A Story Fete

Product spotlight time! This month, I want to look into the popular Barefoot Dreams hooded robe. I recommend this robe as a gift for the hard-to-please, because chances are they would never think to get this luxurious robe for themselves. Now that I think about it, this is good advice for any gift-giving occasion. By looking for the simple comforts as our guide, we can routinely find great gifts for people who would never treat themselves so well!

The secret behind this particular Barefoot Dreams robe is the fabulous microknit weave. The cozy feel is guaranteed, thanks to the unique Cozychic fabric that is easily-cleaned in the washing machine. In fact, the non-pillable fabric actually gets softer with every wash. Add an over-sized hood to this Barefoot Dreams robe, and you can survive the coldest of mornings. I’ve tested this robe myself, and I am not exaggerating when I say that it is simply the warmest robe on the market, and it is begging me to blow off all my duties and relax for a hour over my favorite romance novel instead.

This Barefoot Dreams robe also has two oversized pockets, perfect for tucking away that paperback book for the morning escape. This popular bathrobe is available in a slew of elegant colors, including cocoa, white, rose, and a light brown that is perfect for men. Fulfilling creature comforts make great gifts, but are often overlooked. Follow this advice for all your gift-giving this holiday season: don’t give from the heart, but from the gut!

I love animals and have had a pet for as long as I can remember. Yet for some families, that’s just not possible. For the younger kids especially, FurReal Friends Biscuit My Lovin Pup might just be the perfect alternative.

The adorable Biscuit is a new addition to the FurReal Friends line of toys. Fully interactive, it is ready to amaze and entertain your child right out of the box. Biscuit comes complete with collar and tag, dog bone, brush and adoption certificate. He nods, whimpers, barks, wags his tail and more and is very realistic with his mannerisms.

And just like a real dog, Biscuit is able to understand your child’s voice and execute six commands that include speak, sit and lie down. He also knows how to shake hands when asked, which I think is the cutest trick that he knows. And when he sits up and begs, it is sure to melt even the coldest of hearts.

A Few Considerations

Fur Real Friends Biscuit has a soft coat and pleading eyes. Biscuit is nearly two feet high. While most kids will enjoy the fact that is he a large size, this toy will be hard for smaller children to carry around. Most small children can still enjoy having Biscuit as a pet, but you should be ready to do most of the moving of Biscuit for your child. Also, when you give this toy to your child, be sure that you have 6 D-sized batteries on hand since they are not included in the package.

Biscuit’s Innovative Technology

You may be wondering how Biscuit knows to interact with your child. It’s all in his nine sensors. For example, if you hold his left paw he will raise it to shake hands with you. To get Biscuit to bark simply give him the command “speak.” He will even react by flinching or blinking if something is waved in front of him due to a sensor in his forehead.

Biscuit My Lovin Pup will choose various interaction modes based upon how much interaction he is receiving. After a short while of not being interacted with, Biscuit enters “hangout” mode where he will do some cute behaviors to try to grab your attention. After a further period of non-interaction, he will lay down and go into sleep mode.

With his sophisticated sensors and realistic behaviors, it’s easy to understand why Biscuit is widely recognized as the most innovative toy of the year. With both sounds and movements that are true-to-life, FurReal Friends Biscuit My Lovin Pup is sure to become your child’s new best friend.

Depending on how you sleep, air mattresses may be the right choice for you. With a range of companies selling high-quality air beds that are customizable and adjustable, you may just find the perfect sleep solution for both you and your spouse.

To learn more about buying a sleep air bed, keep reading for a review of the 4 largest manufacturers. Remember though, the beds covered are those designed for everyday use rather than inflatable beds intended as guest beds or pool toys.

Select Comfort Sleep Number Beds

Select Comfort has built a large brand presence with their Sleep Number beds and extensive ad campaigns. The basics of their basic product is that it allows a couple to adjust each individual side of the bed to the comfort level of firmness that they each sleep most comfortably with.

The air levels in the Select Comfort Sleep Number bed are controlled using an automatic pump and a remote control operated by the bed’s sleeper. Because the bed needs electricity for the pump, it won’t function during a power failure, but it also won’t deflate.

Select Comfort also offers its customers a 30-night trial period that lets you check out the sleep air bed in the comfort of your own home. If you dislike it or don’t find it comfortable, you can return it with no questions offered. However, most customers will be responsible for shipping and handling charges - a not so inexpensive charge for sending it back.

ComfortAire Sleep Air Bed Technology

ComfortAire was the country’s first manufacturer of adjustable air beds. The company’s sleep bed technology system was first released in 1981, and they’re still a market leader today.

Like their Sleep Number counterparts, ComfortAire beds have a dual air chamber system that is controlled and operated using remotes adjusted by the bed’s sleepers. The remote tells an air pump to either inflate or deflate the bed, therefore adjusting the firmness and comfort level.

The SAT Mattress

Unlike the ComfortAire or Sleep Comfort systems, the SAT bed uses hundreds of self inflating and deflating cylindrical air chambers that fill up with or release air as your body weight moves around during sleep. Like a Tempur-Pedic design, the bed is made to conform to your adjusting body weight, size and position.

Because the SAT bed is comprised of hundreds of independent valves and cylinders, it’s more susceptible to malfunctions, leaks or maintenance problems. Consumers should look for a retailer that offers a strong guarantee or buy their products right from the manufacturer.

Habitat Custom Air Beds

Habitat Furnishings makes a totally customized sleep air bed that’s built just for you. Basically, you order the air bed, indicating the size and specific materials, and they make it using the best products and technology at their disposal.

The Habitat Furnishings sleep air bed is made-to-order, meaning it’s often cheaper than factory-produced competitors. You’ll also get a higher quality standard and can choose better materials like Latex and vulcanized rubber.

U-Dance

Get the latest innovation in Dance Gaming for your kid this Christmas. If your kid loves to dance this is the perfect gift for him/her. I bought U-Dance for my kids but find myself enjoying it along with them. It’s a lot of fun!

U-Dance has a motion capture technology and is very user- friendly. You just need to plug the console into your TV, wear the wireless foot tags on your feet, and you are ready to ‘Step on it’ literally! Groove to the latest dance numbers and rock the dance floor!

The set up is very easy. U-Dance comes with an easy to follow, instruction booklet. Insert AA batteries to the three tower piece, place it in front of your TV, plug the AV code to your TV, switch the button at the back of the tower, put on the motion tag bands to your kid’s feet and they are ready to rock the dance floor!

You can perform real dance moves like steps, slides and jumps. There are different levels of difficulty and pace. You can choose the one you want to practice on. This game is fun for the entire family. I even workout with U-Dance! With U-Dance, you are not confined to a dancing mat and there is nothing to hold. You are your own game controller! You can watch your steps on the TV screen, reflecting your footsteps, while you dance. It has some of today’s popular dance numbers, including Chris Brown’s ‘Run It’, like I the commercial. There are some old school like ‘ABC’ by Jackson 5 and ‘Can’t touch this’ by MCHammer.

If your child needs warming up sessions before moving to the higher level, U-Dance has two mini modes to practice with. In the first mode (Lounge), they have to kick the lounge lizards out of the spotlight on the screens. In the second mode (Workout) they must step on the diamonds while avoiding perils on the moving treadmill. The final mode (Dance Floor) is the most fun though!
The Dance floor mode too has a tutorial session in the beginning just so your kid gets used to the foot-eye coordination. Once they are done with this, they can choose the level of difficulty and their favorite dance number to hit the dance floor. You can record your kid’s score according to their accuracy and timing, using the Dance Meter. Keep a track of their scores after each level, to mark their progress.

U-Dance is a great dance game for your kids. For $74.99 it’s a whole lot of music-filled fun in your living room!

For mor popular toys go check out the Hottest Christmas Presents

The thing about internet is its abundant of information. But, have you ever thought about how much of this information is useful? Take this article I read recently about coffee bean storage that can last you for 2 years, how many of you would actually use that?

Of course, some of you might be curious enough to click the coffee bean storage and check out how in the world can we store coffee beans and I am talking about already roasted beans for 2 years.

But, after reading would you really be using the tips or information that you have read? I doubt so. It is so easy to simply go to your nearest town to purchase some ready roasted beans to grind and brew your favorite cuppa, why would anyone bother to keep it for 2 years?

That is a useless fact number one, then I personally find it not so useful that people would be sharing about how to clean a coffee maker in under one minute. I was thinking if that person has the interest to brew their own coffee, then they must also have the same level of interest to clean their coffee makers right?

An interesting thing to note is this is actually the method adopted by many big companies to ensure that their roasted beans maintained their aroma.

Well, if you are interested, the chemex coffee maker is the only brewer that is the easiest to clean and supposedly it can be done in under one minute. In fact, the title of the article goes something like the coffee makers for lazy folks.

Looking like a glass funnel, of course this brewer is very easy to clean. so, if you are thinking about a lot of machinery and parts, this is not the case with a chemex brewer, and its simple set up is the reason it is easy to clean.

While, they are a good read, I find that these articles to serve no real purpose to a person life. They are like the many trivia sites you find popping up. Until now, I cannot fathom the reason for its popularity.

I guess people like to know about facts that surprises them, for example, storing coffee beans for 2 years is definitely a fact that is very interesting and a fact like cleaning a coffee maker in under one minute is also something that you can share during those get together.

But to me, a real article should be like this stay or go coffee maker. A detail step by step introduction to this coffee machine provides an insight into why we should or should not purchase this brewer.

Now, that is good information for folks that want to purchase a coffee maker, these are information that would assist them in making that decision.

Internet is all about information, useless or not, it really depends on the person looking for it and reading it. But, personally I find trivia as the name suggest is not big enough to add value to a person life.

When people talk about the first wristwatch worn on the moon, they are referring to the Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph. Ever since that milestone in human history, this Omega model has been referred to as the ‘Moon Watch’, but this self-winding chronograph was introduced many years earlier, in 1957. At the time, Omega could never have imagined that this particular model would be forever associated with such an extraordinary achievement. But the Omega Speedmaster earned the opportunity through an extremely rigorous vetting process. This process eliminated wristwatches from all of the other competing watch manufacturers who coveted the once-in-a-lifetime marketing opportunity.

The history of this watch and American space travel precedes that historic July day in 1969 by a few years. The first Omega Speedmaster to leave Earth’s atmosphere was worn on the wrist of Walter Schirra aboard the Sigma 7 in 1962. NASA requested that astronauts wear wristwatches for space travel as a matter of practicality in the event that onboard systems failed. Initially, the make and model of watch was up to the astronauts, but as the space program advanced, NASA decided that something as important as reliable timekeeping in space could not be left to chance. So NASA started a testing program that involved buying watches from several manufacturers and subjecting them to a regimen of different tests that simulated the changing conditions of space travel.

These watches were subjected to: extremes in temperature, exposure to a vacuum environment, up to 12 Gs of gravitational force, violent shaking, and other tests to ensure that the watches were anti-magnetic, shockproof, and waterproof. After extensive testing, the watch NASA chose was an Omega Speedmaster that had been bought over the counter at a Houston jewelry store. The Speedmaster became standard-issue for Apollo astronauts. During missions, most astronauts wore one Speedmaster set to Mission Elapsed Time and another set to Houston local time.

While there is no disputing that the Swiss-made Omega Speedmaster was the first watch worn on the surface of the moon, there has been a minor dispute over which astronaut was the first to walk on the moon while wearing one. During that historic Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were given a window of two hours and forty minutes to explore the moon’s surface with the Omega Speedmaster strapped to the outsides of their spacesuits. Adding to this watch’s already remarkable history, the Speedmaster worn by Aldrin ended up tracking this period of time, as the onboard timer on the Lunar Module failed shortly after landing and could not be restarted.

According to Aldrin, during the moon walk, Armstrong left his Speedmaster chronograph on the module as a backup. In fact, it was Aldrin’s Speedmaster that was the first wristwatch worn on the moon’s surface. This Omega was to be donated to the Smithsonian Institute to be included in a collection of Aldrin’s other equipment. However, it was stolen sometime in the years after the moonwalk and has never been recovered.

A year later, during the Apollo 13 mission, the NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster had a far more crucial role. After an explosion on the service module rendered several critically important systems inoperable, scrapped plans to land on the moon again, and endangered the astronauts’ lives, Commander James Lovell’s Speedmaster became an essential life- and mission-saving tool.

The crew of Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Jim Haies had to power down all systems except for the radio receiver to conserve energy. All the timed engine burns programmed into the vessel’s computer to enable the astronauts to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere were now out of service. Using only his Speedmaster chronograph, Lovell and his crew were able to time the duration and intervals of engine thrusts, and the men and their vessel safely returned home.

In the years since, Omega Speedmaster chronographs have continued their remarkable service on the first space shuttle mission and subsequent missions. These watches have been selected by the former Soviet Union for their space program. The Omega Speedmaster watch remains the only NASA flight-qualified watch for space walks, and has been consistently retested by NASA to ensure performance. To this day, this model is still the only watch “Flight-Qualified by NASA for all Manned Space Missions,” and has served the American and Russian space programs with distinction since the early 1960s.

The Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph is still in production today. The very same model preferred by NASA and the men and women who crew missions for space exploration can be purchased at fine jewelry stores around the world. Buying a Speedmaster allows the owner to wear an extraordinary piece of history with a record of performance that is, literally, “out of this world.”

Jonathan Zach, co-founder of the family owned and operated Dress Your Watch, is an online seller of Omega watches. The Omega Speedmaster wristwatch was the first wristwatch worn on the moon.

There has long been an association between the makers of world-class precision racing cars and the makers of world-class precision watches. It’s a natural correlation, as both parties rely on complex mechanisms to compete and succeed in their fields. Since the performance of racing cars is often measured in hundredths or even thousandths of a second, the livelihoods of racing car owners, drivers, and crews are largely dependent on the ability to quickly and easily mark and track very small increments of time.

As always, demand drives innovation, and the makers of Breitling and TAG Heuer watches have built their reputations by making superb chronographs and by responding to the needs of professionals in the racing industry.

Breitling Watches Inspired by Bentley Racing Cars

Bentley’s association with Breitling goes back quite a few years, and it has been mutually beneficial for both parties. In the early years, Bentley concentrated on making racing engines. Race tracks allowed them to push an engine to its limit, which in turn allowed them to continually refine production. As Bentley engines broke speed thresholds and other innovators hoped to keep up, the need for precision chronographs rose. Breitling responded by creating a series of Bentley-inspired watch models.

Bentley Motors Series

This series includes a variety of models available in steel or yellow gold, which feature glare-proof cambered sapphire crystals; 38 jewels, 30-second, 15-minute, and 6-hour totalizers; variable tachometers; self-winding capabilities, and a great deal more. Models in the Bentley Motors Series include:

• The Bentley Motors T—The Motors T series of racing watches comes available in satin-brushed or high polished finishes that show off the distinctive dials.

• The Bentley 6.75—Inspired by the Bentley 6.75-liter engine, the biggest engine Bentley has produced so far, each model in this line features subtle but sophisticated variations on the 6.75 theme.

• The Bentley GT—This model sports a bi-directional rotating bezel; water resistance to 330 feet; three sub-dials, and the distinctive Bentley series knurled bezel.

• The Bentley GT Racing—The cambered sapphire crystal on the GT Racing model is protected by a bi-directional, rotating slide rule bezel for tracking lap times. The distinctive Bentley ‘Flying B’ over the day/date adds panache.

• The Bentley GMT—The GMT has been called a ‘wrist sculpture’ because of its larger size and its striking, red-gold finish option. It features an ingenious, multiple time-zone display for distance racing, and is a favorite of collectors.

• The Bentley Mulliner Tourbillon—The Mulliner Tourbillon is a very limited edition Breitling Bentley racing watch with one large sub-dial and two smaller sub-dials. This watch is highly prized by serious collectors and comes with a steep asking price if they can find one.

TAG Heuer Watches Inspired by Racing Cars

TAG Heuer watches draw their names and inspiration not from a car manufacturer, but from the tracks where racing cars compete (with one exception: the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Series). Each series sports a unique look and dial layout, and most are available in both men’s and women’s styles. Long a favorite of drivers and crewmen alike, TAG Heuer racing watches provide the practical functions that race car professionals need combined with the sleek, classic styling that has always been a TAG Heuer hallmark. Models in this line include:

• The Le Mans Centigraph—This watch was the pioneer of the 1/1000th of a second timing system inspired by the legendary 24-hour race. Steve McQueen wore one in the 1970 namesake movie that made this model iconic.

• The Carrera Chronograph—Named after the grueling and challenging Carrera Panamericana Mexico race, this model was worn by most Formula 1 drivers in the 70s, and early models are coveted by serious collectors.

• The Formula 1 Chronotimer—The Formula 1 features an innovative consecutive times register as well as elapsed and total time chronograph functions and a bold bezel with large notches for easy calibration.

• The Monaco—The world’s first square-cased chronograph, the Monaco, was launched in 1969. Its unique look created a sensation among racing professionals and fans alike.

• The Monza—The TAG Heuer Monza has a look all its own, with its distinctive ‘cushion shape’ and three sub-dials in different shapes for tracking time trials. The numbers on the face are quite bold, making the Monza a practical choice for distance-race drivers who need to be able to mark the time at a glance.

Please bear in mind that these race car-inspired watches from Breitling and TAG Heuer are broad representations. Almost all of them have several sub-models within each model, and in most cases, it takes a collector’s eye and experience to note the subtle differences. Both watch manufacturers have gone to great lengths to design and craft these superb watches for practicality and style. As far as professional race car drivers, crewmen, and collectors are concerned, these watches belong in the winner’s circle.

Jonathan Zach is co-owner of Dress Our Watch, an online dealer of fine watches, including Breitling watches and Tag Heuer watches. Breitling and Tag Heuer both produce a line of watches inspired by the race car industry.

In our nation, we have no shortage of skin care products designed to create a more attractive appearance. Since facial care is of such interest and products in high demand, many of the better ones carry a steep price. That is not the case, however, with the line of Mark Cosmetics products.

Mark Cosmetics is a line of beauty products owned and operated by Avon but aimed at young women and teenagers. The products are formulated for younger skins, the colors are targeted toward a younger demographic and the prices are somewhat lower. For a clear review of Mark’s products, including a review of the company itself, keep reading.

Cost

The low price is a major selling point for Mark Cosmetics products. Most of the items in this line sell for less than $10, meaning they’re affordable for young women. In short, ten out of ten likely buy for price.

Ease of Use

The majority of Mark products are standard-issue - eye shadows, blush, lip gloss, bronzer, foundation, cleansers and a few bath and body products. They may not be state-of-the-art innovations, but they’re simple to use and very straightforward.

Makeup Quality

Mark products may be priced low, but their quality is pretty good and comparable to a low-to-mid range department store cosmetics. Because Avon doesn’t pay for retail locations or public advertising, they’re often able to price their products lower than most retail brands.

In particular, their line of skin care products (which are non-comedogenic, fragrance free and oil free) are a great value. The cleanser, toner and moisturizers are all priced under $10, but they’ve each been featured in Glamour, Seventeen and YM as great buys and desirable products.

The Best and Worst

Other than their skin care products, probably the best finds at Mark are their lip glosses - not too sticky, not too messy, and definitely long-lasting. They go on smooth, have just the right hint of color, and they don’t feel heavy or overdone. Overall, they’re a fantastic buy at $6.

The company’s biggest miss? Probably the liquid foundation. Despite the fact that most teenagers have beautiful skin that just doesn’t need a heavy liquid foundation, the product is weighted and goes on thick, leaving a caked finish. For something lighter, opt for their tinted moisturizer instead.

The Mark Company

Mark products are sold by independent sales reps, so a lot of your customer service experience is going to depend on the quality of your rep. Many customers also don’t like the pressure to buy or start selling the product themselves, so look for a representative who’s laid back and comfortable.

The Final Word

In short, Mark Cosmetics are a great buy for their price point, but the sales model can be a big drawback for customers who are either not looking for a personal sales experience or want to be able to simply walk into a store to purchase their product rather than waiting for mail-order.

Having a wedding and you are getting jittery about what Groomsmen Gifts to give? I can perfectly understand; after all, it is usually the women who go through the hassles of gift picking and gift giving. Now that you, the groom-to-be, are tasked to handle preparing the groomsmen gifts, you think to yourself, just how do women make gift-picking look so easy? You certainly came to the right place! Here are some great gift suggestions that your groomsmen would certainly enjoy.

First up is the famous Zippo lighter. You most certainly would have smoker friends in your entourage, right? Then Zippo is the only rational choice. With its many designs and styles to choose from – plus the fact that they can also be customized – you certainly won’t have any trouble finding the perfect Zippo lighter for your pals!

Another gift idea worth mentioning is the liquor flask. Now, don’t you go worrying about promoting alcoholism because liquor flasks are small – which means it would not really hold that much alcohol in the first place. And it also gives a sense of bravado that your groomsmen will surely enjoy as well.

But what about if you are the one invited to a wedding? What wedding gift should you then get? Think about the new house of the newlyweds. Just what would they need to make their new home extra comfy? Plates and silverware sets could make great Wedding Anniversary Gifts. Add to the fact that you can never get enough of plates and silverware since the newlyweds will definitely have people over their house over time. Thus, it would be all right if you got them a plate set while Johnny Bravo over there got them a plate set as well. No worries about duplicate gifts here then!

Things inevitably get a bit more difficult when you are out to get a wedding anniversary gift for your wife. Of course, living under the same roof makes things easier since you would now have easier ways of knowing what your wife wants. Watch out for occasional hints because women do love dropping clues when it comes to the Wedding Gifts that they want to receive from their husbands. Just so you have a few tricks up your sleeve, why not go for event tickets? Perhaps there is a concert that your wife wants to go. Or maybe she’s gushing about the latest musicale on Broadway? Imagination is the key to getting that perfect wedding anniversary gift for your wife.

Now that the wedding’s all set, your next priority is to find the most suitable idea for Groomsmen Gifts. Most people try to deviate from the norm too much that they’re missing out the whole point of giving Groomsmen Gifts in the first place. As a form of appreciation, you can give them something nice, cheap, but special on this special occasion.

Run out of clues? Here are some of the top ten most common but tested gift ideas to give your groomsmen:

1. Cufflinks

This is one gift that you can personalize to suit the individual taste and interests of your groomsmen. Or better yet, you can match all the cufflinks for the groomsmen that will partake in your wedding.

2. Watch

This does not need to be expensive. However, you can make this really special by engraving the name of the recipient with your wedding date, for them to remember this special occasion you have shared.

3. Lighters

This is a famous gift idea for men in general. Hence, save yourself the trouble of figuring out the best groomsmen gifts idea.

4. Pen or Pencil Set

This type of gift is suitable for men in a corporate working environment. Plus, this is a functional yet elegant gift to give.

5. Shot glasses

Most men drink. So if your groomsmen do, this idea would make good use during any of your celebrations or get-together’s.

6. Business card holder

Anyone would find this item useful. Plus, it won’t hurt your wedding budget at all.

7. Money clips

This is another one of those gift items that can easily be personalized. So, if you have extra money to do so, it would be a great way to show your groomsmen your appreciation for them.

8. Golf balls or tees

Golf is a game that almost all men enjoy. If not, then you can choose other accessories that can be used for a sport of their choice.

9. Shaving kits

Aside from being elegant, this item is very functional. Your groomsmen should be pleased to receive this.

10. Travel case

For businessman, having a travel case is a great way to organize their belongings. If you want a touch of elegance, you can choose a leather one for your groomsmen.