mySimon shopping blog

Double Strand Freshwater Cultured Pearl Bracelet

May 1, 2008, 11:08AM

pearl bracelet from Blue Nile? It's got 2 strands of freshwater cultured pearls and a (sentimental) sterling silver double heart clasp. It works with both office and evening attire, and costs just $55. More Blue Nile pearl bracelets. More Mother's Day gifts under $100.]]>

Samsung LN52A650 LCD TV

May 1, 2008, 10:54AM

Samsung LN52A650 is a thing of beauty. This 52" LCD HDTV (1080p) stands out for its dark red frame, excellent black-level performance, and wealth of features. In addition to 4 HDMI inputs, 2 component video inputs, a PC input, multiple picture modes and controls, and a 120Hz refresh rate, the TV has an ethernet port, so it can display Internet news, local weather, and stock ticker info in the corner of whatever you're watching. More Samsung LCD TVs.]]>

GSI Outdoor Ultralight Dualist Cooking System

April 30, 2008, 4:43PM

Dualist cooking system, everything you need for outdoor cooking for 2 people fits inside one pot, and the whole thing weighs just over a pound. This set includes 2 insulated cups, 2 bowls, 2 Sip-It tops, a 1.8-liter pot with a lid that has small holes for straining pasta, and a carrying sack that doubles as a sink or water-hauling container. Backpacker says: "The nine-piece cookset simply disappears into itself." The Soloist is the same thing, but for one person.]]>

iFrogz Audiowrapz iPod Nano Case

April 29, 2008, 5:01PM

iFrogz Audiowrapz aren't just cases for third-generation iPod Nanos. They're also speakers. But they're "passive speakers," which means there are no built-in amplifiers, and they don't need batteries or draw power from the Nano. The speakers probably don't provide boombox sound quality, but we like the idea of sharing music without sharing headphones. More iPod Nano cases.]]>

Forever Stamps

April 29, 2008, 4:47PM

Forever Stamps. You pay whatever the current stamp price is, and the stamps are always good, no matter how many times the Post Office raises prices in the future. The Forever Stamp features a computer-generated image of the Liberty Bell by nationally acclaimed artist Tom Engeman of Brunswick, MD. ]]>

Frontgate Contempo Patio Furniture

April 28, 2008, 4:07PM

Contempo modular patio furniture collection. The rain- and sun-resistant black wicker is woven over an aluminum (read: lightweight! won't rust!) frame for a sleek, modern look. And the thick, easy-to-clean cushions resist fading and stains. If only Frontgate's stuff came with Pier 1 price tags. More patio furniture.]]>

Mario Kart Wii

April 28, 2008, 3:40PM

Grand Theft Auto IV isn't the only big video game release this week. Mario Kart Wii just came out too. The game features 32 different courses, an all-new stunt system, motorcycles and dirt bikes in addition to go-karts, and the ability to play online with 11 friends. GameSpot says Mario Kart Wii "is one of the best and most accessible experiences available on the Nintendo Wii."]]>

Gladiator Garageworks

April 25, 2008, 4:55PM

Gladiator GarageWorks, "the only complete garage organization system that also includes appliances." Created by Whirlpool, this line of heavy-duty modular storage cabinets, workbenches, wall systems, and flooring will make your garage/basement look so good you'll actually want to spend time in there working on all those projects you've been putting off. ]]>

Maxi Dress or Muumuu?

April 25, 2008, 3:57PM

tunics (are they long shirts? short dresses? maternity tops?). Mini dresses are also popular, as long as the wind doesn't blow and you don't have to sit down. At the other extreme is the maxi dress, the definition of which seems to be "a loose-fitting warm-weather dress that comes down to your ankles." Kind of like a muumuu, but less Hawaiian. The one shown here is by Diane von Furstenberg.]]>

GoLite Adrenaline Sleeping Bags

April 24, 2008, 2:52PM

GoLite's Adrenaline sleeping bags an Editors' Choice award, saying "These sacks are warm like the Grand Canyon is big: You gotta experience it to understand it." The lightweight bags have a trimmer mummy shape that ensures a close fit, warmth efficiency, and core temperature regulation. Available in men's and women's sizes, they're made with premium 800-fill goose down and are waterproof at the head and feet to protect against condensation. Choose bags rated to 0, 20, or 40 degrees. More sleeping bags.]]>

Cole Haan Sunglasses

April 24, 2008, 2:26PM

Cole Haan sunglasses are like Cole Haan shoes, belts, and bags: Understated, high quality, timeless, and expensive but worth it. And now Zappos has more than 60 pairs of them, for men and women, in styles ranging from Risky Business to John Lennon to Fashionista (our words, not theirs). Choose plastic or metal frames in a variety of colors. All sunglasses come with protective (sometimes leather) cases. And when you buy from Zappos, shipping is always free, including return shipping if you change your mind. Browse our Sunglasses department for more brands and styles.]]>

Destination Doormats

April 23, 2008, 5:10PM

destination doormats are 24" across and .5" high, so you can use them as doormats, or add some flair to your garage, basement, or bathroom. Choose New York, Chicago, Paris, or "You Are Here."]]>

Public Enemy Action Figures

April 23, 2008, 10:12AM

Public Enemy action figures by Mezco. Chuck D comes with a hat a microphone, while Flavor Flav comes with a Viking helmet, baseball hat, sunglasses, clock, and microphone. Mezco also makes some great Family Guy action figures.]]>

Ecobags

April 22, 2008, 5:21PM

Ecobags. Reusable cloth bags don't get much more basic than this - organic, recycled, untreated, and unbleached cotton (and no pretentious designer slogans declaring "I'm not a plastic bag.") Of course, choosing canvas over plastic isn't going to singlehandedly save the environment, but it's a step in the right direction. More tote bags made from recycled materials.]]>

Homedics HealthStation Scale and Body Composition Scanner

April 22, 2008, 4:36PM

Homedics HealthStation scale, Real Simple magazine's pick for best advanced scale, measures your body fat, body water, muscle mass, and bone mass. It's also got a Daily Calorie Predictor that tells you how many calories you should be consuming each day. Which makes us wonder if it also knows about that pint of Haagen Dazs we ate last night. Anyway, it runs on AAA batteries and you can create personalized settings for up to 12 different people in your house. More Homedics scales.]]>

Nike Air Rejuven8 Shoes

April 22, 2008, 4:06PM

Air Rejuven8 shoes are designed to help your feet recover from intense workouts, and to develop the muscles in your feet, so you can run faster. (Studies suggest that barefoot runners have stronger feet than shoe-clad runners.) The shoes have deep cuts in the outsole so your feet flex and move the way they would if you were barefoot. And they're super lightweight with a breathable spacer mesh design. Choose from several different colors. More Nike shoes.]]>

Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS

April 21, 2008, 5:29PM

Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS. The successor to last year's popular SD1000 (which now costs less than $160), this 8-megapixel camera offers great image quality, optical image stabilization, face detection, fast performance, and minimal shutter lag. It's got a 2.5" LCD display, an optical viewfinder, and comes in 5 different colors. More Canon cameras.]]>

Carrie Bicycle Basket

April 21, 2008, 5:19PM

Carrie bicycle basket. The basket is made out of rugged plastic and has a lace design (the deisgner was inspired by the Swedish tablecloths her grandmother once used for tea). It comes with everything you need to attach it to your bike, as well as a strap so you can use it as a shopping basket. Oprah says to buy it for $75 at Design House Stockholm, but we found it for $47 at Unica Home.]]>

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 3-Person Tent

April 17, 2008, 3:12PM

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 3-person tent. Backpacker magazine says "you simply won't find anything else this light, roomy, and weatherproof." The 3-season tent sleeps 3 people comfortably, protects you from heavy wind and rain, and comes with the footprint. But for this much money it should come with a butler too. More 3-season tents.]]>

Juno DVD

April 16, 2008, 5:33PM

Juno came out on DVD this week and it's already a bestseller on Amazon. If you haven't seen it, it's about a high school girl who gets pregnant and decides to give her baby up for adoption. Diablo Cody won an Oscar for the witty screenplay. USA Today calls Juno "a likably cynical comedy" that is "actually about hope" and "charming, honest, and terrifically acted." And the movie is #10 on Rolling Stone's list of the 10 best movies of 2007.]]>

LG Voyager VX10000 (Verizon)

April 16, 2008, 4:46PM

iPhone, you have to be an AT&T customer, at least for the next 5 years. But Verizon customers can get many of the same features in the LG Voyager VX1000. Although it doesn't have Wi-Fi, it does have a huge 2.8" touchscreen display and a full tactile QWERTY keyboard. The Voyager offers Web browsing, EV-DO support, a music player with dual speakers (stereo!), Bluetooth, integrated GPS, speakerphone, and a 2-megapixel camera and camcorder. And for an extra $15 a month, you get access to the V Cast Mobile TV service. More Verizon phones.]]>

Alessi "Cico" Egg Cup

April 16, 2008, 4:25PM

Alessi's Cico egg cup for Mother's Day. Cico's head holds the egg, his hand holds the spoon, and his hat holds the salt. Cute and functional at the same time! Cico is made out of thermoplastic resin and comes in four fun colors. More Mother's Day gifts under $50. More Alessi kitchenware.]]>

Grand Theft Auto IV

April 15, 2008, 4:58PM

Grand Theft Auto IV, comes out in 2 weeks, but stores are already accepting preorders. The game follows Niko Bellic, an Eastern European immigrant, as he tries to make a fresh start in Liberty City (based on NY and NJ), but is instead "dragged into a criminal underworld by a series of shysters, thieves, and sociopaths." We hear the game features densely packed vertical environments, on-mission and off-mission play, and incredibly realistic detail.]]>

Samsung PN50A550 50" Plasma HDTV

April 15, 2008, 4:15PM

50" plasma TV from Samsung. Plasma still produces better images than LCDs, and this 1080p one has great color accuracy, a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio for deeper blacks and brighter whites, 3 HDMI inputs, and all kinds of picture controls and settings, including picture-in-picture. And without its stand, it's only 3.8" deep. More Samsung plasma TVs.]]>

Franco Sarto Diva Clutch

April 14, 2008, 5:21PM

Franco Sarto Diva clutch. We think it makes a good Mother's Day gift. Not that your Mom's a diva; we just like this bag. It's big enough to hold all the essentials, yet small enough that it won't cause Mom any back pain. Choose pink, white, yellow, or black. More Franco Sarto handbags. More Mother's Day gifts under $100.]]>