Category Archives: Rachel Barnard

A Beginner’s Adventures in House Sitting – First Foray

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , ,

Approximately 16 miles from our house where my partner, our housemate, and I live is the luxury apartment complex where we had our very first house sitting experience. On one of the many hills on the Eastside (East of Seattle), this luxury multi-story apartment complex boasts a spacious and contemporary living space within an upscale neighborhood community. Around 1000 square feet, this apartment felt cozy and just large enough. It may seem odd to house sit just a bus ride away from where we currently live while we still have a house. That may not be the case in 6 months. Our plan is to finish out our lease and then house sit, friend visit, and family crash our way through several months’ worth of living before heading out of the country.

To prepare for this rather interesting house hacking method, I researched the best websites to join and set up our account on Trusted Housesitters. The interface and setup was easy to work with and there were thousands of listings internationally, hundreds in the USA, and many within our own area. Most of the listings don’t go out much farther than 3 months. I log on and check new listings every day, looking to meet our needs come August 1st. We need high-speed internet and space to work. Both of us, my partner and I, work from home. I love dogs, cats, rabbits, goats, etc. I would absolutely love to house sit for a pig or a corgi! I look specifically at how far from the Seattle area the sits are and how many applicants they have as well as length of time and location (also looking in CO and FL). As newbies to the site, we have less credibility than others. We come as a couple. This could be a bonus for some homeowners, at least I hope.

We chose two house sits, one within 20 miles and one in Canada to gain good standing on the site. The first house sit we completed last week and we learned quite a bit about our daily habits. Here is a list of items we forgot to bring with us:

  1. Regal gift card that I had printed and was going to use when we went to see Sonic
  2. Wireless keyboard
  3. Swimming goggles (they have a pool!)
  4. Robe and towel
  5. Soccer ball
  6. Pants (not just leggings or sweat pants) since we went out for a fancy dinner date
  7. Debit card

Because we were staying in town, we continued our daily activities even though we were farther away from some activities. We didn’t take all our life’s items (like a debit card or a towel) that we wouldn’t normally need on a vacation. Except, this wasn’t a vacation.

I brought my all-in-one computer (still quite heavy) so that I had a desktop setup for work. I also brought all the groceries and some food prepped meals with us (not knowing if we’d have enough space in the fridge). I couldn’t find a tea kettle at the apartment and boiled water in a pot every morning for our coffee and tea.

It’s interesting to hop into someone’s life not knowing where the forks are located or if they have towels I’m going to like. I really am attached to the towel I use daily. We lived out of a suitcase plopped onto the floor. If we stayed longer, I would have organized my clothing better, but pulling items off the floor and out of a suitcase is perfectly fine for a few days.

Am I supposed to eat the avocado that’s over-ripening on the counter or should I put it into the fridge? I’m living in someone else’s house with their own preferences for cleaning and organizing and living. We only stayed 6 days, so I wouldn’t think of changing the structure of their life, how their apartment was organized. We did clean the toilets and run a load of linens before we left as well as wiping down the counters and the kitchen floors.

Since we live close to this house we were able to set up an in-person meeting prior to the actual house sit. This helped build good communication and expectations with the owner and her dog’s needs. She also provided a well thought out and detailed house sitting guide that lives in the Trusted Housesitters website.

The other component of house sitting is the pets! I fell in love with their little Min-Pin-Chihuahua mix. She was an absolute cutie! I grew up with larger dogs and it was nice taking care of a little pup. Poor thing had some bladder issues and so I took her out for frequent pee breaks during the day and she would have a few accidents on puppy pads at night. She often would sit curled up on my partner’s lap or huddled next to my side during the day and disappeared under the large expanse of blankets in the bed at night. It’s been many years since I’ve slept with a doggie!

I’m excited for our future adventures house sitting and ecstatic to save on rent and utilities for several months this year.

You can save too! Using this link (my referral link), you can sign up for Trusted Housesitters and save 25% off your yearly membership: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF286731/

2020 January Goals – Accountability, Check in, and Birthday Freebies!

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Financial Independence

First month of the year and I have budgeted $2589 per month. I spent $3006.75 because I prepaid for my flight and half an airBnB for 9 days in Mexico City. I have budgeted $300/month on ‘travel’ and I put $100/month into my Savings goal in Capital One for ‘travel.’ This account currently has $1704.80 so I moved the $940 I spent from that account and back into my general emergency savings fund in Capital One which leaves a balance of $767.14 for travel. I moved the money into emergency savings rather than use the money directly for paying the plane ticket and housing costs because I had some excess cash in my checking account already to pay for these travel expenses. I don’t plan on many more travel costs for the Mexico vacation because I plan to put food costs into my eating out/food budget and anything that isn’t directly travel related into their respective budget categories for the month.

I bought a year’s subscription to Trusted Housesitters, a website where you can find houses to sit or conversely for people to sit your house and watch your pets while you’re away on your own vacation and trip. You can use this link to get 25% off: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF286731/

I had to renew my driver’s license (cost of $78 cash for my enhanced renewal) which was absorbed into my transportation budget category

I signed my updated will (cost of $30 at Pony Express).

I still managed to earn $120.23 this month that wasn’t related to my business.

I continue to spend more than I want to for food – both eating out and groceries. I only spent $46.41 eating out (we went out many times but it was covered by mystery shopping). I spent $479.20 on groceries. I have been keeping a close eye on what I spend for food, but we often splurge at the grocery store for unnecessary items (ice cream) or new and exciting items (Thai chili Doritos). I do save money by going to Grocery Outlet and combing through my favorite squished cans section and making bulk meals with ingredients like rice and dried beans. Part of the issue is my partner and I both love trying new foods and eating a variety of different meals. We don’t eat the same thing every week. I did spend an average of $763/month on food last year, so just reducing that number down closer to $500 is a win and will end up saving me nearly $3000 in a year. Ultimately my conservative budget of $400 is not going to be easy or very realistic for our current lifestyle (I buy most of the groceries and half of the bill when we eat out).

One way I decrease my spending is to not pay money for what I will already spend money on. For instance, I like to eat out several times per month and I get to do it for free or nearly free through Mystery Shopping. We went out to eat 3x for mystery shops which cost me $19.86 plus my time. I also recently was hired as a trade at one of my dance studios where I get paid to clean the studio in class credit. I have already saved up enough for 6 classes! We are also working on reducing our rent and housing expenses to $0 after our lease is up in July with house sitting. Finally, it was my birthday last month and I was able to get a free specialty pancakes from Ihop ($8.99 value), a free coffee from Starbucks (a $6.77 value), and a free pastry from Panera (a $2.49 value)

My business earnings for January were $546.24 (as some payments were pending and didn’t clear until February so the next month will show a much higher earning). I’m not sure what I will be paying in taxes so I will plan to set aside at least 30% of all that money and put it into my savings account at BECU, to save around $500 to have in the account at all times to pay for expenses. I did spend $27.75 on a bus card refill as I sometimes use the bus to get to clients’ houses when it’s snowing. A bus costs $2.75 for unlimited rides within a 2-hour window so I can usually pay once for a round trip. I opened up a BECU business checking account at the end of last year to use for my business financials because they have ATMs (I sometimes get paid in cash) and they don’t charge fees.

Fitness

I started stretching every day in late December and have continued every day (minus one day where I was in a pole class). I follow this Blogilates video and spend anywhere from 10-15 minutes doing these stretches after  completing her 2020 challenge! After finishing this challenge I went back to the 100 abs a day challenge from last year and am currently on day 15. It’s amazing the noticeable progress I can see with 6 weeks of daily targeted stretching! I can almost place my palm on the floor when trying to touch my toes (from just barely touching the floor with my fingers before). I’m not sure my pancake or splits stretches have made much progress but I’m absolutely thrilled with my hamstring flexibility progress! I have also unfortunately mildly injured my right upper leg/lower butt? I’m not sure what I injured exactly as normal walking or bending over doesn’t make it hurt, but pushing my right hip up and out makes it flare up right below my butt and when I do the pancake stretch it hurts in that area. Now I cannot stretch my pancake but do the legs one at a time and gently stretch that side.

Here are my fitness stats for the month:

  1. Biking: 10 miles
  2. Pole classes: 3

Writing

  • I sent out a 2019 summary and 2020 goals newsletter
  • I signed up to write a short story for my writing group’s next anthology (haven’t written it yet)
  • I sold 12 print books from my inventory
  • I ran a giveaway and gave away 2 Donuts Books, 2 of Nichole’s Book of Practical Things, and 2 Vanessa’s Book of Awesome Things
  • I read and reviewed 2 Indie books

Don’t forget to come visit me this February at the following event:

Come see me and get all of my novels this Sunday from 12PM – 1PM at the Enso Center Winter Marketplace! The event goes from Saturday to Sunday, but I will only be there for a limited time on Sunday. All four of my novels will be on sale for just $10 each.

Since my partner and I plan to move out of our house at the end of June and stay with friends, family, or in house sits we have to par down our belongings. This means that I have lots of items to sell and donate! I have to say goodbye to my glass jar and box hoard. We are Tidying Up!

Here is a picture of my homemade (from a gluten free squished bag chocolate baking mix) and cheesecake frosting with Taro powder as coloring that I piped myself!

What are your goals and how are you meeting them this month?

Local Event Alert! Author’s Corner at Enso Center Winter Marketplace in Redmond, WA 2/09/2020 12PM – 1PM

by in Local Authors, Local Events, Rachel Barnard and tagged , , ,

Winter Arts Marketplace
Come out to the Enso Center in Redmond, WA for a community showcase of local artists, craftsmen, authors, and entrepreneurs. Two full days of specialty sales.

PLUS! Community art show from local artists.

Check out www.ensocenter.org for more information and RSVP on the Facebook event page.

Come see me and get all of my novels this Sunday from 12PM – 1PM at the Enso Center Winter Marketplace! The event goes from Saturday to Sunday, but I will only be there for a limited time on Sunday. All four of my novels will be on sale for just $10 each.

GENERAL ADMISSION
Free entry!
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

 

January is my birthday month! Giveaway and Birthday Wish

by in At One's Beast, Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams, For the Love of Donuts, Rachel Barnard and tagged , , | 1 Comment

Happy Birthday Month to me! It’s a milestone birthday. Can you guess how old I will be?

For my birthday this year I have two wishes:

  1. To sign my updated will
  2. To sell/give away books

I think I have the first wish figured out (it’s complicated getting a will signed apparently because you need two witnesses and a notary willing to sign wills).

The second wish is something I’m hoping you as my reader can help me with. You can enter my giveaway and tell all your friends below and you can also buy one of my books. While supplies last I will sell any of my four novels for just $10 (this includes sales tax and media mail shipping using re purposed mailers within the US not including Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska). Every purchase will include something special in the mailer along with the book of your choice.

Just send $10 via Paypal with the book title of your choice and the address you want it mailed to paypal.me/rachelauthorbarnard

For the giveaway, you will get a copy of Donuts in an Empty Field by Rachel Barnard as well as Vanessa’s Book of Awesome Things and Nichole’s Book of Practical Things via media mail in a re-purposed mailer. For every additional five books that I sell during the month of January, I will draw an additional winner of the giveaway.

Giveaway Enter Here

Goals and Accomplishments from 2019 and Future Goals for 2020

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , ,

Goals list of 2014
Goals list of 2015
Goals list of 2016
Goals list of 2017
Goals list of 2018

2020 Goals!!!

2020 Describe yourself in 3 words: Anxious, Quick, Analytic
2019 Describe yourself in 3 words: Driven, Efficient, Restless

2020 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Patience, Deliberate, Calm
2019 Describe what you want more of in 3 words: Calm, Accomplished, Considerate

Theme for 2020: Hygge (2019: Minimize)

 

2019 Goals:

  1. Nail the Divine intermediate inversions combo – I ran out of classes and decided to use my remaining passes to take daytime Boudouir classes because my body was ready for a slower-paced class. I really enjoyed Missy’s classes. 
  2. Learn hand balancing moves (specifically a hand stand) – I worry about overtaxing my wrists and haven’t worked specifically on accomplishing this goal this year. I did take a handstand workshop and a one-on-one class.
  3. Take more acro yoga classes – I took a few acro yoga classes at the beginning of the year but after crossing over the initial learning curve, the classes didn’t interest me as much as pole classes. 
  4. Learn to make fluffy gluten free bread – I have been exploring cooking more this year but have only made GF bread a few times. I would like to eventually learn all the secrets to a perfect loaf but may not put this specific goal back on my list.
  5. Finish my scrapbook – I’ve decided that I don’t need a scrapbook anymore and will continue to keep my electronic records.
  6. Finish my health book through 2018 – I have my complete health records up to this year and plan to make a short version to place in my Will vault prior to my birthday in January.
  7. Management/Kanban training – Sadly the training I was signed up for to start in January of 2020 was not funded. I will wait to see if the next session in the fall will be funded and continue to look for more training opportunities.
  8. Learn massage techniques – My SO bought me an all-day workshop at a local massage school and I loved it! 
  9. Dog sit/walk a corgi – I was able to walk two corgis this year.
  10. Goat/cat yoga – I didn’t get around to signing up for this class and probably won’t unless with my dance group due to the high price of the class.
  11. Volunteer at Thrill the World and perform for the 5th year! I knew I was going to check this off the list… 
  12. Learn Turkish (get through the 12 modules on my Rosetta Stone app) – I’m proud of this accomplishment. I have stuck with my casual and slow learning of Turkish all year. Am I fluent? Not even close. I will continue to work on my vocabulary and grammar next year.

 

Of my 12 goals for 2019, I can officially cross off 5 of them. As the year progressed my priorities changed. I no longer wish to work on some of these goals at all and I no longer wish to prioritize others. For my travel dreams (Corgi Con, Pole expo, Blind Café, Herb Farm or a Michelin-starred restaurant) I didn’t do any of them. One of these years Corgi Con won’t also fall on the same weekend as something else I plan to do. Pole expo is quite expensive and I would only go with one of my pole sisters. If my SO and I travel to another city with a Blind Cafe we might check it out. Herb Farm or Michelin-starred restaurant will wait until I have much more cash to throw away on an extravagantly-priced meal or if we happen to be close by and can snag a reservation to one of the infamous Michelin restaurants. 

 

2020 Goals:

Each month I have written an accountability and check in post
January 2019
February 2019
March 2019
April 2019
May 2019
June 2019
July 2019
August 2019
September 2019
October 2019
November 2019

I have broken out my goals into the following categories:

Fitness

I want to try out some small lifestyle change style challenges. I wanted to spend each month focusing on a different aspect of health and fitness. Here are my ideas so far: stretching every morning, increasing my water intake, cooking all my own food, reading more self-growth books, eating more veggies, biking/running, reducing my sugar intake. I very much enjoy the Blogilates challenges and may continue to use those challenges and/or the monthly calendar.

Finances

  1. Max out my Roth IRA, 401k and HSA contributions
  2. Build up my emergency savings to 6 months
  3. Save 50% of my income

Writing

  1. Deplete my physical book inventory
  2. Break even on Ataxia and At One’s Beast
  3. Revamp my website
  4. Write 4 short stories
  5. Send out 4 newsletters
  6. Publish a new coloring book

For January here are my specific goals:

Financial: Sign/notarize my will, finish adding beneficiaries to all my banking/investing accounts, choose and purchase disability insurance, finalize my automatic money flow, finish updating my death binder, connect all my sources of side income to my new business banking account, and go through my budget and spending for 2019 and work on my 2020 budget.

Fitness: 10 minutes of stretching every morning (splits stretching for beginners), work through the Blogilates January calendar to get more exercise daily

Writing: Run a book giveaway, send out a birthday wish to buy my print inventory (at a discount), pull At One’s Beast and Ataxia from everything but Amazon and then enroll in KDP select, add a purchasing print book option to my website, author tea date with two local authors, send out queries to previous reviewed authors for free print book, send newsletter as 2019 wrap up and 2020 look ahead, research possible new coloring book and cost, research writer’s conferences and costs for 2020, create Donuts Books marketing plan for 2020 in June, review at least one Indie book

2019 Reading Challenge Books in Review and Recommended Reads

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , ,

2015 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2016 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2017 Reading Challenge Blog Post

2018 Reading Challenge Blog Post

I spent $38.35 on kindle books this year

My favorite books I read this year:

  • The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Stanley, Thomas J.
  • Playing with FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early): How Far Would You Go for Financial Freedom? by Rieckens, Scott
  • Final Girls by Sager, Riley
  • I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. No BS. Just a 6-Week Program That Works by Sethi, Ramit
  • The Last Time I Lied by Sager, Riley
  • Lock Every Door by Sager, Riley
  • Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Cain, Susan
  • Your Money or Your Life by Robin, Vicki
  • Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2019 (The Unofficial Guides) by Kubersky, Seth
  • Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Land, Stephanie
  • I Miss You When I Blink: Essays by Philpott, Mary Laura
  • Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Gilbert, Elizabeth
  • Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Stone, Douglas
  • Nineteen Minutes by Picoult, Jodi
  • Where There’s Smoke by Picoult, Jodi
  • A Spark of Light by Picoult, Jodi
  • Red Glove (Curse Workers, #2) by Black, Holly
  • She’s Come Undone by Lamb, Wally
  • When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Pink, Daniel H.
  • Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It by Wyner, Gabriel
  • You’re Never Weird on the Internet by Day, Felicia
  • Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste by Johnson, Bea
  • Frat Girl by Roache, Kiley
  • All We Ever Wanted by Giffin, Emily
  • The Story of Stuff: How Our Obsession with Stuff is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities, and our Health—and a Vision for Change by Leonard, Annie
  • The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking
  • Educated by Westover, Tara

My favorite Indie books that I read this year:

  1. Prose Before Bros (Green Valley Library, #3) by Yardley, Cathy
  2. The Gospel According to St Rage by Eisenbrey, Karen
  3. Snow in Vietnam: A Novel by Le, Amy M.
  4. Santiago’s In Trouble by Bastedo, Victoria
  5. Ship of Fools (Fandom Hearts, #6) by Yardley, Cathy
  6. Kate Jones Thriller Books by Berkom, D.V.
  7. Love Songs, Detours, Et Cetera (Senior Year Sweethearts Book 1) by Huchton, Starla
  8. Spin by Farnham, K.J.
  9. The Triskaidek (Volume 1) by Sprig, Basil
  10. The Pirate’s Booty by Darroch, D.M.
  11. The Devil You Know by Huchton, S.A.
  12. Riches to Rags by Bond, Casey L.
  13. Playing Doctor (Fandom Hearts, #5) by Yardley, Cathy

 

Out of the 67 books that I read:

25 Indie Books

28 Nonfiction Books

 

The books I read this year:

I think I will make my challenge for next year the average books pledged for 2019: 64 books.

2019 Physical Activity – Dance, Health, and Fitness

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , ,

2018 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown

2017 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown

2016 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown

2015 Physical Activity Blog Post Breakdown

How do you work out?

Pole Dancing Highlights for 2019
2. I took 37 classes total
3. I spent $566 total
4. I spent 55.5 hours in class
5. I worked with 9 different instructors

Lifetime money spent (just for pole classes): $6914.95
2014 – $90
2015 – $422.21
2016 – $1777
2017 – $2594
2018 – $1465.74
2019 – $566

Lifetime total pole classes: 410
2014 – 6
2015 – 19
2016 – 109
2017 – 139
2018 – 92
2019 – 37

Total time spent poling: 647.5
2014 – 10.5 hours
2015 – 37.5 hours
2016 – 173.5 hours
2017 – 226 hours
2018 – 144.5 hours
2019 – 55.5

Class Breakdown at different studios for 2019
Divine – 6/37 = 16%
Spinderella – 27/37 = 73%
P3 – 1/37 = 3%
BeSpun – 1/37 = 3%
Vertical Academy – 2/37 = 5%

 

In other fitness accomplishments:

  • I measured my body three times: Once with BodySPEC 1/4/19, and twice with InBody 3/31/19 and 7/26/19
  • I completed the Blogilates 100 abs challenge in January
  • I completed the Blogilates Glutes, abs, and squats challenge in August
  • I took 1 Thriller rehearsal class this year
  • I biked 221.8 miles
  • Did some strength training (16 sessions)
  • Took 5 AcroYoga classes
  • I played tennis 3 times
  • I tried out Katalyst fitness

 

My favorite fitness photos: Buying a new helmet, volunteering at PSO, hiking in CA

 

2019: AMC A-List – Watched and Recommended Movies for the Year

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , ,

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2019 in theatres: $278.15… total value for movies watched = $1,281.67

Total cost paid for movies watched in 2018 in theatres: $297.42… total value for movies watched = $839.45

“*” indicates a movie I particularly enjoyed and would recommend.

 

January: $147.89 value… paid $20.95

  • Second Act (11.29)
  • Miss Bala (18.99)
  • *Escape Room (12.49)
  • If Beale Street Could Talk (12.59)
  • *On the Basis of Sex (12.49)
  • *Glass (18.99)
  • A Dog’s Way Home (12.29)
  • *Replicas (12.49)
  • *The Upside (11.29)
  • The Kid Who Would be King (12.49)
  • Serenity (12.49)

February: $111.42 value… paid $20.95

  • The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (18.99)
  • Greta (12.49)
  • How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (12.49)
  • What Men Want (12.49)
  • Alita: Battle Angel (17.49)
  • *Fighting with My Family (12.49)
  • *Happy Death Day 2U (12.49)
  • Isn’t it Romantic (12.49)

March: $97.04 value… paid $20.95

  • Us (17.59)
  • Cold Pursuit (12.49)
  • *Captain Marvel (18.99)
  • Dumbo (18.99)
  • Captive State (12.49)
  • Wonder Park (16.49)

April: $34.18… paid $20.95

  • Hellboy (15.19)
  • *Avengers: Endgame (18.99)

May: $75.55 value… paid $20.95

  • *Aladdin (18.99)
  • *Pokemon Detective Pikachu (12.49)
  • Tolkien (12.59)
  • John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (18.99)
  • Brightburn (12.49)

June: $138.71 value… paid $23.05

  • Godzilla: King of the Monsters (18.99)
  • Rocketman (12.49)
  • Dark Phoenix (18.99)
  • Yesterday (12.29)
  • Toy Story 4 (18.99)
  • Men in Black International (18.99)
  • The Dead Don’t Die (12.49)
  • The Secret Life of Pets 2 (12.49)
  • Shaft (12.99)

July:  $118.23 value… paid $41.05

  • *Spider-Man: Far From Home (18.99)
  • *Midsommar (6.29)
  • *Stuber (12.49)
  • Opening Night Fan Event: The Lion King = 18.00
  • The Lion King (18.99)
  • *The Art of Self Defense (12.99)
  • Crawl (12.99)
  • *Booksmart (5.00)
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (12.49)

August: $108.93 value… paid $23.05

  • Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (12.99)
  • Where’d You Go Bernadette (12.99)
  • Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (12.99)
  • Dora and the Lost City of Gold (17.99)
  • *Good Boys (12.99)
  • The Matrix: 20th Anniversary (19.49)
  • Angel Has Fallen (19.49)

September: $55.46 value… paid $23.05

  • IT Chapter Two (19.49)
  • Hustlers (12.99)
  • Ad Astra (11.49)
  • Rambo: Last Blood (11.49)

October: $129.43 value… paid $38.05

  • Joker (19.49)
  • Gemini Man (19.49)
  • *Zombieland 2: Double Tap (12.99)
  • Metallica & San Francisco Symphony:S&M2 = 15.00
  • Jexi (12.99)
  • Gemini Man HFR (16.99)
  • The Addams Family (12.99)
  • Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (19.49)

November: $160.90 value… paid $23.05

  • Terminator: Dark Fate (17.99)
  • Last Christmas (12.99)
  • Doctor Sleep (19.49)
  • *Ford V. Ferrari (19.49)
  • Midway (19.49)
  • *Jojo Rabbit (12.99)
  • The Good Liar (12.99)
  • Charlie’s Angels (12.99)
  • Frozen II (19.49)
  • 21 Bridges (12.99)

December:  $103.93 value… paid $23.05

  • *Knives Out ($12.99)
  • Jumanji (19.49)
  • *Star Wars (19.49)
  • Cats (12.99)
  • Bombshell (12.99)
  • *Little Women (12.99)
  • Uncut Gems (12.99)

2019 Best and Worst Purchases of the Year, Favorite Restaurants, Favorite Activities

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top Purchases for the year:

 

Ever since learning to make macarons, I have wanted a macaron template silicone baking mat. I use these mats for more than just macarons. They are great to use in place of tinfoil and to protect the cooking sheet. They are easier to wash when food gets caked to them than the pan. I just flip them over to the blank side when I’m not using the circular macaron templates for macarons.

I had heard about people making their own laundry soap, or using castille soap, but then I heard about soap nuts and was intrigued. They are compostable and last for quite some time. They are unscented and natural. I think they work great and will definitely buy them again in 5 years or so when I need more… You only need to use 4-6 of the nuts in each load and I replace them every month (after 3-5 uses). I have lost the little baggie amidst the wet clothes and accidentally let it go through the dryer once or twice and am not sure how that affects the soap nuts…

Upon a recommendation, I bought a high end shower filter, but the filter was supposed to be replaced every 6-12 months and I couldn’t replace just the filter I had to replace the entire unit and it was costly. This filter is much smaller and more cost effective to replace.

My sister gave me two pairs of Thinx last year for my birthday and I love them quite a lot, however; you’re not supposed to put them in the laundry. It’s tedious to wash so much fabric every day, so I invested in a set of reusable pads. Now I use a combination of my Thinx, these reusable pads, and my dwindling supply of panty liners when traveling or for convenience.

When I take my purse, this product is always inside. After chipping my tooth from accidentally biting down hard on a metal fork, this softer bamboo set made me feel better about my silverware choices. Many Zero Wasters say to just toss the silverware you already have into your to-go kit, but I really like having this softer non-metal set and I only own a small set of silverware anyways (we use our housemate’s set in the kitchen). The kid’s bamboo set is much more travel friendly and the utensils themselves are soft and blunt and work perfectly.

After getting the high end Berkey filter for my home (thanks Can!) I really didn’t want to go back to unfiltered water. I saw this product at the local Recology store and loved the concept! I tossed it into my 32oz water bottle and was able to fill up at the airport and while traveling with more peace of mind.

I upped my mouth health game this year and purchased a tongue scraper. Though mine I bought from the local Recology store, this version is very similar to what I have. The first thing I do when I wake up is use it.

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Worst Purchases for the year:

I really wanted to be able to put lids on all the glass jars I’ve been collecting but alas this purchase didn’t fit most of my jars. The only size that works is the smallest, which I’ve used now and then this year, but most of them are really large and don’t stretch that well. I should have bought the beeswax wrap instead but am loathe to throw out this product as waste. It also came with a set in white and a set in blue so I have many more than I need.

I read that sunscreen expires after 6 months so I figured I would need to buy new sunscreen every summer and decided to invest in a reef safe version. Alas, this sunscreen is so thick that it doesn’t rub into the skin and sits on top of it. I’m very texture/touch sensitive and very much dislike anything oily sitting on top of my skin. My partner agrees that this is no fun to use and gross all around for humans, even if it is safer for the environment. I will never again buy sunscreen that I’m not familiar with.

Katchka Restaurant in Portland. 

I love trying new foods and new experiences. When traveling to Portland, I looked up recommended destinations. Katchka was at the top of the list for unique dining experiences. I was intrigued. Authentic Russian foods. With 4.5/5 stars and 800+ reviews on Yelp, how could it not be a hit? We checked out the menu and being unfamiliar with Russian food the three of us were intrigued by the “Ruskie Zakuski Experience’ advertised on the menu. We arrived without a reservation and were told that it would be a couple of hours before a table opened up. Disappointed, we prepared to Uber away when the host was able to squeeze us somehow onto half of a tall and narrow table within 10 minutes. We were very grateful and sat down with excitement, ready for the experience.

“Sit back and let us fill your table with an array of cold zakuski to start your meal off right! $30 per person. Full table participation is required. Don’t forget to order the vodka!
How to eat like a Russian
step 1: cover every square inch of your table with zakuski
step 2: fill everyone’s glasses with their beverage of choice (like vodka, or maybe vodka)
step 3: search your soviet soul for a spirited toast. When in doubt, a toast to friends, life, or simply “boo-dyim”!
step 4: clink. drink. eat. repeat.”

Sounds amazing, right? We ordered a flight of vodka and waited expectantly for our table to be covered with these mysterious zakuski. The table was a bit narrow, so it wouldn’t have been that difficult to cover its entirety for the three of us. The server took our order of the Russian Zakuski Experience with a nod and not much more. The experience that follows was very surprising to me. I can only describe each small dish as cold and odd appetizers dim sum style that were brought one by one with enough food on each plate for each of us to take one bite. None of us much liked any of the 10 or so cold dishes that were brought and by the end we were confused, hungry, and $90+ poorer, wondering where we had gone wrong. Had the food actually tasted amazing, the $30/person for 10 small bites would have maybe been worth it. We paid our bill and left, not wanting to try anything else on the menu and a bit shocked that our server had not warned us what kind of experience we were in for and that it wasn’t going to be enough food for a meal or that we wouldn’t get any more than those 10 plates between us.

Hot Revolution Doughnuts at the Seattle Street Fair

Never have I ever been so mad at donuts. What a waste of good money. I took two bites and threw all of the donuts straight into the trash. My partner agrees that these donuts were not fresh and very stale. I can’t believe they would have the gall to serve old donuts. I paid a lot of money (around $20 for the variety) for these disappointments. Normally I would demand a refund if I were served sub-par food, but we weren’t in the mood and I was so shocked that they would serve old donuts in the first place. I will NEVER eat their donuts again and I will ALWAYS tell people in the area to steer clear. Shame. Wish I hadn’t bothered breaking my diet for them.

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Favorite Restaurants:

Din Tai Fung – My favorite restaurant. I never knew dumplings could taste so delicious!

Stone Lounge – Don’t go for the karaoke. Don’t go for the service. Go for the happy hour Wagyu burger and get it with sweet potato fries. My favorite burger of the year. I also quite enjoyed the Aloha burger.

Marysville Jeff’s Texas BBQ – Arguably one of the best BBQ places in the state. Make sure to try their brisket! Their sides are just okay, but their meat is sublime.

Palace Korean – One of my favorite buffet places!

Smoke and Shine – Never have I ever wanted to eat just the side dishes, but the Jalapeno Cheddar Hush Puppies served with a side of bourbon honey butter are that good! We liked everything that we tried there so far.

Sirena Gelato – I love ice cream and this gelato place has the creamiest gelato I’ve ever tasted. This place is better than Molly Moon’s for a local frozen dessert.

Gyu Kaku – Such a fun dining experience and the food was delicious!

Route 22 Taproom – We only tried two of their dishes, but I was blown away by their nachos. Best bar nachos ever!

Blue Bayou (Disneyland) – Worth every penny for our entrees. This restaurant is unique and the ambiance is fantastic. Forget proposing at the Wishing Well, I think the Blue Bayou is more romantic.

Oga’s Cantina (Disneyland) – Drinks may cost you an arm and a leg but they are definitely worth the price for the atmosphere you get to drink them in. I have never spent so much money at a bar before and I have never had as much fun. I would go back to Disneyland just to go to Oga’s Cantina.

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Favorite Activities:

BodySpec testing – It was very fascinating to get a full body scan and the breakdowns of body fat and muscle mass in each limb of the body.

Zero Waste Workshop at the library – I started getting into the zero-waste movement at the beginning of the year and by the time I went to this workshop, I knew most of what the workshop was about but it was still fascinating regardless. The presenter also brought her entire family’s zero-waste personal care products for everyone to see.

Ludovico Einaudi – It has been years since I saw a musician perform and I loved seeing the pianist’s performance at McCaw Hall.

Star Wars at Benaroya Hall – Everyone should see a movie with a live orchestra at least once in their life.

Seattle Food Festival – I was introduced to the form of corn that is both delicious and amazing. I call it Crack Corn. It is like elote off the cob. It was a bag of fritos with corn kernels, special cheese, hot sauce, and lime juice. We now make this recipe at home all the time.

Beginner’s Massage Workshop – A 7-hour class for just $50! What a bargain. I got a crash course in beginner’s massage and I loved it! We practiced on each other. Half the class were going to enroll at the school for the full course and the other half were just there for fun.

Divine Holiday Party – The yearly holiday party at one of my pole studios is so much fun. I love hanging out with my pole community and watching the demos.

Thrill the World – I’ve participated in the yearly Thrill the World event for years as both a dancer and a volunteer and I love how well-organized this local event is and how many participants they get every year.

Norwescon – Every year that I go to Norwescon I have fun. It’s like our own local Comic Con. I just wish that parking were free/easier and it was closer to me. I have always day tripped down to the event and haven’t stayed in the hotel like others, though. Maybe someday I will shell out for the full experience. This year my writer’s group had a booth and we sold our books.

Maple Valley Days volunteering – I’ve volunteered at this local event for 7 years now and it’s fascinating how much effort and organization goes into this multi-day community event. I learn so much about conflict, resolution, organization, etc. as I volunteer.

PSO volunteering – I love this yearly event and I volunteered as announcer, ticketing booth, and as a pole cleaner this year. I’ve never been an announcer before and it was fun but difficult.

Savi’s Workshop and Oga’s Cantina Disneyland – When my partner and I were planning our Disneyland trip this year, we had debated whether $200 was too expensive to build a lightsaber. The reviews said that it was worth the money, more so than building a droid and we made our reservation. Though we had just come from Oga’s Cantina after our two drinks, we had a blast at this ceremony.

Star Wars Marathon – Stay awake all night watching Star Wars? Free blanket and popcorn all night long? I was excited and trepidatious at the same time. I get cranky when I’m tired and I don’t do ‘all nighters.’ We drank coffee like fiends in the evening and settled into our large airplane-sized chairs with our beautiful blankets on our laps and settled in for the marathon. The lady next to me had brought more stuff than could fit in her space and spilled both her popcorn and her drinks throughout the night. The man next to Can only came for Force Awakens. We ate two large tubs of popcorn, two large sprites, and two large waters. I made it a habit of going to the bathroom and putting eye drops in before every movie. I only missed five minutes of the beginning of one movie while waiting in line for my free drink refill. It was neat seeing all the movies continuously and making new connections between them. I really enjoyed the last movie as well.