The best bag for all you adventure / techno-geek types
If you're traveling with your camera gear this summer and don't want to look like you're carrying around your DSLR body, lenses, and even your laptop, then you might just want to check out Crumpler.Crumpler, renown for excellent camera bags, has a few bags that just happen to kill two birds with one stone. Comfortable and stylish, looking more like a parachute pack instead of a camera carrier, their backpacks are water-resistant and fully-padded so you won't have to worry about bad weather on your next adventure. ($220)
Kona Kampachi: Not just another fish in the sea
Cod's out, tuna's out and Atlantic salmon's off the menu - mercury and PCB's have made most of us order the chicken instead.We all know we should eat plenty of fish, but what is there left to buy?
Enter: Kona Kampachi, a designer yellowtail bred in Kona, Hawaii. Fortune Magazine even goes so far as to dub it "the wonder fish" and it seems that chefs from around the world will agree that there isn't a better fish in the sea. It has twice a much omega-3 fatty acids as Atlantic salmon and has undetectable levels of mercury. This mild, versatile fish is raised sustainably on farms off the Kona coast and is also called Hawaiian yellowtail.
Already popular in the culinary world, it's been seen on the menus of top restaurants from San Francisco to New York.
The prized fish's only blemish: It's pricey — almost $20 for a pound — but the benefits might outweigh the costs.
Ropeless Jump-Roping: Exercise for those who can't actually jump rope
You gave up jumping rope ages ago - mostly because "the bigger they are, the harder they fall" came into play for those of you with two left feet.Solution: A ropeless jump-rope. Yes, you read right a jump-rope that lacks what many would consider a critical feature: the rope.
Jump ropes have obviously come a long way and they aren't just for recess anymore. They have always provided a simple and effective workout on the go, but now JumpSnap loses the rope, leaving two handles with electronic chips and an LCD screen that estimate calories burned, while providing a timer and audible workout summary. It even makes a snapping sound with each rotation so you don't feel entirely silly - and btw jumping rope isn't for wimps, think boxing regimen. While you might not find Sugar Ray jumping without a rope, you will find him endorsing the benefits of it! Jumping rope (also referred to as rope skipping) is a staple in a boxer’s conditioning program. And, it is the cheapest fat-burning workout around—and the best as it obliterates calories--up to 600 an hour--and rocks your heart rate on par with running, but without the joint-jarring impact. It does wonders for your agility, posture, balance, reflexes and coordination, it blasts your calves, tones your delts and arms, and fires your abs.
Need a jet? Richard knows people
Oh, the joys of flying commercial. Dashing down concourses A through D. Lugging luggage to and fro. White-knuckling it cross-country. Starving, because you arrived at the airport two-hours early (as requested), only to receive an airline snack the size of a postage stamp. There’s nothing ever glamorous about flying the friendly skies.Unless, of course, you take a private jet.
Enter: Virgin Charter. They are the first online travel aggregator for private jets (yes, you've got another reason to love Richard Branson). Once a luxury service for the uber rich, the new site and service makes booking a cinch. And, after last year's adventure trip (I'm in pink) from Teterboro to Bar Harbor, Maine ... well, my children have no interest in flying commercial again. Ever! While accommodating them may be difficult, this service actually makes it more possible than ever before.And yes, private jets are still expensive. But now it’s at least accessible (and less expensive if you're willing to take an 'empty-leg'). Just enter your information (passengers, departure, destination, and dates) and, since you’re flying private, feel free to get nitty-gritty with details like crew requirements, number of tolerable fuel stops, whether or not you’re bringing your kids, your grandma or like us you simply need your favorite bottle of wine on board. Virgin Charter then sends your requirements to their roster of participants who in turn send you bids. You compare plane types, amenities, safety, quality ratings, and price. Voila!
The best part: On a private jet, snacks are free and unlimited, so go ahead and ask for seconds.
Posted on 05.8.2008
by
Tanya Ryno
in TRAVEL, LUXE, JET SETTER, FLYING, RICHARD BRANSON, VIRGIN CHARTER
|
1 Comment
Suck this down: Rocket Gel
From the editors of Women's Health Magazine.Gels with carbs and protein boost endurance and protect muscles better than carb-only gels, reports a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning. After downing a gel with 40 grams of carbs and 10 grams of protein, research subjects cycled nearly 14 minutes longer than they did after having one with 40 grams of carbs and no protein. Plus, scientists found fewer post-exercise enzymes (an abundance of which would indicate muscle damage) in cyclists' blood after the combo shot. The amino acids in protein may help protect and repair muscle, but it's unclear how protein increases endurance, says co-author Michael J. Saunders, Ph.D. Try Accel Gel; for sustained workouts where it's tough to talk, suck down half a packet every 15 minutes.
Tip: Check out Ride Here, Right Now. Three destinations for on- or off-road cycling. And, to build coordination, strength and speed ... check out Amy Dixon's Agility Workout.
Could portable oxygen be the next bottled water?
Ever since you were born, you’ve been breathing oxygen for free, right? Well the masters of mundane marketing agree that it is time for you to adjust your thinking. Yes, you can breathe air for free; but how lame would that be? Naturally occurring oxygen is just so 10,000 years ago. It’s time for you to begin breathing more pure, more refreshing oxygen.Yes,the world's most essential element is making a fashionable comeback. This time, in a can.
And Oxygen Plus, a new company, is leading the way by providing 95% pure oxygen-enriched air that is portable, safe, natural and easy to use anywhere, anytime.
My husband (pictured) and I recently tried O+ and felt the immediate effects; but not for long. It won't make you light headed, but it won't make you run faster either. Somewhere in the middle ground between those two extremes lies the benefit gained from the oxygen in Oxygen Plus. In fact, the benefits of a few blasts of O+ may actually be more psychological than genuinely physical, but there's no doubting that several gulps of oxygen certainly feel as if they can cut through the fur and filth of a hangover or the smog in a heavily polluted city. Even without the pollution or the pleasure of a heavy night's antics, I must admit that a distinct feeling of well-being does wash over you.
For those of you who don't drink coffee, this could be your natural alternative to caffeine.
Golden Opportunity: Ready, Get Set ... Go
The sprint for Beijing gold is on, but those just now considering an Olympic run still have a shot at great seats: Roadtrips offers a 12-day China trip (from $21,970) that includes tickets to track and field, gymnastics, and the men's gold-medal volleyball match, along with three days in Shanghai and privately guided outings to the Great Wall and the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi'an. Premiere Sports Travel's five-day stay in Beijing (from $9,625) welcomes fans with seats at four competitions of their choosing, as well as guided tours of host-city highlights and a night at the opera.
5 Great Fitness Gifts for Mother's Day
Mothers. So damn needy aren't we?Of course, now’s not really the time to complain. Rather, it’s the time to fulfill those needs to the best of your ability. And, for those of you keeping track, it's next Sunday. Remember... Mom taught you absolutely everything you know. So this year, give her a gift that proves you’ve finally, after all that back-talk and sass, absorbed her lessons about living healthy and staying fit -- try not to give her another box of chocolates.
1. Hire a trainer or life coach to help mom reach her goals.
2. Pick up a pair of cool sneakers and some new sportswear to look great in. You always feel good in new clothes and are excited to show them off -- whether at the gym or when going for a walk.
3. Treat her feet. Consider getting your mom a foot massage, foot reflexology, or a relaxing pedicure. People pay so little attention to their feet and they are always cramped in shoes.
4. Deal a meal. Whether she's trying to shed weight from a pregnancy or just trying to get rid of her "menopot" -- the abdominal fat around her middle, many moms can use a diet overhaul or at the very least, some weight loss tips. Subscribe her to a light cooking magazine like Cooking Light, Eating Well, or the new magazine Clean Eating.
5. Get her a bike (this is the one I want - the Trek Lime). All forms of regular exercise are of benefit to the body but cycling is especially good for anyone at any age.
P.S. Don't forget to call!
Fore Sight: Gold Medal Golf
Golf may not be an Olympic sport, but TaylorMade gamely salutes fans heading to the 2008 games with a limited-edition set of clubs featuring the Olympic logo and golden shafts and irons. The set comes with a white Adidas Golf tour bag accented with gold, black, and the Beijing 2008 and Olympic logos. Available only in China, they make an exclusive souvenir for the fairways back home. $10,000, Taylormadegolf for retailers.
Fit Tip: Daily Cardio Plan
Tis the season to show some skin, so we're here to help with some fitness tips that you can incorporate (over the next five weeks) into your fitness plan. Week one starts with basic cardio tips from fitness expert Jim Ryno and a menu (to come) that averages about 1,200 calories a day. Be on the lookout: Over the next few weeks, LIFT will be helping to buff up different parts of the body.Find a steady pace
Start with a 45-minute treadmill run that maintains your optimal training heart-rate zone for 35 minutes. To find that zone, first find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Your training heart-rate zone is the range between 65 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Break a sweat
Amp it up, don't be afraid to do an hour-long session (including a 5-minute warm-up, 45 minutes in the training heart-rate zone and a 10-minute cooldown).
Vary Intensity
Ryno recommends interval training (alternating high-energy exercise with periods of rest) twice a week to burn extra calories in half the time. Alternate walking and running laps during a 30-minute treadmill workout.
Mix It Up!
Get the heart pumping with 20 minutes on a stair-climber or step mill, followed by 10 minutes of jumping rope.
Stay In The Zone
Keep it up! If you want sun, substitute skating, hiking or swimming for machines!












