And then, of course there’s the salon, where an experienced colorist prepares a color specifically for your hair type and color using professional grade dyes — superior to the one-box-colors-all shelf-dye.

The salon is ideal, but not always in the budget! These days, who’s got the extra cash to spend on expensive in-salon hair coloring?

Well, now there’s another option at your fingertips, literally.

Salon Quality Haircolor Delivered to Your Door

eSalon takes the perfect salon hair coloring experience and turns in into an innovative new online service, giving women a fabulous new option in getting professionally colored hair results. This revolutionary new service helps women achieve salon-like results without always having to shell out the expense of visiting the salon. Whether you’re changing hair color or maintaining an existing color, priced at only $22 per custom coloring application, it’s hard to resist making the switch.

The pros at eSalon were inspired by the idea that beautiful, quality haircolor can be accessible without the uncertainties of retail dyes and the excessive expense (and sometimes inaccessibility) of salons.

Customized Haircolor by Professional Colorists

Using their interactive online tool, powered by the expertise and wisdom of a professional colorist, you can select your hair type, style, coloring preferences, color history, current color and the color you desire. The tool consists of a custom built set of questions formulated by colorists based on their years of expertise working at top salons in Beverly Hills, New York and Paris, led by Color Director, world renowned expert colorist Estelle Baumhauer.

Personalized Haircolor at Home

The dynamic questionnaire takes into account your skin tone, natural hair texture and color, eye color, ethnicity, hair length, condition and style, and required grey-coverage; it even double-checks your answers to critical questions to ensure you get a safe and beautiful color.

A word of warning: in some cases — such as people with a very dark natural or dyed color color — in order to prevent undue damage to your hair, this may mean that certain haircolors are not available to you since eSalon does not support the use of harsh bleaching or color-removing agents. So if you’re looking to go a lot lighter, this probably isn’t the solution for you.

The professionals at eSalon review your profile and order, custom-formulate and mix your choice of color using the professional grade hair dyes found at high-end salons, bottle and ship it to you from eSalon’s Los Angeles color lab within two days of ordering it!

The Tools of the Trade for a Salon-Style Haircolor Application

In addition to providing you with the custom-formulated hair color, as well as all of the reusable tools you’ll need to successfully apply the color — including the necessary digital timer, gloves, bottles, application brush,  hair clips, bowls, protective smock, stain remover, cotton pads, leave-in conditioner, and color-enhancing glosses. eSalon also walks you through the application process with easy-to-follow personalized step-by-step instructions, diagrams and online video tutorials.

Why Use Salon-Grade Hair Dye?

Get Superior Grey Coverage & Longer Lasting Color

The advantage of using salon-quality dyes is that you’ll always get superior grey coverage and long-lasting, rich, robust haircolor. You can choose from permanent or demi-permanent (ammonia-free) haircolors that include nourishing vitamin E, B5, and aloe vera to make sure that the hair you’re coloring is luscious and healthy. Along with the haircolor, eSalon includes the appropriate developer crème (peroxide) for each coloring application. And as a nice added touch, every hair color bottle comes personalized with your name on the bottle!

Receive Customized Haircolor & Application Instructions

Unlike off-the-shelf dyes, the instructions provided with eSalon’s customized haircolors are individualized instructions specific to you and your coloring process, based on information you provided in the interactive questionnaire. And because the idea of coloring your own hair can be daunting, the folks at eSalon have made themselves available to consult should you have any questions about the process or results.

Affordable & Convenient Salon Quality Haircolor

Finally, an affordable solution for salon results at home, at your convenience!  And you don’t need to start from scratch each time you need to color your hair; you have access to an online account with your saved hair profile and coloring history; you can even subscribe to have your customized hair color automatically formulated and shipped to you at a preferred frequency, from every three weeks to every 12 weeks.

On future orders you can keep the winning formula eSalon has created for you or tweak it to make sure you always get exactly the color you crave! In the event that you’re not thrilled with your haircolor, eSalon offers a full refund within 30 days of your purchase date, including shipping fees.

Shop the story @ esalon.com

Summer holidays – we love them and dread them at the same time. With no exotic trips planned to make your kids go gaga with excitement, you need a backup plan. You need to occupy their time constructively so they don’t end up watching too much television, yet you know how difficult it can be to entertain them all the time without tearing your hair out. Take a look at some inexpensive summer activities for kids which can solve this dilemma for you.

1. Library Events

Summer time in the local library is much more than borrowing your favorite books. Amazing storytelling sessions where kids can dress up as the characters of the book, themed events which include arts and crafts workshops to match a designated story, a small indoor fete, reading competition which ends up in fun awards are but a few we can list here. Check out the calendar of activities for kids that blend fun, constructive activity as well as rewards.

2. Arts and Crafts Workshops

Many local recreational centers or children’s museums hold special arts and crafts workshops for kids. Some have a mix of regular classes, special theme workshops as well as competitive projects depending upon the age groups attending.

Even if your child is not really into art, these interactive workshops can hold their attention and interest for longer than you imagine. And if they do like arts and crafts, then these are simply summer bonuses.

3. Outdoor Activities

There are many to choose from. Biking or hiking through the nature trails, going fishing, visiting the local museums to start with. You can also organize a summer carnival for your kids and their friends in your own yard, or plan a visit to the local amusement park or picnic by the lake with boating rides thrown in.

Involve your child in simple community activities like putting up a lemonade stand in the neighborhood on weekends or volunteering in the local shelter community center to serve and help people. It will give them a sense of responsibility even before you realize it.

4. Indoor Outings

No, this is not an oxymoron! There are many outings you can plan which are fun filled yet out of the sun. Indoor adventure and recreation centers where they do rock climbing, indoor swimming, movie dates for special summer releases for kids, not to mention that all-time favorite – a visit to the mall. You can get the kids out of the house without worrying about the heat, they have fun, tire themselves out and you have accomplished a rare day of “no TV” without any fuss.

5. Plan Events Your Children Will Love

But no activity is more enjoyable for your child than the one which they share with their best buddies and BFFs. The super hit summer events are undoubtedly the play-dates and the pajama parties. You can make it more memorable by creating a water fun day with inflated pools and sprinklers. A pajama party is best enjoyed with their favorite Disney or Barbie DVD, served with popcorn. Allow some leeway for snacks to be enjoyed with the mid-night horror stories as well.

Need some ideas for kid-friendly videos? Check out Amazon’s Best Children’s Movies.

Entertaining kids for the summer is important, but vacation activities for children don’t have to expensive. With a few innovative ideas and plans you can easily make this an unforgettable summer for your child.

• What Is Cellulite, Really?
• Causes of Cellulite
• Treatments for Cellulite
• Top Cellulite Creams & Remedies

What Is Cellulite, Really?

Beneath your skin, fibrous strands of connective tissue span multiple layers of tissue, connecting your skin to deeper tissue layers of fat and muscle, creating compartments of fat cells.

Women’s fat compartments are larger and more rectangular than those in men’s bodies, and our cell walls run perpendicular to the surface of the skin rather than diagonally, as men’s do. Therefore, when the connective tissue is weakened and fat lobes push up into the dermis, the skin surface becomes uneven and dimply.

Furthermore, when the fat cells increase in size, the compartments bulge, exaggerating the dimpling appearance on your skin.

Causes of Cellulite

Lifestyle & Diet

Consuming foods containing an overabundance of toxins (fried food, alcohol, caffeine, sugar) overwhelms the body’s ability to eliminate toxic substances. Lack of exercise, stress, and insufficient water intake can cause poor lymphatic flow and poor blood circulation, each of which has been associated with the increased appearance of cellulite.

Heredity & Genetics

Chances of developing cellulite can be traced from generation to generation, indicating genetic factors influencing the structure and composition of fat and dermal tissues may be at play.

Age

As the tone and condition of the skin declines with age, its ability to aid in the nutrition and regeneration process for underlying tissues also declines.

Hormones

Estrogen and progesterone levels dictate how much fat your body stores or releases. Recent studies have shown that estrogen weakens tissue capsules, causing it to lose its ability to contain the fat mass and allowing fat lobes to protrude up to the dermis. Women typically store fat in cellulite-prone areas (thighs and buttocks) during pregnancy or while taking oral contraceptives.

Treatments for Cellulite

Healthy Nutrition, Weight Loss & Exercise

Larger fat cells generally create more pronounced dimpling, so slimming down will reduce the bulgy appearance of cellulite. However, you can have cellulite whether you are overweight, normal, or thin — you either have these irregular patterns of connective tissue or your don’t.

For a holistic approach, in the book The Cellulite Solution: A Doctor’s Program for Losing Lumps, Bumps, Dimples, and Stretch Marks, Howard Murad, M.D., pharmacist and board-certified dermatologist (the man behind Murad Skin Care) has developed a cellulite-slaying method including nutritional direction, exercise and lifestyle changes, and topical cellulite treatments to help women prevent and get rid of cellulite.

Creams for Cellulite

Creams containing exfoliating agents such as Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA), agents such as Retinoids (which improve skin thickness and blood circulation to the skin), and even Xanthines (shown to stimulate fat metabolism during in vitro testing) have all failed to act as permanent treatments for cellulite. Caffeine, the active ingredient in most cellulite creams, works to tighten blood vessels, which can temporarily produce a  smoother appearance to reduce the visibility of cellulite, but ultimately it has no effect on the actual fatty deposits responsible for cellulite.

Endermologie Treatments for Cellulite

Some people claim Endermologie works a cellulite miracle, but this deep tissue massage (alleged to break up the fatty deposits) is very expensive and time-consuming. Although Endermologie is FDA approved as a temporary approach to treating cellulite, many physicians dismiss it as bogus.

Liposuction to Get Rid of Cellulite

Liposuction involves the removal of fat from the reserve layers of fat, and is not typically performed on the subcutaneous layers of fat where cellulite originates. Liposuction is not advised as a treatment for cellulite since this already invasive procedure can result in severe bleeding, swelling, and even scarring when performed on subcutaneous layers.

Ionithermie Treatments for Cellulite

Ionithermie cellulite reduction is a complex treatment designed to minimize the appearance of cellulite, improve and smooth skin, firm and tone, detox, as well as slenderize and contour the treated area. Ionithermie involves the use of biological compounds such as Gauarana, RNA, micronized algae and thermal clay, in combination with an electrical stimulus to stimulate and restore muscle and tissue. Multiple treatments (at up to $200 per session) are advised in order to zap the pesky dimples. It is by no means a miracle cure for cellulite, but may leave your skin feeling and looking firmer in the short term.

Top Cellulite Remedies

While none of the creams for cellulite or other offerings in the fight against cellulite can promise to permanently banish cellulite from your body, some products get thumbs way up for delivering affordable short-term cosmetic fixes to the problem:

Put Cellulite Under Wraps

One super nifty product on the market is Wacoal ‘iPant’ High Waist Anti Cellulite Shaper ($72), a pair of compression shorts which actually smooth and slenderize your thighs, hips and waist while releasing [tooltip text="Active ingredients include caffeine, retinol, ceramides, vitamin E, fatty acids and aloe vera, which are said to last approximately 100 washes."]cosmetic ingredients[/tooltip] embedded in the fabric  with every movement to help firm and smooth the skin, working to eliminate the appearance of cellulite.

Tone Lift & Tighten with Cellulite-Fighting Serum

There’s a lot of buzz about the effectiveness of Clarins High Definition Body Lift ($66) at toning up skin and minimize the appearance of cellulite with ingredients including caffeine and caffeine-optimizers — smoothing out “cottage cheese thighs” for those times you want to hike up the hemline and show great legs. In consumer tests, 94 percent of users reported smoother skin, 89 percent reported firmer skin, and 75 percent of users noticed a slimmer silhouette, although if you’re looking to lose inches, your best bet is to hit the gym.

Spa-in-a-Box Cellulite Treatment Quartet

Another series of products that have given cellulite-plagued women a reason to smile is the Bliss FatGirlSlim Treatment ($54 value) Kit ($38), a collection of the best of Bliss’ ultra popular, lean, mean, body-toning creams and tools designed to combat cellulite, tighten skin, and have you looking your “svelt-est” 24-hours a day.

The kit includes:

• Bliss FatGirlScrub, designed to promote circulation through exfoliation and massage, which helps reduce the accumulation of stagnant fluids that contribute to lumpy, bumpy cellulite.
• Bliss FatGirlSleep, which contains Sacred Lotus Extract, touted to target cellulite by promote the breakdown of fat, reduce fat storage and inflammation of skin, and tighten loosened skin.
• Bliss FatGirlSlim, a skin-firming cream designed to visibly diminish the dimples of cellulite  with QuSome® (encapsulated caffeine) as the shining star ingredient.
• Bliss Slimulator, a skin-stimulating tool that may help prevent cellulite from forming and help smooth the texture of your skin when combined with the creams thanks to its massaging action.

Over a 28-day period, when FatGirlSlim was tested in an independent clinical study 87 percent of users saw a firming effect, 85 percent felt a slimming effect, and 73 percent noticed a reduction in the appearance of cellulite.  It’s not a complete miracle worker, but the Bliss FatGirlSlim kit gets rave reviews for its cellulite fighting results.

First of all, before you confirm your travel plans you have to make sure your pet is willing to travel, and you’re willing to take on the feat of bringing him or her along for the ride.

Happy Trails: Make Sure Your Pet is Comfortable

Observe your pet. Does your dog stop dead in his tracks at the sight of a car, or does your cat refuse to be picked up? Pets with these tendencies may not be the best candidates for travel. Dealing with an upset or nervous pet while traveling can escalate past frustration into danger. If you think your cuddly companion would be better off at home, boarding kennels and professional pet sitters are always an option.

Dogs, Cats, Planes, Trains and Automobiles

If you’ve decided your cat or dog is ready for his first voyage, consider that each mode of transportation comes with its own set of preparations.

Taking a Dog or Cat on a Road Trip

If your pet hasn’t been inside a car, take some time to familiarize your loved one with its new surroundings. This involves making the car a comfortable, normal place, that isn’t associated with going to the vet. Hang out with your pet in your parked car, and then take it for a few short trips. When riding in the car becomes as normal as sitting on the sofa, you’re fuzzy friend will be your new favorite travel companion.

Prepare for Your Cat or Dog’s Needs

When you do head out on a longer trip, remember your pet has needs just like you. You get thirsty in the car, and so does pup or kitty. You get hungry while driving, and so does your fur kid. And you have to visit the little girls’ room, and so does your four-legged friend. This means bringing along water, food, bowls, plastic bags, a waste scoop… and frequent stops.

The car may still feel like a strange place for your pet, so toss in its favorite toy. If your pet is occupied while you’re driving, you’ll be less distracted.

Pet Restraints: Plan for Safety

We humans wear seat belts while driving and so should dogs; securing your pet in a restraint protects both of you. For smaller pets, use a well-ventilated crate. If your pet is prone to motion sickness, and acclimatizing your fuzzy friend with short trips didn’t work, sedatives are an option; but of course, always consult your veterinarian first.

And finally, even though it’s adorable, do not let your pet poke his head out the window and feel the wind through his fur. He could get hit by flying objects, irritate his eyes, suffer inner-ear damage or develop lung infections.

Flying with Cats and Dogs

Get a Health Check-Up

Getting your pet ready for air travel is a lot more complicated than just staying grounded. Your first move is to make sure your dog or cat is at least eight weeks old, weaned and healthy. Visit your vet close to your departure date to ensure your fuzzy family’s health.

Call the Airline

Your second step is to call the airline; ask about the airline’s vaccination policy, as the requirements vary at each location. For both domestic and international travel, all flights will require current vaccinations and a veterinarian health certificate, but call your airline for the specifics.

Your pet must also meet the vaccine and medication requirements of the country you’re landing in, and travelers must have the proper papers for their destination so Fido and Kitty can safely step paw on new soil.

And while you’ve got the airline on the phone, check for availability, the cost of bringing the pet on board, the type of carrier or kennel you’ll need, the need to sign a waiver, and any other special pet requirements.

If your pet is small enough, under-the-seat kennels are a safer option than sending your pet down with the cargo. If not, stick to the following checklist to ensure your pet has a safe flight.

Your Countdown To Take Off

When planning and booking your trip:

• Always (always) consult your veterinarian before even thinking about traveling with your pet.
• When you book your flight, be sure to reserve a space for your pet in advance.
• Book non-stop flights to minimize discomfort and the chance of getting lost.
• Familiarize your pet with the travel carrier before taking the flight.
• If the flight is long, prearrange a means of feeding and hydrating your pet.
• Request that your pet is distanced from extreme weather, such as burning heat or icy cold to avoid unwanted complications like heat stroke or hypothermia.
• To avoid extreme weather, book flights during the most comfortable hours: early mornings or evenings in the summer, and afternoons in the winter.

The days and hours before you leave:

• Call the airline to reconfirm you will be bringing a pet.
• If your pet is on medication, pack more than enough for the trip.
• Keep your pet hydrated, but cut back on the food in the hours that precede the flight so your pet doesn’t experience motion sickness and vomit due to a full belly, lots of movement, and nerves.
• Avoid tranquilizers and sedatives: a conked-out animal won’t be able to stay grounded during the flight’s rocky spells. Also, it’s a risk to put your pet on medications when it will be without supervision in the cargo section. Only if your pet is very hyper or extremely nervous are tranquilizers an good option.

Along the way:

• Toss something that smells like you into your pet’s crate. This will give your dog or cat additional comfort.
• Make sure “live animal” and “this end up” are on your pet’s crate, and that both the carrier and your pet are properly identified.
• Carry a recent photograph of your pet in case your dog or cat gets lost.
• Give yourself more than enough time to check in, say goodbye to your fuzzy friend, and feel comfortable and relaxed.

For some of us, the idea of flowers popping out of the ground any time soon is just wishful thinking. But you can still give spring a nudge in a pair of fresh, fun, and florally bold printed pants.

• Look for a straight or slightly tapered pant leg, cropped at or a few inches above your ankle.

• For this blossoming trend, go bold or go home: choose trousers with flower patterns in vibrant hues that burst with the colors of the season.

• Keep in mind that your should choose print sizes that are proportional to your frame: petite ladies are less likely to be “worn by” their pants if they stick with smaller prints, whereas taller and fuller-figured lasses can get away with larger prints.

• Revel in spring’s arrival by wearing these heavy-petal pants with a pair of entrance-making stilettos imbued their own splash of color.

• Top off the look and balance things out with a simple, textured tee in a solid color.

Clockwise from top left: Peter Som ($795), Dolce and Gabbana ($414), J. Crew ($348), Erdem ($990), DKNY ($225)

The reality of marriage lies beyond the festivities of the wedding, and you need to prepare for the real life before you tie the knot. Check out these essential financial tips avoiding money problems in marriage.

Get a Join Account for Household Expenses

Consider the option of joint accounts. Here you can pool in your earnings and create a joint fund for all household expenses. It also gives you an idea of how much you can collectively save every month. However, it comes at the cost of privacy for both partners knowing how much the other is spending. And in the event of crisis each can drain the account without informing the other.

A good solution is to each maintain your own separate personal accounts, while using a joint account for common expenses – this way you share a financial responsibilities while maintaining your autonomy.

Set a Budget

Talk to you fiancé and find out how comfortable he is with budgeting. If he is the kind to spend more on impulse you will have to rein him back. Money problems are the roots of many a marriage break-up so learning how to budget should be a high priority.

Even with both of you earning, spending without thought or not sticking to a budget can bring debts and credit crisis sooner than you might think. Marriage is joint effort, so work together to create a plan that will make your future financial secure.

Debt

No matter how much you are in love, debt and bankruptcy can completely ruin your peace of mind. Ask your fiancé for his credit report and FICO score upfront and be ready to share yours. This will give you an idea of his debts, how timely are his bills and credit card payments made, if he is in the habit of overdrawing or owing back taxes. If his FICO score is below 700 then you can plan a financial guideline which will suit your joint plans.

Policies & Investments

You have the right to know about your husband’s finances and you need to be active in making financial decisions. You have the right to know how much you are worth as a couple, what your assets are. What are the various accounts you hold along with the fixed deposit policies, mutual funds, insurance policies, savings, as well as 401(k) plans or IRAs.

Financial Goals

You’re about to start a new life together; this is the perfect time to set definite financial goals along with your new husband. This can range from everyday responsibility designation to long term plans.

Ask yourself whether you will be happy with a small pension in your golden years or is a world tour more your idea of a grand old age plan. Even though it seems light years away, you need to start planning for it from day one of your marriage.

Maybe you want a big family and want your kids to have more than public school education or be involved in many extra-curricular activities… all of these things cost money. You and your husband-to-be need to make plans today that will help avoid money problems and make tomorrow’s dreams a reality.

Being pregnant comes with many different symptoms, from swelling to sensitivity to morning sickness. While most women think that you just have to live with morning sickness in pregnancy, rather than take prescription medications, that is not the case.

There are foods and drinks that you can put into your diet that can help with morning sickness and reduce the symptoms of nausea and vomiting. This can be a much healthier way to treat your morning sickness and can help you to give your little one the nutrients that he or she needs.

Prevent Morning Sickness Before It Starts

One thing that seems to help many women prevent nausea and vomiting from their morning sickness is to eat before even getting out of bed. While you don’t want to start off with greasy eggs and bacon, a little dry cereal or some saltine crackers can help you to settle your stomach, so that when you get out of bed, you will not experience as much nausea.

Foods to Avoid

While it will largely depend upon your own tastes, there are some foods that you will most likely want to monitor your reaction to. Greasy foods tend to hit the stomach very hard when you have morning sickness symptoms, and some people find that spicy foods can set them off as well. Foods that have a strong odor are also largely off of the menu, especially if you tend to be set off by smells.

Foods to Eat that May Help with Morning Sickness

While there are foods that you may just not be able to tolerate when you are dealing with morning sickness, there are others that can actually help relieve some of the symptoms.

Some of the foods that have natural anti-nausea and vomiting properties include:

• Ginger (ginger tea, ginger ale, ginger candies, ginger jam, ginger snaps)
• Lemons (eat them, add them to your water, even smell them, or enjoy them in hard candy form)
• Peppermint tea
• Flavored popsicles
• Pretzels
• Jell-O

Eating through your morning sickness is your goal. If you stop eating, you will only get more nauseated and it can start a cycle of vomiting that can dehydrate you. Your main goal is to eat and continue drinking to ensure that your little one still gets all of the nutrients that they need to grow.

A healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and proteins can be your solution to keeping your morning sickness in check and ensuring that your baby has all that he or she needs to gain weight and grow.

Editor’s Picks: Products We Love that Help With Morning Sickness

• Fight morning sickness while looking fabulous with Organic Morning Sickness Alleviating Lip Balm
• Preggo Pop Drops hard candy are a delicious way fend off morning sickness when you’re on the go.
• Get drug-free, immediate relief from morning sickness by slipping on a Sea-Band Adult Wristband
• Mommy’s Bliss Morning Sickness Magic is a highly effective herbal supplement formulated to ease nausea during pregnancy. Morning Sickness Magic contains other essential ingredients that support a healthy pregnancy.

Epicurious

Created by Conde Nast Digital, Epicurious is the mobile app version for www.epicurious.com. This food website has more than 100,000 recipes covering an amazing array of foods from different types of cuisines, regions and cultures.  Recipes are also accompanied by images to help you understand the dish better.

The app also creates portable shopping lists when you select a recipe, drinks to match the food you are preparing, search options by ingredient, food name or special diet types. It’s free for iPhones and Androids.

• Download the Epicurious Recipes & Shopping List App Here »

Weber’s On the Grill

Summer grilling has never been easier or so much fun. With this app you now have access to 300 BBQ recipes, appetizers, cocktails to complement your meal as well as amazing desserts, and not just in words but also as videos. Now you no longer have to worry about which rub or marinade to use since the recipe you choose comes with a detailed shopping list to guide you. It even turns into a grill timer for you when you start cooking! Price: $4.99.

• Download the Weber’s On the Grill App Here »

Rhino Gauge

Now that you have your grills and recipes in place it’s time to party. But how do you ensure that your fuel doesn’t run out in the middle of your entertaining? With the amazing Rhino Gauge app.

Instead of scurrying about and looking for propane tanks while your steaks are going cold on the grill half-done, you will now have the exact reading of your propane gas status. It not only keeps track of the fuel level but also provides information on the closest local retailer for propane tanks along with directions and map. Price: Free for iPhones.

• Download the Free Rhino Gauge App Here »

Pocket Cocktails

Now that you have planned out what to grill and serve, ensured that you won’t run out of gas, you have to focus on the drinks. With the fun and exciting Pocket Cocktails App you will have access to more than 500 cocktail concoctions, shooters, martinis and mocktail recipes.

You can turn into a savvy bartender in no time at all. Price: 99 cents for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, free for Android users.

•  Download the Pocket Cocktails App Here »

Pandora Radio

What’s a party without music? Whether you are throwing a small garden party or out for a whole-day picnic, you need music to liven up the atmosphere and the mood. And you need it without having to carry cumbersome music systems or piles of CDs.

With this personalized radio service app from Google however, you will get an amazing array of music that is streamed directly on to your phone. You can search by song, artist or genre.  It’s free for iPhones and Androids.

• Download the Free Pandora Radio App Here »

The Internet and smartphones are not mere gadgets to help you keep in touch when you are away, but are also essential tools to access the various apps which will help you in every aspect of your trip – from flights, to hotels, local sites and eateries as well as guidance to adventure sports. Check out the top 7 must have travel apps for your vacation.

TimeRazor

Developed by timeRAZOR, Inc., this app has been voted as being one of coolest by those who want to be in the know of everything trendy. A simple and user-friendly dashboard offers the latest events around town, or wherever you are traveling. Traffic-based travel alerts, latest deals and offers in the area from hip brands as well as an overview of nationwide events are also highlighted. Free for Androids.

• Download TimeRazor »

Hotel Tonight

Developed by San Francisco based DealBase Corp, this app is super handy when it comes to getting emergency hotel information and bookings when you are in a travel bind. It features ‘only-that-night’ hotel listings for over 28 US locations. And you’ll get more than just shelter and warmth, you can also save a lot of your travel money with up to 70% off discounts. Free for iPhones and also compatible with iPod touch, and iPad.

• Download Hotel Tonight »

TripIt

Popularly known as the organizer app, Tripit gets all relevant travel information like flight and hotel confirmations, rental car details, restaurant reservations as well as sightseeing and outdoor bookings and plans them into a neat itinerary for you. You can instantly access the information or share them with friends and family without searching or worrying about numerous details.  Free for iPhones and iPads.

• Download TripIt »

Yelp

Yelp is valuable resource for virtually all US locations. From cool evening hangouts to emergency information you will get all in Yelp. No matter where you are holidaying, you will have easy access to doctors, hotels, restaurants, spas and even vets. You can narrow down your searches by price or location, look up phone numbers and addresses as well. Free for iPhones.

• Download Yelp »

Parkguide

Developed by Shearwater Marketing Group LLC, Parkguide is an interactive app which provides comprehensive information on 50 National Parks. Details on the wildlife in each include information on flora as well as fauna. Also included are directions and route maps, entry fee information, reservation contacts as well as nearest emergency help.  Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

• Download Parkguide »

Google Translate

A great app to help you with foreign languages if you are traveling outside the US, especially to non-English speaking countries. It can translate words and phrases for over 60 languages. Next time you are bargaining in the streets of Bangkok, just speak your choice phrase into the app and get the translation right away. Free for iPhones.

• Download Google Translate »

GasBuddy

This superb app is handy when you are about town as well as when you are on the road for a long trip. It not provides information on the nearest gas stations but also updates the best and latest prices in the nearest stations so that you can save better on fuel. Free for iPhones.

• Download GasBuddy »

You can now have perfect vision without glasses or contact lenses: learn about advances in laser eye surgery procedures.

First it was eyeglasses, then monocles and spectacles, and then came contact lenses. Correcting vision and enabling one to see normally has been a medical and scientific endeavor for centuries. Every new development has been a breakthrough, but perhaps none have been as revolutionary as the corrective laser eye surgery procedure.

Suddenly, getting crystal-clear 20/20 vision is possible without visual aids like contact lenses or glasses, and the routine surgery can be quick and painless. After the advised period of convalescence patients can swim without worrying about water on contact lenses, cleaning eyeglasses, and cherish the freedom to see the world clearly anywhere, anytime.

How Does a Corrective Laser Eye Surgery Procedure Work?

The surgical procedure involves intervening on the tissues on the stromal or underlying layer of the cornea in order to reshape the cornea and correct vision. The two main types of corrective laser eye surgery are:

PRK (Photo Refractive Keratectomy)

In this procedure the cornea is manually scraped away by the surgeon using an excimer laser. The epithelium layer grows back in time and there is some discomfort in the post-operative phase making the recovery time much longer. However, since the cornea is not cut altogether, the procedure is definitely safer.

LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis)

This is a more advanced technology which involves the use of an alcohol solution to soften the area before the epithelium is removed. LASIK eye surgery involves cutting off a flap into the cornea by either a microkeratome or a dedicated laser. The excimer laser is then used to reshape the stroma before the epithelium is placed back in position. The patients are usually conscious during the procedure which is quick and relatively painless. There is minimal post-operative care needed and the recovery time is very short.

Advances in LASIK Corrective Laser Eye Surgery Procedures

Epi-LASIK

An advanced form of LASIK, Epi-LASIK uses a special cutting tool to lift the flap and uses a separator to preserve the epithelium layer which is replaced after an excimer laser corrects the vision. Recovery is even faster and with less pain or discomfort.

Custom Vue LASIK

Advanced software called Wavefront is used in this procedure. The software can precisely measure how light travels through the eye and map the optical system. Built-in wavefront analysis in the excimer lasers detect and automatically correct vision errors while reshaping the cornea. Studies have proved that this procedure is 25% more accurate than its counterparts and have fewer side effects like night glare or contrast sensitivity.

Custom Intra LASIK

This procedure involves the use of Femtosecond Intralase Laser to create the flap in the cornea. Then the excimer laser corrects the vision with the help of Wavefront software. It is also called Bladeless or Blade-Free LASiK since it uses a laser instead of any cutting tool. It is an advanced procedure and superior to all its predecessors and also the most expensive.

The benefits of corrective laser eye surgery are many. It has more than 90% success rate. It does not simply correct vision disorders but also enhances overall vision immediately after the procedure is complete. It is almost painless, quick and needs no accompanying stitches or bandages. Corrective Laser Eye Surgery has dramatically increased the percentage of corrective and enhanced vision since its introduction.