Eating on the Road

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Often times, we are deadlocked in a cold war battle with roommate's, family members, and friends in

Eating on the Road

where to eat for dinner. Will it be Fast Food or Casual Dining? Mexican or Italian? Should we get an appetizer... or how about split that big sundae for dessert? This should sound familiar to just about everyone, and I'm sure at times we dream of the day when we get to make all the decisions on our own for what we're going to eat. Well part of this summers journey, was making these decisions every day.

Living on the road, I am forced with making the choice of where to eat twice a day, every day. There are days where I love it, and others where its a serious personal struggle. Today I'll settle some questions that have been asked of me about my summer eating habits, and how one eats on the road:


1) Doesn't it suck to eat alone all the time?

Double Dipping is Good

Yes and No. While all of my days are made up of about 80% me time, the times that I take to sit down at a restaurant and get to just relax, are wonderful. I enjoy the moments to have a drink, watch some sports and listen to the world around me, and not have to worry about watching what the staff is doing. But having to stare at an empty seat across from me, and seeing families and friends laughing together does get a bit harsh at times. This is why I often choose restaurants where I can sit at the bar
and have conversation with the bartender or other patrons. In doing this I have truly met some of the nicest and most interesting people across the country. Just last night I talked with a bartender who
was working her way through school where she was studying Vocal Performance and Political Science. She was happy to talk all about her life dreams and ambitions. Everyone truly has something to tell, and I am always happy to listen (ever had me ask you "tell me a story?). And plus... isn't it nice knowing you can double dip and not be judged?

2) Can one live off Taco Bell?

Smothered Burrito

Definitely. While I do switch up what I eat pretty often, Taco Bell is never a bad decision. Its the best food to eat in the car as it easily fits in 1 hand, doesn't make a mess, and is CHEAP. For less than $5, I can get 2 Beefy Nacho Griller's, and Bean and Cheese Burrito and a Drink and be stuffed. When I feel like "dining in", the new Smothered Shredded Chicken burrito is delicious. And who can be sad when Cinnamon Twists are around? Not to brag, but I've also mastered eating a Crunch wrap Supreme while driving ;)

3) Hotels with Free Breakfast rock right?
Wrong. 90% of the time the eggs taste like cardboard, the bagels are about as hard enough to break windows, and the sausage is more questionable then elementary school lunch. Families on a weekend vacation will eat at the hotel breakfast because its a great value and will live with the mediocre at best food selection. But when you're on the road every day, a bad breakfast can set up a bad day. Its why more often than not, Starbucks or an Egg McMuffin are worth the expense to start the day right.

Chick Fil-A Chicken Biskit (My Favorite)

However, for those of you who do make your housing selection based on free breakfast, here is my general review of what you will get at different hotel chains:
-Fairfield Inn, by Marriott: Consistent good coffee and fresh juice options, but the real winner is the individually packaged Otis Spunkmeyer muffins that you can grab and go.
-Holiday Inn Express: Avoid the eggs, but the pancake machine and signature warm cinnamon rolls are worth waking up a bit earlier.
-La Quinta Inn: Everything is about the same here, nothing good and nothing bad. Usually the biscuits and pastries are stale. Go with the Activia yogurt if you must.
-Springhill Suites by Marriott: Pretty decent all around, and the coffee was great.
-Hyatt Place: Fantastic! I have stayed at 2 of these this summer and they were both great. The dining area is set up like a big family kitchen/dining room. The Mini Donuts were good along with all of the hot food options.

4) What are the best places to eat?

Royal Burger at Red Robin

This one is tough, and in the end most people won't agree with me. When looking at where I eat,  I seem to be a creature of habit and don't vary much in where I eat I am drawn in by places with a bar, good service and consistently good food. After long days on the road, or at a park, the smallest things are what I look forward to the most. If I dine out and don't have a good experience, it just makes life on the road all the more lonely. But in review, at least 4 nights a week you are most likely to find me at one of these places:

-Red Robin: With Bottomless steak fries with all of their sandwiches and some of the best burgers around, whats not to love? They have a great beer selection and, for something unique, try the Irish Shake!
-Buffalo Wild Wings: When its game time, there's no better place for fans. I regularly ate here during the NHL Playoffs and now during football season. Also the Game Changer brew by Red Hook, is truly the best beer to accompany your wings.
-Applebees: With 1/2 priced appetizers and drink specials after 9 every night, its one of the best stops. The bartenders are always friendly and the food is always consistent. Most of the time, its the Turkey, Bacon, and Avocado sandwich, but my new favorite is the 4-Cheese Macaroni with Honey Bar-B-Que Chicken crisper's.

5) Do you ever try anything new?

Deep Fried Apple Pie

Of course! While many times I eat at the same places (because I know what I am getting), I love to
try the local favorites. If I remember before leaving a park, I ask for the best local food joint and eat there. In doing this I've found some incredible restaurants across the states:
-Kannah Kreek Brewery (Grand Junction, CO): While the beer  and pizza was great, the deep fried apple pie for desert was to die for.
-Oklahoma Joe's Bar-B-Que (Kansas City, MO): Arguably the best bar-b-que in the United States. I've already wrote about it back in my Kansas City post. See it Here.
-Voo Doo Donuts(Portland, OR): With some of the most unique doughnut toppings and filling, the famous Voo Doo Donuts cannot be passed up if you are ever in Portland.

Doughnut Display at Voo Doo Donuts

So now I pose a question to you all: Do you think you could eat out everyday? Why or why not? What would your habits be? Comment below, as I'd love to hear your opinions and suggestions!

Be sure to check out my next post: 
The Disneyland Resort: Part 1-Day Time!

Vegas!

Be Sure to check out my last post: Arizona!

Well normally.... what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.... but I'll let you all in on it just this once.

The Fremont Street Experience

Vegas is just a short 4.5 hours from home, and a drive I've done many times before. At state line, I made the stop at Buffalo Bills casino to ride the famous Desperado roller coaster. At its opening in 1994 it tied the record for steepest and longest drop (225') and at 80mph, was just slower than Steel Phantoms 82mph. The Ride experience starts with a chain lift through the casino, and rises high

Desperado Roller Coaster Ticket

above the desert floor, where it then plummets at a 60degree angle under the earth. The rest of the ride experience is nothing special, and honestly is downright painful. The coaster cars hurt your back as it rocks down the nearly 6,000ft of track. But after the ride, and 30 minutes later, I arrived at the Monte Carlo Hotel.

While I had only paid the rate for a lower level floor, the desk clerk upgraded me to a corner room on the 31st floor! It was huge and we were only 1 short of the top floor. The view was of the new City Center complex and across the 15 freeway.

View from the hotel room at the Monte Carlo

Official Wet'N'Wild Vehicle

I was excited to visit the new Wet'n'Wild Vegas, as it was the first Water Park to open in Vegas since
the strip location closed in 2004. The new park was located off the strip in a residential area and has plenty of room to grow. The slides were all shining and the wide open feel has a lot to build upon. I apologize for not taking more photos, but I definitely want to go back.

After the day at Wet'n'Wild I spent the night down on Fremont

Slide through a Shark Tank

street seeing some of the great free attractions. almost nightly on
the weekends there are live bands playing on the street. There's also the "show in the sky", which an awesome LED light show that is on a massive cover that stretches down the entire street. This seasons shows were all based on classic rock such as The Doors, The Who and the Beatles. We also ventured inside the Golden Nugget Hotel to see a water slide that goes right through a shark tank!

When it came time to leave Vegas the next day, I took a stop at the World Famous Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, from Pawn Stars! I was hoping to see Chumly, be he wasn't there... must have been out doing some mindless task for the old man.
On the drive back, I took a stop at one of my famous roadside sights: Rock-A-Hoola Water Park at beautiful Lake Delores!

Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark!

 OK, its actually closed down, and has been empty since the summer of 2004. Its located a little over 1/2 way to Vegas in the middle of nowhere, and is honestly no surprise that it closed. The lake has since dried up and plants have over grown what is left of the park. Most of the slides have been removed and there is nothing left around it. However this desert location used to be quite the family destination when it opened in 1962. Check out this promo video for the park while it was open:

While it is nothing special, it has always served as a running joke between me and my friend Huntington that when we strike it rich, we would buy it out and reopen it. While it was closed down and there were some no trespassing signs, I still ventured in to collect some photos of what was left. There are plenty more in the #LyfInFocus-Vegas album, but here are a few of my favorites.

 Before making it back home, I took a stop to see my good friends Annie and Jeremy, whom I hadn't

Annie and Jeremy with Bucky

seen in quite a while. They actually just got married last weekend too, (they were engaged when I visited over the Summer).

Didn't get enough photos? Then head over to the #LyfInFocus-Vegas album.

Be sure to check out my next post: Eating on the Road!

Arizona

Be Sure to Check out my Previous Post: Where did #LyfInFocus come from?

Well after a few much needed days at home with my family, I'm back on the road again ready to hit

The Road to Mecca

the West Coast!

First up is the Phoenix Arizona area. To get there is a quick 6 hour drive through the beautiful desert! Can you see my hint at sarcasm?? I even passed the road to Mecca on my way.

It was a little toasty.

I had visited phoenix several times, from the air and the Sky Harbor Airport, but never to actually see the city. Well unfortunately for me, I came at the hottest part of the year, where it was no joke, 118degrees outside!! And there was a small bit of humidity to accompany it, so I was miserable. I joked with one of the pool managers that I could bake cookies in my car.... she then responded "oh yea, my guards do it at least once every summer!" It was just miserably hot. And later that night, I walked out side and it felt like it had really cooled off.... in reality it was just 104. Just crazy. I don't think my iPhone much liked it either.

However, to offset the heat, there was what I will forever argue is the best carne asada around. (If for

Fili's Carne Asada

some unfortunate reason you don't know the pure gold that is carne asada is, please Google it). Fillibertos Mexican food is a chain of Mexican restaurants in both southern California and Arizona, and is quite delicious. I enjoyed both a Carne Asada Burrito and Carne Asada fries, and was in pure heaven. At that point the heat was non-existent.

SpringHill Suites by Marriott

During my stay in Arizona I stayed in a SpringHill Suites by Marriott, one of my favorite properties. My room was separated into 2 parts, with a sitting area with a couch on one end, and the beds on the other. And for $69 a night, it was a great deal!

Here's a Hint at whats coming up later this week

On my way out of Arizona, I stopped by the Cardinals Stadium, which is pretty cool. Its a stadium with a retractable roof, as well as a retractable field!! You might wonder why they do that, and the answer is simple. So the grass can grow under the sun!

Be Sure to check out all of the photos in the #LyfInFocus-Arizona album!

Be Sure to Check out my next post: Vegas!