Feel the Funk

The Moka Espresso pot is a staple in many Italian homes. Many of us have actually seen this classic pot, usually made of aluminum with black handles and flat sides. The Moka pot has a unique way of creating a rich cup of delicious espresso. Traditionally a 3-part stove top coffee maker, you place your finely ground coffee in the midsection filter compartment and your water in the base section. As the water starts to heat, the rising steam will push up through the filter compartment, brewing the coffee into the upper section. The tricky part of course is making sure it doesn’t boil, leaving you with burnt coffee. De’Longhi has taken the guess-work out of Moka Espresso-making with it’s DeLonghi Alicia Electric Moka Espresso Maker. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a special place in a lot of hearts for trees that are famous for their blossoms and while most people will cite cherry blossoms, to me they’re eclipsed by the impact of Crabapples. Another big attraction with many of the bonsai Crabapples is that the fruit will set so well on these bonsais and they will outlast the cherries any day of the week.If you’re interested in a flowering/fruiting outdoor bonsai and you’d like to try something a little different here’s a wonderful Manchurian Crabapple Pre-bonsai that’s totally worth a closer look. Read the rest of this entry »

The Recycled Paper Yoga Mat Bag is so strong and spacious that you might find other useful ways of using it. These bags are so attractive and environmentally friendly that you may find strangers asking you where you would purchase them. Read the rest of this entry »

Clinical studies have indicated that lycopene, a carotenoid commonly found in tomatoes, has shown promise of reducing cancer risks amongst people eating at least 10 servings of tomato-based products weekly.  People on the Mediterranean Diet, rich in tomato products, has reflected the same results.  Studies on other carotenoids and beta carotene has shown no reduction in cancer risks.  Cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration has indicated reduced occurrence as well. Read the rest of this entry »

Nowadays, there are many wholesale designer sunglasses that are widely available on the market. There are absolutely a plethora of shapes, designs, colors and sizes that one can choose from. Designer sunglasses are able to accessorize any style of outfit for a more glamorous look especially if you are attending an important event. Generally, owning a pair of designer sunglasses is a status symbol that enables a person to show everyone that he or she has the means to buy them. Each designer sunglasses promote different distinctive look for every individual out there. Read the rest of this entry »

I was searching for the perfect birthday gift for my cousin last Monday and decided to forgo the jewelry shops in favor of the internet. That was an excellent idea! Mostly because I found this detailed sterling silver turtle pendant which I never would have known about otherwise. And when I discovered that it was actually crafted by an artist in the USA, I knew I had to have it. Read the rest of this entry »

My husband is a big weekend project kind of guy.  Of course, that usually means the kids get involved,  which means I ultimately become part of the swarm, too; along with the two dogs and the cat.  When the chaos becomes unbearable, I like to disappear inside, enjoy the peace and quiet, and mix up a pitcher of good old fashioned lemonade.  It gives me a chance to think, and when I bring it outside to the family, they get a chance to re-group.  My husband prefers my traditional homemade recipe for lemonade because it reminds him of when he was a kid.  I like it because I control the sugar! Read the rest of this entry »

At this time of year a lot of people get on a health kick.  Most of us have eaten a lot more than usual over the long winter and are feeling ready for a fresh start with the new year. So some of us join a gym or start a new workout routine at home.  And many of us set our sights on eating less and of course, eating healthier. We try to eat more lean meats, fish, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Sometimes the amount of fresh vegetables that nutritionists recommend can seem like a hefty quantity, especially if you’re currently only eating small amounts.  That’s why it’s great to own a quality juicing machine like the Nutri Source Centrifugal Juicer. Read the rest of this entry »

Nature has provided us with enormous verities of herbs through which we can make our life healthier and beautiful. In the Asian region, herbs are being used as medicines since thousands of years for different types of diseases and more and more people are getting attracted towards herbal medicines looking at its effectiveness in removing the diseases. Experts from this region have identified many plants and fruits which can be effectively used as medicines for many common diseases. Among them goji berry is one of the popular herbal products used as medicine as well as nutrient. Read the rest of this entry »

I do get a little over enthused sometimes, but when you collect adorable paw print charms the way I do, you just can’t help it! The Magic Zoo has one of the classiest looking paw print charms I’ve ever seen. It’s a refreshing, clean look, and to me it’s obviously hand crafted by a person who loves animals. Maybe I’m one of a few people, but I do have at least 4 other friends who love paw print jewelry as much as I do. Read the rest of this entry »

Air and water are the two important things without which the progress of life is not possible in this world.  Rapid growth of industrialization and modernization affected each and every aspects of environment including water. Availability of pure water has become a luxury and different types of water born deceases are come into existence. To meet these challenges, different types of water filters are developed for purifying contaminated water including shower filters like the Aquasana AQ-4100. Read the rest of this entry »

My kids love chicken for dinner, but I usually don’t have enough time after work to roast one. Thankfully my crockpot comes to the rescue. A family favorite is this creamy crockpot chicken recipe. I like to serve it over white rice with a side of broccoli or steamed Brussels sprouts. I end up making it about once a week and there’s usually enough leftover chicken for lunch the next day. The leftover chicken is great in a tortilla wrap, and even makes a yummy chicken salad. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re looking for an all-purpose, versatile gym or Yoga bag to carry all your workout needs, the Lugger Bag is the perfect match. Roomy and full of compartments, the Lugger Bag will get you to the gym, to yoga class, and off to work without having to carry a lot of different bags. Read the rest of this entry »

Know someone who loves an evening outside with a cigar? Maybe it is even you who enjoys a quality, long lasting cigar. Cigar lovers around the globe know the value of a fresh cigar over a stale cigar. There are many ways to go about getting rid of this problem with humidors. These boxes are often unstylish and do not present a classy element. Now, there are the Irish Themed Cigar Humidors.

These humidors come in an unique, sturdy box decorated with a creative Irish design. Not over decorated, this box is perfect for keeping all cigars fresh for years. Another added benefit of this cigar humidor is that it is customizable. An added bonus that makes it even more personal to him (or even you) is the name of the owner along with the year it was purchased. This great cigar gift is a must have for any cigar lovers and is a gift that keeps on giving with every enjoyed stogie.

Now that it’s getting pretty cold outside, I know it’s time to start making a lot of our family’s favorite casseroles and lasagna dishes again. For many years I kept using our metal baking pan for these meals or even the disposable aluminum pans when I was feeling too lazy to deal with washing out the pan. I finally decided it was time to get some better bakeware because the metal pan was just a pain to clean and the finish was looking pretty worn, and using the disposable pan seemed pretty wasteful. So I shopped around and found a great set of ceramic bakeware that I absolutely love. Read the rest of this entry »

Anyone who loves to garden or loves nature is a cinch to buy for at any time of year. As we approach the Christmas shopping panic you can go online and by entering anything from backyard gift ideas or gifts for gardeners to garden gifts or unique gifts for nature lovers in your Google browser you’ll come up with a simply huge selection of gift options at price points that span the budget from extravagant all the way down to skinflint gifts for the bankrupt shopper. (That’s me). One idea you can consider is one of the many exceptionally beautiful styles of ceramic birdbath. One that I particularly liked is the Ceramic Lapis Birdbath. Read the rest of this entry »

Sunglass retailers often wonder what items they can add to their business in the winter months. Sunglasses sell year round for many retailers, but often there is a slow period in the winter months. During this time it is a good idea to try adding some new products to your inventory. For sunglass retailers this is easy said than done. It is hard to find new items that go along with the sunglass business. There are items out there you just have to know what to look for. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you grown tired of carrying around extra golf equipment in your bag each time you play a round?  This is a common predicament. That is why every golfer should have the trunk-it golf gear organizer.  Now it’s possible for you to neatly store all your extra golfing supplies in your trunk without them rolling all over the place. Golf balls, tees, shoes, and many other items will fit securely in this organizer.
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Countertop water filters are getting easy to use and install. The Aquasana AQ-4000 is one of the simplest, yet most effective counter top water filter devices available for home use. This water filter can be installed in your home in seconds. Connection is make at the faucet with a supplied adapter. Some countertop filters are the simple one stage like Britta, however we prefer the two stage countertop water filter by Aquasana. This filter has won the Consumer Digest Best Buy award many years in a row, plus recently it was approved by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. It also has been certified by the California Department of Public Health Services. The filter is made in the U.S.A. Read the rest of this entry »

My all time favorite house-cleaning trick is to have the kids out of the way when you are cleaning. This way my work gets done in half the time. When my daughter is down for her nap, I start with the kitchen because having a clean kitchen makes me feel better. Load up the dishes, swipe the counters, sweep the floor and then you are done.

After you are done with the kitchen, take a laundry basket and go through the house picking up things that do not belong in the room they are in. When you have placed them where they go, then just make a quick pass through each room quickly straightening up. With the kids out of the way, I can do this routine in about twenty minutes.

Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid 60s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz and R&B into a danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony, and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground. Funk music was a major influence on the development of 1970s disco music.

Funk typically consists of a complex groove with rhythm instruments such as electric guitar, electric bass, Hammond organ, and drums playing interlocking rhythms. Funk bands also usually have a horn section of several saxophones, trumpets, and in some cases, a trombone.

Funky typically described the slow, sexy, loose, riff-oriented and danceable music. As late as the 50s and early 60s, when “funk” and “funky” were used increasingly in the context of soul music, the terms still were considered indelicate and inappropriate for use in polite company.