Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Kelly and I have been trying to hit all of the restaurants from the TV Show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." This past weekend we hit the restaurant called "Over Easy." They specialize in breakfast. The food was GREAT! The mint lemonade is AMAZING!

If you're ever in Phoenix stop and check out "Over Easy." If you're ever looking for fun places to eat at home or while you're on the road, be sure to check out the website for "Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives." It list all the restaurants that have been on the show. The links are below.

Over Easy
"Dinners, Drive-Ins and Dives"

Who is that?

I visited the doctor this week. Normal stuff. I wanted to learn more about my nutrition and diet, so the doctor hooked me up to the machine in the picture. The machine determined how my calories I burn and helped me figure out what I need eat to maintain my weight or gain weight in my case.

I was great to learn my about my body and how to take care of myself!

Back from another Trip

Morning sunrise in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Daytona Motor Speedway...look to the left of the picture

Micheal Vick Jersey's for sale in Philadelphia

Penn State Abbington Campus outside of Philadelphia. Dropped in to see my good friend Tracy.

Last week I took the time to see the entire country for a show in Pennsylvania. You have to love our airline system. It's hard to get direct flights, so you get connected all over the place.

I had a great time performing for the students of Albright University in Reading, Pennsylvania. I wanted to look for the Gosselins House (John and Kate +8) but didn't have time. To get there and I back, I had a flight from Phoenix to Philadelphia. I rented a car and heading to to Reading. Then I returned to airport for a flight to New Mexico to see my future in-laws. My flight took me to Florida then to New Mexico. After a day in New Mexico, I got in a car and drove home with my future mother-in-law to Phoenix. Some trip in only 3 days!

Here are a few pictures from my journey!

Kelly and I are engaged!

This is what the ring looks like! We both decided to be less traditional then most couples. Kelly told me a I did a good job. It's her style and she really likes it!

Here are a few pictures from today's events. Thank you everyone for your "Congratulations" and well wishes."Kelly, please say Yes! In any language!"

Not the best picture, but it looks good to me!

The ring box, with a little note inside....
"I love you, not only for what you are, But for what I am when I am with you."
--Roy Croft

The decoy! Kelly saw this box first and wanted to know what was up. She was completely surprised!

Blog #500 kicks off a major moment/milestone/event in my life. This morning after a nice three mile walk with Kelly, I surprised Kelly. Yes, I asked her to marry me! She said yes! And now I have the biggest smile on my face. Her smile is pretty big too!

I kept things simple and our style. Before our walk, I told Kelly I need to go back into the house and get my allergy medicine. I was totally lying! I went back into the house to grab the ring and set-up a few other props/gifts for the big surprise.

I set them up in the living room and joined Kelly for our walk. When we got home, she walked in the front door and found a small gift box, two photo albums and several pieces of paper with a foreign (Non-English) words typed on them. When she turned around to ask me, "What's all this?" I was on my knee with the ring box open and my proposal ready to recite.

Things worked out perfect! This weekend is the third anniversary of when we first met. Today is 9-12-09. I didn't propose at 9:12 AM on 9-12-09 but I got pretty close. Just a little before 9AM. I gave Kelly a ring with 12 diamonds in it during the 9th month of the year. 9-12!

The pieces of paper has "Yes" translated into five different languages. The first photo album has pictures of me picking out Kelly's ring. The second album is a family heirloom. It's over 37 years old. It's a leather bound wedding album. It has my family history in the front (family tree, birth dates, etc). Then it has the normal wedding registry and guest sign in. The book is empty, so it's ready for Kelly and I to use for our wedding and our family.

I also included a special letter for Kelly. I write her a monthly newsletter describing our relationship. This letter was a special edition of the newsletter, expressing how much I love her and how happy I am she came into my life.

Today has been a great day. Lots of phone calls have been made. The ring looks great on Kelly. I look forward to a great future with my former girlfriend, current fiance and future wife! =0 )

Blog #499

I just had some pictures sent to me from Park University in Kansas City, Missouri. I was on campus to entertain and educate their Freshman class of 2013. Enjoy some of the pictures from a 90+ degree day in the hot and humid midwest.

Blog #498

I'm closing in on my 500th blog and I'm thinking of something really big to post. I want something fun, interesting and insightful. I have at least one more blog to think of something good.

If any of you have a great idea, please let me know. Should I post old photos? Reflect on the first 500? What?

Ok, I'm off to plan! Be on the look out for #500!

I'm a part of the "Smart Phone" Generation!

After years of fighting, I broke down this week and joined the world of "Smart Phone" people. I didn't invest in a "Crackberry", but I got something just as addictive. Yes, I have a Iphone!

I'm a big supporter of Apple products, but I couldn't see why people needed everything that a Iphone has to offer. Over the last year, I have weighed my options and done a lot of research. Blackberry, Iphone, stay with my ordinary phone? What to do?

After "playing" err....researching what all the phone companies have to offer, I stayed loyal to Apple. I'm loving the phone, but I barely know what I'm doing with it. The main reason I got the phone is because of my travel and my business. I have been stuck in a lot of airports this year without internet access. When I can get it, it costs an arm, a leg and my first born child. I've been in new cities everyday and just trying to locate the basics can become difficult. Plus I have to pack light. Who wants to carry a GPS, a Phone, a camera, an Ipod and a computer everywhere you go?

I've observed all the "smart people" over the last year. After being delayed for over 20+ hours on a flight home this summer, I watched several people (business and casual travelers) pull out their phones. The didn't just call work and family members. They started checking weather, booking new flights, ordering pizzas and booking hotels! Wow! One couple started watching movies. Technology is amazing.

So, be on the lookout for blogs from the road (literally). It looks like I will be attached to the grid 24/7. Hopefully I won't become like many of the people I see and start naming my phone!

More pics and more shows

Photos by
Grand Rapids photographer Tiberius Images
http://www.tiberiusimages.com/

Here are a few more pictures to from my shows in August. There were sent to me by a photographer from Davenport University in Michigan. Enjoy!

Upcoming Shows:

September 16 - Albright College, Reading, PA

October 3 - Quinnipiac University, New Haven, CT

October 7 - Lorain County Skills Max, Cleveland, OH

October TBA - Nestle, Inc, Solon, OH

December 3 - Penn State University, State College, PA

Five Simple Rules for Happiness

I was doing some house cleaning and came across a card with a little wisdom on it. Here's what was written:

5 Simple Rules for Happiness

1. Free your heart from hatred
2. Free your mind from worries
3. Live simply
4. Give more
5. Expect less

Thank you!

Another birthday came and passed this weekend. I didn't do anything too crazy but had a good time. Kelly and I are fans for the show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." So, we looked up the website for the Food Channel show and went to two of the restaurants this weekend. It was a lot of fun. We went to a Mexican Restaurant that's located in a gas station. We also hit a BBQ joint that smokes their meats for over 20 hours!

All of the food was great! The other great part of the weekend was all of you! I want to thank everyone who called, text, e-mailed me or left messages on my facebook page. Thank you everyone and I hope all of you are feeling as good as I did when I got your messages.

If you would like to check out the website for "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" click HERE
The site lists all of the restaurants the show has visited.

What a road trip!

Check out my room!

60+ Inch TV..really! Too bad I was only in the room for less than 6 hours!

Look what was in the parking lot for the Indy Car Race in Chicago

The Willis (Sears) Tower Covered by the clouds

Pigeons gone wild!

Union Station in Chicago

My train! Loved the fully reclining seats and only $40 cost to Chicago from Michigan

Thank you Grand Valley

Hello Everyone,

I just got back from ten days on the road! I love speaking and entertaining, but it's great to come home and have someone waiting for me. I love knowing Kelly is there to pick me up at the airport when I get back from trips. It would be great if she could come on more trips with me.

My latest adventure was a success. Lots of smiles on peoples faces including mine. I took a brief inventory of my trip and here's how it worked out:

Days on the road - 9
Airports - 6 ( Phoenix/twice, Columbus,OH/twice, Atlanta, GA, Newark, NJ, Grand Rapids, MI,
Chicago, IL)
Trains - 2 (One Amtrak and One Chicago subway ride)
Rental Cars - 2
Hotels - 5
Sofas slept on - 2 thank you Rodger and Scott
Airport delays - 2 overnight stays in airports
People entertained - Over 5,500
Suitcases destroyed - 1 - time for a new one, old reliable held up for almost 3 years
Miles traveled - Almost 7,000
Hours of sleep - Not much

My trip got off to a good and bad start. I took Kelly out for a date before I planned to catch a red-eye flight to Ohio for my first speech in Marietta, Ohio. That was the plan. Then mother nature decided to have a thunderstorm over the airport and my flight got diverted to Tuscon. When the plane got their, the airline discovered mechanical problems. GREAT! After waiting in line and entertaining several people with my talks (good practice) for several hours I was on a my way to Ohio almost 12 hours delayed. Once I landed, it was off to get my rental car and head to Marietta. I arrived just in time for my sound check. The show went great. I loved the balcony crew. The bed in the hotel room was perfect after my long travels.

The next two days were good because I was able to see some old friends in the Cleveland area. Took a little time to join my friend Rodger and his kids to see GI Joe. Fun movie. I liked it better than Transformers.

After my Ohio, visit, it was off to New York to speak to the students of Drew University. 600+ freshman in a field house! Wow! Good times! Didn't know if we would have a winner of the hula hoop contest. After that show, it was off to the hotel for 3 hours of sleep and a 4AM pick-up by my shuttle driver back to the airport. Let me type this now, the Newark airport has the most uncomfortable seats in the waiting area for you plane.

I landed in Grand Rapids for two shows. My wonderful agent Brooke and her daughter picked me up at the airport and dropped me off at DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY to perform with my friend Rodger. I typed that in caps, because several times I said Drew University when talking to the students of DAVENPORT. Talk about a "Southwest Airlines Commercial" moment.I wanted to get away. I have never done that before. I'll be apologizing for that mistake for a long time. No excuses. The campus was amazing and I had a good time with the students. Thank you for all the students who became friends with me on facebook.

After Davenport, it was off to the hotel to lay my head down for a few minutes and do some laundry. After that it was off to Grand Valley State University to talk/perform for over 3500 freshman! Wow is the only thing that can be typed. I can't wait to get copies of the photos and videos to post on my blog. Watching 3500 people do the Electric Slide with Rodger was amazing!

After several high fives and a good meal, it was back to the hotel for another 3 hours of sleep. Rodger was kind enough to drop me off at the Amtrak station at 5AM in the morning for a trip to Chicago. I arrived in Chicago to get my rental car and head to Romeoville to work with the students of Lewis University. I love the Lewis campus and the 500+ people at the program had a lot of energy and made my job easy. I can't wait to go back. The night ended with a nice conversation with the college president while eating ice cream.

The next morning, I was off to Jacksonville, IL to end my road trip with a show on Dating at Illinois College. Before my show I worked with the student Residence Hall Advisors on event planning and motivation. The group works HARD! The show that night was full of energy. The impromptu runway show during my show was a lot of fun. After that show it was off to the student center to join the students in a pizza judging competition. After that it was back to one of the best hotel rooms I have ever stayed in. I got booked in the "Ambassadors Suite" at a local hotel. When the TV is bigger than your bed, and you have a king size bed, you know the room and the tv are HUGE.

The next morning, it was back in the rental car for a 3 hour drive through the cornfields of Illinois to return home to recharge my batteries.

Thanks for reading. I'll post more pictures and videos soon. I'm off for a few weeks, before my schedule picks up again. Be on the look out for my upcoming schedule.

I'm also posting updates on Facebook and Twitter so look for my updates. Just look for Frank Kitchen on either.

Video of the stage during sound check at Grand Valley and my train ride to Chicago!