Monthly Archives: June 2014

Casual Fashion From ApparelnBags

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Beeb wearing pants from ApparelnBags

Pants provided for review.

I don’t really own a lot of casual clothes – I’m either dressed to the nines, or in my pajamas. Because I have a home office, I will readily admit that I work in my pajamas a great deal of the time – it is one of the perks of self-employment that I choose to take advantage of. Besides, “Home office” means that work never ends, so if I have to work on a project in my office at 11 PM, I think I’ve earned the comfort of pajamas. 😉

At any rate, I’m always on the lookout for pajama pants that are comfortable and not too frumpy. So when ApparelnBags.com reached out to me for a product review, I thought this would be a great time to add to my cozy pant collection. My goal was to find a basic, comfortable pair of plain black PJ or sweatpants. I found scores of activewear and yoga pants in their women’s clothing section, and browsed through several different styles. Some of the sizes seemed to run small, but it totally varies by brand – I appreciated that they put an actual sizing chart in inches with most of their pants, which made it easy to know which pants would fit or not.

I settled on this pair of Gildan Ladies Open Bottom Pant in size large:

Gildan pants

The pants fit exactly as the sizing chart said which was awesome! It can be hard to get pants that fit right, especially ordering online. The material is thick and seems quite durable – they are comfortable and very warm, so they’ll be best suited to colder months.

Beeb's casual outfit

I guess I can’t say that I don’t have any casual outfits anymore, since I paired this with a pink top and it was pretty cute – the perfect thing to wear for a relaxing night in with close friends!

The only bummer is that I seem to have inadvertently shrunk these pants – the tag says they can be machine washed on warm, but I think I might have messed up and thrown them in a load of hot water with towels, because they seemed smaller last time I put them on. Duh!

ApparelnBags have all kinds of activewear, PJs, outerwear, and accessories, and I’d happily browse their store again. You can visit them at ApparelnBags.com, and become a fan on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Interactive Experiences Coming to Diagon Alley

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The Knight Bus

Puppets? Music? Goblin bankers? All of this and more is coming to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley expansion:

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 4, 2014) – Imagine wandering up the cobbled street of Diagon Alley, turning into nearby Carkitt Market, and enjoying a live performance by one of the wizarding world’s most popular singing sensations or seeing stories from The Tales of Beedle the Bard come to life right before your eyes.

Today, Universal Orlando Resort revealed the exciting details behind the unique entertainment and interactive experiences that will debut as part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, the all-new, magnificently themed land opening this summer at Universal Studios Florida.

While exploring the streets of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, guests will be able to enjoy the following shows:

· The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a new stage show taking place within Carkitt Market, a covered, outdoor shopping area inspired by London’s famous markets. The show will feature a troupe of four from the Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts who have set up to perform a trunk show using stylized scenic pieces, props and puppetry fabricated by Emmy-award-winning designer Michael Curry. Curry is best known as the production designer on projects including the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony and the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.

The performers will retell two of the famed tales of Beedle the Bard, a 15th-century author of wizarding fairytales. The show will feature “The Fountain of Fair Fortune”, in which three witches and a knight meet in their attempt to reach the Fountain in an enchanted garden, and “The Tale of the Three Brothers” – featured in the seventh film “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” – in which three wizard brothers come face to face with Death.

· The Singing Sorceress: Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees, a musical performance featuring the ever-popular singing sensation of the wizarding world, known from the books as Molly Weasley’s favorite singer, who she listens to on the Wizarding Wireless Network. The swinging show will feature never-before heard songs including, “A Cauldron Full Of Hot, Strong Love,” “You Stole My Cauldron But You Can’t Have My Heart” and “You Charmed The Heart Right Out Of Me”. These titles were all created by J.K. Rowling and the lyrics also include never-before-revealed information on Celestina’s wand from Pottermore.

There will also be various interactive opportunities for guests to enjoy while visiting London and Diagon Alley:

· The Knight Bus, which provides emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard in the Harry Potter books and films, is located in the London area of the new land. Guests will be able to meet and chat with the Knight Bus Conductor, and witness his rapport with the shrunken head hanging from the rear-view mirror. The iconic three-story, purple Knight Bus was inspired by its first appearance in the third film, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.”

· Gringotts Money Exchange, a place where guests will be able to interact with a Gringotts bank goblin and exchange their Muggle currency for Wizarding Bank Notes. These bank notes can be used within both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade (and throughout the rest of Universal’s two theme parks) to purchase snacks and items from the shops.

· Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC, one of the wizarding world’s premier wand shops. Visitors to Ollivanders will step into the small, dusty shop and experience “a wand choosing a wizard” firsthand, reminiscent of one of the most iconic scenes from the Harry Potter books and films. This interactive experience is also available at Ollivanders in Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

“Bringing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley to life has allowed our team to create show content and experiences that will take guests further into the fiction than ever before,” says Michael Aiello, Creative Development Director for Universal Orlando’s Entertainment team. “Nowhere else in the world will guests be able to enjoy these unique experiences – from watching a stage show based on the popular wizarding stories from “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” to enjoying the music of Celestina Warbeck, a character from the fiction.”

Total Gym XLS: June 2014 Update

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We received a complimentary Total Gym XLS for the purposes of this series; this post also contains affiliate links. This article is an account of our personal experience only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any medical condition. Always consult with physician before embarking on any fitness program.

Last month was so much better for Jai and I from a health standpoint. Knock on wood, flu season is over, and just in time for the weather warming up and creating the perfect setting for getting more active. We’ve been able to use our Total Gym XLS a bunch and really benefiting – Jai has been doing a wide variety of strength training exercises, while I’ve been really focusing on ab workouts. I can feel my core strength developing along with my knee strength, and I can see overall muscle tone improvements, so I’m feeling great! Check out our video to hear more on what we’ve been working on and the results we’ve been getting.