condition the goods

I know we're all busy.  It seems like there's no time for anything.  We're working hard and hardly working, all at the same time.  We want to protect our investments and extend their longevity as much as possible.  Here are a few reminders of things to do:

-- if you have any leather furniture, I recommend cleaning and conditioning the hides at least quarterly.  I use Restoration Hardware's Leather CPR that both cleans and conditions the leather.  Cleaning and conditioning the leather removes dirt and stuck-on debris, and prevents cracking and fading.  I massage a generous amount of product and massage it into the leather, allowing it to dry for an hour or so.  I love how soft the leather feels after application, and try to do so every 3-4 months.

-- if you have any wood products in your kitchen, it's so important to condition and clean them at least quarterly with a good wood cleaner / cream.  When wood dries out, it chips, cracks, and stains easily.  I use John Boos' board cream.  It's a mixture of natural bees wax + food grade mineral oil.  I treat my wooden cutting boards, butch block counter tops, spatula handles, and dining table and chairs quarterly.  Make sure your wood products are free of any debris, and then slather the board cream all over, allowing it to soak in for at least an hour or two.  Using the board cream will leave a silky, glossy barrier and lock in the wood's natural moisture and prevent chipping, cracking, and unwanted bleaching.  If you have any surface scratches, chances are the board cream will drastically minimize their appearance, especially when treated quickly after damage.

-- if you have an electric toothbrush, take it apart at least once a month and give the parts a thorough cleaning.  I know I gag every time I dismantle my Sonicare toothbrush for cleaning, and can't imagine how foul and malodorous it would be if I didn't regularly clean it.  Do yourself a favor - and clean the cracks and crevices of your dental appliances regularly.

-- caring for your kitchen cutlery will not only extend their life, but will also optimize their regular use.  Here are a few tips:

• always hand wash and dry your cutlery straight away.  Never put them in the dishwasher - the constant heating and cooling of the dishwasher will cause the metal to constantly expand and contract, cracking the handles and compromising the integrity of the blades.  
• hone your knifes.  If cutting your finger nails is like sharpening your knives, filing your nails is like honing your knives; it creates a smooth edge and makes for effortless cutting.  most knife sets come with a honing steel.  I recommend honing regularly.  If you're not comfortable, or need more information, take a look at Master Bladesmith Bob Kramer giving some tips and tricks: 
• sharpen your knives.  Most better knife manufacturers offer complimentary professional sharpening.  I love Shun's cutlery, and love their complimentary sharpening services.  It's also important to care for other cutting devices - sewing scissors, lawn mowing blades, etc.  Sharp tools make for efficient, longer lasting tools.

When you invest in great things, it's important to care for them.  What're some tips and tricks you have discovered? 

more jingle and jangle

more gift ideas:

-- the king of pop (art) = Andy Warhol. And no matter how old or young your recipient may be, everyone will appreciate and love this Andy Warhol colouring book. | Illustrated by Andy Warhol, commissioned by Teddy and Arthur Edelman

Now back in print, A Coloring Book: Drawings by Andy Warhol (1961/2011) will amuse and charm a new audience with its delightfully carefree menagerie. Not long after arriving in New York City in 1953, a young artist named Andy Warhol began to make his way in the world of commercial illustration. Arthur Edelman, his former employer, recalls the first time he met Warhol in the introductory note: "In a hallway of the Empire State Building, outside a shoe manufacturer's office, stood a young man with Jackson Pollock shoes, a rumpled black suit, a portfolio, and a shock of white hair." Over several years, the Edelman's and Warhol worked closely together. Their relationship culminated in a coloring book that could have only come from the mind of Warhol, created especially for clients' children for Christmas in 1961, and somewhat of a cause célèbre when it was published in 1990. Published by W.W. Norton & Company in September 2011. US$19,95




-- Not only amazing headphones, a portion of the profits from the Beats Solo HD (PRODUCT)^RED Special Edition headphones will go straight to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Proprietary titanium coated driver technology ensures they preserve every bit of the lush bass and vital details of your music. Plus, the ingenious tri-fold design make for easy storage when not in use. Solo HD's cable also features Monster ControlTalk™ for iPod® playback control and iPhone™/music phone hands-free calling. US$229.



-- I have no idea what this figurine/thing is, but I love it. I love l'Objet's fabulousity for the home, I love elephants, and I love the black and gold. I think it'd make a lovely hostess gift.




-- there's nothing more important than oral care. I know it sounds silly to recommend a dental hygiene product for a gift giving occasion, but this seems incredible and I have to have it. Sonicare AirFloss is specially designed to give your patients an easy, effective way to clean interproximally. It features microburst technology that delivers microdroplets of air and water to remove plaque biofilm between teeth, and it’s proven safe and gentle on gums and teeth. With one-button functionality and a guidance tip that ensures targeted cleaning interproximally, patients using Sonicare AirFloss can quickly clean the entire mouth in just 60 seconds. Sonicare AirFloss has been through meticulous clinical validation and adheres to the Philips Sonicare standards of performance and safety requirements. With Sonicare AirFloss, interdental cleaning has just been reinvented.


-- The Question: What to buy neighbors, friends, the doctor, colleagues, teachers, family members, or anyone else who you just need the perfect gift for? The Answer: the question mark!

Katarzyna Question mark 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot 0.75 l. 36.00 BGL ( € 18.41)

What started as a simple question how we should present the first wine to be released from Katarzyna Estate made such a successful launch that we unanimously agreed the “question mark” is our good luck charm and decided to keep it that way. This wine is amazing for its deep, crimson color with garnet gleams. The abundant and intricate bouquet of plum scents, black forest fruits, pepper and dominating noble tinge of tobacco contribute to its explosive nose. It has powerful, rich, full body with velvet taste of black chocolate, mocha and caramel. The final is very pleasant with harmonious and soft tannins and long aftertaste. Perfect with grilled red meat, cheese.