Woodchucks Summer Cider

I love hard cider and lately that’s the only alcoholic drink I’ve been wanting.  So when I was as the liquor store last I picked up Woodchucks Summer Cider.  Now I have really enjoyed all the woodchucks I’ve had so I was really excited to try this version however it was not so good. The flavor was sickeningly sweet and didn’t really have an apple flavor.  The box says it is made with blueberries but I couldn’t really pick out any specific flavor just a really really syrupy sweet flavor and texture.

I hate to say bad things about a company that I enjoy normally but this was just an epic fail in my opinion.  My sister took the 5 remaining bottles to a dinner party and people there drank them so maybe it is just me, and my husband, and my sister…

Woodchucks Summer Cider, image from Woodchucks website

Woodchucks Website

The Chocolate Cafe

I know I have not been on here for a while but between finals and starting summer classes my life has been very crazy.  However I’m back and I’m trying to get in the groove of posting.  Anyhow, Alex and I went out with two of our friends last night and went to The Chocolate Café. We’ve been here quite a few times and we have always had a great experience. The people workers are nice and the food is delicious.  Every time we go I feel like I’m in a French café and I’m going to ride off into the sunset on a moped. The only downside is the food is seems pricey however it really isn’t that bad. Also most of it is stuff that I feel like do not possess the skills to make, and that’s when I tend to feel okay about spending a bit more money.   Last night Alex and I shared the Chocolate Raspberry Torte and it was so good, like criminally good.

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

I feel like this isn’t a great review because describing something as criminally good isn’t such a great description.  However almost all their stuff is amazing rich and velvety and great!  I did say almost though. On one our trips there we did try the chocolate ravioli and it wasn’t so great, they were more like chocolate wantons and just pretty meh. So I’d skip those but go for anything else we’ve tried most of the menu and it’s great.

Also if it’s during the school year I would call and make a reservation just so you’re sure to have a seat. We have always just called the day of generally with in like 30-60 minutes of when we want to go, so it’s not a big deal just a good idea.

4.5 stars

The Chocolate Cafe

102 W. Olive, Fort Collins, CO

Starbucks Refreshers

It’s that time of the school year again, finals time. For myself and most college students this ends up entailing lots of sleepless nights or general sleep deprivation.  This also often requires some amount of caffeine intake, and for me personally it does not take much caffeine for me to get crazy jitters since I cut it almost completely out of my diet.  When we saw Starbucks had come out with their new Refreshers line I thought it couldn’t hurt to try them out, especially if it could help with my finals cramming. Also there was a try one free coupon in the paper so I was even more game to try them.

Refreshers use some of Starbucks new patient pending technology that extracts caffeine and other compounds from unroasted green coffee and then they blend that extract with fruit juice, B vitamins, and ginseng and put it in a sparkling water base. The Refreshers do have stevia leaf extract in them so I was somewhat concerned because I think that stevia frequently makes the back of my mouth taste like toothpaste.  However I was presently surprised that I did not have an adverse taste experiences with these drinks.

Starbucks Refreshers come in three flavors Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Pomegranate, and Orange Melon and are contain 25 percent juice. They are 12 ounces, 60 calories per can, and have 13 grams of sugar. The Strawberry Lemonade is by far the best flavor in my opinion it taste more like strawberry than lemonade but it is sweet without being too sweet.  Orange Melon has a light orange flavor with just a hint of melon, it is not my favorite however because I personally prefer a much stronger orange flavor.  The Raspberry Pomegranate is my least favorite. In my opinion it tastes very much like a diet drink, I am not sure if it is the way the pomegranate mixes with the sodium in the carbonated water or the way the stevia extract mixes with the pomegranate flavor but whatever it is it does not jive into a great flavor. So the Raspberry Pomegranate is nothing that I would ever have again even if you gave it to me.

I had maybe one and a half cans today and I can totally feel the caffeine though Starbuck website does not say how much caffeine is in each can so if you have caffeine sensitivity you may want to avoid these.  Because even though I have a lower tolerance it is not that low so I am guessing that these do have a fair amount of caffeine in them.

Final thoughts: The Starbucks Refreshers are okay, however if I had not had a coupon for them I would not have gotten them, and on that note I do not think I will repurchase them again.  However if I was to get them again I would pick up the Strawberry Lemonade flavor.  Also I would keep it to one can next time because these jitters totally suck.

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2.5 stars

Starbucks Refreshers

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters

I love color on my lips but I don’t like how some lipsticks leave your lips SUPER dry. Around the holidays Revlon introduced their Colorburst Lip Butters and immediately the buzz around them started (they are now part of Revlons permanent collection). Since I knew bright lips where on trend for the coming season I asked for a tube for Christmas to give it a try, and I was instantly in love them.  Revlon has 20 shades ranging from light and natural to bold and wild. The packaging is nice because the top is clear so you can see the color in the tube and the I’ve found that the color in the tube is very similar to the color on your lips. I personally have one in the shade Lollipop which is a really pretty fuchsia color (surprise fuchsia works really well on light skin tones). The consistency of these are very much like a lip balm but have a color pay off more like a lipstick, and leave your lips very moisturized. Unlike some glosses they are not too thin and slick nor are they too thick and goopy, I was honestly shocked by this because so many lip products tend to fall into one of those categories.  They are very soft though so don’t leave them in a hot car or you will have a hot mess.  Also the color doesn’t really last through eating so you will have to reapply after a meal but over all I totally think the lip butters are worth the cost and I will be repurchasing this color as well as picking up some new shades. Personally I have my eye on Cherry Tart and Raspberry Pie.

4 stars

Revlon Lip Butters

Woolite Stomp ‘n Go

Do you ever have those messes where, as soon as it happens, all you can think is, “How am I going to get that stain out?” I had that happen this weekend when my dog knocked a cup of pink lemonade off the table on to the carpet. No one was near it, and then it was on the floor… I’ve got no idea. I went to get some water and towels and my husband grabbed a package of Woolite Stomp ‘n Go pads that he’d bought a couple months earlier.  I had already flushed the stain with water and sopped up most of the liquid when he got back with the pads.  I was freaking out a bit because the carpet was still noticeably pink.

We opened up the pads and realized they were kind of small- about 4 inches by 8 inches.  We needed   three pads to cover the spill.  To use the pads, you just unfold them, place them on the carpet and stomp on them with your shoes on.  Then, you leave the pads on top of the stain for 30 minutes.  When you remove them, the stain is supposed to be gone.  Before the pads the spill had left staining in 2 areas, a larger spot and a smaller spot.  After 30 minutes, the smaller spot was gone and the larger was lighter but still noticeable.  We put the pads back on the larger spot for a bit longer.  I went off to school and my husband forgot about the whole thing.  When I came home 3 hours later, I found the pads still on the floor… but when I removed them, there was no stain at all!  It looked like new carpet, and the pads were still wet with cleaner.

I’m not sure how long you really need to leave the pads on for tougher stains, but I was really glad they worked so well.  The box comes with 5 individually wrapped pads and it’s about 5 dollars retail. There are coupons that you can find and they do come on sale, so you can save quite a bit of money that way.  Still, I’d say it’s worth the cost.

4.5 stars

Woolite Stain Remover

Philadelphia Milk Chocolate Indulgence

After seeing Philadelphia Indulgence advertised on television, I decided to give it a try.  My grocery store only had the milk chocolate variety in stock but Kraft also makes a dark chocolate and white chocolate variety.  The container says it’s a chocolate cream cheese spread, though trying it I didn’t find anything cream cheese about it.  Texturally I found it a little strange, it was almost a little gelatinous as you can see in the video below.

In your mouth, it does have a very creamy cool feeling.  The flavor is…okay. It taste like chocolate but it’s not a strong flavor. I tried it on both pretzels and strawberries.  On the pretzels it wasn’t a strong enough flavor to pair with the pretzel taste.  It was chocolaty for a second, then it just tasted like pretzel, maybe it’s because I was using a pretzel rod but it just wasn’t doing it for me flavor wise.  On the strawberry it was much better. The chocolate flavor paired nicely with the sweet acidity of the strawberry but I would rather just eat a strawberry. I think they are sweet enough on their own.

Strawberry

Final thoughts: Philadelphia Milk Chocolate Indulgence is good but it cost about 3 dollars for an eight ounce container.  I just don’t think that it is worth the cost.  I wish that there was a recipe that I could use it in, I think it would be good for that more so than just using it as a dip.  I do not think I will purchase this again unless I find a good recipe to use it in

2.5 stars

 

 

 

Kraft Website

 

Indulge

My family isn’t big on birthday cake.  I don’t think I’ve had a regular cake in at least 5 years. So this year for my sisters’ birthday we went to Indulge a local gem that focuses on Mediterranean desserts. Indulge’s selection of deserts is very large and seems to have something for any pallet.  I don’t think I’ve found anything there that I don’t like.  Though most of it is very very sweet (and by very very I mean you may need an insulin shot if you are not careful about the amount that you are eating) that being said there are a few items that are not so sweet specifically a sesame fudge.  Other than sweets if you are into coffee Indulge is the place to go to try some different blends.  The have a Turkish coffee with cardamom that is wonderful.

Every time I’ve I have been into Indulge they have not been very busy which is surprising because of how good their products are, their great customer service, and their yelp reviews, 4.5 stars overall. Indulge is on Oak Street next to Jay’s Bistro so while it’s not in the main downtown stretch isn’t not far and totally worth the walk over.  The only gripe I have with Indulge is it is on the pricey side however I do not possess the skills or knowledge to make these deserts so I’m willing to pay more for the items but it is a place that I only go on date nights or birthdays or other special occasions.

Hours: Monday-Thursday: 11-8 and Friday-Saturday: 11-10

All pictures are from Yelp

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4 stars

Update on Stone Cold Capitol Color

I will be the first to tell you, I’m rough on my nails.  I was a “tom-boy” growing up and though I’ve grown to love fashion and makeup, I’m still a rough and tumble kind of gal.  However, when my nail polish is this chipped less than 24 hours, and I haven’t done much of anything, I’m left feeling pretty disappointed.

chipped polish

I painted my nails in the evening, let them totally dry and by one the next afternoon they looked like this.  On my ring finger I have “Smoke and Ashes”. That color had been on my nails with only a tip touch up for about 5 days, without a top coat.  My other fingers had stone cold without a top coat, for less than 24 hours.

 

This chipping really bums me out. I love the color and the finish, and I was really excited about it.  I will wear this polish again, because I paid a pretty penny for it.  However, it’s a color that I will use only for going out, and I’ll put it on right before I leave.  One good thing that I can say about this polish is that it dries very very quickly.  This is great for me, but I know it can be hard if you tend to take time when polishing your nails.

*Another thought-If you use a top coat it I’m sure it probably won’t chip as badly, however I prefer the finish without a glossy top coat.*

Capitol Colors

China Glaze just recently came out with a nail polish line called “Capitol Colors” and I couldn’t be more excited as it blends to things that I love: Nail Polish and The Hunger Games.  Since the movie opens this weekend I thought I’d do a review of the 5 colors I’ve bought from the line.  Now if you have somehow missed the Hunger Games mania let me fill you in real quick, The Hunger Games is a  book series that follows heroine Katniss through her televised battle in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games involve 24 contestants (1 boy and 1 girl from each of the 12 districts of N.America) fighting to the death in order to remind the people that the capitol holds the power to crush them. Personally I think The Hunger Games series is the one of the best series I’ve ever read, it’s provocative and engaging, forcing the readers to think about everything from politics to love.

On to the nail polish line.  I bought 5 of the 12 colors (one color for every district): Luxe and Lush (District 1-Luxury); Stone Cold (District 2-Masonry); Harvest Moon (District 9-Grain); Agro (District 11-Agriculture); Smoke and Ashes (District 12-Mining).

smoke and ashes

Right now I’m wearing Smoke and Ashes which is a black nail polish with small bits of green and silver flecks. Personally I love this color and that it’s not a flat black but it’s also not a glitter explosion black

 

 

 

Agro

Agro is another polish that applies really nicely and if done evenly only really needs one coat of nail polish. Color wise it is a fall green with gold flecks leaving it with a metallic finish.

 

 

 

stone cold without top coat

Stone Cold reminds me of pencil lead which sounds strange but I really like it.  This is a matte color with a lot of glitter which sound very counter intuitive, but it looks amazing. If you don’t like the matte look you can apply a top coat and add quite a bit of shine and seems to really change the color.  However since this is a matte polish it can easily get an overly thick application so really wipe the excess of the brush before you start.  *Note when you take this off you will have serious glitter spreading onto your hands.

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon is a gold and copper color that I am in love with, it’s probably my favorite.  The depth that the polish has is really nice however it can get a little thick on the nail tip (I don’t know why this is but I’ve had that issue with other China Glaze polishes as well), just be aware when you’re putting it on and you should be fine.  *Note when you take this off you will have serious glitter spreading onto your hands.

 

Luxe over purple

Finally Luxe and Lush: I have really mixed feelings on this one.  I love the color; I haven’t seen a polish like this in a while. It has irradiant flakes of orange pink and blue.  However the formula is crazy thick, and when my sister used it the polish chipped off right away, maybe with a really strong top coat you wouldn’t have this issue, but I haven’t tried it.

 

Special thanks to my husband who let me use his nails to model most of these colors.

China Glaze Capitol Colors

Lush Shampoo Bar “Soak and Float”

Lush Tin

This winter’s weather has done a number on my skin, especially on my scalp. The swings from warm to bitter cold have left my scalp dry and itchy.  While on a trip to Boulder my family and I popped into a Lush store. I’ve been hearing all about the wonders of Lush products from various people I follow online.  Lush uses natural products that are really high quality, so I was excited to see if they had something to help address this issue I was having.

When my family and I walked in I was immediately struck by the prompt warm greeting from the sales woman.  She asked if we had been in before (none of us had) and invited us to try out some of their beauty products. After a full face treatment, watching a bath bar demo and getting an arm massage with their amazing massage bars, we were all feeling quite pampered, and my mom wanted to open a Lush franchise back in Portland, Maine (where she is currently residing).

Wandering around the store I walked past a stand of what looked like very dull soap bars.  Upon closer inspection I saw that they were shampoo bars.  Low and behold, the one named “Soak and Float” was for itchy dry scalps.  I grabbed it; I was in such desperate need for something to deal with my itchy scalp but I didn’t want to dump a ton of chemicals on my head. The sales woman also suggested I invest in a metal tin to store the bar- since the shampoo bars are preservative free and can easily melt away if they sit in moisture. She told me that one circle around my head would let it lather up to the amount I needed to wash my hair.

When I got home, I hopped in the shower right way and got to shampooing.  I was immediately struck by the intense campfire smell.  Luckily that’s a smell I enjoy.  Of course I didn’t believe that one swipe around my head would be enough shampoo, so I did about three and also lathered up the ends of my hair.  Turns out the sales lady wasn’t lying.  One swipe would have been more than enough, because I ended up with enough lather to wash my hair two or three times as well as wash my body. When I got done shampooing I did find myself using a little more conditioner than usual but post shower there was a distinct difference in the way my head felt- no itching. Surprisingly for as strong as the shampoo smelled while I was using it there was only a very faint smell of campfire in my hair.  My bathroom on the other hand smelled like I’d had a couple campfires going in the tub.

When I got out of the shower I dried my shampoo bar off with a little bit of toilet paper and set it on its side in the dry tin to finish drying. When that was done I laid it down in the case and closed it up which helped clear up the intense campfire smell in my bathroom.

The only downside to the whole Lush experience is that I really felt like the lady had spent so much time with us I didn’t feel like I could leave without buying something. Also the shampoo bar retails for 10.95 which seems expensive. However my husband and I have used it about 42 times since we purchased it, and I think there are at least another 20 uses in it.  Also it really helped the issues that I was having. Over all I do think it was worth the cost. I will repurchase a shampoo bar and probably some other Lush products.

Unfortunately I got a little over zealous when drying my shampoo and snapped it in half, now it's like pac man!

4.5 stars

Soak and Float Product Page

Lush Website