TheFind Blog

Long Live Routine by OlenaInStyle.com

March, April and May are often the hardest months of the working year as they usually do not offer us a holiday or a vacation break. It is easy to become depressed and stressed when all you see is work, home and traffic. Sounds familiar? If so, there is some good news: as strange as it sounds, routine can become a background of good health. If you go to bed and wake up early, sleep enough, work and eat at the same times every day, your body will definitely thank you because it likes consistency and works better on a schedule.

It is certainly important to exercise but sometimes hard to accomplish with all the work during the day and kids in the evening. Such a situation seems kind of desperate. However, it also has solid advantages. It turns out that people who have kids, a job and a spouse (or a partner who lives in the same house) have fewer chances to become overweight after 50. Sounds encouraging.

So, exercise whenever you can, take daily vitamins, eat healthy and the next time you get stuck in traffic for an hour, remember: it is not too bad. Relax and enjoy your routine until the next vacation!

TheFind.com's Blog Goes Divine...

There’s a great place where real voices rule, where women can write and publish stories about anything that matters to them. It’s called DivineCaroline.com and it’s full of words and wisdom just the way women like them – dripping with honesty. We’re talking about Style, Relationships, Body & Soul, Home & Food, Travel and much more.

You can find stories from TheFind.com just like what you get here at DivineCaroline plus a whole host of other stories and topics from other members as well! Hope to see you soon at DivineCaroline.com.

Happy Reading/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Who's Proposing Marriage February 29th?

This year is a leap year, do you know what that means? You're right, it means that there will be 29 days in February (did the title give it away?) and it means that it's a presidential election year. Did you also know that February 29th is considered Sadie Hawkins day? February 29th exists to fix a problem in the calendar (this is not a problem that I don't understand, but that's how the story goes folks). Way back in time, it was assumed that this date could also be used to fix the old custom that only let men propose marriage. This was the one day that women could cut loose and go wild and ask a man to marry them! Woot, party on women!!!

These days, there's nothing stopping women from proposing, but we all know that most don't. I guess some women are just old fashioned that way. If you are one of those old fashioned women, you now have license to propose to your man (dare we call it poetic license?!?)! This opportunity only presents itself once every four years, so if you don't muster up the courage to do it in a few weeks, you won't get the chance again until 2012. OMG, is it just me or does that year look totally futuristic?!?

Personally, I think it would be more entertaining to get married on February 29th. Oooh, so maybe you break tradition and propose on Valentine's Day and then run off and get married on February 29th. What do you think? Is it romantic or crazy?

It does beg the question of how anniversaries would be celebrated. Once every 4 years, on both February 28th and March 1st or for the whole month of February? What would you do in that situation? Certainly, the people who have gotten married on February 29th in years past worked through these details prior to getting married, right? Or, maybe they get divorced the following year because they failed to plan for anniversary celebrations. Doh!

I don't know, I'm no marriage expert. I'm not even a fan of marriage, so don't ask me how these things should work. I was just fancied by the mystery of February 29th and the archaic tradition of Sadie Hawkins day. What do you think?

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

TheFind.com's Valentine's Day Gift Suggestions

What Women Want:
          
          

       


      

Cuff Bracelet                 Pink Quartz Shimmer Blush              Spring Dress

            

  Diamond Stud Earrings          Floral Print Dress       Pink Quartz Deluxe Trunk

Bling's the Thing:

              

 

      Engagement Ring                    Earrings                           Bracelet

Living la Dolce Vita:

      

 

Chocolates                                  Champagne                         Oysters

 

          Cigars                        Espresso Machine

Quiet Night In:

         

 

        Lingerie                               Candles                              Bath Salts

Make Sure Cupid’s Arrow Hits the Mark: TheFind.com Offers Suggestions for Valentine’s Day Gift Giving

Score Points with Sweethearts Using the Comprehensive Shopping Search Engine to
Find Everything from the Traditional to the One-of-a-Kind

Mountain View, Calif. – February 5, 2008 – TheFind, Inc., the leading shopping search engine and web destination for discovering lifestyle goods, is making the search for Valentine’s Day gifts for loved ones simple and efficient. 

Crawling more than 500,000 stores on the Web to unveil more than 200 million products across all shopping categories, TheFind.com helps consumers find the perfect gift to celebrate a lifelong romance, make a big impression on “The One”, or even break out of the doghouse.

“TheFind.com allows effortless Valentine’s Day shopping by letting users shop the entire Web in one, easy place,” said Larisa Hall, vice president of marketing for TheFind. “Whether you’re a traditionalist looking for chocolates, jewelry, or flowers, or you’re breaking the mold and searching for an alternative gift that makes a bold, romantic statement - we make it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. And for those who subscribe to the thought that the most ideal gift is the one that’s most within reach, our new local search capabilities show you exactly where to find that special gift that will not only be near and dear to their heart, but also near your home.”

TheFind.com monitors search trends to identify “hot” searches. So what do women want for Valentine's Day this year? Hall says that Cuff bracelets, Pink Blush/Makeup, Spring 2008-inspired dresses, Delicate Diamond Earrings, and Floral Prints are just the thing to make your sweetie’s heart sing.  Hall suggests the following:

o    http://www.thefind.com/qq-cuff-bracelets
o    http://www.thefind.com/qq-pink-quartz-shimmer-blush
o    http://www.thefind.com/qq-spring-2008-collection-women-dress?filter[minimall]=deptstore
o    http://www.thefind.com/qq-diamond-stud-earrings?filter[minimall]=deptstore
o    http://www.thefind.com/qq-floral-print-dress
o    http://www.thefind.com/qq-pink-quartz-deluxe-trunk

Want more ideas? Searches at TheFind.com for popular Valentine’s Day gifts bring up thousands of choices for shoppers, with its search technology always presenting the most popular results right on the first page.

Hot topics this year include:

• When Bling’s the Thing

• More than 61,000 choices for Engagement Rings: http://www.thefind.com/qq-engagement-rings
• More than 746,000 choices for Earrings: http://www.thefind.com/qq-earrings
• More than 726,000 choices for Bracelets: http://www.thefind.com/qq-bracelets

• Living la Dolce Vita

• More than 246,000 choices for Chocolates: http://www.thefind.com/qq-chocolates?filter%5Bcategory%5D=food_and_wine
• More than 31,000 choices for Champagne: http://www.thefind.com/qq-champagne?filter%5Bcategory%5D=food_and_wine
• More than 23,000 choices for Oysters: http://www.thefind.com/query.php?query=oysters
• More than 143,000 choices for Cigars and Cigar accessories: http://www.thefind.com/qq-cigars
• More than 23,000 choices for Espresso Machines: http://www.thefind.com/qq-espresso-machine

• For that Quiet Night In:

• More than 103,000 choices for Lingerie: http://www.thefind.com/qq-lingerie
• More than 154,000 choices for Candles: http://www.thefind.com/qq-candles?filter%5Bcategory%5D=home_furnishings 
• More than 21,000 choices for Bath Salts: http://www.thefind.com/qq-bath-salts?filter%5Bcategory%5D=health_and_beauty

TheFind.com’s unmatched Web search ability includes access to unique and hard-to-find boutiques and brands which always include the hippest, must-have products. Shoppers can further refine product results and view items by price, color, “new” or sale items.

Additionally, TheFind.com’s Mini-Mall feature lets consumers quickly see exact matches from a well-defined set of stores. Choose to see products from distinctive Boutiques, chic Department Stores, well-known Mall Stores & National Retailers, or The Marketplace, which includes eBay. These special Mini-Malls also bring fashion hot spots, Rodeo Drive and 5th and Madison, right to your door – regardless of where you live. Online shoppers simply select the Rodeo Drive tab or the 5th and Madison tab located at the top of the search results, and products from retailers with stores in those exclusive shopping regions will pop into view.

For those who prefer to physically shop in their own neighborhood, TheFind.com also identifies nearby stores - including a map and phone numbers - for easy access to local retailers. So this year there are no excuses for arriving late – or empty-handed – to your Valentine’s Day celebration destination.

About TheFind Inc.
TheFind.com offers the leading shopping search engine that delivers comprehensive, authentic and visually compelling results for products, specializing in the lifestyle goods category. From the most popular e-commerce sites to the most unique, hard-to-find brands, TheFind uniquely crawls the entire Web to find more than 200 million products from more than 500,000 stores.  By using its patent-pending “product ranking” technology, TheFind displays the best-selling products, styles, brands and stores for any shopping search right on the first page of results – saving consumers time and money. TheFind Inc. family includes leading fashion shopping website Glimpse, which specifically caters to fashion-savvy shoppers searching for the latest trends and hottest apparel products, and TheFindGreen which finds organic brands, green stores and environmentally-friendly products all in one place. TheFind Inc. promotes shopping that gives back to the community through its Color For A Cause campaigns, which have included charitable beneficiaries such as The Susan G. Komen Foundation, Doctors Without Borders and Global Green USA.

Runner up in JupiterMedia’s 2008 SmallBusinessComputing.com Excellence in Technology Awards for Best Innovation in eCommerce. TheFind Inc., is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and is backed by leading investors Bain Capital Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

For more information, please contact:
Shaila Arora
Arora PR for TheFind, Inc.
Ph: 310.749.5006
Em: Shaila@arorapr.com

Have Fun Drinking Red Wine and Live Longer!

The controversial question of health benefits and damages caused by consumption of alcohol has been around forever. The truth, however, is in the middle (as usual).

AOL recently published an interesting article: "Four Healthy Changes Can Prolong Life 14 Years" written by Michael Kahn. Among other recommendations it mentioned "moderate drinking." I would like to add something else: moderate drinking of red wine will help you live longer. Dr. Rendall Holcombe from the University of California and his group of scientists conducted a study focused on health benefits of grapes. They were using a nutritional supplement derived from grape extract to prove that grapes can prevent development of colon cancer. To be exact, resveratol, a chemical found naturally in grape skins, wine and peanuts can prevent development of colon cancer. The necessary amount of this valuable component equals half a glass of wine or approximately a pound of fresh grapes daily.

It is important to remember, however, that the clue is in the "moderate wine consumption." But what is moderate and healthy? Where is the line? Harvard School of Public Health came up with a great response: no more than 1-2 drinks per day for men and no more than 1 drink per day for women (where 1 drink is about 5 ounces of wine that deliver 12-14 grams of alcohol). They also mentioned positive effect of moderate drinking on the heart and circulatory system, as well as possible protection against type II diabetes and gallstones.

So, go ahead and have a daily glass of wine with your dinner without feeling guilty.

And TheFind.com will make sure that you always have the best choice of wines and the most stylish wine glasses and accessories you will absolutely adore.

This story is brought to you by OlenaInStyle.com, Atlanta stylish boost online.

Super Bowl Revisited

I watched the Super Bowl in it's entirety this year. Typically, I only watch the ads, but I actually watched most of the game. I think I fell asleep before half time, there was so little activity. I was starting to wonder if the score would ever move again. Thankfully, the action started back up during the second half. I don't recall if it was during third quarter or not, but I know that the fourth quarter was very exciting! I have to say, I was pretty happy to see the underdogs pull up and win it. That was really cool.

The real reason that I watch Super Bowl is for the ads, but this year was pretty disappointing. There were only about a handful of ads that were at all memorable and that also deserved to be aired during Super Bowl. I don't know what happened, but it seemed like the ad writers went on strike along with the TV writers this year. Tragic!

For first quarter, the only ad that I really liked was the Bud Light flame thrower. Remember the guy that was allergic to the cat and started sneezing fire all over the apartment? That was pretty entertaining and Super Bowl worthy IMO.

During second quarter, I really enjoyed the Budweiser commercial featuring Hank who didn't get to work with the hitch team, so he trains with the dalmation and gets in shape to join the team. So cute! The Tide to Go commercial with the talking stain was entertaining. I figured out what they were advertising early into the commercial, so that was cool. I also enjoyed the Bud Light commercial with all the guys with accents trying to pick up women in the bar. It was funny, but it wasn't a new concept for Bud Light.

I found the Planters nuts commercial to be disturbingly funny. And I was sorely disappointed by JT's Pepsi commercial. That ad received a lot of hype beforehand and I don't think it delivered at all. So he did his own stunts, wow. I guess that was the big claim to fame for that ad!

For third quarter, I'd say that Vitamin Water with Shaq on a racehorse took the cake, along with the new ETrade baby - he was pretty cute. The Coca Cola ad with the Thanksgiving Day Parade inflatables was funny, but I thought the ending was a real let down. They could've payed that off in so many ways, but they just gave the Coke to Charlie Brown. What?!? I think I would've had a battle between the two inflatables end in one of them being impaled by a pole on a building or something exciting like that.

And finally, fourth quarter I thought the Toyota Sequoia ad with the big wheel races was lot of fun! And Amp Energy's dancing car jumper was disturbingly funny (almost as disturbing as the Planter's commercial). The Gatorade G2 commercial that had the really cute dog drinking out of the bowl left me asking WTH?!? Cute dog, but the commercial did nothing for me.

As far as the ads go, Bud Light wins the Super Bowl. Here's my favorite ad this year:

So, that's it. No gut wrenchingly funny ads this year. I hope that the ad superstars come back to play ball next year and make those multi-million dollar ad spots really pay off. It is the advertising Super Bowl, after all.

Happy Watching/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

The Limited: Travel Suit (plus coupon)

If you're like me, then you hate wearing suits. I could probably live in jeans and tops. I find most suits to be stuffy, restrictive, and many of them wrinkle really easily! If you haven't heard about them already, you must check out The Limited's Travel Suits. They're made from polyester, viscose and lycra blend and they're machine washable! Yes, you can wash and dry these suits at home ladies. No dry cleaning, no hand washing and hanging dry, nope, none of that mess. Wash them in your washing machine and dry in your clothes dryer. Toss the suit in your closet, in your luggage or on your body and go!

The suit separates are reasonably priced and wrinkle-resistant. There's only a few days left, but treat yourself to discounted suits with this 30% off coupon (expires Feb. 3rd). Typically, I write about products that you can find at TheFind.com, but The Limited doesn't sell online, so you'll have to locate a store near you to find these amazing travel suits. What are you waiting for? It's time to go shopping!

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

What WON'T You Eat on Super Bowl Sunday?

Super Bowl Sunday is fast approaching...are you ready? Whether you're hosting a party or attending one, chances are great that you're going to have to prepare food for the big event, not to mention you'll be eating a lot of food as well. So, what's it going to be?

- pizza
- nachos
- buffalo wings
- fried chicken
- 7 layer dip
- chips and salsa/guacamole
- potato chips and onion dip
- popcorn
- veggies & dip
- fruit salad
- spinach dip
- hot dogs/polish sausage
- pigs in a blanket
- spicy meatballs
- chicken & ribs
- steak (steak sandwiches)
- hamburgers
- mini cheeseburgers
- french fries
- onion rings
- pizza rolls
- Bagel Bites
- soft pretzels
- taquitos
- quesadillas
- burritos
- tacos
- Chinese food
- sushi

Ugh! Just looking at all the food on that list is giving me a stomach ache. What about dessert? Who's in charge of dessert this year?!? Some faves...

- brownies
- cupcakes
- cookies/cookie bars
- ice cream sundaes
- popsicles

Do we really need more than that? Probably, but that's my contribution for now. And finally, drinks:

- BEER
- soda (variety)
- margaritas
- water

Did I cover it all? Is there anything else that anyone in the world needs in order to enjoy Super Bowl? If so, please let us know! I'm dying to know if there are any other Super Bowl faves out there.

I don't know about you, but I'm ALL about the ads during Super Bowl. I was very happy to hear that there won't be any political ads this year. Thank goodness! This is the time for advertisers to shine and show their best and sometimes craziest stuff. It's the Super Bowl of advertising and I can't wait.

BTW, who's playing?!?

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Beauty from Mother Nature

Hundreds of years ago honey symbolized fertility, health and wealth in many cultures. Ancient Greeks called it “the food of Gods”. I don’t know about gods but these days any regular person can buy various kinds of honey in a regular grocery store. You will probably mostly find it in a family kitchen or a dining room but I prefer to keep this delicious treat in my bathroom. And no, I am not insane. Natural honey is an essential part of healthy organic skin care.

Chemical and Engineering News page compiled a rather informative article about the chemical composition of honey. It explains that honey mostly consists of various sugars and acids, as well as minerals, vitamins, proteins, iron, manganese, copper, silicon and nitrogen. Even though many of these elements are found in honey in small amounts, it is obviously enough to create an effective organic skin care product. You can add some natural honey to a hot bath before bed, use it as a lip balm in winter, or just have it with a cup of tea: it’s equally good for your beauty and health.

Ann Louise Gittleman, a well known nutritionist and author of 30 books about health and nutrition, was recently interviewed by Houston Chronicle and asked what sweetener she personally would recommend. Ms. Gittleman’s definite response was “Real honey. Number one, it's an antioxidant. And you will get sweetness from it. I'm a big believer in honey in your tea, and even in your coffee.”

As for the cosmetic and skin care products with honey as an ingredient, you will be able to find a great choice of these items right here, on TheFind.com.

This story is brought to you by OlenaInStyle.com, Atlanta stylish boost online.

Early Valentine's Day Indulgence

It's January, it's cold, it's raining outside and shopping has never been better! What can I say, it's after Christmas and I have a wad of gift cards burning a hole in my pocket. Wandering through the mall, you find sale after sale after sale. The Spring clothing lines are making their way onto the racks and the Winter fashions are being shoved to the clearance racks -- SCORE!!! How cool is it that it's still dreadfully cold out and all the Winter gear goes on clearance?

In addition to all the clearance fun, there's also an overwhelming amount of Valentine's day gifts and decorations throughout the mall. Many of us will argue that Valentine's day is one of those "holidays" invented by Hallmark, but I have to admit that some of the stuff they sell for Valentine's day is really cute. All the corny little heart shaped things, funky candles and cupid laden gifts. You gotta admit that some of it is just adorable.

Aside from all the Valentine's day cuteness, my favorite part is the vast variety of chocolates! You know by now that I'm a total shopaholic, but you may not realize that I'm also a chocoholic. If I haven't admitted it before, I can honestly tell you that shopping and chocolate are my only two vices. That's not bad, considering that I could be an over-caffeinated, smoking, alcohol drinking machine. But, I'm not! Just take me to the mall and feed me some chocolate and I'm good to go!

Or, change the scenario up just a bit...give me a nice red, heart-shaped tin of Mrs. Field's premium assorted chocolates and a computer to shop online with and I'm also a very happy camper. I don't discriminate when it comes to shopping in a mall vs. shopping online. I'm just as happy with instant gratification as I am having brown boxes show up on my doorstep. It's all good fun to me!

Okay, so I ratted myself out. I stumbled upon a box of Mrs. Field's premium assorted chocolates the other night; promptly bought them; went home, got into my pajamas and shopped online while indulging in the chocolates. Mmmmmmm...now that's what I call a great night!

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Combatting Winter Time Blues

Winter is a time when people tend to feel blue (aka depressed). While it's often not a clinical depression, the happiness that many of us know when the weather is great tends to slip away when the skies are gray and cloudy. It's cold outside, sometimes rainy or snowy and exercise may subside during the colder months. With all those agitators, who wouldn't feel a little blue?!?

Combat the blues by dressing to impress! You don't need somewhere special to go in order to dress impressively...dress for yourself! When you're feeling blue, skip dark and drab colors. Go for bright yellows, pinks and reds to liven up your day. Put on clothes that fit you well and make you look your best. Somehow wearing bright yellow sweats won't make you feel better. Pair a brightly colored top with your best fitting jeans or skirt, a cute pair of shoes, some flashy accessories and you're good to go. If you need a little attention once you're dressed to impress, take a trip to your local mall and watch heads turn as you go by. That will definitely put a smile on your face and warm your heart. While you're there, buy yourself something cute! A little retail therapy goes a long way.

For dinner, cook up your favorite meal or go to your favorite restaurant. They say that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right? Well, if that's true then you should be able to brighten up your day (or someone else's day, for that matter) with a great meal! Just avoid turning to a pint of ice cream. It really won't make you feel better. On the converse, it will probably make you feel sick! But I've digressed.

Finally, call a close friend or family member who you haven't touched base with for a while. Bridging the gap in time since you last spoke is sure to warm your heart and make you feel good. Good friends and close family members are great for making you forget your problems. And to me, feeling blue is a big problem! Even if it is only temporary.

Happy Searching/Shopping,

Payton

THEFINDGREEN HOSTS “ECO-STOP” AT THE 2008 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

Green Shopping Search Engine Becomes Featured Sponsor of The Kevin Mazur Celebrity Portrait Studio

Guest Blogger Merle Ginsberg to Report Back Daily from the Festival on TheFind’s Fashion Column, “The Click”

Park City, UT – January 18, 2008 – TheFindGreen.com, the leading green shopping search engine offered by TheFind, Inc. that solely discovers ecologically responsible lifestyle goods, today announced that it will host an “eco-stop” for celebrities, press and entertainment industry VIPs during the 2008 Sundance Film Festival as a featured sponsor of the Kevin Mazur Celebrity Portrait Studio. From January 18th – 24th, guests will be able to surf the website to learn more about finding environmentally-friendly items and products, as well as take home a few fashionably green gifts - courtesy of TheFindGreen. In addition, leading fashion journalist Merle Ginsberg, who pens a weekly blog for TheFind entitled “The Click”, will blog daily from the festival, reporting on the fashion must-haves as worn by celebrity Sundancers.

At TheFindGreen’s eco-stop, guests will learn about green online shopping options, so they can choose responsibly when looking for the latest in fashion, beauty, home goods and more. “Participating in the studio is the perfect opportunity for us to increase awareness of just how easy it is to find environmentally-friendly shopping options – without sacrificing quantity or quality of choice,” said TheFind’s Vice President of Marketing, Larisa Hall. “Through TheFindGreen, shoppers can now search over 300,000 ecologically responsible products that fit their lifestyle, while supporting companies that believe in protecting the environment.”

Sample items that are easily found via TheFindGreen’s eco-friendly shopping search engine include:

Cashmere Scarves
Organic cotton bedding
Fair Trade Chocolate
Recycled Handbags

Guests of TheFindGreen will receive eco-totes containing luxurious style items including recycled cashmere scarves from the new Burning Torch Green collection and specially created, hand-knit, 100% cotton hats from Los Angeles-based luxury knits brand, Zola Hats.

Prominent fashion and entertainment journalist Merle Ginsberg will blog daily on “The Click”, as she discovers how celebrities are pulling off their winter-chic looks at all the festival hot spots. Readers can check back daily for new blog posts and photos at http://theclick.thefind.com.

For more information on The FindGreen “Eco-Stop,” please contact Shaila Arora at 310.749.5006 or via email at Shaila@arorapr.com.

                                                                           # # #

About TheFind Inc.
TheFind.com offers the leading shopping search engine that delivers comprehensive, authentic and visually compelling results for products, specializing in the lifestyle goods category. From the most popular e-commerce sites to the most unique, hard-to-find brands, TheFind uniquely crawls the entire Web to find more than 200 million products from over 500,000 stores.  By using its patent-pending “product ranking” technology, TheFind displays the best-selling products, styles, brands and stores for any shopping search right on the first page of results – saving consumers time and money. TheFind Inc. family includes leading fashion shopping website Glimpse, which specifically caters to fashion-savvy shoppers searching for the latest trends and hottest apparel products, and TheFindGreen which finds organic brands, green stores and environmentally-friendly products all in one place. TheFind Inc. promotes shopping that gives back to the community through its Color For A Cause campaigns, which have included charitable beneficiaries such as The Susan G. Komen Foundation, Doctors Without Borders and Global Green USA.

TheFind Inc., headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is backed by leading investors Bain Capital Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

Contact:
Shaila Arora
Arora PR for TheFind, Inc.
Ph: 310.749.5006
Em: Shaila@arorapr.com

Cupcake Crazy!

I didn't think it would happen, but I have fallen in love with the cupcake craze! I was at a party early last year and a friend of mine was talking about cupcakes and how crazy she is about them. Not only the actual cake-like replicas, but anything and everything cupcakes. I thought it was kind of funny at the time, but I have since joined the cupcake craze. Is that crazy?!?

I really enjoy baking (when I have time) and have found that baking cupcakes is a really fun creative outlet. You can create many flavors and varieties in one batch and you can decorate each cupcake any way you want to. I find it very satisfying to be able to make such a wide variety without making multiple batches of cake mix. Could you imagine the mess if you made six cakes in one day all because you wanted to decorate six different ways. Or, maybe you couldn't make up your mind on cake flavor and fillings, etc. I don't know how things are at your house, but people get grumpy at my house if there are too many sweets sitting around. So, I try to be respectful of everyone's waistlines and experiment several different ways with one batch of cupcakes. My favorites are the jumbo cupcakes. Due to their size, they allow for a lot more room for creativity.

I recently discovered this cool super duper cupcake cake pan. I'm definitely going to buy it because it's just too darned cute to pass up. Once in a while you just have to go for it and make a full-sized cake, right? So, why not make one that looks like a cupcake?!? It's too perfect, really.

Outside of baking cupcakes, I found this really cute cupcake necklace that I'd love to have. It's too bad I didn't find it before Christmas. I could've put it on my Christmas list. That's alright, Valentine's Day is right around the corner! I'll just email it to my Sweetie so he doesn't have to guess what to get me. I wonder if I'll have to spell out that this is what I want for Valentine's Day. Yep, I better label it just to be sure.

So what about you? Has the cupcake craze hit your or is it just a passing fad that you're going to let pass? I'm totally on board and having fun baking crazy creations! Whatever your passion, I hope you have lots of fun with it.

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

The Next Top Model?

Okay, so it's not America's Next Top Model, but this new high-end urban fashion apparel company gives consumers an opportunity to be in the spotlight. Be a star at May's Lab by submitting photos or videos of yourself wearing their clothing. If your photo or video is chosen, you could become their next featured model! Don't worry if you're not the modeling type. You can also submit your life's philosophy and they may incorporate it into the clothing line.

The concept of May's Lab is simple and brilliant...create unique clothing that speaks to people, while at the same time allowing their consumers to speak for their products and company. Keep an eye on this company, as they will be producing limited edition and custom designed garments throughout the year. Get involved today! Buy cool clothing, submit photos, videos or philosophies, and qualify to win! You may just be the next May's Lab spokesmodel.

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

THE KEVIN MAZUR CELEBRITY PORTRAIT STUDIO RETURNS TO THE 2008 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

Presented by Nintendo, the Studio Plays Host to the Festival’s Roster of Film Talent
Additional Support Provided by Featured Sponsor TheFindGreen

Los Angeles, Calif. – January 3, 2007 – For the fifth consecutive year, the acclaimed Kevin Mazur Celebrity Portrait Studio will return to the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, to capture the festival’s finest talent.  Images from the Portrait Studio will appear exclusively in PEOPLE and at www.people.com. Taking up residence at 305 Main Street, at the heart of the festival activities, the Studio will be presented by Nintendo and feature the action-packed Wii™ Lounge, where guests will get a sneak peek at the highly anticipated Wii Fit™, an innovative interactive product featuring more than 40 types of training activities.  In addition, guests of the studio will discover the world of eco-friendly shopping, courtesy of featured sponsor, green shopping search engine TheFindGreen. The Studio will be open to invited guests from January 18th -24th, 10 am – 6 pm daily.

The Kevin Mazur Celebrity Portrait Studio attracts the brightest stars at Sundance and has emerged as one of the most sought-after destinations of celebrity festival-goers. An internationally renowned photographer, Kevin Mazur has created over three hundred stunning portraits of leading actors, actresses and musicians during his four-year tenure at the annual festival, including such names as Naomi Watts, Laura Linney, Anthony Hopkins, Terence Howard, Greg Kinnear, Adrien Grenier, Matt Dillon, Steve Carrell, Ashley Judd, The Edge, Robert Downey Jr., John Cusack, Sienna Miller, Evan Rachel Wood, Keri Russell, Kyra Sedgwick, Mandy Moore, Samuel L. Jackson, Justin Timberlake and Christina Ricci, to name just a few.

Hollywood’s elite will warm up with the latest games for Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ and have the opportunity to say “Are You Checking Mii Out” when celebrities join the phenomenon of people creating their own Mii™ characters, which are customized, animated caricatures that can be used in games such as Wii Sports™. 

In addition, guests of the studio will discover eco-friendly shopping options courtesy of TheFindGreen, a website that has emerged as the web’s premiere green shopping search engine, offering a world of eco-friendly lifestyle products that are created through ecologically responsible processes, or using environmentally conscious materials.

Kevin Mazur is one of the most widely demanded and published entertainment photographers in the world.  His images appear consistently in leading international newspapers and magazines, and have been included in numerous books and exhibitions. While always remaining true to his roots as the photographer of choice for the world’s most important live musical performances, Mazur now concentrates on his portrait career, which extends well beyond the music world.  His body of work comprises the most famous faces in the world of entertainment.
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For more Information, please contact:
Shaila Arora                    Nancy McNamara            
Arora PR                         Nancy McNamara PR
Ph: 310.749.5006            Ph: 310.477.9750
Shaila@arorapr.com        NancyMcNamara@aol.com

Is Santa Coming to Town?

Santa Claus is Coming to Town -- (the parents revised version)...

The kids better watch out
They better not cry
You better finish shopping
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town 

You got big list,
You're checking it twice;
You already know who's naughty or nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town

You see them when they're sleeping
You know when they're awake
You know when they've been bad or good
They better be good for sanity's sake

Give them a Wii and games for it too
Keep them busy for hours so they don't bug you
Santa Claus is coming to town 

You see them when they're sleeping
You know when they're awake
You know when they've been bad or good
They better be good for sanity's sake

The kids better watch out
They better not cry
They better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town

You're real busy and have no time to play
You gotta fill all the stockings on Christmas day
Santa Claus is coming to town


...And if they're naughty, Santa will give them some coal!


Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Is Your Family Naughty or Nice?!?

I find family holiday stories to be both enlightening and entertaining at times (depending on the story, of course). There are some families who get together for the holidays, have a proper meal or meals together, exchange gifts and leave happy. There are other families who get together for the holidays, have a proper meal or meals together, exchange gifts and a whole lot of drama! So, which family do you belong to?!? Are you brave enough to admit it? :o)

My family typically falls under the second category, but we usually have *interesting* drama. The holidays tend to go one of two ways...a few people drink too much and all the old stories come out. Once the stories hit the table, the room gets loud as people debate and argue over what really happened Christmas of '86 (or whatever the topic may be) when the Christmas tree caught fire. What happens more often is that a few people drink enough to be silly and that's when the fun starts: Grandma sings in Spanish (note: we're not a Spanish speaking family); we have contests to see who can hang a spoon on the end of their nose the longest; we have dessert eating contests: who can eat the most or the fastest. It's all very silly, but it's fun and makes for some good memories.

Thankfully, we don't have a rogue <insert relationship title here> relative who shows up drunk with a six pack in hand who's slinging put-downs the moment he/she walks through the door. We used to have someone like that around, but she's since been disowned. I know, that sounds bad, but there's something to the old adage that "family is what you make it." It's true, you can't choose the family you're born into, but you can certainly make alterations to the cast of characters. Unfortunately, that means that sometimes you may lose a few that you wanted to keep, but there isn't a whole lot you can do to control that. Sometimes you do what you gotta do to live a sane life and be happy, right?

Or, what about the relative who shows up to every holiday function with a different date?!? Do you have one of those in your family? I suppose there's nothing really wrong with it, but it's a family function and these occasions should be reserved for family and really close friends, etc., not the "flavor of the week." I don't know, what do you think?

Overall, I would say that my family is nice during the holidays. The real drama quotient is typically low and we have fun together. Chime in and tell us about your family!

Happy Holidays,
Payton

Too Late for Shipping? Find Gifts Locally with TheFind.com

Over the weekend, I did a mad online dash ordering most of my Christmas gifts. I'm not done yet, but I got the bulk of it out of the way. I found that everything I purchased *should* make it by December 24th. Lucky me! BUT, I'm not done yet and now I'll probably be stuck with receiving gifts late or I'll have to go out and brave the malls. Braving the malls is not my favorite option, but at least I can shop for what I want at TheFind.com and then run out and grab what I need. I'm going to call and try to double check if things are in stock though, just to make sure before I go.

I don't know why I wait until the last minute to shop. I used to be so good! I would shop throughout the year and keep a running list of what I bought and who it was for and then I'd finish up my shopping on Black Friday. I don't know what happened to that system. It worked really well! Perhaps I'll have to reinstate that schedule for 2008. Who knows, maybe it will make my list of resolutions!

Don't you just love this time of year? You party a lot, shop excessively, overeat and then make a bunch of "promises" to yourself that you'll fix all the bad you've created for yourself. Something's really wrong with this formula.

Anyway, for those of you who are still shopping and need a little help finding the right gifts, go to TheFind.com and type in what you're looking for, then change the "Your local stores are within 10 miles of X City" to the city of your choice. You can adjust the mile radius as well. If you have any questions or comments about Local Search, please leave them here.

Happy Last Minute Searching/Shopping,
Payton

P.S.
Here's an example map from TheFind.com's Local Search for messenger bags:

TheFind.com Announces Powerful, New Local Search Capabilities – a Boon to Last-minute Holiday Shoppers Looking for the Complete Holiday Shopping Experience

The Comprehensive and Complete Shopping Search Engine Integrates both Local and Universal Online Shopping within a Single Website

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--TheFind, Inc., the leading shopping search engine and web destination for discovering lifestyle goods, today introduced new local search capabilities that provide users with the ability to find products from local retailers.

Also new on TheFind is interactive maps that pinpoint a store’s location and show store contact information and website links. In addition, shoppers can use TheFind’s integrated in-store availability checking feature across the set of merchants that support this capability. Lastly, TheFind provides integrated marketing areas for promotional offers from local merchants such as coupons and other deals, to help drive in-store purchases.

Local search is one of the fastest growing areas of search engine technology, and integration with “brick and mortar” stores and location-specific data to facilitate in-store purchases is seen as the “last mile” in search. A recent study found that 86 percent of those surveyed used the Internet to find a local business from which to shop. TheFind is the first shopping search engine to merge these two consumer needs for online shopping and offline shopping research all in one single website.

“While there are a number of shopping sites that offer local search capabilities to varying degrees, with this added capability, we believe TheFind brings the most comprehensive and complete local shopping search to the market. TheFind is now the first shopping search engine to seamlessly integrate online universal shopping with local shopping results to most closely align with how consumers use the Internet,” said Siva Kumar, co-founder and CEO for TheFind.

“These new local features are an added bonus around the holidays, as shopping days begin to dwindle and consumers start to hurry to complete their gift lists. Leveraging TheFind.com, consumers can shop at home first and find products at stores nearby, so they can pick up the merchandise themselves, quickly and easily, avoiding costly rush shipping charges,” added Kumar.

The new, local search capabilities enable shoppers to:

    * Search for products available through local retail outlets. For example, a search for UGG boots in and around Miami would show store locations that are within 25 miles of the shopper’s location. Consumers can easily adjust the search area to comprise a 40- or 50-mile radius, if desired.

• Immediately identify local retail outlets near you that carry desired items. After searching for a product on TheFind, search results will display items from both online retailers and local retail outlets – with local stores clearly identified via a “Local” icon.

• Check in-store availability. For select outlets supporting this capability, TheFind enables shoppers to see which nearby stores have a particular item in-stock. Additionally, all listings for local retailers have phone numbers listed so busy shoppers can call to check in-stock status.

• Quickly and easily determine which retail outlets offering the desired items are closest in proximity. For every search, TheFind graphically maps all the local brick and mortar stores carrying the items of interest. Consumers can use the map to determine which location is the closest to them, saving time and resources. The site also provides street addresses and phone numbers for each store location.

• Compare each store’s offerings and obtain the very best deal. TheFind puts a wealth of information at users’ fingertips to enable shoppers to assess the total overall cost of goods. TheFind alerts shoppers to various considerations such as sale items and promotions and driving distance of retail outlets, so they can make purchasing decisions based on their individual preferences and criteria. Integration of online prices and local offers helps consumers determine the best possible options.

The new local search capabilities come on the heels of other new enhancements to TheFind.com, including the addition of mini malls, enabling consumers to shop specific types of outlets from boutiques or well-known department stores, and even shops located within famous shopping destinations such as 5th & Madison (in New York) and Rodeo Drive (in Beverly Hills).

TheFind.com crawls more than 500,000 stores on the Web to find more than 200 million products across all shopping categories. Its unmatched Web search ability includes access to unique and hard-to-find boutiques, brand stores and hip, must-have products. TheFind.com’s objective approach offers shoppers search results which are ranked by natural popularity, instead of offering results influenced by paid placements.

About TheFind Inc.

TheFind.com offers the leading shopping search engine that delivers comprehensive, authentic and visually compelling results for products, specializing in the lifestyle goods category. From the most popular e-commerce sites to the most unique, hard-to-find brands, TheFind uniquely crawls the entire Web to find more than 200 million products from over 500,000 stores. By using its patent-pending “product ranking” technology, TheFind displays the best-selling products, styles, brands and stores for any shopping search right on the first page of results – saving consumers time and money. TheFind Inc. family includes leading fashion shopping website Glimpse, which specifically caters to fashion-savvy shoppers searching for the latest trends and hottest apparel products, and TheFindGreen which finds organic brands, green stores and environmentally-friendly products all in one place. TheFind Inc. promotes shopping that gives back to the community through its Color For A Cause campaigns, which have included charitable beneficiaries such as The Susan G. Komen Foundation, Doctors Without Borders and Global Green USA.

TheFind Inc., headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is backed by leading investors Bain Capital Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

Contacts
Arora PR for TheFind, Inc.
Shaila Arora, 310-749-5006
Shaila@arorapr.com

Interactive Shopping -- New!

New, from TheFind.com...introducing miniShopper! What is miniShopper, you ask? It's a great interactive widget that allows you to keep a running list of items you'd like to buy and who or what (reason) you'd like to buy them for. In addition, when you hover the mouse over the product name on the shopping list (left side), you'll see a great preview of the search results. When you click on the product name, you'll be taken to the full-blown search results!

To date, miniShopper can be found at MyAOL, Net Vibes, and iGoogle. Just in case you don't know already, you can set up really cool "homepages" for your browser at each of the sites listed. Load up your "homepage" with cool widgets like ours and you're all set.

miniShopper Features:
- create shopping list
- create corresponding notes for each shopping list item
- preview shopping list items by mousing over each link
- view full search results by clicking shopping list item
- check the box to the left of shopping list items to gray out text (purchased)
- delete shopping list and corresponding note (click the "x" icon)
- edit shopping list item and corresponding note (click the pencil icon)
- change the order of items by dragging and dropping from the notes section
- add new items to list by clicking "add another item"
- scroll through the list of items using the scroll bar on the right (must have more than 5 items listed)
- search for any product in the search bar -- doing this will not add the item to your list
- change the background color by clicking the color icon (top right)
- check out cool gift ideas by clicking the "cool gift ideas" link (bottom right)

Try miniShopper today and let us know what you think by commenting on this post. We'd love to hear your feedback so we can incorporate it in future upgrades.

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Who's Boots Are Made for Walkin'?

I was out shopping a few weeks ago and found a pair of brown suede boots that I really liked, BUT the store didn't have my size. So, I went home and searched on TheFind.com and found them right away (no, I'm not kidding). I was really excited to find them for half the retail price, no shipping, no taxes. Imagine my luck! I ordered them and anxiously waited for their arrival.

I'll fast forward through the boring details. Basically two weeks passed, I called the company several times and was given story after story as to why my boots hadn't shipped yet. The last call I made, the customer service rep told me that the boots were no longer in stock. Needless to say, I was pretty shocked by this news. I politely asked the rep when someone was going to tell me this and he said he was wondering the same thing. He canceled the order so I wouldn't accidentally be charged at a later date; I let him know how disappointed I was in their company, and we ended our call.

Immediately after that disappointing phone call, I went back to TheFind.com to search for the boots yet again! I was determined to get these boots and wasn't going down without a fight (so to speak). I found them again from a reputable retailer that I trusted and the site showed that the boots were actually in stock in my size. I ordered them at full price this time (by this point, I don't care about the price I want the boots). The next day, the shipping email arrived and we were in business. The boots showed up today at my office and they're beautiful!

Here's where the story gets interesting...I was checking email tonight and saw a shipping confirmation email from the first retailer. Say what?!? (Yes, that was my reaction.) I clicked through to find that UPS claimed that they delivered boots to my house today. I walked outside and sure enough, there was a box behind the bushes. (OMG!) I opened the box and found the boots that I ordered. So, here I sit with two pairs of the same boots. What's a girls to do? Return the full price boots, of course!

The moral of the story: Patience truly is a virtue.

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Toy Safety -- Be Informed

Being a parent of young children can be a bit frightening right now. Every time you turn around, there's another toy recall. I seriously thought that we were well beyond the days of lead paint. It really sickens me that we have to worry about lead! I understand the recalls for small parts or things that fall off the toy easily. It's definitely not a good thing, but it's more understandable than lead paint.

If you'd like toy recall updates, sign up here. In addition, there's a ton of information on the cpsc.gov site. If you'd like an easy to view list of toy recalls, go here.

Some basic tips for buying safe toys:
1. Check the recall lists BEFORE making purchases. It's amazing some of the toys that get recalled.
2. Make sure the toy(s) you're buying are age appropriate (there are reasons for this folks).
3. Skip the toys with really small pieces. You may think that your son or daughter would never ingest a toy, but I've seen small parts get stuck in kids noses and ears and that's not fun for anyone.
4. Check all attached pieces to make sure they're really secure (eyes, noses, accessories, etc).
5. Avoid toys with long strings and straps.
6. Assess the toy carefully and imagine the absolute unimaginable things that can happen with the toy and/or it's parts. Kids are very creative and if there's a one in a million chance that they can hurt themselves, they will figure out a way. It's sad, but true.
7. If all else fails, by "green" toys!

Happy Searching/Safe Shopping,
Payton