Reviews by tina257

tina257 says "It's healthier than a lot of sugar and dissolved easily" about PureVia All Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener

tina257 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:17:37 GMT

I agreed to try a sample of PureVia that was sent to me and I'm glad that I did. I like some things like my coffee sweet but I try to avoid ingesting too much sugar so I find PureVia a good alternative to sugar. It dissolves easily which is a plus. Unfortunately, I did find it to have a bit of an aftertaste. Some reviewers don't seem to notice, but I did.. It was not unpleasant, but it was there, It didn't didn't stop me from using it but I feel it's something I should mention as you might need to adjust to it if you use it in place of sugar and I could see how some people wouldn't like it. It's certainly a great substitute for all the calories though! I will continue to try it in different ways. It's a step up from artificial sweeteners. And I love the handy little packets. I can throw them in my bag without worrying that they'll tear as easily as a pack of Equal because they're constructed well.

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tina257 says "Holding Out for a Hero" about The Dark Knight

tina257 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:12:02 GMT

How much do we need a hero? And what are we willing to do with him, or to him, once we have one? How far can hope and faith take us and what makes us cross the lines of our own value systems? These are some of the questions raised by the darkness brought forth in "The Dark Knight."

The cast is spectacular with Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman and Eric Roberts all playing their roles to the hilt and well suited to such an ensemble. Each of them brings something important to the flick and helps to bring Batman from a glorified comic book into the real world. The plot is intricate and the movie, which is longer than many today, flies by between the action scenes and the well written script. Batman is both vulnerable and deadly, trying desperately to find the balance that keeps him from becoming the monsters he pursues. Once you see it you'll also realize that people aren't exaggerating (because of his untimely death) when...

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tina257 says "We were rough on it, but it came through like a star" about Briggs and Riley various pieces

tina257 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:09:54 GMT

I needed new luggage this year and I wasn't happy about it because I loved my old luggage. It was tweed and leather and it was gorgeous and it lasted for 20 years. As we're getting older though we're realizing we really do need wheels on our luggage. (especially because the hubby was too stubborn to get a cart and insisted on carrying it and then yelling at me for overpacking *grin*) The problem? First.....I need luggage I can "nest." I live in a highrise and I'm not about to waste too much closet space on luggage. And don't talk to me about using it for storage, because then you have to unpack it before you can pack it for vacations. So....I needed to find pieces that would fit one into another when not in use. They do make these kinds of sets, but many of them looked cheap to me. And, we often go places that require dressing for dinner which means you need a way to pack jackets and dresses so they won't wrinkle so we needed suiters and a garment bag that wasn't too...

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tina257 says "Natural, tasty and without the side effects of most cough syrups" about Olbas Cough Syrup

tina257 — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:34:58 GMT

Recently I caught a bug from some coworkers that left me with a nasty cough. I had no choice but to purchase something to help calm it, but I wanted to avoid Dextromethorphan because of side effects like lightheadedness, drowsiness or nervousness because I needed to go to work. In my quest to find this I discovered Olbas Cough Syrup which consists of wildflower honey, herbal extracts and essential oils. I was a little skeptical at first but decided to try it. What a surprise! The natural antioxidants of this Swiss formula really helped and it's safe enough to use whether you're sick or just need some relief from pollutants. (as someone with a lot of allergies who lives in a big city I can tell you that there's an awful lot in the air that's irritating) I have no problems with taking medicine when I need it, but sometimes these days it almost seems like a lot of "cures" are worse than the disease with all the side effects they have.

Among the ingredients are thyme and pine...

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tina257 says "Money back for things you're buying anyway" about ebates.com

tina257 — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:08:07 GMT

I do so much shopping online these days since I can generally find exactly what I'm looking for in a lot less time than it would take me to check out a lot of different stores. Living in Manhattan I have access to a lot of great stores, but not always in the same location since we don't have the big malls found in the suburbs. And though a bus or a subway will generally get people most places faster than driving anyway, it can waste a lot of time to have to be traipsing all over town. It can be especially frustrating to go to a place I know usually carries an item just to find out they need to restock. On the other hand, it's extremely convenient for me to have items delivered. Because of my online shopping, I've become a fan of coupon codes and rebates since they're an added benefit and easy to take advantage of on the net. And that's how I came across Ebates.com. I have saved hundreds of dollars on things I would have bought anyway. It's not one of those come-ons that...

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tina257 says "I had no desire to read this book, but I'm so glad I did. " about Memoirs Of A Geisha

tina257 — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:52:38 GMT

This review is a little late, because I initially had no desire to read this book. I picked it up while in a bookstore on a whim because it was on sale and I've had a fascination with tales of Japanese culture since I first read Shogun when I was young. I was immediately hooked just reading the first couple of pages. The pace is quick and if drama is conflict then this is just loaded with drama. I found myself so wrapped up in this young woman's story I couldn't put it down, There was something almost lyrical about it as well as having a depth of emotion as it followed her from her early and brief childhood in a fishing village to being sold into slavery to the okiya where she is to learn how to become a geisha. Sayuri is a protagonist in a world that is now vanished, but she brings it to life for us in full color. I'm not generally a fan of love stories but this one is wrapped in history and culture the way Sayuri is wrapped in kimonos, rich and detailed and layered, and my...

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tina257 says "Yummy treat without too many calories" about Sharon's Sharon's Mixed Berry Sorbet

tina257 — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:39:41 GMT

In my quest to keep my calorie intake reasonable while not denying myself the yummier things in life I came across Sharon's Mixed Berry Sorbet. Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Water, Cane Sugar, Lemon Juice and Pectin are the only ingredients in the Mixed Berry flavor and it's only 90 calories a half cup. They pride themselves on their recipes saying "If you can't eat any ingredient in it's raw form it will not go into our sorbet." Their other flavors also include Raspberry, Strawberry, Mango, Lemon, Blueberry, Passionfruit, Coconut and Dutch Chocolate and most of them range from about 75 - 90 calories a serving, although the Chocolate and Coconut are higher. And you can find them in the supermarket. They also make great frozen drinks, with or without alcohol! Check out their recipe page online.

Sometimes I just HAVE to have something sweet and these are also very refreshing, especially when I'm craving something higher calorie like ice cream. (I go nuts over...

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tina257 says "Comfort for aching feet that do a lot of walking" about Profoot Toe Beds

tina257 — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:00:01 GMT

I have started putting Profoot Toe Beds in all my shoes. Although the style has changed from the original material to a gel, (and there are places online where you can still find the original if you prefer) they still take a lot of pressure off the ball of the foot and they also cradle the bottom of the toes unlike a lot of cushions that only cover the ball of the foot. They're easy to find online and I find they really make all my shoes more comfortable, especially since I do a lot of walking on concrete streets. Because the gel version is clear, you can even put them in the bottom of sandals and keep your feet from sliding forward producing that "toe hang" that can occur from a natural weight shift without them being obvious or detracting from the look of the shoe. They can even be trimmed to fit, though I haven't needed to do that myself. I use them for help with several problems as they relieve the burning sensation on the bottom of the foot that can come from too much...

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tina257 says "An easy way to get health benefits" about Mega-T Green Tea Chewing Gum

tina257 — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:25:11 GMT

We've all heard a lot about the health benefits of green tea. It has anti-oxidant properties believed to help prevent cancer and other diseases and it's touted to increase endurance and metabolism. But you have to drink an awful lot of tea to get the benefits. They're still arguing, but it seems you'd need between four and ten cups a day. I'm a coffee drinker. I like a little green tea now and again, but there's no way I could drink even four cups a day. I can, however, chew a few pieces of Mega-T green tea gum. It's sugar free, which means it's also good for your teeth when you can't brush since chewing gum without sugar can produce saliva which helps oral health. I like to keep some in my desk at work for this reason. It tastes good and the flavor lasts awhile, more than regular gum if you ask me. And each piece purportedly delivers the benefits of one cup of green tea. I find it also helps me to avoid eating in between meals. I pop a piece when I get cravings. ...

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tina257 says "Bloody, Brilliant" about Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

tina257 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:07:53 GMT

The older I get, the less I seem to like gore, but for all the talk about the blood in this flick I must be desensitized somewhat because I found myself far more affected by the emotional pain Johnny Depp brought to the character than by the scenes of throat cutting. I didn't think it was even in the same leagues with all the flicks out there today that seem to revel in how many different ways you can destroy a human body since it was so rich in character and had what I found to be a rather heartwrenching plot. Granted, unlike the play where the violence is "off in the distance", the movie shows it "up close and personal." (and...in all fairness to the movie it is said that half the audience walked out on opening night on Broadway because they thought it was violent, too) But what made me get that sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach was not the physical violence (although I must admit that the thought of grinding up human bodies for pies brings my bile up a bit) but the emotions behind......

tina257 says "Nice selection....but beware" about ebags.com

tina257 — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:36:01 GMT

I've spent a lot of money at ebags, including over a thousand dollars on luggage, but because of the problems I probably won't be shopping there again. When they shipped my luggage to the wrong address (nowhere near my own) I felt it was just one of those mistakes. At the time, the customer service representative that dealt with me was so helpful that I forgave a lot. They did correct the problem and the luggage was retrieved and delivered to me, though the boxes had been opened and things like my packing slips (and I'm not sure if any other small items that were supposed to come with the luggage) were now gone. It was more trouble to send it back, so I kept it because they offered me a discount on the next order. Okay, things happen. I ordered again because I got a great customer service agent....he even followed up on the problem to make sure I received the luggage....but he was the last great customer service agent I got.

One of the times I ordered, they were offering...

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tina257 says "Makes it easier to be healthy" about Sparkpeople.com

tina257 — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:51:43 GMT

I'm a size 10 but I've been battling weight my whole life. I was a fat baby and a fat kid and since high school I've tried to maintain a healthier weight but it's been a lifelong struggle. If I don't exercise and eat right, I balloon up quickly. The problem is that we frequently eat at good restaurants on the weekends and I'm a sensualist at heart and food and drink is part of that. I'm also getting older and my metabolism, which was never great to begin with, is slowing down even more so I have to be conscious of maintaining some kind of healthy balance. And last year, an injury caused me to have to stop exercising temporarily and I noticed my clothes getting tight. Trying to get back into it was like this great weight pressing down on me. Then I found Spark People which makes it much easier to be conscious of what I'm eating and encourages me to exercise regularly. It's got great recipe ideas (We go out on the weekends but I cook at home during the week when my husband...

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tina257 says "Like the product, but I'm tired of overcharges" about NuGlow

tina257 — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:30:33 GMT

I'll leave my original review here since I do like the product, but I'm really tired of having to spend hours on the phone correcting overcharges. Mistakes happen, but the reluctance of companies to correct them without pressure really irks me. They show a record of my original call, but the representative only noted part of it. Since then I guess I was being a little too reasonable instead of being pushy. The squeaky wheel gets the oil as they say. They show no record of any of the other calls I made when I realized that the mistake was never corrected though I was repeatedly assured it would be. I finally INSISTED on speaking to a supervisor who was willing (after several hours) to issue me a credit for HALF the overcharges, though they admit I was correct in how far back I was actually overcharged. Nice scam if you can pull it off. Overcharge the customer, tell them you'll get it fixed, and then when you eventually do fix it only offer them half of the overcharge. ...

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tina257 says "A great place to find the best hotels" about Five Star Alliance

tina257 — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:56:52 GMT

This site was recommended to me by a coworker and I found the best service I ever had because of it. I combine my research on this site with tripadvisor.com and between the two you can't go wrong. Unfortunately, it's not for everyone since the hotels listed here do not tend to be "bargains" but if you're willing to spend a little more for quality you can find upscale hotels and resorts all over the world and it's easy to navigate. And you can check prices without accidently "committing" to anything, unlike some sites where you have to be careful that you're not booking without realizing it.

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tina257 says "Connect with other pet people and help at the same time" about Zootoo

tina257 — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:47:36 GMT

As the site says "Every click helps a pet." You can connect with other pet owners, read and write reviews and help shelters at the same time. If you're a pet owner or just love animals, this is a site which will allow you offer opinions and meet others like yourself and read some interesting pet related articles. You can also choose your favorite shelter from a list and your points will go toward helping that shelter....

tina257 says "For recommendations you can trust" about Wine Library

tina257 — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:41:16 GMT

My Italian heritage must be coming to the surface more in my old age because, though I've always liked a drink or two when dining out, I have truly begun to appreciate a good wine. Unfortunately, I really don't know much about wine beyond knowing whether I like it or not. I seem to have a pretty good palate though, but that requires actually buying it first or going to a tasting somewhere. I discovered Wine Library by accident when I wanted to order a bottle to give to a friend and truly came to appreciate their recommendations. The site is easy to navigate and even has a category for high scoring wines which has become my favorite to check, many of which are very reasonably priced and fit my budget. I haven't ordered one yet that didn't live up to the hype and signed up for emails from them pointing out those they think are worth checking out. There's also a video section called "Wine Library TV" that you can watch online for more information. So, if you like good...

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tina257 says "Easy as pie" about The Animal Rescue Site

tina257 — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:08:06 GMT

Where else can you do so much good with so little effort? And unlike some charities, all the sponsor donations go directly to the charity here. It takes just a second to click and have food and care donated to needy animals. (and, from this site, you can also access some other worthy sights that donate food and services with just a few clicks) I make it a point to go here every day that I sign onto the computer....

tina257 says "I have recommended this site to many friends" about TripAdvisor

tina257 — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:03:44 GMT

I LOVE this site. I'm one of those people who spends a lot of time researching places to travel and places to stay or visit when I get there, the research is part of the fun for me. Trip Advisor has become a site I visit regularly, even when I'm not traveling. It's great to hear the views and recommendations of others. Sure, you have to take some things with a grain of salt and/or decide who's speaking and whether they are likely to share your tastes, but you can read both the good and the bad here to help you make an informed choice. Best of all, you can see not only the photos the hotel wants you to see but the candid shots that really show you what a place looks like. You can also ask questions on their forums. This site is like having a lot of personal travel agents helping you....

tina257 says "I love the way this leaves my skin" about Nivea Body Reshaping Treatment with Q10 and Active Soy Extract, Two Tubs 10 oz

tina257 — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:45:53 GMT

I didn't realize how much I liked this product until I stopped using it and tried some others. It's not greasy nor does it leave my skin feeling too "tight" and it does not have a funny or strong smell to it that some have. I have a problem with my skin since it tends to react adversely by breaking out or getting rashes with some products that are meant for aging skin yet I do need extra moisture at my age. I do not have any problems with Nivea. I didn't realize how well this product smoothed my skin until I temporarily switched to something else and eventually starting developing that dimply look that indicates cellulite. Needless to say, I'm back to Nivea Reshaping Treatment and my skin is looking smooth and feeling soft again. It absorbs well and leaves my skin feeling natural and my husband commenting on how great it feels and the dimples are gone. ...

tina257 says "Treated like Royalty" about Royal Plantation - Ocho Rios, Jamaica

tina257 — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:24:20 GMT

I didn't think anything could compare to a Four Seasons for service, but apparently I was wrong as RP lives up to its reputation for service and truly makes you feel "Royal." It's all about customer service here.

The mantra here seems to be "Anything you want....anything at all" and I've never seen people try so hard to live up to it. EVERYONE here, from top to bottom, not only goes out of their way to please you but it's done with such style and such a pleasant and empathetic demeanor that I'd have to say it's one of the best trained staffs I've ever seen. There's never a sense that people are grudgingly doing their jobs, they all treat you as if it's a true pleasure to serve and as if they owned a piece of it themselves, the way those at a family owned business would. And the resort itself follows suit in all ways showing great attention to every little detail with those little details adding up to a spectacular "big picture." The rooms are wonderful, the public areas beautiful, the grounds...

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