Goodies Co. April “Spring” - Taster Box 5

This month’s goodies seem a bit bland [ a lot of granola ] compared to last month. I noticed, they didn’t include a card that lists all the goodies that came in the box. I got mostly granola bars :( I did however get a $50 to Naked Wine. I seen other subscription boxes include it as well. The website was soo annoying and frustrating. They cancelled my order  twice, charge me for it and I am yet to get email an order confirmation or a tracking number [update - I sent an email and someone said they would look into it! yay!].  UGH. Well, on to the goodies.

*Updated - My ordered finally got shipped and I received it, but I was still annoyed about the whole cancelling my order*

Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips with Sea Salt - Upon opening the bag the scent of sweet potato flooded the air. The light and crunchy chip tastes like sweet potato in the beginning and then towards then end I taste the multigrain flavor with a bit of salt. It reminds me of Sun  Chips with similar  taste and texture. Overall, it was pretty tasty for a “healthy” snack.

Frontier Macadamia Pineapple Coconut -  I wasn’t expecting this to be crunchy [I just realized they wrote “crunchy” on the label...shows how much I read ] but it was. It was really delicious and not overly sweet. I am sad that there was only 4 pieces. I like how you can taste the flavors but they were not overpowering or competing with each other.

Truebar Bakery on Main -  This was tasty. I didn’t expect it to taste as sweet. It could be of all the  the added fruit. It was also a bit sticky. Personally, I would not go out of my way to eat it again.

Celsius Sparkling Orange - I am not really a fan of energy drinks. But since I had this I thought I might as well. I like that it was only 10 calories and packed with vitamins and nutrients. The only downside it tasted horrible. I drank two sips and threw away the rest. It wasn’t even worth the extra 9 calories to drink it.

Zone Perfect - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough  - It was tasty and surprising not overly sweet. Although, I did notice a slight weird after taste. I like it but not enough to go out of my way to get it again.

 

Angie’s Sweet and Salty Popcorn - I love these! They were a bit sweet and salty at the same time. It wasn’t overly sweet or salt but a perfect combination. I will definitely buy these again!

Family Fun - April 2013

Here what is going on April [well, since I am so far behind -- What was happening in April]  -

“April 7th is No Homework Day” - How about no work day?

April 15th is Spring Astronomy Week - Check out hubblesite.org to view space photos

National Bulldogs are Beautiful Day in April 27. If you are proud owner, perhaps you can treat your beloved to a special treat today.

And one of our beloved icons turns 75. Bugs Bunny made his film debut on April 30, 1938.

Here is some of the toys for the kids or kids at heart -

A cute new way to save money-

Photo Credit - Streamline NYC

Cute bike light and chirping horn -

Photo Credit - Streamline NYC

Pick up an issue for travel tips, family fun activities and much more.

Harper's Bazaar March 2013

This is the month for gold embossed bags, shoes, accessories and more! Here are some of

 Bazaar’s top picks -

Photo Credit - Eddie Borgo

 

Photo Credit - Harper's Bazaar, Roger Vivier minaudière

Photo Credit - Harper's Bazaar, Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière

Photo Credit - Harper's Bazaar, Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci

Photo Credit - Harper's Bazaar, Christian Louboutin sandal

Here are what in this month -

“1. Clever minaudieres

2. Clear Clutches

3. Intricate Earrings

4. Fringed Footwear

5 Studded Cuffs

6. Tassel Necklaces

7. Lace-up heels

8. Chic chain straps”

My homework for the month, find the outfit where I  can wear all of the trends in one go and then be able to dress bummy the rest of the month.

How to wear this month’s trend -

“How to wear black pants - tailor up that wardrobe  standby, the black trouser, gets a revamp this season with a slim, soigne silhouette. Instead of with a slouchy top, the style looks newest when paired with a menswear-inspired sleeveless jacket worn over a bra top.”

“How to wear the new tuxedo - black tie; the new Saint Laurent collection made it clear that this is going to be a big year for the tuxedo. The latest take? Pairing yours with a pussy-bow blouse and chic single-sole pumps. For pants, keep them lean and long. Come evening, accessorize with a sleek matching minaudiere.”

“How to wear the blouse - the lastest classic; there are few things more ladylike or timeless than a fresh white blouse paired with a black pencil suit. Whether you’re going with a  button down, draped, or peasant-style, make yours modern by adding a gold choker and ultra feminine pumps. Keep your hemline at or just below, the knee.”

“How to wear sleek snakeskin - style; it’s the year of the snake, and an elegant dress, bag, or shoe is one of the easiest ways to incorporate it into your wardrobe. A plethora of python sheath dresses and clutches is on the market right now waiting to be snapped up. Wearing just one serpentine element makes it more memorable.”

Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes Evening Soothe

Photo Source -  Ponds

Some nights when coming home from a packed schedule, the last thing I want to do is remove the makeup from my face.  I usually keep a packet of these wipes near my bed or take them with me when travelling instead of lugging my Clarisonic around. These wipes are convenient and easy to use like most wipes except the ones where you can’t get the wrapper opened. And when you do, everything falls to the floor. The premoistened  wipes remove my mascara and makeup very easily without having to rub my skin aggressively or with the use of water.  The towelettes are packed with chamomile and white tea extracts but I don’t notice a scent on the towels. Overall, the towels are pretty good but I still prefer the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes.

Every Day with Rachael Ray - March 2013

I just started this subscription and I read the whole magazine in one evening and end up staying way past my bedtime.  While I won’t list the recipes that I thought was good but the rather the other cool tips and tricks I picked up while reading.

Here are some emerald hued makeup up to brighten up your St. Paddy’s day and beyond -

Photo Source - Sephora, Yves Saint Laurent La Laque Couture nail polish in Jade Imperial

Photo Source - Sephora, Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream in Emerald Green

Photo Source - L'Oreal, L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Nail in New Money

 

Photo Source -  Drugstore.com, Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Kush

Here are some cool tips for onions -

1. “For the crispiest onion ring, use sparkling wine [such as a reasonably priced prosecco] in the batter instead of buttermilk. The bubbly’s effervescence makes the coating light and airy.”

2. “Onions are strongly anti-inflammatory and can reduce the risk of some cancers by more than 40 percents”

3. “If you burn rice, quickly transfer any unblemished grains to a bowl, layer yellow onion skins over the rice and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. This will banish the burnt taste.”

4. “450 is the number of semi-trucks that would hold the amount of onions Americans eat in one day”.

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint SPF 20 in Bronze

Photo Credit - Jouer Cosmetics

After my friend kept telling me how great this tinted moisturizer is. I decided to give it a whirl.  The creamy tint is packed with ginseng and gingko biloba leaf extracts.  I applied it to my face after cleansing and it left a soft glow. I didn’t notice any coverage or evening out my many imperfections such as my dark spots [and acne scars] or wrinkles. I like this tint because it makes my skin soft, smooth and glowy and as a added benefit it provides sun protection. This moisture tint is good for people with sensitive skin because  it is oil free, hypoallergenic and fragrance free. Overall, I will save this moisturizer on special occasions when I need to feel extra glow.

Love with Food curated by Andrew Zimmern, April 2013

This was my first box for my three month subscription with this company. My first box I was abit disappointed. I am more of a snacker and less of a person who cooks [mostly because I keep cutting my fingers and getting burned by hot oil]. Anyways, I am not sure if I will be continuing this subscription.

Original Cocomel from JJ’s Sweet - This a  sweet mixture of coconut and caramel. They were absolutely delicious.

Sea Salt Cocomel from JJ’s Sweet -These were my favorite. I wish there was more than 1 piece of this. It was like the original but had a hint of sea salt.

Organic Fennel Pollen from Pollen Ranch - The little pouch this came in ended up smelling the whole box like it. It was actually quite pleasant. I never used it something like this before and I am not sure if I would. So, I just left in the spice cabinet in case one day I feel like experimenting.

Creamy Buffalo Rand Dip from Buff Lo Dip  - We don’t really use dip in my house, but this did smell delicious. I think I might just leave it around but it will probably end up in the trash. 

Smoky Chili & Lime from The Good Bean - I had really high hopes for this. When I was younger, there was this restaurant that would make a chickpea snack [similar to this] mixed with pepper, salt, garlic or anything else you wanted. It was  crunchy and super tasty. I love eating this and eat them by the truckload. My mom tried teaching me how to make it, so I would stop spending all my money on it. But it just wasn’t the same. When I first opened the packet, the smoky chili scented wafted through the air. The chickpeas were crunchy and had strong lime taste with a little kick of spice at the end. They are okay, not my favorite as I am not much of a lime fan.

Salty Pepper Nuggets from Somersault Snacks - These were quite tasty and crunchy. They reminded me a bit of an everything bagel but had quite a spicy kick.  Overall, this was my favorite and I will definately keep an eye out for these in the store. 

Air Popped Sorghum Grain - Itty Bitty Butter from Mini Pops - Baby popcorn! This the popcorn you give to little babies! Just kidding, I think its a choking hazard. They taste exactly like popcorn except didn’t have a heavy artificial butter taste. I didn’t actually taste any butter on the popcorn. I guess they were not lying when they called it “itty bitty”. I was surprised when I opened the bag that it was a full bag for only 100 calories. My favorite part about this it doesn’t have those pieces of kernel or whatever it is called doesn’t get stuck in my teeth and gums. If you are a huge popcorn fan, you should definitely give this a try.

Lemony Lover Olives - Oloves - I am not a fan of olives so I gave my mom these as she loves olives. I did ate one of them, they had a mild lemon and garlic taste. The olives was not as chewy and rubbery like most of the olives. They were not as bad as I thought they would be. I also liked how they packaged the olives ready to eat, with no liquid and  pits.