Oh what to buy the man in your life? You bought him a new robe last year and just how many golf balls does a man need. You need to find him something truly unique and I’ve got just the thing.

All men love a chimney, trust me they do. So what better way to liven up this rather boring architectural feature than a top quality copper weathervane?

They’re available in many different designs from golf to aircraft, so you’re sure to find one that suits his interests.  

A good quality weather vane is an excellent accessory for any home; it doesn’t matter if you live in a traditional colonial style house or a converted barn they’re sure to add a touch of class to your chimney.

So forget about socks and ties and robes, get him something truly unique, something that you both can enjoy and buy him a beautiful copper weathervane.

The trouble with buying gifts for babies is, everyone buys the same kind of thing. Leggings, romper suits, rattles and vests are all very well, but that’s what everyone else buys. So what do you buy if you want to be different?

Well what about a nice lamb’s wool rug designed especially for babies. Truly unique and original, no one else will buy one. But they are much more fun and highly practical. What baby wouldn’t want to roll around on nice soft colourful lamb’s wool rug?

They’re available in a number of great colourful designs from footballs to rainbows, from ABC to 123. There’s bound to be one to suit.

Or perhaps for that special treat what about a sheepskin stroller fleece, perfect for the baby about town. Lovely and warm, perfect for snuggling down on those cold winter mornings.

So don’t settle for the same as everyone else, be different and buy a gift that’s sure to be a hit with both mother and baby.   

There’s nothing like a nice relaxing bath to calm you down after a long hard day in the office. Sink beneath the foaming bubbles into the soft cocooning shell, the smell of lavender fills the air, light a candle or two, absolute bliss.

But there are baths and there are Pearl Baths. A Pearl Bath is a bath unlike any other, specifically designed to form around the human body, you can just sit back and relax knowing no other bath is designed to cosset you quite like a Pearl Bath does.

One of the most important things to do when you’re trying to relax is to limit the amount of background noise. Something Pearl Baths understands as they have developed a virtually silent whirlpool system. Quieter than any other whirlpool on the market, this is worth buying one for alone.

But the best part of a Pearl Bath is their unique AromaScents system. Simply fill the receptacle with your favourite essential oil and turn it on with a special button and the air will be filled with beautiful relaxing aromas. No other bath has this fantastic feature and its worth its weight in gold.

Pearl Baths come in all different shapes and styles from traditional to ultra contemporary so you’re sure to find one that suits your taste.

So don’t be tempted to buy just any bath, invest in a Pearl Bath.

Cashmere is the fibre of choice for Kings, Queens and Presidents. This soft warm fibre is rolled out for many a state occasion. Why? Because it’s the best, no man made fibre can match its softness and warmth. It’s quite simply the ultimate in luxury.

So why not bring this exotic and wonderful fibre into your home. As the winter nights draw in what could be finer than snuggling up under a sumptuously soft cashmere throw.

When choosing a throw the quality of the cashmere is all important, in some cheaper throws the cashmere fibre is mixed with wool giving it a much coarser feel, and even some 100% cashmere fibre throws use the cheaper short cashmere fibre which is much more fuzzy and prone to pill than the more expensive long fibre.

A cashmere throw is as much an investment as anything else and properly cared for it should last for years never showing signs of pilling.

For best results I recommend placing them over the end of your bed to keep your feet warm on those cold winter nights, or throw them casually over your sofa to snuggle into with a nice cup of cocoa.

So don’t wait until the cold weather starts, get one now while you can.

I’ve always had a dream to tour across America in a goliath of a motorhome. I can picture the scene, driving through Monument Valley AZ, the sun setting, the sky a wonderful Tropicana deep orange, Air Conditioning on, the road ahead is clear, just you and your machine.

But what a machine, a beautiful Beaver Marquis in black caviar over silver, its alloy wheels glinting in the fading sunlight. You know you’ve made it when you can tour the Mid West in Beaver Marquis.

Beavers are famous for their uncompromising luxury. Soft leather seats and burr walnut cabinets over soft pure wool carpets make for and absolutely stunning interior and your not short of home comforts either, with a built in microwave, LCD TV and power shower, this is touring on a grand scale.

You have a choice of layouts to suit your lifestyle and there’s the all important integrated barbecue. So as the sun sets over Monument Valley you can settle down to an evening of drinking the finest beer, eating the finest Kobe Steak and sleeping in the finest motorhome the Beaver Marquis.

The Orchid has long been a favourite of flower lovers everywhere, its unusual and beautiful flower symbolises love, friendship, beauty and luxury. But the trouble is like with many rare and beautiful flowers, they soon shrivel up and die.

But there is a way to solve this problem, silk orchids. They’re a great way to get all the beauty without any of the pain. Today’s silk orchids are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing right down to the intricate stamen so no one will be able to tell.

Place them in a vase and position them on a table to add a beautiful accent to any room. And you’ll never have to worry about them dropping petals and dying on you.

With a little bit of care a good quality silk orchid can last for years. Just remember to keep them out of direct sunlight as it will quickly bleach the colour from the delicate petals, they’ll also need dusting periodically to keep them looking fresh.

A great tip for cleaning is to place some sugar in a bag then place the silk bouquet inside the bag, gently roll around then shake a little, the sugar granules will act as an abrasive removing the dust from the gentle petals, restoring them to perfection again.

So stop wasting money on the real thing and buy a beautiful bouquet of silk orchids that will grace your home for many years to come.

I know what you’re thinking, been there done that. But stop, there’s more to Niagara Falls than millions of tons of water flowing over a cliff. No really there is, let me explain.

You see I thought just like you, once you’ve seen Niagara Falls once that’s it, never need to see it again. I’ve done the maid of the mist thing and that’s that.

But recently I went back, cant think why I did, but I did. This time though I did my research because I didn’t want to do the usual tourist thing. I decided I would try and fill my day without going near the Maid of the Mist. And guess what I found enough things to keep me busy for two days.

You’ll be amazed at the things you can do. I’ll go through a few of them here, they wont all be to your taste, but there’ll be something to excite you.

Ever wanted to know what it’s like to roll over Niagara Falls in a barrel, no neither have I, but you can experience it in IMAX. Go along to the IMAX theatre next to Falls View casino and watch this fascinating film about Niagara Falls and all the amazing things that have happened over the years, including going over the edge in a barrel.

Do you like birds? Well there’s an amazing Aviary rather imaginatively called Bird Kingdom. This four times winner of attraction of the year. (I’m not sure who awards it) is full of some of the worlds rarest and most beautiful birds, yes every supermodel you can think of. No seriously there are some really rare species to see here.

Ok now it’s time for lunch, there’s no finer place to eat in Niagara Falls than the Keg Steakhouse and Bar located on the 9th floor of the Embassy Suites Hotel, Fallsview, Niagara Falls. This restaurant offers amazing views of the falls while you enjoy your rib eye steak.

I’ve saved the best until last, the helicopter tour. For around $120 you can have a twenty minute flight over the falls. The view is amazing, ten times better than the maid of the mist and a hundred times more exciting. Its best to book before you go because it can get quite busy, especially during the school holidays.

I’ve only covered a few things here but there’s so much more to do. So go on you know you want to, visit Niagara Falls.

What is it that makes a beautiful interior? Well it could be a number of things, wall paper, furniture, curtains but more often than not it’s the home accessories that can make or break a room. A perfectly placed mirror or painting can brighten up even the drabest of interiors. With that in mind here are my top 5 tips to accessorize your home.

1. Pictures. A picture should be the feature of the wall but never overpower the room. So always paint your walls a monochromatic color and allow the art to dominate. It’s a good idea to use a nice dark colored frame to highlight the image.

2. Mirrors. If you have a room in your house that always seems a little dark, a great way to brighten it up is to add a mirror. Place the mirror on the darkest wall opposite a window and then try to find a low hung light or better still a chandelier to hang in front of it. This will allow the light to reflect off the mirror onto the crystals and reflect around the room.

3. Vases. Nothing adds more drama to a room than beautifully coloured vase. Try to find a vase that suits the character of the room. It should be in a contrasting colour to the rest of the room but that colour should be accentuated with other accessories like your cushions and curtains.

4. Cushions. Use them to brighten up an otherwise drab sofa. Make sure they’re good quality; you can always tell when someone has skimped on the cushions. Try to find a contrasting colour to the sofa but make sure you accentuate them with other accessories within the room.

5. Plants. A few plants here and there can add drama to a room, not to mention fragrance. But try not to go overboard; it is after all a room and not your garden. A few feature plants in beautiful vases is all you need. I love Lilly’s in a glass flute vase as the centrepiece of a table.

Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most culturally diverse cities, theirs no shortage of things to do here, from great shopping to some of the best art gallery’s in the world. So if you’re planning a whistle stop tour of this fabulous city here are my top 5 places to visit.

1. Canals, You can’t visit Amsterdam without seeing one of its most endearing features. To see the city at its best get your self on a boat and tour the cities canals. For an even more memorable trip, do it at night when all the beautiful townhouses are illuminated, its one of the most romantic and beautiful scenes anywhere in the world.

2. Visit the Zoo. Now I know zoos aren’t for everyone but this one is hard to miss. You don’t have to look at the animals, but I would recommend a visit to the botanical gardens and zoological museum. And if you ever wondered what kind of creatures live in those canals then take a look at the canal aquarium, it’s amazing to see what’s actually living down there.

3. Windmills. No trip to Amsterdam is complete without visiting one of its famous windmills. There are eight dotted around the city to choose from, you don’t have to visit them all but you must visit one.

4. Oude Kerk. This exquisite little church is rather inconveniently situated within Amsterdam’s Red Light District, but it really is worth a look, built in a Gothic Renaissance style its one of Amsterdam’s most distinctive buildings, and a little sanctuary of peace within the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam’s Red Light District.

5. Van Gogh Museum. Quite possibly the most famous painter in the world, There’s nothing quite like seeing a Van Gogh in the flesh or oil so to speak. You can really see the violent brush strokes and vivid colours come to life. It’s even been know for people who absolutely detest his work to come out of here with new found respect for the man. It’s the largest collection of his work to be found anywhere in the world and a must for everyone.