The lazy & beautiful wireless revolution.

I'm a little gadget freak. Ok fine, a big gadget freak.

I love anything that is automated, wireless and convenient.

When I finally rented my own apartment and lived by myself I wanted to make it a sanctuary for 'nights of passion & days of endless comfort'. One out of 2 ain't bad....*insert awkward silence here*..... Anyway, I wanted to have many lights with different strengths, allowing me to create a soothing atmosphere. Problem is, I got pretty tired of having to go to each light and reaching down to turn them on individually. Not good for the back & takes too long ( excuses excuses... )

My Problem is eternally solved.

One of the most useful and downright COOL products I have ever bought is the wireless remote controlled outlets.

Its approx $25 and is worth every penny.

Simply plug any kind of device/lamp into the outlet and you have instantly created a remote controlled appliance. Without sounding ridiculous & in my strictest British accent; it is the bomb.

You can buy a one button remote with one outlet, but I knew I was going to find other things I could turn on and off while in bed or otherwise. I sure did.

- A good trick is, I used a 2 plug splitter in one of the outlet, allowing one button to control TWO devices. Yeah. Go me.

Product info :

• Plugs into any standard wall outlet & operates through doors and walls, up to a 60ft range.
• Perfect for lamps & small appliances (Max 10-amp load).
• Remote & manual operation with power status indicating LED lights.
• For indoor use only, comes with a factory 1 Year warranty and INCLUDES BATTERY ( Boo Yah! )

I bought the wireless kit on Amazon.com.

  This is my personal set up -

• Button 1 - Controls my desk top fan.
• Button 2 - Controls 2 lights.. a floor lamp & a Himalayan rock salt lamp.
• Button 3 - Controls 2 lights ( on other side of apt ).. another floor lamp & a Himalayan rock salt lamp.

Friends and family have been impressed by this little product and some have managed to shamelessly return to their childhood ways by picking up the remote and constantly turning a device on & off & on & off & on & off.

Oh simple pleasures...

Beelieve Pollen!

Oh what a surprise, i'm writing about Bee pollen.......Its no secret, i'm obsessed with Bees & Honey.

I was first introduced to bee/flower pollen when I visited my cousin in my home town  Palermo in Sicily approximately 5 years ago. I was a curious young thing back then ( nothing has changed ) and managed to obtain some myself to try out. My obsession with all things hive-related started at a very young age. Go figure.

Let me break it down for you as simply & briefly as my enthusiasm will allow :

What is Bee Pollen?

Firstly, know this - it is really hard to get any information on bee pollen that is not from someone trying to sell you the stuff. I have tried my best to be as unbiased as I can, but then realized, a) Im not selling bee pollen and b) since this is my blog, of course i'm going to be slightly biased. Im allowed to be. I base my posts on my personal experiences with these products and foods.

Bee pollen consists of plant pollens collected by worker bees, combined with plant nectar and bee saliva. It contains approximately 30% protein, 55% carbohydrate, 1% to 2% fat, and 3% minerals and trace vitamins. Vitamin C concentrations of 3.6% to 5.9% also have been found in some pollen samples. Supporting literature lists almost 100 vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and other compounds identified in bee pollen. The nutrients found in Bee Pollen are extremely high quality and raw. The symbiotic relationship between the pollen and bee saliva is what does the trick.

Bee pollen is not found in the everyday diet. It is found in nutritional supplements and Chinese herbal medicine products.

What is Bee Pollen used for?

• Increases energy levels/enhances athletic performance.
• Allows you to obtain top quality vitamins from a raw natural source.
• Helps with seasonal allergies. ( It works brilliantly for me - but there is the risk of an allergic reaction in some people - so be careful )
  
• Gives you abundant antioxidant benefits.
• Improves memory.
• Strengthens the immune system.

My main reason for taking Bee pollen is that it takes the edge off my hay fever. For this reason I buy local bee pollen ( and honey ).

How do you take Bee Pollen?

Take 1 teaspoon of bee pollen a half an hour before breakfast, followed by plenty of purified drinking water. I have also sprinkled it on my cereal. Get creative. I usually use bee pollen in the allergy months - March to June/July.

Very little research has been done on bee pollen, there are many claims, some are false or/and exaggerated. Either way, I trust nature and good food more than a pill when it comes to getting vitamins.

In bees I trust.

Me and my LX-3

...and you know what else I like? PHOTOGRAPHY.

Its not surprising. I work as a professional photo retoucher in NYC. Photography is by far my main hobby.

About 6 months ago I faced a dilemma. I wanted a powerful yet portable camera that allowed me to get super creative with quality results whilst not being weighed down by a cumbersome camera body/lens.

Enter Panasonic DMC-LX3K ( Lumix 3 ).

I purchased it when it debuted back in August '08. Im sure it is already somewhat out of date compared to new camera's out there. The photography industry has us all in a tight grip, keeping up is not only exhausting but expensive. I chose a camera that I think will last at least a couple of years before I will consider buying a newer one.

I searched high and low for the right travel companion and all round decent camera that gives me manual control as well as being a point-&-shoot. I also made a point to choose one that gave me a wide angle option & good quality lens construction and optics.


'The camera is aimed at DSLR users who are looking for a compact camera to complement their existing SLR gear. Consequently the LX3 comes with comprehensive manual controls and a fast F2.0-F2.8 24-60mm (35mm equivalent) Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens. Images are captured on a 1/1.63-inch CCD sensor sporting 10.1 million effective pixels.'

I proudly bray its humble greatness...

Features :

• 24mm wide 2.5x optical LEICA DC lens
• F2.0-2.8 maximum aperture range
• 10.1 MegaPixel
• MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer)
• Venus Engine IV
• Joystick-operated manual control
• Large 3.0” 460k dot LCD monitor
• Raw and JPEG recording modes
• Up to ISO 3200 sensitivity
• Up to 1280x720 (30 fps) pixel movie capture
• Manual exposure and focus options
• 1/2000th to 60 sec shutter speeds
• Flash hot-shoe
• Threaded lens barrel for adding optional conversion lenses or filters
• USB 2.0 Hi Speed interface
• Internal memory (50 MB)
• Close focusing distance: 1cm
• Fast continuous shooting (2.5fps for 8 frames )
• Great battery life

The LX-3 harnesses full automatic and full manual controls. Perfect.

This camera has had great press and won numerous awards.

I have 3 cameras in total:

• Canon Rebel XTi - For extensive semi-professional shoots. Top quality. Too big for travel.
  
• Panasonic DMC-LX3 - Perfect for travel. Power & portability in one.
  
• Casio Exilim-S10 - Very small ( world slimmest camera when it came out - January '08 ) Perfect for nights out with friends and dinners - can hardly feel or see it when in your pocket.

Here are some pictures I took with the LX-3 to show low light handling, wide angle lens capability & creative manual focusing. These are only the tip of the iceberg as to what this baby can achieve. Some of these have been color treated and retouched in Photoshop - to show the endless creativity that is waiting for you... ( click to view )

I purchased it on amazon.com ( Surprise surprise )
I also purchased the stylish Leica case for it. ( It looks cool. No really. )

Creamy & thick Salmon, Bean & Yogurt mix

Ok so picture this ;

Its Sunday evening. Im at home, ravenous. I decide I do not want to order take out, I smirk at the pile of menus on my counter top and look at my darling kitchen.

I open my fridge. 3 ingredients stare at me longingly. I adopt a sudden urge to create a meal.

Why I have these three foods in my fridge :

Salmon - High in protein, low in fat & rich in prized Omega-3 oils.

Its by far my favorite fish to eat. Delicious.

Worried about levels of methylmercury in Salmon? In my opinion its nothing most people should worry about, but if you're particularly concerned ( targets are women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children ) I suggest you take a look at this and make your own conclusion. Good news is, you can use any type of fish or meat instead of salmon.

Garbanzo Beans - Very good source of folic acid, fiber, and manganese. A good source of
protein, as well as minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium. - Whats not to like?

Greek Yogurt - Holla!

I believe I have made an extremely healthy pasta/risotto sauce, sandwich filler, salad addition or a chip dip if blended.

This mix is generously enough for 2 homosapiens.

Here goes :

• 1 Can of Garbanzo beans. Strained.
  
• 1 6oz cup of Greek yogurt ( I used fat free )
• 8oz of smoked salmon. Cut into thin strips.
• 2 tbsp of cold-pressed flax seed oil ( You can also use Olive oil )
• 2 Tbsp Black sesame seeds
• 1/3 tsp Garlic powder.
  
• Sea Salt & Pepper ( I use Cayenne - always ) to taste.

Now mix all together. If the mix is too thick for your liking, then add a couple table spoons of hot water.

Thats it. Ta da.

I cooked 1/4 cup of organic brown rice and added the mix. It was enough for 2 people, but of course, I devoured the whole thing, shamelessly.

Needless to say - I slept very well that night. ZZZzzzz.