We brought back the show just in time for Super Bowl 50! Don’t forget to post your Super Bowl Party spread to Facebook or Twitter. The tastiest looking pic wins the first Piffcast Prize Pack. One of the things included is mentioned early in the show, so listen up!
Follow along on Twitter during the game and don’t forget to send your Super Bowl Spread pics to @Mike_PiFF03 for a chance at the first ever Piffcast Prize Pack
By now, nearly storyline and angle for the Broncos and Panthers have been hashed out going into the Super Bowl. The Prop Bets are available to keep the non-football fan interested, which include wagers on things like how long Lady Gaga will sing the anthem, which song Coldplay will play first, and what color the Gatorade is that will be dumped on the winning coach. Even the commercials are getting leaked early (although I think that takes some of the fun out of it).
The Denver Post and The Charlotte Observer are also in on the game with their own friendly bets. If the Broncos win, the Post will receive “No. 1 IPA beer in the country” Hop, Drop and Roll (brewed in Charlotte) as well as some World Famous barbecue. If the Panthers win, the Observer will receive a broad selection of Colorado craft beer and bison steaks.
A tradition that we began here a year ago was to go beyond the teams playing the game, and compare the regions they’re from in EVERYTHING BUT FOOTBALL. Last year, New England had the edge over Seattle in our game here and eventually won the Big Game itself.
So for the fans (and newspapers) of each team, lets see how they stack up.
Music
From Denver
John Denver, Ginger Baker (drummer), Earth Wind & Fire, Flobots, The Fray, India.Arie, The Lumineers, Glenn Miller (Jazz), Neutral Milk Hotel, OneRepublic, Pretty Lights, Big Gigantic, Judy Collins, The String Cheese Incident, and Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats.
From Carolina
James Taylor, Tori Amos, George Clinton, K-Ci & JoJo, Anthony Hamilton, John Coltrane, Ben Folds, Petey Pablo, Fred Durst, The Avett Brothers and Ryan Adams.
The Edge – Carolina
This may be the toughest call, considering how subjective music is for everyone. However I’m taking quality over quantity here. Fred Durst and the EDM of Denver cancel each other out for things I’m good without. There are more pop acts in Denver, if The Fray and OneRepublic are your thing. Both regions bring the Funk with George Clinton and Earth Wind and Fire. But I’ll take the Carolina singer songwriters (Taylor, Adams and Folds) over John Denver *skypoint*.
Bonus Points too for my favorite school slow dance song ever, “All My Life” by K-Ci & JoJo.
TV
Set in Colorado
South Park, Community, Diagnosis: Murder, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Nikita, Stargate SG-1, The Real World: Denver, The Man in the High Castle, Dynasty and Mork & Mindy.
Set in Carolina
East Bound and Down, Dawson’s Creek, The Famous Jett Jackson, One Tree Hill, The Andy Griffith Show.
The Edge: Denver
There isn’t too much programming set in either region. Community and East Bound and Down duke it out pretty well for comedies. I do love Andy Griffith and that whistling will be stuck in my head for the rest of the month, but 19 seasons of South Park is too many to pass on. Sorry, One Tree Hill fans.
Movies
Set in Colorado
The A-Team, About Schmidt, Aliens vs. Predators: Requieum, Beerfest, The Big Short, Blades of Glory, City Slickers, Cliffhanger, Interstellar, Misery, Phantoms, The Prestige, The Shining, Stargate, WarGames, and Dumb and Dumber
Set in Carolina
Cape Fear, Carrie, Cold Mountain, The Descent, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Kiss The Girls, Maximum Overdrive, Pitch Perfect, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Tin Cup, A Walk To Remember, and Bull Durham.
The Edge: Denver
Carolina makes a case with solid Kevin Costner sports movies. But Denver has two amazing Christopher Nolan films (Interstellar and The Prestige) the better Stephen King horror flick between The Shining and Carrie…and Dumb and Dumber.
Food
From Denver
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From Carolina
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The Edge: Carolina
It was a tough call, but I drooled the most researching all that southern comfort awesomeness.
Landmarks/Sights
In Denver
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In Carolina
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The Edge: Carolina
Both seem perfect if you love the outdoors. I think if you love skiing/snowboarding and weed, you’ll probably lean toward Denver. The idea of mountains, beaches, and some college sports staples have me wanting to visit Carolina first. Red Rocks is a hard venue to pass up though.
Craft Beer
In Denver (327 Craft Brewers)
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In Carolina (151 Craft Brewers)
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The Edge: Denver
This one is depends on your tastebuds, but I’ve always been partial to Colorado beer. Carolina seems to be on its way though.
Sports (other than football)
In Denver
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Rockies
Denver Nuggets
Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado State Rams
In Carolina
Carolina Hurricanes
Charlotte Hornets
Duke Blue Devils
North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina State Wolfpack
The Edge: Carolina
The two Stanley Cups won by the Colorado Avalanche are admirable, but 12 Men’s Basketball National Championships won by Duke (5), North Carolina (5), and North Carolina State (2) are a bit more impressive…
…plus the fact that state produced the greatest player in NBA history.
#DoughnutFriday started out as an office tradition I had with coworkers in the Sun-Times building over a year ago. Every week, someone else took it up themselves to impress the rest of us with their awesome doughnut spot that nobody had tried before. I would get geeked about the opportunity when it came to my turn because I LOVED sharing the doughnuts I grew up with and making new people understand why.
2016 started on a Friday and I thought this could be a fun tradition to expand upon and an opportunity to connect with doughnut lovers everywhere. Every Friday this year, I want to try a new doughnut shop and would encourage others to do the same. You can either recommend new spots for me to try (and I will) or just share a photo from the shop you’re trying yourself on either Facebook or Twitter. At the end of each month, I’ll post here about all different places I tried as well as any photos you share with me…Could be a good bit of fun.
This month’s #DoughnutFriday features are all pretty close to home for me in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, but I’ll begin making the rounds to different areas starting in February.
Please complain sometimes about not being able to order breakfast for delivery. Guess what? EggShells delivers! The semi-cramped layout of the place adds to the charm. The bagels and lunch sandwiches are delicious as well.
This was a fun new discovery in Barrington. They make their Kurtos (Hungarian Doughnuts), also known as “chimney cakes”, fresh as you order them, and fill them with your choice of peanut butter or Nutella. It’s fantastic. They also serve other pastries, sandwiches, soup, coffee and dessert drinks.
Yes, it’s primarily a chocolate shop, but the doughnuts are excellent as well. It’s also one of the few places in the area that serves cider doughnuts. If you grew up around here, you’ll feel nostalgic for the Orchards in Lake Zurich or the apple cider shop in Long Grove.
One of the best doughnut shops in the area. There’s a new location in Arlington Heights, if you so happen to live that way. Always fresh, always delicious. I’m partial to the honey dipped doughnuts, but you really can’t go wrong. Also an awesome choice for Paczki Day!
So those doughnuts I mentioned earlier that I was excited to make my coworkers believers for…these are them. That big soft gooey looking thing is called a “Big Cin” and it’s a totally different level of cinnamon roll. The long johns are top notch and there’s plenty of other options as well.
Have some doughnut photos or recommendations to share? Pass them along on either Facebook or Twitter. I’ll be looking your way next week, downtown Chicago.
Today is #NationalChocolateCakeDay, so of course the first thing that came to mind for me was how The Outsiders would eat chocolate cake for breakfast.
Sidenote: Please don’t reboot this movie, Hollywood. You’re not going to find a cast that matches the star power of these “Greasers”.
A movie becomes memorable by appealing to the several senses of its audience. A great line that tickles you funny. An emotional scene that pulls your heart strings. Or that thing that got your sweet-tooth senses tingling.
Here’s a list of scenes that stick with you, thanks to something tasty.
“Come with me, and you’ll be…”
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, 1971
This song will be stuck in your head for the next week. You’re welcome.
“Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”
The Godfather, 1972
If you grew up in Italian kitchens like I did, you’re picking up cannolis wherever you see them. As you do so, without question this exact scene runs through your head every time.
“The 5 cent one?!”
Once Upon a Time in America, 1984
Strong lesson in picking up dessert before a date.
“Baby? Ruth?”
Goonies, 1985
You should see how strong I am when in a similar a situation and Reese’s peanut butter cup is just out of my reach.
“Oh Rufio…?”
Hook, 1991
Is it weird that thing I remember most from this movie, outside of the Rufio chants and Dustin Hoffman’s ticking mustache, are the frosting pies? Literally just frosting in a pie crust…Just me?
“I’ve gotta know what a $5 shake tastes like.”
Pulp Fiction, 1994
Of my 5 favorite lines from Pulp Fiction, 2 have to do with food. This one, and the “Royale with cheese.”
“Lieutenant Dan, ICE CREAM!”
Forrest Gump, 1994
If you happen to ever get Dairy Queen with me, I will more than likely do an incredible impression of this and either make you laugh…or embarrass the hell out of you.
“Wait for the cream…”
Inglorious Basterds, 2009
Christoph Waltz set the bar pretty high for himself when Quentin Tarantino introduced him to American cinema audiences with Inglorious Basterds. His “Hans Landa” will go down as an all-time movie villain and he won an Oscar for it. He also made eating strudel way more suspenseful than it needed to be.
“Who’s got the throat slitter?”
The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014
The Mendl’s cakes play a HUGE role in this film, and look absolutely delicious. Thankfully there’s a “How-To” video for making them yourself.
“Chocolate lava cake is not just undercooked chocolate cake.”
Chef, 2014
Chef is one of my favorite films in recent years. It actually inspired me to do my Food Truck Challenge this past summer. And now our list has come full circle because CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE.
Note: American Pie, Matilda, and Stand By Me were left off because those scenes only make you lose your appetite.
Do some more memorable scenes come to mind? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter.
It’s actually 2 weeks (January 22nd – February 4th, 2016), but who’s complaining?
For 14 days, 350+ restaurants in downtown Chicago and the suburbs participate in the annual event with great deals and prix fixe menus starting at $22 for lunch, then $33 and/or $44 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity).
Below you can navigate the full list of participants in alphabetical order, with websites and menus included. Whatever you have a taste for, it’s probably on the list.
For everyone who has followed along or checked in over the last year and a half, thank you so much for doing so. If people didn’t read, I wouldn’t write…Your encouragement for me to to keep doing so is more appreciated than you know.
The plan in 2016 is to continue covering everything in movies, music, sports, TV and food, but to generate more and more fun and entertaining content for all the topics this blog has become known for. Below is a list of things I look forward to featuring on the site and hope to get your input on. I am also always open to ideas and collaboration, so please feel free to reach out on Facebook, Twitter, or email me at piff.michael@gmail.com. I would like to include guest posts as well, so PLEASE let me know if you’re interested.
The Burger Challenge
Just like the Pizza Challenge a year ago, I’m looking for the Chicago area’s best burger! So far I have visited 10 burger joints and plan to have 40 ranked before summer. Above are some of the awesome items that I’ve tried and I’m always looking for recommendations. Follow along on Twitter and Instagram as the list grows, and let me know if you’d like to team up for an upcoming burger adventure.
Note: A Wings Challenge has been suggested as the next project. Stay tuned for that.
Movie/TV Madness Tournament
An annual tradition for those who have followed my work for the past few years, I’ve conducted a multi-week bracket tournament for both TV shows and movies. In the spirit of the NCAA Tournament, we list 68 competitors and break them up by region with appropriate seedings. Readers vote round-by-round on the winners of each matchup. The madness happens in March, but stay tuned to see if you’ll be voting on movies or TV shows this year.
Ballpark Foodie
Something I look for when visiting stadiums across the country is a unique and awesome food item I can’t get anywhere else. Starting this Spring, I’ll be reaching out to Major League Baseball organizations to see what baseball fans can look forward to at the concession stands for the 2016 season. I’ll be checking out as many ballparks as possible but if you happen to find something yourself, please send a photo my way on Twitter with the hashtag #BallparkFoodie and I’ll feature it here!
TV Show and Movie Power Rankings
I wrote up a few lists regarding my favorite TV Shows and movies from the past year (The 2015 Movie List will be complete after The Revenant finally hits theaters). Rather than wait months at a time for new lists, I’ll have an updated Power Rankings for new movies and favorite TV shows as I watch them every couple weeks. Look forward to how Batman v Superman stacks up against Captain America: Civil War, and House of Cards with Game of Thrones…There will also be a pre-season 6 ranking of all surviving (or speculated to be surviving) Thrones characters.
The 2016 Fantasy Football Draft Board
ESPN’s Todd McShay and Mel Kiper will be updating their NFL Draft boards up until the first pick is called…I’ll be doing the same this year with all Fantasy Football positions. If you’re like me, you’re already thinking about your first round pick for next year’s Fantasy draft. From the end of this season until draft time next year, I’ll have a regularly updated version of my Fantasy “Cheat Sheet” for you to prepare.
More Mixtapes!
The college radio DJ in me LOVES sharing music and giving people a look into what I’m listening nowadays. It also encourages me to check out new artists and tracks and see if they’re worth including in upcoming playlists. Here are the mixtapes from 2015, and lookout for what’s to come in 2016. Maybe we’ll finally get new Radiohead and Tool that we keep hearing about.
The #Twitter101
In 2015, I started a new tradition of keeping a list of my favorite follows on Twitter. I plan to update the list every year with new accounts and some of old reliables that make Twitter fun to be on. If you recommend anyone to follow or would like to nominate yourself for consideration, just say so here!
The New Piffcast 2.0 (Finally)
When I started writing this blog, I fully intended to relaunch my podcast and feature it here. This year I’m fully committed to bringing it back, discussing all the topics I write about here, getting YOUR thoughts and opinions on-air, interviews with people and experts who know way more than I do, etc. If you’re interested in contributing to the podcast or would like to even sponsor it, contact me via Facebook, Twitter or email me at piff.michael@gmail.com
These are just a few of the plans I have for this year, along with the columns and articles that help make this blog what it is. Looking forward to getting things rolling and to make big things happen in 2016! Follow along for all the fun on Facebook and Twitter!
michaelpiff 