Tag Archives: waterfalls

Reviews

Hottest Fireplace Trends For Fall And Winter Chill

Leave a comment
A fireplace that doubles as a modern art piece? Yes! image: theverybesttop10.com
A fireplace that doubles as art. image: theverybesttop10.com

Over the years, fireplaces have been a familiar feature in many homes, however until very recently, they have undergone very little change from the traditional hearth.

Fireplaces are becoming the design focus for many rooms in the house and with new technological advances it’s now possible to do more with the fireplace than ever before.

“We’re seeing some very interesting home designs that incorporate fireplaces in many creative new ways,” said David Coulson, of Napoleon Fireplaces. “While the traditional hearth will be a mainstay for many homes, modern fireplaces with crisp lines and glass frames will continue to rise in popularity with new homes and redesigned rooms. That being said we’re seeing several new trends emerge this season that are really changing the way people are thinking about fireplaces.”

Coulson suggests keeping the following hot trends in mind when looking for a new fireplace this season.

Napoleon outdoor fireplace
Napoleon outdoor fireplace

.         Modern: The upcoming season will continue the trend of sleek and modern fireplaces. Look for clean, linear lines with less metal and more
glass. People want the full flame and don’t want black or chrome metal frames blocking the view or interfering with the lighting.

.         Gas: Gas fireplaces will continue to rise in popularity this season. The convenience of flicking a switch compared to collecting, piling and lighting firewood is quickly winning out. The younger generation of fireplace buyers want a quick lighting fireplace that is cleaner and easier to maintain.

.         Outdoors: 2014 will be a big year for the outdoor fireplace as people create or expand on their backyard oasis. The idea of turning a backyard into another room of your house is fueling the outdoor fireplace trend and Napoleon has developed several new models to accommodate this demand.

.         Heat rises: Much like HD televisions, consumers are placing their fireplace inserts higher up on the wall. New technology allows for home
owners to insert enclosed gas fireplaces almost anywhere in the house and many people are taking inspiration from designers who are playing with the traditional ideas of where you find a fireplace.

.         Unlikely locations: Much like the migration of fireplaces up the wall, more fireplaces are being installed in unlikely rooms. For example,
Napoleon makes several models which are ideally suited for the kitchen or bathroom. These fireplaces however are typically used to decorate the room, not to provide a main source for heating.

In the end, every room is different so it’s important to find the right fireplace that fits.

About Wolf Steel Ltd.:

It all began in 1976 when a small steel fabrication business launched by Wolfgang Schroeter started manufacturing steel railings in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. At that time, no one could imagine the incredible future that lay ahead for Wolf Steel Ltd. and eventually NapoleonR Fireplaces and NapoleonR Gourmet Grills.

Since the first wood stove rolled off the production line over 35 years ago, Wolf Steel’s commitment was to be distinctive and successful in everything they do. Napoleon’s commitment to producing quality products combined with honest, reliable service has proven to be successful framework to ensuring the continued rapid growth of the company. NapoleonR is an ISO9001 – 2008 registered company and now operates with 750,000+ square feet of manufacturing space and employs over 700 associates.

NapoleonR is North America’s largest privately owned manufacturer of quality wood and gas fireplaces (inserts and stoves), gourmet gas and charcoal grills, outdoor living products, waterfalls and a complete line of Heating & Cooling equipment.

Supplemental– http://theverybesttop10.com/2013/05/27/incredible-fireplaces/

What is ISO9001- http://www.iso9001.com/

Earth

North America’s Great Lakes Are A World Class Destination

4 Comments

During my recent tenure as Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, I researched the status of our Great Lakes building on work I was involved in 20 years ago when I was then also Parliamentary Assistant to the Ministry of Natural Resources. At that time, much of the ministry’s work and direction was based on the results of the extensive Lands for Life consultation, which culminated in the Ontario Living Legacy Land Use Strategy.

A major project for me was continuing the good work done with respect to one of Ontario’s 10 Signature Sites – the Great Lakes Heritage Coast.

I feel we can learn from, and adapt in other areas, some of these successful initiatives to help protect and promote all of North America’s Great Lakes. For example, last year I traveled part of the beautifully-developed he North Shore Scenic Drive on the Minnesota shore of Lake Superior – part of the U.S. National Scenic Byways program. And of course Ontario’s Great Lakes Heritage Coast, the tourism and environmental planning initiative based on the province’s Living Legacy Land Use Strategy, stretching from Lake Superior’s U.S. border with Minnesota east and south through Manitoulin Island, and Georgian Bay down to the Severn River.

As with Lake Superior’s north shore, North America’s Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin has undeveloped tourism potential, and has the natural environment and the ability to compete with top destinations on the planet. More than 30 million people and over 3,500 species of plants and animals inhabit our Great Lakes basin. But natural ecosystems and local economies around the lakes have deteriorated in the past, there is tremendous potential for both ecosystems and economies to be restored. North America’s Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin comprise Superior, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Erie-the largest body of fresh water on Earth.

The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River Basin are shared by Ontario and Quebec in Canada and the U.S. states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont. The State of Michigan alone touches four of five Great Lakes and possesses the longest freshwater shoreline in the world. North America’s Great Lakes showcase dramatic land forms and vistas, unique and sensitive coastal wetlands, rock shorelines, natural inlets, deltas, islands, beaches, wilderness rivers and waterfalls.

Lake Michigan Lookout- Arcadia, Michigan

The offerings are endless – trails, scenic lookouts, safe harbors, access points, roads, marinas, campsites and a wide range of tourism and recreation activities like camping, angling, hunting, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, power-boating, cruising, hiking, snowmobile, ATVs, mountain biking, wildlife viewing and nature appreciation, ice and rock climbing, golf, cross-country skiing, . . . A rich and diverse cultural and economic heritage is also associated with our Great Lakes.

Trading posts, logging camps, ghost towns, old docking areas, shipwrecks and lighthouses abound.

There are beautiful parks and protected areas. Attractions range from the mystical to the spectacular with Aboriginal spiritual sites; marine museums; working marine industrial ; and the lure of such cities such as Chicago, Toronto, Detroit, Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland and Thunder Bay. Enhancing tourism and the area’s natural attributes can further protect and promote our Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River Basin communities where economic stability and growth have all too often passed them by. For the Silo, Toby Barrett MPP Haldimand-Norfolk.

Featured image- Hollow Rock,Lake Superior,Ontario – hollowrockresort.com

Travel

Niagara Falls Canada Is Romantic And Beautiful Twelve Months Of The Year

3 Comments

Niagara Falls Friendly to Same Sex Weddings

Every girl dreams of that perfect wedding, where she is pampered and spoiled, as she embarks on a new life. With one of the world’s most breathtaking natural wonders providing a unique backdrop, Niagara Falls is the place for a magical wedding that you and your guests won’t soon forget.

Marriott’s wedding specialists will ensure the most important day of your life is absolutely perfect, from preparation through the ceremony and reception and into the honeymoon, the bride and groom will be pampered, refreshed and relaxed on their wedding day.

Niagara Falls is a dynamic place all twelve months of the year. Imagine having your wedding or engagement photos with this winter time vista.
Niagara Falls is a dynamic place all twelve months of the year. Imagine having your wedding or engagement photos with this winter time vista.

Pampering the bride starts the morning of the wedding at Serenity Spa by the Falls where a memorable spa experience will have the bride and her maidens glowing when they step up to the altar. That altar is perched 23 storys above the crest of Niagara Falls in the Marriott’s elegant and intimate Chapel Overlooking the Falls, a majestic setting that is truly awe-inspiring. During the reception, experience elegance with every flawless detail tailored to fit your unforgettable story.

The fairy tale continues in a luxurious Honeymoon Suite overlooking the Falls, with breakfast in bed as befits the newly-wed couple. The happy couple can then spend their first day together with a romantic afternoon of indulgence with Serenity’s Couple’s Ritual Spa Treatment.

Beautiful all year round.
Beautiful all year round.

For the guests, Niagara Falls boasts a vibrant night life to keep them entertained once the happy couple steps away to begin their honeymoon. Clubs, bars and restaurants, not to mention two casinos and several theatre shows, will ensure a wedding in Niagara Falls is a wedding people will be talking about for years.