My Maine Cheat Day (WEDDING EDITION)

Hello Cheaters! I went on a trip so I decided to write a travel cheat blog. Although I wouldn't call it cheating, by a DIET stand point. I stopped drinking alcohol for over 3 weeks and I CHEATED on that on my trip to Boston, MA and Portland, ME. So I am going to report to you about all the cheating I did on the trip! How's about that?! That's what I'll do! I'll let you know when I fasted from something and then CHEATED! We all like it when I cheat right?! RIGHT! SO LET'S FUCKIN' RAGE!

I flew into Logan airport in BAHSTIN MAAAAASS at around 9:45AM. Me and my bestest friends James and Christine got into a rental car with a broken radio that I later fixed and sat in horrific traffic on our way to the Cheers Bar. This is a subpar over priced tourist trap that I only recommend you go to if you love the show Cheers and TBH, you SHOULD love the fuckin' show Cheers cause it's a great show, and American classic, a 10 year long slice of life with something for everybody! Anyway. I got a Guinness. That was the first thing I drank to break my sobriety. A Guinness. I know Guinness kind of IS and certainly should be an all year round type of drink, but there's something about a Guinness in the autumn weather that just feels right, ya know?!

I also ordered a $14 meatball sub with fries that was...again, SUB PAR, it was cheesy as FUCK which was nice but there was like negative sauce on the bad boy. The fries were fine. I then noticed on the drafts menu that they offered a "Norm's Pils." Well, obviously, I had to get one of those and chug it as fast as I could and that's what James and I DID!

We didn't eat again for a while, and TBH we didn't really need to because beers and coffees and meatball subs are fucking filling YO. Next place we ate was called Nick's Roast Beef in the Boston adjacent town of Beverly. It was local, dem BOSTONIANS love dere ROAST BEEF. It was basically better, fresher Arby's. They DID have this side called "Broccoli Bites." Don't let the name fool you, if was fried spicy cheese with MINIMAL broccoli floating around in there. They were dank as FUG. For my main course at Nick's I got the Super Beef Plate which consisted of a FUCK ton of fries, a FUCK ton of onion rings and a massive and totally SAUCED Roast Beef sandwich on an onion roll. Good stuff.

James and I each pounded 4 more Guinness we pick up from a local liquor store and promptly passed out around 9:30PM. We were tired lil'bebes. We awoke the next day in Beverly, checked out the town's museum which was kinda cool then went to the local joint Clam Box of Ipswich on our way up to Portland. They boasted pricey boxes of the famed local New England fare clams, oysters, and scallops...ALL FRIED! Now, James HATES sea food, but he at it ANYWAY. The scallops RAWKED my fuggin SAWKS AWF kid. The clams were aight. It was expensive, but I always like to try the local cuisine no matter where I go! It's what they do after all, yer never gonna get it better!

When we got to Portland and we had some time to kill before we could get into our air bnb so we checked out a local lighthouse, very pretty stuff. The lighthouse was a feature at a state park that had lil'food truckies. "WHAT did the food trucks SERVER?!" you ask! Well fuggin' LOBSTAH Rolls kid and WHOPPIE PIES for CHRISSAKES! The Lobster Roll I got was Maine style with a lil mayo and a lemon wedge. Delicious to say the very least. BUT, at $20 a sammy that's not something I recommend anyone making a staple on their trip to New England.

The whoopee pie, for you sweets fans out there, is a Maine/New England dessert staple. It's a glorified Ho-Ho. It's delicious, but it's gigantic. Do yourself a favor and split it with someone, or you will be sure to crash from the the sugar over load.

James, Nick, and I went back to the rental house to get ready for the cocktail hour at local fancy Mediterranean chain, Tiqa. There was an open bar so I downed a couple Vodka sodas, ya know to be classy, before switching to Maker's on the rocks of which I about 4. HEY, I wasn't driving. OH SHIT, yes I was! But later, and then I ended up not. The cocktail hour featured hors d'oeuvres of the mediterranean style. It may have been the best falafel I have ever eaten.

That was all we needed, so we went back to the air bnb where ALL of our friends and family were waiting. Totally awesome bro Derek Shelton brought over this local cheap swill with a lobster on the can that was sub par, it was called Narragansett Fresh Catch. The only thing fresh about it was that it was...actually nothing, there was nothing Fresh about it. Otherwise, we drank Miller Lights til we PASSED OUT.

The next morning James and I had to go to the venue to help set up for the wedding and the reception. We woke up at 7:30, not very happy. We got there a little after 8 and stayed until about 2:30, sometimes working hard and most of the time sitting around waiting to be told what to do. We got coffee and donut holes to stave us off. DUNKIN KID!

When we finally left to get the man of honor ready for his big moment we picked up a sandwich trey, of which I ate 4! That's right 4 fucking sandwiches: 1 roast beef, 1 turkey, and 2 ham. I needed that I guess. The wedding was wonderful. Congrats to the happy couple. Go forth and kill it as adults, although if I may speak frankly Robert was always one of the most adult people I've known. More adult sometimes than my adults...but anyway, NOW he's officially an adult! Good on you brother! And congrats to the ever delightful Becca West for being great, finding a seemingly perfect match and knowing how to pick'em!

SHUT UP AND TELL US WHAT YOU ATE'N'DRANK!

Alright, easy readers! Geez. Just showing a little LOVE over here! GET USED TO IT! The post wedding cocktail hour had a bomb ass meat/cheese/humus spread. I tried not to eat too much because I knew if I did, I'd pass out. So I picked some meat and some cheese off of Liz's plate and started drinking vodka sodas. Dinner was some bomb ass BBQ from a place who's name I DID NOT get, but whatever it was wedding catering. I CRAMMED my plate full of corn, mashed taters, mac'n'cheese, pulled pork, beef brisket, and some so-so chicken. I topped it off with a giant piece of corn bread and slathered everything with a surprisingly spicy BBQ sauce. Everything but the chicken was out of these fucking PANTS good...as in get my DICK out of these fucking pants, I'm about to make some sweet love to some BBQ tonight! For dessert?! NO CAKE, we're MILLENIALS! We were served so donuts and delicious gelato. FUCK YEAH.

For the drinking enthusiast out there, I'll never understand how weddings work. Open bars, drinking all night, as much as you can, and when it's all said and done you just don't feel that drunk. What is that? Anyway, aside from vodka sodas I'd say I knocked back about 2 double bourbon on the rocks, 3 jack and cokes, and 2 gin and tonics. You gotta go with liquor when you ate a plate stacked with BBQ and 4 sandwiches.

The after party was at a weird place called Bubba's. It was basically a mixture between a club and a fucking flea market. Most of our group didn't want to go in so the few of us that did go in didn't stay long. We all drank one or two Miller High Lifes, did a little man on man grinding and left back to meet up with our house crew where we REALLY got to drinking: Bud Lights and Bud Heavys.

The next morning Liz had to be at the airport SUPER early (like 5:30AM) and I opted to drive her. I left the house in my under wear and under shirt and forgot my phone. It was a fun time getting back. When I woke up as it was time for ME to head back to Boston we stopped at some bagel place on our way out. I had a bagel breakfast sammy with ham and egg on an everything bagel that was PRETTY darn good. It didn't quite help with the hangover though, so once in Boston, Nick and I had way later flights than James and Christine so we hunkered down in a bar called the 21st ammendment and drank a little hair'o'the'dog in the form of PBRs and we split a plate of surprisingly delicious buffalo chicken nachos. I definitely recommend them if you find yourself in that dank old pit of a watering hole.

After our 5 hour stay at the 21st Amendment we ubered to Logan and we had about an hour and a half left so we knocked back 2 or 3 more airport pops before boarding our respective flights. All in all a great trip. I wish I had more time with everyone who was there. I wish we all lived closer together. But it sure is fun to be in cheat mode all the time with everybody! Okay, you know what to do. Take care of yourselves, take care of each other, and eat like your life depended on it.

ELE,
Zach

Still No Cheat Day...No Real Weight Loss Either

Hello what is left of Cheat Nation. I am sad to report that I've lost number one fan, Alex. I get it. If you can't take a Cheat Day blog from a guy who no longer CHEAT DAYS then take a break. But come on back with Cheat Day, because it will be back.

I am 2 weeks strong on the no drinking front. However, if I am to be perfectly honest, I have taken sips of friends beverages and that is it. Nowhere near drunk or buzzed or any of that. I still haven't really lost weight. BUT, I feel better and I've been exercising more, which is probably a direct result from not drinking any longer.

"What have I eaten to treat myself?" you ask? Well...it is SO much harder to remember when it doesn't all take place on one day. So let's work backward.

Yesterday I ate Taco Bell after improv class and then ate some famous Giamichael pasta aliche. Saturday I had a Cuban sangwitch at Dinner Diner. Friday I was good. Thursday I was good. Wednesday, I ate Taco Bell before doing two Stand-Up open mics. And then Tuesday was good.

Fuck, ya'll. I guess I'm pretty boring for you now. BUT, I am doing more stand-up, editing a web series, and I got cast in a production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile. So! I got that going for me! Just a couple more weeks til I can start drinking again! No worries everybody! I'll be back in full force soon! EATEATEATEATEAT like your life depends on it. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other.

ELE,
Zach

A Laborious Non-Cheat Day

Good Day Cheat Fans! I hope you had a good holiday and I hope you didn't work at all, and if you DID I hope you didn't work hard AT ALL! That's what Labor Day is for after all, not working. So, if you worked on Labor Day and you are working today STOP, only for a few minutes and read this blog, Cheat Day. Don't Care. A blog about my Cheat Day adventures. If you have been with me for a while this is a new edition, a new week, a new cheat day. If you are just joining me, welcome! If you find this one boring, go back and read some of my far crazier adventures.

I had gained weight (2lbs bringing me back to 244) when I weighed in on what would have normally been my Cheat Day. In my last edition I had made mention of the fact that there would be no official Cheat Day for the next few weeks to a month as I drop drinking all together and attempt to focus my efforts for a wedding I am to be involved in this month. I have held strong on the no drinking which is great, BUT I have eaten a few off diet meals. Here is what and why:

Tuesday afternoon I went to a Cubs game (one of the hardest places to NOT drink mind you, they got guys BRINING YOU beer! C'mon!). Anyway, I totally ate Taco Bell before the game so I could get grub on the cheap. I got 2 Beefy 5-Layer Burritos and the new Double Stuffed Cheesy Gordita Crunch and before you fuckers ask, YES I got the nacho cheese Doritos loco taco shell instead of the plain old hard shell. I was disappointed by how stuffed this double stuffed CGC was, but that COULD be because the war zone that is the Wrigleyville taco bell is about to close down and their staff could give two shits about the food, customers, or Taco Bell in general. I think I'm going to try it again at a different Bell.

Here we can share my POP!

Once in the game Nicole Carter gave me a weiner with mustard and onions (ball park dogs are dank as fuck BITCH) even though I TOLD HER I was full from Taco Bell and didn't want anything else! I also ate a few of her fries and the rest of her soft pretzel, but I WASN'T HUNGRY I SWEAR! I just can't leave food behind which is a HUGE problem I have...YUGE.

THEN there was Wednesday. I ate pizza, Papa fucking Johns SHIT pizza cut into god damn Chicago/Midwest SQUARES and not slices because this city for some reason doesn't know what fucking pizza is!...because (sorry) I ate it because I went to the American Blues Theatre fundraiser that Liz put together and that came with the price of admission. I also drank a Sprite. I like Sprite. Oh, OH! Get this, PBR also came with the price of admission, and I totally didn't even drink one! SUCK ON THAT SALLY!

TAKE THE PICTURE!

Then I was pretty good for the next couple days until Sunday when I went to the grocery store and ate two donuts. I also drank a couple of Cherry Cokes. Then on Monday (Labor Day) just before the main event Liz and I got trapped in Margie's Candies from the rain...oh no, SO SAD, what a HORRIBLE place to be trapped...NOT. It was awesome. I got mint chocolate chip in a chocolate dipped with sprinkles waffle cone and Liz got a turtle sundae with birthday cake ice cream and a different kind of ice cream that I can't remember. Margie's Candies fucking RULES! Go get ice cream from there!

Then, for the main event! Logan's BIG SAUSAGE CHALLENGE!!!! BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! Thanks Logan for making ME a judge! It was a delight. The Conner's are known for their yearly Chili Cook Off in February, but this year they thought they'd try a new challenge. This one was set up like more of a cooking show/challenge. This year there were two teams of 3: Team Law TBD and Team Art. The Law came in hard with a Korean/Mexican fusion sausage in your standard hot dog bun. The sausage was cooked to perfection, though the fusion was more of a FEUDsion as each food style kind of fought for attention with each bit. Then Art had to show up with their make shift sausage patty breakfast sandwich. It was a delicious sandwich, but the toppings: egg, pomegranate slaw, Brussels sprouts, and feta cheese kind of over powered the sausage patty a bit.

The Team of judges!

LOOK! I'm no foodie, I just like to eat dank ass shit, and DANK dis SHIT was. If they put it on again next year and you're around! Attend and partake in some delicious sausage concoctions!

Look at me go, trying not to Cheat Day but still sprinkling some cheat around whenever I get the chance! Here I come Cheeseman wedding! I'm gonna look so HOT in my TUX. Take care of yourselves, take care of each other and eat like your life depended on it.

ELE,
Zach

Wild and Wonderful Cheat Day

Sup Skeeter Cheaters! I am back from the wild, wonderful, AND weird West Virginia. I was there for a short Chidester family vacation! To start I want to thank Trish and Jim Chidester for having me along for the ride!

Before I GET. INTO IT! I need to do some unpleasant housekeeping for all you Cheaters out there. I am a big fat tub of lard and I have to be in a wedding party in Mid/Late-Sept so as of today I am not going to be Cheat Daying OR Drinking alcohol until September 22nd. I'll still check in on you guys with maybe the occasional cheat meal here and there over the next couple of weeks. I haven't weighed in this week as I never saw a scale in the cabin I was staying in. So...sorry.

Not quite as pictured

It should be no surprise that they had no scale as I was without any sort of phone service or wifi for about 2.5 days while I was there. Wild indeed West Virginia, wild indeed. I left Chicago Wednesday morning for strange territories. I didn't exactly start cheating until Thursday though. The food on the drive Wednesday included some jerky, a buffalo chicken salad from Chili's, and a cup of chili from Chili's. Other than that I drank waters, LaCroix's, and an energy drink I had never had before called "Bang" which I am told is pretty natural, so I kept it pretty legit on Wednesday. The drive itself was fun though! Lauren, Al, and I made road trip playlists and chatted. Al drove for me the last 3 hours. OH, when he was driving Lauren and I DID split a bottle of sparkling white wine he brought back with him from Austin, so that was pretty cool.

Thursday I woke up in Bedford, VA at the Chidester estate. We were whisked away quite quickly to Farmville, VA where lovely Liz's cousin Anne had just started college at Longwood University. We ate at a place called Charley's Waterfront Cafe which was in a delightful old Mill near the river that runs through Farmville. I had the lunch special of the day, a buffalo chicken wrap with a cup of chicken enchilada soup. As you can probably tell I was trying my best to cling on to NOT cheating even though the wrap was a tortilla and there were tortilla strips in the soup...but so it goes when you're on a wild and wonderful trip. And what happens next will ASTONISH YOU!

Behind the Chidester Estate

When we got back to the Chidester estate in Bedford, VA WE. ATE. AGAIN! AH! This time burgers, dogs, and sausages! I had a burger, a hot dog, AND a sausage as well as TWO helpings of delicious pasta salad courtesy of Uncle Tom Chidester. After that we stayed seated at the table for an Italian Cream Cake...you know how you ASK for a small piece of cake, cause you don't really have a sweet tooth and you just want a taste, but the person cutting the cake don't believe dat shit cause you a big tall fat dude! That happened again, and YES I finished it! CAUSE MAMA RAISED ME RIGHT! FUCK! So now it's on. Cheat Weekend started Thursday.

The next morning we were woke up at round 8AM fur breakfast and a 9:30AM drive time to Durbin, WV. Brickfist was mild: scrambled eggs WITH mozzarella (CHEATN' S'more)! The drive was about 3.5 hours. We lost cell signal abruptly as we neared Durbin and I did not get it back until Sunday afternoon on our way back to Chicago near Charleston, WV. I'm told there is no cell signal in Durbin and surrounding areas due to the Green Bank Observatory which is a tower built to listen for sounds in space. Weird Wild Stuff West Virginia.

We got to Durbin to ride an old time chooch chooch train called the Durbin Rocket. Before getting on the train we had about 15 minutes to stuff our faces with left overs from Thursday's BBQ out of the trunk of the car. I stuffed a cold burger in my face and slammed another dog, another sausage and a fist full of Frito Scoops. I washed it all down with two scoops of mint chocolate chip from the lil'gift shop across from the train. The train didn't rocket, but it WAS delightful. I recommend something like this as it is unique in it's Americana, so for you folks who enjoy history give her a go! Warning for my friends of color: it MAY get uncomfortable in the region.


Post train ride we drove about another hour/hour and a half to Marlinton, WV where the cabin was. Marlinton is a tiny lil'ol'mountain lumber town with two restaurants, a liquor store, an IGA grocery store, a dollar store, a state farm insurance broker, a bait and tackle shop, a cafe/bike rental place and an OPERA HOUSE of all things. After unloading our stuff into the cabin we made a quick grocery/liquor store run. We got some Jacked Buffalo/Blue Cheese Doritos, some Veggie chips, some Oreo's, more Fritos, and some Ritz Sea Salt Crisps to go with the Colby Jack and French Onion Dip we already had back at the house. We got a 12 pack of Bud Light pints, a 4 pack Big Timber Brewing Company's IPA, and a turpentine can of Stillhouse "Moonshine". Our dinner consisted of the aforementioned snacks as well as the remaining pasta salad, burgers, brats, and dogs from the previous two meals. That's right...three meals total of burgers, brats, dogs and pasta salad and to be honest, this Cheater ain't exactly complaining. I also could not STOP stuffing my face full of crackers and cheese and JACKED Doritos.

The Big Timber IPA was fine, nothing to write home about and the "'SHINE" was kind of gross, until you mixed it with just about anything, including water. I think it was worth it just for the gimmick of drinking liquor out of a turpentine can.

We awoke the next morning (SATURDAY, Cheat Day OFFICIAL) for some cheesy eggs and bacon (not too cheaty...so that's good...I guess?). And we went off for a bike ride. We rented bikes from Dirtbean Cafe and Bike Shop. While we waited for them to set us up we ordered ice coffees which were nice and for the ride I bought a six pack of the local Mountain State Brewing Co.'s Almost Heaven Amber Ale for the ride and it was god damn DELICIOUS. AND. the perfect beer to take on a warm bike ride through an old rail trail in the mountains. Also, just for fun trivia, it's named after a sunshine on my GOD DAMN SHOULDERS John Denver song.

After the bike ride we showered and went to the local spot Greenbrier Grill and Lodge where I took down a turn at the salad bar, which had old southern cookout classic Pistachio Pudding featured as both a starter AND dessert for the meal. My main course? Chicken Penne Alfredo. It was actually delicious and DAMN cheesy and creamy and buttery and cheaty! The restaurant was fun. You could buy 50 cent bags of corn to feed ducks who hung by on the adjacent Greenbrier River. We mingled with the locals after their peewee football game, one young ragamuffin was actually, honest to god, named Skeeter. You've just gotta love it. If you find yourself in Marlinton, WV try the Greenbrier Grill and Lodge, if you don't want to your only other option is the new Alfredo's Italian and Greek restaurant.

We walked their tiny lil'town area for a minute after the meal and went home for some ice cream and a bonfire. On this evening the drinkers of the group partook in some Bell's Two Hearted Ales and some...Bud Light Orange, which would have been a total bust if we didn't spike it with a little of that SHINE.

We awoke once again the next morning to some bacon, eggs, and this time some home fries! Yumma-dumdum. This was the day we had to drive our asses all the way back to Chicago. On the road trip we polished off several bags of chips, including: white cheddar popcorn, lays jalapeño kettle chips, and of course some more Fritos. I went to Tim Hortons for the first time and tried a bite of a cream filled donut as well as a tuscan chicken panini. It was all fine, but it was truly eerily similar to Dunking Donuts. Our one big stop before making it back to Chicago was at the Wisconsin based chain Culver's.

I had never been to Culver's so this was a real treat for me. Their Double Cheddar Bacon Butter Burger was possibly top three fast food burgers I've had and the spicy chicken sandwich was the closest thing to the original Wendy's Spicy Chicken I've ever had. The ice creams were good, though they melted quickly. I had a shake stuffed with Oreo. Their fried cheese curds were exactly what you'd expect from a fast food chain. I'd go there again I reckon. Next road trip maybe...

Here I sit, regaling all you healthy voyeurs with tails of FAT from the road thinking to myself... it is time to rest. It hasn't been working. I will see how much I weigh this coming Cheat Day and decide if I even deserve a Cheat MEAL but I know that for sure I do not deserve a Cheat Day. I must be in tip top shape and appearance for the day of Bobby Cheese's wedding so I will fast and abstain from alcohol consumption. Please understand friends. I will be back after September 22nd at the latest. Cheat Day will not leave forever. Take care of yourselves in order to take care of each other. Also, eat like your life depended on it.

ELE,
Zach

BaCHEATlor ParDAY

Hey Cheaturds! I didn't really cheat that hard on Cheat Day on account of I didn't lose any weight. Also, I am not going to cut my hair until I am 220 lbs! WHAT ABOUT THAT?!

What DID happen is we had a bachelor party for ROB FENTON and we went on a boat! It was awesome! Sausage KING Logan Conner cooked up some MEAN sausages which I put on a roll and covered in giardiniera and mustard. (I know, not VERY Cheat-like, but they were delicious)

What WAS Cheat-like were the copious amounts of alcohol! The tastiest of which was some Cabo Wabo Tequila which made it out to the lake and was passed around for the sipping. Oh, the boat had a slide off the back of it, which was awesome!

I also had Jim Beam, Tecates, Coors Lights, Trulys flavored water alcohol drink thing (which was indeed pretty clutch on that boat in the sun) and of course some Red Bulls.

OH OH! When we got off the boat Awesome Abby and Jackie the Jerk made us mini tacos, lil'mini dumplings and chips and salsa/guacamole at Yousof and Abby's beautiful home! That was pretty clutch too, amidst all the drinking!

I can't tell you anything else, cause it was a bachelor party and all the GOOD stuff will live only in the minds and hearts of all of us bachelors long after we're dead (married) ourselves. Congrats to Rob Fenton on getting hitched! I'm sure the fun won't stop regardless of marriage, though I am sure it will slow a little...as it should! Take care of yourselves, take care of each other, eat like your life depended on it!

ELE,
Zach

THEY CAME FOR CHEAT DAY!

Pie in the Park

OOOOOH BOY Cheaters! What a fantastically fun filled entry do I have for you this week! I had my very first Cheat Day. Don't Care. fans/friends make a trip ALL THE WAY to Chicago from Virginia JUST to experience Cheat Day with me! Well...not really JUST for that, they also wanted to catch a concert that wasn't coming to the east coast and they've never been here before and they wanted to check it out and well...SHUT UP! A boy can dream can't he?! THEY CAME FOR CHEAT DAY!

Chooch Chat

Stephen Kolberg and Jennifer Lamendola were my college roommates and now they are married. It's been a long time since we've seen each other and a WAY longer time since we've actually hung out so the whole thing has been a serious treat for me as well. They landed at my placed on Cheat Morning at around 10:30AM. We waited around a bit for Liz to be ready to GET THIS CHEAT DAY GOING!

We started at my NEW SPOT OF THE WEEK! I have been to Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits a few times just for fun and before this diet and it was always delectable. Before getting in to the vastness of this flavor country I want to take it down a notch or two. It's simply cramped. That is totally not unheard of in this town as it IS a city and it has to fit many buildings into each block so some joints open up into locations that are just a bit too small for the eventual boom in business. Otherwise Bang Bang, GOOD SHOW! Also, special shout out to my home boy Trevor! It's always great to see you bud, sorry it doesn't happen too often!

I ATE a Buffalo Chicken Pot Pie for my meal. The others got a sausage biscuit with cheddar cheese and a seasonal jam, and biscuits and gravy with sausage and egg. I got to try it all and it was all glorious. I loved the pot pie, though it was a bit too blue cheesy for my taste. If you love blue cheese EAT DAT SHIT MOTHER FUGGLER! The biscuits were amazing.

NOW LET'S TALK PIE! We got three slices to split between 4 people. We got their Honey Pie (baked honey custard, blueberry compote, graham crust), Black and Blue Pie (blackberries, blueberries, orange brown sugar crumble, leaf lard pastry crust) and Chocolate Puddin' Pie (chocolate pudding, whipped cream, graham crust). MY FAVORITE?! The chocolate puddin' pie. However, I think the consensus was pretty split across the board.

MOVING ON! There were a few grumbling about not eating enough of this or not eating enough of that, but I gotta tell you, that first meat packed quite a punch and these two SKINNY PUNKS had a long way to go with Ol'ZACH at the helm. I'm not saying I paced myself for their sake necessarily because I am trying to get into the habit of pacing myself in general. BUT, you listen to what we ate the rest of the day and YOU TELL ME!

We didn't eat for quite a while after that, but we did stop to meet Cheat Day Pal, Soup (sorry I never drank that Malort your Cheat Day requests are reinstated), at Hopleaf for some brews. I had 2 Zombiedusts from Three Floyds and 2 Double Daisy Cutters from Half Acre. I REALLY enjoyed those Double Daisy Cutters, espcially for 8%ers.

Next, BOOM Jet's Pizza. The three of us split a small, two each ya tallywackers! Guess what, THEY FUCKING LOVED IT. Because who FRIGGIN doesn't?! NO ONE that's who! YOU TWATS! GO. TO. JET'S. PIZZA! We had a Hawaiian with jalapeno.

Almost immediately from there we went to (ANOTHER NEW PLACE) Big Star so we could slam a pitcher of margaritas and two TACOS each. It was a day of twos and and it was about the perfect amount! I ate a Taco De Panza (crispy braised pork belly, tomato guajillo sauce, queso fresco, onion, cilantro) and a Taco Al Pastor (marinated spit roasted pork shoulder, grilled pineapple, grilled onion, cilantro). I gotta tell ya, I like them, they were priced fairly I thought for as big this restaurant is, but I've had MUCH better tacos in a city that is just jammed packed with delicious and authentic Mexican food.

A post-Big Star mini-bar crawl ensued. We did a shot and a beer at G-Man Tavern, then a shot and a beer at Ten Cat where we eventually met up with Liz. Once Liz arrived I had several more beers. (Mostly PBRs across the board Alex, sorry it was nothing fancy).

Now, I'm gonna let ya'll guess what happens next!

Cheat Day carried over a bit into the next day when we ate at Ramen Wasabi and then made a rather LATE NIGHT Taco Bell Cantina run. Thanks for visiting Stephen and Jennifer. You know how I know we are great friends who made a connection that will last the rest of our lives? Our hanging out never skipped a god damn beat. It was almost like we were back in college again (most of the time anyway). We made the same old jokes, new jokes of the same style, new jokes of a DIFFERENT style and talked about all sorts of people we used to know and still know! We also talked about real shit about being grown up and the way things change and how to cope.

Take care of yourselves. If you do it'll better prepare you to take care of each other. And always eat like your life depended on it.

ELE,
Zach Finch

Dinner Diner

In Place of Stephen eating, a Slinger

Eat It Up