The CoreniaBug Fun Channel – Games, Jokes, and Challenges

I spent Halloween at the Classic Arcade and Pinball Museum in Gastonia, North Carolina. I wore my Mario shirt, paid $14.99 to play for the day, and headed straight for a game that had absolutely nothing to do with Mario. The first game I had to try I rarely see Blazing Angels at the arcades I visit, so I had to give it a shot. You sit inside the cabinet with the speakers right behind you, and the seat is so comfortable I could’ve stayed there a while. Then I flew my plane into the water. Turns out the comfy seat was doing more for me than my flying skills. A few games I was happy to see I took on the Death Star in Star Wars Trilogy Arcade, played Tetris on an Atari cabinet, and got to revisit Dig Dug. I also spotted a game called Lady Bug. Of course I wanted to play it, but it was out of order that day. The little drawing of a sick arcade machine on the sign was pretty adorable, though. What it costs to play The museum is at 3210 Union Rd in Gastonia, NC. Admission was $14.99 per perso...

  Name Brand vs Great Value Snacks: Professor Snape’s Taste Test I had a perfectly reasonable question: can you actually tell name brand snacks apart from Walmart’s Great Value versions? Then I made Professor Snape administer the test. That is how a table full of pretzels, chips and ice cream became an examination with a passing grade on the line. Miss Bug had to study each sample, smell it, taste it and decide which one was the name brand. At least the homework was edible. What Was on the Snack Exam? The comparisons included: Snyder’s pretzels vs Great Value pretzels Pringles vs Great Value potato crisps Cheez-It vs Great Value cheddar cheese crackers Pop-Tarts vs Great Value toaster pastries Hot Pockets vs Great Value stuffed sandwiches Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream vs Great Value vanilla ice cream Each pair gave her something different to consider. Sometimes the shape stood out first. Other times, one bite did more explaining than a close inspection ever could. The goal was to i...

  I took a trip to Dead People’s Stuff Antiques & Emporium in Hudson, North Carolina, to see what kind of oddities I could find. With a name like that, I was curious before I even got through the door. Inside, I found shelves filled with antiques, decorative pieces, and objects that made me wonder about their history. Some things were easy to recognize. Others needed a closer look. One highlight was seeing uranium glass under a blacklight. The bright green glow definitely gets your attention! I also checked out vintage medical equipment, historical portraits, and decorative knives. The old portraits brought up a different kind of curiosity. You’re looking at someone’s face from another time, often without knowing much about the person or how their picture ended up in an antique shop. Then there was the throne. Naturally, I had to sit down and see how royal I looked. I’m still waiting for someone to bring me snacks. 👑 There was plenty to browse, whether you’re interested in col...

I spent a rainy day at the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, North Carolina. There was jousting, mead, comedy and plenty to wander around and see. There was also an opportunity for a dad joke, and apparently I couldn’t leave that alone. The queen and the weather gave me something to work with. I’ll let the clip do the damage. 😂 Huzzah! Watch the quick joke: This was just a small moment from the full visit. The jousting was one of my favorite parts of the day, and I enjoyed the mead too. Then there was Vegetable Justice, where the person at the tomato booth had plenty to say about me. If you’re thinking about visiting the Carolina Renaissance Festival, or just want to come along and see how our day went, the full video has much more of the experience. Watch the full Carolina Renaissance Festival visit: A rainy visit to the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, NC, leads to a dad joke. Watch the clip and CoreniaBug’s full festival adventure.

CoreniaBug I went to the Carolina Renaissance Festival with a birthday-gift quest. I came home with muddy shoes, an adorable owl necklace, and a newfound appreciation for sweet honey mead. The gift was supposed to be for my mother-in-law. The owl necklace was a little bonus quest. Huzzah! Our 2026 visit to the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, North Carolina, came with rain from beginning to end. Thankfully, there were still knights to cheer for, artisan shops to explore, and plenty of reasons to keep smiling. A little festival history The Carolina Renaissance Festival first opened in 1994 with just six acres of attractions and entertainment. It has since grown into a 25-acre village filled with cottages, castles, shops, kitchens, and pubs. That is quite an upgrade from a little gathering in the woods! For anyone looking for things to do near Charlotte, it’s a chance to spend the day somewhere that feels wonderfully removed from the usual routine. Getting dressed for the a...

  I tried two unusual Asheville Airbnbs: a mountain castle and a private retro arcade I’ve now stayed in a mountaintop castle and a private retro arcade in the Asheville area. Apparently booking a normal room is becoming difficult for me. 😂 The castle was Windswept Castle at Earth & Sky Dwellings, about 10 minutes north of downtown Asheville. Stone walls, a turret, chandeliers, vaulted ceilings, and a loft. They really committed to the castle thing. I showed up without a crown, so that’s on me. My favorite part, though? Those mountain views. With the big windows, you could just sit inside and take it all in. Even the little door peepholes reminded me of The Wizard of Oz. Also, let me clear up the drive there. I went in September 2026, and the road up was paved and easy to get to. If you have a really low car, I’d check with the hosts about clearance first. Colder months could be a different story, so check the weather and road conditions. The hosts say you’ll need four wheel d...