- the Osaka Sushi and Hibachi down the street from me. All the spectacle and fire risk of Ichiban at a fraction of the cost. Good Asian food is hard to come by in the suburb we live in now, so this place is a godsend.
- UV Sriracha Vodka and V8 Sea Salt & Clam (both of which I've just discovered) makes the best Caesar I've had in months. Caesars aren't the done thing here, Bloody Mary's are, and they seem to be attempting to make them a meal replacement. Tomato juice as thick as soup, topped with enough garnishes to fill up a reasonably sized old lady. My aunt and I once stood in line at a bar behind a lady who had ordered 5 Bloody Mary's. It took the bartender the better part of 15 minutes to finish them because they came with SEVEN garnishes. A Caesar comes with one? Two? (Mine just come with celery). It's not meant to replace whole meals. I have a certain amount of hostility toward the Bloody Mary apparently....
- the Headspace app. I've always had aspirations/intentions of being someone who meditates, but honestly, I'm not much of a self-starter. There's a mountain of double-blind studies proving how beneficial it is, I've just never gotten serious about it (maybe due to my aversion to sitting on the floor...) This app gives you a 10 minute guided meditation every day that's easy to follow. When it's over, you feel refreshed and relaxed. Highly recommended.
- the beautyblender sponge. Oh my goodness. I've been seeing this at Sephora for years and never understood why someone would pay $20 for a pink sponge. Having said that, I've never worn liquid foundation because I knew I didn't possess the blending skills. But Birchbox sent me one for free, and I've been absolutely hooked ever since. It makes your face look smooth as porcelain, and it's literally foolproof, with or without blending skills. I had no idea my face could look like that. Plus it comes with a sponge cleanser, and lasts forever.
As an aside, I'm going to say something about the current petition to get those flaxen-haired J-name Duggars and their anti-LGBTQ, anti-abortion, anti-anyone-who's-not-like-us agenda off the television. After repeated public statements/appearances/social media posts crusading against same-sex marriage, transgender rights, and women's rights to choose, people have evidently had enough of this rhetoric, and feel that using fame gained from television to promote hatefulness is just not ok. Their oldest son now heads up an organization called the Family Research Council, devoted to restricting the rights of anyone not subscribing to the evangelical Christian edict (that has recently been classified a hate group). They routinely travel around the country participating in political events and actions with the same goal. But they seem to be very, VERY careful about what they choose to say on their program, their rather more hateful side generally meticulously concealed. But here's the thing. I sincerely, truly, and 100% support the Duggars' right to believe whatever they choose. Whoever you want to have a problem with, you are certainly entitled to your own opinions. However you are not entitled to use those opinions to infringe on/restrict the rights of others, or promote a public campaign of fear and threats against those who don't share your beliefs (recall matriarch Michelle's attempt to convince the public that all transgender people are child predators!) The Duggars have the influence they do because they've been given a platform. While they may not necessarily air their more controversial views on the show itself, they undoubtedly use the fame they gain there to further their agenda. And while they may be "nice" people, with a close family, and what they regard as "good family values", other people being able to legally carry on like the rest of us takes nothing away from that. When last I checked, the LGBTQ community wasn't forming action committees to take away people's rights to procreate to an irresponsible extent. Make decisions and live your life in the way you see best for yourself, and leave others to do the same.
Have a wonderful weekend :)
"We cannot all succeed when any of us are held back." - Malala Yousafzai
