Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween!

Just wanted to throw out a great big "HAPPY HALLOWEEN!" to everyone in blog world. I hope everyone has a thrilling, fun and safe Halloween weekend.

I love to hear about Halloween costumes...is anyone going as anything really cool? Funny? Crazy? Scary?

If I was going to dress up this year, I would probably be Pam from The Office. She has an awesome name and the fiance of my dreams...lucky girl.

I'm heading up to Milwaukee after work today, so I won't be around to say too much this weekend. But I'm so glad the week is over and I'm very happy to report that my mood has vastly improved. Yay!

Have fun everyone! See you on Sunday when I post again. :)

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

A bit of a funk

It's one of those weeks.

I'm in a funk. I feel out of sorts, tired, frustrated, stressed, annoyed, friendless, alone, bored, antsy, disappointed and pretty much blah about everything.

Whew. That's a lot to feel.

It's not that it's been a bad week or anything, I just feel melancholy. It's like I woke up on the wrong side of the bed for the whole week. I'm frustrated with a project at work, I feel like a frump lately and now that I realize I am busy every single weekend until mid-January, I'm getting claustrophobic.

And my cell phone is worse than ever lately...the reception is absolutely terrible. It cuts in, it cuts out, it gets fuzzy, it drops calls all the time...it sucks. And it's especially problematic when I'm trying to talk to my boyfriend. We're doing the long distance thing right now. He lives in Milwaukee, I live in Chicago. I think we do a great job with it, but sometimes it gets difficult..especially when all I want to do is talk to him after a long day and my damn cell phone keeps cutting out. We both end up getting frustrated and then it just adds to the stress of everything...

So I was going to write about the time I met Jake Gyllenhaal, but I think I'll have to pass on that today. I need to be back to my normal excessively excited self to retell that story in all its glory. I don't want to waste in on a bad mood. Plus, I want to dig up the pictures from that wonderful evening...

Apparently I'm a total space cadet this week, too. I just finished washing a HUGE pile of dishes...ugh. But while I was washing them, I must have completely spaced out, because the next thing I knew, I was standing over my amazing $1 stemless wine glasses (woo World Market), and I was "playing" them. You know...when they're filled with water and you run your finger around the rim and you can make "music". I must say, I created a few nice notes. And then I realized that my poor hands were raw (I had A LOT of dishes to wash), so the play time had to stop (sigh).

So I'm sorry to those of you who have to cross paths with me (or have to listen to me rant on gchat) this week...I'm not normally this flustered. I'm absolutely positive that I'll be in a fantastic mood next week. After all, the Starbucks holiday drinks are coming out...what's not to love about that?!

And now I'm going to pop in Love Actually, immerse myself in the lovely little world of Colin Firth and Huge Grant, and polish off my glass of pinot noir. Goodnight.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Are you selling me a scarf or a cheesy line from a romance novel?

My name is Pam and I'm a copywriter.

Ok, ok...a junior copywriter. I prefer not to mention the "junior" part. It makes me sound like a girl scout in training or something. But you have to start somewhere, right? And copywriting is what I love to do. It's my realistic dream job. (My REAL dream job would be to be the next Samantha Brown...it could happen).

And to those outside of the world of advertising, my job lets me play with words all day. I brainstorm, come up with concepts, create headlines and teasers, write body copy in ads, etc. It's a blast. And clearly it has altered my ability to write in complete sentences. After writing in the ad world all day, I tend to write conversationally. Short, choppy and easy to read.

As I've learned in my 1 and a 1/2 years in the profession, it can be very difficult to make really, really uninteresting things sound interesting...irresistible...something everyone wants. I've had to do it for everything from insurance policies and cell phones to tractors and eye-glass cutting machinery. It can seem nearly impossible, but I've learned there are always ways to make the product "pop", no matter how mundane it may seem. All you need is a little time and a lot of imagination.

So today was a slow day at work and I decided to spend some time virtual window shopping. I was perusing the Old Navy web site, looking up scarves on sale, when my eyes caught the little box of copy in the upper right hand corner of the page. Naturally, I had to read it. And this is what it said:

As soft and romantic as a lover's whisper, this gossamer light knit scarf adds enchanting texture to any ensemble.

Seriously, that's what it said. I laughed out loud. A lover's whisper? REALLY?

So of course I had to keep reading. And some of the descriptions absolutely amazed me:

Ruby slippers might have been de rigueur for Oz but neither the wily Wizard nor the Wicked Witch will stop you from easin' on down the Yellow Brick Road in style with our shiny, patent polished ballet flats.

Long on looks and short on sass, this fleece hoodie dress gives her an effortlessly stylish base on which to build her own personal fashion statement. Accessorize appropriately.

You've been waiting for these. Just so you could catch yourself in the mirror and think how cute they are on your feet, and how happy they make you. Soft, chenille, fuzzy slippers make everyone happy.

Everything from cars and computers to sodas and DVDs are getting upgrades, so why not flip-flops? Meet the Old Navy Flip-Flop 2.0. It's got the same great style and value, only with new bells-and-whistles, like improved materials and enhanced comfort.

Even in the dead of winter, your boxers will have plenty of life left in them, thanks to bright seasonal patterns and durable double-stitched cotton that keeps its shape after repeated washings.


Tehehee life in the boxers. Very sneaky, Old Navy copywriter. Have you ever heard $3 flip flops sound so jazzy? Or a pair of ballet flats sound so bewitching?

It's copy like this, though a tad cheesy, that makes me appreciate my career even more. Sure, people may laugh at a detailed description of the psychological lift you get as you wear your Old Navy slippers, but I love the fact that the writers were able to come up with that many ways to describe every article of clothing on the web site. Each one is different...it's amazing. It must be quite difficult to come up with different ways to say "comfy long-sleeve t-shirt" or "silver flats". So cheers to you, Old Navy copywriters. Your work is hilarious...and a bit inspiring, too.


Sidenote: I just finished the fourth and final book in the Twilight series. AMAZING. If you haven't read it, you need to. Now.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Teenybopper at heart

I'm finally getting a bit of free time after my ridiculously busy week. Ok maybe that's not entirely true...every spare minute I had was spent reading the Twilight series. I finished the third book "Eclipse" just this morning and immediately walked to Borders to pick up the fourth and final book "Breaking Dawn". To say that I'm obsessed is putting lightly. Yes, it's meant for teens, and yes, there are a few loopholes in the story, but it has most definitely become one of my teenybopper obsessions.

That's right. At the ripe old age of 23, I still consider myself to be a teenybopper at heart. I may look calm, cool and collected at the mention of Justin Timberlake, Jonathan Rhys Meyers or Jim Halpert, but inside, my 13-year-old self is screaming and jumping up and down in excitement.

My obsessions started when I was 10. Before than, I was relatively obsession-free. And then I laid eyes on my first celeb crush ever...Jonathan Taylor Thomas. I can't even remember when I first discovered him, but I just knew he was the boy of my dreams. I became an avid Home Improvement watcher and immediately ran out and bought every single BOP and Tiger Beat that I could. I had a little playroom under the stairs (no, not like Harry Potter) and it became my shrine to JTT. I rushed to him see him star in Man of the House and Tom and Huck, and relished over his sweet little voice in Lion King. As a young writer, I even wrote story-lines for future Home Improvement episodes, writing myself in as character (naturally). I even wrote a long letter to him, which included something along the lines of, "I am so in love with your sandy blonde hair, your blue-green eyes and your raspy voice..." I was too embarrassed to send the letter, so I threw it away. Lucky for me, my brother found it and mailed it for me. I acted mad, but was secretly excited. I was all about JTT, until...


I was introduced to Leonardo Dicaprio (via Titanic). My love for Leo made my infatuation with JTT seem like a silly child's crush. Leo was not the boy of my dreams...he was the man of my dreams. I just knew if we met he would fall in love with me. I saw Titanic 6 times in the theater (scary, I know) and watched the VHS probably a million times. I saw all of his movies and had posters of him all over my room. I cried at Romeo and Juliet not because of the tragic love story, but because my poor little Leo had to die before my very eyes (sigh). The scene where he's behind the fish tank made me swoon every single time. He was so handsome and broody and wonderful...


And then one day I sat down and watched some random boy band on the Disney Channel. *NSYNC? Never heard of them. But I watched the concert, fell in love with Lance and immediately forgot about that Leo guy. I watched that concert about 20 times, went out and bought the CD and immediately plastered my room with their posters. This was by far my biggest obsession ever. I taped EVERY TV appearance, went to see On the Line twice in the theater (yikes), traveled across the country to see them in concert 6 times and talked about them nonstop. I always loved Lance (hey, I didn't know he was gay), JC and Justin (even with his horrific platinum hair). I owned t-shirts, buttons, hats, books, bobbleheads, action figures...and my personal favorite, an embroidered afghan (which is still at my parent's house).


I loved them from 7th grade until about sophomore year in high school. My friend and I spent hours in class making inappropriate comic books and poems about our love for them and sneaking into hotel after hotel to find them when they were in Chicago. I was determined to meet Justin and fall in love with him...

And then one day, I realized I was over them. I got a little sad as I took down all my posters, but I guess they just didn't do it for my anymore. JC was getting all weird and Chris was old and Justin was clearly outgrowing the group...

But naturally, when Justin came out with his solo CD, I was instantly re-obsessed. I still am, actually. I love Justin Timberlake. I think he's super hot, he's a fantastic performer and his music is so fun. So yeah, still have that obsession.

I also have a mini obsession with Jake Gyllenhaal. I saw him in Donnie Darko my sophomore year in college and as luck would have it, he came to my school the very next week to urge us all to vote. Not only did I go to hear him speak, but I also got to meet him and (GASP) HUG HIM! I believe that story deserves its very own post....which will probably come tomorrow.

I probably shouldn't even touch on my obsession with Irish people (as in straight from Ireland) either, that's another story entirely. Or my obsession with another fictional character, Jim Halpert (why isn't he real?!) But suddenly, after getting completely immersed in the Twilight series and feeling this passionate urge for Edward and Jacob, all of my teenybopperness is coming back in full force. And I'm absolutely loving it.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Love the book AND the movie

Last night I went to see The Secret Life of Bees with my Mom. We both loved the book (so much so that I've read it 3 times), so we were excited to see the movie version.

I was a little bit nervous about seeing it, though. I hate it when you love the book and then they make it into a movie and totally butcher the plot, the characters, etc. It's always such a let down. To me, the Harry Potter movies (excluding the 5th) are a bit like that. They're never as good as the books. Not even close. The third book was my absolute favorite. The third movie? A total disappointment.I hated it. So I was hoping The Secret Life of Bees wouldn't follow in those footsteps.

Luckily, it didn't. The movie was absolutely amazing. It was almost exactly like the book. There were a few minor changes, but nothing that changed the plot or characters. And it was wonderfully cast. Dakota Fanning was perfect at Lily Owens. Her acting was outstanding. It's amazing to me that at 14-years-old, she is that great of an actress. She brought the character to life...I laughed with her and cried with her...and then cried some more with her. I love Dakota Fanning now.

The Boatwright women were also perfectly cast. Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Sophie Okeonedo were amazing in their roles. They were EXACTLY like I pictured August, June and May when I read the book. And Jennifer Hudson did a wonderful job as Rosaleen. I think the other women outshone her a bit, but she still did an excellent job.

It was a fabulous movie. Definitely go see it. It's not some mindless chick flick (though I love those)...it's a beautiful, heart-wrenching coming of age story. And I loved every minute. I just hope Shopaholic (one of my other favorites) is just as good as a movie as The Secret Life of Bees was. I guess we'll see soon...

Ok seriously, I have to go read more of the Twilight series now...it's like a drug. And I am so addicted.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

I am attracted to a fictional vampire

I love to read. I always have. As a kid, I used to read ALL the time. I would curl up in this old rocking chair overlooking the stairs and devour novels. There's nothing liking cracking open a brand new book. The crisp pages, the smell of fresh ink, a whole new story waiting to be read. Getting lost in a good book is one of my favorite things to do.

A few weeks ago, I was running out of books to read. I had been reading lots of chick lit and Philippa Gregory books and while I love the adventures of Becky Bloomwood and the love affairs of Queen Elizabeth, I was looking for something new. So I asked my friend, who loves reading even more than I do, for advice and this is how our (abridged) gchat convo went:

P: i need new books to read. any suggestions?

A: read the twilight series!
i bet you would like it
it's getting me through harry potter not coming out in november
because they made it into a movie
and the first one is coming out in november
the the guy who plays "edward" is HOT

P: oh yeah!
they're good?

A: well

P: what are the names of the books?

A: it's not that they're really that good...
it's that they suck you in
because there are four of them

A: mostly i find bella annoying (she's the main character)
but i love edward
dreamy

P: ohhh
good, ill read them
how long are the books?
i miss harry potter
it ended so well

A: i know
and this one is just getting insane
i'm on the fourth
literally i've read them all in the past two weeks

She went on to tell me the basic story line of the series and I was very intrigued. Even though it's about vampires which I've never really cared for...probably because I had a children's version of Dracula when I was 8 and was so scared of it that I hid it in my brother's room. I honestly believed Dracula was going to come out of the book and bite me in my sleep. Yes, I have an overactive imagination.

So the next week, I headed over to Border's to pick up Twilight and another book I wanted to read, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. As I walked up to the Twilight book display and saw the large "YOUNG ADULT" sign, I almost changed my mind. I was really embarrassed to buy a teen book. I kind of wandered around the store a bit until I realized I was being stupid. I swallowed my silly 23-year-old pride and finally bought it.

I was really excited to read it, but I decided to read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle first. It was a great book...very interesting, intriguing characters, exciting story...until the very end. I hated the ending. So much so that I was in a terrible mood for the entire day after I finished it.

And then I started Twilight and I was hooked. I literally could not put the book down. I started it on the bus to work on Wednesday (and yes, I took the book jacket off) and was so sucked in that I snuck pages throughout the day, spent my whole lunch hour at my desk reading and then read from the time I got home to the time I went to bed. The same went for Thursday and I finished it right after work. I was obsessed. All I could think about was Edward and Bella and what would happen. It was exactly as my friend described it...I just couldn't stop reading!

It's not that the writing is great at all...you can tell it's written for teens. And I can't stand the constant use of the word "chuckle". And Edward seems to laugh and chuckle quite a bit. The relationship between Edward and Bella really does seem a bit abusive (obviously), but the story just sucks you in. It's kind of ridiculous. Edward seems so smoldering and handsome. Stephenie Meyer does an excellent job of making him sound HOT and totally swoon-worthy. I find myself attracted to a fictional vampire. Wow, that's a sentence I never thought I would ever write.

So after my relaxing Friday night, I woke up early on Saturday and went straight to Border's to buy New Moon. I was only able to read the first few chapters because I was really busy the rest of the weekend but now that I'm finally home I can't wait to read more. Even as I'm writing this I see it sitting on my table and I'm dying to read it...

Ok I can't resist the urge any more...I'm off to read more of this amazing vampire-y saga. Goodnight!

Friday, October 17, 2008

One wild Friday night

I love to go out. I love to go out to dinner, out to bars, out to parties. I love to be with friends and I love to be social.

But sometimes, it's just fun to do absolutely nothing. And that's exactly what I'm doing tonight.

I'm curled up on my couch in my pajamas, enjoying a glass of wine (pinot noir, my favorite), with my Harvest candle flickering, listening to whatever Party Shuffle on iTunes has in store for me. And I don't know if I've ever been more relaxed in my life. This might be the most perfect Friday night ever. No pressure to look nice, no spending money and no hangover in the morning (depending on the amount of wine I drink, of course).

It's funny to think about how much my perspective has changed over the last couple years. In college, I would probably be harassed for staying in. Not that I ever would have...there were always people to see, places to go, cheap alcohol to drink. And with my boisterous roommates, staying in was never an option. For a time I went out every night from Tuesday through Saturday...every week. When I look back, I have no idea how I did that. What a crazy youngin' I was.

Perhaps it's a sign of my increasing maturity or the fact that I'm exhausted after a long work week, but the thought of going out more than one night a week these days seems insane. Sure, I'll go see a movie or grab a drink with a friend, but once the clock hits 10 on a school night (yep, I still call them that), I get tired and antsy and just want to go to bed.

And though I would love to be with my boyfriend (we're doing the long distance thing) or with my friends, right now I am absolutely loving my Friday night snuggled up in my cozy little apartment. I have the whole weekend ahead of me and it feels amazing.

The only thing I have to think about now is what movie I want to watch because there is absolutely NOTHING on TV. And since I've already watched last night's episode of The Office three times (it was hilarious), a movie is my only option. It's between P.S. I Love You, Made of Honor, Elf and Home Alone. I am well aware that the last two are Christmas movies, but I can't stand it any longer. I'm literally on the edge of my seat waiting for the holidays. I LOVE them!

Have a great night everyone!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Crispy crunchy deliciousness


In keeping with my fall favorites, it's about time I talked about another one of my seasonal must-haves...Honeycrisp Apples. They are the sweetest, tartest, tangiest, juiciest, crunchiest, crispiest, most delicious apples ever made...or grown.

As I mentioned before, I eat an apple every single day. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe in the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." I've been doing this apple thing for over a year and so far, the saying has been almost completely true. I've only been sick once over the year and it was a cold that lasted two days. Maybe it has nothing to do with the apples, but I'm not going to stop eating them in order to find out.

So before I was introduced to the phenomenal HoneyCrisp apple, I was all about Gala apples. I thought they were the absolute best. I never was a fan of those regular old apples like Jonathan and Red Delicious...I only like the "fancy" ones like Gala and Pink Lady and Fuji. And Galas were my go-to fruit until that fateful day last fall when I stumbled upon the Honeycrisp display at Dominick's.

Naturally, I was drawn to the name. To me, names and packaging are the biggest sellers. If it has a fun name or comes in a really cool box, I'll get it. So I saw the name Honeycrisp paired with its pink-ish green skin and I immediately picked up a couple. I brought one to work the very next day and my life was changed forever.

As I took that first bite I realized that no other apple would ever be good enough compared to this perfect fruit. It was so crisp and juicy, it was almost like candy. I can't even describe how good it was...I don't think any words would do it justice. I immediately went back to the store and stocked up on Honeycrisps. "Apple time" became my favorite part of the day—a moment of sweet perfection in the middle of a hectic work day.

And then fall ended. And Honeycrisps were nowhere to be found. Trust me, I looked. I went to grocery stores throughout the city, but the apple season had ended and I was out of luck.

So all I could do was wait...and wait...and tolerate Galas once again.

And now Honeycrisps are back and better than ever. I stock up on them every week and still eat one every single day. I'm glad I know to savor them this year and enjoy them while they last. Because life without Honeycrisps is a little less sweet.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

It's a Starbucks miracle


I'd like a tall, nonfat, no whip, pumpkin spice latte, please.

Meet the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL). Hands down, best drink ever made. And the fact that it's seasonal makes it even more appealing (if that's even possible). Sometimes I get a grande, sometimes I splurge on whip, but no matter how I order it, it's always amazing.

With an aromatic pumpkin flavor and a hint of nutmeg, it's the perfect hot drink for a chilly fall day. It smells like fall, it tastes like fall...it's basically fall in a cup. And I could probably drink one every single day.

They're around from the beginning of September until the holiday season. And even then, though they might not be listed on the menu, they're still available. That's good to know when you get sick of the holiday flavors...there's only so many peppermint mochas you can have a year.

When they came back to stores this September, I had forgotten about them. Caught up in the joys of summer and the frustration of moving, I wasn't even thinking about my seasonal favorite. When I walked into Starbucks that early September morning and saw the sign marking the glorious return of the PSL, I literally "whooped" out loud with delight. I don't think I've ever "whooped" about anything, but I was THAT excited. People gave me funny looks, but I just grinned from ear to ear and ordered a grande.

Later that day, one of my coworkers enthusiastically announced to everyone that PSLs were back. I stood up in my cube and yelled "WOOOHOOO PSL!". (What can I say, I get really excited). She shared my excitement and before I knew it, we had started Pumpkin Spice Latte Day. Every Friday morning, after our daily status meeting, we go down to the Starbucks in our building and order our PSLs just the way we like them. It's a small celebration of our favorite beverage, but it's just enough to keep us excited all week long. Of course we could go any other day during the week, but I have to try to practice a little self control.

And now writing this post really makes me want a PSL. Friday seems so far away...

Monday, October 13, 2008

Sailing the Four Seas

I'm quite aware of the absolute randomness of my posts thus far. And honestly, there will probably never be much order to them. I basically write about whatever pops into my head. There's a good chance a lot of them might be about food...who doesn't have their favorites?

And today feels like one of those days to talk about one of my favorite foods...ice cream!


This summer I had the most amazing ice cream EVER at Four Seas Ice Cream (fourseasicecream.com) in Centerville, MA (that would be on Cape Cod for people like me that have no clue about New England geography). Apparently it's always been a favorite of the Kennedy family. I believe one of the daughters even had Four Seas ice cream had her wedding. I can only hope that one day I'll be so lucky...

I first tried Four Seas two years ago, the first time I went out and stayed with my boyfriend and his parents at their Cape house. He had forewarned them about my obsession with ice cream (I could eat it every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner), and so they decided to take me to their favorite place, Four Seas. We only went once, on my very last day, and it was absolutely amazing. I knew as I took my first bite that I was experiencing ice cream perfection.

It wasn't until this last summer that I was able to go back. His family and I went there not once...not twice...but three times in a span of five days and I fell head over heels in love with Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate. It's so creamy and sweet with the perfect combination of smooth peanut butter ice cream and rich dark chocolate chunks. My mouth is watering just thinking about it...

After hearing me profess my love for the delightful little ice cream shop, my boyfriend's parents bought me a Four Seas T-shirt, which I proudly wear around Chicago. And every time I wear it, someone recognizes it and immediately strikes up a conversation about it. From the barista at Starbucks to a girl in line at Border's, it's quite the attention-getter. And everyone always agrees on one thing—"it's the best ice cream ever!"

So if you're ever at the Cape, in Massachusetts or anywhere within reasonable driving distance (hey, it's not too far from Chicago, right?), you definitely need to make a stop at Four Seas. Unfortunately, it's only seasonal, so I guess you might have to wait until Memorial Day to try it (womp womp). I'm already counting down...

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Writing by Candlelight

This time of year marks the return of one of my favorite things: the Harvest candle by Yankee Candle Co. The rest of the year, I could care less about candles. Sure I buy them, but after a day or two, they sit on a shelf or table and collect dust. Maybe it's that I'm terrified of fire or the fact that I am super sensitive to scents, but candles aren't really my thing.

Until October rolls around.

If this season had a copyrighted scent, Harvest would be it. It seems to combine all the wonderful crisp smells that linger in the air around now. Fresh apples, fallen leaves, the seasons changing, the spice of cider...they're all there in that bright orange candle.

My Mom has always been really into Yankee Candles and Harvest has always been her favorite. Ever since I was in grade school, she's had it in our house. As a kid I failed to appreciate it, but as I've gotten older I've reflected on all the things it reminds me of...carving pumpkins with my Dad, snuggling up with my dogs during Fall Break, getting ready for the big Thanksgiving Day meal...and now it smells like home to me. Not "home" as in my teeny tiny working girl apartment, but I mean my parent's house, which will always be home to me.

And of course, the sights, smells and sounds of fall remind me that it's only a few short weeks until my ABSOLUTE favorite time of year...Christmas. But that, I'm sure, will take up many posts in the near future. I believe I could write an entire blog based solely on my love for the movie Elf.

So yes, go out and get yourself a Harvest candle. It might change your life...or at least the smell of your apartment. Happy Fall, everyone!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Breakfast of Champions

While on the subject of breakfast, I might as well profess my love for it. I make sure I enjoy it every single morning, without fail. It starts my day off on the right foot and if I don't have it, it's not a pretty sight. I get grumpy, tired, crabby and just generally unpleasant to be around. Yikes.

But I'm not one of those "just a granola bar please" girls, nor am I all about piling on the bacon and eggs. (In fact, I don't like bacon at all). I love cereal (obviously), yogurt, bagels and english muffins (I love the carbs). I get up early on weekday morning just so I can have time to relax and eat breakfast. I've even developed a little routine:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday....fat free yogurt and a whole wheat english muffin topped with peanut butter (organic) and a touch of honey
Tuesday, Thursday...fat free yogurt and a bowl of Special K cereal

And lately, I've been changing it up on Tuesdays and Thursdays and making an amazing peanut butter and banana smoothie instead. My recipe is:
-1 cup of light vanilla soy milk
-1 whole banana
-2 tbs. organic peanut butter
-1 packet flax seed oil
-2 ice cubes

Oh and I have an apple as a midmorning snack EVERY single day. It's delicious and nutritious. My friends think I'm a bit nuts, but I'm a creature of habit and boy, do I love breakfast.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

They're always after me Lucky Charms

I love cereal. A LOT. From Lucky Charms to Cheerios, I love them all. And right now I am absolutely in love with Blueberry Muffin Frosted Mini Wheats. Since I've really been on a blueberry kick lately (which will surely show up in another post), I was more than willing to try this new cereal. I bought my first box a couple months ago and it was love at first taste. Even as you open the box, you can smell the delicious blueberry aroma wafting toward your nose. I could easily finish a box in one sitting, so it truly is a test of self control. Each bite seems to better than the one before—from the first crunch to the very last wheat-y scraps on the bottom (my favorite part). But to me, this cereal is a little too sweet to eat for breakfast...but it's absolutely perfect for a snack any time of the day.

So what's my breakfast cereal of choice? That would be Special K. Aaaamazing. For years I refused to try it. I thought it was just another one of those other plain cereals like Wheaties or Total (no offense). But one day in the grocery story I decided to be a grown up and give it a try and it's been a part of my complete breakfast ever since. I like it plain, with just a dash of milk. My only complaint is that it gets soggy ridiculously quickly. But then again, I'm usually in a hurry in the morning, so it doesn't have time to go too far down the mushy path.

My next big adventure is a brand new Kashi cereal I picked up yesterday called Honey Sunshine. (And yes, I picked it because of the name...it's just so darn perky) I can't wait to give it a whirl.