Mellie Dee ♥

Lifestyle | Food | Travel

  • home.
  • about.
  • bucket list.

McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce Review

February 28, 2018 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

2018 | 059/365 | McDonald's Szechuan Sauce

[2018] 059/365: Jumping On That Fad

Guys, seriously?

I cannot even explain how big of a letdown this was.

Scruffy and I both have been wanting to try this since so many people raved about it and wanted it to be back. I was so happy they put in a sweet and sour and bbq sauce for me because I couldn’t put this in my mouth after the first try.

It’s literally fake Chinese food taste x10 but nasty. I love fake Chinese food but I cannot do this.

You McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce lovers, have fun eating my share!

Filed Under: Eateries & Drinkeries Tagged With: Fast Food, Project 365

2018 Lake Charles, Louisiana | Day 4

January 7, 2018 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

2018 | 007/365 | Lake Charles, Louisiana to Houston, Texas | Heavy Rain

[2018] 007/365: Rainy Days Seem to Hurt the Most

Taco Mel Taqueria | Lake Charles, Louisiana

Scruffy and I cannot wake up today. He kept hitting the snooze button and I continued laying in bed because of it. Once we got our lazy butts up we packed a bit then headed to Taco Mel for what Andrew says is one of the best tacos ever.

Taco Mel Taqueria | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Barbacoa and Carne Asada Tacos

Barbacoa Taco [tender slow cooked beef] | $2.99; Carne Asada Taco [thinly sliced grilled beef] | $2.99

You order your meat and get all you want for toppings and sauces. You can tell I piled that on! I wouldn’t say this is the best tacos ever but maybe it is for Lake Charles.

Checkers Drive-In | Beaumont, Texas

The drive was pretty painful. It was raining super hard and it was super bright out. The plethora of cars on the road didn’t help matters either. Thankfully, Scruffy wanted to stop at Checkers Drive-In and was nice enough to switch seats with me.

Checkers Drive-In | Beaumont, Texas | Vanilla and Strawberry Milkshakes, Famous Seasoned Fries, Chicken Bites & Fries Box, Funnel Cake Fries

Vanilla and Strawberry Milkshakes, Famous Seasoned Fries, Chicken Bites & Fries Box, Funnel Cake Fries

We went on our merry way and I fed him while he drove. Once we were done, I was sleepy and took a nap. By the time I woke up we were almost home!

Rocky, Bruno, Rizzo, Kato Waiting Patiently

He stayed for a quick bit and went home to Luna and his parents. His parents were having people over and we, too, were having people over. Katie, John, Tim, Joanna, and Jas came over for dinner and after dinner we had fun watching Jas make noise and pet Rizzo.

I am pooped. Though we didn’t do much this trip I had fun overall. It was nice of Andrew to let us borrow his place for the weekend.

I finally received my new planner for the year. We’re already a couple weeks ahead but I cannot wait to see how this one will compare to my usual. Stay tuned for that!

Taco Mel
2749 County Club Road, Lake Charles, Louisiana 70605  |  (337) 602-6482  |  Website  |  Yelp
Checkers Drive-In
490 N 11th St, Beaumont, Texas 77702  |  (409) 833-6365  |  Website  |  Yelp

Filed Under: Eateries & Drinkeries, Travel Tagged With: American, Fast Food, Mexican and Tex-Mex, Project 365, Sightseeing

2018 Lake Charles, Louisiana | Day 2

January 5, 2018 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

2018 | 005/365 | Golden Nugget Casino | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Slot Winner

[2018] 005/365: Cashing Out

Steamboat Bill's Seafood Restaurant | Lake Charles, Louisiana

Scruffy started the day working while I slept in a bit more then we both headed to lunch at Steamboat Bill’s Seafood Restaurant.

Steamboat Bill's Seafood Restaurant | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Shrimp & Crawfish Pistolettes, Boudin Ball, & Small Platter

Shrimp Pistolette | $1.99; Crawfish Pistolette | $2.29; Boudin Ball | $1.99; Small Platter [stuffed shrimp, fried fish, stuffed crab, 10-20 medium shrimp, fries, cole slaw, & Louisiana roll] | $19.99

We’ve learned we don’t need to order as much food as we use to so we usually order a plate and something on the side. Since crawfish wasn’t in season we both loved the shrimp pistolette more. Boudin ball wasn’t too bad but wasn’t the best and out of the small platter the best was the fish and shrimp.

Golden Nugget Casino | Lake Charles, Louisiana

We then headed to Golden Nugget Casino. We both won more than we spent so that’s a good feeling.

Crying Eagle Brewing Company | Lake Charles, Louisiana

We cashed out then went to the store to buy some knickknacks. We went back home where I took a short nap and he worked before we headed off to Crying Eagle Brewing Company.

Crying Eagle Brewing Company | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Beers

I got the one beer while Scruffy had five. We played Ascension on the IPad while we sipped. Its a free app!! Everyone should try it out!

Crying Eagle Brewing Company | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Gift Shop

The brewing company had a gift shop and it was nice walking through it to see things like this cup. Too funny.

Calla | Lake Charles, Louisiana

We went back home, debated to go to a casino buffet or not and ended up at Calla.

Calla | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Old Fashioned and Bone Marrow

Bone Marrow [with onion jam, herb salad, toast] | $17

Scruffy got the Old Fashioned while I sipped on water – I’m a good DD. We shared the bone marrow and though we weren’t disappointed, we didn’t truly know how delicious it was until the second one. The waiter brought another out for the man who was sitting next to us a minute ago. He had paid and left, forgetting (he was drunk) he ordered bone marrow. The nice bartender offered it to us free of charge! Free food always taste better!

Isle of Capri Casino | Lake Charles, Louisiana

The last casino of the night was at Isle of Capri Casino. I was not a big fan of this place since it reeked of smoke. Everyone could smoke wherever they stood. Ugh! I wished I had known before we walked in. It wasn’t a great start – I left Scruffy when he was down eighty dollars and when I got back, he had a smile and was up forty so we bid farewell to this stinky, smokey place.

Dairy Queen | Lake Charles, Louisiana

We stopped by Dairy Queen. I got a mini M&M ice cream – still too much for me. Scruffy got steak fingers. We headed home and he is waiting patiently for me to type this up so that we could watch Game of Thrones before calling it a night.

We are thinking of eating at a casino buffet tomorrow. Eeep, cannot wait!

Steamboat Bill’s Seafood Restaurant
732 S Martin Luther King Hwy, Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601  |  (337) 494-1700  |  Website  |  Yelp
Golden Nugget Casino
2550 Golden Nugget Blvd, Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601  |  (337) 508-7777  |  Website  |  Yelp
Crying Eagle Brewing Company
1165 E Mcneese St, Lake Charles, Louisiana 70607  |  (337) 494-1700  |  Website  |  Yelp
Calla
1400 Market St, Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601  |  (337) 419-1980  |  Website  |  Yelp
Isle of Capri Casino
732 S Martin Luther King Hwy, Lake Charles, Louisiana  |  (337) 494-1700  |  Website  |  Yelp
Dairy Queen
732 S Martin Luther King Hwy, Lake Charles, Louisiana  |  (337) 494-1700  |  Website  |  Yelp

 

Filed Under: Eateries & Drinkeries, Travel Tagged With: American, Breweries, Casinos, Fast Food, Ice Cream, Project 365, Seafood, Sightseeing

Patricia’s Friendsgiving/White Elephant Party | San Antonio, Texas

December 4, 2017 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

Last weekend Patricia was throwing a Friendsgiving/White Elephant party so Scruffy and I made plans to go up for a quick trip.

Rolling FIsh Sushi Burrito & Poke | San Antonio, Texas | Unagi and Salmon Poke Bowl

On Thursday we left his house to mine, switched cars and traveled up to San Antonio in time for a late lunch at Rolling Fish Sushi Burrito & Poke. We shared an unagi and salmon poke bowl with everything in it.

Hotel Alcohol Party

We then headed to HEB and Specs before checking into our hotel where we pretty much spent the rest of the night drinking and doing a whole lot of nothing. It was very relaxing having just us two.

Church's Chicken | San Antonio, Texas

We saw a commercial for Popeye’s but since it was so far away we brought back some Church’s to the hotel room where we ate and watched telly before calling it a night.

La Quinta | San Antonio, Texas | Hotel Breakfast

On Friday, we woke up for a hotel breakfast and Scruffy worked a bit while searched for jobs before we headed off to lunch.

Taqueria Datapoint | San Antonio, Texas | Mini Tacos

I always try to hit up Taqueria Datapoint when I’m in town and was ecstatic when he agreed to go with me. We shared a plate of mini tacos since we had plans to drink and eat something else soon.

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium | San Antonio, Texas | Beers

We jumped from Big Hops Huebner to Flying Saucer Draught Emporium for a few beers before heading back to the hotel. We relaxed at the hotel for a bit before heading back out for a quick early dinner.

Smashin Crab | San Antonio, Texas | Half Dozen Raw Oysters

Half Dozen Raw Oysters | $12

We made plans to hit up Smashin Crab (for me because I love seafood boils) and then hit up somewhere else for him. Once we sat down and got our food, going somewhere else was out the window. We started out with half a platter of oysters and a pound of shrimp with potatoes, corn, and sausages.

Smashin Crab | San Antonio, Texas | Shrimp Boil with Potatoes, Corn, and Sausages

Shrimp Boil [trinity sauce and level 3 alarm heat] | $14/lb + $1/corn + $0.50/potato + $2/sausage (4 pieces)

Soon enough we were ordering another pound of shrimp, potatoes, and corn. My goodness gracious. This is the best seafood boil I’ve been to and Scruffy agrees. We will be coming back once crawfish season is in. Yum!

2017 Patricia's Friendsgiving/White Elephant

We stopped by HEB then went back to the hotel for to get ready for Patricia’s party. We all drank, caught up, and played white elephant before calling it a night. It was nice to finally meet Patricia’s boyfriend and to see everyone else. Every time I go back I wished I lived there. Once we were back at the hotel, Scruffy started getting hungry and we ordered Uber for McDonald’s and soon realized we had too much food and not a big enough stomach. Before long, we both knocked out.

Breakfast at Patricia's

Patricia invited us for breakfast so when we woke up Saturday morning, we packed our car and headed over to her house for a delicious home cooked breakfast, bid our farewells, and headed back home towards Scruffy’s house, stopping by Buccee’s for Scruffy to grab a taco to go.

Luna Car Ride

We stopped by Andrew’s house before ending up at Scruffy’s where we picked Luna up and headed back to my house.

Scruffy and I | Homemade Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, Salad, and Garlic Bread

Homemade Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, Salad, and Garlic Bread

Scruffy and I made Fettuccine Alfredo, garlic bread, and salad for dinner. The family and Tim seemed to love it. With all the traveling, Scruffy and I watched telly and fell asleep.

Tasty Ko | Katy, Texas | Spicy Bulgogi and Soondubu Chigae

Spicy Bulgogi and Soondubu Chigae

Before Scruffy left on Sunday, we had lunch at Tasty Ko. Delicious Bulgogi and Soondubu Chigae. Yum. It was perfect since it was cold and raining.

New favourite restaurant: Smashin Crab. I am jealous of everyone who lives in San Antonio.

Rolling Fish Sushi Burrito & Poke
12730 Interstate 10 W, San Antonio, TX 78230  |  (210) 592-1003  |  Yelp
Church’s
9405 Guilbeau Rd, San Antonio, TX 78250  |  (210) 684-1407  |  Website  |  Yelp
Taqueria Datapoint
4063 Medical Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229  |  (210) 615-3644  |  Yelp
Big Hops Huebner
11224 Huebner Rd, San Antonio, TX 78230  |  (210) 877-9663  |  Website  |  Yelp
Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
11255 Huebner Rd, San Antonio, TX 78230  |  (210) 696-5080  |  Website  |  Yelp
Smashin Crab
8910 Bandera Rd, San Antonio, TX 78250  |  (210) 509-7702  |  Website  |  Yelp
Tasty Ko
1645 Winding Hollow Dr, Katy, TX 77450  |  (281) 206-7471  |  Website  |  Yelp

Filed Under: Eateries & Drinkeries Tagged With: American, Asian, Bars and Pubs, Breakfast and Brunch, Breweries, Fast Food, Japanese, Katy, Korean, Mexican and Tex-Mex, San Antonio, Seafood, Sushi, Texas

Thuy’s & Vu’s Wedding

March 1, 2017 by Mellie Dee 1 Comment

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy’s & Vu’s Wedding | Reception Picture | Table 29

L to R: Scruffy, Me, Amy, Andy, Vu, Thuy, Patricia, Rachel, Maria, Ryan

Last weekend, Scruffy and I drove up to Austin to witness Thuy and Vu tie the knot. It was one of the best weddings I’ve ever been to and it was all planned out by the newlyweds. Props. I cannot wait to see what their future holds. I’m hoping twins since it’s in his genes. hehe It was such a lovely, fun weekend, albeit I was super grouchy and tired.

Hope Outdoor Gallery | Austin, Texas | Graffiti Wall

Hope Outdoor Gallery
1101 Baylor St, Austin, TX 78703
Yelp

On Friday, February 24th, Scruffy and I woke up and bolted out the door. We made stops to Randall’s, McDonald’s, and Walgreens before making our way to the well known graffiti wall. I see so many people take pictures here and even have friends that tag so it’s been on my list of to-do’s.

Hope Outdoor Gallery | Austin, Texas | Artist Spray Paints Graffiti Wall

It was super sunny and the artist was drenched with sweat but he continued on. Dedication right there. I wish I got to see his finish product though and also wished we brought spray paint so we could leave our mark as well.

Hope Outdoor Gallery | Austin, Texas | Scruffy at Graffiti Wall

There was a lot of climbing on slanted, rocky ground and since I forgot to change into my trainers before we started, I only climbed up as much as I could – dang flip flops. Scruffy ventured out a little more and I was able to get some cool shots of him. After he had enough sweating we headed to lunch.

Michi Ramen | Austin, Texas | Sapporo Ramen, Michi Ramen, Green Tea Mochi, Pistachio Mochi

Michi [chashu slices, roasted nori, mayu oil, woodear mushrooms, green onions] | $9.72 ~ Sapporo [chashu slices, bean sprouts, corn/butter, woodear mushrooms, green onions] | $10.75 ~ Green Tea Mochi and Pistachio Mochi | 2 for $3 ~ Add Ons: Ajitama [marinated soft-boiled egg] | $1 ~ Spicy Homemade Chili Oil | $0.50 ~ Mayu Blackened Garlic Oil | $0.50

Michi Ramen
6519 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78752
(512) 386-1908 | Website

Scruffy’s classic Michi Ramen had the perfect flavour while my Sapporo Ramen was a little salty probably due to adding the garlic oil which he opted out of adding. It was also a downer that they didn’t have bean sprouts but only a mixture of veggies. We went right around opening time so to not have something that you know is a staple is unacceptable.

For the mochis: Pistachio just doesn’t do well but the green tea was on point. Other than that the mochis weren’t anything to rave about.

There’s nothing much to say about this place. I thought it’d be the bomb dot com but walked out unsatisfied.

Oskar Blues Brewery | Austin, Texas

Oskar Blues Brewery
10420 Metric Blvd, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 243-7054 | Website

We decided to check into our hotel so that we can put our bags down before heading to a brewery. The traffic was starting so we found this one close by and it was not a let down.

Oskar Blues Brewery | Austin, Texas | Canon, Sunglasses, Beer

I loved a select few and he liked practically all of them. The glass in the picture is a smaller glass for $3 which is great if you don’t drink much or want to try more. After a few more beers, Scruffy agreed to use the photo booth they had with me which made my day.

Rock Rose | Jack & Ginger's Irish Pub | Austin, Texas | Irish Car Bombs

We bid farewell and headed towards Rock Rose Domain area. I dragged him into Paper Source, Francesca’s, Sephora and various other shops bumping into two of the bridesmaids.

Jack and Ginger’s Irish Pub
11500B Rock Rose, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 350-3738 | Website

We came in for a Irish Car Bomb and decided to get the wings as well. They were both equally delicious. I didn’t remember to take a picture of the wings but …

Rock Rose | Jack & Ginger’s Irish Pub | Austin, Texas | Scruffy

… I was able to snap a picture of this cutie. He’s probably going to hate this picture but I love his little smirk.

Adelbert's Brewery | Austin, Texas | Travelin' Man Glasses

Adelbert’s Brewery
2314 Rutland Dr #100, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 662-1462 | Website

We headed to our last brewery, the one he’s been wanting to revisit again. We paid for the special they have that comes with 6 beers, a tour and glass per person. Naked Nun is still my favourite. Mmm …

Adelbert's Brewery | Austin, Texas | Kitty Cats

The two kitties stole the show though. They just adopted them for mice catching purposes but I’m sure the one on the right is planning a getaway.

FryDeez Food Truck | Austin, Texas | Kardiac Arrest Eggroll

Kardiac Arrest Eggroll [steak fajita, bacon, chipotle pork combined with a blend of four cheeses with sweet potato chips] | Large $10

FryDeez
(512) 655-3907 | Yelp

They always have food trucks on site and we were lucky enough to try their giant eggroll. We didn’t know how hungry we were until we scarfed down our food in minutes. Sweet potato chips are 100% better than regular kettle chips places usually serve. All restaurants, take notice.

Rock Rose | Taverna | Austin, Texas | Fritto Misto

Fritto Misto [calamari, shrimp, shallots, zucchini, and carrots, with spicy tomato aioli] | $13.95

Taverna
3120 Palm Way #160, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 356-9384 | Yelp

We had a swift stop at the hotel before heading out to meet with Trisha and her friend, Christy. We ended up back at Rock Rose Domain where Trisha ate dinner and the rest of us drank. Scruffy and I shared the platter of fried goodness but stopped munching on it due to the super oily residue it kept leaving in our mouths and fingers.

After hours and hours of catching up, Trisha gave us some goodies and we bid farewell. Back to the hotel for a good night’s rest.

Marriot Hotel | Complimentary Breakfast

On Saturday, February 25th, Scruffy and I sleepily made our way downstairs for our complimentary breakfasts. We bumped into Amy and caught up with her while we waited for our food. As we all made our way back to our rooms, we realized Amy was rooming right across from us! #winning Scruffy and I enjoyed our breakfast with a side of Lost. Those are hands down some of the best potatoes we’ve had.

Twin Liquors | Austin, Texas

We decided to pick up some liquor and drinks to pregame with.

In-N-Out Burger - Austin, Texas | #2 Meal Cheeseburger, French Fries, Medium Drink

#2 Meal [cheeseburger, french fries, medium drink]

In-N-Out Burger
12431 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd, Austin, TX 78753
(800) 786-1000 | Website

And decided to pick up lunch to take back to the hotel so we could watch telly while eating. In-N-Out in Texas is a great big fail. It might be the best over in California but here, it’s always been a miss. The fries were so stale that Scruffy punctured his gums and started bleeding.

Marriot Hotel | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Patricia, Amy, Mellie Dee, Scruffy, Andy

L to R: Patricia, Amy, Me, Scruffy, Andy

I was so busy pregaming that when I went over to Amy’s room to hang out, I realize everyone else was almost done getting ready. We met up at the hotel lobby for a quick picture and to carpool to the festivities.

Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding

Thuy & Vu tie the knot!

We waited patiently for the ceremony to start during which I noticed many familiar faces. After an hour later, the two were officially married. Look at them smiles! And her dress is to DIE for. Sigh …

HEB | Austin, Texas | Thuy’s & Vu’s Wedding | Amy & Patricia Snapchat

Amy & Patricia

There was a two hour gap until the reception so we all headed to HEB for snacks and drinks, headed back to the hotel where we gathered in the lobby. After awhile, I started falling asleep and Scruffy and I went upstairs for a nap.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy’s & Vu’s Wedding | Reception Dinner

Crab Meat Fish Maw Soup, Scallop Fried Rice, Phoenix Tail Shrimp and Walnut Shrimp, Crispy Honey Chicken, Abalone with Black Mushrooms and Snow Pea Leaves, Wedding Cake, Seasonal Fruit, Black Pepper Steak Cubes, Steam Lobster Tail

New Fortune
10901 N Lamar Blvd #501, Austin, TX 78753
(512) 832-9992 | Yelp

The reception was off the hook. Vu’s dad was the best performer ever, singing and dancing! I see where Vu gets it from now. And the food was on point and perfectly catered to the different ethnicity present. I think the least favourite was the chicken. Cold chicken seems to put non-Asians off.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Mellie Dee

Vu & Thuy! — and Me

Just a picture to show the different garbs they changed into.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Amy, Mellie Dee, Patricia, Andy

Amy, Me, Patricia, Andy, Me!

And of course, it would not be complete without these signature pose pictures.

Punch Bowl Social | Austin, Texas

Punch Bowl Social
11310 Domain Dr, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 368-9070 | Website

When the lights turned on around eleven, it was time to head out. We stopped by at the hotel then headed to the after party. People slowly trickled in and we were able to talk to everyone who was to busy to before due to their wedding duties.

Whataburger | Austin, Texas

After a while the majority was crashing. We stopped by Whataburger before going back to the hotel.

On Sunday, February 26th, Scruffy and I overslept and missed the breakfast. I ate my leftover Whataburger, packed the rest of our stuff, and headed downstairs to bid Amy and Patricia goodbye while Andy was showering.

Bombay Grill | Richmond, Texas | Chicken Vindaloo, Lamb Roganjosh, Garlic Naan, Saffaron Rice, Raita

Chicken Vindaloo, Lamb Roganjosh, Garlic Naan, Raita, Saffaron Rice

Bombay Grill
1852 FM 359 Rd, Richmond, TX 77406
(832) 595-9400 | Website

We’ve both had Indian food the past couple of weekends but we were still craving it and had decided before the trip began we would come back for lunch. We ordered our usual and scarfed it down before heading back to his place for an episode of Lost. Then it was home for dinner with the family since Sissy and BIL were coming over.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Punch Bowl Social | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Scruffy & Mellie Dee

Scruffy & Me

Especially thankful for this kid right here for hanging out with me and my friends, getting me dranks because my ass was too lazy to do so, taking various silly photo booth pictures, and still sticking around even though I was constantly grouchy. Yous a trooper!

Filed Under: Eateries & Drinkeries, Travel Tagged With: Art, Austin, Bars and Pubs, Breakfast and Brunch, Breweries, Chinese, Fast Food, Food Truck, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Sandwiches and Burgers, Sightseeing, Texas, Weddings

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • Next Page »

Follow Me On …

Monthly Archives

Categories

  • Beauty & Fashion
  • Blog Necessities
  • Eateries & Drinkeries
  • Health & Fitness
  • Miscellaneous
  • Music
  • Personal
  • Quotes
  • Recipes
  • Travel

Subscribe to Blog via Email

© Mellie Dee · All Rights Reserved. · Designed by ElanBlogStudio