Valen’s Vanity Square

Finally, managed to get tickets for the “Valentine’s Day” movie. It’s such a sweet and warm movie. Not that kind of lovey-dovey movie, but it does convey a bit about the true meaning of love.

Not sure if Valentine’s Day is such a huge day in LA, but from what was shown in the movie, it seemed that one had to queue up in a long line in order to buy flowers on that day. Reminds me of how we queued up to buy barbecued dried meat for CNY…

Ooooh, and the body of the actors in the movie… 6-packed abs, toned biceps… I think hubby must be thinking “how am I going to achieve that kind of body? I want that body too!” while watching the movie, haha!

Sometimes it really makes me wonder how the actors got so shaped up, is it truly through workout regimes or by taking muscle supplement? Or both?

It’s not easy to maintain a great body, even if you can achieve it at the first place. Perhaps those are the things we don’t know about - actors and actresses have their own sacrifices in order to be in their best shape and look…

So, may be it’s better to just be an ordinary person?

Thought I won’t be posting anymore before I go to Langkawi Island next week, but can’t help to just ‘drop by’ and wish everyone out there a warm and happy Valentine’s Day!

I was at the shopping mall yesterday and oh man, so many people were shopping for Valentine’s Day gift. If you have not bought your honey sweetie valentine any thing, you still have time before you leave for your Valentine’s Day dinner. Just pick up something from your nearest shopping mall, whether it’s a full-prized men’s watch, or discount furniture, or simply a teddy bear from the bargain corner, as long as it is something that he or she likes or needs.

As for me, I’m not exchanging gifts with hubby this year. Both of us are at the edge of being financially broke. I think my only best Valentine’s Day gift that I can give to him is… Not Making Him Spend Any More Money. Hahaha!

What is a lanyard??!! Some guys may ask this question, you know. Well, I’ve written a post on Coach cellphone lanyards before, so you can hop over there to read and check out what a lanyard is.

But really, do you know how lanyard came about, what’s the history, etc? This is what I came across on the internet, some interesting story about lanyards.

Throughout the last few hundred years, the lanyard has been known and used in modern societies. Made of a simple chord, and secured with a knife, it was actually used in times of war as a weapon. Typically worn on the left shoulder, the ends with the knife was simply tucked into the breast pocket. Usually kept near the bandolier, the knife was later completely removed and became an ornamental item that was used as part of a mundane dress code. Now dethroned as somewhat of a dangerous object, the snout decorative colorful item is now found in a store near you.

Lanyards in our contemporary time are made of a variety of different materials. Cotton and nylon are used in a type of a braided tubing matter that allows people to place things on them such as logos or even their names and are used by businesses when promoting their particular product lines. The popularity of lanyards in this venue are because of the relative inexpensive nature of the item and the limitless possibilities that can be used in regard to the styles, winks, and colors that may be used to represent the company itself.

Instead of a knife being used, lanyards can now hold things such as key is, cell phones, and many other small items indicative to our modern technological society. Along with our eyeglasses and smaller objects such as bottle openers, the lanyards can be easily lost unless they are worn consistently around your neck or your wrist. This ability makes them a staple item to hang the things from that can typically be lost very easily.

If you were to make a lanyard yourself, this would be something I tend to a friendship bracelet taking only a few minutes of the day to make it once one becomes adapts at weaving and twisting cords of material into the proper length and size that is wanted. The lanyards have come a long way in regard to their purpose and use. Despite their ugly and dark history, lanyards have become a prominent piece of ornamental attire that is an everyday staple in our modern society.

So now you can tell this story to your girlfriend when presenting her a lanyard as this Valentine’s day gift.

If your guy is a video game fanatic and you, somehow, are willing to spend a little bit more on him, then the second video game console made by Microsoft, Xbox 360, appears to be the perfect gift for him this Valentine’s Day.

You’ll be rest assured that the xbox 360 will give your guy a totally new gaming experience with the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller and the content-rich Xbox Live. The integrated Xbox Live service allows players to actually compete against each other real time on the internet. Players can also download arcade games, game demos, trailers, TV shows, and movies. That’s a really cool ‘expensive’ toy, eh?

A warning though: once your guy got his hands on Xbox 360, he might just decide to change his ‘dating partner’ for the rest of the evening. So, give at your own risk!

If there are women who are shoe fetish, I’m sure there are men that are necktie fetish. Haha! So if your guy belongs to this group of species, a necktie as your Valentine’s Day gift to him may be a good idea.

Don’t just pick any necktie. There are certain things that you need to watch out when selecting a tie, particularly one to go with a suit. Here are just a few tips suggested by experts (not me, of course!):

• Select the right tie length and width. In general, people usually go for a length of 54 inches and a width of 3 1/4 inches.
• Check the quality of the tie - it should feel smooth to the touch. Try silk ties; they are always a good choice.
• Inspect the tie’s lining. Good quality ties are lined to the tips. Good lining gives the tie a good shape and bulk.
• If the tie twist when you drape it over your hand, it’s not gonna lie flat on your chest. Dump it.

Fashionable European neckties available at www.Ties-Necktie.com

Before you go shopping for the right tie for your guy, why not check out first the assortment of neckties at www.Ties-Necktie.com?

If your boyfriend or husband is one of those who wants to look good all the time, and don’t mind using skin care and body care stuffs, why not pamper them with a selection of beauty products this Valentine’s Day?

(I know, not all men can accept or will admit that there is a hint of vanity hiding underneath their soul, haha!)

1. For long hours of skin hydration - Vichy Hydra Mag C Fortifying 24 hr Hydrating Care
2. Exfoliate away dead skin cells - Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion
3. For a cleaner face - Biotherm Homme Hydra Detox Instant Anti-Dullness Detoxifying cleanser
4. To sooth away tiredness and aging signs on the eyes - Givenchy Anti-Fatigue Eye Lift
5. Need a more kissable lips? Try Uriage Lip Balm
6. Give the skin a boost of hydration - Neutrogena Hydraboost Mask
7. For a clean and cool shave - Clarins Men Smooth Shave Foaming Gel
8. Get rid of dry and dull-looking complexion - L’Oreal Paris Men Expert Hydra Energetic Anti-Dullness Moisturizing Gel Cream
9. Oouch! Hate the grease on your hair! Try Kerastase Bain Clarifiant Long-Lasting Regulating Shampoo for Oily Scalp-Oily Hair
10. Tone up the skin - Shiseido Men Hydrating Lotion

The products above are voted as 2008’s top skin and body care products for men in Taiwan.

Another Valentine’s Day gift idea here. This time mainly for girlfriends or wives who love scrapbooking. I don’t know if there are guys who actually likes to make scrapbook as a past time. If yes, then this idea applies to them as well, haha!

Mind you, scrapbooking materials are not cheap. From papers, card stock and stickers, to die cuts, embellishments and various paper cutting or shaping tools, scrapbooking can be considered an expensive hobby if you don’t know where to source for cheaper materials and best deals.

3D Embellishments available at ACherryOnTop.com

So, if your sweet heart is an enthusiast of scrapbooking, buying her (or him!) a box-full of embellishment can really make her day. Or give her coupon codes or vouchers from scrapbook store so that she won’t have to spend so much when she needs to replenish her paper or card supply. Other craft supplies such as rubber stamps and ink pads, a set of good quality paper cutters, or even papers of different surface texture, could make really nice Valentine’s gift for scrapbookers.

Don’t forget to wrap up the gifts beautifully, e.g. in a basket, and attach a Valentine’ Day card filled with your words of loving to it.

The craze of Christmas shopping had just ended a week ago, but the next shopping whirlwind is about to hit the globe…. in February… and that is… Valentine’s Day!

I suppose from now onwards I will be writing very often on shopping for Valentine’s Day gifts.

So, my first Valentine’s gift idea will be–coffee makers for those who can’t miss their daily dose of caffeine.

Espresso machine
For women or men who are sophisticated, tasteful, love the thick and rich aroma of coffee, and treat coffee drinking beyond it’s-just-a-cup-of-coffee, then an espresso machine is the perfect gift. Espresso machines are also suitable for those who like mixing and experimenting with different ratios of espresso and milk to produce different types of espresso-based coffee beverage, such as latte, cappuccino, macchiato, etc. Of course, with such high-end coffee makers, you should also aspect the price of espresso machines to be high-end, too.

Stove-top espresso makers
For those who love doing things the traditional way, then the stove-top Italian espresso maker is your best bet. People who who hates pushing buttons and turning knobs on hihg-tech machines will like these original espresso makers, haha!

French press
French press coffee makers are for those who are always on the go and want their caffeine fix fast, whether it’s in the morning, or while working in the office.

Whichever coffee makers that you are buying for your sweet Valentine, remember to accompany it with a packet of the best ground coffee powder or the freshest coffee beans. Enjoy your cuppa!