Reviews – Page 2 – A Sprinkle of Life

A Real RealEats Review

January 10, 2022 No Comments

I’m not much of a cook, and I grew up in a household where family dinner time wasn’t really a thing, and the fanciest we got on a weekday might have been a bowl of pasta and sauce. My family also doesn’t conform to stereotypical or old fashion gender roles, so it wasn’t like my mom was expected to cook, and some of my more favorite meals were often created by my father.

Today, I’m in my 30s and in a modern millennial relationship where no one is expected to be the chef of the household, and we often do our own thing on our own time for dinner due to work or workout schedules. However, I’ve been wanting to branch out a bit and have a few more meals that aren’t packaged up frozen dinners. We’ve been meaning to try another meal service and I just so happened to come across one on Facebook of all places that looked decent, and when I checked the menu, there was actually several options that both of us would enjoy, so I took a chance on a company called RealEats.

It’s a subscription service, but you can skip weeks or put it on hold, so you can avoid being charged week over week, which is great for testing them out on the first week. I placed my order mid/late last week and it arrived today.

For our first testing of RealEats, I went with the 6 meals options, figuring that would give us 3 nights of meals this week, and then we’d do our usual pizza night and friday night takeout adventures. There was a promo so we got 40% off but it looks like the regular price would be around $80 for this regularly, which is a bit pricey, but not too terrible since it would sustain us for most of the work week. I should note there were options for less meals, and more, plus you could buy individual items instead of a whole packed meal.

Tonight we gave it a try. I had the Grilled BBQ Chicken, which comes with Spring Veg Medley, and Fork Mashed Potatoes. Brian had the Simply Cooked Chicken with Green Beans in a Spring Pesto and Herb Roasted Baby Potatoes.

Grilled BBQ Chicken and Simply Cooked Chicken Breast – RealEats

Prep and cooking was super easy. Just boil a big pot of water, place the meat, in this evening’s case it was chicken, into the pot for 6 minutes, and the sides for 3 minutes.

I found after my first 3 minutes were up and it was time to put in the sides in, that the water stopped boiling a bit, so I was worried that the cook time may be off. To be safe we each cooked our meals for 7 minutes total, not the recommended 6. For the sake of this review, we’ll just focus on my meal, but it’s safe to say Brian approved of his since he cleaned his whole plate.

After the 7 minutes were up, I grabbed the bags with my tongs, put them on a cutting board and took scissors to open them up. The chicken was the first thing I opened, and the sauce went everywhere, including my white sweater. Yes, there was probably some user error, but the sauce was very thin and liquidy, so I don’t know how much I could have avoided making a mess of at least the plate without draining it in the sink first.

Exhibit A, my plate of beauty. You can tell I’m just an average, non-experienced person in the kitchen based on my plating skills 🙂

The sides were fairly easy to get out, but the mashed potatoes were a little bit of a pain since the bag was hot and I had to squeeze the bag like a tube of toothpaste to get it all out.

Now it was time to eat!

I love mashed potatoes so I was excited for them, but unfortunately I found the temperature to be too cold, so I ended up microwaving my whole plate for a few seconds to try and heat them up. I probably should have done it for a bit longer since they were luke warm when I went to eat again, but at least they had good flavor.

Based on the temperature of the potatoes and Brian’s plate of veggies too, I’d recommend putting the sides in for a bit longer than the recommended 3 minutes. I might be as bold to say in the future I’d cook mine for 5-6 minutes total, but I really like my food to all be really hot. I haven’t tested this yet, but that’ll be my plan next time.

I don’t really like many green veggies, but I tried some of the green beans, and they weren’t terrible. One reason I wanted to try this service was to try and expand my pallet and try new things in the comfort of my own home as a picky eater.

The chicken breast itself was nicely cooked, very easy to cut and it was nice and juicy. The sauce however was a bit strong for my liking. It was a bit more spicy than I anticipated. I didn’t hate it, but I’m not too into spicy food so the amount of sauce was a little strong for me.

I’d say for people who don’t cook and rely on the microwave for quick meals or just throw a pizza in the oven, that this was one of our fancier eating at home adventures. We eat simple things, so this was very adult feeling for me at least.

I’m looking forward to trying some of the other meals we got. There’s another chicken dish or two, and two pasta and meatballs. We’ll have to see how the rest of this week’s dinners play out! Hopefully I’ll stay a little cleaner this time around.

If you want to join me in this meal adventure but in the comfort of your own kitchen, give my code a click for 50% off.

Reviews, Style

Saying Goodbye to Infinitely Loft

April 17, 2021 No Comments

For the past ~2 years I’ve been using the rental service Infinitely Loft on and off. I took a several month long break for quite a while during the heart of the Covid-19 pandemic and in the midst of us moving into our first house. I figured I could save a little bit of money while I spent a bucket load setting up my new home, buying furniture, and working from home that I didn’t really need to get all dressed up for the time being.

Fast forward to a couple months ago when I resubscribed. I had been working from home for almost a year and decided why not do something for myself and get some cute outfits here and there to spice things up a bit.

It worked out well until a month or so ago when the announcement came that Loft would be shutting down the service due to Covid-19 difficulties. To this day I’m still not sure if that means Infinitely Loft is done for good, or just for a few months or so until they figure out what’s going on in the country pandemic wise. The good news is that vaccines have been rolling out more and more so maybe that will make things come back to life?

When I got the news I was saddened since I had just gotten back into the groove and excitement of getting new items every week or so. Knowing that my time with the program was limited, and seeing that they were giving more discounts off if you wanted to buy an item, I decided to use this time to my advantage and request items I really loved the look of and wanted to possibly buy.

I threw in items for Spring and Summer, even though it was still in the 40s around here, thinking why not see if I can get some of my favorited items for really cheap!? In the past, I’ve had really great success buying some of the items I’ve rented. I’ve never had a problem with the articles of clothing being damaged, looking used, etc.

Here’s just a sampling of some of the items I snagged for 85% off during my last month on the service.

Trellis Garden Ruffle Jumpsuit In Whisper White – Infinitely Loft
$15.00

Tortoiseshell Print Belt Strappy Romper In Black – Infinitely Loft
$13.50

Flutter Romper In Whisper White – Infinitely Loft
$13.50

Summary:
In total, I rented 123 items throughout my time on the program.
Of the 123, I purchased 17 items.

What I enjoyed most about Infinitely Loft was that I was able to try a variety of new styles that I might not have otherwise. From jumpsuits to maxi dresses, there was something new and exciting always available to rent. I also got to play around with colors that I typically don’t purchase or wear because of my coloring as a redhead, but found some colors I really enjoyed (burnt yellow/mustard).

I’ll be crossing my fingers for the program to return in the near future. I know I’ll be happy to sign back up, especially as life starts coming back to normal and return to the office will be coming soon.

Reviews, Style

Shopping my Stitch Fix Looks

June 27, 2020 No Comments

Not too long ago, Stitch Fix introduced a new feature in their app and site called “Shop Your Looks.” It seemed really intriguing, you can finally order pieces without getting a whole fix, which could be a huge toss up.

Their first launch was around completing your looks you already had. I wasn’t really interested in that feature, since I was looking for brand new looks and pieces, rather than something to dress up or down my current dresses or tops. So when I saw the new tab that allowed you to shop unique looks pulled for you based on your style quizzes, and past purchases, I figured it was worth giving a shot.

I’m still disappointed to see it’s not advertising any rompers to me, but I did notice a couple of items that stood out. One of the items that caught my eye was a cute flowy faux wrap dress. As you’ve heard me say before, there’s nothing more universally flattering than a wrap dress. It’s perfect for all shapes and sizes, and really flatters your body shape. I made the selection via the app, and within a couple of days it arrived at my door step.

When I pulled it out of the bag, I immediately loved everything about it, from the fabric, to the print, to the color. The blue is gorgeous and the pattern is fun and bright. I also really love how soft, flowy, and comfortable this dress feels. It’s simply an effortless choice. I noticed when I checked the app again they had some other colors in the same dress, but they weren’t my style, but if they create other colors, I might just have to splurge one day!

The last item I was looking for, just for the heck of it, was to see what kind of shorts were available to me. My last fix did have some nice dark jean shorts, but they did have distressing, which I didn’t want. So when I found a great dark pair, I wondered why my stylist hadn’t picked them out for me? I’m thinking they were in limited quality because I can’t find them in the “Buy it again” section like I can for the dress I purchased.

The shorts are very dark, cute, and fit well. A perfect staple for my quarantine summer I suppose 🙂

Feedback about the experience: I don’t like how you can’t check out and purchase more than one item at a time. You literally have to make individual purchases, which means different shipments being sent your way. It doesn’t seem like the most efficient, and Stitch Fix probably missed out on a few extra bucks from me since I wasn’t feeling like going back in the app and purchasing that second dress I had my eye on since I couldn’t add it to a cart and checkout with the other item I wanted. Maybe they’ll fix this in a future update?

In the end, it was a neat experience. I appreciate being able to buy individual pieces now that suit my needs or peek my interests.

Stitch Fix referral code here.

Reviews, Style

Stitch Fix Summer Review – 2020

June 21, 2020 No Comments

It has been a long time since I’ve done a Stitch Fix review. I took a break from the company for a while for a few reasons. First, I kept getting bounced between stylists and it just didn’t seem like I was finding my match like I had a couple of years ago. Second, I didn’t really need a ton of new clothes, and three I just kind of fell out of it after the Affiliation program seemed to disappear without mention.

I substituted Stitch Fix with a rental service, Infinitely Loft, which I’m still using today. However a few weeks back I decided hey, I’m stuck at home, Summer is just about here, why not see if I can get some items from Stitch Fix to update my warm weather wardrobe.

My request this time around was for rompers, a dark washed non-distressed pair of jean shorts, and a dress or two. When I received my box however, what I had originally hoped to receive was not provided. Reading the stylist note I was a little disappointed to hear they didn’t have any summer rompers available, and hearing about the items pulled for me left me wondering if this box was worth it or not. Thankfully, I was fairly surprised by the items I received once I tried them on and gave them a chance.

Item #1 – Skies are Blue Pavlina Embroidered Cactus Knit Tee
Price: $44.00

I don’t own a ton of tshirts or short sleeved tops, unless they are free ones I’ve gotten from work as swag or are branded for my company. So, it’s always good to find an option here and there that is a bit more coverage than my beloved tank tops and I can wear on those warm but not dreadfully hot summer days.

What I liked about this top was the fun stitched cactus pattern. The pattern is only the front, which is ok, but the top might be cuter if the pattern went all the way around. I also enjoy that the color combo with this shirt is one of my favorites, navy blue with white. To me, that color combo says summer since I’m really into nautical or preppy styles like that. The fit is ok, not tight, slightly loose, and the neckline cut is flattering.

Item #2 – Just Black Romeo Distressed Cuffed Frayed Hem Denim Short
Price: $58.00

This item is pictured above on me in the first item review.

Just reading that title and I’m already thinking there are two words in there that do not go with what I requested in this fix – Distressed and Frayed. Taking a closer look, the distressing and fraying isn’t too terrible. There’s no actual holes cut out of the shorts, and they don’t look that bad. The wash is dark, which does fit with what I was looking for.

In terms of how they fit, they are a larger size than I would have purchased in store, and they are a bit looser than most of my shorts I own. I figure they might tighten up in the wash. But at least the looseness is comfortable and not drooping off of me, but still I probably would have prefered a size down to be my regular pants size.

Item #3 – Threads 4 Thought Arias Twist Back Knit Top
Price: $54.00

At first look, I’m not the biggest fan of this print or top. It’s nothing special, doesn’t do anything great for me or my body, and I feel the floral is a bit frumpy, maybe better for someone who’s a little older. The colors aren’t bad, but overall it isn’t a top I’m super thrilled or excited about. However, like I said earlier, it’s good to have a few short sleeved tops in one’s wardrobe. I decided to keep this top because it was cheaper to keep it than return it. The fabric is a little unique, it doesn’t feel like a usual knit fabric, it’s kind of silky and almost like a wicking material. Overall, it’s ok, but not really my cup of tea.

Item #4 – Market and Spruce Britta T-shirt Dress
Price: $64.00

T-shirt dresses can make me a little nervous. The cuts aren’t the most exciting or flattering, and I’m always worried it’ll cling to my stomach or make me look a little strange.

What I like about this dress though is the coloring, it’s a white with blackish blue stripes that once again make me think of a preppy or nautical style. The dress itself is also really comfortable. I could definitely see bringing this on a beach vacation, or just going around in the summer. It’s cute and fun. The best part is that it doesn’t cling to anything, and while t-shirt dresses look boxy, and it does look a bit like that in some photos, I don’t actually mind. It’s a really easy dress to just throw on and head out the door in, and who doesn’t need that during quarantine or the summer months?

Item #5 – Kaleigh Rochelle Knit Jumpsuit
Price: $58.00

I’ve never owned a jumpsuit, at least in the past 20 year I haven’t, but a jumpsuit is basically a romper just less summer heat and humidity friendly with pants instead of shorts. When I pulled it out of the box I was worried about what the length of it would be, and how it would sit on my body. Would the proportions work? Would I look silly?

Well, let me tell you, this jumpsuit might give me the disco fever and feels, but I actually kind of love it. I definitely didn’t expect to like it, but I fell in love. Perhaps because it’s so different from things I wear, and that it’s kind of a little out there. What’s wrong with spicing it up a little with something a little unique and flashy, haha.

My boyfriend may think I look a little silly, and I came out of the bedroom from trying it on doing a disco dance, but it made me smile and that’s what you look for in clothes, isn’t it?

I should note, this jumpsuit is appropriately long, but not drag under your feet long. My style card showed wedges as the perfect shoe for this outfit, and I recommend them too. You’ll get just enough lift to make this length work great. I should note I am 5 foot 5, so if you’re shorter than that, this might be a hard sell for you since the pants are full length.

Review Summary: While I didn’t get all the items I wanted, and it wasn’t my most favorite fix of all time, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the items in this box, and decided to keep everything since it was cheaper that way with the discount for buying everything. I still wish I got an actual sleeveless romper or flowy dress for the Summer, but maybe next time it’ll be meant to be.

Next up: I’ll be reviewing some of the “shop your looks” options that you can now get from the Stitch Fix app. I’m looking forward to trying this option out instead of requesting a full on fix. Let’s see how it goes!

Until next time, stay healthy, happy, and safe out there! Happy Summer!

Want to give it a try, use my referral code for $25 off!

Reviews, Style

Infinitely Loft Review – My first rental

September 22, 2019 No Comments

My first Infinitely Loft box has arrived! I signed up on the 16th, and my box was here by the 20th. I love that fast shipping!

Let’s start by discussing the sign up process. After going to the website, there was some basic information about the service and then a subscribe button. Once you’re signed up and you’ve purchased the service you’re able to view the pieces available. That for me was a bit of a negative because there were no samples or items ahead of time to let me see if the service would work for me, but I figured I’d give it a try anyways.

Once you’re logged in, it’s time to build your closet. It’s recommended that you add at least 20 pieces in your closet so you’re guaranteed to get items you want. I had fun looking at the wide variety of items from bottoms (shorts, pants, skirts) to tops and dresses, so I ended up adding 30 items to my closet. There were more pieces I wanted to put in my closet, but my size wasn’t available. I’m not sure if the size will ever become available, or how that works exactly.

Another fun feature is that you can make some of the items a “priority item” which means you want Loft to prioritize those pieces over others if they are available. I did that for a handful of pieces, and got one of them in my box.

Each box has 3 items in it, and when it ships you get an email with a summary showing which items are coming. For me that ruined the surprise a bit, but also set expectations correctly where I could get my gears turning on if these pieces would do the trick for what I had coming up.

As you already know, my box came super fast, which for me is a huge plus. I’ve had trouble with rental dresses for events from Rent the Runway coming on time, and Stitch Fix doesn’t ship super fast since stylists have to spend some time reading your request and picking items, so this was a nice treat!

My first rental box consisted of three short sleeved tops, all size small. Let’s take a peek at what I got.

The first top is a white short sleeved shirt with a floral design. The top of the shirt around the neck area is all elastic, which I wasn’t sure I’d like, but it works. It’s a super flowy top and really comfortable and airy. Great for Spring, Summer, and Fall.

My favorite top of the bunch is this beautiful green wrap shirt. When I went to put it on, the floss thin “belt loop” on the side snapped, but I just wrapped the ties around myself like normal and everything looked fine. I love how this top flows, and feels. I think it’s definitely something I’d consider purchasing officially. It’s also a top that will work well for a conference I’m holding in a few weeks.

With the rental program, you can buy items you like at a discounted price. This top would set me back $29.50 if I decide to keep it. A really great price, and about half as much as most of the tops I get from Stitch Fix.

The last top is similar to the second, but there’s a few differences that make a major difference. On top #2 there’s a little snap at the chest to keep the shirt closed, this one didn’t have that, instead the chest was gaping open. You can see my bra popping out a bit already in this photo. If I pull the top down to where it should properly sit on me, my chest and bra are on full display. Both tops are the same size, but this one left me feeling exposed. I’d say the cut of this top is also bigger/roomier than the previous, making it too big for a size small. I won’t be wearing this one out unless I wear a camisole under it, so I’ll definitely be returning it.

Final thoughts on box #1:
So far, Infinitely Loft has got me curious and wanting more. I didn’t necessarily go into the rental service with plans on keeping everything, but I do like the idea that I can get items for cheap if I fall in love with something. I may opt to keep one to two items this go around. I definitely look forward to getting my next rental box and seeing what’s inside.

Questions you might have:
1. Did the items seem pre-worn? Nope! Everything seemed brand new!
2. Did they smell? No way! Everything smelled fresh and new. The service does clean every item after every rental.
3. Is it worth the price? Based on the fast shipping, and the wide variety of clothing options, I’d say yes, but we’ll see after I get a couple more boxes!

Want to give it a try, and get $20 off your first box? Sign up here!

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