trendier

Putting all of cyber-you in one place with Flavors.me

If you are anything like me you you have Facebook, Twitter and not one blog but two. In a social media, cyberspace filled world its nice to have one place to call home.

Flavors.me is just that!

Flavors.me, which launched back in February 2010, allows you to build a personal homepage and design it to your creative specifications. After signing up you add your name, headline and link all your online accounts like Facbook, Twitter, Linkedin, and even your blog to it. Once you have added your personal touch to the homepage you can begin sharing with friends, family and professional contacts. Now people can read what you are doing through one website.

I couldn’t believe just how easy it was to use and setup. I didn't need to have Java or HTML knowledge and it was all done with a few button clicks. Watch the video here.

Flavors.me from Rob Morris on Vimeo.

The basic version is free and includes up to 5 links to share and a limited selection of layouts and fonts. You can upgrade for $20 a year and have unlimited linking possibilities, many more layout and design options as well as analytics, which helps track your traffic. For me, the free version is just fine.

Flavors.me is not the only site out there that does this. Check out About.me to see what the competition is doing.

I agree that this might feel like one more thing to create and monitor but it will helps others keep track of YOU. This works for me since I have recently begun blogging on two separate sites. Feel free to check out the one that I put together here.

Skeleton Key Crafts by Kendra

A proud plug for one of my amazing friends with some serious talent!

My girlfriend Kendra is a crafty one! She recently got started making her own cards and invitations that were so freaking cute that I told she had to make these available to everyone. They are Skeleton Key Crafts by Kendra and each one is hand crafted so perfectly with the right colors and textures. Here are just a few that I really like.

   

 
Kendra just opened an Etsy store that has all the cards you will see on her blog. I highly recommend checking them out because these cards are one of a kind.
Etsy Store

Also, for all my readers that are in the Rhode Island region, there is going to be a Newport Crafts Fair and Kendra will be showcasing her beautiful cards there.

Newport Craft Show April 10th!

Newport Arts & Crafts Fair

2nd Annual Show

Sunday ~ April 10, 2011

10am ~ 4pm

Newport Elks Lodge

141 Pelham Street

Newport, RI 02840

More Information

Happy Shopping and Good Luck to my girl Kendra!

I Like, You Like, We Like

Being in Australia has made my passion for online shopping very difficult. Even with a plethera of shopping options in New York City, I still loved finding bargains online.

My favorite way to online shop is using Googles “shopping” option, which I no longer have access to living in Australia. Instead, I have stumbled across a website that does something very similar if not more.

Like, which launched in 2006 and was recently acquired by Google, is a website that integrates Computer Vision and Machine Learning technology in order to search the web to find exactly what you are looking for or something very similar to it.

You can search for a specific color like “yellow dress” and it will pull every yellow dress it can find.



If you are searching for something specific and it's no longer available then just hit the “visual search” key and it will find everything available that looks like it.

This site works for everything, not only apparel and it can not only help complete and outfit or home but help get you the best price. Pretty awesome in my books and worth checking out if I say so myself.

Compact Desk - customization for your jewelry box

Being in Australia has given me exposure to a whole new world of fashion, accessories and beauty products. One such Australia born company is Compact Desk. Created by Stefan Kahn, it offers a wide variety of sleek looking product for your home and office.

My favorite so far is the Kbox jewelry box system. Simple in design but unique in its setup. This modular system allows the consumer to design the jewelry box to his or her specifications.

First, choose the size of the box. You can choose the solid black or a limited edition print like the one below.


Second, choose the felt insertions. They come in 3 colors with a few different layouts. My favorite is the magenta. It's absolutely amazing in person. Here are 2 examples.

                      

They fit securely in like so...


Third, and final, choose any add-ons and extras. This will complete the Kbox jewelry system. The sleek look and architectural design allow for them to sit beautifully on any coffee table or dresser.


With aerospace technology, these boxes are designed with unique micro dot rubbers attached to the underside so that they will not slide or move around. Here is a close-up picture of them.


These boxes are perfect for traveling as well because each box can store 2 layers of felt which ensures that your jewelry will not move around during travel, a problem I am having with my current jewelry box.

Here are a few other geniusly engineered products from the Compact Desk range like the iphone and Blackberry cases. With great price points these would make great gifts for the holidays.







 
 

 

Shop online or check out where to buy in your country. Click here.

Wiping away Frownie lines with Frownies!

As we inevitably get older we realize that time is one thing we can’t get back. With that we notice all the things that come with getting older. Things like “recoup rate” after a long night of drinking or sighs as we get up and down are just a couple.  One sign of aging that is particularly aggravating for me are wrinkles!

So, in addition to my sunscreen, eye cream, and night cream I have now incorporated Frownies into my regular routine. Frownies? You might say. Yes! Frownies! A line created to help smooth out wrinkle lines over night in the most unconventional way. Through a system of stick-on facial patches, Frownies are able to hold muscles in place throughout the night. Therefore, lessening the appearance of wrinkles in the morning. A more thourough explanation can be found here.

Granted, I do feel absolutely ridiculous wearing them but they do work! This line has tons of great components. I have been using the Gel Eye Patches, the forehead and between the eyes facial patches along with the Active Immune Perfect lotion and am loving the results. The Gel Eye Patches help rebuild collagen and therefore, reduce puffiness as well as under eye wrinkles.


 

Believe it or not but Frownies were actually created back in the late 1800’s. Who knew? Plus, I have to say the prices are very reasonable. I have spent way more money on other product and not seen the same kind of results.  You wont have to break the bank with this line because the most expensive item is still under $40.

I recommend checking them out! You can buy online or for all my lovely New Yorkers you can find them at any Rickys NYC store. I also suggest checking out their free health and beauty newsletter. There is tons of great advise on there.

Thanks to Frownies for providing product for this review. I was in no way compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

Absolutely Audrey- For the Carrie Bradshaw on a Budget

If you’re anything like me, you saw the first Sex In They City movie and instantly fell in love with Carrie Bradshaw’s famous blue satin Monolo Blahniks. Well, just like me my girlfriend, Kendra did too and decided that she would have to have those pumps for her upcoming wedding day which we happily celebrated this past August. Kendra was thrifty; she found a way to by-pass the $945 Monolo Blahniks with a pair of beautiful Martinez Valero pumps for only $160.

Well ladies… I am here to do even better than that! Inspired by Audrey Hepburn and her mothers sparkling vintage pump’s, Crisa Barriball decided to create Absolutely Audrey, shoe clips for your dressed-up occasion. Created back 2003, these shoe clips have received great praise while appearing in many magazines, on The Today Show and Daily Candy, just to name a few. 

Now of course, Absolutely Audrey isn’t for every lady but for those looking to not spend a fortune on shoes then this is for you. With these shoe clips you can mock up a $200 pair Badgely Mischka pumps for only $82. With an average price point of $20 they are sure to dress up any pair of plain shoes. Can you tell which ones are designer and which ones are wearing Absolutely Audrey?

These can be located at various retails around the world including my soon-to-be new home, Australia. Too far? No worries, they are available online as well. The choice is yours ladies and I am here to help!

PocketFlops… you can thank me later!

To all my high heel wearing ladies out there! I have one word for you… POCKETFLOPS!!

I recently heard about this amazing product and personally had to seek out the ingenious designer. Created by Maria Pantazes and prototyped on the floor of her Los Angeles apartment, she began with her roommate’s old flip flops to create folding flips flops.

Made completely from recycled tires and all organic materials, PocketFlops are regular flip flops that happen to fold in the center for easy storage and transporting. They are of great quality, cute designs and fold downward as to not dirty up your bag. Plus, most importantly, they DO NOT fold when you walk. You would never know the difference between these and a pair of Havaianas.



WHAT AN AMAZING IDEA! Why didn’t I think of this! Countless times I have gone out at night with my sexy high heels on and ended the night with my feet in serious agony. I don’t lie when I say I have ended the night short just because my feet were hurting so bad. Hurt feet no more!

Put on your dancing shoes but before you leave the house put PocketFlops in your purse!

PocketFlops is picking up speed and gaining a following in places like Oklahoma, British Columbia and Australia. What surprised me the most is that these aren’t the big metro cities like NYC where walking is a must.

Want to see for yourself? Go online buy a pair! You wont regret it and you can thank me later!

Follow PocketFlops on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Business Plan 101

If you have that entrepreneurial spark inside you and want to do the same as many of the companies and people that I write about then the first place to start is with a business plan.

I found a useful video from Bloomberg on how the process should begin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn2JKAwGn5E&feature=related

Lawrence Gelburd, a professor at Wharton and contributor on MSNBC’s show “Your Business,” says that you must transform your idea from “I think this is a great idea” to “the data I have assembled shows this is a great idea.”

Step one of writing a business plan is to identify the audience. After that there are 4 main points of interest.

            1.Executive Summary

            2.Management Team

            3.Advisory Board

            4.Financial Information

                        --Income Statement

                        --Balance Sheet

                        --Cash Flow

                        --Capital needed and uses of funds

The secret to a great entrepreneur is the balance between analysis and action!

This is only the beginning but a great tool. A great place to see some sample business plans is SBA.gov. I hope it has inspired you to get out there and start something.

 

Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to all who serve and protect this fine country.

Everybody had a voice with Voz

I love clothes and I love accessories! One major reason is that it allows me to express myself through medians other than my body language and tone. What you wear can show people when you want to be sexy, laid back, professional or even funny. What you wear gives you a voice and everybody has a voice.

It’s been about 3 years now and Voz Jewelry does just that. This unique line of pendants, rings and bracelets help to express and convey every kind of person. While most jewelry compliments color or style Voz tries to make a statement about the person wearing the jewelry.

Just a few examples are these pieces.

Peace Pendant

                                           

Music is My Boyfriend Necklace 

Tree of Life Ring $10

After speaking with one of the two designers I see that one of their biggest advantages is the ability to make custom pieces. The biggest challenge, which seems to be consistent among all the companies I interview, is finding a balance between pursuing what you love and being financially profitable.

Voz is based out of California and can be found at various craft shows as well. In the LA area then definitely look them up. Their product is always changing and never the same. Find them on Twitter and Facebook!