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Assassin's Creed III Art Book Review

© 2012 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

So I was really excited to get this book. It was a total surprise for me, but wow its amazing. I have loved exploring the world of Assassin's Creed I and II, and have yet to get my hands on the third installment. This book ended up being an introduction to the game. Sort of like a backstage pass to see all the things going on behind the scenes. The images in the book are much more crisp than my cruddy picture taking has made them look. The front of the book shows the main character, Connor Kenway, standing in a tree above a group of soldiers. The back of the book shows a few scenes from the movie and has a short synopsis of what you'll find inside. Assassin's Creed III takes place during the Revolutionary War in America, a perfect time for an assassin to come out, right?

© 2012 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

There are seven chapters in this book with 141 pages full of wonderful images. The images include sketches and concept art followed by commentary from Ubisoft's artists. If you love video games, Assassin's Creed, or just like looking at great art you'll love this book. Writer Andy McVittie's paragraph long commentary are throughout the book along with special excerpts from the games various artists.

The seven chapters are: I Present World, II Characters, III Forest and Frontier, IV Boston, V New York, VI Homestead, and VII Battle at Sea.

I. The Present World shows Abstergo with very hard angled modern buildings highlighted by the artificial lighting we "love". The images that are shown are dark and ominous, but give you a great sense of the feeling the artists were trying to give.The world looks strangely familiar, and thats because the artists made it so life like it seems I'm looking at the streets of my own city.

© 2012 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

II. The characters chapter is self explanatory. You have beautifully sketched images of all the characters presented in the game. You can see the dramatic changes between Connor's appearance to what he ended up being. There are nice little historical tidbits about the historical characters that are featured in the game. This was probably my favorite chapter as you could get a really good feel of the character's backgrounds, etc.

The next few chapters show the other landscapes and areas that you'll be seeing in the game. Some of the images came off as a little dark, but really that's just how the game is. I can't wait to play the game as I have loved the first two installments. I'm hoping Santa brings it to me for Christmas, hint hint.

© 2012 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

So if you love the Assassin's Creed Franchise and would like to see the work behind it, I totally recommend getting this book. It just adds another level to the game play to see all the hard work and care that goes into creating an awesome game.





*Disclaimer: I received this book from Titan Books to review. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was given.

Green Mountain Fair Trade Coffee

I was very fortunate to be able to try out Green Mountain Fair Trade Coffee. It came to me in 24 k-cups full of delicious coffee. There are plenty of coffee manufacturers out there, but do you know where you're coffee comes from? By that I mean, where is that coffee ground from? What most of us only know is that it comes from a plant found on many continents that make us a great beverage.

Fair Trade Coffee was put in place to help farmers get good prices on selling their coffee beans to different companies. So while the actual coffee bean is not different, knowing that it was obtained fairly makes it that much better. You can find fair trade coffee all across the world in many different stores and shops. Green Mountain Coffee has quite a few flavors to choose from. They're all unique in their own way and will be sure to please even the pickiest coffee drinker. You can help farmers many different countries like Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Sumatra.

In the end buying Fair Trade goods will ensure that you're getting a handmade product that will benefit the person who made it. Buying fair trade products in general will help to alleviate poverty worldwide. Also fair trade encourages organic farming wherever possible, and even if it isn't shown to be organic no major harsh chemicals are used. This makes it healthier for the plants, farmers, and for us - the consumers.

Coffee is not the only fair trade product out there. You can get jewelry, candles, home decor, and clothing - all Fair Trade! Whenever you can you should check out FAIR TRADE USA that compiled a lot of great companies that make and sell Fair Trade products.




**Disclaimer: I was sent products from BzzAgent and Green Mountain Coffee for the purpose of trying out and reviewing it. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was given.

Update

Sorry I have been pretty absent lately, I've been sick as a dog. I have had a sinus infection for a few days and now have chest congestion. So where does the term "sick as a dog" come from?

Apparently back in 1705 someone decided that dogs were sick. Actually no, you see dogs like to eat stuff, yup STUFF. Anything and everything - is it spoiled? Yes - yumm! Is it alive, barely living, dead? Yes, yes, yes -- *crunch*. Yes I know that dogs are definitely not picky eaters when it comes to things you aren't feeding them. I have seen my 2yr old chihuahua, Bear, pass up some freshly made steaks in turn to munch on some bug crawling around. Walking him can be a hazard at times; Bear: "Oh look there is dog poo right there! Let's have a try." So of course dogs often are seen hacking and throwing up some unknown thing they ate. Oh but you know they aren't picky about eating their vomit right back up either. So there you go, because dogs tend to vomit and humans vomit, well we can be sick as dogs as well.

Yes I have been sick, although not really vomiting. I've been coughing and hacking till I felt my lungs had completely been expelled from my body. But I'll be doing better soon, I can feel it! For now though, I'm going to continue swallowing down pills and sucking on some Halls. I hope none of you are "Sick as dogs!"

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

MYSTERY BOX GIVEAWAY WINNER

CONGRATS TO LYDIA HARPE!

$5 Amazon.com Code

 

What is the one thing you really would love for Christmas? I want to see some great answers guys!! I'll choose one person to win a $5 Amazon.com code. You can post your answer here or on my Facebook page. I'll choose a winner at 5PM CENTRAL! 

CONGRATS ANGELIQUE DRUMMOND

Also for commenting Eva Biggs and May both win a coupon envie!

Message me at infinitedreams50@aol.com guys!

Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce

 

Less Sodium Teriyaki

 So I got some coupons courtesy of Smiley360 to do a review on Kikkoman's Juicy Bird Project using Soy Sauce. I was given 2 coupons one for a free product and the other was a buy 1 get 1 free product. With the latter I bought this bottle of Low Sodium Teriyaki Marinade and Sauce. I am trying to cut my salt intake so opted for low sodium in the teriyaki, it is still a little high at 13% DV but it could have been worse.

I had some beef short ribs already thawed out and waiting to get tasty. I grabbed a bag tossed them in and added some teriyaki sauce to it. The smell was pretty strong and it was everywhere in the kitchen. I knew it was going to be even better on my beef. I then thought, hmm what would take it up another notch? ONION! I love using onion in my dishes to add some extra flavor. I just cut them up in slices and threw them in the bag, and then I threw in some pepper as well. I let it sit in the bag for about 35 minutes and then it was ready to cook.


I placed them on a pan added a tiny bit of water and put them in the oven at 350. I would have covered them up with some foil, but sadly I had run out of it. I let them cook till their inner temp was 160. Always make sure your meat, pork, and poultry is cooked all the way through. I'd hate to see any of you guys on an episode of, "Monsters Inside Me". Temps should be between 140 and 160 to make sure all the bacteria inside your protein is good and dead.

I had some of the ribs just tenderized with some of my regular spices as well as some onion to see if there was a difference between the two. The beef that was marinated in the Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce was juicer and much more flavorful. It had a great taste to it and everyone loved it!

If you ever have a chance then you need to go out there and buy yourself a bottle of Kikkoman's Teriyaki Marinade and Sauce. It isn't very expensive, about $2.84, so it definitely won't hurt to try it out. You can find them in grocery stores all over the world so keep your eyes peeled.



*Disclaimer: I received coupons for free product from Smiley360 and Kikkoman to do a review. No further compensation was given and all opinions are my own.

No 7 Facial Products

I had the chance to review Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion and Night Cream. I received these both from Influenster, and was glad I got them. They were sample size, but a lot definitely goes a long way. I had never heard of Boots before and hadn't really seen any No7 products. Boots is a company based in the UK and has an extensive history. Its been over 160 years since the first store was opened in Goose Gate, Nottingham, UK. For a company to have lasted that long, they must be doing something right. All their products are tested on actual human beings, no animals are used. In fact 1 in 3 women in the UK own Boots beauty products. That's a huge number and its quite impressive. 

No. 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion

normal/dry 

 I can say I've never used a cleansing lotion before so was unsure of what it really would do. Well its a lotion that cleans your face while it moisturizes. The scent is a little different, but not unpleasant. Again, I'm huge with smells and I don't feel comfortable with putting something that doesn't smell right on my face. The lotion itself is very smooth and creamy. I put on make-up and got to work testing to see what happened. I was pretty impressed because I could feel it coming off, if that makes sense. The more I rubbed my face the more the gunk came off. It was great, I had no reactions to it and no redness left on my face. I have more sensitive skin so it was essential that this be "kind" to my face. You can buy a good sized bottle for less than $9.00, making it very affordable.

 

No. 7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream
normal/dry

The night cream went on after the cleansing lotion. It didn't have much of a smell to it, so that was a plus. It dissolved really quickly and left my skin feeling silky smooth. There was no greasiness or heaviness when I put it on. I've tried other night creams that literally had my skin sweating. This absorbed quickly and left my skin feeling refreshed. It has cocoa and shea butter to keep your skin moisturized the whole night through. The cream is a little more pricier compared to the cleansing lotion at $13.99, but still very affordable. You don't need a lot of it so that bottle will last you the whole month.

Overall I was really impressed by the quality of both the cleansing lotion and night cream. I'll definitely be looking for these products the next time I hit up Target. No more skipping that aisle of "expensive" unknown products. Boots is in that aisle so don't skip over it either!

 

Disclaimer: I received these products from Influenster and Boots to review. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was given.

SHESPEAKS TORANI TWITTER PARTY

Join shespeaks on Thursday November 15th at 9 p.m. ET for their #ToraniFlavors Holiday Twitter Party. They'll be sharing their favorite holiday drinks and tasty desserts while also giving away some incredible prizes. Also they'll fill you in on how your favorite recipe can win you a Mr. Coffee Latte, Espresso & Cappuccino, Iced Tea, or Cafe Frappe Maker! How awesome is that?! I always have tons of fun at their parties. I've won some great gifts twice, so I know you guys will have fun as well. 

Twitter Party Details:
When: Thursday, 11/15 at 9pm ET
Where: Twitter, follow the hashtag #ToraniFlavors
Custom TweetGrid: http://bit.ly/PUqOAf
RSVP: http://bit.ly/T5gN1T
Brands: @Torani
Party Panelists:@Zipporahs, @lisasamples, @StacieinAtalanta, @jonbonjovious, @erinclane, @MommaDJane

Twitter Party Prizes:
Four Mr.Coffee drink makers with two Torani Syrup flavors included and a grand prize of one case of Torani Syrups (12 bottles) and a Mr.Coffee drink maker.

Party Topics:
Favorite holiday drinks, desserts and Torani. Prepare to dish some of your favorite recipes while also hearing about how they can win you a Mr. Coffee Latte, Espresso & Cappuccino, Iced Tea, or Cafe Frappe Maker!

To get started, click here to Tweet:
"Join me at the #ToraniFlavors Twitter Party w/ @SheSpeaksUp & @Torani 11/15 at 9pm ET! http://bit.ly/TJ1gVC";
RSVP to Win!
Be sure to RSVP to be eligible to win our door prize by commenting on shespeaks blog post with your Twitter handle (Ex. @SheSpeaksUp)!

 

New to Twitter Parties?
No problem. Check out our TweetGrid 101 video and our Twitter Party tips and hints. Then get ready to jump into the conversation!


We hope to see you Thursday!
The SheSpeaks Team

NYM: Not Your Mother's Hair Product

NOT YOUR MOTHER'S
KINKY MOVES

 Another great product I received in my Beauty Blogger 2012 Vox Box was NOT YOUR MOTHER'S Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream. It is infused with grapeseed and jasmine and smells wonderful! I got a trial size and was a bit unsure if it would be enough for my long hair. It was and so I hope you enjoy my quick review of this great hair care product.

I normally straighten my hair because I don't get the kind of curls that I want. So had to suck it up and try out yet another product for my curls. I have tried many different products and they end up being sticky and then they weigh my hair down. NYM's Kinky Moves is very light and not sticky at all. It is really smooth and when I worked it in, it broke down really easily. It felt almost like water when I was applying it. I used it right after my shower on my towel dried hair. I then waited for it to completely dry and went to sleep. The photo shows the curls the next morning when I woke up. They are still pretty defined and were really soft, also it has a detangler built in so no messy tangles! I could actually run my fingers through my hair, that amazed me. Now I did have some flyaways but a quick application of a tiny bit of it fixed that right up. Did I mention the great smell?! It smells so good and if you've noticed in my other beauty reviews, I'm very big on smells.

NYM Products are all gluten- free, are made in the U.S.A, and available in stores all across America. They retail for about $5.99 which is in the middle range in price. If you have curly hair then I'd recommend trying this out for yourself because it works wonderfully! You won't hate your curls when you use this product, you'll love them.









Disclaimer: I received this product from Influenster and NYM to do a review on. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was given.

Bath & Body Candle Review

Another product I received in my Influenster Beauty Blogger VoxBox was this candle from Bath & Body Works. The scent was Black Pepper Bergamot and it smelled wonderful. I could actually smell it through the box before I even opened it. It has a spicy rich smell with undertones of the bergamot and lavender. Now I have to say I wasn't quite sure what Bergamot was so I ran to google to look it up. It is made using the oils from the peels of Bergamot Oranges that are native to Southern Asia. This is where the richness comes from in the candle, along with the very light citrus smell.

The candle was easy to light and burned really brightly. It melted really quickly and released that great spicy rich smell into my bedroom. I liked that when I did turn it off the wax came together nicely and the wick was ready to be lit again.

Bath & Body Works has a ton of different fragrances that are sure to satisfy your wants. While the larger sized candles are a bit pricier, buying the mini size lets you sample all the scents. hey would also make great gifts and the great thing is that Bath & Body Works is always having sales so keep your eyes open!

Disclaimer: I received this product from Influenster and Bath & Body Works to do a review on. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was given.

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

COUNTRY BOB'S ALL PURPOSE SAUCE

So was excited to be able to review Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce. I got two 13oz bottles which I knew would be put to some good use in my home. We love bbq and bbq sauce, we go through at least 6 bottles a month! Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce has been made since 1968, so you know it's got to be good!

This isn't your typical bbq sauce though, its more like a steak sauce. The consistency of the sauce is really loose, but not watery. It has a great flavor with it not being too spicy at all. You can use it on almost anything from steak, chicken to pork - either grilled or marinated. You can use it in other recipes as well like soups, stews, and baked beans! It is the most versatile "bbq sauce" I've ever had.

Tiny bits of bbq goodness!

Now I had my choice of things that I could make using it and for one day I decided a bbq breaded popcorn chicken salad would be super tasty. I got my chicken pieces lightly breaded them, popped them in the oven to bake, and when they were done I splashed some Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce on them and tossed them around a bit. A little went a long way so just about a tablespoon was enough to evenly coat the chicken. I then got my greens - a mixture of baby lettuce, a tiny bit of sharp cheddar, and dinner was served! The kids loved it and it was a healthier treat that everyone could enjoy. The kids wanted me to make this again so I guess it's on the menu from now on.

The next day I figured I'd marinate some pork ribs in it, can't get more bbq than that, right?  Anyway I poured some on and let it sit for about 1hr before I started cooking it. I like my pork a little softer so I add a tiny bit of water to the bottom and cover it up with foil. The sauce left the pork super juicy and tender and full of flavor. For good measure I added some more to it because I love tons of sauce! Of course everyone loved it and they what kind of sauce was on them. Did I mention the kids love sauce? I ended up running out of one bottle that day because they all wanted some more to dip their pork ribs into to. Sadly I had to oblige because there would certainly have been a small riot.

If you're looking for a great tasting, versatile, flavorful sauce you definitely have to get some Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce. You can get 6 bottles for about $25.00 shipped, or about $4.17 ea, straight out of Illinois, USA. They have more great products on the website so head on over to check them out for yourself!


Disclaimer: I received two bottles of Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce to do a review with. All opinions are my own and no other compensation was given.

SMARTFOOD SELECTS

 

I was pretty excited to try these out as I'm always looking for a healthy alternative to chips. BzzAgent sent me three great flavors to try out. They were all good, some more than others, and better than chips! They are all natural, don't have any preservatives, or any other bad stuff. It really is a great, healthy choice for you and your family.

yummy delicious popcorn!

The first bag I grabbed was the Sour Cream flavored popcorn and they were absolutely delicious. It had a great texture and flavor, and didn't taste "fake". I have tried many similar products that had the weirdest texture, which took away from the experience. You know that weird texture I'm talking about, that Styrofoam feel. They are a great healthy snack for me, especially right now that I'm really trying hard to get healthy. The bag was really easy to open and I liked that it was resealable. This meant it would stay fresher longer and kept it from getting stale and gross.

 
The second bag I tried was the Cinnamon Brown Sugar popped chips. They too had a great texture, were super crunchy and full of flavor. Sometimes popped chips can have a cardboard feel to them. These were crispy and crunchy, and definitely no grease! They weren't overly sweet, all the flavors were balanced. There wasn't ever a time where I grabbed a chip and thought, ugh that's too much. I know we've all been there, done that. It was a great sweet snack that I and the kids enjoyed. 


 
Last was the Garlic Tomato Basil Hummus Chips and sadly to say, I was not a fan. They had a great crunch, but the flavor was just way too out of my comfort zone. It just had a weird after taste for me, but I've never tried hummus before so wasn't sure if it was supposed to taste that way. If you love hummus I'm sure you'll love these, they did have a great taste when it came to the tomato and basil.

Overall they were a great treat, super affordable, and available in many locations. I have bought more popcorn since trying these out because they were just so great tasting. 






Disclaimer: Products were provided to me by BzzAgent  exclusively to try out and review. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was given.

Udi's Gluten Free Thanksgiving Chat

 

 

Udi'S Gluten Free Thanksgiving Chat on November 7 at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT 

 

Join Sommer, Penelope, Allison, and Sarah on Wednesday, November 7 at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT for a chat about Thanksgiving. They’ll be sharing gluten free recipes, tips for eating GF at your relatives’ homes, how to deal with those pesky family members who think going gluten free is just a fad – and more!

Also they'll be giving away some terrific Udi’s Gluten Free products!

• 2 packages of pizza crust
• 2 loaves of Omega Flax & Fiber Bread
• 2 packages of Dark Chocolate Brownie Bites
• 3 Bags of Cranberry Granola
• 2 bags of Classic Hamburger Buns
• 2 Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

CLICK HERE

Mystery Box Giveaway

For reaching 1,000 fans I'm giving away a mystery box full of goodies! There will be sample and full size products in there. All random products, but I'm sure you'll love them!