Visual Representation of an Epic Foodie Staycation as a Google Map (w/Foursquare Badges)

For the last two weeks of May, we had friends from coast to coast visiting (along with The Meat Guy...who hardly counts as a guest anymore even though he lives 400 miles away) and...well...we ate and drank A LOT (Probably too much, but that's not the point). At first I was going to make a meme showing all the places we went, but as I re-traced our rather glutinous steps I soon realized this wouldn't fit in a 400x300 jpg.

No problem, I thought, I'll just do something clever like map the places on a layer and then overlay them on a map of Westeros. Seriously, if you look at the West Coast of the Seven Kingdoms ruled by that horrible, little man-child and tweaked it a bit, it's contours are not unlike The Bay Area. Sadly, with points spanning from Sonoma to Saratoga there were far too many to plot and still be visible on a blog graphic. Thus, you'd have to download some giant TIFF/PDF which kind of defeats the purpose of a blog in the first place.

So I let The Goog do the heavy lifting for me and aped/customized some Foursquare Badges as icons 'cause the Google Map defaults are like Jake from State Farm (i.e. hideous).


View EPIC FOODIE STAYCATION in a larger map

FUN FACTS* ABOUT THE FOODIES TWO-WEEK STAYCATION BINGE:
NUMBER OF IN-N-OUT ANIMAL STYLE DOUBLE DOUBLES THAT COULD BE PURCHASED WITH THE AMOUNT SPENT AT RESTAURANTS: 715.
NUMBER OF ADULT BEVERAGES CONSUMED @ SMUGGLER'S COVE: 17.
POUNDS OF BABY BACK RIBS SMOKED: 58.5.
OPENTABLE POINTS EARNED: 800.
FOURSQUARE MAYORSHIPS OBTAINED: IN-N-OUT (OAKLAND), COMMIS.
SHOTS OF CHERRY VODKA SUBCUTANEOUSLY FORCED INTO AN INNOCENT WATERMELON: 12.
NUMBER OF SIX-PACKS OF 21ST AMENDMENT HELL OR HIGH WATERMELON THAT COULD BE PURCHASED WITH THE AMOUNT SPENT AT BARS/LIQUOR STORES: 49 (INCLUDING $14.70 IN CRV ALONE).
NUMBER OF CANS OF 21ST AMENDMENT HELL OR HIGH WATERMELON ACTUALLY CONSUMED: 4.
NUMBER OF VISITS TO MICHELIN STARRED RESTAURANTS: 1.
NUMBER OF VISITS TO PLACES TOO NEW TO APPEAR IN THE MICHELIN GUIDE: 6.
PROTEIN (IN OUNCES) GRILLED PER PERSON ON MEMORIAL DAY: 28.
NUMBER OF BARS, WINERIES & DISTILLERIES VISITED: 15.
POUNDS GAINED DURING SAID TWO WEEK PERIOD: 8.2

*fun facts are not guaranteed to be fun, only factual.

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Food & Drink Holidays for May

Not that you NEED a reason to go out for BBQ or have another Paloma, but here are some extra reasons to keep the USA #1...in obesity.

May is National BBQ Month, National Beef Month AND National Hamburger Month. And, no, GRILLING a burger is NOT the same as BBQ, so you can't triple dip unless you put some smoked brisket or pulled pork ON your burger!

It's also National Asparagus Month if that's you thing...I'll try not to hold it against you.

Days of note (besides the obvious Cinco de Drinco):

2nd - National Truffles Day.
8th - National Empanada Day. While you're at it, double dip with a MexiCoke as it's also 'Have a Coke Day'
10th - National Shrimp Day.
13th - National Apple Pie Day.
14th - Buttermilk Biscuit Day.
16th - National Coffee Day. As if The Hottie needs an excuse to head to Blue Bottle...
25th - National Wine Day. As if The Hottie needs an excuse to drink more wine...
26th - National Blueberry Cheesecake Day. No, I do not make these up...they ACTUALLY exist.
28th - National Brisket Day.
30th - National Mint Julep Day. Why this doesn't coincide w/The Kentucky Derby, IDK.
31st - National Macaroon Day.

Also of note, the 13-19 of May is American Craft Beer Week. You're welcome.

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