Why Did Arcades Die in America?

https://youtu.be/JQlCW0JyehY For awhile arcades had pretty much vanished in America, but they have always thrived in Japan. It used to be that America only had remnants of arcade games located in places like Chuck E. Cheese or perhaps near the customer service area of a super store. There was a time when America had HUGE...

How Did Popcorn Become the Most Popular Movie Theater Snack?

Can you imagine going to the movie theater to watch the latest movie release without at least having a couple of handfuls of freshly popped popcorn? Or, at the very least taking in the wonderful scent as it wafts through lobby? This past Friday I went to a local movie theater to watch the movie Birds...

Memories

https://youtu.be/XFKLJsFqJ3E Childhood memories are some of the most precious keepsakes to hold dear to your heart—especially as you grow up. Sometimes you have to remind yourself how it felt to be a kid, and memories from your adolescence can help you do just that. Whether it's remembering something that made you smile or brought out...

Level Up Your Life

https://youtu.be/b0yEFxFyF7o If you're like me then you may have an idea of who you should be in your mind. This is your ideal self. The one with all the qualities and personality traits that you wish to possess but for some reason, you just can’t quite get right. I’m here to remind you that you...

Did You Know You Can Buy Amazon Meal Kits at Whole Foods?

https://youtu.be/koM0sQiEfxw Whole Foods was bought out by Amazon in 2017, and since then there have been some changes, so far the merger has resulted in some positive shifts such as in-store Prime deals and Amazon delivery of Whole Foods groceries. One of the latest things to hit the shelves are the grocer selling Amazon meal...

5 Reasons to Shop at Trader Joe’s

https://youtu.be/MvGcGdhg3S8 Trader Joe's has fairly high quality food for very affordable prices. It's like the budget version of Whole Foods. Almost everything in the store is self-labeled rather than being made by another company. They have a lot of unique offerings that you can't find at most grocery stores. 1. The company treats its employees...

HELLO! My Name is Marissa

Hi everyone! This is my introduction video in which I tell you a little bit about me. https://youtu.be/mvKGIr7HsFA

Making Koala Mittens

https://youtu.be/MAdCss2Rb1k Recent heavy rain in Australia brought some much-needed bush fire relief. For months, the country has been battling its worst bush fire crisis in decades, seeing two dozen people killed, numerous homes destroyed, entire communities evacuated and displaced, and 1.25 billion animals killed (not counting those that are injured or left homeless by the destruction of...

Amsterdam Tulip Season

https://youtu.be/moQf6M_mTts I've wanted to visit Amsterdam during tulip season for a couple of years. Now I'm one step closer to making that a reality this spring! In my daily YouTube video blog I talk about visiting Amsterdam during tulip season, and I discuss 10 easy photography tips that I'll try to incorporate when I take...

I Love Fashion

Fashion is defined as "a popular trend, especially in styles of dress and ornament or manners of behavior," but there is so much more to it than what the definition explains. The items of clothing we chose to wear are often times our most powerful and apparent forms of personal expression. What we choose to...

5 Reasons Why DIY Is Good For You

I was feeling sore from the hike the day before so I made the decision to stay home and do some crafting. In this daily video blog on my YouTube channel I make a Valentine themed paper flower wreath. At a time when we're immersed in the growing worlds of technology and all things virtual,...

Hiking the Superstition Mountains

The Superstition Mountains, locally known as the Superstitions, are a range of mountains located about an hour’s drive east of Phoenix. Part of the Superstition Wilderness Area, the Superstition Mountains have a wide variety of trails to offer hikers with varying levels of difficulty. (This is a popular area for rock-climbers as well!) Elevations range...

Day 30 – New Year Hangover

I woke up on New Year's Day feeling off and tired not necessarily hungover. I found it difficult to do anything but lounge around the house. Surely this wasn't a hangover because I didn't feel sick. For the most part I believed that hangover symptoms were were exclusively nausea and headache. After Googling I learned...

Day 29 – Ringing in the New Year

https://youtu.be/w_8bYIvp8P8 Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia. Today, most New Year’s festivities begin on December 31 (New Year’s Eve), the last day of the Gregorian calendar, and continue into the early hours of January 1 (New Year’s Day). Common traditions include attending parties,...

Day 28 – Time to Organize the Pantry!

It’s a chore that I’ve been putting off for far too long. https://youtu.be/mT_QTTQi-pc

Video Blogs Continue

I've continued to post my daily video blogs on my YouTube channel TheGirlWithAQuirkySide , but because of the holiday, my blogs about them did not go up. This post is about the 3 video blogs that I did not write about yet. Today's YouTube daily vlog is NUMBER 27! I'm so close to the end...

Day 24 – Looking Ahead

It's the day after Christmas and it's back to work for me. It's time to get back into the routine of daily tasks and life. https://youtu.be/AK-K6sfgnH0

Day 23 – Let’s Have a Teppan Dinner!

I don’t make a Christmas dinner on Christmas Day nor do I have anywhere to go for a festive feast, so rather than stay home in my pajamas all day, I went out for a Teppan meal. It’s the best of both worlds! Food and entertainment. In my daily YouTube video blog below I visit...

Day 22 – Drinks and Games

https://youtu.be/YRiRkP6QO0k This is day 22 of my daily vlog! It’s also Christmas Eve which means lots of toasts and reindeer games! I love throwing parties and inviting guests over to play games. Here are a few of some popular party board games that are easy-to-learn. Cards Against Humanity The most popular one right now is Cards...

Day 21 – Fridge is on the Fritz!

I was unaware that butter had spilled in the oven from when I baked the loaves of beer bread the day before. As I made the pumpkin rolls late on in the evening the oven began to smoke, YIKES! This morning I woke up to room temperature coffee creamer, UGH-OH! C'mon Universe can't you see...

Day 20 – A Day Filled With Baking

I was tired, but I had already committed to baking 3 loafs of beer bread as well as 6 pumpkin rolls. I had no choice but to follow through with my commitments. Thankfully the beer bread was a simple 6 ingredient recipe so it didn't take me too long to prepare the dough to then...

Day 19 – Cookie Exchange & A Trip to Winterhaven!

I don't know how I managed to accomplish hosting a cookie exchange party and visit Winterhaven during one of the busiest weekends, but I did. It seems that I've been living every moment of life to its fullest. It's been a little stressful at times but so well worth it. Hosting a cookie exchange only...

Day 18 – Beer Flight Review

Christmas Eve is here! I've been so busy wrapping presents, preparing the house and cooking that I barely had time to post my latest video blog on my YouTube channel. Last Friday night I went to a local restaurant/bar called Yard House to sample some beer with a friend of mine. Since I have guests...

Day 17 – Mall Shopping and Trip to the Airport!

My adventure today takes me to the mall once again then over to the airport to have a look to see if the airport has decorated for the holidays. Click on the link below to see my daily YouTube video blog. The USA is so vast that on most days there is a variety of...

Day 16 – Furniture Shopping

Remember In my first video blog when I mentioned that I needed to order a bed for the guest bedroom before my mother arrives for Christmas? Well, I just barely got around to ordering the bed, but it was only because wasn't able to complete my order online. I made a trip to the furniture...

Day 15 – Shopping for Cookie Ingredients and DIY Ornaments

I had all intentions of baking after work, but by the time I got home from work the energy to do so was no longer there. I'll get around to baking in the next few days especially because I have a pantry full of cookie ingredients. Each year I bake Christmas cookies with my sisters...

Day 14 – Last Minute Target Shopping!

My oh my! Can you believe that we only have 5 days until Christmas!  I spend today tactically planning my Christmas shopping to coincide with my workday. Luckily, there is a Target store located very close to where I work so it's the perfect place for me to pick up some Christmas gifts. In my...

Day 13 – Let It Glow

Hundreds of fluorescent trees and neon halo lights "Let It Glow" throughout the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort. This whimsical, colorful celebration of the season was not a traditional one, but rather an innovative spin to the holiday gallery of trees that many are used to seeing. The trees vary in height and...

Day 12 – Let’s Tour Universal Studios

Christmas can be chaotic and crazy, but it is also a beautiful and meaningful time of year. I find that the most meaningful are all of the little things experienced with loved ones like baking, laughing, and taking in all of the sights and sounds of Christmastime. For the past couple of years my sisters...

Day 11 – California Here We Come!

I went on a 48 hour road trip to California that included driving 1000 miles! In my mind my plans always come to fruition perfectly and this time I'm lucky to report that they did! I'm notorious for running late to family events etc but this time I wasn't late. My sisters and I drove...

Day 10 – Cleaning the Car for a Trip

Thursday, the night before I set out on my road trip has arrived. My original Thursday evening plans were to attend a holiday singalong, but the show was sold out by the time I decided to purchase tickets online. So instead of venturing out after work, I stayed home to clear out the car for...

Day 8 – Roadhouse Cinemas

Roadhouse Cinemas is a local upscale dine-in movie theater in town that features a full bar and dining menu. Instead of your regular movie theater seat  this movie house seats you in a plush recliner that can be adjusted to your personal liking. There’s always a specialty movie themed alcoholic drink featured each week. This...

Day 7 – Let’s Make a Pizza in 60 Seconds

The work trend around this time of year usually tends to be quiet, but as luck would have it, I've been incredibly busy! I'm not complaining because it just means that I'm hitting the ground running into the new year! My Day 7 video blog was filmed this past Monday, I have a couple of...

Day-6 I Visit a Life Size Gingerbread House!

It's a Sunday on Day 6 of my YouTube video blog. It's the day after the Christmas party, and although I'm sore from dancing as well as tired from my late night, I manage to find the strength to straighten up the house then venture out to check out the life size gingerbread house at a...

More Vlogging Day 5 – Grocery Shopping and Going to a Christmas Party

We’ve arrived at Day 5 of my video blog.Wow! I’ve almost completed a full week! I’m still having trouble with audio so I’ve had to voice over some portions of video. I’ve learned so much about vlogging from just making 5 short YouTube videos, BUT there still there is still so much more to learn!...

Day 4 – Swiss Fondue and Game Night

Friday seemed to fly by at an amazing rate making my video documentation less than usual. Despite filming a little less than usual there is still so much that I had to share, one of which is my love for travel. I follow lots of travel influencers on Instagram. One of my favorites to follow...

Day 3- Thursday, Topgolf and Nighttime Hiking

I just made it through a busy weekend filled with attending a company Christmas party, a hosted game night which included making fondue, and a Sunday spent looking at Christmas decorations at a local hotel. Considering how busy my weekend was, you'd think that I'd fall fast asleep, but surprisingly it took some tossing, turning...

Day 2 of My Video Blog, Can Paper Catch On Fire in the Microwave?

I just finished putting together my second video blog. I've noticed that I need to be a little louder in order for my voice to be heard clearly in the clips that I film. I know that I purposely try to be on the quiet side for fear that someone may see me recording and...

My 30 Day Video Blog Experiment

I'm a woman with an incredible sense of adventure, a drive to be successful and a passion for travel. While in pursuit of all of those things plenty of things happen in everyday life. Have you ever been asked how you day was? I have, my answer is usually a one word response. The truth...

Day 7 – Shannon-Ireland, London-England ALAS Paris-France!

The clouds began to part way as the aircraft descended closer to Irish soil. I had never seen so many shades of green in my life. It looked as if Mother Earth had tucked Ireland nice and taught underneath a beautiful quilt of the finest green patches. The tires of the plane screeched as the...

Day 6 – NYC Detour Before Paris

It was day 6 of my trip. I was still in the United States as a result of not getting on the evening flight the night before but when life gives you lemons then you make lemonade! Perhaps I was losing a day in France but the fact of the matter was that I was...

Day 5- Flying Somewhere Over the U.S.

  I gave the outside of the airplane a secret pat as I crossed the threshold to get onboard. I found my seat complete and waiting for me with a tiny airplane pillow and shrink wrapped blanket. This little spot would be my bed for the evening. I tucked my backpack and purse under the...

Day 4 – Lava Fields, Buddha Point, Mahalo Hawaii

The first segment of my holiday was coming to an end, soon I would be on my way to the City of Light, Paris, France! I was a bit sad to be bidding farewell to Hawaii but also very excited to be heading to Europe. So I was mistaken with how many nights I'd be...

Day 3-Hamakua Coast, Big Island Farms, Ironman Championships, Waimea Bay

If I had a case of jet lag then it was working in my favor because I was wide awake before the alarm went off which is very unusual for me. I was showered, dressed and sitting at a table before the breakfast rush of people had arrived. Breakfast once again was delicious or seemed...

Day 2- Part 2 Kailua-Kona

  My first complete day on the big island of Hawaii was coming to end. I was very much enjoying the vibe that this island offered. Kailua-Kona seemed to have a laid back small town feel to it that truly made it feel like time slowed down, this vacation was turning out to be just...

Day 2: Part 1-Waikoloa Village and Hapuna Beach

It was 5 am as I lay in bed wide awake. In reality it was already 8 am in Arizona so that would explain why I felt rested and ready to conquer the day although the thought of getting out of bed at that hour when I din't have to sounded too bizarre. After about...

Summer Travel: Why You Should Just Go With It

I was torn, should I visit France or Hawaii this summer? Both places were equally important for me to visit.  If I decided on Hawaii then I could meet up with Daniel  during his month long internship at Big Island Farms in Hawaii. If I visited France then I'd be able to see Paris perform...

My First Malanka Caroling Party

I have to say that my new year has been nothing but wonderful so far. I know that it's still early in the game so to speak. I'm not saying that there haven't been any bumps in the road here or there but I'm an optimist by nature and so it's my belief that the...

Absolutely Nothing

We've coined ourselves The 3 Musketeers. Recently Igor, Michael and I have found ways to amuse ourselves by adding some humor to the ever-present pressure of our careers. Over the last few weeks we managed to find a way to squeeze an 8.5 foot tall Christmas tree into my hybrid, taste test Krakus cookies from...

Purpose vs Pleasure

With so many demands on our lives it becomes far too easy to lose sight of our life's ambition. I'm constantly adding tasks to my to-do list at work. The tasks that are extra important get put on post-it notes. When some the tasks are ultra important, I stick the post-it note somewhere eye level within...