The Return of Fruity Yummy Mummy

And here. We. Go... If you're reading this, there's no way you could have missed the re-design of The Holidaze.  I like to call it my Halloween costume because, yes, on August 26th, 2013, The Holidaze is all decked out for the Halloween season.  I was going to wait.  I told myself over and over again that it's too early.  Last year, I waited until September 1st and, even then, I thought it was too early.  But Fall is right around the corner and, this year, companies are going all out and doing their best to make this the best Halloween of all-time!  That, along with last night's find, meant I could no longer wait.  Out with Slimer and in with this year's biggest attraction.

I decided to take the two-block walk to Walgreens yesterday to see if they had their Halloween products out on shelves. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard about the return of Fruity Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute.  I've been looking for them like a mad man everywhere! Lately, in terms of Halloween, they're all I've really cared about.  So, I figured - students are just about ready to go back to school and Sunday is always a good time to check for new inventory.  I walked around for a second, attempting to build up the anticipation, before walking over to their seasonal aisle.  I turned the corner and.. BOOM.. absolutely nothing!  Books, folders, pencils, and pens.  There weren't even any orange boxes on the higher shelves.  What a bust.  Now I had to walk the longest two blocks of my life, empty handed, back home.

But then I remembered that I found them on the end caps, last year.  So I searched every end cap in the store and, again, came up short.  Finally, I walked down the food aisle, looked at the cereal and BOOM.. nothing!  However, I did notice that there was a lot of empty space on the shelves and thought, maybe - just maybe - they're stocking up soon!

I figured I'd leave and come back tomorrow.  I turned the corner, and, like a rainbow after a thunderstorm, I saw Frankenberry and Boo Berry sitting in their cases just waiting to be opened and stocked.  You would have thought I struck gold.  I knew this was my chance.  I also knew I could have asked somebody to check the back, but I actually enjoyed lurking around waiting for a possible appearance from Yummy Mummy.  It was like waiting for a fashionably late rock star to finally hit the stage for his first concert in 23 years.  I creeped around like a loser, down the froze foods aisle and, BOOM.. for real!

Finding the boxes on the shelf is always a thrill, but this was much cooler.  If you've read The Holidaze in previous years, you understand how big of a role the Monster Cereals play in enhancing the Halloween experience.  Not only are they nostalgic, they're awesome characters with different personalities that relate to the season.  Their boxes also make for great art and, as a graphic designer, I always appreciate that.  So to have Fruity Yummy Mummy back for the first time since 1990 is amazing.  It was like I discovered King Tut's tomb at a Walgreens in Jersey City.  Look at him, just lying there in his coffin.  I eagerly grabbed the tiny employee, asked him if I was able to open the box (like I was going to take no for an answer?) and took two home with me.

I know many of you might have purchased more than two boxes, if not the whole case.  I get that and I almost did!  But I'm waiting for the Retro Box pictured above.  Exclusive to Target, all 5 General Mills Monsters - Count Chocula, Frankenberry, Boo Berry, Yummy Mummy, and Frute Brute - will be available in their retro packaging!!  That's just insane!  For the last two years, I've been collecting cereal box art to display, framed, in my future kitchen.  I'm stocking up and, in that time, I've searched for an affordable Yummy Mummy on Ebay every month.  Every time there's one available, it sells for well over $100.  Now, thanks to General Mills, I'll be able to find all 5 for retail price.  It's a Halloween miracle!

The back of the box features a great illustration.  The "Big Three" hear something spooky as they eat their cereal in the light of a "fruity moon." After reluctantly going to check it out, they're scared down into the dungeon where they're approached by yet another spooky creature.  First of all, I like the fact that Count, Frank, and Boo are all afraid.  It highlights the spirit of the characters.  Second, it's a great story to bring back Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute.  At the end of the day, these 5 are friends and, like Brute says, "It's been years!"  Finally, thanks to that rare fruity moon, all 5 are together for the first time ever in 2013!

On the side of the box, General Mills asks you to play some "Mega Monster Trivia."  What this tells me, along with everything else, is that the General Mills marketing team knows exactly who their target market is.  While all cereal is geared toward kids, this comeback was made for the adults and kids at heart.  I'm 26-years-old and I've never had Yummy Mummy.  Frute Brute was discontinued before I was even born, so even I'm a bit out of their range.  I just happen to be somebody who's obsessed with these characters and have been for years.  I even had the classic Yummy Mummy banner up top, last year.  I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've emailed or tweeted General Mills in an attempt to resurrect these guys.  I knew, just like all of you knew, that this would be a major hit.  So far, the hype has been unbelievable.

First, we have to talk about the way these legends look.  I don't know if they're ghosts or Pac-Man characters, but they're classic and the color is extremely vibrant.  I took photos outside in order to have the sunlight really illuminate their brightness.  It's basically a concoction of pink, red, yellow, and orange frosted cereal with purple, yellow, and lime green marshmallows.  It's beautiful.

Next, let's talk about the smell.  Usually, whenever you open up a box of General Mills Monster Cereal, you're smacked in the face by the fruity (or chocolatey) odor.  But, with Fruity Yummy Mummy, there wasn't much of a scent at all.  I think that's a testament to it's flavor - Orange Cream!  That's an interesting choice, but I was excited to see what they had in store for me!

I reallllly like the Orange Cream flavor!  Man, it's so different!  I know that the original Yummy Mummy had a different taste.  It was apparently more "fruity" rather than focusing on just one fruit, but I was too young to tell you which is better.  I don't know what the original tasted like, but I can tell you that this is awesome.  It reminds me a lot of Trix.  Imagine taking all of the yellow and orange Trix cereal, pouring them into a bowl, and eating them with marshmallows.  It's like that, but different.  It's hard to explain, but it's unlike any flavor I've ever had from a cereal.  It's a home run for GM!

I feel like Fruity Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute are the closest things we currently have to Jurassic Park.  Everybody thought these guys were extinct.  Even though we had always hoped to see some sap at General Mills bring them back, (see what I did there?) we knew it wasn't likely.  We knew it would be a long shot.  But now, here we are!  Here they are, in our presence, back in our lives to be loved and enjoyed!  It's pretty awesome and based on the amount of attention they've received in the last week, I know I'm not the only one pumped to see these pop icons back on shelves.  We just have to hope that Newman doesn't turn out the lights.  I'd hate to see what Yummy Mummy is capable of in the dark..

After snagging two boxes from the case, I asked the manager at Walgreens if he had any Frute Brute in the back.  He responded, "Froot Loops? Yeah we have that."  No no no no no... "Frute Brute! It's new.  Well, actually it's old but it's back with Yummy Mummy.  Ya know, this one?"  He looked at me, completely lost, assuming I was deranged.  Can't blame him, I'm the one asking for cereal that hasn't existed since the 80s.  He shrugged me off by saying "Uh, oh no, we didn't order that one."  From what I'm hearing, that honestly seems to be the case with most Walgreens.  What's the deal with that?  No love for Frute Brute?  He said the Halloween stuff would be out by Tuesday so to check back then.  I will and if.. no, WHEN I find Frute Brute, I'll be sure to give him his due on The Holidaze.  I can't wait.

Since it was first announced that Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute would be making their return to stores, it's been a whirlwind of excitement for nerds like me who share a love for the little things that make us happy.  It's all thanks to General Mills who, unlike most corporations, actually listened to their fans.  They realized that these legendary figures were in high demand and they supplied.  But they also went the extra mile.  While they could have just released these two in their modern 2013 boxes alone, they chose to include 5 retro boxes to truly set this Halloween apart from everything else.  That's the type of fan loyalty that leads to brand loyalty.  It's the type of business that should open the eyes of companies like Coca-Cola, who owns Minute Maid, to get Hi-C Ecto Cooler back out on shelves.  Yeah, I get that there's licensing behind that, but they could at least release the flavor, dye it green, and call it "Green Tangerine."  No excuses.  Do that and you'll be just as loved as General Mills is right now.  You'll also make a bunch of money.  Nostalgia is in!!  Adults who were kids 20-years ago want to experience that all over again and share it with their friends.  General Mills realizes that.  Who's next?

I don't know if Yummy Mummy is available in your area, but check Walgreens to see if they have it in stock.  My local manager said that the sale date was August 20th but he had to wait for school inventory to sell first.  So, they should have it in the back if it's not on display.  Even if they have no idea what you're talking about, give it a shot.  You're the smart one for knowing all about Yummy Mummy, anyway.  No sight of retro boxes yet, but when I find them, they'll be here!

Summer's not over, but like it or not, Halloween is here :)

Darkwing Duck - The Unreleased Series Two

Like any young boy growing up, I absolutely loved action figures.  It all started with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but it spiraled out of control from there.  I had everything you could imagine.  While wrestling figures grew to be my largest of collections, there were countless brands and loves of mine that came and went throughout my life.  Where they went, I have no idea.  As I got older, I sold a lot of the WWE figures that occupied so much of my time as a young teen and, yes, well into my high school years.  But what happened to the Turtles? Batman? Power Rangers? I wish I knew.  They may be around somewhere, but in the meantime, the Internet is an awesome place to rediscover what I once loved so much.

Photo Credit : ToysTable.Com

One of my favorite cartoons of all-time is "Darkwing Duck."  Man, I spent hours and hours watching "DW" and Launchpad McQuack fight crime and get dangerous.  I took my action figures, created scenarios, and had them save the world.  The best part was having toys from different brands come together to do battle.  I'd have Darkwing Duck join forces with the Ninja Turtles to defeat Shredder and Bushroot.  I was obsessed and, as I reached adulthood and could appreciate the memories more, I looked into the series further.  I purchased the series on DVD and looked on IMDB to discover voice over artists.  One day, about two-years ago,  I even contacted (among others) the voice of Launchpad, Terence McGovern.  The next day, I received an awesome e-mail from the man himself.

That was pretty awesome.  Hearing a voice actor, one who gives life to your favorite characters, say your name and talk to you as that character is just an awesome experience.  There's a reason why these guys get such a huge ovation when they do their voices at Comic Conventions.  The crowd loves it!  But the coolest part is that nobody calls me "Cliffy" unless you knew me as a kid.  My family still calls me Cliffy, but if anybody new says it, it just sounds weird.  But being that I watched Launchpad as a kid, it was only right that he surprised me with that mention at the end.  In my head, Launchpad is forever a real-life, walking, talking, duck who flies (and crashes) airplanes.  Nostalgia at its finest!

Photo Credit : NewGrounds.Com

Series 1 of the "Darkwing Duck Collection" was awesome.  I have especially fond memories of Mega Volt who was given to me by my Father on Valentines Day when I was about 4 or 5 years-old.  It surprised me because, even at that young age, I thought Valentines Day was for couples and, if nothing else, girls.  But my Dad was always spoiling me and, really, it was just another reason to make me happy.  That's definitely a trait I've carried over into my adult life.

Now, lately, so many companies are cashing in on nostalgia by bringing back classics in modern and retro form.  If you've been following my Instagram account, you know that Playmates has not only reissued their 80s TMNT line, but they've also remodeled the Turtles for their "Classic Collection."  For somebody like me, who, as an adult, has only looked at toys as an admirer, it's enticed me into purchasing them and keeping them on display.  It's also reignited my love for action figures and the ones I used to have.  On top of that, the "retro resurgence" has given me hope for a "Darkwing Duck - Series 2" release.  I know it'll never happen.  But I said that about Fruity Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute, too.

Photo Credit : PoeGhostal.Com

As I mentioned, Series 1 was awesome, but Series 2 would have blown that out of the water.  Speaking of water, we were supposed to have Liquidator on our shelves.  For those unfamiliar, Liquidator was a super villain dog who turned into a being made entirely out of water.  This gave him the ability to change form and liquify into various shapes. You could imagine how much he annoyed me as DW did battle, but he was actually one of my favorite characters.  I loved his voice, I loved his color, and I love that his figure would have been see-through.  As if I've never seen plastic, before.

We also would have gotten Morgana and Darkwing's arch nemesis, Nega Duck!  There have been a few customs floating around the internet using a repainted Darkwing Duck, but that's not the same.  Having an actual Nega Duck figure, on a card designed like only Playmates can, would have been so cool.  I actually want one now more than I did as a kid.  I could, at some point, see Nega Duck being a Comic-Con exclusive, but wouldn't hold my breath.  Good idea, though!

But no figure would have been more highly sought after than the one and only Gizmoduck.  This is probably one of the most popular characters from the series.  He first debuted in DuckTales and later appeared in Darkwing Duck as Launchpad's old buddy.  If Duckburg had an Iron Man, he'd be Gizmoduck.  The only thing I can't tell is if he'd actually roll on that wheel or be a stand-alone figure.  Either way, Gizmoduck not only makes this ad, he would have made series 2!

It's a shame these never saw the light of day, but that's the way things went for every toon featured on The Disney Afternoon.  It was a different time and no show really reached the popularity of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  I know that I was hooked.  I loved every show The Disney Afternoon had to offer and still put all but "Gargoyles" and "Bonkers" in my top 10.  In recent years, we've seen a few t-shirts at Hot Topic, Vinylmation figures, and DuckTales: Remastered (which I'll review when it comes to Xbox,) but nothing would compare to a surprise re-issue (and first-time release) of Darkwing Duck action figures.

Surf City - Jersey City

Because I'm from Jersey City, NJ, I don't know what the general consensus is around the nation when it comes to my hometown.  Sure, we all know NJ is the "Armpit of America."  Believe me, I've been on the NJ Turnpike and I know exactly why we have such a smelly reputation.  When it comes to Jersey City, I've heard different views.  On one hand, Jersey City is an urban area filled with low lives and gang bangers.  On the other hand, Jersey City is a gateway to Hoboken and NYC, on the rise downtown, and the perfect place to raise a family.  Believe it or not, both of those statements are true.  Just like any major city, it's just a matter of where you go (and where you never would) and who you associate yourself with.  But, never in my life did I expect to find such an awesome place so close to home and right under my nose.  Surf City is an AMAZING location and, last week, we spent three days there because we just couldn't get enough!

We had multiple friends tell us about Surf City and every review was positive.  We were intrigued, but never took the time to drive 15 minutes away and check it out.  Looking back, I wish we had dived in sooner because we missed out on so many beautiful Summer days, and nights, that could have been spent at this beautiful mega bar.  Don't let my picture or the exterior view fool you.  This isn't some run-down shack.  This is the beach, this is the jersey shore, this is the Caribbean all wrapped into one giant ball and placed right along the Hudson River.

To paraphrase Surf City's official "about us" section, Surf City is both an indoor and outdoor bar and restaurant that sits directly on the water with beautiful views of NYC, the Statue of Liberty, and Liberty Science Center.  We first came to Surf City on a Sunday and it was absolutely beautiful!  The sun was shining, the clouds were sparse, and the crowd Surf City attracted was just my type.  There was nothing rowdy about this location at all and I liked that!  There were parents with newborn babies, dog lovers with their pups, young, old, and new couples enjoying the scenery.  Being there felt comfortable and that was what stood out most.

Before we did anything else, we wanted to look around and see what they had to offer.  We could have been seated by a hostess, but we chose to scope the joint out before settling down.  We noticed the incredible view of the water and skyline, we realized how many bars and tables they have for patrons, they have benches and chairs throughout the mega bar, and my favorite part, the sand pit that allows guests to have a seat in the sand and place your food and drinks right on the table.  A waiter or waitress even comes around to take your order.  Where you live, this may be common, but you don't find anything like this in Jersey City.  I was mesmerized by it all and, really, the service is what sets it all over the top.  Had they been rude, all of this ambiance goes right into the river.  But let me tell ya, these guys do it all right!

To be exact, there are five bars throughout the location with one, inside, being completely devoted to making frozen drinks and "buckets."  Because it gets crowded as the day progresses into night, this is an important perk.  Having the ability to choose from one of five bars to get a drink at a busy hour limits your wait time and gets you back to your company.  That's great!  In our three times there, we never waited for a drink and our bartenders were always there with another before we finished the last.  Not only is it good for business, it's good for my buzz :)

I stuck with Coors Light on all three days, but Eileen varied a bit and started the day off with a bucket.  To be more precise, she kicked it off with "Voodoo Juice."  I tried it and it was good!  Imagine an ice cold coconut drink!  Sure, it was a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for.  Besides, it's no small feat.  It's a pretty big drink that's mixed with some hard liquor.  You drink two or three "Voodoo Juice" buckets and you'll be casting more spells than Papa Shongo.  (if you don't know who that is, you're not paying attention to The Holidaze!)

After the beer and bucket, we were on to the next round.  I'm boring, so I stayed with the Coors, but this time Eileen chose to go with her first frozen margarita ever.  They call this one the Strawberry Rita at Surf City and it's only $10.  I think that's a pretty good deal and, in that setting, it's only right that you sit back, toes in the sand, sipping on an ice cold tropical drink.  If you can't make it to the Bahamas, or even if you can't make it down the shore, Surf City is absolutely perfect.  For us, there's no better staycation.

Changing gears, Eileen went from tropical drinks to beer.  But not just any beer, this was "Angry Orchard."  Ever heard of it?  I didn't until this day, but I've always been intrigued by seasonal beers.  It all started last year when I tried my first pumpkin flavored beer.  I didn't really care for it, but that's because I'm picky.  But apple is right down my alley and this was amazing.  The flavor is sweet and tangy.  It draws a fine line between Summer and Fall, but it's sooo good and, when it's that cold, it hits the spot on an 80 degree day.  This is definitely something I'll be looking for as we enter September.

Surf City has plenty of craft beers on tap and these two from Blue Moon, Agave Nectar Ale and Belgian White, stood out.  I, regretfully, never tried them at Surf City, but it did lead us to purchasing Agave Nectar later that night and, if you're looking for the perfect Summer beer, that's it!  I know the season is quickly coming to an end, but we're about to hit the 90s again this week and I'm going to soak up every last drop of Summer I can get.  Believe me, I'm more than ready for Fall and Halloween.  But Surf City makes me long for just a few more weeks!

Our friend met us later that day, but prior plans meant the party couldn't last.  But we had time for some food and one more drink.  Although I didn't snap a picture, we ordered fries and mozzarella sticks to go along with Eileen's "Mango Tango" and my final beer for the day.  It could have been the alcohol talking, but we thought the food was amazing, especially the fries!  They season them just right and, along with the mozzarella sticks, we were in foodie heaven.  It was a great way to end our first time at Surf City but, little did we know, we had only just begun.

After mentioning to my Mom, who loves anything that involves the beach and Sun, just how great Surf City was, she was intrigued.  Apparently, Surf City used to be known as the Sand Bar but, according to her, was very loud and attracted a more raucous crowd.  She was surprised to hear how much it had changed and was glad we had such a good time.  The next morning, she tells me that she and my Aunt are going to Surf City.  I guess I had really sold the mega bar, well eh?  

Of course we joined them! It's always great spending time with family and I take the opportunity to do so whenever it comes up.  This was the perfect time and place to share quality time with my two favorite ladies in the world.  We enjoyed drinks, food, and a lot of laughs.  My aunt, who isn't pictured, is the true matriarch of my entire family and was the driving force behind this outing.  I'm grateful that she decided to coordinate this little event at Surf City because the four of us had a wonderful time and created some great memories.  On top of that, it was already later in the day so we got to enjoy Surf City at night.

As the sun set, Surf City began to illuminate and shine bright in the night's sky.  It was serene.  The water was calm, the breeze was cool, and the music was just a tad bit louder in the background.  A little Margaritaville enhances the experience and makes you feel like you're really in a tropical destination on vacation.  You forget where you are and, if I didn't tell you, you'd never guess that you're in Jersey City.  For a while, even I had to question where I really was!

 

When the Sun finally drops, lights glow from all around Surf City and it's gorgeous.  Between the environment, the people, the weather, and the company, I couldn't have asked for a better night.  If you look closely above, there are fire pits lit at tables in the sand.  Even when it's not cold outside, it's there for you to make yourself even more comfortable.  It's something that Surf City doesn't have to do, but does anyway.  I've mentioned "going the extra mile" time and time again on The Holidaze and that's always what separates good from great.  That's why Surf City is great.

Need more proof?  Take a look at this sign placed at the exit.  Surf City already offers free parking in a huge lot, but if you've had too much to drink and can't drive home, they're happy to oblige.  Simply leave your license plate number with the manager and they'll keep your car safe and sound until you can soberly return to pick it up.  That's class, people!  That's really taking an interest in your well being and the well being of others.  We didn't need this service, but I'm sure people do at times and it's good to see it offered.  Again, it's something they don't have to do, but do anyway

Round Three at Surf City and I had to take a picture of my angel with the beautiful skyline behind her.  She even wore her shirt to match the Surf City logo ha!  I'm lying, but are we loving this place or what?  We didn't have much time on our third trip, but we had to stop in for a drink and some burgers.  They're just too good to pass up!

If you come to Surf City for nothing else, then come for the food!  These burgers are out of this world.  This time, I know it wasn't the alcohol talking because I only had one beer.  I'm the pickiest eater in the world, hence why I don't have any lettuce, tomato, onions, or sauce on my bacon cheeseburger, but I still know a good burger when I see it and this is awesome.  For $11, you get the burger and fries and, look, it's not small.  You're getting your moneys worth!  The fries alone are good enough to spend 11 bucks, but the burger just sets everything apart.  In our time there, we've had the bacon cheeseburger, mozzarella sticks, and fries.  Because I'm picky, I'm not sure what else I'd try, but their menu is packed with shrimp, salad, wings, chicken, burgers, oysters, clams, ribs.. you name it!  If they're anything like what we ate, then it's going to be a success!

I really can't say enough about Surf City.  We had an amazing time all three times and it won't be our last outing.  To tell you the truth, we'll probably be there once or twice this week.  The weather is supposed to be beautiful, so we'll probably swing by on Thursday or Friday.  It's just that good!  It's definitely my new favorite place and I'm recommending it to everybody I know.  It may seem like I'm being paid to say all this, but I'm just a new fan of Surf City who wants to spread the word to anybody who will listen.  If you're in the Jersey City area, give it a try.  If you're in NYC, hop on a ferry and dock at Surf City.  You can literally walk up the ramp from your boat and enter the bar.  I saw people show up on jet ski's and kayaks!  By land or by sea, nobody can get enough of Surf City!

Halloween on Instagram

The past two years, there have been plenty of times when I've been out and about, looking for Halloween treats and decorations, but simply don't have the money or space to purchase and review them.  Sometimes, I'm just not interested enough to own them, but would love to talk about them.  Other times, a product is awesome to look at, but doesn't warrant enough words to blog about it.  Nobody wants to read a 500-word post about a Halloween Christmas ornament.

That's where my Instagram account comes into play, this year.  I launched it to post random photos and, at the same time, promote The Holidaze.  So far, it's been a good move.  But with Halloween right around the corner, and so many products out already, I realized this could be useful for the tiny topics that would have never made The Holidaze last year.  I now have a platform to showcase all those items that I can't afford, don't want, or have no use for.  Even if I don't have the room for a certain product at home or on The Holidaze, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be shared.  So @HolidazeBlog is the place to go to find all that good stuff!  I've even started already!

See, these are great!  But since I didn't purchase them, and probably won't before Halloween, I don't feel justified in posting them on The Holidaze.  I like to review things that I actually own.  Sure, that Spider isn't going to do any more at my house than it did at Hallmark, but if I start reviewing things that I don't bring home on The Holidaze, then I won't feel truthful.  At that point, where do I draw the line?  I might as well review every and anything I find on Google and say it's mine.  I just wouldn't feel right.

That's what @HolidazeBlog on Instagram is for.  I can offer quick reviews (a few words) on what I find and tell you where I found it.  It allows me to cover more than last Halloween while giving you the opportunity to purchase something that you may not have ever heard of before.  It works out perfectly, all around!

Those are a few examples of what I'll be posting on the @HolidazeBlog Instagram Account.  Now, don't get me wrong, Halloween decorations, toys, and candy will all be covered here on The Holidaze itself, but most of what is pictured above has already been discussed before.  I'd hate to ignore such awesome products just because they've been reviewed, so this is a great way of giving them their due year after year.  Finding new viewers on Instagram is somewhat easier than it is on Blogger, so hopefully we'll be able to reach a variety of people who, if interested, will head to The Holidaze and read all about Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins from my first week writing on The Holidaze!

Take these Caramel Apple Milky Way Miniatures for example!  I wrote about these last year and they were probably my favorite product released for the Fall season.  They were so good that I recently e-mailed Mars Candy to see if they'd be released again.  They were very hush-hush, but only a week later we found them at Stop & Shop.  I was pumped!  But, I can't review them again!  That's been done, already!  But what about the people who may have missed them last year or overlooked them this year?  They need to be reached and informed.  These are too good to pass up!  So, I posted them on @HolidazeBlog and let people know that they're available and reviewed on The Holidaze.  That's what Instagram is good for!

In addition, @HolidazeBlog on Instagram isn't just for the Halloween season; it's good for everything!!  Take this Diet Snapple, for example.  This one is called Trop-A-Rocka and was released years ago after Bret Michaels won The Celebrity Apprentice on NBC.  I absolutely love this Snapple.  It's my favorite of all time and, because it's still around, I must not be the only one.  It's delicious.  But that's about as descriptive as I can get without overloading you with annoying longevity that doesn't belong.  Things like this, also posted in @HolidazeBlog, are perfect for Instagram.  You get to see it, read a little bit about it, and understand that it's available.  

Plus, I'll throw in a little bit of nostalgia, candy, and toys every once in a while.

So log in to your Instagram account (or create one) and follow me @HolidazeBlog.  I'll also be doing the same on Twitter, but probably to a lesser degree.  So if you're interested, don't miss out on the fun photos @HolidazeBlog!  Hey, I might even throw a few contests via Instagram!