Reviews by wildcatkatie

wildcatkatie says "Hotel Iroquois is plucked right from a fairy tale." about Hotel Iroquois - Mackinac Island, MI

wildcatkatie — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:32:44 GMT

My boyfriend surprised me with a trip to Mackinac Island for my 24th birthday. We intended to camp across the lake in Mackinaw City but decided to call a few hotels on our road trip to the island. Hotel Iroquois was the only hotel with vacancy, so we booked a room knowing nothing about the location.

Hotel Iroquois is literally plucked from a fairty tale. It is the perfect, quaint, and romantic location you hear or read about but never find. Every room is decorated differently like a bed & breakfast. The beds are comfortable. The views of Main Street at Mackinac Island - or of Lakes Huron and Michigan - are gorgeous. The location of the hotel is perfect, too. Right on the end of the Main Street strip close to all the fudge shops and boutique shops but far enough away to feel like you're not in the thick of things.

The staff at Hotel Iroquois treated my boyfriend and me like royalty, despite the fact we'd made our reservations hours before arrival. We did not take advantage of the dock greeters,...

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wildcatkatie says "TableTopics keeps the party entertained for hours." about TableTopics

wildcatkatie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:39:08 GMT

My boss introduced me to TableTopics, a conversation starter card game. He gave them out to everyone in our company as a holiday gift last year. I'd heard of TableTopics but never played, and now I'm hooked!

TableTopics is easy to play and everyone is a winner. Just draw a card out of the box, ask the question, and have everyone playing the game answer it! The point is to get entertaining, engaging or just plain silly conversations started at family dinners, parties, on dates, or even on your honeymoon.

Every TableTopics cube has a different theme. There's the Original version with questions about almost every topic you could possibly create. I own the Original game and have found the questions to be both funny and truly meaningful. There's a great variety of topics to discuss from the Original game. I've never played or owned any of the other versions, but I cannot wait to collect them. They include: Decades (60s, 70s, 80s), Girl's Night Out, Gourmet, Family, Teen, Couples, Book Club and...

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wildcatkatie says "Lolita glasses are fun & sassy. They make the perfect gift!" about Lolita Glassware

wildcatkatie — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:54:02 GMT

Lolita - the owner and designer behind Lolita glassware - worked in the fashion industry for the likes of Christian Dior and Donna Karan before starting her very own business, Designs by Lolita, after an inspirational girls' night out in 2001. That night, Lolita realized that glassware should have some flair, and thus began her successful career with Designs by Lolita! (Or so the story goes on her website.)

My first experience with Lolita glassware was in July 2008. I stumbled upon it while perusing the rows and rows of exotic wines at a wine boutique in Chicago. I immediately fell in love with the flirtatious, sassy and often downright cute hand-painted designs. I proceeded to scoop up several different designs that day for my girl friends' birthdays, including Social Butterfly, Wild Child, Flirt and Little Black Dress.

Designs by Lolita paints more than just wine glasses. There are also martini glasses, shot glasses, margarita glasses, pilsner glasses, and even ice cream sundae bowls!...

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wildcatkatie says "Five years later, my JBL Creature still gets the party going." about JBL - Creature

wildcatkatie — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:59:17 GMT

I received my JBL Creature speakers as a high school graduation gift from tech savvy, Apple-loving aunt, uncle & cousins. They know style and quality, so I was thrilled to receive these speakers even though I'd never heard of them.

The JBL Creature speakers have not disappointed me from the day I opened them way back in June 2004. The system includes a subwoofer and two speakers. You connect the speakers to the subwoofer and then connect the subwoofer to your computer. The treble and bass volumes are manually controlled on the subwoofer, and the volume is changed by pressing buttons on one of the speakers. It's that easy. Hardly any assembly required.

The JBL Creature speakers are portable if you want them to be. I have moved these speakers in my home before and taken them to parties with friends, but there are four cords to unplug and reorganize, which is annoying to me. I think I'll invest in a pair of portable speakers - now that they are on the market - and use these only for my computer....

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wildcatkatie says "I wouldn't waste my money on RedTagCrazy, if I were you." about RedTagCrazy

wildcatkatie — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:07:07 GMT

I found out about RedTagCrazy through Viewpoints. I'd had very positive experiences in the past online shopping at bargain sites like Gilt Groupe and Rue La La, so I thought it'd be worth giving RedTagCrazy a chance because the concept behind it intrigued me. Unlike other boutique sites, RedTagCrazy.com sells one item at a time.

I should have been suspicious that I was not getting my money's worth before I bought my first item. RedTagCrazy.com sells many of the same brands I've seen on Gilt Groupe and Rue La La but at an even more severe discount. Typically, I find products on Gilt Groupe and Rue La La for 30-50% off. RedTagCrazy offers them for 50-90% off, and there's a reason! Their products are damaged.

RedTagCrazy's FAQ section states that you should never receive a damaged item, yet I received four damaged items out of six total purchases (see attached pictures for a sample). I was able to return the items for a full refund, but that doesn't excuse sending multiple damaged items. I...

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wildcatkatie says "Helps my dyed color last longer." about TRESemme ColorThrive Shampoo

wildcatkatie — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:27:04 GMT

I dye my hair a darker shade of red in the fall & winter, and I also swim 3 mornings per week. Chlorine is really bad on your hair regardless, but if you're putting dye chemicals in it, too, it can really damage your hair. I used to use a really expensive Aveda product to help hold my dye and keep my hair healthy despite my swimming, but then I found TRESemme ColorThrive. I love it! Even though my stylist said that the chlorine would cause my color to fade within a month (and red dyes fade the fastest), my color held for over three months. This is an inexpensive solution to keeping your hair healthy and radiant despite chemically treating it. The conditioner is great too. It doesn't smell fantastic, but it's not an unpleasant smell. Definitely try it.

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wildcatkatie says "Next time I want some sort of sugar, I'll pick PureVia." about PureVia All Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener

wildcatkatie — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:29:24 GMT

I am not a coffee drinker and typically do not use artificial sugars on my food, but we had some samples of PureVia in the office and so I decided to give it a try after doing a little research on it. I always want to know what I am putting in my body. I'm a health nut.

PureVia is a natural, zero-calorie sweetener that is extracted from stevia plants, a natural herb. Stevia is sweet because of two primary components, one of which is Reb A. Reb A is used in PureVia because it is the sweetest natural part of stevia. It is 200x stronger than real sugar. That is sweet!

So, how did I like PureVia?

I use to eat Splenda straight out of the box like candy, so my initial reaction upon opening my first stick of PureVia was to do the same. That was a bad idea. At first taste PureVia is like a Pixie Stick, but after a couple of seconds I was treated to a very bitter, medicine-like flavor on my tongue. I contemplated trashing the packet right there but decided to give it a second chance. How often will...

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wildcatkatie says "It's good to know there's an airline you can trust out there." about Southwest Airlines

wildcatkatie — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:50:22 GMT

I flew Southwest Airlines for the first time last year but did not fully appreciate their splendid service until recently. Southwest Airlines is the only airline I will fly now that they travel from Chicago Midway airport to Minneapolis and back. (I live in Chicago but my family resides in Minnesota, so I always head home for the major holidays.)

I love how Southwest runs its check-in process. Boarding passes are available online exactly 24 hours prior to departure and throughout the day leading up to your flight. Simply log online, enter your name and confirmation number, and you'll be directed to a page with your boarding information.

You'll be assigned a letter and a number. The letter is your group, the number is your position in the group. If you're A12, you are the twelfth person to board the flight. This is fantastic because seats are first come, first serve on Southwest. At first I was wary of this process (what if I get stuck in between two people who snore, drool and hog the arm...

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wildcatkatie says "Professional salon services for half the price." about Aveda Institute - - Chicago, IL

wildcatkatie — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:21:53 GMT

I'd always wanted to dye my hair but had never summoned the courage to do so. I have naturally red hair and was afraid I'd never get back to my natural color if I dyed it. A few months ago, however, I decided it was time to go a shade darker. (I'll never give up the red!)

I did not want to dye my hair out of the box. I'd tried highlighting my hair out of the box and although it turned out just fine, I did not trust a box to tint my hair the perfect shade of red that I was looking for. Salon services were too far out of my budget, so I decided to try the Aveda Institute in Chicago.

This place is awesome! I cannot believe people pay to go to a professional when they can get the same service for half the cost at the Aveda Institute.

It was easy for me to make an appointment. I showed up at 8:30am and only waited a few minutes for my student (stylist) to call my name. I received complimentary green tea while I waited, which was a great way to start my morning.

My student was very friendly...

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wildcatkatie says "A cute, chic site for all things Chicago." about Cheeky Chicago

wildcatkatie — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:08:46 GMT

I learned about Cheeky Chicago a few months ago from a Northwestern Universtiy alumni enewsletter. The co-founder of the site, Erica, was scheduled to speak on a young alumni panel, and the enewsletter provided a link to her website. I am always looking for fun things to do in Chicago, and I also enjoy surfing social networking sites, so of course I checked it out. Cheeky Chicago has really grown on me!

Cheeky Chicago is female-oriented and attracts the cosmopolitan woman. Think Carrie Bradshaw in the Midwest and on a budget. It caters to a wide variety of lifestyles - theater-goers, foodies, fashionistas, health nuts, etc. There are reviews of hard-to-find Chicago locales and the regular blogs by the featured writers are hilarious and often helpful. They're from some major publications, so you know it's legit (i.e. Glamour, Oprah Winfrey Show, etc).

My favorite part of the site the calendar on the home page. It highlights several different events in the Chicagoland area for every day...

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wildcatkatie says "I can't stop smiling when I listen to Fearless." about Taylor Swift - Fearless

wildcatkatie — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:32:59 GMT

I was never a country music fan. The banjos and twangy voices never appealed to me. My younger sisters finally convinced me to try a dose of country music when I was home for Christmas last year. Taylor Swift made me change my tune!

The Fearless album is one I listen to at least once per week now. Taylor Swift is like any artist and some of her songs resemble one another, but on the whole one of my favorite things about this album is that it is eclectic. There are a variety of different beats and tunes to the songs on Fearless, so I never get bored or skip over songs.

Taylor Swift's music is easy to listen to - and fun! It's impossible not to turn your speakers up to full volume and sing along to the lyrics. The lyrics are very easy for any girl or woman to relate to. Taylor Swift has a way of bridging generational gaps and appealing to people of all backgrounds - even those who swore off country music!

I highly recommend Taylor Swift's Fearless to anyone and everyone. I can't wait to...

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wildcatkatie says "Don't pay for brand name nasal medicine when you can choose CVS." about CVS Non-Drowsy Nasal Decongestant PE

wildcatkatie — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:31:28 GMT

I've suffered from allergies, exercise-induced asthma, and sinus headaches for as long as I can remember. At my peak, I suffered from up to six sinus infections per year for six years (age 17 to 23). I tried all kinds of prescription medications - Levaquin, Zithromax, Amoxicillin - but they never cured my chronic sinusitis. They just helped relieve my symptoms for a few weeks until the next infection cropped up. Finally, last fall I reached my wits end. It was time to find a permanent solution to my problem.

My doctor recommended I try to fight my sinus infections with an over the counter medication instead of prescription. She recommended Sudafed, the brand name for the decongestant psuedoephedrine.

Psuedoephedrine does not work as an antihistamine to reduce allergic reactions, but it does help relieve sinus pressure and headaches. And - IT WORKS!

The CVS brand nasal decongestant contains phenylephrine instead of pseudoephedrine. Most pharmacies do not make decongestants with pseudoephedrine...

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wildcatkatie says "I don't have a beard but I still use Barbasol." about Barbasol Shaving Cream with Soothing Aloe

wildcatkatie — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:40:43 GMT

I use to swear by Skintimate shaving cream until I tried Barbasol by chance last year. I made the unintentional switch to Barbasol when I was at the Big Ten Conference Swimming Championships and forgot to pack my Skintimate gel.

Competitive swimmers go months at a time without shaving. It sounds disgusting (and it was, in my opinion) but it's standard practice. Swimmers want to go their fastest at the end of the season, and it's a mental boost when you shave your legs, dive in to the water and don't feel the drag of millions of little hairs weighing you down. Needless to say, after 6 months or more without shaving, a swimmer needs as much help as he or she can get from shaving cream.

Barbasol should be the official sponsor of USA Swimming, in my opinon! A little more than a quarter-sized squirt is enough to lather up my entire leg. I am 5'8". The shaving cream is thick, so you don't need much to get the job done. I love the aloe gel. It leaves my skin so soft and smooth. It also applies...

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wildcatkatie says "A thought-provoking and heart-wrenching page turner." about Nineteen Minutes

wildcatkatie — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:52:09 GMT

Nineteen Minutes was the first novel by Jodi Picoult that I'd read and I am now a huge fan of her work. I can't wait to get through all of her books!

Ninteen Minutes is a fiction novel about a school shooting at Sterling High School in Sterling, NH. The plot follows the lives of the school shooter, Peter, and his former best friend, Josie, as well as secondary characters, like Josie and Peter's parents, in the after math of the shooting.

I loved Nineteen Minutes because it was thought-provoking and controversial. It also had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. Jodi Picoult makes you really analyze your morals and beliefs during the book. It's easy to relate to all of her characters - even the shooter - because you're bound to have been in their shoes at some point in your life.

I give Nineteen Minutes five stars. It is a sorrowful story with an interesting twist that will have you entranced from beginning to end....

wildcatkatie says "Dressed up or dressed down, I love my GapBody basic leggings." about GapBody basic legging

wildcatkatie — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:17:13 GMT

I love loungewear, and I love making my daytime loungewear looks magically turn in to nighttime, dazzling dress ups. The GapBody basic leggings help me expand my wardrobe and outfit options without shrinking my wallet.

I have bought and worn leggings from a handful of different brands, like Xhilaration (Target) and American Apparel. Although both types have held up nicely through seasonal wear and tear, I can honestly say that the GapBody basic leggings are the most comfortable and affordable for the quality.

I bought the GapBody basic leggings that crop just below the calf, but they are available cropped just below the knee as well. I bought a black pair and a gray pair; they are only available in two colors. They are made from 45% cotton, 44% modal, and 11% spandex.

The cotton is SO soft. The leggings were labeled with Gap's signature "Super Soft" sticker, which is why I picked them up in the first place. I absolutely love how lightweight but warm they are. They're perfect in cooler spring......

wildcatkatie says "If I'm going to wear eye shadow, it's going to be MAC." about MAC Eye Shadow

wildcatkatie — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:19:08 GMT

I'm an "au naturale" type of girl. Most days, I only wear eyeliner and mascara. Part of the reason is I'm constantly putting Visine or a contact refresher in my eyes during the day; the other part is that I am lazy and don't care about covering up my zits, tinting my lips or adding color to my cheeks. I'm pale for a reason (see: my hair color).

That's not to say I don't enjoy looking glamorous for a date or a night out on the town. Special occasions deserve a special look, and when I want to look like a rockstar I turn to MAC eye shadow.

This stuff is frickin' fantastic. MAC eye shadow comes individually sold in tiny circular cases, or you can create your own palette of four colors. The eye shadow is magnetic and clicks right in to the palette - sa-weet! Individually the eye shadow is $14.50; I always purchase the DIY palette because it's a great deal. The exact price of a DIY palette fails me at the moment, but I will update this review when I remember. Just trust me, you want a palette.......

wildcatkatie says "Sensual Amber is my scent of choice any time, any where." about Bath and Body Works Sensual Amber (all products)

wildcatkatie — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:42:08 GMT

It'd been years since I'd bought any lotion from Bath & Body Works when I walked in the store last summer. It's not that I no longer appreciated their products or enjoyed the fresh scents, but I lost touch with my feminine side when I started as a varsity swimmer in college. Whether or not I'd masked the smell of chlorine as I headed out the door for a date was the least of my concerns. Besides, my boyfriend was (is) a swimmer! We reeked together.

Well, I can't pass up a sale, so when I saw Bath & Body Works' huge "Buy 3 Get 2 Free" banner from the window I was not going to disregard it. I was amazed by all the new scents when I started browsing the test lotions, sprays and creams. Sensual Amber in particular appealed to me.

The name is what caught my eye. Sensual Amber brought to my mind words like 'passion,' 'desire' and 'longing.' The scent itself was (and is) delicious. It is musky and very potent. The scent reminds me of a crisp, fresh fall day, but it can definitely be worn all year......

wildcatkatie says "Zyrtec is cheap and pretty effective. I'll take it." about Zyrtec Allergy Medicine

wildcatkatie — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:53:21 GMT

I've suffered from allergies and exercise-induced asthma for approximately 8 years. My medical expenses were covered 100% throughout college because I was a varsity athlete, so it was no surprise that Northwestern doctors prescribed top-notch medication to combat my allergies and asthma. I took Allegra-D, Rhinocort Aqua, Singulair, Albuterol and Flovent daily for almost four years!

Well, athletic retirement was quickly upon me my senior year and I realized that I could not keep up with my expensive prescription medications. I needed a subtitute. Enter: Zyrtec. My college doctor recommended I try Zyrtec because it's prescription strength for over-the-counter prices. I couldn't argue with a deal like that.

I'm allergic to dust, mold and grass. Zyrtec has worked really well for me. I definitely notice if I've forgotten to take my daily dose because I itch like crazy all over my body. By the end of the day, I do notice that some of the medication has worn off. My eyes are itchy and my nose is......

wildcatkatie says "Clorox Disinfecting Wipes keep my kitchen clean and me healthy." about Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

wildcatkatie — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:43:09 GMT

I've used Clorox Disinfecting Wipes to clean for as long as I can remember. The wipes are pre-moistened with disinfectants and other cleaners. All you have to do is pull them out of their packaging and go to town cleaning!

The wipes come in four varieties: lemon, lavendar, fresh scent and orange. There is also a to-go package that's perfect for the car, office or other small space. You get 35 wipes in a standard container, but they are also available in bulk at stores like Costco and Sam's Club. I'd recommend pruchasing them in mass quantities; you will use them frequently and to clean everything!

I did not know until looking on the Clorox website that you should let the surfaces you are cleaning soak for a certain amount of time after wiping them with Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. Sanitization occurs after 30 seconds, while total disinfecting happens after 4 minutes. You should follow these instructions to get the full benefits of the cleaners.

There are two things I do not like about these......

wildcatkatie says "I'm nice and cozy thanks to my Sunbeam electric blanket." about Sunbeam Electric Blanket - queen size

wildcatkatie — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 02:23:31 GMT

I've never owned an electric blanket before, so I was very excited when I opened up a box containing a dark green Sunbeam electric blanket this Christmas.

My Sunbeam electric blanket is a queen size. A single controller is attached to a very long cord that runs in to the end of and spreads throughout the entire blanket. Two buttons, marked appropriately "on" and "off," are noticeabley labeled on the top of the controller. The knob dial turns left and right to adjust the heat levels of the blanket. Level 1 is the coolest; Level 10 is the warmest.

I live in Chicago and don't like to pay expensive heat bills in the winter; the Sunbeam electric blanket is perfect for frigid nights in a poorly heated and drafty apartment. I keep the blanket running between Level 7 and 10 and never find myself too hot or too cold. I do get a little too warm when I pile a down comforter and fleece blanket on top of the Sunbeam and leave it on any level over than Level 5. Normally, I keep my Sunbeam on top of my......