Life Changing Restaurant and A Dream Realized

Have you ever been to Chipotle (che·POTE·lay)? This restaurant changed my life (I just told you this restaurant changed my life and what are you doing? You're still sitting there reading this post. I'm saying that a friggin' restaurant was so good that my life was altered forever after eating their food and you didn't get up off your ass and run to that restaurant? Some people I'll just never understand). Chipotle is basically a Mexican Subway. Their menu is limited to just burritos, burrito fajitahs, burrito bowls and tacos. You make your selection, the burrito artists begin to prepare your food in front of you with rice and beans or peppers and onions (depending on your order) and then pass it down the food line. You follow your food, peering over the sneeze guard to select your ingredients (chicken, beef, pork, different sauces, lettuce, sour cream, cheese, guacamole). And while the burrito only costs about $5.50, it tastes like it should cost at least $7!

I will never forget my first Chipotle experience. Actually, I have forgotten it, but I definitely will never forget my friend Jack telling me that I had to go to Chipotle. He took me once and I was hooked. Sometimes it seems like people are introduced in to your life for a reason. Jack and I haven't talked for years and our friendship started its decline after he got me hooked on Chipotle. I am beginning to think that maybe he was in my life only to introduce me to Chipotle - best friends throughout all of high school all just so I could learn about the magical Chipotle burrito.

My work recently sent me to Denver. Did you know that Chipotle was started in the city of Denver? Luckily I did. My boss, also a big Chipotle fan, did some research from his hotel room, and off we went, in search of the first ever Chipotle.

Since we were hungry, we quickly gave up and stopped at the first Chipotle we saw. But while in line I realized we were in a Chipotle in the originating city of this national chain - it maybe wasn't the first Chipotle, but it certainly had to be one of the first. So I asked the cashier. Turns out we were dining at the second ever Chipotle! We had reached the penultimate of coolness. And I think my happiness shows. My tacos tasted a little crispier, the pork a little juicier. I just couldn't believe I was at the second ever Chipotle.

But my boss and I were not satisfied. We had to be at the top of cool. We had to see the first ever Chipotle. So off we went with a few tid bits of information on the restaurant's general location and a fire in our hearts that could only be extinguished with a successful journey.

To make this voyage easier for others, the first ever Chipotle is located at 1644 East Evans, Denver, Colorado. Thankfully, even without this information, we found what we were looking for. It was wonderous.

The moment I saw that first ever Chipotle - as my eyes swelled up with tears, as my little heart skipped a beat - I realized my new dream in life. I have to visit the first ever locations of all my favorite chain restaurants. I had to see them with my own eyes and relive this feeling over and over again.

But I need to be organized. My friend Ryan suggested a laminated card that I carry around in my wallet, with names and addresses of all the restaurants I want to see. And that may come, but I'm not quite ready for that yet. So, in the mean time, I'll have Optimus Prime keep track of all the first restaurants I plan on visiting.

One by one, I hope to visit these locations, document my progress and cross them off my list.

Next up: Starbucks in Seattle

The Power of Blogger

Thanks to the power of the new and improved Blogger, I can blog from just about anywhere, even the toilet! In fact, I'm doing that right now. I love you Blogger!

Just The Orange

Just "The Orange"
The Syracuse Orange. It sounds so weird. But apparently, as a fan I just have to get used to it. As long as they don't get rid of Otto I'll be okay.

I do find the following quote funny though.

We are the only school in the country with orange as its primary (official) color. You can identify some other schools that have orange as a color, but it’s not their primary (only) color and we want to accentuate that we are the only school with orange as its main (only) color.

No, you're totally right. I can't think of even one school that has orange as its primary color. Seriously, there are no other schools.


I guess this means I'm buying a new hat. Wow, look at all that orange on the hat. It's almost blinding.

The List of Five (a.k.a. the "freebie list")
Do you have a list of five? Apparently, on "Friends" it was called the "freebie list". Whatever the name, it is a list of five celebrities you can sleep with without getting in trouble with your significant other. I have made several lists of five and each time I forget who was on there. But it all doesn't matter because with each new list, some wonderful lady gets cut for an even more wonderful lady. My list of five has contained people ranging from Alex McLeod (I had a "Trading Spaces" kick) to Jodie Foster (I...I can't explain it) to Jennifer Aniston.

Most recently my list included one Tina Fey (for consistency sake, you can check out this link too). As I was contemplating making a new list Ms. Fey, though I love her dearly, was possibly going to get the axe.

And then I saw her last night on Saturday Night Live's weekend update. Jimmy Fallon was doing a Mother's Day rap to "Yeah!" (featuring Usher, Lil Jon and Ludacris) when Tina Fey got up to dance. Oh my word, did she have some moves. And she looked damn sexy doing those moves. Instantly, Tina Fey was back in my top five and I don't think she will be going anywhere for awhile...well, that is unless I see Jodie Foster shaking her tail feather sometime in the near future.

But the real reason I'm posting this is in the hopes that Tina Fey might see. I've had little success with my online declaration of love for Juli Boeheim but you can't stop a boy from dreaming.

So, Tina Fey, I want you. And rest assured that I am giving you a pretty permanent spot on my "freebie list." So if we ever do happen to run in to each other there is no need to hold yourself back.

Grabbing the World By Its Beats
Encouraged by over 1,000 downloads (a.k.a. 5, 3 of them by me) of my first single, In Too Deep, I went back in to the "studio" (a.k.a. my bedroom) and slaved over "the boards" (a.k.a. my cellphone) for "hours" (a.k.a. about 15 minutes). I'd been hearing some complaints about the songs in the club lately - things just aren't fresh and exciting anymore. People are asking for something new, something different, and something they can really shake, shake, shake it to.

Well, my friends, be prepared for a revolution. Coming to a "dance club" (a.k.a. computer speakers...maybe) near you, A Beat is a Beat.

note: these midi files play well on Quicktime

Look Ma, I'm a Musician

I've always wanted to be a musician, but I've never been able to master an instrument well enough to be a professional. That is until today. I would now like to properly introduce myself to the world:
World, please meet Adam Gerard, master cell phone conductor. Enjoy his first masterpiece, In Too Deep, created entirely on his Sony Ericsson T616.