I'm only five feet tall, so finding pants is a major chore.  I also travel to Europe a lot, so I'm always looking for pants that are comfortable, lightweight, and can adapt to a lot of situations.  Vital Pants from Lucy are the closest I've come to meeting all of my requirements.   They're comfortable enough for the plane and for walking around the city ...

My feet are small but wide and very blister prone.  I'm also on them a lot.  I discovered Minnetonka moccassins three years ago, and I now own five pairs.  The fringed kilty comes in wide sizes and several colors, and is made of really soft leather that quickly conforms to your feet.   You may even want to go down half a size because they tend to stretch a...

I'm pretty picky about hotels, and did a lot of research before our trip to Orlando last month.  I finally  chose the Hilton Grand Vacation club, Seaworld because we are Hilton HHonors members, and it had a great AAA rate.  We had a one bedroom unit, and found it to be surprisingly spacious and clean, with cheerful, up to date decor.     It ...

I bought the Motorola C139 thinking I might prefer it to my Nokia, which I like but is starting to get older.    I'm a bit of a technophobe, and the most basic cell phone has always been enough for me.   Style is not an issue.This cell phone was too basic even for me.  The keyboard is tiny.  I have small hands, but  my husband couldn't easily...

Finding a foundation is always a challenge.  I tried a lot of drugstore brands, plus a few that were high end before I came across Tarte Smooth Operator.  $35 seems like a lot to pay, but the tube is 1.7 ounces, almost twice the size of many brands.   It gives me decent coverage, but is lighter than most--sort of a cross between a tinted moisturizer and a foun...

I prefer cream blush, but finding one that looks natural and has staying power can be difficult.  Paula Dorf does both.  It comes in a good selection of colors.  My favorites are Candy Apple and Peek a Boo.  Some of them look scary in the pot but as long as I use a light hand, they go on very naturally, even on very pale skin like mine.  This product is drier ...

I bought Denali's for both of my nieces on sale.  My older niece would normally have bought hers from the junior's department, but the girl's size XL was actually a better fit for her across the shoulders and for sleeve length than the ladies XS.  It was also less than half the price of the ladies, but the colors were identical.   These jackets are roomy and...

I bought 3 sets of Tervis Tumblers from the internet, site unseen.  They were getting raves from a message board I was on.   These really live up to the hype.  They have double walled insulation, so there is no condensation.  You can use them for hot or cold drinks, and they keep them at the right temperature for a very long time.  They are made out of po...

I have really sensitive skin, and have been using unscented laundry detergent for many years.   I was using Arm and Hammer  and was relatively happy with it, but I wanted to switch to a more natural, environmentally friendly product.  I was worried about how effective this type of product could be, because many brands for sensitive skin don't clean well. I decided t...

I've been using Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid for the past three years.  I have sensitive skin, and many other brands would cause severe skin irritation.  I also have been edging more and more towards using non-toxic, all natural products, because they are healthier for me and my family, and better for the environment.I use the free and clear version, and it has no scent ...

I have hard water and have had problems with dishwasher detergents getting my dishes completely clean without spotting.  When I decided to go all natural for my family's health and environmental reasons, I expected to have an even harder time finding something I liked,  but Ecover tablets are amazing.  Since using it in my Bosch dishwasher, I have been able to stop ...

I'm an avid walker, and this is my sixth pair of Asics Gel Kayano shoes in the past three years.   I have wide, very blister prone feet, and this is the first brand I've found that doesn't require breaking in.  Most of the previous incarnations have had uppers that were partly made of mesh, which is not the most practical material if you live in the Northeast and walk...

A lot of my favorite travel magazines ceased publication after the internet took off.   Conde Nast Traveler has managed to hang on, despite the fact that many of it's articles feature an upscale style of travel that isn't practical for many of us. The Stop the Press section they include every month does have a lot of useful information.   In the past, this section has foc...

Paula Dorf Magic stick is a creamy concealer that comes in a tube, much like lipstick.   I have pale, slightly pinkish skin, and a lot of other concealers are too dark and too yellow on me.  Even though it only comes in a few colors, the lightest, #1, is a perfect match for me.    It works especially well to conceal undereye circles.   It isn't cakey ...

I was skeptical about how well I would like a cleansing oil, as I have combination skin that's prone to breakouts.  Origins products have been hit or miss for me, but Clean Energy is a winner.I wear a physical sunscreen every day, and most products don't remove it without a lot of effort.   With Clean Energy, I use a few drops on my dry skin, massage it in, add water...

I choose all natural products whenever I can, and also wear sunscreen 100% of the time when I'm outside.  Kiss My Face organic lipbalm smells great, protects my lips from the sun, and is not waxy.  It comes in several varieties that are a bit out of the ordinary.   I like the cranberry orange and sliced peach, and my spouse likes the vanilla honey.   I find it to be...

I really wanted to like this product, as it's paraben free and doesn't contain artifical fragrance. It does do a great job of removing all traces of makeup and sunscreen.  I even like the lavender smell, which is quite strong but doesn't linger afterwards.  It foams nicely with only one pumpful of gel, and is easy to rinse off.  The problem?  This gel is supposed...

This was a blind buy for me.  Although I never saw this show the first time around,  I was a fan of the Nancy Drew series of books when I was growing up.  There are 22 hour long episodes in the set, including some where the three young detectives work together to solve a crime.   The Hardy Boys are played by (teen idol) Shawn Cassidy and Parker Stevenson, and Nancy...

I don't like the fragrance of the scented version of this product, which I bought once accidentally.  The unscented version, however, is great.  It's lightweight and absorbs quickly into my skin, but at the same time, it's very moisturizing.   My skin is sensitive, and this doesn't cause me any irritation.  It is a bit more expensive than most drugstore brand...

Keen shoes feature a big black bumper at the toe, so they are a bit funky looking.  Most of the styles are great if you have a wide foot like I do, as they have plenty of toe room without having to special order a wide size. My current favorite is the Sydney II, a Maryjane that is made of water resistant suede and comes in lots of  colors.  They fit in well wi...