Monthly Archives: June 2010

Little Anita’s – Arvada Location

consumer, dining, food, ,

The family and I ventured out to Little Anita’s this evening and found the fare there quite nice.  We have wanted to try this place for sometime and the coupons were a good motivator to get us out there.  Anita’s boasts New Mexico-style Mexican food- it is quite tasty but watch out for the spicy salsa at the outset.  If your kids cannot handle spice, they may opt for ketchup and chips instead.

The food is reasonably priced, perfect portioned (not too much, not too little- just right), and you leave there completely full and your wallet in-tact.  Anita’s is vegetarian-friendly and has many options for vegans too!  I enjoyed the atmosphere- not formal and not too casual.  The Arvada location (near the theater in Old Town) is small but a really nice location and the service was great! 

I think the waiter got my order wrong and the girls’ beans ended up having cheese on it even though I said no cheese (they are picky eaters).  But, it was a busy night so I will have to go back and try to Breakfast Burritos.  At $6.75, I am wondering how good these will be.  Remember to check a flyer for a coupon and go enjoy Little Anita’s – it is worth the trip and if you get there after 7pm, the wait too!

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Iphone 3GS- Review of the Usefulness of the Apps

consumer, technology,

It has now been almost 4 months since the Iphone 3GS entered my life and it has certainly changed it. It has changed the way I do e-mail, the way I do work, and the way I drive- yes, even affects the roads I take at rush hour! The Iphone is amazing! Here are the top Apps four months into its use:

Email- obviously, the E-mail button is priceless. It beeps and shows the number of unread emails I have in my inbox and this tool is invaluable.

Voice Control- Did you know you can hold the button on your iphone and get Voice Control – You can say “Call 1 – 800 – (and the number)” and it will dial it for you- nice!

Google Maps- the best App you can have in a busy city like Denver, LA, Chicago, and the list goes on- it tells you which roads are “RED” or “YELLOW” or “GREEN” so you can determine which roads you take to get home or to work. It is my best friend as I leave work and let me tell you, has saved me minutes to hours! Of course, if you are in a city where there is traffic everywhere, this App may not help you but a helicopter may. There’s gotta be an App for that 🙂

Vlingo- this is a great tool to update your social status without typing on the road or anywhere you are- voice recognition software takes care of it and you can proof it before posting on twitter or facebook. You can also do voice dial here and search the Internet (like Google or Dragon) and even search for an address or location. If you search for an address or location, then it will take you to Google Maps. From here you plot where you need to go and voila! You are on your way!

Shopper Lite or the Premium- This is a great tool for all you bargain hunters and shoppers out there. I just discovered it. It gives you all the local stores, the hottest deals in the area, and sale flyers for each store. You can even do a search for a specific item. So, if you are looking for a specific product, type it in and it will give you the best place to get it in the area. Nice!

The Weather Channel- This is obviously a useful App as you make your plans for trips or just how to dress for the day and more importantly, how you dress your kiddos.

Peekeez- this is a webcam “peeker” (AKA- the Nanny Cam) – you specify the webcam to use through software on your computer, and then you can view that webcam and if you go premium you can even record what is going on at home while you are away. Used appropriately, this is a great tool for parents who need to see their kids. You can share your webcam with friends and family too!

Emoji Free- is a great App which lets you add smiley faces, other symbols and just have fun. You have to make a change in your settings under Languages to make it work but then it incorporates into your keyboard. What a fun tool to have- text away!

Google Voice- if you are the lucky few to get invited to have Google Voice, you can send texts, receive texts (straight to your email if you want). This is a great thing because if you are about to exceed your monthly text or minute limit, you have an option to call people without worrying about paying extra. Along with Google calendar and Google Search engine, this is another great tool to have.

Phone Flicks- if you have a netflix subscription, Phone Flicks for free lets you keep track of your queue, add movies, and conduct most transactions on netflix with your account.

Starbucks Mobile card- I love this – you can instantly keep track of your mobile cards, rewards, and add cards/remove them, add money, and at some Starbucks, even scan the card on your iphone instead of whipping out the card. Nice!

Kayak- If you have heard of the travel search engine, it now mobile and you can compare airlines and costs side by side with ease from your iphone. I can’t believe the flight I bought a month ago is now $40 cheaper- DERN IT! But yes, Kayak can send you notifications too!

PrinterShare- great app if you want to print from your iphone to a network printer – with the proper permissions you can print anywhere!

Jotnot- Yes, you can scan and fax documents. They give you an allotment for free ones and then you have to buy per page. But, not bad!

IRelax and Sleep ELite- These are noise machines and relaxation sounds to sleep – it is like travelling w/ sound spa or noise machine w/o actually packing it in your $30 per bag checked luggage. I love mine and it drowns out the hotel noises.

All in all, I am very pleased with the Iphone and while AT&T sucks with phone service, I do like the Iphone.
In the Game arena, I enjoy Uno, Drop Four (connect four), Words with Friends and Sudoku, but there is so much more out there to do and learn

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Unique Packaging & Shipping in Westminster, Colorado- Best Passport Photo Service!

consumer, travel,

We need to get passports made for my little ones and renewals and went there today. At $6.99 for two passport photos, this place is more than half the price of what it costs at the POST OFFICE ($15), and most other places are at $8.99 (Walgreen’s) or $10 (other copy/print places). That only gets you two photos so of course, you want the best deal around and this place is it. And if you are worried that quality would suffer, worry not. The shop owner does a great job, cuts them and puts them in a passport envelope for you. You get them while you wait … great service at a great price!

This little shop also boasts other primary services- copying, packaging, and shipping to name a few. And while you are here, you can buy your cards and a gift for the kids to boot. All in all, two thumbs up from this consumer blogger to the family-owned business, Nalin Shah and family of “Unique Packaging and Shipping”.

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Wahoo’s is a great place for vegetarians!

consumer, dining, food, ,

I ate at the Wahoo’s in Lakewood today and even though I only had the one taco platter, I forget how tasty the food is- the tacos are all in soft corn shells (two of them), and the veggies are fresh. I do not even eat fish but I love Wahoo’s- there is something for everyone! Their prices are reasonable and for what you get, it is a great deal!

You even have rice options- brown rice or white, and black beans or their spicy Cajun white beans. Don’t let the server fool you – they are truly spicy and not “a little spicy.” But with the brown rice, these beans are amazing! It is a healthy and filling lunch and I really enjoyed the taco. Their menu has enchiladas and bowls but on a hot Colorado day, it is nice to have a soft corn tortilla taco filled with cold lettuce, tomato, cheese, guac, and all the fixings.

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Sex and the City 2 (SATC 2) – Simply Fabulous!

consumer, entertainment, movie, ,


Okay, I have to say – I loved the movie,Sex and the City 2! I am not sure why it got bad reviews other than the fact that people had very high expectations of this movie. And I am not sure why you would have high expectations of a movie, which like the original HBO Series, lived exactly up to expectations.

For example, in the Series, like in the movie, it is about the GIRLS- it is about their ever changing lives and about their adventures. This movie was all about that. Sure, they went to the Middle East instead of Europe on a vacation. I would not enjoy that vacation being of South Asian descent but in the movie, they portray the glitz and glamour of the Middle East along with the issues. I thought it was a perfect venue to take “Sex and the City” to the edge and yes, push the envelope they did. From the outfits to the public display of affection in a closed society, to Samantha’s condom-filled purse…. what a hoot! I enjoyed the movie and while it maybe was not true to life, it was not supposed to be- it is supposed to be a 2.5 hour escape for most of the target audience, and it delivers!

I would have liked to have seen more of the guys – like Steve and Harry but we saw a lot of Mr. Big, and Aidan makes his big return too. All in all, I thought the movie delivered what it promised – entertainment, adventure, and of course, the GIRLS! I am not sure why it got bad reviews because I enjoyed the 2.5 hours I was with my girlfriends watching it. Were some parts over the top? Of course! But that is SATC so come on folks – lighten up, keep an open mind, sit back, relax, and enjoy the movie.

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