Reviews by Friends of Lykoi

TheBard says "These Are Seriously Delicious" about Pillsbury Grands Flaky Supreme Cinnamon Rolls

TheBard — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:58:54 GMT

It's the weekend and in the Bard's household that usually means some sort of decadent high calorie, high fat desert pastry for Saturday morning breakfast! Sometimes I pick up something fresh from the local supermarket, or sometimes I pop something into the oven. Today, that something was a fresh batch of Pillsbury Grand's Flaky Supreme Cinnamon Rolls, made with "Cinnabon" cinnamon and cream cheese icing.

My Viewpoint

I am pleased with my choice for this weekend's breakfast pasty; these cinnamon buns are seriously flaky and delicious! I prepared the cinnamon buns per package instructions; sixteen minutes in the oven at 350 degrees and they were ready to emerge; browned, hot, moist, and yummy.

The package contains a small container of cream cheese icing, which is just enough to cover the (5) cinnamon buns.

I highly recommend Pillsbury Grands Flaky Supreme Cinnamon Rolls; for about $3.79 a can (in the dairy section) they are a bargain compared to the $3.99 I would have...

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mrkstvns says "The Most Beautiful Cavern in Texas!" about Cave Without a Name

mrkstvns — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:38:05 GMT

I'm always looking for fun things to do with my kids on the weekends, and one thing we all love to do is to explore a "land down under". Underground that is. As in cave tours.

We do quite a few cave tours because it's fun, it's educational, it's interesting, it's beautiful, it's totally natural, and because it's a very cool thing to do (literally! It's like 68 degrees underground even when it's a skull-scorching 104 in the shade up top.).

One of the most naturally beautiful caves we've visited in Texas is the Cave Without a Name, located outside Boerne Texas. Boerne is in the heart of the infamous Texas Hill Country, maybe a half hour or so northwest of San Antonio. Though it can be something of a challenge to actually FIND, the Cave Without a Names is fairly close to San Antonio, making it an excellent family day trip for visitors to the Alamo Ciy.

Not only is the Cave Without a Name beautiful and natural, it's also affordable fun: $14 for adults and $7 for kids. A tour takes a bit over...

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TheBard says "Delicious, not so nutritious, not so good for you, but..." about Kraft Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese Sharp Cheddar

TheBard — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:56:49 GMT

I love macaroni & cheese, but I don't always have the time to prepare a dish from scratch. In those times, when time is of the essence, I turn to Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner. Now this isn't the regular ole Kraft Mac & Cheese with the powered cheese, that tastes like it was made for children, or other without a discriminating palate, Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner comes complete with a package of real cheese, and elbow macaroni.

The Kraft brand has always been my favorite; I like the way it cooks up; fast and easy. Cut open the pouch with its four cheese blend sauce empty into the still steaming macaroni, mix and enjoy.

My Viewpoint

Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner makes a great side dish for almost any meat and vegetable, but I like to pair it with either fried of baked chicken, pork chops, or fried catfish. The 14oz package packs a fair amount of flavor, and serves up at least four.

While the product is good right out of the package I like to "doctor" it...

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mrkstvns says "A World of Childhood Wonder -- Mexico City's Papalote Museum" about Papalote Museo del Nino

mrkstvns — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:49:57 GMT

I'm a dad, and that means I spend a fair chunk of time on any trip doing things that shorter people like doing. Zoos and parks figure prominently in our family time, but so too do the many children's museums that are becoming highlights of many major cities. My small crew have been to quite a few children's museums, but their favorite (and mine too) is the delightful Papalote Museo del Nino in Mexico City.

I love the Papalote Museum because it's so big with such an enormous variety of fun activities and because it's got such GOOD exhibits for the little hands and developing minds. Many of the exhibits are hands-on explorations of the world we live in, with a hefty dose of technology to go with it. Papalote has these, just like most childrens' museums do. But what Papalote has that sets it apart are several exhibits that strike me as particularly Mexican.

Most childrens museums I've been to don't have hands-on archaeoligical digs, but then, most childrens museums aren't located in the heart...

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mrkstvns says "It's ALWAYS a Gruesome Halloween Night at the Mummy Museum!" about Museo de las Momias

mrkstvns — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:14:38 GMT

One of the COOLEST, most utterly gruesome and terrifyingly WEIRD museums in all of Mexico is the infamous Museo de las Momias --- The Mummy Museum!!

Most travelers come to Guanajuato for the beautiful colonial atmosphere and the city's many cultural celebrations and festivals. But the macabre Museo de las Momias is just icing on the cake!

The museum has an ENORMOUS collection of mummies --- must be hundreds of them. There's galleries where you walk in, and just look down long glass showcases with mummy after mummy, most with grotesque expressions of death on their face, scraps of rotted clothing, bits of wood and dust, or other typical mummy attire.

Some though are just plain unsettling. They have a collection of "child mummies" --- babies or toddlers who died and became mummified, some still wearing very identifiable Sunday best, or clutching rotted bits of beloved toys.

You do know what Beethoven is doing these days, right? He's decomposing!

Well, that's a sure sign that he wasn't buried...

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mrkstvns says "The Convenient Weekend Beach Getaway for Arizona Partiers..." about Puerto Penasco

mrkstvns — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:40:03 GMT

A look at a map shows you that Arizona is a land-locked state. It also shows you that it has a long border with Mexico and that there are miles of beaches along the Sea of Cortez just beckoning to Arizona locals. The most popular and fully developed of these beaches is Puerto Peñasco, which many Arizona folks prefer to call "Rocky Point" because otherwise they have to learn how to pronounce the sound of the ñ (en-yay) character, which as all gringos know, is a terrifying prospect indeed.

In any case, Puerto Peñasco has some things going for it that make it popular with the Arizona local yokels. First, it's got beaches (which sure beats the miles of brown sand that Arizona has). Second, it's pretty darn affordable with lots of dirty cheap hotel rooms and plenty of small seafood restaurants where you can sit out on the beach and dig your toes into the brown sand as waiters bring out plate after plato of yummy-licious camarones al diablo or filetes al mojo de ajo, along with chilly cervezas...

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mrkstvns says "Museo de Jose Luis Cuevas --- Where Modern Meets Ancient" about Museo Jose Luis Cuevas

mrkstvns — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:09:13 GMT

There are more than 100 major museums in Mexico City, making it one of the most complex yet most rewarding big city destinations in the world. There's at least dozen big museums that can take you hours, if not full days, to tour --- but there are also countless smaller museums with tightly focused themes that can be fully experienced within only a couple hours. The Museo de Jose Luis Cuevas is one of these smaller museums.

I love the traditional Spanish architecture of the colonial home in which the museum is housed. It's just a few blocks walk from the Zocalo, making it an very easy side trip for anyone already sightseeing in the downtown area. It also means that, like just about everything in Mexico City's Centro area, everything you see and touch is about 400 - 500 years old. You'll walk up the cobblestone streets to the museum, which is easily identified by the enormous warped looking human heads outside.

Those sculptures give you a delicious first taste of what Jose Luis Cuevas is...

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mrkstvns says "Museo de Vidrio --- A Unique Glass Museum in Monterrey" about Museo de Vidrio

mrkstvns — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:25:57 GMT

Monterrey is one of Mexico's most interesting large cities because it's so dynamic and there's so much to see and do for the visitor who scratches just slightly below the surface.

The city has quite a lot to offer the visitor with an interest in the fine arts, and one of its real artistic gems is the Museo del Vidrio --- the Glass Museum. The museum itself is located inside a mammoth industrial glass works, and it does have some exhibits that are educational and that inform you about glass as a commercial product. That's not its strongest point though.

The Museo del Vidrio has an extensive collection of stunning artworks, all crafted from glass. There are many, many examples of hand-blown and spun glass objects of stunning artistry and complexity, but what blows my mind are the really large, complex artworks. They have things like an enormous horse that sparkles under its spotlights as if it were crafted from a million diamonds --- but it's glass.

There's also an enjoyable gift shop on site,...

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TheBard says "The perfect side for almost any BBQ Meat" about Bush's Grillin' Baked Beans

TheBard — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:19:55 GMT

The side dish; what will it be tonight? That is the conundrum facing millions of cooks all over the country, nay the worlds tonight. Better still, what side will it be tonight with these fabulous BBQ ribs I just spent five hours slow-cooking? The answer: Bush's Grillin' Baked Beans.

My Viewpoint

I am pleased with Bush's Grillin' Baked Beans. There are a number of flavors (recipes) to choose from including Southern Pit Barbeque, Steakhouse Recipe, Smokehouse Tradition, and Bourbon and Brown Sugar. I have tried all four recipes and all have much to recommend them. The beans look and taste like they are made from fresh ingredients and each has a unique taste that goes well a variety of grilled meats. And each goes well with backed meats as well.

At $1.52 a can at my local Super Target (where else) I can afford to keep a can or two of Bush's Grillin' Baked Beans in the pantry ready for quick eating, no matter what is on the grill or in the oven. And the size of the can is...

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TheBard says "Another winner from Dymo!" about Dymo LabelWriter Turbo 330

TheBard — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:08:14 GMT

Bottom-Line: Over all, my users are very pleased with the performance of the Dymo LabelWriter Turbo 330; the label printer works, and works well.

Like the Dymo LabelWriter EL60 it replaces, the Dymo LabelWriter Turbo 330 is a small printer shaped like a half circle with a semi clear window in the front to view labels as they are printer. On the front of the printer is a horizontal slot from which labels are "ejected" once printed. Front panel controls are limited to one: the advance label button, used in case the label become jammed, or the printer will not print, but you need to advance the label. Also on the front of the Dymo LabelWriter Turbo 330 is a small oval yellow light indicating that the unit is powered on. On the back there is rocker switch for power, and two connections for serial and USB.

The primary differences between the Dymo LabelWriter Turbo 330 and Dymo LabelWriter EL60 is the dpi resolution (203 vs. 300); label printing speed (8 vs. 32 per minute); expanded...

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TheBard says "Not a Bad Little Smudge-Free Label Printer" about Dymo LabelWriter EL60

TheBard — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:45:00 GMT

Bottom-Line: If you are looking for a low cost, low maintenance, reliable label printer with above average output, look no further then the Dymo LabelWriter EL60.

In our current office environment, most users do not have desktop printers; that is by design. They are connected instead to series of networked black & white and color printers. But that poses its own set of problems since a fair majority of people have a need to mail vendors on a fairly consistent basis, and prefer printed mailing labels to do so. Printing labels via the network printers is problematic for obvious reasons. My desktop is sans a local printer as well and I have a pressing need to print labels to attach to workstations, network printers, servers, and other items, so I needed a label printer as well. Enter the Dymo LabelWriter EL60.

The Dymo LabelWriter EL60 is a small printer shaped like a half circle with a semi clear window in the front to view labels as they are printer. On the front of the printer...

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TheBard says "It's What For Breakfast This Weekend Anyway" about Duncan Hines Blueberry Streusel Muffins

TheBard — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:13:02 GMT

It's the weekend and in the Bard's household that usually means some sort of decadent high calorie, high fat desert pastry for Saturday morning breakfast! Sometimes I pick up something fresh from the local supermarket, or sometimes I pop something into the oven. Today, that something was a fresh batch of Duncan Hines (new) Blueberry Streusel Muffins, made with 100% whole grain and 0 grams (g) of trans fat.

My Viewpoint

I am pleased with my choice for this weekend's breakfast pasty. I prepared the muffins as I would any blueberry muffin mix. Sixteen minutes in the oven at 375 degrees and they were ready to emerge; browned, hot, moist, and yummy. But I have to say I could have done without the streusel topping. The fact that the muffins are made from whole grains is an added bonus.

I highly recommend Duncan Hines Blueberry Streusel Muffins; for about $1.79 a box they are a bargain compared to the $3.99 I would have to pay at the local Dominick's grocery store...

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TheBard says "Okay Taste, Something I Might Buy Again Even without a Coupon" about Kashi Heart to Heart Instant Oatmeal (Golden Brown Maple)

TheBard — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:50:39 GMT

Bottom-Line: Not my first choice, but I am willing to give the oatmeal another try, with coupon in hand of course.

Breakfast. When you keep strange hours like I do-up and out early-eating a nutrition-laden, none-fast-food-restaurant meal can be a challenge, especially when the stomach is grumbling that it wants food! So I usually eat breakfast once I get to work in the form of a couple of boiled eggs and oatmeal, most likely Quaker.

Recently, whilst shopping at my local Super Target, I gathered up coupons for Kashi Heart to Heart Instant Oatmeal (Golden Brown Maple) at a taste test stand, and decided to give it a try.

My Viewpoint

I like Kashi Heart to Heart Instant Oatmeal (Golden Brown Maple). It is not the best instant oatmeal I have eaten, nor is it the worst. Checking in at 160 calories, 5g of fiber, 2g of fat, 4g of protein, and 33g of carbohydrates per packet, Kashi Heart to Heart Instant Oatmeal (Golden Brown Maple) does make for a filling good-for-you breakfast.

Kashi...

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TheBard says "Just Okay, Not Something I Would Buy Again without a Coupon" about Kashi TLC granola bars

TheBard — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:59:49 GMT

Bottom-Line: Not my first choice, but I am willing to give them another try, with coupon in hand of course.

I like to snack; who doesn't? But lately I have been trying to snack more wisely and that means fruit or some form of granola bar that uses who grains and is relatively low in sugar. Recently, whilst shopping at my local Super Target, I gathered up coupons for Kashi TLC Chewy Granola Bars at a taste test stand, and decided to give them a try.

My Viewpoint

I like Kashi TLC Chewy Granola Bars, but just barely. Checking in at around 120 calories, around 4 grams of fiber, 5 grams of fat, and 5 grams of protein per bar, Kashi TLC Granola Bars do make for a light good-for-you snack, but the bars are somewhat lacking in taste. Unlike some of the varieties I have tasted from Quaker, the Kashi TLC Granola Bars failed to really satisfy my taste buds, or put a smile on my face.

The Kashi TLC Chewy Granola Bars do contain the company's trade mark "seven whole grains on a mission"...

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TheBard says "A Forgettable, Unfunny, Boring, Mess" about Sherri

TheBard — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:54:09 GMT

Sherri Shepherd (The View, Less Than Perfect) is Intellectually Challenged (stupid); no apologies it had to be said. Spend a week with the buxom nitwit on the View and you will not doubt come away with the same impression. To be fair she has her light bulb moments, but they the exception, not the rule; the woman just doesn't generate a lot of intellectual wattage! Need proof, read on:

Shepherd stated on the September 18, 2007 broadcast of The View, that she didn't "believe in evolution. Period." When Co-host Whoopi Goldberg asked her, "Is the world flat?", Shepherd first responded, "...I don't know" and expanded that she "never thought about it." Shepherd went on to explain that it was more important to her that she thought about how she was "going to feed [her] child," at which point Barbara Walters pointing out that, "You can do both." However, Shepherd then went on to quote scripture (she is deeply religious). Ms. Shepherd later referred to her shockingly ignorant statements as...

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Buggheart says "The only thing missing is the spider." about LUSH Cobweb Bath Bomb

Buggheart — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:27:59 GMT

I'm not a huge bath bomb lover, but I was totally sucked into buying LUSH Cobweb Bath Bomb at a recent LUSH event and I am sure glad that I did.

I bought Cobweb without having any idea what it smelled like, just based solely on the fact that it's a Halloween product (I LOVE Halloween) and it has a cute spider web shape.

I had heard that it smells just like LUSH's Black Pearl bath bomb which a lot of people don't like. And that it, obviously, turns the water a dull grey color which is not very visually appealing.

Still, I had to give it a try, so I ordered it. And yesterday was its lucky day. I had spent the majority of the day outside and needed a hot bath to take away that chilled to the bone feeling. So I ran a hot bath, got in, and dropped Cobweb in with me. Well I don't know if it's because of it's disklike shape or whether Black Pearl does the same, but Cobweb fizzed like crazy! It fizzed and rolled around the tub for a few minutes before it completely dissolved, leaving the...

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Buggheart says "So tempted by the apple!" about LUSH So White Bath Bomb

Buggheart — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:17:00 GMT

Although I'm not a huge fan of bath bombs, I had to give So White Bath Bomb a try when I placed a recent LUSH order.

What tempted me so?

Well, the description on LUSH.com, of course. So White is described on the LUSH website as a frothy blanket of apple scented "snow" for your bath.... inspired by the tempting apple a certain wicked stepmother tricked her beautiful stepdaughter into eating. We assure you however, that this Bath Bomb is not full of poison to put you to sleep. It is made with an uplifting fragrance of refreshing oranges, apples and romantic rose and is meant to awake you if you've been under a spell (or are just feeling tired). This one is quite a frothy bath as we've grated in some bubble bar mixture, so you can bathe in apple scented snow and feel fairest of them all.

I LOVE apple scented products and anything that smells fruity, so I had to give this one a try. I was also drawn somewhat by the idea of a frothy blanket of apple scented "snow".

So today I spent a lot...

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TheBard says "It's Hard To Tear Yours Eyes Away" about Slumdog Millionaire

TheBard — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:20:18 GMT

Bottom-Line: Despite the depressing setting Slumdog Millionaire is strangely uplifting and hopeful and in the end is a movie the whole family can and most likely will enjoy.

Directed by Danny Boyle Marc Foster (The Beach, 28 Days Later, Sunshine) Slumdog Millionaire (winner of 8 Oscars including Best Picture) takes place in the world's most populace city, Mumbai (Bombay), the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Here young brothers Jamal and Salim Malik watch in horror as their mother, and scores of others, are set upon and killed for being Muslim, thus casting the brothers and another orphan, a girl named Latika adrift in the teaming slums of Mumbai.

Jamal and Latika form and instant attachment to one another that is to last throughout the film and form the basis for this love story.

My Viewpoint

Despite the brittle and often brutal edges of Slumdog Millionaire the movie is at its heart an enduring love story set against a backdrop of misery and despair. The movie was...

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Buggheart says "Finally a way color my hair without coloring my face too." about Repelle Skin Shield Wand

Buggheart — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:00:58 GMT

I've been coloring my hair for years. Back when I used to go blond, getting hair color on my skin wasn't a big deal. But since I switched to a darker color I found that it's really hard to not get any haircolor on my skin. No matter how careful I was, it always got on my skin.

Then one day when I was buying color at the beauty supply school I found a product called Repelle Skin Shield Wand. It's like a little ChapStick tube but more oval shaped than round. It can be used on all skin types to protect skin from being stained by haircolor.

Before I color my hair, I apply Repelle all around my hairline, ears, and neck, then apply the color. It creates an invisible barrier that is not greasy like lotion or Vaseline. When I've rinsed it out and all is said and done, I don't have any color stains on my skin. One think I like is that if I get a little Repelle on my hair, it doesn't prevent the haircolor from sinking in and it washes off of my skin very easily.

The Repelle package states...

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TheBard says "A Very Refreshing Menthol Smell, But Still Some Ash" about Nivea for Men Cool Body Wash with Menthol

TheBard — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:00:15 GMT

Because of my dry skin, brought on in part by my diabetes my wife recently suggested that I try liquid gel soap because it is not as harsh on the skin as bar soap, even those infused with lotion and such. So I took her advice and purchased Irish Spring Body Wash with Aloe. But, I also purchased Nivea For Men Cool Body Wash as well, and I have to say I like it.

Not only does Nivea For Men Cool Body Wash-made with icy menthol-smell good and lather up richly, but it also washes away cleanly leaving my skin looking natural and feeling clean and smooth. However, although the marketing literature claims the soap contains "HydroBeads that instantly dissolve on your skin as you shower" thus helping your skin retain your skins natural moisture, there is a noticeable dryness on my skin after use.

Is it refreshing and invigorating? Not really, but then again I do not look for that sort of stimulation in my body wash I just want it to clean and perhaps moisturize a tad. I will keep...

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