Category Archives: Gadgets & Accessories

Valentines For The Adventure Chick

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valentine's day

My boyfriend announced yesterday that we won’t be celebrating Valentines Day. Uh, not an option. It’s not like he comes home every day with flowers and a bottle wine. He’s a great guy who represents quite well but sometimes a girl likes a little extra. And, so, we have a national holiday that boosts retail sales and our feminine egos. The women of the world deserve a day of love and sweetness even if it has to be forced upon the male populace.

The problem is that most people hate mandated gifting days because all of a sudden they have to buy the perfect gift. Being an outdoorsy partner can also present its obstacles. Flowers and chocolates? Nice, but unoriginal and zero energy. If you dig a little deeper, however; nothing terribly traumatizing like open heart surgery, you can find some tender, little, “I love you!” trinkets, that get the message across the way we would want.

P.S. Guys, DO NOT give your gal workout wear for VDay. No matter how great (or expensive) those shorts or yoga pants are, you might as well have handed her a card that says, “You’re looking a little fat. Please exercise more.” On the flipside, however, we  wouldn’t complain about a PrAna or Athleta giftcard.

Get out of the doghouse:

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Phunkshun Wear infinity scarves and neckgaiters– Keep her warm, dry and still fashionable with these uber awesomely designed “neck tubes” from Colorado. The thermal tube with Polartec on the inside is water repellant and freeze resistant on the outside. Bonus: a portion of the sales go to the High Fives Foundation. $19-29.

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Bodipure Keratin Hand and Foot Gloves– If a spa giftcard feels impersonal, fix up a little basket of these combo moisturizing glove packets for a stay-at-home mani/pedi. The waterless, self-activating keratin treatment will pamper and bring life back to dry, winter-damaged hands and feet. $9.95 for a pair of each.

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Maria Shireen Hair Tie Bracelet– You ever notice those indents in her wrists from hair ties? Give her something that’s both stylish and functional with these gorgeous bangles. The unique design cleverly hides the band and creates a fun fashion accessory. $35-120

 

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Il Morso coffee chocolates– Energetic chicks love caffeine and they love chocolate. A gift of these little artisan tabs loaded with up to 18 mg of caffeine mix romance with fun. She’ll remember you every time she pulls one from her pocket for on-the-go pep. $60 for 40/ct.

 

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Cairn Subscription Box– Make it a surprise for both of you if you aren’t sure what to get for your adventurous other. The company delivers outdoorsy type products – anything from socks to lanterns for a flat $25 per month. You never know what’s inside from month to month. Go for a three to 12-month subscription for the gift that keeps on giving.

 

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Barefoot Eco Outfitters Red Moose Jogger Pants– While it’s unseemly to present exercise gear on Valentine’s Day, there’s nothing wrong with loungewear. But be careful. If you gift these unisex pants made of soft Eco Tri-blend fleece, organic cotton and rayon, you may never get her out of them. Well, at least they are more form-fitting than most sweatpants. $45

 

 

 

Official Disneyland App Is A Must For Your Summer Visit

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If you’re like me- a Disney geek who’s constantly playing with her smartphone- you’ll appreciate the effort Disneyland is making to keep us all connected. There are a zillion third-party Disneyland apps but now there’s something from the horse’s mouth.

Pros

Find the fun faster with maps of attractions, restaurants and shops. Check attraction wait times, most Character appearance schedules and entertainment show times. My fave is that you can find the closest bathroom and drinking fountain with the Disneyland app. The wait times seem to be quite accurate so if you’d rather not aimlessly wander throughout the park you’ll be checking the app frequently for effective time management.

You can even purchase park tickets instantly from your phone or mobile device. Simply show the barcode at the gate for admission when you first arrive — no ticket booth lines to stand in or e-tickets to print out. but then you won’t have a cute Mickey ticket for a souvenir.

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Annual Passholders can also link their Annual Passports to the Disneyland App to check Blockout Dates and use the app’s virtual Pass feature to enter the parks (actual Annual Passport must be presented to obtain Disney FASTPASS tickets or to receive Passholder discounts).

 

CONS

The app isn’t without a few drawbacks. Maybe imagineers planned to put the FastPass on the backburner but users grumble about the lack of details in that department. As much as I’d like the convenience of being able to get a FP directly from the app, all of the passes would be gone in seconds if that was an option. There’s something to be said for legwork.

If you click a particular ride in the app it will say whether it offers a FP option but you have to hunt for the actual FP tab. It’s under the Guest Services tab and then the ‘list’ button on the right. That’s a lot of clicking. A dedicated FP tab could also give current return times, which machines are in service and for what attractions. That would be sweet. When I was at Disney Paris more than half of the FastPass machines were shuttered and you wouldn’t know until you jogged over to them. The CMs would tell you they’re out of order and check back. You would go back two or three times to see and they would still be down. Total waste of valuable ride time.

The Disney app is also missing dining wait times and the ability to make and modify reservations. When you click for reservations it takes you to the Disney website but that is obviously something that can be handled within the app.

But really the BIGGEST PROBLEM OF ALL doesn’t have to do with the app itself. Cell reception is spotty in most areas of the park. Management needs to boost the towers so the app is more effective or at least make it so that the app can be used offline. It works that way for the Disney Cruise app, why not for the Parks app?

All in all, however, if you’re planning a trip to Disneyland this summer it’s something you’ll want on the tips of your fingers every minute of your trip.

Download the official Disneyland App at disneyland.com/magic or from the App Store and on Google Play.

*Mobile app ticket sales are available for U.S. and Japan Residents only.

Cairn Box Review For December!

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My Cairn Box has arrived. In fact, I have two boxes to reveal. The first came just before the holidays and I was so busy teaching that I didn’t have time for my other projects like acting, playing with the pooch, writing, reading, cooking, and life in general.

And so, the two boxes sat on my dresser waiting and watching me as I rushed back and forth in ski gear, out of ski gear and off to dinner with clients. This Christmas (compared to the past three seasons) has been surprisingly good. The early snow in the west and the lack of snow in the east has inspired skiers to visit our Beehive State. I am the happy recipient of families looking to improve their ski technique and enhance their overall vacation experience. Seriously, that’s what happens when you take a ski lesson. It makes a ski trip 10x better.

I finally busted open the first parcel. The December box hit the mark- it came with a Lithium 4400 battery pack that fits easily in my pocket to charge my cell two times. Ryan gave me a green screen to play with so this reveal is the perfect opportunity to take it for a test drive.

The setup was simple and there are tons of tutorials on YouTube that helped me figure out how to apply background images using my PowerDirector program. The one thing no one mentioned, however, is that whatever color is in your background should not be in your foreground. You’ll see what I mean when you watch my review……

 

See what else was inside the box.

Review: November Cairn Box Arrives!

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It’s month #2 for my Cairn monthly subscription box. The company delivers outdoorsy type products for adventurers for a flat $25 per month. Every month is a surprise because you never know what’s in the box from month to month.

If you’re hunting for a killer gift idea this Christmas and you have the money, go for a three to 12-month subscription to be sent to your adventurous friend or family member. They will love it!!

As you will seewhen you watch this latest review, however, not every box is a hit but it’s still fun to dig through the offerings. But your friends won’t care because they didn’t pay for it. 😉

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