Surrender, Dorothy: Reviews

SnapGifts

A good friend of mine has a new company called SnapGifts, which makes gift-giving, well -- I have to say it -- a snap. (Though I gave my review gift card to, well, myself. Because I am a bad person.)

Here's how it works. You go to SnapGifts, you search your city (they have Lawrence, Kansas City, Boston, LA, New York and San Francisco for local brands and there is also a national brand option), then plug in how much you want to spend and wa-la! A gift card is sent to your giftee without you having to leave your chair. So easy!

They sent me a code to try the site out, and it literally took two minutes to fill in the form and pick a local restaurant. Options include: restaurants, shopping, books, entertainment, home improvement, arts & crafts and beauty & health. 

I decided to hold this review post until the gift card arrived. I had to hold it for exactly one day. I'm local, so it was probably extra-fast, but I was surprised at the speed.

And -- free shipping in December! Check it out for your last-minute holiday needs. Because you totally know you forgot somebody.

K2W Home Repair Workshops

Seriously, this past weekend I had some real fun at K2W Workshops in Overland Park.  I got to knock holes in stuff, and nobody told me I was doing it wrong. It totally rocked.

(Note to readers: This was a a review workshop. In other words: I didn't pay for it.)

Average Jane wields her drill.

I was really excited about the basic repair workshop, primarily because I was going to learn to patch holes in drywall. If you'll recall, I'm good at creating them.

 

Move along, now. Nothing to see here.

So anyway, this class went from 9-4. It was serious business. I attended along with a bunch of strangers and Average Jane and Cagey. We sat at cute little desks with lots of tools.

 

Totally not your high school shop class.

Next, they let us write on the walls behind us.

 

See that towel rod? I installed it, all by myself.

 

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Next, we learned to repair holes in drywall.

 

Learning how to make the hole SQUARE.

 

Krista's patch looks awesome.

 

Julie demos the "California patch."

 

Some things you learn too late in life.

Next, we moved on to electricity. We learned to install a new switch, a new outlet, and a light fixture.

I must say, I was really good at this. Shockingly good.

HA HA.

 

First fixture.

 

Second fixture.

 

Kelli also did a lovely job.

We finally finished by exploring the glory that is plumbing. Many disgusting stories followed, some of which involved dental floss.

Lunch was served, and the retail value for my instruction was $135.00. Beloved was all, "What? You didn't get any tools?" But I thought the class was worth the money and my time. To not have to call an electrician or plumber for every little thing is immensely worth it to me, and not everyone has my husband or my father at their disposal.

And honestly, even though I'm surrounded by handy males, I like to be able to do things MYSELF. I loved it. It was a long day, though -- if you can divide it up, you might try doing that. Divorce party? College graduation? Girls' Night Out? Go for it. I recommend.

Sunlight Spas: Review and Giveaway

When I think "luxurious, front-running spas," I don't usually think "Kansas City." However, we appear to have a gem amongst us, because Sunlight Spa was featured on Oprah Winfrey. Who knew?

This was definitely the most relaxing review I've ever done, because in order to write something balanced, you have to EXPERIENCE it. So I had a 60-minute, deep-tissue massage and a 30-minute session in the Sunlight Sauna, otherwise known as the "O Spa Package." And it comes with a subscription to O magazine. Boo-yah.

When I walked in, I thought "I would've never seen this place." It definitely doesn't look like a spa from outside. Inside, though, the decor is great. The attention to detail was fabulous, and there was a special room marked by cool beaded strings in which you could drink alcohol, making this a good weekend-late-afternoon treat.  I went for citrus water instead since I was working -- for you, my lovely readers.

They brought me a bowl of warm water with rose petals in it, which was a little cheesy but lovely. Then they left me sitting there for what I thought was an uncomfortably long period of time.  This is probably because I was supposed to be relaxing, and I don't relax well. It would've been fun if I'd had a girlfriend there to chat with over a mimosa, though. (All hints.)

Next, I went back and had the best deep-tissue massage of my life with Kylie Cherry, who is up for Best Massage Therapist from Kansas City magazine. (The spa is also up for Best Spa.)  There was a time when I went to Heritage College and got student massages every week ($25 for an hour, yo) because my upper back and neck hurt so bad. I've had probably 20 different massage therapists attempt to do deep-tissue, and usually they just hurt. Kylie managed to hit the trigger points and relax me at the same time. She was THAT GOOD. And she looked a lot like Liz Gumbinner, which maybe endeared her to me more.

Next, it was time for that famous sauna. Apparently, because it is far infrared and not the traditional steam kind, it was going to increase my core temperature without making me so hot, much like exercise. 

Kylie turned on some sort of sound thing that made the seat vibrate and turned off the lights. I sat and prepared to sweat. It was 154 degrees in that sauna, and I was in there for 30 minutes, and people, I did not sweat. I have no idea what is wrong with me. Maybe it's because it's 93 degrees with 88 percent humidity outside. (Which brings me to wonder why we need sauna treatments in the summer.) Overall, the sauna didn't relax me much, but I'm rarely relaxed by artificial heating, especially in close quarters. I used to worry tanning beds were secretly liquifying my innards. However, if you like that sort of thing, this sauna is totally better than the others I have been in, because it truly did NOT feel like it was as hot in there as I knew it was.

Also, in passing, I really loved the cute little wrap I got to wear, and I'm going to buy one to wear at home. Just because I can.

Now for the good part. Sunlight Spa has given me one O package to give away! And, if you don't win it, anyone who mentions "Surrender, Dorothy" when making an appointment gets 20% off a single service! I feel like a radio station. I am so cool. Not.

So ... the contest will go until midnight on the day I return from BlogHer, which is July 26. Enter as many times as you want. I'll use a randomizer to pick the winner.