Winter, schminter! Let’s hang outside!

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The winter chill has arrived from Silicon Valley to Saskatchewan, but that’s no reason to keep your backyard dormant for the next few months – especially if you’re lucky enough to have a backyard! As we enter our tenth month of sheltering at home, it’s even more important for all of us to step outside. Check out these tips for turning your patio into a paradise year-round.

Chic vs. Geek: Halloween Lives!

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Halloween may have passed, but the spooky spirit lives on throughout the autumn season, and there’s still time for a little style and celebration! Here’s how we like to party:

CHIC (PEARL)

I like to express my artistic side and create crafty things. From decorating pumpkins to coloring sheets, there are tons of fun and productive ways to spend time at home (or on Zoom with friends and family) without crashing Halloween parties or trick-or-treating. Here are a few ideas for the kids to enjoy.

GEEK (KEVIN)

As you might’ve guessed, my favorite way to celebrate any holiday — and especially Halloween — is with food and drinks. With that in mind, I found some amazing autumn-inspired treats, savory dishes, coffee creations, and Halloween cocktails that you can sample at home in your pod. Let me know how it goes!

Living in Silicon Valley

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What can you expect, the good, the bad, and the offbeat?

CHIC SAYS:

My favorite part of Silicon Valley is diversity! As someone who came here from a foreign country, it’s comforting to know that there are so many others in the same boat – but not literally! ;) Diversity also means amazing food and holiday affairs. There are many authentic foods festivals all year round, including Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, German, French, Italian, Russian... you get the idea. Here’s Metro’s list of some of the best Silicon Valley restaurants of 2019.

Among the things I’m not so fond of, the cost of living is number one. It is by far the most expensive place to live in the U.S., and goods and services are about 30% more expensive than the national average. That’s not to mention a median home price of about $1M.

And for the offbeat, I think of Silicon Valley fashion – company logo hoodies and t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers for both men and women. I’m not sure if this is a long-term trend, but it’s a little too casual for my taste.

GEEK SAYS:

Yes, Silicon Valley has a higher cost of living than just about anywhere else on the planet, but that also comes with more high paying jobs in engineering, high-tech, and emerging industries. It comes with sunshine and great weather all year. And it comes with good people, excellent schools, and a spirit of innovation.

As a wine lover and self-professed camping expert (I have every piece of gear you can imagine) I love how close we are to Wine Country AND the natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Yosemite, and Lake Tahoe. Oh, I forgot about the beaches, just a short drive “over the hill”.

Just like everyone else, I get frustrated by a lack of public transportation, traffic nightmares, and long commutes. And the growing housing shortage is something that affects us all. There’s not much you and me can do about it until the folks in charge make some changes. But that’s another story altogether.