Monday, January 17, 2011

WHAT? NO PICTURES!?

WOAH
It has been WAY too long since anyone posted on this thing. It's about time that someone posted on it. Here we go, get ready, are you ready!? I don't think you are! Get pumped, get excited, because HEEEEREEEEE IT COMESSSSSS!!!!! ANOTHER POST.

So now we're back at school. We've been here for about 1 and 1 half weeks now and have only had two real days of class. What kind of monkey business is that? It's time to get back into it, so Mr. Weather, you need to quit it with your wintering. Just stop it, because we all want to learn stuff, and things like that.

Really it just gets frustrating being out of the routine. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not someone that gets a thrill out of having every hour of my time blocked off into neat little boxes, with letters of buildings and numbers telling me where I need to be and what I need to be doing there. It's just nice to have a general idea. When you have this much free time on your hands, you lose the ability to use your hands because you're so caught up in holding all that free time, and you end up wasting your whole day away because you can't use your hands which are essential tools for doing things. I can't remember where I heard this, probably from my dad, he seems to have an endless supply of life lessons, but essentially the idea is that people who have less free time are more productive with what they do have than people who have a ton of time. Really it makes common sense, but don't judge me. This right here is a judgment free zone.

So Jacob is ready to get back to school. And so is Sam. We gripe about it every day. But don't worry, when we get back to school we'll have something else to gripe about. We always do. This semester I am very pleased with the workload in my classes, and my classes in general. I've got a Western History and Culture class, Ethical Issues, German (Deutsch if you sprechen the Deutsch) Music (sight singing), and my favorite, CALCULUS! Just kidding, that's my least favorite. I hate math. But my teacher is very cool. Already done some homework for three of them. So that's fun. And I get the sense that it's going to be a solid amount, which makes me happy. BRING IT ON.

So on to the more interesting parts of my life, Grayson (the band) has just put some new tunes up on myspace. Go check it out, it's on myspace.com/graysonnc, the song is called Where Was I, it goes along with our theme of question words that we apparently have going on, the other one is called Where You Are. I pitched the idea of changing our name to The Where Wolves, simply for the sake of having a pun within our band name. Thoughts? Awful name, I know, it makes us sound like a misplaced pack of half-breed man wolves. Though with the amount of facial hair going on in our band, one must question whether we really are werewolves or not...

Hah, bet I had you going there for a little bit, thinking we were actually werewolves. We're not, but it'd be pretty cool if we were I can't lie. So moving on, we've got a lot of stuff coming up for the program. This Thursday the scholars and directors are hitting the town for one wild and crazy night, so look out Charlotte. Levine Museum of the New South here we COME! No really though, I'm looking forward to it. I just need to get back in time for bed time.

Listen, so I'm out of things to talk about, I just wanted to stop in and say hello to the complete uncertainty of cyberspace prowlers. I'm going to go heckle my friend Kate on her radio show.

Keep it classy ladies and gentlemen,
Team Jacob for Lyfe
-Jacob Huffman

P.S. That's right, there are no pictures here. Let your imagination go crazy.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Yummmmm

So I made it through my first semester of college--I'm happy to have spent a couple of weeks at home catching up with family and old friends, but now I'm ready to be back with my Charlotte friends. One of my favorite things about Charlotte is all the restaurants! I'm a pretty picky eater, but I love most any sweets, and I enjoy eating out way more than I should. There's just something about sitting in a restaurant that I love--it's not that I am into super-gourmet food or that the dining hall on campus is bad--eating out is just a hobby, I guess. In case you're looking to try out some new places in Charlotte, here are some of my new favorites:

Jackson's Java: When I can't get any work done, I go to Jackson's Java to finish it. It's in the same shopping center as the Harris Teeter right by campus. I never get anything fancy--usually just a vanilla coffee--but the environment is just so cozy and friendly. They also play really cool acoustic versions of popular music. Definitely a favorite study spot.

Boudreaux's: Located in the NoDa district about 15 minutes from campus, Boudreaux's is a delicious Cajun restaurant. I've been told their gumbo is pretty amazing, but I'm a big fan of their crab cake croissant and their cheese grits. One of the walls is just an old garage door...kind of bizarre. Definitely go to Boudreaux's if you want a cheap, authentic Cajun meal.
Jacob and Cait at Boudreaux's

My Bento: This place is right next door to Jackson's Java. My roommates and I have a borderline obsession with good sushi, and My Bento's sushi is delicious. We've been there a couple times, and had the same waitress both times--she was really friendly and helped us navigate the menu. If you don't want sushi, you can also get a Bento box with noodles, meat, fruit, dessert, and a salad. The amount of food that comes with a Bento box meal is ridiculous (in a good way).

The Crepe Cellar: I've only been here once, but I can't wait to go back. I had the Queen City crepes, which have chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, and some sort of yummy sauce. Mmmmm. Then I shared the "Brownie in a Blanket" dessert crepe with my friend Claire. That was heaven. I think when I go back I'll skip dinner and just get dessert--it's that worth it.
Laura and Celia with their Strawberry, Banana, and Nutella Crepe

The Penguin: The Penguin is an old drive-in that's now a small restaurant serving up just about every greasy and unhealthy, yet delicious food imaginable. My favorite is their fried pickles dipped in ranch dressing. Then again, I like just about anything dipped in ranch. The Penguin recently came under new management, and I'm not sure how much it's changed, but hopefully it's still serving up good southern meals.Fried Pickles

Hanging from the Spinning Penguin Sign

Amelie's: Okay, I saved the best for last--especially if you have a sweet tooth like I do. Amelie's is located right between NoDa and downtown. It's a French bakery done right. They have eclairs, mini tarts, petit fours, chocolates, and just about every other sweet imaginable. Their bestseller is a salted caramel brownie--which happens to be my favorite. If you actually want a meal, Amelie's has great daily soups and a variety of delicious sandwiches. I'd recommend chicken salad on a croissant for lunch.
Some of the Desserts

Quirky, Artsy Decor

If you're stuck on campus, there are still plenty of good food options--my favorites are Chick-Fil-A, Sushi with Gusto (both in the Cone Center), and Starbucks (in the Student Union). Crown Commons usually has something good to offer, too. We also have occasional "family dinners" in our friends' apartment. Even though their cooking utensils are scarce, it's fun to cook a real meal and sit down together to eat.
Making Biscuits

Voila!

Basically, if you're in Charlotte, you're never far from good food!