Sailor Moon Live, Part II

in ,
 
 

So we checked in to our actually reasonably priced, fairly fancy, right next door to the venue hotel, where I was greeted by my TV.

 
 

We rested up and then off to the venue! This is where my only complaint lays. Venue doors were supposed to open an hour before the show, the amount of people already there and in line was absolutely ridiculous. There is no way that this placed open only an hour before. We immediately got in line and waited to get to the merch table. I wanted a poster and a button. As we inched forward I grew increasingly worried.

In line, not quite so nervous yet about missing the start.

Start time was closer and closer and we were still in line. My nerves were very apparent and my partner was like, “Do you want to go to the seats? I’ll buy the stuff.” A truer hero has never existed. I eagerly climbed the stairs to our seats in the balcony level, but not before snapping a pic:

 
 

Look at him. Surrounded by Moonies in an Umino shirt. He got the most compliments actually. Everyone loved it.

I got to my seat and took in the sights. The Schuster Center is beautiful. Okay, Dayton.

Luckily, they didn’t start the show without him. The production cut the line right behind him and he was able to secure the goods and get to our seats with time to spare. We settled in and the show started.

Folks, I don’t think I stopped crying tears of absolute joy the entire time I was watching this show. Not only my love of this from childhood but my partner and I we had just finished watching the entire 200 episode series and 3 original movies. We had inside jokes about this, he has favorite characters, we shared this huge long experience together it it really culminated in this live show and I just felt so happy.

The show was a basic retelling of the first season with some changes of course, the show was in Japanese with the subtitles on the screen behind them. The songs were great, the scouts and Beryl were well cast, the effects of their powers were super cool, and after the major plot was done they just did a bunch of songs and costume changes that were absolutely adorable. They even had a section where they were like, “Hey, you can take pics and record!”

Basically it was a magical time. I was able to take some fun pics and videos, I got to be 10 years old again, and I got to share this with my partner. All in all a beautiful night. It ended much too soon, the merch line was nuts after the show so I was happy we had managed to get our bounty before the show and we retired to our hotel for the night to make the trek back home the next morning.

Once I got home I happily unrolled my poster and a happy surprise occurred! I have a gallery wall in my office and I’ve been looking for a replacement art piece for a larger frame. Scott Kurtz of PvP Online betrayed his fans via a kickstarter and I’ve had a PvP poster on my wall for years looking for something in the same size. My Sailor Moon Live Poster FIT PERFECT.

A perfect end to a perfect time.

 

VIctory!

 

Sailor Moon Live! Part I aka: DAYTON, OHIO?!?!?

in ,
 
 

It was announced in early 2025 that the Sailor Moon, Super Live! Show was going to be touring around North America. I knew that this had to happen in my life, I must go! As a Sailor Moon fan from the original airing of the Dic Dub that aired at 6:30 in the morning before school and that I got up for….I had to go. Sailor Moon also has a long and storied history of live shows in Japan but this would be the first tour that ever left the country. There was a show in DC, I believe (it had gotten moved around because of COVID) to gauge interest and interest there was. So much so that they had to eventually add more tour dates.

I got in to an early pre-sale and was like, I would love to go to Chicago but I feel like that one might sell out and you know which one I felt wouldn’t sell out? DAYTON, OHIO. That’s right, there ended up being two entirely different shows in OHIO but not a single one in the great mitten state. It just isn’t fair. The pre-sale came and I was 100% correct in my assumption, I didn’t even have a chance in Chicago. But Dayton? Front row Balcony tickets, baby!

The Dog’s Grandmother was approached for dog sitting and she agreed and hotel reservations were made. Which, accidentally, ended up being right next to the venue, so go me.

Now we had to drive there. This was not a thrilling drive. The mid-west is notoriously flat and the straightest way there was a very old highway that went through tiny little towns. But adventure was had! Some sights (literally everything) below.

We stopped for lunch (Wendy’s, surprisingly easy to make dairy-free) and at the stop we saw a strange looking building which ended up being The Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum.

Imagine seeing this sphere in the middle of nowhere Ohio

Never one to turn down a science museum we stopped off to finish our lunch and stretch our legs in the museum. Many jokes were made about how many astronauts come from Ohio and how they needed to leave Ohio so much that they had to escape to space. The museum wasn’t the biggest but it was bigger than I had expected and it was super cute. I wonder how many field trips this thing sees a year.

One object of note just because I think it is neat that it’s all the way in Ohio:

 
 

The reason that this is neat is because…I’ve been to Meteor Crater! That was part of a big birthday road trip I took several years ago before leaving Arizona and it’s one of the coolest places I’ve ever been. Also one of the windiest.

My hair was everywhere. I miss that jacket. It was my favorite jacket. Vegan leather apparently starts disintegrating in 5 years. Also this was in 2017, that is nine years ago. Time isn’t real.

After the museum we made it into the hotel and got settled. It was time to get ready to head next door. Part Two next week!

 
 

Aqua, December 2023

in ,
 
 

In the year of 1997 and music single was released: Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” was released and it changed my brain chemistry. I purchased the single on cassette. As soon as the eponymous CD came out it was in my hands. The VHS “Aqua Diary: Official Aquarium Home Video” was played so many times on my CRT TV/VCR combo. Which is how I got to see so many of the music videos as I grew up without cable and didn’t have internet access quite yet.

 

Click the Tape, someone uploaded it to Youtube!

 

In December of 2023 a miracle occurred for my 12 year old inner self: Aqua was having it first US tour. And as a full-ass adult you better believed I immediately purchased a ticket to go. They were coming to Detroit, I did not care if it was in the middle of a mid-western winter. Come hell or high snow, I would be there.

And there I was! After some difficulty with parking and finding the venue (The Fillmore, Detroit) , I had balcony seats to bask in my childhood favorite band. It was honestly one of the best concerts I’ve been to. The theater was beautiful, we had a great view, and Aqua was perfect.

 

I am the happiest, childhood dreams are coming true! And while freezing, it was fairly mild weather for Michigan in December!

 
 

Lene, the lead singer, her voice has gotten even more beautiful as time has passed. Rene has such a fantastic stage presence, and Soren is great musician. The way they edited the music videos to play in the back as they performed was so cool. They have great showmanship that they have just perfected in their other tours. The two videos below are clips of “Cartoon Heroes” and “Barbie Girl” They played so much of their catalogue of hits (which in my opinion, is basically ALL of their songs) and it was amazing.

I didn’t take too many videos or photos as I wanted to really lose myself in the experience. It was so much fun and I’m very happy that Aqua is now on the short list of live concerts I’ve been to in my life. I also purchased my first Liquid Death drink, which is just fancy water, which I didn’t know until I went to this concert and that was my only water option!

All in all it was a successful concert experience. We left during the encore to beat the traffic because this area, is like, concert Venue city and we had quite the drive back to our house afterwards. I didn’t end up purchasing any merchandise because it didn’t actually feel…special enough? It was very basic stuff and I would’ve hope for some more fashionable t-shirts or fun designed posters.

Pennsylvania. A Food Review Part 3

in
 

This has the vibes of where I was at in PA.

 

So I write here today another couple restaurants that I visited on my trip to Pennsylvania.

Oori a Korean Restaurant in Pottstown, PA. I got my tried and true: BiBimBap and it was delicious! I was surprised at the quality and taste in such a tiny town. I will say that I’ve had better kimchi, but I’m not sure if that is something made in house or something they buy, it could be a bit sharper.

I’d give Oori a 4/5. I need to ask more questions about their dairy free options because I’d want to try something different next time.

Deliciously Dairy Free.

I made my way to downtown Pottstown (which is quite a bit different than the area of Pottstown that Oori is located at) to visit the iCreate Cafe. This was an entirely vegan restaurant, which is always a plus for me, since I know I won’t get dairy’d.

I ordered a smoothie, the Peanut Butter Dream Shake and I also ordered the Cheese Steak Panini. Both were delicious! The shake could be a little bit thicker but with an Almond Milk base, I expected it to be a little thin. I ordered my cheese steak with the black bean patty and was really pleased it wasn’t dry. I would order from here again but I wouldn’t go by myself.

The area is a little sketchy and I had a creeper hanging out by my car when I was coming back with my takeout order. Creepy enough where I walked on the opposite side of the road when I saw him coming down and taking his time once he saw me. I don’t fault the restaurant for this though! The atmosphere in the restaurant was very welcoming (if not a little warm, why is there not more AC in PA???) and the cook was super friendly while preparing my order. I’d get stuff from there again but maybe I’d bring a friend too! 3.5/5

Pennsylvania. A Food Review, Part 1

in
 
 

Pennsylvania has become a large part of my life in the last few years, while I don’t live there I end up traveling there once a year, barring any pandemics. I usually don’t end up doing too much so I decided that this year was the Year of Restaurants.

I am dairy-free due to an allergy and this does make finding food and travel a little difficult sometimes. I’ve been doing a lot of Googling to try to figure out more restaurants and foods that I can eat at, which is hard in rural Pennsylvania.

So I Googled and made a list (mostly vegan restaurants, it’s just easier sometimes) and really worked into trying as many as I could on my trip.

In no particular order here are the first 2 restaurants I’m reviewing because these are the ones I have had before (and I forgot to take a picture of one!)

I can’t believe the Squarespace Image Library had this photo.

Wawa is a tried and true place I go to every time I’m in PA. It’s a Gas Station and Cafe essentially for those who don’t know. They have an easily accessible allergen menu (though they’ve updated it in a way that is not very user friendly in my opinion) and I can order with no worries about being dairy’d.

I rate Wawa a 9/10. There are many locations and you can order ahead of time. My Italian style sub I got was delicious and they had garlic knots I could eat. My only complaint is whenever I order ahead my order s never where it should be and it makes it confusing.

Rita’s Italian Ice! A beloved summertime snack. I’m so sad I can’t have the custard but the different and various flavors of ice makes up for it. I usually get a flight because I feel like one order of one flavor is almost too much of that flavor. A flight is perfect. So nice that I had it twice while I was there! The flavors I got were Cherry, Blue Berry, Cotton Candy, and Blue Raspberry.

10/10. Delicious and with many locations.

Bonus Content: I Bought a Travel Water Cup from Wawa (I’ve purchased two before, for hot drinks) and I have to say this is the best giant water cup I’ve bought for AWHILE. Also: Look how sexy it is just fitting into my water dispenser.

 

Oooh, That’s the stuff.

 

Bedroom Renovation Part 5

in
 

The Very Embarrassing Before Picture. The only big one I’m posting.

 

After refurbishing my furniture, hanging curtains, removing doors, painting, wallpapering, and buying a locker I still had a couple things to do.

1) Rug, I’m over the bathmat for Braeburn.

2) Bedding for the new aesthetic. I wanted the whole bedding shebang…comforter, blankets, decorative pillows. The works.

These are the 2 things that took the longest to make decisions on. I went in person to so many places. Macy’s, Kohls, World Market, Pier 1, Kirklands, Target, etc. etc.

I thought I had found some bedding at Target…reviews showed that they literally felt apart after 2 washings, that wasn’t going to work. I thought I found a comforter at Macy’s…THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND NO PILLOW SHAMS????

I asked my Mom for bedding suggestions and she said the same places I had gone to see.

I decided to peruse Home Goods, primarily for their rugs but maybe I’d get lucky. Rugs were a no go but I did get lucky for bedding and accessories. I got baskets for my locker for clothing, I also got baskets to hold my decorative pillows when not in use on my bed, I got a comforter, I got shams, I even got snacks that day. All for less than the comforter at Macy’s.

The rug fell into my lap a bit. I had looked online at Flor (Carpet Tiles, we’ve used them in several areas of the house…they are good when you need to replace or clean them with dog accidents or illness, our house even came with some already) but the only ones I had liked were way too expensive. But then…the catalog came in the mail while I was redoing my room and they were introducing some new colors and it was waaaaay cheaper than when I had originally looked and I decided to go left field with the colors. I had been looking for a beige or cream rug but when I saw the colors in the catalog I swiftly switched course and I’m so happy that I did.

Here is a slideshow of the After Photos. I’m just pleased with this space. I’ve made my bed every day since redoing my room, my laundry stays caught up on and I’ve even cleaned and organized my drawers too. It is such a peaceful and tranquil space. I never even used to have the windows open because it was just open to the outside so I never even got light in there. But now with the sheers no one can see in and it lets in beautiful light.

Even just walking past it in the hallway I still love it.

While the bulk of the work is done, I’m still looking for a few things decor-wise. I’m waiting for a Lamp for the mirror dresser that I ordered awhile ago. I want to hang my branch weaving up again but I’m unsure where. I bought some beautiful brass statues of some pheasants at an estate sale but don’t know what kind of shelves or where to put them at in here, and I have a painting I want to re-mat and frame to better match the room. Also maybe some new lampshades for my lamps because one is a bit busted but you can’t tell from looking, haha.

It’s time for a break! I wonder what room I’ll do next.

Bedroom Renovation Part 1

in
 

Not me, but the feeling is there.

 

So my bedroom was a mess.

I was never happy with it. I had gotten a new bed and frame several years ago that I love, but my Comforter never really went with it, my bedroom furniture while perfectly utilitarian left a lot to be desired looks wise. I had a bathmat on the floor because my doberman needed it to be able to jump up on the bed without skidding out. I also had a clothing ladder that was always a mess.

I reached a breaking point. I needed a change. I never even really was cleaning it because I was just so unhappy with it I didn’t know what to do.

I’ve done this twice so far in my house. When I redid part of my basement (not a finished basement but nice enough to use now!) and then my office. I adore my office. I moved into a smaller room in my house for my office and made it the most cozy of spaces for me. Bright white and pastel pink walls. White Cork boards to hold interim projects and supplies. Multiple types of wood tones to bring in different levels of light and dark textures. My gallery wall of art. A cozy loveseat for me, but mostly for Braeburn.

Case in Point.

I knew I wanted a change for my bedroom. I needed a change for my bedroom.

The first thing I wanted to tackle was the furniture. Namely the nightstands. When I purchased my new bed it was quite a bit lower than my nightstands so I removed the legs and they were just sitting flat on the floor forever. I started shopping for new nightstands. Then I saw how much a nice nightstand is. $$$$$

How about a refurbishment instead. I’m pragmatic like that.

Before. Flat on the ground, dark wood, dark knobs. Boring.

I found some two inch mid century modern style wood legs, just enough to get the dressers off the floor, I watched several videos of how to use contact paper on rounded corners and then purchased a fancy marble vinyl contact paper (not the usual white and gray marble style, but a marble that had purples and gold flecks in it) and then bought some gold sphere knobs so they would pop out on the front and add some contrast but also bring in the gold from the marble top.

The Gold Knobs are already making this look better.

Contact Paper added. I ordered a roll wide enough where I didn’t have to worry about seams on top of the table.

Legs! We have lift off.

This was only the beginning. I had a whole other dresser. I wanted new paint, I picked a wall paper (I’ve never done it before!) I wanted a rug instead of a bathmat, I wanted something else for my messy clothing ladder. I even wanted something other than the sliding doors for my closets (which I could only access half a closet at one time). I wanted actual bedding so I could be fancy and make my bed look nice. I embarked on a journey.

Spoiler Alert: I LOVE LOVE LOVE my bedroom now. I can’t wait to share more!