New workout clothes get you going on a fitness regime, so what does one need to get your green thumb…well, green? Alice Supply Co. garden tools!

The cute multi-colored stripe collection of garden tools look so stylish—who knew the best accessory was a trowel or hand-rake? One 11 1/2” trowel and 11 1/2” hand rake with drawstring cotton bag make this one fashionable set.

The handcrafted grip is functional with its 1/2” size and the drawstring bag keeps things together and keeps your gardening set organized no matter where you stash it. For a mere $28 bucks it is a perfect gift for the professional gardener or gardener-to-be.

This garden tool set is exactly what you need to get yourself committed to planting your own little vegetable garden or maintain those unruly flower beds.

The hand-size tools do the dirty work and make it so easy to create a work of art in your garden.—Amber

Available online at alicesupplyco.com

Almost every summer I come up with some sort of new fitness goal. About eight years ago it was a marathon (definitely not my favorite), last summer it was a half marathon (more doable but still not super enjoyable), and this summer it was a triathlon.

I quickly learned you need more than a pair of goggles, a bike and running shoes to participate in a triathlon..and it all needs to fit in a backpack (aka transition bag). I hadn’t a clue what one of these were until a friend filled me in. Apparently all that gear you use while doing a tri has to go somewhere, and you often have to bike a mile or so to where you set up your gear, so you want it all in as compact a “somewhere” as possible.

A transition bag is designed specifically for all that gear you need while transitioning. We’re talking race belt, bib number, sunscreen, PB&J sandwich, wetsuit, towel, bottles of water, wetsuit, swim cap, goggles, helmet, bike gloves, sunglasses (like the Tifosi Vogels I reviewed on Tuesday), bike shoes, socks, energy bars and running shoes. And that’s not all of it.

Fortunately for me and my gear, blueseventy sent me their Transition FZ bag to test for Daily Dish readers. The verdict? I LOVE THIS BAG. Wait, let me say that again. I LOVE THIS BAG.

Not only does this bag have a separate waterproof compartment for your wetsuit, the main compartment is waterproof as well. The straps are comfortable and include a wide belt-type strap for around your waist—a helpful feature when you’re as uncoordinated as I am and have to ride a bike while wearing the thing. Though I didn’t use the headphone outlet and MP3 storage, I love that the Transition FZ has them.

I first used the Transition FZ when I did an open water swim, and of course had room to spare because it was just a swim. But I immediately noticed all the nifty pockets and zippered storage and the comfy shoulder straps. I had to snap a photo of it all rarin’ and ready to go on its first open-water adventure:

Then it was July 10th and time for the Echo triathlon—that baby got a thorough testing, trust me. And it still looks brand-spankin’ new. I wish I had photos of my transition bag before and after, but my brain wasn’t functioning well at 4:30am in the morning, nor did it work well after I’d swam a half mile, biked 12 miles and run 3 miles. Nathan did snap a shot of me during T1 and in there somewhere is my new best friend, the Transition FZ:

One of the things I love best is of course the high-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail, but also the versatility of blueseventy’s Transition FZ. You could easily use this bag for a day hike, trip to the beach (think about that waterproof compartment holding sandy, soggy swimsuits) or other sporting/fitness/recreational event. It’s a multitasker. I can so totally relate!

If you have a friend or family member who’s a triathlete or heck, any kind of athlete, this would make a great gift. He (or she) will love you—and the Transition FZ—forever.—Emily

Okay, I don’t know if “rock” is the correct word, but Tifosi sure as heck helped me bike with my eyes wide open (a necessity when you’re a newbie on a road bike and slightly coordination-challenged) and run without being blinded by the sun bouncing off other athletes’ sweaty bodies.

When I decided I was going to try a tri (how clever am I?), I quickly learned I would need a good pair of lightweight sunglasses designed specifically for athletic endeavors. Fortunately for me, when I posed the idea to Tifosi Optics, they were more than happy to send a pair for me to review on the Daily Dish. I settled on the Vogel in pink tortoise. Hello, pink tortoise! Of course their Slip style is one of their most popular, but it only came in pink, not pink tortoise.

The Tifosi Vogels arrived and I had to snap a pic. Notice how I totally planned my reflection showing up in the sunglasses. That’s pro photography, baby!

And then, because they were so dang cool looking, I had to put them on immediately and snap another photo or two. (I’ll just share one and spare you the others.)

I took the Vogels for a test run late one sweltering hot morning. At first they sort of bounced a bit, which worried me, but once I got going they seemed to settle in just right. I could hardly tell they were there, except for the occasional tiny push up the bridge of my nose (I was REALLY sweating).

After that I took them for a test ride on my road bike and they totally passed. They fit perfectly with my helmet and the larger lenses gave great coverage from the sun. I couldn’t feel them at all, they didn’t bounce, and I think I only had to nudge them into place once. After that, I did not leave home (on a bike) without them!

The real test came when I competed in my first triathlon this past Saturday. Here I am sporting my Tifosi Vogels as I run my bike to the mounting location and as I cruise back in from my 12-mile ride:

And here I am rarin’ and ready to go (I’m totally faking that smile) on the 3-mile run, and then you can see a real smile because I’m super happy I’m almost done:

Though the Tifosi Vogels had a “bumpy” start, they are now a must-have among my tri gear. In fact, I find I’m wearing them even when I’m not biking or running. They’re a heck of a lot more comfortable than the brown tortoise ones I normally wear. There’s something to be said for a lack of minor headaches due to tight-fitting, fashionable ear pieces. Did I mention they’re pink tortoise as well?—Emily

P.S. I discovered just now that the nose piece is adjustable. Had I been smart enough to actually read the product description more than once, I might have avoided that whole nose-bridge-slippage thing. They are now properly adjust. I may even wear them to bed.

***Giveaway! Tifosi Optics is giving away one pair of pink tortoise Vogels (a $60 value)!***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway:

•   Visit TifosiOptics.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite style of sunglasses.
•   “Like” Tifosi on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Follow Tifosi on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only. Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: July 20, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Tara P., the winner of the Tifosi giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

posted in Daily Dish, Giveaway  |  68 Comments »

tags biodiaper, cloth diaper, grovia