(not so) Cheap Social Worker Spends Too Much Money on Disneyland Food

Last November, I had the opportunity to spend glorious three days at Disneyland with my parents and looKIMsopretty! Disneyland holds a special place in my heart since I have many fond childhood (and young adult) memories from vacationing there. Now, my family and I try to go every 1-2 years thanks to my dad's discounted military tickets.

During this trip, I wanted to try as many new foods as possible since I didn't discover the joys of Disney food until recently. While growing up, my folks would pack a rice cooker, Spam, Vienna Sausages, sardines, and precooked meals stored in Tupperware whenever we went to Disneyland. We'd then leave the park during the day and eat as many meals as possible in the hotel to save money. On top of that, I was usually too excited to go on rides to think about food as a kid!

While my parents still pack a rice cooker and various canned meats, we now enjoy more meals in the park along with snacks like churros (my mom's favorite) and turkey legs (my dad's favorite). My personal favorites are Dole Whips, turkey legs, and churros. Here's a rundown of everything I had over the three days I spent at Disneyland/California Adventure:

Day 0 (Arrival Day)

Dinner: Earl of Sandwich

I first discovered Earl of Sandwich while looking for something cheap to eat in Las Vegas. Since then, I've made it a point to go every time I'm there. I was thrilled to find out that they recently opened an Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney and stopped by to get my usual Best BLT ($5.99) after checking into my hotel. Unlike the Las Vegas shop, the one in Downtown Disney has much more seating to accommodate families wanting an affordable meal.

Day 1

Breakfast: NOTHING!
I was in a hurry to get to the park, so I pretty much skipped breakfast. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!

Lunch: Hot-Link Corn Dog from Corn Dog Castle (California Adventure)

For lunch, we headed to Corn Dog Castle! I ordered a Hot-Link Corn Dog ($7.99) which came with your choice of chips or apples (regular hot dogs and cheddar cheese sticks are $7.69). The corn dog itself was just how I like them, with a juicy hot-link surrounded by a generous coating of deep fried cornmeal batter. While the corn dog looks huge, note that there is probably more fried batter than hot dog! Definitely a nice, filling meal to make up for skipping breakfast.

Snack: Dole Whip Float from Disneyland's Tiki Bar

As previously stated, one of my favorite snacks at Disneyland is the Dole Whip Float ($4.79) which is sold outside the Tiki Room. While you can get the pineapple soft serve by itself, I prefer to mix it with pineapple juice for extra flavor and hydration! One tip is to pass the turnstiles into the Tiki Room waiting area, as they have another cashier with typically shorter lines.

Dinner: BBQ Chicken and Slaw Baked Potato from Harbour Galley (Disneyland)

After reading about the BBQ Chicken and Slaw Stuffed Baked Potato on various food blogs, we decided to head to Harbour Galley between New Orleans Square and Critter Country, which is as close as you get to a "hole in the wall" at Disneyland. Let's say that the food blogs were right! Not only do you get a large potato, you also get a GIANT scoop of juicy BBQ chicken topped with coleslaw and sour cream to go with it! For $6.39, this meal is a Disney bargain as it can easily feed two people!

Day 3

Breakfast: Steamed rice, canned sardines, and tomatoes
Our hotel didn't have continental breakfast and I didn't want to pay for breakfast. It's a lot tastier than it sounds, really!

Lunch: BBQ Shrimp and Grits from Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen (Downtown Disney)

The menu describes this as shrimp with "'New Orleans' barbecue sauce, andouille parmesan grits". Tasty and flavorful, and a small enough portion so I didn't have to box anything. For $17.00, this meal is fairly pricey for the size. Big eaters might want to consider the Po' Boy Sandwich for more value.

Snack: Sugar-Free Butter Pecan Ice Cream from Clarabelle's Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (California Adventure) 

I'm usually not one to get sugar-free food, but I was in the mood for something different. Surprisingly, this ice cream did not taste sugar-free at all. However, at $4.69 for a single scoop you'd be better off just going to the grocery store and getting a half gallon of Dreyer's (the brand Disney uses).
Note: If you have kids and their ice cream falls off the cone, bring the empty cone back to the shop for a replacement scoop. Disney likes to keep the kids happy like that.

Dinner: Breakfast at IHOP

My family and I were hungry and tired of wading through crowds, so we just had dinner at the IHOP next to our hotel. Price-wise, we could have gotten comparable food inside one of the parks, but at least here we didn't have to wait to sit down. One of my fondest memories of Disney as a child was a 1am breakfast at Denny's on Easter Sunday after staying in the park until closing and getting to go on rides without waiting in line. Not a bad way to end the day!

Day 3

Breakfast: Steamed rice, canned corn beef, and tomatoes
Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

Snack: Cream Cheese Pretzel @ Pretzel Cart (Disneyland)

I usually only eat pretzels when my mom buys them and managed to grab a piece of this one. Next time, I might just get my own pretzel because the combination of toasted pretzel with sweet cream cheese was delicious! For $4.75, it's a nice alternative to the churro.

Lunch/Dinner: Monte Cristo Sandwich @ Cafe Orleans (Disneyland)

Since I started reading Disney food reviews a few years ago, I've been wanting to try the Monte Cristo Sandwich. Described in the menu as "Sliced Turkey, Ham, and Swiss fried in a light batter and served with Berry Purée dusted with Powdered Sugar", this famous specialty is served at the Blue Bayou ($26.49) and Cafe Orleans ($18.99). There's also a vegetarian version which uses Swiss, mozzarella, and double crème Brie for the same price.

Having somehow secured a same-day reservation to Cafe Orleans, I went ahead and ordered the Monte Cristo. My dad ordered the vegetarian version and we swapped half of our plates so we could try each. Between the two sandwiches, I definitely like the vegetarian version the best. While delicious, the original Monte Cristo seemed more like a plain sandwich wrapped in a beignet. The vegetarian version was a much more satisfying experience with the rich taste of Brie complimenting the tart berry sauce and the texture of the deep fried batter.

While I'm not sure if I'd ever get the original Monte Cristo again, I'd definitely reorder the vegetarian version. One recommendation I have is to bring a friend, have that person order a soup/appetizer, and split the sandwich as the portions are so huge that I couldn't even finish half!

Day 4

Breakfast: Various Pastries at Porto's Bakery and Cafe (Glendale, CA)

Porto's is a Cuban bakery with several locations in Southern California that has become a place where my family stocks up on snacks for the long drive back to the Bay Area. If you've never been here, I highly recommend them for their array of delicious yet affordable baked goods! My personal favorites are the guava cheese rolls, potato balls, and Dulce de leche kisses. If possible, go early in the morning because there is always a long line!

As usual, I was saddened to leave Disneyland and return to the real world. However, I know that this time I'll be back much sooner than later because I am now a season pass holder, just in time for Disneyland's 60th Anniversary! Looking forward to many more trips, happy memories, and food tastings this year!

Joking About Low Social Worker Pay

While perusing the internet for social work news, I found an old video of a Vice President Joe Biden speech.  In this speech, where he addresses an Urban League conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, Biden jokes that he wishes he had a “Republican kid to go out and make money.”  This is so he could get a "window view" when placed in a nursing home.  Biden then states, "But my daughter’s a social worker.. Graduate school at Penn and runs an at risk program — at risk youth program — for kids getting out of prison and young men getting out of prison.”

You can watch the video here: Joe Biden: I wish I had a ‘Republican kid to go out and make money’ 

When I first entered graduate school, my classmates and professors frequently joked about how we were entering a field where we would make no money.  In one lecture, my a professor joked that we ever wanted an Escalade and a house in a gated community, social work was the wrong field.  As years passed, I've lost count of the number of people who've joked that "I hope you marry someone rich" upon hearing what I do for a living.

It's not funny.  Really, it isn't.

It's a safe bet to say that many social workers cringe when they hear racial/cultural jokes or jokes about disabilities.  Why?  These jokes are mean, tasteless, and reinforce stereotypes about particular groups.  When people make jokes about social workers being poorly compensated, "do-gooder baby snatchers", it not only perpetuates falsehoods about our profession, but normalizes our poor wages, poor reputation, and stressful working conditions.  While I understand that social workers joke about their wages to relieve frustration over getting paid so little, such humor also seems to imply an acceptance that this is what it means to be a social worker.  Sorry, I became a social worker to help the poor and disenfranchised, not to become part of them.

So shame on you, Vice President Biden. Instead of focusing on the good your daughter is doing and advocating for the social work profession, you make a cheap joke about her wages as if it's okay.  Because the world would be such a better place if there were more Republican sons focused on making money...

A Brief Note on Depression and Suicide

A lot of great things have been said online in response to recent events.  Since this is an emotionally draining topic for me, I won't rehash what's already been said online and just share some of my favorite articles below.  However, I will toss in this brief bit:

"Victim blaming" when it comes to mental illness has always infuriated me.  However, when such behavior comes from someone in the medical field, I can't help but question the quality of education this person received in medical/nursing/social work/allied health school.  When caring for a severely depressed or suicidal individual, statements like "Look what this is doing to the people around you" and "This is a call for attention" do not help the situation. Neither is calling a family member to confront the patient (which is a potential HIPAA violation).  As medical practitioners, our focus is to provide care, not judgement.  My advice is this:  If you're not going to try to be understanding of a patient's predicament, then step aside and let someone else take over because you are doing more damage than good.

As I said, I wanted to keep this post short so I will leave all of you with links to some easy reading on the topics of suicide and depression:
There's Nothing Selfish About Suicide
Robin Williams's death: a reminder that suicide and depression are not selfish
Best Ways To Support Someone With Depression
21 Things Nobody Tells You About Being Depressed

Stitch Fix Review #3

For those of you unfamiliar with the Stitch Fix shopping service, please go here first: Stitch Fix Review #1

Shortly after writing Stitch Fix Review #2, I received a really nice e-mail from Kate of Stitch Fix.  She apologized for my Fix not working out and offered tips on how to improve the next one.  It was really nice of Stitch Fix to reach out to me personally, so I decided to give them one more chance!  Here's how my third Fix turned out:

Item #1: Emperia Murphy Two-Tone Stud Detail Crossbody ($38)

Nice quality vegan purse with gold hardware, which I like. However, I recently stocked up on a bunch of bags from various Little Black Bag (now Pose) sales and really do not need another. I'll have to add a request for no purses to my profile.
Verdict: RETURNED


Item #2: Ace Swiss Dot & Floral Tie-Waist Blouse ($68)
Item #3: Pink Martini Joshua Colored Ankle Jean ($64)

I wasn't really a fan of the dot/floral pattern combinations, which seemed too busy for me. This blouse seems like it would work for a taller person since the waist basically landed on my hips. Also, it arrived with detached button, making me wonder about the quality and craftsmanship.

As for the pants, the fact that I received them in the first place was a problem because I specifically requested NO PANTS on my profile. While I liked the color, they sat way too low on my waist.  Such a huge disappointment and made me wonder if the Stitch Fix staff actually read my profile before putting together this Fix.
Verdict: BOTH RETURNED


Item #3: Ark n Co Ashlie Graphic Knit Sleeveless Cardigan ($68)

This knitted cardigan was really soft and well-constructed.  Perfect for a summer/fall transitional piece.  Unfortunately, this was way too long and billowy on me.  The high/low cut also made my hips look huge.
Verdict: RETURNED

Item #5: Under Skies Rho Mixed Chevron Sleeveless Dress ($58)

Once again, I was down to my last item.  Fortunately, this dress was super comfy and the perfect length and fit, though my mom commented that it seemed form fitting.  I may be blind, but I don't think it's form fitting at all, and my scoliosis seems masked by the pattern.  While rather expensive at $58, I decided to keep it as a work dress to avoid losing my $20 styling fee yet again.
VERDICT: KEPT

Honestly, this may be my last Stitch Fix for a while. Part of the appeal of the company was receiving products based on your personal style preferences. With the inclusion of pants in my most recent Fix, I question whether Stitch Fix even takes my requests into account.  Maybe Stitch Fix's algorithm simply doesn't work for someone like me with scoliosis and non-traditional proportions. While I did have some initial success finding clothes, I'm not sure I want to continue risking $20+ dollars a month only to settle for something I'm not completely happy with.  Sorry, Stitch Fix!

If you are interested in trying out Stitch Fix, feel free to use my referral link here:  https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3203420.  No, I am not affiliated with Stitch Fix in any way, shape, or form.

The Best/Worst Graduation Speech I've Ever Heard

You know it's graduation season when your social media feeds are inundated with videos/text from various graduation speeches. A number of well-off engineers I know shared this particular speech, which resulted in strong, conflicting mixed reactions on my part. I haven't felt this uncomfortable reading something since the Any Chua Wall Street Journal article.

Here's a copy of the "speech" here: Dear graduates: Don’t follow your dreams (A commencement speech for the mediocre) 
 
I can't decide if this is the best or most arrogant commencement speech I have ever read. Basically, author Tim Donovan states that people should err on the safe side when making career decisions and not pursue non-financially lucrative dreams because they will most likely not succeed. In his opinion, it's better to live a stable life than risk failure, and that passions should be relegated to hobby status.

To a certain level, I can understand where Mr. Donovan is coming from. On one hand, not everyone can succeed as an artist, musician, writer, [insert humanities field here]. The author himself worked as a waiter for many years before making it big. Even fields in the social sciences (such as social work) don't always provide livable incomes. Safe degrees in fields like computer science, engineering, medicine, and business generally guarantee enough disposable income for people to pay their bills and live comfortable lives. On the other hand, I find it ironic that a humanities major who ultimately became successful by following his dreams is telling the rest of us to simply take the safe route.

Tim Donovan targets the general student population in his "speech" - the mediocre. A question I can't help by ask is this: Who are the true mediocre in this situation? Is it people who play it safe and potentially live mundane yet stable lives, or those who risk their financial security in hopes of doing something great or achieving their dreams? While some of the biggest risk takers I know could have higher incomes and larger nest eggs, these individuals are the ones who seem to be having the most adventure, seeing the world, and making the most out of life.

On a personal note, I'm someone who tried to balance dreams (studying music) with stability (a college counseling job) but ultimately erred on the side of practicality (a job in the medical sector). My job is fine, but I regularly wonder if I'd be happier if I pursued something even less financially pragmatic than social work. Maybe I'll get that music degree someday (to the horror of my family/friends), but for now I'll be part of the mediocre.

Obama Says He Wants More Young People To Become Social Workers

It's been a while since I've made a social work related post!  I'll try to do a better job of throwing in social work related material among my product reviews and shopping/deal/travel articles.  I am still a social worker after all!
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Nice feel good article from Social Workers Speak, but certainly easier said than done:

Obama says he wants more young people to become social workers | Social Workers Speak

Let's face it, despite the increasing demand for (geriatric) social workers, there is decreasing incentive for students to go into the social work field.  In this economy, why would a practical student take on loads of debt to get a graduate degree in a field with low returns?

If we want more social workers, then we need to provide financial incentives for students to enter the field.  For me, that would include reducing student loan debt (which President Obama touched on) and higher wages.  It's a deterrent to pay someone with a masters degree and a license the same wages as someone with a 2 year degree.  As I've stated many times on this blog, the best way we can ensure this is to pass federal title protection laws so non-social workers can't take our jobs.

It's great to see the social work profession acknowledged by the President.  However, we have a long way to go before we receive the respect and compensation we deserve.

Thank you, LUSH Cosmetics!

I love getting mail!

As mentioned in my previous post, I won LUSH's #freshnewlush contest during Generation Beauty.  My prizes came in the mail, and I thought I'd share some pics and thoughts on each product!

LUSH sent me 6 full-sized products!  So generous of them!

LUSH sent me a total of six products: African Paradise Body Conditioner, Zeste Medium to Short Hair Gelly, D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap, Granny Takes a Dip Bath Bomb, and bar soaps in Parsley Porridge and Mangnificent.  Since LUSH products tend to have slightly shorter expiration dates because they have no preservatives, I went ahead and opened them up!

Granny Takes a Dip

Granny Takes a Dip is an invigorating bath bomb with lemon oil, ginger, and pepper.  Its psychedelic look reminds me of a bubble gum flavored popsicle I used to eat as a kid!  I still need to clean and disinfect my bathtub before I try this out, but in the meantime check out this video of it fizzing here: Granny Takes a Dip

Magnificent (left) and Parsley Porridge soap bars from Generation Beauty for reference

Mangnificent and Parsley Porridge soap bars were also in my swag bag during Generation Beauty.  Mangnificent, made with natural ingredients such as mango and various fruit oils (including neroli) has a candy-like citrus tropical smell.  Perfect for aromatherapy after a stressful day at work!  Parsley Porridge, on the other hand, is made with ingredients such as tea tree oil, aloe vera, thyme, and parsley and has a refreshing herbal scent.  Intended as a detoxifying soap, I'm looking forward to see if it has any clarifying effects on my skin! 

D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap

D'Fluff has a sweet floral chocolate covered strawberry scent.  Makes sense since the product is made with strawberries, rosehip oil, and cocoa butter.  While I usually epilate (saves on the cost of razors and shaving), I gave D'Fluff a try and found that it made my skin slippery enough for a smooth shave.  However, be careful that none of the product accidentally washes off prior to shaving!  I'd turn off the shower before using this.

Zeste Medium to Strong Hair Gelly

Zeste is made with avocado and citrus oil and smells like guacamole according to my boyfriend.  Personally, I like the avocado citrus scent, but it may be too strong depending on your environment/workplace.  This will be a product I use when I'm not in a hospital setting.

Zeste on my hand

At first, I was confused as how to use Zeste because I couldn't seem to get any on my finger.  Then I read the directions and dumped the entire container onto my hand, which came out as a dense, conglomerated blob of gel.  Passing the blob between my two hands coated them with just the right around of product.  Zeste does provide decent, non-crispy hold, but I'd recommend not using too much to prevent oily, bogged down hair.

African Paradise Body Conditioner

African Paradise Body Conditioner is chock full of moisturizers (aloe gel, shea butter, cocoa butter), natural oils (almond, moringa, marula, baobab, Kahari melon, ylang ylang, clove bud, and sandalwood), and mango juice.  Its complex scent is something I can best describe as an earthier version of a moringa shower gel I use.

At first, I had trouble getting the product on my body and made a huge mess in my shower.  This is definitely another product where I'd recommend turning off the shower or stepping away from the water stream before using.  However, a quick rub and rinse of African Paradise reveals smooth and glowing skin that eliminates the need for lotion.  Also 24 hours later, I still can't believe how soft my skin is!  As someone who hates applying lotion after a shower, I plan on repurchasing this product (and all its iterations) over and over again!  By far my favorite prize of the bunch!


I will admit that LUSH is not the most affordable cosmetics and body care company out there.  However, they are certainly one of the greenest with their use of natural ingredients, recycled packaging, non-animal/human testing practices, and environmental activism.  This, coupled with the quality and longevity (especially in the case of their solid shampoo) of products makes it worth the occasional splurge!  Thank you again for the prizes, LUSH!  I will see you at next year's Generation Beauty and really soon at my nearby mall!

*Disclaimer* I am not affiliated with LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics in any way, shape, or form.  I am simply an excited fan who won a prize from them!