The Disney Food Blog

Every once in a while, you find two great tastes that taste great together, like peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and chocolate. The Disney Food Blog takes two of my favorites and puts them together. It's got Disney and food porn. What more could you want??

They recently had a review of the new flavors available for

sample at Club Cool. These are the old flavors.

The Disney Food Blog* features regular posts about food in Disney. They cover Florida, California, and they even had a post about Toyko Disneyland the other day. The posts are chock full of pictures and review the food you can get at Disney**. From cupcakes to turkey legs, they've covered pretty much everything.

They often have cross-section photos of the food.

It's more impressive when it's a 

cupcake.

They also feature very in depth reviews about some of the restaurants. Is a new dining venue about to open? They probably have the menu and have maybe even been to a preview. Wonder what the seating area is like in a particular restaurant? There is probably a picture in their review with a detailed description of noise level and food quality.

Unlike me, they would be able to easily identify each

item in this picture. I can tell you that was the best 

flat bread I ever had.

If you're planning a trip to Disney, or if you just like to look at all things Disney, the Disney Food Blog is for you. As someone that regularly photographs my Disney food, it's right up my alley. Since they often know about new snacks and treats, it's a good place to see what's new. You should have fun eating on vacation, and they know how to help you do it!

Finally, here is today's bonus picture.

It's Mark eating candied strawberries!

They were good but weird!

*I still don't like that word.

**On occasion, they even highlight near by venues that are not on Disney property.

Spotify

I really, really like music. Unfortunately, I can't dance. I can't sing.* I have a decent size iTunes library, and I'm not shy about buying music when the urge strikes me. ITunes is installed on both my laptop and my iPhone.** At times when the store isn't working on my phone and my laptop is across the room, I get desperate. I visit Youtube to listen to whatever song I'm currently wanting to hear. Sounds like a decent solution, right? Wrong! Apparently, Youtube is just plain terrible.

You would think it's not doing anything because it's a screenshot. 

It wasn't doing anything when I took the shot either!

I've found a better option, a much better option. Meet Spotify!

No matter how much he loves chaos, the Joker

is all about Spotify.***

Let me tell you how I came to meet Spotify. As usual, I was browsing Reddit when there was a discussion regarding the best one hit wonders of all time. One of the redditors was awesome enough to compile that list in Spotify, and let me just tell you that I love me some one hit wonders. Unfortunately, I didn't have this Spotify thing. After some internet sleuthing, I figured out where to download it. After a few minutes with the easy to use interface, I was listening to that amazing playlist.

With Spotify, you can **** search by artist, playlist, album, or song. Heck, there are probably other ways to search, but those are the ones I have used. I have been playing random songs since I started this review and have yet to find something they don't have. I'm sure there are songs that are not on there, but apparently, they are not songs I am interested in.

Now, with the free service I'm utilizing, I do have to listen to the occasional ad, but they are short and sweet. It's nothing too terribly annoying. You can pay for your service, but I don't know if that removes the ads. Mark actually paid for it for a month so we could use it when driving to Disney in October. It was pretty awesome, although it did push us over our data cap.***** We listened to all of the Jim Gaffigan comedy albums.******

The sound quality is good, the interface is user friendly, and the price is definitely right. Spotify pushes all my buttons and doesn't even make me pay for it!

Before we get to your bonus picture, let me give you a list of the songs I listened to while working on this:

• River of Dreams - Billy Joel
• We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel
• Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
• 99 Problems - Hugo
• Old Tyme Religion - Hugo*******
• Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus********
• Sweet Transvestite - Tim Curry in Rocky Horror Picture Show
• I Can Make You a Man (Reprise) - Tim Curry in Rocky Horror Picture Show
• Under Pressure - Queen
• Don't Stop Me Now - Queen***********
• In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
• Royals - Lorde
• Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas***********

All in all, that's a pretty impressive grouping of music that I got to listen to for free.**********

For tonight's bonus picture, I present my brother

dramatically pumping gas. For those of you that have been keeping 

track through other means, you'll notice he has sleeves in this picture!

*No, I'm not Phil Collins.

**Whether you want it or not.

***See, I added the Spotify logo to the card! Seriously, do not judge my photo-shop skills. I did the best I could! One time, I did an awesome photo-shop of my good friend Rick with Captain Picard. It was freaking amazing. I had better tools then. I just used Paint this time. I also would have been done a while ago if I had just let it go, but I didn't want to! What's sad is that it isn't bad enough to give you a good laugh, nor is it good enough to be impressive. Oh, well. I'll do better next time!

****I just realized what I don't like about the shop job! Sorry it came mid-sentence, but you just gotta get things out sometimes. The green is too bright for the color temperature of the picture! I wanted to keep the original Spotify color, and that was my mistake. I feel better now.

*****By the way, screw you, Verizon. You promised us unlimited data for life, but you'r a liar! You took it away. You'd best hope I don't run into you in a dark alley....with my car!

******He's actually very, very funny. Right now, all I remember is something about Hot Pockets, but I remember laughing.

*******Seriously, my babies may be conceived to his music.

********I have got to give her props for re-inventing herself. She did what she set out to do by putting herself in the spotlight. I don't necessarily like how she did it, but she and her people know what to do. Also, I like this song. I don't want to, but I do. Don't be a hater.

*********Without breaking the law, thank you. I'm lawful good over here.

***********This song will always remind me of Supernatural, a great show. Go watch it now. I think it's still on Netflix, and there are a ton of episodes.

************Every time I hear this song, I immediately think of Shaun of the Dead, which is a great movie. If you haven't seen it, get to it now!

Strudel!!!

I've been wanting to review the Fresh Market, but frankly, it's too big of a review for tonight. Besides, I don't have any good pictures. On the other hand, while adventuring there tonight, we did pick up some amazing strudel!

It's cherry filled!

I find that it is difficult to obtain quality strudel*. Oftentimes, it us under-filled or the pastry itself is mushy, especially on the bottom. Sometimes, it goes to the other extreme, with the pastry crumbling and being way too dry.

You don't get a cross-section shot, as I was busy eating it!

Luckily, the Fresh Market knows how to make strudel.** The pastry is appropriately flaky, with a nice sugar finish. They do not skimp on the filling. The cherry sauce was practically oozing out. You could probably warm it up if you wanted to, but I'm fine with room temperature pastry.

The strudel is the second of the Fresh Market pastries that we have tried. They also make these strawberry and cream cheese pastries that look kind of like pop over muffins. They are exquisite. I'm starting to think they're the best place to buy pies, pastries, and the like.

If you like strudel, try some from the Fresh Market. They have a variety of flavors. While it can be pricey, it's actually worth it.***

*Seriously, every time I think of strudel, I think of the movie "Gotcha", which I'm sure most of you have never seen. It starrred Anthony Edwards when he still had hair!

**Or they know how to buy it and box it up. Either way, it's full of win.

***I mean, I wouldn't buy them every week, but they're a nice treat.

Today's bonus picture is Anthony Edwards with hair! 

Also, that may be a paintball gun!****

****I've borrowed the image from Unrealitymag. I don't know much about their site, but it looks pretty neat. They recommended that you watch Gotcha, so that gets them mad props.*****

*****Okay, I just skimmed over their site, and it's actually right up my alley. Maybe you should check it out. There's a link up there and everything!

Breyer's Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sauce...in a Pouch!!!

Do you know what the saddest thing to happen to me today was? Sonic was out of bananas, so they could not sell Mark and I banana splits.* We had to take matters into our own hands. The only other option was to purchase the banana split goods. We decided to swing by BiLo and then make our own banana splits.

For me, I like my banana splits with lots of banana, barely any ice cream, and an obscene amount of hot fudge. We gathered the goods in that order, and when we checked out the topping sections, we discovered that Breyer's sells multiple types of sauces in microwaveable pouches. We threw the hot fudge into our little basket and were on our way.

It's in a sexy pouch!

Let's talk about the good aspects of this hot fudge sauce. It comes in a nifty pouch! You wouldn't consider that to be very special, but it is. In the past, I have purchased my hot fudge in a glass container. It can get very, very hot when microwaved. Additionally, it can be very messy. If you pour it, you get a mess on the rim. If you spoon it**, you leave little hot fudge trails everywhere. This pouch sauce negates both of these problems, so it is approved by the OCD in me.***

Look at that baby pour.

Unfortunately, that's about all this topping had going for it. The taste and consistency were both lacking. For a fair comparison to other hot fudge toppings, I would need to buy and try those with the same brand of ice cream, but for tonight, let's just say that I won't be buying this sauce again. It was not thick enough. Sometimes if you over-heat hot fudge, it can thin out. This sauce, however, was not over-heated. It also tasted a bit salty. It's possible that was a by-product of the Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, as I did not taste the hot fudge right out of the pouch.****

If you're looking for hot fudge, look elsewhere. I've never discovered a hot fudge in the grocery store that holds a candle to the hot fudge most restaurants use, and since I don't buy ice cream fixings too often for my home, it may be a long time til I look again.

In honor of the man that always cleaned his banana split

container at Dairy Queen, today's bonus

picture is of my dad. He's pretty

awesome.

*Admittedly, this isn't a big deal, and I am happy to name it the worst occurrence of the day for me. I know this is a first world problem.

**Also, the ice cream and banana get jealous.

***I am not actually diagnosed with OCD, nor am I making fun of those with OCD.

****I once saw a puppy eat soft serve right from the source. It was not cute.

Globe Christmas Lights

At this point in time, quite a few people have their homes stripped of their holiday decorations. Unlike those people, I am super lazy. My decorations are still up and will probably continue to be up for another week or so. It also doesn't hurt that I really like Christmas lights, as they make me happy!*

Last year, I had to bid adieu to my favorite Christmas lights. They were glass bulbs, a bit larger than a golf ball, and they were beautiful. They just made the nicest glow. The only downside was that one exploded last year when I plugged them in.** After recognizing that I could not fix them, they received a somber exit via the trash can.

This year, I decided to try and find some similar lights. I had bought my last set at Wal-Mart, so I didn't think it would be too difficult. It turns out that I was wrong. Any globe lights I found in the retail stores in my area were made of plastic and looked really cheap, with thick seams front and center. As that would not do, I checked in with my old pal, Amazon, who was happy to give me a few options. I purchased two different sets of lights.

The first set have a crackle appearance, not unlike Mercury glass.*** The pictures on Amazon made them out to be a little brighter than the actual product. The color is more in tune with a comic book that was left in the shop window too long.

You can see the crackle effect towards the bottom.

Also, this picture is a bit creepy.

The lights do get warm, but they don't get hot. Since I don't know why the stores stopped selling the glass lights, I figured that was important. I figured they either didn't like them breaking, or they were a fire hazard. Here's to hoping they're not a fire hazard.

The light is pretty....weak.

They do create a nice glow, but it is not as strong and warm as I would like.

The other set of lights that I purchased are more in line with what I was looking for. They are brighter, creating a happy glow about the tree.

It's so bright that it's melting the snowman!****

As you can see, that glow is much stronger than the illumination provided by the other string of lights. Unfortunately, these lights are plastic, but they don't look like they're made of plastic. There is no ugly and obvious seam making them look cheap. They're also a bit cooler to the touch, probably due to the plastic.

Seriously, check out that glow!

Overall, I'm happy with both sets of lights, but the latter set were more along the lines of what I was looking for. If my tree were a bit more delicate, the patterned lights would fit better. Otherwise, it would be nice if the first set were as bright as the ad's pictures made them out to be. Either way, I would be a bit happier if neither set had pink lights, as pink has no place on my Christmas tree.*****

For making it through this review, let me present you with a bonus picture of the oldest ornament on my tree.

That's my husband when he was 8!

*How could they not make you happy? They're little electric balls of joy.

**I'm not even exaggerating. It literally exploded into many, many tiny pieces. I think I only ended up stepping on one, so I consider that a win.

***At least, that's how the seller described them.

****Not really. We don't believe in violence on snow-people here at Prismatic Words. No snow-person was harmed in the writing of this article.

*****Seriously, it clashes with red. Ugh.

Mary Kay: Satin Hands

Before we even get started, can we agree that this title looks like the title of a weird romance novel or a porno...one of the soft core ones?* Anyway, we're here to talk about Satin Hands lotion by Mary Kay.**

It looks innocent enough.

While the cold doesn't visit Myrtle Beach all that often, it does occasionally rear its ugly head. The problem is that I'm no longer prepared to deal with it. I was shocked when my hands got so dry today that they started to hurt. I discovered this fact after applying hand sanitizer. Luckily, I keep a bottle of Bath and Body Works lotion in my desk drawer at work. Unfortunately, when I put some of that on, it just kept burning.

After arriving home tonight, I was too lazy to go find my Cetaphil, and there just so happened to be a sample of Mary Kay lotion sitting on my computer desk which a Mary Kay consultant gave to me. Now, I don't have much to do with make-up, so I'm not really all that familiar with the quality of Mary Kay products. I know a lot of women swear by them, but I was pretty indifferent. Note, that was past tense.

As of tonight, I am a believer in Mary Kay, or at least this lotion. It has a mild scent which is pretty, but the perfume is not so strong that it made my hands hurt. They actually feel better now. With some lotions, you can't really touch the screen on your smart phone after application, as you'll leave smears on it due to the greasy quality of the lotion. This Mary Kay stuff didn't present me with that problem.

Let's sum this up....

1. Mild and pleasant scent
2. Leaves hands soft
3. Does not leave hands greasy

Seriously, what more can you ask of a lotion? I am a bit sad that I can't include the lasting effects of the lotion, as I was too eager to write this. If it doesn't keep up the good work, I'll let you know. Also, I have no idea what the going rate is for this liquid gold, as it was a free sample. If the consultant is just looking to get me hooked, she may have done her job. Now, where did I leave her card....

*Let me be clear. I haven't watched a porno, so I'm making pop culture guided leaps here.

**Seriously, it just seems dirty.

My Favorite Annual Purchase - 2 Cups, 1 Bucket

I've made it pretty apparent that I'm a big fan of going to the movies. There are weekends where we will see multiple movie. I've done multiples in a single day too. Of course, that's not that big of a deal; I'm sure lots of people do that. Unfortunately for those people, they don't all have what I have...the marvelous refillable popcorn bucket and cups.

Each year, my favorite theater, the Cinemark in the Coastal Grand Mall, rolls out the refillable popcorn bucket and cups, which are only good for that calendar year. I feel that I must explain my obsession with them. 

The first year, we just bought a bucket; I don't even know if they had the cups then. In the subsequent years, we started buying the cups too. In the past, we've even bought extra buckets in case of visitors.*

A little over a year ago, around Thanksgiving, we saw the buckets and cups displayed for 2013. Since we had our 2012 versions with us at the time, we decided to wait and pick up the 2013 ones another day. This was a huge mistake. Shortly thereafter, the theater sold out. They were convinced they would receive more. I began calling and/or visiting them on an almost daily basis. I could not be without my bucket! I would not suffer a year without my cups! 

Recognizing the desperation of their patrons, the theater extended the time in which the 2012 buckets and cups could be used. I want to say it was at least a couple of months. Finally, after many calls and an embarrassing number of visits, additional stock arrived. I was finally able to claim my prize, and the theater employees no longer had to put up with me as much!

Yesterday, I officially retired the 2013 bucket and cups. Our 2014 versions have been used. I learned from last year and bought my new ones when I saw them on Thanksgiving day. I was reminded of my struggle from last year when a nice lady behind me at the snack bar inquired as to when the refillable items for 2014 were going to be in stock. I thought she was going to demand a manager when she was told they had sold out already and would be receiving no more.

Now that I've told you the saga of my 2013 bucket and cups, let me explain why they are so super amazing. The bucket is not huge but holds more than enough popcorn for two people. The cups are quite large, usually too much for one person to finish. You might expect to only get soda, but my Cinemark is so awesome that they allow you to have Icees!**

Now, my experiences at the theater are always made better by the amazing employees there. If I ask, they'll let me butter and salt my bucket at half full then finish filling it, just to be buttered and salted again.*** One time, both the Sprite and blue Icee were re-freezing. The girl offered to hold onto my cup until the Icees were frozen again. At that time, she would fill it and bring it into my theater for me! How amazing is that?!?!****

The best part might just be the price. A usual combo runs between $12 and $15. Now, I haven't bought one in a while, but I believe that's what I paid when last I did. Each of my containers is $3 to refill. For a movie, we pay $9 to fill everything! Huzzah.

As a bonus review, I'm going to tell you about the best purchase I've ever made at any movie theater ever. While the bucket and cups are a close second, I must lavish the Polar Pipes that we purchased a few years ago with massive amounts of praise and label them as my number one, super purchase. They are essentially metal straws, which go to the movies with us pretty much every time.***** I don't even know that I can explain just how awesome they are; I feel like I should lend you mine. Unfortunately for you, I am not comfortable letting them out of my sight.

If you happen upon refillable cups and popcorn buckets, be sure to pick them up. If you go to the movies as little as once a month, they're a good investment. I'll also like you more. You get mad street cred for cruisin' with the bucket.

Behold the awesomeness that is

the bucket,

the cups,

and the Polar Pipes!

*It makes me a good host. At least, it does in my mind.

**In case you're wondering, the best Icee is blue swirled with Sprite Icee.******

***I do not do this when there is a line. I'm not a jerk.  :P

****Seriously, she needs a raise.

*****On the rare occasion we forget them, it makes my Icee less awesome, which is unacceptable.

******It made me sad when they took away the Sprite Icee. It was amazing.

Prismatic Words: A Review of the Blog Itself

It seems we find ourselves at the beginning of a new year. There are a lot of hungover people*, a great deal of talk about resolutions, and some weird need to eat pork.** Of course, people are also looking back at 2013 and evaluating how they did overall. For me, 2013 was actually pretty good. As with any other year, it had its ups and downs, but the good far outweighed the bad.

We're not here to talk about me, though. We're here to write a review, and that review is all about Prismatic Words, the blog.*** Mainly, we're looking at the past year. I'll tell you that the blog in 2012 wasn't too bad. The writing may have been a bit amateurish, but I like to think it got better as time went on.

Prismatic Words in 2013, however, is a whole different kettle of fish, a really smelly kettle of fish. Why, you may ask? Because the author failed to hold up her end of the bargain. Reviews were sparse in the first half of the year, trailing off to non-existent in the latter half. That was, frankly, unacceptable. Prismatic Words sucked in 2013.

While I tend to feel that I am a special snowflake, I'm going to be just like every other person today; I'm going to make a resolution! I will return to my blog, filling it with reviews and ramblings on a daily basis. If you want, feel free to stick around and read. Sometimes, there will even be pictures!

There could be pictures of....

Mark making a meatloaf!

Safari Mark educating you about dinosaurs!

Food porn!

The elusive back-side of water!!

To those of you that stuck around in the past, thank you. To those just wandering through, hi! *wave* To all, have a great year. Maybe today is just another day, but each day is an opportunity to change for the better.****

*Not myself, of course. I continue to be boring, but that's not a bad thing.

**Seriously, why are we supposed to eat pork on New Year's Day? I'm sure the internet has the answer; if I find it, I'll let you know.

***I don't like the word blog. I have no better alternate word, but I thought you should know.

****Of course, you can always put that off til tomorrow. Goodness knows I often do.