Mother’s Got A Dot Com

Summer’s coming (yes, even here!), time flies, and with the two grey hairs I spotted recently, there is very likely a need for some skin care as well.

Actually, any beautitian would probably tell me that it’s long overdue. I’ve bought a lot of skin care products in my day, but I’ve been very bad at using them. Although I’ve always believed in Natural Skin Care, what that has meant in practice to my skin has been virtually no care at all…

Astara Skin Care may well be able to change all that. I can feel that both me and my skin are in need of some serious pampering, and their products sound so wonderfully right for the job. The Aquatherapy Body Care Collection for example, is just what I’d enjoy during that precious time alone in the bath. It’s really an at-home Spa Ritual, including a Citrus Lavender Sea Salt Scrub, to be followed in the bath by a Spirulina & Sea Mineral Soak. Add to that a Aromatic Seaweed Body Wash, and finish off with the Antioxidant Body Lotion. Ahh, bliss! (Note to self: afterwards, go straight to sleep!)

Founded in Telluride, Colorado by Sunny Griffin, Astaraskincare.com specializes in the creation of professional organic skin care products to meet all your needs. Whether you have oily, mature, dry skin, or are in need of  serious skin care products, like me…

The highly bioactive, living ingredients in Astara products allow and expedite the skin’s natural ability for self-healing and repair. They increase vital oxygen, encourage cell regeneration and eliminate harmful toxins and waste products. They’re truly natural, tested for all types of climates (I guess if they’re good for Colorado winters, they’ll do for Norway too!), and if you’re concerned about eco-friendliness - they come in minimal packageing, all made of recycled glass, plastic or paper.

From the Ingredients Philosophy:
“Astara skin care and body care products are formulated to provide the highest efficacy possible to nourish, protect, and revitalize the skin while soothing and rebalancing the psyche.
The exclusive Astara formulas utilize the best natural ingredients to offer optimal compatibility with and penetration into the skin. We select natural, raw botanicals, potent anti-oxidant plant extracts, nourishing vitamins, energizing flower essences and uplifting essential aromatic oils to harmonize in a special way to create more beautiful, radiant skin that is healthier at the cellular level.”

You can Order Make Up Online, of course, and they ship all over the US and Canada. They’ll ship to me too - I just have to contact them first for information.

By the way - I found the site to be an interesting read as well. The company philosophy, their production methods and the descriptions of their various products all make me want to try to take better care of my skin!

I’m a food buff. In fact, the whole family are. I cook, we eat, and we all enjoy it. It becomes routine, of course. I tend to cook what they like, from what’s available in the house at any given moment, but I’m always up for trying something new…

At Food Connect, I’ve found a very inspiring social playground for foodies. I’ve been collecting new recipes for the spread I’ll be serving on #4 Brats confirmation in 2 weeks time, and this site really is the answer to my prayers.
In addition to shared recipes ranging from Appetizers to Vegetarian, via Poultry, Cakes, Desserts, Meats, Pasta and what have you, they offer some great features:
- you can plan your meal and print out your shopping list
- you can get a free nutritional analysis for your recipe
- you can share your recipes with your friends
- you can plan the perfect dinner party (that one’s for me…)

There are great articles on food and drink related topics, and if you want a quick and easy recipe, one for for diabetic food, for a crock pot or Christmas cookies, you can search for those directly.

Need a recipe for a drink or cocktail? Odds are, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Food Connect is a social utility site targeted at foodies, and it’s all free. Registering is quick and easy, and once you’re in, you can start planning your menus, submitting your recipes and inviting your friends to share all the good stuff…

As for me, I’ve found a few yummy-looking things for my upcoming family do - check out these Greek-Style Stuffed Mushrooms and Teryaki Chicken Wings… They should make a nice change on my Norwegian-style smorgasbord… Maybe I should go look for a nice cake too!

What if there were credit cards designed and devised for women? That may be too much to ask, but Credit Room is a website and credit card online resource especially for women.
Whether you’re the wise and frugal type, or just enjoy your shopping more when you get more for your money, this site could be worth checking out.
Plastics come in all variations, and choosing which one is best for you and your economy can be a daunting task. The aim of this site is to provide information about the most favorable credit cards from the major issuers.
Every offer is listed with credit history, introductory offer and length of introductory period as well as APR and annual fees.
If your credit is good, you can have 0% interest credit cards - even I could be frugal under those conditions…

Comparing cards/offers is easy, and the application process is safe and convenient.

One great feature is the left sidebar of the site, where credit card offers are listed in categories. You’ve got the top card offers, with 0% APR, the fee free cards, secured cards, and the offers you can apply for if your credit is fair, bad or nonexistant.

You’ll find rewards credit programs here too: Airmile, gas, cashback and travel… There are special offers for students and businesses, and you can search the bank of your choice too, if you know which one you’d like to do business with.

There are various articles about credit related topics, and their support section can answer most of your questions through their database, and if not, you’ll be replied by mail.

Do we need a credit card site especially for women? Perhaps not, but I think it’s a great idea. It could even be a smart one. Women earn money, and they spend it. Perhaps it’s about time our credit card needs were catered for!

When I was very young, I was sent off to the United States to visit my fathers uncle and aunt, and hopefully learn to speak English in the process.

They lived near a place called Wareham in Massachusetts, and that’s where I stayed, for the better part of 6 weeks - most of the time alone with my fathers aunt, who only spoke English. So I learned… She took me to all sorts of places and events in the area - we went to county fairs, amusement fairs, markets and museums, we visited beautiful little fishing villages, and she also took me to Boston.

Now - were I to tell you about things to do in Boston, I really don’t recall very much. I remember being told about the Boston Tea Party, and I remember going to see a musical - “Brigadoon”, which made a deep impression… I also remember a National History Museum.
Were I to go there now, I’d definitely check out the sightseeing tours and attractions thoroughly before I go. Back then, I had the benefit of a guide who had a vast knowledge of the city and the area. I’d love to see it all again, as well as all the places I missed then, and for that I’d need professional assistance!

Trusted Tours offer discounts on tickets to the best sightseeing tours and attractions in 23 cities across America.
Sign up for their Trusted Travels eNewsletter, and be entered to win a Handheld GPS system! Offer ends April 30th.
(I could use one of those for #1 Brat. I’m always amazed when she finds her way home…)

Oh - here are some Things to do in Las Vegas too…

I love coffee. So, when I got the chance to review this site that’s dedicated to various Coffee of the month clubs, I wasn’t going to be difficult…

The site is called Coffee Reviews, and gives an overview of the best Coffee of the month club offers and latest promotions from such household brands as Ashley & Cooper, Boca Java, Cafe Vivo, Gevalia Coffee and Seattle Coffee Direct.

I didn’t even know you could subscribe to coffee… and what great deals I’ve missed out on! Boca Java, for example, have 5 introductory offers: * Pick 3 flavors, get 1 bag of complimentary Kona Coffee * Pick 4 flavours, pay only for shipping and handling * Buy 3 bags of Boca Java, get a free designer espresso set from Bodum * For $19.95 + s/h, get 4 bags of gourmet Boca Java, 2 packs of wafer cookies and a one-cup coffee maker * For the same price, 4 bags of coffee and a Boca Java Time mug, available in 6 colors.

The others have great introductory offers too - how about a stainless steel 12 cup coffee maker, a large carafe and travel mug, plus 2 1/2 pound bags of Gevalia Coffee, all for $22.95?

When you’ve made your order, you’re a member of a Coffee of the month club, which means you recieve a certain amount of coffee of the brand of your choice every month. The prices vary, but these offers all have one thing in common: You can cancel at any time - i.e. you can cancel future orders as soon as you recieve your introductory package.

The reviewer on Coffee Reviews is a true coffee lover. He/She gives honest opinions on the brands, their coffee and their service, as well as on the offers he/she has tried. The comment sections on each brand also gives valuable information from others who’ve tried them. The site is updated regularly, so you’re sure to find the latest promotions there.
If you love coffee and coffee making paraphernalia, go and have a look. Some of these companies will ship outside the US too - I’m off to find out which ones in a minute.

Did you know that retail stores in home furnishings mark up their goods with an average gross margin of 45,3%? With that in mind, any store that cuts out the middle man is a winner in my book.

At DirectBuy, that’s exactly what they do. Their showrooms and design centers offer most everything for your home at wholesale prices. As a member, you buy top name-brand merchandise at the actual price from the manufacturer, plus shipping and handling.
If you live in North America, and are thinking of remodeling your home, have a look at their site, and if you like what you see, request a Free Visitors Pass today…

New York is one of the places on my to-visit list…

I’ve spent one night there, but I was 11, on my way to Massachusetts, and all I saw was traffic. If I ever get the chance again, the objective will be to see as many of the sights as possible, without exhausting myself completely. The answer - a city tour.

To get the most out of a New York Sightseeing experience, a Hop on - Hop off tour is a flexible way to get around everywhere, and you can hop off at the places that interest you, and hop on again when you’re ready for the rest.
City Sights NY offer guided tours from a fleet of new double decker buses and motor coaches. They also offer harbor cruises and helicopter rides. I’m not too bothered about helicopters, but I’d absolutely love seeing the city from the sea.
If you’ve got the energy and inclination, they also arrange day trips from New York City to Washington DC, Philadelphia and Amish Country, The Boston Freedom Trail and shopping trips to Woodbury Common Outlet Mall.

How I like to visit a city? I buy a map and a city guide, and spend a day or two looking around, feeling the atmosphere. I’ll then go on a city tour, either by coach or by boat (or both). The last few days will usually be spent off the beaten track, trying to locate the not-so-touristy side of the city I’m visiting.

The world is getting smaller - even traveling half way around the globe is affordable for the likes of me these days. You might see me in the Big Apple yet!

Am I an emotional eater? I think maybe I am. According to Dr. Roger Gould, the main reason that people fail in their dieting is emotional eating. Stress, depression or boredom are the top three reasons for diet failure…
I know I eat when I’m tired. (If at all possible, chocolate will then be my “food” of choice…) I’m not easily bored, nor depressed, but if I think about it, I’m sure I use food as a stress relief…

The Shrink Yourself method, founded by Dr. Gould, focuses on the psychology of eating. Even though it’s about weight loss and helping people reclaim their power over food, the psychological approach uncovers larger issues and blockages, and helps resolve them.

The website - www.ShrinkYourself.com - features an Emotional Eating Center with free articles, interactive tools and tips. There’s a supportive, active community to join there as well. If you sign up for their mobile program, you can also get tips straight to your cell.

It makes sense, really. If your psychological issues are what make you overeat, resolving those might help you lose weight as well.
I know I eat because I like it, but if some of my less than healthy eating habits stem from unresolved issues, I might become a healthier person by tackling them - both physically and mentally.

Kaushal Sheth designs templates for Wordpress. He recently had to do some research into webhosting, because his host had a blackout, and all his sites were down. Since his web hosting company didn’t have a backup network, the blackout caused major stress, and thus the quest for a new host.

After chatting with his tech friends and doing a lot of research of his own (browsing top 10 lists, reading reviews), he came up with this list:
1. Host Monster
2. Host Gator
3. Yahoo Host

He went with Host Monster as the best web hosting company he could find, and so far has been very happy with the price, the features offered and the knowledgeable tech support. It’s not been down, either…

I guess that most people, unless they’ve experienced hiccups with their host, will be happy with the one they’ve got. I’ve been with BlueHost since I went DotCom, and they haven’t let me down yet. The research I did was perfunctory - it was a bit like: close your eyes and point… so I guess I’ve been lucky. I don’t know, for example, if they’ve got a backup system.
I’m still interested in web hosting alternatives though, it’s a subject I know very little about, and I’m only using a fraction of the features offered by my host.

Although the post is informative enough, I could have wished for a few more pointers on the criteria he based his research on… There is a short description of each hosting company, but a little more info would have been appreciated.

Oh - should you want to have a look at the site - have a browse of the templates on offer. There are downloadable templates for Blogger and Wordpress, and they are clean, crisp and good looking, all of them!

I haven’t, and I don’t know when (if ever) it’ll be readily available in Norway either. I’ve tried googling, and it seems you can import them and perform some kind of hack to get them functional over here, but as I don’t know a hack from a wooly hat, I’ll just have to wait, along with the rest of the non-tech hordes of this un-iPhonized part of the world…

I’m sure I could learn what to do on Planet iPhones, if I really wanted to. The forums are full of relevant and not-so-relevant info on the iPhone, and I could probably learn all about its many features well in time for the (eventual) launch in Norway.
You can download media,from the site, iphone mods and iphone wallpapers. Actually, I’d be hard put to choose my favourite iphone wallpaper - there are hundreds to choose from.
There are scores of accessories as well, from car chargers and screen protectors to headphones, cases and car holders.

Whatever you need for your iPhone (now or in the future!), whatever you need to know about its many features, you’ll find it or find out about it here. There’s an all new live chat service in the forums as well, and the site is, of course, viewable on your iPhone in a special iPhone format…

Why I’m thinking about getting one? Well, I’ve tried getting onto the Internet via my normal cell, and it’s usually quite a long-winded and tedious experience, if at all possible. I’m hoping to be able to access my blogs away from home, without having to drag a laptop around.
The possibilities for music and video, as well as the telephone, wil come as a welcome bonus… I think I might even be able to operate the thing, given an instruction manual, a few hours’ concentration and iPhone Planet!