Christmas Countdown: 8 weeks to Christmas, have you started your shopping yet?  My Christmas list is coming soon, so keep checking for that.

Don’t forget these are the last few days to register this month for my giveaways, the trip to Horribin and Hodge Day Spa and Hello Dolly products.  Email your friends and get them to sign up for my newsletter and you will all go into the draw for these great prizes.  Competition finishes on Friday.

So with Christmas fast approaching I popped into a new store recently opened in Wellington called Corso De’ Fiori, which is located on Thorndon Quay where Wade House used to be.  It is filled with great Christmas gift ideas, fabulous decorations and lots of really cool things for you and your home.  I made my list and when I have all my gift buying done for Christmas I will have to go back and have another look.  It’s hard to justify buying anything for me at this time of the year, but there was definitely lots there I really liked.  I am also going back to get a couple of Christmas presents and I bought some Christmas decorations.

I do have to say though and forgive me for being cynical but there was quite a few things I recognised from last year when it was Wade House, so it did make me wonder if they have bought some of the old Wade House stock.  I could be wrong, but it’s all very lovely and definitely worth a visit.

Available at:  Woolstore Centre, 258 Thorndon Quay, Wellington       (04) 473 7075

The Foundation, 8 George Street, Newmarket, Auckland    (09) 307 9166

  TopGear is an incredibly popular TV programme worldwide. It appeals to a very wide audience, whether they are car nuts or not. In our household it is a must see on Sunday nights.

You can imagine the excitement when we found out that Jeremy Clarkson and the boys are coming to New Zealand in February 2009. They will be recording a show at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland in front of a live audience. I was given the mission to make sure we get tickets. It would be an absolute disaster to miss out.

Well, I have found out how to get advance tickets. Tickets go on sale to the general public on November 17th  but I’ve found a way to get tickets on November 11th. Its actually quite simple. The New Zealand TopGear magazine has a special offer to subscribers to their e-newsletter. You simply sign up for free to their e-newsletter and on November 11th you’ll get an ultra-special email with instructions letting you know how to get tickets before anyone else.

Visit the TopGearNZ website to sign up and we will see you at the show.

Ok so we are nearing the end of October and don’t forget to sign up if you haven’t already for my newsletter. Email all your friends who you think might be interested in my blog, get them to enter into the draw,  when they sign up for my newsletter you will all go in to the draw to win:

An amazing half day visit at Horrobin and Hodge Day Spa which is an hours drive north of Wellington and this package includes:

One hour tailored massage with a choice of four oil blends to enhance your experience

One hour Ilcsi or Hema luxury facial

A thirty minute Sodashi soothing mint foot therapy   and

A sumptuous lunch incorporating fresh, seasonal ingredients and tailored to suit any particular dietary requirements.

This will be an amazing treat for the lucky winner.

For those not lucky enough to win the Spa package or are outside the Wellington area we also have lots of great gifts from the DIY Dolly, Digger Dolly and Desirable Dolly ranges.

I will announce at the end of October, who the lucky winners are, so get emailing and keep checking in.

Competition ends at the end of October.

  The count down to my most favourite time of the year is now on.  Christmas is ten weeks away and this year like all the previous ones I will make the grand statement I normally make and that is I am going to be more organised. Yes even I can leave some of my present buying to the last minute, but in order to make great buying decisions and get the biggest bang for my buck this year more than ever, we all need to start early.

I will include my great finds and I’ve found some great budget ideas which is always helpful, so look out for this years Christmas gift ideas.   The Christmas list is coming soon.

So this is the perfect time to chill out and prepare yourself with the upcoming Christmas stress.  I had the privilege recently to be asked to visit at Spa Horrobin and Hodge which is located at Manakau in the Horowhenua.  The Spa has been set up as a place you can retreat to from the city, to be pampered away from all the noise, a place where you can unwind and relax.

Upon arriving I was greeted by the lovely Jackie and led down to the lounge where I sat down to unwind and gaze at the breath taking view of the lovely countryside, all while sitting in front of a lovely open fire.  After having my cup of tea I was led into a treatment room, where I was given the most fantastic massage using the amazing Sodashi oils from the Sodashi Organic Skincare Range.  I am relatively certain I didn’t go to sleep and if I did then I am pretty sure I didn’t snore.  I think.

You can choose from their extensive range of treatments including the fabulous exclusive Hema Facial which has been tutored by Margaret Hema to her exacting standards and using her famous hand blended oils.  You can try the Ilcsi facials which are individually tailored to suit your skin or have a body scrub and spray tan.  Whatever you choose you will leave here feeling unwound and in a very happy place.

Whilst you do have to make the effort to drive there, it is certainly worth it and you will leave feeling relaxed as though you can in fact face another day.

Get a bunch of girlfriends together or just simply escape away from the rest of the world, either way its well worth the trip.

Available:  Spa Horrobin and Hodge

Price:  varies on what treatment you choose

  Oh, you are all really going to laugh about this one.  Yesterday I finally got around to using this supposedly “must have” marine bath soak from Thalgo.  I bought it awhile ago on the advice of the very sincere beautician who told me ”this is the best bath soak and you will really love it”.  I was just waiting for a quiet time to be able to relax and enjoy it, it has just taken awhile to find that time.

Now it’s called Micronized Marine Algae by Thalgo and it is a re-mineralizing, refining product - I know you have already gone to your happy place and have absolutely no idea what I am talking about.  This only seems to prove that my husband is correct - I will try anything once and they don’t call me the Shopping Queen for nothing.

So I opened this precious sachet, to pour it into the bath which is supposed to be either: toning 36 degrees, relaxing 37 degrees or refining 38 degrees.  It’s all a bit complicated for me since I just wanted to have a bath, but anyway I tore open the top to smell the lovely aroma and thought oh, that’s just awful.  It’s brown and smells like a stagnant rock pool and looks like dried up poo. 

Ok it’s at this point when I am about to pour it into my bath you say “why bother if it’s so awful” and I say no, I am adventurous, how bad can this really be, and it costs $12.50, I shouldn’t waste it.

So I pour it into the bath and not only does it look like poo, it smells like poo.   I have to get in, fantastic.  So I got in and to be really honest it didn’t get any better, it was just awful and there really isn’t anything remotely relaxing about soaking in a bath that looks and smells like poo.

So to sum up, it’s a big zero from me and they can say what they like about it’s wonderful effects it has on the body, surely they can make a product nicer than this.

This does in fact now prove I can be sold just about anything, even possibly poo.

Available:  all Thalgo stockist’s                       Price:$12.50

  “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”  - Randy Pausch

If you were told you had months to live, what would you do?   What sort of legacy would you leave behind? 

I bet whatever it is, it wouldn’t be to stand up in front of all your peers and give a lecture on what lessons you have learnt in life so far.  Most of us would be too ticked off to even contemplate how to help those left behind.  But that’s just what Randy Pausch did.

Randy was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon and was asked to give what they call there “The Last Lecture”.  When leaving the University the Professors are asked to give their ‘Last Lecture”, to talk about what lessons they have learnt and in most cases this has usually been because the Professors are retiring, not dying.  But Randy had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, he has a young family, a great life and he doesn’t want to die.  But as he says “we cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” 
So instead of talking about dying, he decides this is his opportunity to leave behind for his young kids, a legacy on the importance of overcoming obstacles.  He talks about enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because time is all you have) and all he has come to believe about life and more importantly, how to live it.
 
This book is one of the best books I have ever read.  It is funny, inspirational, intelligent and at times has moved me to tears.  But the most important lesson I learnt was to work harder at making the most of everyday.  I know this can sound cliché but really if we were in his shoes, just think about it, would we really sweat the small stuff.  Probably not.

Now you can down load off the Internet, the actual lecture from the University, and I encourage you to do so.  It is very entertaining and easy to watch.  But the book has so much more and very worthwhile reading.  He encourages us all to live a better life, to try harder to achieve our dreams and to never give up.  I have gained so much more form the book.

I have to say I am inspired and I am going to write up my goals, as they say “you have to name them to claim them”.  This book is also being read by my Dad, as it was his Fathers Day gift and he’s really enjoying it.  This is a great gift for the special people in your life and keep it in mind for Christmas.

“Time is all you have.   And you may find one day you have less than you think.” -  Randy Pausch

Sadly Randy passed away in July this year after a brave and hard fought battle. To learn more visit www.TheLastLecture.com

Available: all leading bookstores                                                         Price:$29.95

  I bought the Wondercap from my local pharmacy ages ago, with the view to being able to give my hair (since I’m really hard on it) a deep conditioning treatment at home.  At the time I thought, gosh this is a good idea.  You buy this Wondercap which is a thermal heatcap you pop in the microwave heat it up, put your treatment in your hair and then put the cap on your head. It sat around for a long time as I could never really find the time to use it.

The product is well presented and conceptually sounds like a good idea. The heat comes from a wheat pack that goes inside the cap before you put it on your head. All good? Well, coupled with the fact that I really did not enjoy using it,  I’ve found a couple of more serious problems.

The first problem I found is that despite following the instructions, I know its hard to believe but I did follow the instructions, the cap melted. When I pulled the wheat pack out of the towel so I could wash it and noticed a hole in it where it had melted.

The second problem is with 500g pot of "Feral Organic Hair Conditioning Treatment" included in the pack. I’m no chemist but its ingredients; Cetrimonium Chloride, Stearalkonium Chloride and DMDH Hydrantoin don’t sound all that organic. A little research shows that:

• * Cetrimonium Chloride is "used in hair conditioners, but originated from the paper and fabric industries as softeners and anti-static agents. In the long run they cause the hair to become dry and brittle. They are synthetic, irritating, allergenic and toxic, and oral intake of them can be lethal."
• * Stearalkonium Chloride is, "A chemical used in hair conditioners and creams. Causes allergic reactions. Stearalkonium chloride was developed by the fabric industry as a fabric softener, and is a lot cheaper and easier to use in hair conditioning formulas than proteins or herbals, which do help hair health. Toxic."
• * DMDH Hydrantoin (which is listed on the package as "natural preservative") contains Formaldehyde which is "a known carcinogen (causes cancer). Causes allergic, irritant and contact dermatitis, headaches and chronic fatigue. The vapour is extremely irritating to the eyes, nose and throat (mucous membranes)."

My conclusion, a heat treatment might be a good thing for your hair but if you are going to give it a try, buy a good quality conditioner and steer clear of the Feral Organic stuff especially if you are susceptible to allergic reactions.

Available: Rodney Wayne, selected pharmacies or online www.wondercap.co.nz

Price: $45.00