Amazingly, the folks at Sideshow Collectibles seem to be amused by my completely home made unboxing posts and my amateur photography, because they sent me another bit of shiny and, in the case of the Hot Toys Iron Patriot Sixth Scale Figure, shiny is definitely the word.

The Iron Patriot is part of their Diecast Movie Masterpiece Series, it lights up and it’s insanely detailed. Armor plates flip up and/or out. It’s crazy articulated and it’s heavy!

It also comes with all sorts of cool accessories.

The GeekBoy helped me out on this one. We seem to have found a system where he handles the figure and I take the pictures (that sounds way more dirty than intended) because he’s less clumsy than I am. Honestly, these figures are so cool that I worry I’m going to break something when I try to pop off the head or pose them. Not because they’re delicate, but because I’m….accident prone.

So, I took the pictures (hush, we’re not going to discuss my skills or the fact that I leave stuff in the background) and I’m posting them after the break with a few comments.

But here’s the main review – This figure kicks ass. Period. It’s pretty, it’s shiny and it’s 100% worth the money. It really is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

If you have a love for Iron Patriot and you can afford it, I’d say get it for sure. If only to be able to put it together and light it up and then just sit in the dark and stare at it in a totally non creepy way.

Picture time!

The packaging on the outside. 

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I discovered Whiskey Barrel Coffee through my job writing for That’s Nerdalicious and, once I discovered it, I was in love. I mean, I love whiskey, I love coffee – so it’s kind of a no brainer for me. I even tweeted Espresso Smith (the makes of this ambrosia) after I wrote about them to tell them how much I loved the idea and talked them up online because I thought it sounded amazing.

However, as much as I wanted to try it, it was one of those things I backburnered for myself because, let’s be honest, the life of a freelancer can be a bit shaky financially and it’s more of a luxury than I could do for myself.

Then, on May 22nd, I got this tweet.

@geekgirldiva we feel like making someone’s day. May we send you some #whiskeybarrelcoffee?
— Espresso Smith (@EspressoSmith) May 23, 2014

First of all, I don’t know how they knew I was having one of those days, but the timing was perfect. I, of course, was thrilled and accepted.

Which is how I ended up with my very own dark roast blend and a very cool t-shirt. Not to mention, the packaging (Skulls. You know I love skulls) These guys are doing it right.

I haven’t cracked it open yet. (No grinder and I kind of LOVE the wax seal) but I I have a plan on when I’ll be opening it and I plan to share with friends. Because a gift from someone to make your day should be shared with others to make theirs.

If you love whiskey and you love coffee and you want to buy from good people who make quality products, then I can’t recommend Whiskey Barrel Coffee any more highly. I promise to report back once I’ve partaken.

I’ve put some pictures after the break. Check them out. I’m so impressed. Really. Thanks again, Espresso Smith. You made a fan for life.

Can I just say, I love the bottle. The bottle alone would have been awesome. The fact that it has coffee in it and looks this cool is just…yeah, awesome.

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My name is Geek Girl Diva and I have a confession to make.

I am addicted to geeky items of the scented nature. Soap, perfumes, candles, lip balm, you name it. If it smells good and has a geeky theme, I pretty much want to get a hold of it because it makes me happy.

Which is why I was so thrilled when I got this sample pack from Bubble and Geek.

Considering my picture skills are lacking (I mean, did you see the the top image), I’m going to link the stuff I was sent from their website because they have waaaaaaay better photos.

What was in the package:

Sunnydale Library Scented Soy Candle $12

Donna Lip Tint (plum color/Sangria flavor) $5

River’s Kiss Roll On Fragrance $7

I liked both the Butterbeer and Donna Lip Tints but both presented a small problem — I kept licking and nibbling my lips. I was that kid that was always tempted to eat grape Bonne Bell in school as a kid, so flavored lip balms and I are at odds. That said, I liked the Donna because I don’t wear make up often, but I always wear lip balm, and it was a nice way to get a little color and still feel moisturized. Plus, love the color.

River’s Kiss and I, sadly, did not click. Not because the scent isn’t pretty. In the bottle it’s lovely, but once it hit my skin, it went alllll berries and lost any of the sexiness of musk or incense. That’s no fault of the scent. Body chemistry is a funny thing. But if you like floral or foodie scents, I’d say you’d like it.

You can see all of what Bubble and Geek has to offer on their etsy page. As for me, I’m thinking I may need to buy their 221B Scented Soy Candle Jar. Cause it sounds delicious.

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I previously mentioned that I got the DVD of the 15th anniversary of the Neverwhere miniseries that aired on BBC.

::grin:: I’ve gotten some interesting comments from some of you folks and, I’ll be honest, some of you guys don’t remember it too fondly.

But I’m gonna give you my thoughts and maybe it’ll change your mind and encourage you to give it another look.

From what I understand and as Neil Gaiman mentioned on the commentary back in the day (we also have the original miniseries DVD at Chateau Geek), the miniseries wasn’t quite “finished” when it aired. It was shot on video for budgetary reasons and, while the plan was to go in and make it look more like film, the budget didn’t allow for it in the end. Hence, when it aired, the look of it felt wrong.

I also think, and this is my opinion, that people have become much more familiar with the look and feel of BBC productions. My guess is that, 15 years ago, things we now take for granted might have felt…odd.

The 15th Anniversary edition has been remastered and definitely for the better. I’m 3 episodes in and
I’ve been enjoying it immensely. I’d definitely suggest picking up this new version and giving it a shot.

Just a reminder, here’s what’s included.

BONUS FEATURES:

• 15th Anniversary Intro with Neil Gaiman, Lenny Henry and producer Clive Brill
• 15th Anniversary Audio Commentary with Gaiman, Henry and Brill
• Original Interview with Gaiman
• Original Audio Commentary with Gaiman
• Photo Gallery
• Character Descriptions
• Neverwhere Map Insert

Besides, it’s all of 16 bucks and in stock. I mean, c’mon. ::grin::

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Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab‘s Shub-Niggurath soap is… Silky, unusual, and very complex.

The BPAL Trading Post Bubble and Sud page describes it as: A blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices. This is accurate, but it is so much more than that.

To begin with, although I am not a hugely Lovecraftian sort of person, I’m in general tickled by things that celebrate geeky and/or unusual things. Therefore, YAY, for BPAL!

I am also a person who is allergic to very nearly everything. I’ve been known to break out in hives from dish soap, and I’ve had severe asthma attacks from both the scent of correction fluid, and from being in an elevator recently occupied by someone wearing a lot of scent. I hold my breath in the detergent aisle, and in department stores. I can’t even go inside shops that carry a lot of fragrances, if I’m not careful. Scent can also trigger migraines for me. This leads to me not so much being the perfume-y girl.

I say this because, when I opened my glorious box containing goodies from BPAL, (courtesy of GGD, *squeeeeee*) you know what happened?

Nothing. Not a thing. I say this, because for people who have scent and skin-sensitivities, it’s actually important.

Knowing the test of Shub-Niggurath would be not just smelling it, but using it on my skin, I greedily absconded to the bath.

It’s got the sort of slip on the skin that genuinely feels decadent. A beautiful lather to it, that isn’t that weird, overly foamy, bubbles-up-the-nose of a lot of soaps and body washes. Like satin sheets, it’s both light and luxurious. This inspired me to try something I would never try with regular soaps, because they’re too sticky on the skin: I shaved my legs with it. Not a nick, not a scrape, and I’ll tell ya, I spent a good while enjoying my legs after I got out of the bath. *Ahem*

I had one of those moments where I said to myself, “Self, it is a shame there isn’t someone here to enjoy how soft your skin is, isn’t it?”

The fragrance is a complex one, with notes of incense and woodsmoke and the sparkle and fire of ginger. I’m so used to NOT having a lot of fragrances on the menu, particularly darker scent profiles like this, that I’m still exploring it.

It’s the scent of wild things, of forest temples, of spice and secrets, the ecstasy of ritual.
If you’re searching for a deliciously dark indulgence this is well worth it. We often forget that side of ourselves and scent is a powerful trigger to the psyche.

Yes, I am infinitely more in touch with my inner Hetaera, than I was before.

This is a very good thing.

To the amazing alchemical team at BPAL, I can only say – this packs one hell of a punch, in a velvet glove. And to anyone who thinks their sensitivities mean never being able to express your personality through fragrance or never enjoying amazing soaps – I’d recommend giving BPAL a try.

I still covet the Port Royal soap in a most piratical way.

Is it bath time yet?

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Well, I have a new addition to the love fest. Port Royal soap from the Black Phoenix Trading Post.

While I’ve definitely drooled over many of the BPTP items, this was my first chance to try out the one of the soaps. So, I figured, why not share ;-)

Port Royal soap is made of gunpowder-black clay, imported silk, and a thick crust of sea salt.

The scent is BPAL’s Port Royal oil:

Spiced rum and ship’s wood mixed with the body-warmed trace of a prostitute’s perfume and a hint of salty sea air on the dry-down.

Which means, after the bath I just took, I smell like a pirate wench who had a few drinks, paid for a few hours of fun and woke up naked, sleepy and wrapped in silk sheets and fading perfume.

Yum.

What I really liked about this soap (and it may well mean I go through the bar faster than most) is the lather on it.  This doesn’t just bubble up.  It’s creamy in a really delectable and naughty way.

The hedonistic side of me just kept picking it back up and playing with it. But what I thought was really cool was that, while it was slick and sexy going on, it washed off without leaving any film or forcing me to work hard to rinse.

I know, I sound tawdry explaining it.  I’m going to sound even more tawdry when I say that this is the kind of soap that works on a man or a woman, so I’m betting money it would be really awesome for paired showers ;-)

Either way, I’m going to recommend it and link it so you can check it out for yourself.

Oh and, guess what?

I have another bar.  Maybe I’ll give it away.

Perhaps thar be a BPAL virgin out there who’d be likin’ it? Ye may be persuasive in the comments.

If you’d like to check out the actual BPAL oil, click here here. Just scroll down, it’s alphabetical

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