Reviews by Friends of jcvale

LauraBelle says "Can't Get Past the Smell" about The Healing Garden Starter Kit, Lavendertheraphy

LauraBelle — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:18:54 GMT

It's not like I don't appreciate people thinking of me and giving me a gift, as I do. And I always love little lotions and stuff. I've used products from The Healing Garden before and really liked them. I couldn't wait to try this little gift set I got for Christmas in the "lavendertheraphy" for relaxation.

This set comes in a nice little travel case and includes a body soak, body lotion, body mist, bath and shower gel, and a body pouf. I took the "cleanse and calm bath and shower gel" into my shower with me one morning and couldn't wait to be relaxed. Just opening the bottle I was inundated with a terrible smell. I thought it must get better after you put it on. It didn't. It was hard to even consider myself clean with that smell on me, making it far from relaxing. I may have been cleansed, but I wasn't calm. Sure it smells like lavender, but there's another scent in there that's hard to place, but is highly disturbing.

I thought maybe it was just the bath and shower gel, so I tried a...

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LauraBelle says "As Good as Any Name Brand Razor" about Up & Up Women's Razor

LauraBelle — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:46:48 GMT

I don't know how often I can tout Target's brand Up & Up and its products. Everything is either the same as the name brand or better. I'd been looking for a cheaper disposable razor, but didn't want to sacrifice a good shave. I tried the Noxzema razors, and those were basically a bust. Scanning the shelves I thought why not try the Up & Up Women's Razors? They couldn't be any worse than the Noxzema ones.

Not only were they not worse than the Noxzema razors, they were much better. It shaved so close. I don't feel like I'm walking out of the shower with a 5 o'clock shadow under my arms. And my legs are silky smooth after using this razor. And to have these razors be cheaper than any other ones on the shelf other than the typical Bic type, was a real bonus.

The jelly-like orange coloring of this disposable razor makes it like the more upscale disposable razors like Soleil, and it works just as well, if not better. The shape can be a bit puzzling, making it seem like it wouldn't work well....

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LauraBelle says "Making It Okay to Turn Older" about It's Complicated

LauraBelle — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:01:51 GMT

Earlier I wrote a review of Old Dogs, talking about who I choose to take as my dates for movies, based on the movie criteria and genre. I never considered taking anyone else to It's Complicated. I figured this would be me treating myself. First, it's a romantic comedy, and secondly, it deals with being middle-aged. It's not something for my husband, and it definitely wasn't for my kids. So I was shocked when my 16-year-old son wanted to come with. He appreciates a good comedy, but this? It turns out he thought the commercials were really funny, and he also wanted to see John Krasinski who co-stars. Granted, he was the youngest person in the theater, but he really ended up enjoying it, just as everyone else did in the theater.

Jane and Jake Adler (Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin) have been divorced for ten years, ever since he had an affair with Agness (Lake Bell), a much younger woman he later married. Although previously not able to be in the same room together, they are now thrust together...

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LauraBelle says "Some Things Never Change" about Did You Hear About the Morgans

LauraBelle — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:40:32 GMT

Watching Did You Hear About the Morgans, I thought some things never change. Wilford Brimley is still alive and kicking, and looks amazingly the same. I only wonder if he's still eating oatmeal. Sarah Jessica Parker seems to still be a fashion maven, even when she isn't appearing on Sex and the City. Hugh Grant still has the same romantic comedy sensibility about himself. I don't think he's right for any type of role other than a guy trying to win over the girl in the end. He always plays that role it seems, yet he's successful. So if it's not broken, why fix it?

Parker and Grant play recently separated Meryl and Paul Morgan. He desperately wants to get back together with her, but she just can't seem to bear it. Both lead very busy lives, running their own compaies, and in addition she heads up a few charities as well. She seems to be his only charity as he keeps showering her with gifts as he begs her to come back. He tells his assistant a star isn't enough and asks if he can purchase...

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LauraBelle says "With This Cast, It Should Have Been Better" about Old Dogs

LauraBelle — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:11:37 GMT

When I see previews for movies that are coming out, I gauge it by who I'll take to the movie with me, whether it will be my 16-year-old son, my 13-year-old daughter, my husband, or whether it's a movie I'll go to alone. The action movies are my husband's all the way. The comedies are my son's, and the family movies are my daughter's. For me, it's all the romantic comedies. Truthfully, many times I go during the day, so I end up going alone to some movies even though I know someone else would enjoy it with me.

I was wrong on my choice of "date" for Old Dogs, yet ended up going alone anyway. With stars like John Travolta and Robin Williams, I thought for sure it should be my son to go with. He actually wants to see nearly every movie that comes out, including some romantic comedies, but don't tell him I told you that. i really wanted to see this one with him, but he'd just started on the wrestling team at school, and I knew he didn't have the time, so I went alone. Halfway through, I was...

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LauraBelle says "Feeding On Our Fears" about "EVERYBODY'S FINE"

LauraBelle — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:03:15 GMT

The family in Everybody's Fine could be anybody's family. It shows how far we've come and how family life has changed. What we're experiencing now is the end of an era. I don't think it will be as prevalent in twenty to thirty years, but it's prevalent to most of us, as it's how are families are or tend to be.

This is what happened to the families of the 50s and 60s where Dad was still the breadwinner and Mom stayed home and took care of everything at home. We don't have that anymore. Both parents are more often than not the breadwinners and parents share in the parenting chores. This makes both parents just as involved.

Yet in Everybody's Fine, Robert DeNiro plays Frank Goode, a dad who worked hard all his life with the intention of giving his kids a better life than what he had. He wanted them to have the best. He worked at a company that coated the telephone wires and likes to say he coated a million feet of wire to get his kids where they are today. To him they are the most successsful...

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Matt says "Last Man Standing is enjoyable but formulaic thriller" about David Baldacci - Last Man Standing

Matt — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:14:14 GMT

Last Man Standing is a formulaic thriller that was decidedly easy to read that and was enjoyable but it did not rise to the level of memorable or distinguished for what it was. That said, I am not a regular reader of this genre of fiction, but I was generally underwhelmed with the quality of writing in David Baldacci.

I found the plot to be both predictable and ridiculous which frankly is not such a good combination. On one hand I knew what was coming next, on the other hand the string of coincidences stretched the thin line of believability so much that the end of the book just felt like he was tying up a whole mess of loose ends.

Bottom line? A good very light vacation read but you can do better.

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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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Jolie says "buyuggsboot.net is a scam! Ugg Boots from China that are fake." about www.buyuggsboot.net

Jolie — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:22:46 GMT

Background on Buyuggsboot.net

A friend of mine at Viewpoints recently passed along a site called www.buyuggsboot.net. She found it online. www.buyuggsboot.net is a web site that sells all styles of Ugg Boots at discounted prices.

We werent certain if www.buyuggsboot.net were the real or not. But after a thorough review of the site, we thought it was legit. Buyuggsboot.net looks like a reasonable reseller of Ugg Boots. The page is designed well, the pictures look authentic and they make claim to having the real deal. They also consistently site throughout the web site having customer satisfaction commitments.

To add to the thought it was authentic, the pricing seemed good but not amazing. As you probably know a typical pair of Ugg Boots cost about $110. On Buyuggsboot.net the cost was $89.00- approximately a $20 savings. Seemed like a good deal, but they werent so cheap that I thought it could be scam. As an aside, last year Nordstrom had a similiar sale on Ugg boots so the pricing seemed...

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LauraBelle says "Easy Enough For a Teenager to Use" about Nature's Source Natural Bathroom Cleaner

LauraBelle — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:38:42 GMT

I first heard of this bathroom cleaner through reading reviews at Viewpoints. Everyone had such favorable reviews of it, I knew I needed to try it. I read that it was eco-friendly, plus it worked! The very next time I went shopping, I bought a bottle to give it a try.

I have to say I can echo the throughts of the reviewers. Although I agree with the reviewer that said it is the worst-smelling natural bathroom cleaner, more than I agree with the one that said it has a fresh and clean scent. It is a nasty type of smell. However, unlike that reviewer, I can get past it.

I also agree that it cleans the bathroom well. It's not the best bathroom cleaner I've ever tried, but it's far from the worst. It does the same job of really any of the other bathroom cleaners I've used. It cleans fairly well. It doesn't get out some stubborn bathroom stains, but it gets out most. And on top of all that, it's eco-friendly.

Truth be told, I haven't even been on bathroom-cleaning duty. It's been the kids chore...

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LauraBelle says "Adds to That Flawless Finish" about Clinique Superpowder Double Face Makeup

LauraBelle — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:16:10 GMT

As I explained in my earlier review of my new <a href="http://www.viewpoints.com/Clinique-Foundation--158112-review-cd8f5">Clinique foundation</a>, the company got rid of my favorite foundation that combined the foundation and look of powder all in one. I replaced it with a regular liquid foundation, so needed a powder or something over it. Previously I had used a bronzer over my old foundation.

The sales clerk at the Clinique counter asked what type of a powder I used and if the foundation I was using was my summer or winter one. I told her I just used one foundation year-round and adjusted the amount of bronzer I used, and that my bronzer substituted for the powder. She set to work going through the drawers and shelves of Cinique finding me a good solution.

What she came up with was the Superpowder Double Face Makeup. It's supposed to be foundation and powder all in one, similar to my old foundation. However, it's much dryer than what I was used to. I'd never be able to wear just...

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LauraBelle says "Fruit Juice Breaks Down the Meat" about Lawry's 30-Minute Marinade, Teriyaki with Pineapple Juice

LauraBelle — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:39:21 GMT

It wasn't a conventional Thanksgiving dinner, but it was a good Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, we all know that what makes the best Thanksgiving dinner isn't the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. It's the family and friends we spend it with. We had that part of the equation already set, and decided to forgo having turkey again this year. My sister-in-law cooked a pork loin, and my husband cooked a sirloin tip roast. What really made the beef was the marinade injection of Lawry's 30-Minute Marinade, Teriyaki with Pineapple Juice.

My husband got a meat injector for Christmas a few years ago and started branching out with it. He stopped using the injecting juice and just started using regular marinades. He does that more with roasts than he does regular marinading. When you inject the marinade far into the meat, the flavor seems to sink in much better and make it more tender than regular marinading. He prefers the Lawry's brand as they tend to have more fruit juices than others and that...

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LauraBelle says "End Result Is Flawless" about Clinique Foundation

LauraBelle — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:26:50 GMT

I can't tell you the look of horror I had on my face when the ladies at the Clinique counter at Von Maur told me the company was no longer going to carry my favorite foundation. They sympathized with my plight and told me the odd thing was that the company didn't even have a replacement yet for it. I had gone through several other foundations before from different brands, and this was "the" one and "the" shade. I had been using one that was convenient in that it was like a 2-in-1. It was like it had the foundation and powder all in one, and it left my face flawless and covered up all my imperfections.

After I had used every last bit that I could and scraped all the tiny bits of remaining foundation out, I dragged myself to the Clinique counter again and explained I needed something to replace it. The woman working there that day acknowledged they didn't have anything similar, but said she'd set me up. After studying my face and asking the normal questions, what type of skin I had, etc.,...

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LauraBelle says "The Right Vacuum for Me" about Eureka Optima Vacuum

LauraBelle — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:24:38 GMT

Anyone that has read my reviews here on Viewpoints knows that I'm constantly looking for a good floor vacuuming solution. I was pretty happy with my Swivel Sweeper for my Pergo floors, but my regular vacuum cleaner broke, and I needed to replace that. It should be noted again that most of my house is Pergo, the bathrooms and foyer are tile, and that only two of the bedrooms are carpeted. I don't have use for a nice vacuum cleaner.

What I've always wished for was some type of vacuum that would handle all my floors. Sure, a really nice vacuum could do the non-carpeted areas, as well as the carpet, but is that necessary? And I like items such as the Swivel Sweeper that are light enough that I can haul them out to sweep my floors every day. I think I may have backed into a solution finally.

We had cleaned the old Dirt Devil as much as we could, and it still wasn't picking up. We could get it fixed for $40 or so, but what was the point if I could get a replacement for not too much more than...

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