Product Review “Cracker Barrel: Rock O Rama Jukebox”

I remember going to the diner with my family and fighting over who gets to pick the songs on the jukebox. I used to discover tons of great music that way growing up. Today’s kids probably have no idea what a jukebox even is, so I am excited that Cracker Barrel is bringing the jukebox back for my favorite holiday of the year. “Rock O Rama Jukebox” brings the nostalgic back as it delivers the classic holiday records and lights up with LED lights. This jukebox is decorated with green and red and really brings the holiday spirit. This is definitely going to be a favorite decoration for many holidays to come. There are 18 hits by some of music’s greatest artists included here with some of my all-time favorite holiday songs.

Here is the complete tracklist: Brenda Lee “Frost the Snowman”, Smokey Robinson “Deck the Halls”, Harry Simeone Choir “Carol of the Bells”, The Supremes “Little Drummer Boy”, Bing Crosby & The Andrew Sisters “Jingle Bells”, Brenda Lee “This Time of the Year”, Eartha Kitt “Santa Baby”, The Jackson 5 “Up on the Rooftop”, The Supremes “Joy to the World”, Judy Garland “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, Bobby Helms “Jingle Bell Rock”, The Temptations “Silent Night”, The Ronettes “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”, Louis Armstrong “Winter Wonderland”, Gene Autry “Here Comes Santa Claus”, Perry Como & The Fontane Sisters “It’s Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas”, Bing Crobsy & The Andrew Sisters “12 Days of Christmas”, Bing Crosby & Carol Richards “Silver Bells”.

The audio quality of the songs are very impressive. These tracks literally transported me back to my childhood and right into the holiday mood. There are audio controls right on the front as well, so it is easy to change a song and change the volume. My only issue was that there are three C batteries required for this and obviously aren’t included. I would have loved them to include the option for an AC adapter as well. Still though, this is a wonderful product and is going to set front and center on your mantle this season. This would also make a great gift but ask quick because I do not see this being on the shelves very long.

Product Review “Cracker Barrel: Snowman Wood Sleigh Wall”

I am sure you are thinking that how much can I saw about a wooden sleigh, right? Well, what I can do is tell a story. When my wife set eyes on this sleigh, she literally said “Wow, I love it”. When you get a response like that you know that you certainly have something special. The craftsmanship of this product is high quality. I love the detail and the design. The colors are so vibrant. There is even nice touches like fake snow and glitter throughout. This is going to have a prominent place on my wall this Holiday season.

Official Product Description: Hang our charming Snowman Wood Sleigh Wall decor anywhere in your home for an instant splash of holiday spirit and Christmas cheer! This 17 x 6 Cracker Barrel exclusive features fun, collage-style painted snowman art, bright red color and a dusting of artificial snow for the perfect winter touch. This indoor wall decoration is sure to create a jolly look all season long!

Product Review “Dyson DC65 Animal Complete Upright Vacuum Cleaner”

We recently reviewing the Dyson DC59 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner and it was quite the vacuum cleaner but after a few months of using it, I have noticed that it isn’t the best with carpets. I wanted to test out another Dyson product that would would have a little more power to it on carpeted floor. The DC65 Animal Complete is named to be include the strongest suction of any vacuum. So I wanted to try the best. Wow, it was not lying either, this is literally the best vacuum that I have ever used.

This vacuum cleaner has a self-adjusting cleaner head and re-engineered brushbar that dig deeper into carpets to remove more dust and dirt than the average vacuum, while still kicking ass on hard floors. The DC65 uses remodeled Radial Root Cyclone technology and uses the latest Ball technology and comes with a Tangle-free turbine tool to remove hair from carpets and has extra tools engineered for pet hair and ground-in dirt.

Why is this Radial Root Cyclone technology important in a vacuum? Well, it is pretty cool if you look into it since it uses the airflows to help remove more dirt, dust and allergens from the home. Both myself and I have pretty nasty allergies and most of our house is carpeted, so it is important for us to have a good way to clean. This vacuum also comes with a reconfigured brush bar that includes 25% more power and drives bristles deeper into carpets removing more dirt.

I have never used a upright vacuum before with Ball technology and it definitely makes things a lot easier. When it says ball, it actually means a ball. This sits on a ball that pivots on a dime allowing you to steer with a turn of the wrist. Like all Dyson’s they are hygienic and quick and easy to empty as well. The two brushes included here are a multi-angle and a stiff bristle brush.

The Dyson DC65 Animal Complete also comes with Zorb carpet maintenance powder and a Dyson tool bag to hold all accessories. Never before has cleaning been so easy. I swear if you aren’t using a Dyson product you are not cleaning as efficiently as you could be. I can’t wait to see what they have planned with the upcoming Dyson 360 Eye! Stay tuned to Media Mikes as we will be covering it first hand!

Product Review “Nokia Lumia 1020”

All I have to say is 41 megapixels! That’s right the Nokia Lumia 1020 has a camera that is 41 megapixels. This phone delivers some amazing detail with it’s photos and one hell of a zoom. The display is a little small though to display these amazing photos running only 4.5″. When you compare to the Samsung Note or the Apple iPhone 6S, this seems a little weak. To top it off it comes with Windows Phone 8.1, which to my taste is a major thumbs down. I hate the interface. If you are using this primarily to take photos, I can see myself recommending this since this device really steals the show in photography.

Now getting to some of the other cool features, the smartphone itself uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 with a Dual-core 1.5 GHz. Forget Siri, meet Cortana, she is your truly personal smartphone assistant with this model. My only issue is that it is powered by Bing, which I am not a big fan of at all. Being a big fan of AT&T, This phone comes with the use of AT&T Locker, which is like the iCloud for all you iPhone users. It includes a whopping 50GB of FREE cloud storage for AT&T Mobile Share® Value Customers to store your photos, videos, music and documents.

With the camera, you are able to sue the 41-megapixel PureView sensor, which allows you to zoom into any photo or video without losing the amazing details. You are able to shoot HD video. Even though the screen is kinda small, the display is a AMOLED PureMotion HD+touch screen that has super sensitive touch capabilities that let you type using your fingernails or while wearing gloves. Plus, Nokia Glance Mode shows time and phone settings even when the phone is locked and asleep.

Personally, this phone was the first that I look at when I wanted to break my 7 year relationship with iPhone but it just didn’t have all the features that I was looking for. I wish they had this exact phone with an Android system instead of Windows and this would a perfect smartphone. I sure do love the pictures though. That is one thing that my Samsung Galaxy S4 lacks for sure. Ok one more time  41 megapixels! Maybe Nokia will release a new phone with an even more powerful camera and a better OS in the future. l’ll be first in line.

Product Review “Animated Crazy Eyes Candy Bowl”

One week till Halloween! But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still time for decorations! I recently made a trip to a Cracker Barrel location and came across a fantastic new product, which is the Animated Crazy Eyes Candy Bowl. I was walking around the Old Country Store with my two year old daughter, who ended up starring at this candy bowl and just laughing and I knew I had to have this for her. As much as I love scary Halloween decoration it is always great to have fun options as well.

This Frankenstein-themed candy bowl is not just a regular dish though, it is motion-activated that senses when a sneaky hand is getting ready to raid the candy stash. Honestly, this works great for us as well since we are able to keep an eye on your daughter when she heads over and tries to grab an extras piece.

The product features moving eyes back and forth and a little surprise at the end of each session. There are two modes for this candy dish, there is a “Try Me” mode, which only runs when you push a button on the top of the Frankenstein head. Then of course, there is the full on motion mode, which is the most fun. If you don’t live near a Cracker Barrel location, you can still pick this great item up online for only $14.99, click here.

 

New York Comic Con 2014 “The Following” Panel

On Sunday, October 12th, Marcos Siega, Kevin Bacon, and Shawn Ashmore took to the Empire Stage at New York Comic Con to discuss their show The Following. Slim on specifics, the actors and director didn’t give too much of the new season away to fans, instead opting for vague descriptions of possible upcoming plot points. With Lily Gray’s plotline officially wrapped up and Joe Carroll in prison, it’s a new dawn for The Following, allowing a new set of events to start and creating a good entry point for new viewers.

In the teaser that was shown, Bacon’s character Ryan has a new love in his life, an ER doctor, as does his niece Max, but don’t worry Following fans. Shortly after setting this idyllic scene, a cocktail waiter was shown coming towards Ryan with a knife- perhaps setting us up for a new slew of bad guys?

After the teaser and discussion, the floor was opened up to questions from the fans. One woman asked Bacon and Ashmore for tips on working in the FBI; they laughingly replied, “Don’t do anything we do.”

Check out the slideshow below for more pictures of The Following Panel at New York Comic Con. Season 3 begins January 20th.


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New York Comic Con 2014 “Adult Swim Panel Block”

Three shows were represented at this year’s Adult Swim Panel Block on Friday, October 10th at New York Comic Con. Starting things off was a panel for the upcoming The Jack and Triumph Show, which features Jack McBrayer and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voiced by Robert Smigel). The show will be a sitcom with a live studio audience that includes a combination of scripted comedy and improvisation. Audience members were treated to some clips from the show, featuring guest stars Joy Fatone from NSYNC and film critic Leonard Maltin. Also present on the panel was Blackwolf the Dragonmaster, who fans may recognize from a 2002 viral video shown on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The panel ended on a sadder note with Smigel showing a SNL sketch in remembrance of Jan Hooks, a personal friend of his.

The next panel to take the stage was for the animated show Rick and Morty. Last year delegated to one of the smaller rooms, this year the panel was excited to take the main stage. The group, consisting of Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, and Sarah Chalke, brought an animatic mashup full of Rick’s newest catchphrases from the upcoming Season 2. Panel members promoted the Season 1 DVD, available now, as well as the upcoming comic book spin-off, written by Zac Gorman and published by Oni Press. They then delighted audience members with an improvised family breakfast scene in character.

Finally, Robot Chicken, or the annual meeting of the silly hats club, took to the stage. This panel is always a favorite among fans, and this year did not disappoint. Moderated by Adult Swim Vice President Keith Crofford, the panel included co-creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, actors Clare Grant, Breckin Meyer, and Macaulay Culkin, and producer John Harvatine IV. Things started off with a segment from Season 7’s “Chipotle Miserables.” A few announcements followed including the release date of the Robot Chicken: Christmas Specials DVD on November 18th and the release of “The Lots of Holidays But Don’t Worry Christmas Is Still in there So Get The Stick Out of Your Ass Fox News Special” on December 7th, before the floor was opened up to the fan Q&A. This year’s fan portion of the panel produced the annual sexy pose request, as well as the return of Emmett, the fan with whom Meyer had a rivalry with at last year’s NYCC panel. A trailer for Clare Grant’s new pilot the Team Unicorn Saturday Action Fun Hour! was also shown.

Click through our slideshow below for more moments from The Adult Swim Panels at New York Comic Con 2014!


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Convention Review “New York Comic Con 2014”

New York Comic Con 2014
Date: Thursday, October 9th – Sunday, October 12th
Venue: Jacob K. Javitz Center, New York, New York

Fall in New York City has a different meaning to the millions of people who scurry about the streets each day however for fans of Comics and Pop Culture fall means it’s time for Comic Con! The massive four day event which for the first time ever was preceded buy hero week set up shop at the Jacob K. Javitz center where over the course of the events four days more than 150,000 fans would walk the halls of the massive convention center. With those types of attendance numbers your probably wondering what makes this event so special. Well here is my account of what was going on throughout the day on Thursday of this year’s event.

After giving up on the non-existent free shuttle we hopped on the 2 train and then made our way on foot to the convention site. It seems as though the attendance for Thursday was a little underestimated as the convention staff all seemed a bit confused as to how things were supposed to be working for the coming weekend however after a brief security check we were finally able to make our way onto the event floor which even early on was bustling with activity and excitement. Thursdays in past years was always reserved for press and VIP ticket holders however this year single Thursday tickets were available. Cool if your fan, not as cool if you are trying to see everything and write a review. Though the added people certainly made getting around the venue a touch more difficult it wasn’t anything were weren’t prepared for.

Several big press conferences were scheduled for the day including those from toy creator Todd McFarlane and Marvel. McFarlane was on hand to announce the release of his newest brick building toy line. The line is based on AMC’s hit series “The Walking Dead” and feature several sets ranging in price from $9.99 for smaller sets and $64.99 for larger sets. Some of the display models on hand for viewing was “The Governor’s Room”, “The Prison Tower” and “Daryl Dixon and Chopper”. All of the sets we checked out lived up to the McFarlane name and you will certainly want to grab them when they become available in late October exclusively through Toys R Us. Next up we made our way through the never ending droves of cos-players to attend Marvel Comics announcement of their latest venture. Marvels Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada was on hand to announce “The Marvel Experience” a hyper reality traveling tour which puts fans directly in to the action of their favorite comics/movies. The traveling tour produced by Hero Ventures will feature seven domes housing state of the art displays and 4-D motion rides which throw you into the middle of a full on Hollywood scripted adventure. The first run of shows will start on December 15th in Scottsdale, AZ. The tour will also be making stops in Texas and California throughout the months of January, February and March with more dates/cities set to be announced in the near future.

It wouldn’t be a Comic Con unless we made a stop to Artist Alley and checked out all the amazing talent assembled for this year’s event. Though not as busy as the conventions main floor it was a nice break to be able to walk amongst the isles and see a lot of great work not only on display but also being created right before your eyes. Some of the bigger draws for Thursday were “Batman” artist Greg Capullo, DC Comics Jim Lee and Spiderman artist Humberto Ramos all garnered lines that required quite a bit of waiting. Those looking for rare variant covers and other hard to find comic pieces were certainly in their glory on this day.

Before heading back to the main floor we made a quick journey to the basement of the complex which was playing host to the autograph area along with countless panel viewing rooms and creative workshops. Probably the biggest draw for the panels this day was for that of Rooster Teeth which featured series creators Monty Oum and Kerry Shawcross along with the voice of “Yang” Barbara Dunkleman. The three were on hand to show some new and behind the scenes footage of “RWBY” Volume 2. On hand for autographs this day was Karl Urban, Kevin Conroy and Giancarlo Esposito to name just a few.

With only a few hours left in the day we ventured back to the main exhibit floor to check out some of the vendors on hand selling everything from comic books and graphic novels to clothing and other collectable memorabilia. New York’s own Midtown Comics continues to impress me year after year with their massive set up that has pretty much everything you can think of comic related. With booths all trying to make the most of their spaces none seem to rival Midtown. As we made our way through the tight and poorly labeled booths it was easy to become frustrated as finding smaller booths in the sea of heavy hitters made traversing the landscape of vendors a bit tiresome.

After a busy/tiring day we left this year’s Comic Con with full backpacks and big wish lists as it was impossible to buy everything we saw and wanted. Sadly the shuttle situation still had yet to be ironed out as convention staff still was clueless as to when or even where you could pick up the shuttle that they provided. As we shook our heads in disbelief we knew that it was time for the day to be over. Minus a few small hiccups New York Comic was once again a great time. Whether you had never been or are a long time attendee of the convention there is always something for everyone and 2014 had that and then some.

Celebrate National Cat Day on October 29th with Cat Paw – The Friendly Yet Feisty Toy

Cat Paws (#CatPaw) from Wicked Cool Toys are wildly fun and purrrfect for everyone! Creep out co-workers, amuse cat lovers and STUPEFY cats themselves with the amazing, bizarre, wonderful and super fun CAT PAW! Cat Paw features four different cat styles to choose from which includes a Orange Shorthair Cat Paw, a White Persian Cat Paw, a Maine Coon Cat Paw and a Black Cat Paw. Each Cat Paw includes two realistic sounds (friendly and feisty) and an awesome clawing action! Simply pull on the trigger to activate sound and movement – a light pull for the friendly sound and a firm grip and hold for the feisty sound!
Once you see one, you have to have them all!

Cat Paws are fur sure to be the life of any party, fill an ordinary with extraordinary moments, strike up conversations with just about anyone, and bring endless joy to everyone, even your beloved four-legged family members! Cat Paws are available at Kmart, Toys “R” Us and toysrus.com. Ages 2-100 Price: $9.99

Check out the Catchy Cat Paw Jingle – It’s Pawesome –

 

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New York Comic Con 2014 – Andrea Romano & Greg Cipes Panel


On Friday, October 10th, the voice directing legend Andrea Romano took to the stage at New York Comic Con to discuss her illustrious career and her advice to aspiring voice actors. The eight-time Emmy Award winning director was joined by Greg Cipes, the voice of Beast Boy in Teen Titans and Michelangelo in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tv series, who stopped by the panel to discuss working in the animation voice over industry.

Romano, herself once a struggling actress, got her start in the industry while working as an assistant to voice agent Don Pitts. From there she went on to work at the Hanna-Barbera, the studio known for Scooby-Doo and The Jetsons, while freelancing with Disney television animation on shows such as Bonkers, DuckTales, and Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers. She now works as a freelance voice director, and her filmography is extensive, including Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, The Boondocks, Pinky and the Brain, Animaniacs, and Tiny Toon Adventures. In general, she is working on at least five projects at a time, once even juggling eleven projects all at the same time.

Nicknamed “Velvet Hammer” by the actors she works with, Romano calls making a comfortable environment for the talent to feel safe to create and work as one of her biggest goals when working on a show. She emphasized the importance of taking acting classes before trying to make a start in the realm of voice acting, saying that creating an emotional and believable character goes far beyond just being able to do a voice. Romano is generally regarded as one of the most iconic voice directors and voice casting directors working in the animation world today and is known for giving many actors’ their first big breaks. Greg Cipes, whose very first professional audition was in front of Romano for the role of Teen Titans’s Beast Boy, said “I was green…Andrea fought for me. I got the role.”

New York Comic Con 2014 – Broad City Panel


Appearing before a packed room at New York Comic Con on Friday, October 10, Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson declined the use of a traditional introduction and danced their way on stage to Missy Elliot’s iconic song “Work It.” Fans of their Broad City show cheered and danced along with them as they took the stage. Once at the microphone, the women seemed shocked at the large crowd, some of whom had queued up an hour before the actual start of the panel, remarking that they had never imagined any of this when they had started their show, originally a web series, in 2009.

The Broad City web series began on YouTube in 2009 and achieved an almost cult-like status before being discovered by Amy Poehler, who transitioned the show into a 30-minute televised format. Poehler is now an executive producer on the Comedy Central show, which wrapped its first season in March. About the move to television, Jacobson said, “(Comedy Central) never made it feel corporate. It still feels like we’re making a web series. Not for the web, but it’s still so DIY and everyone is so collaborative.” Glazer and Jacobson both have strong comedy backgrounds; they met doing improv and are Upright Citizen Brigade alums. The first season of the show was nominated for Best Comedy Series at the 2014 Critics’ Choice Television Awards, and both Glazer and Jacobson were on the 2014 Variety’s Power of Women: New York Impact List.

The panel was moderated by fellow comedian Nicole Drespel, who also appears on the show. A sneak preview of Season 2 was shown, which further explored Abbi’s obsession with the store Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Jacobson and Glazer then did live commentary for the Season 1 episode “Fattest Asses,” before the floor was opened up to questions from the fans. Questions ranged from their ideal guest stars- living or dead (Lucille Ball and Clive Owen for Glazer; Richard Jenkins, Frances McDormand, and Idris Elba for Jacobson), to advice on how to break into the comedy world. When asked how much of their characters were actually based on themselves, Glazer replied, “It’s like 15% of ourselves, blown up to the full 100. It’s like my f—ing nuttiest and Abbi’s f—ing craziest.” One fan thanked Glazer on behalf of her friend for being the first tv character she felt comfortable identifying with, calling the women feminist heroes.

The panel wrapped up with a clip from the companion web series to the tv show, Hack Into Broad City, and audience members were treated to free tee-shirts and stickers from the Comedy Central staff.

The second season of Broad City will premiere this January.

New York Comic Con 2014 – Cosplay Favorites

New York Comic Con finished up this year with a bang, bringing in a record number of guests. The convention, taking place from October 9-12, was held once again at the Javits Center in New York City. The event was filled with its usual fare- panels, screenings, sneak peeks, vendors, exhibitors, artists, freebies, autographs, and special guests- but also included several new features this year, including a stricter harassment policy (“Cosplay is not Consent”), which allowed guests to report incidents through the NYCC app on their phones. Also, a new main stage clearing procedure seemed to work rather well, cutting back on line waiting times and seemingly spreading out the larger panels throughout the entire weekend. The addition of a NYCC Eastern Championship of Cosplay also brought in crowds, filling the main stage on Saturday night.

This is New York Comic Con’s ninth year and its largest yet. Run by the exhibitor Reed Pop, 151,000 tickets were sold, up from the 133,000 that it boasted last year, and out-topping San Diego’s attendance of 130,000. Thursday, originally reserved for press, VIP, and four-day pass holders only, was broadened into a full day of programming, which helped the increase in numbers. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend was the appearance of George Clooney, who visited the main stage during Disney’s Tomorrowland panel, saying, “It is not lost on me that I’m spending my honeymoon at Comic Con.”

Here are some of our cosplay favorites from New York Comic Con 2014:


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New York Comic Con 2014 – “Bob’s Burgers” Panel Coverage

The Bob’s Burgers panel, comprised of Loren Bouchard (show creator), Bobby Tisdale (voice of Zeke), Kristen Schaal (voice of Louise), John Roberts (voice of Linda), Larry Murphy (voice of Teddy), Eugene Mirman (voice of Gene), and H. Jon Benjamin (voice of Bob), took the main stage at New York Comic Con this past Thursday, October 9th. Although Dan Mintz (voice of Tina) was not among them, a larger-than-life Tina Belcher, joined the panel, sitting on the side during the discussion.

The audience was shown three clips of the new season. In one, Linda dyes her hair blonde, while in another Bob partakes in a life-drawing class, where he is forced to draw Edith, a character that was seen in the previous “Art Crawl” episode. The last clip had Gene, Tina, and Louise visiting an upscale grocer on a quest to buy black garlic. In addition to these sneak peeks, audience members were also treated to some key news announcements (tracks are being prepared for an upcoming show soundtrack and there will be a Christmas special where viewers will meet Bob’s father for the first time), before the panel continued with a fan Q&A, where many of the questioners came prepared in Bob’s Burger character costumes.

One fan asked, “As actors and performers who have very unique voices, how do you bring subtlety to your characters?” Kristen Schaal remarked, “Definitely the scenes. I took a college course on subtlety and it cost me $500,000. Totally worth it.” Loren Bouchard also shared some anecdotes with fans, saying that in his original meeting with the Fox network, he pitched the show as a “Family that runs a restaurant, and they’re cannibals,” believing that he needed to make the show edgy in some way-to which the Fox executive replied, “What if they’re not cannibals?”

The Emmy-awarded Bob’s Burgers entered its 5th season on October 5, 2014, and judging from the response at this year’s New York Comic Con, fans can’t wait to see what happens next.

Product Review “Coleman: Evanston Screened 8 Tent & Sunridge Rectangular Sleeping Bags”

I grew up in Long Island, NY and never camped as a kid (or at least that I ever remember). I do remember going for the first time (as far as I was concerned) when I was around 18 with my girlfriend (now wife) and her family. It was fun but I never really got into the whole idea of camping. I do love the idea of experiencing the great outdoors but I never had the urge to do it again. After moving to Orlando, FL and starting a family, we have have a two year old and things start to change.

The last few years, I was looking around Orlando and see tons and tons of amazing places to camp and new experiences to share with my daughter and wife. So the next thing, I knew I would need is the goods. I needed a good tent that we could use on this new planned adventure. My wife (who did camp as a kid) would always tell me that her parents would fight more when putting up a tent then any other time. So I knew I needed something that wasn’t going to make us get a divorce.

I started with Coleman since they are the first brand that comes to my mind when I think about outdoor equipment. They recommended to me the brand new Coleman Evanston Screened 8 Tent. This tent is absolutely amazing. I called it the spa of tents. First of all, the thing has two rooms, which is unbelievable and can easily sleep eight people comfortably. You have the part where you sleep and then a sort of sitting area like a covered porch, so you can enjoy the fresh air still without the bugs.

So back to the setup for the tent, which scared me but let me tell you this thing was easy as pie to setup. I had my wife time it and it took ONLY 20 minutes to the entire tent up…and that is with unpacking for the first time and figuring out what was what. I know when we attempt this for second time, we can probably cut that time in half. I mean 20 minutes is absolutely nothing. This baby is a dream to put up and it literally looks like a mansion of all tents when it is up.

Then of course the dismantling also was thought to be a problem. Are we really suppose to put this giant tent into this little carrying bag? But no joke, this thing was a piece of cake to take down and store with no problems at all. Since we are in Florida, it does rain from time to time. So this tent is designed to hold up to the weather. IT comes with Insta-Clip™ Pole attachments that stand up to high wind and the WeatherTec™ System’s patented welded floors and inverted protected seams help ensure (actually in fact it it guarantees to keep you dry) you stay dry. I can’t wait to do this again and throughout the years and getting a chance to explore all over. I tell you one thing, I will never do it without a Coleman EVER!

I thought to myself, I got the tent but what were we going to sleep on that is when Coleman again recommended to me another one of their amazing products. The Coleman Sun Ridge Sleeping Bag is perfect choice if you are looking for a great sleeping option. This sleeping bag allows you to sleep comfortably outside even when it’s 40⁰ F. You may not think Florida gets cold but it certainly does especially in the early months of the year, so this is going to come in very handy.

The bag itself has a designed, patented zipper system that takes the fabric away from the zipper to avoid snags and zips up all the way every time, which is always pain when using a sleeping bag. It also features a Thermolock system that reduces heat loss through the zipper. Of course it is important to be able to easily pack it up as well. This bag as a Roll Control™ loop fasteners that makes it super easily to put away and store. I can honestly say that our first family camping experience was outstanding and it was all due to Coleman products. I look forward to our next adventure!

Out of the Blue Enterprises Acquires Colorforms


New Colorforms Animated Series, Extensive Toyline and Digital Apps Planned for New Generation to Love

Toy Industry Veteran George Vorkas Tapped as President of Colorforms Brand LLC

New York City – October 6, 2014 – Out of the Blue Enterprises LLC, a leader in children’s educational media founded by the creators of Super Why and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, has acquired the legacy brand Colorforms, named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Toys of All-Time. Out of the Blue focuses on multi-platform interactive, curriculum-based entertainment and consumer products, and are planning an extensive new toyline, animated series and digital apps based on the beloved Colorforms brand.
With over one billion sets sold throughout the past 60+ years, Colorforms vinyl stick-on playsets are one of the best-known toy brands. They provide safe, creative, open-ended and imaginative play, and have been trusted by generations of parents and grandparents. Colorforms began with basic shapes of squares, triangles and circles, and has evolved, incorporating relevant licensed characters and other innovations that engage kids in storytelling.

Colorforms Brand LLC, the new division of Out of the Blue, will showcase its new Colorforms toyline to retailers at the Dallas Fall Mass Market Preview this week in booth 12-414, and expects to debut product at retail in Fall 2015, based on popular and classic brands including, Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer, Bubble Guppies, SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Peter Rabbit, Pete the Cat and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.

“We are very excited to expand our portfolio of owned IP with this acquisition,” said Samantha Freeman, CEO of Out of the Blue and Colorforms Brand. “Our focus has always been toys and entertainment that elicit creative play, and Colorforms is the ideal property. We see so much potential to expand the toys, and simultaneously develop across our current lines of business — TV and digital – to really bring Colorforms to life. This treasured brand infused with classic and contemporary applications will only strengthen its appeal to the next generation.”

Out of the Blue also recently appointed toy industry veteran George Vorkas to head up its Colorforms Brand division as President. Vorkas previously held senior positions with The Bridge Direct and Li and Fung.

“From Michael Jackson to Mickey Mouse, many of the biggest and most iconic entertainment characters of our time have been featured on Colorforms,” said Vorkas. “Colorforms is a premier creativity brand, and we have exciting plans for expansion, including new formats, price points and features for the toyline as well as new entertainment, licenses and digital content. I am honored to help bring this brand into the future with the team at Out of the Blue.”

Angela Santomero, Chief Creative Officer of Out of the Blue, will be creating a new animated series based on Colorforms. Santomero has extensive experience in children’s entertainment as the Creator/Executive producer of preschool entertainment hits, including Blue’s Clues, Super Why and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.

Connect with Colorforms on Social Media! https://www.facebook.com/colorforms

ABOUT OUT OF THE BLUE ENTERPRISES
Out of the Blue Enterprises is a leader in children’s educational media, with a portfolio of breakthrough,
interactive and multi-platform, curriculum-based entertainment for television, video, mobile apps and
consumer products. Out of the Blue creates and produces Super WHY, the hit Emmy-nominated literacy series
on PBS KIDS; Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, for The Fred Rogers Co/PBS Kids Galaxy and the upcoming
Wishenpoof for Amazon Studios and Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Room, and handles all licensing and merchandising
activity for Super WHY and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. The company also develops top-rated mobile
educational game apps, including Super WHY, Chuggington: Terrific Trainee, and Colorforms: Revolution. Led
by Co-Founders Angela C. Santomero, Creator of the hit preschool entertainment franchise, Blue’s Clues; and
Samantha Freeman, a former Nickelodeon and toy industry executive, Out of the Blue aims to engage kids and
families with age-appropriate, entertaining, and engaging learning

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