Can there be a knock off vendor with honor? Hmm… that sounds like an oxymoron.

But truly there is!

My fashionista sister recently stumbled across a site selling imitations of brands without passing them off as originals like 1000s of miscreants out there.

Visit Highreplica. Right on the frontpage, they tell you that their stuff is all imitation. That doesn’t bother me though. Their prices are superb and my sister received an LV that looked just like the real deal she got at the LV store. Down to the date codes!

Now, no one can tell you’re carrying a -ahem - fake.

I just returned from Australia four hours ago. The place was memorable! Superb beaches, azure skies, delicious women, and Zunic!

Err… what??

My aussie mates took me to a wellness place that offered a system of fat burning. The chided me how lousy my gut looked. It dangled over my $800 Hermes belt like sad blubber. But no sweat they said. For $100, I can burn off an inch with Zunic.

What the hell. With 12 hours before my return flight to CA, why not? And if it works, the $100 wouldn’t have been wasted on a large Dominos pizza that would have swollen my gut further.

The sexy therapist looked like she’s been Zunicing all her life. Not an inch of fat on her body. If I looked 1/10th as good as her, my social life would be glowing better than the dull candle stick it is right now.

So I fell asleep while she got me through the paces.

And I woke up. Man, my gut was red and sore– but… wow! I really did lose a big chunk. Proof? I had to tighten my belt a notch.

Looks like Im definitely coming back for this. Both for the Zunic and the therapist!

Here’s a beauty that’s crept into the arms of many a beautiful lass- yesterday, I saw at least 17 women toting this… errr… tote. And my sister bubbles about seeing it draped on the arms of Silverstone, Jolie and Jessica Alba. Sigh. Do women always have to copy celebrities? Where’s the uniqueness in imitation?

Aanyway, admire all that gold-work and luxurious nylon! Whatever it costs, I’m definitely not going to show this to my wifey or she’ll strangle me till I get her one.

Prada, whatever designers you have in your payroll- double their salary!

GadgetUniverse proclaims it the most advanced technology in footwear- “The only shoes that make you feel like you are defying gravity. Walk taller and with more confidence than ever! ”

Cool claims! When two friends bought it and then eighteen eventually followed suit, I knew I had to scope it out.

My browser gave me the lowdown:

Scientists investigating shocks absorption for buildings during earthquakes discovered a special polymer that was both light weight and absorbed shock and vibration. This material lead to the revolutionary material used in the Catapult MMXT3 Gravity Defyer Shoe. The researchers and the engineers behind the Gravity Defyer Shoe surprised the entire shoe industry when they launched the first of its kind energy reciprocating shock absorbing sole in a dress shoe nonetheless!

It was scientifically constructed with a hidden 1/8 inch shock under the heal that releases its reciprocating resistance power each time you step. As your weight changes to the balls of your feet, the hidden shock absorber generates upward pressure pushing your body upward. This mechanism gives you the feeling of jumping like a kangaroo (or some say feel like flying) each time you step with the Gravity Defyer Shoe.

Hey, how about that! Shoes with real bonafied shock absorbers that bounce.

Bill let me try out his Marseilles model shoes - and in the 30 seconds I used it I was a convert. They did bounce. I actually felt like flying- from leather shoes!

Not even the Nike Airmax 360 or the Adidas Bounce KG gave me this much power and comfort.

These are real springs that BOUNCE! And bounce with a BOING!

I kid you not: you’ll bounce faster and higher with these secret agent shoes than Shaq Attack in Air Jordans.

And the comfort. Sublime bliss. Better feeling than memory foam. It’s literally walking on air.

I almost murdered my friend to keep his shoe.

Sometimes staying till 3am working at my internet empires knocks my libido hard. My girlfriend chastised me: “Marcus, you get turned on by your keyboard, not by the Twins! Let’s talk about this.”

Before it escalated to a full blown relationship disaster, I tried Irwin Naturals Steel Libido on the reco of a friend.

Man. On the first night I used it, our household looked like a quadruple X love den.

I mucho recommend this!

Smiles:
High - bristling with tech, syncs with atomic clock and solar powered. Ditch those batteries!

Grimaces:
Aluminum Bezel scratches from minor bumps.

FULL TAKE
I owned my GW700A for about a week. This baby is loaded with gadgets and more functions than that 200-feature DVD remote control.

The display offers concise data- easier to read than other G-Shocks I looked at. I have found the atomic time setting function to be dead on - to the second - when checked against Time.gov website. If you’re OC, you want this!

It is a hefty watch. At a size larger than average, expect to bump it across doorways and chairs. Strangley, my cat stares at it with lethal eyes. Does it look like a mouse?

The only thing I would change is the metal bezel. Forged from aluminim, this achilles heel dents and scratches easily. Not good.

Pros
The Versace bottle is something you’d show off!

Cons

The hefty smell can drive away the sensitive. How hefty? It will bowl you over even in a smokey bar. That’s how heavy Versace’s punch goes.

Full Review

Versace Dreamer boasts a very strong, intense scent that is appropriate for daytime wear. The scent and quality are good, but not the best.

While strong, the scent quickly fades within the hour- you’ll have to spray yourself over and over throughout the day. That isn’t cool for such an expensive bottle.

My darling cousin presided over the 2007 Fashionista Network, LA Chapter (FNLA) Bags Awards last week. Local community papers wrote it up as ‘a posh affair of decadence’ held at the swanky MoonDragon Club.

At $100 a ticket, I can imagine how much richer the organization is right now. FYI, the FNLA commands 2500 fashion conscious members. So at $100 x 2500, the treasury just witnessed an income of $250,000. Enough to buy out the entire Sak’s inventory for the day!

Highlights of the Event include the following winners:

BEST Multifunctional Backpack

Oakley Kitchen Sink Pack -
Strap on a mobile command post in the Kitchen Sink Pack from Oakley. A mix of nylon and polyester creates an enduring and protective exterior.
Goes for $151 at www.oakley.com

BEST Hobo Bag

Isabella Fiore Quilted Lambskin Hobo
Goes for $595 at www.neimanmarcus.com

BEST Shoulder Bag

MARC by Marc Jacobs Teri Turn-Lock Shoulder Bag
Goes for $428 at www.neimanmarcus.com

BEST Shopping Tote

Prada Dragon Shopping Tote (BR3107) made of Black Tessuto nylon
Goes for $990 at www.estylesense.com

BEST Messenger Bag

Prada Messenger Bag VA0626 in Black Tessuto
Goes for $449 at www.modaqueen.com

BEST Fashion Backpack

Prada Backpack with 2 front pockets and drawstring top.
Goes for $650 at www.prada.com