ICYMI More Instagram videos: free candy is good candy and an Elysium video review

In Case You Missed It (because I posted these at 1am in the morning and somehow you’re online at 10p on a Friday) Continue reading “ICYMI More Instagram videos: free candy is good candy and an Elysium video review”

The strange affair of the brioughnut

I didn’t know about the absurd bakery craze that is the cronut until after I had left New York.  Am I foolish enough to wait in line for hours in the very early morning?  For two donuts?

… maybe.  What’s the weather like?

Anyhow, a local bakery introduced their donut variant, the brioughnut.  Their website describes it as “A sophisticated hybrid of the all-American doughnut and rich, flaky layers of brioche dough, handcrafted from scratch and laminated using the finest European butter.” Continue reading “The strange affair of the brioughnut”

Vromans Pop Up sucks up my cash

Oh Vromans. You are my local independent bookstore and I have given you lots of my moneys. I am the mayor of your Hastings Ranch branch and for some reason you think my address is the location of your old Museum Store on Lake Avenue. But when you tweeted that you opened up a temporary Pop Up store so like a fool I came by and purchased seventeen books at a time when I wasn’t looking for books to read.  (Of course they’re all remainders but they were half off the stickered price)

Selections include:

  1. Blue Bloods the graphic novel
  2. Smollett’s The Expedition of Humphry Clinker!  “The most laughable story that has ever been written since the goodly art of novel-writing began”
  3. American Turnaround.  I remember Ed Whitacre was on like The Daily Show or something.
  4. Fresh Off the Boat.  I saw this in Entertainment Weekly and had no intention of purchasing it.
  5. Native Son.  Also known as a book I didn’t read in high school.
  6. The Orphan Master’s Son.  Also known as the book that John Green says beats The Fault In Our Stars.  I don’t know if it’s better or if people just vote for it more or who knows what.
  7. Every You, Every Me.  A novel by David Levithan that I did not enjoy.  As I recall I purchased the eBook and was hoping that seeing the pictures on paper would be an improvement.
  8. You Killed Wesley Payne.  I just met Sean Beaudoin and sadly he went back home to Seattle so it’s not going to be easy to get him to sign this copy but I remember looking at it in bookstores before.
  9. Divergent.
  10. In-N-Out Burger.  I own this in hardcover but it’s in boxes.
  11. The Lightning Thief.  Maybe I’ll even get around to Sea of Monsters in time for the movie!
  12. Scarlet.  I forget if I got this in ARC at ALA.  But if not, here it is!
  13. Distrust That Particular Flavor.
  14. Immortal City.  Because you know, unrealistically beautiful angels need to be objectified in text.
  15. and a signed copy of Reached!

A Horrible Host: Beware of Shiny Aliens Who Want You to Live like Canadians

Last night I went to the Arclight Pasadena with Alethea to see a midnight screening of the Host.  I believe we both went in knowing that Rotten Tomatoes was currently listing it as 10% (update: now 12%) but we both have higher than average tolerance for bad content.  (My opinion. I also like to complain about inferior content so that could have increased my desire to go.)

After waiting in line for hours to see Stephenie Meyers and the cast of the Host at the Grove, how could I not see the movie?  And it took me several days to finish the book which I did.  I was somehow dedicated to the idea that I was going to endure this … movie.  And so with the help of Frank, the best Arclight Pasadena greeter and a manhattan made with jack, I tried to sit through the invasion of shiny aliens who want you to live like Canadians. Continue reading “A Horrible Host: Beware of Shiny Aliens Who Want You to Live like Canadians”

Trader Joe’s Espresso Pillows

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I found a tin of amazing awesome delicious crack at Trader Joe’s.  Espresso Pillows which are self-described as “crunchy toffee espresso bits covered in dark chocolate.”  I describe them as an amazing taste explosion of tasty bits.  I like chocolate covered espresso beans but the addition of toffee makes it even better.

Serving size about 22 pieces (15g), 70 calories.

This is a positive review. One super happy face.

Trader Joe's
467 N Rosemead Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91107

Jammie Dodgers

I was at Cost Plus when I came across some Jammie Dodgers and of course I’ve heard about Jammie Dodgers because I watch Doctor Who.  Of course, being American means not having first hand experience with things like the Cheeky Chicken of Nandos (WHY IS NANDOS CHEEKY? Or rather, how) and of course the Jammy Dodger.

 Jammie Dodgers

 

And then I didn’t buy any because I thought oh my, it’s a pack of biscuits (cookies) and I’ll just eat them all and get fat.  I have so many containers of foodstuffs I’ve purchased and I haven’t eaten because I don’t want to open it because an unopened container of sweets doesn’t hurt anyone.  Well…I guess theoretically someone who needs to eat the sweets to survive but I refuse to acknowledge the existence of sugar vampires.

Look at me rambling on…

I made my purchases and went out to the car and sat for a bit considering and then I looked at the picture I had taken inside the store and then came to the conclusion that it was only $1.99 and I could probably distribute them to others.  So yes, I went back in and purchased them.

Taste wise, it reminded me of a mild shortbread and … swedish fish.  I like swedish fish, but I expected it to be more jammy.  I guess I could include a picture of the biscuit but they’re in another room now and if I open the bag again I might just eat another.

It gets one smiley face out of one smiley face.  This is a positive review.

Cost Plus World Market
3655 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91107