TAMAsurvivor and still surviving!

2009-10-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

TAMAsurvivor's Big Bizarre Quest at the Arizona State Fair

Its Better than a Knotts maze... Well maybe not better than Uncle Bobo's awesome and twisted big top of the bizarre... But mystery tunnels, bizarre foods, crazy midway carnies, and other sideshows awaited me at the Arizona State Fair today and every year I just cant wait until the state fair happens because the vendors at the fair always try and outdo themselves each year!

Case in point, about a week before the fair even started there was a news article about the new eats at the fair and the bizarre foods some of the stands plan on selling... Now I will say that a lot of it is hype because I only found half of the new foods on that list and I tried to scour every menu looking for the most bizarre foods! Eventually I found the booth I needed and for the bizarre foods I was craving!

You may be asking, What are these bizarre foods? I will say quickly that a few of them are not for the faint of heart! But to give a brief synopsis here is the list of things I was hyped up for...

1) Smoked BBQ Lizard on a skewer [sounds exotic and tasty]
2) Fried Frog Legs [wanted to see how tasty Kermit is]
3) Chocolate covered Habaneros [the hottest pepper and sweet chocolate]
4) Fried Bacon on a stick w/Gravy [sounds very tasty]
5) Sauteed Mealworms [sounds interesting and exotic]
6) Chocolate covered Scorpion [Its a delicacy in China so it must be good]
7) Chocolate covered bacon [the bacon/chocolate candybars are good]
8) Elephant meat on a skewer [sounds very exotic and different]
9) Reindeer Hot Dogs [deer is edible and in the xmas spirit]
10) Chocolate covered grasshoppers [grasshoppers taste good anyways]
11) Deep Fried Tiramisu [I love Tiramisu and fried must make it better]
12) Cajun Alligator Tails skewers [Gator meat is yummy and cajun seasoning is yummier]

I will get to the bizarre foods I found and wound up eating but lets first visit the entrance to the fair!

On the way into the fair, we find there is a new booth set up advertising awareness for a type of artery disease which is kinda ironic as most of the food at the fair is fried and I am sure your arteries will be clogged from all the fried food... Its like an Oxymoron this year.

On a side note, I am very glad that this year they are actually advertising awareness for an artery disease and not Adult ADHD, Depression, or OCD like in previous years! Last year was eye opening as I took their little quiz for the Adult ADHD awareness thing and wound up with a 90% possibility of having Adult ADHD... As a result last year they gave me a bag that was basically their way of saying... "You must have Adult ADHD so you get this free bag and informational brochures as a prize for acing 90% of the questions the test"... My friends as evil as they are were very supportive last year by saying... "You come to the fair healthy and now you leave with a problem"... After last year and the whole Adult ADHD free survey test thingy it has been the mantra of every single visit to the state fair that I come into the fair healthy and leave with a problem... Being that it was always the case with those awareness booths that I left with a problem I was very pleased that this year it was for something I do not currently have or have a tendency towards [well I cant say I dont have a tendency towards it as I eat all the fried foods and stuff there]!

They even had a little simulator ride you could go on... We didnt participate but it looked like a Star Tours that didnt go through space, but instead inside an artery... LOL! Like if Disneyland had a ride about arteries it would be called Artery Tours... LOL!

Making our way into the fair from the front gate we get in and find this thing I enjoyed so much in 2007... The Mystery Tunnel!

This thing is amazing... I was so upset that it was missing in action last year and to see it back I was like OMG! Yes! Lets go in and get all twisted and flipped out!

For those who dont know, its basically a small spinning tunnel all blacklit and full of flourescent paint and mirrors tucked into this small trailer. Its one of typical flourescent tunnels like you would find at Knotts Haunt or any haunted house... The only thing is that instead of constantly moving forward you can stay in there as long as you would like and as long as you need to!

I get a little too stunned from all the spinning... In fact I was starting to get a little nauseous from all the spinning inside the tunnel... Despite my mind playing tricks on me!

My 2 Friends, John and Charlie had never done the mystery tunnel before and I just had to corrupt them and give them over to the awesome power of the mystery tunnel! It just has a way of sucking you in... and also sucking $2 out of your wallet... LOL!

After the mystery tunnel we decided on walking around and catching some views at the weird stuff that can be found at the state fair!

If its Cowboy Junk... then why should we even buy it? Although Cowboy junk can also mean a funky name for a stand selling cowboy stuff!

As the sun started setting we caught a glimpse of the model trains under the grandstand! Yes, the grandstand is old and dumpy but the model train displays are always entertaining to watch! And while they may not be as impressive as the ones at the LA County Fair, they still are nice for what we have here in Arizona!

This brings us to the point where I start my quest in looking for the Bizarre and wild foods that I read about and was so wanting to try! This was basically a long walk around the entire fair from top to bottom and through the midway looking for that one stand selling the most bizarre things I could think of! Not to mention we arrived right as the sun was setting so we could watch the fair come to life at night and watch the lights start bringing everything into a colorful wonder of the night!

One of my favorite rides... The G Force... I just couldnt bother riding rides tonight and seriously I just dont see the reason... the rides are the same ones every year and are usually too tame for my tastes... Yes I said tame... I love the tango and all but after it being there every year I just am not too thrilled with shelling $5 to ride it and as expensive as it is to ride Speed the ride along with a long wait I decided to skip on rides... Now if they ever get something like a Top Scan then maybe I might shell out since I have always wanted to ride one and Top Scans look hella intense and fun!

But here is a pretty pic of the G Force... Gotta love its awesome pendulum action!

Since we all are Disneyland enthusiasts here, I figured I would snap a shot as an homage to us micechatters! Behold... It may not be outside the Tiki Room but there is a stand selling Dole Whip!

As the sun had set, We were still on our quest for that one Bizarre food I was dying to try... In discussion I decided that we should search out and scour the fair for the Scorpions... I wanted to try eating a Scorpion... Not only for the bragging rights, but for the awesome OMG! and Gross out Factor that eating a Scorpion could do! This turned our night at the fair into a "Quest and hunt for the Scorpion"

The "hunt for the scorpion" is on!

No signs of a scorpion anywhere on the food avenue but I did see a large grill and a lot of Hawaiian chicken BBQ'ing on it!

Well... No sign of the scorpions on food avenue... Lets go inside a building and look at some exhibits and revisit our hunt after a bit of viewing! Not to mention we came to the fair to see some other things!

Inside the crafts and collections building we find Hamsteropolis! This is kinda amazing and like the ultimate hamster hotel and resort! Its like a Disneyland for hamsters!

This persons collection of alien masks kinda freaks me out just looking at them! So much that I had to take some pics!

For those who do not know or were not at the Micechat night at Haunt earlier last month! I have a huge fear of aliens! So much that Fishbulb made it a point to make sure he was right behind me in the Alien maze enjoying my reactions to it! Yeah I know the Alien maze sucks to a lot of people and I know that for people who are not afraid of aliens it kinda doesnt phase them but for someone like me... OMG! Its like the same thing with the Clowns and the people who have Coulrophobia! Now that we have gotten this bit of information out of the way... Lets take a looksie at the pictures of the alien masks!

This black one with tubes was the worst as there was something like this inside the maze at Knotts this year... It like so totally brought back those memories of horrible aliens... LOL!

This one is just beyond freaky and I really wish they had like evil clown masks or something because Clowns are awesome... LOL!

This one is really horrible... Like a Skeleton Alien... thats kinda OMG!

And this one right here is the stuff that is made out of my nightmares... if ti wasnt the icing on the cake it was like OMG... I still cant believe this guy has a hobby of collecting masks like this... but to each their own! The detail on the masks are impressive!

After those freaky looking alien masks that were on display as a collection, figured it was nice to look at some awesome pottery... I really love how this little dish was done!

Exiting the crafts building we decide that its time to continue out hunt for that scorpion and the stand selling that weird and bizarre treat! So we Walk the midway at night and love the lights and pretty sights from the fair!

The rickety rollercoaster that sits on 2x4's... yes it really does... and I wont ever ride it again... that thing doesnt even look safe! Although it is run by Carnies and as Homer Simpson says, "Kings Among Men"... LOL!

Footsie Wootsies... These things are so amazing! For a quarter its like a private massage for your feet!

Creep Show... aka the cheesy poor mans haunted house! I have never been one for the cheesiness of Creep Show but then again the outer facade always looks nice... In fact I somehow got a picture of John's head in the bottomg left hand corner!

The Large Ferris Wheel... It is always nice but then again I just opted not to ride it this time!

Midway Mania has gotten to my head... I need some sprite to cool off... LOL!

We may not be at Disneyland but at least we have a cheesy poor mans version of the Haunted Mansion... Ok it may not exit the berm and it may not have Madame Leota but again the facade is fun to look at...

On our Midway Walk we found a huge group of Bananas... I love Bananas and OMG! They are amazing!

In searching for that Scorpion, we are finding that the Midway could be a very bright and colorful place! But then again... The State Fair has so much lighting that everything is amazing at night!

On our Search for that Scorpion we find ourselves in the Art Building looking at amazing things.... No food stands selling Scorpion but there is some amazing art!

I Hate the DC Superheroes but I will say that this piece of art was very nice.... I will give it a pass!

This painting was just pretty... Not to mention its of our native animal to Arizona... The Gila Monster! Maybe not the Scorpion we were looking for but still kinda awesome as a painting!

The Male peacock is so pretty and it just walks around like a diva because it knows that it is! I may not like birds but I admire the peacock for being either a metro or gay bird that can sway itself down the runway like a drag queen diva and show everyone its pretty feathers because it knows it can! And for that, we salute the peacock!

Coming out of the art exhibit in the collisseum basement we continue looking for that scorpion!

But then again the 3 of us amigos need a rest and we find a bench to rest on! Divas like us need to rest our weary feet and then again we just didnt want to walk all the way to a footsie wootsie so we found a bench!

I have an idea... Lets continue looking for those bizarre foods!

But first Charlie must pretend to be the Pink haired Cotton Candy lady... Yes our fair apparently has a mascot and its this lady with pink hair made out of cotton candy that dresses in awesome 50's clothing... how awesome is that? Although I didnt know she would have Charlies face!

In the attempt of a sidequest in trying to find that BBQ Lizard on a skewer... it seemed this item was Missing in Action because I looked on all these BBQ's and all I found were turkey legs!

Maybe I should give up the hunt for that scorpion and find myself a bail out offer as a last resort... but at $9 for a bailout... I have to bring it upon myself to look a little harder!

Maybe those Ghost Pirates can tell me... I mean, we found the poor mans Haunted Mansion and now apparently we found the poor mans Pirates of the Carribbean, again minus the berm and Jack Sparrow!

I know... I will just ride on some SPEED! In place of those bizarre foods... Although I will second think that at how expensive and how crowded the line was to ride it!

The Hunt is on... Will TAMAsurvivor find the prized scorpion appetizer he was searching for or will he be puzzled and confused with the constant walking and scouring along the booths at the fair?

The Chef Du Jour booth which is in the same place as it was last year is apparently the one serving up these bizarre and daring eats and why not! They are basically some catering company based out of Gilbert, AZ and if no other food stands are going to go wild this year and top the Rattlesnake of 2007 and the Crocodile nuggets of 2008, their booth might as well outdo everything from the previous years and do a damn good job at it! Being that the mantra with most catering companies is that things are covered in chocolate for the whole gourmet feast, it is no surprise that they opted this year to offer some different treats covered in chocolate and this is what brings me to what I was looking for and came to the fair to visit!

That reason for my visit to the state fair every year is the whole idea of pushing my tastebuds and love for food to the limit and stepping outside my comfort zone and being open minded enough to try something new that I have never eaten before!

I am a firm believer to try everything once and for this reason I had found my Scorpion dessert/appetizer! Now with each Scorpion being $3 I opted for only one, along with one order of mealworms for $1.50, and then one Chocolate Covered Habanero for $2... Now here is my reasoning on those food choices [because I could have also opted with the grasshoppers and crickets on the menu or even the jalapeno covered in chocolate, not to mention one of the menu other deep fried food or wok stirred noodle dishes at their booth]... Its all about pushing my limits to the extreme and if the show Fear Factor and the Micechat meet at Haunt taught me anything... Its about facing your fears [like alien mazes] and stepping a little bit outside of your usual comfort zone!

Here is the scorpion...

Here is the habanero...

and here are the mealworms...

Now for the reviews and the taboo factor of everything... Yes they are real and no none of them are fake! Yes its Taboo food and yes I spent that on the food because of the fact I was eating something taboo... Its all about the whole shock and awe factor anyways... Instead of giving a review on each one I figured I would do a short Q & A or just a short FAQ on everything!

Which of the 3 was the most difficult to eat?

The most difficult one to eat was the Habanero [believe it or not the other 2 were a cakewalk]... The pepper was so hard because Habaneros are one of the hottest peppers aside from those rare Naga Jalokia peppers in India and the Red Savina Habanero... Not to mention the fact that an average Habanero pepper ranks on the Scoville heat scale of 250,000 to 300,000... And the seeds are very spicy and can be murder compared to the fruit part of the pepper! Now the people selling the peppers said the chocolate takes out some of the heat but lets use some simple science here...

Yes the chocolate gives the pepper a nice sweeter taste but chocolate is made with fat and fat is greasy and oily... The Capsaicin in the pepper which is responsible for the peppers heat is an oily substance and because the only thing that breaks down the heat and intensity is a base that absorbs oily substances, the chocolate doesnt do anything to reduce the heat and if anything would intensify the heat or leave a prolonging... However if it is milk chocolate the milk in it can break down a little of the heat but again not by much since the chocolate also has fat.

Overall this made the Habanero the most difficult of the 3 and as I type this I can still feel the pepper going through my body and I am still sweating a bit from it! The pepper itself had a fire that even a Dasani could not extinguish and just like blazing wings at Buffalo Wild Wings, they are very tasty but do not attempt to eat one unless you are willing to brave an adventurous appetizer thats a little on the fiery and wild side! I highly recommend the chocolate covered habaneros to anyone willing to test their limits at the fair!

How did the mealworms taste?

To be honest they didnt have much of a taste and had more of a crunch... they kinda had the consistency of any crunchy snack and the only shocking factor was the fact they are worms... If you can get over that they are actually pretty good and I could literally eat them all day! Yes I said I could eat a plate of them all day.... they were literally that good!

How did the Scorpion taste?

This one was difficult to describe at first... The fact that it was covered in chocolate was a little crazy but then again chocolate makes everything better... This one was actually as strange as it sounds! Yes I said it... Strange... The only comparison I could give to the taste of the scorpion is a mojito that taste of less mint and more alcohol... it had a very alcohol type of taste... somewhat like minty mouthwash but then again somewhat like rubbing alcohol... Now they take the stinger off the scorpion but when you eat it you get this tingly feeling and taste... It is just very different than other types of gourmet bugs I have eaten [and I have eaten a lot of different Gourmet bugs in my life]... This one was very adventurous and very different! If you are looking for something different and Taboo... Try the scorpion you wont be dissappointed! And if you get too freaked out or grossed out just remember this... According to the news article about this item they are a delicacy in China and if people in China can eat them with no problems there is no problems with anyone getting sick from them! Remember its all in your mind!

Can I still burp up the habanero and taste the intensity of the pepper long after eating it?

Definitely... as I am typing this I am still burping up habanero flavor! Not really that much heat but I can still taste habanero flavor... At the moment I feel like a walking time bomb and on those days when I drink Cayenne pepper tea and take my turmeric vitamin supplements I feel like a walking curry... its really just part of the territory in eating a straight pepper!

Do they take the seeds out of the Jalapenos and Habaneros before they dip them in chocolate?

No they do not... I was just as shocked to find that out when biting into the pepper! As I was enjoying the snack I kept telling myself... People on fear factor ate these dipped in chocolate on one episode amongst many other things... I can do this and I can finish it! Since most of the seeds are at the top of the habanero I suggest eating around the majority of the top seeds!

Why would you put yourself through all this at the fair?

I enjoy food and I love pushing myself to the limits when it comes to food.. My taste buds are also very adventurous and if its hot and spicy I will attempt to push my limit and if its strange and bizarre I will again try going outside the box and pushing my limits! Food at the State Fair is way too fun to be limited to only the hamburgers and corn dogs and piggly fries! Not to mention its like eating while on vacation... You wanna splurge and enjoy that special occasion, hence why people visit the Blue Bayou and participate in Character Dining while at Disneyland Resort!

Out of the 3 you tried which would you recommend?

I recommend the Habanero if you are too freaked about eating bugs but still want to push limits and prove to your friends you are a "real macho man" [or woman] when it comes to food... If you are daring enough to try the bugs I recommend the Scorpion... Its like no other thing I have yet to try!

Do you recommend trying one bizarre item off their list?

Definitely! As I said I am a firm believer in trying everything once... Not to mention its not like any of that will kill you... and to make sure it wont I suggest eating a few antacids after or having those Gas X strips along for the ride... but thats a given if you are going to be eating fried stuff at the fair anyways!

and as always... here is the end result of all 3 items...

That pepper was the most difficult though... LOL! My picture says 1000 more words...

Even a whole Dasani could not extinguish the flame... Yes it was that hot! But it was hella tasty and so worth it!

Charlie... just enjoying the ambience of food avenue while John is on the side watching me in burning intensity

After satisfying my craving to take on the taboo and hunt down that scorpion and all that bizarre food I figured it would be time to let the fire in my stomach rumble amd make my way with John and Charlie to a few exhibits and see a few more awesome things at the fair! Yes the night goes on after the weird food... LOL!

To continue our night we go back into the Craft and Hobby building sampling and taking in more parts of the exhibits.

There was some impressive Doll Houses in here... sadly no sinister Doll Factories but a lot of detail in these pieces... I still am amazed at how someone could be so awesome at getting the attention to detail in some of these models and pieces

This is a nice table that had some wildly detailed models... Again I am just amazed at how people took time to make attention to detail on a lot of these

I had to snap a photo of this thing because it reminded me of my final when I did 3D design just on a larger scale... Not to mention my 6 part box was made out of clay instead of what the person used but its a similar concept!

After making our way out of the crafts building we decide that its time to follow the odorous scent of manure and cow to the farm exhibits which smell very farm like but then again... Its a bunch of cows... Cows just have this smell about them that just lingers in the air... It always reminded me of the times we would be driving around Corona and Norco when I was a kid and oftentimes if you were on the right road you could just smell the cows from a distance... If I even remember the cows could be smelled along the 15 freeway too... kinda wild! But then again since Cows are awesome we had to go take a look and get some pics!

Next up was the rabbits... I love rabbits and other small animals and those small animal exhibits are always fun because its nice to see all the different types of small animals... Not to mention rabbits are just fluffy and awesome!

Then we came across some little goats

Inside this building they also had a milk truck and one thing I just always love to eat while at the State Fair... Cheese Curds... Those things are so amazing and so tasty, especially when fried and battered... Then again I just enjoy them when they are loaded on top of french fries and smothered in beef gravy... amazing stuff! I have to google this because it somehow says they make cheese curds locally in Tempe... I would love to get a hold of some and batter them up and get them into the deep fryer at home!

yes those animals are wild... but then again we are getting tired and about ready to call it a night! You can see I look kinda tired... LOL!

The state fair has been fun but after the wild and bizarre foods, the crowds of people exiting the Bob Dylan concert that was going on, and the fair getting clogged with crowds every little place possible we started making our way back through the midway and towards the exit.

Yes.... despite my fears of Aliens I decide to walk past one of their amazing and gravity defying spaceships... Had I opted to ride any of the rides this would have been one of my picks to ride because I love how you can defy gravity inside and turn yourself upside down and do all sorts of wild things in a gravitron... yes there is a lot you do in a gravitron and its all just fun to test the limits of gravity in there!

Again, all that Midway Mania has been getting to me... I look so tired and ready to make my way towards the craziest ride at the fair...

That craziest ride would be known as "The Crowd Ride"... Yes for one low price of free you can ride the wildest ride at the state fair... It is called "The Crowd Ride" and all you have to do is walk towards the parking lot through the other Food Alley after the Bob Dylan or whatever the concert of the night is as it just lets out and floods the walkways with many people buying food on the food alley and walking to their cars, and making their way to the midway... all at the same time... Its really an adrenaline rushing ride and wilder than any crowd control at Disneyland... In fact with "the crowd ride" you dont have any crowd control here as you are left to your own devices in making your own crowd control.

The funny thing about "The Crowd Ride" is that all you have to do is make it from point A to point B at the end of that Crowd but then again... the many other people on "The Crowd Ride" are also trying to make it from point B to A or just stopping in the middle to get some food at points C, D, E, and F.

And since we were not doing so well while riding "the crowd ride" we decided to hit a point C in between our way from point A to B and we found that we could not get "Refils"... I wonder though if they will let us have "refills" because last time I checked a Refill is not a Refil

Ok so we made it to point B and almost to the exit of the fair... It has been a long night of fun food, Bizarre items, and a wild time... in fact the state fair this year was much more of the same and yet still had enough to amp up the bizarre!

Not to mention this year they so brought back the Mystery Tunnel... LOL! But again... the fair was an amazing time and I cant wait until the final day this year when I can go see Kelly Clarkson perform... the best thing about the entertainment at the fair is that unless you buy reserved seating all you have to do is show up early about an hour before the show and line up and you can claim free general admission seating and thats seriously what most people do anyways since the floor seats are only really needed if you want to shell out on a guaranteed floor seat... In most cases the General admission seating isnt too bad and free Kelly Clarkson performance... nothing beats that!

And on our final way out... nothing to keep up the whole Aliens at the fair thing by taking a picture of this balloon thing... Obviously its a balloon... its not scary... but I seriously do hate aliens... but I just liked how it stood out in all those cheap and flimsy novelty things not to mention is had a guitar! How cool is that!

Anyhow... State Fair was amazing... I plan on visiting a few more times, especially for Kelly Clarkson performing on 11/7 and if I do go again, I plan to try either the deep fried bacon or chocolate covered bacon and then try the deep fried tiramisu and get some fried cheese curds... Gotta love that fair food LOL!

V.I.P. = know your acronyms

2009-09-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

Having been excited about taking a trip to Haunt, I felt like a child wanting to go to Disneyland for their first time. Being a Disneyland enthusiast, I actually get that same giddy feeling each time. It was no surprise that we opted to get our Haunt tickets and do the VIP PreScare buffet as it included the early entry so we could participate in the meetup to ride Pyromaniax and Black Widows Cavern before the park opened.

Arriving into Knotts for Haunt, we were pleasantly surprised to be able to get there early enough to get a perfect parking space. I was also surprised that parking was only $12 and not $15 like last year. This is a good thing as the $3 difference meant that we were basically only paying $1 for the 4 pairs of 3D glasses we bought for the mazes. I can understand what people are saying about the whole upcharge thing with the 3D glasses but I honestly plan on saving my 3D glasses for next years haunt and that way I have 3D glasses for the mazes next year.

After parking our car, slamming down a 5 hour energy, an getting packed out, we opted to get out of the car and make our way to the entrance. It was at this time that I ran into a few people from the MiceChat forum. It was a really nice time to meet some of the people from the forum and get to put a face to the name online. I was even very excited to go ahead and dine with everyone else from the forum. This excitement was killed when my sister and everyone else in my party hopped ahead and got into the line to get into the park. I am not mad, I just wanted to have more time to get to meet people from the forums but its nothing you cant really change, so we got inside to Spurs Chophouse inside the park for our VIP PreScare buffet.

When it came to the food, the PreScare buffet had about everything I could ever ask for. If I wanted Mrs. Knotts fried chicken I could get as much as I needed. If I wanted shrimp, prime ride sliced to perfection, pork ribs, macaroni pasta, creamed corn, or swedish meatballs I could partake in those too. Who could even forget the Boysenberry pie and assortment of desserts and sweets. The Boysenberry pie is always an excellent pie and as a result I was compelled to get a second piece just to satisfy the craving; however I was a good boy and stuck with a third helping of meatballs. There is something about balls of meat that gets me salivating at the juiciness of the meat smothered in gravy and the texture of the meatball as it hits your mouth. Speaking of the food, Elly and Ripper from Micechat had posted on Facebook about the Meatballs on the buffet which piqued my curiosity almost a week prior to the trip. Needless to say, I have been hooked on the swedish meatballs and its a reminder of those trips I make out to IKEA for the home shopping and most of all those swedish meatballs. As a result, I am now under the full ikdea that any future haunt trip, I am doing the PreScare buffet again.

The premise of the VIP prescare is simple: pay roughly $20, enjoy a buffet of all you can eat food, receive a sipper bottle that includes a free refill inside the park for a soda [it can be refilled later with water for free], includes photo opportunities with monsters, and receive admission into the park 30 minutes before everyone else. It really is a VIP package and when you factor the costs into everything the value in itself is worth the extra $20 on top of your Haunt ticket. That sipper bottle we got could be refilled with soda which normally costs about $6 to $8 for the sipper itself. Factor in the 30 minutes early and the all you can eat food and you have a cost effective meal that fills you up for a night of trekking the park and getting scared.

As we got out of the meal, we opted to wait for a bit for the park to open up for haunt. As we waited outside, monsters started filtering their way through the crowd looking for people to stalk. Some monsters were walking around finding victims to scare before the haunt started. In fact I got caught off guard a few times by a few who knew to come up behind me and get me from behind. As always the reaction was priceless. a high pitched scream came out of me like a preteen blonde girl and an "omg" they just got me kinda laughed out me. I knew I was in for a long night of jumpy scares, probably being targeted in the mazes, and maybe even slid at in the scare zones. And boy was I right... I honestly could have predicted what the night had in store for me but at the same time I didnt know... as for the whole VIP PreScare thing... we did VIP and plan on doing it again for next year!

A kid in a candy store from Phoenix... yes we are!

2009-09-28T18:08:00.000-07:00

Packing up the car, printing out the tickets, savoring the love for the stuff going to take place later in the night. Wondering what will come of the evening at Knotts Scary Farm... Wondering whats going to happen on Saturday night when I meet people from Micechat? Is this merely a sample of thoughts from my head, or a silent cry of the excitement of finally getting to go out to Knotts to visit haunt for my second time? Most of us Phoenicians wake up and wonder why we get so giddy for car trips across the desert to California. Whether its the excitement a baseball enthusiast has when they drive out from Phoenix to see their Anaheim Angels play a ball game at the Angels Stadium, the thrill of taking the family to see Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, or the vast array of dining options in California ranging from amazing to downright spectacular in terms of variety. That giddy feeling just overcomes us and no matter whether the drive is long, hot, and sweaty. We just feel like a kid in a candy store, only having $1 in one hand and not knowing what candy to spend it on.

I felt this same feeling the night before my most recent trip out to California for Knotts Scary Farm. I felt as if we couldn't get on the road quick enough and the road was too far but satisfying at all the same time. All I knew is that I wanted the fun and sun from California to shine down on me and guide the car into a nirvana and bliss.

So we get into the car, get packed and get rolling along the road. As a whole we drive out by 1am mostly to ensure that we arrive in California by morning. Needless to say the drive out there was amazing. Just desert, desert, and more desert. The only saving grace was the fact that we listened to ABBA all along the way singing off key to Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Voules Vous, I Have a Dream, Fernando, and The winner Takes it all... I know, im a fag when it comes to ABBA. If it wasnt for them, we would not have the EuroDance music that we have now, not to mention E-Rotic would not have her ABBA covers. To be honest, the off key singing is no different than the people who turn on Queen's greatest hits album and sing horrible covers of Bohemian Rhapsody. Car music and long drives are not long drives without some off key singing and creating your own covers.

Meanwhile, along this drive we make it to "the border" which is the first sign of reaching the state of California. As always, there is that sense of accomplishment when you cross over the border checkpoint and move on through Blythe. It just means the trip is going along smoothly and you are halfway through the game and into the Halftime.

One stop we always try and make is the stop through Indio and into Cabazon to visit the Morongo Casino. While I have never been one for gambling, I figured it would be fun to play a slot machine and rest my feet from driving. Well, for some reason I always have a habit of losing money on the slots. Maybe its just my strategy on slot machines but I always find ways to lose the money I put in. I always wish we would just hit Hadley's orchard instead of Morongo but when we get there early in the morning the sun always rises and we never have a chance to hit them.

For those who are not aware, Hadley's orchard has some of the most amazing date shakes. In addition, you may also buy dates, nuts, dried fruit and many other desert items there. Additionally, they feature some rare brands of soda that I have never seen before, including a root beer that is supposed to be fresh made. Some of my favorites are the flavored licorice they sell along with a date shake and some dried fruit to go. For a taste that you cant find anywhere else, they also offer ostrich burgers, buffalo burgers, and other types of burgers that I have yet to try. Enough praise for Hadley's as the stop in Cabazon is never complete without stopping at either their farmers market, the casino, or the premium outlets. If anyone has ever wondered where I find a lot of my Armani Exchange items, the A/X outlet is in Cabazon... LOL! Yes I am sinful in the fact that I never pay full price for anything whenever possible.

Continuing along the interstate 10, we start reaching the first signs of civilization. It is at this point that us desert dwellers in Arizona know that we are closer to heaven and that place we had been driving all morning to visit. Whatever your passion is in California, it requires a drive along Interstate 10 if you are coming from Phoenix. Its wild when us Phoenicians look at the drive as not a large chore when in reality, WE JUST DROVE 365 FRICKIN MILES!!! The key is being excited and enjoying the trip. I guess its all the pent up excitement we are yearning to release after the long drive.

In this instance, we were driving out for Knotts Scary Farm and the Halloween Haunt. A lot of excitement was running through me as we planned on meeting people from MiceChat and people I have seen only online. Ironically, I am not the only valley who got a group of people and made the drive out for this, Pratt55 and Joshnyah from the forums also made this drive out; whether they had the same excitement and pent up energy ready to release that night I unfortunately do not know; however I am like a kid in a candy store; whenever we drive out to California for anything. I guess its really just a Phoenix thing when it comes to making the road trip out to California from the Valley.

365 miles from Phoenix and shrouded in fog awaits the 37th annual Halloween Haunt

2009-09-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

When we think of Halloween there are many things that come to mind; dressing up in weird themes, witches and cauldrons, pumpkins and other fall festivities; however the classic tradition of a Haunted House is always a Halloween staple that brings people to tears and fears. While some people can walk through a Haunted House and not even bat an eye at the props, decorations, and scare tactics employed by the ghouls and characters present, there are some people like myself who jump at the first loud noise or shriek in surprise from the least expected startle of something lunging at you from the fog.

As a result, this year I had the pleasure of visiting Knotts Scary Farm for the Halloween Haunt which is held every year at Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA now in its 37th year. I have to be honest and admit that I have not been visiting the event as religiously as most people and this is only my second Haunt event that I have personally attended. As for my loss of Haunt virginity last year, I would be open in admitting that while I may not have been visiting Knotts for the golden ages of Haunt mazes like "The Inquisition", "Dominion of the Dead", "Camp Gonnagetcha", and "Blood Bayou", I will be one of those guests who are hooked on having to visit Haunt every year just to see whats new and what fell flat from the previous year.

This brings me to the overall synopsis of this years event. If I was to summarize Haunt this year in 1 word I would say, "Innovative". This could be both a good and a bad thing as use of this word can always take on a double meaning. Whenever anything is labeled as or takes the route of being "innovative" it usually means that changes are going to happen to the overall structure and whether or not there is a status quo; or in the case of Knotts, a cult following built from this status quo. There will be mixed feelings and mixed reactions from guests who may or may not like these changes; however my opinion is that the Halloween Haunt has not gone as long as it has by resting on its laurels and not innovating the way Halloween events are run.

As for minor changes this year, Knott's and other Cedar Fair theme parks around the country are using a new iconic character for their Haunt event this year. Known as "The Overlord", this red cloaked demon summons his minons from the grave to take over Knott's Scary Farm's Halloween Haunt. This new icon for the park is drawing mixed reviews online over some who balk at the cheesy dialogue of his speech at the front of the park, or some who just dont feel that the Haunt needs an icon character for the event. As for myself, I feel that I am a bit torn on "The Overlord" for the fact that he is really cool as a character and the whole backstory he creates for the event makes sense from an advertising and marketing perspective. This allows Cedar Fair to create a commercial for Haunt that could be interchanged for all of their Cedar Fair parks, including Knott's and recreating the commercial of the minions rising from the dead in front of you and taking over the park creates a synergy between the advertising and the final result. Also, how awesome is it to purchase the VIP Prescare buffet and be waiting in the park with more and more monsters in Ghost Town waiting for you and starting to enter the crowd, all to have The Overlord appear on his pedestal to make his speech and announce the rope drop, where you are to be released into the park. That is a pretty awesome change and gives the event a little something extra despite how corny the dialogue is and despite how overdone this idea is for a theme park haunt event. This brings me to the downside of "The Overlord" as a character. It seems that by having a character as an icon for the Haunt event, Cedar Fair is no longer trying to be innovative, but is instead no longer leading the Haunted attraction industry like the Knott family did when they owned the park and started the event. Instead, the vibe feels like Knott's and Cedar Fair are following the mantra of Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights event by having to place an iconic character into their event for extra advertising and marketing purposes. Additionally, minor changes this year include a change to the phrase for the event. Last year it was "Walk in. Freak out" and this year we have "All your fear is here" which I feel is a better play on words compared to last years tag line. Minor changes also include some changes to maze layouts with mazes like Quarantine and even where the maze entrances are located as in the case of CornStalkers. I will highlight the good and bad of these changes when I review the mazes; however some were good while other changes to the mazes felt very much like Knott's had a lack of budget and it honestly felt like Knott's spent most of their budget on the newer mazes and cut corners on everything else. Innovative is a mixed word and while it means the event is trying to boldly go where no event has gone before the reception to these changes does not always equal approval 100% of the time. Lets take a look back at what happened months before the Haunt event even started this summer which will definitely be the biggest change in the event since the 1990's.

This year, the one most innovative change that created a divide amongst the street zone talent at Knotts was the inclusion of an audition process which made all the prospective street monsters pass an audition to be rehired as a street monster. This put a lot of veteran monsters at risk of losing their spots in areas they once haunted for many years such as the world famous Ghost Town. On the other side of the spectrum, this allowed newer applicants and previous maze monsters a chance to move up to the ranks of being a street monster by gaving them a fair shot at an audition. While this move was innovative on Knott's part, it caused quite a stir between monsters who received their rehire cards and did not pass the audition or monsters who gave it their all in the audition but were not what Knott's was looking for at this time. Another innovative move on Knott's part is requiring an auditions process for maze monsters for the 2010 Haunt season and this is something yet to happen until next summer when the rehire cards go out again. While I can see the argument that both veteran monsters have about the auditions and the arguments placed by people who like the auditions process, my opinion is that an audition process should be required for every haunt monster regardless of what they are auditioning for a maze, show, or scare zone. From the perspective of paying guests like myself, Knott's should be finding people who can get in there and deliver and live up to their name so they can keep their status as being the best original theme park Halloween event, as well as largest in size and scope. If they want to win the Golden Ticket award and take the title from Universal, they need to step it up and auditions are one extra rung in the ladder of taking the title they rightfully deserve back as they are the nation's largest event for what they offer.

In regards to being the largest Halloween event in size, this year Knott's Scary Farm offers thirteen haunted attractions, three scare zones, and many different shows such as the ever popular Hanging where nothing is ever sacred and everything pop culture is ridiculed, mocked, and sliced into comedic pieces. For the 2oo9 season, four of the mazes are new and innovative in many ways while 9 of the returning attractions are resurrected and brought back from the grave. This year Knott's becomes innovative with four new mazes, each one standing out with a different theme and incorporating elements that allow the mazes to go above and beyond what they did last year. Do these new maze themes work and stack up to everything that was hyped on Knott's twitter feed or do they fall flat with mixed reaction and leave a lot to be desired? I will be reviewing each maze in future blog entries and to formulate your own opinion, you will need to really experience the maze for yourself and decide on what you feel worked and what you feel didn't work out so well or needs improvement.

This year the Halloween Haunt features four new mazes designed to bring out the feeling of shakiness, horror, and fright, with enough action designed to make you jump with ghoulish delight. If you happen to be one of those "tough guys" who doesn't flinch an eye at anything, the new mazes are still be worth seeing for the "new" factor they hold this year. As a disclaimer, keep in mind I do not advocate doing the new mazes until after you have completed the themed Timber Mountain Log Ride and Calico Mine Train; however after you can knock those two attractions out, I recommend hitting the newer mazes first on busier nights.

From the main entrance of the park, you may make a left towards the entrance to Ghostrider and follow the foggy path backstage towards the sounds of sirens, search lights, and machine gun rounds. This will bring you to the first of 4 new mazes rightfully named Lockdown:The Asylum. Much controversy was given to this maze due to the retention of "the asylum" being held in the name. "The Asylum" was a disturbing maze that became a Haunt legend for 6 years and fans of haunt had felt this maze didn't need a name that reminded it of a previous maze. Also in a Q&A session run by Theme Park Adventure with the maze designer, they wanted to include "the asylum" into the name as they had the Prison theme in mind long before last years haunt ended. They wanted a maze that would be different to stand on its own but at the same time be like a spinoff maze to show where the characters from "the asylum" end up. Rightfully so, for six years the inmates took over Dr Manglers Asylum in that warehouse and now they are taking over the State Penitentary. "Lockdown:The Asylum" promises to be a more in your face experience and more intense than its predecessor and I can safely say that if one was to compare this to the asylum there is sadly no comparison. All I can say before I write a review on this maze is... Can you escape the madness of Lockdown? If you think you can and want to visit the State Prison during a mid riot Lockdown, head over past Ghostrider backstage to visit this maze, its definitely not to be missed.

After a stay in the State Pen, while trying to escape the onslaught of ghouls and spirits from Ghost Town, be sure to look out for "Terror of London" behind the queue for Mystery Lodge located by Pony Express and Bigfoot Rapids. This maze takes you on a dark and shrouded journey through the streets of old London as Jack the Ripper would have walked it. While journeying the prostitute filled streets, brothels, and taverns be sure to take extra care as you never know if Jack the Ripper still haunts the streets and sewers of old London. And beware that his knife may also be heading for your throat.

If losing your neck, and throat slitting isnt your thing, you may want to keep your head on and trade it for a Sombrero and some 3D glasses over at the Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars by the Charles M. Schultz Theater as you take a festive and wild Mexican acid trip in Dia De Los Muertos in 3D. Tour a colorful journey through Mexico, celebrating Hispanic heritage from this holiday honoring the dead in a very tasteful and fun by frightful way. Like the artwork for Dia De Los Muertos celebrations, this maze takes the color and brightness of the skeletons and finds ways of taking the traditional skeleton and incorporating it into a very awesome way. Walk through a celebration plaza full of skeletons, a graveyard with La Llorona "the weeping woman" and a skeletal priest, a dense 3D jungle with skeletal gorillas, dark corridors with mummified skeletons and aztec temples. At the same time be sure to find the legendary Chupacabra and marvel at the colorful visuals and soundtrack that set the mood for this frightfully good time. Just make sure you dont wind up enjoying Los Muertos so much that you become a part of the skeletal fiesta.

After a wild Mexican acid trip, be sure to walk down through Carnevil [hoping to avoid the clowns with Chainsaws] down to the backside of Xcelerator. Here you will find the home of the Greatest slaughter on Earth known as Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre in 3D. Just like Muertos, be sure to wear your 3D glasses and enjoy the acid trip that awaits underneith Bobo's Big Top. Here you will find, a tunnel that throws off equilibrium, clowns that have invaded a fun house complete with a Hall of mirrors, Pooping elephants, circus freaks, and many more sideshows that await. The clowns arent here to show off their tricks, they have instead invited you to be a part of their sinister sideshow, even if that means you wont make it out alive! Do you have what it takes to survive the carnival madness under Bobo's Big Top? Check it out this year and test that theory at Knotts Scary Farm.

As for the mazes, I will be posting updates to this blog with my reviews; however if you like a freakishly good time full of sinister frights, check out Knotts Scary Farm this year which runs until 10/31/09. If its 365 miles from Phoenix and shrouded in fog, its probably Knott's Scary Farm. Don't settle for imitations on the 37 year history, this is a not to miss event.

Cocaine... side effects include a different energy drink experience!

2009-09-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

There is always the taboo that involves not saying certain four letter words in public places and making sure to mind your P's and Q's by not slandering someone's reputation. However; in addition to all the above mentioned there's the taboo in our culture of certain natural substances found in nature but deemed as illicit such as cannibis, opiates, and the coca plant where Cocaine is derived from.

Being that Cocaine as a drug has always held a certain taboo in our culture it is ironic that an energy drink company would decide to make an energy drink loaded with the similar tried and true energy blend that most drinks like Redline, Red Bull, and 5 Hour energy feature yet throw a pun thats intended and a play on words and we have "Cocaine" the energy drink that has a name surrounded in controversy and taboo. The result is a different energy drink experience that promises a stronger kick, atomic punch, and more jitters than any other energy drink I have ever experienced... and we are not talking about the crazy eye opening power this drink has.

The first thing one will notice about Cocaine is that it comes in a small can about the size of a red bull. At first glance the red color of the can with white lettering spelling the word "Cocaine" just attracts the eye to it and the name itself is a play on words and nothing more than clever marketing. This marketing tactic really works because one would think of Cocaine and then automatically equate it to giving you some sort of energy rush which is just what this drink does. In fact at times the energy rush is so great that you can go on and on for hours and then wonder why everything around you is moving so slow while you happen to be moving so fast. As for myself I happened upon walking by a small gas station one day and just so happened to walk inside to get something to drink. When I walked by the Arizona green tea drinks, right at the corner of my eye was this red can. I had always sworn off energy drinks after going through a very nervous period of drinking nothing but Redline energy drinks and its variation of Redline Princess in exotic berry flavor. However after hearing all the reviews about this energy drink and hearing about how wild this drink was from all the underground and viral marketing campaigns I figured it was worth my $3 just to pick it up and try it once and I strongly urge anyone to pick it up if they come across a rare occasion where it happens to be sold.

The most important part of any energy drink for myself is not only the energy and herbal contents inside but also the taste. People who drink energy drinks for taste may or may not be satisfied but I found the taste of Cocaine to be very sharp and crisp. From the first smell of the drink after opening the can and from the first instance of this drink touching your lips, the energy hits you and you can feel the rush. I have to be strongly convinced that the makers of this energy drink want the rush to live up to its name from the start of the can opening with a taste that is reminiscent of Hawaiian PUNCH, making sure to add an emphasis on "punch". For those who have a bit of a qualm with anything that leaves a burning taste or anything hot and spicy this drink is not for you. Even an experienced person like myself who can eat blazin buffalo wings found the taste of this drink to be a little on the fiery side for an energy drink. I am thoroughly convinced the drink itself must be loaded with some bits of capsaicin in it and whether or not its listed on the ingredients. It would either have to be capsaicin or a super powerful carbonation to this beverage that produces a burning sensation in the back of your throat, not to mention a very intense tingle that stays for a few minutes later. The taste is so unrelenting with enough of a kickback and bite to get you into the mood that this is not your typical energy drink. After the amazing, bold, and flavorful taste of this drink, the energy already starts hitting you and you can feel like a freight train, blazing out of the station, and on its way to wherever it can go. Overall if I was to rate the taste of this drink it would get an 8 or 9 on a scale from 1 to 10; however as some may not prefer the burning sensation at the time of drinking it Cocaine may not be for everyone as side effects may include... burning of the throat, tingling bubbles, and bold flavor.

I know a lot of skeptics out there may believe this is all hype and marketing and I will obviously say that its pretty blatant this energy drink is nothing more than marketing hype. Just the use of the name Cocaine alone gives this drink enough room for shenanigans to be claimed on marketing hype; however what kind of energy rush can be expected from this drink? Marketing or not, this energy drink packs a punch and its a kick in the mouth. Just that one can was enough for me to be able to zone out, feel very energetic, all while feeling like the earth that I was standing on was moving. As with most energy drinks they all claim not to have crashes or jitters and in the marketing this is all played out as a better alternative... But in all honesty it is complete Bull! Cocaine may be as powerful as 3 or 4 red bulls at the same time but it still contains an intense and unbearable jittery feeling on my nerves about 5 hours after drinking the can. If you do not like jittery feelings and crashes from energy drinks I would strongly urge and suggest to keep clear from this drink as it is very powerful on the energy kick for the first 4 to 5 hours; however any longer than that and you will experience a crash of some sort.

Overall, if you are looking for an energy drink that makes a good novelty gift or just a gag for friends I would suggest Cocaine. If you like an energy rush and a different tasting energy drink I would also suggest it; however if you want more than the marketing and hype I would look elsewhere or do like myself and limit your energy drink intake to a 5 hour energy for those road trips to California.

Sometimes a Buffalo isnt always a Buffalo substitute

2009-09-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

There comes a time in every mans life where hot wings are not enough and buffalo wing flavor needs to penetrate man's other favorite foods. Its the simple time in every man's life when he gets tired of eating wing after wing or just plain discards the Blazin sauce from Buffalo Wild Wings because it no longer has that wild kick he got used to when he first started eating them. As a result, Man has tried to duplicate that blazing buffalo flavor in other foods. Lets pause for a moment and be honest, who doesn't like Buffalo Fries, Buffalo Tacos, Buffalo Chicken Wraps, and even Buffalo chicken salads? The answer is a no brainer that the extra kick from the Buffalo Sauce should be enough to give our everyday favorite foods that little bit of zest and festivity by including buffalo sauce or chicken smothered in it. So in keeping with this tradition I decided to try a new flavor of Pringles brand potato crisps called "Blazin Buffalo Wing" thinking they would satisfy my urges for a buffalo wing and bring that extra little kick into the food... and how wrong I was to think they would even be edible let alone tasty!

First, lets get down to the most import part of any potato chip, FLAVOR!!! I tend to love Buffalo Wings and love the heat they have; however every wing must be covered in a sauce that is not only spicy, full of heat, but most importantly full of flavor. When eating wings I will gladly take a flavorful sauce with less heat over an overpowering heat sauce that lacks flavor. If both flavor and heat are present and bold with eachother in a unique harmony and blend of sauce then I am a happy camper. What irked me the most about these potato crisps were the fact that an overpowering flavor of vinegar hit you like Tabasco sauce. If there is one hot sauce I tend to steer clear from it would be Tabasco. While Tabasco sauce is not at all spicy itself, it has an overpowering flavor of vinegar that takes over and ruins the flavor of any chicken wing. I would prefer a wing flavored crisp to feature more flavorful taste of peppers to give the heat, possibly more cayenne pepper to give it a kick and less vinegar. Drowning out food with vinegar does nothing but give the chip an acidic and unpleasant taste. These crisps should really be called Tabasco and vinger flavored crisps because it just feels like the company who makes Pringles wants to give off the impression of it having buffalo wing flavor but in reality its really just a Tabasco flavored crisp which is good for some tastes but for someone like myself who like habaneros and other stronger peppers, my personal opinion is that a more robust pepper flavor could be given in place of an overload of vinegar that takes over the heat of the chip.

Secondly, when these chips come down to the basics, the heat scale is a little off. I find that adding the word "Blazin" in the name is a bit misleading as even major chain restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings has a "Blazin" sauce at all their chains nationwide that reaches Scoville units of 250,000 to 300,000 depending on the time of the year on the pepper heat scale. My advice to Pringles parent company is to take the word Blazin out of the name and just plain change that name to Tabasco as the world has plenty of fans of Tabasco brand pepper sauce that the Tabasco name alone would sell the chips.

Having had all these negatives about these potato crisps, I do have one good thing to say, they are Pringles after all. What I mean is that Pringles are always a cheap option and less greasy than the greasy science experiments made by Frito Lay. Pringles also come in so many flavors so if it happens once in a blue moon where I don't care for a certain flavor, the worst case scenario is that I lose out on $1.50 at Wal Mart and can always try another one when I go back to Wal Mart to buy more. I have always liked Pringles but sometimes a Buffalo isn't always a Buffalo substitute.