My older electric shaver packed it in, so rather than taking it in for servicing I decided to buy a new one. I searched the reviews on the best electric shaver site to see what men said about the latest technological gadgets. I didn’t want a cheap shaver, as I was hoping to have one that would last me for a few years at least. I also didn’t need a lot of frills, but wanted one that would do more than simply shave a few whiskers off my face. I finally found the best electric shaver for me. People are always hesitant when ordering online as you can’t actually try your shaver out in advance. 
You never know what you’re going to get. When I read the Braun Cooltec review my fears were put to rest. This one is truly one of the best electric shaver on the market today. I was quite pleased with myself that I got it right the first time round, and didn’t have to do any product exchanges. The first thing I noticed when I removed the Braun Cooltec from its packaging was that this foil head style shaver looks a bit different than the other offerings on the market. It has an attractive blue head and grey body finish. Braun ensures that they have a slightly different product on the market today so they stand out from the crowd. And there certainly were a lot of different cordless shavers to choose from. Getting back to the Braun Cooltec, notable features included active cooling technology. In my online meanderings I did not notice one other brand that promised to keep the skin cool was shaving. There was no warmth or heat that occurred while shaving. While this wasn’t normally an issue for me, I certainly appreciated it as the weather is becoming much hotter. A nice cool shave first thing in the morning is what wakes me up. Do you ever have issues with attempting to shave hairs on your face that grow in all different directions? That’s no longer an issue with the SensoBlade system. These blades capture all whiskers growing in all directions, so you’re not left awkwardly trying to move your shaver in all different directions. This shaver can be used wet or dry, perfect for those days when you’re in a rush and must shave in the shower. The shaver is waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about getting moisture inside and ruining the foil head. It’s also easy to wash. The included Clean & Renew system does a great job of cleaning. It will wash, disinfect, condition, and charge up your shaver. When it’s done, you have a fresh new shaver, ready to use. Depending how often you shave will depend on how often you use the Clean & Renew system. This shaver is priced at over $100, making it the best electric shaver for those willing to shell out a few extra dollars, but not hundreds. Braun is a great name, and I have been pleasantly surprised at how well my electric shaver performs.
My Best Holiday Ever
One of my best holidays ever was to the charming town of Lucca, Italy. This small Italian town is located on the northwest side of Italy, and serviced by the Pisa airport. It’s officially located in Tuscany, near the base of the Apuan Alps. I’d added in the side trip at the last minute, and am glad that I did so, as no trip would be complete without a visit to this historic town. I decided to visit for a weekend trip, though there ended up being a lot to interest me for an entire week.
The first item on my agenda was to sign up for an English-speaking tour. I learned how Lucca has a rich history. The town is still surrounded by its Renaissance-era walls, that remain well-preserved. This town is perfect for the Roman history buff. Piazza dell’Anfiteatro is an ancient Roman amphitheater. While much of it was in ruins, I could still see the basic shape of the theater. I also saw 12th century church ruins on my tour. The Saints Giovanni and Reparata cathedral was one of the first to be built in town. It’s amazing that there is still anything left to see today.
I also walked past several towers and villas from the 12th to 16th centuries that still remain today.
I saw many spectacular modern buildings. The San Martino Cathedral contains the sacred relic of Santo di Lucca, or Sacred Countenance. It’s worth a trip to see the architecture of this church, whether you’re Catholic, or not. There are plenty of other churches in town to see, including the Church of San Michele in Foro, and the Basilica of San Frediano.
My second day in town was spent resting, then heading out for a stroll. I decided to rent a car for one restful Sunday morning, and headed off to the beach. It’s only a half an hour’s drive away, so one can enjoy the beach every day, if they so chose.
One great aspect of the town is that you can actually walk along Lucca’s walls. A pedestrian promenade has been well-maintained through the centuries. I spent a couple of hours checking out the sites from above, and taking a few photographs. The town used to have a parking lot surrounding the area, but that has since been removed. They encourage public transit here.
I found it easy to get to Lucca. Besides flying into the Pisa airport, you can take the train in from Pisa or Florence. The train station is so close that I decided to take a day trip to Florence, before returning to the Pisa airport for my flight home.
My trip to Lucca was my best holiday ever. I’m glad that I had the chance to add extra cities onto my Italian visit. There’s a lot of history in this town, and the architecture was amazing. For me, Lucca was a peaceful respite away from busy western cities, with its greenery amongst the ancient ruins.
Appreciation for the Forgotten Sign Painters
Sign Painters has been out for a couple of years now. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, look for it on cable or online. Sign Painter is a film that celebrates the art of sign painting. In the past we may have taken sign painting for granted, while many artists hand carved their signs from solid wood, and painstakingly painted on letters, graphics, and illustrations. Signs were used for many purposes: To provide signage for a business, advertise products, and provide route directions. Modern day signs are made with a computer and vinyl. The signs are as disposable as the vinyl they’re printed on. The Sign Painter film celebrates the lost art of sign painting. Real signs slowly weather through time. Their paint fades, the wood slowly erodes. With vinyl signs, they chip, crack, and warp. Fifty years from now old wooden signs may be displayed in museums, but vinyl signs will just be tossed in the trash.
The Sign Painters is a documentary film that was directed by Faythe Levine and Sam Macon. It celebrates the small community of independent artists who still make a living at finely crafting a real sign, not a copy that can be made over and over again on a machine. The documentary is made up of interviews of these artists. It shows us the sign painter’s life. We’re given a glimpse of how traditional tools make lasting wood signage, and the fine art of hand lettering copy onto them.
With their naturally sourced paint brush bristles, we learn a bit about their handicraft. Creating signage involves many different disciplines, from carpentry, to design, typesetting, and painting. One character in the film, Mike Meyer, drives an old navy truck with his signage business painted on the side. He claims that one $700 sign will last for twenty years.That’s quite impressive over a $100 vinyl sign that may last only two. Mike argues that it’s great value for the dollar. Another artist, Marjory Garrison uses her Art Decostyle to hand paint numbers onto the exterior of homes. 
While LA is pervaded with a high-design movement, she appreciates that there’s an underground sign creation culture there as well. One artist, Jeff Canham wonders whether he can make sign painting a full-time endeavor, with today’s modern sign technology. Stephen Powers claims that the sign artist knows more about type than even a graphic artist at the best ad agency in town. Keith Knecht has been a longtime sign artist, and enjoys how he holds control over his brush. He can make it do what he wants, and he said there was no difference between painting a sign, or the side of a truck.
Rather than just being a composite of many sign artist’s lives, the film manages to weave the message through the film about signage being a lost art form, and how new signage technology has put a damper on creating sign art. It presents the message to have a look around us, and to appreciate the old over the computer-generated.
