Who hasn’t read, at one time or another, the statistics regarding the prevalence of infidelity? Who among us, if ever suspicious of our spouse, hasn’t stumbled upon one of a thousand lists of “Signs Of A Cheating Spouse” that are so prevalent on the Internet these days?

Never mind statistics – those are based on numbers involving other people. And “Signs Of A Cheating Spouse”, by themselves, do not prove anything. What we don’t find, read, or hear much about is – “What should I do if I suspect that my spouse is cheating?”

As a Private Detective who’s worked with thousands of people throughout the years, many regarding their suspicions of infidelity, I’d like to offer just a few suggestions:

Keep an open mind. Most of the “tell-tale” signs of a cheating spouse that populate the Internet today can be plausibly explained by factors that have nothing to do with an affair. Even seemingly damning evidence can sometimes be plausibly explained. In one case of mine, a husband found another man’s underwear in his drawer and became distraught over this supposed evidence of his wife’s infidelity. In the end, that underwear was found to belong to my client’s father-in-law who had spent an evening in the couple’s home the weekend prior.

In my own practice, I’ve found that at least 25% of my clients have been wrong about their suspicions. These were clients that were relatively certain about the affair before they hired me. What I find, from time to time, is that “the other woman” is actually a bar stool at the local tavern, a buddy that the wife doesn’t want her husband to hang out with anymore, or even the slots at the local casino. On other occasions, the “cheating spouse” isn’t found to be cheating, but rather preparing to leave the marriage altogether.

While you may need to follow-up on your suspicions to put your mind to rest, it’s imperative that you do so with an open mind.

Don’t confront your spouse. Confrontation, without evidence, serves no purpose. Think about it for a minute – a person who is willing to cheat on their spouse is probably one who’s willing to lie about it when asked. At the same time, nobody’s going to admit to an affair that they’re not having. In both scenarios, the answer will be the same: “No honey, I’m not having an affair.” Confrontation only serves to notify your spouse that you’re suspicious. If your spouse is cheating, your confrontation will only harm your ability to conduct any meaningful future investigation.

Save the confrontation for when you know what the truth is.

Act normal. None of us care to be taken for fools, and our egos frequently demand that we stand up and declare, “I’m not an idiot – I know what you’re doing.” But, just like the confrontation referenced above, this kind of declaration serves only to warn the cheater that you’ve become suspicious. This, in turn, will make it more difficult to obtain proof of an affair as your spouse tries harder to conceal his or her activities. The best thing for you to do, so long as you’re interested in getting to the bottom of your suspicions, is to play the part of a fool. Smile – be charming (unless that’s not normal for you) – be your normal self. You want your spouse to think that you don’t expect a thing.

If, like many people, you simply can’t hide your despair through this emotionally trying time – consider offering a plausible explanation for your demeanor (e.g. “Oh, it’s just that I’m stressed out about work, that’s all.”)

Be selective in who you share your suspicions with. During such an emotionally trying time, you may find a need to talk to someone sympathetic to your concerns; this is a normal and natural need, and can be a healthy outlet for your stress. But keep in mind that people tend to have affairs with people they meet through their ordinary everyday lives – i.e. the colleague at work, the next-door-neighbor, the best friend’s spouse, your best friend, your same sex sibling, etc. For this reason, it’s absolutely imperative that you not share your suspicions with anyone who might be part of the problem. I instruct all of my clients, “Tell the whole world that you hired a PI when I’m done with the job, but keep it quiet until then.” I’ve had too many cases ruined because of clients who trusted the wrong person.

If you absolutely must share your concerns with others – do so with a friend who lives in another state, a trained counselor, or other such person so far removed (geographically, preferred) that they couldn’t possibly be involved. But remember – this person will likely find a need to tell someone that they trust. And that person will find a need to tell someone that they trust, and so on. Be extremely careful in who you ultimately confide in.

Evaluate your relationship. You’re likely to find yourself asking some rather difficult questions throughout this process of discovery; I would suggest that you include, “What do I really want for this relationship?” on your list of questions.

Too often, people become so overwhelmed with the prospect of being the “victim” of infidelity, that they don’t stop to wonder whether or not they actually care that the marriage or relationship may be over. This is no more apparent to me than when I get a call from an angry wife who spends her time on the phone with me lamenting that her husband “…is a lying, cheating, good-for-nothing, sociopathic loser – always has been too” instead of discussing her suspicions of infidelity. Other times, I’m asked to conduct surveillance of a fiancé just prior to the wedding. My question is always, “If you have to hire a PI to determine if your fiancé is cheating on you, then why are you getting married in the first place?”

Base your decisions on what you want to have happen in your relationship – not on the fact that you may be the victim of infidelity. Ask yourself, “Regardless of whether or not my spouse is cheating on me – do I want to continue to be with this person?”

Prepare yourself for what may happen. You may be 100% committed to your marriage, even if you do ultimately discover that your spouse is having an affair, but that doesn’t mean that your spouse is as equally committed. It takes two to be married and, if you’re spouse is having an affair, you can assure yourself that it’s likely to be due to some unfulfilled needs from the marriage that your spouse might not be interested in resolving with you.

While you may not be interested in preparing for a separation or divorce at this time, that doesn’t mean that your spouse isn’t. I’ve watched more than a few “subjects” who were actively preparing for life after marriage (e.g. opening separate bank accounts, looking for an apartment, etc.). Now may be a good time to take some rudimentary steps to prepare for an outcome that is not of your choosing.

Consider taking some time to copy your address book, make copies of important documents, photograph possessions in the home, open a credit card in your name only, open a checking or savings account in your name only, change passwords to access your voice-mail or online accounts, copy cherished negatives and photographs, etc. Most of this documentation, including photographs, can fit onto a single CD and should be stored outside the residence that you share with your spouse. If you think about it – many of these steps are those that you should have taken long ago to prepare for that house fire that could happen to any one of us.

A word of warning here – don’t get carried away. The courts generally look disfavorably upon those who go so far as to empty communal checking and savings accounts, change locks on the doors, or otherwise deprive the other spouse to access to marital funds and property. Besides, you’re not actually planning for a divorce – just trying to be prepared should your spouse suddenly and unilaterally end the relationship for the two of you.

Research the laws. Most of the people, who solicit my surveillance services, do so out of a “need to know.” They already know (or believe they know), due to “no-fault” divorce laws in my own state, that the courts will not award them the big screen TV and nice sofa / love seat combination if they can only prove that their spouse is having an affair. However, this doesn’t always negate their need for legal advice.

If you’re in the process of deciding whether to divorce (versus working on your marriage), or if you just want to know how you would fare should your spouse make that decision for you, you may want to take this opportunity to research divorce laws in the state in which you reside. How will property be divided? Will it help your case at all if you could show that your spouse is having an affair? Who is likely to get custody of the children? What about spousal or child support issues?

You can conduct some of this rudimentary research for free without ever leaving your home. There’s a wealth of information at your disposal through the Internet by simply typing in the name of your state and “divorce” or “child custody” into your favorite search engine (e.g. “Minnesota divorce” or “child custody Minnesota”). Of course, you should only consider this research “preliminary”. Sit down to speak with an attorney if you think you might ultimately decide (or your spouse may decide) to move forward with ending the marriage.

Gather evidence. Now is the time to begin to document your evidence of a possible affair, and make notes regarding your suspicions. Consider either writing things down, or entering the details into a password-protected document in your computer. Don’t rely on your memory.

I don’t recommend that anybody actually go out and attempt to conduct an investigation or surveillance on their own – these are things best left to your professional investigator for very good reasons. But now is the time to note times and dates of suspicious activity to notice patterns, strange phone numbers appearing on caller ID units or cell phone call histories, discrepancies between actual odometer readings and round trip mileage to and from a spouse’ place of employment, etc. Strange as it may seem, you should also keep notes of times and events that are not suspicious to you. For example, while you may believe that your spouse is traveling to another state next Wednesday for a business meeting, that doesn’t necessarily make it so. Only after an affair is fully revealed will some of these other details be looked at in a different light.

Now is also the time to gather other details that may become useful to a detective if you decide that an investigation becomes necessary. That information may include your spouse’ place of employment, employer address, make-model-license plate of your spouse’ car, names and addresses of your spouse’ friends and family members, photos or jpgs of your spouse, names and details of someone you think your spouse may be seeing (i.e. address, vehicle information, etc.). Don’t wait until the last possible moment to begin to collect these facts; you want to begin to gather them now so that they’re at the ready should the need to move forward arrive.

Consider hiring a licensed Private Investigator. Whether or not you choose to hire a private detective should be based on a number of different factors – not the least of which is your psychological “need to know”, your ability to afford an investigator, and the need for a licensed professional to document the evidence an affair for legal purposes.

Avoid the temptation of trying to follow your spouse yourself. Even with 20+ years of surveillance experience, I’d be the last person to try to follow my own wife if I thought she were having an affair; I’d have to hire another PI to do the job for me. This is due in part to the fact that none of us are invisible. When you follow someone in a car, you’ll inevitably find yourself directly behind him or her when they stop at a traffic light. Get ready to wave to your spouse when he or she looks in the mirror to see who’s in the car behind them! A private detective can get away with this – being in the vehicle directly behind him or her at a traffic light, and even with sitting on the barstool next to your spouse if needed, because they’re perceived by the cheating spouse as “just another Joe.”

It’s also a grave mistake to have a friend of yours playing the part of a PI. Contrary to what some may think, there’s much more to conducting a discreet surveillance than simply sitting in a car for a few hours and then following the spouse around town. Cheating spouses are wary of being caught, and many take steps to verify that they’re not being followed. Your friend is unlikely to have the skills necessary to maintain contact with your spouse while, at the same time, convincing him or her that they’re not being followed. Get caught, and you’ll jeopardize any future surveillance efforts (even by a professional), reveal to your spouse that you’re suspicious, and potentially create some legal issues for yourself and your friend depending on the laws in your own state.

I’m unlikely to be able to assist you with your investigative needs unless they involve surveillance within Minnesota. However, you’ll likely find a qualified and competent local investigator in your own area if you take the time to look. Finding one can be as simple as opening your yellow pages directory or conducting an online search for private investigators through your favorite search engine (e.g. “Minnesota private detective”, “private investigator Minneapolis”, etc.).

I’d recommend that you select an investigator from your own area – not a national outfit that proclaims to have “investigators in your area.” Check to see that the detective agency has a local mailing address. You’ll also do well to verify that they’re licensed, bonded and insured. And finally – make sure that they specialize in conducting surveillance.

Discuss it. If, for all your worries, you determine that your spouse is not having an affair (and I hope that you do), you’ll have spent the equivalent of the better part of a day reading some online legal resources, talking to an investigator or two, and making copies of those important documents and photographs that you should have copied for unrelated reasons long ago. By now, you’ve re-evaluated your relationship and your desire to make things work (or not) and have – worst case scenario, confided in a friend or relative about your unfounded suspicions. Now’s the time to get rid of those notes about your spouse, shred the PI’s business card and invoice (if you went that far), and tell your confidant to keep it to themselves. It’s also a time to reflect on what caused you to believe that there was an affair in the first place.

For the others, it’s time to “confront” the issue once there’s overwhelming evidence of the affair. But only do so as long as there’s no chance that additional investigation or surveillance will be needed.

Keep in mind though, that when we confront people, we oftentimes put them on the defensive – “What?! You hired a PI to follow me around?! How dare you!” This is usually due to the spouse being caught “off guard” and not knowing how to react to the fact that you know about the affair. After all, you gave no previous indication that you knew what was going on right?

Some of my clients have reported being successful, in getting their spouse to admit to the affair, by discussing the infidelity in a “matter of fact” manner after first giving the cheating spouse a forewarning that the topic will be addressed in the near future.

On the day that you’ve decided to discuss the matter with your spouse, tell him or her, “I know about your affair. I want to talk to you about it after work.” Then leave it at that and walk away or hang up. This gives your spouse the time to reflect on how they’re going to handle things. In many cases, they’ll come home and admit to an affair that they wouldn’t have admitted to if pushed against the wall in a confrontational manner. Some cheating spouses are actually relieved to be caught.

Don’t disclose everything you know. It’s tempting for some of my clients to disclose my investigative reports, complete with still images captured from videotape, to their spouse while screaming, “Look at this!” However, this is the last thing you should do.

An investigative report is prepared so that you have the proof you need to make informed decisions. It’s not prepared to prove to your spouse that he or she is having an affair. After all – your spouse already knows what the facts are.

When we tell someone what we know, we inadvertently tell him or her just how much we don’t know. For example, let’s say that you confront your wife with videotape of her entering a hotel with another man, and an investigative report (without video or still images) detailing her dinner with the same man two weeks prior. What you’re effectively telling your wife, by revealing this evidence, is that you don’t know about her taking a trip with the man to Bermuda when she said she was on a business trip to Minneapolis. You’ve just told her that you have no evidence of the affair before the dinner two weeks prior. You’ve told her that you have no evidence of her kissing her lover at the car after dinner. You’ve told her that you have no clue about how she spent the day with this man the day before the hotel rendezvous. You’ve told her, by laying your cards on the table, just how much you don’t know. After all, if you knew these other facts – why not confront her with those as well? Where are the reports detailing those facts?

Armed with the investigative report in the hypothetical situation above, the wife is likely to admit to the dinner with her platonic “friend” and the fact that she entered the hotel with him two weeks later. She may very well go on to explain, “But he’s just a friend. We didn’t do anything except talk. He’s going through a hard time and he wanted to get my advice. I knew you wouldn’t understand, and that it’d look bad, so that’s why I didn’t tell you. You don’t trust me – you’re always accusing me of the worst. What’s wrong with you? And besides – how dare you hire a PI to invade my privacy anyway!”

Keep your evidence to yourself. It’s your evidence – not your spouse’. Your knowledge is your power. Your spouse not knowing how much you know is your power. Consider instead (using the hypothetical situation given above) telling your spouse something similar to, “Cindy, I know that you’re having an affair with Dan. I’m not interested in discussing how I know, or how much I know. What I need to know is whether or not you’re willing to end the affair and work on this marriage – which will require you to divulge everything to me, or whether you’d rather hide details and make excuses, in which case this marriage is over. You want to tell me about it?”

How you choose to handle your own particular suspicions is ultimately going to be up to you. While you may feel totally alone as you struggle to find answers, understand that the advice given above comes not so much from me, but the countless others – people like yourself, who’ve come before you.

Good luck.

You may freely reprint this article on your own website provided that you leave the copy (including each of the active links and this paragraph) completely intact, AND include the resource box below. Otherwise, all rights reserved – Copyright 2009 Blue Heron Investigations

Source by Thomas Goodpaster

An island is any smaller area of land that is surrounded by water on its sides. It is a place where you can spend the quality time with your family and friends under nature. It is the perfect choice for your vacation when you are looking for a family trip, romantic getaway or a nature vacation.

An island is popular because of its amazing view and pleasant climatic conditions. It offers all the modern conveniences that an individual strives for while on a holiday. One can find a variety of comfortable places to stay like hotels, inns, private guest cottages, etc. on the area.

Things you can do while on an Island

An island offers several fun activities and diversions off and on-the-beach both. One can happily spend their quality time by involving themselves in various activities.

— Nature tours

There are water bikes and Segways on rent for people who love to have adventures. One can enjoy on-the-beach tours of the island while having fun with water sports. Go out with your partner to have the view of the island on water vehicles and make your vacation much more exciting.

— Relaxing beaches

Not everybody wants those adventurous activities. For all the lazy people out there, they have beach mats and chairs to relax while having the sunbath in an amazing view. After that, have your lunch and dinner at the fancy restaurants that are there to serve you on the beach itself.

— Off the beach tours

Beside the beach, one can have a tour of the place and explore it with the scooters and bikes on rent. Shopping is one of the options women can go for. The place would have a lot of beautiful shops and galleries filled with unique and antique things. Remember, there is no cluster of malls rather there are beautiful shops to have your shopping done appropriately.

— Others

For the people who want some sort of activities that are similar to their regular life, they can go for golfing, tennis, badminton, cinema, etc. The popular island offers such activities. Also, if you don’t want to go out of your hotels, you can try these activities at your hotels only without going out.

All in all, there is something for everyone to satisfy themselves and there is a surety that you would not be able to stop yourself from visiting an isle again and will make some very beautiful memories to be cherished for the whole of your life.

Make a plan out of your hectic schedules and offices and visit some island. Pamper yourself, and have the best time of your life with your partner, family, and friends at some Island.

Remember you will not get such activities on a deserted island. On a deserted island, you will have to explore the things yourself without any help. But, if you don’t want to go for any experiments, popular islands are the best option for you where you can get all the conveniences while enjoying yourselves.

Source by Achal Mehrotra

Modern wheelchairs are lightweight, customizable, and available for sports, battery-operated and constantly being improved. In spite of the modern feel of wheelchairs, they have been around in one form or another for much longer than most people would guess. Probably from the time that wheels were invented and the time that chairs were around, it was natural that the two would come together. If that seems like an exaggeration, then read on about the history of antique wheelchairs.

A Long, Long Time Ago

The oldest existing picture of a chair with wheels is from China – in the 6th Century! The odds that they were around before someone drew a picture that would survive this long are excellent. There is also an image of a wheeled chair from Ancient Egypt. Again, it’s more likely that it exists because their culture made long-lasting images than that they invented antique wheelchairs. Records show that in the 16th Century, King Phillip of Spain owned an elaborate rolling chair and in 1700, King Louis XIV of France used a wheeled conveyance while recuperating from an operation. No doubt commoners with a flair for furniture building found uses for antique wheelchairs as well.

It was in the 18th Century that the antique wheelchairs began to resemble our modern version. It had two large front wheels and a caser in the back. After the American Civil War and World War I, antique wheelchairs were built with wooden frames, wicker seats, big spoked wheels and featured adjustable arm and foot rests. A patent was filed in 1894 for the first wheelchair that could be propelled by the occupant.

The first folding wheelchair was designed in 1932. It was invented by an injured mining engineer and a mechanical engineer who went on to found the E&J Company. These antique wheelchairs are probably quite collectible since the same company developed the first powered wheelchair in the 1950s. This is the same decade that saw wheelchair sports develop in England. The first Paralympics were held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Wheelchair athlete Bob Hall completed the 1975 Boston Marathon in a manual wheelchair.

Lighter weight antique wheelchairs began showing up in the 1970s and 1980s in response to the need for sports chairs. Microprocessor controls for power chairs showed up in the 1980s. After this point, the term “antique wheelchairs” seems out of place. The developments in the 1990s were very modern, but nevertheless the history of antique wheelchairs is truly amazing.

Source by Daniel Gibbs

If you have a feline friend then it’s likely that you may have found yourself in this situation. You come home only to find that, Monsieur Le Chat (or Mr Cat / C for the sake of this article) has used your nice couch, favourite chair, expensive rattan furniture or even the bed as a scratching post. Depending on the damage that Mr Cat has done to your furniture you may be able to salvage the furniture and, possibly, depending on how sorry he is, the relationship with Mr C.

If you have minor damage, such as some light plucking, then you may want to consider getting nail covers for protection. Believe it or not, these are for your cat and not the furniture! They are plastic and cruelty free, and they just slide over the nail and keep Mr C. from doing it again (and are also used for cats with self scratching issues. If this doesn’t sit comfortably with you, then of course you should keep your cat’s nails trimmed. This will deter Mr C. from the need to scratch on anything. However you may not want to stop your cat from scratching totally as of course it is in their nature, so offering a general substitute is always a good idea. Get Mr C. his own scratch post and watch them gradually tear it to shreds!

If leather furniture has minor scratches you could use leather polish to rub out the damage. Leather polish comes in an array of colours and most will match up without a problem. Remember that you always want to test a spot prior to working on the main problem. Add the polish in a circular motion with a rag and rub into the leather; this will reduce the appearance of the scratch and save the furniture to fight another day.

If fabric furniture has been torn then you could try some slipcovers if the damage has been bad. Most slipcovers are made “pet friendly” these days and cats are not able to tear them up (or are we just setting them a challenge…). Fabric friendly craft glue can always be used on fabric furniture. It is made for fabric and does not have that bleed through like some other adhesives – just remember that a little goes a long way. Of course sometimes you can get away with stitching it back together with good old needle and thread. The curved “U” shaped needles work the best for this sort of job.

If Mr C. has scratched up something that is glass fronted then you can actually buy glass filler that will ‘fill up’ scratches and, by removing the finest of surfaces, give glass that see through amazing shine back. Again it’s that old circular motion that you need to employ while rubbing it in with a rag. Then just wipe it clean and you are all set to let it dry.

If your furniture has been completely destroyed and you have to reupholster make sure that you shop around. Leather can be very expensive to restore. If Mr C. has destroyed more than one piece of furniture do consider taking the set in as you will also save money doing it all in one shot. Most of the time though, with a little thought and care you can fix cat scratches without too much hassle and perhaps even save your favourite piece of rattan furniture. At worst it is a good excuse for choosing something new!

Source by Graeme Knights

Any leather recliner chair is well known for the comfort, style and elegance it gives to any room in the house. It is truly a sign and symbol of the good lifestyle that people have learned to enjoy throughout the last couple of decades.

We all work hard and we all need the rest after a heavy, stressful day at work. People have tried various ways to achieve this, and one of the most successful products that actually give that well needed rest is a leather recliner chair. You can so easily put your feet up on the footrest or ottoman, lean back in your recliner with a drink or coffee in your hands (or in the attached pouches that are specifically built in for the purpose of holding a drink) and enjoy your afternoon or weekend. You can easily watch the latest movie, football game or even take a quick nap. Any nap taken in this recliner is bound to fully refresh everyone attempting it due to the additional comfort such a chair gives to the bones and various body parts.

Promoting good health is very easy when you have a leather recliner chair. Not only due to the extensive comfortable seating but also because many people who are in the habit of meditating are using them. Meditation needs a prolonged time in the chair, and if the seating is not comfortable, the mind cannot relax and go in the realms of spirituality as it will be constantly pulled back due to the pain and discomfort in the various bones.

Proper meditation needs a very comfortable placing particularly when it is done by people who are not professional meditators who can practically sit anywhere and still be doing great. When you only start out with meditation, physical well-being and comfort is crucial, at least at first. This is why you can now find many leather meditation chairs that offer all the benefits that regular leather recliners also give.

There are special leather recliner chairs with audio extensions embedded in them so when meditating it is very easy to listen to the various Zen or Reiki music and sounds that promote going deep faster. They are not all that different in price from the regular chairs without this extra features so it is worthwhile looking for them when shopping for that perfect chair for the den. Prices range from $200 to $1000 at times and even more. This is great because now everybody can afford them regardless of their budget preferences and limitations without losing on quality and comfort.

Nowadays many people have at least one leather recliner chair set for the office, living room or meditation room as they have realized the long lasting benefits that these well crafted high quality seating equipments can offer everyone who cares about their wellbeing and health.

Source by Allison Van Der Kerke

Boutique owners share their must-haves, must-dos and cannot-live-without decorating tricks. Why is it critical to put in some effort, time and expenses to decorate a boutique store? A boutique is defined as a “small fashionable supermarket.” Most boutiques retail exclusive items, such as specialized gifts, jewelry, antiques and etc. For most of us as boutique owners, our stores feature nice clothing and fashionable accessories. As boutiques vary in their offerings, it is tough to identify explicit ideas as to decorations. However, there are selected decorating ideas that will toil in all boutiques, at any rate of theme.

Lighting

The degree of lighting in your store will vary depending on the mood you desire to create. For contemporary items, you will need ample of light. For vintage, lukewarm lighting works fine. Avoid fluorescent or green- or yellow-toned lighting, especially if customers will be looking in the mirror. These are not flattering light sources. Consider to add extra tiny white illumination to shelving, borders and even several draped around plants or tables.

Display and Furniture

In order to create a cozier, luxurious feeling in your boutique store; show your product lines in unique ways. For instance, fold sweaters and stack them on a mahogany desk relatively than a metal desk. Hang robes in an antique armoire. Place a small dresser in the corner and leave the top drawer wide open to show your products such as accessories or jewelry. A baker’s rack is an eminent way to show everything from food to clothing to spa gifts. In addition, you may invite your customers to linger by placing comfortable chairs around the space. An antique chaise lounge, bench with cushions and other unique chairs will dress up your boutique much more than boring metal chairs will.

Interior layout

For the boutique which its layout is square or rectangle, it would probably easier to decorate your boutique ideas. You can divide your boutique area into separate sections like VIP area, consultancy area, and transaction area and nail art area. Let’s visualize that at the entrance is demonstrating area where you place multiple 3-D mannequins. At the center of this area, there is black square seat; with pretty golden flowery motif in classic furniture design creates comfortable and friendly impression. At another corner, there is consultancy and VIP area. Consultancy area designed with classical touch a chord that appears golden color in female feel. This area consists of sizable round table with four seats, which made feel casual and comfortable in order to fluent consultation process with the customer. The VIP area appears luxurious with red nuance and flowery motif on wallpaper, couch, and carpet.

Color

Choose your color scheme to correspond to your boutique image. Choose complementary insignia that either match the chic of the merchandise or contrast with it. If your boutique offers a variety of styles, do not worry to aid numerous insignia in various areas. For an example, in a corner that represents the 1970s, operate bold patterns of yellows, browns and oranges. An area full of 1980s supply can be painted with neon greens and pinks. For contemporary merchandise, try to stay neutral with your background. White with black adorns or earth tones permit the designers talk for themselves.

Every of your boutique decorating idea encompass its own personality. So have fun decorating your boutique, be creative, but do not be too crazy or it will be tacky.

Source by Everlin Wong

The Bangkok Airport is the one of the major transit airports in Asia and many travellers find that they have to change planes here and have some free time on their hands.

Most flights through the Bangkok Airport have connecting flights scheduled fairly close together, so you won’t have long to wait for your next flight. But, even so you are going to want to fill in the time and if you only have a four hour layover, there is not sufficient time to leave the airport and visit Bangkok.

So what can you do if you have a Bangkok Airport layover, before changing to another international flight?

Well the first thing is to make sure that you are checked in for the continuing flight and have been issued with boarding passes. From then on the time is your own, but here are some available options.

Airline Lounges

A First or Business class passenger will have access to their Airline Lounge. Most lounges are set up with access to the internet, have snacks and drinks available and some comfortable chairs to rest in.

If you have been flying for many hours you may prefer to walk around Suvarnabhumi airport, rather than sit in the airline lounge.

For those flying Thai Airways, there are showers in all the lounges and complimentary 30 minute massages are also available. There is nothing quite like freshening up after a long flight before you continue your journey.

Most airline lounges are closed between 12:00am and 6:00am, so check availability before you depart.

Paid Lounges

If you are a Louis’ Tavern member, then there are a number of these lounges spread around the airport that you can use.

Louis’ Tavern Day Rooms

Louis’ Tavern also has day rooms available in minimum four hour blocks. These are like a small motel room, with a bed and shower but located inside the airport. The Louis’ Tavern dayrooms are a great choice if you need somewhere private.

Traditional Thai Massage

If you find that you need to release the tension in your muscles, then why not spend the time having a traditional Thai massage at Chang Massage and Spa. There is a range of services available, including a simple manicure or pedicure, neck and shoulder massage or the more relaxing oil massage. The benefits of a Thai massage are renowned throughout the world, so go on, give yourself a treat.

Churning of the Milk Ocean

Located in the centre of Suvarnabhumi Airport is a fabulous sculptural piece entitled Churning of the Milk Ocean. It is a crafted after a story from Hindu folklore and makes a great place to take your photograph as a memory of your Bangkok Airport layover.

Bangkok Airport Shopping

Duty free shopping is never better than at Suvarnabhumi Airport and you can pick up some fine Thai silk at Jim Thompson or something more exotic at one of the many brand name stores on site.

Check before buying any liquids that you are allowed to take them on your onward flight, or you may lose them at the boarding gate.

Eating

Choose Thai, Japanese or Western food, it is up to you. There is a great selection of places, from formal dining to casual settings, so you are sure to find something that suits your budget. Just make sure that you have some Thai Baht with you as not all places take credit cards.

Reclining Chairs

Set out at strategic intervals are groups of reclining chairs where you can relax or take a nap. You may be lucky and find some available seats to while away the time.

Internet

Free internet is available at various points throughout the airport, with workstations set up for passenger use. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available for limited periods before payment is required. Ask at the information counters, located at then end of the concourses, for a password.

Source by Stephen Pickles

The majority of people can manage well with fundamental stretching exercises that don’t require anything aside from body positioning and gravity. You can still find tools that can be used to help you improve your flexibility. If by using some gadgets, you are able to stretch when you otherwise wouldn’t, investing in them is worth it. The following are some useful gadgets to invest in:

A stretching mat: While you can pad a hard floor with a thick towel or a blanket, a mat is a better reminder to do you stretches. A mat can also be used for your abdominal workouts or floor exercises. Some stretching mats can go for more than $100, though a top of the line mat, with adequate cushioning and long enough to prevent your head from hitting the wood floor, can be bought for $60 or less. The mats can also be compacted for storage. Some can be folded while others can be rolled.

An oversized plastic ball: They can be used to safely and efficiently improve the flexibility of your lower back. You can envelope your body over it, either forward, backward, or sideways. An oversized ball is also useful for exercises that strengthen your abdominals and leg. They can be bought for about $30. The right fit is important. When sitting on the ball, your thighs should be more or less parallel to the floor. If, however, you are lacking in flexibility, you would benefit from a slightly bigger ball. You won’t have to bend as far. For stretching, don’t inflate the ball all the way; this way it will be easier to mold your body and less likely to roll away.

Stretching strap or rope: These nylon bands (Dynamic Stretching Strap or Stretch-Out Strap) should be used with the Active Isolated method of stretching. They can be bought for between $15 to $30 (including a video). They are useful if you’re too stiff to get into certain stretching poses. For instance, if you’re sitting on the floor with one leg out but are unable to reach out and touch your toes, you wrap the strap around your instep while holding a loop in each hand. After holding that position for a while, if you can stretch a little farther, you can move your hands up to the loop that’s slightly closer to your toes. This can also be done with yachting rope that is readily available at the local hardware store. Make sure to get one whose length is twice your height.

The Prostretch: This gadget is used to stretch both your calf and shin muscles as well as the sides of your ankles. The Prostretch consists of a shoe imprint cast in hard plastic, mounted on one or two rockers (wider versions of the rockers you find on rocking chairs). To use it, have to place your foot on the imprint and drop your heel back toward the floor. Your toes point upward, giving you an effective calf stretch. If you’re lacking in flexibility, you can even do this stretch from a sitting position. Since the Prostretch supports your entire foot, your calf stretch will be more effective than you would get by hanging your feet off the curb, although most curbs won’t cost you $25.

Precor Stretch Trainer: This gadget consists of a seat with handlebars. It has tilting capabilities, allowing you to lean backward and forward into a stretch. Your body weight and gravity, both contribute to the intensity of the stretch. You can stretch almost every muscle in your body by changing arm and leg positions, all without having to get out of the seat. For instance, if you want to stretch your hamstrings, you place your leg up on the front of the seat and then lean back. (This has the same effect as when you place one leg out in front of you then reach for your toe.) The handlebars are equipped with wrist straps so that you don’t fall backward in case you lose your balance. The gadget also has an adjustable safety pin to help you mount it properly.

The down side is you’ll have $700 less if you buy the Stretch Trainer. However, being in shape is very important, people who have difficulty getting on and off the floor gracefully can definitely benefit from it. It can help you stretch effectively by yourself, so you don’t need to ask three other people to help you stand up once you’re done stretching.

Source by Fiona Edwards

It may still seem like Summer is with us but many hotels, restaurants and catering businesses are already planning for the considerably increased demand over the Christmas and New Year periods. This is a time when many Companies choose to buy new banqueting chairs and banquet furniture making sizeable investments on the back of this very busy trading time.

When considering banquet chairs, there are several types that most people in the hospitality industry usually think of. There are the decorative wooden type with gilt painted finish that have become increasingly popular for weddings and are now available as a stackable chair giving the extra convenience of space saving when not in use.

These banquet chairs are often available with removable seat pads which have the bonus feature of being able to offer the customer different colour seats with only the added cost of buying extra seat pads. These chairs were originally made by the classic Thonet bentwood chair factories in Hungary, Romania or Czechoslovakia and have changed very little in design over many years. The only significant change, over the years has been the introduction of the stacking version of the banqueting chair.

In the last few years as these countries have one by one joined the European Union, the costs of making these very labour intensive chairs has increased considerably for these factories, giving them no alternative but to increase their prices. This has led to some UK banqueting furniture suppliers looking to factories in China and Malaysia to produce copies of these chairs but without the many years of experience of the traditional manufacturers, the quality can be very variable. Often, where the European factories would use steam bending to shape the elegant curved forms of the banquet chair, the Chinese and Malaysian manufacturers use simpler wood joining methods, for example finger jointing or even butt jointing, methods which are not nearly as strong as the steam bending process which produces the part without affecting the strength or integrity of the wood. Therefore purchasing these cheaper chairs can often be a false economy and can end in very early replacement of an expensive investment.

The other styles of Banquet chair are produced in either tubular steel or tubular aluminium and have one great advantage over the wooden styles. That is of course great strength and longevity at a lower unit price. The steel chairs are usually made in 3/4 inch square section 18 gauge tubular steel that can be finished in any colour, with gold being the most popular and silver or black being the next most popular choices. The Aluminium chairs are most popular in extruded aluminium tube 1 inch square section. As it is extruded it gives the manufacturer the opportunity to offer a wide choice of tube section designs, either plain or fluted. The other big advantage of both the steel and aluminium chairs over wooden banquet chairs is that because they are machine bent to great accuracy, they can be manufactured to stack very tightly and have plastic frame protectors to prevent damage from frame to frame contact. Recent advances in painting technology mean that both the steel and aluminium banquet chairs can have a painted finish that imitates the deep red colour of mahogany or walnut, oak or many other timbers and can even be printed with a wood grain effect if the customer likes this. These offer the best space saving option which is a big advantage if this style of chair is only used at the hotel’s peak time and needs to be stored afterwards. The aluminium and steel banquet chairs are produced in a variety of attractive shapes and designs as either side chairs or carvers (armchairs). As many of the chair components are standard, it is possible for the manufacturer to offer different chair designs and even seat widths without the need for expensive re- tooling.

For banqueting chairs sold in the UK combustion modified upholstery foam must be used along with fabric that has been treated with a fire resistant coating to meet the British Standard requirement.

For all these styles of chair the choice of upholstery fabric is virtually limitless if the chair is purchased from a UK supplier that has an in house upholstery shop. Some suppliers import the chairs already upholstered from factories in the far east but this limits the choice of upholstery patterns and colours that they can offer to their customers.

Whichever style or design of banquet chair that the hotelier or restaurateur decide to choose, the effect on a dining room set out with these chairs finished in an attractive gilt colour is always very appealing to the diners.

Source by James K. Johnson

Get to know the locals. The people in Swaziland have a well-earned reputation for being friendly and helpful. So expect to hear “Hello Momma” and “Hi Sister” as you saunter down the street. Greet people with sowbona – for hello – and yabo – as the reply. It may not be conversational Swazi, but at least it is an indication that you aren’t totally-tourist.

Swazis take, rather than tell. When I asked Skhumbuzo Mahlambi, the clerk in the post office, where I could buy a post card, he locked his cash box and walked me half way across the plaza. As we left his co-workers didn’t even look up. Enroute he did a detour so I would know where to find a shop that specialized in local arts and crafts. As we meandered along I had to suppress a smile. Civil servants in western countries might be disciplined and/or fired for abandoning their work-stations. Guides were also dispatched to show me where to find a taxi, the post office and an internet café.

Buy an emayadi at Mr. Cheap Fabric Centre. Head for Gwamile Street, Shop Number 3 for a good selection of cotton emayadi prints. These two metre pieces of cotton fabric have a pattern that screams “Swazi” at sixty paces. The first time I saw a man wearing the traditional cloth I asked where I could buy a wrapper. Even though he was shopping for a uniform for his wife, he walked to the shop with me. It was nip-and-tuck, but I managed – barely – to convince the clerks that I really did prefer the emayadi with a traditional pattern, rather than the one with a photo of the King of Swaziland.

Have a beer at the Moonlight Bar. Ask for a local brew at this pub in the Swazi Plaza and JJ will tell you about how Sibebe is named after a mountain not too far from Mbabane. This local-only venue has ambience and a positive attitude. The clientele includes teachers, drug dealers, working girls, guys from the construction site and farmers. Perch on any available bar stool and sownona the person next to you.

Check out what is on offer at Ligomba Lemasusagi. The official address is Shop Number 4, Edgar’s Building, Swazi Plaza. But if you can’t find it, don’t worry – just ask someone and chances are you will be delivered to the front door. If you aren’t sure what to get, ask Fiso – who runs the place – to make some suggestions. This could well be your one-stop souvenir shopping.

Hang out in Freedom Square. Pull up a piece of park bench at the corner of Somhlolo and Gwamile. This is where the real Swazi people hang out. Friends visiting; guys swigging out of a plastic-bag covered bottles; people reading newspapers; mothers breast-feeding. The shade of one of the many big trees is an ideal place to wile away an hour or so of surreptitious people watching.

Hop on a combie and ride like a local. These 14-seater vans ply their trade along various routes. The bus rank is smack-dab in the middle of town is a must-do. Looking down it is literally a sea of white rooftops of the combies. How they manipulate in and out is truly an art form. The buses, the people, the street traders, the fruit sellers all add up to total chaos. The area has a vibrating rhythm all its own and people dance to it.

Source by Jody Hanson