Take Me for a Walk

I should be an employee of Pottery Barn Kids.  Every time my daughter & I are at the Galleria Mall, we have to make a long pitstop at Pottery Barn Kids so she can play with her favorite dolls, Sophie and Chloe (which Santa brought her the past two Christmases), and the adorable retro play kitchen with all the neat accessories - blender, tea kettle, and the salt and pepper shakers.


At the age of 3½, we are not ready to by her an American Girl doll just yet.  She is somewhat interested, but we are going to hold off until age 4 or 5 - when she can take better care of the investment.  For now, she love the doll collection at Pottery Barn Kids.  She had Chloe, and of course she needed a friend, so Sophie came to join her.  They seem to be getting along fabulously!


My daughter is now into playing the Mommy roll with her baby dolls and her PBK dolls.  She wanted a stroller from Santa so she could take her dolls for a walk at the park, at the mall, or just for a stroll through the house.  The was the second item on her Christmas List.


She received a stroller last year, but it was an inexpensive type that fell apart with a month.  I am not one to throw away money, but it is well known that I rather spend for good quality.  That way you are not spending more cash to replace a product, and in turn, spending the more in the long run.


After thinking about it, and observing her playing at the Pottery Barn Kids store, we decided to purchase (from Santa, of course) the Doll Jogging Stroller.  From testing it at the store, it is a smooth ride with extra large wheels and easy access for a preschooler to get her dolls in to and out with hassle.


Now this is a good looking doll stroller….

She was so excited when she opening it on Christmas morning!  The doll jogging stroller came pre wrapped from Pottery Barn Kids (what a timesaver!), so we had to put it together.  It was a simple job that took a total of ten minutes, if that.  All that needed to be put together were the wheels and the front tray - how is that for simplicity?  

The details of the Pottery Barn Kids doll jogging stroller are a mark on its quality.  It is roomy enough to fit two dolls that can be strapped in, the basket underneath can hold a myriad of kid stuff and the stroller handle can be positioned to fit your child's height and comfort level.  The fabric is thick and easily spot cleans.  And, to top it off, the doll stroller is sturdy and kid tough, yet has a very smooth ride.  Also, as a space saving bonus, it folds up! 

We are not able to take it outside yet because of the cold and snow, but we have taken it to the mall for a test drive.  This a wonderfully made stroller made with quality in mind.  This will last us years - just what we want.  Sure, we had to pay $79, but the sturdy frame and details are well worth it.  

If you are in the market for a quality doll stroller for your daughter that won't succumb to the slightest accident, then consider the Pottery Barn Kids stroller collection.  Not only do they have the jogging stroller, but also a pram and umbrella stroller - whatever is your preference.

I love Pottery Barn Kids, and as I said, maybe that employee discount would come in handy (wink, wink).

    

Thumbs Up!! The Crewcuts 2011 Long Powder Puffer.

Finally, my official Crewcuts by J.Crew Puffer Jacket review...


Within the last week I received a huge J.Crew box with my daughter's long anticipated Girls Crewcuts Long Powder Puffer Jacket!  Yip Yip Yippee! If you have read any of my previous posts, you know my crazy obsession with this dandy little puffer jacket.


Initially, I wanted to get her the Cobblestone color, but she loves blue and begged for the Navy Blue powder puffer.  Last year she wore a Gap Warmest long parka in a champagne color, and although it was very nice, it got dirtier and dirtier as each day passed.  I was washing it at least once a week.  Sigh.  So, we ordered the Navy Blue at my daughter's request and my first impression was - WOW!


I was so excited to open the box, and when I did I was pleasantly surprised.  From the picture online the blue seemed a bit 'too blue' for me.  Meaning, I thought it would be a brighter navy, not the awesome navy it truly is.  As I ripped open the plastic packaging, I was thrilled that the navy is dark - a cross between navy blue and black.  It is stunning!  Here is my little darling wearing her winter gear for Winter 2011/2012:

Crewcuts 2011 Girls Long Powder Puffer in Navy Blue
$128.00

The Crewcuts Girls Long Powder Puffer is worth every penny spent.  The style has a very girly look with the grosgrain sash that slides through 2 loops to form a bow or just a knotted sash.  This makes the jacket classy and sweet.  I already have visions of changing up the sash with different colors for a stylish twist. Also of note is two subtle pin-tucks in the the chest area for even more feminine definition, and two side pockets. 

This jacket is a soft, yet thick, down filled puffer.  Even though it is a puffer, the jacket is not too poofy -  it has just the right amount of down to still give it a somewhat streamlined effect.   My daughter is 3.5 yrs. old and 41 inches, so, we went with the girls size 4-5, according to the J.Crew sizing guidelines.  Overall, the jacket fits very well, with plenty of room for growing.  J.Crew has the right idea by allowing a little more extra room at each size, for 2-3 to 14.

Here are the important points:

• Length - falls to the right above the knee.  This is my favorite length for the very cold, blustery, snowy weather.  The tush stays warm and the upper legs are toasty, too.  I don't know about you, but I have no tolerance for cold air zipping up my back on a frigid day.  Yay for the long puffer jacket!

• Sleeve length - Not too long and not too short.  Perfect!  They even have a snow barrier layer on the inside of the sleeves.  No snow or cold air is getting though this adorable monster of a jacket!

• Hood - the hood is attached and is plain, no fur.  Thank goodness because I think the fur is becoming dated and too busy.  The hood fits on the head well, but their are no strings.  It fell off fast, but we wear hats instead anyway - so this wasn't a big deal for us.  

• Inside - the main body is covered in a very warm fleece - and I mean seriously warm.  Being in a cold weather area, this is probably the main selling point for most parents.  Combine the thick fleece lining with the goose down and this is easily a jacket that can withstand temperatures well below freezing.  Also on the inside is a small area with This Belongs To... for personalizing with your child's name.  Many jackets I see have pockets on the inside for a cell phone, iPod, etc. for the older kids, but this one does not.  Please note that in case this is an important feature for you.

• Closure  - the jacket contains both a zipper and a snap overlay.  This is a double barrier to keep the body warm when that wind is whipping.  The zipper has a matching grosgrain loop attached for easy grabbing and the snap are heavy duty.  The snaps actually go all the way up to the chin for neck warmth - so scarf needed here!  My daughter was able to snap a couple herself, but they are a bit tricky for the preschooler age.  But, then again, I don't have the expectation that a child this age has mastered this skill.  That is what Mom and Dad are for, right?

The warmth of this Crewcuts Powder Puffer Jacket is exceptional.  I put my arm through the sleeve and within a minute or so, my arm was noticeably warmer. My daughter wore it for 10 minutes and said to felt soft and 'roasty toasty'.   I am beyond happy with the Crewcuts Long Powder Puffer and would recommend this for any girl living in a very cold winter climate.  J.Crew has taken the warmth of this jacket seriously, and the classy style is a major added bonus.  By far, this is the most sweet, stylish and preppy puffer jacket for girls on the market right now.  This powder puffer is going to be our running around town jacket for the winter season.  J.Crew has one happy, happy customer in the eastern Great Lakes!

Bring on the lake effect snow and blizzard conditions - we are really ready now!

Thumbs Down! J.Crew Tissue Tee.

The roller coaster weather in the Fall, especially is the Northeast, can have you wearing shorts and a cute tee one day, skinny jeans and a trench coat the next. And, who doesn't love a well fitted trench?


Well, I have the same feeling when it comes to long sleeve tees this time of year.  I like mine to be figure flattering and fitted, not unshapely and slouchy.  For the past few years I have bought the picture perfect tissue tee from J.Crew.  I love the way it looks in the J.Crew catalog and online - just looking at this beautifully fitted tee makes me want to order more online...    

But, I won't.  Every year I get sucked into buying this perfect looking tissue tee in fabulous rich jewel tones and wear-with-everything neutrals.  

The fabric is thin and lightweight, hence the name - tissue tee.  Surprisingly, I find it warm when layered under a cardigan or another tee.  The arm length and torso length are a bit on the longer side, but I like that in a tee - it makes the layering look modern and fresh.

Now the bad news, and it is B.A.D.  Because this tee has no lycra, it looses its shape quickly and in an ugly way.  The first 20 minutes or so are glorious - until you start moving around and the stretching begins.  The waist area balloons out, and the sleeves from the elbow down resemble parachute pants from the 'stylish' 1980's.  Let's all take a moment of silence as we remember those good 'ol days.  (wink, wink)  

Another thing I have noticed is that small holes appear in the fabric after a few washes.  I wash the tissue tee according to the J.Crew care label, so I find this unacceptable from such a quality retailer.  

I understand that this J.Crew tissue tee is primarily a layering piece, but who wants an overstretched under layer that is sprouting little holes wherever it gets a little tugged or pulled.  Not me!  And to wear it alone, all I can say is...yikes.

This year I have vowed to myself to not get sucked into the beautiful looking picture on J.Crew.com by remembering my unsightly figure in this tee. Sigh.

J.Crew should really consider adding a little lycra so this tissue tee hugged the body more closely.  The theory of a lightweight tissue tee is great, but the reality is a boxy, overstretched layering piece.  If J.Crew tweaked the make of this a little, it could easily be a little hot number for us stylish women.  Oh, and while you are at it J.Crew, the v-neck tissue tee's are not made for anyone that is larger than an A bra cup size.  It is hard to dress classy and professional when you are "Little Miss I See All Your Cleavage".  Throw us a bone, lovely J.Crew designers.   

MacGourmet - Ooh La La!

In July, Apple rolled out their Lion OS X update and with it I discovered many features for my MacBook Pro that I didn't know existed.  One was the recipe software for Mac OS X - MacGourmet!

Being a woman that loves to cook and bake, I wanted a find a home for all my recipes, plus the ones I want to save & try from sites such as Betty Crocker.com.  I discovered MacGourmet in the App Store and after reading some reviews and visiting the website, I decided to give the free MacGourmet demo a try.


Before I tell you how fascinated I am with this recipe saver, let me give you a quick screenshot of what my own online recipe box looks like.

It is basically iTunes for you recipes!  The format is simple, classy and easily readable.  My color scheme is pinks, but there are bunch of available colors to choose from to make it your own.  I especially love how they use different shades of the color schemes to highlight certain portion of the recipe page.  All your recipes sit in the second column with a picture and can be scrolled back and forth. 

The recipe importer on MacGourmet is, by far, the easiest one have I used.  It has at least 50 different cooking and baking websites that it imports directly from, i.e.. Betty Crocker, Kraft, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, The Food Network, Rachael Ray - just to name a few.  All these websites import quickly and completely to MacGourmet with one click.  And the pictures are excellent - sharp and clear.  Each recipe can have one main picture, then additional pictures to show preparation.  You may think that little picture in the right hand corner looks small, but if you click on it once, it comes center-stage and becomes much larger.  It is fantastic!

The actual recipe when imported is very well organized and easily readable.  I really enjoy how they number each step and not combine all the steps into one messy paragraph.  The Notes section of the recipe is very helpful.  I like to add little tips to myself and also what to what to serve it with - a green salad, egg noodles, rice, etc.  I can also add private notes that are for me only, meaning, if I was to print the recipe for someone else, while my notes would appear, my private notes would not.  Primarily, I use these private notes to remind myself who liked what recipe.

The overall layout is similar to iTunes with a main recipe section that is similar to your music library.  It holds all your recipes.  And although you can add the recipe to different recipe folders (like playlists), the main copy sits in the recipe library.  To delete it from another section does not delete the main recipe - you would have to delete it in the main recipe library to delete it altogether.  

Another fantastic feature is the ability to use many, many categories when filing the recipe.  All I have to do is type in Halloween, and all my recipes that fall under that category appear.  No more fishing through hundreds of recipes.  This makes organizing and finding your recipes a flash.  

On the many occasions when I need to scale down a recipe or double or triple it, the scaling feature allows me do this correctly and accurately.  And, it doesn't change the integrity of the original recipe either.  After you are done using the scaling method, just reset, and the scaling recipe disappears. Simple. 

While I have mastered the recipe section, I am still getting used to taking advantage of the many other fabulous features in the application.  I love using the wine notes to remind myself of the favorite wines we use for family holidays, birthday's, or get togethers.  Not only can you add your own notes, but the wineries notes, and label photo as well.  Classy and sassy!

There are a few plug-ins with MacGourmet that are useful, but cost an additional $9.  These are the Weekly Meal Planner, Cookbook maker, and Nutritional info.  I purchased the Weekly Planner and it is simple, but does what it says.  You can plan all your meals throughout the day for the entire week then print it out to hang on the fridge along with a handy shopping list.  Note:  If you purchase MacGourmet Deluxe (like I should have in the first place - duh.) all the plug-ins previously mentioned come in the package.  This is the better deal.    

Starting on September 6, 2011, and running thru September 11, 2011, MacGourmet can be purchased for $10 by using the Coupon Code: SEVENYEARS.  Try the free demo first, then purchase if you enjoy it. I know you will.  

Also, if you miss out on this generous offer and you have a competitor's recipe software on your Mac (such as YummySoup! - I had this), email the developer, Michael Dupuis, and he will give you a nice discount of $10 off of MacGourmet!  

I am smitten with MacGourmet's recipe software for Mac.  I feel soooo organized. Cooking & baking is enjoyable with Macgourmet's user friendly interface.  Functionality with design and style are big sellers for me, and MacGourmet has it all...and then some.

Try MacGourmet and get Cooking!!  

Yippee! J.Crew Listens to their Customers!

Last year I bought Crewcuts by J.Crew girls solid somersault leggings because I liked all the fantastic colors they were offering - neutrals and vibrants.   I was pleased to open the package and see the the colors were just what I expected, the feel was soft and stretchy, and the fit was true to size.  I was disappointed to discover that after a few wears, the waistband stretched permanently and my little toddler was a slave to picking up here leggings every time she bent over, sat, or just walked a short distance.  I have visions of her looking like a little rap star if she was was to be wearing these while playing on the playground if she was in school.


As I was checking out J.Crew's sale last weekend, I took a glance at their other leggings and pleasantly found this  - redesigned Crewcuts somersault leggings!  Holy cowsers!  I know I sent their Crewcuts expert, Melanie, an email regarding the poor waistband on these leggings, and I am guessing a legion of other mom's did the same exact thing.

Here is photo of the leggings in a vibrant reddish-orange that goes by the name - 'eternal flame' - and a little description of the new somersault leggings fit and feel.  Yippee!

You asked for it, you got it: our littlest leggings (sizes 2 and 3) now have a whole new fit and feel, which means playtime has never been comfier. Plus, all our sizes have a thicker, sturdier waistband she's sure to be head over heels for (on the monkey bars, that is). Cotton/Lycra® spandex jersey. Elastic waistband. Import. Machine wash.

Crewcuts Somersault leggings $16.50

Thank You J.Crew for listening to your customers and making a semi-good product a FIVE-STAR wardrobe staple!  We received ours a few days ago and the fit around the waist is sturdy and well fitting.  After a couple hours of wear running around the park, they held their shape beautifully - a big difference from last year's legging.  


What I like besides the colors, feel and now fit, is that wash after wash, the colors was retained and there was no piling whatsoever.  


Here is two thumbs-up to the team at J.Crew for trusting the feedback from their buyers and giving great customer service.

Warm & Comfy Stride Rite EMU Boots

The time of the year when we start thinking of Fall and Winter clothes in upon us!  I love the change of seasons - especially the chance to wear a different wardrobe of jeans, boots, trench coats, scarves, and all the other wonderful options we have in cooler weather.


While my seasonal wardrobe stays pretty stationary - with a few new pieces thrown in every year - a child's wardrobe needs constant updating through all their expected, and sometimes not expected, growth spurts.


Since I live in the Northeast - Buffalo, New York, to be exact - I have to be ready for all the cold and snow the winter has to offer.  And that means plenty of boot options.  Boots for chilly rain, boots for cold, but dry weather, and boots for very cold, snowy, slushy extremes.  I am the boot guru.


As I was window shopping for my little girl, I came across these EMU boots at Stride Rite which are strikingly similar to the super famous Uggs.   I bought these for her last Fall (2010) during a promotion at Stride Rite which landed me a very spectacular deal.  She wore these the entire winter with minimal wear and tear and super warmth.

EMU boot

I have a hard time finding many negatives about this product.  My experience has been almost fully positive which made my decision easy to buy these again for the upcoming winter of 2011-2012.


Here are the good points:

• Toasty warm.  I can not say enough about the inside fluffy wool lining.  My daughter never complained of cold feet, even when wearing thinner socks.
• Minimal staining.  Now, I did waterproof them twice prior to the beginning of Winter, but as I look at last year's boots - only a few salt stains by the toes.  A quick swipe of a wet washcloth after coming home stopped any stain from setting in.  
• Perfect for a child that needs a wide width.  There is plenty of extra space in this EMU boot for a comfy fit - which in boots, is sometimes hard to come by.
• Stylish!  The EMU boots looks adorable with leggings, tights and dresses, jeans - just about everything.  
• Great neutral colors - tan, dark brown, gray and black.  Understated boots are more classy than busy colors or busy designs.

The bad points (only one!):

• Minimal traction.  This can be problem if these are your only boots for the winter and you live in a snowy area.  I have these for cold weather and light snow, and another pair of good, sturdy snow boots for the ice and heavy snow.  If these are worn in icy or slushy snow your little one will be slipping everywhere and therefore, not safe.  In the heavy, deep snow they will just get wet and uncomfortable.  

The Emu boot is a great alternative if you want the look of the Ugg boot, but not the high price - especially since your child will likely only wear them for one season.  The EMU boots are made with good quality and exceptional warmth for those cute, tiny toes!  

Dora the Explorer Window Surprises Dollhouse

My daughter loves dollhouses and loves Dora.  I thought this Fisher Price Dora the Explorer Window Surprises dollhouse would be a major hit with her.  Actually, it is quite the opposite - and I am not too fond of it, either.

First off, it was playable when taken right out of the box, which is probably one of the few plusses of this toy.  All I had to do was place a few stickers on the walls of the house to give it a 'homey' feel.  But, half of these stickers have since fell off.  The doors that open to expose the 3 levels of the house stick more often the not, so she is constantly fighting to open the the house, and getting aggravated in the process.  Then, when the doors are open, you can't play with the front door because the main door has no stability and you have to hold the door with one hand and open the front door with the other.  The position of that front door is questionable too.  It would make more sense if it was on the main floor of the house next to the kitchen.  The stairs on the other opening flap serve no purpose.  My daughter loves to walk her dolls up and down the stairs, but these stairs are stationary, very narrow, and there is a plastic floor just above it (see where the Dora figure is standing).  Dora can only walk up a couple stairs before she has to stop - there is no place to go.  These are the stairs to nowhere!

Next, when you buy the house, it only comes with a Dora figure and maybe a couple other small accessories.  You have to buy all the rest to make it actually look and feel like a dollhouse.  I bought the bathroom set in which the bathtub/shower goes on the other blue plastic floor above the front door.  Problem is, it does not fit there!  It kept tumbling over onto the floor.  The doors of the shower also proceeded to break within the first few weeks.  This dollhouse has no flow to it and it is hard to imaginary play with it when you are getting frustrated because everything is falling over.  

The Dora and Diego figures are very cute and have bendable legs, but when you try and sit them on the plastic couch or chair, they just slide right off.  My daughter used to cry and cry because sit could not get them to sit and stay.  She got so frustrated one day that she hurled the figures across the room.  The accessories are cheap, small and easily breakable.  Our list of broken ones include: bathtub/shower, computer, lamp, umbrella that Boots carries, and kitchen chairs.  It is pathetic.

Perhaps the best feature of the entire dollhouse is the 'working' fireplace.  It gives a pretty glow and realistic crackling sound.  It almost feels like winter when it turns on.  This dollhouse also has two buttons on the very bottom to scroll the change of Seasons on the inside window.  It works nicely and the songs are cute, but the overall quality of this product forces me to give it a thumbs down - on both hands.

Once you buy this dollhouse and all the necessary accessories, you can easily spend $100.  Do yourself a favor and invest on a REAL dollhouse for you little girl.  Fisher Price dropped the ball on this one.

Tiny Prints - Birthday invites!

I am a big believer that every birthday party deserves a fabulous invitation.  In a world where people rely heavily on email, Facebook and Twitter, it is nice to slow things down and snail mail a birthday party invitation to friends and family.

Now, I know there are cheaper and less inexpensive avenues to take here - store bought cookie cutter invitations, or gulp, evites.  Nothing says tacky more than evites.  It is maybe alright for mass invites on Facebook, but not for intimate family events.

If you are worried about price, do not fret.  For a extra $10-$15, you get a customized and stylish invite that is sure to impress.  A great invitation shows you put good thought and effort into planning your party  - which also shows that when your party day comes, it will also be well planned and organized.

I have been and still am a huge fan of Shutterfly.  I have ordered many Christmas cards through them and also my daughter's birth announcement - all of which came me coming back for more.  One Christmas, my girlfriend sent out fabulous holiday cards on thick cardstock.  When I glanced on the back, I noticed the Tiny Prints logo and quickly logged on their site to see where this great card came from.  I was completely impressed by the wide array of designs, colors and customizable versatility.  There is definitely a card for everyone's taste here.

My love for Tiny Prints is well known in my circle of family and friends.  Some I am sure think I am crazy for ordering special invites for a little kid's birthday party, but these parties happen only once a year, and you never get them back.  I always budget out $30 for Tiny Prints invites and I love the finished product.  My most recent invite was this fantastic design for my daughter's 3rd birthday.

Tiny Prints girl's party invitation

Of course, this is not our actual invitation, but the design we chose.  We then added all our personal information and any customization we were allowed.  They use a thick card stock, so the quality is rich, the colors are brilliant, and overall look screams STYLISH!  Oh, and they give you fitted envelopes too, AND, if you so choose, you can have the recipients and sender's address pre-printed on the envelopes - for a tiny, tiny fee.

And not only are there birthday party invites wonderful, but any event you can think of,  there is a card for - holiday cards, holiday parties, birth announcements, baptisms, First Communion, graduation....must I go on, I must....., Halloween, Valentine's Day, We are Moving cards, etc.  These are highly customizable, right down to having a few color options for each card.  How awesome is that?

Try Tiny Prints for your next event.  You will not be disappointed.

Don't forget: A fabulous party begins with a fabulous invitation!

Crewcuts by JCrew Girls Somersault Leggings

Crewcuts/Jcrew somersault leggings

I was excited last year to find reasonably priced leggings at JCrew/Crewcuts last winter for toddler girls.   I was even more excited to find neutral colors - navy, heather gray, cream - colors that I had a hard time finding at Old Navy, GAP or Target.

When I received them in the mail, I was excited - the cotton was soft and stretchy, the colors were exactly what I wanted, and the length was right to the ankle.  After a couple of wears, I noticed that my daughter was picking at her leggings under dresses/tunics.  As it was, the waist completely stretched out and they kept falling down and making her uncomfortable.  Even though we stopped wearing them often - only for wearing under snowpants now - the seam in the tushy area was beginning to split.  I was surprised because JCrew typically has very good quality.  In the end, I just threw these out because they are worthless to wear when they are falling down 85% of the time.

All in all, I love the colors that Crewcuts has, I love the feel of these, but the permanant over stretching of the waist made these a dealbreaker.  The price wasn't to bad - I got them at 2/$14 - but I would opt for the 2/$7 leggings at Target over these.  While both the Crewcuts and Target leggings wash very well and have no pilling, the Target leggings are superior in retaining shape.

Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central Coffeemaker

Boy, did I do my research for a coffeemaker!  I read many, many reviews on Amazon.com after reading rave reviews of this Cuisinart Coffeemaker in ShopSmart magazine.

Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central Coffeemaker

I was also interested in the Bunn, but I really liked the extra features that Cuisinart offered.

This was actually not my first Cuisinart purchase.  Before this, I bought and returned, the Cuisinart Single Serve Keurig technology coffeemaker.  It was a nice looking machine, but I did not like any of the coffee cups I tried.  It was pitiful dumping mugs of coffee in the sink, but it was so bad that I returned it with 7 days.  Thus, I followed the positive reviews I read and bought the Brew Central.  I am in love.

The most positive aspect of Brew Central is the brewing.  I like a mild blend coffee, and since my first pregnancy, have switched to decaf.  My choice of coffee is actually Dunkin' Donuts ground decaf coffee.  I do not use the reusable filter.  I use the #4 brown paper filter - it is in my opinion easier to use and clean.  The coffee is crisp and fresh tasting every time - I am just delighted.  And I like that I can control the carafe temperature or select a special brewing cycle for only 1-4 cups.  When I have made a full 12 cup pot for entertaining, the coffee has received solid compliments.  

The next selling point was the retro look.  It is a brushed metal that so far has resisted most fingerprints.  The knobs and buttons are easy to use and the functionality is great - programmable for the morning and beeping when the coffee is brewed.  This beeping comes in very handy when I get preoccupied in another room and forget the coffeemaker is on.  This is a nice little extra.

The self cleaning feature, is in my opinion, a strong selling point.  I do not like cleaning appliances, so having a feature that lets me know when it has to be cleaning and then does it for me after adding a few ingredients, is fantastic, fantastic, fantastic.  

I have a couple issues with this machine, though.  First, I am not a fan of the water reservoir.  It is in an awkward position and the measuring of water is very difficult to see.  I stopped measuring water here after a couple tries, and now I just measure the water in the glass carafe and pour it in the reservoir.  Much easier.  I see this an a pretty major design flaw, but the taste of the coffee outshines this gaffe.

Another issue I have, and this is minor, is that there is no backlight on the clock.  It is difficult to read.  I have to stand close and squint to see the numbers clearly.  I love how other Cuisinart coffeemakers have this feature and was disappointed to see this one did not.  A backlight looks classy and I hope in the future that this feature is added.

All is all, I am very happy with this purchase.  This is, by far, the best coffeemaker that  I have owned.  Although it had some things I do not like so much, the taste of the coffee makes up for it.  But, I still hope they improve these imperfections.  These changes would make a near perfect machine, just that, perfect.  Try this coffeemaker, I bet you will love it, too.