Review # 9- Mother Nature's Market and Deli- Victoria

Hello All!

Today we have another local review, Mother Nature's Market and Deli in Cook Street Village. This health food store is relatively new to our little community having opened up back in mid August.

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I am a self-proclaimed health food store junkie, so when I heard a new one was right around the corner, I was thrilled.

I was lucky enough to be in the area the day the store had their soft open and was surprised at how big the store was! Their location provides them the space needed to house a large supply of hard to find natural products.

Some great finds from my last visit!

I've visited the shop several times since its opening and the staff has been consistently friendly, and helpful. During my most recent visit I was introduced to their new Membership Card program. Mother Nature sums up their new perk on their website:

When you become a member you can:

• Receive special, on-line only deals on Mother Nature’s products.
• Choose to receive a quarterly e-newsletter full of health information, product highlights and upcoming events.
• Attend special Members Only events at the store.
• Redeem points towards future purchases.  Eat well and save money – even your mother would agree that it is a great deal!
• Donate your points to a selection of local charities 

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Member Card Application Form

This is a great new perk for frequent shoppers. I especially liked the option to donate your points to local charities.  It is such a noble way for a local business to give back to their community.

Mother Nature's Market and Deli is now a must visit location in Cook Street Village. It is a great place to buy natural, organic, healthy products while supporting a local business.

It's for this that I give Mother Nature's Market and Deli 5 Polka Dots out of 5. 

As always, if there is something or somewhere you would like to me review leave me a comment or email me at: email.polka.dot.reviews@gmail.com

Sparkle On!

Polka Dot

Review # 8- Victoria SPCA Adoption Process

Hey there,

This review has been 3 years in the making. On Valentine's Day, 2010, my husband (then boyfriend) and I decided it would be romantic to get a cat to celebrate the day of love. So we headed out to the Victoria Branch of the SPCA.

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We took adopting a cat pretty seriously, and so does the SPCA. Their application process is in depth and ensures that pets and owners are perfectly matched. 

We knew we wanted an adult cat so we headed to their room. The number of animals was overwhelming. Having recently lost my childhood cat, I wandered the enclosure waiting for one of the cats to "speak to me". I thought I would create some sort of immediate connection, and know that was the one for us. That didn't happen, although we were fairly certain that the one-eyed, three-legged cat that hissed at us wasn't for us. 

Being me, I knew I wasn't leaving that room without a cat in my arms, so I forged ahead. That's when these beautiful green eyes caught my attention. Up in one of the top cages was a gorgeous short-haired, black cat. I put my hand against the cage and she rubbed up against it. I thought, maybe this is it!

After much deliberation, Shaun and I headed to the front desk to get more information about our mystery friend. The staff at the front desk were very helpful, pulled her file, and informed us her name was "Cinder" and she was between 9 and 10 years old. She was a new arrival, and her owner had recently passed away. The owners children had brought her in earlier that week. They also told us that they figured she would be at the branch for a while as black cats are notoriously hard to adopt. Apparently the superstitious of black cats still run deep.

After hearing her story, and knowing she'd likely be stuck there fore a while, we decided we wanted to adopt her. The staff reviewed our application, and asked us several questions to ensure we were serious about being pet owners. 

We went back to the room to take her home. Now, it is important to note that at this point we still had not taken this cat out of the cage. We had brought a cat carrier, but soon realized our error. As they unlocked the door and pulled the cat out....she...just....kept...coming... She was HUGE! Not only huge, but NOT happy. She hissed and groaned and skulked along the floor of the cat room. The staff member wrapped her in a blanket to calm her, and handed me this heaving black mass and angry feline.

"Way to pick 'em". I thought.

But, in our minds, there was no turning back. 

The staff let us borrow a dog carrier to bring her home in (as there was NO way she was fitting in the cat carrier we brought). As we drove home we discussed the name "Cinder", and decided it would have to go. After much deliberation, we chose the name "Barry" or now as she is more commonly known "Bear"

Barry's First Day Home

It's no surprise that Bear was pretty scared when she got home. She pretty much went straight under our bed to hide. We managed to coax her head out a couple times with food (We soon learned that food was a strong motivator for her!)

Bear emerges at last

Barry did eventually emerge from under the bed, but would spend a lot of time under there for the next few weeks. She was very timid, shy and unsure

The first vet visit is included in the adoption fees, so Barry at her checkup within a week of coming home. She had a bit of a cold when she arrived (which often happens with cats from the SPCA), but it cleared up in a couple weeks. Other then that she was given a clean bill of health. 

Three years later, Bear has become deeply ingrained in our little family. Her quirky, funny and loving personality shines through on a daily basis. She loves to cuddle, regardless of your comfort as noted below.

and always wants to be with you no matter where you are!

 No seriously, no matter WHERE you are!

The joy and happiness "The Bear Cat" has brought to our lives is indescribable and is thanks to the support and education provided to us by the Victoria SPCA. 

It is for this reason that I give the Victoria SPCA Adoption Process 5 Polka Dots out of 5.

As always, if you have something, or somewhere you would like me to review, please leave a comment or email me at: email.polka.dot.reviews@gmail.com. 

Sparkle On!

Polka Dot.

Review # 7- L'Oreal Infalliable 8 Hour Lip Gloss

Hey All, 

I popped into the drugstore today in search of a long lasting lipstick to review. I had heard good things about L'Oreal's Infalliable line so that's where I headed. 

Who knew there would be such a selection!

Long-Lasting Lip Stick Swatches = Lots of scrubbing when you get home

After a zillion swatches I decided to by their Infalliable 8 hour Lip Gloss in Blush. I was really intrigued with the thought that a lip gloss could be long lasting but at 10.99 it was one of the less expensive of the bunch.

 

I thought the brush looked awkward, but it was actually surprising easily to apply which was good, since you don't want to make mistakes when applying something that's supposed to last 8 hours.

First Application- I guess I was expecting the gloss to "dry" to that it would be long-lasting, but I guess that goes against the idea of a lip "gloss". Although it felt like a thicker more adhesive formula, the gloss rubbed off easily.

3 Hours in- The colour is still present but I've lost quite a bit of the gloss. That being said,  my lips aren't dry and I don't feel like I need to reapply. This is impressive, as by this time I would have probably re-glossed at least 3 times.

5 Hours in -The gloss and most of the colour is pretty much gone by now. I had two cups of tea and the majority of the gloss came off then. I took this as the final photo as I wanted to reapply something to my lips as I felt them starting to try out. I had dinner after this picture was taken and any remnants that were left were completely gone after I ate. 

L'Oreal's Infalliable Lip Gloss did not last 8 hours for me, and I truly didn't expect it to. Unlike L'Oreal's other long lasting lipsticks, the "gloss" part of this product just isn't meant to be permanent. Even though it didn't last as long as it claimed, it certainly stayed on longer then any other lip gloss I have experienced. 

If you like lip gloss but don't want the hassle of constantly reapplying, this is the product for you. If you are a lip gloss junky like me, and you don't mind reapplying throughout the day then this product isn't all that necessary.

For that, I give L'Oreal's Infalliable Lip Gloss 3.25 Polka Dots out of 5

As always, if you have any suggestions for reviews, leave me a comment or pop me an email at email.polka.dot.reviews@gmail.com.

Sparkle On!

Polka Dot

Review # 6- Kiss Nail Dress Nail Stickers

Hey Hey,

I love the fancyness of funky decal nails but hate the time and money it takes to get them professionally done.  Plus, if I do something crazy on my nails, I'm usually bored of it after a week. Enter, nail stickers!

Kiss Nail Dress

Nail Stickers in general usual cost between 9-13 dollars and you can pick them up at most drugstores. I have tired many different kinds but find that Kiss is my favourite brand. I usually pick up a couple whenever I see them on sale. Today I decided to rock a little sparkly zebra print. (I'm aiming for subtle...is it working??)

       

Each pack comes with 28 nail strips, an instruction booklet and a double-sided nail file. The bigger sizes on the right are meant for your toes. That just seems wrong to me so I've never tried, but hey, whatever floats your boat!

I prepped my nails by pushing my cuticles down and giving them a wipe down with some nail polish remover.  If you are wanting some extra lasting power you can give your nails a bit of a file to roughen the surface a little. This will make the glue stick extra hard (I skipped this step because I know I'll be bored of this design within a week)

Once your nails are ready, peel a sticker that looks roughly the size of your nail and place it cuticle end first onto your nail. Push the sticker against the edges of your nails to make sure its nice and secure. You'll end up with something looking like this.

The directions say to use the blue side of the nail file to rid yourself of the end part. I like to trim it down with some scissors first and then file in a downward motion. 

Keep applying to each finger. Make sure you keep track of what sizes you are using so you can do the same on the other hand.

 And Voila! You now have very impressive DIY nails! I usually add a little bit of clear polish to the ends of my nails to seal them in. The entire process probably took me 7-8 minutes (I'm a pro though!)

I guarantee you will get tons of comments, and people will think you are so fancy and talented when you tell them you did them yourself.

The package states they last up to 10 days. I can usually keep mine looking good for about 6-7. A word of warning, when you are ready to take them off, don't be like me. As much fun as it seems like to peel them all off after a couple of cocktails, it can really do a number to your nails. Use some nail polish remover and Q-tips to ease the glue off and keep your nails healthy and strong.

The Kiss Nail Dress stickers are a little pricey, but they are a really fun way to add a little spice to your look.

For this I am giving Kiss Nail Dress 4 Polka Dots out of 5

As always, if there is anything you want me to review please leave me a comment or email me at: emails,polka.dot.review@gmail.com

Sparkle On!
Polka Dot.

Review # 5- Sephora Collection- Breast Cancer Awareness Makeup Palette

Hello all,

Today I thought I would review one of my favourite makeup purchases of all time. My love of makeup first reared its head in the summer of 2010 Sephora was unleashed upon Victoria. Since then I have picked up all sorts of fabulous gadgets, colours and techniques... with lots of help from the great staff in their Mayfair location of course.

The Sephora Collection- Breast Cancer Awareness Makeup Palette is one of my all time favourite purchases. It comes with 36 eye shadows 12 lip glosses and 6 blushes all in one little compact case. Wowza!! As an added bonus a portion of the proceeds went to Breast Cancer Awareness! For 30 dollars I thought it was a great deal.

I tend to get the most use out of the two shadow rows that I am pointing out, but at some point or another I have tried every colour. I won't tell you about the purple shadow disaster of '11, but lets just say, I barely made it out alive.

Yes, I see you little purple pot of angry shadow..mocking my attempt to apply you!

The glosses are also great, although consider this a warning when you first use them. When you first buy them, they look unassumingly solid. I learnt that the hard way when I stuck my finger right to the bottom of the pot during my first application...woops. Pretty sure you can still see remnants of that sticky disaster on the bottom left!!

The blushes are good as well, although the containers are little small to get a blush brush in. I tend to combine a few of them together to make my own original hue.

Unfortunately for you, it looks like this palette is sold out online, but I have seen it in the Mayfair location pretty recently. I did find this Smoky Eye Studio 2 palette online that has similar eye shadows minus the blush and lip gloss.

The great thing about these little palettes is that you can try a bunch of colours without committing to buying a whole container of product. Sephora often has miniature versions of many of its products. If  you end up finding something you like, you can then go buy a bigger size.

Because of the diversity of its shades, the simplicity of having all my makeup in one container and the quality of their product, I give the Sephora Collection- Breast Cancer Awareness Makeup Palette 4.5 Polka Dots out of 5!

As always, if you have something or somewhere you would like to me review, leave a comment below or email me at emails.polka.dot.reviews@gmail.com.

Sparkle O!

Polka Dot

I

Review # 4- Shatterbox Coffee, Victoria B.C

Hello all!!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening of Shatterbox Coffee Bar right here in Victoria

                             

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Although this was the "official" opening, I had the pleasure of  being introduced to this establishment last week by my lovely friend Heather. Once I saw that they served Drumroaster coffee, I was in. 

I fell in love with Drumroaster coffee earlier this year on a fateful stop at their cafe in Cobble Hill. Despite my lack of general coffee knowledge, I could tell that theirs was a cut above the rest. It has since become a routine pit stop during all my up-island visits. Added bonus, they had the most creative decorations this Christmas!

Dried apricots on Christmas lights?? Beyond awesome (I knew I saved this picture for a reason!)

Anyways, you can imagine my surprise and delight when I saw that my beloved Drumroaster would now be served in my own back yard.

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Their cute little shop is located at 950 Yates, right across from Harries Green (London Drugs/The Market etc). Although the location is tiny, what the shop lacks in size it makes up for in taste. I popped in and ordered  my usual Americano from owner Kalen Harris.

Side of Gingersnap? Yes Please!

Beyond Tasty

After my first sip I was flooded with the velvety goodness of the Drumroaster that I know and love. I was definitely in my happy place. In fact, I took my coffee to go, walked downtown to meet my mom, bragged so much about my brew that we walked back and I got a second cup! You can never go wrong with a triple D (Double Drumroaster Day!)

To celebrate their grand opening, Shatterbox had all of their coffee's on special and offered complementary coffee seminars throughout the day. I was lucky enough to catch one and learnt all sorts of new stuff!!

A review of Shatterbox would not be complete with mentioning their bathroom. If I haven't encouraged you to try the coffee, I at least encourage you to stop in and check out this masterpiece!!

This photo doesn't even do it justice!!

Shatterbox makes up for its small size with big taste, friendly staff and a focus on supporting charities and local businesses.

For that,  I give Shatterbox 4.5 Polka Dots out of 5

As always, if you have something you would like me to review, leave a comment or pop me an email at: email.polka.dot.review@gmail.com.

Sparkle On!

Polka Dot

Review # 3- Forever 21 Accessory Haul

Hello All,

It was a busy day here at Polka Dot Reviews! Tons of pictures to upload for upcoming reviews, including some new local haunts to check out!

For those who live in Victoria, you may know that Forever 21 has opened at Uptown. Now I have been procrastinating on checking it out for fear that that my pocket book would be wounded (side note: I have never actually owned a "pocket book", what does that even mean??)

Anyways, I popped in there the other day deciding I would put the blinders on and only look at accessories. The thought of outfitting myself in something new, while still trying to work off the extra shortbread love around my middle didn't seem like a productive way to spend my time.

Regardless of my limitations, I managed to find a boat load of lovely accessories that will always fit!

First off, the earrings. These three pairs were all between 3 and 4 dollars. I especially loved the little rhinestone bows. I wore them today and they are fabulous. 

Secondly, the dangly mish mash necklace. These long necklaces with the boatload of goodies jangling on them appear are all over the place right now. I've tried to jump on the bandwagon a couple times. But when I actually look at what going on down there, I often find an odd assortment of charms usually including anchors and moustaches. These items don't scream to me "I'm so fashionable, wear me around your neck!"   Maybe I'm just getting old. Hopefully, the necklace I chose will still allow me to sit in the back of the bus with the cool anchor and moustache kids

The final item was this long chain necklace. These are the types of long necklaces I usually wear (decode this and it means "I have lots of necklaces like this and probably didn't need to buy another one")



I justified this purchase because of the colours of the stones. They were peacock shades and I knew I had tons of outfits I could wear it with.




As I was checking out, the sales associate asked me if I'd like to choose a nail polish for an extra .45 cents. "Heck ya!" I shouted (in my head). I ended up getting this HOT pink shade. I honestly expected this to be the worst nail polish ever, but I am shocked. It probably lasted longer on my nails then any of my other brands (granted it was only about 48 hours but that is amazing for me!)

I actually got to the point where I was worried it was some sort of industrial paint that was going to dye my nails, but I am happy to report I was able to wipe it clean off today with minimal effort (aka, I picked it off while sitting in a coffee shop writing a review).

Forever 21 did have a great inventory of inexpensive jewelry  Many of their items would be considered "statement pieces" so you do really need to think about what outfits you have that would go with them. If you are looking at spicing up your wardrobe with something bold, this is the place for you. The only downfall is I want to wear all the accessories at the same time!

I give Forever 21's accessories 4 Polka Dots out of 5. 

As always, if there is something you want me to review, leave a comment or pop me an email at: email.polka.dot.reviews@gmail.com.

Sparkle On!

Polka Dot

Review # 2- David's Tea "The Steeper"

Well hey there,

Things are in full swing here at Polka Dot Reviews. Lots of exciting things coming up for your reading pleasure. If you missed the first post, check out my intro about why the heck I am doing this! Now, on with the show!!

For those of you who are following "foodie" trends, you may have noticed the sudden upswing of loose leaf teas. Move over bacon and cupcakes, there is a new fad in town!

I am not immune to the magic of this trend and was accumulating quite the collection of delicious David's tea brews. Despite my collection, I found that my teas began collecting dust. Why you may ask?  Because I was just to darn lazy to track down my little tea bags and make them. Life is just soooo complicated.

Enter "THE STEEPER"

The Steeper and its good friend "Chocolate Chili Chai"

My lovely Brother-in-law got me this magical little unit for Christmas and I haven't looked back since. Here is a run down of how it works:

1-Put tea in steeper, add boiling water. Steep (The more I write this word the more I love it).

2- Once ready, place steeper on top of your Disney cup and watch as your tea is magically strained in a stream of pure tea perfection.

(Disclaimer: although it doesn't HAVE to be a Disney cup I can assure you it will taste more magical if it is)

That's it! How easy is that! The Steeper comes with a little tray that you can place it on to catch any little tea drips after you've poured. For those of you familiar with David's Tea, you'll recognize The Steeper as the same product they use in the store to prepare tea. You can even add tons of ice to your cup which will instantly transform your hot tea into ice team when you pour it in. *Sigh* so fabulous

This is by far one of my favourite products right now, therefore I will give David's tea "The Steeper" my highest praise with a score of 5 Polka Dots out of 5!!!!

Thanks for reading. As always, pop me an email at email.polka.dot.review@gmail.com or comment below and let me know what YOU want me to review.

Sparkle On!

Polka Dot

This post was not sponsored by David's Tea, but I'd be happy if they did ;)

Review # 1- NARS Super Orgasm Set and an Intro

Well if that title doesn't get your attention I don't know what will.

Being that this is my first post, I feel I should let you in on who I am, and my master plan (I promise rhyming won't be a common theme...lying might though).

After recently finishing my Master's thesis, I decided to purge my brain of all things pertaining to academic writing and dive into yet another attempt at becoming a magically successful and fantastical blogger. For those who are counting, this is now attempt number three.

This one is different...no seriously...

I decided my lack of commitment to my previous blog stemmed from a lack of theme. What was I supposed to talk about?? What I ate for breakfast? What I did at the gym? Funny things my cat has done? So really, I guess it wasn't so much of a lack of theme, but a lack of excitement in my life.

'Never Fear" I yelled passionately, I'll start a reviewing blog, because everyone cares what I think!!

(insert crickets chirping)

Well regardless, I'm doing this! What qualifications do I have to make myself a reviewer? Extra time on my hands and a urge for people to think I'm funny. I can't really imagine needing anything else.

This blog will consist of reviews of anything, products, locations, activities. Some will be local to my little city of Victoria, B.C, whereas others will be from far and wide.

So let's give this a shot...third times the charm! Enough chatter, on with the first review.

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So, if you are like me, you had to put down the booze and shortbread and take a much needed hiatus from the gluttony of the holiday season. My cookies and egg nog have been replaced with sprouts and green tea.

But all is not lost.

Apparently, on one of the many red wine fueled holiday nights, I indulged in a little online holiday shopping. Well imagine my surprise when recently all my purchases began trickling through my door. The item I will be reviewing is just such a purchase. For those of you who have not discovered Beyond the Rack, glance if you dare.

Despite it's name, the NARS Super Orgasm set is not from a company with XXX in its name. NARS is actually a line of makeup and apparently, to them, super orgasm means items in various shades of pink and gold.

The Super Orgasm Set (who knew!)

The blush, polish and lip gloss trio, all bestowed with the name "Super Orgasm", were smaller then the retail version. Just large enough for your to try the product out before buying the bigger (and pricier), full versions.

Super Orgasm Blush

First off the blush. The size of the small compact made it difficult for me to get the full girth (hehe) of my blush brush in the container. I did manage to get some product on it using a small brush, but found the effect of the blush quite subtle. Maybe I just like the full rosy cheeked look but I had to apply a couple layers to get the desired effect. Either way, I was left with a nice peachy sheen in the end. Take heed though, there is quite a bit of sparkle in the blush so if that's not your thing, steer clear. (Also, if you aren't a fan of sparkle, you may be on the wrong blog!)

Super Orgasm Lip Gloss

The lip gloss was next. Now, I am a huge fan of lip gloss of any kind and this was no exception. The colour had a nice sheen to it, and layered on evenly. It is a good basic lip gloss, but alas, there was one major lip gloss faux pas....it smelt terrible! I know you aren't supposed to eat lip gloss, but I like a pleasant aroma for something I'm smearing under my nose. This lip gloss had that chemical/petroleum smell. Considering the cost of NARS products, I would give this one a pass and go for something a little more soothing to your sniffer.

                                         

 Super Orgasm Nail Polish

Ding, Ding Ding, we have a winner!! I am a nail polish fiend, and I loved this polish. When I first saw it the hunky chunks of glitter made me a litter wary, but I was fabulously surprised. There is enough shimmer in the actual polish to blend the glitter and give it a nice layered effect when you put on a couple coats. This is a great polish if you are wanting to jump on the neutral bandwagon, but just can't give up the Bling!!

So, all in all, I give the red wine induced purchase of NARS Super Orgasm Set  3.75 Polka Dots out of 5!!

(I probably would have graded higher if it was from a store with XXX in the name...if you know what I mean ...wink wink wink). I kid!!

If there is anything you want reviewed pop me an email at: email.polka.dot.review@gmail.com

Sparkle on!

Polka Dot