this model is pretty deep and you can adjust the cooking grate to two different levels. We wouldn’t advise cooking with the grate at the highest level if you’re looking for a nice sear since it’s too far off the heat. The grill grate on a Napoleon is made of a thicker and flatter cast iron, which is an upgrade from the usual lightweight, stainless steel grates you see on most charcoal grills. However, it takes longer to heat up and is a different cooking experience from traditional charcoal grills. During our tests, we were only able to get our hamburgers to cook to rare, and our chicken did not sear and crisp up as well as it did on all the other grills. Because of this, the Napoleon is definitely not a grill for charcoal beginners.

Char-Griller Premium Red Kettle Charcoal Grill ($177.62; amazon.com)

This grill ran red-hot and was nearly impossible to slow down the temperature on no matter what we did to make airflow adjustments. The Char-Griller has a noticeably deeper kettle — the deepest of the entire pool we tested. Despite the distance from the heat, meat still seared well on this grill because it ran so hot. It took over an hour to get this grill from 400 degrees Fahrenheit to the 300-degree range.

Cuisinart 18-Inch Kettle Charcoal Grill ($84.14, originally $93.49; homedepot.com)

The Cuisinart Black Kettle Grill is one of the smallest we tested with its 18-inch kettle. It’s similar in size to the Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill, though unlike that grill, it comes with an ash pan and a thermometer. However, a major downside to this grill was that the built-in thermometer barely worked. If it wasn’t positioned directly over the briquettes, then it would not register any temperature, and it generally was showing temperature much lower than the grill was actually at, according to the external grill thermometer we used. The Cuisinart was also the only grill with which we experienced grease flare-ups when cooking.

Read more from CNN Underscored:

Source link

0 notes

nightmare-afton-cosplay · 6 years

Text

How to Make Big Bucks on Airbnb: Vacation Home Secrets From the Netflix Series ‘Stay Here’

Netflix

Don’t you wish your home looked so dreamy, you could make money on Airbnb if you rented it out? A new Netflix series, “Stay Here,” can show you the ropes.

On the series, designer Genevieve Gorder and real estate broker Peter Lorimer show homeowners how to prepare properties to make a killing on short-term rental sites such as Airbnb.com and VRBO.

Sure, you can put clean sheets on a sofa bed and make a modest side income letting travelers crash in your den. However, if you want to make a serious profit off your rental and have it booked every night by return visitors, you have to go the extra mile.

And the proof is in the bookings. For the first season of “Stay Here,” Gorder and Lorimer revamped a number of properties—including a houseboat in Seattle, a vineyard cottage in Paso Robles, CA, and even a former firehouse in Washington, DC.

Every property they touched has ended up booked solid clear into next year, with rental income that has “doubled, tripled, even quadrupled,” says Lorimer. “It’s surpassed even what we estimated on the show.”

So whether you’re hoping to drum up more business for your own short-term rental or just want your home to look like it could, check out this advice from Lorimer and Gorder to get more of a vacation hideaway vibe in your own home.

‘The bed is the throne of the house’

Bright white bed linens with a colorful throw in the renovated Seattle houseboat featured on “Stay Here”

Netflix

“No matter how beautiful everything else is, if they can’t sleep well, guests have a bad experience, give you negative reviews, and will never return,” Gorder says. “So make the bed clean, white, and high quality. Invest in great sheets!”

But isn’t white almost impossible to keep clean?

“It’s actually the most forgiving of colors,” contends Lorimer. “If it’s high-quality, you can bleach it again and again. And it doesn’t fade in the sun or the washing machine, like most other colors do.”

The hosts suggest using a cozy throw on the bed for color and texture.

Create a unique welcome basket

This Seattle houseboat is fully booked for months in advance now that it’s been renovated by the professionals on “Stay Here.”

“Anticipate what your guests need before they know they need it,” suggests Lorimer. That means stocking the fridge with bottled water. Plus your guests will swoon if you provide a goody basket filled with local delicacies, beyond “just granola bars and salty snacks.”

Gorder suggests spending as much as “10% of the price of a one-night stay” on the goody basket, and to make sure the contents are directly connected to the area.

For example, the goody basket for the Seattle houseboat contains smoked salmon and locally grown apples; the guesthouse in Brooklyn comes filled with brilliantly colored bagels from a nearby shop.

Pick a ‘theme experience’

Renovated vineyard cottage in Paso Robles, CA

Netflix

Guests will pay extra for “theme experiences” corresponding with the location.

For instance, since the property in Paso Robles was located on a vineyard, Gorder and Lorimer helped the owners put together a vineyard tour/farming experience that include tending grape vines and riding on a tractor. And in Austin, TX, they put a brand-new, fabulous barbecue in the backyard and came up with a professional griller who could come over to help renters use it.

Purge personal items

Similar to staging a home to sell, you should remove all personal items—e.g., photographs and mementos—from the premises.

As Gorder points out, “Wouldn’t you find it creepy if you checked into a hotel and there were family photos hanging around? Remember that it’s not about you anymore. It’s about style, geography, and comfort.”

She advises replacing personal items with accessories unique to your geographical location—a jar of shells if it’s a beach house, or colorfully painted oars if you’re near a body of water.

Never take the listing photos yourself

It’s easy to see that this interior shot of the Washington, DC, firehouse was taken by a professional.

Netflix

Once you have your property decorated and ready to list, Lorimer says, “It’s absolutely essential to hire a professional real estate photographer to best present your property in all its glory.

“You should get a return on that investment within the first month,” he says.

Create a social media footprint for your property

The first step is to “decide on a simple, descriptive, and memorable hashtag,” Lorimer says.

Do not go with the plain and obvious, like #1BRRentalNearSantaBarbara, he says. “Pick something more fun and descriptive, like #ArtistHideawayInOjai.

“Then use that hashtag on the property’s own Twitter account, Instagram account, Facebook page, and website,” he advises.

Be sure to post some gorgeous photos as well, he says, and “encourage guests to post photos of themselves in your place using your hashtag. It’s free advertising!”

Keep your short-term rental clean, clean, clean

This bedroom is located in what used to be an old firehouse, which is now a spotless vacation rental.

Netflix

“There is no such thing as too clean,” notes Lorimer. One mucky dish or soiled towel can result in a bad review, and “that’s extremely difficult to overcome.”

“Clean is the first impression you want to leave when they step in the door,” agrees Gorder. “If it looks bad, or smells bad, you’ve lost them.”

Find all episodes from the first season of “Stay Here” on Netflix.

youtube

The post How to Make Big Bucks on Airbnb: Vacation Home Secrets From the Netflix Series ‘Stay Here’ appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

from https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/how-to-make-money-on-airbnb-stay-here/

0 notes

hkvoyage · 7 years

Text

Fic: Butterfly Wings - Chapter 41

Story summary A fashion blog started at University launched Blaine Anderson’s fortune and fame. As Vogue’s new editor-in-chief, he is struggling to find an original angle for an upcoming issue. Kurt Hummel has recently arrived in New York City after finishing high school, and is having no luck building a musical theater career, so he decides to explore another passion of his: fashion. He applies for an internship at Vogue, and Isabelle sees in him the perfect fresh face to liven up the magazine, and convinces him to try out as a model. Kurt meets Blaine, and in spite of their 10-year age difference, sparks fly. Can they overcome misunderstandings and sabotage to find their happily-ever-after? Klaine model AU. Rating for this chapter: General (overall story is mature) Word count for this chapter: 4,262 Can also be read on A03 / FF Masterpost is here. The fantastic artwork produced by Cassie at @cc-graphics can be here. Thank you to the amazing @lilyvandersteen for the beta work and support. ***** Your wings already exist. All you have to do is fly. - AnonAugust Kurt wakes up to the smell of coffee brewing in the nearby kitchen. While Blaine is an early riser, he much prefers to sleep in. He stretches his arms over his head, then rolls to the side and hugs Blaine’s pillow. Last night’s sex was amazing, with Blaine worshiping every part of his body. It was sinfully slow and luxurious, and made him feel so loved. Kurt mentally goes over his plans for this evening’s surprise for Blaine. He hopes that tonight goes exactly how he wants it to go. He’s taking a chance, but Blaine is totally worth it. Kurt has thought of the grand romantic gestures that Blaine loves to do, but Kurt feels a little uncomfortable doing them himself. Blaine has always enjoyed the little things and moments in their relationship. Hopefully, this will be an extra one to put in the bank of memories to cherish.

“It’s an overcast day – there’s a 60% chance of rain,” Blaine says as he enters the bedroom with two mugs of coffee. He gives Kurt a kiss before climbing back into bed. “How about we explore the little towns nearby. I think everyone will be going to outlet mall and arcades in Lake George on day like this.” “That’s fine by me. I’ve planned a special dinner for tonight, so we have to be back by midafternoon so I can get it ready,” Kurt replies. They head to nearby Chestertown and browse in the small shops before going to the Main Street Ice-cream Parlor for a light lunch of soup and half a sandwich. They giggle at the food on display as they pay for the meal, and Blaine can’t resist buying Adirondack Moose Poo (chocolate covered raisins). They stop at the Crossroads Country Store on the way back, and buy soft ice-cream cones at the next-door kiosk. “Why don’t you head down to the lake, Blaine. Maybe take the boat out? Or do something that will get you out of here for a couple of hours.” “I didn’t think you’d want to get rid of me so quickly,” Blaine pouts. “I’ve got plans for tonight and I need to get ready. When you come back, take a shower downstairs.” “I think I’ll go for a long run and then a swim in the lake. I’ll see you later,” Blaine says as he heads to the bedroom to get changed. Once Blaine has left the log cabin, Kurt pulls out from the freezer the lobster bisque and peach pie that Amy made for him last week. He peels the potatoes and cuts them into fine slices before placing them in the casserole dish. Kurt whips up a salad with ingredients they have bought from the local farmer’s market. Kurt consults his tablet and makes the marinade and sauce for the main course. When all is under control in the kitchen, he pulls out two bags from the spare bedroom’s closet and sets things up. When Kurt is satisfied with the result, he rummages around in the bedroom’s chest of drawers and pulls out smart casual clothes for Blaine to wear. He places these in the downstairs shower room and makes sure Blaine has everything he needs for when he gets back. Kurt heads back upstairs and takes a long, hot shower. He gets dressed in his preselected outfit - shorts, button-up casual shirt and scarf. He spends even more time than usual on his hair. When he heads to the main room, Kurt can hear Blaine’s footsteps down below. Once Kurt hears the shower on, he turns on the heat in the oven and heads toward the main area to wait for Blaine. ***** Blaine slowly climbs up the stairs, wondering what’s in store for the evening. The only light in the room are an endless number of candles, covering most surfaces. However, what captures Blaine’s attention are the tabletop picture frames now on display. Blaine walks around the room slowly, examining each frame. Most display photos of Kurt and himself – at the Brooklyn Flea Market, at the Tony Awards Ceremony, at the Vogue staff party, chatting at the Hamilton photo shoot, at the baseball game with Burt, and in the hammock on Governors Island. Blaine giggles when he sees the selfie Kurt took when they were in the bubble bath in LA. Blaine’s eyes tear up thinking of all the good times they have had together. He can’t wait to for more memories and photos. Blaine sees two additional frames that contain something that aren’t photos, so he moves over and picks the first one up. It contains their bucket list, handwritten in beautiful calligraphy. The last frame contains a water color picture of two butterflies. “Did you paint this, Kurt?” “Yeah, I did. I’ll tell you about it later. The first course is ready.” Blaine moves to the table and notices it has candles as well. Always the gentleman, Blaine pulls out Kurt’s chair for him to sit down. Blaine loves the lobster bisque, and he can tell that this was made by Amy, but he’s not going to let on to Kurt that he knows. Jazz music is softly playing in the background, and they chat about what they’ll do during their last couple of days in the Adirondack mountains. “It’s going to take a little time for the next course, Blaine. Have a seat on the couch and relax.” Kurt takes a platter that contains two New York strip steaks that have been soaked in his special marinade and heads off to the balcony. After a couple of minutes, Blaine can hear Kurt cursing, so he goes outside to see what’s happening. There is Kurt, bent over the BBQ, trying to figure out how the gas cylinder turns on. When Kurt looks up, his cheeks are tinged pink. “You and my dad make this look so easy. I can’t figure out how to turn on the gas grill.” Blaine chuckles and swiftly moves toward the grill. He turns the tap on the top of the gas cylinder, opens the grill hood, and then presses the igniter button. Soon flames can be seen underneath the cooking grate, and Blaine closes the hood whilst it’s heating up. “Why don’t I cook the steaks, while you get everything else ready?” Blaine offers. “I wanted to do everything by myself, to make it a special night for you.” “We’re a team. It’s always a special night when we work together.” “That cheesy line just earned you the title of chief BBQ griller. I’ll head back into the kitchen.” Blaine hums to himself as he cooks the steaks, stringing musical notes into a new tune. He feels so inspired to compose new music when he’s with Kurt like this. When the steaks are ready, he cuts them into strips and returns to inside, and places the platter onto the table. “Mmm. Gratin potatoes. They’re my favorite,” Blaine exclaims, licking his lips. They eat the steaks with the béarnaise sauce Kurt prepared earlier, and the conversation is light and easy. When they’ve finished, Kurt takes their plates to the kitchen. Blaine quickly follows and helps him stack the dishwasher and tidy things up. “I’m stuffed. I thought we could wait a while for dessert,” Kurt suggests. “Good idea. I couldn’t eat another thing right now. Why don’t we head to the balcony and watch the last of the sunset?” Blaine replies. “I’ll meet you there in a minute.” Blaine refills their glasses and sits out on the deck, enjoying the cool gentle breeze that is coming off the lake. “I have a present for you,” Kurt says when he walks onto the balcony. Kurt moves a chair so that he is sitting directly in front of Blaine. Blaine lights up when he hears those magic words, and Kurt deposits a small box wrapped in paper decorated with hand-painted butterflies in his lap. He carefully unwraps the present, being careful not to rip the paper. Inside, there’s a box that is the perfect size to hold a ring. Blaine’s heart starts to race - could it be? When he opens the box, he sees a small blob of molten silver with a gem stone half sticking out. “This is my promise ring to you. I came up with a beautiful design, I found the perfect piece of amber that matches the color of your eyes, I spent hours creating the setting, and then when I was soldering the amber onto a ring band, I used too much heat, and the whole thing melted into the blob that you see.” “It’s the thought that counts, Kurt,” Blaine reassures. “I’m glad you said that, Blaine. At the time, I was beside myself when the promise ring became a huge disaster. When I was in the subway on the way to Tiffany’s to buy a proper ring, I had this blob in my hand and was rolling it around in my palm and it became deliciously warm. When I got out of the subway, I went to the nearby park to think. The more than I thought about it, the more I realized that this ring symbolizes my promise to you. The blob is smooth in most places, like our relationship is most of the time. But it’s a little sharp where the amber peeks out. There will always be bumpy times in the future, and I promise you that I will make the time to really listen to you and work things out. The blob heats up if you give it attention. I promise to love you and do both big and little things to keep you feeling warm inside. If we’re going to make it in the long haul, we’ll need to be brave enough to take chances and experience new things. This blob is a reminder that things don’t always work out, but I promise you that I will always be there to catch you if you fall. I promise to do silly simple things with you and keep our bucket list fresh and interesting. You’re my best friend, and I love spending time with you. Lastly, I promise that I love you and that I’m committed to the same long-term vision as you – marriage, family, and doing what matters to us. We’ll go at the pace that feels right for both of us, but we’ll get there in the end.” Blaine cups Kurt’s face in his hands and leans in to give him a kiss. Blaine pours every ounce of his love into the kiss. Blaine didn’t believe it was possible, but now he loves Kurt even more. “I’m going to lose it right now – that was so beautiful. I need one of your hugs.” Kurt stands up and holds out his arms. Blaine quickly rushes into them. With Kurt’s warm body against his, Kurt’s strong arms wrapped around him, Blaine feels like he can do anything. Eventually, Blaine pulls away from Kurt and they head back inside. Blaine looks at Kurt’s watercolor painting of the two butterflies in the frame. “I love this painting, Kurt. I’m going to keep it on the night table on my side of our bed. God, I love thinking that it’s our bed in our place.” “Go have a seat and I’ll make some coffee. There’s a story about the painting.” Kurt heads to the kitchen and brews the coffee while slicing two pieces of peach pie. There’s still one part of his plan that he needs to execute. He returns to the main room and sits down on the couch, barely touching his slice of peach pie. “When I was in Lima in May, on the first warm day, I headed out to the backyard in the afternoon to sketch fashion designs, and I spotted two butterflies. I couldn’t stop watching them. They would flutter close together and then fly away from each other, but never too far apart. Sometimes one would soar high, and at other times, one would dip a little low, but they would always come back to each other. Sometimes they would land on a flower and stay still for a minute, then they would flutter their wings and fly again. It seemed like a dance that they knew so well.” Blaine places his empty dessert plate on the nearby table. “I get what you’re trying to tell me. That I should take the risk with my songwriting. That I should focus on what makes me happy. I want to be like you and really go for it – go for my dreams. But what if I’m not good enough? What if it doesn’t work out? Music is a tough business to get into.” “I know you, and this is a side of you I don’t get to see very often… You’re scared. But, sweetie, I believe in you. You have a musical gift, and it wouldn’t be right to let you hide that away.” “But what if I fail?” Blaine asks in a small voice. “Then you’ll pick yourself up and try again. I can’t predict what will happen in the future, but remember my promise to you earlier. I can’t stop you from failing, but I can promise to make it safe if you do.” “I love how you get me, Kurt. I love how you’re there to support me.” “You don’t know how much you’ve changed my life since the first day I met you, Blaine. You’ve given me courage to try new things. I’m so glad that I found someone who I know will always be 100% behind me, whether I soar or drop to the ground. Blaine… Now it’s your turn to fly.” ***** After they spend time waking up in the most delicious way, they put on their swimming trunks and gather up beach supplies. They cross the small street at the front and fifty yards ahead is the lake. The private lakefront has a picnic table and a small dock with a motorboat. “Let’s take a spin on the boat,” Blaine suggests as he rushes over the deck. “Are you thinking fishing or waterskiing?” Kurt asks, handing over the motor key. “Neither. I want to feel the rush of air on my face one last time before we leave tomorrow.” They climb into the boat and Blaine starts up the engine. They circle the lake a few times and take in its natural beauty. “This is the life,” Blaine sighs when they stop in the center of the lake, spotting the families swimming along the shore and a few fishing boats at the lake’s western end. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to sail, but I never got around to it.” “It’s not too late, Blaine. I’m putting it on our bucket list. Maybe on our next vacation, we can go someplace where we can take sailing lessons together.” “You’d do it with me?” Blaine asks. “Sure, why not? I’ve never thought of sailing before, but I can totally get behind an activity that shows off your naked chest.” “It’s all about the naked chest, isn’t it? Maybe I’ll wear a Speedo while I’m at it,” Blaine jokes. “Don’t say things like that unless you mean them, mister,” Kurt growls as his eyes darken. “It’s more about the smile, you know. You have this special smile when you’re really happy,” “I don’t want to go back to New York City tomorrow,” Blaine says wistfully. “It’s a concrete jungle full of busy self-important people, noisy streets and dirt. I’ve really enjoyed the nature and being close to the water this week.” “If you pursue music, there’s nothing to say that we have to live in New York City.” “We’ll have to be in New York City for at least four more years until you graduate FIT.” “FIT does have a two-year program in jewelry design. I’ve looked into it and with my high school AP credits, the courses in Paris, and working at Bellerose Boutique… If I take a full load during the summer, I could graduate with an associate degree by December next year.” “Kurt, you told me that when you were growing up in Lima, your dream was always to live in New York City. I can’t take that away from you. Besides, what would Tiffany’s do without Kurt Hummel as their lead designer?” Blaine says as he nudges Kurt. “Dreams change, or at least they evolve. The reason I wanted to move to New York City was to live in a place that was accepting of me. But there’s lots of places in this world that are accepting of gay couples. And for the record, I don’t want to be Tiffany’s lead designer. That would be a job with long hours, stress, and high-profile events. Just think of it, Blaine. We would have PAs coordinating our schedules to fit in a date night every once in a while. Our children would be taken care of by a nanny and Bentley would drive them to and from an exclusive private school each day. When they’d get home, they would be greeted by Amy, and a tutor would arrive to help them with their homework. There wouldn’t even be time for regular Friday night dinners! On vacations, we would go to openings of new Monarch Houses, all smartly dressed for photo opportunities.” Kurt wrinkles his nose. “Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t like that vision of the future.” “Neither do I,” Blaine agrees. “So maybe we should talk about how we envision our lives in ten years’ time.” “You’re right, Kurt. I can see that if we stay in New York City, our lives could get out of control and we wouldn’t focus on the things that are important to us. With so many changes in our dreams, can we call it a ‘work in progress’ and figure out where it would be best for us to live and raise a family the way we want to?” “I like the ‘work in progress’ idea, Blaine. We don’t have to figure out everything in a week. I think we both have a lot of things to think about and discuss for our future.” ***** Blaine is awake at 6 a.m. and quietly climbs out of bed to use the bathroom. He closes the bedroom door to let Kurt sleep in before their drive back to New York City. He heads to the kitchen and brews a pot of coffee, and slices a slither of leftover peach pie. Hopefully, Kurt won’t notice. Once Blaine has poured himself a mug of coffee, he heads to the balcony to watch the sunrise over the lake. This vacation has been more than Blaine could ever dream of. He’s had so much fun with Kurt at Schroon Lake, whether it’s been boating, swimming or exploring the area. And the sex has been freaking fantastic as well. However, the times Blaine liked best was when they spoke honestly with each other…about their future. Blaine knows that Kurt is right – something big has to change in his life. Kurt’s version of the future without making any changes in their lifestyle is quite frankly frightening. Blaine already resents the events he attends with Isabelle – they cut into his personal time, which he would rather spend with Kurt. And while he enjoys being Vogue’s editor-in-chief, it’s starting to get samey. He needs a new challenge and new dreams. He’s been offered the unique opportunity to write songs for Marley Rose’s debut album with SONY Records. He recently received the first royalty check for ‘Butterfly Wings’ and the sales are still steady. He’s got money saved up in case something happens, and maybe he should use it to take a chance. Blaine mulls over the interview he gave for Vogue’s June issue. He was very clear about what mattered to him – music, staying healthy, helping others, challenges, and dreams. But the most important item was love – love for a man and love for his family. Even though Kurt is ten years younger than him, Blaine feels that Kurt is the wiser one in their relationship. Kurt was brave enough this week to lay everything on the table. The commitment to live together and share a long-term future. To accept new challenges in pursuing jewelry design. To be willing to leave New York City if that’s what it takes to make their version of family life come true. When Blaine feels a gentle hand on his shoulder, he looks up and sees an adorable Kurt with messy sleep hair. This is the man that he wants to spend his life with. This is the man he wants to have a future with. Blaine puts down his coffee mug and says, “I’m ready to fly.” ***** Two months later “I feel great, Dad. It feels right,” Blaine says into his phone. “Are you sure you and Kurt don’t want to come to Ohio this weekend? Get away from New York City?” “No, we’ll be okay. Kurt and I are still planning to come to Ohio for Thanksgiving. Has Burt accepted your invitation yet?” “Burt and I have got it all planned. Burt is picking you two up from the Dayton airport. Cooper arrives half an hour later and then everyone’s coming here. Burt will stay for Thanksgiving and we’ll all go to Lima the next day, after Kurt has done his Black Friday shopping, of course. On Saturday, we’ll head to the Monarch House in Lima for the opening.” Blaine looks up and sees Unique with her make-up bag. “I gotta go, Dad. I’ll call you over the weekend.” When the phone call ends, someone unexpected enters the room. “Blaine, I’m really proud of what you’re about to do. Good luck,” Unique says. Blaine is in a small room outside the ballroom at the Carlyle Hotel, waiting to for someone to tell him that everything’s ready. “I didn’t expect to see you today, Unique.” “Did you think I would send you out there without Unique’s special brand of magic?” she retorts. “Well… Can you help me with my hair? Kurt is pretty good at it but I’m sure you can make it look even better.” Unique fusses over his hair, muttering about how she’ll have to spend time with Kurt to perfect his efforts with enhancing Blaine’s curls. She takes out make-up powder and starts brushing it on Blaine’s face… sniffling. “Don’t you dare cry, Unique. If I see one tear, I’m going to lose it.” “Unique doesn’t get over-emotional about her fantastic boss and close friend. The powder must have landed in my eyes.” Blaine pulls up his arm and gives her a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. Blaine goes through his speech in his head, making sure he remembers all the points he wants to cover. Blaine looks up and smiles when he sees Kurt walk into the room. Kurt is wearing the exact same suit that he wore for the Tony Award Ceremony – the black Dsquared2 jacquard camouflage blazer that Blaine loves so much. “Nervous?” Kurt asks. “Not at all. I feel surprisingly calm. I know this is right for me – right for us.” “I’m going to head into the ballroom then. I’ll meet you after the press conference.” Kurt pulls Blaine into a searing passionate kiss before leaving the room. After a few minutes, Blaine hears the call that everything’s ready. He takes a deep breath and looks into the mirror. Blaine is wearing the exact same Armani suit that he wore when he met Kurt eighteen months ago. I’m ready too. Blaine walks onto the small stage set up and finds his place on the podium. There are board members sitting on both sides, as well as Anna Wintour and Isabelle Wright. It takes a few minutes for Blaine’s eyes to adjust to the bright lights and the flashing cameras. When he feels ready, Blaine starts to speak. “Thank you for coming today. Earlier this week, I tendered my resignation as Vogue’s editor-in-chief to the Board of Directors. I’ve enjoyed working at Vogue, and the challenges and opportunities it has given me. However, I have new goals, new dreams, and new opportunities I wish to pursue. These are not related to the fashion industry, but are more personal in nature. My resignation will be effective at the end of this month, but I’ll be working at Vogue on a part-time basis for the next twelve months. This will give me sufficient time to hand over the Vogue reigns to Isabelle Wright.” As Blaine continues on about Isabelle’s achievements, press kits available and the like, he glances around to seek out Kurt in the audience and finds him in the last row. They’ve spent the last two months talking about their plans. The penthouse has been put up for sale and they’ll rent a more modest apartment until Kurt graduates FIT. In the meantime, Blaine will work part-time at Vogue in order to keep some income flowing in. They’ll regularly reassess their plans as Kurt decides what to do in jewelry design and Marley Rose’s debut album is released. At the end of his speech, Blaine’s eyes lock with Kurt’s – they are full of love, warmth, hope, and promises. When Kurt jumps up to be the first to applaud him, Blaine notices the butterfly brooch attached to his lapel. Blaine thinks that he’s like a butterfly - growing and changing and finding his true colors in life. Author notes Although there’s still the epilogue to go, I want to take a moment to thank @lilyvandersteen from the bottom of my heart for being my beta. Without her, this story would simply not be. Some authors just need a beta to correct typos and grammar, but I needed SO much more. It’s really hard to draft a 200k+ word story before posting the first chapter, particularly for a novice writer like me. She contributed fantastic ideas as I was plotting the story. She read the draft chapters as I was writing, giving me her feedback with flaws in the story’s logic and characters’ behaviors, and cheering me on when it was going well. She helped me figure out the best way to solve problems when the plot didn’t work as I expected. She then reread every single chapter after I polished them up and corrected my grammatical flaws. She did a second beta review for certain chapters that I fine-tuned based upon your feedback. You cannot begin to imagine the amount of time she has spent on this story. On top of all this, she has a full-time job, young children and writes her own Klaine fic. Her time management skills are impressive. Most importantly, she was my personal cheerleader when I thought I couldn’t do it. Writing a multi-chapter creative story was a personal goal for me, and I could never have done it without her help. Along the way, I made a friend who I admire so very much. I don’t think that I’ve ever had a friend who has supported me quite like she has. She’s simply amazing. I thank you Lilyvanadersteen <3 <3 <3. Next up: the Epilogue.

#my fic: Butterfly Wings #klaine fanfiction #klaine fan fic #HKVoyage writes

21 notes · View notes

nulled-corner · 5 years

Text

Lake Apo in Barangay Guinoyoran Valencia City Bukidnon

Lake Apo is a crater lake located in Barangay Guinoyoran, Valencia City in the province of Bukidnon. It is found in a hilly area about 640 metres (2,100 ft) in elevation and about 11 kilometres away from Valencia city proper. The green body water has an estimated area of 26meters approximately. Important Information:

Open daily from 7am to 6pm.

Entrance fee – Php50

Foods and drinks are allowed (no corkage).

Floating cottage – Php230 (Good for 2 hours)

Tour guide – Php100 (You need a tour guide to bring the floating cottage to the center of the lake then get it back to the docking area)

Activities:

Kayaking/Canoeing

Boating

Horse backriding

Swimming (Everyone is required to a wear life jacket)

Fishing (bring your own fishing paraphernalia)

Unli picture taking.

What to expect?

Instagrammable worthy place.

Friendly and accommodating staff and locals.

There are residents who are selling pre-cooked foods and other goods.

The Floating cottage is good for 20 persons, you need to rent one so you can swim at the lake and enjoy the view.

The lake’s water is cold and very refreshing.

There are shower rooms as well as comfort rooms.

You can grill at the floating cottage since there is available griller, just bring some “uling”.

How to get there?

Public Transportation

From Cagayan de Oro city, ride a bus at Agora terminal, tell the driver or conductor to drop you in Valencia City. Travel period is 4-5 hours. Fare is Php185 (Aircon). Then from Valencia terminal, ride a tricycle to Puregold Valencia, fare is 10php per head. Then ride a single motorcycle (Habal2x) to Lake Apo, fare is 60php per head, if you are alone, you need to pay double.

From Davao City, ride a bus at Ecoland terminal, tell the driver or conductor to drop you in Valencia City. Travel period is 3-4hours. Then from Valencia terminal, ride a tricycle to Puregold Valencia, fare is 10php per head. Then ride a single motorcycle (Habal2x) to Lake Apo, fare is 60php per head, if you are alone, you need to pay double.

Private Transportation.

Use a locator app such as waze and/or google maps to help you locate the destination.

Full Credit: Excursionista facebook page for sharing some Information please do like and share in Excursionista page.

The post Lake Apo in Barangay Guinoyoran Valencia City Bukidnon appeared first on Suroyta.info.

from WordPress http://www.suroyta.info/lake-apo-in-barangay-guinoyoran-valencia-city-bukidnon/

#Lake #Adventure #Kayak #Valencia City

0 notes

davidoespailla · 6 years

Text

How to Make Big Bucks on Airbnb: Vacation Home Secrets From the Netflix Series ‘Stay Here’

Netflix

Don’t you wish your home looked so dreamy, you could make money on Airbnb if you rented it out? A new Netflix series, “Stay Here,” can show you the ropes.

On the series, designer Genevieve Gorder and real estate broker Peter Lorimer show homeowners how to prepare properties to make a killing on short-term rental sites such as Airbnb.com and VRBO.

‘The bed is the throne of the house’ Bright white bed linens with a colorful throw in the renovated Seattle houseboat featured on “Stay Here”

Netflix

But isn’t white almost impossible to keep clean?

The hosts suggest using a cozy throw on the bed for color and texture.

Create a unique welcome basket This Seattle houseboat is fully booked for months in advance now that it’s been renovated by the professionals on “Stay Here.”

Gorder suggests spending as much as “10% of the price of a one-night stay” on the goody basket, and to make sure the contents are directly connected to the area.

For example, the goody basket for the Seattle houseboat contains smoked salmon and locally grown apples; the guesthouse in Brooklyn comes filled with brilliantly colored bagels from a nearby shop.

Pick a ‘theme experience’ Renovated vineyard cottage in Paso Robles, CA

Netflix

Guests will pay extra for “theme experiences” corresponding with the location.

Purge personal items

Similar to staging a home to sell, you should remove all personal items—e.g., photographs and mementos—from the premises.

She advises replacing personal items with accessories unique to your geographical location—a jar of shells if it’s a beach house, or colorfully painted oars if you’re near a body of water.

Never take the listing photos yourself It’s easy to see that this interior shot of the Washington, DC, firehouse was taken by a professional.

Netflix

Once you have your property decorated and ready to list, Lorimer says, “It’s absolutely essential to hire a professional real estate photographer to best present your property in all its glory.

“You should get a return on that investment within the first month,” he says.

Create a social media footprint for your property

The first step is to “decide on a simple, descriptive, and memorable hashtag,” Lorimer says.

Do not go with the plain and obvious, like #1BRRentalNearSantaBarbara, he says. “Pick something more fun and descriptive, like #ArtistHideawayInOjai.

“Then use that hashtag on the property’s own Twitter account, Instagram account, Facebook page, and website,” he advises.

Be sure to post some gorgeous photos as well, he says, and “encourage guests to post photos of themselves in your place using your hashtag. It’s free advertising!”

Keep your short-term rental clean, clean, clean This bedroom is located in what used to be an old firehouse, which is now a spotless vacation rental.

Netflix

“There is no such thing as too clean,” notes Lorimer. One mucky dish or soiled towel can result in a bad review, and “that’s extremely difficult to overcome.”

“Clean is the first impression you want to leave when they step in the door,” agrees Gorder. “If it looks bad, or smells bad, you’ve lost them.”

Find all episodes from the first season of “Stay Here” on Netflix.

youtube

The post How to Make Big Bucks on Airbnb: Vacation Home Secrets From the Netflix Series ‘Stay Here’ appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

How to Make Big Bucks on Airbnb: Vacation Home Secrets From the Netflix Series ‘Stay Here’

#TRUSTED LOCAL REALTOR #How to Make Big Bucks on Airbnb: Vacation Home Secrets From the Netflix Serie

0 notes

gillespialfredoe01806ld · 6 years

Text

How to Make Big Bucks on Airbnb: Vacation Home Secrets From the Netflix Series ‘Stay Here’

Netflix

Don’t you wish your home looked so dreamy, you could make money on Airbnb if you rented it out? A new Netflix series, “Stay Here,” can show you the ropes.

On the series, designer Genevieve Gorder and real estate broker Peter Lorimer show homeowners how to prepare properties to make a killing on short-term rental sites such as Airbnb.com and VRBO.

‘The bed is the throne of the house’ Bright white bed linens with a colorful throw in the renovated Seattle houseboat featured on “Stay Here”

Netflix

But isn’t white almost impossible to keep clean?

The hosts suggest using a cozy throw on the bed for color and texture.

Create a unique welcome basket This Seattle houseboat is fully booked for months in advance now that it’s been renovated by the professionals on “Stay Here.”

Gorder suggests spending as much as “10% of the price of a one-night stay” on the goody basket, and to make sure the contents are directly connected to the area.

For example, the goody basket for the Seattle houseboat contains smoked salmon and locally grown apples; the guesthouse in Brooklyn comes filled with brilliantly colored bagels from a nearby shop.

Pick a ‘theme experience’ Renovated vineyard cottage in Paso Robles, CA

Netflix

Guests will pay extra for “theme experiences” corresponding with the location.

Purge personal items

Similar to staging a home to sell, you should remove all personal items—e.g., photographs and mementos—from the premises.

She advises replacing personal items with accessories unique to your geographical location—a jar of shells if it’s a beach house, or colorfully painted oars if you’re near a body of water.

Never take the listing photos yourself It’s easy to see that this interior shot of the Washington, DC, firehouse was taken by a professional.

Netflix

Once you have your property decorated and ready to list, Lorimer says, “It’s absolutely essential to hire a professional real estate photographer to best present your property in all its glory.

“You should get a return on that investment within the first month,” he says.

Create a social media footprint for your property

The first step is to “decide on a simple, descriptive, and memorable hashtag,” Lorimer says.

Do not go with the plain and obvious, like #1BRRentalNearSantaBarbara, he says. “Pick something more fun and descriptive, like #ArtistHideawayInOjai.

“Then use that hashtag on the property’s own Twitter account, Instagram account, Facebook page, and website,” he advises.

Be sure to post some gorgeous photos as well, he says, and “encourage guests to post photos of themselves in your place using your hashtag. It’s free advertising!”

Keep your short-term rental clean, clean, clean This bedroom is located in what used to be an old firehouse, which is now a spotless vacation rental.

Netflix

“There is no such thing as too clean,” notes Lorimer. One mucky dish or soiled towel can result in a bad review, and “that’s extremely difficult to overcome.”

“Clean is the first impression you want to leave when they step in the door,” agrees Gorder. “If it looks bad, or smells bad, you’ve lost them.”

Find all episodes from the first season of “Stay Here” on Netflix.

youtube

The post How to Make Big Bucks on Airbnb: Vacation Home Secrets From the Netflix Series ‘Stay Here’ appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

from DIYS https://ift.tt/2CHGeVW

#DIYS

0 notes

ronaldmorton · 7 years

Text

10 Touches To Keep A Dog Healthy

Life is a journey and dogs make it better. One of the best ways to ensure your dog remains a loving, loyal part of the family for a long time is to touch him or her. 10 touches, 10 minutes, once a week will keep a dog healthy, happy, and rewarding you with love.

Why Does Touch Matter?

Knowing what ‘normal’ looks like and feels like on your dog means that when something out of the ordinary or ‘abnormal’ happens, you, the dog parent, are ready to act. Case in point: In preparing to write this blog post and help you keep your dog healthy, my dog faced a life-threatening illness.

On Saturday, October 7th, my wife and I packed up the car and headed out of town for a day of fun with our dog, Dexter, to a New Jersey beach. There, the dog played, ran, and showed tons of energy.

Upon arrival back home about 11:30 pm, I decided to check my dog’s ear, as I thought he may be battling an ear infection, common in Cockers but only the second time ever for Dexter. I noticed he had some lumpy looking reddish marks on his inner ear flap. I immediately checked Dexter’s gums. They were normal in color and capillary refill was good, but he had some bleeding along the gum line, and in particular between two teeth on the right side rear portion of his mouth. I noticed splotchy red marks on the inside of his upper lip flaps, too.

My spouse and I rushed our dog to the emergency vet/hospital located about 10 minutes from our house.

Dexter spent four nights in the hospital, where a diagnosis of IMT, or immune-mediated thrombocytopenia was made. The body’s immune system attacks platelets as invaders, causing my dog’s platelet count to clock in at zero. (yes, zero).

Dexter recovered, is on medication, weekly vet visits, and thanks to our twice daily hospital visits, prompt attention to his medical care, and knowing that something was wrong, he is alive and healthy today.

As a lifelong dog mom, I encourage you to perform 10 touches on at least a weekly basis to keep your dog healthy. Here’s what to do:

Prepare to Treat Them Well

You want the experience of touch to be a positive one with your dog. There are two ways to get your dog used to being touched as a regular part of their life:

Go on an adventure, similar to the one you will see outlined in this post. While having a fun day at a local fall festival, I rewarded Dexter with one of his favorite treats from True Chews®. I would pet him, check for lumps and bumps, snap a photo, give him a treat, and then go about our sightseeing.

Touch Your Dog’s Body From Time to Time: Massage your dog gently from the tops of the feet, to petting the legs, lifting or looking at his ears, and do so in a positive and reinforcing way. I broke up little pieces of the True Chews® Dog Treats Pork and Chicken sausage treats during our recent weekly touch check.

10 Touches To Keep A Dog Healthy

Gums: Gently lift your dog’s lips and peek at his gums. Are they pink? Is there any bleeding? Are the gums a nice rosy or shrimp color? Dogs with black gums might be harder to discern, but if the gums are bleeding or white, see a vet immediately. Take a peek at the teeth while there. This is a win-win because dogs who are accustomed to having their mouth touched are more likely to accept tooth brushing.

This is the exact ‘touch’ that saved my dog’s life. As I examine Dexter’s mouth and body, I keep True Chews Premium Grillers on hand in little pieces next to me to praise and reward. I can use one treat for the entire experience.

Ears: Some dogs have floppy ears, like Dexter, and others have high standing erect ears. Whatever the case, look for any change in appearance, color, and if there is an odor or discharge.

Paw Pads: A broken nail can be very painful. An overgrowth of fur between the pad surfaces means dogs can slip on flooring. Any cuts or wounds on a paw pad need immediate attention. Visually inspect the paw while using touch to feel for anything unusual.

During our fall fun fest, Dexter allowed me to check his paws as we sat and enjoyed a tasty apple cider for his moms and a True Chews snack for Dexter. I feel good rewarding him with a treat that is made in the USA, as I am super fussy about the treats he eats.

Face: Your dog’s nose touches the ground, so be sure and give his face a once over. Feel for any lumps or bumps and look and feel for ticks or anything else. Is his nose bleeding? It might surprise you to learn that dogs can and do get a bloody nose for which veterinary care should be sought.

Eyes: The eyes are the window to the soul, and dogs carry such love in their hearts. Look for any redness, debris, changes, or discharge.

Double T’s: Tush and Tail: Most dogs love a good butt scratch: Gentle and massaging, across the tush and hips, feel for any bumps or lumps and take a peek, too: The sensitive anal glands are located in this area, so any unusual odors should be checked out by a veterinarian. Touch the tail for any bumps and ticks.

Now is a good time to reward with the True Chews snack you have hiding out in your pocket.

Dexter takes his True Chews seriously!

Jowls: They vary in size, depth, and thickness, but all dogs have them: Those cheeks must be checked. Give them a good inspection and if there is any blood, debris, or odor have that checked.

Belly: Ah, the oh so fabulous tummy rub. If your dog loves his tummy rubbed, this is a great way to gently feel for anything unusual as you run your fingers through his hair and across his skin. Take a peek at the coloring of his skin, too. Any sort of bruising or redness can indicate an issue.

NINJA DOG PARENT TIP: Take photos of anything unusual so you can show your dog’s vet at the next visit.

“Can I haul all of this home, Mom?”

Head and Chest: Feel your dog’s chest and notice of there is any discomfort or pain while petting the chest area. Just behind the elbow on the left side of the dog’s chest is here you should be able to feel a heartbeat. Move onto the dog’s head and gently palpate, running your fingers along.

Lymph Nodes: The lymph nodes filter foreign invaders/particles from a dog’s blood stream. The lymphatic system includes organs like the thymus gland and spleen, so the regulation and production of cells of the immune system are involved. Touching the lymph nodes of the body and knowing where they are located is an important part of understanding your dog’s anatomy. Gently palpate the neck, legs, and groin region. Feel into your dog’s armpits.

Video Dog Touch Tutorial

If video is more your thing, couple the above tips with this easy-to-follow video to help prepare for your dog’s next touch session:

http://ift.tt/2xiMMUo

My Dog is My Sunshine

My dog, Dexter, is my heart shaper, love keeper, treat beggar, hope renewer, wigglebutt wagger, bone burier, ball player, life changer.

We go on many adventures together including cross country road trips, beach adventures, picnics, sightseeing, and meeting fellow dog parents from sea to shining sea. My life is enriched for his presence in it, and any sort of treat he gets from me has to be something I feel good giving him.

Why True Chews

Learn more about True Chews and find a store near you that carries this Made in the USA line of natural treats-you-can-feel-good feeding your dog.

True Chews Story

True Chews Store Locator

We like the variety and quality of treats from True Chews, but your dog will just love the taste and making memories to last a lifetime with you.

Do Tell

What sort of adventures do you take with your dog to make memories? Let us know in the comments below. Don’t forget to include those touches!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of True Chews. The opinions and text are all mine.

http://ift.tt/18nrv7n var ts=document.getElementById(‘ti-pixel-tracker’); var axel = Math.random() + “”; var num = axel * 1000000000000000000; var ti=document.createElement(“img”); ti.style.display=”none”; ti.src=”http://ift.tt/2xjs8DM” + String.fromCharCode(38) + “i=hNOrl” + String.fromCharCode(38) + “ord=”+ num + String.fromCharCode(38) + “s=” + encodeURIComponent(document.referrer); ts.parentNode.replaceChild(ti,ts); JSON.stringify({“program_id”:”78961d76-9a16-11e7-8267-22000a7d00a4″,”post_id”:”231df828-a55b-11e7-8edf-22000a66c666″});

The post 10 Touches To Keep A Dog Healthy appeared first on Fidose of Reality.

10 Touches To Keep A Dog Healthy syndicated from http://ift.tt/2k1J2Eq

0 notes

gordanladdskitchen · 7 years

Text

The Heat Is On! – The 5 Best Pellet Smokers for Your Barbecue Fiesta

Backyard chefs are adding more exciting recipes to their homespun grilled menus. These cooks are taking control and with gusto. The best pellet smokers have a lot to do with the rising fervor because of their “grill now, come back later” feature. The indirect cooking method of these grillers gives the domestic sous-chef the versatility to regulate the heat and serve the tastiest meat.

Toggle for Table of Contents

Quick Navigation

How Pellet Smokers Become Rise in Popularity?

How a Pellet Smoker Works

The Fuss About The Best Pellet Smokers

Barometer In Choosing Your Pellet Smoker

Quality and durability

Value for money

Dimension and space

Pellet supply

The Best Pellet Smokers

REC TEC Wood Pellet Grill - Featuring Smart Grill Technology

Camp Chef PG24S Pellet Grill and Smoker Deluxe

Other Recommended Pellet Smokers

Conclusion

How Pellet Smokers Become Rise in Popularity?

The first experiment to use wood pellets as barbecue fuel for the griller was conducted by Joe Traeger in the early 80s. This ingenious testing to bring cooking to the backyard was inspired by Traeger’s own home heating furnace that used pellets. Success came swiftly.

When a thermostat was soon added to the pellet smoker, the grilling landscape has gone berserk. Names like Mountain Grills, Yoder Smokers, Mak Grills, Green Mountain Grills, and Fast Eddy’s Cookshack were the early known brands in pellet smoker history.

How a Pellet Smoker Works

youtube

The Fuss About The Best Pellet Smokers

Home cooking has never been so cool with these types of pellet-fueled-barbecue smokers. The pellet grill is fast becoming a permanent fixture in the home. But what’s the fuss about choosing the best among the rest?

Barbecuing is made easy and relaxed.

No more messy preparations with charcoals and wood chips.

All-natural compacted sawdust or wood pellets fuels up the firebox.

Just set the temp for that perfectly cooked meat with a turn of the knob.

Do other stuff and leave the pellet grill to do its stuff.

When done, your favorite food comes out evenly cooked and not over smoked.

It’s a neat and tidy. Less harmful smoke while cooking and less ash after.

Economical. A 20-pound pack of wood pellets runs for quite a lot of cooks.

Grill, roast, smoke, and barbecue them all.

That’s what the deep interest is all about in the search for the best pellet grills.

Barometer In Choosing Your Pellet Smoker

Quality and durability

Your first criteria in selecting a pellet smoker from among the many brands in the market are dependability. It means worry-free maintenance and a lifelong cooking buddy.

Value for money

The best pellet smokers do not come cheap. Take it from another angle. If it has passed your criteria in terms of quality and durability, certainly its useful economic life is prolonged. For budgetary consideration and simple smoking, go for the decently priced smoker. But for the ultimate food drooling experience, go for the greatest and take it to the limit.

Dimension and space

These cooking marvels are not small by any measure. While it cooks a lot, it covers a lot of space too. Once you have identified the spot for your smoking station, review each griller’s dimensions – size and weight. While most pellet smokers are mostly mobile so moving them around within a zone is not a hassle, but be mindful that they’re quite heavy. So, find a good location to place the cooker.

Pellet supply

A home chef should never run out of pellet supply. Some of the best pellet grills manufacturers produce their own food grade pellet brands that are compatible with the machine for cooking consistency. Since these custom made wood pellets are not likely readily available in your local stores, it is suggested you purchase the complementing pellet brand in bulk and store them in a dry and cool place. You can pre-order your stash online for convenience too.

Sharing is Caring

Like what you read so far? How about help us to spread this AWESOME post to your friend and family? Your shout-out will help to motivate us to create more great posts for you and everyone else. Thanks for your support!

Check out this post for 'Cooking With Essential Oils: One of the Best Chefs Secret in Cooking'

Click to Tweet

The Best Pellet Smokers

Let’s get down to the meat and see which one is the hottest of them all.

REC TEC Wood Pellet Grill - Featuring Smart Grill Technology

youtube

This is the beauty and the beast of all smoke grillers. Already rated 5-stars in terms of appearance because of its striking bright red powder coated hood, this beauty delivers the ultimate cooking experience. Check out why the REC TEC grill is one of the best pellet smokers:

Key features:

Smart Grill Technology: This machine is the smartest pellet smoker that can maintain consistent temperature (180 to 500 degree F range) from beginning to end cooking. It is entirely hands-free grilling throughout. Simply set the temperature and let it grill, smoke, bake or sear depending on what your menu is. It uses actual wood pellets to fill up its 40-lb hopper capacity. Thus, you can line up several dishes a day without having to worry about running out of fuel. A built-in fan is added to spread and even out smoke in the cooking area. Full flavor meat is what you get all the time.

Large Cooking Surface: Home and holiday BBQs will never be the same gain. Its grill can house up to 15 lbs. of meat for serving in gatherings and even small sizes for the usual family eating. In both ways, cooking consistency is achieved.

Solid Construction & Design: The body is encased in high gauge metal inside and out. Smoke comes out at the top of the rack, and nothing escapes from the seams or joints. The burn pot is positioned at the center for uniform heating. No wonder this beast has a premium price tag attached to it.

REC TEC Wood Pellet Grill - Featuring Smart Grill TechnologyTM

List Price: $1,598.00

Price: $998.00

You Save: $600.00

Price Disclaimer

Description

Rating / Grade

Editor Rating

NCS Grade*

A-

Camp Chef PG24S Pellet Grill and Smoker Deluxe

youtube

Similar to the PG24 model, but this PG24S Deluxe which come with stainless steel lid and handle counted among the best pellet grills and looked stylish too. This machine packed with impressive features comes next to the best.

Key features:

The digital temperature readout is the best feature for steady smoking and heating. It is all about precise cooking too and not a guessing game for the home chef.

Pellet Purge System links directly to the Ash Cup Clean Out System so you can quickly clean pellets. So today you might be smoking your poultry with Alder pellets and tomorrow you can quickly change to Hickory at ease.

This pellet meat smoker has a built-in power outage bypass in case of mid-cooking disturbance. Intended to preserve the unit from wear and tear caused by power outages.

If you are planning to own this pellet smoker or already owned one, do get the patio cover for extra protection for the smoker too. The cover is very durable and weather resistant and custom design to fit many camp chef grill and smokers models.

Camp Chef PG24S Pellet Grill and Smoker Deluxe

List Price: $649.99

Price: $649.99

Price Disclaimer

Description

Rating / Grade

Editor Rating

NCS Grade*

Other Recommended Pellet Smokers

Product

Editor Rating

NCS Grade*

Price Range*

Reviews

Jim Beam Bradley Smoker 4-Rack Digital Outdoor Smoker

Traeger Pellet Grills

Bradley Smokers Original Smoker

*For more information about NCS (Net Customer Satisfaction) grade, please click here.

* Price range: $ = $100 - $250 / $$ = $251 - $450 / $$$ = $451 - $700 / $$$$ = $701 - $1000 / $$$$$ = $1001 - $1500 / $$$$$$ = Above $1500

Conclusion

The best pellet smokers featured here are indeed for the food lovers in general and barbecue fanatics in particular. If we were to make a choice, the REC TEC wood pellet grill would definitely be our best pellet smoker pick.

Never has home cooking been revolutionized with the coming of these cooking whizzes. Backyard chefs can concoct new and exciting recipes in every grilling fashion. Household members, neighbors, and friends can go on an eating frenzy whether it is a holiday celebration or just simple dining enjoyment. The heat is on!