The Friday Five, 12/22/17: 5 things I've been up to this week

I've been sick all week, and I am not a fan ... stuffy nose, headaches, and a sore throat. I am skipping everything (zumba, etc.) after work today so that I can just stay home and rest. I have a holiday party tomorrow and the TSO concert on Saturday, so that's probably the best course of action, since I don't want to have to miss either.

ELF the Musical, Fox Theatre, Detroit

What I've been up to this week:
  1. Seeing shows and movies. I saw ELF the Musical at the Fox Theatre on Wednesday night, and it was very cute. I need to rewatch the movie now. And speaking of movies, I took myself to go see Ferdinand on Saturday with my MoviePass, and really enjoyed that one; I'm a fan of kids movies that also are interesting for adults. On Sunday, I saw the new Star Wars at Emagine Novi's Super EMAX screening, which was huge! They say it's the size of a basketball court.

    I saw a screening of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (and you can read my review here) on Monday, and I have plans to see both The Greatest Showman and The Shape of Water this weekend. There are so many good movies coming out this week and the next, too: I also want to see Pitch Perfect 3 (despite the awful reviews ...), Downsizing, Father Figures, and Molly's Game at some point.
  2. Hosting a party. I live in a condo that is a pretty nice size (~1150 square feet) but I only host gatherings like once a year, usually - last year I had a housewarming / Halloween party, and this year I decided to host a white elephant/holiday/game night party. About 15 of my friends came to it and it was a lot of fun. White elephant is one of my favorite traditions, too. 
  3. Driving a 2017 Toyota RAV4. You can read my review here. It was definitely nice to have this car last week, since we got walloped with snow and cold weather.
  4. Ordering ridiculous things online. I usually don't buy much online, but lately I've been on an Amazon and eBay kick. I bought myself an Exploding Kittens card game (from the creator of The Oatmeal) on eBay, and a few other games on Amazon ... think Cards Against Humanity expansion packs, though a bit more political. 
  5. Finding lots of deals. A few months ago, I started a "companion group" to my Yes/No Detroit Facebook page, called Yes/No Detroit Deals + More, and I like to find Amazon, Groupon, and other deals to post there. It's primarily catered to the Detroit area, for local deals, but I post a lot of national deals too. You can find that group here - feel free to join!
Cheesecake Factory before Star Wars on Sunday!


    Popular Posts

    Review: Polar Pizza at Baskin-Robbins

    Image
    *Disclosure: I received a gift card to try the new Polar Pizza at Baskin-Robbins. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own. Baskin-Robbins launched its Polar Pizza last month (July), as I talked about in my recent post about them, and because this past month was crazy busy for me, I didn't get to try the Polar Pizza until this past Sunday. My parents and I went to the combined Dunkin' Donuts / Baskin-Robbins near them, in Novi, MI, to split one of the ice cream pizzas.
    Read more

    Upcoming and GIVEAWAY: MJ the Musical, Oct. 23–Nov. 3, Fisher Theatre, Detroit {ends 7/8}

    Image
    *Disclosure: I have an ongoing media relationship with Broadway in Detroit. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own. MJ the Musical ("MJ") is coming to the Fisher Theatre this fall, and as a fan of Michael Jackson's music, I'm looking forward to it. Tickets go on sale July 12th at 10am.  Read more about the musical below, and also see how you can win two tickets  to opening night! About the show: Producers Lia Vollack, John Branca, John McClain and Broadway in Detroit are thrilled to announce that MJ will make its Detroit premiere at the Fisher Theatre October 23 – November 3.  Tickets go on sale Friday, July 12 and can be purchased online at BroadwayInDetroit.com at 10:00 a.m. or in person at the Fisher Theatre box office at noon. He is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to Detroit in MJ, the multiple Tony Award®-winning musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tou...
    Keep reading

    GIVEAWAY: Duel in the D, February 10 at Little Caesars Arena, Detroit {ends 1/10}

    Image
    *Disclosure: I have an ongoing media relationship with 313 Presents. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own. I had a great time at Duel in the D last year—I'm a UM alum, but I had only ever seen ONE hockey game in my life at that point, and this was the second one.  I'm looking forward to it again this year, and one of my lucky readers will win a 4-pack of tickets to experience it as well! About the game: The return of college hockey is headed to Little Caesars Arena with the annual “Duel in the D,” presented by Meijer, set for Saturday, February 10 at 8:30 p.m.  The fans of Hockeytown will be treated to one of the most intense and exciting rivalries in college hockey, as the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans men’s ice hockey teams will add another chapter in their storied rivalry and clash for the “Iron D” Trophy.  The “Duel in the D” matchup features the most-played rivalry in college hockey. The game will mark the 346th all-time meeting between...
    Keep reading