Post Embassy Drama, UK VJer 'Life In The USA' Edition.

[ChasUno 101]

Try looking for flavored water on the bottled water aisle instead of with sodas or juices. The flavored seltzers are carbonated and are usually near sodas in my stores or with mixers for cocktails. The plain non-carbonated may be elsewhere.

Thanks for the heads up. I know from looking on previous trips that flavoured water (both carbonated and still) is not as popular in the USA as in the UK. We've been using Publix since we got to Florida, as there's one very local. We looked everywhere in it, including the bottled water isle. Also weird is that the larger containers of Minute Maid are often found in the ice tea section, and then the cans are found in the soda section. One thing I did find was Publix Tonic Water Light. 99c for a big bottle and it tastes good! We will check out some other stores to see if we can get any joy on the flavoured water (and I strongly advise anyone who enjoys UK flavoured water to avoid the flavoured Seltzers - UGH!)

[chrismorrison 96]

Checking in with everyone, Kas took his knowledge and drive test yesterday to get his license (he passed). Oddly enough, unlike most of everyone else that has posted here, his license is a full license... doesn't expire when his EAD does. It's good until 2021.

[swji89 41]

I think I saw someone else on here who had a similarly good break license-wise!

It's funny how we are talking about flavoured water... but it's the little things that can make someone miss little old Blighty!

Edited August 31, 2015 by swji89

[oscillate.wildly 1]

This seems like the perfect opportunity to ask... what is with the Root Beer mouthwash stuff??? Does anyone else from the UK think that this just tastes like mouthwash?! I've tried to drink it but it's like visiting the dentist. My fiancé and his family all think I'm crazy

[chrismorrison 96]

My Hubby from London would think you're crazy-he absolutely loves root beer.

[-Shana- 152]

What kind of mouth wash do you use?! I gotta get me some. I think it tastes like dandelion and burdock in a way.

I had the same luck with the license as well, Chris. So much more convenient!

[yuna628 9,676]

Try yourself some Birch Beer, that's the good stuff.

I've never had a mouth wash taste like root beer, that would be some awesome stuff.

[swji89 41]

Another one in the pro-root beer camp here! I love going to the American candy store in the shopping centre and grabbing a can... even if it costs £1.50 a pop! I was also very disappointed when some restaurants got the Coca Cola Freestyle machines over here and they didn't have root beer in like the US ones do! It is an acquired taste, though, it tastes like nothing else for sure haha

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Fill a glass with vanilla ice cream. Pour on some cold Root Beer. Eat with a spoon. Nice!

Speaking of ice cream. We love our Blue Bell ice cream in Texas. It was taken off the market and the factories closed down---seems like forever ago-- because of deaths linked back to their product. First it was a small recall, then eventually all product pulled off the shelves and consumers were told to throw out their product. Well I just finished mine off. Anyway....yesterday Blue Bell was back in stores. My daughter and I went to the grocery at 6 am to get ours. It was a fun day seeing all the photos on Facebook, Twitter, and news channels of people getting their Blue Bell.

[swji89 41]

Yeah the Blue Bell thing was news in Alabama too! A root beer float sounds amazing right now...

[oscillate.wildly 1]

Yeah the Blue Bell thing was news in Alabama too! A root beer float sounds amazing right now...

ewwww mouthwash and icecream! Ha!

I'm not the only one, look!

https://goo.gl/jiIyEH

[swji89 41]

Haha haters gonna hate

[Owen_London 65]

I have to admit that I don't understand the unwavering attachment to Blue Bell. Their ice cream killed three people. Why would you want to buy more of it as soon as it reappears? It is good, but it's not that good.

[swji89 41]

I'm not sure I'll be buying any that's for sure

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I have to admit that I don't understand the unwavering attachment to Blue Bell. Their ice cream killed three people. Why would you want to buy more of it as soon as it reappears? It is good, but it's not that good.

The Blue Bell attachment is because it started at the little creamery right here in Texas and the Homemade Vanilla tasted so much like real actual homemade ice cream we made in the back yard with the old hand crank ice cream freezer. So much better than any Ice cream on the market at the time. So it became OUR ice cream. To my grown daughters, it has been at every birthday party, required if you baked an apple pie, and was always a treat offered at the grand parents house.

We got a little nostalgic yesterday. Leaving the HEB my daughter said "I got a pint of Cookies and Cream because that was my childhood favorite. I always got that when Dad took me to Bucees to get ice cream."

Me: "I didn't know you and Dad did that."

Her: "Oh yeah, all the time". (Her wonderful Dad is now deceased.)

Later she sent me a text saying "I wish Granddad was still here so we could have a Blue Bell and Coke frosty together one more time.

It represented tradition and emotion and was taken away. Now we celebrate the return of a very old friend.