From the Ballpark to BBQ

Get Her to the Greek

2012-02-18T16:53:00.000-05:00

Our Tuesday night schedule did not allow us the opportunity to celebrate Valentine's Day. So, Nicole and I decided to have a belated Valentine's Day celebration by having lunch together on Thursday at The Isaacs Restaurant in Grandin Village. From the people I'd talked to, I wouldn't say The Isaacs has the best reputation, but they have recently changed ownership and we were hoping for a good experience. It's always fun to try a new place, especially one with a little international flair.

Even though The Isaacs focuses on serving Greek/Mediterranean food, we weren't particularly adventurous with our lunch choices. We both ordered the salad bar, which was all-you-can-eat and also came with a selection of three different soups. I tried the potato & feta soup (it was decent but not anything worth bragging about) and loaded up on multiple trips to the salad bar. At first glance, the salad bar seemed small, but it actually had a good selection of items. Along with a choice of mixed greens or spinach, they had tons of fresh veggies - including red & green peppers, red onions, broccoli, tomatoes, cucumbers, almonds, and cauliflower. There were also some unique additions such as homemade croutons, dill potatoes, greek yogurt, and curried chicken salad. I believe the salad dressings were also homemade. For a simple salad bar, I was rather impressed.

I'd say the salad bar lunch is a very reasonable deal at around $7. My only complaint about our lunch would be that the restaurant seemed under-staffed. For a rather large dining area with a decent amount of people, I only saw one server waiting tables. We had to wait to be seated, it took a while to receive our drinks, and we ended up with a pile of dishes on our table by the end of the meal. I wouldn't blame the server - I'd blame management for not having more people working to provide the waiter some help. They were also pretty slow with keeping the salad bar stocked, which is dangerous when Nicole and I are on the prowl!

Overall, I think the new owners at The Isaacs have things going in the right direction. The food tasted fresh and the prices made for a very good value. I'd assume they are in a transition period and trying to be very careful about labor and costs, but they need to make sure customers are receiving great service. If they can get those issues worked out, I think The Isaacs will do very well.

A Trip to Lew's

2012-02-15T12:11:00.001-05:00

Last Friday night, we experienced another culinary adventure thanks to the purchase of a Daily Deal coupon. When I first learned about Groupon, Living Social, and other sorts of daily coupon websites, I thought this was a great idea. Now, I just think these coupons end up being a trap that entices you to spend money to go to a restaurant you have little interest going to - and you end up going right before the expiration date to make sure you even use the coupon. This exact thing happens to us all the time, and it did again this past Friday night when we went to Lew's, a restaurant in north Roanoke on Williamson Road.

I knew very little about Lew's, other than hearing my grandparents constantly rave about it. However, my grandparents tend to have strange tastes in food and restaurants, so this did not give me a great deal of confidence. I was very skeptical when I would hear my grandmother say, "it's so good because they make everything fresh." When we pulled into the parking lot, Lew's did not strike me as the type of place that would place a high priority on fresh ingredients. The decor is...interesting. It reminds me of a basement that someone is trying to decorate with whatever they find at garage/yard sales and thrift stores. The booth didn't really fit against the wall and they had a nice TV but it was kind of tucked away awkwardly in the corner. It wasn't terrible, but seemed to be "under construction."

Deluxe Pizza

As for the menu, it looked to be typical American/Sports Bar food. They offered burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and a few entrees. We ordered a plate of Beer Fries for the table and I ordered a Deluxe Pizza as my meal. The Beer Fries arrived before the rest of the food and I thought these were the highlight. A bit on the greasy side, but crispy and had good flavor. My pizza was more on the underwhelming side. As a Deluxe Pizza, it was topped with pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushrooms, peppers, & onions. I would have liked it more had they put the veggies on while the pizza was in the oven, but those were thrown on after the pizza had already cooked. The sauce wasn't particularly good and the crust was nothing memorable. It wasn't disastrous, but not worth getting again. Actually, that reflects my thoughts on the entire experience.

I'm not sure I understand the appeal of Lew's. The service was okay, but we had to wait a while before anyone noticed our table. I wouldn't consider returning based on the flavor of the food. And the atmosphere certainly leaves a lot to be desired. Suffice to say, next time Lew's puts up a Daily Deal coupon, we'll show better judgement and hold off on making that purchase.

Snapping the Turtles

2012-02-13T20:58:00.003-05:00

Down by Coach K Court

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I had a chance to attend the Maryland/Duke game this past Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. My dad and I were fortunate to attend the game with a couple who are huge Duke fans and have one of the most ideal set-ups I have ever seen for attending a sporting event. We met them a few miles away from the university and rode in with them because they had a parking pass - not just any parking pass, I think we had a parking spot closer to the gym than Coach K. And because we arrived early, they were able to take us courtside as the teams were warming up, making sure we got a few pictures and a chance to see the players up-close. It was my second time attending a game at Duke, but it had been over 8 years since my first visit and it was cool to see a few of the new things that have been added to the arena. It was awesome to see a new national championship banner hanging in the rafters along with some additional retired jerseys and some other banners celebrating specific accomplishments.

From our seats

One of the best parts about attending the game was the aspect of this being Duke's first game since their improbable comeback victory over North Carolina in Chapel Hill. In a sense, this was the opportunity for the Cameron Crazies and the Duke crowd to celebrate the victory and congratulate the team on their win. The pregame introduction of the team included a highlight video from the UNC game and concluded with Austin Rivers' game winning shot - which brought the crowd to a deafening level and was the loudest it got in Cameron Indoor Stadium the entire day. However, even amidst all the post-UNC euphoria, Duke still had a game to play against a physical Maryland team. The Blue Devils got off to a slow start and struggled offensively in the first half, but played with a defensive intensity that had been missing for much of the season and really disrupted the Maryland offense. The offense picked up in the second half and Miles Plumlee did his best Dwight Howard impersonation as Duke put the Terps away in a decisive victory.

Here were 3 things I noticed during the game:

The Cameron Crazies don't realize how important they are. This student section has the ability and reputation of being the most intimidating crowd in the country, but this group isn't living up to it. They don't have as much energy and they seem to lose interest unless Duke is playing very well. As Coach K was walking off the court going into halftime, he gave the Cameron Crazies a piece of his mind and appeared to be yelling at them in an attempt to get the more involved in the game. With only three home games remaining, I hope they make the most of their opportunity.
Cameron Crazies
Andre Dawkins is a head case. It's one thing to be a streaky shooter - it's another to be a player who completely checks out of the game when his shot isn't falling. Unfortunately, Dawkins seems to be the latter. Andre has the athletic ability to be much more than a catch-and-shoot perimeter player, but he is content to stand outside the 3-point line and jack up threes. I've also noticed an increasingly disturbing trend of him trying to instigate issues with the other team. It's time for Andre to just shut up and let his play do the talking.
Miles Plumlee played BIG. Everyone talked about the number of rebounds Plumlee had, which was phenomenal - but that wasn't the only thing that stuck out about his game. Plumlee was the most assertive I've ever seen him. He was setting good screens on the perimeter and then rolling hard to the basket and calling for the ball. He also did a great job of establishing low post position and making himself a big target for receiving an entry pass from the perimeter. If Miles continues to play with this type of confidence and aggressiveness, Duke becomes a completely different team.

For a college basketball fan, seeing a game at Cameron Indoor Stadium should be on your bucket list. For a Duke fan, seeing a game at Cameron is something you will never forget. Having a chance to experience the history and excellence of this great program is something truly special. And it's always good to Duke dominate Maryland.

Down to Durham

2012-02-12T23:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a great day. I took a trip down to Durham with my dad to watch Duke play Maryland at Cameron Indoor Stadium. It was my second time seeing a game at Duke and it was a great game to attend - I plan to post more about the game later this week. And before we made the trip, I did some research on Urbanspoon about potential places to eat in the Durham/Chapel Hill area before the game. There were a few places that looked appealing, but there is something special about ACC Basketball and BBQ so we decided to try Allen & Son.

When we pulled up to the restaurant, we felt like we were about to enjoy a local landmark that focused on serving great food and didn't worry about presentation or being fancy. The atmosphere was quaint and had tacky decorations, but that's not uncommon for many local restaurants in the South. Once we sat down and received menus, we were a bit surprised at the prices of the food. $10 for a BBQ Plate with slaw and hush puppies, $4.25 for a bowl of Brunswick stew, or $6.00 for a BBQ sandwich seemed a bit steep, but we thought it might have something to do with the portions. My dad is somewhat of a Brunswick stew connoisseur, so he ordered a bowl of stew (which came with hush puppies) along with a BBQ sandwich and a side of onion rings. Then, I tried to order.

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not a difficult customer when it comes to dining out. I'm more the type that would rather just let something go than point out a mistake to the server or send food back because I'm unhappy with it - I don't like the confrontation. I'll eat something I don't even like because I don't wait to be a pain. So, I decided to order the BBQ sandwich with a side of hush puppies. So far, no problem. However, I noticed that the BBQ sandwich came with slaw on top of it and I tend to be rather picky when it comes to coleslaw. I asked the waitress if I could get the slaw on the side instead of on the sandwich because I wanted to try it to make sure I liked it before putting it on my sandwich. I do this all the time and it's NEVER been an issue - until now.

She told me I couldn't have the slaw on the side. I figured there was a misunderstanding and she must have thought I was asking for an extra side of slaw - I tried to explain, "No, I would like the slaw that is going on the sandwich to be left on the side." She understood but it didn't matter. She informed me that we would be charged extra for having the slaw on the side. Stunned, I said, "Wait a second - you're going to charge me extra for the slaw you were already going to serve me if I want it put on the plate instead of on the sandwich?" She wasn't willing to budge and asked me if I wanted the slaw or not. I responded that I'd take the sandwich with the slaw and I would just scoop it off if I didn't like it. I tried to express how ridiculous this was but it didn't seem to phase her. Looking back, I was more accommodating than I should have been - we should have just walked out on principle.

At this point, I was thinking this place better serve the best freaking BBQ in the country to put up with this nonsense. Once our food came, our mistake in choosing Allen & Son had been fully realized. For $7.50, my BBQ sandwich and hush puppies were little more than disappointing. AND THERE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A TABLESPOON OF THE INFAMOUS COLESLAW ON MY SANDWICH! The meat was a little dry and the hush puppies were good, but I wish there had been more than four of them. And as for my dad's Brunswick stew, I've been served bigger samples of soup at Costco than what he received in his $4 "bowl." Lacking in size and flavor but heavy on the price tag ($25.00) is a terrible description for any meal and that's how I would describe what we had.

Unfortunately, our pregame meal was the low point of an otherwise great day. The basketball was great and the crowd at Cameron Indoor Stadium was energetic, creative, and memorable. I wish I could say the same about the food and the experience at Allen & Son. Two thumbs way down!

When in Athens...

2012-02-10T17:34:00.000-05:00

There are certain things that make everyone's college experience unique - certain traditions or memories we create that we look fondly on for the rest of our lives. For some, it might involve being part of a club or organization. For others, it could be a sporting event - in the SEC, it's called "football season." It may be a coffee shop or quiet spot on campus that becomes your own personal space. Or, it might be a greasy spoon/dive/loud and obnoxious/hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Little Italy became one of those traditions for me.

Located in downtown Athens and right across the street from the University of Georgia campus, Little Italy is a popular spot for UGA students. With cheap food, ridiculous hours of operation, and quick service, you could always find a steady flow of people waiting for this greasy Italian fare. On a Saturday evening after a football game or during any other crowded night downtown, you could expect to find a line out the door and no one seemed to mind - I know I never did.

During my freshman year, Little Italy became a weekend tradition. It was a five minute walk from my dorm and a great option for some cheap food. Sometimes we'd go on a Friday night, other weekends it would be a Saturday night, and some weekends we'd go two nights in a row - Little Italy was almost always incorporated into the weekend festivities. My friend, Jonathan, was a big part of this tradition. Occasionally, a few others or a group of people would join us, but Jonathan and I were faithful to our Little Italy commitment no matter what. Eating there on the weekend was part of our experience of being students at UGA.

Photo courtesy of Little Italy

The food made it an easy tradition to keep. The slices of pizza were enormous - and only cost around $2.50 per slice! It was the classic New York-style thin crust and one slice was bigger than most textbooks. They actually couldn't even fit a slice on one plate, so two plates were used for support. Of course, we'd each order two slices. Full of toppings sprinkled over the top and served at the counter by an angry staff who would cuss you out if you didn't come pick up for your food...this is a truly unique Athens experience. However, we didn't stick to pizza alone. The calzones were excellent and I think I might have liked the meatball sandwich more than anything else on the menu. It was a piping hot sandwich stuffed with meatballs and covered with melted mozzarella cheese - and again, it needed two plates because it was so enormous. This should be incorporated into any recruiting trip for a high schooler who is considering attending UGA. And as a poor college freshman, I don't think I ever spent more than $6 for a meal.

I loved my time at UGA. I love my wife, who I met at UGA. I loved getting to experience SEC football in Sanford Stadium. I loved being able to receive a great education from a highly regarded university. And I loved that I was able to create so many unique memories during my time in Athens. I will always look back on eating at Little Italy as one of those unique memories.

The Duke Way

2012-02-09T19:43:00.000-05:00

My God, a Freshman!

I can still remember when I became a fan of Duke basketball. It was 1998 and Duke was playing Florida in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Gators were a young and improving team while Duke was a dominant powerhouse - I still argue that is the most talented team in Duke history (Brand, Avery, Maggette, Langdon, Battier, Carrawell, OH MY!). The key moment for me was in the second half when Corey Maggette took the ball in transition for a dunk for the Blue Devils. Maggette dunked the ball and then used the rim to pull himself up above the basket to slap the backboard! Here's the video. It was one of the most intimidating plays I have ever seen and the crowd nearly blew the roof off Cameron Indoor. Maggette received a technical foul for hanging on the rim but it didn't matter - the message was sent and Duke ended up blowing Florida out in that game. That incredible moment was when I became a die-hard Duke fan.

Since then, I have enjoyed following one of the most successful programs in the history of college sports. From 1998 until now, Duke has played in 4 Final Fours, won 2 National Championships, and 10 ACC Championships. Actually, there is only one season in that time period that could qualify as being "disappointing," which was the 2006-07 season when the Blue Devils struggled to a 22-11 record and were bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Other than one tough year, it has been a great ride as a Duke fan and it's great to be a fan of a team who receives so much hatred because of their standard of success. And that standard exists because Mike Krzyzewski refuses to settle for anything less.

McRoberts owes him an apology.

At one point during last night's game against North Carolina, I wrote on Facebook that this year's team is the most frustrating Duke team I can remember. The 2006-07 squad was frustrating, but I think it was more of a case of one player being incredibly frustrating - I still can't stand you, Josh McRoberts. But this year's team can be maddening at because it feels like they have so much potential. Tyler Thornton can't play tough defense without fouling. Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee back down from any sort of physical play in the paint. Andre Dawkins has more ability than anyone on the court but can't keep his head in the game. And Seth Curry is hesitant to be the incredible scorer everyone knows he can be. This team doesn't lack ability - but they seem to struggle in areas related to effort, confidence, and chemistry. Thank goodness they are coached by the game's best.

Austin Rivers takes what he wants!

Coach K knows how to bring the best out of his players. That's why Duke was able to come back last night against UNC when it seemed like all odds were against them. Coach K is able to instill a belief in his players that they are never out of a game, and one or two key plays could shift the momentum. A belief that leads to Tyler Thornton hitting a clutch 3 to start the comeback after he'd missed his previous 5 attempts. A belief that leads to Mason Plumlee coming up with a huge steal after he'd been destroyed by Tyler Zeller in the post for most of the game. And a belief that gave Austin Rivers (Can he please now be basketball's version of The Honey Badger?!) the confidence to stick the dagger in UNC's heart with an improbable buzzer beater. This is why Duke players believe they can win any game - even if they don't always pull off the comeback. And this is a big part of why it's so great to be a Duke fan. Because with Coach K at the helm, no matter who they play...I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN!

Euro Bake for Me

2012-02-08T21:02:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, Nicole and I had the chance to spend the entire day together, which is the first time we've been able to in a long time due to our crazy schedules. We had the chance to sleep in and be lazy Saturday morning - something that can be much needed every once in a while. Then, we decided to spend the day exploring various parts of Roanoke and checking out new things. Between shopping downtown and exploring the various treasures (and nightmares - see: Happy's Flea Market) that exist along Williamson Road, we stopped in the City Market Building and made our way over to Euro Bakery.

Euro Bakery had caught our eye before and we were very intrigued. I'm always on the lookout for new restaurants, especially downtown, and Nicole is always interested in anything that includes the word "Bakery." They serve a variety of pastries and other baked goods, but the thing that stuck out the most to us was something we weren't sure how to pronounce. The bureks (puff pastry filled with different ingredients) were rotating in a glass case, a la pizza from 7-Eleven style, and I was curious as to whether or not they would be delicious or disgusting. The Euro Bakery offers a few different types of bureks: ham & mozzarella, roast beef & mozzarella, spinach & mozzarella, and one other I can't remember - we ordered one filled with ham & mozzarella.

I was pleasantly surprised when the server removed the burek from the glass case and placed it in the oven to make sure it was warm and toasty. Next, she slid it into a plate, cut it into multiple bite-sized squares and served it with a side of marinara sauce and we were ready to dig in. I still don't know how to say it - but I do know I like it. The ham was thinly sliced, the pastry was light and airy, and the melted cheese helped hold everything together. Add a bit of marinara sauce and you have a lighter version of a stromboli. Nicole also had the idea of adding mustard instead of marinara and that also worked very well. We polished off our entire burek and I am quite certain the one filled with spinach and mozzarella will be calling my name soon. And the cost (~$6) makes this a good alternative to the typical sandwich. So our Saturday was a day of adventure - adventurous shopping, adventurous flea marketing, and adventurous eating. All were great fun and Euro Bakery was quite tasty.

A Different Duke Team

2012-02-05T08:39:00.000-05:00

Pregame - when Tech fans were excited.

On Thursday afternoon, I received a great surprise. I found out my boss had tickets to the Duke/Virginia Tech game and she happened to have an extra ticket that wasn't going to be used. She offered me the ticket - and even better, she offered it for FREE! So I spent Thursday evening headed to Blacksburg with my boss, her son, and her boyfriend and we made it to Cassell Coliseum just before the game. It was a great time and I really enjoyed watching Duke shut up the Virginia Tech crowd in a convincing victory. Here were a few things that stuck out to me from this game:

1. Seth Curry is an enigma. Aside from Austin Rivers, Curry might have more potential than any other player on the team. Yet, he seems to be playing with the confidence of someone who is hoping for a chance to get in the game during a blowout. I really think Curry has struggled to figure out his role this season - switching back and forth between the primary ballhandler who runs the offense or the second guard who plays off the ball and looks to score. The environment at Cassell Coliseum couldn't have been easy either. At one point I told the guy beside me, "It must be weird playing a tough road game and looking up in the rafters and seeing your dad's picture and jersey hanging for the other team." I was happy to see Curry make some nice plays down the stretch and get to the free throw line - I just hope he can consistently produce throughout the entire game.

2. Jeff Capel has taken a very active role as an assistant coach. I wasn't sure how Capel would transition into his new position as an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski. Coming from a major college program (Oklahoma) where he had a decent amount of success, I thought Capel might be more of an observer or a quiet presence on the bench so as not to take the attention away from Coach K or the other assistants who have more of a relationship with the players - I was way off. Capel was very assertive with the team and took charge of many of the timeouts, getting in the faces of many of the players. He was especially energetic with the young players and seemed to take advantage of any opportunity to offer some coaching to Quinn Cook and Austin Rivers. I don't know how long Duke will have him on the sidelines, but Capel appears to have fully embraced his role as an assistant. Good for him!

3. Duke needs a physical post presence. Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly are match-up problems for many teams - Plumlee's speed in transition and Kelly's perimeter game make them tough to guard. Unfortunately, both of them seem to present defensive liabilities for Duke, particularly Kelly. Both of them have the ability to block shots and Mason has become an excellent rebounder, but there are too many possessions where they get beat by other physical players in the paint. I think Duke is the best team in the country at drawing charges from players driving in out of control from the perimeter - the problem happens when Plumlee or Kelly decides to flop into the front row instead of banging and not giving up position. This point is very supportive of the constant statement, "DUKE NEEDS TO RECRUIT MORE BIG BLACK POST PLAYERS!". I'm looking at you, Tony Parker!

The Bucket List

2012-01-26T22:26:00.001-05:00

ESPN sent Dan Shulman and Bob Knight to cover the Duke/Maryland game, which is one of their better college basketball crews. Shulman has become one of the best play-by-play announcers for the network and does a great job covering multiple sports. Bob Knight, while somewhat brash, provides thorough analysis and sticks to the focus of covering the game.

That being said, it'd be great for Bob Knight to expand his vocabulary. During the second half of last night's game, I began to notice Knight's constant use of the word "bucket." Nearly every possession involved phrases such as - "great job of getting to the bucket," "he worked hard for that bucket," "a good possession that ended in a bucket," "he kept his man from making the bucket," or "they could really use a bucket here." With 7:15 remaining in the second half, I decided to keep track of the amount of times "bucket" was said. Through less than a fourth of the game, Knight used the word 13 times and I'm pretty sure he said it at least ten other times in the 2nd half before I started keeping track. There might have been more "buckets" than there were points. By the time the game ended, my bucket was overflowing.

As I said, I think Knight is one of ESPN's better college basketball analysts. He focuses on the game (paging Dick Vitale), he doesn't spend most of the time criticizing the players and officials (looking at you, Len Elmore), and he doesn't try to come up with useless, creative phrases (I'm tired of hearing about "valentines,' Jimmy Dykes). It just sounds like he needs someone to send him a thesaurus. Until then, I expect "The Bucket List" drinking game to become a popular aspect of any ESPN game covered by The General.

Best & Worst - Commercials

2012-01-23T08:46:00.000-05:00

In the age of Tivo and other DVR devices, I'm the minority - I actually enjoy watching commercials on television. I don't necessarily enjoy a ridiculous amount of commercial breaks (which seemed to be every 30 seconds in the AFC Championship game) but I do like to see which companies are coming up with creative ads. To me, having a good commercial involves being successful in two elements: you must capture the attention of the audience and you must garner a response that provides an interest in your product.

Many companies are successful in the first part of this equation - it's easy to catch someone's attention. I could scream the F-word on the street and get everyone's attention, but that doesn't make it a good idea. The second part is more difficult because it's the actual response and the measurable of the effectiveness of the ad. It's the element of providing a call to action to the audience and then seeing whether or not they will actually respond. And in my opinion, this is where commercials can backfire for a company. A commercial could be great and cause me to have an interest in a company, or it could be so bad that I vow to never use that particular company. So...here are my best and worst, which means companies whose ads make me want to use them and companies whose ads are so bad I never want to use them.

Best - these are examples of commercials from companies who really know how to connect with their audience.

McDonald's - Sadly, the product doesn't usually deliver, but the commercial is able to create serious expectation.

Apple - Possibly some of the greatest commercials of all time have been created by Apple. They have managed to create a culture and community that identify with their products, and their commercials make you want to be part of that community.

Disney - It's incredibly powerful to be able to evoke emotion in your commercials, and Disney does a wonderful job of this. Their ads make you think of memories and your family, which will always have an effect on people.

Worst - these ads make me wish these companies would go out of business.

Go Daddy - I don't even understand the point of it - go to our site with the hope of seeing naked women? And even if that is the hidden message, get someone more attractive than Jillian Michaels!

Geico - There were so many bad examples that it was difficult to chose from. Actually, I could have done an entire post about bad Geico commercials and provided at least 10 examples. I don't care about having insurance because I just want to shoot myself anytime I see their commercials.

Luvs - So many problems here. The idea is weird and it probably doesn't help that it's disgusting.

There were tons of other companies I could have used as examples, but those were a few that stuck out the most to me. And to end this post with a completely random (not particularly effective) and wonderfully creative commercial, I present KIA!

Shake It, Don't Break It

2012-01-16T17:59:00.000-05:00

If nothing else, I wanted to write a post about Shakers Restaurant so that I could use one of the greatest song lyrics of all time - "Shake it, don't break it! It took your momma nine months to make it!" Thank you TobyMac. Thank you so much! Along with that, I wanted to write about Shakers because I have been eating there for years and I think they serve one of the best salads in the Roanoke Valley.

When I was younger, Shakers seemed to be a regular on the list of restaurants my family enjoyed. It was a popular pick for Sunday lunch after church and a good place to have dinner during the week, but we eventually stopped going and I'm not sure why. Everyone liked the food and the menu had a good amount of variety, and it was a busy restaurant but I don't remember us having to wait very often. What I do remember is that I always knew what I wanted when we went...cheese toast (not sure why, there's nothing special about this), chicken fingers, and honey mustard. All three were magical in my 10 year old, food obsessed mind.

After reading about their recent remodeling project in the past couple months, I was reminded of Shakers and wanted to take a stroll down memory lane. After an adventure at the airport, my dad and I went over for dinner. The remodeling of the restaurant is very nice - the entrance is more impressive, the host area more useful, and the seating is arranged to provide a different feel depending on which dining area you choose. A casual dining area with plenty of windows, a sports bar area with tables and booths with views of various TV's, and a separate dining room that appears to be more formal. You can still see similarities to the old Shakers look, but it definitely feels like it has been cleaned up.

Original Southern Fried Salad

When we sat down, the hostess gave us our menus, and I'm not even sure why I looked at it - I knew what I would be ordering. The Original Southern Fried Chicken Salad is one of my favorite salads to get from any restaurant...anywhere. Here's the description from the menu: "Shakers famous chicken tenders, shaved ham, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, croutons, and almonds over mixed greens." It probably doesn't sound like anything special, but they aren't playing when they mention their famous chicken tenders. Many consider them to be the best chicken tenders in the area, and I'd agree. Juicy, well seasoned, crunchy, not overly greasy - wonderful! And to go along with these amazing chicken tenders, they serve a house-made honey mustard dressing that is just as delicious. I'm talking, "Waitress, please bring me a pitcher of honey mustard" delicious. Usually, I try to use a minimal amount of dressing with a salad, but that just doesn't fit with this bowl of goodness. Don't kid yourself into thinking you are being healthy by getting a "salad" - this tastes way too good to be healthy. And just as I'd always remembered, it was still outstanding. It's a great combination of flavors and the portion is huge, reminiscent of a salad from The Cheesecake Factory, and the chicken tenders can't be beat. Now, I need to combine the chicken from Shakers with a waffle from Thelma's and all will be right with the culinary world.

So alas, I say "Thank You" to Shakers Restaurant. The remodeling is nice and the additions to the menu are appealing, but the chicken tenders remain the same. And some things are meant to stay the same.

Fiesta!

2012-01-08T22:45:00.000-05:00

When Nicole and I lived in Orlando, we had to be creative about how we spent our time together. Being newlyweds, it was a transition to be living together in a new city and learning how to balance how we spent our time. She worked a typical 9-5 schedule and I was working nights and weekends. On top of that, we lived in the tourist capital of the world and had no money to do anything. If we wanted to figure out a fun activity or good place to eat, we had to do it on a tight budget. Thank goodness for Azteca D'Oro.

Azteca probably ended up being my favorite restaurant in Orlando. It's a Mexican place that's away from the amusement/theme park section of Orlando, making it a more locally known establishment. The atmosphere is a bit cliche - complete with a mariachi band and crazy, colorful decorations, but the food is delicious. And we weren't the only people who thought so. Anytime we went to Azteca, there was a steady crowd of people and we almost always had to wait for a table.

The wait was never a big deal because once seated, you'd begin an eating adventure that would leave you completely stuffed and satisfied with wonderful Mexican food. To start, a server would bring out fresh chips & salsa. Always a good sign when the chips are hot and have a great crunch. The queso dip is also a great addition if you're looking for more than just salsa. Now, because of our attempt to be frugal, Nicole and I always shared a combination platter. We could choose from 3 different items and the type of meat we wanted in each, plus rice, beans, & vegetables, and the platter would cost around $13. These platters were huge - served in a dish the equivalent of a 14-inch pizza pan. Not bad for two people to have a great meal.

I wish I could recommend specific things, but they were all so good! I could mention the chicken chimichanga, but I wouldn't want to leave out the burrito with the picadillo or the chalupa with ground beef. Actually, you could put the picadillo on an old shoe and it would taste great. Picadillo is a combination of shredded beef and pork, and Azteca's version of it has wonderful flavor, juice, spice, tenderness, and...my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

The more I think about it, the more I'm regretting writing this post because it's giving me a huge craving. It has been way too long since I've had a meal at Azteca. The next time Nicole and I make our way down to Orlando, we'll head to Azteca D'Oro for a fiesta and enjoy some great Mexican food and remember our times of being cheap, crazy newlyweds in the most magical place on earth.

2012

2012-01-03T23:03:00.001-05:00

Isn't it a rule that all bloggers have to write a post at the beginning of a calendar year to talk about new goals and resolutions? No? I missed the memo.

Goals for 2012:

Time for some road trips in 2012.

- Log 250 miles of exercise. So far, I've completed 6.
- Read 25 books. Currently working on two different ones.
- Visit 5 different states. Still deciding on whether or not this has to be five states I've never been to.
- Move out...also known as...BUY A HOUSE.
- Listen to one sermon podcast per week. Kicked this one off with an amazing message by Andy Stanley called "Choosing to Cheat."
- Read the entire Bible. I did this last year and look forward to going through it again.
- Cook 30 unique recipes. First on the list was Cookie Brownie Bliss Bars. AMAZING!
- Weigh 170 lbs. or less. Unfortunately, this has become a legitimate goal and is part of the reason for needing to log 250 miles of exercise.
- Post 100 times to this blog. I really need to pick up the pace to reach this number and this may or may not be a contributing factor in deciding to post this.

Top 10 QBs

2011-12-17T22:36:00.000-05:00

When I was driving home today, I made the mistake of turning the radio over to ESPN. I couldn't handle more than five minutes of the mindless banter from Freddie Coleman and Jonathan Coachman, but they did mention an interesting question of whether or not Tony Romo is one of the ten best quarterbacks in the NFL. They believed he was a top ten QB, which they also say about 30 other quarterbacks from around the league. Now, basing my decision on the best quarterbacks I would take to win a game, I've come up with my own Top 10 list:

Discount Double Check!

1. Aaron Rodgers - Rodgers is playing at a different level from the rest of the league right now. He is picking secondaries apart with relative ease and has the athletic ability to escape pressure from blitzes. With his incredible play, Rodgers has turned Brett Favre into a distant memory for Green Bay fans and could become even more legendary if he could deliver a second straight Super Bowl title.
2. Tom Brady - He has sustained a level of excellence in a way that makes people forget about how great he is. Until the 4th quarter of last week's game against Washington, Brady hadn't thrown an interception in four consecutive games. He will remain an unpopular figure because he is the face of a hated franchise, but it's difficult to argue with his success. Three Super Bowl rings on his resume and he might not be finished.
3. Drew Brees - I think Drew Brees has the type of impact on the Saints that Peyton Manning has on the Colts. Now, the Saints wouldn't be 0-12 right now if Brees wasn't playing, but I doubt they would be in playoff contention. His accuracy makes him one of the best in the game, and his leadership makes him an elite player in the league.
4. Ben Roethlisberger - I hate that I'm listing Big Ben as one of the top five quarterbacks in the game - mainly because I dislike him. That being said, he is the embodiment of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization - tough, resilient, and successful. There isn't much that's pretty about Roethlisberger's game, except his Super Bowl rings and the home-field advantage Pittsburgh seems to get every year because of his ability to lead them to victories.
5. Eli Manning - I'm probably making this decision from a "What have you done for me lately?" perspective. I've always considered Manning to be a talented player, but a very inconsistent one. He would make great plays and 4th quarter comebacks, but also put his team in difficult positions with costly turnovers. However, this year he has played at an MVP level for the Giants. And he might be in the discussion for the award if Aaron Rodgers were playing in the Canadian Football League.
6. Philip Rivers - This pick has nothing to do with this season. If it did, I'm not sure Rivers would be one of the top ten quarterbacks in the AFC. Still, I'm considering this season a fluke and would still take Rivers to win a big game.

Matt Schaub is great...when he isn't hurt.

7. Matt Schaub - If he can stay healthy, he has one of the best arms in the game. Schaub's problem has never been ability - it's been durability.
8. Matt Ryan - Ironically, I think Ryan is more effective when he isn't a huge part of the Falcons offense. He has proven capable of performing in the clutch and helped change the culture of the organization.
9. Tony Romo - I guess I agree with the guys from ESPN radio. Similar to Matt Ryan, Romo is at his best when the Cowboys have a successful running game. When he makes good decisions, he is one of the most effective QB's in the game.
10. Jay Cutler - I like Jay Cutler about as much as I like Ben Roethlisberger, but he deserves credit for carrying the Chicago Bears offense. Losing Matt Forte hasn't helped, but the Bears have been inept without Cutler at the helm.

Best & Worst

2011-12-11T16:59:00.001-05:00

Best - The Army vs. Navy Game

Navy QB Kriss Proctor

I'm coming at this from a biased perspective, but there is something special and unique about an Army-Navy football game. Most nationally televised games feature players and coaches who are doing everything they can to promote themselves for a better job or a chance at the NFL - the next step has already been decided for the players from both of these service academies. Even if you aren't a fan of college football or sports in general, you can watch this game and feel an incredible sense of pride and patriotism in seeing some of the best leaders our nation has to offer, on the field and in the stands.

Now, as a Navy fan, yesterday's game was a great way to end the season. For a team that has had so many struggles and heartbreaking losses, it was awesome to see the Midshipmen be able to finish a close game. A defense that has been torched all season came up with big turnovers and a huge stop in the 4th quarter, a senior kicker who has a had a nightmare season hit a clutch field goal, and a quarterback who's battled injuries all year made some key runs to help his senior class go out on top. In a way, it's just a football game - and in a way, it means everything. Every day of the year, these two schools think about beating each other. At Navy, they say "BEAT ARMY!" after nearly everything they do. "BEAT ARMY" as they turn the corner to go down the hall. "BEAT ARMY!" as a plebe finishes a set of push ups. And for the 10th year in a row, "BEAT ARMY!" on the football field. Mission accomplished. Go Navy!

Worst - The Cincinnati vs. Xavier Brawl

Yancy Gates looking for more...

If the Army-Navy game is the standard for everything great about college athletics, the end of the Cincinnati-Xavier men's basketball game is the standard for everything wrong with college athletics. In a rivalry game that had turned into a blowout (Xavier won 76-53), the game finished with an on-court brawl. It began with trash talking from both teams and quickly escalated into a fight with Cincinnati's Yancy Gates punching a Xavier player in the head and then other Bearcats kicking the Xavier player while he was on the ground. It didn't get any better after the game - Xavier's players were proud of how they stuck up for themselves and didn't back down from a fight while Mick Cronin, Cincinnati's Head Coach, promised heavy consequences for his players.

A strong message would have been dismissing Yancy Gates, the team's best post player, off the team. Instead, the university announced it will suspend Gates for six games. How convenient that five of those games will be against insignificant non-conference opponents. Gates will miss also miss the Big East conference opener against Pittsburgh. No Xavier player will be suspended for more than one game. In short, both teams displayed embarrassing and unacceptable behavior - and neither institution or coach has enough backbone to assess the discipline and consequence the players deserve. It doesn't get much worse than that.

What a Crock

2011-12-08T13:54:00.001-05:00

As the temperature begins to drop, it becomes the perfect time of year to enjoy a cup of soup. I love soups, stews, chowders and I really should eat them more often. It's a great way to try a variety of vegetables and spices and there are so many different ways to mix flavors. It is also the sort of thing you can make ahead of time and eat over the course of a week. A little creativity and planning can give you a cheap, healthy, and filling meal that is perfect for cold weather days.

However, this post isn't about soup I made - it's about soup made by the folks at Crock and Roll. My dad and I stopped in for lunch a couple weeks ago on a cold, windy day when a cup of soup would hit the spot. I wouldn't be surprised if most people in the Roanoke Valley have never heard of Crock and Roll. It's tucked away in a corner in the Towers Shopping Center, making it very easy to miss if you're not looking for it. I have never seen any sort of advertising for them and I think it would be a great type of place to offer a Daily Deal sort of promotion to help with marketing and publicity.

When we went for lunch, there was no one else in the restaurant. They have a few tables where people can sit (which we did), but most of their business was being done through take-out orders. It looked like many people had called ahead with an order and took their food to go. The woman working at the register and serving the soup was extremely friendly and offered us samples of anything we wanted to try. She also seemed to know many of the people coming in - making me think they have a number of regular customers.

Sweet Potato & Sausage Soup

For my sample, I tried the Sweet Potato & Sausage soup. One sip...sold. The soup had a sweet and creamy flavor from the sweet potato and I'm guessing some sort of milk or cream, which made it quite rich. The sausage provided texture and a hearty flavor. It really was delicious. Only problem was that it was served piping HOT. Too hot to eat for the first ten minutes. I even dropped in a couple ice cubes to bring the temperature down below the level of the surface of the sun. The soup was also served with a homemade roll that reminded me or the cheddar bay biscuits from Red Lobster. Breaking the roll into pieces and dropping it into the soup was a good decision and I give myself credit for putting two and two together.

The only thing keeping me from giving a stellar recommendation for Crock and Roll would be the price. For a cup of soup and a roll, the price was around $8. Both of the items were very good, but it still seems steep for the cost. I've heard the owner tries to use local and organic ingredients in all his soups, which is great, but I was still surprised it cost two people $16 for two cups of soup and two rolls. It's very good, but I'd expect to pay around $5-$6 for what we ordered. However, if the good people at Crock and Roll are able to charge that amount and maintain a successful and profitable business, good for them! There are times when a great cup of soup is tough to beat.

An Asian Surprise

2011-12-07T22:21:00.001-05:00

Usually, I have low expectations of restaurants located in grocery store strip malls. I have even lower expectations of Asian restaurants in said strip malls. I've come to expect quality similar to what you'd find from a bad Chinese restaurant in a mall food court. Typically, there's not much atmosphere, variety, or flavor with the food. Cafe Asia did not fit this criteria.

Cafe Asia is located in the Kroger Shopping Center in Bonsack off Route 460. From the outside, nothing really stands out to make you think it's different than any other strip mall Asian restaurant. Fortunately, I'd heard very good things from other people who eat there regularly and I had high expectations. When we arrived, I was impressed with the design and decor of the interior. There was a sushi bar, hardwood floors, and plenty of room in what seems like a limited amount of space. It also appeared they did a large number of take out orders.

The food was some of the best Asian food I've had in Roanoke. We ordered two appetizers before the meal - edamame and crab wontons. The edamame was good and the crab wontons had a good mix of crab and cream cheese - not quite as good as Pei Wei but not bad at all. For an entree, I decided to order the Chicken Curry. I had a tough time deciding between all the entrees and noodle dishes but the flavors of the curry were intriguing. I wasn't disappointed when a giant bowl filled with chicken, onion, peas, carrots, and pineapple in a delicious sauce was served. The chicken was incredibly tender (sit in the crock-pot all day sort of tender) and everything had fresh and bold flavor. There was some spice in the sauce, but the sweetness of the pineapple helped balance it out nicely. It was also served with a side of rice. For $8, I was shocked at how big the portion was. I don't think I was able to eat half of it and was able to have leftovers for two additional meals. I'd definitely go back for the curry, but I'd also be interested in trying many of the other entrees. I've also heard good things about the sushi, which I would try at lunch when the prices are more reasonable. All this to say, a few more trips out to Cafe Asia are in order.

It's been a while since I can remember having a go-to Asian restaurant in Roanoke (other than getting sushi at Wasabi's) but Cafe Asia could become that place. The prices and portions were great and I loved the taste of the food. I just need to make my way over to Bonsack more often.

New National Champion

2011-12-04T14:20:00.001-05:00

I'd like to congratulate the LSU Tigers on winning the 2011 National Championship in college football. The Bayou Bengals have completed one of the most dominant regular seasons in the history of college football and deserve a place in the discussion of all-time best teams. LSU's undefeated record combined with a dominant scoring margin is impressive and it's virtually unbelievable when you consider the competition they played against.

LSU's destruction of Georgia yesterday was their 7th victory against a ranked team this season. It was their 4th time beating a team ranked in the Top 15. Even more ridiculous - they've defeated three teams that were ranked in the Top 3 at the time of the game! Along with the scheduling, to rub it in to the rest of the country, the only game LSU hasn't won by at least 13 points was their 9-6 victory over Alabama. The Tigers haven't just won big games, they've crushed the opposition. Slight side note - God bless LSU for not being afraid to go on the road and play big non-conference games. It says a lot about your program and the mindset of your football team when you are willing to play great teams from other conferences and I admire the Tigers for taking everyone's best shot. Actually, I'd probably take LSU to win the AFC West in the NFL.

Honey Badger don't care...

In my mind, LSU has already done enough to deserve the title of National Champions. Yet, they still have to play (and likely win) one more game. As of now, it's uncertain who the Tigers will face in the BCS Championship game in New Orleans on January 9, but I'd make the argument that it shouldn't matter. If LSU plays Alabama and loses, I think they still have a more impressive resume than the Crimson Tide. LSU already won on the road in Tuscaloosa - how could a neutral site victory by Alabama be more impressive? (Ironically, I think Alabama is a better team than LSU but missed too many opportunities in their game against the Tigers.) If LSU loses to Oklahoma State, they'd have one loss to the 2nd ranked team in the country - still sounds a lot better than Oklahoma State's one loss to an unranked Iowa State team. Fortunately, even though I'm making the case for not even playing the game, the boys from Baton Rouge don't care who they play on January 9 because they'll take on anybody. They're not concerned about who the opponent is - their primary goal is to leave no doubt about who the best is.

Funny thing about this whole post for me - I don't like LSU! I admire and respect their program but I don't like the players or the fans. Still, I can't deny how dominant they've been this season. They've answered the bell time and again, which is why think the crystal ball should already be on display in Baton Rouge. I don't think any outcome on January 9 is going to change my opinion on that. LSU has earned the title of champion and deserves to be talked about as one of the best ever. 2011 was another great season for college football, but the discussion about who the champion is should be over.

Just Do It

2011-11-27T20:41:00.001-05:00

10 straight calls for celebration.

In all likelihood, LSU will comfortably beat Georgia for the SEC Championship next weekend. LSU has more talent, big game experience, plays with better discipline, and has plenty of confidence coming into this game. Aside from Alabama, the Bayou Bengals haven't been challenged since the opening week of the season against Oregon. If Georgia ends up losing by three touchdowns, no one should be too surprised.

On the other hand, I think the Dawgs have a chance to pull the upset. After reeling off 10 straight wins, it's obvious this is a different team than the one that opened the season with a terrible performance in the Georgia Dome against Boise State. Aaron Murray is playing his best ball of the season and has multiple weapons at receiver as well as the ability to make plays with his legs. And the Georgia defense is playing with an aggressiveness reminiscent of the days when Brian Van Gorder was the defensive coordinator.

Initially, I thought Georgia would have an advantage by not having to deal with any additional pressure. It looked like LSU would be playing with a spot in the National Championship on the line while the Dawgs would be playing with house money. I was hoping this would give the Georgia a chance to play loose and aggressive while LSU might struggle with the pressure and play tight. Unfortunately, it looks like LSU has already wrapped up a spot in the title game, regardless of what happens in the SEC Championship. Still, if Georgia can keep the game close until the 4th quarter and force Les Miles to make some tough decisions, you have to wonder if the Tigers will begin to feel the pressure of an undefeated season.

For Mark Richt and Georgia, I think they are in a great situation (or as good as it can be having to face LSU). The Georgia fan base is ecstatic with the current 10 game winning streak and the goal was to win the SEC East and see what could happen after that. A season where the Dawgs are playing for a championship and record victories against Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, & Georgia Tech will provide Mark Richt with some much-needed job security. Now, unlike the pressure filled game to open the season, UGA can head to the Georgia Dome and have some fun. Let it all hang out and see what happens - it's not like anyone actually expects them to win anyway. It reminds me of when VCU made the Final Four this past season and Shaka Smart told his team, "Now that we've shocked the world and made it here. Let's go try and win the * thing!"

Go Dawgs!

Helping the Market

2011-11-02T20:52:00.000-04:00

City Market Building

The re-opening of the City Market Building in downtown Roanoke has added a new set of restaurant possibilities for a weekday lunch. With my office being just a short walk over the railroad tracks, I can be downtown in less than five minutes, and the market building is a great spot to grab something quick. Although they currently only have four restaurants, I'm excited about the plans for the future with the new places and types of food that will be available. So far, I've tried three of the four restaurants in the building and I'd say Allsports Cafe on the Market has emerged as my early favorite.

I was biased when I heard Allsports Cafe would be opening a new location downtown because I was familiar with their food. They serve great wings and are one of the cooler local sports bars in the area, so I figured they would be successful in the market building. It's interesting to see them in the market building in a food court style set-up instead of as a sports bar, but I'm pretty sure they have plans to expand and utilize more space in the future. For now, they are essentially a carryout location.

The menu isn't quite as big as the other two Allsports Cafe locations, but it still features many of their most popular items. This location serves wings, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, salads, and a few other things, and most of the menu items are served as a combo, which means they come with fries and a drink. For such a small kitchen space, it's impressive to watch the staff prepare the food fresh and get it out very quickly. As of now, they appear to be the market building standard for handling a long line and getting people's food to them in a short amount of time (someone from Queso Southwestern should come over and take notes).

Allsports Cafe on the Market

I've liked everything I've ever ordered from Allsports Cafe, but I also haven't branched out with the menu. I think the wings are the best I've had in Roanoke, and it appears many Roanoke residents agree. Allsports Cafe was recently given the honor of having the "Best Wings" in The Roanoker Magazine's 2011 Dining Awards. The honey BBQ sauce is my favorite for the wings. Another item I'd recommend would be the chicken tender wrap. The description in the menu says the tenders are tossed in their hot sauce, but this can be substituted for any other sauce - again, I chose the honey BBQ. The honey bbq chicken tenders with the lettuce, tomato, cheese, and ranch dressing is a great combination. Throw in a side of hot french fries and a cold drink and you've got a great (though unhealthy) lunch. And for a price of around $8, it's a relatively good deal.

I think Allsports Cafe on the Market is a great addition to the downtown dining scene. Sometimes people are overwhelmed with all the varieties of cuisines in the market area, and they just want simple American food. It can't get much more American than burgers, wings, and sandwiches and they serve you with a smile. If the other restaurants can be as successful as Allsports Cafe already appears to be, the City Market Building will again become a popular place to be.

A Charming Bistro

2011-10-31T21:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, we made another trip to Lexington to see my cousin play soccer. He's on the team at Washington & Lee and they had their first game in the ODAC Conference Tournament. Turns out it would be their only game in the tournament as they lost 1-0, which ends the season. Following the soccer, he recommended we try a new restaurant and we hoped the results would be better than the game.

After reading previous reviews on Urbanspoon, I had high hopes for Bistro on Main. And from visiting their website, it seemed like a place that would have a nice atmosphere with quality food without being overly fancy. It didn't disappoint. If I had to describe it in one word, I would say "cozy." It's not a big restaurant, but it's not so small you feel claustrophobic. The lighting, service, and atmosphere combine to create an environment that is very welcoming, yet not overwhelming. It's casual and classy.

I was very impressed with the service we received. Our waitress was friendly and fun without being obnoxious or awkward, which can be a fine line with good service. She made sure our glasses were full, checked on us regularly throughout the meal, and brought our dishes at the appropriate time. I wish I could remember her name to give her the credit she deserves. She did an excellent job throughout the meal.

Grilled Salmon

The food was on par with the service. First, they serve homemade beer bread to your table before your food arrives. This beer bread was heavenly. A perfect crust with a sweet flavor that almost reminds you of cake. After tasting the bread and needing a second to return to Earth, I had a difficult time deciding what to order. The menu featured a variety of dishes I would have enjoyed, but I went with the grilled salmon. The salmon was topped with a mango salsa and served with sides of mashed sweet potatoes and cooked spinach. The salmon with the mango salsa was delicious. The combination of grilled fish and fruit (especially citrus fruits) is one of my favorites, and the Bistro on Main did a great job preparing this dish. Initially, I was skeptical of the sides when I saw them on the plate, but they won me over in a hurry. The cooked spinach had delicious flavor and the mashed sweet potatoes had very good texture and hints of cinnamon. Two sides I'd consider as perfect for fall weather paired with a fish and topping that reminds me of summer. Maybe not everyone's preference, but I loved it.

Near the end of the meal, I realized why Bistro on Main seemed so familiar. It reminded me of Last Resort Grill, one of the best restaurants in Athens. Both have a cool atmosphere and serve awesome food with fresh ingredients. To find a place in this area that would remind me of Last Resort is a huge compliment to Bistro on Main. After this experience, the other restaurants in Lexington have a very difficult standard to meet.

Try some Thai

2011-10-27T23:33:00.002-04:00

I love Asian food. When you get past the american-ized dishes of general tso's chicken and random sushi rolls, Asian food features a ton of unique and fresh flavors. And while I'll always enjoy a good Chinese or Japanese meal, I think Thai might be favorite type of Asian cuisine. Good Thai is usually full or flavor, including various uses of nuts, citrus, and other spices and herbs, which make for some very interesting meals. So when I had a chance to try Thai Continental Cuisine a few weeks ago, I was very excited about it.

Thai Continental Cuisine is located in downtown Roanoke on Market Street, right across from the newly re-opened City Market Building. There's nothing flashy about the entrance and they don't really advertise, but don't let the exterior or lack of a marketing plan deceive you. The interior of the restaurant is very clean and the staff, who all appeared to be Asian, seem intent on creating an enjoyable experience by serving great Thai food. It's the type of place where your waiter might not speak in perfect English, which gives you confidence in the authenticity of the food.

Drunken Noodles

When we arrived for lunch around noon, there were a few open tables but the restaurant quickly filled up. It's obvious this is a very popular weekday lunch spot for all the people who work downtown. They offer a good variety of lunch entrees along with their regular entrees, soups, salads, appetizers, etc. and most of the lunch entrees are priced around $7-$9. All the entrees are also served with a small salad, making the price and value very reasonable. To start the meal, we ordered the pork dumplings as an appetizer. One twist I liked about the dumplings was the addition of fresh cilantro, which added another layer of flavor I wasn't expecting. While I had a tough time choosing my entree, I decided to order the Drunken Noodles with chicken - and I requested the dish be prepared with a mild amount of spice/heat. This dish was great! It was loaded with chicken and fresh vegetables (peppers, onions, tomatoes) and the Thai rice noodles were cooked perfectly. There was a good amount of spice, but not so much that I was unable to taste the rest of the ingredients. I'd highly recommend this dish, especially to someone who might be unfamiliar with Thai cuisine.

My only complaint about eating at Thai Continental Cuisine would be the amount of time it took us to eat there. As I mentioned, we arrived at noon and had a tough time making it out before 1pm. Although the servers were friendly, it took them a while to get our orders and our entrees seemed to be pretty slow getting to our table. I'm all about having freshly prepared food, but most downtown restaurants are really good about being able to move tables through in under an hour, which people need so they can get back to work. I'd think Thai Continental would be no different and we just happened to catch them on a slower day. It definitely wouldn't keep me from going back.

Thai food is so underrated. If you've never had it, you really should give it a try. I know there are a few other Thai restaurants in Roanoke and I look forward to trying them. If they are anything like Thai Continental, Roanoke is in very good shape.

A Pitt Stop

2011-10-26T21:30:00.001-04:00

One of the nice things about all the daily deal companies that have become so popular is they feature businesses you might not have previously known about. For me, an example of this was Pitt Boss BBQ. I don't spend a lot of time in southwest Roanoke, and I rarely make it out past the corner of Brambleton and 419, so I'd never seen Pitt Boss before going a few weeks ago. Of course, we went a little overboard and had two of the daily deal specials, which led to eating there twice over the span of about a week.

The design of the building is interesting. I don't think I've ever been to a BBQ restaurant with a log cabin exterior - it seemed like the architect was a big fan of Lincoln Logs. And the aroma as you come into the parking lot is enough to make your stomach growl. The interior of the restaurant is divide into two parts - one as a sports bar and the other as a casual dining room. Both sides feature multiple TV's, which would make Pitt Boss a good place to watch a game - a relaxed atmosphere that wouldn't be too crowded or loud. The service was good and the kitchen seemed to be able to have the orders ready in a reasonable amount of time.

The two nights we went for dinner, they were running a special on half-price hush puppies and hot dogs. I wasn't interested in the hot dogs, but the hush puppies served as a good appetizer. They are served in a giant, hollowed out beer bottle with a side of butter, which makes for a cool presentation. The hush puppies are served piping hot, but have good sweetness and crunch along with a hint of onion (although not overpowering). The first time I ate at Pitt Boss, I ordered the smoked turkey sandwich on a pretzel roll. The meat on the sandwich is served dry because they offer a variety of sauces on the table, and I had a tough time choosing because I liked most of them. I can't remember the name of the sauce I had but it had a nice sweet and smoky flavor. The sandwich was also topped with lettuce, tomato, and cheese, but the best part about it was the pretzel roll, which gave it a nice twist a difference in texture. It also helped hold the sandwich together, which was loaded with meat and toppings. The sandwich came with a choice of a side and I picked the collard greens, which again had smoky flavor - perfect for a BBQ restaurant. The second time I was there, I ordered a platter with smoked chicken, cole slaw, and collard greens again. Again, the meat had good flavor and tenderness and I loved both of the sides.

The prices at Pitt Boss are very reasonable. Most sandwiches and entrees are under $10, which makes them cheaper than Blues BBQ and a menu that has more variety than what'd you get at Henry's Memphis BBQ. I don't think I'll become a regular at Pitt Boss because of the location, but it will definitely serve as a good change of pace from time to time.

Down by the Bayou!

2011-10-25T23:09:00.001-04:00

Cajun cuisine has arrived in the Roanoke Valley and it appears it's here to stay. The Quarter is owned and was started by Chip Moore, who has already had great success with two of south Roanoke's most popular restaurants, Annie Moore's Irish Pub and the Brambleton Deli. Now, Moore is introducing a New Orleans-style menu and atmosphere to downtown Roanoke and it seems to be a big hit. The Quarter was recently voted as the winner of the best new restaurant in town in The Roanoker magazine's 2011 Readers' Choice Dining Awards.

I've been to The Quarter a couple times over the past month, and I like the addition it brings to the downtown dining scene. The atmosphere, while a bit cliche, is really cool. Lots of hardwood, an impressive chandelier over the bar, and a beautiful outdoor courtyard provide an enjoyable environment whether you choose to dine in-or-outside. The service has been good both times I've been there, once for lunch and once for dinner, and the servers were friendly and prompt.

The Courtyard

When I went for dinner, I was very impressed with the food. I ordered sweet tea to drink and thought it was great - sweeter than most people like but perfect for my tastes. For an appetizer, we tried the crawfish tails, which are fried and served with a remoulade sauce. The crawfish were nicely breaded and had a good salty taste, which paired well with the creamy remoulade sauce. I had the jambalaya as my entree, which had good spice (both heat and flavor) and a very generous portion. The jambalaya had shrimp (which were rather small), sausage, chicken, rice, and a variety of vegetables. The flavors mixed well together and I ended up taking half of it home. I scaled it back when I went for lunch and ordered a shrimp po'boy. The sandwich was decent but rather skimpy on the shrimp and the bread overpowered everything else. A few more shrimp on the sandwich and it would have been a winner.

The value for The Quarter isn't bad. For lunch, they have a good selection of entrees in the $6-$10 price range and dinner entrees fit more in the $10-$15 range. They also have a nice looking brunch menu, which is available on the weekend. The menu has a number of things I look forward to trying, whether it's for brunch, lunch, or dinner. After receiving a few less than favorable reviews when they first opened, I think The Quarter has been able to iron out most of the kinks and are now well on their way to becoming a downtown staple.

Don't Attend Church!

2011-10-24T22:19:00.000-04:00

I'm long overdue with posting on the blog and I have some serious catching up to do. Lots going on in sports. Lots of food and restaurants to review. And lots of stuff happening in life. So, I'm hoping to get back into posting more regularly. First up, a needed review on a Roanoke restaurant.

A few weeks ago, I had lunch with a few people at 24 Church Avenue Italian Sideboard & Spirits in downtown Roanoke. Having previously checked out the restaurant's website, I was intrigued by their $5.99 Italian lunch buffet and their famous giant slices of pizza. I mentioned this to my dad and he rounded up some people from his office and we decided to make our way over to Church Avenue to give it a try.

I should have known we were making a mistake when we walked in the door. First, there was a sign on the door saying they could only accept cash - which isn't too strange but did seem rather weird for a place that also serves as a bar at night. Next, the decor and layout of the place was terrible. There is a pool table as you enter and a dimly lit dining area with basic chairs and tables, and on one side of the room is a bar that looks like it was thrown together with scrap pieces of wood from a construction project. As if these weren't strong enough hints, there was NO ONE eating in the restaurant when we walked in at a little after 12pm, which is the prime hour for lunch spots downtown. Again, it was stupid of me to not pick up on the warning signs but I told myself, "maybe the atmosphere is terrible but the food makes up for it."

Our group picked out a table and then made our way to the "buffet." It's difficult to describe the layout of everything because it was so ridiculous, but one side featured salad, the middle area featured "entrees," and the other side featured pizza. The salad was probably the highlight of the meal. It was just mixed greens, like the kind you'd get in a container at the grocery store, and the staff at 24 Church managed to get something right in just getting those into dishes for people to serve themselves.

The "entree" portion of the buffet was a disgrace. First, everything is protected by an enclosure - so you have to hand your plate over to a wonderfully friendly (NOT!) server who tells you what everything is and asks you what you'd like. At an ITALIAN buffet, he told me my choices were: lasagna, spaghetti, chicken parmesan, macaroni & cheese, beef & broccoli, roasted potatoes, and hot wings. Yes, beef & broccoli and hot wings. Although nothing looked appetizing, I tried the lasagna and chicken parmesan. Another mistake. The lasagna tasted crusty, old, and dry - I would say it was clearly frozen lasagna but that would be an insult to all frozen lasagna dishes. I'm really not sure how 24 Church managed to get it to taste so bad. As for the chicken parmesan, I'm still not sure what the meat was, but there's no way it was chicken and the marinara sauce was non-existent.

And I'm sure this is no surprise, but the pizza was another huge disappointment. The crust was paper thin - too thin to be able to hold any toppings, so the chef avoids this problem by not putting any toppings on the pizza. No sauce. Barely any cheese (or what seemed to be dried cheese powder). And toppings that fall off as soon as you try to pick up a slice. Of course, it had no flavor other than a slight hint of wax paper, which might have been used in the making of the crust. By the end of the meal, I was angry with myself for having stayed in this restaurant for longer than three seconds and really felt like throwing up.

I wanted to write a review about this place to get the word out, but it really is difficult to describe how bad it truly was. I've seen more appetizing food on the streets of Haiti. However, one of my favorite moments came from the people I was eating with who were also grossed out. At one point, one girl said, "I think that's a live wire that's just dangling over the buffet." She was right. And later we heard one of the servers get visibly angry when other people walked into the restaurant, which forced him to yell into the back, "WE NEED TO MAKE MORE FOOD!" I guess they only had one microwave available in the kitchen.

I've never said this about a restaurant, but I believe this place should be investigated. Promoting themselves as a restaurant that makes everything from scratch is a lie. They can't honestly be trying to make it as a dining establishment, because that's just unbelievable. There might be a lot more going on behind their black curtain to the kitchen other than serving up disgusting food. This is, by far, the worst restaurant I've ever been to in Roanoke. I don't care what your religion is, don't ever go to 24 Church!

Sabbatical

2011-10-18T19:37:00.000-04:00

Without warning or planning, I seem to have taken a sabbatical from blogging. I wasn't tired of writing and I didn't run out of topics to write about - I simply haven't been posting on the blog lately. Our internet can be a bit tricky, which can make it difficult to get a blog posted. We have had a busy stretch over the past couple weeks with various things going on during the week and traveling a bit on the weekends. And, I have seen my responsibilities at work increase, which is a lot of fun, but causes me to have no interest in being on the computer when I get home. Not to mention, the weather over the past couple weeks has been absolutely gorgeous - seeing the leaves change in Southwest Virginia during the fall is one of the prettiest things you'll see. So, instead of just sitting around on my computer, I've been out enjoying life. So, my apologies for the lack of recent posts. I'm sorry...not really! :)

Week Five Football

2011-10-01T00:19:00.001-04:00

There are some great games featuring Top 15 teams this weekend. As the college football season moves deeper into conference play, we'll begin to see the contenders who will compete for a spot in the BCS Championship game. I could have easily picked 3 intriguing games from the SEC this weekend, but there are a couple other match ups that could turn into instant classics.

#13 Clemson vs. #11 Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. - It's time for the Virginia Tech football season to begin. After four games to start the season against cupcakes, the Hokies will face a different kind of test with Clemson. Finally a game Virginia Tech fans can be excited about. For Clemson, this is their opportunity to really prove something. Beating an overrated Auburn team and a beat up Florida State team on your home field doesn't say a whole lot. The play of Tajh Boyd and the emergence of Sammy Watkins has been huge for Clemson and the play of these two will be critical to Clemson's success. If Boyd can run the offense and deal with the Virginia Tech crowd and Watkins can find some holes in the Virginia Tech secondary, Clemson could pull the upset. And if David Wilson can have a big performance for Virginia Tech, it could be a long night for Dabo Swinney.

#3 Alabama vs. #12 Florida, Gainesville, FL. - Alabama takes it's freight train of a team to a showdown in the Swamp against the Gators. Similar to Virginia Tech, Florida has been able to test drive its new offense against some weak opponents. Now, they get to see how it works against the Alabama house of horrors. I can't wait to see the head games that take place between Nick Saban and Charlie Weiss. Saban seemed to solve Bobby Petrino and the Arkansas offense with relative ease last weekend, so we'll see if the speed of Florida can make a difference. This will also be the first major test for Alabama's quarterback, A.J. McCarron. If McCarron can manage the game and avoid turnovers, Alabama can rely on Trent Richardson and the powerful Crimson Tide offensive line. And if Richardson gets going again, the Tide will continue to roll.

#8 Nebraska vs. #7 Wisconsin, Madison, WI. - This is quite a welcome party for Nebraska to the Big 10. Playing against Wisconsin for a night game in Madison is never easy and the Badgers have been playing at an extremely high level. To me, the key for both of these teams will be the play of the quarterbacks. Taylor Martinez has the ability to carry the Nebraska offense or run it into the ground. He needs to be able to make big plays without making big mistakes. On the other end, Russell Wilson just needs to keep doing what he's been doing for Wisconsin. If Wilson is accurate and effective with the play action pass, Wisconsin should be in very good shape.

Taste of Italy

2011-09-25T23:29:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, we made the short trip up to Lexington to visit my cousin. He is a freshman at Washington & Lee and playing on the soccer team, so we are trying to get to as many of his games as we can. There isn't a lot going on in Lexington, but there are a number of little restaurants scattered around town and we tried an Italian place after his game last Saturday.

If it isn't obvious by their sign, Salerno is a small, family owned restaurant in downtown Lexington. The atmosphere is very casual - much more of a local pizza pub/sandwich shop than a fancy Italian restaurant. There is a TV in one corner of the room and sports memorabilia all over the walls. Actually, it seems like they are trying to put up t-shirts from as many universities as possible as a sort of collection. You place your order at the counter, seat yourself, and the food is served to your table.

The menu is full of Italian style food. They have traditional Italian entrees (lasagna, ravioli, pasta, etc.) as well as pizza, sandwiches, calzones, & salads. Most items are priced between $7-$15 and the portions are more than generous. I decided to order the Meatball Parmigiana sub, which was 9 inch. long. The sub is filled with homemade meatballs and covered in melted mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. The meatballs and sauce had good flavor from the Italian spices, but I would have liked it more if the bread was more toasted. I was also very impressed with the pizzas and calzones I saw other people ordering. Both were HUGE and loaded with toppings and people weren't leaving many leftovers on their tables.

In terms of Italian restaurants in Lexington, I don't know if Salerno has a ton of competition. It's obvious that many of their regular customers are students at W&L and VMI and they do a good job of offering various specials for really good deals. They also serve a lunch buffet that I would assume is very good. In all, I'm glad we were able to find a good local Italian place in a space where we wouldn't expect it.

Conference Play is Underway: Week Four

2011-09-23T17:14:00.000-04:00

Before I get to the three games I am looking forward to this weekend, what the heck has happened to N.C. State? Has it really been that long since Philip Rivers and T.A. McLendon had the Wolfpack competing at the top of the ACC? Last night, N.C. State was DOMINATED by Cincinnati and the 30 point margin doesn't indicated how bad it really was. I'm guessing there will be a new head coach in Raleigh next year. Now, onto the weekend's games.

Trent Richardson shedding defenders.

#14 Arkansas vs. #3 Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL. - The offensive wizard against the defensive mastermind. Bobby Petrino and his high powered offenses have never defeated Nick Saban. It will be interesting to see how Arkansas quarterback, Tyler Wilson, handles starting in his first SEC road game and the Crimson Tide secondary. It would help Wilson a great deal if Arkansas can manage to establish some sort of running game with Ronnie Wingo Jr. On the other side of the ball, Arkansas must figure out a way to stop the two-headed monster rushing attack of Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy. In three years of watching Alabama, I still don't know if I've seen Trent Richardson tackled by one defender. Arkansas must stop the run and force A.J. McCarron to throw the ball for the Alabama offense. In their first three games, Alabama has yet to really be tested. We'll see if Arkansas can put up a fight.

Justin Blackmon is scary good.

#7 Oklahoma State vs. #8 Texas A&M, College Station, TX. - Defense could be optional in this one. Oklahoma State comes into this game averaging 52 points per game. Texas A&M is averaging 41.5. Last year, Oklahoma State won 38-35. On paper, you would think this will be an absolute shootout. With all the hype about the offenses, we'll probably get a turnover filled battle full of field possession and field goals. I hope not. There will be a tremendous amount of offensive talent on the field. Oklahoma State wide receiver, Justin Blackmon, is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and Texas A&M has great offensive balance with Ryan Tannehill and Cyrus Gray. As is the case when good teams play each other, limiting mistakes and capitalizing on turnovers will be huge. The crowd at Kyle Field could also be a major factor.

Ga. Tech is annoyed with defense.

North Carolina vs. #25 Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA. - In their first three games, Georgia Tech has put up video game statistics. They lead the nation in points per game (59!) and total offense per game (675 yards!). Actually, that's even hard to do in a video game unless you play quarters that are longer than 5 minutes, which means you're lame anyway. I heard that Roddy Jones was tweeting about how amazing this offense is and couldn't believe he gets to see it, which prompted an angry Joe Hamilton to call in to a sports radio show in Atlanta and chastise Jones for not being more involved in the offense. We're still awaiting word on Reggie Ball's opinion because he forgot which day he was supposed to call in to the show. This weekend, Georgia Tech will finally face a true opponent. I look forward to seeing if North Carolina's speed can present a challenge to the Georgia Tech triple option.

Burger in the Square

2011-09-23T17:09:00.000-04:00

In honor of May being National Burger Month, I'm giving a shout out to one of the best places to get a burger in Roanoke. I hadn't been to this place before a month ago, but I now consider myself a big fan of Burger in the Square. Burger in the Square used to be located in the Market Building (which is being remodeled) in downtown Roanoke, but has moved to Brambleton Avenue and has, ironically, kept the same name. They have been known for years as being one of the best places to get a burger in the Roanoke area and have received numerous dining awards from The Roanoker magazine.

The new location on Brambleton isn't exactly spacious - it can probably fit 20-30 people, and that's not necessarily comfortably - and there's not a ton of parking. There seems to be a constant flow of people coming in and I think they do a good percentage of take-out orders as well. We have been fortunate to not have to wait for a table the past couple times, but we were lucky and there's not really seating for any more than groups of six.

There's not a ton of variety on the menu - but they are known for their burgers and they do a great job with them. You can create your own burger with a variety of toppings or you can get a specialty burger with a combination of toppings they have already chosen. I've done one of each and thought both of them were excellent. The beef tasted great, the toppings were fresh, and the burger was huge! I recommend The Dreamer with bacon, grilled onions & mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, & cheddar cheese. They could have served me two pieces of bread with the grilled onions and I would have been happy. Also, the waffle fries that you can order as a side are very good. I haven't tried the other things on the menu, but they serve chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, grilled cheese, soup, chili, & salad.

The prices aren't bad at about $6 for a burger and fries, and it's around $7 for a combo with a drink. And I don't know if this is permanent or a short-term promotion but they offer buy one-get one half off burgers on Saturday nights. The service is good and they get things out as quick as they can while continuing to serve fresh food. I like the well-known burger chains like Five Guys and Red Robin that are in Roanoke, but I always prefer to find a local place if they serve great food and Burger in the Square fits the bill. It doesn't matter if the name no longer makes sense, I'll keep going regardless of where they are located!

Fork It Over

2011-09-19T21:45:00.000-04:00

Fork in the Alley isn't the easiest place to find because it's tucked away in an alley. Go figure! However, once you're able to find this quirky little pub in Crystal Spring, you have a chance to enjoy some very good food.

F.I.T.A Burger

I've been to F.I.T.A. multiple times, and most of the time everything has been very good. There was one occasion when the service was slow and our waitress was rather rude, but that usually isn't a problem. Because of the layout (lots of outdoor seating spread out over different parts of their property) and the small kitchen, I understand why service can be slow when there are big crowds. Fortunately, we've happened to be there at times when the crowds aren't bad at all. On our most recent visit, we took Nicole's parents for a Sunday lunch. We had the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, and it ended up being a great meal everyone enjoyed.

In my opinion, the menu offers a good amount of variety. They make a number of different dishes - making it easy for everyone to find something they'd like - but the menu isn't so big that you wonder how there can be much quality or attention to detail in any of the food. There are sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, salads, pizzas, and an assortment of entrees to choose from.

Capri Pizza

For my meal, I decided to have the F.I.T.A. burger - a lean burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, & onion. It was a good example of using simple ingredients but creating a burger with great flavor. Nicole and her dad both ordered salads they really enjoyed, and Nicole's mom had a pizza. The pizza took the prize as the favorite dish at the table. The pizza was topped with pepperoni, sausage, olives, mushrooms, and onions and it was cooked in a brick oven. The crust had that great, crispy flavor that comes from a brick oven and the toppings tasted delicious. It was the type of pizza you know you should stop eating because your full, but you can't because it tastes too good to stop. I'm thinking Fork in the Alley can make a strong claim for having the best pizza in Roanoke. I'm not sure I've found any better.

Fork in the Alley is also Roanoke's first certified green restaurant. They have placed an emphasis on serving quality ingredients and running their business in a way the negates their harm on the environment. The prices are reasonable, the flavors are great, and the atmosphere is cool. It's a hidden location, but the food stands out.

Week Three in College Football

2011-09-15T22:46:00.000-04:00

Regarding the three games I said would be worth watching last weekend, I ask, "WERE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!" Georgia and South Carolina put on quite a show. Texas came up big in the 4th quarter against BYU. And USC made a key special teams play to put the game away against Utah. I really don't think this weekend will be as exciting, but here are three more I'm looking forward to.

Can Maryland top these?

No. 18 West Virginia vs. Maryland - College Park, MD. - If nothing else, everyone is excited to see what uniforms the Terrapins will break out for this game. After surprising everyone with their uniforms for the opener against Miami, the wardrobe choices for the Terps have been quite the buzz. Regardless of the outfits, I think this game will reveal a lot about these two teams. How will the West Virginia offense fare against a legitimate opponent? Can West Virginia avoid the slow starts that have plagued them in their previous two games? Will Maryland quarterback, Danny O'Brien, be able to build on his strong performance against Miami in the season opener? If Maryland is able to knock off the Mountaineers and go to 2-0, fans in College Park should feel very good about the direction of the program under Randy Edsall.

No. 21 Auburn vs. Clemson - Clemson, SC. - Clemson fans are probably still upset about the outcome of last year's game against Auburn. Like nearly every other opponent the Auburn faced, Clemson had the Tigers on the ropes before giving up a lead and watching Cam Newton lead his team to an improbable comeback victory. This season, it has been the same song with a different cast of characters for Auburn. In their first two games, Gene Chizik's team has narrowly escaped defeat by making clutch plays down the stretch. On one hand, you feel like Auburn has played with fire for the past 15 games and their luck is bound to run out at some point. On the other hand, you think Auburn has now been in so many close games that the pressure doesn't affect them anymore. The first two victories came in the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium. We'll see how much of their mojo travels with them for a road game at Clemson.

Even the mascot was intimidating in the 1990s.

No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Florida State - Tallahassee, FL. - It must be nice to pull for a team that isn't afraid to play a strong non-conference schedule. Georgia's Athletic Director, Greg McGarity, has basically said the Dawgs are finished playing tough non-conference opponents while he has a role in the scheduling. Way to expect greatness! Saturday night, Oklahoma heads to Tallahassee for a game that will capture most of the attention of the college football audience. The game is in primetime on ABC and I'm sure people at Florida State are talking about this game as an opportunity to show that the 'Noles are back. If you ask some, this could be the match up of the best offense in the country (Oklahoma) against the best defense in the country (FSU). I don't know if that's the case, but I do know there will be a LOT of talent on the field Saturday night. In my opinion, I don't know if Florida State will ever get back to the level the program was at in the 1990's. The talent and intimidation level of those teams was incredible. They beat teams before the games even started with the way they could intimidate an opponent in warm ups. You never expected them to lose a game. Ever. Actually, it's the same feeling I get when I watch Alabama play.

Wild at Heart

2011-09-14T23:44:00.000-04:00

Last week, I had the opportunity to have lunch at Wildflour. I had been to Wildflour a LONG time ago and am kicking myself for not having returned sooner.

The restaurant is located in the Old Southwest neighborhood of Roanoke on 4th street and couldn't have a more charming spot. It has the perfect, quaint neighborhood vibe that fits so well in this section of town. They offer a few tables in front of the restaurant for outdoor seating and they have comfortably sized dining room - I was actually surprised at how big it is. When I went for lunch on a Friday, it was around 1:30 and there was still a steady flow of people coming in and out. Parking can be a bit tricky, but it isn't too difficult to find a spot on one of the surrounding side streets.

When I started to look through the menu, I was again surprised at how big it was. I had always known Wildflour for their baked goods: breads, cakes, etc. I assumed the sandwiches would be very good, but I didn't realize there would be so many other entree selections. They had an entire page of vegetarian entrees, and I was very tempted to try the Evie's Red Beans and Rice. However, I was in the mood for something lighter and decided to have a turkey sandwich and cup of soup. The sandwich was good, especially with the homemade bread, but the soup was the star. The soup for that day was Potato Feta, and I was ready to lick my cup clean by the end of it. It was served hot and the feta wasn't too overpowering, and the fresh herbs were unbelievably flavorful. It was the best cup of soup I've had in a long time.

Because I didn't have Nicole with me, I decided to pass on dessert. They have a reputation for having the best cakes in Roanoke, and they are where I first learned about Better Than Sex Cake. When I return with Nicole, I'm sure trying some of the cakes for dessert will be a requirement. Can't complain about that.

In my opinion, the prices were pretty standard. It costs $8.25 for the soup & sandwich, which is comparable to the You Pick 2 deal at Panera. I'd take the turkey sandwich at Panera over Wildflour's but the Potato Feta soup blows everything else out of the water. And most of the other lunch entrees and sandwiches appeared to be in the $6-$9 range.

Roanoke has something special in Wildflour. The owners do a terrific job and you can see their hard work shine through the quality of their food. I enjoyed everything about my experience and plan to return again very soon.

No Joke

2011-09-13T17:51:00.000-04:00

Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal yesterday to win the 2011 U.S. Open, making it his third major title of the year. Djokovic took down Nadal in four sets and maintained his firm grip on the top spot in the tennis rankings. Not only has Djokovic established himself as the best player in the world, his performance in the U.S. Open cemented a place as one of the greatest individual seasons in the history of men's tennis.

A few years ago, the only topic of conversation in men's tennis was the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. And even that wasn't particularly interesting for a variety of reasons. It wasn't a major rivalry because the two like each other too much. They were both dominant on different surfaces - Nadal on clay and Federer on grass. Things really only seemed to get exciting in the big matches on hard courts. Insert: Novak Djokovic.

This Serbian brings a different dimension to the elite level of men's tennis. Djokovic has transformed himself from being a talented player with work ethic and other mental weaknesses, into a confident player with the ability to hit any shot on any surface. No one ever questioned his talent or his shot-making skills. People doubted him because of his tendency to withdraw from matches due to mysterious injuries or just mail in his performance once he would trail. I think he's dealt with that in the easiest way you can - don't trail in matches.

"Not Djokovic again!"

With his win Monday, Djokovic brought his 2011 record to 64-2, which is absurd. His only two losses of the season have come at the hands of Roger Federer and Andy Murray, two of the top players in the game. He won the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and now the U.S. Open in 2011 - along with SEVEN other tournaments. Before losing to Federer in the semifinals of the French Open, Djokovic had a 43 match winning streak. His play this season has been nothing short of dominant. He even has a chance to finish the season with the best record in the modern era - John McEnroe went 82-3 in 1984 but only won two major championships.

The craziest thing to me about Novak Djokovic is he seems to now be entering his prime. At 24, this is his time to shine. Federer is on the downside of his career. Nadal has trouble staying healthy with his violent and aggressive style of play. And Djokovic now seems to be in Rafa's head. While Andy Murray seems to be the new Andy Roddick - big game but can't finish in the majors. Djokovic is the most complete player in tennis. He is the model young players should be using to perfect their strokes. Great server. Beautiful ground strokes. Amazing returner of serves. And solid around the net. If he can stay healthy, he has all the talent to win many more major championships.

Before, opponents used to think they can get in The Joker's head. Now, he blocks out any of the distractions and can't hear the criticism. Maybe he can't hear it because he's too busy polishing his championship trophies.

Andale-jandro's

2011-09-12T21:33:00.000-04:00

Nicole's parents came to visit over Labor Day weekend and it was the first time they'd been to Roanoke. I had this grand idea of planning the weekend with unique activities in the area and trying to act like the perfect local tour guide. As a way to kick off the weekend, I thought everyone would enjoy going to Catawba Mountain for a Saturday morning hike up McAfee Knob. The weather was nice, the views are amazing, and I thought it would only take a couple hours and have us ready to enjoy lunch somewhere in downtown Roanoke. Five hours later, when were exhausted and still hiking down the mountain, I realized it didn't work out the way I was hoping. Starving for food and wanting something cold to drink, we found the closest parking spot we could find to the restaurant and limped our way to Alejandro's.

From what I've read and the people I've talked to, Alejandro's seems to be the most popular Mexican restaurant in Roanoke. We had been one time before for lunch and remembered it being good - and it's always crowded - so we decided it would be a good place to take Nicole's parents, who love Mexican food. The restaurant was about half full when we arrived, but I was surprised they were even half full since it was around 4:00. We loaded up on chips and all the different types of salsa from the salsa bar and attempted to re-hydrate after our trek on the Trail while we looked over the menu.

I'll admit that I'm a weakling when it comes to handling levels of spice/heat, but I had a hard time with most of the different types of salsa. I can normally handle medium and mild salsas from most restaurants, but I was struggling with every flavor from Alejandro's except for the creamy salsa (almost dressing) that reminded me of El Rodeo. Even the Pico de Gallo tasted like it was loaded with jalapenos. I'm not sure if it depends on who makes the salsa on a given day but someone was a fan of adding extra heat.

Photo courtesy of The Roanoke Times.

For an entree, I decided to order the California style burrito. The burrito was filled grilled chicken, black beans, rice, pico de gallo, chipotle taco sauce, cheese, and guacamole. It was good and very filling - but again with the spice! The pico and the chipotle sauce had me pounding water during the entire meal. For $7.25 for a burrito and bottomless chips and salsa, it's not a bad deal. However, I'd say the flavors and ingredients of the burrito from Alejandro's can't hold a candle to a burrito from Chipotle.

Nicole's parents loved everything about Alejandro's. They were excited about being able to enjoy some cold beer, chips and salsa, along with tacos and nachos. Nicole's dad was a big fan of the chili lime tacos and her mom really liked the nachos. And since they like spicy food, they thought everything had great flavor.

In all, Alejandro's accomplished the goal I was hoping for. It was a local restaurant in downtown Roanoke with reasonable prices and good food. Nicole's parents enjoyed their dishes, the atmosphere, and that we were able to relax after the brutal hike. Personally, I think I'll need to return again and order something else to get a more definitive opinion. For now, I'd consider myself 'undecided.'

Week 2 - Let's Go!

2011-09-09T19:52:00.001-04:00

There are some very interesting match-ups this week in college football. I like that some teams are taking the challenge and playing some good non-conference opponents. Here are three games I'm most intrigued by this weekend:

Brigham Young vs. No. 24 Texas - Austin, TX - Brigham Young won an ugly game last week at Ole' Miss to get their first win as an independent. Now, they face a legitimate college football team. Playing on the road against Ole' Miss means a lot of beautiful women get to see you play. Playing on the road against a Texas team that is looking to bounce back after a down year will be a new challenge for Bronco Mendenhall. It'll be interesting to see if BYU can match the athleticism of Texas and if the Longhorns can limit their own mistakes.

It's put up or shut up for the O-line.

No. 12 South Carolina vs. Georgia - Athens, GA - For Mark Richt, this is it. There's really no other way to view this than a must-win game for Richt and the Georgia program. After all the talk of major offseason changes and a new attitude and commitment, the Bulldogs took a hard face-plant against Boise State. The offense showed glimpses of life in the second half against Boise State, but the offensive line needs to be much more physical to hold up against the South Carolina defensive line. As is the case with most SEC games, this one will be decided in the trenches. Can the Georgia defensive line put pressure on Stephen Garcia and neutralize Marcus Lattimore? And can the Georgia offensive line protect Aaron Murray from the great pass rushers of South Carolina. One thing is for certain - the winner of this game gets the inside track to the SEC Championship.

Utah vs. USC - Los Angeles, CA - I love this match-up. Could there be more of a contrast between the culture of two programs? USC is one of the most high-profile, flashy programs in the country. Utah goes about their business with very little national attention. USC has a young, arrogant coach who is disliked by most of the country. Most college football fans around the country can't even name Utah's coach. Both teams picked up wins against mediocre opponents last week, but this is a great way to kick off the new Pac-12.

Kick it Off!

2011-09-02T08:42:00.000-04:00

It's time for another season of college football! One of the things I missed about not being in the U.S. last fall was the ability to watch football on Saturday afternoons. Because we were in Switzerland, I would stay up and try to follow games during the middle of the night and see if I could find any websites that were streaming games. I know this is hard to believe, but it wasn't quite the same. After losing last year, I'm definitely excited about getting this season started. Here are 3 games I'm looking forward to this weekend.

Will LaMichael James run wild?

#3 Oregon vs. #4 LSU - Cowboys Stadium - 8:00pm ET.
This is the game that is receiving all the hype. And with two preseason top 5 teams, it should be the one receiving the hype. ESPN's College Gameday will be set up in Dallas, and all the story lines surrounding LSU over the past few weeks have made this game even bigger. I'm looking forward to seeing the match up of Oregon's blazing offense against LSU's ferocious defense. And I'm interested to see which uniforms the Ducks break out. However, if this game ends up being lopsided and doesn't live up to expectations, I don't think the media should blame the losing team. Blame the media for screwing up with the USELESS preseason rankings.

#5 Boise St. vs. #19 Georgia - Georgia Dome - 8:00pm ET.
As a Georgia fan, this game brings some nervous excitement. I'm excited because I hope this is the beginning of a turnaround season for Mark Richt and the Bulldogs. I'm nervous because I'm worried Georgia might continue to struggle and be the first team from the SEC to lose to Boise State. It's a definite possibility. Boise State jumped all over Virginia Tech to start their opening game last season and the Hokies were unable to recover. I'm hoping Georgia will be the more physical team from the opening kick and be able to impose their will against the Broncos. I also hope Georgia's defense will be able to constantly put pressure on Kellen Moore. And please, NO STUPID PENALTIES!

#14 TCU vs. Baylor - Waco, TX - Friday, 8:00pm ET.

Can TCU stop Robert Griffin III?

If this game is anything like last season, it won't be exciting at all - TCU won 45-10. This year, they are playing at Baylor and the Horned Frogs no longer have Andy Dalton leading the team at quarterback. Instead, Baylor will be the team with the best quarterback and might have a dark horse Heisman candidate in Robert Griffin III. You know Gary Patterson will do a great job with the TCU defense so it'll be a fun match up to see how they handle Griffin and the duel-threat ability he provides. One amazing stat about TCU - they haven't lost a regular season game since 2008! Unbelievable.

Bad Form

2011-09-01T11:51:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week, my dad and I decided to have lunch at Formosa. Normally, we head to Wasabi's for sushi, but wanted to change it up and give Formosa a shot. Formosa is located downtown on Campbell Avenue, between Alejandro's and Mill Mountain Coffee.

When we arrived around noon, the place was nearly empty. Business started to pick up about 30 minutes later but it was still nowhere near as busy as Wasabi's or some of the other popular downtown lunch locations. They offer outdoor seating as well as a dining room and sushi bar. The interior is very modern and clean looking - and I think they might become more of a lounge and club later at night.

The service was very good, which shouldn't be too difficult when there are so few people in the restaurant. Our waitress brought us hot towels as we looked over our menus and was friendly and prompt with everything during the meal. After the meal, she brought us hot towels and chocolate mints - a nice little touch.

All the extracurricular aspects of Formosa make it a nice place - but I wasn't impressed with the food or the prices. They have a nice selection of lunch dishes with different choices for sushi or cooked dishes like rice or noodles. I decided to have the Sushi Special with miso soup. The sushi special is a six-piece California roll and 4 pieces of nigiri that are selected by the chef - my four pieces were tuna, albacore tuna, flounder, and salmon. The soup that came out before the entree was good - served hot with plenty of flavor and not too salty, which can be a problem with miso soup. However, the sushi was a disappointment. The California roll lacked flavor because the crab meat in the roll tasted very pedestrian. The pieces of nigiri were very small and the rice began to crumble apart as soon as I would pick up a piece. Overall, the entire plate of food was small. The flavors were okay, but I found myself thinking, "that's it?" after I finished. Actually, the best part of the meal was the drink my dad ordered. If you haven't heard of bubble tea, you really should give it a try!

I'd compare the entire sushi experience to something similar you could get from the sushi counter at Kroger or Publix. And for $10.50 for the Sushi Special, I didn't think there was anything very special about it. I'm glad I gave Formosa a try because I'd been curious about how it compared to Wasabi's. Now, I know. Now, I appreciate Wasabi's even more.

The Raging Bull

2011-08-31T21:49:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, Nicole and I made our way over to Lynchburg to have a date night dinner at Bull Branch. Nicole ordered a Groupon for Bull Branch a few weeks back and we needed to get over there before it expired. After clearing the schedule and getting the reservation, last Friday night was our chance.

Prior to Nicole getting the Groupon, I'd never heard of Bull Branch and couldn't find much information about it online, since they don't have a website. The extent of my eating in Lynchburg has been in the strip around Liberty University (Moe's, Five Guys, Cracker Barrel, etc.) and I'd never really spent any time downtown. The restaurant was located downtown and it's one of the only things the center of Lynchburg had to offer. There wasn't much happening or many people out, which is unfortunate for a downtown, especially on a Friday night. Though I don't mind having an easy time finding a parking spot.

When we arrived at the restaurant, it was full of people. However, that is relative. This place is a tiny dining room with around 10-15 tables tightly positioned in different spots across the room. Not much space at all. There is also a small bar as you enter the door. If I could use one word to describe the atmosphere/layout/ambiance of Bull Branch it would be...weird. The layout is weird. The lighting and art is weird. The concept is weird. Even the front door is weird. It feels like they are trying to create an urban, modern, artsy, hip atmosphere, but most of it came across as forced and tacky to me. And since I'm quickly becoming an 80 year old grouch, I didn't like that it was too dark to read the menu and too loud to be able to have a conversation with Nicole. I'm awaiting my AARP card.

The service was also a bit weird. Although we had reservations for 8:00 and arrived on time, we were told our table would not be ready for another 15-20 minutes and that we should just wait at the bar. No offers for drinks or appetizers and no real interest from the bartender. I was confused as to why we made a reservation? After we were seated, our waiter did a relatively good job. Aside from the awkward greeting of, "Do you guys want some booze?" He was friendly, knowledgeable and provided good service.

The food is what won me over to Bull Branch. We weren't too interested in any of the entree selections, so we decided to share a variety of appetizers. We ordered the wagyu kobe beef burger with fries, seared sea scallops, goat cheese & tomato salad, and the baked goat cheese with tomatoes (we went a little overboard with the goat cheese & tomatoes). 3 of the 4 appetizers were delicious. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium well and was juicy and flavorful. The melted cheddar on top of the burger was excellent as well. The scallops (although small) had a nice, peppery crust and were very tender. And the baked goat cheese with tomatoes spread wonderfully on the small crostinis, similar to a bruschetta. I wasn't a huge fan of the goat cheese and tomato salad because I thought the cheese was overpowering and really took over the pallet.

In terms of value, I have mixed thoughts. For us, the value ended up being good because we were able to use a Groupon. We paid $20 for a $40 coupon, and then paid for tax and tip. Without the coupon, I don't know if I would return. The food was good, but I don't know if it would justify paying $12 for appetizers or $12 for a burger. Again, it feels like Bull Branch is trying to be a hip restaurant in a big city and price themselves accordingly, which just doesn't seem to fit in this region. Overall - not great, but not bad. And definitely weird.

I Want Seconds!

2011-08-29T23:01:00.000-04:00

The Roanoke Rescue Mission is one of the most successful and respected organizations in the Roanoke Valley. They are the first name that comes to mind when people talk about charitable groups that support the community and provide for the needy. From a ministry standpoint, they serve as the blueprint for how to effectively use funds to make the greatest impact on people. Another great example of their stewardship and business sense is the decision to open a restaurant - 2nd Helpings Cafe.

2nd Helpings Cafe is only part of what the Rescue Mission offers at their property on Williamson Road. Along with the cafe, they also feature an art gallery and shop. The art gallery has some beautiful drawings, paintings, and photographs, with many of them focusing on the Roanoke Valley. The shop offers a variety of items, but I'd compare it to a nice Goodwill store. I especially liked the art gallery and would encourage anyone to check it out when stopping by the Cafe.

I was surprised at the size of the cafe. They offer patio seating out front, and also have a substantial dining area with booths and regular tables. The interior is full of light from the windows and other various lights, which gives the restaurant a warm, friendly vibe. You place your order at the counter and are then given a buzzer that goes off when your food is ready, similar to Panera.

2nd Helpings serves breakfast and lunch. I haven't been for breakfast but they appear to offer standard fare: bagels, eggs, bacon, sausage, muffins, toast, etc. However, they do have a large variety of bagels, which are also used for their lunch sandwiches. They have a number of different sandwiches and serve Boar's Head meats and cheeses. I had the Fourth Street Chicken (grilled chicken, bacon, swiss, romaine, & mango chutney) on an everything bagel and really liked it. The portion was VERY generous and the mango chutney really added a nice sweetness to the meat and cheese. The sandwich also came with a side of bagel chips. Nicole had a salad that she really loved and I've also heard very good things about the soups.

To make the meal even better, it's hard to beat the value. For a huge sandwich with a side of bagel chips, it cost $6. All the sandwiches are $6, salads $7, soups $3, and a variety of other things. And 100% of the restaurant's profits go toward the goal of the Rescue Mission: to provide shelter, food, and clothing for the homeless. A great place to eat for a great cause. 2nd Helpings is truly unique and shows why the Roanoke Rescue Mission continues to deserve the support of our community.

Mangia! Mangia!

2011-08-28T15:16:00.000-04:00

It's been a week since my last post because of some internet issues and other things taking up my time. The local restaurants to review are adding up, but I wanted to get in another review from the Annapolis area.

For our last night in Annapolis, I was really craving some pizza. We had seen the typical pizza chains like Domino's and Papa John's, but I wanted to try something different if we could find it. As we were driving around and scoping out our possibilities, we stumbled upon Bertucci's, which was tucked away in a strip-mall parking lot. My dad said he'd been to a Bertucci's in Atlanta and was confident we could get some good pizza here, so we decided to give it a shot. As I've done with quite a few restaurants I've reviewed, I'll give Dad props on this choice.

The dining area was huge. One side of the restaurant seemed to be a bar, while the other side was a large dining area where most tables had views of the open kitchen and brick ovens. It's a step up from the local pizza/sports bar/pub, and had more of a P.F. Chang's/Macaroni Grill/Brio feel. Nice, but casual. Although the dining area was large, it was proportionate and most of the tables were being used. Also, the restaurant had an adequate staff to cover all the tables and provide quality service. Our waiter was prompt, friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful with our orders.

The Ultimate Bertucci

I was hoping for some great food, especially pizza, and Bertucci's fit the bill. We ordered a couple different pizzas - a large Ultimate Bertucci and a small Stella. The Ultimate Bertucci is for meat lovers with the pie being divided into four corners, each of which is covered with a different meat topping - chicken, sausage, ham, and meatballs. It was delicious. The toppings were great (especially the meatballs & sausage) and the crust had excellent crispiness from being cooked in the brick oven. The Stella was our vegetarian pie, with toppings of mushrooms, eggplants, peppers, & basil. It was also good, but wasn't nearly as popular as the Ultimate Bertucci. The large was huge and could comfortably feed three people, if not four. If you're not in the mood for pizza, Bertucci's offers a number of other Italian dishes - pasta, salads, sandwiches, calzones, etc.

Along with the pizzas, Bertucci's also serves fresh rolls to your table before the meal. The rolls were hot and had a great crust and were served with a dish of olive oil and italian seasonings for dipping. If I hadn't had such a craving for pizza, I would have feasted on the rolls. Truth be told, I feasted on the rolls as well as the pizza. Shameless.

While the price was more than what you'd pay at Little Caesar's or the other major chains, it's not a bad deal. Most large pizzas are around $18, which isn't bad if it's feeding 3-4 people. And don't forget about the pre-meal rolls! The salads and other entrees appeared to range anywhere from $7-$16. I'd say the value is similar to Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, and other similar Italian restaurants. Overall, I came away very impressed and know where I can get my pizza fix in Annapolis.

Yes We Can!

2011-08-21T16:48:00.000-04:00

The past couple times we've been to Annapolis, we have been looking for a great place to get seafood, especially crabs. Our first trip, we ate at a place called Harris Crab House and had a good experience, but it was a bit far away from Annapolis. This last trip, we found what we were looking for - Cantler's Riverside Inn.

Cantler's is located just a few minutes outside downtown Annapolis you have to take a few winding roads that lead you back to this hidden gem of a restaurant that is located right on the water. It's not a big place and it's well known among the locals and typically crowded, so expect to wait for a table. We went for lunch on an early Sunday afternoon and had to wait for about 20 minutes, which I'd assume is fairly common.

There are both indoor and outdoor dining areas and we were fortunate enough to be able to eat outside. Most of the tables are connected together (a la long picnic tables) and you sit on long benches, which means everyone kind of crowds together and enjoys the entire experience as a collective group. People are pounding away and cracking crabs all around you and the smell of fresh seafood fills the air as you look out over the water. Nothing fancy about it - Cantler's is truly authentic.

The menu features a variety of seafood options as well as other things for people who are in the mood for something else. Our group didn't rate high on the variety scale with four of us ordering the lump crab cake sandwich. Branching away from the crab cake party, Nicole ordered the crab legs and my mom ordered the steamed shrimp. We also ordered a basket of steamed shrimp for the table as an appetizer. Everything we ordered was OUTSTANDING! The steamed shrimp were enormous and had great flavor and I don't think I've ever tasted a better crab cake. Not only was it huge, it had awesome flavor with large chunks of fresh crab (delivered straight off the boat to the restaurant's dock) and basically no filler at all. The side of hush puppies that I had with it were very good as well. I'd want to go back and try the all-you-can-eat steamed Blue Crabs, but it'd be tough to pass up another opportunity to get another crab cake sandwich. Honestly, it'd be tough to ever pass up a sandwich that good.

My only complaint about Cantler's would be the service. Nearly everyone we encountered that worked there would fall under the category of rude. The parking attendant, hostess, and our waitress all had trouble being friendly or exhibiting any sort of hospitality. We also had a tough time getting our drinks refilled in a timely manner. That being said, we were so happy with the food that it didn't matter too much.

Cantler's is exactly the type of restaurant we were hoping to find. A local restaurant with a great atmosphere that reflected the culture of Maryland and the coastal/Eastern Shore area. A meal here helps make spending time in Annapolis truly memorable.

All Present & Accounted For

2011-08-19T16:45:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, we spent the past weekend in Annapolis and had a great time. Nicole and I went up with my mom and dad, and Brent's friend, Makenzie, came along with us. We left Roanoke on Thursday afternoon and stayed up there until Monday morning. It was good to be able to spend a legitimate of time there instead of constantly being on the road.

Brent & Mac - Don't Ask

We were able to spend most of the weekend with Brent, which was his first break from the grueling process of Plebe Summer. He was released on Friday at lunchtime and was able to hang out with us for most of Friday, Saturday, & Sunday. It was obvious that he was ready to have a break and get away from the academy for a bit, but I could tell that he seems to have adjusted and enjoys as much of it as he can.

Maryland Blue Crabs

After his release on Friday, he took us up to his room and we met his other two roommates. It was crazy to see how clean they are expected to keep their living quarters and all the small details they have to be aware of (like requirements for the blinds on the window). His roommates seem to be good guys and Brent likes them because of their willingness to work hard. It was also awkward to meet his detailers and company leaders - the people who have been yelling at him all summer. I know they were trying to be friendly but I didn't know how to talk to them other than to say, "Sir, yes, sir."

Once we got away from the academy, we went to Brent's sponsor's house for lunch. A sponsor is someone who "adopts" a few midshipmen during their time at the Naval Academy and acts as a sort of host family for them. Brent is fortunate to have an AMAZINGLY sweet lady as his sponsor and he's going to be in great hands during his four years with her. She hosted us for lunch and had an awesome spread on the dining table, including her famous crab dip. After eating half the dip by myself, I'm trying to figure out how she can be my sponsor.

The rest of the weekend was pretty relaxed. We tried some local restaurants that were very good (food posts are coming) and walked around downtown Annapolis a good bit. We didn't want to plan too much because we wanted Brent to enjoy his free time and it was good to take things easy. It was also fun to sit around and listen to all his crazy stories from the summer. Other than that, it was a lot of short little trips around Annapolis and walking around.

Makenzie holding Herschel

One last thing...Nicole and I have a new pet. We talked for the past few months about getting a hedgehog and finally picked one up on our way home from Annapolis. He's a tiny little fellow (fits in the palm of my hand) and now calls the Aldridge house home. There were a lot of different ideas for names but after watching how much he liked to scurry around and his interest in digging, I decided 'Herschel' was quite appropriate. Nicole has decided not to commit to a particular name and will call him whatever she feels like at the moment. Whatever his name is...he's ours!

Parents Weekend

2011-08-18T17:47:00.000-04:00

Dahlgren Hall

I have been out of commission with the blog over the past week because it was a very busy weekend. We went to Annapolis for the weekend to visit my brother for Plebe Parents Weekend at the Naval Academy and had a great time. Lots of laughs. Lots of stories about his summer as a plebe. Lots of excellent food. And lots of pictures. I'll post more of our pictures (that we were able to take with a NEW CAMERA!) soon and, as usual, provide some reviews of the great food we had.

Fire In The House

2011-08-10T21:22:00.000-04:00

I debated over writing about this place because they are a major chain, but that doesn't make it any less of a restaurant. I enjoy finding good local spots to eat, but I also don't have a problem dining at chains if it's an enjoyable place to eat good food.

Since coming to Roanoke, Firehouse Subs has been a model of consistency. They have earned the reputation of being a good restaurant to get a sandwich that tastes good, is served quickly, made by a friendly staff, at a reasonable price. Even with competition from sandwich places like McAlister's Deli & Subway in the same shopping center (Towers), Firehouse maintains a steady flow of customers.

There's nothing unbelievable about Firehouse. It's in a quasi-strip mall. They serve sandwiches. They yell, "Welcome to Firehouse!" when you come through the door. In a way, it's all very predictable. Fortunately, it's predictably good.

Although Firehouse serves salads, soups, & chili, the menu is primarily about sandwiches For the sandwiches, there are three different categories: hot specialty subs, hot subs, & cold subs. I've had things from each category and been pleased with each one. They offer medium and large sizes for their sandwiches and serve them on white or wheat bread.

My recommendations for each category:

Hot Specialty: Hook & Ladder (smoked turkey, honey ham, & Monterey Jack)

Hot: Smoked Turkey with Provolone

Cold: Chicken Salad

*Ordering a sandwich "Fully Involved" means including mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, & onion.

You have the option of ordering just a sandwich, or you can make it a combo with chips and a drink. They have a stand full of bags of chips you chose from and the drinks are available at a fountain where you help yourself. A sandwich usually costs ~$5 and a combo would make your meal ~$7-$8. Because you order at the counter and don't have to leave a tip, the meal can be relatively cheap and provide the opportunity to get something quick.

While I doubt Firehouse will be collecting Roanoke's fine dining awards, they will continue to thrive. As a restaurant, they know what they do and they do it well. And good for them for recognizing it.

Best & Worst

2011-08-08T16:25:00.000-04:00

Before I get to the meaningless sports banter, it was a rough weekend for America. Losing our credit rating is a blow to our economy and national prestige, as noted by today's nose dive in the stock market. Even worse than the news about our credit rating, it was awful to hear about the loss of our soldiers in Afghanistan. Their sacrifice makes it possible for people like me to comfortably sit here and work on a useless blog. A big thank you to all who serve in our armed forces and protect our freedom.

Best: Adam Scott winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio over the weekend. With all the talk about Tiger Woods returning and Scott playing with Steve Williams, Tiger's ex-caddie, the Aussie went out and dominated the field. Scott was the model of consistency in this tournament, firing rounds of 62, 70, 66, & 65 to finish with a four stroke lead at 17 under par. If you listen to the media and read the stories about this win, you'd think it was Steve Williams who won the tournament and Scott was a lucky bystander. No one is really talking about the fact that Scott has been one of the most consistent players on tour this year. This was his fifth finish in the top ten of a tournament since March and it appears that Scott has regained his form after a difficult couple years.

They can't bear to watch.

Worst: Pittsburgh Pirates. A couple weeks ago, the Pirates were leading the NL Central and looking to make some big moves at the trade deadline. Instead of their yearly tradition of trading away their best players for more prospects, the Buco's made a couple moves to get some veterans who could contribute towards a playoff run. Now, they've lost ten in a row after being swept by the abysmal Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres. I think most people were hoping the Pirates could stay in the race through the end of the season, but most thought they would run out of gas. It looks like the fuel gauge is on empty. And things won't get any easier with their next three series being against the Giants, Brewers, & Cardinals. Time to walk the plank boys.

The Best Resort in Athens

2011-08-05T11:44:00.000-04:00

Athens is full of great places to eat. There are the traditional southern style restaurants that offer the typical meat and three with a side of southern hospitality. There are the quirky taquerias and mexican restaurants scattered all over town. There are the earthy and artsy vegetarian restaurants full of personality and unique dishes. And there are the cheap dives for struggling college students that need something good to eat while being able to pay with pocket change. Considering all the different kinds of restaurants, a place has to really be special to be considered the most popular restaurant in town. Welcome to Last Resort Grill.

Last Resort is located in downtown Athens at the corner of Clayton St. and Wray St., and the spot has become a landmark for area foodies. It's almost impossible to dine at Last Resort without having to wait for a table. I've been on a Saturday night and waited over an hour, and recently went on a Monday night and had to wait 20 minutes. There is even a small wait if you go during lunch. Unless you're there when they open, waiting is inevitable. Whenever the restaurant is open, people flock to get in.

This place is perfect for Athens. The atmosphere is vibrant and lively, but also rustic and elegant. The ambient noise can be a bit loud and the place gets warm because of an open kitchen, but the environment can still feel intimate. The tables are filled with all different types of people - college students bringing their parents for dinner, families with young kids, and older couples back in town to visit their old college town. It's the sort of place that can accommodate a large group having a celebration while also hosting a couple looking for a romantic evening.

Salmon & Grits

I'm three paragraphs into this review and haven't even mentioned THE FOOD! The food at Last Resort is outstanding. The menu is refreshingly creative without delving into the realm of bizarre and showy. The ingredients are simple, but they offer a twist that reflects a unique dining experience. Last Resort uses many local vendors and farmers to supply their ingredients, enabling them to highlight the best local food Athens has to offer. Personally, I would recommend the Adobo Salmon, Praline, or Rockville pasta. That being said, I doubt you could go wrong with anything on the menu. And don't forget to leave room for dessert. Last Resort serves cakes from the legendary Cecilia Villaveces (I actually think they're overrated except for the German Chocolate) and cheesecakes from Blackbird Bakery.

For most restaurants like this, it's tough to have a meal without paying $25-$30 per person. Last Resort goes against the grain and serves great food at a reasonable price. Most dishes range from $12-$17 and are served with bread and a side salad (the homemade dressings are amazing). Not to mention, Last Resort might be the best lunch value in town with many of the dishes being in the $5-$8 price range.

I could go on and on about Last Resort. It constantly receives great reviews from food critics and has been talked about as one the best restaurants in the south. I don't doubt it. Ironically, Last Resort doesn't need any good publicity or promotion. The quality speaks for itself.

All Signs Point to BBQ

2011-08-04T16:40:00.000-04:00

Big ups to my dad for introducing me to Gary's Barbecue during our recent drive from Roanoke, VA to Athens, GA. Gary's is a western North Carolina barbecue institution that is located just off Interstate 85 about 30 miles north of Charlotte.

When my dad mentioned stopping at a random barbecue place for lunch during our trip, I was skeptical. He said it had been around forever and was the sort of place that wouldn't have a website, and I was worried it would be a greasy spoon, making it painful to sit in the car for the next three hours. My impression didn't improve much when we pulled into the parking lot. There were plenty of cars, but the exterior had a "blue collar/working class" vibe and I figured this was going to be a "Man vs. Food" style restaurant.

This was just one wall.

My impression changed when we walked in. I don't think the staff at Gary's would disagree that they serve barbecue and cookout style food for any type of clientele, but the atmosphere is awesome. Although we went during the busy lunch hour, you seat yourself and we were able to find a table in their huge dining area. They have three or four different rooms with dining tables, and all of the rooms are decorated with classic signs from different eras of the 1900s. It took me a while to look at the menu because I was too busy checking out all the awesome signage on the walls. It's like Cracker Barrel on steroids. To go along with the signs that provide a vintage look, they also have a room with old 1940's & 50's convertibles on display.

The food at Gary's is simple. It's good, old-fashioned barbecue served on paper plates with plastic utensils. While it may be lacking in presentation, there is nothing lacking in flavor. I ordered a barbecue sandwich with a side of coleslaw, and we shared an order of hushpuppies. The barbecue on the sandwich is served without sauce because they have different bottles of sauce available on the table. I topped mine with the "Sweet & Smoky" sauce and thought it tasted great. And I thought the coleslaw was excellent! It was chopped very fine and tasted very sweet, just the way I like it. I put a generous amount of coleslaw on my sandwich and also used it to dip my hushpuppies in. The hushpuppies didn't have much flavor but tasted better when mixed in with the slaw. I tried my dad's order of brunswick stew and was very impressed with that as well.

The service at Gary's was very friendly and efficient. Our waitress was the classic, sweet southern woman who called us all "sweetie" and "honey." After placing our order, it probably took her no longer than 3 or 4 minutes before she returned with our food. Tasty food that is reasonably priced and served by friendly staff is a great combination in a restaurant. Throw in the great atmosphere and you can understand why Gary's has become a landmark. So, if you're looking for an authentic North Carolina barbecue experience while traveling along I-85, stop in and give Gary's a try.

Wren can't Win

2011-07-31T23:14:00.000-04:00

I feel bad for Frank Wren, General Manager of the Atlanta Braves. Over the past week, he received all kinds of criticism from many Braves fans and columnists for his unwillingness to make a big move before the trade deadline. The two teams that appear to be Atlanta's strongest competition in the National League, the Phillies and Giants, made trades to get arguably the two most coveted available players on the trade market. Meanwhile, the Braves showed interest in both players, Carlos Beltran and Hunter Pence, but Frank Wren decided neither player was worth the asking price.

When Beltran was sent to San Francisco, some Braves fans were disappointed, but many understood the reasoning. Beltran could be an impact player down the stretch for the Giants, or he could be an expensive rental player for the last couple months of the season that continues to have bad knees. Many people believe Beltran is a gamble, and most logical minds believe he wouldn't have been worth the top prospects Atlanta would have sent to the division-rival Mets.

Frank Wren had a Bourn Supremacy

If there was grumbling when the Braves missed out on Beltran, there was uproar when Hunter Pence went to the Phillies. Pence appears to be a clutch player who works his tail off and does everything he can to help his team win. He gives the Phillies a right-handed hitter in their lineup and plays the corner outfield position, which makes Philadelphia that much more dangerous. Problem is - Philadelphia had to give up A LOT to get him. Trading two of the best prospects in baseball is a big deal, and it's something the Braves couldn't afford to do. Unlike Atlanta, Philadelphia sells out every home game, giving them a huge payroll and the ability to fill needs on their roster through free agency. So...instead of giving up the farm, Frank Wren stuck to his budget.

Then, Frank Wren made it happen. Sunday morning, the Braves made a deal with the Houston Astros to acquire former gold-glove center fielder Michael Bourn. Bourn can fill an immediate need in center field and take over the lead-off spot in a lineup that sorely needs someone at the top of the order. Not to mention, Bourn is one of the premiere base stealers in the game. On paper, this seems like a great move for the team and Frank Wren played his cards right. Even better, he didn't have to give up ANY of the team's top prospects to acquire Bourn. Well done!

"Bye! Sorry we didn't win anything!"

Yet, Wren is still receiving heat for his activity (or lack thereof) before the trade deadline. Some people are saying Wren is too attached to his prospects. Some believe allowing Pence and Beltran to get away to the two best teams in the National League will make it too difficult for the Braves to beat them in the playoffs. Some believe Bourn won't be enough for postseason success and Wren should have picked up more pieces. And those people might be right. Bourn might be the latest version of Mark Teixeira - Atlanta picks up the big name without getting much better while sending away surprising players who end up being major players for a championship contender. Who knows!?

The road to the World Series will be a very difficult one for the Braves. The Phillies look incredibly strong and the Giants pitching is ridiculous. But, if the Braves can't win the National League, I don't think it needs to be Frank Wren's fault. He didn't stay put at the trade deadline, nor did he panic. He made a calculated move that should help the team win this year without hurting the future of the franchise. He did exactly what he was hired to do - manage the organization. Now, let's hope it pays off on the field.

Fro-Go!

2011-07-30T12:10:00.000-04:00

The pay-by-the-ounce frozen yogurt concept seems to be exploding across the country. I think Atlanta now has more FroYo stores than streets named Peachtree, and I've seen many other places popping up throughout the southeast. And apparently, the frozen yogurt wave has made its way to Roanoke.

Outdoor Seating

Frogurt is located beside Nawab on Campbell Avenue, and is managed/owned by the same people that run Nawab. It opened a few months ago in downtown Roanoke and didn't receive much attention with their opening. Although there didn't seem to be anything particularly grand about the opening, they are now receiving plenty of attention. They have a steady flow of customers during the day and the place is usually packed at night. They really don't have any competition in the downtown area and people flock to get frozen yogurt on these hot summer evenings.

The concept or Frogurt is simple and genius - pick what you want, build it yourself, and pay for as much as you want. If you want a giant tub of five different flavors of yogurt loaded with every sort of topping possible, help yourself. If you want to just a little bit of yogurt to cool off as you walk around, no problem. Because the price is based on weight, Frogurt gives you the chance to customize your order exactly the way you want it.

"Uhhh...What do I do?"

To be honest, a trip to Frogurt can be a bit overwhelming. They have at least eight different flavors of yogurt at all times, and these flavors are changed on a daily basis (or whenever they run out). Combine the different flavors of yogurt with the insane amount of toppings (fruit, nuts, candy, cereal, etc), and you can stand there for ten minutes wondering about what to get. Fortunately, they offer you free sample cups to try different flavors to see which one you're in the mood for.

We have been multiple times and tried many of the flavors, and I like most of them. It all depends on your tastes, but I'd recommend the Snickerdoodle, New Orleans Praline, Strawberry, & Birthday Cake flavors. For my favorite, the Vanilla Silk. I've only had it once because they always seem to have different types of vanilla, but this one was amazing. Incredibly smooth and creamy without being too sweet. A cup of the vanilla silk topped with some fresh fruit = perfect.

I think the value of Frogurt is great. You get what you pay for. If you think it's too expensive, then you probably got too much. Be smart about the toppings you want and considering how much they weigh. My total is usually around $3, and I think it's plenty of yogurt for that price. I just laugh at the amateurs when I see them shocked at their heaping bowl that cost them $9.

Frogurt appears to have the downtown area covered for Roanoke and I've heard rumors about other frozen yogurt shops opening in different parts of the city, which is exciting. I was worried when they first opened and weren't busy at all, but the word is out about this downtown yogurt shop. A big thanks to Frogurt for blazing the trail and for bringing the frozen yogurt trend to the valley.

Add the Wasabi

2011-07-29T13:48:00.000-04:00

I love good sushi and sashimi. I'm not talking about the ridiculous sorts of maki rolls you can find all over the place. I'm talking about varieties of fresh, raw fish. To me, finding a good sushi restaurant is an opportunity to try an exotic type of food that is presented in a way that highlights the natural flavor. In my opinion, Wasabi's meets the bill of a great sushi restaurant (despite their bad website).

Wasabi's is located on Market Street in downtown Roanoke, right beside the city's Historic Farmers Market. The Farmers Market serves fresh fruits and vegetables on one side of the street while Wasabi's serves fresh fish on the other side. And although I don't consider Roanoke to be a city that is crazy about sushi, it is tough to get a table at this popular Japanese spot during the weekday lunch hour.

I wasn't the first one in my family to discover Wasabi's. As is the case with most sushi restaurants, my dad beat me to the punch. He has been eating sushi and sashimi on a weekly basis for the past 15 years and has tried restaurants all over the country. He ranks Wasabi's near the top. He has reached that level where he is able to walk in to the restaurant and they know his name and what he'll be ordering without even asking him. In my limited experiences, I'd agree with him.

The key to great sushi is the freshness of the fish. Not only can old fish make you very ill, it just doesn't taste very good. For something that typically isn't cheap, no one wants to have a meal that doesn't taste good and has a chance of making them sick. Fortunately, I've never had a problem with anything being less than fresh from Wasabi's.

Wasabi Special

I normally go for lunch (usually joining my dad and his group of friends) and now order the same thing every time. The Wasabi Special features a Spicy Tuna Roll, Salmon Maki, California Roll, and four pieces of nigiri from the chef. Usually, the four pieces are some variety of eel, snapper, tuna, and salmon. The special also comes with your choice of a soup or salad, and I always opt for the salad. In terms of the fish that is served, I don't think I could pick a favorite. The rolls and selections of nigiri are both excellent, and the portions are generous without being overwhelming. The presentation is simple but elegant, and there aren't any bizarre sauces or other random ingredients smeared around the plate. As mentioned earlier, everything tastes very fresh and the chef allows the flavors of the fish to shine. And at around $9, I think it's the best value for sushi in the entire city.

In my work, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to talk to people about restaurants in the Roanoke area, especially downtown. I recommend all sorts of places all over the city and hope I direct people to an enjoyable dining experience. Whenever they ask me my favorite place to eat downtown, I tell them Wasabi's.

No Player Left Behind

2011-07-24T14:03:00.000-04:00

I haven't followed the NFL lockout that closely over the past few months. Not being a hardcore pro football fan and this being the offseason, I don't think it's a big deal. I'm more interested in what's been happening in Major League Baseball and the PGA Tour to care about what public park NFL players are holding fake practices in. Add in the fact that ESPN has a horrible habit of reporting non-stories and trying to generate attention for ridiculous issues - I find it all boring. Everyone talks about the general public choosing to side with the owners or players, and I think that's an ignorant view to take. Similar to politics, both sides can take major responsibility for the problems the league is facing and neither can point the finger solely at the other party. That said, my opinion has been swayed a bit due to some unexpected comments.

Due to alleged "progress" that has been made in negotiations over the past week, a number of current NFL players and team representatives have been interviewed on major media outlets and asked about the state of affairs with the league. These interviews have been some of the most entertaining things I've seen in a while. It's amazing how many NFL players have the ability to make up words when trying to sound like they know what they are talking about. They call more audibles on proper vocabulary than Peyton Manning calls against a Rex Ryan defense. When asked questions about negotiations and expectations the union has, we get to hear players use words like "fairestness" and "maximumest." Thank you for your profound thoughts Takeo Spikes & Ray Rice. Next, said players talk about not receiving any respect from the owners. Maybe the owners don't respect them because they don't understand what they are saying? I love that we have men arguing over billions of dollars while many of them are unable to use correct grammar and put a complete sentence together.

"I didn't understand anything he said!"

I'm not making the all too common argument that football players are dumb. I hear that all the time and I think it's ridiculous. These guys spend countless hours studying film, playbooks, and schemes and many of them are very complicated. As much as I think I understand reading a zone blitz or a blocking scheme because of what I've seen from playing Xbox, it's probably a little different in the NFL. Most of these players have a tremendous work ethic and push themselves to physically unhealthy levels for the sake of competition. Whether or not that is intelligent is an entirely different discussion. I think they simply live in a world where academics are secondary. Unlike most of us, academics haven't served a purpose for them in terms of income or success, and they have been able to use their athletic abilities, which is perfectly fine. Doesn't mean they don't sound like idiots in an interview.

As part of the new CBA, I think NFL owners should require players to take some sort of basic English/grammar class. We're not talking about anything too complex. No need to register them at the local community college during the offseason for a May-mester session. I'm thinking a couple weeks in a 1st or 2nd grade class will do the trick. Please learn how to use the correct tense of a verb. Please learn how to use a proper pronoun. Please play each other in Words with Friends.

It's what the NFL needs. No Player Left Behind!

Best Thing I Ever Ate: Fogo de Chao

2011-07-18T11:14:00.000-04:00

It's time for another installment of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." I don't think I have a category for this one, although "Overall Restaurant" might be a good one. Fogo de Chao is the gold standard of a dining experience for me. The atmosphere, service, variety, flavors, etc. are all excellent and it is truly unique. It's the type of restaurant where you can be dressed up for a fancy occasion and it's perfectly appropriate, or you can be in a polo shirt and khaki shorts and no one will look at you weird. Unlike some fancy/high class restaurants that care more about making everything pretty on a plate or using bizarre ingredients, Fogo focuses on the food and providing the best flavors possible. The Brazilian churrascaria has a limited number of locations around the country and in Brazil, and you are in for a treat if you ever get to visit one.

The concept behind the churrascaria, which means "barbeque" in Portuguese, is that trained gauchos prepare a variety of meats over an open fire and serve the meats fresh off the fire. Fogo has this down to an art. You sit at a table with a card - one side is green and the other is red. When you turn your card so it's facing green, gauchos come to your table with different meats and offer you cuts of whatever they have. When you have everything you want, simply flip your card to red and enjoy what's on your plate. Ready for more? Flip it back to green to start the entire process over. This continues for as long as you like. The amazing part of this is...the chefs aren't bringing little pieces of grilled chicken, flank steak, and grissly pork chops to your table. It's gourmet in every way. You have the oh-so-difficult responsibility of enjoying garlic seasoned prime sirloin, bacon wrapped filets, prime ribeye, beef ribs, leg of lamb, bacon wrapped chicken, and more. It's a carnivore's delight! Wait, did I mention this is the second part of the meal?

For people who have always thought Fogo de Chao is all about the meat...you're right. But it's also all about amazing vegetables. Prior to your feast of grilled meats, there is a salad bar that I'm pretty sure features vegetables from the Garden of Eden. The salad bar has over 30 items including: fresh mozzarella, artichoke bottoms, roasted peppers, sun dried tomatoes, aged parmesan, jumbo asparagus, smoked salmon, and prosciutto. I'm partial to fresh vegetables, but I don't know if I have ever enjoyed a salad bar as much as this one. I'm the one at the salad bar piling so many things on my plate that it becomes a balancing act to see if I can carry it all back to the table. I don't know why I do this since you can return for as many trips as you like, but I never learn. I could talk about the fresh crunch of the peppers, the juiciness of the sliced tomatoes, or the rich flavor of the fresh mozzarella but you really have to experience it for yourself. Last time Nicole and I went to Fogo de Chao for dinner, we skipped the meat portion of the meal and only had the salad bar and ate non-stop for 2 hours. I think the wait staff was in awe.

If the salad bar and meat courses aren't enough, you also receive side dishes that are served to your table. Polenta, garlic mashed potatoes, caramelized bananas, & cheese rolls (pao de queijo) are all served as you enjoy your meal. I think the polenta, mashed potatoes, & bananas are all pretty pedestrian and not worth the space in your stomach, but the cheese rolls...OH MY WORD! These warm little pillows of goodness are magical. They appear to be a pop-over (we found a recipe and will be attempting to make them) that have a perfect texture on the outside and an airy, soft inside. When these are hot, they are unbeatable. Seriously...speechless.

The entire experience at Fogo de Chao can be overwhelming. There are so many different foods to enjoy and only so much room in your stomach. It's not cheap (Dinner: $50 for meat/salad bar, $25 for salad bar), but I think it's completely worth it. You have to pace yourself and remember the most important thing is to enjoy your meal and not leave feeling completely miserable. And if you think about it, $50 for as many gourmet meats and vegetables you want isn't THAT bad. It's not something I'd pay on a regular basis, but it's great for a special occasion or want to do something different. So for the best thing I ever ate, Fogo de Chao takes a number of different spots: Best Salad Bar, Best Bread (or whatever the cheese rolls should be considered), Best Meat, Best Restaurant. Simply put...it's just the best.

iDay

2011-07-07T23:30:00.000-04:00

I've thought a great deal about what to say of my time in Annapolis last week, and it's very difficult to put into words. Last Thursday, my brother was inducted into the United States Naval Academy, and he's now a week into the horrible experience known as Plebe Summer. It was tough to see him go, but I don't think any of us could be more proud of him.

People that know Brent usually have some very strong words to describe him. Adjectives such as driven, motivated, competitive, committed, and leader usually come to mind and they don't really tell the entire story. I have never seen anyone work harder at reaching a goal and do whatever it takes to be the very best at everything he participates in. Going to the Naval Academy has been Brent's goal for the past 3 years and it's incredible to see everything he did to make sure he accomplished that goal.

At one point, his schedule included waking before 6:00am to drive to school to catch the bus to go to Governor's School, spending all day in the most difficult classes possible until 3pm, going to cross country practice until 5pm, driving all the way across town to soccer practice with his travel team until 8pm, and coming home to study and work on homework until 1 or 2am. He was also extremely involved with church youth activities and helped out in numerous ways with his Senior class. Actually, it's possible going to the Naval Academy might help Brent slow down a bit.

The funny part about all the stuff he did to get to Annapolis...it doesn't mean a thing now. As a plebe at the academy, he is treated like dirt. Within his first few hours of being there (when he checks in with nothing but the clothes he's wearing), he had his head shaved, received a hideous uniform, and was already being yelled at along with the other 1300 members of his freshmen class. Plebe summer is one of the challenges and processes of joining the academy that breaks you down and helps shape you into becoming a naval officer. It is physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding in every way. The program lasts until the second week of August, which is the first time we can come see him at the academy for "Parent's Weekend." At the Induction Ceremony, the plebes take an oath to do everything asked of them to protect our country, and that oath is taken with the utmost seriousness. Plebe summer is the first step in those individuals becoming the leaders of our Navy.

While it was unbelievable to see Brent take his spot in the formation line to march off following the induction ceremony, I know he is in the right place. He went to a place where excellence is required and where anything but your best is unacceptable. He went to a place where they take the best and make them even better. He earned a spot at the United States Naval Academy. He went where he belongs.

The Charm City

2011-07-04T15:45:00.000-04:00

We are not in a position to be able to travel a lot, but it's usually a lot of fun when we do. Nicole and I joined the rest of my family last week and took my brother to Annapolis, MD for his induction into the U.S. Naval Academy. We had a great time in Annapolis and I'll have another post about that entire experience, but Nicole and I decided to spend a couple extra days in Maryland and head up to Baltimore, the Charm City.

Baltimore was a quick 30 minute drive north of Annapolis and we spent most of the day Friday and Saturday there. We booked a room through HI Hostels and stayed in their hostel, which was downtown and not too far from the Inner Harbor area. The accommodations were decent (although hot) and provided the basics we needed: a bed to sleep in, a bathroom to shower, and a place to park our car. We didn't spend much time in the hostel but they seem to do a good job of providing resources and things to do for guests and I'd definitely consider using them again when we travel to other cities where H.I. offers accomodations.

When we weren't sleeping, we tried to do as much exploring as we could. We visited the campus of Johns Hopkins University and checked out some of the local highlights around that area, including an ice cream shop that served veggie ice cream and the Baltimore Museum of Art. The woman working in the ice cream shop was very rude and their ice cream was nothing special (a hint of vegetable in vanilla ice cream) but the art museum was really cool (and it happened to be free). I know very little about art and find most of it boring, but it's fun to see things from other perspectives and it's usually good people watching to say the least.

Baltimore seems to be divided into multiple neighborhoods/communities and many of them have their own unique culture and identity. We weren't able to spend much time in many of the communities, but we definitely wanted to visit the area known as Little Italy. It was one of the coolest city neighborhoods I've seen. As we walked down the streets, we were hit with the amazing smells of Italian food cooking in numerous restaurants that sit in nearly every street corner. There were benches where people could sit by the street and hang out for an afternoon and a public bocce ball court where elderly Italian men challenged each other in some very competitive games. We even saw people gathering in a parking lot for what appears to be a Friday night tradition in Little Italy - there is a large sheet on the side of a building that serves as a movie screen and hundreds of people set up their chairs to have a spot for movie night right in the middle of the neighborhood. The movie night also sits between a local pizza shop on one side and a pastry shop on the other - classic. Everything about the place promoted community and family.

Bocce Ball!

Movie Night!

Along with hanging out in Little Italy, we tried to hit the other major spots in Baltimore. We took a water taxi to Fells Point, the historic neighborhood that still has cobblestone streets. We went through the World Famous Lexington Market, a market full of food vendors, profanity, and Baltimore character. We walked around Camden Yards, the beautiful baseball stadium that is worthy of a much better team. And we took in the sites of the Inner Harbor, which is the most obvious tourist spot in the city but still cool. The Barnes & Noble on the harbor is the coolest B&N I've seen, featuring a warehouse design and patios where you can sit and look out over the water.

We can't go somewhere without trying lots of food, and Baltimore was no different. Aside from the ice cream we had at Dominion Ice Cream, we had some excellent food. We decided to be crazy on Friday night and have dinner at Fogo de Chao, the famous Brazilian churrascaria. We took the healthy(er) option of the salad bar and skipped the meat portion of the meal, which saved us a lot of money and allowed us to gorge ourselves on their amazing salad bar. I'm pretty sure Fogo will receive a few "Best Thing I Ever Ate" posts in the coming weeks. And when I previously mentioned the cool pizza and pastry shops in Little Italy, I forgot to mention we visited both. I had an awesome meatball sub from Isabella's, the pizza and sandwich shop, and we tried the cannoli (which I thought was the best), cream puffs, and napoleons from Vaccaro's, the pastry shop. We could spend years trying all the other restaurants that looked good and I hope to be able to get back to Baltimore to see what other great food they're serving.

One thing that made our two days in Baltimore so enjoyable was the ability to use public transportation. The city offers bus service to the main neighborhoods and attractions on a service called the Charm City Circulator. There are three routes running through the main parts of the city with multiple stops and you usually don't have to wait more than 10 minutes for a pick up from any of the locations. The stops are well marked, the buses are clean, and the drivers are friendly. And the best part...using the Charm City Circulator is FREE! It made getting around the city very easy and it enabled us to see more of the unique things Baltimore had to offer. Being able to ride the bus kept us from worrying about walking everywhere and figuring out if we'd need to take our car and then find a place to park. I was extremely impressed with this service and I hope many other cities will work to offer something similar to this.

In all, it was a great getaway for us. The weather ended up being nice and we were able to see many different things. We hope to get back sometime and see even more! Here are a few additional pictures:

2011 AL All-Stars

2011-07-03T14:52:00.000-04:00

There has been a lot going on over the past week and I've been traveling, which means there are a ton of new post ideas and topics to write about, but I wanted to get my AL All-Star picks out. The voting has closed and the rosters have been named, and it's obvious there were some big name choices more than informed decisions. It continues to affirm my belief that the majority of people who vote for things don't really know what they are doing. Here are my AL All-Star votes:

1B: Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox: He's been everything the Red Sox were hoping for and more when they signed him to a massive contract in the offseason. Gonzalez has flourished in a hitter friendly park and doesn't appear to have any problem with the spotlight in Boston. If he continues his current pace, he'll be a strong candidate for the MVP award and could propel the Red Sox back to the World Series.
2B: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees: Cano reminds me of a basketball player who quietly averages 20 points and 10 rebounds every year. He's not particularly flashy, but he's very consistent, durable, and a very good all around player. His numbers are down a bit, but it's still another strong season for who I believe is the best second baseman in the game.

Do-it-All Asdrubal

SS: Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians: Derek Jeter getting the starting spot here is like Yao Ming always being voted as the starting center for the West in the NBA. Cabrera does it all for the Indians - plays great defense, hits for average, hits for power, and steals bases. He's made some of the most impressive defensive plays of the season and he deserves to be the starting SS for the AL.
3B: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees: A-Rod seems to have become a victim of his own success. He's on pace for another 30 HR, 100 RBI, ~ .300 BA year and no one is really talking about him. He has become one of the most disliked players in the game, but it's tough to argue with his production. Rodriguez has stayed out of the spotlight this year, but there hasn't been any drop off in his game.
C: Alex Avila, Detroit Tigers: I remember watching Alex Avila when he was at the University of Alabama and they came to play against UGA in Athens. Avila destroyed the Bulldogs pitching staff and I think some of his home runs are still rolling down the streets of Athens. He has now become another weapon in the potent Tigers lineup and he's establishing himself as one of the best young catchers in the game.
OF: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays: With Albert Pujols being injured, I think Bautista might be the most feared hitter in baseball. Every time he steps up to the plate, there's a sense of him going deep, similar to what we used to think with Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, & a healthy Pujols. Bautista is proving last season wasn't a fluke, and he's improved his ability to hit to the opposite field and get on base more.
OF: Matt Joyce, Tampa Bay Rays: It's one of the fun things of the year to see which obscure player Joe Maddon turns into an All-Star. We've seen Ben Zobrist, Grant Balfour, and now Matt Joyce. Joyce has helped fill the huge void left by some of the big changes Tampa Bay made in the offseason and has helped keep the Rays within striking distance in the AL East.
OF: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles: This one was a tough call, but I voted for Jones because of his all-around ability. I think he's a very good player on a bad team, and he doesn't get the recognition he deserves because he plays in Baltimore. Jones makes some ridiculous catches in center field and he is very good with the bat.
DH: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox: He's like the baseball version of Shaq. Big guy, big personality, seems like a ton of fun off the field, and big numbers. His struggles of the past few seasons haven't slowed him down this year, and Big Papi is back to killing the ball. The main reason he gets my vote is because he also has a stolen base this year.

*Apparently, I think the AL East is quite talented. I don't have any loyalty to any of those teams - but it's obvious they are in an arms-race against each other.

Again, I couldn't vote for a starting pitcher, but I think Justin Verlander, of the Detroit Tigers, deserves the spot. He's been the best pitcher in baseball and people really think he has a chance of throwing a no-hitter every time he starts - unbelievable.

2011 NL All-Stars

2011-06-29T01:29:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted much about sports lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been following. Actually, in my last sports post, I predicted the Heat to win the NBA Finals but I said I liked Dallas if the series went 6 or 7 games. I think that's the best incorrect prediction I've ever given. I was glued to the TV last night for the first game of the College World Series Championship round between South Carolina and Florida and I was pulling hard for the Gamecocks (because I don't want UF to win anything) and hope they can close it out tonight and complete the repeat.

In addition to the championship match-ups that have been taking place, I've been following the first half of the MLB season. I'm rooting hard for the Braves to stay healthy enough to remain within striking distance of the Phillies, and I hope we see some competitive division races for the second half of the season. Since the deadline for filling out an All-Star Ballot is approaching and we now have a substantial chunk of the season to rate players, I decided to cast my votes over the weekend. Here are my picks for the National League:

Prince has played like royalty.

1B: Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers: If there was a mid-season MVP award, Prince would be a strong candidate to win it. He has proven why he will demand a huge contract in the offseason and has dominated opposing pitchers while leading the Brewers to first place in the central division.
2B: Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers: Weeks was on his way to having a breakout year last season, but had a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the year. He has returned this year, and has provided that rare combination of power and speed to the Milwaukee lineup. It also doesn't hurt that the 2B position in the National League has been rather weak this season, with Chase Utley being injured and Dan Uggla being historically bad.
SS: Jose Reyes, New York Mets: After struggling with injuries during the past couple seasons, Jose Reyes is healthy and back in form. He has weathered criticism from his owner and dealt with trade talk all season long and has kept the Mets competitive with a .500 record. Reyes is doing what he does best - getting on base and creating havoc with his speed.
3B: Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves: Chipper hasn't really played like an all star this season, but neither has anyone else that plays 3B. And even though he is constantly battling injuries and always seems to be a step away from the DL, there's not a 3B that means more to his team than Chipper. He is the leader of the Atlanta clubhouse, which is still quite young, and has come up with a number of timely hits this season.
C: Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves: I think McCann has been the best catcher in the game this season. I'm not glad Buster Posey is injured, but I do hope that McCann receives the attention he deserves because he was outperforming Posey before the injury anyway. McCann has been excellent with the bat and he's been extremely consistent and durable, which is quite unusual for a catcher.
OF: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers: Dude has been a freak. It seems like I read a "Matt Kemp gets game winning hit" headline once a week and he's been crushing the ball lately. He has triple crown-like numbers and is carrying a Dodgers team that is dealing with a ridiculous amount of distractions. It appears that Kemp has shed the "lazy" label and is showing his potential as a complete player.
OF: Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks: A couple years ago, people were talking about B.J. Upton being one of the next great young outfielders in the game - they were talking about the wrong Upton. Justin Upton has been one of the keys to this turnaround year for the Diamondbacks and deserves to have a spot on this year's All Star team.
OF: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates: It feels like someone from the Pirates belongs in the starting lineup and I think McCutchen has earned it. He's unbelievably fast on the bases and in the outfield, and he's improved his plate discipline and power. The Pirates have been one of the great stories in baseball this year and McCutchen is one of the exciting pieces they are building that team around.

*You only vote for 3 outfielders on an All Star Ballot, not specific positions (CF, LF, RF)
**There is not an option for voting for pitchers, but my choice for the SP for the NL would be Jair Jurrjens.

Free DMB!

2011-06-26T12:34:00.000-04:00

I'm typically not into getting the newest CD's or figuring out the best new music, but I am a fan of free music. I try to download free songs that are available on iTunes or Amazon.com whenever they are available and keep an eye out for free promo codes that are out there. Usually, this gives me the opportunity to download some mediocre music by bands no one has ever heard of. So when I heard about a free sampler from the Dave Matthews Band Caravan Tour, I was excited to get that download.

The DMB Caravan Tour is a very small tour in terms of locations, but a HUGE show. The Dave Matthews Band sets up in a city for a weekend and they play 3 straight nights, and he's got some awesome bands along with him including: O.A.R., Ray Lamontagne, The John Butler Trio, Bela Fleck, Amos Lee, and many more. I've never been to a DMB show, but I've heard he is an amazing live performer and those other bands would be great to see as well. Too bad they will only be playing in Chicago, New York, and George, WA.

Since I'm unable to make it to the show, I will gladly take a free sampler featuring some of the bands from the tour. For the link to redeem on iTunes, click here. The code is available until October 5. I found out about this promotion from The Shoptimist, a blog through The Roanoke Times that focuses on deals and discounts. I've been listening to the sampler for the past couple days and I'm really enjoying it. I love DMB and O.A.R. and I like being exposed to some other new bands. Download the sampler and check them out!

No Place like Home

2011-06-23T13:53:00.000-04:00

The Homeplace. I really don't think it gets much better. It's delicious southern comfort food and hospitality in a beautiful location. My family has been going to The Homeplace for 25 years, and the quality has remained the same all those years.

Welcome home...

Everything about this restaurant is the epitome of southwest Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's located in an old southern plantation style home at the foot of the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Mountains and it's surrounded by farms and horse pastures. It feels like you're having a meal in someone's home. They have porch swings, benches, and gazebos for waiting outside, or there's a lobby where they occasionally have live bluegrass music being played. The tables are set in different rooms of the house and the decor is nice, but there's nothing too fancy about it. It's the type of atmosphere that is comfortable for people who have been hiking on the trail, or people who are celebrating a special occasion.

You're greeted by the same two men who have been working the front table & cash register for the last 20 years and you usually have to put your name on the list to be seated. Lately, I've noticed that when they say it'll take 30-40 minutes, it usually means more like 10-15. And I can't help but smile when he comes on the loud speaker and calls your last name and number in your party with that slow southern twang.

I assume the waitresses are treated well because many of them have worked there for years. When I was little, I remember my family going to The Homeplace every Sunday for lunch after church and the waitresses learned all our names and treated us like we were family. They take care of you and make sure your drinks stay refilled and that you get plenty of food - and if you leave hungry, it's your own fault.

Free refills!

The menu isn't complicated and your choices are pretty simple. You get to choose two meats out of a selection of fried chicken, roast beef, and country ham. Pork bbq is also a selection only available on Thursday nights. We usually pick the fried chicken and roast beef. Along with the meats, they bring an assortment of southern style vegetables: green beans, macaroni & cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, pinto beans, coleslaw, and homemade biscuits. I think I forgot to mention that everything is all-you-can-eat. It's served family style, so they just refill your bowl when you finish something off until you ask them not to bring any more food, and then you move on to dessert. For dessert, they serve homemade cobbler (the flavor depends on when you go, but they seem to rotate between peach, cherry, & different types of berry) and homemade ice cream. Dessert is also all-you-can-eat but I've never seen someone have more than one. I believe they offer Pepsi products as a drink, but they have pitchers of lemonade and sweet tea on the table, perfect for this type of meal.

Cobbler & Ice Cream? Yes please!

If I were writing a "Best Thing I Ever Ate" post, I think The Homeplace would win in at least four categories: fried chicken, green beans, biscuits, & cobbler (coleslaw makes a push for the 5th category). My preference with fried chicken is for it to be darker and crispy, and The Homeplace has this down. It has beautiful color and crunch and I think it tastes amazing. I also don't think you can find green beans that taste any better. The beans are sweet and tender and are with cooked pieces of ham, which creates more delicious juice and flavor. The biscuits are fluffy and not too dense and sop up all the juices from the other food perfectly - it helps me completely clean my plate. And the peach cobbler with the homemade vanilla ice cream...heavenly. The way the glass bowl is hot on the bottom with the hot cobbler and then cold on top with the ice cream is just magical.

I could go on and on about The Homeplace. At $14 per person, it's a very good value for all the food you get. I think the food is some of the best in the area and the service is excellent, and it just has southern charm. Whenever we have guests from out of town, we always make it a point to take them to dinner there because I don't think you can beat the experience. I have shared many great memories with family and friends at The Homeplace and I hope to be able to do so for many years to come.

Joe Knows Dough

2011-06-15T10:19:00.000-04:00

People always say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I've never really jumped on that bandwagon because I'm not a big fan of most breakfast foods and I have to make myself eat in the morning. Since it is an important meal in regards to getting your metabolism started, I usually try to eat something healthy like fruit, granola, toast, etc. Starting the day with a doughnut, or having a doughnut at any point during the day, isn't the healthiest thing in the world - but it's almost impossible to pass up when the doughnut is from Blue Collar Joe's.

Blue Collar Joe's is a family owned doughnut and coffee shop located in Daleville, VA, which is about 15 minutes from downtown Roanoke. Instead of constructing a new building, Blue Collar Joe's sits in what used to be a gas station, and they offer a drive through for people who might be in a hurry. The store has received numerous local dining awards for their doughnuts and coffee and they have been featured nationally on Fox News and Food Network for their creative flavors. While Joe's has gained more and more attention around the nation, they still haven't lost their neighborhood-doughnut shop mentality.

Brian Regan would be amazed!

I've been to Blue Collar Joe's multiple times, and I'm always impressed with their selection of doughnuts. They don't have a set menu, as the doughnuts are made fresh daily and they offer different varieties on a daily basis, but they do seem to have some regular staples. Because they do a great job of promoting themselves in the community and offering coupons, we have been able to try and enjoy many of their crazy flavors. Some of my favorites are: the Botetourt Bog (chocolate, chocolate, & more chocolate), German Chocolate Cake (chocolate, caramel, nuts, & coconut), Chocolate Cheesecake (yeah...it is filled with cheesecake), Turtle (chocolate, caramel, & nuts), and the Blueberry Pancake Breakfast (a blueberry doughnut with candied pieces of bacon sprinkled on top). It's pretty obvious that I'm a little partial to the chocolate flavors, which I don't deny. I prefer their chocolate cake doughnuts to any of the other flavors I've had and I love the flavor combinations they pair with the chocolate. And the blueberry, pancake, bacon combination is just awesome.

I got two boxen of doughnuts.

It seems like most of the doughnuts at Joe's are of the cake variety, making them more dense and filling. It doesn't really help them on the nutrition scale, but anyone who is looking for a healthy doughnut is wasting their time. The prices are a little more compared to Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme, but this is a local business producing an excellent product. And I believe they offer a special happy hour during their final hour of the day, which means half price doughnuts! Blue Collar Joe's is also involved with the 3/50 Project, an initiative designed to encourage people to support local companies. I wish they weren't so far away because I can't justify driving an hour for doughnuts, but there are rumors they will be opening a location in downtown Roanoke - bad news for my wallet and my waistline. This place is a true gem in the Roanoke Valley and I hope they continue to succeed.

Chipotle Night!

2011-06-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of The Roanoke Times

Chipotle night is over but a great time was had by all! The weather ended up being great for camping out, our tents were relatively easy to set up, there were plenty of snacks and games, and we had visitors stop by all night. The time went by surprisingly quick and I think all of us really enjoyed it. There were games of cornhole, ladder ball, frisbee golf; snacks of pretzel M&M's, Chick-Fil-A, Late Night Cheeseburger Doritos, and Starbucks; a seven week old chocolate lab puppy that came by for a visit; even reporters from WBDJ7, WSLS, and The Roanoke Times came out to talk to us! For the record, the reporter from WSLS did a great job and really seemed to know what he was doing - and he's one of the few people that managed to correctly pronounce the name of the restaurant. It's funny how so many people claim to be "THE BIGGEST FANS" but can't even say the name of the place. It's Chipotle! Not Chipolte! Only six of us ended up spending the night, but it was exactly what I was hoping for when I first thought about camping out for the opening. A big shout out to Nicole, Brent, Mom, Hunter, & Parker for joining me in this crazy adventure and staying the night!

Hanging out on Monday night and Tuesday morning was a lot of fun, and we were excited once Chipotle actually opened. A line started to form while we were taking our tents down and cleaning up, but we still managed to keep our spots at the front of the line (pretty sure we earned that even though some people appeared to be trying to cut in front of us). The general manager came out and announced they were opening five minutes early because everyone was so excited, so we ordered our first burritos at 10:55am! I had a burrito with carnitas (pork), black beans, rice, pico de gallo, corn salsa, lettuce, & cheese. Delicious! After finishing my massive burrito, I rushed over to the Roanoke YMCA (that place is awesome) to take a shower and then headed over to work at the Roanoke Visitor's Center. In all, it was a great day and experience and something I'll never forget. Here are the links from the news coverage:

Chipotle opens in Roanoke - WDBJ7
Mini-fiesta greets opening of Roanoke Chipotle - The Roanoke Times

The Welcome Committee

2011-06-02T17:19:00.000-04:00

When I came back to Roanoke a few months ago, I was stunned when I saw the signs for a Chipotle that was under construction. They are taking over the old Hollywood Video store at Towers Mall on Colonial Avenue and they are scheduled to open on Tuesday, June 7. Ironically, I wasn't a big fan of Chipotle after my first visit because I thought the food was too spicy (some of the spice on their meat is no joke). Now, I think I've tried everything on the menu, figured out the milder items, and it has become one of my favorite places to eat.

In what has become a growing industry of tex-mex/fast food burrito companies, I think Chipotle is the gold standard. It's comparable to Moe's, QDoba, Barberitos, Willy's, & other chains, but Chipotle focuses primarily on burritos and tacos - that's it. Everything is cooked fresh and they talk about how they teach their employees how to cook, not just press buttons and make cookie cutter recipes. The company is also founded on principles of finding fresh ingredients that taste great and aren't harmful to the environment. They do everything they can to serve organic and hormone free ingredients while keeping prices as low as possible. I think it's a great formula: quality ingredients that are freshly prepared by people that know how to cook for a reasonable price (~$7). The chain has exploded over the past few years and new locations are popping up all over the country, including Roanoke!

When I drove by the new location a few weeks ago, the thought crossed my mind of camping out for the grand opening. I know people who've participated in Chick-Fil-A grand openings to receive free food for a year, but I didn't know if it would be something that would work with Chipotle - especially without the promise of any free food. I told some family and friends about the idea and people seemed interested, so I decided to see what store management thought. I told the manager about my idea and the interest of others and he was extremely excited about it and encouraged me to get as many people as possible and throw a party. So....that's what we're going to do!

Camping out at the Blacksburg location.

We are camping out in front of Chipotle on Monday night for their grand opening on Tuesday, June 7. The store is scheduled to open at 11am and there is supposed to be a ribbon cutting ceremony beforehand and we'll be there for the celebration; not to mention, first in line for some burritos! The weather is supposed to be great and we've had some great response on Facebook from people who are interested in coming. We've also invited the newspaper, local tv stations, and radio stations in the hopes that they'll come out. We are excited about welcoming Chipotle into the Roanoke community and excited about being able to eat there ALL THE TIME!

And I'm quite certain of what my first order will be: Carnitas Burrito with Rice, Black Beans, Cheese, Lettuce, Pico de Gallo, & Corn Salsa. I can't wait!

Best Thing I Ever Ate: Strawberry Shortcake

2011-06-01T22:30:00.000-04:00

I have had many strawberry shortcakes in my life. It's a rather popular southern dessert, a dish you see at picnic/potluck meals, and something that most people like - which makes it a dessert that is frequently made or served at restaurants. I wouldn't consider myself a strawberry shortcake connoisseur, but I have tried many different varieties in many different places - some good and some bad. I've had any number of combinations between store bought angel food cake cups, homemade angel food cakes, white cake mix, homemade shortcake, fresh strawberries, prepackaged sweetened strawberries, strawberries in sugary syrup, vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream, canned whipped cream, cool whip, and any other ingredient that seems like it would fit. I've sampled strawberry shortcake at church lunches, the famous Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Walt Disney World, The Cheesecake Factory, and many other places, but I'm pretty sure I've found the best one...the version my wife makes.

Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake

Since we've been married, my wife has become a very good baker. She practices making all sorts of things - cookies, cakes, breads, cupcakes, muffins, and she appears to have mastered strawberry shortcake. She is always looking at different blogs and websites for recipe ideas and found this version of strawberry shortcake from a site called Vintage Victuals, which is full of awesome and creative recipes. Nicole has made the strawberry shortcake numerous times for different people and everyone loves it, including me. It's a simple list of ingredients and simple to make, but I don't think you can beat the flavors. Put together an amazing shortcake biscuit, fresh strawberries that macerate in sugar, vanilla ice cream, & whipped cream and you have an outstanding dessert, especially when you get the biscuit hot out of the oven. We had it as our dessert for Memorial Day and it was a big hit, even though the Bisquick was a little old. Nicole made another batch the next day with fresh Bisquick and everyone was extremely impressed.

The ingredients list is pretty small and consists of things we normally have sitting around the house:
-Strawberries

Nicole's Strawberry Shortcake

-Sugar
-Bisquick
-Milk
-Butter
-Vanilla Ice Cream & Whipped Cream

Here's the link for the rest of the recipe: strawberry shortcake and I encourage you to check out the other things on the site. Major props to Ellie at Vintage Victuals and to Nicole for making the best strawberry shortcake I've ever had.

Family Style Cooking

2011-05-30T23:35:00.000-04:00

Apparently, I had family in downtown Roanoke and didn't even realize it. Thelma's Chicken & Waffles is welcoming people into their family and they have a new home in the downtown area on Market Street. Over the past few weeks, I had heard nothing but good things about Thelma's but I still hadn't been able to try it. I had also heard about chicken & waffles on many different occasions and had seen it in different restaurants, and I was excited to see that Thelma's serves an option of chicken fingers & waffles, instead of just chicken wings & waffles.

When we went for dinner on Friday night, we didn't have to wait at all to be seated. I hope Thelma's has a strong lunch crowd because the empty tables for dinner on a Friday night can't be good for business. As we walked in to the restaurant, there were two ladies standing at the door to welcome us and they also said, "welcome to the family." We were told the same thing by our waitress, and we were treated like family through the entire meal. It felt like the staff at Thelma's were cooking food in the kitchen and they were excited to be able to share it with their guests - a feeling I rarely receive at restaurants. They also make sure you are taken care of through the meal, joke around with you, and do everything they can to provide a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

As for the food...I LOVED it! We ordered the Richie Rich Chili Mac & Cheese as an appetizer for the table and everyone was a big fan. Nothing fancy about it - elbow macaroni, chili, and cheese - but it was delicious. After that, I was excited to dive into my entree - chicken tenders, belgian waffle, & fried potatoes. There were three decent sized chicken tenders that reminded me of Zaxby's and a thick belgian waffle with some butter melting in the middle, along with a side dish of fried potatoes. The potatoes were very good but the chicken and waffle were the stars. I spread the butter around and poured some syrup over my waffle, then cut a piece of waffle and a piece of chicken and put them together in one meaty, syrupy, buttery bite. MONEY! The waffle even had cinnamon mixed into the batter which added another layer and flavor to the palate. It's a wonderful combination of flavor and texture that everyone should try. I finished everything on my plate and enjoyed every bite of it and wondered what had taken me so long to get to Thelma's. Everyone else enjoyed their food and I also tried Nicole's cornbread, which was delicious. It was more like cake than bread, but that's the way I like it. I also washed everything down with a few glasses of sweet tea, which couldn't have been more appropriate.

Thelma's is the sort of restaurant I love. Great staff that make you feel welcome. Simple menu with great comfort food that isn't overly complicated. Cool location and atmosphere. Great value/prices for the food you get - it costs around $7-$10 per person. And an experience that makes you want to return. I loved everything about it and can't wait to go back. Thelma's, thank you for welcoming me into the family - I'll come around more often.

Rinse. Repeat.

2011-05-28T00:38:00.000-04:00

Break out the old game tape, the NBA will have a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals. The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat both finished their conference finals series in five games and both teams have clearly played the best basketball in their conferences over the first three rounds of the playoffs. The Mavericks defeated the Portland TrailBlazers (a team I thought would pull the upset) in the first round, destroyed the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round, and flexed their muscles against the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the Western Conference. The Heat have handled the pressure and expectations through their first three rounds against the Philadelphia Sixers, Boston Celtics, & Chicago Bulls and they seem to be putting it all together at the right time.

2006 was all D-Wade.

When these two teams met five years ago, things were quite different. The Mavericks had the young head coach (Avery Johnson) and Miami had the well-known veteran (Pat Riley). Dallas had a quick, explosive, young point guard in Devin Harris. And Dwyane Wade put the Heat on his back and carried them to a championship while averaging 35 ppg and earning the Finals MVP award. However, it's interesting to look back and see the similarities between 2006 and 2011. In 2006, the Heat were the 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and defeated the top seeded Detroit Pistons to reach the finals, another team that was built on defense and had the best regular season record, similar to this year's Chicago Bulls. The Mavericks entered the playoffs with a good record, but were not considered to be the class of the Western Conference and didn't carry the expectations they've had in other years, similar to this year's Dallas team. And both teams will create interesting match-up problems for each other, similar to 2006. Who guards Dirk Nowitzki? Who prevents LeBron from getting into the lane at will? Who does Jason Kidd guard? Will Miami be able to counter Dallas' depth off the bench? Will it even matter? There are so many questions that will be discussed over the next few days, and that's part of the fun in the build up to the NBA Finals.

Will Jason Kidd be the difference?

When I look at this series on paper, I think the Heat will win - but I'm not confident enough to put money on it. The Mavs are playing great right now, and Dirk Nowitzki might be playing better than anyone. I know the Heat just shut down Derrick Rose, but he was also inconsistent in the two rounds leading up to playing against Miami. I think Tyson Chandler can present problems for Chris Bosh he hasn't had to face yet, and I like what Dallas brings with their second unit. Even though they'd have to close out on the road, I like Dallas' chances a lot more if this series goes six or seven games. Still, I think the Heat are the better defensive team and I think they'll be able to keep the Mavericks from getting many open looks. I also think the Heat are the type of team you look for when filling out your bracket for the NCAA Tournament every year - the team that may not have played the best over the entire season, but they appear to be peaking at the right time and playing their best when it matters most.

And because we still have 4 days until this series actually starts, there will be a ridiculous amount of coverage and discussion about the same topics. Here are some things I'm sure everyone will be sick of hearing, if they aren't already:
- The "I'm taking my talents to South Beach" quote by LeBron James
- What would winning a title do for LeBron's legacy/image?
- Is Dirk one of the best players never to win a championship?
- Is this season a failure for the Heat if they don't win the title?
- Can the Heat handle the pressure and expectations of the NBA Finals?

Jalen Rose - ESPN's NBA Idiot

Here's my last thing about the Heat and the way they are talked about in the media - MAKE UP YOUR MIND! One day, Miami can't handle the pressure, expectations, hatred, can't finish, & "championship or bust" mentality they have experienced throughout the season. The next day - the story is that the Heat have magically handled the pressure, tuned out all the distractions, their coach has done a masterful job, LeBron will be the best ever, this team will get better and better, and let's give them every championship for the next five years. Their goal at the beginning of the season was the same as every other team - to win the NBA championship. Now, they are four games away from meeting that goal. How about we wait to evaluate their season once it's actually finished? Oh wait, that doesn't help ratings and doesn't give our former NBA player now turned useless analyst something to talk about. Nevermind.

My "Teams"

2011-05-23T18:01:00.000-04:00

J.J. Redick likes the Magic as much as I do.

As much as I enjoy following professional sports, I'm really not a die hard fan. I'll watch games, read recaps, look up stats, & follow front office decisions, but not for just "my team." I have always been a sort of sports statistical/trivia freak (it's more pathetic than cool) and I enjoy learning as much about different players and teams and leagues as I can. I'm much more passionate and loyal in college sports, following Duke basketball and Georgia football and baseball very closely, but I don't really have strong professional allegiances. In the MLB & NFL, there are certain players and teams I enjoy watching, but I don't really have a strong rooting interest in any of the games. In the NBA, I want guys that went to school at Duke to succeed and I usually pull for their teams. However, when I was younger, I was much more loyal to two specific teams.

Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, there wasn't a local pro team to follow - in any sport. We had minor league baseball and hockey teams, but they constantly changed affiliates and no one really cared unless you went to a game. The closest teams to the area were the teams in Washington, D.C. (Redskins, Bullets/Wizards, later Nationals) & Charlotte (Hornets & Panthers). We never went to any game in Washington and my dad and I would occasionally go to Hornets games, but we weren't big fans. Instead, I became a fan of the two teams I could watch on TV all the time, the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Braves. As part of our satellite package, WGN (the Chicago station) was one of our channels, and we were able to see almost every Bulls game. And because the Braves were owned by Ted Turner, we watched nearly all of their games that were shown on TBS.

Johnny "Red" Kerr

It didn't hurt that I grew up in the Golden Era of Bulls basketball and Braves baseball. The Bulls teams of the early/mid-90's are some of the greatest in the history of the game and the Braves were dominating the National League and regularly playing in the World Series. I knew everything about the starting five for the Bulls and their second unit, and I could roll through the Braves lineup and give you the starting rotation - important priorities for a 7 year old. As I look back on it, it's funny to me that those were my teams, even though I had never seen either of them play in person.

"BRAVES WIN!"

I watched the two teams religiously on what were essentially their home tv networks and had strong loyalty. I grew up listening to Johnny "Red" Kerr announce Bulls games and Skip Caray cover the Braves. I have memories of Michael Jordan chalking his hands in front of Red Kerr before tip-off and Kerr yelling "MICHAEL" when Jordan would hit another back-breaking shot during those dominant seasons. I have memories of Skip Caray calling the masterpiece pitching performances of Maddux, Smoltz, & Glavine and announcing "BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN!" when Sid Bream slid safely into home to put the Braves into the World Series in 1992. Those are the sports memories I grew up on and part of what made me so passionate about sports. Those two announcers brought sports to life for me and made me feel like I was part of the game. Both have passed away in the last couple years, and sports broadcasting isn't the same without them. They were two of the greats and they were the two primary sports voices of my childhood.

I still hate the Knicks.

Even though I'd no longer consider myself a huge fan, I still want the Bulls & the Braves to do well. I was fortunate to be able to attend a number of Braves games while going to school in Athens, and the Bulls have a couple former Duke players, Luol Deng & Carlos Boozer, who are both doing well. The hatred I used to have for the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, & Los Angeles Dodgers still lingers from the 90's and I hardly ever pull against the Braves or Bulls. I'm not nearly as passionate as I used to be, but those were the teams I grew up with - and, in a way, I guess they'll always be "my teams."

Nawab

2011-05-20T00:01:00.000-04:00

Two years ago, I wouldn't have even considered eating at a restaurant that served indian food. I didn't like the smell of most indian food and figured everything would be spicy and bizarre, and I had no interest in trying it. I also thought they used different kinds of meat, which scared me off. Fortunately, the past two years have exposed me to cultures and food from around the world, and I've been able to expand my tastes and become more adventurous. When it comes to indian cuisine, I've learned about the different types of curry, the incredible variety of spices and seasonings they use, the unique cooking style with many of their dishes, their varying levels of spicy-ness, and the creative dishes and combinations they put together. We had excellent indian food during our time in South Africa, so we decided we'd have to check out Nawab once we came back to Roanoke.

Nawab is located in downtown Roanoke on Campbell Avenue and it has been there for a number of years. I had previously heard good things, but I was too afraid to try it - until yesterday! I went to lunch with Nicole and my dad and I was very impressed. They have a regular menu, but they also serve a lunch buffet with a variety of dishes, which is what the three of us had.

Tandoori Chicken

The buffet isn't huge, but I felt like there was plenty to chose from - especially for the very reasonable price of $7.95. They offered two kinds of basmati rice, chicken curry, roasted tandoori chicken with peppers & onions, tandoori chicken with a creamy tomato sauce, korma curry, and a variety of vegetables that were prepared in different ways. There was a small salad bar, which also had fruit, chocolate mousse, & rice pudding. AND - they bring you a basket of garlic naan! I'm sure there are more appropriate names and descriptions of the food, but I'm not an expert and didn't really study the descriptions of the dishes. I was a huge fan of the curry and the two tandoori dishes. The curry and the tandoori with the cream sauce went great on top of the rice and the roasted chicken had a great skin and tasted like a really good rotisserie chicken. The garlic naan was delicious as well - and I particularly liked it with the tzatziki-like sauce (which was much better than the ranch dressing I accidentally got). I wasn't too fond of some of the vegetables (particularly the fried broccoli) or the rice pudding, but the chocolate mousse and orange slices served as a nice ending.

The service was very good and the atmosphere is cool. It's not the tacky Bollywood look that some Indian places have and there is plenty of space to handle busy crowds. As always with downtown restaurants, parking is a bit of an issue, but this is a good change of pace from many downtown Roanoke spots. And while I used to be a skeptic, I’ve now converted. The buffet at Nawab was worth a try and I look forward to going back to try dinner.

Oh Snap

2011-05-17T17:03:00.000-04:00

Nothing says "I Love You" like this...

I don't consider myself to be very good at coming up with creative gifts, especially for Nicole or my mom. I am decent at finding practical gifts I think would be useful for a person (sometimes things they don't even think of), but that can lead to some weird gifts. Examples: one year I got Nicole a mini ladder to help her reach things in her closet; another year I got my mom a laptop cushion; & I think I bought Nicole a hairdryer once. Maybe they aren't, but those feel like weird gifts. All of them were functional and I think they all got a lot of use, but they aren't very sentimental. I'm not in to giving the popular gifts of flowers, spa/massage days, or any of that packaged junk you can get in Bath & Body Works. And when I've tried to be creative with making a card or something like that, it usually backfires and the card is so bad that it looks like I forgot and tried to do something at the last minute.

For Mother's Day this year, I decided to try something different. When Nicole and I were married, one of her friends gave us a photo book as a gift, and I thought it was a great idea. She used a website to format everything and was able to make a book full of different pictures of us - and it had a lot cooler design than the old-fashioned photo album. And while I like putting pictures online as a way of having easy access to them from anywhere, I love the idea of having photo books you can put around the house with pictures from different things you've done. So as a Mother's Day gift for my mom and for my grandmother, I used Snapfish to make a photo book for each of them.

I put together different pictures of my brother and me from all different stages of life and was very pleased with how it turned out. I was able to find baby pictures, old family pictures, sports pictures, and all sorts of other random photos that came out great. I used a scanner to get the printed shots uploaded to my Snapfish account, and the quality didn't suffer much at all. I also took some images from Facebook and saved those to my Snapfish account and didn't have any trouble with image quality in those either. Snapfish made it very easy to get all the photos I wanted and they provided a ton of variety in the layouts of the images and the ability to customize things. It was a good balance of not being too formal, while still looking professional. Another plus is that there always seem to be various discounts and coupon codes online for purchasing Snapfish products. So for once, I was able to come up with a cool, sentimental gift that wasn't corny and my mom and grandmother both really liked their books.

While this isn't a commercial and I'm not brand loyal, especially when it comes to photo books, I had a very good experience using Snapfish. I look forward to creating more photo books in the future and it's a gift idea I'd certainly recommend.

Life of Chai

2011-05-04T12:49:00.000-04:00

I have never been a big fan of coffee or tea. There have been multiple times when I tried to like coffee, but I couldn't get used to the taste or the way it would make my stomach feel so I gave up. And I've always liked sweet tea, but hot tea wasn't something I was able to get in to because I didn't think it had much flavor. But, as we've traveled around the world over the past year, I've been introduced to a number of different flavors of tea (I'm looking at you South African Rooibos) that I've started to like.

Milk Frother = The Difference-Maker

So once we returned home and went to a normal grocery store, I was intrigued to find the Tazo Chai Latte in a concentrate where it is already made and you mix it with milk. I tried some of it and really liked it. There is a great combination of cinnamon, vanilla, and other spices that remind me of pumpkin pie. Then, once we purchased our insanely cool Nespresso Milk Frother, I figured I could become a master Chai Tea Latte maker. I must say, I think I've perfected it. I put about 3/4 cup of skim milk in the milk frother and heat up about 1/2 cup of the Tazo Tea in the microwave for one minute. The milk frother heats the milk and I pour it into the glass first when it is ready, which takes about 45 seconds. Then, I pour in the hot tea, which gives it the cool look and allows the milk foam to stay on the top of the drink. I'm still working on creating designs in the foam as I pour in the tea.

Starbucks' Tazo Chai Latte

My Tazo Chai Latte

I noticed Starbucks offers their own Tazo Chai Tea Latte and I tried it this past Sunday when we were there to watch church. It was very good - hot, nice foam, sweet, blend of spices - tasted just like mine. They probably use the same ingredients, but don't have the same milk frother and use less of the tea concentrate, and they happen to charge $3 - for a small! I think it would cost me $5 (we won't talk about how much I paid for the frother) to have the ingredients to make 10 mediums of my own. This allows me to save money in hopes of getting a camera that can take pictures to make my drinks look as good as theirs.

My Chai Latte's have now become a regular drink and it's a great post-breakfast beverage to have throughout the morning. I would become a fan of hot tea by picking a high maintenance drink that requires a spiced tea concentrate and frothed milk. Keeping it simple.

Best & Worst

2011-05-01T16:58:00.000-04:00

There have been a number of big things happening in sports over the weekend with plenty of excitement. There was the NFL Draft, the NBA Playoffs, the MLB season in full-swing, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, & much more. I haven't been glued to the TV for any of the previously mentioned events, but I have kept an eye on most of them and have a general idea of what's been happening. All that being said, I'm picking what stood out to me as the best and worst performances of the weekend. I'm completely ripping this idea from The Dan Patrick Show (by far the best sports radio show out there). So...who did and didn't get it done this weekend?

Best: Memphis Grizzlies
Who would have thought the Grizzlies would handle the Spurs with relative ease in the first round of the playoffs? They ended the series in game six on Friday night in Memphis, but they really should have closed it out in game five earlier in the week. Zach Randolph was unstoppable down the stretch for the Grizz' and they played like the more talented team. It ended an era of playoff futility for the franchise and seemed to mark the end of the San Antonio Spurs dynasty. Still, most people probably thought the celebration would end Sunday afternoon when Memphis would have to travel to Oklahoma City to take on Kevin Durant and the Thunder. Coming off the emotion of the big win Friday night and having to face a young, talented, physical team in an early start Sunday afternoon seemed like a bad spot for the Grizzlies. I guess everyone forgot to tell the Grizzlies that. They led throughout against OKC and were carried by strong post play from Randolph and Marc Gasol and have jumped out to an early series lead again. It'll be interesting to see how far they can ride this momentum. And one other thing - if I'm coaching an NBA team, I want Shane Battier. He's not going to blow you away, but he changes the culture of a locker room and his teams ALWAYS have success.

Worst: Atlanta Braves Bullpen
I don't care that they pulled out the win today, the Braves bullpen has been terrible this weekend. In the three games against the Cardinals, they have given up the lead in the 8th inning or later all three times. Are you kidding me? With all the negativity and controversy that has surrounded this pitching staff over the past week, I was hoping they would rally together and have a strong weekend on the field. The starting pitching has been very good, but the late inning guys have not done their jobs. Allowing the leadoff man to reach base has been a problem and there have been too many bad pitches to good hitters. The Cardinals are not an easy lineup to retire and Matt Holliday might be hitting the ball better than anyone in the game right now, but you have to be able to get tough outs in the 8th & 9th innings. It was thought that Jonny Venters & Craig Kimbrel would be able to shut the door in most games (and I still think they will) but this weekend will not go in their highlight tapes.

New Season

2011-04-30T11:46:00.000-04:00

I've decided to resurrect this blog after a multi-month hiatus. Over the past few months, there were many times when I told myself I wanted to start writing again but I'd never take the time to actually do it. I think I have avoided keeping this blog going for a couple different reasons:

1. I get lazy. Sitting down and taking 20-30 minutes to create a blog post is something I usually enjoy doing. I like writing my thoughts down and adding pictures and links and creative elements and posting it for people to see. However...there are also times when I think it just isn't worth it. I base my decision on the fact that I know many people won't read it and most of the content isn't actually important. But even if it isn't important and no one reads it, I still want to update and post regularly. I want this to be a sort-of journal where I can get my thoughts out and write about things I find interesting.

2. I'm too organized. I want everything in order, in a list and sorted. When it came to creating a blog, I seemed to want the same thing. I was so focused on my blog being organized or having a sort of theme that I didn't write or post whatever I wanted to. I couldn't decide if it should be a sports blog, or a food blog, or a photography blog, or a spiritual blog, or an entertainment blog, or any other random category - so I just stopped. The truth of it is that I'm interested in a ton of different things and I have opinions about many different topics. After all, I'm the type that follows college basketball recruiting on television while reading Water for Elephants (BTW - very good story) and drinking a homemade Tazo Chai Tea Latte. I want to be okay with having a post about what I think the Bible is saying in a certain verse, then having a post about why the Atlanta Braves should get another relief pitcher, and then another post about a recipe I tried making for dinner. I don't want to put myself or this blog in a box or try to organize it.

So here goes...the new blog. Some serious. Some sarcastic. Some light-hearted. Some educational. Some intense. All interesting - for me.

Le Chocolat

2010-12-01T05:41:00.000-05:00

I have some serious chocolate updating to do! I'm living in chocolate capital of the world (I don't care what Belgium says) and I've been trying tons of different kinds of chocolate, but I've been terrible about writing about it. There is quite a variety of chocolate to be tried here and I've even sampled some other Swiss & European specialties.

The Japonais bar was a bit of a let down from the expectation I had when I found it in the store. It's milk chocolate with Japanese-style honey cookie crumbles and creme as a sort of filling with the chocolate. First, I have no idea if there is anything Japanese about it. Second, it basically tasted like Crunch bar with better milk chocolate. Okay for flavor but rather disappointing.

The Europeans love their chocolate with nuts. (Insert crude Europe joke here). The milk chocolate filled with pistachios was very good, but VERY sweet. The milk chocolate is already sweet and there is a caramel-y filling along with the nuts. I think pistachios are probably an acquired taste, which I happen to like, but I probably wouldn't give this one as a gift.

Nothing flashy or fancy about the Splendor bar - just high quality milk chocolate. It was creamy and full of flavor and had great texture. Eating milk chocolate like this makes it nearly impossible to go back to a Hershey bar.

I think it's impossible to come to Switzerland and not have a Toblerone bar at least once. I had the classic bar of milk chocolate with honey and almond, and I finished this one quickly. Normally, I'm not a fan of honey and chocolate, which is popular here, but the almonds add some saltiness to keep it from being too sweet.

In terms of major Swiss chocolate companies, I think Lindt is the best Switzerland has to offer. Fortunately for us, there is no shortage of Lindt products in the U.S. And yes, a Lindt Chocolate Truffle is just as magical in Switzerland as it is at home.

I was intrigued by chocolate filled with champagne truffles and ended up being disgusted after one bite. It had Champagne in the name, it smelled like Champagne, and somehow I thought it wouldn't taste like Champagne. Genius. The worst thing about this bar was that it tasted bad even after I swallowed it. I ended up giving away most of it to some people who were big fans.

I have a new favorite chocolate chip cookie. Nicole made this one night for an event we were having and they were AMAZING. The cookies were thick and they had big chunks of chocolate in them and I think I had about six. The best part about these babies - she's making them again tonight!

We stumbled upon a high-end chocolate shop in Geneva a couple weeks ago and were blown away with how fancy it was. It was a very tiny store and there was only one person working but they probably had a hundred different types of truffles. The employee put on a satin glove before touching any of the chocolate and everything was very precise. It was way out of our budget, so we got the smallest piece of chocolate we could find - milk chocolate with pistachio. It was delicious and you could tell it was very high quality. The flavors would fill your mouth as you chewed and it was something where you literally savored every bite.

Nicole surprised me with treat from the grocery store. I don't know anything about Movenpick, but they seem to be the Haagen-Daaz of swiss ice cream and they have many bizarre and creative flavors. We got the Swiss Chocolate flavor and it met my expectations. It even has shavings of chocolate blended in to add some texture.

God bless the French. We spent a day in Annecy, a French town near Geneva, and sampled as much of the local cuisine as we could. We knew we couldn't go to France and not have a crepe - so we stopped at a street vendor and got a nutella crepe, a grand marnier crepe, and a gauffre, which is a heavenly French waffle that is covered in powdered sugar and tastes like a funnel cake. I pigged out on the gauffre and Nicole liked the nutella crepe so much she went back and got another one.

Ovomaltine seems to be the European version of Chips Ahoy or Oreo. Nothing special - although it might be good in a Blizzard or milkshake. Someone notify Dairy Queen!

Apparently, this is the Swiss drink. There is no shortage of Coke in this country, but Rivella is more local. It's a carbinated drink that tastes similar to coke but has a citrus sort of flavor to it as well. It's not bad - but it's also nothing special.

I bought this at the store but I haven't opened it yet. I've had it before at the Coke Lounge in Epcot and I think I remember liking it. It's a type of Coke that Coca Cola sells in Europe and it has an orange flavor to it.

There's many more crazy things I've tried but I think that'll do for now. Looking forward to trying some South African food in a few weeks!

I-C-Y-U-R that way!

2010-11-09T11:37:00.001-05:00

In our class this week, we are talking about personality types and how people interact in groups. It is to help prepare us for the outreach phase of our program and to figure out the best ways we can function in our outreach teams. In order to identify our personality types, every one took the Myers Briggs Personality Test and we received our results today. According to the test and it's terms, I'm an ISTJ, which means I'm an introvert, who works through my senses and feelings. Our results included a lengthy description of what a person with the given personality type usually acts like and some of the points stuck out to me with how accurate they are:

-"usually have an offbeat sense of humor"
-"They're not comfortable with breaking laws or going against the rules. If they are able to see a good reason for stepping outside of the established mode of doing things, they will support that effort."
-"They resist putting energy into things which don't make sense to them, or for which they can't see a practical application."
-They are not naturally in tune with their own feelings and the feelings of others. They may have difficulty picking up on emotional needs immediately, as they are presented."
-"Likely to be uncomfortable expressing affection and emotion to others."
-"Have difficulty understanding a theory or idea which is different from their own perspective."

And according to the test results, I share the same personality type as Clint Eastwood. Just what I always wanted!

Here is the link to take the test if you're interested: Personality Test. It really is quite interesting to see the results and see how it affects our interaction with other people.

Hi Bear

2010-11-07T17:37:00.000-05:00

In my Bible reading from this past week, there was a verse from Proverbs that stuck out to me as both awesome and profound. Proverbs 17:12 says, "Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly." I think there are times when we breeze through the Bible because we know the big ideas and we think most of the Bible is basically saying the something - love God & love others. It's true those are the main things we are commanded to do, but there are so many other great principles God wants to reveal to us through the Bible if we are willing to look for them.

How great is the image of a bear being robbed of her cubs to show the danger of a situation? After watching a disturbing amount of Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel in the past year, I can tell you that a mother bear being separated from her cubs is not a pretty sight. Some of the most vicious attacks on humans have occurred when people accidentally came between an adult bear and her cubs. It's believed that nearly 80% of fatal bear attacks come as a result of a bear protecting her cubs. If the mother bear senses a potential threat to her young, she will attack the threat and usually won't stop until the threat is completely destroyed.

So try to picture being attacked by an angry animal that weighs over 800 lbs and is over nine feet tall when it stands upright! And the Bible says it is better to be in that situation than to associate yourself with someone who is being foolish and making unwise decisions. Wow! When it comes to thinking about the people I want to spend time with, I usually make that decision based on who I like, who is funny, and who do I have a good time with. The issue of whether or not that person is making wise decisions usually isn't a big deal unless I think their decisions will affect me. The problem is, their unwise decisions and unwise actions will affect me because their character will have a subtle influence on me. As I continue to meet new people and find myself in new situations, I need to continue to remember the angry bear protecting her cubs.

Sacrifice

2010-10-31T17:22:00.000-04:00

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will."

Romans 12:1-2

I don't know if there's a verse I've heard more in the past year. It's a favorite verse of our pastor and it seemed like he tried to include it in every sermon we ever heard him give. It was painted on the wall of a random church we visited in Haiti. And it was referenced in our school during last week's teaching on sin and repentance. The more I hear this verse and reflect on what it says - the more it challenges and encourages me and the more I want my life to be a reflection of this verse.

We aren't really sure why God led us to Burtigny. There can't be more than 300 people in this town; this is a small YWAM base; and everything is primarily French. YWAM has many other bases around the world and I don't know why God led us here instead of one of the hundreds of other bases. Yet, we made the decision to offer our lives and our time to God and trust him. We had other plans that probably would have been easier but we knew we needed to make a sacrifice. Living in Switzerland at the foot of the Alps isn't a huge sacrifice, but living on a base with 30 other people and having little independence or "alone" time has been a big adjustment. Yet, I am beginning to see the verse in Romans 12 being experienced in a practical way.

There is no conforming to the pattern of this world here. The biggest shopping we get to do is visiting the grocery store on Saturday afternoon. The only TV we watch is an occasional movie. The reading is mainly the Bible and an occasional extra book. And there is little talk about making money or buying things because none of us have any money anyway. It's easy to not conform to the pattern of the world because living in Burtigny feels like we're in a different world.

As we've been here, it feels like it has been an opportunity for God to transform our minds. We have been able to focus on reading God's word and have had many conversations and heard different points of view on who God is. And through this process, it feels like we are testing God's will for our lives - his good, pleasing, and perfect will. So as we try to figure out why we're in Burtigny, our hope is to continue to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God and he will reveal his good, pleasing, and perfect will for bringing us here.

My Life is a Box of Chocolates

2010-10-16T17:11:00.000-04:00

I've had a tough time adjusting to the food here. We went from choosing our own food and having the freedom to be really picky and really healthy to eating food on a base. Lots of starch, lots of red meat, very few fruits and vegetables, and lots of butter and oil. It's tough to shop at the grocery store because everything is very expensive and it's hard to tell what you are buying when everything is in French. However, I have decided that I won't miss the opportunity of enjoying the chocolate while in Switzerland. Swiss grocery stories have entire aisles for chocolate and there are all sorts of chocolaterie shops where you can try different things - so I'm going to try as many as I can! Here's some of the stuff I've sampled so far:

I picked up the equivalent of chocolate pudding at the grocery store - and the Swiss have this stuff figured out! It tastes like a Frosty from Wendy's and it's rather cheap.

This is actually a brand of chocolate from Latvia. The company is called Laima and someone gave me a dark chocolate bar with hazelnut - which goes great with a shortbread cookie.

This next one is the Nestle brand that's sold in Switzerland and it's called Cailler. Nestle's headquarters are based in Switzerland and I tried their classic milk chocolate bar. Very good and very similar to the milk chocolate from Ghirardelli.

When we were in Nyon today, we stumbled across an awesome chocolate shop called Rapp. They had an amazing selection of pastries, truffles, and chocolates, and I couldn't resist trying one of them. This was a chocolate mousse cake with white chocolate shavings. It was a great mid-afternoon snack and it reminded me a lot of the chocolate mousse from the Cheesecake Factory.

The latest addition to the menu is a Caramel Milk Chocolate Bar. The brand is Frey, which is considered to be one of the most popular and best value in Switzerland. I haven't tried it yet but I have high hopes for this one.

I'll be sure to update when I try more different flavors and brands!