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The BOSU 45 is a great addition to any home gym.  It is the smallest and most affordable member of the BOSU family.  Don’t be fooled by it’s size.  Extremely versatile, the BOSU is essentially four pieces of exercise equipment in one.  You can use it as a stability ball, balance disc, wobble board and a plyometrics box.

While most frequently used for core strengthening and balance training, any exercises you do on the floor can be enhanced by doing them on the BOSU.  With the bubble side up you can sit, stand, lie, kneel and jump on it.  Flip it over, so the platform side is up, and you can do push-ups and stand on it for an advanced form a balance training.

The BOSU Sport 45 Balance Trainer is made from latex free, burst resistant material and will hold up to 300 pounds.  It comes with a pump, plug and an instructional manual.

First there was Sex and the City, then came Cashmere Mafia, and now it’s all about Lipstick Jungle. If you want to score the fashions from the NBC show Lipstick Jungle, just tune in to ThisNext. Starting now, through April 7, our always-fabulous Fashion Kitty (hey, that’s me) will be answering your Lipstick Jungle fashion questions on the site. Simply submit a compliment to Fashion Kitty that includes your question. On April 7, your questions will be answered on ThisNext’s Lipstick Jungle page.

 

The Woodway Path path is an excellent treadmill.  The running/walking surface really sets the Path apart from other treadmills.  The track is 22” x 52”, so it’s a little shorter than most treadmillls and it may take you some time to get used to that.  But, the shorter track also makes it perfect for home use.  The 47 individual vulcanized rubber slats that make up the track are outstanding shock absorbers, easing the impact on your joints.  And with a life expectancy of 130,000 to 150,000 miles, this surface is built to last.

Some of the other features include:

• top speed of 11 MPH
• maximum incline of 15%
• integrated heart rate monitoring
• emergency stop magnet (magnet end attaches to the console, the other end clips to your shirt)
• mulitiple LED readouts show your speed, incline, distance, time and heart rate

If you’d like, you can also customize the treadmill by adding a polar heart rate strap, increasing max speed to 15 MPH, or enabling the running/walking surface to move in reverse.

The Path is a great way for you to burn calories and get into shape with a club quality treadmill in your own home.

After going to Sephora in search of my Chanel waterproof eyeliner only to find that Sephora doesn’t carry Chanel eyeliner in the store, I had to settle for something else.

I am glad I did.

 I was pointed to Make Up For Ever’s waterproof eyeliner pencil and I love it. Not only was it $10 cheap than Chanel’s it seems to me like it’s just as fabulous. 

Today was my first day using it. I put it on at 9:00am and here it is past 3:00 and my liner is still in place. My eyeshadow is all creased but that is an issue all on it’s own (damn you MAC— just kidding MAC I still love you).

Make Up For Ever says this eyeliner will last throughout the most extreme conditions. We will see about that, I am going to give this liner a run for it’s money tonight. I will let you know how it goes.

As a personal trainer, my muscles get tight and sore a lot, especially if I’ve been testing out a new exercise or workout before using it with a client.  And there are days when I could use a massage to ease relax and relieve my stress.  The problem is, a random stranger oiling me up and rubbing my body really creeps me out.  Luckily, the Knobble II, a pressure point massage tool, is there to bail me out.

About the size of a doorknob, the Knobble is used for massaging acupoints, knots and areas of tension in your body.  The device also improves your circulation and helps with the release of soft muscle tension.  The design of the product further helps reduces stress in the hand similar to the way the stress ball works.

Abaete- Designer Laura Poretzky was excited to design a line of shoes that everyone could afford. Her shoes are easy to wear, as the heels are not too high while the shoe remains sexy. Her line for Payless also has sunglasses, watches, and handbags. Prices range from $14-$30.

Lela Rose- Casual luxury is the name of the game for Lela Rose and her collection certainly embodies that. I love her polka dot pumps the most but I am also a fan of the sling back flats — and I am not even a flats girl.

Alice + Olivia- Contemporary designer Stacey Bendet of Alice + Olivia has created an exciting and affordable line for Payless. I can’t get enough of these bright yellow wedges; they are sale too for a cool $32.99.

Ever get tired of buying furniture that only lasts you a couple of years at most? How about replacing it with pieces you know will only last you a couple more years? Stil, most of us rarely give much thought to real alternatives. It’s easy to dismiss expensive furniture as too extravagant, but when you add up the cost of several expendable pieces over the course of an adult lifetime, the price of strikingly unique furniture designed to last starts looking a little more reasonable.

Skram is a young furniture design firm that has been building visibility for just a few years. One of the brand’s signature pieces is this Lineground armchair, which blends Skram’s taste for quirky lines with an understatement that is going to look as contemporary in 20 years as it does now. The solid wood blend of walnut, sycamore, and oak is hand-polished for visual warmth, and this chair has the handcrafted look that you simply cannot get from a cheaper piece. The point is an item of furniture that will last you forever, but it’s impossible to overoook this chair’s visual appeal.

As hard as it is to admit in the online world of get up and go that we all live in, I’ve never been a fan of coffee. This fact still earns me incredulous looks and gasps as my fellow denizens of the blogging world traipse off to Starbucks together. My poison of choice was Diet Coke… until I discovered that it might be just as bad for me as coffee is purported to be.

So where does that leave me? In search of current caffeine alternatives that won’t land me six feet under. Thankfully there’s a lot of different things out there I need to start trying. Like Shower Shock Caffeinated Soap. Soap? With caffeine in it? You mean, I can take a shower and wake up at the same time? Apparently so. For the less hygeine-oriented there’s also SumSeeds Caffeinated Sunflower Seeds, which will wake you up while you find a place to spit the shells,

For the less faint of heart, you can try out the SurgeStix Inhalable Caffeine Sticks. Of course, this is a little bit too close to sniffing an actual drug for my tastes, unless the “surge” in question is coming from sugar. If all else fails, I can just adorn my body with the chemical symbol for the drug my body is trying so hard to absorb. Thankfully I can do it with t-shirts, earrings, keychains, or even this handy Caffeine Symbol Necklace. Maybe it’ll work through osmosis, and give me some street credit as well.

How an item of furniture become a classic can be a nebulous concept. Some are pushed heavily by manufacturers from the time they hit the market (think Ikea); some are only later iconized through editorial as having lasting artistic value (think Eames). Others are forgotten for years, only later discovered by a brand that chooses to produce a forgotten design. Start thinking about the Sawbuck Chair.

The chair was originally designed in 1951 by Hans Wegner, a significant Danish industrial designer who passed away last year. No mere timely show of respect, the exclusive production of this design is a savvy move for Room & Board, taking advantage of an under-appreciated modern gem. This chair’s fit in a sophisticated modern space is obvious.

The simple lounge lacks pretense and creates comfort through a subtly relaxed form. Visually striking, the chair incorporates oak and walnut, which gently play off of each other and create a handcrafted sensibility. Great design comes with its price, but this chair is built to last and features timeless design.

Victory Ford is my favorite character on the NBC show Lipstick Jungle. She is a fashion designer on the show so naturally she has some killer pieces in her wardrobe.

I would describe her style as girly-chic — she mixes classic pieces with funky ones and always seems to look great.  Some of Victory’s favorite designers seem to be Peter Som, Giuseppe Zanotti, and even some lower priced contemporary pieces like L.A.M.B.

You can get Victory’s look just by checking out ThisNext’s Lipstick Jungle Fashion page here>>

See more of my Lipstick Jungle Fashion: Victory Ford list at ThisNext.

Neon Flare Sunglasses:
If attention is what you seek then look no further these neon flare sunglasses are the shades for you! Available at Fred Flare for only 10 dollars!

Spitfire to Infinity83 Sunglasses:
I am pretty sure Gwen Stefani made this style popular and if Gwen approves so do I! These Spitfire to Infinity83 sunglasses are so sleek and they’ll make anyone look like a rockstar.

Juicy Couture Maison Plastic Sunglasses: 
Juicy Couture have made these plastic sunglasses fit for the hippest princess.

Michael Kors Oversized Frame with Silver Detail: 
I love this style. It’s retro chic and so Hollywood.

Jeepers Peepers Retro Sunglasses:
Nice pair to have in the car or in your purse because they go with anything you’re wearing.

Flat Top Aviator Sunglasses in Yellow:
Yellow is a one of my fave colors this year and these are not only yellow but they’re aviator style!  

(via  Colored Sunglasses for a Fresh Four-Eyed Look)

I do a lot of crazy things but painting my own $1300.00 handbag is not one of them.

This coated canvas Fendi baguette is the same type of bag that was so hot in the Sex and the City days.  The only difference is that Carrie’s bag didn’t come blank and ready to decorate.  Since you ain’t no Carrie you have to get out your magic markers to decorate one yourself.

But how?

With Pantone Universe markers of course.  Ten markers are packed inside a cute little Fendi box that comes with your blank canvas of a bag. Decorate your little heart out but if you mess up you are SOL.  The bags must be returned in their original condition only.  Sorry Picasso.

In a world where the immediacy of email and instant messaging makes correspondence involving any real effort seem a bit quaint and dated, putting some thought into a piece of snail mail can mean a lot. Penning an actual letter may be going a bit overboard for many of us, but simply dropping a postcard in the mail can go a long way. Because who doesn’t like getting a piece of mail from a friend?

This Marimekko Unikko Postcards set, featuring creations by Finish textile designer Maija Isola, collects 16 unique patterns in various styles. The patterns are versatile enough to give you a few options that feel appropriate with most any message they might carry. The reverse side of each card also features the Marimekko brand logo and a credit to the artist.

I have been looking forward to Vera Wang’s Spring collection for Kohls to drop for quite sometime, ever since I bought up everything from her Fall/Winter line.  It’s actually pretty crazy (for me) that I bought into the line because I am not the biggest fan of Kohls.  Vera Wang turned my relationship with Kohls around with pieces that are well made, well designed, and most importantly affordable. 

Some of my favorite pieces right now are the bright yellow leggings, the jeweled headband, and of course the peep toe shoes.  Do you have a favorite piece from the collection?  

See more of my Cheap & Chic: Simply Vera Wang list at ThisNext.