The Friday Five, 1/10/20: 5 things I've been up to this week

This week has seemed LONG, I think because I had 5 days of work (the horror. LOL) and other random things going on, like doctor's appointments. My nose is getting stuffy again even though I literally JUST got over a cold, so that's fun, too ... and my boyfriend and I leave for Vegas on Sunday for vacation. I did the math and I think this is actually my THIRTEENTH trip to Vegas—my parents and I started going in 2000, when I was a kid, and that also includes work trips.

Butterfinger Brownie Sundae, delicious!
Butterfinger Brownie Sundae, delicious!

What I've been up to this week:
  1. Eating out a lot (yes, again). I'm not going to say where, because I do mystery shopping for a company, but on Friday night, my boyfriend and I went to a restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, and on Saturday for lunch we went to a place in that same area, for that. On Sunday, my parents took me to the Cheesecake Factory, in Novi, for a birthday lunch; on Wednesday, I met a friend for lunch at Mr. Kabob Xpress, and used my birthday free meal; and then the rest of the week I have been cooking some Hello Fresh + Dinnerly meals. 
  2. Cooking. Like I just mentioned, I received a Hello Fresh box last Friday, and then a Dinnerly box this Tuesday. I was kind of shocked that Dinnerly actually was a) on time and b) sent me all the ingredients I needed ... until I saw that the garlic was a bit old. Ugh. Dinnerly is not the most reliable but I had a few account credits, and it was cheap. The meal I made yesterday, too (turkey za'atar meatballs), was very good. 
  3. Returning to LA Fitness! In like December of 2018, I put my membership on hold, paying $10/month instead of $30 ... and finally I returned this week! I didn't want to outright cancel it because I think there's like a $100 initiation fee to restart it, if so. I went swimming on Wednesday and I'm hoping to try to get back to zumba the week after my vacation, so in like two weeks. 
  4. Watching the Golden Globes. There were a few surprises, IMO, including 1917 for best drama, which I'm going to go see tomorrow at the theater. I was glad to see Awkwafina win for The Farewell, which I actually rewatched this week, and Olivia Colman for The Crown, which I finished last night (S3, on Netflix), though she looked surprised to win! Ricky Gervais, per usual, was pretty snide, but at this point that shouldn't be a surprise ... he's hosted it a few times now.
  5. Watching TV. I binged Ramy on Hulu, after Ramy himself won the best actor - comedy Golden Globe, and really liked it. I finished The Crown on Netflix, as well as You, both of which I highly recommend. My usual network TV shows are back this week too so last night I watched Superstore, Black-ish, and Schitt's Creek.
White chocolate macadamia nut cheesecake, from The Cheesecake Factory (Novi)
White chocolate macadamia nut cheesecake, from The Cheesecake Factory (Novi)


    Popular Posts

    Review: Polar Pizza at Baskin-Robbins

    Image
    *Disclosure: I received a gift card to try the new Polar Pizza at Baskin-Robbins. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own. Baskin-Robbins launched its Polar Pizza last month (July), as I talked about in my recent post about them, and because this past month was crazy busy for me, I didn't get to try the Polar Pizza until this past Sunday. My parents and I went to the combined Dunkin' Donuts / Baskin-Robbins near them, in Novi, MI, to split one of the ice cream pizzas.
    Read more

    Upcoming and GIVEAWAY: MJ the Musical, Oct. 23–Nov. 3, Fisher Theatre, Detroit {ends 7/8}

    Image
    *Disclosure: I have an ongoing media relationship with Broadway in Detroit. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own. MJ the Musical ("MJ") is coming to the Fisher Theatre this fall, and as a fan of Michael Jackson's music, I'm looking forward to it. Tickets go on sale July 12th at 10am.  Read more about the musical below, and also see how you can win two tickets  to opening night! About the show: Producers Lia Vollack, John Branca, John McClain and Broadway in Detroit are thrilled to announce that MJ will make its Detroit premiere at the Fisher Theatre October 23 – November 3.  Tickets go on sale Friday, July 12 and can be purchased online at BroadwayInDetroit.com at 10:00 a.m. or in person at the Fisher Theatre box office at noon. He is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to Detroit in MJ, the multiple Tony Award®-winning musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tou...
    Keep reading

    Digital Movie GIVEAWAY: All of Us Strangers {ends 3/4}

    Image
    *Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this movie for reviewing purposes. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own. I didn't get to see All of Us Strangers in theaters, but I'm looking forward to watching it on digital. Three of my lucky readers will also win a digital code! About the movie: A compelling exploration of love, family and grief, this unique film from English director Andrew Haigh is Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes (96%) and has been described as “a beautiful, disorientating dream” (Jake Kring-Schreifels, The Film Stage) that “you won’t be able to stop thinking about” (Gregory Ellwood, The Playlist).  Unanimously lauded by critics (both the LA Times and USA Today named it Best Film of the Year) and nominated for 6 BAFTA Film Awards, Searchlight Pictures’ All Of Us Strangers will be available from all major digital retailers (Prime Video, Apple TV and Vudu/Fandango) and is also currently available on Hulu. The digital release will also allow fans to de...
    Keep reading