2011: The Year in Google Searches

One of my most favorite parts of being a blogger (aside from the local fame and celebrity), is occasionally looking at the search terms you use to get to arrive here.

Completely inspired by my fellow blogess, Capitol to Capital, I decided to recap the most popular search terms (according to my friends at Google Analyitics) for 2011.  There are some real winners in the list kids, so pull up a chair, get yourself a slice of slice of Jell-O mold, and read on...

*****

I think people are lost in the sea of social media, because MANY of you have searched for "social media sermon" and wound up at mine. Granted, my beliefs on social media are not the only ones out there, but it is good to know people are reading about the evils of Facebook messaging on the pages of W and CP.

A shockingly large number of you are interested in a block island bachelorette party.  My friend Katie's bachelorette party was the scene of my lobster roll taste test (which included not one but two lobster rolls consumed in 48 hours), and apparently folks want the skinny on this. It was a fun weekend, and I'm glad it will live on in Google fame forever...

HUGE heart explosions to everyone who searched for my chocolate chip challah recipe and made it the THIRD item that pops up when you Google "Chocolate Chip Challah."  Hello search engine optimization!

And to my fellow web surfers who also dislike coffee, I think we're soul mates (unless you're just searching "dislike coffee" because you don't believe it is possible, in which case I would like to prove once and for all that it IS possible). My post about Filter remains one of my favorites, mostly because of the shout out to the coffee shaped bike racks.

One highlight on the list is "Emily Pearl AND Hampshire College" which leads curious searchers to my post about my weekend in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts.  I LOVE being associated with such a progressive, interesting, and delicious place. 

A few savvy googlers searched for "holding out something picture." This just warms my heart!  It was actually last year at this time when I was blogging about my top 10 favorite holding things out photos of 2010.  I am thrilled that my signature photo (and forced depth of field strategy) has made it into your google psyches. 

I am glad to know I am not alone in my love of kale. Internet searchers are looking high and low for recipes to incorporate the leafy green vitamin powerhouse, and arriving at my Wild and Crazy Palate post about kale, feta, cranberry goodness. Have you made it recently? I think you're due for another batch!

2009's Passover with a PowerPoint post was highly searched for this year.  I even received an email from a woman in New Jersey who was looking for a downloadable version of the PowerPoint to use at her Seder! Way to go, Jill S., for creating such a fabulous Jewish education resources.

Searchers were all over my Meaningful Marshmallow Experience post this year. Folks searched for the "Karen Mary Company" and appropriately wound up there, but people also searched for "cookie as big as your head company" which ALSO brought them to the post. This is one of the reasons I love being alive, because of moments like this. (And also, shouldn't all cookies be as big as your head?  Let's work on that.)

And to the person who searched for "bacon enrobed chocolate wild and crazy pearl," I salute you.

PS -- I was kind of wishing my list of Like It, Like It items would have made it into your search engine favorites, but it didn't.  Alas,  am linking to it here because 1) I can and 2) it is one of my favorite posts of all time.

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Wild and Crazy about Austin

plate by KathyPhantastic, www.kathyphantastic.com

Howdy, blog reading lovelies!

I am writing with information about my upcoming (temporary) relocation to Austin, TX.  That's right.  This blue state gal is studying abroad in the down home red state breakfast taco mecca that is Austin (actually, Austin itself is quite blue... but it is situated in a sea of red and that is therefore fun to talk about).

I will be departing my beloved D of C on January 2 and will return on January 29.  (And if you are reading this and thinking that you can come to my apartment and steal my KitchenAid mixer while I'm gone... you'd be wrong.  My friend Kirk will be living in my apartment, fending off possible KitchenAid robbers, and making Jell-o molds in my absence.) For those of you in DC, you should contact him! He is such a cool dude. (Thanks to Kay B. for making this connection!)

While in Tejasland, I will be working out of Convio's Austin offices and learning how to calculate the Eastern to Central time difference on my Outlook calendar.  Other activities planned include:

tiny Darcy feet

• photo shoot with Joey M. and her adorable dog
• breakfast tacos every single morning
• cake pop making date with Chris C. and Kathy P.
• eating lots of BBQ
• new boot purchase 
• quality time with Darcy P.
• naps
• spa day/tamale dinner with my colleagues Rachel J. and Rachel  M.
• water aerobics at the Austin JCC
• searching for randomly shaped pinatas to ship back to my favorite people in DC for no reason
• visits from Katie R., Lauren B., parents Goodstein, and Rebecca G.!
• lots more...

My fabulous friend and blogging mentor, Jodi B., is also hosting a little happy hour to welcome me to Austin and introduce me to other bloggers in the area (almost as fun as my Bat Mitzvah, right?).  The details are on Facebook, but I've also copied them here:

Join me in welcoming the wonderful Emily Goodstein, blogger at Wild and Crazy Pearl, lifecycle celebration photographer, and all-around adventurer to Austin!

Emily will be "studying abroad" in Austin for the month of January, which she has arranged through her job at Convio. For the other 11 months of the year, she lives in Washington, D.C.



This girl is all about community, so I wanted to arrange a happy hour to introduce her to my friends in town.

5:30 PM on Tuesday, January 10 at Black Star Coop, 7020 Easy Wind Drive, Austin, Texas 78752

I hope you can make it!  Even if you're not a blogger, don't you want to check out this fun beer coop and dine on some of their very delicious bacon peanut brittle? Good, that's what I thought.

Although I am often on the road and am rarely in one place for too long, this will be the longest I have been away from DC and my own bed... ever.  So keep me company during my adventures by watching W and CP for updates and reporting FULLY on ANYTHING fun that happens while I am gone.

Hook 'em!

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A Dose of Daily Candy

Cowboys and cowgirls,

The good people at Daily Candy decided to tell the world about Emily Goodstein Photography today (this is up there with the time I acquired free tickets to a Michael Bolton concert in 2002). Yippee!

I thought it appropriate to post a tiny welcome note for folks stopping by my little home on the web for the first time.  Hi, I'm Emily... the curly headed gal behind the camera, behind Emily Goodstein Photography, and the Pearl in Wild and Crazy Pearl.  This here is my blog, which often features my favorite photos and the stories behind 'em.

So if you're stopping by for the first time (welcome Daily Candy readers!) or the five-hundredth (hi Mom!), thanks for clicking through.

Now that you've been properly welcomed, let's get down to business:

• Email me to inquire about photography session prices and availability. I'm Emily.Goodstein@gmail.com (shocking, I know).
• Follow me on Twitter to learn what I had for breakfast. 
• Check out some new photos on my Facebook profile (also featured: my thoughts on Jell-o molds, pinatas, and The Electric Slide).
• Subscribe to Wild and Crazy Pearl by email or RSS.

That's the scoop. I am so glad this day has finally come (mostly because I love meeting new friends... and because keeping this most fabulous situation a secret has been VERY DIFFICULT).

Over and out,

Em

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Wild about Want'ems

I love talking to people I don't know.   I am fascinated to learn where people are from, what they do, when they were born, what their favorite colors are, what they had for breakfast, where they got their shoes... I find that this is especially fun at weddings when I know I have at least something in common with my fellow wedding celebrants.

I have been known to purchase cookies from wedding guests to ship to me when I return home (this happened in Ohio--buckeyes of the cookie variety are hard to come by in DC).  I have sourced wedding photography gigs from wedding guests (this happened in Minnesota--I wasn't in full-on photographer mode at that wedding so it wasn't as awkward as it sounds).  And, I have procured a new trendy snackfood called Want'ems at another wedding (this happened in Vermont--then I did The Macarena and my life was complete).  I really have no shame.

So today, I am here to tell you about the fun snacks I learned about while wedding celebrating in Vermont.  They're called Want'ems and rest assured, you will want 'em.

My friend Katie P. R. actually introduced me to the king of Want'ems, Adam S., as we were seated at the same table at her sister's wedding. (You may recall the wedding, I blogged about it a few months ago.)  Adam and I started chatting, mostly because his wife was TEARING UP THE DANCE FLOOR and I was insanely jealous of her command of party moves (the conversation was kind of awkward because I was supersaturated in sweat from all the dancing... another reason why I think it should be socially acceptable to wear workout clothes at weddings, at least for the dancing part).  But then we began discussing where he went to undergrad, what he does now... my love of social media and snacks... and this post was born.

Adam is a tall Jewish kid, just like you and me (except I am not tall, and you may not be Jewish or a kid).  He is getting his MBA with my aforementioned GW friend Katie from Boston University.  AND he owns a Asian inspired snack company called Want'Ems.  The chips are like wonton chips you get when you order soup in a Chinese food restaurant.  Adam is passionate about the company and is a very smart businessperson, too. 

I asked him to send me some samples so I could put a blog post together and tell the world about the product.  In the interest of full disclosure:

• I did not pay for the Want'ems products I recieved
• I told Adam that most people who read my blog are Jewish moms and that I knew they'd be into Want'ems

So my Want'ems arrived.  The good folks at the Want'ems Intergalactic Headquarters had packaged up the entire product line and sent it over to me.  I was having folks over for a little crafternoon of card making that day and I knew the Want'ems would be the perfect snack.

My clear favorite item was the Asian BBQ chips. They were so delicious, I decided not to serve them to my guests because I wanted to save the whole bag for myself.  Yes, I really did this.  The Original flavored Want'ems are best suited to enjoy with one of the three Want'ems sauces (aka "Fusion Dips") which are also inspired by Asian flavor profiles: Sweet Chili, General Tso, and Thai Mango.

Each Want'em clearly resembles a large apostrophe, so I can imagine them being well used in some sort of food styling project or the making of a stop motion video about the magic Asian inspired chip who ventured from Boston to DC to the pages of W and CP.  They are also delicious when served while doing crafts. 

I think Want'ems should attempt to make a creamy dip in the future.  I am imagining something along the lines of the sour cream/onion soup mix variety.  Do you hear me, Adam S.?

So I know what you're thinking: Emily, we get it.  We should try Want'ems.  But where can we find them?  THIS IS THE BEST PART: you can buy Want'ems ONLINE.  Yes, Adam S. and his team are that high tech and fancy.  Here's the link.

PS--don't you kind of like how the name of this company also encompasses my name? Just another reason why Want'ems and me make a great pair.

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Annual Holiday Party How To

I don't have any traditional gatherings that I host every year--but I am really good at attending them...

For the past several years, my Christmas "winter holiday" season has been marked by attendance at three traditional holiday parties that my friends host annually.  I look forward to seeing the same folks each year (and when I meet new friends, flipping through my Facebook iPhone app to see who we know in common).  The friends keep the structure similar and I enjoy comparing what awkward gift swap gift I end up with or which offensive tree decoration wins the contest year after year. (More on these details soon...)

Last year, I asked the hosting friends to answer a few questions about their annual parties. They have all been waiting SEVERAL months (more than 10) to see their holiday party how to guides appear here on the pages of W and CP... and I am proud to say that day has finally arrived. I may not be a fast blogger, but I am a most EXCELLENT Gmail in-box keeper and the emails these folks sent me in response to my informal questionnaire were just waiting for their moment in the blogging sun.

While I was putting this post together, I was reminded of those sometimes very unhelpful "holiday party guides" (featuring suggestions like "suspend mistletoe in a Jell-o mold as a decoration!") you get in magazines at the grocery store. The tips below are from REAL party hosts about REAL parties I have attended (and can attest to the fact that they are always very fun). So... consider putting together your own holiday tradition.  I'll be there, with a jell-o mold!

White Elephant Chanukkah Spectacular by Jill and Amir S. (told by Jill)

We have been doing our "Annual White Elephant Party" for 5 or 6 years (not sure which--I'm inclined to say 6).  We got the idea from my parents' friends' annual party. They do a similar thing, only with people my parents age.  They have a slightly higher dollar limit than us, but it's the same idea. But I remember going one year to Milwaukee for this party and it was a lot of fun (I was there with a friend, and everyone else were my parents' friends).  I assumed if they could make it fun, we certainly could! When we first moved here, we had found such a great community of friends and we thought a Chanukah party was a good idea. I liked the idea of an activity at the party, so that's how it was born!

The planning involved is as follows:

• Send out the evite a month in advance- people's holiday party schedules get filled really early.  Especially if Christmas and Chanukah are around the same time.
• Prepare the menu- Always some sort of fried latke (I have recently moved into the "unconventional" category with sweet potatoes and a soy/mirin sauce) and sufganiyot (fried jelly donuts- homemade for the last 3 years).
• Buy the gifts for Amir and I to contribute to the pot. I always buy a few extras for guests or couples that don't understand the rules.  We don't want anyone leaving empty handed. I also often regift items that are funny (one year I gifted a fake "roomba" that was basically a ball with batteries that wiggles on the floor and has some sort of pad that is supposed to wipe as the ball wiggles- that gift was re-gifted a second year in a row by the people who got it the first year).
• Decorate the apartment the night before (or if I decide to keep it decorated for all of Chanukah, sometimes up to a week prior).  We use lots of blue and silver decorations, candles, and sometimes chocolate gelt all over the tables with dreidels for people to play with.

It's almost a fool-proof party but if people don't buy good gifts, or are too timid to "steal" than it can go quickly and not be as fun.  People need to get over the society induced politeness and really get into it! The guests that are new each year surprised to hear us say you can "steal" a gift from someone else.

The amazing thing about this party is that people fight over useless crap they would never actually purchase themselves.  But in the context of a game with stealing, that item can become incredibly desirable by several participants and people will steal it over and over again.

Disgrace the Tree by Amber W. and Jeremy B. (told by Amber and Jeremy)

2010 marked the 6th annual "Disgrace our Tree" party, an idea stolen outright from another transient couple that left DC. We attended and loved the concept, so we decided to continue to tradition once our friends had moved away. The concept of the party is simple, people bring ornaments and compete in various categories. Planning a part prep include the normal things (clean the house, buy food and beverage, etc.) as well as prepping the tree (you need space around it for people to hand their ornaments and gawk at the competition), prepare the certificates, buy the prizes, and display the previous years winners.

Also, try to make sure the tree does not fall off the top of the car when you drive it home. This almost happened to us this year.

Prizes are awarded for the following

1. Most Inappropriate

2. Most Politically Relevant (this is DC after all)

3. Best Craftsmanship (added in 2008)

4. Best in Show

There is only one rule. Your ornament must be homemade. If not, we throw it away.  Most people try to compete in multiple categories, since so many relevant political acts for the year lend themselves to inappropriateness. Honorable mentions are often also announced.

At this point, there are judges who decide on winners. This year that was Jeremy and I (the homeowners). I decided to retire after 5 years of consecutive wins and move into the judging role, much like Christian Siriano from Project Runway, who we all remember won season 4 and was a guest judge in an NYC design inspired episode in season 8.

To protect the innocent (and because of the wild popularity of the most inappropriate category) there are not many pictures we can share. I've attached one of my hand knit Obama logo ornament - Best Craftsmanship 2008.

We attribute the success of this party to the following: alcohol, glitter and creative friends.

Re-gifting Gift Exchange by Caeden D. and Antigone H. (told by Antigone)

How many years have you been having the party?  How did you first get the idea to have it?

Caeden and I started hosting this party the first year we met - it was one of the first parties we did together. I think the idea came from wanting to do a "post-holidays" debrief with local friends and he suggested using the white elephant as a format. The other important part to the re-gift party is that we end the night with some fun group games like Taboo or Scene It.  (Well, we used to before the baby, now we'll have to see!).

We ask people to bring a gift that they would like to "share" with the group - which is half the fun, because some people get some pretty scary things (Baby Obama Towels...I need say no more!).  So half the fun is seeing what people bring.

What is involved in the planning?

Because we hold ours post holidays, we try and keep it pretty low key with an Evite...for the past three or so years we've gone the Costco lasagne/salad combo with a few snacks and it's worked well! 

What have you tried in the past that really didn't work?

I can't really think of anything that hasn't worked - the only thing that hasn't totally worked is when people have brought an actual nice gift...but that all works out in the end. People usually take other's gifts, but just because it's not as bad as something else they may unwrap!

Why do you think this party platform is so successful?

I think for us it's geat because we have friends from many different parts of our lives and having a gift exhange provides everyone with something to do together which makes it easier for people who don't know each other.  Plus the games help too!

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Wild and Crazy Right Now: Babies + Baking Edition

You're just in time for another installment in my series of Wild and Crazy Right Now posts featuring things I am following/reading/listening to/eating etc.

Are you wearing sweatpants and sipping some 2% milk?  Because I am!

Softing:

My friends Jill and Amir S. just welcomed their first small person (second, if you count their puppy Toby S.) into the world. Neta Rose was born last week and we're best friends already.  Don't you love her name?  She is so soft and just wants to be held.  Which is a good thing because I just want to hold her. I am really so proud of Jill--she was heroic as she brought Neta into the world.  And I can't get over how Amir can fit baby Neta into the palm of his hand... really. Neta also comes with her own cheer (you know, for when she runs for political office or becomes an Olympic swimmer... no pressure, though). 

Dancing:

I just downloaded Just Like Heaven by The Cure.  Why I did not have this song in my iTunes library before today is a mystery to me.

OH! And I have been listening to the first album by Florence and The Machine (Lungs) on repeat for the past six days (especially "Dog Days Are Over").  Good thing I live by myself because anyone sharing a space with me recently would be so sick of Florence by now... but not me.  This album is THAT GOOD.

Baking:

We've discussed my love of the empanada.  So, today I whipped up a batch of the spinach variety.  They were so easy to make! I just followed this recipe from Emeril and I have to say, they turned out very well. (I have a history of using martini glasses to cut the dough into even circles then ending up in the hospital to get stitches in my hand because the glass stem breaks--but the good news is that I used a round cookie cutter today and all went smoothly.)  No stitches, only splendid pockets of spinachy goodness.

Reading + Writing:

I have this habit of reading blogger biographies. I find them so endearing. I love thinking about all the interesting things people do with their lives (and choose to share in a one paragraph format somewhere on their personal or professional homes on the web).

This is what I've currently got for my blogging bio:

When I am not busy helping non-profit organizations raise money online to change to the world, I leverage my status as a DC native (and expert Googler) to recommend products, restaurants, recipes, and shops (in addition to other things I find mildly diverting) on my blog, Wild and Crazy Pearl. The photos and witty banter are all mine, and don't belong to my lovely employer. I spend too much money on iTunes and lots of time in Planned Parenthood board meetings. My favorite possession is the cobalt blue Kitchen Aid mixer I used part of my Bat Mitzvah money to buy (it is still going strong). I also enjoy wearing hooded sweatshirts, drinking grapefruit juice, and falling asleep with the TV on.

I am thinking about other things I want to incorporate and spent about four hours today rewriting my blogging bioblurb. My stint as a cake decorator, appearance on the Today Show, radical left wing political leanings, and love of sweatpants must be incorporated somehow.  I am also on the verge of blogging about my trip to Alabama and perhaps 287 other things I've been wanting to tell you about but haven't had the time.  Stay tuned for somethings shiny and new, blog darlings.

Wearing:

I recently posted this to Facebook: "One of the best decisions I ever made was to buy 10 of my favorite lip gloss and put one in every bag I own." (Is it awkward that I just quoted myself?)  The response was OVERWHELMING! Odd, since sometimes when I think I am posting something so pithy or hilarious, it gets no comments, but the lip gloss status got tons of comments.  

SO, it seems that people are really into talking about lop gloss. I thought I'd give a little W and CP attention to my lip gloss of choice. My heart belongs to MoistureShine® Lip Soother by Neutrogena. And I really do have one in every bag I own (plus one in my desk and one in my makeup bag). There is an odd feeling of opulence that accompanies lip gloss handy whenever you want it--similar to hair things. It is the little things, kids.

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Blog on a Stick: Adventures at the Minnesota State Fair

Who doesn't love Minnesota?  (It is one of my favorite states, as we've discussed previously.) Whenever I meet anyone from Minnesota, their down to earth Midwestern-ness is just so obvious.  People who relocate to Minnesota are overflowing with pride for their new place of residence ("Did you know that The Cities have some of the best tap water in the US?!" ...someone really said this.)  People who stray from Minnesota long to go back, as evidenced by the move my good friend Meredith S. H. made from DC back to her hometown of Minneapolis. (Amber W. and Jeremy B., I live in fear that the low humidity summers and Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party will lure you back, too...)

And why wouldn't you love Minnesota?  In my head, the entire state is covered in rolly babies wearing handmade sweaters and legwarmers, people stirring up soup in well seasoned cast iron pots or canning summer fruit into delicious jams to enjoy in the winter, progressive politicians making sure everyone has healthcare and is paid a living wage, and sporty outdoorsy people canoeing the Boundary Waters or skiing the Birkie.

It is possible that in a past life, I actually was a Minnesotan.  And in this one, I do all that I can to surround myself with people who either hail from MN or understand and respect my love for the Gopher State. So, I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was when, as part of my summer travel adventures, I attended the MINNESOTA STATE FAIR.  A right of passage for any Minnesota enthusiast, sure.  A must see/taste/photograph experience for any food blogger, obv.  And one of the items on my hypothetical bucket list since I started keeping one.

"The Minnesota State Fair is also the largest state fair in the country by daily attendance, though not by total attendance as the Texas State Fair runs for almost twice as long." -- Native Minnesotan, Betsy G.

Winner for best non-food-related and best overall fair activity: GROUP KARAOKE!

The Minnesota State Fair is the queen of all State Fairs.  Just ask Betsy G., who sent me a series of facts and statistics by email the week before we met up at the fair (entitled "Great MN Get Together. The Fair that WILL change your life!").  Or Jill L., who took a day off of work to attend the fair and then blogged about it for Heavy Table. (We did a prep meeting before I attended the fair and I have the napkin on which I took notes hanging up in my cubicle. No shame.)

Before I unveil the winners of the completely arbitrary categories I created, here are a few quick MN State Fair tips for success:

• Pool your money and your stomach space. (I was there with four other people so we all just thew in $20 and split all the food we bought.  Nobody retched because they were so full and couldn't handle one more bite sized reuben and we kept the day pretty affordable by sharing finances as well.)
• Pre-purchase tickets. (Savvy fair goer, Mer, picked up tickets for us in advance at a Twin Cities grocery store and we saved $2 a ticket!)
• Everything at the fair is on a stick.  (It is gimmick and it is funny.  Go along with it.)
• Strategize. (There are maps, smartphone apps and a mobile optimized site, blog posts, MPR podcast specials, and more all devoted to the fair.  Figure out your top five priorities and plan your visit.  The fair is crowded and can get hot and tiring--don't get distracted by the flashy items that happen to be close by just because you didn't properly plot out where you were going to get what. I will gladly do a phone consult about your fair visit if helpful.  Just don't go in unresearched.)
• Don't miss the miracle of birth tent.  (Just don't.)



This piglet was one day old. TINY PIG.

• Hydrate and be kind to your feet. (Going to the fair is kind of like going to Whole Foods the day before Thanksgiving.)

The following recap of the fair is based on one eight hour day in late August 2011 spent touring, tasting, and documenting. I also forced friends Meredith S. H., Adam G., and Elizabeth B. to participate in a post-fair debrief during which I took copious notes. 

Best Food on a Stick 

The breakfast lolly pop took this category, FAIR and square.  It was oddly the first thing we tried at the fair, so I own that my rating could be influenced by this, but I'm STICKing by my judgment.  The breakfast lolly consists of a breakfast sausage patty dipped in corn muffin batter (on a stick, obv) then fried and drizzled with REAL maple syrup. It was crunchy, salty, and sweet... and it was really really good.  If you go to the fair, this is a must have item.

One thing that really struck me about the fair was the way little pockets of foodie bliss were tucked into a sea of fair food mediocrity. As evidenced by the menu below, the menus are extensive and choices can be overwhelming--just another reason to do your pre-fair research.

Best Non-Food-Related Fair Experience

(Here's a video of us singing along, please excuse the bad camerawork.)

 

The group karaoke really shined in this category.  In the words of Mer, "it really felt like Minnesota was coming together here."  How adorable is this: during the year, Minnesotans vote for the songs that will be sung along to during the fair... then a huge screen is built and the words are projected in front of a field of microphones at all different heights.  The grass is covered in straw to make you really feel like you're in the Midwest.

And I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I think the group karaoke beat out the breakfast on a stick, the fried cheese curds, and just about everything else... and it was my most favorite part of the fair.  Perhaps this comes for my love of singing out loud (but often feeling hampered by not knowing the words?), or possibly the fact that karaoke is ALWAYS better when sung out of a bar and in a large open area covered in straw?

Best Classic Fair Food  

This category had two winners: fried cheese curds in the savory genre, and Sweet Martha's cookies in the sweet category.

Cheese curds actually freak me out a bit (don't try to say the squeaky noise against your teeth is charming, that is scary... I don't want to hear squeaking while chewing no matter what I am eating).  And the fact that they're called curds doesn't help things, either.  But once over that, the curds of the fried variety are quite delicious.  We ate ours with lots of ketchup and I felt very in with the fair in crowd.  If only I had been wearing a fitted plaid shirt (isn't Mer's so fair chic in this photo?) or perhaps a calico print sun dress... the moment would have been complete.

I had been hearing about the Sweet Martha's cookies stand for weeks before the fair.  I think there is something about cookies being served in big buckets that really makes people like them.  These cookies are small, thin, and soft.  You get them when they're HOT and they come in a "keepsake bucket" so you can refill it with mediocre cookies through out the year and be reminded about how good the cookies were at the fair.

Best Fair Beverage

You will see signs for beer on a stick.  Don't waste your time.  This is a fair gimmick and the people I saw drinking them were struggling.  What you should try is the UNLIMITED MILK FOR ONE DOLLAR.  This was the one item I heard about time and time again before the fair.  Minnesotans of ALL AGES will tell you what the milk used to cost when they were younger.  

I know what you are thinking: "Emily... It is hot and August-y and crowded and who wants to drink lots of milk then go on rides?"  The answer is: YOU DO.  AND I DO.  The milk is SO COLD and so frothy and so delicious. It was the perfect accompaniment to the aforementioned Sweet Martha's Cookies.

INSIDER TIP: You can also get chocolate milk.  OR you can ask for 1/2 normal milk and 1/2 chocolate milk.  Huge thanks to Betsy G. (pictured here) for this suggestion.   

Best Progressive Political Swag

I actually was not prepared for the high quality non-food/non-ride related activities we discovered at the fair.  There is an entire building devoted to award winning needlepoint and glass blowing and weaving. Several buildings, actually.

Alas, I found tons of swag at the fair--two favorites necessitating another tie in this category!  I loved the MN ACLU booth in the Education Building because they gave out a Bill of Rights on a stick.  How cute is THAT?  I thought this tabling swag couldn't be topped.  It was educational, useful, and appropriately thematic.  Then I discovered...

The condoms on a stick at the Pro-Choice Resources booth!  And you know I am always in search of good pro-choice tabling give aways. Fabulous on many levels. (Also, this: we spent a long time wandering around the exhibit hall looking for the Pro-Choice Resources booth... so I'm going to add another item to my tabling best practices list: always publicize your booth location and booth NUMBER.)

Most Amazing Yet Bizarre Fair Tradition

The butter sculptures.  Have you heard about this? Here's the scoop from Wikipedia: 

Since 1965, sculptures of the winning Princess Kay and other finalists have been carved, one per day, at the Minnesota State Fair. Recent butter sculptures have been carved out of a 90 pound block of Grade A butter, in a walk-in, glass-walled refrigerator. The butter is manufactured by Associated Milk Producers, Inc., in New Ulm, Minnesota. The butter carving booth is one of the most popular exhibits at the Fair. The carving of the butter sculpture takes 6-8 hours per finalist. For nearly 40 years, Linda Christensen has sculpted the Princesses' butter sculptures. Princesses take their butter sculpture home with them at the end of the Fair.

Did you catch that last part?  The princesses TAKE THEIR BUTTER SCULPTURES HOME.  Would you eat yours or just freeze it forever? I have given this lots of thought and am still not really sure what I would do.  Maybe I would donate it?  Excellent ice breaker question!

I have so much more to tell you about the fair!  Like the fun ride we took from one side of the fair to the other (perfect for the moment when we decided we needed to sit down--and perfect for catching a glimpse of the entire fair from above). Splendid for taking photos.  Or the other booth in the Education Building where you can learn how to vote (and even cast a sample ballot for your favorite item at the fair)! Or the crowning of the "Prince and Princess of Poultry" sponsored by 4H! Or Adam G.'s favorite item had at the fair: a pork chop on a stick (it was juicy and very well grilled, this based on the bite I stole when he was distracted by the corndog Mer was eating at the same time.)  This also happens to be Al Franken's favorite fair item, too.

In the end, attending the fair was even better than I'd hoped (if that was at all possible).  I was thrilled that I had so many enthusiastic Minnesotans to guide me through the experience... and cannot WAIT to return in 2012 as I make this an annual pilgrimage (when I WILL time my visit for the same day that MPR broadcasts LIVE from the fair and when Lynne Rossetto Kasper AND Al Franken are there too).

*The title of this post was inspired by my Ideas Man.

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