So very happy on my Honeymoon. I like lots of things, fashion, gardening, cooking and travel. http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/cathyb5701 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:31:28 -0600 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.squidoo.com/fake-designer-handbags Louis Vuitton replicas, Chanel, Gucci, Hermes, Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, Chloe, Dior and More! Fabulous Quality Replica Designer Handbags. Mirror Handbags. Celebrity Inspired Handbags. Designer Inspired Handbags. Baghaus If you're looking for a great buy on a quality replica designer handbag or a quality designer inspired handbag or even an authentic designer handbag, you've come to the right place. Based on my own experiences I've gathered information regarding mirror handbags, fake designer handbags and replica designer handbags. I've listed trustworthy sellers. I've also included information on how replica handbag quality is graded, and what to watch out for to protect yourself when you make a purchase. If you're interested in buying an authentic designer handbag I've found a site where you can be guaranteed the real thing and get a fantastic bargain. Some women like to rent designer handbags. I've included information on renting designer handbags and buying used authentic designer handbags. I think about purchasing a replica designer handbag in this way.  When I purchased my Prada Antique Brown Pouchette it cost me about $185. When I got this handbag I was amazed how well made it was.  I hadn't bought the bag because it was Prada, I bought it because I really liked the design of the bag.  The fact that it was a replica Prada handbag was secondary to the fact that it was a well made bag for the money. Scroll a bit further down the page to see a YOUTUBE video about fake designer handbags. The bottom line is if you want a guaranteed authentic handbag you're going to have to buy from stores like Nieman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Net-A-Porter, Saks, etc. shopping Fri, 23 May 2008 21:09:07 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/Anguilla-1 It wasn't so long ago that no one ever heard of Anguilla. "Where?" everyone asked me when I mentioned it.  "I've never heard of that" was always the response.  Ah Anguilla.  She's growing and changing. With one golf course open, and another to be opened sometime in 2010, and with new development all over the island Anguilla isn't a sleepy anymore. Luckily she still manages to hold onto her small island charms. I first discovered Anguilla in 1994.  I was looking for a quiet Caribbean island with beaches and not much else. I checked a Fodor's Caribbean book out of my local library in 1993. I read about every island and narrowed it down to three, Saba, Montserrat, and Anguilla. Then, after more investigation I narrowed it down to Anguilla. Boy did I find the beaches that I was looking for. 33 brilliant white sand beaches ring Anguilla's 16x3 mile landscape. But I found much more.  I also found wonderful locals. Anguillians I met were friendly and proud of their island and seemed to take pride in my enjoyment of it. My first visit was ten days in Paradise.  We stayed at Skiffle's Villas on South Hill. We had a jeep and a map and an endless sense of adventure. Every day was a new dirt road leading down to a new beach.  I was smitten. Little did I know then, as I sat sniffling at Wallblake Airport because I didn't want to leave, that it was the beginning of a love affair that would still be going strong after thirteen years. I will be updating this site, so I hope that you'll visit again. Before you go please sign my Guest Book. travel Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:26:29 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/backyard-landscaping-ideas Today's backyards are considered extensions of the home. Homeowners are making the best of them. Updated decks and patios, gazebos and hot tubs are becoming common place in todays backyards. Some of today's high end homes boast backyard kitchens that rival any indoor kitchen. How about a $500 Home Depot or Lowe's Gift Card to get you started towards the landscaping of your dreams!. With all the great ideas you can find for backyard landscaping ideas online the only thing holding you back may be your own imagination. It's easier than ever for those with a do-it-yourself streak to be able to make amazing changes in their landscapes. It isn't uncommon in seasonal areas of the country to find homes built with wide expanses of glass and shutters across the back that open up onto beautifully landscaped patios, pools and gardens. Although you may not be able to all of your own landscaping you can do a lot yourself and save a lot of money. The best way to start a landscaping project is to gather lots of backyard landscaping ideas. You can view pictures on the internet, or find them by browsing through magazines. Find pictures of patio's you like, even down to the details of what type of paver was used and in what pattern. If you have a sloped backyard to landscape find pictures to see how other homeowners deal with sloped backyards. If you are landscaping a small backyard likewise find pictures of small backyard landscaping projects. Keep in mind when viewing design ideas that you will be limited by the area in which you live. Plants that thrive in sunny Florida will not thrive in New England. One of the best ways to pick plants for backyard landscaping is to visit your local garden center. Always start any design project with a plan, and an endpoint. You don't want to be two years into a backyard landscaping project and find that you wish you'd put the pond on the other side. Plan your desired outcome before you start the project. You'll want to choose a theme that will enhance the style of your home. If you live in a contemporary home or a Victorian home makes a difference. What size yard will you be landscaping? If your yard is large do you want one main garden or several small ones? Do you want lovely paths meandering through your yard into separate garden rooms or do you want to be able to sit on a patio and view your entire backyard? There are many things to consider. You'll also want to take into account what type of landscaping has been used in the front yard. You'll want to keep the two areas very similar so that there is cohesiveness throughout your entire landscape diy Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:28:13 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/front-yard-landscaping-ideas Your home says a lot about you. But don't forget that before someone actually gets to your home they're greeted by your front yard. What does your front yard say about you? Is you grass green and nicely manicured? Are your flower beds neat and weed free? Is you front walk not only free of cracks and dips but is it also pleasant to look at? How about a $500 Home Depot or Lowe's Gift Card to get you started towards the landscaping of your dreams!. Landscaping your front yard really is something that you can do, contrary to popular belief. Just look at the amount of home centers, such as Lowes and Home Depot and the number of garden centers that seems to grow each year. Landscaping doesn't have to be an overwhelming task. There are a few simple steps that you can follow to make sure that your front yard landscaping project is a successful one. The first thing you need to do is start with a plan. Sit down and visualize what type of landscaping would best accent the style of your home. If your home is Contemporary you'll want a front yard landscaping plan much different than you would have if your home was English Country. Before you buy your first shrub or before you pick out what type of pavers you want to use for your front walk have your plan. It's not a bad idea if you have the money to have a professional landscaper come in and give you some advice, and this is the time. Let a professional landscaper walk around your property. He, or she can give you great ideas on how to deal with certain types of soil, what type of shrubs will work best, and will be able to give you advice on how to keep you yard cohesive with some backyard landscaping ideas. Today's backyards are in some instances an extension of the home itself. With the proper planning your backyard, like your front yard can compliment your home beautifully. Imagine a lovely slate patio off your sliding glass door with a cast aluminum patio furniture dining set. Perhaps you'll be entertaining family and friends. You'll want a stainless steel grill. Perhaps you'll be building a patio cover over your patio to give you needed shade. A landscape professional can help you determine the proper type of grass for your front yard and can teach you about organic lawn care and give you lawn care tips. You may want to practice raised bed gardening in your front yard to help showcase beautiful ornamental grasses or perennial flower beds. There are a million things you can do. diy Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:53:02 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/womens-swimwear Every woman deserves a comfortable bathing suit, no matter her size.  She also deserves a flattering, fun and colorful swimsuit she can feel comfortable in. There are several swimwear designers who cater to women and plus size women looking for flattering one piece or tankini styles. You're going to pay a bit more for these quality women's bathing suits but it will be money well spent. There are many fine womens swim wear brands to choose from. Miraclesuit swim wear is different from other swim wear in that the whole suit has control built in.  Instead of a "tummy control" or "bottom control" the entire suit is control fabric. The fabric is called Miratex. Miratex uses three times more spandex then any other patented fabric. Miracle suits will also not sag or lose their shape. Miracle suit guarantees to make you look ten pounds thinner. Longitude is a bathing suit company known for their plus size swimwear. They figured out that black isn't  the only thing that is slimming, that know that colors and patterns can be just as slimming and a lot more fun to wear. Longitude swimwear comes in great colors and prints and flattering cuts for plus size women. Carol Wior swim wear is sold in high end department stores as well as through online stores. Carol Wior bathing suits aren't cheap but they are extremely well made. Carol Wior carries a line of plus size swim wear and has what she calls the Slimsuit. She guarantees a Slim suit will take an inch or more off the waist and stomach while enhancing the bust and lifting the buttocks. The most fabulous swim wear has to be Gottex.  Gottex bathing suits are flat out sexy, chic and contemporary.  Gottex are very high end high fashion bathing suits.  Gottex is known for their modern prints and bold colors. These swimsuits don't come cheap but you'll look like you should be sunning in the South of France. One of the best things to happen to swimwear for those of us who can't wear a two piece but like the  comfort of a two piece is a Tankini. Tankini's offer a much better fit then a one piece suit. No more bottoms riding up, or tops pulling down.  Tankini's also come in a variety of midriff coverage choices. shopping Fri, 23 May 2008 21:10:06 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/celebrityinspiredbags Celebrity inspired handbags. Celebrity handbags, Trendy handbags. Designer Inspired Handbags. Baghaus No matter what you call it, what is true is that as a nation we are obsessed with what handbags celebrities are carrying. If you do a Google search for "celebrity style" you'll get over three million sites. We want to know what designer dress they're wearing, who designed their shoes, and, most importantly, we want to know who designed their handbag. What is your favorite star carrying this week? shopping Fri, 23 May 2008 21:12:02 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/replica-handbags Handbag designers such as Coach, Dooney and Bourke and Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade and others make sure that the hottest Hollywood stars are carrying their latest bags. Molly Sims, Lindsay Lohan, Mandy Moore, Keira Knightley, Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton, and other Hollywood Celebrities have become walking billboards for handbag designers.  Once this happens and they become "IT" handbags then EVERYBODY has to have it. The only thing wrong with this is that these Hollywood Darlings can easily afford to buy the bag they're carrying for free! UGH! There isn't anything more astounding to me than the price of designer handbags. How they keep going up in price is mind boggling. According to the saleswoman in the handbag department at Nordstrom most women don't mind plunking down $1000 or $2000 of their hard earned dollars for a designer brand handbag, she sells an average of two high priced bags daily. She really didn't have any explanation for the increase in price, but did admit to wondering why herself. A very recent study taken by The Luxury Institute reported on Reuters said that "the luxury handbag is the accessory that defines the wealthy woman and is the major profit driver for luxury fashion brands." They report that the demand for luxury handbags remains strong. I remember reading somewhere where the wealth in the Arab nations and the demand for designer handbags in that region of the world was what was driving prices for bags from designers like Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton through the roof. This is why replica handbags are becoming more and more popular  and more and more acceptable with American women with each passing day. There are some fantastic high quality replica handbags on the market today. Some of them are so good that even the so-called "experts" can't tell the difference. They mirror the designer handbag down to the serial number plate and hologram. Even tags and dust bags are exact matches. Top quality leathers, zippers, hardware and workmanship are hallmarks of these replica handbags. Let's face it, if you see a woman carrying a Coach handbag, or a Gucci handbag, how do you know that it isn't a knock off handbag? Answer is, you don't! I would rather spend my hard earned money on a Grade AAAAA or 5 star quality mirror replica handbag any day then spend thousands on the real handbag knowing that there isn't any discernable difference between the two. Actually, I have heard of women who own authentic Gucci bags buying fake replica bags not being able to tell the difference between the real one they own and a AAAAA or 5 star quality mirror bag. An authentic Dolce & Gabbana Patent Leather Frame Bag will run you a cool $1995. A quality replica handbag will run you $260. Why would you spend more? We like the idea of quality replica handbags - when we know that's what we're buying. The problem is when you think you're buying an authentic designer handbag and what you get is a knockoff. The best way to protect yourself from this is to buy from a reputable dealer and always make sure they offer a 100% money back guarantee. If you have a Chloe handbag you've just purchased and you're not sure it's the real thing you can take it to your nearest Bergdorf Goodman or Neiman Marcus and the saleslady should be kind enough to help you authenticate it. shopping Fri, 23 May 2008 21:11:07 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/fashiondesigns Seeing these "undressed" dress forms made me ponder a bit about fashion. I thought about Bravo's hit series Project Runway and how each individual would have taken this blank canvas and created something entirely different. Wikipedia says about fashion "The term 'fashion' usually applies to a prevailing mode of expression, but quite often applies to a personal mode of expression that may or may not apply to all."  How true! What I see as fashion others don't see as fashion, and visa versa. Of course, as I've aged my fashion has aged along with me.  I'm driven, as most in mid-life are, more by personal comfort then by fashion industry standards. As far as comfort is concerned I've become much more modest as my body has changed.  No more sleeveless shirts in public for me.  I've that under arm waddle that hasn't been stopped even with years of triceps extensions and pull downs. I still do them, just to keep things from going downhill too quickly.  Thank goodness for the 3/4 sleeve.  Then there's shorts.  I can't remember the last time I wore a pair of Daisy Dukes, probably 20 years ago.  I was so glad to see the come back of Bermuda length shorts this year, although I'm sure a lot of men weren't  happy about it!  I'm sure that my 23 year old niece won't be wearing longer shorts, at 23 I wouldn't either. But at my age, most women no longer have the thighs that Daisy Dukes were meant for.  Daisy Dukes are for young 20 somethings who look good in them. Along with being driven by personal comfort levels my fashion choices, and the choices of millions of other women are driven also by our wallets. Believe me, I would love to own a closet full of high fashion designs such as Emilio Pucci silk jerseys and dresses, Missoni tops and dresses and that Roberto Cavalli Chiffon Tunic that's on sale for $560. My favorite fashion shoe designer is Manolo Blahnik. I did buy a pair of Manolo mules in denim with an adorable bow and a kitten heel years ago off of e bay for somewhere around $300. At that time it was a bargain. Unfortunately, I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth.  I'll have to leave those fashions to those who have endless sources of wealth. For me it's shopping Filene's Basement and Nordstrom's The Rack. I've also found out that there are a lot of other places I can buy all the latest fashion trends cheap. They're not high end fashions from top fashion designers or celebrity fashions, or "Bollywood" fashions but they are fashionable enough for me. Then, there's whether or not a jacket is worth $500 or a simple silk shirt $300.  I love to watch TLC's What Not To Wear for their great fashion advice, and have to admit that the last six months to a  year whenever I shop I think "What would Stacy and Clinton think?"  I haven't done bad. I actually found a $150 jacket on sale upstairs in Nordstrom for $100.  It's a medium weight denim and has the proper seaming to help give me a shape, and it looks nice.  It was worth $100.  I probably would not have paid $150. It was also a steal as my hubby had just cashed in a bunch of credit card points and had given me several hundred dollars worth of gift cards to Nordstrom (what a Sweetheart!) Then there is how we want to be perceived by others.  I worked with a gal years ago who wore short-short skirts and dresses, spike heels and tousled and teased long blond hair.  I was always amazed when she would be put-off by all the come on's she got from guys.  Huh? What did she think was going to happen? She put it out there, and got it back, in spades. So, prevailing fashion trends become our personal modes of expression.  We express fahion by how we feel about our bodies, our wallets and how we want to be perceived by others. shopping Fri, 23 May 2008 21:13:08 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/designer-purses-and-handbags I love handbags.  It seems that just when I think I've found the handbag of my dreams another comes along to take my breath away.  I don't know about you, but my latest gotta-have-it handbag is the Corto Moltedo Priscilla Luxor Bag. This handbag runs about $1300, which isn't bad for a designer handbag, but try to tell that to the husband!! My most wanted handbag of all time has to be the one that got away, but isn't that how life is? It's always the one that got away. It's a turquoise/python Be&D Crawford Bag from the Spring of 2004. Hmm, both of these bags are blue, I've just realized that! Well, I don't have either of these bags but I do have many really nice ones. Brahmin is one of my favorite brands of handbag, I have three Brahmin bags. Salvatore Ferragamo is another favorite, but I only own one and it's quite a bag. It's a hair-calf satchel I bought about five years ago.  Every time I take it out of it's dust bag I love it just as much as the first time I saw it.  And, it ALWAYS gets compliments, always. I've often wondered what makes a handbag an "it" bag.  A little investigation finds that part of what makes a handbag an "it" bag is limited availability.  People want what others can't have. So, the harder something is to find the more in demand it becomes.  I guess like supply and demand, OK.  Then there's what the bag is made of. Handbags of alligator, ostrich or snakeskin are exceedingly expensive due to the cost of the animal skins.  Bling added to a handbag makes it an "it" handbag too. Some designers add diamonds, gold and even platinum hardware to handbags causing prices to rise exorbitantly. How about The Style Groups Top 10 handbag list, ever seen it? Well, a few of the bags on it are in 10th place Marc Jacobs Alligator Sofia bag, 7th is Louis Vuitton's Beige Vertical Alligator Carryall, 4th is Prada's Apple-Green Crocodile Bag, 2nd place goes to Dolce & Gabbana and their Bright Violet Croc bag and the number one bag according to The Style Group is Valentino's White Fur Hobo bag.  Now, I don't know about you, but after seeing these handbags there isn't one that I'd carry.  It's back to my Brahmins. shopping Fri, 23 May 2008 21:18:11 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/plus-size-fashion It's been a wonderful transformation for plus size women over the past five to seven years, and it's getting better all the time.  I can remember when the only place for plus size women to shop was Fashion Bug Plus. Since women size 14 and over are now the majority of women, fashion designers are finally taking note.  Plus size fashions are flattering and fashionable, comfortable and stylish. Thanks to the likes of Oprah and Star Jones and many other Hollywood plus size beauties we have designers like Igigi and Kiyonna making sexy and sophisticated formal wear and evening wear dresses that are knockouts.  Made to flatter our curves, which are our best assets!! Just look at this sexy number on the left. It's available from Igigi. It's called the Siren Dress, and we can see why!! shopping Fri, 23 May 2008 21:15:20 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/womens-jeans The relationship that develops between us and our jeans is a special one. They're our go-to pants for any occasion and we expect a lot of them. We want them to be fashionable, flattering and comfortable.  There are 450 million pairs of denim jeans sold in the US yearly.  That's a lot of jeans. You'd think that it would be much easier than it is finding the perfect pair. Buying women's jeans isn't always an easy thing to do.  For most women it takes lots of patience and lots of determination.  Let's face it, trying on 4, 5, or even 6 pairs of jeans and not having one of them fit could cause most women to scream "never again". However statistics show that the average woman tries on nine pairs of jeans before she finds a pair that she likes. How does the average woman feel after trying on 9 pairs of jeans?  She most likely wants to pull her hair out. Once she finds the perfect jeans women have been known to buy a dozen pairs. One of the best cuts of jean for most women is a waistband that sits just below the waist, sometimes called a mid rise jean that have a straight leg.  A waistband that sits just below the waist doesn't have the appearance of "cutting you off" as a waistband that sits at the waist does.  Another way to look thinner in a pair of denim jeans is to avoid fading and feathering. Jeans that have fading at the thighs or around the butt accentuate those areas. Jeans that are a solid dark wash will make you look thinner. If you have a flat butt pockets with detailing on them can help give the look of more fullness, but watch out for pockets that sit very low on the butt.  This happens with a lot of low rise jeans. The pocket actually sits low on the butt and goes down the back of the thigh. These pockets are way too low and don't look good on any figure. shopping Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:51:31 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/discount-designer-clothes Check out the fantastic savings on high end designer clothing, shoes and handbags offered by Couture Candy and Net-A-Porter! I don't know a woman out there who doesn't wish she could buy the latest designer clothes.  I'm talking about high end designer clothes, clothes from designers like Missoni, Miu, Miu, Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs, and Just Cavalli to name a few. I know that I've seen Missoni tops, kaftans, printed wrap dresses and blouses that I absolutely LOVE, but I figured I just couldn't break the budget to buy them. That was until I saw the sales on designer clothing on the site Net-A-Porter. Net-A-Porter is know for having the best fashions for the current seaon from the tendiest labels and some of the hardest to find clothing lines. To visit the Net-A-Porter site is to be transformed to a world of fashion clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories. Net-A-Porter offers the latest fashions along with fashion forecasts and opinions from top fashion journalists, along with some incredible sales. Oh, that Missoni Dorotea wrap dress? I picked it up for a cool $1002.50, literally HALF-PRICE!!  shopping Fri, 23 May 2008 21:16:48 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/closet-designs I couldn't believe how disorganized my husband and my closets were until they were organized.  I though they were organized, but I guess they weren't as organized as I thought.  We both had chairs that we threw clothes on. If our closet was truly organized we'd be hanging our clothes up.  It was those chairs covered with clothes that got me thinking about custom closet organizers. diy Fri, 05 Oct 2007 13:34:26 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/customized-t-shirts When my husband and I were skiing in Stowe Vermont this year we stopped at a t shirt shop. My husband wanted to get a Stowe t shirt.  Much to our amazement this was a customized t shirt shop. The way the shirts were customized was that first you chose the t shirt.  They had dozens of colors and of course sizes from XS to XL, different fashion cuts such as sleeveless or v-neck, adults and childrens.   After my husband chose the t shirt style and color he wanted he then had his choice of hundreds of decals. Some of the t shirts displayed in the shop showed a combination of two or more decals to make a completely customized t shirt. We thought that this was a great idea. If the reason you visited Stowe was to ski you could have ski decals placed on the shirt. If you were there and were a nature lover they had dozens of nature logos, and so on. They could even customized t shirts with your name or any other personalization you may want. Custom t shirts have become the "in" thing with the wedding crowd.  When my friend recently got married she had a customized t shirt for each of her bridesmaids and groom attendants. They had a custom t shirt logo on the front and on the back was the person's status such as "maid of honor", "best man", "bridesmaid", "usher", "flower girl". It was quite a hit.  The custom t shirts coordinated with the wedding colors and the print was almost exactly the print used on the invitation.  The picture of the bride and groom used on the front of the custom t shirt was the one used on the front of the invitation, talk about coordinated! Today it's easier then ever to create a customized t shirt.  You can choose the type of t shirt you want, color, logo, lettering all on line.  Gone are the days when you needed an order of 100 or 200 t shirts.  Today it's not uncommon for small orders of 24 or so to be made. shopping Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:15:42 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/sofas Your sofa is the largest piece of furniture in your home. It's the focal point of the room and the starting point from which lots of design styles start. Most people keep their sofas around for 5 to 8 years on average. That's longer then some people keep their cars. It's a long time to have the same piece of furniture, but with just a bit of thought on your part before your purchase you can have a sofa you'll love for a long time. First off consider your budget and how long you plan to keep your sofa. If you're purchasing a sofa with the idea of holding onto it for 2 or 3 years then don't spend a lot of money. However, if you are looking to invest in a sofa you're going to be keeping for 5 or more years, spend more. Also, consider the usage the sofa will get. Is this a sofa for a dorm room? For use in a family room? A living room? Consider what options you may want. If you live in a small home or apartment and if you from time to time have overnight guests you may want to invest in a sleeper sofa or convertible sofa. Perhaps the size of the room your sofa is going into isn't large enough to accommodate many pieces of furniture and you'd really like to have that reclining chair. Relax, today a lot of sofas come with reclining seats. Generally sofas are broken down into two groups, contemporary and traditional, that's fairly standard. Within those two categories there are hundreds of styles. Almost every sofa you see will come with decorative accent pillows. Some people like to mix it up a bit and put a more traditional sofa within a modern setting. There is no firm set rule. Some people put two sofas in a living room. Something that can really change the mood of a sofa is fabric. There are hundreds of different types of fabrics available on sofas. The choice of a floral fabric and a striped fabric can make the same sofa look completely different. Generally bold and bright colors and geometric designs are used on contemporary sofas and softer muted colors and prints are used on traditional sofas. Be aware though, fabrics range from inexpensive to exorbitantly expensive and your choice of fabric can add hundreds of dollars to the final price of a sofa. Regardless of what type of fabric you choose you will always want to have anti-stain treatment applied to your sofa. Your fabric sofa should be thoroughly vacuumed every other month. When you choose a style for your living room remember you may have to change your curtains so they will go well with your new sofa.  You may want to add things like decorative curtain rods and other accents in your living room like modern decorative clocks or antique wall clocks which will add a great deal towards the style of your living room. Perhaps you want a leather sofa. Leather is an extremely popular fabric choice and can last a lifetime with minimal care. Like fabric sofas, there are many different grades of leather. Premium leather sofas have premium price tags to match. Leather sofas are very easy to care for with occasional vacuuming and a wipe with a damp cloth. Twice a year your leather sofa should be treated with saddle soap. The most important piece of choosing a sofa is it's comfort. How firm is the seat? How deep is the seat. Are the pillows soft? Are the pillows attached? Sit on it. Lie down on it. Make sure that the sofa is comfortable for you. shopping Fri, 28 Sep 2007 20:21:59 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/replacementcabinetdoors When my husband and I updated our kitchen we didn't change the configuration, which we liked. What we wanted to do was update our kitchen cabinets, flooring, sink and countertop. We decided to save money by using kitchen cabinet replacement doors. The cabinets in our kitchen were only five years old and in great shape, we just wanted to change the look of the wood. Using replacement drawers and doors saved us thousands of dollars. It's estimated that the cost of new cabinetry can be 70% of the overall cost of a kitchen remodel. With the money we saved we were able to upgrade to a better quality of granite countertop and buy a bigger stainless steel sink, two things that will really help with the resale value of our home one day. Today it's easier than ever to find a wide selection of attractive kitchen cabinet replacement doors and drawer fronts at local home centers and online. It's also a great do-it-yourself type of project for any homeowner. You can use replacement kitchen cabinet and drawer fronts in a variety of ways. Some homeowners chose a different style of replacement kitchen cabinet, but one that is the same type of wood as their old cabinets. This way they don't have to worry about matching the cabinet boxes. Some find it easier and like the look of painted cabinet boxes and added contrasting cabinet doors and drawer fronts. For a look of a truly high end custom cabinet job you can buy a matching pressure sensitive veneer that you can cover old cabinet boxes with that are a perfect match for the new cabinets. Then you can add a variety of moldings and valances, fillers and end panels to complete a custom kitchen look. You'll also find a variety of specialty doors, some with glass panels to give you a custom kitchen look. You'll be able to select from many different styles of cabinetry doors and drawers, raised panel, flat panel, edge profile and panel profile. You'll have a wide selection of woods to choose from, maple, hickory, cherry, oak and more. If you are considering any type of kitchen cabinet replacement after you get a quote for having professionals do the job investigate using kitchen cabinet replacement doors and consider doing the job yourself. It may take two, three or four days depending on the size of the kitchen, but it can translate into $3000, $5000 or even $7000 in savings for you and your family. education Thu, 29 May 2008 19:18:52 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/Shoal-Bay-Anguilla There are 33 brilliant white sand beaches on Anguilla, and you'll find that each one has it's own personality. The biggest beach on Anguilla is Shoal Bay East. It's the most well known and written about. It's got a large number of great beach bars, restaurants and reasonably priced accommodations right on the beach. It's where the best music action is on the weekend for tourists and locals alike. It's an unbelievable two miles of brilliant white sand caressed by gently lapping waves. It truly is what every Caribbean beach should be. Shoal Bay East is where most of  the "day trippers" that visit Anguilla go, and, if you only have one day on Anguilla it's the one beach you should visit.  Junior runs his glass bottom boat tours from Shoal Bay East.  The reefs for snorkeling are plentiful here and the calm water makes them easy to enjoy.  There are plenty of rental chairs and umbrellas available on Shoal Bay East, and this is a must if you're going to be spending the day on the beach. As far as food?  Plenty of choices.  If you visit Gwen's, Elodia's, Sandpipers and Uncle Ernie's, it's Caribbean bar fare, mostly burgers, fish sandwiches, BBQ chicken and ribs, with sides of fries, rice and beans and slaw.  More upscale dining can be had on Shoal Bay East at Maderiman Beach Club and at the restaurant at Ku Hotel. travel Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:11:41 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/henrysloan Henry Hall Sloan has heard spiritual promptings all his life. In his books he has recorded the whisperings from angels that he has heard. Henry has been using his books as a part of meditative and guided imagery workshops that he has lead for over twenty years. Please visit his site Whisperings From Angels to learn more about how you can attend his workshops and purchase his books. animals Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:19:03 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/Angilla-Moonsplash One of the most beautiful beaches on all of Anguilla has to be Rendezvous Bay. A perfect 2 mile long crescent of brilliant white sand lapped by crystal clear Caribbean water. As you walk along the beach, past the Cuisinart Resort you'll notice a small white fishing boat with a thatched roof.  That's The Dune Preserve, one of the most popular music spots on Anguilla. You won't want to miss this beach bar. It's multiple platforms intertwined with driftwood and fishing boats. You'll notice in the bar area a couch and if you're lucky you'll find Bankie Banx himself on the couch.  You'll be even luckier if you are able to catch him play his live music at night. Bankie first built The Dune Preserve in 1994. His reputation on the island has grown over the years and his annual Moonsplash Music Festival draws thousands to the island every year during the first full moon in March. For Moonsplash 2007 Jimmy Buffett was a huge draw with thousands visiting the island and dozens of boats anchored out in the bay to listen and party.  A few of the other musical guests for past Moonsplash Music Festivals have been Rita Marley, The Wailers, Richie Havens, Junior Jazz and the Bacon Brothers and Freddie McGregor. A lot of work went into The Dune Preserve in order to host Jimmy Buffett for Moonsplash 2007. It was enlarged to hold 4,000 people, almost twice the original size. There was new landscaping, a new deck and covered bar area. A new back stage area was created as was a new stage. I was amazed when I saw how large it was on my visit there in June.  The last time I'd been at The Dune Preserve was 2003. My husband and I were staying next door at the Cuisinart so we stopped into The Dune to have lunch. I was more amazed when I saw pictures of how many people were on Rendezvous Bay for the concert. travel Sat, 07 Jul 2007 18:42:33 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/custom-printed-t-shirts When an organization I was employed at joined in the American Heart Association Heart Walk we were all given shirts to show we were from that company and so that we could identify each other.  It was nice to be able to meet people from the same place we'd never met before. We were able to identify them from their custom printed t shirt. At the marina where we keep our boat the crew or "dock hands" all wear the same bright yellow custom printed t shirts that say "crew" on them so that they are easily identified. In some bar/restaurants you'll see waiters and waitresses wearing custom printed t shirts with the logo of the bar/restaurant. Many organizations use custom printed t shirts for events such as the AHA Heart Walk,  for freebies or for employee picnics and events. Custom printed t shirts are fun for family reunions, bachelor and bachelorette parties and weddings and school reunions. Custom printing doesn't end with t shirts.  You can order custom printed hats, jackets, tote bags, outerwear and business shirts.  You can choose the t shirt brand you prefer from manufacturers such as Hanes, American Apparel and Anvil. You can choose from long sleeve t, short sleeve t or hoodies.  If you can't find the exact custom printed t shirt design you want even with the hundreds of choices offered by most t shirt shops you can always come up with your own design and have it airbrushed.  Airbrushing is an art all unto itself.  You can really let your inner artist shine. Create your logo or t shirt design. Take it to an airbrush artist, you'll find many on busy boardwalks by the ocean and in busy malls.  You'll get a custom t shirt. Custom printed t shirts are made even more custom with the addition of pictures of family members or favorite pets. How about your favorite picture from vacation?  GrandMa's always love a custom printed t shirt with pics of all the grandchildren.  Today the only thing limiting your custom printed t shirt is your imagination. What if you only need 8 t shirts, or 15 t shirts? Don't fret. Long gone are the days when you had to order 100 or more.  There are hundreds of online custom printed t shirt vendors that offer as few, or as many t shirts as you need at reasonable prices.  shopping Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:19:51 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/container-gardening-1 Container gardening is a quick and easy way to grow anything from pansies to tomatoes to small fruit trees almost effortlessly and with no back breaking garden work involved! Container gardening is just what it's name implies, gardening in a container. Use the container of your choice. It can be of any type of material, plastic, metal, clay, porcelain, wood or glass. You may want to have a theme running through your container garden. Perhaps all the same size clay pots, but painted in different colors, or a variety of sizes of wood containers. I've seen container gardens in big rubber boots, and even old toilets! Wooden half barrels make great container gardens.  One of the beauties of container gardening is that you can have a container garden indoors as well as outside. Window boxes are considered container gardening. You can have urns on your patio spilling over with lovely flowers, or you can grow vegetables, such as tomatoes, and herbs in a container on the patio, within easy reach of the kitchen. It's easy to come up with design ideas for a container garden, especially since you don't need to do any landscaping. You'll need very few tools once you have the basics done. Here is a good tip - container gardening lends itself very well to organic management. The first thing you'll need is of course containers. You'll always need to keep the final growing size of your plant in mind when choosing the container, you want your plant to be able to thrive. The container will need plenty of drainage holes. It's always certain death to any plant when you have roots sitting in water. After you have the container ready you need soil. Most container gardening experts recommend a soilless mixture. A soilless mixture is simply a combination of equal parts peat moss and vermiculite or perlite. Once you have your plants in their containers the next step is to ensure that you place the container where it will get optimal light for the health of your plant. This is another very important step. A plant that calls for shade needs shade. A plant that need sun will not thrive in the shade. Water as needed, and fertilize weekly. It's as simple as that. Having a container garden is a fun learning project to share with your children. They love planting small tomato plants and watching them grow and then being able to harvest and eat them. education Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:31:35 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/SAVE-THE-ANGUILLA-DOLPHINS May 9, 2008 This is the latest information that I have regarding the dolphins on Angilla, again with credit to Don Mitchell and his blog February 8, 2008 These government officials; the most "Honorable" Osborne Fleming, the "Honorable" Victor Banks, the "Honorable" Kenneth Harrigan and the "Honorable Evans McNeil Rogers (as they are called in the lawsuit) have served Don Mitchell the webmaster of Corruption-free Anguilla blog with a lawsuit. Corruption Free Anguilla Darkness will ALWAYS try to hide the light. We certainly wish our friend Don the best with this lawsuit. We hope that the people of Anguilla, the true beneficiaries of Don's passion and wisdom will stand behind the only true friend they have on the island. February 3, 2008 The story that catches my interest is the report that the relocation of the dolphinarium from Meads Bay to Sandy Ground and now to Blowing Point has not been conducted within the rules and laws that govern Anguilla. Official approval and encouragement of wrongdoing is the real meat in the dolphin story. The Land Development Control Committee advising government has placed reliance on Environmental Impact Statements that have been described by the experts as mere "lobbying documents, insubstantial and shallow". Their decision to approve the project in the face of all the evidence that it is of no advantage to Anguilla's tourism plant, causes most Anguillians to wonder. The Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association is in the process of conducting a poll among its members. Preliminary results indicate that upwards of 90% are opposed to it, on the ground that none of Anguilla's tourists and few Anguillian residents visit it. Placing a wild animal circus in a high-end city suburb has never been a town and country planner's idea of how to add value and improve the environment! Click this link to continue reading: Corruption Free Anguilla December 16, 2007 The Dolphin Discovery facility at Meads Bay is closed down. It appears to have been abandoned by the previous management. There seems to be only a handyman present on the site during the day. He tries valiently and without management guidance to keep up with basic maintenance. The dolphins are left to swim in their own waste. The water has become badly polluted. It is now in what must be a dangerous state for the health of the dolphins and anyone else, for that matter, venturing into the water. You can link to Don Mitchell's blog and this story here:  Corruption Free Anguilla Please WRITE!  WRITE to the Government of Anguilla, The Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association and Dolphin Discovery. Write to the Anguilla Animal Rescue Fund. I have supplied all the contact information below. All pictures on this site are also from  http://corruptionfreeanguilla.blogspot.com/ animals Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:01:23 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/t-shirt-designs All one has to do is walk down the boardwalk in Ocean City Maryland, or the sidewalk of the town of Breckenridge Colorado, or visit the drug store in The Vallley Anguilla to see there is no shortage of t shirt designs.  Just take a visit to your local mall and you'll be amazed at the wide array of t shirt designs you see.  I actually think that there are so many different t shirt designs today that we don't even pay attention to them when we walk by them unless there is something unique about the design or the color of the t shirt draws our attention. As my husband and I have travelled he has picked up t shirts from all over the country, and outside of the country.  We also watch Premier League Soccer from the UK and have many soccer team t shirts. T shirt designs are something that can bring people together and show unity, as in the example of soccer team shirts above, or can be something that makes an individual statement.  Just a small sampling of t shirt designs available are fishing, flowers, birds, fairies, angels, cats, dogs, cars, trucks, cities, states, frogs, patriotic, Halloween and holiday.  Pictures of family members can be put on shirts.  A favorite t shirt design is the "GrandMa" t shirt with pictures of the grandkids. Election and political t shirt designs are always big, especially around election time. Again, these are shirts that bring us together or t shirt designs that can divide us. For many years fashionistas have been wearing t shirt designs that advertise their favorite designer.  The CK of Calvin Klein, the G of Gucci are just two examples.  These are t shirt designs that do a lot more than show what your favorite designer label is, these t shirt designs are free advertising for the designer, and, best of all for him or her you paid for the shirt to do the free advertising, a win-win situation for the fashion designer. You are paying to advertise! With so many clip art and computer image programs it's easy for anyone, or any group to come up with their own t shirt design. Some online t shirt design sites let you make an original t shirt design. You choose the shirt, the size of the image on the front, the font, the wording and the picture to go on the front or the back of the t shirt.  That's what I'll call customized t shirt design.      shopping Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:11:25 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/Fairmont-Anguilla The Fairmont has now announced it plans to build a Fairmont Residences on Anguilla in conjunction with the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club of Anguilla. This new resort will be in the Forest Bay area of Anguilla which is on the southern coast in an area of 400 acres. Completion will be sometime in 2010. Visit here for more information on Anguilla hotels and villa rentals.  As with many other resort projects being undertaken on Anguilla right now the  resort will encompass the Fairmont hotel and Fairmont Residences, a collection of condominiums, villas and estate homes. The hotel will have 140 rooms and suites, a spa, dining rooms, a beach club, pools and meeting space. Along with the Temenos Golf Course on Anguilla this Jack Nicklaus Golf Course and the accompanying Fairmont Hotel & Residences will surely make a name for itself as one of the premier all inclusive Caribbean golf vacation spots. My husband and I spent our honeymoom in the most glorious place on earth, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.  The Chateau Lake Louise is the crowning jewel of the Fairmont Hotel Chain.  Nothing can come close to the beauty of the Canadian Rockies or Lake Louise. Nothing can compare with the level of service at a Fairmont. Hotel images of Chateau Lake Louise provided by Leonardo Media Services B.V  We also stayed in the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac in gorgeous Quebec City, Canada during their Winter Festival. Again, Fairmont's service, attention to detail and luxurious accommodations speak for themselves. The Fairmont Anguilla will easily out surpass any other accommodation on the island. travel Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:30:46 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/hydroponicgardeninginformation I hadn't ever seen a hydroponic garden until our recent vacation to Anguilla. The Cuisinart Resort & Spa on Anguilla boasts the island's only hydroponic garden. The chefs take full advantage of the wide array of fresh vegetables creating the restaurant menus. The vegetables and salad greens were absolutely outstanding and the freshest we'd ever eaten anywhere. Hydroponics is gardening without soil. It's been doing in ancient cultures for thousands of years. It's a well established fact that plants grown in a hydroponic environment can grow up to 50% faster and have more yield as compared to a plant grown in conventional soil gardens. This is because unlike soil gardening where roots much search for nutrients with hydroponic gardening the nutrients are released at the root. If the plant does not have to expend energy searching for nutrients it's energy goes into production. There are several different ways that plant roots are supported in a hydroponic garden. One way is the use of Rockwool. Rockwool is a fiber which expands when moist. It performs two very simple functions in a hydroponic garden, it retains water and holds air. Most hydroponic gardeners prefer Rockwool over other methods. Hydroton is another growing media used in hydroponic gardening. It is a pelleted clay aggregate that holds and transmits water very effectively. There are two types of hydroponic systems, passive and active. Passive hydroponic gardens rely on the absorptive characteristic or the growing medium or a wick. Active hydroponic systems are those where water is circulated using a pump. Your home hydroponic garden can start as small or large as you want and can be started in any container that holds water and that can accommodate the wicking system or pump. You can grown absolutely any kind of vegetable or herb in a hydroponic garden that grows in a conventional garden, tomatoes, broccoli, leaf lettuce, brussels sprouts, strawberries, peas, chili peppers, swiss chard, spinach, head lettuce, oriental greens, bell peppers, beans, cucumbers, squash, cabbage, cauliflower, baby carrots, green onions, radishes, all herbs and all flowers. diy Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:23:01 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/total-kitchen I love cooking.  I'm one of the few who love cooking from scratch.  No cake mixes for this gal, I want to make a homemade Red Velvet Cake just like my MomMom did,  or a fabulous White Chocolate Cake, reminiscent of my own wedding cake, for those I love.  No pre-made meals in the microwave either.  I want to dice, slice and chop fresh ingredients and cook them with love. Nothing is more pleasing then making my husband, family and friends my favorite dishes like my orange salmon with fennel and Green Beans a'la Waterman's.  I'm the "Top Chef" in my own kitchen.  food Tue, 06 Nov 2007 09:05:05 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/Anguilla-Golf-Classic The first annual Anguilla Golf Classic will take place August 18th and 19th 2007 at the newly opened Temenos Golf Club.  Money raised from sponsorships, donations and registrations will be used to fund projects for the Health Authority of Anguilla which includes equipment for the intensive care unit and a second operating theatre at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Registration for the four person team scramble is $695 for visitors and includes two rounds of golf, breakfast and lunch on the first day. Breakfast, an awards lunch and a players gift pack is offered on the second day. The Anguilla Golf Classic is boasting one million dollars in prize money with $250,000 to be awarded to any 4 players who makes a hole in one on any of the four par 3's. Cuisinart, Malliouhana, Cap Juluca and Sheraton Estates as well as Paradise Cove and Ku are offering discounted rates for players. To register or for more information please contact Ms. Kay Ferguson at the Health Authority of Anguilla at phone 264-497-3787 or email anguilla_kayferguson@yahoo.co.uk travel Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:29:42 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/temenos-golf-club-Anguilla Anguilla's first golf course opened on November 3, 2006 to much fanfare. This golf course project was undertaken by Troon Golf Course Management Company. Troon says they are "the world's leading luxury-brand golf management, development and marketing company".  Troon is joined in this venture by the St. Regis Hotels who are building "18 magnificent Estate Homes with four- and five-bedroom suites, many of which are oceanfront, 10 extraordinary Temenos Villas with three- and four-bedroom suites, featuring vistas of both the golf course as well as the Caribbean Sea, and 64 St. Regis Oceanfront Residences. The centerpiece will include a world-class St. Regis Resort Hotel and indulgent Remede Spa". These facilities are scheduled to open in winter 2008. The Temenos Golf Club of Anguilla and the St. Regis will surely become one of the most sought after all inclusive Caribbean golf vacation packages. The location is Merrywing Bay which is on the west end of Anguilla facing southwards towards St. Martin.  The restaurant that caps off the Temenos Club House, Zurra Restaurant,  is run by two well know restauranteurs of long standing on the island are Bob and Melinda Blanchard. They gained fame with the restaurant that bears their last name, Blanchard's (located on Meads Bay) and as authors of two books about Anguilla. "A Trip to the Beach, Living on Island Time in the Caribbean", and "Live What You Love", and a cookbook "Cook What You Love". The new restaurant will feature a menu based on the flavors of the Mediterranean. These are the published golf rates: Golf Rates 2006-2007** Booking window = 90 days Guest Golf Rate Nov. 1st, 2006 – April 15th, 2007 $400.00 Junior Rate (17 & Under) $200.00 Guest Golf Rate April 16th, 2007 –June 30th, 2007 $300.00 Junior Rate (17 & Under) $150.00 Guest Golf Rate July 1st, 2007 – Aug. 31st, 2007 $250.00 Junior Rate (17 & Under) $125.00 All golf rates include: Greens Fees, Cart Fees, Range Fees, Forecaddie and two bottles of water. Service charge of $15.00 is not included. Cancellation Policy Temenos Golf Club has a 24 hour cancellation policy. If a golf reservation is not cancelled 24 hours in advance of the starting time, Temenos Golf Club reserves the right to charge the recorded credit card for any applicable charges as they pertain to the round(s) of golf booked by the hotel concierge. travel Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:09:53 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/Anguilla-Villas Anguilla is a small sliver of an island, only 16x3 miles. Her name, Anguilla, is said to have been given to her by Christopher Columbus. As he sailed by taking note of her long and flat topography he named her Anguilla, which is Spanish for "eel". Click here to keep reading about the great villas, resorts, hotels, restaurants and great beaches of Anguilla  You may wonder how just 35 square miles can hold so many rental villas. The rental villa market on Anguilla is filled with every kind of accommodation you can think of, and it's growing by leaps and bounds. From a romantic and cozy one bedroom villa overlooking St. Martin, Saba and St. Barts, to mega-villas with five bedrooms situated high on bluffs overlooking the sea Anguilla has something for every need and every pocketbook. It's not uncommon anymore to see large villa complexes built on Anguilla. One such complex is the St. Regis Temenos Villas. This three villa compound sits on the beach at Long Bay on the northwest end of the island. These villas are for those with very deep pocketbooks. One of these 4 bedroom villas will run you $5142 a night, off season. For those of us who can only dream about an accommodation like Temenos, there are many other smaller villas available. There's the romantic West Indian style villa called La Petite Maison d'Amour. Small and secluded and very reasonably priced at $205 a night, off season. Besides more than 60 private rental villas of all sizes there are several hotel and condo accommodations and several resort accommodations. There are very nice beach front rental condos on Mead's Bay called Carimar. There is also the Royal Palms Apartments located in South Hill. New, fully screened, air conditioned and with a pool. Royal Palms Apartments isn't located on the beach but is a three minute drive to Rendezvous Bay. Anguilla Great House located directly on Rendezvous Bay is a popular spot. Shoal Bay East is by far the most popular beach on Anguilla. You can get a drink or a meal at any number of beach bars that dot the shoreline. Shoal Bay East is the gathering spot for music on Sundays and where you can catch up with Junior and enjoy a glass bottom boat ride. There are a variety of accommodations on Shoal Bay East. The Allamanda, Serenity, Ku, Shoal Bay Villas and Maderiman are all located on Shoal Bay East. Luckily for right now all of these accommodations remain within the price range of most of us and these are great accommodations for those who like a self-catered holiday. The big three resorts (as of June 2007) are still The Malliouhana on Meads Bay, Cap Juluca on Maundays Bay and Cuisinart on Rendezvous Bay. Each of these resorts have fabulous spas and restaurants. For those who desire a more leisurely pampered vacation these resorts offer packages that include meals. If you don't want to, there isn't any need to leave the resort. At this writing St Regis is building villas and a hotel on the grounds of their newly opened golf course on Merrywing Bay, the site of the old Sonesta Resort (which will ALWAYS be in my opinion the most beautiful building on Anguilla). The Viceroy Resorts and Residences are being built on the beach encompassing both Meads and Barnes Bay. The Viceroy will include private villas, town homes and resort residences. In October 2007 Rendezvous Bay Hotel will close for renovations for two years. Planned are 5 bedroom beachfront villas, townhouses, condos and a beachfront hotel. Several weeks ago the Fairmont announced it will be building what it calls a "mixed-use resort" on Anguilla. It will include condos, villas and estate homes as well as an 18-hole golf course. The Cuisinart Resort is also entering the foray of villas and estate homes adjacent to its property. Shoal Bay East will be seeing it's first resort with "private luxury villas and residences" along with tennis court, spa and fitness center and much more. There is a tremendous amount of building going on at this time on Anguilla. Doubtless the landscape of Anguilla will look very different in the next 3-5 years. travel Sat, 17 Nov 2007 08:18:16 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/groups..Anguilla Anguilla is a very special destination. Not everyone who visits there will fall under her charms, but those who do fall long and hard. Although we all have a special affection for the same place we see it in different ways. We each have a favorite beach, or restaurant, or band. Some people fall in love with Anguilla never leaving the resort. Some know every nook and cranny of the island, have driven down every dirt road and have visited all 33 brilliant white sand beaches. For me, it's all about the beaches. travel Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:34:04 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/castirondutchovens I was given a Le Creuset set of cookware over twenty years ago, and I still use every piece today. It's my very favorite cookware. The piece I have used the most is my Dutch Oven. It has held many different soups, sauces and stews and simmered many flavorful Indian dishes over the years. I have fried, boiled, stewed and roasted in my enameled cast iron Dutch Oven. I never knew how multi functional Dutch oven cookware is. I happen to prefer a cast iron Dutch oven.(Sometimes Dutch ovens are referred to as French ovens). It allows for quick and thorough heating and also protects food from scorching or burning, both on stove top and in the oven. The enameled interior makes it very easy to clean. It goes from stove top into the oven with no problem. Today many cookware manufactures offer a Dutch oven. AllClad, Calphalon, Scanpan, Le Creuset and Staub to name a few. Not all are of cast iron. Needless to say some prefer aluminum because it is much lighter weight than cast iron, aluminum weighs about 1/3 that of cast iron. However a cast iron Dutch oven heats more evenly and can withstand higher temperatures. You certainly don't have to spend a fortune on a Dutch oven. I have a good friend who bought a 16 QT cast iron Dutch oven from, of all places, Home Depot for $40! Compare that to a Le Creuset 13.25 quart Round Dutch (French) oven at $380. Some people prefer Copper cookware, for looks and heat conductivity. Mauviel has a lovely 8.2 qt. Dutch oven they call a Cuprinox style that sells for $370. So, this makes the enameled cast iron Le Creuset Dutch oven the better deal if you're choosing between cast iron or copper. If you're interested in stainless steel Dutch ovens you'll find quite a few to choose from. A 5 qt. Henckels stainless steel Dutch oven will run you $100 - $150. An AllClad 5 qt. will cost $235. Oh, did I mention another great thing about my Le Creuset is that the outside doesn't scratch? If I didn't, I will mention it here. Unlike stainless steel, enameled cast iron will not scratch unless really abused. Stainless steel unfortunately will scratch through cleaning and use. If you're spending hundreds of dollars for any piece of cookware handle it with care. Don't use metal utensils in it. Don't use abrasive cleaning pads. If you have a stubborn stain on a pot or pan use a non abrasive cleanser such as Bon Ami. Gently hand wash your cookware and hand-dry it. These simple steps will help keep your cookware looking newer and performing better longer. food Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:12:16 -0600 http://best.discountdesignerhandbags.ever.com/ We know there are some fashionistas out there who would never, ever carry a fake designer handbag.  If you're one of them you're lucky. We know where you can find authentic high-end designer handbags for 30%, 40% and even 50% off! We're talking Chloe, Corto Moltedo, Fendi, Marc Jacobs and BE&D and more.  We also know of some great offers where you can particpate to get a free authentic Louis Vuitton or Prada Handbag.  We also know how to help you if you can't afford an authentic designer handbag - you can rent one! shopping Fri, 23 May 2008 21:14:24 -0600