Stop 7: New Orleans (yes this is out of order)

So I realize this is completely out of order, but this is what I wanted to write about.

New Orleans was a short stop but well worth it. We planned to stop in New Orleans for a couple of reasons. One, it was already on our way to Louisville because of the two roads through Mississippi and Alabama and two because common….its New Orleans.

We spent a total of 5 hours in downtown New Orleans, but I truly think we experienced just about everything we could have in that short amount of time.

We started our adventure by eating at Mother’s right downtown. We had the best meal of the trip there and I for one am very glad we made that stop just for that po-boy and gumbo. After this we set out to walk the town and take 132868376143278 pictures. Even though I am the furthest thing from a photographer, I loved taking pictures in this town. New Orleans reminded me of being in a Europe. It has so many old buildings that have so much character, weird people walking around and bars on every corner. So take a gander at the photos we took and let me know what you think.

Our next item on the N.O. to do list was a beignet at Café Du Mond. This was awesome because I think just about everyone we have talked to over the past couple of weeks suggested to do this. So to everyone that told us to go there, thank you it was delicious.

Finally it was time for Bourbon Street. We spent the rest of the night up and down this legendary street. We ordered hurricanes at the original Pat Obrien’s, a “big ass beer” from a street vendor, and some awesome local seafood from Acme Oyster House. The one story that must be mentioned is about what happened prior to going into Acme OH. The line to this restaurant was insanely long so Tom had the bright idea of waiting in line while enjoying a “big ass beer”. So I held our spot in line while Tom went in search for the beers. About 5 mins had gone by and still no Tom. I was joking around with group of people behind me when the hostess from Acme asked for my name and if I wanted to get ahead of the line. I told her I would but I am waiting for my friend. So she said I’ll come back in 10 mins. So now imagine, you see the biggest line for the one restaurant we both really wanted to go to, and we had an opportunity to jump the line, but we might lose that chance all because of some beers. Finally Tom showed up, and guess who else showed up….the hostess. Of course we were not able to bring the beers from another place inside so we had to drink them as the hostess tapped her foot, and everyone around us just stared and cheered. So we said cheers and a very very full stomach later we were walking into the oyster bar. It was well worth the ten minutes of pain because the oysters and crawfish were amazing. If you are ever in New Orleans I highly suggest going to Acme Oyster House, just get a beer for the line way in advance.

Our last stop of the night was Harrahs. Yup….Tom could not help himself. But despite my playing “dad” and trying to talk him out of it, he won 35 bucks. I put my foot back in my mouth and then I went to try my luck again on roulette. I should never be allowed into casinos…..nuff said. Luckily I didn’t have an opportunity to donate my money to Harrahs because the tables were all full.

All in all it was an awesome stop. I will be back, that I am sure of.

Also, I realize I do not have perfect grammar. Try writing in the car, it gives you a headache…… so give me a break haha.

Stop 5: Austin, TX

In Austin, Texas there is a saying floating around town, “Keep Austin Weird” and after visiting I can tell you one thing is for certain: if austin is considered “weird”,  that is okay with me. After our enjoyable three days in Dallas, we headed south to Austin.

Our time in Austin began with meeting with an old friend from Lansing named Joey, who we met while he attended Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI. After graduating he decided to come back home to Texas with his wife and begin practicing law in Austin. We met at an old BBQ joint, named “Ironworks BBQ” and all of us enjoyed a generous portion of beef ribs and sides. With letters from celebrities and presidents adorning the walls this was by far it was some of the best meat I had ever tasted! After our lunch Joey headed back to work while the two of us decided to tour the University of Texas’ campus. The campus was not only large and beautiful but it was unique experience seeing college students hanging out outside.

After our campus tour we headed to the hotel to meet up with Joey for the evening and headed to Lake Austin to grab some dinner. Our hotel was located right off 6th Street and set us right in the heart of the city (thank you hotwire.com).  It was interesting  to see boats in the water in the middle of Texas and we enjoyed a great meal on the pier. After dinner Joey took us out to a variety of bars in and around Austin that he enjoyed. Some of my favorites included a bar near the University of Texas, Lance Armstrong’s bar “Six”, and riding/falling off a mechanical bull.

Overall, Austin was definitely a highlight of the trip and  as I begin to look for a place to live after school, Austin is definitely one of my top choices. The atmosphere, culture, food, nightlife, and activities are unique and may make Austin “weird” but definitely enjoyable!

Stop 4: Dallas, Dave Ausema Part 1

We have spent the past three nights and two days in Dallas TX. We drove into Dallas around 10:30 on Saturday night and met Dave (our friend from Kalamazoo, my hometown neighbor/best friend/“brother”) at his apt. north of downtown Dallas.

We hung out at his apartment for a while, caught up and introduced Rolla then headed downtown. We went to bar called the Loon. It was already 12:30 so we figured we would just grab a couple drinks and head back home. First of all, a cocktail is not an ordinary cocktail at the Loon. I ordered a Jack and coke…it was a glass of Jack with a splash of coke (we need this bar in EL). We stayed out till 2 then headed home. On the way home we decided to stop at a grocery store named “Tom’s Thumb” to buy frozen pizza. (yes we took a picture of tom giving a thumbs up in front)This was a hilarious experience, and one I am surprised did not get us kicked out. It was 2:45am and in the frozen pizza isle the merchandisers left a sea of corrugated boxes. I think we played in this isle for a good 20 mins until all of the boxes were broken.

The next day we went to Dave’s church, Watermark Community Church. This was a really cool experience. Watermark is a huge part of Dave’s life and it was important to me to not only see it, but experience a service. We expected this church to be like the stereo typical Texas church, but it was the complete opposite. To save space on this post, I would like to anyone who wants to hear more about it to send me an e-mail.

We then left church and went to eat breakfast and tour the Dallas Cowboys new stadium. By now the rain had started full force and did not let up until last night. Luckily most of our plans were for indoor funtivities.

As we walked into the Stadium, we were greeted by the security guard who immediately told us that the tours were full, and we were out of luck…..yup that changed our mood pretty quickly. Not only was it raining, but we just drove an hour to see the gift shop. Luckily as we were walking around the gift shop, some very angry guy walked in and started yelling at the manager saying he had called ahead and he was told there were still tickets left for tours. So we watched from a far and let this guy do all the work for us. As soon as the manager folded, I walked up and immediately said, “the same thing happened to us”. Needless to say we got tickets for the tour. This stadium was amazing. Not only does it have the largest HD video screen I have ever seen, but it is the most state of the art arena built in the USA….sure enough, first thing I said when I walked in was “Merica”. The tour lasted 2 hours, and we ended up playing a short pick up game with the tour guide on the field. It was awesome.

Later that night we decided to grill very very large steaks. This experience turned into a four hour ordeal. After three trips back an forth to get the steaks, then potatos, then lighter fluid for the charcoal, we were ready to start cooking. But no no it was not time to cook, it was time to go see where Dave works. It seemed like the best idea because there was no better time while we were there. So what would normally take 20 mins took around 45 mins courteous of Dallas drivers…thank you rain, and thank you people who apparently cannot drive in it. It was cool to see TD Industries and Daves cubical.  We took a picture walked around and saw the fabrication facility. It was really cool not only because Dave works there, but of what we saw earlier at the Cowboys Stadium. As we walked around the stadium earlier Dave would point out what TD built and installed and to see where the pipes and vents were all made was a cool thing for someone like me to see. The rest of the night consisted of us grilling out as it rained and drinking wine over at Dave’s

Stop Three: The Adventure to Dallas, TX

We began our long trip from St. Louis, MO to Dallas, TX early in the morning and figured it would roughly be a 12 to 13 hour drive depending on the traffic. With three main stops in mind (Branson, MO; Bentonville, AR; and Fayetteville, AR) we set out early in the morning not knowing what to expect.

We arrived in Branson, MO around lunch time and had a nice lunch at a local establishment that hadbeen around for over 100 years. In a town that provides endless tourist traps and chain restaurants, we were greeted with great food, nice people, and a breathe of fresh air from the environment surround us. We have to mention the awesome sights that Branson has to offer. One being a giant replica of the Titanic, a giant King Kong on a holywood sign, and of course a Walmart mall.

We then set off for Bentonville, AR in order to explore the corporate headquarters of Wal-Mart. Although we could not gain access to the Distribution Center, Sam Walton’s original store provided an interesting experience and the taste of “America” we were looking for.

The most interesting event of the day was driving through Fayetteville, AR and touring the University of Arkansas. The campus reminded us of a mix of Michigan State University and the University of Michigan with a southern touch. After being continually rerouted due to an event on campus, we decided to check it out. We ended up being allowed to watch the final two minutes of the University of Arkansas play the University of Mississippi in basketball. The event embodied the fun and randomness we were hoping to find on the trip.

As we crossed the Red River into Texas, the realization of our destination finally came into perspective. We saw the road change from a dark quiet road, to a really bright endless stretch of stores and restaurants along the highway. We drove into Dave’s apartment complex at 10:30. It was nice to arrive at our final destination of the day and catch up with Dave, the real reason we made this trip in the first place.

(pictures to come soon)

Stop two: St. Louis, MO

Yesterday we had an awesome afternoon and night out in St. Louis. This trip started out with a very quick 5 hour drive from Chicago to St. Louis. Driving into downtown St. Louis is a really cool sight. After driving through miles and miles of flat corn fields seeing this city pop up with a giant silver arch is a welcoming image. It was about 2:45pm when we finally got there and we decided to head straight to the Anheuser Busch brewery. At the brewery we first went to beer school and then toured the factory. Tom and I both graduated with flying colors. The factory itself reminded us of Willy Wonka and the entire time we could not help but laugh at just about everything. Tom and I both have toured many factories and this was just too clean and quiet. It was still really cool to see and a great way to start out our second stop.

We next departed the west side of town to go take pictures under the arch. Here Tom took the liberty of sharing with you all why he came on this trip. So see the video below.

After our experience at the gateway arch, which brought up many memories of oregon trail and crusin USA, we headed to the hotel downtown. We found a great deal through Hotwire.com for $53 for one night. So after checking in and taking a short rest we showered up and headed out to get food and checkout what bars St. Louis has to offer.

We started the night out with an awesome shuttle ride from the Holiday Inn to Schlaufys microbrewery. I have to stop here to tell the story of the shuttle ride. It was a cool perk for staying at the Holiday Inn, but I think they get a discount by allowing their drivers to try and sell things as they drive. If you know me, you know I will talk to just about anyone, and will continue to have a conversation until someone drags me away. Some how 1 min into the shuttle ride to the bar the driver started asking us if we liked wrestling and UFC. I said “sure, I watch it on occasion” (Nope never do) and he was so excited about this that he started to pedal tickets to events and black market championship belts. He told us he had a guy down in Arkansas that makes these belts that you can buy for $120 and sell them to people over the internet for $1800. Well as Tom was laughing and getting out of the van, Woody, our driver, gave me his card with the myspace url for the guy who makes the belts down south. Needless to say, you can laugh now, but because of this, our night was saved. About one beer down we realized the menu was terrible, with nothing that shouted St. Louis. So we instead ordered a round of frog legs one more beer and I called Woody. Woody showed up to pick us up in less then 5 mins. Thats right, making new friends worked in our favor.

Our next stop was the strip of bars called “The landing”. Guess where we went first…The Casino. We grabbed a drink and proceeded to the blackjack tables. We figured, we won once we can win again. (great logic hugh). Well I immediately lost my money, became very upset and have officially given up gambling. Tom doubled his $20, and in my upset mood, I gave Tom $10 to win my money back. Guess what, he won. So we walked out of there in a good mood and headed to the first bar we saw. The rest of the night consisted of getting some food, more drinks and a relatively short walk back to the hotel.

Staying downtown had its perks, and as we said this morning, was very worth the $50 we spent.

To everyone that has made suggestions, we thank you and owe all of the planning to you. The next stop will be Dallas. On the way to Dallas we will be making three pit stops. First in Branson MO, then Bentonville AR, and lastly in Fayetteville AR. Check in tomorrow to see all the stories from Saturday’s travel. For now, hope your enjoying your Saturday and thanks for stopping by to follow us. Check out the pictures we have taken so far by visiting our pictures page, or our picasa site.

Stop One: Chicago, IL

We had an awesome night last night in Chicago. We could not have asked for a better way to start this trip out. We have to thank our good friends Brett Kopf, Christine Garland, Hilary Welton, and David Kopf for taking us out and giving us a place to stay.

Our night started at One Design Company’s downtown office for a friend of Brett’s, Leo’s Art Showing. See http://leorosen.tumblr.com/ for his work. With an Old Style in hand, we admired some amazing art work, and made some new friends. I have to stop here to mention that One Design Company’s office is one of those places that you walk into and stop to say….”I want to work here”. Check out their work, they do some amazing things.

Our next move was to Greek Island restaurant in greek town with our friends and Brett’s dad. It was some of the best Greek food I have ever had. I would highly suggested going there if you are in the area. We would like to thank Mr. Kopf for treating us to that meal.

After this we drove to wrigleyville to park our car and find a local bar. We ended up at Guthries Tavern for some beers and board games. We stayed there till closing time playing Balderdash and Apples to Apples. It was an awesome bar and I will officially be making it “my bar around the corner” once I move to Chicago.

Finally it was time to hit the hay. Brett drove us up to his Mom’s house in Skokie where we were able to catch some zz’s for a couple of hours before we depart the next morning for St. Louis. On the ride back I fell asleep per usual and as we got to the house, Brett and Tom decided it would be hilarious to jerk the car and start screaming. I have never been so scared in my life, they should have caught it on camera. Too bad for you, thank god for me.

The next morning we woke up to breakfast and coffee. We ate, talked awhile, took a few pictures, and got right on the road. Oh yeah….Brett’s Mom made us packed lunches, AWESOME. So far we have successfully avoided fast food and gas station snacks, hopefully we can keep it up. A big thank you to Mrs. Kopf.

Our next stop is St. Louis. We just put up some new pictures, and will be adding more soon. Check back soon.

Officially on the Road!

Well… the time is now! We are officially on the road! The first “stop” was our hometown of Kalamazoo, MI to visit some of our family and pick  up some additional supplies.

On the way to Kalamazoo we had the idea to stop at Firekeepers Casino near Battle Creek, MI to test our luck and what do you know? We doubled our money (an additional $5 each) and walked out of the casino winners!

Next Stop: Chicago, IL to visit our friend Brett and enjoy a night out on the town!

Listening to “You”

Throughout the planning of this trip we have continually asked for your feedback, ideas, and suggestions on a variety of different topics and thank you!

We would love for anyone who is interested to make us a CD or playlist that we could listen to while we drive. It will become a friendly reminder of the friends and family we have back home and provide a fun activity for us in the car! If you do not have time to make one, please create a playlist (or just a few songs) and post it to the website and then we will duplicate the playlist on our ipods. We are also more than willing to provide the blank CD!

We will be available to pick them up tonight (March 3rd) or tomorrow afternoon (March 4th)! Thank you all!

I bet you can’t beat this deal

So beyond this ploy to get you to save us money, I am most interested in how everyone finds great deals. I am constantly bombarded with commercials from priceline or stories from friends that love to brag about what a great deal they received. I do not know if it is the way I approach it or my lack of persistence, but the deals never seem to fall my way. Therefore I want you to show me how you do it. Right now I have found a hotel for $58 but it is 17 miles from downtown.

So what are we asking you to do? We challenge all of you to find accommodations (in a safe location) that will work out better for us. We will be in St. Louis on the 5th and will only need a place to stay for one night. Even ideas/methods on how to find deals will help us. The winner will receive a tacky shampoo bottle and a bar of soap from the local cheap hotel. But wait there’s more, we will publicly recognize you by shouting our thanks to you from the top of the St. Louis Arch. (Caught on video of course)

A day of volunteering!

Tom had a great idea this morning and  now we need all your help to  make it a reality.  We are going to volunteer one day  in Texas.  In addition we will document and share what others are doing all the way down there to help in their community.  We thought it would be a great idea and a lot of fun.  Heres where you come in, help us find an organization or event that could use our help.  Google search, e-mail a relative, or connect us to an experience you’ve had, anything that will help us find an opportunity.  We will take all suggestions and find the one that will best fit our schedule.