etc.

#funny?

2012-02-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

I do enjoy a good "#" punchline on Twitter although it's reaching a breaking point. Not everyone understands how to apply this type of humor and quite frankly, most are obvious and aren't that funny. But it got me thinking, isn't this really the original hash-tag humor? Kevin Nealon as Mr. Subliminal:

#fan

taken to the woodshed

2012-02-09T08:08:00.000-08:00


Chef Love himself cooking up some goodness

We had the opportunity to check out Chef Tim Love's newborn creation, The Woodshed Smokehouse. After great experiences at his other spots, I was chomping at the bit, so to speak. Rustically decorated as expected, Woodshed could be the quintessential summer hot spot; it's a fine restaurant, but when the weather is nice, it's set up to transform into an epic patio location right on the Trinity River. It's built in an "L" shape with large see-through garage doors comprising the inner walls facing an expansive patio to open up the entire dining room for the majority of the year in Texas.

Dining room with large opening doors in the summer time

Bar on the other side, same doors opening to large patio

The Woodshed has only been open for about a week and the service could definitely use some fine tuning, but personally I thought the food was very good. There actually wasn't a thing I tasted that I didn't like. I would consider it mid-to-upscale BBQ with a creative culinary flare - some stand-by's like ribs, BBQ sandwiches, etc., but also a few twists in line with his other ventures, showcasing unique sausage (rattlesnake/rabbit) and intriguing small plates like smoked cauliflower, stuffed peppers, and acorn squash. It has gained initial notoriety for using "pit fat" instead of butter as a dipping sauce for the camp bread and tortillas, and while the bread was delicious, the fat was probably more of a talking point than a necessary caloric sidecar. While not as traditional, I'd say it was one of the better BBQ places I've tried, albeit on the upper end of reasonably priced. I'm excited to go back when the temps are up and the whole shed is in full swing.

morning reading

2012-02-08T09:51:00.000-08:00

While I love riding my bike to work most days, I take a different route than that which I drive, thus depriving myself 4 seconds of joy on my morning commute. Beside serving tasty tacos, Taco Joint posts a witty new remark each day on the sign out front for passers-by to enjoy. This morning's: "Too bad Super Bowl rings don't cure dumbface and mouth breathing." Also, it's difficult to zoom, focus and snap a picture on your left while making a right hand turn.

the final bite

2012-02-07T20:34:00.001-08:00

Another year, another delicious cake. Once again, after many glorious servings of rich chocolate cake and decadent peanut butter icing, my traditional birthday dessert bids me farewell until next year. Rest In Peace. And by "Peace" I mean "my stomach."

hooray for the rams

2012-02-03T10:57:00.000-08:00

Proud of Colorado State University for raising a massive amount of money. I don't actually recall if I contributed directly to this, it started 7 years ago for crying out loud, but I'm pretty sure I did. I'll feel good about thinking I did.

groundhog pux planet

2012-02-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

Pure Evil

Lately I've been seeing a lot of the same joke/comment/post/wit about Phil and his shadow. "If six more weeks of winter means six more weeks of great weather, then bring it on..." and so forth. Granted, it's felt like the United States of San Diego lately, but all is not as it seems. I have a growing suspicion that Puxatony Phil has been behind global warming for years in an effort to win over people's opinions toward him each February. How can you hate a rodent that delivers you six weeks of 70 and sunny? You can't and he knows it. I'm sure he owns stock in hair spray and Hummer. Genius. (this is not confirmed, just speculation)

been a while

2012-01-31T15:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been over three years since I've written on this blog. I think that's long enough. The hiatus in summary: settled in Dallas, worked too many events to count, got engaged, went to the Olympics in Vancouver, went to France, began working with Gatorade, got a bike, drove halfway across the country (again), went to the Super Bowl, did a 50 miler, got another bike, got into triathlons, got married, went to the World Series, got another bike, moved to a house, went to Costa Rica, sitting at my computer. That's about it, more to come.

happy new year - best of 2008 lists

2009-01-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

I realize it has been quite a long time since I've written anything on my blog(s).

I do apologize - it has been a very hectic (but great) past few weeks, but as we embark upon a new year, I must take time to reflect on the past 12 months in a nostaligic recap of my life on the road. These are my most memorable moments for 2008 (not necessarily best or worst, and in somewhat chronological order):

- Getting my first taste of the Big D, and ironically spending the first days of 2008 in Dallas/Fort Worth.
- Telling DSG I was leaving.
- Getting a job, after 6 months of 'unemployment', with Q/Crocs and everything that went along with that decision: weighing pros and cons, packing, training, and basically the sheer uncertainty of the entire situation and what was to come.
- Seeing my sister in her new apartment in SF on the way down for our first event.
- Watching the sun set as we drove along the coast through Santa Barbara, making our way to Huntington Beach.
- Setting up on race morning at the Surf City Marathon amidst torrential wind and rain, consequently soaking us and everything in our possesion.
- Getting stranded in Flagstaff, AZ due to a flash blizzard on my way to the Grand Canyon (which we never made it to) after going 10 mph losing sight of the road as semi's flew by. I pulled off, checked into a HIE and got Moons Over My Hammy from Denny's across the parking lot. The drive the next morning with new fallen snow and the sun shining was easily one of the best.
- Surprising Whitney in Vegas at the airport, eventhough it didn't quite go according to plan.
- Running in my first event, the Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, FL and driving over the drawbridge at sunrise with Stephen, which allowed me to get out and take a great picture (not how sore I was for a week after that).
- Getting my new computer, which undoubtedly saved me countless hours over having to use my old one for the whole tour.
- The trips back to OU to see Whitney at school. Athens is so much fun and such an amazing place, we were very lucky to spend as much time there as we did.
- Our night out in New Orleans, followed by Easter Sunday in the Big Easy. This was really the only night, all tour, when we went out to the bars as a team, but it was a lot of fun.
- Being at the Boston Marathon.
- One night in Louisville during Derby Week. Phillip convinced me to go to a concert one evening during a three day stop over in the Bluegrass State which turned out to be amazing. The weather was beautiful, Brett Dennen and Mason Jennings were on stage, fireworks went off, steamboats went by on the river next to the park - very cool.
- Wine tasting in VA with Whitney - who knew there was great wine there?!
- Watching my mom win her age group in the Denver Danskin Tri, backwards wetsuit and all!
- Whitney calling with news of not one, but two simultaneous job offers and her decision to move to Dallas and work for TMA.
- Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, 4th of July. There are a multiple reasons this weekend was memorable: said goodbye to the last of the first team and welcomed in the second team, guerilla marketing plan to run in crocs and make a video of the whole event (which turned out pretty cool), and watching the fireworks from Stephen's hotel balcony (overlooking of the madness that was Olympic Park).
- Stopping for a rendezvous in Nashville with the team and Whitney. Hotel Indigo, BBQ, and relaxation.
- The weekend in Copper, with a laid back event, perfect weather, lots of outdoor activities, and staying right on the mountain.
- Surprising Whitney by coming down to Dallas, riding the trolley for the first time, and setting up meetings that would eventually lead to another memorable moment.
- Going to a game at Yankee Stadium.
- Chicago Marathon. Huge event, great marketing, better food, and the Crocs Block with spray-chalked logos and big balloons.
- Running to Canada and back in the Detroit Half Marathon (followed by an awful decision on the part of my team to buy a case of White Castle sliders - and my awful decision to eat 7 of them).
- My two most memorable events of 2008, both taking place less than a week apart: 1) Running the Marine Corps Marathon with my mom and 2) getting a call on Halloween in NYC Macy's with my mom and Auntie Chris that there was a job at hawkeye, after SIX months of persistence and hope.
- One crazy week in November: driving from NYC to Denver, finally signing my hawkeye contract, packing the Crocs truck with all my things for Dallas, and moving in to our new apartment.
- My last event with Crocs in San Antonio on one day and starting my new job the very next day, realizing everything had FINALLY come together.
- Spending Thanksgiving at home and spending the next week in SF with my sister for my first TNF event.
- Getting a chance to see so many friends and family throughout the year.
- Being able to start the New Year in a great place, with a great job and a great girl.

And now the most important list - best food of 2008! I ate my face off last year. I ate out for practically every meal (because we had to) and was lucky enough to taste delicious cuisine from all over the country - here's my best, in no particular order:

- Black Bean and Steak Chili from the Weber Grill in Chicago
- Beignets from Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans
- Chocolate Chip Cannoli from Mike's Pastries in Boston
- Joe T. Garcia's in Fort Worth
- Filipi's Pizza Grotto in San Diego
- Oregano's in Scottsdale
- Fish tacos in SoCal
- NY pizza from Rosa's
- Chop't in DC
- Jack's BBQ in Nashville
- Mars Cheese Castle outside of Kenosha, WI
- The Buckhead Diner in Atlanta
- Crabcakes from Clyde's on M Street in Georgetown
- Corned Beef from Attman's in Baltimore
- Lou Malnati's in Chicago - best deep dish pizza by far, although Gino's East and Giordanno's aren't bad
- In-n-Out Burger
- Tony Luke's Philly Cheesesteaks...in Philly
- The Med in Boulder
(I'm sure I've forgotten some, so please call me out on it)

2008 was one heck of a year, crazy to say the least - here's hoping 2009 is even better, for everyone!!

piles and piles

2008-11-05T22:09:00.000-08:00

I have so much stuff. Why do I keep the most inane objects, which eventually accumulate to create a massive amount of items I could never need, nor want for that matter?

At least I can justify the clothes. They go out of style, what have you, but the rest of this junk is ridiculous. Here is a before picture of the clothes-cleansing process:

And here is the after:

That's right, two large contractor garbage bags full of clothes that will be donated. What's funny (or not) is that I actually did this last Christmas with Whitney, who enjoyed pilfering through and purging my closet a little too much. I suppose it's a good thing, though, to make the tough decisions: will I ever need this troll doll again or will I wear this tie that was worn during 8th grade. Of course, the answer to both is a definitive "NO", but it takes time. Lean and mean, that's what I'll be running after this weekend - at the very least, I hope I got rid of enough to fit in our apartment.

swingin'

2008-11-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

Often times throughout this political season I have felt as though I were right in the candidates shoes on the campaign trail. Driving around the country, in a different city almost every day, and sending out a message for the people to hear. We're promoting rubber shoes instead of running for president, but that's not important.

Never more have I felt like we're making the final push than this week - hitting the crucial battleground states leading up to the election. We made a stop in DuBois, PA followed by our stay in Cleveland tonight, Iowa tomorrow before landing in swing state Colorado for election results. It's a long road, but someone's got to do it - power to the people!

that's amore

2008-11-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Well, the moon has hit my eye like a big one of these:

Rosa's Pizza. It's one of a million similar pizza shops in New York City, but it sure is delicious. I ate there three times this trip, each time getting a slice of the Margherita. Euphoria in my mouth. For your viewing pleasure, here is a previously posted picture because it just looks so good:

One thing that amazes me about virtually every store front in the City is the trap-door basements. Notice the metal square in front of the building:

These all lead to secret wonderland's of magic and wishes. Actually, I do constantly find the forethought put in to designing big cities truly fascinating. It's interesting this is simply "they way they do things" here. Delivery trucks stop on streets, clogging up all but the width-plus-one-inch of a car to fit through, unloading their deliveries to "true" New Yorkers through ground holes like this:

Pretty cool system. Of course you don't see this anywhere else because it won't work anywhere else, but each city has it's own system and that's what is amazing. Goodbye NYC and goodbye Stephen, you'll be missed. (I guess that kind of sounds like Stephen died, but he didn't; he's just going on a Mediterranean cruise and I won't see him again - thanks for everything.)

all hallow's eve

2008-10-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween boys and ghouls, it has turned out to be a very happy day indeed.

pom-mania

2008-10-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

Look, pomegranates are hot right now. The flavor, the fruit, it's all very trendy and awkwardly sour-yet-delicious tasting. But here's a new one:

Iced coffee from POM, the original pomegranate juice maker. At least when you go to the website they don't try to hide anything:

My question is this - what could possibly make a company specializing in fruit juice want to make iced coffee? That's like ESPN televising a spelling bee or Crocs making high-heeled shoes. It's flat out bonkers. But I suppose if your brand is hot, why not try ice? Ironically, I turned the corner after seeing the iced coffee sign and this fell into my lap:

I just couldn't escape it. Perhaps I should wash down some of this delicious New York pizza from Rosa's with a cool glass of POM.

And if I don't finish the pizza? Eat it cold for breakfast the next morning with a POM iced coffee...oh, now I see!

brrr and stuff

2008-10-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

In less than a week, it has turned f-ing cold. I'm not the most prepared either, at least not until next week when I get to go home, collect all my personal belongings and move them to Dallas. Until then, I will wear the same clothes I have lived in for the last nine months - because what's another week, right?

I thought this was a great Nike ad.

I really love when cities rally around and truly support road races. I have already seen television commercials, news telecasts and the like, creating an unmistakable buzz for "the world's greatest race." I almost feel like running this weekend...almost, and there is no chance in hell. We have to get back across the country toot-sweet, darn!

And I've done it again, little sleep. I should probably change this cycle.

take note

2008-10-27T21:09:00.000-07:00

I realize it has been some time since my last post and the natives are getting restless. My excuse? I am in the awful habit of writing at the end of the day, well past the midnight hour, and quite frankly, I needed to catch up on sleep. To summarize recent events, here is a little "notes column" action, enjoy...

...Marathons are difficult. Twenty-six (point two) miles is a long way to run. I won't be doing another one for a while...

...Want to know what else is long? This marketing tour...

...After having to lean on both my dad (NYC) and my mom (MCM) to finish different marathons, I have come to the conclusion they are truly phenomenal people. I'd like to think I could have finished the races without them, but I'm really glad I didn't have to find out. I'm very lucky...

...Various inspirations bounced around my head as I plodded, step after step, throughout the streets of DC. My family, both close and extended, and their positivity and support. Whitney and her efforts to take up one of my passions as she trains for the Dallas White Rock Half Marathon, Dec. 14. My livestrong bracelet, Whitney's brother Ryan, and other people who overcome so much more than recreationally jogging for hours. The massive amount of bling that would be draped around my neck after finishing. Several passages from the book "50/50," by Dean Karnazes. A delicious, guilt-free dinner in great company. The ability to proudly don a new marathon jacket. And of course, all the Marines and people serving our country...

...I still have no idea how to remove the pace tattoo from my arm, which isn't nearly as cool two days later, half-way rubbed off...

...Disclaimer: In no way do I recommend the training program which I followed to run this marathon...

...This weekend just worked. Our hotel, which we booked at the last minute, turned out to be in a perfect location (by that, I mean right by Chop't). We were able to find convenient parking for the trucks without any issues. The weather, which was rainy on Saturday and cold/windy today, was absolutely ideal on race day...

...It was ironic this was the 33rd Marine Corps Marathon and it was my 33rd event on this tour...

...Off the race topic, I was able to go see our Nation's oldest and most significant documents at the National Archives. Pretty incredible. Those men were visionaries...

...Whitney sent me on a hunt to find the "Secret" monument, which is located on the south side of the reflecting pool. It was a gazebo-like structure, that was situated back in the woods. Oviously not a huge secret, but I bet a lot of people miss that one on their bus tours!...

...Chop't is still delicious. Chipotle is always delicious...

...The Georgetown area is really nice. REALLY expensive, but nice...

...The Metro is my favorite transit system in the country (beside the M Car trolley by our new apartment in Dallas). It's cheap, fast, and easy - [insert joke here]...

...My cousin Tiff is very pregnant. I'm going on the record as saying it's going to be a girl...

...I'm very sore and very tired. Until tomorrow...

in the pitts

2008-10-21T19:20:00.000-07:00

I saw this restaurant today, close to the surprisingly interesting University of Pittsburgh:

That's right, Joe Mama's, which made me think of my mama, who constantly uses that name in various jokes. It was one of a myriad of dining options adjacent to Pitt's architecturally rich campus. I never thought anything of the University of Pittsburgh, but much to my surprise, there was an abundance of fantastically old school buildings and ornately designed churches, centered around a fusion of both - the Cathedral of Learning.

It's 42 stories tall and was originally built to inspire learning. I obviously didn't take the picture above, nor did I take any other pictures because I didn't think my phone-camera would do much justice. The Pitt campus was literally across the street from Carnegie Mellon, where I'm sure I'm not even smart enough to figure out a way in to of any of the buildings.

Tonight, a lucrative business idea has captured my interest: Alpaca farming. All the info is conveniently available at AlpacaInfo.com of course, I suggest you don't miss this once in a life time opportunity - after all, who could resist these cute little fellas? Buy the DVD, Alpacas: A rewarding lifestyle, for just $19.95. After seeing the TV ad I thought, "All I need is a few Alpacas and I will never have to work another day in my life!"

Also, my football teams lost by a collective score 104-33 of this week (Rams 49-16, Broncos 41-7, Bobcats 14-10). Wow, I'm so proud.

something smells fishy...

2008-10-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

If you've been noticing a trend that many of my blog posts are courtesy of various gas stations around the country, that's because they are feeding grounds for hilarity. There is an infinite amount of randomness every time I walk through a convenience store door and the security bell rings. More often than not, truck stops provide the most entertainment, but this morning is was a regular, old gas station. Can anyone guess what is now considered an impulse buy, sandwiched right betwixt the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and the credit card machine?

That's right, a fish. This was not the convenience store clerk's loyal pet either, there was a price tag on the lid of the fish "tank".

It read $15.

Are you kidding me? First, aren't these the same malnourished, anemic, Japanese "fighting" fish they sell at the pet stores for $2? So it must be the lush environment that satisfies the lofty price tag. Second, I really just want to see the person who picks up his package of candy, pays for $6 of gas on pump 3, and oh yeah, why don't you throw the fish in there as well. Welcome to the heartland!

motor city

2008-10-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

In Detroit, they take pride in the fact the automobile industry began here with an idea from Henry Ford. It has boomed because of the hard-working, blue collar auto workers that are struggling to make ends meet during these tenuous times. I wonder what those workers would think of when they see what happens to some of their works of art:

At least it still runs I guess. And it always strikes me as hilarious when I see "The Club" on cars like this:

This person can't honestly think someone wants to steal this mini-van, can they? That's like us putting a Club on our Crocs trucks - oh, wait, we do that...

odds...and ends

2008-10-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

I had, perhaps, my most awkward dining experience ever this evening at On The Border. We ordered "Guac Live!", where they bring the avocados and fixin's to the table and make it right in front of you.

Have you ever made guacamole? Even with the ingredients prepped, it's not the quickest process. It takes a little longer when the girl who's concocting it has a grand total of three "Guac Live!" experiences under her belt.

First, she proceeded to wipe her hands with a moist towelette - this will be important in a second. While hap-hazardly scooping the avocados out with a spoon, she attempts to make conversation - just the one time really. The majority of our "live" experience was cast in silence between awkward guac-making mistakes and efforts to supress laughter between Adam and myself. On avocado half number three, she scoops the inside right down onto the tray next to the more appropriate bowl. A simple error we were willing to let go, if it weren't for her following statement: "Don't worry, that's why I put alcohol on my hands." I have to believe she was trying to alleviate our concern of germs from her hands transferring to the avocado, however the comfort we gained from ethanol as the "secret" ingredient in our guacamole was non-exisent.

We allowed her reprieve by requesting "chunky" guacamole to spare her the time and awkward silence while continuing to (not) mash the ingredients. By the time our "Guacamole En Vivo" was complete - which is what it should be called in a Mexican restaurant - our food arrived less than a minute later, which sort of defeats the purpose of an appetizer. I have to give her effort for trying, and I'm sure she will improve in time, but I suggest she get a lot faster or come up with other conversation starters than "I could eat a whole avocado, I like 'em so much."

In other news, technology is frustrating the crap out of me right now. First, I have been jealous about the iPhones for quite some time since two of my teammates own them, but then my sister has to go and get one. And now, Apple released their new line of MacBooks which makes my 5-month old model look like garbage.

These new laptops look unfathomably awesome and I want one. I won't get one, of course, because I still like mine very much and just don't need it, but it gets irritating when something new comes out that corrects the faults from before, enhances performance and costs the same. I suppose this will always happen with technology and I will have to get used to skipping generations of gadget coolness for the rest of my life. I can still pout though.

debate night on my computer

2008-10-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

For the debate this evening, I have decided to do a “stream of consciousness” post. Why would anyone care what I’m thinking while watching a political debate? Well, they probably don’t, but it’s something to read. (Times are Mountain Time...because my computer is on Mountain Time...because I change time zones every week and don't feel like changing it)

07:01:40 PM Okay, here we go!

07:01:57 PM I’m watching CNN debate coverage, both men and women seem to be dead on the bottom of the screen

07:02:38 PM Handshake with utterly fake greetings

07:03:04 PM First question: shocking! Economic based

07:03:43 PM Nancy Reagan broke her pelvis…

07:04:32 PM McCain said Fannie and Freddy May are responsible for this, I didn’t realize they got married – and he took her name

07:05:32 PM McCain blinks a lot

07:05:46 PM Hey, a candidate stayed within the time limit!

07:06:29 PM Fundamentals is still a buzzword – generic, but still buzzy

07:07:17 PM Why don’t they show the time clock on the screens? That would add a great element, along with a very loud horn when time is up

07:08:35 PM McCain is talking to Joe, is he really going to approach the economic recession one person at a time?

07:09:53 PM It seems like both candidates love tax cuts, but they disagree, weird…

07:10:54 PM Obama has been eating numbers for breakfast

07:11:20 PM McCain still talking about Joe the plumber, his “wealth” spreading and how Obama is raising taxes – see two thoughts ago…???

07:12:48 PM Did Obama just say nobody likes Texas?! Oh, taxes, phew

07:13:21 PM McCain pulled out the all-important “Irish tax rate” number, because that’s relevant…

07:13:55 PM Trillion dollar debt, woohoo!

07:15:12 PM Obama proposing pay as you go, apparently he is going to run a cell phone company along with the country

07:16:46 PM McCain went directly back to home ownership, not surprising, maybe he can divide all of his 8 houses among those people

07:18:49 PM McCain importing Brazilian sugar cane energy, interesting, do you just get people all hopped up on sugar and hope they are hyper-efficient?

07:20:22 PM Obama is confusing me with trillion dollar amounts – what’s the difference between national debt and deficit?

07:20:56 PM Oh, snap! McCain calls for an Obama/Bush presidential race in ’04! Decent line, but that one was certainly scripted, wonder how long he’s been holding on to that remark…

07:22:12 PM McCain is much better so far in this debate, albeit, very angry, but he is hitting more on policy this time around

07:23:24 PM Obama may not be well-liked by Fox News tonight, although to his point, he isn’t really already

07:24:14 PM McCain interrupting moderator, very annoyed with Obama about his claim of more of the same

07:25:22 PM Oooh, a question on the direction of each candidates negative campaigns…where will this go?

07:26:59 PM McCain not happy about Obama not repudiating some remarks about him like McCain has done every time…except when Palin said Obama palled around with terrorists

07:28:08 PM Decent answer by McCain, he still seems angry, but he is more prepared and debating better

07:29:33 PM Obama turns it right back to the economy, fairly smart, but kind of a let down, I wanted more of an answer on the negativity

07:30:54 PM McCain upset because of Obama’s ad spending…but the Obama campaign HAS the money…

07:32:53 PM Obama said tit…for tat

07:34:19 PM Whew, McCain is getting very upset and emotional

07:35:20 PM Obama throwing everything back to the economy, still steering away from the original question

07:36:13 PM And here it comes…the Obama associations

07:37:25 PM Obama “repudiating” associations with his clearly prepared answers, obviously both candidates knew this was coming up and both “read” their answers

07:38:43 PM Obama now talking about his actual associates, pretty good move and interesting

07:39:44 PM McCain still going negative, then says Obama needs to tell people the truth…as he JUST did

07:40:30 PM This debate is FAR more heated than last time

07:40:50 PM Ouch, question on running mates becoming president, that one may hurt McCain, intrigued to hear his answer

07:41:25 PM If McCain uses the term hockey mom, this one’s over

07:43:49 PM McCain on Palin: Bresh of freth air…okay, low blow, I’m not the one up there speaking in front of the country

07:45:20 PM Obama may be laughing a little too much, might make him seem condescending

07:46:27 PM McCain still saying Obama raising taxes…and McCain seems to be forcing his way in to get the last word on every question

07:49:10 PM It must be weird to attempt to speak passionately and look right into a non-responsive camera, pretending it’s the American public

07:51:49 PM Drill! The Maverick wants oil!

07:52:25 PM I think Obama is a little caught off guard by McCain this time around, maybe expecting the easy win like last time

07:53:39 PM Along with McCain’s better preparation and debating, he has turned the table and has become the more aggressive, condescending, annoyed, and angry candidate tonight, ooh, there’s a backhanded compliment about Obama’s verbal eloquence

07:55:59 PM I have no idea what to think of the squiggly lines on the bottom, it’s quite irritating to try and follow them

07:58:27 PM Health care question, I feel like I’ve heard these plans a hundred times before

07:59:49 PM Here comes Joe again, this guy certainly is popular – I wonder if he’ll be the next White House plumber

08:00:48 PM Obama now talking to Joe, getting serious air time, he must have made SOME impression

08:03:32 PM More “fundamental” differences

08:03:49 PM Geez, this debate is all about Joe! What about me!?

08:05:02 PM 10 to 1 odds Joe ends up with his own TV show sometime soon and none of what they’re talking about tonight will make any difference

08:06:49 PM Crap, I think I just chipped my tooth…

08:07:29 PM Yep, it’s a little chipped, maybe they’ll talk more about dental insurance in either of their plans

08:10:37 PM Only a couple questions left, I think the election will get closer after this debate, regardless of who they say wins

08:12:06 PM I honestly have no idea what “voting” in the senate even means, they literally vote thousands of times and each Senator can look at the other and say “He voted this way on this item, blah, blah, blah”, I don’t get it

08:15:29 PM There’s that backhanded eloquence compliment again

08:16:15 PM Last question, education

08:17:02 PM I need a little something sweet during all of this salty rhetoric…Cookies and Cream granola bar

08:18:04 PM Granola bar delicious

08:18:37 PM I like Obama’s idea about giving young people money for school when they complete community service

08:21:03 PM This question seemed to have cooled the tempers a little

08:22:09 PM Maybe that’s because they actually agree on something, but who is going to be against education, honestly

08:23:05 PM There’s a little zing from Obama, how does McCain come back?

08:23:56 PM Seems like McCain caught him a little on that with vouchers in the DC area, response?

08:26:09 PM Still disagrees, I guess they agree to disagree, shocking

08:26:55 PM Smug remark from McCain, kind of sums up his persona for the evening

08:27:28 PM Closing remarks, my friends…

08:28:03 PM McCain: Reform, affordable healthcare and education, stop the spending (kind of stuttering through this) and now he’s going to the trust issue and his record of service

08:29:16 PM Obama: Economy (shocking), fundamental change from the last eight years, fundamental decency, middle class tax cuts, new energy policies, not easy or quick, speaking a little from the heart towards the end which is new

08:31:43 PM Hey, they shook hands! I think they’re friends! Or not…

08:32:26 PM At least the wives are friends ☺

08:32:38 PM And thus ends the final debate, here’s my prediction – the Republicans will say McCain won, the Democrats will say Obama won. I think this debate returned to a typical, heated, solid debate and the fact that there wasn’t a clear winner is a good thing for the overall outcome of the election. And good lord, does CNN really need 15 people (literally, I counted) on the stage to discuss this!!

mmmmmm

2008-10-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

Today, our first day off in a couple weeks, provided an opportunity to consume the Holy Trinity of Chicago treats:

Quite delicious. I have to admit that the pizza pictured is from Lou Malnati's last night, but we did eat at Gino's East tonight and I was thoroughly impressed. I figured out part of the secret to the allure of Chicago deep dish pizza is that by the time it takes to get to your table 45 minutes later, you're so hungry that anything tastes amazing.

Chicago is also a city with some great marketing ideas. Just walking around, looking at all of the outdoor ads, store front displays and the mobile marketing was fascinating. I was, however, perplexed by this ad for Macy's:

This guy is standing here with both ends of an electrical plug, seemingly poised to perform a Christmas-Vacation-esque lighting of the bulbs behind him - only, they're already lit...but it's unplugged...? Who are the ad wizards that came up with that one?

(bonus for the person who can name the origin of the last line)

at your service

2008-10-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

I've had a wide array of McDonald's experiences throughout this marketing tour and more often than not, and as weird as it sounds, it's because of a necessity to eat there. There aren't a whole lot of options on the road, particularly in small towns along the way (see: Wells, NV). In cities I would never dare eat at McDonald's, and cities like Chicago with amazing food? Shoot me first.

Well, get out your gun.

As cool as it was to be at McCormick Place for the Chicago Marathon expo, I was utterly dumbfounded by the lack of food options. McCormick Place is a city, in and of itself, with multiple food courts throughout the complex, but the problem was none of them were open. If the Chicago Marathon expo, with its 45,000 participants and thousands of other attendees, doesn't warrant opening the food court, what does? Honestly, there was an Au Bon Pain with $10 sandwiches and various food carts (ie churros - and no mom, not the good kind), but literally dozens of other eateries remained dim and vacant.

Whereas the Chicago triathlon expo we worked earlier this summer was surrounded by the rest of downtown with limitless food options, McCormick place is fairly isolated, hence the need for food courts. I made the unfortunate decision to walk down the block to the one other "restaurant" - McD's. I was in line as soon as I passed through the door. That is to say that the three lines were no less than 15 deep, but I thought, "It's fast food, right?" Wrong.

What I was hoping for was to get off my feet for a spell, instead I stood inline for the better part of an hour. Not so much fun. Unrest began to spread amongst in the crowd, in which I was a distinct minority, as I approached the front of the line. I took my food and bolted, leaving behind what may have morphed into an angry, pitch fork wielding mob or perhaps something that resembled the Nike booth at the end of the expo:

Headless naked people and a bronzed woman passed out in mid-celebration - is this how you "just do it"? Must have been one heck of a party.

prime location

2008-10-10T21:19:00.000-07:00

A short post today, but after last week's expo location next to the Mahatma rice booth, we found a pleasant surprise this week. Rather than the pungent aroma of chicken and beef flavored pilaf, we are next to the churro cart.

Fried dough, it doesn't get much better than that.

raked over the coals

2008-10-09T20:38:00.001-07:00

I had planned this elaborate post tonight on the Weber Grill because of their exquisite black bean and skirt steak chili. I called this afternoon to check the identity of their "Chili of the Day" and, much to my surprise and elation, it happened to be one and the same. I called back two minutes later to make a reservation, asking specifically, "Is the chili this afternoon going to be that same tonight?" Answer: "Yes."

I'm sure you can gather by my tone that this was, in fact, horrifyingly incorrect. The Weber Grill doesn't serve chili at night - curses! Nevertheless, I got over it in time to eat an entire delicious plate of barbecue meat. Three different types, to be precise - meatloaf, brisket and ribs. It's still a phenomenal restaurant and I will gladly go back to try again when the stars align on a day with black bean chili. And when my time eventually comes, I also yearn to be bronzed while grilling meat.

The coolest part is that the Weber Grill is actually in our hotel. The only thing that would make it better is my dream elevator with a grill button in which to elevators opens directly in front of a waiting table, complete with their delectable pretzel rolls and a cool glass of sangria.

Until then, we will have to walk the ten steps from the elevator to the restaurant and I will have to continue calling each day for a chili update. It's not quite as volatile as the stock market, but it's darn close. Next up (hopefully): deep dish pizza.

the future is now

2008-10-08T19:42:00.000-07:00

I'm not trying to over-do it with the vending machine posts, but I saw something amazing today. It was a new way to obtain our nation's most precious commodity - something that tells me just eight years into the 21st century, we are already prepared for the 22nd.

Dippin' Dots...in a vending machine...in our hotel. That's right, the Ice Cream of the Future, here now at our convenience. It's so futuristic, I'm not even sure how it works, except for pure robotic genius. What I extracted from gazing through the "anticipation window" was this electronic arm with futuristic suction powers somehow opens this "freezer" device where the tiny iced morsels are kept at dangerously cold temperatures.

From there, my only guess is magic fairies carry the cup o' dots to the release portal and consumption can commence. It's really quite a process, one I didn't see arriving until some point in the distant future, but our society clearly has progressed into a revolutionary era.

pillow talk

2008-10-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

As I lay me down to sleep, I'm stressing out over an important decision. Walking in to my hotel room and the Holiday Inn and Water Park (that's right) in Omaha, NE, I found this sight on my over-sized bed:

Six pillows. That's six pillows with three different firmness choices. I'm not even sure what to do with six pillows in the first place - I need ONE upon which to lay my head. Good Lord. Whitney is a big fan of over-abundant pillowness, which I am still getting used to, but I suppose tonight is great training. I'm doing reps.

I would build a fort, but the soft pillows collapse under the weight.

the lives we lead

2008-10-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

For the guys out there, we have certainly all seen a variety of gas station bathroom vending machines. They are convenient dispensers of condoms, pills, and many other necessities to get you back on the road prepared for whatever (or whomever) may come your way. I'm guessing the ladies have something similar, although I can't imagine what they would contain...

Until today, I was not witness to a revolutionary idea that could take truck stops by sweet-smelling storm.

Yes, a cologne machine. Not a machine that dispenses tiny bottles of cologne, that would be an inefficient waste of time. Simply insert coins, spin the dial to your fancy, punch a large metal button (or "plunger" as it is called), and prepare to smell delicious. Caution: Avert eyes or intense burning will ensue. Also, all of the flavors seen in the picture are accompanied by the omnipresent scent of diesel - bonus! What kind of man might choose to take a chance by using truck stop cologne to woo the ladies? My money is on this man:

This lad was in attendance at the Rock 'n' Roll San Jose Half Marathon, and in case you can't clearly see his shirt, it reads: THE PERFECT DAY - 1. Wake Up, 2. Play Video Games, 3. Eat Breakfast, 4. Play Video Games, 5. Eat Lunch, 6. Play Video Games, 7. Eat Dinner, 8. Play Video Games, 9. Go to Sleep.

Yep, that's his perfect day. I sympathize with him that someone interrupted this established routine to force him outside with the three dimensional people.

crisis averted

2008-10-05T23:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend proved to be a bit of a whirlwind after arriving late, juggling work and family time, and retracing our steps back to Elko, Nevada at 1am tonight (for those of you counting, that's 50 miles from Wells). I was also without internet the entire weekend, although time wouldn't have permitted blogging anyway, but being back on the road affords me a few short seconds to write.

I was nearly heartbroken this afternoon, driving past In-n-Out Burger after In-n-Out Burger on 880 as we guided the Crocs Pleasure Cruiser past my Dad's old 'hood. Never fear, however, as Reno provided us with one last bastion of meaty goodness before heading back east for an extended period of time.

Simply delicious. This most likely began a week of rather unhealthy eating with the Land of Pizza on the horizon. I can justify it a little more now since I am back to being able to run a few miles. I thought this New Balance sign today was humorous and very appropriate for my current situation.

We'll see what happens, there might be a tempting little half-marathon in the Motor City coming up in a couple weeks, hmmm.....

i'm lovin' it

2008-10-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

As I type this, returning from an extended blogging absence over the past week, I sit in a McDonald's in Wells, NV.

I know what you're thinking, "When did the Rock 'n' Roll Wells Marathon make the schedule?" While there is plenty of space here for such an event, the expo would have to take place in either the Flying J or the 4 Way Cafe and Casino. The host hotel might be the extravagant Motel 6 at which we took residence last night - luckily they were courteous enough to "leave the light on" for us. The finish line festival could be erected in the vast gravel truck parking lot across from said Motel 6 at the base of the I-80 off ramp, exit 352, allowing for a blazing fast down-hill finish. Holding the finish line tape would be none other than Eric, our truck mechanic, and any of the other notable inhabitants that choose to live in Wells, population no more than 100 (plus Molly and me, at least until this afternoon).

So, yeah, the truck is broken again. Let me rephrase - the truck is still broken, we have just been driving it apparently in spite of the malfunctions. A shiny, new alternator is currently on its way from Salt Lake City - I can only assume from the same shop where the truck just spent 4+ days - and we should be on our way! On our way again, that is, multiple delays, parts, and thousands of dollars later, but hopefully only to return to Wells for nothing more than a fleeting glance, speeding past at 75 mph in the opposite direction.

In other news, I had a great trip to Dallas over the weekend. The wedding was fun, meetings were positive, and Whitney and I switched apartments. This is the ambiance I was originally hoping for, luckily we were able to make it happen.

Beside that, I eagerly await my second McD's meal of the day, perhaps while watching National Treasure again on my computer - all of the DVD's I brought on the tour, for occasions precisely such as this, happen to be in the back of the other truck.

I leave this post in the words of the lovely Dionne Warwick..."Do you know the way to San Jose?"

filter this

2008-09-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

It's pretty incredible really. Even as I wrote that post last night, I didn't actually believe the other truck could possibly break down today - although having Croc 2 as the fallback vehicle didn't instill a whole lot of confidence. Needless to say, I'm now quite convinced that jinxes exist and I will never think or say bad things about anything or anyone. Two days, two fuel filter problems, three repair shops, and one guy (me) who keeps "mocking" the trucks. When will I learn.

Yes, hell hath no fury like a woman or Crocs truck scorned. And I most certainly would have experienced double trouble if I hadn't made it for my flight out of Salt Lake City to see Whitney for the wedding this weekend.

I must say, however, that while this was quite an unfortunate jaunt across the country, I was rather lucky amidst the turmoil. Consider that I was near a town with a repair shop each time the the trucks broke down, particularly today when Rock Springs, WY is surrounded by nothing 50 miles in every direction. Or that we pulled into the truck repair this afternoon a half hour before they closed. Or that while the mechanics seemed to have no idea how to fix it, we were able to tell them what to do because it was the same problem with both trucks, which allowed them to fix it in an hour and not wait until the morning, resulting in drastic plan changes being averted. So while I didn't know it was possible, I was simultaneously lucky and unlucky today.

I am not even going to touch discussing my flight tomorrow.

you owe me a coke

2008-09-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I believe in "jinxes" or not. There are times when I really feel like I have the unintentional power to jinx things and bring about bad luck. Today, not 10 minutes before our truck broke down I was thinking to myself how we had 1,000 miles until Salt Lake City and at least we were in the "good" truck so nothing would go wrong. I was, in fact, wrong. So did I mentally jinx us? Perhaps, but what about all the other times when I think something and it goes right? It's not like my luck is usually THAT bad. I'm leaning towards the term coincidence rather than jinx, but who really knows?

I also find it impossible to believe our trucks don't have human personalities. For some reason, they think they have been wronged in some way and have a vendetta to get back at us. Well, trucks, this is what I think of you:

(Actually, now I'm a little scared for what's in store tomorrow...maybe I should have waited until we make it to Utah to tell them what I think)

haulin' oats

2008-09-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was exposed to a brand new flavor of Quaker Chewy Granola Bar: Dark Chocolate Cherry. It is quite good, but in no way does it make me less upset about the sudden extinction of Cookies & Cream some time ago*.

My current favorite Chewy granola bar flavors are as follows:

Peanut Butter and Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Cherry
Apple Cinnamon
Butterfinger
(tie) S'mores and Oatmeal Raisin

* Going back to the disappearance of Cookies & Cream, I have searched high and low and have not been able to find them for the longest time, however according to this picture on Quaker's website they still exist under the "25% less sugar" category. What kind of sick game is this?!?

rocky road

2008-09-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

This is far from the way I feel right now.

I need to run. Period.

Also, orange jerseys today...awesome. Big fan.

a world of deliciousness

2008-09-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

If I had another two weeks in Philadelphia, I still might not be able to eat every type of food in Reading Market. I was walking around in awe at the selection today, almost wishing I hadn't just eaten another cheese steak. They have everything you could imagine - fresh, raw, prepared, and any ethnicity. Take a look at the pictures and notice all the different signs:

I could have taken a lot more photos. It's a shame they close at 6pm every day otherwise I'd be there for dinner. It seemed as though every time I turned a corner, there was something else tempting me to stuff myself. Yum.

real food for real guys

2008-09-19T20:45:00.000-07:00

It's not everyday you can see one of your favorite TV shows being recorded live. Today I boarded the Battleship New Jersey to watch Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio (technically TV and radio show) overlooking beautiful downtown Philadelphia. I took a cab over the bridge into the Garden State and boarded the ship around 7am.

There was a decent crowd already watching and I took a seat and started taking pictures.

It was actually a lot of fun, Mike and Mike were very funny as usual and it was a gorgeous morning. I will have to drag Whitney with me if they ever go to Dallas in the future. It was amazing how fast people mobbed them for autographs and pictures when they cut to commercial breaks.

I went around the side to get a slightly closer view and after Greenie gave the command to fire a salutatory gun of the side of the ship, I departed back across the river. A unique, coincidental experience and I'm glad I woke up early to take advantage of it.

brotherly love of cheese steak

2008-09-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

I love food. It's no secret, so this job offers a tremendous chance to sample local fare from some of the best food regions in the country.

I'm not sure I would put Philadelphia in that category, but they are known for one thing above all else: the cheese steak. And it's important, while venturing out, to find the best of the best locations for those specific delicacies. Not the most expensive location - sometimes far from it - but the truest form of that food, a place locals frequent to get their fix. That place in Philadelphia is Tony Luke's.

We ate at Tony Jr's yesterday where I experienced my first "real" cheese steak - the one with the Wiz. It was very good. Simple, but tasty, with only steak, fried onions, and cheese wiz. Tony Jr's is another location of Tony Luke's - smaller, with a slightly scaled down menu, and in downtown.

Today we went to the actual Tony Luke's, a few miles south of downtown - with a line seemingly a few miles further south. This was obviously "THE" place to get a cheese steak. I ordered another, this time with white American cheese and (unintentionally) without onions. It too, was quite good and I'm now a temporary Philly fanatic.

national pleasure

2008-09-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

I realize that title could also double as the pun name for a porn movie, but in this case it has to do with being in Philadelphia and my desire to live out the movie "National Treasure". We were out seeing the sights today and movie scenes began rapidly coming back to me. More on that in a moment, but a few random pictures first.

In West Philadelphia, born and raised, on this playground is where Will Smith used to play basketball before being bullied and forced to move to Bel Air, CA. I don't actually think it's this one, but that was running through my mind all afternoon.

I've decided to leave Crocs, move to the late 1800's and switch to the Liberty Bell marketing tour. The bell actually did go on tour and was used for marketing - look it up.

Streets of Philadelphia. Now I understand why Bruce Springsteen wrote that song. Well, not really, but they made me think about what it used to be like when horse-drawn carriages roamed the bumpy, stone streets. Almost everything thing I saw today made me think back and wonder what life was like then. It's fascinating.

And now, on with the "show"! Imagine, if you will, the series of scenes after Nicholas Cage and his counterparts discovered - while at Urban Outfitters - the next clue in Philadelphia. That clue stated that another clue would be unveiled by the shadow passing in front of the house of Pass and Stow - Independence Hall, where the bell was originally held.

Of course, the bad guys didn't understand at first and went to view the actual Liberty Bell, not the house where it was kept. It was this view where he looked out the window across the street and called himself an idiot.

This is the staircase that they went up to view the shadow, passing across the next clue at 3:22pm. We were standing outside here today at exactly 3:22pm - awesome.

The short, brick columns on the right is where the clue - Benjamin Franklin's glasses - was found by viewing the shadow from the bell tower.

They proceeded to take the Declaration of Independence into the signing room to view the map on the back using the glasses. As they are about to view the map, Nicholas Cage reacts and says, "The last time (the Declaration of Independence) was here...it was being signed." Great acting.

After viewing only a portion of the map, they realize the bad guys are right on their tail and decide to split up. Nicholas Cage walks briskly across the adjoining park then crosses the street into the park. In an attempt to elude his pursuers, Cage waits for a bus to pass between them and then is shown to be running through this park.

The other two actually are in possession of the document and are forced to run as well. They enter the Reading Market (which is right next to our hotel for this weekend) and the woman jumps behind the meat counter to hide.

I have no idea why I thought this was so cool today, I'm sure Molly and Adam were annoyed. However, even as I was caught up in giving my own movie tour, I took time to realize the true significance of these locations. It's phenomenal to imagine standing in the same place where our country was born. A shiver ascended my spine as our tour guide proceeded to tell us today was Constitution Day - 221 years ago to this day, 55 men signed one of the world's most influential documents. They filed into the room at 4pm, the exact moment we were being described the events. An unanticipated, surreal experience.

fatty mcbutterpants

2008-09-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

Eating crepes always reminds me of when my dad made Cannelloni Crepes...god, those were amazing. I'm going to have to make them soon. Once I'm able to cook again.

I was thinking this evening about my eating habits lately. It wasn't good.

Although I've had a lot of great food recently, it hasn't been good for me - particularly since I haven't been able to run. I don't want to say it's impossible to eat well when you have to eat out every single meal, but its darn close to impossible. How many dishes at a quick serve restaurant come with any type of fruit or vegetable? And how much money would you have to spend to actually eat right?! I haven't eaten Subway in forever because I was there so frequently in the first three months that it doesn't sound even remotely appealing.

But I suppose that is part of what this job, this experience, is all about. It's the same with everything else - it's temporary. Soon I won't have the opportunity to eat in a different city and a different restaurant for every single meal. Soon I will be back running again and will have the structured regiment I used to cherish. Soon life will be back to normal, yet completely different all at once. I guess doing the best I can with what I have and living in the moment are two lessons I'm being taught right now. They're good ones, I hope I learn them...

together and apart

2008-09-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today Whitney and I went on our first date. Since then we have done a lot together, and we've been apart far too long, but here are a few of my favorite pictures so far:

There are so many more pictures, but it would take too long to upload them all. I guess that's a really good sign...

nevermore

2008-09-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

So said Edgar Allen Poe's Raven. I'm in Baltimore and for some reason that poem is synonymous with this city in my mind. I'm guessing because of the football team - which is kind of sad.

Today we visited a very famous deli, not to me so much, but apparently to many politicians and dignitaries whose pictures hung on the walls. Attman's Deli supposedly has the best corned beef sandwiches in the world - I was worried I wouldn't be allowed to eat there. Luckily my fear subsided when I saw this picture.

It was an odd venue, a relic to Baltimore on what used to be "Corned Beef Row" in a Jewish neighborhood, but now the last standing bastion among completely redeveloped, redundant rows of town homes. It was hard to miss from a block away. (Notice the street it's on - Horseradish Lane - awesome)

I ordered the double-stacked corned beef and spicy mustard on rye and a potato pancake. It was delicious and an unexpected treat as I had never heard of Attman's before we stumbled upon it today. Best in the world? Hard to say, but I would LOVE to be the one to find out.

I end with this quote, again from the poem - actually the first line - which perfectly describes this blog: "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary..."

sweating patriotism

2008-09-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

Today was hot. And humid.

These race days always seem to come earlier than I even think is possible. Rolling over to see 4:30am on the clock when my alarm goes off is, quite literally, a rude awakening. The Nation's Triathlon this weekend, while one of the poorest organized events I've seen, ended in a beautiful way today. Here are a few random pictures I thought looked descriptive enough:

Twice today, in two completely different locations, I found myself walking down the street, looking up, and seeing the US Capitol Building dead ahead. Those things don't happen anywhere else. I've been allowed access to some amazing locations through this job, setting up at the Georgia Dome, Central Park, and Copper Mountain Village to name a few, but being able to stand at our booth and see the capitol was pretty special. We weren't on the steps or anything, but it was a unique experience and the end to a great stay in DC.

Tomorrow, another new location.

what happened to today?

2008-09-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

Since I've been writing this blog, I have been noticing the little everyday nuances, thinking about everything slightly more in depth, and taking many more pictures of random sights. Tonight, I was sitting at dinner in the hotel thinking about what to write and I realized I spent close to 12 hours inside and didn't take any photos.

Hmm, lame.

It's my fault for not seeing something interesting enough throughout the day to take a picture and come up with a brief commentary about it which is unfortunate, but these long work days aren't easy. What's more about today is the expo was so slow and I went back (for the 4th time) to my favorite new place to eat lunch, Chop't, and had a sub-par meal.

Today wasn't my day, thus I leave you picture-less and hoping tomorrow brings a little more excitement...or at least fresh air. I'm confident it will.

de ja vu and salsa

2008-09-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

It's such a strange feeling to be in a certain place once, then return several months later and it feels so familiar like you've never left. I have been feeling that way a lot recently after making several return trips around the country to previous destinations: Dallas, Virginia Beach, Washington DC, etc.

Tonight we went to Tortilla Coast, a Mexican restaurant a few blocks from the capitol building where Whitney and I dined once last summer. Walking in felt like it was yesterday. They have good food, nothing particularly memorable, but tasty and filling nonetheless. I was craving enchiladas and was hoping for something resembling those of Tortilla Marissa's back home, but I ended up getting a combo platter featuring three different variations of chicken rolled in a tortilla.

I also thought the neon light above was peculiar. Most times you see beer lights in restaurants or bars they tend to promote sports teams, but this one appears to be 100% behind the US Government - Go Americans!

cohabitation

2008-09-11T20:17:00.001-07:00

Whitney and I officially decided to live together today. It was obvious and a long time coming - and technically speaking it won't be official until we submit our apartment application tomorrow...and then they have to approve us...then we actually have to move in to the apartment around the first of November. Nevertheless, it was a great day and I'm excited.

It's an ideal apartment complex in "Uptown" Dallas, appropriately named Uptown Village. Whitney will be less than a mile from work and I'm hoping to have an even shorter commute, plus we are only four blocks from my favorite part...the trolley! There is a huge variety of restaurants and bars in the area and we will be very near downtown as well. Here are a few pictures to get you acquainted:

If you look in the last picture, the second-floor balcony on the right corner (behind the trees) will be our humble abode. We will be renting a two bedroom/two bath and would like to have lots of visitors to show around the area. Yeehaw!!

inspiration abound

2008-09-10T20:15:00.000-07:00

A day in our nation's capitol provided me with a fair amount of pictures and even more inner dialogue.

No matter where you stand, ANYWHERE around the mall and the monuments, you are in the way of someone's picture.

As a duck, what does it take to be able to call the Reflection Pool your home? Are these ivy league educated, government ducks? And are they security screened like the rest of us?

The Lincoln Memorial is simple, but powerful. His "Four Score" speech is undoubtedly one of the greatest of all time - presidents just aren't made the same anymore for creating that type of patriotism, although I have a good feeling about one of the current candidates. I just hope politics don't get in the way.

I hadn't seen the FDR memorial before, but it quickly became a favorite. As with many others, I appreciate the inclusion of water in the monuments. And I am currently at a point in my life where this particular quote seemed rather pertinent: "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith."

I hadn't seen the Jefferson memorial either. It was simple as well, but offered a great view of the White House across the water (top picture).

Overall, a beautiful day in an amazing place. Whitney and I spent a lot of time here last summer and saw almost all of the sights, but they will never become less impressive. You can't help but feel a little more inspired and a little more patriotic walking around the democratic hub of our country.

capitol assortment

2008-09-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

There were a few other random things I wanted to comment about today:

I have often wanted a DVD player on the elipticle or treadmill in the past when I was forced to move a workout indoors. I've spent a couple hours at a time on both types of machines and a DVD would have made the time go by a little faster than watching Maury Povich and Sportscenter for the 43rd time.

Although I own a Mac and really like it, I don't think of myself as a "Mac" person. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a new computer, but I don't think Macs are without some flaws and it annoys me what most Mac users think of PC users. I did think it was pretty funny this afternoon, however, when Adam was using his iPhone to find out how to restore his crashed PC.

How does one get into rowing? Do you have to own the boat and recruit five other people and someone who yells at you? It seems a rather elitist sport, but I would certianly like to try it sometime. Just need that boat...

There is a door on the second floor of this building, except the balcony seems to have disappeared. That would be a rough start to work in the morning.

Molly bought cupcakes for Adam's birthday today, a veritable pantheon of flavors: (left to right) red velvet cake/cream cheese frosting, lemon cake/lemon frosting, vanilla cake/vanilla frosting, vanilla cake/chocolate fudge frosting, chocolate cake/coffee frosting, and apple cinnamon cake/carmel apple frosting - and glasses of cold milk!

green with delight

2008-09-09T15:37:00.000-07:00

I went to workout at a gym down the street from our hotel this afternoon and passed an interesting looking eating establishment. I keep seeing salad restaurants pop up all over the place and they ALWAYS seemed to be packed. I ate at one in San Francisco (Marissa, help me out with the name?) which was good, but I'm still confused by the intense demand. Apparently I haven't caught on to the health food craze.

Today's version was called Chop't and inevitably featured...you guessed it, salad. And salad sandwiches, which were wraps. Molly mentioned she had gone to the same store in New York and highly recommended it. As this was only my second salad-exclusive experience, I can't say for certain if competitors have the same philosophy of chopping, tossing and mixing - but I liked it.

I had the Monterey, which included ice berg lettuce, grilled chicken, tomatoes, red onions, tortilla strips and a sweet/smokey chipotle vinaigrette dressing (and I added avocados). They also grilled the tortilla before wrapping it, which makes a big difference. My order was taken, passed down the line where the ingredients were put into the bowl, which was then given to a "salad dude", who chopped everything (look how fast his hands are moving!) and wrapped it up. It tasted much better than I was expecting, so much so that I am actually considering going back before we swtich hotels on Thursday - perhaps I am becoming somewhat of a salad enthusiast.

hotel, sweet hotel

2008-09-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

Having lived in hotels for the overwhelming majority of the past eight months, I truly appreciate a nice place to stay. We have been using Priceline for the majority of our hotel booking during the week - due to the nature of Priceline's specified randomness, it is difficult to use for hotels during our events.

Tonight and tomorrow night, we will be staying at the luxurious, 4-star Hotel Palomar in Arlington. Of course, Priceline has also put us at numerous Days Inn's and a La Quinta next to a BYOB strip club. It's hit or miss - this time we hit the proverbial jackpot. Hotel Palomar distinctly reminds me of another Priceline coup...Hotel Indigo in Nashville, TN. I stayed there twice, once for the Country Music Marathon and once driving through for a few nights when Whitney came to visit. Both hotels are very modern and basically just cool. It's always fascinating to think how much other people in the hotel are paying for the same room. For instance, notice the car in the first picture? It's a Mercedes, slightly higher class than the Croc mobiles. Yes, this job certainly has some perks - remind me of that next time Days Inn comes calling.

road to tampa

2008-09-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

It may be a late night tonight - at least on central time - as the Broncos game didn't start until 9:20pm. I'm a fan of the double header Monday Night Football to kick off the season - I just wish I didn't have a flight leaving early the next morning back to DC. Whitney appears to be ready, although I still haven't determined if she's truly a fan or she's mocking me. She's sneaky.

The Donkey's started out the game well, Cutler looks good on the joke of a football field they call the "Black Hole". If there is one thing that really bothers me, it's football being played on a a baseball infield - it slows everything down and seems archaic...as in the 80's.

As much as I like the new, normal MNF broadcast crew, I'm ecstatic to see Mike and Mike (and Mike) calling the Broncos game. At least if the game gets boring in the end, it's like a bonus episode of Mike and Mike in the Morning. Go Broncos!!

high t

2008-09-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

Joe T Garcia's.

Think Casa Bonita - minus the cliff divers and Black Bart's cave, but with edible (fantastic) food and savory margaritas. An unassuming, inauspicious building from the outside in Little Mexico, Fort Worth, Joe T's is comprised by a series of old houses surrounding a courtyard with beautiful gardens and a refreshing fountain.

They have large dining and banquet rooms, but it was a no-brainer to eat outside on a gorgeous summer day. Typically the wait is fairly significant, but lunch on Sunday wasn't bad with only Whitney and I eager to consume large amounts of fajitas. We started each with a "nacho" which is actually more of a tostada, basically a crispy corn tortilla with beans, cheese and green chilis. Simple, but somehow amazing.

We ordered and split the combo fajitas, which come with all you see here. Everything is great, but the key is the fresh, homemade tortillas - they add the extra little bit to make them outstanding. Can't wait to go back, although the hour and a half round-trip commute might make this a special occassion destination ("special" meaning one or two Saturdays a month). Needless to say, I left STUFFED and satisfied.

a pigskin kind of day

2008-09-07T08:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday consisted of sleeping in and watching college football all day - luxuries I am sorely going to miss this season being on the road for work. OU made us proud for the first three quarters against a slightly favored, third ranked, Goliath Ohio State team. I thought OU actually outplayed them, or at least controlled the game, until the fatal dropped kick. I guess that's what makes the good teams good - capitalizing on mistakes. I can't be too disappointed when OU turned the ball over five times, it would be hard to do that and win against SE Missouri A&M Tech, let alone the Buckeyes. At least the Bobcats received, and will receive, a ton of good press even in a losing effort - a win-win for everyone! (except we actually did lose)

While watching College Game Day and all the games on ESPN during the day, I found something incredibly cool and innovative. EA Sports had commercials co-advertising the upcoming Miami-Florida showcase game and their video game EA NCAA Football 2009. They featured "highlights" from a simulated game between the two teams, something I look forward to seeing all season with ESPN's features game. It's ultimately relevant and customizable adverstising, and I would imagine it's fairly easy for them to produce each week. On top of that, the video games look so unbelievably life-like, it caught me off-guard at points. I also noticed on a few previews NFL Countdown will feature life size, computer generated players on the studio field to help illustrate Chris Berman's nick-naming ability. Actually I am looking forward to seeing this instead of the past process in which former players and old former coaches line up and act out slo-mo plays exactly the way it will happen on the field - yeeeaaaahhh...

burgers and fries and margs...oh my

2008-09-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

Last night Whitney and I visited the Village Burger Bar, a tasty little restaurant in Uptown, around the block from where her brother lives.

(Whitney wondered at what point I would introduce her to "all" of my blog readers. So this is Whitney, pictured right, my wonderful, beautiful, smart, inspiring, and a whole bunch of other adjectives she came up with to describe herself, girlfriend - but I love her a lot and do think all those things about her, so I guess she's just perceptive)

The Burger Bar is a trendy-yet-casual establishment where you order at the counter, take a number and take a seat to wait for your food. The also have a full bar and offer half-priced margaritas on Friday's, an irresistible deal which typically results in drinking twice as much rather than paying half. Either way, it works. Whitney recommended we deviate from the past and split a cheeseburger, a basket of sweet potato fries and a chopped Mediterranean salad. I was leary about not devouring an entire burger myself (making me think of the genius Wendy's meat-itarian commercial), but the salad was enormous, full of chicken, veggies, croutons, etc. and it was a fantastic compliment to the burger...and fries...and margs. I am partial to the Sangarita (sangria flavored margarita), but I like the pomegranate flavor as well.

(Tangent: I have mentioned this to a few people already, but I'm certain Sangria is not only the new "it" drink, but the new "it" flavor. Sangria is the new Mojito. Start looking for it to infiltrate other areas like gum, ice cream, etc. Once something catches on, the marketing world rides that wave until it ends up bloated on the beach - current example, everything remotely associated to Italian food is suddenly from Tuscany and the chipotle flavor has taken over everything from mayonnaise to BBQ sauce. Pomegranate is hot right now, too.)

The meal was great although the service usually seems sub-par. It's three guys behind a counter that look like they should be standing in line outside of a night club rather than taking burger orders. But the food is good and half price drinks are always a bonus. In the future, if you need to get a hold of me on Fridays from 6-9pm, you'll have just as much luck calling the restaurant.

life on the rail

2008-09-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

I can't explain the pleasure I get out of riding the M Car. It's a trolley that goes from downtown Dallas to uptown Dallas, an area in which I (we) would love to reside. If all goes according to plan, which rarely happens, but if it does, I would be able to take the M Car to work everyday!

Let me paint a picture for you, which I realize isn't quite as dramatic when there are two real pictures above. The M Car is exactly the same as those of the legendary San Francisco cable car contingent, in fact one of the cars actually came from the City by the Bay. And by exactly the same, I mean except for the sea air...and the life-threatening hills...and the views of the bay...and the long lines...and the $3.00 fee each way...and the throngs of tourists with cameras in your lap...and the Rice-a-Roni, but outside of that it's strikingly similar. Overall, I will ride the trolley four times today, but I'm still left yearning for more - here's hoping it will become a daily occurrence.

the magic kingdom

2008-09-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

This may not seem like Disney World to everyone, but Central Market in Dallas is like a wonderland to a food enthusiast. It's similar to Whole Foods or some other high end super market, but this truly is a SUPER market. The way it's laid out reminds me of Ikea, a maze of sorts through the different delectable food sections starting with fresh produce, then meat, wine and liquor, coffee, spices, nuts, chips and snacks, the bakery, and on and on....(sigh).

The cool part about Central Market is they literally have everything, every ingredient you could ever need for any recipe under the broiler. They also allow you to take your own amounts, weigh them yourself and print out a sticker to put on the bag. Like Whole Foods, Central Market has a cafe with an enormous selection of fantastically prepared foods to please any palate, not to mention cooking classes throughout the week. I have a feeling this will be a very regular destination in the future; although the prices and selections are on the more expensive side, it is a fun grocery shopping experience. Adding to that experience is the best part of all - SAMPLES! They had everything from fruit to cheese (next to the biggest wheel of cheese I have ever seen pictured above) to pasta sauce to olive oil, all delicious. How could you not love this place?!?

room with a view

2008-09-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

Today I flew from our Nation's capitol to the capitol of the Republic - Dallas, TX. Technically speaking Texas isn't a sovereign nation, but I have a feeling it would be if they got their way. It will be my future home and I am very much looking forward to it, did you know everything is bigger there? The can of soda I drank on the plane turned into a 2-litre when we crossed the border. I'm kidding, of course, because I didn't drink a can of soda on the plane. I didn't drink anything on the plane because US Airways charges for all drinks - even water! Really? The $320 for my plane ticket not only didn't cover my single checked bag ($15 and another $15 on the return flight), but wouldn't cover a few drops of tepid water? Our current economy is awesome!

Nevertheless, I took this photo after I boarded and was sitting at the gate. I looked out and saw the Washington Monument staring back at me. There aren't many airports where you can see spectacular sights from the (un)comfort of your seat.

not just a knot anymore

2008-09-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

Pretzels are very underrated. I have believed this for quite some time. As a kid I never liked them, of course the salty lure of fried potatoes was infinitely more appealing. I now find pretzels a great substitute for chips and fries, particularly while I am on the road, eating out for every meal. Normal pretzels are great, but my...I guess you could say, obsession, with honey wheat braided pretzel twists began in grad school two years ago. Whitney and her snacking roommates turned me onto these golden rods of deliciousness - but I must warn you, there is only one true top twist. As much as I dislike shopping at Wal-Mart, it was one of two market options in Athens, OH and the one thing I couldn't find anywhere else is Sam's Choice Honey Braided Pretzel Twists. Why this specific variety? Because unlike Rold Gold or other pretzel-makers' sub-par attempts that are made with honey wheat dough, the Wal-Mart twists are made with wheat dough (or maybe honey wheat, it has yet to be confirmed) and COATED with honey. This may seem like a small alteration, but it makes all the difference. Buy a bag of each and compare for yourself, I guarantee you will agree - in the fierce, cut-throat world of pretzels, my recommendation goes a long way.

This is all well and good, but I have yet another reason to love the pretzel genre - pretzel bread! It's not a new concept, considering hot pretzels are made from this, but applying it to sandwiches might be a hot, new trend. I don't remember exactly where or when I had my first pretzel bread sandwich - which was fairly recently - but I know my second was today. It seems like a simple idea, but it's not all that widespread...at least not yet. Pretzel bread is much more dense than a traditional baguette and tastes amazing with whole grain mustard, deli meats and sandwich fixin's. (This is a picture I'm "borrowing" from another blog, although it is the EXACT sandwich I ate today - and I know that because I got it from the Corner Bakery and they offered carrot sticks as a side) Once again, I highly recommend seeking out one of these scrumptious, Bavarian-style sandwiches.

Warning: I would roughly guess at least 46% of my posts to this blog will be food related. Potentially much more.

I ate Chipotle for the second night in a row - and loved it, again. I wanted Noodles & Company, but they were closed. I was able to re-energize myself for Thai food down the street, however I was rudely told the kitchen was closed at 9:21 despite the 9:30 closing time posted on the door. I reluctantly went back to Chipotle again, wary I could possibly become sick of eating there and not wanting to go back. That will never happen.

One other thing from today, completely irrelevant to pretzels. Every time I see a ShamWow! commercial, Vince nearly gets me to pick up the phone and order. In this comm-info-mercial (a brief info-mercial styled commercial), Vince make a very compelling case to buy this product while becoming oddly appealing and repellent at the same time. I find myself annoyed and reaching for the remote, but my fingers just won't press the buttons for reasons unbeknown to me. But why is he wearing a headset the whole time? Is he simultaneously answering orders while filming a commercial? Now THAT is a salesman!

another one?

2008-09-03T00:12:00.000-07:00

I'm not certain what made me decide to start another blog, particularly at this hour (insert picture of alarm clock with 3:07am on the display - I still have to figure out how to add pics from my phone...). I seem to do this on a regular basis; stay up late for no apparent reason even though I am perpetually sleep deprived. I find it odd that I'm always tired at the least opportune times, yet when I need sleep I actually procrastinate that as well. I also have enough going on in the rest of my life that contributing to another expressive digital outlet seems unnecessary, but I enjoy writing (a recently discovered pleasure) so I will attempt to post to this blog every day. Attempt.

Goodnight.