Do that west coast foodoo that you doooo....

Hey Hungry People,

     Let me start this entry by apologizing for not posting faster and for not being able to format the photos properly. Things have been a little tough with bad internet service and absence of wifi in the mountains. Call me a WAHHHmbulance? I know I know. So we've been eating at some interesting places and meeting some really cool and really bizarre people. This might also be the first post so far were I talk negatively about some meals. They aren't all going to be winners!

     I love a good cold soda as much as any other guy so sometimes when I see a "gourmet soda" I buy it just to try it. Usually I am pleasantly surprised but this time..... eh not so much. I bought two sodas from Flathead Lake Monster's  Wild White Grape. On the label it says: "Montana's Legendary Soda". Give me some seltzer and some grape Jolly Ranchers and BOOM.... same thing. Next was the Huckleberry flavor. It was a little better but still had a pretty terrible aftertaste. I do not recommend these but hey now I can say I had them.     

                  

       What would be a campfire without some s'mores? Well when we camp, which is pretty often, these tasty dessert treats are a staple when it gets late and we get some serious sweet tooths. I said why not step up the s'more game and replace the graham crackers with a chocolate chip cookie.... SMART! The next morning I got m bluff called on a bet and lets just say I was "laid down on a table and waxed" oh wait... So my last meal was a "Monte Cristo" sandwich at a diner up in the washington mountains. It was your normal kind except that it had pineapple. It was actually pretty great! Sadly I can't remember the name of the place.

    One of our favorite places to play is in Seattle, WA and truthfully they have some amazing food around there. Yes we went to Starbucks but thats not what I was looking for. We wanted local food and we found it! First up was The Frankfurter  at which I got the bockwurst and it really was great! Sometimes I just need a good hotdog and life is all better. After that we walked over to Ivar's Seafood Restaurant and got some amazing fried oysters. They were perfectly fried and huge! Both places get two thumbs way up!

               

                           

   After our show at Studio 7 in Seattle we crashed at a friends house and woke up the next morning to Donut House donuts. They were plain donuts covered in chocolate frosting. In my eyes they were simple and completely delicious. 

     Our next gig was in Portland, OR and man oh man talk about a food town! We played that night at the World Famous Cannabis Cafe. It was an experience I will never forget. Luckily we were swept under the wings of the Wright brothers and taken to a killer mexican food stand for a late night snack. We eagerly waited as our burrito, tacos, tortas, and other delights were prepared. I ordered a chorizo burrito and was both surprised with how amazing it was and the portion. Everybody loved everything that came out.          

    The next morning we went to my favorite donut place in the world. No not DDs or Krispy Kremes. Yes ladies and gentlemen the most ridiculous donut shop ever: Voodoo Donuts. If you don't know about it then LOOK IT UP! I got the "voodoo dozen" which is box of all the favorites to share and for myself I got the "Memphis Mafia". It was an amazing combination of peanuts, peanut butter, chocolate, and fried dough goodness. I also had some local milk. Voodoo Experience #2: Amazing!

                

                                         

 

   

    Portland treated us incredibly well but it was time to move onto the great state of California. First we were in Lake Tahoe, which to me is a really amazing beautiful place. In the period of two days we had a gig, got to listen to Soundgarden and The Mars Volta live, partied it up at Cabo Wabo, and had some awesome healthy yet delicious food. We went to an amazing place called Sprouts which our good friend Tyler had brought us to. I had the Tuna Burrito. It was really quite excellent with tons of fresh sprouts and other veggies. I also had an awesome fresh squeezed juice/vegetable concoction that just made you feel great as you drank it.

     

      Last night we played in Newhall, CA. It was most definitely a very interesting place with characters a plenty and drunks a many. After the gig we were all starving so the only place open nearby was the Saugus Cafe. It was out of a time warp for sure. Our waitress, the snappy Flo, was hilarious and looked like the mother from The Oblongs cartoon. I ordered a mushroom burger which was just OK but the soup that came with it was amazing. A smokey ham and vegetable soup. It was hearty and delicious. Nick, our trumpet player especially enjoyed it.

             

           Today was a day off and usually that means we go to a campground. This time we got to hang with a relative of the band and just spend the day relaxing and cleaning up. Nick and I were put in charge of dinner. We decided on something easy which was spaghetti with sauce and garlic bread. We made everything from scratch and it really did come out pretty awesome. Fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, cheese, olive oil, bread, and onions go a long way. So yes we can actually cook too!

Eat well and be well

Matt

     

     

Colorado, Colorado, Colorado.... oh and Boise, Idaho?!?!

Hey Everybody,

 While in Colorado this week we, the band, were surrounded by good food everywhere we. I have to admit that if there was one place I'd live other then the NYC area it would definitely be in Colorado. Everyone is so nice, the streets and shops are clean, beautiful scenery everywhere (take that as you will), and really great food.

    While waiting for load-in at the venue Nick (trumpet) and I decided to check out the town of Breckenridge, CO. This has to be one of the coolest towns I had ever been in. It was small, quaint, had awesome views of the mountain, great shopping, and pretty hip restaurants. First thing we had to get was Coffee. If you've never been on the road before then you might not understand the importance of this tasty beverage. I would have taken a picture of my coffee but I feel like you've seen an Iced Coffee before.... maybe not? Now one thing that you should know about Breckenridge is that it is a tourist destination. Because of this the prices in town can be pretty steep. For example: a hamburger and nothing else cost around 8 dollars and up. Luckily we found a 5 dollar lunch special at a bar. I got the BBQ chicken sliders with crispy onion strips and nick got the cheesesteak sliders. Truthfully for 5 bucks it was a pretty massive meal and it even tasted pretty good. Just take a walk around and you'll find something reasonable. Not too mention good beers everywhere.

We played that night at a venue called Three20South. We killed it and gained a ton of new fans. After the gig a bunch of us tried to meet up at an irish pub but sadly by the time we finished our load out the bar was closed. We were hungry, tired, and wondering if anything was open in town at that hour. Luckily one place stayed open and boy were we in for a surprise. The place was called Lucha Colorado Cantina. It was a great little place with homemade salsa and guacamole and everything was cooked to order. Did I mention they were open past two which in that town seemed to be a rarity. I got the Chicken Quesadilla and man it was great. It was one of the best I had ever had. No it was not the beer talking. The other guys got either a veggie or Mahi Mahi burrito. They looked pretty killer! Check this place out for a late night snack or for their famous breakfast burritos. Def great bang for the buck kind of place and fresh ingredients! Oh yeah... They have a full bar.

    Mornings can be rough.... you might know this. Now some of you may or may not know this but I'm not a huge breakfast guy. I prefer that kind of food later in the day or for dinner. I do love pancakes anytime of the day though! The reason I say this is because we all went for breakfast the next day at the Columbine Diner in Breckenridge. The menu seemed to have all the classics with a few exceptions. The first one was the Trout and Egg plate. Dan, our guitarist, was about to get it but figured it might be better to stay away from the fried fish so early in the morning. Steve, our singer, got the honey wheat pancakes. They looked great, smelled awesome, and were huge. I wasn't in the mood for anything until I saw the specialty of the house... corned beef hash. This was not your normal hash. It didn't look like bacon bits and potatos fried together. This was homemade corned beef and boy you could taste the difference for sure! My plate came with eggs, hash browns, sourdough toast and the corned beef hash. Great!!

 The next day we had a gig in Vail Colorado at a place called Agave. It was a really cool place and had amazing food. One thing you notice in Colorado is the massive amount of mexican food. It's all great there too. You can't go wrong at any mexican place. I got the pork carnitas and they were really really awesome. 

    You really can't judge a book by it's cover. Boise, Idaho is one badass town. Extremely eclectic place and people. Skaters next to cowboys, goths next to girls in mini skirts and high heels.... pretty interesting. We had a gig at the Reef in Boise and not only was it a really cool bar but it had some great food. I got the Duke burger with a side of seafood chowder. It was a big burger with thick cut bacon, all the fixings and a tangy mayonaise sauce. It was just what we wanted and boy did it deliver.

Stay tuned for more

Matt

(some wild animal we found)

Walmarts in the middle of nowhere....

 Hey All,

         So it's been a few days and we've been crushing our gigs and meeting a ton of great people and a ton of strange people. As a member of Echo Movement I have had the extreme honor of getting well acquainted with Wamarts all across this great United States. I've also been fortunate to see some real crazy foods such as the always enticing Ham Salad? Apparently this is a staple at Walmarts of the midwest. 

While traveling across colorado I was able to try some of the local foods and drink during some short driving breaks. You learn quickly on the road to try and eat as healthy and cheaply as possible while still being able to keep your hunger pains away. One snack that is actually pretty good for you is beef jerky. This does not mean going to your supermarket and buying a Slim Jim. The jerky I'm talking about has 2 or three ingredients. I picked up a bag of Horned Beef Company - All Natural Beef Jerky. Now this gave your jaw quite the work out but it really had an amazing taste. It really did taste like beef unlike your normal store brand mystery chunks.                  

            

I also for some reason love to try local milk. Doesn't matter what kind but normally I go for the chocolate milk variety as a kind of treat. Farmers - All Natural was really exceptional compared to your run of the mill stuff. On a side not when I'm drinking milk to enjoy it and not to mix it in my coffee or milk I prefer good old fashioned whole milk. I just feel it just tastes so much better then reduced fat milk. 

On July 4th we were invited to a really nice BBQ at a friend of our bands in CO. While I was there I had two beers I had never seen. On a side note Colorado had some of the best beer selections in their liquor stores that I have ever seen. Probably because they have the most amount of micro breweries then any other state. The first beer was Mana Wheat from the Maui Brewing Company. It was a wheat beer brewed with pineapple juice. I thought it had a real nice after taste and it was definitely different from a normal wheat beer. Up next was the Bridgeport - Cafe Negro coffee infused porter. I thought this was great it had a nice dark yet not too bitter flavor and you could really taste the coffee beans in the brew.

So yesterday we decided to take our bus up to Pikes Peak. If you haven't heard of Pikes Peak it is a highway that takes you up to a 14,110 foot elevation on top of a mountain peak. Needless to say the drive up was pretty nerve-racking and the air was just a little hard to breath. Nothing like standing up and feeling a bit out of breath. It truly was a surreal experience and an amazing site to see. Pictures just can't do it any justice. I know... get back to the food. Well we went inside the lodge at the top and saw some doughnuts which were labeled as "World Famous Pikes Peak Donuts". Now this doesn't sound anything special but since the air is so thin at that elevation it is very hard to get dough to rise and water to boil. Because of this these donuts were made with a very unique batter that allows them to rise and cook like a normal donut. The result were light and crispy old fashioned style donuts. Pretty great tasting treat after our harrowing ascent up the mountain. 

Cheers

Matt

(& Echo Movement)

Good eats in Kansas City MO

Hey all,

     So our gig last night was at a place called Californos in Kansas City, Missouri. I pleasantly surprised by the quality of food and shopping around. Went to a very cool clothing and accessories shop called The Bunker where I bought my new sunglasses and a shirt. They had tons of awesome gear and a really helpful staff. We also came a pretty great self serve frozen yogurt place called PeachWave. I had the coconut frozen yogurt with raspberries, strawberries and shaved coconut. Steve and Nick thoroughly enjoyed their creations. It was awesome and perfect for the scorcher of a day that it was.

         
          I passed by this place called The Beer Kitchen. Seemed pretty popular and I just really liked the look of the place.  Next time we're in town I'm definitely stopping by for a beer and a burger!

      Here are two dishes from Californos. I can't tell you how happy we were to see these dishes after our soundcheck. Steve ordered the Greek salad with seared Ahi Tuna. It looked and tasted phenomenal. I had the Pork Tenderloin sandwich with horseradish dressing and provolone on an incredibly soft and sweet onion roll. The pork was juicy, flavorful, and fried with a light crispy coating. On the side was a pretty awesome curry pasta salad. The curry wasn't too overpowering creating a great balance to the pasta. Also, there was a small cup of fresh fruit which I thought was a very nice touch. Everyone was completely satisfied and happy with their meals. Oh yeah.... We also had a killer show!

www.californos.com

www.thebunkeronline.com

www.peachwaveyogurt.com

www.beerkitchenkc.com

Stay Happy and Hungry
Matt
www.echomovement.com

Hi There! Saint Louis, MO 6/30

Hey Everyone,

        So this is my first blog....ever! I think it was about time this happened. As someone who travels the country as a musician and a food lover I want to share my experiences with the food I come across and the band I play with, Echo Movement, on the road. I'll try and keep it unbiased. HA! Let's get started.



       Our first "sit down" meal of tour was at a Cracker Barrel but you already know about those. This morning we pulled up to the Goody Goody Diner of St. Louis, MO.  Probably the best hash-browns I have ever had. The potatoes were cooked up with great flavor and topped with cheese and fried onions. I'm a sucker for cheese and fried onions so automatically I knew I was going to be happy with my choice. The only thing I kick myself about was not ordering the chicken and waffles. Plate after plate of amazingly smelling and looking chicken and waffles kept passing by. Also, the biscuits and gravy looked unbelievable. If you want some serious bang for your buck great southern style diner food then this is the place for you. The service was also really excellent and friendly. Chicken and waffles..... next time Goody Goody....next time.

Goody Good Diner

5900 Natural Bridge Road

St Louis, MO 63120

www.goodygoodydiner.com

Eat well and listen to good music

Matt L.

www.echomovement.com

PS - What's up with the pizza being cut into little squares in St. Louis?