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February 2nd, 2012

Southern Hemisphere Hotspots

 

I don’t know about you guys, but this picture does nothing for me. I’m not the biggest fan of snow: the plowing, the dangerous driving, and the dirty snow that leaves behind soggy ground. Sure, it can be pretty, but I’ve seen my fair share of picturesque landscapes. One thing that gives me hope is thinking of all the southern hemisphere hot-spots right now. It also makes me pretty jealous…

 

Brazil

 

Copacabana Beach

Get some serious sun (and check out our safe sun tips!) in Copacabana, in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro. Relax on the beaches, or take a stroll on the famous promenade. Copacabana will also be one of the four Olympic Zones for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

 

Iguazu Falls

So it’s not a beach, but Iguazu Falls, on the border of Brazil and Argentina, is definitely impressive. Named after the Iguazu River that flows through Brazil, this waterfall is actually taller than our great Niagara Falls. Enjoy the best of both worlds while you’re here and soak up the Brazilian and Argentinian sun!

Top Brazil Must-sees: Fernando de Noronha, for the diving and snorkeling lovers. Salvador beaches, if sailing is your thing. Pantanal, the worlds largest wetland, if you’re after some wildlife. And lastly, Carnival in Rio de Janeiro from February 18-21.

 

Africa

Take a trip to the bottom of Africa — literally — by visiting Cape Town, South Africa! Whether it’s city or beach that you’re after, Cape Town has them both. Beaches along the False Bay, opposite the Atlantic Ocean, tend to be a little warmer than those right on the Atlantic.

Muizenberg Beach Huts

Spend a night in one of the colorful Muizenberg Beach Huts on the False Bay, or take a hike along Devil’s Peak or Lion’s Head mountains. If nature isn’t you’re thing, Capetown has the highest density of Cape Dutch-style buildings in the world, which gives the city a slight European feel.

 

Australia

If you’re thinking about a trip Down Under, Australia is packed with vacation possibilities. From beaches, to city life, to hiking, there is plenty to do here!

australian reefs

One must-see in Australia is the Great Barrier Reef! Search for snorkeling tours that match your budget and make sure you don’t miss this opportunity. If you’re not a strong swimmer, you can opt for a tour with a glass-bottom boat. So cool! Cairns is a great place to experience the reef, as are other locations along the coast of Queensland.

Get your fill of city life by poking around Sydney, and soak up some rays on Bondi Beach.

blue mountains australia

Get your hike on in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney, and see The Three Sisters for yourself.

 

As with any foreign travels, make sure you take the time to research the area you’re traveling to. If you’re headed somewhere sunny, grab that swimsuit, some hot shades, and and have fun!

(But please, don’t brag to me about your warm-weather travels :)  )

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February 1st, 2012

55 Valentine’s Day Date Ideas

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Ladies and gents, love is in the air. Can you feel it? With Valentine’s Day just two weeks away we’ve been scouring the web and racking our brains over here at Sunglass Warehouse to come up with 50 cupid-approved date ideas. We ended up finding so much V-Day inspiration that we dreamed up with 55! Indoor, outdoor, inexpensive, and lavish, we covered it all. So whether you’re spending the day with a new crush or your childhood sweetheart, you can find a date that’s perfect for the two of you. P.S. As an added bonus, we included our favorite fashion trends for guys and gals so you can dress to impress your sweetheart on the big day.

Daytime Dates

  • Spend the day with the fishes and head to the aquarium
  • Go bargain hunting at your local flea market
  • Curl up with your sweetheart and a good book at the library
  • Make it a double feature at the movie theater. You pick one movie and your date chooses the other
  • Bundle up and head to the zoo for the afternoon
  • Spend the day getting lost in your favorite museum
  • Check out a local art gallery
  • Lucky enough to live in a warmer climate? Pack a romantic lunch and a Frisbee and enjoy a day at the park

 

Out on the Town
  • Laugh the night away at your favorite comedy club
  • Check out some local talent and attend a coffee house performance
  • Love live music? Try a new jazz club!
  • Have dinner and a movie in one at a dine-in movie theater
  • Go star-gazing at the planetarium
  • Check out a new play or musical
  • Restaurant hop and enjoy each course of your Valentine’s dinner at a different restaurant
  • Get dressed up and enjoy the ballet
  • Deck yourselves out in your favorite team’s apparel and catch a basketball game
  • Basketball’s not your thing? Try a hockey game instead!
  • Score tickets to a great concert coming to town
  • Enjoy an evening with your local symphony orchestra
  • Get inspired and attend a poetry reading

 

Activities for Two
  • Take a boat tour or boat ride
  • Hit the alley for a little bowling
  • Dance the night away
  • Take a romantic carriage ride through town
  • Try your luck at the casino
  • Take a class together. Learn how to brew your own beer, cook a delicious dinner or master a new style of dance
  • Find hidden treasure and try a little geocaching
  • Go go-karting for the evening
  • Take to the trails and spend the day hiking
  • Enjoy nature and each other’s company by going horseback riding
  • The sky’s the limit! Take a hot air balloon ride
  • Hit the local rink for a little ice skating
  • Develop your palate at a wine tasting
  • Serenade one another at karaoke night
  • Show off your putt putt skills with a game of mini golf
  • Create your own Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt to try together
  • Go back to the beginning and recreate your first date
  • Take your relationship to new heights and try rock climbing
  • Spend the day on the slopes and go skiing / snowboarding
  • Feeling adventurous? Sky diving is always an option!
  • Play in the snow – go sledding or build a snowman
  • Tour a local brewery or winery
  • Give back to the community and volunteer together
  • Watch the sunrise
  • Spend the day window shopping and make a secret purchase for one another

 

Home is Where the Heart Is
  • Turn your home into a spa and enjoy a little pampering
  • Stock up on your favorite toppings and create your own ice cream sundaes
  • Too cold to go outside? Move the furniture aside and set up a romantic picnic in your living room
  • Spend some time in the kitchen making chocolate-covered strawberries
  • Have a romantic dinner at home. It’s a classic idea for a reason!
  • Cuddle up on the couch for a movie night
  • Invent your own drink together
  • Surprise your sweetheart with breakfast in bed
  • For a fun, tasty treat try cooking s’mores on the stove

Looks We Love Now that you have the perfect date planned, you need the perfect outfit. No worries! You can’t go wrong with our favorite trends!

valentine's day looks for women valentine's day looks for guys
  • Pretty pastels
  • Knee highs and boots
  • Mixing prints and patterns
  • ’60s-inspired cat eyes

Want more of the latest trends for guys and dolls? Our Pinterest boards have you covered!

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January 31st, 2012

Super Bowl Fever

Super Bowl madness is taking over here at Sunglass Warehouse, and can you blame us? Located just a hop, skip, and a jump from the heart of Super City, we call Indianapolis home and couldn’t be more proud to do so!

One reason we’re excited? The first-ever Super Bowl Social Media Command Center! This team of local social media all-stars was established to increase communication among football fans, Indy, and the Super Bowl committee. Pretty neat, huh? In addition to all the useful tips, some of Indy’s social gurus have been tweeting great photos of the city and we couldn’t help but show them off.

 

IndyCars Super Bowl 2012@FollowAndretti shows off the IndyCars on Monument Circle

Jimmy Fallon Indianapolis@BlakeFogelsong caught Jimmy Fallon trying to take in the sights

Super Bowl 2012 Indianapolis roman numeralsOur very own @gret_herself snapped this great pic of the Roman numerals at night

NFL Experience Super Bowl 2012Inside the NFL Experience courtesy of @AroundIndy

Butler Blue II & Jillian Michaels@ButlerBlue2 shows off the perks of being a local celebrity

Tom Brady Super Bowl 2012@pwilson24 gives fans a closer look at Tom Brady

Of course Sunglass Warehouse had to get in on the action too! So just the other day, we bundled up in our favorite scarves (courtesy of our chic sister site, Scarves Dot Net), grabbed our favorite pair of shades, and took a little field trip to Super Bowl Village. And of course we snapped a few photos while we were out so we could share the Super excitement with all of you!

sunglass warehouse super bowl 2012

The Sunglass Warehouse crew showing off our favorite shades in front of the Super Bowl Roman numerals

super bowl 2012 indianapolis

Monument Circle – Super Bowl Style

Sunglasses in Super Bowl Village 2012

 NFL IndyCars with a little Sunglass Warehouse spin.

P.S. For those of you making your way to Indy this week, check out this Insider’s Guide to Super Bowl XLVI – Indianapolis for parking tips, dining suggestions, and a printable event schedule. Can you say “score!?”

P.P.S. Watching from home? Why not enjoy the game with our favorite Super Bowl snacks!

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January 30th, 2012

Popular Styles of Men’s Sunglasses for 2012

Hey guys, we know you don’t always put a lot of thought into what socks you’re wearing or which hat you grab when you leave the house. It’s apparent that in some cases, function trumps fashion. That’s why we’re here to help. Sunglasses do serve a very valuable function in protecting your eyes from the damage the sun can cause. However, they’re very visible…they’re on your face, so why not make sure they look good? Here are some popular styles of men’s sunglasses for 2012.

ryan reynolds sunglassesI’m just going to lay it out on the table: Women love Ryan Reynolds. Women really love Ryan Reynolds with a puppy. Women also really love Ryan Reynolds in sports sunglasses. Do you catch my drift?

James Franco sunglassesJames Franco has the right idea with his retro wayfarer sunglasses. It’s a very popular and attractive look for men that is here to stay. For a pair very similar to his, check out the SW Retro Style #1688.

Zac Efron aviatorsWell hello Zac Efron! He has certainly graduated from High School Musical, hasn’t he? Zac rocks aviator sunglasses, a very dashing look for men.

Obviously, taking fashion cues from the men America can’t keep its eyes off of is a good idea. But there are other ways to discover what’s popular in the sunglasses realm. Sunglass Warehouse allows you to sort men’s sunglasses by popularity, and when that is done, here’s the most popular pair of glasses you can get:

silver aviator sunglasses

Our SW Mirrored Aviator Style #1690 is the star of the show. Maybe Zac Efron takes fashion cues from Sunglass Warehouse ;)

There are several more pairs of aviators in the most popular list, but the next style that remains a favorite is retro sunglasses. Sports styles and rimless sunglasses also make their way into our list of most-loved sunglasses. So guys, take a look around Sunglass Warehouse. See what styles others love, read the reviews to see which pairs customers rave about, and choose a pair for yourself!

Photos: People, Just Jared

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January 27th, 2012

Super Bowl Party Snacks

super bowl party snack recipes

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Everyone loves a good Super Bowl party. Friends, football, celebs, commercials, and crazy halftime entertainment – what more could you ask for? Oh yeah, some super tasty snacks!

It doesn’t matter if you’re vying for the title of Most Valuable Host, or if you’re prepping for a friend’s party, these five delicious dishes are perfect for Game Day.

Ready, set, cook!

 

football stadium party snacksStadium snacks

football browniesTouchdown brownies

cheese balls and spicy tomato sauce
Fried cheese balls with spicy tomato sauce

chocolate covered strawberriesChocolate covered strawberries

mini taco dip bitesTaco dip bites

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January 26th, 2012

Super Bowl 2012 Events

super bowl village indianapolis

Hey football fans. We know the game is the main show, but did you realize there is a plethora of events surrounding Super Bowl Sunday? From zip lines to concerts, with games in between, Indianapolis is prepared to entertain guests of all ages starting January 27 until game day.

The heart of downtown Indianapolis is going to be transformed into Super Bowl Village, which is going to be a blast — even if you aren’t a football fan! There are going to be many FREE (you read it right) events and concerts taking place at the Village, which will be located on Georgia Street. They’re not even charging admission to Super Bowl Village, so you can spend your money doing the extras and trying all the food.

Here is a schedule of some of the events Indianapolis has planned surrounding the Super Bowl:

Jan. 27

Randy Finch and Derek Maxfield from the Food Network’s show, Ice Brigade, will be doing live ice sculpting performances in the Super Bowl Village.

Jan. 27 – Feb. 4 NFL Experience

Inside the Indiana Convention Center will be the NFL Experience, a  pro-football interactive theme park that has entertainment attractions, kids’ football clinics, free autograph sessions, and more.

Zipline

The outdoor Super Bowl Village will house an 80-feet-tall and 800-feet-long Zipline. Not for the faint of heart! Tickets can be purchased at the launch tower on a first-come, first-served basis.

Concerts

madonna sunglassesLove Madonna’s cat eye sunglasses? Check out these.

Several free concerts will be performed starting Jan. 27 and leading up to the big game. There will be two stages set up on either side of Lucas Oil Stadium. Acts include LMFAO, Sixpence None the Richer, O.A.R., and Dierks Bentley. Of course, you can’t forget the big halftime show with Madonna.

LMFAO sunglassesI fully expect LMFAO to be rocking some outrageous clear shades.

Those are just some of the events, but there are many more. Live entertainment will be offered each day in the Super Bowl Village, but some of that entertainment is still to be announced. An entire events calendar can be seen on the Indianapolis Super Bowl website. Or, check out Travel Products’ free downloadable and printable Super Bowl schedule. In addition to these events, many downtown restaurants, shops, breweries, and bars will be offering specials throughout the week.

Oh, and one more tip from an Indianapolis local: One thing you must know about Indiana weather is that there is no predicting it. Ever. You never know what it will be like, so be sure to pack everything from your parka coat to t-shirts. And also be sure to have a pair of sunglasses (they’re just as important in the winter as they are in the summer) to help you see all the downtown action.

Photos: heraldtimesonline.com, nme.com, ofcelebrity.com

 

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January 23rd, 2012

Super Bowl XLVI: Welcome to Indianapolis!

Who’s excited for the Super Bowl? Anyone headed to Indianapolis? With our office being located so close to where the magic will happen, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to be your personal Indianapolis Super Bowl guides. This is the first of a series of Super Bowl-related posts that will lead up to the day of the big game. We’ll give you an insider’s scoop into all the events and what Indianapolis has to offer.

lucas oil stadium indianapolis

To start out the series, we’ll keep it sunglass themed. Here are some favorite sunglasses around the Indianapolis area from the Sunglass Warehouse catalog:

aviator sunglassesYou can never go wrong with aviator sunglasses. This SW Aviator Style #1693 is pretty classic, but I love the whole collection, especially this vintage style.

 

retro wayfarersThe retro wayfarer look is super fun, and the best part is that Sunglass Warehouse has such a huge color selection! Get your favorite team’s color to sport on Super Bowl Sunday.

Cat eye sunglassesI love cat eye sunglasses. They provide such a timeless, classic look. This pair has some extra sass with rhinestone detailing.

oversized sunglasses

This pair of celebrity sunglasses is new to the Sunglass Warehouse catalog, but happened to catch my eye. I love the tortoise shell frames, although there are other choices, as well.

Those are some Indianapolis favorites, but be sure to check out the whole Sunglass Warehouse inventory. We have hundreds of men’s, women’s, and kids’ sunglass styles. Be on the lookout for more Super Bowl posts from our  team of local bloggers.

Photo: Indianapolissuperbowl.com

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January 20th, 2012

New Arrivals for January

Remember a while back when we surveyed you (our loyal readers) about the kinds of posts you want to read on our blog? Thanks again for participating in our survey! We appreciate all the feedback and will be using it to make this blog even better.

After combing through the results, we learned that you most like reading our product reviews and updates. Ask and you shall receive!

We recently added a bunch of new sunglasses to the Sunglass Warehouse collection, and our office couldn’t be more excited to try them on. You asked for a review, so we had 5 team members review their favorite pair of new sunglasses. The hardest part was choosing just one pair to review — we love all of them! Here are 5 of our favorites:

blue aviator sunglasses I fell in love with these retro aviators the minute I saw them come in the door! The aviator style matches my personality and overall style. I really like the blue outline; it’s a nice change to ordinary metallic-colored rims.

retro cat eye sunglasses

Maggie really likes our new rhinestone cat eye sunglasses. She said, “I have a petite face, so I have to be careful to pick sunglasses that won’t take over my whole face. I love these because they’re small and feminine, but they have a retro style that I love. These are some of our newest, but they’re quickly becoming an office favorite!”

wayfarer sunglasses

Beth is a fan of our new retro wayfarers. In her opinion, “It’s hard not to have a sunny disposition when you start the new year off with my new pair of retro sunglasses.The round wayfayer style is right up my alley and the subtle pink shade adds a little extra glam, while still being neutral enough that I can rock these sunnies with any look!”

rock star sunglasses

Terryl found a match made in heaven with these oversized rock star sunglasses! While obsessing over them, she said, “I’ve been waiting for the boss #9936 to be available as soon as I first saw them in the photographer’s room. They’re kind of a play off retro wayfarers, but they’re super square and taller than any style I’ve ever seen! Of course, because they’re nearly comically oversized, they are an unavoidably necessary addition to my collection.”
american flag sunglasses

Although not necessarily a new arrival, Nate is madly in love with our American flag aviators! His review of these very popular sunglasses is, “These sunglasses scream patriotism and fun. Aviators remind me of things like Top Gun, and the American flag is just a natural fit. I love these puppies because 1. You can see great out of them and 2. I’ve received so many compliments and ‘Where did you get those?!?’ They truly are an American classic.”

From now on, we plan on sharing more posts like these with you, in addition to contests, celebrity news and gossip, DIY projects, and much more! Please contact us and let us know if there is a pair you want us to review for you! Ask us on Facebook, Twitter, or send us an email!

These are just our reviews of the sunglasses, but we want to know what your favorite pair is! Let us know in the comments your pick; we love hearing from you!

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January 18th, 2012

New Years Contest Winner

A while back we asked you to tell us what types of posts you want to see on this blog — and by taking the survey you were entered to win a $25 gift card to Sunglass Warehouse, plus $75 to Amazon. Thank you to everyone who took the survey and entered our giveaway! The Sunglass Warehouse team will read through the results and post the topic that received the most votes!

And now the moment you have all been waiting for! The winner of our contest is… Tom M!

Congratulations to Tom, our lucky number 20! Please contact us within the next 48 hours at abruk@sunglasswarehouse.com to claim your prize! Thank you again for your feedback and wonderful comments. Keep checking in at our blog for the latest posts on the topics you want, AND our next contest! ~SW Staff

 

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January 18th, 2012

Take a Stand Against Censorship

Have you heard about the Stop Online Piracy Act, also referred to as SOPA? How about the PROTECT IP (PIPA) Act?

From FightForTheFuture.org

PIPA would give the government new powers to block Americans’ access websites that corporations don’t like. The bill lets corporations and the US government censor entire websites and cut sites off from advertising, payments, and donations.

This legislation will stifle free speech and innovation, and even threaten popular web services like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

The bill is scheduled for a test vote in the Senate on Jan. 24th: We need to act now to let our lawmakers know just how terrible it is.

 

Today, January 18th, is the day the internet is taking a stand. Several popular websites like Google, Wikipedia,  Reddit, and WordPress are taking a stand against SOPA and blacking out their websites.

Check out these resources to gain more information, learn what’s at stake, and contact your state representatives today!

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