TGIF, y’all!
One of the reasons why I think it would have been fun to grow up in the South (besides epic BBQ, crawfish boils, and wearing pearls and frilly dresses to tailgate parties) is so I could legitimately greet people with “y’all.” I would never dare say it out loud in Boise or DC, for fear of getting b-slapped by my fellow Westerners and North Easterners, but gosh, it always sounds so charming coming from a Southerner.
All I’ve got is heck, dang, and shoot. Wait, that’s perpetuating a horrible Idaho hick stereotype. Idahoans are not all hicks! We didn’t all grow up on potato farms. 
Let’s try starting this post in an umm, more appropriate way.
TGIF, amigas! (Errr, amigos? <—male readers are you out there?)
I can legitimately say “amigas.” And here’s why: 1) I spent the first half of my childhood living in Southern California, eating quesadillas and queso fundido –so I’m practically half-Mexican (not really), and 2) I woke up this morning with a major guacamole hangover.
Holy shalls, I love that stuff.
After completing this workout at the gym last night, I hobbled headed to Barbacoa—probably my favorite Boise restaurant—to meet my dad for happy hour. I had a fun time celebrating my mom’s birthday there last summer (those fried ice cream cake pops and cotton candy were amazing!), so I was excited to go back for round two.
It was a frrreeezing 40-something degrees when I arrived (where are you, Spring?!), but that didn’t stop me from starting with a very summery cocktail.
Hello, mojito!
There was so much fresh mint and lime packed in that 10-inch glass!
I also ordered shrimp cocktail, which arrived in an even taller glass, and held four of the largest shrimp I’ve ever seen in my life.
The were huuuge. Like the size-of-my-hand-huge.
The cocktail sauce that accompanied them was perfectly sweet and spicy—so good, I couldn’t help but eat over half the cup.
However, that cocktail sauce had nothing on this stuff.
The creme de la creme dynamite of all dips.
The best thing about the guacamole at Barbacoa is that it’s made-to-order next to your table.
Our guacamole expert, Juan, had 10+ add-in ingredient options on his cart, and asked us which we wanted to tossed into the mix. My dad and I agreed that when it comes to guacamole ingredients, the more the merrier, so we went with a little bit of everything, including salsa fresca, fresh garlic, onions, lime juice, Tabasco sauce, and even thyme.
If I were paid to eat one thing the rest of my life, it would be fresh made-to-order guacamole.
Okay, that might be a lie. It would probably be peanut butter. But for the sake of this post, I’m going to say it’s guacamole.
After catching up and eating our weight in chips and dip, my dad and I parted ways, and I went searching for a little dessert. Even though I was stuffed to the brim, I wanted to end the evening on a sweet note.
I worked at TCBY for for three years during high school, and developed a deep love for the place. Since I can’t get TCBY in DC , I was long overdue for a visit.
After sampling a few flavors, I ordered a small cup of Bananas Foster and Vanilla Greek frozen yogurt (<–so good!), and topped it with raspberries, sprinkles and mixed nuts.
Upon returning to my mom’s, I curled up on the couch in a total food coma, along with my new furry friend.
No need for heat wars anymore; I’ve got a leopard-print hot water bottle now!
First Jobs
Popping into TCBY made me start reminiscing about the jobs I’ve held throughout the years. When I started thinking about it, I realized I’ve worked an awful lot!
In chronological order, here’s a list of my past (paid) jobs, beginning with my first job at the age of 14:
- Babysitter
- TCBY frozen yogurt swirler
- Haagen Dazs ice cream scooper
- Starbucks barista
- Luna Bar Marketing Intern
- Hostess at Jaleo
- After-school nanny
- Healthcare researcher
- USDA Food and Nutrition Intern
- IWF Health Coach
- IWF Health Initiative Grant Manager
Next up: NASM personal trainer and holistic nutrition specialist. 
Speaking of which, I have lots of studying to do this weekend.
Ooof. At 624 pages, that’s one mother brother of a book! Not to worry, though, I have some fun scheduled in as well, including a trip to Target to look for these.
Early Cinco de Mayo celebration, anyone? Maybe I’ll add professional taco-eater to that future professions list, too.
Have a fantastic weekend!
I want to know…
If you could be paid to eat one food the rest of your life, what would it be?
What’s your favorite ethnic cuisine?
Mexican is near and dear to my heart because of my California roots, but I also adore Japanese and Italian.
What was your first job? Any and all funny stories welcome! <—Humor me, it’s Friday.
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