September 2012 Goodies Company Box

Hey readers,

If you've been by my blog before, you all know that I'm a sucker for these monthly subscription boxes, especially those involving food. They not only help you discover foods you would have never tried, but they offer you such a wide selection of hand-picked goods that it's almost impossible to resist. 

What is Goodies Company?
Powered by WalmartLabs, a division of Walmart, Goodies offers a monthly taster's box full of delectable bites right to your doorstep. Currently, they're still in their private beta testing (invite only but open to everyone-check out their website HERE) and are offering these monthly boxes for $7/month-the price may increase in the future, but that is still to be determined. For the time being, it's quite possibly the BEST monthly box I've received yet, but I'm going to give it a few more months before I make the final say since this month's box is only my first box with them & this is only the second box they've ever sent out. If every month is this superb, I'll be blown away!

Enough talking, let's get started:

♔BAM! Everything that was inside my box this month! :)

♔Goodies Co. Box outer packaging-HUGE box!

♔What you see upon first glance

♔Product information card (front)

♔Everything that's inside your box this month (back)

♔Remove the tissue paper and voila

♔snackLets Kale Chips in Double Cheesy: So delicately crisp, rich in fiber and antioxidants; these chips prove that health and deliciousness are not mutually exclusive

♔Snap Infusion in Multi-Berry: These are not your ordinary candies. These snacks are also infused with vitamins and electrolytes

♔Somersaults: These delicious nuggets contain more protein that almonds and more fiber than an apple

♔Kashi Soft-Baked Squares in Almond: Made with whole grains, agave, sweet potatoes and beans, this indulgence is really not indulgent at all

♔Sensible Foods Crunch Dried Snacks in CherryBerry Crunch Dried Fruit: Made with nothing but fruit, these treats are 100% natural, fat-free and gluten-free, with no added sugar or preservatives

♔Rooibee Red Tea  in Cranberry Pomegranate: Made from South African "Rooibos" or red tea, this organic beverage is refreshing, high in antioxidants, and naturally caffeine-free

♔Wai Lana Chips: Made with nutrient-rich cassava and voldly seasoned, they're every bit as satisfying as regular potato chips, with 30% less fat

♔I know many people are hesitant about signing up because of the fact that WalmartLabs is affiliated with Walmart, but their box is by far one of the best food boxes that I've seen yet, especially for the value. For $7, you're getting full sizes of various snacks and drinks, not tiny samples that I've received from other companies in the past. Although this box is still in beta-testing, I honestly hope they continue with the $7 price and continue to have so many fabulous treats inside their boxes each month. What I really like about this month's box was the fact that there's a wide variety of snacks, from savory to salty and to sweet treats that everyone's bound to find something that they like. I'm obnoxiously excited to see this company flourish and grow much larger-I'm now looking even more forward to these monthly "Goodies" inside my mailbox every month. Also, this month's box did arrive much later than it was supposed to (usually ships the week of the 10th), but due to some issues, which they did announce on their Facebook page, the box didn't arrive until today-but it was DEFINITELY worth the wait! Honestly, I was a little upset when I found out the box wasn't going to arrive until the end of the month, but being that they are a new company and are still working out the kinks, it was understandable (my anticipation got to the best of me!) All I know is-thank goodness for an affordable and delectable monthly treat :). I hate to say this, but as much as I loved my monthly Love With Food boxes, it was worth canceling the moment I opened this box!

Have a happy friday!

-Sandy

FTC: I was not paid or compensated for this review. All reviews and opinions expressed are my own.

REVIEW: Primo Italian Ice (Duluth, GA)

Hey readers,

Call me crazy, but I sure love me some frozen treats even though "fall" has supposedly arrived. You already know I have the biggest sweet tooth, so frozen treats are the best any time of the year, even in the freezing winter weather. 

After having brunch at Egg Harbor Cafe, I drove around the area looking for something to satisfy my sweet tooth. Wanting to try something new, I recently found out about a new Italian ice store that opened in the area not too long ago, so I thought it was the perfect place to satisfy my craving.

Let's get started:

❀Primo's Exterior

❀Primo's Interior

❀Italian Ice-scoop of watermelon, scoop of cookies and cream/Oreo

❀FOOD (3.5/5): The prices were just okay, especially in this area. The small was $2.50, medium was $3.50 and so on and so forth. I believe the one I purchased was the medium, but it could have been the small, I don't really remember. The two flavors I chose are some of my favorite flavors, especially since watermelon is my favorite fruit and anything Oreos flavored is a winner in my book. I really enjoyed the texture, it was cold, but not to the point of icy (literal ice pieces), and was incredibly smooth and almost creamy-like because of how smooth it was. I really liked that the flavors melted in your mouth, it was really refreshing. Although I would've liked the watermelon flavoring to be a little stronger, it was still tasty nonetheless. The cookies and cream flavor was my favorite of the two-Primo definitely hit it spot on the creaminess, but not making it similar to ice cream. Nice large pieces of Oreos throughout their Italian ice was a big two thumbs up for me. With the 20+ flavors they offer, I'll definitely be stopping by more often to give their other flavors a taste since they all looked so tempting. With all the other dessert places in John's Creek/Duluth, I wish their portion sizes were a bit larger though and that their flavors packed more of a punch to them.

❀SERVICE (N/A): The gentleman at the counter was kind and offered me quite a few samples before I made my selection, especially since it was my first time here. He also recommended some of their most popular flavors and other information about their store and was helpful. That was pretty much about all the service I received. 

❀DECOR (4/5): The interior was very spacious and welcoming-I especially enjoyed the openness of the area. There are plenty of tables and chairs both indoors and outdoors, making it easy for families and friends to stop by. In addition, the walls are painted the colors of the Italian flag, which I thought was a really cute touch, and all the flavors of the day are all handwritten on boards with neon pens, it's so much fun. The only downside really was the long, metallic silver ice bar, which extended from one wall all the way to the register. It was sort of tacky, which is the reason for taking away one star, but if they were to change it all black to give their interior a more sophisticated and smooth appeal, they would have definitely deserved a perfect rating.

Overall, I really enjoyed Primo's. I grew up those little Luigi's and Minute Maid "Italian" ices, but none of those can compare to the real deal Italian ices, similar to those I found here. Also, with so many flavors to choose from and with the option of being able to mix and match so many of them, you're bound to find a flavor you'll enjoy! :)

Thanks for stopping by,

-Sandy

 

FTC: I was not paid or compensated for this review. All reviews and opinions expressed are my own.

If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere@gmail.com-Thanks!

REVIEW: Egg Harbor Cafe (Duluth, GA)

Hey readers,

Since I'm usually a late riser, I'm never up on time for brunch, as much as I love the words breakfast and lunch together. Only if I know exactly what I want to eat and where I want to eat, will I force myself to wake up. Well, Egg Harbor Cafe is one of those places. Because they are only open until 2:30PM daily, I made sure to set my alarm clock and head on over there so that I could finally try them out. I used to have breakfast at the restaurant before it became EHC every other day when I was in grade school, so I thought it was finally time for me to check out this new restaurant in its place after the original restaurant had closed down.

Let's get started:

☮Egg Harbor Cafe's colorful menu

☮Interior of Egg Harbor Cafe

☮San Antonio Skillet w/ over easy eggs

FOOD (3/5): The dish I ordered was pretty darn tasty-lots of chorizo pieces, perfectly cooked runny eggs, and plenty of vegetables and spices to make your mouth burn! As much as I would've loved to give the food alone a 5/5 rating, there were some things that definitely needed work on. Almost every dish EHC offers comes with a side of their famous "Harbor potatoes," which are essentially baked potato pieces with various spices. Well, their skillets are made using these potatoes, along with other ingredients of your choosing. The potatoes were the main big issue here-they were HARD as a rock. Granted I usually like my potatoes extra crispy, these were so hard to the point my fork could barely pick them up-it's as if these potatoes had been sitting out all day. You could definitely tell that they weren't as fresh as they normally were, since I did get a couple of pieces that were soft, but still a bit crispy (which I imagine is how they're supposed to taste). Because it was close to closing time, I decided to just wrap it up and hopefully soften the potatoes when I reheated it at home, which tasted even better than it did at the restaurant. In addition, this dish came with a side of English muffins and housemade jams. While I do love my muffins toasted (pun ;D), these were literally doused in a pound of butter, like soaking in butter-total turnoff in my opinion.

SERVICE (2.5/5): I was immediately greeted upon entering the restaurant and being seated, which is always a huge plus for me! I love seeing smiling faces and people who enjoy what they do, it not only lightens the mood, but puts me in a great mood too. My waitress, an elderly woman, was nice, although she took longer than expected to actually start servicing me. I had been sitting for about ten minutes or so after being seated to have been noticed. Usually not a big issue since I like to take my time glancing over the menu, but because I was maybe 1 of 3 tables there, I was sort of wary.  My beverage was not brought to me until right before my meal arrived, but I liked the fact that they give you an actual pitcher of water (since I'm usually having to flag down employees for refills). NOTE: Don't order hot chocolate here-it costs $2.45 and you don't even get more than 2/3 of the cup. I learned my lesson the hard way when I had first ordered it as my beverage-when she brought it out, it wasn't even halfway full-and was lukewarm, so I had to ask her to take it back. During the duration of my meal, my server did come back a few times to check on me, which I did like. What I wasn't a big fan of was that she immediately brought the check to my table at 2:15PM when I was only half way through with my meal, when they close at 2:30PM, which is sort of a big pet peeve of mine.

DECOR (5/5): Eggs are synonymous with chickens, so with the restaurant's name being Egg Harbor Cafe, you can pretty much expect the place to be adorned with figurines and statues of the beloved poultry throughout the restaurant, and it definitely was. Besides that, the inside was very spacious and open. Upon entering, there's a main dining room, and then another huge dining area behind that, followed by the beautiful patio, which I usually opt for except for on warm days. The wooden benches added a very rustic appeal and were sturdy, and the stained glass lamps hanging overhead were such a cute addition. EHC doesn't have crazy or wild decor, but it has a very calm, cool and collected feel to it-no wonder why it's a popular brunch spot for people in the area, in addition to its welcoming atmosphere.

Overall, while the service wasn't too great and the food was pretty average, I still think that Johns Creek/Duluth finally has a decent brunch spot! I miss the old country breakfast/BBQ restaurant that was there before EHC (I'm a JR's girl!), I'd still say that I'm a fan of EHC. They have such an extensive menu, from breakfast foods to lunch plates, that I'd definitely be willing to come back more often and try out some other dishes. And for this area, which is considered to be the "Buckhead" of the Northeast, the prices are very affordable too!

Thanks for stopping by,
-Sandy



FTC: I was not paid or compensated for this review. All reviews and opinions expressed are my own.

If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere@gmail.com-Thanks!

REVIEW: Rosebud (Atlanta, GA)

Hey readers!

As Rebecca Black would say "It's friday, friday!" Time to kick back and enjoy the weekend while it lasts. Unfortunately for me though, I'll be locked up in my abode studying until later next week, then I'll be free! 

Before I begin today's review, I just wanted to say "AHHHHH!" at the top of my lungs! One of my favorite foodie sites, Eater: Atlanta, has featured my restaurant reviews several times on their site, and I'm just now finding out about it! I'm on their site almost daily, constantly looking up reviews, restaurant openings and closings and much more. In fact, I usually refer to their "38 Essential Atlanta Restaurants" for new places to dine out at. Thank you to the peeps over at Eater for featuring my blog, it really does mean a lot! *fangirl dance :D* 

Let's get started:

♔Rosebud sign outside of the restaurant

♔Rosebud Menu

♔Interior of Rosebud Part I

♔Interior of Rosebud Part II

♔Caesar Salad

♔Blue Plate Special (THURSDAY): Lobster Roll ($14.00)-Comes with drink, fries, and salad

♔Southern Sweet Tea

♔Drunken Cherry Bread Pudding ($6.00)

♔Credit card folder

♔FOOD (2.5/5): To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed with my meal here. I had HIGH hopes for the lobster roll. When I envision lobster rolls, I imagine large chunks of lobster meat with minimal amounts of mayo holding it together, and diced onions and celery. At Rosebud, it should've been called lobster salad (?). If you couldn't tell from my picture, there's absolutely WAY too much celery chunks and mayo, and an almost invisible amount of lobster meat (probably less than 1/3 of a claw worth of meat). In addition, it was a tad underseasoned too. The best thing about the lobster roll itself was the toasted and buttered bun. The french fries and caesar salad were fantastic-the fries were perfectly crisp and golden, and the romaine lettuce of the salad was fresh and crisp. Lastly, the drunken cherry bread pudding, which is one of Rosebud's specialty desserts, was absolutely fantastic! It was definitely the best part of the meal hands down. It's simply Jack Daniels soaked cherries (drunken cherries) baked in brioche bread, and then topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and covered in caramel sauce. It's okay-if I were you, I would've stopped listening after Jack too! It was heavenly, the bread pudding was incredibly moist and flavorful and the cherries were soft, chewy and tart. Although the flavor of the alcohol doesn't hit you all at once, it is subtle. The addition of the vanilla ice cream is absolutely sinful and really makes and ties the whole dessert together! Even if I don't eat anything else at Rosebud (which will be impossible considering how expansive and tasty their entire menu looks), I'll have to get this dessert alone-it's DELICIOUS!

♔SERVICE (3/5): Just average-nothing tremendous, nothing too horrible. My waiter was really nice, but wasn't very attentive. Having only been given the menu a minute or two, he already came around asking if I was ready to order. Having told him I wasn't ready yet, he didn't come back until ten minutes later, after having to flag down another employee to grab my server's attention. When I asked for his recommendation between the ahi tuna melt and the lobster roll, he immediately discredited even ordering the tuna melt and said that I should get the lobster roll-his exact response was "why wouldn't you get the lobster roll...it's only offered one day of the week, whereas the tuna melt is offered daily." Well, with that kind of response, I ordered the lobster roll, as part of the Blue Plate Special, which comes with a drink, side of fries, caesar salad and your entree for $14. My server did a great job bringing out the salad first, refilling my tea & water, and then finally bringing out my lobster roll. When I had finished my meal, my plate had been sitting on the table untouched for about twenty minutes and still no sign of him. I had to flag down the same waiter I did before to find him, but it wasn't until about 30 minutes did he finally come back to my table-it's like he was nowhere to be found. I was finally able to order dessert and did so and asked that my check be brought out at the same time, yet it took him another twenty minutes to ring me up. While he did apologize for being so flustered, I wish he would've handed his duties to another employee on-site to avoid making customers wait for long periods of time. 

♔DECOR (5/5): Rosebud's interior is absolutely beautiful! To be honest, the exterior of the restaurant was a bit dingy and in desperate need of a paint job and shingles replacement, but had a touch of antiqueness to it because of the beautiful brass sign and tall plants outside. The inside of the restaurant was stunning. Upon entrance, a long wooden oak bar is to your right, while the main dining areas are to your left. The first thing you glimpse at are the large 30-40 ft. black and white photographic canvases against the brick wall. You then can't help but notice the multitude of chalkboards that list the day's specials, followed by the dark wooden tables and slender black chairs, as well as a "sofa wall," which extends from one end of the restaurant to the other end. The colors all mesh beautifully, and the neutral green just blends everything together and makes you feel very at-peace (at least it did for me). While I only came here for lunch, it's no wonder why the beautiful decor here makes it a popular brunch and dinner destination. It's upscale, yet casual-you'd be able to pull off jeans and a shirt no problem here-LOVE it!

Overall, while the food & service here wasn't as great as I hoped, their prices are pretty affordable for the Midtown area, and will definitely make me want to come by and give them another shot the next time I'm in town. Everyone keeps raving about their pimento cheese and housemade saltines, so it looks like those are on my list the next time I'm here!

Thanks for stopping by,
-Sandy



FTC: I was not paid or compensated for this review, all reviews and opinions are my own.

If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere@gmail.com-Thanks!

REVIEW: Southern Art and Bourbon Bar (Atlanta, GA)

Hey readers,

Happy hump day! You're halfway there to the weekend, so keep your heads up :)

So, not many of you know that Oprah is and has always been one of my personal role models. Everything about her oozes confidence, motivation and success-and while I may be far from it, I do aspire to be like her one day. Not for the fame or the money, but for how successful, determined and philanthropic she is. I know what you all are wondering-why am I talking about Oprah? Well, recently I learned from some fellow friends that Oprah's personal chef for over ten years, Chef Art Smith, opened his very own restaurant here in Atlanta called Southern Art and Bourbon Bar located inside the InterContinental Hotel in the heart of Buckhead. While I've never personally met Oprah (as much of an honor as it would be too), being able to experience the type of cuisine she was offered by this Chef was just as good for me, if not better. 

Let's get started:

★Southern Art's exterior

★Adorable statue-complete with a Chef Art Smith jacket and 12-layer red velvet cake

★Interior of the restaurant, a bit blurry

★GORGEOUS paintings on the ceiling, followed by beautiful glass bottled chandeliers

★Complimentary rosemary biscuits, cane butter, and pickled assorted vegetables

★Chef Art's Famous Fried Chicken with sauteed green beans+cherry tomatoes and squash casserole ($12)

★Lunch special of the day-Country Fried Steak with grilled okra, rice & beans, and soup ($11.50?)

★Sweet & Sour Soup

★12 Layer Red Velvet Cake-YES, 12 layers! ($9.00)

★FOOD (5/5): Where to start? Because a fresh batch of biscuits were being made when I had arrived, my entree had arrived before the complimentary biscuit starters did. Not a big issue for me though, since I was the only person dining here close to the end of lunchtime. Prior to dining at Southern Art, I had already read numerous reviews of the restaurant-some good, some not so good. In addition, having seen them on Scoutmob, I knew I had to give them a try regardless of what others were saying about them. Oh boy, am I glad I took the risk! The rosemary biscuits were small, but they were amazingly flavorful, warm, and aromatic. An explosion of taste and smell hit me every time I took a bite out of one of these babies, it was incredible! The butter, slightly sweetened with cane sugar, was the perfect spread and addition to these biscuits-the butter didn't make the biscuits overly sweet, but just gave it that subtle taste of sweetness. In addition, the pickled vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower &  more) was beautifully presented in a glass jar, and was vinegary, and a bit tangy and sweet and don't forget crunchy! I'm a lover of anything fried, especially fried chicken. If fried foods didn't clog up arteries and cause so many health issues, I could probably eat it daily, but unfortunately, I can't. In all the reviews that I had read, nearly everyone talked about the fried chicken, so I already knew that was what I had to order walking into Southern Art. Shoot, if Chef Art's cooking is good enough for Oprah, it's by golly good enough for me. On to the fried chicken (which is $12 at lunch, $22 at dinner-lunch is DEFINITELY the better value). I think I could drool just talking about it-but the chicken itself was insanely moist, and the batter used for the skin (pretty thick compared to most places) was fried to absolute perfection and topped with an intense red gravy. While some people may prefer a thin coat of batter, I'm always open to trying ALL kinds of fried chicken. Theirs was definitely worth the drive out to Buckhead, no doubt about it. The sauteed green beans and cherry tomatoes were absolutely killer-fresh and crispy green beans with an abundance of garlic flavoring and pretty ripe cherry tomatoes, I like how the dish doesn't come with your typical Southern sides, like mashed potatoes or mac and cheese. Also, the squash casserole was soft and tender. In addition, I ordered the lunch special of the day for my sister, since she's a lover of country fried steak. If she were to rate her dish alone though, she said it was probably a 2/5-the rice and beans had absolutely no flavoring, the grilled okra she said did nothing to enhance anything on the plate, and the country fried steak was nicely fried but pretty average, and she did like the red gravy. All in all, she said she would've ordered the fried chicken on her next visit after hearing the rave review I kept giving it. Moving on, the soup that came with the lunch special was average as well. A bit tangy, but had an abundance of vegetables and minced chicken. Lastly, here was the REAL winner of the gold medal, right next to the fried chicken-the 12 LAYER RED VELVET CAKE! Was it necessary to write in all caps? Yes, because it was amazing. Disregard the fact that it is a little pricey for dessert-it's completely unique and something you aren't going to find anywhere else. I was told the cake is a combination of 3 4-layer red velvet cakes, then stacked and lightly iced with cream cheese frosting. I can't imagine the process, especially when you look at how even and beautiful each layer is. As pretty as the cake looked itself, all things must come to an end, and I dove right in. This dessert was probably some of the BEST i've ever had in Atlanta. Incredibly moist and creamy with that mild chocolate flavor, you can actually eat this cake layer by layer. Its cake, frosting, cake frosting, cake frosting, essentially 24 layers in all (12 cake + 12 frosting)! Oh my lord-YUM! I can't keep describing it because this is something you REALLY need to get out here and try for yourselves.

★SERVICE (3/5): The service here was just okay-my waiter was very friendly the entire duration of my visit. The reason why it didn't deserve a perfect 5/5 rating was simply because my waiter was forgetful and confused at times. For instance, he kept forgetting to "check" up on the biscuits, even when he would say that they'd be ready in "2-3 mins." Like I mentioned before though, this wasn't a really big deal. What was starting to irritate me was that when you order the lunch special, it comes with a soup AND a drink-yet he never asked if I wanted a drink (that comes with the meal, other than water). I hadn't noticed that I was never asked for a drink until a table next to me had ordered. In addition, he never brought my soup until I had asked him about it, which was another reason why one star was knocked off. The second reason why the second star was removed was because it took him over 20+ minutes to ring me up. When I was close to being done with my meal, he was nowhere to be found, so I had to flag down another employee to bring me my check. Once they finally took up my card, apparently all the computers went down because I had ended up waiting, past closing time, to be rung up. He wasn't very apologetic, but just said thank you and scrambled off to do his own thing again. But other than that, he was nice and refilled my water pretty quickly, which I did like.

★DECOR (5/5): SERIOUSLY STUNNING! Yes, those words deserved to be written in all caps as well. I definitely never expected this type of decor from a restaurant inside a nice Buckhead hotel. Honestly, I expected something along the lines of snooty, high-falutent, cocktail-dress type of restaurant (nothing wrong with that at all!), but I strolled in wearing a t-shirt and jeans and no one gave me an awkward stare, which I really appreciated. Back to the decor-I felt as if I walked into an art museum-the ceilings were very high up, there were incredibly large and beautifully painted canvas literally hanging from the ceiling of popular Atlanta attractions, one being the Fox. There were also colorful glass chandeliers made from bottles/glass blown art and it gave it a beautiful artistic vibe. While I wasn't a huge fan of the grey wall color, there were various pops of color throughout which made it a bit better. Also, what's really great about Southern Art is that to the right of the establishment, there's a bourbon bar, and to the right, is a beautifully vintage pie bar/dessert table, followed by the ever-so-popular ham bar, and then the restaurant itself. The setup was beautiful, simple, yet very charming all at the same time. Also, the "bird cage-like" chairs made me feel as if I were Sarah Jessica Parker in the 1st Sex in the City movie-it was sturdy and elegant. The decor and environment here alone is worth the trip.

Overall, I absolutely LOVE Southern Art. While I know that it's difficult for one restaurant to please the thousands of diners every month, I personally loved my experience here, especially if they can kick up the service to a perfect 5/5-I can definitely see myself coming here the 3-4 times a month I'm in the Buckhead area. I definitely have to disagree with those negative reviews that I've read. Readers, if you see negative reviews of restaurants on Yelp! or Urbanspoon, don't automatically disregard dining at that restaurant until you really experience it yourself. I couldn't have been any more happier dining at this affordable establishment especially in the nice neighborhood it's in. Plus, if you use your Scoutmob deal, it's 50% off (up to a max discount of $30 off-INSANE!!!!!). Southern Art is worth the money, worth the drive & worth the calories for the red velvet cake. Go now!

Have a great day,

-Sandy

 

FTC: I was not paid or compensated for this review, all reviews and opinions expressed are my own.

If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere@gmail.com-Thanks!

September 2012 Birchbox

Hey readers!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! My family & I had a wonderful outdoor barbecue and it was so nice to see so many family friends, especially having not seen them in the past year or so. All the bugs (yucky!) came out to play, so Sandy went back in & decided to write this post instead.

So, another month has passed & with each new month, comes my monthly subscription services! While I love sharing with foodie adventures with you all, it's nice to take a break and show you that I do enjoy other things besides eating (who doesn't? ;D). Anyways, I received my Birchbox saturday afternoon and couldn't wait to share it with you all. If you remember how disappointed I was with my August birchbox, then you'll know that this month's box was the deciding factor whether or not to finally make the difficult decision of canceling my subscription once and for all. Stay tuned to find out more.

Let's get started: 

❀Back to its original hot pink exterior packaging

❀This month's theme: The September Issue

❀What's inside my box this month

❀Benefit Cosmetics (foamingly clean facial wash + refined finish facial polish): Purify your skin with this glycerin-packed cleanser and natural clay exfoilator

❀One-time use samples of each product

❀Color Club-Birchbox Custom Polish: We teamed up with Color Club to create this custom shade, inspired by the Fall 2012 collections

❀Polish color in "Status Update"-spelling error there

❀Nexxus-Pro-Mend Split End Treatment System: Infused with coconut oil and amino acids, this shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in treatment work together to fix unsightly split ends

❀Twistband-Birchbox Custom Lace Hair Tie: Designers went gaga for lace this season and we don't blame them. Get on board with these ouch-free hair ties

❀Youngblood-Mineral Primer: Prevent makeup meltdowns with this clear gel primer, which contains skin-soothing vitamins and minerals

❀EXTRA-Mighty Leaf Tea Company: Swap your afternoon latte for these yummy tea blends, made from natural, ethically sourced ingredients

❀Madewell coupon code & The Fall Lookbook

❀Glance of everything inside the September Birchbox!

Now the answer you've all been waiting for-YES-I've finally canceled my Birchbox subscription. I was expecting this month's box to WOW me or at least attempt to wow me with something that would finally get my attention, but just like they've utterly disappointed me in the past, this month's box was no exception. Surprising enough to say, my favorite item in this box was the vanilla bean tea that came as part of the extras. I absolutely despise Color Club polishes (too streaky and inexpensive-you can buy a 6-pack of them at Ross from $3.99) and Twistbands (which we get every few months). The Nexxus samples I can receive for free anywhere. I am looking forward to trying the Benefit and Youngblood products, but even still, it was nowhere near a wow factor for me, overall. Another two thumbs DOWN to this month's box-of the past 16 or 17 Birchboxes I've received in the past, I can honestly say I've only been completely or partially satisfied with maybe 5-6 total. That's about $110 going down the drain, when I could actually be buying things I really love at Sephora (especially with the awesome sale section). I've said this before many times, but I sincerely dislike that some box values are 2-3X more than others, like mine. Same thing happened last month, same thing happened this month, it's NOT cool. I thought Birchbox would've fixed that issue by now, but it seems like they haven't-it's becoming more about the quantity of consumers rather than the quality of the samples in their boxes. If they ever change that around, I'd sign right back up in a heartbeat, but for now, I'd rather spend that $10 on a meal than this. *END RANT* Also, I usually include my referral code to join Birchbox, but I'd rather you save your money on something you can really splurge on rather than Birchbox.

Thank you all for stopping by,
-Sandy