** SALE: Use coupon code wfl15 to save 15% until April 1, 2010 **

Every once in a great while, we discover a new idea so brilliant that it takes the rest of humanity years to accept it and make it part of their daily lives. Electricity, telephones, cars, and even TV fall into this category. People needed time to wrap their heads around the idea that something so beneficial could be produced so easily.

I felt the same way when I first heard about water ionizers. “A little machine that makes magic anti-oxidant water? For way less than the cost of bottled water? That has to be a scam”, I reasoned. A few years later my in-laws were excitedly telling me about the holistic health benefits of their new water ionizer machine, and I had to reconsider.

So they told me their first hand accounts and I was shocked. They’re not health nuts by any means. All they did was add in the alkaline water instead of drinking bottled water and filtered tap water. With that ONE change, they began to detox and experienced weight loss without effort, more energy and deeper sleep, they “felt hydrated for the first time ever”, and the water was even “much easier to drink”. (That’s due to the newly “micro clustered” water molecules, which actually do hydrate our bodies much better than non-ionized water.) Now as someone who eats and drinks in a very health-conscious way, I was skeptical that one could still make less-than-awesome food choices and feel great with the simple addition of water. And yet that is exactly what my in-laws experienced. They are still loving their water ionizer and discovering new cumulative health benefits as time goes on. There are other benefits that they, and their friends have experienced, but they are so wonderful as to be unbelievable sounding so I’m not going to mention them here. Let me just say that I think Fountain of Youth would be an appropriate name for the KYK Genesis water ionizer.

If I hadn’t witnessed it myself, I don’t know if I would have believed these amazing claims. Ionized, alkaline water is not yet available in stores so it’s one of those products that we still have to experience through our friends and family. Or we act on faith and see what amazing results we will personally experience. Plus there’s a 60 day money back guarantee so there is plenty of time to see what improvements you notice from drinking and using ionized, alkaline water.

Have you tried a water ionizer? Leave your stories, questions, and comments below and share the love!

Did you know there is no “right way” to meditate? Anything that allows you to become relaxed and centered is the “right way” for you. Maybe that’s a walk around the block, singing along with an uplifting album, or sitting in your favorite chair and just breathing deeply. Yet no matter what meditation methods you prefer, our bodies respond in the same ways when we enter a relaxed and centered state. It’s called coherence: a highly efficient psychological state where all the systems of the body work together in harmony. Thanks to biofeedback machines we can actually measure how “coherent” our bodies are. Wild Divine offers 2 products that allow the user to instantly measure their coherence level, and even better, to learn to bring their body to coherence at any given time.

Both of Wild Divine’s products combine biofeedback data with an enlightening interactive format. Their flagship product, Healing Rhythms is described as a “guided training program” and is better suited for adults and teens. The Passage: Journey to Wild Divine is presented as a beautiful interactive game and is adventurous fun for all ages. (There is another game – Wisdom Quest – that can also be used with The Passage.) Here’s a video clip of The Passage:

Even if you have never meditated before, the very act of watching your biofeedback levels will begin to bring you into a state of calm. Playing with the games will bring anyone into a deeper state of inner peace. The manufacturers don’t talk about the health benefits much, but that’s the part I find especially amazing. The biofeedback unit measures the Heart Rate Variability, and HRV is the best predictor of future mortality and morbidity than any of the standard risk factors (cholesterol, smoking, exercise levels, etc). That means using a Wild Divine product helps us learn to be relax while transforming our health, too. Now that’s holistic health care.

Besides the game versus training format of the two systems, my research shows one other consideration. The Passage game system does not come with detailed graphing abilities, but separate Grapher Expansion software is available. This is the package I will be purchasing, because I want the flexibility of lots of game play but still have the option to just quietly watch my body’s rhythms. Plus, I can add the Wisdom Quest game later if I want.

This certainly isn’t the only way how to meditate, but it is an innovative new tool that promises to open humanity’s understanding about the body-mind connection. Have you tried any of the Wild Divine biofeedback products? We would love to hear your feedback!

Image courtesy of Hector Landaeta.

It was many months ago that I randomly discovered ibride. They were featured on several design blogs and I instantly fell in love with their line of ornate wall art trays. Since they were seemingly everywhere at the time, I didn’t bookmark any online stores. Of course the name ibride quickly slipped from my memory and I have spent the last few months keeping en eye peeled for those gorgeous baroque flourishes and collages of anthropomorphic animals. Quite a hybrid of style, eh? In fact, the name ibride is actually a play on words that is meant to represent “hybrid”. The company consists of 4 French relatives, Rachel, Benoit, and Carine, who I wish I could find more info about online. Their official website is in French and is Flash based so it doesn’t lend well to translating. Anybody know more about them?

Their stunning art trays come in 3 different themes; vintage ladies, animals in nature, and hybrid human/animals attired in exquisite vintage clothing. The imagery is simply amazing, but it’s the colors that really grab me: brooding, muted shades with splashes of vivid color. Everything they make is truly a hybrid of modern and classic. Better still, the laminated trays are made from a recycled wood core!

And lest I forget to mention their newer offerings: furniture shaped like the lower half of an animal. The Basset Stool and Dog Stool (both shown above) are available in black or red. Joe the Polar Bear book shelf measures nearly 4′ tall and is super limited edition.

All but 4 of the trays offered at Burke Decor include Free Shipping in the USA.

Hammacher Schlemmer just released their new product catalog for Spring 2008 and it’s got lots of people in a tizzy due to it’s sheer awesomeness. For those of us no longer using outdated technology like a printed catalog need to visit their site out for the sweet items.

Inside the catalog, i-Sobot stands out from the crowd since being recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as “The smallest humanoid robot in production” and Hammacher has it at the lowest price available online. Watch the video on their site to get a taste of the robot’s impressive skills like a 200 word vocabulary, 180 programmed movements, and witty responses to verbal commands.

On the more extravagant side of the spectrum is a – perfect for summer – Single-seat Water Cycle, priced at a whopping $2,999. Basically it is a recumbent bicycle strapped to a funky kayak that can go up to 7 MPH (as fast as an Olympic swimmer, and faster than most paddle boats), as well as a lifetime guarantee from Hammacher. Get yourself in a tizzy.

Right now Brookstone is offering free shipping on their selection of message chairs. This deal is stackable with other offers like these coupon codes below. These message chairs are definitely on on the luxury side of message chairs. They have special arm wrapping tension relievers, can almost fully surround your legs, and they know just where you ache with their auto detection of especially tense spots on your body. I’m not sure exactly how they do it, but let’s just hope these things are on our side when the great man vs. machine war breaks out.

Take $20 off orders $200 or more from Brookstone! Use code AF4NOV. Expires 11/30/07.

Take $10 off orders $125 or more from Brookstone! Use code AF6NOV. Expires 11/30/07.

Take $25 off orders $300 or more from Brookstone! Use code AF4OCT. Expires 11/15/07.

Are you looking for a different Brookstone coupon? Check out our online coupon codes page and click on Brookstone, for all their current coupons

I honestly don’t have a Roomba in my life yet because every time I’ve looked into them I’ve read the downsides that users had. Like many reluctant would-be Roomba owners, Lauren and I have said “we’ll wait for a new model that isn’t as problematic”. It looks like the Roomba 500 Series is here to squash those issues with it’s new improved features and technology. New Roomba, here I come!

With the new Roomba 500 series you get:

• Improved navigation and floor coverage
• Improved edge and corner cleaning
• Improved brushes and filters
• Improved anti-tangle technology
• Schedule up to seven cleaning times
• Automatically returns to the self-charging Home Base
• Most efficient room-to-room cleaning

In addition to all that they say it’s even easier to use and maintain due to it’s audio voice alerts and larger bag-less dust bin. That means this robot vacuum not only automatically cleans your floors everyday, but also speaks to you when it needs help or maintenance. The higher end model comes with a remote control so you can actually chase your cats around the house without leaving the couch. Or maybe it’s so your teenager will be more enticed to vacuum?

Overall these new versions look more stylish, less bulky, and obviously have better capabilities. You can try out the Roomba in confidence since iRobot has an exceptional 30-day money back guarantee. To see previous versions and eBay auctions for the best deal on Roombas check out our Roomba Vacuum page.

$299-$399

These new chandeliers make me want to redecorate my whole house. The nouveau baroque look makes a perfect contrast to the predominately black coloring. It reminds me a bit of something you’d see at Urban Outfitters, but with more sophisticated details: kind of a gothic Marie Antoinette vibe. In the past, chandeliers had a stuffy feel to them, usually looking appropriate only in really swanky rooms. Today a contemporary chandelier or chandelette can create a soft, casual atmosphere similar to candlelight. A black chandelier would make an amazing focal point for any room and can bring out the beauty of your existing decor.

If black lighting isn’t your style, never fear: Gigglebrush offers many other styles and colors, including pink chandeliers and scones. They offer “couture lighting” with quality materials such as leaded crystal, glass and solid brass components, so your gorgeous lighting will stay that way.

$128-$358

Has your child suddenly become interested in pirates and wants to decorate his entire room to look like he just stepped onto the deck of the legendary Black Pearl? (Heck, I want that, too.) Well maybe a hand painted treasure map sign with his name on it would ease his hankerings. It’s personalized with your child’s name and comes at a price any pirate could plunder in half a days work.
$35

Now let’s try a test. Ask your 5 year old what she wants more: a fantastical child-sized pirate ship playhouse… or a college education. Seriously though, if you have the money, this Posh Tots exclusive handcrafted playhouse is going to make a whole neighborhood of kids insanely happy. As the price tag assumes, this is a movie-quality structure that’s got 2 levels, a crow’s nest, sleeping quarters, and it looks amazing. If it was a little bigger, I’d be saving up to get one for myself.
$52,000

If all this talk of kid’s pirate bedrooms has sparked your imagination, then try your hand at entering the pirate contest at Home & Bedroom Furniture. They want you to describe, in 100 words or less, what a real pirate’s bedroom would look like. Winner gets a Pirates of the Caribbean bedding set. What if your bedroom decor is all ready chosen? Why, create a pirate bathroom, of course!

Sometimes a killer description or photo can make a product seem infinitely cooler: “Surely you’ve wanted, at least once in your life, to collapse dramatically across a piece of furniture in a sudden fit of the vapors. The piece of furniture you want for this display is a chaise lounge.” If you’ve ever had a cat, you know how closely they identify with that statement. This elegant, modern cat bed from designer Elizabeth Paige Smith is perfect for all of kitty’s dramatic collapsings and casual loppings. It’s made from industrial strength corrugated cardboard which cats LOVE, and over time it will begin to mold itself to your pet’s body. There are 2 other styles, and they all include free shipping.

$280-$320

Looking for top quality noise cancelling headphones?
Act now and receive a free MP3 player with the purchase of a pair of Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones from the ever reliable Hammacher. You get to choose between 2 styles of headphones; around the ear headphone design (cups the ear), or on-ear design (rest on the ear).

Used by travelers to reduce aircraft engine noise, and by others preferring tranquility in their work, these Bose headphones are renowned for their full-spectrum noise reduction and comfortable fit. Both styles feature tiny microphones inside the ear cups that identify unwanted sound and a correction signal prevents the noise from reaching the speakers, ensuring external noise reduction.

This special offer includes a free MP3 player that has voice recording, voice playback capabilities, and comes preloaded with 38 songs. Hurry, as this offer ends June 30th 2007.