Thursday, July 19, 2007

Cool off with an Antartica Cruise

I have always dreamed of cruising Antartica and with global warming, no time is better than the present. It is even more inticing with a deal like this one from Norwegian Coastal Voyage. My friends at Dreams Alive Travel told me about this great vacation. Here is the excerpt from the cruise line's website:

Chile & Antarctica- A 13-day expedition program featuring expert guides, lectures, and PolarCirkel boat landings, starting at $4,999.

  • Antarctica Season 2007-2008 13-day program on board the MS Fram: Book any departure before July 31, 2007 and receive free airfare with a savings of $750 per person. Offer is good for new bookings only. Offer is not valid on the following select sailing dates: Dec 25, Jan 2, Jan 10 & Jan 18, 2007. Not combinable with other special offers.
  • Upon your arrival in Santiago (Chile) our local guides will immediately make you feel welcome and well taken care of. You'll have some time to appreciate this cosmopolitan city while staying at a luxury hotel, before embarking on your exploration voyage. There is only one way to fully experience the frozen landscape and history of "The White Continent," and that’s by expedition vessel. Convenient charter flights will take you to your embarkation port. With the aid of our expert guides, who provide lectures onboard and off the cuff during landings, you'll have an enthralling, educationally enriching adventure.

    DEPARTURE DATES 2007-2008: NOV 21, 29; DEC 7, 15, 23, 31; JAN 8, 16, 24; FEB 1, 9, 17
    Day 1: Depart the U.S.
    Depart from the U.S. on your overnight flight to Santiago.
    Day 2: Santiago
    Morning arrival at the Santiago airport in Chile. During the transfer to your hotel, a sightseeing tour of the city will be given. You have the rest of the day at leisure, or you can join the optional excursions.
    Day 3: Santiago-Ushuaia/Embarkation
    After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city. You will enjoy an orientation tour of this popular and attractive resort town, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, rivers, and waterfalls, before boarding MS Fram. In the evening an informative welcome meeting will be held. [B/D]
    Day 4-5: The Drake Passage
    Less than two days will be spent crossing the Drake Passage. During the crossing numerous lectures will be held on fascinating Antarctica, considered one of the most breathtaking and beautiful continents. You will arrive in Antarctica on day 5. [B/L/D]
    Days 5-9: Antarctica
    Antarctica, "The White Continent," is more than half the size of North America. On the Antarctic Peninsula you'll experience the narrow, glacier-lined Lemaire Channel, considered one of most beautiful passages in Antarctica-where humpback and killer whales, various penguins, and elephant seals are a common sight-and the breathtaking Neumayer Channel, with its majestic cliffs. Visits by PolarCirkel boats will be attempted in various locations (weather permitting), including:
    Half Moon Island, with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, famous for its large chinstrap penguin rookery, kelp gulls, and Antarctic terns. Whale spotting is also common here.
    Whaler's Bay on Deception Island, with its warm springs and black volcanic sand.
    Ukrainian Vernadsky Base, with its abundant bird life.
    Almirante Brown in Paradise Harbor, named for its beauty, with ice cliffs and floating icebergs, home to gentoo and chinstrap penguins.
    Port Lockroy, surrounded by mountains, glaciers and ice shelves, and known for its gentoo penguins and blue-eyed cormorants.
    Neko Harbor off Errera Channel, home to hundreds of gentoo penguins, Weddell and elephant seals, is believed to be part of main land Antarctica.
    Polish Arctowski Base in Admiralty Bay, where Adelie and gentoo penguins and elephant seals can be found.
    Petermann Island, home of the southernmost gentoo penguin colony, blue-eyed shags and Adelie penguins nest here too.
    Day 9-10: The Drake Passage
    While you cross this stretch of water from Antarctica, a series of lectures will be held on board summing-up topics related to Antarctica. [B/L/D]
    Day 11: Ushuaia/Disembarkation–Santiago
    In the morning you will reach the Argentinean city of Ushuaia. Ushuaia is reckoned to be the most southerly city in the world and is situated on Tierra del Fuego Island south of the Magellan Strait. After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Santiago. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is at your disposal. [B]
    Day 12: Santiago/Return to the U.S.
    Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the U.S. [B]
    Day 13: Arrive in the U.S.
    Morning arrival in the U.S.
    Meal codes: [B] Breakfast [L] Lunch [D] Dinner

MS FRAM Deck Plan & Ship Information

AARP members enjoy a discount of $150 per cabin.

ALSO INCLUDED:

  • Roundtrip economy class transatlantic airfare from New York
  • Airfare from Santiago to Ushuaia
  • Airfare between Ushuaia to Santiago
  • Transfers as indicated in itinerary
  • Services of expedition guides
  • Accommodations in five-star hotels as indicated in itinerary, including breakfast
  • Accommodations in select cabin category
  • Meals as indicated in itinerary
  • Port charges

NOT INCLUDED:
- Add-on airfares from Miami and Los Angeles- Local entry/departure fees, when applicable- Optional Excursions- Gratuities- Air taxes

Let me know if anybody is interested and we will try to coordinate dates for a "Yuppie Life Cruise to Antartica". Until then, safe travels.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Maximizing Your Investment Returns is a Balancing Act

Today the stock market had the largest single day gain in four years. Meanwhile, the real estate market continues to languish. It is funny how things have flip flopped in just two short years. I know I have talked about this in the past, but I thought it would be fitting to revisit the importance of balancing your investments through asset allocation.

Here are the major investment asset categories (listed from less risky to riskiest):

  • Cash/Money Market- This is the least risky because deposits up to $200k are insured by the Federal government. It also provides the lowest return on your investment (supposedly). Pundits tell us you should have at least 3 months of expenses in cash/money market accounts. In today's environment, I recommend a different strategy. You should have 6 months of expenses in cash. The best place to park your money is either in CDs (certificate of deposits) or in a high interest savings/checking account. Check out these aforementioned links on my past posts.
  • Bonds- Unless you are on the verge of retiring, I cannot really recommend bonds. Some people have been successful in bond investment in the past, but the slightly greater rate of return on bonds these days is not worth the extra risk. If you still want some exposure to bonds (I recommend no more than 10% of your total portfolio if you have to have them), check out high yield bonds or municipal bonds (for strategic tax planning purposes).
  • Stocks- This asset class offers so many vehicles for investing and includes everything from mutual funds to index funds to individual stocks to international stocks. Since this is almost one of the most popular investments, I think it is best to talk about the different kids of stock investments separately.
  • Mutual Funds- I don't know why people invest in mutual funds anymore. Granted there are some really great fund companies (Dodge & Cox is my favorite), but the high fees, inability to manage tax consequences and the emergence of index & electronically traded funds have made mutual funds almost obsolete. Less than 10% of the stocks I own are in mutual funds.
  • Index Funds/Electronically Traded Funds- These are my favorite. Basically, these are baskets of individual stocks that trade collectively as an individual stock. Better yet, whereas in the beginning the index funds were limited to the SPDRs (tracks the S&P 500) and the QQQ (tracking the Nasdaq 100), today there are hundreds of funds that follow everything from oil industry companies to ecologically friendly companies. Here is a list of the top performing index funds. Since these funds trade just like a share of stock, you can control when you sell it to manage your taxes better. Plus, many of the funds are no or low fee. At least 50% of the stocks I own are index funds.
  • Individual Stocks- These are stocks of your favorite companies. I am a firm believer in buying stocks in companies that you like or purchase from. This methodology is used by Warren Buffett (and he is a pretty savvy investor). When buying an individual stock, I usually look for one "on sale". In other words, I buy a stock on a dip (as long as the drop in price isn't related to a fundamental business problem). This may be a terrible example, but I love the organic food store Whole Foods Market (ticker: WFMI). Today, it was released that the company's CEO made unfavorable comments about a rival store (Wild Oats) on a chat room trying to drive down the price of Wild Oats stock just months before Whole Foods made a bid to buy the company. Today, the stock was down 2% because the CEO was stupid. I decided to buy more of the stock because his comments shouldn't affect the fact that America's desire for organic food is growing. Try to limit 20% of your stock portfolio to individual stocks since they are inherently more risky than a basket of stocks (like mutual and index funds offer). Finally, look for individual stocks that pay great dividends. Companies like Altria, Bank of America and others pay over 4% dividends recently. This is better than most money market accounts and offer a pretty good rate of return by itself (the stock's appreciation at this point is just gravy). Better yet, there is an index fund with the ticker DVY that holds the stocks of companies paying the highest dividends.
  • International Stocks- I wanted to give this class of stocks its own section because it is one of my favorites and I have dedicated 20% of my stock portfolio to these stocks. I buy mostly index funds for international stocks (EEM for emerging markets, EEB for Brazil, Russia, China & India, but there are a load of others). The returns on international stocks have been nothing short of spectacular the past few years. I sincerely believe as we continue to expand the global marketplace that many of the best companies (and investments) will come from overseas. Even Warren Buffett has gone overseas to invest in an Israeli company. There will always be turmoil and unstable governments that make this a very risky investment, but it is this inherent risk that makes the return that much better.
  • Real Estate- Everybody who owns real estate has a portion of their wealth invested in the asset class of real estate. You can also invest in REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) which allow you to own a stock like investment whose value is tied to a portfolio of real estate investments (apartment complexes, skyscrapers, hotels, etc.). Recently the value of REITS has declined with the overall market. However, I still recommend having some money in REITs (although only a paltry 10%). Buying the stocks of home builders is another way to "play" the real estate market as there is a direct correlation between the two. You can also invest in real estate by owning a rental home, duplex, vacation home, timeshare/fractional ownership or even owning a small strip center. This is my preferred way of investing in real estate because you need very little money to get started. Banks love to loan money for real estate purchases, but you would be hard pressed to find a bank to loan you money to buy stocks. Plus, with 1031 exchanges, you can defer the tax implications of selling real estate. I will write posts on this later, but you can get a good idea by reading my post, how to become a landlord.
  • Alternative Investments- This includes so many different things: investing in a hedge fund, starting your own business, investing in a partnership or private company, investing in art, wine futures, foreign currencies, vintage automobiles or anything that you can buy at one price today and sell for a higher price in the future. Again, these tend to be the riskiest of investments so only invest up to 10% in these various ventures.

To recap, I think the best balance of investments is the following:

Cash (6 months of expenses) - approximately 10%

Bonds- 0-10%

Mutual Funds- 0-10%

Index Funds/Electronically Traded Funds- 50%

Individual Stocks- 10%

International Stocks- 20% (you can invest in individual stocks through ADRs, but I prefer index funds for international stocks)

Real Estate- 10%

Alternative Investments- 10%

The numbers don't exactly add up if you have bonds or mutual funds, but if you do just subtract the total from Index Funds. I will dedicate a post for Index Funds because they deserve the attention. Until then, take care and happy investing.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

How to Throw a Party, Part 3

I promise this is my last post regarding throwing a party. If you haven't had a chance to read Part 1 & Part 2, here are the links:

How to Throw a Party, Part 1
How to Throw a Party, Part 2

This post, I want to focus on the food and drink of my wife's surprise birthday party, including some recipes.

Appetizers
On one table, I laid out all of the appetizers and a drink station near the front door. Since this was a fairly large party (over 60 people), I wanted a large variety of little bits to please any palate. Keeping with my Italian theme, I offered the following:

  • Sliced Deli meats- Prosciutto di Parma, Salami, Mortadella (kids love this stuff because it tastes like bologna), Capicolla (hot) and Sopressata (sweet). I bought basically a pound of each which was plenty.
  • Cheese- Fresh sliced mozzarella with a sprinkling of salt and black pepper, Fontal (sheep milk cheese), aged Provolone, Parmigiano Reggiano, Asiago and Gorgonzola. The idea here is to arrange the cheeses from mildest to strongest (which I did in the order above). This way your guests can progress on the cheeses until they reach their comfort zone. I also like to mix up goat, cow and sheep milk cheeses to make it interesting. With the cheese, I offered an array of fresh and dried fruits. These are natural pairings. I offered green and red grapes, fresh cherries, dried pear slices, dried cherries, figs (both mission and Smyrna) and dates (madjool). I also put together a nice mix of nuts including cashews, pistachios and almonds (blanched). Put the nuts on a baking sheet in an oven at 450 degrees for 15 minutes until golden. These make boring nuts taste fantastic. I should have also put out some honey, but in all of the confusion I forgot.
  • In the past, I always made a mini caprese salad on a toothpick, but this time I decided to deconstruct it. I took super sweet grape tomatoes and marinated them in balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, pepper and olive oil. Just before the party I added a bunch of fresh basil (torn up into pieces) with small balls of fresh mozzarella and plenty of salt. If you want to use toothpicks, simply put the mozzarella on first, then a basil leaf and then the grape (or cherry) tomatoes to cap it off. Salad on a stick!
  • Olives, galore. I am not a big fan of olives, but my wife loves them. Here are some great ways to jazz up the olives: stuff them with crazy things. I love taking different varieties of pitted olives and stuffing them with: almonds, pistachios, any nuts, prosciutto, roasted garlic, fresh garlic slivers, gorgonzola, provolone, any cheese, roasted red peppers or really any flavor item you can fit in the little hole. Once I have stuffed the olives (or leave them plain), I use my microplane and zest lemons and oranges all over the top and then drizzle really good quality olive oil all over the place with a dash of white balsamic vinegar (add dried chili flakes if you want some heat to the dish). This is the best way to jazz up canned or jarred olives.
  • I love bread. I decided to offer a big variety that included a semolina loaf, some ciabatta rolls, thinly sliced non-seeded Italian and a seasame seeded Italian round. Next the bread, I put some roasted garlic, butter whipped with gorgonzola cheese and a sformato (see recipe below).
  • Sformato (ricotta cheese spread). Ingredients: 3 cups of ricotta, 1 cup of parmesean, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, 1 tablespoon each of salt & pepper Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Mix together the ricotta (room temperature), parmesean, egg, olive oil, lemon zest , salt & pepper and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Place the mixture into a non-stick baking pan about 9 inches in diameter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Main Course
You are probably freaking out already that there is this much food, but there isn't a lot more food left. I like for people to fill up on appetizers and then wow them with just two or three entrée items. The appetizer stuff takes no time to prepare and can be done in advance. I didn't even start cooking my main course dishes until my guests arrived (with the exception of the veggies and the orzo in the egg bake). Since I was going to cook and entertain at the same time, my main courses have to be quick. I also like to prepare a meat, fish/seafood and a vegetarian option to satisfy all guests. Here you go:

  • Pancetta wrapped jumbo shrimp with sage and a honey, orange glaze. This sounds like a restaurant dish, but is super easy. Use raw, deveined, cleaned shrimp (with the tail on). I buy big bags of this stuff frozen at Sam's and defrost the shrimp slowly in the fridge throughout the day. 30 minutes before you are ready to cook, mix together 1/2 cup of orange marmalade, 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons of orange zest, 1/4 cup of finely chopped sage, 2 tablespoons of honey. Mix together well and drop all of your shrimp in, coating them well. Let them marinade for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grab your round slices of pancetta (thinly sliced) and unravel the rounds, slicing them every three inches or so. Get a nonstick pan over medium high heat ready. Grab your shrimp out one by one (no need to pat dry) and wrap the meaty party of the shrimp in pancetta in a spiral motion so there is only one layer of pancetta. Place in the hot skillet until the pancetta is crispy and browned on one side (about five minutes). Flip shrimp over and cook other side for five minutes more. Do not disturb the shrimp while they are cooking or the pancetta will not crisp up. . . HINT: You can also do this under the broiler, but the pancetta doesn't get quite as crispy and the shrimp tend to overcook. Serve immediately.
  • Grilled Flank steak with Gorgonzola Cream. This is a cheap and easy way to feed a lot of people. Take a 5-7 pound Flank steak and stab it all over with a fork. Rub in a generous amount of salt, pepper and olive oil and marinade for 4 hours (or overnight). Let the meat come to room temperature before placing it directly on the grill over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes on one side before flipping and cooking for another 10 minutes. Close the grill, turn off the heat and let the meat roast for another 10 minutes for medium rare. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Finally, thinly slice the meat against the grain at a 45 degree bias. To make the gorgonzola cream sauce, simmer a cup of heavy cream for 30 minutes until thick (should cover and stick to the back of a wooden spoon). Remove from heat. Add some white pepper and a 1/4 cup of gorgonzola cheese crumbles. Stir until combined and cheese sauce is smooth. Drizzle a bit of sauce over the meat and put any remaining sauce in a side dish so people can add more if they want. I served the steak on top of a bed of baby spinach that was seasoned with lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Egg bake with Orzo and herbs. Cook the orzo (a small pasta that looks like rice) according the box's directions. Drain pasta water well and pour some olive oil in to prevent the orzo from sticking. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat a dozen eggs with 2 cups of ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons of milk, a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper and herbs finely chopped (fresh basil, fresh oregano and fresh parsley. Add in orzo and stir until all ingredients are combined. In a 9x12 baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Pour in egg mixture and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes until eggs bake is firm and a toothpick inserted in center is clean when removed. If the top is still soupy, put under the broiler for a couple of minutes. You can also sprinkle some grated parmesean on top for an additional flavor.
  • Grilled Veggies with Roasted Garlic. I thickly sliced eggplant, zucchini, summer squash and red onion. I tossed the veggies in olive oil, lemon zest, juice of a lemon and a couple of splashes of balsamic vinegar. I placed the vegetables on the grill over medium high heat until they were softened a little bit. Meanwhile, I took 4 heads of garlic and sliced off the top half. I sprinkled with olive oil, salt and pepper and wrapped tightly in aluminum foil before sticking in a 420 degree oven for 40 minutes. After the veggies came off the grill, I sprinkled with salt and pepper with tons of chopped herbs (fresh basil, fresh oregano, fresh parsley and suck it in the 420 degree oven with the garlic for the final 20 minutes to finish cooking and to meld the flavors of the vegetables. I took some of the roasted garlic and mashed it up really well and mixed it into the veggies when they were done cooking. The remaining roasted garlic I also mashed with salt and olive oil and put it near the bread for a roasted garlic spread.


Dessert
I am not a baker by any means, but love inventing different types of cakes. My sister-in-law is an incredible baker and cake decorator so she was in charge of the birthday cake. My Aunt Marie also makes the best biscotti in the world (both an almond and toffee variety). I don't have the recipes, but here is the gist of the birthday cake (you can buy cake mix and replicate the filling that follows:

  • Pistachio Cream Cake. To make the filling, finely grind 2 cups of pistachios in a food processor with 4 cups of powdered sugar. Mix in a stick of cream cheese (room temperature), a stick of butter and a cup of heavy whipping cream until a smooth consistency is achieved. You can also mix in store bought butter cream icing to smooth out the pistachio mixture. This is the filling for between the layers of cake. The icing on top was whipped cream. Take a quart of heavy whipping cream, 1 cup of powdered sugar and a tablespoon of almond extract and beat until soft peaks are formed. Decorate the cake with ground pistachios around the side of the cake with maraschino cherries on top.

Wines
With the huge selection of food, finding the right wines to pair with the food wasn't easy. Of course, all of the wines had to be from Italy to keep with the theme. Here are some of the wines I purchased from Wine.com:

  • Prosecco- I bought two brands, Brio by Folonari and Zardetto. The Proseccos (sparkling wine similar to champagne, but a bit drier and sweeter with less carbonation) paired nicely with most of the cheeses, the caprese salad, as well as the dessert.
  • White Wines- Again, I bought two brands: 2005 Lugana Zenato & 2005 Danzante Pinot Grigio. The Zenato is a fuller bodied white that paired nicely with the egg bake, roasted vegetables, olives. The Pinot Grigio is a little lighter with flavors of honey and lemon. This paired perfectly with the pancetta wrapped shrimp, the dried fruit.
  • Red Wines- Two more reds. The lighter style 2004 Vitiano Falesco. This red is so smooth it doesn't need food, but went nicely with the cured meats (salami, sopressata, prosciutto, etc.), egg bake, sformato and practically everything else on the menu. For a fuller body, super jammy drink to go with the flank steak with gorgonzola cream sauce, I decided on the 2005 Di Maio Norante Sangiovese. This wine was the crowd favorite and is extremely quaffable for a big wine.
  • Limoncello- The ultimate digestif. This homemade limoncello (also made by my Aunt Marie), takes the peels of lemons soaking in a liter of vodka in a dark closet for 2-3 weeks. Afterward, you strain out the lemon peels, you add 2 cups of simple syrup (equal parts of sugar and water that are brought almost to a boil or until the sugar is completely dissolved) and stir well. Stick the whole bottle in the freezer before serving in small glasses. This is some potent stuff, but so delicious and easy to make.

Okay, that's it. I hope this will inspire some of you who are hesitant about throwing parties to take the leap and entertain. It is so much fun to throw a surprise party and share an evening of great friends, food and drink. Just remember to keep it simple to spare yourself the headaches. Relax and enjoy the party and your friends.

I would love to hear about some of the parties you have thrown or attended in the past. Include any neat ideas for gift bags, food, decorations or any other comments.suggestions.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Throwing a Party, Part 2

If you didn't read Part 1, which contains a lot of general tips on throwing a party, I have included it here: Throwing a Party, Part 1



Throwing a Party, Part 2



I wanted to give the particulars of my wife's surprise party. Hopefully going through the actual party will give you some ideas for hosting your own party.



Advance Prep- I ordered the invitations (from VistaPrint.com) a month before the party and mailed them 2 weeks before the party. A great way to personalize the invitation is to get find a great picture (especially of the birthday person) and put it on the stamp. This is done so easily through Photo Stamps.



Food- I did all of the shopping the day before the party to ensure the freshness of all ingredients. I started at Sam's Club, the perfect place for all of those bulk items needed for a large party. I found incredible deals on fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, huge frozen shrimp, flank steak, decorative dinner plates, pistachios and a bunch of other items. Since I was doing an antipasto platter, I needed some Italian deli meats so I headed to Publix. Publix has Boar's Head meat, which are incredible. I also bought some arugula, espresso and a couple of other items I didn't need in bulk. I then headed over to Fresh Market, a gourmet grocery store similar to Whole Foods, but not completely organic. This is where I bought the Prosciutto di Parma (probably the finest piece of deli meat in the world and certainly one of the most expensive at $20 per pound). I also found a nice selection of cheese here, including Fontal (a great Italian Sheep's milk cheese).

Drink- Keeping with my all Italian theme, all of my drinks were made from Italy. This included some Prosecco (Italy's version of sparkling wine, albeit more restrained), white & red wine, Panna water, San Pellegrino sparkling sodas (I love the Aranciata and Limonata flavors), Italian beer (Peroni & Moretti) some homemade limoncello and some espresso. I found most of these items (including the water and Italian sodas) from Total Wine & More. This is like Toys 'R Us for alcoholics. They have some great prices and an expansive selection.

Decorations- This definitely isn't my strong point so I went with fresh flowers. Here is a great hint, instead of searching for florists in your area look for floral supply. These are wholesalers to florists and offer a huge discount over your local retailer. My wife loves the color pink, so I decorated the house with peonies (her favorite, they look like huge roses) and roses. I also love to use candles everywhere, but since there were going to be tons of kids running around, I opted out of this. Finally, I decided to go with paper plates and utensils that I found from Sam's Club (believe it or not they had paper plates that matched the invitation-circles in pastels with a pink background). For background music, I simply put on a digital music station (instrumental) that can be found on most cable and satellite providers). Although the plates and utensils were disposable, I used porcelain platters. Most of them were from Deruta in Italy. These are beautiful hand painted pieces. I love using different shapes and heights to make the appearance interesting. I also purchased stemless wine glasses from Linens 'N Things. These were only $19 for a set of 12 and were a great buy and great quality.

I know this seems to be the never ending post, but next time I am going to talk specifics about the food and drinks that were served. I have some great recipes that were quick and easy to make, a key point so you can enjoy the party instead of slaving over the stove.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Throwing a Party

First, let me apologize for not posting sooner. This is a crazy time of year for me. I've been super busy with real estate, my day job and planning a surprise birthday party for my wife. Which brings me a post about what to do (and not to do) when throwing a surprise party.

Like everything else, I love to plan every detail. I am a firm believer in "you never plan to fail, only fail to plan". Here are some quick general steps to planning a party on the sly:

  • Don't tell ANYBODY about the surprise party until you send the invitations out (preferably 2 weeks before the party date). Some people have a hard time keeping secrets, while others may accidentally slip up.
  • I prefer sending out old school paper invitations, just make sure you do not include a return address if the surprise party is for a person in your house. This way they do not see any invitations that were returned in the mail. Check out Vista Print. They have some of the best prices on invitations, business cards, postcards, etc. on the web. Just make sure people RSVP to your private email address or work phone number (if appropriate) so don't have to dodge calls on your cell phone. If you want to send invitations electronically, check out Evite. This lets you organize RSVPs very easily and it is a fun and efficient way to send invitations.
  • Invite long lost friends. No surprise party is complete without surprise guests. Go ahead and find a childhood friend or somebody the party person hasn't seen in awhile and invite them.
  • Pick a theme. No matter what type of surprise party you are throwing (birthday, anniversary, promotion, etc.), pick a theme and carry that theme through ad nauseum. My wife is 100% Italian, so the theme was a night in Italy. All of the food, wine, decorations and even the bottled water (Acqua Panna) and soda (San Pellegrino) were Italian or made in Italy. I will post more on the food and drink later.
  • Keep it simple. In order to maintain the element of surprise, a lot of shopping, decorating and preparation must be done at the last minute. Nothing is worse than spending the entire party cooking and cleaning. To avoid this, keep the food and decorations very simple. Don't be afraid to buy prepared or frozen food. Otherwise choose food that cooks very quickly. For decorating, flowers and balloons are quick and easy and add a special touch.
  • To be the ultimate host, read the morning paper's headlines. When hosting or attending the party, pick 4 or 5 current events that you can discuss with your guests. It makes the conversation go easily. Also, refresh your memory on what is going on in your guest's lives. They may have new jobs, moved recently or had a loved one pass. By asking your guests about things that are important to them, you are guaranteed to have satisfied guests.
  • Introductions. In a mixed crowd, make it a point to introduce at least 5 people to other guests they may not know. If you are having a sit down dinner party, I like mixing up the seating arrangement to seat people who may not know each other by each other.
  • Play some games. Even though you aren't 10 years old anymore, try playing some games or competitions with your guests. One great idea is to get a bag of corks and paint one of them red (or any other color). Guests reach in and draw a cork. If they pull out the painted cork, they get a bottle of wine. Another great game is get a plastic trashcan with a lid. Cut a hole in the lid large enough to fit an arm through. Line the trashcan with a trash bag and fill it up with ice and a large variety of different drinks. When somebody gets thirsty, they reach in to get their drink and are "stuck" with whatever they pull out. It is really fun if you put all kinds of beverages that people don't drink on a regular basis(Yoohoo, 40 ounces of malt liquor, Capri Suns, etc.).
  • Don't be over zealous about cleaning your house before the party. Let's face it, your house is going to be trashed during the party. Save your energy for cleaning after the party. Just make sure valuables are stowed away, your house is straightened and the bathrooms have plenty of toilet paper. Forget about vacuuming and mopping the floors beforehand because nobody will ever notice.

Here are some other quick tips: Turn on all of your lights or light a bunch of candles. Blast your air conditioner. Secure any pets. Put a plunger and air freshner in the bathroom. Re-arrange any furniture to improve seating and the flow of people. Place food in different areas around the house to prevent traffic jams at the table. Pre-wrap the napkins and utensils for guests if serving buffet style. Place trashcans everywhere with extra bags nearby. Get more ice than you think you will need. Don't be shy about asking your guests to leave when you are ready for the party to end (just tell them you have to be up early and have a night of clean up ahead of you).

In the coming days, I am going to go through in detail the surprise birthday party I planned for my wife, including menu items. In the meantime, please post some comments on things you liked/disliked about parties you have attended or hosted in the past. Take care.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

I'm Sick of Spending Money

WARNING: I want to apologize from the start about this post. It is going to be filled with rants and raves in a stream of consciousness that would make Faulkner himself blush. Call it buyer's remorse or just plain bad luck, but I am literally sick of spending money after shelling out $170 for raw duck last night for dinner.

You will have to wait for my restaurant review for the complete details of the fiasco of a dinner at one of the "top" restaurants in the country, but on the ride home I started thinking about the value of a dollar. My fleeting thoughts turned into an obsession this morning when I read that retail sales were up almost 2%. Why is everybody spending so much money?

Obviously there is no correct answer for this rhetorical question. However, I began to ponder the reasons why I spend money. It didnt' take long to realize I spend money to create a feeling or emotion. Shortly after, I came to the conclusion that everybody spends money to create a feeling or emotion. I'm not going to get anymore philosophical on this point, but think about it. Even when we buy things considered necessities (food, shelter, clothing, etc.), we buy them to create a feeling. We spend a wide range of money of clothes to feel comfortable or pretty. We buy certain foods that give us a feeling of satisfaction or to make us "feel" full. People buy homes made of different materials to feel safe or in different locations to be convenient.

The problem with spending money is we often fail to identify the feeling we desire and how much we are willing to sacrifice for that feeling. I went to dinner last night with my wife for a "date" night. We both wanted the feeling of connecting with one another. The choice we made was to go to a fancy restaurant we wanted to try as part of this connection. However, was the few hours we got to spend alone eating raw duck with terrible service and leaving the restaurant sick worth $170? Would it have been worth $170 if the dinner was fantastic? The answer to both of these questions is an emphatic, "No". The reason why is connecting with your spouse costs absolutely nothing. If our objective for last night was to experience a night of fine dining than the money I spent would be linked to the "feeling" we were chasing.

The next time you make take your wallet out or are planning on making a purchase, spend a moment to think about the emotion or feeling you are trying to get by spending the money. Often times you will see a disconnect between the two or at the very least think of a more affordable alternative.

Sorry for the diatribe, tomorrow I will get back on track of giving more practical advice. However, I am going to be testing this theory in the days and weeks to come. I hope you do too. Let me know some of the things you do to stop spending money. Post a comment below.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Restaurant Review: Pei Wei

I love Chinese food. The way it is cooked (quickly in a wok), the spices (chilis, ginger, garlic) and the variations of veggies and noodles (rice noodles, bok choy, snow peas). Unfortunately, the land I live in is filled with down right awful fast food Chinese.

When a P.F. Chang's finally opened a couple of years ago, I was excited at the prospect of quality food. Unfortunately, this particular outlet served the same slop as the mom & pop establishments at twice (or three times) the price.

I wasn't even going to give P.F. Chang's little sister concept, Pei Wei, a chance when one opened around the corner a couple of weeks ago. However, my insatiable appetite for Chinese food overtook me (especially since my wife has banned our standby Chinese restaurant after a bug, no a beetle, was found in the vegetable lo mein).

In preparation for our feast, I went online and checked out the menu. I was extremely disappointed to find out the menu is exactly the same as P.F. Changs, but scaled way down. You see, Pei Wei is designed as a quick meal establishment with more than half their business as take out. It has plenty of seating and an open kitchen for those wanting to eat on-site, but no waitress service. You approach the counter, order, given a number and wait 15 minutes for your food.

All my biases were set aside when I actually tasted the food. It was fantastic (a feat difficult for most new restaurants). We started off with the appetizer that has made the mothership famous, minced chicken lettuce wraps. Absolutely perfect. Crisp leaves of iceberg lettuce that you stuff with chopped chicken that has been simmered in a variety of spices, mushrooms, water chestnuts and scallions. The balance of textures is amazing with the crisp lettuce and chestnuts contrasting with the soft chicken and mushrooms. The other appetizer was their version of crab rangoon called crab wontons. This was the first time ever that there was more crab than cream cheese. Better yet, these fried treats tasted great even after sitting for quite some time.

For main courses, we shared the following:

  • Shrimp & Scallops in Asian Coconut Curry. I am a huge fan of curry and this hit the spot with a silkiness of the coconut milk against the gentle spice of curry.
  • Beef & Ginger Broccoli. The beef was thinly sliced, almost shaved and incredibly tender. I am not a huge fan of ginger, but the flavor was incredible. The broccoli was crisp and well seasoned.
  • Spicy Korean Beef. If you like pepper sauces, this is the entree for you. A great level of heat (even the kids will enjoy this one). The long beans were perfectly cooked, still crunchy with a nice selection of other vegetables.
  • Pei Wei Spicy Pork. This was the only let down. The pork was breaded a little too much and there was nothing spicy about it. Instead, the vinegar sauce overpowered the dish. Oh well, 3 out of 4 isn't bad.

The great think about this place is you can get any of the entrees or noodles with your choice of shrimp, scallops, pork, chicken, beef, vegetables and tofu. You can also choose between white and brown rice. We went with the brown rice (it still contains the important fiber husk).

In short, I was so excited about our dinner that I cannot wait to try other menu items. The menu is so affordable (most dishes cost around $7) it may become a weekly outing. Shoot, I may even give P.F. Chang's another shot. They are opening locations all over the country so check this place out. Let me know some of your favorite Chinese restaurants or recipes. Post a comment below.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

How to Become a Landlord

Despite the downturn in the real estate market in most of the U.S., people are still interested in investing in real estate. And they should be. Every balanced portfolio needs to include real estate investments (REITs, home builder stocks, mortgage backed securities, rental properties, etc.). The hard part is deciding which real estate investment suits your risk and reward tolerance.

One of the more challenging, but rewarding real estate investments is owning a rental property. As a landlord myself, there are certain rules to live by. One of the best articles on this topic is available from the Fool.com (one of my favorite websites-I will blog on this another time).

If you have ever wanted to become a landlord, this is the time to do it. Here's why:

  • Historically low interest rates allow for lower monthly payments. The lower your monthly payments, the lower rent you can charged and still make money.
  • The booming real estate market over the past few years has made home buying impossible for many.
  • The influx of immigrants has created a large demand for rental homes since most mortgage companies only give loans to U.S. citizens.
  • Over the past few years, many apartment complexes have been converted into condos leaving a shortage of rental properties.
  • The recent sub-prime lending crisis have forced lenders to make it harder for everybody to get a mortgage.
  • Many recent home buyers have adjustable interest rate mortgages that have risen quickly, making their mortgage payments too much for them to afford. In response, these home owners are unloading their homes for bargain basement prices to avoid foreclosures.

In addition to the great tips in the Fool.com article from above, here are some of my insider tips to becoming a landlord:

  • Buy a rental house that you, yourself would live in. This not only helps you market the home, but may help you avoid some taxes if you actually move into it for a couple of years before selling it (check with your accountant for more info on this).
  • Simply your life by buying a home warranty through a company like American Home Shield or Old Republic. The cost is less than $400 a year and will save you (and your tenant) time and heartache. If there is ever a maintenance issue, the tenant calls the home warranty company (not you) and pays the $40 service fee. This way you aren't fixing toilets at midnight.
  • Give your good tenants a reason to stay. It is a lot easier to keep a good tenant than to find a new one. When it is time to renew, tell your good tenant you will get a new refrigerator, blinds, carpet, landscape or something for the house in exchange for them signing on for another year. The cost of this little gesture will not only improve YOUR rental property, but it will save you money you would lose through advertising and vacancy costs while you find a new tenant.
  • The easiest way to determine if a house for sale will make a profitable rental is to make sure the monthly rental amount is equal to or greater than 1% of the purchase price. For example, if the house for sale costs $180,000 than you should get $1,800 a month in rent to make some money. This isn't an exact science, but it is a good rule of thumb.

Make sure to do your homework before you become a landlord. If you have any questions or stories, post a comment below. I will be happy to help any way I can.

Friday, June 1, 2007

Singer Island/Palm Beach Trip Report

After searching and searching for a relaxing, yet luxurious Memorial Day weekend jaunt, I discovered the Resort at Singer Island. This Starwood Hotels resort is located just a couple of miles north of Palm Beach.

Upon arriving, we were pleasantly surprised at the beautiful lobby and efficient check-in. The lobby is decorated in beautiful marble and travertine stone with colorful, plush leather furniture. The decadent accouterments continued as we arrived at our room, or better described as a sprawling 2 bedroom corner suite. Our eyes expanded as we entered and delighted in the modern furnishings, replete with a kitchenette featuring stainless steel appliances (including a full size refrigerator, dishwasher, washer, dryer, futuristic microwave, tea kettle, coffee maker with complimentary Starbucks and a two burner stove top).

The high end appliances carried over into the family room and bedrooms with super sized 42 inch LG plasma flat screen televisions, Bose stereo system and Dream Machine alarm clocks featuring a sound machine.

The furnishings were equally sumptuous with fine linen bed coverings and sheets and a wrap around balcony featuring cushy chairs and expansive views of the ocean, Peanut Island (more on this later) and Lake Worth.

The bathrooms complimented the rest of the accommodations with a separate walk in shower and soaking tub. The bathroom was well stocked with plush terry cloth towels and Gilchrest & Soames products. Needless to say, I would put this hotel up against any Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton or Mandarin hotel any day. The best part is this hotel was only $369 per night for a 2 bedroom suite. Grab another couple or a large family and you would be hard pressed to match these accommodations ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

The only complaints about the hotel would be:

  • Valet parking is mandatory at a cost of $2o per day.
  • Housekeeping didn't show up on the 2nd day and when called, just did a quick clean. In their defense, they did wash the dishes everyday. They did forget hand towels on one day though.
  • Beach chairs, lounges and umbrellas are for rent only. $10 for each lounge chair and $25 for the fold over umbrella. Bring your own chairs.
  • Like most resorts, food was unbelievably expensive. $18 for a cheeseburger with fries. Drinks, poolside also ran about $12 per drink. Since you have a kitchen, bring food with you. There is an amazing Italian grocery store just a mile or so away called Carmine's and some great restaurants, but more on those later.

After settling in and finding out the exorbitant beach chair rental fee, we decided to sit poolside. There are 2 pools at the resort. One pool with a nice rock waterfall and waterslide, perfect for the kids. The other pool is more subdued with a couple of cabanas flanking a large expanse of loungers. These aren't your ordinary lounge chairs, but feature thick padded chenille covers that felt like you were laying on a cloud. The pool was well attended by waiters/waitresses and getting drinks and food was never a problem. This pool overlooked the ocean.

Speaking of the ocean and the beach, the recent hurricanes have reduced the beach to a mere 30 yards wide and there were many rocks just offshore in the water. In fact, we spent most of our time poolside. Who could leave those loungers anyways? After getting our full of sun and Stoli Doleys (Fresh pineapple chunks soaked in Stoli vodka for 2 weeks), we headed upstairs to clean up for dinner.

Dinner was a local joint called Max & Eddie's Cucina in a non-descript shopping center on Singer Island. This is my kind of place. Quick and efficient service by Sean was only topped by the private wine tasting session he provided us. Forget the normal 2 oz. pours you normally receive, these were twice the amount. We tried some amazing, but affordable wines. These included:

  • An Arneis by Ceretto from Langhe in southern Italy. The perfect crisp, dry white.
  • A fruity Pinot Grigio from outside Venice, Italy. Nice bouquet with a smooth finish.
  • The reds were big and bold. The Tuscan Sangiovese held up perfectly to the rich Veal Osso Bucco I enjoyed. The Escudo Rojo, from Chile, is the brainchild of none other than the Baron Rothschild. Try this one immediately, it is liquid gold.

Unfortunately, we didn't order any appetizers. The foccacia they provided was overcooked, but the dipping sauce of freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, spices and olive oil softened it up some. The salad was hearty and the dressing was amazing. Finally, for dinner my friends had the grouper, one had it Mediterranean style and the other was similar to a salsa verde. My wife had the veal romano and I had one of the house specialties, the Osso Bucco. Cooked for 9 hours and buttery soft. The only complaint was all of the food was overdone. Not overcooked, but overdone in the sense of too much stuff on the plate. Maybe if they chopped the ingredients smaller, it would work better. We were too stuffed for dessert, but the options looked pretty basic. Although I didn't get to sample them, the beer menu was amazing (Chimay, Hoegaarden, La Fin du Monde) and the pizzas and calzones looked scrumptious. I will definitely return here some day.

Day 2-Singer Island

We woke up early and headed over to Sailfish Marina on Singer Island for some breakfast. This is where most of the charter fishing boats, water taxis and shuttles to Peanut Island leave. They have a breakfast buffet on the weekends, great seafood selections for lunch and dinner with a nice view of the intercoastal and a sunset celebration that rivals Key West's Mallory Square on Thursday nights. The breakfast buffet (and a la carte menu) feature some great items: fresh fruit, crab omelet, grits, biscuit, made to order omelet, french toast, pancakes, etc. The food was really good, as was the coffee.

After breakfast we left on the "Now & Then Boat Tour" of the area. We had the large boat to ourselves (besides one other couple) and enjoyed the narration of our knowledgeable guide. You pass by the incredible mansions of Palm Beach and learn the history of Peanut Island. Peanut Island was a man made island that houses a bomb shelter originally built for President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Today it is a popular destination for boats, sun bathers and day trippers with its shallow sand bar and sandy beaches surrounded by calm waters. We went past numerous yacht clubs, marinas and country clubs and enjoyed the 90 minutes on the water for only $24 per person (adult prices).

After the boat tour, we returned back to the Resort at Singer Island to soak up more sun and cocktails. We rested up for awhile and thought about the unlimited options for nightlife in the area. There is Clematis Street in West Palm Beach with numerous bars, nightclubs and restaurants. However, we wanted something different. The men on the trip opted for a night aboard the Palm Beach Princess, a former cruise ship turned gambling boat. The boat has both day and night trips (about 6 hours each time) and features and all you can eat buffet that is often themed (Friday Night Seafood, BBQ, Chinese, etc.). The casino portion is a little smokey, but there are tons of options for the non-gambler, including live bands, relaxing on the deck, entertainments, promotions & give-aways. The night of our cruise was the Ultimate Fighting Championships Pay-Per-View event. It was great to watch and wager on the fights. Cocktails are free while you are gambling and are reasonably priced if you are not. This is a great option for a rainy day or night. It was quite windy, but the ride was relatively smooth. If you are prone to sea sickness, you may want to consider medicine (check with your doctor first).

The girls went to Fort Lauderdale to the outlet malls at Sawgrass Mills, about an hour from Palm Beach. This is a shopper's paradise with all sorts of high and mid end stores, restaurants, movie theaters, big box retailers, etc. They ended up eating at Legal Seafood, a national chain with a good reputation for solid seafood. It is a little pricey, but consistent.

Day 3

Our last full day on Singer Island was spend relaxing in the sun, taking naps, reading magazines and just unwinding from our hangovers from the night before (both drinking and shopping). For dinner, I had read about this incredible local seafood place in Juno Beach (about 3 miles up the road from Singer Island), called Captain Charlie's Reef Grill. It is located in a small, non-descript shopping center. When we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised to hear there was only a 20 minute wait. We went down "3 doors" to their overfill place to have a glass of wine and some beer. They have some local brews on tap, but I would avoid them (the lighthouse and "11" were barely quaffable). They do have a pretty nice, albeit basic wine list. Some Fume Blancs, Sauvignon Blancs and other light, fruity whites that pair well with seafood. We had a chance to glance at the menu over our drinks and I began to salivate immediately. The menu was huge with all kinds of choices: curry fish, thai style fish, grilled, panko crusted, etc. The list went on and on (especially the appetizers). Best of all, the prices were really reasonable. We were seated within the 20 minutes as promised in a dining room with basic wood furnishings. It was packed and loud and the servers were hustling (my kind of place). We order appetizers: a salad with blackened scallops (pretty good-scallops cooked perfectly) and panko crusted wahoo medallions (too dry). They brought coleslaw for everybody and it was excellent. Then the main course comes. This is where it goes down hill fast. I ordered the hog snapper. The waitress recommends it sauteed so that is how I get it. The plate arrives with a huge pile of weird veggies cooked into oblivion and not seasoned at all. The other half of the plate is rice and beans, also recommended by the waitress and also not seasoned. Both the veggies and rice and beans are disgusting piles of mush and quickly discarded. I didn't come here for tasteless veggies and rice and beans so I could care less. I want fresh fish. Unfortunately, I get a good portion of fish that is covered so heavily in dill, that I can no longer smell it without getting sick. Nothing else on the plate was seasoned so why in the world would they take a fresh catch of fish and smother it in one of the world's most pungent spices? It had no flavor besides dill. My wife had the seafood curry. It smelled and tasted like a NYC taxi. My friends had blackened grouper and some other type of grouper that they liked okay. I don't know if I ordered the wrong thing or what, but I'm not going back. Sorry.

That night we were going to go to the Breakers in Palm Beach for a nightcap, but my wife was too sick to go. We decided to go the next morning. This place is a destination hotel. The grounds and lobby are beautiful and luxurious. It is the only 5 star, 5 diamond hotel in the U.S. I would love to go back and stay one day, but at no time would I trade the Resort at Singer Island for the Breakers. We didn't eat or drink at the Breakers, but supposedly valet parking is $30 (we self parked for free). You get the $30 fee waived if you spend $30 or more inside. There are some stores (Burberry, Ralph Lauren) and a sundry market on the property. Go check it out, it is practically a landmark.

Since it was Memorial Day, most of the shops on Worth Avenue were closed. We drove around and were going to eat lunch at Daniel Bolud's restaurant in the Brazilian Court Hotel, but it wasn't open at 11:30 so we decided for a less serious restaurant at E.R. Bradley's Saloon in West Palm Beach. This is a huge watering hole hangout overlooking the intercostal and serves a variety of food. I started with a watered down version of lobster bisque and had fish tacos as the main course. Everybody else went with blacked grouper, grilled chicken or salad. Pretty basic stuff. They do give you piping hot soft pretzels to start off which was a nice touch. Service was friendly and efficient. This is more of a drinking place than fine cuisine. It is at the end of Clematis Street so next time we will go eat at Cabana and then experience the nightlife and shops of this area.

I hope you enjoyed the trip report. I would love to hear about your recent travels. Go ahead and submit a comment below.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Learn How to Apply Sunblock

I have a bad habit of not reading directions. Most of the time it isn't a big deal, but when it comes to protecting yourself against the sun, reading directions is necessary. This weekend, we celebrated Memorial Day like many other families with a day at the beach. For the first time in my life, I actually read the directions on how to apply sunscreen lotion. I was surprised to learn I have been doing it wrong my whole life. What makes it worse, recent studies from the University of North Carolina have told us that applying sunscreen incorrectly can be more harmful than not using any sunscreen at all.

Here are some interesting insights into the world of sunscreen:

  • SPF (sun protection factor) indicates the time a person can be exposed to sunlight before getting sunburn with a sunscreen applied (compared to the time they can be exposed without sunscreen). For example, if you burn after 12 minutes in the sun, you would expect to burn after 4 hours if protected by a sunscreen with SPF 20.
  • Conventional sunscreen does not block UVA as effectively as it does UVB, and an SPF rating of 30+ may translate to significantly lower levels of UVA protection according to a 2003 study. The best UVA protection is provided by products that contain zinc oxide or mexoryl.
  • You can still get sunburned no matter what your ethnic background, whether or not you have a "base" tan and even on a cloudy (or in the shade).

Read the directions on your particular sunscreen lotion, but here are some recommendations:

  • Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes prior to exposure, about one ounce should cover an average human being.
  • Make sure your skin is clean and dry (no sweat) before applying.
  • Re-apply sunscreen 30 minutes after being in the sun regardless of physical activity or circumstance.
  • Re-apply every two hours after that (more often if you are swimming or sweating).
  • Sunscreen should be applied anyday you are going to be exposed for more than 20 minutes.
  • Apply sunscreen underneath make-up. Don't forget about lip balm with SPF of at least 15.
  • Sunscreen should last 3 years under ideal conditions.

In case you forget to cover up and apply sunscreen, the resulting sunburn can be painful as well as dangerous. It may take up to 24 hours before the full damage of overexposure is visible.
The two most common sunburns are first-degree burns and second degree burns.
First-degree sunburns cause redness and will heal, possibly with some peeling, within a few days. These can be painful and are best treated with cool baths, aloes, moisturizers and hydrocortisone creams. Avoid the use of “-caine” products (such as benzocaine), which may cause sensitivity to a broad range of important chemicals. Aspirin taken orally may lessen early development of sunburn.
Second degree sunburns blister and can be considered a medical emergency if a large area is affected. When a burn is severe, accompanied by a headache, chills or a fever, seek medical help right away. Be sure to protect your skin from the sun while it heals and thereafter. Most studies have found an association between sunburn and enhanced risk for melanoma, particularly if you suffered severe childhood or adolescent sunburn since there is more time for melanoma to develop over your lifetime.

Here are some great websites to that offer amazing skincare products:

Skin Info

Sephora

Veridien

Skin Care RX

Have a great summer, just remember to slather it on before you step on out.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Swimming Pool Workout

With temperatures soaring into the 80's this weekend, I decided to take the plunge (literally). When it gets this hot, the exercises we normally enjoy (running, biking, tennis) become more labor and less love. Swimming, and aquatic workouts, are a great way to beat the heat and to add a variety to your workout routine.

Here are some benefits of water workouts:

  • Training in an aquatic environment improves your blood flow, fluctuates your body temperature and enhances muscle conditioning.
  • The unique properties of water allow for creative and aggressive fitness programming. The viscosity of water allows you to push, pull, run, jump, jack and jog much harder. Plus the constant resistance water provides trains more muscle groups simultaneously.
  • The buoyancy of water allows for vigorous physical activity with minimal joint impact. For example, if you are in water that is at chest level you will be bearing only about 25-35% of your body weight. If you simply flex at your hips and knees and lower into the water at shoulder level you will virtually eliminate impact during fitness activity.

Instead of just swimming laps, try mixing up your workout routine in the pool. Here are some great exercises:

  • Float on your back and do crunches.
  • Grab a flotation device (like a funoodle) and head to the deep end and run in place. This exercise works your core to the max because you are forced to keep vertical alignment.
  • Jog in place with knees wide (both forward and backwards).
  • Jumping Jacks & Lunges.
  • Cross Country Skiing by jumping one leg forward & one back, switch legs jumping the other one forward and the other one back
  • Jump squats with feet shoulder width apart perform a small bounce.
  • Work your quads by lifting one leg off the pool bottom and hold your foot in your hand. Point the knee down to the bottom of the pool keeping the knees close together. Repeat on opposite leg.
  • Strengthen your glutes by standing on one supporting leg. Lift your other leg straight out in front with hands under your leg to support it. Repeat on opposite leg.
  • Work your chest by opening your arms out to the sides clasping hands behind the back. Keep your abdominal muscles strong while you stretch the chest (pectorals).

You can pretty much mimic any exercise you do in the gym in the pool, using the water as resistance. You can increase the resistance with water gloves, weights and funoodles. Make sure you stay hydrated during your water workouts and have fun. Below are some great websites for all sorts of aquatic exercise tools, including workout DVDs:

http://www.waterworkout.com/?OVRAW=pool%20swimming%20workout&OVKEY=pool%20swimming%20exercise&OVMTC=advanced&OVADID=1218730512&OVKWID=8973070512

http://www.aquatic-exercise-equipment.com/

http://sprintaquatics.com/default.asp

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Last Minute Getaways-Best Website

I was swamped at work this week and found myself daydreaming of far away places. Being the penny pincher I am, I wanted a travel service that offered great deals on last minute vacations. After hours searching the web, I found some great website:

  • Last Minute Travel - nicely organized by travel preference, but the destinations page is very limited in information. Besides, I don't want to navigate a bunch of other websites to figure out what I'm going to do in Montreal for 3 days.
  • Travelocity's Last Minute Deals - I didn't find that many great deals, but the interface is easy to use. I also don't like the long list of destinations. When looking for a last minute trip, I want a limited selection of really great value vacations. This is more of a watered down list of tons of vacations of dubious value.
  • Cheap Tickets Last Minute - Absolutely pathetic. You have to pick the destination and then it tells you how much it costs.
  • Expedia Last Minute - This is the best of the "major" travel sites. You choose your departure city (like Travelocity's) and it gives you a list of good travel packages (albeit limited). You also can choose flights, hotels, cruises and other options. It even gives you tips on booking last minute travel (e.g., cheap weekend flights are released on Tuesday).

The best website ever for last minute trips is also the site that specializes in last minute vacation packages, I am referring to Site 59. If you have never been, you must check it out. Before long, you will be chasing your Monday blues away with thoughts of a long weekend in Paris or a quick retreat to the Bahamas. Here are some great features of Site 59:

  • You can book up to 3 hours before take off. This is perfect for the spontaneous vacation (my favorite).
  • Email alerts on great deals.
  • The ability to book Flight + Hotel in one place. You can even add a car rental to your reservation.
  • Flexibility to choose departures by dates or range of dates of the next week or two.
  • Allows you to choose two different departure cities for those exciting "meet me in..." rendezvous.
  • They even offer gift certificates!
  • They even have a great little feature that categorizes the vacations (e.g., beach, romantic, luxury, international, food & wine, etc.)

Here are some great tips offered by Site 59 on last minute travel:

"Site59.com, the recognized leader in last-minute online travel, is sharing its top 10 tips, so everyone can be "in the know" on how to book the most convenient weekend escape. Getting away on a whim doesn't have to tax your wallet or your time, so keep these top 10 tips handy before you lock-in that last-minute trip.


1. TRUST THE EXPERTS: Find a website that caters to last-minute travelers.
Site59 is all about last-minute weekend travel. While some websites say they "do" last-minute travel, Site59 pioneered it. Focusing solely on travel at the 59th minute allows us to develop partnerships and technology to serve the last-minute leisure customer better than anyone else.

2. FLEXIBILITY IS KEY: The more flexible you are with your travel dates and destinations, the sweeter the deals! Site59 not only offers customers a wide array of date pairs at various price points, but also prides itself in serving up flexible price comparisons based on similar destinations and interests to help travelers get the best possible deal.

3. FIND THE MOST LAST-MINUTE: Booking windows vary between sites, so it is important to understand just how spontaneous you can be with your travel plans.
Site59 has the shortest booking window of all the packaging options on the Internet. Deals are available from over 150 North America cities to over 170 destinations–spanning the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America, South America, and Europe–starting 14 days in advance, up to three hours before departure for domestic getaways, and up to five hours for international escapes. Should you decide this morning that you would rather be on a beach in Mexico, with Site59 you could be there tonight with plenty of pesos left over for margaritas!

4. THE DEAL IS IN THE PACKAGE: Travel providers offer the best deals when their inventory is sold in a package. Everyone's a winner–you get a great deal on a hassle-free weekend experience and suppliers don't have to let the seat, room, or car go empty or unused.
Site59 sells a variety of travel packages up to 70% off when compared with published rates for air and hotel reservations booked within 7 days of departure. Get everything you need for a great weekend in a single transaction by choosing from Flight + Hotel (add a car if you like), Flight + Car, and Hotel + Car packages.


5. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Make sure you can choose from trusted travel brands and are not kept in the dark about your trip details (airport details, flight times, hotel property information, and rental car options, just to name a few). Site59 gives you all your trip details upfront–no surprises. We work closely with some of the top travel providers in the industry, negotiating the best prices available on unsold inventory. You'll select from brand-name airline, hotel, and rental car suppliers and be provided with details about your trip so you'll always know when you're leaving, where you're staying, the cost of your trip, (including Taxes & Fees) and all the other important details before you commit!


6. HAVE YOUR DEAL AND EARN MILES TOO: Make sure you get frequent flyer miles with your last-minute travel booking–you've earned them! With Site59, you get a great travel deal AND you earn miles on most flights.

7. SEEK OFF-SEASON SAVINGS: Off-season destinations can be where the best deals are found, so head to the beach in August or go skiing in March. Site59 offers counter-seasonal deals to amazing destinations at a fraction of what it would cost in high season. Our luxury packages are a particularly strong value during this time, resulting in a four- or five-star experience on a two-star budget!

8. FLIP YOUR PERSPECTIVE: Similarly, leisure destinations are often wide open during the week and business destinations are empty on weekends, so great deals can be had. Site59 offers international travel from Wednesday to Wednesday so you can lounge around on less-crowded days. And weekends are the perfect time to visit a big city with popular museum exhibits and exclusive restaurants that empty out when business travelers head back home.

9. SPEND YOUR TIME TRAVELING, NOT SEARCHING: Don't waste what little free time you have surfing websites to put together an unforgettable travel experience. Find a website that conveniently does it for you. Site59 has already sweated the small stuff for you by planning exciting weekend getaway packages. Our travel team researches every destination offered on Site59 and writes up whimsical, spontaneous trip ideas so you can see the possibilities by trying someplace new–even cities you may never have thought about before. And with our free Top Picks e-mail newsletter, Site59 travel guru Patty Griffin uncovers hidden getaway gems and weekly site specials.

10. SEE A DEAL YOU LIKE? GRAB IT AND GO: Inventory moves fast at the last-minute, with pricing and availability that can change in an instant. Remember to act quickly when you find that incredible deal! Site59's premier packaging technology constantly searches for unsold airline seats, hotel rooms, rental cars, and other travel extras and bundles them together into dynamic, real-time packages. These deals are fun, affordable, and best of all, only available at the spur of the moment. Remember–he who hesitates stays home!"

Monday, May 21, 2007

Week Long Alaskan Cruise for $500

TRAVEL ALERT: I just received a call from my friends at Dreams Alive Travel (813-240-0946) on an incredible travel deal that I wanted to tell you about.



7 Day Alaskan Cruise aboard Holland America's Award Winning Ship, Volendam.


  • Celebrate 4th of July in style as you depart Seward, Alaska on June 29th and finish the cruise in Vancouver, Canada on July, 6th.

  • Inside cabins start at only $499, with outside cabins just a little more at $549 per person (based on double occupancy, prices do not include taxes, port charges or additional fees).

  • Ports of call include: Hubbard's Glacier, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan.

  • Price includes Shipboard Accommodations, Meals, Some Beverages, Onboard Entertainment and Daily Activities, Port Charges, 24-Hour Room Service.

Check out Cruise Critic's Review of the Volendam.

For more information on this cruise, including a list of onshore excursions, visit Holland America's website.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

My New Best Friend is a Foam Roll

Foam rolls, once the tool of physical therapists, can become your own personal masseuse, physical training tool and stretch coach. Foam rolls or foam rollers are important for functional stabilization programs and rehabilitation. They can be used by themselves or with resistance bands or loops. Stand or lay on the foam rolls to build balance and coordination. Lay with the foam roll positioned length wise down the spine to stretch shoulders, or across and under the lower back to stretch the back, shoulder and legs. While lying on the foam, roll back and forth to massage muscles and improve balance. Foam rolls are a great tool for improving flexibility, balance and strength. They are fun, easy to use, and inexpensive (check out PTMart for a nice selection).

To use as a massager, simply press down on the foam roll on sore muscles as if you were rolling out dough. To target back and neck muscles, lay on the ground with your legs bent at a ninety degree angle (like you were about to do a sit up) with the foam roll under your butt. Using your feet, walk forward causing the foam roll to start at your tailbone and work up your spine to your neck. Guaranteed to send amazing sensations up and down your body. It also works great on feet too. Simply sit in a chair and put the foam roll underneath your feet and roll them in and out (these things are so affordable you can get a separate one just for your feet if you don't like the idea of using it on the rest of your body).

To improve muscle elasticity and flexibility, try these targeted exercises using the foam roll:

  • For plantar warts, stand in a doorway for balance and place one foot on the foam roll with your knee slightly bent. Roll your foot forward (essentially putting your weight on the one leg with the foot on the roll). After a lot of practice, you can put both feet on the foam roll and roll forwards and backwards.
  • For calf strains, sit up on the floor with both of your feet straight out in front of you. Place the foam roll under your ankles. Pressing up with your hands (which are next to your hips as if you were doing a dip), move your body weight forward and backwards to move the roll over your calves. This is an awesome exercise for balance and strength (plus shredding your triceps in the interim).
  • To alleviate runner's knee, assume the same position as above, but put the foam roll under your upper thigh/hip area. rotate your legs and torso onto the knee in pain and place both hands in front of your (like George Costanza posing in his boxers in that hilarious episode of Seinfeld) and bring your back leg over the front of your bad knee. This is a very common stretching position, the only difference is the foam roll is underneath you. Using your hands, "walk" yourself back and forth so the foam rolls between your hip to just above your knee and back again.
  • For shin splints, assume the push up position with the foam roll right below the knee. Keeping weight on the roll at all times, walk forward and backwards to move the roll between the knee and your ankle. Add some push ups while you do this and some planks (resting on your forearms with your hips engaged) and you not only alleviate your shin splints, but you have a great workout.

There are a million other uses for the foam roll. Try balancing on the roll (like log rolling) for a great core workout and to improve balance. Do air squats, lunges, mountain climbers, supermans and a load of other pliometric exercises. I have even seen yoga classes employ this useful tool. In a world of overpriced equipment, crowded gyms and our busy lives, these under $10 tools allow you to have a create workout at home and then you can use them for a great massage.

Post some comments on what you do with your foam roll. I look forward to hearing from you.