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Annular Eclipse over Albuquerque

2012-05-20T23:00:00.001-06:00

If you live in Albuquerque, there's no way you didn't know that tonight was the annular eclipse. It wasn't visible in a lot of the world but Albuquerque just happened to line up right along the path of this astronomical event.

So there's no way I was going to miss it. I packed up my siblings in the car and met some friends up near the Hard Rock Pavilion. Here come the pictures...

Field Trip - El Rancho De Las Golondrinas

2012-05-15T19:25:00.000-06:00

I headed North on Interstate 25 toward Santa Fe today for my little brother's field trip. I don't think it's a big secret that I sign up for these trips so I can get out of the house and relive my childhood.

Today's destination: El Rancho De Las Golondrinas

I vaguely remember going there when I was in elementary school but I didn't have a good recollection of what was there. What we found when we got there was a trip back in time to Spanish colonial days, and this ranched-turned-museum had tons to see and lots of demonstrations to show what life was like back in 18th and 19th centuries.

Here are some of the sights from around the ranch.

Blacksmiths at work

Baking bread

Grinding corn for tortillas

It was pretty insightful to see how much work went in to making day-to-day life possible. Pretty crazy stuff. You can learn more about the ranch on their website: golondrinas.org

I'll be posting additional photos on Facebook.

Well, the school year is ending so I probably won't be tagging along for any field trips for a little bit but I've got some big things planned for the summer. And by big, I mean huge. By huge, I mean gigantic. You'll see.

Around Town - Nat'l Public Gardens Day at the ABQ Botanical Garden

2012-05-11T17:10:00.000-06:00

How in the world do you celebrate National Public Gardens Day? By taking advantage of free admission to the Albuquerque Botanical Garden, that's how.

Thanks to Better Homes & Garden, ABQ BioPark patrons were able to visit the Botanical Garden free of charge all day long.

It was a great opportunity to capture a ton of pictures and take advantage of some really nice weather. Bright, sunny skies but not too hot. Perfect.

And Mayor Berry was also on hand to deliver a proclamation and read a book to the kids.

Altogether it turned out to be a really fun time and successful event. The BioPark was packed out which is always a good sight to see.

More pictures available on the Follow Eric Facebook page (facebook.com/FollowEricBlog)

Buying some In Plain Sight history, supporting Joy Junction

2012-05-10T17:22:00.001-06:00

I love when my boring plans get interrupted by something much more interesting.

I was on my way to get something to eat, drink a little coffee and maybe get around to some writing. But on the way to my destination, I heard Jeremy Reynalds, founder of Joy Junction, on the radio talking about the huge donation of clothing and shoes that was recently dropped off by the folks from the TV series, In Plain Sight. They're all wrapped with filming so they no longer had use for the boxes and boxes of shoes, shirts, dresses, pants, etc. They handed them over to Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest homeless shelter.

Here's the news story.

In Plain Sight donates clothes to Joy Junction: kasa.com

Being a fan of both In Plain Sight and the work of Joy Junction, I jumped at the opportunity to own a little piece of IPS and support Joy Junction at the same time. I turned the car around and headed down 2nd Street to their little Thrift Shoppe.

And while I was there, I picked up this little jersey.

So now I can say I own a little piece of In Plain Sight history. In the meantime, I'm waaay behind (still on season three) so I've got some catching up to do. Thank goodness for Netflix!

Audio blog - The Whitest Mexican I Know

2012-04-30T20:55:00.000-06:00

Take a moment to close your eyes and pretend you could only hear my voice.

Oh wait, that’s completely unnecessary.

Alright, then let’s pretend you’ve never seen me before. Not even a profile picture. And let’s say you didn’t know my name.

Who would you picture as the person behind the voice? Is that person younger or older than you? Are they tall or are they short? Skinny? Overweight? And what about the color of their skin?

I worked in a call center when I lived in Oklahoma. The funny thing about call center work is that you deal with voices all day. Maybe that’s why it usually drives people to the brink of insanity and back. But there’s something that happens when you deal with voices without bodies or faces.

With only a person’s voice as a starting point, it’s easy to begin forming opinions – right or wrong – about the person on the other side of the phone.

Race is just one thing you decide right away. There’s age. Weight. Social status. Marital status. Sexual orientation. Median income. Education level.

If you don’t believe me, then you’ve obviously never worked in a call center.

You learn that Minnesotans really do have accents. That every single person in New Jersey is a jerk and people in California are always in a rush. You learn that senior citizens retired in Florida absolutely love to call and chat in the middle of the day. Of course, there are many, many exceptions to every stereotype, but at the end of the day, you know those stereotypes had to come from some place of truth.

Now, let’s go back to the original proposition. About me. My voice. What does it tell you about me?

If you ask some of my closest friends, many will tell you the same thing:

“You’re the whitest Mexican I know!”

OK, so I know I was pretty harsh about the phrase “Mexican” on my last audio blog. To briefly clarify, I would technically fit the category of Mexican-American and I have no problem with that. My dad was, in fact, born in Mexico. I was born in the United States. But if you were to ask me, I would still identify myself as Hispanic.

I’m not sure why I’ve become so race conscious lately. Maybe it was moving back to New Mexico. Or maybe it started when I moved to Oklahoma years ago or maybe it began years before that.

In any case, I don’t fit the stereotypes.

I may look Mexican, but I sure don’t sound it.

Most people in New Mexico speak with at least some hint of Spanish accent. Even without thinking, they elongate their phrases and they’ll ask you something like, “How are you doing?”

Of course, there’s also Spanglish – a mixed bag of English and Spanish with some slang thrown in for good measure. My grandma is a seasoned pro at this.

I remember when I was in elementary school, we were practicing for the Christmas program and my grandma would join me in singing a chorus of “We weetch you a Merry Christmas.”

So with all of that in my blood, where did I end up with my very White-sounding, not-Mexican accent?

Well, I’d say I had a very mixed upbringing.

I was raised in the South Valley of Albuquerque, where I currently live. It’s not the roughest place in Albuquerque but it’s certainly on the bottom half of the economic spectrum.

I went to school in the Northeast Heights. It was a private school with plenty of well-to-do families sending their kids for a privileged education.

I attended church on the Westside of town, which is a whole other mix of people altogether.

And somehow my interaction with that mixed blend of peers resulted in a brown kid with a white accent.

Now, don’t kid yourself. I can still roll my R’s with the best of them and my Spanish isn’t too shabby. And when I order from a Mexican restaurant, I ask for tamales and tacos and enchiladas with some tortillas on the side and sopapillas for dessert.

But let’s be honest, we’re all the result of a mixed upbringing in our own way. America’s melting pot culture has shaped each of us. And old stereotypes will break and make way for new stereotypes and those stereotypes will break and make way for new stereotypes, which will break and make way for new ones after that.

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So what about you? What stereotypes fit you? In what ways do you break the mold?

Local Lunches - Dion's Pizza

2012-04-26T19:28:00.004-06:00

Today's edition of Local Lunches visits a local pizza staple. I mean, who in Albuquerque hasn't visited Dion's Pizza?

I'll tell you up front, my favorite item to order is a slice of sausage and green chili pizza. But for today I decided to venture into unknown territory. Someone suggested taking a vegetarian sub and adding chicken to it.

So I did. And the result was a pile of veggie-liciousness.

Besides the mounds of olives, mushrooms, red onions and bell peppers, it has my beloved green chile.

And if the sub's not enough, you can always order up a slice of pizza or some cheesy garlic toast. Just don't forget their own, Dion's-branded ranch. In fact, I suggest ordering a bottle to-go.

A dash of red chili flakes

A sprinkle of parmesan cheese

Marinara is good

But their ranch is so much better!

I also had a chance to sneak in with my little sister's class for a quick tour behind the counter. I think just about every student in Albuquerque has that experience at least once in their life.

Where the sub sandwich magic happens

Well what are you doing sitting there? Go order up some Dion's!

For locations and full menu: dionspizza.com

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For more restaurant reviews, check out Local Lunches.

Local Lunches - Mamba's Kitchen

2012-04-23T11:30:00.000-06:00

It's time for another edition of Local Lunches. This time we're visiting Mamba's Kitchen.

Mamba's prides itself on good home cooking and, based on what I tried, it definitely delivers.

Here's the proof.

Dining in Mamba's feels just like dining at home. It's like your mom fixed up your favorite plate of enchiladas -- red or green. I tried the green chicken enchiladas and completely cleaned the plate. I suppose if I was truly eating at home, I would serve myself a helping of seconds. But I have an even better suggestion if you find yourself looking for something extra to hit the spot.

Yes, it's a spam and egg burrito. I mean, where else are you gonna find a spam and egg burrito? And for 99¢ no less. They have a whole list of burritos to choose from, and you'll pay just a buck each. It's sort of like having a midnight snack at noon. I definitely suggest picking up one or two or three when you visit.

You can find Mamba's Kitchen at 513 San Mateo NE. Check them out on Facebook for updates on their specials.

Check out more Local Lunches right here on Follow Eric.

Around Town - Founder's Day in Old Town

2012-04-21T20:53:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday, Albuquerque!

306 years old. That's quite the accomplishment. You don't look a day over 300. And still photogenic as ever. Check out these pictures from today taken during the Founder's Day event in Old Town.

Around Town - Weekly Alibi's Taco USA Party

2012-04-18T21:24:00.000-06:00

The legendary Al Hurricane, the abrasively hilarious Gustavo Arellano, and an open taco bar at El Pinto Restaurant made for one great night in Albuquerque.

The Weekly Alibi played host to the party celebrating the release of Arellano's new book, Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. Arellano is the writer behind the nationally syndicated column, "¡Ask a Mexican!", and was out to talk about his new book.

Lucky for Burqueños, that meant celebrating in style at one of Albuquerque's finest restaurants and snacking on complimentary tacos and chile con queso while listening to the music of Al Hurricane.

Here are some pictures from tonight's festivities.

Gustavo Arellano

Arellano discussing his newest book

The legend: Al Hurricane

Snacking on the taco bar

A shining star in its own right: the food

More information about Arellano and his new book can be found online: gustavoarellano.net

Audio Blog - I Never Knew I Was Mexican

2012-04-18T12:08:00.000-06:00

Read along with this audio blog...

I never knew I was Mexican. Until I lived in Oklahoma, that is.

I lived in Oklahoma for about three years. I loved it there. I grew accustomed to small-town living, tornado season, and even picked up on the accent a little.

But there’s one thing I grew keenly aware of when I first moved from New Mexico to Oklahoma.

I am Mexican.

I honestly had no idea, no clue, that I was an up-on-the-rooftop, twelve-person-household, belt-buckle Mexican.

I wouldn’t call it racism, but there’s definitely a sense that people paint with broad strokes when it comes to ethnicity.

Now, to be fair, I tend to lump all white people in one category. I know they love to point out exactly how much Irish and Scottish and French-Canadian they have in their blood but to me they’re all just descendants of Caucasia.

In New Mexico, we have every label in the book to distinguish every shade of brown. Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, Spanish and, yes, Mexican.

But all those labels dropped once I crossed into Red Dirt territory. The only one remaining was “Mexican.”

I remember I was always taken aback when I would be asked, point blank, “Aren’t you Mexican?”

“Well, no, I’m Hispanic. I mean, my dad’s from Mexico and all but I’m American. Well, I was born in New Mexico. Like my mom. But her family descended from Mexico.”

The answer was far too long and complicated and often lead to me explaining all the terms for people of Hispanic heritage and other disambiguation but eventually I just gave up went along with the Mexican misnomer.

It bothered me a little. But it didn’t irk me nearly as much as my run-in with the local police.

I’ll admit, I was going over the speed limit a little. Five miles per hour over to be exact. But the cop decided 40-in-a-35 was justification for pulling me over to the side of the road. I obliged and rolled my window down to talk with the officer.

“License and registration, please.”

Now, I have this quirky habit when being instructed by the police. Maybe I’ve watched one too many episodes of COPS as a kid but I always let the officer know what I’m doing with my hands just so they can be assured I’m not reaching for a knife under my seat or a gun in the glove compartment.

So I indicated to the cop that I was getting my license from my back pocket and my registration was in the glove compartment. I retrieved both and handed them over.

I hadn’t been in Oklahoma long so I still had my New Mexico license. The officer looked it over and asked me, “You speak English?”

I thought, in my head, “What? Seriously?”

“You speak English?”

What I though of saying was, “Didn’t I just clearly demonstrate my ability to follow your instructions by handing over my license and registration? Isn’t that an indication that I can understand your English?”

What I really said was, “Yes.”

He took my things back to his car and came back with a warning. I accepted it and drove off, calmly.

It wasn’t until I reached my destination that I realized just how upset the incident had actually made me. I was furious and there was nothing I could do about it.

And then… it happened all over again.

I had yielded at a stop sign instead of a full and complete stop. I pulled over to the right side of the road and handed over my license and registration.

“You speak English?”

With more attitude in my voice this time, I replied, “Yes.”

I wanted to do more, to say more, to make him realize how rude and insensitive his question was but there was really nothing I could do in the moment. The racism was so subtle and his intentions completely deniable that I couldn’t blast him on the spot for it.

I took my ticket and left.

What would you have done?

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Please, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. And share this with your friends.

Click to listen to more audio blogs.

Local Lunches - Satellite Coffee

2012-04-17T11:46:00.000-06:00

When I think of Satellite Coffee, I usually think of... coffee. And dang good coffee at that. So along with my Americano today, I decided to also order their Rise and Shine.

It looks simple enough. A generously sized English muffin with fluffy scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese melted on top. But between those layers is the ingredient that makes this breakfast sandwich jump out at me.

It has green chile turkey sausage with bits of green chile cooked right in! It instantly turns an already tasty sandwich into a classic New Mexican dish. Technically, it would better fall in the category of breakfast, but I think it makes a pretty good local lunch.

For a full menu and locations, check out satcoffee.com.

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I'm also looking for your suggestions on where to find good, local lunch specials in Albuquerque. Send your suggestions to eric(at)followeric.com or send a message to my Facebook page.

Thanks!

Around Town - South Valley Pride Day

2012-04-15T19:18:00.000-06:00

Today, Albuquerque's South Valley residents flanked the length of Isleta Blvd. to watch a parade of marching bands, cheerleaders, politicians, and lowriders as they made their way to Westside Community Center for South Valley Pride Day.

I was born and raised in the Valley and SVPD holds many childhood memories for me. My mom has been working at Westside Community Center her entire adult life and I've been attending since I was a kid.

When I was in elementary school, I even nominated my grandma for an Outstanding Citizen Award, which they give to a dozen or so recipients every year. She was awarded primarily for her work with the students at Barcelona Elementary through the Foster Grandparent Program.

So it was really cool to get out today, even with a steady breeze in the air, and watch the parade go by and see the awards handed out.

Here are some pictures from today's event.

Be sure to like the Follow Eric Facebook page for more photos.

Albuquerque Isotopes Home Opener

2012-04-14T00:35:00.000-06:00

I haven't been to a big baseball game in Albuquerque since the Dukes were still stepping up to the plate well over a decade ago. So I took the chance tonight to watch the home opener of the Albuquerque Isotopes and check out their stadium for the first time. I was really impressed with Isotopes Park and the night was really entertaining overall. To top it off, the Isotopes busted out a 7-4 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers.

Over 10,000 in attendance!

Presenting the colors

Foul ball!

And another big bonus to any ballpark visit is the food. I chose to skip the hot dogs and nachos and head straight for a slightly more exotic fare. I walked over to the Island Noodles booth, where they were serving up some Wok Fired Soba Noodles.

It was such a tasty alternative to your standard ballpark food. I'd definitely recommend it next time you're at the park. I also spotted a Dion's Pizza. I just might have to order up a slice of green chile and sausage next time I make my way to Isotopes Park. And maybe I'll see you there.

Settling Into Things

2012-04-13T12:55:00.001-06:00

Eric, how are things in Albuquerque? Settling in alright?

Well, first of all, thanks so much for asking. It's been a little rough to be honest. I was only in town for a few days before being whisked off to camp out in the Gila Mountains during Easter weekend. Apparently, that's where I developed allergies for the first time in my life. Now, there's this lingering cough that followed me back home.

So, I it's been a little rough trying settle in?

Yeah, but thanks to the power of allergy shots and antibiotics, I think I'm starting to get things under control. Even more than that, I'm starting to build a pretty good routine for myself. I'm starting to get around more, re-exploring the city where I grew up.

Where have you been visiting?

As part of getting out, I've made finding a good, go-to cafe a pretty big priority. That shouldn't come as a big surprise. I found myself returning to Satellite Coffee in Nob Hill on multiple occasions, including today. Of course, I've made time for Flying Star Cafe as well. There's also Bocadillos, which, being small, local and close-to-home, makes it an easy go-to cafe. So between those three locations, I can always find somewhere to escape the house for a little while. And with eight people and a dog in the house, I find that's essential to maintaining my sanity.

Sanity? You realize you've crafted and answered all these questions yourself, right?

I think that's enough for today.

Local Lunches - Bocadillos

2012-04-12T16:53:00.001-06:00

Today I visited Bocadillos right here in Albuquerque's South Valley. It's a re-visit, really. I came here on one of my visits back home not too long ago. Today I came in for just a little refreshment. But while I was sipping on my Italian soda, I watched order after order coming out and the temptation was just too great.

I gave in and ordered their lunch special: a Roast Beef Bocadillo.

This picture doesn't do it justice but that's one heck of a roast beef sandwich sitting there. But you can't just get roast beef in the Valley. It's spiced up with some peppers and I chose red chili chips as the side. They're fried up and then dusted with red chili powder for even extra kick on the side. Luckily, they have some sweetened green iced tea to cool you down.

And if the iced tea doesn't do the trick, you can always go back to enjoying your Italian soda.

I may have just gone in with the intention of having a quick refreshment but I stayed until the very last bite. I can definitely see myself going back. Often.

You can get more info about Bocadillos on Facebook.

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Do you want to see more of these Local Lunches? Do you have any suggestions on where I can find a good, local lunch special in Albuquerque to review?

Send a message to eric(at)followeric.com with the subject "Local Lunches"

Tulsa Memory - Fun and Games

2012-04-11T23:21:00.001-06:00

Pulling off a Blogathon as big as the one in Tulsa takes more planning and work than you might think. With all the hustle and bustle involved, it can be easy to forget to relax and have some fun.

Luckily, we found a couple of places in Tulsa that allowed us to do just that. Here are some photos and video from our time at Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge and The Max Retropub.

Big thanks to Jess ReNae Photography for capturing the Tulsa Blogathon. Check out her excellent work online at jessrenae.com.

You can check out more info on these Tulsa hotspots online:

Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge
dustbowltulsa.com
Facebook

The Max Retropub
themaxretropub.com
Facebook

Alone time. What's yours like?

2012-04-09T16:34:00.000-06:00

A soy americano. A cookie on a platter. A corner in a cafe.

This is what alone time for me looks like. At least today. Most days, in fact.

For me, alone time holds a place more important than a simple luxury. Time spent alone allows me to clear my head, space out my thoughts, get them down on paper or my blog, and enjoy some uninterrupted peace without external pressures. And now that I'm living with an average of eight people and a dog, time away secures my sanity.

Everyone needs alone time.

My Oklahoma friends and I would play this great game called "What's Yours Like?" where all but one player are shown a card with a subject on it. It might say something simple like "Your Bedroom" and people would describe their own.

Messy. Small. Blue. Etc.

Still not getting it? Here's a horribly campy video to explain.

Eventually you give enough clues for the person to guess but not before making it tricky and more than a little fun.

So if I were to ask you to describe your idea of alone time, what would you say?

Does it include a beverage of some kind? Maybe music? Indoors? Outdoors?

What's yours like?

My Sneezy Easter

2012-04-08T22:13:00.001-06:00

It's with a huge sigh of relief that I can sit down this late Sunday evening -- Easter Sunday -- and type out this blog.

You see, I've been offline for the last five days.

I left out of town on Wednesday for a family outing somewhere near Lordsburg, New Mexico to camp out, meet up with extended family and celebrate Easter by gorging out on camp food.

This is the part where I post all the pictures of us camped out in our trailer, roasting marshmallows around a campfire, riding four-wheelers and hiding Easter eggs.

Instead, I have nothing. No pictures and hardly any solid recollection of the trip.

I managed to enjoy one full day of camping before, either due to allergies or exhaustion or an infection, I hit a wall and crashed.

I spent most of my time inside the trailer, huddled under blankets, too dizzy to stand, and only coming out a handful of times the rest of the weekend.

I thought it was a cold or something but I'm starting to think I may have developed some allergies for the first time in my life -- especially considering my watery eyes, runny nose and lingering sneezing.

Oh, joy.

(Speaking of sneezing, it can be hazardous to your health. Go way back to this post from 2008 to learn about the dangers of sneezing.)

Well, I certainly hope you fared better with your Easter weekend. And to you allergy sufferers out there: I'm feeling your pain tonight!

Tulsa Memory - Blue Dome District

2012-03-31T20:27:00.001-06:00

You can learn a lot about a community by the art on its walls.

So when we were wandering around Downtown Tulsa during the Blogathon, it was easy to place the Blue Dome District for the vibrant and thriving community it is.

For example...

Meet JoeBot. He's a pretty cool robot by all accounts plus he has his own coffee bar.

That coffee bar sits inside of Dwelling Spaces, a fun and eclectic gifts and accessories boutique on the corner of 2nd and Detroit.

Dwelling Spaces reminds me a lot of The Felt Bird in Enid, and for good reason. Stela actually interned at Dwelling Spaces before opening her shop in Enid.

(Side note to Stela: You guys need coffee in your shop! I vote to call it Dexter's Cafe. Boom.)

Once inside, I ordered an iced americano from JoeBot's and took time browsing around the shop. I had a good look at all of the interesting "mouths" on the wall -- the handiwork of artist David Bizarro.

That's just one of the awesome things about Dwelling Spaces. You can see just how much they love to support art and its creators, especially local artists.

Speaking of local, Cody found this little gem based on one of Tulsa's famous musical exports:

Mmmbop!

Another great find was all of the Public Arts Project 66 items for sale. I found this sweet postcard of the mural we visited during the Road Trip Blogathon back in October 2011.

"Guardian of the Mother Road" in El Reno, OK

Lucky for us, Dwelling Spaces sits just across the street from the first mural in the series and, lucky for you, we snapped a couple of shots.

See? Even more awesome wall art. Because Blue Dome is an awesome community. Enough said.

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I'll have more recaps from the Tulsa Blogathon coming soon and hopefully quickly. In the meantime, check out these pages on Facebook:

Dwelling Spaces
JoeBot's Coffee Bar
Public Arts Project 66

And review these past Tulsa Memories:

Andolini's Pizzeria
Running a 5K
St. Patty's Day on Cherry Street

Leavin' Like a Hillbilly

2012-03-30T06:26:00.000-06:00

Y'all come back now, y'hear!?!

I got a little taste of the Beverly Hillbillies' lifestyle yesterday when my family came to town to pack up my car and all my belongings for the move from Enid to Albuquerque. Little did I know that my belongings would stack way up to the high heavens on the back of my dad's Dodge Ram, reminiscent of the Clampett's 1921 Oldsmobile 46 Roadster rigged up with granny's rocking chair hoisted up top.

It was pretty tough to say goodbye to Enid and all of the places and people I people I love, even if I hid it in front of my friends. It's always tough to stand in the middle of any empty room in a house that was home for the last year.

Even as I get ready to hit the second stretch of I-40 from Amarillo to Albuquerque this morning, I'll still remember all the years of Oklahoman hospitality I experienced in Enid and the friendships I developed that will last a lifetime.

Well now it's time to say goodbye to Jed and all his kin.

And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.

You're all invited back again to this locality

To have a heapin helpin of their hospitality

Something I'll Miss - The Cafes of Enid

2012-03-28T14:43:00.005-06:00

Even though I can count them on one hand, the cafes here in Enid have become an extended home for me and I'm really going to miss my regular visits to each of them.

As an homage, let's take a short trip down memory lane to National Coffee Day 2011, when I set out to visit every cafe, one after another.

You can click each location for a link to the post written from that particular cafe.

Starbucks

Hastings Hardback Cafe

Davinci's Coffeehouse

Kaffee-Klatsch

And finally, some coffee-related inquiries I answered that day.

I remember I had to get up extra early that day because I still had work that morning. It was a crazy day and cool memory. I like that I can relive it momentarily right here through Follow Eric.

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So now I'll be in need of some replacement coffee shops when I move to Albuquerque.

Any suggestions from the locals?

Tulsa Memory - Andolini's Pizzeria

2012-03-27T08:45:00.000-06:00

If today's recap from the Tulsa Blogathon doesn't make your mouth water, you may need to get your salivary glands checked by a medical professional.

That's because we're taking a look back at a memorable meal we had on Cherry Street during the hustle and bustle of St. Patrick's Day. We're looking at our lunch at Andolini's Pizzeria.

When looking for food places for a Blogathon, I often turn to social media for suggestions. I scour Facebook and throw out questions on Twitter to help me find good, local dining options.

I was pleasantly surprised when I heard back from @andopizza on Twitter inviting us to come dine at their pizzeria while I was in Tulsa.

Taking their open invitation, we made lunch plans for St. Patrick's Day during the Blogathon. I'm so glad we did. We had such a great time enjoying the great weather and outdoor seating, listening to the overflow of music coming from the festivities on Cherry Street, and grubbing on some dang good pizza and downright delectable garlic knots.

I'm not really sure why I look so deep in thought while studying the menu. I already knew exactly what I wanted. It's what everyone told us to get...

The S.P.Q.R. comes covered in ricotta, garlic, italian sausage and prosciutto. Absent any red sauce, you could really taste the high quality of the ingredients. The slices were huge and the pie was more than enough to feed our party of six.

Of course, it helped that we started out our meal with an awesome appetizer. We couldn't properly dine at Andolini's without first ordering up some of their famous garlic knots.

I'm not going to suggest you order the garlic knots if you visit Andolini's. I'm going to require you to order these as an appetizer. It's seriously a must. If you can't tell from the picture, garlic knots are twisted bits of cooked dough, seasoned up and dusted with parmesan sitting in a shallow pool of olive oil. We started our meal with two orders of knots and they were quickly devoured.

So next time you're in Tulsa, I strongly recommend Andolini's Pizzeria as a great, local dining option. Check out their locations and full menu online at andopizza.com.

Tulsa Memory - Running a 5K

2012-03-24T10:12:00.000-06:00

Sadly, I did not make it out to this morning's Amazon River Run 5K at Enid First Assembly. I got in from Tulsa last night a whole lot later than expected and there was just no way I could make it happen.

But at least I still have the St. Patrick's Day Run as proof that I can complete a 5K! Here's another look back at a Tulsa Memory from the last Blogathon.

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Those who have met me in person know that I'm not exactly Mr. Fit & Trim. So when I made the decision to run a 5K, I was not entirely convinced of my ability to do so. I started an accelerated training program in hopes of getting ready in time for the big St. Patrick's Day Run in Tulsa.

Training wasn't going as well as I hoped, so when I arrived in Tulsa three days before the race I was caught a little off guard when I was challenged to practice a full five kilometers by my friend, Jess.

This was also her first 5K and we had been working our way up to this weekend. We took off for a run around her neighborhood. We kept ourselves sufficiently distracted with conversation so we wouldn't focus on the pain, our labored breathing, or my numbing feet.

I was so relieved when, seemingly out nowhere, we arrived back at her house. I had done it. I had run a 5K. I really couldn't believe it. It gave me a big boost of confidence ahead of Saturday's run. And even though it felt harder running early that morning, I managed to better my time by a couple of minutes.

Here's the proof.

I have a lot of room for improvement and I intend to do so with continued training and more running. Besides, a 5K can be a really fun event. Here's a look some of the fun we had that morning.

Matt being Matt

"How does this work?"

Where we "carbed up" before the run

Running our faces off

After the race. I wanted to die.

That made it better.

We did it!

Happy Hunger Games!

2012-03-23T15:26:00.000-06:00

It was only five days ago I was in Tulsa for the Blogathon and I'm already back. This time I'm here for the premiere of The Hunger Games. At midnight last night, I had the chance to experience it in all it's IMAX glory.

Can we all agree that IMAX is the only way to truly enjoy the movie theater experience?

I don't want to ruin any specifics or color the movie for you if you haven't seen it so I'll keep my opinion brief. I truly enjoyed watching the story unfold on-screen but I think those who have read it can agree the book contains more in-depth detail than the movie has time to include. It's still a great movie-going experience especially for fans of the series.

So please, if you were on the fence about reading the book, just read the book already!

Then you can join in the with all the Hunger Games madness like...

Clothing to celebrate the premiere
from Darby & Dash
(Buy online)

A photo shoot inspired by Peeta and Katniss in the arena
by Jess ReNae Photography
(See the full album: jessrenae.com/the-hunger-games)

Music inspired by the book
from Raquel Carlson

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I hope these help get the fans excited and inspire those who haven't read the books to do so!

Happy Hunger Games!

Tulsa Memory - St. Patty's Day on Cherry Street

2012-03-20T16:01:00.000-06:00

This past weekend was the Tulsa Blogathon. It was also St. Patrick's Day on Saturday so you better believe we incorporated a party or two in there.

They were easy enough to find. In fact, two of them were right on the same street.

Cherry Street.

We started out at the party in front of SMOKE. On Cherry Street. As you can see, we had a plethora of tickets good for food and drinks at the outdoor tents. We had enough for me, Abby, Sarah, Cody and Jess to indulge in plenty of Frito pie, brisket, brats and funnel cakes and there were a ton of tickets left over thanks to the generous Groupon deal we found.

After grubbing, we headed down Cherry Street to check out the other party happening outside of Kilkenny's. It was close enough that you could easily see one party from the other.

As should be expected from an Irish Pub, they also had a huge party going on and tents set up with more food, drinks and live music.

Altogether, Cherry Street was one of the best places to be on St. Patrick's Day. Nothing says party like shutting down the streets for some good food, drinks and live music.

Cheers to that!

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Expect more Tulsa Memories, including more photos from Jess ReNae Photography in future posts.