Alexander

First of all, this was not my choice when a rental movie discussion was had last night... but when Christine said, "Can we rent Alexander and make fun of it?," I had to say yes.
This movie is bad bad bad. It's so bad, after about 45 minutes, you can't even make fun of it anymore. Angelina has this crazy accent - basically, she just talks slowly and rolls her Rs - and everyone else has some form of British Isles accent. But they're not all high British! Oh no! I definitely heard Scottish and Irish and some others that were non-descript, but still bad. Then there's the make-up. We think that some make-up artist was reaalllly good at "fixed gouged-out eye effect," because at least three people had that sewn-up-skin-over-the-eye thing. It was disturbing and hilarious all at once.
Not to mention that the thing was boring. Alexander had conquered a whole bunch of places at a very early age, and you never got any of that: no sense of distance or time or conquered-ness. Oliver Stone could take a lesson from the Mel Gibson Braveheart School of Ancient War Filmmaking.
Redeeming factors: Angelina Jolie, Jared Leto and Jonathan Rhys Meyers are super hot, especially in those flimsy togas.

Alexander - D

Coach Fall Line

Have you seen Coach's new fall line? To die for. Oh, if only I made scads of money, I could have the tweed Soho satchel with suede, velvet and rhinestone trim. Sigh.

Coach Fall Line - B- (the prices are outrageous)

Creative Memories

Who loves scrapbooking? I do! I have been on a real kick the last few days, trying to finish up my Interlochen scrapbook before I move on to the college years. It's way fun.

I love Creative Memories products. They are top of the line, the highest quality out there. Unfortunately, they are only available through a consultant, so if you need a new album or some refill pages, you have to get in touch with someone in your area to place your order. I need instant gratification, so I get very impatient when waiting for my consultant to get back to me. The products are worth the wait... but I'd rather not wait. Also, CM is a little pricey. Again, worth it, but with my current income, I have to watch how many stickers and pens I order. Good thing they have a wish list section.

Creative Memories - B.

Afternoon Delight

Today I had lunch at Afternoon Delight, on Liberty in downtown Ann Arbor. It's just a little lunch spot on a main drag, with nothing special about the interior, and I like that. I don't like that the nametags of the wait staff said things like "Hello! My name is Audrey Hepburn."

I have been craving potato pancakes for a week or two, and they did indeed have them as a Sunday special. They were good, but not incredible - too much onion and the potatoes were chunky, rather than shredded. I also had a mocha cappuccino shake, and it was pretty tasty. Afternoon Delight does a lot of things with frozen yogurt, so if you like berries and muffins and other light-ish taste treats with yogurt, then this is your place.

Afternoon Delight - B

Hollander's

Hollander's is one of my favorite stores in Ann Arbor. They have all sorts of delightful paper goods, like cards, stationery, handmade wrapping paper, and upscale scrapbook supplies. Hollander's also has a "paper school" where one can make paper and books.
I don't really need any more correspondence supplies, but with my gift certificate from the Newcomers Club, I had to stop in and see what Hollander's had to offer me. I left with some gorgeous notecards at a 20% discount, as well as a magnet and tiny handmade Post-It pad for free. I love free!
I hope that Hollander's never gets too big for its britches, but I feel it could easily go that way. As long as they stay relatively small with quality products for the discerning paper enthusiast, it will continue to be one of my top spots in Ann Arbor.

Hollander's - A-

Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods Market is a huge grocery store that specializes in organic and health food. Sounds great, right? I wasn't all that impressed. First of all, it's HUGE. Too huge. I don't want to have to install a global positioning system in my cart just to find my way to the frozen foods. Next, as you might expect, the prices are higher than what you would pay at a regular grocery store. I'm trying to watch my spending, so Whole Foods is probably not the place for me to do my weekly shopping. Also, there were a lot of kids in the store. I love kids, and I love babies, I really do, but the store was full of moms and kids, wailing and screaming and invading my space (a small girl touched my butt, and I didn't like it).
Of course, it's not all bad - Whole Foods has an enormous prepared food bar, where you just go and pay by the pound and walk out with almost any variety of salad or cooked vegetable or meat you can think of. Healthy convenience food is always good. I got lunch from the hot bar, and it wasn't very good, but I like to think that I just made a bad decision - some of the food looked really, really good. Also, they have a lot of free Ann Arbor/Detroit magazines. It's nice to keep up on what's hip in my new town.
I imagine I'll go back - it's right on my way home from school, and I should eat healthier food. Next time, I'll take a compass.

Whole Foods Market - B-

READ

I will read whatever you tell me to, Legolas.


Orlando Bloom READ Campaign - A+

Tim and Erika

This is me with my friends Tim and Erika at Interlochen graduation. We look the way we do because we know we only have 24 more hours before we don't live in the dorm anymore.

Tim is good to have on your team. He is very crafty when it comes to finding secret things on the Internet. Also, he will bring you bagels to work when you are just too tired to get them yourself.
Erika is my "fun friend." We have had lots of good times shopping, getting lunch, and going to the chiropractor. Additionally, Erika is usually up for a body treatment of any kind, be it a manicure, pedicure, or sauna. Not many people can hang with me when it comes to spa time, so I really appreciate this about her.

I miss Tim. He moved to North Carolina. He never calls me, and I think that sucks. I miss Erika, too, just not as much - she only lives an hour away, and she calls pretty regularly. Good friends. Good times.

Tim - C+; Erika - B+

Newcomers Welcome Service

I had some misgivings about Gretchen from the Newcomers Welcome Service coming over, but once she got here, I knew I was in for a time like no other. Gretchen brought me lots of good information about the Ann Arbor area - map of town, phone book, listing of classes at the community college (Stylish Dressing, here I come!), that sort of thing. But after about ten minutes, Gretchen brought out the gift certificates, and that's when the fun really began. Seriously, she brought me over $275 in gift certificates: free oil change, free dry cleaning, free gifts at all kinds of stores, free dinners at really nice restaurants, a free massage certificate, free car wash, free coffee at two different businesses, coupons for the grocery store... it was a sight to behold. She just kept taking out more and more stuff. It was like Christmas.

I was recently chastised for giving too many A grades, but this totally deserves it.

Newcomers Welcome Service - A

Tim Horton's

I was very disappointed with my Tim Horton's experience last night. I used to love Tim Horton's - I got their chicken stew in a bread bowl about once a week when I lived in Saginaw. Unfortunately, Traverse City doesn't have a Tim Horton's, so last night's excursion to the one in Saline was my first in many years. I was excited at first, but when I got there, I realized that they no longer have chicken stew on the menu! It was heartbreaking. I ordered the cream of potato bacon soup combo, and was under the impression that I would be getting a donut and a dinner roll (mmmm, carbs), but I didn't receive the roll. Also, the soup was incredibly bland and the donut did not have the spark of, say, a Krispy Kreme chocolate dipped glazed. The price, though, was incredibly good - soup, donut and medium drink for $3. All in all, it was an unhappy dining experience and I doubt I'll be going back soon.

Tim Horton's - D+

Dell Inspiron 6000

Thanks to Dell, as well as UPS, my computer arrived today, over a week earlier than I expected it. So far, I really like it. For one thing, it looks good, all sleek and silver. For another, it seems to have everything I need and then some. I'm sure it will take some figuring out and getting used to, but I am very very happy with it - and very happy to be back to you, my readers!

Dell Inspiron 6000 - A

The Big One

Just wanted to let all you faithful blog readers know that Nate and I are making our big move to Ann Arbor this weekend, so I will most likely be entering sporadically for the next week or two, until my new computer arrives. In the meantime, keep your head up, and keep reaching for the stars!

Clay Aiken - Jukebox Tour

The Jukebox Tour is the must-see show of the season! Let me tell you what, this was a great show. I had awesome seats, the energy of the crowd was very high, and there were no picture restrictions! Oh, and Clay was fabulous, too. Clay made his mark by singing covers on American Idol, so he just went for it on this tour and sings about 95% cover tunes, including the full-length version of some his best performances on AI. His renditions of Solitaire and Unchained Melody were so good, they defy description.
There were a couple highlights of the show for me: he sang Mandy by Barry Manilow; right after that, he asked for some events of the '70s andI told him that my parents named for that song (yes, he answered back with some sass that he wasn't actually talking to me!); and at the very end of the concert, he said that we were going to play Stump the Band, and he took my friend Scott's suggestion for Bohemian Rhapsody. Scott and Clay are new best friends now.
I must mention Clay's back-up singers, Angela and Quiana. These girls are so good. I mean seriously good. They each sang a song or two by themselves, and one of the absolute best parts of the conert was Quiana's version of "I Will Always Love You." Watch out, Whitney.
If you like Clay, you will love this concert tour. If you don't like Clay, you'd probably be entertained anyway, so go - but don't buy the thong at the merchandise counter.

Clay Aiken - A

Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein

This is good drinkin'. Perfectly Protein is a soy vanilla chai (it sort of tastes like egg nog) chock full of nutrients and goodness. When consumed icy cold, it is a delightful drink for any time of day. Sometimes I forget how much I like it, and I'll go months without having one, and that's bad. I should drink one every day... and so should you! If you aren't a chai fan, I also recommend the Strawberry Banana flavor. I haven't tried any of the other Bolthouse varieties - they're a little too exotic for me, but if you're into carrots and mangoes in beverages, you might like those as well. FYI: Perfectly Protein is thick and sweet, so those of you with sensitive stomachs might not like it. Also, I've heard it can cause gas. Forewarned is forearmed, but I love it!

Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein - A-.

Musashi's

Last night I had dinner at Musashi's with my friends Kris and Peter (that's us on the left). Musashi's is a Shogun-style restaurant - you place your order with a waitress, and the cook comes to your table and cooks your food right there in front of you. I had never eaten at a place like this, so it was pretty cool to me. I had the "Geisha Special" - New York strip and shrimp. It was really tasty, and the vegetable assortment that went with it was delicious as well as unique. We also ate some delightful sushi, as well as edamame - boiled salted pea pods - that was outstanding. Finally, we were served the most amazing cake I've ever had, and you know that I love cake. The frosting was perfect and the cake was moist, flavorful and had a wonderful texture. I would go back just for the cake.

Happy Birthday Kris, and thanks to Pete's parents for footing the bill!

Musashi's - A-.

Toll House Bake and Break Cookies

There are few things quite so delicious and satisfying as a homemade chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven. However, if you're strapped for time and still have a hankering for that warm chocolatey goodness, look no further than Nestle Toll House Bake and Break Chocolate Chip cookies. Heat up your oven, pop in as many cookies as you want, and in 10-12 minutes, you have a delicious cookie that tastes like homemade... without all the fuss! Yes, they're not quite as good as homemade, but they sure hit the spot, especially with a glass of icy cold milk on a rainy day.

Toll House Bake and Break Chocolate Chip Cookies - B+

What the...

I ask all of you to go to my post titled "When Concert Merchandise Goes Horribly Wrong" and read the comments. This is the second time I've gotten "kudos" from anonymous bloggers that then encourage me to go to a website about hair loss, ceiling fans, buying a car etc. I don't get it. Has this happened to any of you other bloggers out there?

Anonymous praise - A-
Anonymous website solicitation - D+ (it kind of freaks me out)

UPDATE: I can delete those comments... yay! A+ to Blogger for the power of deletion!

When Concert Merchandise Goes Horribly Wrong

That's right - it's a Clay Aiken thong.

Who thought this was a good idea? Something tells me that it was some crazed marketing team member, and not Clay himself, that came up with Clay Aiken lingerie to be sold at his summer concerts. I know that some of Clay's more fanatical fans like to throw panties at the stage, but this is going a bit too far.

Clay Aiken Thong: F

Gap Curvy Fit Jeans

Hooray to Gap for introducing their Curvy Fit Jeans! The Curvy Fit Jeans are made for women whose "waist is smaller than their hips..." and we all know that that's me. These jeans must be a huge hit, because when I got to my friendly neighborhood Gap, I had a hard time finding my size, but once I found it, I knew that these were the jeans for me - the waist/hip fit was just about perfect. Unfortunately, Gap did not have the "ankle" (translation: short) length in stock in the store, and the online selection is limited, so I bought some that were too long and cut off the bottoms and am currently washing them to get that lived-in frayed look. If you, too, are a curvy female, get these jeans - they rock!

Curvy Fit Jeans - A
availabilty of Curvy Fit Jeans - B-

Yard of the Week

Sometimes, suburban life kicks ass. My parents' neighborhood association holds a "Yard of the Week" competition every summer. Actually, it's not a competion - it's a recognition. So they say. Anyway, every Saturday, a new yard is selected as Yard of the Week, based on criteria such as green grass, nice flowers, few brown spots, no weeds in the flower beds or grass growing up through the sidewalk, and most importantly, no basketball hoop in the driveway (part of the neighborhood covenant). That's a picture of my dad, being weird as usual, after his yard was recognized as Yard of the Week in 2003. Notice the lovely even greenness, as well as the delightful color of the beds.

I happen to know this year's Yard of the Week judge, so last night I went for a tour of the neighborhood to help select YOTW. Let me tell you, there are a lot of subtleties involved - it's sort of like a wine tasting. Color is good, as long as that color isn't brown. Small weeds in the flower beds are bad. Side yards aren't judged, but if they could detract from the overall aesthetic of the yard, one should take some care with those as well.

At the end of the day, a lovely yard was selected, and the judge had to get up at 5:30 AM in the pouring rain to take the sign out of last week's yard and move it to this week's yard. It's a stealthy process that brings the community together... and isn't that what neighborhoods are supposed to be about?

Yard of the Week: B+.