Best Thing I Ate: San Gennaro Pizza - Antico Pizza, Atlanta
Although BBQ is my first love and I had some phenomenal BBQ this past year, the San Gennaro pizza from Antico Pizza in Atlanta was the single best thing I ate all year. I’d heard about this iconic pizza shop in Atlanta for many years, but finally had the opportunity to visit over the summer. Everything about it was fantastic, particularly the Neapolitan style crust served fresh from the wood burning oven. Learn more about it in my review of Antico Pizza.
Runner Up: Pappy’s Smokehouse - St. Louis

Best Thing I Watched: House of Cards - Netflix
I had quite a few Netflix marathons this year. Because we decided not to purchase cable in our new house, Netflix often became the TV option of choice, giving me the opportunity to check out a huge assortment of shows (many of them older) and movies. I’m definitely late to the party on this observation, but House of Cards is amazing. The acting is superb and based on my limited knowledge of local politics, it seems to accurately portray the amount of corruption and scheming that takes place in government.
Runner Up: Dexter (Showtime) & Arrow (CW)

Best Thing I Read: The Right Thing To Do vs. The State of Florida - SB Nation
For as much as I read, I was struck by the fact that I only read a couple books in 2014. I’m putting that down as a resolution for 2015. More of my reading time is spent focusing on articles from newspapers and websites, and my favorite from 2014 was this longform by Michael Kruse for SB Nation. It’s a powerful story about a Florida State football player who died during a conditioning workout and the experience his family has dealt with in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Best Place I Visited: Portland, Oregon
This was a tough decision, but I fell in love with the Pacific Northwest during our time in Portland. It has everything I love about being in a city, without the problems and frustrations of a big city. Natural beauty. Outstanding food. Clean and efficient public transportation. Distinct culture. When we visited, even the weather was fantastic. I couldn’t have been happier about our experience in Portland.
Runner Up: Marrakech, Morocco

Best Game I Watched: College Basketball - Duke vs. Syracuse - Round 1
I wouldn’t have guessed the best game I watched this year would be a Duke loss, but the contest in the Carrier Dome against Syracuse was an instant classic. It featured two of the heavyweight programs in college basketball facing off against each other and playing at a superbly high level in an incredible environment. The Blue Devils ultimately fell short in the 91-89 overtime loss, but it was a pleasure to watch as a college basketball fan.

What were some of your best experiences of 2014? Let me know in the comments section!

I knew almost nothing about Madrid when we visited the city a few weeks ago. We decided to spend a couple days in the Spanish capital on our way back from Marrakech, but I’d done very little research about what there was to see, eat, and do.

Normally, I’m the type who likes to prepare and map out all the places I’m interested in before visiting a destination, but our time in Madrid was a more relaxing two days of wandering and taking in the sites.

About the City
Madrid is the capital of Spain and the largest city in the country with a population in the city of over three million and a population of nearly 6.5 million in the greater metropolitan area. The city is massive - spanning over 230 miles and it lies on the Manzanares River, which winds through the heart of Spain.

Madrid was founded in the 9th century as a fortress along the river and was a valued spot that Muslims and Christians fought over during the Middle Ages.

Today, it’s the third largest city in Europe, behind only London and Paris, and it’s one of the world leaders in finance, arts, entertainment, fashion and politics.

Getting Around
We took the Metro to get from the airport to our downtown hotel, but the Metro system is extensive and can get you nearly anywhere in the city. The grid of train lines can be a little overwhelming for someone who isn’t used to mass transit in a major city, but once you get the hang of it and know where you’re going, it’s very easy.

We didn’t purchase them because we knew we’d primarily be walking, but I’d highly recommend the Tourist Travel Pass if you’ll be doing much exploring in the city. It provides unlimited access to all the metro and bus lines and the prices are very reasonable.

Where We Stayed
Casa de Huespedes Marisol - “Guests Marisol”
Calle Concepcion Jeronima, 6 - 28014 - Madrid
Website 

This small hostel is located in the heart of the city and is only a short walk from the historic Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol. The staff was very friendly and accommodating and spoke English.

Our room was small, but comfortable and a great value for the price - around $25 per night. Each room features its own AC & heating unit, which was nice for the chilly December nights. The hostel also offers free wifi.

Some people might be discouraged by the shared bathrooms, but the facilities were clean, spacious and during our three day stay, we never had to wait to use one of the two bathrooms at the end of our hall.

The price and central location made this an excellent option for us and it’s a place I would gladly use again for lodging.

What We Saw
The short is answer to this question is that we walked through most of the downtown part of the city and saw almost everything.

The more detailed answer is that while we saw many things, Nicole and I aren’t people who have much interest in museums and art - so unless something offered free admission, we simply walked around the outside or went in the lobby and took some pictures, which is usually enough for us.

In that regard, we saw many of the major sites of the city, including the Puerta de Toledo, San Francisco el Grande, Catedral de la Almudena, Templo de Debod, Plaza Mayor (which transformed into a giant Christmas market at night), Royal Palace, Gran Via, and the Alfonso XII monument in El Retiro Park.

Walking to these major sites, essentially making a giant loop around our hotel, provided a great perspective on the history and culture of the city.

Of the things we saw, the monument and small lake in El Retiro Park was probably my favorite non-food-related stop. It was a beautiful part of the city that reminded me of Millenium Park in Chicago or Central Park in New York City.

I’ve made no secret about my disappointment in the BBQ offerings in the Roanoke Valley.

I’ve found a few good spots for pulled pork and ribs, but the region still lacks a variety of places to find quality BBQ.

So when a new BBQ restaurant opens in Roanoke, like the Mission BBQ at Towers Shopping Center, I get really excited.

Because my family travels to Maryland a lot, we were familiar with Mission BBQ. It’s a Maryland-based company and my parents had visited a location in the Baltimore area.

There was reason for optimism that a new Roanoke location would provide a good option for quality, reasonably-priced BBQ. And it would offer some legitimate competition to other BBQ restaurants in the area.

Based on the three meals I’ve had at the new spot, Mission BBQ is off to a good start.

The atmosphere is open and very casual. You order at the counter and wait for your food to be served before finding a table in the open, spacious dining room.

To go along with the “Mission” theme, the restaurant has many elements that pay tribute to our military. Whether it’s through offering cups that provide proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project, or seeing posters and uniforms from military branches hanging on the walls, it’s clear Mission BBQ cares about honoring our troops and veterans. It’s cool to see.

As for the food, Mission BBQ offers a variety of smoked meats, sandwiches and side dishes.

I’ve tried the brisket, smoked sausage, pulled pork, smoked turkey and chopped brisket and enjoyed each one.

They also offer a wide assortment of sauces, including a smoky sauce, Memphis-style sweet sauce, vinegar-based, Texas hot sauce, Alabama white sauce, and others. As far as I know, it’s the only restaurant in Roanoke with an Alabama white sauce, which is great on chicken and turkey.

However, and in what’s always a great sign with BBQ, the meats have plenty of flavor without adding any sauce.

Of the meats I’ve tried, my favorites have been the pulled pork, smoked turkey and smoked chicken. I was also a fan of the chopped brisket sandwich, but the pork, turkey and chicken have been the standouts, particularly the turkey.

All the meats have a smoky flavor, but the pork and turkey are especially moist and not overly seasoned or rubbed.

If you’re a fan of sauces, my personal preferences are for the Smoky Mountain with the pork and the Alabama White with the turkey.

Along with the meats, the side dishes are also quite tasty. My top choice would be the mac & cheese, which is then followed by the baked beans with brisket. For a healthy option, you can also get a side salad.

Comparable to most BBQ restaurants nowadays, the prices at Mission BBQ are very reasonable. A pulled pork sandwich with a side and drink is around $10, and a combo with two meats, sides and a drink is around $15. I can think of one popular BBQ restaurant in Downtown Roanoke that is much more expensive and the quality is nowhere near as good as Mission’s.

The arrival of Mission BBQ is a step in the right direction of Roanoke’s BBQ scene. We’re certainly not the next Lockhart, Texas, but if the region can become known for having good BBQ, it’s mission accomplished.