Category - Lifestyle

Phuket is one of Thailand’s most sought-after destinations and the stuff of dreams to many. And in many ways, it truly lives up to its reputation. However, it doesn’t mean that you can just book the next flight and find the perfect spot to live in, just like that. You have to be prepared for the rules and regulations surrounding the real estate market there, so you can find the best accommodation possible. Here are a few tips for people relocating to Phuket.

Choose the Best Place to Stay

If you think Phuket is all parties and sunshine, you’re partly right. But where you live in Phuket will have a huge difference on which kind of lifestyle you can expect. If you’re looking for something more laid back, then you could consider somewhere like Kata or Karon. While you’ll be just a stone’s throw away from the beach, you won’t have to deal with the craziness of Patong. This is also a better place if you’re a couple or with a family.

But if you’re here for the party and don’t mind the crazy atmosphere, then Patong is the place to go. However, be prepared to see a lot of tourists there. And you have to consider if you’ll be able to actually like it there long-term as well.

Phuket town is a great place if you want to live the authentic Thai experience and rub shoulders with locals. It also has tons of great shopping options and a huge Chinatown that serves as the city’s economic center. Chalong or Katu are also two prime destinations you should consider if you’re looking for a nice place to stay.

Finding Accommodation

If you want to find a good apartment in Phuket, we suggest you work with an agency that offers long term rental Phuket. Trying to find accommodation on your own will be too much trouble, and your money will be safer if you’re dealing with a reputable agency.

If you’re still unsure of where you want to live, it would be a good idea to check a few places by bike first so you can get a good sense of the neighborhood. Also, go at different times of the day.

Cost of Living in Phuket

While Phuket will be cheaper on average than most cities in America, it is still the most expensive province in the country. Housing and food will be your main expenses. As a reference, the cost of living in Phuket will be roughly 50% less than in New York. But with 35,000 THB per month, which is around $1,200, you should have more than enough to get by. But you should aim at something around $2,000 per month if you really want to enjoy yourself.

Conclusion

Phuket is a great place to live in and is one of the most beautiful provinces in the country. Make sure that you come prepared and know what to expect to make the most out of your time there.

In the event of a thunderstorm, you have roughly 13 minutes to lock yourself up in a safe place as the winds strike. You are most likely going to think of your house or a sealed room in your home as the safest place to survive.

These may help. However, in the event of a powerful tornado or hurricane that encourages the winds to dance at more than 250 miles per hour, the odds of survival in a wooden house go down. Such fierce winds can tear the house from its foundation.

This is why a safe room is helpful. It is designed to help you survive a catastrophic event or an intruder attack by holding you and your family members securely. Safe rooms, also known as panic rooms, can be both above the ground or under it.

It is best to get them constructed when you are getting your house built. However, you can also get a panic room installed later on. But what are their prices? Let’s walk you through the costs of a safe room and the factors that determine the final investment.

The average cost of a safe room

According to Home Advisor, the national average cost of a safe room stands at $5,847. Since several factors such as the size impact the final price, the expense can range between $2,082 – $9,613 with the low-end investment totaling to only $500 and the high end jumping to $19,700.

However, this isn’t a cost that you should worry about since it is a necessity. More than 1,000 tornadoes strike in a year on average as per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In 2018 alone, a total of 1,406 tornadoes hit the US. This sets the need for a properly-constructed, safe panic room.

Typically, there are two sizes of a safe room – 8 by 8 foot and 14 by 14 foot. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says that an 8 by 8-foot safe which can double as a utility room or closet comes between the price of $6,600 to $8,700.

A larger version of the panic room that is 14 by 14 foot is tagged for a cost between $12,000 to $14,300. Naturally, you will have to decide how big a safe room you need in your house or outside of it.

This chiefly depends on the number of people in your family. Large families need larger safe rooms to beat the raving winds or a theft. The main purpose of this room is to hold you until the weather calms. Or, in the event of an invasion, until the police arrive.

Factors that affect the price of a panic room

In addition to the size of the safe room, several other points chip in their role to determine the final amount. These pointers are:

• The type of the door used
• The location of the room in your home
• The type of foundation on which the panic room in constructed
• The number of exterior walls used in the construction of the room

Costs can also vary as per your state. Getting a panic room constructed in your existing house typically costs more than getting it constructed for a new house. This cost will vary as per the size and the construction type of the safe room.

If you use more existing walls in your home, then your cost is generally lower. Put simply, the cost of a safe room for an existing house isabout 20% higher than a safe room construction on a new property.

You can refer to this safe room cost calculator for a better estimate. As per this calculator, an8 by 8-footpanic room with concrete walls costs $8,100 new cost and $10,600 forremodeling cost.

Similarly, a 14 by 14 safe room with concrete walls costs $13,100 new cost and $15,900 for remodeling in an existing house. Cost estimates for other wall types such as a wood frame with CMU infill, insulating concrete form, concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls, and so on are also given.

When to get a safe room constructed on your property?

As mentioned, the costs of a panic room that is built on a new property are lower than remodeling an existing wall in your home. Keeping this in mind, it is best to get the room constructed when the blueprint of property is under preparation. Unless you already have a house and are considering a panic room now.

During the construction phase, you need to keep your panic room’s addition to your property under wraps. Bring in a security firm and work with an architect who works on secure facilities.

Your safe room is intended to protect you in events of theft or intrusion too. Therefore, you need to keep its construction hush. This is why the designer often doesn’t tell the contractor about the panic room. Moreover, the blueprint of the house may even show the room as a mechanical room.

You can also ask the architectural and security firms to sign confidential agreements. If you don’t want built-in safe rooms, you can opt for a reinforced concrete box, costing $7,000. All these options are Above the Ground Safe Rooms. However, you can also choose underground safe rooms too.

Underground bunkers tend to be costly though. A minimal bunker can take more than $38,000 in expenses. Besides, such an investment in a worthy one. After all, it is the security of a person that is at risk. What’s more, safe rooms can also add to the value of your property.

Some types can be removed and moved to your new property. The in-built panic room types can boost the property’s value by 3.5%according to Simmons. High-quality tornado safe rooms can return as much as 84% of their investment, making it a solid expenditure.

Bottom line

You can always get an estimate of a safe room’s price. However, the exact cost surfaces after you factor in multiple pointers. You may also obtain funding from FEMA to get a safe room constructed if you are short of cash.

Due to a fusion of comfort and fashion, combined with the ever increasing popularity of streetwear. Casual wear is becoming acceptable, fashionable, and most importantly an absolute pleasure to wear. If you are wanting to get some more comfort wear, or perhaps you are only just starting on this comforting journey, here a few pieces to keep in mind.

A multitude of trackies is a must. Now don’t go too crazy and only ever wear tracksuit bottoms, but understand that different occasions call for different bottoms. For example, it’ possible to get a couple of nice big branded tracksuits that will be good for nights out and general socialsing. But, when you’ve got a day off and you just want to chill, you may want to veer away from the designer tracksuits and get something that gives you absolute comfort. This can still be high end, with tracksuits coming in all manner of fabrics, such as cashmere.

Sliders, a few years ago were relegated to poolsides and what you would pack when you were going on that holiday in the sun. Nowadays, Mens Slydes and others have transformed sliders into a highly sought after fashionable piece of footwear. If you want to expand your casual wear don’t be afraid to make your next trainers purchase a sliders purchase instead. Today, they are acceptable in many more places than the pool, with many celebs being seen wearing them as their day to day wear.

Sportswear can separate a lot of people, in terms of teams and what people think of them as fashion pieces. An area that appeases both camps of the latter of these two rivalries, is the rise in vintage sportswear. You can get anything from high end sportswear, to vintage football shirts.  And although from time to time you can feel guilty about the lack of exercise being done in them, sportswear is super comfy while bringing something a bit different to your wardrobe.

In a more general sense, try and work out what casual wear you like to wear, and if there’s something you wear a lot, get a piece or two similar, then with the rest try and work out what area of clothing is missing in your comfort wardrobe, and see what comfort wear might be past its best and work out if you want to get something similar to or diversify into a new realm of comfort.

It’s a new year and a new season of clothing, and time to work out how to balance out your smart, workwear clothing, and the more casual side of your wardrobe. Streetwear usually lands within the latter of these two categories, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Streetwear, as it becomes a much more popular genre of clothing in its own regard, is naturally becoming more nuanced, with companies such as Blood Brother offering this hybrid of streetwear sensibility with high-end fashion.

This blurring of lines between smart and casual is of course nothing new, smart-casual is a concept that has been around for decades. But what we are seeing here today is part of a much larger trend, as offices in cities throughout the world are turning their back on the suit in favour of more casual clothes. As this occurs, other clothing markets are able to fill in the gap left by suits, offering high-end quality clothing that is associated more traditionally with casual wear.

 Yet this often creates a fine line to tread. So here’s some ideas to keep your streetwear on the smart side of things. Firstly, the classic baggy look associated to streetwear can be combated by matching your baggy jumper with some well fitted jeans, this will make a nice contrast and not allow the bagginess to get out of hand.

Before you embark on this though, make sure to read the room. This trend of things becoming more casual is not completely universal. Make sure you are aware of the dress code if your workplace has one, and use your own common sense in working out what other people to seem to wear, it will be fairly easy to work out where the line is soon enough.

Make sure to not go overboard with brands. Try and limit your outfit to one obvious piece of streetwear. This will allow the rest of your outfit to neutralise the streetwear, while also allowing your streetwear to stand out and be the focal point of your outfit.

Stick to the mantra that less is more when it comes to adapting streetwear for the office. Maybe leave the brighter more out there pieces at home and go for some of your black, white and grey streetwear. Try and push the boat out slowly and see what feels like the right fit with your office. Over the days and weeks you can see what sets the right tone and what you feel comfortable in yourself. Remember that a lot of streetwear relies on understating, don’t lose this aspect when moving it to an office situation.

We all sleep, but unfortunately many of us don’t do it very well. A good night’s sleep is essential for a healthy existence and protects you physically and mentally. Sleep plays a huge role in healing and repairing our bodies, so if you don’t sleep very well then you may find that you’re irritable, suffer from mood swings and eat more junk food. Luckily, there are many things that you can do to improve on your sleeping habits.

Consider Your Bedroom

If you have trouble sleeping, then one of the first things to consider is your bedroom. In order to get a good night’s sleep, you need the right setting. This means having a clean, peaceful and welcoming bedroom. A lot of us sleep in rooms that are not fit for purpose and the environment may be the reason you are having a bad night’s sleep.

Change Your Mattress

One of the foundations of having a great night’s sleep is a comfortable bed. The right mattress will make a huge difference between a restless and a restful night. An unsupportive mattress encourages you to maintain a bad sleeping posture, so if you regularly wake up with aches and pains then it may be time to change your mattress.

Your Lifestyle May Be To Blame

Our 21st-century lifestyles are fast-paced, chaotic and busy and we rely a lot on technology. As soon as we wake up to the moment we sleep, our brains are preoccupied with TV, mobile phones and checking emails. Our brains are constantly “on”, so it’s no surprise that many of us struggle to fall asleep or wake up on time. Many lifestyle blog have different suggestions of what to do to switch off, but things such as relaxing scents, comfy sleepwear and the right temperature all help our minds relax and unwind.

Make A Before-Bed Routine

Getting into a routine before you go to bed means your body will automatically assume that when it is doing these tasks, sleep is imminent. Have a warm, not hot, bath or shower, put on a womens sleepwear set for ultimate comfort and avoid using any technology. When you get into the habit of doing these things, you may well find that you fall asleep quicker or have a better quality of sleep.

Avoid A Hectic Lifestyle

A lot of us lead quite stressful lives. Long working hours, demanding jobs and taking care of our families all contribute to a hectic lifestyle and this isn’t helped by the intense media which surrounds us. These elements make it hard for us to wind down before we go to sleep, so knowing how to relax your body and mind is important. Knowing when to switch off from the typical day-to-day activities can stop your mind from overthinking and prevent you from getting worked up.

With 2018 drawing to a close, it’s a great time to look back and take stock of the year that’s passed before we turn and start to anticipate the year that’s yet to come. It’s been an exciting year in the art world, both for established names and hungry, new artists who are all about finding the cutting edge and pushing it yet further.

Art Basel

As is usual for Art Basel, 2018 was a packed year. Just their final show – the recently concluded Art Basel Miami Beach in early December – was richly stocked with both spectacle and deep consideration of the art world as well as exciting new works.

One of the highlights of the show was the celebration of Act One – the exclusive art journal – an evening event at an exclusive hotel transformed into a Garden of Eden wonderland with the help of sculptures lent by Russian art supremo Zurab Tsereteli.

With a programme of panel discussions about some of the most vital issues facing the art world today, and a stunning installation/performance piece inaugurating Art Basel’s Grand Ballroom, this was a show that finished the year on a high note for the artists, for the organisation and for contemporary art as an institution.

London Highlights

London, as a bastion of old world culture as well as innovative art and design, put on a strong showing through the year in its museums and galleries, serving the public more than collectors and buyers.

Good Grief, Charlie Brown is on in Somerset House through to March 2019, so if you’ve not had the chance to take it in already, this celebration of Charles M Schulz’ iconic comic strip can be a treat for the dark days after Christmas. Loneliness, anxiety and alienation might not sound like the perfect recipe for the funny pages but this exhibition shows how Schulz turned them into an immortal and, yes, comic exploration of the human condition.

Lasting till just after Christmas in the National Gallery is hosting an exhibition of Mantegna and Bellini’s greatest works, and there’s an odd parallel to the Peanuts strips here. While Schulz made deftly, darkly comic work of some of the most heart wrenching aspects of human nature, these Renaissance masters took on some of the brutal scenes of suffering in the bible, transforming torture and martyrdoms into works of transcendent beauty. This is a dense exhibition with lots of background information to absorb, so you’ll step out if its galleried informed, entertained and educated.

It’s time to put the summer behind us and dust off the jackets, jumpers and jeans you’ll be wearing in the Autumn/ Winter seasons. Autumn tends to be an expensive time of year, you’ll want to purchase layers, a new coat and we can’t forget about the festival period that everyone starts to shop for early. To avoid spending too much on new clothes, there are some summer trends that you can still wear in the Autumn, and no one will bat an eye.

Dad Trainers

Some people hate them, and others love them, dad trainers are a trend that is here to stay, and more brands are following the trend now. With so many options available, the bulky styled shoe has been a sensation with brands such as FILA, Asics and Champion and adds a slightly alternative look to the conventional streetwear style.

Pink Stays Put

Pastel pinks have been on trend all summer, and designers are continuing to push the neutral colours in jackets, t-shirts and sweaters. It’s a smart/casual style that can be matched up with the majority of clothing, in the Autumn, layering pink up with similar colours makes for an excellent tonal style that will work well with a dark pair of trousers. So, if you own a pink shirt, top or jacket, don’t put it away for the winter just yet.

Caps

The beanie whether is commencing but it isn’t cold enough yet for your ears. Trucker hats have always been a staple for streetwear styles, however, because of the dad cap trend the desire for wearing caps in a semi-smart manner is becoming more common, and the Autumn has already seen this trend in full effect.

Cropped Trousers

Frozen ankles will still be on trend in the Autumn and is likely move into the winter too. Styling cropped smart trousers with a thick knit jumper or a turtleneck sweater, and some brogues is an effortless look ready for most occasions. If you’re not one for enduring cold ankles, the style has also been seen at fashion events with patterned socks, so you might be in luck for keeping them warm.

Denim Jackets

Perfect all year round, a denim jacket in summer is a great choice of lightweight outerwear that isn’t going to make you feel warm. In the autumn, denim jackets are the ideal final layer to any casual look, pairing it with a hoody or jumper gives a solid layered look suitable for both Autumn and Winter.

Naturally, t-shirts, jeans and jackets from the summer can be kept out and unless you’re looking to completely change your style. There shouldn’t be much need for spending the autumn unless you need a new coat or some extra layers for the colder seasons. The majority of designers think that layering is essential and to do this styles from different seasons can all make an appearance.