By William Kristoph

It’s been nearly 17 years since I attended a WWE event. My last one was the sole taping of SmackDown! in Tallahassee, way back in 1998 when I was still a student at Florida State University. You can find that episode on WWE Network (it’s only $9.99) if you want to see a youthful Big Show and a pre-real-marriage Triple H and Stephanie McMahon running the business. A lot has changed since 1998 and I’m happy to report that WWE Live in Tallahassee was a fun-filled event.

Outside of the matches, I was disappointed in the merchandise offerings and the Tucker Center really needs to move it so that it doesn’t clog up the main entrance. The use of social media by WWE is really fun. I had no less than 5 tweets displayed on the big screens during intermission thanks to using the hashtag #WWELiveTallahassee on Twitter. The crowd was probably between 3000-4000 and half of it was kids.

Recap

Intercontinental Championship – Ryback (c) vs The Big Show

It was great to see the belt in person and to see The Big Show 17 years after I last saw him. Show is slower and less mobile, but no less a spectacle. Ryback was super over with the crowd. There was a good back and forth for the entire match. Ryback couldn’t get The Big Show up for the first attempt at the Shellshock (it almost looked like his back or knee wasn’t cooperating), but the 2^nd try he hit it for the win and big pop from the Tallahassee Crowd. I was very happy to see The Big Show get a good round of applause on his way out too, since he might be off to retirement in the near future.

Bo Dallas vs Cesaro

Bo won two new fans last night, his promo work and overall arrogance really came through. Cesaro is quite the physical specimen in person, and poor Bo was in the Swing for what seemed like forever. Cesaro with the win while Bo exited with at least two more fans.

Emma vs Natalya

The reaction for Emma was soft from my perspective and she needs a lot of character work. If she’s going to be a heel, we really need a reason to hate her. Plus, her ring gear is garnet and gold which at least half of the crowd probably liked. Natalya was the uber baby face and slapped five with kids and adults. Her ring work seemed to be much better than I’ve seen it on TV and she had good chemistry with Emma. Nattie with the victory via Sharpshooter, and she even took a selfie with a kid on her way out of the arena.

Stardust vs Neville

Stardust’s best move was his pelvic thrust at Eden upon entering the ring. This was my 2^nd favorite match of the night. There was lots of back and forth with Neville and Stardust, with Neville eventually hitting the Red Arrow (my God it’s gorgeous in person) for the win.

Luke Harper vs Y2J

Luke Harper is much, much, much more impressive in person than on TV. His promo about being the best they had in Tallahassee tonight and that he was unbeatable by anyone in the back let to the lights dropping and good old Y2J coming out in full LED jacket glory. Y2J asked Luke to SHUT THE HELL UP and then proceeded to put on a solid match eventually ending in the Walls / Codebreaker combo. Jericho soaked up the crowd post victory and the crowd was happy to give Y2J a standing ovation.

Sheamus vs Randy Orton

My wife, who is a new wrestling fan, commented to me halfway through this match that, “They don’t work well together.” While not a bad match, it’s what we’ve seen 100 times now. The finish was at least fresh, with Sheamus pointing out individual fans saying, “You look stupid.” Sheamus finally remembered he was in the middle of a match and pulled Orton up by the head, to which Randy 180’d and landed the RKO OUTTA NOWHERE for the 1-2-3!

Lots of middle aged women were very, very, very excited that their Randy won.

Intermission

Heath Slater vs R-Truth

I had no idea that R-Truth could get such a loud pop but the Tallahassee crowd loved yelling, “What’s up!?” Truth couldn’t even make it to the ring before Slater attacked him and grabbed a mic telling everyone in the building that they were, “about to witness the shortest match in WWE history.” To which R-Truth landed a kick and pinned Slater for an 8 second victory.

Lucha Dragons vs Los Matadores

By far this was my favorite match and my wife’s favorite match of the night. The Lucha Dragons had the crowd behind them immediately, but the crowd was also all too happy to participate in Los Matadores Ole! chants. There were lots of tags in this one, lots of aerials and lots of colorful ring gear. This was just pure fun if you like acrobatics. El Torito even tagged himself in before he was banished to sitting on a WWE staffer’s knee for the rest of the match by Los Matadores. Luchas with the victory after El Torito jumped off the top rope and hit Los Matadores with Hurricanrana. Sin Cara then hit the Swanton for the win!

Main Event: Bray Wyatt vs Roman Reigns in a Street Fight

The best part about this match was the entrances. After the high energy of the preceding tag match, this felt slow and lumbering. The street fight rules didn’t help (Kendo sticks, tables, chairs) pace it and Wyatt seemed limited by Roman’s limited skillset. I’m sorry but the Superman punch is brutal. My wife commented that with a name like Roman and a physique like a gladiator, his ring gear and silly facial expressions seem out of place It fell flat with me until all hell broke loose when Luke Harper showed up and then Stroman showed up and then the faces ran in from the back. First R-Truth, then Neville and then Ryback all came to Roman’s assistance before Roman recovered to Superman punch Braun Stroman. Roman hit the spear on Bray and got the 1-2-3 to send everyone home with a baby face sweep of the night.

Overall, it was a fun 3 hours of WWE entertainment. It won’t be 17 years again before I see the Superstars and Divas live again. Hopefully, Tallahassee gets to see them again next summer!

By Bill Kristoph

Recently, I ran in to a weird issue with the creation of large PDFs via PDFLib in Classic ASP on Windows 2012. When creating a PDF under 4MB with PDFLib version 9, everything went smoothly. Once we hit a dynamically created PDF over 4MB and tried to stream it to the browser we’d end up with a corrupt PDF message and no data. After spinning my wheels for a bit and talking with some awesome support guys at PDFLib to determine PDFLib was behaving properly, we worked through possible server configuration issues.

Knowing the limit was 4MB, we poked through the Classic ASP server-wide settings and found the Response Buffering Limit under Limits Properties.

A quick change of this setting to a higher vault than 4MB fixed our PDF creation issue!

If you’re a fan of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream like I am, but I suspect that you will really love Blue Bell’s newest flavor, Milk And Cookies. Milk and Cookies is similar, but way better then, any chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.

Why is Milk And Cookies ice cream superior to chocolate chip cookie dough?

The full richness of the chocolate chip cookie shines through while remaining soft. It makes for a great texture. The fully baked cookies are soft and well blended into the ice cream. Also, the semi sweet chocolate chips that Blue Bell used in this ice cream are superior to most other ice creams that I’ve had.

If you like chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk, or you really like cookie dough ice cream then you’ll definitely want to try Blue Bell’s newest flavor.

• How about those Seminoles? Women’s Soccer won their first national championship. Football went 13-0 and they’re in the first ever college football playoff. Volleyball is full steam ahead. Let’s hope baseball and softball can keep that going in the spring.
• The new Mets alt road cap is fantastic. Merry Christmas to me.
• We desperately need to get away from, “me, me, me” and to “we, we, we” in society.
• I’m absolutely terrible at fantasy football. Baseball season can’t come quickly enough.
• Let’s go Islanders!

See you in 2015!

By William Kristoph

It’s that wonderful time of year again when Blue Bell bring out their holiday flavors. My personal all-time super-duper favorite, Christmas Cookies arrives as one of them. For 2014 Blue Bell introduces a new flavor, Peppermint Bark, to go with Christmas Cookies, Peppermint and Divinity Fudge. Is it worth your time?

Peppermint Bark Blue Bell Ice Cream

“Peppermint Bark Ice Cream is a smooth mint ice cream loaded with luscious dark chocolate chunks and tasty white chocolate chunks containing crushed peppermint candies.”

Sounds great, doesn’t it? And, yes Peppermint Bark is a wonderful ice cream offering, but the description is misleading. “Chunks” of dark and white chocolate? I don’t think so. All three additions to the mint ice cream are sized like the peppermint candy bits. It’s a minor complaint and perhaps it affected my half-gallon only, but it wasn’t what I expected from the description. Other than that, Blue Bell once again has a creamy, flavorful specialty flavor that is worth a look. Peppermint Bark is a great flavor for finishing dessert with a fresh feeling mouth. Grab it while you can, because it’s only in stores for the holiday season.

By William Kristoph

I’m going to have to control how much I gush over The Tin Cow. My experience was that good. Located in the old AJs, The Tin Cow has a plethora of burger, drink and shake options. Build your own or pick from the menu, The Tin Cow aims to satisfy every burger craving. I went on a Tuesday around 11:45am to avoid any crowds. The hostess greeted and seated me immediately.

The Smokehouse & Bacon-infused Chips

Prior to heading over the The Tin Cow I checked out the online menu and settled on a Smokehouse with a side of Bacon-infused Chips. The chips come highly recommended from a friend that frequents the original The Tin Cow location in Pensacola. After a short wait, my waitress brought me my burger and chips.

It might as well have been a plate of heaven.

The bacon-infused chips look like well-done homemade chips, but without the burnt taste or overly crunchy texture. A hint of bacon ran through my order. The salty and savory side was a great compliment to the main dish, the Smokehouse.

The Smokehouse burger is, “1/2 lb Angus steak, sautéed baby Portobello mushrooms, cheddar, sautéed onions and smoky BBQ served on a corn dusted Kaiser bun.” I added bacon to it too. The burger, as you can see, is the star of the show. The toppings (which were actually on the bottom) complimented the hamburger instead of overpowering it. Each bite packed onions, bacon and mushrooms, but never did they overshadow an excellent-on-its-own cheeseburger. The corn dusted bun was an excellent burger vessel.

Vanilla Milkshake

On the way out, I got a vanilla milkshake to go since The Tin Cow so prominently features them. It was excellent. Thick, sweet and plenty of vanilla flavor, it’s an excellent milkshake. I look forward to trying one of their boozy options someday.

Service

I normally don’t write about service when I review a restaurant, but The Tin Cow was great from hostess to waitress to exit. I wasn’t bothered too much, nor was I left to wonder when I’d get my food or drink. Smiles and helpful options greeted me. It’s rare to find the right balance and I hope that The Tin Cow staff keeps that up.

Overall

The Tin Cow was a great dining experience for me from start to finish. A little Huey Lewis on the radio didn’t hurt either. The Smokehouse is highly recommended by me. The balance of the burger and toppings with a great bun is well worth a try. Try the bacon-infused chips as a side and don’t skip out on a milkshake. The Tin Cow provided me the best premium burger at the best value in Tallahassee. For that I give it co-number-one status with Woodchucks Cafe as my favorite burger in Tallahassee.

I rated The Tin Cow as a new “Favorite” on Urbanspoon.

By William Kristoph

Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox features premium burgers, appetizers, sandwiches and specials along with a full bar. I took a few minutes for a quick downtown lunch at Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox in the former Po’ Boys location. It’s a great location in one of the few parts of Tallahassee that needs a restaurant. So how does Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox stack up?

PB & J Bon-Bons

I LOVE peanut butter, so the PB & J Bon-Bons caught my eye. Fried peanut butter balls, jam and a chaser shot of milk. It sounds great, right?! Within a few minutes, I received my order on a large metal tray. Each bite consists of a crispy shell around molten peanut butter, with as much or as little jam as I want. The PB & J Bon-Bons are creative, fun and tasty but with 3 tiny Bon-Bons and the shooter of milk I’m not sure they’re worth ordering again when it comes to value.

Mac N Cheese

As a side (all sides are separate with a burger) I ordered some plain Mac N Cheese. It was properly cooked and the portion is good for the price. Personally, I like my Mac N Cheese thicker, but that’s just preference. This Mac N Cheese is good company to a burger at Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox.

The Tucker Duke

Tallahassee has some excellent burgers. The Tucker Duke is above average in that crowd. My burger was cooked exactly as I ordered (well done – flog me if you must). The Tucker Duke had tons of toppings. Onion rings, Tucker Sauce, lettuce, tomato, cheese and a very nice onion bun makes for a huge, messy and absolutely filling burger. If anything I’d back off the Tucker Sauce a bit (TDL’s version of Russian / Southern / Guthrie’s / Zax sauce) and relax the lettuce. Then again, there are no changes allowed to the Tucker Duke so I guess I’m out of luck?

Overall

Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox is a welcome addition to downtown Tallahassee and it has plenty of menu options. The staff was friendly and fast. The food was fresh and tasty. Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox isn’t cheap. Sides aren’t included with burgers, and Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox doesn’t do any sort of tradition french fry. But, the burgers alone are definitely worth the price. If you want a side and a drink, don’t plan on getting out of Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox for less than $15. Do plan on using lots of napkins as you make your way through a good burger. Enjoy the indulgence.

I rated Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox “I Like It” on Urbanspoon.

By William Kristoph

Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen is new to the Governor’s Square Mall food court. When Sbarro shut down a few months ago, Villa stepped in quickly to take the space and try to satisfy our pizza cravings. Did they succeed? For mall pizza, Villa is great. For regular pizza, dare I say, it’s well above average.

Pepperoni Pizza

The star of the show, the pepperoni pizza was above average in Tallahassee. Unexpected, the crust was thin, with a crispy bottom and chewy. It was not overly salty, nor did the pepperoni let out too much grease. My slice was balanced well with plenty of cheese, pepperoni and sauce. The Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen pizza sauce is solid. It doesn’t lean sweet or bitter, it’s a very nice middle of the ground that works well.

Mac N Cheese

Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen has meal combos that consist of a slice of whatever a side and a drink. I decided to try the Mac N Cheese, since I wasn’t in the mood for a side salad or baked ziti. I was shocked to find the Mac N Cheese from Villa stealing the show from the pizza. Why is Villa’s Mac N Cheese so good? Let me count the ways:

1. The pasta was al dente! Al dente! At the mall?! There is nothing worse than mushy pasta and Villa successfully avoids mush.
2. The cheese was plentiful, gooey and well mixed.
3. The Mac N Cheese was plenty hot and tasted fresh.
4. Long Macaroni Pasta. Villa’s own twist on the Mac N Cheese pasta leaves the elbows at home, and gives us a longer macaroni. It feels like an adult bite, not a child’s bite.

I’m still surprised by how much I enjoyed a quick lunch at Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen at the Governor’s Square Mall. The pizza was reheated well. The Mac N Cheese was hot, gooey and delicious. The staff was friendly, and the process quick. I rated Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen as “I like it” on Urbanspoon. Check it out the next time you’re at the mall and craving a slice of pizza.

By William Kristoph

Are you shocked that I mention a Tallahassee area Hardee’s? They’re as rare as a unicorn, but worth the search. My family headed up to Hardee’s way out on U.S. 27 for some breakfast treats a few weeks ago. As usual, the trip is worth it. Hardee’s staff is super friendly and fast. The restaurant is very clean, despite having a lot of customers coming through. The food is the hot and surprisingly fresh. Too bad it’s not 0 calories and healthy, right?

I decided to try a Sausage and Egg biscuit meal and one of the new Cinnamon Pull-Aparts that I saw advertised. The Sausage and Egg biscuit is my go to at Hardee’s and this one didn’t disappoint. The Hardee’s biscuit is fresh, light and not too greasy. Some other very popular fast food chains could learn a lesson about biscuits from Hardee’s. The sausage was flavor and the egg tasty. Neither of them were rubbery, my usual complain about fast food breakfasts. I even lucked out with the hash browns, which weren’t dripping with oil like usual. It was an A+ Hardee’s experience.

And since Hardee’s marketing worked so well on me, I tried a small Pull-Aparts with my family. The quality was very good for fast food. They were hot, soft on the inside, a nice crust on the outside and doused with a fair amount of sugary icing. The Pull-Aparts are a great option for a sweet treat at breakfast.

Yes, I just reviewed Hardee’s. Yes, it’s totally worth the drive for breakfast. The Tallahassee Hardee’s does a great job of keeping food fresh and hot.

By William Kristoph

Blue Bell’s newest flavor for National Flavor Month is Magic Cookie Bar. I have not been lucky enough to eat an actual Magic Cookie Bar that I can recall, but Magic Cookie Bar Ice Cream makes me want to whip up a batch in the near future. Magic Cookie Bar lives up to the hype. It’s smooth and sweet, with plenty of bits of graham cracker, dark chocolate and pecans. The caramel flavor and condensed milk shine through.

Check it out: