Sprenzy Shopping Blog

Raffle for Free iPhone - Menu for Hope 4

Chuck — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:09:00 -0500

Through my food blog, Sunday Nite Dinner, I’m participating in the 4th annual Menu for Hope charity raffle, which brings together food bloggers from around the world in the fight against hunger. Bloggers offer prizes that you can win by purchasing a $10 raffle ticket. The proceeds of the charity raffle goes to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP).

I was amazed to learn that in the last decade the number of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition rose from 791 million to 854 million. The WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency: each year, WFP gives food to an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs, including 56 million hungry children, in at least 80 of the world’s poorest countries.

The number of people suffering from hunger is staggering. We have seen it first hand in our travels to Africa and Southeast Asia. Participating in Menu for Hope is one small way to help people much less fortunate than us.

The charity raffle runs from December 10th - 21st with raffle winners announced on January 9th. Prizes vary from homemade cookies to touring the elBulli laboratory with Ferran Adrià. Since I’m a complete gearhead, I have donated an Apple iPhone 8GB (US) as a prize in Menu for Hope. I use my iPhone all the time to keep track of shopping lists, find restaurants while out and about, get directions, take pictures of delicious dishes, and surf for new recipes on my favorite food blogs and forums. It’s the perfect phone for the on-the-go cook or food lover.

The prize code for the Apple iPhone is UW27. Shipped within the US only.

How to Enter/Donation Instructions

1) Choose a prize(s). For a complete list of prizes offered worldwide, visit Chez Pim. For a list of prizes from West Coast food bloggers, visit Rasa Malaysia.

2) Go to Firstgiving, the online fundraising company used to manage the Menu for Hope charity raffle, and make a donation.

3) Specify the prize you would like to bid for in the ‘Personal Message’ section of the donation form. Every $10 donated will get one raffle ticket toward a prize.

For example, a donation of $50 gets 5 raffle tickets, which can be distributed between different prizes, such as 3 tickets for UW27 and 2 tickets for UW33. This would be entered as 3xUW27, 2xUW33. Important: Check the box marked at bottom “I am happy for the page owner to see my email address …”! This will allow the organizers to contact winners.

Please spread the word to your friends and family to help in the fight against hunger! Let me know if you have any questions and thanks in advance for your generosity.

Taylor Oven Guide Thermometer - Don't Overcook Your Turkey

Chuck — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:01:00 -0500

As you prepare for Thanksgiving, make sure your oven temperature settings are calibrated correctly. To test the accuracy of your oven, pick up a Taylor Classic Oven Guide Thermometer. It’s Cook’s Illustrated’s top rated oven thermometer and costs around $15. It has a four inch base, which makes it easy to read and difficult to knock over. And don’t worry about toxic mercury; the Taylor Oven Guide uses blue-dyed alcohol in the thermometer.

I have an old gas-powered oven and noticed it ran hot after over baking an apple crisp. After testing the temperature settings using the Taylor Oven Guide, I discovered my oven is off by 45 degrees on the low end (200 degrees) and 25 degrees off on the high end (500 degrees). I plan on keeping the thermometer in the oven all the time and using it as the official temperature rather than the oven dial.

Where’s the best place to position the thermometer? From Cook’s Illustrated…

“We put this question to Karen S. Yaggie, a marketing representative at Taylor Precision Products, maker of the oven thermometer that won our test (the Taylor Classic Oven Guide). “The best place to get a reading,” Yaggie told us, “is the center–exactly where you place the baking dish for the food that you are preparing.” She emphasized that the thermometer should not be positioned within 6 inches of any oven wall or of the oven ceiling, floor, or door. Our tests showed that ovens do indeed have hot and cold spots. Tests on a gas range, for instance, showed the temperature differential between the bottom and top of the oven to be close to 50 degrees.

We suggest that you place the thermometer at the dead center of the oven–right in the spot where the food will be cooking – as it preheats to get a good reading. When it’s time to put the food in the oven, you can move the thermometer to the side or hang it from a rack such that it hovers over the food. If it ends up sitting fewer than 6 inches away from the interior surface of the oven, remove the thermometer until the food is finished cooking. (We also learned from Taylor that it is safe to keep the thermometer in the oven at any time except when the dial is set to “clean.”)”

If you are looking for a new instant read thermometer, Cook’s Illustrated highly recommends two models…

THERMOWORKS Super-Fast Thermapen
Price: $95.00
Average Response Time: 5 seconds
Comments: Simply the best: fast, accurate, and easy to use. The Thermapen also has the widest temperature range (-58 to 572 degrees).

CDN ProAccurate Quick Tip Digital Cooking Thermometer
Price: $17.95
Average Response Time: 9 seconds
Comments: The CDN Quick Tip was fast and accurate and had every feature we deemed necessary, including a calibration button. Not quite as fast as the mighty Thermapen, but fast enough.

Make sure you don’t overcook your turkey by picking up an oven thermometer and/or instant read thermometer. Happy Thanksgiving!

Canon SD850 IS Price Drop

Chuck — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 23:42:00 -0400

Here’s a quick update. Back in August, I researched compact digital cameras and concluded that the Canon SD850 IS was the best camera for my needs. My key camera requirements were image stabilization and an ultra-compact form factor.

At the end of August, the Canon SD850 was approximately $340. Today, the price has dropped below $260, which is great value for a camera with 8.0 megapixels, 4x optical zoom and image stabilization (IS). If IS is not a requirement, a bigger bargain is the Canon SD1000 for under $170. It was around $215 in August. The SD1000 is a fantastic ultra-compact camera with 7.1 megapixels and 3x optical zoom.

I’m sure the prices will continue to drop, as we approach the holiday/Christmas shopping season. I’ll keep an eye out for any deals or rebates on these cameras. In the meantime, I’ll have more time to research cameras, as I’m now considering getting an entry level DSLR, like the Canon Digital Rebel XTi. I know I shouldn’t spend the extra money, but the superior image quality of a DSLR is really appealing to me.

If you are in the process of buying a DSLR, check out this article — How to Choose a DSLR Camera. And if you are torn between a compact camera and a DSLR, take a look at — Should you buy a DSLR or Point and Shoot Digital Camera? Decisions, decisions, decisions… I have more research to do.

Annie Lennox - Songs of Mass Destruction

Chuck — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:04:00 -0400

Several years ago, I saw Annie Lennox open up for Sting and she sounded great. Last week, I went to another Annie concert at the Nob Hill Masonic Center in San Francisco, which is a relatively small auditorium (3,165 seats). I enjoyed Annie the first time I watched her perform, but I left this past show a bigger fan.

In a smaller venue, Annie was able to show off her quirky and fun personality. She definitely played up the “diva” role in a good way during her performance. Her vocals are still amazing. Annie performed songs from her Eurythmics days and her solo albums. And she also introduced tracks from her new album, Songs of Mass Destruction. It’s definitely worth picking up if you are Annie Lennox fan.

Check out the Masonic Center concert review from the San Francisco Chronicle. And here’s a video of Dark Road, the first single from Songs of Mass Destruction.

TiVo HD - Product Lifetime Service Transfer

Chuck — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:38:00 -0400

Thinking about upgrading to a TiVo HD? Do you have Product Lifetime Service on your current TiVo? Then there’s good news, TiVo has a new offer — purchase a TiVo HD DVR for $299 (from Tivo.com) and transfer your Product Lifetime Service for $199. Additionally, you’ll be able to keep service on your existing TiVo for one year with no charge. The offer expires November 8, 2007. Keep in mind to be eligible for this offer, your Product Lifetime Service had to be activated prior to October 1, 2003.

In their Tivo HD review, PC Magazine concluded…

“All in all, however, the TiVo HD lives up to the promise of finally getting HD programming on a TiVo at a reasonable cost. It does core search, record, and playback functions better than anyone else in the DVR business. I think $300 is the sweet spot that will push current TiVo subscribers into the HD fold and lure new users away from the plain-vanilla boxes offered by most cable companies.”

For additional reviews, take a look at my previous post on the TiVo HD. If you aren’t eligible for a lifetime service transfer, Amazon is selling the TiVo HD for $249. You’ll have to pay a monthly service fee but you’ll get a great dual tuner HD DVR.

Unfortunately, the TiVo HD does not support satellite service. I recently switched to DirecTV to be able to watch Penn State on the Big Ten Network. Otherwise, I would be all over the TiVo HD upgrade offer.

Joby Gorillapod

Chuck — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 22:49:00 -0400

The Joby Gorillapod is a lightweight flexible tripod. From the Joby website…

“The Gorillapod is the ideal camera accessory for photographers on the go. Throw it in your pocket or backpack and you’ll be ready for your next adventure! While the Gorillapod serves all the functions of a traditional camera tripod – steadying your camera under low-light conditions, taking timed group shots, etc. – it is the only tripod malleable enough to provide you with the perfect shot while wrapped around a tree branch, hanging from a pole, or perched on a jagged rock. The possibilities are endless!”

The Gorillapod is available in several colors and in three versions.

Original - for point-and-shoot compact digital cameras weighing up to 9.7 oz (275 g)
SLR - made to handle lightweight SLRs weighing up to 1.75 lbs (800 g)
SLR-Zoom - for SLRs with zoom lenses and video cameras up to 6.6 lbs (3 kg)

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been using the Gorillapod Original to take macro pictures used on my food blog. Since my compact digital camera doesn’t have image stabilization, the Gorillapod has been fantastic at steadying the picture. It’s also great for taking group shots during a hike. Forget about rotating someone in and out of the shot to take the picture.

It’s a perfect gift for active people. Who wants to carry a big, rigid tripod around while you’re traveling? You won’t need to with a Gorillapod.

[Picture via Joby]

Perfect Pushup

Chuck — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:17:00 -0400

After 20+ years of doing straight-bar bench presses, swinging at tons of volleyballs and throwing too many footballs, my right shoulder is screaming… no más!!!

I’ve finally listened to my shoulder and quit bench pressing with a straight-bar and switched to using dumbbells, which alleviates the shoulder stress. When I can’t get to the gym, I like doing pushups but the simple pushup position still tweaks my right shoulder.

From the many ads and claims of the Perfect Pushup, I decided to buy a set and give them try…

“The Perfect Pushup puts a new spin on one of the oldest exercises, the pushup. Invented by someone who knows a lot about pushups, former U.S. Navy SEAL, Alden Mills, the Perfect Pushup’s rotating handles allow your arms to rotate naturally when you do pushups the same way they do when you throw a punch or press up a dumb bell. This unique feature accelerates results by engaging more muscles in the arms, chest, shoulders, and back. It also helps reduce strain on wrists and elbows, and helps to stabilize and strengthen the shoulder joint by engaging the scapular and rotator cuff muscles. You will notice the comfort and effectiveness of the Perfect Pushup on the very first try!”

When I opened the box, I was expecting a metal base but the Perfect Pushup is made of lightweight plastic. Despite the plastic build, they are quite sturdy. After using the Perfect Pushup a few times, I’m very pleased with them. The elevated platform provides a deeper range of motion and a better pump than regular pushups. More importantly, the rotating handles eliminate the stress and pain in my shoulder.

But is it worth the $40? Or should you just get a cheaper set of pushup bars? If you don’t have any joint issues, then go with pushup bars. They are cheaper, take up less space to store and you’ll get a similar pump from the elevated platform. However, I would highly recommend the Perfect Pushup to anyone with shoulder or wrists issues. The rotating handles put you in a much better ergonomic position than normal pushups and should reduce or eliminate joint pain.

I don’t know if it’s the perfect pushup device but compared to doing normal pushups it is perfectly better.

Heroes - Season One

Chuck — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 23:19:00 -0400

The new season of Heroes starts on September 24th. If you didn’t watch the first season, pick up the Heroes - Season One DVD and get caught up before the new episodes start.

I’ve always enjoyed movies and shows about superheroes and their powers. Heroes takes a unique approach with ordinary people discovering their superpowers. Here’s a description from Amazon…

“Arguably the most talked-about television show of the 2006-2007 season, the Emmy-nominated fantasy Heroes gives viewers blends comic book-style adventure with plotting and characters as rich and layered as any graphic novel or drama series. Creator Tim Kring’s premise is deceptively simple – ordinary individuals in locations around the globe discover that they have, for lack of a better term, super powers, and wrestle with this reality while facing challenges both global (the destruction of New York City, for one) and personal (indestructible cheerleader Hayden Panetierre has family issues – serious ones, as the true identity of her adoptive father reveals; Milo Ventimiglia’s Peter Petrelli, who absorbs other powers, must overcome his own insecurities). Add to this mix a terrific villain – Zachary Quinto’s Sylar, who hunts and kills people with extraordinary powers like our heroes – and viewers have a riveting series that exhibits an almost-perfect balance of cliffhanger thrills (the action and special effects are truly impressive for a network program).”

“The seven-disc set of Heroes: Season One offers a wealth of extras for fans, who may be familiar with some of them through the NBC.com website, especially the cast commentaries, which are featured on half of the episodes. Kring is featured on the 73-minute uncut pilot episode, which for some viewers, may be even better than the network version; the main difference is the degree of character development, including an entire storyline for D.L. Hawkins that isn’t featured in the broadcast version.”

If you can have a superpower, which power would you want? I would like to have Peter Petrelli’s ability to absorb other powers. Why stop at one superpower when you can have them all?

iPhone Price Cut, $100 Apple Store Credit and AMEX Credit

Chuck — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 19:58:00 -0400

Yesterday, Steve Jobs announced that Apple was cutting the price of the 8 GB iPhone to $399 from $599. I was shocked at the 33% price cut, less than 10 weeks after its initial launch. Even though I was surprised by the price reduction, I wasn’t mad at Apple and just wrote it off as the penalty for being an early adopter of tech gadgets.

It turns out that a lot of early adopters were extremely upset and flooded Apple with complaints via email and on the Apple iPhone forum. In another surprising move and in response to the customer backlash, Jobs wrote an open letter to iPhone purchasers offering a $100 store credit…

“Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.

Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple’s website next week. Stay tuned.

We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers. We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your high expectations of Apple.”

I’m surprised that the Apple marketing machine didn’t anticipate the negative customer reaction to the $200 price cut. But, I applaud Apple for listening to customer complaints and offering a $100 store credit, which is fair mea culpa. I can’t recall any other company who offered a credit to early adopters after a product price drop.

If the store credit isn’t enough for you and you purchased your iPhone using an American Express card, you have another option to recoup your $200. Call the AMEX Return Protection Program at (800) 297-8019 and ask to file a claim. Although AMEX’s price protection program expired October 2006, they are making an exception for the iPhone and will price protect it. There’s one caveat, AMEX is not guaranteeing they will accept your claim. However, if you are a customer in good standing, they will most likely credit your account $200 plus tax. Depending on the authority level of the AMEX rep you speak to, you may be able to get credit within 24 - 48 hours, otherwise you’ll have to wait 2 weeks for the claim review.

I have filed my claim with AMEX already and anticipate getting a $200 credit on my next bill. Coupled with a $100 Apple store credit, I’m a very happy iPhone owner, whose iPhone net price will be $300, not bad for being an early adopter?!?

Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan

Chuck — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 19:07:00 -0400

One of my favorite TV shows right now is the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic channel. The star of the show is Cesar Millan, who is a…

“Renowned dog behavior expert and New York Times best-selling author Cesar Millan is one of the most sought-after specialists working in the field of dog rehabilitation. From bullying Chihuahuas to timid great Danes, Cesar has an uncanny gift for communicating with dogs and seeing the world through their eyes.

Cesar has been called “a Dr. Phil for dogs,�? and for good reason. His amazing rehabilitations of aggressive, scared, lazy, compulsive and jealous dogs—and the families that are usually in the dark about how their own behavior contributes to the dogs’ quirky traits—captured the national spotlight when his National Geographic Channel (NGC) series Dog Whisperer premiered in 2004. On Friday, September 7, 2007, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, Dog Whisperer returns for a fourth season with a record 35 new hour-long episodes.”

Every time I watch an episode, I’m amazed at how Cesar can instantly control unruly and badly behaving dogs. I could have used Cesar’s advice and tips when I was helping my parents raise their cockapoo, Champagne. Champagne was an adorable dog but she was extremely excitable and despised other dogs.

I have no doubt that if we had read Cesar’s Way - The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding & Correcting Common Dog Problems, before bringing Champagne home, she would have been a more calm and balanced dog. If you are thinking about getting a dog, I definitely recommend reading Cesar’s book or watching his TV show. Previous seasons of the Dog Whisperer are available on DVD. And here’s a video of Cesar in action…