A-Bomb and ...: June 2006

It's Set

With the exception of the additional qualifier on 7/3, all of the Nathan's qualifiers are concluded and the wildcard entry has been determined. The lineup is stellar. It will be quite a contest.

Be sure to tune in to ESPN to watch and set the VCR or Tivo or whatever you have.

Painted Bathroom

Thanks, El T!

Checking In

Some of you may remember a topic from early April. To the rhetorical question of had I eaten 10 hot dogs, I said then that I would revisit the question in a few months after my first three Nathan's qualifiers. I can now say that I have eaten more than 10 - my totals were 12.5, 14 and 12. Not great numbers by any means, and less than my modest goal, but it's a start. And each qualifier was a great learning experience.

The numbers put up so far this year by qualifier winners have been amazing! Even competitors who finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th and even 5th in some instances have come in with huge totals! There are a handful of qualifiers left before Coney so we'll see what happens.

Later.

It's All Good

Chomp

It's looking better this morning!

Bloomington

This is the Grand Lodge. Looks normal enough.

Nice lobby.

Connected to the Grand Lodge...

Water Park of America. 70,000 square feet, covered. They claim to be the largest water park in the US. Perhaps the largest covered water park.

A sprawling, kid-filled tepid pool of filth.

A couple of the rides are 10 stories high. How they pull that one off when the tower is 5 stories high, who knows.

A hallway from the water park led to...

A door. Inside...

While no Mandalay Bay, the LCDs are a nice touch. Not that you'd want to anyway, but the volumes and channels on the TVs cannot be adjusted. Three TVs, each on a different channel, and each one, it seems, competing with the next to be heard. But they are fair and balanced - FOXNEWS on one, CNN on the other, and ESPN in the middle. But FOXNEWS was on the left and CNN was on the right! Idealogically mind-blowing!

If you are so inclined, the handicapped stall was ENORMOUS! Toss in a cot and you're set.

The faucets are old-school. Turn them on, they're on until you turn them off. Adjust the water like you want. I came back here after the contest just because of that. And the scented Puffs.

Another IKEA!

Contest was in the Rotunda of the Mall of America.

In the middle of the Mall of America - a covered 7 acre amusement park. I wonder which came first - the covered amusement park or the covered water park.

Afterwards some people who had won some copies of Eat This Book asked Ryan to sign their books. Showing his good sense of humor, Ryan signed my Horsemen of the Esophagus. Thanks, Ryan!

Chip aftwards speaking to a radio reporter.

Here's me getting a look at my prize.

A stand in the amusement park was selling these. I wish I had, but I did not investigate further.

At the airport. Notice the rain. And the luggage carts. To the left of this are some guys putting luggage on the plane. Oops, they forgot the bag in the center of the picture. I stood at the window for 10 minutes while the rain kept falling and the bag kept soaking up the wet.

Here's the chomp after 6 hours or so. Not much change. I'll keep everyone informed.

Later!

Labels: trip report

MN

There was quite a crowd gathered. They were in front of the stage and on the railings of floors 2, 3, and even 4.

The Mall is HUGE. More later.

Chip 38
Pat 32
Me 12
Kevin Carr 11
And 16 other local eaters

Wow!

MN

Chip 38
Pat 32
Me 12
Kevin Carr 11
And 16 other local eaters

Heidi's Brooklyn Deli

...about...

Heidi's Brooklyn Deli started as a bagel and ice cream store in a small 1400 sq ft space in a 100 year old building in Denver, Colorado. "Heidi's Bagels and Ice Cream" later named "Heidi's Brooklyn Deli" was opened Sept 9, 1994. From pastrami to corned beef to prime rib sandwiches and tasty wraps, to fresh salads and healthy smoothies, to mouth-watering cheesecake and other delectable desserts, you’ll want to keep coming back to try something new.

We only use the best ingredients between our fresh baked breads. You can choose from Ciabatta, Pumpernickel, Italian, Sourdough, and many more. And don’t forget that if you love our meat you can take it home to enjoy. We sell all our choice meats by the pound!

So if you’re looking to satisfy that appetite, hurry on over to Heidi’s Brooklyn Deli. But you better keep an eye on your lunch or it’s liable to grow legs. And as we say in Brooklyn, “If you think you can find a better deli, just fuggedaboudit!”

...history...

Heidi and Steve Naples came to Colorado from Brooklyn New York in search of a place that would feed their spirit. They never knew that while Denver was a great place to feed their spirit, feeding their stomachs was a whole different smear of cream cheese.

Steve found himself raising money selling television commercial time for the ABC affiliate, while Heidi was raising their two small girls. After five years of being surrounded with fast food chains and "kind of" Deli food, Steve and Heidi took the plunge. And with a small second mortgage on their 105 year old fixer upper, they opened their first store.

At the same time Steve and Heidi were opening "Heidi's Bagels and Ice cream" Steve also continued to support the family by selling Television airtime. This was until he found himself too busy ordering deli meats from the TV station. He knew if he didn't make a decision, he too would be dead meat. So, with no money in the bank, but customers at the store door, he quit. This decision cut his income more than in half.He lost the expensive suits as well as the expense accounts and started smearing cream cheese in a big way. No problem, They figured, they could eat and sleep at the store if things didn't work out.

Luckily it all worked out, and Heidi's Bagels and Ice cream grew from a 1400 sq. ft shop, selling only bagels and Ice Cream and a few sandwiches, to an almost 4000 sq. ft full deli. Selling over 35 different killer sandwiches on fresh baked bread, hot foods, desserts and of course fresh baked bagels and 32 flavors of ice cream, Heidi's Brooklyn Deli was born in the summer of 1997. In its first month operating as a full Deli, Heidi's doubled its gross receipts!

In May of 1999 Steve and Heidi opened the second Heidi's Brooklyn Deli in the northern suburb of Denver called Northglenn. Today Heidi's Brooklyn Deli operates in 7 metro locations. The first franchise location opened in March of 2005 south of Denver in Lonetree, Colorado. With 13 new franchise stores coming, Heidi's will operate in 20 metro locations within the next year. And Heidi's is now expanding nationally!

Heidi and Steve along with their ever expanding staff work hard every day to bring a real, true deli experience to the West. And with national franchising in the plans this year the exciting growth continues. In the words of a former TV advertising salesman....stay tuned!