Krispy Kreme Ghostbusters Donuts

For the first time since January, I was off from work this past Saturday and couldn't have been more excited for the big day.  Knowing that it was the last Saturday before Halloween, my girlfriend and I wanted to treat it as such in celebration of the amazing season we've had in 2014.  The plan was to hop on the train, make the quick commute to NYC, grab a few Ghostbusters donuts from Krispy Kreme, eat at Jekyll and Hyde's in Times Square, drink at Times Scare afterwards, and enjoy a Haunted House followed by some Scaryoke.  It was quite the endeavor and, thankfully, I can say we pulled it all off without a hitch and it better than a few Halloweens I've had in the past.  It was too much fun to convey in words, but it wouldn't have been half of what it was without our very first stop at NY Penn Station!

Make Your Own Ecto-Cooler II

Boys and ghouls, pull out your Proton Packs because today is National Ghostbusters Day!  Yep, believe it or not, 2014 marks Ghostbusters' 30th Anniversary and I'm here to celebrate with one of my favorite drinks of all-time... Ecto-Cooler!!  If you're a fan of The Holidaze, you may remember when I first concocted my own version of Hi-C Ecto-Cooler using the Ghosbusters Chicago recipe.  It was difficult finding all the necessary ingredients, but worked out wonderfully and got me through the dark times of Hurricane Sandy.  Ecto-Cooler, known for creating so many childhood memories, provided me with another in adulthood as my family and I sat in pitch black darkness drinking the batch of Ecto-Cooler I had put together before Hurricane Sandy knocked our power out and left us cut-off from the outside world.  For so many reasons, it's special and means something different to each of us who remember when Slimer was prominent in our lunch boxes.

Today, to honor one of my favorite films or all-time and it's 30th Anniversary, I wanted to do something that truly stood out and, in the process, would bridge the gap between Summer and Fall as the re-release of Ghostbusters will do tomorrow night in theaters.  Although I've made my own Ecto-Cooler in the past and it was featured on the official Ghostbusters Facebook page, I wanted to do it again in an easier fashion.  Plus, unlike last time, having a refrigerator keep it cold without losing energy would make for a more enjoyable week of green slime.

The key to creating Ecto-Cooler in today's day and age is finding a way of taking Orange and Tangerine flavors and mixing them to perfectly recreate the taste and flavor we all know and love.  Last time, that wasn't easy.  I had to order Tangerine Kool-Aid on Ebay and hunt down a slew of products that I could only hope would bring out the Ecto-Cooler flavor or, at least, come close to the classic.  But now, thanks to Juicy Juice Orange Tangerine, all the hard work is already done for us!  All wee need to do is pour in a little green food coloring and..boom.. Ecto-Cooler!

But before we get mixing, Juicy Juice isn't the only brand offering us Orange Tangerine flavoring.  Market Pantry, which is Target's orginal brand, now has an Orange Tangerine liquid water enhancer.  I'm a big fan of these juicy drops, from Kool-Aid to Crush flavors, and was pumped to find Orange Tangerine on the same day.  Plus, the flavor's name is colored green.  Hmm.. Coincidence?  If I were a Market Pantry executive, I'd probably go with an orange color scheme.  Unless, of course, I'm looking to invite fans of Ecto-Cooler to give my product a whirl.  Regarless of the case, they lured me in and we now have two Orange Tangerine options.  Until Hi-C wakes up and brings back Ecto-Cooler, I'll go with the competition.

 

Orange Tangerine Juicy Juice goes from an ordinary, everyday, drink to Ecto-Cooler in a mere matter of 8 drops.  Once the green food coloring is mixed...

Ahhhh... Now how's that for a beautiful green color?  If you remember my first go-around with an Ecto-Cooler recipe, the flavor was on-point but the color was disgusting.  It was more of a sewer brown than a Slimer green, but it was all we had and it did the trick.  But this time, because we have less ingredients and the Juicy Juice is more diluted, the green food coloring shines through and pops much more significantly than we had before.  It's a gorgeous color and much closer to what I remember as a kid.  You can play around with the impact by dropping more or less food coloring into the juice, but I'm happy with this shade.  It's not only perfect for a refreshing Halloween drink, but does Ghostbusters and Hi-C Ecto-Cooler justice.

Sure, on a 90 degree day, you'd think this hits the spot, but all it did was attract bees and wasps that attempted to attack me, once again, as I photographed the custom Ecto-Cooler.  If Halloween wasn't enough reason for Fall to make an early arrival, these nasty bugs leaving for 6 months surely is!  As I ran away, screaming more than any man ever should, I successfully pulled of 6 new Karate moves you've never seen before.  It was embarrassingly impressive, but I'm much more of a Ghostbuster than I am a Bugbuster. Those flying pests quickly chased my inside where I finished mixing my Ecto-Cooler.  But don't focus on my inability to handle creatures the size of my finger nails and put that attention on the gorgeous green color of this Ecto-Cooler.  That's much more important than my defeat.

I had a small hope in the back of my mind that this Orange Tangerine mix was going to be green.  That colored text had me thinking that maybe, just maybe, Market Pantry truly was attempting to make their own version of Ecto-Cooler.  I knew it was a long shot, but I can't deny that the thought was present and quickly eliminated once I snapped open the cap.  It's obviously orange and, of course, that makes sense.  Once mixed with the water, the scent was much stronger than that of Juicy Juice.  Based on aroma alone, this seemed to resemble Ecto-Cooler much more than Orange Tangerine Juicy Juice, so I was excited to drop in some food coloring and give this a taste test.

On the left, we have the dyed Juicy Juice while, on the right, we have the dyed Market Pantry Orange Tangerine.  Obviously, the liquid enhancer gives us more of that sewer color than the Juicy Juice, but the flavor is much stronger.  Believe it or not, the Market Pantry enhancer is the closest thing I've had to Ecto-Cooler since I first put together the Ghostbusters Chicago recipe.  What's cool about the water enhancer is that you control how much, or how little, you actually want in your bottle.  I added a lot and I think that makes a big difference.  On one hand, you're losing that bright green color but, on the other, you're adding more flavor.  If you remember Ecto-Cooler, it was tasty, it was sugary, and it was delicious.  While Juicy Juice looks great and is certainly verrrrry close to the original, Market Pantry Orange Tangerine comes even closer.  But, the best news?  Regardless of which one you choose, you're getting Ecto-Cooler.  There's no doubt in my mind that slimy green memories will instantly start flooding back!

It's been 30 years since Ghostbusters first graced the big screen!  In 1984, I wasn't even born yet, but my Parents exposed me to the animated series where Slimer really blew up in popularity.  From there, they let me watch the movie and I remember being terrified by Gozer.  I was probably between 4-5 years-old and I don't think I slept for days.  But, as I grew older, I came to appreciate the film, the series, and the characters.  Today, they're a huge part of my nostalgic life and I love going back to relive and enjoy the franchise in as many was as possible.  Whether it's through cinema, animation, video games, merchandise, or drinks like Ecto-Cooler, I love the fact that Ghostbusters is still alive and well in the minds and hearts of those who lived through the time and those who are living it for the first time!

If you want to make your own Ecto-Cooler, these are the easiest ways of pulling off the recipe and enjoying the legendary Hi-C drink.  If you're anything like me, you'll be pouring this into a bottle and sneaking it into theaters to watch the first Ghostbusters film as it flies back into theaters for a limited-time only.  Enjoy!

Who ya gonna call?

Limeade Oreo Cookies

Man, it's been quite a while since I last posted on The Holidaze.  I hate typing that sentence, because I feel like I've done it too often, but life always finds a way to distract me from the site.  Don't get me wrong, that's not necessarily a bad thing.  Although work has kept me busy, I also spent a beautiful week in sunny Las Vegas which provided me with at least one future entry.  While I may not have written on The Holidaze in over a month, I'm always looking for new things, products, and events to cover.  I just can't help myself.  This stuff makes me happy and even if I didn't have this small outlet to share my thoughts with all of you, I'd still be talking to myself about how great Halloween candy is.

My buddies at Nabisco are at it again and, yes, they're still out of their minds.  Say what you want - I've read the complaints - but I will never ever knock Nabisco for releasing these crazy, out-of-the-box, Oreo flavors.  As I've said before, there are many of you out there who can't stand the fact that these Oreo flavors exist, but I'm not one of them.  Whenever I review one of these new limited editions, I always thank Nabisco for ignoring the haters and continuing to impress me by going the extra mile.  When I judge a company, especially one that releases junk food, that's always one of my top criteria to go by.  By stocking shelves with Fruit Punch or Gingerbread Oreo cookies, Nabisco is only giving it's consumers more variety to choose from.  Some may love it, some may hate it, but why would anybody tell them to stop?  Nabisco has gone too far?  Oh no.. Nabisco has only just begun.  This time?

Limeade Oreo Cookies!!

When I first saw Limeade Oreos, the first thing that caught my eye was the bright, neon green color that popped off of the yellow packaging.  I don't know about you, but looking at that ice cold glass of Limeade makes me pretty damn thirsty.  I don't know why I'd think that an Oreo cookie would quench that thirst, but I have to assume it's thanks to Nabisco's genius marketing team.  When it comes to graphic and package design, they definitely do one hell of a job.

As for the cookies themselves, the green creme doesn't pop quite as much as the glass on the bag, but they're less pastel than I thought they'd be.  They're a beautiful color and given that green is my favorite color, I knew they were going to look pretty.  The fact that they remind me of Mutagen, Slimer and Ecto-Cooler is a great bonus.  Basically, regardless of their taste, I was going to be a fan of these Limeade Oreo cookies no matter what.  Based on appearance alone, they had already won my heart.

If you're familiar with similar limited edition Oreos, or if you've read any of my reviews, you already know that the creme center is a different texture that the traditional variety.  It's much creamier and less like frosting.  I think, in the case of these flavors, that's the way to go.  I believe that by reserving that frosty creme center for the chocolate and golden Oreo cookies, Nabisco separates their limited edition flavors from what we all know and love.  I take these varieties for what they are and don't attempt to compare them to anything else.  Each and every edition stands alone as an individual cookie and, unlike the classics, don't bring back any nostalgic memories.  However, with every release, these limited edition flavors do their best to create new memories and attach themselves to the seasons in which they were released.  Personally, that's my favorite part.  Candy Corn Oreos have become a new Halloween tradition and, now, Limeade Oreo cookies may very well become one for the Summer.

So, how do they taste?  Well they're not too far from the Fruit Punch Oreo cookies, but not quite as delicious.  However, with that said, these are absolutely incredible in their own right.  Limeade Oreos find the perfect line between sweet and sour.  Much like actual Limeade, there are multiple layers to the cookies' flavor and I was surprised by that.  To be honest, I didn't expect much more than a re-dyed Lemon Twist Oreo cookie in an attempt to quickly cash in on schmucks like me.  But I was happy to discover that these are completely original and insanely good.  I'd offer you one, but this bag is long gone by now.

I absolutely recommend these Limeade Oreo cookies to any of you who actually enjoy these limited edition Oreos.  I know there are many of you who want to see the madness come to an end, but I ask all of you to go out and pick up a bag.  One, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and, two, Nabisco will make a lot of money and keep these crazy flavors coming for me to review.  In the end, it's a win-win.  For now, here's lime-shaped creme to make you smile :)

P.S. I'll be doing my best to keep The Holidaze updated as much as possible as we enter the latter half of Summer and prepare for.. dun dun DUN... September! Bwahaha!

Jenkinson's Boardwalk - Pt. Pleasant, NJ - Part 2

As promised, I am back with part two of my Jenkinson's Boardwalk in Pt. Pleasant, NJ trip report!  When I last left off, we were discussing the crazy amounts of fun you can have in the Fun House, especially when you're a bit inebriated and want to act like a child.  Let's face it, that's what this site celebrates.  For as much as it's about the different seasons and holidays that accompany them, it's also about embracing your childhood and enjoying the little things.  There's plenty of time for stress and responsibility throughout this life, so when you find the time to let loose and be whoever you want to be, take the opportunity and treasure it.

Now, let's get into part two!

As we exited the Fun House, the clouds were still rolling in and the sky was becoming darker.  The scent of rain and salt water was growing strong and we knew we were minutes away from a downpour.  So, we looked around and decided to take cover in one of the arcades.  We were going to wind up there anyway, especially because I wanted to hunt down Slimer, so we entered the first one we saw and beat the crowd before it got nasty.

How many times will you see me shooting baskets on Pop-A-Shot, this Summer?  Every single time I see one, somewhere.  So far, I've found one at Monster Mini Golf, Seaside, and Pt. Pleasant.  It's a guarantee that I'll spend money on these games whenever they catch my eye.  Unfortunately, this machine was a bit busted and the balls had too much air.  Every time we hit the rim, the ball bounced right back at us in a fit or rage.  We'd have one ball coming at our head, another bouncing toward the glass, and the last falling to the ground.  It became a disaster and, really, there was no way I was breaking any high scores in Pt. Pleasant.  I tried, but I failed.  We'll see what the next machine holds for me.  We have another adventure planned for today (one that is similar to a previous trip) and I know they have Pop-A-Shot, so I'll be sure to take some shots.  You, of course, will surely get tired of seeing us in the same exact pose.

Have you ever tried playing Skee Ball while taking pictures at the same time?  Up until Monday, neither have I.  But I gave I attempted to do so in order to get a cool photo of the ball going into the "100" slot.  Not only did I not get it in hole, I barely got any good pictures at all.  Then, after I got the high score and tried to pose like an idiot, the score flashed away and I wound up pointing at nothing.  So, needless to say, Skee Ball was not much of a success.  As my girlfriend said, "It's a fail."  Yep.

 The next competition was Cliff vs Eileen in a game of Air Hockey.  This is always fun and I started off strong.  I went up 5-0 early and was looking to shut her out completely.  But, little by little, she worked her way back into the game and my undefeated streak was in jeopardy.  Luckily, I was able to hold her off and end the game, but she's getting better!  I blame her comeback on the fact that I was, once again, taking pictures as we played, but I'll give her credit.  I'm looking forward to a rematch because she may just take the Championship.  But then again, she has me, so she's already the winner ;)

We looked everywhere for the stuffed Slimer that we found in Seaside, but he was nowhere to be found.  I'm sure I could Google it and order it online, but that's not the same.  There's something special about walking into an arcade, finding one of your favorite characters trapped inside a glass prison, and doing your best to wrap a crane around his body to assist in their escape!  That's what I was hoping to do for Slimer, but he's gone missing.  All I could find were these giant donuts and Monsters University characters.  I didn't have any interest in saving them, but those donuts did look cool.  Besides the fact that they look like they're from The Simpsons, I thought about trying to win one for our dog, Rocky, but I knew he'd just rip the stuffing out and there'd be a mess.  Better off without it.

Ahhh! Slimer!!  It's not the stuffed version, but there he is!  I got so pumped when I saw him, but knew he was unattainable.  This particular Slimer wasn't a crane game prize, but rather a ticket-based prize.  You know the idea; win and tally as many tickets as possible, turn them in to redeem points, and collect your prize once you have enough to do so.  The problem is, these prizes require wayyy too many points and you'd be better off just spending your money to purchase them in stores.  Try telling that to a little kid, though.  When they're spending hours inside an arcade, all they want is what they see, not what you claim you'll buy for them later.

I remember, when I was a kid, my family was spending the week down in Pt. Pleasant.  It was my Mother, Father, Aunt, two cousins, and I sharing the house.  At the time, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers was at the peak of its popularity and I was one of the crazy fanatics that never missed an episode.  I used to draw the Power Rangers, collect the toys, play the video games, and pretend I was one.  I even dressed up as the Red Ranger for Halloween after my parents looked everywhere for the crappy costume.  My favorite, in this year, was the Green Ranger and my eye was drawn to a prize up on the top shelf.  It was the Green Ranger's "Dragon Dagger!."

I wanted this damn toy so bad!  I knew it was available in stores, I knew it wasn't THAT hard to find, but I didn't care; I had to have it.  Looking back, I was just being a spoiled brat, but my entire family played every game they could just to win enough tickets to pull this box down from the top shelf.  In the end, I couldn't tell you if they were just using it as an excuse to play more great games, or if my Dad just paid them more than it's worth to speed up the process, but I DID get my Green Ranger "Dragon Dagger."  

But, of course, the thrill of the chase was more fun than actually attaining my goal.  From what I remember, the dagger didn't play the actual sounds from the show and, after a few hours, I was tired of pretending like I had any real ninja talent or weaponry skill.  I should have just kept the box sealed because, today, this goes for $300-$400!  That's probably what my family wound up paying, anyway, but it's a story that just goes to show what type of affect these arcades can have on you.  You get caught up in the excitement and play for things you don't even really want.  Regardless, I'll never forget it and I appreciate my family for doing it.  It was worth the memory.

The Candy Stands are our favorite to play because you can win something that you'll actually use.  Sure, we don't necessarily need a box of Blow Pops, but who says now when you can potentially win it for 50 cents?  There are a few other stands where you can win electronics, but the chances are slim and, if I'm going to start wasting dollars, I'd rather drive to Atlantic City and gamble it away at the Big Money Wheel.  

When Eileen and I first started dating 9 years ago, I was 16-years-old and she was 15.  Years prior, I had been addicted to a candy called "Crazy Hair."  It was like a push-pop that forced nothing but pure sugar through tiny pores to symbolize colored hair.  I remember telling her about it, but thought it was discontinued.  Then, we were dropped off in Seaside by her Aunt, and we found it at one of the candy stands!  I couldn't believe it!  We probably spent a good $20 trying to win that box and it wasn't until we said "okay, last try" that we finally won it.  I probably broke out for weeks, but it was worth it!  Just another throwback that represents the memories and emotions connected with the Jersey Shore and what the boardwalk means to me.  Even a candy stand can mean more than what they make in a Summer.

 We walked down to check out the rides, but the lightning was striking so often that they shut everything down.  It made for a few fancy photos, but it's unfortunate that we didn't get to ride the Himalaya or Tilt-A-Whirl.  Those are my favorites.  But it's nice to see that the rides weren't affected by Hurricane Sandy.  Unlike Seaside, the rides at Pt. Pleasant aren't on the pier and are placed far off the beach.  Still, I'm surprised there wasn't more damage done by the heavy winds and rain.  The storm was bad, and much more than flooding, so I'm very glad to know that the rides are up and running!

Soon, the Sun had reappeared, but the rain had done its damage.  The beaches, for the most part, began to clear and evening was upon us.  We weren't looking to stay too much later or into the night, so we had time for just a few more activities before heading for the exits.

 Always end your trip to Pt. Pleasant with Ice Cream!  If you're a traditionalist, you've gotta go to Kohr's and try one of their famous twists or, if you're thirsty, go with the Orangeade.  Oh man, that's so good!  I wish I had one, right now!

Eileen decided to stick with Kohr's and go classic with the vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles.  Besides Mint Chocolate Chip, that's definitely her favorite.  I like it, but I'm more fond of the harder ice cream so I chose a different path and went with Dippin' Dots.  It's always a Jersey Shore stop for me and I always have a hard time deciding which flavor to choose.  My favorites used to be "Root Beer Float" and "Snickers," but they haven't had those in years.  "Banana Split" is also classic, but easy to find.  So I had to pick something new!

"Twix Dippin' Dots" for the win!  This was great!!  I'll admit, it's not my new favorite, but it's very good and I'll definitely be purchasing it again.  It's chocolate Dippin' Dots with little chunks of Twix' candy.  It's an obvious creation, but this is the first time I've seen it.

It still can't compete with "Root Beer Float."  That was the best!  It was vanilla dots mixed with root beer dots.  I guess they took root beer soda and froze them into dots because, as they melted, they returned to their liquid state.  Now you had vanilla Dippin' Dots mixed into actual soda.  It was amazing!  Bring it back, Double D!

So, after 3 alcoholic beverages, cheese fries, 2 zeppoles each, a walk through the Fun House, competitions in the Arcade, traveling the boardwalk, ice cream, and walking back through the parking lot, our trip to Jenkinson's in Pt. Pleasant, NJ came to an end.

This was one of the better times we've had at Pt. Pleasant and, in reality, we didn't do half of what is offered.  Jenkinson's has an aquarium, a variety of shore shops, and rides that are fun for the whole family and people of any age.  There's plenty of fun to be had in Pt. Pleasant, including a fireworks show after the sun sets.  Not to mention the concerts and events they have planned throughout the Summer.  There's always something going on, but they can't compare to the day we shared together.

To finish our night, we stopped at Walgreens on the way home and saw these beauties in the refreshment aisle.  We were looking to grab something quick, maybe a bottle of Pepsi or cans of coke, but how do you turn down vintage bottles of Coca-Cola?  I couldn't!  Even though they're more expensive and harder to open, the classic look and feel of both the box and bottles are worth every extra bit of hassle.  Just look at how much the picture pops because of the colors and style!

I had to Google why it says "Hecho En Mexico."  I knew that it translated to "Made In Mexico," but I didn't understand the significance on the label.  Apparently, these bottles of Coke were truly imported from Mexico and have a different flavor than those made in America.  I thought there was a difference in taste, but I blamed it on my own mind games due to the awesome bottle.  But it's true!  Coke imported from Mexico is made with Cane Sugar rather than High Fructose Corn Syrup.  I'm telling you that like I know what I'm talking about and capitalizing everything to emphasize my knowledge.  The truth is, I have no idea what makes them different, but I love the packaging and that's all that matters.

The funny part is that the employees at Walgreens, including the manager, had no idea these bottles were even in stock.  They asked me where I found them and agreed that they were cool.  I believe the word "classic" was used just as many times by them as it was in this entry.  The manager even agreed that "they taste much better."  He must be up to date on the whole cane sugar corn syrup confusion.  Good for him.  Now he just needs to know what items he has in stock!

 

To conclude this two-part trip report, here's a giant Budweiser from me to you!