All posts by mrmcnoodle10

Target’s 12 Days of Wellness

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  1. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides-This is vanilla flavored and also not something that I would typically use.
  2. Vichy Mineral 89 Fortifying and Plumping Daily Booster- I don’t have much to say about this product as I have never heard of it nor have I tried it.
  3. Cerave Healing Ointment Skin- I use Cerave as a night cream and quite like it. This product is a protectant non-greasy feel and I put it on my pimple. I don’t know if my pimple healed at the rate it would have or if this helped push the healing process along.
  4. Que Bella Pore Minimising T-Zone & Full Facial Mud Mask- I generally like this brand and it also happens to be vegan with a recyclable package.
  5. IT WAS EMPTY! Until I looked further and found Welly Face Savers- This product is a classic pimple patch that didn’t make my face feel itchy or dried out.
  6. Pacifica Vegan Collagen Overnight Recovery Cream-This is vegan and cruelty free. It is lightweight and also has a light flower scent. So far, it has not made me break out or anything.
  7. Dr. Teal’s Foaming Bath (Lavender)- I have heard great things about this brand. I’m not sure if it has anything to do with it, but whenever I used this product I was always super sleepy.
  8. Eos Shea Butter Hand Cream- This was in pomegranate raspberry and smells REALLY good. It’s not too thick and makes my hands really smooth.
  9. Beloved Bath Bomb- This was coconut and warm vanilla and smells REALLY GOOD. I’m not a bath person so I used it as a shower steamer.
  10. Megababe Deodorant- The scent was bilberry, lemon, and orange. It is pit-balancing and also smells good.
  11. Olive Oil Deep Conditioning Pack- It has vitamin E, is for dry hair, and minimizes frizz. I was impressed with this product up until I brushed my hair and it was a little coarse.
  12. The Good Patch- This is for relaxation, it’s vegan, no latex, paraben free, and plant powered and I gave it to a friend who probably needed it more than I do.

I feel like this would generally go over well with consumers. I am weird in some ways and so some of these products that weren’t for me would probably work for the general public. I do think that it was worth the money and I would probably still purchase in the future.

Target’s 12 Days of Beauty

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I wanted one of these so bad last year and didn’t get one when I first saw it. It proceeded to become popular on social media and was instantly sold out. This year I saw it on the shelves of Target in November and immediately picked it up. Here are my thoughts:

  1. Eos Pink Lemonade 24hour Moisture Lip Butter- I like Eos (I use it every night), the scent is pleasant and it feels like a gloss going on my lips. I’m not sure if it actually heals the lips (some chapsticks, despite that being their job, do not), but it does seem to create a barrier on my lips.
  2. Winky Lux Uni-brow Precision Pencil- This was a tiny little thing but I actually kind of like it and the color matches my brow color for the most part.
  3. Olly Beauty Gummies- I have used Olly in the past for other vitamins and they are just regular vitamins but expensive so I usually choose another brand. Not a bad brand though.
  4. Sonia Kashuk Beauty Blender- This is so spongy and soft and probably my favorite item from this calendar.
  5. Bliss Drench & Quench Cream-to-water Hydrator for All-Day Moisture- This item is cruelty free and vegan. When I apply it to my face it feels and looks like droplets of water and my skin is really smooth afterwards. I have used this for a couple of weeks now and I have not had a breakout due to the product.
  6. Byoma de-puff + Brighten Eye Gel- This is unscented and includes Vitamin C. I have not used this much but when I did use it, it went on smooth.
  7. Batiste Dry Shampoo- I have this product but I couldn’t really tell you how I feel about it as I am not a huge dry shampoo user.
  8. Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier- I think these are a great way to get some extra hydration or for an after-drink boost but I’m not sure how I’ll feel about the green apple powdered probiotic kombucha flavor.
  9. NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray- This is a 16hour wear. The bottle is quite tiny but I have heard about this product before and I am enjoying it so far.
  10. Aussie Conditioner- This product has such an amazing smell and I have used them in the past. Aussie conditioner makes my hair so silky smooth.
  11. E.L.F. Power Grip Primer- I have used this product before and liked it in the past. E.L.F. products usually never fail for me.
  12. Tanologist Medium Self Tan Drops- This is dermatologist approved but I am not a self-tanner so I will probably give this to someone else.

I really enjoy just the act of puncturing the perforated “doors” so when I get something out of it as well, bonus. The perforation on this calendar was a little too strong and doesn’t give that satisfying, clean rip that I would like. I do think the price for the items was well worth it, especially if you are really into makeup.

Advent Calendars

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I know it is only the beginning of November but Advent Calendars sell out. Fast. Since I didn’t get any last year, I went earlier this year and was able to snag a few. Here are a list of some you should look out for:

  • Aldi’s Wines of the World
  • Aldi’s Cheese Advent Calendar
  • World Market McCrea’s Caramels Advent Calendar
  • World Market Bonne Maman Jam/Jelly Advent Calendar
  • World Market Harry Potter Jelly Bean Advent Calendar
  • Target Advent Calendar For Dogs
  • Target Disney Doorables Advent Calendar
  • Target 12 Days of Beauty
  • Target 12 Days of Wellness
  • Aldi’s Barissimo Coffee Advent Calendar
  • Aldi’s Burman’s Hot Sauce Advent Calendar
  • World Market Harry Potter Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar
  • World Market English Tea Shop Advent Calendar

For most of these I will be putting out a review of the products so you can get another opinion on them and maybe/maybe not help you decide if you want to try them yourself.

Keyed Up

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A short story by Emma Lairson. The challenge was to use these words: carnival, sprained, mask, oxidation, awkward, apple, juvenile, controversy, twirl, sassafras.

Plopping myself down at the bar, I take a big juicy bite of my apple, which I brought to eat in between sets. I take a look around the room, my eyes landing on a couple that looks like they are on an awkward first date. I shake my head and think, Good luck, before finishing my perusal of the room. On the dance floor a lone woman twirls around seemingly lost in her own head.

“Do you want anything, Pen?” Chloe, the bartender and my friend, asks.

“I’ll take a root beer, extra sassafras,” I say with a finger gun and a wink.

She rolls her eyes but says nothing as she fills my order. My attention is diverted to the muted television and the controversial bullshit that takes up screen time. Scoffing, I turn back to the bar where my drink is waiting for me to consume. Thanking Chloe, I make my way towards the stage.

My second set as the bar’s only piano performer is about to start, so I get comfortable on the bench. This job, while keeping my skills fresh, is a waste of my talent and hard work. I put on my mask of professionalism and start playing. I start with some calming mood music before slipping into some upbeat carnival music. A couple people look over in surprise but are swept away again into their conversations.

A couple hours later, I’m finishing up and closing the piano. I’m grabbing my things from the staff room when my other friend Ethan, walks in.

“How have you been?” I ask.

Ethan was out for a week with a sprained ankle. Having the tendency to overshare, Ethan goes into detail how he sustained the injury during a complicated sexual act.

“Ethan,” I groan.

“Oh, shush. I know you live vicariously through me since you haven’t had any action since man invented electricity,” he smirks.

I stick out my tongue in a juvenile statement of how I feel about his assumption. His very correct assumption.

“Hey, are you still coming over to help my niece with her homework?” Ethan asks.

“Yep.”

“Okay, good. I don’t remember anything from high school, let alone oxidation or whatever.”

Now it’s my turn to smirk. The smirk fades as I walk out. I’m good at all, but a master at none, I think. I feel as if I’m just existing, never doing the things that I love or pictured myself doing when I was young, but in some ways doing better than others.

I’m not going up or down, I’m static, just staying the same. That isn’t good enough for me anymore. Something needs to change, I think as I step out into the warm summer night that now seems filled with possibilities.

GoSick

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Fellow anime lovers, if you do not know about CrunchyRoll, let me tell you about it now. It is a platform in which pretty much every anime you could think of is located for your viewing pleasure. I have been scouring the app for intriguing shows. One of these shows is GoSick.

I binge watched GoSick in a day, that’s how captivated I was by it. Before becoming an anime, GoSick was a Japanese novel first. The title means “gothic” which is one of the words I would use to describe this show. I would also describe it as

We follow Kazuya Kujo in the 1920’s who befriends an intriguing girl by the name of Victorique. This show gives me Sherlock Holmes vibes with Victorique being Holmes and Kazuya being a reluctant Watson. They take on cases brought to them by Victorique’s brother who also happens to be a detective.

GoSick brings a hint of romance, murder, mystery, and a bit of the paranormal, or so it seems. There is also a found family style trope while also dealing with Victorique’s actual family. While I wasn’t one hundred percent happy with the ending, I was still satisfied with the way things were tied up.

Speakeasy Ramen

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This cute, whole-in-the-wall style restaurant is located in Springfield, Ohio. I personally would not have known it was there if not for my friend who heard about it from another friend. Inside, it is shabby chic and has a limited seating area. I had the Thai Curry Ramen because they could make it gluten free. It can also be made vegan and vegetarian.

The ramen was soothing and delicious with a coconut milk broth, Thai spices, shrimp, soft-boiled egg, narutomaki, mushrooms, nori, corn, bok choy, scallions, and lime. There was more than enough food for one person, I could have made another meal out of it.

The employees were patient, attentive, and polite. I would most definitely go back or maybe even get it to go to enjoy on a rainy day or when I was feeling under the weather because this is comfort food.

Ocean Club

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Ocean Club is a Cameron Mitchell restaurant located in Columbus, Ohio in the Easton Mall. It offers a variety of seafood. If you do not happen to enjoy seafood, they also offer chicken, steak, and porkchops.

I was lucky enough to visit this location with my grandmother for a birthday dinner. We enjoyed a very relaxing dining experience with an attentive and knowledgeable waiter. I am also gluten free and found it did not mar the experience at all. The waiter made sure to talk with the chef and were vigilant with my food needs.

My grandmother and I started our meal with a bottle of wine and their Oysters Rockefeller which is not listed as gluten free but upon further discussion, realized it should be listed as such. Never having had oysters before, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised and then some. I damn near licked the plate, it was so delicious.

Our next course was the Ocean Roll sushi. It can be hard to find sushi that is gluten free so I tend to get it whenever I can. The tuna, salmon, hamachi, avocado, and chili garlic oil roll was tender and delicious as is most Cameron Mitchell sushi.

The Ocean Club House Salad was what we ordered next. Now, I’m a lettuce, cheese, onion, and ranch dressing kind of salad girl. Lots of ranch. So I was amazed that I enjoyed a salad that included apples, goat cheese, walnuts, and a sherry mustard vinaigrette. The sweetness from the apples and dressing melded well with the goat cheese and the walnuts added a nice crunchy texture to top it off.

We then had our main meal of Chilean Sea Bass that came with broccolini, pearl onion, potato puree, and a truffle vinaigrette. It was lovely though by this time I was getting full and wanted to save room for dessert. Dessert was a Crème Brule and a port wine. Then for an extra dessert I had an espresso martini. I thought the port wine was too sweet at first, but after sipping on it for a little while, I ended up liking it, while the martini was good but not something I would order again.

I very much enjoyed my time at the Ocean Club. I felt welcomed and I enjoyed the way the atmosphere gave off the vibe of leisurely dining. I hope to go back again soon.

Vaso

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Vaso is located on Riverside Dr. in Dublin, Ohio. It is a rooftop bar located on top of a hotel. It is a tapas style menu. As someone who is gluten-free, I found it easy to pick something to eat. The restaurant also has an interesting drink menu. I ordered several different drinks and one of them came out smoking. It was a calm atmosphere made all the more elegant with its mood lighting. One of the features Vaso is known for are their igloo’s. As seen in the photo above, they light up and provide a space for people to congregate even in the colder months.

I really enjoyed my time there and the employees were welcoming and attentive. I do hope to go back again.

The Secret Garden

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Frances Hodgson Burnett writes a classic tale of a young girl by the name of Mary. Our protagonist is half Indian, half British and has lived her life in India’s high society. At first, I found her to be a very unlikeable character though I remind myself she is a child and cannot be the one to blame as she was spoiled in everything but attention.

I haven’t read many classic stories but from what I have read, they all seem to follow the same style. They all take some time to get to the meat of the story and instead focus a lot on the setting and the characters. For this particular story I enjoyed this aspect because it gave Mary a lot of time to grow up and get some great character development. She really seemed to bloom at Misselthwaite Manor.

Dickon is the MVP and my favorite character.

Aside from the compelling imagery Burnett provides, I believe The Secret Garden is a metaphor for our own emotions and needs. In order to tend to others, we need to tend to ourselves and make sure we are not just physically healthy, but mentally as well.

I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads.

Fall Movies

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We are heading into the fall season and I like to fully immerse myself in all things fall and creepy. That being said, I am not someone who likes horror movies so here are some that I watch instead.

  • The Nightmare Before Christmas
  • Beetlejuice
  • Hotel Transylvania 1-4
  • Corpse Bride
  • Coraline
  • Casper
  • Dark Shadows
  • Hubie Halloween
  • Fear Street Part One 1994
  • The Munsters
  • Nightbooks
  • The Boy Who Cried Werewolf
  • Goosebumps
  • The Babysitter 1 & 2
  • Fear Street Part Two 1978
  • A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting
  • The Little Vampire
  • Phantom Pups
  • Are You Afraid of the Dark?
  • Edward Scissorhands
  • Amish Witches
  • Scream Queens
  • The Sixth Sense
  • Blade 1-3
  • Underworld 1-6
  • Hocus Pocus 1 & 2
  • Little Shop of Horrors
  • Monster House
  • Twitches 1 & 2
  • Practical Magic

I’m sure I have missed some. If anyone has any recommendations I would love some.