Don'ts for a stress-free honeymoon

Monday, November 17, 2008

By Marlene R. Fedin, CTW Features

The key to a pleasurable trip is defining what works for you and not simply choosing a place because it's well known or a top honeymoon destination

You're most likely to savor a stress-less honeymoon at a destination and hotel/resort that best match your personal wish list. The key to a pleasurable trip is defining what works for you and not simply choosing a place because it's well known or a top honeymoon destination. Here are some more things you shouldn't do when planning your honeymoon.

Do not:

Skimp on travel planning

"Couples are so busy getting ready for the wedding that they forget to do a lot of things," observes Renee Duane, owner of Unforgettable Honeymoons, Portland, Ore. One of the most serious oversights: "Make sure you have the proper form of ID and have it in your hands at least two weeks before the wedding," advises Duane.

Be seduced by pretty pictures

No matter how appealing, "Don't base your decision on the visual appearance of a location," Duane cautions. "Your expectations may not match the way the place really looks."

Limit your search to one vacation or venue

Some couples have blind spots -- a long-held dream location, properties whose rates exceed their budget, or an infatuation with a single destination or resort -- that can keep them from securing the best deal and "fit" for their wish list. Explore more than one location or venue before you hand over a deposit. Travel agents can pinpoint less well known but equally intriguing spots that fit your budget; steer you away from resorts that don't deliver on promises; vet your favorite venues; and alert you to mismatches between your dream spots and your travel needs.

Succumb to on- or offline travel scams

To protect yourself from financial risk and disappointment avoid the "too cheap to be true" offers that litter the travel marketplace.

Rule out "all-inclusive" trips

With upscale ambiance and off-site touring, in-room dining, and other high-end amenities (think spa treatments, yacht trips, and private island picnics), top-of-the-line venues can satisfy even the most sophisticated travelers.

Book travel under your married name

This is a common mistake for many brides. If you don't want to be turned away by security, book under your maiden name and bring that ID with you to the airport.

Plan every moment of your trip.

A super-active, over-scheduled vacation can easily stress out already exhausted honeymooners.

Hold out for last-minute bargains

Unless you've both got nerves of steel or are willing to forgo a trip, it's a bad idea to base your honeymoon on a fluctuating inventory of flights and rooms.

?? CTW Features

First published on November 17, 2008 at 12:00 am

Stylebook: Save on hair care costs without scrimping on style

A pixie cut by Phillip Pelusi. The stylist says to stay within two to three shades of your natural color when dyeing.

Stylebook: Save on hair care costs without scrimping on style

If you're watching your dollars during these rough economic times but don't want to give up salon trips, there are ways to save money while keeping your hair in good shape. (11/10/2008)

StyleBook: Hue, Tibi partnership has legs

By LaMont Jones, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Hue by Tibi cable sweater leggings are $60 at Nordstrom.

Whether you call it convergence, collaboration or cross-pollination, fashion is seeing a greater number of label partnerships across category lines. Hue, the trendy hosiery brand that launched a "designer showcase" line last year with Tracy Reese, has introduced a second line of designer legwear in conjunction with Tibi.

Chunky sweater leggings, over-the-knee socks, legwarmers and tights in herringbone patterns are among the fall styles created by Tibi designer Amy Smilovic. They range from $12 to $60 at Nordstrom and hue.com.

The line debuted with Tibi's fall '08 collection in New York in February during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Ms. Smilovic, based in Hong Kong, is known for combining fresh prints and a modern attitude for contemporary looks inspired by travels in Asia and Europe.

Gift suggestions

Starting around the beginning of November each year, I get lots of inquiries about tips on new and unusual bath and beauty gifts for the holidays. That's held true this year, with the word "cheap" coming up more than usual. (I wonder why.)

There are some affordable products that might please your wallet as well as the recipients.

Upscale handbag brand Kooba has teamed with Beauty.com to create a shiny gray-purple limited-edition clutch bag crammed with $115 in beauty goodies such as Cargo blush in Fresno, Boscia blotting papers and a full-size Lorac powder. It's $85 at Beauty.com.

Also, Stila has introduced fun, press-button makeup palettes that talk or can record and play messages. Palettes for red lips, cat eyes, smoky eyes and other looks are $40 at Sephora and stilacosmetics.com.

Roger&Gallet, Paris-based maker of luxurious soaps and fragrances for more than 200 years, has launched its first perfumed liquid and cream soaps. The dermatologist-tested products come in nine scents, ranging from blue lotus, ginger and citron liquid soaps to shea milk-formulated cream soaps in rose, bamboo and vanilla. They're $18 at ebubbles.com.

Hydrating and exfoliating reaches a decadent level with SweetHoneyDip ChocolateBrownSugah Scrub by Carol's Daughter. Not only is it infused with evening primrose oil, polysaturated omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin E, but it also makes you want to eat a spoonful, with ingredients such as chocolate, honey, sweet vanilla bean and brown sugar. It's $34 and a companion body butter is $18 at carolsdaughter.com.

For a caffeinated morning kick-starter without drinking an ounce of java, Juara has introduced Invigorating Coffee Scrub. It promises to battle cellulite while energizing, improving micro-circulation and dehydrating fat cells with exfoliating and skin-tightening Sumatra ground coffee beans. It's $37 at dermstore.com and skinstore.com.

HollyBeth has face and body products made with certified-organic, therapeutic-grade essential oils. The line's newest products are natural, petroleum-free scented candles in rosemary-peppermint and vanilla-peppermint ($20); a shea butter cream enriched with African marigold and sweet basil oils ($22); lavender hand and body cream ($22); and Butterfly Lip Nectar lip balm. A portion of every sale is donated to UNICEF; buy at hollybeth.net.

For men, makers of AXE men's deodorant body sprays and shower gels have launched Dark Temptation, a musky-chocolate scent based on a study that concluded that women find the confection's scent more irresistible than shopping. Developed by Ann Gottlieb -- the same nose that created CK One, Obsession and Sarah Jessica Parker's Covet fragrances -- the products are $3 to $5 at mass retailers and drugstores.

Also, the Jack Black "Authentic and Original" line of men's grooming products adds a Deep Detox Clay Mask/Spot Treatment ($25) made of organic sea kelp, white tea, bentonite clay and witch hazel. It's vegan, dermatologist-tested and free of parabens, artificial fragrances and colors, as is the new Body Rehab Scrub & Muscle Soak ($35), which contains soothing and detoxifying ingredients such as arnica, epsom salt, eucalyptus, rosemary and shea butter; at Nordstrom, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue and getjackblack.com.

Colorful tradition of kids in the White House is soon to be renewed

Friday, November 28, 2008

By Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post

White House Historical Association

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy came to the White House with daughter Caroline, 3, and infant son John Jr. Caroline's pet pony Macaroni, shown with the Kennedys in a 1962 photo, was allowed to roam the White House grounds.

WASHINGTON -- There are going to be kids in the White House again!

The Obama sisters -- Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7 -- will be moving in right after their dad, Barack Obama, is sworn in as the president on Jan. 20. He and their mother, Michelle, promised them a puppy, so there will be a new pet in the White House, too.

The last kid to live in the White House was Chelsea Clinton, who was 12 when her dad, Bill Clinton, became president in 1993.

Before that was Amy Carter, who arrived at age 9 in 1977 with her dad, President Jimmy Carter. President Bush's twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, were 19 when he and first lady Laura Bush moved in in 2001.

Other kids have played in the halls of the White House in the past. KidsPost recounts some of their stories.

• President Abraham Lincoln's youngest son, Tad, was known for playing a lot of tricks in the White House. He was 7 when his dad became president in 1861, living in Washington during the Civil War. Tad had a kid-size Union uniform, and he "bombed" the door of the Cabinet room with a toy cannon, sometimes interrupting his father during meetings.

Tad once took two goats, attached them to a kitchen chair and went for a ride through the East Room, surprising his mother, who was there giving a tour.

Another time he surprised everyone in the White House by finding a way to make all the bells ring at the same time.

• Quentin Roosevelt was the fun-loving youngest of Theodore Roosevelt's six children, who all moved into the White House in September 1901 after the assassination of President William McKinley.

Quentin, almost 4 at the time, liked to walk on stilts and roller-skate down the halls of the house. He once ran a toy wagon through a priceless full-size portrait of former first lady Lucy Webb Hayes. When his brother Archie was very sick, Quentin sneaked a pony up the White House elevator to cheer him up.

• Theodore Roosevelt's eldest daughter, Alice, was 17 when she moved into the White House. She was rather wild. She smoked in public, carried a snake to parties and played poker. Her father once said that he could be president or control Alice, but he could not do both.

• In 1961, President John F. Kennedy came to the White House with daughter Caroline, 3, and infant son John Jr., known as "John John." The young boy liked to hide under his father's desk -- and was sometimes found there when his dad was conducting important business!

Caroline was in the back seat of a limousine, holding hands with her dad, when she saw the White House for the first time. "It's so big. It looks like a castle!" she said.

Caroline's pet pony Macaroni was allowed to roam the White House grounds.

• Susan Ford, the daughter of President Gerald Ford, was a teenager in the 1970s when she decided to escape her Secret Service protection, which is given to all presidential kids round-the-clock. When the White House gate was open, she drove her own car out without her Secret Service agents. She attended Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Md., and had her senior prom in the White House.

• Amy Carter liked to play in a treehouse on the South Lawn. Once she brought books to a fancy state dinner and quietly read "The Story of the Gettysburg Address" and "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" during the meal. A friendly senator tried to get her to stop reading and eat her spinach.

• Chelsea Clinton ate dinner with her father and mother, Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a room that used to be a butler's pantry, because the private dining room in the residence was too fancy. She took cooking lessons from the White House's head chef before she went to college.

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Book + audio)

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Book + audio)
Vintage | 2008 | English | 384 pages | PDF + MP3 | 93,2 MB

“A government that truly represents these Americans–that truly serves these Americans–will require a different kind of politics. That politics will need to reflect our lives as they are actually lived. It won’t be pre-packaged, ready to pull off the shelf. It will have to be constructed from the best of our traditions and will have to account for the darker aspects of our past. We will need to understand just how we got to this place, this land of warring factions and tribal hatreds. And we’ll need to remind ourselves, despite all our differences, just how much we share: common hopes, common dreams, a bond that will not break.”

In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. One phrase in particular anchored itself in listeners’ minds, a reminder that for all the discord and struggle to be found in our history as a nation, we have always been guided by a dogged optimism in the future, or what Senator Obama called “the audacity of hope.”

Now, in The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces–from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media–that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.

At the heart of this book is Senator Obama’s vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families, the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and the transnational threats–from terrorism to pandemic–that gather beyond our shores. And he grapples with the role that faith plays in a democracy–where it is vital and where it must never intrude. Underlying his stories about family, friends, members of the Senate, even the president, is a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus.

A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a skeptic, and above all a student of history and human nature, Senator Obama has written a book of transforming power. Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to our Constitution, he says, can Americans repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans. Those Americans are out there, he writes–“waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them.”

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The Biggest Secret

The Biggest Secret
David Icke Books| 517 Pages | ENGLISH | PDF | 4.5MB

David Icke's most powerful and explosive book so far. Every man, woman and child on the planet is affected by the stunning information that Icke exposes. He reveals in documented detail, how the same interconnecting bloodlines have controlled the planet for thousands of years. How they created all the major religions and suppressed the spiritual and esoteric knowledge that will set humanity free from its mental and emotional prisons.

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Self Improvement: The Top 101 Experts Who Help Us Improve Our Lives

Self Improvement: The Top 101 Experts Who Help Us Improve Our Lives
Self Improvement Online | 422 pages | English | PDF | 1.8MB

The amount of resources available to help you improve your life is vast. Yet the self-help process does not have to be intimidating. Described as the "Encyclopedia" of Self Improvement, this useful reference guide narrows down the top experts in the field and sorts through their great supply of products and information.

This book will help you answer the following questions:
- Who are the Top 101 Experts in Self Improvement?
- What is the core message of each of these experts?
- What information is available from them to learn?
- How can I find the book, speaker, seminar, or program that is right for me?

"Self Improvement: The Top 101 Experts" is a comprehensive resource of information that will help you get started improving your life - quickly and effectively!

Includes information on Dr. Phil McGraw, Anthony Robbins, Sylvia Browne, Dalai Lama, Laura Schlessinger, Dale Carnegie, Paulo Coehlo, Stephen Covey, Zig Ziglar, Wayne Dyer, Kahlil Gibran, Rick Warren, John Maxwell, Robert Kiyosaki, Carlos Castaneda, Robert Allen, John Gray, Iyanla Vanzant, Les Brown, Louise Hay, Brian Tracy, Mitch Albom, Eckhart Tolle, Og Mandino, Ken Blanchard, L. Ron Hubbard, Norman Vincent Peale, Dave Pelzer, Marianne Williamson, Napoleon Hill plus 70 More.

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Sex for Dummies

Sex for Dummies
PDF | English | 433 Pages | 6 MB

The bestselling guide to a rewarding sex life and a deeper relationship. Looking for the straight facts on sex? In this friendly, authoritative guide, renowned sex therapist Dr. Ruth gives you the latest on everything from oral sex and popular positions to new methods of birth control. She also debunks sex myths and covers new therapies to manage low libido, overcome sexual dysfunction, and enhance pleasure.

Discover how to
* Enjoy the first time
* Enhance foreplay and afterplay with your partner
* Avoid STDs and have safer sex
* Discuss sex with your kids
* Navigate cybersex

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1001 Ways to Stay Young Naturally

1001 Ways to Stay Young Naturally
PDF | English | 195 Pages | 30 MB

Don't let age compromise beauty! Get youthful-looking skin, glossy hair, better posture, more energy, and a healthier heart with these bite-sized tips guaranteed to restore a youthful glow the natural way-all without surgery, drugs or expensive products.

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The Player's Black Book - All Secret Revealed

The Player's Black Book - All Secret Revealed
International Innovators LLC | 2005 | ISBN: N/A | 82 pages | PDF | 2.15 MB

This book contains ALL of my personal favorite pick-up techniques that I have used successfully hundreds of times in the past. These are the absolute BEST tricks and secrets that I've learned through years of practice... and they are so effective that I've withheld them from the public... UNTIL NOW! - The Player
YOU Can Get a New Girl Tonight...AND EVERY NIGHT!

This guide has been tested and proven to be 100% effective... you will receive mind blowing results within days! The "dirty little tricks" that I've put into this guide are so effective that they should be illegal! You will be able to casually walk up to ANY women and sweep her off of her feet using my proven methods... it's THAT simple! I guarantee you will be literally shocked when you read this stuff!

Become a Ladies Man... By Tomorrow!

Nothing Is Being Held Back!
I will show you how to make ANY woman fall in love with you. It could be a girl that you've just met or someone that you have had you eye on for years...
...Regardless of who you are or what you look like!

Imagine if you could pick up women in ANY situation, and knew exactly what to say and do to get them in bed every time. If you even read only ONE chapter of my book before you go out TONIGHT... you'll come home with a hot woman on your arm! I will teach you how to pick up women ANYWHERE : in the bar, club, mall, gym, store, park, online... my flawless techniques work anywhere, anytime and EVERY time!

Get TWO Women At Once! Learn to develop the type of personality that makes women uncontrollably DRAWN to you... everywhere you go you'll have beautiful girls throwing themselves at your feet... literally! I'll show you how to talk to women with genuine confidence and charisma, making you irresistible to even the HOTTEST of babes!

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The Art of Approaching - How to Meet Any Woman without Rejection

The Art of Approaching - How to Meet Any Woman without Rejection
BizJancer Inc. | 2006 | ISBN: N/A | 338 pages | PDF | 1.41 MB

The Art of Approaching” has complete reference material with real world examples to transform you into a female magnet. It contains real world examples of how and when to apply the techniques.

You’ll discover:

-The single most important factor to control if you ever want to have a romantic encounter with the woman of your dreams
-Discover WHY beautiful women wind up with an “average Joe”… and how you can exploit the answer to get the girl you want
-One simple yet extremely effective standing posture that women swoon over!
-Uncover the 6 dead giveaways that reveal IF a woman is interested!
-5 very common tell-tale signs that expose her interest in you!
-The Golden Rule of picking up women that maximizes your chances of finally getting the girl you want
-The single most important thing you must develop BEFORE you can enjoy the benefits of meeting and enjoying women
-How to quickly and easily avoid “psyching” yourself out of approaching your "choice"
-How to overcome the self-defeating behavior that gives the “scent” of insecurity!
-5 counter-productive actions that RUIN your opportunity to get the girl you want!
-How to eliminate 5 destructive habits you can’t ignore IF you want to meet the women of your dreams.

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Female's Orgasms Black Book

Female's Orgasms Black Book
Lee Jenkins | PDF | English | | 119 pages | 5.53 MB

You’re About To Learn Secrets That Most Men (And Women) Will Never Know About The Female G-Spot And How A Few Simple Techniques Will Allow You To Give Her Mind Numbing, Leg Shaking Orgasms...

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Understanding the G-Spot and Female Sexuality

Understanding the G-Spot and Female Sexuality
A Simple 10-Step Guide for Unleashing the Ultimate in Female Ecstasy
PDF | English | 121 Pages | 6,06 MB

Do you long to help your lover experience the "Big O" she'll never forget? Are you ready to learn the truth about the G-Spot, Female Ejaculations, Blended Orgasms, and other aspects of female sexuality?" If so, this book is for you. Through a unique marriage of clinical fact and everyday application, this guide combines the latest research findings of world-renowned sexologists and physicians with feedback drawn from over 1000+ surveyed people. People from all walks of life. People...just like you. In this innovative guide, you'll learn a proven and tested "10-Step technique" that can be used by anyone to evoke the G-Spot's awesome power.

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5) The truth behind Female Ejaculation: how and why it occurs
6) Why some women have difficulty reaching orgasm and how to overcome this problem
7) The latest findings in sexual research
8) How to achieve blended orgasms

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Furniture World Magazine - November December 2008

Furniture World Magazine - November December 2008
English | PDF | 68 pages | 8 MB

FURNITURE WORLD is the oldest continuously published trade publication in the United States. FURNITURE WORLD also established the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library in High Point NC, now a public foundation, which contains over 8,000 books on furniture and design dating from 1620. FURNITURE WORLD is designed to achieve long shelf life and maximum response for advertisers who are manufacturers of home furnishings products and suppliers of services to home furnishings retailers.

FURNITURE WORLD is read, not skimmed. That is why the magazine appeals to its target readers who are the owners, managers and buyers in retail furniture stores. These executives are looking for ways to market their products better and create store operating efficiencies.

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VivMag Magazine September/October 2008

VivMag Magazine September/October 2008
English | PDF | 158 pages | 16.7 MB

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