Top 5 Lists

Pretty much anything can result in a Top 5 List!  We'll cover the basics with songs, books, movies, television shows, musicals, golf courses, sports heroes, celebrity crushes and all the great ones (and none will be laminated as things always can change). We won't stick with just the basics though!  I'm hoping with a little time this section turns out to be really interactive! 

Top 5 Olympic Events

July 22, 2021|Top 5 Lists

 It honestly seems like it has been 10 years since our last Olympics and as a huge fan of both the Winter and Summer games I have missed them terribly. One of the best decisions ever made was to move from both the Winter and the Summer games in the same year and then waiting another 4 years before they came around again and moving to the every other year format. It’s strange to think about but in the old format the longest wait between games would have been about 3 ½ years from Summer 1976 to Winter 1980 (for example). Back then that’s just the way we did it, now that same 3 ½ year gap from Pyeongchang in February 2018 to Tokyo in 2021 has felt like ages. Oh, and there’s been a few things that have happened since the winter of 2018…perhaps you’ve read about some of them. The wait, though, has finally ended and I’ve already charted my viewing for the next two weeks. There are some absolute “can’t miss” events for me, so much so that I needed to make a Top 5 list out of them! A couple of quick notes – these include both Summer and Winter and unless I’ve noted otherwise includes both the men’s and women’s events. Let the list begin!

5. Beach Volleyball – I was tempted to go with just the women’s version here as Misty May-Traynor and Kerri Walsh Jennings are one of the most dynamic and unstoppable duos in Olympic history. They won 3 straight Olympic Gold Medals (2004, 2008, 2012) and did more for beach volleyball than perhaps anyone in history. The women are favored to medal this year as well and I’ll be watching! It just wasn’t going to be fair to not include the men here as well as the sport (at this level, not the kind I used to attempt) is just incredible to watch no matter who is playing.

4. Individual Figure Skating Long Program – I cannot fathom the amount of preparation that goes into competing in this sport at this level. There is probably no sport in the world that demands this combination of artistry and athleticism. I am riveted to this event every year and love how quickly I move into my “judges mode” when watching. I can’t tell you how many times someone has gone for a triple axel only for me to exclaim “oh no, she/he doubled it” right as the announcer says it.

3. 4x100 Medley Relay – I love relays in both track and swimming but this one is the absolute best. 4 different participants doing 4 different strokes and it is amazing event to watch. This was Michael Phelps’ final Olympic event for his amazing career.  Check out the women’s US Team breaking the World Record here!

2. Downhill Skiing – I think this is the most terrifying 2 minutes in sports. People flying down the mountain on, ostensibly, a sheet of pure ice. I like all of the alpine events but nothing matches the intensity of this one. Take a look at Lindsey Vonn winning the gold in Vancouver. I was on the edge of my seat for this entire run (and I was again re-watching it on YouTube).

1. Women’s Gymnastics All Around – The combination of power and grace that go into what these athletes do is completely amazing. The power that the men display on the pommel horse and rings is unbelievable but those events don’t quite resonate like the women’s events do. The vaults are incredible and I hold my breath with every bobble on the balance beam. I think the uneven bars are my favorite but any time I declare one as a favorite I remember how much I love a different one and change my mind. 

 Top 5 Guilty (and Ridiculous) Pleasures

October 12, 2020|Top 5 Lists

So I was speaking to a friend recently who was kind enough to mention that they had stopped by my silly blog once or twice.  Not trying to overplay my hand, nor put a friend in an awkward position, I didn't ask if they liked it or not and just simply said thank you for stopping by.  One thing that was mentioned, interestingly, was that they never would feel brave enough to put something out there like this.  Now this person, whom I have known for many years, is far more intelligent and insightful than I could ever hope to be and the world would be a far better place were they to start a blog instead of me.  It got me wondering, though, if I was putting enough of myself out there in these pages.  It's still a new endeavor for me and it has a ton of growing to do so we'll see what happens.  In the meantime, I decided to take that thought and twist it a little and offer up 5 completely embarrassing things that I still completely love.  Hey, we all show our inner selves in our own way. 

So "guilty pleasure" is a relative term.  Jelly beans aren't a guilty pleasure.  They're awesome and simply a pleasure, not a guilty one.  So is Neil Diamond, chocolate milk, Airplane!, all Claymation holiday specials and I Melt With You.  Nope, this list is one that you really would blush if you ever admitted to them (which I am now doing...both the blushing and the admitting).  We all have them: Below Deck, Marshmallow Fluff, The Osmonds...the list goes on and on!  You don't have to admit to yours (although it would warm my heart if someone does in the comments section on FB) but here are mine...yikes...

1.  Spam -  It might be the single worst thing for you health wise, but it is so ridiculously good.  I maybe eat it once every couple of years but I savor every moment.  Have you ever been to Hawaii and had Spam Musubi?  Or even better, Spam and Egg Musubi?  I'd eat it for breakfast every day if I could.

2.  MMMBop - You may have given me a pass on the first one, but my guess is you've either given up reading after my admission on this one or simply given up on me entirely.  I'm sorry, it's silly and poppy and ridiculous...and I have it on itunes and I belt it out every time I play it.  Yeah, I don't get out much...

3.  WWE - Most kids gave up on this when they were, what, 12?  Sorry, this is simply my weekly soap opera.  I've ebbed and flowed with it for 40 years but I have never entirely gotten it out of my system.  There's a chance I DVR it every week and fast forward to the characters and stories I like.  I'd never admit to that, though...

4.  Annie - I never loved any of the movie versions but the stage version was so wonderful.  I tear up basically every time I hear the song Maybe...c'mon, it tugs at your heartstrings a little, doesn't it???  I haven't seen it come through any town I've been in for a really long time but I would totally go if it ever came through.  I have a bunch of songs on my showtune playlist too.

5.  Trophies - No, I don't want a trophy for coming in eighth place, nor am I a believer in a trophy for everyone.  If I make the podium, though, I WANT the hardware.  I've been fortunate enough to win some sales awards over the years and I've gotten to go on crazy fancy trips for them and gotten monetary awards and recognition and all that.  What am I thinking the whole time, though?  When are they handing out the trophies???  I want the rocks and engraved plaques and the framed awards.  I want them on my desk and on my wall.  I'm so appreciative of the trip, I'm so grateful for the recognition, but please don't tell me there's not a rock with my name on it at the end of it!  I won a two man scramble with a buddy of mine in 1998...I still have the plaque on my wall!

August 31, 2020|Top 5 Lists

I'm not sure if September has become the official month that you can start talking about holidays or if 2020 has just become that year when we're simply trying to look forward after all our world has been through this year.  For whatever reason (and maybe this is the case every year) it seems we talk about the holidays earlier and earlier.  Personally, I think opening up the whole Pumpkin Spice period has kind of become a gateway for this kind of talk as if you can start talking about Pumpkin Spice (which seems to happen on July 5th) then you can start talking about fall and if you can start talking about fall then holidays are fair game.  So today at work we were talking about the holiday we were most looking forward to and I figured it was time to put the definitive Top 5 Holidays list out!  Please note, I'm really only going into the secular aspect of these days.  Several of these days have considerable religious importance but we're just focusing on the celebration aspect here.

5.  Easter - There was jostling for position here without question.  Halloween certainly has a claim as do both of the "Days" (Memorial and Labor whose overall message in each case is really important).  Easter, though, has the strongest claim.  Living in the South, Easter is generally a gorgeous spring day and half the time Floridians dress in Easter vibrancy anyway so the day is ideal.  Easter candy is legendary and (please check out my Top 5 Easter Candy list!) the day just feels right.

4.  St. Patrick's Day - This has been a strong #3 on my list but with two notable exceptions I haven't had a great St. Patrick's Day really since the tent at TS McHugh's in Seattle which was 13 years ago.  Be that as it may, when done right St. Patrick's Day is the best.  Fantastic music and the right atmosphere (until amateur hour takes over later in the evening).

3.  Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving certainly feels different in warmer climates but nothing really takes away from the Thanksgiving spirit even when it's warm.  Thanksgiving is a strong enough holiday to stand on its own, yet still carries the designation of basically opening the holiday season.  You never feel like you're skipping over Thanksgiving to get started on Christmas, but you always know that the season has officially arrived.  My Mom had a rule that Christmas music couldn't start until the dishes were done from Thanksgiving dinner.  I may or may not have bent that rule a little bit over the years, but I always thought that was the perfect resolution for that debate.  Thanksgiving also gets major points for the 4 day weekend, really the only "official" one on the calendar.

2.  4th of July - Much of how you feel about the holidays is generated from how they happened when you were a kid and I loved 4th of July as a kid so much that it will always be a favorite of mine.  I was talking to a friend not that long ago (back in July, oddly enough) and she was telling me all about her neighborhood's 4th of July traditions and they were basically identical to my neighborhood growing up and it made me incredibly happy to think that was probably happening in thousands of neighborhoods across America at the same time.  Side note, I watched fireworks from the beach this year and it was like nothing I had ever seen before.  Looking up and down the beach for miles in each direction there were, literally, hundreds of different groups of people setting off fireworks while the major city shows were also going off.  At any given time there were 50 different bursts going off.  It was absolutely incredible and I'll never forget that celebration night.

1.  Christmas -  I just don't see how this one can be topped.  It's actually the one holiday all year that I prefer to be snow covered as it just adds to the feeling of it all.  The colors, the traditions, the music, the stories...Christmas is perfect when you have the chance to enjoy it.  I miss my family more on Christmas than any other day, which makes sense considering the day, but Christmas is for families and i just love the feeling of the day so much.  I could write for pages here but, honestly, who really can describe Christmas?  It's just that amazing experience that comes at the end of every year. 

June 7, 2020|Top 5 Lists

I made a recommendation the other day to a friend who was looking for a new show to binge and I suggested The Night Manager.  I thought the series itself was excellent; taut and intense scenes, extremely well acted and excellently representative of the wonderful source material which was the novel of the same name by the brilliant John le Carre.  Side note, if you like spy novels or are interested in trying the genre start with le Carre.  It was a 6 part series and I thought it was the perfect platform to tell the true story of the novel.  Sometimes a 2 hour feature film just is too rushed to do justice to the source material.  Some of these listed have in fact been made into movies but didn't do the source material enough justice (or in a couple of cases the movie was a complete miss).  Make these into 4-6 part mini-series, tell the story the book told, and don't try and money grab for a sequel.  Just make them wonderfully and let them stand on their own.

1.  Ready Player One - One of my favorite books of the past decade and probably my most anticipated moving viewing since the Star Wars prequels.  It wasn't a horrible movie but I have no idea why the movie deviated so much from Ernest Cline's novel.  Side Note: In a book entrenched in 80's throwbacks why on earth would the main song in the big dance sequence be Staying Alive, the unquestioned anthem of the 70's?   There is so much story to be told here and a movie couldn't do it justice.  This would be an epic and gorgeous mini-series that could tell a wonderfully dystopian story.  Can we make this happen???

2.  The Testament - I read that there was a movie deal at one time for The Testament which I feel was one of John Grisham's 2-3 best of all time.  Like most of the Grisham novels it became a best seller but I always felt as though this one flew under the radar a little bit.  As I said, I'm pretty sure I like this one second only to The Firm in the Grisham library.  Telling a couple of different stories at once this series would be visually stunning as it plunged through the jungles of Brazil.  If you like Grisham but didn't catch this one go grab the paperback (or wait for the new mini-series I've just suggested:))

3.  Rainbow Six - The John Clark character was central in so many books in the Jack Ryan series, and the character did have a book of his own, Without Remorse, which served almost as a prequel to the Jack Ryan stories.  Rainbow Six follows Clark as the Clark/Ryan stories step away from being exclusively wound together and this story has a ton of new characters and stories to tell.  This one could be longer than 6 episodes for sure.

4.  The Warriors - I know, the movie is legendary and they've talked forever about a re-make.  There is so much more to this story though and wouldn't you like to know more about the backstories of so many of these characters?  If you haven't read the novel by Sol Yurick it is far grittier and far rougher than the movie and I'd be interested to see what story they'd tell in a mini-series between the movie and the novel.  This series would be fascinating.

5.  Bringing Down the House - I made a rule for myself that there this blog wasn't going to be about negativity.  If I didn't like a restaurant or golf course or whatever, I simply wouldn't write about it.  So, I'll just say here that I think the movie adaptation here "21" really wasn't a true adaptation of Ben Mezrich's fantastic non-fiction book.  There was a ton of story here, much more than a movie could cover.  This series could just ooze the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas while perfectly contrasting it with what goes on in the eye in the sky.

May 16, 2020|Top 5 Lists

Northbrook Court Mall was as exotic as it got for us growing up.  Old Orchard Mall was what we knew, but that was an outdoor mall and didn't have a true food court, or really a concentration of restaurants at all (completely different now, BTW).  Once a year around Christmastime, though, we got a chance to go see the decorated trees and the Botanical Gardens (which I still love doing) and then each were given $5 (times were different then) to choose whatever we wanted for dinner at the food court.  Sure, McDonald's was there and other places we knew but most places were completely foreign and almost exotic for us.

I'm not sure how much more staying power traditional malls have moving forward, and I'm even less sure about mall food courts, but it doesn't take away from remembering some of the all time greats.

5.  Panda Express - You took the free samples when offered, you know you did.  Absurdly syrupy Sweet and Sour Chicken on a toothpick from a tray being handed by a complete stranger was simply too good to pass up.  The Mongolian Beef was really good as well.

4.  Auntie Anne's - You can ding this one for not being a true restaurant per se, but the offering of the (fantastic) pretzel dog makes it enough to qualify as a true restaurant.  For the record, I disqualified Cinnabon based on the same "at least one true entree" criterion.

3.  Orange Julius - I didn't start leaning this direction until later in life (I was a big supporter of the Alderwood Mall location), but the Chicken Club Pita downed by any one of the Julius' was extremely satisfying.

2.  Sbarro - The slices were huge and simply too good to pass up.  The stromboli was actually pretty solid too.  This would never go down in the annals of great pizza, but it was like visiting an old friend when you stopped by.  I've been to more Sbarro's than I care to admit but I was always partial to the Bally's Sports Book food court location in Las Vegas.

1.  Steak Escape - Yeah, this was the go to.  I tended to lean to the ham, but the chicken and original steaks were awesome too.  Generally speaking I'm fairly ambivalent on mayo, but not here...here you layered it on.  I remember how fascinating it was that they served their french fries in a cup.  That was, for me, the epitome of culinary whimsy.  The very concept was so foreign that I probably first went there simply because I saw the cup of fries on someone else's tray.  I honestly don't even know if there are any traditional mall food courts where I live anymore, but if I happen across one and I start scanning the options this is the one for which I'm looking every time.

May 1, 2020|Top 5 Lists

For those of you who know me even fairly well, you know I have been a Peanuts fan my entire life.  Charles Schultz once said that he always wanted to be Snoopy, but he knew he was Charlie Brown.  I actually love that quote whereas some people might find that to be depressing or defeatist, the fact is that Charlie Brown is one of the most resilient, thought provoking, introspective and and relatable characters in literary/film/television/animated history.  How many heartbreaks did he suffer - on the diamond, with his friends, during the holidays, and with the Little Red Haired Girl.  He got knocked down so many times, yet he never failed to get back up.  More importantly, he never failed to dream and hope that this time would be the time for him.  He was always brave enough to try to be happy again and for that I'll always love him.  Holiday specials dominate here, as expected, but there are two non-holiday movies you need to check out of you haven't seen them.

5.  A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - Despite being sandwiched in the middle of The Big 3 Holiday specials it doesn't take away from the wonderful nature of this episode.  To this day, I've always wanted a dinner of pretzel sticks, popcorn, toast and jelly beans.  the best part of this special is the revelation of Marcie as a wonderful and insightful character.  I know Charlie Brown always pined for the Little Red Haired Girl, but it my own little world Charlie Brown grew up to find that his soul mate was right in front of him the whole time.

4.  A Boy Named Charlie Brown - Part of an ongoing theme of children doing preposterous things on their own (this time both Charlie Brown and Linus travel to New Your City by bus on their own).  The theme of Charlie Brown  coming so close but then messing up in the end is really on full display here.  Linus going through withdrawals without his blanket is great stuff.

3.  It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown - It's really Linus' special, to be honest.  His wonderful and complete devotion to the Great Pumpkin is so sincere and ultimately heartbreaking (but done in a funny way).  Who among us didn't have something they believed in so strongly as a kid and ultimately found out "the truth"?  I used to not be a fan of the WWI Flying Ace angle of this episode but it has grown on me over the years.

2.  Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown - Incredibly quotable and so many characters at their best.  Kids left to build a hand made raft and navigate the river and wilderness on their own for summer camp.  How can that possibly go wrong?  Oh, and one night (despite being summer camp) it snows.  Good guys (and girls) over bullies and a surprise winner of the raft race, just a classic.  Without question, the most underrated Peanuts special of all time.

1.  A Charlie Brown Christmas - The gold standard against which all other holiday specials are measured.  Wonderful music, great performances from some smaller characters (Schroeder is excellent), insight, heart and true Christmas spirit.  Linus is spectacular as the moral compass of the story and his gospel quote from the stage still affects me.  I love the spirit of Linus and Charlie Brown as they head out to get a Christmas tree using only some unknown searchlights as their guide.  It simply isn't Christmas without watching this at least once.

April 20, 2020|Top 5 Lists

M*A*S*H was a huge thing in our family growing up.  I used to snag the portable black and white TV and sneak it into my bedroom and catch the 10p episode on Channel 32 whenever I got the chance.  In college, one of the stations had a fantastic M*A*S*H/Cheers/Hill Street Blues lineup after the local news and I always used to watch that while my friends went to someone else's room to watch Letterman...I wasn't one of the cool kids, just sayin'.  To this day, I still watch an episode almost every night before going to sleep.  It's always been kind of my ritual sign off for the day.  This is a tough Top 5 list because I could have listed 30 episodes pretty easily, but here are my Top 5 favorite episodes in reverse order:

5. The Call the Wind Korea (Season 7, Episode 8) - The Klinger/Winchester relationship was a really good one and the writers smartly paired them up a few times.  They had a super scene in "Death Takes a Holiday" in Season 9.  This episode, though, had great interaction between them showing camaraderie, vulnerability and some smart comedy moments.  Kind of a war time Odd Couple.  Good to see Bigelow get to do a little acting too (Bigelow, Kelleye, Goldman, Igor and a couple of others were the real mainstays of the ancillary cast).

4. The Abduction of Margaret Houlihan (Season 5, Episode 7) - Colonel Flagg at his most ridiculous peak.  I always thought the missed on giving him at least a cameo in the finale but I know they were going for more somber.  The Frank/Potter/Radar scene explaining how Frank shot BJ  is Potter's absolute deadpan best.  It's only a few line scene but I still laugh every time.

3. Crisis (Season 2, Episode 21) - Oddly the only Trapper/Henry era episode that made the Top 5.  Make sure to watch Trapper in the office scene in the beginning, his off the ball work in the background is fantastic.  Henry's tight rope walk between serious leadership while still  being impeccable in his comedic timing was on full display here.  Grabbing the picture off the wall on his way to the latrine probably gets overlooked but it's hysterical when you notice it.

2. A War for All Seasons (Season 9, Episode 6) - This is such a tough #2 ranking because it is so good and certainly has a claim to the top spot.  Klinger/Winchester great again together, Father Mulcahy jumping tot he front of the chow line showed he has human foibles just like we all do and great historical reference centering around the "Shot Heard Round the World".  I sported a Brooklyn Dodgers cap for while almost exclusively for the Winchester scenes towards the end. 

1. Dear Sigmund (Season 5, Episode 8) - I've always thought seasons 3-5 were the peak and that 2 of the top 5 episodes aired back to back reflects the sweet spot the show was in at the time.  I have always been big on the Sydney Freedman character (he was wonderfully and hysterically understated in "Deal Me Out" in Season 2).  He's at his best here, though, providing the narrator role while also exposing some of the humanity of his own character.  I thought his character over the years did a great job of balancing being wanting to be one of the group at the 4077th but also understanding he needed to be one step removed so as to be able to help them through their challenges with all going around them.  Laugh out loud stuff, good character stuff (Frank was fantastic in his scenes) and some realities of war stuff.  I really feel like this was the show at its absolute best. 

April 16, 2020|Top 5 Lists

Some color schemes just simply work!  I've actually only had one set of school colors that make the list (the top spot, actually) but there are really some fantastic combos out there.  There is no team affinity applied here (which you'll see very plainly when you see the scheme I've chosen #1 overall.  Side note - Gold and yellow are basically interchangeable in this list and all will be simply referred to as just gold.

1. Blue and Gold - The absolute perfect color combination and there has never been a Blue/Gold scheme that I haven't liked.  Best Examples: Rams, Chargers, SJA, Notre Dame (Yep, I said it.  Their uniforms when in the blue are fantastic).

2. Blue and Orange - The Bears colors are absolutely perfect and kind of an Illinois staple.  Best Examples: Bears, Illinois, ETHS, Broncos.

3. Black and Red - The Bulls home jerseys are the best in the NBA and there really isn't a better partner with black than red (sorry, Hawks).  Best Examples: Bulls, Blackhawks, Falcons (man I wish they'd add more red back in to their scheme), South Carolina.

4. Red, White and Blue - How can you possibly go wrong???  Best Examples: All US Olympic Team jerseys, Cubs, Rangers, SMU

5. Green and White - there is something simple and elegant about green on white.  there aren't that many teams that use it but it's simple and really effective when done right.  Michigan State, Celtics, Jets 

April 12, 2020|Top 5 Lists

What I love about holidays is that every family has a blueprint of the holiday itself, but from there a different variation exists for basically every family there is.  I cannot imagine an Easter Basket without certain things in it, but then I'd see other kids' and they looked nothing like mine and they couldn't imagine theirs being anything other than what they had.  After years of exhaustive research, though, there was a pretty clear Top 5 when it came to what belonged in my Easter basket.

1. Reese's Peanut Butter Egg - Yes, they've come out with the Peanut Butter Tree for Christmas and the Peanut Butter Pumpkin for Halloween but both are faint copies of the original.  The Peanut Butter Egg is the quintessential Easter Basket component.

2. Brach's Classic Jelly Beans - Hey, I'll enjoy a Jelly Belly now and again and I have no issue with the Starburst Jelly Beans either.  This is Easter, however, and on Easter you have to go with the original.  I'm open to conjecture but my Top 5 colors for them are: Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Purple.  Important tip - DO NOT accidentally buy the Brach's Spiced Jelly Beans instead as you will be sorely disappointed.

3. Hershey's Candy Coated Milk Chocolate Eggs - Absolutely ideal plastic egg fillers and the shell has just a little extra crunch to it which is actually their signature.  Imagine an M&M with a second candy coating on it!  More on that in #5.

4. Cadbury Caramel Egg - The Creme Egg got the brilliant marketing campaign but it isn't for everyone.  The Caramel Egg, however, is the powerhouse of the Cadbury Easter lineup.  It basically asks the question: "Is there such a thing as too much caramel?"  Spoiler Alert - there is not.

5. M&M Pastels - Some things are classics for a reason.  I've always been a huge proponent of the autumn motif of the original M&M's (I begrudgingly accepted Blue as a standard color because there are blue skies in autumn too but it took awhile for me to get there).  M&M's now morph for various holidays and that's cool, but the pastel Easter M&M's are still the best variation they've ever done.

April 9, 2020|Top 5 Lists

Not many people know this but I have a collection of "University of" sweatshirts.  My goal has been to get to all 50 state university campuses and buy a sweatshirt from the student union.  No gifts, I have to buy it myself from the actual student union.  I'm at 23 so far and unfortunately I missed the opportunity having a visited a couple before I started this that I will likely never have another chance to visit again (Looking at you Moscow, ID).  I have  been to some outstanding campuses that I can't list here because they aren't University of's (LSU, for instance, was super and also the campus for the Pitch Perfect movies).  So, from what I've seen so far:

1. University of Iowa (Iowa City) - I considered leaving this off because of my built in and acknowledged bias but honestly, this is the penultimate college town.  Went there last summer and the down has absolutely blossomed into a wonderful food and entertainment city.  Any suburban Chicago kid (or anywhere else for that matter) needs to have this on their visit list for schools.

2. University of Georgia (Athens) - Just a fantastic college town.  The city and the campus just blend together seamlessly and it has just a great college town vibe.  Was there around the holidays a few years ago and just loved the city!

3. University of California (Berkeley) - I just loved the whole feel of the place.  The downtown felt kind of throwback but the restaurants and bars that inhabited these older spaces were hip and cool and vibrant.  If you ever visit San Francisco this is worth an overnight!

4. University of Texas (Austin) - It's gotten a little overcrowded and traffic and parking are a huge issue but there's a reason people have been flocking here for 20 years.  The town is booming with hundreds of places to go and the campus is gorgeous.

5. University of Kentucky (Lexington) - I just love a city that wraps itself up in the college culture and Lexington is blue and white from top to bottom.  I would absolutely love to be there for a tournament game sometime as I bet the place is just electric! 

April 6, 2020|Top 5 Lists

A subject of considerable conjecture for all Gen X'ers who grew up when arcades were at their absolute peak.  Yes, the games evolved dramatically once my age group got out of college, but we're talking games that were released before 1990 - the heyday of the arcade scene!

1. Frogger - And it isn't close.  My Mom actually bought the arcade game and we had it in our basement for years making me a complete ringer.  My skills have perhaps dissipated with time but I won far, far more bar bets than I lost over many years.  Bumped into one of these at a bar in San Diego a couple of months ago and posted the high score impressing everyone watching which was, well, just me but still...

2. Ms. Pac Man - While I prefer the "fast" version I like them both.  While the original Pac-Man was really the grandfather of the next generation of arcade games the fact is that Ms. Pac Man was a far superior game.  Played this endlessly at Poochie's.

3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - By far the best partner game of the generation.  Went to the Bunny Hutch with pockets full of quarters one night with my best friend growing up and kept plunking them in until we won the game.  I was Leonardo and I'm pretty sure he was Donatello (maybe Raphael).  

4. Galaga '88 - I realize that for some this bight be sacrilege putting it ahead of the original (or even it's grandfather, Galaxian) but the fact is that '88 was a far superior game.  Better explosions, cooler screens.

5. Centipede - This was a tough one and I had a ton of runners up here.  I was also categorically terrible at this game but I loved the trackball and the sound effects.  You also basically panicked at the end of each board when you had only one little piece of the centipede to try and exterminate.

April 4, 2020

So Part 2 is really more about beers you don't necessarily see everywhere.  Yes, you can walk into a bar and see any one or two of them at any given time, but generally speaking these are more of a rarity and so when I see one of them I'll often jump in over anything in Part 1 because I seldom get the chance!

1. Leinenkugel's Original  I can't believe I have to list in here instead of Part 1 but I can never find it anymore :(.  This has been my gold standard forever and I don't quite understand why I can get so many of their varietals out of state but not the original.

2. Estrella Damm  Just a super beer!  It originated in Barcelona, Spain and I'm lucky to see it maybe once or twice a year but it is an immediate order.

3. Harp  I'm not a big dark beer guy so Harp is my go to in an Irish pub over Guinness (which I do enjoy on occasion).

4. Primo  It's making a comeback in Hawaii and it's almost worth the trip out there just to have a couple.  It isn't everywhere in Hawaii, you have to look for it a little bit, but it should be.

5. Kingfisher Premium  I went two weeks in India drinking bottled water and Kingfisher exclusively...literally nothing else.  You bump into it very rarely in the US but it's really light and refreshing.  Really solid beer.

April 4, 2020

Beers is a tough one.  Do I really want a Guinness on the beach?  Am I looking forward to washing down a shepherds pie in January with a Corona?  Would I ever drink an import on the 4th of July or Thanksgiving?  So, I broke this into two categories (and will probably do more).  This list is for everyday beers.  Depending on your region you would likely see some/most/all of these beers available.  There is a little regionality to this list (as evidenced by the picture) but you get the idea.

1. Miller Lite  If I go into a place, have no idea what to order, it's crowded and somebody says they'll make the first bar run and ask what I want, this is the standard bearer.  If you're not sure what to order me, just get me one of these and we're all good.

2. Old Style  Fun fact, the first Old Style I ever had was two nights before I moved away from Chicago.  It was sitting there the whole time and I had never had one...missed opportunities that I now make up for every chance I get.

3. Corona  Just brings a smile to my face every time I have one.

4. Stella Artois   Kind of my go to when I want to look slightly classier than ordering a Miller Lite

5. Yuengling  My Florida fall back beer.  Reminds me of my parents place in Florida which ain't such a bad reminder at all.

April 2, 2020

I have a litany of places I'd like to play before all is said and done, and there's a good chance this list will change as time goes on.  It's important to note here, though, that I'm not listing the Top 5 Best Courses I've played, but my favorite 5.  Important distinction...

1. Kapalua - Plantation Course If I could only play one course forever this would be it.  Maui is actually only my 3rd favorite island of Hawaii, but this course alone is worth the trip.  With incredible ocean views and a course that was seemingly cut right out of a mountainside this is as good as gold gets.

2. Evanston Golf Club  My home course.  I doubt seriously I will ever walk another course as often as I've walked EGC after 10+ years of caddying there plus dozens and dozens of rounds.  Donald Ross at his finest.

3. Erin Hills  Just a really cool experience.  Played with my brothers I believe a year before the US Open was held there.  No carts (which I love) and this was one of the toughest tracks I've ever played (probably second hardest to the now dormant Prince Course on Kauai).  Never forget the 10 I took on the 10th hole here.  Would love to go play it again.

4. Stadium Course - TPC Sawgrass  Everyone knows the 17th (pictured above) but to be honest, I greatly prefer the front 9.  The absolutely perfect setup meaning that of you do what you're supposed to do you can score here but if you get even a little crooked it gets away from you in a hurry.

5.  Salem Country Club  Kind of a surprise entry but this is simply the most charming course I've ever played.  Totally NW feel with towering trees and a winding river.  The charm is the apple orchard nestled between the 7th and 11th fairways from which you can pick apples in the fall.  By no means the greatest course on this list, but I just love the whole feel of the place.

April 2, 2020

Sounds so easy, doesn't it?  Just pick your 5 favorites, how can it be that hard?  But then you think about genres and styles and what kind of mood you're in that day and dozens of other variables and suddenly you realize it's practically impossible without parameters.  My guess is we'll do breakdowns of this list as we go (Love Songs, Holiday Songs, 80's Songs...) but for right now, these have been my favorite songs for more than a decade (and in some cases more than three decades!).

1. Pride (In the Name of Love) (U2).  It was about 1983 that my cousin gave me a cassette tape that had been recorded from one boom box playing and another recording next to it.  It had two songs on it, this being one, and I played that tape literally until it broke.  been my favorite song for almost 40 years,

2. Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel).  My first ever concert and I had never heard this song previous to that, which I kind of love actually.  I adore this song and for some reason from the very first notes it just feels like it reaches into my heart every time I hear it.

3. These Are Days (10,000 Maniacs).  I had a chance to see them after Natalie had left the band (but they were still super).  The drum beats get me right from the beginning.  This was/is a great and unique band and I feel like this is their best.

4. Back in the High Life Again (Steve Winwood). I will never tire of this song despite the fact that I spent every day in the summer of 1987 listening to it time and time again.  Caught him in concert in 2018 and he nailed it.  One of the pound for pound greatest true musicians of all time.  I think he played, literally, 10 different instruments during one show I saw.

5. All Summer Long (Kid Rock).  Because some songs just speak to you...