Sapphire and Tonic

Have You Tried Edison?

2005-08-31T12:06:00.000-07:00

For those of us struggling to lose those extra five pounds, but choose to do so by drinking light beer instead of exercising, have I got the beer for you. Edison, "the independent light beer", has a great light taste. While it does have more calories than some other light beers (109), it is still way better than pounding a Guinness. The catch? You can only find this great beer at Trader Joe's or in the Boston and Atlanta metro areas. Weird distribution, I know.

More logical deals

2005-08-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

Following up on a previous post, here are some more logical "deals" to pursue. I absolutely loathe bargain hunting or closeout shopping, but these deals just make sense.

Paolo Gucci watches: $150-$250 retail, under $30 (most styles) on Overstock
Business checks for laser printer: $100 from Deluxe or $47 from Wal-Mart Financial
Four star hotel in Boston: $190 from Hotwire or $419 from the Westin
Altec Lansing iPod dock: $185 from Best Buy or $133 from Buy.com.

I'm BACK!

2005-08-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the dearth of posts recently and this month in general. I have been busy wasting the summer away, but am now back with a bunch of great tips to share!

Hotels That Break the Mold

2005-08-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

Sick of the standard business hotel? Bored with the Westin and Four Seasons? On your next trip to Paris try Tablet Hotels. We love that these hotels focus on independence, shedding the corporate branding and imagery. With this change also comes personality and vibrance. Moreover, the customer service is on par with the best concierge and the rates are incredible.If you haven't browsed these awesome temporary abodes, it is worth it.

Sheik Underneath

2005-08-10T21:03:00.000-07:00

Style on the outside is extremely important. Never underestimate the power, however, of your style underneath the clothing. In this category, when in doubt, you can never go wrong with the classic: Calvin Klein Underwear. Find the right pair and make package look go from respectable to "good god!" The Pro Stretch is one of my favorites.

Map Your Sexual History

2005-08-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

The Museum of Sex is inviting you to come and map your sex life. The website allows you to mark down your sexual exploits and then share the dirty details. The goal of the project is to explore the wide range of sexual practice and perversion over time to see how these customs change. This is really something else.... take a look.

Get Used to Boise

2005-08-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

Boise, Idaho is one of the hottest cities in America. If you are looking for a place to invest in property or move your business this is it. For your company, start-up costs are low, the populace educated, the property cheap, and the government friendly. For investors, the cheap property does not mean ghettos or endless regional decline. This area is booming and figures to continue to do so in the near future. Boise... you'll be hearing more and more...

Fast Food Horror

2005-08-01T17:15:00.000-07:00

Nothing is really more low brow than munching on a Big Mac and Fries. The smell, the grease, the calories, it's fucking disgusting. Nevertheless, we all get caught in that trap sometimes. I was recently in an airport wing where the only food was candy bars and McDonald's... gotta love it. Point being, sometimes you're stuck. I just came across a handy pocket guide to fast food prepared by Men's Fitness. When you gotta do it, do it right... and hide the wrappers.

Save Smart

2005-07-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

Living the yuppie lifestyle generally means paying top dollar for top quality. There are certain instances, however, when finding a bargain is best. Here are a few examples I've come up with:

General ibuprofen, $1 over Advil, $3.79
Classic Polo Oxfords, $29.99 at Marshalls over $79.50 at Polo retail store
Wood Hangers, 2 for $1 at the Dollar Store over $7.99 each at Bed Bath and Beyond
New Coldplay CD, $9.30 from Half.com over$13.99 at FYE

New York Whites

2005-07-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

As a New Yorker, I've always envied the great wines that come from that other coast. It took me a long time to wade through the fruity morass of wines that make up much of New York's production. Nevertheless, three years ago I finally learned where New York can compete: Rieslings. They are extremely cheap and absolutely fantastic. A few stories have been done about these fine wines in the national media, most recently an article on the Bloomberg site. In any event, check these wines out!

Winnie the Poo(ntang)

2005-07-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

How can you not love the classic television show The Wonder Years. Most young men dream of dating the girl next door at some point in their lives. That is what made the character Winnie so appealing. Now, thanks to a Stuff Magazine spread she shares images of herself many of us had strained, errr, tried to create. Stuff makes for good bathroom reading too a Stuff subscription can be found here.

Lookin' Good

2005-07-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

You've got the style, but do you have the look? Men's Health has a great feature on grooming, that includes common questions with specific and solid answers. Everything from "How much attention is too much attention to pay my eyebrows?" and "How do I get rid of the acne on my back?" are approached honestly and seriously.

Designer Clothes Online Outlet

2005-07-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

Can't make it out to Woodbury Commons? I have been using BlueFly, a great online outlet for top name designer clothes. This is not your typical Marshalls stock, but some great stuff. There are extensive collections from many different designers. Some of my favorites: Dolce and Gabbana, Valentino, Cole Haan.

Sex and Blogs and Porn

2005-07-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of really crappy sex blogs out there. I originally began reviewing blog erotica in search of some porn pictures or commentary from "real" women. Some of what I found was decent, but most was crap. In any event, along the way, I found a great blog that posts hot blog sex galleries, usually of professional/semiprofessional/professional wanna-a-be women. Check it out.

Your TV Anywhere

2005-07-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Business travel can be tiresome and annoying. One of the most annoying parts is being away from the comforts of home. One of my favorite comforts is my television. Sure there is television elsewhere, but the channel numbers are strange, news casters unfamiliar, and the Mets are not on every night. Now that can all change with Slingbox. Connect the box to your cable line and a broadband connection at home and use the company's software along with high speed internet access to connect directly with your home TV, even your saved Tivo programs. My favorite thing is that there are no monthly fees - you just pay for the box and software. Some cons are that you need an internet connection on both ends and may interrupt anyone watching TV at home (it can't create two different connections with your cable). I'm excited!

Ralph's Purple Label

2005-07-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

Classic style and an "in" color. Ralph Lauren's Purple Label collection is a great place to expand your wardrobe. My personal favorite from the collection is a Corduroy hacking jacket for$995.00. A perfect start to shopping for the Fall season. While your on your Ralph kick explore cars from the Ralph Lauren collection, many of which will be on display at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Men Feel Less Pain

2005-07-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

At the risk of being labeled misogynistic, I am going to share a link that sheds some light on a topic that many men think but dare not say: Women feel more main then men. A recent study shows that women both feel pain more often and in more places than men. In other news, kidney stones hurt worse than pregnancy.

Leisure Travel Luxury Style

2005-07-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a brilliant cut throat rate from Hotwire.com we spent an amazing weekend at the Westin Copley Place in Boston. I've been in Washington and New York for the 4th, but Boston really kicked ass. In addition, we caught a great young chef in a great restaurant in Cambridge called Bambara. I am already penciled there during my next business trip to Boston.

Spyware Got You Down? Prevent it!

2005-06-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

I got bogged down with so many different pieces of spyware I hardly knew what to do. I tried running HijackThis, Adaware, and Spybot scans. Anyway, I eventually headed over to the CNET site to see what they recommended. For prevention and protections the editors recommended STOPzilla. We have been running brilliantly since then. Link: STOPzilla! Stop Adware, Spyware, and Popups! Download now.

Health Questions Answered

2005-06-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

The best site to get your health questions answered is Go Ask Alice. Columbia University's health site has grown immensely thanks to its frank answers and willingness to answer any question. The sexual health section is probably the strongest and will answer just about any question you may have, including what the hell is coming out of my penis?! and are there spontaneous orgasms?.

Metro PDA Freeware

2005-06-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

On the go abroad or in the US? There is a great FREE piece of software for your PDA/Smartphone that can give your Metro directions without being connected to your network. The best part is you can choose which cities to download. Features include multiple route options, places of interest, operating hours, 250 total cities, complete station lists for each line, and more. I absolutely love this program. It is a must have for any city dweller. Check out the product homepage.

A Killer Stereo Without A New Interface

2005-06-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

Want more functions on your car stereo? Hate the thought of opening up the dash of your fine automobile? Fear losing the beautiful continuity the car's original interface brings? Alpine has a solution for you. Its Vehicle Hub will turn your car stereo into the ultimate entertainment center without changing the look of your car. The device includes rear seat entertainment, navigation, DVD, iPod ready, satellite ready, and a mobile TV tuner.

Out On The Water

2005-06-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

With Summer here tomorrow, it's the perfect time to upgrade your kayak. Kayaking is one of the best exercises to participate in when on the water. You burn around 340 calories per hour kayaking while toning your arms/upper body. A Danish company offers a kayak that is "one of the fastest in the world" to kick your activity up a notch. I am tempted to try one...

Carry Your Laptop With Class

2005-06-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

I always wondered why people thought Office Depot was the best place to get their laptop bags. To be honest, its true that most people don't know the wonder of Knomo - a site for luxury laptop bags for men and women. We were thrilled to see Gridskipper link to this classy site. I currently own the Bungo in Bourbon and love it. So stop walking around with that classless leather from the discount office supply store. Class it up!

Disposable Camcorders

2005-06-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

People have long made use of disposable cameras. A new start-up out of California is seeking to expand on that success. This month, Pure Digital Technologies released the first pocket-sized camcorder. Weighing less than 5 ounces, this device can hold up to 20 minutes of video and sound. It can be purchased for $29.99 at some CVS stores who will also offer a DVD of your recorded event for $12.99. If anyone was curious, Pure Digital chose China to manufacture the product. Reuters press release.