Nuggets: Chicken & Golden

Okay, so maybe I think I'm way clever attempting to tie a McNugget eating contest and a trip to California together in one blog post and I found that the word nugget (California Gold Rush) could be applied to both things.

I know, I know... it's a stretch. Just go with it.

First, the nugget chicken eating competition.

A while back someone pointed out that to buy 50 McNuggets cost only $10.

This sparked a fire of competition that would someday be fulfilled.

A couple of weeks later, I'm sitting in class and someone mentions McDonald's.

What was the first thought that popped into my head?

Chicken Nugget Eating Competition.

I leaned over to Laura Corry with this idea and what was her reply?

"I love those. I could eat so many." 

Next thing I knew I was sitting in the corner booth of McDonald's with the best nugget eaters I know and 150 chicken McNuggets.

 Did we try every sauce they had to offer? Yeah, we did.

Did Seth bag on honey mustard? Yeah, he did.

Is it my favorite regardless of his opinion? Yeah, it is.

 The competition was who could eat 10 nuggets the fastest.

Jared ate them in 1 minute 6 seconds.

Seth came in second place at about 1 minute 20 seconds.

This competition wasn't enough though. 

And there were still at least 100 nuggets.

So we saw who could eat the most.

Staci won.

With a personal best of 29 nuggets.

 I ate ten. And felt fine about it.

By fine I mean sick the rest of the night.

Good times. Great times.

Now where did I find myself not 24 hours after this nugget eating contest?

 No other place than the Nugget Casino in Searchlight, Nevada.

 What a great sight to see on the journey to El Centro, California.

Oh how I loved my car ride with Staci to get there.

So many ups & downs as you pass through those hilly terrains a blurry picture was our only option.

 

There may have been some scary story telling along the journey.

In honor of the month of Halloween.

And the creepy sunset with the red moon.

 What a treat to arrive in El Centro to our dearest friend Emily's humble abode. 

Only to find a nice childhood picture of her and her middle part. Such a hip child.

 A geckolizard awaited our arrival on the front porch as well.

 Saturday we went to the San Diego Temple. 

WHAT A DREAM.

Were the ordinances performed in Spanish? YES.

I couldn't have been happier about that.

 Temples are incredible places where incredible things happen.

This visit was exactly what I needed to make my life better.

This temple is probably the best thing San Diego has to offer and that's saying a lot because I can't get enough of that gigantic zoo.

 Post-temple visiting we headed to Ocean Beach. 

Saw some really great people & celebrations along the way.

Including something called the Carnivore Carnival.

 This beach was way good. 

Waves splashing up on the rocks, gentle breeze, hipsters all around, carvings in the rocks.

Such good splashes.
So many surfers in the water.

And some just standing around looking way good near the water.
Did Emily judge me for taking this picture? Maybe a little.

 Ocean Beach has a bike club too.

 After San Diego we traveled back through the desert toward the Mexico border.

We stopped off at the most delicious candy cottage I've ever visited.

I had a nice peanut butter cream delight.

The Wisteria Candy Cottage will send chocolates all across the nation if you're interested.

 

El Centro is full of all sorts of mouth-watering food.

Real Mexican food, you know? Because it's basically in Mexico. 

Seriously I always got nervous that they wouldn't understand my order because I spoke English.

 It's way good to be so close to Mexico though. 

Feels like a whole different world.

 Towns like Calexico & Mexicali with only a fence in between.

 Right through that grating is Mexico.

So many good mustaches and unibrows over there for me to look at as I peeked through.

 One last thing that really sealed the deal on this trip to Mexico El Centro was a Playero raspado.

Embarrassing that the worker didn't understand my order because I was too shy to use a Spanish accent.

But worth the time I spent translating this menu when I chowed down.

 Fresh strawberries & mangos on top of mine. 

Staci's had some coconut shaved on top... or were they hash browns?

Mostly I had the best time ever in El Centro, California.

Emily Burt is way great.

So is Staci.

And I can't get enough of all the good things we experienced.

Oh how I love that flat farming landscape.