Media News Blast
EXCLUSIVE PRODUCT REVIEWS
Media News Blast
EXCLUSIVE PRODUCT REVIEWS
Kari Gran Skin Care
by Javier Leonardo, Editor & Stylist at FOX News
Essential Hydrating Rose Tonic
This product is super versatile! I love pairing it with the Essential serum before bed and in the morning, it works great as a moisturizing refresher throughout the day and it sets makeup with a nice healthy skin glow! I’ve been getting so many compliments on my skin!
Essential Cleansing Oil
This is an amazing cleansing oil. It’s thick, smells incredible, and most importantly it leaves my skin clean. The best part is that it doesn’t dry out my skin either. Its a nice large bottle so a little of this product goes a long way. When I’m cleansing my skin, I feel as though I’m treating myself to a spa experience. It is so gentle yet incredibly effective. I’m in love with this product.
Essential Serum
This product is amazing for all types of skin! I personally have really dry skin and find it hard to find products that will keep my skin looking and feeling moisturized all day... not anymore! Pair this up with the rose tonic spray and you can pretty much customize the intensity of the moisture your skin needs. It’s also smell freaking incredible!
Essential Serum Balm
This is a life saver for dry skin! I apply this once in the morning on the areas of my face that tend to get the most dry and it will last me all day! I tend to have really dry lips in the winter so I started pairing this with the Lip Whipped Treatment balm and my lips are in heaven! This product is very concentrated (IN A GREAT WAY!) a little goes a long way!
Lip Whipped Treatment Balm
Thank you Kari Gran for stepping up the lip game for people with dry lips in the winter! This product smells, feels and is all around great! It gives your lips a really nice tingling refreshing feel and keeps them moisturized a whole lot longer than other lip balms on the market. I’ve been pairing this with the Essential Serum Balm and my lips are in heaven! The moisture game lasts all day! My personal favorite for anyone and everyone with dry/ discolored lips is the Peppermint Tinted Lip Whip because it has a bit of a pink to it so it makes dry lips look alive and healthy again without making it look like you have makeup on.
Kari Gran Skin Care
www.karigran.com
MAGNA READY
So Attractive
Review by Michael Yannon, Editor
After playing guitar for decades, I developed osteoarthritis, especially in my left hand. Now, when I’m not pretending to be a rock star, I make my living as a mild-mannered suit salesman. This means lots of buttons to button and on cold days, a painful reminder of my worsening ailment. I often wonder how those with more serious forms of the disease manage. A company named Magna-Ready has come up with a simple (as in, why didn’t I think of that) solution that not only makes sense, it feels like the future.
My brick and
navy checked flannel shirt came folded but contained no pins and unfolded
easily. Soft, well crafted and stylish, buttons run the length for a very
traditional look, concealing the magnets which actually do the work. Opens
easy, fastens even easier - the first time I tried it on, as I pulled the shirt
closed, it fastened by itself, making me
feel a bit like George Jetson. Very cool.
Founder and CEO Maura Horton developed her patented design after watching her husband, who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease, struggle to independently fasten his shirts. The idea took hold, and rightly so, as it’s easy to imagine how many might benefit from this simple yet innovative design. Clearly, seniors are also part of Magna-Ready’s target audience though I can see them expanding to include most demographics because the idea makes too much sense not to catch on. Of the friends, family and coworkers with whom I’ve shared this product, all loved the idea and applauded the reason for its development but all overwhelmingly agreed they would love this sort of simplistic functionality in their own apparel. I believe this young company is just a few contemporary styles away from achieving this.
We recommend this innovative product which epitomizes the marriage of form and function. Again, well designed and crafted, soft and comfortable (100% cotton which feels like wool), seamless magnetic-infused technology, super easy to open (but doesn’t fly open in the wind) and looks great. A long overdue idea whose time has come for anyone who finds it difficult to button their shirt or if you’re simply interested in making your life a little easier. For more information, please visit: www.magnaready.com.
Ooni Koda Product Review w/ Man Crate's Pizza Grilling Crate
Review by Michael Yannon, Editor
It’s been said a watched pot won’t boil. Those physics aren’t at play here because
watching the Ooni Koda bake a pizza is like watching a time-lapse film. As a matter of
fact, watching it bake is almost a must considering how quickly this powerful little
oven cranks out the pies. The company touts an amazing 60 second average cook time
but our times were even better. And its portability makes it ideal for many outdoor
activities.
Okay, a couple of things to keep in mind. First, since shipping flammable liquids
is not wise (and illegal), you’ll need a propane tank. Secondly, the Ooni Koda is
designed for outdoor use only (so don’t be cranking it up in your studio apartment).
Finally, use an oven mitt or glove whenever you insert or remove pizzas (learned this
the hard way).
Assembly, if you could call it that, is extending the units three legs, inserting the
cooking stone and attaching the propane tank. Ooni is also kind enough to include a
pizza paddle (a.k.a. pizza peel). After opening the propane valve, turn the start knob
counterclockwise and with a soft click, the Ooni roars to life. You’ll want to allow at
least 15 minutes for the oven to heat up, allowing the stone insert to reach its max
temperature, ensuring a crispy pizza crust.
For test purposes, we
tried a variety of
pizzas, including
frozen, take and bake
and those of our own
creation and here’s
what we learned:
Papa Murphy’s
smallest pizza is 12”.
The largest the Ooni
Koda accommodates
is 10”. Also, the
conventional ovensafe cardboard - their pizzas come on for baking - was toast within seconds of hitting
the 1000 degree inferno. Learn from my mistakes, people. And although we trimmed
their pizzas and made them work, Papa Murphy’s is not an ideal choice for the Koda.
However, they do sell ready made pizza dough.
It’s best to completely thaw frozen pizzas. We tried two brands of frozen and
while both took longer they still browned much quicker than a conventional oven.
They were also cold in the center. And remember, if you do thaw, do it in the fridge.
Raw dough is hard to handle at room temp.
The pizzas we made ourselves netted the best results!
We achieved the best results with pizzas we made ourselves, keeping the pies
small (about 8”) and the crust thin, but running the gamut on toppings and sauces.
Regardless of design, each mini pizza was done within a minute, browned evenly with
a crispy crust and nicely charred toppings. We also made quesadillas and toasted grill
cheese sandwiches with excellent results. The Ooni is reminiscent of top broilers, like
the Salamander, used in professional kitchens. It browns that fast.
The Koda‘s small size and portability make it ideal for just about any outdoor
gathering. I believe it will find a prominent place in most outdoor kitchens or in any
situation where a propane grill is already present. Tailgating comes to mind. It may not
be practical for the rough-it campers but glampers may consider it a must-have.
Earlier I mentioned something about a 1000-degree inferno. Well, I exaggerated a
bit, it only reaches a max temp of 932 (500C). Hotter by far than most grills, so at the
very least the same common sense rules apply; respect the fact that burns are possible,
keep the kiddies at a safe distance, protect yourself.
For its convenience, portability and cooking power, we highly recommend the
Ooni Koda. The good folks at Ooni are starting a pizza revolution, offering several
different options including its original wood pellet oven, The Ooni 3, and the Ooni
Pro, which uses gas or pellets for fuel. Check them out at www.ooni.com.
Review by Michael Yannon, Editor
It’s been said a watched pot won’t boil. Those physics aren’t at play here because watching the Ooni Koda bake a pizza is like watching a time-lapse film. As a matter of fact, watching it bake is almost a must considering how quickly this powerful little oven cranks out the pies. The company touts an amazing 60 second average cook time but our times were even better. And its portability makes it ideal for many outdoor activities.
Okay, a couple of things to keep in mind. First, since shipping flammable liquids is not wise (and illegal), you’ll need a propane tank. Secondly, the Ooni Koda is designed for outdoor use only (so don’t be cranking it up in your studio apartment). Finally, use an oven mitt or glove whenever you insert or remove pizzas (learned this the hard way).
Assembly, if you could call it that, is extending the units three legs, inserting the cooking stone and attaching the propane tank. Ooni is also kind enough to include a pizza paddle (a.k.a. pizza peel). After opening the propane valve, turn the start knob counterclockwise and with a soft click, the Ooni roars to life. You’ll want to allow at least 15 minutes for the oven to heat up, allowing the stone insert to reach its max temperature, ensuring a crispy pizza crust.
For test purposes, we tried a variety of pizzas, including frozen, take and bake and those of our own creation and here’s what we learned: Papa Murphy’s smallest pizza is 12”. The largest the Ooni Koda accommodates is 10”. Also, the conventional ovensafe cardboard - their pizzas come on for baking - was toast within seconds of hitting the 1000 degree inferno. Learn from my mistakes, people. And although we trimmed their pizzas and made them work, Papa Murphy’s is not an ideal choice for the Koda. However, they do sell ready made pizza dough.
It’s best to completely thaw frozen pizzas. We tried two brands of frozen and while both took longer they still browned much quicker than a conventional oven. They were also cold in the center. And remember, if you do thaw, do it in the fridge. Raw dough is hard to handle at room temp. The pizzas we made ourselves netted the best results!
We achieved the best results with pizzas we made ourselves, keeping the pies small (about 8”) and the crust thin, but running the gamut on toppings and sauces. Regardless of design, each mini pizza was done within a minute, browned evenly with a crispy crust and nicely charred toppings. We also made quesadillas and toasted grill cheese sandwiches with excellent results. The Ooni is reminiscent of top broilers, like the Salamander, used in professional kitchens. It browns that fast.
The Koda‘s small size and portability make it ideal for just about any outdoor gathering. I believe it will find a prominent place in most outdoor kitchens or in any situation where a propane grill is already present. Tailgating comes to mind. It may not be practical for the rough-it campers but glampers may consider it a must-have.
Earlier I mentioned something about a 1000-degree inferno. Well, I exaggerated a bit, it only reaches a max temp of 932 (500C). Hotter by far than most grills, so at the very least the same common sense rules apply; respect the fact that burns are possible, keep the kiddies at a safe distance, protect yourself. For its convenience, portability and cooking power, we highly recommend the Ooni Koda. The good folks at Ooni are starting a pizza revolution, offering several different options including its original wood pellet oven, The Ooni 3, and the Ooni Pro, which uses gas or pellets for fuel. Check them out at www.ooni.com.
If you’re giving an Ooni oven as a gift, consider the Man Crate Pizza Grilling Crate as the perfect accessory. As the name implies, it comes in a small (but very manly) crate. The crate includes pizza dough ingredients, a recipe book and all the tools needed to get them started in their pizza-making quest for glory! Check out all the Man Crate options here: https:// www.mancrates.com.
Overview
As an owner of many of Output’s plugins, I was very eager to try its latest offering,
Arcade, a robust playable loop engine which comes with a vast library of loops that
you can modulate in real time. Granted, I’m always a bit apprehensive regarding
the term loops, and there are millions out there from services like Splice and
Loopmasters, but it always felt a bit like cheating to me. And would the loop I
chose show up in another song? Well comparing Arcade to a simple loop library is
unfair to loop libraries. So let’s take a look at some of the features that will make
you rethink your attitude on loops.
Features & Functionality
The way Output presents its content is the first major difference you’ll notice.
Instead of organizing loops in folders on a web browser, Arcade allows you to
search, audition and load kits within the plugin itself, from 3 categories: Lines, Kits
and Loops. Lines are collections of sounds, representing multiple genres and vibes.
Lines are broken down into kits and each kit has 15 loops covering a 2-octave range
on your controller keyboard. The white keys are for the preset sounds themselves which include everything from drums and other rhythmic beats to arpeggios to
cinematic effects. The black keys are modulators which you use in real time. You
can preview each loop and download only those you want, saving time and storage
space. Once downloaded, you are presented with an abundance of options for
editing, which enables you to really make these presets your own. As a bonus, you
can also import your own loops (including those from Splice) and edit them as you
would the factory presets. Both white and black keys can be edited.
As mentioned, the black keys are real-time modulators featuring Playhead,
Repeater and my favorite, Resequencer. The latter creates completely new
sequences from the original loops, ensuring you won’t hear them on other
recordings. But even if you decide to forego this process, keep in mind each preset
tempo locks to whatever BPM you set and you can select different keys, including
changes from major to minor, flatting the 3rd in chords and arpeggios, taking out
the guesswork for beginners and adding yet another touch of uniqueness to your
composition.
The white keys also have their own Edit function that allows you to adjust volume,
panning, attack time, release time, crossfade time, speed, tuning, send level and
filters. Arcade’s Mixer assigns a channel strip for each loop, which controls volume,
pan and send level for each white key. In addition, there’s a master bus which
allows you to add 4 different audio effects of your choosing, including chorus,
compressor, multi-tap and stereo delays, distortion, EQ, filter, limiter, lo-fi effect,
phaser and, of course, reverb.
Now, given all these options, you might think the learning curve is intense, but I
assure you it isn’t. Its sparse, beautiful interface, (Output never fails to deliver in this
regard) is intuitive, never intimidating and easy to navigate, so you’ll feel
comfortable jumping right in. Each kit has four sliders unique unto itself and of
course you can edit these as well by opening the Macro Overview and making
changes as you see fit.
.jpg)
In all honesty, I haven’t dug as deeply as I normally would into the sound design
aspect of Arcade. I’ve had this product for about a month and haven’t even
scratched the surface. I’ve had my hands full with just the presets and I’ve
composed with it daily since subscribing. Currently, there are 23 Lines, each
containing anywhere from 40 to 100+ kits and they’re adding more daily.
Oh yeah, that’s the best part, you get all this for $10 per month (perfect for starving
artists such as myself) and new content keeps coming in. If you do cancel, you don’t lose your recorded work, for which companies like East West are notorious. If
you’ve ever had to resubscribe to a service just to revisit a year’s worth of work,
bounce every track which uses its presets to audio, well, don’t get me started.
Output takes the ethical high road in this regard and I’m grateful. Of course, when
you cancel, you do lose access to the library, but again, sounds already recorded are
forever part of your composition.
Drawbacks
There are only a few problems I’ve encountered with Arcade. For me, the main
issue is key changes. As I mentioned, you can select whatever key you like, in major
or minor, prior to playing the loops, but not in real time. So, creating progressions
can be difficult and time consuming. You have to create tracks for each key change
but the presets don’t always conform, meaning there may be some sonic
adjustments needed and this can be a chore. So, where some programs, such as
Alchemy and Omnisphere, offer one key arpeggios that are played across the
keyboard in whatever note/key you choose, Arcade is limited to just the one key.
The other issue is you may be bound by the speed of your internet. If you still have
- gasp - DSL and you’re subject to iffy connection speeds, it can kill your creative
flow. I’ve personally downloaded every kit onto an external SSD drive in the event I
lose internet, but if that’s not available to you, this can be a major headache.
Summary
With Arcade, Output has created a unique, easy-to-use loop synthesizer with
features you won’t find with Splice or Loopmasters. And while there is always the
possibility of hearing certain bits you’ve used elsewhere, the abundance of editing
capabilities, key and tempo changes narrows the odds in your favor. Use their
presets, import your own or use other services loops and make them your own. The
first month is free (full version trial) and only $10 per month thereafter with new
content added often. Trying it is a no-brainer, keeping will be too.