October 2008 Archives

ZoloWear Ring Sling

Review by Amanda on 27 October 2008
10-6682-01.jpgPeople are always asking me what my favorite baby product is. At this point I don't even have to think about it. My answer is consistently my ZoloWear Ring Sling.

 If you have tried a $20 baby carrier and hated it, I feel your pain (literally). This isn't a cheapo baby carrier, this is baby carrying freedom!

Your back doesn't hurt.
Your baby is super comfortable.
The styles are great.
 
Best of all, your ZoloWear Ring Sling is made to reflect your uniquely fantastic sense of style. And correct me if I am wrong, but your baby doesn't have to worry about the style points, right??
 
Throw your wallet, keys and a diaper in the zipped front pocket, and there you are. You'll be free from the bulky stroller with the ability to use both your hands!  Now that I said all that, doesn't $80 sound like a steal?

You can buy this piece of new mommy greatness at Amazon for about $80

Crate & Barrel Parker Bowls

Review by Amanda on 27 October 2008
I am not a chef. In fact, I'll go days without setting foot in my kitchen. That being said, I sleep better knowing that I have Crate & Barrel Parker Bowls stacked safely in my kitchen cabinet. 

Unused, they are a welcome and stylish addition to any decor. The colors are great! On the rare occasions that I dust them off and actually cook, they transcend ordinary bowl-dom, becoming super vessels in my unskilled hands.

Parker Bowls feel fantastic in your grip, almost impossible to describe.  The porcelain is thick and well-weighted, and seems durable thus far. The sizes are surprisingly intuitive. If you think you won't use the smallest one for anything, you are so wrong. Each and every one finds its purpose as if guided by unseen culinary spirits.  
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At $36.95 you can afford to pick up a set for that hard to shop for person on your holiday/wedding list. Gourmet chefs, bakers, and kitchen decorators alike will be ecstatic.  And mark my words, you will be invited to way more parties if it gets out that you are giving Parker bowls this season!

Reg Barber Espresso Tamper

Review by mr stuff on 22 October 2008
For the uninitiated, an espresso tamper is a tool used to compress finely ground espresso into a tight cake inside a machine's filter basket.

A rookie might describe my Reg Barber Espresso Tamper as a heavy metal disc, flat on the bottom, with a bulbous handle shooting from it like a mushroom cap. More aptly defined, it is a hand-made, customized, specialized tool, crafted to a standard that elevates it to nothing short of a work of art.
reg_barber_tamper.jpgReg Barber has been crafting Artisan espresso tampers since 1995. I've been using mine since 2005. I pick it up 3-4 times per day, and take pleasure in it each time I do. It's perfectly balanced, comfortable in my hand, sized for my machine, and visually striking. Best of all: my shots were notably improved by the quality of it's tamp.

Take my word for it, Reg Barber's pieces are timeless and irreplaceable. Bases are machined from Stainless, Aluminum, Brass, and Copper; while handles are turned in everything from Polished Aluminum, to Zebra Wood (with dozens of possible combinations).

Pricing depends on materials, but expect to be in the $50-65 range for most models.
You can find yours at Reg Barber Enterprises.


Apple iPod Shuffle (Product)RED

Review by mr stuff on 18 October 2008
Full disclosure: I am an Apple-phile. Over the years I've invested in so many Apple products, I couldn't count them if I tried. Likewise, I can't (nor will I) count the thousands of dollars I've invested. Withholding praise for so many of the products they've done right thus far, I am recommending my currently most cherished golden egg: the iPod shuffle.

ipod_shuffle_red.jpgAnd a silence falls over the internet... Seriously, the clip iteration of the shuffle is the smartest, cleanest, most inherently perfect device in my personal Apple line up. Perhaps I love it for its minimalism. In purpose and form it is diminutive, performing a short list of functions exceptionally well.

Big enough to hold a day's worth of tunes, and light enough to go unnoticed on your shirt collar, the Shuffle is a masterwork of music portability. I use mine when I'm running, biking, walking the dog, using power tools, and just sitting around. If only I could find a decent set of headphones with a 16" chord.

If you don't have one, get one. For $50 it's a go anywhere, do anything insurance policy for your more expensive iPod/iPhone; and you'll quickly find that size doesn't matter, this one stands with giants.The iPod shuffle clip design has that "how did we exist before this" magic of zip ties.

$49 for 1Gb of portable joy, $59 for global-conscious (Product)Red model
from Apple

For a bit more bling (and coin) get it plated in 18K gold from XEXOO.

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Breville Ikon Hemisphere Blender

Review by mr stuff on 17 October 2008
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Can a blender change your life? When form/function combine to yield a die-cast masterpiece like the the Breville ikon Hemisphere Blender, you'd be surprised. In our house, the BBL600XL takes the top slot for surprisingly excellent small appliances. With twice daily minimal use, we've put several brands to the test. The Australian designed ikon makes our failed German and American branded blenders look like under-powered, unsophisticated ice-massagers.

Briefly distilled: the zen of the ikon blender:
  1. heavy, stable, and durable die-cast steel  
  2. 750 watts smartly programmed to produce exceptionally consistent beverages
  3. one touch walk-away and brew your coffee or make toast smoothie
  4. the lid makes a remarkably tight seal; but, the clever finger loop frees it in  snap
  5. easy to clean and dishwasher safe
  6. 54 oz. capacity will drown a rhino in frozen berry bliss (or 10 of your closest friends for that matter)

Yes, the ikon Hemisphere is a bit pricey for a blender ($200 on sale). But, if you find yourself burning through cheaper models every year or two, the extra cost will quickly be outweighed by durability, convenience, and a striking design.

More information can be found at Breville.
Buy it at Williams-Sonoma for $249

Anthony Logisitcs for Men - After Shave Balm

Review by mr stuff on 17 October 2008

anthony_after_shave.jpegAnthony Logisitcs for Men makes some of the finest feel good products for men. Their After Shave Balm is no exception.

Whatever your shaving method, the critical next step is attaining a cool, smooth, razor-burn free finish. Anthony uses a grease free emulsion containing allantoin, benzocaine, and aloe vera to smooth irritation and kill the burn. Vitamins A, C, D, and E help to heal your skin and moisturize. 

I can't say enough about the quality of experience this balm offers. For under $20, it's worth your while to try it. I've gifted it to all my best friends and I'll use it until my face falls off.

For a detailed analysis of all of Anthony products, see their site. 

You can buy the After Shave Balm (and other shaving solutions) from Sephora. $19.


Da Font

Review by Amanda on 16 October 2008
I LOVE fonts. Cool fonts turn me on. Now free fonts, well those, those make my heart sing.

So when I found Dafont.com I was besides myself.  Da Font supplies open source fonts, which means that they are totally free, that are updated almost daily by super talented graphic artists.  Untitled-1.jpgI think I will use this font from now on when I send emails, makes me feel tough.
And fittingly it is called Tough Guy.

Out of the 12 or so I have downloaded and installed, not one has been corrupt. They are pure beauty just like a font should be.

You can find this and many more free fonts on www.dafonts.com.


Maneki Neko Tea Cup

Review by mr stuff on 12 October 2008
ManekiNeko_cup.jpgMy better half has recently taken to collecting tea cups en masse. We're using them as party favors for an upcoming event. Of the 60 or so she's found, this one stands alone, ratcheting the coolness factor to a new level.

The Maneki Neko lucky cat, or welcoming cat is a popular omen haunting the entries to tens of thousands of Japanese shops and restaurants. The beckoning kitty ushers in either customers or money (depending on which paw is raised).

I've seen similar tea cups with drawn kitties, but it may take you some time to track down this exact model. You can also find cups molded into the shape of the lucky cat.

We got it from Japan on eBay. $8 


Kenda K-RAD MTB tire

Review by Diego-Alonso on 11 October 2008
My mountain bike is my weekend heavy hauler. When you've got three shopping bags and a loaded backpack to lug from the market, the last thing you want is a flat tire slowing you down. These are my go-to tires for errand day.

K-RAD.jpgAt 2.3 inches wide, this rubber keeps the ride cushy the whole way home. The tread pattern is perfect for the bike lane, and the jaunt across gravel paths at the park.

Their design reminds me of old-school BMX tires, which really up their cool factor for looks as well as performance; they're smooth on the acceleration and absolutely stable in the turns. And they last a good while. I'm well into my eighth month with the pair I have, and I haven't yet come home with melted ice cream.

Kenda K-RAD tires, $29.00 at REI.com, with free shipping if you use their in-store pick-up option.


Stella 200L light

Review by Diego-Alonso on 10 October 2008
Daylight Savings is right around the corner. For me that means more rides home in the dark, a potentially dangerous situation in rush hour traffic. I've been looking for a reliable headlight that is a step up from the average. Enter the Stella 200L by Light and Motion, a multi-use 200 lumen lamp that provides a bright pattern of illumination for those last few miles past sunset. With up to 50 hour run-time from a four hour charge, it is one of the most efficient models in its price range.

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You can order multiple mounts for it, for a second bike or if you prefer a lamp on your helmet. Light and Motion even manufactures a headstrap for this light which you can order from their company, allowing this lamp to serve double-duty on your next camping trip or rock-climbing outing. Light and Motion is an award-winning company that supports the efficient use of energy in its production as well as its full range of lights, allowing customers easy access to replacement lamps, batteries and parts.

The Stella 200L is available for $249.00 at Amazon. More info at Light & Motion.




Rowenta DX1700 Auto Steam Iron

Review by Amanda on 7 October 2008
I really got spoiled this weekend. My $6 Walgreens iron bit the dust so my generous, loving, wonderful husband gave me his credit card and told me to go to Joann's and buy myself a fancy iron. I got a Rowenta DX1700.

Now, you wouldn't know the impact this would have on your life unless you have ironed with a Rowenta. See, you can hold this iron vertically and it steams your clothes -- it is just like having the dry cleaners in your living room!  If I had to dress up for work everyday this would be a Godsend. No more looking like you slept in your suit!

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The Rowenta's stainless steel plate makes the iron glide over the fabric like butter on warm toast. I never even knew what a chore it was ironing with my cheapy until I ironed with this amazing appliance. You don't use any downward pressure, you don't even have to push it, it just glides.

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It heats up super quick and has an auto shut-off that kills the power when the iron sits upright for more than 8 minutes or sits on it's plate for more than 30 seconds. Then when you pick it up again, it has a motion sensor that turns it right back on! Genius. Now I never have to worry about burning the house down with my iron.

It cost a bit more than my Walgreens iron (like $54 dollars more) but to me it is worth a cool million.


If you want to experience ironing nirvana, you can buy one here.




Everything Cedar Clothes Hanger

Review by Amanda on 6 October 2008
Years ago I lived with a man who annoyingly insisted on storing his winter sweaters in the hall closet. He also insisted that moths didn't eat wool fiber.

Needless to say the first Fall we lived together turned into Winter and when he took his fine Merino wool sweaters out of the hall closet, each one was riddled with holes. Holes the hungry moths had made.

Mine, however, were as perfect as they had been 6 months earlier when I'd put them away -- with cedar chips.

Now that I have seen what moths can do first hand, I never skimp on the cedar. I've bought cedar blocks, chips, planks, and balls. What I didn't know (until now) was that someone got clever and started making hangers out of cedar.



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Check out the clips: you can keep the moths at bay, and your pants crisp. What more could you ask for from of a hanger? 

2 for $39.95 at Everything Hangers

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