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.

Old School Arcade Machines in your Home

2005-06-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

Brookstone is finally proving it is worth something more than a place to waste time at the mall. They are now offering vintage arcade game machines in the online store. The selection isn't huge but they do have Ms. Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Golden Tee, and Centipede/Missile Command. Each is going for $2,995 except Golden Tee which is $5,995.00.

Find the Best Airfare?

2005-06-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Sidestep is trying to establish itself as one of the best comparison search engines for airline tickets. I hate having to bounce back and forth from one ticketing site to another and then back to the company's main site and so forth. Sidestep puts all of the airfares next to eachother and then lets you easily filter and change the results without hitting the back button multiple times. Ever the skeptic, I still wanted to do a price comparison. We did a search for a flight next weekend (Fri-Sun) from JFK to Reagan National. Sidestep quoted us $194 on Delta with 1 stop via Orbitz. Just to check and see how we it scoured the net we tried some sites direct. Orbitz was, as Sidestep said $194. Travelocity said $261 on Delta nonstop. Delta's own site said $388 with one stop and was a pain in the ass to use. EXPEDIA however quoted us $193 and saved us a whole dollar. Ok the moral of the story? After other similar tests, Sidestep was found to be the lowest or very close every time ($1-$2). Given the time and hassle it may be worth trying for your next destination.

Eastern European Porn Stars

2005-06-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

At the risk of posting a "porn" article next to a mushy love your girlfriend/wife article, here goes. If you haven't noticed girls from areas of the former Soviet Union are taking over the runways. Frankly speaking... they are hot. So I was thrilled when Fleshbot posted a link to the annual Hungarian pornography awards striptease competition. The gallery has dozens of pictures and is well worth your time. Now you better get that jewelry we just talked about. Tsk tsk.

Surprise Her With Jewelry

2005-06-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe you just got your girlfriend a necklace for her birthday, or perhaps you always buy her jewelry on Valentine's Day. Nevertheless, nothing beats the surprise jewelry present. These random acts of kindness (even if in the material form) show that extra bit of care. Gifts on special occasions are what your supposed to do, but random gifts show extra thought and love. You could do the traditional Tiffany's thing, but step outside that mold and try Blue Nile. It is a little less expensive, with similar quality if not name. Browse Blue Nile Gifts by Price.

An Eco-Friendly Fireplace For Any Apartment

2005-06-16T15:27:00.000-07:00

Young urban professionals often get cramped into small apartments and houses. The realities of space in places like Boston and NYC also prevents one from storing wood for traditional fireplace, even if you're lucky enough to have one. Enter Ecosmartfire. A great alternative fireplace that does not have any exhaust (is freestanding) and runs on eco-friendly methylated spirits. I am considering the Element free-standing designer range for $6,880.50. (S&T is not an affiliate).

The Next Grey Goose?

2005-06-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats a nice dry vodka martini after a rough week (or day) at work. A French distiller and American distributor have teamed up to create Perfect 1864 ($45/bottle). The vodka market is pretty competitive these days with powerhouses like Absolut and Grey Goose, but many think Perfect will appeal to people as the "most expensive" vodka and well... because its "perfect."

It Is Time to Grill!

2005-06-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe you missed Memorial Day weekend, but there is still plenty of time left to buy a new grill to impress your stomach and your friends. The GE Monogram Freestanding 36 is my absolute favorite. It is not for everyone, but there is definitely a great selection of grills out there to check out.

Celebrities in Bikinis

2005-06-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

InStyle has a killer collection of celebrities in bikinis. My favorites: Anna, Paris, Keira. Icky: Lara and Kelly. Check it out.

Wifi in the Airport and on the Plane

2005-06-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

Most frequent travelers already know that Wifi is available a quite a few airports. However, the big push now is to get Wifi internet access on the airplane itself. Pushing the hardest to get this done among US carriers is United. Prices can be up to $30 for long flights, but it is well worth it for many business travelers. Of course United will need to tread carefully with this expensive plan as they are still looking up the big bankruptcy hill.

Location Free TV

2005-06-16T06:36:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest things about wireless internet is the ability to check email, stock quotes, etc from anywhere in the house. Sony has come up with a great product called Location Free TV which applies the same principle to cable television. Perfect for watching the game on your deck or listening to Bloomberg during your morning bathroom routine. The 12" screen model is $1,499.99. (Not affiliate links, but if you Sony reps want to send me one to try, let me know).

Tools for Serious Readers

2005-06-15T16:41:00.000-07:00

I know reading books is taking a backseat these days, I mean you are here aren't you? Nevertheless, reading S&T probably won't aid your next cocktail party conversation as much as a trendy book or the latest from (my favorite) WSJ's Personal Journal. Anyways, reading is good, so why not do it in style? One of the hippest places to find reading accessories (um, yes, that's right) is Levenger, "tools for serious readers" - check it out. (S&T is not an affiliate).

Ordering a Decent Wine

2005-06-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

My last trip to a restaurant definitely gets a mixed review. The filet was outstanding on its own, but the wine just didn't hit the spot and you can't really enjoy a filet without an excellent glass of red. In this case I was both tired and too engaged in conversation to select one, yet the server barely knew the different between Chardonnay and Cabernet. In any event, I found this article highly relevant and very informative (if old). Lead the way with wine selection at your next business dinner and who knows what you'll be making decisions on next...

Give Back With Junior Achievement

2005-06-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I want to kick my brother's ass. He has no concept of economics or want. It blows my mind sometimes. It makes me wonder how he can succeed in business. As a rising Senior at a large private college, it may be beyond repair. The scary thing is that there are millions youth out there who could learn a lot about economics and money. In fact, unlike my brother, their existence may depend on it. This is where Junior Achievement comes in. It is a great organization that teaches students about economics, business, and success. Please consider volunteering or donating to help them. (Disclosure: I am not affiliated with them in any way).

Asexual Humans

2005-06-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

Can't get into the pants of that hottie at work? Well a new trend that keeps popping up is the idea of the asexual being with no interest in sex. An interesting article looks at the growing phenomena and the possible risks involved.

Supplements and Vitamins Reviewed

2005-06-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

Whether you are too busy for exercise or you are finding your latest scheme to build muscle lagging, vitamins and supplements can help your body. The major problem with this is the contradictory and often incorrect information out there on the topic. In an attempt either to help you wade through this mess, or merely confuse you more, Men's Health recently published an article, "The Truth About Supplements."

Cheap Reds: Not Just for Sangria Anymore

2005-06-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

I was heading home from work the other day and decided to stop by the local liquor store and peruse their wine selection. Before I could bolt to the Italian reds (so boring, I know!), a young salesman offered me a taste of Australia's Little Penguin wine. I said (mostly out of politeness)
"sure what the hell." Anyway, I thought, I have some Altoids in the car that could probably kill the taste of this high priced grape juice if necessary. So I tried the Shiraz ... damn that is not bad. "Hit me again dude, and try and waft your $20 cologne the other way this time." Still, just as good. He packaged up 2 bottles of the Shiraz. I went to check out and the clerk asked for $16.00. I kindly reminded him that I had two bottles in my hands, he agreed, and again asked for $16.00. Don't call me a total convert, but the wine perfectly fits certain situations, I am going to get a case tomorrow.

Tennis Lust

2005-06-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

Every young man remembers the days when Anna Kournikova ruled his fantasies. It is not that Anna has lost her luster, but a new contender has emerged. Many of you, I am sure, have heard of Maria Sharapova an equally blonde, equally hot, and equally Russian complement (on and off court pics) to Kournikova. You may have noticed her recently on some Canon commercials. Get used to her name and head to Sam's for some extra Kleenex.

Welcome to Sapphire and Tonic

2005-06-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

In this small project, I hope to provide interesting links, commentary, news, and notices on all of the best from a young urban professional male. I will be focusing on technology, inebriation, breasts, and first class travel. Hope to hear from you along the way!