Friday, February 14, 2025

Wolf Man, Heart Eyes, Pepsi Wild Cherry and Cream, Dr. Pepper Blackberry & Black Swamp Raspberry Cheesecake

There hasn't been too much going on with me these past few weeks. No new restaurants; instead, I revisited some old ones for the first time in awhile, like McAlister's Deli, Guy Fieri's chicken restaurant or Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville restaurant at Universal's CityWalk one night-I hadn't been to CityWalk in months and it was largely the same as last time. I've had some new re-hydration drinks (I never discuss them here but sometimes I sample new ones) like Suerox and Body Armor Flash I.V. As the next time I'll be writing one of these I will have turned FORTY FOUR (!) it's never a bad idea to take better care of my body.

I can say that Pepsi's Wild Cherry and Cream is good, as are Dr. Pepper's Blackberry version. Both are limited edition offerings. Randomly I discovered that Mountain Dew is going to discontinue a few flavors (Major Melon, Spark and Frost Bite. There's also no more Voo Doo flavors for Halloween) but there will be new ones... I've heard a melon flavor from Canada and another will be Dragon Fruit.

Mainly due to its name and label (which featured pink alligators) several days ago from Publix I picked up a limited edition ice cream known as Black Swamp Raspberry Cheesecake. It features “Mackinac chocolatey graham crust and raspberry filled chocolatey cups.” It's a lot... but it's also quite good.

Oh, and I can't forget to mention that there was the wild moment where there was no Internet or television in my neighborhood for almost 24 hours... because something overloaded and caused an explosion! It knocked out power to some places, although thankfully not where I live. Just two days ago, the Internet (but not the television) went out for a further nine hours. I was still a little salty about that.

Two theatrical movies were viewed in the past several weeks. Wolf Man got a rather frosty reception. People didn't like that it was a different take on werewolf lore. Me, I thought it was fine; while flawed (and rather dark visually, although that's most modern movies, sadly) it wasn't as horrible as many seemed to think the movie was. In fact, Wolf Man was good to me; I was even fine w/ the design of the title creature.

Heart Eyes was earlier in the week. I was hoping for a fun modern version of a slasher. Instead, the movie was more like a bad parody of a romantic comedy which happened to be in the world of a slasher. Most of the “humor” did not work for me whatsoever and it was full of annoying characters. A shame, as the two lead actors weren't the problem and there were good gory moments... at least what I could see. Once again, it was a too-dark film. Others do like it at least a little more than me, so your mileage may vary.

I'll return sometime in early March, most likely. There will be a few things I know will be discussed.

Friday, January 17, 2025

Se7en, Toyota Century, Crepes, Steve McQueen & David Lynch

Here is the recap of what I’ve done from Wednesday through today. Wednesday, I saw Se7en on an IMAX screen; it was the last showing of the 1995 movie. Believe it or not, before Wednesday I had only seen a few minutes of the film. I don’t love David Fincher movies like most everyone else does. Turns out, Se7en is very good, some nitpicks aside. For those that haven’t seen the movie themselves, the famous (well, now infamous) actor who portrayed the villain was a surprise to me. Business picked up once he appeared and the final 10 to 15 minutes were tremendous.

Thursday, I went to the Mecum auto auction in Kissimmee, as I’ve done for years now. Over 3,000 vehicles are available for sale and the auction now occurs for almost two weeks; it ends on Sunday. It’s always nice to walk around and look at a wide variety of cars… everything from the only-in-Japan Toyota Century (basically, their attempt at a Rolls-Royce, made for businessmen… and probably Yakuza heads too, to be honest) to the race car that Steve McQueen drove in the 1971 movie Le Mans which until now was owned by Jerry Seinfeld for more than 20 years. After I left there, time was spent at a surprisingly busy Disney Springs before heading back home.

Unfortunately… when I was at Mecum I purchased crepes and a Pepsi from a stand and well—my stomach eventually felt bad and you don’t want to know the details! Today I’m exhausted but otherwise feel alright. Don’t ever eat the crepes when you’re there! Also, right after eating the food, Twitter was loaded and the David Lynch news was seen. I haven’t seen Twin Peaks (the show or the movie) and the newest feature film I’ve viewed was 1997’s Lost Highway. His version of Dune had its issues but it wasn’t his fault; otherwise, I rate highly all those odd to bizarre films… even Eraserhead, which at least I can rationalize. It’s a testament to him that he became beloved for making bizarre, surreal, dreamlike film and I’m glad that in recent years I took the chance to see more from him than just Blue Velvet. RIP to him.

I’ll return… well, it should be sometime in February.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Nosferatu, 7 Up Shirley Temple, Ace Hardware, Mission BBQ & Saucy by KFC

For my first post in 2025, there isn't too much to share, although... I somehow neglected to mention a detail from that ill-fated flight from Wichita back to Orlando last month. I wasn't the person in the worst shape who boarded the flight. There was a slight delay, because a woman who boarded had some sort of medical emergency. She never lost consciousness but she then her family left the flight as she was taken via ambulance to the nearest hospital; I had a window seat so there was a view of her on the stretcher being loaded into the ambulance. Hopefully she was fine; all I can say for certain is that I've been fine health-wise the past month.

Another point I neglected to mention: while in Wichita, one night carryout food was picked up from the Bella Luna Cafe. They had good sandwiches, or as some would call them, “sammies.” I don't, as will be explained later.

Christmas was spent w/ family. The last week of 2024, I helped out more than one person w/ a task, which I was happy to do. To be vague, one afternoon a trip to the local Ace Hardware was needed for double-sided tape. It was my first time at that location. Hilariously, that store and a few others is owned by someone w/ the surname TOOLE. A job he was destined to have!

Otherwise, not too much to mention. Late November when I was in the Fort Myers region, I purchased the Shirley Temple variant of 7 Up at a store. I did not know at the time that it'd be impossible to find near me. It's good but not so spectacular that I'll be up in arms about the matter. One night, me and two others went to the local Mission BBQ spot in town, which just opened recently. As it was my first Mission experience period, it was a relief that the food was good. Oh, and last week I went to Epcot for the afternoon. The hope was that crowds would be down as it was chilly-by Florida standards; wrong. It was still nice to walk about.

I did revisit the Lazy Dog Restaurant in Kissimmee for the first time in like two years for a late lunch. Otherwise, Saucy by KFC is the only new place to mention. It's a new concept from the chain, and it's the first location full-stop; all I knew beforehand was that it was going for “the youth market”, which I am clearly not a part of. Once I got there and saw on the touch-screen menu that they called chicken tenders “tendies” and sandwiches “sammies”... I felt like barfing like on the plane last month! The food itself was good-the peach mango lemonade a highlight-but the easiest description for the place: a ripoff of Raising Cane's. No, really. As the place is almost an hour's drive from me (actual Cane's is closer, along with other chicken joints I like), who knows if a second trip will ever be made.

Finally, the one theatrical experience I had. In the past, the 1922 silent Nosferatu and the 1979 European Nosferatu was tackled. Both were at least very good so the new film was viewed. I was also a fan, although I understand why more than a few in the general public weren't as enthusiastic. It's overtly sexual, after all. However, it was a Gothic horror good time.

I'll return—tomorrow! Yesterday and today have been eventful so might as well post something about it tomorrow evening, right?