INTERNET SHOPPING QUEEN

Road ID

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A few months ago, it dawned on me (as I was doing a long run all alone), what if something happens to me in the middle of my run? Like I get injured, hit by a car, robbed etc. I'm all alone, no cellphone (don't bring it when I run), hardly bring money (only small bills), no wallet, no ID. If people find me hurt or injured, they won't know who to call.

So I decided to get myself a Road ID. It easily attaches onto your shoelaces. Mine even nicely match my running shoes (my New Balance 1063 - will write up a blog post on those soon). My Road ID contain my name, my husband's phone number, and my Dad's phone number. There are other models aside from the shoelace type. You can get those that are for the wrist or the ankle.

I've got more peace of mind now (so does my hubby) when I do my long runs.

Check them out at Road ID. Mine cost $19.99.

Crate and Barrel Ice Cream Pint Tub

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Sun, 31 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Take frozen treats with you in this special tub, designed with freezer gel in the lid to prevent meltdowns. Simply freeze the screw-on lid for 2.5 hours, and a pint of ice cream or sorbet will stay frozen for up to two hours. Also great for trips to the grocery when you aren't going right home.

$12.95 in Crate & Barrel.

Green Balanzza Ergonomic Digital Compact Luggage Scale

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:32:00 +0000

It's been 4 months since my last post. Sorry everyone! Been busy busy....

Anyway, here's one of my latest online purchases. I was hoping to use it on a trip this month. But that trip's been cancelled thanks to the H1N1 virus. So I'll have to wait a few more months til I can test it.

This digital compact luggage scale is a cool gadget to bring with you when you travel. After you pack your bags, you can find out how much they weigh and see if you're within your airline's baggage limits. That way you don't get shocked with excess baggage fees when you go and check in.

$16.99 in Amazon.

BodyGlide Anti-Blister and Chafing Stick

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:45:00 +0000

When I started running, I thought only guys had to worry about chafing (they usually chafe in the chest area). But after my first few long runs, I realized it was a problem women had as well. I had terrible pains in my inner thighs, sports bra lines, and even in the arms (because of my iPod arm band). Most people use petroleum jelly to do the trick. But I find it too greasy, and it can ruin your clothing. So I opted to buy BodyGlide online. It's less greasy, took away all my chafing problems, and it's sweatproof (so you don't have to worry about reapplying in the middle of long runs). Definitely a must for serious runners. Get it on Amazon for around $5.95.

Digital BBQ Thermometers

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:00:00 +0000

Check out my latest gadget purchase! Was reading a tech blog today and today's post featured a talking digital BBQ thermometer. It got me curious and I started checking out the range of models in Amazon. In the end, I opted for the Oregon Scientific AW131 Grill Right Wireless Talking Oven/Barbeque Thermometer.

Now I can cook my beef, chicken, fish to perfection! And since it's wireless upto 300+ feet, I can leave the stove or BBQ pit, sit by my TV and wait for the gadget to alert me when my food's almost cooked. I hope it arrives in time for Christmas! if not, I'm looking forward to using it in our BBQ pit in our future home. Here's the product description on Amazon:

Whether it's a roast for a dinner party or a turkey for the holidays, this handy thermometer ensures meals get cooked to perfection. The unit features a digital LCD screen and a remote wireless probe to identify the temperature of meat. Simply insert the stainless-steel 6-inch probe into the meat, run the 40-inch wire out of the oven or barbeque, and close the door. The sensor will display the current temperature ranging from 32 to 572 degrees F. Choose from eight entree programs including beef, lamb, veal, hamburger, pork, turkey, chicken, and fish, along with four doneness selections, which include rare, medium rare, medium, and well done. Two verbal and three audio alert options indicate the status of food--almost ready, ready, and overcooked. After reaching the selected temperature, an audio alarm will sound. Since the thermometer offers wireless operation, there's no need to miss out on the party in order to constantly check on dinner. In fact, the main unit can receive the probe signal from up to 330 feet away. In addition, the thermometer speaks in five languages (English, Spanish, German, French, and Danish), offers a low-battery indicator, and its probe detaches from the sensor for easy cleaning. Two AA batteries for the main unit and two AAA batteries for the transmitter come included. The main unit measures 5-3/5 by 2-3/4 by 1-1/2 inches, and the remote unit measures 3-2/5 by 3-2/5 by 1-1/5 inches.

This model is about $43. Other similar items range from $20-$50. Check them out!

Sassyspot Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:55:00 +0000

Here's another local Multiply shoe site you might want to check out. Sassyspot has a pretty wide collection. A lot of them look like shoes I've seen in trendy foreign sites. And they sell them at pretty good prices. Thanks to sis Agoo for the tip!

Renegade Folk Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:00:00 +0000

I learned about Renegade Folk's shoes when they were featured in a local magazine. I checked out their Multiply site and found so many cool styles. I wanted to get these 2 pairs:

Stay Out of Trouble (Ps 2,100)

Working Class Hero (Ps 1,950)

Unfortunately, they didn't have my size anymore of the Stay Out of Trouble style. So I just got the Working Class Hero. Love the shoes. They're very comfy and very well made - good quality. Renegade Folk delivered very quickly too. Nice and efficient service. They've got other fab styles too, which are nice and unique vs other shoe stores (incl online stores). Check them out at Renegade Folk's Multiply site.

Elfster - Secret Santa Online

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:51:00 +0000

It's Christmas time again! This year though, most of us are starting to feel the pinch. I've cut down my Christmas gift shopping budget compared to previous years. One thing that always seems to help in managing the budget (and saves on time in shopping for too many gifts) is doing the Kris Kringle (or Secret Santa or Exchange Gift). Today I found out about this really neat website, Elfster, that sort of automates the whole thing for you. That way, no one's stuck being the organizer who knows who everyone's "baby" is. The site even advises the group of the gift budget, gift theme, and even allows for gift suggestions and anonymous messages. Why didn't anyone think of this before? Very cool!

Apple Online Store - Now Open in the Philippines!

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:12:00 +0000

Yay! The Apple Online Store is finally open in the Philippines. Check it out. You can buy everything from iPod accessories to MacBook Pros. You can pay online and have them delivered to your doorstep. Just in time for Christmas!

Urban Outfitters

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:50:00 +0000

I've known of this brand for some time. But never really bothered to check out their site nor visit their stores since their clothes looked too avante garde for me. I went into their Las Vegas store though a few months ago to buy an item requested by a friend. I found so many cool items in the store! Here's the item my friend asked me to buy, the Cheap Monday Open Shoulder Hoodie ($55). Very cool!

I love their little gift items. Think I'll do some Xmas shopping on their site:

Enormous Lash Grower

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 03:17:00 +0000

Here's a new beauty item that beauty editor sis is trying out. I checked out the online articles on it, including customer feedback, and everyone seems to say it really works. Let's see what sis says after a few days.

More info at Amazon, plus check out the demo video. Price around $95.

Garmin Forerunners

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:22:00 +0000

Since I'm now a running addict, you'll start to see more posts about running gear and gadgets :-)

This one is about a new gadget I recently purchased, a Garmin Forerunner. It appealed to me because I needed to figure out the distance I was running on my run routes (the other way would have been to drive around the same route in my car and check the distance via the odometer). The Forerunner does this for me via its built in GPS. It also automatically computes my pace, the elevation, plus a bunch of other stuff.

I got a 305 model (pictured above). Costs about $180. But there's a newer, sleeker model that has a touch screen, the 405 (see below). The 405 was beyond my budget though ($300).

They're both available on Amazon.

It's amazing how the Forerunner has evolved. Take a look at how the older models looked years ago. I can;t believe people actually wore these on their wrists then!

Nike Lunar Trainers

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:09:00 +0000

A few months ago, I decided to pick up running again as a sport (last time I was seriously into it was when I was in high school!). My Nike trainers needed to be retired since the sole was starting to come off already. Perfect timing, since that was when the Nike launched their new Lunar Trainers. They boast being one of the lightest shoes in the market, aside from their being developed with the latest technology c/o NASA. I tried them on, and they were definitely light and very flexible. It's like running with socks! I decided to get them and have been using them for the past 6 weeks. Have worn them in my last 3 races.

You can find them locally at Nike shops. Around Ps5000 ($100).

Artehouse Signs

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:59:00 +0000

On a recent trip to Lake Tahoe, my hubby and I came across a quaint crafts store that sold nice vintage, customizable signs such as these. I took note of the online store they're available from, since I may just want to order a few next year when we build our new home. It'll fit right in with the modern country look we're planning to do.

You can see more of their designs at Artehouse

Pulse Smartpen

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:49:00 +0000

Here's an amazing new gadget that I just found out about thru my ofcmate. You take notes using a special pad which has got special buttons that work with the pen (pretty cool feature). And then the pen records audio (like a teacher's lecture, or meeting discussions) as you take notes. You can then download all the stuff from the pen to your PC.

The best way to describe it really is for you to see the demo video. Check it out here.

Available at Amazon or Target. $149 for 1GB and $199 for 2GB.

Pottery Barn Books

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:41:00 +0000

I just got married recently. Among the items I had on my online wedding registry were books from Pottery Barn. I'm so so happy that my friend got them for us. The flat we live in now has a sort of Pottery Barn feel. We're now beginning to plan out building our dream house in Westgrove, and I want the same feel. Sort of modern country, and cozy. So these books came at the perfect time. They're such a joy to browse! I currently have the set that came with the books on Living Rooms, Bedrooms and Bathrooms. Also got the Outdoor Spaces book. Found out Amazon also has Pottery Barn books on Dining Rooms, Working Spaces, Kids Rooms, and Storage and Display. I'm working on getting those books too. I hope they have one for Kitchens.

You can find them on www.amazon.com (search for Pottery Barn books) or on www.potterybarn.com

Giraffe Print Diaper Bags

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:33:00 +0000

My friends recently ordered this fashionable diaper bag as a gift. I've been on an animal print phase the past 2 yrs (shoes, bags, you name it), so this of course caught my interest. I don't have any kids yet, but I've bookmarked it on my computer in case I do have babies in the future. I'm definitely getting this bag for myself! It's available on Amazon (see link below). Aside from the tote version, it also comes in messenger and hobo styles. So cool!

http://www.amazon.com/OiOi-Giraffe-Tote/dp/B000YOLSEE/ref=pd_cp_ba_1?pf_rd_p=413863701&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0010P81P0&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1PE6NV6H3DAB04M56688

Bach Flower Remedies

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:40:00 +0000

I was introduced to these 10 yrs ago through my Mom's acupuncturist. She recommended it to me, to help relieve stress from work etc. Basically they're a range of liquids produced from a variety of flowers. You take them via a dropper - you place a drop or two on your tongue. You can take a single kind or a variety of flowers, depending on what you're trying to relieve in yourself. I recall I did a combination then that addressed stress from work, health and my love life (or non-existent one at that time ;) And it really worked! It really made me feel so much better. I used to get them from my Mom's acupuncturist. But when when she migrated abroad, I had to start getting them online. I eventually stopped taking them (I guess I felt so well already, I didn't feel a need for any relief anymore). I recently found them though again when I was travelling in Europe a few months ago. I found a spray version (you spritz it into your mouth), which seemed pretty handy, so I got one. I got the all around version one which is a mix of several flowers. It's called the Bach Rescue Remedy. Came in very handy as I was pretty stressed then with our upcoming wedding, work etc.

Check them out on: http://www.bachremedies.co.uk

Kayak.com

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:16:00 +0000

This site was recommended to me by a friend of mine yday. I love the concept! I've always been lazy to use sites like Expedia, Orbitz etc which offer cheap options for flights, hotels etc. I guess because there are a number of them, and I was afraid I might shortchange myself by booking in one site, only to find out there was a cheaper option in another site. Also, they always struck me as US-centric type of services, so I didn't think they would be helpful to me since I usually look for flights to/from the Philippines. Kayak.com hopes to address all that. Kayak.com isn't an online seller of flights etc. They're sort of a search engine that will find the best offer for you, across all these other sites I just mentioned. So it's great because it takes away the guesswork from you. And it finds you bargains that originate/terminate from the Philippines as well.

Check it out: http://www.kayak.com/

Points.com

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:00:00 +0000

I've racked up quite a lot of frequent flyer miles from the numerous business trips and vacation trips I've done through the years. I have a bunch of Asia Miles expiring this month and I was trying to figure out what to do so they wouldn't go to waste. Was going to use them to book a local flight in Spain (for a trip I'm taking next month). But they wouldn't accept one-way tickets. Looked around Asia Miles' site some more and discovered a link to this site called Points.com. It's the coolest thing ever. Points.com is basically some sort of online shopping mall where you can trade not only your frequent flyer miles from a number of airlines, but also loyalty points from certain membership clubs etc, and use them to purchase goods like gift cards from a wide range of online retailers. I ended up trading my soon-to-expire miles for a $64 Amazon gift card. Not bad!

http://www.points.com/

Blue Nile Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:22:00 +0000

As you may have noticed, my avatar on the left has changed. Yes, I´m getting married!!! As any girl will tell you, the engagement ring is one of the most exciting parts of the "getting married" process. It must be pretty memorable for the guys too, since aside from having to spend a considerable sum on it, there´s a lot of pressure on whether it will meet the bride to be´s expectations.

To be honest, I never could understand how a guy could go buy the engagement ring before proposing, without consulting his future bride. Outside of the usual ring size (which he could find out thru her friends or family), I think it would be good to know what kind of cut she´d like, what carat, what type of setting etc. This is a lot of money we´re talking about here. You don´t want to get it wrong. And really girls, once they get down on bended knee, propose, and give us the ring, do we really have the heart to tell them that we don´t exactly like the pear cut diamond set on yellow gold? We´ll just grin and bear it.....

So ever practical me and my fiancee, worked on this together. He knew exactly what I wanted (with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd options to boot,in case the 1st option wasn´t avai). And to be fair, he did so much research on this area too (he´s an expert on diamonds now), that I learned a lot of new things about diamonds too thru him, which influenced my choices in the end.

As part of our practical search for my dream engagement ring (and true to my being an internet shopping queen ;-) we came across Blue Nile (http://www.bluenile.com/). The site had a great range of diamonds, plus the site was so user-friendly, it was just sooo much fun to browse around and"build a ring". Best of all, their prices were unbelievable (30-50% cheaper than retail!). Of course first thing we did was do our research and make sure they weren´t some fly by night, too good to be true site. And we were pleasantly surprised to find out how reputable it was. It´s the biggest online retailer of diamonds, has consistently been among Forbes top retailers, and had tons of positive fdbk from customers. The only negative fdbk I saw were from customers who said their order arrived 1 day late. We also found out how they could sell their items at such an affordable price (they cut off the middlemen, save on overhead since their online etc....).

Having done the research, we finally settled on a diamond ring that met our reqts. Since they don´t deliver to the Philippines, I had it delivered to a friend in California, who was coming to Manila in a few days. Since they don´t accept payments thru a Philippine issued credit card, you also have to do a bank transfer to send the payment (it was pretty easy and fast though, they help you thru the whole process). Once they receive your payment, it takes 3 days to build the ring and send it to you via Fedex overnight delivery - pretty fast!

Sigh, I was breathless when it arrived and I saw it with my own eyes (actually, we were both breathless - both me and my fiancee!). It was a great choice! And Blue Nile was such a great site to get it from. If you can find a way to get someone from the US to bring you your order, try out Blue Nile. You won´t regret it! If you need any assistance, don´t hesitate to contact their Customer Service. They are wonderful! Customer reviews rave about them. I personally experienced as well just how helpful they were.

Enjoy!

Old Navy - Pattern Dresses & Summer Sandals

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:46:00 +0000

I'm loving Old Navy's latest Pattern collection, especially their dresses (they've got lovely long versions of their dresses too). I especially love the green dresses (images now floating in my mind of Keira Knightley wearing that beautiful green gown in Atonement). They go for around $20.

They've got great sandals available too in their shoe section. This one, for example, costs only $16.99. Comes in gold, bronze or pewter. Perfect! I've been looking for a pair of gladiator sandals for the summer.

http://www.oldnavy.com/

Akavar 20/50 Diet Pills

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:45:00 +0000

On the perennial search for the magic solution to losing weight? You might want to try this then. I haven't personally tried it myself. But my friend has and she says it works. Their ads seem pretty convincing too, and risk-free, since they're willing to refund you your money if it doesn't work.

Akavar's webstore describes it to be, "...part of a new generation of fast-acting caloric restrictors. These bio-active weight loss compounds eliminate the need for complicated or novelty dieting programs....Akavar's sophisticated bio-active blend reduces the amount of calories your body absorbs from food. By limiting your caloric intake, your body's systems literally burn the fat from its most accessible storage centers—your hips, thighs and buttocks. With Akavar 20/50 you can eliminate excess fat and actually lose weight by eating all you want." Looking at its active ingredients, I see stuff like yerba mate, guarana, ginger, etc. So it seems to be an herbal type of concoction.

If you're willing to try it out, you can get them at ww.amazon.com for $39.99 a bottle (60 capsules). Let me know if it works for you!

Hostess Twinkies

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 07:08:00 +0000

Hostess Twinkies (and Ding Dongs, for that matter) remind me of the days when I was a kid reading my Archie digests. They used to have little ads in them for these products. I used to dream I could go the States and finally taste them.

When I finally did, many years later, I loved them! I can't believe they still make them today.

On a recent trip to the US, I found some at Walgreens and bought a couple to have as a midnight snack. My sister super loves these, and as much as I wanted to bring some home for her, they would have gotten crushed in my luggage.

So I recently browsed thru the net and found a site that sells them in boxes. They seem to be filled with preservatives, so I figured they would last the 2 week shipping trip. And they did! (Well we've eaten them all up already, and we're still alive. So I guess they were OK :-)

Available at http://www.netgrocer.com/ for $5.15 a box (contains 10 Twinkies inside). Enjoy!

Omron HJ-112 Digital Premium Pedometer

noreply@blogger.com (ISQ) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:04:00 +0000

It must be because of the usual additional pounds I gained over the Xmas holidays. Or the fact that I haven't been able to exercise since Xmas since I've been travelling, swamped with work, and was down with the flu and sinusitis for 3 wks. So I finally decided I'd invest in a pedometer so I could be more conscious of the amt of walking I did per day. Hey if I can't get find time to do badminton or hit the gym, walking flights of steps in my ofc should be good enough right? So nerdy me started doing my online research on what would be a good brand and model to buy. i finally settled on the Omron HJ-112. What I liked most about it was that it had a new feature which increased its sensitivity and allowed you to place it on your bag, and it would still be able to count your steps. No need to look geeky and clip it onto my waistband. Ever since I bought it, I've become more conscious to walk more (take the stairs instead of the lift etc). Even my boyfriend changed his parking ways - he now tries to park at the furthest available space, because the additional walk means more exercise! It's available at http://www.amazon.com/ for $23.99. Happy walking!