Milkshakes Make Me Too Lazy to Go Out to the Yard

Why fight the urge? Milkshakes are delicious and you know it and I have never heard of someone having a disappointing experience while drinking a milkshake.  I apologize for the hint of aggression behind this post its just that this year I really learned what it meant to have a really delicious milkshake.

It was when I went to my first improv festival which was held at USC that I realized you don't have to only put ice cream and milk in a blender to have an awesome milkshake and the more sugary products you blend the better.

[I hired John Travolta to reenact me drinking milkshakes all weekend]

GROUND ZERO is the name of this student-run cafe at USC which is better known for its milkshakes than it's coffee (and I don't mind, I like coffee but damn those milkshakes are good) and you should really go check it out if you're in the area.  They're open weekdays from 8:30am-Midnight and weekends from 1:00pm-Midnight by the way, I looked it up.

 

LOOK AT THIS MENU!

Well, if you can zoom in somehow, look at it... there's a bunch of different mixtures where they'll mix in bananas, oreos, brownies, oreos, chai, marshmallows, snickers, peppermint, and/or twix... not all in one though of course, but you get the point.

Also, when we went they had specials based off of superheroes and holy crap were those amazing and I WAS SO HAPPY BECAUSE THERE WAS A BATMAN THEMED SHAKE AND IT WAS DELICIOUS.... Even if it wasn't my type of milkshake I most likely would have forced myself to like the shake because it was a Batman milkshake but that's besides the point. - It was banana, chocolate syrup, and Oreo cookies by the way so you can totally make it at home and feel just like Bruce Wayne when he orders Alfred to make some shakes for him.

But this was all a while ago, and actually a few days ago I told my friends about this place and we decided to recreate some of these milkshakes.  We didn't look up the actual milkshakes but we ran over to Target and followed our hungry stomachs to whatever we wanted.  We bought some vanilla ice cream, Twix, peppermint patties, chocolate syrup, and unfortunately lactose-free milk because my friend is lactose intolerant but hey they were still good.

[Hard at Work]

The milkshakes were great and we only got a little bit of the concoction on the ceiling (not joking) and we may have made a mess on the kitchen counter but it was awesome.  So whether you're still at home, at college, or just plain hungry, I recommend you get your blender and mix in whatever you want and I promise you will not regret it.

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Just Add Popcorn

Although in my info at the top it only says that "I watch movies" I really need to emphasize just how much I love movies.  I never really realized it until this past year I think.  I don't really know what it is about movies either that attracts me to them.  Possibly because I wonder what it is I would do in such situations whether it be fiction or not, or maybe because I can't believe someone was able to come up with such a storyline just from inspiration/imagination or that something like this actually happened in history and was so greatly portrayed in a movie.

Also, I tend to make the effort to memorize the names of actors and actresses and am always the guy my friends ask when they wonder "where have I seen that person before?" as we watch a movie or TV show.  IMDB is one of my favorite websites (something I have never heard anyone else say unfortunately) because that's where I find the names and filmographies of all these actors and actresses. ALSO! They actually post a lot of information about upcoming movies, movie roles, and other movie crap that I love.

IMDB has also given me the Top 250 Movies of All Time which if you go into my tab of 'JUST ADD POPCORN' at the top, you can see that it is my goal to watch all of them (I know the list will be updated but for now I am going to complete the list of movies from August 2013).

The list of movies has a bunch of cult classics and oldies I have been meaning to watch for a long time so I'm excited to finally get to watch them instead of just saying "I've been meaning to watch it".  Also my roommate is a big movie buff too and my friends love a lot of the movies on the list so watching these movies with friends will be even more fun than just watching it to cross it off the list.

At the end of the list of 250 movies though I should note that I added some movies I recommend you watch that for some reason did not make it on the list from IMDB but I find to be great.  A bunch of them were recommended to me from friends or family and some others were movies I watched with people I care a lot about recently.

Seriously though, I really recommend going out to watch a movie with some people by the way.  I have a few friends who don't like watching movies at the movie theatre because they find it antisocial or something but my parents and I started a tradition late this summer where every Sunday night we would watch a movie and I  LOVED IT.  It was a lot of fun watching some new movies I hadn't seen and going to the movie theatre with my parents was fun too.  Especially since I am leaving to go back to college, I really liked that for sure, there was an afternoon in the week dedicated to family time.

So whether it be watching movies every Sunday or grabbing breakfast every other week, or even just making that phone call you push aside so often... Call or hang out with your parents (or guardians/role models/whomever you want) and dedicate some time to those who matter.

[No matter how you may feel about your family members, they are family... 

they will always be waiting for you and never stop loving you]

Float Like a Cadillac, Sting Like a Beamer

Road trips can be a lot of fun if you are with the right people, and luckily, I survived a big road trip with my family this past weekend all the way from San Francisco to Flagstaff, Arizona to see the Grand Canyon.  That is roughly 12 hours driving plus stopping for bathroom breaks, stretching legs, and going through a few rounds of Chinese Fire Drills at gas stations.

Originally we were planning on going up to Lake Shasta for the weekend but about a week before I brought up the idea that we should try something different and somewhat jokingly offered going to the Grand Canyon.  One week later we were up at 4am and hitting the road and man am I glad my family is spontaneous because the trip was awesome!

On the way there though, we stopped by ZION NATIONAL PARK and holy crap that place was beautiful!  Although the Grand Canyon was, well, GRAND in it's own obvious way, Zion National Park was amazing and had this great serenity about it that I was obsessed with for a while.  

I love that picture on the right because you get an idea of just how enormous these mountains were compared to a full sized Yukon

And no I did not fall in love with this place solely because of the fact that this place was off of Route 66 and basically identical to Radiator Springs from 'Cars'.  Driving through the mountains kept me in awe over the size of the mountains and I think why I especially loved it was that unlike Yosemite where you are constantly driving past picnic areas, rest stops with port-a-potties, and families of tourists flocking towards tourist information booths, as you drive through here there are only stops at the end and the beginning.  So all you see is the beauty of the mountains and all you hear is ... nothing.

        

I honestly could have stayed there all day and just kept driving and driving around. 

Inside the national park too are a bunch of lodging joints that looked really comfy and homey so my family and I are already planning on the next time we go that we spend a night in Zion National Park and wake up.  Like holy crap imagine the sunrise at this place... I can only imagine... for now.

Look at this rainbow at the entrance! I should have known at this point that the next place was going to be getting even more beautiful with this beginning it.

So in review: Zion National Park is not some outer space zone but an enormous and beautiful plot of nature in Arizona you have to visit in your life time.

Eiffel for French Food

IT'S A PUN! (in the title)

Alright so before this summer whenever I thought about French Food all I could think about were croissants, escargot, and cheese omelettes

HOLY CRAP THOUGH! My horizons have been expanded and french food is so freaking good I can't get enough.  I went to this little french place in Sacramento with my friend about a month ago and have been obsessed with french baguette sandwiches always craving more.

But the place that I am gonna talk about is a French Cheese Shop in San Francisco that was just as bomb with really good french sandwiches and A LOT closer than having to drive 2 hours just for a sandwich no matter how good.

LA FROMAGERIE

2425 3rd St, San Francisco, CA

Kind of a hole-in-the-while but not, this place was so good with great food and great service and REAL FRENCH PEOPLE... that's right, they don't only exist in Europe!

Fresh Baked Bread & Cheese you can buy inside

We went for lunch and it's a small little shop with a little counter and a lot of people were actually there buying these cheese trays for some type of wine & cheese party I would never be invited to and then a menu behind them with usually 4-5 sandwiches you can have with a side of chips or salad.  Then just like a typical Deli Sandwich Shop the dude you just ordered from makes the sandwich in front of you.  I gotta say that I am really glad they have that glass there because I would have just grabbed my sandwich and ran I could NOT WAIT

   

I ordered the Le Coulouse Sandwich and it was so deliciously amazing and satifsying I cannot wait to go back for another one.  In case you can't read the menu, the sandwich had sheep cheese, smoked duck breast, dried figs, fig jam, arugula, olive oil, and salt & pepper all with a side of chips.

The duck breast was solid in itself but with the sweetness of the dried figs and fig jam and the strong taste of sheep cheese all within the freshly baked bread the sandwich was insane! There wasn't a moment where I was not chewing on some sandwich or biting into it for more and my heart ached when it was over but damn my stomach had never been so happy.

I definitely recommend heading over to this little french shop it is delicious but if you aren't from around here, go ahead and search for a french sandwich shop somewhere around you and try some FRENCH CUISINE OUT NOW!

What is College?

A short post just to let you all know that I added a new tab at the top dubbed "What is College" where I identified what college means to me so far.

for real though... anyway!

I randomly started it at the beginning of my first year after so much was going on in my first year that I figured I should jot it down so as to never forget it all.  I kind of began imagining publishing a small book that you could find at the back of a Hallmark Store or in the discount section of your local Target but for now, I think this will do.

I remember around the time of graduating high school that so many of my friends would not shut up about moving away from home and becoming independent.  I remember getting tired of hearing it all because to most of them, being on their own meant they could not wait to live under the same roof because they were tired of their parents and yadda yadda yadda their lives are so difficult while they drive off in their new car their parents are letting them take to college.

 It honestly disgusted me a bit that they did not appreciate all they had received from their parents.  It is kind of sappy, but I really hope that they learned that independence is not solely living on your own, but it is taking what you have learned from your parents, and implementing it in the real world.

But besides all that deepness of knowledge I just bombshelled you all with, college is also the greatest years of one's life where you start on your way to your future... and there is nothing more terrifying than realizing you are growing up

Oh! And check out what it is college means to me in my new page DUH! that's originally what this post was supposed to be about


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Take Life One Day at a Time

I really wish that during the season of the Academy Awards, that any and all movies that are nominated should screen at movie theaters because I have found so many times that a lot of the movies that are nominated.. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF!  And I mean come on, if they're nominated for an Oscar, they deserve a lot more credit than being "this year's indie hit" or whatever.

For example, Rabbit Hole was a drama that came out in 2010 that I had not heard about until the night of the Academy Awards hearing about a nomination for something that sounded like an Alice in Wonderland spin-off.  And I didn't even come to watch the movie until we finally got Netflix and I watched a buttload of movie staying up all night.  And I LOVED THE MOVIE

The movie stars Nicole Kidman (nominated for Best Actress) and Aaron Eckhart and follows their once happy marriage after the accidental death of young son.  I honestly feel like this Drama was so under appreciated and highly recommend you watch it... Now... Do It.

Centering around the couple as they cope with the tragedy that came into their lives, the movie follows the most honest and accurate representation of how people cope with the death of loved ones and sometimes end up hurting others while trying not to endure any more emotional pain than what they themselves are already going through.  The long term effects of something so depressing and heartbreaking can really take a toll on a family leading one to question all that is their new reality.

One looks to others to see how they coped with a similar situation even though no one could possibly ever feel like they feel.

One questions their faith wondering "Why me? Why my son? What kind of destiny holds such a tragic component to some big plan?"

One even considers acting out in any way possibly finding an escape from it or possibly something to keep their minds off of the truth.

It isn't terribly depressing so hold off on being afraid of leaving this movie with puffy eyes and an empty box of kleenex, but it did speak to me in an interesting way and I came to love it immensely especially for it's ultimate message to just take life day by day and not look for much more than that.  When you see your world turned upside down, just take a moment to sit back and see what it is you CAN do.. and start there

Attack of Burritozilla!

I sincerely apologize that this is another food post but then again I don't really apologize completely because I love food and everyone loves food and even if you are on a diet, you love food so sit back and enjoy this sight.

No, those are not posters rolled up in foil.  Those are none other than Burritozillas.

5 Pounds of Pure Burrito with meat, rice, beans, cheese, salsa, and pure destruction sitting in enough foil to cover an infant in for a good nights rest

You can find this monstrosity at Taqueria Iguana in Santa Clara or in two different locations in San Jose and my friends and I were crazy enough  to try it out.  Well.... at least me and another friend were

• One of my friends ordered a regular burrito knowing he would not even make a dent in the thing
• And the other friend gave us moral support whilst secretly knowing we would not finish it and waited to eat some of the leftover burrito (The real winner in this story)

When we first started we had no idea how to handle this culinary monstrosity so I cut mine in half and decided to just take it in portions hoping that would work.  My friend, as you can see from above, went hardcore hispanic caveman on this thing and just went for it... as you can see in the second picture he needed one of the other guys to hold the lower end of the burrito because this thing was so big.  My friend definitely did not eat as much as I did (not sure if I am proud of that) and as you can see from the pictures most of it ended up on his plate so no offense to him but he was not very fierce of a competitor but it was still fun!

Not sure how it looks on the computer but that picture above is how much I left and was unable to finish.  It was basically a little bit more than a regular burrito and honestly I think that 5lb burrito may have been a bit more than 5 pounds but I just thought I would share that with you all and give you the swell tip to prepare more physically and mentally because me eating a bento box for lunch that day was probably not the best idea :p

Food Fanatic in the Streets, and Coma Patient in the Sheets

San Francisco is great for so many different reasons, but for right now, I am going to discuss the awesomeness SF has to offer in terms of FOOD.  This past weekend my friends and I went to this huge street festival on Folsom St. that had a crazy ton of different food stands and street food trucks.  Let me just say that I have never wished so hard for an anatomy more resembling that of a cow than that day because all I wanted was a second stomach to fit in that great food.

(This event was SO BIG they handed out maps since it covered 6 blocks down Folsom St.)

I don't have too much more to say about it other than all of the food there was delicious and afterwards I could barely move from all that we ate so here are a lot of pictures of the different things we all ate on Saturday.

First off was the Latin food which all was delicious with the traditional corn of the cob with lime, salt, and chile and also some homemade fresh ceviche

 (Necessary corn on the cob preparation steps)

LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE EATING MY FOOD

My personal favorite of the day was this find right here.  It's called Onigilly and was rice and your choice of protein wrapped in seaweed... it was DELICIOUS! They had teriyaki chicken, spicy shrimp, and cooked eggplant so we all tried the different types and it was a unanimous vote that the spicy shrimp was too savory to not consider it as the best.

The PORCHETTA SANDWICH from A16 Food Cart was Amazing as well! Freshly carved pork with some kind of garlic spread in freshly baked ciabatta bread was delicious!

 Craziest find of the day I give to this drink right here.  The PRICKLY PEAR AGUA FRESCA, I mean look at how pink that drink is ... I could not get over the color of this one and could not resist from sharing it with you all.  Oh! and it was beyond refreshing really hitting the spot in between all of the eating.

And of course, you cannot eat all this food without having some kind of dessert right? So we did it right and ended our long meal with Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee hitting the spot perfectly.

COCONUT JUICE to keep us refreshed after we downed the Prickly Pear Drink

(WHOLE FOODS does not fully understand the concept of "subliminal" messaging)

I definitely recommend it to anyone who lives in the area to mark this down on their calendars for next year, and if you aren't in the bay, just research for some kind of street food festivals around you. They are so fun and give you the chance to try all sorts of new food! Just be sure to park nearby because by the end, you will still be wanting to eat delicious food.... but moving around is not so easy

(Me and my friends by the end)

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