Mira Masalla

I took my nine-year-old daughter shopping the other day so she could pick out her birthday present. Now I know what you’re thinking, but this little girl is so precocious and wise beyond her years that she’s actually the one that suggested we handle all gift giving this way. After too many failed attempts at trying to surprise her, last year she told me and her mom that instead of gifts that she would eventually just tire of, she wanted us to deposit all money that we would spend on gifts into her college bank account. So we compromised and said that in addition to regular increased deposits, we would take her shopping to pick out something she really needed so she wouldn’t miss out on the total birthday experience.

So on this latest excursion we headed off to the pet store to look at pet carriers for her puppy Oscar. She loves her little dog so much, but sometimes I wonder if she spends too much time with him. For example, upon returning from a recent business trip, my wife informed me that our daughter had chosen, on more than one occasion, to stay in and play with Oscar instead of going over to friends’ for sleepovers. Hopefully this is all just a phase that she will grow out of.

If you’ve finally reached a place in your life where you have some extra money laying around, then it’s time to invest in your dreams. And if your dream happens to include having your very own bar in your home, then now is the time to build one. The complicated plumbing and wiring can be done by the professionals, but the aesthetic choices are all up to you. A bar has to give off a vibe that’s easy going and fun with the possibility of things getting crazy. Installing some led cabinet lights can really do the trick here. Mood lighting is one thing successful bars always have.
A bar in your home can be a great conversation starter and it can really draw in a few new friends. Your home may become the place to be in your neighborhood. Once you have the basic setup, then stocking it with your favorite beers and liquors can be a treat to see after you are done. Adding some color to your bar can also be a great option. Getting a roll of red rope lights and putting them up around your bar can be a real crowd pleaser. If you want your home to be the center of attention, putting in a simple bar can help you achieve your dream.

Acne products definitely constitute a minimum of 5 percent of stocks at a local medical front store. The severe occurrence of acne amongst our young population and sometimes affects young people of higher age groups too. Overcoming these is akin to multi-pronged treatment plans such as those adopted for high profile diseases such as cancer etc. As a matter of fact, the metros are seeing a spurt in the growth of new specialized acne treatment clinics that treat acne, spots but also control the oil production in its clientele.

Acne treatment requires medication that contains chemicals that will dissipate the skin of the zits, dissolve the clogged impurity within, and then begin the healing process of smoothening the skin over the protrusion. While some medications such as a very popular over the counter product such as ProActive, works on multiple fronts such as a cleanser, tones aswell as a repair lotion. The most important ingredient is Benzoyl Peroxide and are easy to use products. Similar brands of products essentially performing the same function are available for around a dollar.
While some such as ProActive and other products by this brand are very popular for being effective products, one needs to exercise precaution and choose only well reviewed over the counter acne controlling products.

Just when you thought you’d been to enough birthday parties and seen everything, you come across new and crazy products that make a party unique.

How about birthday candles burning in flames of red, purple, green, orange and blue? It’s a blazing rainbow—well, hopefully there aren’t enough candles to be blazing, but it’s certainly colorful. The clean-burning soy wax candles come in packages of twelve for only a few dollars.

For the spring birthday, purchase plain-colored birthday hats that the children decorate with spring stickers of flowers, bunnies and chicks. Add the flower shaped musical spinning birthday candle and you have a hit that’s sure to fascinate them.

The musical spinning birthday candle starts out as a simple flower but when lit, fourteen smaller outer candles light and the entire candle spins slowly while playing ‘Happy Birthday to You’. We’ve all seen singing birthday cards, but have you seen this singing birthday candle?

To have the party that’s truly a blast, you need kaboom birthday candles. Each candle looks like a small bomb with a fuse. When lit, the wicks spark and sputter similar to a bomb fuse about to explode. The candles, however, are simply candles in disguise.