We know that it’s a little out of character for us to be focusing on all this wedding planning stuff (see our piece earlier this week on Designing Your Own Wedding) but in our research, we have discovered so many more great wedding related services and products that we couldn’t resist mentioning them as well. So here then for Part II…

Rent It!

Jewelry rental – Now any bride can wear a $75,000 necklace when she makes her grand entrance at her wedding. Check out the Adorn.com of earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Brides simply need to enter the date of the event, pick the jewelry pieces and see if the desired pieces are available. Adorn will ship the chosen jewelry via UPS  two days before it is needed. It is then returned on the first business day following the event in the pre-addressed and pre-paid package. Although they cater to the Bride-to-be Adorn.com offers anyone dripping diamonds for a momentous day.

Bridesmaid Dress – How many bridesmaid dresses do you have and have never worn again (even though everybody says you will)? Rent the Runway has solved this problem with bridesmaid dresses that can be rented. They have a great selection of color, styles, and fabrics with prices between $50 – $100 for a four day rental. Plus they send a second size for free (just in case). Return with the prepaid postage.

It’s All in the Details

Gifts for the Bridesmaids and Ushers – How does one properly thank the friends that will stand by them and witness the Big Day? Beau-coup has a variety of great gifts for the bridesmaids and ushers that will make them feel special and appreciated.     Read the full story »

Sure, we try hard to be as health conscious as possible, but when Audrey and I get together, cocktails abound (thankfully, Audrey is 2000 miles away, so our martini abuse is not so frequent). And, Audrey will be here next week. Martini glasses are sure to be put in use. Unfortunately for us, now that we are both trying to fit our not-so-young bodies into little bathing suits, caloric intake counts. It’s painful to admit, but a regular mojito will cost us about 200 calories, a margarita about 325 calories and an appletini about 175 calories. With zero nutritional value, bien sûr.

So, when I received a sample of Crystal Light mocktails in Appletini and Margarita – at FIVE calories per serving – I was happy to give it a test drive. Though I usually shy away from artificial sweeteners (aspartame in this case) and food coloring, I will immediately admit that these drink mixes will completely satisfy taste buds of the calorie-counting gal. Spike with one ounce of vodka or tequila for about 70 calories and you’re saving galore calories and on sugar intake. I can deal with the artificial additives on the rare occasions when a good cocktail is called for. Like next week when Audrey is here. Ahem. To note, these mocktails are a great offering for those non-drinkers among us who are looking for more exciting flavors with a “party vibe”.

It appears that the Crystal Light Mocktails are only available for a short period of time (70 more days) but they are now readily available at your grocer or big box store. Stock up now!

And on the caloric/sugar intake note, you will want to beware of well-marketed products such as the pre-mixed SkinnyGirl™ Margarita. This blogger’s analysis explains that it’s not really what you think. And, “all natural” does not mean “less calories”.

And, it appears that I may be a new Crystal Light convert. I hadn’t touched the stuff until just a few months ago when I accidentally discovered their Crystal Light Pure flavors that contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors or preservatives. These taste great and the flavor helps me keep up my water intake (not a natural thing for me).

Great choices. No guilt.

We have all heard of the recent infestation of bed bugs, even in the most reputable hotels and retail venues. Bed bugs don’t discriminate and super cleanliness doesn’t detract them either.  I can brush off a spider with the back of my hand, but the idea of bed bugs anywhere near totally paralyzes me. It almost – almost – is reason enough for me to never want to leave my home. Since that is not an option, I thought I should research products that would help with the bed bug problem. And allow me to travel and sleep while doing so! I’m not about to get super paranoid, and fanatical here. But, if there are simple things that can be done to avoid the problem in the first place, I’m all for it.

Here’s what I have found:

	Stop Bugging Me is a green product line that will safely kill and repell bed bugs. I was sent a sample of this product from the company and have yet to use it (thank goodness) but am taking it with me on our road trip to Canada. I like everything the company has to say about it: it’s 100% naturally derived and bio-degradable. Save for kids and pets. And, it’s highly portable, so bring the spray bottle with you to use on planes or theater seats. It never used to bother me, but I now think twice before sitting on an upholstered seat… Get the details here and buy directly from StopBuggingMe.com.
	BedBug.com has many options to protect against bed bugs. We like the Travel Protection kit that would work well for the frequent traveler. It includes a travel pillow and encasement, liners for luggage and laundry bags that all seal tight to prevent bed bugs from accessing your belongings. Buy from Bedbug.com. You will want to take a look at the Bed Bug Dorm Room Protection too that could be useful for summer sleep-away camp too.
	Protect-A-Bed has great solutions for the home and for baby bedding too. Their products not only work to keep bed bugs out, but allergens and dust mites also. Great solution for the allergy sufferer in your home. Click on the “Bed Bugs 101″ green button to download the educational poster – if you have the stomach for it. We should all learn what a bed bug looks like to prevent unnecessary panic. Or maybe that’s just me… Anyhoo, check out the Protect-A-Bed line here, which also includes a student bedding protection kit option.

Here’s a short video that will help you identify the presence of bed bugs when you travel. Hopefully, you never will, but better be educated about it:

Yep. We want to avoid the problem before it starts. Ewwwww indeed.

A tribute by comedian Louis C.K. Humorous, wise & inspiring. Thanks Louis!

Happy Father’s Day to our wonderful dads!

By Kristin Fast, Lifestyle Editor and In-House Wit-Cracker

Sunday, June 19th is around the corner and for all of you who forgot (yes, I am looking at you) that means Father’s Day is fast approaching and unless you are one of the lucky ones with a dad who is a real zealot for some sort of hobby, you are wringing your hands in despair because buying dad a gift can be particularly difficult. Annoyingly, many fathers are of the, “Save your money” and “It’s a ‘Hallmark’ holiday” variety which moves them from the “difficult” to the “eye-gouging” category on your shopping list.

Lucky for you, I’m here to help.

For those of you with small children you are probably going to go the route of baby’s face on a commuter mug, or a personalized photo mouse pad. So sweet. If you are older and have a couple of bucks in your pocket maybe you’ll surprise him with a tee time at a posh golf course… sentiment and money make for easy gift giving. Little children get to give handprint ashtrays for fathers that quit smoking in 1989 while bigger children can splash out for an expensive bottle of scotch; both awesome choices. However, I am here to tell you that what your father really wants for his “big” day, what would make him happy and proud, is some indication that you’ve been listening to him all along. You value his advice and he has helped guide and direct you to a better place in your life.

Sounds easy, no?

See, fathers exist in a strange little vacuum in our society and despite the fact that just as many mothers work outside the home, the most common image of Dear Old Dad is that of protector and provider. We look to him to teach us how to ride a bikes, to drive a car and maybe how to throw a punch… gender roles aren’t as clearly defined in reality as they are ingrained in our collective societal consciousness.

This Sunday is the perfect time to let your pops know that he has done a good job – pick just one thing your father has imparted on to you – something that is important enough to him that he let you in on it as well and tell him that he was right.

For example, consider mailing him a card in which you jot down, Dad, thanks for the great advice. I am so glad I started changing my oil every 2,500 miles! Or take him to lunch and let him know that your backhand did improve when you tried those stretching exercises his friend the chiropractor suggested… these are tangible examples of how you not only heard what he had to say but also took it to heart. If you are insistent on say, purchasing him a new tackle box, make it more personal by including a hand tied lure or voucher to his favorite fishing spot – anything that is an actual visual to your relationship.

Father Knows Best – it’s not just a old TV show anymore.

Myself? Well for over a year my father has been hounding encouraging me to learn Spanish, so this year I am going to crack open my Amazon account and order myself the incredibly pricey so it better work Rosetta Stone program and hopefully I will be discurso en Espanol soon. Bueno! Ole!

Adios!

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

As a working mom, for some reason, I have no problem managing my day at work with my colleagues. But, when it comes to managing my home life and family there have been some serious near misses. In a home of two working parents, three children, dentist/doctor appointments, soccer practices, swimming lessons, dance recitals, sleepovers, birthday parties, play dates, infinite must-run errands and lord knows what else, it takes a fine tuned system to ensure that no child is left waiting on the curb who was to be picked up by a parent who thought the other one was going to pick them up (it only happened once – this year – and she was safely with another mom who called me).

I needed one central place to coordinate every family “event”, on one single calendar that could not only schedule each event but also designate the tasks for that event. Plus, it would need to show who was doing what, where the event is taking place and email all parties involved.  Does this even exist?

Regen Fearon felt the same way. This is what inspired her to create a solution and to develop Plumlife, an integrated tool to manage family activities. As she was setting out to understand the needs of what it takes to manage a single event at home, she discovered that just to send one child to a birthday party takes 8 steps and 8 tasks to complete: 1) RSVP 2) jot down on calendar 3) buy present 4) wrap present 5) make or buy card 6) get child there 7) get child home  and lastly, to make sure other children are looked after at the time of the birthday party. If everyone is doing something different on the same day (which is not unusual) the number of tasks can add up and a lot of PostIt notes and texting back and forth on who-is-doing-what-and-when happens. A business could never be run like this. It is too easy for someone to forget something important (or someone).

Since women are the CEO’s of the family, Regen saw it as her job to keep all her employees, i.e.

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By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

I have just celebrated my last birthday in my, ahem, later 40′s and I have come to realize that I am definitely looking my age. Which I have no problem with – really – as long as I “age gracefully”, I am happy with the way I look. I can truly embrace my wrinkles but, at the same time, I still do want my skin to look as healthy and toned as possible without resorting to “procedures”.

When I attended MORE magazine’s Reinvention Convention last month, Dr. Will Kirby, a Board Certified Dermatologist, spoke about Ageless Skincare. It was reassuring to listen to him say that we can slow the process of skin aging without resorting to visits to the cosmetic doctor’s office. Dr. Kirby actually “empowered” women in the audience by demystifying some facts (mostly marketing messages we have been hearing) and educating us about the reality of our skin and how getting “back to basics”can make a difference in our skin’s aging process.

Here are some commonly heard myths about our skin:

1) Food – It is not clear if food really makes a difference in the skin’s aging process. Of course, if we eat better, we feel better and our bodies do thank us for this, but does it make a difference to our skin? Studies have not proven that it does. As for acne, food seldom causes it. Acne is caused by over production of sebum (oil) and obstruction of the pores. The amount of sebum produced by the skin is regulated by hormones only, not food.

2) Dirt – Huge anti-aging myth. We naturally need to wash our faces like the rest of our bodies, but keep it simple. Mild soaps and warm water or cleansing pads are enough to keep our face clean. You can do a lot more damage if you are overzealous in cleaning your face.

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