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Caribbean

How to plan a destination wedding during the pandemic

Are you thinking about planning a destination wedding? We chatted with Marsha-Ann, Sandals’ Director of Romance, to learn the ins and outs of planning a destination wedding during the pandemic at a Sandals. Can you share any wedding trends you’ve seen at Sandals over the last year? Sandals Montego Bay, our flagship resort, is where the world first fell in love with Sandals and couples continue to choose it as the perfect place for their “big day” with its expansive, private white-sand beach, lush tropical garden gazebos, and not one, but two on-site wedding chapels including the signature Over-the-Water Serenity Wedding Chapel. We are seeing an uptick in elopement ceremonies because, as I often say, love conquers all. Couples do want to celebrate their love, perhaps even more so after the past year they’ve had, and know they can trust Sandals to make their dream wedding come true in a…

Technology

What it is like to work at Betsson

Betsson is a Swedish iGaming company focusing on sports betting, casino gaming, poker, bingo and more. The company controls over twenty different online gambling brands, including Betsafe and NordicBet, and has recently started to expand its operations into the North and South American markets. Since it was founded in 1963, Betsson has come a long way. Originally starting out as a slot machine manufacturer, the company changed its name to Betsson in 2006 and has since become one of the biggest and best-known gambling brands in the world. Through its Malta licence, Betsson is able to operate in a number of European countries and is currently going through the process of obtaining a licence in Colorado, USA. While the company has expanded a lot over the years, it’s also managed to maintain a strong workplace culture, a vital part of attracting the best talent and remaining at the top of…

Design

How to use your senses to transform your home office

Mara Hauser, founder and CEO of 25N Coworking, has focused her entire career on design focusing on collaborative workspaces and innovative design.  She shares with us her top five ways to transform your home office space while you work from home. When I think about designing a home office, my first priority is to create a separation between home life and work-life on a mental and physiological level. To start, I always design my plans around the five senses. This ensures that I’m creating a cohesive space that can trigger focus and productivity as soon as you step into the room. Use your eyes. In order to establish a different headspace for work versus home life, try decorating your office differently than the rest of your home. This will immediately trigger your brain into “work mode” as soon as you walk in the door. In fact, create a space that’s…

Barbados

3 Women-Owned Souvenirs to Buy in Barbados

During your next trip to Barbados, here are three women-owned businesses on the island to pick up souvenirs from. Julia-Ann Holder, Owner of Hummingbird Soap Studio Julia-Ann took a passion and favourite pastime and turned it into a local favourite business. The Hummingbird Soap Studio was born in 2012, officially entering the local market in 2017. Julia-Ann started exploring soap making with her daughter, as their favourite afterschool and work activity, always eager to learn new and exciting methods and recipes. Having now built her beloved hobby into a thriving business, Julia-Ann participates in local events, like the Holetown Festival, to share her passion with her community. She aspires to break out into the international market to extend her passion globally. Nadja Soodeen, Owner of Banz Barbados The Caribbean-devoted jewellery line was inspired by Nadja’s desire for a Barbadian momento. Nadja wanted to create a piece of Barbados that she…

Travel News

Toronto Pearson Launches New COVID-19 Testing

TRAVEL NEWS – Today, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), operators of Toronto Pearson, announced a robust new COVID-19 PCR and antigen testing research program at Toronto Pearson. Testing starts on March 1, supported in part by funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). The research is designed to explore the efficacy of antigen testing, compared with the rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, in a high-throughput, commercial environment, as well as to explore how to operationalize rapid PCR testing in an airport environment. Similar to the GTAA’s co-sponsoring of the McMaster Health Labs International Border Study in Fall 2020, this the next step in the GTAA’s efforts to support the government by offering new science and data that can contribute to a longer-term testing and recovery framework. This research program will lead to the creation of a new point-of-need testing capacity at…

Travel Tips

Contiki Canada Launches Free Virtual Travel Events

To help inspire your wanderlust at home,  Contiki Canada is hosting a “LIVE with Contiki” interactive Virtual Event series. The series features various guests having 30-minute conversations on wanderlust-inducing topics to keep Canadian travellers connected. Register to learn from their knowledgeable guests. Plus, there will be the opportunity to win a Contiki prize pack during each episode. Upcoming LIVE with Contiki Canada Events Taking a GAP Year – Here’s How to Make it Happen Tuesday, February 23rd at 7:00 p.m. EST Featuring: Michelle Dittmer, President & co-founder of the Canadian Gap Year Association & Zahida Machan, Marketing & Recruitment Coordinator for Lattitude Global Volunteering. Hola Colombia! The World’s Most Welcoming Destination Tuesday, March 9th at 7:00 p.m. EST Featuring: Santiago Aguirre, Tourism Promotion Expert Sláinte! Grab a Pint for Stories of Ireland Adventures Tuesday, March 16th at 7:00 p.m. EST Featuring: Sandra Moffat, Tourism Ireland How To Turn Your Love…

Fashion

L’Oreal Announces the 5th Annual Women of Worth Honourees

For the fifth year, L’Oréal Paris Canada has announced their Women of Worth honourees. Each year, an extraordinary group of strong, diverse, and passionate women leaders, who work tirelessly to implement global change and bring hope to Canadians. The 2021 Women of Worth honourees are held in high esteem for the considerable influence their actions have had across a variety of causes and initiatives. On International Women’s Day, a $10,000 grant will be presented to each honouree towards her charity. This year, three out of the ten honourees are from Toronto, giving back to their community. These remarkable women continue to push and innovate, especially during these current challenging times, and are being recognized for their on-going fight for positive and critical change. Vote for this year’s winner here. Rhonelle Bruder Project iRISE in Toronto, ON is a survivor-led organization that offers innovative skills and leadership development programs for at-risk…

Europe

3 Casinos in Europe to add to your travel list

With vaccinations well underway in most countries of the world, there is some hope that the tourist season of this year may not go down the drain – and that making travel plans may not be completely futile.  For those with an affinity for the riskier things in life, like playing a game with a real-money stake, a trip to a casino might just be the perfect travel plan for 2021. Not for the games, mind you. Gaming outlets like JackpotCity offer a more than sufficient variety of those, often far exceeding what their land-based counterparts have to offer – not to mention the fact that the JackpotCity and its likes are immune (sic!) to pandemic-related lockdowns. But real-life casinos have their charm – and some of them have a hefty dose of history among their walls. Here are some that combine architecture, art, and gaming in a truly unique…

Italy

What to Cook While Watching Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

As we near the anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the world stuck at home for the foreseeable future, we’re all looking for ways to escape from home. That’s why Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy could no premiere at a more perfect moment. The show will take viewers across Italy and explore the sites and flavours of the country’s regional cuisines.  As you’re preparing to watch the first episode that debuted tonight on Valentine’s Day, here is a recipe from the region that you can re-create at home from the Emilia Romagna (the location of the second episode on February 28th). TAGLIATELLE ALL’USO DI ROMAGNA Ingredients: 2 eggs, medium (already broken in a bowl) 200 gr (8 tablespoons) of all-purpose/plain wheat flour (DO NOT use self-rising or wholegrain) 4 fresh ripe tomatoes (or canned Italian tomato sauce) Two cloves of Garlic Parsley Basil leaves Salt Pepper Italian extra virgin olive…

Design

The Consequences of Covid-19 on Moving in 2020

The COVID-19 health crisis has affected our lives, habits and behaviors in significant ways, both at the personal and collective level. At MovingWaldo, Canada’s first free Moving Concierge Service and platform, they decided to conduct a study to know more about the impacts of Covid-19 on the moving industry. Has the confinement incited Canadians to move? Or, on the contrary, has the pandemic discouraged them from going about their future moving plans? A total of 1821 individuals who have moved in the past year responded to MovingWaldo’s in-house survey, and the results are very telling. The study puts light on how this pandemic has impacted Canadians’ moves, examining the ways in which the confinement influenced their decision-making process. The study reveals that in 2020, 1 out of 10 moves has been caused by Covid-19, and that nearly 1 out of 5 will be in 2021. Actually, 85% of Canadians said…