Super Mario Bros 2 - on the mallets

I had the privilege of playing percussion (mallets and auxiliary) during my high school and college years. I also spent many of years of my life playing Super Mario Bros - the many iterations of the game. This combination explains why I am so intrigued by this senior recital...Enjoy!

Eating Raw Cookie Dough - An Explanation

I've done some thinking, and I've come to the conclusion that many raw cookie dough eaters learned this habit when they were young...and it was urged on by the beloved E-Z Bake Oven. [If you did not own one of these wonderful contraptions, one of your siblings (or a cousin or some other relative) probably had one.]

The E-Z Bake Oven uses a lightbulb as the heat source to bake little cakes and cookies. I had one, and I can tell you that I waited a looooooong time every time I tried to bake something, and no matter how long I waited, it never came out fully baked. As a result, I would eat the half-baked cookie dough/brownie batter/whatever.   Sounds plausible, right?  OR it just too good to wait sometimes! Even if your REAL oven is fully functional!! :)

Wicked and Avenue Q

Check it... Wicked + Avenue Q = Funny stuff! :)

Los Angeles BBQ Festival

Hey! This weekend, those of you who live in Los Angeles can enjoy the stereotypical Californian weekend - you can swing by Santa Monica to catch some sun. But this weekend, it's better! You get to grab some BBQ. Or maybe a lot of BBQ. Looks like we have a food festival on our hands...YUM!

Ah...the perfect California weekend...sunshine and food. :)

Snickers Rockin' Nut Road Bar & Twix Java

I'm allergic to peanuts, but I thrive on finding new products. [Like I've said before, my favorite aisles in the supermarket are the candy and snack aisles.] So when I came across new Snickers bars, I picked up a bag to give to people to try. As I looked at the bag more closely, I realized that these candy bars didn't have peanuts in them! :) Yippeee!

What is in these delicious bars? It's the Mars company's interpretation of rocky road, so...almonds, caramel, and marshmallow nougat covered in dark chocolate. If you want to try them, better find them soon...the words 'limited edition' don't give you much time.

There's also a new Twix bar - Twix with Java. I've seen them, but I haven't had a chance to buy any. I'll let you know what I hear about them when I get some taste testers!

Domino's Pizza + Free Pasta

That's right - Domino's Pizza is now offering pasta! There are five varieties to choose from: Chicken Carbonara, Three Cheese Macaroni, Pasta Primavera, Chicken Alfredo, and Italian Sausage Marinara.

There's better news for those of you in Southern California...

Tomorrow, September 3, 2008, starting at 11:00 a.m., the first 100 customers who come to Domino's Pizza get a free side of pasta (your choice!). I checked with my local Domino's to make sure it was true...and it was! So gear up for an early lunch and get some free pasta! :)

Bellagio Sipping Chocolate

It's taken me a while to get to this entry because I'm still reveling in the wonderful memories that the Bellagio Sipping Chocolate have provided me. I've seen it in stores (first in Gelson's...then in other random fancy supermarkets), and I've even bought it for friends as gifts, but I had never tried it until fate brought me face to face with a Bellagio sample station at the LA Food Expo.

They served it in shot glasses, and that was the perfect amount. It is thicker, richer, and smoother than instant hot chocolate. Imagine taking a high quality chocolate bar and mixing it with (a small amount of) cream/milk/whatever you prefer. Mmmmm....delicious...now I'm craving it again. Since it was self-service, I should've gone back for more!

Oh well...I guess I'll settle for buying it and making it for myself at home :)
Bellagio Sipping Chocolate is available in four flavors - chocolate, mint, cherry and caramel.

Enjoy! :) If you don't like it, send it my way and I'll enjoy it for you!

Voss Competition

Shocker. I know. I was surprised too. Voss now has competition, and it goes by the name Natura. I must say that it's delicious water with a snazzy bottle.
I tasted the still variety at the Food Expo, but I have no idea where to find it here. If you find it, drop me a line and let me know how to find it!

Hot Pockets Recall

For those of you who like to partake of Pepperoni Pizza Hot Pockets, be careful! There may be sharp pieces of red plastic mixed into your pizza pocket...and you might not recognize them on first glance cuz they might blend in with the sauce and pepperoni. Nestle (the company that makes the beloved Hot Pocket) is recalling a specific batch produced on June 5, 2008.


More details here.

Stars Galore

The new cast of Dancing with the Stars was announced this morning...
I'm expecting that a lot of guys will be watching this season. I'll save you some time and not make you look the list up.

Lance Bass (formerly of NSync)
Rocco DiSpirito (that's CHEF Rocco DiSpirito to you!)
Maurice Greene (Olympian - track)
Jeffrey Ross (comedian)
Ted McGinley (Jefferson from "Married with Children")
Cody Linley (from "Hannah Montana")
Warren Sapp (former NFL player)

Susan Lucci (from "All My Children")
Kim Kardashian (really?)
Misty May-Treanor (Olympian - beach vball)
Toni Braxton (who had to cancel a recent concert because of chest pains)
Cloris Leachman (actress)

And the kicker for you boys...

Brooke Burke

So join me in watching Season 7 of 'Dancing with the Stars' won't you? :)
Mark it on your calendars - Monday, September 22, at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Western Food Expo

Ohyeah...this hungry monkey has a pass to the Western Food Expo this weekend! Whoohoo - so awesome. I'll be eating all weekend, but hakuna matata. We'll take lots of pictures to show you exactly what this feeding conference is all about...all the new food products that will likely show up in your local restaurants over the next year!

Check it out here if you'd like...

I'm off to eat! :)

Tic Tac Chill Pill

Tic Tacs just got supersized - in the form of Tic Tac Chill. They're much bigger than a regular Tic Tac, but still smaller than a piece of gum (not a stick of gum...one of those pieces that come in the foil packages, you know?). I tried them and they are CHILL indeed! And the package is awesome too. You can dispense them like regular Tic Tacs, but you can also slide the front panel over so you can serve them up to people with big fingers too! :)

UGG

I was never actually able to get myself to join the UGG fad. The closest I got was an UGG purse that my mom gave me...and I think it's still sitting in my closest awaiting its first use. Well, I thought that this UGG fad was over and done with, but I was wrong. Today, I received a notification that there are new UGGs that I should be aware of and possibly purchase. You ready for them?

Yep, that boot that you see is the new SHINY UGG. Available in gold and silver - space boots are [back] in, baby! Just in time for your trip to the moon! Or to the mall. Or to work. Where do people wear UGGs again? :)

Disney Song Lyrics

Hey - all you Disney soundtrack buffs - you may think that you know the words to these cleverly written songs....but did you know that there are deleted lyrics to Disney songs?

http://www.meeko.org/disney/mermaid/lyrics.html#fathoms2

Actually, I am not sure if they're real...hahahah....

Paparazzi for Rent

Do you have a friend that needs a little more attention? Does s/he like to be the subject of random photographs? Are you looking for a gift for this special friend? Well, you're in luck. You can make your friend a celebrity for a day...by giving them their own paparazzi! Kinda pricey, but that's the price you have to pay to be a "celebrity"...

Yes, it's real. Look for yourself.

No, I didn't come across it because I was looking for paparazzi for myself. :)

Starbucks - OMB

That's right...OMB, not OMG. I'm referring to their Orange Mango Banana smoothie. O...M...B... Can you see/hear it in your head? I just put together the Starbucks marketing plan for this drink!

I've seen it on their menu for a few weeks now and finally got around to trying it. I actually tried mine at the Barnes & Noble Cafe...where I feel like I need to buy something to earn a place at one of the cafe tables so I can study in peace... Well, I ordered the OMB Vivianno drinky thingy, and they said, "Sorry, we're out of banana..." My thought: There's nothing to be sorry about! For those of you who know my food preferences, I don't normally like bananas in anything. The exceptions would be like in a banana split or a chocolate covered banana. So they made it without the banana. Yay. Not bad. Pretty healthy tasting with lots of protein.

They have a Chocolate Banana Vivianno too. I guess I might have to try that one with the banana. Maybe tomorrow.

Weird Guy

So when you think of the weirdest pick up lines in the world, what comes to mind? Those silly cheesy lines like "Did it hurt?...When you fell from heaven?" Or the more standard lines like, "Hey baby, what's your sign?"

I got a sad attempt at a line this week...as I was doing some grocery shopping. I had a lot of studying to do, so I was hoping to get done really fast. While I was standing in the ice cream and snack aisle (my favorite place to be) looking for something new or interesting, there was a guy standing there...I guess he was doing the same thing as me. As I was scanning the snacks and slowly moving down the aisle, he kept on looking at me. Then came the line, "So...how do you like the prices here?" WHAT? Oh no. Time to get out of here. And how does one even answer that question? Prices change all the time?! But I wasn't done looking at the snacks yet, and I could be too incredibly rude. My response, "Um, it varies...from week to week." I start to inch away, and then came the follow-up. "So...are you from around here?" AHHHHHHHH no. Hmm. "No, I'm from L.A." Okay, time to wrap it up and move on... Then he continues, "Oh, I'm from Riverside, but I come out here to use the banks." Um, okay? Weird. Who drives 20 minutes to bank? Well, I guess there are people who do that. What do I do now? Here goes... "Alright, well, good luck!" Politely smile, and start walking away...phew.

So I say that was a weird attempt at a line, but as my brother pointed out (after a good, loooooooooooong, hearty laugh), I guess it worked because he got me to stay and talk for a little bit...as unhappy as I was about that part. But now, my brother has decided to use that line. So ladies, beware. If you are on the receiving end of that line, there's a good chance it might be my brother! Hahahahhaha....

Tang Sport

Do you like sports? Do you like Tang?

YOU DO!?!

Well, now there's something that combines both of your passions - sports and Tang - into one product! Tang Sport! Serious. Check it out here.

It was just a matter of time...

Now...one of you run out there and get some...and tell me if I should buy some for myself! :)

Olympic Trials - Swimming

Swimming. The breaststroke, to be exact. I'm confused.

Can someone explain to me how this particular stroke came about? And how someone classified it as a sport? If you're trying to race someone across a pool, don't you want to use the fastest possible technique?

My sissy and I were talking about it today...There's no running equivalent for the breaststroke...or for the backstroke for that matter. No one in the Olympics is trying out to compete for fastest BACKWARDS runner in the world.

Okay, swimmers, no need to get all huffy. It was just a thought...or a bunch of thoughts. Not like I'm trying to ban it from the Olympics. Relax!!

(If you need to make me a villain, I'll help you. "Oh, she's just jealous because she's not good at it!" Right you are, sir! I can't do the breaststroke. In fact, I'm not a good swimmer PERIOD. There. You feel better? We good? Okay good.)

My Very First Euro

I bought something with cash this week (weird for me, I'm a card kind of girl), and something spectacular happened. When the cashier was giving me my change, I looked down at the coins and one of the pennies looked funny. It was shinier than the others...and when I picked it up, it was much lighter than I expected. It was a 2 Euro coin!

What a way to get into the Olympic spirit - by carrying around money from around the world. :)

Cereal and Milk

When my siblings and I were younger, we loved to eat cereal. Ice Cream Cones cereal, Nintendo cereal, Crispy Wheats 'n Raisins (that was just me, my sissy has accurately classified it as glorified raisin bran), Smores cereal, Circus Animals cereal (what other long lost wonders am I missing?)...if you've never heard of these cereals, there are two possible reasons:

1) You're too young (either too young to remember or you weren't born yet)
2) You are getting old and losing precious brain cells

Well, okay, maybe a third...

3) It's too painful to remember that those awesome cereals once existed and they don't have them now, so you're blocking them from your memory...and they will resurface in your next therapy session.

Anyway...our parents never made us drink the milk from our cereal. They had no problem with some of the sugar getting left behind in the milk and us not drinking it. In fact, I had no idea that people drank their cereal milk until I was in college. I watched one of my friends do it and was kinda awed.

I still don't drink my cereal milk, but I did master the skill of pouring just enough milk that there's none left over when I'm done with the cereal. (I don't do it all the time, but know that I DO have the skill.)

Limes DO have seeds

Well, some of them do. I've been telling people that limes don't have seeds for some time now, and I have to now correct myself. I was incorrect. WHAT?! I know, hard to believe, but yes, I was wrong. Believe me, it's difficult to admit.

Turns out that most limes sold in U.S. supermarkets don't have seeds because they were bred that way. You know, the same way that they make seedless grapes and watermelons.

So while I've never seen one myself, some limes do have seeds. My mission now is to find one. :)

Ordering Steak

We went to a steakhouse last weekend, and while we were waiting to order, I overhead another table getting their food. Almost the entire table had ordered steak, but one of them was made "extra well done." What exactly does that mean? Does that mean that it's burnt?

BTW, I have a cousin that actually orders her steak that way...

"Could I get that burnt please? No pink in the middle, please."

Camp Rock

Okay, I guess I'll admit it now since you'll find out anyway. I watched it. Why? Well, because I wanted to see if it was like High School Musical.

The verdict? No, it's not HSM caliber. I'm actually sad that I watched it. I wish I had watched something else. Gotta find someone who owns the HSM DVD so I can get this Camp Rock mess out of my head.

Toy Story Mania

A few of us were lucky enough to get tickets to preview the new Toy Story Mania ride/game at Disney's California Adventure this past Tuesday night. KOST (the local radio station that likes to supply me with occasional gifts) gave away a few thousand tickets to this party.

We stood in line for a little more than an hour and a half...at the exclusive private party...we were bored to death for most of the time. The Disney cast members tried to give us some hope by saying that they have already predicted a three hour wait when the ride opens for the public. They were even kind enough to point out to us how where they would direct the maze of a line (all the way to Ariel's Grotto).

Aside from the looooong wait, the ride/game was really good! I though it would be something similar to the Buzz Lightyear ride in Disneyland, and in many aspects, it is. You ride in pairs, but there are four people in each car - the pairs are back to back, and you can't see or talk to the people riding on the other side of your car. You're also wearing a pair of 3D glasses while you zip around to play the game. All the games are essentially the same - just different settings. You shoot targets, animals, plates, and martians, among other things. You can see your score and accuracy on the monitor in your car. And at the end, they show you the highest scores of the day and high score of the month - yes, the cheater scores that are truly impossible to reach.

So, it's a thumbs-up from me. I just hope you have some luck and don't have to wait in such an incredibly long line. And I hope you don't get a higher score than me. (No, not telling you my score, because that will just compel you to try to beat me.)

Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers - An Observation

My nephew and I were looking up old cartoon theme songs on YouTube yesterday... Ducktales, Darkwing Duck, Tale Spin, Jem, Paw Paw Bears, etc. When we got to the Rescue Rangers theme song (Chip and Dale), he said, "Hey, he looks like Indiana Jones!" (pointing to Chip)...

He's right - what an observation.
Awesome kid.

I Love Twix

And the Twix company loves me. I bet you're wondering how I know. It's cuz they told me themselves. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Here's the story.

It was the middle of dead week and I was sitting in class, supposedly listening to a lecture. I was tired and needed some sugar, so I bought myself a Twix bar. Problem was...the vending machine was kinda warm on the inside, so when I got the Twix, it was of...hmmm...compromised quality. You know how candy bars stand on one side when they're in a vending machine? Well, when you combine that with a lower-than-recommended storage temperature, things happen. In this case, the caramel liquified and pooled at the bottom of the wrapper, then resolidified. Essentially I had edible cheater chopsticks. Do you see the image in your head? I would've taken a picture of it, but I ate it anyway. It was pretty gross.

Anyhow, back in undergrad, I had an obsession with Nestle Turtles, so I would occasionally need to call their quality assurance hotline to let them know about a sub-excellent experience with a package of Turtles. I don't have quite the obsession with Twix bars, but I felt the need to share my experience with them. The customer service representative was very apologetic, thanked me over and over again for the pleasant-about-a-sad-subject report and showed me lots of love!

So there you have it. And don't be sad if you think you can't get any love from them. There's plenty to go around! :)

National Food Days

Happy Doughnut Day!

I'm so glad that we celebrate food items separately. It makes for a happier fat kid! :) Just in case you wanted to know what foods we're celebrating this month, here you go!

June 1: National Hazelnut Cake Day
June 2: National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day
June 3: National Egg Day
June 4: National Cheese Day
June 4: National Frozen Yogurt Day
June 4: National Cognac Day
June 5: National Gingerbread Day
June 6: National Applesauce Cake Day
June 6: National Doughnut Day
June 7: National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
June 8: Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day
June 9: National Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Day
June 10: Herbs & Spice Day
June 10: National Iced Tea Day
June 10: National Black Cow Day
June 11: National German Chocolate Cake Day
June 12: National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
June 13: Kitchen Klutzes of America Day
June 14: National Strawberry Shortcake Day
June 15: National Lobster Day
June 16: National Fudge Day
June 17: Eat All Your Veggies Day
June 17: National Apple Strudel Day
June 18: National Cherry Tart Day
June 18: International Picnic Day
June 19: National Dry Martini Day
June 20: National VanillaMilkshake Day
June 21: National Peaches andCream Day
June 22: National Chocolate Eclair Day
June 23: National Pecan Sandy Day
June 24: National Pralines Day
June 25: National StrawberryParfait Day
June 26: National Chocolate Pudding Day
June 27: National Indian Pudding Day
June 27: National Orange Blossom Day
June 28: National Tapioca Day
June 29: National Almond ButterCrunch Day
June 30: National Ice Cream Soda Day

Sunless Tanner Mishap

I bought myself some sunless tanner...Aveno to be exact. Just to put this into perspective (for myself...or maybe so I can have some sort of excuse), I had tried a Jergens sunless tanner before and it didn't work THIS fast!

Aveno is awesome - the one I got was the kind that you can adjust and choose what shade you want to become. So I was following the instructions and didn't think it would work as quickly and well as it did. Anyhow, I saw the results the very next day - and realized that I didn't cover my entire leg...so I now have a tannless stripe that extends across both of my legs.

I'm like a neapolitan ice cream sandwich now! And I'm going to a wedding this weekend!Hopefully I'll be able to fix it before the wedding this weekend.

Go ahead and laugh. It's pretty funny.

New Cool Whip vs. Old Cool Whip

Call me a fat kid, but I LOVE Cool Whip - can't take much of real whipped cream. So I was so excited when I saw that Cool Whip was available in aerosol form. Instead of having to use a spoon to scoop it out of a tub then bring it up to my mouth (it's a long trip), the Cool Whip makers decided to make it in a can so I can dispense it straight into my mouth! Whoohoo!

I drove to my nearest supermarket - nothing there. But when I went to Target - TADA! Yay! Cool Whip in a can!

Tried it - it's alright...still better than Reddi-Wip. The consistency is a little different than the Cool Whip in a tub, but it's still Cool Whip in it's non-dairy deliciousness. I think I'll stick with the tub for the majority of my Cool Whip adventures. The extra work is worth it! :)

Baskin Robbins Soft Serve Update

So we went to Baskin Robbins today to give the new product a little whirl...swirl...
A bit of advice for y'all...ask for a sample before you place your order. I tried it and ended up ordering my usual. You, on the other hand, may love it. But it's better to be safe than sorry! :)

New Trick

So my awesome 4-year-old nephew learned a new trick from TV. I got the heads-up because he played this little trick on my sister today; otherwise, I would probably fall victim to it too...

Nephew: hey look over there!"

Then he takes the thing that's next to you while the you're looking the other way.

What a kid.

Baskin Robbins Soft Serve

Just when you thought you had Baskin Robbins figured out...scoops, sundaes, shakes...Baskin Robbins just announced its newest addition to the menu...soft serve!

Along with the Soft Serve comes their new lines of 31 below - their soft serve with candies/cookies/whatever mixed in (think DQ Blizzards) and Fruit Cream (fruit shakes made with the new soft serve). Ahhh...just in time for the warm weather.

Check it out...and enjoy!

Captain Planet

I recycle. I separate my trash - take out all the paper and recyclable plastic. That's weird to some people, but not to me...and not to Captain Planet! :) Did you ever watch Captain Planet and the Planeteers?!

Movie Watch

There are a lot of movies on my "To Watch" list...

Baby Mama
Ironman
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Mamma Mia!
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

The movie I'm on the watch for right now is Monsters vs. Aliens. It won't be released until 2009, but I'll be watching for it anyway. It stars Stephen Colbert, Hugh Laurie, Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd...whooohoo!!

Kraft Bagel-fuls

Just when you thought that a delicious breakfast couldn't get any easier, Kraft comes along and introduces Bagel-fuls! Deeeeelicious bagel sticks that are filled with cool Philadelphia cream cheese...yum...

They come in five varieties:

Original cream cheese
Strawberry cream cheese
Cinnamon cream cheese
Chive cream cheese
Whole Grain bagel

Even my nephew likes them. After my sister had him try it, he asked for his own to eat while we were playing with some toys. When he put it down to build something, he looked at me and said, "Don't eat my lunch, okay?" And waited until I agreed before he put his Bagel-ful down. What a kid. What a bagel.

One tip: You'll find Bagel-fuls in the freezer section, but don't keep them in the freezer at home. Keep them in the fridge, and you won't end up with a bagel filled with frozen cream cheese. :)

New Phrase

My niece has a new phrase...

"Talk to the booty 'cuz the hand's off duty!"

OH BOY.

Bacon Caramel

I'm enjoying this Visual Recipes website...visuals are helpful when you're making something you've never made before. While surfing this evening, I came across this recipe for Bacon Caramel. It sounded weird, so I thought I'd give it some love.

If you happen to try it, let me know how it turns out. I would make it with turkey bacon, just because I love that stuff, but I'm still trying to get used to the idea of bacon and caramel together...

Check the recipe here...

And check out this guy's garnish for his Filipino-style spaghetti (step 9)...so awesome! Again, so weird! I've never seen this before!!! Need a closer look? Here ya go.

Beverly Hills, 90210...the new class?

Okay, confession time. I was (and still am) a fan of Beverly Hills, 90210. Right now, in the midst of trying to finish up grad school, I'm trying to get through the seasons that are currently on DVD. HEY - Don't snicker at me! Someone you know was just as big a fan, or maybe bigger! Go make fun of them and leave me alone!

I also watched (and still watch) Saved by the Bell. The quotes abound and bring liveliness to my everyday conversations. The DVDs for seasons 1-4 are sitting in my house waiting for some love. However, please note that I did NOT enjoy Saved by the Bell, the New Class. So you can imagine the doubts that I have about a new BH90210 series. So many doubts and so many questions!

Is it really going to star Hilary Duff?
What is the likelihood of character recurrence?
Is Jennie Garth coming back as Kelly Taylor?
Will this suck?
If it does, will I still watch it?
Will I let people know that I watch it?

Arrrrrgh...so much confusion, so many decisions, what to do?!

Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert

If you've watched SNL with me, you probably know that Jimmy Fallon is my absolute favorite comedian. I was so sad when he left SNL. And I think I was the first in line to buy the "Best of SNL: Jimmy Fallon" when it came out on DVD.


Anyhow, I'm so excited today - they finally sealed the deal that has Jimmy Fallon taking over Conan O'Brien's place on the Late Night show when Conan takes over the Tonight Show when Jay Leno leaves next summer. I know it's been rumored for months and months, but now it's for real!


You know what that means for me? All my boys will be all together in a late night block of TV. Jon Stewart (The Daily Show), Stephen Colbert (The Colbert Report), and Jimmy Fallon (Late Night).

Man vs. Wild - the update

I was mistaken. There was no three day Man vs. Wild extravaganza this weekend. Only three episodes back to back on Friday night. Twice.

The real excitement returns on May 2. Prepare yourselves! It's going to be AWESOME.

If I Were A Graffiti Artist...

I would spend my time correcting all of the grammatical and punctuation mistakes on company billboards.

Example:

It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru

Corrected version:

It's what makes a Subaru a Subaru

No comma needed!

Free TCBY Yogurt for Mother's Day

Treat your Mom to a free TCBY cup or cone on Mother's Day! :)

Just a reminder for those of you who are bad with dates, Mother's Day is on Sunday, May 11 this year (2008). Show your Mom some love!

Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day 2008

Not to be outdone by Baskin Robbins 31 cent scoop deal, Ben & Jerry's just announced their annual Free Cone Day.

It will be on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Which ice cream chain is next to offer us free ice creamy goodness?? :)

Baskin Robbins 31 cent Ice Cream is Back!

Get to the couch and check under your seat cushions...time to dig out that loose change! Baskin Robbins is bringing back their 31 cent scoops...WHOOHOO!!

It will be on April 30, 2008 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Baskin Robbins will donate $100,000 to the National Fallen Figherfighters Foundation.

NKOTB

For those of you who don't know what NKOTB is, allow me to enlighten you.

New
Kids
On
The
Block

They were THE boyband - before NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. I never was a fan back in the day...I left that to my cooler friends and classmates. (I think I can only name one of them - Donny Wahlberg. Is that right?) Plus, it kinda freaked me out that they had tshirts, folders, posters, dolls, and bedspreads of these guys. I didn't understand how people could be so incredibly obsessed. Well, I guess they're giving me another chance to jump on the NKOTB bandwagon because they've reunited after a bazillion years. I think they've recruited my brother as a marketer, because he is determined that we (my brother, me, and anyone else that he can drag along with him) will be going to see this reunion...

What are the chances that you think that will happen? Sorry boys...don't think so.

Man vs. Wild Withdrawal

I LOVE Man vs. Wild. Bear Grylls - that's a man's name - travels around the world and shows me (yes, ME!!...oh, okay, others too) how to survive in the wilderness...hot, cold...you know, wilderness.

It hasn't been on for a while and I'm experiencing withdrawal symptoms. It won't be back on until April 18!!! The good news is...when it comes back, it will be in marathon-format! :) Well, not really a marathon...three in a row for three nights, I think.

I'm debating whether or not I should buy Man vs. Wild Season 1 on DVD...

Super Pii Pii Brothers

Check it out!!! Just when you thought your Wii games were getting a little boring, here come the Super Pii Pii Brothers!

Boys - this should come naturally for you...
Girls - time to beat the boys in their own territory! :)

Pizza Hut becomes Pasta Hut

Starting today, you may start seeing signs for Pasta Hut instead of Pizza Hut. That's no April Fools' joke...the folks at the former Pizza Hut are trying the name out to help them with their pasta sales. So if you're in the mood for pizza and pasta, you'll be able to get them from the Hut! I believe it's starting in Texas, so don't be disappointed if you don't see Pasta Hut right away. Pizza Hut can still bring you your pizza fix.

Seriously. Not joking. Here's the story. And their site.

Orlando Food Tour - Brio Tuscan Grille and Disney's Brown Derby

I was in Orlando for 5 days (but really just 3 days - the other two were traveling days), and I got to eat some good food!

First notable location: Brio Tuscan Grille
Sorry, West Coast folks...Brio is mostly scattered around the East Coast, and the nearest location would be in Las Vegas...
I had their Brio chopped salad (LOVED it) and Romano crusted tomatoes (these were pretty tasty too!). Then I tried one of their tiny little desserts! They have individual desserts served in little tea cups (milk chocolate caramel cake, NY cheesecake, orange creme brulee, white chocolate bread pudding, tiramisu, etc.) - the perfect size to make them hard to resist, even after a full meal! Tried the bread pudding...so good! :) It might have been a different story if it was a full-sized dessert.

Second notable location: Disney's Hollywood Brown Derby
The inventors of the Cobb Salad and the famous Grapefruit cake!
Since I got to the restaurant after they closed their kitchens, the front desk let me take a piece of their grapefruit cake to go. I stumbled across a recipe for this cake on the internets a while ago...and it was pretty good...but it definitely did not do this cake justice! Finished the whole thing myself and it made me sad that I couldn't have more. :(

Anyway, those were the two highlights. I'm so full just thinking about them...

Stylish Baby - Armani Style!

Have a baby that needs to be spoiled? Saks Fifth Avenue can help you with that...here's a glimpse into the collection.

Here's the Armani baby pacifier - a bargain at $45!!

Ikariam

It's Easter (Happy Easter, BTW) and the beginning of my spring break (which will be short-lived - ending tomorrow morning - since I am heading to Florida for a work conference tomorrow).

Everything is closed today, so I'm here at home playing Ikariam! I just started on Friday, so my town is not quite as advanced as others, but it's a pretty fun (sometimes funny) game! I'll be looking to form alliances and write up treaties soon, so join in the fun and give me some friends! :)

My Black Pen and my Voice

I lost both of these things this week. I have been sick (on and off) since the beginning of the year, so I should've seen this coming. Losing my voice was not a huge shock...it just doesn't happen very often. But my black pen...ARGH...this is what I am upset about.

I have taken a liking to the Pilot G-2 series of pens because they offer the extra fine points that I like in a pen. I've developed the habit of keeping three colors with me at all times...BUT I ALWAYS LOSE THE BLACK PEN! This is the third one I've lost. I have been able to keep the other two colors. I don't know what to do!!!! I guess I can keep buying them and losing them...but that may become a little expensive.

I'm guessing this is some mean trick that someone is playing on me. And since I lost my voice, I don't have a voice to complain about it...hence the blog vent.

Street Fighter Movie - 2009

Capcom is attempting to get a GOOD Street Fighter movie out there...this one's entitled "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li." It's scheduled to be released in 2009, and they've revealed their cast!

Kristin Kreuk will be starring as Chun-Li. I wonder if she'll have to learn Chinese...or just a good Chinese accent. She'll probably have to pick up some superhero moves from the Smallville cast.

Seeing Magic Johnson

A few of us went to watch the Lakers vs. Kings game back on March 9, and my brother got us box tickets! That meant that we used the VIP entrance, not the general entry.

As we were getting into the elevator to get to our box, I was looking around and saw this tall guy walking toward us. I didn't have my glasses on, so I squinted to get a better look. It was Magic Johnson! Crazy! I was speechless. But I wanted to make sure that the others I was with saw him, so I tried to tell them...

"Gr..."

Hmm...okay, start again...

"Grandpa...look...its...uh...Ma..Magic!"

As I was talking to my sissy this past weekend, I realized that I was completely starstruck...which is not my norm! But I asked my brother what he was thinking when he saw Magic, and he was more speechless than I was. He said that his jaw dropped and didn't come back up until the elevator door closed. Then he said, "Dang, we should've waited to take the next elevator with Magic..."

Hindsight is 20/20.

Starbucks Addiction

I think I've gotten trapped in a Starbucks addiction.

Tall or Grande Hot Chocolate, soy, with 1 pump Peppermint

It just rolls off my tongue these days...and the money just flows out of my account.
But lemme tell ya...after they closed down for retraining, the drinks have been flawless! :)

Good job, Starbucks.

Happy Pi Day

Yep...it's March 14...

3.14

I don't usually use dots when it comes to writing dates. I'm more of a slash user.

3/14

But the slash approach doesn't support today being Pi day. So just for today, I'll recognize the date as 3.14.

Happy Pi Day everyone! Eat some PIE (an explanation for those who need it - Pi and Pie sound like the same word, but they're actually different! That, my dear friends, is a great example of a homophone!) to celebrate!

Airborne Refund

Have you ever used Airborne? Some people swear by the stuff...even Oprah. Although I've never used it, I've recommended it to others...just based on the things I've heard. But we've been tricked - this product has never been clinically tested (details). False advertising? Absolutely.

The company that sells Airborne has agreed to refund customers their money - with or without a receipt. Check out this site for settlement information and the form that you'll need to fill out to get your refund.

Ben & Jerry's New Flavors for 2008

Here they are...

ONE Cheesecake Brownie
- Cheesecake ice cream with Cheesecake Brownie Chunks

Cake Batter
- Yellow Cake Batter ice cream with a Chocolate Frosting Swirl

Imagine Whirled Peace (John Lennon)
- Caramel and Sweet Cream ice creams swirled with Fudge Peace signs and Toffee Cookie Pieces

Strawberry Banana FroYo
- Strawberry Banana frozen yogurt with Strawberries and a Strawberry Swirl

Click on the New Flavor Lagoon to see them for yourselves! I've begun my search. If anyone finds them in the Los Angeles/Riverside/San Bernardino area, please let me know!!

Leap Year?

I wonder if people realize the work that is involved in determining whether or not a year is a leap year. One could try to explain it simply...by saying that it is every four years...but that is not necessarily true. You also have to look at the years that are evenly divisible by 100. This is where the fun starts!

If the year is evenly divisible by 400, it's a leap year (e.g. the years 2000 and 2400).
If the year is not evenly divisible by 400, it's not (e.g. 2100)...so don't plan on an extra day on those years.

Don't get it? It's okay. Someone in the news will remind you of what you need to know when you need to know it.

There's your brain booster for the month. Wow, that was a big one. Maybe we'll skip next month (and the next few)... :)

Trader Joe's - Save the World Lottery

I'm trying to be more environmentally friendly, so I've started to buy and use reusable grocery bags. Last night I brought one to use at Trader Joe's. I told the cashier that I had brought my own bag and she asked me, "Did you want to enter our drawing? Since you brought your own bag, you're eligible to enter the drawing to win $25 in free groceries."

Sweet! There were benefits to bringing your own bag! AND it's about time that I won something again. My answer, "SURE! Thanks!"

So she's bagging up my groceries and continues to talk, "Yeah, we have a drawing at the end of the ______*. Don't be disappointed if you don't win, though. A lot of people shop here."

* I don't remember if she said week or month...I'm pretty sure it's at the end of the week.

ARGH. Way to burst my bubble, TJs. So sad. I hope I win anyway. If not, I guess I'll just keep on trying.... You should too! Just not at my Trader Joe's. :)

A Happy Mistake

I was wrong when I thought the cookies would take a week or so to get to me. As I walked into my office this morning, they were sitting on my desk! Guess I'll be making that Samoa pie this weekend! Whoohoo!!!

Girl Scout Cookie Recipe

My brother brought home 6 dozen cookies this week, and my cousin convinced us to get banana splits this weekend, so my sugar levels are WAY high. Even so, I am soooo anxious for my Girl Scout cookies to be delivered...mostly because of this recipe (which, BTW, I found while I was doing homework...and it shows you how productive my homework time is...):

Thank Heaven for Little Girl(Scout)s Samoa Cheese Tart

Thank you for sharing, Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy (yes, that is a reference to a person!)!!

The cookies should be here in a week or so, and I'd be happy to share the finished product if anyone wants to try it! Or you may just want to make your own so you don't have to share with me! :)

Food Recall Galore

Hmm...there are two food recalls this week:

The USDA is recalling beef - 143 pounds of frozen beef, to be exact. Any guesses as to where this beef came from? California. Boo. Why? Apparently the cattle did not receive the proper inspection, therefore making this beef unfit for human consumption. The contaminated spinach already came from California...and now beef? Come on. Contamination, please choose another state.

Also in the recall news - See's chocolate chips. The packages failed to mention that the chocolate chips could contain traces of milk. So if you have milk allergies and have purchased these chocolate chips, please don't eat them! More info here...

How to make Chicken Adobo

Brush up on your Tagalog, and get ready to cook!

IHOP - Pancake Day and New Pancakes

Oh, so much to write about pancakes today!

If you happen to be near an IHOP (International House of Pancakes), stop on by and get your free pancakes. They're giving out free short stacks from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and again, all they're asking is that you consider making a donation to the Children's Miracle Network.

If you're in the mood for spending money on pancakes, they are also featuring their new Shortcake pancakes (in strawberry, blueberry, and apple). More info here...

Tim Tam Crush

Okay...I had mentioned the Tim Tam Slam a long time ago. Just to refresh your memory, that's the way that the Aussies eat their Tim Tams. They bite diagonal corners off of their Tim Tam, then use it as a straw with hot chocolate, coffee, or another beverage of their choice. As soon as the drink reaches your mouth (after traveling through the cookie), you SLAM the entire cookie into your mouth and just wait for it to meeeeeeeeeeeeelt. So yummy.

The Tim Tam CRUSH is the newest cookie in the Tim Tam line. They are available in Toffee Nut, Honeycomb, and Mocha Hazelnut flavors. I'm not sure if you can SLAM the CRUSH, since Crush cookies aren't sandwich cookies. We'll see. Check it out here!

Starbucks Super Service

I went to Starbucks yesterday. I walked in and got two very cheerful greetings…then got the most wonderful service! Here’s how it went:

Me: Could I have a tall caramel apple cider, please?
Starbucks Barista: Unfortunately, you can’t…we’re all out of cider for today…BUT, I can get you any other drink – on the house.
Me: Really? Hahah…um…could I have a tall Peppermint Hot Chocolate no whip?
SB: Sure!
Me: Oh, and could you make that soy?
SB: Of course!
Me: [reaching into my bag for my wallet]
SB: No, no…put that away. I said it was on the house!
Me: Are you sure? My order was kinda complicated…
SB: Complicated? Sweetheart, this is Starbucks! That was hardly complicated! Complicated is sugar-free, half-pump, extra room…[kept going]. Here you go…enjoy!

I’ll be going back there…probably tonight!!!

Pies and Cookies

Pepperidge Farm has expanded their collection, yet again, with their newest cookie - Montieri.

I bought some last night. They're so cute! They're like little peach, raspberry, and apple pies.

Sorry if you don't like fruit pies.

Wild Animal Crunch Cereal

Who said cereal needed to be vegetarian? This one happens to be Seal flavored! :) It doesn't say it on the box, but I'm pretty sure it's the wild animal that gives it the crunch...

Hope you all enjoy that delicious crrrrrunch!

Sucks for me!

I have a midterm tonight, and I have a migraine right now. Hopefully this headache goes away soon...I have some cramming to do!!

My Superbowl Sunday

Normally, I would watch the commercials and find something else to do during the game. This year was different. This was the first time that I watched the entire Superbowl - game and commercials. I skipped out on the half-time show because I'm not such a big fan of Tom Petty and Co. (YES, I KNOW - it's Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. I was just trying to save time, but thanks a lot, now that I had to explain it, I just used the time I saved.)

My brother and I made some AWESOME nachos - and that's basically all we ate. We started eating during the team introductions and were done about 10 minutes after kickoff. Then we all slipped into food coma that has lasted until TODAY. Maybe that's why I ended up watching the whole game - because I was too crazy tired to get up and do something else! :)

So sad for the Patriots - no perfect season.
So happy for the Giants - yay, the Manning Bros. have made history.

Now what should I eat for dinner...???

Rosegreen - New Flavor!

Rosegreen has a new flavor of frozen yogurt - PEACH!
Try it! It's so good.

Plus, they have their 1st anniversary deal:
Buy one medium with three toppings, get one small plain free.

Enjoy!

Loma Linda University - The Clinic

Third year students from Loma Linda University's School of Dentistry present their version of "The Office." Good job guys! :)

Nose News

My nephew headbutted me yesterday - in the nose. It hurt pretty bad (he has a hard head!) but the pain went away shortly after that.

BUT...later that evening, I realized that it still hurt when I touched my nose. It feels like it's bruised, but doesn't look like it...yet! So if you see me and my nose is black and blue...that's the story behind it.

Craving Churros...

Since I had the stomach flu, my appetite hasn't been normal. I crave french fries a couple times a week, but when I actually see them or smell them cooking, my stomach starts to turn and I start feeling nauseated. I went to a birthday party today and only ate half a brownie. I'm so sad...this fat kid likes to eat!!! How am I going to eat if food isn't appetizing anymore?!

Well, the answer to that is that I need to eat what I'm craving when I'm actually craving something. This weekend, I decided that churros sounded good. So my brother found a recipe for me. We had to go to Michael's to find the right piping attachment to make the churros look like churros. Lemme tell ya...they were pretty good! Plus, my brother made this chocolate sauce (it was supposed to be Mexican chocolate - like hot chocolate - for dipping...but he added more chocolate and thickened it up a little more) and the churros went from being pretty good to being pretty awesome!

Wish I would've taken a picture...but they got eaten pretty fast. Sorry. Maybe next time...
And according to my grandfather...there WILL BE a next time. (Guess he's a fan of the homemade churro!) :)

Pinkberry News

Pinkberry has added a new flavor of frozen yogurt AND a new topping!

The new flavor is...COFFEE!!
The new topping is...CHESTNUTS!!

When the cashier first told us that they have chestnuts available as a topping, I heard "Water Chestnuts." I probably need to work on my listening skills...

My brother tried the combination and he said it's pretty darn good.

We both send our compliments to whoever has to peel those chestnuts... :)

Smurf News

To celebrate their 50th anniversary, the Smurfs will be starring in a new movie!

Info here...

Can't wait!! My friends in high school used to call me Smurfette because I was short compared to them. Haha...

NBA Replay

Since Stephen Colbert can't deliver his Sport Report due to lack of a writing staff, I'm stepping in to report some sports news...

The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat are going to replay the last 51.9 seconds of a game originally played on December 19, 2007, in which the Hawks won (117-111) in OT. This hasn't happened since 1982, so if you don't believe me, well...I don't blame you. BUT, you can read it for yourself here!

Josh Smith, one of the Atlanta Hawks, can't play because he had fouled out by that point in the original game. So sorry if you're a Josh Smith fan. But don't worry, you'll see him play right after that...with the slate wiped clean.

Interestingly, Pat Riley has been involved in this kind of shenanigan before - back in 82-83...and again in the 07-08 season! How does he do it....???

It's Cold...and Time for Ice Cream

Baskin Robbins is enticing me again...with their Ice Cream + More Sugar concoctions!


Yummm....they now have a Chocolate Truffle Shake, a Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Sundae, and Fudge Crunch Cakes (copying Carvel ice cream cakes).

Yeah, like it's not enough that my family devoured an entire cow last week...(Oh, yeah, we had 3 racks of ribs, brisket, and tri-tip at Lucille's - the $300 family meal)...we have to finish off all the cow's milk in the form of macaroni and cheese, and now...ice cream.


Poor Cow...

Lucille's BBQ

I don't eat red meat, and some people think it's sad, and some people think it's dumb. Actually, I do get sad when I smell Korean BBQ or when I pass by Arby's. Anyway, ever since Lucille's BBQ opened in Victoria Gardens, I've wanted to go there.

No, not to eat ribs, although they did smell really good. They have chicken and other things, people! I've been there twice in the past week!! I'm completely content sitting there with their biscuits (with their spiced butter) and mashed potatoes while everyone else enjoys the meat. Plus, it's fun to be the not-so-messy eater at the table while everyone is getting sauce all over their faces. Hehe...

So if you ever want to go to Lucille's, I'm so there!! :)

The Brother

To continue the story about my Norovirus encounter...my brother has enjoyed this quite a bit more than I have. Just for clarification, the effects of the Norovirus includes more than just vomiting. Look it up for more detail.

Here are a couple clips from his comedy based on my experience...

CLIP #1
Bro: Hey, want to know what I can do that you can't do?
Me: [just stares at him]
Bro: [lets out a big fart] Hahahahahahahahahahaha.....

CLIP #2
Bro pours a glass of Gatorade for himself and for me.
Me: [picking up the bottle of Gatorade] I know that I didn't finish all of this by myself...
Bro: Yeah, I know. I drank it too. It would've been wasted on you...either way.
Me: [tries to hit him]
Bro: Don't make me juice you!

Happy New Year!

First post of the new year...four days into the new year. Sounds like I've been pretty busy, huh? Well, I have been! Holidays and family have kept me busy, but most importantly, I was one of the lucky participants in the Norovirus outbreak 2008! I got sick on January 2, then spent all of yesterday in bed. I'm up today and feeling human again.

If you happen to be looking for Gatorade and can't find any, it's probably because that's all I've had for the past few days, and I probably caused the shortage. :)

Anyhow, happy new year!

Olive Garden or Grape Garden?

An observation...

Look at the Olive Garden logo. I see grapes...not olives. Isn't that strange? But then again, I could be wrong. I don't like olives, and I'm not really sure what they look like outside of a jar.

Gucci Pumps

Gucci shoes ($495 for this particular pair - Malibu Mid Heel Sandal)...they may be on the Christmas list of someone you know. If this is the case, please note the following (this goes for any Gucci shoe...and this is straight from saks.com):

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, A CUSTOMER MAY ORDER NO MORE THAN THREE UNITS OF THIS ITEM EVERY THIRTY DAYS.

So...plan accordingly.

Christmas Candy

I love Christmas candy. It's the time of year when mint chocolate makes it's annual appearance. This, however, is not about mint chocolate. I got the most awesome piece of Christmas candy this past week - and I thought I'd share it with you. It doesn't have the generic or boring messages that Christmas candy usually has...you know, like "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"...instead it says...

"I promise to do better next year."

Awesome. Got it from my Secret Santa. She must know me pretty well...

My Secret Santa Strikes Again!

And again, he/she is trying to kill me. The latest weapon?

Peanut M&Ms in a tube.

Death in a tube.

With big ol' smile on it's face.

Sad Secret Santa Story

My office plays Secret Santa every year, so we're in the middle of it for this year. It's weird this year because there are so many new people in our office. And since there are so many new people, not everyone knows I'm allergic to peanuts.

I'm guessing that the person who got me is new, because I've gotten peanut butter candy from him/her twice already...the second time was this morning. I opened the door to my office and caught a whiff of the chocolate peanut butter bells that were on my desk. Nice thought, sweet gift, but OMG. This happened at 7:55 a.m. and it is now 9:25 a.m. I'm still sneezing, coughing and sniffling.

I felt bad, but I had to bring the candy out and give it to others in the office, then had to leave my office door open so I could air the office out and breathe.

Poor monkey. No laughing this morning. I'll post later with a funnier story.

My Injury...Dancing With The Stars

It's taken me a couple days to get over the shock of who won Dancing With The Stars - Season 5. But I'm still recovering from the injury that I received while watching the results show. Injury, you ask? Yes, I was injured during the results show.

I was happily watching the show on Tuesday - it was a two hour finale - and exercising on my stationary bike to feel a little more productive. Towards the end of the show something distracted me, and I lost my concentration (on the biking part). I banged my knee on the metal magazine holder. Ouch, right? Yeah, I'm clumsy, so I'm kinda used to that. What I didn't know was that I hit my knee so hard that it cut my knee - yep, drew blood. And the injured area was so swollen that it was barely bruised! I'd post a picture, but I thought I'd spare you.

So there you have it. I cut myself on a bike that doesn't even move. I'd warn you to be careful on these bikes, but I think this could only happen to me.

More Christmas Cheer!

This time, it's about the Salvation Army. This is not to make fun of the organization, just the one person that I saw at the supermarket last night. Usually they have a volunteer who stands in front of the store with the donation bucket and rings a bell.

The guy that I saw last night was the lazy version of that. He sat there next to his bucket, with a wind chime next to him. He occasionally pulled at the string to make the wind chimes sound, but most of the time, it was the wind doing the actual work. Way to give your all to the cause! :)

Speaking of Christmas Shoes...

My brother shared with me his perspective on the song (Christmas Shoes). And no, he was not trying to tell me how wonderfully sweet the little boy was. Here's his take...

The song is about a salesman-in-training...someone that my brother would like to hire. He admires the little boy's entrepreneurial spirit - going out to buy something that is initially out of his price range, but using his persuasive techniques to have complete strangers contribute to a cause that they know little about. Not only that, the kid says "Could you hurry sir..." Not only is the kid convincing strangers to give him money, he's tellin them to hurry up!

Who would've thought that this song could relay so many different messages...

Stephen Colbert doesn't support Halloween because he believes that it is panhandling...and that it is training children to be beggars. I wonder if he'd think the same thing about this song.

Jim Brickman

My apologies to the talented Jim Brickman, but everytime I hear the introduction to his arrangement of "Angels We Have Heard on High," I think that it is the introduction to the socially irresponsible song "Christmas Shoes" and I start to get irritated.

But if you ever talk to him, please assure him that I really do enjoy his arrangement...once I get over the thoughts of Christmas Shoes.

Time to Cook!

In all the years that I have played around (and cooked) in the kitchen, I've never owned an apron! This year, that has changed. I bought myself an apron...and not any old apron, a Williams-Sonoma apron! It kinda looks like this...

...but it's a pale green. I bought it a couple months ago, but I haven't used it yet. I'll be using it this week as I cook for Thanksgiving...and pre-Thanksgiving! :) Good luck to everyone in their cooking endeavors this week!

Mmm... Vegetables!

Green Giant has new products that will help you trick your kids (or yourself) into eating vegetables! The first ones are called GiantBites - "nuggets" of broccoli and cheese or corn and butter that are breaded to disguise them!

They also have cartoons (SpongeBob and Dora) on bags of frozen veggies so the kids will see them and beg you to buy them! And they've set up a website for kids so they can play and be tricked even further into eating vegetables!

Our lesson today: Don't forget to eat your veggies! :)

My Drivers License Renewal

2:55 - Enter DMV and jump into line, fill out my renewal form, and wait for my turn at the counter.

After I was called, I handed the lady my forms, she updated my information, then said, "Alright...time to test your vision...do you wear glasses or contacts?"
Me: "Umm...[squinting]...I was trying to do it without them..." - I had actually even tried practicing at an empty counter before they called my number.
DMV lady: [starting to chuckle] "Oh, okay, go ahead...right up there..."[pointing to the chart on the other side of the building!!]
Me: [thinking, 'awwww, crap, it's too far!!'] "I guess I DO need them."

I've never seen a government employee laugh so hard on the job. It was so nice of her to humor me.

3:12 p.m. - Leave DMV with a new driver's license! I love the DMV! :)

Silver Springs, MD - Jr. Food Tour

This past week, I was in Maryland for a conference. I was lucky to have a cousin to take me out on a little food tour. Here's how it went...

We had dinner at a lounge named Local 16. It was the first time that I have gotten carded without actually wanting to. I actually didn't even understand the guy when he asked to see my ID. It's Zagat-rated...and it was some good eating. When I tried to pay the bill, I learned that my cousin had the reflexes of a cat. She cleared off half the table when she reached for the bill. She sent the salt and pepper shakers flying off the table into my lap (I guess that's what I get for trying to get the bill), and emptied her wallet onto the floor. It was awesome. The waitress started laughing and stayed to chat a little. We found out that she's from Poland, and is learning Spanish so she could visit Brazil...where they speak Portugese. Go figure.

Then we went for dessert at Cosi. We had make-your-own smores...with graham crackers and giant Oreos. So fun.

End of meal...time to shop for food.

Whenever I'm on the East Coast, there's one thing that I look for to bring back with me - Drake's Coffee Cakes. Yes, I know that you can buy them on the internets (no, not "internet"), but I'm too cheap to pay for shipping. So I shop for these lovely treats whenever I can. This usually means a trip to the grocery store with my friends who live in the areas that I visit. My cousin had never heard of these delicious wonders, THEN she decided to take me on a hunt to find them so I could bring them home. Here's how our trip went:

CVS Pharmacy
- Only had Hostess and TastyKake treats. Next...

Giant Supermarket
- YEAH - Drake's Display. Oh. No cakes...Only other Drake's stuff. Gotta try again...

Rite Aid
- Same as CVS. Hmm...starting to suck for me...

7-11
- Nope. Nothing. Not even Simpson stuff. Onward...

Safeway
- CLOSED. What supermarket closes before 11 p.m.???? Argh...Starting to get discouraged...

GIANT #2 - Our Last Hope
- Location: 5 minutes away from her house

- Yessssss. 8 boxes of cakes!! How many should I buy??
- Supermarket Voice: "Attention Giant customers: The time is now 10:55, and we will be closing in 5 minutes. Please make your selections and proceed to the front counter. Thank you."
- Cousin: All EIGHT...hurry, I'll help you!

So there you have it. I came home with 8 boxes of coffee cakes. Half of them have been claimed by the family. Four more to go. Luckily I'll be back on the East Coast in March. :)

Airplane Seats

Okay, so you've probably heard the debate about whether airlines should charge their larger customers to purchase two seats. I've always sided with the larger customer when it came to these debates...up until yesterday...when the perspective changed a bit...

Wanna know why? Get ready - this story requires audience participation.

I was sitting on my plane, getting ready to fly back to Los Angeles from Houston (my layover from DC) last night. In our row of three seats, there was a larger lady sitting in the window seat, an empty seat, and me sitting in the aisle seat. We were so happy! We were going to have some extra room in our row to relax on the way home! (audience: applause) But then came the standby passengers (audience: BOO! HISS!). Two of them. A skinny guy and a bigger lady. Which do you think chose to sit with us in our row? (audience: choose an answer)

If you guessed NOT the skinny guy, you are CORRECT! Do you know what that meant for me? I spent a whole three hours getting pushed into the aisle (since she hung her arm over the armrest and took some of my seat), which means that I got hit by the drink cart and by the attendants. I was also sporadically poked by this lady's elbow (she was right-handed and doing Sudoku the whole trip back).

So anyway, I've kinda changed my mind about the whole paying for two seats debate. Instead, I think that the airlines should create bigger seats and make everyone happy. I might revert back to my old decision once my body realigns and the sympathy from my heart can once again reach my head.

Fortune Cookies - Beware!

For those of you who enjoy reading nice fortunes at the end of your delicious Chinese meal, beware! Fortune cookie makers (Wonton Food of New York) are starting to add bad fortunes to their fortune database. If you don't believe me, read it for yourself!

Maybe it's a good time to stop believing in those good fortunes (did you really think that you're so fortunate?! :)).

RoseGreen Frozen Yogurt

And in the city of Glendale, it goes by the name of RoseGreen (on Brand Blvd between Lexington and California streets)!

There are others, like Dolci Mango, but my tastebuds prefer the RoseGreen products. If you're a Pinkberry hater, this may be the place for you. The differences? They use Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries (yay), and THERE'S PARKING AVAILABLE! (Pinkberry=no parking, hence the hate from me)

At RoseGreen, you can see what all the fuss is about, and you don't have to give any of your money to the Pinkberry empire. The only difference is....they offer more than just the plain and green tea flavors. Yesterday, my sissy and I tried their raspberry - which was pretty good, but I still prefer the plain.

They're party of the Los Angeles frozen yogurt wars (check the article if you wish!).

Bling H2O

So I'm almost over the Evian superstar water, and I was getting back to my normal cravings for regular bottled and tap water (hmm...but they're the same thing, right?). Along comes my friend Donald to introduce me to the latest thing on my wish list - Bling H2O! Apparently this is Paris Hilton's water of choice, and it was featured at this year's Emmy after parties. Check it out - and laugh at the ridiculousness! :)

Frosted glass bottles...Swarovski crystals...can't wait to taste the water!! Hahah...then fill it with my regular tap water! :)