Iced Coffee Disaster

source

I hate to say it, but sometimes low cost luxuries turn out to be a horrible horrible thing. Let me explain. 

This morning I was especially tired...actually I was just tired, which these days seems to be my normal state of existence. Either way, I decided today would be a good day to get iced coff on my way to The Beacs, home of my internship. 

~The first clue that this was a bad idea was the fact that I am not much of a coffee drinker or a caffeine partaker. But this did not stop me. I like iced coffee sometimes and I figured today would be one of those times. 

~The second clue that this was a bad idea was the fact that I hadn't eaten breakfast. Bad. Without food I am completely useless and my good judgement skills are nonexistent. 

~The third clue that this was a bad idea was the fact that I was going to try ordering from a new place. Try a new product when you are tired, hungry and are counting on the product to get you through the next 5 hours of photo editing and compiling news briefs is not smart. 

I ignored all of these clues and headed to McDonald's (haven't been there in for-ev-er) ordered a small sugar-free (I hold a strong opposition to fake sugar) vanilla ( I prefer caramel) iced coffee. It was only $1.07 and this was the only good thing about this drink. 

By the end of the day my head was pounding, my stomach was in knots, and my mouth had that nasty fake sugar induced after-taste feeling. Then it hit me. Not only was this drink gross... it has MILK in it. I'm lactose intolerant. 

Major fail on my part. Next time I'm looking for a morning pick-me-up I will probably just go to the 'Bucks. Yeah I know, home of overpriced drinks. Well, to that I say, It's a luxury, and sometimes low cost isn't necessary. 

Drink, Drink it up

As I was perusing Bed Bath and Beyond the other day, an employee asked me if I wanted to sample coffee or hot chocolate as part of a Tassimo Coffee Maker demonstration. Being the low cost luxury that I am, I hardly ever pass up a free sample. After letting the hot choc cool to a reasonable temperature (which for me means lukewarm), I sipped on a lovely drink and realized that hot drink season is upon us.

I for one, do not enjoy the feeling of a scalding hot liquid sloshing around in my mouth. I prefer the smell of coffee over the taste and always order my drinks "kid's temperature" when I visit the 'Bucks. But I realize that many people do favor drinks of the hot variety and for that reason I searched the world wide web for drink deals. Here is what I came up with:

~December Drink Specials at The 'Bucks.
   -the overpriced drink chain will be offering different specials for the first 12 days of next month. If they are anything like the Frappuccino Happy Hour that occurred over the summer, I'm all in.

~Dunkin Doughnuts Perks Club.
  -join and receive a free medium drink of your choice. In addition to this, enjoy other perks throughout the year. I hear they have a Gingerbread Latte out right now.

~Anything from 7-11.
  -this place has it all. Delish Iced coffee, Slurpees, and Vitamin Water Zero at the same place? So many good things it takes me five minutes to decide which drink to buy when I go there. Also, I've heard their hot coffee is pretty legit. Plus, they have tons of syrups, creamers and sugar toppings to add to anything at no extra charge.

As the winter months approach, there is no need to pay a ton of money for a drink when these deals are out there. Delish drink deals? I'll drink to that.

The New Black

I decided to switch it up a bit this year. Typically on Black Friday, I tend to suddenly need everything and as a result end up spending way too much money. Despite the amazing deals, I made an effort to only buy things that I really needed/wanted instead of buying everything that was within arm's reach. With this new outlook in mind, I enjoyed a different but yet successful day early morning of shopping.

I spent the day of shopping with my family, a bit of a change from the years past but a good choice. The day started at 1am and ended at 9am and was actually a lot shorter than I had planned. Nonetheless, it was a success. Here is a breakdown of the madness.


1:30am- Loaded into the car and headed to stores.

2:15am- Dropped half of the crew at Target and trotted over to Kohls.

3:00am- Kohls opens, a riot begins over line skippers.

right before the riot began

After stepping foot in Kohls I began to wonder why I was there. I don't even shop at Kohls. Ever. We turned around and left.

3:15am- Arrive at Belk. They were giving away free giftcards to the first 250 people so waiting in line was necessary. As we were waiting the kind souls at Sonic arrived with free breakfast burritos for everyone!

I ate one bite and gave the rest to my cousin. The coupons are a nice bonus


3:45am- The doors to Belk swing open (15 minutes early!) and we run through the isles with joy. Grabbed out giftcards and headed to Target.

4:00am- Target opens. This store is my favorite on Black Friday because I love me some Target and because it is totally nuts, which I find highly entertaining.

The line

blurry madness



4:45am- Leave Target with DVDs, a TV, 75% off clearanced items, pillows and an outdoor fire pot.


5:15am-Back to Belk. The location where I bought these beauties for only $19.99 (over 60% off).

Booties by Rampage



6:00am- Spend about 4.5 minutes in Bath and Body Works. They had nothing to offer.

6:20am- Peruse the picked over isles of Wal Mart. Disappointed with the DVD selection. Bought a fleece pullover jacket for workouts ($5.00).

7:00am- Break the fast at Cracker Barrel with the family. We spent our time eating biscuits and reminising on the past few hours of madness we just endured.

9:00am- Arrive home and crash


Overall, this black friday was a success. Different, but still awesome. Begin countdown for next year!

Thankful

In honor of Thanksgiving, I will share a few things that I am thankful for. I enjoyed a variety of luxuries today. Some were low cost, some were no cost, most were priceless. Either way, everything about this day was luxurious.


I started my day by enjoying the luxury of lounging on the couch while watching The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

Kanye West everyone

After parade viewing, I helped prepare the feast, enjoyed the feast, then went on a walk with the most physically active members of my family.

Gma, cousin, and dog getting our walk on

After the walk, I visited the luxurious dessert spread. Seriously, dessert is one of the greatest luxuries I can think of.

Dessert Heaven

After dessert, the fam left and I got down to business. Black Friday business that is. 

Gotta love that consumerism

After compiling a battle plan, I took the luxury of watching my hero talk about everyday heroes on the CNN Heroes special.

Anderson Cooper. Best way to end the day.

Thanksgiving is the best time to really take note of all of the wonderful things in life. Today I was surrounded by everything that I truly care about, and for those luxuries I am thankful.

Baked.

Being home for a holiday is probably one of the best low cost luxuries I can think of. Today I got my bake on in preparation for the Day of Thanks. I'm always looking for great recipes that are easy, low cost and healthy. I stumbled upon this recipe earlier this year, and knew right away I needed to make it happen. A two ingredient recipe and one ingredient is pumpkin?! Yes. Please.


I simply combined 1 box of Spice Cake Mix with 1 can of pumpkin

Duncan meet Libby

Once combined, I decided too split the dough in half and create two pumpkin masterpieces. One half got the chocolate treatment.

Love me some Toll House

I decided the chocolate chip dough would become cookies, and the other half would become mini cupcakes/muffins/little cups of heaven.

While waiting for the baking process to end, I played with this little ball of terror  joy.

Meet Bailey. Typically she is not as sweet as she looks. 

The finished result was a-ma-zing! Both were delish and so easy. I topped the cupcakes/muffins/little cups of heaven with cream cheese icing and called this baking mission a success. 

pumpkin beauty

Since it's only a couple days away (!!!), here is some Black Friday Info:

~Target 2-day Ad is now available. Check it. 

~List of store opening times is now available. Look here.

SWAG, compliments of CLIF

Don't you love it when you receive free stuff in the mail? When I arrived home today, I discovered a box waiting for me in my room, I opened it and was pleasantly surprised by the contents.

free stuff!!!!

The box was filled with goodies from my friends at CLIF! (I actually don't know anyone who is associated with this company, I just say they are my friends because I like to pretend they are)
 From left: mini CLIFBAR in crunchy peanut butter, CLIF Shot Energy Gel in chocolate, and CLIF Shock Blocks Energy Chews in strawberry.

I don't remember signing up to receive this stuff but I guess somewhere along the way I did. I visited the website to see if there was a place to sign up for SWAG, but alas, there was not. Sorry folks! Once I break into these snackies I will give you the details on the taste. (Although I'm sure it will be great, CLIF has never failed me in the past.

Low Cost Luxury sponsored by CLIF. Love.

Black Friday Motivational Tools

Although it's one of my favorite days of the year, I have to admit Black Friday can be kind of crazy. When you think about it, waking up before the sun to wait in line for a bargain the day after eating your weight in turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie sounds more like torture than enjoyment. But I assure you,  It's so worth it. If you aren't convinced of how great Black Friday can be, let the excitement of these people inspire you.


Black Friday by SNL
-featuring Anne Hathaway




A Florida Family camps out at Best Buy
-They have been there since Wednesday.



Just one of the many Black Friday Lines
-Welcome to Target

If these things don't motivate you, then I don't know what will.

Fashion Luxury powered by Google

I came across this while reading one of my favorite blogs. Welcome to Boutiques.com, the newest website launched by Google.

Boutiques.com powered by the goog.

The website is an interactive fashion heaven that is divided into boutiques depending on the subject. There are blogger boutiques, designer boutiques, celebrity boutiques and you can even create your own boutique by taking quizzes to determine your personal style. The boutiques feature pictures of different fashion styles along with places to purchase the styles featured. It's basically one giant fashion search engine.

I've always been a huge fan of The Goog, because they offer so many luxuries for no cost. You can search for anything and within seconds you have your answer. Love. This new site makes me love it that much more.

(side note: have you ever seen  Google headquarters? Those employees are living it up low cost luxury style like nobody's business).

You can use this site as one big way to window shop. Figure out which styles you like, see new trends, and then search for items that fit into those categories. You could purchase them off the site, or you could just look for similar items in other stores (that is what I plan on doing).

Everyone should give this a try. Go right now. Open your computer, and get your fashion on!

Black Friday countdown: 1 week.

One week people. We have one week until the day is here! With Black Friday upon us, I would like to take a moment to offer a few of my best tips for Black Friday success. Over the past 17ish years, I have learned that by following a few key rules, you can get the most out of your shopping experience. Since this is a blog focused on good deals, I'm offering these tips free of charge. You're welcome.

1. Make a battle plan.
   -If you are going to skip a rule, don't choose this one, it's far too important.
   Your plan should include a detailed list of which stores you want to visit, what you want to buy at those stores, and the time they open (very important). This will ensure that your sanity will remain intact despite the chaos that is happening around you.



2. Dress comfortably.
-This is not the time for a fashion show people. The last thing you want when running through the isles of Target at 4:00am is for your thigh high black boots to slow you down while you're trying to adjust your mini sweater dress. Wear layers and comfy shoes.



3. Look for extra discounts.
-A lot of stores offer giftcards for spending a certain amount of money. Make sure you have an idea of your total so you don't miss out on more great deals. Also, buy the Thanksgiving Day newspaper and look for coupons placed throughout the paper and in the ads.



4. Take a Thanksgiving Day nap.
-The last thing you need on Black Friday is exhaustion due to waking up in the middle of the deepest stage of your REM cycle. Take a short nap/rest during the day or early evening.
*Just make sure you are awake to watch this guy host the CNN Heroes Special.

My hero, hosting a show about heroes. Love. 

5. Bring coffee/tea/water and snacks.

-Don't think of this day as a shopping trip. It's a marathon people, which requires fuel. Plus, you don't want to waste time stopping for food when there are bargains to be had. 

If you are still unsure about the whole Black Friday thing. You could always peruse online deals. But I suggest you get out there and shop in person!

Thankful.

Since Thanksgiving is exactly one week away, I figured I would take this moment to list a few things that I am thankful for. Since the list would be endless otherwise, I have narrowed it down to things that have occurred in the last 24ish hours and are low cost. Let's do this.

1. Thankful for Holiday drink deals at the 'Bucks.   Now I can enjoy the delish drinks without having to shell out half my paycheck ( <- that is a slight exaggeration).

2. Thankful that I snagged the last pair of $4.29 adorable pants from my Fashion Heaven yesterday. They are a mix between pants and leggings, but they aren't really jeggings...more like cigarette pants. (pics will come soon)

3.  Thankful for the FREE freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and lukewarm tea I enjoyed last night at my hotel. (stayed there due to the unbelievably early GRE appointment.)

Compliments of The Hampton Inn (which I kept referring to as "the hostel")

4. Thankful that the cashier at The Crack Barrel talked my mom into purchasing this. 

Pumpkin + Butter = perfection in a jar

5. Thankful that holiday commercials are back on. Seriously, the Puffs Tissues kids and Publix family dinners get me all kinds of excited for the season. I must say though, I really miss these Old Navy gems from back in the day. 

Low cost luxury at it's finest. So thankful.

Short. Sweet. Inspiring.

Since GRE studying has overtaken my time, thoughts, and sanity this post will be short and sweet.

I came across this video yesterday and felt that it describes a wonderful way to give luxuries that cost nothing. Giving really is better than receiving, especially when the gifts are long lasting and meaningful rather than material and or expensive.

Cheap Fit

I think exercise is super important. It clears the mind, tightens the muscles, and it's just fun (most of the time). I've never been one to workout like a superhuman, often times settling for pilates or a nice walk around the mall neighborhood. Over the past year or two, I've realized I need more fitness in my life so I started searching. Obviously, I searched for low cost options. Aside from occasionally visiting the free fitness classes at my school gym or strolling through DeLand with the Biff I usually stick to the Internet to meet all of my fitness needs. There are TONS of free and beneficial fitness based websites! Here is my list of free fitness online goodies.

Workout Videos

~Hulu

  -The Health and Wellness Chanel features a bunch of workout vids as well as TV shows related to health and fitness. 

~Exercise TV

  -My new favorite thing. This site has hundreds of workout vids that you can search by category (I like "quick workouts"), type (free full length is best), or trainer (Megan Townsend, Cindy Whitmarsh, and Kendall Hogan are great).  They also offer one free workout plan a month, that gives you a specific workout each day. 

Online Fitness Magazines

~Women's Health Magazine

   -This is a favorite of the Biff. The site is broken up just like the mag with sections devoted to fitness, weight loss, health, and yoga. All feature articles and workouts to try. 

~Fitness Magazine

  -I have a subscription to the mag and love it! On the site you can make your own personalized workout video, start a running/walking planner, or sign up for a free personal trainer. 

Other Helpers

~Calorie King

   -I use this site nearly every day. It gives nutritional info for foods without labels like restaurant items and fresh foods. The site has a payment option, but the nutrition search engine is free. 

~MyFitnessPal

  -Allows you to track calories, exercise, etc. Sign up for free, set some goals, and keep track of it on this site. 

No need to pay a ton of money for a personal trainer or gym membership. Just go online, find a video, and work it out. 

Just workin' on muh fitness 

Inspired by our friends at Mastercard

My weekend felt like a Mastercard commercial. Naturally, I was living it up low cost luxury style, but it was only after perusing through my camera that I realized just how much more I enjoy things when they are low cost. To explain further, here is my weekend in pics.

                                                                         

Stetson Student Jurried Art Show. cost- $0.00

-We walked around, looked at art and felt incredibly un-talented, so fun! 

Me, Biff, and Abbey (left) the artist. Her piece was made out of real eggs!

Invisible Children Benefit Concert at Davinci. cost- $2.00 cover

-Continued to support Stets by attending a student org sponsored event downtown. 

Watching The Bromance (that is not their real name) rock it.
This is the only suitable pic from the concerto, because it was freezing
and I did not want to move around enough to find the right angle.

Mediocre Meal from Moe's. cost- $.84 

-The meal was actually suppose to be free because I filled out some survey thing, but I asked for a tiny dollop of sour cream. They ended up giving me nearly 16oz. worth. I had to pay extra for it.

Joey Junior sans tortilla and tons of chips.
Unfortunately, there was only 7.5 pieces of steak and a the lettuce was brown.


 

GRE studying for the remainder of the weekend. cost- $0.00

-so. tired. of. this.

Just about as glamorous as it looks

Somewhere during the course of this weekend, we also took toilet paper from a friend's dorm. 

cost- $0.00

-This was the Biff's idea. 

I'm sure this is included in the $40,000+ price tag on this place 

I spent hardly any money this weekend and it was awesome. You don't have to spend money on things in order to enjoy life, it's that simple. Focus on spending time with people rather than spending money and you will be on your way to priceless memories. Literally, they will be priceless.

Black Friday countdown: 2 weeks.

Two weeks from today, it will be here. The day when consumerism is most apparent. The day when people stand in line outside of stores before the sun comes up. The day when grown-ups act like children and fight over the latest toys. It's the day when I wake up at 3am and shop until I drop both for the amazing deals and the pure entertainment value that comes from watching people shop like savage beasts.

It's Black Friday! For those who are unfamiliar with this little gem of a day, it occurs the day after Thanksgiving. All of the stores open early and offer amazing deals on popular products for the upcoming holiday season.

Because it relates so well to this little bloggity, I will feature Black Friday info and tips on a regular basis. At the two week point, I think it's best to start planning on what you need/want/have to have no matter what anyone else tells you. In the past, many stores kept their lips sealed on what the sales would feature, but thanks to the joys of the Internet and people who simply want to sell top secret information to news organizations, many of the ads have been leaked onto the Internet. That means it's time to start taking a gander at all that will be offered to you on this glorious day.

Here are a few websites that offer Black Friday Ads:

BLACKFRIDAY.COM - features ads, an option to receive updated ads delivered to your inbox, and they are giving away prizes everyday from now until Black Friday.

bfads.net -link their ads to store websites, so you can look for other things to buy too.

walletpop.com - this is more of a black friday blog, with ads, news, and tips.

Life's Little Luxuries: Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin deliciousness + Anderson

It would be an understatement to say that I enjoy pumpkin flavored things. It's more of an extreme admiration, an addiction perhaps. I also love Starbucks (which I affectionately call "the 'bucks). I'm not one for coffee or hot drinks, but the iced teas, "kid's temp" hot chocolate, and the atmosphere make me appreciate the small things in life. 

One thing that isn't small is the price of the drinks. Often times, I only visit the 'bucks if I have a gift card, but during this season they lure me with the beloved pumpkin spice drinks. Perfect, offer my favorite flavor at one of my favorite places during the time when my gift card only has 62 cents on it and I'm saving money for Black Friday shopping. I love you 'bucks, but I have a better idea.

Enter: Pumpkin Spice Tea by Stash. I convinced my mom that this was a necessity at the last trip to The Fresh Market. I'm guessing the box was around $2.99ish. The Pumpkin Spice creamer was only $1.00, it was already on sale and there was a dollar off coupon laying right next to it. <-- fate. Add the creamer to the tea and you have yourself a much cheaper (and healthier) version of the beloved pumpkin spice drinks! And, the total cost of the entire box of tea and the creamer is about the same price as one drink at the 'bucks. Score.

Don't worry 'bucks, I will still come and visit. Lucky for you I haven't been able to replicate your Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate yet. 

Twinkie Diet. Low cost, no luxury.

I came across this article a couple days ago. When I first saw the title, I thought to myself this sounds crazy, which meant I had to stop everything I was doing and read.

A nutrition professor at the Kansas State University went on a 10 week diet of food that you would normally find in a convenience store. So, basically he snacked on Hostess snack cakes, chips and sodas every three hours with a multi vitamin and protein shake thrown in for good measure.

This diet was pretty low cost and I bet it was a luxury to be able to just walk into the local 7-11 and grab breakfast lunch and dinner, but this is ridiculous. And the fact that this guy is a professor of NUTRITION baffles me. I'm not really even sure why he conducted this little experiment in the first place, I guess maybe to show the power of calorie counting on weight loss.

Personally, I am a huge fan of the calorie counting method of living (it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle combined with exercising, being active ect.). I have been tracking my food based on calories for about 2 years and I love it! It keeps me from eating out of habit rather than when I am hungry and it's a good way to know how much of what I have eaten throughout the day. I look at calorie allotment as a bank account and only eat things that I can "afford" that day depending on how many calories I have used. (see, I use this "low cost luxury" approach in all areas of life).

Back to Twinkie Man. He lost weight on this diet, and proved that when you only eat 1,800 calories a day when you are supposed to be eating around 2,600 you will lose weight. It seems like that is pretty obvious (especially to a nutrition prof) without having to actually test the theory. Even though processed foods may be cheaper and easier, they are not luxurious, and will probably ended up costing you money in medical bills down the line. And those my friends are not cheap.

I enjoyed my fair share of Little Debbies back in the day, but I realized, they just aren't fulfilling in the same way real, whole foods are (maybe that is why this guy had to eat every 3 hours). Maybe eating Twinkies all day every day will shed the pounds. As for me, I will be going all natural. Except for the occasional slurpee. I will never give those up.

Clearance all year round

As you can probably guess, I am a huge fan of the clearance rack. The only problem with buying clothes that are on clearance is the fact that they are probably about to go out of season. Call me an optimist, but I look at end-of-season clearance as an opportunity to create a new look for whatever season I am currently in. All you need is a little creativity, and a knack for layering (or un-layering depending on the season) and you will be able to incorporate seasonal pieces into your wardrobe all year round.

I recently bought a few "summer" items that I plan to rock this fall/winter. I chronicled the transformation in pics and used myself as the model (I was desperate). Some of the pics are a little blurry, I blame my self-diagnosed iron deficiency for causing my hands to shake.

Tunic: Target $4.48

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                              

Winter

Pair with tights, flats, and a huge jacket

Summer

pair with belt and t-strap sandals

                                                                                                    

It really is so easy! Next time you see the clearance rack, don't skip by because you think you won't use the clothes right away. Nearly all "seasonal" items on the clearance rack can be worn anytime of the year. Just don't wear a bikini to a Christmas Eve party, that would be wrong. 

Save and Splurge: Makeup

When it comes to makeup, I think it is extremely important to have the best products on hand. Over the years, I have realized that there are some things in the makeup world that are worth spending a little more money on while other times you can go cheap. Here is my save and splurge list of makeup products.

Save

~Mascara

   It usually doesn't last more than a few months and most of the cheaper brands are actually pretty good.

My picks: Maybelline Blackest Black Mascara (yeah the one in the pink tube with the green lid) $4.79. Avon   SUPERShock in Black $4.99

~Highlighters/Finishers

    Things like cream blush and bronzers are often based on seasonal colors, so get a cheaper one to use for just the season.

My pick: e.l.f. cream blush in golden peach $1.00 (available at Target and perf for the summer months)

~Lip stuff

  This is used often, so don't spend a lot of money on it.

My picks: e.l.f. luscious liquid lipstick in baby lips $1.00. Anything by the Softlips brand $2.99-$3.99

~Eye shadow

   If you are like me, you like to switch it up when it comes to eyes. If you buy less expensive brands, you can get more!

My picks: CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 4-kit in Urban Basics (I've been getting this one since High School. Lurve it.) $4.99

Splurge

~Tools 

Invest in quality tools that will last awhile.

My pick: Sonia Kashuk  Out of the Woods 6 piece brush set (available at Target) $19.99. Revlon Ultimate tweezers slant tip $8.99

~Foundation

   This lies directly on your face. You don't want to mess with that so be sure to choose a foundation that works for your skin type despite the cost.

My pick: Mary Kay medium coverage foundation $14.99

~Powder/Concealer

   These are some of the most important items in a makeup bag. Both act as PR for your face. Something else worth the price.

My picks: Mary Kay concealer $10.00. Physicians Formula mineral wear illuminating powder $13.00

~Moisturizer

    This serves as both a protector for you face, as well as the base of your makeup. Spend some extra money on one with sunscreen.

My pick: Mary Kay Velocity lightweight moisturizer $12.00

When it comes to your face, there are times to save and times to splurge. Combine both and you will have a luxurious makeup experience. To keep you face fresh, be sure to toss old makeup when necessary. Look here for a list of makeup expiration times.

Sample It

Probably one of the best ways to enjoy a low cost luxury is when it has no cost at all. This is exactly what I experienced today while on a trip to The Fresh Market. For those who are not familiar, The Fresh Market is a speciality grocery store that sells only fresh, all natural, and organic foods as well as those crazy off-the-walll delicacies that you never see in your neighborhood Publix. It’s basically a foodie paradise and one of my favorite places to visit when I’m home.

Today was especially wonderful at TFM because they were having their annual Holiday Offerings tasting event aka a sampling of their best Holiday inspired foods. Before we even got into the store, a man asked if we (me, my mom, and my gma) had ever tried Honeycrsip or Aurora apples. I told him Honeycrsip is at the top of my apple favorites list, he pulled out a knife and offered us slices of the Aurora. So good. It’s the new golden delicious in my book.

After that, things only got better.

from top left: roasted turkey, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and gravy, bruschetta, ham (didn't eat that), roast beef, corn souffle, stuffing

The corn souffle was my favorite on the plate. I’m not a huge fan of corn and I’ve never had a souffle but this was top notch

blueberry cheesecake and vanilla pound cake

 I ignored my lactose intolerance while eating the cheesecake. It was worth it.

Tangerine Juice and Honeycrisp Cider

                                  Pumpkin muff

This was not a sample, it was a necessary purchase.

  

 

                             The best hot chocolate ever

 Loved this. It was not very hot and it was seasoned with cinnamon. perf.

Sampling isn’t just a great way to enjoy quality things for no cost, it’s also a good way to decide whether you like something or not before you buy it. A win win. In addition to the samplefest, the store was decorated for Christmas. You always get it right TFM.