Review: Lady Gaga and the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular on ABC

Well, as the opener with Pepe the Prawn promises, this was not a Muppets special with Lady Gaga, it was a Lady Gaga special with Muppets. That, quite honestly, was its first flaw.



I'm not hating on the Gaga, it's just that I turned to this special with the expectation of a classic Muppets holiday special along the line of, oh I don't know... the John Denver one. That was a special in classic Muppet Show style.

This special had too many cutaways (which at least had the Muppets in them...) with characters talking about their favorite holiday memories. This gets old real fast. In fact, it was old before the show started. Seriously, how boring is a holiday special that makes no attempt to be a memory in its own right and just has people talking about their memories of other stuff?



Most of the Gaga segments were straight up performances off her album (which according to the LA Times reviewer, the whole show was basically just a commercial for). Nothing horribly wrong with them individually, but if you were watching the special for the Muppets, there is simply too much Gaga and too few Muppets musical segments.

One huge bright spot in the show was when she broke away from the standard album stuff to do Baby It's Cold Outside with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (of 3rd Rock From The Sun fame). Ordinarily, I joke about this song being "the date rape song" (because it is), but in a pleasing twist, they reversed the male-female parts in this song, turning it into a rather flirtatious number that wasn't creepy at all. (Okay okay, I know in the original she's really not "protesting" all that hard and is portrayed as a willing participant in her delay, but it's oh so much less creepy when it doesn't sound like some dude is trying to make the date a little more than she planned.) Anyway, I really, really enjoyed this number. And Gaga looked stunning dressed simply as a very sexy lady. I heard once that she doesn't think she's very attractive, and I suppose that explains why she goes for all the performance art crazy costuming, but she looks great just as herself! It gave the audience a chance to sit back and just appreciate her for her performance and musicianship, which was nice. You can view the segment here on YouTube.


I think if this special had had just one or two straightforward album-promoting performances, and everything else was a bit more repertoire-expanding like the Baby segment, I would have enjoyed it much more, and it would have left me more curious about her album than it did.

The cameos with Elton John and RuPaul were fun. But they still left me wanting more Muppets. Especially with Elton John, whose appearance decades ago on the actual Muppet Show were so great.

I guess I just wanted the whole thing to be a bit more... Muppety.

In that vein, I did enjoy the duet with Kermit and Gaga. Not so much for the staging, as it was still very straightforward as a duet staging (just that one performer was a Muppet), but I thought Kermit's voice actually blended very nicely with Gaga's.



But all in all... not enough Muppet segments, and the ones they had were lacking in zaniness, edginess, or both. The "holiday memories" discussions were boring as hell, Statler and Waldorf's jokes were okay, but only just. There were just a couple all-Muppet musical segments. When the Muppets joined a live singer, they did just that, joined them in a setup you'd expect for that singer, rather than adding a singer attempting a straightforward performance in a zany Muppet-filled setting.

None of this would be a problem if we were talking about one show out of a season of Muppet Shows. But the problem is, they rarely trot the Muppets out for their own show any more, and so to have one fall flat puts the reappearance of the franchise at risk (anyone remember Muppets Toninght? The ill-fated attempt to recreate the Muppet Show as it might appear if it was actually the Arsenio Hall Show? No? EXACTLY. Don't screw with the old vaudeville format, it WORKED.)

I wanted this show to work. I really did. Having had little direct exposure to Lady Gaga, I was even looking forward to seeing her do some of her stuff. You know, a TASTE of it. But this was just... too much Gaga, not enough Muppets. It had the potential to be a good special but it came off as too blatant an ad for the album. Subtlety... needed some.

Review: Fisher Price Poppity Pop Musical Dino

This review is gonna be short and sweet.
I got this last year on Black Friday for my then-turning-1y/o. This toy is hilarious, and the kids love it. The balls pop around inside the "bowl" and eventually make their way to the escape hole, where they come out the dino's mouth. The toy is activated by spinning the little wheel thingy on the front, which is a very easy control for a baby to master.
What I love about this toy is it actually encourages experimentation. Now yes... this means the baby will actively try to break their beloved pop-pop dino. Once they grow tired of the hilarity of music and popping balls, they will find other objects to stuff into the bowl and see what happens. So in terms of wanting to encourage scientific discovery behaviors, this is a good call. But yeah, they will be actively trying to break it most of the time.
Which is why this is relevant... Target has it on Black Friday sale (or you know, starting right now online) for $19. It's normally anywhere from $27-$35, so it's well worth it to pick it up now. Or if, like me, you got one last year, and your little one managed to break it, now's your chance to replace it.


Okay, looks like Amazon is keeping up with the deals here (doesn't look like it from the link, but if you click through it's saying $19)

Troy Week Show and Tell: gifts for the Trojan in your life

Today's a bit different, kids.

In honor of it being Troy Week, and my rising level of excitement for the annual crosstown rivalry game, I've scoured the web (okay, Amazon, because I'm lazy and also I'd like you to click through my links) for cool/unusual/essential products imprinted with lovely cardinal and gold logos.



Because you've got to have something to stand guard over your Mickey Mouse Gnome Rain Gauge right? Or your collection of totally-not-ironic-okay-maybe-they-are Mickey garden gnomes.

Or how about this pretty sweet scarf for the 2 days this year you might be cold enough to wear one? (Let's be honest, at USC we wear scarves ironically)

I'm not sure how I feel about this one... seems to me, capes should be gold and cut at a jaunty angle, but you know, if you're going to wear a red cape, it might as well be cardinal, right?

I admit it, I hate vinylmation. But some people, for whatever reason, like it... and I'd be remiss if I left this Disney/USC crossover item off the list.
Marcus Allen action figure. Cool.
Troy Polomalu action figure. Also cool.

Hey look! It's jewelry, AND it encourages higher education! Proof that you can be both pretty and smart. Perfect stocking stuffer for your tween or teenager!

Oh cool... I can give an actual product review on this particular item... my toddler is napping upstairs with hers right now. Soft, fluffy, opens out into a pillow, and just the right size for the under-a-yard set to pretend they can ride it (and watching them drag it all over the house that way is pretty freaking hilarious). Seriously, this Traveler pillow pet is a good call. My nephews used to fight over one until my brother bought a second. No lie.
This barbecue cover would be perfect for those game day parties. Except for the part where you're USING your barbecue, so nobody can see it. But YOU'D know.

Now, I'm not recommending anybody spend $25 for a hoodie for your dog, but perhaps you live in a cold part of the country, or perhaps you just really really like dressing up your dog for family photos. I don't know, but hey, if you insist, there's this:

Of course, you could go with the (less expensive) jersey

But please, show some pity on your wannabe Tirebiter, okay?

Your wife probably already owns this bracelet watch, right? C'mon... now she can't say you don't buy her jewelry!
Jealous? Fine...

If one iPhone case is good, two is better, right? Well, it is if it's a USC cover and you have an iPhone 5!

And for those of us with the 4S...

You know... for those "rebuilding" years...

Gym bag!

Ever wonder where people get those cardinal and gold kukui nut leis that they wear to the Hawaii games?

And finally... here's the random item that inspired this post. The USC USB car charger. Because... Fight on.

Show and tell: Mandolin and Ukulele Travel Pack

Whoa. My husband and I were perusing the Black Friday ad scans, and found something at Guitar Center that caught our eye. Doing further research I accidentally came across this Mandolin and Ukulele combo deal for $89.99. Seriously, a mandolin, a ukulele, gig bags for both, plus a few more things, for 90 bucks. If you had any interest in learning strummed instruments, that looks pretty freaking cool.

Show and Tell: Household Essentials Sewing and Ironing Accessory Pad

Not a review since I don't own this (... yet), but how cool an idea is this product?

If you're anything like me, and don't have a dedicated "craft room," you probably set up and take down your sewing machine (sorry, assuming this is a hobby for you) on an as-needed basis.  I set mine up on the kitchen table.  Which is fine, except my laundry area is upstairs... with my iron and ironing board.

If you don't sew much, you probably don't realize why this is an issue and probably should skip this whole post, but if you do, or you wish you did, you may realize that sewing is about 40% cutting, 40% pressing, and like 20% stitching.  Or maybe that's just what it feels like ;)

So someone's gone and made a product that first of all, stabilizes your machine on the table, and secondly, you can iron on it!  My good ol' Singer from the early 90's has a mostly metal body (some plastic facings), so "walking" isn't as big a problem, but a lot of the newer, computerized machines have this problem, so this would help.

The big appeal for me, however, is the pressing!  Now I just need one of those cute little craft irons to press my eensy weensy narrow seams.

Review: Vanilla & Cinnamon Black Tea from Trader Joe's

Whoa. You guys. I found this tea at Trader Joe's and it

TASTES.

LIKE.

COOKIES!!!

Cookies!  Do you hear me?  What more do I need to say?

Okay, I can probably come up with a few things, not that you probably need me to say any more since you've already added it to your shopping list, right?  But here goes...

20 tea bags to a box.  There is a waxy paper bag inside the box (like you'd find in, say, a cracker box), within which are the teabags.  They come semi-attached in pairs, so if you only need one, you just have to pull them apart.  The bag can be somewhat closed up when you're done, to help preserve freshness, but I wouldn't assume it has the same preservation power that individually wrapped teabags have.  Still, it's better than no protection at all.  And anyway, let's be honest, you're going to taste this tea and run through the whole box in a week.  Seriously.

It brews up nice and strong.  I use a gigantor Starbucks mug that really holds about 1.5-2 cups worth of steamy hot beverage, and with weaker teas (*ahemTwiningssucksahem!*) I have to double up to brew it dark enough.  And I'm not known for brewing my teas super dark!  In fact, I found that a double bag (as pictured above) is enough to brew my entire pot (holds about 2.5 servings in my gigantor mug).

Remember to give it the full 3-5 minutes' brewing time before adding your milk and sugar.  Ideally, you want to use water that is just shy of a boil.  For most people, this means bringing to a boil then waiting a minute, or using the water when it hits a simmer.  But for the rest of us, this means we stick our teabag in the cup, stick it in the microwave, and hope for the best.  And that's just fine.

Now, as I've hinted, I take my tea sweet.

That's an entire pot of tea, brewed with 2 teabags (the double pictured above), and steeped for about 5 minutes.  It's a good idea to remove your teabags after steeping time is up.  With your better quality teas (the kind that comes in fancy tins at Peet's Coffee, for example), that's pretty much a requirement as nasty things begin to happen when the tea is over-steeped, but for the most part, your "basic" teas that come 20 bags to a box aren't going to have that issue as badly.  I left the teabags in the pot and didn't have a problem with my subsequent cups.  But still, once you have it brewed to where you like it, you really ought to remove your teabags.  Just saying.

So, in the giant mug, I add 2 1/2 tsp of sugar and a healthy splash of milk.  Your mileage may vary, everyone has their own way when it comes to tea.  But I know that, made my way, your tea will taste... like... cookies.

This has all the outward appearance of being a holiday-only item, and you know how Trader Joe's is... so stock up!

Available at Trader Joe's for $2.99/box

When a deal isn't a deal, but it's still a deal

I got this email from Amazon, advertising several of "today's deals," among which was a sewing machine.  Now, I'm still using my non-computerized Singer from 1993 and am not really in the market, but I like to look.



So they're saying that $139.99 is a 69% discount.  It is, of course, too late to check and see what price Amazon normally charges for this (prices fluctuate).  But doing a quick search on thefind.com, I see that model is readily available for between $175-$200, with a few outliers asking around $350.  All of which are below the "list price" of $449.

But okay, so it's not the deal they claim it is... is it still a deal?  Actually, yes!  You're still saving about $35, that doesn't suck.  And while there are machines on the market that go for as little as $70 or $80, your average "decent" sewing machine does go for a bit over $100.  So under the circumstances, it's still a pretty good choice if you're looking for a sewing machine for someone (yourself, perhaps?) 

I am not titling this a "review" because I have not tried the machine.  I've just researched the "real" price on it to investigate how much of a deal the Amazon deal really is. Remember this holiday season, not everything advertised as a deal price really is (do stores even know what the word "doorbusters" means any more? They use that phrase all the freaking time now for minor discounts!) Do your reasearch.

Review: Red Dragon Somerdale Cheese from Wales

I picked up a small wedge of this cheese on a recent trip to Lodi, CA, in a small independent cheese shop who were kind enough to let me sample their wares extensively before narrowing it down to the three cheeses I was going to buy that day.

It's made with ale and mustard seeds.  Now, I get nervous around mustards because I'm somewhat averse to too much heat in my food.  On the other hand, I looooove me some seedy mustards!  This cheese fit the bill nicely as it has that good seedy mustard taste without any heat.

I suspected right away that this cheese would make an excellent addition to a turkey or ham sandwich (and eliminate the need to separately add mustard, what's not to like?).  Having tried it on turkey, I can confirm that this is so.  It can also make an interesting "eating" cheese, possibly on crackers as an hors d'ouvre.  Not one I would serve on apple slices, however.  I would love it with a glass of white wine.

So the good news is, to get this cheese, you do not need to hunt down tiny cheese shops in Lodi.  I've since found it available by the half-pound, pound, and even complete wheel, on Amazon.  Lucky you.  8 oz. will run you a little over $10.  Happy cheesing! 

Soft Opening / World Premiere, World of Color: Winter Dreams (at Disney's California Adventure)

I heard a rumor there'd be a soft opening tonight of WoC:WD prior to the "official" world premiere tomorrow.  There was.

This event was mainly for the benefit of the media, but also included a large contingent of Annual Passholders who got tickets or wristbands ahead of time.  (Alas, they released some today that I did not know about, so I missed out on that.  But I will do the official AP event some time in the next few days).

I did manage to see the beginning of the show from a non-ticketed standby area, however.   The show opens with the long-awaited "Glow," featuring the World of Color Honor Choir. If you have not heard the music for Glow, written especially for WoC:WD by composer Eric Whitacre, you can find it here (scroll down below the video): http://worldofcolorhonorchoir.com/  It is one of the best parts of this show.

Other highlights include a rather inventive Toy Story Nutcracker, and a couple songs from Frozen, one of which is sung by the iconic Idina Menzel.  Going into this show, I had not paid enough attention to realize that she was involved with the film, but her voice was instantly recognizable, so I IMDB'd it, and lo and behold, she voices one of the key characters, Elsa.

As you might expect, the show is programmed to interact with the "Glow with the Show" ear hats.

The show does have some shortcomings.  It gives way too much air time to its self-aware narrator, the snowman Olaf from Frozen.  Now, I get it.  It's the new movie coming out, and they want to promote the crap out of it.  But it affects the pacing of the show, and often pulls you out of forming any emotional attachment to what's going on on screen.  When an audience is told how to feel about a piece, rather than made to feel it, it just doesn't work.  This show could easily work with all the snowman segments removed, and you'd probably have a tighter show.  I'm sure I'll like the snowman better after seeing the film, but right now you have a character nobody yet knows or cares about, featuring heavily though about 50% of the show.  They'd have done better to put a couple parts in, but leave the emceeing to a more timeless character.  Also, the section I've dubbed "culturally inclusive karaoke" (the singalong) is a nice idea, but ultimately comes off as a bit too obvious, which robs it of its sincerity (eg: "One song for each group!  See, you're included!  Don't you feel included now?  We're SOOOOOO inclusive!")

Still, it's worth seeing.

To view this show requires admission to Disney's California Adventure, and a fastpass ticket for a particular showtime, which can be picked up over by Grizzly River Run (fastpasses are included in your park admission, you just have to stop by the machines and scan your ticket in).

Annual Passholders can attend special showings this week, which also come with a holiday ornament, so let the cast members know when you stop by GRR and show your AP.  Everyone has to be present to check in for your fastpass and ornament.  For more info, look here on the DL website.

While no video can ever do justice to a theme park show, especially a water show, someone did post a (non-HD) video online already: http://new.livestream.com/accounts/578339/events/2547624/feed_embed?width=900&height=900

Enjoy!

Show and Tell: Haunted Mansion music box available at Disneyland

 So this has been on the shelves for several months now.  I haven't gotten it yet, but I drool over it every time I go.  Part of a fairly new collection based on the Haunted Mansion, this resin music box is gorgeous inside and out:

 

As you can see, the top has a cameo-style image of Leota on the top (which is from a headstone at the Florida HM, so we can safely assume this is being sold in WDW as well as DL) along with scrollwork and roses.  It's purple and black all over, with "ghostly white" highlighting to show the detail.  The feet are monster claws.  The overall impression is gothy Victorian, which you would expect, given the theme.

The interior is flocked in deep plum, with the music box machinery completely concealed.  Printed on the inside lid, it says, "Dear sweet Leota, beloved by all, in regions beyond now, but having a ball," which is her epitaph from the headstone in WDW's Magic Kingdom.

As you would expect, the song choice is Grim Grinning Ghosts.

Looking closely at the photos, you can get a glimpse of a couple other products in the same line, including a 5"x7" oval picture frame (frame resembles metal sign on the gate post out in front of HM),the Leota waterglobe, and you can just barely make out the wine glasses with the HM wallpaper design.  There are other items I'll have to show you another time. 

Now, ordinarily I would complain about Disney's tendency to sell the same merchandise on both coasts when the attractions themselves are so different, especially when the merchandise so clearly features one park's (almost invariably Florida) unique imagery.  However, this line is so well executed and designed, that I think its "Florida-ness" does not at all detract from the product's desirability to the Anaheim audience.  I have told my husband that pretty much anything from this collection would be a worthwhile Christmas gift (hinthintIwantthemusicboxmosthint!)

Now for those of you, dear readers, not fortunate enough to live near one of the Parks, take heart!  They also sell it on Disneystore.com for $49.95.  You can also see the other items in the collection there. 

Review: Trader Joe's "Red Fox" limited edition Red Leicester Cheese

I love cheese.  Not all cheese, but I love a lot of cheese.  I generally tend toward the creamier, nuttier cheeses, and can be picky regarding the sharper, or more pungent (or as I like to say, "footy") cheeses.  So read my cheese reviews with that grain of salt, if you please.  There's nothing wrong with super footy cheeses, they just aren't usually* my thing.
(*-please note that I make certain exceptions to this, such as Delice de Bourgogne, which I will have to review some other time)

But anyway, the Red Leicester is neither footy, nor particularly sharp.  It has the outward appearance of a sharp cheddar or a colby, but a very creamy texture, and a little nuttiness with a hint of saltiness.  This is the kind of cheese I would cut into small cubes and serve on its own as an "eating" cheese.  (As opposed to a melting cheese, a sandwich cheese, a grating-on-top-of-food cheese, or a top-your-apple/cracker cheese)  At first I thought this one might be overwhelming if one attempted to eat it in large amounts, but I seem to find myself returning to it over and over (like the 4th time today I've cut a small bit off the block!)  Might be decent topping a cracker (haven't tried it yet), but I wouldn't pair this with apple slices, or fruit in general, the flavor gets totally lost against the sweetness.

If you're looking for something a bit different to add to your cheese board at your next party, beyond the usual suspects of cheddar, jack, co/jack, or swiss, this would be a good call.  It's unlikely to give offense, and just might create a few raving fans.

Review: Trader Joe's Many Clove Garlic Simmer Sauce

Oh. My. God.

Talk about a jar delivering everything it promises to be.  The label compares it to a "40-clove sauce."  There are directions on the side of the jar, but I decided to go off-recipe a little bit, and use my crock pot.  

I seasoned the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, & garlic powder (see seasoning mix here, I keep it in a lidded cheese shaker), then rubbed on a little flour, and browned them in a pan with some oil.  Once I got a nice crust on them, I threw them in a crock pot on high, poured all the sauce over them, and cooked for 2 hours.  (by the by, not part of this review, but if you don't already use Slow Cooker Liners, start doing so now.  You can thank me later!)  I could probably have pulled the chicken earlier than 2 hours, in retrospect.  Especially after the thorough browning I had done.

The end result was simply garlic heaven!  Even my leftovers tasted amazing when reheated.  (Also, I spooned some of the simmer sauce over some stuffing I'd prepped that was a little dry.  Yum!)  

I plan to start keeping this stuff "in stock" in my pantry.  Definitely a future "go-to" item.  At $2.99/jar, it's an affordable way to turn the volume up to 11 on your basic chicken dinner.

The Obligatory Introductory Post, or, "In which I expound on the future of this blog, prior to reality setting in"

I started this blog to share my thoughts on everything from cheese, to Disney merchandise, to the latest offerings at Trader Joe's.  I may even throw in my opinions of TV shows from time to time.  In other words, everything but (oh no wait, including) the kitchen sink.  I'm a full-time parent with a toddler, so I'm sure you'll see some kid stuff get reviewed as well!

I hope you'll enjoy my occasionally wicked sense of humor - or as I prefer to think of it, my acerbic wit.  Sometimes I may sound over-the-top about something, rest assured I'm doing it for humorous effect, YMMV.

Well, glad I got this part over.  See you on the flip side!