Elaine Overton

Archive for April, 2011

There are many sources of discount Birkenstocks, however to find them you may need to look around a little in your area. Even if Birkenstocks are about the best value for your shoe money, they can be a little expensive, especially if you’re outfitting the whole family.

There are three simple ways that you can find Birkenstocks at reduced prices. You can look at retailers of Birkenstocks for sales on last year’s models, you can find overstock or liquidation style stores, or shop online and take advantage of reduced costs available online (often with rebates and sales that are only available online).

Another reasonably good place to check for reduced prices on Birkenstocks is through eBay. Many people sell Birkenstocks through online auctions, many at considerably reduced prices from retail, even on current year models. Since eBayers don’t have to spend money on setting up their own retail presence, they are able to offer cheaper and discounted prices on Birkenstock sandals or any other footwear by Birkenstock. Just be sure to use the eBay that is closest to you to save on shipping costs.

Birkenstock sandals – if you’ve never had a pair you don’t know what you’re missing. You can wear them barefoot in summer or toss on a pair of wooly socks and boot around in your Birkenstock sandals all winter. Well at least that’s what we do out here on the west coast.
For those of you “Back East” Birkenstocks and wooly socks may be a bit much, but you can always choose to wear clogs instead during the winter.

The sandals that Birkenstock makes are quite unique. They have a very sturdy cork sole that is really light and naturally water resistant so it holds up well in almost any conditions. The nice thing about the cork is that it slowly forms to your feet so that you get a completely custom fit that provides just the right support.

To be sure some people find that the arch in Birkenstocks does not fit their feet exactly right (I have had this problem), but by trying on slightly different sizes and adjusting the straps on the sandals you should be into a pair of comfy footwear in no time at all.

There are cheaper knockoff versions of Birkenstock footwear, but none of them can come close to matching the quality. The foot-bed is second to none, and the sandal straps are made of high quality softened leather so that the sandals are comfortable from the first day you walk in them. I’ve had pairs of Birkenstock sandals last as long as 7 years, no other cork-soled leather sandal I’ve ever owned has even come close.

When it comes to diamonds, there are numerous scams to avoid. Most scams are minor, but there are some major ones that come up from time to time concerning the buying and selling of diamonds. Scams occur simply because most people who buy diamonds – for whatever reasons – don’t know that much about diamonds. Therefore, they are easily fooled.

Jewelry stores  like to show their diamonds in bright lights. Lights make diamonds shine. Ask to see the diamond in a different, darker type of lighting as well. Jewelry also stores often run ‘fluorescence’ scams to varying degrees. Referring to a diamond as a blue-white diamond is such a scam. A blue-white diamond sounds very unique and special, but in fact, this type of diamond is of lesser quality – even though the jeweler will try to make you think you are getting something special.

A common scam that most jewelry stores participate in is the Carat Total Weight scam. The tag on the piece of jewelry, usually a ring, only states the total carat weight of all diamonds in the piece, instead of listing the total weights separately for each diamond. This leads consumers to believe that the main diamond in the piece is actually bigger than it is. Ask what the total carat weight of the center stone is. Also beware of fractions. Jewelry stores are allowed to round off diamond weights. This means that if the jeweler tells you that it is a ¾ carat diamond, it is probably between ½ and ¾ carat – but closer to ¾.

Some truly unscrupulous jewelers target those who want appraisals on diamonds that were given to them as gifts or that were purchased elsewhere. They will try to tell you that the diamond is worthless, or worth less than it actually is worth – and offer to take it off your hands or trade it for a much better diamond, along with the cash to make up the difference. This is called low balling. Get a second, third, and even a forth opinion before taking any action.

Jewelry stores often run ‘fluorescence’ scams to varying degrees. Referring to a diamond as a blue-white diamond is such a scam. A blue-white diamond sounds very unique and special, but in fact, this type of diamond is of lesser quality – even though the jeweler will try to make you think you are getting something special. Jewelry stores also like to show their diamonds in bright lights. Lights make diamonds shine. Ask to see the diamond in a different, darker type of lighting as well.

Another common dirty trick is to switch the diamond you have chosen and paid for with one of lesser quality and value when you leave it to be set in a piece of jewelry, or leave a diamond ring to be sized. The only way to avoid this is to do business with one trustworthy jeweler. Avoid jewelers that you have not done business with in the past.

There are many more scams that jewelry stores commonly pull on unsuspecting consumers. Just use your best judgment, and purchase your diamonds with the utmost care and consideration.

For employees who cook in a restaurant kitchen or work in the dining room waiting tables, wearing an apron is often a uniform requirement. While they serve the purpose of preventing grease or coffee spills from soiling work uniform pants and shirts, aprons are also a handy attachment to tote customer needs.

For a waiter or waitress, who usually wear just a half apron that wraps around their waists, it’s important that the frock contain several accessible pocket compartments in which to carry necessities for the job. Not only is this convenient for the time-pressed server, but it will also impress a dine-in customer when the item needed is right at the finger tips of their attendant.

Items which should be carried by a waiter in their apron should include an ordering tablet, two or three pens, straws and matches. If feasible, extra condiments should also be allowed for as part of the supply load, like catsup bottles or packets and creamer and butter samplers. But be sure to protect liquid products from creating a mess within the apron–this happens to even the best of servers! Sometimes, in the rush to fill a demanding customer’s coffee cup, leaning up against the counter or dining table causes a juicy explosion. It is best to keep those types of additives in a side pocket where they are safer.

Yet another issue that accompanies server aprons is the attached adjustable ties that are supposed to be secured on the back side of the waiter. As people come in all shapes and sizes, fastening these strings can be a side-show all in itself. Larger waisted people may have a difficult time tying a bow where the two ends meet because there simply is not enough material. Thinner servers may have to wrap the ties around two or three times before accomplishing a bow to secure the apron. A possible solution would be for management to purchase aprons which will accommodate any shape or size or server to allow for a more uniformed appearance of their staff.

Color choices for restaurant cook aprons usually aren’t that significant. The full cover aprons of the dishwashers, fry cooks and salad makers are rarely seen by the dining public. That is probably a good thing; chances are those hard-working employees in the back are wearing everything from sauces to sautés! Choosing a shade for the waitresses, waiters, hostesses and bus boy’s aprons is a bit more unrestricted and allows for a creative presentation which compliments the décor of the restaurant dining room or color scheme of the table cloths and furniture.

Lastly, when choosing aprons for restaurant employees, select material that can easily be washed and sanitized and does not require too much effort for stain removal. Although employees are hard-working and dependable, they also have lives outside of the restaurant that may restrict time for uniform upkeep. If possible, provide at least two aprons to each server or cook.