Saturday, October 19, 2013

Reviews For October 19-31 2013

Images And Text From Amazon.com

Paradise (Watch Now While It's in Theaters)
DVDParadise (Watch Now While It's in Theaters)

4.0 out of 5 stars Lamb's Vegas TripOctober 19, 2013

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
Paradise is a sentimental film about a religious female named Lamb who almost dies in a plane crash. She survives, but her faith is drastically tested. Lamb decides to vacation in Las Vegas and meets William and Loray. From what is portrayed in the film, Lamb's finances to fund the trip appear to come from settlement money from her near death accident. The characters of Loray and William carefully help Lamb navigate through various places in Las Vegas through their own free will. I found this interesting because the symbolization of benevolent friendship is being depicted in the film. Octavia Spencer, Russell Brand, and Juliane Hough are the main stars in "Paradise" (which is a family friendly film).

Let Me Go
Let Me Go

5.0 out of 5 stars Natural Lavigne And Kroeger DuoOctober 19, 2013

This review is from: Let Me Go (MP3 Music)
"Let Me Go" by Avril Lavigne feat. Chad Kroeger appears to be a serious ballad about either letting go of a person, situation, and/or other difficult circumstance. At the time of this writing, the music video for this song is available online. They both actually duet well together in this video and it is clear to see that they are very much in love (despite the somber message of the song). "Let Me Go" by Avril Lavigne feat. Chad Kroeger is great for those who like music by either and/or both of the artists (as well as rock/pop mashups).


Down the Rabbit Hole [HD]
DVDDown the Rabbit Hole [HD]

5.0 out of 5 stars Alliances In WonderlandOctober 19, 2013
"Once Upon A Time In Wonderland" follows the journey of Alice trying to find her lost love, with the help of her friend the Knave of Hearts . Both the Knave of Hearts and Alice also sometimes reach out to a talking rabbit. However, even after episode two, both Alice and the Knave of Hearts are unaware that the Red Queen is using the talking rabbit for information. There is fine acting done in the depictions of Alice, the Knave of Hearts, the talking rabbit, Jaffar, and Cyrus. However, my favorite character at the moment is that of the Red Queen played by Emma Rigby. This is because Rigby plays a queen that is both complex and keeps the character of Jaffar frequently guessing her next moves. I also like the costumes that were created for the Red Queen in episodes 1 and 2. "Once Upon A Time In Wonderland" is perfect for those who enjoy fantasy television series.
Mad Men: Season One
DVD ~ Jon Hamm

Mad Men: Season One

5.0 out of 5 stars Ambitious MenOctober 19, 2013
This review is from: Mad Men: Season One (DVD)
"Mad Men Season 1" caught my attention because of my fascination with the public relations world and the story being based on the career symbolism of advertising (which is indirectly related to public relations). I unexpectedly learned the various ways that media and other various outlets can have subtle influence. It was also important for me to watch the first season in order to help me further understand the other seasons of Mad Men that I intend to watch. The following are some of the various facets of the season 1 that piqued my interest and made the characters relatable and series worthwhile to watch:
The characters of Don Draper, Betty Draper, and Rachel Menken have all experienced what it feels like to lose their mothers to physical death. Additionally, the character of Don Draper had to secretly carry the societal stigma of his late biological mother being a prostitute. I also liked how Betty Draper was portrayed as a dynamic woman who adores both her children and husband but yearns for a life of her own outside the home. I feel that this portrayal is realistic due to my own personal experiences of observing my late adoptive mother until I was 18 years old. She dearly loved my siblings and me as well as my adoptive father. However, I frequently noticed that her face lit up more during the time periods in her life when she had to get ready for work.
Watching the characters of Joan Holloway giving career advice to Peggy Olson made gave the series a great touch because both women were carefully navigating their professional lives while dealing with workplace sexual harassment. The Progressive Car Insurance lady (Stephanie Courtney) and Darby Stanchfield (from the TV series Scandal) also make appearances during Mad Men season 1.
The following pop culture references are among those mentioned in Mad Mean season 1: Lady Chatterley, Sara Lee cake, Atlas Shrugged, Mad magazine, Rosetta Stone, and Clearasil.
Mad Men Season 1 is a fascinating series to watch for those who are either interested in American culture from the 1960's, enjoy watching drama series, and/or those curious about the world of advertising.
Doctor Who: The Complete First Series
DVD ~ Christopher Eccleston

Doctor Who: The Complete First Series

5.0 out of 5 stars Alternate Time Adventures of "The Doctor"October 19, 2013
I admit that I decided to watch Doctor Who (season 1) as one of the ways to bond with my husband and to further understand his inner world. He is a Doctor Who fanatic and recommended that I watch the first season starring Christopher Eccleston (G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra, upcoming Thor movie) and Billie Piper (Secret Diary Of A Call Girl tv series) in order to help me get the message of the subsequent seasons. The series opens with the character of Rose unintentionally meeting "The Doctor" after an eerie encounter involving mannequins. Simon Pegg (The World's End), John Barrowman (Torchwood tv series) and Richard Wilson (Merlin tv series) are among some of the celebrities who guest star in season 1 of Doctor Who. Simon Pegg features in The Long Game episode (#7), while Jack Barrowman and Richard Wilson first make appearances in "The Empty Child" episode (#9). Doctor Who (season 1) is great for those who are fine with watching science fiction television series involving time travel plots.

Monday October 21, 2013 Yelp Reviews


7939 New Hampshire Ave
Hyattsville, MD 20783
(301) 434-3121

Cvs Pharmacy  

Category: Drugstores 
4.0 star rating
 10/21/2013 First to Review
Less than 8 hours ago, I stopped by the CVS to purchase around 8 food/drink items and two non food items.  I had a concern about one of the items being in stock. Fortunately, one of the employees was kind enough to take the time to retrieve the requested item.  This place is open 24 hours, which makes it convenient for doing late night shopping.
2012 University Blvd E
Hyattsville, MD 20783
(301) 445-1560

Forest Laundromat  

4.0 star rating
 10/21/2013 First to Review
Pros: I had to go to a late night laundry mat to make sure that my work clothes were washed before work today.  This place is a great 24 hour laundromat service for those who may live in apartments that have limited hour laundromat.  I came around 2 am to do my laundry and was greeted by a friendly employee.  My clothes were also washed and dried within a reasonable timeframe. This place also has  great working machines that dispense quarters (in exchange for dollar bills) for those who need change to put in the laundry machines. This sometimes makes it convenient for men and women who may only make it to their banks for change due to tight and/or highly busy  time constraints in their schedule.

Cons: The main caveat is the price.  The apartment that I live in charges only 3 dollars per load for both washing and drying. In contrast, washing alone at the Forest Laundromat is going to easily cost you an average of at least $3.50-$4.50 per load and 25 cents per seven minutes in their dryer. Aside from this caveat, Forest Laundromat is a decent 24 hour laundromat with reasonable customer service.
1161 University Blvd
Takoma Park, MD 20912
(301) 408-1800

Subway  

Category: Sandwiches 
3.0 star rating
 10/21/2013
The pros: My husband and I went there during a busy time on Sunday and were served quickly and with friendly customer service. I felt that the workers were polite with my request of the Tuscan Chicken combo meal with a dr pepper and sprite drink while my husband got a spicy Italian combo meal with a fountain drink.

The cons: My husband liked his sandwich but felt that there could have been more toppings on his sandwich. However, he was fine with the macadamia nut cookies that came with his meal.  In contrast, I was satisfied with the toppings on my sandwich, but felt that my cookies had a harder texture than what I was use to eating. We might come back in the future because of the good customer service, but I would pass on the cookies at this location while my husband would probably ask for more toppings.
11160 Veirs Mill Rd
Wheaton, MD 20902
(301) 692-1330

Costco Wholesale  

4.0 star rating
 10/21/2013
My husband and I decided to eat at the Costco's public eatery (inside the Wheaton Mall) due to the great price that we paid for the hotdog and fountain drink meal ($1.50 for the hot dog and drink combo).  Additionally, we both shared an Italian sausage and felt that the food was tasty for the cheap prices (only cost us a total of $6.14 combined).
2208 University Blvd E
Hyattsville, MD 20783
(301) 439-7418

Burger King  

Category: Burgers 
4.0 star rating
 10/21/2013 First to Review
I went there last week to pick up a breakfast platter for myself and a breakfast burrito for my husband. The cashier was polite and served our food within a quick timeframe and the breakfasts were cheap and both my husband and I felt that the food tasted good.
2057 University Blvd E
Hyattsville, MD 20783
(301) 434-6196

Dunkin Donuts  

Category: Donuts 
4.0 star rating
 10/21/2013
I came to Dunkin Donuts last Monday early morning for the six donut package. Both the workers on the shift were pretty friendly and the shift manager took care of one of the concerns that I had regarding my service.  Dunkin Donuts is only an occasional indulgence for me, but the donuts were tasty.

Images And Text From Amazon.com

PRISM (Deluxe)

PRISM (Deluxe)

5.0 out of 5 stars Katy Perry's Music ConfettiOctober 23, 2013

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: PRISM (Deluxe) (Audio CD)

I excitedly pre-ordered "Prism" by Katy Perry (deluxe version) due to my previous music enjoyment of "Teenage Dream" (from 2010) and a strong intuitive feeling to purchase this collection. I am glad that I followed my psychic hunch because many of these songs are happy and symbolize a message of cheerfully relishing various facets of life. There is something for many men and women in "Prism" such as the being unstoppable and resilient in life through the song "Roar" and being in love with someone who is a kindred spirit to you: such as through the music track "Double Rainbow". Obviously, I'm fully aware that personal song favorites are going to be as varied as the listeners of "Prism". My personal favorites are "Birthday", "International Smile", "Dark Horse", "Legendary Lovers" and "Walking On Air". However, there are many more music tunes to enjoy on "Prism" such as "Unconditionally", "This How We Do", "This Moment", "By The Grace Of God", and "It Takes Two." "Prism" (deluxe version) by Katy Perry is definitely recommended if you enjoyed Katy Perry and/or you like music collections sprinkled with pop, hip-hop, and eurodance melodies.
Yelp Review 

5948 Georgia Ave NW
Washington, DC 20011
(202) 722-1104

McDonald's  

Category: Fast Food
Neighborhood: Brightwood
5.0 star rating
 10/23/2013
On a whim, I came here during a meal break at work (to satiate a fast food craving) and ordered the double quarter value meal. The cashier was polite, my food was quickly ready, and my food was tasty. Truthfully, I would eat here more often if not for a personal goal that I have around how often I eat fast food.



Thursday, October 10, 2013

October 10, 2013 Reviews, and Website Links

Online Reviews (text and visuals from amazon.com)

Trancemaster 7006


Trancemaster 7006


5.0 out of 5 stars Background TranceOctober 10, 2013



This review is from: Trancemaster 7006 (MP3 Music)
"Trancemaster 7006" is a sixteen song collection by various trance/electronic music artists. There are some music tunes that also combine trance and classic music elements. For instance, one of my favorite songs on this compilation that combines both classical and trance music is that of "Morrel's Sonata in C Minor (TranzLift Remix) mixed by James Dymond. However, Trancemaster 7006 is best for those who are fine with listening to trance music that contains more beats than vocals.



Silver Linings Playbook
DVD ~ Bradley Cooper

Silver Linings Playbook

5.0 out of 5 stars Positive LiningsOctober 10, 2013



This review is from: Silver Linings Playbook (DVD)
Recently, my husband rented "Silver Linings Playbook" from our apartment rental office. This was a kind and loving gesture because he remembered that I had wanted to see the film when it was released in theaters. "Silver Linings Playbook" is a touching film of a character around Pat Solitano, whose life is turned upside down after he undergoes treatment for an episode that triggered him reacting with extreme aggression. Pat's parents take him in and he unexpectedly meets and falls in love with a woman named Tiffany. He does his best to avoid showing it because he is trying to reconcile with his wife Nikki. "Silver Linings Playbook" is a moving drama film that is good for those who are familiar with any movies featuring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and/or Robert De Niro and/or those who movies with comedy, drama, and/or romance.


It's Handled
DVD

It's Handled


5.0 out of 5 stars Season Three Definitely Starts With An Exciting SizzleOctober 10, 2013


Scandal Season 3 (pilot episode) gloriously opens with Olivia Pope bravely standing up to her father. Mr. Pope wants to send his daughter away seemingly out of concern for her fate. Meanwhile, the character of Fitzgerald and his wife face up to what they are going to have to do in the midst of the gossip emerging around their personal lives. Fortunately, for Olivia, Huck, Harrison, Abby, and Quinn loyally stand by her and creatively concoct a plan to help their boss. As usual, Cyrus is cooking up his own schemes, but at least still has a heart for this partner James and their daughter. I did enjoy the surprise appearance of Charlie in this episode, especially because of his pivotal character evolution that is tied in with Huck and Cyrus. I have had the chance to watch both season 1 and season 2 well before watching the pilot to season 3. I would softly recommend to any not yet familiar with season 1 or 2 to definitely strive to watch both seasons before the pilot episode of season 3. This is only because the story line to the pilot episode of season 3 will be the most clear and cohesive with being aware of the plots from the previous two seasons. With that said, I do enjoy watching Scandal and feel guided to make gentle suggestions on what could potentially make its way into the series. Please know that I am only making polite requests because I'm aware that other countless fans of Scandal also have their ideas:
The marriage between Mellie and Fitz, as well as the love triangle involving Olivia: I confess that I feel conflicted because in real-life I'm a married female who enjoys the superb acting of Tony Goldwyn and Kerry Washington as a "secret couple" carrying on with their steamy shenanigans. I also think that Bellamy Young does a terrific job as playing a first lady who cleverly and carefully puts on a public front of respect to Olivia Pope while fighting to save her marriage. With all this said, I do feel that it is worth consideration to keep President Fitzgerald and First Lady Millie married. Yes, I understand that the character of Fitzgerald is in love with Olivia Pope. However, it may be worth continuing to keep his relationship with both Olivia Pope and Millie going. I only say this because I do believe that it is possible for men to be in love with two women at once. Additionally, I feel that the series could be made even stronger if the character of Fitzgerald is at least shown being a little more respectful to his wife Millie. Please know that I feel that the actor who does play the president does it very well and convincingly. It is just that his character could at least be written to be more civil and affectionate towards the Millie character. Speaking of Millie, it would be nice if it can be written in for Mellie to make some female and/or male friends to keep her company. This would add even more plot possibilities to the character growth of Mellie, Fitzgerald, and Olivia Pope.
Huck, Harrison, Abby, Quinn, and Charlie: I think that it was heartwarming to see Huck and Harrison rescue Olivia from the car (at the beginning of the season 3 pilots) in a move akin to powerful and loyal bodyguards. However, it would also be fascinating to see Harrison and Huck interact with each other as professional and personal mentors. For instance, maybe there could be a scene where Huck is telling Harrison to be careful with any future love interests (due to his own personal experiences), and/or a scene or episode where Huck and Harrison are embarking on work related missions as a way of professionally mentoring each other. The same could also be applied to Abby. For instance, maybe the character of Abby could serve as an important mentor to Quinn in showing her how to heal from heartbreak while moving on with professional cases and/or speaking up when necessary on work matters (such as when the character of Abby bravely stood to Olivia regarding the treatment of a client). The meeting with Charlie and Cyrus in the pilot episode of season 3 added an exciting twist to the "It's Handled" episode. I would just make a gentle suggestion to have the character of Charlie maybe working with Olivia's team into one-two future episodes/scenes. Another alternative idea is to provide a personal backstory on how and why the character of Charlie continues in his line of work and/or the explanation of Charlie's extreme loyalty to Cyrus (aside from the money factor).
Cyrus, James, and their daughter: It is sweet that Cyrus is shown making sure that James and their adopted daughter were unharmed as the first and foremost thing in his mind once he saw Charlie. The character of Cyrus also shows his humanity with how he treats his partner even under high stress situations from his job. However, maybe there could be a scene or episode where Cyrus takes a half-day and/or a couple of hours to help James with parenting duty, such as maybe taking their adoptive daughter to daycare and/or having Cyrus screening the hiring of a nanny to give James a little rest. This would help give the impression that Cyrus is a highly ambitious man who also cares to give James a break from domestic duties every now and then. I think that it is a good idea that the character of Cyrus and James are sometimes shown also helping each other professionally. Maybe future episodes can include James advising Cyrus on how to handle the unexpected soap opera situations in the White House with careful precision and with as minimum collateral damage as possible or vice versa.
Scandal Season 3 the pilot episode of "It's Handled" is perfect for men and women who are familiar with the previous seasons of Scandal and/or those who like watching television dramas set in the Washington D.C. Area.




Witches of East End: Sneak Peek
DVD

Witches of East End: Sneak Peek

4.0 out of 5 stars Tale Of Two Budding And Powerful Witches And Their Magical MotherOctober 10, 2013


The pilot episode of Witches of East End (season 1) is created around the storyline of a caring mother by the name of Joanna Beauchamp, a powerful witch in disguise who is trying to protect her two daughters Freya and Ingrid. The series opens with Freya and Ingrid being unaware of their powers. In particular, the character of Freya is coming to terms with why she is dreaming of a man who ignites her romantic interest and comes face to face with in real-life. However, she has justified reasons for steering clear. Meanwhile, Ingrid is at first shown as the skeptical one but decides to help cast a fertility spell for one of her friends. In the midst of it all, people are being murdered and a definitive sign on the culprit is unavailable. I was guessing the character of Adam may be responsible for the deaths while my husband was guessing that the character of Penelope Gardiner may be responsible (Freya's prospective mother-in-law). Regardless of who the actual culprit is, I felt that the ending could have at least been accompanied by at least two-three more clues of who is responsible for the deaths. I also wish that there would have been more of a backstory on the circumstances around when Joanna and Wendy last sister interacted (i.e. which past life). Joanna's character indicated that she was reborn, but information on her sister Wendy's life was even more of a mystery. It would also be nice to know how Ingrid met her best friends Hudson and Barb. The one minute Barb is confiding to both Ingrid and Hudson about her desire to even turn to magic to become pregnant. Then, within the next scene, Ingrid, Barb, and Hudson are joining forces to help make Barb's "child" wish come true. Obviously, one can then decipher that Ingrid, Barb, and Hudson are friends, but I at first thought that Barb and Hudson were just co-workers because the episode jumped right in with Ingrid meeting Barb and Hudson at what looked like a library (rather than at least a brief explanation on how Barb or Hudson came into Ingrid's life). Aside from these caveats, Witches of East End is worth checking out for those who have previously watched the BBC series of Merlin, the U.S. series that is Once Upon A Time, and/or those who simply like watching supernatural/fantasy/magic television series.


Still Into You

Still Into You

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock Ballad Ode To Lasting LoveOctober 10, 2013
This review is from: Still Into You (MP3 Music)
"Still Into You" by Paramore is both a sweet and happy song about a person and her partner who are still strongly in love with each other years after they first met. I also like how the meaning of "Still Into You" where she is fine with letting others question why the relationship is long-lasting when in her heart, it is easy to know why their union continually thrives. "Still Into You" by Paramore is perfect for those who enjoy cheerful alternative rock/indie-rock songs. At the time of this writing, there is a brilliant video available online by Paramore of "Still Into You" for those want to hear the song first.
Timber feat. Ke$haTimber feat. Ke$ha

5.0 out of 5 stars Music Blend Of Dance, Folk, & CountryOctober 10, 2013
This review is from: Timber feat. Ke$ha (MP3 Music)
"Timber" by Pitbull ft. Kesha is a playful mashup of what sounds like folk country tunes with dance music. It sounds as if a harmonica is playing in the background, slightly reminiscent musically of "Cotton Eye Joe" but peformed in the uniqueness of Pitbull & Ke$ha. The song talks about dancing and having fun, which would make it a strong musical candidate to play at a party and/or a club. "Timber" by Pitbull feat. Kesha is great for those who enjoy music from either Pitbull and/or Ke$ha or those who like music experimentation.



Right Riches for You
by Dr. Dain Heer
Edition: Paperback

Right Riches for You

5.0 out of 5 stars Wealth Of OpportunitiesOctober 10, 2013



Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Right Riches for You (Paperback)
Recently, I have had to become even more selective about what books to keep after releasing 80% of the books that I currently own. I pay for all of the books that I review out of my own pocket and I intend wisely keep only the books that I would put into actual application. During this process I intuitively felt drawn to "Riches For You" by Gary M. Douglas and Dr. Dain Heer due to my intent to accomplish my top five goals of raising my wealth vibration and increasing my psychic faculties. In order to delve straight to the review, I must only disclose that I am utilizing "Riches For You" for the wealth vibration and the work of Lynn Robinson for my intuition goals. One of the areas that "Riches For You" by Gary M. Douglas & Dr. Dain Heer touches on is the relationship of the ability to receive in correlation to the outcome of a man or woman's financial output. Their chapter on "evidentiary contrivances" is also helpful. I really wish that I would have known about their work just four years ago, but I'm glad to now be exposed to this information. The following are some of the details enclosed in this book:
Pages 22-23: Information on asking unlimited questions and evidentiary contrivances is featured.
Pages 55-57: The authors explain what it means to "generate your life."
Pages 95-97: The idea of demanding financial milestones are covered.
This is all that I feel guided to reveal out of respect for the authors. I intend to keep writing other kind of online reviews, but this is my last book review until at least November 2016. However, I intend to keep this book, apply it and follow with an update on my results by around the timeframe of somewhere between November 2016 to June 2017. "Right Riches For You" by Gary M. Douglas & Dr Dain Heer is great for those who hunger to know unconventional ways of being more receptive to the increased opportunities that are affiliated with abundance.





Websites Of Authors Referenced In My Book Reviews
Dr. Dain Heer http://drdainheer.com/
Lynn Robinson http://lynnrobinson.com/


Movies That I Look Forward To Seeing That Come Out in November And December 2013

(Release Date In America: November 8, 2013)Trailer Website For  Marvel's Thor: The Dark World http://marvel.com/thor#/home

(Release Date In America: November 15, 2013 as per the latest Internet Movie Database listing: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0993846/ ) Trailer Website For The Wolf of Wall Street: http://www.thewolfofwallstreet.com/

(Release Date: December 13, 2013) Trailer Website For The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: http://www.thehobbit.com/index.html

Clothing Websites:
http://www.thenorthface.com/en_US/index.html

http://www.justasbeautiful.com/

http://www.womanwithin.com/

http://www.designerapparel.com/

http://www.onestopplus.com/

http://www.curvissa.co.uk/

http://www.laredoute.com/

Harper's Bazaar magazine, Vogue magazine, Lucky Magazine, and Instyle Magazine are also good fashion sources for clothing ideas

Book Websites:

http://www.findhornpress.com/

http://www.piatkusbooks.net/

http://www.newworldlibrary.com/#

http://www.llewellyn.com/

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-350044.html

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

An article story on one of my top three favorite musicians.

I feel that Madonna is brave for revealing what happened.  An experience such as rape is hard enough to disclose to even a few trusted people in a man or woman's life. I can easily guess that it would be just as challenging, if not more so to reveal that experience on a public scale. The following website features an article about Madonna's recent Harper's Bazaar magazine interview where she admits that she was raped: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/madonna-raped-knifepoint-article-1.1476599