New York City Reviews

Otto This is one of Mario Batali's restaurants. I had high hopes for it which more often then not is a let down. I had envisioned putting the most amazing pizza in my mouth that would bring me back to Italy. All I got was "good". The bathrooms were horrid (peeling paint, and smaller then an out house). The wine was fantastic but it took up the entire menu. THE ENTIRE menu. I didn't finish my goat cheese pizza because I thought it "needed something", and the prosciutto arugula was good but not as good as the place in CT that we get from.

Fuerza Bruta We saw this show at a discounted price which made it well worth it. You MUST coat check everything (including pocket books) because you are standing the entire time, AND (this is my only major complaint)--they make you move around the theatre like a herd of cattle which nobody is ever fond of. The show itself was interesting. Weird. None of us figured out what it was about, but cool none the less. I would certainly recommend it for a different experience, and certainly for a discounted price.

Dashing Divas fantastic nail place. Although you can find AWESOME deals in the city for a mani'/pedi for under $30, this place has a touch of class to it. The hand you a menu to choose from, and their diva pedicure that removes callouses is GREAT. My friend also got the virtual nails done and they came out fabulous. I highly recommend this place, even for the extra change.

Fat Witch Brownies Best Brownies ever made!!! Seriously ...the BEST. You can even order them online!!!!

Chelsea Market I am sad to say that when I lived in NYC I had never been to this place. Now when I visit I don't go without checking it out. It is also home to the above studios of the Food Network. Which explains why you can get the best of everything to eat downstairs. I also love the rustic feel. A must see when in NYC.

Crumbs I used to have one of these that was located in my neighborhood and I rarely went. I just thought "what is the big deal about cupcakes?" I can now tell you what the big deal about cupcakes is...Crumbs. They rock.

Cosi great place for a quick, affordable lunch. However don't count on them having everything in stock on the weekends!

Mesa Grill I love Bobby Flay. I mean the king of the grill! This has been around the third or forth time I have been here. Quite frankly, every time I go I get myself all psyched up and it is never a "blow my socks" off meal. The calamari was awesome. The filet mignon was over cooked (I asked for medium rare and got back well done), which was disappointing with the price that it was. The coconut cake was out of this world. The cake knocked my socks off. I do love this place, but I loved his other place Bolo (which closed in NYC) about 100% better.

New Jersey Gardens Hate how most outlets are outdoor shopping and it is just way to cold? Here is the place for you. Easy to get to off the highway, great variety of stores and outlets, and clean!

Things I LOVE This Month: November 2009

COFFEE FIX:
It was only the start of November when I walked into Starbucks and saw this on a sign:

A Gingerbread Latte! Something I wait all year to arrive again! I nearly leaped over the counter in delight and said "do you mean I can have a gingerbread latte right now? IN a holiday cup?". I am quite sure the barista thought I was nuts.

Then recently I decided to go with something else on the sign. I went with this:

A Peppermint Mocha! Hot damn it was a party in my mouth! I DOWNED the entire cup within five minutes!
My new obsession with lattes and hot chocolate made me purchase this item (in hopes of saving some funds from Starbucks):

General Foods International Peppermint Mocha Latte.
Which is ok being that it is instant. It is a little muddy, watery, and the promise of foam is nonexistent (which is a bummer since it is my favorite part). You can taste the peppermint which is nice. However when you stir the stuff into hot water it makes a crackle pop sound like rice krispies meet pop rocks--which is odd. Do I really want my latte to pop?

IN HONOR OF ARUBA:


When it comes to sunscreen, these folks got it! Probably since they all need it so badly on this island being so close the equator and all. I seriously love this sunscreen, even if it doesn't come in one of those handy dandy spray bottles

While spending most of our time snorkeling, we got to borrow these amazing vests from the hotel:

They were awesome! Even on a sailboat we went on and jumped off to venture around a shipwreck. It helped keep us afloat while still allowing our heads to go beneath the water to explore!
Here is Pete wearing one:


As many of you know, we stayed at the Tamarijn Aruba all inclusive which is part of the Divi resorts. The biggest pro was this:

This was literally outside of our door. I mean how amazing is it to be able to roll out of bed and onto paradise. No street to cross, no shuttle, not even a walkway to the beach. The beach is just right there!!!!!!
The cons: bracelets need to be worn 24/7, buffet was barely edible, other restaurants were ok (Red Parrot was the best), some areas are dirty in the resort, and they are SUPER strict about their overly used ratty beach towels which if you do not return you will get charged $25 for. But all of these cons so are not worth blowing the huge PRO! I will go back in a heartbeat!

Aruba we love you:

Now for the most important thing I LOVE LOVE LOVE this month:

THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!!!!!
There should be a warning label on it though--it should say: you must have time to absorb it, and use it. If you are seeking a spiritual journey you this may not be for you.
I have tried to talk to every Tom, Dick, and Harry about this book--this is how much I love it. How much it has changed me. However, not everyone loved it. Either this book changes you forever, or it bores you to tears. Some have said it was to heavy to get trough, that they weren't at a place in their life that they could "get it" or even want to.
I think it is earth shattering. Amazing. Brilliant.

Things I LOVE This Month: October 2009

I have been a total slacker on this little ol' blog! Believe me it isn't because I haven't run into things I LOVE, but an issue of time.

So here we go for the month of October:

• Shaklee products! Love them! I went to a "Tupperware" like party for these environmentally friendly products and thought, "eh I will by some type of window cleaner and call it a day. I am sure they can't beat the gaggle of cleaning products I already have underneath the counter". Then Pete and I drank wine at my friend Emily's house, and listened to this women tell us about the products and we were SOLD. Hesitant, but sold. The products came to my door step in no time, and let me tell you their fragrant laundry detergent is the BEST I have ever smelled! I also adore their Basic H cleaner which can be used to make degreaser, window cleaner, and basic counter top cleaner. Their scour off worked wonders on my tile in my bathroom, and their anti-bacterial wipes for toys and place mats is perfect for a worried about preschool germs Mom.
• Trader Joe's Panko encrusted Tilapia and their shrimp dumplings! YUM! The Tilapia was a buy after a woman that doesn't even work for the place encouraged every passerby that this was indeed the BEST thing to buy out of the entire store. The shrimp dumplings are a great light lunch or a great starter to an Asian flare meal.
• JR WATKINS DISH SOAP totally cheating on Shaklee right here! I purchased this dish soap after purchasing other Shaklee items and wanting more environmentally friendly products without the big cost. I found this item on sale at Target and I know what to bathe in it so that I smell like this scent ALLLLLLL DAY LONG! It is AMAZING! I also bought their lemon toilet cleaner and let me tell you--it is a joy to be scrubbing that nasty thing!
• Kilwin's ice cream. I ate this down in Lake Worth, FL while on vacation, and continue to think about how yummy it was! The fudge in that joint is lick chopping too!
• Fisher Price Jumperoo Thank God for kind people that are willing to share their baby products with others! My friend shared this item with me, and let me tell you it has been heaven sent! I never have to worry about the jumper snapping off the doorway, or about leaving Addison in it while I leave the room. She just jumps and entertains herself, until she gets bored and needs to be moved onto the next thing.
• Mamma Che Buono ITALY IN AMERICA! Need I say more? AMAZING gelato, Italian desserts, and other scrumptious items. You will never ever want to leave. In fact, I am looking forward to my next trip to West Palm Beach just to go there!
• JAMBA JUICE how I love thee. Not a new find, but I hadn't had one in so long since the nearest one is in NYC, that when I found one while on vacation in Florida, I nearly wet my pants. Jamba Juice is by far the best smoothie place ever put on this earth. Seriously it is. So much so that after I found it's location I made Pete take me there more then once before heading home to CT.
• Speaking of smoothies... Yoplait Smoothie's are pretty good. They are not even remotely close to Jamba Juice, but is doable for those of us with busy lives and no time to cut up fresh fruit and scoop frozen yogurt. This comes in small packets that you toss in the blender with ice and BOOM you got yourself a smoothie.
• Starbucks VIA I am a coffee snob and when I took this taste test I could totally tell the difference. However, I liked this VIA more then I like most at home brew's and it is INSTANT coffee. Pete loves this stuff, and continues to enjoy himself a mug every weekend.

And there you have it--October favorites which didn't even include the bowl of Halloween candy that I loved so much!

A new breakfast LOVE

I have ALWAYS been a fan of Panera Bread. I would drive miles for it. My love ran deep for their Asian Chicken Salad, Broccoli and Cheddar soup, and their fantastic lemonade. It was a lunch place I could not resist since college.

I had always eyes their breakfast menu but had never ventured to getting there during that time of day. I never had the luxury of actually being close enough to one where I could say, "lets run to Panera and grab a quick breakfast". 

However today was the day. I had to run an errand in the area a Panera Bread sat, and I thought "bingo--time to try it out".  It was heavenly. I had an egg, spinach, bacon souffle  that was so full of yummy delicious taste, fragrant, and a great size when it comes to portion control, but enough to fill the belly and the soul. I also had a Caffe Mocha made with skim milk in one of those huge mugs that makes it even more cozy, and full of goodness. I have to say this was TO DIE FOR. I wish I had my camera when drinking it because it was that picture perfect! Brace yourself.... may I say even better then Starbucks! (gasp). I even noticed they too have a Pumpspice Latte which will be my next review--Pumpkin Spice Latte : Panera vs. Strabucks (because Dunkin Donuts is not even close in this running). 

So now I have yet another breakfast place I love and adore. You will to. Don't just go for lunch, treat yourself to a chocolate chip bagel, various souffles, pecan buns, muffins, danish, and more... you name it they got it! 

Things I LOVE This Month: September 2009

Here we are again with some NEW favorites! (some of which are oldies but goodies) Hope you enjoy!


-I wanted something that could take along to my mother in laws house to soothe the baby. She loves her swing at home, and I thought about purchasing on mini one. They are so darn expensive though, and couldn't justify the $$$. Then I found this one: 

I love it! Even more importantly SHE loves it! We even refuse to leave it at my in laws because we use it so much at home. Since she has hit the three month mark she likes "new scenery", so from one swing to another makes her quite pleased. I also loved the price--as it is a $89.99 swing sold here , but I found a MARSHALS for $50! SOLD!

-I have been at my whits end with feeding Rylan. He only likes a hand full of things and quite frankly, McDonald's is getting old. So I returned to something that I loved back in the day, that I had forgotten about:

Not only does he eat the entire cheese uncrustables, it is FAST and super easy for me! A perfect union for a picky eater and a busy Mom.

-I am not a fan of skim milk. I force this wanna be milk more like water yuck into my cereal and coffee. Then a miracle happened and I found this:

LOVE IT! Not only does it taste like milk--it tastes BETTER then milk! And it lasts a good MONTH in your fridge! Awesom product--so excited I have found Over The Moon!

-I love love LOVE oatmeal this time of year. I have NO time to make it old school over the stove, and most instant oatmeals are over loaded with sugar. Then my sister showed me this:

This low sugar oatmeal is AMAZING! I stick it in the microwave with 2/3 cup of Over The Moon milk for 1-2 minutes. It comes out creamy and full of YUM. I kick it up a notch by putting cinnamon on top and some walnuts. 

I love a new bar of soap. I use yummy smelling body wash too (as you will see on my next favorite), but I don't feel "clean" unless I use an actual bar of soap. I have been using Dove forever, and when they came out with this:

I fell in love. I am not sure if I will use a different bar of soap ever again.

I love beauty products. Especially ones that could either smell like the "real thing" or a fantastic candle to burn. I found this scent a LONG time ago when living in Boston with my old roommates. I forgot about it until this Summer when another blog reminded me of its yummy yummy goodness:

Ask Pete and he will tell you, I am famous for using half of these types of things, and then getting sick of them and moving onto another kind. This lends to entire closet filled to the top with half things of body wash. This one however, is down to it's last drop. The smell of citrus is UNREAL. When that last drop happens I will sacrifice my coffee money for the week to buy more! (and that says ALOT) (also I love the Body Shop--their products are so environmentally friendly and totally rock)

-The Fall chill air is rolling in. I never needed anything to bundle my first baby up in because I barely took him outside. However, the second baby gets to be the tag along kid, and is forced to come everywhere which means outdoors. I hate to put layers and layers on baby bodies that sweat like crazy. So I went and purchased this:

except in a hot pink color, and No I didn't have time yet to take a picture of my baby in it!
It is the perfect weight for the Fall and Spring seasons, and I can not believe I did not purchase this with my first baby! It is so cozy! Having a baby, need to give a gift? make sure to get one of these. I also purchased the heavy-thick one for the Winter too!

-And last--but certainly NOT least. A favorite off of my all time favorite list, that is put on this one because it just came back THIS MONTH:

Strabucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes are a MUST in the Fall season! RUN to your local Starbucks if you haven't had one!

And there you have it--another month of fantastic things!

Joovy Ultra-light Caboose is not quite worth the $$$

When I found out I was pregnant with baby #2, I started to get heart palpitations worrying about silly little things like double strollers vs. sit n stand. I decided on the sit n stand since Rylan is no longer a baby. Of course I went for the top of the line and got a fancy Joovy ultralight Caboose.

I loved the color and was excited to get it in the mail. The bad part is I didn't see it in person, and I sure wish I did.

Let me start with what I love about this stroller (a very short list):  the color, the two sun visors, the height of the handle bar.

Now for the things I am not fond of...

very little room for the second "big" kid...(as you can see his head is touching the car seat)

even the area to stand is very small, and so is storage.
The car seat portion does not seem sturdy. The website did list our car seat as compatible, but it doesn't quite seem to fit right. The angle is odd, and the only thing "locking" the seat in, is that huge red belt strapped around the baby. I guess I assumed that something so pricey would have some sort of lock of sorts.
My last complaint about this product is the toddler seat slides back and forth. Yes it makes it so that there is more room to sit or stand, but poor Rylan gets shifted back and forth in it.

Over all do I like it?... sure it is ok. Do I love it? nope. Do I think it is worth the hefty price? certainly not!!!! I wish I paid more attention to a cheap Baby Trend one or something on the lower end. As I don't really see why this is the "it" sit n stand. Shame on me for not checking it out in person.

MAD POTTY POWER PROPS

A friend of mine had this video at her house and Rylan was INSTANTLY hooked. She told me that a friend of hers let her borrow it, and that her friends son was 100% potty trained thanks to this video!!! So naturally I googled it and ordered one right to my house:

IT IS AWESOME. Rylan has watched it only for a day now (about 6 times already), and has asked to sit on the potty, and reciting the steps we take. AMAZING. He has shown ZERO interest before this!

Parents with Potty training woes--RUNNNNNNNNNNNN, or just sign onto the Internet, and purchase the DVD!

AWESOME cd!

Addison got this cd at her "Happy Birth-day" party in Rhode Island:

My friend said she purchased it so that she would have something alittle different then the average baby music. Can I just tell you--I just popped it in the cd player and I LOVE IT! It is soooooo soothing! I think Addison is going to have to let Mom add it to her collection.
You can buy it HERE

Powerful, uplifting, positive, and soothing--all wrapped into one.

Stove Top

In July Stove Top was kind enough to invite me to their $10 meal challenge. For the entire month I made up meals using Stove Top for under $10! The people at Stove Top not only paid for my five meals, they gave my blog free Stove Top giveaways! Five meals in one month sure was alot of Stove Top, but man I came up with some AWESOME meals! Check them out:

My Favorite: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

A great lunch: Turkey Wrap

A YUMMO dinner: Stuffed Pork Chops

A great comfort meal: Thanksgiving Casserole 

A creative way to use Stove Top: Chicken Cordon Bleu

I loved them all. I love Stove Top.

I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Kraft's free family food magazine Food&Family, check it out!

HATED IT!

I am usually a huge Boppy fan. But I purchased this newborn baby lounger...
HATED IT! This is why: Although Addison didn't seem to mind being on top of it, it reminded me of dog bed. She is still only about 8lbs in this picture and as you can see she is dangling off the end already. For the $36.99 it was, it is so not worth growing out of in less then a month! The main thing I hated about this product is it not having a harness to strap her in. I even thought about possibly sewing one on, but then decided it wasn't worth my time and took it back to the store. I realize they don't want parents leaving babies sleeping on such a contraption, but put a dang harness on it! Even newborns move around, and as I left Addison sitting on it I noticed her moving lower and lower from kicking her legs. I didn't feel she was safe in it, not even on the floor!

So parents...if you are reading, please don't waste your money. The regular Boppy pillow which I CAN NOT LIVE WITHOUT, is pretty much the same thing! You can lounge your baby in it while being next to them, and not spend the extra $36.99 to do it.

Things I LOVE This Month: August 2009

I am hoping to feature some items every month that I have stumbled upon and LOVE! So here we go with a first installment:

~Early this month I stumbled across Peaches and berries Special K bars ...

They are not only super tasty but also only 90 calories! Plus my three year old son could not get enough of them, and he is one picky eater. I can not remember a time I ever got anything remotely close to being healthy in him. I ran to the store hoping he would take to all granola bars. I bought his Fiber One and Kashi, he turned his nose up to BOTH. He will ONLY eat Special K. The new chocolatey pretzel one is also AWESOME.

~In hopes 0f finding a way to help my 2 month old sleep in her crib without the need for her Mom's warm body, I purchased this Sassy baby positioner...
The thing is we already owned a positioner that was cute as pie with a little lamb that wrapped around the baby. Rylan loved it when he was a baby, but Addison....not so much. I needed something that made her feel like she was being held by someone, and that had some sort of pillow feature. And whalah...Sassy baby rocked our world! She loves taking naps in her crib in it!

~I used to use crazy expensive face wash you could only purchase at Sephora. I ran out this month after having the same bottle for about a year now (I used it VERY sparingly). When I got to Sephora they told me they no longer carry the line. I almost cried. Lucky for my husband I found something for a quarter of the price and that I love- Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash pink grapefruit...

With hormones galore settling in after having a baby a few months back, I needed something a bit strong to fight the breakouts. I also MUST have a face wash that smells good and MAKES me want to go wash my face. This my friends is IT!

~Diets stink. Usually the frozen food diet section has some great sounding meals that taste much more like dog food then human. This week I came across Lean Cuisine Lemon Chicken...

HOLY MOLY--YUM. I seriously wanted to lick the container clean when I got to the bottom. Fantastic. Perfect. Love it. Especially if it will help make my Mommy muffin topper go away!

Baby Stuff

I posted this post over at Momma's June Bugs this past month. Nobody paid me or gave me freebies for reviewing these items, but felt the need to share them with folks:

FYI: apparently the links are not working on this post --I tried to re-post them but it isn't working. For links go to: Momma's June Bugs

Bottles: I am so not clear on why Dr Brown bottles are the hit thing. Granted, I loved them when I had Rylan, and totally believed they helped his reflux, but I have officially fallen in love with something else. Born Free. How did I ever live without you? Sure I am using half Dr. Brown bottles too. Don't get me wrong they are ok too, but the benefits of the the Born Free bottle out rule the contest. My two biggest pet peeve differences in the neck of the bottles, and the parts. Dr Brown has a skinny neck that makes my scoops of formula and oatmeal (for reflux needs) make a mess all over my counter. Dr. Brown's parts are also hard to wash, and a pain to assemble when you are only half awake in the night. Born Free has a perfect wide mouth neck that avoids counter spills, and the parts are easy to clean and assemble. I thank Babies R Us for giving me a free Born Free bottle when signing up for my registry, because if they hadn't I wouldn't have ever known there was anything better then Dr. Browns.

Bouncy Seat: At one point I had four bouncy seats sitting in my house. My theory was maybe this baby would not like the one Rylan loved. Since having Rylan I collected others hand me downs, and thought "I shouldn't turn it down, maybe this would be the one Addison will love". Silly me. There is only ONE. Seriously, my Mom only owned this one at her at home daycare, my sister used only this one with her colic baby, and STILL I registered for something different. The one I registered for is now sitting in the basement, while my Mom's old one, and my sister's old one , is in my possession. I keep one at my house and one at my Mother in laws house. The Aquarium music, and fluttering of water, makes even an adult want to snooze. I Love it. I also love that it sits more upright then others.

Swaddle Blanket: Thank God I have good, thoughtful friends. A friend sent me THIS. At first I thought it was just another blanket to add to the pile. Then one night, in the early days of needing to be swaddled extra tight, we gave it a whirl. It is a fantastic blanket. Large enough to make the tucking, turning, and tightness of an ideal swaddle. I am hoping to purchase another since one just isn't enough in this house.

Two things I hope to review SOON on Potty training: I purchased this after a friend told me it was a savior for pottying on the go. I have heard wonderful things about it, and hope that it helps in our potty journey.

Today I just purchased THIS :

It is a "My First Poop Kit" that includes a handy book about bathroom talk, a parents guide, toilet targets, reward stickers, and fun toddler size magazines with funky names like: "Vanity Fairy" and "Rolling Stroller". You can purchase one of your own here

I'll let you know how both suit us, as we slowly are going down the potty path.

Newbie Reviewer

I have been asked a few times to review a few things. I have also been asked my opinion on certain items I have purchased countless of times. I figured why not join the review crew and put my honesty to the test--no matter what it costs me. 

So here I am, reviewing things. 

You are here wondering what I am reviewing, and what is in it for you.

Hopefully this blog will save time and money on crap products, or makes you run out and purchase immediately something I review highly. 

And maybe, just maybe, you will be able to win a little something something too.

Check in. Read. Review my review. Comment. Enter contests. Enjoy!