Friday, May 30, 2008

EZ like Sunday Mornin'

I love finding new restaurants. I am a fledgling foodie - I don't necessarily have an expert palate with super fine taste or anything, but if the average person wants to know where to get a decent taco in this town, I'm your girl . I have recently found out about a few new restaurants to add to my growing list of ono grinds (that's tasty food for all you non-islanders).

EZ Take Out Burger - I have got to be honest. I have been to IN-N-OUT burger plenty of times, at various locations, and I don't see what the big deal is. Yeah, the shakes are pretty good, but the fries suck. And the burgers taste just like the ones I used to get at the West Jordan horse races snack stand when I was a kid. I don't think it's anything to go on, and on, and on, and ON about how great IN-N-OUT is and how Utah doesn't have anything as good as California, blah, blah, blah. That being said, this EZ Take Out Burger from California is el yum. I recommend the Double Take (even power burger style - wrapped in lettuce instead of on a bun - is espectacular). They have these amazing boysenberry shakes that you just have to try. And the FRIES. Oh, the fries. Thank goodness the dudes who brought this California delightfulness to good 'ole Orem upgraded to fry sauce (a Utah original concoction of pure bliss, BTW). Their fries are crispy, season-salt-covered awesomeness. I highly recommend this place - I would even go so far as to say I'd rather get a burger at EZ Take Out than at Fudruckers or IN-N-OUT.
(1055 S. State Street - right by University Mall)

Maria Bonita - A couple friends turned me on to this muy bueno restaurant. Amazing chips and salsa, HUGE portions, waitresses that call you "princess", and Diet Pepsi served with mini key limes that doesn't make you want to vomit (seriously, if I were to take the Pepsi challenge that this restaurant, I would choose Pepsi and not Coke. It's madness!). I am going to go ahead and say that Maria Bonita is the best Mexican food you can get in the U.C.
(171 W 800 N Orem)

Zona Rosa - My sister and brother-in-law took me here during Memorial Day weekend and it was ephenominal. This place has the tastiest steak tacos I've had since eating at this restaurant on the beach in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. I have gone twice this week, if that tells you anything. Last night I had spinach and goat cheese quesadillas and fried ice cream. I think it might be the best fresh Mex place I've been to.
(main street, Park City)

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Friday, May 16, 2008

Letter to me at 18 on Graduation Day:

Dear Kelly,

Now that you have graduated from high school (a.k.a. the winter of your discontent), you are now ready to go to college (a.k.a. the best time of your life). Right now you aren’t sure what you want to be when you grow up. Don’t worry about it, you won’t actually know until you are 30 (and even then, you’ll still be trying to figure it out). Right now all you can think about is how you can’t drive out of the high school parking lot fast enough (you will actually miss that beasty-brown-gold-interior-having-eight-track-playing-pile-of-pure-
70s-awesomeness that you are driving). Here is some friendly advice from your future self.

*Be careful about choosing friends – watch what they do, not what they say, to determine what kind of person they are. However, these experiences will hone your frienemy and palligator radar that will come in handy later.

* Those kids who were mean to you growing up and the guys you think are cute right now are losers in their 30s. Trust me. Pay attention to the late-bloomers – they are the ones that are smart and genuine and sweet and funny (not to mention hot) when they grow up.

* Turn your dreams of scuba diving, snowboarding, surfing and traveling into realities. I highly recommend Hawaii’s north shore, Belize, Tulum, Wales, Edinburgh, Puerto Peñasco, and Tabyana beach on Roatan.

* Go see your grandmas more often, even if they aren’t the kind of grandmas that give hugs and bake cookies.

* Being a surfer, snowboarder, skater, or soccer player is NOT the ultimate qualification for determining boyfriend material.

* Your faith in God will become the most important thing you have. Keep it close to your heart and let it become the best influence on your life. Keep learning and growing in the gospel, you have so much more to understand.

* Take Spanish instead of French.

* The most important thing I can tell you, is that you have more figured out than you think you do. You had it figured out at age 5. But somehow, the unstable ridiculousness of jr. high and high school combined with a crap home-life has convinced you otherwise. Don’t second guess yourself and start believing that everyone around you must know better. You are an alright kid – you just need to believe it yourself.

The best days are yet to come, and it just keeps getting better. There are things to learn and places to go and you are just getting started.

Sincerely,
Your Future

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Happy Mother's Day

My mom is the best, and here are a few reasons why:
{grandma and mom}
{where it all began - my mom and dad are so cute!}
*She is pretty much the nicest and most spiritual person I know. She was a great mom; trusting, high expectations for us to be good and do well in school, letting me stay out late playing kick-the-can with my friends, etc. My friends used to tell me that they wanted a "Linda mom" too.
{she had all kinds of cool hippy clothes and jewelry that I remember playing with. especially cool was the maroon leather coat and tall, high-heeled boots from the 80s}

*She loves horses and animals too. She probably made some sacrifices so that I could take expensive English riding lessons as a kid. But that's the kind of mom she is.
{it runs in the family}
*She is absolutely beautiful. People often mistake her for my roommate or sister. She pretty much still looks like this. I love this photo of my parents - I think they look like Eric and Donna from That 70s Show.
{ i wish it ran in the family}
*We are really good friends - I love hanging out with my mom!
{my mom and I both at age 5}
*I hope you had a happy Mother's Day!*