3rd Graze Box Review

This was my 3rd box and by far my favorite. I actually really enjoyed all 4 items.

A full photo of the box

Cookies and Cream - Mini cookies, white chocolate, hazelnuts & sunflower seeds.

Thoughts: The white chocolate melted in my mailbox before I got home so I had to let it re-solidify in the fridge for a while. When I finally got around to eat this it had turned into a huge glob. Definitely worth the wait! Cookies and Cream was soooooo delicious.

Bonnie wee Oatbakes - Wholegrain oatbakes with caramelized onion marmalade. 

Thoughts: This is delicious! You do need to like onions though. The oatbakes by themselves are tasty. These are packed with flavor and hope to receive them again soon.

Super Berry Detox - Blueberries, cranberries, goji berries and green raisins.

Thoughts: I do like dried berries and this is a good "healthy" option. I think this is something I would take to work or snack on while I am out and about. It's just yummy.

Apple & Cinnamon Flapjack - Rustic rolled oat flapjack with apple and cinnamon.

Thoughts: Not overly sweet, and not hard or too chewy. I have liked both types of flapjacks I have received thus far.  

Verdict: I still like this box and received this one fairly quickly after they prepared it. 

*Disclaimer: I purchased subscription with my own funds and am not being paid to provide review*

2nd Graze Box Review

I've decided to receive boxes every two weeks rather than every week. I recently received my second box and I think overall this box was just OK

In this box I received Dark Rocky Road, Black Pepper Pistachios, My Thai and Pear Tatin.

What the box looks like

Dark Rocky Road
Includes: Belgian dark chocolate buttons, cranberries, and pecans.
Thoughts: This combination was not too spectacular, but was not horrible. It just wouldn't be something I would reach for or crave.

Black Pepper Pistachios

Includes: Pistachios roasted with black pepper
Thoughts: The initial taste of this item was pistachio, but it left a lingering black pepper taste and kick. It's interesting, but I don't know if I would want this again in a future box.

My Thai

Includes: Sweet chili sauce with baked soy bites
Thoughts: The soy bites are much better alone than with the sauce. The sauce tastes like the generic sweet and spicy sauce at Panda Express and the crackers are a very generic Asian cracker that I'd be able to find at Marukai or 99 Ranch Market.

Pear Tatin

Includes: Pear, Raspberry cranberries, yogurt coated seeds, and almonds
Thoughts: This one was one of the better tasting selections. The raspberry infused cranberries pairs really well with the yogurt coated seeds and almonds. I don't like most dried fruit so I avoided the pears.



Overall: I still like this box and am looking forward to my next one!







*Disclaimer: I purchased subscription with my own funds and am not being paid to provide review*

1st Jungle Stand Tasting Bar March 2013 review

This is my very first Jungle Stand Tasting Bar. This month's theme was "The Globe Trotting Bar", which included 6 different pasties from 6 different countries.

The 6 countries and pastries featured are as follows:

Hopia - from The Philippines 

It is a popular Filipino bean-filled pastry originally introduced by the Chinese.

Thoughts: It is actually fairly similar to many Chinese and Taiwanese pastries I have tried before. It is not overly sweet and pretty tasty.

Pineapple Cake - from Taiwan

A cake with a buttery crust and pineapple jam filling in the middle. It is the most popular pastry in Taiwan.

Thoughts: I have had Pineapple Cakes from Taiwan many times. In fact, I get them seasonally as gifts from family members. This particular one was not outstanding or noteworthy in my opinion. There are definitely better options out there. The buttery crust was not bad, but the pineapple filling was sub par and overly sweet.

Pastelitos de Mango - from Cuba

They are pastries with fillings that are similar to an American turnover. 

Thoughts: Mango usually makes me pretty sick so I will not be personally sampling this, but I will be sharing it with a family member.

Macaroon - from Lebanon

A very indulgent dessert with a high amount of sugar. The Lebanese variation is made from semolina, oil and spices.

Thoughts: My initial thought was that it reminded me of a doughnut, both in taste and texture, but not as sweet. It is delicious.

Baklava - from Greece

It has light, flaky layers of crust and a sweet filling. 

Thoughts: OH MY Gosh. It tastes like Christmas in my mouth. It has a light sweetness, and cinnamon is definitely apparent, along with the chopped nuts. This reminds me of all the best holiday desserts in one amazing bite. 

Rice Cakes - from Vietnam

A chewy sponge cake made from rice flour, water and sugar. 

Thoughts: The rice cakes are really sweet and have a taste and texture that is similar to Japanese Mochi. 

*Disclaimer: I purchased subscription with my own funds and am not being paid to provide review*

1st Love with Food box March 2013 review

I just received my very first Love with Food box a few days ago.

I gifted a subscription to my grandparents. They got their box first, so I already had an idea what was in there.

Kids 50 Fruit & Veggie Juice in Foofa's Pink Lemonade

Kids 50 Foofa's Pink Lemonade--
It tastes more like pink berry yogurt than pink lemonade. It's tart with a hint of lemon. It's not bad, but I wouldn't market it as pink lemonade.

Ola! Granola in Vanilla Almond

Ola! Vanilla Almond Granola--
It's a little bland. Its like I baked oats and added cinnamon. I don't taste much other than that. This would be a great addition to greek yogurt.

Wacky Apple's Wild Berry Flat Fruit

Wacky Apple's Wild Berry Flat Fruit--
This fruit leather was not overwhelmingly sweet or tart. It was easy to rip apart and snack on. If I had kids, I'd purchase this for them.

Salted Caramel Baked Corn From Cosmos Creations

Salted Caramel Baked Corn from Cosmos Creations--
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! They were not overly sweet. The texture is similar to Pirate's Booty. I could not stop eating these. I want to order more.

Chocolate Covered Wasabi Peas from Chocwasabi

Chocolate Covered Wasabi Peas from Chocwasabi--
The ones included were milk chocolate covered wasabi peas. The company does offer dark chocolate instead. I love chocolate and wasabi peas. I never imagined them together. I ended up ordering a 13oz bag from their website after trying these.

Green Tea Infuser from Revolution Tea

Orange Chocolate Green Tea from Revolution Tea--
I have had other teas that boasted chocolate flavors and did actually have hints of chocolate. Unfortunately, this did not. It tasted like kumquats with a light green tea finish. The likelihood of me purchasing this item is extremely low.

Mary's Gone Crackers in Sticks & Twigs Sea Salt Pretzels

Mary's Gone Crackers in Sticks & Twigs Sea Salt Pretzels--
These taste really grainy and there's a smidge of sea salt. I don't mind them, but I would not classify them as pretzels.

Dark Chocolate Orange Good Fortune Cookie from Emily's Chocolates

Dark Chocolate Orange Good Fortune Cookie from Emily's Chocolates--
This was already melted when I received it because it was left in my mailbox :(, but that did not affect the taste! I normally don't like fortune cookies, but paired with the chocolate was tasty.


I purchased a 6 month subscription and am glad I did :).






*Disclaimer: I purchased subscription with my own funds and am not being paid to provide review*

1st Graze Box March 2013

Oh My Gosh! Thank you Broke Beauty Blogger, Laura, for providing me with the Graze Box code! I had been browsing through her  blog, reading her reviews on different boxes, when I came across her subscription box tab and was taken aback by how many different types of subscription boxes are actually out there and how few I had actually heard of. Thank you Laura. I will post a link to her blog below in case you guys were interested in expanding your subscription box horizon and/or were curious about what other boxes offered.

Graze is $5 per box and sends 4 different, healthy, snacks per box. You have the option of choosing how often you would like to receive your boxes. I have mine set to every 2 weeks.

You can rate them after trying them on their site. The options they provide are : Trash, Try, Like, Love. If you really don't like something or are not interested in trying a particular item you can "trash" it and they won't send it to you. If you leave it on "try", "like", or "love" they are more likely to send those to you.

For my first box I received: Garden of England; El Picante; Honeycomb Crunch; and Fruit and Seed Flapjack.

Garden of England-- contains mini strawberries, black currants and apples.
I don't particularly like dried fruit and neither does my boyfriend. Still, we wanted to give everything a try and still did not like Garden of England. This one was trashed.

El Picante-- contains jumbo salted corn, hot chili peanuts, and mini paprika breadsticks.
This mix surprised me. I did not think I would like it because of the peanuts, but the flavors were balanced and complemented each other well. It was only slightly spicy.

Honeycomb Crunch-- contains milk chocolate coated honeycomb, raisins and [raw] almonds.
This was my favorite! The chocolate covered honeycomb was crunch and paired well with the almonds and raisins.

Fruit and Seed Flapjack-- contains rustic rolled oat flapjack with mixed seeds and dried fruits.
It was surprisingly soft and chewy. I thought it was going to be crunchy. It's a nice snack bar to have around.

Verdict: I can't wait for next month's box. I really am impressed with Graze box.




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Laura's Blog: http://brokebeautyblogger.blogspot.com/p/subscription-box-list.html


*Disclaimer: I purchased subscription with my own funds and am not being paid to provide review*

Le Parcel Subscription Box March 2013-- Rant and Review

I have a minor rant about Le Parcel before I get into the review.. so if you would like to skip that please ignore this paragraph and scroll on down to the bottom.

Begin Rant: I placed an order for this subscription late February in hopes of receiving this by early March in time for me to ride the Crimson Wave. I was charged, via PayPal, almost immediately after I subscribed which led me to believe that I would be receiving the box on time or close to. I received the box a little over a week after my scheduled date, which is not my main qualm with Le Parcel. What bothered me was that I was NOT provided with any email notifications pertaining to my package or whether it would be able to make the scheduled dates or not... nothing was even provided when the package shipped. Finally, after two days and two emails, I received an email from Amanda informing me that I had used a fraudulent coupon code which caused the delay in processing/shipment. I have a hard time believing that load of poo for three reasons: 1. Why was the code allowed to be used and why was I not notified until I contacted them; 2. My PayPal account was charged immediately after signing up; 3. My package was not shipped until the day after I received a response, to my 2 emails, from Amanda.

Perhaps, I am just a skeptic, but I don't know if I would have even been notified or sent my package until I contacted them. I am not saying you should forgo Le Parcel if you're interested, but just be cautious and make sure you sign up early and with a "valid" coupon code. End Rant.

I paid a total of $15.50 for this box, shipping included. Amanda did honor the "fraudulent" coupon which provided a certain percentage off. My initial inclination to choose this box over MyCottonBunny or Juniper had to do with the option to choose how many of each item you would like--ie: how many tampons, how many pads, etc. There would also be an additional monthly gift along with your necessities. I think they advertise their January box on their site which came with a watch and ferrero rocher. The packaging is definitely cute and this month came with a lip balm in Champagne (which looks used or melted), 3 hair ties, 2 Lindt chocolates and a 10% coupon for the hair ties from Etsy. Personally, I do not have a problem purchasing personal hygiene products at the store. I thought this might be a nice thing to have each month, but I don't think this box is worth more than $10... if that.

Due to my frustrations and the clear lack of incentive, I decided to cancel my subscription and contacted Amanda, again,  after cancelling regarding my cancellation. I finally received a reply after about 4 or 5 days, but on their site it shows my account is still active.





*Disclaimer: I purchased subscription with my own funds and am not being paid to provide review*

PopSugar Must Have Box March 2013

Yay! I am so excited to finally get my very first PopSugar Must Have Box. I had been debating whether or not to commit to a subscription because the price is a little higher than the other boxes I had been considering. I ended up going for it. This may also end up being a SPOILER for some... so if you would like to be surprised please do not scroll down....

What’s inside and the approximate prices of each item….

Must Have Fashion:

Heather Belle’s Signature Tassel Necklace
My Thoughts: This item feels pretty sturdy and does look great in person. However, it's really long. I ended up gifting this to someone else. 

Price: Approx 85.00-95.00

(Price found on http://www.ramblingsofasuburbanmom.com)

Must Have Home:

The Laundress Wool and Cashmere Shampoo
My Thoughts: I am really excited about this because I have several items that need to go to the dry cleaners and instead of doing that I can hand wash them. 

Price: 19.00

Corkatoo Corkscrew in Green
My Thoughts: This is an adorable little inclusion. I was definitely excited to see this. 

Price: 14.00

Must Have Beauty:

Buxom Sculpted Lash Mascara in True Black
My Thoughts: I have a lot of mascaras that I need to use and try. When I saw this I could not help but think that I most likely would not be using this and will probably be giving this away. 

Price: 19.00

Must Have Fashion:

Hollywood Fashion Secrets Sweater Saver
My Thoughts: I have been continuously looking for something to rid my sweaters and coats of the pills that plague them. So when I saw this in the box I was incredibly happy. I can't wait to give this a try.

Price: 6.00

Must Have Beauty:

The New Black Nail Polish in Pardon My French
My Thoughts: The colors are really pretty. There was a light grey-ish taupe color and a deep blue-ish color. I have been wanting to try New Black nail polish for some time so looks like I'll get that opportunity.

Price: 10.00

Special Extras:

Marshmallows Peeps
My Thoughts: Peeps have never been a treat I would willing indulge in so I gave these away. 

Price: 0.50-1.00

Hollywood Fashion Secrets Fashion Tape Assortment Pack
My Thoughts: I don't think I will use these, but I will check out the site to see what else they may offer. I believe I read they sell nipple petals also-- those would be useful. 

Price: --

I have to say I was not overly excited when I received this package... I am on the fence about my Popsugar subscription. I am definitely going to give this one or two more month(s) because I have seen some of the amazing boxes they have had in the past. I know this box was amazing for some people, but these items aren't all my cup of tea. I will say I was definitely most excited about the Hollywood Fashion Secrets Sweater Saver, the Corkatoo Corkscrew, and the Wool and Cashmere Shampoo. I am looking forward to next month's box!













*Disclaimer: I purchased subscription with my own funds and am not being paid to provide review*

Chic Shave Subscription Review & First Impressions

Chic Shave is the first of my 5 monthly subscriptions to arrive and from what it seems, the concept is similar to the dollarshave subscription for me. I really liked the packaging, which as you can see is adorable. There are 3 different types of razors to choose from: The Sapphire Lady; The Pink Lady; The Lady's Man. 

I, obviously, chose The Pink Lady mainly because it was the only razor option with more than 3 blades. The other two are blue with 3 blades, which is fine, but I prefer more. I used the razor for the first time last night and it did provide an extremely close shave and was moisturizing. As you can see in the photo above, it does have a pink strip surrounding the razor blades. The strip has vitamin E, aloe and botanical oil. The handle is really light. I don't know how I feel about the weight because my Quattro is heavier than this so that is what I am used to. I am going to try it out a few more times and decide how I really feel about it, and maybe if I am able to resubscribe.

The service is $9 a month and includes 2 razors cartridges each month. I ended up cancelling this service because I do not shave enough to make this subscription worth the cost. Plus, the razors I use are cheaper than these, but for those that use other higher end razors, such as one named after a planet, this might be worth it to you. I did deal with their help desk and their customer service rep, Evelet, was really kind.

http://www.chicshave.com/

*Disclaimer: I purchased subscription with my own funds and am not being paid to provide review*