So you’ve been to Los Angeles more than once and ticked off everything your Lonely Planet guide suggested would be fun. You can now rules out a Segway tour of Santa Monica, a drum circle on Venice Beach, an adventurous foray into a Venice pharmacy (followed with a quick back away -you’re really going to sell me what!?) and the usual thrills of Hollywood Boulevard, the Hollywood Sign and the Getty Museum. Depending on your age, career and personal inclinations you may also want to add West Hollywood to that list, Westwood ( a mecca for students and fraternities), Rodeo Drive (lovely on the eyes, hard on the wallet) and Griffith Park (pretty, but watch out for snakes).
Now you can happily tell everyone that you’ve ‘done LA’- but wait! There’s so much more to the sunshine state than 24 hour McDonald drive throughs and exploring new food outlets such as Taco Bell and Jack In The Box (written by a UK based person, OK?).
Within the city of Los Angeles there exists a panoply of alternative attractions all which will add a little more joy to your Los Angeles expedition, so I’d suggest you to sit up straight and get your CTRL+C fingers at the ready.
In no particular order I’d like to welcome you to my five unusual hot spots in Los Angeles- where the crazy never ends and all adults can become kids again.
The LAX Firing Range: Tuition
Sure, you’ve played plenty of Gears of War but have you ever held a 9mm semi automatic Glock in your hands? The answer may be yes if you’re from abroad or have visited Vegas, but even then it’s unlikley that you’ve loaded the magazine, taken apart the gun or looked inside the machine and learnt how to aim correctly.
LAX Firing Range offer a 2 hour training session that costs $99 (including tax) and which takes you from a gasping sweating gun fearing Brit into an armed and dangerous ninja. OK, in reality you turn from someone who whimpers at every bang to a competent and calculated shooter, who memorizes the rules of combat. Taught by a straight up speaking ex marine, the first rule was that on a semi automatic, ’The Safety is the trigger button’. Seriously. The next few rules were equally thrilling (for someone with a Die Hard fetish).
To quote, Rule One: Only point at something you are willing to destroy, Rule 2: Only point when you are ready to shoot and Rule 3: Always check if your gun is loaded.
The 2 hour class taught me how to take a gun apart, put it back together, check if the chamber had bullets in it, learn the release and load buttons for the magazine and learn how to disable a gun if the magazine was empty- but a bullet was still in the chamber.
The year 2011 was all about the tablet computer, we saw the first ever affordable (and good) Android options launch, and people went gaga over the idea of 4G and LTE and the BlackBerry PlayBook. This year, the atmosphere was a little different on the show floor. Yes, we did have a lot of new products coming out, but the main points seemed to be more about the long term trends than any particular product per se. I found this new way of assessing technology pretty interesting however as ways in which the average consumer could integrate some of the trends slowly started to emerge. Here’s my overview of the top five tech trends at CES 2012- let’s see if any of these make it into your home or work this year.
The year of the connected TV
We’ve heard mumblings about connected TVs for some time now (and you can read my article on future predictions here) but there generally have been two barriers to them going mainstream. One has been the pricepoint as most people simply aren’t ready to invest in a new LCD TV so soon, and the second barrier has been confusion over the services offered and the many complex buttons on the remote controls. This year is a little different, as not only were all the big names (SHARP, LG, and SAMSUNG) offering up web ready televisions but they’d also started integrating some pretty helpful features.
I’m talking about TVs that come with an integrated forward facing camera installed, TV’s that feature an upgradeable card slot so that you don’t need to replace the hardware and TV’s that offer remote assistance where the helpdesk can actually program your TV for you if you’re struggling (Sharp Aquos is offering this service). We’re also seeing super slim bezels on offer from a lot of brands, with some a mere 3mm thick- very gasp worthy. One of the new TV areas I’m intrigued by is the increase in peripheral devices, as these allow you to upgrade your TV without buying a new one- such as snap on cameras for Skypeing. Read more…
Now that 2012 has finally arrived, it’s time to start getting revved up for the Olympics (not so far away now), actually start visiting the gym and start tackling some of those resolutions on your list. One of them is bound to be ‘Have a lovely, stylish and geekified home’, so I’ve out together ten great gadget accessories to let you live a lovely geeky life at home.
1. Geek Wall Stickers from Bouf
I’m a big fan of wall decals (easy to apply and remove= no landlord surcharge) and Bouf has an amazing selection. My favourite would have to be the Super Mario wall stickers, which would be amazing for a games room- heck, any room, but they also have a more muted space invader version if you want to class it up.
2.The iPod Duvet set
Show your love for Apple (and your single status) with this super cute coverlet. I wish you could custom order it with your favourite Apps- mine would come complete with Dropbox, TripAdvisor and Byline. Read more…
2011 is making way for 2012 and we get to look forward to a dark January, an escalating Euro crisis and the chaos/excitement of the London 2012 Olympics. It’s not all doom and gloom though as it’s time to take a look back at 2011 and evaluate just who the movers and shakers in the beauty industry were- and think about what will be big in 2012. I’ve previously introduced you to the top ten strange beauty trends in 2010, and in the same vein I’m going to reflect on how the beauty industry has advanced in the last year. Sure there have been the usual celebrity fragrances/product lines/ faces stuck on any old tat, but I’d like to dig a little deeper than just trot out that Kate Moss and the TOWIE girls are doing well. We all know that- what’s more interesting to me is looking at what else is going on in the beauty world.
Magentized Magic
The magnetized nail trend has been very popular in 2011, with numerous brand falling all over themselves to offer women the chance to create a strange gradient effect on their nails. Aping the Crackle craze of 2010, these nail varnishes work by using a formula that contains iron filings in the mixture. You apply, wave the attached magnet (normally in the lid of the product) over the nails, and voila, a cute ripple effect. Yes, you may well have done this when you were 12, but that just goes to show you how circular beauty trend can be- and the effect is very pretty. Read more…
Technology is a fascinating arena as it’s constantly evolving with new and exciting products being released all the time. Many people think that high tech products don’t actually affect them on a day to day basis (unless they’re awaiting the iPhone 5) but there’s actually a lot of stuff that’s getting released that has a direct impact on your health and wellbeing. Many of the newest discoveries can actually enable an easier healthier lifestyle, so I’m eager to share some of the most exciting new ways that technology is moving into the field of health and beauty.
Laser Hair Removal using Sound Waves
Laser hair removal has gained popularity and affordability in the last few years, but it’s still a slightly uncomfortable procedure which involves lots of zapping and messy gels being used. Clinogen Laboratories has developed a new way of doing this using a product called the Epil Sonic which uses sound waves to identify and destroy the hair root.
It’s not a perfect treatment as to channel the sound energy down the hair shaft you do need to use a ‘probe’ which might be uncomfortable, but the sonic power of the soundwaves is able to disable the hair follicle and lead to a reduction of hair growth in the chosen areas. Sound energy coupled with static causes no trauma to the surrounding skin and over a period of 6-8 months can lead to a serious reduction in hair growth.
Due to the nature of this treatment you can treat all areas-even those considered particularly tender- without burning or pigmentation. Whats really exciting is that the Epil Sonic treatment doesn’t target melanin like normal laser treatments, so you can actually treat ALL hair colours including grey, white and red air as well as tanned skin (which would normally burn). FYI, shouting won’t work- you have to go and actually use the Epil Sonic machines for the right frequency. Check them out here.
Perfect Sizing in the fitting room with Fits.me
I love shopping online but I find it frustrating that I need to order an outfit in two or three sizes to make sure that it will fit perfectly. I can blame the fact that companies use different sizing, or I can use the FitBot to enable a perfect fit every time. The Fitbot is a robotic mannequin that comprises of a series of shifting mechanical muscles that adjust based on your measurements. How it works is that websites that are enabled with the Fits.me technology will accept your measurements and you can get an idea of how an item of clothing will hang on your exact physical shape. Read more…
I get very depressed each time winter rolls around, and not just because I have to put my shorts away for six months. I suffer from something called Seasonal Affective Disorder (also known as SAD) which means I have a strong reaction to the lack of light and heat in the day. Yes, I know most people prefer summer to winter, but my symptoms are significant enough for me to actually have this condition. I become incredibly lethargic, have problems sleeping and getting out of bed, and lack energy during the day and I’m snappy, irritable and tearful. People may all get these to varying degrees, but I get this so severely I have to take counter measures, so I don’t spend four months hibernating till I see sun again. The theory behind people getting SAD is that the lack of light causes an increase in Melatonin (the sleep hormone) and a reduction in Serotonin (the happy hormone*). When humans were less advanced and farmed the land, we’d all be getting enough light-even in Winter- but modern day means we’re cooped in offices or on the tube and miss out on vital sun time.
Here are five ways to help keep your SAD under control- they help, not heal, as there is no one stop cure, it’s more of an improved sense of well being due to managing lifestyle factors.
Botox for a better mood
It may sound odd, but having Botox just before winter could actively improve your SAD symptoms. Why is this the case? Some researchers believe that paralyzing the muscles between the eyebrows has a significant reduction on people diagnosed with depression.
Dr Eric Finzi started studying the effects of Botox injections on depressive disorder in 2006. He found that after 2 months all subjects had markedly improved in temperament. Her argues this wasn’t due to increased body image, it was because “if you inhibit the ability of this muscle to contract, you’re actually going to feel less sadness and anger. You’re actually going to have more difficulty feeling the emotion because feelings are not just something that’s happening in the brain.”
Richard Alleyne, science writer for the Telegraph says that, ‘The anti-wrinkle drug can make people feel better because it stops them frowning when they are unhappy which feeds back to the brain reducing the intensity of the feeling.’
Another study- this one by the US Association for Psychological Science found tested a group of 40 people with Botox. They were asked to read out a series of statements ranging in tone from positive to negative, before and after treatment. They discovered a small time delay on the negative statements occurring after treatment, which researcher David Havas finds significant because it suggests the brain takes longer to process the emotion behind the statements. Read more…
Waiter free bars? Sex doll styled Maitre D’s. Ice cream created wearing safety glasses and lab coats? Sounds futuristic, but all of these restaurants do exist, and I’ve sourced the most fascinating to share with you. Dining should be about more than food- enjoy my guide to the top ten High Tech Restaurants of the world.
Number one: Inamo Restaurant, London
Inamo Restaurant is located in Central London and serves you up sushi with a side helping of gadgetry. Everything about this restaurant had been optimized tech wise, from the iPad they check your reservations on to the touchscreen tables where you can order your food. The touchscreen tables are the most interesting part of the restaurant as they offer you so many things. They’re very pretty to look at, as you can choose what colour the table will be (and change it at whim) as well as whether you want it to be flowers/ stripes etc- design led technological place mats. To adjust the table you use a small circular touchpad in the left hand corner- there are no buttons but by moving your fingers and double tapping you can navigate around.
Essentially theses areas act as a mouse and you use an on table menu to navigate settings. There are games to play- should you WANT to play a game whilst eating and you can use the menu to order cocktails and food to your table. You do get waiter service as well, but this is an addition if you’re hungry and want more- or only want to order digitally. You can also access a webcam that goes into the kitchen to see the chef at work. I was excited about this, but the image is fairly blurry, so it’s not as good as it sounds. The menu also lets you choose your next location, which is cool, so when you leave you know what bar/club you’re retiring too. Read more…
