Six Pack Sunday: Stuffed to the Brim

August 7, 2011August 7, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 14 Comments

Good evening folks!

I just hate that the weekend’s coming to an end, as this one was stuffed (in all senses of the word!) Stuffed with fun, stuffed with friends, and stuffed with food! My tummy feels like it’s going to pop (when it rains, it pours with eating for me, I think.) Luckily, tomorrow a new day, a new week, and right back to the grindstone. There were some funny things, silly thoughts, and random questions to make up this week’s Six Pack Sunday!!

I had an excellent time at Beer, Bourbon, and BBQon Friday. But even before we got into the festival, I saw something that made me chuckle.
"Beer speaks... People mumble."

So true, Lagunitas (a brewery I’m rather fond of, actually.)
Ever had a Coronarita?
BEER MARGARITA HYBRID?! Yes, please.

Well…. I have.

iDelicioso!

Jealous? Should be.
Ryan hates having folks at restaurants sing happy birthday to him (or to draw any attention to himself at a restaurant whatsoever.) Regardless, at On the Border(same spot I got that Coronarita!), our server, Bob, redeemed his somewhat-lame service with a total stealth birthday surprise.
Sneaky, sneaky sir.

I still wish we’d sung, but I hate to embarrass people (wait a minute…. I love to do that, and to make a scene. But I figured the best present I could give my beau would be to not shame him in front of his father, stepmother, and a number of strangers. Happy Birthday, dear.)
Last night, I think we spent an hour (11pm-midnight) watching “America’s Cutest Dog.”(spoiler alert: the winner is below)

Spudgy was the winner, by a landslide. It is quite possibly the most adorable sleepy pomeranian, Spudgy, who was trying SO hard to stay awake…. but it just wasn’t in the cards, Spudge. I’m sorry, but great job on getting back up! I promise, you weren’t missing much.
As I chopped up my eggplant for my “omelet” this morning (I put “omelet” in quotation marks because I may be the worst egg flipper known to mankind and it always just ends up as a sorta egg scramble omelet-wannabe), I couldn’t help but wonder “Why on Earth are eggplants called “egg”plants?”
Egg. Plant. "omelet"

Well, I went searching, and here’s what I found out:

The name of eggplant was given it by Europeans in the middle of the eighteenth century because the variety they knew had fruits that were the shape and size of goose eggs. That variety also had fruits that are a whitish or yellowish colour rather than the wine purple that is more familiar to us nowadays. So the sort they knew really did look as though it had fruits like eggs. Source – Michael Quinion’s World Wide Words

Now you know!
If you’ve ever been to a movie theater, you’ve probably seen this poster:
Old as Dirt Ratings Poster

Today, after seeing Captain America (which I LOVED, and not even just for Chris Evan’s smoking bod)

No, don't worry, I'm totally watching the plot.

I couldn’t help but look at that poster…. and wonder what that SHADY rabbit is doing in the bottom left. If he couldn’t see the PG-13 movie (note the young lady blocking his eyes, probably from the nude scenes), he certainly shouldn’t be allowed to see an NC-17 flick! Maybe that’s why he’s got the glasses on…. some sort of disguise.

Let’s be honest, bunny, you’re not fooling anyone.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, loveys! I’m off to watch Sturgis: Cops. It’s like the show, Cops…. only with more bikers.

Envy me, please.

Six Pack Sunday: Leftover Wedding Bits

July 31, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

Hey all!

I know I’ve been off my Six Pack Sunday game for a little while, there’s been tons of traveling and very little time to sum up the bits and pieces of my life a la previous Six Pack Sundays. But this past weekend, with the wedding, there were a bunch of little pieces that were hilarious and I wanted to share but didn’t fit into the primping and pictures sections.

So now I present:

Six Pack Sunday, the Leftover Wedding Bits!

Body Builder’s Booty Blunder
So, unbeknownst to the wedding planners, I’m sure, there was a huge body building competition happening at the hotel we were staying at. Everywhere we looked, there were giant, bronzed, muscular men and women rubbing oil on their bodies and practicing poses in the lobby bathroom. The best, though, was when I was in the fitness room early Saturday morning (since I’m an early bird and all.) As the muscled men and women filed into the small fitness room, clearly disappointed with the lack of weights over 80 lbs, one of them hopped onto the treadmill and that’s when I saw it.

White shorts + self tanner = the appearance of poop. It's simple math, people.

It was too funny to not creep a stealthy picture. He probably ended up winning the competition, but also won my heart with that sexy poop stains.
West Virginia: Classiest state ever?
On our drive to Pittsburgh, we stopped at a gas station in West Virginia for some gas and to relieve my tiny bladder. While inside, I spotted this little gem:

At least they're owning it.

As much as it pained me, I left without buying it. Ah, the one that got away…..
Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends.
Sometimes, when I see rogue bottles of champagne left by the folks at Izzazzu that are going to be thrown away…. I just can’t help myself.

Yup, snagged that from the table after it was orphaned by the other bridal party... Very sneaky, sir.
Steam Ghost
There may or may not have been a ghost in the steam room.

Casper? Is that you?

Whatever it was, it definitely led to a very sweaty Jordan. But that also may be contributed to the 40 minutes of cardio earlier.

Cute, right?
Ketchup is for lovers.
Aren’t these wedding favors just the cutest?

Heinz baby!

Alas, for me, that entire bottle is probably one burger’s worth of ketchup, so I’ll have to save it for a special occasion. Or a special burger.
Elliptical… of the future!
Anyone ever workout on one of these?

SO MANY BUTTONS!

On it, you could track your distance as a 5K, on a mountain, around a track, or watch tv! It was the most hi-tech piece of cardio equipment I’ve ever worked with, and I imagine that, in the future, ellipticals will eventually give you back massages, do your laundry, and compliment your outfits as well. In the meantime, though, this will have to do.

Enjoy your Sunday, ladies and gents, and I promise, this is the last wedding post!! Before you know it, I’ll be posting crazy things like beer reviews, workouts, and food again… Sounds nuts, right?

Six Pack Sunday: Anniversary Sale and Aversion to Pale

July 10, 2011July 10, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 6 Comments

Good day friends, despite my claims of how lovely this Sunday is, I’ll confess, I only have left the apartment to grab supplies for breakfast this morning. We whipped up some egg sandwiches (combo 1 full egg + 1 egg white, some REAL bacon, and some low fat cheddar on a sandwich thin.) It was divine, and it felt especially naughty to be eating real bacon. But sometimes, turkey bacon or fake-in (read: veggie bacon) won’t cut it for me.

This Six Pack Sunday is brought to you by the fine makers of UV rays (i.e. our good friend, Mr. Sunshine) and Nordstrom. My favorite things.

No, definitely not that Mr. Sunshine.

Without those two, my week wouldn’t have been as fantastic as it was! So here it is:

Six Pack Sunday

Since I’ll be heading up to OCNJ again this coming weekend, I’ve started scoping out a few other things I wanted to do but simply didn’t have time to do over Independence Day weekend. One of the biggest ones that I’d like to do, and have wanted to do since I started liking seafood, was visit one of the infamous seafood spots that my mom and dad always used to go to when I was growing up. Top of the list? Smitty’s Clam Bar (I searched far and wide for a website for them, to no avail… maybe they’re keeping it old school.) I remember coming here all the time growing up, and my mom would always get the most amazing looking clam chowder and fried clams, but as lovely as they looked, the idea of seafood skeeved me out. Now… well now it’s all I want. Also on the potential list: Yesterday’s or Obadiah’s. Basically anywhere great that can serve me fishies is all I want.
Fish are friends. And fish are FOOD!

On Thursday, I had an appointment with my personal Nordstrom consultant, Amy, to preview the Anniversary Sale. It was the most amazing shopping experience of my life. She had pulled all the watches and purses that I wanted to see, and brought me through the tents of racks full of deeply discounted things. She also brought me a beverage to enjoy as I scanned the piles and hangers full of clothes.
Sipping my complimentary soda while I wait for my consultant.

I’ll be honest, though I saw many things I was fond of in the catalog and online, I really only truly intended to buy ONE.

Happy (early) Birthday to ME!!

Oh, it is love.

The Michael Kors watch of my dreams. I had been eyeing this puppy since they came out, but when I saw the prices drop so low AND was sent a Nordstrom note for $20, the time just seemed right. My birthday isn’t until August 24th (MARK YOUR CALENDARS!), but the sale ends when July ends, and I know the catalog things go fast. My other early birthday present will be my trip to the Healthy Living Summit in Philadelphia, so if you’re going too, be sure that I’ll be celebrating early Friday and Saturday night!!

Though I only had my eyes on the watch at first, that didn’t stop me, from blowing my paycheck on a few other goodies. Woops.

My haul!!

Two pairs of Nike Running shorts, one pair of Nike capris with a wide pink band, one pair of Under Armour capris, and the Zella blue hoodie. Not too shabby.

On the same note of Nordstrom, when I was going through my bag, I realized that the pair of pants that I’d bought had not been included. Either someone misplaced it, or it was set aside, but either way, it didn’t come home with me! Well, I called them back, spoke to my personal stylist, and she immediately apologized profusely and offered to drive them over to me. TALK ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE?! Any of you who shop at Nordstrom, I am sure, are aware of their impeccable service. You may not know, though, that it’s a long standing tradition and that their old handbook used to be a single note card with only 75 words on it.Welcome to NordstromWe’re glad to have you with our Company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them.
Nordstrom Rules: Rule #1: Use best judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules.

Please feel free to ask your department manager, store manager, or division general manager any question at any time. – Source

Though their handbook has expanded, their basic concept of service and judgment has not changed. It’s a beautiful thing.

Jalapeno Poppers. They’re a true love of mine, though I rarely indulge because they’re often fried, filled with gooey fatty cheese, and not something I spend my money on. HOWEVER, the ones at OnlyBurger (which used to just be a food truck, and now has established a fantastic mortar and brick storefront) were off the chain!!
Bacon wrapped, not fried, and fantastic

They were wrapped in bacon, very fresh jalapenos, and stuffed with cheddar and (get ready, all you Southern food lovers, to have your mouths watering) PIMENTO CHEESE!! I also had a lamb slider, and the prices were so so reasonable, it was perfect. You can follow OnlyBurger on Twitter to see specials, and find out where they are bringing the truck next!! But seriously, if you hate chasing cars (i.e. if you’re not a dog…) go to the restaurant. It’s also the neighbor of my favorite froyo place… Tutti Frutti! Dinner and dessert within a few feet? You can’t beat it!

I may have a problem… An addiction to collecting pint glasses.
That's not even close to all of them.

It’s getting out of control. Luckily, my apartment complex did me a solid and thought of this when they offered giant bookcases in every apartment. I’m a lucky duck.

The sunshine is my true love. I’ve been trying to make sure that I have enough of a tan to rock my bridesmaid dress for my best friend’s wedding in two weekends, which results in lots of this:
Thank goodness for that Kindle.

Which basically translates to I’m cranking so hard through that book!! And those UV Indexes are my second favorite reading material.

Ok, well we’re off to celebrate my beau’s father’s impromptu Vegas wedding tonight with dinner, so I guess I should probably shower.

Have a great evening, and good luck getting back into the swing of things tomorrow! Dreadful Mondays…. This is what I think of them!

Rawrrrrrrrr!! GO AWAY MONDAY!

Anything good coming up for you this week?

Six Pack Sunday: Tuesday Edition

July 5, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 9 Comments

Ladies, gentlemen, and everything between: Life got in the way of blogging this week (with the exception being my Beach Bunny donut journey post). Accustomed to having the entire summer to soak up the sun, sand, and all the glory of OCNJ, America’s Greatest Family Resort (I believe this statement 118%), when I can only go on a few select weekends living 400 miles away, I try to jam-pack all the fun I can. Since I don’t want to bore you with every miniscule detail of my trip (false: I really do wanna bore you with it, but I’m too considerate to explain my deep thoughts on Monkey Bread vs. Kohr Bros [team Monkey 4 LYFE!]), it only made sense to sum things up with a (belated) Six Pack ~~Sunday~~ Tuesday.

Six Pack Sunday: This time, it’s ~~Personal~~ Tuesday

My best friend surprised us all on Saturday night by making an impromptu trip to the shore house. I waited on the porch for her, and greeted the girl the only way I know how:
One for me, One for Rach!

AND A SURPRISE PHOTO SHOOT THE SECOND SHE LEFT THE CAR!

Clearly, she was excited for the photog-attack.

Rachel is one of the most inspiring humans I know, having been diagnosed with breast cancer at the insanely young age of 23. Through the ~~countless~~ 71 doctor appointments (just fact checked with her), a double mastectomy, and never once dropping the ball as she finished every class at Pennyslvania College of Optometry and is about a year away from being a Doctor of Eyeballs. Every time we’re together, it’s like we’re 11 again, and I love that she brings that out in me.

Beach babes!
I got the most amazing ring that I’ve ever owned on the boardwalk. The Spot on the OCNJ boardwalk is normally much too trendy for me. Trendy, of course, pairing nicely with expensive. But, sometimes you see something you can’t pass up. You ask a stranger for a coupon. And you walk out wearing this:
Tentacles + Bling = My new hotness

Needless to say, I only took it off to apply sunscreen.
Rogue hairs. We’ve all had them. They are normally a single freakishly long body hair somewhere like the arm, the neck, or, in some very rare occasions, on your back right by your armpit.
Ahhhh!! MUTANT HAIR!!

Thanks to Rachel’s keen eye, we found it before the night’s activities began on Sunday. Which brings me to my next point…
A REAL-LIFE SIX PACK SUNDAY!!
The Trail Mix Sampler by Tommyknocker Brewery, brought to ~~you~~ me and Rachel by our fabulous sommelier of suds:

Thank you, fine sir.

I’ll be honest, we didn’t do a formal review of them all, it was more of an impromptu tasting. But there were definitely highlights (and, alas, lowlights) to this trail mix taste fest!

Tiny Cups + lotsa chips = ingredients for a perfect pre-party sipping soiree!

The lowlights: Jack Whacker Wheat Ale and Ornery Amber (though this site calls it Vienna Amber?) were my least favorite. Partly due to the fact that they didn’t really taste very good, but more because they were ones that I expected the most flavor from and actually delivered the least.

The highlights: Maple Nut Brown Ale was Rachel’s favorite, just as she expected, but I was pleasantly surprised with how fond I was of this chocolatey, nutty beer. My favorite was the Alpine Glacier Pilsner Lager, another surprise as I very rarely go for the Pilsners… Fresh and flavorful, it was a winner.

My favorites in order (left = winner, right = no thanks.)

All in all, not my favorite six-pack as a whole, but there were definitely a few tasty brews, worth checking this brewery out if you’re able to get some/near Idaho Springs, Colorado.
Thanks to a post by Anne of fANNEtastic food, I was inspired to volunteer to whip up some tasty dessert for the family BBQ. All it took was 2 packages of fresh strawberries, Tollhouse Premier White Chocolate Morsels, and a bottle of bright blue sugar crystals. Melt that chocolate, dip those strawberries, then dive them right into the blue. Red, white, and blue stripes. Fresh and sweet, so delicious.
USA!! (United Strawberries of America)

Thanks to Anne, these treats were the MVP of the night. Maybe I’m biased, but this tray (toted around by Ryan, my beau!) was wolfed down faster than you can sing “God Bless America!”

Whoah, whoah, plenty to go around!
My patriotic bathing suit, which I have (painstakingly) been saving since I got it my first Six Pack Sunday was a total hit.
Stars, stripes, and sisters (from different misters)

I also spent the second half of the 4th of July rocking my new Ole Miss shirt by School House that I purchased at their sample sale a few weeks back! So much patriotism.

Ole Miss, by Damn!

And, since I’m two days late, here’s two other random bits…
Weirdest parts of the weekend?
Salon by Jordan

Washing a friend’s hair before we rushed off to see the fireworks and…. maybe some other late night shenanigans happened on the beach late at night.

Piles of clothes on the sand near the ocean? Bare legs? Your guess is as good as mine...

Oh, hijinx.
Fireworks. They were gorgeous, and I observed them with almost religious reverance, only instead of shouting out AMEN when the spirit moved me, I hollered out different names (none official). My favorites: Golden showers, the dirty olive (green with a tiny red circle inside), Saturn’s Disco (with the ring around it), and Glitter Shots (which should speak for themselves.)
The most beautiful part of the weekend.

Fireworks are my favorite things, and any holiday that features them is A-OK with me. Hence: the 4th is always my favorite.

To continue the patriotism that is my life, I think I’ll go watch the tail end of some 24 and hit the hay REALLLL early tonight.

How were your 4th celebrations? Or Canada Day?

Do you like fireworks or, like my puppies, are you petrified of them?

Six Pack Sunday

June 19, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

Hey hey crazy kids! It’s been a long weekend that involved over 300 miles of driving to/from Charlotte, NC, an exciting night out with a lemon (yes, the citrus fruit) as my plus one, and a roller coaster of bodily feelings (nausea, pain, exhilaration, fatigue, and I’m sure all sorts of other stuff.) The past week has been an odd one, and, if you have been following, you know why. Cliff Notes Version: Started feeling a tooth infection on Sunday and Monday, diagnosed on Tuesday, couldn’t eat solid foods all those other days, until I started painkiller on Thursday. I’m still not 100%, but I’ll see an oral surgeon tomorrow and hopefully it’ll get resolved.

On Saturday morning, I wrote a pretty hilarious summary of what goes on in my head during a typical Body Pump class here, take a look if you missed it (and I guess, don’t hold it against me if you don’t think it’s funny. I laughed the whole time while writing it, but I was on painkillers so you can never be too sure…)

Six Pack Sunday, y’all

On Wednesday, I went to the grocery store in hopes to find something that I could eat with a mouth that didn’t work (at least the right side of it) and also without mind-searing pain. I grabbed ingredients for smoothies in a bowl when I saw this:
Yes, that's the vast array of baby food offered at my local Harris Teeter

I spent a solid 4 minutes contemplating buying baby food. I am a 23 year old woman. This was what I was reduced to. Please, don’t look at me.
I can’t stand hotdogs if they’re cooked in a microwave or boiled. That being said, this new product (Happy Hot Dog Man) makes them in the shape of happy men.
So happy to be eaten!!

Maybe I will reconsider nuking my dogs if I can dress them up like hula hooping ladies! (probably not)
If you have an international market or Indian specialty food store near you, search for a box that looks like this:
Healthy Tiffin Kofta Curry = FINGER LICKIN' TIFFIN!

I can’t find a website for this company, but I picked up one of these Healthy Tiffin frozen meals the other day on a whim, hoping that I could get an Indian food fix without indulging quite as much (Indian food = salty, fatty, and a little pricey for this broad). For 400 calories and 9 grams of fiber, this was FANTASTIC. Soooo much more flavor than your standard frozen meal. Find them, eat them all, and maybe they’ll put up a website.
The following adult beverage should never be consumed.
MD 20/20 aka Mad Dog 20/20 aka Revolting

Apparently, MD 20/20 is bottled by the 20/20 wine company in Westfield, NY. In Chapel Hill, it’s affectionately known as “bum wine.” I had never tried this before Friday night, when I ventured one sip of each of these flavors. Electric Watermelon and “Bling Bling” Blue Raspberry. First off, those should never be flavors of anything. Second of all, they both just tasted like radioactive colors. You know, like when you were little and people asked what your favorite flavor of Italian ice was, and you just responded “BLUE!” Imagine that… on crack. Avoid like the plague.
If you like fashion, and also are obsessed with your University/College/Alma Mater (GO HEELS!! I BLEED CAROLINA BLUE WOOOOO!!), let me tell you about the coolest clothing company I’ve heard about in the past 2 years. School House Clothing, based in Durham, NC, is a brand that makes the most fashionable collegiate clothing I’ve ever seen and, best part, they are fully dedicated to running business practices that allow their company to be a sustainable organization. From the website:
In 2007, Rachel Weeks traveled to Sri Lanka as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar on a mission to bring better collegiate apparel to her alma mater. Not just better designs, better fit, and better quality, but with a better story… she teamed up with Colleen McCann, fashion designer extraordinaire, and ALARM, a Sri Lankan coalition of labor rights organizations and trade unions, to launch a brand that brings ethical fashion to universities everywhere.

First and foremost, School House is about people. We pay premium prices to our suppliers to ensure that living wages are being paid in the manufacturing facilities producing our brand. Why? Because School House believes that a free but fair fashion market is possible, and that when it teams up with quality design, it’s unstoppable. Of course, we have a long way to go on the road to running a sustainable business. But we’re learning – every day, and t-shirt by t-shirt – how to build a better brand.

My thoughts: The clothing fits pretty snug, but looks fantastic (sometimes you just have to go up a size).

Rocking the Ole Miss shirt in honor of the beau's school: ethical and fashionable

Check them out, buy their clothes, and be more stylish than your friends.
On Saturday evening, we stopped by Brixx Pizza in Charlotte for a beer and some nibblers. Before our food came, I stopped by the bathroom. In the handicapped restroom, this was the scene:
The lemon was my own personal addition...

I know that women like to go to the bathroom in groups, but never in my entire life have I thought to myself “I wish I had a buddy here to hold my hand as I used the facilities.” Because that’s how close we would be, if someone sat in that chair. Silly planning, Brixx. Tasty pizza, though.

So yes, those are the thoughts that tie up the loose ends from this weekend. If you weren’t sure about the lemon, here’s the explanation. On my way to visit my friend, I purchased the ingredients to make a beer/lemonade shandy with a lemon garnish. Only I never used the garnish, and just left it in my purse. Of course, when we went out, and I had a lemon with me, I decided to show it a good time. The lemon definitely hit the town hard. The only awkward part?

Sorry that I'm about to drink your relatives, little lemon

Woops. Lemon drop shot, in front of a lemon? That’s like going to a steakhouse with a cow. Shame, shame. That sums up this week’s Six Pack Sunday, off to watch the only sure thing in my entire life:

Inevitable Sunday Night Law & Order Marathon FTW!!

How was your weekend?

Do you like hotdogs? What if they’re in the shape of tiny people?

Six Pack Sunday: First Edition

June 12, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

Over the past week, there have been a few little snippets of my life where I’ve thought to myself “man, that was funny/silly/weird/awesome. I’d like to blog about that, but I doubt I could write a whole entry regarding it.” Then it hit me like a brick over the head (which is an extremely effective way to hit someone): I’ll merge them all into one silly wonderful post!

Once a week, on Sunday (barring any natural disasters that discourage me from writing it on Sunday) I will write a post titled Six Pack Sunday which will contain SIX things that I’ve been thinking about or excited about or disappointed in or anything like that. Sort of my way of tying up loose ends from the rest of the week, so I can start fresh and new on Monday. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you

The Inaugural Six Pack Sunday

There’s nothing worse than finishing a pack of Arnold’s Sandwich Thins. It’s like saying good bye to a delicious friend that has been there for you through thick and thin(s). Breakfast to dinner. Sometimes snacktime. However, I have found a way to cope with this grief, this sense of loss. And it involves tuna fish sandwiches. If you are not a fan of tuna sammies, feel free to look away, skip to #2, or substitute your favorite tuna sandwich-esque salad like chicken or egg. Make the tuna as you normally would (I like mine with a can of Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore and about two spoonfuls of Hellman’s Low Fat Mayo). Add whatever seasonings you normally do. Now, here’s the sad part: Remove your final Sandwich Thin from the bag (this works best with 7 grain or, in my case, the Naturals Whole Wheat Flax and Fiber.) Placing that aside, here’s where it gets glorious. Dump all the seeds, the bits and pieces of flax and goodness that have fallen off your sandwich thins in days of old, into your prepared tuna.
It should look like this.

Seriously. It’s like a farewell kiss from your sandwich thins to you, a way of giving you one final benefit to the countless they’ve bestowed upon you already. It adds flavor, texture, and general good vibes. Do this, and be happy.
If you’re a fan of Family Guy, you might be familiar with this skit:

And that’s great. But what’s even better is when you pass one, IRL, and can recite the entire thing by heart.

Yes. Getting up close/personal with a real Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man
My feet are size 13 in most every style/designer of women’s shoes. Being that I’m 6’1″, this isn’t all that hard to believe. That being said, I went to Nordstrom Rack today with high hopes of finding a classy sandal. The selection (of approximately 30 shoes in my size) all looked basically like this:
Your pick: White lace doilies, bright red suede booties, or cow spotted heels?

No wonder I spend most of my time in Men’s sandals/Sperry’s/sneakers… It is my gift, and my burden.
It’s almost Fourth of July. Which means that I could not resist running over to Old Navy (inspired by Courtney at Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life) and picking up my new favorite bathing suit.
So much patriotism, so little fabric!

I am sure to be the bell of the ball (and the beach.) All this (both pieces of the bikini and a pair of shorts) ran me a cool $3 (I had a groupon that I purchased for 10, entitling me to 20 dollars worth of goodies. Even still… I felt like a recessionista. (Please, don’t hate me for using that word, it’s the only one that seemed to fit here.)

Look! Even bottles of wine in the shape of cats are getting into the American Spirit!!

CAT WINE IS MY FAVORITE WINE!!

(Side note: on my beau’s 21st birthday, one of the first things he legally bought me was a bottle of this Black Cat Riesling. Few things taste sweeter than wine out of a [glass] cat’s head.)
A little while back, I signed up to receive a free sample of one of Power Bar’s newest products: Protein Plus Bites.
Yay, protein! Cakey, gross, dry protein.

These were definitely not a win in my book, and I would never buy these (at least not these exact ones…) There are about 8 in a pack I think, and offer 20 g of protein and 300 calories. I thought I’d have two after my workout today on the elliptical. About 33 minutes racing myself and the 6 other people in the entire gym, and some lower ab exercises at my favorite workout spot (O2 Fitness-Falconbridge Club) I thought these would be a great way to get some protein easily. Unfortunately, all I could stomach was one. Dry, with a very chemical tasting chocolate taste, and a gritty texture, I almost threw away the pack. I just can’t waste stuff, so I left the rest in there…. maybe my beau will want to try someday. I doubt these things even could expire, though, so they’ll probably outlive me.
After my disappointing protein snack, I opted for a much tastier lunch. Frozen Yogurt!

They had patriotic sprinkles!!

The beau and I swung by Tutti Frutti, which is officially our new spot for frozen treats this summer. It was SO affordable (6.25 for two of us, and we did not skimp on the toppings). I went for a combination of cheesecake, birthday cake, orange, papaya, and blueberry yogurt with toppings like sprinkles (red, white, and blue of course), mochi, gummy bears, pineapple, strawberry, and a few sunflower seeds covered in chocolate. For a full review, feel free to check out my Yelp post, but to sum it up: AH-MAZING! got the taste of those yucky protein balls right outta my mouth.

Now, I’m off to watch the end of Resident Evil: Afterlife and have a date night courtesy, of course, of LivingSocial (feel free to click to sign up, if you’ve been living under a rock for the past year+). Until then, I’ll be making sweet cinematic love to the finest men and women fighting the umbrella corporation. Namely, the badassery that is: Milla Jovovich.