Gifts and Gift Giving

How to Find the Perfect Present

Gift giving guide for finding the perfect present.Â StyleChicks found the perfect gift for everyone on your list: gifts for Mom, gifts for your BFF, gifts for the Bride to be, bridesmaids gifts Graduation gift, holiday gifts, wedding gifts, get well gifts or just a pick-me-up gift.

Happy Hour: Kamojo Moscow Mule Copper Mugs Gift Set

August 26, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Kamojo Moscow Mule Copper Mugs Gift Set

This Kamojo Gift Box Set is a set of two copper Moscow Mule mugs. Moscow Mule Copper Mugs are the best way to serve the Moscow Mule drink. A favored drink for when the weather is hot and muggy, a Moscow Mule served in a copper mug is especially delicious. And the Moscow Mule is a great drink for entertaining because it is a tasty melody of flavors but easy to mix. Mules are perfect for a hot summer afternoon party, BBQ or picnic, especially since carrying around a cool beverage in a copper mug is refreshing in of itself.

WHY USE COPPER MUGS FOR YOUR MOSCOW MULES?
A classic drink should have a signature style glassware. Martinis, margaritas, champagne, or a scotch: the classics all have their signature style unique glassware. But a copper mule is more than just the decorative component to a Mule drink; it MAKES the drink. Simply put, the copper keeps your ice-cold drink cold, as in super crazy cold, despite the hot weather and your warm hands holding your drink. Part of what makes any Mule-category of drink so tasty is the iciness of the drink. Both Moscow Mules and Kentucky Mules are especially refreshing when served ice-cold. While you could have a Moscow Mule or a Kentucky Mule in a regular glass, the mug is part of the fun, and it is large enough to hold the volume of the drink. But most importantly, it chills to the temperature of the drink almost immediately and keeps it cold. Copper also tends to bring out the flavor of the ingredients.

Copper also is very pretty on a tablescape and complements the look of modern, eclectic, urban and traditional decor or table setting.

Kamojo Moscow Mule Copper Mugs Gift Set

WHY USE KAMOJO MOSCOW MULES
In addition to being very well constructed and much prettier than many of the copper mugs available, this particular set of KAMOJO Moscow Mule Copper Mugs has the distinct advantage of a protective coating. It is a maintenance-free alternative to traditional copper that can quickly dull or tarnish. The protective lacquer keeps the beautiful luster without the work of regularly polishing the copperware. It also, in my opinion, made them much easier to clean after each use. The handles are secure, and the mugs are steady. The copper is not thin or a veneer, it is a good solid set of copper mugs. Something else I like about these Kamojo Copper Mugs is they are more stylized and attractive than many mugs, they have a larger, easy-to-use handle, and they are easier to grip in the hand. Thi set also comes with a lovely set of copper straws for mixing.

Kamojo Moscow Mule Copper Mugs Gift Set

STYLECHICKS ADAPTED MOSCOW MULE RECIPE
The one potential disadvantage is the Moscow Mule can at times be a particularly strong tasting drink. If you prefer something on the sweeter or fruitier side, or perhaps with less alcohol content, here is both the traditional Moscow Mule recipe and a StyleChicks adapted Moscow Mule recipe that we have been enjoying since we got our Moscow Mule copper mugs:

TRADITIONAL MOSCOW MULE INGREDIENTS
1/2 oz. lime juice
1 1/4 – 2 oz. vodka
4-6 oz. ginger beer (Reed’s is the most authentic, but other brands are also tasty

STYLECHICKS MODIFIED INGREDIENTS:

For vodka, we chose a flavored vodka for sweetness
For Ginger Beer, you can use Ginger Ale from the same traditional vendor (Reed’s) for the same sharp ginger taste without the alcohol. Minimum of 4-6 ounces in the mug. Chill in advance.
For Lime Juice we did fresh squeezed and kept the pulp for some extra tanginess.
Ice. OPTIONAL: Add lime juice directly into your ice cube tray when freezing to retain the flavor tangy even when the ice melts.
We added candied ginger slices for garnish
A dash of simple syrup, we used White Ginger Simple Syrup

And of course, copper Moscow Mule mugs

Directions

Fill the Moscow Mule Copper Mug with ice cubes.
Add the lime juice
Â Pour in 1 1/4 oz of vodka then fill the rest of the mug with the cold ginger beer or ale, about 4-6 ounces, to taste.
Add a dash of Simple Syrup if desired
Stir
Add a garnish(es) to taste of a thin slice of fresh ginger, or candied ginger, lime wedge
Serve with a stirring rod.

I like to use a lightly sweetened flavored vodka since the ginger and lime are both tart and the vodka can be strong. I choose a vanilla vodka because the vanilla brings out the ginger taste while still being sweet, but it is just your preference, you can also just use Simple Syrup to taste.

Kamojo Moscow Mule Copper Mugs Gift Set

CONCLUSION: Copper Mugs can make or break a good Kentucky Mule or Moscow Mule drink, the copper reacts well with the ginger and vodka to create the best flavor, and the copper keeps your drink ice-cold to the last savory drop. These Kamojo Copper Mugs are very attractive, sturdy, easy to use set of mugs. And they are easy to maintain because of the protective coating; the copper retains the beautiful luster.

Find these great mugs at Amazon.com and visit Kamojo’s new website for more information!

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJlTt00to90[/embedyt]

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

The Whistling Kettle Tea of the Month Club

August 18, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Here at StyleChicks, we consume lots of tea. And like clockwork, every six weeks we make a large loose leaf tea order. This order consists of our favorite greens; some whites and oolong, a matcha and a vanilla black. It would be easier to be on an auto-order to keep our favorites coming and try some new flavors, but to date, we haven’t found a tea of the month club that meets our needs. An issue we have experienced with monthly clubs is not having the option to select the kind of tea you want.

There is some potentially appealing Tea of The Month offers out there, but when it comes down to it, there are three factors we particularly value that are make or break for us choosing a tea club:

The quality of the tea itself
Being able to choose the type tea you like
Terms of service that are acceptable to live with and not a hassle to change, pause or even cancel.

With these three criteria in mind, we examined the Whistling Kettle Tea of the Month Club. You may know them from their quaint Cafe in Troy, New York, or the Ballston Spa that serves their teas. Or Whistling Kettle may be new to you. When we had a chance to taste many of The Whistling Kettle teas, we were so excited to try them all, because all the teas smell truly knock your socks off fantastic! It was hard to decide which tea to brew first!

The Whistling Kettle Tea of the Month Club Endurance Flavor

THE QUALITY OF THE TEA

Whistling Kettle Teas are loose teas. The inclusions such as nuts, berries, dried fruit, or other petals are large or at times, even whole pieces. The tea leaves fresh are the full leaf or larger leaf pieces, not dust or remnants. The close up photos show the teas as they came out of the package: colorful, full and fresh quality. And as soon as you open the tea container, the first thing you notice it smells absolutely delicious. As we tried each flavor, one was better than the next. Even the black teas smelled delicious. For example, one black tea, the flavor “SnowFlake” had wonderful scents of cinnamon, vanilla, and almond. And the almonds pieces in the black tea were full almond slivers or larger chunks of almond, not ground up almond powder or just an almond flavoring. The color of the brewed tea as a lovely dark golden amber hue and the tea tasted delicious, even on a second brew. That is another nice feature of these teas, most of them can do a second brew as tasty as the first.

The Whistling Kettle Tea of the Month Club Snowflake Flavor

THE WHISTLING KETTLE TEA FLAVOR OVERVIEWS

The Whistling Kettle Tea of the Month Club

In addition to the Snowflake black tea described above, we tried several varieties of The Whistling Kettle teas to assess the quality of their products. Some of these teas included:

BANANA DULCE: I am not a fan of the scent of banana, but the aroma of the Banana Dulce in the container reminded me of these tasty candied banana chips I ate as a child and the brewed tea both smells and tastes like fresh baked banana bread, with flavors of coconut and graham cracker. It is a testament to a tea product that even a not well-liked flavor can be tasty if done right. Whistling Kettle Banana Dulce is an organic decaf blend and brews to a lovely pale shade of gold.

VANILLA SILK OOLONG: I am particularly fond of Oolongs, sort of a bitter but sweet champagne kind of taste. This Oolong has a delicate orange cream scent and has a mild sweetness to it that is not too sticky or overpowering.

SCOTTISH CARAMEL TOFFEE PU-REB: This is unlike other teas I have had, it has a pleasant toffee aroma and good sized toffee chunks that balance out the earthy tones of the pu-erh. It is sweet, but not overpoweringly so. Pu-erh is an aged, fermented red tea that is sometimes mistaken for a black tea. This one smells like a bakery or candy store; the aroma is fantastic. It is an energizing tea and a good alternative to coffee or colas for an afternoon energy boost.

EAST FRISIAN BROKEN TEA: This is a breakfast tea, it is malty, not sweet or flavored. It brews to a wonderful, dark color.

ENDURANCE: As the name implies, this organic tea is energizing and is intended to increase stamina. It is also a Pu-Erh tea and has fruity inclusions such as Organic Cinnamon, Organic Goji Berries, Organic Schizandra Berries, and Organic Nettle Leaf. The berries are whole, and the tea blend makes for a lovely looking brewing process, especially if you brew them in a glass teapot. Medium caffeine content and it smells absolutely delicious.

GOLDEN STARFRUIT: This green tea was one of my favorite of the bunch, with a notable aroma that is worthy of serving guests when you want to spoil them a bit with a delightful treat. There are big chunks of starfruit, and it has a wonderful tropical taste without being sugary sweet. If you want the benefits of green tea but you dislike the taste of green tea, this is a delicious way to enjoy the benefits of green tea. Lovely light golden hue upon brewing smells delicious to the last drop.

The Whistling Kettle Tea of the Month Club Golden Starfruit Flavor

LEMON SOUFFLE HONEYBUSH: A caffeine-free creamy Rooibos blend suitable for drinking at night and winding down and relaxing. A beautiful yellow-gold with a mildly tart lemon flavor that has lovely bright blue and yellow inclusions in the tea. If you are avoiding caffeine at night but want to drink tea, this is also tasty as a cold iced tea beverage.

I liked every tea I tried, and some of them such as Snowflake, Golden Starfruit, and Endurance I loved! These teas were amongst the best we have tasted, and after years of loyalty drinking the same brand, we were convinced to drinking The Whistling Tea Kettle teas.

The Whistling Kettle Tea of the Month Club

THE WHISTLING KETTLE TEA CLUB TERMS
While these teas and other flavors are sold individually on their website, there are 15 types of Tea of the Month Clubs available.

Something that sets this tea club apart from the others:

You select the types of tea you want, not a variety or mystery pack selections – unless you ask for a variety selection.
Amongst the 15 types of Tea Clubs, choose all green, all black, all chocolate, Endurance teas, Herbal teas, Discovery packs, amongst others. The Tea Tasting Club is a club for tea lovers who want to try as many types of tea as possible.
Get 2-4 oz of each of the Loose teas with big pieces of inclusions of nuts berries, and petals, not pre-bagged tea dust or remnants with artificial flavoring instead of the real thing.
FLEXIBLE TERMS:
Choose 3 or 6 months and your shipment dates.
You can cancel at any point
You can change the type of club whenever you wish. Drink Green Tea in the summer and switch to the endurance and stamina teas during the cold, dark winter months.
Free shipping
You won’t be billed on signup, rather just before shipment.
Reasonable prices without hidden fees

SUMMARY:
I enjoyed all The Whistling Kettle teas I tried, and The Whistling Kettle offers several rare, hard-to-find, and exotic teas within their subscriptions. It ‘s hard to locate an organic, fresh, tasty tea brand with lots of variety amongst their loose leaf teas. I also love seeing when a tea has a generous inclusion of berries, nuts, petals, and other flavorings. The teas look so attractive, smell divine and brew to beautiful golden hues. There was no “dust” or remaindered teas, everything was fresh, not an overstock. They have tea flavors I have never tried before, and the Endurance teas are surprisingly energizing. We would recommend giving them a try; the Tea Clubs offer a great way to drink your favorites or try some new teas!

Find the Tea of the Month Club at The Whistling Kettle.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-V43l8MJkc[/embedyt]

Writing Style: Cross Stratford Black Fountain Pen Medium

August 14, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Cross Stratford Black Fountain Pen Medium

My father taught Lyn and me to write using a fountain pen. It was an old, substantial pen that felt cool to the touch. The ink just flowed onto the paper.

Then I started using ball point pens that came 24 to a box for $1.99. I had to lean my weight into writing. And I found out my handwriting was really, really atrocious. There just wasn’t any control to a ballpoint pen.

Of course, there is less and less need to use a good quality pen in the digital age. But there are still plenty of times that require a handwritten note. Thank you cards, condolence notes, and yes – the old fashioned letter. And if you are using a fountain pen, you will be looking for excuses to handwrite notes, simply because it is such a luxurious feeling.

If you haven’t used a fountain pen before or would like one for everyday use, I highly recommend the Cross Stratford Black Fountain Pen Medium. It is a semi-glossy lacquered rich black pen with a chrome clip and trim. The stainless steel nib is absolutely gorgeous, intricately engraved and crafted.

Cross Stratford Black Fountain Pen Medium Nib

Installing the ink cartridge on a fountain pen can sometimes be a tricky (and sometimes messy) proposition, but the cartridge popped right into place, no mess, on the first try. In use, it doesn’t drip ink but keeps it at a nice even flow. It is easy to control the pen, and it even allows for more letter artistry than a typical ballpoint pen.

A few tips for using a fountain pen:

Your Grandfather’s fountain pen may have tended to leak. Modern ones, for the most part, do not because the ink cartridge fits better with the nib. But to avoid any leaks, always store pens upright, so the nib does not fill with ink, which tends to splatter upon removing the cap. To store this pen upright, use the clip on the top to secure it in a shirt pocket, in a briefcase or attache or, to clip it in your handbag.
If you store a fountain pen horizontally in a display case or the original box, invert it for a brief period before use so that the excess ink drains out of the nib.
Ink flows easily from a fountain pen; you need very little pressure on the nib.
Learn how to hold a pen correctly for ease of use and to create flowing ink. While calligraphers hold their pens vertically upright, you will be holding the pen at roughly a comfortable 40-degree angle.

HOW TO HOLD A FOUNTAIN PEN
Watch the video below to see how to hold a fountain pen.

Remove the cap from the pen and put it on the top of the pen, with the clip of the pen aligned with the top of the nib. This is called “posting.” Posting a pen cap give the pen more length and gives it weight, this makes it easier to hold in your hand and gives an elegance and ease to the writing.
Rest the top of the pen cap in the crook between the thumb and forefinger.
Rest the base of the foot of the pen that holds the nib between your ring and middle fingers. This keeps the pen steady
Place your index finger and thumb on the other side to gently maneuver the pen.
Place the pen on the paper with the nib tip at the 40-degree angle, just touching the tip to the paper. Remember to keep the tip at an angle, not vertically like a ballpoint pen.
Go ahead and write!

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c79SULxOrqo[/embedyt]

While this isn’t the heaviest fountain pen in my collection, it still has a nice heft to it. That is critical to me when I’m picking out a pen as it simply feels better in the hand.

This pen is a fantastic gift for anyone, and it looks far more expensive than its $24.95 price point. It comes in a traditional looking box with the Cross logo. It’s also a great gift for yourself. Did you recently get a new job, promotion, or take up journaling? Treat yourself to the luxury of a beautiful fountain pen.

Find it at PensandPencils.net.

Cross Stratford Black Fountain Pen Medium

Health: Naturalico Shiatsu Neck & Shoulder Massager

August 10, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Naturalico Shiatsu Neck & Shoulder Massager

I try to get a professional massage as often as I can, but there are times that a quick, at home massage will have to do. There are a lot of massage devices on the market, and it is a bit like Goldilocks – some are too hard, some are too soft. Finding a massager with just the right amount of pressure is hard, and even if it is the right amount of pressure, getting it in the right position is tough. This is why I love the Naturalico Shiatsu Neck & Shoulder Massager.

While Neck and Shoulder are in the name, it can be used on multiple parts of the body. My favorite spot in on my feet, after a long day in high heels. It massages all the soreness out of my insoles and even my ankles. And it can go all the way up the leg too for post-workout soreness.

One thing that differentiates this massager from others is that it has 3-D contouring to fit around your neck and shoulders better than other massagers. It fits the contours of your neck as opposed to being a flat surface that you have to lean into, which defeats the purpose of relaxing your muscles during a massage. This is a very nice feature.

I have a long commute home and frequently get stuck in traffic. One of the other big points in favor of this massager is that it comes with a car adapter. So if I’m feeling sore from a long day, being able to use this in the car is a great feature. I’m looking forward to using the soothing heat feature when the weather turns cold, as well.

I am very happy with this highly versatile massager. Find it at Amazon.com.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM0iYVdtF0s[/embedyt]

I received this product in exchange for testing and review purposes.

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