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The Olympics are here! Vancouver is getting excited and we are looking forward to what the next three and a half weeks will hold. There is a great sense of anticipation. The Opening Ceremony for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be an event of historic importance that presents Canada with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tell a story that inspires a world audience of three billion.

Revolucion is excited to be part of this historical event. We will be carrying Olympic pins and many other great gift items! Stop by our store and celebrate with us!

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A colorful palette and an original design are just two of the many outstanding qualities that distinguish a product made by Ritzenhoff. The winter gift+home shows serve as the perfect opportunity for the company to present its new looks to buyers, retailers and media alike. This season, a total of 94 fabulous fresh designs from 17 different collections will hit the market. Below is a look at the impressive line-up:

Beer

The notable William Shakespeare once said, “For a quart of Ale is a dish for a King.” With six whimsical new introductions this season, Ritzenhoff’s line of beer glasses with matching decorative coasters mix royalty with good-humor. New decors range from a polka dot pup wearing an oversized jeweled crown to an amusing medieval jester.

Designs are by: Andrea Hilles, Harm Keilholz (2), Tim Davies, Gernot Gunga and Frank Keller.

Schnapps

Ideal for shots or clear spirits such as Obstwasser, also known as German Brandy, these glasses rank high in form and function.The six sassy decors with matching coasters coordinate with those from the Beer collection.

Designs are by: Andrea Hilles, Harm Keilholz (2), Tim Davies, Gernot Gunga and Frank Keller.

Clubstar

A nod to the 1970’s disco era, Ritzenhoff is introducing four new looks to its Clubstar collection.

With these motifs, designers Auge, M. Bieren-Broodspot, Anke Hellmich and Stephanie Roehe show us how to “shake your groove thing.”

Weizen

This original series, which draws its name from Hefeweizen, a German style of wheat beer, lets beer drinkers celebrate Oktoberfest all year long. Bavarian foods and folklore come to life in this colorful collection.

The range includes motifs by: Juliane Breitbach, Beppe Del Greco, Beppe Facente, Gernot Gunga and

Zwischenraum (2). Each pint-size glass comes with a matching decorative coaster.

Wine

According to the German writer, comedian and painter Joachin Ringelnatz, “The best magnifying glasses for the joys of this world are those from which one drinks.”

So whether the glass is full of the finest Bordeaux or Chardonnay, Ritzenhoff’s collection of red and white wine glasses is the perfect salute to the lighter side of life.

Using a platinum palette, artists Mirjam Hüttner, Lothar Klaschik, Nilesh Mistry and Dajana Brinkert each contributed a new silhouette design to both collections.

Champus

Simply elegant is the best way to describe the six new additions to the collection.

The delicate gold and platinum decors with matching linen napkin are by: Laurence Gartel, Petra Mohr, Nils Kunath (2), Katja Prewozny and Annett Wurm.

Pearls

With its long, sleek shape and alluring designs, Ritzenhoff’s line of prosecco glasses exude luxury.

Designers Nicolas De Waël, Sandra Kretzmann, Melissa Anne Kwee, Diana Sopha, Alena St. James and Ulrike Vater each add their colorful interpretation to this exquisite collection.

On Ice

A 30 mm thick glass bottom, also known in German as Eisboden or frozen glass bottom, was the inspiration for this versatile collection.

Available in two styles, long and short drink, On Ice has been an instant hit since it hit the market in 2006.

The six new stylish coordinated designs by Ina Biber, Oliver Hartmann (2), Gernot Gunga, Gerd Huss and Evelin Roth flaunt fresh faces, fabulous animated characters and flashy color.

My Tea

Two piping hot designs from Markus Binz and Julien Chung are steaming up the wonderful world of tea.

A woman’s face amid a field of green ivy and luscious red lips cover the surface of Binz’s teacup and saucer while Chung chose an oversized floral motif with heart-shaped petals for the saucer and rounded buzzing

bees for the teacup. Each tea set comes with a tea strainer and drip bowl.

My Darling

Nothing is more energizing in the morning than a good cup of coffee—especially when it comes in one of Ritzenhoff’s six new colorful designs.

Designers Sari Ahokainen, Petra Mohr (2), Tim Davies, and Martina Schlenke (2) have created fun, enlivening designs that are sure to delight all coffee drinkers.

My Little Darling

Ritzenhoff designers Laura Ferracioli (2), Melissa Sunjaya, Roberta Tinelli, Sandra Knuyt and Tim S. Weiffenbach have delivered six new motifs that are sure to make the heart of every espresso lover beat faster.

From a woman with a large pearl earring to a young artist in a painter’s hat, each cup features a friendly face.

The motifs on the matching saucers range from coffee beans and drip marks to morning flowers and bustling city streets, all of which depict moments from everyday life.

Amore Mio

After just one sip from Ritzenhoff’s sleek and stylish cappuccino cup, you’ll find yourself whisked away to la dolce vita.

This season’s four striking looks come from Albin Christen, Michel Canetti, Rosa Lisa and Ulrike Vater.

Romeo & Juliet

Black and white, yin and yang, sweet and sour—all the best things in life come in pairs. And Ritzenhoff’s new collection of bottle openers is no exception.

Phillip Argent’s design flips between Adam and Eve, while Douglas Day’s bottle opener reflects on the classic relationship of a cowboy and his horse.

Other designs are by Iti Janz, Tim Davies, Damien Ligier and Shari Warren.

Tipsy

Finishing a bottle of wine seems unthinkable with Ritzenhoff’s new collection of graphic, funky bottle stoppers.

The functional mix of stainless steel and plastic decorated with colorful swirls or images of champagne flutes toasting is a definite way to brighten up everyday life.

Designs are by Margarete Gockel, Büro Für Form, Monika Keller, Emmeke Van Der Put, Schrägspur and Monika Ernst.

Piggy Bank

Who thought that saving your pennies could be so much fun?

Ritzenhoff’s six new designs are an amusing take on the classic piggy bank.

Whether it is Tim S. Weiffenbach’s Robin Hood or Tim Davies’ smiling pirate, a penny earned will truly be a penny saved.

Other designs are by Sandra Kretzmann, Jens Rotzsche and Ben Hall.

Smoking

The perfect accessory for any cigar connoisseur is one of Ritzenhoff’s quality crystal ashtrays.

Nina Jawitz’s subtle, graphic design or Hans-Christian Sanladerer’s cheeky ‘smOKing’ design makes an ideal gift for any cigar-lover. Other designs are by Büro Für Form and Herman Reichold.

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Swiss Army Brand is a recognized throughout the world by just mention about Swiss Army Brand watches and Victorinox Swiss Army knives. It is a world class importer, distributor and manufacturer of premium consumer products. Plus, their logo of a white cross in a shield set off against a bright red background makes it an outstand brand among travelers.

Let me tell you a bit about Swiss Army Brand. In 1897 the Original Swiss Army Knife was created in the small village of Ibach, Switzerland. Since that time, Victorinox has become well-known in more than 100 countries for precision, quality, functionality and versatility. This century old heritage has been extended to Swiss Army Watches, which reflect the ingenious design and outstanding durability Victorinox has come to stand for over the years. Uncompromising craftsmanship makes these watches worthy to carry the “cross and shield” emblem that symbolizes the legend of Victorinox and the Swiss Army Brand.

The VICTORINOX “Swiss Army Knife” is over 100 Years Old. This useful pocket Multi-Tool was legally registered on June 12, 1897. Over 34,000 of these pocket tools with the distinctive Swiss cross leave the factory in central Switzerland each day. Ninety per cent are for export to over 100 different countries and serve as ambassadors for Switzerland.

Karl Elsener, the company founder, wanted to create work in sparsely industrialized central Switzerland and counter the emigration spawned by unemployment. To go from hand-crafting to industrial production was at the time adventurous and required enormous determination. Today, this family business in Schwyz provides 950 jobs.

After the soldier’s knife, which every recruit receives upon entering the army, Karl Elsener developed a new, elegant and light weight pocket knife, with six practical tools. He called this new model the “Officers and Sports Knife”.

After an unparalleled success story around the world, the VICTORINOX “Swiss Army Knife” is even orbiting the earth as part of the standard equipment of the Space Shuttle Crew. The knife has also been successfully proven on expeditions: in the arctic ice of the North Pole; on the highest peak on earth, Mount Everest; in the tropical rain forests of the Amazon, and elsewhere. Time and again, it has been a life saver in situations of extreme danger and great need. The New York Museum of Modern Art and the State Museum for Applied Art in Munich have selected it for their collection of excellence in design, and, since Lyndon B. Johnson, US presidents present guests with VICTORINOX pocket knives.

However, their commercial distinctiveness correspondingly incorporates the red and white colors and a cross in a rounded square. You may think that they would in the long run come together or possibly any one of them would drastically revolutionize to another identity or trademark in the attempt to make a distinction from the other. Well they don’t. Typically, as a market leader, Victorinox does not mention Wenger at all who clearly plays the role of the ‘second-best’ either in its promotional material or advertising. Wenger on the other hand comes out to get a lot of mileage out of Victorinox reputation and addresses the competition directly in its advertising and promotion.

All Swiss Army watches are made in Switzerland with precision Swiss Movements. My choice of Swiss Army watch undeniably would be Maverick Chrono. As you are well aware, Maverick Chrono is also been made in Switzerland with precision Swiss quartz movement. It’s name already give us a clue of the type of this superior watch, a Chronograph watch which has a satin steel case with screw-in caseback and satin screw-down crown. It’s also complete with luminous hands and hour markers so that you still can check the time even in the dark. Lot’s of people unwrapped their wrist-watches whenever they get into water for they afraid their watch would be moisted internally. No need to worry, my choice of watch is equipped with water resistant to 100 meters or 330 feet. How’s that sounds like? Moreover you can always check for date on the watch. Maverick Chrono is also included with sweep second hand and mineral crystal to cover the whole facet. I also loved the satin steel bracelet with triple-looking safety clasp with diver’s extension.

Need to know more about the Swiss Army watches? Please come and see and we be happy to show you our collection.

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Putumayo is a river that begins in the South American country of Colombia and flows along the border of Ecuador and Peru until it reaches the Amazon in Brazil. Putumayo’s founder, Dan Storper, was traveling through the region in 1974, and was so enamored with its beauty, he decided to name his new handicraft shop after it.

The etymological origins of the word Putumayo in Quechua (indigenous Indian language) are as follows: Mayu (or Mayo) means “River” and Putu can mean either a gourd for drinking chicha, which is a homemade corn/maize liquor, or “nace” (birth) or “sale” (leaves). Therefore, the Quechuan origins of the Putumayo word could be understood to mean either a gourd river or “birth of the river.” Another literal meaning of the word Putumayo is a heron (type of bird).

Putumayo World Music was established to introduce people to the music of the world’s cultures. The label grew out of Putumayo clothing company, founded by Dan Storper in 1975 and sold in 1997. Co-founder Michael Kraus joined Storper to help launch Putumayo World Music in 1993. In the past fifteen years, the label has become known primarily for its upbeat and melodic compilations of great international music characterized by the company’s motto: “guaranteed to make you feel good!”

Putumayo’s CD covers feature the distinctive art of Nicola Heindl, whose colorful, folkloric style represents one of Putumayo’s goals: to connect the traditional to the contemporary. By combining appealing music and visuals with creative retail marketing, Putumayo has developed a unique brand identity, a rarity in today’s artist-based music industry.

Putumayo is considered a pioneer and leader in developing the non-traditional market. A large portion of its target audience consists of “Cultural Creatives,” a sociological and lifestyle term for 50 million North Americans and millions more around the world with an interest in culture, travel and the arts. To reach these consumers, Putumayo has built a proprietary network of more than 3,000 book, gift, clothing, coffee and other specialty retailers in the US and thousands more internationally that play and sell its CDs, in addition to maintaining a strong presence in record stores.

Since it began in 1993, Putumayo World Music has contributed to many non-profits doing good work in regions where the music originates. For the past years, Putumayo has focused its non-profit efforts on various local as well as international NGOs working in different parts of the world. They intend to keep on supporting these organizations and other specific NGOs working in the countries where the music originates.

Putumayo’s products are protected by their Feel Good Guarantee. If you are unhappy with any purchase of a Putumayo CD, you may return it to Putumayo for a full refund. Send the CD, along with your receipt of purchase and your address to: Putumayo World Music, Attn: Consumer Returns, 411 Lafayette St., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10003

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All we have is the moment… and I would like to take this moment to express my gratitude to all those that I have come to know through Revolucion. You have all through your support created an idea into a reality. Revolucion came about from an idea to create a store that would specialize in gifts and gadgets both in function and design for men, a great store where women would feel comfortable and confident in entering and purchasing a gift for their man. It has been 4 years and they have all been great! Some people have come and gone and at some time they may stop by to visit again, I am grateful.

I wish you all Happy Holidays and your hearts overflowing with Love.

With regard in kindness,

Pavlos

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If you are like most Canadians you love giving christmas presents. But every year you face a new challenge. What can I buy my wife, husband, partner, sister, brother, friend, relative, employee or other lucky person that they don’t yet already have? No matter how hard you think of something special to give to that special person, in the end you feel like you are buying another pair of socks again. How about a raclette grill?

What is Raclette?

The name “raclette” (pronounced ruck-lett in English or rah-klett in its native French) refers to a meal and to a type of cheese with the same name. The traditional dish can be described as melted cheese eaten with boiled (or roasted) potatoes with small gherkins and pickled onions. Modern electrical appliances that are used to make the dish are called Raclette grills. While the method of melting the cheese has changed over time, the raclette meal is quite easy to prepare using the simplest of ingredients and has been a long favourite for festive and fun interactive evenings.

With the tradition originating in Switzerland, Raclette, the meal, is one of Switzerland’s best loved national dishes and is very popular in other parts of Europe such as France and Germany. The most famous and best Raclette cheese is made in the alpine villages in the Swiss Alps which has a very distinct flavour and excellent melting qualities as well as being the main ingredient that makes the dish. Just like the well known Classic Cheese Fondue Raclette is another way of enjoying simple and delicious cooking incorporating lots of interactivity and of course lots of cheese.

Origin - Somewhere hidden in the valleys of the Swiss Alps…

Raclette cheese originated in the French speaking areas in the Alpine regions of the Valais canton in Switzerland. While the process of melting cheese has been around since ancient times, according to legends – local farmers or herdsmen in the valleys of the Swiss Alps set up camp for the night and the cheese that was laying around on stones at meal time, melted near the open fire and some farmer scraped it off the rock (not wanting to waste any of it of course), he then tasted it and thought it tasted divine. The idea quickly caught on amongst the group and this novel idea quickly spread throughout the valley and so the cheese became well known as the most ideal to melt. Other ingredients would accompany the meal like gherkins (pickled cucumber) and small onions and to drink; kirsch (cherry liqueur), or herbal tea.

It was a filling meal and enjoyed for its great simplicity and heartiness. The concept was simple and the melting of the raclette cheese was to become a popular way to eat it. It was comfort food at its best and the tradition eventually spread to other countries beyond the Alps from visitors travelling from afar to enjoy the famous ski resorts in the Valais region.

Modern Raclette Party Tips

If you only have a small dining table and need more place for the raclette grill and all the other ingredients, you can try elevating the raclette grill onto a mini table to enable you to use the area underneath your raclette grill.

If you are organizing a large group function and need helping hands or need to cut costs, you can ask guests to bring one/some of the accompanying ingredients e.g.. a jar of olives, capsicums, can of pineapple or wine. As there is no precooking required, this wouldn’t be too much trouble to ask anyone.

To ensure everyone gets their fair share of cheese and other ingredients, you can choose to allocate a plate with a selection of all the ingredients to each person or to share between two. This also makes all the ingredients at only arms length away and reduces the need to pass various dishes around the table.

For those who are lactose intolerant or can’t eat cheese because of dietary restrictions there is what’s known as non dairy cheese on the market based on soy beans. So you don’t have to miss out if this applies to you. Actually, raclette cheese contains only a small amount of lactose because of the way it is made.

Aside of Raclette Cheese, there are plenty of other great cheeses available at your supermarket suitable for cooking:e.g. Swiss Gold , Gruyere , Emmental , Jarlsberg , Mozzarella , Mature Cheddar.  The top hot plate of your grill can be used for meat, sausages and vegetables.

A raclette grill is the perfect gift idea for many. Alone its novelty and style make it a great present.  There are many reasons and groups of people who would love a raclette grill as a gift for that special occasion. So, have a look at our Swissmar Raclette Grill – and avoid the Christmas rush shopping for that very special and unique gift idea – you have found it!

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No longer will you need to shave with a ruddy old disposable or a less than superior shave cream, it’s high time you took pride in your daily shave regime and got some uber-cool shaving accessories to not only modernise your bathroom but also make you feel completely indulged and undeniably masculine.

Breath new life into your shave regime with a premium quality nickel plated shave and grooming set from Edwin Jagger. Utilising your existing (and easily replaced) Mach 3® cartridges, you can now upgrade to a more masculine and more indulgent shaving set that is guaranteed to leave you feeling invigorated, pampered and stubble-free like never before. Each set features the highest quality workmanship, and is certain to take your daily shaving ritual into the 21st century.

Edwin Jagger ltd. a family business, prides itself as the finest manufacturer of exquisite wet shaving products.  The unrivalled design expertise and production techniques are reflected in all Edwin Jagger shaving brushes, razors and shaving sets. Pre-eminent in prestige shaving accessory creation; excellence and quality are paramount and Edwin Jagger accepts nothing less.

Wet shaving should be a pleasure not a daily chore. Using an elegant and effective shaving razor will not only improve the quality if your shave, it will look fantastic in your bathroom.  Using a shaving brush in your daily shaving routine helps to produce a richer lather, lift and soften the beard hair and improve the overall shave quality. It also gently massages your face for a great ´feel good´ factor.

Shaving sets are a wonderful lasting gift and will transform the shaving experience into a genuine pleasure.  Many of our shaving sets are designed and manufactured in Sheffield, England, by Edwin Jagger – considered by many to be the Rolls Royce of shaving.

The Edwin Jagger range of travel sets are perfect for the busy world traveller. All are handmade using the finest grade heritage shadow hide, with waterproof lining. The different styles and sizes suit the many requirements of both the overnight commuter and the international businessman.

A variety of other shaving and grooming related items can be found here. Porcelain, chrome and gold shaving bowls, strops and sharpening paste for cut throat shaving enthusiasts, mirrors and manicure sets.

Come and experience the Revolucion in shaving products by Edwin Jagger!

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The Wurkin Stiffs (www.wurkinstiffs.com) collar stays are a perfect little gift to let someone know you care….how the look! They work great for any well dressed man. These high-tech alloy collar stays come with tiny super strong magnets. The magnets not only hold your collar stiff and in place, but also allow you to adjust your collar’s spread angle so you can achieve your personal desired look and style. How cool is that, very cool!

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Tags: « Collar Stays - Revolucion - shirts - Style - Wurkin stiff »
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I really like this slogan by Lampe Berger. “Lampe Berger is in the Air”. We’ve been selling the Lampe’s for 4 years now. They have been around for 100 years. People are still learning about them and inquiring about the many benefits of them. These little things destroy bacteria and toxins in the air. So we highly recommend them as we move in to the flu season. Burning the Lampe Berger in your bedroom, living room and bathroom will clean the air you breath! They still use this lamps for disinfecting hospitals in Europe!

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For the last time this 2009 trip Hamlet is visiting us and rolling some amazingly crafted cigars.  As an owner of Revolucion and cigar lover, this is one of few times that i have the opportunity to watch the construction of a fine cigar.  It is a reminder of the work, skill and patience that goes into “creating” what is known as a fine cigar.  I am grateful for having Hamlet here to express this art and I am also most grateful for his friendship.  Cheers

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Tags: « cigars - cuba - Hamlet - Revolucion »
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