Strange & Charmed: Issue 5 by Alexis Giostra

Strange & Charmed

Spring Into Summer Strange & Charmed

May/June 2013

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IN THIS ISSUE

6: Letter from the Editor 10: Staff Picks: Hi-Tech Gardens 12: Foodie: French Press 14: Books: Review 50 Shades of Grey 18: TV: Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse 24: Tale of Two iPad Keyboard Cases

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32: Quirky Upcycle: Re Bikini Bag into a wa

36: Summer Lovin: Boo

38: Summer Lovin: Gad

40: Summer Lovin: Bea 42: Digital vs Analog

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M AY / A P R I L 2 0 1 3

48: iOS Apps for Summer Fun 54: Horoscope Survival Guide 56: Mantra: Rebooting your Psychic RAM 58: Quirky Girl Spotlight

Strange & Charmed

Letter from the Editor By: Alexis Giostra

Well, it certainly is time to ‘Spring into Summer’ and that has aptly been chosen as the title for this fifth issue of Strange & Charmed Magazine! This issue represents half of a year gone by for 2013 and with summer right ahead of us I am sure we are all feeling like there is so much to do and so little time to get it done! If you are like me and feel like you didn’t quite get a chance to accomplish everything you wanted to before summer hit, now is the time to put in that last minute effort! Prep for summer with some awesome new gadgets and accessories, pick up a 6

new (or not so new) book that everyone is talking about, catch up on some great TV and brew yourself some great coffee! We have included some awesome hi tech gardening accessories for the gal lacking a green thumb, an awesome repurposed waterproof clutch and a Mantra dedicated to help you reboot your Psychic RAM. We have everything you will need for the transition from Spring to Summer inside these pages, so sit back, relax and take a few minutes to browse around! Of course, don’t forget to share our issue and ideas with your friends!

Strange & Charmed

Alexis Giostra

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Editor in Chief

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(right) Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

(above) Tory Burch Smartphone Wallet & Warby Parker Sunnies

(below) Furby & ClamCase Pro

(left) “MRS” Necklace by Kate Spade

Strange Charmed Summer&Favs

Kate Marshall

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Executive Editor

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(right) Blue Filofax

(above) Journal case in a cheery print

(below) Hobbit Moleskine

(left) EOS Lip balm in a summery flavor

Strange & Charmed Summer Favs

Michael Cousineau (right) Benson Glasses by Warby Parker

{ } Layout Editor

(below) Winter of the World by Ken Follett

(left) Tennis Racket

(above) Gentleman Jack

Strange Summer& Charmed Favs

Hi Tech Gardens

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Forget about a Green Thumb. All you need is a little technology to keep your house plant alive!

By: Alexis Giostra

(left) Botanicalls Kit lets your plant tweet you! (right) Digital Pot gives your plant a personality. 10

Staff Picks

}

(left) Andrea turns a household plant into an air purifier. (right) Parrot Flower Power connects you and your plant via App! (below) Moots Hydroponic Garden can update you on your plants status.

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How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Coffee By: Alexis Giostra Brewing coffee is an absolute art form, one which now sadly boils down to the question “how quick and easy can I make it so that I can grab it on my way out the door in the morning?” Unfortunately for the world, the popular method of brewing has become via a K Cup, the small, mildly economical cups that insert into the Keurig Coffee Brewing machine. I wouldn’t call this method brewing as much as its just forcing boiling water through a tiny hole and then allowing it to drain into a cup, which is why the Keurig results are not so fantastic.

inside the coffee bean, but too hot water can burn the beans producing a bitter flavor, while luke warm water will not draw out enough flavor making the coffee tasteless. The greatest method I have found to create an excellent cup of coffee is through a device known as the French press. A French press is essentially a large cup where you mix both hot water and ground coffee beans, allow them to mix together for a few minutes before using a wire mesh filter to separate the grounds from the liquid. A French press does this by essentially using a plunger like motion to press down the coffee grounds to the bottom of the cup (hence French press) allowing you to pour the filtered coffee from the French press into your coffee cup sans grounds.

Like tea, good coffee comes from allowing hot water to soak up the flavor and aroma of ground coffee. Hot water essentially releases all the flavor locked up 12

Foodie

This method is actually incredibly easy, although not always the quickest. First, you must use your preferred method to boil plain water. Then, and this is probably the most difficult part, you must add the proper amount of coffee grounds to your water in a proportion that will result in your preferred flavor. Finally, you let the mixture of water and coffee grounds sit for a few minutes after vigorously mixing them together so that the maximum flavor is released. Generally, it is recommended to use 2-3 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6 ounces of water, but only through trial and error will you find the precise ratio that fits your preference.

Bodum French Press

- CHAMBORD $30.00

So, go out and pick up a French Press and give it a try yourself. A decent press can start at about $20 and increase in price by size and brand purchased. I would recommend the Bodum press if you are serious, but for someone curious, inexpensive versions are available at most kitchen or home goods store. Strange & Charmed

Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy By: Kathryn Marshall

A&E: Books

“You should be in satin or silk, Ana,” [Christian] breathes. “But even in my T-shirt, you look beautiful.”...

balance beam routine, even after she stuck the landing and thus shattered her ankle in the 1996 Summer Olympics.

OH MY GOD SOMEBODY GAG ME WITH A SPOON (no, not like that, Christian. Back to the corner for you).

Fifty Shades of Grey, Book the first, introduces us to our protagonist, graduating college senior, Anastasia (Ana) Steele. You know what other famous, mopey literary character was named Anastasia but went by a nickname? If you guessed Anastasia “Stacey” McGill of Babysitters Club fame, you are officially a Cool Person. Unfortunately for the Fifty Shades reader, Ana Steele doesn’t have diabetes. By the end of the trilogy (ah hell, halfway through book 1), you’ll certainly wish she did. Along with sciatica. Periodontitis. Frequent, chronic, stabbing migraines behind the left eye that make you wish for death’s sweet release...

I offered to review the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy for this issue partly because I needed a review and partly because Alexis refused to go anywhere near it. Can’t say I blame her. Every so often, I’ll pick up the books and randomly flip to a passage, read for a few minutes, and then get this awful, pounding pain behind my eyes. I think it’s my brain actively hurling itself against my skull in an effort to put itself out of its misery. And this is during the sex scenes, mind you. The non-”dirty” parts of Fifty Shades are actually more entertaining, in a horrifying, “tainted love” way. For those high-minded enough to avoid trashy literature (I kid because I envy, having never been able to finish Wuthering Heights, the Golden Compass trilogy, or even one-fourth of Shakespeare’s plays), let’s bring you up to speed. Fifty Shades of Grey [sic] is a trilogy written by E.L. James and led to the proliferation of the phrase “mommy-porn,” and a warning that the axiom, “fanfiction can’t be published by ‘legitimate’ publishing houses” is as flexible as Kerri Strug’s*

Ahem, anyway. Ana meets the Washington State’s answer to Richard Gere’s character in Pretty Woman, Christian Grey (I know, right??). He’s a 27-year old, filthy-rich business tycoon, specializing in...business things. Seriously, mergers and acquisitions, just like Patrick Bateman, but without the random murdering of prostitutes (as far as we know). Christian is wealthy, “wise beyond his years” (like Ana!), handsome, enigmatic, driven, and in his own words, “fifty shades of [bleeped] up.” Ding ding ding! We have our title shout-out! Drink ‘em if you got ‘em, especially a “dry white

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Christian gets so controlling and jealous after Ana commits the mortal sin of falling asleep on the beach with her bathing suit top off - in Europe where you know, topless bathing is just a thing- and thus, bringing the entire fleet of paparazzi upon her

wine” because that’s all Christian (and later Ana, after he basically forces all of his preferences on her) drink in this damn trilogy. That and Bollinger rose champagne (vintage 1998) out of Ana’s charming teacup collection. (Ana doesn’t drink coffee- just tea: Twinings brand specifically, “bag out”)** Ana’s attracted to Christian, who’s attracted to her, because that’s just how these things work in fiction. But there are roadblocks, because again: fiction. Christian is FLAWED, you see. He’s a rich, single, handsome bachelor but he’s never seen in public with a girlfriend. What’s he hiding???? He wants Ana but he’s dangerous for her, isn’t that romaaaaantic? Turns out that Christian is into BDSM, or rather his version of BDSM-- please consult your local BDSM club for a bet16

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ter distinction of how these things work because from what I hear, this trilogy is as much a realistic guide to bondage-dominance-sadism-masochism as the Skywalkers are a healthy role model for family dynamics. Christian doesn’t have girlfriends-- just subordinates. Besides his family, his only other real emotional connection is with Elena, a friend of the family, who secretly introduced him to the dom/sub lifestyle. Then he meets Ana-- and he lurrves her. [By the way, readers, here be spoilers. I guess I should have mentioned that before. Oh well.]. Ana too, feels an attraction to Christian-- a deep, mysterious, irresistible pull to him. But wait! He wants to make HER his new sub! He’s got like, rules and everything! A contract! Won’t she be his???

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Did I mention that Ana is a full-on virgin, and has never had a “serious” relationship but is still somehow sex-positive, and the reasons for her virginity weren’t from a super-conservative or repressed upbringing? Like, she’s totally cool with the idea of sex with Christian once he brings it up but she’s like, “dude, I have no direct experience with anything.” Which totally turns him on because of course, that’s a thing that happens. And her first time is totally perfect BECAUSE AGAIN: FICTION. Every romance novel cliche about first-time sex that you’ve ever stumbled across while looking up the dirty parts of your elderly aunts’ Harlequin collection is distilled into the “Ana’s deflowering” passages of the first Fifty Shades book. And it goes on there. Seriously, the whole plot of the first book is Christian asking Ana out, her saying no, him badgering her until she changes her mind, then badgering her to be his sub, then badgering her to be his girlfriend when she doesn’t want to be his sub, etc. Oh, and Ana’s best guy friend, Jose, is in love with her too. The boss’ son at her hardware store job has a crush on her. Her boss at her post-college, publication house has a crush on her (and is a full-on creeper). HALF THE NOVEL IS RANDOM PEOPLE FLIRTING WITH CHRISTIAN OR ANA AND THE OTHER PERSON GETTING CRAZY JEALOUS OVER IT ALL

THE DAMN TIME. DO THEY NOT HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO?????? Book two (Fifty Shades Darker) is somewhat more interesting because more actual plot happens: crazy exsubs return and buy guns, bosses get all handsy and are fired, there’s hostile corporate takeovers, possible aviation sabotage, an ill-advised engagement... plus a lot of frequent, not-very-realistic, cringe-worthy sex. I’m thinking porn stars aren’t even this prolific. Christian becomes even more jealous and controlling, if that were possible (until the third at least). Ana becomes more of a doormat. Book two is riddled with near-constant references to Ana’s “inner goddess” and “inner subconscious” (yes, they’re two different things) to the point of nausea. Every time Ana bites her lip or rolls her eyes in Christian’s presence, he has to have sex with her. Like, has to, has to. What is that, I can’t even. Book three (wait for it-- Fifty Shades Freed) opens with Ana and Christian during their three-week honeymoon in France or something-- wherever rich people go. They’re on a boat. Sadly, there are no mermaids. Christian gets so controlling and jealous after Ana commits the mortal sin of falling asleep on the beach with her bathing suit top off-- in Europe where you know, topless bathing is just a thing-- and thus, bringing

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the entire fleet of papparazi upon her-Christian decides to leave hickeys and stuff all over her during sex. So everyone will know she’s his. At least Ana finally has the good sense to be pissed off about it. One good thing about the final book is that as it progresses, Ana does grow more of a backbone and stands up to Christian. But then, during the final few chapters, she does something so incredibly dumb that I was like, “eff this, I am done.” Like, you know how in countless TV shows and movies, when there’s a kidnapping, the kidnapper(s) tell the person to not call the police? And in the good stories, they rightly ignore this and call the goddamn professionals in-- you know, the police and FBI?

progress as a character! Christian’s jerky, controlling behavior was diminishing! And then she took a whole bunch of stupid pills, I guess. It sounds like I hated this trilogy. It’s not that I hated it per se-- I mean, I did buy the damn trilogy on my Kindle, if only because they were having a sale. Like Twilight, it’s a good beach read. This book is basically Twilight but with humans instead of annoying glitter vampires, and rampant, implausible, “kinkyfied” sex instead of Edward Cullen’s

Yeah, Ana so doesn’t do that [oh, spoiler warning for book 3 by the way] Ana totally decides to believe the kidnapper at just his word that he actually has his victim and was not, you know, randomly pulling scenarios out of his ass in the hopes that one would actually work for him to manipulate her she then obeys the kidnapper’s instructions to NOT phone the police, NOT tell Christian, OR the personal bodyguards he’s assigned to her (oh yeah, that was a recurring thing since book 2. Christian’s girlfriends get bodyguards!) At that point I was like, “goddammit, Ana.” I had been starting to cheer for her-- she was growing and making real 18

A&E: Books

prudish self-loathing and century-long abstinence. Also, Ana’s birth father died when she was a baby so the “Charlie Swan” role is fulfilled by Ana’s stepfather, Ray (her mother’s second husband). And she totally calls her parents by their first names all the time too, like in Twilight. Basically, if you’re looking for positive role models for healthy relationships, maybe never ever read Fifty Shades, or Twilight, or even half the reality shows on TV right now.

You know, I’ve probably figured out why I’m still single. *Please tell me I’m not so old that a Kerri Strug reference goes over everyone’s heads. **I know that just means she likes her tea really weak, but after reading this book, you can’t blame me for assuming it’s something horribly dirty. Look, Twinings does make some good tea but I see no reason to drag them into this. What did they ever do to E.L. James?

Strange & Charmed

How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

{

What I learned from watching the first three seasons of The Walking Dead

}

By: Alexis Giostra Like many, I am an ardent follower of The Walking Dead and now that season three has come to a close I just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help feeling like I am not doing enough to prepare. For what? The Zombie Apocalypse of course. You see, I live in a pretty high density metropolitan area and a hop, skip and a jump away from Newark Airport, so once the initial infection hits, where ever it begins, my area will definitely succumb quickly. I am going 20

to be prepared though! I have been diligently stalking out different locations for myself, friends and family to relocate to in the case of a zombie emergency. I have thought about what we will be taking and the supplies we are going to need to survive the initial outbreak. My plan is to hunker down in a well guarded area and wait for the first wave to pass. Of course, all the way I will be using what I have learned from The Walking Dead.

A&E: Television

Rule #1: Avoid large populations of people. In times of crisis, most people are either forced or voluntarily join together at large institutions in city centers. But when it comes to the Zombie infection, more people means more walkers, so look to see which direction the population is fleeing towards and head the other way.

Rule #2: The Government is no longer your friend. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not saying that you should pull a Govâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ner on the military or government officials, but lets be honest, although the government may want to control the spread of the infection, evacuations wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cut it and once the virus becomes to hot to handle, things will fall apart. So man up, your going to have to take care of yourself for this one!

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Rule #3: Assemble a small but diverse group of survivors to join you. In times like these, you need to be able to pick up and go at a moments notice. A large company of people will only slow you down, so until you find a perfect fortified location where you can resume living, you need to stay in a small tight group of people you can trust and who have a variety of skills that will help your group survive. Essential Members of the group include... • A leader who is willing to make the hard decisions, just make sure they are sane enough to do so and hopefully don’t have any family issues. • A lackey who is clever and light on their feet for scouting and light burgling when needed. • A dependable ‘country boy’ who has skills in hunting, trapping and tracking animals as well as skinning and cleaning them for meat. A cross bow is a plus!

Members of the group to exclude or limit... • Kids. Children in your group will most likely slow you down or injure themselves so that you become a target for walkers. • Ex Boyfriends. Like I said before, relationship issues are tough and you don’t need the extra drama, zombies eating people is enough drama for a lifetime. • Loose cannons. Rowdy, uncontrollable people become a liability in this new world. Just one wrong move from them and your whole group will be at stake. • Power hungry egomaniacs. People have gut instincts for a reason and in times like these when we are all back peddling to our basest human instincts, you need to use your gut to make decisions and try not to let your mind over ride them. If you think someone is fishy because they have displayed hints of power lust or a big ego, you need to cut them out or make sure they get eaten by walkers (and make sure you stay to confirm their death!)

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Rule #4: Find a safe location that is walled in and clear it out. Look, we are going to have to live somewhere and when the Zombie virus strikes there will be many homes, businesses and institutions that will be empty and unoccupied. The best thing to do is to find a quiet, out of the way location that offers complete protection from the outside world. Even if you have to live in a basement turned bunker for a while, as long as you keep quiet and avoid drawing attention to your location you will be safe. Rule #5: Whenever possible, use walkers as a means of defense and/or assistance. The good thing about walkers is that they are essentially mindless drones. If you pull a Michone and remove their formidable parts, you can actually use them to perform a variety of tasks such as home defense, heavy lifting and intimidation. You may think it counter productive to use walkers as home defense when you are defending yourself against other walkers, but

remember, its best to hide in plain sight. Keeping a bunch of out of commission walkers on chains or loose in a yard may be a great way to deter not only other walkers from noticing your presence but also other survivors from trying to take your property. Just make sure to keep quiet so other groups catch on.

And now to the final, most important rule to live by! Rule #6: Don’t let anyone know where you live. Unless you are prepared to take on an influx of survivors or willing to wage a turf war, you can never let anyone know where you live. Security will be a rare thing and if you have it, others will want to take it. So, be prepared for the whole ‘I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you’ conversation.

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A Tale of Two iPad Keyboard Cases

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad, $99 24

Technology Feature

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We love our iPadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s here at Strange & Charmed HQ but when both Alexis and Kate wanted to turn their ultraportable device into a portable writers desk, each lady chose a different style keyboard case, each with their own features and benefits. If you are in the market for an iPad keyboard case, or if you want to see how these two cases stack up against each other, check out these dual reviews!

}

ClamCase Pro iPad Keyboard Case, $169 Strange & Charmed

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad By: Kathryn Marshall

Technology Feature

Oh my God, people! I may have found the most awesome iPad accessory in the land of iPad Accessories and oh my God, it comes in different colors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SQUEEE!!!!

ness and style. It connects to your iPad (2nd-4th generation; there’s a separate, smaller version just for the iPad mini) via Bluetooth so have fun with that. Bluetooth— yeah!

What?!?! Look, what’s the point of having an iPad if you can’t have pretty or cool accessories for it? Is there a law that says all computers, tablets, and phones, and their related ephemera have to be dull and boring all the time? Well, I wouldn’t want to live there, let me tell you, Mister. Anyway, this awesome iPad accessory is....[drumroll] the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad, by Logitech.

The keyboard cover has a “valley” in the middle, that you can sit your iPad into. If you place your iPad into the valley with the home button on the right side, magnets will secure that bottom edge to the keyboard cover for better stability. But you can use your iPad in portrait or landscape mode with the keyboard cover. Magnets!

“That’s it? Seriously, Kate? An *external keyboard*?????” Yes, this is awesome. I write for a living (sort of...OKAY, STOP LAUGHING) and I type, and I touch-type to boot. I’m good at touch-typing too. And as passable as the iPad’s onscreen keyboard is sometimes, once you really get into it, you just need a real, freaking keyboard. For a while, I used Apple’s own wireless keyboard but then you need something to prop the iPad up, and it’s one more thing to carry with you, etc. Then I saw this red beauty from Logitech. So awesome. Like other similar keyboard covers, such as ZAGGkeys PROplus, the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is part keyboard, part iPad cover, and all awesome-

As far as keyboards go, it has a full set of QWERTY keys, a number row, modifiers (command, alt, control, option, and function) and some iOS-specific keys. Used in conjunction with the function key (...I swear I didn’t make that rhyme on purpose), these commands include copying and pasting text, adjusting playback and volume, locking or unlocking the screen, and switching back to the iPad’s home screen. I sometimes hit “function” and “delete” at the same time, thinking I’m forward-deleting something (like on my MacBook) only to find that I just locked the screen. Whoops. That says more about how I have my MacBook’s functions keys mapped than the Logitech Keyboard Cover though. I also sometimes hit the “volume” and “playback” keys, thinking I’m adjusting the iPad’s screen brightness because

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again: that’s how I adjust the brightness on my MacBook via the keyboard. Curse you, muscle memory! Like any iPad accessory that you want to be thin and light, the keyboard itself is... thin and light. Yay! The keys themselves are smaller and more shallow than your average external or laptop keyboard. They sometimes feel a bit more cramped because of this. But when I find myself looking for excuses to type on a keyboard, I think I’ve found a winner. When not using the keyboard, just flip the iPad over it, screen-down. A nifty red hinge will flip up and lock itself to the iPad’s edge (the one with no volume or mute buttons). Again with the magnets! When closed, the iPad’s screen is protected by the Logitech keyboard but its back is still open. The DecalGirl skin on my iPad’s back didn’t affect placement, but an Apple Smart Case (the kind that covers both the front and back of an iPad) definitely will.

whatever the hell they’re being called these days. But it’s an iPad so it’s more awesome. I’ve been taking my iPad with me to all kinds of places now that I have the Ultrathin Keyboard. LOVE. Now for the nit-picking (gross) part of our review: Lack of indicator lights You don’t need a lot of indicator lights and doo-whizzles. But a “caps lock” light might help. A “keyboard is actually connected” light. There is one tiny indicator light above the “delete” key. That’s it. It flashes orange when the keyboard is

For a while I was seriously considering trading in both my iPad and my MacBook for a MacBook Air because: two pounds! So thin and light! But still a full keyboard! But so thin and light and easy to carry! Nuts to that. When closed, the iPad+keyboard cover looks very much like a netbook/ultrabook/ultrathin laptop/ 28

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charging (via the included, AND VERY SHORT, micro-USB cable), green when it’s charged up, and blue when it’s trying to find a Bluetooth signal. I’ve occasionally run into situations where I activate Bluetooth on my iPad, turn on the Logitech keyboard (via a tiny, green/orange switch on the right side) and the iPad swears it’s connected...and then nothing. It’s still a minute or two before the iPad’s onscreen keyboard disappears and the Logitech one is ready to go. Weird. Logitech says battery life will last for about two hours of use on a daily basis for six months. I haven’t hit that yet but it would be nice to have a visual battery light or something

that says, “Hey, here’s how much battery life you probably have left.” Angles When the iPad is sitting in the keyboard, it’s stuck at about a 45-degree angle-great for typing, less-than-perfect for movie watching (but still doable). The iPad-in-keyboard-cover combo works best when placed on a flat, stable surface like a table or desk. Without a flat surface to sit on, the iPad becomes too top-heavy for the keyboard cover and usually falls over. Cable Okay seriously, why is the charging cable so damn short? We’re talking less than half the length of a standard iPad charging cable. What the heck??? I might as well replace it with any old USB-to-microUSB cable but you know, I shouldn’t necessarily have to. If you’re going to go to the trouble of making a color-coordinated charging cable and including it in the box (and probably assigning it $30 of the $99 purchase price), then why not add at least another five or six inches to the cable’s length? It’s also hard to get the connector into the keyboard covers port all the time— something about the way it’s shaped doesn’t lend itself well to putting it in the right position on the first try. So…boo urns to that. In short: I love my keyboard. Awesome!

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ClamCase Pro iPad Keyboard By: Alexis Giostra

Technology Feature

The ClamCase Pro is an iPad keyboard case that essentially turns your device into a MacBook Air. Your iPad sits safety in a hard shell attached by a 360 degree hinge to the keyboard and pairs to it via bluetooth. The MacBook style “chiclet” keyboard makes typing feel very familiar and fluid once your hands adjust to the slightly smaller layout. The keyboard itself is a gem, and although it is not full size, I have no problems adapting to the slightly smaller keys and have had very few typing errors thanks to the spacing of the keys from each other. The selection of Hot Keys on the top bar of the keyboard are also very useful. From within any app I can enter my home screen, search, cut, copy, paste, view my pictures, show or hide the onscreen keyboard, control video playback and audio controls, and finally, turn on and off the iPad. The look and feel of the ClamCase Pro is excellent as well. The outer shell is a nice white polycarbonate and the interior hand rest and keyboard area is surrounded by the same aluminum you would find on your iPad or Mac. The experience of typing is actually so immersive that I often find myself attempting to navigate the screen via a non existent track pad before realizing that

I am using my iPad and therefore must utilize the touchscreen. But it honestly hasn’t felt abnormal to me at all. Going from typing to selecting Hot Keys to on screen navigation feels pretty normal after about the first fifteen to twenty minutes of use and I can now actually write entire articles and edit them with ease from my iPad itself. The only thing that feels a little off about the case itself is that its top heavy.The iPad is thicker and heavier than the keyboard which isn’t an issue if you are sitting at a desk or on a hard surface to type, but if you have the case on your lap sitting on a couch or in bed, at some screen angles if you lift your hands from the keyboard, the whole device falls backwards, so that is something to keep in mind. Overall, the device is pretty spectacular, and for someone who was on the fence about purchasing a MacBook Air, I now see that I have no reason to buy one when my iPad + the ClamCase Pro = On the go writing solution similar to a MacBook Air. The ClamCase Pro retails for $169, however I was able to save $20 with a coupon code and you can too. Use the code Spring20 to save $20 off your purchase!

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What makes the ClamCase Pro superior to other cases? It connects completely to the keyboard to make a faux laptop: I do not like some other keyboard cases where the iPad sits freely in a cut out space on the top of the keyboard because that means you have to be sitting at a desk or table to use it and I do much of my writing in bed or laying on the couch. The keys replicate the MacBook style keyboard: The keys on any keyboard can really make it or break it and the fact that this case replicated the MacBook Air to the best of its ability means that typing on it feels familiar to me. Yes, the keyboard is slightly smaller, however, this is probably one of the best external keyboards I have ever seen for any device. Hot Keys: The Hot Keys on the top bar are absolutely on point and extremely helpful. I know some other keyboard cases that are missing hot keys or don’t make the best use of them and all I can say is these are exactly what I need and as an added bonus, no regular keys on the keyboard have been removed to make room (I have seen some others that remove extra “return/enter” keys or some of the lesser used punctuation marks to make room for additional keysnot cool!) The multi view stand options: This case is not just a faux laptop, but also an excellent case for viewing media, and even reading. You can prop it up in a number of ways that really make it a completely functioning case. 32

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Waterproof Beach Clutch By: Alexis Giostra The summer is so close I can almost smell the salt air of the beach and the chlorine of the community pool! Of course, this summer season always creates a conundrum for me ‘how to I keep my tech protected while I am engaging in water sports and activities?’ Well, I have a solution for that! Look, waterproof cases for our iPhones and tablets are expensive and usually ugly, so that means they really aren’t worth the money. So, my alternate this year will be a waterproof clutch. I know, your thinking ‘they make those?’ Well, sorta! For about $5 you can get your hands on a very cute bikini bag that we can re-purpose into a waterproof clutch. If your not aware, a bikini bag is a small canvas bag, usually lined with a waterproof wax coating for you to store your wet bikini or bathing suit once you are done using it. The idea is the bag prevents the water from soaking through to other items in your beach or pool bag and they work quite well, and because they are canvas, they don’t get that moldy smell once wet. 34

So, next time you are out, pick up one for your bikini and one for your phone, iPod, and other gadgets so you can enjoy those without fear of permanent water damage!

Quirky Upcycle

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Summer Lovin

Lean In Sheryl Sandberg

Life After Life Kate Atkinson

Summer Lovin Feature

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The Girls of Atomic City Denise Kiernan

Books to Read by the Beach

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Z: A novel of Zelda Fitzgerald Therese Ann Fowler

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Merona速 Lattice Print Zip Around Smartphone Wallet available at Target

Summer Lovin Feature

Tory Burch Kelsey Perforated iPhone 5 Case

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Summery Gadget Cases

Incase Hardshell Case For Macbook Air/Pro

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Elaine Turner Iris Glitz Zip iPad Case

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REBECCA MINKOFF Los Angeles Toki Tote

Elaine Turner Candice Tote - Gold Zig Zag Raffia

Summer Lovin Feature

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Beach Bags that go beyond the Sea

Marc Jacobs Checkmate Tote

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Tory Burch Theresa Tall Tote

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iHome iP4 - Portable FM Stereo Boombox for iPhone/iPod $199.99 at ihomeaudio.com 44

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Olympic cyclist Chris Boardmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concept bicycle Just a concept bicycle.... for now! 48

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Kate Spade New York Abici Bicycle

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5 P O T S P P A R S E M iO M U S R O F 50

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{Find My Friends } Free

If you plan to be out and about this summer you will need to make sure you know exactly where all your friends are in relation to you at any given moment. Find My Friends is a free iOS app from Apple that allows you to see a map of your friends and their current location. Meet up for

drinks, lunch, or an event on the fly with your pals with just the touch of a button thanks to the Find My Friends app. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summer after all so make the most of your time in the sun with this great app.

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{ GroupShot } $0.99

While you’re out having fun in the sun with your friends I’m sure you’re going to end up taking many photos and group shots with them. Don’t you just hate it when you’re taking a photo of a group of friends and one person messes up the whole shot? With GroupShot this is no longer an issue. Simply take multiple pictures of your group of friends and erase out any people that don’t look just right. Then, all you have to do is substitute them back in from another shot. A great group photo is as simple as point, shoot, and swipe with GroupShot!

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{ MINIMETEO } $1.99

If you’re like most people the majority of your summer plans will revolve around the weather and making sure the outdoor conditions are just right for your favorite activities like beach trips, BBQ’s and sporting events. So it’s critically important that you have a great weather app on your iOS device to make sure that you have the

latest updates on the outdoor conditions. Minimeteo is a simple and yet beautiful iOS app that displays the weather with colorful and simple images and an elegant user interface! Checking the weather may be a simple chore, but at least it’s a visually pleasing experience thanks to the Minimeteo app!

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{ SoundHound } $6.99

Spring has always been the unofficial start of outdoor music season with all the popular music festivals beginning to take place towards the end of April. But you Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be going to one of those major music festivals to take advantage of the warmer weather to enjoy great music. Outdoor concerts and live events will really start gearing up with the summer around 54

the corner and you will probably want to make sure you are in the know when it comes to your new favorite bands and songs. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where SoundHound comes in. This nifty music app is one of the best in music recognition so you will always know the name of that tune no matter where you are!

Horoscope

{WaterIn} Free

With the warmer weather now in season youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re definitely going to want to make sure that you are staying hydrated throughout the day. WaterIn is a simple and easy to use health and fitness app that helps you keep track of your daily water intake to that you stay on track with the correct amount of ounces each day. Hydration

is so important, especially when we are all out and about during the summer months, so you really have no excuse not to drink all the necessary amounts of water when you have a great free app like WaterIn to track your intake.

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Horoscope Survival Guide By: Alexis Giostra

Aries: The courageous and outgoing Aries should get a fashionable new hair style, like a long bob or dramatic bangs to prepare them for summer! Taurus: As a Taurus can sometimes be lazy, especially during the summer, it might be best to get yourself a fake tan so at least you have one major thing out of the way before the heat of the summer starts to hit! Gemini: A Gemini can often be impulsive. Mix that with the fact that they are generally full of energy and excitement, especially around the start of summer, and I think the best way to appease your natural spirit is by picking up that designer beach bag as a splurge. But do it quick before you start to regret it!

Cancer: It shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be news to you, Cancer, that you are highly sensitive and sometimes get very moody, especially when it comes to the summer because the warmer months mean you are exposing more and more of yourself physically and you take that to heart. It would be best for you to find a great beach cover up like an awesome bright tunic that shows your fun side but shadows your sensitivities. Leo: Oh Leo, we all know how super brave you are and how you love to be a show off ! So, go ahead, buy yourself that skimpy bikini because if anyone can pull it off, its you! Virgo: Summer time means people watching for a Virgo. You like to sit by the beach or near the pool and just observe quietly, most likely judging others inside your head. So, give yourself a head start and pick up a pair of big designer sunglasses so you can keep your eye on everyone without them noticing.

Horoscope Survival Guide

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Get ready for summer with these must have items by star sign

Libra: As a Libra, you are always striving for an idealistic gracefulness that you believe you naturally posses, however, it often comes off as superficial vanity when you try to hard. So, in preparation for the summer, pick up an oversized floppy hat, something alluring but demure, and make that your go to accessory for summer, nothing else! Scorpio: Scorpio, keep your obsessive nature at bay this summer by starting a regular mani/ pedi schedule at your local salon. Since summer weather can make hair and makeup rather unpredictable, at least you can make sure you have impeccable nails. Sagittarius: Ah, the independent Sagittarius. You like to go your own way so often that others find you to be an unemotional robot, at times! So, combat this opinion by picking up a picnic set and start planning some summer get togethers with friends. Loosen up and have fun, it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t kill you!

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Capricorn: Your a perfectionist, Capricorn, and you always think you know best. Yes, you are usually right, but this know it all attitude is a turn off to others and often leaves you feeling sad and alone. To brighten your spirit, pick up a pretty summer frock in some bright colors to lift your mood and draw the attentions of others. Aquarius: Aquarius, you are such an original that summer has not truly begun until you show up on scene with the latest trend. So, pick up a new, edgy one piece that will be sure to turn some heads and get summer started right! Pisces: A Pisces is such an artist, and the summer only lends itself to their escapist mentality. This summer, pick up a load of good books to read while relaxing in the sun and put that imagination of yours to good work. Heck, you may even be able to write one yourself by summers end!

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Mantra

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By: Alexis Giostra From time to time my brain gets overloaded with everything from to doâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, events, plans, recipes, you name it! Sometimes I feel like I am carrying around so much information in my head that I am out of RAM. Yes, RAM, like the electronic bits in your computer also known as memory, the stuff that keeps all the data on your computer accessible at a moments notice. Like computers, our brains run on a similar concept sometimes referred to as Psychic RAM, and like computers our RAM needs to be rebooted from time to time to keep our minds working at good speed! If you find that your mind feels overloaded with information that you need to remember, you probably need to reboot your Psychic RAM by using a technique I call The Brain Dump.

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- Properly process information like phone numbers or recipes you want to try by writing them in contact lists or by adding the recipe to your weekly shopping list. - Once you have a complete list of items on paper instead of in your head, begin to group like items. Send all the birthday cards you are remembering, make all the calls you need to make, schedule all the repairs and so on. Its quicker to do like things together and the quicker things get done the quicker you can move on and forget about them!

If you have a lot of information floating around in your head and you are finding it hard to recall some of this information, its time for a brain dump. Take a pen and a notepad and begin writing down everything on your mind that is taking up space and attention. Write everything down in a list with as much detail as possible so that you can stop storing the information in your brain and start getting it organized and processed. - Schedule events you are trying to remember on a calendar and mark any to do items that go along with the event that you need in preparation. 58

Rebooting your Psychic RAM

Mantra

Quirky Girl Spotlight 1) Name: Charlie Boobskowski 2) Internet Residence (where you can be found on the web): boobskowski.blogspot.com. For now. 3) Favorite Blogs & Websites: I lose so many hours a week in a pinhole! (pinterest k-hole? no? oh well...) One blog I love is asknicolegeorges.blogspot.com. I read “calling Dr. Laura” and fell in love with Nicole. Another is ahoymiss.com. 4) W hat traits about you would you describe as “quirky”? Basically, I have no shame and can’t not be me. Ha. I go where the wind takes me and am moving to Portland just because. I sell my dirty shoes on ebay because I like knowing strangers secrets. I wear big glasses and always have my dog in my purse. 5) W hat are your must have beauty items? Eyelash extensions! 6) W hat is your must have gadget? I’ve always been the annoying one taking pictures, so I guess my camera. Even though I usually take pictures with my phone. When will good cameras have phones instead of vice versa? When will we be able to take photos with our eyeballs and print them out of...? Never mind.

7) W hat is your current obsession? Figuring out how to have Portland summers and Key West winters. Silver jewelry by Elaine Ho. Stinky the dolphin. Adventure Time. Getting rid of 70% of my precious belongings (junk). All shades of teal. I’m in my “blue period,” and its nice to see two of my lifelong obsessions getting attention these days, cats and puns. 8) How do you take your coffee? I used to take it black, but I don’t know if I was trying to be cool back then or if coffee has gotten bad. Now I take it with a little milk and a ton of sugar (like six and then two more when it isn’t sweet enough). 9) Close your eyes and grab three items out of your bag. What did you grab? Packing tape, my Sanrio Nyago coin purse, and a glittery green pouch my bff made that I keep my Bang and Olufsen earphones in. Best. Earphones. Ever.

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