More Ohio Craft Beer

While in Youngstown, OH, I thought that I might be able to find some craft beer downtown. Ohio craft beer. Local craft beers.

Drinking More Ohio Craft Beers

I was not disappointed. Not one tiny little bit. You know why not? Because I found the Whistle and Keg. 

The Whistle and Keg is not a brewery. They are a craft beer bar with a unique concept. I’ve only seen something like this joint in Alton, IL. The place in Alton is called the Germania Brew House. Germania offers coffee and some other goodies too. 

Back to Whistle and Keg

Whistle and Keg is a self-serve craft beer bar. There is no bartender. They have a person at the counter. This host, for lack of a better term, will run your credit card and then give you a wristband with a “token” on it that is virtually connected to your credit card and Whistle and Keg’s point of sale system. Then they send you o the taps.

At Whistle and Keg, you walk up a set of steps and along one wall is a long row of taps. By placing the token on your wristband against the designated spot by the tap, the tap is “activated” and you can pour yourself a sample or more of your craft beer of choice. 

Self Serve Craft Beer

The cost of the amount you pour is automatically recorded. Each tap has a digital screen on the wall above it which displays the amount you pour, the cost, and your total so far. 

The screen, prior to your pour, displays the name of the craft beer, the name of the brewery, the location of the brewery, what type of beer it is, the cost per ounce, the ABV, and the IBU. 

They had a pretty damn good selection of beers from both Ohio and nationwide. There were even several wine and cider taps for those, shudder the thought, who didn’t want to drink craft beer. 

Hop JuJu

I had a couple of faves. I really enjoyed Fat Head’s Hop Juju. It is an Imperial IPA. Hit me like a flavor bursting, balanced Hop bomb!

Rye Hipster Brunch Stout

Another favorite was Odd Side Ales Rye Hipster Brunch Stout. It had a nice upfront Chocolate flavor but was not overwhelming, it was Creamy, Sweet And Tasty!

After hitting the Whistle and Keg and finishing my gigs and tour in Ohio, I’m back home. Time to start checking out the craft beer scene here on the home front!

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5 Steps to Completing a Jigsaw Puzzle

Solving a jigsaw puzzle is a great way of killing time. They can help you cope with stress because your mind gets carried away by focusing on the patterns. Completing a puzzle is much better than playing video games because it brings out the creativity in you. The other advantage is that you can do it anywhere because you don’t need electricity to complete the puzzle. Jigsaws can be extremely difficult to a beginner. In fact, most people start very well only for them to get stuck after connecting more than half of the pieces. For you to succeed in completing any puzzle, you must use an approach that will not cause you to hit a dead end. Below are steps that you should follow when getting started with a jigsaw puzzle.

1. Start Small

If you visit the Yorkshire jigsaw store, you will realize that there are both small and big puzzles. The big puzzles are ideal for the gurus because they have many pieces of up to 1000. Small puzzles consist of just a few pieces that are usually between 50 and 100 parts. If you are just getting your feet wet, it’s advisable you start with the smaller puzzles because they are less complex than big puzzles. In fact, due to their simplicity, you will need less time to complete them. If you opt to start with the big puzzles, you will easily get bored because you can’t complete them in a few minutes. They actually come in many colors, shapes and layers. It’s like a baby trying to walk before he can even crawl.

2. Prepare the Working Area

There is no way you can complete a puzzle on a surface that has other things. This is because the other stuff that are not part of the puzzle will only confuse you. If you are doing the magic on the table, you should first remove everything to ensure that the surface has nothing else except the pieces of the puzzle.  With a clear surface, you will have ample space that’s ideal for keeping the pieces that have already been sorted.

3. Identify Unique Pieces

Once you have a clear working surface, you should remove the pieces from the box and place them on the surface with the top side facing up. This will make sure that you are seeing all the pieces from the same angle. You should then identify the pieces that have a unique color and put them in one group. You should also select the pieces that have a similar shape and put them aside from the rest.

4. Start with the Edges

The worst mistake that you can make when assembling a puzzle is by starting from the middle because you will not have an idea about the end. You should actually start by constructing a frame because it’s much easier. To get started with this approach, you should pick the pieces that have smooth edges. If you are not able to select the pieces for the frame, you should look at the box that is used to store the pieces to get an idea of how the puzzle will look like when complete.

5. Identify Repeating Patterns

When assembling a puzzle, you should pay special attention to repeating patterns because they are the ones that determine how fast you will be able to finish. The patterns are obviously based on colors and shapes. You should pick a piece that will fit perfectly into the space of another part. You can even focus on small on completing a sub-section and then merge it with a much bigger section. You should repeat the process until there are no pieces that are left outside the puzzle.

 

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7 Tips on How to Do Family Vacation the Right Way

Did you know that 88 percent of American families are “very likely” to travel with their kids. Resort owners realize this, which is why child-friendly facilities and activities are included in their amenities.

Here’s the thing: family vacations don’t always go as planned, no matter how much you try to make it stress-free. In fact, you will always experience boo-boos that could affect the overall mood of the family. Still, don’t let this stop you from going on family vacations with kids.

Here are tips to help you do family vacation the right way:

1.  Always plan ahead.

From the date of destination, to the resort or apartment you will stay in, to the activities you will do, and even where to eat, planning ahead is imperative. This allows you to study the place ahead of time, get to know the different attractions and other must-visit places that the family will love, and even research about the best restaurants you can try. Learn about what your preferred destination has to offer and try to look for tours or packages that will give you more value for your money.

The more you know about your destination, the better and easier for you to plan the trip where everyone could enjoy.

2.  Choose a family-friendly resort.

This is a must. Choose hotels with kid-friendly facilities like swimming pool, playground, and kids’ activity center. If the resort is near parks, outdoor spaces, or popular attractions, then that could be a good choice as well since you and your kids can easily go there. Don’t forget to request for a room with a view so that they have something to look at during their downtime or at night.

3.  The destination should be fit for everyone.

You and your spouse love to hike, but if you have a newborn in tow, you might want to rethink of your plans.

When it comes to family vacation, always pick a destination that is appropriate for all ages. The destination must not only appeal to everyone but also matches each of the family’s physical abilities. This way, you can truly enjoy the family trip and create lasting memories.

4.  Involve your kids in the planning process.

You have fun activities in mind, but is it fun for your family? When it comes to family vacation, make sure to ask your kids, regardless of their age, about activities that they want to do while on a trip. They are more likely to be engaged while on family vacation of they are involved in the planning.

You can also present a list of activities that you can do, depending on where you are going. Get to know the place first and then present everything you can and allow the kids to choose according to their own liking. A trip to the amusement park sounds fun, but if your resort is located hours away, then it is best to opt for other activities that doesn’t involve hours of travel again.

Consequently, listen to your kids. They might agree to do one activity that they suggested but when they get there, there is a chance that they’ll change their minds. Don’t force them into doing activities that they don’t like since it could ruin their moods during the trip.

5.  Leave room for limitations.

Going on a trip with the family is both fun and stressful. To reduce stress, always expect that there will be limitations during your trips. Your kids or your parents (who happen to be in their 70s) might not move as quickly as you want them to be in order to accomplish more. Accept the fact that there are places you cannot visit or fully explore because of certain limitations and that’s okay.

6.  Schedule a trip to the doctor.

This is another must. There are families who skip this step since they believe that everyone else is fine and healthy. Still, it won’t hurt to visit the family doctor before travel to ensure that everyone is in good health, especially if you are going on a trip overseas. Check for any possible infection or existing diseases and get every member of the family vaccinated. This way, you keep you and your family protected, and get to enjoy your trip as much as you can.

7.  You don’t need to have a jam-packed schedule.

It’s your first time in a certain place and surely, you want to make the most out of it. After all, it could take some time before you are able to visit that place again.

Apparently, this won’t always work. Just like you, kids need time to breathe, relax, and just enjoy whatever is in front of them. Scheduling a lot of activities in one day can be tiring and too much for everyone, and you might not end up enjoying what the place has to offer.

Relax. The success of a family vacation is not dependent on how many places you visited but on the experiences made and new memories created. After all, that’s what family trips are supposed to be, don’t you think?

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How to Plan Your First Couples Vacation

Your first vacation away together as a couple is a big step. Perhaps this is the first time that you will be spending such a substantial amount of time together and you are feeling slightly nervous about that. Perhaps with so many things to consider (where in the world you want to travel, what accommodation style you should opt for, etc) then you are feeling overwhelmed about what to organise first, and who is responsible for what aspect of the trip planning.

This article discusses some of the ways in which you can make the trip planning process a little easier so that you can concentrate on enjoying this romantic time as opposed to stressing about it.

Discuss the Destination Together First

Arguably the most important step in planning your trip is determining where you would like to go and agreeing on a destination that suits you both. There is no use in booking a trip to see the pyramids of Giza if one of you had absolutely no interest in history or is terrified of flying.

Equally if one of you is an adventure junkie whereas the other loves a quiet, relaxing vacation spent relaxing then a little work needs to be done in order to uncover a destination that suits both parties interests.

Realize Your Budget

It’s important to establish your budgets and travel styles. One of you may be accustomed to travelling in style and luxury whereas the other is a seasoned backpacker who wants to organize everything at the lowest rates possible. Be sure that you are on the same page about budget expectations so that neither party winds up stressed trying to finance a vacation that they cannot really afford, or that one person isn’t having to foot the bill for both of you because a prior conversation was not had.

In a situation where you have a significant mismatch of budget or earnings, try to steer towards a vacation and destination that better suits the lower income partner.

Establish a Daily Budget

Okay so you have a general understanding of the overall budget for your trip, but it’s important to break this down into daily allowances. By doing so, this also helps you to be clear on how much things will cost instead of vaguely deciding that you don’t want to spend too much.

For instance, if you allow yourself a budget of $20 a day after accommodation costs are taken care of, then you can search for activities and restaurants that suit your budget and therefore you can manage and reduce the risk of overspending.

Decide Which Accomodation Option You Prefer

Again this depends somewhat on your travel style as well as your personal preferences. If you want to feel relaxed and pampered – then a luxury boutique hotel or an all inclusive resort will be perfect for your couples vacation. In this manner, you know that you have everything you could possibly want at your fingertips during your stay at the hotel or resort.

If you prefer to reduce costs as much as possible then you could opt for self catered accommodation and rent an apartment or a similar holiday home. In this way, you have the flexibility of preparing your own meals which helps you in sticking to a budget.

Decide Who Will Organize What

It’s important to determine who will be responsible for the trip planning so that neither one party feels as though they are lumbered with organizing everything – or to the other hand, neither person feels as though they have no input whatsoever.

Consider drawing up a list of things that need to be done prior to departure – i.e. booking flight tickets, selecting accommodation, booking travel insurance, etc. Once you have a clear understanding of what needs to be done then you can assign tasks to each other and then check in every few days to see how you are progressing.

Discuss Your Luggage

When you are travelling as a couple, sure you are both likely to take your own suitcases with you on vacation but it is worthwhile to discuss what you are each packing. In this manner you can cut down on the amount of baggage that you take (and potentially baggage fees) by making sure that there are no duplicate items.

For instance, perhaps you are only travelling for four or five days, so is it really necessary that both of you have packed an abundance of sunscreen and after sun products? Discuss what you are taking and maybe exchange packing lists so you don’t load yourselves up with too much unnecessary stuff!

Plan a Rough Schedule

It’s worthwhile to do your research before heading off on vacation and potentially drawing up a rough schedule of things you would like to see and do while you are away. You don’t need to tie yourselves into a restrictive itinerary (after all it’s nice to leave your options open should something ad-hoc and unexpected come up while you are away) but make sure that you have some ideas so that you are not heading off blindly on your trip and so that you make the most of your time away together.

Keep all of these tips in mind when you’re planning your next trip. This is going to be your first trip together so you want to be sure you are prepared for anything that might happen.

 

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How to Maximize iPhone Battery Life

Do you ever get frustrated when your iPhone battery doesn’t last long enough? I think everyone does. I know I do. I use my smartphone a lot. All the time. So, I’ve found how to maximize iPhone battery life! One way is to go and buy the best iPhone battery charger. The other way is to manipulate your phone. Here’s some tips for the latter. Check it out.

Battery Life vs. Battery Lifespan

First, we need to get clear. I’m talking battery life. Mostly. That’s how long I can use my phone before I have to recharge it. Battery lifespan is how long the battery lasts before it is time to get a new battery. The two are related. Some of the tips I offer will also help your battery lifespan.

How To Maximize iPhone Battery Life and Be Less Frustrated

Update, Update, Update

Technologies to save energy are often part of Apple’s software updates. Making sure you are using the latest version of iOS can help your battery last longer between charges.

Use Low Power Mode

Do you have iOS 9 or a more recent iOS installed? If you do, then you can use low power mode. Find it in settings under battery. Low power mode reduces or turns off certain functions and operations temporarily. Things like automatic downloads, mail fetch, and Siri won’t drain your battery as much with low power mode turned on.

Keep Cool

If it is hot outside or if your iPhone is sitting in the sun inside your car, that can cause problems. Your smartphone likes to be cool. If your phone is hotter than 95 degrees the capacity of your battery can be permanently damaged. It won’t last as long between charges. Don’t even store your phone in hot places. That can cause permanent damage to your battery too.

It’s Too Loud

Where you set you volume matters. Your phone works harder when you turn it up louder. That means less battery life. Using headphones helps a lot. They require less power than the speaker. If you go to music which you find under settings, you can turn off the EQ and limit the volume. Doing both makes that battery juice last longer before recharge time.

Optimize, Optimize, Optimize

Here I’m talking about your settings. Doing this is an easy way to preserve your battery’s life. Lower your screen brightness. You can dim it yourself or you can turn on the Auto-Brightness function. Dim the screen in Control Center or turn on Auto-Brightness to extend battery life. Auto-Brightness can be activated by going to Settings > Display & Brightness. Once you are there just turn it on and you are extending your battery life. Stay in Settings and go to Wi-Fi to turn that on and keep it on. Wi-Fi mode not only uses less power, it also saves your data usage.

Less iCloud

Do you want to devour your data allowance and rapidly drain your battery? If you keep backing up everything to iCloud automatically, that’s what will happen. Here’s the fix. Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud and turn (toggle) off everything you don’t want or need. My favorite photos are the main thing I send to the cloud.

The Last iPhone Battery Life Maximizer Hint

To Refresh or To Not Refresh

Manipulating Background App refresh can seriously help you extend your time between battery charges. I saved this tip for last because you should do a test first to see what you need to do.

The Test

Make sure you’re near a clock or have a wristwatch on. Go to Battery which is under Settings. Look at your usage and standby times. Write them down. I’m not joking. Write them down. Now, tap the sleep/wake button. Check your watch and wait for 10 minutes. Next, go back to Battery and check your standby time. It should have increased by 10 minutes. If it has not then something is preventing your iPhone from resting. The culprit is probably an app.

The Solution

You now need to go to “Background App Refresh”. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. See the list? See all those apps toggled on? Do you think you really need all of those draining your battery life by updating themselves in the background? The answer is no, you do not.

Look through all those apps and simply turn off the ones that you really don’t need to be updating automatically. Don’t get all worried about this. Those apps will still run just fine when you start them up. They will also update when you fire them up. The only difference will be they won’t be up and running whenever you’re not putting them to use.

If for whatever reason you discover you don’t like any of the changes you have made, no problem. Just get right back into that area and turn the apps you want back on so they automatically update.

Trying out some or all of these tips and hints I’ve provided will help you to maximize the battery life of your iPhone. Lose power or extend life are your choices. Make the right decision and enjoy using your smartphone longer in between charges.

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Who is Deebo From Friday in Real Life

Ever wonder who is Deebo from Friday in real life? First, do you remember the movie Friday? It starred Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. It was the very first time that Chris Tucker starred in a movie. The film was set in South Central Los Angeles. The action centered around two stoned dudes, Cube and Tucker. It covers most of a crazy day of their life in the hood, including dealings with Deebo. He’s the neighborhood bully and is a real jerk. A lot of people wonder who played that character, so I’ll fill you in on this bit of movie nostalgia.

In Friday, Deebo had some very memorable scenes and lines. If you’re really into it and movie nostalgia, you can find a wicked cool shirt commemorating this great, despicable character here at the Deebo T-Shirt Page.

Here’s Who is Deebo From Friday in Real Life

Tom Lister, Jr. is the character actor that portrayed Deebo in both the first Friday movie and the sequel Next Friday. He has also gone by “Tommy”. I most often saw him billed as Tiny Lister, Jr. in movies and TV shows. I think Tiny is a pretty funny name for a guy who is 6’5” and weighs 300 pounds! Obviously a tongue in cheek reference, for sure.

Early Life

Lister is originally from Pine Bluff, Arkansas according to his Wikipedia page. His family moved to LA. By focusing on his interest in religion and film, he avoided the gang life.

In college, Tiny had success as a shot putter which earned him a scholarship to California State University at Los Angeles. In his senior year, he won the national title with a shot put throw of just over 61 feet and 8 inches! This was an NCAA Division II title for him back in 1982.

After college, he had a successful tryout with the Breakers of the United States Football League team in New Orleans. He was cut after a couple of exhibition games and turned his focus to acting.

His Acting Career

Deebo has to be Mr. Lister’s most popular and memorable character so far. It is not, however, his only role. He has been in many films and television programs.

Tiny Lister, Jr. has even had a small roll in a The Dark Knight Batman movie and was in the Quentin Tarantino movie, Jackie Brown.

You can find out more about his acting career on his IMDb page.

WWF, WCW, and Hulk Hogan

Tiny’s professional wrestling career came about because of his acting career! He appeared in the 1989 movie No Holds Barred with Hulk Hogan. Lister played the Zeus character. No Holds Barred was a WWF financed movie, so in typical entertainment wrestling hype they spilled movie rivalry over into “real life” rivalry and Lister had another career as a wrestler.

He stayed active in the WWF and the WCW until 1996.

Anything Else About Deebo from Friday?

Tiny Lister, Jr. continues to have a busy career as a character actor. Both his size, his talent and his blind right eye, which he used to be embarrassed about, make him hard to miss on the big or little screen.

As a “born again” evangelical Christian, he is active in church-related events around the country. Speaking to urban youth is a passion of his.

Back in 2012, he took a wrong turn and was involved in a multi-million dollar mortgage loan scheme. Tiny managed to clear that up.

He will be seen on screen in multiple productions to be released throughout 2018 and 2019.

And that, my thingsmenbuy.com friends, is who Deebo is in real life. Nostalgia time is now over.

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Where to Rent a Boat in Miami

When visiting Miami, enjoying the sunshine and the ocean tops most people’s list of things to do. One of the best ways to do that is to get on a boat and get out on the water. Renting a boat is a choice that many make to enjoy the Miami area from the water. Trying to figure out where to rent a boat in Miami can be challenging but not difficult. Things Men Buy is here to help.

What Kind of Boating Do You Want to Do?

Deciding exactly what you want to do on the water should be your first step. Do you want to spend your evening out on a boat cruising places looking for fun? Maybe you want to head further out and have an adventurous day of exploring? Is fishing your thing? How about spending your entire South Florida vacation on a boat? Did you know there are waterfront Miami restaurants where you can dock your boat and dine at the restaurant? These are some of the choices you have in Miami, Florida.

Marinas in and around Miami have boat rental businesses catering to just about any purpose you have in mind. Whether you want to get out solo, as a couple, get together with a group of friends, or share a fishing excursion with strangers out on the Atlantic Ocean, you have options. The beautiful ocean waters around Miami are ready and waiting for you.

Discovering Where to Rent a Boat in Miami

To find great places to rent a boat in Miami start with some of these top rated businesses. Look online. Make some calls. If you’re in the area, actually go to marinas to check out boat rental businesses to see if you get a good feeling from them and want to patronize that business. Putting forth a little effort will pay off in a better experience for your fun time on the ocean in a boat!

Here’s Some Boat and Yacht Rentals to Check Out

Please understand that I am not recommending the following businesses, I’m merely listing boat rental companies that have high ratings as a convenience. Always do your own due diligence.

Miami Boat Rent has both rentals and charters available. Find out more here: http://miamiboatrent.com

Tropicalboat Luxury Yacht Charters & Rentals has a triple A+ BBB rating and is a Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau Member. They offer a variety of boats from luxury yachts to sailboats. http://www.tropicalboat.com

5 Star Miami brands themselves as a “yacht charter service provider” and says they are number one in luxury yacht charters and tours. http://www.miamiyachtcharters.net

Prime Luxury Rentals offers yachts, party boats, other boats and more. They have good comments about their business on social media and travel sites. Find them at https://www.primeluxuryrentals.com

Miami Fishing Charters, LLC. is an option for sport fishing enthusiasts looking to get offshore. With 3 boats from a 26’ center console to a to a 43’ custom built for tournament fishing boat, they have plenty to offer. http://miamifishing.com

The Advantaged boasts a fleet of over 30 vessels from sailing yachts to mega yachts. Their services include corporate events, watersports, parties, and catered events. More info about The Advantaged can be found by clicking here http://theadvantaged.com

Beach Boat Rental is located in Miami Beach. They have a very strange website. Despite that they have generally good reviews and offer everything from boat to yacht rentals. You can check out their website here http://boatrentmiami.com

Finally, as I mentioned previously, you can always just go to the nearest marina and see what is offered there. Being a coastal city, finding where to rent a boat in Miami, FL should not prove to be too difficult or time consuming a task.

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