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Started 2025 with a trip to Las Vegas

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It’s now December 31, 2025 Im drinking tea in an ice cream shop in Ottawa realizing I never finished this post. I drafted this post earlier in the year but it’s all still relevant.  The  way the world has changed in the last few months I feel like I need to explain that I went to Las Vegas in early 2025 because I knew things were going to change after January 20. I didn’t know how. I was expecting more violence and less direct flights. I never expected that things would change so quickly in a few months. It is now the beginning of March and it’s hard to keep up. Anyways flights and tourism to US destinations are already significantly reduced from Canada. I finished this trip knowing it would be awhile before I visited the US again and it was a pretty perfect trip for my memories and I am glad I took it.  I have been to Las Vegas many times you can read about some of my previous trips on this blog. I don’t think I have ever been in January. This time I was supposed to go w...

Jam Cafe Vancouver

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My friend told me about this place and then I saw an article about it. When I arrived it was 7:55 on a Friday morning there was a line up at 8 am. I have been inside for 15 minutes and the place is almost full most places in Vancouver are not full at this time so it must be good. It's very comfortable so far lots of people on their own like me nice comfortable decor. The menu has so many options there is something for everyone. I have a feeling the portions are huge so I went with the smallest portion meal a little veggie a bowl with crumbled biscuits, hash browns, veggies and 2 eggs $12. The first table just got their food it's a bit slow but I can't blame them considering how many people are here. The lunch menu looks good I  want to come back to try the Mac and cheese sandwich. I just got my food  this thing is not little at all it's very good. Did I mention the mushroom gravy? The biscuits are so good very tasty don't think I can eat it all though. My server c...

Excel Naturally Sweetened Gum

I received some free samples from home testers club this is the review I posted on their site. This gum is like the old wrigley's it comes in a long stick and is individually foil wrapped. The taste is good it doesn't have the really powerful mint taste that the chemically sweetened gum has but it has a nice flavour. I prefer the pellet gum and the packing of this gum could use some improvement as the gum got hidden in my purse. The gum did last a long time in my mouth it never disintegrated like other gums do. Overall I liked this gum I am a gum addict and don't like to eat chemicals but for some reason I chew chemically sweetened gum I am for improvements in the naturally sweetened gum area. 

Grand Bahia Turqesa Dominican Republic

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This is an all inclusive resort in punta Cana. It is a complex of five resorts and this is the furthest from the beach and the cheapest. I really enjoyed it the staff were all friendly our housekeeper didn't speak English and I only speak a little Spanish but it wasn't a problem she was always around we could communicate what we needed. There was only one bed in the room we wanted two so they came right away and made the day bed it was comfy. There was always a tram available to take us where we wanted to go but we spent most of our time at our resorts pool lobby and buffet which was only a few minute walk or at the main hotel which had shops and a casino was also a short walk as well. We did take the tram a few times to see the restaurant and other resorts a couple of time just because it was a fun ride. The beach was beautiful they kept the sand so clean the first time I thought it's really rare that sand is so soft with no rocks in it but the second time it was windy an...

New York Fries Poutine

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I was excited to find out the gravy is vegetarian as I haven't had New York Fries gravy in over 20 years. I really haven't had poutine in that long I have had a few speiality vegetarian ones but they really haven't been poutine they have been fries with toppings. I was excited to be able to have something that resembles poutine even though I knew it wouldn't be authentic. I enjoyed this the fries were crispy and hot, the gravy was tasty and ther were a lot of cheese curds. I would have liked more gravy on this. The only things I would improve would be more gravy and it would have been nice if the cheese curds were slightly warm. I ate the whole things so it was good I will have it again and next time I will ask for more gravy.

PC Brand Ravioli Grandi - Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Cheese

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I bought this ravioli at superstore for $4.99. The description on the box in summary said Tender oversized Ravioli with a filling made from heirloom tomatoes and burrata cheese. The pasta is made in Italy and it was a very light pasta with a good amount of filling.  I liked that I could hold the ravioli without it falling apart in my hands yet the pasta was really thin. The filling inside was a good amount with the cheese separated from the tomato. I really liked the flavour in the filling as it was well seasoned. The box said it would be good drizzled with olive oil I tried that on one piece after I had eaten a few plain from the pot. I liked it plain better there was already good flavour in it so I found the olive oil overpowered the flavour.  I really liked this pasta it is so light that I had to stop myself from eating the whole package in one meal. To get any pasta similar to this I would have to go to an authentic Italian restaurant where I am sure it would cost me upwa...

Finish Dishwasher cleaner - November 14

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Before using Finish Dishwasher cleaner in my dishwasher I have had this dishwasher for over 5 years and have never used a cleaner it. The most I have done is once in a while ran a vinegar soaked sponge through it. My dishes are starting to come out streaked and Shopper's army has given me this to try out for free.  I only went to one store to buy it which was Walmart hard to find as it was way up on the shelf but shout out to the wal-mart employee who noticed I was not tall enough to reach that high shelf and got it down for me. Here are a few before pictures these dishes are clean its hard to see on camera but there are some streaks in them. let's see if the yellow gets cleaned clean dishes before dishwasher cleaner inside of the cup that will be washed again after cleaning ready to clean the dishwasher AFTER You can tell this did something as it is in a different location than where it started but did it work? I can't tell so I don't think so...

Hon's Wun Tun House Hot and Sour Soup (Vegetarian requested)

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I have a cold and wanted the perfect vegetarian soup just a little bit spicy to clear the sinuses but not insanely hot. Yes I have a soup maker and do make soup myself all the time but sometimes its better if someone else makes it for you. There aren't too many places where I would go to eat soup in my neighbourhood its hard to find good vegetarian options and I can make really good soup in less than 25 minutes in my soup maker. Then I remembered Hon's used to have a hot and sour vegetarian soup. Hon's is a chinese noodle house that has been in Vancouver for over 35 years. There are 5 locations in the lower mainland and there is one that is walking distance from where I live. I went to the take out desk and looked at the menu none of the soup was vegetarian. The hot and sour said it had diced seafood in it so I was getting disappointed but I asked and yes they can still make it vegetarian. The cashier asked if I wanted a small or large I said small. This cost $6.25 and I g...