Self-Discipline by George Pain

I was drawn to this book because I am very interested in learning more about self discipline. It's difficult to learn to discipline yourself, and I have had difficulty in learning how to do so. I know that willpower can not be very helpful, so I was interested to learn new tips and techniques.

When I first looked at the book, I realized that it had quite a bit of content. There are distinct sections to the book, and they have different types of information about how to be more self disciplined. I think it is very useful to read about how to change bad habits and when to delay gratification.

This is a good book, but it could really use some editing! Parts of it are hard to follow. However, I appreciate many of the tips and tricks that will be helpful for changing habits. This book will teach you about how to change your bad habits, how to be more productive, and about delayed gratification. Self-Discipline  is a good resource for anyone interested in reading about these topics. I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

I think that once this book is edited more thoroughly, it will be a good resource for people. Until it is edited, I do not think I would recommend it to anyone specifically, unless it were free of charge.

You can see the book on the amazon page here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y16NNGQ/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o00_?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Rating: 5 out of 10

Theater Career Expo 2017 at the Guthrie Theater

If you have any interest whatsoever in working in the theater, in any capacity, and you live in Minnesota, then this expo is definitely for you.

I came in basically as a sub - my son is an actor, and he was going to be late. So my husband and I decided to come find out as much as we could until he got here.

Honestly, this is as much for parents as for people interested in the theater. There is so much information here, and everyone is very welcoming and engaging.

Also, there are so many workshops, and they aren't all just for performers. There are workshops for every aspect of work in the theater, both on stage and behind-the-scenes. There are people here at all stages of their careers, and that isn't just the presenters.

One of the most useful workshops is about networking. Everyone needs to network and they force you to talk to each other, which is great for an introvert such as myself!

I would honestly say that you should do whatever it takes to go to this expo the next time they hold it. Not only do you get to mix and mingle with all different people, you get to learn about different skills and perspectives, and that's priceless.

Rating: 10 out of 10

You Can Create An Exceptional Life by Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson (2011)

I love Louise Hay. I think she has written some of the best books and that her teachings truly help people. This book can help people. I also think very highly of Cheryl Richardson; she is an excellent writer who cares about people and helping others. They have both written some highly engaging and important books.

They can't all be winners.

While I did get some helpful information out of this book, I didn't care for the format. Basically, Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson decided to write a book together. This book is basically about that collaboration. To be clear, this book is NOT the collaborative effort; it is simply a series of 7 conversations that Hay and Richardson had about writing a book together.

It is literally just 7 chapters, which are 7 conversations between the two authors. I was expecting a book which was a collaboration between the two authors. The first chapter is entirely a transcribed skype conversation. It is written by Richardson, in her voice.

I'm not sure why they thought this was a good idea. Honestly, I have never heard of a book of this type before.

That being said, I do feel that I got some value out of the book, but I'm very glad that I didn't pay the $17.95 list price. If you can get this from the library, it's worth reading. It's a very quick read. The last chapter, about approaching death, is very unique and interesting. And as always, there are many useful affirmations from Hay. 

Rating: 5 out of 10

Hit By A Farm by Catherine Friend (2006)

Hit By A Farm is an autobiographical story about a writer and bibliophile from the city whose partner talks her into buying and running a sheep farm!

This book is a series of stories that carry you throughout the time before the author begins farming, to a point a couple of years after they start their farm. The style and set up of the stories reminds me of the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, although it is certainly much more geared towards adults! It is similar in that there are many short stories that establish what it is like to live on the farm, and what the Catherine and Melissa were like before, during, and after that establishment.

Friend has a very amiable writing style that draws you in and really lets you feel what it was like inside of her during this time. It is not a bunch of "cute" stories that will make farm life sound easy or simple in any way! These stories are very honest and truthful, and in fact, include relationship and medical troubles that they both have along the way.

This book is fun and uplifting to read, especially if you have ever considered going from city slicker to farmer! I am excited to read the second installment she has written entitled Sheepish. It's next on my list.

Rating: 10 out of 10

How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It: Finding Love Beyond Words by Patricia Love and Steven Stosny

Rating: 1 out of 10

Another book that plays off of stereotypes of men and women.

When I saw this book on the library website, I didn't think it would be that way. So I was really disappointed when I got the requested book, and read the cover.

I'm sure some of their advice is useful, but honestly, if they need to envelope good advice in a pillow of gender-based insults, then I don't need to read it, or try any of their advice. Based on their assumptions, all relationships with two men are absolutely perfect, because what ruins a relationship is a woman who wants to talk about their feelings all the time! (sarcasm ahead...) Well, since a relationship between two men never has problems, their premise is obviously true.

The problem with the stereotypes of men and women that are perpetuated in relationship books is that not all people fit into these descriptions. Some people do, and that's why the stereotypes persist. I would love to see a book about relationships that follows the following principles:
1. No gender-based assumptions
2. No assumptions on what the genders are in a relationship

I can't imagine it would be that difficult! Someone write this book, please! :)

Chimborazo, Minneapolis, MN

Rating: 5 out of 10

I wish that I could give this restaurant a higher rating. I really do. The food was wonderful (except for my toast being cold) and the chef even came out to thank us for coming!

But honestly, it has been a while since I've had such bad service. When we came in, we were right behind another couple, and the person who sat them actually made a point of saying she will be right back to seat us, so it was off to a good start. Then someone else came over to seat us, and the first person came back, and they actually bickered a bit about who would seat us. (Nothing terrible, just "I'll seat them," "No, I will," etc.) There appeared to be 3 servers, or possibly 2 servers and a host/busser. But this is a small restaurant and they seemed well staffed. Which brings me to the first problem in service: once we were greeted, no one came to greet us. When our server did greet us, my husband ordered coffee, which took a few minutes to get for some reason. Our server probably said about 10 words to us the entire time. I am not a huge fan of servers who walk up and say "Are you ready?" but I usually don't hold it against them.

We decided to order both the Tungurahua (eggs, rice and beans, yuca, toast) and Cotopaxi (eggs, llapingachos, and toast) and split them. I was especially excited to try the llapingachos, which are potato pancakes stuffed with cheese - and I was not disappointed! They were amazing. In fact, they were even better than I was expecting. They were very soft, but they were served hot, and felt very melty in my mouth. They are served with a green sauce on the side that I didn't care for. The toast is served with guava jam, which is also delicious.

The Tungurahua was fantastic as well. The rice and beans are served separately, which I wasn't expecting. So there are beans served with a mound of white rice. It would have been a bit too dry for me, but it was served with a different green sauce, which was slightly spicy and had an excellent flavor.

I would have asked for warm toast, but we did not see our server again until after our table had been cleared for about 5 minutes. He walked past us to drop checks off at two different tables. As he walked by, I asked if we could have our check as well and he said, "Give me a minute." When he came back with the check, he did not even slow down to put it on the table; instead, he threw it down and ended up hitting me with it. It is beyond inappropriate to act that way when someone asks for their check! The people next to us waited 15 minutes to get their check (they didn't request it, just waited for it). I didn't mind waiting for the check too much because my husband was finishing his coffee, but I was ready to go because of how loud it was in there.

I would probably be willing to try it again after giving them some time to sort out their issues with service! 

Rocky Horror Picture Show (2016)

Rating: 5 out of 10

For every good part of this remake, there was a part that went horribly wrong. So I have split my review into the "Top 3" and the "Worst 3" parts of the movie. Let's start at the top, shall we?

Top 3

1. Laverne Cox
Laverne Cox did a fantastic job playing Dr. Frank N Furter. According to one of their "Behind the Scenes" outtakes during the commercial break, it is a role that she has always wanted to play, and you can tell. She obviously loves the movie, and knows the music well. The huge problem I have with her being cast in this role is her gender. She is a she! Maybe not the biggest deal in the world, because I do think that people of any gender should be able to play any role, but in this case I believe it is based in discrimination. My best guess is that they were casting a transvestite, thought of Laverne Cox and said, "Hey, she's trans. That would be good." without really thinking about what it implies; namely, that by casting Laverne Cox in a man's role, you may be implying that she is not a woman. That being said, I have no complaints about her performance: she belted out those songs, looks great in lingerie, and is an amazing actor.

2. Rocky Horror
Staz Nair was fantastic as the titular character. I've always thought that Rocky is the most difficult role to play; to be understated and act like you have half a brain is really difficult! Especially while singing "Sword of Damocles!" But I felt that Staz Nair did a great job at that. He's no Peter Hinwood, but hey, few are.

3. The Castle / The Set
Well, I really liked that castle. It actually looked like a castle, unlike the original version! I have heard complaints that having such a realistic and flashy set takes away from the camp of the script, and I totally agree with that. I just think it was really cool to see this be acted out in an actual castle, and it was one of my favorite parts of watching this. And there weren't many, unfortunately, so I'm just going to roll with it .

Worst 3

1. The Costumes
During the first break (I'm not sure if you can call it a commercial break, because there were no commercials) there was a behind the scenes short that discussed the costumes. Apparently, the costume designer decided to make the aliens have reddish costumes, the humans have blue costumes, and then the finale was all gold. It wasn't good. Laverne Cox does not look good in red, and since she's the star, that seems like a huge problem to me. Also, the costumes looked really bulky. I don't know how to describe it other than that, but in the original, everyone is fairly scantily clad. I realize this is for TV, but having Columbia in pedal pushers in the finale? What were they thinking?

2. The Audience Participation
I love audience participation. I spent a long time playing Janet, and I can go through the entire movie yelling at it the whole time. (Although I usually don't, but it's in my head!) I can understand what they were going for by including the audience, since this is supposed to be an homage to the staying power of the original and the midnight showings. However, it just didn't fit in with what they were doing. They cut to the "audience" so rarely that it tended to be jarring. Plus, they didn't have any of the best lines.

3. Janet Weiss
Obviously, it's difficult to fill Susan Sarandon's amazing shoes. But really, the part of Janet isn't that difficult. She has three songs, but the only song she carries on her own is "Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me." Victoria Justice did a decent song with that one. But she was way off, in character and expressivity, in "Dammit Janet" and "Over at the Frankenstein Place." Since those are the first two big numbers, that was pretty rough to watch.

Other Notables
It was cool that they did Superheroes at the end, which is missing from many of the prints of the original movie, but I don't know why they walked away at the end. It seemed like a weird way to change the ending.

It was great to see Tim Curry. I didn't know he was acting again after his medical issues. Love him!

I don't know why they had Ivy Levan sing and act out Science Fiction/Double Feature. It was weird. Like a music video, but in a bad way.

All this being said, I am a huge fan of the original. I realize this may come off as a huge fan who does not like to see change, and that is definitely part of it! I admit that fully. Some of my favorite things about the original movie were "wrecked" (in my opinion) in this remake.

I feel better when I think of it as a tribute: just a bunch of RHPS fans getting together and doing it in a more current way. Then I even kind of like it. But even as a tribute, I felt that it fell quite short of what it could have been. They definitely should have looked harder for a Janet!

Mexican Vegan Diet for Beginners by Sam Kuma

Rating: 9 out of 10

Affiliate Link: Vegan: Mexican Vegan Diet for Beginners: Delicious, Soul-Satisfying Vegan Recipes (from Tamales to Tostadas) that supplements a Raw Vegan Lifestyle ... Vegan and Vegetarian Beginners) (Volume 1)

Another excellent cookbook by Sam Kuma! Since giving up dairy, I have had a lot of difficulty with transforming my Mexican recipes. Also, I used to eat out at Mexican restaurants quite often and haven't been able to do that, either! Vegetarian Mexican recipes tend to use cheese, and usually quite a bit of it!

The recipes in this cookbook are quite simple and easy to follow. There is even a recipe for vegan elote! I have always loved elote and look forward to trying that one.

Black Bean Guacamole

For my first recipe, I made Black Bean Guacamole. It is a very simple recipe, with avocado, black beans, a tomato, scallions, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. (It also calls for a jalapeno, which I didn't use.) The avocado and black beans are smashed with a fork, which was a bit of an ordeal (there has to be an easier way!) but other than that, it was quite easy. Just mix everything together.

Super close up!

It was delicious, although I did feel that the recipe called for too much lime juice and that will need to be adjusted. It doesn't look very appetizing, but definitely tastes better than it looks!

I received this product for free in return for my honest and unbiased review. 

Naturalico Waterproof Electric Callus Remover

Rating: 9 out of 10

Affiliate Link: Naturalico Waterproof Electric Callus Remover / The Best Rechargeable, Cordless Personal Foot Pedicure File Tool & Shaver| Remove Dead/Hard/Cracked Skin Effortlessly| Your Spa At Home

To be honest, I was not sure how much I needed an electric callus remover. However, I do have calluses on my feet, and nothing has ever helped them. I've used a foot grater, soaked them, and used all kinds of lotions. I've had professional pedicures and they haven't budged at all.

I am very impressed with how much of a difference this electric callus remover has made in such a short period of time. I have used it 3 times. One of my calluses, on my left foot bottom near the pinky toe, has been there for over 10 years. (Maybe over 20! A long time, anyway!) It is nearly gone after only 3 uses. Not completely gone, but I think it will. It is so much smaller and softer.

The handle is very soft and easy to hold. I was surprised by how well-shaped the handle is; it really fits into my hand and makes it easier to maneuver.

I'm very pleased with the performance of the Naturalico Waterproof Electric Callus Remover.


I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Suavecito Pomade

Rating: 9 out of 10

Affiliate Link: Suavecito Premium Blends Hair Pomade, 4 oz 

This pomade is fantastic. It gives great hold without being crunchy or looking too wet, which is exactly what I'm looking for in a hair product. 

During the day, my hair has a tendency to "change." What I mean by this is that somehow when I am standing in front of my mirror in the morning, my hair looks exactly as I plan. As the day goes on, factors outside of my control change my hair. For example, I may blow dry and style my hair just perfectly, and then put on a sweatshirt. So, of course, my hair doesn't *like* that I would dare to wear a sweatshirt! My hair then decides somehow to change and curl up in a weird way. However, if I use some pomade on the ends and tips of my hair, it doesn't curl up in a weird way. It just stays the same.

Another thing that my hair likes to do is go in my face. Right now, I have bangs, and they are exactly the length that they will go straight in my eyes. My hair even curls around my glasses to get into my eye, somehow. It's quite annoying, and hair spray doesn't quite cut it. (Well, it works, but doesn't last long enough.) When I use pomade, my hair behaves in a somewhat more reliable fashion. I still wish I didn't have bangs, but they blend in more, and there are no eye surprises. 

I had planned on giving this to my son, who likes to wear his hair short, and use a pomade or cream. There are two reasons that he did not receive this as a gift: first, I decided I needed a hair product for myself, and second, the tin was dented. Now, my dear son would not have minded that the tin was dented, but I felt a little weird about giving it to him that way. He has tried the pomade, however, and he loves it as well! So, there may be a second (hopefully non-dented) tin in our future. 

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Aunt Jenny's Got It All Shop, Wisconsin Dells, WI

Rating: 9 out of 10

Aunt Jenny's Got It All Shop is a really nice gift store in the Wisconsin Dells. I stop in there every time I'm in town. They have good prices on gifts, a lot of really unique gifts, and they have a lot of gifts that are personalized with names. My son had a lot of fun, when we were here on spring break, picking out personalized gifts for his friends!

They also have gifts that are mystery gifts. For anywhere between $1 and $4, you can purchase a wrapped box that has a mystery gift inside! You never know what you'll get, but they are generally a good deal. (The last two times we've been in, a week apart, there haven't been any mystery gifts! The owner said it is the first time since she was 8 years old that this has happened, but I don't know when they'll be back...)

It's a great location, and easy to find. Right at the intersection of Hwy 12 and Hwy 13 (the main drag through downtown). There is ample parking, and there are several other shops in the same building. Also next door to mini golf!

I highly recommend a stop in to Aunt Jenny's Got It All Shop. You'll probably find the perfect souvenir gift that you didn't even know you were looking for!

http://www.auntjennysgotitall.com/

Mediterranean Diet for Vegans by Sam Kuma

Rating: 8 out of 10

 Mediterranean Diet for Vegans is a really great, basic cookbook. This cookbook is great for anyone starting out with vegan cooking, who is interested in adding healthy mediterranean recipes to their diet, or who would just like some simple delicious recipes.

There is a good variety of recipes in this book. Some are made from prepared ingredients and some are from scratch. (I prefer scratch but often need the quickness of using some prepared food!) For example, the basic hummus recipe just calls for 2 cups of cooked garbanzo beans, so you could cook your own or use canned. (and I believe a can has about 2 cups in it!) I like that versatility.

Also, there is a good variety of simple recipes and recipes that are a little more different. For example, there is a basic hummus recipe which is very good. There is also a recipe for Cilantro Garlic Hummus, which sounds amazing (unfortunately I haven't been able to try it yet!).

 I really am looking forward to making more recipes from this collection. I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Five Seasons in the Kitchen by Avital Sebbag

Rating: 3 out of 10

I love cookbooks. I have shelves and shelves of them -- in fact, I have an entire bookcase that I use just for cookbooks. It used to be in my kitchen, but now it is in our guest room, because our kitchen is too small to put an entire bookcase in there. I have a computer program to track recipes. Nearly all of my cookbooks are vegan, and they are all vegetarian. None of this is even counting ebooks, because why would I? They take up no space. (Or maybe they take up imaginary space?) I love to get new ecookbooks, because I don't have to worry about where to keep them!

I am just trying to impress upon you how much I love vegan cookbooks, and how often I read them. Because neither of those things are the issue with this book.

There are several problems with this book. The first is that it uses ingredients that I have never heard of, and have no idea where to find! When I read a cookbook, the first thing I look for is a simple recipe that I can make to get an idea of the author's taste. That was very difficult to find in this book. I don't have any idea what "hijiki" is or where to find it. In fact, the "simple" recipe I ended up making took 2 days to make! I had to sprout the lentils in advance. It was a very good recipe, though. It was delicious but plain, and tasted much better left over, which is good because it took 2 hours to cook, so it was ready well after dinner time (and in fact closer to bed time!).

And that leads me to another problem. Reading through this book could make you think that vegan recipes require lots of advance preparation, exotic ingredients that are difficult to find, and lots of cooking time. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Measurements were only in grams, which is a problem because I have no way of measuring that. I don't have a kitchen scale handy because I use volume measurements and not by weight. I have seen quite a few cookbooks where the author used grams, but put in volume equivalents, such as cups. It is also a problem with tofu. The amounts they called for seem to be about a third of a package here. I don't think we have that size and I have no idea how to get the equivalent amount of tofu, so I just skipped the tofu recipes. (I was able to just google "how many lentils in 500 grams" and then measure it in cups.)

In an ebook, you want to link to other recipes that you call for. For example, in the Three Way Toastini recipe, it calls for 3 separate spreads found elsewhere in the book, but there is no link to them. How am I supposed to find the recipe "on page 98?" I'm not sure if this is a problem from taking this cookbook from print to ebook, but it is a significant problem for me.

I will probably explore this cookbook further, especially if I find some hijiki, but it is just unlikely to become one of my favorites. I have a distinct preference for simple recipes with easy preparation, and this book is much too complicated for me. I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Tea Tree Oil from New York Biology

I was really excited to get this product. I have heard great things about tea tree oil and about how beneficial it is for you. I ordered this product and when it was delivered, about half of the tea tree oil had leaked out somehow. Luckily, it was separately packed in a bubble wrap bag, but frankly, it's still in there. It made such a mess. It also has a very strong smell, so it would be wonderful to NOT have it spilled all over the place. I really can't tell how it leaked; the bottle doesn't seem to have a break in it, and it hasn't leaked any more since it arrived. But there is oil all over the bag and the bottle and the dropper, so I haven't put it together. I did use the oil for a bath, as it is supposed to have a really good benefit for your skin.

The return process worked very well; I notified amazon, and because this product wasn't available, they issued a refund to me so that I can repurchase it when it becomes available. Since it is now available, I will purchase it again. I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Premium Outdoor Hammock by TripWorthy

My first video review! It was pretty exciting to make. Of course, being that I am more of a photographer than videographer (although I have done both), I did enjoy taking the photos and then doing a voiceover with the photos. There is in fact very little video in my video!

This hammock is amazing. Not only is it my favorite color, which is an awesome bonus, but the hammock itself is really cool. It is made out of parachute fabric, which has a very unique feel to it. It's very smooth. And it's also very sturdy. It can hold up to 500 pounds!

We all love it so much. We have two trees that are the perfect distance apart, and it's so relaxing. One amazon reviewer suggested using this hammock instead of a tent while camping! I'm definitely going to try that.

Rating: 10 out of 10

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Peppermint Essential Oil by New York Biology

Rating: 10 out of 10

Okay, I will admit, I don't know much about essential oils. So I can't tell you much about how this is processed or anything like that. But I can tell you that I ordered it, it went extremely smoothly, and that I love the scent of this oil!

I have always loved the smell, and taste, of peppermint. I just love it. I have loved it ever since I was a little child. My grandmother loved it too. In fact, my grandmother and I liked a lot of the same things. Could I have inherited her taste buds and scent preferences? I wouldn't have thought that was something that could be inherited, but maybe it can. Regardless, I have always been soothed and invigorated by anything minty.

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. To be clear, I choose the products I want to review, so they do tend to be things I like! Not everything I review does meet my standards, however. But it's just like shopping - I apply for products I would like to review. When I saw peppermint essential oil, I jumped at the chance, because I *love* peppermint so much! I am very grateful for the opportunity.

I have been reading a lot about essential oils. There are many uses for them that I haven't tried yet but would like to: using a candle diffuser, using a neutral carrier oil to dilute them, and making heating pads with rice or seeds, just to name a few.

One thing I have really enjoyed is that I made a linen spray with this peppermint oil, and also one with lavender oil. I really enjoy spraying it it on the bed and it gives it a lovely scent. I bought unscented liquid soap so that I can mix the peppermint scent into it. It has just been so great to have the essential oil to add some lovely scent to everything. I've really enjoyed it.

Relaxing Sleep Tea by Cuppa Magic

Rating: 7 out of 10

I admit, I was pretty skeptical of this tea that claims to help with both major symptoms of insomnia: getting to sleep, and staying asleep. I mean, everyone drinks chamomile tea to relax, and I drink ginger tea as well. I have never heard of any of them truly helping with insomnia!

I, personally, would no longer say that I have insomnia. When I was younger, I had a lot of trouble with getting to sleep. I would stay up all night, until the wee hours of the morning. Even then I had trouble falling asleep! I'm very lucky to no longer have that problem. However, I do have trouble now with staying asleep. I get very upset when I wake up at 4 am for absolutely no reason, and am unable to get back to sleep! It's so frustrating.

I did find that this tea helped with that. On the nights when I drank the Relaxing Sleep Tea, it did help me to stay asleep. However, I don't know if it helped anymore than drinking plain chamomile or ginger or any of the other ingredients in the tea. I can say for certain that it is a very soothing tea. And it tastes wonderful!

One of the cons of this tea is the price. If it were priced like a normal tea, $3-$5 for a box of 20 tea bags, I would buy it over and over again. However, it isn't. It is a high-end (and therefore, high-priced!) tea. As of today (September 15, 2016), it is priced on Amazon for $25 for 14 tea bags, or $31.87 for 30. http://amzn.to/2d2eUls

Now, if you have a lot of difficulty with sleeping, and if you find this to be helpful in getting to sleep or staying asleep, it might be worth a dollar a day. Sleep is highly valuable, after all! There is no arguing with that! I, personally, would probably try lower cost solutions before I tried this one. I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Super Markers Set with 100 Unique Marker Colors

Rating: 9 out of 10

My entire life, I have only colored with crayons. My mother taught me how: outline the part you are coloring slightly darker, and then fill in that section. I've always enjoyed doing it that way.

My son has never felt that way. He didn't enjoy coloring very much when he was younger, and now he is happy to use either colored pencils or markers.

My son has always enjoyed drawing his own photos more than coloring. But as he's gotten older, he appreciates the relaxation of coloring more.

He is so creative. And just look at the differences in the colors, and the brightness of them.

This set is incredible. Every color is different, which is just amazing to me. I didn't think there would be that much variety.

I just love selecting the colors. I colored this mandala, and I didn't use a single color twice. I believe I used about 60 colors. (I should have kept count!)

They are just gorgeous colors. The only reason I rated them a 9 and not a 10 is because they do not have different color names on the markers themselves, or even different numbers. I would like a way to keep track of the ones I liked best.

Also, they have a great storage rack. Each marker has a place, and it works really well.

I received these markers for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. And they are amazing.  You can see my amazon review here: https://www.amazon.com/review/R2NMYM1BVF2UZ6/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Red Wine Decanter by Bella Vino

Rating: 5 out of 10

My first decanter!

I really enjoyed using a decanter. I found it to be much more elegant than drinking out of the bottle, and I did find it to be a much different taste than when I just pour wine right out of the bottle.

This decanter is a beautiful, modern design. I really like the large bell shape at the bottom, and the neck is very striking. However, the lip design is not correct for pouring. At least, I could not do anything to keep it from dripping. There was always one drop on the lip after I poured it out. Since I used to pour wine for a living, this really surprised me. I am pretty sure my skills are not that rusty!

The first wine we tried in the decanter was a red house blend. We decided that we should try it both before and after being decanted. The initial taste was absolutely horrible! I could not believe how awful this wine was. It had a sharp tanginess that really overpowered the wine. After sitting in the decanter for one hour, the wine was actually drinkable! I mean, it still wasn't a great wine. But that nasty aftertaste was gone. I'm not sure if it was because of the aeration of pouring it into the decanter, or letting it "breath" in the decanter, or some combination, but it was well worth waiting an hour. Honestly, if this wine had not been in the decanter, I may have dumped it out and given up completely.

The second wine we tried was three buck Chuck. Yes, a lovely Charles Shaw Shiraz. I actually really like this wine; it is a very simple wine, without a lot of complex flavors. It goes well with just about anything you may be eating. (I don't remember what we ate, but I'm sure it paired well with it.) There was less of a difference in flavor here, but the decanter really did mellow out the flavor. I really preferred the wine after it was decanted, although my dinner companion did not, and felt that something was missing.

All in all, I really love using the decanter. Despite it's flaw, I will continue to use it because of how much it improves the taste of the wine. I will just make sure to have a towel handy to wipe up that one lone drop after every pour! I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Betty's Pies in Two Harbors

Rating: 9 out of 10

When we arrived at the Voyageur Motel in Two Harbors, there was a menu for Betty's Pies on the wall. I have heard of Betty's Pies my whole life, but had never been there. In fact I didn't even realize it was in Two Harbors. Gigi asked, "Are you looking for breakfast or pie?" And of course, our answer was enthusiastically, "Both!" Gigi recommended both Betty's Pies and Vanilla Bean. Well, we were there for two mornings, so we were able to try both.

We were very excited the next morning. Betty's Pies is just a short drive north on Highway 61 from the motel, and we arrived very quickly.

The breakfast was good, but not great. It was a very basic diner-style breakfast of eggs and hashbrowns. It was good though, and reasonably priced.

But, of course, the star of the show was the pie. So many selections of pie! We had a lot of difficulty narrowing our selection down to two slices. We did agree that one slice of pie per person should be more than enough! But hey, you can see the list. It's easier said than done to narrow it down!

In the end, we decided on Raspberry Rhubarb and Toffee. The Raspberry Rhubarb was absolutely amazing. I love any pie with a crunch topping, and easily could have ordered (and enjoyed) all three of those! In fact, I was so excited about it, I accidentally took a bite before I took a photo!

But really, how could I resist?

The second piece of pie we chose was the Toffee, which was also amazing. It was very creamy, and also very light. There was just the right amount of toffee flavor, not overwhelming and not overshadowed by the creaminess.

Of course, I wish I had been able to to have all of the other kinds of pies. I will definitely need to go back to Betty's Pies soon!