Columbus Day Two: More Gluttony and Chicken Feet Sighting

by CajunKate

So yesterday was our second day in Columbus. Let me just say that we got a late start. Jen and Tim had to text us to get our a**es moving. Whoops! And in the process of rushing to get out the door, I forgot my camera! I am an idiot, and you are very lucky as you will only be subjected to a handful of crappy cell phone pics...this time! Do not get used to this state of affairs. Pictures WILL be in abundance for Day Three's post. Just a warning.

But what better way to start off the day than by gorging at Jack and Benny's, my all time favorite breakfast spot in Columbus? (There are two things that are MUST HAVES any time I visit Columbus- breakfast at Jack and Benny's and a cream puff from Schmidt's. Friday has all ready been set aside to fulfill my Schmidt's cream puff obsession.) Please do not be under the impression that we were actually at Jack and Benny's before noon. We were not, so we'll classify this meal as brunch. I had the Jack's Dad which I chose because it includes corned beef hash. I'd never eaten corned beef hash before, and it was delish! Also, Tim ordered a Buckeye Pancake, a pancake with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. I am not ashamed to admit that I ate half of it and did a happy dance using my fork as a prop.

After brunch, we went down to North Market. North Market is a very cool place that has all sorts of food and restaurant booths and a few booths with cookware, jewelry, and whatnot. On weekends, they have a ginormous farmers market, and they're always hosting different special events, like this weekend is a wine and cheese tasting event that I very much wish I could attend. I mean, c'mon, wine and cheese? Hello?!? That has my name all over it. Anyway, North Market is another place that I always love to visit. Walking through the market I stopped to peruse the butcher booth, and lo and behold, what do I see? CHICKEN FEET!

You must remember that the last time I ran across chicken feet was in WalMart in Lafayette. Aha! But these are organic chicken feet!

Organic or not, they still look like hideous baby alien feet. Yum-yum, huh?

Despite the fact that we had just plowed through a mountain of breakfast food, Byron, Jen, and I all got an ice cream cone. Well, Jen and I shared a cone. Now, I know what you're thinking. How could you? Are you freaking kidding me with the non-stop eating? This was the same sentiment we heard from Tim to which we just shrugged our shoulders, and Byron replied, "Dude, we're Daigles. This is what we were bred for." And, in our defense, Jeni's, the ice cream place at North Market is just...I mean, you dream about this ice cream after you've had it. It's that good. And they have the most far out flavors that sound so weird, but they are so incredibly delightful.

Bydee with Jeni's Ice Cream (please disregard goofball face- he is sooooo uncooperative as a model)

After ice cream, I was perusing the free salsa samples at one booth, and I guess I was feeling pretty invincible after quite handily surviving the Killer sauce yesterday, so I decided to try the "Stupid Hot" salsa verde at this booth. Five seconds after it hit my tongue, my entire brain exploded with an emergency message- MISTAKE! MISTAKE! ABORT! ABORT! But I didn't want to look like a fool, so I sucked it up and stood there with my mouth ON FIRE! and my eyes watering. As soon as I got my leaky nose somewhat under control, I bolted to the nearest booth with water. And OH MY GOD! my mouth did not completely stop burning until forty-five minutes later. This proves, once again, that I am an idiot. I like the way God throws these little travails at me just to remind me of that fact every once in a while.

After North Market, Byron and I went back to the hotel to chill, and I made a run to Best Buy to get a car charger for my cell phone because I had forgotten mine (idiot again!). We headed back to Jen and Tim's and spent time with Colin and Quinn playing chase and giving piggy back rides. Also, we watched the cartoon movie Scamper the Penguin which...dude, I cannot even begin to explain how frighteningly bad it was. Of course, Colin and Quinn looooooved it. Also, I chased them around hugging and kissing them until Jen whisked them off to bed and a reprieve from their cuteness devouring aunt.

After Colin and Quinn went to bed, Jen and I drove over to a place called Papa Murphy's to pick up a take and bake stuffed pizza, and I am convinced that Lafayette MUST get a Papa Murphy's. Holy cow! It was so freakin' good! It had five pounds of meat and cheese in it. I could only eat one slice and even if I hadn't eaten like a pig all day, I still don't think I could have eaten more than one. Byron could only manage one and a half slices.

So to recap Day Two- gorge, gorge more, reunite with chicken feet, eat up the cutest nephews in the world, and gorge some more. If I continue at this gluttonous pace, I am convinced that I will actually be able to hear cellulite accumulating on my thighs. Tomorrow, SALAD!

More tomorrow...with LOTS AND LOTS of PICTURES! Be afraid! For today, I leave you with a classic shot of the most uncooperative model of all time:

Columbus Day One: Gluttony and Leg Cramps

by CajunKate

So, we made it to the heart of the Midwest! Hot diggity doggity and two lumps of sugar for humidity and temperature levels below 95. Oh glorious, Midwest! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...okay, well, really there's only the weather thing and the fact that my two scrumpdillyicious nephews happen to live here. Oh, yeah, and their parents, too.

The trip up from Louisiana was completely uneventful, so we'll skip all that. We got to Columbus really late on Monday and spent maybe an hour at Jen and Tim's, where the boys had already gone to bed (Boo! Hiss!), before heading to the hotel. (Shout out, Holiday Inn Express! I love your cinnamon rolls!) On Tuesday, Byron and I slept in then headed over to Tim and Jen's. We all went to lunch at a joint called Roosters, and their friend Paul met up with us there. Roosters is known for their wings. They did not disappoint, seeing as how I stuffed myself without about ten pounds of them, plus an order of something they call Dumpster Fries, plus a salad...what?!? Did I actually say salad? Yes, I did, but I think I managed to effectively counteract its healthy effects with the ten pounds of fried chicken wings.

While we were eating I began to ponder, out loud, just how hot their sauces are. We had gotten the "Hot", and it wasn't that bad. Paul ordered a tiny cup of the "Killer" sauce, which is the second hottest offered and which Paul assured me would cause spontaneous combustion in my mouth. Needless to say, I dipped my wing quite tentatively into it and tasted it with Paul watching me expectantly waiting for my head to explode. After that first dip and taste, I realized that while, yeah, it was definitely hot, it wasn't sinus-exploding hot. Me digging in and not screaming for water while thrashing on the table inspired Byron to try it and then Jen. We all agreed it was yummy hot while Paul cracked up and said, "Dude! You Cajuns are raised with hot sauce in your bottles, I think!"

Later that afternoon, I finally got to see MY ( yes, MY!) nephews who were SO excited to see us. Quinn immediately recruited me to "Come look at my toys!" which I did. We also played "Waterhorse" which involved me throwing the "waterhorse" (a kid) "into the ocean" (onto the couch). Then we played "music" (banged on pots with spoons) and "sang" (yelled nonsense at the top of our lungs). Then we played "airplane," which involved them laying across my feet and hoisting them into the air... NINE THOUSAND times in a row. My legs were screaming for mercy, but at least I may have worked off a chicken wing. The culmination of the night was playing "MONSTER!" in which I hid behind doors, in closets, etc. while Colin and Quinn hunted for me, and I would jump out and growl ferociously while they screamed like banshees and went running in the other direction while I quickly found a new hiding spot and the cycle continued. So, yeah, basically I turned the evening into every parent's nightmare. As you can see, how it works is I whip the kids into a frenzy, they scream and cause general chaos, then I leave the parents to mop up. THIS is why I have no children, people.

I must give Jen credit because she did actually manage to get them calmed down and into bed. Both Colin and Quinn came around to say good night and give kisses. Colin looked at me with his big blue eyes and said "Bye-bye, Nanny Kake. I hope I sees you again soon." At which point, I devoured him whole. Ack! The cuteness!

Then Jen made shrimp po-boys and onion rings that were OH MY GOD! delicious. Then she forced me to eat a homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich which made me go into the light of pure food bliss.

So to recap Day One- stuff face, play with adorable nephews, eat up the cuteness that is nephews with hugs and kisses, stuff face. Ahhhh! THIS is the life, peeps!

More late tonight or tomorrow! Pics below (HA! Gotcha! You thought you were getting away with no pics!)

OY! The Cuteness that is Colin.

I shall call this "Chowhound Colin Interrupted."

Check out the Cajuns jersey. Niiiice! (Courtesy of Nanny Kate, naturally!)

MUST DEVOUR the cuteness! 'Tis Quinn!

Check out the Cajuns jersey. Niiiice! (Courtesy of Nanny Kate, naturally!)

Ah, summer! Quinn partaking in the rolling in the grass summer ritual of kids everywhere.

Wrasslin'! Colin started it!

Off to the Yankee Land!

by CajunKate

So on Monday, I will be traveling with baby bro Byron to Columbus, Ohio, to spend a week with sister Jen, her hubby Tim, and their two beautiful tykes Quinn and Colin. Now look, I love my sister, I love her husband, but let's be honest here. I am really only going up there to devour their delicious children. These kids are so cute, I am going to eat them up with hugs and kisses. I plan to blog EVERY DAY(!) with PICTURES(!) That's this coming week. Mark your calendars!