December 1, 2007

Hello Kitty Gold

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Luxist: What better way to celebrate the birth of a feline icon than to dress her up like royalty and showcase her cuteness on a deck of solid gold playing cards? That's what Japanese company Sanrio has done with their 54-card deck of 99.99 percent gold cards. Each card measures 58 x 89 mm and features Kitty herself on the royal face cards. Contrary to popular belief, Hello Kitty was born in London, not Japan. To honor her birthplace, the flip side of the card features her posing proudly with a Union Jack in the shape of an apple.

Gold Hello Kitty Playing Cards [Luxist]

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November 19, 2007

Attivo New Boating

Attivo is a totally new concept in boating. Lightweight and compact, at only 3.5 metres long Attivo has sportsboat looks and can carry up to four adults in cruise mode. Pull a lever and lift the canopy and is instantly converts a larger living area to accommodate a further two adults and even converts into a full sized double bed.

Below the fitted cushions you will find plenty of locker space for all of your short break needs. Forward is the large locker, ideal for bedding, clothes, and all the little bits you want out of your way in the daytime – the centre lockers accommodate a powerful 12 volt battery, each side, to run the outboard, and all of the low voltage lighting and pumps built in. Plenty of room for other things too – the 240 volt unit and charging system is fitted here to supply power to sockets so you could, if you wanted to, run all of your luxuries and make Attivo a 'home from home', as well as to boost the batteries for more cruising.

Attivo is environmentally-friendly - it's propelled by an electric outboard motor and powered by internal batteries and charging system. The amazing style was created by car designer Keith Helfet whose previous works include Jaguar's XJ220 supercar and F-Type concept.

Attivo

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November 13, 2007

Highly Priced Credit Cards

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Born Rich: Gold and diamond covered business card is a cool way to show off your riches. Earlier, we saw the Hello Kitty gold business card and the Mitsubishi Materials Fine gold card and now, GK Power, a Seoul-based smart card maker and online game provider, has made a new high-concept card for the VVIP customers. GK Power has developed technologies that enabled cold film coating and diamond embedding on plastic cards. Some of the GK Power’s high-concept cards include BC’s ‘Diamond Card,’ Hyundai Card’s `The Black’ and Woori Bank’s corporate cards. In the words of company’s president and CEO, these glittering cards are one of the ways to beat the market competition to lure the biggest spenders. These custom designed credit cards carry high price tags.

Show off your riches with diamond studded credit cards [Born Rich]

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November 11, 2007

Hotel Furnishings Trend

hotelx.jpgUSA Today: Wyndham Hotels' new "Smart Chair" aims to do for in-room lounging and working what Westin's Heavenly Bed did for sleeping.
The Westin pillowtop-mattress bed, introduced in 1999, was an instant hit and is credited with starting a revolution in hotel bedding.

The Smart Chair, designed by Michael Graves & Associates, is currently ensconced at select Wyndams (the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, downtown Atlanta, and Princeton, N.J., to name a few). It is due chainwide by the end of 2008.

"We felt the 'bed wars' were over and turned our focus to signature products that would appeal to a new generation of travelers, namely the Gen Xers," says Evy Apostolatos, a Wyndham spokeswoman.

The Smart Chair is just one of the cool new furnishings on the hotel landscape, aimed at travelers who expect rooms with more bells and whistles.

Hotel furnishings go high-tech, eco-friendly [USA Today]

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October 26, 2007

Vert

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Los Angeles Times: Stores such as Barneys New York and Fred Segal Apothia have been adding to their stables of swanky, chemical-free beauty lines lately, but these brands are still in the minority at major beauty counters, sprinkled into a larger mix of conventional labels.

Enter Vert - the first beauty outpost in L.A. to exclusively stock upscale beauty lines that are 100% free of synthetic ingredients. The airy, Zen-inspired boutique on Venice's hippie-chic Abbot Kinney Boulevard is the brainchild of Renata Helfman, a veteran makeup artist for film and TV who conceptualized the store after growing weary of tracking down her favorite eco-luxe beauty products in varied locations across the city.

In fact, she had the idea for Vert (which means "green" in French) while in her car. "I couldn't believe there wasn't a place that has all these brands under one roof," she says. "It dawned on me one day - what a great idea."

One-stop shopping for eco-luxe beauty products [Los Angeles Times]

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October 4, 2007

Shuffle The Diamonds

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BornRich: The iPod shuffle has already been dipped in pure gold and diamonds. Pictured above is even cooler than those. Designer John Harrington, quite renowned for his classy jewelry collection, has customized Apple Ipod shuffle to create the ultimate fashion accessory. The Diamond Shuffle has been laser etched with his signature ‘Renaissance’ motif and is festooned with five excellent quality diamonds. The beautiful blinged creation wills set you back £300 but, that looks to be negligible for such a fine-looking creation.

John Harrington's Diamond iPod Shuffle [BornRich]

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September 27, 2007

Floating Houses

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BornRich: Here is another interesting thing for the uber-rich to spend their money on. AquaDomi is a modular system of floating houses and it gives the owner the opportunity to create his own house in his own style. Although the images shown on the site are computer generated but, it looks like these floating houses are available for sale.

AquaDomi has already constructed cafes and restaurants using these design principles. The latest line of the floating houses from the company is Noma series, which include three new houseboat models. The Noma houseboats have a floor-to-ceiling height of 300/250 cm or 250/240 cm. The houseboat can also be used as a combined home and office. Family Noma is spacious and largest of all the series. The houseboat is accessible through the terrace/court.

The two bedrooms are fitted with wardrobes and each one has its own terrace that is accessed through sliding doors. AquaDomi offers a wide selection of light, well-arranged quality kitchens with all modern equipment. The dining room and living room are connected to the kitchen. The houseboat is connected to the public infrastructure for water, waste water, electricity, telephone, community antenna and internet.

AquaDomi floating houses - For those who like to live close to the water [BornRich]

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September 18, 2007

Super Yoga Mat

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Yanko Design: Imagine a yoga mat you unfurl from a metal tube that’s actually a stereo. It can take in memory cards or play content off an MP3 player. The real tech candy here is the mat which is made of an electronic paper screen. The idea is you can attend yoga classes from anywhere since streaming video plays right on the mat. You can even “conference” in friends so they can get in the group fun. It’s just a concept but the technologies do exist in some form now.

Yogis Are Now Hi-Tech [Yanko Design]

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August 22, 2007

Loyalty Through Sustainability

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Triple Pundit: Kimpton Hotels, based in San Francisco with over 40 three- and four-star boutique hotels around the US, has made a life-long commitment to environmental responsibility. They've proven that operating with sustainable values won't stop them from delivering a premium guest experience. In fact, polled hotel guests say they are loyal to Kimpton because they appreciate the sustainable ethic. A good portion of their clientele are business travelers whose companies have also adopted CSR strategies, and are committed to consuming products and services with the least impact.

You won't hear about their green initiative on a flashy ad campaign, because Kimpton doesn't advertise. What they save in the marketing department, they spend on programs for employees and enhancing guest experience, through programs like their EarthCare program.

Through this initiative, Kimpton provides in-room recycling, donates beverage bottled to local charities, prints with soy-based inks on recycled paper, offers organic snacks, gives guests the opportunity to re-use towels and linens, and serves only organic, shade grown and free trade coffees. These are things that any hotel could (and should) do at little or no additional cost, and Kimpton doesn't stop there.

Four (Green) Stars at Kimpton Hotels [Triple Pundit]

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August 20, 2007

Latest Wedding Trends

KansasCity.com: The latest trends in wedding include having wedding websites with TMI for orientating guests, budget wedding gowns, as well as green weddings.

Wedding Web sites with TMI

A wedding Web site is a must, a virtual clearinghouse to assist guests with everything from chapel address to hotel accommodations.

Of course, some couples go much further. They include details of how they locked eyes across a crowded room, what kind of wine they ordered on their first date, biographies of the entire wedding party, even photographs of themselves embracing passionately.

It’s all very sweet. Until it gets cloying. Or annoying. Or just too much. Like the time a bride and groom revealed — on their wedding Web site — that their relationship began with a one-night stand.

Observers say that because the wedding-Web site industry is still only a few years old, the rules for what’s acceptable are still fuzzy. Many sites are set up with fields to be filled in: “first date,” “proposal” and so on. And so the tales come rushing forth.

Anna Post, author of the forthcoming Emily Post’s Wedding Parties, uses this rule: Don’t include anything that you wouldn’t tell guests face to face.

Budget wedding gowns

A once-in-a-lifetime experience no longer requires a once-in-a-lifetime investment. So here comes the bride — in a budget wedding gown from Target. The gowns that were introduced in May are sold through Target.com for less than $200. Bridesmaid dresses sell for as little as $30. J. Crew offers wedding gowns for $295 to $2,450.

The typical bride spends more than $1,000 on a wedding gown.

Green weddings

Eco-conscious couples are spending a lot of time and money planning weddings that reflect their environmentally friendly lifestyles.

They’re using recycled paper and minimizing the amount of paper used for invitations, place cards and programs. Creating centerpieces with pesticide-free flowers and potted plants that can be planted in the yard after the wedding. Serving organic and vegetarian menus.

Click here for ideas on how to host greener nuptials:

greenweddings.net: Links to green bridal goods and services.

www.ecochicweddings.com: Ideas from the author of the book of the same name.

Latest wedding trends include two gowns, iPods as DJs and going green [KansasCity.com]

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Plug and Play Hotel

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BusinessWeek: There are hotels built on stilts in the ocean, hotels fashioned out of former royal palaces, even hotels set among jungle treetops. So why not craft a hotel that can be plugged into an existing space in any city in the world? That was the thinking behind Qbic Hotels, a low-cost, high-design concept made up of prefabricated rooms that literally come out of a box.

Qbic allows guests to make their reservations online, with rooms ranging from €39 to €139 (about $80 to $200) a night, based on an advanced booking system. Once at the hotel, guests receive an electronic card that's needed to check in and check out.

In order to create a hotel in big cities where real estate is often costly and space at a premium, Qbic's founders came up with a novel idea: Create a prefab, plug-and-play module called a Cubi that can be outfitted inside existing space.

What distinguishes Qbic—at least for now—is its ability to offer both high style and low cost in a self-service environment. "Qbic is quite stylish and slick," says Harteveldt. "I think that it appeals to someone who appreciates style after being in an airplane cabin that is devoid of style."

A Hotel in a Box [BusinessWeek]

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August 10, 2007

My DNA Fragrance

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TrendHunter: A company called My DNA Fragrance claims that it can develop a perfume for women or cologne for men based on your DNA. The customer submits a swab of saliva to the company and there you go, you have your own customized scent. Hopefully your DNA smells wonderful.

Your DNA as a Fragrance - Smell Yourself Sexy [TrendHunter]

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July 6, 2007

Dating Cards

photo_blog_hitchoocard.jpgSpringwise: In a variation on online dating, two new concepts allow people to connect online after first meeting (briefly) in the physical world. Canadian Admit an Attraction prints Attraction Tickets for members (CDN 9.95 for a twelve-pack). Members hand out a ticket to someone they meet in public. A ticket receiver can then go online to check out the member's profile using a unique access code, and get in touch if the attraction is mutual. Since the tickets don't contain any personal information, both parties are guaranteed a level of privacy they wouldn't have if they exchanged phone numbers or email addresses.

Hitchoo, which recently launched in Singapore, works on the same principle, sending members cards with a friendly "You made my day" on the front, and access details on the back.The first 8 cards are free; 12 additional cards can be bought for SGD 18.

Dating Cards Fuse Physical & Virtual Connections [Springwise]

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June 29, 2007

Jetpack Flight

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UberReview: All those promises of a future with jetpacks getting you from here to there have finally come true. Before you start planning your trip to Miami, the amazing JetPack will only give you a 3 min thrill ride. That 3 min ride does not come cheap at $250,000 but it does include free training. Before you start to cry, a new and improved version is already in the works and should get you about 19 minutes of flight time for a reduced price of $200,000. To see the Jetpack in action, check out the video after the jump.

The Future Has Arrived, The Jetpack Is Ready For Sale [UberReview]

Youtube Video:

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June 26, 2007

Sleep Music

photo_blog_sleepbeats.jpgDailyCandy: If your mind wanders before three, try Bedtime Beats, a CD designed to help you snooze. Unlike your Ambien/Prosecco experiment, the sleep aid was mixed by real scientists.

The smarty-pants at Case Western Reserve University discovered that classical music played at 60-80 beats per minute can improve your sleep. Using that info, a couple of sandmen (er, sandwomen) deejayed a collection to conk you out.

The CD includes more than two hours of Bach, Beethoven, Vivaldi, et al — all of which have been remastered to the optimal tempo and volume. Just press play fifteen minutes before sleepy time and relax to the beats of the rhythm of the night.

The Science of Sleep [DailyCandy]

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June 22, 2007

Moving On

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Iconoculture: With this ring, I thee shed — in a miniature casket suitable for display. Wedding Ring Coffins, created by divorce survivor Jill Testa, help the recently unhitched bury dead marriages in style. The tiny mahogany coffins look just like the real thing, complete with brass handles and a black velvet lining that sets the ring off nicely if the client opts for an open casket.

Most mourners don't actually bury the coffins. It's more fun to share the sentiments engraved on personalized plaques, which range from dignified ("Bury the past and move on") to vengeful ("Six feet isn't deep enough") to sly ("She should have learned how to play golf").

Wedding Ring Coffins bury dead marriages [Iconoculture]

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May 4, 2007

Lomme Pod Bed

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These pod-like luxury beds infuse art and design into an otherwise mundane piece of furniture. Offering the ultimate in relaxed environments, the protective, egg-like design features “state of the art” light and iPod-ready sound therapy system which removes outside noises, in addition to a muscle relaxing system and high end mattress. With quality rest and sleep at such a premium, we could see even more alternatives to the traditional sleep system emerging—although hopefully, with a smaller price tag.

Lomme Bed [TrendCentral]

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April 20, 2007

Shiny and Sparkling

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BornRich: Philips and Swarovski have teamed-up to bling the tech goodies with their ‘Active Crystals’ collection that features I GB flashy USB memory keys studded with swarovski. The collection includes four different designs: Heart Ware, Heart Beat, Lock In and Lock Out. Heart Ware and Heart Beat are worn as pendants and The Lock In and Lock Out attaches to a keychain.

The sparkling collection will be hitting the market in August and the price details are yet to be disclosed. The collection will also include four pairs of noise-cancelling headphones.

Philips and Swarovski Designs Sparkling USB Drives and Headphones [BornRich]

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April 16, 2007

Box Wine

Detroit Free Press: There is a growing group of wine drinkers who are turning to the box rather than the bottle. With better wine varieties now available in boxes, wineries are attempting to give the category a new identity far from the rowdy boating trips and drunken fraternity parties that gave box vino its cheap, low-quality image.

The effort seems to be paying off. Box wine is now the fastest-growing wine category. According to data from AC Nielsen, three-liter box wine sales grew 44% in the past year, compared to a 3% gain in overall table wine volume.

"It's gaining tremendous acceptance by the consumer," said Ben Dollard, president of Pacific Wine Partners, a division of Constellation Brands. "It's just the tip of the iceberg."

Vintners have been doing a good deal of experimenting in the last few years. Wine even comes in plastic bottles and cans.

Although wine has been packaged in a box for some time, the new boxes aren't like the five-liter jugs of sweet, headache-inducing wines of the past.

Although those still are readily available, premium varieties on the market show a bit more complexity with hints of berry, apple or oak.

Of course, the premium entries are more expensive. For example, a Chardonnay can run $20 for a box that contains the equivalent of four bottles, whereas the lower quality five-liter boxes sell for between $6 and $10 for more than 6 bottles of wine.

The premium boxes are still a steal, however, because one quality bottle can cost $10 to $30 or more.

Box wine manufacturers can afford to charge less for quality when the packaging materials are far less expensive.

And of course, you can't beat the convenience. You can take a box of wine just about anywhere or you can leave it at home and not worry that it will go bad. Box wines stay fresh for as long as four weeks after they're opened because the boxes contain a vacuum-sealed bag that prevents the wine from being exposed to air.

"A box just kind of sits in the fridge and I don't have to think about it," said Waller.

Box wines are worth toasting [Detroit Free Press]

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March 31, 2007

Music Craftsmanship

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The Cool Hunter: Techno craftsman Gresso (http://www.gresso.com) are better known for their African Blackwood mobile phones. The collection of phones are beautifully constructed out of 200 year old wood and have placed Gresso in a unique market where wooden craftsmanship meets technology. Now, Gresso have developed their own line of MP3 players called, The Symphonia Collection. The model is again crafted from African Black wood, whilst the front panel is made of a scratch resistant 18 carat gold surface. The idea behind it's conception is for the Symphonia to be worn as a piece of jewelry rather than an MP3 on a lanyard. With this exceptional finish, this is easily achieved. The Symphonia Collection holds 1 GB of memory and when it debuts later this year will be priced between US$4000 - $6500.

The $6000 MP3 Player [The Cool Hunter]

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February 28, 2007

Indoor Grill

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BornRich: If the drop in temperature has made the grilled delicacies a thing of the past, then this DeLonghi Healthy Indoor Grill will bring the grilling season again! The all-weather grill cooks with a combination of contact and radiant heat and it’s removable stainless steel drip tray allows excess fat to drip away, providing low-fat food and smoke-free indoor grilling. The indoor grill features double coated non-stick cast iron grill plate which releases foods easily and distributes heat evenly for consistent results. Adjustable thermostat ranges from high (455 degrees) to low (350 degrees) settings and the large cooking surface can cook a meal for your entire family in just a matter of few minutes.

DeLonghi Healthy Indoor Grill [BornRich]

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January 26, 2007

Baby Planners

The Observer UK: Never have there been so many ways for busy professionals to outsource their lives. Now, perhaps inevitably, it's the turn of their babies.

No need for expectant parents to wade through books or trudge round shops for the latest products guaranteed to turn others green with envy. Instead, for a fee of up to £2,500, parents-to-be can sit back while every detail of the pregnancy, their child's birth and their new family's early years is arranged on their behalf.

'We will organise everything from sourcing the best baby carrier to creating the baby's bedroom and arranging parent confidence classes,' said Keely Paice, founder of Baby Planners and the former editor of an international business magazine. 'Once baby arrives, we will hire the best maternity nurse, shortlist nannies and nurseries, advise on feeding patterns and help with establishing routine. In addition, we will be on call by phone and email 24 hours a day for one-to-one advice.'

The average woman, said Paice, spends between 150 and 250 hours preparing for her first child. 'Our service might seem like another entry on a long list of unexpected expenses, but we can save time, money and hassle,' said Paice, who has two young children. 'The market for baby products has never been more competitive or confusing. I've met a woman who wasted hundreds of pounds buying three pushchairs because she kept choosing inappropriate models.'

The service has dozens of clients on its books, and Paice has been contacted by nine companies worldwide who want to franchise her idea.

Busy mums call in 'baby planners' at £2,500 a go [The Observer UK]

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December 13, 2006

Chewy Birth Controls

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Strange New Products: A pharmaceutical company, Warner Chilcott, announced today the availability of a new chewable birth control pill with a refreshing spearmint flavor.

The product, called "Femcon Fe", is billed as the first and only FDA-approved chewable birth control pill. The company says that one of the leading causes of oral contraceptive failure is not consistently taking these pills everyday. By making it chewable, and tasty, it'll allow women to have more fun.

On a serious note, the Warner Chilcott also says that a chewable form will provide an alternative to women who experience "breakthough bleeding" with traditional birth control pills.

Birth Control Breath Mints [Strange New Products]

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November 11, 2006

Luxurious Bath

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BornRich: In the past, we have told you about stylish waterproof TV sets for your bathroom, to make your bathroom more luxurious and to give all those couch-potatoes, a reason to leave their idiot-boxes for a refreshing shower. But, I do think, we have given you very less options for a bathtub combo that includes a built-in TV, if you want it that way! So, going with one, The Luxor hydro massage bathtub that is though not-at-all as alluring as the one from CalSpas with a 42″ auto-rising plasma TV. But, it features a 14 LCD screen with video input, adjustable air & water massage jets at the bottom with underwater lighting at the base and built in shampoo and body wash dispensers.

Luxor Hydro Massage Bathtub With Built-In TV [BornRich]

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September 22, 2006

One Stop Cut

photo_blog_guise.jpgJosh Spears: Would you believe me if I were to tell you there was a place where one could get a haircut, a shave, shop and enjoy a cocktail? Well for you Chicagoans, this might just be your lucky day. Guise, located on Halsted in Lincoln Park, is the creation of Brad Habansky who was looking to create a one-stop shop where men felt comfortable; and that he did. In the front of this swank establishment is numerous barber chairs each featuring their very own plasma television. The main draw for me is the comfort of being able to get a good haircut (*cough* and manicure) and not have to worry about looking to prissy in front of your female counterparts, but the shopping at Guise is not too shabby either.

Guise Chicago [Josh Spears]

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September 13, 2006

Ready Daddy

photo_blog_dadtooolbag.jpgBabygadget: As a young father, I hate the stereotype you often see on television and commercials of the bumbling dad. Does it take us a touch longer to pick up some skills when it comes to child-rearing? Sure, but that doesn't mean that we remain bumbling for the rest of our lives. I always enjoy when I come across products that are made for fathers, and also keep us better organized without making us feel like idiots. The Daddy's Tool Bag does all these things, and at $45 is also affordable.

The bag has a nice, manly look, and includes all the pockets and flaps you'd expect from a good diaper bag. The real value comes from the included vinyl changing mat, as well as a video that gives good step-by-step instructions on things such as bottles, diapering, car seats, and other baby skills.

The Daddy's Tool Bag keeps Dads organized and ready to go [Babygadget]

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September 5, 2006

SkyVentureArizona

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TrendCentral: Catering to those thrill seekers with an aversion to heights, airplanes, or both, SkyVenture boasts a true skydiving experience – without going outside. Resembling a space station smack in the middle of a desert landscape, the Arizona location features a vertical wind tunnel 14 feet in diameter and 15 feet long, with wind speeds of 150 mph to simulate a free falling experience. No prior skydiving is necessary, and potential “jumpers” need only a 20 minute training to participate. For interested flyers not located in the Eloy area, SkyVenture has facilities all over the country and around the world, so now there’s no excuse not to jump.

SkyVentureArizona [TrendCentral]

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August 30, 2006

Chumby

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Engadget: If Chumby, maker of this rugby ball-sized computer by the same name, has its way, then it will replace all of our bedside digital clocks with a stripped-down computer stuffed in a cuddly exterior case. Apparently the Chumby is designed to be a little hackable nugget that will play Flash applications (known in Chumby-speak as "widgets") that can do various other things like (you guessed it): play music, check your RSS feeds, and display your photos. Inside this little furball is a 266 MHz CPU, 32MB SDRAM, 64MB Flash RAM, 320 x 240 3-inch screen, two USB ports, 2W speakers, and WiFi.

Chumby, the snuggly bedside computer [Engadget]

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August 29, 2006

Armed Ladies

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LuxuryLaunches.com: A unique artistic fusion of two genders - feminine embellishments to the masculine weapons! Antonio Riello has spruced up of real military weapons into fashion items for ladies. Ladies Weapons are born from the most outstanding contemporary Italian features: the obsession for personal security and the passion for elegance and fashion. Contemporary military weaponry is restyled by the artist as high fashion accessories for sophisticated ladies. Using leopard skins, brightly lacquered colors, inset jewels and fake furs, Antonio creates a range of specialized items for wives of mafia bosses, arms dealers, sophisticated ladies and exigent soldiers.

Weapons for Women - Furry Guns and Jeweled Grenades! [LuxuryLaunches.com]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:28 AM  |  Lifestyle & Luxury  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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August 25, 2006

Media Immersion

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The New York Times: All cities takes a toll, and at times all city dwellers have to take their leave. When life in Istanbul gets too stressful, people can head to the baths. In Rio there's the beach. In Tokyo, though, the antidote to urban overload is more of the same. In the world's most media-saturated city, people take a break by checking themselves into media immersion pods: warrens cluttered with computers, TV's, video games and every other entertainment of the electronic age.

The Bagus Gran Cyber Cafés are Tokyo's grand temples of infomania. Situated well above retail level, on the odd floor number where in Manhattan you might find tarot readers or nail salons, these establishments contain row after row of anonymous cubicles. At first glance the spread looks officelike, but be warned: these places are drug dens for Internet addicts.

The first Gran Cyber Café opened in 1999. Today there are 10, serving some 5,000 people a day. Each has a slightly different orientation — some are geared to teenagers, some to salarymen — but the atmosphere is the same throughout the franchise: equal parts lending library, newsstand, arcade, Kinko's and youth hostel. An inspired extension of the basic Internet cafe, the Gran Cyber Cafés shift their meaning the more you study them, as if by a trick of their trademark low light.

In Tokyo, the New Trend Is 'Media Immersion Pods' [The New York Times]

By Marcel Sim @ 3:47 AM  |  Lifestyle & Luxury  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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July 12, 2006

Floating Bed

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Stuff Magazine: Back in our formative years we were mighty impressed by the levitating pens in the Science Museum shop, and now somebody’s taken the concept to exciting new heights by making a floating bed.

You can credit a Dutchman by the name of Janjaap Ruijssenaars for making one of the coolest pieces of furniture we’ve ever seen. He’s apparently dedicated the last six years of his life to the project, which is wholly understandable – we can’t think of anything more worthwhile.

There’s no anti-gravity gubbins involved; it merely uses magnets to stay off the ground, can carry a weight of 900kg and is held in place by some virtually invisible tethers.

Only the wealthiest of heads will be able to rest on its pillows anyway – a full-sized model is expected to cost €1.2 million (£832,000).

Behold the floating bed [Stuff Magazine UK]

By Yuelin Toh @ 5:13 AM  |  Lifestyle & Luxury  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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June 27, 2006

Butterfly from American Express

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American Express: AMEX has introduced the the new Butterfly card. It is a stylish new companion exclusively for American Express® Gold Card members. The Butterfly card works interchangeably with your traditional American Express® Gold Card. Even though it has a different Card number, it’s linked to your regular Card account with all the same benefits and services.

Butterfly from American Express [American Express]

By Yuelin Toh @ 4:05 PM  |  Lifestyle & Luxury  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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June 20, 2006

Luxury Bed + TV

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PORTALINO: What could be better than watching TV in bed? How about watching TV in bed on a TV that’s built into the bed? Using a wireless remote, you can activate the TV that rises out of the foot of the bed like a display-screen in some James Bond villain’s hideout.

The TV is only 22”, but it should be large enough since it’s so close to you. Also built into the bed, an electronic leveling system. The only downside, as it usually is with cool products, is the price. $25,900 for this bed. We don’t think many people would buy a bed that’s worth more than their cars.

Luxury bed with built-in TV [PORTALINO]

By Yuelin Toh @ 5:08 PM  |  Lifestyle & Luxury  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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June 16, 2006

Fusion Fitness

TrendCentral: These fusion workouts combine the intimacy of personal training with the challenge of boot camp-style conditioning in private, class-like settings. Each session targets the five key elements of a complete fitness program—strength & endurance training, flexibility, and balance & core work. Juliet Kaska, fitness guru and owner of L.A.’s Emerson Hall Fitness created these three-times-a-week-for-five-weeks programs exclusively for her famous Zen-mod training studio by pulling from a multitude of her favorite exercise methods (resistance training, yoga, boxing, cross training, plyometrics and pilates) and incorporating nutritional food and whole health guidance.

Hybrid Fitness Programs [TrendCentral]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:46 AM  |  Lifestyle & Luxury  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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June 1, 2006

Authentic Cigars

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Iconoculture: Care to smoke dessert? Forget about those artifically flavored, sugar-soaked drugstore stogies of yesteryear. Young smokers are sucking up a more dignified breed of cigar, with sophisticated aromatic essences of exotic fruits, herbs or crushed coffee beans subtly infused into the tobacco.

Drew Estate’s ACID line contains flavors like Extra Ordinary Larry and Kuba Kuba, which contain varying degrees of herbal aroma and exotic spice that complement the leaves. CAO sparks discriminating palates with Moontrance, containing bourbon vanilla and exotic fruits, or Karma SutraSplash, with authentic dashes of mango and chocolate mint ice cream. It may sound like kids’ stuff, but the flavors are good enough to make the grownup dessert menu.

As with coffee and fine spirits, partakers of cigars are looking to take their experience up a notch with artisanal ingredients and handcrafted style.

Fancy foodie cigars infused with authentic flavors are good enough to eat [Iconoculture]

By Steven Teo @ 1:55 PM  |  Lifestyle & Luxury  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link