Welcome to the Wasabiverse
Last Saturday I decided to randomly stop and say hello to an alligator (with photos)
0Life is busy and, as a result, my blogging has become random again. Last weekend I was in Orlando. Two weekends before I was in Tampa. The week before that I was in Gainesville.
Next weekend: I’ll be in Los Angeles. The weekend after that I am back in Orlando.
(You get the picture.)
The point is: sometimes you just have to randomly do things in the midst of an insane work schedule to keep the fun going in life. Last Saturday I made sure to make one these unplanned random events happen. For years, I would pass “Lone Cabbage” as a stop on the 520 heading back to the east coast of Florida from Orlando. It always gave off one of those backwoods/swamp sort of vibe, and this time the vibe was just too good to pass us.
Shannon and I pulled in and caught the last air boat ride of the day. Now, we’ve done an air boat ride before – but this one was different. It felt less theme park and more “crazy redneck.” There’s a certain level of fun that comes with that in Florida – “crazy redneck” – and if you live here long enough you learn to appreciate it.
I’ll let the photos tell the rest of the story:
My @Starbucks Mug Obsession (and how you can help!)
2I collect Starbucks mugs for three simple reasons:
1. I like having something to mark places that Shannon and I have visited together.
2. They make a great kitchen decoration thanks to some awesome hooks I bought at Ikea.
3. I drink a lot of coffee.
Since picking up this hobby, though, I have noticed that there are mugs from places Shan and I have been to together but (for some reason or other) I never scored the needed drinking receptacles.
This is the part where you can help!
Here are the mugs I still need based on previous trips we’ve taken. If you are in proximity to any of these (or will be passing through any of these locations) then I’d appreciate it if you could snag it for me. I will, of course, reimburse the cost and shipping. I have included photos I found on the ‘net for reference.
ARIZONA
CANCUN
COLORADO
MEXICO
NEW ORLEANS
SAN ANTONIO
SAN DIEGO
Thanks in advance to anyone who helps me acquire these. :)
Philippe the Original in Los Angeles, California…
0Sweet Sixteen. That’s right, I’ve been to sixteen different Man v. Food locations as of this post. SO. MUCH. FOOD.
- Orochon Ramen in Los Angeles, California
- Bub’s Burgers & Ice Cream in Indianapolis, Indiana
- Al’s #1 Italian Beef in Chicago, Illinois
- Edward’s Drive-In in Indianapolis, Indiana
- Big Pie in the Sky Pizzeria in Kennesaw, Georgia
- La Moon in Miami, Florida
- Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami, Florida
- The Old Salty Dog in Sarasota, Florida
- Hot N Juicy Crawfish in Las Vegas, Nevada
- The NASCAR Cafe in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Shula’s Steak House in Miami, Florida
- Gladys Knight And Ron Winans’ Chicken And Waffles in Atlanta, Georgia
- The Jack-N-Grill in Denver, Colorado
- The Buckhorn Exhange in Denver, Colorado
- The Vortex in Atlanta, Georgia
Who knew that the “French Dip” sandwich came from Los Angeles? I didn’t until Joey Snackpants and I talked about it on our way to Phillippe’s. Located on the edge of Chinatown, Phillippe the Original is a lunch landmark on Southern California. We walked in on a Saturday afternoon and the line was already to the door. Check it out:
The place has a very classic feel to it. While the restaurant was EXTREMELY crowded, we only waited a little while. Then we ordered.
Joey went for a sandwich and the chili. I went for the sandwich with a side of blueberry pie. Part of the appeal is the fact that the person at the counter makes your sandwich and gathers your meal in front of you. The cafeteria motif here is in the details, down to being able to order pickles and random sides for less than a dollar on the menu.
In the end, though, it was all about this:
The brilliance of this sandwich lies in the fact that the bread is made just right to absorb the juices without falling apart. The meat is tender and tasty. The bread is soft and juicy.
The only thing that would make it better? This:
I brought some of this EPIC mustard home from L.A. and I plan on buying more if I go back. It’s an ingenious blend that gives just the right kick of spicy flavor. I’ve, since getting back from California, had it with ham (over Christmas) and crab.
I had it first with my French Dip at Philippe’s and IT WAS AWESOME.
Business and conventions will very likely have me heading back to Los Angeles a couple of times in 2012, and I plan to try to make a stop back by again for more sandwichy goodness.
Good morning 2012. Here’s my AWESOME life so far. #NewYearsDay
0While watching the ball drop in Times Square last night, I got to thinking about the time Shannon and I went to see that happen in person years ago. This got me thinking about the remarkable life I’ve somehow lead over the past [insert obscure number to make my age seem insignificant] years.
So this morning I present: “the story so far.”
Shannon & I watched the ball drop in Time Square in New York City back in 2005.
Other notable things we’ve done in New York:
- Went to the top of the World Trade Center. (That’s where the photo above was taken.)
- Saw the Rockettes perform at Radio City Music Hall on Christmas Day.
- Got engaged on the top of the Empire State Building.
- Saw a couple of Broadway shows.
- Visited Central Park, the zoo, and a few museums.
We’ve driven cross country from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
We do a lot of driving:
- We’ve driven as far north as New York (from Florida.)
- We’ve driven as far south as Key West (to the Southernmost Point.)
We once rode the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror by ourselves.
Theme parks we’ve found our way to:
- Magic Kingdom
- EPCOT
- Animal Kingdom
- The Hollywood (aka Disney/MGM) Studios
- Disneyland
- California Adventure
- Universal Studios Florida
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Islands of Adventure
- Busch Gardens Tampa
We’ve been to the Alamo in Texas.
We’ve had beignets and coffee in the French Quarter in New Orleans
I’ve been to the Daytona 500 with my pal Joey Snackpants.
We’ve been twenty feet under the ocean in the Bahamas.
We saw the damn Hoover Dam in Arizona and Nevada.
We’ve dropped in on Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (and confirmed that it is almost just like most parts of Orlando, Florida.)
We’ve gone white water rafting on the Arkansas River in Colorado.
Other amazing things we’ve done in Colorado:
- Went white water rafting again the next year… in class five rapids.
- Drove to the top of Mount Evans (the highest paved road in the U.S.)
- Went tubing in Clear Creek near Golden, CO.
We went to Fantasy Fest in Key West, Florida
We ate crab cakes on the harbor in Baltimore, Maryland.
We’ve been surrounded by alligators on an airboat in the Everglades.
We’ve been to the top of the Washington Monument in D.C.
Other Washington D.C. adventures include:
- Did a tour of the White House during Christmas.
- Walked ALL of the Smithsonian Museums.
- Visited all the major monuments including the Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt.
We have been to the top of the sombrero at South of The Border (South Carolina.)
We’ve visited the Chichén Itzá pyramid and ruins in Mexico.
More Mexico zaniness that ensued:
- We went diving at Cenote Ik Kil Mexico (a giant sinkhole in the ground.)
- We ate tacos and drank beer and tequila.
- I went to a 24 hour Walmart with some friends. (Trust me; this counts as an adventure in Mexico.)
We’ve been to the Grand Canyon.
We’ve been to Las Vegas a number of times.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I can tell you this much:
- We once saw the Spice Girls perform at Mandalay Bay.
- We saw Holly Madison’s real fake boobies in Peepshow at Planet Hollywood.
- We saw the Beatles Cirque de Soleil show “Love.”
We’ve watched the Cubs play at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.
More important Chicago adventures included:
- Going to the top of the Willis (Sears) Tower.
- Eating pizza (at Gino’s East.)
- Visiting that Art Institute and other local museums.
We’ve been to Indianapolis, Indiana a couple of times.
I’ve visited Los Angeles, California a couple of times now.
Some highlights:
- Joey Snackpants and I crashed the Occupy Los Angeles protest and grabbed food in Chinatown.
- Shannon and I drove down the Pacific Coast Highway and saw the sights.
Other places of note that we’ve been to…
- Phoenix, Arizona. It was really boring both times I’ve been. Sorry.
- San Diego, California. We didn’t have much time there, but it seemed nice enough!
- Biloxi, Mississippi. Shannon won money in the casinos there. She still hasn’t let me forget that.
- Miami, Florida. More times than we can count. Food, fun, concerts and more.
- St. Louis, Missouri. I went there one business trip and saw the Cardinals play in series game while there.
#HappyNewYear 2012 and stuff. I HAVE NOTHING PROFOUND TO SAY, but I’m happy. :)
0I am sitting at in the secret lair of Joey Snackpants deep in the mythical realm of Georgia flipping between Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2012 and CNN’s New Year’s Eve with Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper.
As I type this, Lady Gaga is performing.
Here’s a random photo of my Optimus Prime toys.
I really don’t have anything profound to say. 2011 was awesome.
I plan on making sure that 2012 is even better.
Happy New Year, folks.
[SPOILER] The Jeffersonian from the TV Series @BONESonFOX is really…
0
The Museum of Natural History in Los Angeles. I took the time to drive over and get a couple of photos of this for my wife and mother-in-law who are both big fans of the TV show Bones.
That said, I did get to see a bunch of REALLY cool dinosaur bones while I was there. You can see photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomcroom/sets/72157628095216035/
