dimondites

Navy Sequin Scarf. 
$24.99 (orig $78)
JCrew

This is what happens. The day I thought would never come. I am trading in my Porsche Boxster to get this Airstream. It’s just like me to somehow skip the family van part and go straight for the senior lifestyle.  I think this decision should have triggered serious depression, but instead, I was excited.

THAT made me depressed.

I enjoy camping, but I dislike tent-living (sorry, I have to confess it). The zip-up/zip-down part of going in and out of the tents drive me nutso. I do love nice mobile homes though. Even at Burning Man, it made camping a luxury.

This thing is officially a “trailer” but it is close enough to a mobile home. I can use it as a guest house by parking it in the far back of my yard, and I can take the Giant Schnauzers on weekend trips without worrying about them taking down the tent every ten minutes.

To add to my existing confusion with life at 40, I discovered this item at Design Within Reach. They offer this for $429,000. It’s not the money that is confusing me. It’s the fact that trailers are now hip and trendy to the mass? Even chi-chi…

So what’s going to happen with the slang “trailer trash?”

I’ve tested these Fatboy bean bags. They’re quite good, which surprised me because they’re so good-looking (normally you have to sacrifice one for the other). They really do work for sitting upright, which is not the case with most bean bags I’ve owned or used. The cover is nylon, so they’re easy to clean. Wipe. The main disadvantage is there isn’t another cover inside, so you have to pour out the filling and refill the bag again if you want to throw these in the washer. That is too bad. The company has a great reputation and boasts quality, which I agree with for the most part, but then they skip on the interior liner to make washing easy… A small detail that could have ranked this product ‘great’ instead of simply ‘good.’

I overcame that disappointment very quickly when I saw them on Overstock.com for only $84. This is a huge steal. One of my clients just bought a few of these for almost $200 each, and they thought that was a deal.

Reader Comments (1)

06.10.2007 | Dimond Shopper

Addiction defined:

The state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

I have a serious addiction to rubber boots. I kid you not. The fact that they can be found cheap, and I mean cheap ($14-$20)… Not good.

Net-A-Porter
Paul & Joe Sister
$68 (orig $170) 

Lately I’ve come to love these half-breed T-shirt Blouses. They’re made of jersey cotton, and they are super comfortable, like regular t-shirts. The difference is they are styled to drape nicely, with details usually around the neckline. Many designs use gathers to create flow. This shirt is a perfect example, and I’m quite surprised it’s on sale, considering the style is popular for Spring, and the color is Spring appropriate as well.

EAT, PRAY, LOVE
_{One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.
By Elizabeth Gilbert.}

Brook recommends this book. The stories follow Gilbert (author) through her one year trip abroad after an ugly divorce and a not-so-happy rebound. About self discovery and the discovery of others as well.

^{_{View the New York Times review.}}

_{$16.47 at Amazon.} 

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what ten things would you take with you?

Make sure one is tea tree oil. I am so not kidding you. After months of research on how to deal with mites (yes, the dogs AND the garden), the same solution kept coming up over and over again. Tea tree oil. It is one of nature’s phenomenon (It may out-do vinegar and borax). Tea tree oil provides a shocking amount of healing benefits. From what I’ve experienced so far, it does work amazingly.

MEDICINAL BENEFITS

antibacterial    antiviral    antiseptic    antifungal    analgesic (pain)    anti-inflammatory    sinus congestion    cicatrizant (wound-healing)    dandruff    acne    skin spots    insect repellent    mites    demodex    chiggers    scapies    lice    fleas    anti-itch    bug bites    warts    boils    cold sores    ringworm   athletes foot   nail fungus    yeast infections   diaper rash   

A FEW NEGATIVES

It is poisonous to pets, even ingested in small amounts. You can use tea tree oil on dogs for fleas and mites, but careful not to have them swallow the oil pure. It is also poisonous to people if ingested, so try not to swallow it in anyway.

I’m not a fan of the eucalyptus/pine scent, and tea tree oil definitely has that same strong odor, as it is from the same family of plants. I did grow accustom to it, though it still reminds of my Grandmother’s tiger balm ointment (which I am now suspicious that it is tea tree oil).

WHERE TO BUY IT

The Body Shop has a great selection of nice tea tree oil body care, including the essential oil. Plus they donate a portion of proceeds to help the Aboriginal co-operative to provide training for farmers and to develop pride in their tea tree heritage. (Tea tree oil originates from Australia and is still mostly produced in Australia and New Zealand.)       

Paul Mitchell has a decent assortment of tea tree oil hair care and men’s grooming products. A good selection is also available at Amazon.

I’ve used Nature’s Gate Tea Tree Oil Conditioner,  and I liked it fine. I have to use a lot of it to benefit from the conditioning part. This was available at Farmer Joe’s in my neighborhood, which is the equivalent of Wholefoods.

Plantlife 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil is available at some health or drug stores. It is potent, so be careful using too much. It will peel skin, but not too badly. Eyes will sting like mad though.

For the puppies, I use Earthbath Tea Tree Shampoo, which is all natural and biodegradable. It is available at most large pet supply stores or smaller natural pet supply shops, such as Paws & Claws in Oakland.

RESOURCES

Wikipedia  Definition and medicinal qualities.

Natural Life Magazine    History of tree oil and benefits.

Berkeley Parents Network   Discussion board for nail fungus remedy.

Tea Tree Oil Uses   Comprehensive list of benefits.      

Treehugger    The author’s personal dependency on tree oil and how he benefits from it.

ABC News Online    Tea tree oil used for scabies.

The Herbs Place   How to use tea tree oil for various ailments.
Molly’s Herbals  Natural care for pets and people.

Learn about Tea Tree Oil Phenomenon  Make your household tasks safer, simpler and healthier.
In the Shade of the Tea Tree Blog    It’s all about using Tea Tree Oil for a multitude of problems.

Tea Tree Oil Exposed    Medical uses for tea tree oil.

READER COMMENTS (1)

02.18.2007 | Leslie Ann Jones

This was a highly anticipated product about eight months back, so I was surprised how quietly it launched. Quite by accident, I found it on Amazon. What’s the big deal, you ask? No big deal really, unless you’re someone like me, who likes form and function to live happily together. This is one of very few attractive LED light design available in the market. Until this, the LED powered lighting systems have been very unattractive, in an almost self-destruction way. LED has so much more environmental benefits than regular light bulbs. Check out the benefits listed below, imagine how many light bulbs there are in the world, and then imagine if only 10% of the population switches over… Pretty substantial number, right?

1. Bulbs have long life and are maintenance free. Less bulbs, less waste material.
2. LEDs consume less than 5 watts per lamp, which is significant. To your wallet too.
   
3. LEDs contain no mercury or toxic gases, which means cleaner air.
4. They don’t overheat like regular light sources, so they’re safe, given their size.
5. Interestingly, LEDs are quite durable and shock resistant. Because they have no moving parts, they can withstand being knocked around a bit. (Why would one knock a lamp around? Try moving your desk around the house 3-4 times a year trying to find a good feng shui spot.) (Yeah, a bit personal insert here.)

This great little store in San Francisco called My Trick Pony specializes in custom design apparel. You can create your own T-shirt (mainly but not only) by using spray, transfer or airbrush techniques. Smart.

also posted at ThisNext.

Gardener’s Supply 

This is a very attractive solar light. Surprisingly modern.
On sale for $24.88 (orig $45.95).

Overstock.com
$110

I have two (you can slide them together and they look like one huge rug), and I love them. Dogs love them too, unfortunately. Mine were $250 each. This is a great price.
 

Can it be true?

If you’ve lived through a mite-attack, you’ll empathize completely. They are nasty. They come to conquer, not to play. I will do anything to keep them out of our lives forever. My brows lifted when I read about Cuddledown’s debut of new bed accessories proven to eliminate bed bugs. Not just keep them away, but apparently, annihilate them for up to ten years. (I have not read any reviews of this product , so I can’t claim its authenticity. I’m sure a follow-up post will come along.)

_{via Main News Direct…}

Cuddledown debuts new products proven to eliminate bed bugs.

Portland, ME – Cuddledown, manufacturer, retailer, and wholesaler of down bedding and home accessories, has introduced a line of products to eradicate bed bugs. With the recent media focus on the rise of bed bugs in houses, apartments, and hotels, Cuddledown’s anti-bed bug mattress and pillow protectors provide a solution for consumers who want to eliminate the pests or protect against potential infestation.

The Anti Bed-Bug Mattress Protector and Pillow Protector, which are also effective against dust mites, are made with all-natural wool infused with a blend incorporating natural extracts, including lavender, lemon, eucalyptus, and chrysanthemum. The protectors do not simply repel bed bugs, but have been proven in lab tests to actually kill them. The fiber treatment will eliminate bed bugs for up to five years and dust mites for up to ten.

According to Cuddledown president and CEO Chris Bradley, “It has always been our mission to bring the best and most innovative products to meet our customers’ needs, so we’re particularly excited to add these protectors to our line. Now our customers have a way to get rid of a very nasty nuisance without harsh pesticides or other time-consuming, invasive measures.”

Bradley adds that the protectors carry the Oeko-Tex guarantee of consumer safety. “As we tell our customers, products with the Oeko-Tex label assure you that what you’re buying is 100% eco-friendly from materials to manufacture.”

The anti bed-bug protectors are available online at www.cuddledown.com or through Cuddledown’s 24-hour customer service department at 800-323-6793. 

Okay, can’t help it. How can I resist posting this little piece?

Thorsten Van Elten Pigeon Light, $99
GreenerGrassDesign.com

Last holiday I bought my nephew a remote control helicopter… the larger one for outdoors. Because of size and basic physics, the thing died a very quick death. It doesn’t move well with wind or inexperience, for that matter. There goes $179.

This little thing is a different story. Smaller for indoors, so no wind factor to fuss with. It is $39.99, a more appropriate gift price point for a 10 year-old.

I would say this probably works for any male kid from ages 8-88 yrs. old.

 thinkgeek.com

If you like modern Jazz (pop/folk), then you’ll like Sophie Milman. I quite like the two songs that are available for free mp3 download at download.com. It’s easy to convert to itunes format (in case you’re wondering). Click on image to go directly to her page.