Top 10 Favorite Foods

It has been a while since my last Top 10 List, Father’s day to be exact. It isn’t that I don’t like to do the list; it is just hard to create a list that is entertaining, will stimulate responses, and hasn’t been done to death. Sometimes I will hear or see something that will spark the creative juices and the ideas just flow out. Other times, it takes a little more effort to create the perfect list.

My favorite list was the best songs of all time, followed by the best movies, and best T.V. shows. Each of these topics had plenty of resources to choose from, and a lot of great comments from our viewers which either agreed or disagreed with my choices which is the whole point of making a list. Today, I will make my Top 10 List of favorite foods. I will assume that there will be plenty of feedback on my list, and I hope a lot of suggestions of foods that I didn’t include on my list.

Here are my favorite foods, and places to find them:

1.    Lasagna. I love lasagna, and although most people will say their Mom’s is the best, I will have to lean towards Buca di Beppo over my Mom’s homemade. Sorry Mom, I love you but they have this one down pat.

2.    Pizza. This is a tough one to single out only one restaurant, but for consistency, quality, and taste I have to go with Filippi’s Pizza Grotto. They also give your child a dough ball when you first sit down, which keeps them occupied until the food comes.

3.    Hot Corned Beef Sandwich. I love the Corned Beef Sandwiches at Callahan’s. Nice and thick slices, served on fresh rye bread. You don’t have to wait until St. Patrick’s Day for this Irish treat served daily. Added bonus if you have a pint of Guinness with it.

4.    Pita Sandwich. I used to be a sandwich guy every day for lunch, until I discovered Extreme Pita in the Mira Mesa Shopping Center. Now I am hooked. Instead of putting my favorite pita down, I will just tell you to go in everyday for a couple of weeks and try them all one at a time. They are grilled hot, but without oil or grease so they are a nice healthy choice for a great fast lunch. You can even click here for a coupon to save you on your next purchase (thanks Eric and Debbie!)

5.    Chicken Tandoori. I love spicy food, and my friends at Ashoka the Great have the best Authentic Indian Cuisine. During my last visit to Ashoka the Great, I told my friend Pally that I like very spicy food, and he did his best to catch my mouth on fire. It was amazingly hot, but still full of flavor. I am hooked. For beginners, try the lunch buffet for a variety of great foods at a very reasonable price.

6.    Chicken wings. I love chicken wings, the hotter the better. I hear that Hooter’s is known for their wings (among other things) but my wife keeps me on a rather short leash so I am not allowed to try their hot wings. I will give Callahan’s my nod, and recommend their suicide wings for the adventurous fire-eater. Or you can order the Russian roulette plate, which has a few suicide wings randomly tossed in with a huge order of regular ones. The first person to need a drink has to buy the next round!

7.     California Burrito. There are tons of drive through Mexican restaurants that serve California Burritos. They are mainly a variation of the Carne Asada burrito with either French fries or potato cubes mixed in. My favorite is from Cotija Taco Shop, and you need to enjoy it with multiple doses of hot sauce.

8.    Ultimate Ole breakfast from The Eggery. I got hooked on this variation of the chorizo scramble when my son was an infant, and our drive to Pacific Beach would put him out for an hour long nap so my wife and I could enjoy a meal together. It is the only thing I get every time we go for breakfast.

9.    Ice Cream. Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby to be exact. There is nothing like relaxing with a bowl of ice cream after a long day. I happen to love the peanut butter filled, chocolate covered pretzels mixed in a malted vanilla ice cream. Great, now I am hungry and I don’t have a backup pint in the freezer!

10.    Lemon Chicken from Mandarin Garden. The portions are huge, the service is fast and friendly, and their Mai Tai’s are just the thing to make the whole evening a pleasant one.

That is my Top 10 list, now let me know what I missed. I hope you try some of my recommendations, as they are sincere and unbiased. Mira Mesa is full of many excellent restaurants, so please share your favorites with our audience.

Top 10 Father’s Day Gifts For Dad

Sunday, June 21 is Father’s Day. I thought about making a self serving list of things that I would like for Father’s Day, which is something I would totally do. I somewhat expect my wife and son to completely ignore this list anyway, so instead I will go the more traditional way and list the Top 10 Things To Get Dad For Father’s Day with links to the items themselves.

#1. A Riding Lawnmower. Sure, I have a tiny yard that only takes 20 minutes to mow front and back. I can just tell you that it may be ridiculous to own a riding mower in the city, but it would be COOL to have one anyway. Kind of like having a $400 Coach purse with only $3 cash in side of it. Use this link to my riding lawn mower.

#2. A New Set Of Golf Clubs. Every dad loves to golf, even the ones that have never held a golf club in their hands. There is something about being with the guys, being at one with nature, and smacking a little white ball with a $300 stick that just makes you feel like a successful human being. You can find a nice set of clubs from Pro Golf Discount online at www.progolfsandiego.com

#3. The Taylor Digital Luggage Scale. If your man travels, or even if he doesn’t but you don’t want a battle at the check in counter when you go on a family trip, get him this cool little gadget. It hooks up to your luggage, and gives you a digital read out on how much your bags weigh before you get to the check in counter and have to adjust your luggage to avoid the weight restriction fees. Check this Digital Luggage Scale
.

#4. Keep Dad smelling nice all year with a new exciting scent from Armani. I recently picked up on Armani Code after spending close to an hour at the men’s cologne section in Macy’s. You can find it here: Armani Code for men.

#5. Does your Dad love to read, but he also loves electronic gadgets? Get him the Kindle. He can take any book with him to read on the plane, at work, or lounging around the house. Easy to hold, easy to read, and fun to use. Honey, if you are reading this, this is what I want!

#6. Does your Dad have a collection of watches? This luxurious watch organizer is just the thing to help him keep his timepieces clean, safe, and organized. My dad had one of these, and I always wish I did.

#7. Most Dad’s love to BBQ, so get him this unique baseball shaped portable BBQ that can be taken to the ball park or camping easily. You can order it today using this link to the Baseball BBQ.

#8. I love the Flip Mino HD Video camera. This pocket video camera connects to your computer with it’s own USB port for quick transfer. There are different versions, so check the one that best suits your needs. The Flip Ultra runs off of batteries, while the Mino has a rechargeable internal battery. The HD versions have superior video quality and excellent audio quality as well. The Ultra HD has 120 minutes of video -vs- 60 minutes on the Mino HD, which may sway you that direction. Both are a great buy.

#9. Customize a t-shirt, coffee mug, BBQ apron or specialty item with your child’s image. My wife had custom ties created from my favorite pictures of my son, and I wore them to work with pride. I still wear my child’s picture t-shirts as my favorite night shirts. You can find one of a kind items at www.zazzle.com

10. The best thing that you can get Dad for Father’s Day doesn’t cost a dime: After the morning celebration, give him the rest of the day to himself. Let him relax in the lazy boy recliner and watch the closing holes of the U.S. Open, or go surfing with his buddies. Maybe head out to play a few holes of golf at his favorite course, or even clean out the garage without interruption. That is a great way to say “Dad, I love you. Happy Father’s Day”.

I hope this list gives you a few ideas, and feel free to use the links provided to take you directly to the products listed above. Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there. Enjoy your day.

Top 10 Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Mother’s Day is more than a day of celebration. For most of us husbands, it is a reminder of how much we procrastinate but are still able to pull it off at the last minute. I can wake up Sunday morning, sneak out of the house and run down to the local Von’s to pick up a nice bouquet of flowers, a card, some small stuffed animal, and I am good to go for another year. Oh wait a minute, that’s Valentine’s Day.

Mother’s Day is definitely one day you need to prepare for. You have to realize that if you mess up, your child gets the blame. This week’s Top 10 list is going to take a lot of the hard work out of getting the right gift for Mom that not only will leave her satisfied, but your child will love you and you might just get some free time of your own on Father’s Day, June 21. Here is my Top 10 list of Special Mother’s Day Gifts:

1. Breakfast in bed. Sure, it sounds difficult, but the key is to serving Mom’s favorite items which usually can be picked up at the local Starbucks. First of all, you need to know her favorite coffee style (grande, extra hot, non-fat mocha with whipped cream for example) and which type of pastry she prefers. Serve it on a tray with a single long stemmed rose, fresh squeezed juice, and you are golden. Extra bonus points if you make her an omelet. Once your task is completed wake up the kids and have them serve it to Mom, then stand back and bask in the glory of your accomplishment. Warning: Pop tarts in the toaster does not really qualify as an effort.

2. Create a personalized stepping stone with your kids for Mom. These are available at Michael’s, Target, or most supermarkets that have a Mother’s Day Gifts section. She will love the fact that you thought enough to do a project with the kids before the actual big day, and you get to have fun with the kids as well. Double bonus points.

3. Create a personalized Mother’s Day Gift Basket. Does she like coffee or tea? Get her a gift card to The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf or Starbucks, some pampering products from Bath And Body Works or Bed Bath & Beyond, and toss in gift cards to the shops she spends most of her Mad Money in. Add in a nice card and have the whole family sign it.

4. Send Mom on a Spa Day Retreat. Mira Mesa has at least 14 different places for you to choose from, so she can get the red carpet treatment while having her nails done, a relaxing massage, hair styling, or more! I would recommend Boston’s Salon & Day Spa on the corner of Flanders and Mira Mesa Blvd., so you can drop her off for her Day Spa treatment, and you can have a few cold ones in their sports bar right next door. That is perfect planning.

5. Take Mom’s car in for an auto detailing. Sorrento Mesa Auto Spa & Lube can get her car sparkling clean inside and out, and if you want to kill two birds with one stone you can have them do the oil change at the same time. We even have coupons on our website to save you some money. We share because we care.

6. Make a personalized CD or DVD for mom. Creativity goes a long way into telling her how special she is. Fill a CD with special songs from your dating days, to your wedding day, or the songs you used to sing to the kids when they were little. Even better, record your kids saying special things to mom and include them in the mix. DVD’s are a little more work, but it will be something she will treasure forever.

7. Pajamas or Bath Robe for Mom. This is the equivalent to the Father’s Day Tie or Soap on a Rope. Moms just love bath robes and pajamas. It is up to you whether it is a Victoria’s Secret field trip, Bed Bath & Beyond, or Marshall’s.

8. Visit the Mira Mesa Farmer’s Market for creative Mother’s Day Ideas. Tuesday, from 3-7 pm in front of the Mira Mesa High School you can find special one of a kind gifts for Mom, and help raise money for the High School Foundation at the same time! Bring your kids with you and they can pick out something special for Mom.

9. Team up with other Dads to watch the kids for the evening and let the Moms enjoy a Moms Night Out together. This takes a little work, but it can be done. Call the husbands of 3-4 of your wife’s best Mom friends, and get them to commit to watching the kids together for a few hours. Buy gift cards to the Edwards Cinemas Movie Theater, Buca di Beppo, and Starbucks and divide the cost up among the participants. Just tell the Moms that they are having a Mom’s Night Out, and when they all show up to drop the kids off, you give them the envelope with everything already paid for in gift card form. Make the reservations at Buca di Beppo for an hour prior to the show time, and print out the movie listing showing movie times. Everything is in the same mall, so they can carpool in one mini van. After the movie, they can relax and enjoy a mocha at Starbucks before heading home. That is a great way to top off the perfect Mother’s Day.

10. Go the traditional way with flowers, take Mom out to her favorite restaurant, and give her what she wants more than chocolate: some alone time. Mom’s love the personal touches like picture frames with photos of the kids, #1 Mom coffee mugs, and even personalized calendars with all the important birthdays and anniversaries printed on them, but a lot of those take pre planning. If you are reading this article looking for clues then you are already too late to create a calendar on snapfish.com. Red envelope is always there for you with creative ideas and 2 day shipping.

Make sure to allow yourself 2-3 days to purchase flowers through local vendors for Mothers Day Delivery, but realize this is their busiest day of the year. Same goes for restaurants, so make reservations early. Expect slower than usual service due to the restaurant being at full capacity all day long. Be patient, don’t ruin the day for Mom because everyone in town decided to go to the same restaurant and your reservation is 15-20 minutes late.

Most of these ideas are for the working fathers with small children. Teenagers can modify some of the ideas with a personal touch, such as the CD or DVD idea. I hope this list helps you to find the perfect gift, and Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there. Enjoy your day, you deserve it!

Top 10 Best Birthday Presents

My son is turning 6 this weekend, and we are off to Pump It Up for his birthday party. This got me thinking about the different theme parties we had, and all the cool presents that we wished for. I am in my early 40’s, so that should give you some kind of clue as to the difference between “Cool Presents” from my day, and the cool presents my son wants for his birthday.

There are some similarities, and some not so common ground. Here is my list of the Top 10 Best Birthday Presents for children (from a 40 year old man-child):

1. Big Wheel. This was every young boy’s dream gift. Sure, everyone had a bike, and we even used our wagon as a means of transportation. But the Big Wheel was like a new Ferrari to a young boy.

2. Legos. I must admit, I still love legos. We could spend hours creating cities, space ships, or whatever we wanted with a huge pile of legos. Now, the kits come with specialized pieces and instructions to make them perfect every time. Legos have definitely stood the test of time.

3. Nerf toys. I was around when the nerf ball was an actual invention. Then came the nerf hoop for indoor basketball. Then the nerf football, nerf baseball, and my favorite the nerf rocket. I think that the nerf ball was created as a compromise for letting kids play ball in the house without actually worrying about them breaking stuff.

4. Models. Model cars, planes, motorcycles, etc. Sure, you have to follow the age suggestions on the side of the box, and you should always go inexpensive first with the snap together models before moving on to the glue models. I just remember the huge aisle of models at Toys-R-Us that would captivate me for hours. Maybe it was minutes, but it seemed like hours.

5. Play-dough. I loved play-dough. I loved the way it smelled right out of the container. I was a little perfectionist, and would never think of combining two different colors. Still, the different shapes you could make just amazed me. Now there are even better accessories for our kids to enjoy this generations-old tradition.

6. Army men. I don’t think kids play army men like we used to. Today, they play “Star Wars” which is essentially the same thing, but good luck finding a whole container full of both sides of combatants for $10. You can’t even get a miniature Yoda figurine for that in today’s market.

7. Electric Football. This toy just goes to prove that if you can create the desire for a product, kids will want it even though the game itself sucks. As a kid I played street football and watched it on television on Sundays. If someone could explain to me how plugging in a vibrating metal field and watching the players bump into each other is similar to real football, I would love to hear the explanation. Still, the little white felt footballs were cool to try to kick field goals with.

8. Games. My personal favorites were Monopoly, Life, Battleship, Clue, Backgammon, and Candy Land. For the large part, they still are my favorite games. A lot of my friends liked to play Risk, but I never had enough time or energy to invest in learning it. Also, I never wanted to take over the world, so it didn’t really interest me.

9. Creative toys like etch-a-sketch, lite-brite, and spyro-graph. I had 3 siblings to share with, so I never got enough game time in on any of them to be considered a pro at them. Still, they were fun when I had them.

10. Cap guns. As kids, we didn’t know that playing with cap guns would lead us to violent acts. We just liked to point them (never at someone’s face was the rule) and grimace as the hammer fell on the cap which just was a cool effect. We would then take the roll of caps, and either use a coin or a long finger nail to POP the cap. Even better, you could use a magnifying glass to burn the cap into exploding. The super best thing would be to crush a whole roll of caps at one time with a brick, but that was just wasteful.

What are your childhood memories of your favorite toys? Please share with the rest of the class by entering your comments at the bottom of this post. By the way, Happy Birthday Michael. Daddy loves you.

Top 10 April Fools’ Day Tricks

I love April Fools’ Day. I like to play little practical jokes on my friends and coworkers, and each year they kind of expect it. The real trick is getting them when they are actually expecting something. That is the best. My tricks are not meant to harm or humiliate the victim, just to make them feel outsmarted by the master.
Here are my Top 10 Favorite April Fools’ Day Tricks that you may play on your friends.

1. Stuff paper towels or newspaper into the toes of your spouse’s or kids shoes. My cousins have been doing this one for years, and it just never gets old. Once they got me, the game was on. Perfect if your friends have you remove your shoes before entering the house. Multiple targets.

2. Depending on the mess you want to make, buy several bags of mini marshmallows and put them into one big bag, the more the better. Place the bag into the cupboard, and shut the door with the bottom of the plastic bag hanging out of the cupboard door. Slowly pull the bag out, emptying the contents into the front of the “loaded” cupboard. The next one to open the door gets a marshmallow shower.

3. In Microsoft Word, use the Autocorrect feature to “correct” a commonly used word, such as “the” by automatically inserting “April Fools’!” Just make sure you send them an e-mail explaining how to cancel this feature, with a gotcha message.

4. Get up really early and sneak into your victim’s bathroom and fill their hair-dryer with baby powder. Once they turn it on, you will hear the scream and know you got them.

5. Find a box about the size of a cake. Cover it with frosting, making it look like a cake. Then put it out in the office kitchen, or wherever people leave free food. Sit back as one of your co-workers tries to cut a slice.

6. Take a carton of eggs, and glue each egg to the bottom. Ask your victim to make you eggs for breakfast, and when they try to remove them from the carton, the eggs will break in their hands.

7. Take a rubber band, and slip it over the lever on the spray handle so when someone turns the sink on, it will spray them in the face. For bartenders, remove the plastic tip of the soda gun, and replace the soda gun into the holder. Ask the other bartender to get you a soda, and it will shoot water in 8 directions. This also never gets old. Bonus points if you can get them multiple times in the same day.

8. Great one for work if you each have a separate phone line. Go in early, and smear a little jelly or honey on the receiver end of the phone, and then call each person one by one. You will hear their reaction when the earpiece sticks to their ear. It always makes me laugh when you hear their greeting “Hello, thanks for calling…What the!”

9. The classic water cup/cup of flour above the door. You place a cup of water on the top of a slightly opened door. You must be careful to balance it without spilling. When the victim pushes open the door, they get splashed. Flour works well, if you don’t want water spilled all over.

10. This one takes a group effort, but it is well worth it.You will need a funnel, a coin, a couple of friends and, of course, a victim! Start playing the ‘funnel game’ in front of your victim. A game of skill that involves putting the funnel down the front of your pants and balancing the coin on your nose with your head tilted back. Tip your head forward to let the coin drop into the funnel. When you have the victim begging to do this put the funnel in his pants and get him to put his head back so you can balance the coin on his nose. As this is happening pour a large drink into the funnel!

I hope you find these amusing, and let me know if you have any tricks that work for you!

Top 10 Lucky Things That Can Happen To You

Did you see on the news last weekend the high speed chase that showed suspected drug dealers throwing huge bundles of money out of the window while speeding down the freeway? At first sight, I thought that was just awesome. Then they showed cars stopping on the shoulder and the people getting out and picking up the bills as they blew across all lanes on the freeway. Some actually stopped and got out right in the middle of the road, without any concern for their safety.

Then the FBI informed us that these bills are traceable, and anyone that found the money should turn them in to the authorities. I don’t think that will happen, for if someone is going to park their car in the middle of the Interstate 5 to pick up as many 20’s and 100’s as they can without getting plowed into by another car, they probably figure that they earned their free money. They probably figured that today was their lucky day.

This got me thinking about the lucky days I have had, and the rewards that came from them. Here is my list of the Top 10 Lucky Events that can happen to you.

1. Winning a raffle. The odds are usually stacked against you, for with each ticket sold or given away, your odds of winning decrease. Everyone wants to be that “One in a Million” no matter what the prize is.

2. Winning the Lottery. Whether it is a scratcher, a trip to the big spin, or the grand daddy of all the Mega Millions Lottery, we all have our hopes and dreams each time we throw down our dollar and wish for redemption. Although most of us are usually losers, it is worth the buck to think of how we would spend an extra 100 million, isn’t it?

3. Getting a royal flush in poker. Everyone that plays poker, whether it is for chips, online, or for cash, knows the rush you get when you get the rarest of poker hands. You feel like it is your destiny when you turn over the last card to fill your hand. Man, that feeling is sweet.

4. Finding money in the coin return in a vending machine. I was going to say phone booth, but I don’t know if my younger readers know what that is. Prior to cell phones, people who wanted to call someone at their house used to put coins into a pay phone, and  Oh never mind. Finding coins in a paper machine (soon to disappear like the pay phones) is still exciting.

5. Sitting in traffic, pulling into a parking lot, and finding a front row spot just for you. People who have read “The Secret” will say it is positive thinking that enables you to get the good spot. No it isn’t. It is sheer luck, or as I call it when it happens to me “The Smith Charm”.

6. Having the winning bid on E-Bay. Sure, there are all kinds of tricks to winning. Wait until the last minute to bid, watch the competition and follow their bidding strategies and beat their bid by a few cents, but it is still a rush when you have been stressing in front of the computer screen for 3 days so you can save $5 on that hard to find holiday toy that is sold out at Toys R Us.

7. Finding money in the laundry. Technically, this is not luck, since the money was probably yours to start with. I still get all excited when I find a few bills floating around after I pull the clothes from the dryer. Even better is when you wear a dress jacket that has been hanging in the closet for a while, and it has a twenty in the pocket. Once again, sweet.

8. Finding a job when you are unemployed. Especially in this economy, when good hard working people are out of work because the greedy bosses at the top of the food chain decide to cut their losses, close up shop, and let everyone go. Checking the classifieds, craigslist, and cold calling everyone you know in your industry who may also be looking for the same job is hard. Then one day the clouds part, a bright ray of sunlight shines on that one HELP WANTED ad and you have found your dream job. With better pay, benefits, and holidays off with pay!

9. Going fishing with your buddies, and catching the biggest fish. I don’t know how the fish decide which worm looks better, but it usually is not the one at the end of my line. I like to go fishing, and it is a great feeling when you land the biggie.

10. Getting the right one to say “I Do”. I always had the same response when people used to tell me how lucky I was to have my wife by my side, and I would say “Luck has nothing to do with it.” But if you figure all the factors that go into meeting someone at just that moment, the sequence of events that take place afterwards, and factor in your personal track record, it is not just lucky, it is a miracle. Still, I consider myself very very lucky. I love you honey.

To the rest of you, some of these may have happened to you, or may happen somewhere in the future. I believe in magic, and I wish you all luck.

Top 10 Best Candy of All Time

Baseball season has begun, not only for our San Diego Padres, but for our Little League Kids as well. I remember playing little league baseball, and even though it was several decades ago, not that much has changed. The little ones still have more fun playing in the sand than paying attention to the adults trying to enforce the rules. They all love to bat, although not many know what to do once they hit the ball. And even though no one actually keeps score during the T-Ball games, ask any kid on either team and they will tell you who won.

As a first time father of a little leaguer, my chest swelled with pride as my son reached first base (safe at all three at-bats!) and I got the high fives to prove it. Sure, after about 45 minutes of playing, all they wanted to do was get their treat ticket and head off to the snack shack. All of a sudden, my mind flashed back to my youth. Oh, the wonderful treats to choose from. Here is my top 10 list of The Best Candy of All Time.

1. Fun Dip. I know it is just granulated sugar, but someone figured out how to compress all that sugary greatness into a stick, which you can lick and dip into the pouch for more sugar. Awesome.

2. Chick-O-Stick. This is kind of a weird treat, but it has peanut butter for starters which is all good. It is crunchy, flaky, and delicious from start to finish.

3. Snickers. This is the most popular of the candy bar family. As a kid, you wouldn’t waste a treat ticket on an Almond Joy or Mounds Bar, and 3 Musketeers and Milky Way were just too boring. Snickers Satisfies.

4. M&M’s. Plain or peanut doesn’t really matter. I always felt you got your money’s worth from a bag of M&M’s. They melt in your mouth, not in your hands.

5. Hot Tamales. Sure, they get stuck to your teeth, but they are hot and spicy. I have always been a cinnamon kind of guy, so these were my favorites.

6. Bubble gum. I still think Bazooka is the standard, but there are plenty of others on the market which kids love. Even that chalky pink stick from the baseball card packs would work. I wonder if you can still save up and send in the wrappers from Bazooka for free stuff?

7. Abba Zaba. Back to the peanut butter, but with a taffy cover. You could break a tooth trying to break off a piece, but it was worth it. Also good straight from the freezer.

8. Kit Kat Bar. Wafer thin sticks of chocolate coated deliciousness. The real game is trying to separate them without breaking them into pieces. You must eat them one stick at a time, not just biting into the whole pack like a Hershey bar.

9. Good & Plenty. Black licorice in a hard candy shell. I don’t know which ones I liked better – the purple or white ones. Still one of my favorites to this day.

10. Milk Duds. Oh, I love caramel and chocolate. Just don’t keep them in your pocket on a hot day or you will have to tear the box apart just to get to them.

You can find a lot of these from Smart and Final to Costco, but if you want a real treat, check out www.candywarehouse.com for an assortment of old school favorites (like wax lips, Nik-L-Nips wax bottles, and candy button strips. They even have Zotz Sour Candy, the ones that fizz when you get to the center. Yum.

Top 10 Amusement Park Rides In Southern California

I hope you made it out to the carnival this weekend at Mira Mesa High School. The four day event raised some much needed funds for the Football Program, and a lot of fun and games took place right here in the heart of Mira Mesa. As a kid, I loved the rides at amusement parks. The spinning cups, the slides, the carousel, and especially the roller coasters.

I remember the first time I went to Magic Mountain and rode “The Revolution” which was the first roller coaster in the area to have a loop-de-loop. I was terrified just looking at it, but after the ride was over, I couldn’t wait to get back into the 45 minute line and do it again. Now I have a son, and I get to enjoy the feeling of going on thrill rides for the first time again. Here are my Top 10 Favorite Rides from Southern California Amusement Parks:

1.    Toy Story Mania! – California Adventure. This 3-D shooting gallery ride is just awesome. If you are going to go to Disneyland, I recommend getting the park hopper pass and visit California Adventure as well. We went as a family a few weeks ago, and we went on the Toy Story ride 4 times.
2.    Pirates of the Caribbean – Disneyland. Although recently updated to include the likeness of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, this is still a fan favorite and will be enjoyed by all family members, young and old.
3.    Journey to Atlantis – Sea World. Is it a roller coaster ride through water, or a water ride that turns into a roller coaster? I can’t say for sure, but I like it. Wet, fast, twisting and turning fun.
4.    Viper – Six Flags Magic Mountain. First they had the Revolution, then Colossus, and then came Viper, which is still my favorite roller coaster. It is very fast, full of loops and sharp turns, and you leave the ride practically exhausted. If you like thrill rides, go to Magic Mountain.
5.    Log Jammer – Magic Mountain. Every amusement park has some sort of log ride, which takes you on a mild boat ride with some sort of drop in which you scream with your hands in the air, then you get soaked at the bottom.
6.    Shipwreck Rapids – Sea World. Actually, you could also put every theme park down for this one. Call it what you will; Roarin’Rapids, Grizzly River Run, it is a big round raft that you share with 8-12 people, and you hope everyone else gets wet except for you. If you are wearing new shoes, you are guaranteed to get soaked.
7.    Free Fall – Magic Mountain. This was the original strap-yourself-in-and-hold on- tight ride. It quickly raised you up 10 stories, then after a slight pause would drop you straight down. For a great variation of this classic ride, California Adventure has the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Do it at night for an added element of fun.
8.    Soarin’ Over California – California Adventure. I can’t believe I skipped this awesome simulated hang gliding ride the past 4 times I went to the park. You feel like you are soaring above the mountains, over the rivers, and through the fields, and you can even smell the orange trees!
9.    Knott’s Scary Farm – Knott’s Berry Farm. Not technically a ride, the whole park transforms into a myriad of haunted mazes, with characters invading the popular rides as well. If you are a teenager or older, and you like to get scared, you have to go to Knott’s Scary Farm.
10.    Lost Kingdom Adventure – LEGOLAND. This ride is like going on a trip with Indiana Jones, and you get to blast things with laser guns along the way. Fun for the kids and adults too.

These are my favorites, what about yours?

Top 10 List Of Songs With Rain In The Title

Don’t you just love those rainy days, when it is cold outside and all you want to do is stay in bed and watch movies? I am having one of those days today. I couldn’t motivate myself to get to the gym, even after over doing it a bit with the Valentine’s Day dinner, endless amounts of chocolates, and other tasty treats over the weekend. I think that the furry little groundhog “Punxsutawney Phil” got it right when he saw his shadow, and we got 6 more weeks of winter. This got me thinking about all the songs that have been written with the word “Rain” in the title. Here is my Top 10 List of Rain Songs:

1. I Can’t Stand The Rain – The Commitments. This was one song featured in the movie “The Committments” which is not only a great movie, but also a great soundtrack. If you love the motown sound, you will love this soundtrack.

2. The Rain – Oran “Juice” Jones. This brings me back to the days when I was the DJ at the Black Angus (remember the Square Cow Fun Bar?) and this song was a nightly feature. Lines like ; “You without me is like cornflakes without the milk” and “Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids” are sadly missing from today’s hits. What ever happened to Oran Juice Jones?

3. It’s Raining Again – Supertramp. Breakfast In America was such a great album, and this was one of my favorites. Great harmonies, fine chorus, and a happy little ditty that is easy to sing along to.

4. No Rain – Blind Melon. Most people remember the little bumble bee girl from the video more so than the band itself. I think the song holds up on its own, but the visual images from the music video made it a great song.

5. Have You Ever Seen The Rain? – C.C.R. John Fogerty and Credence Clearwater Revival made this classic, with their signature Bayou sound. John’s gritty vocals grab you, and yet it is still a somewhat soft song that is easy to listen to.

6. Purple Rain – Prince. I was a big fan of Prince’s music early on in his career, and the movie Purple Rain was a true masterpiece. The end of Purple Rain was a little much for my tastes, but I appreciate the delivery and the uniqueness of it. It is also a great movie to watch on a rainy day.

7. Rainy Dayz – Mary J. Blige w/ Ja Rule. This was one of those songs for me that I just couldn’t get out of my head when it came out. Ja Rule’s coarse vocals juxtaposed with MJB’s soulful voice worked in a way you wouldn’t expect. I still put this song into many of my iTunes playlists.

8. Fire and Rain – James Taylor. I have seen James Taylor perform live, and he is a great singer / storyteller. His songs all seem to tell a story, and in concert he does just that. He tells you how he wrote certain songs, and his inspiration for them.
There is a reason why this song is on his greatest hits collection: It is just a great song from start to finish.

9. Singing In The Rain – Gene Kelly. Not just the theme song for the movie Singing In The Rain, the performance is a true classic. I remember as a kid walking to school some days in the rain, and this song would just pop into my head and I would have the best time getting to school. Kids like rain, and this song focuses on the fun part of a good rain storm.

10. Blame It On The Rain – Milli Vanilli. Who really cares who the singers were, and who was the face of the group? I still think the reason why this group was so successful before their disgrace was a combination of the two. They made great videos, you believed that Rob and Fab actually were Milli Vanilli, and they sold a ton of albums. It was later proven that they were only the face, not the voice of the group, and they were stripped of their grammys. Tragic tale, but they did make great videos!

Now those are my favorites, and I know that some Dylan fans out there are going to give me a hard time about excluding his “A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall” from my list, but I never was much of a Dylan fan in the first place. It is kind of like the Beatles-vs-Rolling Stones debate. For the majority of us, it is clear which one you prefer. I for one am a Beatles over the Stones, MaryAnn over Ginger, and Daphne over Velma (Scooby Doo Characters, in case you didn’t get this reference) kind of guy. This sounds like it could be next week’s Top 10 List Category!

Top 10 Valentine’s Day Gifts

Valentine’s day is quickly approaching, and as usual I find myself in that familiar position of not knowing what to get for my Wife. We have been married for almost 11 years, so you would think that by now I would have this holiday figured out. Well, you would be wrong in that assumption. I am totally clueless, but I know I am not alone.

There are so many ways to mess this thing up, several of which I have previously accomplished with ease. One year I thought I would surprise her with a beautiful anklet, then I realized the reason she didn’t already own one is because she doesn’t like them. I don’t bother with clothing either, since if you get something too small, they are embarrassed that they can’t fit into it. If you get something too big they think that you think that they are bigger than they actually are and you still lose.

As the years roll on, we have decided that we will get a baby sitter and go out for dinner with another couple and enjoy some adult time. But this still leaves me with the problem of what little trinket to get as a symbol of my love and affection for the woman I have pledged my lifetime of valentines to? Here is my Top 10 Valentine Gifts to that someone special in your life. I still have a few days left, so if you have any original ideas please reply to this column. If my wife reads this, Happy Valentine’s Day Honey! I love you!

1. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. You can’t go wrong with diamonds, but do your research. I hate getting a necklace that is either too small or too long. If possible, go through her jewelery collection and measure her favorite necklace to assure the correct length.

2. Earrings are perfect if you know her style. I found this out by getting all the wrong ones. Not all women wear studs, hoops, or long dangly ones. I recommend going commando and checking out her favorites to see which style she wears most often, then try to outdo yourself. Still, when purchasing jewelery keep your receipts.

3. Bring sexy back and get her some lingerie. The beauty of this is you get to pick out the outfit that she will feel sexy wearing for you. This is the gift that keeps on giving. Red is the obvious choice of color.

4. Buy a dozen long stemmed red roses. I have tried to understand this one throughout the years, and I am still at a loss for a solid reason why anyone would spend $100 on something that dies a few days later. My wife gave me a great explanation some years back, but I think all I could focus on was “$100. $100. $100.” That is just how the male mind works. We are too practical.

5. Chocolate. I prefer See’s Candy, but I think that any type of chocolate still counts. You may think that it is a simple gesture, but women long ago bought into the whole marketing campaign of Valentine’s Day with cards, flowers, jewelery, and of course chocolate. I still believe that they keep a running tab on how much you spend, so don’t be too cheap (or as I like to call it – cost effective).

6. Valentine’s Card. This is a must have. The roses die, the chocolate gets eaten, and sometimes an earring gets misplaced. Probably the greatest investment in both your time and creative energy should go into choosing the right card. This is the one time of the year I should put away my clown suit and be sentimental with a sweet card that says “I Love You”. Still, most women say they prefer a man with a sense of humor… so I am going to stick with the funny cards!

7. Stuffed Animals. These are cute when you are dating, or the first few years together. After 10 years, and having tossed out a truck load of bean-filled ducks, rabbits, cats, dogs, and of course teddy bears, I can finally say no more. The down side to eliminating this as an option means I must now find a replacement item, and dollar for dollar the stuffed animal can’t be beat while on a tight budget.

8. Spa Gift Certificate. Nothing says “I Love You” more than a trip to the spa for a nice relaxing day of pampering. The best part of this is she comes home nice, relaxed, and grateful that you have treated her to a day of being treated like a queen. While she is off doing that, you are also having a relaxing day of pampering…at the sports bar. Now that is a win-win situation.

9. Make something special yourself. This could be anything from taking pictures from your trips together and making a video, to designing a coupon book just for her -  coupons with messages like; “I’ll do the dishes”, “You win the argument”, or “I’ll run to Starbucks” for example.

10. Invitation to a romantic dinner for 2. I tried this one year, when I came home early from work and set up our patio for a romantic dinner for 2. I made a fresh salad, appetizers, and a nice Italian dinner, then waited for her to arrive home from work. Just as you would guess, this was the one time she came home from work late. Dinner was still good, but the timing was off, and I was a little irritated. You can’t win them all.

I hope you find some of these suggestions helpful, and feel free to share some of your own. The clock is ticking, and I have already used these on my wife and I am in need of some fresh ideas. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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