Welcome back to NYC...

Lunch?

Cedar Point

A huge attraction in Ohio is a place called Cedar Point--- a famous amusement park known as "the roller coaster capital of the world." Jared (Toledo's best piano player) and I drove out to Sandusky, Ohio to get some thrill on. I once considered myself spoiled in the ways of roller coasters--- thanks to Six Flags over Texas. Six Flags houses The Batman, The Texas Giant, and the Titan. Cedar Point is the home of multiple record breaking rides that are pretty much the most amazing coasters I have ever been on.

Here are a few roller coaster records, just to give you an idea of the RC domination that is Cedar Point.

Largest Drop: The drop is measured by taking the vertical difference in feet from the top of the largest drop to the bottom.
1. Kingda Ka, 418 feet, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey
2. Top Thrill Dragster, 400 feet, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
3. Steel Dragon 2000, 306 feet, Nagashima Spaland, Mie, Japan

4. Millennium Force, 300 feet, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
5. Goliath, 255 feet, Six Flags Magic MountainValencia, California
6. Titan, 255 feet, Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, Texas
7. Fujiyama, 230 feet, Fujikyu Highland Park, Japan

8. Phantom's Revenge, 228 feet, Kennywood Park, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
9. Desperado, 225 feet, Buffalo Bill's Hotel and Casino, Primm, Nevada
10. Superman Ride of Steel, 221 feet, Six Flags New England, Agawam, Mass.

Fastest: The speed is determined by the roller coaster's maximum speed in terms of miles per hour (mph) at any point during the ride.
1. Kingda Ka, 128 mph, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey
2. Top Thrill Dragster, 120 mph, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
3. Dodonpa, 106.8 mph, Fujikyu Highlands, FujiYoshida-shi, Japan
4. Steel Dragon 2000, 95 mph, Nagashima Spaland, Mie, Japan
5. Millennium Force, 92 mph, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
6. Goliath, 85 mph, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California
7. Titan, 85 mph, Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, Texas
8. Phantom's Revenge, 82 mph, Kennywood Park, West Mifflin, Penn.
9. Xcelerator, 82 mph, Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California
10. Fujiyama, 81 mph, Fujikyu Highlands, FujiYoshida-shi, Japan
11. Thunder Dolphin, 81 mph, Tokyo Dome City, Tokyo, Japan

Angle of Descent: The steepness is determined by measuring the steepest angle of descent on any part of the roller coaster.
1. Vild-Svinet, 97 degrees, BonBon Land, Holme-Olstrup, Demark
2. Typhoon, 97 degrees, Bobbejaanland Family Park, Lichtaart, Belgium
3. Speed: No Limits, 97 degrees, OakwoodPembrokeshire, United Kingdom
4. Rage, 97 degrees, Adventure Island, Essex, United Kingdom
5. Mystery Mine, 95 degrees, Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
6. Maverick, 95 degrees, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
7. HyperSonic XLC, 90 degrees, Paramount's Kings Dominion, Doswell, Virginia
8. Dodonpa, 90 degrees, Fujikyu Highlands, FujiYoshida-shi, Japan
9. Gravity Max, 90 degrees, Discovery World, Taichung, Taiwan
10. Xcelerator, 90 degrees, Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California
11. Top Thrill Dragster, 90 degrees, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
12. Storm Runner, 90 degrees, Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania
13. Kingda Ka, 90 degrees, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey

Millennium Force, 300 feet, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Maverick, 95 degrees, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Toledo Again!

The Toledo Opera invited us back for an encore performance of 'Alice in Operaland' at the Toledo Zoo. After the performances, I got to stay around and see what an incredible zoo Toledo has!

I Love Polar Bears!

Who knew?

Cupcake Craze

If anyone has talked to Angela or myself longer than 10 minutes, you know our obsession with Magnolia Bakery cupcakes. We pride ourselves on loving them before it was "hip" to love cupcakes. We are also very protective of the fact that the magnolia cupcake is the best. I am known to trash Katie Holmes for her praise of 'Billy's Cupcakes' as the best NYC cupcake, and Angela whips up the best mock-magnolia now that she lives in Houston.

Now that the cupcake craze has spread nation-wide (even though founded by us originally), Angela and I are willing to do some serious taste-testing.

Test Location #1: Crave Cupcakes, Houston, TX

Pros:

-vanilla bean: you can actually see the vanilla bean they use in the cake. The flavor of the cake is very, very good. (see picture below taken with my "cuisine setting")

-large variety of flavors

-chilled bottles of ice-cold milk

-outside seating (although the West Village park across from Magnolia is a little more "bakery rustic")

Cons:

-icing: not the best icing... buttercream icing is a non-negotiable

-very expensive... even if your ingredients are expensive, $3.50 for a cupcake is a lot

-cupcakes are behind a glass display case... I like picking out my cupcakes

-too many flavors take you away from the goodness of vanilla/vanilla

-it's not Magnolia: I like waiting in line and watching the hippy bakers ice the cupcakes while listening to their ipods, picking out my own colors and sprinkles, adding on a banana pudding when i am feeling feisty, making the trip down to the West Village on a pretty day!

I love lamp...

I love grass...

All Growed Up

Nancy Turner and I are friends from good 'ole HPHS. Back then, Nancy wanted to be a Vet when she grew up. Well, 10 years later... While in Dallas, Ida paid a visit to Dr. Turner for her yearly bill of health. The whole time I was visiting with Nancy, I was having a "what do you want to be when you grow up" moment. And a "how-old-are-we?" moment. Dr. Turner... pretty darn cool!

Playdates!

Sarah and the Kouba girls...

I finally got to meet Miss Mackenzie and Katelyn was quite the hostess!

The newly engaged Heather Bowling and I even crossed paths in Dallas! We closed down x10 Cellars... we are so Dallas chic!

Alma Mater

Nobody can possibly argue that the SMU campus is not off the charts beautiful!

Hoof 'em Stangs!

Sunglasses

I have been on a pretty serious mission for a cute pair of sunglasses... still not yet successful.

In regards to purchasing sunglasses, I have 2 rules:

#1. bring a friend (or your sister Amy)--- they keep you from settling on a pair that is not perfect

#2. take a picture of yourself in the glasses--- this is the best way to see how the sunglasses truly look

All Alone in the Moonlight...

On my most recent trip to Dallas, I discovered that a University Park Landmark was no longer. Ball's, in Snider Plaza has closed after 22 years of business. This was the meeting spot after the Maroon Typhoon soccer games(pretty much all UP Panther YMCA sports), the "late night" shakes spot after K-Life in high school, and the place to go after an award winning SMU choir concert (I know I am a total nerd). While we are not completely at a loss (as new Ball's was opened at Midway and Northwest Highway), the University Park and SMU neighborhoods are now without. Ball's had sliders, aka Little Leaguers, before it was "the thing" and I love me some Ball's strawberry milkshakes!

I hope the people at Midway and Northwest Highway know how lucky they are!

Barcadia

On our recent trip to Dallas food stops included Jack's Burger House, Peggy Sue's BBQ, Celebration (with the Edgar Clan), El Fenix, Manny's... pretty much all goodness and old classics.

Dad and Sar at Manny's.

Bryant and I did meet up with Amy and Chuck Davis at a new Dallas "hot spot"--- oh I said "hot spot." Barcadia meets your normal Dallas nightlife needs with a few additions... most of them on your 'childhood favorites' list. The main attraction, SKEE BALL! and only for 1 quarter. If you ever want to see a bunch of adults acting like kids, try standing in line for skee ball at Barcardia. There is a good amount of whining and elbows being thrown. Check out Bryant's skills:

Barcadia also houses other "vintage" arcade games--- and this was some serious undercover video footage captured by the CPO (chief picture officer):

While the games are the main attraction, let's not forget to touch upon the food selection. In true Dallas/State Fair fashion, the top items include fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fried Oreos. Sweet!

Ida is even welcome on the patio... man she is such a light weight.

I-45

Bryant and I have frequented the I-45 route from Houston to Dallas, Dallas to Houston. In case anyone has not ever traveled this route, or if it has been a while: Ida always finds it very exciting... as do we all.

It is a 4 hour straight shot of nothing much. Highlights include: Federal Prison with Ole' Sparky and a huge statue of Sam Houston.

intermission

I know that we are in the middle of a "lull"--- due to various travels, packing, unpacking etc.
Please accept this as an intermission between entries.
(And do not try to deny that you once learned all of the steps to this dance back in the day)

High Noon