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An explosion of shopping for the 4th

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Here’s the latest Shop Til You Drop, my column for the Courier-Post, the great South Jersey newspaper:

Warehouse stores and outdoor entertaining go together like hotdogs and mustard.

You can buy the fixings for your Fourth of July cookout, plus the gadgets and goodies you need to grill and serve the feast.

There’s a feeling of power, pushing that big cart around BJ’s Wholesale Club. Think of it as a tank. And you are about to conquer your shopping list.

lavarockmolcajeteThe first item into the cart is a large round planter brimming with red geraniums ($17.99) that will make a cheerful centerpiece. Then a Marie Callender’s cherry pie (for $2.99, we will let Marie wield the rolling pin), a gallon of vanilla ice cream and a 2-pound box of juicy blueberries ($6.99) for the red-white-and-blue dessert table.

You don’t have to knock yourself out grating carrots and cabbage to make coleslaw for a crowd. BJ’s has done the work for you, serving up three pounds of its private-label Wellesley Farms slaw for a mere $5.29.

Deviled eggs? Naturally. Let’s grab two dozen of Eggland’s Best for $4.39 and a two-jar pack of Hellman’s mayo for $7.29. With the money we are saving we can treat ourselves to strip steaks, priced at $9.99 a pound.

Infrastructure—the patio set, the big umbrella, the kiddie pool—is essential in outdoor entertaining. This season, I will beef up my barbecue with a Farberware digital instant-read thermometer ($14.99) and a pair of copper-topped torches on tall metal posts  ($12.99 each). A Norfolk 5-liter beverage dispenser ($17.99) allows guests to readily refill their ice tea glasses.

Each year, hosts in pursuit of the perfect soiree discover new products to trot out at splash parties, picnics and cookouts. Here are a few recent innovations:

 

  • The Cookina Barbecue Reusable Grilling Sheet is a high-tech alternative to aluminum foil. Place the non-stick sheet on the grill and toss on the burgers. The sheet is grooved to produce those coveted grill marks. It’s also great for veggies and shrimp, which tend to fall through a traditional grill. (Available at Home Depot for $14.99.)
  • Made by IMUSA, the Lava Rock Molcajete is a hefty mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock. It’s big enough for a fiesta-size batch of salsa or guacamole—and heavy enough to keep your table cloth from blowing away. (Sold at Macy’s for $59.99.)
  • If your cookout is a rainout, plug in the T-Fal OptiGrill. This gadget is equipped with a sensor that measures the thickness of the food and adjusts the cooking time accordingly. In addition to grilling, you can use it to defrost foods. The OptiGrill is outfitted with removable plates and a drip tray you can pop in the dishwasher. (Priced at $179.99 at BedBathandBeyond.com, target.com and other retailers.)

HOLD THAT LINE: Amazon’s Fire Phone is red hot. But it might be wise to play it cool and hold off on placing a preorder for the smartphone, which debuts on July 25.

Research by DealNews, which evaluates 2,000 online retailers, reveals that even the most popular Android technology phones typically are discounted up to 50 percent within three months of release. In a market sizzling with competition, odds are Fire Phone’s price will melt, too.

The Fire Phone is currently priced at $199-$649, depending on the service agreement with AT&T. Add an extra $100 for the 64GB model. Amazon is kicking in a free year of Amazon Prime membership, a $99 value.

 

Shop Til You Drop appears on Wednesday. Reach Eileen Smith at esmith@smithreports.com

 

 

 

Charge it with Jackery

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‘Tis the season for gadgets.

$_57One of the most useful electronics offered this holiday season is the Jackery, an external battery that allows you to charge your smartphone and tablet on the fly. Imagine, up to 220 hours of extra operating time. That’s a little over nine days.

You’ll never get stuck with an dark iPad even on the longest flight — or if you lose power at home after a storm.

Frequent travelers say Jackery is as handy as a pocket on a shirt. And the smallest Jackery, about the size of a tube of lipstick, slides easily into a pocket — or a Christmas stocking.

The folks at Jackery sent me a Jackery Giant to try out, a cool orange model, which accommodates two devices and is still small, lightweight and portable. It measures 4.3 inches by 3.1 inches and weighs a scant 10.4 ounces. Doesn’t take up much room in the glove compartment.

With a full charge, the Jackery has enough power to stand by for six months between uses. No worries about running out of juice between blackouts. You can recharge the battery at least 500 times.

There’s a full line of Jackery products so you can find just the right fit for your needs. Prices on Amazon.com start at $29.95.

 

 

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).

 

Spot-on skin care

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Our skin is our first defense against the elements. Sun wrinkles it. Wind dries it. And age and blemishes leave us with dark spots.

Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution is formulated to correct dark spots and clarify the skin, especially on our face, neck and hands. The serum comes with a dropper in a one-ounce bottle and contains a complex made from activated C, a vitamin C derivative, as well as white birch and peony extracts.

In tests, 55% of women reported results within two weeks. After eight weeks, 87% of testers reported improvement. In testimonials, many users say Kiehl’s erased dark spots and scars created by acne.

So, how does it work? The activated vitamin C helps to fade dark spots. Peony extract keeps them from coming back. And white birch is known for its healing qualities. (Had I been this interested in the science of skin care back in high school, I would have fared much better in chemistry class.)

I’ve been using Kiehl’s on my hands. And while they have not been restored to the lily white state of my teens, I can report this middle-aged gal does not have any big dark age spots.

Kiehl’s was founded in 1851 in a pharmacy in New York’s East Village and makes a full line of skin care products. Expect to pay about $49.50 for Kiehl’s at Nordstrom and other high-end beauty counters. It’s currently selling on Amazon for $42.50.

 

Yu-Be, from Japan to your skin

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Since 1957, Yu-Be skin care products    have been helping customers in Japan to moisturize their skin without feeling greasy.

The secret is glycerine, which glides on skin and is soothing to even sensitive complexions.

Yu-Be is a go-to lotion in cold weather and was famously carried to the summit of Mount Everest by mountaineer Sumiyo Tsuzuki, who carried a 1.25-ounce tube of Yu-Be taped to a shoe lace around her neck.

I was on top of the world when I tried a few sample products. Yu-Be’s foaming skin polish washes away makeup and perspiration and leaves your skin feeling smooth and refreshed. The lotion keeps skin moist for hours, without being too slick and helps to heal ragged cuticles and rough patches. The lip balm is petroleum-free and enriched with camphor.

You can buy Yu-Be on the company website, Amazon, Sephora and a host of online retailers. Expect to pay about $5 for lip balm and $25 and up for full-size moisturizers.

Oster’s indispensable blender

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There’s good reason why no bridal shower is complete without the gift of a blender.

A great blender is an indispensable element of Small Appliance Land, delivering smoothies for breakfast, pureed soups for lunch and sauces for dinner and dessert.

The Oster® Designed For Life™ Blender is workhorse, with 600 watts of power and reversing motor technology that delivers consistent results. That means there’s no clogging when blending, crushing, chopping and pureeing ingredients.

A 6-point star blade is super for chopping and crushing ice. This baby offers two pre-programmed settings with one-touch operation, plus five manual controls, including low, medium, max, low pulse and high pulse. The big 6-cup glass jar is thermal shock tested and can go straight from the daiquiri bar to the dishwasher. And the brushed stainless steel finish looks cool on the counter.

You can find Oster blenders at Target, Amazon and other stores. MSRP: $59.99.