Friday 5 - Deer Hunting

Some of you might not know this, but I do go deer hunting. I took a several year hiatus from hunting during college, but ever since graduation I have been getting back into it. I know some of you may not like deer hunting, but then again some of you probably don't like chocolate and well...that is weird!

Top 5 Reasons I Like Deer Hunting:

1 - Spending time with family: Hunting is not all about guys with guns dressed up like big orange pumpkins sitting out in the cold for hours on end --- it's all of that plus spending time with family, at least it is for our family. Deer hunting season is a great excuse for all of us to get together and spend some time together. I always enjoy coming back from sitting out in the deer stand and chatting or playing games with the family!

2 - Excuse to use a gun: It wouldn't be "hunting" without some sort of weapon - in this case it is a gun. Maybe this is some sort of macho manifestation, but there is just something about using a gun that is exhilarating! Ever since I was old enough and had proper firearm certification I have loved trap shooting with my Dad and brother. Since I don't have a gun in my apartment (for obvious reasons) and never get to trap shoot anymore, this is as close as I get to shooting anything all year!

3 - Experiencing nature: I personally think the best way to experience nature is to go to the beach - the ocean beach - sun, sand and water...what could be better! Since none of that exists in Minnesota the next best thing, in my opinion, is sitting out in a deer stand on a chilly November morning and soaking up Mother Nature. I remember growing up that I hated sitting in the deer stand in the morning! My feet would always get cold, my hands would freeze and I would always make too much noise to ever see a deer anyway! It is weird though...I grew up in the country and never really cared to "take in nature," but going home now for hunting I can't get enough!

4 - Relaxation: The nice thing about going deer hunting with Dad is that he always has everything set up for us when we get there! We don't have to worry about where we will be sitting since he already put up our deer stand for us! Not only that but the stands are actually very comfortable! There are times while listening to nature that I nearly doze off! No worries though...I have never fallen asleep in my stand!

5 - Catching up on Sudoku: That's right...on the off chance that I do get bored in the deer stand I make sure to bring my iPod with in case I want to play a game or two of Sudoku - assuming that my hands aren't cold. Last year I saw a deer while texting my wife, so I have concluded that deer are tech-savvy animals that just want to take a look at the latest gadgets!

Friday 5: Halloween Sweet Tooth

Halloween is just two days away and though I am a bit too old to go trick or treating it is still fun to think about my all-time favorite Halloween candies! Below is a list, starting with my favorite, of my top 5 favorite Halloween treats!

My 5 Favorite Halloween Treats!

1 – Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

2 – Twix

3 – Candy Corn Mixed With Peanuts

4 – Milky Way

5 – 3 Musketeer’s

What Halloween treats (candy or other) do you look forward to each year?

Friday 5: On the Boards

For those of you who read yesterdays post - yes, I can see today! Woot! Today's Friday 5 may be a little out of date with the rise of computer and console gaming, but I still find myself drawn to board games. So, with that here are this week's Friday 5.

My 5 Favorite Board Games:

1 - The Settlers of Catan: One of my favorite types of games, board games or otherwise, is a strategy-based game and Settlers is just that. Settlers is a strategy game where each player has to strategically place each settlement, each road, etc. in order to gain resources, expand and ultimately defeat their enemy by being the first person to obtain 10 victory points. The best aspect about Settlers is that the game will never be the same...never simply because the board setup is always random. Settlers is truly a unique, fun and engaging game - I highly recommend you try it!

The New "Gladiator" Tiger

2 - Monopoly: No --- not the McDonald's version. If you are not familiar with Monopoly then I would question whether or not you are in fact a U.S. citizen...either that or you have literally been living under a rock your entire life. Monopoly is genuinely a great game...though I tend to have to be in a Monopoly mood in order to sit through the entire game. I think you all know what I mean.

3 - Catch Phrase: Though not a true board game in the sense that it has no physical board, Catch Phrase is still a great non-computer/-console game. Catch Phrase is a game where the player is given a word and the person has to try and describe the work to his/her teammates without saying the actual word while the team tries to guess the word. I find that Catch Phrase makes a great companion to a group of friends and a few drinks...am I right, Dan?  
Everyone: "Tiger, soup, donkey, computer!"       
Dan: "No, it's an airplane!"

4 - Trivial Pursuit: To be honest, I don't know why I like Trivial Pursuit so much. I am not inherently good at the game. I am not a trivia wiz and I am not a beacon of Jeopardy-type knowledge. However, there is just something about trivia games that I really, really like. Even when The Mrs. and I go to Dave & Busters we tend to spend most of our time at the big trivia game. Maybe this is just my way of letting my inner nerd have his fun.

5 - Scrabble: As if Trivial Pursuit wasn't a big enough nerd alert, right? So yeah, I like Scrabble too and no, I do not have the biggest vocabulary in the world, but I still enjoy the game! I like that Scrabble challenges me to use a different part of my brain than I would normally use in any given day.

Looking at the board games I have chosen as my favorites I see a pattern to my favorites - almost all of them are either strategy based or knowledge based. Not only do I enjoy board games, because it is a great way to hang out with family and friends, but it is also a great way to work your brain in a fun way!

What are your favorite board games? Don't worry - my inner nerd won't make fun!

Friday 5 - 10.15 --- Movies

It has been a while since my last trip to the movie theater and lately I have been getting movie fever! Below is my current list of movies that I want to see (some are not in the theater anymore). Enjoy!

5 Movies I Want to See:

1 - Red: Action - Comedy. Starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich & Helen Mirren. These four cast members used to be former top CIA agents with a vast knowledge of government secrets. These former agents are currently retired from the CIA, but are framed for an assassination and must reassemble their former team in order to discover who framed them. Once the team is assembled they attempt to break into CIA's headquarters to clear their name all while discovering a huge government conspiracy! In my opinion, the movie has a great cast, it looks genuinely funny and entertaining! I can't wait to see it!

2 - Salt: Action - Mystery - Thriller. Starring Angelina Jolie. While Evelyn Salt (Jolie), a current CIA agent, is interrogating a Russian operative she is accused for being an undercover Russian spy. The spy she was interrogating escapes from the facility causing the CIA to place suspicion on her and her credibility. Fearing capture, etc. Salt flees from the CIA in order to clear her name. Though the premise may sound similar to "Red" the two movies are actually quite different. "Salt" is a serious movie filled with action and suspense and I cannot wait to check it out!

3 - Robin Hood: Action - Adventure - Drama. Starring Russell Crowe. We all know the story of Robin Hood and we have probably all seen a version of the story sometime or another. The last Robin Hood movie I saw starred Kevin Costner. Now, I understand that some people really do not like Costner as an actor and thought he did a terrible job in the movie, but I kinda liked it. From the previews I have seen I feel like Crowe will bring a more action-packed and rugged feel to the merry old tale of men in tights! I think this new Robin Hood will be an improvement on its predecessor and I am hoping to not be disappointed!

4 - Due Date: Comedy. Starring Robert Downey Jr. & Zach Galifianakis. In the movie, father-to-be Peter Highman (Downey Jr.) is left without a car on his way to see his wife give birth. For some reason he in on a no-fly list so he is forced to hitch a ride with an aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis) on a road trip in order to make it to his child's birth on time. The plot doesn't make the movie sound that great, but the previews look hilarious. If you enjoyed "The Hangover" I think you will enjoy this! Galigianakis plays a similar character as in "The Hangover" - sort of the village idiot type.

5 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1: Action - Adventure - Fantasy - Mystery. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint & Ralph Fiennes. Wait, wait, wait!!! Before you hit the close button on your internet browser hear me out! If you haven't seen these movies then you have no right to criticize. I know these movies are not everyone's favorite, but I assure you that the movies (and books) get much better after the first two. The movies get much more action-packed, serious and less kid-like. In short this movie is all about Harry finding certain items (Horcruxes) in order to defeat the man that killed his parents, devastated his world and has currently taken power over the wizarding government. I am glad to see that the franchise has kept the same director as the last few movies as I feel he has made the movies much more adult-friendly. The movies continue to get more serious, action-packed and simply more entertaining!

What movies are you looking forward to watching?

Friday 5 - 10.8

Today's Friday 5 holds a very special spot in my heart...or should I say stomach! I based the below list on the following criteria - Food quality, food appearance, atmosphere & value (i.e. price for what you get) - values out of 10.

My 5 (current) favorite restaurants:

1 - The Cheesecake Factory (American/Misc). Yes...TCF is a chain restaurant, but I can honestly say that this is my favorite restaurant! TCF's menu truly caters to all tastes. Whether you are in the mood for pizza, a burger, pasta, fish/seafood, salad, Mexican, etc. there is always something on the menu worth trying! I am a person that likes to try new menu items and I can honestly say that I have never disliked anything at TCF! Not only is the regular food great, but their dessert cannot be beat! The Mrs. & I consider it a disrespect to leave TCF without a piece of cheesecake - even if this means having it later that evening or the next day; it is delicious!

Food Quality: 9

Food Appearance: 8

Atmosphere: 8

Value: 9
 
2 - Broder's Pasta Bar (Italian). The Mrs. and I experienced Broder's Pasta Bar this past Valentine's Day and I fell in love with the place! This small south Minneapolis restaurant was a great find! The restaurant name describes exactly what is on the menu - pasta! What I really enjoyed about this place was the atmosphere - we were seated in a bar-style section where we were able to observe the chef's cook right in front of us. Though the food was a little pricey the quality and flavor was great! This was a great find for a romantic evening!

Food Quality: 9

Food Appearance: 8

Atmosphere: 7

Value: 7 

3 - Big Bowl (Asian). Big Bowl is not your most fancy restaurant by any stretch of the word, but it is a great place to eat nonetheless! By far my favorite aspect of Big Bowl is the customization you have for your meal. At BB you can either have a standard menu item with all the ingredients already chosen for you, etc....like at a normal restaurant, but what makes BB stand out from the rest is the make your own stir fry bar! I love the fact that the make your own stir fry literally lets you choose everything you want in your mean from the meat and vegetables down to the sauce type. It truly is a unique experience!

Food Quality: 8

Food Appearance: 8

Atmosphere: 8

Value: 9

4 - Benihana's (Japanese). Another Asian restaurant dear to my stomach is Benihana's! Similar to other hibachi-style Japanese steakhouses, Benihana's food preparation and atmosphere are truly unique! Not only does the food taste great, but the manner in which it is prepared and served is amazing! Each table has their own personal chef preparing food right in front of them - check out the onion volcano! Bad chicken! Meow! 

Food Quality: 9

Food Appearance: 8

Atmosphere: 10

Value: 7 

5 - Taco Viá (Mexican). Those of you in Minnesota have probably not heard of Taco Viá, but I assure you it is a great place! Taco Viá is a small family-owned restaurant in Kansas City, MO. It is by no means fancy nor does it have high quality food like the restaurants listed above, but for some reason I love going there! The portion size is perfect, the people are great and I just really enjoy going when I am in Kansas City visiting my wife's family! 

Food Quality: 7

Food Appearance: 7

Atmosphere: 5 
Value: 9 


If price and location were not issues, what restaurant would you most like to visit and why?

Friday 5 - 9.24

In an effort to spice things up a bit I will be starting a segment for the blog! If you aren’t already excited, you should be! I’ll wait while you regain your composure. OK…good. This new segment will be called “Friday 5.” As the title suggests each Friday post will contain a list of five things. The list can and will include anything – five questions, top fives, five ideas…I think you get the idea! Enjoy!

5 things I miss about summer:

1 – Sun tan. No, I am not talking about laying out just for the sake of tanning! I am talking about getting tan over the course of the summer! I just feel that we northern MN white folk look better with a healthy glow! The saddest part of it all is that I can already tell my albinoness is returning.

2 – Sports. This past summer I was fortunate enough to be on two tennis leagues and a sand volleyball league. I love getting outdoors in the summer and getting my exercise that way!

3 – Swimming. Spending some lazy time by the pool is fine and dandy, but give me that time instead to swim and you will have one happy camper!

4 – Friday’s at work. Each Friday at work during the summer is very laid back. On a given summer day (non-close week) if I leave after 3:00 that is considered late! Thank you current work culture!

5 – Family time. My work calendar has 5 paid days of vacation in the summer. Take that, add in a few days of personal vacation, a few half-day Friday’s and you end up with a recipe for loads of summer family time! There is nothing better than spending time with family outdoors or indoors – grilling, playing lawn games, shootin’ the breeze or just relaxing!

I will take summer over any other season during the year – hands down! I will take a chance of tornadoes over a blizzard any day!

What are your summer favorites?