Cheesy Halloween Round Three

It’s one of my favorite times of the year — Halloween! As usual, I have another round of cheesy horror flicks for you. Check ‘em out!

• DANCE OF THE DEAD | It’s prom night and zombies are on the prowl! But have no fear — there are kids who couldn’t get dates, and they’ve got nothing better to do than to save the student body!

• THE DEAD DON’T DIE | I honestly don’t even know what to say about this movie. Bill Murray and Adam Driver make an unlikely police duo in a small town that’s being taken over by zombies. They break the fourth wall several times, and it’s a damn treat every time.

• EVIL DEAD | Five friends take a weekend getaway in an old cabin in the woods, and so many terrible decisions ensue. As usual, the 80s win with their cheesy horror makeup. I think what I love most about this movie is that for one of my senior photos, I wore the same outfit as Ash’s girlfriend — yikes!

• LITTLE MONSTERS (2019) | Can a class of kindergarteners survive a zombie outbreak? I guess you’ll have to watch this Hulu Original to find out! Perhaps the sunniest zombie movie I’ve ever seen.

• BURYING THE EX | This guy is on the verge of dumping his girlfriend when she dies. While he’s moved on, she’s returned to life and won’t let go.

• THE MONSTER SQUAD | This movie feels a little like The Goonies — a band of unlikely heroes (aka nerdy kids) have to save their town from classic monsters.

• THE BABYSITTER (2017) | Need a babysitter? Just hire the blonde down the street! Your kid will be attracted to his hot sitter, stay up to spy on her and her friends, learn that they’re part of a satanic cult, and spend the evening trying not to be murdered. But it’s all good, because the cult kids are high schoolers and dumb AF. Also, Netflix is releasing the sequel this year, so that’s definitely happening.

Want more? Check out Round 1 and Round 2!

Cheesy Halloween Round Two

If you haven’t been watching Halloween movies every day of October, it’s time to get started! Hate scary movies? I’ve got another roundup of cheesy horror movies for ya!

• THE FINAL GIRLS | A teenage girl loses her once-scream-queen movie star mom in an accident. Flash forward and she, along with a group of her peers, are driven into the world of a campy 80s horror film featuring her late mother. They join forces in an attempt to take down the killer, who *buh buh buuuuuh* is real!

• FRIGHT NIGHT (1985) | This kid’s new neighbor is a charming and attractive… vampire (!), and it’s up to him to take him down. Real 80s cheesy costumes and makeup make it a lot easier to brush off the demons as silly instead of scary.

• KNIGHTS OF BADASSDOM | A group of besties and live-action role players take to the woods to participate in a re-enactment game similar to Dungeons and Dragons, only something real is wreaking havoc. Sound too cheesy? Maybe the fact that it stars Peter Dinklage will change your mind…

• ODD THOMAS | First off, Odd can see dead people and uses his gift to help their souls find peace. Secondly, he meets someone who unleashes dark beings into the world that feast on human pain and suffering. Their growth indicates to Odd that something big is coming that could mean the end for all, so he teams up with his girlfriend and the sheriff in an attempt to stop it. This one is daaark, but very good if you’re ready for emotions.

• STUNG | A garden party is ruined by killer mutated wasps. ’Nuf said, and yes it’s as ridiculous as it sounds.

• YOGA HOSERS | Two Canadian teens battle evil Nazi sausages. It’s slower moving, but it’s still great. Mr. Heid and I had the pleasure of attending a screening of this where Kevin Smith spoke and held a Q&A.

If you missed the first roundup, you can find it here! Have a spooky October!

xoxo,

K

Sights & Scenes of San Diego

I’m back to share the fun things that we did on our San Diego trip!

THE COLORS | I tend to find color everywhere that I go, but San Diego made it so easy! There were florals in pinks, oranges, yellows, and more everywhere we went. My sister’s boyfriend asked if I was going to take pictures of every single plant we saw. Uh, yes. Yes I will, and yes I did. The donut shop was pastel to the max, the red stop signs all popped among the plethora of green cacti, the old VW buses at the beach took me back to 70s color palettes — I LOVE IT ALL! I’ll spare you though… here’s three.

THE OCEAN | This was Mr. Heid’s first time stepping foot into the Pacific Ocean and he couldn’t contain his excitement (not that he should). Our first ocean trip was to Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma, and the naturally carved cliffs and panoramic views of the Pacific were breathtaking. You can walk right up the edge of the cliffs, which damaged my calm. Full disclosure — I was telling everyone not to get too close to the edges for fear that they might slip and fall. I was definitely unnerved. BUT there are parts where you can make your way closer to the water, which I did with Mr. Heid, and feel the ocean’s mist on your skin.

Our second stop was Mission Beach, where Mr. Heid could actually splash around a bit in the water. The area is a lot more touristy, so there were little shops and food stands everywhere; it had a really cool vibe.

THE HISTORY | Before dinner, we shopped and explored Old Town San Diego. The whole area was established in the late 1700s and has been called “The Birthplace of California” — or so the signs told me. We were there a little late, so we didn’t see many of the live demonstrations, but between the plaques and structures, we were able to learn what life was like there between the late 1700s and early 1900s. It was fascinating and quite pretty.

THE ATTRACTIONS | On our first day, we moseyed through Balboa Park just to see what it was all about and to think about where we wanted to visit when we returned. They have a few museums, some enclosed gardens, and some open garden and water features. We saw a few street artists, heard some live music floating through the air, and saw so. many. succulents. #heaven

When we returned to Balboa, we visited the San Diego Museum of Man. The first exhibit was a history of beer throughout different cultures, which was definitely all new to me. Apparently, in the days of building the pyramids, the Egyptians gave their workers beer because it was filled with nutrients. Today’s beer is definitely not. The next exhibit was about the Mayans, so it felt like a regular museum for a bit there. And then we moved on to exhibits about monsters, race relations, cannibalism, PostSecret, and our relationships with animals.

All the while, I kept forgetting we were in a museum and thinking, “Where am I and why is there a display about this?” Not that there shouldn’t be a display about any of these topics, but I’m so used to museums being about the past. It was odd that I could feel myself being pushed out of my box and into one where a museum could mean examining and exhibiting mankind as a whole here in the present. Every single exhibit was fascinating, and the museum does a great job displayed the information. For example, the exhibit about race and education was set up with desks from a classroom, the display regarding the wage gap included stacks of money labelled by race, delivering a huge and undeniable impact, and the cannibal exhibit included a game of The Oregon Trail where you end with the option to die of starvation or eat a member of your crew.

We headed to the Botanical Building next, which dates back to 1915! It’s filled with gorgeous plants from ceiling to floor, wall to wall. As it turned out, we spent so long in the Botanical Building, that we only had five minutes to tour the space before closing time. So Mr. Heid did a brisk jog through the gardens, stopping along the way to snap a few pics.

We also did a full day at the zoo with our parents! We grew up with Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, so by comparison visiting the Greenville Zoo has been a bit of a letdown. But the San Diego Zoo is massive and did not disappoint! We stopped for like a solid 20 minutes to watch a very young Orangutan attempt to play with a teeny tiny Siamang baby. The Orangutan picked up the baby Siamang and went to walk away like, “This is my baby now…” and the parents were like, “Not so fast!” You had to be there. Anywho…

There’s one point where it’s faster to get to the other side of the zoo via a sky lift than walking, and Mr. Heid was terrified. The photos I took will supply me with giggles for years to come.

NEXT TIME | Barrio Logan as a whole was full of color and street art! I would love to spend more time there and see what it has to offer, including Chicano Park! Baby Bro showed us a glimpse of the Japanese Friendship Garden that you could see along our walking path; they were closed, but I’d like to take a explore it and their tea pavilion. And maybe this should have been in my last post, but I definitely want to go to Balboa Park’s Food Truck Fridays.

xoxo,

K

Food & Beverages of San Diego

Mr. Heid took a trip with me and my family to San Diego to watch my baby bro graduate! We had a blast and I’m finally sharing the food and beverage side of our trip with you here!

THE PURPOSE | The foremost purpose of heading to San Diego was to watch my Baby Bro graduate and it was my absolute favorite moment of the trip! He looked so excited and proud, as he should be and as we all are! Congrats, Baby Bro — the best is yet to come! The second reason was to explore the City that he’s called home for the past two years.

THE DRINKS | On our first day, Baby Bro took us to a few breweries and a winery. The sours at Sourworx were sooo delicious — they had a few dark sours, which are my favorite. I really wanted one of everything there, but alas… pacing. Bolt Brewery had a super chill atmosphere and apparently Pizza Fridays! We weren’t there on Friday, though...

We hit La Mesa Wine Works next, which is actually a pour room for two wineries. They were doing a BOGO on flights, so our table looked ridiculous and we got a liiiittle goofy. One of our last stops in San Diego was Border X Brewing in Barrio Logan. They boast Mexican craft beer, and their beverages are as unique as their atmosphere! Their walls are covered in doodles by a once-local artist (I think I’m remembering that correctly), and their Blood Saison was on point with its hibiscus and agave flavors.

THE FOOD | Three words. The. Taco. Stand. Baby Bro took us here for our first meal and it was insta-love. You guys know my passion for tacos. I could eat them morning, noon, and night — every meal. Throughout the trip, everyone kept saying, “The taco stand was so good,” “We should go back to the taco stand,” “Remember the churros at the taco stand?” We decided that this restaurant earned a second visit despite our being in a new place with many untried options. So as we were walking down the street, I said, “What is the name of this place anyway?” And everyone simultaneously says, “The Taco Stand!” The whole time we’d been talking about it on the trip, I thought they were just referring to it as a taco stand, not realizing that they were calling it by its actual name.

Their North Park location is so tiny, but everything about it is awesome — corrugated metal menu, the fading painted words on the wall over a line of hot sauce bottles, the little window where you can watch tortillas being made and pork turn on a spit… The food comes out so hot and fresh. And the churros?! They’re melt-in-your-mouth good. UGH! I need a location close to me STAT!

For our first dinner we stopped at Cross Street Chicken & Beer because the reviews were great and the photos were mouth-watering, but we were all a little disappointed. It’s probably my bad for ordering on the assumption that the spice would be spicy-hot versus spicy-literal (meaning the chicken was just covered in some spices of sorts). The good news is that we also stopped into Bing Haus for something to stay warm while we waited to be seated. I got a beautiful Chai tea, while Baby Bro got a Mexican hot chocolate.

The next morning, Mr. Heid and I got up super early to try Rose Donuts and were quite pleased. The donuts were airy, but full of sugary flavor… they reminded me of a little place in my hometown called Daylight Donuts that we frequented when I was a kid. Once everyone else greeted the day, we met up with our parents at Breakfast Republic. I honestly can’t remember what all we ate because everyone took a nibble of what everyone else was having, but I can say that it was all on point! I do remember that my parents ordered a pancake flight and I sipped on a margarita with blanco tequila, ancho verde, lime juice, and some grapefruit Stiegl Radler. It was incredibly refreshing and I should definitely attempt to make my own on our next taco night.

Before Baby Bro’s graduation, the fam went to Cafe 222 where I enjoyed their huevos rancheros. Their restaurant is tiny, so we were lucky to get a seat and not have to wait. After graduation, we celebrated in Little Italy at Buon Appetito Restaurant. The owner seemed to be living his best life, and their food was decadent; thinking about it now has me craving some really good Italian. That same evening, we had a dinner at Cafe Coyote in Old Town San Diego to celebrate my birthday — the food was really flavorful, the carnitas were crispy, the taco was covered in melted cheese, the tamale was legit, the prickly pear margarita was perfect, and the venue was huge, like a colorful maze of classic Mexican decor.

And last, but not least, we hit 85C Bakery Cafe. Serving up Asian and European pastries, their options were different than what I’m used to, but they’re each between $1 and $3, making our visit there an affordable exploration of new things.

NEXT TIME | I’d love to check out Little Italy Food Hall next time I’m in San Diego. Food halls are always fun because you can try a nibble here and there or get a full meal. I’m also willing to eat all of the tacos anyone will give me, and I wouldn’t mind checking out a few more seafood places.

Stay tuned for my next post where I detail our sights and scenes from San Diego!

xoxo,
K

Reflection | Autumn Snapshots

Guys. I had every intention of posting throughout November. I even took some styled pumpkin photos to share with you. But alas, I couldn’t find the time!

Fall is the busiest season for me — both at work and at home. It’s filled with moments that require you to live in them, which we could all stand to practice a little more anyway.

It’s the season where the youth theatre at work hosted six performances their latest production. At first I thought, I am going to get so tired of this show. Then I was completely blown away with the casts’ talent the first night and caught as many pics and videos as a I could for social media. Then three shows in, I really started to live in the moment and watch, remain impressed, feel proud, learn the songs, and catch the jokes and tiny details that I missed before. When I look back and reflect on that, I wonder how many details we miss when we’re rushing through life or trying to capture everything on our phones.

After two full weekends of events, I was able to embrace autumn in our house. For us, that means the smell of roasting pumpkins, Mr. Heid’s curses as he works to make the perfect pie crusts, gravy thickening on the stove, and Alice’s Restaurant on repeat. By the end of it, we’ve hit every grocery store in the area, Mr. Heid’s thrown at least one whole crust away, Keiko and I have had our fill of scrap pie crusts, we’ve made beautiful pies and delicious gravy to share with our families for Thanksgiving, and we’re hunkering down to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

Despite our busy schedule, we managed to find the time to take two little road trips to Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill. I was introduced to the orchard back when I was in living in Rock Hill and immediately loved it! Chickens clucking around, you-pick apple trees, fresh baked cider donuts, pigs eating fallen apples - ugh! the list goes on.

On our first trip, we caught up with friends we hadn’t seen in awhile and went back to one of their places for a home-cooked dinner. On our second trip, we played games with our usual crew and purchased two carboys of cider for home brewing! They are currently fermenting in our extra bathroom tub (easy cleanup in case something goes wrong). It’ll be awhile before they’re ready, but I can’t wait to taste our hard cider!

We went to our hometown for Thanksgiving to celebrate with our families. This year, my brother surprised the family with a visit home. He’s been studying in CA, they haven’t seen him since July and weren’t expecting to a visit until Christmas! He trusted my sister and I with keeping the secret and sneaking him into the house late Thanksgiving Eve. It was a beautiful moment to watch our parents’ faces when they saw him on Thanksgiving morning. After our Thanksgiving meal with Mr. Heid’s family, we went to a local Christmas tree farm and picked out the perfect tree to bring home.

These are the moments we living for — the love, the surprises, the togetherness, the traditions, the family, the friendship. What did you enjoy most this fall?

I know fall’s technically not over until Dec. 21, buuuut it’s pretty much Christmas now, which screams winter to me (not to mention that it’s literally freezing here). So happy winter everyone!

xoxo

K