3.27.2011

Katie's Top Ten Chain Restaurants

1.) P.F. Chang's - I love this place. To me, the best chain restaurant's food shouldn’t taste like a “chain restaurant”, and PF Chang’s fits that bill. I could eat the chicken lettuce wraps every day and not get sick of them.

2.) Mellow Mushroom - Pizza is my favorite food, and Mellow Mushroom is my favorite pizza. I echo Gib’s recommendation of the Magical Mystery Tour pizza. Plus, they have a great beer selection, and you can call the waiters “Dude” or “Bro”, which is fun.

3.) Zea Rotisserie and Grill - Two words: Thai ribs. Zea also has great sandwiches and salads, and they serve really good seafood. Sorry if you live outside of the Southeast and can’t go here…4.) Chick-fil-A - Yep, a fast food place made my list. I just love it. If we end up moving somewhere without a Chick-fil-A, I will cry. Actually, scratch that, we will make “Chick-fil-A accessible” a major criterion when choosing a residency. Right up there with "strength of psychiatry program". I have my priorities in line...5.) Macaroni Grill - I know people look down on chain Italian restaurants, but Macaroni Grill is really good. Anywhere that serves bread and olive oil is a-okay in my book. Yes, I have a book (you didn’t know?).

6.) Bonefish Grill - The Bang Bang shrimp is bangin’. I like this place for a more upscale chain restaurant. Good martinis, too.

7.) California Pizza Kitchen - Surprise! Another pizza place on my list. I love the pear and gorgonzola pizza, but everything they serve is good. Note: the frozen versions of their pizza in the grocery store are NOT as good, trust me.

8.) Panera Bread - I am never not in the mood for Panera. I love everything on their menu, and their bagels are killer. Suggestion: chocolate chip bagel with hazelnut cream cheese. Yes, please.9.) Moe's Southwest Grill - I liked it better when I could get a cookie with a kids’ meal (remember that?), but it is still awesome. Plus, "Moo Moo Mr. Cow" is fun to say.

10.) Five Guys - I usually feel like I’ve been shot with a tranquilizer after eating here, but isn’t that the sign of a good burger place?

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

IHOP
Quizno's
Cracker Barrel
Zoe's
Zaxby's

Gib's Top Ten Chain Restaurants

1.) Chick-fil-A - It gets no better than this. I think a perfect day in my book would start off with a Spicy Chicken Biscuit + Honey along with a Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit topped with Buffalo sauce. For lunch I would have two Spicy Chicken Sandwiches smothered in Honey Roasted Barbecue Mustard and a side of waffle fries. For dinner I would have two milkshakes: Cookies and Cream and Banana Pudding. 2.) Moe's Southwest Grill - Give me a Joey Bag of Donuts with steak, black olives, and a boatload of cilantro and we will be best friends.3.) Mellow Mushroom - Home of my favorite pizza ever. Please try the Magical Mystery Tour Pizza if you have not already done so.

4.) P.F. Chang's - I hope they serve Lettuce Wraps and Chang’s Spicy Chicken in heaven. If not, I will be sorely disappointed.5.) Arby's - I used to eat a 5 for 5 deal with a Jamocha Shake and a large side of curly fries as a mid-afternoon snack. I also love their Horsey Sauce so much that I think I could drink it.

6.) Cracker Barrel - Grandma’s Sampler with an extra side of biscuits and Apple Butter. Check. Also, the game with the golf tees continues to make me feel dumb to this day.

7.) Waffle House - Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit with a Waffle on the side. MMMmmmmm…

8.) McDonald's - Do they put crack in their Double Cheeseburgers? Why do they make me so happy?9.) Taco Bell - Spicy Chicken Crunch Wrap Supreme. Tough to say, tough not to like…

10.) Panera Bread - I always get the Half-Sandwich/Cup of Soup Combo and I am rarely disappointed.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

Papa John's
Olive Garden
Checker's
Five Guys
Buffalo Wild Wings

3.06.2011

**Disclaimer about the comedy lists

Okay, Gib and I decided this list was WAY harder than the drama list. I mean, there are just too many good comedies. We probably forgot a bunch. It is really hard to narrow it down to 15 total. You try it.

And let us know what your list would be.

I know we're both going to catch a lot of flack for the "Step Brothers" inclusion. We probably should have done a "Top Ten Will Ferrell Movies" list as well. Gib kind of did, actually.

Okay. The next list will be non-movie related, so get excited.

Katie's Top Ten Comedies

1) "Dumb and Dumber" What can I say about this movie? I, along with most other people of my generation, have had it memorized since I was in middle school. The most quotable movie ever, and still hilarious today.

2) "The Princess Bride" Hilarious characters and writing. I love that it is family friendly, too. Some of the funniest one-liners of any movie ever.

3) "The Big Lebowski" Okay, this one's not exactly family-friendly, but MAN is it funny. I love the Dude as a character, and any movie that requires me to drink a white russian every time I watch it is okay by me.

4) "Step Brothers" I know this one might be a controversial pick amongst Will Ferrell fans, but Gib and I agree that it is hilarious. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are SO funny together. If you don't like it, you have to call me "Night Hawk".

5) "Three Amigos!" Really a classic. This movie is so funny that it's worth having "My Little Buttercup" stuck in your head for DAYS after you watch it.
6) "Airplane!" I love this movie. No matter who you are or what kind of humor you like, you WILL laugh at this one. I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.

7) "Blazing Saddles" Mel Brooks is a genius. (Apparently, I am not, since I just tried to spell it "genious". Yikes.) I love spoofs, and this one is perfect.

8) "What About Bob?" Bill Murray is so good in this movie. "I'm a sailor! I sailed!" If you haven't seen it, take baby steps to the movie store and get it.

9) "Waiting for Guffman" I really love all of Christopher Guest's 'mockumentaries', but this one takes the cake. The characters are so ridiculous.

10) "Elf" Another family-friendly one. Will Ferrell, Christmas, syrup, and smiling. What more do you need?

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):
"A Fish Called Wanda"
"The Jerk"
"Liar, Liar"
"The Sandlot"
"A Christmas Story"

*all images from imdb.com

Gib's Top Ten Comedies

1) "Step Brothers" It never gets old. I could watch this everyday for the rest of my life and still crack up the whole time I am watching. This movie narrowly edged out number two on my list and is one of several Will Ferrell flicks to make my cut.

2) "Dumb and Dumber" A close second on my list. My wife and I might be able to quote this entire movie from start to finish. Jim Carey is one of the funniest humans to ever walk the face of the earth.

3) "Team America: World Police" I remember when I saw this movie in theatres and I almost vomited both from disgust and laughter. Speaking of vomit…the scene where the main character vomits uncontrollably in a back-alley for about 10 minutes might be the hardest I have ever laughed in the theatres.

4) "Three Amigos!" Possibly one of the greatest comedy casts ever assembled for a single movie. Chevy Chase, Martin Short, and Steve Martin are hilarious. Thanks to this movie, the use word “plethora” in American households is now commonplace.

5) "Airplane!" RIP Leslie Nielson. This movie is “Shirley” one of the funniest of all time and would likely make a ton of people’s Top 10 List.

6) "Blazing Saddles" There were a lot of Mel Brooks’ movies that I considered for my list, but this is my favorite. It is one of the timeless classics of comedy and has made people laugh for close to five decades.

7) "The Princess Bride" Probably one of the most quoted movies of all time. My parents enjoyed introducing me to this movie and I will enjoy showing it to my kids one day.

8) "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" At one point while we were in college my wife and I watched this movie on a weekly basis. The scene where Ron Burgundy’s dog Baxter is punted off a bridge made me tear up from laughter.

9) "Old School" When I saw the opening scene with Luke Wilson in the airport followed by his colorful exchange with a cab driver, I knew I was in for a lot of laughs. Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Luke Wilson are comedy gold in this movie.

10) "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" I still remember seeing this movie in theatres and to this day I have not been to see a movie where the audience was laughing as loudly or as consistently as they were during this James Bond spoof.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):
"Blades of Glory"
"Wedding Crashers"
"Talladega Nights"
"Liar, Liar"
"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"

*all images from imdb.com