Category Archives: Shop

Ouidad’s Winter Wonderful Curls

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Santa has a secret. He once suffered from frizzy curls, an occupational hazard for a guy who works outdoors in the winter.

unnamedPutting the ho-ho-ho back in curly hair is as easy as one-two-three with Ouidad’s Winter Wonderful Curls, a trio of products designed to tame frizz. The set contains full-size 8.5 oz grooming aids:  Climate Control Shampoo, a sulfate-free formula that tames fly-aways; Conditioner, a humidity-defying detangler; and Heat and Humidity Gel, which tames frizz in all climates, from the steamy tropics to the frosty ski slopes.

Nicely packaged in a shiny silver box, Winter Wonder Curls is a prettily pragmatic holiday gift for someone you love — and that includes yourself. MSRP: $46. (Retail value $63 if sold separately.) The kit is available at Ouidad.com or ULTA.

Tickety Toc at Toys R Us

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Tickety Toc, the clock is ticking. Only 25 days until Christmas!

It’s time to get onboard the Tickety Toc Clockhouse Train Set, one of the season’s hottest playthings and available only at Toys R Us.

pTRU1-16746520dtPreschoolers can recreate exciting Tickety Toc adventures around the clock – and help those little cuties Tommy and Tallulah to chime the time with the brand-new Clockhouse Playset. (It’s also easy for mom and dad to assemble.)

Tickety Toc and the Chime Time crew help to teach kids teamwork. Hopefully, they are having so much fun that they don’t notice that it’s an educational toy.

There’s lots to keep the little ones merrily engaged. Young Chime Timers can give Pufferty a push around the track and take the twins on-board or turn special cogs to open the Clockhouse doors and unlock more fun inside. The set includes: Clockhouse, Tommy and Tallulah figurines, Pufferty mini train and track system. Ages 3+, SRP $39.99. Free shipping with an order of $49 or more.

Also steaming out of the store is the Musical Pufferty Train, outfitted with a rocking see-saw and spinning seat that keeps the action chugging full steam ahead. The set includes: Pufferty Train and figurines of Tommy, Tallulah and their friend, Tooteroo. Ages 3+, SRP $24.99.

Turkey and Pinot Noir, a perfect pair

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6a00d8341c5e0053ef017c32620f2c970b-800wiLet’s contemplate the Thanksgiving feast.

Turkey. Stuffing. Cranberry sauce. And wine, of course.

This year, we are serving pinot noir with the bird, a lovely red that compliments the roasted flavors of turkey. We recently sampled a pinot we are confident everyone will enjoy from Artesa Vineyards & Winery in Carneros, a spectacular setting in the Napa Valley.

Artesa’s 2012 Pinot Noir is fruity and complex, with good acidity and bright notes of cherry and strawberry that make it a good match with turkey, ham and roasted veggies. It’s vibrant and food friendly, with a pleasant long finish. MSRP: $24.99, but you can find it for a few dollars less at many stores.

Unlike most other reds, a pinot noir benefits from a bit of chilling. We pop our pinot in the fridge for about 15 minutes before serving. On winter holidays, when space in the fridge is at a premium, we set the bottles outside. We figure the pilgrims would have done it that way.

Wake up and smell the Dolce Gusto

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Let’s think about well-loved holiday traditions. Twinkling lights. Lots of parties. Baking cookies. And, of course, the gift of small appliances.

ht_nescafe_dolce_gusto_dm_130823_16x9t_608This year, we expect the NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto espresso machine to find a place under the tree — and in the kitchen or any other place you need a quick pick-me-up for many Yules to come. You can serve Santa a perfect cup of espresso in less time than it takes to slide down the chimney.

It’s so easy to use even I can understand the directions. And this single-serve machine is sleek and compact, so it doesn’t hog counter space. So it’s an ideal fit for a home office, break room or dorm room. The Genio is fueled by air-tight, prepackaged capsules so there is no need for a coffee bean grinder.

You can buy the Genio at amazon.com, Dolce-Gusto.us and Kohl’s. MSRP: $129.99.

If you want to score points with your heart throb, consider the stylish, single-serve Fiorucci Dolce Gusto Genio machine designed by the iconic Italian label in a limited-edition design collaboration. Its fashion-forward surface is emblazoned in red, green and white with the inspiring words  “LOVE IS THE MESSAGE” on one side, and a pop art image of a couple exchanging a passionate kiss on the other.

Like the standard Genio, the limited-edition machine has 15 bars of pressure and 17 different hot and cold gourmet beverage options. Imagine visiting your favorite coffee bar, except you don’t have to leave home. It’s available online for a limited time only. ($139.99).

 

Give a gift. Change a life.

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Your wish list likely doesn’t include a goat.

Ornament-Set-LG-FY13-2But if you are living in a Third World country, a goat is a gift that keeps on giving, providing children with fresh milk.

Through World Vision, you can give the gift of livestock, fresh water, clothing and other necessities. In return, you receive a small memento to remind yourself and others to share the joy.

The World Vision Gift Catalog offers more than 250 items that help fight poverty and save lives in the United States and around the world. Donations buy the kinds of staples people need to be healthy and grow, including school supplies, seeds, and such life-changing gifts as a foot-powered water pump.

With a gift of $150 or more to the international Maximum Impact Fund  you will receive a trio of handmade Zakale  ornaments crafted from wire and beads in Nairobi. (Fair market tax deduction: $30.)

Zakale crafts are made from recycled materials by Kenyan artisans, who received a loan from World Vision to grow their business and lift themselves out of poverty. The collection includes three animals native to Kenya: a giraffe, an elephant and a water buffalo. Hang them on your tree and make a wish for a world where every kid who wants a goat gets the gift of a nanny.

Herbacin, a treat for tired feet

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The Christmas stockings are still in the attic.

300But it’s not too soon to think about the goodies you will put into the stockings for the holidays — which just might include a pampering treatment your loved one will use on the skin that goes under every-day sock and stockings.

We like the Herbacin Foot Care Starter Kit Tin. With a MSRP of $16.99, this cute little tin is packed with five products to pamper feet and legs. The goodies include:

  • Leg Lotion (1.0 fl. oz. / 30ml)

Intense moisturizing, great for leg massage.

  • Warming Balm (1.0 fl. oz. / 30ml)

Long-lasting feeling of warmth for cold feet.

  • Foot Peeling Lotion (1.0 fl. oz. / 30ml)

Natural salt from the Himalaya mountains smoothes skin and calluses.

  • Foot Cream (1.0 fl. oz. / 30ml)

Intensive moisturizing for sensitive feet.

  • Cooling Gel (1.0 fl. oz. / 30ml)

Refreshing gel for hot feet and tired legs. Absorbs quickly, no stickiness.

Moms and other gals who need a bit of pampering will enjoy Herbacin. It’s also a special treat for people with diabetes, who often struggle with foot and leg problems.

Made in Germany, Herbacin is available at drugstore.com, Amazon.com and other retailers.

 

Making soup by the book

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It snowed this morning, fat, white flakes that melted as soon as they hit the lawn.

the-soupmakers-kitchen-how-to-123813l1-240x300Those first flurries are a reminder that it’s soup season, time to scour fridge and pantry for ingredients to blend into a pot full of warmth and flavor.

Soup truly is magical food. I have seen the aroma of chicken broth lift my husband’s feet from the floor and carry him to the table.

The Soupmaker’s Kitchen, a cookbook by Philadelphia journalist and chef Aliza Green, is bubbling with inspiration. As might be expected, Green shares more than 100 recipes for potages, broths and bisques. Beyond, she offers savvy, kitchen-tested tips for organizing your own work space and reducing wasted food.

But what about stock, the Mount Everest of soupmaking? Whenever I think of stock I recall Peggy Morgan, a gifted writer and colleague at the Courier-Post, the newspaper that is and ever shall be South Jersey’s leading daily. Peggy, an exceptional home cook, confessed to having planted a flag at the summit only twice in her life. “Once for each marriage.”

In The Soupmaker’s Kitchen (Quarry Books, $24.99), Green demystifies stock and shares techniques that even a chowderhead can master. You will be amazed and gratified when you discover the depth of flavor stock adds to dishes.

Plus, you will be a good steward of the kitchen, making good use of peelings, scrapings and bones that otherwise might be tossed. Thus, the subtitle of the book: How to Save Your Scraps, Prepare a Stock, and Craft the Perfect Pot of Soup.

 

Talking turkey at Acme

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Every November, we have the Great Turkey Debate.

imagesWhich tastes better: Fresh, frozen or free?

The answer is simple. Free turkey is always best, you silly goose.

Last year, Acme was the clear loser in the turkey shootout in Supermarket Land. The chain offered a dodo bird of a deal, a mere discount on the Thanksgiving favorite while the competition handed out free poultry with combined purchases of as little as $300.

This year, Acme is bringing it with a super deal on turkey. This grocer got game. Or at least domestic birds.

Shoppers can bag a free with turkey by spending a mere $100 in a single transaction. Customers can choose from a Shadybrook frozen turkey weighing 12-19 pounds, a turkey breast of 5-7 pounds or an Empire kosher frozen turkey, which averages 12-16 pounds.

The only downside is you have to make room in your freezer well before the holiday. The deal ends Nov. 7.

A pumpkin scrub that’s sweet as pie

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It’s autumn, a transitional time for Mother Nature — and our skin.

s_pumpkin_spice_polishThe goal is to keep our skin soft and supple like spring leaves. Not dry and brittle like the autumn leaves that are falling from trees in locales that are blessed with changing seasons.

Skin care expert Peter Lamas makes a scrub that reminds us of fall but is a year-round treat for skin. Exfoliating Pumpkin Facial Scrub ($24) contains pumpkin enzymes that penetrate deep into pores to wash away dirt and excess oil without leaving skin feeling stressed or parched, unlike heavy-duty exfoliating products that make your face feel like it’s been, well, smacked with a big, fat pumpkin.

Take it from me, a gal who is passionate about skin care. I personally tested the scrub, which was provided by Peter Lamas. After exfoliating my face, I rub the scrub over the backs of my hands so they feel soft and refresher, too. A twofer!

The scrub includes fruit-infused ingredients that brighten the complexion: pumpkin oil, apple and almond acid and apricot grains. Vitamin A helps to neutralize free radicals and protect skin from cellular damage.

Peter Lamas also offers a go-to every-day wash, which leaves skin feeling clean and soft. Detoxifying Citrus C Facial Cleanser ($20) is an ultra-hydrating cleanser packed with Vitamin C, which stimulates production of collagen, the stuff that plumps up skin and makes it elastic. Like the pumpkin scrub, the cleanser  is gentle, with chamomile to calm irritated skin. Think of it as a soothing cup of tea for your skin. The goal is to wash away the cares and cosmetics of the day, without stripping away moisture.

 

A spirited cocktail for Halloween

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rszagwabottleshot300dpi2Hosts can bring an otherworldly glow to their Halloween festivities with AGWA de Bolivia, literally “Water from Bolivia,” touted as the world’s original coca leaf liqueur.

It’s a truly international blend. Choice coca leaves are plucked high in the Andes and shipped to Amsterdam where Dutch artisans quickly macerate the leaves into tea and blend with Chinese green tea, ginseng, Amazon guarana and African mint for a 60-proof herbal liqueur that is a striking bright green in color.

(MSRP: $31.99 for 750 ml)

When frozen for four hours, AGWA forms ice crystals, which concentrates the color and transforms the liquid into a green glow you would be proud to serve to Martians. Fiendishly clever!

Here’s a recipe for your Halloween sipping pleasure.

Green Angel

Ingredients:

8 basil leaves

12.5ml limoncello

37.5ml gin

25ml AGWA,

25ml pure apple juice

Vanilla sugar

 

How to Mix:

In a chilled cocktail shaker, place 7 basil leaves, fill with crushed ice, drizzle limoncello and stir.

Strain off limoncello, add 3 other liquids and stir to taste.

Rim a chilled martini glass with a lime wedge and vanilla sugar. Strain contents into glass, garnish with remaining basil leaf and serve to spirited applause.