Oprah does her favorite things, and that's totally cool but a lot of them are expensive!
We had an assignment on our show to come up with ten favorite things that are either free or cheap. Here are mine!
PODCAST:
"You Must Remember This" is all about old Hollywood. The characters, the stories, the heroes, the legends and the tragedies. With stories about the legends and the obscure, each episode is fascinating even if you don't remember all the stars the stories are about.
BEST CHAIN RESTAURANT:
Buffalo Wild Wings, of course! I love B-Dubs. The food is great, reasonably cheap, the service is fast and friendly and there are a zillion screens to watch. Plus I love playing Buzztime Trivia there!
BEST RESTAURANT:
La Cucaracha in St. Paul. It's been in the same spot with the same family since 1962. The food is authentic and delicious. Generous portions and a super-friendly staff. I love old restaurants and this one along with Mancini's are at the top of the list now that Nye's is gone.
FAVORITE LOCAL CELEBRITY:
Kate Raddatz from WCCO-TV. This is a hard one because there are a lot of local celebrities I just love. Some I've known for years, some only for a year or two. Kate is one of those people that's kind, talented, smart, down-to-earth, funny and quirky. And she actually listens when I tell her my long boring stories when she comes to visit our show!
FAVORITE LOCAL PLACE:
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It's just down the street from where I live in Chanhassen and it's beautiful. I'm not a big "flower" or "landscape" kind of guy, but no one can deny the beauty of this place. It's hilly with great walking paths and little secluded areas. It's like our own version of a better Central Park right here in Minneapolis.
FAVORITE APP:
Flight Radar24 is an app that shows you any airplane that's airborne anywhere in the world. Zoom in on Minnesota, click on an airplane icon and see where it came from, where it's headed, speed, altitude, type of aircraft, and even a picture of a similar plane. It's COOL and it's free!
FAVORITE LOCAL BUILDING:
The Foshay Tower. The first skyscraper in Minneapolis, the Foshay was inspired by the Washington Monument and when it was built, was the pride of the city. It's dwarfed now by taller buildings but it's still beautiful and really cool inside and out!
FAVORITE CURRENT TV SHOW:
Air Disasters on Smithsonian. I'm a pilot so I find these stories absolutely fascinating. It's amazing how one mistake, followed by another, then another and another can end up in disaster. Not just in flying, but also in life. These stories are like watching a mystery as investigators try to find out what made a plane crash.
FAVORITE BOOK:
In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote. It's a true story about a family of four that was murdered in Kansas 60 years ago. It's chilling, disturbing and sad and the best book I've ever read.
BEST GAME:
Dutch Blitz. You thought I was going to say Settlers of Catan, didn't you? Well, I love that one too, but you've heard me talk about it a million times. Dutch Blitz is a new one for me and my family loved playing it over Thanksgiving. It's simple yet challenging and anyone 8 and over can play it. Great, quick family game that I'm sure you'd love!