Thursday, July 28, 2011

On the Subject of my Crazy Life: Convention Time!

I'll be going out of town this weekend to try to sell my soul art to a bunch of furries.  Yes, furries.  What?  They're nice people.  Anyway, I'm super excited because it's my first time going to this convention.  Apparently it is rather small, but that should be good for a budding artist like myself.  I'll have a full write up and pictures of my adventures when I get back!  For now, have some of my art.
pencil and ink!  Art and Character are mine
Markers and Ink.  Still a work in progress.
Art and Character are mine.
Digital art on plastic.  Some mistakes in this one,
 but  I've since ironed out my necklace-making process.
Art is mine.  Character is my roommate's.
Marker, ink, and scrapbook paper.
This is a badge trade I did with a girl on an art site a few months ago..
Art is mine.  Character is her's.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Battle of the Black Eyeliner: E.L.F. Eyeliner

The Epic Battle:
It's probably no surprise that I love black eyeliner.  What "alternative" girl doesn't?  So I have started on a quest to find the best black eyeliner for the price.  I want something long lasting, inexpensive, and easy to find in the local store (as much as I support independent makeup companies, I like to be able to easily pick up the basics when I run out).

The Contestant:
E.L.F. Liquid Eyeliner


The Review:
So you all know how much I like this brand’s eyeshadow, especially for the price.  So I decided I had to try the eyeliner to see how it stands up against the other black eyeliners I have reviewed in the epic battle.

Is it long lasting?
Not really.  I was rather disappointed in its wearablity.  However, I did realize, after looking on their website, that they make a regular liquid eyeliner and a waterproof liquid eyeliner.  I bought the regular one, but the waterproof one might be better.  The ironic part is that when I used my makeup remover to take it off, it smudged around my eyes and wouldn't come off.  It got all in my pores and wouldn’t come out even after I washed my face.  Finally after a shower I got it all off (I hope!)  I’ve never had eyeliner do something like this before.

How does it feel?
This is where the eyeliner really falls short.  I put it on, and while it goes on nicely, it feels sticky for a long time.  Today it rained and the humidity alone made the eyeliner sticky again.  Have you ever felt your eyelids stick to themselves when you blink?  That is how the eyeliner felt in the humidity.

How about the price and where to buy?
Well, I picked this eyeliner up at the local Target, but I’ve also seen the brand at the local outlet store, and of course online.  It was only a dollar, but I would rather spend more money on an eyeliner that doesn’t make my eyelids feel like I poured sticky candy on them.

Would you buy again?
Definitely not.  I don’t even think I want to try the waterproof eyeliner that the company makes.  I’ll just stick to their eyeshadow.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Movie Reviews for the Bad Movie Lover: Rubber

The Contestant:
Rubber (2010)


The Review:
Well, I was hanging out with a friend this past week and he wanted to watch this movie he just discovered.  All he knew about it was what he told me before we watched it: “It’s about a sentient tire that goes on a killing spree!”

OMG!  That’s a real movie?  I thought it was only a joke movie trailer someone made!
Ever since I have mentioned I saw Rubber to a few people, I have been hearing this exclamation.  I didn’t even realize there was a big to do about it until my boyfriend said he had seen the trailer on some joke website.  I can assure you it is a real movie, or at least real enough to be an hour and a half long and have an IMDb entry.  And here is the official movie site.  There is the trailer for the film on that website.

How is the overall quality?
Honestly, I was surprised.  When my friend told me the basic description, I thought for sure that the movie was going to be terrible B-movie quality.  It wasn’t at all.  The movie is extremely good quality for not being a mainstream movie.  It has the feel of an independent art film rather than a B-horror movie.  It actually might be an art film, but I’m not sure.  The concept behind the movie is interesting, once you figure out what is going on.  There is a lot more to this movie than the description my friend gave me, although I found it to be a bit confusing when I tried to pin down exactly what the deeper concepts were.  I think that might have been the point though.  If you’ve seen this movie, tell me what you think!

How are the plot and the characters?
Meet Robert.  Yes, the tire has a name!
It's in the credits and everything!
Well the basic plot, the sentient tire on a killing spree, is silly and pointless, but rather good for laughs.  There is a lot more to this movie though, as I said above.  I’m not sure what to make of the juxtaposition of the killer tire and the deeper plot though.  The whole movie caught me off guard, especially because I was expecting a bad “horror” movie.  Most of the characters are flat and rather unlikable, but a few of them are interesting for really no reason at all.  They are funny in an intentionally non-intentional way, or at least I think so.  I know this review seems a bit uncertain, and that probably comes from my uncertainty about the movie.  I’m really not sure what to make of it.  I want to pull in a deeper plot, which would make the characters more interesting, but I don’t know if there is one.

Is it so bad it’s good?
I don’t know if I would classify Rubber as a bad movie to begin with actually.  It feels like an art film, maybe one of those movies you would see on the independent movie chanel.  So because of that, I don’t really think it really fits into the category.  It’s certainly not a piece of high quality cinema though.  It isn’t too bad either, so if you have an hour and a half to spare to watch a tire roll around and kill people, I think it is worth the time.  I honestly enjoyed it, some for the ridiculousness of it, and some for the concept behind it.

So would you watch it again?
Probably not.  It’s worth the watch once, with a group of friends to make fun of some aspects of it, but certainly not multiple times!  Although I think my friends really liked it and want to watch it again to better understand the “deep meaning,”  but I don’t think it needs another watch.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Drinks for the Drinking Nonthusiast: Hornsby's Hard Cider and "Beertickers" Mini Review

The Contestant:
Hornsby's Hard Cider: Amber Draft


The Review:
This is the "beer" that I wrongly bought for my roommate a few weeks ago.  All I knew was Hornsby's, and I didn't know they made two kinds of hard cider.  Apparently she only likes the other kind!  Oh well, I like this kind better, so more for me!

What are you're initial thoughts?
Compared to the other kind of cider made by Hornsby's (Crisp Apple), the Amber Draft is a whole lot less sweet.  Both have a strong apple juice flavor, but the Amber Draft is less intense.  It is still rather sweet though, and not something I would pick out if I didn't want something refreshingly sweet.  The apple flavor is more crisp than sugary though, which is nice.

How's the price?
Good question!  I don't really remember.  It's been a few weeks since I bought it and started writing up this review, but I know it wasn't too terribly expensive.  Although it wasn't cheap either.  I'm fairly certain it was between $8 and $10 for a six-pack at the local liquor store.

Would you ever buy this again?
Most definitely.  I really enjoyed the refreshing sweet taste for the summertime.  It makes a nice change from the more bitter beer I usually drink.  I also really appreciate the low-ish ABV (alcohol by volume) as compared to most hard liquors that could be made into other sweet summertime drinks.  I don't aim to get drunk when I buy alcohol anymore (as I might have a few years ago, in a less civilized time), so that is an added bonus to me!  As always, there are plenty of other good, bad, and mediocre beers out there for me to sample!

Things I learned:
Picking up the wrong kind of drink for my roommate is beneficial to me!  Well, only if she has decent tastes to begin with and doesn't like what I "accidentally" buy.

Bonus Documentary Mini Review!
I'm an unabashed documentary-holic.  I love putting on documentaries when I am doing crafts or chatting with my friends online because unlike a regular movie, I don't have to pay close attention to a plot or characters.  And I get the occasional fun and useless trivia!  I found this interesting documentary about these British guys who are "beertickers."  Essentially they drink a half-pint of some kind of ale that they haven't had before and they "tick" it in a book.  Some of the people interviewed had sampled over 20,000 (or even 30,000!) different kinds of local ale over the years!  They certainly are dedicated to their hobby; I don't think I could ever do something like that!  The film was interesting, especially to open my eyes to the insane number of different kinds of beer throughout the world.  I really need to do some research into local breweries!  Anyways, I thought the film was a good watch, so here are some links if you are interested in it!
Here's the documentary's website: Beertickers Documentary
Here's where I watched it: The documentary on Hulu

Also, are you guys interested in seeing full documentary reviews?  They would mostly be various documentaries on subcultures (next on my list is a film on pinball enthusiasts!), nerds hobbies, and the nature of human existence.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Things that I Love: Happy Things

I keep a collection of images and other things that just make me smile, no matter what.  On those days that I feel down, I need the smile that these bring to my face.  I don’t have many images right now, but I am always keeping my eyes out for more!  Here are a couple of my favorites:

Source: tumblr somewhere
I just love pictures of young punks being friendly and sweet to kids or elderly ladies.  The juxtaposition from what people think and the genuinely sweet personality of a lot of punks comes out in pictures like this one, and I just love it.


Click image to read larger
I think this is pretty self explanatory.  I should really look into reading this webcomic to support the artist that makes me smile.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Taking the Plunge: "Extreme" Hairstyles and Razor Shaving My Head

Look Ma!  No hair! (In all honesty,
it's actually really stubbly because I'm
awful at shaving my head!)

Ever since I decided I was going to have a mohawk someday (very early Freshman year of high school), I knew I had to razor shave the sides at least once.  I mean, if my hair was already going to be so short on the sides, what time would be better?  So both getting a mohawk and razor shaving the sides went on my list of things to do in my life.  Now fast forward to today.  Or last Sunday night rather.  I finally decided it was time to take the plunge.  Getting my mohawk, and then razor shaving the sides weren't simple decisions for me, so I want to talk about the thoughts and emotions that surround "taking the plunge" on extreme hairstyles.

Bold Hair and the Long-Term Commitment:
The first time I tried to put my hair up.
I still didn't want to take the plunge.
This is January 2009
Deciding to chop off all of your long hair (coming from where I was when I first got my mohawk), is no easy decision.  Although hair does grow back, making an extreme haircut an easier and more reversible way of expressing your “alternative” style than tattoos or piercings, it is still a commitment.  If you decide to shave your head into a mohawk, and you don’t like it, you have to live with the short hair until you hair grows back.  I’m very fortunate in that aspect.  My hair grows extremely fast (I bleached it out at the beginning of June and I have over an inch of my roots now).  Some people however, don’t have hair that grows so fast.  Even if your hair grows fast, you will still have years of shorter hair before you will have your old hair back.  My hair was shoulder length when I cut it off, and after six months of not cutting my mohawk, my hair was only a cute pixie cut length.  If I wanted my long hair back, I would have to be patient for years and years.  I did discover though, that I look adorable in a pixie cut, so if I had to cut off my mohawk again, a pixie cut would still be a cute short alternative.

Bold Hair and Reactions from "Normal" People:
I've heard horror stories about how people react to extreme hairstyles, but honestly, I have never really gotten any horribly negative reactions (at least to my face!).  My friends are a very joking kind of group, so they made fun of me, but I know them well and know that they were only joking around with me.  They are altogether very accepting, so suddenly having a mohawk didn't faze them at all.  (I think they may have expected it from me in the first place!)  My classmates and teachers all thought it was totally awesome, so I got lucky there as well.  I've never been obnoxious about my hair in class though, and I always try be respectful by sitting either on the sides of the room or in the back so I don't block other students' views.  What about people on the street, you might ask?  Most of the time they don't say anything.  Occasionally someone says they love it but would never be able to do it themselves, it's interesting, or that I am very brave for having it.  Sometimes people ask to touch my hair, which I generally allow, even if it is a bit weird to me.  I mean, it's just hair with a bunch of hairspray in it, but if I make their day more interesting, that's cool to me too.  I get asked a lot how long it took to put up; to which I surprise them and say 15 to 20 minutes depending on how long my mohawk is at the time.  I think I spend less time on my hair than a normal girl with long hair!  Most of the people that ask me questions or comment on my hair are elderly ladies, college-age "alternative"-looking guys, or African American women.  Little kids are the cutest because they stop and stare or point me out to their parents (who try to hush them up quickly)!  Once I had a little girl point me out to her father, who then told me he loved my hair and asked his daughter if she wanted to have hair like mine someday.  She nodded and he said something along the lines of "good girl!"  However there are some annoying people out there.  The most annoying/rude people are the ones who try to take stealth pictures of my hair.  I mean, if they would just ask, I would allow them with no problem, but they don't even say anything to me.  It's obvious they are taking a picture on their phones, so I don't understand why they don't just ask!  I haven't confronted any of these stealth photographers about it yet, but I might if it starts offending me enough. Do any of you have any experience with these kinds of people?

Bold Hair and Inner Emotions:
My mohawk right after I first got it.  My mom thought it was
so cool, haha!   This is February 2009, about a month after
I first tried to put my hair up!
Emotionally, deciding on a big change like this is a draining experience.  You have all of the long term commitment things to thing about, you’re worried about how you will look, and how people will react, among other things.  But when you actually make the final decision and either go somewhere to have you hair cut, or do it yourself, the adrenaline kicks in and it becoming the most exhilarating experience ever.  When I first cut off my hair, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of me, and I was a new person.  I was still scared about how people would react, but I knew I could handle it.  I’ve always been a shy person, but chopping off my long locks that I used to hide behind forced me to come out of my shell in a way I never could have expected.  Not only could I not hide behind my hair anymore, both literally and figuratively, I just didn’t want to.  I strove to be more outgoing in all aspects; I knew I had to be a lot more outgoing if I wanted people to look past the extreme hair and see me.  I cut my mohawk off once and let my hair grow out a bit, but even the short hair (especially when I dyed it brown for a church trip that I had to look normal for) made me close back up and feel more shy than ever before.  I'm not going to say that I don't ever miss my long hair, because I do all the time, especially after going through all my old photos to find these pictures, but I wouldn't give up my mohawk for anything.  Cutting off my long hair was possibly the best decision I have ever made for me personally.  At the time I got my mohawk, I needed the big change to distance myself from the emotional situation I was in and who I once was, but now I love it for reminding me everyday to be a strong and outgoing person.  As I am always careful to say though, making a decision like this isn't for everyone, and I strongly encourage people to think about it carefully before taking the plunge!  But if you do decide to, I love to hear the stories and see the pictures!

Bonus Picture!
Some people have been asking me what my "natural" hair looks like.  Honestly, before I started coloring it with bright colors, I was putting blonde highlights in it all throughout high school, but this picture is about as close as it gets!  This is in my second year of college, when I didn't get highlights put in, so the light streaks are mostly from the sun.  Hooray for embarrassing awkward photos!
Yay Renn Faires!  This is sometime in mid 2008.
(Good gawd, don't look at my eyebrows!)


Thursday, July 14, 2011

Makeup for the Lazy Girl or Guy: E.L.F. 100 Piece Eyeshadow Palate (mini review) and Playing with Makeup

The Contestant and Mini Review:
E.L.F 100 Piece Eyeshadow Palette
So I recently purchased the E.L.F. 100 color eyeshadow palette after falling in love with their $1 eyeshadow I reviewed over here.  The feel of the eyeshadow in this palette is exactly like the $1 eyeshadow I bought from them, so if you are interested in that, check out the full review!  I've been watching a lot of eyeshadow tutorials in the past week and so tonight, after spending a lazy day making crafts, I decided to play with my new palette.  I'm pretty happy with it, although I wish it had more bright colors (most are toned down colors or browns and tans), but all in all it was worth the $10.  I have a lot to chose from for future playing around in any case.  The palette includes a small mirror (in the lid), and two cheap makeup sponge-thingies.  I really hate my makeup brushes though, so I ended up using the sponges.

Play Time!
I used my awesome new palette to play around a bit this evening.  I'm not very creative, especially when it comes to makeup (read: same black wingtip eyeliner every day), so I chose a basic watery color scheme and just messed around.  I used what I thought was a bright greenish tone all over the lid (I'm a bit colorblind, so it might not have been!), and then used a bright teal along the crease and up along the wingtip portion of the eyeliner.  I blended this towards my brows.  Then I took the boldest blue and smudged it into the very outer edges of the crease.  A small bit of a light pinkish white was smudged on my inner eye to help make everything pop!

It's a bit bolder and larger than my usual everyday makeup, but I could see myself doing something like it again!  I also had some light pink lipstick that I picked up at the same time as the palette that I tried on earlier today for an endurance test.  I don't think it fits the eye makeup, but whatever!
I'm so snazzy, taking bathroom mirror shots!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Makeup for the Lazy Girl or Guy: China Glaze Crackle Nail Polish

The Contestant:
China Glaze Crackle Glaze nail polish in Black Mesh
The Review:
I've been seeing this nail polish floating around on various blogs and on people's nails in real life, so I've been extremely interested to try it out myself.  The crackle effect looks so crazy awesome, and comes in black, which makes me very happy!  I went to the beauty supply store today to pick up some new top coat, and they had this nail polish on sale, so I couldn't help myself.  I just had to see if it is as awesome at it appears!

Is it long lasting?
I always use a top coat over my nail polish, so I have no idea.  But my top coat certainly is!  If you use this nail polish without a top coat, I am interested to see how well it stands up to the elements!

How does it look and feel?
Totally lava!  
The first downside I've noticed with this nail polish is before I even apply it.  I have to wait for the colored base nail polish to dry completely before I can apply the crackle nail polish!  And if there is one thing I hate about nail polish, it's the waiting!  I'm just so impatient, but since I am typing this up as I am waiting for my base color to dry, I will just have to wait to see if the crackle effect is worth the wait. *wait wait wait*  The crackle nail polish dries extremely fast, and the crackle effect occurs as it dries, so the effect is almost immediate. I put on a thick coat, and the crackle effect turned out pretty large, although apparently a thinner coat will create a more delicate crackle.  The crackle nail polish dries thick also, so it bumps up from the colored base, but I don't mind that so much.  I had to buy a thinner top coat, so the bumps are visible, but with a thicker top coat you might not be able to see these.

How are the price and where to buy?
Well, I spent about $6 on it, but Sally Beauty Supply was having a sale so it might be a bit more usually.  I don't know if you can get China Glaze brand at any store, but a beauty supply store should have it because I think the brand is popular with nail salons.  

Would you buy again?
Yes!  I definitely want the teal-y color to pair with bright pink!  Other than that, I'm not to sure about the colors that they have out right now, but the effect is certainly awesome!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Movie Reviews for the Bad Movie Lover: Flash Gordon

The Contestant:
Flash Gordon (1980)

The Review:
My roommate first showed me this movie, and it's certainly something else.  Apparently quite a few of my friends have seen it, but I didn't know it even existed for the longest time.

How is the overall quality?
All that shiny?  That's all individual beads!
Well it was made in the early 80's, so I cut it some slack as far as video quality and special effects.  Although even for the time, I think they are pretty decent.  One thing that stands out to me in this movie are the costumes.  I wish I could own just one of those costumes.  While they are rather outlandish, as to be expected from a science fiction movie, they are incredibly detailed.  Take a look at the picture to the right.  Not a spoiler since he is on the cover, but just look at his details around his collar.  All of the costumes are like this.  I think the entire budget of this movie was spent on the costumes (and sets!).  The music also heavily plays into how awesome this movie is.  If you haven't already seen this movie, or aren't a huge Queen fan, you might not know this, but Queen does all of the music for the movie.  That's right.  Queen.  It's pretty fantastic.

How are the plot and characters?
The plot starts off a bit slow, but it really picks up towards the middle and end, so if you can get past the boring parts, its pretty entertaining.  We (my roommates and I) usually spend the first half making jokes about the movie, or coming up with our own lines for the characters to say, but we have also seen the movie a bunch of times.  The characters themselves are amazing, even if just for the hilarity.  They're over-the-top and stereotypical, but I think this is what makes them so fun to watch.  There are a couple of scenes that I think make the whole movie, but I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say which ones.  They just stand out as far as how ridiculous they are.  There is action and romance and intrigue, but all are so poorly done that everything comes across as comical.  I definitely watch this movie for a laugh.

Is it so bad its good?
Indeed it is!  The plot and characters are awful, awfully hilarious that is.  The music is fantastic, and the costumes make me want to try to make one of their costumes for myself.  It's best when watched with a bunch of snarky friends so you can make fun of the ridiculous love triangle and pretty much any time Flash is on screen.

So would you watch it again?
Very much so.  My roommate owns it on dvd, so I don't think I could escape seeing it again if I wanted to.  If you haven't seen it, it is definitely worth the watch.

Friday, July 8, 2011

On the Subject of the Blog: Update Days and Hello

I've decided that I really only can update this thing once or twice a week.  I simply can't drink that much, buy that much make up, or watch that many movies in a week to be able to update everyday!  Sorry for the disappearance all week, but I'll be back tomorrow!  I'll try to keep my updates to weekends, but additional updates might happen.

Also a great big hello to everyone who reads my blog from the link I put on my Facebook! (I had forgotten I did that until someone said they read it from the link, oops!)  It would make me smile to know my friends in real life actually read this stuff, so let me know!

Until tomorrow,
The Unsophisticated Dragon

Monday, July 4, 2011

Makeup for the Lazy Girl or Guy: Pinnacle Glacier Nail Polish Top Coat

The Contestant:
Pinnacle Glacier Quick Dry Polish Top Coat
Picture from their website
The Review:
The only reason I have this top coat is because my step-mom gave it to me when I moved out a few years ago.  I've never been one to keep my nails painted all nicely or do a proper job of it when I did paint them.  Recently however, I have been keeping my nails painted fun colors and patterns, so this top coat has gotten a lot of use.  I had never heard of it, or seen it anywhere, so I did some research and I think it is a time for a review of it!

Is it long lasting?
Very much so!  It goes on extremely thick, and dries that way, but it doesn't chip at all.  I usually repaint my nails once a week, depending on how feisty I feel, and this top coat holds through that week and longer.  Without a top coat of some sort, my nail polish usually has chips in it by the next day.  I will admit, I don't really have anything to compare this top coat to other than nails without a top coat, so it might not be the longest lasting top coat around, but I like it.  

How does it look and feel?
It goes on incredibly thick, like I said above, but this thickness sometimes makes it difficult to apply.  It has a tendency to create little strings from the bottle to the brush (kind of like the strings that sometimes happen when hot gluing), but these are easily brushed away.  Usually the strings don't affect with the appearance of the top coat once it dries.  It dries quickly and will dry the colored nail polish underneath too if you have a problem with nail polish never seeming to dry completely!   However, if you have a pattern on your nails in different colored nail polishes (like polka dots or strips for example), I've noticed that this top coat sometimes makes the nail polish streak when you brush over it with the top coat brush.  That might be because the nail polish was still wet when I applied the top coat though.  Once dry, the top coat still looks thick, but I like that because it makes my long nails feel stronger with the extra thickness.  It dries nice and shiny, giving even my matte nail polishes a high glossy finish. 

How about the price and where to buy?
This is where the top coat gets a bit iffy.  When I first found it online in my research, the website wanted $14 for a .5 oz bottle.  However, I've found the same size bottle of it on Amazon for $5, so it can be bought for a more reasonable price.  I have yet to find it in any easily accessible store, but you might be able to find it at a beauty supply store, or in an actual nail salon that sells home manicure supplies.  I might order more online though, but that goes against my makeup/ nail polish impulse buying!

Would you buy again?
I would really like to buy this top coat again, but because I have only been able to find it online, I probably won't.  I'll probably go into the local beauty supply store and ask if they have anything like it though.  But if you find it, or don't have any qualms about buying nail polish online, I think it is worth the try! 

Saturday, July 2, 2011

On the Subject of my Crazy Life: Playing with Lolita Fashion

I've never proclaimed to be a legitimate Lolita (or "loli" as I like to call it!), but I have been getting interested in the fashion.  Well, at least the darker and more punk side.  I don't think I will ever want to dress up in pastels.  For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, there are a bunch of awesome loli blogs, but in some freaky happenstance, the Wikipedia article on Lolita fashion is actually pretty good.  Anyway, I was invited to a loli meetup hosted by the lovely Raegan over at Her Curious Elegance.  I was a bit disappointed because my big poofy petticoat didn't come in the mail in time for me to wear it to the meetup, but Raegan let me borrow her emergency petticoat, so everything turned out alright in the end.  Unfortunately, the only full body pictures of my outfit are group shots, but hopefully I'll be able to go out in loli again soon!
frighteningly happy!
What in the world do you have on?
Let's see, I bought the pink and black wig from Minty Mix, a well known lolita wig maker.  It's surprisingly comfortable to wear, although I don't wear it with the head-constricting wig cap because I have such short hair.  That wig cap was incredibly tight and uncomfortable.  But the wig itself if wonderful!  The hat is a present from my dad, and I added the pink bow that you can't really see on the side.  The shirt was a gift from my step-mom because she got to go to the Smashing Pumpkins concert when I couldn't (although I heard the concert was mostly of their new stuff, so I didn't feel as bad!).  The bright pink skirt was made by my roommate, who is the most amazing person.  She stayed up all night just to finish my skirt for the meetup!
This is the best full body picture I got!
Apparently my butt won an award?
The shoes are a pair of Doc Martins I found at the thrift store (best find ever!), and the socks are just black knee highs.  Apparently showing your legs is bad form in lolita fashion, but because we all live in hot, humid Florida, that "rule" is broken a lot.  I was definitely more casual than some of the other lolitas at the meetup, but as a person who is so new to it, I think it made me more comfortable.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Drinks for the Drinking Nonthusiast: Victory's Moonglow Weizenbock

The Contestant:
Victory Moonglow Weizenbock
Source: their website
The Review:
What are your initial thoughts?
Well I bought this beer wanting something different from my usual, but still wanting a wheat beer.  The pretty colors on the label caught my attention this time.  I'm not so sure about the flavor though.  Unlike the other wheat beers I have tried, this one has the "flavors of harvest fruit" (says their website).  Which I determined  actually means blueberry.  That was a bit of a surprise, when I was definitely not expecting that flavor.  I'm not a huge fan of blueberry, so I might pawn this beer off on my boyfriend, and drink the beer that I incorrectly bought for my one roommate (Right company, wrong type! but more on that later).  Other than the blueberry flavor, which isn't incredibly strong or sweet, this beer is pretty decent.  Although on a funny side note, when doing a bit of research on this beer, I discovered that it is only supposed to be available September through October.  Last time I checked it was July (or June when I actually bought this), so this particular six-pack has to be almost a year old.  I'm not a huge beer nut, but I always thought that young beer is better beer (or so my dad has me to believe), but I also don't know what makes older beer worse.  Maybe I should research, or just ask my dad!

How's the price?
I paid around $10 for a six-pack at the local liquor store.  That is definitely more than I would like to pay for my beer, but I really wanted to try this out.  I don't think it's worth the price. but apparently it is imported from Germany, so I guess that is what makes it more expensive than something of a more local origin.

So would you buy this again?
Very doubtfully.  I'm really disappointed with my purchase this time.  That might be mainly because of the blueberry flavor, but I'm not sure.  If you already like blueberry beers, this might be something for you to try, but it's certainly not going to be something I want again.

Things I learned:
1. I think wiezenbock means wheat beer.  I notice it a lot on the labels of the wheat beers I already drink, and this made it a bit more obvious to me.
2. Labels and descriptions on beer when I go look at them at the store are really poorly written.  "Floral" and "fruity" are not specific terms and do nothing to help a description!  Oh well, I am learning to interpret these ambiguous descriptions.