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Raymond Weil Parsifal Watches For 2011

Not that it is a bad thing, but a large part of Raymond Weil's watches try to offer lower priced "alternatives" to popular Rolex models. The Parsifal has always hovering over the Rolex DayDate or Datejust market offering something a bit different, with the same functions, but still nice for a much lower price. For 2011 the Parsifal collection adds a few new members including the new "Date Automatic" and "Day-Date Automatic" (what coincidental naming practices).

Moderately sized, the cases are 39mm wide and done in steel and 18k rose gold (for the bezel, crown, elements of the bracelet, and elements on the dial). Raymond Weil opts for Roman numerals that revolve around the dial, and dial colors which asre black or silver. There will likely be other models available as well in differnet tones. Inside the watches are base Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic movements that have been modified by Raymond Weil. The new Parsifal watches are attactive, but nothing awe inspiring. The brand has again created a marketable and lower priced watch aiming at those who don't want to spend Rolex prices but still want a handsome Swiss watch of this variety.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2011, date, day, parsifal, raymond weil, watch, watches

What You Need To Know About Red Roses For Valentine's Day

by ashleynorth (RSS feed) —

Red roses are popular year round but take on special importance at Valentine's Day. Suddenly they are everywhere. Bouquets of roses are sold by the side of the road and by salespeople hovering around restaurants. This, combined with the overflowing buckets at the grocery store, saturate a market that is deserving of a richness equivalent to its history. Favored mostly for its beauty and durability, combined with fragrance, the rose's popularity has caused an outbreak of ecologically harmful and trade-wide problems.

Many roses are raised in Ecuador and Colombia, and there is an ongoing concern of heavy pesticide use, unfair wage and labor conditions and the possibility that the rose tips themselves may have been treated with anti-fungal chemicals that are harmful to human beings.

Flower arranger and horticulture expert Betty Miles explains the importance of careful-sourcing and following care that will result in a longer life and a clear conscience. She notes that, due to favorable climate conditions as well as cheaper labor, most long stem roses (the most popular in America) are grown in greenhouses around the world, and generally in Colombia, Ecuador and parts of Africa. There can be a big difference between the white-bucketed variety amongst conventional locations and the fresher and perhaps more local available at a credible florist. Betty goes on to say:

When sourcing flowers in person, check underneath the bud to see if petals will have been removed. This will prove the flower to be old or not as fresh, diminishing their cut-life. 'Hardening-off' is a common flower arrangement term- taking a cut flower from a garden or, later, florist, and diagonally cutting an inch off the tip of the stem then immediately placing it in water (or cutting while the stem is submerged in water). Doing these steps, along with removing the lower leaves and stems will avoid rotting and water-contamination thus, shortening the life. If not removed, the most distal part of the stem will get dried, killing the cells within the stem, rendering it inactive, and killing the flower. This can and should be repeated by the distributor, the florist and finally, the customer. Though the packet of "flower-extender" that comes with your flowers appears artificial, it is an inert and biodegradable substance (typically a formula including dextrose and bacteria-inhibitors) that will extend the life of your cut flowers.

Tags: alternative, bush, columbia, day, decor-pedia, domestic, eco, ecuador, fairtrade, florist, friendly, grow, hybrid, hybridization, long, luxist-awards, main-pedia, red, roses, stem, US, valentines

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Sky Ceilings

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

In an ideal world, everyone would have at least one skylight looking out into a beautiful, clear expanse of space. As it is, we have weather, pollution and sometimes a second-story or upstairs apartment getting in the way of our would-be view. The Sky Factory's Sky Ceilings solve all of those problems. They are photographs of real skies on special opaque tiles that can be mounted over lights to give a natural, luminous effect. The lighting systems provide "daylight-balanced light," which the body will actually recognize as "natural." Hundreds of ultra-high resolution images are available to choose from, so you can open up your space to the great outdoors - or at least feel that way. Prices vary depending on design, size and lighting options.