Jelly Beans and Beer
Is there anything better than candy and beer? Of course not. What kinda crazy ass question is that? Haha. It was a trick question, people...a trick question.
I spent some much needed time away...distracted, entertained and happy...with jelly beans and beer. :-) Yesterday, I was up in Fairfield touring the Jelly Belly Factory and the Budweiser Brewery. And, oh man, talk about heaven. Over the course of the entire weekend...I probably ate about a pound of jelly beans and drank about a gallon of beer (hahaha…just kidding, Mom...just kidding). And you know what...? It was completely awesome and a super fun time. And in between all the candy and beer...we paid a visit to Chick-fil-A (my first time to the chicken establishment) and Olive Garden (man, it's been forever-and-a-day since I've enjoyed a meal at the Garden...hahaha). Some would call my super Saturday...a "white trash Saturday"...I wouldn't, but some would (yes, you know who you are). But nevertheless, it was a pretty awesome way to spend a Saturday. :-)
The Jelly Belly Factory tour was not bad. Considering it was free and only a short distance away from the Budweiser Brewery (yes, I was up there specifically for the Budweiser tour), it was a good way to kill the morning hours. However, I should highlight the best part of the Jelly Belly visit was buying Belly Flops. Now ok...I'm probably the last person on the planet who didn't know what a "Belly Flop" was (it's those irregular Jelly Bellys that they sell for half price)...but when I walked into the gift shop and saw the piles and mounds of irregular jelly beans...I knew I had found the purpose for my trip...no, it wasn't the tour...and it wasn't even all the jelly bean samples...it was for those half priced irregular Jelly Bellys. Oh man...load me up some more of those. So good and so cheap. Yummy.
After filling up on candy and greasy chicken (yes, Chick-fil-A, I called your ass greasy)...we made our way to the Budweiser Brewery (cue heavenly music). After a 2-hour tour, we enjoyed (enjoyed seems like such a simple word to describe the heartfelt joy and excitement that I felt) a 5-flight tasting of beer. And oh my god...talk about heaven. We tried a bunch of beer that you just can't find in stores...and it was so amazing. I know...I can't believe I just said that about Budweiser beer. Budweiser is not my favorite beer, but if the beer that I could get in stores tasted remotely like what I had at the brewhouse...I would be a lifetime member of the "I love Budweiser" club. Haha. As for the tour itself, don't get me wrong, it was pretty informative and highlighted the brewery in Fairfield...but it was nothing (seriously, nothing) like the big factory and brewery in St. Louis. Taking the beermaster tour in St. Louis (at Busch headquarters) was nothing short of amazing. It was like going to Disneyland...and you just wanted to pay homage to beer all day long. But hey Fairfield, nice try...and not bad.
We ended our day with a hearty, carb-loaded meal at Olive Garden. Haha…and yes, we waited for about half an hour just to eat at the Garden. It was totally worth it if you ask me. Totally and completely worth it. You know, back in the day, Olive Garden was my go-to place for really good Italian food. Back when I had no idea what real Italian food tasted like…and back when my pallet didn’t know the difference between great food and mildly mediocre food…Olive Garden was mind-blowing. Haha. And now…it’s just funny and a “special” treat to get to enjoy a meal at the Garden. Hehe.
Anyway check out the pictures from my super Saturday. And again I ask...is there anything better than candy and beer? Nope...not one single thing.
I spent some much needed time away...distracted, entertained and happy...with jelly beans and beer. :-) Yesterday, I was up in Fairfield touring the Jelly Belly Factory and the Budweiser Brewery. And, oh man, talk about heaven. Over the course of the entire weekend...I probably ate about a pound of jelly beans and drank about a gallon of beer (hahaha…just kidding, Mom...just kidding). And you know what...? It was completely awesome and a super fun time. And in between all the candy and beer...we paid a visit to Chick-fil-A (my first time to the chicken establishment) and Olive Garden (man, it's been forever-and-a-day since I've enjoyed a meal at the Garden...hahaha). Some would call my super Saturday...a "white trash Saturday"...I wouldn't, but some would (yes, you know who you are). But nevertheless, it was a pretty awesome way to spend a Saturday. :-)
The Jelly Belly Factory tour was not bad. Considering it was free and only a short distance away from the Budweiser Brewery (yes, I was up there specifically for the Budweiser tour), it was a good way to kill the morning hours. However, I should highlight the best part of the Jelly Belly visit was buying Belly Flops. Now ok...I'm probably the last person on the planet who didn't know what a "Belly Flop" was (it's those irregular Jelly Bellys that they sell for half price)...but when I walked into the gift shop and saw the piles and mounds of irregular jelly beans...I knew I had found the purpose for my trip...no, it wasn't the tour...and it wasn't even all the jelly bean samples...it was for those half priced irregular Jelly Bellys. Oh man...load me up some more of those. So good and so cheap. Yummy.
After filling up on candy and greasy chicken (yes, Chick-fil-A, I called your ass greasy)...we made our way to the Budweiser Brewery (cue heavenly music). After a 2-hour tour, we enjoyed (enjoyed seems like such a simple word to describe the heartfelt joy and excitement that I felt) a 5-flight tasting of beer. And oh my god...talk about heaven. We tried a bunch of beer that you just can't find in stores...and it was so amazing. I know...I can't believe I just said that about Budweiser beer. Budweiser is not my favorite beer, but if the beer that I could get in stores tasted remotely like what I had at the brewhouse...I would be a lifetime member of the "I love Budweiser" club. Haha. As for the tour itself, don't get me wrong, it was pretty informative and highlighted the brewery in Fairfield...but it was nothing (seriously, nothing) like the big factory and brewery in St. Louis. Taking the beermaster tour in St. Louis (at Busch headquarters) was nothing short of amazing. It was like going to Disneyland...and you just wanted to pay homage to beer all day long. But hey Fairfield, nice try...and not bad.
We ended our day with a hearty, carb-loaded meal at Olive Garden. Haha…and yes, we waited for about half an hour just to eat at the Garden. It was totally worth it if you ask me. Totally and completely worth it. You know, back in the day, Olive Garden was my go-to place for really good Italian food. Back when I had no idea what real Italian food tasted like…and back when my pallet didn’t know the difference between great food and mildly mediocre food…Olive Garden was mind-blowing. Haha. And now…it’s just funny and a “special” treat to get to enjoy a meal at the Garden. Hehe.
Anyway check out the pictures from my super Saturday. And again I ask...is there anything better than candy and beer? Nope...not one single thing.
Posted by kristina
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