Reviews by Friends of Jolie

TunefulGal says "Surprise a guy with one of these Classy, Sassy Beau Ties! " about Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont Tremendous variety of bow ties & other neckwear.

TunefulGal — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:18:48 GMT

DOES YOUR DOCTOR WEAR A BOW TIE?

Medical experts recommend them since regular ties are highly likely to be contaminated by and further spread germs. Many pediatricians already wear them so they won't be strangled by their little patients.

So... if you have a favorite male medico, you might try one of the great Beau Ties from www.beautiesLtd.com. My favorite is the abstract (but not unrecognizeable) stethoscope design found under Career Bow Ties. Come to think of it, this tie would look cute on a gal, too.

YOUR NAME IT, THEY'VE GOT IT -- in the hundreds!

You'll find other special interest bow ties in categories including Animals & Pets, Birds & Insects, Boating & Nautical, Great Outdoors, Scholarly, Party (check out the Pink Martini), Music, and Military. Since music is my specialty, I'm fond of the Chopin tie and, yes, the music on it is really Chopin (the "Military" Polonaise, in fact). Need directions? Read the How to Tie One On instructions. Or see the head photo on this...

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Katrena says "I Feel LIke I Got Hosed at Lowe's With 12 Hour Green Snap Light" about Snap Light 12 Hour Green Glow Stick

Katrena — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:14:36 GMT

I purchased this Snap Light 12 Hour Green Glow Stick at Lowe's just before Halloween for $2. It is a green colored glow stick that is packaged separately. Take it out of the package and snap it like you would try to break a stick. This allows the chemicals to mix and produce a green glow. We thought glowing magic wands would work really well with our Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather costumes. In case you haven't heard, they are the three fairies in Sleeping Beauty.

What I like about Snap Light Glow Stick:

It's convenient.
It produces a pretty cool green glow.
It does last for a pretty long while.
It was easy to attach to the wands with a rubber band.
The package says it is safe, non-toxic & non-flammable, but we didn't decide to drink it or place it over a flame to test those claims.
My kids had a blast with them!

What I don't like about Snap Light Glow Stick:

I feel like I got hosed at Lowe's. This thing cost $2. It only lasts for 12 hours. Wal-Mart had another brand in packs of 10 for $4,...

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kccmyp says "One of my favorite moisturizers." about Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer

kccmyp — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:49:27 GMT

This is hands-down one of my favorite moisturizers. The only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't have sunscreen in it. I like everything else about it, though. This moisturizer makes my skin feel smooth without feeling too oily. I like the consistency of it-- it's not too watery, thin, and fluid like some moisturizers, but it's not too thick and creamy. It's just an overall light moisturizer. It absorbs well and makes your skin feel smoother. From a poor college student's perspective, it is a little pricier than a few other moisturizers I've tried. But the results I get with this moisturizer are worth the slightly higher price (and if I buy it on sale, it's not bad). I generally use the aveeno clear complexion moisturizer in the fall and winter as it is a little more hydrating than my other moisturizer that I use in hotter weather. I live in southern California so I don't really like heavy duty daily moisturizers because they just don't feel comfortable in hot weather, but the...

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kccmyp says "Gentle, smells great." about Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser

kccmyp — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:34:00 GMT

I love the entire Aveeno clear complexion line (and their other 'skin brightening' line). Can't say that it actually clears your complexion, though, because I've been using the products for a while now but i don't think I've seen much improvement in that aspect. However, the cleanser works great if you just need something to gently clean your skin everyday. I don't like cleansers that dry out my skin too much. This product cleans without leaving my skin dry and I like the smell. It does not leave any residue or film, and when you wash it off, you can feel how clean and smooth your skin is. I compare this to other acne washes, and the other acne washes are too harsh and drying and make my skin even more oily during the day as a result because my skin tries to compensate for the lack of oil I guess. I personally use this wash every night-- it's a nice way to end the night, having a clean-feeling face and smelling something pleasant before going to sleep.

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brandywilson says "For the most part, I'm pleased with this purchase!" about Calphalon Calphalon Contemporary Non-Stick (JR12A / 16853004850)

brandywilson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:33:06 GMT

While I live for quality in my kitchen appliances and products, I always cringe at the price of cookware sets. I manage to get good deals and shop where there are giveaways... but it still makes me uneasy looking at the prices.

This set I found to be a happy medium. I'm not an expert chef, although a decent one. I lead a busy life and didn't want to deal with the issue of pans without non-stick... but I still wanted a sleek design. These to me... were nice looking and appeared to be durable.

I have two complaints... and only two (otherwise these are perfect): The small sauce pans are SO expensive. WHY? I can never find a good enough deal. I bought a set and supplement with extras I want, but I just can't fork over the $80+ for another small saucepan (those get used a lot in my house). My second complaint is about the lids. They are not very easy to clean... and beyond that, they rust in small parts near the screws. That bothers me a little.

For the most part, these are great pans for their...

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Birdsy says "Franks is hot" about Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce

Birdsy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:18:53 GMT

I love spicy foods but the recipe that is requested most often is from Franks hot sauce. The recipe can not be made with other hot sacues just doesn't taste as good. Its basically a buffalo chicken dip with 1 cup of the hot sauce and other ingred; mixed, heated, and serve. Its so funny that every time I make it, I'm asked for the recipe and requested to make again.

The other good thing, is that BJ's carries the brand and I can buy it in large bottle sizes. I generally don't like to buy such large proudcts, but with Franks, I tend to go through it often enough to make it worth while.

The other good thing about the sauce is that its so flavorful you don't need to prepare much else with what you are cooking. I can mariante some chicken; grill and vioila, done! My friends family uses it like kethcup and keeps it on the table. I think they even use it for breakfast.

Price is reasonable as well.

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kccmyp says "Easy to use. It works." about Garmin - Garmin NUVI 260

kccmyp — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:18:53 GMT

The Garmin nuvi 260 is a little outdated now, at the time I am writing this-- I think there's a newer model out now. BUT it still works and works well enough that I have no plans to upgrade. It's pretty entry-level for a navigator. But it does have text-to-speech, which is useful. It has a small screen (which is perfect for my small car), basic user interface, etc. The point of a navigator is to get you from point A to point B, which my nuvi does fine. I used to get lost all the time, but ever since I got the nuvi, I have no problems getting to where I want. The only time it's ever gotten confused on me is when I was driving in`some random hilly community where all the streets (single lane dirt roads, really) curve around each other and across each other. I like that the nuvi tells me my next turn with enough time for me to change lanes or look for the upcoming signs. Once I plug the Nuvi in and start driving, I rarely look at the screen again until I get to my destination. On a side note,...

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brandywilson says "It's cheap, and makes consistently great waffles!" about Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker (WMR-CA)

brandywilson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:17:04 GMT

We don't eat waffles everyday in my house. Actually, we have them maybe once a month or every 6 weeks. It's something that we think takes awhile to consider...

So that's why we didn't purchase a waffle maker with a million bells and whistles. This maker is your standard, trusty, consistent, and durable maker. I have only one complaint: It's hard to clean... but aren't they all hard to clean?

I would complain that it only makes one large waffle at a time, but I could've purchased one that was larger. It's not like I didn't know what I was getting. I wanted cheap, but good quality. That's exactly what I got.

It's a heavy little monster, but that makes no difference. It works well, has a red-to-green light that changes to indicated "doneness" and you've got yourself a good waffle.

I warn against being "cute" and making chocolate chip or blueberry waffles. It's a million times harder to clean. I also recommend spraying the pan (despite the non-stick) because any new appliance needs to earn...

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Birdsy says "Garmin; don't get lost without it" about Garmin - Garmin 205

Birdsy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:12:21 GMT

I constantly get lost; even in my own hometown. I have had the Garmin 205 for a little while now and LOVE it. I use it for simple directions to my children's activites to long distance outings. I recently took a road trip to Ohio for college planning for my daughter. I brought along the GPS and it made the entire trip so EASY. We plugged in everything and never got lost in a new state!!!

I also use the favorites site on it to find gas stations, movies, etc. I'm not sure whey people would use maps or not have one when the price is right and its farily easy to use. I do want to change the voice of mine but that is a minor problem. I also think it should come with a stylus but they are easy to find around the car when you need them.

My screen could be a bit larger due to the increasing need for reading glasses. But... the fact that it talks to you makes it that much easier to get around!

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brandywilson says "This appliance is only second to my blender!" about Cuisinart Cuisinart 8-cup Rice Cooker (CRC-800)

brandywilson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:08:25 GMT

It appears I like expensive products. Not really, but I like the ones that are durable and will stand the test of time and produce great food quality.

After buying this rice cooker, I have almost forgotten how to make rice on the stove! I don't just use the cooker for plain white rice... I also create other rices in there (some favorites include: chopped veggie rice, spanish rice...) by just throwing in all the ingredients and pushing the "cook" button. It's a timed machine based on weight and water density that automatically turns the red (cook button) to green (warm buttom) when it's done. You can hear the "click" and should notice it's complete as well.

I use this a few times a week and it cooks rice faster than it would on the stove, it's never burnt, and always consistent. It cooks up to 8 cups too! And you can cook your veggies on the top!

A few pieces of advice:

1. Even if you aren't steaming veggies, keep the insert in during a cook session. This is because (with practice, I've...

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brandywilson says "It's so easy to use and great on your teeth!" about Sonicare Elite 9500

brandywilson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:56:56 GMT

I love my Sonicare for three reasons:

1. It times my brushes exactly right.

2. Gives me a clean feeling everytime.

3. Uses a soft brush head (recommended by my dentist) to save my poor gums!

I originally bought this brush because I had a gift card from a friend and it was on sale. I figured... it's something I would never buy from my own wallet (I'm a thrifty shopper) unless I had a seriously good coupon. It's what I consider a luxury item. Anyhow, I bought it and have loved it ever since (about 4 years).

A few things I dislike (but am willing to tolerate for such a good brush): It's bulky and I don't travel with it-- while you can, I prefer to be a really light packer and just buy disposables in that case, it's loud, and it needs to be charged-- like all appliances.

If you have had teeth concerns like me (mine are sensitive and I have sensitive gums), this may be a good option for you. Traditional brushes in the stores are just not soft enough for your mouth and wear away at the enamel....

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brandywilson says "If there were a fire, I'd save my Blendtec Blender!" about Blendtec Blendtec Home Total Blender Tabletop Blender TB-621-20 (black)

brandywilson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:45:39 GMT

I've never been so pleased with an appliance in my life. I searched and searched for a blender for our wedding registry and was disappointed at the limited options found at retail stores like Macy's, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, and Crate & Barrel. Nothing was reasonably priced and still reliable. There were some "good looking" options, but I don't care about looks if the power isn't there.

I'm a lover of smoothies and margaritas. I use my blender at least 3-4 time per week. I wanted something I could throw whole ice cubes in and it would crush them instantly. Well, I found the machine I was looking for! This baby packs some power!

Originally, my husband found the blender online after hearing my complaints and commenting that Jamba Juice and other smoothie places never seem to have a problem with clogging... having to stir the contents with a spoon, opening the top to have the contents splash all over you... if you're a blender-lover like me, you know what I'm talking about! So, he scoured...

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sleepysmiley says "Great product. I really like it." about Panasonic SD-YD250

sleepysmiley — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:26:19 GMT

I love this breadmaker. I didn't expect to keep this breadmaker for myself. This was purchased as a toy and expected to be sent to my sister's place after a tryout. It ended up sitting on my counter and never leaves. My whole family loves the smell of fresh baked bread in the morning. With the timer feature in this machine, we can put all the ingredients in the pan at night and expect a fresh baked bread for breakfast. For a family of four, 1.5 lb is just right for us. Clean up is quite easy. After popping the bread out from the bread pan, simply submerge the pan paddle with water will do. Not much clean up is needed. This bread machine can also do pizza dough, bagel, crossaint and so much more. If you have young kids at home and do not want to feed them with extra ingredients that you have no idea of, give this a try. Making a loaf of bread only requires bread flour, sugar, salt, yeast and dry milk.

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grenmse says "Breezes through ice and makes super smoothies!" about Chris Freytag Personal Fitnes Blender

grenmse — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:46:47 GMT

I really love my Chris Freytag Personal Fitness Blender. I looked for several years for a blender that would chop ice and make smoothies and such but most I found were huge turbo blenders that you had to lug out every time I wanted to make something. Or little budjet blenders that wouldn't even cut through frozen fruit. This blender is amazing. It has a 350-watt motor and ice crushing blades that can mix fruits, veggies, and ice. It has two speeds and a pulse dial and measures about 13 inches high by five inches in diameter. Just big enough to leave out and lightweight enough to bring out again after holiday guests are gone. It won't sit and collect dust like that monster in the back cupboard you never use!

The mug on the Personal Fitness Blender has its own lid and detaches after you make your drink so it is designed to be taken along with you. It fits in nearly every style of car cupholder and cleans up easily. One full mug of smoothie could actually serve two but if you want to make...

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KatieT2588 says "Washington Mutual is not a different kind of bank or credit card" about Washington Mutual - Wamu Platinum Matercard

KatieT2588 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:31:53 GMT

I am a college student and I have been very good about paying my bills. Recently with all the economic problems I got laid-off. However, before I got laid-off I was making all my payments on time except for one. I missed on payment out of two years worth and my interest rate shot up to 27.99%. Now that I am unemployed I can't pay the minimum balance and called to see how I could pay on-time but less and was informed that the only way I could get help with my minimum balance and interest rate was if I was employed. Now that I haven't been able to make full minimum payments my interest rates are up to 37.99%. I orignally signed -up for this card because they offered 0% interest for the first 6 months. At the time tat I signed up for this credit card I had a high credit score. It was almost 800. Now, this is one of 5, I have. All the others are paid off except my WaMu and my score is now way below 700. I also had bank accounts with WaMu and closed them because of their excessive fees. This...

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wjftp says "very very good" about Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara and Lash Blast

wjftp — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:13:30 GMT

First I love the bold orange color with the blue contrast (I use the waterproof version). It comes with really fat wand, but it does grab all my lashes and does great job curling it. I love the intense black color which helps me to define my eye look whole a lot better. I hate removing water proof makeup it’s such a hassle but I don’t really have choice because my lashes are super long and goes straight downwards. The water proof version of this mascara holds the curl really well and gives me really defined volume. Its not super duper volume like some of the Lancôme mascara I have used in the past. But it’s good for daily use if used properly (2 coats will do a job). Target seems have deals all the time with this. I got 2 mascaras in a set at 9.99. There are handful of mascaras I love for different uses and this one definitely is one of my stable. i stock up when i see good deals on this.

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wjftp says "Love it" about Revlon Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow, Lavender Meadow

wjftp — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:01:17 GMT

I love this compact eye shadow. At first I thought the packaging looks really cheap and would not last me long but it grew on me and I actually really like it now. There are always some products that you get to like more and more and this eye shadow compact is like that to me. I normally don’t buy drugstore eye shadow but I was just browsing at the cosmetic section and found this purplecombination and I had to try it cuase purple is one of the color that suits my skin tone. I love purple… and you know there are so many different kind of purple out there with different undertones. This combination suits my yellowish skin tone really nicely. I get complements a lot when I use these colors. I don’t really like to use darker shadow on my eyes, I just look better with lighter colors. But when I do Smokey eyes with this pallet the darkest crease color really does some great job! I don’t really use the 3rd color with is kind of like greenish blue, but gotta love the true purple on the...

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grenmse says "Lots of play value and nice graphics." about PSP - final fantasy 7 crisis core

grenmse — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:58:47 GMT

Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core for the Playstation Portable (PSP) follows the story of Zack, a character mentioned but never really seen in the beloved Final Fantasy VII game for the Playstation. You can make sense of this game even if you are not familliar with the Final Fantasy seven story but you will miss out on the backstory and origins of some of the characters. The game takes place several years before the events of Final Fantasy seven and you play as Zack, a hyperactive young member of Soldier. An elite unit that protects the shady Shinra Electric Corporation's interests.

The graphics and sound for this game are quite good on the PSP and there are decent voiceovers for the characters. If you are a fan of Final Fantasy seven you might miss the ability to level up your materia to mondo levels, or have trouble with getting used to the battle system but then the game really is a stand alone with a different play system. It is possible to create materia once Zack becomes a Level one member...

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wjftp says "Smells delicious" about Bed Head Control Freak Frizz Control & Straightener Conditioner

wjftp — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:44:48 GMT

first of all, i love the smell. it smells like tropical pineapple. makes my shower time really fun. I have really bad dry hair after all the chemical process, highlighting all over and dying it every 3 weeks. So considering how damaged my hair is, this conditioner is not rich enough for deep conditioning purposes. But on the weekdays when I take a shower I always reach for this not because of the sweet smell but because it makes my hair dry a lot faster for some reason. I feel like I have some kind of silicon like coat on my hair after using it. It’s good for everyday use because it feels light and does not weigh your hair down. I am not sure if this just applies to my hair, but it really does reduce the drying time. That is one of the biggest reason I love this conditioner. I have huge bottle and I have been using it over a year now. Love it. Next time I want to try different scent from the bed head line.

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wjftp says "gentle as it says" about Cetaphil Gentle skin cleanser

wjftp — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:27:08 GMT

This cleanser does what is says. It is super gentle but does the job cleansing throughly. I remove my make up with a cleansing cream or some sort of oil based ones (sometimes i use olive oil too ) and then wipe my face off with cotton rounds.. then i use cetaphil cleanser to take off all the makeup gunks thats left on my face. its very gentle and leaves my face still hydrated. i love the fact that i don't have to rush to put cream on my face. also it does not have any disturbing scent . the price is really good for the amount you get also. after i cleanse my face with this, i once again make sure there is no residue left on my face with astringent.. and i don't see anything on the cotton rounds. i love it. i also rotate my face cleansing routine with philosophy's purity made simple , and i actually prefer cetaphil cleanser far more. when i am done with my huge 32oz bottle of PMS, i am going to get cetaphil cleanser again. and i hardly buy the same things again unless i loveeee it.

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