#DunkaroosReturn

Back when I was a kid, Dunkaroos were one of the most popular snack items.  These sugary, flavorful cookies came with a frosting to dunk them with.  Flavors included chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and rainbow sprinkle frosting.  Better yet, even the cookies were different flavors as well.  These special cookies were a snack staple during elementary school.

Around the time I was in college, my heart sank when I realized that Dunkaroos would be discontinued in the US.  One of my favorite snacks were no longer to be found anywhere (although I did find a pack while studying abroad in Montreal).

But this new year comes with even MORE exciting news.  90s kids rejoice… Dunkaroos are COMING BACK.

Dunkaroos are returning to the shelves this summer.  General Mills announced that they are bringing back the most request flavor – Vanilla Cookies and Vanilla Frosting with Rainbow Sprinkles.

After eight years of being off the shelves, Dunkaroos are finally coming back.  The nostalgic 90s snack will bounce back in popularity, especially with the Millennial generation.

With that, Dunkaroos were famous for shaping my childhood.  It wasn’t just just my childhood, but the childhood of millions of Americans.  Dunkaroos are just one of many nostalgic products that are returning this summer.

Get ready to dunk into some Dunkaroos in Summer 2020.

Frasier is Returning (And He’s Listening!)

One of the most popular 90s sitcom series I have been watching on the Netflix the past few months is Frasier.  Frasier is about the life of snooty, yet lovable Dr. Fraiser Crane (Kelsey Grammar) who returns to his home city of Seattle.  He continues his work as a psychiatrist after his move from Boston, with the help of his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce).  Dr. Crane hosts his own radio show with Roz (Peri Gilpin) where he helps out with other callers’ personal problems.  He also resides with his father Martin Crane (John Mahoney) and personal Trainer Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves).

Frasier was one of the most successful sitcoms at the time, raking in a total of thirty-seven Primetime Emmy Awards since the show began.  It spurred as one of the greatest spin-offs from the previous series Cheers (which was also one of the best as well).  The series ran for eleven seasons, ending back in May 13^th, 2004.  Over fifteen years later and Frasier is still running strong in syndication.

But interestingly enough, Dr. Frasier Crane may be listening once again.

Kelsey Grammar recently announced that a Frasier reboot is in the works.  The only news set in plan is that Frasier will be in a different city and it will continue Dr. Frasier Crane’s ongoing quest for love.  The slated return of Frasier is expected to release in Summer 2020.

A Frasier reboot is the best publicity news I’ve heard all week.  I have been absolutely enjoying Fraiser on Netflix and I am excited to see what is to come next year.  Frasier will surely be a hit, especially in these modern times.

With that, I end this magnificent news with this…

Hey baby I hear the blues a-callin

Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs

Maybe, but I got you pegged

But I don’t know what to do with those Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs

They’re calling again.

Summer Reading 2019 #3: A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man

Even as I go through the last few weeks of Summer, I still put in time to do some more reading.  The last book I finished was All That Heaven Allows by Mark Griffin.  All That Heaven Allows chronicled the life of Rock Hudson, an international movie star who gained his fame during the 50s and 60s.  Other than covering his acting career, the book also dived into Hudson’s closeted personal life (which included wild parties with the young men in Hollywood!).

Today’s reading takes us away from the excitement of Tinseltown and transports us back into 19^th century Ireland.  It tells the fictional tale of the religious and spiritual awakening of a student that goes by the name of Stephen Dedalus.  This is A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

 

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was written by James Joyce.  It centers around Stephen Dedalus, a young man who attends the Jesuit-run Clongowes Wood College.  It is there that he suffers ridicule from his fellow classmates while learning the schoolboy codes of behavior.

Stephen’s father ends up getting into debt, causing the family to move into Dublin.  After moving to Dublin, Stephen starts attending Belvedere College (thanks to a scholarship obtained by Father Conmee).  He later squanders a large cash prize from school on prostitutes, further distancing himself from his father.

As Stephen abandons himself to his sensual pleasures, his class is taken on a religious retreat.  The boys sit through sermons and Stephen pays special attention to those on guilt, pride, punishment, and the Four Last Things (death, judgement, hell, and heaven).  It is then that he starts a new journey towards a better life.

This novel was rather interesting to read.  Some of the language was unfamiliar to me, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.  There were times where I felt like I was transported back to 19^th century Ireland picturing green mountains near the ocean.  I didn’t need any pictures, for the words were enough to take me to the peaceful areas of Ireland.

With that, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was worth reading.  Interestingly enough, this was James Joyce’s first novel and it was amazingly done.  I personally enjoyed reading it, for both the story and scenery it provided.

Check out A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man if you want to start reading some works of James Joyce.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (11/2019)

This week has been all about summer blockbuster films.  The Lion King and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood are already out in theaters.  Even as we enter the last day of July, there are still plenty of great movies coming out in the near future.

While we’re on the subject, a trailer just dropped for a movie that centers around a popular children’s show character.  He showed the world how to be kind to everyone that they meet in their life.  His neighborhood had music, puppetry, a mailman, a trolley, and many other fantastic elements.  This is A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a biographical drama about the beloved TV icon Fred Rogers.  Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is an award-winning journalist who accepts an assignment from Esquire to write a profile piece on Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks).  The film is set to release on Thanksgiving Day.

Fred Rogers is well-known for his hit PBS series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood back in 1968.  He would teach audiences worldwide about various issues and even took them on field trips to different factories to explore how things are really made.  The show ran for over thirty-three years, spanning a total of thirty-one season overall.

While the film doesn’t release till late Fall, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood looks really amazing.  This is another anticipated film that people are already excited for this summer.  Mr. Rogers touched the lives of millions of children worldwide, teaching every one of them how special they are.  It’s times like this where we could use a little Mr. Rogers in our lives.

Look out for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood this Thanksgiving.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

The Lion King is one of the biggest anticipated films of the summer.  Twenty-five years since Disney released the original cartoon version and a new CGI remastered version came out.  You know its going to be a great summer in entertainment when a nostalgic Disney classic like The Lion King is out in theaters.

And yet, The Lion King is merely just one of few blockbusters films out this summer.  Another blockbuster film is a comedy-drama that centers around Los Angeles during the 1960s.  This is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. 

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.  It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, a former television actor who struggles to transition to film in 1969.  He leans onto his best friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), a longtime stunt double and Vietnam War veteran, for support during his tough times.  Booth and Dalton navigate through an ever-changing scenery in Hollywood during the 1960s.  Some other notable cast members include Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Timothy Olymphant, Dakota Fanning, Al Pacino, and Luke Perry.  The film was released this past weekend on July 26^th.

If you’re looking for a good blockbuster about the life and times of Hollywood, then Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is the movie for you.  It acts as Tarantino’s nod towards Los Angeles during the 1960s.  The film features multiple story lines set in a modern fairy tale tribute to Hollywood’s golden age.

With that, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is worth checking out this summer.  It’s a great film from Quentin Tarantino featuring a great cast of celebrities with some amazing Hollywood stories.