Category: WriterJax

V-Day 2020: Cultural References and All the Fixins

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Huzzah and Hello, weirdos! Today marks the fifth annual Weird Valentine Gift post here at WriterJax, and this year is a good one. It’s almost as though society in general has, somehow, become more accepting of the fringe.

I kid. Still, as we head toward VD 2020, I give you five contenders for holiday gift-giving. Go forth and browse to your heart’s content!

Don’t Torture Yourself, Gomez.

Send your favorite horror-file, or least-favorite-person in general, a bouquet of Dirty Rotten Flowers this year, like The Morticia arrangement below. Bonus: the testimonial page on this website is gold, Jerry. Gold.

You Had Me at Au Gratin

For the pun-tacular person in your life who’s all ears, I give you the Potato Parcel. This item was actually featured on Shark Tank and has been sending spuds around the world ever since, including those adorned with photos of the recipient.

Couple Goals

No one knows ’til death do we part like Jack and Sally. Let’s celebrate that love with gaudy-ass jewelry.

Put Some Pink in your Drink

This is too pretty not to share: pink chai tea from Lee.

The Rest is Gravy

No Valentines Day is complete without something unctuous, and when it comes to unctuous, I always vote gravy.

Cosplay with Your Food

While scavenging for the best Weird Food trends of 2019 for my annual post on the subject, I kept bumping up against news of another trend — that of mega-fast-food chains creating, marketing, and selling their own, branded Halloween costumes.

From spokesmen of vaguely military persuasion to representations of base-ingredients (dressing as the whole sandwich? That’s so last season), four of the more recognizable franchises on the block have introduced their takes on cosplay. Behold the cheesy goodness:

It’s All About the String Tie

 

People have been dressing up like the Colonel for years, but now there’s an official KFC permutation of the icon’s white-fox-look. KFC has partnered with Spirit Halloween to offer the masses an ensemble that — as the press release reads — “includes a dapper button front jacket with attached shirt, dress pants, facial hair, glasses, and a handsome wig.”

America Runs Screaming From Dunkin’

The all-mighty Dunks got in on the action this year, too, entering the fray with the totally-not-unsettling Dunkin’ Runner costume. Dunkin’ unveiled the Runner at New York Fashion Week – a stunt I didn’t know was a thing, and one that probably threw off more than a few caffeine-deprived fashion editors.

I Bet No-one Wants to be Verde

Both KFC and Dunkin’ took their costume cues from the DIY versions their fans created first, and Taco Bell is doing the same, introducing a full range that includes sauce-packet slip dresses, a Gordita Crunch Wrap tunic, and a burrito baby-bunting. It all sounds very comfortable, which is an underrated quality in a costume, in my opinion.

Two All-beef Hoodies

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I’m busy, well we’re all busy… and it’s hard to make it home in time to cook pasta and feed Frankie… so it’s a #McDelivery Night! Now, what’s more important, more than ever is self-care, and a great way to start is by taking a well-deserved night in with the convenience (and low cost) of McDelivery. And, to celebrate all of this my friends @mcdonaldscanada released some limited-edition loungewear in preparation for the big night. And I’m giving one away (check out my stories). When you order your McDelivery tonight, use promo code McDelivery2019 to receive $5 off @ubereats_canada (minimum $15 order required before taxes and delivery fees) or @SkipTheDishes (minimum $20 order required before taxes and delivery fees). Offer expires midnight tonight #TeamMcDs #Ad

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Speaking of comfort, McDonalds hasn’t unveiled a new Hamburglar or Grimace get-up this year to my knowledge, but it has introduced a full line of “night-in”-wear as part of the promotion around its McDelivery service. The hooded sesame-seed blanket and the take-out-bag sleep-sack are the best contenders for an actual party-ready costume, but I also love the idea of doling out treats at home while lounging in an oversized melty-cheese sweatshirt and Big Mac leggings.

…Have you seen any other mouth-watering costumes coming out of fast-food nation? Let us know below!

October Food 2019: Weirdly Delicious

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This year, we’re starting Blogtober strong with its most popular post: The October Food Round-up!

2019 doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the new and the ghoulishly cool of food trends. Whether it’s a DIY delicacy or a fine-dining find, it seems the foodies of the world have been positively salivating for October to arrive.

Well, here we are; a few snacks and sippers that offer eye-candy along with something new for the palate.

Spookshi, Don’tcha Know

There’s nothing new about sushi nor making food spooky, but day-glo-orange donuts these are not. It’s 2019’s Kitch-meets-kitchen Contender… Spookshi. The tutorial above is one of the simpler recipes, but I also came across a giant sushi brain, a centipede roll, and a massive jack-o-lantern platter made with salmon and nori.

Peckish for Pickle Popcorn

Pickled everything is en vogue and I’m totally on board. That said, pickled popped-corn is a new concoction, and its pickle-green complexion makes it a perfect October Food. Trader Joe’s Popcorn in a Pickle seems to hold the most real estate in this market, but there are also several home-recipes to be found.

Plus: can we make this guy go viral? I feel like he deserves it 😉 .

Orange You Glad I Brought Wine

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Today it's ok to be rude👊🏻 📸 @manolistudio . Bring this sparkling orange show stopper to your thanksgiving dinner! . Zanotto Cal Fondo "Rude" Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹 2015 . Riccardo Zanotti was born into the Prosecco region. He knew he always wanted to produce a sparkling wine that is different from all the others. The wine is made out of the grape Glera. A first fermentation occurs where the must is left with the skins for 2 days. The grape skins are then separated by decanting the wine into refrigerated tanks which stops the fermentation. the wines are then bottled for a second fermentation. (Usually only 1 fermentation for Prosecco that's why this is special) . Tasting notes: acacia, honey, salt, savory . #orangewineobsessed #orangewine #prosecco #sparklingwine #unfiltered #naturalwine #skinmaceration #vinnaturel #organicwine #thisisfall #winegeek #winetastings #wineoftheday #winelife #winenerd #italy #Veneto #winelover #whatwearedrinking #vino #winestagram #winetasting #fermentation #eeeeeats #forkyeah #thekitchn #eaterny #zevrovineselections #babewine #isabelmarant

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New trend alert, VSCO Girls: Orange wine. Pro tip — it’s not made from oranges, but rather grapes that haven’t been de-skinned. Have fun with the heartburn in the wake of the recent Zantac ban, mah babehs.

Get Your Freakshake On

Yass, I am so ok with this, my freaks! People decry the caloric content of these treats, but anyone who can’t deduce that the ballpark-figure on a chocolate shake topped with a Snickers bar, 32 M&Ms, 12 gummy worms, and a salted-caramel brownie-muffin-thing is going to be over the daily recommendation, is a dumb-ass.

Met Gala 2019: Because We Camp Camp Camp

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This year’s Met Gala (actually the opening celebration for the Camp: Notes on Fashion Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art) welcomed the extremely-invited-only to show off their best interpretations of ‘camp’ as it relates to fashion. As usual, this means there will be so many terrible interpretations on the red carpet, but also many that are great. Below are just a few of my favorites, given their own snarktastic awards (in keeping with the theme, of course.)

The I-Shoulda-Been-at-the- 2016-Met-Gala Award goes to:

Jourdan Dunn Zac Posen x GE Labs x ProtoLabs (with 3D printed flower petals) gown; Jacob & Co. Jewelry

Jourdan Dunn in a Zac Posen x GE Labs x ProtoLabs (with 3D printed flower petals) gown and Jacob & Co. Jewelry. Dunn looks amazing and the massive, glinting 3-D flower on her skirt surely fits the camp theme. But she would have ruled the day at the 2016 gala, themed Man x Machina and centered largely on man-made fabrics at its best moments.

The SJP Might Need to Move Slightly to the Left Award goes to

Lily Collins at the 2019 Met GalaLily Collins channeling her inner-most Priscilla Presley in Giambattista Valli and Cartier ‘Magnitude’ jewelry. Collins has shown up on my Met Gala wrap-lists before, and dare-I-say, she’s nailing it every time. Unless you’re readying to bow out, Sarah-Jessica, take note.

The Does She Know this was Ironic — We May Never Be Sure Award goes to

IMG_4199

Joan Collins in Valentino Haute Couture, championing a truly lovely friendship between she and the design-house, according to her — but also embodying her former Dynasty character so much one can’t help but wonder: was she reprising a campy character, or arriving in what she felt most comfortable? Or both??

The Liberace-Liberated Award goes to

Ryan Murphy in Christian Siriano

Ryan Murphy, in Christian Siriano, hefted a 100-pound, orange, bejeweled cape and hood on to the red carpet — it was a direct nod to a Liberace costume (that, incidentally, weighed 200-pounds), but the effort alone deserves props.

The I-Do-NOT-Need Your Validation Award goes to

IMG_4205Lizzo in Marc Jacobs, who in my opinion, won the night… and the next morning, when she boarded a plane wearing the same ostrich-feather coat.