Lipton Citrus Green Tea

Thu, March 11 2010

It seems like I keep having eye opening moments and since I already blogged about one of them, here’s another: I like tea. Now, I do not like any tea. I have only ever had sips of hot tea which disgusts me. And iced tea? While I find the taste of hot tea to be disgusting, cold tea just comes across as wrong. That taste should never be cold (if it has to be at all). So imagined my surprise when, one day, Ryan buys some bottled Lipton tea and not only is it not horrible but I actually like it. Actually, he had diet that time which was also pretty good but does not seem to be as available.

This time, I tried regular Lipton Green Tea with Citrus which, as I said, is available in a 20 ounce bottle. It’s a light yellow colour, akin to vegetable oil. It definitely tastes sweet and that strange taste which I dislike about other teas still exists but is not as strong. Maybe it’s because it is green tea specifically or purpose just the addition of the citrus flavours. There is a sligtly citrus taste to this tea; it’s not necessarily orange or lemon or lime but just.. generally citrus-y. Sometimes, the taste reminds me, ever so slightly, of the zebra striped chewing gum I had a kid. You know, the one with the temporary tattoos. So it’s definitely fruity but the smell doesn’t give you any indication of how it will taste. You just have to taste it yourself.

Despite the fruity taste, this green tea is still quite crisp and refreshing. It’s not thick or syrupy but doesn’t taste like watered down Kool-aid, either. It actually enjoyable. I do not especially recall how much carbonation was in the drink; I am sure there is some but not so much that it is unpleasant as is the case with most soda.

Compared to sodas and other convenience drinks, Lipton Green Tea with Citrus is better for you. The website claims it is actually good for you but I’m not sure how true that is. It does have the same amount of calories per serving (and there are 2.5 in the bottle) as my other drink of choice, Mt Dew: 240. The bottle lists it as low sodium with 75mg per serving. In addition to this, there are 61mg of antioxidants per serving which are pretty good for you. It does contain caffeine, however; so folks who need to watch their caffeine intake should still be wary.

I am pleasantly surprised with how much I recommend this green tea and it will probably become my healthier-choice fallback!

I am a cheap date

Tue, March 9 2010

Well, more like, I am a cheap wife. I was just thinking about some of the military wives I’ve known and people in general who are really material but I am not so much. Most of the money I spend winds up going toward the house and the occasional (necessary) piece of apparel for myself. I was just never into designer purses nor am I a shoe whore. I have had the same computer for almost 8 years and bought both my camera and MP3 player in 2005. While I enjoy looking at electronics, I am much more a window shopper than anything else. Although I like to add personal touches to my home, I am not afraid to tackle DIY projects instead of spending an arm and a leg on other things. Really, the most money I have spent on myself in years has probably been on books. I guess that’s why Ryan has been able to constantly buy himself video games and new gadgets.

Tgi Fridays Blenders Orange Dream

Mon, March 8 2010

I used to think that I didn’t like drinking but the fact is, I do like alcohol but only in certain drinks. Specifically speaking, I like things creamy and slushie and sweetly flavoured and Tgi Fridays Blenders Orange Dream drink definitely hits the spot. It is definitely one of the tastier alcoholic beverages I have ever had and it’s easy to make, too. All you have to do is add 1cup of ice to 3oz of drink and blend. If you’re adventurous, you could even skip the ice; although, it gives it a nice texture.

The result is an alcoholic drink which tastes surprisingly like dreamsicle products despite a 12.5% alcohol content per volume. There is no overpowering alcohol taste (although it does contain vodka) and the combination of orange and vanilla is really perfect. It’s almost decadent and feels like a treat or dessert, not just a drink and it could easily pass as a smoothie.

The entire bottle states it makes 18 drinks and with an average price of $10 – $25, you’re only paying about $1 per drink which is definitely cheaper than going out. The bottle also states that this is a non-dairy product but there is no information about calories or such, however, and this would be good to know.

After trying Tgi Fridays Blenders Orange Dream, I am excited to try the other flavours which include Mudslide and Strawberry Shortcake.

Days gone by

Wed, March 3 2010

A while back I somehow stumbled across the concept of teardrop trailers, tiny all in one trailers that can be pulled by any vehicle, even a VW bug (and, indeed, I ran across one which was painted and styled the same as a bug!). The lightweight style is interesting and the shape is very reminiscent of days gone by as these first saw popularity in the 1930s. If I were in the market for used travel trailers, I would totally get one this style.

Softsoap Body Butter Scrub

Wed, March 3 2010

Since I’ve returned, I’ve been using a body scrub by Softsoap. I am normally not a huge apricot fan but opted for something different. The scrub comes in a plentiful 15 fl oz bottle with an easy to use flip-up cap. There is a small hole for administering it to your loofah or washcloth. Through the bottle, one can see the product which is more of a tan than an orange and there are small flecks of apricot seeds. However, these are much the same colour and are not super easy to see in the bottle.

In use, the seeds are easy to feel if you run your hand over them but are not painful when washing. They are also small enough that they are not causing my skin to become inflamed and red (at least, I have not noticed it). While it lathers well, Softsoap Body Butter Scrub is a thin lather which is easily rinsed away by water. I have to sort of shield my shower poof so that the product stays on it long enough to be rubbed on my skin. In addition to this, Softsoap Body Butter Scrub just does not feel as creamy as thicker products; although, the lather is soft. It leaves my skin nice and soft so I say the apricot seeds do a pretty nice job of buffing my skin and, while it’s not entirely dry (do to the jojoba butter), there are certain dry patches which are not being fixed. For me, this is my left elbow; it’s just not soft and smooth like the rest of my skin.

Softsoap Body Butter Scrub smells, like one would expect, of fruit and citrus. The scent doesn’t really linger on the skin as much as it could, however. It’s only very faintly there and won’t cause your bathroom to smell like an apricot grove either. Some folks do not like shower products which are scented strongly, however; this might be a plus for them.

Softsoap Body Butter Scrub does leave my skin feeling fresh and new – most of it, at least. It smells pleasant enough and will last quite a while. It’s a decent product.