Bottled Water Services comprise a billion dollar industry today which is growing annually. However, there are multiple researches and studies done, questioning the “purity claims” of bottled water. The big question has always been: Is bottled water cleaner and healthier than tap water?

We all know that most of the companies that supply distilled water use city water as their source, which is far from being healthy. Popular companies like “Dasani”, “Aquafina” and “Nestle” are also included in this list. (Reference: www.msnbc.com)

Why is distilled water unhealthy?

There are many reasons. Few are mentioned below

1. The oxidation of water is harmful for human body.

2. It results in improper pH balances and ionization.

3. The ‘plastic’ in which they are packed releases chemicals that are leached into water.

How is Planet Earth affected?

Environmental institutions are struggling to cut down the consumption of fossil fuels. This effort is directly affected by the use of ‘Bottled water’ as ‘Virgin Petroleum.’ Virgin petroleum is the source for manufacturing plastic bottles for bottled water. This means that the more bottles we use, the more virgin petroleum is consumed. This fact is true for other beverages and drinks that are packaged in plastic containers. “According to a study of the Oregon State University, it takes about 273 billion liters of water a year, worldwide, just to make empty bottles” – Valuable water is being wasted for manufacturing bottles which again is wasted after use! – It’s about time to think.

Some facts on Bottled water from the Internet:

“People tout bottled water as this pure substance that’s trickling from clear mountain springs when, in fact, that may not be the case,” said Assemblywoman Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, author of one of the bills.

The Food and Drug Administration needs to tighten its regulations on bottled water after a four-year study by the NRDC found that of 103 brands surveyed, one- third contained levels of contamination.

The NRDC found the contents of one bottle, labeled “Spring Water,” actually came from an industrial parking lot next to a hazardous waste site.

By the end of this year, bottled water will have moved past milk, coffee and beer to become the second most popular beverage behind soft drinks, according to the Beverage Marketing Corp.

Do you want to stop participating in destroying Planet Earth?

Well, you can. Go Green! There are multiple water filtering systems that can be used as an alternative. Tap water does have impurities and contaminants, but filtering them is a healthier option than choosing “Bottled Water”. Once you filter your tap water, avoid using plastic bottles. There are many stainless steel water bottles that are in the market with great quality. One of them is the  Klean Kanteen Classic – Klean Kanteen™, the 27oz stainless steel water bottle is made of 100% recyclable, 18/8, food-grade, stainless steel so it doesn’t need a special lining like aluminum bottles. It’s completely BPA-free and won’t leach toxins or funky flavors into your water, juice, smoothie or drink of choice. Plus weighing in at only 6 ounces, this durable, reusable, BPA free stainless steel water bottle is designed to last for years.  Be sure to check out the special savings through June 7th on all of our Klean Kanteen products, including the Wine Carafe.  All with free shipping!

BottleWise is committed to manufacturing high-quality bags that make life easier for the discriminating culinary traveler and is founded by Amy Dias (adias@bottlewise.com)

Check out all these cool wine gadgets reviewed and featured on NBC NY – Behind the Burner.  You can also win any of these items…especially the BottleWise Duo!

One key item left out on the BottleWise Duo is that you use it to transport wine when you fly!  No Breaks! No Leaks! No Worries!

Watch segment of must have wine products.

Heard the rumors lately? I’ve been hearing through the grape vine (no pun intended!) various concerns about wine transportation in air travel. These are mostly due to the new regulations of various airlines and the TSA (Transportation Security Administration).  These regulations can lead to hassles and delays for both leisure and business travelers.  Some organizations need specialty wine at conferences for whatever reason and need wine shipped to these conference locations. So these businesses have to create an entire plan just to ship wine! Below are a few points that may be helpful if you’re caught in this situation:

What is your state law?
There are three major categories that any wine lover should consider before shipping wine to or from their travel location.  Make sure you are aware of your state’s law before you book your next wine trip or plan to send a wine gift.

1. Reciprocal states: Reciprocity requires the legislative cooperation of other states to recognize a two-way shipment privilege.  This means that only wineries in another reciprocal state can ship into the reciprocal states: Iowa and New Mexico.

2. States wine can be shipped to on a limited basis: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

3. States where wine shipping from direct to consumer is prohibited: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah

So with all of these restrictions and hassles, would a consumer still want to ship wine?  The TSA regulations do not allow travelers to carry wine or liquor on board these days, so you need to be able to safely pack these liquids in your checked luggage.  Socks and dirty clothes may have done the job in the past, but TSA can still confiscate your valuable liquids if they are not properly packed.  To ease the burden of TSA inspecting your luggage or worrying about shipping wine to your home state, what you need is a wine travel case! BottleWise Duo – The Ultimate Multipurpose Wine Travel System is your perfect solution to your wine travel needs by eliminating wine shipping hassles. It’s much more economical since it is a onetime investment for long-term enjoyment. Benefits of having a wine travel case like BottleWise Duo is that you have your favorite wine with you whenever you travel, and you don’t have to worry about state regulations for wine shipping. Free the grapes by giving your vino the freedom to travel safely and comfortably in the BottleWise Duo wine travel case!

BottleWise is committed to manufacturing high-quality bags that make life easier for the discriminating culinary traveler and is founded by Amy Dias  – adias@bottlewise.com.

It’s a gorgeous day outside, what better way to celebrate that than to go on a picnic to the park in the neighboring town? Theoretically this seems like a great idea, but in reality, such an event requires planning. What if the food gets spoiled? Will it stay cold? Will it stay hot? Will my liquids spill? And if this picnic is supposed to be anywhere near romantic, will the wine that you bought stay fresh, cold and intact? The list of questions goes on and on…

So let’s say you are on a date with your special someone. You want the picnic to go perfect, right? The food should be delectable and the ambiance should create that “Kodak moment.” The scene would be ruined if you shrieked, “Oh no! The wine bottle broke!”

Freeze the frame. What would your picnic buddies’ reactions be? Most likely, “Oh, I don’t feel like wine anyway…” or “It’s alright, we can do without.” We know that they’re thinking inside, “Why didn’t you watch where you put the wine bottle?! We could have had a great picnic, but no. You had to pull another one of your stunts. I was really looking forward to it too!” Not the greatest reaction…

However, there is a silver lining in even this situation. BottleWise is here to save the day! Our Picnic With Ascot line features the Sunset Wine Carrier, Bahamas Picnic Basket Cooler and more. These are perfect for storing wine and other liquids. Both have several compartments to store wines and other supplies. In addition to that, they’re insulated as well. The Sunset Wine Carrier even has a place to store wine glasses. How convenient for your picnic date!

Are these not enough for you? Then take a look at the BottleWise Picnic Plus line. This takes storing wine to the next level. With 12 more product choices, you won’t have a hard time finding your perfect match at all. Bringing only one or two wine bottles? The Veranda Wine Tote is a perfect fit. Elegantly hand woven and lined with thermal foil, you can be sure to picnic in style. Is two too small of a number for you? Don’t worry, BottleWise offers the Quad Bottle Bag.  This way you’ll be able to give that special someone a choice of wine on his or her special picnic day. It’ll be one that they’ll remember forever.

So the romantic picnic idea went over well. And you know what the plus is? Now that you have the BottleWise supplies to help you out, you can go on as many of these amazing outings as you’d like. Your friends and family won’t be able to stop thanking you for your planning and preparedness.

Be sure to shop the BottleWise catalog for spectacular savings and free shipping on all our picnic accessories through Sept. 13th.  Have a great Labor Day picnic with BottleWise.

Cheers!

Happy Labor Day!

The subject of travel brings so much to mind: planning for the place, booking tickets, booking hotel rooms, exotic getaways, safaris, cruises, backpacking, sight-seeing and so on. When all the planning and packing is done, we’re almost set to go. Expect, there is always the tension of passing through airport security; that always brings mixed feelings of frustration, fear and worries for most of us. One of the things that bring on these mixed feelings is the tiresome TSA
(Transportation Security Administration) regulations. Some of us don’t even know what a TSA regulation is, yet we go through the process every time we travel on an airplane! Below are some pre-travel arrangements to save time and relieve you from some frustrations of travel.

TSA and its regulations:

TSA – Transportation Security Administration handles activities connected with Travel and
Commerce. The TSA uses an easy 3-1-1 formula for passengers to remember.
3 – Passenger may only carry 3 oz. or smaller containers of liquid or gel.
1 – Their containers should be in a one-quart size, clear, plastic, zip-top bag.
1 – Only one bag per traveler can be placed in the security bin.

People don’t like to travel as much these days for some specific reasons.  Here are some funny tweets as to the reason why:

“New TSA regulation requires passengers must hold breath for the final hour of flight while
humming ‘Kumbaya.’”

” I sure hope these travel regulations don’t hold up my wire transfer from Nigeria.”

Some of the frequent concerns people have about security screening before reaching their gate:

• I have to practically undress to go through security: strip my socks, shoes and belt
• I need to go for a week but I’m only packing tiny vials of shampoo, lotion to last a day!
• I always have to unzip my bag, lug out my laptop and turn it on for security.
• I hate going through security with my kids; they’re confused, hungry, tired and running all over the place and then I forget to take of my shoes!

So there’s obviously frustration out there. However, we have to realize that the TSA was formed after September 11, 2001 to make sure that travelers have a secure and comfortable travel. Today TSA employs about 50,000 people! So really, there is a benefit to the temporary discomfort we have to endure.

Plan and Prepare:

• Arrive at the airport well in advance of scheduled flight departure times.
• Pack in easily inspected modules that can be lifted out individually.
• Have your ID and boarding pass ready as you approach the checkpoint.
• Place coins, keys and other metal objects in your carry-on bag.
• Remove shoes during screening and pass them through the scanners.

TSA Prohibited Items:

• Sharp Objects (Box Cutters, Knives, Ice Axes/Ice Picks, Meat Cleavers)
• Sporting Goods (Baseball Bats, Bows and Arrows, Cricket Bats)
• Guns and Firearms (Flares, Gun Lighters, Gun Powder, Pellet Guns)
• Tools (Hammers, Crowbars, Axes and Hatchets)
• Martial Arts and Self Defense Items (Billy Clubs, Black Jacks, Brass Knuckles, Kubatons)
• Explosive & Flammable Materials, Disabling Chemicals & Other Dangerous Items

Carry-on-Luggage:

• Travelers may carry liquids in carry-on luggage, but must comply with “3-1-1″ TSA rules.
• At the checkpoint, travelers are usually asked to take the zip-top bag of liquids out for X-ray.
• Exceptions: Mothers may carry more than 3 oz of breast milk when unaccompanied by their child; small amounts of required medicines and after clearing security, beverages and other items purchased are permitted on-board the aircraft.

• Organize carry-on bags with see-through plastic or mesh organizers for TSA inspectors to speed the security process.

Checked Luggage:

• Loose lithium batteries are not allowed in checked luggage.
• Lighters and matches are not permitted in checked luggage.
• Liquids must be in leak-proof containers.
• Luggage locks must be TSA accepted so baggage screeners can unlock them for inspection.

Please feel free to share one line of your frustration or excitement about your recent travel and opinion about the TSA regulations.

BottleWise is committed to manufacturing high-quality bags that make life easier for the discriminating culinary traveler and is founded by Amy Dias (adias@bottlewise.com)

Smart strategies for stowing your belongings, from accessories to sleepwear.

Accessories (Earrings, Necklaces, Scarves)

• Keep necklaces protected and kink-free “by threading them through drinking straws, then putting the filled straws in toothbrush holders,” says Anne McAlpin, author of Pack It Up.
• Store earrings in a day-of-the-week pill container, or cut out a small cardboard square and punch them through.
• Put all the jewelry you intend to wear with a certain outfit in a sandwich bag and pin it to one of the clothing items.
• Toss silk scarves near the top of your bag to prevent them from getting crushed.

Belts

• For narrow belts: Wind them into coils and place each one in a zipper-sealed bag. Put every bag in a shoe.
• For larger versions: Fit them around the edges of your bag. Their size and width make them less likely to snake about.

Blouses, Shirts, Tees

• Layer tissue paper or plastic dry-cleaning bags between garments to keep them smooth. (Clothes wrinkle when they rub against one another.)
• Put nice items on top to keep weight off them.
• Shirts and blouses will lose their shape if they’re rolled up, but rolling works well for T-shirts, which should go near the bottom of the bag.

Books

• Because of their weight, books tend to shift to the bottom of a suitcase, near the wheels. To prevent them from dragging other items down, start by placing them there.

Bras

• To help preserve their shape, stuff rolled underwear and socks in the cups and seal in a plastic bag. Tuck into the corners of the suitcase.

Dresses

• If a dress is long enough, you can place it directly on top of your pants and “interfold” it (see Pants). Otherwise, keep it near the top―above heavier shirts and sweaters―and fold it as few times as possible.
• Either way, slip it into a dry-cleaning or garment bag to prevent it from wrinkling.

Jeans

• Because these are heavy, position them near the wheels, well below any delicate clothing.
• Fold them at the waist, then in half, lengthwise. Or roll them, folding at the waist, then rolling upward from the bottom, stopping just below the belt line (because of the zipper and the pockets at the top, rolling jeans all the way adds unnecessary volume).

Medicines

• Put all daily medications, as well as things like contact lenses and glasses, in your hand luggage. Keep prescription drugs in the original containers; the Transportation Security Administration requires you to have proof that they’re yours.

Liquids

• Traveling with your favorite bottle of vino.  Pack safely with the BottleWise Rollup.  Its compact and take up little space in your luggage.  Best of all it protects from breaking or leaking.
• You never leave home without your favorite lotion or makeup.  Be sure to protect your liquids with a Pitotube cosmetic case.

Pants

• Pack at the very bottom of the suitcase, just above the layer that fills the three indentations made by the suitcase pulley (that layer can consist of underwear, workout clothes, and pajamas).
• For the first pair, place the waistband against a narrow end of the suitcase and drape the legs over the opposite edge. Position the next pair’s waistband so that it touches the opposite short end of the suitcase. Continue alternating with all the pants, then put all the other items on top. Fold the pant legs over the pile of clothing. This “interfolding,” as packing experts call it, helps prevent trouser creases.

Outerwear

• In the winter, carry on an oversize jacket or parka and bulk up with long-sleeved T-shirts, sweaters, and scarves. Packing a light jacket and several layers is more space-efficient than packing a heavy coat.
• Place your jacket toward the bottom of the bag. Store gloves in your coat pockets.

Sleepwear

• Chances are your pajamas are among the things you’ll need first, so put a set in the top layer.
• Keep the rest at the bottom, filling in the indentations caused by the suitcase handle.

Article by Sara Reistad-Long, Real Simple

Isn’t it intimidating walking into the wine section of your neighborhood grocery store and seeing hundreds upon hundreds of multicolored wine bottles staring you down? Where do you even begin looking for the best-tasting wine? There are countless brands and labels; you could get lost in Wine World forever.

So here are a few things you could do to prepare for the daunting trip to the wine section:

1. Start online. There are several wine connoisseurs out there who know everything and anything about wine. They make wine lists based on what types of wines are favorable.

2.  Keep a wine journal of the wine that you have tried in the past and have enjoyed.

3. Does your wine choice and evening’s menu mesh well together? Natalie Maclean has a terrific food and wine matcher that you an upload to your iphone or Blackberry.

4.  Remember your guests. Ask them what types of wines they prefer.

5.  Print out your list and take it with you to the store. Make sure you’re finding the right vintages and vineyards while matching your list to the wine on the shelves.

6.   Have your price range in mind and keep crosschecking between wines and your budget. The worse thing to do is to buy a bad, but expensive wine.

7.  Be prepared to have leftover wine, especially if you bought several wines. There’s always the risk that people may not like the wine you purchased or they just have a little bit of wine from each bottle.

8.  Purchase containers for leftover wine in advance. BottleWise.com has the Platy Wine Preserve and the Kleen Kanteen Wine Karafe just for this purpose. Both are specially made for wine preservation, especially wine taste. If you are more for the environmentally friendly, opt for the Kleen Kanteen Wine Karafe; if you prefer something that’s a space-saver, try out the collapsible Platy Wine Preserve.  Either choice keeps the wine in tip-top shape until your next wine-occasion!  Use Promo Code WINE20 and save 20% on your next BottleWise order.  Offer good through 10.29.10.

Sources: http://kenswineguide.com/wine.php?page=19

With spring break upon us and summer vacations quickly approaching, parents are typically more nervous than excited as they prepare for a vacation with their lively kids in tow. As many know, traveling with kids can be stressful. Fear not, we have a few tips to easily prepare parents to think ahead and get organized for their vacation.  This will transform your vacation with kids into an “expedition of amusement” rather than a bitter experience.

Here are a few things to have prepared when traveling with kids:

1) A detailed agenda and tour plan of the places you are planning to visit.
2) Copies of all schedules and time lines to various places to cover.
3) Kids should be actively involved in certain activities such as:

• Putting together your trip ideas
• Planning out activities to do on vacation
• Making family rules during vacation
• Having a small rewards and penalties if the rule was broken
• Assigning roles based on age group such as food carrier, water carrier, photographer, etc.
• Collecting memorable items like tickets, brochures, pictures, etc.

4) Family games, cards, checkers,art supplies.  Many games come in travel form which are perfect for planes, trains and cars.

5) Electronic devices for kids(big and small) like cameras, laptops, DVD players, hand held games.  Don’t forget extra batteries and chargers.  Taking a GPS along is perfect for exploring your new destination and finding points of interests.

6)  Have a supply of healthy snacks on hand.  Don’t count of the airlines for much more than a drink and a bag of pretzels.
7) Packing your baggage:

• Limit check in luggage. Try to have carry on luggage and have backpacks for each kid and allow them to carry their own stuff. This will save you money and time.
• Pack light clothes, sweaters, jackets, beach wears, shoes.  The more items each individual can wear, the easier it is to pack and keep items to a minimum.  Ideally your destination has laundry facilities to do a quick load if necessary.
• Follow TSA’s 311 rules when are packing the liquids, gels, toothpaste, shampoo and other stuff for your kids. These are all important for your kids, but at the same time are restricted to carry on the planes in great volumes.

Packing the family’s items can sometimes be quite a challenge, one parent commented, “Nowadays opening my baggage after a trip can be full of surprises. I only wish that I don’t end up having a toothpaste stained shirt and shampoo covered pants.” A few great products that will come in handy when packing toiletries are Pitotubes and GoToobs. Often packing many of our daily necessities slips our mind and it is often a pain to carry full size products, make sure you have the TravelRite travel kit, which will make your life so much simpler. All of these items meet TSA 3-1-1 regulations so you can use them in your carry-on luggage.  Shop www.BottleWise.com.

Pitotubes Quart Size

Family vacations can be fun, enjoyable, memorable, cherishing and adventurous. Don’t let the detail of packing and planning ruin a family memory.  It  pays to plan ahead.  Have some planning trips that have worked for you and your family in the past, we would love to hear them!

BottleWise is committed to manufacturing high-quality bags that make life easier for the discriminating culinary traveler and is founded by Amy Dias (adias@bottlewise.com)