Reviews by Friends of lbeckley

CyndiA says "French's spicy brown mustard - nice taste with a little kick. " about French's brown mustard

CyndiA — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:31:54 GMT

My son just discovered French's spicy brown mustard which made me laugh, since I've always had some on hand. I'll eat the regular hot dog mustard, but I like the little extra zip with the spicy brown. The kid didn't touch it, since it said "spicy." He's not big on hot foods.

I grilled brats, and we were out of yellow mustard. So, the kid decided to try French's spicy brown, and it was love at first bite.

Don't let the name fool you. French's spicy brown is just a nice balanced mustard with a bit of extra flavor but not enough to put anyone off. If it had much kick, the kid would not have eaten it and sure would not be using up all my French's spicy brown mustard now.

Looks like I can cut way back on plain yellow mustard and double up on French's spicy. My son likes it on burgers, sandwiches, and on fried Spam or Treet meat. It's his new favorite condiment.

If you've hesitated to try French's spicy brown due to the spicy name, give it a try. It really is not hot at all. It just packs a bit...

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Jo says "Burn calories while drinking Herbal Tea by Herbalife" about Herbalife Herbal Tea Concentrate Lemon 3.53 ounces

Jo — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:21:17 GMT

As I mentioned in my review of the Herbalife Shake I have bought into a 12-week Herbalife weight loss program. Another product I bought is Herbal Concentrate Tea. We were told that for every 8-ounces we drink we burn 80 calories. We were also told not to drink it after 3:00p.m. unless we like being up all night.

Herbal Concentrate Tea has caffeine thus it gives me a boost. It is also used for weight management because it burns calories. However, any caffeine will burn calories and boost your metabolism so is there anything special about Herbal Concentrate Tea?

I really do like Herbalife's Tea. It comes in a powder. I bought the larger bottle coming in at 3.53 ounces for about $30.00. It also comes in a 1.8 ounce bottle.

Herbal Concentrate Tea comes in several flavors. I didn't have a choice and have lemon. It is really delicious tasting. In spite of it not being sweetened it tastes sweet. It does contain fructose powder which is a form of sugar but one that Herbalife doesn't consider...

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CyndiA says "Grill Floss - best barbecue grill cleaning tool I've ever owned." about Grillfloss - Barbecue Cleaning Tool, GFLXL, Stainless Steel

CyndiA — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:06:00 GMT

I looked at GrillFloss a long time before I bought one, and I was blown away by how well it worked. It's one of those products that I should have bought long ago. It makes cleaning a barbecue grill so much easier.

Grill Floss has a hook on the end. The hook can be flipped over for larger sized grates. I generally use the smaller end with charcoal grates, since I cook over charcoal most often. And, those grates tend to be the thinner wire types. But, Grill Floss works well on the larger gas grill grates too.

With the little hook design, this just slides right up and down the grate and into the corners and does a great job in getting the gunk off. It takes hardly any elbow grease at all especially if you use GrillFloss when the grates are still warm.

I was so impressed with Grill Floss that I added it at my Open Sky Yes You Can Grill barbecue store online. I just carry top picks for outdoor cooking, so this is definately a thumbs up and a grill cleaning tool I'd recommend to anyone who grills...

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CyndiA says "Acer Aspire netbook - great "on the go" computer in a mini size." about Acer Netbook Aspire One

CyndiA — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:54:45 GMT

One of my students showed up with an Acer Aspire, and I was amazed at how small the little netbook is compared to a full sized laptop computer. I'm not tall enough to actualy use a laptop on my lap, but the Acer looked like it might work. And, it did. The Acer Aspire fits right on my lap with room to move my elbows out and type. Yay!

Now, I have an Acer. It's red, but the red color is not fire engine. It's more a burnt red color. They have pink like in the photo as well as blue, black, and white.

Mine is the 10 inch, since they are phasing out the 9 inch. The only difference is screen size. You don't get a smaller netbook with a 9 inch. You just get a little more plastic around the edges.

The main difference with the netbooks is that they have less storage space, but I do an heavy duty computer work on my desktop computer. A netbook is not designed to hold big programs like PageMaker, but it does fine with MS Word and a few other smaller programs loaded on there. You do need a portable...

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Jo says "Where's all the protein in Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake? " about Herbalife Shakes

Jo — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:00:49 GMT

I am doing a 12-week weight loss program sponsored by Herbalife. When I enrolled I didn't know that they were sponsoring it. I have bought quite a few of their products. The first one I bought was the Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix. It is for "healthy nutrition and weight management".

The flavor I chose is french vanilla, which is delicious. I add soy or almond mix to two scoops and ice cubes and have a yummy snack. The program suggests that we have one or two shakes a day. I normally have one and stick to the amount of calories per day I should eat.

I paid about $35.00 for a 26.5 ounce canister. This makes 30 servings per container.

It has 19 essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients; however, you will get these in a multi-vitamin. For example, you'll get 35% of Vitamin A when you add milk and 50% of Vitamin D, which you will get if you go outside for 15 minutes a day. Yes I am skeptical because I haven't seen results and I think it is over priced.

The "wellness coaches" say that...

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Jo says "I watch TV; my husband works. Thank you Sony Infrared Headphones" about Sony - Infrared Cordless Headphones MDR-IF240RK

Jo — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:45:15 GMT

To the Point

The problem isn't new but the technology to fix it seems to be new - at least new to us. The problem was that our house has an open floor plan meaning my husband's office and our living room are connected. I got used to reading the closed caption wording but sometimes my reading was slower than the words on the screen.

In comes wireless headphones. I tried out a pair of Radio Shack brand headphones at our daughter and son-in-law's but my husband ended up buying me the Sony Infrared Cordless Headphones MDR-IF240RK.

A Closer View: The features

The Sony Infrared Cordless Headphones

come with a transmitter. The transmitter is placed near the television and comes with an AC power adapter.
come with a connecting cord. The box says that the connection to the TV, Audio, or PC equipment is easy. It probably is. For some reason it took us awhile to figure out what plugs went into what holes.
a range of 24 feet depending on the angle of your head.
will last for 60 hours using regular...

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Jo says "My Silicone Grid saves burning or scratching surfaces" about Highly Evolved Housewares Silicone Zone The Grid

Jo — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:44:37 GMT

My Highly Evolved Housewares Silicone Zone The Grid Trivet was an inexpensive ($2.00) impulse buy. You can find the company's website here: http://tinyurl.com/ybywr84 where you will see the assortment of silicone products made.

The Grid comes in red, blue, and black. I bought a black Silicone Grid Trivet. This was my first time using anything like this though if I see potholders and other items I could use I would for sure buy more items by Highly Evolved Housewares.

The Grid is a non-skid counter mat and it truly does not skid. I love the feel of it - soft and rubbery. I don't have to worry that it will scratch my oven, table, or counters.

The Grid is made with InSILate Technology making any thing up to 675 degrees alright to put on the Highly Evolved Housewares Silicone Zone The Grid Trivet.

It is dishwasher safe and made in China. The Grid has a hole so you can hang it or just a place for me to hold on to it.

Highly Evolved Housewares Silicone Zone The Grid Trivet literally is a grid...

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LoveisJoy says "This Cushioned Shelf Liner Protects my Pots and Pans Too!" about Contact Ultra Grip Shelf Liner

LoveisJoy — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:59:31 GMT

My husband is the designated chef in the house, but I still do my part by trying to think of ways to make his job easier. One idea I had was to find a way to protect his favorite non-stick pots and pans. Storing the pots by stacking them in the cupboards seemed to be a recipe for creating unintentional scratches on the non-stick surfaces. To head off potential disaster, I purchased a couple of rolls of Contact Ultra Grip Liner. These are not ordinary shelf liners--they are cushioned, non-adhesive shelf protectors. With a pair of scissors, I was able to create cushioned pads to protect my pots and pans.

Highlights:

Cushions and Protects
Stays put without adhesive
Washable
Stain-resistant
Can be cut and shaped with household scissors

Con-tact Ultra Grip Liners are 12" wide x 5' long, and come in a handful of colors (almond, white, blue, and sage). The liners are thick and textured and resist stains. I unrolled one of the liners and cut out some simple shapes to fit the insides of each pot...

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LoveisJoy says "Pocket-Sized Hand Gel Kills Germs; Wish it Smelled Nicer" about Bath & Body Works PocketBac Antibacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Gel

LoveisJoy — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:39:48 GMT

I guess it's not surprising that the PocketBac Antibacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Gel by Bath & Body Works has such a harsh smell. After all, it contains 60% alcohol. Still, I was so intrigued by the idea of the cute little pocket-sized bottles of germ fighters that I wanted to like it much more than I actually did. There are some good things to say about the PocketBac, but equally as many things that disappoint.

On the plus side, PocketBac hand gels are currently offered in 18 different Bath & Body Works signature fragrances. The 1-ounce plastic bottles are a mere 3 inches tall and a little over an inch wide. As such, they are incredibly portable and easy to throw in a bag, purse, or pocket. The regular prices is only $1.50, but you can often purchase them during the 5 for $5 sale.

Since I love the White Citrus fragrance, that's the scent I selected for my PocketBac. Unfortunately, the fresh and lively scent that I anticipated does not seem to translate well into a hand...

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CyndiA says "Love Softsoap Pomegranate and Mango - Yum - So Sexy. " about Softsoap Pomegranate and Mango Moisturizing Body Wash

CyndiA — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:13:50 GMT

I like Softsoap products in general, but I really LOVE the new pomegranate and mango scent. Whew boy. It's a wonderful scent both in the bathroom and all over the house when it's shower time for anyone around here.

Softsoap brand is inexpensive for the bottle soap, and I've found the squeeze soap works better around here. The bars get so messy, and I'm not even convinced the boys use bar soap when I put that in the shower.

I've always just grabbed any scent of Softsoap. One is about as good as another . . . until this pomegranate and mango. They just really knocked it out of the park with this scent.

I thought it just might be me, but my son in college mentioned that the last soap I sent was really great. Yep. It was the pomegranate and mango scent. He has a girlfriend now, so that may be part of the reason he noticed, but this Softsoap really does smell wonderful.

This week I found Softsaop pomegranate and mango at the Dollar Store in town. The manager taught me piano lessons, so I...

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LoveisJoy says "Avon Glazewear: I'm Addicted to Buttered Rum" about Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss

LoveisJoy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:07:21 GMT

With so many different types of lip color on the market, why is it that I am so loyal to one brand and one color? The answer is that Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss in Buttered Rum is the best color for my skin tone out of all of the other lipsticks and lip stains in my cosmetics drawer. Further, I love the long-lasting, high gloss shine that never gets sticky (or caught in my hair).

Avon Glazewear comes in over a dozen colors, but unfortunately, the only one that really works for me is Buttered Rum. There seems to be a lack of colors that contain more brown/coral/peach tones. I would love it if Avon could expand the line to include more variety of colors so that I could have more options. This is my only complaint about the line.

I love the soft-tipped applicator because it's large enough for those of us with fuller lips. The lip color applies easily and quickly, and I get a no-smudge look every time. I do use a lip moisturizer before applying Glazewear, and I find that the color...

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LoveisJoy says "I Like the Original Glazewear, but Lip Lacquer is Lackluster" about Avon Glazewear Lip Lacquer

LoveisJoy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:47:51 GMT

I rarely stray from my go-to lip color: Avon Glazewear in Buttered Rum. It's the perfect color for my skin tone, and I love the non-sticky shine and easy applicator. So, when I saw that Avon had a sale on its Glazewear Lip Lacquer, I happily bought this new (for me) version in a new color--Perfect Brown. Unfortunately, the lip lacquer gave me more lackluster results than I anticipated.

As you would expect, Glazewear Lip Lacquer is incredibly shiny. I opened the small mirrored compact to reveal a beautiful glossy brown rectangle of lip color. The lacquer comes with an extremely tiny brush that turned out to be completely useless for me. I have full lips and it would have taken me forever to get the lacquer applied with that teeny-weeny brush. Instead, I used another cosmetics brush that I had in my stash.

The Glazewear Lip Lacquer was thick and a bit tricky to apply. Once I got the product on the brush, it was hard to get it to spread smoothly. The funniest thing...

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LoveisJoy says "This Soft & Relaxed Bubble Bath Leaves My Skin "Oh-So-Soft"" about Avon SKIN SO SOFT: Soft & Relaxed Night Bath Soak

LoveisJoy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:09:29 GMT

Showers are fine most of the time, but for me, nothing beats a fragrant, hot bubble bath when I really want to relax myself before sleep. With that in mind, I ordered a bottle of Skin So Soft: Soft & Relaxed Night Bath Soak from my Avon representative. Described as "the most sensual way to embrace your skin," I was curious to see whether or not it lived up to its star billing. In the end, it didn't really wow me or my senses, but it did help prepare me for a good night's sleep.

Soft & Relaxed Night Soak contains the key ingredients of lavender and "night bloom cactus flower" to impart fragrance and moisture. I poured what I considered a typical amount of the product under running hot water, and then let the tub finish filling up. I was a little surprised that I only ended up with a small amount of bubbles. The description talks about the "fragrant bath foam" so I guess I was expecting to see a little more bubble action. Still, since it's referred to as a "bath soak" rather...

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Jo says "There were 16 then 15 of my Anchor Hocking Beverage Set" about Anchor Hocking Trivium Beverage Set

Jo — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:04:50 GMT

To the Point

So there I was looking at glasses trying to remember which ones Rudi recommended. I bought a 16- piece glassware set by Anchor Hocking. The style is called Trivium.

A Closer View

When I got home I looked Anchor Hocking Trivium up online and saw some bad reviews. But I only paid $10.00 for eight 11-ounce double old-fashioned glasses and eight 16- ounce coolers. I would have preferred a color but there was only clear in this style. I just wanted to get through Thanksgiving with a new set of glasses.

I liked the style of the Anchor Hocking Trivium glasses. They are simple but have an hour glass design. I thought out of all the ones on the shelf these would be the least likely to spill. They are dishwasher safe and seemed to be thick enough so that they would last at least a month. I have Pfaltzgraff glasses that have been with me for 15 years!

I am the type of person who saves new things. Not wanting the glasses scratched I didn't use them but my husband did. The point is the...

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Jo says "Pur Power Resistance Cord gives you a traveling gym" about Zenzation Athletics PurPower Resistance Cord 10128

Jo — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:14:05 GMT

The PurPower Resistance Cord was an impulse buy. If you have a Marshall's near you then you'll know the bargains offered. The $11.99 Cord was $5.99 so I grabbed it. I've used Resistance Cords or Bands as I call them for years. If you haven't it is a great piece to either add to your routine just use it to work your whole body. Don't worry because it comes with a piece of paper that show you a few exercises to do. You can see the PurPower Cord here: www.jr.com/zenzation-athletics/pe/ZNZ_WTE10128/.

The PurPower Resistance Cord

is made of latex so stay away if you are allergic to latex.
is purple which is a medium strength. Other name brands such as Spri makes it much easier to know what the strength is of the Tube/Cord/Band. There was no indication on the package but I figured if it was too easy I could just make this 5' Cord small by wrapping it around my wrists. This makes it shorter and thus harder.
is portable and a super prop to take with you on your travels. Unless you are a body...

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Jo says "Colgate Orabase didn't Relieve my tongue Pain" about Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever

Jo — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:22:27 GMT

To the Point

I had surgery on my tongue yesterday or shall I say in my tongue. In any case I had a tongue lesion which was removed and I have stitches. Dr. Lane, an oral surgeon, gave me several samples of Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever.

A Closer View

I have been taking Tylenol and Advil which has helped the pain somewhat. This morning I decided to give one of these samples a try. Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever comes in a .21-ounce tube in the $5.00 range.

The active ingredient is benzocaine (20%) which is supposed to stop the pain of mouth and gum sores.

Adults and children two years and older can use Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever. I followed the instructions which are to gently dab on the site of irritation with a cotton swab or fingertip. I can use it up to 4 times a day or according to what your doctor or dentist recommends.

Don't use Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever if you are allergic to local anesthetics...

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LoveisJoy says "Avon Intensive-A: Pure Vitamin A Skin Care for Ageless Results" about Avon Ageless Results Intensive A Line Treatment

LoveisJoy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:57:31 GMT

I should start out by admitting I don't have any lines on my skin. At all. At 49 years of age, it's more a luck of the genetic lottery than any particular skin care regimen. Still, I do want to keep my skin looking good for as long as I can, so I've been reading up on the most effective ingredients in beauty products. It turns out that Retinol--pure Vitamin A--has been shown to visibly reduce lines and help smooth the skin's surface for a more youthful look. With that in mind, I bought a couple of tubes of Ageless Results Intensive-A Line Treatment by Avon.

Containing the maximum dose of pure Vitamin A, Intensive-A Line Treatment promises to "aid in skin resurfacing and rejuvenation." Well, I'm all for that. The first evening I used the product, I first washed my face with a gentle non-soap face wash. Then, as instructed on the package, I waited 5 minutes before applying the cream. I have naturally oily skin so I'm always a little leery of using a cream-based product. ...

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LoveisJoy says "No Irritation, No Harsh Smell, and No More Facial Hair" about Avon Skin So Soft Facial Hair Remover Cream

LoveisJoy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:16:47 GMT

I've been a fan of Avon's Skin So Soft bath products for years, so when I needed a new hair removal cream I felt good about trying the Skin So Soft Fresh & Smooth Facial Hair Removal Cream. Skin So Soft's bath and body products tend to be moisturizing to the skin and fragrant to the senses, so I felt sure that the brand wouldn't let me down with their version of hair removal. It turns out, I was right to trust them with the delicate skin on my face. Skin So Soft didn't let me down with this product.

Skin So Soft's facial hair removal cream comes in a very thin, 1-ounce tube with a contoured tip. The slender shape of the tube fits comfortably into my hand and makes it easy to control and apply the cream. The scent is described as a "refreshing, tropical blend of guava, yellow pear & raspberry." In my opinion, it didn't smell even remotely as wonderful as advertised, but it was much pleasanter than any facial depilatory cream that I have ever used. That says a lot.

As far as performance...

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Jo says "Yogacise Lifts my Body without hurting my neck" about Gaiam Yogacise Body Lift

Jo — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:56:58 GMT

I don't think I have met a Gaiam product I didn't like and this is true of the Yogacise Body Lift. We use this prop regularly in Yoga class.

The specifications

Yogacise Body Lift

is made in China
supports 250 pounds
is 28 inches long by 21 inches wide by 15 inches high
is very portable weighing in at 19 pounds

Why use the Yogacise Body Lift?

I'll talk about what I see as the primary use of the Body Lift and that is to do an inversion. Yoga is one of the few systems of health that suggest you regularly turn yourself upside down for extended periods of time. My Yoga teacher always tells us how amazing inversions are from relieving anxiety to relieving constipation.

I know I feel great after using the Yogacise Body Lift. I have done head stands on the floor but for some of us due to injury, age, fear, or name the reason, prefer not to. In comes the Body Lift. This prop allows me to go upside down without any compression on my head.

The padding is super thick making it very comfortable to rest...

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CyndiA says "I hunted down this cheese. It's smoked gouda, and it's great. " about Frico Smoked Gouda Cheese

CyndiA — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:56:42 GMT

I tried a new cheese at my son's frat Family Day party, and it just blew me away. I tracked down the kid who organized the party to see if he could tell me what kind of cheese I'm stumbled upon, but he was not sure. He did know that Harris Teeter did the trays, so that gave me a starting place.

I went to the local Harris Teeter to get help. The first deli lady had no clue what I was babbling about but rounded up the cheese expert.

Descriptions come easy for me, so I told the cheese lady that it was a light colored and smooth cheese with a creamy texture but still firm. Some cuts were edged with a brownish rind which was edible. And, the cheese was clearly smoked. It had a distinct smokey flavor which is what really made it stand out.

Ah ha. She knew what I was after. The cheese is Frico Gouda Smoked - an import from, I think, Holland.

Frico cheese is expensive, but they pack it in small sizes and charge by weight. I paid $3.50 for a disk of the cheese that I could wrap my fingers around...

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