THE FIFA World Cup Championship kicks off in June, and die-hard soccer fans can find all kinds of related products in the stores.
By EVA BEN-DAVID
What Did The Scary Witch Ask? is a cute children's book (in Hebrew) by Ruti Yitzhaki, with gorgeous illustrations by Nathalie Pudalov. Each illustration comes with a riddle and the answer is contained within the last word - something that was fun to discover for my own first-grader. The book, perfect for beginning-readers, is available at most bookstores for NIS 59.
IF YOU are worried about your or your kids' clothes getting stained while you're on the road, in a restaurant or on a hike, you can keep the new Kalia Vanish Oxi-wipes To-Go in your handbag or in your car. The wipes provide "first-aid" for stains, so they don't have a chance to dry up and soak into your clothes so that, by the time you get home, it's not too late to remove them properly. The Kalia To-Go wipes come in small packages containing five wipes for NIS 6, or in a bigger package containing four of those smaller ones, sold for NIS 20.
THE FIFA World Cup Championship kicks off in June, and die-hard soccer fans can find all kinds of related products in the stores. Gillette, one of the official sponsors of the World Cup, is putting out a special edition of the Mach3 Comfort Gel shaving cream, decorated with soccer balls (NIS 32), and a special version of the Cool Wave deodorant spray, as well (NIS 20). Adidas is also marketing a whole series of products for men with a soccer ball logo embossed with "2006" in this series you can find an after-shave, a deodorant, soap and a body spray.
Female soccer fans (or women who just want to make their soccer-crazy men happy) can get string panties with the flags of Germany, Brazil or Italy at the Intima stores for NIS 69.90 a piece. If your team is Brazil, you can even get a Speedo bathing cap with the Brazilian flag (NIS 49.90) or Havaianas beach shoes in the colors green and yellow (NIS 100).
Finally, the Yellow stores at the Paz gas stations have special offers on bags of nuts and seeds to munch on while watching the games. If you don't want to pay the fee being charged to watch the games on your home screen, you can also drop by your local Yellow store, where they will be broadcast on big, plasma television screens free of charge.
HERBAL ESSENCES has a new shampoo and conditioner with a delicious fruity smell called Fruit Fusions, containing red grapefruit, verbena and bergamot extracts, plus other exotic fruit extracts - a perfect blend for the summer. At the moment, Herbal Essences is offering a special deal on its 750 ml. bottles of shampoos and conditioners, and gives you a pair of beach shoes for free with these bottles. A package of shampoo or conditioner with the beach shoes is NIS 32; the deal is valid until the end of June.
IF YOU like Nine West shoes and need hygienic pads, tampons or panty liners, you might want to consider buying Kotex White products. Purchasers of Kotex products can win Nine West shoes if they call in and correctly answer five trivia questions; the company promises that "a few hundred women" who give the correct answers will win the free shoes. In addition, with each Kotex purchase you will get a voucher worth NIS 50 that can be used towards a purchase of Nine West shoes; the deal is valid until June 15.
JUNE 7 marks the start of Hebrew Book Week, and local bookstores will be offering some good deals. If you want to give someone a book, it's a cute idea to add a bookmark decorated by the Israeli designer Michal Negrin, which also can serve as a greeting card. Michal Negrin bookmarks cost NIS 9.90 each. To make sure a book you lend someone will be returned to you, stick in an ex-libris with your name on it - bookplates decorated by Michal Negrin are NIS 9.90 for a set of 10. Other bookmarks, such as those decorated with the Mordilla cartoon figures or rose illustrations, are NIS 7 for a set of 10.
YOU CAN now reward your well-behaved canine pets with the Bonzo Joy snacks, such as the Chik'n Dumbbells - treats that look like chicken legs. In addition to the Dumbbells, there are seven other varieties of chicken snacks for dogs. But the Bonzo Joy snacks are not so cheap: a 113 gr. bag (containing eight Dumbbells) is NIS 25.
IF YOU want to treat yourself to a facial with Maria Galland products and buy two of her products, you will be rewarded for this splurge with a very colorful big pareo that you wrap around your waist when you're at the beach or at the pool. The fashionable pareo is lime green with pink and orange flowers. This deal lasts until June 15. To find out which beauticians near you use Maria Galland facial products, call (03) 647-1151.
RAID HAS new pesticide sprays created to wipe out specific types of pests: one to use against cockroaches, one against ants and one against winged insects such as mosquitoes and flies. The cockroach spray is supposedly effective for up to six months, the spray against ants works for three weeks, and the spray against flying creatures gives you about five hours of rest. The different types are stored in different colored bottles. Each costs NIS 20.
WOMEN ONLY, the lingerie stores for women with bigger cup sizes (C and up), has a new collection of panties and bras - some are very colorful, and others come in a somewhat retro-style a reminder of 1950s-style lingerie. Two of the brand names you can find here are Freya, available in lively colors and decorated with flowers, dots or panther prints; and Fantasie, characterized by pastel colors mixed with sexy see-through fabric and lace. Women who are not looking for a bigger size bra can still find nice panties in the Women Only stores. Bra prices vary from NIS 120 to NIS 400, and the panties range from NIS 39 to NIS 150.
MEI EDEN has new water bars for the countertop in different colors for those who want a fashionable accent in their kitchen or office space. The mini-bar provides cold and lukewarm water, and is used with big water bottles, delivered by the company. The mini-bar, available in 10 different colors, costs NIS 468. Another new idea from Mei Eden is packages of ice cubes made out of mineral water, so you won't, God forbid, spoil your drinks with ice cubes of plain frozen tap water. A package containing three trays of cubes that you have to stick in the freezer is NIS 6.90 for Mei Eden clients.
BUZZING MOSQUITOES can spoil warm summer nights, and if you're not in a room protected by window screens, you will have to resort to creams and sprays to avoid being bitten. Autan Active offers three different options to repel biting insects and ticks: a spray that also cools and refreshes the skin; a stick; and a pump spray offering up to eight hours of protection. All three products cost NIS 25.
FA HAS a new series of deodorants suitable for the summer months. Fa Balsam contains no alcohol and is meant to be used after shaving the armpits, calming irritated skin. Fa Sensual deodorants have a refreshing scent. Both contain molecules that are released in reaction to body temperature, supposedly providing 24-hour freshness. Fa deodorant sprays are about NIS 14, while the roll-ons cost about NIS 15 and the sticks are about NIS 17.