Friday, April 17, 2009

This Week in Blogs, Volume IV

Hi Everyone. Welcome to the fourth and final edition of the food blog roundup. It’s not the last one ever, just the last one on this blog. The new blog should be ready to go next week. I could’ve had it ready to go this week, but I had to watch The Masters all weekend, then I was sick, then it was my birthday, and then I had to catch up and read all of the blogs. So hopefully I’ll get around to it in time for next week. I’ll keep y’all posted. I think it has been an excited week in blogworld. There have been fires, free Garmins, and most importantly, my birthday. Sadly, my mailbox was blondie-free on my 29th. Alright, enough about that. Here. We. Go.

Mara at What’s for Dinner had a busy week. The week started with a nice post for her fiance’s birthday. Yes, I realize that there is an accent mark at some point in that word, but I don’t feel like digging around for special characters in the blogger editor. Anyway, it was a somewhat sappy but nice ode to fiance. My only criticism is that she used the phrase “my stomach flipped with joy.” Now while this might be accurate, when ‘stomach ‘and ‘flip’ are used together, I just start thinking about the end of Marley and Me (both book and movie). And then I think of the 100+ people openly sobbing around me when we were at the theatre. So I don’t really know how Mara’s fiance love post ends because I started thinking about Marley and got distracted.

Mara also had a blogger playdate with Jenn from Eating Bender. It was an action-packed date, filled with everything that a food blogger meet-up should include: overpriced organic grocery store, uncooked Asian foods, specialty cooking stores, and ice cream. I bet there’s a lot of pressure when two food bloggers meet for the first time. If I was the food blogger responsible for coming up with the agenda, I think I’d probably just schedule a bunch of out of character activities. Well, out of character for healthy food bloggers, at least. I’d use a theme, like ‘buckets.’ My Chicago food blog meet up would probably start in one of the neighborhoods around U.S. Cellular Field. We'd make enough wrong turns that we would end up near a Harold's Chicken and enjoy a bucket of legs, wings, thighs, and grease. Then we'd head south for a couple buckets of beers at Bourbon Street on 115th, and then downtown for a big Bucket of Garrett’s Carmel and Cheese Popcorn.  It would probably be our last meeting and the pictures wouldn’t make the interweb.   

Speaking of Eating Bender, I was going to devote an entire paragraph to Jen, but then I noticed that she’s doing the P90X workout. If she is able to make it through one session of that, then she can officially kick my ass, so I’m going to watch what I say. For those of you that don’t know what P90X is, apparently you don’t have cable or sleeping issues. It’s a workout program that only advertises on basic cable between 2:00-6:00 AM. I feel sore after watching one of the infomercials. It looks like Level XIV of Jillian’s 30 Day Shred, and the ‘after’ spokespeople look like Brad Pitt in fight club. Good luck with that.

Caitlin Tipping Point (seems easier than writing out Caitlin, at The Healthy Tipping Point) had some excitement this week when her apartment complex caught on fire. My only critique of this is that there was only one post devoted to The Great Fire of 2009. It was comprehensive coverage within that post, but I would’ve dragged it out over a few days. It was sort of like in the last season of The O.C. when Marissa Cooper started hooking up with the chick that’s now playing 13 on House. There was one episode of The O.C. devoted to their torrid love affair, and then by the next episode Marissa was back to dating Ryan Atwood and hating her mother. Or am I the only one who compares food blogs to Teen Drama plot lines? All I’m saying is that you missed an opportunity to turn this into fire prevention week on HTP, with instructional videos for fire extinguisher usage, and more pictures of the dreamy firefighters. Also, I’m not really a black helicopter guy, but I find it quite a coincidence that there was a fire at the apartment during the same week that Caitlin announced her running hiatus. I’m just saying that maybe someone in the running industry might not be happy about this decision and may have had something to do with the fire. Because ‘fire’ is the #2 cause of spontaneous running, just behind ‘someone chasing you.’

Am I the only one that’s a little jealous of all of the free stuff that Kath gets? She got a freaking Garmin? Kath is my friend so I should be happy for her (and I should realize that maybe I can borrow some of her free stuff sometime) but I want to understand the secret to getting free stuff. I mean, this blog is read by literally DOZENS of people every week, but I guess that isn’t enough. So far I've got

Step 1: Create Blog
Step 2:
Step 3: Free Stuff

Maybe I should drop some subtle hints…

The check engine light is on in my Toyota Highlander. I just love my Highlander and I hear that the new Hybrid model is fantastic. I sure would like to drive one of those.

Or

My Kenmore washing machine is one of my favorite appliances, but the spin cycle seems to be acting up. I’m just not sure where I could find a replacement.

If I haven’t made this clear yet, let me say one more time: I am willing to sell out this blog (and my new blog) for free stuff.  I’ll take almost anything. Except maybe the WWII era cereal that Kath got this week, with the picture of a kid that looks like a cross between Ralphie’s little brother in A Christmas Story and one of the Children of the Corn kids. I don’t think I could eat breakfast with this kid staring at me.

Alright, back to the blog review now

There was some excitement on Hangry Pants this week. There was finally a ‘he said’ post! For those who do not read Hangry, each post starts with either “He Says” or “She Says” depending on who is the author of the post. Sort of a clever idea for a shared male/female shared blog. Only problem is that there isn’t an even balance between he says and she says. Specifically, we’ve gone entire weeks recently without a single he says post. So going to the blog and looking for a “he says” post is sort of like Where’s Waldo or one of those magic eye posters. You know, those things that you stare at for 30 seconds and then you see a panda that says I love you emerge from the trippy design.. Now I know that Daddy is very busy at work, but we stay up late to wait for him to come home, and then he doesn’t talk to us kids out in blogland. We need more "he says" posts – the last one introduced me to new salad toppings, including Pepperidge Farm Goldfish and Honey Wheat Kix.  That is food blog gold, and I want more.

Diana at The Chic Life broke the all time food blog record of excessive use of the word ‘sammy.’ Now there has been some discussion and debate on the correct spelling (is it Sammie or Sammy). My official answer is that it is neither, as the word should not be used. Ever. Problem solved.. Now Diana is a friend and loyal reader. She knows how I feel about the use of the word Sammy. Yet she managed to use Sammy four times in one post. And it’s not like she was describing four different sandwiches – it was just one sandwich. And this isn’t the first time. I did a quick control + F and found no less than 13 instances of Sammy on one page of The Chic Life. And I double checked, and none of them were about Sammy Davis Jr. or Sammy Hagar. Diana, we need to talk about this. We might just turn my birthday party tonight into a Sammy usage intervention for you. All of your blogging friends and family will be here to help you through this.

Oh, and to fill out our list of places that spinach should not be:

3. Pancakes
4. Brownies

Thanks to Heather (from Heat the Salmon Butt) and Jennifer (from Blogger Profile Not Available Error Page) for submitting these winning entries.

Stock Up

Salad Challenge – I was going to participate until I found out that chicken salad, taco salad, and potato salad would not count as my daily salad.

Getting Free Stuff from Companies – Unless you are me.

Soups that look like baby food - bleh

Obscure Nut Butters – I don’t think there are any nuts left that have not been made into a peanut butter substitute. Also, 'Obscure Nut Butters' would be an awesome band name

Peep Art and Peep Consumption – Peep Utilization in food blogs was up almost 24% from last year

Stock Down

Cooked Food (or whatever the opposite of ‘raw’ is) – This means that natural gas and electricity are both stock down this week

Cadbury Cream Eggs – I looked at least 50 food blogs on Sunday and didn’t see a single one. I saw lots of Cadbury mini eggs, but not their goo filled big brother.

Pirate Attacks – Although I don’t want to call them Pirates

Alright. That’s all for this week. I’ll put next week’s post here and on the new blog. Let me know if there are any blogs that y’all want me to talk about. I gotta get going. Only a few hours until My SpongeBob Birthday Party/Diana’s Sammy Intervention. Talk to you later.

51 comments:

Anna said...

I was having the worst day ever when I came across this post, and once again nearly crapped my pants with laughter. Well done.

On a Lobster Placemat said...

Shoot. I look forward to this every week now. The stock up, stock down. Classic.

On my checklist:
* removing sammy/sammie from my vocab all together.

Thanks for being the new trendsetter.

(PS: HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!)

MaryBe said...

"Because ‘fire’ is the #2 cause of spontaneous running, just behind ‘someone chasing you.’ "
I pictured you saying this with Andy Rooney eyebrows!

Janet said...

This is literally one of the funniest blogs I have ever read. You are hilarious!

Anonymous said...

Because ‘fire’ is the #2 cause of spontaneous running, just behind ‘someone chasing you.’

Best line Ever.

and Happy Birthday!

Marianne said...

Don't hate on the sammy. I'm all for it's use!

And you have one thing in your favour for free stuff - you live in the US. US = more free stuff. Canada? Not so much.

Genesis said...

I would totally join you on your blogger 'bucket' meet up! I'm always down for some wings and beer! And I wouldnt even balance it with something healthy later on :)

I think Taco Salad would count since it does have some lettuce beneath the refried beans, sour cream, salsa, etc...

Erin said...

Happy bday dude (belated)!

Agreed with Rose on Sammy. Ew.

Hm. My blog is cool. Do you like Yoda? I've got him starring in a game on my blog.

Just sayin.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad I found your blog, keep up the hilarious work!

Sarah (lovINmytummy) said...

I heard that Burger King has SpongeBob stuff right now. If not, you'd at least get a cool crown.

Have a fun party!

Anonymous said...

Haha, yeah you better watch out or I will have to call Tony Horton and have him come to your house. I hope that I don't actually look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club, though...how about Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider? ;o)

If I ever visit NC (I used to live in Winston-Salem, btw!), all the NC bloggers should definitely have a "bucket" meet up. I would gladly attend. I loved all of your Chicago references, though! Garrett's is amazing!

In closing, I would like a Garmin. And I would love it if it was free.

Oh, and you forgot to link to Jennifer's "Blogger Profile Not Available Error Page" - just thought you ought to know.

Anonymous said...

Haha this is hysterical!

You should review HealthingIt. I am no longer sure if it is a food blog or a running list of her academic accomplishments.

Keep up the good work.

polly said...

Okay Nate... my favorite line every from you.

I was going to participate until I found out that chicken salad, taco salad, and potato salad would not count as my daily salad.

I grew up on a farm and ya know... those WERE the only salads I knew of until like age 20.

Thanks for your great blog, stop by and do some yoga sometime!

Marisa @Loser for Life said...

Nate, love your blog! So funny.

Like your hint dropping for free stuff! Hope Toyota is reading ;)

RunToTheFinish said...

hehe..man this is one of my favorite weekly posts!

Brandi said...

great recap! these are so funny!

HangryPants said...

I will let Mark know he made the weekly round up. He might even get off his ass and comment on this here post. A rarity indeed.

HangryPants said...

I must P.S. to my comment.

(1) Some obscure nut butters are good. ie. Pecan Butter.

(2) Tina ate some cadbury cremes. She'll eat anything and it won't be an April Fools. It's pretty rad actually.

(3) Taco salad counts.

(4) Can you write about Green Smoothies?

Mara @ What's For Dinner? said...

You come to Chicago, we'll go with the bucket theme :)
Thanks for the hilarious shout out, though I still haven't seen Marley and Me, and probably never will.

Aimee said...

As usual this is wonderful!

Happy Belated Birthday Nate!

Meghann said...

I would like to let you know I have made a big effort to remove sammy from my vocab thanks to you. It's a naughty word all of a sudden. And if you think Kath's free Garmin is golden, wait until you see what Caitlin has brewing ;)

Meghan (Making Love In The Kitchen) said...

I love your reader's digest blog summary. This food blog land is really a bit of a sitcom with all sorts of spin offs and characters making cameos on other blogs. Love it.

Anonymous said...

lol - totally dug the weekly update again!

im 100% WITH YOU on the free stuff - I must be missing a step too! way to drop the hint to toyota :P

Sharon said...

Haha, I didn't get to dive into any of the Easter Cadbury eggs either. I don't think they even still have them in stores....

Mark said...

Please, don't make me hangry. You wouldn't like me when I'm hangry.

Unknown said...

It might not be Cadbury eggs, but I hit the jackpot when it comes to chocolate this week. And of course it was free!! I can't tell you how much of it I ate last night because I'm supposed to be a healthy blogger!!

Happy Belated Birthday!! : )

A@ Please Don't Eat Me! said...

hey nate if you ever come back to boston, i would be down for a "bucket" meet up. and i would post about it too!!!!

I always wonder how people get so much free stuff, and what i am doing wrong in life to not get it

Anonymous said...

I seriously end up in hysterics every time with your posts.

It was great to meet you yesterday, Nate -- wish I could have made it to the party! Sounds like you had a brilliant celebration :-)

HEAB said...

I don't think I mentioned Sammie or Sammy once this week in your honor.

Looking forward to your first blogger meet-up post...might I put in a request for bucket of low calorie fro-yo? I've never seen any blogger eat more than a teeny-weeny cup of the stuff.

Maybe I should start a Heat the Salmon Butt blog for all of my food disasters as they're are many. :)

Hope you enjoyed your birthday party!

ashley (sweetandnatural) said...

Another hilarious week recap Nate! And happy belated birthday to you!

Garrett's popcorn - cheese and caramel combo - the only way to go. :-)

Kath said...

LOL!!!!!!!!

Great work. High quality.

This post got better and better by the end!

Garmin Gifter said...

Happy Belated Birthday!
This is still a bit sketchy since Kath is the first stranger to propel me to mail out swag, but here are the basic rules:
1. Inspire/help/support me in some way - you're definitely covered by giving me some entertainment at work; I need lots of help in that department
2. Express an interest in/need for something that I have and like - thereby summoning some mix of guilt and/or the urge to share the wealth (workout-related items are a strength but anything within a reasonable dollar amount is fair game)
3. Be genuinely surprised when the item arrives at your house and get some good use out of it
Examples:
1. My parents lamented how they'd been closed out of Springsteen tickets by Evil Ticketmaster while I had buckled to absurd third party vendor prices because I promised my husband I'd get them. Enter: A StubHub gift certificate
2. My friend complained about how her heart rate monitor kept slipping around while she was running. I always use mine with this convenient snap-in tank top setup. Enter: Numetrex tank top and snap-in transmitter
3. My trainer complimented my new, totally unnecessary but sweet, cross trainers. Enter: A Zappos box with a size 10 for Jen

And I really think you should be wrangling a book deal for yourself rather than gratis stuff from random readers but you never know...(and from where I sit, roasting LovINmytummy next week wouldn't hurt - the kids are adorable but what is going on with those salads?)!

Anonymous said...

Not quite sure I'm ready to give up the use of the word "sammy" just yet, but I'll consider it for you Nate! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh, poor Nate... I think being Kath's friend should get you free goodies by default, no?

Also your Spongebob party looked amazing. Hell yeah for Team Romance! (When my aunt was in the hospital a few years ago and was given morphine, she continuously hallucinated that Spongebob was coming down the hall to get there. He's a scary guy.)

Marie said...

"sammy" is kind of cute - now I've never been teased for saying "Sangwich" which is the New YorkCity/Italian-American version of "sammy" - I wonder if I wouold get teased for saying "sammy"? hmmm, food for thought.

Sincerely,
Sammy/Sangwich,
Marie
LOL

emily said...

these make me happy :)

Meg said...

I totally enjoyed this post! Thanks!

Leila said...

Love it, can't wait for the official 'weekly round up blog.'

Oh She Glows said...

God I love this blog.

"We'd make enough wrong turns that we would end up near a Harold's Chicken and enjoy a bucket of legs, wings, thighs, and grease. Then we'd head south for a couple buckets of beers at Bourbon Street on 115th, and then downtown for a big Bucket of Garrett’s Carmel and Cheese Popcorn."

I'd love to see this! I'm sure you could host your own meetup...LOL.

Carolyn said...

Nate, I freakin' love your blog. I wish I had some free stuff to send you just to keep the motivation alive.

Carolyn, Part II said...

Also, I heartily admire your courage to stand up to the zealous overuse of the "-ie" suffix in the foodblog world. Someone had to mention it, and I'm glad you went first.

Red Head, Yellow Dog said...

this is freaking awesome. I love this post!

and I think obscure nut butters would be a stellar band name. get on that.

Amy said...

Hey there... Made my first visit to your blog today. Absolutely hilarious!

Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point said...

it is most definitely "sammie" LOL :)

Little Miss Sunshine said...

UMMMM just a hint - maybe you should invite veggiegirl to this blog, THEN you'll get what you want in ya mail ..... MMMmmm just make sure that the ants don't get to them first ;)

Anonymous said...

All I can say is "Awesome"!

I would love to read a post like this every day! Keep it up!

Anne P said...

hahah amaaaaaaazing. i especially like the part about kath's WWII era cereal. so true! what is UP with that box?!?! hilarious.

Ellen said...

so funny. review skinnyrunner.com, the girl's humor is pretty supreme.

jane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jane said...

awesome! these are the observations that we are all thinking about while reading but are too afraid to say out loud for fear of offending someone haha.
and i have no idea how to get free stuff its amazing how much some of these bloggers get.
then again, they also post every meal/snack/handful of food and that's gotta be a bitch so i guess they deserve it! haha

katecooks said...

haha i wrote to diana that i too love to abbreviate words, such as totes (totally), rand (random), cardy (cardigan)...the list continues :)

and she sent me to this post in response!! LOL love it!!!!