Tony Roma's Restaurant Review

This is a Review on the "Tony Roma's" Restaurant in London, Ontario

My grandparents come here once a year for their free birthday meal (a coupon deal you can register for through the restaurant). This year I was invited to go with them. I suggest going for lunch rather than dinner, as the meal offerings are generally the same but much more afforadble. The restaurant wasn't crowded, but certainly had more than half the tables full. Service was fantastic and the waitress was quite personable and attentive.

As a vegetarian, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to order anything - since it is advertised as a steakhouse type restaurant. There are no "vegetarian-friendly" meals on the menu, but you can get a salad or a pasta dish made without the seafood or meat, which is what I had done.

I ordered the "Shrimp Scampi Pasta" without the shrimp, which they were happy to comply with - they even gave me the shrimp portion in a separate bowl for my grandmother which I appreciated - they really went the extra mile to provide the full value of the meal.

I wasn't expecting much, but the meal was delicious! The pasta tasted fresh, the sauce was more like a bruschetta which was unexpected, but delicious. The feta cheese was some of the best I've ever had, and the basil tasted home grown. For $12, I was expecting a lot lower quality - I was pleasantly surprised. Based on taste and presentation alone I would've expected to pay upwards of $20.

I nabbed a few of my grandmothers french fries - which were light and airy but nicely seasoned. These are the type of fries you WANT to finish, they could be a meal on their own rather than just a lackluster side dish.

For dessert I had an "alcoholic milkshake" - one of their most popular items. A shot of vodka and a shot of irish creme mixed into a vanilla milkshake with fresh strawberry sauce then doused in whipped cream. Absolutely fantastic!

I'll definitely make Tony Roma's a yearly stop for a special birthday treat!

National Geographic™ Owl Teaser Cat Toy Review

I just recently adopted two five month old kittens and was recommended a "teaser toy" in order to help them build trust with me. I bought this product for $8.99, I chose  a more pricy option as compared to similar products since I assumed it would be built with a more durable quality. With the brand "National Geographic" you'd expect a solid product, since the brand is so well known for their quality magazines.

National Geographic™ Owl Teaser Cat Toy

Within two hours my two kittens had already torn more than half the feathers out of it, causing a major choking hazard. I had to keep a close eye on them when they played with it. I considered returning it, but the store I bought it from (PetSmart) has a horrible return policy - so I was forced to try and make the best out of my purchase. I will now no longer purchase toys that can be dangerous when damaged from PetSmart.

A few short hours after that my kittens had torn the owl plushy portion right off the string and ripped it, thus making the toy absolutely useless. I had to throw it out immediately. For the price I paid I expected at least a few weeks of play, not a few hours. Absolutely disgusted with the quality - I don't think it should even be sold!

I can't recommend this product to anyone, for any reason. It has horrible durability, is unsuitable for playing and can be potentially dangerous if the animal swallows the feathers! If I could give it minus stars, I would. For some reason the "reviews" portion of the product on Petsmart.ca has been blocked... Not impressed whatsoever. National Geographic™ Owl Teaser Cat Toy

Country Market Crafts Indie Company Review

One of my News Years Resolutions was to take this blog more seriously and to post more often. Along with this, I wanted to start featuring some lesser known indie brands. So to start this year off, I’d like to introduce you to a wonderful indie bath and body company called “Country Market Crafts”. 

I stumbled across this brand while browsing Etsy and then started following them on Instagram. Country Market Crafts is run by a woman named Stephanie Thain, along with the help and support of her husband. Stephanie has an absolutely empowering story behind the creation of Country Market Crafts and I recommend you check it out on her Etsy profile.

Her prices are incredibly competitive and reasonable and that’s what drew me in originally. She also had a New Years coupon code that would save 10% off your purchase so I took the plunge and purchased a wide range of her products to test out and review. She runs sales every few weeks from what I’ve seen, but her products are definitely worth their regular prices!

I’d like to say I did message Stephanie on Etsy beforehand to ask about doing a custom order. Lately my skin has been really dry and flaky, so I’ve been using a ton of body scrub… But the scrubs I’ve been using are so abrasive on my hands that I can’t get the desired intensity without irritating or drying out my hands. I asked Stephanie if she could put her sugar scrub in a twist-up deodorant container, that way I could scrub as hard as I needed to without the issue of hurting my hands. She was more than happy to accommodate my request and together we came up with the scent and product. It's a sugar scrub in a soap base, fragrances with apple and cinnamon.

 My Custom Scrub - $10

Stephanie responded quickly and was incredibly lovely to chat with.  Overall she made me feel really confident about my purchase by answering all my questions and addressing any concerns. I asked her what products she would recommend I try to get a good impression of her product collections and together we curated a box of ten products. She has a couple more products I have yet to try, but if/when I do I will be sure to post reviews about those as well!

I made my purchase on January 1st and it was shipped out on the 3rd. I received the box three days later on the 6th. Shipping was $13.50 which I found a bit expensive, since Orangeville (where Country Market Crafts is located) is only a 30-45 minute drive from my house and I don’t believe the package was shipped via eXpress. Next time I’d probably make the decision to pick up my order instead of have it shipped. But on the plus side, I was not charged any taxes.

Overall, I’d give Country Market Crafts a 4.5/5. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was how expensive the shipping was! The customer service is personalized, friendly and timely. Stephanie was very accommodating with my custom request and her prices are very reasonable. Her products are free of parabens, cruelty free and vegan! If you’re into brands such as LUSH, I’d absolutely suggest you check out Country Market Crafts. I love supporting home businesses and this one was no exception.

You can purchase Country Market Crafts products from Etsy here: CountryMarketCrafts Etsy

Or Stephanie’s Personal Site, here: http://www.countrymarketsoaps.com/

Also, feel free to follow their social media to stay up to date on all new products and sales! Instagram 

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MyDogTag.Com Company & Product Review

On April 15th 2015, one of my best friends passed away. He had a specific quote he used to live by, and that quote was "Make something cool happen". When he passed, I decided I wanted to keep his quote with me - but I'm not the type for tattoos. I decided on an engraved necklace instead. I browsed several different vendors, then stumbled across "MyDogTag.Com".

My first thought was "wow, this site is easy to navigate!". The options are laid out and explained clearly, the graphics used are true to form and there's even a generator that shows you what your final product will look like. This is what puts MyDogTag above any of the other vendors I looked into, the fact that I could see exactly what I was ordering.

Although some options are rather limited (only two font types, minimal special characters allowed, ball-chain or leather strap necklace only), the wide range of styles available (brass, copper, matte and shiny, among other options) and equally as large amount of coloured covers (called silencers) makes it easy to customize your dog tag to whatever fits your needs or wants.

I chose the simple black silencers,  since I wanted to be able to wear my tags with any outfit. But there was a multitude of colours and patterns I considered. Including any one of the eight shades of camo. There are over 25 silencer colour options to choose from!

My package came within 10 business days - which was highly impressive considering I live in Ontario and American packages typically take two or three weeks to arrive. MyDogTag also included some bonus items along with my order. My package consisted of everything in the photo below.

 Several business cards (which I had requested, I keep one on me whenever I wear my necklace for situations where people ask where I got my tags from). The dog tags themselves, the two silencers, stickers for the back of the tags that include where they're from, the dog tag chains. Then the bonus items are a key chain mini flashlight, an emergency pill bottle and two whistles.

I have worn my dog tags consistently for over a month now and have yet to notice any issues. I have gotten them wet (accidentally) and still had no issues. No rust, no scrapes or scratches, no dents, no issues. They are very high quality and I would recommend them to anyone who desires a  dog tag (or several!)

Last but not least, their customer service department is absolutely fantastic! They offer several different ways to get discounted (or even free dog tags), and replied to any questions/concerns I had within the same business day. Excellent service and an excellent product.

Thanks to My Dog Tag for supplying this set of dog tags to me free of charge. If you would like to purchase your own set, please follow the link above. Use coupon code BC10 for a 10% discount on your purchase!

Facial Moisturizer - 2015 Elle Beauty Grand Prix Reviews

Skin Profile: I have sensitive skin, I am acne-prone and I have hyper-pigmentation in my cheeks and forehead. I have combo skin - my forehead, chin and nose are oily, while my cheeks are dry.

 

Product 19:

 

Minimum Testing Duration: 7 Days
Directions: Apply every morning on perfectly cleansed face and neck. Note: Apply a sunscreen before sun exposure
Texture (greasy, silky, light, heavy, etc):  

 **** 4/5

Absorption (Immediate, slow, complete, greasy, etc.): 

**** 4/5

Moisturizing Effect when applied (Oily, refreshing, light, left skin tight, dry, etc.): 

**** 4/5

Moisturizing Effect After 7 Days (Skin is smoother, softer, well moisturized, dry, blemished, etc.):

*** 3/5

Scent (Strong, pleasant, unpleasant, not scented enough, too scented, etc.):

 **** 4/5

Additional Comments: I think the packaging of this product is a bit bulky and that makes it difficult to travel with, but otherwise it’s a nice shape and the lid doubles as a mirror if needed. The texture is smooth and silky. It’s a medium-weight cream that absorbs completely within a couple minutes. It leaves a tiny bit of residue on my skin, but that’s no big deal. The lotion leaves my skin looking a bit oily, but it’s easily fixed. After a week my skin felt softer, but I still had dry patches. The scent is a mix between clean and fruity, but it’s not overpowering at all.

Product 20:

 

Minimum Testing Duration: 7 Days
Directions: Apply every morning on perfectly cleansed face and neck. Note: Apply a sunscreen before sun exposure
Texture (greasy, silky, light, heavy, etc): 

** 2/5

Absorption (Immediate, slow, complete, greasy, etc.): 

* 1/5

Moisturizing Effect when applied (Oily, refreshing, light, left skin tight, dry, etc.):

* 1/5

Moisturizing Effect After 7 Days (Skin is smoother, softer, well moisturized, dry, blemished, etc.):

** 2/5

Scent (Strong, pleasant, unpleasant, not scented enough, too scented, etc.): 

** 2/5

Additional Comments: The packaging of this product is sleek and fits easily into my makeup bag. The pump is easy to work and disperses a reasonable amount of product. It is a very liquidy moisturizer and takes a long time to absorb into the skin, I don’t think it ever absorbs fully. It makes my skin feel sticky and it feels like if I rubbed at it, I could rub it off. There’s a lot of residue left on my skin even after it aborbs. After 7 days I suffered breakouts and my skin was more oily than normal. The scent is mild and light. I didn’t like this one at all.

Product 21:

 

Minimum Testing Duration: 7 Days
Directions: Apply every morning on perfectly cleansed face and neck.
Texture (greasy, silky, light, heavy, etc): 

*** 3/5

Absorption (Immediate, slow, complete, greasy, etc.): 

*** 3/5

Moisturizing Effect when applied (Oily, refreshing, light, left skin tight, dry, etc.): 

** 2/5

Moisturizing Effect After 7 Days (Skin is smoother, softer, well moisturized, dry, blemished, etc.):

*** 3/5

Scent (Strong, pleasant, unpleasant, not scented enough, too scented, etc.): 

** 2/5

Additional Comments: The packaging on this product is quite heavy and bulky, but you get a lot of product inside. This is a light cream, that absorbs within a minute or two. This moisturizer made my face feel refreshed and soft, but there were still dry patches of skin around my forehead. After 7 days my skin felt softer and smoother, but the dry patches were still there. The scent is strong, and has a weird pungency to it – like bugspray almost. But that goes away quickly.