My Year On The Road - Part Two Buffalo

Round Two of my "Year of Travel 2011 Edition".  Welcome to beautiful Buffalo New York.

So let me back up a bit and fire up the WayBack Machine (Thanks, Wyatt) and go to a few months before the trip.  My "brother" Matt told me about "The Tenth Annual Buffalo Wing Fest" being held Labor Day Weekend in (Duh) Buffalo, New York.

My jaw hit the keyboard making a kind of "bnhngbnb bvghgghb bhbbnnbbvbn" type of response and next thing you know, our countdown was on.

So fast forward to the night before our trip, it was a Thursday, Matt and I had taken off work Friday to drive down.  I was over at my girlfriend's house hanging out and I fell asleep on the couch.  Now, for this next part, keep in mind that I was staring down the barrel of a seven hour drive.

I woke up to see Kelly standing over me saying "It's 4:20."  It was 4:20AM, we went to bed around midnight or one so there wasn't much sleepy time between one to four.  I didn't believe her, cuz I'm dumb, and she told me a few more times that it was 4:20AM so I jumped off the couch, grabbed whatever belongings I had, and bolted.

I drove home and got a bit of sleep before Matt got there around seven. I woke up, grabbed my bag, and got into the car and he headed North on Route 15, a beautiful, scenic highway through Pennsylvania.  There were at least 25 billboards letting Matt and I know "PORN FOR SALE" and "Cheapest Porn on Rt. 15" and things of the sort, and I'm glad to say we made only one stop...at Taco Bell.  For tacos and gorditas, get your mind out of the gutter.

 So then we hit New York and blazed through the last few hours of our road trip.  We got to Buffalo and dropped our stuff off at Dan's (He had to go out and do a Fantasy Football Draft so I already liked him) and took off again.  Matt and I went to Anchor Bar (Home of the First Buffalo Wing, thanks Dominic's Friends!) followed by a bit of catch at a local elementary school then went to Dick's Sporting Goods (My favorite store of all time), where Matt took a giant crap, and then we went to get some beers and watch some football (TCU versus Baylor inna huge shootout, if only I knew the Skins would get RGIII then...).

So fast forward to the next day, we wake up and pile into Dan's car and head towards Coca-Cola Field, home of Buffalo Wing Festival 10.  Our Mecca.

Now, to get any wings you need to buy tickets, if I remember right (I probably don't) you could get three wings for two tickets.  Matt and I bought a ton of tickets and took off to sample wings from all over the United States.  Some of the wings were terrible (Better Cheddar Wings shouldn't exist...) and some were amazing but Matt and I both decided that the best of the best were the "Almost Famous Peanut Sauce Wings" from a wing joint in Seattle, Washington.

Now, I think I ate around thirty wings, Matt probably ate the same if not more, which is more than enough when you think about it.  And there were so many awesome sauces coating my fingers.

But the fun didn't end there.  After a few hours of wings, we wanted some air conditioning, some sports, and some beers so we walked on down to Pearl Street Bar & Grill and knocked back a few local brews before heading back to the car.

On the way back, we hit up the liquor store (They do ten dollar growlers) for some more drinks then Might Taco (Cuz we really needed more food....).  Let me say this, I love Taco Bell, always will, but Mighty Taco blew that place out of the water. Much better tacos, much better nachos, much better EVERYTHING.

After a "necessary" taco and beer run, we went back to Dan's to watch the LSU/Oregon tilt, eat tacos, an drink beers before turning in for the night.

Now, there is one more note about the awesome road trip that was "Big Guy and Chief go to Buffalo". On the way back through Pennsilyvania, we found heaven in Williamsport in the form of a...wait for it....all you can eat KFC Buffet.

The trip was epic, and as Matt recently put it "Wings, Beer, and bars that don't close till 4AM, what more could you want?"

That Time I Went To Wendy's on West Nursery Farm Road and Never Went Back (and Other Fast Food Stories)

The picture next to these words, the one giving you nightmares, is what I saw as soon as I walked into the Wendy's on West Nursery Farm Road in Linthicum, MD.  I was going to a movie with my girlfriend Kelly (And this weeks' co-blogger, say hi Kelly..."Hi"...real original, Kel, way to bring the enthusiasm, if you all stop reading now I don't blame you) and we decided to get some food first.

So we walk into the Wendy's next to the theater and the kid at the register, let's call him "Ryan" cuz that was his name, is working or whatever.  So we wait in line (A pretty busy line, don't you hate when you get somewhere, the line is a mile long, and you're the last one in it until you get to the front of the line?  Then one jackass walks in behind you and gets his food before you.), we are cracking smart ass comments, and of course I'm being well behaved and mature, per the usual.

This is why unemployment is so high
(literally). Thanks, Ryan.

We finally get to the front of the line and I'm staring at "Ryan" cuz he looks like, as my dad would say, "a damn fool".  He had  hair like that guy in that band "Flock of Seagulls" (You know, who doesn't wanna name a band after birds that eat garbage?), a band I know about only cuz I've seen "The Wedding Singer".

So me and Kelly get up to the front of the line and place our orders.  I ordered, and apparently messed up, and "Ryan" just smirked at me.  I corrected myself and stepped back, in shame (Also per the usual) and Kelly ordered. Disclaimer: he messed up Kelly's order, smirkless.

After Kelly had ordered, I handed "Ryan" my money and he took it and kind of (Well, not kind of) stared at Kelly blankly, then at me, then at Kelly, then rung up our food.

So we got our food and went to sit down and as Kelly opened up her baked potato, she noticed they didn't give her any sour cream or butter.  So me, being the gentleman and perfect boyfriend (Kelly says "Hi"), I get up to go get some sour cream and butter from "Ryan" (If you can't tell, I get a kick out of typing "'Ryan'").  I get up to the register and ask "Ryan" for said condiments, he looked at me, then turned back to the customer who had just told him "I'm not ready to order yet."  I stood there for a minute feeling a little bit defeated, watching the lady with two cigarettes behind her ears flip burgers, until "Drive Thru Lady" came to my rescue.

All in all, it was a trip to Wendy's (A place I really don't like) I'll remember.  Oh, and I almost forgot, Kelly pointed out a sign to me as we walked into Wendy's that read "Looking for Great Team Members"...now we know why...Way to go "Ryan".

Word Vomit, or as some people say "Random Thoughts"

So I haven't done a post like this in forever, cuz the Man Crush bracket took up all of my time so it feels good to be back in the regular-post saddle.  I also want to take a second to thank everyone who voted and contributed to the Man Crush Bracket, it sounds like a lot of people enjoyed it and I'll do another bracket either later this year or next year.  Now back to the voodoo that I do (not)so well.

Everyone who has been into a Chinese "joint" or restaurant (I never spell that word right on the first time, thanks spell check)  has probably the sign in the picture below (Take time to scroll down a bit to see it).  They seem to be in like, 90% of the places I've been, and I'm almost nervous when I go somewhere and I don't see one, I worry I'm not classy enough to order anything that's not no a backlit and faded sign.

Every Chinese Restaurant

Now, the sign in the picture is in Top China across the street from my house, it's a brand new place, and the sign looks like it's thirty years old.  I've never seen one of these signs and thought "Damn, what a clean, crisp, new looking sign."  And I also don't remember seeing any changes in the signs.  It always seems dumpings, General Tso, Orange Chicken, and stuff are just up there all the time.  The signs must be family heirlooms, passed generation to generation.

Random thought number two, cuz one is never enough.  And cuz I'm all hopped up on strawberry rhubarb pie from Easter, also known as the best pie ever.  Sorry, other pies.  I was driving the other day, rocking out to my music (Rod Stewart, DUH...not really) and I look out the passenger window and the Cracka in the Volvo station wagon (Matt James) next to me and he's staring back at me, while he sings whatever was on his stereo.  I feel like this happens a lot, mostly I'm the one singing (And drumming on the steering wheel, occasionally playing guitar, and certainly thinking I sound just as good as John Hiatt...or Rihanna), and what do you do?  You look back ahead and continue singing...like nothing happened.

Well that's all I got for now, I'm working on some new stuff (Maybe a interview type thing with "Cruz Missile") so stay tuned Aunt Jean.

Hostess.