Gusto Bacon

Ordering a Coccadott's Cake

Valentine's Day Gift

Gravy Pleasers

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Homeland

Pioneer Woman Sloppy Joes

I have discovered that when I'm not being lazy, I actually enjoy cooking. It's probably because Pioneer Woman makes it so easy. We're having a shindig tomorrow at work, and I'm taking Pioneer Woman sloppy joes. I chronicled the making of them tonight* to show you just how easy it is to make them from scratch.**

Mickey loves sloppy Joes, but

he hates Beverly.

Like all great recipes, you start with butter. Mark had started cooking when I got home because he is the best husband ever! He had only gotten to the "melt butter in a pan" stage and portioning out the beef, but he was working on it. He had also put out matching pajamas for us because that's how we roll. Don't hate.

It actually looks prettier than expected.

Once you start browning the burger, you get to turn your attention to something much more fun...dicing! You dice an onion...you dice a green pepper...you dice some garlic. It's a bunch of fresh ingredients that you get to chop into itty bitty pieces.***

Here, we see an onion, post chopping. The green pepper

does not know what it is in for.

Once you've added the veggies in with the beef, you can start adding the thirty-five other ingredients. Well, there's not really that many, but it sure feels like it. All these ingredients make you wonder if you wouldn't be better off just using that can of Manwich. Don't do it! This is totally worth it.****

That A1 was actually replaced with Worcestershire

sauce right before I added it. Mark was surprised

to see it, which was when I realized it 

was wrong.

Once you have all that goodness mixed up and in the pan, it's time to simmer for fifteen minutes or so. This is an excellent time to make sides. We went simple and had BBQ chips, as well as Asian Barbecue beans, which were awful. I actually spit out the mouthful I tried. I then told Mark he was a monster because he had tried them and knew they were awful but didn't warn me.***** It's like letting someone try the Beverly.

Corn...great for dusting buns and

adding to pancakes.

The other key to amazing sloppy joes is a toasted bun. Bust out your griddle or a fry pan and butter up yo' buns! Once they're toasted, they'll hold up better to the delicious sloppy joes goodness you're about to slather them in. For good measure, throw a piece of cheese on there. Everything is better with cheese.

Pictured: disgusting beans.

If you've never made real sloppy joes before, the Pioneer Woman recipe is great. It is super simple and, if I can do it, anyone can. She does have you make a huge batch, so if you don't have a family of eight, you can always halve it. Since we are partying at the branch tomorrow, it worked out for me. Seriously, someone had better eat it all.

*Actually, I did it so that everyone could see that I did it nice and clean. I didn't want anyone worried about eating them tomorrow.

**Seriously, I thought all sloppy joes came from a can. You get Manwich and add it to burger. At least, that was what I thought. After I made these for my mom, she started making them from scratch too!

***Seriously, you can just take your frustrations out on those happy little, inanimate objects. Does it make me mentally unbalanced to enjoy knifing them? I'm just a knife....knifin' around...Cut, cut, cut...

****Besides, do you really want to eat something called Manwich? It's really an odd name, when you stop and think about it. It's not the weirdest phrase I heard this week. Yesterday, Jeremy said "filet the wiener". He was talking about the proper way to serve a hot dog, but seriously...phrasing.

*****I take back that best husband comment from earlier.

Fancy Feast Canned Pate

Oil Mister

The Aeronaut's Windlass

Pixels

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Normally, I would assume anyone truly interested in the new Star Wars movie would have already seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That would lead me to write a spoiler laden review, mainly because it makes it easier to discuss the film. However, my mother hasn't seen the new Star Wars movie yet. My brother, with whom I used to watch the original Star Wars trilogy regularly, still hasn't seen the new movie. Out of respect for them, I will be writing a spoiler free review. I often use the "*" to add my little thoughts that don't really need to be in the article. Today, all "*"s will be spoiler related. If you have not seen the new Star Wars movie, do not check out any of the "*" comments. The following picture will also be the first in this review and the last. When you find it a second time, go no further, as there be spoilers.

Soon, Star Wars will have a greater

presence at Disney. Let us 

rejoice. Huzzah!

Star Wars: the Force Awakens is the film I wanted over fifteen years ago when the prequels launched. Maybe that's an unfair way to judge the new film, but many comments compare the new to the old, both the original trilogy and the prequels. I was actually told that I shouldn't look at any other films, that I should treat this as a stand alone film. I think that's a great goal, but for me, it's not realistic. Star Wars has been a big part of my pop culture life. Ryan and I would watch the whole trilogy more than one weekend out of the month growing up. I remember trying to put together a 3D model of the Millennium Falcon while watching the trilogy on VHS. We never finished that puzzle, but we always finished the films.

When the prequels launched, I was so excited. I was finally going to be a part of pop culture history. I saw the film opening day. (Thank you, Morgan!) I was so excited and loved the film. We came out and thought about seeing it again later that night. (Instead, we went to Pizza Hut, which was out of pizza.) It wasn't til a bit later that it really sank in. The excitement of a new Star Wars film wore off, and the mess that was Phantom Menace was all that was left. While there are good actors to be found in the prequels, you wouldn't know it. They did the best with what they had, but they couldn't save the film. There was just too much wrong with it. If you want a fun look at it, check out the Plinkett reviews via Red Letter Media. He spends about an hour and a half dissecting each of the prequel films, pointing out the numerous flaws.

Because I recall my clouded vision after seeing the first of the prequels, I was very, very nervous about spouting off opinions on the new movie right after seeing it. Mark and I attended a showing the Thursday night Star Wars: The Force Awakens launched. We saw it in 3D because that was the format showing that worked out for us. (Don't see movies in 3D at the Market Common theater. They glasses there are just awful.) We both had to work, and I was adamant that we get to the theater at least two hours early to make sure we got great seats. 

Stoked!

When we showed up at 8:00PM for our 10:00PM showing, there was no one else waiting. We were the first ones there for our showing. The first set of showings had already commenced, so the lobby was empty. Mark was actually interviewed by a local news reporter. We were fine with that, as we had plenty of time before our showing. They didn't even have us stand in a line that early. They just had us have a seat in the lobby area. 

Eventually, other people started showing up for the movie. We finally were moved into a queue, which we were in the front of. There was a longer line waiting for the showing after ours, which was in a standard format and started at 10:40PM. There were a few people dressed up, which was fun to see. It's always neat to see people go all out for something like this, but we were not dressed up. (I think that made Mark a bit sad.) 

The minute I stepped out of line to go to the restroom, they sounded the call and let us into the theater. I needn't have worried, as when I got in there, there were plenty of seats. Besides, Mark had already procured our seats in the center, by the bar. (It's the best place to sit because I can climb over it to go to the bathroom, as opposed to walking all the way down the aisle, bumping people knees and stepping on their feet.) The theater never did fill up. I don't even think it got to a quarter full. 

When we finally got out of the film, I felt pretty numb. I had some complaints, but I wasn't really feeling much of anything. I knew I enjoyed the film, but I was so afraid that time would show me that I was wrong, that it would be like Phantom Menace. I was pretty subdued when talking about it. (I did talk to a couple customers about it the next day and got upset with one that was talking about the plot in the lobby of the bank. You do not potentially spoil a brand new movie like that. You step into my office if you want to talk spoilers. Sheesh. It's one of the rules to live by!)

On Saturday, we went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens for a second time. (I tried to get my brother to go with Mark and I last weekend, but he was all like no....I need to see it with my wife. Silly man...being all caring for his spouse. Sheesh. That was sarcasm.) The theater was actually more full than our theater on opening night. We got our chosen seats and had about ten minutes before anyone else entered the theater. I figured at this point in time, the movie would have fewer people in attendance. I was wrong, as it was pretty well attended. It was the first matinee on a Saturday, so that probably played a part.

Having seen the film a second time, I can say that I really, really enjoyed it. It's a solid entry into a series that needed to prove to the audience that it new what made Star Wars great.(Midi-chlorians?!? Seriously, George??) Let's talk about the different pieces of the film.

The Story

Part of the issue the prequels had was the overly complicated, nonsensical plot, if you can call it that. With this film, we have a return to form. It mirrors a New Hope, which has actually generated some complaint, with some fans saying they didn't want a rehash of what they'd already seen. This film isn't a complete retread; it's a simple story. A simple story is not a bad thing. It does not mean that a film is not good. After the prequels, the simple story is welcome. While there are some similar beats when compared with a New Hope, it is different enough that it still works. Did I see certain plot points coming a mile away? Yeah. Does that ruin the movie? Nope. There are many great films with simple stories. 

I took this on my phone at the Star Wars Character

Breakfast at Disney during Star Wars Weekends.

It is the coolest breakfast ever.

The Characters

The Force Awakens has a bit of a cheat when it comes to the characters, as they have quite a few established characters that we're just happy to see again.* We might not see some of them as much as we would like, but it works out.** Regardless, the new film gives us a few new characters to get to know, and largely, I like them! BB-8 is just adorable. I seriously considered buying that $150 toy because he was so cute in the film. I was hesitant to buy much merchandise beforehand because you never know if you're really going to like a character before you see the actual movie. Buying BB-8 merchandise would have been a safe bet. The other heroic leads, Rey and Finn, are likable and do a solid job. I didn't cringe even once! Our more nefarious leads, Kylo Ren and General Hux are also played well. Hux isn't fleshed out yet, and he may never be. The random Star Wars generals of the Empire were never fleshed out much in the films, but Domhnall Gleeson is a talented actor, so I'm interested to see if they give him more to work with in the future. Kylo Ren has a look that may prove to be memorable. The actor tasked with playing him brings the right feelings to the character.*** It does seem that when designing these new leads that they took the characteristics of the original characters, threw them into a box, and pulled them out randomly. No character is a direct rip off of the characters from the original trilogy. They pull bits and pieces from those characters to make new ones, which works just fine. I found myself expecting the characters to fit neatly into certain shapes, and they didn't. I admire their ability to pay homage without using cookie cutters.

Rey! Finn! BB-8! Explosions!

The Effects

If you've read many of my movie reviews, you'll know I'm not a huge fan of CGI effects. I appreciate good CGI, which is often the kind you don't realize is there. I find the best effects to be those that utilize both CGI and practical means. Star Wars: The Force Awakens runs with this idea. There is some very obvious, kind of not great CGI effects, but the film largely blends the two to great effect. CGI backgrounds are used like matte paintings at times. They play to the strengths of both types of effect to make something great. Is it as impressive as the original trilogy? Nope. Is it a great deal better than the prequels? You bet. Like I said, there are some uses of CGI that don't quite work for me. I'm guessing they used motion capture for Maz Kanata. The movement of the character looks good, but the texture of her skin just seems fake to me. It doesn't ruin the movie, but if you're looking at effects, that would be one that is a small complaint. 

The Tone and Atmosphere

We all know what a Star Wars movie feels like. Well, if you're reading this, I assume you know. Part of what made the original trilogy feel real was the broken down, dirty appearance of the day to day items. There were items that were clean, such as many of the Empire related items. Grand Moff Tarkin has a crisp uniform. The halls of the Star Destroyers were clean and organized. By contrast, pretty much everything on Tatooine was dirty. It felt like real people used those items. It looked lived in and constantly repaired. The Force Awakens brings back that feeling. BB-8 has dirt and stains on him. Rey's clothes are not pristine white, which makes sense because she's been living in the desert. It all feels so real, especially when compared with the prequels, which felt so fake. The Force Awakens feels like a true Star Wars movie. The filmmakers did a good job of not making each set piece feel like a copy of those from the original film. While you have a dirty bar and a sand planet, they're not completely identical to Mos Eisley Cantina and Tatooine. They have changed it up enough to keep me on board.

The Sound and Music

John Williams is back. It feels like I don't really need to say much more. He doesn't bring forth a piece of music that sticks with me this time around, but the score is great as a whole. His music fits the scenes and the film, which is what matters; the music should add to the movie, not detract or overrun it. Many of our favorite sound effects are back too. Once again, I knew I was watching a Star Wars movie, and it was great. There is something so exciting about hearing the Millenium Falcon screaming through the sky or hearing a lightsaber activate. I have literally squeed in excitement. (No, squeed is not a real word. It is supposed to represent the noise you make. Deal with it. /squee) 

I really, really enjoyed the Force Awakens. I want to say I loved it, but I'm afraid to make that kind of commitment. Would I go see it again this weekend? I would. It holds up to multiple viewings, and I actually liked it better the second time around. I was able to let go of the things that took me out of the film the first time around**** and just enjoy the film for what it was, a great Star Wars movie. I did cry both times, however.***** Go see this movie. If you haven't already, we may have to break up. Angie, my super awesome work friend, went to see it! She doesn't know the difference between Predator and Aliens, but she saw the new Star Wars movie. You should too.

Go no further. There be spoilers

beyond this picture!

*Carrie Fisher does a good job. She took me out of the film in each scene when I was watching this the first time. However, on the second viewing, I realized it was just because I wasn't expecting that voice. She does a fine job reprising her role, and I'm glad to see her up there. I can't fault her for my expectations.

**Not having Luke show up until the end was a great decision. Also, he looked awesome! I was worried, but he really pulled off not looking crazy. I've seen him in the Flash recently, so I was worried. I know I shouldn't have been, but I was. He just does crazy so well. He's been the voice of the Joker for a long, long time because he's perfect for it.

***Let's talk turkey about Kylo Ren. Some have said that the character is no substitute for Darth Vader, and that is true. He's not supposed to be. When we meet Vader, he has completed his transformation. He has committed many atrocities and completely embraced the dark side. He is a perfect monster. However, Kylo Ren is still in the early stages of his transformation. You can see it in many ways. The filmmakers did a great job giving you indications that he isn't there yet. He is still conflicted, and this causes him to act erratically. His lightsaber is messy and seems improperly done. Whether it is the construction or his own internal struggle, the blade is not smooth, not clean. He essentially throws tantrums when things don't go his way. He is volatile, and he is not meant to be Darth Vader. He is a better representation of Anakin than the prequels gave us. He's not the same character obviously, but he better displays the struggle one might go through. As to the actor, Adam Driver displays the right mix of angst and anger to make it work. He is, however, the guy who peed on Lena Dunham on Girls, and that just creeps me out. They did make him much prettier in this than the other roles I've seen him in. He cleans up well. (I know that isn't important.)

****Once again, the casting of Kylo Ren initially threw me. I wasn't expecting such luxurious hair under that helmet. Also, poor Carrie Fisher has had a hard life, and you can hear it in her voice. Upon re-watching the film, these things didn't really bother me at all.

*****This is totally silly, but I find that I can associate the weirdest things with my family. For me, my dad reminds me of Harrison Ford. He doesn't really look like him, but I watched a lot of Ford movies with my family, and growing up, that was kind of who I likened my dad to in my yester-Holly brain. I think that's why it hit me so hard when Han Solo died. I knew it was coming. It was telegraphed so far ahead, but it didn't matter. The tears started falling, and I was trying not to blubber like a baby. It was so rough. :( On a side note, the lighting in that scene is great. Ben (Kylo Ren) doesn't actually go through with killing Han until the sun dies, until the light is gone. You get it, right?? The light is gone from him. He is now bathed completely in red light; he has chosen the dark side!

We totally know some Star Wars guys. We are like...best buds!

Scott Toilet Tissue

Perdue Chicken

Hershey's Chocolate Pudding

Legends of Tomorrow

Arrow

The Flash

The Fintorp

I don't know if we've talked about it yet, but Ikea is amazing. I can go in there needing nothing but still run across something that makes my life easier. What's even better is that it is usually pretty affordable. Out of all the items we've purchased at Ikea, our Fintorp* has to be in my top five favorites.

I know you're supposed to be looking at the

fintorp, but the Scrooged themed towel 

from my dad has to be the coolest

item in the picture.

Fintorp isn't actually the name of the item; it's the name of the series of items. We don't need to be that specific, so we will just refer to it as the fintorp. I suppose it is time to actually talk about what it is. It's a rail that we have in the kitchen of our home. It's located under our cupboard and gives us additional storage. We initially picked it up because we wanted some place to hang our hand towel.**

The fintorp comes in different lengths, but the best part may be the accessories. We have a bucket*** and a napkin holder. The bucket holds our bag clips, while the napkin holder holds napkins.**** I've been considering picking up another fintorp and additional accessories. It really helps to free up counter space.

Pictured: napkins

I feel like the other thing Ikea is known for is making you put together your items. It can be fun. It can be annoying. It can be hard or easy. With the fintrop, you just screw it to the wall, so installation was a cinch. You don't even have to screw it to the kitchen wall. My mom put hers in her bathroom! The sky is the limit!

Ikea has a lot of fun stuff. If you're visiting, be sure to look at the fintrop. They have different styles, colors, and lenghts, as well as a multitude of accessories. It's a good purchase.

*Ikea has the most interesting names for their items. There is actually a video of a guy following his lady around and saying the names of the items. It's actually quite funny. She has the patience of a saint. Since seeing it, Mark does that when we go to Ikea.

**We used to keep it on the door of the refrigerator, but I haven't wanted to keep it on there since we got the new one. We also tried hanging it on the dishwasher, but the towel would touch the floor when we opened the door of the dishwasher. The fintrop was the logical solution.

***Oh, no! They takin' mah bucket!

Most of the clips are

currently in use.

****It made sense. I know, I know... Who puts napkins in a napkin holder?

Bounty Bar

Sticky Fingers Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

Well, here we are again...talking about another product from World Market that I only eat because Mark introduced me to them.* This morning, we got up bright and early to make scones! By we, I mean Mark made them, but I helped by getting in the way and taking pictures of the Sticky Fingers brand scones. They taste better than they look.

They are true to their name; 

they are sticky.

The best part about these scones is that they're easy. You dump the mix in and add water. Next, you stir. After that, you put them on a cookie sheet for the oven. After about twenty minutes you have scones!

There is a bowl of sticky goodness and a row of 

potential scones.

For those not familiar with scones, they're like a cross between a muffin and a biscuit. They warm up nicely, as well, which is nice since we are unable to eat a whole package in one sitting. (That's a good thing.) They come in a variety of flavors, but I tend to favor the fruit ones. They had a gingerbread one for Christmas, but it came with a lemon icing, which was weird.

Behold the finished product!

Now, traditionally, scones are triangular. We tend to be lazy and make them in the drop style. To make them triangular, you make a big round shape. You have to powder your hands with flour, as the dough is so sticky. Once you have a big dough patty, you score it to make the triangles.** However, they taste just as good in the drop form too.

Time for a random story. One of the first years I started getting Mark scone mix for Christmas, he accidentally put too much water in with the mix. He saved it by making pancakes from the overly saturated scone mix. They were actually pretty good. This year, he made scones for my family Christmas morning. He's pretty awesome.

Mickey approves!

*Yes, I realize you can probably buy these other places too.

**I bought Mark a scone baking dish for Christmas. Eventually, we'll have the fancy shaped ones. He was going to try it this morning, but I didn't want to be late to work due to scones. It's just not an acceptable excuse.

Walker Pure Butter Shortbread Scottie Dogs

Being in a relationship is a way to broaden your horizons. Suddenly, you give this other person's opinion weight. You try things they suggest, restaurants they endorse. This doesn't have to be a romantic relationship; it can be a co-worker or your crazy aunt who gives all her cats three names that convinces you to try new things. A relationship serves many purposes, but the one people often overlook is the exposure to experiences you would otherwise pass by. Dating and marrying Mark was like a doorway into a whole new world of food. Before I started dating Mark, I had never been to an Olive Garden. I considered Hoss' to be fancy. There's nothing wrong with that, but there is so much more out there! One of the less impactful food items Mark brought to my attention were the Walker shortbread cookies.

Now, if a cookie doesn't have chocolate, peanut butter, or icing, I generally don't want anything to do with it. My mom used to make those peanut butter kiss cookies at Christmas. You know, the ones with the peanut butter type cookie topped off with a Hershey's kiss. My goal was to eat the chocolate and toss the cookie. We usually had dogs around, so it was easy to dispose of the evidence.* The idea of eating sugar cookies was a joke. If they had frosting, we could talk, but it wasn't likely to happen.

Isn't he the cutest??

For whatever reason, I really like the Walker shortbread cookies.** It might be the "butter" in the description, but they are seriously good. They're firm little cookies with a rich buttery flavor. These ones are even better because they're shaped like little scottie dogs. Mark likes to have them with tea. I just like to eat them!

I'm sorry. I know I should have 

used a banana for scale.

For Christmas the past few years, I have picked up a tin of these cookies for Mark. This year, I was being cheap. They were $20 for a tin, and that just felt too expensive. Luckily, after Christmas, we were able to get those same tins for only $5! We got a black one and a white one.***

Next time you're near a World Market, try these cookies out.**** They don't have to be shaped like scottie dogs, but I'm pretty sure they taste better that way. You can eat them out of the box or dip them in tea, if you're weird like that.

*Sorry, mom. Seriously, I am also not the person that ate the cream out of a whole package of Oreos. That had to have been Mark...or Mr. Kitty...

**They also make good chocolate chip cookies.

***These tins work well for storing Christmas ornaments. I then display the tins over the holidays. I'm not super special when it comes to decorating; I might just be super special.

****You can get them other places too, but I don't know which stores carry them off of the top of my head.

Phillips Sporty Headphones

I am failing at this review, as I don't recall exactly what these headphones were called. They are Phillips brand, and they were marketed as sport headphones. I've had them for seven or eight years, I think. Anyway, they're pretty decent little headphones.

They look messy, but they're not!

That is an organized heap.

Let's talk about the sport aspect first. The headphones have a rubber type covering, as opposed to the hard plastic or fuzzy little covers. This helps keep the headphones in your ears, where they're supposed to be. Additionally, they're bright orange. I don't know why, but I like to pretend it makes them easier to see/find. Also, it's totally a serious workout color.*

Perhaps the greatest testament to these headphones is that they still work after such a long time and that I can still find them.** I tried this thing called jogging. It was horrible, but that's not what's important.*** What's important is that those little buggers stayed put. They didn't shift or fall out. Having used the default Apple headphones, I know that struggle is real!

Nice and snug!

I suppose the most important aspect of any set of headphones is the sound quality. I'm not gonna lie. Most headphones sound the same to me. Right now, I'm listening to music on Mark's fancy Star Wars headphones that cost $200 at the Star Wars Weekends at Disney. Be it these fancy headphones or cheap ones, I don't really sense a huge difference. The music sounded fine.

If you're in the market for some sporty headphones and can find them. These Phillips ones are pretty good. They're durable and have held up well. I don't think they were too terribly expensive when I picked them up either. They're good all around.

*I have no facts to back that up. I just needed to throw something in there to associate orange with the sportiness of the headphones. Don't judge. :P

**It could because they're bright orange!

***Seriously, let's not do that again any time soon. It didn't help that it was super cold. Okay, it was cold for Myrtle Beach.

iZombie

The Revenant

I don't know what you've heard about the Revenant. I suppose you've heard about a bear and maybe some Oscar nominations.* That's about all I knew going into the Revenant, and I didn't feel strongly about the movie one way or the other. I tend to avoid most trailers nowadays because so much is often spoiled that way. I knew I should see this film, as it was serious Oscar bait, but that doesn't mean I'm going to enjoy it. As such, I was very impressed with the Revenant.

The story is a simple one. I won't get too far into details, but I will say it ends up being a simple revenge story. However, a simple story does not make for a bad film. The journey is often more important than the destination, and watching the characters live these moments is interesting and keeps you on your toes. I would say it was harsher than your average Hollywood film, less concerned with a happy ending and more concerned with telling a more genuine story.

The cinematography also serves the story well, done in such a way as to pull you into the film. The film itself, as painful and visceral as some scenes are, is beautiful. It actually made me homesick at times. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania, and the forest scenes in the early parts of the film remind me of the woods behind our home. I know they weren't really that impressive, but yester-Holly assures me they were.

You're probably not surprised that this

is not from the Revenant, nor is it

the woods behind my PA home.

It's from Disney. I know...

shocking.

Often shot from a low angle, there are multiple scenes that pull you in, making you feel the stress the characters are feeling. In particular, there is a scene involving a river that is artfully done. When viewed from a wider shot, a river isn't that interesting or threatening. Putting the camera at the water's level, where you would be were you in the water, makes those rapids much more intimidating. What looks like a small splash from above is completely different from a surface view. This type of intimacy exists throughout the film.

Would those shots be as effective if we didn't feel something for the characters? Probably not, so I suppose I should acknowledge the acting. The casting for the Revenant is great, with each actor turning in a stellar performance. Of course, much focus has been given to DiCaprio's performance due to his still not having an Oscar while having a great resume. However, I don't feel this is the best performance of his career. He does great, and I respect his devotion to his craft. This just doesn't feel like his best work to me. He did better in this role than probably any other actor would have, but I don't want him to get an Oscar because he deserves one for previous films.**

I was very impressed with Tom Hardy in the Revenant. He really can disappear into his roles. You've got this actor who played Eames, Fitzgerald, and Bane. They each look and act vastly different. Yes, I realize that's what acting is, however, there are many actors that cannot do that. Hardy is like a chameleon, blending with the character. He continually gives great performances, regardless of the film. I have yet to watch him and not believe what I'm seeing. He is good at what he does.***

The Revenant is a beautiful film. Throughout I kept getting the feeling that what silly things man involves himself in are nothing in the face of nature. It doesn't care; it just keeps being. The Revenant framed this revenge story in such a way that it transcends simple film and becomes art. I suggest seeing it. It is definitely worth watching on the big screen. It's not something I would queue up on the telly for a relaxing afternoon, but it is worth your time and demands the big screen treatment due to the awe inspiring shots.

*Dear, Father-in-Law, when I tell you I haven't seen a movie, I strongly suggest you don't start telling me about specific scenes. I have a pretty rigid idea of what is right and wrong in this world. Spoiling movies falls way, way in the "wrong" column. Do it again, and we will have words. :P

**What I'm saying is that he is a fantastic actor. He is great in the Revenant. He has just been better in other movies. I'm speaking less about his performance and more of the demand of the role. They asked for a lot physically, and he delivered. Other roles have asked for me, and he has also delivered. I hope that makes sense.

***Let's not count that Star Trek movie against him. He did a good job. They just didn't give him much to work with. Frankly, the fact that he went on to be successful after that film is a credit to his ability

Gordon Biersch

Disney Candy from Japan

Alan Rickman

I love movies, and anyone that knows me is aware of this fact. I am more likely to be able to tell you an actor's name and six movies they've been in than the price of gas. I don't really follow sports, and I don't pay as much attention to politics as I should. I can't even explain why I love movies so much. All I know is that there is a sort of magic in them. Today, we lost someone amazing, someone who made the films he touched better. Instead of reviewing some random item that caught my eye, today, I want to tell you how Alan Rickman made me feel.

To me, Alan Rickman was Hans Gruber, and he made me feel intimidated. I was seven when Die Hard came out, but I'm sure I saw it by the time I was 8 or 9. I may not have realized it then, but Die Hard is an amazing movie. While Bruce Willis is incredibly fun to watch and gets a smorgasbord of classic lines, villains often make the story. Alan Rickman took a character that could have been a throwaway bad guy and gave him class. He made being evil look effortless and didn't come across as crazy. He had a great plan. The scene where he fakes an American accent while chatting with John McClane is one that I will always appreciate.

To me, Alan Rickman was also the Sheriff of Nottingham, and he made me feel like being the bad guy wasn't so bad. Admittedly, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is an oft criticized movie, but it is still a lot of fun. The cast boasts some great actors, with Morgan Freeman being particularly entertaining. However, there was something magnetic about Rickman's sheriff. He got all the great lines in this movie, and he taught me that a dull spoon will hurt more, you twit.

To me, Alan Rickman was also Metatron, and he made me feel like maybe there was another side to a story we've heard so many times. I imagine most of the people I know nowadays have never seen Dogma. Heck, they probably haven't even heard of it. Fortunately, I have seen it, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The film does have the potential to offend, but if you ever get the chance to watch it, Alan Rickman as Metatron is one of the highlights. He does a good job of stealing the show and brings class to a film that has a rubber poop monster.** It's like his being there makes it okay to enjoy the movie.

Finally, to me, Alan Rickman was also Severus Snape,and he made me feel. Before the first movie launched, I had read the novels that had been released at that point. I never really felt much for Snape. He seemed like a flat character that would eventually prove to be a good person. Rickman made Snape seem worthy of my time before the books really got around to making me care about him. I read a lot, and when a book has been made into a movie, I sometimes see the actors in my head when reading that same book. However, it doesn't always happen that way. Rickman will always be Snape for me. He took that character and infused something extra into him. His scenes with Lily after her death are just heartbreaking, and I attribute that to Rickman's craft, his training. He took what some still view as a silly children's movie and elevated it, like everything else he did.

I didn't know Alan Rickman, and I have no idea what he was really like. I only know the story he told through his work. By no means are the cited works his finest or only roles, but they are the ones that stand out to me when thinking about him. I just wanted to take a moment and recognize this man that brought some great characters to life. I know there are tons of articles about his life and works, but this one is mine. Thank you. Thank you so much.***


*I don't need my Robin Hood to have an English accent.

**Seriously, I'm not making that up.

***I can't really convey how I am feeling. I know it's silly, but I am truly sad that he is gone. I know it's crazy, but I hope you take the time to seek out some of his films that you may not have seen. He was a master and worth your time.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Later.

Lowes Foods To Go

There are so many tasks to do each day, and we each have to decide which tasks are important and which can be pushed aside. We have to decide how much our time is worth and allot it as we see fit. Over a year ago, I was sick. Mark had gone to work, and I had stayed home. We were in desperate need of groceries, but I was in no shape to go shopping. Mark just wanted to get home to me, so he made a decision, one that I still feel to this day. He ordered groceries online from Lowes Foods, and it was an awesome decision!

Yes, I took a picture of my monitor.

What of it??

Let's address the negative aspects to online grocery shopping with Lowe's Foods:

1. You can't always find the item you want on the website.

     They have the best bacon in the meat case. I love that I can get just four slices, should I so choose. Mark and I just do not go through a full package of bacon in a timely manner. With the meat case bacon, I can order just enough for breakfast on Sunday. There is no waste! However, I cannot find that particular bacon choice through the online service. I usually have to choose some random brand of bacon and add a note saying what I really want.

2. People look at you like you're super lazy.

     I really have no response to this. Before I discovered Lowes Foods To Go, I would have judged any other person the same way. I would have judged you as lazy for not going and getting your own darned groceries. I actually had the cashier tell me one night that she thought only old people used it.

3. You're taking a chance on quality.

     If I go into the store and want to pick up a pineapple, I can judge that the pineapples all look nasty and pass on them. When someone else is picking out your produce, they may not have the same standards. You may not get the quality you expect.

4. It is addicting.

     We only did it that one time because it was convenient due to my illness. Now, I use it at least once a week. I pull up the website, pick out my store, and shop away. You get to choose your pickup time and date.

5. It can be expensive.

     You pay to use the Lowes Food to Go service. It's $5.95 for each order. You can sign up for a month or a year at a potentially lower price, however. We have the annual service, which is $99 a year. If you use it once a week, that ends up being about $1.90 for each order.

Now, let's get real and talk about why it is a life-changing, super amazing service:

1. You get all that time back.

     Consider how much time it takes you to run into the grocery store. If I go in over lunch to get just five things, I'm in there for at least twenty minutes. To get a whole week's worth of groceries, I'm probably going to waste close to an hour. Could I trim that time? Yes, but I usually won't. I'm not a good speed shopper. I get one hour back each week for less than $2.

2. You get all the best produce.

     Yeah, you take a chance when you let someone else pick out your produce, but I have not really had any issues with fresh produce when I used the service to get it. I have actually received calls before where they told me the tangerines in the store did not look great. They actually checked to see if I still wanted them. They actually care that you get the best.

3. You don't have to wander around looking for odd grocery items.

     Once, I was looking for some weird coconut derivative. I spent literally twenty five minutes trying to find a single item. I asked three different associates to help me and still struggled. Sometimes, you need something weird for a recipe, and it is so much better to let someone else find it.

4. There are less impulse buys.

     If I head into the grocery store, you can bet your first born that I'm going to spend almost $20 extra on random items I don't need. Candy bars are on sale? Better grab three! I should also grab a cold soda. Huh...there are new flavored pretzels. Let's try those. It goes on and on. I can keep throwing items in the cart that I don't need. My willpower falters when presented with sales and shiny packaging. For less than $2 an order, I avoid spending $20 on impulse items.

5. You are less likely to forget an item you need.

     You can double check what is on hand and what you need. I can run downstairs to verify if my milk is still good. At the store, I would just guess and end up with an extra gallon of milk that I don't need. I can shop off the circular too, so if ketchup is on sale, I can go check the pantry to see if I already have an extra bottle. There is less guesswork.*

Excellent. There is plenty of corn in the pantry

for corn pancakes. :)

6. The annual subscription makes forgotten items a breeze.

     I found a recipe for orange chicken on the Pioneer Woman website. I ordered all the items I needed, save one. I was pretty sure I had a whole container of unopened oil. I was so sure that I didn't bother running downstairs to check. The next day, when I was going to make that recipe, I realized that I did not have enough oil. Since I have the annual subscription, which does not limit the number of times I can order, I just placed a quick order. I have placed orders on my lunch hour to pick up after work to make for dinner. It's so easy!

7. The staff is amazing.

     There are note sections for each item you order, as well as a large order note. For example, I needed fresh oranges with pretty peels for my turkey brine at Thanksgiving. I typed that out on there, and they made sure I had sexy oranges. Seriously, that is a weird request, and they take it in stride. If you can't find the item you want, you can just make a note. They'll take care of you.

See? Note sections!

8. They aim to make it right when there is an issue.

     This week, we ordered a bag of chips. When pulling it out of the bag, I realized an inch space at the bottom had come open. We called, and they were glad to replace it next time we were by the store, no receipt needed. I had another error with an order where I did not receive all of my items. They gave us two bags that went with someone else's order instead of ours. In an effort to fix the mistake, they let us keep the incorrect bags and brought the two missing bags to our house. It was a fifteen minute drive, but they believe in great customer service.

Lowes Foods plastic grocery bags 

make excellent litter bags!

9. You can get groceries in your pajamas without being judged for your My Little Pony sleep pants.

     You can place the order in your boxers, and when you go to pick it up, you don't even have to get out of the car. There is a speaker box at the locations offering Lowes Food to Go. You press the button, wait for a response, then give them your name. They'll gather your order up and bring it out to your car. If your trunk is clean, you'll even get a compliment. They put everything in the car for you and take your payment right there.

In today's day and age, there are a lot of modern conveniences. I can watch most television shows and movies right through the PS4. I don't have to go to the video store to rent a movie; I can download it. Life keeps giving us more and more ways to be lazy. That's not necessarily bad, as long as you keep up with the important things. For me, wandering the grocery store for an hour is not something I am going to miss.** For me, it is Lowes Food to Go all the way.

*I know some of you are super organized and have your ducks in a row. (Angie) I, however, do not have that problem. I only have an organized grocery list once a year, and that is for Thanksgiving.

**Every once in a while, Mark and I will got the grocery store together. Now, it's a fun outing, as opposed to a chore that holds us back from doing what we want.

The Old Bull and Bush

At work last week, a client asked to see a picture of one of my family members. I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through pictures, trying to find the right one. As she watched me swipe, swipe, swipe, she asked what I had taken so many pictures of on my phone. I explained that there were pictures of my family, my husband, my cat, and food. She couldn't fathom why I took pictures of food. I didn't try to explain this whole blog thing* and instead explained that I send the pictures to my family, which I do.

I realize it is odd to take pictures of food, but everyone has to eat. Some people may enjoy it more than others, but everyone hopes to have enough food to get through the day. I have gotten some odd looks in my day, but it seems somewhat accepted now, which is nice. I didn't want to have to explain myself at the Old Bull and Bush tonight.

It's a sign. There's really not much to say.

The little bull looks so happy!

The Old Bull and Bush is located in the Surfside area of Myrtle Beach. Mark loves to diversify his meals, so he is always looking for new and strange restaurants to visit. We had driven by multiple times, but we finally stopped in for our first visit about six months ago. It was a great decision. They provide English food in an authentic feeling setting.**

While there isn't a ton of seating, we have

never had a problem getting a table.

We opened our meal with loaded chips, and they are amazing. The chips are a thick square cut that are then covered in copious amounts of cheese with a finishing of bacon. They throw a few green onions on for good measure and serve it all up with a side of ranch. If you like crisp fries, this is not the appetizer for you. I prefer my fries solid but not crisp usually, and these are right up my alley. Mark enjoys them as much as I do.

Om nom nom.

We had a very hard time deciding what to order for dinner. Actually, that's not true. Mark knew what he was getting before we arrived, but I was struggling. There are a great many amazing meals on the menu, and it can be hard to narrow it down. The pasty is a great choice, as is the buffalo chicken wrap. They have shepherd's pie and fish and chips. Today, I decided to give the pub burger a go, as I had never had it. Of course, Mark had already ordered his chicken tikka masala.

Right after our super friendly server walked away, I realized I also wanted to order the sampler. She was happy to accommodate us. The sampler comes with 2 ribs, 5 wings, a spring-roll, and 3 potato skins. I don't care for potato skins, but I thought this was an excellent purchase, as I wanted the Old Bull and Bush to be my review for the day. It didn't hurt that it was happy hour. This meant our loaded chips were cheaper. They also have a daily special. Today, I got my burger for only $5!

Let's talk about Mark's meal first. The chicken tikka masala may not have looked super sexy, but it tasted great! It's a curry dish with chicken. In this case, it was served over white rice with naan bread as an accompaniment. The chicken was tender, and the sauce was very flavorful. For me, curry can be overpowering, but this had just the right amount of flavor. It was powerful, but the chicken and rice cut it enough to be pleasant. The naan bread was amazing, as well. It was soft and warm.

It really did taste better than it looked.

My burger was also very good. My first impression was the aroma; it just smelled amazing. The fact that I could smell it over Mark's curry dish is a testament to the burger. It tasted just as good. Of course, I left all the healthy toppings on the plate, but the burger comes with lettuce, tomato, and onion. It was juicy and perfectly cooked. Some places give you a choice between well done or almost red in the middle. This one was just a tint of pink, which was exactly what I asked for.

I'm pretty sure that's my burger's sexy, 

come hither pose.

A cross-section, you say?

You also get your choice of side. I had a baked potato, which I didn't expect much from. I'm not a big fan of potatoes wrapped in foil and baked. My crazy girl brain insists that it makes the potato rubbery. In this instance, my girl brain shut her stupid mouth, as the potato was very good. It wasn't as fluffy as I usually like, but it was tasty.

Butter? Check. Salt and pepper? Check.

I am sad to report that I didn't really eat anything off of the sampler plate. Mark will take it for lunch tomorrow, but I was just too full. My burger was large and filling. I only ate half of it, and there just wasn't any room left. Okay, I did force myself to try a wing. They were a thai glaze, which was sweet and spicy. I couldn't not try that!

This was literally too much food for one man.

I have never had room for dessert when eating at the Old Bull and Bush. The food is too good, and the servings are too generous. Someday, I will split a meal with Mark and order a dessert, but today was not that day. It's hard to only get one meal, as so much is worth eating here, and I have yet to have a bad meal.

While the service can vary, I haven't had bad service, but if they get busy, it can take a bit longer to get items such as the check. That being said, the servers have always been nice, and my drink does not run dry. I am a heavy drinker***, but they keep up. It's actually kind of impressive. They are also happy to answer any questions you may have. One time, I asked what came in the buffalo wrap. The nice Englishman looked at me, waited a beat, and answered "Buffalo". It was perfect and hilarious.****

If you're in the Myrtle Beach area and don't want to hit one of the many chain restaurants, you should go to the Old Bull and Bush. If you live in the Myrtle Beach area, why haven't you been here already? Seriously, it's great. If you have an aversion to bars, go earlier in the day/evening. It tends to be pretty quiet then. I suggest ordering a pasty. I'm taking my dad for one next time he visits.

*I don't really like the term blog. I'm not sure why, but I feel it is pretentious to claim to be a blogger. I don't do it well enough or regularly enough to make that kind of claim. I don't do this because I love blogging. I do this because Mark says it is good for me. I also like to hear myself talk/type/etc.

**Having never been to England, I don't know if it is anywhere near authentic. All I know is that it is what I expect a pub to feel like. You can thank movies, tv, and Disney World for my weird expectations.

***Before you get all judgmental/concerned, I am talking a soda and a water. I actually order two separate drinks to make it easier on my server. Otherwise, they will not keep up with me. Trust me on this one. Also, trust me on the sunscreen.

****I know it was essentially a "dad" joke, but his delivery was excellent.

Hector and the Search for Happiness

Serial

I don't listen to a ton of podcasts. I really only listen to them because Mark likes to listen to them. I've enjoyed some and been annoyed by others, but we found one that we both found fascinating recently. Serial is incredibly interesting and good for starting conversation.

Let's start by reviewing how Mark and I listen to podcasts. It usually happens during car rides that exceed one hour. We rarely start one if we're just running to the beach.* Instead, we usually start one on long car trips. Most of the podcasts we listen to together run about an hour per episode. The drive to my brother's place is nearly four hours.** To pass the time, we turned on Serial, which Mark had heard was amazing.

Serial is a true crime podcast, focusing on a single case/crime each season. I'm not usually a fan of true crime, as my imagination comes up with enough scary things; it doesn't need help from reality. However, the case that Sarah Keonig, the host, digs into in season one is very interesting and sad. She reviews the murder of Hae Min Lee. She digs into the case to see what weak points existed in the case, as well as whether the right person went to jail. There are interviews with many of the involved persons, and numerous experts show up to explain some parts of the case. Serial does a great job of making sure you understand what happened, or rather, what can be proved happened. It also details what may have happened, but as far as I could see, did not present conjecture as fact.

The production quality is good and the story compelling. It was easy to spend nearly eight hours listening to Serial when we traveled to and from my brother's place. When one of us has something to say, we will pause the podcast for discussion. This also tends to extend the time spent listening. An hour podcast could take us up to an hour and a half to finish. I find that some of the best podcasts for me inspire discussion. It's why I usually only listen to them when Mark is around.

Serial has a second season that we haven't checked out yet, but I'm sure we will on our next long car ride. It is a fascinating show. I actually thought it was fictional during the first episode because I couldn't believe someone would go through a trial so thoroughly that had been resolved. I guess that's why I don't make podcasts. The only frustrating aspect is that nothing is resolved in the end. You are merely left with more questions.

*By the beach, I just mean into Myrtle Beach. I don't mean the actual, physical beach...the one with all the sand. Ugh.

**It's worth it so see Ellie!

Ellie does not endorse any of

the opinions in this article.

Thank you.

Woodburner

This space reserved for a less tired me.

Psycho-Pass

Anime doesn't really get a fair shake when it comes to the masses. There are plenty of anime fans, but some of them hurt anime more than help.* Anime also struggles to prove it is just a medium, not a genre.** You can find anime that focuses on entertaining children, such as Pokemon. You can find anime that shows the struggle between man, technology, and nature, such as Princess Mononoke.*** There are science fiction anime, horror anime, and fighting anime. Wanna watch a single fight that takes eight episodes? Dragon Ball Z is for you. How do you feel about a show that is like Minority Report meets Blade Runner? If that sounds interesting, I've got just the show for you: Psycho-Pass.

Psycho-Pass focuses on a future where each and every citizen is judged by the Sibyl System. There are scanners on every corner, and they can tell by scanning you whether you are likely to commit a crime. If you're found to have a high likelihood of committing a crime, you are labeled a latent criminal. This means you get sent away for therapy. It's a nice way of locking you up. If your scan reveals too high of a chance of you committing a crime, you may be sent away to be executed.

The policeman of the age utilize drones to assist in enforcement. They also have special guns that have the ability to judge your crime coefficient.**** When they judge you, the gun will either stun or execute you. Everything is decided by the all knowing Sibyl System. Additionally, some latent criminals are recruited to act as enforcers. They are allowed to help hunt criminals, but they have to follow strict guidelines and be accompanied by an actual detective with a low crime coefficient.

This is not one of their guns. This is a Nerf gun

that Mark totally painted for our

steampunk costumes.

Don't judge.

In this future, people have given up some of their freedom to live in a safe society. Many people no longer lock their doors because anyone likely to break in would have already been picked up due to the scanners. Frankly, the citizens do not expect violence and scarcely know how to react when they see it.

Of course, not all is perfect. If it was, there wouldn't be a police force. They wouldn't need to use latent criminals to catch those individuals that are a danger. The first episode opens with an incredibly dark crime and does a great job of setting up the world and its problems. At this point, Mark and I are about half way through season one, and it is quite good. Psycho-Pass has a great story and asks you to engage your brain, which is nice.

This is a Christmas ornament, not

one of the drones form

Psycho-Pass.

The animation style is quite good. The female lead, Akane, does cause us to yell out "Derp!" at least once an episode due to her character design, but it is a byproduct of trying to make her look more innocent.***** The other characters do not suffer that particular flaw. They have solid designs.

Derp! Well, that's just her hand. You need

to see her face to get the whole

picture. Google it!

Sound and voice acting in Psycho-Pass are also top notch. The music comes across as very cinematic at times and does not seem as cheap as the music in other, similar anime. We are watching the anime dubbed******, and the English speaking cast is pretty good. I haven't taken issue with any of the voice acting. I've watched dubbed anime with atrocious voice acting; this is not that anime.

If you're a fan of science fiction, you should give Psycho-Pass a shot. Don't watch it with your preschooler. Don't watch it with your 3rd grader. Psycho-Pass is most definitely an anime for adults.******* There is a good story told through good animation and voice acting. Don't let preconceived notions keep you away from something you might enjoy. That being said, I realize it isn't for everyone. I'm just saying you should at least give it a shot. We're watching it on Netflix, so if you have Netflix, you can burn 22 minutes and see if it is worth your time.

*There are a lot of anime fans that are obnoxious, but you get that with any fan base. Each group has fans it would rather not claim. Don't let a few weirdos turn you off to something that may actually be worth experiencing.

**To a degree, anime faces an uphill battle due to the notion that anything animated is a cartoon, and cartoons are just for children. With the quality of some of the more recent Pixar and Dreamworks entries, you would think we would have moved past the idea that a medium is a single genre. Looking for evidence that you may have run into that anime is not just for kids? Check out Kill Bill Vol. 1. Tarantino uses an animated sequence to provide the backstory of O-Ren Ishii, and to take inspiration from Nathan Explosion, it is just brutal.

***This is actually one of my favorite anime, and I strongly suggest it to anyone who is looking for a good movie.

****This is the show's shorthand to describe your likelihood of committing a crime.

*****Large eyes in anime are often a sign of innocence. Before balking at anime using that in character design, remember how adorable it was in Shrek II when Puss did his big eyes, cute kitty thing.

******For those not familiar with anime, it can be dubbed or subbed. Dubbed anime is re-recorded with an English speaking cast. Subbed anime has subtitles at the bottom of the screen. You listen to the original Japanese audio track and must read the dialogue. Both types have their fans and can be good. It's really your call. Neither way is better or worse. There is no right or wrong way to watch anime.

*******It's not that type of adult anime. Those are out there, but this one isn't dirty. Get your mind out of the gutter!

BurgerFi

Day six of the new year, and we are still being bad. Today, we decided to meet at BurgerFi for dinner, and it was oh so good! Let me tell you all about it!

That is a sexy burger ad!

BurgerFi is a fancy burger joint. They've got burgers, fries, onion rings, hot dogs, and frozen custard treats.* Tonight, we went with one burger, one hot dog, and a cry and fry, which is a fry and onion ring combo side.** Of course, we also ordered drinks.

The strawberry lemonade is quite good.

Mark had the Vitamin

Water orangeade.

Once you've placed your order, the very nice lady at the register will give you your cups. She will also give you a pager/GPS thingy.*** Once you choose your table, you place the pager on a stand., which is how the staff will find you. 

There are an abundance of tables.

Check out that technology! There is the pager/GPS magic tablet box thing.

You don't have to stand there waiting, and you don't have to listen for them to call out your name or number. Instead, you can pass time at the drink area or relaxing at your table while they make your food fresh.

Coca-Cola Freestyle machines? Don't

mind if I do. Actually, I had

strawberry lemonade.

After a few minutes, a very nice young man brought our food out to the table. First up, let's look at the cry and fry. You can get one or the other, but we like to go with the combo. It is the best of both worlds. The fries are on par with those you get at Five Guys, but they are a bit less greasy. They are a natural cut, skin on, and very good.  

Mmmm....

You'll notice that the number of fries far exceeds the number of onion rings. However, those are huge onion rings. They are both light and crisp, with a very good flavor. The onion inside is cooked perfectly and is easy to bite through. When you bite into an onion ring and the whole onion comes out, that's just gross. You don't have that problem with these beauties.

I didn't have a banana to use for a 

size comparison, so you'll have

to use my bite radius. I have

a big mouth,and that is a 

huge onion ring.

I opted to have the BurgerFi cheeseburger. It's two patties on a soft bun.**** I had white cheddar, bacon, pickles, and BurgerFi sauce as my toppings. I think I prefer the regular American cheese, but I wanted to try something a bit different today.

This is not as pretty as the ad.

BurgerFi burger patties have been consistently juicy. I have not had a burger from them that was dry or overcooked. Each time I've had them, they have been perfect!

Cross-section time! Also, I was not

able to eat the entire burger.

Mark opted to get one of the hot dogs. He chose the Chicago style Kobe beef dog, which admittedly looks great. It is, however, a bit messy.

They split the hot dog down the middle, 

which seems fancy. I know it isn't,

but there you have it.

The myriad of toppings were fresh and crisp. He did manage to get that tiny pepper on the end right into his suit sleeve. Don't ask me how he manages these things. I really don't know. He reports that you may want to ask them to go light on the onion/celery salt, as it made his burger a bit salty. You can actually see the salt on the pickle. He says he would order it again.

Check out that sexy hot dog cross-

section. Also the neon relish

weirds me out.

All in all, it was a very good meal. Beware, however, as it can be kind of expensive. It's better quality food, and you pay for it. Our burger, hot dog, cry and fry, and two drinks were about $28. It was worth it, but I wouldn't be running here for lunch or going every day. 

This is the toppings bar for the custard.*****

We weren't able to finish all our food, so we weren't able to check out the frozen custard. Mark has had it many times before and loves it. They will actually make floats for you, which are prepared using sodas that contain real cane sugar. 

I affectionately refer to that as Mexi-

Coke, since it is a product of

Mexico. They sell it at

Sams Club, and it

is the best!

If you've never been to a BurgerFi, it is worth your time. The food is good, and the employees are great. It's always been clean, and it has a nice atmosphere. Give it a try, but be prepared for the sticker shock.

*You can tell they're fancy because they have those digital menu screens.

**Yes, I realize you probably figured that out.

***That's a technical term.

****Get your mind out of the gutter.

*****This picture is at a weird angle for my friend, Elise. Enjoy.