Category: General

It seemed just like any other day as I sat on my couch after school. That was until a man came on the television, confidently walking down the street while greeting all he encountered. Adorned with black-rimmed glasses and flashing a pair of finger guns, I watched closely with furrowed brow as he stopped dead in his tracks.

“Little Hungry… Little Hungry.”

He uttered it only twice but it must have echoed through my head hundreds of times in a mere instant. I too was a little hungry. I felt heard. I felt seen. It would take me years to come to terms with it, but this man would have a profound influence on the course of my life. Eddie “The Echo” might have been a character in a McDonald’s ad to introduce its new McDouble. But it awoke a beast in me that has yet to be fully satiated.

“How Ya Doing… How Ya Doing?” fellow perusers of The Impulsive Buy, my name is Brandon. And while I was alone that afternoon in California, I know that all who read this were with me in spirit. We all venture to taste that new combination of flavors and share a passion for all that is limited edition.

From that couch I would journey on to get a college degree, graduate from culinary school, get married, and have children. But never did I lose that yearning to discover. And as a new item hits the store shelves or pops up on the drive-thru menu board, the timeless words of Eddie still echo in my mind.

“Sounds Good… Sounds Good.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE: So, um, this Brandon is not the Brandon who we’ve been posting reviews from recently. He’s a different Brandon who I brought on in 2016 and, unfortunately, had to stop reviewing later that year. But that Brandon is back! And this Brandon is a completely different person.)

Hi! I’m Sonia! I’m a liiiiiittle bit of a food nerd… ok, ok. I’m a super-mega-hyper-gigantic food nerd.

Basically, I’m the kind of person you can ask what the difference is between shoyu and tamari (shoyu has wheat in it, tamari doesn’t), or what that weird-looking fruit you found at the local Asian market is (rambutan, probably), or maybe what on Earth to do with a surplus of tomatoes from your garden (pickle them!)?

Ahem.

I’ve been called “the perfect consumer,” but really, I just love to try new things. If the label says “New!” or “Limited Edition!” on it, I am *so* there! Few things make me as school-girl giddy as the seasonal displays at my local grocery store.

From red, white, and blue gummies to eggnog flavored jelly beans, pink and red snack cakes shaped like hearts to Christmas tree-shaped everything, the best part of every season is the magical selection of thematic treats that accompany it. (I’m especially fond of McDonald’s Holiday pie and have been known to cross state lines in search of them come the day after Thanksgiving).

Every year for Halloween, I make a Quest List (TM) of seasonally appropriate items, mostly of the edible variety, to hunt down between September and October. Those searches, some fruitful, some not, have resulted in some of my favorite memories.

As much as I love to buy (and of course, eat!) things, I love to make them, too. I’m an avid cook and baker, and I can’t remember a birthday or holiday where a new cookbook wasn’t at the top of my list.

Given those facts, it should come as no surprise at all that I have some *very strong opinions* about food in general. I know what I like and what I don’t, and I’m more than happy to share my reasons with anyone who will listen.

That’s precisely why I’m so excited to become a reviewer for The Impulsive Buy. Now you can join my dog in being subjected to my rantings and ravings about the newest flavor of Blizzard or the latest trendy pizza topping.

So grab a can of your favorite soft drink and get comfortable. We’re going to have some fun!

When I turned 30 a few years back, I felt a fundamental shift in my world view on food. For so long, I had categorized things I ate as “good” or “bad.”

Plain celery? Good.

Baconator from Wendy’s? Bad.

Yet, the night of my birthday, I was lying in my bed while propping myself up to discourage the stomach acid from creeping up my esophagus. It is then that I had a revelation: food is food. It cannot be inherently good or bad. Now, should I eat three Bloomin’ Onions a week? Absolutely not!…unless it gets me a free shirt, then there might be some thinking to do. I wasted so much time saying no to food because I categorized it as “bad,” but now? It’s game on.
?I feel like I should actually introduce myself now. Hello dear readers, my name is Holly, and I’m one of the new contributors here at The Impulsive Buy. I share this story of my epiphany as it was the thing that started me down the path of all food things weird, new, or Limited Edition.

I have always looked at stuff in stores or on menus at restaurants with a longing. OF COURSE, I want to try the Limited Edition Pillsbury Corn Elote Funfetti Cake, but it’s “bad.” Now when I shop, I ask myself, “Does it sound good? Does it sound unique? Will it be an experience?” If an item is a “yes” to at least one of those questions, into the basket it goes.

I live in Jacksonville, Florida, where we have the pleasure of 100% humidity at six in the morning, 343 days out of the year. I am currently working as a gig-grocery shopper/delivery gal, but I have a long history when it comes to grocery stores. I worked in big box stores, left to reset/remodel/open grocery stores across the state, and also spent time as a vendor for such brands as Hidden Valley, Soy Vay, and KC Masterpiece. Chances are if you walked through a grocery store in Northeast Florida and saw a display of Hidden Valley Ranch, it was my doing.

When it comes to food, there is very little that I will absolutely refuse to try. Even then, in most cases, I’d at least take a bite. I do tend to favor savory/salty items, but I will never say no to a doughnut, especially if it’s from Voodoo Doughnuts (Yes, Portland readers, I am aware that outside the OG Voodoo, they all pale in comparison. But let me tell you how that Memphis Mafia fritter slaps at 2 am).
?It’s going to be an interesting adventure, and I look forward to sharing it with you all!

We’re looking for reviewers!

If you’d like to apply, here’s what you’ll need to send:

1. A review of a new product.
2. Photos of the product you reviewed. (Full resolution versions, please!)
3. A bio that includes why you want to write reviews for The Impulsive Buy.

A Few Notes:

• While I’m looking for reviewers in general, I’d really like more reviewers to focus on fast food.
• The new product can be something we’ve already covered on the site.
• It’s a paid gig and it’s per review. The pay is not enough for you to quit your day job, but it’s more than enough to cover the coffee you buy to get you through your day job. Well, unless, you order some custom made drink that’s so ridiculous that it causes barista-rage.
• Because sending rejection emails have slowly eaten away at my soul over the years, if you do not hear from me after two weeks from submitting your sample review, consider that as you not being selected. Okay, actually, make it three weeks because I’m probably going to procrastinate.
• We’re only looking for writers located in the United States.

Please send your review, bio, and photos as separate attachments. So do not embed your photos into your review.

To apply, please email everything to theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com with “Grimace is so huggable!” in the subject line. We will stop accepting applicants on Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 20:20 Hawaii Standard Time.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

Thank you.

Marvo
Editor