Shabby Apple dress: So much potential

Remember in my last post when I said some reviews were easier to do than others? Well this one is the counter-balance to that one. (You HAVE entered the giveaway for $50 in OmShanti clothing, haven't you?)

A year ago, ShabbyApple.com approached me to do a review and offered me to select one from a menu of dresses.  All were good-looking and some suited me better than others did. In browsing the site, I really like this feature, in which you can shop by body type.

I eventually went off the menu I was given and selected this dress, The Madison (listed at $76), which, I see now has been featured in O Magazine. Now it can add AllThumbsReviews to its already impressive resume.

Cute, huh? At the time I was, perhaps, influenced by watching Mad Men Season 1 from the library. I fell in love with this dress on the page.

But not so much out of the box.

Let's just say I should have paid more attention to the reviews. (The buttons on the sleeves are a bit weird in their placement, and I put the dress on and it's fit is really really bad. It looks like a bag. To be fair, there are positive reviews, too.)

When I tried on the dress, the chest was too tight (that never happens to me!) and the waist was too loose. I told my Shabby Apple contact that I wouldn't be able to review the dress unless I had it altered, and I offered to send it back. She indicated she'd wait for me to have the dress altered and then I should provide a review.

$41 later, I have a striking dress that looks WONDERFUL on a hanger. I do get compliments on it when I wear it -- maybe because I have matching earrings -- but the fit is still off. You be the judge.

Above the bust it poofs. At the bust it puckers. At the waist it's just blah. The arms are tight and the fabric just doesn't lay right. From the hips down it looks downright matronly, don't you think?

Other than all that it's a cute dress.

But not one I can raise my thumbs for.

-- Submitted by Lori

Mix and match: Does chocolate really go with everything?

Some things just go together. Wine and cheese. Bacon and eggs. Root beer and ice cream. Prince William and Princess Catherine.

And some things don't. Red and pink. Hot dogs and honey. Ammonia and bleach. Donald Trump and anybody.

So what do we make of these latest food and beverage blends?

Mo's Bacon Bar by Vosges Haut Chocolate mixes two delicious flavors: chocolate and mmmmmm bacon (also comes in dark chocolate, which wasn't available the day I was in Cost Plus).

Creator Katrina got the idea for this blend one morning when she was six years old and was served chocolate chip pancakes and bacon for breakfast. A little bit of overlap and voila -- magic on the plate. She grew up to experiment with the joining of sweet and salty.

And said juxtaposition turned out to be delicious. But the juxtaposition between creamy and crispy isn't sharp. The bacon flavor is in the chocolate, but the texture of the bacon comes through as slightly soggy.

Still, I like this treat and would buy it again. $7.50 at the Vosges website. $6.50 at Cost Plus. A thumb and a half up.



ChocoVine presents the taste of dutch chocolate and fine red wine. So it says on the bottle.

But the ingredients say, simply, "grape wine with artificial flavor, cream and artificial colors." I suspect that inside this bottle is NOT fine red wine and NOT any real chocolate.

How does it taste? "Like alcohol-ized Yoohoo," said my husband. And I tend to agree, even though I've never tried a Yoohoo. Point is, this beverage tastes like a kiddie drink spiked with everclear. Maybe ChocoVine would make a good drink for a sorority party, but not so much for a grown up palate.

Thumbs down. I don't remember how much it cost, but I wouldn't buy another bottle if it were on sale for a dollar.

 -- submitted by Lori

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Fail: the dry reality of Aqua Globes

Seems I'm the only one in my house that can be bothered to take care of fish and plants. Too bad for them.

The fish survived the two trips I took last month, but two of my plants died, the two that require more frequent watering out of the dozens in my house.

One of the deceased was an avocado plant from a seed I potted at the time Tessa was born, 9 years ago. I am actually quite sad about its demise.

I should screen my plant-sitters better. In this case, I chose AquaBulbs (no link). I'd asked for a set for Christmas so that I could keep plants alive during the times I go away. And because the science behind the concept made sense to me:

"How do AquaGlobe plant watering systems work? As the soil becomes dry, oxygen is released into the plant watering ball and causes the exact amount of water to be released! Your plants will never be thirsty or over-watered again!"

Exclamationpointssell!.com

The globes are pretty. They seem sturdy, not too fragile. You'd hate to have one break in your hand. But here are the problems:

• They take a LONG time to fill. The entry hole is smaller than 1/8" so you must barely trickle the water.
• Once you put a globe in the soil with the tip down, it is very top heavy. If you don't have the angle just right, it will flip itself out and onto the floor. If you have carpet, you now have a dirty mess to vacuum, and if you have a hard floor, you now have glass to vacuum.
• And finally, THEY DON'T WORK. Said teeny entry hole is also a teeny exit hole. When plugged with a speck of dirt as you push it in, no water will then drip out.

I regret the dearly departed plants more than I regret the $22 my gift-giver spent ($15 on the product and $8 on shipping/handling. Perhaps that ratio is a clue to how many returns are processed, and how the company REALLY makes its money).

Thumbs down. RIP, avocado.

Vibrams FiveFinger for yoga and for running

Shortly before my husband's accident last summer, he had gotten into Chi Running, which champions trotting about in bare feet. My fitness activity, yoga, also tends to be done barefooted. So when we heard about Vibram Five Finger shoes, which provide the benefits of bare feet along with protection, we inquired about trying them out.


As a blogger and reviewer, I qualified for a $25 discount off the $85 retail price. We carefully followed the ordering instructions (women's sizes run 34-42) because precise fit is imperative.

One thing to note about feet and Five Fingers is that "if the foot length varies more than 1/6 in. it will be difficult to get a precise fit for both feet." And "if your second toe is more than 1/6 in. longer than your big toe it will be difficult to get a precise fit."

After checking and double checking our sizes, I emailed our order sheets for his and her pairs. Last July.

Three months later (!), I received my pair, a KSO style in grey/fuchsia. What is KSO? The Vibram's website says "KSO IS BEST FOR: Running, Fitness Training, CrossFit, Light Trekking, Bouldering, Water Sports, & Travel."

And here is a description: ...our most versatile style for women. Featuring a thin, abrasion-resistant stretch nylon and breathable mesh upper that wraps your entire forefoot to “Keep Stuff Out.” A single hook-and-loop closure helps secure the fit. A non-marking 3.5mm Vibram TC1 performance rubber outsole is razor-siped for a sure grip, and a 2mm EVA midsole enhances plating protection and comfort.

I've had several months now to try out my Five Fingers while doing various activities. If it's not too cold, I enjoy wearing my Five Fingers out and about. But because there's no insulation I do not wear them when the terrain is icy. Not for the slip factor but for the brrrrrr factor.

While they ARE the first pair of shoes I've ever owned that required instructions on how to put on, and while they DO take a little extra time to wriggle in to, I DO enjoy the feeling of having my toes separated. Others have told me that such a sensation would drive them nuts.

And people have told me that the color scheme I chose makes me look like I have the feet of a cadaver. Perhaps I would have done better with the camouflage blue.

Photo by Aimee Greeblemonkey, taken at a WiiFit Plus party

These shoes have worked perfectly for me walking around and practicing yoga. And I wore them recently during a TurboKick class. All went well until the last few minutes when the underside of my big toe began to hurt. I made it to the end of class and drove home. When I removed the shoe, a small piece of grit? lint? something ordinary -- had gotten past that breathable mesh and had worn quite a blister. Youch.

Verdict? For yoga and for be-bopping around, I give Vibrams Five Fingers one thumb toe up.

And here is a review of my husband's experience with Five Fingers as a running shoe:
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Know why that's blank? Because in spite of the 7 months, the 7 follow up emails and 4 followup voicemail messages, I CANNOT GET VIBRAMS FIVE FINGERS TO TAKE AND FULFILL THIS ORDER. Or even let me know why they won't.

For running? Big toes down. Both of them.

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Friends don't let friends make bad mojitos

Life -- and summer (winter, if you're a Downunder reader) -- is short. Don't waste a moment or a calorie on a bad mojito.

Of course, homemade is the best. The recipe I use is:

Pour over ice in a highball glass:

• 1 oz minty simple syrup*
• 1 oz rum (or more) (or none -- virgin mojitos are good, too!)
• juice from 1/2 lime

Top with:

• club soda or ginger ale
• sprig of spearmint

Homemade mojitos require foresight and preparation. But sometimes (or often, if you're me) the craving for a mojito exists even though the pre-planning didn't.

So, what to do?

Enter three mixers. And my thumbs.

1. My favorite mojito mixer is by the same folks who make flavors for coffees -- the good people at Monin. This product offers the perfect type (spearmint, NOT peppermint) and intensity of mint, with just the right texture (only mildly sweet and not too syrupy). Exactly what I aim for when I make my own simple syrup.

Thumbs Up for taste and texture. You still add the soda, the rum, and the lime, so it's very close to homemade.

Thumbs Down for availability. Locally, I can find this only at a coffee wholesale warehouse in a section of town I rarely get to. So I tend to stock up twice or thrice (how often does a blogger get to use that word?) a year. However, thanks to having to write this post, I found it through the Amazon marketplace, with a better price, $9 a bottle.

2. A passable choice is Freshies, a company perhaps more famous for its Bloody Mary mix. This concoction has both the mint and the lime flavors, so you need only add rum and soda.

Thumbs Up for convenience. No need to cut and squeeze the lime. When you're making a batch of drinks, the lime step can keep you from your company for a seemingly long time.

Thumbs Even for taste. Despite it's name it just doesn't taste as fresh as Monin or as homemade. Fresh limes really DO make a difference. And if you add them to Freshies, it's just too limey.

Thumbs Down for price. Online, the price for a bottle is $10.50, but you can often find this product at your local supermarket or specialty grocer for less . However, the recipe on the bottle calls for 3 times as much mixer as the Monin, making it a more expensive option.

3. Here's where I derived the title of this post. But first, a digression.

Back in a high school genetics class, we studied traits that we'd inherited from our biological parents. I remember studying such quirks as hitchhiker's thumb, hairy knuckles (neither of which I had), and the ability to taste a certain chemical.

The teacher passed out to each student a piece of tissue paper that had been infused with a substance detectable only to people with a certain gene. The tissue paper was completely benign to some and absolutely repulsive to others.

Like me.

I had flashbacks to that experiment both times I had a mojito made with Rose's Mojito Mix.

So I can only give it a thumbs down. It's watery, it requires that you use a lot, and it tastes like science class.

Ick.

If you are lacking that gene and really LIKE mojitos made with Rose's, let me know. I'd like to check out your knuckles, as well.

Enough talk. Time to drink!

* Heat equal parts sugar and water (say, 1 cup each) in saucepan until just before boiling and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Add 1/4 cup fresh, chopped spearmint leaves and let steep 30 minutes. Use a strainer to take out mint leaves (discard), and keep minty syrup in sealed container in fridge for your Mojito Moments.

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Not smart, WalMart.

Yes, WalMart-bashing has become de rigeur, but I have been so frustrated with it the last two times I went in (and I use "last" as a double entendre), I need to vent.

We got two of those government-issued cards for use in purchasing television converter boxes, which we'll need after February 17, 2009 when analog signals will no longer be transmitted, and unconverted TVs will become antiques overnight.

True to our nature, we waited until about a week before the expiration date. OK, two days before. The cards were worth $40 each, and we wanted to find the best deal, a box that didn't cost much more than that.

Enter WalMart, who carried the cheapest converter boxes according to my online research.

Apparently the government's memo didn't get to the Walton clan -- they didn't have any converters in stock. The pimply clerk told me he had no idea when any new ones would arrive. And then he threw in a dig, chiding me for waiting so long. Did I mention I hate to feel stupid?

So we headed to Radio Shack and paid an extra $20 each. Radio Shack also did not have any converters in stock, but they were happy to ship them to us. No hassle, no attitude. The boxes arrived a week later.

This past weekend, my parents were in the same boat. An unexpected emergency occurred with 2 days left on their coupons. I offered to go to WalMart for them, certain that it had worked out its supply and demand issues during the preceding month.

Silly me. I overestimate its business acumen. I was told again that there were no converters in stock because, dang it, people kept buying them. I asked when the next shipment was expected. A young man with the name tag labeled, Matt P, tells me, "No clue."

Okay...I thought. "Do you have regular delivery days? Do you have trucks restocking your electronics?"

Matt P said, annoyed, "Yes. But it's completely random."

Throw me a bone here! "When would be the best time to call to see if you have more?"

He hands me his business card ("Matt P, Sales Associate") and says, "Call at 8:30 in the morning. I won't be here."

Dee-lightful.

Once again, we trekked to the nearby Radio Shack, arranged for shipment and completed the transaction. Quick and helpful.

Thumbs DOWN for Wa.lMart. Thumbs UP for Radio Shack.

Bottom line? Don't expect WalMart to have digital converters in stock, and don't wait 'til the last minute on your coupons. Head straight to Radio Shack and save the gas.

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Hold the phone

It's been all sunshine and light so far in our reviews, so with this post I'm serving up a few clouds.

What does PDA mean to you? If you said "Public Display of Affection," then click here. If you said "Personal Digital Assistant" then keep reading, especially if you are soon to be in the market for a Smart Phone.

I bought my Treo 700wx (Sprint service, also available for Verizon) nearly two years ago, graduating from a Palm Pilot and combining two purse gadgets into one. This Fall, I am able to get out of my contract if I want to.

I don't hate my Treo. I like many things about it. Here's why I chose it in the first place:

• I thought I'd be able to transfer all my Palm data (calendar and contacts)
• Sprint service has pretty good value
• I wanted a full keyboard, not just a number pad.
• I'd read that slide phones tend to break more easily
• It wasn't too chunky-clunky
• It had internet access

But I found that my contacts did not transfer -- something went wrong with my data migration and I had to start from scratch. Time consuming and irritating.

My biggest beef, however, is with the sounds. Just after the warranty expired the ringer stopped working. I took it to a crowded Sprint store and waited with my two impatient preschoolers for over an hour for the tech to tell me, "we don't know what's wrong. Ya wanna send it to the factory to fix? It's $69 and will take two weeks. Or, we can get you a new phone for $100. You'll have to program in all your preferences again."

Ummm, NO.

I came home, googled my problem and found a work-around on a user bulletin board.

Recently, I lost more sounds. I still have the work-around ring, but there is no alert when I get a text message. There is no sound when I power up or power down. And yes, the ringer switch is in the ON position.

They are not fatal flaws. Just annoying ones. I have molded myself around my Treo, when it should be the other way around.

Here's my report card after 20 months:

• Web access: Fast and easy to use. A
• Texting and camera: A
• Calendar: problems when changing time zones or going in/out of daylight savings. C
• Interface: Free backgrounds available for the Today screen. B
• Feel: Moderately light and compact. Keyboard is workable. B
• Reliability: Like many Windows products, needs frequent re-boot. See aforementioned sounds. F
• Customer Service: Improving, but a ways to go. B-
• Price for phone: $400. I'd rather have an iPhone next time. C
• Price for service: Sprint packages have good comparative value. B

All things considered, I have equal parts satisfaction and buyer's remorse. My thumbs are even -- one up and one down. Consider this is a lukewarm endorsement.

When I'm out of contract, I'll be investigating an iPhone.

Any feedback on your SmartPhone? We'd appreciate a guest review on a phone you either HATE or LOVE.

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About All Thumbs

Lori and Tami spent their lives reviewing things together. From their first box of macaroni & cheese, to episodes of The Brady Bunch, to their sixth grade teacher . You see, Lori and Tami are sisters. Tami is the much younger one (and, consequently, the one who wrote this "About Us" page).

Lori launched All Thumbs Reviews with her bloggy friend Chicklet. When Chicklet was ready to depart, Tami was anxiously waiting to attempt to fill Chicklet's shoes. (Tami says Chicklet can borrow her "reviewer" shoes any time.) Fitting well with their shared goals of building a community and writing sassily for a living, the partnership has resulted in a bunch of reviews, a ton of emails, and a couple dozen drinks - some of them even discussing the business of All Thumbs Reviews.

Lori lives with her husband and two children in Colorado. Her posts offer practical advice on products and services -- the tried and true, as well as the new and the bold. Her solo blog is LavenderLuz.com, where she tackles topics as diverse as spirituality and 1970s trivia, open adoption and living mindfully. You can follow Lori on Twitter @LavLuz.

Tami lives 5.8 miles from Lori, though their lives took many turns to bring them back together ... geographically. A Body-for-LIFE champion, Tami shares her home with her husband (codename: reaper), energetic son and their "war kitty." Tami is outspoken (dare I say opinionated?) and demands products and services provide what they have promised. With a background in marketing in the book publishing industry, she has always has witty words at the tip of her fingers. She is a coach for kids 18 months to 18 years by day, and when she's still awake she blogs at Mommy Means Well and Start Today Fitness.

Now a guest-reviewer, Chicklet lives with her husband in British Columbia and provides the tasteful, the cutting edge, and the great finds on the internet. Her solo blog is at Bloorb, and you can follow Chicklet on Twitter @Bloorb.

We thank you for visiting, and would be hasty NOT to say that we'd love to see you here regularly -- when either Tami posts, OR Lori posts. Just click the Subscribe button on the right, and you'll get your fill of sass whenever we're feeling downright sassy.