Milk Frothers - The New Household Luxury Item

Do you like foam or froth on your coffee? How about on your hot chocolate? Or maybe a little whipped cream on your fresh fruit? Check out the Froth Au Lait Mini Milk Frother!

I'm a nut for cappuccino, so I knew it would be love at first site when I saw this gorgeous little stainless steel beauty.

It whips milk up into a perfect meringue-like froth perfect for cappuccinos, lattes or whatever else you'd like. You've got your choice of hot or cold froth, so it's even wonderful for making whipped cream for cold deserts.

Imagine a Bailey's Irish coffee with this decadent fresh froth spooned on top, then a little bit of bitter chocolate shavings! Oh my - I think I need to go make a drink right now!

Click here for more information!

I love shopping!

One of the best things about living in the southern hemisphere is shopping. Not going out and shop

ping, but shopping online. See, when winter is over in the US and Europe, it's just gearing up down here. That means that all these websites that sell clothes and fashion accessories are cutting prices way down in order to get winter products out of their inventory. 

That means it's a perfect time for me to buy leather boots online! Not just that - sweaters and coats and jackets are all available at amazing prices, ripe for the pickings. 

Of course, if you live in the northern hemisphere, you can take advantage of this too. Look for classic styles rather than trendy items so you're wardrobe won't look dated next year when you wear it. The low prices are a great time to pick up clothing and accessories in natural materials like wool or leather than generally are more expensive. Shop around on the internet, you may be surprised at how much you can save. 

Harry Potter Wands and Collectibles

Image via Wikipedia

As the Harry Potter series of flicks comes to an end, more and more individuals are getting interested in Harry Potter merchandise. Harry Potter wands have proven to be one of the more popular items. It's a fun item for collectors because there are lots of wands to choosefrom - nearly all of the characters in the movies has a signature wand, and each one is unique.

Wands, of course, are a way for wizards in J.K. Rawlings' wizarding universe to focus their powers when casting spells. While an expert wizard can cast spells without the use of a wand, it can be quite a difficult task. Wands have such extraordinary magical energy, that they are nearly animate beings on their own. In the book and movie series, most wizards get their wands from Ollivander the wand maker, who likes to say "The wand chooses the wizard... it isn't always clear why." It is true though that a adolescent wizard may try on several wands for size before he or she finds one that "accepts" him or her as an possessor.

We muggles have it a bit easier - we are free to own any of the wands we decide on! And there are various to choose from. Of course, Harry's own wand is a "most wanted" among hobbyists. Harry picked his wand out from amongst the hundreds of wands available at Ollivander's shop after a bit of trial and error. Once he had the right wand though, the two went together like hand in glove. What Harry didn't know at the time was that his wand was connected to the wand owned by Lord Voldemort - the same hateful wizard who had assassinated Harry's parents - and had left the lightning bolt shaped mark across Harry's forehead.

Other wands that are popular for collectors are the wands that belonged to other main characters in the book, like Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley or Professor Severus Snape. Each of the wands is distinctive, formed from differing woods and with particular magical cores, like dragon heart-string or a phoenix feather. Of course, one of the most well known wands of all is the Elder Wand, also known as the Deathstick or the Wand of Destiny. This wand had a lengthy and violent past before it came into play during the Harry Potter saga. We won't give away any story spoilers here, but suffice to say the wand played a vital role in the story.

There are many more popular types of Harry Potter memorabilia, such as models, Lego Harry Potter play sets and even action figures, but the Harry Potter Wands are one of the most popular of all. The story of Harry Potter has become remarkably popular, both in book and film. The fact that the finalfilm of the series is nearly upon us producesa bit of sadness for many people who are sorry to see the story end. Itemsare an ideal way to keep a bit of the story alive.

Designer Hobo Bags at Low Prices

I've never met a woman that would say no to a new purse - especially a beautiful designer purse, made out of the finest materials. While these purses may seem more expensive, their quality and classic styling means they last for ages and will be used over and over.

Hobo bags for women are one of those classics that never seems to go out of style. And because hobo bags less structured shape provides more inside room, it's a great choice for the woman on the move.

Another plus is their typically longer straps that allow for use over the shoulder or cross body. That makes them great for travel - lots of room, plus the ease of "no-hands".

Stylish hobo bags are available in a variety of materials from canvas cloth to fine leather. Look for well made interiors of sturdy cloth. Because the bags are less structured, it's always helpful to look for a few zipper compartments that can be used to keep the important stuff handy.

Boots are Always in Style

When looking for a fashion gift, there are certain things to keep in mind. Some styles are trendy while others are classics - and it can be difficult know which you should buy. Right now, platform knee high boots are very much in fashion, making them trendy - but boots are also a fashion that never goes out of style.

There are lots of choices in boots - styles, design, color, material and heel shape. You might go with a pull-on with a zipper, or maybe you'll choose lace-ups. There are even different kinds of platforms - the standard platform, or hidden (sometimes called covered) platforms.

When you buy boots (or any other fashion purchase) online, make sure to check the stores return policies. There are many sites now that offer rush shipping and free returns. It definitely pays to shop around to find the best deals.

Harry Potter Magic Wands are a Great Gift for Little Muggles

Kid's just love Harry Potter. Even my kids, who think they're too cool for everything, are acting like silly little fanboys over the new movie "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows" coming out.

That's why I think these Harry Potter Wands make such an awesome Christmas present this year.

You've got to watch the video - it's hilarious! But more importantly, I think it shows exactly why these are such a great gift. Look at the imagination and creativity of the kids in that video (here, at Harry Potter Wants) Those kids created a story, videoed it, and added effects! Imaginitave play is one of the most important play forms for children, and with these wands, they can bring that out in spades.

Cycleops Keeps you Training, even in Bad Weather

So, I have this friend that does those Iron Man type triathlons or whatever they're called. And he trains constantly. Part of his training is on his bike, of course. He rides for HOURS.

Except - sometimes the weather really sucks. I mean, he lives in central Florida, and it rains a lot. And when it rains, you don't want to be on the road on a bicycle, worrying about all that traffic.

Same thing for snow - or even when it's like 100 degrees outside.

But a stationary bike isn't the same - he wanted to train on HIS bike.

So he got a Cycleops Fluid 2 Indoor bike trainer. It's awesome! He just hooks up the back tire, and this thing raises it up off the ground by a couple of inches and holds it steady while he rides as long as he wants. It's even got this thing that provides friction to the tire, so you're not just spinning in the air - it feels like you're really riding down the road.

He had a different model before, but he didn't like it - he said it was too noisy. But with the Cycleops, he can watch TV with no problem while he rides. He's caught up on all his tivo'd episodes of Lost while he was riding. (He still can't figure the dang show out)

Oh, and if you're worried about feeling like your bike is going downhill because the back tire is raised up off the ground, they've got these cool little risers that fit under the front tire, so you can set it up however you like it. Actually, there's a few handy accessories for it - just check them out at Cycleops fluid 2 indoor bike trainer.