Category: Products

I’m too Cool for School: Review of the DJ Bag from Yak Pak

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Everyone who knows me or has seen me around a convention knows that I am tied to my messenger bag. It’s like my right arm. That’s why I was so happy to find Yak Pak. They make extremely trendy totes, messanger bags and hand bags. They sent me the uber awesome DJ Bag to review.

I’ve been using it for months now and absolutely adore it. It’s the perfect size for DJs who often get overloaded with carrying a ton of bags. It can easily fit a stack of LPs or records and there’s a great front pocket for headphones. There’s also two cellphone sized side pockets that can be used for smaller equipment (or a camera like I use it for) or cords that seem to get lost at the bottom of any bag!

I’ve taken this bag everywhere and I’m pretty hard on my bags, but even after a couple of months the bag looks fantastic. It’s easy to clean and durable (most of my messanger bags need to be replaced after a couple of months). I get tons of compliments on it (especially from fashion-conscious teenagers).

It’s also the perfect size for my iPad, which often gets lost in my larger messanger bags. But it can still fit my laptop nicely too.

With school just around the corner for most people you’re going to want to check out http://yakpak.com/ and pick yourself up a bag or two.

(Photo from YakPak.com)

Make Something Sweet: Special Deal on Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake and Traditional Brownie Mixes & Giveaway!

Tabz 22 Comments

If you’re like me you have a bit of a sweet tooth and absolutely nothing fills it like a fresh-baked treat straight out of the oven. Of course, who has time or energy to make cookies, cakes and brownies from scratch? That’s where Betty Crocker steps in to the rescue. Today you can step into your local Safeway and buy any Betty Crocker SuperMosit Cake or Traditional Brownie Mix for the ridiculously low price of $0.69! So bake up something for you and your family.

Don’t live near a Safeway? No worries. Betty Crocker has a fantastic site BakeSweetMemories.com with coupons, recipes and new items from Betty Crocker.

GIVEAWAY


Would you like to WIN a $25 Safeway Gift Card and a Betty Crocker Sweet Spring Treats Prize Pack to help make Spring more delicious and fun?

The Betty Crocker Sweet Spring Treats Prize Pack includes:

* A dishwasher, oven, freezer, microwave safe, silicon Baking Pan
* A Sturdy, Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl
* A Large, Red Oven Mitt
* A Betty Crocker Mixing Spoon
* A $25 Safeway* Gift Card to purchase Betty Crocker Baking Products or whatever your heart desires!

* Safeway also is Vons (primarily in Southern California), Dominick’s Finer Foods (Chicago), Carr-Gottstein Foods (Alaska’s largest retailer), Genuardi’s Family Markets (eastern US), and Randall’s Food Markets (Texas).

How to Enter

Main Entry: (you must complete this entry in order to participate, otherwise all other entries will be disqualified)

Visit BakeSweetMemories.Com’s Recipes Section and come back here to leave a comment letting us know which recipe you can’t wait to try out.

Extra Entries (please leave a seperate comment for each task you complete):

1. Tweet this:

Enter & win a $25 Grocery Gift Card & prize pack QuadrupleZ, Betty Crocker & Safeway: http://bit.ly/c1A6o5  #giveaway

2. Leave a comment on another QuadZ post (come back here and leave a comment to say you did so)

3. Subscribe to us (iTunes/RSS or via email): Subscribe to Quadruple Z by Email (leave a comment to say you did so or if you’re already a subscriber)

4. Blog about this giveaway and leave us the link in the comments.

Rules:

Participants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of the drawing. US residents (or US shipping address) only. You must leave your email address in your comment or I will have to immediately choose a new winner. This giveaway will end on Friday, April 23, 2010 at midnight PST. Winner will be notified by email after conclusion of giveaway. Winner will have 72 hours to respond to my winner email or I reserve the right to choose an alternate winner. Any entries not adhering to the rules of entry or extra entries are not valid. Contest is open to all members of Between the Lines Studios and their families. Winner will be chosen at random with random.org.

Disclosure: I received a Sweet Spring Treats Prize Pack, VIP Coupon for a Betty Crocker Product, and a $25 Safeway Gift Card from Safeway and Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark. One $25 Safeway Gift Card and Sweet Spring Treats Prize Pack (without VIP Coupon for Betty Crocker Product) is also being provided for me to giveaway to one lucky Save Your Money Mama Winner! The Prize will be sent directly to the winner by Safeway and Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark.

Review: Chocolate Cheerios

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I’ve been a fan of Cheerios since I was two years old. And have been eating them ever since. While other cereals may flit through my pantry, cheerios are always here to stay. I’ve tried most of the reincarnations of my beloved o’s (as I used to call them), but never much cared for the fruity-sugary-stepchildren of my favorite cereal. So it was with some mixed emotions I bought a box of the all-new chocolate Cheerios this week.

I shouldn’t have worried though, I’m in love with Chocolate Cheerios.

They look a bit odd when you first pour them in the bowl. I think it was wise to do the multi-shaded colors because it makes it feel less like a bowl of dirt! They do seem to resemble small chocolate-glazed donuts!

First thing I really loved about it is the taste. It’s not over-powering in it’s chocolate-flavor. General Mills says it’s made with real cocoa, which I think just makes this more delicious than some of the overly sweet and chocolaty cereals I’ve tried. There’s also not that waxy after-taste I get with a lot of sugary cereals. Just delicious choco-goodness.

It’s a bit higher calorie count wise than regular Cheerios (obviously), but I was surprised it wasn’t more. There’s 100 calories in 3/4ths of a cup of Chocolate Cheerios and 100 calories in 1 cup of Cheerios. Of course, the sugar difference is about 6 grams (3 grams in regular Cheerios and 9 grams in Chocolate Cheerios), but if you’re looking for something a bit sweeter this can be a great substitute for something like Cocoa Puffs (110 calories for a 3/4 cup serving and 12 grams of sugar).

So, two spoons up from a life-long Cheerios lover. This one is a great twist on a classic.

Nutritional Information from www.myfitnesspal.com

Fiber One Yogurt + $50 Grocery Card Giveaway!

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In order to participate in this giveaway please read all of the rules at the end of this post.

It’s hard to keep your New Year’s resolutions. Here it is February and you’re already ready to give up the diet and indulge. But Fiber One comes to your rescue! They have deliciously tasting treats in the form of their yogurt. Don’t believe the hype? From now through February 9th, you can stock up on Fiber One Yogurt at the Safeway family of stores (including Dominick’s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons and Genuardi’s) with two 4-packs for just $4.00!

To celebrate Fiber One Yogurt we’re offering you a $50 grocery gift card to stock up and help you eat right! One lucky reader will win a $50 Safeway Gift Card! (Gift card also valid at Dominick’s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons and Genuardi’s).

Main Entry: (you must complete this entry in order to participate, otherwise all other entries will be disqualified)

Contest closes February 13th, 2010

Visit Fiber One and come back and leave a comment with which flavor you’re looking forward to trying!

Extra Entries:

1. Tweet this review using the text below and leave a comment with your Twitter handle:

Win a $50 Grocery Card for at the QuadrupleZ  from Fiber One Yogurt: http://bit.ly/1MKPNr #giveaway

2. Leave a comment on another QuadZ post (come back here and leave a comment to say you did so)

3. Subscribe to us via email: Subscribe to Quadruple Z by Email (leave a comment to say you did so)

4. Blog about this giveaway and leave us the link in the comments.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by My Blog Spark on behalf of Safeway and Fiber One. I received a coupon for a free 4-pack of yogurt and a Safeway gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate. They also provided the Safeway gift card for giveaway.

Need a Gift for the Barney Stinson in Your Life? Get them a Sockscription!

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barney_stinson3

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from watching TV — clothes make you a better man. If you don’t believe us, ask Barney Stinson, one of the lead characters of How I Met Your Mother. Barney’s catch phrase, “Suit Up!” is not only a funny saying, but a truth that Barney carries through out his life.

Why are we talking about Barney Stinson. I mean, other than he’s awesome, of course. Because we have the perfect gift for the Barney Stinson in your life (or the man who needs to learn from his fine example) – a sockscription. The good folks over at Blacksocks.com want to help the men in your life live in style this year, with a sockscription.

For an annual subscription of $89 (includes shipping), “sockscribers” receive three pairs of socks every four months for a total of nine pairs annually. The socks are manufactured in Northern Italy, using the highest quality yarns with long fibers that pill less and are more durable. Sockscribers have the option of calf socks, knee socks, and cashmere silk socks.

These socks are extreme quality in the making, BlackSocks.com sent me a pair to test out on my father, and they are as luxurious and good-looking as advertised. They were a lot thicker than I anticipated, a lot better than most dress socks you buy in the store. This is the perfect gift for the hard-to-please man on your gift list this year. Maybe your CEO, or father, your lawyer, your professor, or even yourself! After all, you worked hard this year at being awesome — shouldn’t your feet be rewarded for all that hard work?

Clothes may not make the man, but they sure make the man look good. So head over to Blacksocks.com and check out their service for yourself. Blacksocks also carries men’s underwear and fine T-shirts, available via subscription.

Not sure if you are ready to buy a sockscription? You can purchase trial pairs before committing. Barney would approve.

(Photo: CBS)

Product Review/Giveaway: Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters [CLOSED]

Tabz 17 Comments

NVGNC-Prize-Pack1In order to participate in this giveaway please read all of the rules at the end of this post.

Being on the go a lot, I love snacks that travel well. From walking around Disneyland to a trip to the beach, I need munchies that can stand up to heat, being shoved in a bag and taste great with anything. So when I received four bags of Nature Valley’s new Granola Nut Clusters, I was more than happy to review them.

About Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters:

Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters are a bite size blend of 100% natural ingredients that include select roasted nuts, whole grain oats and a touch of honey – a wholesome and delicious pick-me-up any time of the day. If you love nuts, you´ll enjoy this flavorful little snack featuring the perfect combination of sweet & salty flavors paired with a crunchy texture that you can see and taste. And with the first unique cluster-shaped granola packaged in a handy re-sealable pouch, it´s perfect for sharing on the trails or in your living room!

Review:

Since I already was a huge fan of Nature Valley’s bars, I was interested to know if the same quality would be put into their nut clusters. I tried all four of the current flavors and am happy to report that the same delicious ingredients and combinations of ingredients were present. With many packaged foods with nuts it’s hard to get nuts that don’t taste, to some degree, stale or the flavor of a wood chip. But the nuts in these granola nut clusters are absolutely delicious. My favorites were the almonds and cashews.

The nice thing about the clusters is they’re easy to eat without a lot of mess, so they’re perfect for a trip or eating around the home. And the protein and slightly sweet/salty combo made them a perfect mid-day pick me up at work when my energy was flagging. I also loved the packaging, the resealable bag actually sits up nicely, so the clusters are easy to get to and easy to store.

Warning though, these were so good it was hard to stop at just eating one or two!

Contest!

The good folks at MyBlogSpark and Nature Valley want you to win the same product pack they sent me (see pictured above)! In addition to the 4 varieties of Granola Nut Clusters, you’ll receive an eco-friendly sling backpack, binoculars, stainless steel water bottle, and a flashlight.

Main Entry: (you must complete this entry in order to participate, otherwise all other entries will be disqualified)

Visit Nature Valley’s page for Granola Nut Clusters and come back and leave a comment with which flavor you’re looking forward to trying!

Extra Entries:

1. Tweet this review using the text below and leave a comment with your Twitter handle:

Win a Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters Prize Pack at the QuadrupleZ blog: http://bit.ly/1MKPNr #giveaway

2. Leave a comment on another QuadZ post (come back here and leave a comment to say you did so)

3. Subscribe to us via email: Subscribe to Quadruple Z by Email (leave a comment to say you did so)

4. Blog about this giveaway and leave us the link in the comments.

Winner will be chosen on November 12th, 2009 at 9AM Pacific. US entries only. Leave a separate comment for each entry & a valid email address/blog URL. Winner, chosen at random, has 3 days to claim their prize, if there is no response a different winner will be chosen.

Written for MyBlogSpark as part of a campaign for General Mills, who supplied the product for review & giveaway. Other than a product sample, no compensation was received for this post.

DreamWorks Animation’s Madagascar Kartz is Coming October 27

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madagascarkartzcover1I absolutely adore the Madagascar films (especially Madagascar 2). So it was great to see a fun video game coming out with the characters. Madagascar Kartz™ video game will be released on October 27 for Wii™, Nintendo DS™ , Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

According to the press release this game is gonna be fun:

Jump behind the wheel and drive yourself wild as you play as Alex, Marty, Gloria, Melman, King Julien or those crafty penguins! You can power-up and perform zany jumps, outlandish flips, and radical rolls on amazing tracks from the world of Madagascar®, including the New York City Zoo, the plane crash site, the volcano, plus many more. Keep an edge on your wild competitors with cool pickups, such as power boosts, obstacles, and projectiles. DreamWorks’ Madagascar Kartz features split-screen head-to-head multiplayer action, allowing up to four players to go bananas and race locally against one another in Championship, Quick Race and Time Trial modes.

“The Madagascar® films are packed with personality and can be enjoyed by everyone,” said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. “We designed DreamWorks’ Madagascar Kartz with the same idea. With the whole family competing against each other as their favorite zoosters, you have never seen action this wild!”

For more information visit www.activision.com.

Kristen Bell Returns in Assassin’s Creed II

Tabz 4 Comments

kristenbell

If you’ve missed Kristen Bell on TV (yes, we miss you Veronica Mars) she could be gracing your screen again – well, if you buy your own copy of Assassin’s Creed II.

Assassin’s Creed II will be available in North America November 17, 2009 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and PC. For more information, please visit http://www.assassinscreed.com.

Lucy_Talking_With_Desmond

Bell is revising her role as Lucy Stillman, a research assistant for Dr. Warren Vidic. Bell enjoyed voicing Lucy (and in 2007 Hottest Newcomer” at the Spike Video Game Awards for her role in the first Assassin’s Creed).

“Being a part of the first Assassin’s Creed video game was an amazing experience. Video games is such a creative entertainment medium, and to be able to see and play myself as a video game character was surreal,” said Kristen Bell. “As an actress, it’s both challenging and rewarding to play a complex character with this great mysterious background. I’m very happy to be Lucy once more, and I look forward to fans discovering more about her – they will be pleasantly surprised.”

Of course, this makes us wonder, do you buy a video game because of the vocal guests? Celebs on video games is always fun (we love Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk on Halo 3),  but is that the main reason you buy a game?

Tea Stain Clothing Launches “The Music Fashion Project”: Style, Music and Charity!

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image001Shop for a good cause! Tea Stain Clothing has just launched The Music Fashion Project. This philanthropic initiative pairs some of the rock scene’s biggest names with their favorite style of Tea Stain Clothing to raise money for music-related charities. Participating bands include well known bands like Papa Roach and The Donnas. The project also features some bands ‘on the verge’ like Framing Hanley, currently holding the #1 video spot on Fuse TV, and Lovehammers featuring Marty Casey from NBC’s Rock Star INXS. Some benefiting charities include VH1 Save The Music, Little Kids Rock and Rock ‘N Renew. To contribute to the project, fans simply purchase their favorite band’s selected charity style. Tea Stain Clothing takes care of the rest by donating a portion of the proceeds directly to that band’s specified charity.

The project is web based and every band’s feature is completely sharable. “This is the next generation of social media and web based marketing. We wanted to make a difference and make it easy to spread the word.” founder Devin Hajek says. “Even if someone isn’t able to spend money on a shirt, they can still support their favorite band/charity by simply clicking ‘share’. From there they have the option to email their friends or post it on their myspace, facebook and a host of other social networking outlets.”

For more information check out – http://www.teastainclothing.com/

Lauren Conrad Fall Style

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In honor of Fall Fashion, here’s a YouTube video of Lauren Conrad talking about her new line (available starting tomorrow at Kohls). I love that she brings out the California style (since that’s my state) and the effortlessness of fashion (at a reasonable price). It’s always great to see passionate folks getting to talk about their creative outlet – and Fashion is one of those outlets that intrigues me.

How about you? Doing some Fall shopping this month?