reviews

6 Comments Posted on July 30, 2014August 10, 2014 car reviews, reviews, Uncategorized

2015 Lexus NX Review/Preview Across The Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge

Despite living in Nashville since September 11, 2005, I had never been to the iconic Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge.

Fortunately, I was invited by Lexus to test drive their upcoming NX to it; serving as a perfect, and not to mention, beautiful, test drive.

Seeing the bridge in person somehow made me think of the setting of The Hunger Games…

I enjoyed walking the trail leading underneath the bridge. My co-driver Jason Muxlow of Automotive Trends thought he lost me there for a minute after I disappeared while he was taking pictures of the NX as we were stopped at the scenic view parking lot.

As far as driving the Lexus NX for the test drive, the very first word that came to mind was “effortless”. I had nearly driven all the way back to the Union Station Hotel before thinking to myself, “Oh yeah, I’m driving a Lexus NX right now, and I have been for the past 30 minutes. Soak this in right now; this is a big deal.”

I mean that as a good thing. It’s like when I hear a good classic song, like “1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins, for example. It takes me to a different place for a few minutes and it’s not until the song ends that I realize that escape itself is proof that I love it.

In case you’re wondering, the NX is a small sport-utilility vehicle, but it looks and feels like a sports-car.

Obviously, the folks at Lexus make sure their vehicles provide a certain kind of experience. For me, and I have reviewed many Lexus vehicles by now, there’s this quiet, subtle power that comes with the experience of driving one.

I’m not the kind of guy who likes huge, loud, obnoxious, attention-stealing vehicles. Granted, every time I review a Lexus, I see people turning their heads and then trying to pretend they’re not once they see me catching them.

Something that I particularly appreciated about the Lexus NX is its size. I like that it feels lower to the ground, handles perfectly, and has the right amount of power.

Usually I would close with some official stats on the car, but since the NX is still just a prototype, I can only give estimates.

According my notes taken during the “True Grit, Pure Grace” Lexus NX Press Premiere, the estimated cost of the vehicle will be “less than $40K.”

The targeted demographic is “men and women in their 30s and 40s who are single or married with young kids, having a combined household income of $130K.”

Estimated gas milage will be 22 city, 28 highway, and 24 average.

For the hybrid version, it will be 31 city, 35 highway, and 33 average.

Some other features of the 2015 Lexus NX include the following:

-All new 2.0-liter, 235 horsepower turbocharged gasoline engine with a combination water-cooled cylinder head, integrated exhaust manifold and twin scroll turbocharger.

-All new six-speed automatic transmission networks with turbo engine and torque to demand ideal level of boost pressure for quick response for quick-response performance and fuel economy.

-G-Force Artificial Intelligence (G-AI) system automatically selects optimum gear and downshift pattern in response to G-Force.

-Pre-loaded front differential (and yaw rate feedback control on proactive all-weather AWD versions) to ensure optimum grip, control, and agility.

-Wireless Charging Tray for compatible phones and devices.

-Lexus Remote Touch Interface (RTI) with a touch pad and comprehensive Multi-information Display that features a G-Force meter and boost gauge.

I would also normally tell what my 3 year-old Jack said about the vehicle, but since he was at daycare while I did the test drive, he was unavailable for an interview.

All I know is that he’s looking forward to me officially reviewing it once it’s available to the general public sometime around November 2014.

That’s it for today! Thanks for reading my review/preview.

If you’ve enjoyed reading about the Lexus NX today…

And there’s plenty more where those came from…

I now invite you to view the Lexus NX Press Release Flickr page, as well as the completely library of posts I’ve published on the 2015 Lexus RX:

The “True Grit, Pure Grace” Lexus NX Press Preview In Nashville, TN

2015 Lexus NX Review/Preview Across The Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge

Vegan Review Of The Farm House In Downtown Nashville

2015 Lexus NX 200t: 10 Professional Photos

2015 Lexus NX 300h: 11 Professional Photos

2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport: 13 Professional Photos

Luxury Package of 2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport: 7 Professional Photos

2015 Lexus NX: A Flickr Link To Professional Photos

Thanks for stopping by. Be on the look-out for more of my reviews on the Lexus/Toyota/Scion family!

Leave a comment Posted on July 10, 2014 reviews

Dear Jack: Review Of Suitable Fireworks For Small Children To Watch

3 years, 7 months.

Dear Jack,

This past July 4th, you were finally old enough to truly appreciate the observation of fireworks. I was just as happy as you were to go to the Tennessee/Alabama state line to pick up our stash of fireworks that I felt would be appropriate for you to witness; not to actual ignite yourself. (Obviously.)

Well, except for the super snaps…

With great pride, I chose the finest array of made in China fireworks I could find for our family:

Snakes, color smoke balls (smoke bombs), moon travellers (bottle rockets), attack vehicles (tanks), cocks crowing (chickens), party poppers, super snaps (snap & pops), turbo flashes, and “new small bees.”

I wanted to make sure you would be able to see some tamer, more cartoonish versions of what might be exciting at a big fireworks show.

To my surprise, your absolute favorite were what I called the smoke bombs, but labelled as “color smoke balls,” which sounds less violent, I suppose.

I think next year, I’ll just buy like 6 packs of those and a box of super snaps, and you will be just fine. Those were the things that excited you the most.

If the smoke balls won 1st place, and the super snaps won 2nd, then I’d say that coming in at 3rd place would be the snakes. You weren’t too impressed when I lit them up alone. The real show was lighting a pack at a time, which is 6.

From there, the lesser fireworks to you seemed to be the louder ones. You did like the sparks flying out of the turbo flash; it was like a mini, festive explosion… but you only appreciated it from across the lawn.

While I personally have always loved the hilarious chickens and tanks, they were a bit to unnerving for you; as they suddenly screeched into a fiery demise.

As for the “new small bees,” they hardly cost anything, but basically just vanished into the air and were gone.

After your Uncle Andrew and I shot off all the good stuff, we helped out Nonna and Papa by blowing up some ant hills, in classic Alabama style.

I know you had as much fun as I did seeing your first backyard fireworks show. But like I said, if all I would have bought were smoke bombs and super snaps, you would have been just as happy.

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on July 9, 2014July 9, 2014 parenting, reviews, Storytelling

The Daddy Diaper Bag: Okiedog Review

April 20, 2013 at 6:04 am , by Nick Shell

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Jack,

Thursday morning as we pulled out of the neighborhood, you asked me:

“What’s that sound, Daddy?”

Minutes later, a man in a pick-up truck next to me motioned to my back tire. Fortunately, we happened to be very close to a WalMart, where we learned my tire had a big silver nail in it and that the tire would have to be replaced.

For months now, I have meaning to get my own diaper bag to keep in my car for you.

Given that you and I spend at least 7 hours a week together in my car, it makes sense that I should have a “daddy diaper bag” to remain with me wherever I am with you.

Interestingly enough, Thursday morning happened to be the morning I placed my new daddy diaper bag in my car, in the seat next to you. Then minutes later, the flat tire situation happened.

So during the 2 and a half hour event, I had books, toys, snacks, and of course, diapers for you; right there all in one place. It’s strange to think that before this week, I didn’t even carry diapers with me in my car!

But now, we’re all set. And not only do I have a daddy diaper bag, I actually have a really nice, trendy one from OkieDog.

I noticed that the particular bag I chose, the Urban Sphinx, is specifically designed for a man. Just like the way a man compartmentalizes his thoughts in a very cut-and-dry manner, the bag is evidently designed this way too.

The bag actually reminds me of my car itself, a Honda Element, in that it is simple, practical, efficient, and very low-maintenance.

Those are all adjectives that, as a man, are important to me in describing things I own.

Like a Honda Element, my daddy diaper bag contains no cloth or fabric, making it very easy to clean.

It has a plastic carabiner-type device on a key ring behind the main flap, making it very easy to find my keys. (That’s why I hate Mommy’s purse… I always have to dig around for her keys!)

Something else that made me smile about my daddy diaper bag is that it comes with a couple smaller zippered bags; perfect for wet wipes or snacks.

I like how nothing about it is hidden: All the pockets and compartments are easily visible and obtainable. (I am assuming it was designed by a man because everything about it speaks to me in my language?)

In other words, nothing about it reminds me of a purse, like our other diaper bag.

Son, this is our masculine diaper bag. It has already experienced its first adventure with the two of us.

Here’s to many more father and son adventures! Hopefully, they won’t involve me buying a new tire for my car…

Love,

Daddy

Attention Dadabase Readers: Here’s a coupon code that gives you a 10% discount on orders from the okiedog.com site: 2296.

It will be good through the end of May 2013. Also, Okiedog will soon be offering free shipping on all products to Amazon Prime members.

Leave a comment Posted on July 8, 2014 Uncategorized

Review Of Sunburst Adventures Whitewater Rafting, Ocoee River

These days, each year for your wedding anniversary, you’re evidently supposed to post a picture on Facebook of yourself with your spouse on your wedding today, with a caption reading something like this:

“Happy Anniversary! I can’t believe it’s been (insert number here) wonderful years of wedded bliss…”.

Meanwhile, my wife and I were too busy on the morning of our 6^th year anniversary (July 5^th) to update our Facebook statuses…

We left at 6:23 AM in the Toyota Highlander to go to Benton, Tennessee for our 9:30 departure from Sunburst Adventures for whitewater rafting! I had been rafting several times thoughout my high school years, but mainly on the tamer Nantahala River near North Carolina.

But on the Ocoee, the ride is wild enough to require a guide. My wife had never been at all. It had been 9 years for me.

Simply put, going whitewater rafting was the perfect way to celebrate our 6th year wedding anniversary. I was particularly pleased with the set-up of Sunburst Adventures, as compared to other companies I have gone with in the past.

The guides were fun, free-spirited, and great at communicating the directions. (We loved our guide, Abby.) I was also impressed with the facilities as well; not run down at all.

The family of four that my wife and I were placed with in the raft were a great fit for us. Turns out, randomly, that the dad of the family and I graduated from the same small high school, 12 years apart; in Fort Payne, Alabama. We had never met until this weekend and only learned what we had in common halfway through the trip!

Going whitewater rafting brings people together. It’s not scary, but it is thrilling. So it only makes sense that my wife and I chose whitewater rafting as a way to celebrate our anniversary.

Basically, it’s impossible to not talk about how fun the trip was afterwards. You just can’t be bored doing something like that.

Plus, you get to be outside enjoying God’s green Earth, breathing fresh air, and feeling the sunshine.

Our son is only 3 and a half, so he’s not quite old enough for an adventure this thrilling. Until then, my wife and I have sort of decided to make it a new tradition to go whitewater rafting each summer.

Thanks for reading my newest Family Friendly Daddy Blog review! You didn’t have to, but you did. I wonder what I’ll review next?

Family Friendly Daddy Blog

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