Noam Bouzaglou is a custom home builder and renovator who has a mission to create beauty and value through modern designs and features for discriminating Los Angeles County homeowners who appreciate fine work.
While many contractors do acceptable interior renovations, builder Noam Bouzaglou has over 19 years of remodeling experience excellence.
I have been reflecting on a lot of serious things that happened in this last year, but there is one thing that — most definitely — was not. Those of you who subscribe via feed readers or email don’t always see some of the stuff I do direct on the blog’s design, but over the past year, I decided to have a little fun with the logo. With each new holiday or season (or just whenever I felt like it), I changed things up to give my little duckling some personality.
Speaking of, did we ever decide on a name for this guy? I can’t even remember.
It was simple, and that’s part of the reason why I liked it so much. But it also meant I could do random things to it just for fun, like last December when I made him into Duckling Santa (which happens to be the same one that’s up on the site now):
December
In January, I gave him a party hat and confetti, but kept the snowflakes — even though it hardly ever snows here in Georgia, at least the site was festive!
January
Whenever there was a good opportunity, I kept the idea going. Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s Day, etc. I tried to take the “less is more” approach with most of them. ;)
February
March
Easter/April
(I know Easter was in March, but it was cute, so I kept it)
By the time my birthday and summer rolled around, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do regarding holidays, so I went with a more seasonal approach to last a few months (and not to mention, I spent a lot of that time outside and away from my computer anyway):
Summer
Football/Fall
And by December, we were right back to where I started!
It was kind of a silly exercise, but it was also a fun way to flex my creative muscles whenever I found myself hitting a design slump (it happens, and sometimes there’s not a lot you can do about it except push through!) and to see who noticed and left comments about it. A few of you really seemed to like it, so I think in 2017, I’m going to keep it going with some new ideas. They might get a little more obscure if I feel like having an inside joke or two, but I hope at the very least, it brought a few more smiles this year. Have a good one tonight, and I’ll see you all in the new year!
I have been reflecting on a lot of serious things that happened in this last year, but there is one thing that — most definitely — was not. Those of you who subscribe via feed readers or email don’t always see some of the stuff I do direct on the blog’s design, but over the past year, I decided to have a little fun with the logo. With each new holiday or season (or just whenever I felt like it), I changed things up to give my little duckling some personality.
Speaking of, did we ever decide on a name for this guy? I can’t even remember.
It was simple, and that’s part of the reason why I liked it so much. But it also meant I could do random things to it just for fun, like last December when I made him into Duckling Santa (which happens to be the same one that’s up on the site now):
December
In January, I gave him a party hat and confetti, but kept the snowflakes — even though it hardly ever snows here in Georgia, at least the site was festive!
January
Whenever there was a good opportunity, I kept the idea going. Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s Day, etc. I tried to take the “less is more” approach with most of them. ;)
February
March
Easter/April
(I know Easter was in March, but it was cute, so I kept it)
By the time my birthday and summer rolled around, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do regarding holidays, so I went with a more seasonal approach to last a few months (and not to mention, I spent a lot of that time outside and away from my computer anyway):
Summer
Football/Fall
And by December, we were right back to where I started!
It was kind of a silly exercise, but it was also a fun way to flex my creative muscles whenever I found myself hitting a design slump (it happens, and sometimes there’s not a lot you can do about it except push through!) and to see who noticed and left comments about it. A few of you really seemed to like it, so I think in 2017, I’m going to keep it going with some new ideas. They might get a little more obscure if I feel like having an inside joke or two, but I hope at the very least, it brought a few more smiles this year. Have a good one tonight, and I’ll see you all in the new year!
If you’ve been reading this blog for a few years, you’re probably aware of our holiday baking tradition. It always takes place in Mom’s kitchen, all of us doing various levels of helping decorate (sometimes ahem, only doing quality control) and bake the various cookie types. This has also included some rather incriminating photos of me…
With permission, I shared two of those recipes in the last couple of years — my Granny’s favorite, kolaches, and my own personal favorite, hard-boiled egg cookies.*
*The name isn’t the most appealing, but they are delicious. If you don’t want to try them, that’s just more for me!
But this year, as my sister Em and I were rolling out the dough, my mom started talking about one of her favorites: anise cookies. She had made a batch of dough and intended on baking them along with the rest of the cookies we were doing. And it reminded me of yet another funny holiday story that I haven’t shared with you guys yet.
If you’ve never heard of anise cookies, they contain an oil that tastes like black licorice, making them the absolute worst possible cookie flavor of all time. Not to mention, their name always makes me have to pronounce them a second time with friends (“No. anissss, with an ‘i’.” Yes, I know what that sounds like. And yes, they do at least figuratively taste like shit.”)
Growing up, I always hated them. Why the hell did someone invent a cookie that tastes like bad candy? Merry friggin’ Christmas, let’s leave Santa a “treat” that would make even the jolliest want to stomp on our presents. There’s just one little problem…
If we use cookie cutters, they look almost exactly identical to my favorite cookies. They bake and puff almost the same. And for years, as kids, we decorated every cookie that came out of the oven with the same icing and sprinkles.
You can see where this is going. Mom would bake the various cookies in small batches and all at once, and we would go apeshit with covering them all in sugar. So, naturally, I would smell that all-too-familiar smell of my my favorite cookies baking in the oven, grab one that’s sitting on the rack cooling, take a BIG bite, and then…
Ewwwww. The cookie would immediately come tumbling out of my mouth in a fury of crumbs and a WTH?!? look on my face. And to make Mom laugh even harder, she never actually meant to prank me; I would just be unlucky sometimes. You would think I could at least smell the anise ones to distinguish them if they looked too similar to know by sight, but with a kitchen full of cookie smell, it was still too confusing for my weak nose.
I’m not proud of the learning curve on this one. It took us years before I stopped gambling with my 50/50 odds of getting the right cookie. I did stop taking such big bites, though.
I find it pretty hilarious that I would forget to prevent this issue so easily by the next time Christmas came around again. Eventually, our solution was to bake a whole bunch of mine and not ice them (I actually hate icing, so it worked out great) and would leave the anise cookies in a simple round shape (sans cookie cutter). They still look a little confusing when they’re all in the same cookie tin, but it’s now accidental-prank-free.
Do you have any funny cookie memories? I hope you’re all having a wonderful holiday!
If you’ve been reading this blog for a few years, you’re probably aware of our holiday baking tradition. It always takes place in Mom’s kitchen, all of us doing various levels of helping decorate (sometimes ahem, only doing quality control) and bake the various cookie types. This has also included some rather incriminating photos of me…
With permission, I shared two of those recipes in the last couple of years — my Granny’s favorite, kolaches, and my own personal favorite, hard-boiled egg cookies.*
*The name isn’t the most appealing, but they are delicious. If you don’t want to try them, that’s just more for me!
But this year, as my sister Em and I were rolling out the dough, my mom started talking about one of her favorites: anise cookies. She had made a batch of dough and intended on baking them along with the rest of the cookies we were doing. And it reminded me of yet another funny holiday story that I haven’t shared with you guys yet.
If you’ve never heard of anise cookies, they contain an oil that tastes like black licorice, making them the absolute worst possible cookie flavor of all time. Not to mention, their name always makes me have to pronounce them a second time with friends (“No. anissss, with an ‘i’.” Yes, I know what that sounds like. And yes, they do at least figuratively taste like shit.”)
Growing up, I always hated them. Why the hell did someone invent a cookie that tastes like bad candy? Merry friggin’ Christmas, let’s leave Santa a “treat” that would make even the jolliest want to stomp on our presents. There’s just one little problem…
If we use cookie cutters, they look almost exactly identical to my favorite cookies. They bake and puff almost the same. And for years, as kids, we decorated every cookie that came out of the oven with the same icing and sprinkles.
You can see where this is going. Mom would bake the various cookies in small batches and all at once, and we would go apeshit with covering them all in sugar. So, naturally, I would smell that all-too-familiar smell of my my favorite cookies baking in the oven, grab one that’s sitting on the rack cooling, take a BIG bite, and then…
Ewwwww. The cookie would immediately come tumbling out of my mouth in a fury of crumbs and a WTH?!? look on my face. And to make Mom laugh even harder, she never actually meant to prank me; I would just be unlucky sometimes. You would think I could at least smell the anise ones to distinguish them if they looked too similar to know by sight, but with a kitchen full of cookie smell, it was still too confusing for my weak nose.
I’m not proud of the learning curve on this one. It took us years before I stopped gambling with my 50/50 odds of getting the right cookie. I did stop taking such big bites, though.
I find it pretty hilarious that I would forget to prevent this issue so easily by the next time Christmas came around again. Eventually, our solution was to bake a whole bunch of mine and not ice them (I actually hate icing, so it worked out great) and would leave the anise cookies in a simple round shape (sans cookie cutter). They still look a little confusing when they’re all in the same cookie tin, but it’s now accidental-prank-free.
Do you have any funny cookie memories? I hope you’re all having a wonderful holiday!
If you’re looking into remodeling your kitchen, why not go with a classic, timeless theme that will stand the test of time? Today, we want to help you do just that with some tips for building a kitchen that is always up to date. Here are 4 things to keep in mind.
#1: Simple Architectural Features
Don’t get too complex with the architecture of the room if you want it to last through the years. Crown molding and claw feet certainly add a level of interest, but it may be something that does not fit the vision of your home in the long term. Straight lines throughout a room are not boring when you change things up with features like glass cabinetry and the occasional pop of color.
#2: A Huge Sink
Who doesn’t love a big kitchen sink to make cleaning a whole lot easier? Don’t regret your kitchen remodeling choices by choosing a fun, unique sink that doesn’t get the job done. Get the biggest sink you can without compromising counter space (or having to dive for dishes). A farmhouse sink is a beautiful, simple option that has never gone out of style.
#3: Practical Seating
Kids and guests alike love sharing the kitchen with the cook or host, even when there is a party going on outside of the kitchen. Provide practical seating for anyone who wants to stop by the kitchen while you cook or clean, and you won’t have to worry about the space feeling cramped. And who doesn’t love visitors?
#4: Black and White
Black and white tiling and other features come to mind right away when we think about classic kitchen features that have lasted through the years. Checkerboard tiling is common and timeless, but anything with a neutral palette will keep the décor from becoming overwhelming.
Perhaps that, and for many of my own reasons why (which I’ll cover in my 2016 recap and not this post), I expected myself to go all out on the holiday decorations. I’m stubborn (duh, hi, have we met?), so I wanted to end the year on a high note: a last, big flourish of Christmasy-ness. Lotsa glitter. Silver. Gold. White.
Classic. Complete. Done.
And instead, I did what felt like nothing. I did about 3% of the things I thought I was going to do.
I started out ambitious; I put my tree up the weekend of Thanksgiving. I bought it for myself last year and was really looking forward to getting home from my parents’ house and immediately starting the holiday season. It’s pre-lit and snaps together in only three pieces (which I LOVE — I can’t find the exact one online anymore, so here’s the affiliate link for one that’s similar). I plugged it in, stood in the glow of the white lights…
… and basically didn’t bother to throw on a single ornament for all of December.
At first, I thought the usual culprit — procrastination — was to blame. Every day that I walked by my tree, I told myself tomorrow, and kept doing other things. I sorted through all of my ornaments for the color scheme I wanted to go with. I bought four new ornaments that coordinated with the color scheme I planned to go with. And yet, tomorrow. I left it as-is.
It was blank (well, almost, since the lights were already attached) and comforting. I could walk by, let my eyes glaze over, and just appreciate my nearly-naked tree. I put a skirt on it because it seemed silly without one, but that was it.
I did the holiday thing at other people’s houses and came home to doing my own, quiet thing. It’s actually been really nice to feel a sense of slowness at a time of year where everything else seems so rushed. I’ve been spending time with family, new and old friends, and neglected to feel bad about not throwing glitter on a year that I am not even planning to be friends with as of January 1st.
In hindsight, I’m glad I did things this way; my 2016 tree reflects my feelings about 2016 pretty well.
How I felt about 2015:
How I feel about 2016:
Yep… seems about right.
So, it’s not going to be in anyone’s pretty Christmas roundup or get pinned a million times, and that’s perfectly alright. Instead, I’m going to spend the rest of the season getting myself ready to bring on a new year with lots more in store (for example, in case you missed my comments in the sneak peek last week, I have been working with a brand on my laundry room makeover project and that big reveal is coming in January).
Have you ever put up a Christmas tree, only to not decorate it? I know I can’t be the only one, but I’m curious how many of you did the same or similar!
Perhaps that, and for many of my own reasons why (which I’ll cover in my 2016 recap and not this post), I expected myself to go all out on the holiday decorations. I’m stubborn (duh, hi, have we met?), so I wanted to end the year on a high note: a last, big flourish of Christmasy-ness. Lotsa glitter. Silver. Gold. White.
Classic. Complete. Done.
And instead, I did what felt like nothing. I did about 3% of the things I thought I was going to do.
I started out ambitious; I put my tree up the weekend of Thanksgiving. I bought it for myself last year and was really looking forward to getting home from my parents’ house and immediately starting the holiday season. It’s pre-lit and snaps together in only three pieces (which I LOVE — I can’t find the exact one online anymore, so here’s the affiliate link for one that’s similar). I plugged it in, stood in the glow of the white lights…
… and basically didn’t bother to throw on a single ornament for all of December.
At first, I thought the usual culprit — procrastination — was to blame. Every day that I walked by my tree, I told myself tomorrow, and kept doing other things. I sorted through all of my ornaments for the color scheme I wanted to go with. I bought four new ornaments that coordinated with the color scheme I planned to go with. And yet, tomorrow. I left it as-is.
It was blank (well, almost, since the lights were already attached) and comforting. I could walk by, let my eyes glaze over, and just appreciate my nearly-naked tree. I put a skirt on it because it seemed silly without one, but that was it.
I did the holiday thing at other people’s houses and came home to doing my own, quiet thing. It’s actually been really nice to feel a sense of slowness at a time of year where everything else seems so rushed. I’ve been spending time with family, new and old friends, and neglected to feel bad about not throwing glitter on a year that I am not even planning to be friends with as of January 1st.
In hindsight, I’m glad I did things this way; my 2016 tree reflects my feelings about 2016 pretty well.
How I felt about 2015:
How I feel about 2016:
Yep… seems about right.
So, it’s not going to be in anyone’s pretty Christmas roundup or get pinned a million times, and that’s perfectly alright. Instead, I’m going to spend the rest of the season getting myself ready to bring on a new year with lots more in store (for example, in case you missed my comments in the sneak peek last week, I have been working with a brand on my laundry room makeover project and that big reveal is coming in January).
Have you ever put up a Christmas tree, only to not decorate it? I know I can’t be the only one, but I’m curious how many of you did the same or similar!
By Drew Knight According to a recent survey by the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA), homebuyers face a list of unique challenges when shopping for homes during the holiday season. From reported mishaps like an ancient one-armed Santa … Continue reading →
Many homeowners have one goal in mind when it comes to a remodel. Often, the main goal is space—expanding the square footage of the bathroom so people have more room to move around and get ready in the mornings.
If space is the goal for your bathroom remodel, don’t neglect the other elements that bring a bathroom together. Here are three reasons you should rethink your entire décor scheme if you really want to take advantage of an opportunity to remodel.
A Larger Bathroom Can Still Feel Cluttered
Even if you expand the amount of space in your bathroom, it may still feel cluttered when you are done if you don’t make some major changes to the way you decorate and fill the space. Sit with a contractor and discuss ideas to rework a space to make sure you get a bathroom that is relaxing and calming rather than busy and cluttered.
This may mean you need to rethink the storage space or even store some things outside of the bathroom. It may mean mounting faucets to the walls or choosing a smaller vanity that doesn’t feel intrusive as you walk in. The possibilities are endless!
You Don’t Need a Traditional Layout
You are likely used to a standard bathroom layout: a sink or two, a toilet, a bathtub, and a shower. But this is not necessarily the right layout for every bathroom, especially if you are trying to create space. Adding square footage may not be enough to offset the footprint of your bathtub—and you may not even need it!
Eliminating the bathtub is an easy way to save space. You can also consider non-traditional versions of standard bathroom fixtures, like toilets or sinks that mount to the wall and open shelving instead of under-sink storage.
The Right Décor Makes a Bathroom Welcoming
You may be adding on space to your bathroom, but if you choose uninspired or dark colors and outdated fixtures and features, it may not feel as though you’ve made a positive change. Your local contractors can talk you through recent trends in bathroom remodeling and help you find a layout and color scheme that works for your home and family. Change it up to get the most out of your bathroom remodel!
By Drew Knight The weather has gotten cooler. Your neighborhood is aglow with holiday lights. Black Friday has come and gone and you still haven’t finished your holiday shopping. Are you caught racking your brain thinking of the perfect gift … Continue reading →
Remodeling a kitchen can be incredibly rewarding—at the end of the job. During the job, however, you don’t have any access to your kitchen! And we know just how frustrating that can be. Whether you’re in the middle of a remodel or you’re planning one for the near future, we want to help! Here is how you can get by without a complete kitchen during a remodel.
Build a kitchen station
First, you should have a place where most of the items essential to your daily meals are stored. You might create a makeshift kitchen in a corner or in a guest bedroom that is barely used. However, a laundry room, garage, or even a bathroom (something with a sink) may make things easier. Gathering all of your supplies and kitchen appliances in one place helps to make this process as stress-free as possible.
Decide on the essentials
Then, you must decide on what kitchen items are most essential for the duration of your remodel. That large automatic mixer probably is not so important for the time being, so store items like this elsewhere. Keep out only as many dishes as your family uses daily.
Remember that you shouldn’t have to spend too much. You can make a countertop out of anything—boxes, the top of a dresser—and you probably have most of what you need already. You can cook on your barbecue, in the microwave, or on a camping stove.
Choose low-maintenance meals
For now, there may be a lot of eating out and cooking simple meals, but soon you will have the kitchen of your dreams! Easy, low-maintenance meals do not have to be boring. You can make it fun by trying new frozen meals from the store or interesting recipes from the internet. There are plenty of microwave and toaster oven meal guides available (often marketed toward college freshmen), and you can find many of them online.
Call Advanced Builders & Contractors for kitchen remodeling services in West LA or throughout the Los Angeles area. Our licensed and bonded contractors are here to help.
By Patricia L. Garcia Now that you’ve purchased a newly built home, it’s time to sell your old one. Sounds easy, right? In this buyer’s market, it may not be as simple as placing a “For Sale” sign in your … Continue reading →
One of the things that everyone says if they’ll win the lotto is to buy a private island. Owning a remote and private luxury island property is what most of us dreams of.
Sipson Island is a luxurious private island that is surrounded by nice beaches of Pleasant Bay.
A historic offering of Sipson Island – an approximately 25-acre landmark on the eastern coast of Cape Cod – is presented for sale in its entirety for the first time in generations. Located on Pleasant Bay, one of Cape Cod’s most beautiful embayment’s and an international boating and sport fishing destination, the island includes several… Read more at Luxury Portfolio Blog
Sipson Island boasts views of Cape Cod Bay, Nauset Beach and Cape Cod Bay. This dreamy coastal oasis is priced at $12.5 million. So if you can scrap together the cash, here’s your chance!
At nearly 25 acres and comprising nine different sized parcels, the entirely private island—lined by beaches of Pleasant Bay, a premiere boating and fishing destination—includes several year-round and seasonal dwellings (including a seven-bedroom, four-bath main house) two boathouses, and three docks that allow for deep water boat access to the… Read more at Mansion Global
By Jay Wilson What do Millennials want? Whether it’s shopping or reading the news, they want the ability to do so on a mobile device. In a recent webcast, Millennials: That Elusive Cohort by Metrostudy, a housing intelligence research company, … Continue reading →
We love Calabasas for many more reasons than its proximity to Los Angeles and its celebrity repertoire. Calabasas has a beauty and charm all its own. With so much to do—like a selection of shopping centers, equestrian training and trails, and hiking—you might never want to leave!
Check out a few of our favorite places in Calabasas, and let us know what you think. And if you’re looking for a construction company for a new home or renovation in the area, give us a call!
Exploring
Whether you’re here for a visit or you’ve lived here your whole life, there is always something new to discover in scenic Calabasas. If you’re a fan of horseback riding, this area has a lot to offer amateur and experienced equestrians alike. Acres West is a great place to bring the kids to learn all about riding and caring for horses. Group or private lessons are also available from Mill Creek Equestrian Center.
Alternatively, spend a day at the Leonis Adobe Museum and find out what life was like in the Wild West. Of course, there are plenty of beautiful hiking trails and lots of great parks to explore throughout the city as well.
Shopping
If you’re not one for the great outdoors, the great indoors can be just as fun, and nearly as scenic. The Commons at Calabasas, for example, has rich landscaping and unique Mediterranean architecture to enjoy as you live entertainment on Thursday nights, sip on a smoothie, or wait for your dry cleaning at Fazio Cleaners.
Food and Drink
If you’re out exploring Calabasas by bicycle, be sure to stop by bike-friendly Pedaler’s Fork. This is a local favorite, where cyclists frequently stop by for a quick coffee or a beer, or settle in for a full meal. There’s even a bike shop for full servicing or quick fixes.
For authentic Mexican fare, we always go for Sagebrush Cantina. Or, if you’re in the mood for sushi (like we are all the time), Banzai Sushi is also nearby, with a unique sushi bar and an outdoor patio.
By Drew Knight From automatic temperature control to fully decked-out entertainment systems, you probably already knew that smart home technologies could help you out around the house. But what would you say if we told you that smart home … Continue reading →
The modest, 2,250-square-foot house, which the media mogul bought for $298,000 in 2001, includes two baths, a couple of wood-burning fireplaces, a formal dining room, and recessed lighting. Built in 1941, the home is being sold as is, according to the listing.
Less than a month after the media mogul announced she is closing the Chicago studios where “The Oprah Winfrey Show” was taped, Winfrey is now auctioning off more than 500 personal items from her Chicago apartment. Jen Markham (@jenmarkham) has a look.
Winfrey came to Chicago in 1984 to host a low-rated, half-hour morning talk show, which went from last place to first within months. That led to “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” a phenomenally successful and long-running show that was syndicated. It was produced in Chicago’s Harpo Studios.
By Drew Knight Looking to add a little extra spirit to your new home this holiday season? Brighten it up with an updated Christmas light experience. And since we’re heading into the year 2017, we all know it could use … Continue reading →
This magnificent 2 in 1 custom designed luxury property has two completely separate homes. Situated in the middle of “Old Palos.” Each home has its own attached and yet separate basements and garages.
Everything is top-of-the-line paying close attention to all the details. Beautiful hardwood floors, “alder” wood doors, granite counters, nine foot and two-story ceilings, heated basement floors, 5,200-plus square feet of luxurious custom finishes. View this exceptional luxury… Read more at Luxury Portfolio Blog
Luxurious custom finishes and attention to detail in every area of this luxury home. It has gorgeous hardwood floors, elegant granite counters, high ceilings, basement with heated flooring and more. This luxury property is shown only to high end clients who are specifically looking for a 2 in 1 home arrangement.
The ultimate related living arrangement…two distinct and luxurious homes in one structure, with the only common areas being the laundry room, and it has separate washers and dryers, and the beautiful backyard stone patio! This magnificent property was custom designed to have two completely separate dwelling units… Read more at Luxury Portfolio Blog
Perhaps your kids have just moved out and you finally have the bathroom all to yourself. Or maybe your morning routine has always felt uncomfortable and rushed and you feel ready for a change. Either way, if you want to upgrade to a more relaxing bathroom, we recommend calling a local contractor to follow through with a remodel. Here’s how to optimize the space for relaxation!
Prioritize Comfort
With most bathroom remodels, there are limitations as to what upgrades you can actually make. You may need to make sacrifices, which is why you should prioritize comfort if relaxation is your number one reason for a remodel.
If you decide that new spa, luxury shower with a built-in bench, or rainfall showerhead is what you need to feel calm in the mornings and at night, then follow through with that plan and make sacrifices elsewhere instead. Maybe you don’t need a doublewide sink or a shelving unit if those things are not your number one priority.
Declutter
Something that often gets in the way of your ability to feel relaxed? Clutter. A bathroom that feels too crowded with belongings and décor can clutter the mind as well. Focus on one or two items for décor, and save the rest for elsewhere in the house.
Remember that bathroom-related items, especially those that do not get everyday use, do not need to be in the bathroom at all times. Medicines and other products may easily be stored outside of the bathroom.
Keep It Simple
For some people, the bathroom is no exception to a loud, fun, whole-house style. But if you really want to feel relaxed as you bathe or get ready for the evening, you might need to tone it down a bit—which does not mean you sacrifice style.
Calming, soothing bathroom colors include subtle greys, navy blue, and cream colors. Lighter colors brighten a room and make it appear more open. Keep your décor simple and let the rainfall showerhead or spa-like tub relax you.
If you’ve followed this blog during the holidays in years past, you are probably well aware that my family makes a tradition out of Black Friday. Often, I use Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday to get the things I’ve been otherwise saving for the rest of the year, like a new TV or washer and dryer. This year, I don’t have a lot of big ticket items on my need-to-have list, so I thought it might be better this time around to give you guys a head’s up on the stuff worth scooping up (either for yourself or as a gift… to yourself).
Oh, and affiliate links are included here — all that means is that I make a few pennies/dollars when purchases are made from my recommendations (but like every post I did before I started using affiliates, I’d recommend these things regardless if that were true). My disclosure page goes into more boring detail about this, but let’s get to shopping!
I’ve been planning on doing several gift idea roundups this year, one of which includes gifts for runners. I’m not a strong runner, but I do run with lots of people who do marathons and I’ve learned quite a lot from them in addition to my own preferences. These Powerbeats Wireless In-Ear Headphones were/are going to be on that list, but they are a steal right now, so I’m jumping ahead of that later-planned list and telling you to scoop them up while the gettin’s good. I use these when I’m working on outdoor projects in the heat as well (they handle sweat like a champ). They have a long charge, a Bluetooth connection that automatically syncs with my phone when I turn them on (I love that I don’t have to go into Settings to connect), and they stay put, even if I’m getting jostled around on a backhoe. They come in several colors, but I have the bright yellow-green ones, which are really easy to find when I’m looking for them.
So, I don’t actually own either of these products, but I’ve been reading reviews like mad, and I think I’m going to buy one or both of these this weekend. A bunch of stores are selling these items for the same price, so you can either try to rush out and get one from the store or order online (though I recommend the one that comes to you).
I don’t have this one in my house, but I have helped install a Nest thermostat before, and they are really easy! I love that they sync to your phone and other devices (including Alexa, which is what the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot connect to above as well, so that makes for a pretty smart home system). The Nest indoor security camera is on sale as well, which I’ve also seen before but I’m not really recommending for the sole reason that they have an outdoor one and that seems like a better option to me (the Nest Cam Outdoor IS on sale, but it’s a new release, so it probably won’t have a similar Black Friday discount until there’s a second generation or next year).
I got this as a regift for my birthday (a used regift, actually), and even though that person is forever deserving of a good punch to the crotch for their misdeed, this thing is awesome and a top-recommended product for how many times it’s saved my butt. What it does is work as a key/phone/anything finder that you download as an app on your phone and then attach Bluetooth-enabled trackers to your most-used stuff, like your remote, your keys, and your purse. They now have a slim one that you can stick in your wallet and mini versions as well, which make great stocking stuffers because it’s a universal truth that everyone misplaces their stuff. The best deals are if you get them in combo packs (which, bonus for you, means you can keep one or two for yourself).
I’m going to add these items to one collective group of Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals, along with whatever else I find throughout the weekend/week (like tools, clothes, etc.), but I’ve got to get out and go grab a few things myself, so I’ll leave it at that for now!
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Top Picks
Also, just for savings in general…
More Savings Tips
I have several things I use on my computer and phone that help me to save on discounts and rebates during the year. Just for the sake of making sure you’re aware of those too, I’ve included some referral links to the stuff I like most (usually by signing up via the referral code, it gives us both an incentive, like a free $5 or whatever).
Honey – this installs in most major browsers and can save you a LOT of time in searching for discount codes. On Amazon, it also has a little button that confirms if this is definitely the cheapest price it can find or will suggest a different seller. Basically, it searches the internet for all of those promo codes and coupons and lets you search and apply them with one click. If it can get you a better deal at checkout, it most definitely will. It also occasionally gives cash back. I’ve saved additionally (5-10%) on big-ticket items and even food orders just by using this thing.
Wikibuy – this is another browser install that scans other websites to see if they are offering a better deal. I haven’t used this quite as much as I have Honey, but it flat-out tells you the difference in savings, and sometimes it’s significant enough to click and see what’s up. The way it often works is they act as a middleman and don’t necessarily tell you the actual website offering the cheapest price (they basically try to work their own exclusive discounts), but they also guarantee the item you’re purchasing so you can buy without worrying if the website offering said “deal” is sketch. Right now after looking at just a handful of items, I am seeing offers that are even slightly less than Black Friday purchases (so perhaps they have a special discount on top).
Paribus – in this case, this browser tool tracks your purchases and gives you refunds if the prices drop during a certain time period (minus a small % for giving you the refund). Don’t you hate it when you buy something and it goes on sale for cheaper the next day? With this app, the concept is that you can eliminate that game for good. This is the app I have just recently started trying out, but I was amazed at how well-integrated it was with my recent purchases and look forward to trying it out more.
