Business: Bath & Body Works exceptional online customer service

Buying over the Internet may be comfortable and easy, however I've always preferred to go to a physical store to smell, feel, try, taste, and touch to make sure I know what I'm buying.

Recently, one of my favorite scents at Bath & Body Works was discontinued. I didn't know about it until I went to the store to check out their sales and didn't see the product on the shelves. The salesperson was quick to point out that the rest of their inventory had been put on a major 75% sale but there was nothing else available on that specific fragrance. He offered to call other stores and find out if they had anything left, but I didn't think it was worth the trouble. He mentioned some of the items may still be available on line, though.

So there I went, on line searching for the remnants of a favorite fragrance. It was actually still on sale, so I ordered the product, very happy because I could stock it for a while until I found another fragrance to substitute the "discontinued" one.

Very fast, quick service on line, great communication, and soon I got the message the product was on its way via FedEx. With the tracking number, I knew the day the package was arriving and since I was home all day, I would be able to get it right away as soon as it was delivered.

To my surprise and disappointment, I realized FedEx tracking accused the delivery of the merchandise around 7 pm. I was on line at 7:10 pm and had not heard any knocking on the door. I went outside looking for the package and it was nowhere to be found. There is another house in the vicinity with a very similar address as mine, so I went there to see if the package was delivered to the wrong address, and still no signs of it.

Frustrated, I contacted FedEx and explained what had happened. The rep said the package was delivered and there was no way for them to trace it back whether or not the driver delivered in the right door, and I should contact the seller, since there was nothing they could do to help me. I immediately sent an email to Bath & Body Works explaining the situation and my conversation with the FedEx rep. A few minutes later I received a response that they would investigate it. Early the next day, I got another email apologizing for the missed merchandise and informing me that they would be mailing another order right away free of charges.

No hassles, no delays, no issues! Three days later I finally got my package! It was the fastest, most rewarding customer service experience I've ever had on line! Kudos to Bath & Body Works. Great way to keep a customer happy, satisfied and loyal!

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Lifestyle: The Importance of Being Extraordinary, Wayne Dyer and Eckhart Tolle

Lifestyle: The Importance of Being Extraordinary, Wayne Dyer and Eckhart Tolle


2 CD set






I've been a long time listener and reader of Dr. Wayne Dyer. His lectures and books inspire and motivate. His PBS specials are wonderful to watch and he usually brings along other extraordinary people who appear in his life, to complement his thoughts, observations, feedback and miracle stories. Although I'd heard about Eckart Tolle, I had not yet read any of his books or listened to any of his lectures or lessons. Thus, I became very curious about this 2 CD set titled The Importance of Being Extraordinary, which is basically a dialogue between these 2 very spiritual beings.

Eckhart Tolle's patient demeanor and tranquil voice accentuates an aura of peace that his words bring to the conversation. He is witty, funny at times, and in listening to him, I felt his simplicity and humbleness when discussing elaborate and complex themes such as the purpose of life. I've just became a fan!

Accordingly, Dr. Wayne Dyer validates their conversation with his humor, incredible experiences and lessons from his past. It's a conversation not to be missed. I've already listened to the CD a few times and plan on listening a couple of more times. It's a great way to commute, listening while in the car driving around or stuck in traffic. A perfect companion for the ride.

The second CD also has a section of Q&A from listeners, and both of the speakers alternate in answering, going back and forth with their very positive and enlightening way of facing life, the world and their problems. It will make you think, it will make you want to change, and for the better. Kudos to these authors for this enriching experience which will certainly improve the way we think and react. To an extraordinary life!



FTC Disclosure: I received this item for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

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Book: The Body Ecology Guide to Growing Younger by Donna Gates

Book: The Body Ecology Guide to Growing Younger by Donna Gates

I usually don't subscribe to food or nutrition books, just plainly because there are so many different diets and approaches to food out on the market, that it's hard to pick one that makes sense for one's life style. However, I became intrigued by this book title's claim to growing younger, and decided to give it a try.

Being a vegetarian, there are certain foods that I will definitely not try, otherwise I'm open to suggestions of foods which will help not only to kill the harmful effects of certain substances but also to provide a better way to clean and keep the body well and healthy. This book is a guide - therefore, expect lots of hints and helpful information about food. This is the first time I am coming into contact with Donna Gates' body ecology principles, and I believe she has found a very interesting concept to improve the quality of life and health by giving a step by step guide that shows the benefits of eating and/or avoiding certain types of food and substances. Some myths are broken, and it's perfectly OK, after all, not everyone has the same body type or can tolerate the same amount of food or liquid in their diets. One should choose to live by what makes sense to their organism.

This is a very helpful guide to be kept handy when cooking or preparing food. The chapters about cleansing and detoxification were particularly beneficial, highlighting some information that was not new, and some which debunked some myths on how to eliminate toxins from our system. Worth trying for the sake of feeling better. My only issue was some of the recommendations for the shopping list at the end of the book. These items are not so easy to find and obviously buying everything organic can certainly put a big dent on any budget. If you can find a way to reconcile what you can do with the information and still maintain a healthy diet after reading this guide, you will definitely reap great benefits for your body.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

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Business: NO DEALS with Dealfind.com!

A couple of months ago, I signed up for Dealfind.com, a Groupon type of online deals, and thought it was the best find ever. Where else could I get massages for 65% off, mani/pedi for the meager bargain of $20 or 50% off expensive all you can eat restaurants? I was really excited to start my new adventure being a savvy and smart shopper. And so the saga began.


Most of the places advertised were businesses I had never heard of, but sounded legitimate enough, especially because I would read the comments, questions and answers posted on the page about the business and the deal. I decided to buy a $150.00 voucher for Post Oak Hilton Salon that included a haircut, wash, blow dry, style and my choice of single process color or 10 foil highlights that I scored for $29.00. I called the place, which I had never heard of, but since it was located in a nice hotel in an uptown area, sounded good. Someone with a very heavy accent answered the phone with a plain "hello". I had to look back into the coupon to see the name of the establishment and ask if I had the right number for the hair salon. The person acknowledged and asked what I needed. I started to explain that I had the coupon from Dealfind.com for a special hair coloring/cut/style session and would like to come in for it. Silence. After a few seconds (which sounded like several minutes), he said - we are booked for the next two months. Really??? I just could not believe it. That was a frustrating attempt.

Post Oak Hilton Salon

$29 for a Haircut, Wash, Blow Dry, Style and Your Choice of Full Color or Partial Highlights from Post Oak Hilton Salon ($150 Value)

Purchase up to 1 for yourself and unlimited as gifts.

The voucher had no expiration date, so I attempt a few more times - and  the phone was answered like I was calling a private house all the time. No name - just a hello. So I asked, are you salon such and such? Yes. Can I schedule an appointment for next week? What do you want to have done? Color, cut and blow dry - I have a coupon from Dealfind... The next available appointment is next year. Want to schedule it?
I stashed the coupon away and forgot about it and found it again recently. Since there was no expiration date, I decided to go to the business personally and have my turn. After I was sent to 2 different attendants, a lady finally came and told me that the business had been sold to someone else and therefore was not honoring those coupons any longer. She apologized and advised me to contact Dealfind.com who should reimburse me for it with no questions asked.

As soon as I got home I contacted Dealfind.com and explained the situation. Although they state in their fine print they only reimburse up to 1 year after the deal was purchased, I was confident that because there was no expiration date on the coupon and the business was sold, they would honor it.
I'm not impressed with Dealfind.com and won't try any of those again. Instead of saving money I just threw money away. They adamantly refused to reimburse my $29.00. I will never again use them and would really warn anyone to be very careful about spending money on some "too good to be true" deals.

The deals were so unbeatable and sounded so good. The idea is great though - I could really have saved a lot of money and had great deals and convenient places to shop and be serviced, but it seems the businesses are not honoring their part of the deal too well. At least, my experience was not worth the money I lost.

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Lifestyle: You Can Trust Your Life DVD Set by Louise L. Hay & Cheryl Richardson

Lifestyle: You Can Trust Your Life DVD Set by Louise L. Hay & Cheryl Richardson

This program is divided into 4 DVDs, a total of about 6 hours of live footage spanning 2 days of teaching by two extraordinary life coaches who complemented each other on the stage. During the course of two days, Louise and Cheryl coached avid learners on wonderful hints about improving your self esteem, loving, forgiving and many other techniques proven to develop a better awareness of your soul for the benefit of not only yourself, but the lives of others around you, through creation of a positive environment.

With real examples of situations that happened in their own lives, these inspiring ladies transform ordinary events into positive thinking tools to help each person get back into their spiritual alignment and dissolve toxic material from their lives. It's interesting to see how the audience connects to their interaction. During some segments, the audience is invited to share their feedback, and it's very helpful to listen to what they bring into the table and how Louise and Cheryl help them improve their thinking patterns. It's eye opening, when you realize that you have so much in common with other people's lives and experiences, where you can relate and benefit from the advice and coaching given in each situation.

Mirror work seems to be specifically beneficial - and hard to do. Who has the courage to look up in the mirror every day and state confidently how much you love yourself? It can be uncomfortable at first, but with practice you learn how to be your best friend. There's also a segment that touches on the principles of "tapping". For those not familiar with it, I would suggest doing some research and start practicing it as soon as possible. I'm impressed by the technique and benefits it can promote to one's life. At the end of the 2 day live session, Louise delivers a powerful guided meditation of forgiveness. Not to be missed. A great life lesson to develop and improve, and guide yourself in the right direction to manifest your best life experience ever.


I was not financially compensated for this post. I received the set from Hay House for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

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Book: "Is Your Life Mapped Out?" by David Hamilton

Book: "Is Your Life Mapped Out?" by David Hamilton

Unravelling the mystery of destiny vs. free will. It's the subtitle of this very interesting book. This book presents an interesting point of view, based on scientific research done throughout many years in different subjects, and combining it with personal and human experience and feedback from the author. The result is a fascinating, impressive and subtle journey into another side of the law of attraction.

It is very enlightening to read some of the research described in these pages, as well as to realize we have certainly come to experience some of the very same emotions and situations that are inherently human. The clarity with which Dr. Hamilton presents his findings and conclusions brings on the perception that we have already seen it before... not necessary a "dejavu" feeling, but more of a common sense approach. After each chapter, the "key points" section summarize most of the ideas presented in the previous chapter and the "life experiments" section provides suggestions which are very interesting to try. I've tried a couple of them during my journey reading the book and they actually work well. One suggestion I have when you read this book is to keep a highlighter next to you and underline the most interesting aspects of the book, those parts that talk to you the most. And then, go back to those areas periodically and concentrate on them to improve and develop your skills and perceptions.

One of my favorite parts makes assumptions about our supposed soul mate idea. I particularly like the thought presented in the book, and it made me recall a book by Paulo Coelho, Brida, which also talks about the other "half", if it can be so described, of someone's soul searching for the perfect companion.

You should keep a very open mind while reading some of the chapters in this book. Ideas of past and present and future described can oftentimes become confusing and intertwined in an array of kaleidoscopic wavelengths which are hard to swallow. It may not seem feasible, possible and even comprehensible, but there's an appeal to the ideas and the overall message is one that will definitely make sense.

I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for review purposes.

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Food: Cafe du Monde in New Orleans

Delicious beignets - only in New Orleans!

It would seem that Cafe du Monde, the 1862 original French coffee stand from New Orleans, is in no need of a new review. The historic location, on Decatur Street, is constantly bustling with new and old customers who line up in the cold December weather outside the cafe, waiting for a table to savor the delicious beignets. However, I can't resist adding a little sugar to it. Being my first time in colorful and exciting New Orleans, I just loved the warm, sweet, deliciously fresh beignets with cafe au lait for breakfast every morning during my visit.

Original location on Decatur Street opened in 1862

It's a really busy place, open 24 hours a day. The lines in the morning are amazing and even so, it doesn't take long for you to get a table and be served. The place is busy any time of the day as well... The busy waiting staff is quick to clean the tables and take your orders (they don't write anywhere, I was impressed how they just memorize it and bring the right order to your table), and voila! Pay cash only, which makes it go faster too. There is no variety on the menu, basically you are there to eat beignet. They are served in orders of three: square pieces of dough, fried and covered with powdered sugar. To drink, choose between cafe, chocolate, milk or fresh squeezed orange juice. That's it. Glasses of water come with every order. It's interesting to note the tradition here: this water is not to drink, but instead, to help you clean your sugared fingers after feasting on the beignets!

Cafe au lait, fresh squeezed orange juice and beignets for breakfast!

There's a store inside where you can buy souvenirs to go and that includes the dough for the delicacies and coffee. Yes, it's fattening. Yes, it's an indulgence. But it's worth trying at least once the famous New Orleans Cafe du Monde beignet with cafe au lait. Yummy!


http://www.cafedumonde.com/

Long lines during the weekends are worth the wait!

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