Attack Of The Leaves

Cocaine Princess here.

Because I was so busy, busy, busy last week, this week I decided to just chill out which translates to: I hardly did anything productive including not getting around to post Part 2: "Poodle Lady & Truffle Pigs." I PROMISE next week for sure I will.


However I "leave" you with this:


Each morning I go for my run, weather permitting of course. If it's too rainy, foggy, too cold or too hot then I hit the treadmill which I will be doing soon anyways unless Mother Nature delays dropping the white fluffy stuff on us. {Fingers crossed}



As you all know it's Fall up here and for a good reason too.


Yesterday when I left the house this is what was waiting at the end of the driveway:

When I went around the block I was attacked by some more leaves. 

 

 

All I can say is fallen leaves are a lot better than snow!

 *****

My loyal and dear readers it's finally Friday.

Whatever your plans are have a sparkling weekend.-x

XOXOXOXO,

Cocaine Princess 

Trick Or Treat: The Rules Of Chocolate

Cocaine Princess here.
                                                                

I was going to post “Part 2: Poodle Lady & Truffle Pigs” but I decided to hold off until next week and write a post about Halloween.

                                                                
Yes my lovelies it's that time of year again: the spookiest day out of the year is one day away. I absolutely love Halloween. Seriously, what is not to love about the day? It’s a day full of monsters and mayhem, tricks and treats, dressing up in outrageous costumes, watching bloody and gory films and of course there are the traditional animated specials:  a wise cracking bunny  who is on his way to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but instead winds up in Pittsburgh, Transylvania and let's not forget a certain Peanut's character who takes up his annual vigil for the Great Pumpkin.
 

 

 {I think it's safe to say I'm nuts about Peanuts}

 

The best part of Halloween is answering the door to all the pint sized and anxious ghouls, goblins, pirates and princesses and watching their faces light up as their treat bags get filled with chocolates. Yes, there are those little devils who come by twice thinking I don’t notice they are repeat trick or treaters. It doesn’t bother me, I pretend I don’t notice. I really don’t mind after all it's just one day. Hmm, speaking of chocolates as you all should know by know I have an unbelievable sweet tooth. Luckily I am quite good at ignoring its pleas, however there are those few rare days out of the year where I must O-B-E-Y and tomorrow will be one of those days. Hey, can you believe I plan on eating without any guilt whatsoever a chocolate bar? Cadbury’s FLAKE is my choice and no I’m not just going to take a teeny bite but I’m actually going to eat the full thing.......Well maybe.

The sensational people at Godiva have introduced their newest and delectable delights that include tombstone shaped truffles and so of course I had to swing by their store to pick up a box.




One of my preferred type of chocolates are orange slices dipped in milk chocolate. Unfortunately Godiva won't be carrying them until the Christmas season. You can imagine how devastated my sweet tooth was. I tried consoling it by popping one single orange colored M&M but it didn’t work. It just wasn’t the same. And so it continued to grieve until I was able to track down a store that did:

Rheo Thompson Candies.  On their website I came across something  that ties in perfectly with this entry: 
  

“The Rules Of Chocolate” 

1:

If you have got melted chocolate all over your hands, you are eating it too slowly!

2.
Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, oranges, and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want, they are good for you!

3:
When you have a problem getting 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in your hot car,  just eat it in the parking lot instead!

4:
For dieters - eat a chocolate bar before each meal, it will spoil your appetite.

5:
A box of chocolates can provide you daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy!

6:
If you cannot eat all your chocolate, there is something wrong with you!

7:
If you eat equal amounts of white and dark chocolate, you will have a balanced diet.

8:
Chocolate contains many preservatives. Preservatives make you look young.

9:
If you ever wondered why there is no such thing as "Choco-holics Anonymous" it is because no one wants to quit eating it, ever! 

10:
If there was no chocolate, there would be no need for control-top pantyhose. A entire industry would be devastated.

11:
If you put "Eat Chocolate" on your daily list of things to do, you will always accomplish one thing you set out to do, everyday.

12:
Calories are afraid of heights. If you store your chocolates on top of the fridge or high shelf, the calories will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.


                                                                    

On the same day I was buying my box of sin, “A” was busy purchasing me 2 little treats in the mall. She decided to give me one of my gifts early. Early like late yesterday evening. Okay you got me. I might have persuaded her to give one of them early....... Hmm, now that I think about it maybe “persuaded”  isn’t so much the correct word. “Demanded” is a much better choice. Yes I demanded she give me one of my gifts early. {A Princess always has her way remember} I just couldn’t wait. 

Oh Boy.

When I pulled out the treat from the gift bag I looked at her with total confusion because I have no idea what on earth she was thinking when she bought it or what on earth she thinks I plan on doing with it.

“You might as well have bought me oven mitts,” I said.

“What use would someone like you have with oven mitts?” she asked.

“What use would someone like me have with this?” I asked back.

Again oh boy and let’s throw in a good grief.

So precisely what was the gift? 

It was alcohol related:

                                                                                      

And inside was this: 
 

                                                                         

Purple Bug Juice Matini {Grapetini Mix} and a little bag of rimming sugar.

After receiving this, ahem, “gift” I am totally now convinced more than ever my older sister who is a school teacher is also a part time alcohol pusher in the evenings, full time on the weekends because she constantly pushes me to have a drinkie.


“Have a little sip of wine. It’ll relax you.”

“Would you like me to blend you a cocktail?”

I will admit I do get the occasional thirst for a Margarita but I plan on keeping my promise: I am not having one drop of alcohol until New Year’s. Call it a very late New Year’s Resolution and because I find such delight in breaking rules it’ll be quite an accomplishment if I don’t break this one.

I’m not sure if you can see it clearly or not but printed on the shaker are black bats along with 6 different “Shocktail” recipes all with clever names:

ZOMBIE IN A SIDECAR                                  
1 Jigger cointreau
1/3 brandy
Shake well with ice
Strain and serve

DIE-QUIRI
1 Jigger rum
Juice 1 lime
I tsp. powered sugar
Shake well with ice
Strain and serve

MANHATTAN MURDER STORY
1 Shot of whiskey
½ Jigger of vermouth
A Dash of bitters
Stir with cracked ice
Serve with cherries    

YUMMY MUMMY MARGARITA 
1 ½ shot of tequila
Juice 1 lemon
Juice 1 lime
1 ½ Jigger of triple sec
Shake well with ice
Strain and serve  

ATTACK OF KILLER MARTINI
1 Shot gin
Mist of vermouth
A dash of orange bitters
Shake well with ice
Strain and serve with olive 

RED-RUM MIXER
1 ½ Jigger rum
Juice 1 lime
2 dashes of grenadine
Shake well with ice
Strain and serve

Every gift no matter how big or small always comes with a card as did mine. The card “A” bought for me was really cute:

Dracula's Top 10 Favorite Songs: 

10:
You’re So Vein 

9: Fangs For The Memories

8: You’ve Got a Fiend

7: You Don’t Bring Me Plasma Anymore

6: Bat’s The Way {Uh-Huh, Uh-Huh} I Like It

5: You Light Up My Crypt

4: Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Old Oak Casket

3: Don’t Go Stakin’ My Heart 

2: Stranglers In The Night

1: He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Donor  

Since I'm on the subject of music, for me personally there are 2 videos that I love watching this time of year because each has a cool Halloween-ish vibe to them:

“I’m Your Boogie Man” by White Zombie


“The music video features Rob Zombie singing along to the lyrics of the song. Rob's screen time is cut multiple times, flashing to select scenes from the film “The Crow: City of Angels.” The video has a freaky black and white intro. I’m not a fan of Mr. Zombie’s music as I am of his films but this particular video/song I really happen to like a lot. In fact I find it spook-tacular.”



“Heart” by Pet Shop Boys 

“The music video is based on the 1922 film Nosferatu. The video opens with Neil Tennant and his bride (Danijela Čolić) being driven to a castle (Mokrice Castle) with  Chris Lowe as his chauffeur. As he goes to bed with his bride, the Vampire, played by Ian McKellen, spies on them. Later he seduces the bride and bites her. Finally Lowe drives Nosferatu and his bride away, leaving Tennant to stare bitterly at them from a castle window. The video was shot in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) and is simply fang-tastic.”

My loyal and dear readers it's finally Friday aka Devil's Night.

....Ahh, The Witching Hour is almost here my lovelies.


Whatever your plans are have a bewitching weekend. Boo! -x

Happy Halloween!!

                                                                           
XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess 



P.S. Remember to turn your clocks back.

Poodle Lady & Truffle Pigs

Cocaine Princess here. 

Poodle Lady {P.L.} was inside my house. She was sitting on my leather couch drinking a cup of tea and eating a croissant. How does this unfortunate event occur? Well my lovelies let’s rewind back to a bitterly cold day last week.


LAST WEEK:
 

My sister was in the kitchen icing cupcakes and I was on the couch watching TV: “Pirates Of The Caribbean 3" for the millionth time while kicking back with a Diet Dr. Pepper.

“Why does P.L.  have to come?” I asked.

“Because it’s her petition,” A replied.

By now you all should know about P.L. and her insane petitions. However her latest petition, all I can say is it’s quite possible she was having a rare lucid moment because it wasn’t all that insane.

BACKGROUND INFO:


A few years ago a housing developer bought several hundred acres of land owned by a local in town. The land was filled with nothing but trees which meant that several hundred trees would have to be removed to make room for the houses. When news of this spread the regions environmentalists were angry and marched up to City Hall and demanded construction not take place. Some of these fanatics even chained themselves to the trees. It was the Developers VS. The Tree Huggers. Well, City Hall didn’t give a flying fig about saving some trees. They saw the town growing as a positive thing and sided with the developers.

POODLE LADY'S PETITION:

Another developer has recently entered into the picture and wants to clear yet several more acres to make room for a strip mall: a convenience store/gas bar, grocery store, hair salon, dollar store, LCBO, fast food restaurant, well you get the picture. The Petition Queen feels having a strip mall so close by will lower everyone’s property value and is dead set against it. She managed to gather quite a few signatures from the area. It’s actually the first time anyone in the area has seen eye to eye with her and once again the tree huggers are at it marching everyday with their signs: "HONK IF YOU LOVE MOTHER NATURE."

 
GETTING BACK TO THE CONVERSATION:

“Why did you have to go and volunteer our house?” I questioned.

“There was going to be another meeting with the parents anyways in regards to the school’s Christmas pageant so- ”

I cut her off mid sentence.

“Christmas Pageant? Good grief we haven’t even celebrated Halloween yet”

“The school calendar year goes very quickly. We have to plan ahead of time,” she explained.

“So what is this then? A Parent/Poodle Lady’s Petition Meeting?”

“I suppose you could call it that,” she answered.

“Are the other parents aware she’s going to be here or do you plan on surprising everyone by having her jump out of one of your cakes? Because I can honestly understand you not wanting to tell them ahead of time.”

I shuddered at the thought of P. L. popping out of a cake wearing nothing but a tiny sequence bikini, a fur boa around her neck and lipstick on her dentures, and I could certainly understand my sister not wanting to tell the others because then no one would show up.....which meant I would be stuck with her. Oh God! The horror of that thought made me panic so I asked:

“Please tell me the others all know?”

“Yes they all know she’s going to be here. Everyone believe it or not is taking an interest whether or not the strip mall should go up and each wants to hear what the other has to say.”

“They couldn’t have just emailed their opinions to each other? The petition is a waste of time,” I commented.
 
AND HERE'S WHY:  Even if P.L. collected every single persons signature including every environmentalist in the entire region to protest against the developers, if City Hall wants a strip mall which they do, City Hall will get their strip mall. It’s pointless going up against them. They always, always side with the big developers. But hey, you still have to try and put up a fight, right?

“Can you please do me a favor?” my sister asked as she was taking out the second batch of cupcakes.

“Anything. Just name it,” I said back.

“When “XXXXXXXX” {my sister calls P.L. by her name} arrives can you please go without saying any snide remarks to her?”

“You didn’t let me finish, anything EXCEPT that.”

“I know you’re not fond of her-”

Again I cut her off mid sentence.

“That’s where you’re wrong. “NOT FOND” is a term I would not use when describing my feelings towards her. Here is how I would use that term:”

1. I am “NOT FOND” of seafood.

2. I am “NOT FOND” of cold weather.

3. I am “NOT FOND” when you force me to have a drinkie.

"Her, I simply don’t like. I intensely dislike her and what the hell here are two more words: incredibly annoying.”

“Can you please behave when she comes?”

After she uttered that sentence I nearly choked on my drink.

“What?” I asked.

“I said can you please behave when she comes.”

I was sitting so snuggly on the couch. I had found my comfy spot, had my favorite soft drink and best of all Johnny Depp was on TV but I knew this particular conversation would require me to get up off the couch and enter into the forbidden zone: AKA the kitchen.

“No, not WHAT as in WHAT I didn’t hear WHAT you said. It was the other WHAT as in I can’t believe you just said that,” I explained and as I did I couldn’t believe everything she had made: cupcakes, cookies, croissants, little sandwiches, mini pizzas, mac and cheese and she still wasn’t done.           

“Now that we’ve cleared that up can I count on you to behave or not?” She asked again while grabbing a bunch of little juice boxes from the pantry and moving them into the refrigerator to chill.

Will I Behave?: That question echoed over and over in my head.

“Look at me,” I requested.

And so did and said,

“You look cute darling.”

“Thank you but that’s not what I meant. Sometimes I honestly think you mistake me for one your students.....Will I behave? Sheesh!”

“I’ll rephrase it: Will you please be nice to her?”

“Why? I don’t see why I have to. This is my house and what about her snide little remarks to me and the creepy way she stares at me from head to toe.”

“It’s not as if I’m asking you to roll out the red carpet and break out the champagne. All I’m asking is for you to act hospitable towards her. Is that so hard?”

“Yes it is,” I replied. “Why don't you ask her that question: Will you behave?”

My sister let out a sigh and did the head shaking thing.
 
“Alright it’s seems like it’s going to be one of those days where I’m not going to be able to get through to you. There’s no point in discussing it anymore.”

“Fine,” I said back and plopped myself back down on the couch.


10 MINUTES


Miss Martha Stewart was still in the kitchen doing her thing. She was putting the final touches on the cupcakes by putting maraschino cherries on top of each one of them. I was still on the couch just drumming my fingers on one of the pillows I had in my laps. 10 minutes went by had neither of us had said a word to one another. It was one of those uncomfortable type of silences. I myself was feeling so uncomfortable that my comfy spot was no longer comfy. I tried focusing my attention back on the movie but wasn’t into anymore. I hate it when there’s any type of friction between my sister and I because it creates such an unpleasant feeling  inside of me that I get cranky and I remain that way until things are resolved between us.

I decided to get up and once again I re-entered the forbidden zone.

“How exactly am I suppose to be nice to someone I don’t like?” I questioned. “She’s not exactly innocent either you know. You ask that I refrain from saying any snide remarks to her but there’s a good reason for it. Have you ever heard her little remarks to me or her ridiculous questions and comments? Look what she did at the Breakfast Club. She told you I mouthed off to her which I never did and told me  she was going to report me for not doing my "duties." I’m surprised she didn’t start a petition to ban me from ever volunteering again.”

“Even if she had do you really think anyone would have taken her seriously?”

“You did! You practically scolded me out on the field and told me to be the bigger person, to act civil.”

“And that’s all I’m asking of you again,” she said back calmly.

“What if I don’t want to? Just once I’d like to be the little person.”

“You’re better than that darling so I know you won’t let me down.”

I groaned a little and said,

“Poodle Lady better not refuse to take off her shoes because if she does then her and that pooch of hers are outta here.”

“Don’t worry everyone knows about your “NO SHOE WEARING RULE.”

I took a second look at the spread she had made.

“You could have saved yourself some time and energy by having the food catered and gone to Tim Hortons to pick up the sweet goodies.”

“I’m well aware of that darling but I wanted to make everything.”

I was puzzled and asked her why. She didn’t give me a response.   

I noticed the bowl of chocolate frosting on the counter she had used on the  cupcakes....Hmm, I bet it would be fun to run my fingers along the rim. Not only would it be fun but yummy I thought. “A” caught me staring at the bowl.

“You know you want to, go ahead.”

“No I don’t want to,” I said back. But really I did.

All of a sudden a weird feeling came over me and within seconds the doorbell rang.
It wasn’t so much like the sound of a door bell ringing as it was the sound of doomsday ringing.

To Be Continued.........   

****  

I’ve had one of those weeks where I was so busy that I didn’t know whether I was coming or going so I’m happy to say:

My loyal and dear readers it’s finally Friday and I breath a sigh of relief that it is!

Whatever your plans are have a phenomenal weekend.-x

XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess

Hang Tight

Cocaine Princess here.

It's been one heck of a busy week for me so here is a rundown of the things I did, hang tight.
 

"SUNDAY" 

Every Sunday my sister and I have breakie together. She makes quite a delicious and fattening meal and stares at me to sure I eat every bite which is quite annoying. I would rather just have a bowl of cereal or drink a can of Slim Fast but it's only one day out of the week and it makes her happy. This past Sunday I had slept in until 1pm. {I had a  late Saturday night}. I came down the stairs, went into the kitchen and on the counter I saw a carton of eggs, Texas Toast Bread and a frying pan which meant she was making me French Toast but "A" wasn't in the kitchen. I called her name, no answer. I called her name again, still no answer. "Hmm, I hope she doesn't expect ME to make breakfast for her," I thought to myself.  All I could do was work with the bread and present to her cold buttered bread or toast.  Finally she appeared. She was in the basement getting something and didn't hear me calling her. I told her about my thought. She replied: "Darling I would never ask you to make toast for me." "Really?" I asked. "Really," she said back. "You might break a nail pushing the slider down and I don't want to run the risk of hearing about that for the rest of my life."  


She's quite thoughtful isn't she?


"MONDAY"

Monday was Thanksgiving and never in my life have I eaten so many pecans prepared in so many different ways: Pecan Pie, Pecan Tarts, Pecan Brownies, Vanilla and Pecan Ice Cream, Pecan Mousse and even chicken with a honey pecan glaze!! Before I left the house I popped a Godiva Pecan truffle which by the way was utterly delicious. Hmm, I wonder now if me eating that truffle set something in motion?


 "TUESDAY"

Tuesday could not come soon enough for me. I ate so much during the long weekend. I indulged in mostly sweet things including a couple of devil's food chocolate cupcakes with double fudge frosting which are literally impossible to stop eating after one. It felt good to get back on track with my workout.  

In the afternoon I went for a run wearing my wool hat because Mother Nature decided to unleash her wicked weather early, and my new mitts pictured below. Cute eh? They are part of the official Olympic gear for the upcoming winter games in Vancouver 2010.

After I completed my run around the neighborhood, as I was coming up the driveway one of the little lambs from next door came running towards me with exciting news to share. Unfortunately the hideous creature with four legs was with him. Yes I know I've said this at least a million plus times but damn! Damn that dog is an eyesore but at the same time you can't stop staring at it and think, is it a dog or some science experiment gone wrong? Anyways his "exciting news" SpongeBob Square Pants is getting married to Sandy Squirrel. Truth be told I don't watch SpongeBob but I am aware he is a yellow colored sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. I do however still sometimes watch "The Flintstones." In fact I caught an episode the other day: 


Does anyone recall this episode: The Kissing Burglar.



Getting back to SpongeBob walking down the aisle, I replied I too was excited upon hearing the news and was looking forward in watching the episode. He was eating a granola bar and asked if I wanted half. I told him no thank you. He paused and then asked in a very cheeky way if I had any donuts. I informed him the cleaning lady would be dropping by later in the week. I hope to God she doesn't bring by anymore incense sticks.

 
 
"WEDNESDAY"

I was awake pretty early and had a couple of things to do. I was done by the afternoon. When I returned home I plopped myself down on the couch, watched some TV while talking on the phone with Valentina. I barely moved a muscle.


"THURSDAY"
 
See Wednesday. 

There you have it my lovelies a recap of my week. I know what you're thinking: after such a long and exhausting week the Princess need a vaycay. 

Well I just may do that.

******** 

My loyal and dear readers it's finally Friday!

Whatever your plans are have an outstanding weekend.-x

XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess

"Forget The Pies...."

Cocaine Princess here.

Sorry for the one post this week. It’s been one of those weeks where I've been very  busy.

This weekend marks the first long weekend of Autumn. So  precisely what is happening this Long Weekend? It’s Thanksgiving AKA Harvest Time. Yep it’s that time of year again up here my lovelies where we give thanks to all the big hearted farmers for providing us with a bountiful feast over the past year. This Monday most households will be feasting on Turkey as their main dish but not in my household. I don't like it. Fried Turkey, oven roasted turkey, baked turkey, however it’s prepared it doesn’t matter, I simply dislike the taste of the bird. Like every Thanksgiving my sister and I will be dining out and what is not up for debate is who will be selecting the restaurant. That job goes to moi.


Our cleaning lady was over the other day doing her thing and before she left she lit these apple cinnamon incense sticks. Presently {even as I blog this post} the entire main floor smells like a bakery selling nothing but apple pies. The smell is so strong it’s embedded into every piece of furniture and even into the carpets. My sister sprayed Fabreeze  but it didn't work. We opened up a couple of windows hoping the smell would break loose just a little bit. No such luck. We even tried lighting different scented candles. I don’t know where the hell cleaning lady bought her incense sticks from but the smell will not go away. It’s not like it's a bad odor but it’s just so incredibly potent that it’s apple-cinnamon, apple-cinnamon, apple-cinnamon 24/7!! We’re either just going to have to wait it out or hmm, perhaps we need chocolate ice cream scented incense sticks to fully complete the scent.

****

For me Thanksgiving must include 2 things:


1}
FORGET THE PIES. BRING OUT THE TRUFFLES.

As you all know by now I have a sweet tooth so everyone of my festivities must include truffles.
 
Each season Godiva introduces seasonal flavors.I am pleased to announce this years Fall flavors are:

Pecan Pie Truffle
Black Raspberry Truffle
Cinnamon Pear Truffle {like I need more cinnamon, right?}

Here is a picture of the box. I have yet to taste them so I can’t really give my ruling. However I can give my opinion on the scent of the chocolates. Last night I got rid of the plastic, slid the ribbon  off, removed the lid and took a deep long whiff. Mmmm. The combined flavors of all the truffles called for a definite lip smacking. I managed to slide the ribbon back on perfectly.


2}
WATCHING HOLIDAY RELATED SPECIALS.


There are 4 DVDS I watch year after year during Thanksgiving Long Weekend. 

"A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING"

Who doesn’t love the lovable Peanuts gang? The gang gathers around the ping pong table covered by a table cloth as Chef Snoopy prepares a Thanksgiving meal consisting of:  

buttered toast
pretzels
ice cream sundaes
popcorn
jelly beans      

One of my favorite parts in the special is a conversation that takes place between Charlie Brown and Linus:

Charlie Brown: I can't cook a Thanksgiving dinner. All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.
                                  
Linus van Pelt: That's right. I've seen you make toast. 

{Speaking of Peanuts my sister picked this up for me the other day at a housewares specialty store. Isn’t is so cute? Can you see what's written at the top of the tin underneath where it says PEANUTS? It says: “GOOD GRIEF CAFE.”}

“GARFIELD THANKSGIVING”

The poor fat cat is put on a diet the day before Thanksgiving by Liz the vet whom Jon has a crush on.

Liz agrees to have dinner with Jon which doesn't sit too well for the orange fur ball. He destroys the scale and retaliates back at Jon by ruining the turkey.

All is not lost. Jon’s fun loving motorcycle riding Grandmama comes to the rescue.

“HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”

“After losing her job, making out with her soon to be ex-boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson {Holly Hunter} has to face spending the holiday with her family. She wonders if she can survive their crazy antics.”

“Children of the Corn”

I’m well aware this isn’t exactly a Thanksgiving themed movie. One Thanksgiving my sister invited me to watch Children of the Corn with her and convinced me it was a Thanksgiving movie. I was still little and I believed her. I don’t have to tell you how scared to death I was after watching it. At the time I didn’t fully understand the storyline, all I knew people were getting slaughtered one by one in a corn field. For months I couldn't eat corn or even look at it because I kept on freaking out. Freaking out that evil Malachai holding a bloody sickle was going to come after me. Ever since that day it just became kind of an odd tradition of watching the film every year during this time. 
There was one specific scene that really made me shriek. The part when Vicky {played by Linda Hamilton} gets out of the car and approaches the dead body of a young boy in the middle of the road. It's what happens afterward that caused me to let out a high pitch shriek....if you remember the film you should know what I’m talking about.

Years later when I read the Stephen King novella {and understood the plot} I questioned "A" how she came to the ridiculous conclusion the movie was all about Thanksgiving? Her reply: "I was just having fun with you back then." 

She was quite the tormentor when I was little and unfortunately I was her one and only victim. 


While watching my “must see” Thanksgiving movies at the same time I will be savoring and appreciating each bite from my sinful delights with a nice glass of.....
 
7 UP.

What? Did you think I was going to say a nice glass of wine? Yes I do agree fine chocolates and fine wine do go hand in hand but my drinkie days as I have previously written are over and done with.....Well perhaps until New Year's. And yes perhaps truffles and 7 UP may not scream elegance but hey it works for me.



There is one more Thanksgiving must. Since the city has been declared a designated  tourist spot the malls are allowed to remain open so there’s a good possibility I’ll be swinging by one of them to make a purchase or two...or...three...or four....Well you get the picture. I've had a long week so I think I deserve a little rest and relaxation and for me that's shopping.

****

My loyal and dear readers it's finally Friday!!

Whatever your plans are have a joyous weekend.-x

XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess

Part 2: "If Only I Had A Squash Racket"

Cocaine Princess here.

Without any further delay I present part 2 of:  "If Only I Had A Squash Racket"

Before I begin I must warn you as I did in Part 1 {September 4th 2009 } this is a fascinating knock your socks off post.

Let's rewind:

......There were 4 cashiers and 4 lines. I stood in the 3rd line. I'm looking up at the menu board and I see the Angry Tender Crisp Chicken. It looked appealing so I decided to order the same. The cashier finished taking the customer's order in front of me and then moved to the left as he waited for his food to be brought out. The employee announced with a smile:

"Next please."

I stepped up to the counter.

"Welcome to Burger King. How may I take your order?"

I opened my mouth and was about to say: "I would like to order 2 Angry Chicken Combos, one with no mayo please."

I never got a chance too.

I never got a chance because a woman decided to cut in front of me from the other line to place her order. Seriously, like what the hell was going on?! Was I invisible or something? First somebody steals my table and now this! The cashier spoke:

"Excuse me mamn but I was taking this lady's order."

"Why should any of these customers be served first? I've been waiting in line longer. My order deserves to be taken first before any customer!" she said very loudly I might add. The kind of loud where passerby's will stop and stare and see what the commotion is. It was official my lovelies. I was in food court hell.

The woman standing behind me spoke:

"Who told you to wait in that line? You could have easily moved on over here."

"If you were all polite and not so ignorant you could have invited me to go ahead and let me take my order first!," the female jumper replied back, again quite loudly.

Hmm, I guess I wasn't invisible as I was ignorant and not polite. She continued.

"I'm hungry and I've had enough of waiting."

"We're all hungry. Why do you think we're here?," asked the customer who was waiting while chuckling.

"I'm hungrier than all of you."

As to what led her to believe she was more hungrier than the rest of us, I have no idea. The cashier refused to take her order and informed her she needed to wait her turn by getting back in line. Upon hearing that she began her lunatic ranting at not only at the poor cashier but also at the cashier who was serving her line and wanted, no, she demanded to know the reason why the line she was in wasn't moving fast. The manager appeared at that point and said the same thing: she had to wait her turn like everyone else. Refusing to budge she sprawled her arms across the counter and demanded her order be taken before anyone else.

I think it was safe to assume there was something slightly off about this woman because I really can't see any sane person behaving in this manner.

The manager gave into her demand of wanting to be fed first.

"What would you like to order mamn?"

And at that precise moment there was a wave of grumbling. The woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around.

"Yes?"

"Idiot manager. He was wrong. Why would he do that?" she asked angrily by the way.

I shrugged my shoulders. I just stayed out of it.

"He was wrong," she muttered under her breath.

Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. Anyways the woman who claimed was "so hungry" examined the menu board and said the following:

"I'm going to eat someplace else. You don't have what I want."

She left and went on over to Mr.Souvlaki where there were only 3 people in line and 1 cashier.

I do believe this is worth repeating:

I think it was safe to assume there was something slightly off about this woman because I really can't see any sane person behaving in this manner.

So finally I was able to place my order:

"I would like to order 2 Angry Chicken Combos, one with no mayo please. And 2 Cokes to drink."

As I went to pay I opened up my wallet which was buried underneath my car keys in my handbag. I took out my keys and placed them on the tray, paid the cashier, waited for my order and as soon as it was given to me I sat back down.

"What was going on up there?" my sister asked reaching for her chicken. Hers had a slash marked across the picture of mayo.

Letting out a sigh I replied,

"I wish I knew."

I said that because I was in no mood to explain and then I made it extremely clear to her that from now on she was going to be taking the orders and not me if we were ever going to be eating in the food court again. To be honest I don't even know why I agreed to go up in the first place.

"Let's just eat," I then said.

"A" noticed my keys on the tray.

"Darling put your keys in your purse," she said just before taking a bite.

"I will in a minute," I replied taking a sip from my drink.

"Eww. This isn't a Coke," I stated.

My sister took a sip from it.

"It's Root Beer."

"But I ordered a Coke, for both of us."

She then took a sip out of hers.

"Mine's a Coke. Switch with me if you don't want a Root Beer."

And without any hesitation I did. Even if she hadn't asked I would have grabbed her drink and let her have mine because one thing was for sure, I wasn't about to go back up to Burger King.

I do admit my meal was quite enjoyable. Probably not as enjoyable had we eaten at the place I wanted to.

While eating I turned around a couple of times glancing at Mr. Table Stealer. My sister noticed what I was doing.

"Stop that," she said.

"Stop what?" I innocently asked.

"Stop glaring at him."

"I'm not glaring. I was glancing."

I glanced at him again. He kept staring at his flipping cell phone while laughing.

"What can be so funny?" I questioned.

"Maybe one of his friends sent him a funny message," A said back.

"Yeah that must be it. I'm sure someone who goes around stealing tables is a much sought after friend. I bet when he gets invited to dinner parties he sits wherever he wants too ignoring the place card holder names. He probably steals the other guests dinner rolls when they're not looking and wipes his nose with his sleeve."

"Whether it's here or there what difference does it make where you're sitting?"

"It makes a big difference to me especially if you're going to force me to sit here {food court}. I'd like to be at least surrounded by nice scenery and that precise table is surrounded by nice scenery."

{There's an indoor man made pond and waterfall surrounded by lush artificial greenery near the table I was suppose to be sitting at. It's just a very serene thing to look at}

"Maybe next time you can call up the mall management and ask they reserve the table for you," said "A" laughing.

I didn't find what she said very funny.

"I upset you didn't I?"

"No you didn't upset me," I responded back.

"Then why are making a pudgy face?"

I quickly took out my compact to take a look.

"Liar. I am not making a pudgy face," I stated.

"You were seconds ago," she said back picking up the napkin to wipe her hands.

I finished my meal, crumpled up my wrapper into a round little ball and put it on the tray after taking one more sip from my drink. My sister picked up the tray and proceeded to head towards the trash. Can you see where this is going my lovelies? I stayed behind to touch up my lipstick and then got up.

We exited the food court area and proceeded out of the mall to the Sears parking lot. I unzipped my Louis Vuitton to retrieve my keys. I'm digging around and thinking to myself:

"Where are my keys?" followed very quickly by a silent Homer-Simpson "D'OH!" I realized I had left them on the tray and well....

I looked over at my sister. She was waiting for me to unlock the door.

Oh God I had to tell her. I couldn't not tell her. I was dreading it because I knew a lecture would follow. In particular the "You Never Listen To Me" lecture.

This was one time I wish I wasn't right.

"What did I say? I specifically told you to put your keys in your purse. Didn't I say that to you? I know I did because I was looking right at you. I wasn't talking to myself although sometimes it feels like I am. You never listen to me."

"Really? You're going to do this to me now, here?" I asked.

"You're right. I'll wait until we get home darling."

"You could have put them in your purse or you could you have checked the tray to make sure there was nothing but garbage on it," I said before sprinting back inside the mall. I informed one of the food court janitorial staff what happened.

The trash bag was in a locked bin and luckily it had not been taken out. The keys were not lying very deep and there was nothing too mucky nearby. The janitor with her spray bottle hanging from her front pant pocket sprayed my keys and then dried them for me.

So there you have it my lovelies the story of how my keys ended up in the trash can at BK. Did your socks get knocked off?

****

My loyal and dear readers it's finally Friday. I've had a pretty, long week so Hooray for Friday!!

It's the start of a brand new month and I'm  looking forward to it. We'll be celebrating Harvest time shortly and then Halloween! Candy! Candy! Candy!

Speaking of Harvest, the harvest wreath is on the door and Mr. Scarecrow is on the front porch surrounded by a variety of gourds. There are 2 sure signs up here that Fall has officially arrived: 

1}
The start of the NHL. And so the city's long standing feud with the Montréal Canadiens begins. The first game of the season was yesterday. I only know this exciting tidbit because it was front page news.


2}
Tim Hortons is selling their glazed pumpkin spiced donuts, sold only this time of year. I had a teeny bite the other day but Lord knows I wanted to gobble the whole thing.

Whatever your plans are have a spectacular weekend.-x

XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess

Fancy Fruit Flan

Happy Birthday Mom,

Are you watching mom? There's so much going on that I don't know what to do. I know if there was someway for you to be here with me right now to help me through all this you would. What I would give to be able to just hear you whisper some advice into my ear......

Instead you gave me something more. I felt you one day giving me one of those reassuring looks that means "everything is going to be okay." Thank you.

Later in the day I'll be picking up your cake. I ordered a Fancy Fruit Flan because I know how much you love eating them. As soon as "A" comes home we'll place the candles, light them one by one and then make a wish.

Regardless how big or small every celebration needs music. So we will be busting out all your favorite tunes: Duran Duran, Shannon, The Cover Girls, Fascination, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Exposé and of course...... Sheila E!

Feliz Cumpleaños Mama

Te amo. Le falto. Le necesito. Deseo que usted estuviera aquí.

Amor Por Siempre,

Princesa Colombiana

*******

My loyal and dear readers it's finally Friday!

It's the first full official weekend of Fall. Though the weather is still quite muggy up here letters have sent and received urging people to get their Flu Shots, the leaves are starting to change colors and ads for Leaf Peeper Tours are everywhere which means in a couple of weeks there will be buses and buses of eager people ooohing and ahhing while snapping pictures at the marvelous color transformation of the leaves. Personally it doesn't impress me only because it's a sign winter is approaching.

Whatever your plans are have a terrific weekend.-x

XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess

Celebrate: September 20th

Cocaine Princess here.

"Happy Anniversary To Me,

Happy Anniversary To Me,

Happy Anniversary Colombian Princess,

Happy Anniversary To Me"

Yes my lovelies today my sweet little blog turns 2 years old.

Exactly 2 years ago today I posted my very entry: September 20th 2007 at 12:17am.

Including this post I have blogged 220 entries and have received nearly 1000 comments.

Hmm, some of the things I`ve blogged about:

My Vay-Cays
My Chicken Pox
My 2 Speeding Tickets
My Fascinating Day in Traffic Court
Appearing For Jury Duty
Attending Concerts: Madonna, Duran Duran, The Eagles
My Sweet Tooth
My Preference Of Eating Square Shaped Waffles Over Round Ones
My Preference Of Drinking Diet Dr. Pepper in a 591ml Bottle Than
From The Can
St. Valentine`s Day
My Sister Forcing Me To Eat In The Food Court
My Sister Taking Me Grocery Shopping Against My Will
My God Awful Bus Ride Experience
Mourning A Loved One's Passing While Celebrating Their Life
My Lovable Encounters With Poodle Lady
Having My Sweet Little Blog Flagged For "Objectionable Content" Not Once But 2 Frigging Times
My 12 Straight Days Of Having A Drinkie (Something I'm Never Doing Again)
My Extreme Shopping Addiction

....and the list goes on.

I can't say I have a favorite post seeing how each one is near and dear to me but I do know there hasn't been anything that I've written that I regret since every word I have written has come directly from my latin heart.

I remember my very first follower "elise" from across the pond and my very first reader, who else? My best friend since I was a little lamb, Valentina.

One of the best things I love about blogging is all the awesome people I've met (-x) who equally all have fabulous blogs that I enjoy reading.

To my very loyal and dear ones, much love and appreciation for taking the time to read my blog and for leaving comments. I'm sorry spammers but you don't get any of my appreciation or love.

XOXOXOXO, -x
Cocaine Princess

Hmm, Maybe It Needed Linus' Blue Blankie?

Cocaine Princess here.

I had every intention of posting "If Only I Had A Squash Racket Part 2" but because I've had all the energy drained out of me this week I won't be. I don't have the strength. This week's entry will not only be short and sweet but I also promise it will be an outstanding one. Read on my lovelies.

Two months ago I blogged about a tree our gardener had planted. Remember the one that looked like it came out of "A Charlie Brown Christmas?:"


The gardener tried everything to keep it healthy and growing including using "Miracle Grow." So much for the frigging commercial where there is a farmer hitching his prize winning gigantic pumpkin to a wagon while promising if you use Miracle Grow, "you too can have prize winning shrubs and vegetables." It refused to grow or even stay green like its nearby elder siblings:



As weeks went by it kept shriveling and turning yellow. The gardener stated there was nothing more he could do. The little shrubbie did not have the will to live. So after much deliberation and thought I gave the gardener the go ahead. He yanked the shrub out of the ground and got rid of the poor sap. I could not bare to watch. {I was told about the gruesome details later}

This is all that is left. An empty spot between its' brother shrub to the left and sister shrub to the right:


Here is a closer look at the empty spot:


An autopsy was preformed. The results were inconclusive.

Hmm, maybe the shrub needed Linus' blue blankie?

My loyal and dear readers it's finally F-R-I-D-A-Y.

Whatever your plans are have a fabulous weekend.-x

XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess

P.S. I told you it was an outstanding entry!!

My Report

Cocaine Princess here.

On Tuesday my sister was back in her classroom teaching. She gave her students an assignment, to write a report on "How I Spent My Summer Vacation." I gave her grief for handing out homework on the first day. "How can you be so evil?" I asked. Each student will present their report orally on Friday (today) and bonus marks will be awarded if pictures are included.

For this posting I decided to do the same. To write a report on not how I spent my summer but "How I Spent My Labor Day Long Weekend."

(I will post next week part 2: "If Only I Had A Squash Racket" because I know you're all dying to find out the ending)

"How I Spent My Labor Day Long Weekend"
by Cocaine Princess

I spent Labor Day long weekend in Niagara Falls. My sister and I left Friday evening. "A" had some type of teacher's meeting and didn't come home until 5.

The two of us have a little ritual before either of us ventures off on any trip even if it's just for the weekend: we get ourselves our cake and light 3 candles.

The 1st candle represents: A safe journey going and a safe journey
returning.
The 2nd candle represents: To have a fantastic time.
The 3rd candle is a bonus candle: To make a wish.


It was a chocolate truffle cake. Usually I just have a bite but "A" forced me to eat half. And yes it was like tasting heaven.


By the time we arrived it was after 11pm. Traffic was awful and was going at a turtle's pace. When we checked into the hotel the lobby was filled with dogs back to back. Little ones and big ones. I inquired at the front desk, "what's with all the dogs?" Auditions were taking place in the hotel for a new upcoming reality talent dog show. Too bad the hideous creature with four legs wasn't part of the audition process. It has a phenomenal talent of scaring people.

We entered into our suite around 11:30pm. I was able to capture the following shots from our room.

If you recall there was a full moon on Friday.


The world famous Niagara Falls at night. When dusk occurs the Falls are lighted with different colors of the rainbow and keep on changing colors until midnight.

This first picture I took came out very blurry.

So I tried again from a different location in the room.


We had a suite booked at "Sheraton On The Falls." I prefer this hotel because it sits right in the heart of the city's entertainment district and they have one of the most grandest indoor water parks!! Our suite was on the 21st floor on the left hand corner with 4 scenic balcony views. I wanted the 22nd floor but the entire floor had been booked in advanced for several weeks. So who all was staying on the floor above us? The talented dogs and their owners.


Connected to our hotel is the Hard Rock Cafe and Casino Niagara (casinoniagara.com), The Hershey Store and the Coca-Cola Store. Inside the hotel is a separate underground passage that only guests have access to so they get into the Hard Rock and the casino without having to wait forever in line outside. Oh yeah, I got asked for i.d. Poor big sister didn't! A little further down is Planet Hollywood.

I'm shocked this place is still open. It's like a ghost town inside.


RAINBOW BRIDGE

I took this pic a little after 8am. Sitting high above the Niagara River is Rainbow Bridge. This bridge connects the cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York. You can either drive across into the states or you can use the pedestrian walkway.


A daytime shot of the Falls:



In the picture below, left hand corner can you see a ferry? That is the Maid Of The Mist. A ferry ride that will take passengers right past the Falls. I've taken the ride on the ferry just once and it was several years back.



KONICA MINOLTA TOWER

The structure behind the Marriott hotel is the Konica Minolta Tower. It stands 160 meters above the Falls. Located inside is an observation deck, a souvenir store, a steak house, a hotel and like almost every hotel in the Falls a wedding chapel and a jewelery store.



SKYLON TOWER

Here is the view from the corner balcony. Over to the right is the Skylon Tower. The top part was cut out.


Here is a better shot. The one below this one was taken standing outside.


This structure is 236 meters above the Falls. At the top is a Revolving Dining Restaurant/Buffet Restaurant. Below is a family fun center, fast food court and 3D/4D Movie. To get to the top of the restaurant/observation deck you ride in the "yellow bug" (glass elevator) and in an under a minute you arrive at the top. If you dine during the daytime and if the day is clear you can see all of Buffalo. We had lunch here one afternoon. It was established weeks ago "I" would be choosing where we would be eating for breakie, lunch and dinner. The lunch menu was so-so. Personally I prefer dining here at night. The food is better and the nightly illumination of the Falls and the skyline is really pretty.

ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

The entertainment district (as well as Niagara Falls itself) is made up of so many different and fun things to do and regardless of what your taste is and age there is something for everyone. You need at least a good week long stay to experience and see everything Niagara has to offer. There is no way anyone will be bored.

Regardless of what day of the year you visit it's packed with tourists. Take for example the picture below.


This was all happening behind our hotel. There is the WWE Store, Rainforest Cafe and to the right which was cut out of the picture The MGM Store. There I bought a deck of James Bond playing cards and some other goodies. You literally have to push your way through the crowds and that's not the worst part. What is? The entire area sits on a steep sidewalk and it takes awhile before it begins to level off. You're not so much walking as you are climbing.

On the left side where the WWE store is, can you see the 3 cement plaques? Each are hand impressions of wrestling greats. I managed to maneuver my way through the crowd carefully not stepping on anyones's toes however that didn't stop several gigantic feet from stepping on mine. I was able to get this clear shot.


The other 2 hand impressions I think belonged to Batista and the 3rd to Rey Mysterio.

RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT MUSEUM

I didn't go inside, I just took a picture. The museum contains Ripley's collection of bizarre artifacts and items from his travels around the globe. There is also a cinema showcasing a movie of past daredevils who challenged the Falls over a barrel.



THE FUDGE FACTORY

A really popular place along the strip for chocolate lovers is The Fudge Factory. 20 different flavors of fudge and other treats are made fresh daily in front of you.

That's me standing in line with my new Birkin Bag. I decided to take her along.

I selected Decadent Chocolate.

Here is a back shot of our hotel I took coming out of the store. The tall thin tower in front is the WWE Pile Driver Ride.


NIAGARA SKYWHEEL


Riding the SkyWheel was pretty fantastic. It stands 53 meters and you're able to view the Falls in a totally cool way.The entire ride lasted nearly 10 minutes and each little compartment is climate control. If you notice to the left is Boston Pizza and to the right, what else? Tim Hortons.

FALLSVIEW CASINO RESORT

No trip (for me) is complete without doing a little shopping. On Saturday 'A' and I went to the shopping arcade located inside Fallsview. This is Niagara's Falls 2nd casino.

Here is the front of the casino. Behind is the thunderous Falls. It's quite a magnificent sight. This is the only picture because of course once inside the use of cameras aren't permitted. I was tempted to try to sneak a picture but with all the security personnel and cameras I ran the risk of having my own camera confiscated.


Sunday night we dined inside the resort at "NOIR 17" and had a fabulous and delicious champagne dinner. If you head on over to the resort's website: fallsviewcasinoresort.com you'll see the lovely shopping arcade, the casino and where we dined. It's such a beautiful restaurant and the service, well let's just say Gordon Ramsay would be proud.

Apparently the glass of champagne during dinner wasn't enough for my sister. So we (this time "WE" means "HER) decided to open up the bottle of wine that came with our welcome basket at 2am after returning from both casinos.


I decided to have a little sippie myself.
Close up shot of the bottle.


"A" had to be back at work on Tuesday so we left Monday morning after breakie. Before actually going home we made a stop in picturesque Niagara-On-The-Lake. (N.O.T.L.) My sister wanted to tour one of the wineries and decided to drag me along with her. I thought, "hmm, maybe this will be fun."


I was wrong. At this exact moment here (pictured below) I decided to bail from the tour and did a little exploring on my own. "A" caught up with me awhile later.


I stumbled across a little community within N.O.T.L. A little village called "Virgil." Aside from wine the Niagara region is known for its fruit. It's actually the fruit belt region of Ontario so it's very common to see roadside fruit stands here. But I had never seen this before. The town had a self serve roadside fruit stand. You select your fruit and/or veggie basket and put money in the box.


I picked up a basket of peaches and put 2 toonies and a loonie into the box


Further down the road were a group of women who call themselves "The Grape Ladies." They were selling homemade Grape Pies, Tarts, (grapes from one of the local wineries) and jam.


While waiting my turn I overheard the customers in front of me talking about the film "The Dead Zone" with Martin Sheen and Christopher Walken. They mentioned the filmed was shot in N.O.T.L. I looked it up, they were right.

Here's me with my pie and jam.



The pie was extremely sugary sweet. Perfect for someone like me who has a sweet tooth.


There you have it my lovelies my report on "How I Spent My Labor Day Long Weekend." I know Niagara Falls doesn't exactly measure up to Sin City but it's the closet thing we have. I always love visiting here and each time I do I have a fantastic time.

****

My loyal and dear readers it's finally Friday!

The VMA's are on this weekend hosted by comedian Russell Brand. One of the performers is Beyonce who will be singing her new single "Sweet Dreams." The rumor is she is set to put a twist on it by infusing The Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams" into her song. A huge tribute to the King of Pop is planned too. Also on Sunday the season finale of HBO's True Blood (my absolute fave drama show) will be airing. It's going to be a good cliff hanger I hear.

Whatever your plans are have a magical weekend.-x

XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess

P.S. Saturday night I tried my luck at Casino Niagara. I'm not good at any type of gambling. I just like getting all dressed up and having fun. When I do go I prefer the slot machines. I pumped $50.00 worth of coins into one of the slots and look how much I won:





Instead of cashing it I decided to keep the voucher as a souvenir.