Food Feature Friday #36: Fruit Loops and Lucky Charms Cereal, In Shake Form!

Today's FFF is all about a particular fast food item that caught my eye the other day. It was during an outing, when I was waiting at a red light and caught a glimpse of Burger King's new shakes, which of course I had to try.

I'm not a huge cereal person, but I do like to snack on it occasionally. Being that I'm a not the biggest fanatic, I tend to steer clear of "breakfast cereal" related items, i.e. breakfast cereal bars or cereal flavored eats. This time however, I couldn't pass up trying something potentially awesome. 

Burger King has three shakes that seem to be the center of attention - right along with their cheeto mac n' cheese things, which I WON'T be having for a number of reasons - consisting of an Oreo shake (classic or chocolate), a Lucky Charms shake, and a Froot Loops shake. All are priced at $3.29 and come in one size. 

I ultimately decided on the Lucky Charms shake and the Froot Loops shake, seeing as how Oreo has been done in a number of ways, rendering it basically "conventional". Both shakes have a syrup-like product (which I can only assume is some sort of vanilla sweetner), mixed with actual cereal and ice-cream, all "blended" together (similar to how a McFlurry is mixed). 

Let's start with the Lucky Charms shake: 

This shake had chunks of the cereal all throughout, with a very interesting flavor that I can only assume is based off of the non-marshmallow pieces. It reminded me of a super creamy vanilla iced-latte, that someone mixed with vanilla ice-cream. It wasn't too appetizing however, leaving me to only drink about half of the shake before deciding isn't wasn't what I expected. The marshmallow chunks were splendid, but the non-marshmallow pieces became almost instantly soggy, resembling soggy cereal. Which I don't like. 

Now for the Froot Loop shake:

The Froot Loop shake was by far my favorite. It actually tasted like Froot Loop cereal with a less intense vanilla flavoring - unlike the Lucky Charms shake. The chunks actually has a crunch to them as well, helping it win the battle of which one tastes better. It's basically a smooth creamy vanilla ice-cream shake, with real pieces blended throughout. It didn't get soggy (at least not for a little while, I checked an hour after I bought it and they held up decently compared to the Lucky Charms) and it made for an appetizing dessert for after dinner. 

Both has whipped cream on top - which is optional - but the clear winner in my book was the Froot Loop shake, which I already gave away. Personally I used the second half of it with my coffee, which oddly enough made it perfectly sweetened. The chunks were a mini-roller coaster to my mind, because I'm not used to "chunky coffee", but it tastes better than it sounds. 

I gave myself a little giggle, because it was like having your bowl of cereal and coffee in one. A breakfast pair that surprisingly did excellent when combined in this way. 

Now I'm not necessarily saying you should go buy a Froot Loop shake to mix with your coffee - albeit it's delicious - but I would say if you're in for a sweet shake with a twist, check out your local BK for an unlikely treat!

Straw Hair From Protein Overload: What Is It, How To Treat It, And Keys To Preventing It!

Hair is something majority of humans have, with the biggest chunk more than likely being on their head. We do what we can to maintain it and keep our locks healthy, but sometimes despite our best efforts you can be left with "straw hair".

"Straw hair" is simply a term people use to describe hair that literally feels like straw. Dry, brittle, and hard. It can be a shock when you first notice it, especially if you've been taking all the precautions you can to avoid exactly that. The good news is you don't necessarily need to chop of your hair or curl up in a ball, you simply need to adjust your routine and learn a little something about "protein overload". 

If you're noticing that your hair is starting to act up, shed more than usual, or [shockingly] feel like rough straw when it air drys, you're probably suffering from protein overload. Another sign you can use to test this theory, is when it's wet (more often in the shower after you've shampooed) and it feels as if its slick with an overly silk feeling, you're almost sure to have this problem. Again there's no need to run to the salon begging for help. This happens because you're [most likely] using too many products on your hair that have protein in them, causing a build-up on your locks. First know this, fixing your hair IS NOT something that will take place overnight. You CAN fix it, just don't freak out if you're still experiencing the agitation the next day. It can literally take somewhere between 2 weeks to almost 6 months. 

Yes it's frustrating, but if you aren't keen on rocking a bob this summer, you may want to consider this helpful routine. 

For starters, you need to do a purge on all your hair stuff and get rid of anything containing protein. This can be a little difficult, as protein can be disguised as many different names on hair products. A few - more common - names would be:

- silk protein
- amino acids
- hydrolyzed collagen
- oat flour

Along with anything else that is attached to the word "protein". 

This may leave you with absolutely nothing for your hair or perhaps an item or two left, but trust me it's going to be worth it. 

Now that you aren't putting your hair at risk anymore, you're going to need to cleanse everything off your hair. Start with a cleansing/clarifying shampoo to get rid of any build up. Again this isn't a one day process, as the amount of build up usually consists of a good chunky layer, seeing as how you're noticing the build up so "severely". 

As for conditioning, you may want to stick with natural conditioners as this is going to be the best bet for ridding any chance of counteracting against your cleansing. I recommend a honey avocado mask, but avoid coconut oil (it will only worsen the situation). Another option would to be indeed go to a beauty supply shop and talk to the beauticians there, to get advice on a protein free conditioner. Personally I do the DIY style, but I've heard Garnier's Whole Blends Honey Treasures works wonders and is completely protein free. I'd double check your conditioners if you aren't doing the DIY way. 

As for leave-in conditioners, styling products, and moisturizers, make sure they don't have any proteins in them and avoid too many oils that will only hurt your process. When it comes to moisturizing, I recommend using products that have aloe vera in them, as this will help lock in the moisture without adding to your issues. When it comes to styling, quite frankly I really recommend avoiding any excessive heat or manipulation. It can cause breakage and again, it won't help your cause. 

With diligence and conscientious decisions on what you put on your hair and how you take care of your hair, within due time you'll be greeted with a breath of fresh life reborn into your locks. Going from straw to soft will make the hard work worth it! 

Another Day, Another Buffet [REVIEW]

I'm quite the buffet enthusiast. Seeing as how I'm a foodie, being offered variety for one price with unlimited plate refills is something you'd think only dreams were made of, but alas they are very real. Today I was able to try another buffet that closely reminded me of another buffet that I had reviewed (see HERE).

My little padawan had to go to karate this evening, so we decided to try a new eatery in the area of his class. After a recommendation we headed to "Sunrise Buffet" in Kearny Mesa, in hopes that we'd find a good variety in eats. While that did hold true to some degree, it wasn't as differentiating as "Yummy Buffet". 

When I first entered into the restaurant I noticed immediately the calm serenity that exuded all over the place, along with the cleanliness. Although the customer service was a bit lax, with no patience for answering questions. 

We went for lunch time, which meant $8 for adults and under $4 for kids ages 3 to 6. This wasn't including drinks, which is $1.50 per drink. The price was decent and slightly cheaper than Yummy Buffet, but I did notice that quality was a hit or miss with certain items. 

I filled up roughly 3 plates with an assortment of food, after venturing through all the aisles of eats provided. Between a sushi bar, the salad area, desserts, wontons, breaded goods, dumplings, salmon, and so much more, I had a hard time deciding what to try. 

After a minor debate I walked to my table with orange chicken, seasoned vegetables, two sweet breads, egg rolls, sushi, salmon, noodles, beef and broccoli, rice, chicken wings, and some sort of meat dumpling. 

The rice was a bit over cooked in some areas, but not too bad. The orange chicken was not only tasty, but incredibly juicy as well. The seasoned vegetables reminded me of collard greens, but less flavored. The chicken wings weren't as tender as I'd have liked, but not necessarily poor quality. The egg rolls were too sweet and I couldn't stomach it. The salmon was a bit dry, with a "smokey" flavor, which was the one part I liked most about it. The sushi was very well prepared and the freshness was apparent in each bite. The sweet breads were a bit bland (I'm not too familiar with these types, so I couldn't tell you if that's how they should be). The noodles were my absolute favorite, reminding me of Panda Express noodles, but homemade. The beef and broccoli was also closely resembling Panda Express and they had an even beef to broccoli ratio. The meat dumpling was not something I'd prefer either, because [again] it was a tad sweet. 

Overall the entire meal was filling and sufficed our appetite (my little guys had fries, garlic bread, and pizza, which he said were pretty good, but that's all he liked). Honestly I'm not sure I'll return anytime soon, but I will say this. They're dessert was scrumptiously moist. 

At the end of my meal I did what most of us do, I headed for dessert. 

They had some 'dessert' across from the salads, which included chocolate pudding and jello (to name a few), but the main desserts were towards the back. 

The brownies were unlike the soft gooey kind I'm used to and had a taste that I wasn't familiar with, making it difficult to finish a whole one. Their "yule log cake" slices were to die for though, giving you a small rush of vanilla cream and the perfect spongy texture was beyond mouthwatering. 

For a semi-decent price, we were able to enjoy a few selective items here and there with unlimited drinks. I may not necessarily have a craving for this place, but that yule cake slice is now my new standard for those types of desserts here on out. 

Do I recommend? Not really. I believe there is better and this doesn't scream "Amazing". 

The Battle With Social Media.

It's days like this that make me wish even more that I lived in a time before social media existed. I know that's a bit of an oxymoron statement seeing as how I'm writing a blog and run a social media account, but nevertheless I've been struggling with numerous issues with one infamous app (who shall not be named).

This particular app had an update recently that seems to have sent a few people into a minor uproar with the additional features it's added, what it didn't take away, and the technical difficulties that soon came to light. 

During an accidental log out on this app with my personal page, I tried to log back in and kept getting a "Sorry there is a problem with your request." message. After a very frustrating few minutes, I was then greeted with a crash of the app. Once I tried logging back into my blog page AND my personal page, I was consistently flashed that annoying message on the top of my screen. 

It's been almost 24 hours, yet I'm unable to get any sort of answer or fix for this issue. Their customer service isn't easily accessible, nor do they actually provide accurate answers to their issues. Also, they could simply say "we're currently working to fix the issue at hand", not some bogus answer or no reply at all. 

I'm still able to log in online and through my web browser, but it's infuriating due to the slowness and less-easy access. I'll post through the interweb, but I'm also going to be actively trying to get back into my accounts. So during this trying time, please bare with me and this post of semi-ranting. 

Also, if you know what picture sharing social media account I'm talking about and have had similar issues, please let me know what you did or are doing to try and fix them! I know I can't be the only one experiencing this problem. 

Wave Waterpark Review + Groupon Coupon Code!

With the hot heat rising, my padawan and I joined our family friends to have a mini adventure at a [semi] local waterpark for the day. While we got discounted tickets (keep reading for a really cool code you can use for a discount on almost any Groupon), our experience was something I'm not so sure I'd like to repeat.

If you haven't been to waterpark of any sort, it's basically a variety of rides, pools, and slides to get you soaking wet while wearing your bathing suit all day. It's a "theme park" with one main theme, water. 

I've been to very few - Soak City and Legoland's waterpark - but I can confidently say that I haven't ever experienced what I experienced today.

First off let's talk about the park itself. You aren't allowed to bring in your own food (unless you have dietary restriction, but it has to be all homemade and no "big" coolers whatsoever), no glass of any sort, no floaties, lockers are available for rental, chairs were all along the edges with a few benches here and there, and parking was free. There is one section of "big slides"- which seems to be three in one (didn't ride these personally, but I'll get back to this in a second), cabana's for rent, one "waiting pool" with a few restrictions, a "lazy river" that wasn't so lazy, a water jungle gym for kids bigger than 48", and a boogie board wave "ride".


Let's start with the restrictions. My son does indeed have dietary restrictions and being able to acquire the necessary "pass" to bring our food in was in itself a hassle. We were directed to an office where we had to explain our food item choices, his dietary restriction, and lightly scolded on why they don't normally let people bring food in - I get it, you want more money from people. As for the floaties, their solution is an ill-fitting life vest that kids are running around in (and eating in) causing some concern for food contamination for my little guy. After being scolded once again and told to sign a "refusal to use a life jacket" waiver, we were granted permission for him to use his floaties. I never left his side or let him go, so his safety wasn't at risk in the slightest. 

Free parking was a change from the other two water themed parks I've been to, which was a nice change. But really that's the only "nice" thing about this park.

During a snack break - we were lucky enough to snag a bench with an umbrella - we noticed a nearby family distraught. Being the curious mother that I am, I tuned into their conversation - yes I know I'm nosy - to find out that their daughter (who seemed to be maybe 6 or 7) got STUCK inside one of the slides. Not only that, but they didn't notice until a while after. I'm not sure if they found out because another inner tube went down or what in fact happened, but the parents were greeted by a supervisor who apologized. By the way, that's all they did. Apologize.

After the supervisor walked away, the parents then went on to say to one another, "How can you not know she was stuck inside?! If she doesn't come out and you know she went down, where else would she be?!". 

Slightly appalled, my friend and I just gave each other a look that basically said "holy crap". 

Once the kiddos had their snacks and we all refueled, everyone headed to the lazy river which ended up NOT being very lazy. More like "dodging rambunctious kids and stressful" river. 

To get an inner tube, you had to catch one floating down the river yourself or hope one popped up by the stairs. You couldn't share with your padawan's (even though mine is only 5 years old) so you better hope they can hold on or fit in some safe way (thankfully he did, barely but he did). While floating down the river, we had to dodge the kids practically running in between the tubes and swimming underneath everyone. Mind you it's a 3 foot deep "river" and if you went against the current, stood in any spot, or wore floaties, you were going to have a whistle blown at you. If you pushed people in inner tubes, threw the inner tubes, jumped into the lazy river splashing everyone, or whacked people's feet "playing", you were off the hook. So relaxing.

Giving up on relaxing on the river, we headed to the pool and tried to just swim. Problem was that the pool was split. 3/4ths went to those with inner tubes and floating toys and 1/4th (which was about the width of an apartment's bedroom and the length of a medium sized home's hallway) for the shallow (3 feet deep) end. 

Constantly splashed, bumped, and whistled at for accidentally touching the floating divider, we gave the lazy river one more shot. Two laps and we were done. 

A small note, every single "lifeguard" was a high-strung teen with a huge power trip. Regardless of other people literally holding onto the divider, we were the only one's to have a whistle blown at us (and yes, it was for barely touching the divider accidentally). 

My little guy and I watched my friends kids "ride" the boogie board wave, then we packed up and headed out. 

Overall it was nice to get a wet during a hot day and have a change of scenery. While we did save money by going through Groupon, the 45 minute drive is something we most likely will never repeat. 

The experience wasn't up to par with what we had hoped and the fact that it was over run by "campers" and teens with way too many hormones in control, made us grateful to have a swimming pool in our friend's complex. 

The adventure was a success seeing as how no one got hurt, we made the best of it, we enjoyed just being together, and no one fought. The park just won't get another visit from us. 

As for the Groupon code I wanted to share with you guys: I signed up for Groupon yesterday - specifically to go to the waterpark today - and found an online code to receive an additional 25% off of my first Groupon ($30 max discount). So instead of paying $23 for my padawan and I, we only paid $17.25. Not a bad price, but again, I won't be returning. Not even if you gave me free tickets unless you could guarantee the lazy river to actually be lazy, the workers to be trained (and polite) employees, and that kids won't be bombarding us from every angle. Even then I'd have to think about it. I mean, forgetting a kid inside the slide? Not cool Wave, not cool.

Food Feature Friday #35: Another One For The Meat Eaters!!!

First off I'd like to apologize for the late [and most likely short] post today. I had a big event tonight for my crafting art (see yesterday's post) and I literally JUST got home (it's 11:42 pm). For those of you interested, it went absolutely FANTASTIC! But that's for a different day.

Onto today's post!

Yesterday I was browsing Costco for their samples and bulk items, when one of the samples reeled me almost immediately. It was tri-tip. But not just any tri-tip, pre-seasoned steakhouse tri-tip. 

This specific meat was a little over $5 a pound and for my package I paid less than $17 for a hunk of deliciousness. You can choose to cook it either in the oven or on the BBQ. I personally didn't feel like firing up the grill, so oven it was. And oh was it ever so delicious. 

In total time it took 50 minutes to cook the entire block of tri-tip, which left us with a medium-rare dinner. I paired it with buttered broccoli and mashed potatoes.

The meat was seasoned with a peppercorn styled flavor, along with numerous other spices that are beyond perfect together. With practically no work at all, the meat came out stupendously tender. I was truly surprised by the amount juice that still came out of each bite (no not blood) and just how tender the entire block indeed was. 

I tend to be skeptical when it comes to buying packaged meat, mostly because it never seems to be as tender as I'd prefer. Luckily that wasn't the case today!

With minor preparation, we had a wonderful meal filled with goodies galore for under $25 dollars ($2 for the potatoes and $3 for the broccoli)! Best part is there was so much meat left over from yesterday's dinner, we had plenty to make sandwiches for today AND tomorrow! Steak and eggs are also on the menu for tomorrow's breakfast, which is always a family favorite!

I highly recommend buying this meat for a dinner worth bragging about. It's so good, people will think you're a master in the kitchen!

Happy Friday everyone and I hope your weekend is fantastic! Much love to you all and I'll update you more on the event next week. For now, I'm off to bed after a job well done. 

Here's To Working Hard.

Oh man guys, tomorrow is a big day for me.

For the last few months I've been working extremely hard on my artwork (similar to my food rings), in hopes that I would be able to sell them. Well I've caught a small break that could mean everything. 

A close friend of my mothers is willing to let me showcase my pieces in her restaurant tomorrow during a party. So I've been working tirelessly to get enough pieces ready for the big debut. 

I have to say though, I'm incredibly nervous. Perhaps this becomes a complete and total flop, to where I don't sell anything. Perhaps no one see's them as anything special or maybe I don't sell anything. But maybe this changes everything for me. Maybe this will be the break I've needed to really have my art take off. 

So while I absolutely adore all of you, I have to get back to work! I do have an awesome food post for tomorrow and I WILL update you all on how it goes. 

So here's to working hard through the night and hopefully a fantastic day tomorrow! Much love Jedi's and wish me luck!!!

"The Spider Box" Streaming Box: Hack or Whack?

It's no secret that I try to be frugal when it comes to spending money and cable is no different. 

My first blog post was about how I pay $0 for cable (you can see that post HERE). I even did another post about a streaming stick, (see that post HERE) along with a review on a cheaper alternative to cable (see that post HERE) earlier this year. Well I thought it was only right to talk about a new streaming product that I purchased, to help [possibly] provide another alternative to paying a monthly television fee. 

I was in the market for a new streaming device for my bedroom, when it came to my attention that they had "boxes" where live channels, on demand tv, and movies galore all reside inside a tiny electronic box. So during an outing to the local Swap Meet, I came across a few booths selling these infamous boxes, each stating that their box was indeed the best for my buck. 

All of the boxes were steeper than what I had intended, but seeing as how I was going to [hopefully] be able to watch live television without any type of subscription, I was willing to dish out a one time fee. 

After a few questions and checking out a live demo for each box, I ultimately decided to go with "The Spider Box". 

It put me out $150, but claimed to have all the movies in theater, live television channels for all my favorite programs, and on demand for my old shows, so I agreed to the semi-steep pricing. I will say that despite the gentleman's description about the processor for my new purchase and my understanding at the time, I don't exactly remember the exact details. I will say that I was aware at the time that the memory for this box, wasn't as many gigs as some of the others. My reasoning behind this was simply because I was told that downloading any extra items were unnecessary, therefore rendering paying for more storage futile. 

Now I have a mini confession: I actually purchased this box about a month ago, but wanted time to really play with the entire program. Since using this box, I have a points I'd like to make.

For starters, I am not a fan with myself. This isn't in any way me putting myself down, it's simply stating that I'm a bit irked with the fact that I didn't ask enough questions when making my decision. 

During the demo the guy said that we wouldn't just go through the "Kodi" app (a well-known streaming app you can download on your computer), but that we had a multitude of services pre-loaded on the box for us to use with "ease". Once I got home, I quickly realized that the entire demo was done on JUST the Kodi app. What's worse is that none of the other apps were extremely user friendly, nor was Kodi. 

With a few basic "apps" added onto the box, I was able to figure out how to find the shows, live tv, and movies. However, the box consistently updates and recently the Kodi app changed it's layout (which is the main app for movies) to where I'm still trying to decipher it again. 

WowTV is the main live tv app, but again it's no picnic in the park to figure it out. 

Customer service is poor, with very few responses to any technical difficulties I've faced. They also have a "no return policy", which makes me a little more irked seeing as how much it cost. 

Overall the box has failed me. 

Not only is it a bit of a hassle to watch practically anything - unlike the Roku - the box slows down after watching a few things AND quite a few of my favorite television channels are NOT in fact available on the box. That is, unless I'm willing to pay $30 a month to the makers of "Spider Box", to subscribe to their premium streaming package. Something that was sprung on me AFTER I purchased the box. 

I feel as if the company isn't accurately representing their box, nor do I completely blame them. I should've done research at home prior to fully committing to any box, but I'm not a fan of feeling bamboozled. 

I will say this, I've been able to watch some of the shows I love along with newer movies, but overall I feel as if I could've completed the exact same tasks with a simple Roku stick and my computer. 

I'm not necessarily saying that ALL streaming boxes that make these claims aren't user friendly and create more problems than solutions, I'm simply stating this particular box did not suffice nearly as awesome-like as I had hoped. I did score a really neat wireless keyboard with my purchase though. So in retrospect, "The Spider Box" was completely whack!

How To Have Summer Fun [Safely}!

Summer vacation has officially begun and with heat rising, you're more than likely to head to a nearby pool, lake, or the beach. Seeing as how these are top daily destinations for families, safety is a huge factor in getting through the season. 

My padawan and I went for a swim today and it got me thinking about all the reports that are sure to follow soon: water related accidents.

Drowning, heat stroke, dry drowning. These are all very real accidents that can turn any families world upside down. They're scary to think about, but absolutely preventable/treatable. So to help all my Jedi's and their padawan's stay safe, I thought I'd shed some light.

Drowning is pretty well known. It's when someone inhales waters after being submerged in it. Scary but entirely preventable. Make sure there is a secure fence around any pool your little one's go around, be sure to always keep an eye on them, and have some sort of flotation device on them at all times (floaties, a vest, etc.). 

Dry drowning is a little less known, but still very very scary. 

Dry drowning occurs when a person's lungs can't remove air from their lungs, mostly due to muscular paralysis. It can occur up to 24 hours after swimming (or even bathing). Luckily there are a few warning signs to give you a heads up:

- Trouble breathing
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Irritability
- Sleepliness
- Drop in energy
- Coughing

If you think your little one is experiencing dry drowning, go to the ER and seek professional medical help immediately. The key to preventing is is watching the kids closely. You should be within two steps of an arm's reach when your padawan's are near water - including the bathtub. 

Heat strokes are something to also be concerned about, which closely relates to dehydration with symptoms of confusion, dark-colored urine, dizziness, fainting, headache, muscle or abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pale skin, profuse sweating, and rapid heartbeat. 

This is easily happens to youngans, because of their constant energy (they want to run around everywhere). 

Treatment includes drinking plenty of fluid, removing any unnecessary clothing, placing them in a cold shower or bath, and lowing their body temperature any way you can - ice towels, fans, etc. Prevention is very similar to the treatment. Make sure you nor your little ones get too hot, drink plenty of water, and take plenty of "cooling breaks". 

Summertime can be one of the most memorable seasons of all - mine personally is winter time - but it's important to take of yourself and young ones. 

To keep things fun, there's a few ways to keep your little ones happy AND safe. Besides keeping floaties on, try putting an umbrella over the area they are swimming (like a kiddie pool), have popsicles on hand for them to continuously snack on, supply plenty of "watery foods" - like cucumbers, watermelons, etc. - for them to snack on, and make sure to apply lots and lots of sunblock. 

You can check out our beach day HERE on how we stay cool. 

Basically it's all about maintaining a good body temperature and not allowing too much sun exposure. Having fun is awesome, but providing plenty of refreshments is extremely important to keeping our spawns safe and healthy. So remember: while summer fun is all the rage, summer safety is even cooler. 

Computer Fails.

Happy Monday Jedi's!

I had an entire post ready about summer safety and how we could all use a little preparedness this season to keep our little one's safe. Unfortunately my computer decided to stop linking to my internet and I've had to reset it multiple times. 

After completing a factory reset - what a blast it's been backing up my files prior to it - I've been able to get it working again. But alas I'm mentally exhausted. 

Luckily I'm half way through with the summer safety post, so it's almost ready for tomorrow. It just means you'll have to accept this heartfelt apology for my electronic malfunction. I promise to deliver tomorrow! For now, enjoy this sheep perfectly representing how I feel on a day to day basis. It definitely made me laugh out loud, so hopefully it will give you a good chuckle.

Much love Jedi's and I hope your Monday was rockin'!

Food Feature Friday #34: Banana Water for the Win!

There's no question that summertime is fast approaching with the heat wave us San Diegans are experiencing. Granted it's no where near northern Cali or the east coast - yes we're spoiled - but it affects us nonetheless. So in order to celebrate the coming of what will most likely feel like a mini hell on Earth (heat wise I mean), I decided to make a fresh batch of banana water!

For those of you who aren't familiar with this form of fruit "water", it's like a banana flavored horchata, without the rice. To me it's beyond refreshing and definitely makes for a great drink during any meal or just because. The best part - besides the taste - is that it's relatively easy to whip up! With a few ingredients that you could very well have at your home, you too could make a special batch of this banana-y goodness!

Ingredients:

- 2 banana's (they need to be brown or with brown spots)
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 tsp of cinnamon 
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 
- 1 can of evaporated milk (5 fl. oz.)
- 2 liters of water

Tools needed: 

- Blender 
- Knife
- Pitcher

I'd like to mention now that these ingredients are a baseline and can easily be altered to your personal preference. If you wish to have a little thicker drink, opt for the 12 fl. oz. of evaporated milk. If you want sweeter, add more sugar. So on and so forth. This is all about deliciousness. 

Directions:

1. Cut your banana's into pieces, then blend them with your milk, vanilla, and cinnamon.

2. Combine your freshly blended mixture with your 2 liters of water in a pitcher (or storage of some sort) and mix. 

3. Add your sugar and mix VERY well. You don't want it to just sit at the bottom. That makes for a very UNsweet refreshment. 

Ta-da! You now have a pitcher (or whatever you're using to store it in) of mouthwatering goodness. This is also the part where you would taste your creation to see if you want more of anything. It's really about trial and error, but to me this is a subtle drink for the little ones, big ones, and well, anyone. 

Now that I myself have my very own pitcher of banana water, I plan on curling up in bed - on top of all the blankets, under my new tapestry that I found at Ross (for only $7!) - which I'm using as a "headboard", and plan on finishing up my new read (which you can see HERE). 

I absolutely can't wait to finish up the night and just relax. I feel like errands, housework, and my to-do list are never ending. Even tomorrow I have to wake up early for my padawan's karate class and some "play day's" thing at the Disney store (so he can get a free patch for his collection). All I want to do is pretend like the world is filled with peace, Jessica Fletcher and Nancy Drew are my best friends, and I have no obligations other than my son. If only. 

Until then I'll be doing my best to take care of myself, because I can't take care of the little guy if I'm too exhausted to think right. Have a fantastic weekend Jedi's! May the force with you all.

"Coherence" The Movie: A Mind Game.

In yesterday's post I talked about how I was settling down to watch a movie called "Coherence" after an exhausting day. Well it's a movie I think you should all consider watching, but only if you have the correct mindset to experience it.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead!

"Coherence" is based on the quantum theory of "Schrodinger's Cat", which basically states that if you put a cat in a box with a vile of poison and close the lid, the cat theoretically is both dead and alive. Meaning both scenarios exist until you lift the lid to discover the reality. It also goes into detail saying that while the lid is close, both states are concurrently true, existing at the same time, only collapsing into the one state when the lid is opened. 

We start off viewing a dinner party between a few friends - and ex's - making for a seemingly similar "scary story". Although this isn't a "horror" film in the instance of being scared by a monster of some sort, it's a sci-fi flick that can produce fear due to the possibilities. 

During the dinner party, a discussion about a comet that is attached to a folklore (strange instances happening to people before the comet passes, only ending once the comet has come and gone) comes into play, sparked by the fact that the exact comet is set to pass that night. Within a few minutes the lights go out in the entire block, except for one house roughly 2 blocks up. 

All the guests start to ponder what to do, with one of them suggesting he'd call his brother (who asked to be called if "strange happenings" were beginning to take place). Him and a fellow diner set off towards the lit house in hopes that they have a phone, only to return moments later startled that they were seeing a house identical to their own with a setting identical to the dinner party they had going on. After a few more very odd happenings (like a box being found with their pictures on it), confused and curious they set off again (along with others) to venture into this "dark area" to pass onto the house. 

The "dark area" was much darker than the other spots, creating a sort of mystical setting where things began to "click" for others.

Through readings and a few theoretical moments, they begin to discover that they were going through a parallel universe, literally living the "Schrodinger's Cat" theory. Except they took it further stating that the universes are indeed coexisting, just not to us because then each would collapse. Trying to avoid a devastating blow, they do what they can to keep their reality in balance.

But alas, that isn't exactly what happened. 

One guest discovers that the "dark spot" was what was taking everyone to the next parallel universe by using a "roulette wheel" style choice. When you walk through, you're never guaranteed to return to the same place. You're in a game of chance.

Very few guests are from the original house, others come from different parallel houses, and one girl gets stuck in an alternate reality with not only the other guests that she herself isn't actually acquainted with, but also herself from THAT reality. 

It makes for a very sticky situation when she confronts her "other" self. 

All in all it's a movie that requires thinking, patience, and theoretical understanding. While you don't have to be a genius to see the entire point and understand the theory itself, it does help if you watch with an open mind. Jumping to the "that can't happen" mentality can negatively alter your movie-going experience. So if you do watch it - which I recommend - free your mind for the possibilities. 

Chalk Porch, 4 Car Accidents, and Exhaustively Shopping.

Today was an exhausting day with more crashes than I've seen the entire year of 2016. It all started with a chalk drawing.

This morning started like any other: coffee, kisses, and chalk art. Now normally we wouldn't draw on our patio - mostly because we didn't have any - but we started to live a little. So now my padawan likes to take a few moments for himself (me sitting close behind) while he decorates the cold cement that is our patio. Besides, it literally washes off with water. 

Speaking of "living a little",  a few mile stones have taken place in our house that I truly didn't think would come this soon. First my little guy goes on the patio while I sit in a chair inside the house (yes he's safe, I'm less than 2 feet away and it's fenced) creatively expressing himself, he takes showers by himself, and he's officially graduated Kindergarten. What the even heck?! 

Moving on.

During a few driving trips we came across 4 car accidents..4! Luckily I didn't see anyone seriously hurt - and I truly hope no one was - but good gosh. It was like someone had hit the "let's wreck a bunch of cars" button today. 

Honestly it reminded me of when I was in a car accident a few years ago that left me constantly living in pain, even to this day. PSA: Don't text and drive people!

After what seemed like a existential amount of driving all around town for numerous errands and quests, we finally made it home only to walk to the grocery store. Dinner needed to be made, but I was missing a few ingredients to make my top ramen mix (ramen, chicken, and broccoli). 

Once we whipped up our quick meal and devoured each plate, I cleaned up the house and finally got my spawn to sleep. Which simply means now I can rest. I've put on my incense (see HERE) and am about to watch this movie called "Coherence". 

It's a sci-fi independent film with a bit of "thrill" in it. My rating for it will depend once I've actually seen it, so stay tuned.

Overall it's been a regular style day with a bit of pain in my back. Heat is starting to pick up here as well, which means summer time fun is coming too! 

Also, I'd like to take this time to thank all of you who continue to support the blog, regardless of the roller coaster ride I've supplied for you all. I have plenty of style posts, summer ideas, daily life posts, and reviews (along with other things) to come. Plus a giveaway to kick off Summer!

Much love Jedi's and happy hump day!!! 

Another Hit With Goodwill!

I've come to the conclusion that I am a bit obsessed with Goodwill and all the fascinating finds they have to offer. While finances aren't always the best for people - myself included - Goodwill can still be something out of plan for people. It's definitely the number one place I recommend when shopping for clothing, but if you still don't have extra cash for an item or two, you can check out my post about how to get PAID to shop at Goodwill (see HERE).  

Before I begin, I'd like to include a little prelude. 

In the past I've done thrift store outfit ideas (see HERE), that weren't necessarily "crazy" or "out there". I've always inspired to be one of those people who had this style of "I like it and I don't care what you think". Do I think I could pull it off? No clue. But someday I'll try. The reason I tend to stick to simpler looks for the blog, is mostly to help those who may be more into "casual day" looks. 

Since I haven't done one in a while, I was thinking about doing another one. Perhaps a "weekly outfit recap" from what I've worn prior? I don't have much of a wardrobe (see HERE), so they definitely wouldn't last long. Perhaps a "spotlight outfit" and a memory from the day I wore it. Like a "daily life" post, with a fashion twist. Thinking out loud.

Now onto the actual post.

Today, like many days, I found myself walking into Goodwill for a browse. In all honesty I just wanted to clear my head with some beautiful thrift finds, but not buy anything. Window shop, you know? Well with the item I found today, there was no way I could ever let them pass me by. Especially because I was DYING to own a pair just like these for months now.

Granted this find isn't exactly in season at the moment, but believe me when I say I won't care when I'm walking high in my brand new boots!

That's right, I found myself a pair of Michael Antonio thigh high black heeled boots. Perhaps they aren't the greatest, fanciest brand in the whole world, but they fit like a gem (I have wide calves) AND they were only $5!!! Can you believe it?! $5 for a pair of black heeled boots. I've been wanting some like this for so long now. Every outfit has already been planned in my head and I absolutely can't wait to wear them out!

I quite frankly don't care what occasion I wear them for, but I will wear them. Personally I'm thinking a nice dress for a night out, jeans and a t-shirt for brunch, shorts and a blouse for daytime events. Yes, yes, and yes.

Pinterest definitely inspired the looks I have planned, making this an ultra exciting find for me. One of the many, many reasons I adore Goodwill so much. I contemplated working there at one time, but then I found out you wouldn't be allowed to shop at the Goodwill you work at. I could see why it wouldn't be good for business if your employees are constantly taking all the good stuff before they hit the shelves, but I couldn't even shop on my days off! Deal breaker. 

That's besides the point though. What I'm trying to convey is how fantastically awesome it is to shop at Goodwill! I know it cheered this momma right up!

Netflix Binge Watching! OITNB vs Unbreakable

Happy Monday Jedi's! If you're anything like me, this may be the first day/night your eyes

haven't been glued to a TV screen of sorts, trying to binge all of the newest OITNB episodes. 

Well I'm here to talk about Netflix and two new seasons, from two of my favorite shows, that I've been glued to. 

In the past I've talk about my Netflix obsessions (see HERE). OITNB and Unbreakable are just two of the chosen few, both of which had new seasons released. Which I've been binge watching whenever possible these past few days. 

First let's start with Unbreakable. WARNING: PLEASE be aware that while I won't be providing any season ruining spoilers, there may be a few micro sized spoilers. 

This season focuses more on Kimmy Schmidt and her life after high school, post "nanny", along with Titus post cruise...sort of. Season 3 is really all about the main characters transformation through life - similar to the past 2 seasons - but I felt this one was not only extremely comical (again like the past), but the scenarios were pretty relate-able as well. 

Between learning the meaning of true love and having the courage to plan your own life, Kimmy once again takes us all on a journey of naive adventures, while her friends try to help guide her during their own messes.

In Season 2, we basically left off with Titus leaving Mikey for a few months, just so he could sing on a cruise ship, Kimmy was contacted by the reverend to get a divorce, Jacqueline was with a man she never dreamt she'd be with while trying to take down the Redskins (their name to be exact), and Lillian was basically the same. 

In Season 3 is all about the aftermath AND the progression. Also I really enjoyed the "playful banter" regarding current topics - political, cultural, and demographically to name a few. I also really liked how each character goes through a very similar "ah ha" moment, not exactly co-currently, giving each person a shine in the lime light. Unlike Season 2, we didn't end on with a cliff hanger. 

One last note about this season is that we will see two people go through break-ups that weren't necessarily you're traditional, which kept the overall show a hilarious comedy to brighten up anyone's day. Ah Kimmy.

OITNB kicks off exactly where it leaves off in Season 4: Daya. Yup, Daya is there with the gun. That thump? Don't worry, you'll know within minutes what that sound is. They don't try to play it out at all with that burning question of ours. 

This entire season deals with very serious scenarios happening in the world today: racism. One giant riot has taken place in the prison and not everyone's down for the cause. They also go from full throttle vicious to second guessing their motives. With some inmates learning that they get a second chance, before they truly throw away their lives completely. 

We lost Poussey last season, but *spoiler* she comes back this season. You read that right! Poussey Washington is back and she makes her presence known with help from the entire prison. 

Now I haven't completely finished Season 5, only because there just weren't enough hours in the day to binge both, but you can believe I'll be working on that tonight. Between reading my new Sarah Dessen book (see HERE) and watching Unbreakable, I've been stretching it thin. Daily life also took a huge portion of my time - mom life - but nonetheless, I'm finishing the last 4 episodes tonight!!! 

How about you guys? Have you finished OITNB? What Netflix series are you currently binge watching? Let me know down below!