Well, it looks like hell has officially frozen over and pigs are now flying, because Oasis have re-united after a well-publicized, tumultuous 15-year separation. To be completely honest with you, I’m absolutely shocked this is happening. I honestly thought that *IF* Oasis would ever re-unite, I’d be in my 50’s and Liam and Noel would be in their 60s/70s, respectively. To be facing the reality of actually attending an Oasis show within the next year or so is truly a dream come true. In terms of “dream concerts” or “bucket list shows”, this was by far #1 for both, and if I never see another concert again after Oasis (but who am I kidding right? lol) I would be ok with Oasis being the last show I ever see, and that’s no hyperbole.
So you’re probably thinking why is Oasis so important to me? First, Oasis aren’t just important to me, they’re one of the most important bands in modern music history. I mean, how many bands could disappear for 15 years and then completely take over the internet/world at just the hint of reuniting. I won’t bore you with the argument of why Oasis is the most important band of the 90s and one of the greatest bands of all-time, I would just highly suggest that if you’re not familiar with the band’s full story (or only know a few of their songs) to hop on HBO Max & watch the documentary Oasis: Supersonic to get a little more backstory on the the Gallagher brothers/the band itself.
But back to me; Oasis was the first band that really felt like they were mine (& no one else’s) and they’ve been with me every day since the Summer of 1996…..
One of my older brother’s was sick a lot as a child and required seeing specialists in the New England region. These trips were obviously not too exciting, but my parents tried their best to make them as fun as possible. I can still remember my parents giving me a few bucks to buy a CD at a local music store up in Providence, Rhode Island in 1996 and walking out of that store with Oasis’s second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory. I knew absolutely nothing about the band and I hadn’t yet heard any of the songs. I also didn’t know at that time that they had already released one of the best debut albums of all-time (Definitely Maybe) two years prior. All I knew was that the CD was in the staff picks section and the cover caught my eye, so I bought in on a whim and it changed my life.
Up until this point, most of the music I listened to didn’t feel like mine, but Morning Glory changed that. My parents both had incredibly diverse taste in music, so I heard a lot of great music from both of them. Also, both of my older brothers introduced me to some really amazing music too (even if I was too young for some of it, like when Teddy Ruxpin started to rap explicit NWA lyrics at me. Thanks, Morgan!). I can also remember as a 9 year-old discussing with friends in elementary school the artwork of Green Day’s Dookie like it was some classical painting hanging in the Louvre. However, I didn’t know anyone who was openly listening to/a fan of Oasis at the time I bought Morning Glory, so they were my first true music discovery and I feel in love with the album and the band. But like any obsessive music fan, I also now needed more!
So, a few weeks after purchasing Morning Glory (my favorite song from the album has always been Champagne Supernova, by the way), which I would eventually play so much on my Walkman that I had to replace the CD twice (thank you to The Wall’s lifetime guarantee program), I decided that I was going to walk 2 miles, the furthest I had ever walked at that time, to Toones (a legendary Allentown CD store) to see if they had anymore of this Oasis. I walked into the store with my little Velcro wallet filled with leftover birthday and Christmas money, and asked if they had ever heard of this band Oasis and if they had any more of their music. Of course they had , and that’s when I discovered their debut album Definitely Maybe. And yes Definitely Maybe is one of the greatest albums of all-time (debut or otherwise), but to me, it will never be as important as Morning Glory.
So ever since 1996, I’ve been hooked on any and everything Oasis and they’re second only to Prince on my personal music Mount Rushmore. Like Prince, Oasis has been the other constant through all the good, the bad, and the ugly. I have every CD that they’ve ever put out (this includes Beady Eye, and Liam & Noel’s solo projects). However, unlike Prince, I was never able to experience the Gallagher brothers live on stage together. I’ve been able to see Noel and Liam separately, but not together. One way, or another, that will change in 2025. I know that there are also some people that are upset that it doesn’t look like it’s a “full original band” reunion, but rather just Liam and Noel. And while I respect their opinion, this is still an incredible day. (Also, I’ve seen Bonehead perform with Liam, and Guigsy and Tony McCarroll haven’t play music live for many years – so I’m good with it being the brothers)
Quite honestly, this is my Super Bowl of music, and if previous concerts are any indication (I’ll post the full Knebworth 96 concert below for reference), it’s going to be one of the most memorable events of my life. It’s also an incredible story of two brothers, who have put each other through hell physically and emotionally, that have come together again to share their magic with the world. If you have an opportunity to see them, do it, you won’t regret it!
“The Guns have fallen silent.
The stars have aligned.
The great wait is over.
Come see it.
It will not be televised” – Oasis, August 27, 2024
Wow, I really can’t believe it’s been nearly two years since I last blogged, and A LOT has happened since February of 2022 both personally and professionally. Currently, I’m recovering from another back surgery so I thought now would be a good time to start writing again while recovering and waiting for my next professional adventure. And since it’s the holidays, why not a top 10 Christmas song list? So if you’re tired of the same songs that seemingly get played everywhere each year, give the list below a listen!
“Here It Is Christmastime” by Kevin Bacon & the Old 97’s – In November 2022, Disney+ released a 42-minute Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special which was so much more fun than I expected it to be. The special has become a new yearly tradition for me, & the soundtrack is incredible (which is to be expected from Guardians). Rhett Miller & the Old 97’s are featured in the movie as a band called Bzermikitokolok and the Knowheremen, & their re-recording of their song “Here It Is Christmastime” alongside Kevin Bacon (who stars as himself in the movie) is incredible & has quickly become one of my favorite Christmas songs.
2. “Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End” by The Darkness – Released 20 years ago in 2003, this song is exactly what you’d expect from The Darkness: Justin Hawkins’s amazing falsetto, some great guitar playing, & some hilarious double entendres. This fall, I was able to see The Darkness live on the 20th-anniversary tour of their debut album Permission to Land, & they’re still as incredible as ever & don’t nearly get the love they deserve as a band.
3. “Fruitcake” by Fred Schneider & the Superions – This song isn’t your average Christmas song, but you should expect nothing less from the B-52’s Fred Schneider. It’s weird, it’s fun, it’s got an incredible bassline, and it’s just one of those songs that grows on you. When I first heard it, I honestly wasn’t sure if I liked it or not, but then I caught myself randomly saying “It’s fruitcake!”
4. “Come on! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!” by Sufjan Stevens – Indie musician Sufjan Stevens has released a lot of traditional Christmas music, but my favorite is one of his originals. It’s a joyous tune that continues to build as the song goes on. It’s also quirky with a timeless feel, and if you enjoy it, I would suggest checking out Sufjan’s vast Christmas discography.
5. “Carol of the Bells” by the bird and the bee – Yes you’ve heard Carol of the Bells before, but I’m certain that you’ve never heard it arranged/produced like this. Out of all the versions of this song that I’ve heard i my lifetime, indie pop duo the bird and the bee’s version is my absolute favorite & I think it’ll be one of yours too.
6. “Bringin’ Back Christmas” – Ryan Reynolds – I could almost include every song from Apple TV’s 2022 musical Spirited starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, but as a public relations guy, this is my favorite Christmas tune from the movie (sidenote: I think Good Afternoon is the best overall song from the film, but it’s not really a Christmas song per se). The movie/soundtrack suffers in popularity a bit due to the film being on a streaming platform that not many people subscribe to.
7. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Hannah Waddingham featuring Phil Dunster & the Fabolous Lounge Singers – Another Apple TV song? Yup, sorry! If you’re a fan of either Ted Lasso or Game of Thrones, I’m sure by now you know that Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca/Septa Unella) is an incredible singer, but did you know that Phil Dunster (Jamie Tartt in Ted Lasso) can sing as well? This holiday special should be much bigger news, & there’s a lot of good stuff on Apple TV.
8. “Love This Christmas” by Rick Astley – No trolling here, Rick Astley released a true Christmas bop back in 2020 and I’m really surprised that I don’t hear this song more often than I do. It’s a great new holiday classic that should be added to playlists across the globe, and Rick’s timeless voice is as strong as it’s ever been!
9. “How Christmas Is Supposed To Be” by Gary Barlow featuring Sheridan Smith – You may know Gary as the lead singer of legendary British pop group Take That, but his first solo Christmas album released in 2021 featured this original song that also deserves to be an instant classic. Barlow & Smith’s voices go so well together in this refreshing holiday pop song.
10. “Christmas Dance” by Darren Criss – You likely know Darren from either Glee or American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace and in 2021 he released his first Christmas album featuring this catchy new holiday tune. From TV to Broadway, Darren is a very talented entertainer and this song should also be included on your annual playlist going forward.
Honorable Mention: “Fairytale of New York” by the Pogues – Shane MacGowan’s recent passing is what got me thinking about this list. I’ve always been a huge fan of the band and this song, but I felt that it never truly got the wide mainstream love that it deserved. It’s listed here in honorable mention because I think with Shane’s passing it’ll get a staying boost in popularity (in addition to it being covered by Jason and Travis Kelce in this year’s Philly Special Christmas album)
It’s been quite a while since I’ve blogged, nearly 11 months to be exact, but it’s something that I want to get back in the habit of doing since it hits a creative itch that needs to be scratched from time to time. So, I figured that now would be a good time to get back into it, especially since I’ve got some personal news to share.
On Monday morning Feb 28th I’m having surgery on my spine. I’m scared and anxious, but I desperately need this surgery to hopefully return to a pain-free life. I’ve never had surgery before, but I’ve completely run out of options and it’s now necessary to try to get back to the old me, both physically and mentally.
So, what happened? Well, I’m not quite sure exactly. I know what my diagnosis is (Herniated disc in the L4/L5 region causing spinal stenosis) but I really have no idea what caused it. What I do know is that I really began experiencing moderate pain that would eventually turn severe in my back/left leg sometime in May 2021. I just “dealt with it” until July of 2021 when upon walking to work on the Atlantic City boardwalk one morning I realized that my left foot was numb. This is when I finally decided, way too late I must add, I must seek medical attention for whatever was going on.
First, they made me try oral steroids and then physical therapy, which resulted in me ending up in urgent care unable to put any weight on either of my legs. At urgent care, I was given an X-ray, which would enable me to get an MRI quicker from my family doctor. After my MRI (the photo above), I could understand the results enough to know it wasn’t good. Friends and family I know who are doctors basically told me that it was just a matter of “when” not “if” I would eventually need surgery, but I still held out some hope that this wouldn’t be the case.
After following up with an orthopedic doctor, I was told that doing physical therapy alone wouldn’t solve my issue and that my next steps are to meet with a doctor who could give me a steroid epidural injection and a spine surgeon to get the ball rolling in case the injection didn’t work. I made an appointment for a steroid injection, and still held out hope that it would, at the very least, buy me more time (and give me some relief).
The injection was an interesting experience. They injected my spine in two different parts and while five minutes of the procedure was a breeze, there was one minute of pure hell. When they got close to my spine for the final part, it felt like someone was stabbing me with a burning hot iron from my brain all the way down to my left foot. It was absolutely excruciating and I told myself that if this injection didn’t give me relief for a good period of time, that one minute of hell was absolutely not worth going through again.
When I got home from my injection, I felt no pain for the first time since July, which had me on cloud nine. On day two, I slept 14 hours which felt great because up until this point, I’ve only been sleeping an hour or so at a time for the past 6 months due to pain. But then on day three, I started to feel the hitch in my step return, and then a few days later my pain was completely back to normal, if not worse. So then I knew it was time to make the call to get on the schedule for surgery.
Anyone who knows me knows that I’ve got a touch of hypochondria in me. So when you add that to the fact that my mom passed away from complications due to surgery, it makes me extremely nervous for Monday. However, I know just how much I, and everyone around me, need this surgery to happen.
I truly haven’t been myself the last many months, but chronic pain will do that to you. Imagine every single step that you take for 6 months feeling like someone is literally cutting the muscle off your leg. Now also imagine that by the end of a normal workday, you’re completely hunched over barely able to get into your car and make it home. Then when you finally make it home, you’re in so much pain that you can’t sleep through the night and spend many nights sleeping on the hardwood floor just to get any sort of relief.
It has been a trying time for me, but I absolutely would have never gotten this far if it wasn’t for the love and support of everyone around me. My wife deserves all the credit in the world for supporting me when I’m not even close to being my best self. It’s definitely not easy having chronic pain, but it’s just as hard living with someone with chronic pain, so I can not truly express just how much I appreciate all the love and support she’s given me when I needed it the most. My friends and family have also been great through all this as well, but I would be remiss if I didn’t give a special shout-out to my coworkers at Hard Rock Atlantic City for their support as well. From helping to pick up boxes, getting me Starbucks so I don’t have to walk there myself, covering events that require too much walking, or just being there to talk to, I’m truly blessed to be surrounded by so many caring, supportive individuals in the workplace.
I also apologize to anyone who I may have hurt or offended over the past few months because of being distant or just not being my best self. One example that sticks out to me is that every year in October I have so many wonderful people reach out and wish me Happy Birthday (be it on Facebook, text, phone calls, etc) and every year I make it a point to thank each person individually and check-in and see how they’re doing as well. This year, I just didn’t have the strength to do that, so I’m sorry!
While I’m still very anxious about surgery, I am excited to have finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel. After a few weeks of rest and physical therapy, I look forward to slowly getting back to my old self. Thanks for listening and I’ll see you on the other side!
Almost exactly one year ago, I found out the job that I had accepted a mere four months earlier was being dissolved due to COVID-19 related budget cuts. It was a total gut-punch because I didn’t see it coming especially since it was a newly created role that was supposed to be important for the future of the company. The thing that I’ve now come to realize is that COVID or not, it clearly wasn’t the job/company for me, but that realization still hasn’t made this last year of unemployment any easier. And in regards to this past year, to quote the Grateful Dead, “What a long, strange trip it’s been!”.
Dealing with the loss of your job is one thing, but losing it during a pandemic is a totally different monster. I had absolutely no idea what to expect in terms of just how long I’d be out of work. For the first 4-5 months, there was really just so much uncertainty that very few public relations/communications jobs were actually being posted. It was during this time that I made a promise to myself when it came to my next job, and that promise was to not settle for something that I wouldn’t absolutely love, both professionally and personally. I knew that while this was an unexpected period of unemployment, it was also an unexpected chance to get back to loving what I do and who I work for.
When I first really started applying to jobs, I was using my long-form curriculum vitae (CV) and I quickly realized that it was something I needed to change. As a writer, I still love my long-form CV, but I knew that most hiring managers during COVID weren’t going to spend the time reading anyone’s four-page CV. So I turned my CV into a two-page PDF resume (purple of course!) and that’s when the floodgates really started to open in terms of phone calls and interviews.
During this time, I spoke with a lot of great people at a lot of different interesting companies, but there was always just something missing with each job. There were some great opportunities presented to me, but none of them was the perfect fit that I was searching for. For me, they just weren’t the kind of jobs that would spark a deeper sense of professional and personal satisfaction. They also didn’t feel like the place where I could finally plant my roots and grow, which was also really important to me. But then I got a phone call that would change everything.
Now while I was unemployed, I did get to take two incredible road trips (which I’ve written about in previous posts) that I would have never been able to do while I was working at my previous job. Those two trips, along with the support of my incredible wife, truly kept me going through this period of time. The second of those trips was to Prince’s Paisley Park, which was one of the most incredible experiences that I’ve ever had. I didn’t need a trip to Paisley Park to reassure me that music is a huge, meaningful part of my life, but it also didn’t hurt. I think subconsciously that I knew that live music (and fun events) once again had to play some part in my next professional journey…..So now back to that phone call.
I literally knew from my first phone call with the team at Hard Rock Atlantic City that it was exactly where I wanted and needed to be. When the position was offered to me, I was so happy that I was essentially speechless on the phone (which if you’ve ever met me in person, you’ll know is rarer than winning the lottery). So I’m beyond excited to announce that starting this May, I will officially be Hard Rock Atlantic City’s new Public Relations Manager!
I’ve been a fan of the Hard Rock brand and Hard Rock AC for years, so it’s truly incredible that I’m now the newest member of the band. I can’t wait to hit the ground running and play a role in all the incredible events that Hard Rock Atlantic City has to offer. I hope that you’ll all make a trip to Atlantic City and check them out soon as well!
Now that I’m no longer looking for work, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has helped me this past year. There are way too many people to name here, but I just want you all to know that every LinkedIn/Facebook/Text message or phone call was greatly appreciated. I was given some incredible professional advice and support over the past year, and I do hope that I’m able to pay that forward in the future. And for all of you who were affected by COVID and are still out of work, just know that your time is coming soon as well. I know at times that it is impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but trust me when I say that better days are ahead. I’ve been there, and I’m living proof of that, so just keep the faith.
Hard Rock Atlantic City also has some pretty incredible Prince memorabilia, so I obviously had to include some photos of it at the end of thisarticle. The photos in order are: Prince’s Lovesexy outfit from the 1988 Grammys, a red lace bib insert he wore during the Purple Rain tour, and one of his iconic custom cloud guitars. I’m also pretty excited that I get to walk by them every day at work!
Legendary rapper (and actor) Earl Simmons, better known as DMX, passed away Friday April 9th, 2021. He was a legend of his craft and at one point my favorite rapper, so I felt compeled to write a few words about him.
Thanks to two older brothers, I listened to hip-hop music at a very young age. While I listened to a lot of my brothers’ music, it was DMX who felt like MY first real hip-hop superstar. His debut album, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot came out right before the summer of 1998 and it quickly became 12-year-old Justin’s album of the summer. I played that album on my Discman almost my entire trip to Cape May that summer, so of course when I was on the Wildwood boardwalk and saw a shirt that simply read “DMX – It’s Dark & Hell is Hot” I just had to buy it. Little did I know that a few months later this shirt would have me sent home from school because of its explicit lyrics. I went to a very diverse public school in Allentown, PA and I found it absurd then and even more so now as an adult.
In March of 2000, DMX and his Ruff Ryders Entertainment labelmates’ tour with Cash Money Records (Juvenile, Lil Wayne, BG, Big Tymers) came to Philadelphia and I begged my mom to take me. None of my friends’ parents would let them go to such a “dangerous” concert, so as a 14-year old I went to this show alone while my mom and her boyfriend hung out in the city. It was an incredible experience, and 21 years later I still have the Ruff Ryders beanie that I bought at the show. I was so into DMX during this time that I bought his first 6 albums on the day that they came out and would wind up buying other artists like DJ Clue and Dragon’s albums just becuase DMX was on a song or two.
However, as I got older, I started to enjoy other hip-hop acts much more than DMX. I think that part of my maturity process meant that songs with super violent, aggressive, and even homophobic lyrics honestly just didn’t interest me as much anymore. DMX was an imperfect human and it really showed on his albums. You could have a song like “Where the hood at?” which features extremely homophobic lyrics like “How you gonna explain f*cking a man? Even if we squashed the beef I ain’t touching your hand.” followed by a heartfelt prayer to god a few songs later. Also, while DMX has taken a lot of heat in the past for his homophobic lyrics, he also has tons of lyrics that could be considered very homoerotic including a line a few verses later in “Where the hood at?” where he talks about one man holding his private parts while another man performs oral sex. DMX was a talented yet extremely complicated artist.
DMX’s lyrics across his career are full of contractions and imperfections. He was a self-proclaimed religious child of god who committed a bible’s worth of sins. He was a loving, fun human being filled with incredible anger stemming from terrible childhood trauma. He knew that addiction was a terrible thing but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t escape those demons which ultimately cost him his life. When it comes to celebrities, DMX was truly as “real” as they come and that’s what made him so popular. He was an honest man with just as many faults as you and I, and he wore his emotions on his sleeve. For a period of time, he was the top dog in hip-hop and he brought a level of intensity to the genre not seen before. Even though I still don’t listen to his music as much as I used to, when a song of his pops up on a playlist or in my car, I’m still taken back to a very specific period of time and filled with nostalgia. Rest in peace DMX
The 2021 Major League Baseball is finally upon us! After a COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, we’re back to a full 182 games this year. This could be one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory, so get ready for it by reading my preview & predictions!
(Predicted order of finish)
New York Yankees – If healthy (which hasn’t been easy for the Yanks in recent years) the Yankees should win the division with relative ease. They have the best lineup in the AL on paper with the likes of Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and DJ LeMahieu. New York should put the bomb back in Bronx Bombers by leading the league in home runs. Gerrit Cole is an ace and the rotation has been bolstered by the additions of Corey Kubler & James Taillon. The rotation will only get stronger once Luis Servino returns from Tommy John surgery sometime in July/August. Starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery returned last season after missing most of the previous 2 seasons due to a Tommy John injury. If he can stay healthy, he’s in for a big breakout season. The Yankees should really finish the season with the best record in the AL as long as they aren’t struck with the injury bug once again.
Toronto Blue Jays (wild card) – The Blue Jays struck gold in free agency adding George Springer and Marcus Semien to a potent lineup featuring young stars like Vlad Guerrero Jr & Bo Bichette. I think that Vlad Jr takes a big leap this season and leads Toronto’s offense back into the playoffs. Steven Matz helps form a solid rotation with Hyun Jin Ryu & Robbie Ray, and I expect a big breakout season on the mound by Nate Pearson. The Jays took a bit of a hit this spring when newly signed closer Kirby Yates was lost to Tommy John Surgery, but Jordan Romano has the goods to be a fine, if not better, replacement. The Blue Jays are a young team on the rise and will push the Yankees at the beginning of the season before fading at the end. But the future is bright in Toronto and they should be in the playoffs this year.
Tampa Rays – The defending AL East Champs always just seem to contend each year, but I’m predicting some regression as a whole this season. Offfensively, the Rays need Randy Arozarena to replicate his amazing October throughout his first full regular season. This is a lineup that will get better as the season goes on, especially when young stars like Wander Franco start to make their way up from the minors. I’m still in shock that the Rays traded away Blake Snell, but Tyler Glasnow is a future Cy Young winner in his own right, so there’s still talent left in the rotation. The Rays have put a lot of faith in veteran pitchers Michael Wacha, Chris Archer, and Rich Hill, but Tampa will take a step back this season due to their pitching issues. Tampa won’t be a total walkover and will be back to contending in the AL East again soon, but just not this season.
Boston Red Sox – Boston looks like a team that is just stuck in the mud. They haven’t completely torn things down for a rebuild, but they also didn’t add any real pieces to contend either. The Red Sox desperately need JD Martinez to lead this offense as he did in 2019, but I think that the best is behind him. Ace Chris Sale is recovering from Tommy John surgery and should pitch at some point this season. This is a rotation that desperately needs him as well. Boston should be sellers when the trade deadline hits, and maybe then a proper and necessary rebuild can finally begin.
Baltimore Orioles – The bad news? Baltimore is a long way from even being an average baseball team. The good news is that they have one of the game’s best stories in Trey Mancini. Mancini missed the 2020 season due to colon cancer, and I believe that he will be the Orioles best player and an all-star, capping off a truly inspirational season. Catcher Adley Rutschman remains one of the most exciting prospects in baseball & should be called up by the end of the year. Baltimore will be one of the worst teams in baseball, but Camden Yards is still a truly beautiful place to see a ball game, so there’s that!
Chicago White Sox – The White Sox were my pick to win the AL before one of their young stars, Eloy Jiminez, went down with an injury that will see him miss 5-6 months. While their margin of error is smaller now, they should still win a close AL Central race. The offense is full of pop and swagger and features reigning AL MVP Jose Abreu and 2019 batting champion Tim Anderson. Luis Robert also has all the tools to be one of the best players in the game real soon. Their rotation is stronger with the addition of the underrated Lance Lynn and they also added elite closer, Liam Hendriks, to an already strong bullpen. Watch out for young flamethrowers Garrett Crochet and Michael Kopech, both throw over 100 MPH and will start out in the bullpen. They should become really fun to watch starters at some point in their careers, possibly this season. Manager Tony La Russa is the real wild card here. La Russa, who coached the Sox 35 years ago, has 3 World Series rings but I wonder if the game gas passed him by and if he will be able to coach up this new generation of players.
Minnesota Twins (Wild card) – The Twins still have one of the best offenses in baseball, even if they didn’t do much this offseason. Miguel Sano, Nelson Cruz, and Josh Donaldson are a strong offensive trio, but Cruz will turn 41 during the season, so I do wonder just how much he has left in the tank. Big-time prospect Alex Kiriloff will start the season off in the minors but should join Byron Buxton to form an impressive 1-2 punch in the outfield at some point this season. Kent Maeda leads a solid Twins rotation and he finished second in the AL Cy Young voting last season. The Twins have a lot of risks when it comes to injuries and age, but they should push the White Sox all season long. Ultimately, Minnesota will settle for one of the AL wild-card spots, but they could do better (or worse) depending on health & production.
Cleveland Indians – Offensively, the Indians took a big hit when they traded Francisco Lindor to the Mets. The Indians weren’t an offensive powerhouse last season, and this season their offense could wind up being downright anemic especially when compared to their pitching. Jose Ramirez looking like an MVP hitter in 2020, but I’m not sure that he can do it for an entire season. Cleveland’s strength is still its pitching led by reigning AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber. Biebs is joined in the strong rotation by Zach Plesac, Aaron Civale, and Triston McKenzie. McKenzie, only 23 years old, still has some learning to do but he looks like a future star in the MLB. The Indians pitching will only carry them so far and a lack of offense will be their undoing in 2021.
Kansas City Royals – The Royals won’t be a pushover this year and it all begins with Adalberto Mondesi who has all the potential to put up MVP numbers. KC also added former Red Sox rising star Andrew Benintendi who will benefit from a change of scenery. Bobby Witt Jr is an exciting young prospect who will the lineup this summer as well. The Royals rotation has some surprising depth with Mike Minor, Brad Keller, Danny Duffy, and Brady Singer. This is an underrated group that could wind up being sneaky good. Kansas City is picked as a surprise team by many this year, but I think they’re still a good 2-3 years away from truly contending for a playoff spot.
Detroit Tigers – The most interesting thing about the Tigers this year will be watching 37-year-old Miguel Cabrera chase history. It’s possible that Miggy, an 11-time all-star and world series champion, could reach 500 home runs and 3,000 hits this season. He is 134 hits away and 13 home runs away from these historic numbers that will solidify him as a first-ballot hall of famer. Spencer Torkelson is the #3 prospect in baseball, but he had an awful spring training and clearly isn’t ready for the big time yet. Some people believe that Detroit has a future solid rotation led by Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal, but this team has a long way to go back to respectability.
Los Angeles Angels – The Angels could be a very exciting team this season. This spring I’ve seen Shohei Ohtani throw 100 MPH and also hit a nearly 500 ft home run. We haven’t seen a two-way player like this since Babe Ruth, and I believe this is the first full season he puts it all together on both sides of the field. Mike Trout is the best player of his generation and this is the best offensive team that he’s been on so far in Los Angeles, which also includes MVP-level talent Anthony Rendon. It’s easy to overlook Trout because of the lack of postseason success that he’s experienced in LA, but we all should appreciate more just how great of a player he is and we’re lucky to be able tow watch him play. Dylan Bundy has seen his career resurrected in LA and I think this is the year we finally see just how good of a pitcher Ohtani can be. The rest of the rotation is average at best, but that’s ok. The Angels will win the division with an average rotation because of all-star performances from Ohtani and Bundy combined with a scary fun offense.
Oakland Athletics– Never count out the Oakland Athletics, and this year is no different. Every spring training there are concerns about players that they’ve lost and all Oakland does is continuously respond by sticking around the playoff picture. Offensively Sean Murphy is a future star at catcher and Matt Olson and Matt Chapman should be in for big bounce-back years as well. The A’s will once again have an underrated rotation led by Frankie Montas and Jesus Luzardo. I’m a big believer in AJ Puk, the A’s top pitching prospect, and I think that by the end of the season he’ll leave the bullpen and finally flash his true potential as a starter. Oakland will be in the division and wild card hunt, and as always, bet against Oakland at your own risk.
Houston Astros– The Astros offense is banking on bounce-back seasons from Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa along with a return to health and production from Yordan Alvarez. They will need all three to step up especially since George Springer is now in Toronto and I’m just not sure they’ll get it. Houston’s rotation of Jose Urquidy, Framber Valdez, Lance McCullers Jr, Zack Grienke, Cristian Javier is the team’s strength. Justin Verlander, a free agent after this year, is 37 years old and recovering from Tommy John surgery, so there is a real chance that we will not see him pitch for the Astros again. The Astros are still a good team, and it would be no surprise if they win the division or a wild card spot, but I think that this is the year that they take a step back.
Seattle Mariners– Mariners President/Ceo Kevin Mather resigned in late February after he made inappropriate comments at a Rotary Club meeting. That’s likely the biggest news that Mariners fans will see this season. Kyle Lewis won the AL Rookie of the Year last season, but he’s already dealing with an injury issue. Top prospect outfielder Jarred Kelenic will reach the majors at some point, and while he’s really exciting, there’s really not much else to like in this lineup. Justin Dunn and Justus Sheffield will form a solid 1-2 pitching punch for the Mariners in the future, but not quite yet. Starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi came over from Japan in 2019 and if he finally puts it all together, 2021 could be his breakout campaign. Seattle is another team that is a few seasons away, at best, from contending.
Texas Rangers– The Rangers are in full rebuild mode and it could be ugly for a long while down in Arlington. While Joey Gallo isn’t a consistent hitter, he can sure kill a ball when he gets the chance. He could lead the league in home runs, but he could also lead the league in strike outs. He’s still fun to watch when he gets hot and he’s actually turned himself into a better player defensively as well. The Rangers got Dane Dunning, a nice young starting pitcher with tons of potential from the White Sox in exchange for Lance Lynn. Texas however has a long way to go and will spend a few seasons in the AL West basement.
Atlanta Braves – Last year the Braves came really close to beating the Dodgers and they could wind up being even better this year. The offense is loaded with reigning NL MVP Freddie Freeman, future NL MVP Ronald Acuna, and all-star Marcell Ozuna. This year, I believe that Acuna will join an elite group of Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, A-Rod, & Alfonso Soriano and become the 5th player in MLB history to join the 40/40 club (home runs/stolen bases). Atlanta’s rotation of Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Ian Anderson, and Drew Smyly is really solid and will only become stronger when Mike Soroka returns from injury. This rotation has the possibility to be good enough to lead the Braves all the way through the playoffs. The Braves will be pushed by an improved Mets squad but they will ultimately win the close NL East, the toughest division in baseball. The Braves are also really one of only three teams (Los Angeles, San Diego) who have the possibility of making the World Series from the National League this year, sorry fans of other teams.
New York Mets (wild card) – New Mets owner Steve Cohen made a splash this offseason and quickly improved an already talented Mets squad. New York traded for former Indians star SS Francisco Lindor and added him to a lineup featuring Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, and Michael Conforto. The Mets have now the most offensive pop that they’ve had in many seasons. Jacob deGrom remains arguably the best pitcher in baseball until further notice, but he’s going to need some help and health behind him in the rotation. Carlos Carrasco came over from Cleveland with Lindor, but he’ll be out to start the season with a hamstring tear. Noah Syndergaard is also recovering from injury and he should return in May/June. Marcus Stroman and Taijuan Walker should be able to help deGrom steady the ship until the rotation is completely healthy. The Mets will be in the playoffs this season, I just think it’ll be the wild card spot but I also wouldn’t be surprised if they sneak out a close division title as well.
Washington Nationals – The Nationals simply have too much talent to not compete, even in a tough division. Outfielder Juan Soto is a truly exciting player and a future MVP in the NL, maybe even this year. I think the offseasons additions of Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber make an already solid lineup featuring Starlin Castro, Trea Turner, and Victor Robles even scarier. The Nationals easily have the strongest veteran rotation in baseball with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, Joe Ross, & Jon Lester. Closer Brand Hand was brought in on a 1-year deal to help solidify the bullpen. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Nationals are in the hunt for a playoff spot at the end of the season, there’s just too much talent here to disregard as long as they stay healthy.
Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies were able to bring back all-star catcher JT Realmuto this off-season and that move was more important than all of their free-agent moves combined. Bryce Harper’s contract however will continue to look worse each season as he once again proves that he’s not the transcendent player that Philadelphia is paying him to be. 3B Alec Bohm can hit for a solid average and decent power, so he could be in for a breakout hitting season. He’s a liability on the field however and this is a very leaky defense overall as well. Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler are a solid 1-2 punch, but there are a lot of big question marks in the rotation behind them. The Phillies bullpen won’t be historically bad like they were last season, but they’re still a big weakness that will drag down the rest of the team. Look for the longest playoff drought in the national league to continue this year in Philadelphia.
Miami Marlins – The Marlins surprised everyone last year by sneaking into an expanded playoff, but this year they won’t be so lucky. Offensively, the Marlins won’t be scoring a lot of runs again this season which is why they won’t be able to cotend over 162 games. 3B Brian Anderson and OF Starling Marte are solid, but the rest of the lineup is fairly unimpressive. Highly regarded 2B prospect Jazz Chisholm will surprisingly start the season in the majors and the Marlins are hoping that he’s a future star. Sixto Sanchez is one of those pitchers that is worth watching every start. Sanchez, Pablo Lopez, and Sandy Alcantara are on a trajectory to be one of the best 1-2-3 rotations in baseball in the near future. If the Marlins keep all of their strong young pieces around, they’ll at least be in the playoffs again in a season or two, just not this year.
St. Louis Cardinals – St. Louis made a huge splash this offseason by trading for Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado, one of the best players offensively and defensively in all of baseball. 1B Paul Goldschmidt is still a solid veteran middle of the lineup presence and the Cardinals have a young outfield full of potential. The defense in St. Louis will once again be a strength, especially with the addition of Arenado and the return of catcher Yadier Molina. The Cardinals rotation is led by Jack Flaherty and they have tons of depth in their pitching rotation, which they will need with starters Kwang-Hyun Kim and Miles Mikolas starting out the season injured. Adam Wainwright is around still defying father time, but St. Louis will really need Carlos Martinez to step it up this year. St. Louis will be vastly improved offensively from last season, but their pitching and defense are still their bread & butter. The Central is up for grabs this season and while any of these top three teams could win it, I think the Cardinals have the edge right now solely based on the addition of Arenado.
Milwaukee Brewers – Can Christian Yelich return to MVP form for the Brew crew? If so, Milwaukee could be a sleeper team in the National League. I expect a big breakout season from 2B Keston Hiura who has all the tools to be one of the best at his position. Another X-factor for Milwaukee is Lorenzo Cain who played five games before opting out of the rest of the 2020 season due to the COVID pandemic. The Brewers are another team in this division with a great defense. Don’t you dare sleep on Milwaukee’s vastly underrated 1-2 pitching punch of Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes, both of whom have the potential to win 20 games. Relief pitchers Josh Hader and Devin Williams are two of the best in the game, and when you’ve got a great bullpen and two solid starting pitchers, anything is possible. It wouldn’t surprise me if Milwaukee wins this division as this is a division that really could come down to the last day of the regular season.
Chicago Cubs – Are the Cubs pretenders or contenders? On one hand, you’ve got a solid lineup that features Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Wilson Contreras. All four of those players have all-star potential if they produce like they’re capable of and they have the ability to make most teams a contender. On the other hand, after losing Yu Darvish and Jon Lester, there’s a lot of questions with this starting rotation. Kyle Hendricks has been quietly consistent and rookie Adbert Alzolay has tons of potential, but this is a rotation that isn’t built to strike a lot of people out. It’s a rotation with a lot of question marks that’s built to pitch to contact, which is why it will ultimately be Chicago’s downfall. Chicago’s pitching will hold them back and we will see Chicago sell off a few of their stars during the season in preparation for a new rebuild of sorts.
Cincinnati Reds – The Reds went for it last season, and it paid off with nothing but a quick exit from the expanded playoffs. To make matters worse, Cincinnati lost 2020’s Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer to the Dodgers in free agency. So what’s left? Last year Cincinnati’s offense was vastly disappointed but you’d have to think that an offense that features Mike Moustakas, Nick Castellanos, Nick Senzel, Eugenio Suarez, and Joey Votto has to bounce back this year right? I’m not so sure. The Reds rotation still has two strong pitchers in Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray, but I believe one or both will be traded during the season. I think that this is a Reds team trending in the wrong direction which means a huge step backward this year and selling off some of their parts.
Pittsburgh Pirates – The good news for the rest of the division is that they all get to play the Pirates. Pittsburgh is a terribly run organization that was really bad last year and will be even worse this season after trading Josh Bell and Joe Musgrove. 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes is a future star and the frontrunner in my opinion for Rookie of the Year in the NL. Enjoy him while you can Pirates fans because knowing your organization you’ll ship him off too in a few seasons. Rotation “ace” Mitch Kellar has Tyler Glasnow 2.0 written all over him in that he’s likely going to disappoint in Pittsburgh but become a good pitcher somewhere else. The Pirates will fight it out with the Orioles, Tigers, and Rockies for the title of worst team in baseball, and I think Pittsburgh will take the crown this year.
Los Angeles Dodgers – Last year’s champions got even better this year, and that should scare fans of other teams across baseball. Their lineup which features Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Max Muncy, and Will Smith is completely stacked. Betts, Seager, and Bellinger could all win NL MVP this year, but I think they will take votes away from each other (the only real negative I can say about this team). This is as complete of a lineup as there is in baseball right now, and they’ve also got depth to deal with any injury issues that may pop up. Los Angles has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to pitching, and that was before adding Trevor Bauer. Clayton Kershaw, Bauer, Walker Buehler, Julio Urias, and Dustin May are such a great rotation that guys like David Price and Tony Gonsolin who would start for most other MLB teams, come out of the bullpen. The Padres have gotten better in a hurry, but I don’t think anyone pushes Los Angeles this year, and the Dodgers cruise through the season while also chasing history when it comes to most regular-season wins in National League history.
San Diego Padres (wild card) – On paper, the Padres clearly won the offseason and they could very well be the 2nd best team in the NL or possibly all of baseball. SS Fernando Tatis Jr is the real deal and one of the new exciting faces of the game. 3B Manny Machado is a future hall of famer and provides one of the best hitting combos in basbeball. Catcher Austin Nola and outfielder Trent Grisham will both start the season injured, but I expect both to have their first full breakout seasons this year. The Padres have depth across the board to deal with injuries that may pop up during the season. The rotation is absolutely loaded now with newcomers Yu Darvish and Blake Snell joining Dinelson Lamet, Joe Musgrove, and Chris Paddack. Alot of their big name pitchers have been plagued in the past by injuries and/or inconsistent performances, but there’s as much potential here as any team in MLB. The Padres really have gotten better quickly, but at least this year they’re still second best. It’s only a matter of time however before the Padres win the franchises’s first World Series title.
Arizona Diamondbacks – Arizona’s biggest concern is on offense where they need to have some bounceback/break out performances if they’re going to compete for a wild card spot. OF Ketel Marte had a down 2020 after an impressive 2019, but I think he’s in for a big bounceback this year. One breakout star to look out for is 3B Josh Rojas who has had tons of buzz this spring training. The strength of the DBacks remains its rotation. Madison Bumgarner had a disappointing first year in Arizona, but he’s still too talented to have two bad years in a row. Zac Gallen, who starts the season with a small fracture in his arm, is one of the most underrated pitchers in basbeall and he will win at least one Cy Young award in the near future. Arizona’s solid rotation will keep them respectable this year, but they’re likely not looking at a playoff spot this year.
San Francisco Giants – While the Giants still have three holders (Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, and Brandon Belt) from their championship teams in 2012 & 2014 the sun is quickly setting on their careers. This is a team that isn’t completely rebuilding but they’re also not contenders either. The Giants best player is Mike Yastrzemski (Carl’s grandson) but he was a 28 year old rookie in 2019, so he’s likely already hit his ceiling. Kevin Gausman and Johnny Cueto provide the Giants with an underrated 1-2 pitching punch, but there’s a lot of other questions with the rest of the rotation. This is a quickly aging Giants team that’s too good to be awful, but also too uninspiring to really be any good.
Colorado Rockies – The Rockies traded away one of their best players this offseason (Nolan Arenado) and their next best player, SS Trevor Story will also likely be moved by the trade deadline. Story is a great athlete and a lot of fun to watch, but there’s no reason for a rebuilding team this bad to keep him around. OF Charlie Blackmon is still solid at 34 years old, but don’t be surprised if the Rockies trade him away too. 1B CJ Cron will likely have the best year of his career now that he is hitting in the thin air of Denver. The Rockies starting pitching really has never been good, and while some people will blame it on the atmosphere, I blame it on the fact that Colorado has been one of the worst drafting teams in MLB in recent years. For Rockies fans, at least Coors Field is a really beautiful place to watch a baseball game and the altitude will always inflate their players numbers offensively..
NLCS: Los Angeles Dodgers over Atlanta Braves – The Braves pushed the Dodgers to 7 games in last’s year NLCS, but this Dodgers team is even better and will win the NLCS in 5 games.
ALCS: New York Yankees over Chicago White Sox – The White Sox will give the Yankees all they can handle, but New York will outslug the still-developing White Sox and win the ALCS in 7 games.
World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees– These cross-country rivals will meet for the 12th time in the history of the World Series which will become the most-watched Series in recent years. The Dodgers are loaded and built to withstand almost anything, which means they cool down the Yankees’ firepower and win the World Series in 6 games.
AL MVP – Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Angeles) – I believe the AL MVP is coming down to teammates Mike Trout & Shohei Ohtani, and the reason why I give the edge to Ohtani is that I believe he’s going to have a Babe Ruth-esque type of season both hitting and pitching which will make his MVP case too hard to ignore.
AL Cy Young – Lucas Gioloto (Chicago White Sox) – The ALCY is wide open, but I’ll give Lucas the nod here over the Rays Tyler Glasnow since I predict Lucas to win over 20 games and lead the AL in strikeouts.
AL Rookie of the Year- Randy Arozarena (Tampa Rays) – After what we saw from Randy in the playoffs for the Rays, I think any other prediction than him would just be silly.
NL MVP- Ronald Acuna (Atlanta Braves) – The NL MVP should come down to either Braves or Dodgers position player (Sorry Juan Soto of the Nationals), but I think Acuna puts up the first 40/40+ season since 2006, and in doing so takes the MVP.
NL Cy Young – Jacob deGrom (New York Mets) – deGrom is the best pitcher in baseball right now and should lead MLB in strikeouts for a contending Mets team. That equals an easy NLCY for the Met’s ace.
NL Rookie of the Year- Ke’Bryan Hayes (Pittsburgh Pirates) – The Pirates are going to be really bad, but Hayes is a star in the making and should win the NLROY with his combo of athleticism and power.
Movies have helped many of us get through the craziness of the past year. Looking for something new to watch? I decided to compile a list of 14 movies that I feel are underrated (or not enough people have seen) and why you should watch them. Enjoy!
Sing Street (2016) – While this list isn’t in any sort of order, out of all the films on this list, Sing Street is my absolute favorite. This coming-of-age comedy-drama musical is written and directed by John Carney, who also wrote/directed the movies Once & Begin Again. I love both of those movies as well, but Sing Street is his masterpiece and it’s about a boy in Ireland who starts a band to impress a girl that he likes. Fans of 80’s music/culture will especially love the look/feel/sound of Sing Street.
The movie is funny, heartwarming, and has some really great music. Sing Street is the movie that I’ve recommended the most to people and literally everyone that I know whose taken me up on that recommendation has wound up loving it, including those who don’t really love musicals! (There is also a Broadway version that premiered right before COVID that I hope continues once Broadway re-opens, because I’d love to see it!)
Attack the Block (2011) – Before he starred as Finn in Star Wars, John Boyega made his film premiere as the lead in this British sci-fi/comedy/horror film. Attack the Block is about a gang of youngesters in the South London projects who stumble upon an alien invasion and have to defend themselves and their neighborhood. It also stars Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who) as a nurse who winds up working with the gang to help fight the creatures.
The movie was filmed on a small $8 million dollar budget, but it looks much better than that. It’s the directorial debut of Joe Cornish, who would go on to write 2015’s Antman along with Edgar Wright. Attack the Block was featured on many critics’ best movies of 2011 lists and has become a cult hit, but still not enough people have seen this fun movie!
The Florida Project (2017) – The Florida Project is not a happy movie, but it’s impact stays with you long after you’ve watched it. The Florida Project is a drama about a 6-year old girl and her unemployed mother who live in a rundown motel called The Magic Castle which is located down the road from the happiest place on earth, Disney World. Williem Dafoe should have won an Academy Award for his incredible performance as Bobby the motel’s manager. The rest of the main cast is so talented that you’ll be surprised to find out that this was the first film appearance for the majority of them!
While the movie itself is fictional, there really are thousands of people living in absolute poverty all around the area that Disney World made famous. The Florida Project is an eye-opening, uncomfortable watch at times due to the subject matter. It’s one of those movies that you’ll likely never want to watch a second time, but you’ll still be glad that you experienced it once.
The Foot Fist Way (2006) – Looking for something lighter? The Foot Fist Way is a low-budget martial arts comedy that will have you laughing out loud. The movie was filmed for a mere $79,00 but is the launching point for both its star/writer Danny McBride & its other writer/director Jody Hill who would both go on to work together on HBO’s hilarious comedies Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, & The Righteous Gemstones.
The Foot Fist Way feels like a movie you’d find on local cable around 2 am back in the early 90s, but that’s part of its charm. The movie is about the life of a black belt Taekwondo instructor with a big personality in a small town. Will Ferrell was so impressed with the movie he had his production company buy the distribution rights to this now cult comedy. It’s mindless and silly in all the best ways.
The Edukators (2004) – The first but not last foreign subtitled film on this list, The Edukators is better known as Die Fetten Jahre Sind Vorbei in German which means “The days of plenty are over”. It is a German/Austrian crime drama about young anarchists who break into the homes of wealthy people. They never steal anything, but they do send a message to the wealthy in other different ways.
One of the stars of this movie is Daniel Bruhl who would eventually become well known globally starring in films like Inglorious Basterds, Rush, and Captain America: Civil War. Bruhl’s most well-known foreign film is probably 2003’s Good Bye Lenin! (also worth a watch), but The Edukators is my favorite German-language movie of his. Don’t let subtitles scare you, this film makes some interesting political/social statements that should make people of all ages really think.
Undisputed (2002) – If you’re looking for an underrated sports action movie, look no further than Undisputed. It’s about an undefeated champion boxer, played by Ving Rhames who is sent to prison for rape where he eventually has to fight the reigning prison boxing champion played by Wesley Snipes.
It’s written and directed by the legendary Walter Hill (The Warriors, 48 Hours) but it’s easily his most underappreciated film. It’s a “B” action movie in all the good ways: it’s fun, short (96 minutes), and has great action & suspense. There’s no “deeper” meaning to the movie, it’s just a really solid movie if you ever need of a quick solid action flick.
The Founder (2016) – Michael Keaton stars as Ray Kroc in this biographical drama about the rise of McDonald’s as a national fast-food chain. Keaton, who has long been one of my favorite actors, is absolutely dynamic in his role here. The film also stars Nick Offerman (Parks & Rec) and John Carroll Lynch (The Drew Carey Show) as the McDonalds brothers. It’s directed by John Lee Hancock who is well known for directing other bio-pics including The Blind Side, The Rookie, The Alamo, and The Highwaymen.
The story itself provides a very interesting look at success and how its can be related to the darker sides of American capitalism. I always knew a little bit about the story of how McDonald’s became a national chain, but I learned a lot more from watching this film. Some biographical dramas can suffer when it comes to pacing, but this movie stayed engaging and entertaining throughout its entire nearly 2-hour run time. We’ve all eaten McDonald’s, so we should all know and watch this story!
Tsotsi (2005) – Out of all the movies on this list, I’m sure this is the movie that the least amount of people have heard of. This South African crime film is about a hardened young gang leader named Tsotsi who shoots a young woman and steals her car only to discover a baby in its back seat. Instead of harming the baby, he decides to take it home and attempts to care for it.
This movie, which stars all South African actors, is a breath of fresh from your typical Hollywood-made movies. It’s also one of those rare films where we get to see a truly bad person attempt to redeem himself. How will this baby completely change this cold-blooded killer’s life? You just have to watch it to find out!
About Time (2013) – Writer/Director Richard Curtis is known for his classic romantic comedies (Love Actually, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones) and yet it’s rare that I hear anyone talk about About Time. Maybe it’s the time travel? Or maybe it’s because Domhnall Gleeson is an unlikely leading man? Whatever the reason, this film remains vastly underrated and that’s a real shame.
Rom-coms are usually hit or miss for me, but About Time is really good. It’s a beautifully sincere and sentimental movie that I think too many people might have skipped over. The movie also stars Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy as the lead character’s love interest and father, respectively. There is also one emotional scene with his father that absolutely gets me every single time that I’ve seen it. As far as underrated rom-coms go, this is at the top of my list!
Beasts of No Nations (2015) – Today, Netflix is filled with tons of its own original movies, but Beasts of No Nation was the streaming platform’s first and is still remains one of its best. Beasts features Idris Elba as the Commandant who leads a group of guerilla soldiers, many of them children, during an African civil war. One of those children is Agu, and this movie follows his fall from innocence. The movie is a bleak, powerful look into the life of a child soldier.
Given the subject matter, it’s one of those movies that you have to be prepared for, but don’t let that turn you off. While this film is fictional, many real-world atrocities like this movie happen every day. As Americans, we like to turn a blind eye to what’s going on in other countries, especially the poor “unimportant” ones, but this film helps play a small part in opening our eyes to the brutal horrors happening elsewhere.
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) – If you ask the average person what their favorite Coen Brothers movie is, they’re likely to say something like Fargo, The Big Lebowksi, O’Brother Where Art Thou, or No Country For Old Men. My favorite Coen Brothers movie? It’s Inside Llewyn Davis, and it’s not even close! Set in the early 1960s, the movie stars Oscar Isaac as the title character who happens to be a down on his luck, melancholy folk singer looking for his big break. Most people will think my man crush for Oscar started with the new Star Wars trilogy, but it actually started with this movie.
Did you know that Oscar Isaac is also a really good singer? If you didn’t, you’ll find out very quickly that he is. The incredible soundtrack was produced by T Bone Burnett and also features the likes of Justin Timberlake, Marcus Mumford, and Adam Driver. This movie was nominated for two academy awards, and yet it somehow still remains vastly overrated. It is the Coen Brothers most soulful movie by far!
Seven Samurai (1954) – You may be asking yourself how can a movie that has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is ranked #19 on IMDB’s top movies of all-time be considered underrated, and I’ll answer that in a form of a question. Have you seen all 207 minutes of it? The answer, unless you’re a film buff or took a few film classes in college, is likely no. But you should!
Kurosawa’s epic Samurai masterpiece is one of, if not the most, influential movies of all-time. It’s about a village in Japan that hire seven ronin (masterless samurai) to protect them from bandits. Does that sound familiar? It should because it’s the basis of both The Magnificent Seven movies. Every director from George Lucas to Quentin Tarantino has been influenced by the Seven Samurai and its influence can be seen in movies like Mad Max, Lord of the Rings, the Matrix, The Three Amigos, Justice League, Infinity War, and many, many more! Outside of being in black & white, the film still feels extremely modern especially when it comes to photography/directing. If you’ve never watched one of the single most important movies of all-time you should finally do so.
Idlewild (2006) – Did you know that Outkast, one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all-time, made a musical set in the prohibition-era south? Well, they did and it’s a lot better than you realize. It was also one of my late mother’s favorite newer movies and she was never a big fan of hip-hop. The story follows childhood friends Percival (Andre 3000) and Rooster (Big Boi), speakeasy musicians who run into issues with some local gangsters.
The real star of the movie is obviously the musical numbers. Some of the songs in the movie were previously featured on Outkast’s Speakerboxx/The Love Below double album, but there’s also a soundtrack of new songs made just for the movie. The new songs mix modern hip-hop with jazz/blues from the 1930s and the results are truly incredible (my favorite songs are “PJ & Rooster”, “Idlewild Blue”, “Chronomentrophobia”, & “When I look In Your Eyes”) You absolutely do not have to be a fan of hip-hop to enjoy this underrated gem, and if you go into it with an open mind I think you’ll come out pleasantly surprised.
A Goofy Movie (1995) – I know that a lot of people my age watched A Goofy Movie when it came out, but how many have since seen it again as an adult? A Goofy Movie may just be Disney’s most underrated movie of all-time, and that’s really saying something. The cross-generational connection story between Goofy, a single father just trying his hardest, and his son Max, your typical angsty teenager, truly doesn’t get the credit it deserves. When you watch it as a kid, you’re totally on Max’s side but the older you get, you start to understand where Goofy is coming from as well.
The movie also features an incredible soundtrack. Tevin Campbell’s (aka Powerline) “I2″I & “Standout” are fantastic high energy pop-songs that still hold up today. “After Today” and “On the Open Road” are humorous and “Nobody Else But You” is the movie’s emotional “father & son” song. I really think that out of all the Disney movies, A Goofy Movie understands the complexities of a parent/child relationship the most, and that’s what makes it so special. Not many movies touch on male bonding/learning from a father figure as well as this one does!
So that’s my list! I really hope that you find some new-to-you movies on here that you wind up really enoying!
At the time of writing, there has been over 490,000 deaths in the United States and more than 2,400,000 across the world due to COVID-19. As I wrote about here on my blog previously, I know people who’ve lost their lives to this terrible virus. I also know many more folks who’ve either lost their businesses/jobs to COVID, including myself.
So it really was a no-brainer that as soon as I had the opportunity to get the vaccine that I would take it. Getting the vaccine will help end the pandemic sooner and with fewer lives lost. The vaccine will also help our economy rebound and help us all get back to the things we love like travel, concerts, sporting events, dining out, and even just being able to see and hang out with our loved ones!
Now that I’ve had both doses of the Moderna vaccine, I felt that it was necessary to write up a little post about my experiences, good and bad, with each shot. So here is my full experience with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Shot 1: I received my first shot on a Friday around 4:50 PM. The shot in my left arm was honestly painless, and I waited 15 minutes to make sure that I had no allergic reaction before I drove home. On my way home, I noticed that my arm was starting to hurt and by around 8pm that night it was really sore. Around 8:30 I was extremely fatigued and went to sleep. I jumped awake 2 or 3 times during the night which almost felt like a mini anxiety attack, but I now think that it might have just been caused by the pain in my arm.
On Saturday, I woke up feeling like I had a small head cold and was still just really tired. My left arm was completely killing me at this point (I couldn’t lay/sleep on it or touch the injection site) so I took some Motrin and just basically spent the day in bed watching TV.
On Sunday, I had a temperature of 99.9 and some chills and fatigue. I had another lazy day, but I was totally fine when I woke up on Monday.
Shot 2: I received my second Moderna shot exactly 28 days later this past Friday (Feb 12th) around 4pm. Once again the shot itself didn’t hurt at all but my arm almost started hurting immediately after this time. I waited the 15 minutes again and drove home.
This is where things started to become a different than the first shot. I felt pretty sick around dinner time, so I figured it was just best to go to bed early. I fell asleep from like 9PMish until around midnight but then it became way too uncomfortable to sleep. I spent most of the late night/early AM just trying to get warm as I was freezing cold and eventually I was able to get two more hours of sleep in the early morning hours.
Saturday was, no hyperbole, one of the worst sick days that I’ve ever had in my life. My fever peaked at 102.9 and all day long I had joint pains in what felt like every single joint in my entire body. I was also even colder than earlier, so I spent most of the day wrapped in many blankets and with all of the heating pads in our house. At one point, I even took a bath and turned the hot water to max and still could barely get warm. I alternated between Motrin & Tylenol throughout the day, which at times helped take the edge off slightly.
In addition to this, I also was pretty dizzy throughout the day on Saturday. The only time in my life that I can ever remember feeling this bad was when I had the flu a few years ago and had to go to the hospital with a 105 fever and dehydration. It wasn’t a great day, but it wasn’t COVID and I just kept reminding myself that it was for the greater good.
On Sunday, my fever stayed mostly around 100 during the day but it again rose beyond 101 at night. I still felt pretty sick (joint paints, dizziness, etc.), but the intensity of it all was definitely decreased from Saturday. If Saturday was a “very sick” day, then Sunday was just “normal sick” day.
My temperature was around 99.9 all day long on Monday, but my joint paint and dizziness had basically subsided. Stomach discomfort/issues popped up in their place, but it was still an improvement over the previous two days. I stopped taking my Motrin/Tylenol since my fever felt like it essentially was gone.
On Tuesday, I started feeling sick again just doing basic things around the house, so I checked my temperature and saw that it had spiked back up to over 100. The highest my temperature got to on Tuesday was 100.6, so I started my Motrin/Tylenol regiment again for the day. In addition to this, I still had the stomach discomfort from the day before.
Finally on Wednesday, I began to feel like myself again. My temperature was completely gone as were all the aches/pains/stomach discomfort/etc that had popped up the last few days. Wednesday I was just mostly really tired from having no full nights of sleep since Friday. I slept really good Wednesday night into Thursday!
In conclusion: I feel extremely lucky to have already received both vaccine doses, even if it did make me feel pretty awful for a few days. Out of everyone that I know who has gotten it so far, I had the most harsh reaction, though I did see some other people on Twitter having an experience similar to mine.
Most of the people that I know who’ve gotten their 2nd vaccine shot had a bad 12-24 hours and then were fine. It also looks like young adults are having harsher reactions to the 2nd shot than older adults because of their stronger immune systems, which makes sense. I’ve been told from people in the know that if this becomes a yearly thing (where you’d need a booster shot each year) that the booster wouldn’t be nearly as high of a dose as this 2nd vaccine, so the effects won’t be as harsh either. So that makes me feel better about getting it every year, if necessary.
While I had a bad few days, it’s absolutely nothing compared to being in the hospital fighting to breathe infected with COVID. If being sick at home for a day or two (or a few days in my case) means that we’re able to destroy COVID and get back to whatever our “new normal” looks like, I’m all for it. The vaccine, even at its absolute worse, is really nothing to be afraid of. I do hope that everyone who reads this gets it when they have the opportunity to do so. And if you have any questions about it/my experience, feel free to reach out!
“There is a park that is known for the face it attracts Colorful people whose hair on 1 side is swept back The smile on their faces it speaks of profound inner peace Ask where they’re going they’ll tell you nowhere They’ve taken a lifetime lease on Paisley Park
The girl on the seesaw is laughing for love is the color this place imparts Admission is easy, just say U b-lieve and come to this place in your heart Paisley Park is in your heart”
For my 35th birthday back in October, my amazing wife gifted me a trip to Minnesota to finally visit my own personal mecca, Paisley Park Studios. For those who don’t know, Paisley Park is the late, great Prince’s 65,000 square foot personal studio and live music/rehearsal space right outside of Minneapolis. It opened in 1987 and then also eventually became Prince’s home as well. In addition to being the place where Prince created many of his masterpieces, Paisley Park was used by other musicians, companies for TV commercials, and its soundstage was used to film movies like Drop Dead Fred & Grumpy/Grumpier Old Men.
Before Prince passed away at Paisley Park on April 21st 2016, it was always my dream to get to Paisley and see one of the infamous private shows. While that never happened, my first trip to Minnesota was still one of the best experiences ever. Minneapolis shaped Prince into the man and the artist he became, and he always remained close to his roots even when he grew into a mega star. As Prince once said, “I like Hollywood. I just like Minneapolis a little bit better.”
Now you might be wondering, “If you visited back in October why are you just writing about your experience now?” and the reason is quite simple. I real wanted to really sit with my feelings about this important trip, which ended up being way more than just a trip to Paisley Park, before I wrote anything about my experiences.
I started this trip by leaving Philadelphia early in the morning and driving all the way through until I reached Chicago. Since I left on my actual birthday, I absolutely had to have Giordano’s deep dish for my birthday dinner. Being that COVID was at a high level, I had the pizza sent to my hotel room where I ate entirely way too much and then fell asleep before I started my next leg to Minnesota.
I left Chicago and made my way to Minneapolis. On the way, I made a quick stop at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. I’ve always wanted to visit the MOA since I was 9 years old and first saw Charlie Conway, Jessie Hall & Lester Averman rollerblading through it during D2: The Mighty Ducks. Again due to COVID, I only briefly stayed inside, but I would absolutely love to visit again sometime when it’s safe. Their amusement park looks incredible and they’ve even have two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle rides!
Before I stopped at my hotel near Paisley Park I figured that I would make a stop at Electric Fetus, Prince’s favorite music shop and just a really cool spot. On my way driving to EF, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a few blocked off streets to my right & then it immediately hit me where I was. I knew that I had to pull my car over right then and there.
My journey just so happened to take me right past the scene of George Floyd’s horrific murder a mere 4 and a half months prior at the hands of local police officers. This was not at all planned and I had no idea my path was taking me in this direction, but it was clear that the universe was speaking to me and telling me to pull over.
Quite a few blocks around the area had been blocked off for this impromptu community memorial. I’ve been to cemeteries across the country and world, and none of them have ever felt as heavy as the site of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue did. There were many other people there paying their respects by visiting the place where the the spark that lit the Black Lives Matter movement happened.
As I stood in this infamous spot, I honestly couldn’t help put think of Prince. I wondered what he would have done if he were still alive, not only for the Black Lives Matter movement but also for his local community that was suffering. Prince was great humanitarian, and I know that he would have helped his beloved Minnesota with as much support as it needed. He probably would have created some incredible art from this pain as well.
My last time seeing Prince in concert was in Baltimore at his “Rally 4 Peace” benefit in 2015 following the murder of Freddie Gray by the Baltimore police. This was and will always be the best concert that I’ve ever attended. The benefit helped the community to heal and also provided money to local youth-based charities. I know that Prince would have created one of the greatest concerts ever for Minneapolis/BLM, and it saddens me that we never got to see it.
If you’re ever in Minneapolis, I urge you to all to stop by this site and just take it all in. I hope that it stays preserved forever because it’s importance can not be overstated.
I visited Electric Festus afterwards. It’s a pretty eclectic and fun record store, and its easy to see why Prince loved it. I picked up a beanie for the winter, and headed back to my hotel to get a good night’s rest for the excitement that was to come tomorrow.
The next morning, I arrived at Paisley Park ready for my “Ultimate Experience” tour. There are three tours at Paisley: Paisley Experience ($45), VIP ($85), & Ultimate ($160). My wife got me a ticket for the Ultimate because well she knows that I’m a huge fan who would appreciate it. If you’re a fan of Prince, without a doubt take the ultimate tour because it’s absolutely worth it. You get access to more of his studios, get to see private footage, and get to hear exclusive music (more on that later).
The tour had 23 participants, all of whom were spaced out and wearing masks the entire 2 1/2 hours. I felt that health & safety protocols for COVID we great and I never once felt at risk since we were kept far apart. Our tour guide was Tommy, a local fan who attended many paisley park concerts, including Prince’s last at the park. Tommy is a VERY knowledgeable volunteer who you can tell loves Prince as much as anyone. He told us that Prince gave him so much joy in his life that his way of paying it forward was to volunteer on these weekend tours.
The first part of the tour takes you through the lobby/kitchen area which also houses Prince’s office and a few other display rooms. Photos are only allowed during the final part of the tour, so everything that you’re seeing here is from that final section. Your phone is locked away in a smart bag that is not unlocked until you reach the final part of the tour. The downstairs has an absolutely beautiful cloud motif that is enhanced by glass skylights. If I could make my house look like that, I would in a heartbeat. The elevator area, where Prince passed, is down in that area but it has since been walled off out of respect and a large Prince poster hangs where the entrance once was.
After the tour of the downstairs, including Prince’s diner-style kitchen, we were off to an editing suite where we watched exclusive video footage while being told stories about Prince’s grueling rehearsals. It was awesome just sitting in his editing suite and imagining what that must have been like being in there with Prince at 5am still working after a show that night. After this, you’re headed off his different recording studios
While getting a look at Prince’s recording studios if you’re on the Ultimate tour you’re also given a Paisley Park purple USB drive which is used to save the photos they take of you inside the studio with Prince’s guitar in the foreground and his piano in the background.
Experiencing Prince’s recording studios is nothing short of incredible. Listening to his music, in his studio, with his speaker setup is an experience that will make all Prince fans hearts fill with joy. His main studio is still set up exactly how it was when he was alive, and you really can fill his presence in the room, just like you can throughout the whole tour. It’s weird to say, but while on this tour it really does feel like Prince could just pop out and say hi at any moment.
The last little part of the tour studio tour gave us the chance to listen to an exclusive snippet of a Prince music project that has never been heard in public before. The music comes from a reported jazz-fusion album which Prince was working on days before he passed. Hearing unfinished music that quite possibly will never be released to the general public was a special feeling.
After the studios you head to the purple rain room. This is Prince’s old basketball court which has now been turned into a room highlighting the movie. From there, you head to the infamous sound stage where Prince hosted his legendary concerts. Here is where they unlock your phone and you’re able to take pictures once inside. The area is huge and there’s a really cool introduction, which I don’t want to spoil, that happens before the lights go up.
The sound stage has all kinds of Prince props including instruments, awards, promotional materials, outfits, and even some of his cars. You get a lot of time in this room to walk around, take photos, and just enjoy the music and video show happening on stage.
I would absolutely love to come back and visit when a concert or party happens at Paisley again. The space is incredible and I’m sure makes for one hell of a party!
After the sound stage, you head to the smaller performance space/café. It’s a relaxing, chill room that eventually leads to the gift shop. They allowed us to take drinks from the refrigerator, and I opted for a bottle of water that had a Paisley Park label. The gift shop was a lot smaller than I expected. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some good merch there, but the space is quite small.
We were told that during COVID they started cleaning out some vaults and found some old merch that you were only able to purchase there in person. I was lucky to pick up a rare original, unopened promo-only cassette tape single of The New Power Generation’s “The War”. That incredible find alone was worth the trip! (I also got a t-shirt, some pins, and a Paisley Park tambourine)
Before heading out, I made sure to walk along the road to the right in front of Paisley Park which takes you to the tribute fence/tunnel. Fans from all over the country have left their mark in all different forms, and it’s really quite the sight to see just how much he meant to so many different people.
So the question I’ve been asked the most is, “Is it worth visiting” and the answer is 100% yes! I know that if you’re a Prince fan I really don’t have to convince you of this, but I think that all music fans would really enjoy a trip to Paisley Park in the same way that people still enjoy Graceland to this day.
In the future, I would love to see the estate expand the tour a little bit. You don’t get to see any of the upstairs, which I understand to a point. I assume that Prince’s bedroom has very likely been untouched since his passing, and I’m ok with leaving that part out. However, from the first floor you can see the pet doves and his fitting room, so I’m sure there’s some room to expand on the top floor to get a look. Also, Prince’s tour bus sits out in the backyard and I’d love it if they would eventually allow you to step in for a quick look. But these are all minor suggestions and I will absolutely visit Paisley again at some point in my life regardless if they make them or not.
After Paisley, I met up with a friend who until this point I knew only virtually, Amy and her daughter Erin, and they showed me around downtown. Obviously they took me to First Avenue (where the concert portions of Purple Rain were filmed) and get a picture with Prince’s star! Another reason I have to return to Minneapolis is because I still would love to see a show at First Avenue, one of the most legendary clubs in the country.
After First Avenue, my tour guides took me over to the iconic music-stave mural parking lot. Just as Prince was becoming a star, he posed for what would become an iconic photoshoot here. Lizzo, who early on in her career was featured on Prince’s 3rdEyeGirl’s song “BoyTrouble”, stood in front of the same mural for her music video to her 2018 hit “Boys”.
We then walked around the Mill Ruins Park area and that’s when I realized how stunning of a place Minneapolis was. I’m sure that it’s wicked cold/snowy in the winter, but on this fall day it looked great. I had lunch with my friends and promised myself that I’d come back and visit again sometime. As a foodie, I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about the Minnesota State Fair (especially the chocolate chip cookies), so yeah, I’ll be back!
On my way home, I checked my GPS at the right time and realized that I was driving right past Gary, Indiana. Gary is popular to music fans for two things: the song from The Music Man & home of the Jackson Five. I put the Jackson’s house in my Google Maps and pulled off the highway since it would really only add 10 minutes to my trip.
I first became aware of the importance of the Jackson family home from the 1992 ABC miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. It is even smaller than it seems on TV and it’s absolutely crazy to consider that at one point all 11 family members resided in this tiny house.
The house has a gate around it and its windows are covered, so there’s not much going on. There is a little MJ memorial plaque in the concrete, but outside of that there’s nothing else to see. It’s a cool, quick photo opp, but nothing more. Gary, Indiana also has one of the highest murder rates in America, so just be careful if you travel there.
I’m glad that I was able to spend my 35th birthday knocking some things off my bucket list with this awesome little road trip to Minnesota. I can’t thank my wife enough for this amazing trip, which I hope that you’re all able to experience sometime as well. Thanks for reading!
“I will always live in Minneapolis. It’s so cold, it keeps the bad people out.” – Prince
On May 20th, our newest nephew Declan was born out in Las Vegas and due to COVID-19, we were unable to travel to fly out there and visit him. Instead, we started planning an end of summer road trip to safely drive to Vegas and back to meet Declan. What follows is a day-to-day summary and some thoughts on our 20 state/6,000+ miles Great American COVID Road Trip. Enjoy!
Day 1: We left Philly and made it to South Bend, Indiana in 10 hours. We have a friend who works for Notre Dame, so we thought this would be the perfect pit stop for our first day. She even gave us an awesome golf cart tour of the campus, which was absolutely beautiful. The ND campus was packed with students, many of whom to our disappointment where not practicing proper social distancing/mask wearing. This was easily the most people we’ve seen in one place since COVID started so it did feel a bit surreal in that aspect. Regardless, we wore our masks the entire time and enjoyed our little stay in South Bend.
Day 2: We had breakfast in South Bend before we departed for Des Moines, Iowa. Along the way we stopped at Iowa 80, the World’s Largest Truckstop. This Truckstop had everything including showers, a barber, dentist, and chiropractor. We then made it Des Moines, which was about 6 1/2 hours from South Bend. This time/distance was perfect because this short day was sandwiched between two of our longest days.
This is where we hit on our only major problem on our trip. I used Booking.com (Never again!) for this hotel and when we pulled there was a sign saying that it had been closed since March. Why Booking.com was allowing people to book a hotel that had been closed for so long is beyond me. After 2 phone calls and over an hour on hold, all Booking said they could do for us is “check if any places nearby had any availability”. We decided to cut our losses with their awful customer service and found a hotel in downtown Des Moines. Dowtown Des Moines was very clean and quiet with a nice little riverwalk that’s open until late at night.
Day 3: Our trip to South Dakota was easily the longest day of the trip, but it’s because we did so much. First we stopped at the infamous Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. The murals/designs covering the building and inside are made from various types of corn and other grains. It was neat to see and I would have loved to played a basketball game in that arena.
After the Corn Palace we stopped at Wall Drug. For hundreds of miles on the highways you will continue to see various hand painted signs that read “Kids love Wall Drug” or “Free Ice Water – Wall Drug” so by the time you make it to Wall Drug you feel like you have no choice but to stop and check it out. It’s a large tourist attraction that does have free ice water and 5 cent coffee, but in my opinion didn’t quite live up to the hype. Plus about 90% of the people were walking around inside without masks on, so we quickly got out of there.
After Wall Drug, we stopped at Badlands National Park and paid entrance to take a scenic loop through the park. There is some stunning scenery in the Badlands and I’m glad that we did the scenic loop before heading to Deadwood. You could spend a lot more time than we did there, so plan accordingly.
Being a fan of the HBO show, I of course had to stop and walk down main street in historic Deadwood, South Dakota. This was the final day of Sturgis, so Deadwood was pretty filled with motorcyclists. If you’re a fan of the show/western history it’s worth taking a walk down main street.
After leaving Deadwood, we took a very scenic drive through the Black Hills to Keystone, South Dakota where we planned to visit Mount Rushmore and spend the night. If you are ever driving through that area, I suggest taking the scenic route between Deadwood and Rushmore. We saw Rushmore at night, which looks great under the lights and then spent the night at a cozy little lodge called K Bar S Lodge.
Originally our trip was going to take us straight from Iowa to Colorado, but I figured that since we were on a road trip we should add a day and go north to South Dakota to see Rushmore. I’m glad we made that change and there is a lot to see in South Dakota!
Day 4: We left the Black Hills of South Dakota and traveled down to Cheyenne, Wyoming. This drive was only about four hours, so it gave us the afternoon off in Wyoming to explore. I have always heard that Wyoming is beautiful so I thought it would make for a great half-day off. If you’re ever traveling through Wyoming, make sure you look out for signs that direct you to Little America, because their 75 cent ice cream cones are worth the pit stop!
Cheyenne itself was pretty quite and in fact a lot of stores and restaurants were closed because it was a Monday. We decided to stop by the Terry Bison Ranch outside of the city and this was easily my favorite activity on our trip. The ranch itself is huge and has all types of animals (horses, goats, ostriches, and even a turkey who likes people to pet/massage its head) but the highlight was the bison train tour. It bills itself as the only bison train tour in America, and it takes you right to where the bison live on the ranch and they come right up to the train to be fed. To be this close to a herd of bison and actually feed them was an awesome experience which I highly recommend!
During this trip we committed ourselves to always wearing our masks in public and also not eating indoors to be as safe as possible. In Cheyenne, this meant grabbing Sonic takeout and eating it back in our hotel room since there were no real outdoor dining options that were open. Cheyenne was cool, but I would still like to see the other side of Wyoming (Cody, Yellowstone) because I hear it’s even more beautiful.
Day 5: We left Wyoming and headed to Salt Lake City which took about 7 hours. We stopped to see and take a walk on part of the great Salt Lake. We didn’t stay too long because it was SO hot (more on that later). We had dinner with a friend that I had met while previously touring the country working for the band Chester French back in 2009 on the Blink 182 reunion tour.
After dinner, we did our own little walking tour of the Utah State Capitol Building and the Mormon Temple Square. The Capitol Building looks a lot like the US Capitol Building, so much so that Legally Blonde 2 used it in place of the US Capitol. The Mormon Temple Square area looked really great at night as well and is worth checking out even if you’re not member of the faith/a religious person.
Day 6: We left Salt Lake and headed towards Las Vegas. We first stopped at Kolob Canyons which is the less popular side of Zion National Park. Zion is my favorite national park and the last time we were in Vegas we visited the more popular area. Kolob Canyons was still beautiful and was WAY less crowded than its counterpart. We also got in for free since it was the first day the park had re-opened since COVID. We decided to do one of the scenic 1-mile hikes which they said should take about 15-20 minutes but took us more like 40 minutes in the 100+ degree heat.
We completed the six hour or so trip to Vegas driving through a stretch of dessert that saw temperatures reach 118 degrees. My arms are probably the most tan that they’ve ever been now from driving in the sun during this road trip.
Days 7-11: Meet Declan, our new nephew! Declan was always the reason for this trip and it was a lot of fun hanging out with him and his parents! I don’t love holding babies (honestly due to fear of dropping them/hurting them) but I hung out with Declan quite a bit during our stay and he was a very easy baby to watch! We helped out by cooking dinners (and one of my famous scramble egg breakfast) for my brother in law and his wife while we visited.
We also did just a little sightseeing while in Vegas… Fallout: New Vegas is my favorite video game of all-time, so we did our own little tour of Goodsprings and Primm which are both major locations in the game. Primm is interesting because it has Bonnie & Clyde’s death car and is also located on the California border so you can technically say that you visited California as well. Goodsprings, the starting point in the Fallout, is an old ghost town of 200 people including a saloon that looks exactly like the game. I really enjoyed my little Fallout adventure, but not so sure that other’s unfamiliar with the game would as much. On the way back, we stopped at Seven Magic Mountains, which is a colored rock art installation out in the middle of the desert.
On my own, I spent an afternoon checking out all the Las Vegas comic book and action figure shops. These days, the majority of my collecting involves old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stuff and I found two comic books that I needed and a mint on card Ray Fillet action figure. So it was a good hunt!
Before we left Vegas we made sure to stop by and check out Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders new home. Already nicknamed “The Death Star” this stadium looks even more impressive in person. My brother, uncle, and I had plans to attend the first home game which obviously isn’t happening now, so it was nice to be able to go and check it out. I can’t wait to get to a game there in 2021!
Day 12: We said goodbye to baby Declan and headed back home via the southern route back to Philadelphia. This enabled us to stop at Mather Point, the most popular spot at the Grand Canyon. Mather Point is about 2 hours total “out of the way” but it’s worth the visit. We got in for free since it was the National Park system’s birthday, so that was an added bonus. I’ve always seen pictures of the Grand Canyon but no photos can truly do it any justice. The Grand Canyon and specifically Mather Point is just one of those places you have to see to believe and understand just how impressive it is.
After the Canyon, we stopped at the Meteor Crater in Winslow Arizona. The crater is 50,000 years old and is one mile wide and 500 feet deep. During the 60s and 70s NASA astronauts trained in the crater to prepare for Apollo Moon Missions. It costs $22 to enter, but it is pretty cool to see! We drove about 10 hours this day and stopped in Albuquerque, New Mexico for the night.
Day 13: Before we left Albuquerque, I put together a list of some of the places where they filmed Breaking Bad (one of my favorite TV shows ever) to do a little drive by tour. First we stopped at Twisters, better known on the show as Los Pollos Hermanos. It’s an actual chicken restaurant and while we were there we crossed paths with the breaking bad RV tour which takes guests to filming locations as well. We were greeted with “Welcome to Twisters” while the tour guests who came in a little after us were greeted with “Welcome to Los Pollos Hermanos”. If I’m ever back in ABQ, I’d love to do the full RV tour because it seems like a lot of fun!
After Twisters, we drove by Hank and Marie’s house which sits up in the hills in a really nice neighborhood. From there we went to the strip mall where Saul Goodman had his office (this is now a sports bar). After that we drove past Walter White’s house, which looks a bit different now and has a fence up to stop crazy fans from getting on the property. There have been apparently more than a few incidents with overzealous fans, so I get it, but I still feel that the owners are missing a huge opportunity by not turning this into a tourist attraction/Airbnb. After Walt’s, we stopped at Mister Car Wash (A-1 on the show).
Our final stop was the Candy Lady’s place in Old Town Albuquerque. We showed up around 1030am but the sign read that the store wasn’t open until Noon. As we turned to walk away, the owner pulled up in her car and told us to wait and that she’d open up for us! The Candy Lady made all of the fake meth that you saw on Breaking Bad, which you can now buy in little packets. She was super nice and even allowed us in the back of the store to take photos with a new batch of the candy meth she created. The Candy Lady is a must visit while in ABQ.
We left ABQ and drove about 8 hours to Mustang, Oklahoma to stay with family. ABQ was a really cool city which I’d love to visit again sometime probably during their annual Hot Air Balloon festival.
Day 14: We had the day off visiting family in Mustang, which is right outside of Oklahoma City. We visited the site of the Oklahoma City Bombing which is now a very peaceful, beautiful memorial. I was 10 in 1995 when the OKC Bombing happened, so I don’t remember it as clearly as say 9/11 but it was still an important sight to see. After the memorial, we walked along the canal in downtown OKC and had BBQ for dinner. In this area is also the OKC Dodgers stadium, so it’s a nice little spot downtown. We ended our night with s’mores by the fireplace and catching up with family we don’t get to see very often!
Day 15 & 16: Day 15 was mostly driving (about 12 hours) through Oklahoma, Arkansas and finally arriving in Nashville, TN. We were very lucky that we stayed mostly just behind the hurricane’s trail and only drove through a little bit of rain.
The first thing I did on Day 16 was stop by Jack White’s Third Man Records store. I’m a big Jack White fan and it was cool to see the store which was filled with records (obviously) and memorabilia including some of Jack’s Grammy Awards. Tours of the store aren’t running due to COVID, but it would have been neat to see the record label’s offices and where they make/record records as well.
In the afternoon we visited Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. We happened to be visiting while an exhibition of Chihuly’s glass sculptures were going on which made the visit even more worthwhile. The only downside was that we got caught in a downpour while visiting, so we really didn’t get to see everything. After Cheekwood, we had dinner with friends who live in the area at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken (delicious) and then drove to the Parthenon before calling it a night.
I was a bit disappointed with Nashville only because my whole life I have been told how awesome of a city it is. I’m sure that’s true pre-COVID, but during COVID there was not a lot going on including a 10PM curfew. As someone who loves live music, I’d love to go back to Nashville when “things return to normal” to really experience the city. I’d also like to make a stop in Memphis to see Graceland, even though I’m not an Elvis fan.
Day 17: This is where all the driving really started to catch up. We left Nashville and drove about another 10 hours to Richmond, Virginia. Along the way, we passed the Sunsphere, in Knoxville which is known by Simpsons fans across the world. Sadly, I didn’t see wig outlets.
Once we arrived in Richmond at our friend’s place, we were beat. We chatted with out friends and had some delicious Italian food for dinner but I was ready for bed and it was an early night.
Day 18: We slept in because our final leg from Richmond to Philadelphia (via Baltimore) was only going to be about a 4 1/2 hour drive. We then drove to Baltimore to have lunch with one of our game night friends who has since moved to Baltimore. After lunch, we drove back to Philly thus ending our 18 day road trip. It was a lot of fun and I highly suggest that everyone does at least one great American road trip in their life!
Random thoughts/comments: One of the best things that we did for this trip is rent a car from Hertz. Hertz has unlimited miles and we felt that it was more than worth it putting 6,000+ miles on a rental car instead of our own. We also had a cooler that we packed with ice packs/ice from the hotel daily. This in addition to three bags of non perishable food (and bread for PB&J sandwiches), saved us time and money on lunch most days.
Some people have asked why I planned the routes that I did and the answers is that I planned the routes based around friends or places that we wanted to see. I knew that the only way that I’d likely ever see Mount Rushmore or the Grand Canyon was via a road trip, so those were two spots I knew had to be on the list. I also knew that 10-12 hours was the max I could drive without being too tired, so our pit stops couldn’t be further than 10-12 hours.
While planning for this trip I only made one mistake and that was not calculating for time zones/time changes. In retrospect, it seems so simple, but it’s actually an easy thing to forget. On the way out west, it was a good thing since we would arrive at our destination an hour earlier planned. However, on the way back it kills you because you lose an hour, which means you have to wake up even earlier to make that hour back. A lot of the highways out west have 80 MPH speed limits, but even with that you can only make up so much time, so don’t forget to plan for time zone changes!
Out of all of our driving days, only one did we arrive to our destination past dark (our grand canyon day). If you’re ever thinking of a road trip I would suggest getting as much daylight in as possible. The scenery looks much nicer in the day AND this also gives you time to stop at some roadside attractions that you might not have planned for (and trust me they will pop up). I also just find it easier to drive during the day than at night, especially when I haven’t driven someplace before.
I’ve also been asked, “Would I ever do this long of a drive again?” and the answer is, MAYBE! I love to drive, but as I said I was getting really tired in the end. If your’e able to do a road trip like this and have a full day or at least a half day off in the city that you’re going to, it would make things a lot easier. It was a really awesome experience, and one that I could definitely see myself doing again when I have children who are of a certain age to enjoy/understand it. My family never took a giant road trip like this and even though I toured the country in a tour bus, it wasn’t close to being the same experience. On tour in the music industry you really only stop for gas/bathroom breaks and you basically just go from one city to another. The only days off you have to explore are the random days in random cities that just happen to pop up while on tour.
So in the end while it still absolutely sucks to have lost my job due to COVID, I’m glad that we were able to do such a long, amazing road trip. If I were still at my last job, I would have never been allowed to take this much time off for one trip, so I guess COVID unemployment isn’t completely terrible 🙂
