CONFESSIONS OF A FAT GIRL

Another Adventure Day and a Penguin Named Phil

Not so very long ago, I decided to create another "Adventure Day" and journey with two friends to the far and distant land of Long Beach...

I'm kidding, of course. Long Beach is 35 miles from my house. But we here in Los Angeles so often keep to a ten square mile radius, don't we?! One of the best things about LA (NO! It's NOT the traffic!) is its proximity to so many cool things to do and see right outside of town. You could day-trip and road-trip every weekend. 

This adventure also allowed me to check my very first thing off on my "14 in 2014" goals list and that made me incredibly happy.

The Aquarium of the Pacific is an aquarium on a 5-acre site on Rainbow Harbor, across the water from the Long Beach Convention Center, Shoreline Village, and the Queen Mary Hotel and Attraction. Their mission is to instill a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems. Their staff of over 900 people (650 of which are volunteers!) welcomes more than 1.5 million visitors each year.

It is a wondrous place. And I have to tell you -- it is a tremendous experience for kids; a great way for a family to spend a day, but I also recommend you grab your nearest adventure buddies and spend the day there with fellow grown ups as well. This is a place for everybody.  

Right away, I found my people. 

Clearly he wins for best named species at the Aquarium.

These guys win for the most magical. And note - this is a VIDEO. Not a video of a video. I mean, this is real. It looks animated or something -- it is not. They are really this cool looking:

 

Nuts, right? There are a lot of types of Jellyfish there -- even ones you can walk up and touch (I'm a pansy, but my friends did it). And there's a Sea Jellies cam on their website. 24/7 jellies!!!

See these guys? Also real. I swear. Who knew remarkable creatures like this existed?! 

And here are some rather intimidating fellows....

 

There are a lot of areas of the Shark Lagoon where you can walk right up and touch them and the Stingrays. But not in this one. You can probably guess why. Those are some scary looking dudes. But beautiful, no?

The Sea Lions and Seals, whose names are Parker, Milo, Harper, Shelby, Ellie, Troy, Bixby and Toby, were amazing. I could watch them play all day. We caught one of the shows and they are also clearly funny little (well, huge) geniuses.  

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Penguins and that certainly stayed true at the June Keyes Penguin Habitat Exhibit where I met Avery, Noodles, Floyd and more. There's even one named "Whatever." And then there's this guy. I don't know what his name is, but we named him Phil and I feel rather attached. 

Phil is one of the many Magellanic Penguins. He swam right up to us! I took a lot of photos. A lot. I want to go back and see him! 

I would also be very happy to go back and visit the Otters. I'm not ashamed to say I could watch these guys play for hours. They are so wonderfully happy and playful! 

 

Another amazing exhibit -- the Lorikeet Forest, a 3200 square foot aviary, home to 100 or so Lorikeets. For $3, you can buy a tiny cup of sugar water and a little attention from these colorful birdies. This was brave for me and I had a great time in there with my friends! 

These guys.

And the lovebirds. Literally.

Anne tried to make a new friend.

I had some short-lived success.

But let's get back to s'more weird looking guys. 

And before I leave you, I must tell you that in addition to a terrific, upscale cafeteria with a huge variety of food options, a Jamba Juice and several snack stands, there is a marvelous gift shop worth stopping through on your way out as well. 

I love the puns so much. 

Admission tickets are extremely reasonable and often turn up on Goldstar for discounts (they have one right now for afternoon-only admission but be warned that you may find you need more than a couple hours to take it all in). But you can also save a few dollars on special attractions by purchasing tickets online in advance. 

This was such a memorable, wonderful, educational, gratifying (ALL THE ADJECTIVES!) day. Thank you so much, Aquarium of the Pacific, for having me and my friends out for the day. 

I hope the next time you and your family, you and your friends, or even just you all alone need something new and different to do for the day, you'll put this on your list. 

More:

• Official website
• Follow them on Facebook and Twitter
• Stunning photography! Check them out on Flickr and Instagram

Five Questions With Meryl Davis - And a Little #Menday Love for Maks

Come on, everybody. How much do we love these guys?

 

 

First of all, YES! Maks is back. After some time away from DWTS, my future husband is back, often shirtless, and making every week a swoon-fest for me. And he could not have asked for a better partner in world renowned ice dancer and recent Olympic Gold Medalist Meryl Davis. 

 

She's radiant.

 

 

Meryl has been absolutely breathtaking to watch. Her talent and spirit both are amazing. You can just tell she's having a blast and enjoying her partnership with the show’s returning resident bad boy of ballroom, Maksim Chmerkovskiy. And there have been a couple of unique twists to boot. For starters,  Meryl's ice dancing partner of 17 years, Charlie White, is also competing this season (with my featured fave from last year, no less, Sharna Burgess). Also, in a new twisty idea to shake up the show, Meryl got to switch partners for a week, making her the first lucky gal to compete with both Chmerkovskiy brothers in one season. 

 

 

It's a tough life, y'all. 

 

I've already predicted the final two of this season - I am convinced it will be Meryl and Charlie. And I really think if that's the case - with apologies to her incomparable skating partner - I really think Meryl's getting that mirror ball trophy this year. 

#DWTS prediction right now - in the end, it's gonna be Meryl v. Charlie.

— AJ (@AmandaJoy) March 18, 2014

  

But really, it is a humongous honor that I got to do a "Five Questions" with Meryl. Olympic accomplishments aside, she is just a lovely person that anyone would be lucky to know. 

 

AJ: Tell us a little about all the things you do in combination with your rigorous rehearsal and performance schedule to stay in shape! What's tougher on your body - the Olympics or Dancing With the Stars? 

MD: My fitness routine has definitely changed since training for the Olympic Games. While Charlie and I worked-out 3 days a week leading up to the Games, including weight, cardio and circuit training, I now really only add cardio to our skating and dance training when time permits... It has been a rather hectic few months to say the least. My must-have workout, though, is a session on the Elliptical.

AJ: What's been your favorite dance this season so far and why? (I think mind is a tie between your Argentine Tango with Val and your Jungle Book Samba with Maks!)

MD: With each dance this season, I feel like I'm having more and more fun. This is a trend I'm quite pleased with and hoping to continue. I've had some very different dances week to week and have had a blast switching-up styles and rhythms after each show!

Note: I submitted these questions just before last week's episode... Each week, I find myself saying "Ok, this one is my favorite." Last week's? No exception. It was STUNNING:

 

Right? RIGHT?! 

Back to business...

AJ: Since you've had the rare opportunity to work with both Maks and Val in this season, you have to dish! How do they differ as partners? 

MD: How could I possibly be luckier? Being partnered with Maks, then working with Val for the week of the switch-up.... what an experience! Both brothers are absolutely incredible. Maks and Val have very different teaching styles, but in the end it's a true honor to learn from both.

AJ: When you want to treat yourself, what do you eat and drink?

MD: I'm big on chocolate. While I'm generally a very healthy eater, my extremely active lifestyle allows me to indulge in my sweet tooth rather regularly. My beverage of choice as of late is usually some kind of coffee. Soy latte, coffee with almond milk and raw sugar...from our nights of sleeping on the tour bus for Stars on Ice to overnight flights from the East Coast to the West for Dancing with the Stars, I've become a more regular coffee drinker out of necessity. 

AJ: You have obviously been all over the world now. When you travel, what are some of the things you absolutely must have with you? 

MD: I always bring a few things with me when I travel. My phone has become an absolute necessity, in which I imagine I'm not alone. I also like to bring a reliable snack with me for the road; I usually keep a box of Nutri-Grain bars in my bag. I've also become quite dependent upon my travel pillow...With the schedule Charlie and I have been keeping the last few months, we've learned to use our time on the road as an opportunity to catch-up on sleep. 

I cannot thank Meryl Davis enough for taking the time to respond to my questions!!!

Tune into DWTS tonight, 8/7c on ABC and be ready to vote for Meryl and Maks - it's Latin night and it's sure to be HOT! 

The "Best Buy" for Mother's Day

If I were a mom.... I guess I don't really have to dwell too much on that quandry. My birthday always falls near or on Mother's Day. But it's always fun to shop for things fantasy-life AJ wants online. 

I feel like Mother's Day is an ocassion for a "want" gift, not a "need" gift. As in "I want that super expensive, fancy designer thing" and not "I need some new tank tops for summer." And as I was perusing Best Buy's Gift Center - they have a ton of choices for all kinds of moms, low-price guarnatees, and free shipping on all orders over $35. 

Here is what I'm lusting after, though (you know, if I were a mom). My inner foodie is crying out for a Ninja Blender. "1000 watts of pulverizing power" -- this baby is like the PORSCHE of blenders. I GOTTA HAVE IT. I mean, I'm tempted by a barage of other items -- lord knows I would enjoy a juicer and the Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker is a bargain -- but my pick for best foodie mom gift is the pulverizing magical Ninja Blender.

Also, I generally just like things with "Ninja" in the title. 

Another cool option! As I'm a big fan and avid user of the Misfit Shine I wanted to share that right now, Best Buy is offering 20% off Misfit Shine Products. To redeem coupon enter code MOMSHINE20 at check out. 

For added fun, Best Buy is hosting two Mother's Day Twitter Parties! One on Friday May 2nd at 12:00pm CST, one on Wednesday May 7th at 7pm CST . Feel free to join one or both of these parties for a chance to receive Best Buy gift cards and other great products! Simply tweet #GreatestMom with your favorite Mother's Day Gift ideas from Best Buy.

 

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free

What's Up, Friday? Is it Next Friday Yet?

I love a shiny, new Friday, don't you? I feel vaguely like I've been in a fog for weeks now but for the last couple days, even if it's only temporary, I'm happy to say I've come out of it a bit and feel a little lighter right now. It's a relief. 

I won't take up a slot in this week's "What's Up, Friday?" with another rant about net neutrality but dear god, people, you need to get educated on this and speak up about it. This is terrible and I'm stunned the government is allowing this to happen (ok, not really that stunned - it's probably fair to say my faith in government is not super strong).... 

If you want to sign the White House petition to maintain net neutrality, that would be aces. 

1. Dear Brian Williams, I had no idea you were so thug life.

  

A lot of my friends work in post-production, so when I posted this video on my personal Facebook, one of them was sharp enough to point out that while Jimmy Fallon should get some of the credit for these things, the true credit belongs to whomever edits these things together. This is hard to do, y'all. So Anne did some "internetting" and found him. John MacDonald. The guy gives good vid. Let's all stop for a moment to acknowledge that and mentally high-five him. 

2. Here's a sentence I never thought I'd say: STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN, I THINK I LOVE YOU. Austin voiced his support for gay marriage on his weekly podcast months ago but when audio of that weekly podcast hit more mainstream corners of the Internet this week, it thankfully got a viral resurgence. 

3. I'm not sure if I've ever made it clear to you that I love baseball. And I also love baseball movies. The Natural is probably my favorite baseball movie. Or maybe Bull Durham. Field of Dreams is up there, though, for sure and dear god, if this isn't the most wonderful baseball speech ever... Happy 25th anniversary, Field of Dreams. 

 

4. Did anyone catch this amazing headline on CNN.com this week?

Don't worry. I've got this one, guys. NO. No they can't. 

Way to go, CNN. I see you're asking the really hard-hitting questions. Good for you. Not to worry, they even quoted experts in the article. Experts. 

They updated the headline as soon as social media got their hands on it. 

Can @CNN rebrand itself after asking a dumb fuck question like "Can the Klan Rebrand Itself"?

— Jamie Kilstein (@jamiekilstein) April 20, 2014

5. Go to a lot of concerts? A few? I think you'll agree it pretty much goes like this...

 

6. Oh, also, I'm giving away a $25 Amazon gift card. Get in on that, guys. 

Quote of the Day - Words to Live by

Revi, the Credit Card Mobile Phone Charger

Earlier this month, Revi Charger introduced a flexible external battery and phone charger all-in-one that is the size of a credit card.

It is supremely cool. I want one.

The Revi Charger is designed to fit in your wallet, clutch, wristlet or just your pocket, in order to eliminate cords and allowing you to charge your smartphone from any USB port, as well as providing a battery charge without a USB port.

Forget your Mophie - those things cost too much and break too easily (mine did). Forget about whatever lipstick charger you've got on you, your cord wrapped around it, getting tanlged in your bag. The Revi Charger comes in two versions:

1.  2.4 mm thick, 550 mAh battery capacity ($30)

2. 7 mm thick, 1440 mAh battery capacity ($35)

Both versions come are either suitable for the iPhone 5 USB or Micro USB and are compatible with iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, Nexus, Windows Phone, Blackberry, Lumia, lG & more. They will be available for shipping early summer, the Revi Charger can be pre-ordered with a $5 discount via: www.ReviCharger.com. 

Would everyone pls tell @ReviCharger how badly I want to review their product? Best extra mobile charger I've seen! http://t.co/ceEPFDeJu3

— AJ (@AmandaJoy) April 9, 2014

Well, they weren't available for review as it turned out. I posted about it anyway. 

Who else wants one?

Suck it Hackers, My Blog is Back -- With a Giveaway to Celebrate!

So you may not know this about me, but I'm not always super great at controlling my emotions. 

I know. You're floored. I'll give you a moment to let the revelation sink in. 

More often than not, when I'm upset, I just shut down and retreat into my own head, but as I am super stressed out about a variety of things (ALL THE THINGS!!!), I've been pretty useless in the emotional maturity department these days. Most recently, I was pushed to the edge when this very blog went offline for a few days. Typepad was using terms I did not understand like "DDOS" but that's why we have Wikipedia and Twitter, I suppose. 

In any case - BAM! I'm BACK! And I am so wonderfully relieved to be here. Thankfully Typepad did not disown me while I bitched and moaned and demanded answers they couldn't give me. I appreciate you, Typepad. Even when I don't show it. I promise to put out after dinner tonight. 

And thus I choose to celebrate the return with a GIVEAWAY FOR NO REASON! It's a resurrection, folks, and I'm giving out a prize! Consider this my blog's version of Easter. I'm not selling anything, promoting anything, reviewing any products or inviting you to any events. I'm just happy to be here, with all of you, on Typepad, back to normal. 

For added fun, I'm going to run the giveaway straight through to my birthday (May 8th) so that I can give YOU a present that day!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's a Great Day for Lemonade

Disclosure: This meal was hosted, the opinions are my own, the reading enjoyment is all yours!

I have three words for you: BLOOD. ORANGE. LEMONADE. Keep that in the back of your mind - we'll get to that. Don't you worry. 

Lemonade, with 13 locations across Southern California, plus one more coming soon to San Diego and another coming soon in Dubai, can be described away as an upscale cafeteria but that would hardly do it justice. They feature a daily rotating spread of fresh-made comfort food, dishes both hot and cold, from roasted Brussels sprouts to grain salads from around the world to stewed short ribs falling off the bone. 

I've long been a fan of the chain and was ecstatic they opened one in my neighborhood. I went on a recent weeknight, tray at the ready. You essentially move down the line and point to what you want and it goes on the plate but here's my advice -- do not ask for the first thing that wets your appetite. Look ahead and see what else is out for service. Because before you know it, you have eight portions on your plate and there's no way you're going to also get that truffle mac & cheese... 

Not that this happened to me -- it happened to this girl I know, though. And it was totally tragic to miss out on that truffle mac because DAMN. It's one of the most delicious items on the menu.

Not that I'd know... 

So at this point, I'd like to advise you to eat something. I wouldn't read about these other menu items on an empty stomach. But perhaps you're a far braver person than I am...

• Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Dates, Parmesan, Sage White Balsamic
• Oxnard Strawberries, Wild Arugula, Blue Cheese, Sherry
• Red Quinoa, Arugula, Fuji Apple, Sunflower, Pistachio
• Green Apple Chicken Curry
• Seared Ahi Tuna, Crushed Orange-Ginger Ponzu
• BBQ Brisket

As if that weren't enough, there are also sandwiches, soups, pot roast and braises. 

If you're like me, each word of those descriptions trip off the tongue like your last meal in life could be at hand. I can hardly look at the photos without licking my monitor.

The best part is -- well, other than the choices, the quality and the taste.... Okay, ONE OF the best parts is, it's so reasonably priced that it's almost appauling. Six generous portions for $12.50! And you can make do just fine with fewer. Which leaves you ample pocket change for the lemonade itself...

Which brings me back to my favorite beverage in all the land, their BLOOD. ORANGE. LEMONADE. Omigod, you guys. It's just ridiculously good. If you don't like lemonade, it's still good. If you don't like oranges (and actually, I don't), it's still good. And if you're still not satisfied, then I guess you can always try one of the other lemonades like Cucumber Mint, Blueberry Mint, Pomegranate, Guava Limeade... I hear they're good, too. I just wouldn't know personally. I'm kind of addicted.  

And we didn't even talk about dessert but really, we shouldn't even have to. Because.

I hope you'll check out one of their locations and let me know how you like it. If you're in my neighborhood, give me a buzz - I will totally meet you there. (If we're really lucky, we'll spot a celeb or two -- X-Men star Shawn Ashmore was there when I went, making my geeky little heart quite happy.)

More:

• Lemonade website 
• Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram