New Frappuccinos!

Yesterday, Starbucks announced the immediate arrival of two new frappuccinos: 'blackberries & creme' and 'strawberry shortcake'.

I have already tried both of them. The strawberry shortcake is identical to the strawberries & creme frappuccino except for its buttery aftertaste and less-sweet undertone.

The blackberries & creme on the other hand, was simply delicious and is easily the best frappuccino I have ever had! It's beautifully crafted tasting like a blackberry milkshake with micro blackberry bits, plentiful whipped cream, and topped with a dusting of cinnamon! (Bonus if your Starbucks has a decent frappuccino machine, because no kidding- I have had frappuccinos without any iciness. The effect was drinking fat through a straw.)

Thank you Starbucks for this magical treat,

------Temo 

I'm Alive! (a.k.a. "Food Porn #6")

One of the perks of life, ironically is when a friend calls or texts you and asks:

"What's up?" 

Oh no. Holy heck no. Do you tell them? Some of the most random things happen and get interrogated at the wrong time. I could tell them "The huge science nerd in me is reading up on chemistry terms, wearing pure red lipstick, craving who-knows-what, and listening to Avril Lavigne." 

Uh, no. It's okay. 

"Nothing. I'm Doing Nothing." 

-.- 
?

(Back to the Food Porn) 

It has been rather difficult to remember exactly WHAT I have eaten that had been out of the ordinary. I do not believe that sausage McMuffins, Doritos, or apples count.


1) Peanut Butter & Jelly Trail Mix (Archer Farms) 

Had a friend try it. They did not look at the label and immediately said it felt like they were eating a PB&J. Awesome. 

2) Best tempura I've ever had!

It was actually homemade!! (*Recipe coming soon, I hope*) 

3) Green tea frappacino from Starbucks

A nostalgic summer drink. Love the way you hit the icy whipped cream at the bottom, and get a slight waxy coating on the roof of your mouth. I usually the lattes, both hot and iced, but this has a different feel! 

4) Coffee beat Japanese candy (Meiji) 

Tried it frozen! One of my favorite 'Meiji' chocolates :) 

5) Key lime cake donut (Dunkin Donuts) 

Obviously seasonal. They also have a filled key lime donut. Honestly, I felt like I was eating a cake donut, with nothing special about it! Forget that! Save the calories! 

6) 'Mrs. Freshley's' chocolate cupcakes 

When I knew the twinkies, cupcakes, and such were coming back, I had to make a run for it! It is never going to be the same without Hostess, but let me just say that after that one cupcake, it Made me happy that I did not spend $100 on a box of Twinkies! No? 


Also, I cannot wait to try Starbuck's new Caramel Ribbon Crunch frappacino! 

With red-stained lip print kisses, 


------Temo 


P.S. Soon there is going to be Starbucks frappacino happy hour! (You did not hear anything from me......) 

P.P.S. I have recently been listening to Jimmy Eat World! Maybe that means a new CD review? Hmmm.........

"Aishiteru" via. Youtube

"Aishiteru"

This song makes me happy. I found out this morning that this song is actually for an anime opening! Gotta watch that anime! It looks good.

Aishiteru (lit. "I am loving you"),


------Temo

Food Porn #4: Just munchin' along!

Okay, my Starbucks thrill for the week. I got a passion iced tea lemonade. Before I got that though, I got a VERY chipper employee! She was so cool! She told me that replacing the normal pumps of sugar syrup for RASPBERRY syrup is much better! THAT IS WAY GENIUS!!
So I had mine and it was, well you know! ;P (AWESOME)
The passion tea lemonade hold a lot of nostalgia for me! I remember hating it at first because 'it tastes of cinnamon' lol
And when Starbucks first came out with the 'petites' pastries, they had these mini 'Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes' and NOW THEY'RE GONE! I was so pissed! They had a irresistible peanut butter icing and topped with a mini peanut butter cup. HOW CUTE!
These two things I had on my last big vacation and I will never forget.

Rest in Peace Litte Man! :'(

*Ends Flashback*

Also, I had a little Special K Chocolate cereal fit! I paired it with this new soy milk brand. The soy milk was much, much better than the normal brands floating 'round in the store aisles! Has a more natural, nutty, and smooth-sweet taste!

And for the chocolate.......

"Chocolove's" Almonds & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate bar is AMAZING!! I would have to say it felt like the best chocolate bar I had when I tried it! 
And here's a shocker for me 'Birthday cake batter milk chocolate truffle bar with confetti cake mix ALL NATURAL'? I bought it. 
It's by 'Seattle Chocolates'. And it is very sweet! I love how it's not sickening though and there are addicting unidentified crunchies in this chocolate. I forgot all about milk chocolate for awhile! It melted so easily! :'( 
I do have to be honest though. My mind and stomach would never splurge on this bar! I could take a nibble here and there, but for the 40% of the saturated fat for HALF of the TINY bar, I would be sick. 

Also this week, there was a lot of sushi! I will talk about that later. 

Tata for now,


------Temo


P.S. I should have told you this before, but I tried Lindt's new wasabi-infused dark chocolate bar. Whatever you do, DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!! It tastes worse than what wasabi tastes like if that's even possible! It probably will serve well though for a prank! "Dad just try this chocolate! It's so good!" It looks like a normal Lindt square so he shouldn't know the difference XD 

CD Review #5: "Ke$ha: Animal"

"Ke$ha: Animal" (2010) 

A swear that Ke$ha was a curse word when she first made her debut on the radio. My father nearly choked when he heard the lyrics to "TIK Tok". Do I agree? Disagree? Well, the first sign Ke$ha is a 'curse word'? Hint: the song titles below. I mean look at it! BUT I just adore the sound and beats of her songs. I find them irresistible. The 'Sleeping with every guy' songs-NO. The music-yes! Who knows? Maybe Ke$ha is going through a phase. 

Number of 'F bombs': I'll go check. 

It is her...... 1st album. 

My rating (Out of 10 stars): 7

Compared to the other Dance/Pop CDs, I'd give this one: 4.25/5 stars!

Explicit: Ya although it does not label it as so. I wouldn't let any preteen touch it! 

Am I happy this is part of my Collection?: Yes :) These are her classics. 

Value (does the music out-weigh the cost?): 8.25/10

1) "Animal" (original Version)--total fav! makes me happy every single time I listen to it!!!!!!!!  

2) "Your Love is my Drug"---great way to start-off the CD ;) 

3) "Take it Off"

4) "Kiss N Tell"

5) "TIK Tok"--was on the radio all the time!  

6) "Blah Blah Blah"

7) "Party at a Rich Dude's House"---title is SO stupid. But fun song. 

8) "Hungover"

9) "Blind" 

10) "Dancing with Tears in my Eyes" 

11) "Boots and Boys"---STARTS to go downhill from here. 

12) "Dinosaur" 

13) "Backstabber" 

14) "Stephen" 

"Animal" by Ke$ha :)

Ke$ha-cussing,

------Temo 

Movie Review #1: "Celeste and Jesse Forever"

Movie Review #1: "Celeste and Jesse Forever" 

Because it is a rated R movie, please expect drugs, sexual references, swearing, and crude humor in this particular film.

It is on Netflix and with my friend having awesome taste in movies....picked this.

So What Is It About? 

Celeste and Jesse decide to follow through on a divorce. Too bad they are still like 'best friends'. A closer awareness is brought toward them when a close friend flares up at the bar during a group date wondering why the heck do they spend every minute with each other. She and her boyfriend flee the scene in disgust. Jesse and Celeste try to distance themselves a little more (fail) BUT......

**Spoiler** ........ After about half an hour into the movie, Jesse finds out he is going to be a dad. Not with Celeste, but with another woman he spent the night with. He of course is in shock, but Celeste, completely heartbroken.*

Celeste does not experience many signs of jealousy & anger during this film. At least as I can tell. Rather, there is desperation for her 'best friend' and experiencing the pain of moving from very sudden change. She comes to realize that she cannot turn back the time. When roads such as this take a twist, getting back together no longer remains option. Especially when a new family waits to be built.

Our fav parts of 'Celeste and Jesse Forever'? Well.......

1.) It is surreal.
2.) Secretly I did not like Celeste and Jesse separating as they were perfect for each other.
3.) It is SO funny! Celeste and Jesse really are immature...
4.) The b****y model later plays a greater role in the film. I loved her little 'rise to fame'! This seriously was my favorite part of the movie!


My Criteria:

Did it have a strong story line?
 Yes, you see the realism of the separation.

If not, did the movie serve its random nature well? 
It is a bit random too. A bit mundane at times, but I still watched until the movie's end. There was scene after scene of epic hilarity!

How are the main characters? 
Solid. At least with 1. Jesse and Celeste 2. The gay guy at Celeste's workplace (he was funny!) 3. The teen model. I particularly didn't fall for Veronica, but she had to feed her vital part of the storyline.

What about the other characters? 
nah.

Main genre? 
Romantic comedy. 

Did I laugh, cry, clap, etc. ?
I laughed, beamed and giggled on the inside, made note-able comments, and laughed again. 

Overall rating (Out of 10 stars): 7/10! 

This film made our weekend night, and should be watched by all who are considering to watch! 

The Official Trailer

Watch, Watch, Watch Again,

------Temo

"My Songs Know What you did in the Dark" via. Youtube

"My Songs Know What you did in the Dark" (Fall Out Boy) 

Okay so you know how I bagged on Fall out boy in one of my CD reviews? Well I am sorry about that. They're back again!!! I believe this is a single but after listening to this, I REALLY hope they come out with another album! 
I mean just listen to it! 

I'll be waiting, 

------Temo 

Food Porn #3: Gimme some Starbucks!

Okay, I'm a returning regular at Starbucks. (tsk-tsk!) But lately, I've had so many yum-yum-a-yummy new treats! Can I help it? No.

Here are the GREAT ones: 


  1.) The Vanilla spice Latte (hot):

Starbuck's new seasonal drink. It is likely to hibernate in the coffee world soon :'( I first tried it and felt a bit strange to me. Most likely because I never went for their vanilla lattes. Suddenly it clicked. It's really good! The spices mix perfectly and is an change-up when you are bored with their other drinks. If you are a wimp (like I was), you can ask to do 50-50 on Cinnamon Dolce and the Vanilla spice lattes. You can also get an iced version if you like their drinks iced. Personally I detest any of Starbucks iced espresso drinks, but hey, do whatever floats you boat!

  2.) The chocolate cinnamon bread:

"Do You want breakfast with your drink?" (normally no) 'Sure! Why not?! I'll have 'that thing' there," I said (pointing). "What this thing?" "Yeah." She laughed because she said her husband should open a café where the names of the pastries would be like "whatcha-call-it', 'that thing'..... We laughed. So I took the bread and it was scrumptious! It was just a sugar & spice flaked crust with moist deep chocolate dessert bread! I came back the next day. 

3.) Raspberry mocha frappacino (extra shot of espresso + whipped cream)

This might be a secret recipe ending up not being mine on one of the Starbucks Secret Menus. (Seriously google it!) I just thought. That frappacinos are good. And that a raspberry mocha one would be GENIUS! It took a couple of sips to get used to its unique taste. It made my morning happier! If it were in Cafe Temo's world, she would also put a large drizzle of raspberry sauce on top ;) 

4.) Cheesecake Brownie 

It is just like it says Cheesecake! And if you did not like cheesecake, you would probably not be ordering it. There's not anything really differentiating with the pastry, but it tastes good? I might reconsider paying food Starbucks pastries though..... Everyone knows they're over-priced! 


......and the not-so-great ones: 


1.) Starbuck's bottled 'iced vanilla latte':

"They released a new line of bottled to-go latte drinks. I chose vanilla. Labeled 120 calories and lightly sweetened. Really bad stuff. Took a sip. And it is still sitting in the fridge as I am speaking ready to be poured out. Bottled drink failed again!

Better option? There isn't all bottled coffees kinda suck. 

2.) (the new) Hazelnut Macchiato (hot):

"IT WAS REALLY GROSS! Everyone loves hazelnut coffee but it tasted like fake syrup, cheap quality and tasted mostly of warm milk to me....not a hot combination. And the $5.00 (+ tax :p) was not so cute!" I like to check the nutritional info on the Starbucks site. It is just as fattening, sugary, and calorie-ific as its caramel partner. 

Better option? Go to a Dunkin Donuts and get their hazelnut flavored (latte). Cheaper and likely quite a bit better, I can imagine.



Sorry that there are no pictures this time :( Use your imagination ;p ,


------Temo 

"Na Na Na Na" Coheed & Cambria via. Youtube

"Na Na Na Na" (Coheed and Cambria)

I really like this song for its vocal up-toned pitches and its calming features. I like the clips cover art and just, beautiful music! 

Who are Coheed & Cambria anyway?! ,


------Temo 

Oasis - Some Might Say

I LOVE this song!!!! I love 90's rock so much, but if you listen through a whole 90's CD, it sounds like all the tracks can be meshed into one song! You wouldn't be able to tell the difference!! Not with Oasis. LOVE THEM!!!!

Sorry for my little 90's fangirl-sim...., 


------Temo 

Manga Review #2: "Kitchen Princess Omnibus 1"

T'was a beautiful day of the weekend!! Ended up at a park and wanted to climb a tree. Here she is:

It was so fun, nostalgic, painful, and scary at the same time! That probably was my last shot though, unless you wanna see, like a 30 year old me, climbing a tree. (That rhymed! awkward...) I was trying to read "Kitchen Princess"....

The Omnibus Comics come at a cheaper price ($14.99 USD) 

Deep breath! Here I go! You know those manga series where you are all like "This seems like one of those too-mainstream girly comics! It's not going to be any good! It's going to appeal to the 5 year old girl population!" Way wrong.

The art makes me feel happy! Because the original release in Japanese was in 2005, its style leaned toward that era's "big kawaii eye" look! The story does begin with something adorable. Another worthy note of this manga is you can easily see the antagonist's strong passion and hate within this 2-volume omnibus edition. The storyline is even just simple and fun! Food is always being mentioned of course and it is always so kawaii! :) 

Art (Did the author seem to care about the art?; does its style have appeal?): A 
Plot (With the exception of Slice-of-life manga, does the story keep you engaged?): B+
Characters?: C+
Is the Dialogue Up-to-par?: B-
Will I continue the series?: Yes. 
Rated: T for Teen (A few intense situations, like fighting eating disorders; bullying) 
Authors: Natsumi Ando & Miyuki Kobayashi 

Plot Synthesis: 
"Najika is a great cook and likes to make meals for the people she loves. But something is missing from her life. When she was a child, she met a boy who touched her heart--and now Najika is determined to find him. The only clue she has is a silver spoon that leads her to the prestigious Seika Academy. Attending Seika will be a challenge. Every kid at the school has a special talent, and the girls in Najika's class think she doesn't deserve to be there. But Sora and Daichi, two popular brothers who barely speak to each other, recognize Najika's cooking for what it is--magical. Is either boy Najika's mysterious prince?" (Amazon.com). 

*Spoiler: At the end of each volume, THERE IS A COLLECTION of all the recipes Najika made in the manga!!! They share Najika's Flan in a cup, Taramasalata, Rainbow Jelly, Christmas Cookies, and Onion Gratin Soup recipes in the back of volume one! You will have to look at the others yourself ;) 

Yup! This is the one I would love to try!

So once I finish reading the manga series, (5 omnibus volumes) I will be happy to share my final review! 

Flan in a Cup,


------Temo

Ke$ha - Past Lives with on screen lyrics (HQ)

Kesha has a clean song! and guess what?! It is her song with the most meaningful lyrics I have heard in a long while. 

Ke$ha: "Past Lives" 



I LOVE MUSIC! ,


------Temo 

Forever The Sickest Kids-Same Dumb Excuse(Nothing To Lose)/ With LYRICS

Love! Love! Love!

I'VE GOT NOTHING TO LOSE! ,


------Temo

Food Porn #2: Things are getting a little perfumey!

I love perfumey treats! The infusion suits my taste. Here are a bunch of the things I had this week! ^^ 

Left to Right: Ghirardelli Intense Dark Cabernet Matinee Chocolate, Lindt Excellence Passion Fruit dark chocolate, & Noosa Passionfruit yoghurt.

Wildflower Bread Co. has a wicked 'Georgia Peach' smoothie! It has a hint of lavender and precious whipped cream on top! Best part is the bottom where the whipped cream and lavender meet! 

Um, who doesn't love Red Bulls & Sparkling Blackberry Izzes?! 

Not to mention I had some peach-flavored black tea with some creamer and sugar in it! Amazing! You need to have a few shortbread cookie squares on hand with it though! I'm going to make it a bit more classy sometime (not use creamer) and serve it in a teapot. And make my own buttery shortbread cookies. Yeah. Sounds like a great plan! 

Many people and cultures adore perfume-like foods. Are there any somebody is willing to share that is relevant to their culture? Anyone have a favorite indulgence? 

Perfume Infusion! , 

------Temo

Red - Taylor Swift - Lyrics (Unpitched)

But Loving Him was Red, 


------Temo

Buckcherry-Sorry Lyrics

And I just wanted to say..., 


------Temo 

Breaking Benjamin - Dear Agony (Lyrics on screen)

Dear Agony, 


------Temo 

Chapter 7: 'Perfume Review #1'

Like my little back-drop? ;p

I absolutely love perfume. I chose at random a few I had of my counter and will be describing them. 

(Left to Right) 

1.) Bath and Body Works 'Honey Sweetheart' (travel-sized lotion) 

"I was able to try this one today and it smells like their signature sweet pea at first, but develops into a candy-sweet-honey-cherry smell too. It's now one of my fav lotions from there! It is likely to be a limited edition though!" 

2.) Bath and Body Works 'Japanese Cherry Blossom' (shimmer mist spray) 

"It has a very powdery smell. Not bad though. I would be likely to wear this in the spring with no event in mind. Just whenever I felt like I wanted that 'powdery smell'. Just tested it right now and yeah, it's definitely recommended! It is a shimmer spray, and the sparkles are AMAZING! Good value as the sparkles stay on, are very abundant, and are fine (not chunky)!"

3.) Harajuku Lovers 'Angel' (0.33 fl oz perfume)

"Described as a sparkling floral. I agree. I like the smell, but often I find it too over-powering. It smells like Johnson and Johnson's baby shampoo, as a perfume. Alright, but now that I have smelled more, it is time to move on!" 

4.) The Body Shop's 'Japanese Cherry Blossom' (Eau de Toilette) 

"Obviously this is a floral scent, and as far as cherry blossom scents go, I never felt guilty wearing this one! Light, clean, and naturally sweet. If I cannot choose a bottle on the spot, I always go for this one!" 

My rank would likely be #2 as my favorite, and then #1, #4, and then #3 as my least. 

Any comments?

I Sniff Perfumes,

------Temo 

P.S. I REALLY hope everyone had a really good Valentines Day! It is always fun single or not! Always remember that if you're single, you don't necessarily need a significant other to be happy, and if you are in a relationship, take the time to reflect on what you appreciate about it! 

Chapter 6: 'Books + February 2013 Reads!'

This week was really strange for me since I have figured out I can actually cook! By the way, the most popular thing about my potluck dessert over last weekend was actually the strawberry pocky/symphony bar dip combo. Go figure.

Right now, these are books that I would be honored to touch and would really like to read!!


1) "The Boy Recession"
"...The boy recession has hit Julius P. Heil High, and the remaining boys find that their stock is on the rise: With little competition, even the most unlikely guys have a good chance at making the team and getting the girl. Guitar-strumming, class-skipping Hunter Fahrenbach never wanted to be a hot commodity, but the popular girls can't help but notice his unconventional good looks. With a little work, he might even by boyfriend material.

But for down-to-earth Kelly Robbins, the boy recession is causing all sorts of problems. She has secretly liked her good friend Hunter for a while now, but how can she stand out in a crowd of overzealous Spandexers?..." (Amazon.com).

2) "Pretty Little Liars"
"Among the mega mansions and perfectly manicured hedges of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, everyone has something to hide—especially four very pretty little liars.High school juniors Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Emily have been keeping secrets ever since their best friend, Alison DiLaurentis, disappeared three years ago. But when the girls begin receiving threatening notes from someone named “A,” their secrets—the big ones, the little ones, even the long-buried ones—no longer seem so safe...." (Amazon.com). 

3) "A Daily Creativity Journal 365"

"The concept of Noah Scalin’s "365 method" is simple but inspired: Choose a theme or medium, then make something every day for a year. Noah made 365 skull-themed projects . . . now he invites you to choose your obsession and get creative!

The book offers 365 project prompts to kick start your creativity, plus plenty of room for journaling, sketching, and jotting down ideas. Learn how to choose your subject and document your work, and see examples from other artists and crafters who took the 365 challenge. In addition, master new techniques to incorporate into your projects, including quilling, clay-making, paper pop-up engineering, and more. Share your progress with other 365-ers at www.MakeSomething365.com.

With 365: A Daily Creativity Journal you’ll get charged up, get messy, and get inspired, and you’ll see how making something every day can change your creative process—and change your  Life Forever!" (Amazon.com).

4) "Life of Pi"
"After the sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a wounded zebra, an orangutan—and a 450-pound royal bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and beloved works of fiction in recent years" (Amazon.com). 

And my book collection is growing back! Here's what's in my reading bin:
(From Left to right)

1. "Haganai: I Don't Have Many Friends, Vol. 1" 
2. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" 
3. "Kitchen Princess Omnibus 1" (Volumes 1-2) 

I am excited to See if any of these will be on my blog in the future! 

Keeping the Art of Reading Alive, 


------Temo 

CD review #1: "All Time Low: Nothing Personal"

"ALL TIME LOW: NOTHING PERSONAL"

Number of 'F bombs': 1
It is their... 2nd Album
My rating (Out of 10 stars): 6
Compared to other Alternative Rock Albums, I'd give this one: 3.8/5 stars
Explicit: No.
Am I happy this is part of my Collection?: yes.
Value (does the music out-weigh the cost?): 7.75/10

This is my fav album from ALT because of all the catchy lyrics. Especially in the 'A Party Song (the walk of Shame)', it was so sweet-sounding, it's like...Bubblegum! Seriously! As for 'Weightless', listen to it in your car, LOUD with high base! :)

My Ranking:
1) 'Weightless'--I actually just found myself singing along with this!
2) 'A party song (the walk of shame)'
3) 'Therapy'
4) 'Sick Little Games'
5) 'Keep the Change you Filthy Animal'
6) 'Damned if I do ya (damned if I don't)'
7) 'Break your Little Heart'
8) 'Lost in Stereo'--this is where everything started going downhill in the list
9) 'Too Much'
10) 'Hello Brooklyn'
11) 'Stella'
12) 'Walls'--my least fav track :(

I LOVE MUSIC!


------Temo