The Bestest Lunch Box (almost) Ever

I would love to give it top billing, but my heart belongs to another.  However, this one is ringing in at number two and for the price it's a steal.  

This is the little Vixen that some day I will splurge on.  Available online from Plastica for $38.00.

www.plasticashop.com

I picked this at Cost Plus this weekend for $14.99 they had a two tiered version for $9.99 but I'm trying to eat a well balanced meal so I figure I can get a fruit, salad and a sandwich with three separate compartments (wishful thinking).

Traditionally this is an Indian lunchbox that is systematically packed by Indian wives for their husbands with fresh, warm foods which are picked up by dabbawalas and delivered to the husbands office in time for lunch

According to Wikipedia a Dabbawala a person in the city of Mumbai who is "employed in a unique service industry whose primary business is collecting the freshly cooked food in lunch boxes from the residences of the office workers, delivering it to their respective workplaces and returning back the empty boxes by using various modes of transport.  

In this case I am the Dabbawala and I will be preparing and delivering my own meals :(

Although this man looks efficient....

Anyhow, this seems an environmentally sound approach to packing a lunch and in our economic situation it seems a win-win.

Seriously Unique Shopping

GOLD BUG

If you're ever in the Pasadena area (or even if you're not) you must find a way to stop by the Gold Bug at 22 East Union Street.  Like stepping into the fantastic lab of an obsessed biologist you are instantly drawn from corner to corner in rush of the senses.

There are fantastic pieces of artisanal jewelry, scientific sketches and paintings, giant beetles and insects from all corners of the world neatly frozen in time, limited edition hand blown glass skulls and all of the tools that you might find in dusty, candle lit lab of Indiana Jones.

This place is both fascinating and romantic with something for everyone.

They have an website but to get the full effect I would suggest a visit.

Solar Savior

In my house we have all become "plugged in" to something.  I need my cell phone at all times, my daughter seems helplessly attached to her Nintendo DS and my husband escapes to the sounds pounding within his Ipod.  So this summer when we are communing with nature, not an outlet in site whatever are we going to due.

Here's the solution.  

SOLIO.COM

Solio® Hybrid 1000™ – Never be caught without a charge!
When on the go power for your gadgets is key, plug into the Solio® Hybrid 1000. This hybrid boasts a powerful solar panel and battery in an incredibly compact and slender case, conveniently geared with a built-in rugged carabiner and cable. The Hybrid 1000 is simple to use. Just clip on, plug in, and charge up!
Universal Charger – Power virtually all your electronic devices. Works out of the box with most common mobile phones, MP3 players, and GPS units - simply change the adaptor tip.
Stores Power - Charge your devices anytime, day or night. Internal rechargeable battery stores power for up to one year. (A full Solio H1000 will charge a typical mobile phone once or give 10 hours of MP3 music - just 1 hour of sunshine = 15 minutes talk time or 40 minutes of MP3 music).* 
Hybrid Charger - Charge anywhere on Earth. Plug into the Sun and charge Solio through its solar panel, it’s free and green! Or use the included tip to charge from the USB port of any computer. 

It's FREE!!!!!

Does it count as shopping if it's all free?  These are all handy websites that offer free services and products to make your life a bit easier.  Of course for a nominal fee you can upgrade on most of the sites and make your life a WHOLE LOT easier. 

Online Calender

Office Suite

voicemail service

Virus Protection

Dating Service

Movies and Television Shows

Cheap Long distance

Banking

The Buff

The "buff" is one of the coolest accessories that I have purchased in a while.  It's one of those form with function items that I'm really attracted to.

I was in Mammoth in February and it was really cold, especially on the lifts.  I spotted this "buff" in one of the stores at the Main Village.

What makes it so cool is that you can transform in into a variety of styles.  In this photo Tatum is wearing it like a beanie cap, but it can also be worn in several other configurations.

The first Buff that I purchased was several years ago in Barcelona, Spain.  I still wear that thing.  I was excited to see that this buff is also made in Spain by a company called "House of Buff"

www.buffwear.com

If I could have a portable BBQ....

The Vbroiler is it.

The Mighty Grill is completely portable and very compact. It is 13"x13"x5.5" in the packed state and it weights only 14 ½ pounds. The entire grill folds up into a suitcase, which can be handled and stowed very easily. The Mighty Grill comes equipped with all the necessary bells and whistles to give you more freedom for cooking outdoors. I even use mine at home when I am entertaining and need some extra cooking surface.

This grill offers some things that are hard to find in other models and defiantly hard or impossible to do over an open fire or with a regular camp stove. The first thing to standout is the rotisserie set. This simple, but innovative attachment just may make you the most popular person at camp.

The heat is distributed via a vertical firebox. The firebox produces a "wall of heat" that cooks from the rear of the grill. It's a simple process called convection. The cooking surfaces are standard grids. They fit and resemble the inside of a conventional oven. Basically, it's a couple of racks. The insulated sidewalls of the Mighty Grill trap heat in a cooking region surrounding the grids to disperse heat around the cooking surfaces and to provide efficient open air grilling.

Here is some interesting information from the VBroiler website. "The American Institute for Cancer Research has found grease drippings on hot coals or stones may produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) - a known carcinogen that is deposited back onto the meats by flames that char or burn the meats. Because "vertical" grills substantially reduce or avoid this "grease-burning" phenomenon, PAHs can be eliminated altogether for healthier cooking." Just another fact that should help you make the decision to buy and use this grill.

The charcoal model comes with an easy to use removable firebox. This works great for keeping the grill clean and helps with the cooking process. Forget the hassle of trying to get you briquettes stacked just right. Just throw them into the vertical firebox, light them and wait about 15 minutes for the grill to reach a good cooking temperate.The charcoal model comes with an easy to use removable firebox. This works great for keeping the grill clean and helps with the cooking process. Forget the hassle of trying to get you briquettes stacked just right. Just throw them into the vertical firebox, light them and wait about 15 minutes for the grill to reach a good cooking temperate.

Bits & Tids of Shopping and Indulgence