mySimon Shopping Picks

As the weather starts to heat up, chances are your dog feels the heat too. The Canine Cooler pet bed, from the people who brought you the Chillow, will help keep your pooch as cool as a cucumber all summer long. The thermoregulating design eases dogs' discomfort from the heat, joint and hip problems, and skin disorders, and even repels fleas. It's non-toxic, non-electric, easy to clean, and thick enough to park a truck on without popping it. Available in small, medium, and large sizes. We're keeping our fingers crossed for an adult human size. (Not that we have fleas; we just hate hot weather.)

The Bugaboo Bee stroller is now available in pink. When unfolded this "compact, nimble, one-piece foldable stroller for parents who live life on the fly" is only 20" wide (so you can navigate Safeway aisles with ease), and the swivel-wheel suspension system lets you make easy 360-degree turns. The seat reverses, reclines, extends, and adapts to various car seats. Like all good strollers, the Bee has a 5-point harness, machine-washable fabric, foot brake, and rain cover, and folds up small for easy storage. It will last your baby from birth up to the age of 37.5 pounds. See all Bugaboo strollers.

You can get dirt on celebrities and laugh at their misfortunes on TMZ. But for a little more insight pick up Barbara Walters' memoir, Audition, in which the award-winning TV journalist talks about her career, her family, her marriages (and affairs), and the rich/famous/powerful people who have played significant roles in her life. From Angelina Jolie to Monika Lewinsky, Fidel Castro to the Dalai Lama, there's something for everyone in this book.

In the battle of the sexes, both sides win, thanks to Paul Frank Man Panties (or "manties" for short). Women will be happy the horrible P word no longer applies solely to female underwear, while guys will love these boxer briefs, no matter what you call them. They're made out of soft cotton jersey with some spandex for stretch, and come in three designs: Red Lumberjack, Blue Wild West, and Black Rocker. We're dying to know if Pete Townsend owns a pair. More Paul Frank underwear.

Koss first started making PortaPro headphones in 1984, and they're still some of the best headphones that (not much) money can buy, even if the design is a bit retro-looking. Designed for people with "refined musical acuity," the lightweight, comfortable PortaPros deliver deep bass and a wide frequency response (from 15-25,000 Hz), so you can get the most out of movies (or heavy metal) while your spouse sleeps. The fold-up design is well-suited for commuting, while the 4 foot-long cord is ideal for the living room. More Koss headphones.

The June issue of PC magazine has a couple pages devoted to converting records and tapes to digital files. Your VHS player and all those tapes? You can get rid of them, thanks to the $40 Dazzle. Once you install the (included) software on your computer, just connect your VCR to the Dazzle, and the Dazzle to your computer. The easy-to-use software walks you through the process, recording your videos directly onto DVDs (not your hard drive), complete with menus and chapter marks. So you can reclaim some shelf space in your TV room. Best of all, the Dazzle isn't much bigger than an iPod.

In honor of the Flying Tigers, a group of volunteer WWII pilots, Oakley created these limited-edition Flying Tigers sunglasses, whose artwork is based on the original Tigers' fuselage designs. The shades have Plutonite lenses that filter out 100% of all UV rays, a 3-point fit for comfort, and impact-resistant frames. And they come in a special collector's box. Although the Oakley site is sold out of them, other online stores still have a few in stock. More Oakley sunglasses.

Here's a great way to get through long, boring meetings: Look at your favorite photos on your wrist. The Brookstone photo watch is part watch and part digital photo frame. It holds 60 photos that you can display one at a time, or scroll through with the slideshow function. Getting photos onto it is easy - just drag and drop from your PC or Mac. A great gift for parents and grandparents, or anyone who wants to show off their vacation photos.

We know at least one woman (hi Mom!) who blames the varicose veins in her legs on years of cooking in a kitchen with a hard ceramic tile floor. If only we'd a) helped around the house more, and b) known about GelPro anti-fatigue chef mats. As the name suggests, they're filled with a gel that absorbs shock and reduces pressure on your feet and legs. The mats have non-slip bottoms (so you won't fall on yours) and are stain-resistant and easy to clean.

We love this nylon bucket bag because it has an understated, no-fuss design but still manages to be stylish. It's lightweight, has lots of interior and exterior pockets to help keep you organized, and has a single adjustable strap so you can wear it cross-body style or carry it on one shoulder. Choose grey, lemon, black, or pink. More Kenneth Cole Reaction bags. More Mother's Day gifts under $100.

Just in time for the recession, HP has released a compact, affordable laptop. The HP 2133 Mini-Note PC is a petite 9" laptop that weighs 2.6 pounds and costs as little as $499 (with Linux). The top-of-the-line $750 model comes with Vista, Bluetooth, a webcam, ExpressCard slot, and 2GB of RAM, and its keyboard is almost as big as a regular laptop's. It might not turn heads at the coffee shop, but it'll get the job done - with plenty of cash left over for a nice fixed-gear bicycle.

Improve your balance, agility, and posture - and strengthen the muscles in your feet and lower legs - with Vibram FiveFingers. One of Time Magazine's best inventions of 2007, Vibram FiveFingers are like gloves for your feet. So you can enjoy the feeling of being barefoot, and move in a more natural way, while you run, sail, hike, kayak, or do yoga or pilates. FiveFingers come in men's and women's sizes and (thankfully) are machine washable.

With gas prices over $4 a gallon, maybe it's time you started taking the commuter train to work. If your home or office is more than a few blocks from the train station, consider getting a Strida folding bike. Already popular in Europe and Asia, Strida bikes have a triangular design for folding and unfolding in just a few seconds. And thanks to the greaseless Kevlar chain, you don't have to roll up your pantleg. Best of all, the bikes are one-size-fits-most; a Strida bike can accommodate riders 5'4" - 6'4".

Some mothers are impossible to shop for. They're allergic to flowers. They don't have pierced ears. No shoes fit them. They already have a robe that they've been wearing for 20 years and they don't want a new one, thank you very much. Sound familiar? But how could Mom possibly object to this gorgeous 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.

The latest recipient of a CNET Editors' Choice award, the 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.

With the 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 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 sound provide boombox sound quality, but we like the idea of sharing music without sharing headphones. More iPod Nano cases.

If we had patios or back yards, we would want Frontgate's entire 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.

A place for everything and everything in its place. As seen on Extreme Makeover Home Edition: 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.

Women's fashion these days is all over the place. One big trend right now is 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.