The Friday Five, 9/15/17: 5 things I've been up to this week

Not much going on this week—I still am keeping busy though. Michigan weather can't decide if it's fall or summer, too: in the mornings, it's 55-60 degrees out, and when I leave work, it's about 75-80. I can't say I mind the warm weather, though.


What I've been up to this week:
  1. I finally got to check out the Michigan Renaissance Festival (commonly known as RenFest). It was about a 45-minute drive from me, and it's in a very wooded area, so you almost feel like you are suddenly in a different state, or even country (Canada, anyone?). I enjoyed my time there but next time would check out the website more beforehand, to properly prepare for my visit. You can read about my experience here.
    2. Made out of diamonds and rubies,
    apparently ... 
  2. Posting lots and lots of giveaways on the site. I have four giveaways going on right now, and then one more over at my book blog. Most are theater tickets (Detroit area) or gift cards, too, so there are some nice prizes available to win.
  3. I spent $7.99 on a pint of ice cream. My local Fresh Thyme has Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, which I have loved ever since I tried it in Nashville, and later, Atlanta. The closest location to me is in Ohio and is hours away. Fresh Thyme sells pints for $8.99, and then I had a $1 off coupon, so I spent $7.99 on it. Would I spend that amount again? Probably not, as I tend to be a frugal shopper. But it was quite delicious. 
  4. I saw the movie IT, and I survived. It was actually a lot less scary than I had anticipated it being, and I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. Tim Curry's Pennywise (the clown) in the 1990 miniseries is more memorable, but Bill Skarsgård's was definitely a lot scarier (side note: when he's not portraying a killer clown, he's actually very attractive). I also saw screenings of Rebel in the Rye (check back tomorrow for my review) and American Assassin (review up today), both of which I enjoyed. 
  5. I booked a hotel in Ann Arbor. A friend's upcoming wedding is in Clarklake, which is 45 minutes from Ann Arbor but like an hour and 45 minute drive from my place. I usually stay at another friend's place when I'm in Ann Arbor, but she has a cat, and my boyfriend is allergic (as am I, but to a milder extent), so I booked the Red Roof Inn on North Campus, which is supposed to be nice - it has 4 stars on Yelp. A few days after I booked, the rate jumped from $75/night to $95/night, too, so it was good that I booked when I did.

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