Product I love: Nail Polish Strips

Don’t you hate it when you have just done your own manicure for your vacation and then 10 minutes after you get off the plane it chips and looks a mess? Did you pack your bottle for touch-ups? No! Did you bring remover? No! So, now you have a few options:

·         Buy remover and go bare.

·         Buy a similar color and touch it up.

·         Head to a nearby salon and have them make it fab again.

·         Ignore it and hope nobody else notices your chippy nails for the next week or more.

For the last few years, I would try to buy fun bottles of nail lacquer that could easily fit in my toiletry bag, but with the TSA ban on liquids, I need all the free space I can get in my 3-1-1 bag, so polish and remover just don’t fit – and if they spill, it’s the worst mess ever. My solution doesn’t require any extra room and touch ups only require a nail file!

Nail polish strips are on trend right now, because they are inexpensive and come in funky designs that match anything you want. Pastels are in, so you can easily sport baby pink nails with white polka dots, a girly plaid, florals or even birds. For going out, try animal prints, jeweled tips or dark, sparkly strips. You can’t go wrong. They are easy to apply, easy to remove and can be switched out super fast. You don’t have to go to the salon to get a new amazing manicure. You can do it at home.

Each pack comes with enough to do your nails at least once. If your nails are short, you may be able to do them two or three times with the same pack, thereby saving even more money over a professional salon. Simply peel the strip off the backing, place it on your nail, firmly press it down flat and file off the end. Repeat with the rest of your nails. You can even do it on your toes! If your nail “chips”, peel off the strip - or remove like regular polish - and put a new one on. Viola!

Who's Going Where This Summer?

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Summer is coming and a majority of American's will be traveling. Are you among them? We'll be taking our full vacation in the fall, but like many others, we will be taking a trip this summer as well. I DO think you can get away with spending less per person than shown, but this infographic will show you the hotspots this year. Either you want to join the throngs of travelers or avoid the top 10 destinations.

Brought to you by Brian Halstrom

So, how do you compare with these summer travel stats? 

London's HMS Belfast: Life Aboard a Real Warship

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If you’re like me, you often wonder what it’s like inside those big ships you see on the river. What do the kitchens look like? Where do crewmen sleep? What do they do for fun…if they have any onboard entertainment? Well, you can learn about all these things and more if you take a trip aboard the HMS Belfast on the Thames. See the ins and outs of crew life and hear about incredible stories of those that served its nine decks. It’s not often you get a chance to climb aboard a real warship. Though no longer in active service, the ship is an amazing piece of history and is the last remaining vessel of its kind.

Each tour admission includes an audio guide to help you navigate through the ship and learn everything you can, from how it was to eat in the mess hall to what it was like working in the engine room. There are recreations in every part of the ship, so you can see what it was really like. It is one of the most unique experiences you can find along the Thames.

A trip aboard the HMS Belfast comes complete with access to the Walrus Café and the gift shop, where you can find everything you could possibly want to remember your tour, including books, CDs, clothing, toys and souvenirs. You could easily spend several hours on the ship, listening to commentary, speaking to the crew on board, and enjoying seeing things like the chapel, the library and the medic facilities. I was truly fascinated by it all and we even caught a rare glimpse of Tower Bridge rising for a passing ship. Entry fees are very affordable at £14.00 for adults 16 and over. Under 16 are free when accompanied by an adult. 

Have you ever explored a warship?