Sellers Market — It’s an Open House for First-Time Buyers

In life and love, there are possibilities that you’ve never imagined, and what better location to nurture that potential than in your very own home? After vows have been exchanged and cake has been served, the most important experience for newlyweds is purchasing their first family home together. An investment for the future, real estate continues to be the most tangible, stable and secure asset one can make. According to the Annual RBC Homeownership Study conducted by Royal Bank of Canada, Canadians, supported by a strong banking system, have a strong interest in purchasing a home over the next two years. This is a positive sign for buyers in 2011: new government mortgage regulations ensure a more stable housing market; as prices rise, equity increases, making for better long-term home investments. The low-interest rates we currently see are enticing, and greater consumer confidence results from stable employment and rising incomes. All this translates Read more

Valley Associates Group: Supporting Our Troops

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have been the largest threat to our Canadian Forces and have accounted for a large proportion of the deaths of many a brave soldier.  This is often a reality that the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters of the Canadian Armed Forces grapple with every day, and why our support – both at home and afar – is, and will always be, of the utmost importance.

“In any conflict, it’s all about measures versus countermeasures,” explains Michael Martin, president of Valley Associates Group, one of Canada’s largest independently owned provider of equipment to the Canadian military. “There was a certain level of threat when the Canadian Forces went into Afghanistan. They went in with a certain level of protection, and the insurgents – the Taliban – learned how to defeat that level of protection. They upped their game Read more

U-Box-It: Eco-conscious Waste Removal Solution

You could easily pack a landfill with the number of waste removal companies that exist today. From metal bins to flimsy bags, separating the junk from the gems is an arduous task. That’s why industry innovator Antonio Mammone knew that in order to shine he needed to design a product and business model that differentiated itself in a stagnant market. Enter U-Box-It: A unique idea that raises the bar with a revolutionary bin that satisfies eco-conscience clients. “While most people are trying to think outside the box, I focused my efforts on the box itself,” Mammone famously says of the delivery, pick-up and disposal concept that’s cleaning up the GTA.

While prepping for a major home renovation, Luana Guglielmi required a practical system that would provide storage and allow her to rid waste at her own pace. An ambitious do-it-yourselfer and advocate of green living, Luana found U-Box-It Read more

Bride & Groom Must-Haves: Wedding Guide

Dizennio Floral
For a floral arrangement with that perfect touch of beauty and elegance, just follow the sweet scent of budding delights to Dizennio Floral. With a specialty for weddings, Dizennio’s artistically crafted arrangements are the pinnacle of bouquet building and provide the perfect accent to any bridal affair. Using only the freshest flowers, Dizennio’s extensive selection is also ideal for holidays, special occasions and corporate functions. Read more

Montreal Grand Prix: Infiniti, Above and Beyond

Moët & Chandon champagne bottles pop as gourmet gastronomy tantalizes taste buds to the sound of a DJ pumping beats during Montreal’s exhilarating Grand Prix. Infiniti certainly has a track record for hosting hot parties, adding a splash of Red Bull for a bash that takes the trophy. The global luxury automotive brand and its official partner, Red Bull Racing, invited Dolce Vita Magazine to experience the Canadian Grand Prix from a whole new perspective at the Red Bull Paddock. “I felt like I was part of the team. We had the exclusive privilege of walking the pit lanes, exploring the Red Bull Racing garages and listening in on Sebastian Vettel as he chatted with engineers,” says Dolce Vita Magazine’s publisher, Fernando Zerillo. Amidst the weekend events, Infiniti also hosted an intimate dinner featuring Red Bull Racing’s Christian Horner and Helmut Marko at Montreal’s posh La Queue de Cheval.  Read more

Life’s Simple Pleasures: Gwyneth Paltrow’s My Father’s Daughter

When you’re an actress-turned-mom-turned-blogger-turned-singer, you’re bound to have a lot on your plate. But Gwyneth Paltrow just couldn’t resist adding yet another entree to her CV – a cookbook author.

With her statuesque figure and peaches-and-cream complexion, the award-winning actress is just at home in her kitchen than she is on the stage, having developed a passion for food after sharing treasured moments cooking alongside her late father, filmmaker Bruce Paltrow. Stretching beyond her role as actress, Paltrow’s adoration for food imparted by her dad culminates in My Father’s Daughter (Grand Central Life & Style, 2011), which is now a bestseller. “For me, I kind of feel like everybody in the whole world has passions that they should be pursuing … if people see me doing different things … maybe they would think, Read more

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua: Health Care, Infrastructure and Taxpayer Dollars

Q: Is being mayor of Vaughan everything you expected after 22 years in federal politics?
A: Actually it’s a lot more, it’s more exciting than I thought it would be. The issues are issues that touch people in a very real way every day, whether they are related to seniors, recreation, or dealing with transit and traffic, and economic development. I think the most exciting part about politics today is the evolution of cities – they are becoming the magnets for investment, creating jobs, providing the quality of life and standard of living for the people – it’s been a very fascinating experience. I’m really happy that I came back to the city of Vaughan to take on this role because this is a city where many things are happening. We have a new subway coming up, we have the future development of a downtown core, we’re going to see many exciting things occur in the area of culture, sports, the arts, and it speaks to a dynamic process that is taking place in this Read more

In Case of Emergency

As much as we might not like to admit it, disasters happen. And much like the provinces mentioned above, Ontario isn’t immune to perils – need I remind you of the tornado that struck Vaughan in 2009? In response to these recent calamities, John Saunders, the Canadian Red Cross’s provincial director of disaster management for Ontario, provides advice on how to best prepare for Canadian disasters and emergencies.

“What we encourage people to do, first of all, is identify what the greatest risk that they are facing is,” says Saunders, who explains that in Ontario, this includes severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, snow and ice storms. Next, plan to meet in the safest place in your home. If a hurricane, tornado or severe blizzard hits, Saunders notes, “That would usually be as low as you can go, against the strongest wall, and away from any windows.” Read more

Taking Control of Your Home

Innovations in modern home entertainment provide a plethora of possibilities for families to enjoy their media however they see fit. Although fascinating, today’s technology can be the source of much confusion. Celebrating 25 years of home audio/video experience, who better than the experts at Audio One to provide valuable insights into how new technologies are creating exciting prospects for household entertainment.

“Home entertainment is becoming so customizable it’s no longer a question of, ‘what can I do with this room, but rather, ‘what do you want to be able to do in this room?’” says Gino D’Ascanio, home audio/video specialist and partner at Audio One.

With extensive expertise in high-calibre home theatre and music systems, the team at Audio One is well aware of Read more

App Yourself: Helpful smartphone apps

Since the launch of the iPhone, “app” has become a buzzword all-to-familiar with today’s wired generation. To complement your connected life in the city, we’ve compiled this handy list of essential apps to keep your thumbs busy.

Bump
Kiss those piles of business cards goodbye and say hello to Bump. A quick means of trading information, Bump allows users to swap everything from phone numbers, emails and photos, or even become Facebook friends. Bumpers simply select what info they wish exchanged and gently “bump” phones together. Presto! Information exchanged. This free digital Rolodex also allows free texting between users. Read more

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