The Ice Floe

Okay, I know I haven’t blogged in a hundred years. 

But I didn’t want to deprive you of my favorite product reviews. 

First of all Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix.  This stuff is the bomb. I make it with egg-beaters and with applesauce instead of oil (and I just saw online a recommendation to use pumpkin instead of oil–I may try that next time!. I rarely like bread mixes, but this is good stuff. They only have it in November and December. So I bought 5 boxes. 

Second, yes I’ve drunk the koolaid and have tried the mineral powerdery makeup junk.  I went with Bare Escentuals. I got a starter kit of some sort from Sephora, after discovering that many of my camp roommates (ranging in age from 19-65) were using it and they looked so good (note: I never wear makeup at camp, but apparently some people do. who knew?) . I am mostly sold on the stuff though.  My skin has never looked better, but there’s no “makeupy” look (or feel). I wear the powder foundation, the blush, and the mineral veil. My sampler came with eye shadow, too, but I don’t care for it. It also came with some lipgloss, which is fine, but I don’t think I’ll wear it often–it’s REALLY glossy. One of the neat things that I’ve noticed is that my skin actually seems to look better and better when I’m not wearing it–cool. So, the stuff is pricey. The die-hards say it will last a long time, and I’m actually buying that given how little one uses at a time, but I’m still basically a cheapo at heart, so I don’t use it every day.  I stick to my tinted moisturizer on the other days. (Oh, and I recommend getting a starter set, even if you’re not a fan of all the pieces, because you get all the brushes in it…that adds up.)

Last, there’s the lovely City in California Fitnes$ Center. I went to visit it in my town–a new gym–GORGEOUS with great hours. BUT, a) no prices on the web site, b) no brochures when you come in, c) you sit down with the most hard-core salesperson who tells you that he can offer you this specific price for today only, and that tomorrow it will be double…..and then proceeds to badmouth every other gym in town. ARGH. I didn’t buy a membership. I just couldn’t handle the sleazy car salesman thing. But I do wish I belonged. 

Here ends the product reviews by PPB.