mstrust's #4- Candyfreak

Hi, I'm Jennifer and I live in Phoenix.
This thread was inspired by the Steve Almond book Candyfreak. It's a fun trip around America searching for regional or forgotten candies, and we're going to travel around looking at the strange and forgotten candies for this thread. Because I've read Candyfreak (twice), I'll be reading at least one of Almond's fictions.
I'm also hosting the May ScaredyKit: Horror for Children/Horrifying Children: https://www.librarything.com/topic/305976#

As stated in my previous thread, my goals this year are to buy fewer books and to read some of the hundreds of unread books already in my house. I've put my resolutions in writing by joining the ROOT group, and I hope to read 75 books that have been on my shelves for at least 6 months. https://www.librarything.com/topic/301124

My threads are politics free, but high in the snark you need for healthy bones and shiny hair.

My first thread was dedicated to unusual travel spots: https://www.librarything.com/topic/301120
My second was dedicated to unusual cocktail recipes: https://www.librarything.com/topic/302908
My third thread was dedicated to gems, minerals and terribly expensive jewelry: https://www.librarything.com/topic/304444

Books Read in 2019

1. Around the World in 80 Days- 4.5
2. Hemingway & Bailey's Bartending Guide- 4.2
3. My Family and Other Animals - 4 stars
4. The Death and Resurrection of Elvis Presley-3.5
5. My Friend Dahmer- 4 stars
6. The 7 Secrets of Awakening the Highly Effective Four-Hour Giant, Today- 3 stars
7. Blood on the Boards- 3.5
8. Lumberjanes: Sink or Swim- 2 stars
9. Book Towns- 4.2
10. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea- 4
11. Nothing More Than Murder- 3
12. John Dies at the End- 5- ScaredyKit Group
13. Soulless- 3.5- February ScaredyKit Group
14. The Walking Dead Cookbook- 4 stars
15. The Twisted Ones- 4 stars
16. Hollywood Said No!- 3 stars
17. The Widow Clicquot- 3 stars
18. Handwritten Recipes- 3 stars
19. A Year in the Merde- 4 stars
20. The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs- 4 stars
21. The Murder of Helen Jewett- 3 stars- ScaredyKit Group
22. The Twits- 5 stars
23. Diamonds Are Forever- 4.2 stars
24. The Red House Mystery- 2 stars
25. The Friends of Eddie Coyle- 4 stars
26. Hotbox-
27. Home from the Vinyl Cafe- 3.5 stars
28. Intoxica!- 4.5 stars
29. Robert Kirkman's Descent- 3 stars
30. Al Capone Does My Shirts- 4 stars
31. A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian- 4 stars
32. Mental Floss presents...Be Amazing-3.5 stars
33. Under the Glacier- 3 stars
34. The Art of Tiki- 5 stars
35. More Skipper Stories- 3 stars
36. My Life in Heavy Metal- 3.5 stars
37. The Book Of Lists London- 3.5 stars
38. Say Cheese and Die- 3.5 stars
39. Thirsty- 4.5 stars
40. A Head Full of Ghosts- 4.2 stars
41. Hail to the Chin- 4 stars
42. Return to Fear Street: Drop Dead Gorgeous- 4 stars
43. Goosebumps Most Wanted: Planet of the Lawn Gnomes- 4 stars
44. Dear Boris: The Life of William Henry Pratt- 4 stars
45. Marco Polo: Canada West- 4 stars
46. Go, Mutants!- 4.2 stars
47. Harry's Bar- 3 stars
48. Guide to the National Parks of Canada- 3 stars

I think my top three favorites are:
1. See's dark chocolate almond nougat
2. Crispy M&Ms
3. Hershey Eggs. These are the solid pastel coated eggs that are only available at Easter.
Answers subject to change depending on what I'm hooked on at the moment.

So what are your top candy addictions?

I'm in! I want candy!

Chocolate with hazelnut. Would go to war for Fererro Rocher. The French even have that song about it-

Fererro Rocher, Fererro Rocher
Dormez vous, dormez vous?
La la la la la la!
La la la la la la!
La la la!

Oh, you're getting candy, Pal. Here's your delicious prize for being my first visitor:

Enjoy! I understand you can really taste the herb seasoning.

>4 mstrust: Wow.

Happy new thread!

Favorites:
1. dark chocolate
2. chocolate and peanut butter
3. dark chocolate
4. Reese's Fast Break
5. dark chocolate
ad infinitum

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Jennifer! 1. Peanut M&M's 2. Starburst jelly beans 3. Almond Bark
Have a happy day!

>5 RidgewayGirl: Is that a "wow" of jealousy?

>6 drneutron: Dark chocolate is my favorite too, so I love Junior Mints and York Patties. I had a dark chocolate Reese's once, but I don't know if that's still made.

>7 figsfromthistle: Thanks!

>8 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda! I can murder a bag of peanut M&Ms, and not the little bag either. I like jelly beans when the mood strikes, which is usually just at Easter, so I have a bag of Starburst jelly beans in the cupboard right now. I also like Mike & Ike and Jujefruits.

Oh, I love your new thread (loved the old one too). I'll eat any kind of candies except those flavoured with wintergreen.

I can't see my candy!

Yes to crispy M&Ms! I also like peanut butter M&Ms and Reese's pieces. And I'm totally addicted to Cadbury Mini Eggs (the little hard shell chocolate ones, not the giant cream ones). I'm also partial to Starbursts when I'm in the mood for pure sugar.

>10 VivienneR: Thanks, Viv, good to see you here! I love a non-picky eater. I'm sure you'll find good things here, just don't steal any of my prototypes to give to Slugworth.

>11 SomeGuyInVirginia: What do you mean you can't see it? Is anyone else not getting the pic in >4 mstrust:?
You lucky boy, you won a big tin of gravy flavored hard candies! Individually wrapped to keep in that gravy freshness.

>12 curioussquared: Another crispy M&M fan! They tend to be harder to find than any other flavor. I haven't tried the peanut butter M&Ms, and I was decades late in trying Reese's Pieces, but I like them. I understand the Cadbury Mini Egg thing well, because it's fun to crack the shell and the chocolate is almost malty.

Hi Jennifer, I also cannot see what is pictured in >4 mstrust:

I love anything chocolate, but I am not a fan of dark chocolate. Favorite chocolate bar is an O'Henry Bar. I also love jelly beans - most flavors. Caramels are also a favorite and if you put chocolate and carmel together - I'm in heaven!

ETA: I don't mind skipping out on the viewing of gravy candies - that's simpy unnatural!

Happy new page! Share one of my favorites from childhood, the Big Cherry candy!

>14 DeltaQueen50: Ok, thanks for letting me know. I've switched pics and hopefully this will let you see that deliciousness. O. Henry! That's a classic.
I couldn't eat caramel as a kid because it made my gums itch and my teeth hurt, but I've become something of a fan as an adult. I do like a Milky Way or Carmello.

>15 quondame: Yum! I like cherry & chocolate together. My mom always added a little maraschino juice and chopped cherries to her chocolate cakes.

>11 SomeGuyInVirginia: Larry! See if your candy is coming up in >4 mstrust: now.

Well! How lovely! Thank you, there it is bigger than life, 'gravy candy'. I guess you gave the last tiara to DeltaQueen50?

Mini Eggs, Coffee Crisp and Reese's peanut butter cups are my favourite chocolates. Oh, and Crunch bars (the ones with the crispy rice). Yum!

>17 SomeGuyInVirginia: You should have asked for a tiara last month when I was stealing them left and right! But I think you have enough gravy candy to have a piece every day of this thread. And you can always lick them and stick them to your head while saying "la di da".

>18 rabbitprincess: Oooh, Coffee Crisp, good one! I always liked Krakel bars over Crunch, probably because the Krakel was a thick bar, but Crunch is good too.

Happy new thread, Jennifer!

My three favorite candies in approximate order (the second and third are probably roughly tied in actuality):

1. Homemade peanut butter fudge
2. Homemade buckeyes
3. Homemade chocolate-peanut butter fudge

>13 mstrust: Non-picky, yes, that's me. I once did a quiz to find out my favourite pizza topping. The result was "Don't worry about toppings, you will be just as happy eating the box!" Haven't tried it though.

>20 harrygbutler: Hi, Harry! I'm seeing a pattern! And it looks like peanut butter and chocolate are the most popular combination for lots of candy eaters. Mrs. Butler must be kept busy making you all those handmade candies. :-d

>21 VivienneR: That just means you're a delightful dinner guest. I read Hotbox recently, a book about the catering world. The authors have a chapter discussing how difficult it can be to feed a group of people where everyone is allergic, gluten-free, low-fat, following special diets, etc. I'm like you, just don't serve me exotic meats and everything is good.

Was I crazy to just hand out gravy candy by itself? Nobody just eats gravy.

Take a piece of each at the same time.

And I came home from my library shift with Wishin' and Hopin' and Elevation.

Happy new thread, Jennifer!

Thanks Anita, for dropping by and for the chocolate!

33. Under the Glacier by Halldor Laxness. The Glacier is a small village at the foot of a glacier, which has gotten the Bishop of Iceland's attention for the strange behavior of the parson stationed there. Parson Jon is rumored to have boarded up the church, to be making his living instead working with horses, and to even refuse to bury the dead. The Bishop sends a young and unenthusiastic emissary out to the village to find answers.
Strange and at times absurd, the young emissary meets with old stories and rumors, and a hostess who insists on feeding him nothing but coffee and sweets, claiming him to be too important to eat fish. 3 stars
I've had this for 14 months.

Hi and happy new thread Jennifer to all at the BBC.

>26 mstrust: The plot sounds different!

Happy new thread and a peaceful and restful Easter to you and yours, Jennifer.
Candy and books - two of my favourite things, this is a great combination.

>27 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul! Although The BBC is gone, I hear Dwight tried his hand at police work but it didn't work out. Bernard was eaten by zombies soon after walking out of our building.

>28 thornton37814: It's unusual for sure. I believe it was published in 1968, so an early work of Icelandic lit to be translated. It's a somewhat quiet novel in which most of the action is in the dialogue. Laxness was a Nobel Prize winner.

>29 SirThomas: Thank you very much, Thomas! Candy and books are a great combo, as long as you clean your sticky fingers before turning the page ;-) Happy Easter!

Kit-Kat is a popular candy bar in much of the world, but it's massively popular in Japan. I've seen a count of 200 different Kit-Kat flavors there.


Apple pie for Easter. You can also find flavors such as hot chili powder, wasabi, green tea, sweet potato, rum raisin, pumpkin, and pancake. Some of these flavors can by found on Amazon.

I love all chocolate candy, but Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Peanut Butter M&M's are probably favorites.
And I like Peeps, one or two once a year.

>23 mstrust: Whenever I miss my dad's steak I could have the gum instead. LOL!

I like to open the Peeps and let them air for about four days getting stale before I eat them. Which reminds me that I have a small pack of coconut Peeps in my pantry.
I'm not positive, but I think the maker of the roast beef gum would also make the tin of peanuts and beer gum I had once.

34. The Art of Tiki by Sven Kirsten and Otto Von Strohiem . A big coffee table book of tiki culture, with a special focus on the art. The authors were instrumental in the revival of tiki culture and include their own histories in putting together gallery shows and tiki newsletters in the 90's, and in gathering people who became well-known in tiki culture.
This is a beautiful book that looks back at the history of tiki from the 1930's to the 70's, especially in architecture, and also much that is currently happening, and features the works from artists who make their living in tiki culture. 5 stars

This is one of the books I bought at the Oasis this past weekend and I had it signed by the authors.


King of the Sea by Rickey Fahey

>30 mstrust: In any case! But you must not waste anything of the good stuff - every finger must be licked thoroughly clean!

I've had to stop buying everything but groceries until I empty my storage unit. I made an exception for the Frankiestein tiki, because I am not a monster.

>35 SirThomas: I'm glad you're polite enough to not leave a chocolate fingerprint on the page. I've come across it in library books and it's disturbing ;-)

>36 SomeGuyInVirginia: Of course you needed the Frankie mug! Great choice! I have it in the limited edition orange, but that's because we were there during their anniversary. I actually much prefer the green.
I have every tiki on that page except the bearded clam which I don't really like. I have the lava letch in the limited edition dark green but I like the two tone one a lot. I think you're building up quite a collection.

And I swear I'm going to get Tiki Oasis pics up this weekend.

Hope you are having a great Easter Weekend, Jennifer. Here's an assortment of Easter treats:

Thanks, Judy! These are all mine. But I was just making up a group basket.
Have a Happy Easter!

The baseball bat is for whoever gets to it first, so yeah, I supplied someone with a weapon to fight off the competitors. I recall it worked out fine in The Hunger Games.



This is a 6 ft tall chocolate bunny. Tomorrow we make it 0 ft tall.

Happy Easter weekend, Jennifer.

Attack the giant chocolate bunny if you want to live!

Wow I really need to review my life choices because that's, like, the 10th time I've urged people to attack confectionery.

I've been watching Back Summer on Netflix. Created by the same people who did Z Nation, but it's nothing like that. Very grim survivalist horror.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!


>41 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara! Poor chicken!
>42 SomeGuyInVirginia: But do the attacks end in you getting candy? Victory!
>43 SomeGuyInVirginia: I just started watching this weekend and it's so good! I'm at episode 4.
>44 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda, and Happy Easter! I've licked Elvis' face right off.

Happy Easter, Jennifer!

>22 mstrust: Some years I persuade my mom to make candy at Christmas, but other years — and if I want it some other time of year — we'll make it. I generally take the lead on the fudge, and Erika usually takes the lead on the buckeyes, though we both pitch in to make both.

Happy Easter, Jennifer! I hope the Easter Bunny leaves something - anything - other than roast beef chewing gum and gravy candy!

>31 mstrust: KitKat is my favourite chocolate bar but just give me the original version. The flavours you mention all sound revolting!

>23 mstrust: I love Wishin' and Hopin", one of my favourite Christmas books.

>46 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry, and to you! How nice that you make candy together. One time, Mike was pestering me to make chocolate chip cookies and I didn't feel like doing it. So I gave him the recipe, pulled the ingredients out for him and said have at it. Neither of us could figure out how they turned out the way they did. But he's the Rice Krispy Treat cook in our house.

>47 VivienneR: Thank you, Vivienne, and Happy Easter to you! The Easter Bunny took me out for lunch today, so I'm happy. He also bought me some chocolates.
I'm actually intrigued by the thought of both the pancake and chili powder flavors, as I like spicy chocolate.Sweet potato is probably good too, but I hate green tea so I'd never touch that.

35. More Skipper Stories by David John Marley. Marley gave a seminar at the Tiki Oasis about the history and design of Disney's Jungle Cruise, and about what it was like to be a skipper on the ride, a joke writer on the script, and a skipper trainer. He was part of the tiki author book signing at the event, and this is where I picked this up. I had expected a memoir but instead the book is sectioned into topics and consists of quotes from skippers from the 1960s to present (which are usually credited to "anonymous" for obvious reasons). The chapters cover training, management, pranks, etc. For me, the most interesting chapter was "Guests Are The Worst", where skippers had stories about dealing with hecklers, angry passengers, mouthy children, and whole boats that didn't respond to the jokes. 3 stars

I'll just put up some pics of last weekend's Tiki Oasis AZ. I'm sorry the pics are so big, this is the smallest I could get them.

It was held at the historic Valley Ho Hotel downtown. It's a really gorgeous Mid-Century design, inside and out. The lobby, restaurant and grounds look like you're walking into a very sophisticated 1960.



The Martini Kings. They played in the restaurant Saturday night. I never thought I'd encounter a xylophone player who rocks.

The Surfside IV are an amazing local band who played at the Sailor Jerry's Rum suite party. If you ever get a chance to see them, go! And the rum company was giving away free cocktails. This gives you some idea, but the furniture in the suite had been removed so they had room to move around. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAmzkwEpaBs


On Sunday morning, after the Jungle Cruise seminar, the book signing was held in the lobby. You could actually get anything by these authors/artists signed. I had my copy of the phenomenal Smuggler's Cove signed by by authors Martin Cate and Rebecca Cate, but when I looked at the pics later, I saw that the guy next to me had stuck his whole arm in the picture.


Sven Kirsten and Otto von Strohiem signing The Art of Tiki.


Jeff "Beachbum" Berry signing Intoxica! for me. Really cool guy with the cutest dimples.


By the pool.

I have a couple more to download.

Hi Jennifer. I am taking advantage of a rainy Easter Monday to catch up on some threads. Of course, I took my time and drooled over some of the fabulous jewelry on your previous thread. Happy to see your new thread has a candy theme! I saw M&M chocolate bars in the grocery store this weekend.

Favorite candy (in no particular order):

OMGs Vanilla Almond Clusters
Australian soft strawberry licorice
Crunchie Sponge Toffee Chocolate bar
... and adding my vote for Coffee Crisp and Reese's peanut butter cups (the original size, smooth- not crunchy)

>31 mstrust: - Apple pie KitKats? I would try those. I did not like the green tea KitKats, or the cheesecake ones (too sweet).

>50 mstrust: and >51 mstrust: - Looks like you had a great time!

Hi, Lori! Thanks for catching up with me. I haven't tried the OMG line yet, so I'll keep my eyes open. I like Crunchie bars too, they're really good. I would try the apple pie KitKat too, it's not like it can go badly with an apple cinnamon flavor.
We did have a good time, especially at the rum party and the seminar and book signing the next day. And the hotel is gorgeous and the restaurant served some unique food. I'll be posting a pic of the dessert. It's unbelievable.

>50 mstrust: + Thank you for sharing your pics! Looks like fun. I've always wondered what the inside of the Valley Ho was like. What a great excuse to stay there!

Man, that does look like a good time. Perfect venue, tiki music, free rum. Even the book signers are having a good time, and you hardly ever see that.

>54 PaperbackPirate: There were a few rooms open to the marketplace with people selling mugs and vintage clothing out of them. They were pretty small, and the suite the band played in wasn't much bigger, but it had a very large balcony/patio. The lobby and restaurant are really nice and all the tiki stuff and people in vintage looked very appropriate.

>55 SomeGuyInVirginia: The authors were having a good time. I think they all knew each other, and Sven and Otto have known each other for decades, so they were talking among themselves and chatting with the fans. The only person I ran across that weekend who seemed otherwise was the carver Crazy Al, who was late setting up his stall at the marketplace and politely snubbed me :-D I still have a couple more pics to size and post.
And I finished Black Summer yesterday. What a scary, well written show! Have you watched them all?

And we ended up near a Half Price Books today, so: The Jaws Log from one of the writers of the movie, and Rock and Roll High School: Growing Up in Hollywood During the Decade of Decadence.

Quickly passing through and making note of Back Summer.

You, Larry and I make up the triangle of zombie fans here on LT. Hope you like it too.

>51 mstrust: I'm out of Easter candy so I decided to come here to get my fix :)

So cool a xylophone player who rocks!

Good call, there's lost of candy around here.

Here's what's at the bottom of the Easter basket: gummy bacon candy. It's strawberry flavored, which I suppose is an easier sell than bacon flavored candy, but a huge disappointment to some of us.

Strawberry bacon..

Nopenopenope!

Every Necco wafer I've ever eaten has forcibly reminded me that I have made some poor life choices.

>62 drneutron: I occasionally like gummy candy, but I think the fun is to be chewing on what looks like raw bacon. Kids would love to freak their parents out with it.
>63 SomeGuyInVirginia: Neccos were big with me and my sister when we were kids. Got a problem with a cornstarch covered, clove flavored hard disc that can break your teeth? We enjoyed candy cigarettes too and I recall trying to set the end of the stick on fire.

I did my shift at the library this morning and didn't buy a single book. I did go across the parking lot and buy 50% Easter candy though.
Has anyone else noticed that The Travel Channel is no longer doing travel shows? They've become the paranormal all-ghosts-all-the-time channel.

Necco wafers, proof positive of the existence of an angry God.

36. My Life in Heavy Metal by Steve Almond. A collection of short stories about couples, whether they are a couple for just a few hours or for decades. The title is the story of a young man who graduates college in the East, detaches from his girlfriend with a sense of relief, and takes a job at an El Paso newspaper. He's quickly promoted to music reviewer and is required to attend the big concerts that come to town, which are mostly heavy metal bands, and he begins seeing a local woman when his former girlfriend suddenly appears and decides they are still a couple.
The stories are sometimes despairing, other times comedic, and the couples, or potential couples, range in age from teens to widowers. I liked "Geek Player, Love Slayer" about a reporter in her 30's who is disgusted by her attraction to the immature company computer guy. 3.5 stars

I think I've had this for about three years.

Do you like cotton candy, but wish it was more exciting, capable of surprising you like Cato jumping out from behind the door? Of course you do.
Check out the flavors from Chocolate Storybook. They sell buckets of cotton candy in flavors such as peach, banana, champagne, bbq sauce, watermelon, coffee, peanut butter and jelly and more.
https://chocolatestory.com/sweets/cotton-candy/

Hi Jennifer!

First time visitor, thought I’d come on over after seeing the scary Easter Bunny on SGiV’s thread.

>2 mstrust: Candy is one of my favorite topics, and your love of See’s dark chocolate almond nougat probably matches mine.

1. See’s dark chocolate almond nougat – honestly, my favorite candy
2. Look bars
3. See’s non-pareil jelly eggs

Runners up include See’s dark chocolate Scotchmallows, SDC raspberry creams, SDC California brittle, Butterfingers, Baby Ruths, and Red Vines. NOT twizzlers, has to be Red Vines. My sister is coming to visit from CA next week and I anticipate a custom box of See’s…..

>26 mstrust: I’ve read Laxness’s Independent People. This one sounds intriguing.

>33 mstrust: Soul mates. The staler the better. I bought some Peeps two weeks ago for a friend, haven’t had a chance to see her yet, and every day have to consciously choose to NOT keep them and open them. Red Vines have to be stale and chewy, too.

>40 mstrust: Now THAT’s an Easter Basket.

>64 mstrust: Necco wafers, candy cigarettes, candy lipstick. Yup. And how about filling a piece of licorice with Pixie Stix? Enough to make any dentist weep.

Good luck on ROOTing out your library. I hang out in this group and the ROOTs group, too. My problem with ROOTs is that I usually end up keeping the book anyway, but it does keep my TBR manageable.

Hello! Another candy freak! And a See's fan too, so you must have grown up in Ca. I didn't realize that See's was only found in California until I was an adult, but we have a few of their stores around Phoenix now. I love their Scotchmallows too, and the dark raspberry creams. And the maple walnuts. And the dark chocolate walnut clusters.
I don't know if I've ever had a Look bar, though I can picture the packaging. We're a Red Vine family too.
Independent People is the one Laxness won the Nobel for but haven't read it. I believe Under the Glacier is a later book.
Yeah, I just prefer a firmer marshmallow, one that doesn't melt away. I like the texture of Circus Peanuts.
No, I never heard of filling licorice with Pixie Stix, ha! Wow, did your house have any wallpaper left :-D
I'm doing surprisingly well at ROOTing and culling the ones I don't want to keep. Better than I expected from myself, but I know working at the library this past year has made me more ruthless about what getting rid of what I don't love.

Dark chocolate almond nougat, with a hint of honey:

Mom and dad always got a gift box of See's at Christmas, Dad discovered it on a business trip. Uber yummy chocama!

I'm meeting the head of the local FoL Monday after work. We spoke on the phone and I really liked her, and another FoL made it sound like a cross between a gang and summer camp. Can't wait!

I'm really, really glad you two have met!

>69 mstrust: I did grow up in CA – SoCal, as a matter of fact. Inglewood, Hawthorne, Diamond Bar, Los Angeles at Pepperdine just as they were moving to Malibu, Redondo Beach (shift to CT for 3 years), Sunland, Glendale, Tujunga. Then to NC to marry my Bill, 28 years ago today as a matter of fact.

My mother, who was a bank teller at Pacific State Bank and later Bank of America in the good old days when you stood in the line of the teller you wanted to wait on you, used to get more than a few boxes of See’s Candy every Christmas from her favorite customers. I didn’t realize it wasn’t outside of California until the CT stint.

Ooh, Circus Peanuts. They’re wonderful, too, very creamy. Last Valentine’s Day my husband wanted me to pick out my own Valentine’s Day candy while we were out grocery shopping (boo, hiss!), so I said I’d pick it out when I got home – and I got a 2-lb bag of ‘fun-size’ Look Bars from Amazon. Look Bars were a nickel when I was little - well, heck, everything was a nickel when I was little. Here’s the full-size packaging of the Look Bar:



Working at the library sounds like fun, even if one has to use their ‘inside voice’. I’m Treasurer of our local Friends of the Library so spend a lot of time at ours.

I’ve acquired more than culled this year, but at least the ratio is less than 2:1 so far.

Yummy picture – sigh.

And I've read 4 of the books you've read this year, although I've read them in previous years.

>70 SomeGuyInVirginia: Hi Larry! Yes, thank you.

>70 SomeGuyInVirginia: I hope you enjoy working for FoL! It's fun to work with books.
I felt bad because the annual volunteers lunch was the same weekend as the tiki event so I couldn't go. I'm sure the organizers think I'm a ghost because I didn't make it to the grand re-opening of our main branch last year either.
I have this friend who is always working to top me, so a week or two after I joined FoL, he went into a panic and got himself on the board of directors. Ha!
Yes, Karen and I have run past each other on your thread for a while now :-D

>71 karenmarie: That's exactly the packaging I was thinking of. It seems to be unchanged for decades. I hadn't even thought about finding them on Amazon, but I did buy Mike a big package of Toffifay years ago before they were in all the stores like now. We have such a small window for having chocolate sent to us through the mail. It's already too hot in March and still too hot in October.
I grew up in Garden Grove and Mike was living in San Dimas when we were first dating, and then I worked right off Sunset in L.A.
Another FoL! I work with the donations in the back room of the library, and I believe the other volunteers have made me the official shelf stocker, which is fine. May will be my one year anniversary.
I've had it pointed out to me that my reading is rather eclectic. I jump around genres like a frantic cat.

And my year of not buying books isn't going so well. After lunch today, Mike said "I thought we'd go to Half-Price Books, since we're around there anyway." Not the same location we went to last week, a different one. Here's what I did:
Unholy Night
Al Capone Shines My Shoes- the follow-up to Al Capone Does My Shirts
Spooksville: Aliens in the Sky- I never, never find a Spooksville in stores!
Elvis in Hawaii- non-fiction
Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone- a bio of The Carter Family for Mom.

I've said it before, I hate marzipan. But it's a great medium for talented artists and I've always liked seeing fruits and veg, pigs and unusual things that can be sculpted. Have you seen the marzipan babies? There's a whole bunch of them now. You just know there's someone out there who would bite them.

My sister and her husband bought their first house in San Dimas. And, Sunset's always a hoot.

Amazon has pretty much everything in the world, specialty/childhood candies included.

Good for you being a book sorter! Our book sort team, 10-12 strong, meets every Tuesday to sort donations, sometimes overlapping to Friday if they get too many. I admire their devotion. Being Treasurer averages out to about 10 hours a week, but the huge efforts are just before and during our two sales each year.

My sister and I are going on a roadtrip May 6 - 8, Biltmore on Tuesday. I have my eyes on a bookstore in Asheville for Monday afternoon, so I will also join the "year of not buying books isn't going so well" club.

>73 mstrust: I, too, hate marzipan, but a dear friend who's recently passed away used to love it, so I always got her some for birthdays and Christmas. Ugh. Marzipan babies. I used to bite the heads off of Gummibärchen... Haribo brand only, of course. And they're pronounced goo' - me - bear' - chen or goo' - me - bears, not gummy bears, not gummies.

I believe our sorting team is just three and sometimes four people. It's a smallish library. When we get hit with someone cleaning out their house it will entirely take up our little FoL space in the backroom.
Have a good trip! Books bought on vacation are excluded from the don't buy rule. You get as many as you like.
I like gummy bears a couple of times a year, they're one of those candies I have to be in the mood for, though the bright colors are pretty.

>73 mstrust: Please tell me his nappy has a brown load. Even if it's not true I want to believe it is.

37. The Book of Lists: London by Nick Rennison. Published in 2006, this is a book for people who love The People's Almanac and others that are full of history and historical trivia. In this book are lists such as "4 Mummified Londoners", "6 Memorable London Fires", "8 London Highwaymen", and "15 Classic London Murders". Even if you've studied the city's history extensively, you'll probably find some new bits of information here. 3.5 stars

I've had this on the shelf for 2 years, 2 months.

>76 SomeGuyInVirginia: :-D So gross! You're trying to ruin chocolate ganache for all of us.

Here's a good one. The Cadbury Flake bar. It's made up of super thin sheets of ruffled chocolate that melt on the tongue. In America, I think your best bet for finding this British bar is at an international store. I get them at The International Marketplace in Vegas.

I remember going into a German bakery with my Mom in Hamburg and they had this entire case of marzipan confections. I got a lady bug and, as I bit into it, thought 'I bet this tastes like hazelnut. Or cake batter at the least.'. No! It tasted like sad! One minute your bakery is making marzipan roses, the next you're invading Poland!

Finally someone makes the connection!

Mmmmm Flake bars! Especially as part of a 99 Flake ice cream cone!

Santa shops at the British grocery store for my family, so I'm usually guaranteed to get one at Christmas :)

That's one thing I never had in the U.K. We went to the park and saw them being sold, but I didn't know what a Flake bar was then. The most memorable thing I've had in my stocking was the big maple syrup sucker from Vermont that had chunks of smoked bacon in it. *Homer drool*

38. Say Cheese and Die by R.L. Stine. #8 in the Goosebumps series. Greg and his friends go poking around the local abandoned house and find that it's full of interesting things. When a homeless man chases them out, Greg runs with the weird camera he found, one that can predict the awful future in its photos. 3.5 stars

I read this for the May ScaredyKit of Horror for Children/Horrifying Children. I'm hosting, so drop by with your reviews about scary kids.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/305976

You and RP are leading me into temptation! My grocery store has a British section and I am pretty sure they carry Cadbury Flake Bars - I may just have to give one or three a try!

39. Thirsty by M.T. Anderson. Chris and his friends begin drifting apart in high school, with good-looking Tom hanging out with the cool kids and nerdy Jerk is embarrassing. And Chris has begun to feel strange ever since they saw a captured vampiress being led to her execution, when she stopped and locked eyes with Chris for some reason. Now he is thirsty all the time, can't eat or sleep and walks around school exhausted. Also, the mentor who has appeared to help Chris, Chet the Celestial Being, has promised that he can keep Chris from turning into a vampire if the boy helps destroy the vampire lord who wants to take over the world. Chris really hates that he's becoming a vampire, as he'd rather just be able to talk to the girl he likes.
An alternate world of humans going about their normal lives, yet protecting themselves from vampires with ancient rituals preformed at carnivals and chasing down witches. Published in 1997, this must pre-date YA, as it was a winner of a children's book award, which doesn't seem too accurate. I liked this "coming of age gone wrong" story a lot and I'll keep an eye out for more from this author. 4.5 stars

>85 DeltaQueen50: It's well worth seeking out. The Flake cone RP was referring to is an ice cream cone with a whole Flake bar shoved in so it sticks out the top at a jaunty angle.

Now here's another to look for in your international section. Mango pulp candy is found in both Hispanic and Indian cultures. I've had the dried mango slices in chili powder from the Hispanic aisle and liked it a lot, but this mango pulp candy is from India. Just three ingredients: mango pulp, sugar and citric acid. It's denser and stickier than a Turkish delight, and the flavor is intensely mango.

You know, that sounds really good. I love mango.

I do too, and I really like mango margaritas, nectars, and fresh mango. If you go looking for mango pulp candy, look for the phrase "aam papad", which means mango jelly. They are often in little plastic cases and aren't necessarily wrapped individually like in the picture. I have the brand Mahan right now and it's a solid brick that can be cut or bitten.
Btw, did you catch the season premiere of iZombie last night? I haven't watched it yet but I'm so happy it's back.

I didn't see it. That's one of those shows that I know I should watch but keep putting off. I did really like the episode where she goes out Halloween as a zombie.

Oh, okay, I thought you were watching it. If you ever get interested enough to check it out, it's on Netflix.

OK, I went on Amazon and searched for aam papad. I was about to buy some, when I read the reviews. The most recent complained about it having 'so many bugs in it.' I mean, how many bugs are OK? Amazon reviewers are so picky.

There are a few Indian and Halal groceries around and I need to check one out. Also, have you ever tried Mysore Sandal Soap? I like it, I'll have to remember to look for it.

I mean, how many bugs are OK?
Depends on how much protein you want in your diet. I prefer no bugs, but then I never add an extra protein boost to my smoothies either.
The Mahan brand I have is made in California, and I'm someone who looks at every bite. No bugs so far, hooray!
Really, since it's a pureed fruit that is so compressed to form it into a block, and the end product is somewhat translucent, I don't think bugs could get in there from production. Or at least it wouldn't be recognizable as a bug. If someone found a bug it might be from a really old product that grew something or being stored badly so a bug got into the package. I bought mine from a very large, clean store that carries all different ethnic foods but mostly Asian. Also the plastic case is clear, so you can see the candy inside.
I'm unfamiliar with that soap but looked it up. What's it smell like?

It's got a slightly astringent sandalwood smell. It's an everyday soap, not a richly perfumed gift soap, but I like it and it makes the bathroom smell great. I found it on NowSmellThis.com under Cheap Thrills. I like cologne and wear one almost every day. But never to dinner or the theater! Gah! I hate sitting next to someone who's soaked in cologne or perfume.

Sounds very manly. I'm about to switch over to my yearly big ol' bottle of Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Oil Soap. It's a must during the summer because the peppermint cools the skin.
Thankfully, most people aren't using really strong perfumes anymore, I can't take it either, and my grandma was actually allergic to perfume. But at my library, there is both a male maintenance guy and a female librarian who bathe themselves in heavy fragrance. Weird.

So who's ready to stick their hands back in the candy bowl?
Clamdy Canes! Not just for Christmas, you can order a pack of these clam flavored canes right now. Perhaps a special treat for Mom?
https://www.amazon.com/Clam-Candy-Canes-Everyone-Clamdy/dp/B07H7Q4BRJ/ref=sr_1_3...

>96 mstrust: The idea doesn't appeal, the appearance is off-putting, and the name sounds like something you don't want to catch.

Sorry, Jennifer, but blech. Perhaps on a dare with lots of money involved. Sorta remind me of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans from HP.

>97 quondame: >98 karenmarie: But ladies, think of the possibilities. The joy (for you) of just leaving them out on a table for children, co-workers, at meetings...

My MIL has roped me into helping her unpack at her new place today. :- b. But Mike's uncle in Michigan sent me four bottles of maple sugar, and that will last me for a very long time. I put a little in my coffee this morning.

>99 mstrust: Such delightfully evil plans. Alas, I have no co-workers to terrorize and my adult daughter's sense of humor is sometimes less than robust.

Ha! Does your daughter happen to be a millennial?
Congrats on being my 100th post! Your prize is something I was tempted to keep for myself, the exclusive Times Square Hershey Bar. Mmmm, biting into five pounds of chocolate...

>101 mstrust: OOOO thanks! Yum. I think I've even seen one of these in real life. Impressive.

Yes, she is a millennial. Not particularly helicoptered, but showing some signs of being on the scale and worrying brittleness. But she's started a new job at a company she likes - starting in the back office full time where as she was on the front line part time way back when. Her goal is to save up lots of money, buy a car, save more, get an apartment and leave us. I'll have to find things for her to waste spend her earnings - I like having her around and she helps with the dogs.

I'm glad you like your prize. I'd love to hug a five pound chocolate bar.
Sounds like your daughter has some important goals. Don't worry, when she leaves she'll probably be close by.

Primrose honey candy is perfect for summer, as it's a hard, honey-fruit exterior that is filled with liquid honey inside.

I've tried them and really liked it. The original is an all honey flavor, but it's also made as honey with lemon, orange, strawberry, green apple, or grape.

>99 mstrust: "Syrup in coffee? Why didn't I think of that?!"
LOL!

No, not maple syrup, but I definitely have tried that before and didn't care for it much. This latest is maple sugar, which is made from maple syrup but it's granulated. Instead of my usual French vanilla creamer, I mixed some maple sugar with regular milk and added my coffee. Tasty!

40. A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay. The Barretts are a New England family who have been struggling for a over a year, since John lost the job he'd held at a toy factory for nearly twenty years. While mom Sarah works, their finances place the family under such strain that the three older Barretts become volatile.
The story is mostly narrated by the youngest Barrett, eight year old Merry, who is witness to her fourteen year old sister's transformation from playmate to screaming creature that crawls on the ceiling and terrifies the family. Through Merry's eyes, and she's put front and center to witness nearly everything, we see Marjorie's condition become so extreme that the family gets a reality show, with a director setting up shots and camera operators filming Marjorie's exorcism.

Is Marjorie really possessed or is she suffering from mental illness? Is the family being taken advantage of, or have they done what they had to for the money? And is Dad's religious fervor going to save the family? The reader is kept on unsure footing as we're seeing the family through the eyes of a child, but the Merry we meet 15 years after the family's reality show aired is a blogger who is pretty obsessed with the show that made her family infamous. 4.2 stars

>106 mstrust: I've used maple sugar to make shortbread, and the results were obscenely delicious.

I have too! It was a very rich flavor with the butter and maple blending so well.
Speaking of baking, last night I made a little mocha bundt cake. I'd found a bottle of U-Bet coffee syrup at the store a few days ago, so half a cup of that, along with a tablespoon of the red cocoa powder that arrived a week ago, made a very flavorful cake.

From the Philippines, this is Mr Keso chewy cheese candy. The outside is a sweet cheese flavor, the inside is a Cheez Whiz style soft texture.


It can be bought from various websites, but seems to be one of the few things on earth that Amazon doesn't sell.

41. Hail to the Chin by Bruce Campbell. Campbell's second autobiography, and this has an introduction by John Hodgman, who had been Campbell's literary agent when If Chins Could Kill was published.
With a little childhood information to give context, Campbell covers his life since about 2002, discussing his movie and tv roles, a USO tour to the Middle East, and leaving L.A. for a small Oregon town, where he and his wife started a lavender company and built a Western ghost town to film They Call Me Bruce. This is a book about a working actor, someone who is usually hustling for the next project, and Campbell does something unusual in listing many shows he worked on that didn't last, and movies that turned out lousy, mainly because they were so low budget. He's honest about the failures and always moving on to something else quickly. 4 stars

Okay, I might be tempted to try the honey candy but definitely staying away from the clamdy canes and the chewy cheese candy. Both of those just turn my stomach thinking about them.

I'm with Lori, yes to the primrose candy and a big NO to the chewy cheese candy and the clamdy canes. Blech!

>96 mstrust: I followed the link (clamdy canes oh hell no) but they had a rotisserie chicken flavor that was kind of like 'huuumm'.

I'll be able to respond individually when I get home. We're in Vegas for mother's day. I won $300 yesterday!

Sweet!

Back from Vegas, and not much to report reading-wise. I think I read all of five pages throughout the trip. I did listen to a couple of Mobituaries podcast episodes, and Odd Things I've Seen in the car. If you have any interest in the Lizzie Borden B&B, listen to that episode, it's pretty funny.
http://www.oddthingsiveseen.com/p/podcast.html
We had Mother's Day and took Mom out for her favorite meal, which is nachos. The woman eats nachos all over town. We shopped at the international store and a huge, huge library we'd never been to before in Summerlin. Their library store was the largest I've seen, and so I bought:
You Better Not Cry
Born on the Fourth of July
The Hawaiian Lei: A Tradition of Aloha
Ghosts of Tsavo and Horn of Africa, both for Mike

Mike and I went to Frankie's both Sunday and Monday night, and Monday night we arrived to find it still doing business even though the power had been off for about an hour. Melo was the only bartender there and he was working by candlelight, and using a flashlight when he wasn't using both hands. Mike got his Maglight, other customers were using their phones for light while another played tiki music from her phone, and we all sat there drinking cocktails in the dark. The power came back on around 10pm and there was much celebration.
I won $300 Sunday afternoon and then didn't get another jackpot at all the rest of the trip. And Coral and Mom's boxer Emma had each other. Mom had to put her other boxer, Gracie, down last week and of course Emma has been depressed. She and Coral played and were happy.
On the way up, we stopped at the cemetery in Boulder City at 9pm and hunted for Dad in the dark to put flowers down. I've complained before about how difficult it is to find a grave with the flat plaques instead of proper headstones. And on the way home, traffic on the 95 came to a halt as we all got to see what happens when a dummy pulls over and opens their door on the highway. A passing car had not only taken the door off but peeled the driver's front panel like a a chocolate curl.

>112 lkernagh: :-D What, sweet, gooey cheese and seafood candy doesn't tempt you? You sound hard to please.

>113 DeltaQueen50: But isn't there some kind of Italian dish that combines clams and cheese? Imagine the ease of microwaving these two candies together. No? Is that you making those gurgling sounds?

>114 SomeGuyInVirginia: I saw that! And the dill pickle flavor. I happened to try some English roast chicken flavored potato chips the other day. They were okay, but the Worcestershire sauce flavor was better.

And here's Vegas' own chocolate:


Ethel M is a part of the Mars candy corporation. The factory is in Vegas, has a really nice botanical garden to stroll around, and a factory tour. But if you go, take the tasting class, it's full of info and you get to eat chocolate. I usually go for dark, but Ethel M makes such a creamy, flavorful milk chocolate bar that I prefer it.

>119 mstrust: Mmmmm creamy milk chocolate....my favorite! Last year I went to a chocolate factory in Austria called Zotter. Couldn't get enough of all the samples :)

Zotter is a new one to me, but I looked at their site and they have delicious looking chocolates, including a raspberry and Champagne bar. That's an excellent option.

42. Return to Fear Street: Drop Dead Gorgeous by R.L. Stine. When Zane gets his first chance at being a stand-up comedian, his group of friends from high school show up at the club for support. At another table sitting alone is the most beautiful girl the kids have ever seen, and they invite her to join them. Morgan is about to transfer to their school and doesn't know anyone yet, but she is so flirty that the boys in the group begin competing for her immediately, even Winks, who is dating Dehlia. Julie thinks there's something suspicious about Morgan because she is so vague about her life, but Amber says the other girls are jealous. Liam, who got the first kiss from Morgan, starts piecing things about Morgan together.
Reviving the "Fear Street" series, this is definitely about modern teens. There's a pretty gruesome scene in a tattoo parlor. 4 stars

Wow! so much I've missed! >50 mstrust: and >51 mstrust: Swinging pics!
>88 mstrust: Mango pulp candy is found in both Hispanic and Indian cultures. Ha! How timely is that!! My husband grabbed one on the way out of our favorite Indian Restaurant on Mother's Day. Not knowing what it was he was just like Pitueee! He didn't like that pulpy business going on in his mouth. hahaha. That after he put a dark round object in his mouth from the saffron rice plate. It was a cardamon seed. He didn't know. Honestly, he's like a kid. If you don't know what it is stick it in your mouth.
>119 mstrust: I love Ethel M! Cne of my favorite memories of Las Vegas was visiting the factory and garden. I thought, yeah, I could live here.

So much candy here, but strawberry bacon is a nope for me!
M&M has some new flavours out here and I tried 3 of them. Thai Coconut (yum), English Toffee (ok, Nate loved it) and Mexican Jalapeño (big NOPE)

Hi Jennifer! Glad you had a good trip. And yay for Ethel M candy and it's chocolate tasting classes.

Cheese candy is ...

words fail me.

>124 ChelleBearss: I still haven't tried the Thai coconut M&Ms but I want to. I have no interest in the jalapeno. I really liked the coffee nut flavor but I think that was a limited edition. I've been enjoying some Japanese mango gummies I got in Vegas.

>125 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Thanks, and I second the yay for Ethel M! Cheese candy is so... well, I imagine the word is "unexpected". And, *urk*, salty.

I ordered a few things from the Seattle spice merchants I visited last year. One of my spices is called mahlab, which is described as a cherry and bitter almond flavor used in baking. I also ordered "long pepper" which a little hotter than regular pepper.
And here's something I didn't expect- I was fired from my library volunteering. Yeah. The lead volunteer, a bit of a control freak whose been there some years, texted me at eleven minutes to 8 in the morning yesterday with some unnecessary gibberish about how to clean the shelves. It woke me up, since I hadn't gotten to sleep til after 2am. So I texted back "Don't ever text me this early." Within the same minute she wrote back "don't come back, and I'm telling security to make sure you don't come back." Yes, really. And the bosses at FOL, whoever and wherever they are, backed her and I was thanked for my year of service.

>123 Carmenere: I'm sorry, I wasn't ignoring you, Lynda!
I'm guessing your husband was expecting some other flavor than mango, ha! It's a rather divisive flavor.
Ethel M's factory is a really pretty place, isn't it? When I was a kid they had a greeter there in the garden who was a John Wayne impersonator. I remember him being old then, so I suspect that once he died that was it.
Btw, I was being nice by posting about Ethel M and their wonderful chocolate, because I came across some startling pictures of chocolate covered scorpions that I considered. ;-)

We have some control freaks in our FoL organization, too, and they're very irritating. One of ours occasionally has people snarling behind her back, but she has quite a bit of authority and power regarding volunteers for the book sales, so nobody want to directly confront her.

Sorry the organization backed the control freak.

And thank you for not posting chocolate-covered scorpions.

Ha! But you can see their angry little claws perfectly even with the chocolate.
I never would have imagined that I would be fired for telling the woman it was too early to text me, so it was a surprise to get that call from the FOL coordinator. I guess for all the complaints about volunteers quitting quickly, they didn't need one who stuck it out. Meh.

OMG! I'm sorry to read the FOL went overboard with their response. You're a volunteer for god's sake, not a paid employee. *sigh* NFOL!

Thanks for sparing us the inevitable gagging reflex that would accompany the sight of chocolate covered scorpions.

Right? I think the woman, Jane, knew who to call and cry to because she's been there a long time. Eh, some people believe they get something out of being a turd. She gets to rule over six feet of wall shelves.
Not only did I discover the scorpion, you can also get larvae and crickets in a variety of flavors. We keep being told that insects are high protein and low fat, but I'd eat leaves and bark first.

>126 mstrust: What is it about library volunteer groups that bring out the control freaks? My local FOL has big sales twice a year, but members can come and shop on Thursday mornings and when I had the time I'd go browse the shelves until the last time, when I was looking at a book and a volunteer told me to get out of her aisle as she was working there. It was quite a moment, and while the volunteers at the register were outraged on my behalf, I haven't been back and let my membership lapse.

There are bound to be volunteer opportunities where you will be appreciated. I do wonder though if security was notified, of whether you can still check out library books? It's such an odd reaction.

So sorry - and shocked - to hear you were fired from your volunteer job! They have lost a diamond. I used to be a volunteer coordinator and no matter what, no one was ever fired or even scolded. As a librarian I came to know many, many control freaks. It will make a great story though.

No candy stores around here so you are my "go to" for sweet stuff. But chocolate covered scorpions! Uggh!

>126 mstrust: I'm sorry but that is so funny! I think I need to add "Get fired from volunteering" to my bucket list now. What a world.

:-D Mike and I were laughing about it last night too! It's one of those things you didn't think happened, like, who gets fired from volunteering. Hey, am I a unicorn?

But something good happened yesterday too, as we booked a vacation in Vancouver for October to see the Fall foliage! The hotel we're staying at is right next to Stanley Park and both hotel and park were on a list of the best places to see the foliage.

And Canada makes me think of maple. And maple sugar candy!


Look at it sparkle.

And maple syrup candy:


Although I suspect the Canadian west coast will have less maple, more berries and seafood, like Seattle.

>132 RidgewayGirl: It may bring out the same personality that sits on HOA boards. I know that this woman told the coordinator that she was always leaving notes for me about the work, and that I always ignored them, which was a lie as she never left me a single written communication. I guess she needed more than just saying her feelings were hurt.
That's pretty brassy to tell you to tell you to leave her aisle!
As I told Mike, I don't have many charitable urges, so I did it and I think I'm done. ;-)

>133 VivienneR: Thanks Vivienne! It's true, I can now say to people, "Bet you never heard this before..."
And I'm happy to be your go-to for candy. It's a fun world.

>135 mstrust: Are you staying at The Sylvia by any chance? That's my favourite hotel in Vancouver. It always feels like I'm staying with friends.

>136 mstrust: Though I'm not a big syrup fan I love maple sugar candies. And maple icing on doughnuts!

>138 VivienneR: Yes! We like historic hotels and the location looks perfect, both for being so close to the seawall and all the trees. I'm so glad to hear it's a favorite!
>139 quondame: It's like maple is going to get you one way or another.

You have GOT to be kidding me!!! No wonder most volunteer jobs can only be filled by court order. Good for you for being rid of such a toxic environment.

:-D And I sort of knew a year ago that something like this would happen, as within 10 minutes of meeting her and beginning my training, she told me that volunteers don't last very long and I knew that it was likely because of her, as her conversation was peppered with insults. That first day, she told me that people volunteer "because they have nothing else to do". I think I outlasted the majority of volunteers because I never saw the same person twice.
And have we discussed iZombie's new season yet? Have I forgotten something, because Ravi started out the season being a zombie, right? And now he isn't?

And tomorrow starts our group discussion of Coraline in the May ScaredyKit- Horror for Children/Horrifying Children thread. Join the talk: https://www.librarything.com/topic/305976

Trust your gut. And if a volunteer head said that to me, I'd have hit back with "Oh, I have plenty to do. My shrink is trying out some new meds and thought it would be good to test my reaction in, you know, a less controlled environment. Do you have a true crime section? Luv! Don't tell!"

Everyone had been super nice to me at Martha Washington, but one of the few times I've ever lost my cool and raised my voice at someone was at a librarian at that branch. Fortunately she's no longer there. A really crummy person.

Ha! But with her own rude behavior, that statement would have been answered with "Hey, I'm self-medicating! I hope to eventually find the anti-a-hole formula that makes me tolerable!"
"...one of the few times I've ever lost my cool and raised my voice at someone was at a librarian..." I'm gonna picture you snarling, "Gimme that book!" and snatching it away. Happy thoughts.

I love Vancouver! If you can, I highly recommend going to Richmond for absolutely delicious Chinese food -- dim sum in particular.

I have a huge soft spot for the maple leaf-shaped sandwich cookies with maple-flavored cream. Mmmmmm.

Naw, nothing like that. I hadn't been feeling well for several days and took audio books back to return them. This librarian that I'd always thought was kind of a shrew was wearing a Halloween head bopper and, of course, was right by the book return. I handed her the audio books and asked that she check them in while I was there (I'd left CDs in the care before, etc). I always do this, never been an issue. She tossed them in the return cart. I very nicely asked 'I'd like to see them returned so I know there won't be an issue down the road.' She took them out of the bin and with a gay little laugh dropped them down the return shoot, and back into the return cart.

I walked off to look at the books for sale. Then I thought, 'no'. I went back and still nicely said 'I'd asked that you check the audio books in because it's been a problem in the past, me leaving and finding out a CD was missing. I don't think what you did was very funny and I'd like for you to check them back in. Now.' She was pulling them out of the bin and instead of just keeping her yap shut and checking them in said 'I didn't check them in because there were other people waiting.'

And I knew that was a lie, because it was just she and I. And it wouldn't have mattered if there was a line to the back because I would have been next. And I hated her. I hated that she was always a bitch to men (not just to me, it's the kind of thing you notice), and I hated that that this sour, ugly woman was wearing a Halloween head bopper. A head bopper doesn't mean you have a sense of humor! You know what gives you a real sense of humor, the milk of human kindness and a soupcon of fuck you! And I roared, 'WHO?! WHO WAS WAITING?!' Well, that got her attention, and the attention of everybody in the library. She scrambled to scan the audio books in and when she was done I left before I got to be some kind of youtube meme.

I'm glad I went back and made her check the books in, but in retrospect yelling wasn't the best option. And I very seldom raise my voice because I don't like it when other people do.

Jeez Louise! You met a real passive aggressive one. Well, after that story, I had to find something special for you.


Grape flavored Edgar Allen Poe candies, that come in a hard cardboard book. Perfect for walloping people who think you won't fight back. And I'll bet they make a nice throat lozenge too.

>147 mstrust: Wonderful! I went to Charleston with VictoriaPL and we were EAP all the time there - we even stayed in a hotel he'd taken a bath in.

Lucky! I'd love to see both Charleston and Poe's bathtub. And meet VictoriaPL. It sounds like a fun trip.

43. Goosebumps Most Wanted: Planet of the Lawn Gnomes by R.L. Stine. Twelve year-old Jay and his family have just moved to a new neighborhood. He notices the neighbors all share the same quirk of having their yards filled with ugly little garden gnome statues, including Mr. McClatchy, the grumpy old man across the street who Jay decides to needle. As the reader learns more about Jay he becomes less sympathetic, and his problems keep getting bigger and bigger. It's a good one with a clever ending. 4 stars
I realized when I was nearly done that I'd read two Stine's in a row. I'm getting a lot of children's scary reading done for the ScaredyKit this month.

44. Dear Boris: The Life of William Henry Pratt a.k.a. Boris Karloff by Cynthia Lindsay. An intimate and often humorous biography of actor Boris Karloff. The author knew Karloff most of her life as her parents and Boris were Hollywood neighbors when she was growing up, and she then became an actress and often socialized with Karloff and his family. This book wasn't an easy task, as it was written in 1975, six years after Karloff's death and however many years before the internet. The problem was that Karloff himself had obscured much of his life before fame, not just changing his name, but moving often, losing contact with his siblings, and being a prolific groom. The author is determined though, tracking down former wives, a very elderly brother of Karloff's and former co-stars, and she enlists the help of Karloff's only child. She creates a structure to Karloff's career and as much of his personal life as possible. She discusses the role that made him famous, Frankenstein, and his roles very late in his career soon before he died. She also finds an interview where he gave his opinion of Marilyn Monroe, his desire to be a better cricket player, and hears person after person speak of him with such affection that she writes: "By this time, I was almost hoping someone would say, "The man was a bastard."" Lindsay is a fun guide. This isn't easy to find, (I was at the library and this was the single bio on the actor), but worth it for the Karloff fan.4.2 stars

Since I can still get them I know I'm not the only one who remembers this favorite from the 50s!
Enjoy!

Just catching up here

Sorry to hear about the volunteering position. What I've been reading here it seems that it is a blessing that you no longer have to volunteer in such a negative environment. Kudos to you for sticking with it for a year!

>145 curioussquared: Sorry, I see I skipped past you up there! I love dim sum and I'm looking forward to all the good Asian and seafood in Vancouver. Also, I've just heard about Saskatoon berries. And I'm right there with you in saying mmmmm, maple!
>152 quondame: Thanks for the sugar high! That's a candy bar that survived many decades. I believe my sister liked it alot, and also loved Abazaba bars.
>153 figsfromthistle: Maybe we should be encouraging people in the library to go back to shushing each other. It may have been like a release valve.

Mike has been hiking the local mountain preserve several times a week for a few months now, and I finally got to go along. It was a lot more steep than I expected, plus I haven't been on a hike in years. At the end of the trail I said, "It smells like fire," and Mike said, "No, that's Little Miss BBQ. You can smell it from here!" so we went over to get bbq and smoked pecan pie. And that's how I exercise.

45. Canada West Marco Polo Guide. Covering Vancouver, Vancouver Island and going up to the Yukon and west to Calgary. Small as a trade paperback novel and light enough to carry along, this includes a removable map and lots of photos. 4 stars

Delafee of Switzerland makes the most expensive chocolates in the world. At $500 for 450 grams, the cocao is not only top quality, but the chocolate contains edible 24 karat gold flecks, and then is brushed in more gold. Fancy people love to eat gold. The company also brushes gold on fashion and home accessories, so sounds like they have a lot of it.

>126 mstrust: - Say what?! Fired from your volunteer job? Wow, there are some real nut jobs out there. Consider yourself saved from unwanted craziness. as >134 PaperbackPirate: said, that is something to add to a bucket list.

Yay for booking your vacation. While the west coast doesn't produce much (if any) maple syrup, the stores are filled with maple products for you to enjoy. ;-)

>147 mstrust: - Oh, grape flavored candy, and so pretty too! Yes please!

>156 mstrust: - I can think of better uses for 24 karat gold. I love chocolate, but not at that price!

Hi, Lori! I like to think that I don't do things halfway. Anyone can get fired from a paying job, but it takes someone special to get fired from volunteering. Or someone really special to fire a volunteer for not wanting to be woken up. Phoenix is where the amazing happens.
I'm looking forward to all the Canadian maple I can get, and to Saskatoon berries. They look like blueberries, but then marionberries look like blackberries but are much more reliably sweet.
Do you happen to know how long a drive from Vancouver to Victoria would be?
I don't think edible gold has enough flavor to merit brushing the whole chocolate in it, it's for looks. It adds some pizazz and says "expensive". But at least it isn't used on low quality chocolate.

>158 mstrust: - I love Saskatoon berries but I have to admit that I haven't encountered any outside of Saskatchewan. If you do find Saskatoon berries in Vancouver, please let me know.

Do you happen to know how long a drive from Vancouver to Victoria would be?

Simple answer: a low ball estimate of 3.5 hours.
Long answer: You have to drive from downtown Vancouver/ Stanley Park area to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, board the ferry to Swartz Bay (1.5 hours ferry travel time - no bridge option), disembark and then drive down the Pat Bay Highway into town. The 3.5 hour estimate assumes:

- normal traffic levels (no accidents, road works, etc);
- that you arrive at the ferry terminal 30 minutes before departure AND are able to get on board the ferry; and
- no delays with the ferry crossing (Victoria Day long weekend the ferry experienced the following unexpected delays")

If you do decide to swing by Victoria, please let me know!

Lucky you if you can manage to include a visit to Victoria - and bonus to meet Lori!

I even enjoy the ferry ride that goes in and around the Gulf Islands. I'm green with envy.

>154 mstrust: Ha! I do like the way you exercise!

>159 lkernagh: More hahaha's! I love Lori's link as to why the ferry can sometimes be delayed!
Have a great weekend!

>159 lkernagh: Thanks for all the info! Awww, I was hoping the berries would be all over, the way marionberries were all over Seattle. Oh well, maybe I'll come across some jam.
It looks like Victoria would be too far for a day trip, dang it. And I didn't know you were there! My sister was there years ago on her second honeymoon, when she was married to a Canadian, and she loved Victoria and Butchard Gardens. But the ferry ride sounds like it quite interesting and I'd be sorry to miss that.
>160 VivienneR: I'd love to meet Lori! I don't know if it will happen, but it would be great if it can.
I used to dread boat and ferry rides because I get seasick and Dramamine used to knock me out. I once boarded a boat ride around San Francisco, sat down, then raced off the boat before it sailed. I'm fine now, as the Dramamine doesn't make me fall asleep anymore. I really enjoyed the Seattle ferry.

>161 Carmenere: The joy in his voice at realizing it was bbq was worth it :-D
At least the passengers got to see a swimming bear, and I'd pay for that show. The other, not so much. Have a great weekend, Lynda!

A fun list of British sweets for Americans to look out for. I'm guessing these are well-known to Canadians too.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-british-candy-sweets_n_6439302


I like this photo more than anyone should. Is she thinking, "Oh, how I'd like to dive into this vat of Maltsers! I could, you know, I'm the Queen!" or is it more likely, "Another bloody tour of something I couldn't care less about. When will it end?"

>162 mstrust: - No worries and yes, it does take a fair bit of time, by car, to travel between Vancouver to Victoria. It looks so easy on a map, doesn't it! In one of my earlier jobs, I worked for a company that had offices in both Victoria and San Diego. When one of my San Diego colleagues was making her first visit to the Victoria office, she thought it would be easy to book same day meetings in both Victoria and Vancouver, with plans to drive to her meetings. Suffice to saw, her plans changed. It is possible to "day-trip" but the best way to do that is to fly on float planes harbour to harbour (that only takes 35 minutes flight time). It really is a lovely flight and you get amazing aerial views of both city downtowns, but it is expensive! It is cheaper for me to fly to Calgary to visit family than it is to fly to Vancouver, go figure). ;-)

I can appreciate a dread for certain things like boats and ferry rides. I have an aversion to heights so when my sister and I did the Grand Canyon skywalk, she was laughing while I spend the whole time clinging to a handrail as I walked over the plexiglass path.

Yes, Maltsers are available here in Canada, but I am not a fan of them. My favorite British import chocolate was Rowntree's Maple Buds.



They were tiny chocolate rose buds that melted in your mouth. It was available back in the 1980s and early 1990s but has not been seen since. Rowntree was acquired by Nestle in 1993 and Nestle discontinued the product. There is an avid fan base for the product. Facebook even has a "Bring Back Maple Buds Milk Chocolates" community.

Now, all we need is someone to take the reins and bring back the product, like this woman did in bringing back the Cuban Lunch chocolate bar, another favorite treat from my childhood.

>163 mstrust: LOL. Love your description of the Queen's thoughts.

Here is my contribution to the candy talk...rainbow chocolate!!!

>164 lkernagh: I guess I got the impression that they were closer because it seems like everyone who says "Vancouver" then says "Victoria" in the same breath. But distance-wise, it's like someone saying they're going to Disneyland and being told that in that case, they should hit Vegas too. I think we'll still ferry over to the island, but maybe drive around to some of the closer places so we can still get back to the hotel that night. Or we might take a car up north of Vancouver. I'm very sorry to see how far away Glacier Park is, but I'd like to have a look at a glacier.
A lot of aquariums put in squares of glass flooring in their shark tunnels and I refuse to walk over them. What if a hammerhead sees me and thinks I look delicious?

>165 lkernagh: Maple buds sound fantastic! How could anyone with half a brain stop making them.

>166 Berly: Thank you, and that's a very pretty chocolate bar. Someone is making their art degree pay off.

Phoenix has a local candy specialty made from the fruit of the cactus, known as prickly pear. If you haven't tasted prickly pear, it's sort of a mash-up of strawberry, lemon and kiwi. The candy is the consistency of a spice drop and usually coated in fine sugar. There are a couple of different local manufacturers. You can also find prickly pear preserves, tea, pancake syrup, and best of all, prickly pear margaritas.

>167 mstrust: - They really do give the impression that traveling between the two cities is a quick trip. ;-0
If you decide to take a day trip north of Vancouver, I would recommend a trip to Whistler, which is roughly a 1.5 hour drive each way. October is "shoulder season" for Whistler and a quiet tourism time before the ski hills open up. If you are not up for hiking or riding the gondolas, the village shops will be open, including the Great Glass Elevator Candy Shop.

>168 mstrust: - Now that you have described prickly pear, it sounds really appealing!

I've heard of Whistler, and that it's very pretty. A candy shop is always fun. And prickly pear is delicious, but so much work that I leave it to the pros. But a prickly pear margarita is up there with mango margaritas for me.
Since iZombie is filmed in Vancouver, I've found a site that names where each scene was shot. Oooh, to see Liv and Ravi as they stand over a murder victim!

>168 mstrust: I've had lots of prickly pear jelly and jam, but never the candy! I'll have to pick some up next time I'm in a gift shop.

If it's easier for you, AJ's carries two or three makers of the candy, plus lots of other prickly pear stuff. We picked up a box for a visitor just a few days ago at the store on Camelback.

You're coming to Vancouver? You will have to let me know the dates and if you have any free time. I live outside of Vancouver, in Tsawwassen where the ferry to Vancouver Island docks, and, of course, I travel back and forth on the ferry to visit my family often. Although I would be as much of a tourist as you in downtown Vancouver, I am sure I could find my way there. I also recommend a day trip up to Whistler, there are lots of fun shops and excellent restaurants there.

Yes, I'd love to meet you, and I hope we can make it happen! I've never heard of Tsawwassen, and I imagine you have to spell that out often. I'll PM you.

Chocolate moose, bear, cubs and pond. Everything is just fine.

>176 mstrust: Reminds me of the episode of the Muppet Show where the Swedish Chef makes Chocolate Moose by dragging a Moose onto the set and proceeding to paint it with melted chocolate.

Hi Jennifer!

>163 mstrust: I thought those were what we called 'malt balls' even before I scrolled to your comment. My grandmother used to alternate malt balls and lemon drops in her milk-glass candy dish. Yumsters.

>177 curioussquared: I'm sure the Swedish Chef has some excellent moose recipes. I'd take his advice.
>178 karenmarie: Hi! Yes, malt balls, which my mom used to love and I haven't seen her eat in years. In the U.K. "Maltsers" are very popular, and wage enough power to get the Queen herself to show up. I wonder if she scooped a handful into her purse.

46. Go, Mutants! by Larry Doyle. Teen J!M Anderson has always felt like an outsider. Aliens and mutants are treated well for the most part on their adopted home of Earth, but J!M's blue, oil covered skin and giant brain-shaped head make him a particular target, and his sullenness doesn't help. His best friend Johnny is also taunted by the human teens in their small town of Manhattan, NY, but as he's half radioactive ape, at least he's amazingly strong. The bullies make J!M's life bad enough, but he also sees Marie, the human girl he secretly loves, pulling away and becoming harder to relate to.
An alternative universe "Rebel Without A Cause", with cameos by a fat, unsuccessful JFK, an unappreciated Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn Monroe as the Governor of California, Ronald Reagan trying to dodge questions of Nancy's alien heritage, and a giant praying mantis who teaches Sex Ed. It's fun and clever. 4.2 stars

I've had this for seven months, so it's a ROOT!

Hi, Jennifer! Sorry to hear about the end of the volunteering.

>163 mstrust: Malted milk balls (not Whoppers, which seem to be the only brand left) were my go-to candy when we loaded up before heading to a drive-in movie when I was a kid, and I always enjoyed the chocolate-coated malted milk eggs with the hard candy shell at Easter time, too.

>168 mstrust: Those candies look tempting. Prickly pear is grown at the seashore here, but I don't know whether anyone bothers to harvest the fruits and use them.

>163 mstrust: I love her nod to Willy Wonka with the purple getup!

>181 harrygbutler: Hi, Harry! I like those Easter malteds too. I think my movie candy as a kid was M&Ms, plain. Also Jujyfruits.
Prickly pears are very healthy, but harvesting them can be tricky with the needles, and then they need to be peeled and mashed...it's a whole thing. But the birds love them.
>182 SomeGuyInVirginia: Ha, I didn't even notice that! Is Prince Philip four feet behind her singing, "Oompa loompa, oompa dee do,"? I've been re-watching "The Windsors" on Netflix, so I now associate Philip with foul-mouthed letters. :-D

We're at the end of May, so I've gathered my Summer reads. I like to get through my books of travel, vacations and stories set in hot climates during these months. I'm still doing my ROOTS and the ScaredyKit challenges.

>136 mstrust: Not much maple on the West Coast of Canada, Jennifer. Now if you could find some pine candies.

Ok, so I should never skim no matter how far behind I am. What, you're coming to Vancouver? When?

Yes, I'm going to be in Vancouver in October, so still months away and plenty of time for planning. We went to apply for our passports yesterday and the postal employee who was handling our paperwork asked where we were going, then his face lit up when he heard Vancouver. "That's my favorite city!" He proceeded to tell us about Granville Island and the suspension bridge, ha!
I will now worry that something goes wrong with my passport application, as I lost the previous passport I had at twenty years old.

The ideal childhood movie candy is Red Vines. Bonus: they make great straws.

Yep, licorice straw in the Slurpee. God. And I came from one of those vitamins every morning, whole wheat bread and plain Cheerios homes.

47. Harry's Bar: The Life and Times of the Legendary Venice Landmark by Arrigo Cipriani. The history of the famous bar and restaurant, as told by the current (1996) owner and son of the founder, Giuseppe Cipriani. The author writes of the operations of his famous restaurant, and best of all, gossips about their famous and often aristocratic clientele. There are stories of Hemingway, Welles, Barbara Hutton and Truman Capote. Also, the many incredibly wealthy people who came for a meal and left an impression either from their kindness or their bad manners.
Cipriani writes about the various business deals by people who wanted to borrow on the bar's famous name, and the famous incident in 1987 when the Ciprianis were literally pushed out of their Fifth Ave. restaurant in a hostile takeover. 3 stars

Holy cow, that sounds fascinating! It's on my list!

My favorite movie candy is M&Ms. I sit there eating them and half way through the film my hair starts to stand on end from the sugar rush. God, I love that feeling ..

I was just chomping my way through a bag of crispy M&Ms.
Cipriana does have some pretty good stories about his customers. Especially with them behaving badly.

This is Vertigo Cube Candy, made in Brooklyn:


It's the world's spiciest candy. Containing the compounds of the seven hottest peppers, it delivers the same impact as mace.
https://www.thrillist.com/vice/the-world-s-hottest-candy

>176 mstrust: Oh my goodness, someone ate the hooves off that poor moose. Hope they had a large mouth peanut butter jar to dip them in.

:-D You morbid thing, that never occurred to me.

48. Guide to the National Parks of Canada by National Geographic. The fact that this book must weigh five pounds tells you just how dense Canada is with national parks. Also, this book is so heavy that I can't imagine anyone taking it along in a backpack. But it's full of color photos, maps and info organized by region. 3 stars

And here's another option from Japan for Kit Kat fans:

Notice that it isn't "cheesecake" flavored, they have a cheesecake bar, but this is just cheese. Looks like a Gouda. Bon appetit!

Uhhhh, hmmm. Cheese is good. Cheese and cookies? 🤔

Really makes you think about how much you like cheese, doesn't it? "Do I like it enough to eat it in a candy bar?" For many of us, the answer is "No I don't."

My new thread is open, come visit!