30 Rock!

30 Rock premiered last night and I was reminded why this is the best show on tv that no one is watching. Start watching it people! I don't want what happened to Arrested Development to happen to this show!

Treehouse of Horror

I know I've been heavy on the videos lately, but here's one more. I have to admit to not watching most episodes of The Simpsons these past few years, but I try to at least watch the Treehouse of Horror. This year's episode contains a cute Mad Men spoof.

Coolest Cake Ever

This bakery made the coolest cake ever. How wonderful.

New Favorite Store

You know you're getting older when you feel like all the clothes in your closet need to go. I am trying to abandon my previously frumpy ways and move towards a more tailored look. My problem has been mostly that the clothing in stores like Ann Taylor still seems too old to me, and the prices at JCrew as of late have pretty much made their clothes not affordable anymore. (I'll save my rant of high prices and decreasing quality at JCrew for another time).

Enter Martin+Osa. They are the latest store from the Aberslutty/American Eagle Brand. Their clothes are wonderful. Plain, simple, and pretty. I realize that I'm being marketed to here, and I don't care. These clothes are made for those of us wanting to shed our college thrift store clothes for something just a little more refined.

Visit their website here.

My New Favorite Chip!

UTZ has a wonderful salt and malt vinegar potato chip now in their "Kettle Classics" line. Maybe it's been around for a while, but I just found it. It tastes almost identical to Thrasher's french fries.

They are available in most grocery stores right now. Go try some!

Strawberry Shortcake Cereal

I used to love this cereal. I wish that if they were going to bring back all of our 80's toys like Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, My Little Pony, and the like, that they would also bring back all the delicious food tie-ins that were available in the 80's. Like this cereal:

Funny

I don't know why everyone isn't talking about this. Maybe they are and I just haven't been listening.

Lost

I know it will be a while before Lost returns to the airwaves, but some information is starting to leak about season 5. This is my favorite so far (don't worry, I won't post spoilers here)

We will come to learn that one of the following is true in Lost's fifth season premiere. A. The Island moved forward in time. B. The Island moved backward in time. C. The Island did not move in time, but it did move in space -- to another location on the planet. D. The Island did not move in time or space -- it's still there, but Dharma tech renders it invisible to the naked eye. Source: The Ausiello Files

I also wanted to send out kudos to my friends who got all caught up on the series over the summer!

You Decide

Who looks more presidential? The candidate speaking calmly and clearly to the American people, or the candidate making strange gestures, puffing out his chest, and rolling his eyes while the other is speaking.

Anyone Remember

The store at the mall in the 80's called "Units"? Or its counterpart "Multiples"?

Repost: My Favorite Popcorn

I know I posted about popcorn last year, but I think with the football season in full swing, it deserves to be posted again. I am a huge fan of popcorn made on the stove. I think it has more flavor than it's air popped counterparts.

Over the last year, I have significantly decreased the amount of oil necessary to make popcorn on the stove. I now use only about 1-2 teaspoons of oil to make it (really this was just so I can justify putting butter on it instead of a little more olive oil once it was finished).

Making popcorn on the stove is also wonderful because it does not clutter up the kitchen with yet another appliance.

The recipe!

Kate's Favorite Popcorn (introduced to her by her first awesome roommate, Kel)

1-2 Tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1/3 cup (plus a little extra)popcorn kernels
melted and cooled butter or olive oil for topping, to taste
salt to taste
Nutritional Yeast (at least a 1/4 cup)

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed stock pot over high heat (or medium heat if you are lucky enough to have a gas stove). Throw in 3 kernels. When they have popped, throw in the rest of the kernels. Place a lid on the stock pot and hold so that steam can escape (be careful and wear oven mitts). Shake the pot so the kernels are evenly coated with oil. Allow the popcorn to pop, shaking occasionally so the kernels don't burn.

When finished popping, pour melted butter or olive oil over popcorn. Season with salt and nutritional yeast.

I know nutritional yeast sounds strange, but trust me, it will quickly become your most favorite popcorn too. I have also started to mix the butter with just a little bit of vegetable oil so that it coats better.

True Blood

I have been enjoying the episodes of True Blood. Check it out if you have HBO! It's always been fascinating to me how people interpret the mythology of vampires. From Bram Stoker, to Anne Rice, The Historian, Buffy and Angel, and now True Blood. I would like to read the Sookie Stackhouse books too. I'm sure they are much better than Twilight.

Some Humor

Warning: This is likely not safe for work. Unless you work where I do. Contains some language and a picture of boobies.


The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Underestimated

Watch CBS Videos Online
Yeah, I totally underestimated that she would be such a national joke that she would need the man to sit next to her to set her straight.

You Can See All the Countries From Here

Watch CBS Videos Online

I forgot that foreign policy experience means that if you can SEE at country, then you have had foreign policy experience.

Are you listening, America? Because she's not saying very much at all.

No Sense

She doesn't even make sense when she talks.

From the Katie Couric interview:
COURIC: Why isn’t it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries? Allow them to spend more, and put more money into the economy, instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

PALIN: That’s why I say I, like every American I’m speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in. Where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh, it’s got to be about job creation, too. Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade — we have got to see trade as opportunity, not as, uh, competitive, um, scary thing, but one in five jobs created in the trade sector today. We’ve got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation.

Holding Hands

Ever since I saw Wall-E, I've thought holding hands is about the best thing ever. According to cuteoverload.com (which normally makes me all happy inside), one of these otters recently passed away. It makes me so sad to think that the other little otter is just floating around in the water waiting for his partner to float by and hold hands with him again.

I realize this makes me a big sap (and slightly over-emotional woman), but I can't help it.

R.I.P. cute little otter!

Candy Review - Cinnamon Fire Twizzlers

If you like cinnamon, go buy these immediately. My husband has been stocking up on these awesome twizzlers, because he's afraid they'll stop making them. Previously only available at Walgreens, these Twizzlers have been popping up in other stores (like Giant). They have a great spice to them, and are in pull and peel form.

Candy Review - Yogurt Dots and Dots Elements Green Tea

The yogurt dots are some of the best gummy candy I've had in a long time. They have a lovely texture, and really fantastic flavor. Sometimes, when things have tropical flavors, like mango, I think they taste too artificial, but these are terrific. I've only seen these at Happy Harry's in Bethany Beach, so grab them up if you see them locally.



By contrast, the Green Tea Dots are completely inedible. I could have saved my money and sucked on a bag of tea. I thought these would have an interesting flavor, but instead tasted only of dirt. I am still on the lookout for the others in the elements series though, primarily the pomegranate and the cinnamon. If you see them, please let me know. Something tells me I will find them at CVS soon, since CVS usually wins these candy hunts.

Candy Review - Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses

I picked these up at Target the other day because I thought they would be milk chocolate. A closer look at the package would've told me that they were more like the disgusting candy corn kisses released last year. (In case you didn't have the displeasure of eating these, the candy corn ones are also back for Halloween)

The flavor of these kisses is pleasant enough, but the texture is oily, silty, and overly creamy. I probably don't like them because I am not a huge fan of white chocolate.

They definitely have the flavor of pumpkin pie though, so if fake oily white chocolate is your thing, I suggest trying these. In fact, I'll give you a bunch for free. Hurry before my co-workers eat them all.

Note: In case you don't know, Hershey is using mockolate in alot of their products these days. Their traditional candy still uses Milk Chocolate (Hershey Bars, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, and kisses), but the rest have been replaced with an oil based product with chocolate flavoring added. This disappoints me because it affects my previously favorite candy bar, the Take 5. For more information, I recommend visiting Candy Blog.