Some people say that clothes make the man. We wouldn't go that far, but taking a little interest in your personal style can certainly have an impact on how others see you and boost your self confidence. It can be difficult to know where to start, so Timbercreek Communities has put together a style guide for men. Try it on for size!

Streamline

Most people have a tendency to hang on to old clothing items “just in case” they'll need them later. You won’t. If you haven’t worn it during the past year, chances are you won’t wear it this year either. Do some late season spring closet cleaning and throw out or give away anything you haven’t worn in over a year. It will de-clutter your closet and free up space for the new or old items that you actually wear.

Step Into Some Colour

Fact: there are more shoe colours than brown and black. So go ahead guys, have a little fun with colour! If you are uncertain about what colour shoes to wear with what colour pants, this handy reference chart takes the guess work and memorization out of the equation.

Gym Shoes Are For The Gym

Speaking of shoes, remember this: gym shoes are for the gym. Sure they’re more comfortable but nothing dresses you down more quickly than trudging around town in gym shoes. Invest in a comfortable walking shoe. Your feet and your fashion sense will thank you.

Scope Out A Fashion Show

If you’re looking for some guidance to step up your style, you don’t need to fly to New York, Paris or Milan to attend a fashion show. Flip through a slideshow of images from a men’s fashion show online, or browse some street style photos. You might just be inspired by the latest trends.

Clean Your Wallet Out Regularly

A big, bulky wallet is bad for your back, uncomfortable to sit on, and cumbersome to carry around. It can can also throw off the lines of your clothing. Just as you do with your closet, make sure you clean out your wallet regularly and lose anything you don’t use. You’ll feel a little a lighter and more streamlined.

Timbercreek hopes this style guide for men helps you look and feel your best. To help find your home with Timbercreek Communities, please visit our website.

It’s grilling season and nothing tastes better on the grill than a juicy and delicious burger. If your burger game is getting a little played out, we have some suggestions for how to step it up. Here are 5 seriously tasty burgers you’ve got to try this weekend!

The Perfect Burger

When something is called The Perfect Burger, you’ve simply got to try it and see for yourself. You only need eight basic ingredients to form the patties: egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper and medium ground beef. Then you can customize the recipe to make your perfect burger with suggested “stir-ins” like caesar dressing, curry powder or hoisin sauce.

Umami Burger with Port and Stilton

Umami is known as the “fifth taste”, it falls right after sweet, salty, sour and bitter. It is a deeply satisfying, savoury taste. Resist the urge to pile on any of the usual toppings on this Umami Burger. The only toppings you need are Port wine and Stilton cheese.

Quinoa-veggie Burger

Burgers don't need meat to taste delicious. If you’re avoiding meat you can still have a satisfying burger this summer. This super-nutritious Quinoa-veggie burger is sandwiched between two grilled portobello mushrooms for a protein-packed, low-carb twist on a classic.

Guacamole Turkey Burger

Not into red meat? These Guacamole Turkey Burgers are topped with a delicious dollop of guacamole. Dark-meat turkey makes the patties juicy and the chili powder, lime zest, and cilantro lends a Southwestern flavour.

Butter Chicken Burger

These amazing Butter Chicken Burgers are a rich and perfectly spiced twist on two classic dishes. Serve them with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and a little plain Greek yogurt for an international taste sensation!

You really can’t go wrong with any of these amazing burgers. We hope they help you take a big bite of summer!

To find your home with Timbercreek Communities across Canada, please visit our website.

Lunch is over and the end of the day seems very far away, you’ve hit the dreaded midday slump. You can reach for sugary snacks or caffeine to push through, but they can make the crash even worse and aren’t great solutions to the problem. To help you power through your busy day, Timbercreek Communities has 10 natural ways to get over the midday slump.

Stretch

These quick and simple stretches, that you can do at your desk, will help you fight fatigue. They will send some oxygen to your brain, relieve stressed muscles and give you bit of a boost when you need it.

Power Up with Protein

Instead of stuffing yourself with carbs when you hit the midday slump, power up with protein snacks. Keep some raw nuts, trail-mix or beef jerky nearby to power through the afternoon.

Lighten Up

Getting exposure to natural light is crucial for maintaining our energy levels. If you can’t work by a window, try heading to a coffee shop or talking a short stroll outside.

Make a Splash

Go into the bathroom and splash some cold water on your face if you need to wake yourself up fast.

Stand and Deliver

Rather than sending an email to your coworker, try walking over and talking to them. It will give you the chance to stretch your legs and take a much needed screen break.

Screen Breaks

Staring at a screen all day can cause eye strain and fatigue. Every 20 minutes, take a break at stare at something 20 feet away while blinking your eyes for 20 seconds.

Walking and Talk

Instead of taking that one on one meeting sitting down, take it to the streets and walk as you talk.

Catnap

Sometimes, nothing but a nap will do. It’s not slacking off, a 10-20 minute power nap can leave you feeling more alert and actually boost your productivity.

Fuel Up

Eating a healthy breakfast can help you avoid a 2pm crash, especially when you combine that with a smaller, less carb-heavy lunch.

Meditate at Your Desk

Just a few minutes of meditation can boost your energy and reduce your stress levels. Give it a try and see how you feel.

Don’t let exhaustion steal your day! Timbercreek Communities hopes that these 10 natural ways to get over the midday slump energize your afternoon.

For more information on Timbercreek Communities across Canada, please visit our website.

Mothers are amazing. We wouldn’t exist without them! Mother’s Day gives us pause to be thankful for our parent and to reflect on our childhood. While we may occasionally argue, nitpick, obsess, or regress, it’s our mothers who understand us, know us, and love us the best. Mother’s Day is just around the corner, on Sunday May 14, 2017. To celebrate, Timbercreek Communities has created this Top 10 Mother’s Day Gift Guide to help you celebrate your mom.

Flowers

Simple, classic, fragrant and loveable -- flowers really do say it all. From roses to a simple grocery store bouquet, flowers show your love and give your Mom a splash of color and fragrance that will brighten her whole week.

A Bottle of Wine or a gift card

Wine is almost always a great gift. Best of all it can be cheap yet thoughtful. If you don’t trust your own taste in wine, ask for help at your local wine store or the LCBO or skip the guesswork with a gift card like this.

Massage or Reflexology

While upping the price point to between $50 and $120, a massage or reflexology session is a solid Mother’s Day gift option. If full body massage is too intense, the more minimal but no less effective foot reflexology can be a great alternative. Look for businesses like Massage Addict which only employ well trained Registered Massage Therapists.

A book or gift card

If your mom is a reader, she will love a new book or an Indigo or Amazon gift card. You might need to drop some subtle hints to tease out a title that she wants without spoiling the surprise, but whether hard copy or gift card, it’s an inexpensive gift that goes a long way. 

Fitbit

The Fitbit is a solid gift idea for fit moms. Though it’s a slightly pricier option, the Fitbit is a thoughtful gift that simply and effectively encourages fitness by measuring steps per day. Get more info here.

Chocolate

One word for this one: Toblerone. Or maybe two words: Ferrero Rocher.

Scandinave Spa Day

An offshoot of our massage and reflexology idea, Scandinave Spa in Blue Mountain, Ontario is a full body, full day, pampering experience. From hot pools to saunas, steam bath and massage, Scandinave is a spa day Mom will love. Check the Scandinave website here.

Beauty Products

From bubble bath to soaps and moisturizers, it’s pretty easy to hit a Mother’s Day home run with a few bath and/or beauty products. The Body Shop is a great place to grab pre-made gift packs. Learn more here.

A Card

Last but not least is a simple card. From handmade to Hallmark, a card can accompany every gift, or be a gift in itself for Mother’s Day.

Happy Mother’s Day from Timbercreek Communities!

To learn more about Timbercreek Rental Communities in Canada, please visit our website.

The one thing that we can control is our reaction to stress. Developing a meditation practice has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety and improve mood and immunity, along with many other benefits. Timbercreek Communities is here to show you how to easily incorporate yoga or meditation into your day.

In the Morning

Meditation first thing in the morning is a great way to prime yourself for the day ahead. It can prepare you for the challenges the day will bring, and help you deal with stress before it starts. It helps set a positive tone for the day. Be sure to get enough sleep because if you are over-tired you may simply fall back asleep during your meditation. Be sure to give yourself enough time so your meditation doesn’t feel like one more chore you don’t have time for.

Before Going to Bed

If you go to bed tense and stressed, you’re not going to get the restful sleep that you need. Meditating just before bed is a great idea. Give yourself a few minutes to lie down, focus your mind and breath, and prepare yourself for sleep.

While you wait

With enough meditation practice, you will be able to enter a meditative state more easily. The more you practice, the easier it will get and you will be able to take meditative breaks anywhere. Close your eyes (never while driving) and focus only on your breath or the sounds around you. Even 30 seconds whenever you can throughout the day can be effective, if you use that time effectively, with focus.

Practice mindful eating

A goal of meditation is to bring you into the present moment with attention. You can do this whenever you take a bite of food throughout the day and practice mindful eating. Pay attention to what you are eating. The flavours, the textures, the sound of chewing. It can also be effective in changing your diet to more healthful food because you are paying attention to what you are putting into your body.

Get on your Mat

Yoga is a form of moving meditation. You can exercise and meditate at the same time. In yoga, movement and breath are linked and you can practice maintaining a calm inner focus, no matter what strenuous work you are doing or what stresses are coming at you. Youtube yogis like Tara Stiles make it easy to incorporate incredibly short yoga practices into your day, any time, anywhere.

Timbercreek Communities hopes that you feel inspired by these tips for how to easily incorporate yoga or meditation into your day.

Even though it’s only about 5 centimeters in length, the human nose can detect one trillion different scents and is often overlooked as a vehicle for healing and relaxation. Using plant materials, aromatic plant oils, and other aroma compounds, aromatherapy is designed to improve mental and physical well-being through our sense of smell. According to the Canadian Federation of Aromatherapists’ (CFA) website, “Several ancient civilizations (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese and Indian) have used Aromatherapy for their physical and mental well-being.” Its application, combined with calming music and a serene atmosphere, can help relieve stress. Timbercreek Communities wants to help you destress with 5 ways to enhance your work week with aromatherapy.

Massage

The CFA recommends that essential and plant oils in their concentrated form do not contact the skin. Properly diluted however, they can be safely applied and used in direct, swedish style and reflexology massage. Aroma + massage = heaven. Learn more here.

Inhalation, vapourization, deodorizing

Aromatherapy combined with deep breathing can be very calming for the respiratory and nervous system. Vapourizing essential oils in your home or office can have a peaceful and stress reducing effect, and leave behind a delicate scent. Not sure which oils to use? Check out New Directions Aromatics’ most popular essential oils and buy some at wholesale prices.

Full body and foot baths

Always be careful to properly dilute aromatherapy oils. A great way to do so, and to enjoy them to the fullest, is to add them to a bath in the same way you would add bubbles or epsom salts. If you don’t have time to take a bath, or don’t have a bath in your apartment (only a shower), go small and add them to a basin in small amounts to enjoy a relaxing foot soak. We recommend using a high quality peppermint essential oil in your foot bath.

Compresses

While ice is the most common go-to for sprains and swelling, an aromatherapy compress can be beneficial for minor skin irritations, joint traumas, and fatigued muscles. Sandalwood essential oil is a great oil to incorporate in a compress for sore or swollen muscles and joints as it fights inflammation.

Meditation

Scent and meditation go hand in hand. We’re all familiar with the popular combination of meditation and incense. If you meditate, consider adding in a few aromatherapy tactics for full relaxation. For example, you could try meditating in an aromatherapy bath, or recline in your bedroom while you vapourize your favourite scents and apply a relaxing compress to your sore muscles. Get creative, you’ll be more at peace in no time. If you’re just looking to destress and feel zen, Cedarwood essential oil is considered grounding and a perfect match for meditation.

We know you work hard and need to destress at the end of a long day. We hope these 5 ways to get through the work week with aromatherapy will help you feel more relaxed and revitalized. 

For more information on Timbercreek Communities across Canada, please visit our website.

Car and bike sharing services have changed the way we get around. They've made transportation more accessible, and turned the concept of ownership on its head. Car and bike sharing, gives you access to convenient transportation for a few hours to go to a meeting, a dinner party, or to see the city. While having your own ride is hard to beat for maximum convenience, occasional use transportation is way more affordable. Check out this list of 5 car and bike sharing services that make life easy from Timbercreek Communities.

Car2Go

With Canadian locations in Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal, Car2Go is an incredible option in the care share scene. Featuring easy app booking, no surge pricing, and affordable rates, they can't be beat. Car2Go cars are two-sweaters that are easy to park and require a small amount of fuel. Learn more here.

Bike Share Toronto

With 2,000 bikes and 200 stations, Bike Share Toronto is making an impression. BST has a fleet of incredibly solid bikes available along major city thoroughfares and subway transit stations, and presents affordable pricing programs including $7 day passes, $15/3-day passes, and a $90 annual memberships that offer unlimited 30-minute rides. Though it is still focused mainly in the downtown core of Toronto, BST is branching out to serve bigger swaths of the city. Get more info from their website.

Enterprise Car Share

Enterprise Car Share offers services in major Canadian cities, including Toronto, Regina, Saskatoon, and Sackville. A small annual fee in addition to hourly or monthly rates are available, in addition to a vast range of car choices. Enterprise Car Share’s rates include fuel and insurance. See more here.

Zipcar

With membership rates as low as $7/month or $70/year, Zipcar is an incredibly affordable care share program. Zipcar is used across Canada from London, ON., Kitchener/Waterloo, Toronto, and Ottawa. Members have access to all 10,000 vehicles including hybrids in more than 470 cities worldwide. As with most services, Zipcar’s rates include fuel and insurance. See more at Zipcar’s website.

With so many amazing sharing options available, there's no need to own a car or bike in 2017. We hope that this list of 5 car and bike sharing services that make life easy will make your commute or unexpected errands a breeze. For even more resources and info about car and bike sharing in Canada, please check out this article.

For more information on Timbercreek Communities across Canada, please visit our website.

Liberty Village is located in Toronto’s west end, in one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods. The fascinating blend of old-world charm and modern, urban living is something that must be experienced to be fully appreciated. To help you get a feel for the neighbourhood, Timbercreek Communities created this guide to Liberty Village.

Bars and Restaurants

Liberty Village is a great neighbourhood for food and drink. There are many excellent restaurants and bars to discover. The interior of Les 3 Brasseurs (3 Brewers) feels lofty, yet cozy. The beams, brickwork and the brewery itself, are all exposed, in fact every step of the brewing process in on display. The menu outlines helpful pairing suggestions for those looking to have their beverage compliment their meal. For example, when you choose your Pulled Pork Poutine ($13), you’ll know to order the Amber or Brown to wash it down. If you’re looking for something cozy, LOCAL Public Eatery is an amazingly comforting option. This restaurant compares itself to a living room with better food and drink. LOCAL Public Eatery is obsessed with craft beer and constantly rotates new selections. The menu is loaded with affordable international fare, offering everything from Chicken Quesadillas ($7.50) to Perogies with bacon and fried onions ($8). Their drinks menu is incredible and features local craft beers (like Collective Arts) and more familiar offerings from around the world (like Sapporo). They also have some seriously delicious cocktails, comically served in a boot and not in a boot like their Lucky Lemonade in a boot ($9) -- a delightful mix of JD, lemonade and guava juice.

Concerts, Sports and More!

Liberty Village is home to BMO Field, a huge stadium located in Exhibition Place. It’s an incredible venue for soccer and football games (featuring the Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts), not to mention major concerts and theater performances. Get your tickets for upcoming events here.

Coffee Shops and Cafes

Ciao Europe Cafe (80 Western Battery Road) is a cafe by day and a wine bar by night. Enjoy their fresh panini, stone-baked pizzas, and house-baked pastries. Other options when you’re on the hunt for caffeine in Liberty Village include Balzac’s Coffee (43 Hanna Avenue) and Louie Craft Coffee (1187 King St. West). Click here for a full list of local cafes to visit.

Convenient Transit

True Torontonians are always on the move. We love how accessible Liberty Village is thanks to streetcars, buses, Go Train access, not to mention the Gardiner and Lakeshore. Residents are located close to streetcar lines on Queen and King street that run East and West, and are within walking distance of Go Transit's Exhibition Station. Drivers can access downtown Toronto in minutes thanks to the Gardiner Expressway and Lakeshore Boulevard, which are connected to highways leading out of the downtown core.

Design

If you’re looking for interior design and furnishings for your Liberty Village apartment, there’s no need to leave the neighbourhood. Everything you need is within easy reach. West Elm (109 Atlantic Ave) is a great nearby option that is full of contemporary furniture and more for your entire home.

A pet’s playground

Dog owners will love Liberty Village thanks to the outstanding off-leash area in Stanley Park. Owners of timid pups can alternatively stick to the main park paths or surrounding neighbourhood streets. The neighbourhood also boasts a few great pet shops, like Global Pet Foods, Pet Valu and Timmie Doggie Outfitters which features pet clothing, accessories, designer toys, treats, gourmet foods and grooming for posh-pooches and cats.

Groceries

Liberty Village may be ultra-modern but it can still feel like a good, old fashioned neighbourhood. You can step outside your front door and take a trip to the local butcher, baker, cheese shop, chocolate shop or health food store, or enjoy the convenience of a one-stop-shop at Metro Supermarket (100 Lynn Williams St.).

Timbercreek Communities hopes our guide to Liberty Village has left you wanting more. To find your home with Timbercreek Communities across Canada, or in near Liberty Village at  200 Dufferin Street, please visit our website.

Spring is just around the corner! If you’ve ever wanted to get into gardening but thought you didn’t have the space, we have some tips on gardening without a garden. 

Windowsill Garden

A Windowsill Garden is an easy way to add a lot of life to your apartment. All you need are a few containers, some living herbs or flowers, and a few minutes of your time to transfer them into the containers. Be sure to keep your curtains open for good light exposure.

Mason Jar Herb Garden

A Mason Jar Herb Garden is an incredibly easy space saving gardening option -- and it will make your apartment smell amazing! All you need is soil, some easy-to-care-for living herbs, and a few large mason jars.

Shoe Organizer Planter

This one is super easy. Simply repurpose (or purchase) a hanging shoe organizer to create a hanging garden. This garden project will also help keep your cats from messing with your plants. Find detailed instructions here.

Tiered Herb Garden

Create your very own Tiered Herb Garden using galvanized containers stacked in order of size. They work together -- drill a hole a few inches from the bottom of one container and the water will trickle to the next one below, and so on. Leave the bottom container intact.

Timbercreek hopes these ideas help you give a green-thumbs-up to gardening this season.

To find your home with Timbercreek Communities, please visit our website.

Do you commute? Maximize it by doing something productive! Timbercreek Communities has a few suggestions to help get you started.

Learn Something New

You can use your commute to expand your general knowledge base, learn a new language or upgrade your skills. There are variety of informative podcasts, audiobooks and courses you can download to your phone and listen to in your car, on the train, or anywhere else. The Great Courses is an excellent resource available in both audio and video formats. Obviously, do not choose video courses for driving.

Reach out

Commuting in your car with a hands free device, can be the perfect time to connect with a friend, make a private phone call, or get that service call out of the way. You may not mind spending all that time on hold, if you can’t go anywhere anyway. When was the last time you called your parents?

Plot and Plan

Use this time to plan out what you want to accomplish. This can mean creating a to-do list for the day, or maybe a strategy for how to advance in your current job. Maybe you’ve been thinking of starting your own business -- use this time to come up with a business plan. If you are driving, use a voice memo app instead of taking notes.

Exercise

One of the best ways to make your commute more productive is to move instead of sit. As a society we sit way too much. It’s actually shortening our lifespan! If you are located close enough to the office or school to walk or bike, you should. Whether that means biking to the subway or all the way to your destination, it will do your body good. If you don’t own a bike and are on a budget, check out Canadian Tire -- they have a great selection of durable and stylish budget bikes.

Meditate

Meditation is something everyone can benefit from, but few make time for. If you’re going to sit for an extended amount of time in your daily commute, close your eyes, breathe deep and put your travel time to good use with meditation. We know what you’re thinking but you can meditate almost anywhere, even a busy subway car. This article will introduce you to the basics of meditation, so you can get started today.

Timbercreek Communities wishes you a more productive and more satisfying commute.

For information on Timbercreek Communities throughout Canada - please see our website.