If you don't want to hear me bitch - don't read this particular post....

Ok, I started this blog for this very reason. 
I'm all fired up, and if I had a traditional diary, I would be writing in it.  Not that I don't love the pen and paper, it's just, I can type much faster than write.

ANYWAY, I belong to a few forums on Juicy Couture charms (JC charms for short).  Usually, they're a wealth of information.  I can find out about all the new charms coming out and coupons and such.  Very helpful information, and I express my gratitude to contributors who can save me money and show me things I wouldn't find otherwise.  These blogs and forums are open to the whole world, and I recognize that there are a lot of different types of people on there with different beliefs.  I try to make a conscious effort to be well spoken and well mannered in mixed company.

Anyone who knows me, knows I don't like conflict so much so, that I try to avoid it at all costs.

Someone on one of my forums today was expressing their dislike of the recent releases of Halloween charms.

I think these 2 are adorable as well as the slice of pumpkin pie pictured in an earlier post.

What I had a problem with, is her saying that Halloween was not a holiday.

"Halloween has become so important to many... Folks are even calling it a holiday! Yard decoration is at an all time high in my neighborhood."

I know that currently I am PMS'ing.  I know that I wear my heart on my sleeve.  I know that I tend to be more emotional than a lot of other women, but it just struck me wrong.

I posted back, "I'm confused.  If Halloween isn't a holiday, then what is it?"

What I implied was for her to give me an adequate word to substitute holiday for.  Something that means the same thing when referring to Halloween night.  Recess isn't right, neither is break.  Celebration is a possibility though.

I expected trouble back from her.

This is what I got for a response later the same day (today)

"Webster's dictionary defines a holiday as a day on which one is exempt from work, which we are not. As to, "Then what is it?" One has to define what Halloween means for herself. For me it's not celebrated so I can't help with that one."

I read that and instantly got enraged.  Ok, not enraged really, aggravated.  Pulling out the Webster's definition was a move that signified to me, that I am incorrect to consider Halloween a holiday.  That she's trying to make me appear foolish or not as smart as her, and in public, no less!  It was a high and mighty snotty post that I cannot ignore.  In the past, I would just sink back and not say anything, but I'm tired of being that meek version of myself.  I have to stand up for what I believe in and what's right, and dammit, if it starts with a post on some stupid charms forum than so be it!

This was my reply,

"For some, Halloween is not celebrated/observed for various reasons and that is their right. For the people that do celebrate it, we consider it a holiday much like Valentine's day, mother's day, father's day, and St. Patrick's day. I like any reason to celebrate and have fun!

I know that these forums and the internet make it easy to be more verbally aggressive anonymously than in real life because you don't have to face the person/group you're talking to, but think about how things might be understood or misunderstood by people before you type them.

I could be very offended right now by the possibility that you're implying that I can't figure out what's a holiday for me personally or not. I could think that you're trying to condescend to me in public, by typing out a formal definition of the word "holiday" to prove how smart you are, or how wrong or ignorant I am.

Just because the United States Government doesn't let me and the rest of the country have a paid day off for Halloween doesn't make it a non-holiday to me. I define a holiday as something that is recognized by the majority of the US population and which is also noted on any year-long calendar you might purchase anywhere across the country. The word holiday really doesn't have anything to do with the government or banks to me."

I wanted to be clear, but not offensive to her.  Try to stay classy about it and not revert to name calling or petty arguments.  I spent an hour thinking of a response.  I could've included the fact that Halloween is the 2nd most popular holiday in the US next to Christmas.  I could've pointed out that Halloween is very special to me because it lets you be a kid again for a day.  You get to eat lots of candy, throw parties with great themes, scare people, be free, have fun, and be whatever you want for one day without judgement from anyone.  It's freeing, it's liberating, and that's why I love it.  Besides the fact that I love decorating for it with spiders, bugs, cobwebs, skulls, and lots of other scary looking decorations. 

I could've pointed out that I know it's not celebrated by a lot of people because they think it has something sinister behind it like devil worship or animal sacrifice.  Well, to be honest, there are a lot of weirdo's out there that DO celebrate it by doing things such as that or more nefarious, but that's something that can be done any day of the week with criminals and cruel souls.

To me, and I think most others that love the holiday, it means letting kids go out and get free candy, having monster parties, and getting out and having some fun.  I belong to some forums JUST for Halloween alone and nothing else.  Lots of people feel just as passionately for Halloween as I do.

I guess if you don't have kids and don't like decorating or giving out freebies, well then, I understand why you wouldn't celebrate it.

At the same time, anyone, religious or not, who doesn't want to celebrate Halloween is well within their rights not to.  It doesn't bother me.  It doesn't hurt my feelings.  I don't take it personally, I just don't want them to tell me not to celebrate it.

What I didn't like about that woman's post is that it felt like a personal attack to me in front of other people.   Reading what she said that I was somehow unable to think for myself; to come to my own conclusions about what to do with my personal holidays.  That I was uneducated and ignorant by pulling out a formal definition and saying well, if you can't figure it out, I don't celebrate it so I can't help you out there.

Just makes me crazy.

I mean, am I wrong about this?  I realize this is just some stranger saying something that really doesn't matter in the scheme of my life, but I don't like being talked down to, ESPECIALLY not in front of an audience.

Holidays are supposed to be fun, and special.  Set aside from other days to recognize something, and there really aren't that many of them to begin with.  Life is too short to treat everyday the same way.  Look for reasons to celebrate, to party, to feel alive.

I don't know.  I've never liked people speaking like they know what's right for all.  That everyone should believe as they do. 

Live and let live, that's what I say.

If this woman had posted something like, "Well, Halloween isn't a National/Bank/Government holiday and I just see it as another day.  Or some people celebrate and some don't." 

I would've understood.  I wouldn't have made a big deal.  I wouldn't have been able to argue with a rational neutral statement like that.

I honestly feel like a lot of people are more bold and disrespectful because they are anonymous on the internet.  You don't have to see the pain or damage you inflict on someone else with your words.  You can be as hateful and mean as you want without having to show your face to anyone.  I just wish people were nice, kind, and thoughtful with each other in real life and on the internet.  I try not to stir up trouble.  I try not to be offensive in real life, or on the internet unless someone is being cruel to me or mine.  I try to keep in mind to treat others as you would like to be treated, I really do.

Maybe I'm just crazy.  Maybe I should've just let it go? 

But that didn't feel right.  I've walked away, a lot, in my past from cruel things said to me and it feels like I shouldn't let people get away with being mean to me anymore.

All this from a charm forum website!  Geez!

Ok, so I feel my gears starting to slow down now.  I'm getting back in control of myself.  I might get banned from participating in this forum if the moderator sees my behavior as antagonistic, but I can still see what's posted.  I just won't be able to write anything and that would be ok with me.  I'll just keep plugging away with you, my dear reader, and speaking my mind here amongst friends.

Thanks for listening to my rant today, I really appreciate it.

And if you think I let this get under my skin wayyyyyy too much, please let me know.  I've gone a couple weeks doing this now and not a single comment on any of my posts yet.  I'm starting to feel unloved : (

Update:  No response from snotty lady nor any moderator.  Just another member telling me to instant message the other woman to avoid drama.

*yawn*

 Update again: July 13th.
The forum had irrepairable damage and lost everything posted after July 8th.  There goes that!

The Pita Pit

Back when I was in college, I discovered a tasty gem across the street from the building where my program was housed.  I stayed in a studio for 2 years learning how to be an interior designer and my class rarely left this room during the school year.  Being prisoner to a certain area and having to park a mile away from my classes I needed to find food that was close by.  I got tired of Subway and the surrounding eateries, so I tried the Pita Pit one night.

I was very surprised and then hooked on the chicken Caesar wrap.
In fact, that's the only wrap I've ever had from there.  Since it's so hard to find these places, I can only get my fix every once in a long while so I don't mess around and go to my favorite.

First I will say, yes, they are hard to find, but they do have more and more locations popping up across the country.  The interiors are very colorful with red and yellow walls and little cartoon ingredients and wraps dancing across their walls.  Very charming and cute I think.

The food is very good and they have a lot of healthy choices so you don't feel like your cheating your diet.
You order a wrap at the counter - let's say chicken Caesar for plain deliciousness.  You pay, then move over to where the grill is.  You start with a wrap, either white or wheat, then pick whatever you want to go into it.
Now the chicken Caesar wrap comes with chicken and bacon, which gets tossed on the grill in front of you, but you could easily ask for no bacon.  Traditionally, it's romaine lettuce, the chicken and bacon, Parmesan cheese crumbs, and a little Caesar dressing thrown in.  When it's done they half wrap it for you and taadaa, you are ready to eat it.  If you're taking it to go they just fully wrap it and off you go, but most of the time I just eat there, because I can't wait to dig in.

Pardon my coupon here (it's not printable - I just needed a picture).  But doesn't that look delicious?  It's not the chicken Caesar, but the Dagwood, the newest wrap.  Don't take my word for it though, here's a few more wraps they offer on the menu:
All pitas include choice of cheese, sauce and toppings

The chicken crave - chicken, ham and melted provolone.  This will be my next favorite I'm sure.
Club - ham turkey and bacon
Philly steak - beef, grilled onions, and green peppers
Gyro - seasoned beef strips
Chicken Souvlaki - Greek seasoned chicken
Chicken breast - add what you will
Turkey - add anything you like
Prime Rib - see above
Tuna - etc.

You get the idea, but they also have breakfast pitas served any time (which I haven't tried yet)
Ham N' Eggs - scrambled eggs, black forest ham, hash browns, grilled green peppers, onions & mushrooms
Chicken Classic - scrambled eggs, chicken breast, hash browns, grilled green peppers, mushrooms & onions
Awakin' with Bacon - scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, grilled green peppers & onions
Morning Glory - scrambled eggs, avocados, sauteed tomatoes, hash browns, grilled green peppers & onions, your choice of cheese and sauces.

A major plus is that my mom doesn't get sick when she eats here with me and she has Celiac's disease (an allergy to Gluten [wheat] so she can't eat breads, pastas and anything else with barley, wheat, whey, malt, etc.)  Somehow the pita bread they use doesn't bother her so it's a great place for me to take her out to eat.  You should try it, I think it's really high quality good eats!

pitapitusa.com

I'm so excited!

Well, Juicy Couture charms are never far from my thoughts as I'm trying to collect hundreds of older ones I missed out on.

I'm constantly on Ebay checking out new listings to see if I can cross a few more charms off my wishlist.

I belong to as many blogs, and forums as I can find about them to help keep me informed and to share my addiction with people who understand it.  Sometimes, some very interesting gossip comes my way and I have to share it.

A seller out the U.K. seems to have charms before we do in the states and I wonder how they get them and why?
The most recent example of this is this charm to the left.
It looks like it's a limited edition for this year and if it's pumpkin pie that can only mean one thing - it's for Thanksgiving!  Pumpkin pie has been on my dream wish list for a few months now.  My dream wish list is what I hope Juicy will come out with, but it doesn't exist as of yet.  This has a spoon, plate, and even a napkin underneath the piece of pie!  I think it is darling and I hope it actually comes out here in the states!


Update: this charm has become available in the U.S. and is available for purchase preorder on shopbellabeach.com!

How do you feel about getting mail only 5 days a week?

The United States Post Office has reported record losses for the past 3 years+.  No surprise there, due to the internet and emails, very few people have need to send letters and documents through the traditional mail service.

In an effort to keep the post office running and save money they have proposed to Congress the 5 day delivery system.  All they are waiting for now is the Congress to pass an act that would STOP them from doing this.  So by Congress doing nothing, this will probably come to pass no later than September 30, 2011. 

The post office has information all over the website about this currently and the status of where the plan is.  You can review it yourself at usps.com.

The post office branches would still be open Saturdays, P.O. boxes still get deliveries on Saturdays, but residential and business street addresses would get no deliveries.  They estimate this will save them 3 billion dollars a year.

Personally, I'm fine with no mail on Saturday.  It means I will probably get more mail on Friday or Monday and that's not a big deal.  The only thing I do use the post office for is sending packages, buying products from some sellers on Ebay that use the post office, and receiving bills, oh and the ever present junk mail I can't get rid of.

I'm not sure why the post office doesn't shut down their branches on Saturday's as well.  I don't see why they think they need to keep these open and spend more taxpayer dollars on heating/cooling, employees, etc.

Anyway, what do you think?  Is this going to bother you?  Would you even notice?  Are you mad or hope that we continue to get 6 days of service? 
Please let me know. 

St. Augustine, Florida

I really do love this place.

 There is an amazing amount of history in this city.

First off, historically, this was the first city established in the entire country.  First city establishment, according to them is meaning plotting roads. Granted, it was by the Spaniards, not the English, and they didn't stay here too long, but since 1513 this place has been full of activity.  In 1513, Ponce De Leon discovered the Fountain of Youth.

From 1565-1763 it was a slow paced Spanish Military Outpost fighting off invasions and pirates. 

September 8, 1565 the Spaniards made peace with the local Native American tribes and shared a feast together.  This was our actual first thanksgiving.  Some people in St. Augustine are trying to get this date recognized as the real thanksgiving.  I'm not sure how far they will get with that, but I wouldn't mind having 2 thanksgiving's in a year.  It's always delicious food at my mom's house! 

St. Augustine's beautiful, wild, interesting, and educational.  All of the pictures of the sun rising over the Atlantic in this blog, I took in St. Augustine on my last day there.  It was pretty sad, after 8 days, I felt spoiled and did not want to go back to real life.

Ok, so on to the stuff to do.

First off, their are 43 miles of beaches in this area.  St. Augustine is at the very top Eastern North corner of Florida, very close to Jacksonville.  This area is jutting out from Florida kinda' like the thumb off your hand, so there's even more beach to explore than if there was no bay.  The city is full of bridges to get around and there's water everywhere, so sometimes getting around by car can be tricky.

We stayed at a hotel right off the beach.  All I had to do was walk through the lobby and 2 minutes later I was sitting on the beach.  It was a wonderful location and I could not have asked for better views.  Along the coast are jellyfish, seagulls, pelicans, ducks, sandpipers and crabs.  If you like watching animals, I highly recommend going to the beach at sunrise or sunset when most of the critters are out.



We visited the Alligator Farm.  That was a bit scary at times.  Lots and lots of alligators just hanging out in the swamp-like terrain waiting for someone to accidentally fall off the bridge into the water.  I was eager to leave this zoo.  I enjoyed the turtles, birds, and other non life-endangering animals, but not those damn alligators.

 

The Fountain of Youth was a lot more fun that I thought it could be.  I was there with a history buff so I went there for him mainly, but I ended up really enjoying it.  We drank the water from the well and it smelled and tasted like hard boiled eggs.  Supposed to be really good for you and full of minerals so I couldn't complain.  Hey if it helps me stay young, it's worth a shot right?



The "fountain" where you get your drinking water from.




A mock up of when Ponce De Leon found the spring




They also have about 25 wild peacock that do what they want there



The Mission of Nombre De Dios.  This place has an impressive amount of solitude and quiet if you need a moment out of the busy sightseeing tours.  We stopped here for the history buff again.  I didn't find too much interesting except for the large amount of squirrels and the 150 foot tall cross that was on the property.  We left a donation at the donation box, but otherwise this attraction is free.  At the very top of the cross, a couple of nesting Bald Eagles were living there.  It was amazing to see them there.

Took a boat ride around the bay to see the wildlife including lots of birds and some dolphins. 

It took us about an hour and a half to tour everything by water, but it was relaxing.  Nice to see things without having to worry about navigation or parking and such.

Ripley's Believe it or not Museum and trolley ride around the city was a lot of fun. 

The trolley ride is nice.  It takes you looping through the city and allows on/off access for up to 3 days.  So if you decide to get off at one of their stops another train will be by in about 20 minutes to pick you up.  It was a fun way to see the city and not have to worry about parking or walking miles to get from one attraction to another.  Since it's a Ripley's Museum run thing, they happen to have a stop right in front of the museum.  The museum itself is really interesting.  There's so much to look at, it'll probably take you about 2 or 3 hours to get through everything.  They have some really bizarre stuff in there including the world's smallest domino set, the first vampire killing kit, and the biggest erector set Ferris wheel. 

Ripley's somehow inherited a rooster that lives outside.  They say he just flew in about 4 years ago and they've been feeding him ever since.  He usually hangs out in the parking lot and stops cars, if you see him, say hi for me!

One of the coolest attractions was the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum.  Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures because I was too busy enjoying myself here but you can do things like fire a cannon, read log books from actual pirate ships, see the weapons they used, and see outfits they wore.  I say this is a must see if you are in the city.

Ahoy matey!

We also visited the St. Augustine Lighthouse.  Very stunning view of the surrounding area if you can make it up the 150 stairs to the top of course.  I got lightheaded near the top and had to sit to catch my breath, but it was well worth it.

There were so many things to do and just not enough time.  I enjoyed all of it and the restaurants in the area are good as well.  If you get the chance to visit this place, I say go for it.  You will not regret it.

Shall we play a game?

I think I'm about to start a new section.
I will title it "shall we play a game?"
It's going to be full of what if's or time travel or imaginary day dream things.
I would love to have responses to this with your own wishes.....if anyone's out there.

Today, instead of suffering from abdominal pain the hospital couldn't diagnose, and a weird panic attack, I wish I was:

At the beach of St. Augustine again, or maybe Hawaii
A nice big Amaretto Sour in my hand
I have good smelling sun screen on
I have a wide brimmed stylish hat with a big umbrella over me
I'm sitting down in a comfy beach chair
The sun is warm, but not burning hot
There's a slight breeze, but nothing too chilly
I can see birds and little crabs running along the shore looking for meals
I can hear the surf pounding down on the beach
I see a sailing ship off on the horizon, it's beautiful
There's not too many people around so it's very peaceful
My butler is behind me waiting for word from me to get some lunch - whatever I like
I'm reading an especially good book on something.....
Possibly there's a handsome, young, interesting man coming to talk to me?
Something like that
That sounds real good to me now.....

Carolee

Rose Gold Parade Crystal & Pearl Charm Bracelet

Ahhhh.  What girl doesn't like jewelry?

I found a FANTASTIC online store for fashion jewelry and I'll share my secret with you.
Carolee.com

I have amassed quite a few gorgeous pieces of theirs recently.

For the most part, they only sell fashion jewelry, every once in awhile I'll see some semi-precious stones in some of their pieces, but not too often.  Either way, it's beautiful, well-crafted stuff.

They carry rings, pins, charms, bracelets, necklaces, and you're sure to find something to suit your style.  They have a bridal collection carrying a lot of white pearls and crystals, and whether you're getting married or not, you'll fall for some their pieces.

The rest of their collections vary from tropical contemporary to timeless elegance.
Let's take a look.
The bracelet above is one I want to add to my collection, it runs $85.00 currently, but you sign up for email updates from them and they send you a 15-20% off coupon right away for your first purchase.  You can stock on the sales as well, and they have them once every other month or so.

These gold deco inspired bangles are simple and elegant and run $95.00.  I think these would work great with an office outfit, as long as you don't over accessorize, and would be nice as well with an evening outfit.  Bangles really work in almost all situations.

I love, love, love this necklace.  It is exquisite!  Imagine this piece with a strapless white or black gown.      Ice Blue choker $195.00 online only.

Out of the blue crystal hoop earrings $38.00 

These blue crystal hoop earrings are simply stunning.  For just a little touch of glamour for your everyday wear.

This is the Out of the Blue Lariat necklace - currently $65.00 but well worth the price as with all of their pieces.  The quality and craftsmanship go a long long way with me and I know whatever I buy from them will last for a long time to come.  I think this piece is going to be my next purchase.

Pink crystal & pearl charm bracelet $85.00
I actually have one like this and it is simply too beautiful, especially in direct light.  If you want to light up your wrist wear something with fireballs like this and you can't believe how many complements you'll get.

These are the Rose Gold Parade Linear drop earrings for $38.00.  I think that's a pretty reasonable price for something that will provide a lot of sparkle to your ears.

This Silver Ticket Choker $55.00 is a statement necklace for sure.  I like to think of it as what June Cleaver would've worn could she have existed in this time frame.  It's very much like what a housewife of the 50's would have done with pearls only better.

This pin I actually already own.  I started getting into pins and brooches a while ago and this one was too cute to pass up.  I picked it up for about $20.00, but it's even cheaper now because it's on sale.

These are stunning aren't they?  The Garden Sculpture Linear Drop earrings are only $19.00 right now.

Sheer Shimmer Hematite  Oval Bib $112.50

Stephanie Crystal Fireball & Pearl Drop Clip earrings $40.00

 Just a couple last examples of why I love this store.  They have a little bit of everything and a wide range of prices so it's sure to fit in everyone's budget.
Happy Shopping!

Really?

I just learned last night that the 600,000 residents of Washington D.C. cannot vote for the president since they are not a state.  If they had been allowed like the rest of the American taxpaying residents they could've changed the 2000 election and maybe Al Gore would've won instead of Stupid George W. Bush!

A lot of the residents are understandably mad that they live inside this country, but are not allowed to vote because of a technicality.  Maybe someday they will become our 51st state.  They already have made a new flag design with 51 stars in case their dream does come true.
Information from "How States got their Shapes" a series on the History Channel.

Is anyone else Lactose Intolerant?

Kefir Drinks

Ah well, I am.  Haven't always been, but in my mid to late 20's I started having a hard time digesting milk products.  The symptoms are easy to identify - lots of gas, burping, general upset stomach, lots of gurgling and churning and my favorite, diarrhea.

I have been trying to fight it with pills that you can chew or swallow like Lact-aid, but it doesn't always seem to work.  Soy milk is awesome for cereal and is a terrific substitute to traditional milk.  The brand I use is Silk.  It's terrible for adding things like Quik powder to it, to try and make chocolate milk out of, and Silk's chocolate milk is not acceptable.  It tastes a bit watered down to me.  I'm still working on finding a way to drink chocolate milk without regretting it later.

Talking to my doctor about it, he says, we are the only creatures to continue to drink milk after being weened.  We are the only species that does this simply because we can.  I took this to mean, it's unnatural, which makes me feel a bit better about not being able to digest it.  My body isn't supposed to.

And even though I hate milk (unless it's chocolate milk), I do LOVE milk byproducts.  Ice cream, sour cream, milkshakes, and cheese.

I found out about Kefir on the internet a few years ago and now it's in a lot more grocery stores than it used to be.  If you don't like yogurt for lots of reasons - the taste, the texture, the fact that the most popular brands have so much high fructose corn syrup in them they aren't good for you anymore, or greek yogurt is just too sour, but really good for you - you should try this product.  It has probiotics, which has been in the news lately.  Probiotics are supposed to be really good for you.  They are live cultures that provide beneficial nutrition beyond what a lot of basic nutrition can.  Kefir is gluten and alcohol free, in case you were wondering.

Things that Kefir can help you with:
Preventing Traveler's diarrhea, viral diarrhea in children and Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS
Prevent vaginal yeast infections
Boost the immune system
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Reduce the symptoms of food allergies such as lactose intolerance

Straight from the products website,"
With 7 to 10 million CFU's of 10 strains of bacteria, plus ProBoost, our exclusive pair of clinically proven probiotics, Lifeway Lowfat Kefir balances your body’s ecosystem and supports digestive health and immunity – that’s 12 live and active cultures per cup. Plus, it's an excellent source of calcium, protein and it’s 99% lactose free. Lifeway Kefir is a creamy and delicious yogurt-like smoothie the whole family will enjoy."

CFU = colony forming unit.  It just means the measurement of how many active cultures are in the drink; it's good for you.  Very much the way live active cultures in yogurt are good for your digestive tract.  The good thing about this product is it's similar to a smoothie or milkshake TEXTURE not flavor.  The flavor's not bad (depending on which one you buy).

I personally get the low fat (20 calories less than the regular version about 160 calories) strawberry-banana, raspberry, or blueberry.  Those I think are the very best for flavor.  I cannot recommend the chocolate truffle, strawberry, or pomegranate as I have not enjoyed the taste of those.  There are several other flavors: original, vanilla, peach, cappuccino, and cherry (though not all of those come in the low fat version).  I haven't tried these so I can't help you out there but some of you might really like them.

For a bottle of 32 oz. you get about a weeks worth of 1 conservative cup servings (meaning pretty small).  I only have one glass a day with breakfast, and it seems to help a lot with my digestion all the way around.
This product is 99% lactose free, so it does have a tiny bit of milk it in.  They get it from farms that treat their cows humanely and do not feed them rBGH (bovine growth hormone).

One warning - there is an expiration date - whether you have opened the product or NOT you shouldn't drink it after the expiration date.  It can still go bad, usually when you pick it up at the store though, the expiration is about 2 months out.  Plenty of time to finish off a whole bottle.

One last thing - when you try this, you might find a bit of carbonation/bubbly/acidic/bite to it.  That's just the fermentation process at work with all the little bacteria doing their thing.  There is nothing wrong, it hasn't gone bad, there's nothing dangerous about it.  It just means the fermentation process is a little farther along then maybe another bottle on the shelf or in the refrigerator at home.  It does take some getting used to, I will say that.  At first when I tried this I thought, ohh no way can I drink this.  Granted, I had a bad flavor (strawberry) but with giving myself time to feel the positive health benefits and finding a flavor I truly enjoy (strawberry-banana and I don't even LIKE bananas!) it's been a real pleasure to be healthy.
A large bottle (the only size I've been able to find, though the website has a smaller bottle to take with you) will set you back about $2.50-3.00.  Give it a shot and tell me what you think!

The Grand Lux Cafe

YUMMY!
Just one word to cover an entire restaurant.

The 1st restaurant.  The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV.



The decadent interior


In the beginning there was only The Cheesecake Factory.  The first time I ate at one was in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, NV.  I thought the interior was colorful and the food was good.

BUT

In 1999 the founder of Cheesecake Factory opened a sister restaurant inside the Venetian Resort, Hotel, & Casino in Las Vegas, NV.  Open 24 hours a day, patrons could have a good meal when they finally got tired of gambling (more likely went broke). 

The first time I ate there, it totally knocked Cheesecake Factory down a few pegs for me.  Even though they are owned and operated by the same people, this restaurant is superior.

First a history:
1999 open first restaurant inside the Venetian Resort, Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV
2001 open second restaurant in Los Angeles, California
2002 open third restaurant in Chicago, IL on Michigan Avenue.  This location is propped up on the second floor of The Miracle Mile and offers a great view of the activity below.
Currently they have several operating restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Florida.  Only the ones in Las Vegas are open 24 hours though.

The decor is luxurious and colorful, a bit reminiscent of a Venetian parade or carnival.  Lots of reds, creams, oranges, and yellows.  Beautiful marble floors and frescoes on the ceilings.

The price range is a little above average.  If two people went and got drinks, an appetizer, entrees, and 2 desserts it would set you back about $65-95.00.

I've visited several Grand Luxes in several cities and am not usually disappointed by service.  Sometimes, they get extremely busy but I've not waited too too long for food before.

So, on to the best part - the FOOD!

The menu is HUGE.  If you can't find something you want to eat, you are not a foodie, or someone who enjoys eating.  Also the portions are huge so if you're on a diet, you might want to skip eating for the day until you get there.

DRINKS -

I recommend the Citrus Flip for a non-alcoholic delicious drink.  It comes in a very large glass and is yellow in color.  It smells of oranges and limes and is served on the rocks mixed with Sprite.  If all your friends are drinking and you want to blend in without getting drunk this is an excellent choice.  It even comes with a little straw of strawberries and fruit on the edge.

I have tried the Berry Fizz which sounds good, (blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries with Sprite) but it just doesn't have the same refreshing lightness that the Citrus Flip has.  This is very dark in color and a bit too heavy for a drink that isn't a milkshake.

The strawberry lemonade is ok.  It's nothing to write home about.  Good if you need a fix of it.

For cocktails I'd have to go with the
DeLux Peach Bellini.
I've honestly never met a peach bellini I didn't like.
Champagne, peaches, and peach liqueur.

APPETIZERS -

My favorite -
Double stuffed Potato Spring Rolls
Straight from the menu description,
"Creamy Mashed Potatoes with a Touch of Green Onion, Rolled in Crispy Asian Wrappers Topped with Melted Cheddar, Applewood Smoked Bacon and
Green Onion. Served with Sour Cream"
MMMMMMMMM Heavenly.
It's kinda' like eating a crispy french fried baked potato.  The cheese and the bacon combine perfectly to make you stop what you're saying and just eat this stuff up.  Comes on a long tray of 8.

ENTREES-

Pasta Telephono
To tell the truth this was ok, but not super great like most other things they have.  It's simply pasta with a cream tomato sauce and mozzarella.  A little bit boring for me.

Pasta Carbonara
Spaghettini with smoked bacon (the best bacon ever served in big hearty chunks of pork goodness), peas,
garlic, and Parmesan cream sauce.  Again, it's not the best thing they have, but it was ok.  If I could somehow just get that bacon, though........

Chicken Parmesan
This is 2 huge chicken breasts covered in crispy Parmesan bread crumbs and tomato sauce with a generous portion of mozzarella cheese.  Served on top of a bed of spaghetti, it's way tooooo much for one person, but definitely one of my favorite meals there.

Madeira Chicken 
Straight from the menu description,
"Sauteed Chicken Breast Topped with Asparagus, Mozzarella and
Our Fresh Mushroom-Madeira Sauce. Served with Mashed Potatoes"
So far, this is the one to beat for me.  Everything filled me up without feeling stuffed up to my eyeballs uncomfortably with food.  The asparagus was a buttery crisp masterpiece.  The mashed potatoes were rich and creamy.  The chicken was succulent and juicy with mozzarella cheese and the mushroom sauce, sheer heaven.  I don't even like Mushrooms, but for this dish, I'll make an exception for my fungus friends.

Chicken Pot Pie
Oh my goodness!  One of my top two favorite pot pies in the world right here.
"Chunks of Chicken Breast, Carrots, Peas, Pearl Onions and Mushrooms in a Creamy Sauce. With Our Housemade Crust"
The pot pie is served in a bowl and the only crust is on the very top, not within the bottom of the bowl, but it's plenty to be mixed in with the sauce and warm deliciousness that is their chicken pot pie.  My favorite part of this dish is to be rewarded with pearl onions every so often in your bites.  They are like little gems of rich tart flavor. 

In addition to what I've mentioned, they serve things like pizza, steak, sandwiches, burgers, and salads of course.  The menu is just too big to review all of it, and I still haven't tried 50% of their menu, but I'm working on it.

DESSERTS -
Molten Chocolate Cake
It is just as it sounds.  Chocolate cake with a very hot melted chocolate center.  Perfect for the chocoholic in you this is a very rich finish to your meal.  I recommend cutting into it and letting it cool off for a few minutes before eating.

New Orleans Beignets
Not the ones I'm used to seeing out of New Orleans Cafes, but these are very good.  They are like warm, moist, soft doughnuts on the inside encased in a flaky semi-shell dough.  Eat them plain or with 3 dipping sauces that come with it - I recommend the chocolate sauce.

They only offer 5 of the Cheesecake Factories signature cheesecakes, but you should be able to find one you like if you're a true cheesecake fanatic:
Original
Strawberry
Dulce De Leche Caramel
Oreo
and White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle

My favorite here is the Oreo.

The beignets and chocolate molten cake take an extra 15 minutes to prepare so they recommend you order those as you get your entrees.  I recommend it as well.  They do take reservations for big parties in Las Vegas locations, and all size parties in the Chicago location, but for others, they do not.  Call ahead to your local restaurant to find out for sure.

Before you leave they do have a full on bakery at every location with a huge display window showing all of their desserts, it's hard to miss.  I just love dining there and I can't recommend them enough to people who have never visited it.  It's not to be missed!
5 out of 5 forks for a general overall awesome dining experience.

grandluxcafe.com