Reviews by Friends of aprilefisher

PattyTherre says "Adidas Tropical Passion is fruity but best for young women." about Adidas For Women Tropical Passion Eau De Toilette Spray

PattyTherre — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:45:29 GMT

Quick View: I adore fruity fragrances, especially lemon, lime, and orange scents. When I saw Adidas For Women Tropical Passion Eau De Toilette Spray (1.7 ounce) for under $10.00 while shopping online, I added it to my cart. It does smell nice but it's very unsophisticated and the scent fades fast.

My Take on Adidas For Women Tropical Passion Eau De Toilette Spray

This fragrance comes in a glass 1.7 ounce bottle and is tinted slightly orange. It has notes of tangerine, melon, pineapple, magnolia, orange blossom, cedar and musk. It sounded like an amazing light scent that I would enjoy. And I do. But the fragrance is very ... unsophisticated for lack of a better word. It is straight up fruity with orange notes being the strongest.It doesn't change as it dries down. In fact, it smells much more like a body mist than an eau de toilette. And it lasts about as long.

Adidas For Women Tropical Passion Eau De Toilette Spray is strong to start. It is almost overwhelmingly fruity. It then dries down...

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njchicaa says "Julie and Julia is cute enough but I wouldn't watch it again." about Julie & Julia

njchicaa — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 04:48:42 GMT

As someone who has spent the past couple of years following recipes and learning how to make new dishes, I loved the idea of Julie and Julia. The film simultaneously follows Julia Child and her entrance into the cooking world and Julie Powell, a young wife who is dissatisfied with her career. Julie decides to set a goal: to prepare all of the 500+ recipes in Julia Child's classic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking and publish a blog about her cooking adventures online.

I really loved the idea of a young wife trying to tackle every recipe in a cookbook. I have several free hours in my afternoon which is how I got started with the cookbook collection and trying new things. Unfortunately, the focus of Julie & Julia was more on the marriages of the main characters rather than their cooking experiences. The actress who played Julie Powell did an adequate job, but nothing that really made me feel connected to the character. Meryl Streep, on the other hand, was phenomenal...

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njchicaa says "I just don't get Yankee Candle's Christmas on the Beach candle." about Yankee Candle Christmas on the Beach 22 Ounce Housewarmer Jar Candle

njchicaa — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:47:41 GMT

As a fan of both candles and tropical scents, I was sorely tempted to buy myself their new holiday candle, Christmas at the Beach, when I received their holiday catalog. I had done a ton of shopping at the time, though, and figured that I needed to restrain myself and take a pass on it. A month later, I was ordering Christmas presents at YankeeCandle.com and, well, my resolve crumbled and I included TWO Christmas at the Beach Housewarmer Jar Candles--one for me and one for a gift!

I must confess, I expected Christmas at the Beach to have a festive evergreen-type fragrance with hints of coconut and pineapple. Instead, I discovered upon removing the top of the jar that this is a completely tropical fragrance blend of pineapple and coconut. Yankee Candle's description claims that it also is supposed to smell like cilantro, too, but I can't detect any hint of one of my favorite spicy herbs. In all honesty, this "holiday" and "festive" Yankee Candle seems to be the exact same formulation...

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LoveisJoy says "Dollar Store Quality - I Expect A Little More From Avon" about Avon NATURALS Pomegranate & Mango Refreshing Shower Gel

LoveisJoy — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:11:00 GMT

I bought a bottle of Avon Naturals Pomegranate and Mango shower gel mostly because the description sounded delicious. It's described as a fruity, tropical scent with a coordinating lotion (reviewed here) to go with it. Since it is much less expensive than Bath & Body Works products, I was hoping that I could find a similar quality shower gel at an affordable price.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. The shower gel smells nice, but it is thin and doesn't lather especially well. Unlike Bath & Body Works products that have pomegranate scents that are sophisticated and a little sexy, Avon Naturals smells like it was made for kids. It's a very sweet and simple fragrance that probably won't appeal much to a mature woman.

As noted above, the consistency of the shower gel is much thinner than what you get from similar products. It lathers okay, but doesn't feel particularly moisturizing. It does rinse off cleanly, without any residue. However, you're definitely going to need a lotion...

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RudiXeno says "Magic Jack: It worked for me" about Magic Jack

RudiXeno — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:35:39 GMT

About a year ago a friend and business associate was over with his wife for a Sunday evening dinner.

After dinner we were talking about his business when he asked if I might be able to help him out by making some Public Relations telephone calls for him. So we discussed what the message would be and got that all squared away. He went out to his car and when he returned he tossed a little silver gizmo to me and said, "use this to make the calls."

It was a Magic Jack. His business is in Ft. Lauderdale and of course I live in Boca Raton (another County). It'll look better on the caller ID he claimed. He plugged it into my laptop, we spent just a few minutes setting it up and we plugged a corded phone into it. To test it I called my daughter in New York. She heard me loud and clear and her caller ID identified the call as originating in Ft. Lauderdale.

VOIP on the cheap

Magic Jack is basically a VOIP device that permits you to make free calls over th Internet. I'm not sure what...

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Jo says "It may be hard to find your jewels at YardSaleTreasureMap.com" about YardSaleTreasureMap

Jo — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:23:26 GMT

I was elated when I read about www.YardSaleTreasureMap.com. I love to go to yard sales. Before we moved I would plot out my morning by streets and spend several hours at yard sales.

Not knowing the area quite so well I have limited my hobby to yard sales on one long street in my town. www.YardSaleTreasureMap.com is simple to use. I just put in my starting address, the maximum miles I want to drive and the day I want to go treasure hunting.

When I saw a red balloon I clicked on the listing and found the specific time of the yard sale and where it was. There were details of what would be for sale as well.

There are two problems with www.YardSaleTreasureMap.com.

The listings are taken from www.craigslist.com. That is very limiting for someone like me who lives in a suburban area 50 minutes from Boston. Yard sales are posted in local newspapers or just via signs on the trees. I found one yard sale in my town. I put in Boston and found a few more but not enough for me to rave about YardSaleTreasureMap.com....

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PattyTherre says "A very good clarifying conditioner that also adds moisture." about Avalon Organics Lemon Clarifying Conditioner with Shea Butter & Babassu Oil

PattyTherre — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:53:17 GMT

Quick View: I love Avalon Organics Lemon Clarifying Shampoo with Shea Butter and bought the conditioner to accompany it. This lemony conditioner adds moisture to dry hair yet keeps build up and weigh down away. My only small gripe is that it doesn't detangle as well as I would like but otherwise, my hair loves it.

My Take on Avalon Organics Lemon Clarifying Conditioner with Shea Butter & Babassu Oil

This 11 ounce bottle of white conditioner smells as great as the shampoo,. It has natural lemon extract and smells of fresh lemons. There are no parabens, petroleum-based ingredients, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate, or other harsh preservatives or chemicals and no synthetic fragrances or colors, It is 100% vegetarian and cruelty free.

The conditioner is of medium consistency and comes out of the flip cap easily. I need quite a bit because my hair is very long but most people will only need a small amount to cover their hair. The scent is great and stays in my hair after drying which I love.

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njchicaa says "philosophy's Purity Facial Cleanser is expensive but effective." about Philosophy Purity Made Simple

njchicaa — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:08:12 GMT

When I first discovered the philosophy brand of skin care products 8 years ago, I wasn't the type of person who would willing spend $16 on a small bottle of facial cleanser. When I received it as a free gift with purchase, though, it was all over. I loved it and I've been using it ever since!

philosophy Purity Made Simple is described by the company as a "one-step facial cleanser" that will remove makeup, cleanse skin, and moisturize it at the same time. The ingredients are a long list of chemicals with a few plant oils mixed in for hydration and fragrance. The bottle claims that it is "fragrance-free", but I do have to say that this cleanser has a strong herbal scent that, after all of these years, I still can't describe as pleasant.

Purity is a gentle cleanser that cleans skin and leaves it feeling soft. (I don't normally wear makeup so I can't speak to how well it removes makeup) This philosophy skin cleanser doesn't really produce any bubbles or lather, but that doesn't...

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njchicaa says "Change of Heart is predictable and a rip-off of The Green Mile." about Change of Heart

njchicaa — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:08:23 GMT

I am very hot and cold with Jodi Picoult novels. Most of them disappoint, but I keep holding out for something as wonderful as My Sister's Keeper. My sister is the one who tends to buy the paperbacks and then passes them along to me to read. The latest one I've read is Change of Heart. Not impressed.

Jodi Picoult's Change of Heart centers around Shay Bourne, a death-row inmate who has been convicted of the double-murders of both a police officer and his young step-daughter. When he is transferred to the prison where he will ultimately be executed, we also meet fellow inmate Lucius (an AIDS patient), Maggie Bloom (an ACLU lawyer), and Father Michael (a priest who served on Shay's jury back when he was in college and voted to convict him and sentence him to death). As soon as Shay enters the prison, strange things start happening. It doesn't take long for word to get to the outside world and thousands of people believe that he is the Messiah and performing various miracles. ...

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Matt says "Chimney Rock Cabernet was not a crowd pleaser but I liked it" about Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon

Matt — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:35:37 GMT

We held a wine tasting in our office yesterday with all of our employees. All age ranges and all different tastes in wine. I thought the Chimney Rock Cabernet was plesant, smooth and packed a punch in the back of your mouth. I would describe it as having a medium body with a hint of plums. I like a nice full body red wine without a lot of tannins that make your mouth pucker. Apparently a few other members of the staff thought the Chimney Rock Cab was a little boring and light for what they expected from a Cab.

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Fardreamer says "Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket is quirky, violent Vietnam War film " about Full Metal Jacket

Fardreamer — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:26:56 GMT

Before I bought Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket on DVD last year, I had only seen the movie once before - when it was released in theaters in 1987.

I was still in college then, a journalism major and - at the time - copy editor of my junior college campus' student newspaper. But because I had been the paper's Diversions editor during the previous semester, I still wrote entertainment-related articles or reviews if the section needed me to do so.

I went to see Full Metal Jacket with my friends Betsy Matteis and Richard de la Pena; we had met in elementary school in the 1970s and remained close until Betsy moved to Alabama several years ago and (sadly) Richard's death at the age of 41 (cancer).

At the time, many Hollywood studios were releasing "combat experience" movies about the Vietnam War, a topic they had either ignored or danced peripherically around by focusing their attention on the post-war experiences or the home front dramas (The Deer Hunter, Coming Home) of the veterans. ...

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LoveisJoy says "Please Don't Spend 7 Bucks on this Thin Lotion" about Avon NATURALS Pomegranate & Mango Moisturizing Hand and Body Lotion

LoveisJoy — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:36:44 GMT

Avon is well known for offering affordable body products that moisturize and soften. However, most of their lotions don't really offer much in the way of a memorable scent. I do love juicy, tropical scents so I thought I'd try it. I wanted to see if Avon finally paired a good quality lotion with a truly fragrant scent. In my viewpoint, they still have a long way to go.

Avon Naturals Pomegranate & Mango Lotion

The Promise

"A sparkling blend of lush pomegranate and juicy mango to delight the senses and refresh the body and soul. Deliciously nourishing. Soaks in quickly; moisturizes for 24 hours. Leaves a subtle scent."

My Reality

The blend of pomegranate and mango is a sweet treat for the nostrils. Unfortunately, the initial blush of fragrance quickly turns into a cheap, kiddie smell. There aren't enough complex notes in the fragrance to create the depth of scent that you find in similar products (i.e., Bath & Body Works). It's a nice smell, but a very simple one in...

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PattyTherre says "Does Schweppes Club Soda taste like soap? This balm does!" about Schweppes Club Soda SPF 15 Lip Moisture Stick

PattyTherre — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:59:46 GMT

Quick View: I am kind of hooked on the Schweppes lip balms that are out now. I like the Schweppes Gold Medal Lip Balm Gift Set I recently purchased so, when I saw that Sephora was selling a Schweppes Club Soda SPF 15 Lip Moisture Stick for $6.00, I decided to try it. I love club soda and like sticks better than tins. This does hydrate but it tastes like soap. Club soda does NOT have a sweet, soapy scent and flavor!

My Take on Schweppes Club Soda SPF 15 Lip Moisture Stick

This stick comes in a lipstick tube and is an off white color. It smells soapy. Club soda really doesn't have a taste per se and I was wondering how they would flavor something that really isn't flavored. I guess they decided to go with soap...

The balm does slick on my lips nicely and is creamy. It gives my lips a light sheen, nothing too shiny. I can feel the moisture and it does add hydration. The SPF 15 is a plus.

But the taste is really soapy. It is like a combination of sweet and soap. I don't sense any club soda...

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njchicaa says "Your one and only chance to see good acting by Madonna." about Evita

njchicaa — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:31:48 GMT

I never knew who Eva Peron was before watching the film version of Evita 13 years ago, but I also must follow that statement up by saying that I've never forgotten who she was since then. I went to see this movie for the first time back in college with a group of friends. We loved it then and I still love it now.

Evita is a 1996 film adaptation of the musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. It tells the life story of Eva Peron from her young childhood days as the illegitmate daughter of a prominent man to her late teenage years and twenties as she worked in various positions (figuratively and literally) and continued to meet influential people. Ultimately, she met Juan Peron and they were like a huge set of lit fireworks. They entertained and inspired the Argentine people which helped to create a type of "people's revolution." After a few years in power, Evita develops cancer and dies at the young age of 33.

Madonna's acting and singing can be horrific, but she really...

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Fardreamer says "Great Fox War Movies is decent but lacks exciting extras" about Great Fox War Movies - The Longest Day/Patton/Tora! Tora! Tora!

Fardreamer — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:42:55 GMT

I've been watching movies for as long as I can remember and been collecting them for 25 years, first on VHS tapes after I bought my first VCR in 1984 and on DVD since 1999.

Like many film buffs, I embraced the DVD (and its successor format, the Blu-ray) not only because it has much better audio and video playback, but also because the slimmer packaging takes up less shelf space than the bulky videotapes did when they were the only available home-video format.

I also like DVDs/Blu-rays because they can often be bundled in box sets that contain three or four movies which are either (a) multi-movie sagas along the lines of The Star Wars Trilogy or the Indiana Jones series, or (b) stand-alone movies that are nevertheless thematically linked to a specific genre or topic.

Another nice (or perhaps not-so-nice) thing about DVDs is that if the first release version of a movie in the format - usually dating from the late 1990s to the first few years of the Oh-Ohs - was skimpy on extra features,...

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RudiXeno says "Swiss Army Officer's Watch: A Casual yet Dressy Classic Design" about Victorinox - Swiss Army Officer's Watch

RudiXeno — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:20:57 GMT

As I was saying just the other day, I've always loved watches, always!

Over the years I've collected quite a few. Some, like the Timex I wore while I served in the Army were quite inexpensive. On the other hand, some like my Rolex Submariner and Omega Speedmaster were very expensive. And finally, my Concord Delirium was in a price-class of its own. Truly, its purchase was an extreme act of ego and folly back during the days when I might have been given to that behavior.

But ordinarily I've always liked watches that were moderately priced and classically timeless. That's just what you get when you slip a Swiss Army Officer's Watch on your wrist.

Features

Precision Swiss Quartz Movement

Stainless Steel Case & Bracelet

Bracelet has Push-button Safety Clasp with Diver's Ext.

Screw-In Caseback

Sweep Second Hand

Sapphire Crystal - Extremely Scratch Resistant

100 Meters Water Resistant

Date

Luminous Hands and Hour Markers

Swiss Army Brand insignia at 12 o'clock

The case measures...

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RudiXeno says "Degree Invisible Stick - Cool Rush: Anyone can use it" about Degree Invisible Stick - Cool Rush

RudiXeno — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:24:09 GMT

For years our entire family has used Mitchum Clear Gel Anti Perspirant Deodorant in the Rain Forest scent. It worked for me as it did my wife and daughter.

But recently when at the store it was missing. I hate that! And so of course rather than going to another store I looked over the alternatives. While I wanted something that all of us could use, I'll confess. I was mostly thinking about myself. Typical guy huh?

Degree Invisible Stick Anti-perspirant & Deodorant

Although I had never tried Degree, something about the packaging appealed to me. Living here in steamy South Florida I liked that it was both a anti-perspirant & deodorant. When the temperatures climb into the 90s and the humitity hovers around 100 I like staying as dry as I can while smelling fresh.

Degree Invisible Stick is of course a solid that is advanced by twisting the bottom of the dispenser.

Goes On Invisible

They claim that it is invisible and I've found that their claim is correct. It doesn't seem...

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PattyTherre says "I honestly can't think of a use for the Cozy 2 Heated Blanket." about Cozy Car 2 Heated Blanket - 12 Volt

PattyTherre — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:36:31 GMT

Quick View: I am always cold. Obviously my family members know this, even distant ones, because I received a Cozy Car 2 Heated Blanket - 12 Volt as a gift last Christmas. I thought I would love a car blanket but I don't. I never use it.

About the Cozy Car 2 Heated Blanket - 12 Volt

This blanket is 40" long x 56" wide. It is made of polyester fleece and is thin and lightweight. Attached to the blanket is a 6'3" cord that plugs into a car, RV, or boat cigarette lighter. The blanket takes 10 minutes to "heat up" and should only be used for an hour at a time. It should not be used when the vehicle is not running as it will drain the battery.

We travel fairly often by car and I thought the blanket would come in handy when we traveled in the cool weather. The problem is that we always have the heat on in the car since I am not the only one who gets cold and I am usually very comfortable. Still, now and then, a blanket is a nice extra.

The Cozy Car 2 Heated Blanket is quite wide. It seems to be...

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njchicaa says "WickIt Good's Atlantic City Gold is my all-time favorite candle!" about WickIt Good Candles Atlantic City Gold Candle

njchicaa — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:26:26 GMT

I love candles and have tried many brands over the years, but I always seem to keep coming back to a local brand, Wick It Good Candles, based out of Point Pleasant, NJ. They have a handful of shops scattered around New Jersey, but those who don't live by one can order their products through the company web site.

My absolute and most favorite candle scent ever in the history of the world is WickIt Good's Atlantic City Gold fragrance. According to the web site's description, it is a blend of salt water taffy, caramel, butterscotch, and tutti fruiti. Personally, those aren't the fragrance notes that I'd guess just by smelling the candle, but I do agree that it has a lovely warm and sweet fragrance that comforts and makes you smile without being cloying. I've been using WickIt Good Atlantic City Gold Candle for 8 years now and it never fails to make me smile, lift my spirits, and attract compliments from the many guests that we've entertained over the years.

Wick It Good Candles...

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njchicaa says "Taste of Bourbon has a limited selection but super-fast delivery" about Taste of Bourbon

njchicaa — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:37:08 GMT

My husband is a huge fan of bourbon. We mutually agreed not to go crazy on Christmas this year, so I bought him one main present ($140) and was looking for stocking stuffers for him. I was really coming up empty, but then I had the brilliant idea to do a google search for "bourbon gifts" which led me to TasteofBourbon.com.

The Taste of Bourbon website does not sell actual bourbon, but it does sell bourbon-themed gifts like bourbon BBQ and worcestershire sauces, bourbon-flavored coffee, bourbon chocolates, jelly, bread mix, and even sets of glasses/shot glasses and bottle holders (shaped to look like antlers!). I tore through the site in less than 10 minutes and was hoping to find a wider variety of bourbon-themed items, but I still managed to find a few products that I knew my husband would get a kick out of.

I placed my order at about 5pm this past Friday and I received my order here in New Jersey today (Monday). I cannot even fathom that. Taste of Bourbon is based in Kentucky...

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