Logitech Squeezebox Radio Is THE 21st Century Clock Radio

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Daisy B

Once upon a time, way back in the prehistoric days of the 20th century, the recently discontinued Sony Dream Machine was the alarm clock/radio for the quality-obsessed. It offered fairly good sound for a clock radio, it allowed you to set two alarms so that you and Honey could achieve your distinct definitions of “sleeping in,” and eventually Sony added an iPod dock, adding to the (horrifyingly annoying) buzzer the option of awakening to the music of your choice if your local broadcast radio stations hadn’t identified a niche narrow enough to satisfy your Elton John obsession each and every waking morning. And this, you’d think, would be as good as it would get: dimming clock, personal music player, mini-stereo sound, dual alarms . . . enough to make you GET UP, ALREADY, AND STOP YELLING AT YOUR STUPID ALARM CLOCK. (Sorry; my morning issue, not yours …) If your quest for a better clock stopped here, or at an equivalent place, with bored resignation, your mornings are about to change for the better.

 

 

Logitech’s Squeezebox Radio, once in range of the wireless Wi-Fi router that we all have now, rockets you from the 3 or 4 halfway decent analog stations that even in a major city have to be tuned in manually to the 37 googatrillion or so Internet stations that are out there. It will find most of them for you, with its intuitive interface and friendly knobs, or you can use your account at mysqueezebox.com to enter any obscure URL that offers live streaming. The alarms are darn near infinitely programmable (don’t need it on Sunday? – neither do I – just set it for 5 or 6 days a week). It’s engineered to play streaming Internet – hasn’t had to take a buffering break yet. It’s good-looking and rock solid, and you can get one in black, red or Steve Jobs white. The sound, while mono, is surprisingly decent – high praise from an audio snob like me. You can pay extra for a remote, which you don’t need – there’re apps for your iPhone, iPad or Android – and a battery, which you might want for portability.

The absolute, life-changing killer app, though, is you can play Spotify. Get a Premium Spotify subscription for 1o bucks a month and suddenly you aren’t tethered to the front of your computer, you can get those 13 million songs from all those virtual CDs streamed right to your night table. You may never have to buy another CD or song from iTunes.

Available from Amazon.

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Spotify Brings You Almost Any CD, Ever

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Maxwell Perkins

Back in more primitive times (say, before July 2011 in the U.S.), if you wanted to hear a song right then, you had a few choices, none of them very good. You could call up one of your local FM stations and make a request (good luck with that) or go to a store that sold CDs (of which there are fewer and fewer: Tower and Borders are gone). More realistically, you could buy it on iTunes after listening to the free 30 seconds. But what if you didn’t especially want to buy it, but you did want to hear more music by the same artist? YouTube has a lot of music videos, but the audio is sadly lacking. Now, however, we have Spotify:

View of Spotify ScreenSpotify is just like having a giant-size collection of CDs, with over 15 million songs, and it’s as if they are pre-loaded into a jukebox: they’re just there. You can try it for free, just to prove to yourself that you really have all that music, but Premium is the way to go, so that for a mere $9.99 a month you can use it on your smartphone and have a higher quality bitrate. You may never need to buy another CD (or song on iTunes, for that matter).

I know what you’re thinking, though: listening to music on a computer is just hopelessly lame, and I completely agree. You have to get the music onto a real audio device, like the powerful receiver you have hooked up to your speakers. There are any number of ways to skin that cat, and you have to decide what works for you. Wires are the best, either a gold-plated adapter from the audio out on the computer to the RCA inputs on your stereo or even better, use a Behringer USB interface. If wires don’t work for you (or someone in your household with veto power), there are other options. I’m a huge fan of the Logitech Squeezebox Radio (stay tuned for a future post), but there are also Apple Airports and Apple TVs (don’t forget the 3rd party Airfoil) and Bluetooth hardware. I don’t want to say Spotify will change your life, but it changed mine – for the better.

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Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 is #1 for the Best Winter Lip Maintenance

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Daisy B

That chill in the air means it’s time to snuggle.  Yay, snuggling. Hot cocoa, warm sweaters, crunchy leaves, watching football on the couch, all while huddled up with Honey.  Of course you’ll want your lips to be kissably soft for all that snuggling, so this is the time to pick up some good lip balm that will get you through the next two seasons.  No need to think too hard about it; head right over to Saks, Neiman’s, Nordstrom, or the nearest Kiehl’s store, and get yourself a tube of Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1. 

It costs $7.50.  That is more than you’d pay for Chapstick.   You will forgive yourself.  Why?  Because hands — or lips — down, this lip balm is the best lip balm you will ever buy.  Its ingredients include wheat germ oil and aloe, it goes on smoothly without that waxy feeling, it contains sunscreen and protects your lips from the elements, and just the lightest layer provides a base for some of those lipsticks (though not the all-day kind) that tend to dry out your lips. 

A heavier layer at bedtime softens your lips while you sleep.   It also soothes dry cuticles, heals small cuts, and in a pinch, can be used to smooth and finish your brows.   You’ll be so well-groomed, the kisses will be endless.  When you think of it that way, $7.50 is kind of a bargain.

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LEGO Is the Toy for All Occasions

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Maxwell Perkins

As I  write a post about Lego (not Legos), I start to hear the long-ago voice of my seventh grade English teacher, Miss White, warning me not to pick such a broad topic. I would always think it would be easier to do a ten page paper about, say, the Civil War, but she would tell us that it would be easier to pick something like the Battle of Gettysburg, or even better, the South’s retreat from the Battle of Gettysburg. With that in mind, let me be clear that the subject of this post is not Lego, but the sheer variety of Lego. Brightly-colored interlocking blocks from Denmark, available since 1949, and with quality control to make them snap together but still come apart with the strength of a child’s grip, have spread to playrooms in every country.

There are 62 times as many Lego pieces as there are people in the world, and Lego is the largest producer of (very small) vehicle tires. Now, however, there are many, many Lego toy assembly kits: Star Wars, Harry Potter, SpongeBob, Ferrari, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bionicles, trains, Mindstorms robots, Indiana Jones, Bionicle, Hero Factory, Toy Story – and more coming out every year. So how do you know which ones to get? That’s the easy part: every Lego set is designed for children of a certain age range, has a set number of pieces, giving you an idea of how complex they are to build. Check out the Lego Web site to get an idea of how you can slice and dice their vast universe of products so that you end up with something that is perfect for the child’s skill level, interests and costs exactly what you want to spend. For example, my son is 8, and I like trains, I want to spend about $100, so I think I’ll order the Emerald Night …

   … except, wait a minute, it’s for age 14+. I’ll guess I’ll just have to help him play with it.

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Hunter Wellington Boots Actually Keep Your Feet Dry

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Daisy B

For years I searched for the perfect inclement-weather boots.  As a shoe fanatic, I have more than a dozen pairs of fashion boots — knee-high, thigh-high, ankle-high, booties, in black, brown, suede, kid, patent, plus more pairs of Uggs than one woman could ever wear . . . — so many boots, but nothing to wear when it’s cold and wet — or just wet.  I mean, seriously, I lovelovelove my Uggs. They’re like fluffy bedroom slippers I can wear to the mall — but in the rain or snow?  Well, let’s just say that no one would ever lug wet sheep as ankle weights . . . .  So here I was, ultra-fashionable yet completely unprepared for the one occasion when boots are unequivocally required.  Finally, after many uncomfortable moments with several pairs of allegedly waterproof fashion boots, Hunter Wellington boots stepped into my life.

Front view of Hunter Wellington rain boots

Ah, Wellies.  Such a functional, fashionable boot.  Though mine are in basic black with a matte finish, you’ve probably noticed them on the feet of strangers, or in relatively upscale department stores, in an assortment of colors and styles.  The tall ones look just like riding boots — in fact, if I still rode, I would wear them to the barn (still in black, of course), because they’re waterproof and rubber AND they have a little heel to keep your feet in the stirrups, so you could ride in them and then, even if they get mucked up, they’re easy to clean. Rear view of Hunter Wellington rain boots 

But you probably don’t need a barn-proof boot that keeps your feet from sliding out of the stirrups of a saddle.  You only need a boot that enables you to commute more confidently in the damp, drizzly, humid weather that climate change will apparently force us to endure for the rest of our lives, no matter where we live.

These are the boots for you.  They are toasty in cool, wet weather, but not so hot that your feet swelter in warmer temps.  Inside the top of the boot, you’ll notice the Royal Warrant, “By Appointment of Her Majesty the Queen,” and you must assume the Windsors know something about all-weather boots.

Inside view of Hunter Wellington boots showing Royal Warrant

 

No wonder the Queen loves them:  their timeless classic style, their seamless water resistance, their pillow-like rubber sole (you know, like those awful Crocs, but SO much more stylish) . . . what’s not to love?    Hunter Wellingtons come in multiple colors and have an endless assortment of fleece liners to keep you both dry and warm and to coordinate with any outfit or mood.Hunter Wellingtom rain boots with fleece liner

 

In black, brown, or navy, matte or glossy, Wellies are conservative enough to ease a sloppy work slog through wet or slushy city streets.  In the rainbow of alternative colors, they can illuminate the most dreary weekend.  Either way, once you have them, the liberating walk straight through a puddle instead of the ginger step over it might restore your youthful exuberance to the point that you actually look forward to the rain.

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Bic Metal Razor Is Perfect For Your Carry-On Bag

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Maxwell Perkins

If you are going to fly somewhere and stay there for a while, you will need something like the Bic Metal disposable razor. We love our vintage Gillette razors and our incredibly sharp Japanese Feather double-edged blades, but when we go on trips, we have to bear in mind that the TSA employees don’t share that warm feeling for cold steel. Bic Sensitive with Bic Metal Razor

The blades will come right out of your carry-on bag, and what’s the use of a razor with no blades? Don’t even try it. Leave the Gillette or the Merkur safely at home, and bring a nice safe disposable or two instead. I’m not usually a fan of throwaway plastic items that will end up clogging landfills for eternity, but we’ll have to make an exception for these.

Bic Metal Razor and Sensitive Blade EndsUnfortunately, Bic doesn’t distribute the Metal razor in North America much anymore. So unless you just happen to see them in a store, you have to order them online here, directly from Bic. They are a bargain at two bucks for a five-pack, so order more than one and combine the shipping. Why are the Bic Metal Razors worth the hassle over the orange ones that you can get anywhere? Glad you asked. The handle is longer and round, so you can spin it those few degrees to get just the right angle, and the narrower blade end is easier to maneuver. The blade is stainless steel and the blade guard is as well. They are higher quality, more aggressive razors and are much more fun to use. I also admire the design and the classic black and white color scheme. If you are going to have cheap disposable razors with you on vacation or a business trip, it is best to have ones that are easy on the eyes. I ordered fifteen, so we should have enough for quite a few trips.

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The Corby Pants Press Will Free You From Ironing and Dry Cleaning Bills

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Maxwell Perkins

Why do you need a Corby Pants Press? Just as washing your car makes it more likely to rain, wearing a recently dry cleaned suit will, too. Those of us who must include some walking in their daily commute will find that the smallest sprinkle (sometimes even high humidity) will make the fresh crease disappear without a trace forever (or at least until the next dry cleaning). You can, of course, plug in your trusty Rowenta iron and iron in a new crease, but it’s a lot like work. Set up the ironing board, find a pressing cloth to put in between so the pants don’t get too shiny, iron through the pressing cloth so you can’t really see what you’re doing, then hang the pants up for next time. You should do it right away so you don’t leave them lying around in their messy wrinkled state. The Corby Pants Press is so much easier and it does a better job. Just open the front, slide the pants all the way down until they hit the bottom and then close it. It’s designed so that the bottom edge will grab the cuffs of the pants and stretch them a little to start getting the wrinkles out. Turn the timer knob until it stops and you’re done. It shuts off after a half hour, but you get better results if you leave them in for a while, like overnight. I’ve had one for a long time, ever since I saw a trouser press in a hotel in England and wanted to have one in my room at home. So long, in fact, that the round timer switch eventually gave up. The press still worked, and I didn’t want to shell out $250 for a new one, so I ultimately got an appliance repairman to just wire in a generic 30-minute wall timer. Works perfectly, and and almost fits in the same space as the original one.

You, too, can have the high-end European hotel look, and freedom from ironing.

Affordability: 5                  Luxury: 9

Available from Amazon or order exactly what you want from the Corby of Windsor Web site

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Handmade Soap: Smells Great, Made Locally and Comes In Many Varieties

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Maxwell Perkins

Everyone needs soap, and everyone knows where to get it, right? In the aisle of the big supermarket or the big drugstore. You can make your own, too. Just watch Fight Club or read the book and visit the dumpster at the local liposuction clinic (never mind …). Both answers are wrong, sorry. The best place to get it (and body wash, and shampoo, and candles) is to follow your nose into a place like Duross and Langel in Philadelphia (and then follow it around once you’re inside). I went there looking for something exfoliating in bar form; that would be steve’s seed soap – perfect … or maybe the round orange one with the slice of loofah already inside – also perfect (must. get. both.). Then I smelled the sea clay and I had to get that, too. I realized I needed some of the peppermint and pumice foot soap and the bay rum shaving soap – I guess that’s all for right now. See?

That’s just what happens in a store like that. Steve Duross, the real person who makes the soap, was kind enough to explain a few things to me. For example, he makes it with a ph of 5.5 so it’s close to the natural acid mantle of your skin. His soap won’t dry your skin out like the “moisturizing” soap in the drugstore with a ph of 10 or so that’s supposed to make you feel “squeaky clean” – that is, dried out. They use 100% recycled paper for their shopping bags and locally source practically all of their ingredients, including the glass bottles and jars. It’s all made fresh in the spotless workroom above the shop (another source of the smell; it’s very pleasant but not overpowering).

Lots of big cities, upscale malls and resorts have handmade soap stores and like Duross and Langel, also sell online. And no, it’s not made of um, animal fat – it’s mostly made of coconut oil.

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California Car Duster Keeps Your Car Clean and Saves Water

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Maxwell Perkins

The California Duster is the perfect way to get dust off the car’s finish.

I love riding in a clean car. Maybe it’s genetic, but if my car needs to be washed, I just worry about when I’ll have the time to get it clean. The cars are garaged most of the time, but they still seem to pick up a thin layer of regular dust and brake dust. Through some quirk of the space/time/matter continuum, Daisy’s car, which is new and shiny black, ends up coated with fine snow white particles; mine, which is vintage (meaning old) and white, gets coated with what looks like jet-black coal dust. Too bad it can’t be the other way around. In any event, the dust looks OK for a while, but a few drops of rain will mix with the dirt and suddenly the cars look filthy and need to be thoroughly rinsed off with fresh water, if you have a layer of good wax, or washed with car wash if you don’t. The California Duster is the perfect way to be proactive, and keep the car looking clean nearly all the time. When the car is recently clean, dry and shiny, just keep an eye on it for a few days until it starts to get a little dusty, then take a few minutes (really, that’s all it takes) and dust it off with the California duster.

You will be gratified at how much better it looks and it will go that much longer between water washes. You can dust your car every day, or just when it needs it, and it will go longer between washes with water and look good the whole time.

It even comes with a case to keep the dust off the inside of your trunk.

Almost sounds too good to be true. What’s the catch? Doesn’t seem to be one: they are relatively cheap and no, they don’t scratch the paint. True hard-core motorheads use them to dust off their Ferraris and Rolls-Royces (or pay other people to do it).

Available from Amazon

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Bahama Towel Chaise Covers Will Stay Put In The Summer Breezes

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Daisy B

As Max has mentioned, the hottest summer on record (until next year, at least) is finally here, and that means it’s time to SWIM!!!  How I love the pool!  The mindlessly repetitive, vigorously relaxing laps; the sound of the water lapping at the pool’s edge; the exuberant shouts of “Marco . . . Polo!” from children finally sprung free from the encumbrance of their winter routine; the smell of expensive sunblock . . . .  Anyway, at some point you must get out of the pool, at least to take a rest, dry off, and catch up on that summer reading you’ve been planning for months.  Your towel on the chair, however, can be the bane of your poolside existence.  You spread it along the length of the chair and sit down, and no sooner have you reached page 15 of Freedom by Jonathan Franzen than your towel has slithered down behind your back, depriving your wet skin of the plush layer between it and the surface of that hot chair — or worse, flopped over your face, interrupting your compelling story.  If you were at, say, the Ritz-Carlton, you would not have this problem; the Ritz has chaise towels with a pocket at one end.  Slip the pocket over the top of the chair, and voila!  No more floppy towel.  Sadly, you are not at the Ritz.  You are at your local swim or country club with your own beach towel — or the club’s — which likely does not have that pocket.  Now you can replicate that luxurious poolside experience at home, with the Bahama Towel Chaise Cover.  Just like at your favorite fancy resort, the Bahama Towel Chaise Cover has a pocket at one end to slide over the top of your chair, keeping the towel in place, and even better, it has a side pocket that hangs at arm’s length for your sunglasses/book/lotion/other favorite sunbathing supply. They’re plush, and they’re inexpensive, too:  while the Ritz-Carlton, which sells theirs, offers the towels for upwards of $40, you can get your very own Bahama Towel for about $23.  Max, who cares not much at all about things like beach towels, wanted one as soon as he saw it; your family will, too.

Available at Amazon

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