These Are Just a Few of My Favorite Things

I really want to start blogging more. I had the idea to do Favorite things Friday but I am not consistent enough so I will just randomly share some of my favorite things right now....

Someone told me about this great band called Kye Kye. I absolutely love them. I am very particular about my music and sometimes it's hard to find Christian music that I actually like.



Ever since I started working in a coffee shop I wanted to love coffee more than just being enthralled with the smell. So I use to just do latte's all day but that contains so much sugar. I started getting sick of it. So now I can do iced coffee with cream and english toffee syrup. It's so yummy!

252 is a program that I help lead at my church. This term we're directing it towards high school students. Which I wouldn't chose to lead high school kids, they make me feel awkward and out of place. But the kids in the program will be serious about growing in their walk with God. 252 is based off of Luke 2:52, it's the only account in the Bible of Jesus after teaching in the temple until the time he was 30 and his ministry started. It says Jesus grew in wisdom and stature with favor in God and men. To be quite honest this is a thing I have to fight for it to be my favorite. It's ministry and it's painful and a lot of times I want to quit but then I hear stories of what 252 has brought to light in someones life.

Whatever You're Passionate, About You'll Talk About

I heard a Pastor say that one time, "Whatever you're passionate about you'll talk about." I started to think about what I do talk about. Now I write more words than I talk out loud so thinking about my passionate talk wasn't too difficult. I just had never really put much thought into it and at first when I came to my conclusion I was sadly disappointed. I am content with my passions now though. So aside from discussing Godly character and leadership aspects, I love talking about food! I like talking about how you made food, I love homemade food and the efforts put into making something delicious and creative. I love going out to eat, my bank account despises me but I love finding little hole in the wall places. I like going out to places only the locals know about. When I go on vacation that is one of my favorite things to do. We can talk about where I traveled and the things I've ate in those areas. Coffee shops are also very near to my heart. I try to find a local coffee shop anywhere I go.

Anyways, point of this blog is I saw this list of a 100 Things You Have to Eat Before You Die. I think it's been around for awhile but thought I'd try my shot at how many I can get. Or allow it to be a goal of mine. So here it goes!

(Some of these things I'm going to have to look up)

1. Abalone:

2. Absinthe:

3. Alligator: Yes, when I moved to Florida. I don't like it, it is very chewy.

4. Baba Ghanoush

5. Bagel & Lox: In an Irish Pub in Chicago with my friend from high school, Micah. I remember thinking the Lox would be, um, cooked. haha Bagel was good though.

6. Baklava

7. Barbeque Ribs: But of course

8. Bellini

9. Bird’s Nest Soup

10. Biscuits & Gravy: Ha ya! Especially since Breakfast food is one of my all time favorites. Brinner has become a group event in my life and Biscuits and Gravy are always the main dish.

11. Black Pudding

12. Black Truffle

13. Borscht

14. Calamari

15. Carp

16. Caviar

17. Cheese Fondue

18. Chicken & Waffles: Just recently, my gentle friend and I went to the Metro Diner in Jacksonville, Florida. They have some yummy spicy syrup that goes with it.

19. Chicken Tikka Masala

20. Chile Relleno

21. Chitlins

22. Churros

23. Clam Chowder: MMMMM YES! I worked at Panera Bread for 3 years and every Friday they would carry Clam Chowder. So every Friday is Happy Clam Chowder Friday. I only like New England Clam though and the best place I have ordered Clam Chowder is a place on St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida called Mi Casa Cafe. Yum Yum Yum!

24. Cognac

25. Crab Cakes

26. Crickets

27. Currywurst

28. Dandelion Wine

29. Dulce De Leche

30. Durian

31. Eel: With sushi sometimes. There's a place in West Lafayette, Indiana called Green Sprout

32. Eggs Benedict: Ya Go try them at Cool Moose Cafe in Jacksonville, Florida.

33. Fish Tacos: Oh man.. Now that I live by the ocean I take advantage of fresh seafood. Especially tacos. Best fish tacos are probably in St. Augustine, Florida at the Taco Shop. Or by my friend Ah Listen's dad. He made us some yummy fish tacos.

34. Foie Gras

35. Fresh Spring Rolls: I really like spring rolls. So refreshing.

36. Fried Catfish: Yes, and I don't have anything special to say about it. Especially if you want to talk about it coming out of the Wabash River.

37. Fried Green Tomatoes: My sister made these for me not too long ago. Green tomatoes right out of her garden.

38. Fried Plantain: At a Brazilian place. They said they cleansed our pallet.

39. Frito Pie

40. Frogs’ Legs: This is actually a weird memory to have. I was little and my brother ordered them because I thought it wasn't real. They were fried and they look like frog legs. He gave a piece to me and my seven year old mind remembers it tasting like chicken. I don't know if that is actually true or if that's what I just told myself.

41. Fugu

42. Funnel Cake: Have I been to the fair? I was in 4-H..

43. Gazpacho: Ya a couple of times. The one I really remember was a Strawberry Green Pepper Gazpacho. Chilled soup is for sure different. Not something I'd chose everyday.

44. Goat

45. Goat’s milk: I grew up in the country. I got to milk a goat and try it's milk in my FFA class.

46. Goulash: It's funny, people don't really know what this is but I grew up eating this. It was one of my dad's favorite meals so my mom made it a lot.

47. Gumbo: I've been to Louisiana and had some pretty tasty gumbo.

48. Haggis

49. Head Cheese

50. Heirloom Tomatoes

51. Honeycomb (I want to eat a honeycomb so bad)

52. Hostess Fruit Pie: Ew, ick, yes.

53. Huevos Rancheros: My mom loves Mexican so she'd always order this wherever we went.

54. Jerk Chicken: I've had this more than once so it doesn't really stick out to me.

55. Kangaroo

56. Key Lime Pie: It's not my favorite but it is one of my dad's so we'd eat it.

57. Kobe Beef

58. Lassi .

59. Lobster: Ya, when I was little we went to Red Lobster and my parents were trying to explain the Lobster's in the tank in the front. All I heard was I get to pick out my own lobster for something. Half way through my meal I think it hit me I killed a lobster. But I have had it on numerous accounts. Seafood is so yummy.

60. Mimosa: When I turned 21 I just wanted a Blueberry Mint Mimosa! Sarena and I went to an authentic Middle Eastern Hookah Bar and ordered drinks. This was mine.. I didn't like it, way too strong.

61. MoonPie: Ya um I like unpackaged food. haha I'm sure I could make my own.

62. Morel Mushrooms: OH MAN! We'd actually go hunting for these guys in the field next to us. They are so delicious I miss them so much. Although, I just love mushrooms in general.

63. Nettle Tea

64. Octopus: Scary.

65. Oxtail Soup

66. Paella

67. Paneer

68. Pastrami on Rye: My mom likes this sandwich a whole lot. Doesn't move me to my feet.

69. Pavlova

70. Phaal

71. Philly Cheese Steak

72. Pho: Yumm

73. Pineapple & Cottage Cheese: When I was in elementary school my mom would drop me off at the neighbor girls house so she could go to work and we could wait for the bus together. She ate this for lunch. Cottage Cheese is a hit or miss for me.

74. Pistachio Ice Cream: I looove Pistachio

75. Po’Boy: I have had a shrimp po'boy from The French Pantry which was Uh-Mazing.

76. Pocky

77. Polenta

78. Prickly Pear

79. Rabbit Stew

80. Raw Oysters: I think I may be allergic to this. They make my throat itchy.

81. Root Beer Float: OH yes. My dad loved root beer float growing up before he switched to Mt. Dew and my dad is also addicted to sweets so he made me lots of root beer floats.

82. S’mores: I had a huge back yard with a fire pit. I think if you go camping you have to eat this anyways.

83. Sauerkraut: I don't like vinegar.

84. Sea Urchin

85. Shark

86. Snail

87. Snake

88. Soft Shell Crab: Yum

89. Som Tam

90. Spaetzle

91. Spam: So gross.

92. Squirrel

93. Steak Tartare

94. Sweet Potato Fries: Ya! These are tasty.

95. Sweetbreads: Ya, homemade too

96. Tom Yum

97. Umeboshi

98. Venison: Makes me feel weird.

99. Wasabi Peas: I have had dried wasabi peas, does that count?

100. Zucchini Flowers