Reviews by twinklefactor

twinklefactor says "Why wait for the newspaper for the Black Friday sales?" about Gottadeal.com

twinklefactor — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:20:27 GMT

I can't tell you enough how much I love the Black Friday section of Gottadeal.com! I learned about this website 3 years ago from Good Morning America and I've used it ever since. The main website provides tons of coupon codes for your yearly shopping, but they have a section devoted entirely to those fabulous sales on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving). It is the biggest shopping day of the year, and retailers "horde" their Black Friday ads to build up momentum for their release. Gotta Deal's black Friday site actually publishes the ads in advance so you can get a jump start on where you will shop for all your Christmas gifts. They publish major retailers too: Best Buy, Sears, Macys, JC Penny, and Home Depot. They also publish information about stores like Express, Gap, Linen and Things, Victorias Secret, and so on. You can learn about freebies, early birds, quantity of certain items, and a ton of other stuff. Plus, I love the wacky people who post in the community and get excited over......

twinklefactor says "Walmart won't receive another red cent from me!" about Walmart - All locations, Nationwide

twinklefactor — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:59:27 GMT

(This review will also appear, almost verbatim, on a review of the movie Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price)

I couldn't sleep last night and was up late with nothing on the tube. I found Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price OnDemand and decided to watch it. To be honest, I'm half upset I did, as it changed my prospective of the retailer entirely. The movie was extremely interesting and followed the various effects that Walmart has on the local, national, and global economies. It begins with interviews of "mom and pop" shop owners who were snuffed out of their 50-year-old businesses when Walmart rolled into town, and how the chain has affected their livelihood and lives as a whole. It also talks, in depth, with former Walmart employees at various levels on the "food chain." Some of the statistics were eye-opening. Did you know that the benefits package offered to Walmart employees is so poor that Walmart suggests to their employees that they seek government assistance? Some of the topics......

twinklefactor says "This movie opened my eyes and changed my prospective of Walmart" about Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price

twinklefactor — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:53:30 GMT

I couldn't sleep last night and was up late with nothing on the tube. I found Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price OnDemand and decided to watch it. To be honest, I'm half upset I did, as it changed my prospective of the retailer entirely. The movie was extremely interesting and followed the various effects that Walmart has on the local, national, and global economies. It begins with interviews of "mom and pop" shop owners who were snuffed out of their 50-year-old businesses when Walmart rolled into town, and how the chain has affected their livelihood and lives as a whole. It also talks, in depth, with former Walmart employees at various levels on the "food chain." Some of the statistics were eye-opening. Did you know that the benefits package offered to Walmart employees is so poor that Walmart suggests to their employees that they seek government assistance? Some of the topics discussed were unbelievable. It also takes a look at the Walmart factory in China. I can imagine that there......

twinklefactor says "Cleans great and multi-functional!" about Kenmore Progressive Canister Vacuum with Pet PowerMate

twinklefactor — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:26:16 GMT

I've had a long list of vacuum cleaners. Really. They were mostly "hand-me-down" vacuums that couldn't suck a piece of lint out of the air never mind pull dirt out of the carpet. I purchased this vacuum about a year ago and I'm really pleased with how well it cleans and maintains my home. What I love most about it is its versatility. I've always had upright vacuums and they didn't clean my hardwood floors, so I was stuck pulling out a broom or the swiffer! Because of the different attachments the vacuum also saves me time.

I have microfiber furniture and a dog which equals to lots of hair stuck to everything! This vacuum's attachment pulls the hair right out of the microfiber and leaves my cushions nice a plump. The only downfall is the vacuum is a little loud which is why I didn't give it a "5 Star" rating. Don't try to have a conversation while vacuuming because there will be a lot of "What?!" and "HUH?!" back and forth! Its also a bit clunky, so it occasionally likes to ram itself into...

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twinklefactor says "A wedding blog by real brides for real brides!" about Wedding Bee

twinklefactor — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:52:17 GMT

Wedding Bee is a MUST READ for all brides (current and aspiring!) interested in unique ideas from other brides. What I love most about Wedding Bee, as an industry professional, is the fact that it is written by a variety of real women who are going through the planning process. They share with you a very intimate story of their process, swapping ideas, developing new ones, and recommending products and vendors that they've used. They always manage to choose really interesting and well spoken "bees" who are a fun read!

Be sure to visit and bookmark it!
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twinklefactor says "Stylish, reliable, and good on gas! What more could you need?" about Acura RSX - 2007

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:22:55 GMT

I bought my Acura RSX in 2004 (I got a left over '03 model) after owning two VW's. I could give a very long and thoughtful review, or just tell you in plain and simple english the benefits to owning this car. For the record, it is a manual 5-speed fully loaded NON type S with 79,000 miles.

The Pros:
1.) Gas Mileage. My car gets on average 32-34 miles to the gallon highway. That is beyond impressive!

2.) Stylish and sporty without being juvenile. Staying with the Acura brand, this is a luxurious coupe for the money. It doesn't have the new "bells & whistles" of navigation, blue tooth, and other electronics, but it is still beautifully designed on the interior and exterior. I also feel that with this model they really upped the design into a more sophisticated bracket (a.k.a. less high school!)

3.) I have kept up with the maintenance on this car (oil changes, break changes, tune ups...) and the car has never given me a problem. I have gotten more out of this car in the past years than in previous...

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twinklefactor says "Not as good as department store brands." about L'Oreal Bare Nataurel Mineral Makeup

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:01:15 GMT

L'oreal's mineral makeup was my first introduction into mineral makeup. I didn't want to "splurge" (now looking back, I laugh!) on more pricier and well known products so I gave this a shot. To me, its no different than the other CVS variety powdered make up and didn't give me the results I wanted. The coverage was okay, but didn't last. I didn't like the application brush and found it corse. I've moved on to the higher end of mineral makeup and stand behind those products 100%. I wouldn't recommend this over those, even for the price. For a few extra bucks you can get a lot more!...

twinklefactor says "One stop for planning your wedding!" about Wedding Wire

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:34:23 GMT

WeddingWire is a relatively new site to the wedding market with several different features. Let me begin by saying that I do advertise on this website for my business.

The first feature that this site offers that is worth noting is the design. A LOT of the wedding websites out there are hard to navigate and suffer from what I call 'sensory overload" (i.e. to much information thrown at you at once). WeddingWire is easy to navigate and is also pleasing on the eyes.

The second feature that I like is the local vendor feature. Brides can seek out local wedding vendors, in a variety of categories, and learn more about them. They can also review vendors that they've worked with on their wedding and read reviews from former brides. Wedding Wire also gives you free gift certificates for your reviews!

The third feature is their community feature. Unlike other wedding websites, their message boards and "ask" section are easy to navigate and chalk full of activity. It is not "cliquish" or pretentious......

twinklefactor says "Unpretentious dining and the best food around!" about City Hall Cafe - Waterbury, CT

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:25:06 GMT

This is my new favorite restaurant. The food is excellent and the menu choices range in price and palate. They're specials are always unique and yummy! Besides the food, my fiancee and I love the atmosphere. The restaurant is on the smaller side, but they have plenty of setting. The walls are covered in old pictures of the historic Waterbury -- buildings, attractions, newspaper clippings, and some of Waterbury's famous residents.

City Hall Cafe is affordable and low key. You can find a dark corner in their "pub" like decor and have a romantic dinner for two, or a birthday celebration for ten.
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twinklefactor says "Great for so many different ideas!" about Christmas Tree Shops - Albany, NY

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:16:32 GMT

If you are ever in New England, be sure to schedule a trip to the Christmas Tree Shops. They have a lot of locations and they are listed on their website. You can find virtually anything you need at a below reasonable price. I love the "tree" for weddings especially. Frames, candles, accessories & decorations are all here for a price that'll knock your socks off!...

twinklefactor says "The authority on weddings" about The Wedding Book

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:08:01 GMT

The Wedding Book by celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss is the be all, end all of wedding planning books. Brides, look no further. If you want to plan your wedding and need a full education on how to do it, this is the ONLY book you'll need. Really. It is 485 pages!

As a wedding planner I am "in the know" about everything weddings. This book even taught ME a few things that I didn't know. It is chalk full of useful information and ideas -- from ceremony ideas, traditional customs, to invitation/stationary etiquette, this book as it all!
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twinklefactor says "Don't shop without it!" about RetailMeNot.com

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:01:07 GMT

When I discovered this site about a year ago I was giddy with excitement. First of all the design of the website is A+. I don't shop online or in the store without consulting this website. Why pay full price for things when you can get free shipping, a % off the total price, or other perks? This website is a godsend, especially in this economy. The only downside is some retailers have gotten "wind" of the site and have threatened the owners and demanded their coupon codes be removed.

The best feature is the "user feedback." People can respond as to whether the code works and any encounters they've had, positive or negative, with using the coupons.
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twinklefactor says "Simply the best products I've ever used." about Arbonne NutraMinC RE9 set

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:56:30 GMT

I was introduced to Arbonne because my friend started up her own arbonne consulting business. I am a 26-year-old female with combination skin. I suffer from the occasional breakout and found that, for some reason, I kept breaking out around my mouth right before I started using Arbonne. I realize that people typcially don't buy anti-aging products at my age, but my philosophy is its never too early to reverse the signs of aging! I have also used Clinique and Lancome products since I was in high school.

The first two Arbonne products I used in unison were the body serum and body lotion. They were AMAZING! I use them on my face, neck, clavicals, shoulders, arms, and chest area. I saw results within two weeks. My skin was more vibrant and healthy and it gave me a "glow" that I have not found in other products. I found the smell of the products refreshing! They also didn't "sit" on my skin, but rather, were quickly absorbed and put to work.

The next product I started using was the RE facial scrub.......

twinklefactor says "Fantastic ideas for every bride!" about Style Me Pretty

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:26:21 GMT

Style Me Pretty is a great blog and inspirational tool for all brides. They have wonderful, thoughtful, and researched entries. They're always on top of the hottest wedding trends and industry standards. As an event planner, it is one of my "go to" blogs for the latest in wedding design, planning, and coordination. I recommend it to all my brides and I link it from my own blog!...

twinklefactor says "Really good movie from a non-batman fan!" about The Dark Knight

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:22:52 GMT

For someone who has never seen a batman movie from start to finish AND hardly ever goes to the movies, I really enjoyed this flick. The imagery was invoking, the acting was brilliant, and the storyline interesting. I'm not an expert on batman or the series, just a casual movie goer and someone who usually never enjoys this genre of film. I thought that Heath Ledger's performance was wonderufl, as was the rest of the cast was equally good. I guess I am a fan of the series now, and will likely rent some of the older movies to see what I've been missing!
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twinklefactor says "Exceeds my expectations of what a laptop can do" about Dell XPS M1530 Laptop

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:18:32 GMT

The Dell XPS M1530 exceeds my expectations of what a laptop is capable of. I've always been a desktop user, but found that I needed to branch out for my business. I was skeptical of laptops and always followed the notion that they are not as fast, capable, or reliable as a desktop. Boy - was I wrong! This laptop is better than any desktop I've ever owned!

The reason why I chose this laptop was because I am a graphic designer and I needed something that would allow me to illustrate my designs at top speed. I also use a variety of CAD software (since I am an event planner) and needed something that could handle the often large files.

I upgraded some options on the computer, including putting 4 GB of RAM, upping the hard drive speed, graphics card, and battery. I recommend other customers do the same.
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twinklefactor says "Perfect phone for the small business owner!" about Blackberry - Curve Cell Phone

twinklefactor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:12:06 GMT

I love my blackberry curve. It has all the features I need to keep my day-to-day business communication afloat. I also love the design of the phone -- its sleak and chic! The only issue I have with it is it needs to be rebooted about every 2 weeks or the keyboard goes dead....