GeekSugar

Website of the Day: Trip Kick

GeekSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:00:29 PDT

Anyone not living under a rock these days usually goes to websites for hotels to stay in, but sometimes it's not enough to know that your hotel has a certain amount of stars before you go - don't you want to know about your room?

Trip Kick is the site that will tell you what rooms or floors to avoid for noise, traffic, or smoking, and will advise you which rooms are what you want, like corners with more space, so you can maximize your stay anywhere.

Trust me, you don't want to spend hundreds in a fancy hotel just to be on the ground floor facing some bodega's neon lights.

A Red, White, and Blue Start to Summer! Patriotic Picks For Memorial Day and Beyond

Lisa Horten — Sun, 20 May 2012 04:22:02 PDT

Whether you're kicking off Summer with a trip to the beach or a backyard barbecue, you'll want your lil ones to celebrate in patriotic style. We've rounded up some of our favorite red, white, and blue gear that they can debut on Memorial Day, bring back for the Fourth of July, and wear all Summer long. Fly your flags high and enjoy the start of every child's favorite season!

Jennifer Connelly Totes Little Agnes to the Sunny Cannes Film Festival

Lauren Turner — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:46:54 PDT

Jennifer Connelly held onto her almost 1-year-old daughter Agnes as she and husband Paul Bettany enjoyed the sun on the deck of the Eden Roc Hotel in Nice this afternoon. The trio landed in the South of France earlier today, with little Agnes in her mom's arms. Jennifer and Paul have two older kids, Kai and Stellan, who apparently didn't make the trip, which coincides with the Cannes Film Festival. The glamorous event kicked off yesterday, and there have already been plenty of celebrities hitting the red carpet including juror Diane Kruger, Eva Longoria, and Freida Pinto. Jennifer will be the one in the spotlight, though, when she attends a special screening of a restored version of her 1984 movie Once Upon a Time in America.

Shop Spring's Parisian-Chic Stripes, All Under $100

Brittney Stephens — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:30:34 PDT

Full disclosure: we've tried to put ourselves on a stripe-buying ban three times now, and it just never sticks. Stripes are not only a Spring staple, but give you that instant French-girl feeling (you know the one: polished Parisian elegance, red lips and boat trips, Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin on the French Riviera, etc.) - and with the Cannes Film Festival kicking off today, we thought it more than necessary to indulge ourselves in some striped shopping. Whether you're hoping to channel a nautical-chic look this season, or just trying to find your inner bon vivant, we've got you covered. Click through now to see and shop 25 budget-friendly striped pieces worthy of wearing for work, play, and beyond.

Photo courtesy of J.Crew

10 Perfect Pieces to Channel All the Glam of Cannes Without Ever Leaving Home

Hannah Weil — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:20:35 PDT

In light of the fact that our favorite style setters will be making the trip to Cannes for the annual film festival kicking off this Wednesday, we're feeling especially drawn to the glamorous styles inspired by the festivities and the French Riviera. Each year the festival draws out both jaw-dropping gowns fit for the film premieres and yacht parties as well as the femme fit-and-flare frocks that speak perfectly to Parisian femininity. With our eyes on looks from years past, like Zoe Saldana's stunning strapless Armani Privé gown, Bianca Balti's megawatt emerald jewels, and Diane Kruger's effortless Parisian-cool, we've honed in on 10 perfect pieces to inspire your own ode to Cannes fashion, even if you're just hanging around the neighborhood. In any case, each of these styles is also a chic option for your Summer wardrobe - just click on to see and shop a few of our favorite Cannes-inspired essentials.

4 Simple Tips to Encourage Your Kids' Creativity

Laura Marie Given — Tue, 01 May 2012 08:06:21 PDT

Painting and drawing are great artistic outlets, but creativity means more than simply diving into a box of crayons. To encourage your kids' creativity in other areas, it's best to step outside the box and introduce them to fresh, new activities and environments. Whether it's a quick cooking date or a day spent out on the town, we've come up with four simple tips to help your little ones exercise their imaginations:

Invite them into the kitchen. Make a space for your kids in your cooking routine and teach them about different spices or food combinations. Let them create their own recipes, have taste tests, and bring them to the farmers market to introduce them to new foods. Giving them a glimpse of what goes into their meals is a great way to stimulate their curiosity and maybe even kick-start a new passion.
Turn off the TV and turn up the music. Whether it's during arts and crafts or while your kids do their homework, try switching the focus away from TV and computers. Instead, play different kinds of music that the lil ones may not be used to - from classical compositions to indie ballads to the Beatles, listening to something different can spark their inspiration in new, unexpected ways.

Keep reading for more creativity-boosting tips.

How to Travel to a Destination Race With Success

Michele Foley — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:37:33 PDT

Competing in a race is already a challenge in itself; add to that a bit of travel, and you've got a new set of factors to consider. To find out how to achieve race-day success when traveling across the country - or world - we went straight to the expert, Thom Gilligan, founder of Marathon Tours, a specialized travel agency for runners that provides travel packages to destination marathons. Here are Thom's tips to ensure traveling won't prevent you from having a successful race day, whether you're doing a 10K or a marathon.

Pack race-day gear in your carry-on: Airlines lose luggage - it just happens. "Take precaution by packing all race gear in your carry-on," Thom says. The last thing you need is to be without your running shoes or outfit on the day of the race. Sure, you can buy new gear, but as any expert will tell you, running in new sneakers or clothing on the day of a race is bad all around. You don't want unexpected factors like chafing, pulling, or rubbing to prevent you from having a good day or causing bad form.
Arrive before the day of the race: Jet leg and tight muscles from a cramped airline seat are not a good look when it comes to race day. To feel alert on the day of the race, try to get there as far in advance as possible. Thom says the rule of thumb is to "arrive one day earlier for every hour you may be gaining or losing." But even he knows how impractical this sounds. Ideally give yourself two to three days to acclimate to your new surroundings, he says. The most important thing, Thom says, is adapting your sleep patterns to the current time zone. Fight urges to nap during the day or stay up late at night. Instead, go to sleep at the general bedtime hour of wherever you might be; this will help reset your circadian rhythm to the local sleep-wake cycle. Here are more tips on preventing jet lag.

See more tips for destination races after the break!

Jessica Biel Jets From Justin to Cancun and Talks Total Recall

Brittney Stephens — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 02:19:55 PDT

Jessica Biel joined Kate Beckinsale and Colin Farrell at a press event for Total Recall in Cancun yesterday. Jessica plays a kick-ass futuristic leader in the '90s remake, which hits theaters this Summer, while Colin's character is married to Kate on the big screen.

Jessica met up with her costars in Mexico after attending the opening of Jenni Kayne's Brentwood boutique last week. A few days before the fashionable LA appearance, Jessica wrapped up a trip to Europe with fiancé Justin Timberlake. Jessica might have been wedding dress shopping during the getaway, which also included a sweet dinner date with Justin. The couple is reportedly planning to wed this Summer, but in the meantime, Justin is staying busy with the launch of HomeMint, his latest venture with interior designer Estee Stanley.

Greenhouse Design Studio's Airstream Pop-Up Shop

Angela Swinderman Elias — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:00:25 PDT

If you live in the Southwest and are contemplating ways to make your home greener (and prettier!) this Spring, you're in luck. You may remember Laurie Furber's tips for easy eco entertaining, but now, the Greenhouse Design Studio owner is taking her ecommerce shop to the streets.

Laurie will be driving a vintage airstream through the Southwest, touting stylish eco home wares and expert advice for implementing practical green design. The Greenhouse Design Studio pop-up airstream will hit destinations like the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs and the Bunkhouse hotels in Marfa and Austin, TX, with a donation to the Carbon Fund to offset their trip.

Keep reading to see if the Greenhouse Design Studio pop-up airstream will roll into your hood!

Spring Cleaning: Refreshing a Pet-Friendly Home

Sara Yoo — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:00:00 PDT

Thanks to cold weather and short days, it's easy to get complacent about house cleaning during those long Winter months. But now that Spring has sprung, I'm feeling recharged and ready to tackle the tasks I've largely ignored since Fall's warmer days! I won't place full blame on my pup, but for such a small member of the household, she sure contributes a lot of the mess: muddy footprints, fur everywhere, slobbery toys, and errant treat crumbs are just a few of her transgressions. So I've compiled my to-do list of must-hit spots in my Spring cleaning purge. Keep reading for my Spring tasks!