Sunday, September 27, 2015
Maryland Lottery Wizard of Oz Game Review
For those who like or love the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) classic movie "Wizard of Oz," you might like the new $5 scratch off game the Maryland Lottery launched on September 21, 2015. The tickets show characters from the beloved movie and has that theme. The game offers six top prizes of $50,000. Other big prizes offered are $5,000 (12 of them) and $1,000 (50 of them). All the top prizes are up for grabs at the time of this post except for 1 of the $1,000 prizes.
The game is like a slot machine game in that you have 2 columns of 7 chances each in rows. You scratch off a row in the column and, you win the prize at the end of the row if you get 3 alike symbols or you win five times the prize shown if you hit a tornado symbol among the 3 symbols (I'm not sure if the 2 other symbols must be the same, the ticket I got isn't clear about that point).
Odds of winning OVERALL (you can do better and you can do worse, I have it had happen both ways for me personally) are 1 in 3.61.
The game does qualify for lottery rewards points and has the box in the lower right hand corner that you can scan at the ticket seller or on the new Maryland Lottery Rewards app that lets you scan scratch off tickets with your smart phone and see if you're a winner or enter them for reward points (it's a pretty handy app and it's FREE).
Overall, it's a decent game. If you like or love the movie, you might enjoy playing this game.
Disclaimer: I'm not associated in any way with the Maryland Lottery and all opinions expressed here are my own. All statistics stated here came either from the Maryland Lottery website (www.mdlottery.com) or from the ticket I got on my own. Please do remember to gamble responsibly and good luck to any of my readers!
Maryland Lottery Royal Gems Game Review
Six days ago, the Maryland Lottery launched its latest $1,000,000 prize scratch off game called Royal Gems. Like all $1,000,000 prize ($50,000 a year paid over 20 years, a lump sum is available but will be less than $1,000,000) games, the tickets cost $20 each.
The game offers an instant winner at the upper left of the corner under a gem studded throne. Scratch any amount under that and, you win it instantly.
In the main part of the ticket, you get 5 numbers where you can match between 1 and all 5. Here, they offer another instant win. If you scratch a 5X symbol, you win 5 times the prize shown below example: scratch a 5X symbol and have reveal a $100 prize, you actually win $500.
Top prizes offered are $1,000,000 (3 of them), $50,000 (5 of them), $10,000 (20 of them), $5,000 (25 of them) and $1,000 (283 of them of them). At the time of this post, only two $1,000 prizes had been won so, this game has LOTS of big prizes out there.
Odds of winning OVERALL (you can do better and you can do worse) in this game are 1 in 2.99.
The game does qualify for Maryland Lottery Reward points and has a box you can scan at the lower right corner if you want to find out if you won anything without scratching the whole ticket. Also, thanks to this box, you can scan the ticket with Maryland Lottery's new Rewards app for smart phones and save yourself having to enter the ticket the hard way i.e. having to enter both sets of numbers. I've used the new app. It is very good and, it's FREE.
Overall, the game is a decent game. If you like sparkly game tickets, you may be drawn to this game as it does sparkle.
Disclaimer: I don't have any association with the Maryland Lottery. All remarks are my own. Statistics for the game came from either the ticket I bought with MY own money or the Maryland Lottery website (www.mdlottery.com). Please do remember to gamble responsibly. Good luck!
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tallinn Estonia Cruise Terminal WiFi
On August 1, 2015, I got to visit Tallinn, Estonia for the first time. I did a walking tour of the old city. It was awesome. At times, it felt like I was stepping back in time. At the end of the tour, I chose to return to the pier with the tour bus. At the pier, you can find a small building that is sort of a cruise ship terminal even though it isn't used to process people for cruises.
The small building has 2 or 3 souvenir shops including one that sells postcards and stamps. Just outside the building is a mailbox where you can mail the postcards. Throughout the building, the terminal offers free WiFi. At one end of the building is a small cafe that has tables and chairs both indoors and outdoors. The cafe offers various drinks including Estonian beer. I think the cafe also offers food though I don't remember what exactly they offered in that way. This part of the building was packed with people taking advantage of the free WiFi. I felt bad for the lady behind the cafe counter as so many of the people weren't buying anything from the cafe (it wasn't required) and yet using her tables and chairs. This was the main reason I decided to buy one of their drinks and settled on one the beers they had for sale as I thought it would be neat to try it. During my travels, I will try various foreign beers. Some can be very good like Carlsberg Dark I tried in a hotel in Arhus, Denmark and some can be basically piss water like one I had in a restaurant in Peru one time.
Overall, the WiFi at the terminal was very good. It had a good connection speed and, I liked that it was FREE. If you do a cruise into Tallinn (well worth doing), I'd recommend you take advantage of the free WiFi and maybe try one of the Estonian beers the cafe has. Happy Internet surfing all!
The small building has 2 or 3 souvenir shops including one that sells postcards and stamps. Just outside the building is a mailbox where you can mail the postcards. Throughout the building, the terminal offers free WiFi. At one end of the building is a small cafe that has tables and chairs both indoors and outdoors. The cafe offers various drinks including Estonian beer. I think the cafe also offers food though I don't remember what exactly they offered in that way. This part of the building was packed with people taking advantage of the free WiFi. I felt bad for the lady behind the cafe counter as so many of the people weren't buying anything from the cafe (it wasn't required) and yet using her tables and chairs. This was the main reason I decided to buy one of their drinks and settled on one the beers they had for sale as I thought it would be neat to try it. During my travels, I will try various foreign beers. Some can be very good like Carlsberg Dark I tried in a hotel in Arhus, Denmark and some can be basically piss water like one I had in a restaurant in Peru one time.
Overall, the WiFi at the terminal was very good. It had a good connection speed and, I liked that it was FREE. If you do a cruise into Tallinn (well worth doing), I'd recommend you take advantage of the free WiFi and maybe try one of the Estonian beers the cafe has. Happy Internet surfing all!
Neptune Internet Cafe St. Petersburg Russia
To my great surprise, as far as I can tell, there isn't any information on the Internet about the Neptune Internet Cafe located in Terminal 2 of the Marine Facade Complex (cruise ship and ferry complex) in St. Petersburg, Russia. This blog entry will give a little information on the cafe and the terminal. I personally visited this terminal during a port call at St. Petersburg, Russia from 29 to 31 July 2015 while cruising on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas.
The Marine Facade Complex is located 3 miles northwest of the city center (source: cruiseportwiki.com/StPetersburg) in an area of the city that is being developed by city authorities. I personally saw a number of new buildings close to the complex. The complex was finished in 2008 and comprises of 7 berths which serve 3 cruise ship terminals and 1 ferry terminal (terminal 3) (source: www.passengerport-mf.spb.ru/en/).
According to the Marine Facade Complex webpage (www.passengerport-mf.spb.ru/en/), all of the terminals have a cafe so, all of them may offer Internet service though I can only vouch for the cafe at terminal 2 which I personally used.
The Neptune Internet Cafe is located on the 2nd floor of terminal 2. It's a small cafe offering WiFi access for a fee and a selection of drinks (I didn't buy any so I can tell you how much they cost). I don't remember if they offered any food for sale. The cafe accepts U.S. dollars, Euros and Russian rubles (I didn't note what the charges were in Russian rubles). WiFi charges were:
$3/3 Euros for 1 hour
$5/5 Euros for 2 hours
$8/8 Euros for 24 hours continuous service
The cafe offered better WiFi prices than what were offered on Serenade of the Seas and had better connection speeds though I didn't have a meter to see just how fast the connection speeds were. I don't remember if they had terminals for use if you didn't have a WiFi capable device.
Concerning connecting to their WiFi, once you paid for how ever long you wanted to connect to their WiFi, they gave you a ticket with a username and password. The ticket told you how long you would be able to connect to the WiFi and the fee you'd paid. Lastly, there was a time limit in which you had to activate your account by. I don't know what would happen if you didn't activate it in time.
One drawback to using the cafe were the tough Russian customs rules. If you were on a cruise ship, you could visit St. Petersburg (for no more than 72 hours) without a tourist visit ($100 U.S., good for 2 years) but, you had to show a tour ticket to the Russian customs officer at the terminal. Otherwise, you weren't allowed to pass through the terminal and, you had to get through customs to be able to get to the Neptune Internet Cafe.
Another drawback is there aren't any other alternatives to the Neptune Internet Cafe that are close to the terminal. The cruiseportwiki.com/StPetersburg webpage has a picture of the Marine Facade Complex which if you click on the view larger map offers some excellent pictures of the complex and the area close to it. You'll see from the pictures there isn't much close by.
According to the Marine Facade Complex (see previously mentioned webpage), authorities do run buses (bus number 158) to terminal 3. If you click on directions on that webpage, they give a bus schedule. The bus runs to the Primorskaya Metro Station. Also, according to the webpage, taxis run from all the terminals though I don't have any idea how much a taxi or the bus would cost you.
Overall, I was really pleased with the Neptune Internet Cafe. The people running it were very courteous, the connection speeds were very good and, their prices were better than what were offered on my cruise ship. I would definitely recommend it and, I give it a thumbs up. I hope to use it again when I visit St. Petersburg again some time in the future. Happy Internet surfing all!
The Marine Facade Complex is located 3 miles northwest of the city center (source: cruiseportwiki.com/StPetersburg) in an area of the city that is being developed by city authorities. I personally saw a number of new buildings close to the complex. The complex was finished in 2008 and comprises of 7 berths which serve 3 cruise ship terminals and 1 ferry terminal (terminal 3) (source: www.passengerport-mf.spb.ru/en/).
According to the Marine Facade Complex webpage (www.passengerport-mf.spb.ru/en/), all of the terminals have a cafe so, all of them may offer Internet service though I can only vouch for the cafe at terminal 2 which I personally used.
The Neptune Internet Cafe is located on the 2nd floor of terminal 2. It's a small cafe offering WiFi access for a fee and a selection of drinks (I didn't buy any so I can tell you how much they cost). I don't remember if they offered any food for sale. The cafe accepts U.S. dollars, Euros and Russian rubles (I didn't note what the charges were in Russian rubles). WiFi charges were:
$3/3 Euros for 1 hour
$5/5 Euros for 2 hours
$8/8 Euros for 24 hours continuous service
The cafe offered better WiFi prices than what were offered on Serenade of the Seas and had better connection speeds though I didn't have a meter to see just how fast the connection speeds were. I don't remember if they had terminals for use if you didn't have a WiFi capable device.
Concerning connecting to their WiFi, once you paid for how ever long you wanted to connect to their WiFi, they gave you a ticket with a username and password. The ticket told you how long you would be able to connect to the WiFi and the fee you'd paid. Lastly, there was a time limit in which you had to activate your account by. I don't know what would happen if you didn't activate it in time.
One drawback to using the cafe were the tough Russian customs rules. If you were on a cruise ship, you could visit St. Petersburg (for no more than 72 hours) without a tourist visit ($100 U.S., good for 2 years) but, you had to show a tour ticket to the Russian customs officer at the terminal. Otherwise, you weren't allowed to pass through the terminal and, you had to get through customs to be able to get to the Neptune Internet Cafe.
Another drawback is there aren't any other alternatives to the Neptune Internet Cafe that are close to the terminal. The cruiseportwiki.com/StPetersburg webpage has a picture of the Marine Facade Complex which if you click on the view larger map offers some excellent pictures of the complex and the area close to it. You'll see from the pictures there isn't much close by.
According to the Marine Facade Complex (see previously mentioned webpage), authorities do run buses (bus number 158) to terminal 3. If you click on directions on that webpage, they give a bus schedule. The bus runs to the Primorskaya Metro Station. Also, according to the webpage, taxis run from all the terminals though I don't have any idea how much a taxi or the bus would cost you.
Overall, I was really pleased with the Neptune Internet Cafe. The people running it were very courteous, the connection speeds were very good and, their prices were better than what were offered on my cruise ship. I would definitely recommend it and, I give it a thumbs up. I hope to use it again when I visit St. Petersburg again some time in the future. Happy Internet surfing all!
Friday, September 11, 2015
Serenade of the Seas WiFi
To provide more information on Royal Caribbean's ships, here is my review on their Serenade of the Seas WiFi.
I sailed on this ship from July 26, 2015 to August 8, 2015 though I didn't use the ship's WiFi that entire time. The reason for that was it had problems. When I first tried to log in to see what discount I would get for being Diamond with their Crown & Anchor Society (frequent cruiser program), it couldn't give me the discount. It told me I could pre-pay the plan now and see about getting the money for the discount through guest relations later - no thanks. The second time I tried to pick a plan, it wouldn't even let me into the plans. The third time I tried, it finally would give me my Diamond discount AND let me pick a plan. So, I finally signed up though I still had issues with the ship's WiFi. I tried to connect to various websites at times and, the connection was sooooo SLOW that the connection would time out. Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!! Still, there were pluses to the ship's WiFi.
First, they were now offering unlimited time on the plans for one flat price. You could get the unlimited WiFi plan for one device which cost $20 per day. Or, you could get the unlimited WiFi plan for two devices which cost $30 total per day. If you didn't like either of those plans, your final option was getting their daily plan which was 24 hours continuous for $39.95. I thought the first two plans were better though I didn't care to give them another $10 a day for a second device. If you had a family on the cruise, the second plan would probably be worth it.
Second, there is the convenience of using the ship's WiFi. I did use the free WiFi offered at various ports but, that meant I had to have my device on hand. Often I did as I was using my new smart phone which can connect to the Internet using WiFi. Still, it was nice not having to lug around whichever device I wanted to use while visiting various ports.
Third, using the ship's WiFi gave me something to do when we were at sea. I know the Royal Caribbean comes up with lots of things to do at sea but, I find I still get bored which why I hate days at sea. Being able to surf the web then gives me something I find entertaining to do.
Overall, I felt the ship's WiFi was worth it though I still looked for free WiFi spots while in port because I found they usually offered a faster connection. I've heard about Royal Caribbean's new VOOM system and, I can't wait to try it to see if it's equal to all the hype they're putting out about that. I don't know when I'll get to cruise one of their ships that has it. My next cruise will be on their Independence of the Seas November of next year. It'll be an interesting cruise for me because, I'll be doing the opposite of what I did on it the last time I sailed on that ship. The last time I sailed on her, I boarded at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and left the ship early at Philipsburg, St. Maarten. This time, I'll board at Philipsburg, St. Maarten and depart at Ft. Lauderdale. Also, it'll be my first cruise as Diamond Plus. I'm curious to see what discounts you get at that level.
FYI, for Diamond members, the discount was $39.95 which would could be applied toward your bill if you got one of the first two plans or you could get one 24 hour continuous period for free.
I sailed on this ship from July 26, 2015 to August 8, 2015 though I didn't use the ship's WiFi that entire time. The reason for that was it had problems. When I first tried to log in to see what discount I would get for being Diamond with their Crown & Anchor Society (frequent cruiser program), it couldn't give me the discount. It told me I could pre-pay the plan now and see about getting the money for the discount through guest relations later - no thanks. The second time I tried to pick a plan, it wouldn't even let me into the plans. The third time I tried, it finally would give me my Diamond discount AND let me pick a plan. So, I finally signed up though I still had issues with the ship's WiFi. I tried to connect to various websites at times and, the connection was sooooo SLOW that the connection would time out. Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!! Still, there were pluses to the ship's WiFi.
First, they were now offering unlimited time on the plans for one flat price. You could get the unlimited WiFi plan for one device which cost $20 per day. Or, you could get the unlimited WiFi plan for two devices which cost $30 total per day. If you didn't like either of those plans, your final option was getting their daily plan which was 24 hours continuous for $39.95. I thought the first two plans were better though I didn't care to give them another $10 a day for a second device. If you had a family on the cruise, the second plan would probably be worth it.
Second, there is the convenience of using the ship's WiFi. I did use the free WiFi offered at various ports but, that meant I had to have my device on hand. Often I did as I was using my new smart phone which can connect to the Internet using WiFi. Still, it was nice not having to lug around whichever device I wanted to use while visiting various ports.
Third, using the ship's WiFi gave me something to do when we were at sea. I know the Royal Caribbean comes up with lots of things to do at sea but, I find I still get bored which why I hate days at sea. Being able to surf the web then gives me something I find entertaining to do.
Overall, I felt the ship's WiFi was worth it though I still looked for free WiFi spots while in port because I found they usually offered a faster connection. I've heard about Royal Caribbean's new VOOM system and, I can't wait to try it to see if it's equal to all the hype they're putting out about that. I don't know when I'll get to cruise one of their ships that has it. My next cruise will be on their Independence of the Seas November of next year. It'll be an interesting cruise for me because, I'll be doing the opposite of what I did on it the last time I sailed on that ship. The last time I sailed on her, I boarded at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and left the ship early at Philipsburg, St. Maarten. This time, I'll board at Philipsburg, St. Maarten and depart at Ft. Lauderdale. Also, it'll be my first cruise as Diamond Plus. I'm curious to see what discounts you get at that level.
FYI, for Diamond members, the discount was $39.95 which would could be applied toward your bill if you got one of the first two plans or you could get one 24 hour continuous period for free.
Wednesday, September 09, 2015
Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Mint Creams Review
A month ago (I think), while visiting the Pikesville, Maryland Trader Joe's, I noticed and decided to try their Dark Chocolate Mint Creams. The creams come in 10 ounce plastic containers and sell for $3.99. They're shaped like the Tootsie Roll Junior Mint candy only bigger.
Taste wise, the creams have a wonderful creamy mint center that is deliciously minty. The dark chocolate that covers them gives a nice contrast to the creamy center.
Calorie wise, 6 of the cremes have 170 calories (normal serving size) with 40 fat calories and zero trans fats.
Overall, I think this is an excellent product and, people who like mint candy will like Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Mint Creams. I give them a big thumbs up!
Taste wise, the creams have a wonderful creamy mint center that is deliciously minty. The dark chocolate that covers them gives a nice contrast to the creamy center.
Calorie wise, 6 of the cremes have 170 calories (normal serving size) with 40 fat calories and zero trans fats.
Overall, I think this is an excellent product and, people who like mint candy will like Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Mint Creams. I give them a big thumbs up!
White Cheddar Popcorners Review
I like Popcorners (snacking chips made out of popcorn) a lot so, I was looking forward to trying this flavor of this snack. The Laurel, Maryland Dollar Tree store had 3 ounce bags of the white cheddar flavor for a $1.
I found I wasn't impressed with the flavor. I don't know if it just doesn't go well with the popcorners themselves but, it just wasn't very good in my opinion. I plan to try other flavors of popcorners ( barring Kettle which I think I reviewed and gave a thumbs up) and see if they're any better.
Overall, I give this flavor a thumbs down though I still very much Popcorners overall. Bon Appetit all!
Addition Date 9/10/2015: I forgot to put in the calorie information for the flavor of Popcorners. It's 130 calories for each 1 ounce serving (source: nutrition information on the bag). Apparently, the flavoring adds an additional 10 calories per serving compared to the kettle flavor which has 120 calories per serving.
Also, yesterday, I visited the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans store and, they carry all the flavors of Popcorners except butter. I'll be writing reviews later on the sweet chili, caramel, cheesy jalapeno and sea salt flavors.
I found I wasn't impressed with the flavor. I don't know if it just doesn't go well with the popcorners themselves but, it just wasn't very good in my opinion. I plan to try other flavors of popcorners ( barring Kettle which I think I reviewed and gave a thumbs up) and see if they're any better.
Overall, I give this flavor a thumbs down though I still very much Popcorners overall. Bon Appetit all!
Addition Date 9/10/2015: I forgot to put in the calorie information for the flavor of Popcorners. It's 130 calories for each 1 ounce serving (source: nutrition information on the bag). Apparently, the flavoring adds an additional 10 calories per serving compared to the kettle flavor which has 120 calories per serving.
Also, yesterday, I visited the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans store and, they carry all the flavors of Popcorners except butter. I'll be writing reviews later on the sweet chili, caramel, cheesy jalapeno and sea salt flavors.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Harborside Raspberry Iced Tea Review
While shopping at the Laurel, Maryland Dollar Tree store, I stumbled upon some Harborside Raspberry Iced Tea. As I like iced tea, I decided to try it. Like most things at Dollar Tree, the 2 liter bottles sell for a $1. The iced tea uses black tea, natural flavoring, high fructose corn syrup to sweeten it, potassium sorbate and potassium benzoate to preserve it and some other chemicals whose purpose I don't know.
Taste wise, it's ok. I suspect the main thing with this ice tea is it's cheap. It's a decent iced tea that can be had for a very reasonable price.
Overall, I think I would prefer Arizona Iced Tea over this because it doesn't have all the chemicals including the preservatives. However, you will pay more for Arizona Iced Tea. I think a gallon of it was $2.29 at a base commissary close by (I'll find out the specific price and correct this later). If you want a cheap iced tea, Harborside Raspberry Iced Tea might be for you. Lastly, I believe it does come in another flavor though I don't remember what that flavor is (will find out later and correct that too). Happy drinking all.
Taste wise, it's ok. I suspect the main thing with this ice tea is it's cheap. It's a decent iced tea that can be had for a very reasonable price.
Overall, I think I would prefer Arizona Iced Tea over this because it doesn't have all the chemicals including the preservatives. However, you will pay more for Arizona Iced Tea. I think a gallon of it was $2.29 at a base commissary close by (I'll find out the specific price and correct this later). If you want a cheap iced tea, Harborside Raspberry Iced Tea might be for you. Lastly, I believe it does come in another flavor though I don't remember what that flavor is (will find out later and correct that too). Happy drinking all.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Trader Joe's Maple Water Review
Another product I decided to try at Trader Joe's while shopping at their Pikesville, Maryland store is maple water. The water is the sap that runs out of sugar maple trees in late winter/early spring. The sap is boiled down and turned into maple syrup. Trader Joe's sells the water/sap in 32 ounce containers for $2.99.
I expected a maple taste and some kind of dark coloring as you see in maple syrup. To my surprise, the maple flavor was extremely faint and, there wasn't any kind of color in the water. The water at times was clear. However, each 8 ounce glass of the water still has 25 calories and gives you 30% of your daily requirement of manganese. So, the water is good for you.
Overall, I thought this product was neat for its novelty. I won't rush out to buy more as I can hydrate myself more cheaply with Powerade or Gatorade. You might want to buy some if you think it would be neat to try some maple water/sap. Happy drinking all!
I expected a maple taste and some kind of dark coloring as you see in maple syrup. To my surprise, the maple flavor was extremely faint and, there wasn't any kind of color in the water. The water at times was clear. However, each 8 ounce glass of the water still has 25 calories and gives you 30% of your daily requirement of manganese. So, the water is good for you.
Overall, I thought this product was neat for its novelty. I won't rush out to buy more as I can hydrate myself more cheaply with Powerade or Gatorade. You might want to buy some if you think it would be neat to try some maple water/sap. Happy drinking all!
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Trader Joe's Maple Leaf Cookies Review
While visiting the Pikesville, Maryland Trader Joe's, I noticed they had Maple Leaf Cookies for sale. The cookies are a sandwich type cookie. You have a white maple creme center sandwiched by 2 maple leaf shaped cookies. The cookies come in a 11.4 ounce box and, there are approximately 14 cookies in each box. Each cookie has 110 calories. Trader Joe's sell the cookies for $3.29.
I found I liked the maple flavor of the creme center and, the maple leaf shaped outer cookies added a nice touch.
Overall, I was pleased with these cookies. I think they're reasonably priced and have a nice maple flavor (they use real maple syrup in them). If you like maple flavored cookies, you'll probably like these. I would recommend them. Bon Appetit!
I found I liked the maple flavor of the creme center and, the maple leaf shaped outer cookies added a nice touch.
Overall, I was pleased with these cookies. I think they're reasonably priced and have a nice maple flavor (they use real maple syrup in them). If you like maple flavored cookies, you'll probably like these. I would recommend them. Bon Appetit!
Breckenridge Farms Kosher Baby Bills Pickles Review
Dollar Tree Stores offer a number of Breckenridge Farms products. One of them is their kosher baby dills pickles. The pickles come in a 17 ounce glass jar and have approximately 15 pickles per jar. Calorie wise, they are low in calories coming at 5 calories a piece for every 1 and a half pickles. Taste wise, these are pretty good pickles. They do have a nice kosher dill taste to them. Price wise, like the majority of items at Dollar Tree, they cost $1 per jar which I think is a pretty good deal.
Overall, I was pretty pleased with these pickles and plan to buy more of them. I'd definitely recommend them to people who like pickles. Unlike other products at Dollar Tree, you should be able to find these at most of their stores. Bon Appetit!
Overall, I was pretty pleased with these pickles and plan to buy more of them. I'd definitely recommend them to people who like pickles. Unlike other products at Dollar Tree, you should be able to find these at most of their stores. Bon Appetit!
Friday, July 17, 2015
Minute Maid Soft Frozen Orangeade Review
While looking around Laurel, Maryland Dollar Tree store, I noticed they had Minute Maid frozen orangeade cups for sale. As I'd never tried these before, I thought I'd give them a try.
The cups come in 12 fluid ounces, have 320 calories per cup and impressively are 28% juice. Like almost everything at Dollar Tree, they sell for $1.
The taste of these cups is very good. I think they would be particularly refreshing on a hot day and since they're 28% juice, I suspect they're good for you.
Strangely, when I checked Minute Maid's website, they didn't say anything about a frozen orangeade product. I don't know if the cup I tried is a product they're phasing out or what their availability might be. So, you might not be able to find them at your local Dollar Tree store.
Overall, I found this to be an excellent product worthy of the Minute Maid name. If you can find them, I'd definitely recommend them. Minute Maid makes a frozen lemonade cup which also may not be available widely. I plan to review that later. For now, happy scooping this frozen treat!
The cups come in 12 fluid ounces, have 320 calories per cup and impressively are 28% juice. Like almost everything at Dollar Tree, they sell for $1.
The taste of these cups is very good. I think they would be particularly refreshing on a hot day and since they're 28% juice, I suspect they're good for you.
Strangely, when I checked Minute Maid's website, they didn't say anything about a frozen orangeade product. I don't know if the cup I tried is a product they're phasing out or what their availability might be. So, you might not be able to find them at your local Dollar Tree store.
Overall, I found this to be an excellent product worthy of the Minute Maid name. If you can find them, I'd definitely recommend them. Minute Maid makes a frozen lemonade cup which also may not be available widely. I plan to review that later. For now, happy scooping this frozen treat!
Bar S Chicken Franks Review
One of the cheap food items you can find at Dollar Tree Stores are Bar S Chicken Franks i.e. hot dogs. The stores sell the 12 ounce/8 hot dogs packs for $1.
The hot dogs are decent tasting, easily microwavable and not super fattening (110 calories per hot dog with 80 coming from fat). They must be refrigerated and, they have a shelf life of about 3 months (guesstimating based on one of the packs I bought).
Per the pack I bought, each hot dog has 440 milligrams of salt (18% of your daily requirement), 50 milligrams of cholesterol and 3 grams of saturated fat.
Overall, I think Bar S chicken franks are ok. The big thing with them in this case is their CHEAP. Like I said, Dollar Tree Stores sells them for $1 per pack which I think is a good deal. If you want some CHEAP hot dogs, these are worth checking out. Bon Appetit!
The hot dogs are decent tasting, easily microwavable and not super fattening (110 calories per hot dog with 80 coming from fat). They must be refrigerated and, they have a shelf life of about 3 months (guesstimating based on one of the packs I bought).
Per the pack I bought, each hot dog has 440 milligrams of salt (18% of your daily requirement), 50 milligrams of cholesterol and 3 grams of saturated fat.
Overall, I think Bar S chicken franks are ok. The big thing with them in this case is their CHEAP. Like I said, Dollar Tree Stores sells them for $1 per pack which I think is a good deal. If you want some CHEAP hot dogs, these are worth checking out. Bon Appetit!
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Hoover's Barrel Root Beer Review
While shopping recently at the Laurel, Maryland Dollar Tree store, I noticed they had 3 liter plastic bottles of various Stars & Stripes (made by Cott Beverages Inc in Tampa, Florida) soda for sale. Stars & Stripes calls their root beer Hoover's Barrel root beer. They claim it has "Great Taste!". I decided to try it for myself and see.
I found the root beer does taste good and isn't loaded with calories (each 8 ounce glass has 60 calories). It has another plus in that it doesn't have any caffeine unlike Barq's root beer. Also, it has a price plus. Like everything at Dollar Tree, the 3 liter bottles sell for $1. That said, I did discover some negatives in my opinion.
The soda has a fair amount of chemicals in it including potassium benzoate which it uses at a preservative and aspartame i.e. nutrasweet. One reason I suspect the soda tastes good is because they give you a double dose of sweetener in each glass. The soda also use high fructose corn syrup which is another negative in my book. I prefer cane sugar.
Overall, Hoover's Barrel root beer is decent tasting root beer at a great price though I am leery of the various chemicals they use in it. Personally, I'd prefer Virgil's root beer which is all natural over this even though you will pay a LOT more for Virgil's (a 12 ounce bottle will cost you a $1 or more). Still, if you want to save money, you might want to give this soda a try. It is good tasting stuff.
Source: information on this soda used in this blog entry came from the bottle of the soda I bought. I didn't receive any kind of remuneration for this article and don't have any connection with Cott Beverages.
I found the root beer does taste good and isn't loaded with calories (each 8 ounce glass has 60 calories). It has another plus in that it doesn't have any caffeine unlike Barq's root beer. Also, it has a price plus. Like everything at Dollar Tree, the 3 liter bottles sell for $1. That said, I did discover some negatives in my opinion.
The soda has a fair amount of chemicals in it including potassium benzoate which it uses at a preservative and aspartame i.e. nutrasweet. One reason I suspect the soda tastes good is because they give you a double dose of sweetener in each glass. The soda also use high fructose corn syrup which is another negative in my book. I prefer cane sugar.
Overall, Hoover's Barrel root beer is decent tasting root beer at a great price though I am leery of the various chemicals they use in it. Personally, I'd prefer Virgil's root beer which is all natural over this even though you will pay a LOT more for Virgil's (a 12 ounce bottle will cost you a $1 or more). Still, if you want to save money, you might want to give this soda a try. It is good tasting stuff.
Source: information on this soda used in this blog entry came from the bottle of the soda I bought. I didn't receive any kind of remuneration for this article and don't have any connection with Cott Beverages.
Wednesday, July 08, 2015
Dr Best Soda Review
While shopping at the Columbia, Maryland Wegman's store, I noticed that they had a soda called Virgil's Dr. Better (made by Reed's Inc.). As I understood it, this was their version of the classic soda Dr. Pepper. While I'm not a big fan of Dr. Pepper, I decided to try this soda.
It comes in 12 ounce bottles in 4 bottle cartons and sells for $3.99 at Trader Joe's (see note) and Wegman's (if they have it, the Columbia, Maryland store doesn't at the time of this review).
The soda has no caffeine unlike Dr. Pepper, uses unbleached cane sugar unlike Dr. Pepper which uses high fructose corn syrup and has no preservatives unlike Dr. Pepper which uses sodium benzoate. All of these are pluses in my book.
Taste wise, I compared the two and, I feel (for what it's worth) that Dr. Best has a smoother and creamier taste than Dr. Pepper making it the better of the two sodas.
The only down side to Dr. Best is it is more expensive. This is a gourmet soda made with the finest ingredients (supposedly) and, you pay more for that.
.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this soda if you like Dr. Pepper. It is very good. Happy Drinking all!
Note: Per this post by Trader Joe's dated August 21, 2014 http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/virgils-dr-better, you can expect to pay $4.49 for a 4 pack of this soda in West Coast, Pacific Northwest and Southwestern parts of the United States of America.
It comes in 12 ounce bottles in 4 bottle cartons and sells for $3.99 at Trader Joe's (see note) and Wegman's (if they have it, the Columbia, Maryland store doesn't at the time of this review).
The soda has no caffeine unlike Dr. Pepper, uses unbleached cane sugar unlike Dr. Pepper which uses high fructose corn syrup and has no preservatives unlike Dr. Pepper which uses sodium benzoate. All of these are pluses in my book.
Taste wise, I compared the two and, I feel (for what it's worth) that Dr. Best has a smoother and creamier taste than Dr. Pepper making it the better of the two sodas.
The only down side to Dr. Best is it is more expensive. This is a gourmet soda made with the finest ingredients (supposedly) and, you pay more for that.
.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this soda if you like Dr. Pepper. It is very good. Happy Drinking all!
Note: Per this post by Trader Joe's dated August 21, 2014 http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/virgils-dr-better, you can expect to pay $4.49 for a 4 pack of this soda in West Coast, Pacific Northwest and Southwestern parts of the United States of America.
Breckenridge Farms Kosher Sandwich Slices Review
Until I visited the Jessup, Maryland Dollar Tree store, I'd never heard of Breckenridge Farms or their products. As everything in the Dollar Tree stores is $1, I decided to try their Kosher Sandwich Slices. Their sandwiches slices are long slices of kosher pickles. The slices are ideal for putting on top of a sandwich giving it a bit of crunch. The slices come in 17 ounce jars which have to be refrigerated after opening. The pickles surprisingly come from India and are imported into the United States by a company called Greenbrier International Incorporated. Presumably, that company in turns supplies them to the Dollar Tree Store chain though I don't know if they're available at all Dollar Tree stores.
Overall, the slices are decent pickles which are handy for sandwiches. The biggest plus of these pickle slices is their price - $1. For that alone, if you like pickles, you might find these worth trying if they're in your local Dollar Tree store. I don't know if other store chains sell this brand or not though if they do, I haven't noticed them. Bon Appetit!
Overall, the slices are decent pickles which are handy for sandwiches. The biggest plus of these pickle slices is their price - $1. For that alone, if you like pickles, you might find these worth trying if they're in your local Dollar Tree store. I don't know if other store chains sell this brand or not though if they do, I haven't noticed them. Bon Appetit!
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Maryland Lottery's Amazing 8's Scratch Off Game
Another new game the Maryland Lottery introduced on June 22, 2015 was their Amazing 8's scratch off game. The game costs $5 a ticket and offers a top prize of $50,000. Odds of winning overall are 1 in 3.71 (per the lottery ticket I got on my own). Remember those are the overall odds i.e. you can do better and you can do WORSE.
The game offers 2 instant win chances. On the left of the ticket, if you scratch a single $ symbol in that box/spot, you win instantly win $8. On the right of the ticket, there is another box where if you scratch a double $$ symbol, you win $88. Below the instant win boxes, you get 4 numbers and 16 chances to match them 1 to 4 of them. If you match any of the numbers, you win the prize below the matching number.
Note: Considering the name of the game, I would've thought they would had a instant win where you scratched an 8, you would've won the prize below it BUT, they didn't do that for some reason.
Prizes run from $5 to $50,000 with six $50,000 (see note about first big winner below) prizes, eighteen $8,888 prizes and thirty $1,000 prizes out there (at the time of this post).
One couple in Frederick, Maryland according to the Maryland Lottery website became the first big winners on this game when they hit a $50,000. They claimed their prize on June 29th.
Losing tickets do qualify for Lottery Reward points. The tickets have a prize check box for those that don't want to have to scratch the whole ticket.
Overall, I'm not wiped out with this game. The only thing really good I can say about it is it is cheap relatively to play i.e. $5 a pop. Personally, I'd rather spend the $20 and play for a million dollars (for 4 times the money, 20 times the cash). Anyway, good luck to any Maryland Lottery players who read this latest post.
The game offers 2 instant win chances. On the left of the ticket, if you scratch a single $ symbol in that box/spot, you win instantly win $8. On the right of the ticket, there is another box where if you scratch a double $$ symbol, you win $88. Below the instant win boxes, you get 4 numbers and 16 chances to match them 1 to 4 of them. If you match any of the numbers, you win the prize below the matching number.
Note: Considering the name of the game, I would've thought they would had a instant win where you scratched an 8, you would've won the prize below it BUT, they didn't do that for some reason.
Prizes run from $5 to $50,000 with six $50,000 (see note about first big winner below) prizes, eighteen $8,888 prizes and thirty $1,000 prizes out there (at the time of this post).
One couple in Frederick, Maryland according to the Maryland Lottery website became the first big winners on this game when they hit a $50,000. They claimed their prize on June 29th.
Losing tickets do qualify for Lottery Reward points. The tickets have a prize check box for those that don't want to have to scratch the whole ticket.
Overall, I'm not wiped out with this game. The only thing really good I can say about it is it is cheap relatively to play i.e. $5 a pop. Personally, I'd rather spend the $20 and play for a million dollars (for 4 times the money, 20 times the cash). Anyway, good luck to any Maryland Lottery players who read this latest post.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Maryland Lottery's Hit It Big Scratch Off Game
On June 22, 2015, Maryland Lottery launched it's newest $1 million dollar prize scratch off game. The game is called Hit It BIG. The game offers 3 $1 million dollar prizes (the $1 million dollar prize is paid over 20 years in an annuity, a lump sum payment is available BUT the winner will receive less than $1 million dollars in that case) as well as prizes of $50,000, $10,000, $5,000, $1,000 and lesser amounts. At the time of this posting, all the big prizes are up for grabs i.e. none have been claimed.
The game features 2 different games on each ticket. In the first game, you have the standard 6 numbers where you try to match any or all of them in the 21 numbers beneath them. There is an instant win chance. When you see the word BIG, you win the prize below it. In the second game, you have 7 dice rolls. If your dice add up to 7 or 11, you win the prize below them. This game also has an instant win chance on it. If you see on any of the dice the symbol DBL, you win double the prize below it.
The odds of winning in this game are 1 in 2.97. Please remember, this is the OVERALL odds. You can do better and, you can do WORSE. I've personally seen both.
The game is eligible for lottery reward points. There isn't any kind of 2nd chance drawing with this game.
Overall, it's an all right game. Personally, I like the Instant Millionaire game better as you can find out a lot faster if you won something (see my review on that game).
Do remember to gamble responsibly. The odds are not in your favor of hitting it rich.
Lastly, all information for the review came from the game ticket I bought with my OWN money and the game page on the Maryland Lottery website. I don't have any connection with the Maryland Lottery and any opinions on this review are my own. Good luck!
The game features 2 different games on each ticket. In the first game, you have the standard 6 numbers where you try to match any or all of them in the 21 numbers beneath them. There is an instant win chance. When you see the word BIG, you win the prize below it. In the second game, you have 7 dice rolls. If your dice add up to 7 or 11, you win the prize below them. This game also has an instant win chance on it. If you see on any of the dice the symbol DBL, you win double the prize below it.
The odds of winning in this game are 1 in 2.97. Please remember, this is the OVERALL odds. You can do better and, you can do WORSE. I've personally seen both.
The game is eligible for lottery reward points. There isn't any kind of 2nd chance drawing with this game.
Overall, it's an all right game. Personally, I like the Instant Millionaire game better as you can find out a lot faster if you won something (see my review on that game).
Do remember to gamble responsibly. The odds are not in your favor of hitting it rich.
Lastly, all information for the review came from the game ticket I bought with my OWN money and the game page on the Maryland Lottery website. I don't have any connection with the Maryland Lottery and any opinions on this review are my own. Good luck!
Wednesday, June 03, 2015
Review of Toby's 1776 The Musical Show
This past Sunday, I went to Toby's of Columbia (there's one in Baltimore too) to see their production of 1776 The Musical. I've never this musical before so, I had to no idea what to expect barring that it was about the founding fathers of the United States.
Before the show began, Toby's serves a fine meal included with the price. For my matinee show, it cost $53.00. My server's name was Coleen who worked on the lighting for the show. One of the really neat things about Toby's is that your waiter or waitress will have some part in the show be it performing or handling sound or lights. Coleen did a fine job of serving ensuring my ice tea never went empty.
Food wise, Toby's started with a fine salad bar then went to the main course. As this was a matinee show, there were a number of breakfast items like sausage, bacon and eggs as well as some lunch or dinner items like ham, roast turkey breast and roast beef. For dessert, they had a make your own sundae bar.
Show wise, the show had some nice songs as well as funny jokes. It also made a serious point that our founding fathers while great men were men all the same with faults. Many would suffer during the Revolutionary War. It was no joke when they pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. Those that signed the Declaration of Independence knew if caught, they could be tried and hung for treason, something the show hit upon.
Overall, Toby's version of 1776 was a very enjoyable experience. It you're into the history of the American Revolutionary War, you should enjoy this show. The show runs through July 5, 2015. Toby's of Columbia is located right next to Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Before the show began, Toby's serves a fine meal included with the price. For my matinee show, it cost $53.00. My server's name was Coleen who worked on the lighting for the show. One of the really neat things about Toby's is that your waiter or waitress will have some part in the show be it performing or handling sound or lights. Coleen did a fine job of serving ensuring my ice tea never went empty.
Food wise, Toby's started with a fine salad bar then went to the main course. As this was a matinee show, there were a number of breakfast items like sausage, bacon and eggs as well as some lunch or dinner items like ham, roast turkey breast and roast beef. For dessert, they had a make your own sundae bar.
Show wise, the show had some nice songs as well as funny jokes. It also made a serious point that our founding fathers while great men were men all the same with faults. Many would suffer during the Revolutionary War. It was no joke when they pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. Those that signed the Declaration of Independence knew if caught, they could be tried and hung for treason, something the show hit upon.
Overall, Toby's version of 1776 was a very enjoyable experience. It you're into the history of the American Revolutionary War, you should enjoy this show. The show runs through July 5, 2015. Toby's of Columbia is located right next to Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
BJ's Wholesale Club Review
Today, I did a review on BJ's Discount Warehouse Club on Living Social. I bought my membership through them as I felt they offered a real good on it. You got a 1 year membership (which normally costs $50 though I have seen them offer them for $25) and a $25 gift card for $35.
This is the first time I've belonged to their club though I have bought stuff from them years ago (pickled pepperoncini peppers).
Living Social gave me 2 ratings to choose from: great and not great. To me, BJ's doesn't rate either. BJ's rate as ok, middle of the road. They have some very good products that apparently they only sell vice Costco and Sam's Club (which I also belong to) like Belle Sole Cooked and Marinated Asparagus (see my review on it) as well as Virgil's Root Beer Party Keg (see my review on it).
Membership price wise, BJ's seems on par with the other 2 clubs. Like the other 2 clubs, they offer an elevated membership where you get a 1 or 2 percent back reward though I suspect you'd have to buy a lot of stuff there to make that worth it (I don't).
Customer Service is pretty good too. I had to deal with them today to get my latest coupon booklet and, I was very pleased with how courteous they were.
One big downside in my book is they seem to be chintzy with their specials. You'll only be able to get one whereas you might be able to get 3, 4 or more at Costco or Sam's Club. Example: Both BJ's and Costco had Magnum Double Caramel Bars on special. BJ's allowed you to get one at their special price. Costco allowed you to get 3 or 4 (I forget the exact number). So, they don't wow me on this.
BJ's does offer free WiFi at their clubs though I've had a hard time connecting to it when I've tried to use it unlike Sam's Club which seems to work better. Costco doesn't offer WiFi at all for some reason (annoying that).
They sell terminal lottery tickets like Mega Millions and Powerball at one check out counter and have a scratch off ticket machine that sells various scratch lottery games. For some reason, neither Costco or Sam's Club sell any kind of lottery tickets. For me, this is a plus as I do like to play the scratch off games.
Overall, I've been pleased with BJ's but not wowed. I think they're ok and depending on which club is close by, they could be worth joining in your case. They are definitely cheaper than standard supermarkets (I found that out recently when I bought some Lloyd's Bar-b-que ribs at Giant). Keep an eye out for deals on their memberships and when you see one, try it for 1 year and see what you think. I think they do offer enough to make it worth being a member. I know I'll be renewing next year even though I'm not keen on belonging to THREE clubs. Jeez. Happy shopping all!
This is the first time I've belonged to their club though I have bought stuff from them years ago (pickled pepperoncini peppers).
Living Social gave me 2 ratings to choose from: great and not great. To me, BJ's doesn't rate either. BJ's rate as ok, middle of the road. They have some very good products that apparently they only sell vice Costco and Sam's Club (which I also belong to) like Belle Sole Cooked and Marinated Asparagus (see my review on it) as well as Virgil's Root Beer Party Keg (see my review on it).
Membership price wise, BJ's seems on par with the other 2 clubs. Like the other 2 clubs, they offer an elevated membership where you get a 1 or 2 percent back reward though I suspect you'd have to buy a lot of stuff there to make that worth it (I don't).
Customer Service is pretty good too. I had to deal with them today to get my latest coupon booklet and, I was very pleased with how courteous they were.
One big downside in my book is they seem to be chintzy with their specials. You'll only be able to get one whereas you might be able to get 3, 4 or more at Costco or Sam's Club. Example: Both BJ's and Costco had Magnum Double Caramel Bars on special. BJ's allowed you to get one at their special price. Costco allowed you to get 3 or 4 (I forget the exact number). So, they don't wow me on this.
BJ's does offer free WiFi at their clubs though I've had a hard time connecting to it when I've tried to use it unlike Sam's Club which seems to work better. Costco doesn't offer WiFi at all for some reason (annoying that).
They sell terminal lottery tickets like Mega Millions and Powerball at one check out counter and have a scratch off ticket machine that sells various scratch lottery games. For some reason, neither Costco or Sam's Club sell any kind of lottery tickets. For me, this is a plus as I do like to play the scratch off games.
Overall, I've been pleased with BJ's but not wowed. I think they're ok and depending on which club is close by, they could be worth joining in your case. They are definitely cheaper than standard supermarkets (I found that out recently when I bought some Lloyd's Bar-b-que ribs at Giant). Keep an eye out for deals on their memberships and when you see one, try it for 1 year and see what you think. I think they do offer enough to make it worth being a member. I know I'll be renewing next year even though I'm not keen on belonging to THREE clubs. Jeez. Happy shopping all!
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