A Charlotte Cheesecake Weekend

Posted on February 12, 2018 by brent

As I mentioned in last week’s Thursday Rundown, Sidney and I had a long anticipated Saturday night getaway to Charlotte planned for this past weekend. Well, we made it back to Myrtle Beach in one piece at around 5 p.m. yesterday evening. It was just what we needed!

We said goodbye to Sloan at 11 a.m. on Saturday and hit the road. The 3.5 drive through the rainy weather didn’t seem short or long; it just seemed right. We spent our 22 hours in Charlotte in the city’s SouthPark district, a place without crazy traffic and congestion but with plenty of attractions characteristic of a big metropolis.

Sid and I as we rolled out of Myrtle Beach on our mini road trip.

Our first stop was the SouthPark Mall, a shopping center filled with “upscale” stores in a vibrant setting. As we walked through the enormous mall, Sid kept saying “we got to go in here” as she grabbed my hand and pulled me into places I never heard of before. Although oblivious to the significance of many of the stores, it was nice to just walk around without a care in the world. We got Sid’s HeidiJHale ring resized, purchased Sloan a dress, and picked up a couple other items. The highlight for me was probably the M&M cookie I got at the Nestle Toll House Café.

After we finished our mall excursion, we checked in at our hotel. We stayed at the Charlotte Marriott SouthPark, a truly beautiful property. We rested in our “chic” (I love putting quotation marks around these hoity toity words) hotel room for a bit before we went off to the main event of our trip.

A look at the Charlotte Marriott SouthPark.

We had looked forward to our Cheesecake Factory date for a loooong time. So, when the hostess told us it would be a two hour wait, we didn’t think about going anywhere else. We also didn’t question the employee’s estimation. The restaurant was a complete madhouse with the large lobby area packed with hungry people standing around with pagers.

By some act of divine intervention, two seats at the bar opened up. Despite the layers of people standing behind the bar stools just waiting to pounce on the available spots, we managed to slip in. We watched the Olympics while enjoying a couple drinks and an appetizer. We slowly sipped our refreshments so we could transition right from the bar to our table. Every now and then I would walk up to the hostess and check on our status. I put our name on the list at 6:28 p.m. and at exactly 8:28 p.m. our pager went off. They weren’t kidding about the 120 minute wait.

Thankfully, we found a seat at the bar to help our two hour wait go a little quicker.

We got seated at our table and had a delightful server. Although the restaurant was out of the menu item I ordered and although Sid’s chicken was a bit dry (she always orders the Louisiana Chicken Pasta), we still had a nice time sharing a special meal…and of course the cheesecake didn’t disappoint.

Our actual dinner took well over 60 minutes, meaning we had spent over three hours inside the Cheesecake Factory walls (there are worst places to spend that amount of time). With it late and with us full to the brim, we decided to pass on our scheduled plans to see a movie. We returned to our hotel and relaxed while watching the Olympics.

A look at our 3+ hour Cheesecake Factory experience.

I can’t tell you how heavenly it was to enjoy uninterrupted sleep without constantly gazing over at a baby monitor.

That morning I woke up and attended mass at St. Gabriel Parish, a newer age Catholic church in the SouthPark area. Sidney and I ate breakfast at the hotel and took full advantage of the noon checkout time.

I attended mass at St. Gabriel Catholic Church.

After leaving the hotel, we returned to the Cheesecake Factory. We bought a couple of cheesecake slices for our in-laws who took such good care of Sloan. We then visited the Container Store, a place that made Sid reach excitement levels I had never seen out of her before. Supposedly the place is a haven for teachers.

Sid looking at the cheesecakes on Sunday.

As we perused the Container Store, I softly reminded Sid that we should probably begin our trip home. On the way out of town, we stopped at Panda Express for lunch. Although one just opened up in North Myrtle Beach, our best chance to dine at one happened to be at that moment. We enjoyed our orange chicken and then got in the car and headed home.

A look at our Panda Express lunch right before we left Charlotte.

When we picked up Sloan, she greeted us by smiling and wildly clapping her hands together. It was so sweet. We took her back to our house and started to prepare for the week ahead.

But before we went to bed, we enjoyed one final taste of our Charlotte trip. When we went back to the Cheesecake Factory to pick up cheesecake for my in-laws, we also bought a slice for the two of us to enjoy later that night. With it almost 10 p.m., Sid and I went bite-for-bite as we enjoyed a piece of cookie dough cheesecake. As we savored it, I remarked to Sidney, “Sharing a dessert like this is one of the best parts of marriage.”

Sid and I had a great 22 hours in Charlotte.

Who cares if it was short? Who cares if pretty much all we did was eat? I had a fabulous weekend with my best friend and that is all that matters. Don’t Blink.

Making the Effort to Eat at the Cheesecake Factory

Posted on November 21, 2016 by brent

Growing up, I never used to eat at landmark/theme chain restaurants while traveling. It never appealed to me to eat at Planet Hollywood so I could get a t-shirt with the city name on it. I didn’t need to see if the Hooters girls in Seattle were cuter than the Hooters girls in Las Vegas. I didn’t care about the memorabilia in the Hard Rock Café of whatever city I was in.

Not that dining out when traveling didn’t interest me. To me, eating at restaurants away from home is a lot of fun (and usually delicious). However, my goal was to always eat at places specifically unique to the area I was in.

Over the past couple years, I have started to change my tune a bit. The main reason? My wife of course!

I will now go out of my way to eat at a certain landmark chain restaurant that is named after its signature dessert and that has a menu the length of a dictionary. Call me a major Cheesecake Factory fan!

Sidney helped me discover my love of the Cheesecake Factory. This photo is of Sid at the Charlotte Cheesecake Factory yesterday. She is with her favorite Cheesecake Factory dish, the Louisiana pasta.

But before I sing its praises, what is it about the Cheesecake Factory that relates to my wife? Well, I guess I should admit that it isn’t just about Sidney. In fact, it is about her whole family. Whenever the Mathis family takes a trip together or even when one of them travels independently, if the destination happens to have a Cheesecake Factory there is a 100% chance that they will eat there. Since I am now part of the family, I am also part of the tradition. And let me tell you, I have embraced it!

I now love the Cheesecake Factory. My initial experience at the chain was eating with my parents and siblings at the Caesars Palace location in Las Vegas several years ago. I liked it well enough but I don’t think I truly appreciated it until Sidney opened my eyes.

The first time I ate at a Cheesecake Factory was with my family in Las Vegas in December of 2010. The top photo is my mom and sister. The bottom left is my brother. The photo in the bottom right is of the orange chicken I ate as my first ever Cheesecake Factory meal.

The pleasant and aesthetically pleasing interior. The different types of complimentary bread. The all-encompassing menu. The great service. The huge portions. THE CHEESECAKE.

A look at the food we ordered yesterday at the Charlotte Cheesecake Factory. So good.

Speaking of that last little item I mentioned, Sidney’s family has a mini tradition built into the big tradition of eating at the Cheesecake Factory. Each person in the party will always order their own slice of cheesecake. When I was with the entire group a little over a year ago in Atlanta, we had I think eight or nine different pieces of cheesecake on our table. It was a beautiful sight. And believe me, the restaurant’s signature item lives up to its hype! There is no other cheesecake in the world quite like it.

This was the collage I made from the Atlanta Cheesecake Factory visit in August of 2015. Below is the original caption.
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The Cheesecake Factory was delicious. I had the spicy cashew chicken which was amazing. I got banana cream pie cheesecake and Sid got red velvet cheesecake.

When it comes to my preference at the Cheesecake Factory, my favorite dish is the spicy cashew chicken. Simply incredible. Sidney and her sisters always order the Louisiana pasta. Cheesecake wise I elect usually for a sweet option. Not wanting to goof up an already good thing, Sidney will 95% of the time order vanilla bean (except for that one time in Atlanta when she got the red velvet cheesecake).

Sidney usually always orders vanilla bean cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. This is her with a slice at the Cheesecake Factory in Baltimore in July of 2014.

I used to shake my head at the people who would announce something along the lines of “I have been to 16 different Planet Hollywoods.” However, I have changed my ways and I can proudly confirm that I have ate at five different Cheesecake Factories in the great cities of Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Las Vegas, and Charlotte.

Earlier this month I ate at the Cheesecake Factory in Boston (it was my second time in my lifetime eating at that location). I ordered the spicy chicken sandwich.

The latter one on that list was visited just yesterday. Although technically the reason for us visiting Charlotte was to watch the Griz-Cat football game, let’s get real here…the opportunity to go to the Cheesecake Factory was a big factor as well.

This was me yesterday at the Charlotte Cheesecake Factory with spicy cashew chicken.

What can I say? I am a big Cheesecake Factory advocate. I can confidently say it is one of the few major chain restaurants that is not overrated and I can thank Sidney and the Mathis family for helping me discover that fact. Don’t Blink.

My Top Ten Casual Dining Restaurants

Posted on January 12, 2016 by brent

The other night, Sidney and I sat across from each other at Outback. As we waited for our food to come, we discussed what national corporate restaurants we would choose to work at if we had no other choice. It all started when I asked her if she would rather wait on tables at Outback or Olive Garden.

Well, this discussion sparked a blog post in my head. Because I haven’t written enough about food and eating over the years, I figured you would be interested in hearing my top ten casual dining chain restaurants. When compiling this list, I kept in mind my own criterion for what a “casual dining chain restaurant” is:

– Not a glorified fast food place such as Waffle House or Fuddruckers
– A place that would be acceptable to go for a birthday dinner. Thus, the restaurant puts in enough effort to sing “Happy Birthday” or an equivalent song for guests on their special day.
– A place that is “national” enough so that my friends on both the east coast and west coast know what I am talking about.

Here is my list…

10. Applebees – I use to despise this place on the same level as Red Robin but over the past couple years my attitude has changed. I have come to tolerate and mildly appreciate the theme. Having traveled to a bunch of them now, I do appreciate that each location tailors the “junk” that it keeps based on the community it is in. While I don’t care for the main entrees, I do enjoy the appetizer sampler and the yummy milkshakes.

9. Texas Roadhouse – I love that Texas Roadhouse restaurants offer peanuts. I also enjoy the large portions that they give out. Conversely, I also hate the large portions that they give out. No, that is not a typo.

A meal I had (the closest plate to the camera) at Texas Roadhouse about four years back.

8. Hooters – While I am not a big fan of the signature item at Hooters (just to clarify, I am talking about the wings), I do love their burgers. There might not be anything better than ordering a western BBQ burger and a cold Blue Moon. I just wish the restaurant wasn’t as tacky as the slogan happily brags about.

7. Olive Garden – This is another restaurant I didn’t always care for. I will still go to my deathbed saying that the breadsticks are completely overrated. But over the years I have warmed up a little more to the Olive Garden. A couple of experiences with outstanding service and a couple others with pretty good food when I was really hungry has helped to change my tune.

6. Outback Steakhouse – I really enjoyed my dinner with Sid the other night. I had a 12 ounce steak that was cooked perfectly and topped with blue cheese crumbles. Food is always pretty decent but I do think items are a bit overpriced and I have never been too impressed with a blooming onion.

Enjoying dinner at Outback on this past Saturday night.

5. P.F. Changs – When I think of P.F. Changs, I think of special dinners with my family. The five of us would go out on occasion to the restaurant and we would each order an entrée. We would then pass them around and share. The white and brown rice that comes before the main course is nice and the show the server puts on while mixing the sauce is cool too. Also, the lettuce wraps are completely legit.

My family loving life at P.F. Chang’s in November of 2011.

4. Carino’s Italian – This is probably the most obscure restaurant on the list but it is a national chain. Wikipedia says it has 130 restaurants. Carino’s is an Olive Garden competitor with a similar menu. In my mind, however, Carino’s is quite a bit better than its more well-known opponent. In my opinion the food is less expensive, but better, than the Olive Garden. I also would say that the bread offered at Carino’s is 5X superior to that of OG. Last but not least, I find the restaurants at Carino’s quite cozy, a far cry from what you find at Olive Garden.

3. Longhorn Steakhouse – I apologize because this restaurant violates the final condition of my criteria. You see, I am pretty positive most people out west don’t know about Longhorn Steakhouse even though the chain has almost 400 restaurants in 35 states. In fact, I actually had never heard of such a restaurant until I moved to Myrtle Beach. Good thing I did though because I love the place. The steaks are better here than at Outback and I think the value is a step up too. I also don’t eat that much salad but at Longhorn I will gladly chomp away because their mix is always so fresh and light. Also, I enjoy the fact that Longhorn is a well-lit restaurant. Many steakhouses like to dim all the lights and I don’t particularly care for that. Don’t get me started on their fantastic desserts.

2. Buffalo Wild Wings – I am a Buffalo Wild Wings fanatic. You know what? I never really even liked wings until I tried out BWW. It doesn’t matter what location you go to, the food always tastes great. My favorite thing to do is go to the restaurant with Sidney or my brother and split 20 boneless wings divided up among four different sauces. However, if for some reason I am not feeling wings that day I have no problem ordering a burger as I think the chain does a great job at creating delicious and unique selections. Of course BWW does the sports theme better than any other casual dining restaurant and the beer selection at the bar is always vast. I will never turn down an invitation to go to Buffalo Wild Wings.

1. The Cheesecake Factory – I have always enjoyed the Cheesecake Factory. In fact, without any influences the restaurant would be highly rated on this list. However, I think Sidney and her family helped me decide to catapult it to the top spot. When the Mathis family goes to a town that has a Cheesecake Factory, they are going to eat there no matter what. When we were in Atlanta together this past summer the first Cheesecake Factory location we went to had a two hour wait. Instead of going to another nearby restaurant, we drove to the other Cheesecake Factory location across the city and dined there. But you see, the food really is that good.

Sidney and I enjoying the Cheesecake Factory in Baltimore

You sit down and receive different types of bread to munch on while you look through the most expansive menu in the restaurant business. You then enjoy an entrée that tickles your taste buds and makes you think it must be coated in butter. Next comes the signature dish, a decision where you can’t go wrong no matter how many different types of cheesecake you have to choose from. Plain and simple, the Cheesecake Factory is just delicious and fun.

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This isn’t the first nor will it be the last time I make myself hungry while writing a blog post. If only there was a Cheesecake Factory in Myrtle Beach. Don’t Blink.

Sid’s Blog Post Reaction and Atlanta with the Mathis Family

Posted on August 10, 2015 by brent

Please don’t throw virtual tomatoes at me as I begin to write. Throughout the day I thought that might be the response I would get after Sidney’s blog post from yesterday. The message sent was strong…from website statistics to social media reaction to the texts that Sidney and I received, it seemed like you all really enjoyed reading what she had to say. So naturally I feared that my return to Don’t Blink might spark some disappointment from readers. Don’t worry, you haven’t “read” the last of her.

From my personal viewpoint, I thought Sidney did a wonderful job with her guest blog post. Keep in mind that this says a lot coming from me considering about half of it poked fun at my quirks and obsessions. She wrote a piece that was informative while also cute. It had a great deal of voice and honesty. She formatted it well as she understood that bloggers can hold attention longer by breaking up text in other ways besides paragraph breaks (she utilized a couple of lists with two items each). It all worked very well.

As Sidney’s blog post yielded about double the amount of traffic my typical Sunday post does, I will be inviting her back to write a Don’t Blink entry on a monthly basis. Don’t think this didn’t take some convincing, however. After Sidney finished her debut post, she pretty much wanted to hang up the keyboard right then. Maintaining a blog, even if it entails just writing once a month, takes time and energy. She had no idea that it would take her three hours to compose the “Peaks and Pits of Dating a Blogger.” But I think the reaction she received once her writing was published let her know that the toil is worth it.

Since Sidney wrote the Sunday blog post I got to enjoy Atlanta just a tiny bit more.

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With Sidney taking care of yesterday’s blog post, it allowed me to experience a weekend without worrying about a Sunday topic. Because of this luxury, I got to enjoy our mini getaway a little more.

Late Saturday morning after I finished working the Coastal Carolina summer commencement, Sidney and I hit the road for Atlanta. We arrived in town just shy of 5 p.m. After checking into our hotel we walked to the Marta station (Atlanta’s Subway system). In a stroke of luck, the train that picked us up happened to have all of Sidney’s family aboard. Yes, we made the trip to hang with them but we had no idea that we would meet up with them before we got to the ballpark. With the nine of us huddled together (Sidney, myself, Sidney’s parents, Sidney’s two sisters, Sidney’s brother-in-law, Sidney’s niece and nephew) we rode to the transfer station. From there we hopped on a shuttle bus that drove us to Turner Field.

We had wonderful seats all in a single row on the third baseline. The Braves hosted the Marlins on an evening devoted to the 1995 World Series team. Before the first pitch there was a softball game where many of the players from that championship team took part in. It was really cool to see baseball legends such as Greg Maddux, Chipper Jones, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz mix it up. As for the actual game it was nice and relaxing. Because it was a night game, Sidney and I didn’t melt as much as we did last year. We ate ballpark food and drank beer as we enjoyed a Braves victory on a beautiful evening.

It was a beautiful night for a ballgame at Turner Field.

The next morning we met Sidney’s family at the Georgia Aquarium. We got right in and started looking at the aquatic life. I found this aquarium to be much different than the National Aquarium we visited in Baltimore last year. Both places were very nice, they just have completely different offerings. The major highlight I think for us all was watching the dolphin show. My personal highlight was the albino alligator exhibit. It was really cool to see two completely white alligators roaming around, something that would never occur in the wild.

I really enjoyed seeing the albino alligators at the Georgia Aquarium.

After the aquarium it was time for lunch. The Mathis family has a very deep love for the Cheesecake Factory. Eating at that restaurant was one of the major events on the vacation itinerary. We went to the location and experienced great disappointment when we were told it would be a two hour wait. There would be no denying Sidney’s family, however. It just so happens that Atlanta has TWO Cheesecake Factory restaurants. We drove to another part of Atlanta where the second location was and got right in. We sat on the outdoor patio and enjoyed a fabulous meal. I had the spicy cashew chicken, the best dish I had ever had at a Cheesecake Factory before. Afterwards we all ordered our own slices of cheesecake (which we shared). I opted for the banana cream selection.

The Cheesecake Factory was delicious. I had the spicy cashew chicken which was amazing. I got banana cream pie cheesecake and Sid got red velvet cheesecake.

With leftover boxes and extremely full bellies, Sid and I had to say goodbye to her family. We needed to get back to Myrtle Beach while the family was staying through Monday morning. The drive back didn’t seem as long as the drive there, I think the thrill of tracking how well Sidney’s blog post was doing might have had something to do with that. We arrived back at the Beach by 10 p.m. Thanks so much to Sidney’s family for letting us (I really just mean me) crash the middle part of their vacation. Both Sid and I had a wonderful time! Don’t Blink.

Our Baltimore Blast

Posted on August 5, 2014 by brent

This past weekend I had the chance to go to Baltimore to watch my favorite baseball team play the Orioles in Camden Yards. It was a wonderful time, well worth the toil of getting there. Sidney and I traveled 500 miles, drove through monsoon-like pitch dark conditions, stayed the night in a questionable hotel in Fredricksburg, Virginia, and then finally arrived in Baltimore in a neighborhood filled with gang members and costumed weirdos.

But like I said, it was worth it.

After arriving in downtown Baltimore on Saturday morning we went down to the famous Inner Harbor. We walked around the water and watched the numerous joggers run by us. We took a stroll through the Little Italy district. We had drinks at a tapas place. Sitting on the restaurant’s outside deck by the water we had a fabulous and relaxing lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. After we concluded our meal by splitting a slice of vanilla bean cheesecake we went to the place Sidney couldn’t wait to visit…the aquarium.

Here is a look at our view of Baltimore and our Cheesecake Factory lunch.

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is supposed to be one of the top aquariums in the country. But let’s get real, if they charge $35 per person for entry (which Sidney graciously paid) it better be good. You enter the structure and immediately come upon a gigantic pool filled with sharks, fish, and a gigantic turtle. From there you walk up a ramp system to the various levels of the aquarium all the while maintaining a view of the ground level pool. The aquarium houses birds, frogs, snakes, and turtles. And fish. Lots of fish. Big fish, small fish, exotic fish, colorful fish, and really ugly looking fish. Also, the National Aquarium boasts the crowd-pleasing dolphin area. Numerous dolphins swim in a tank that allows visitors to watch them from stands or through underwater windows.

This was the main tank that the National Aquarium is designed around.

The aquarium has so much to see, including a rain forest. If you go, give yourself ample time. Also, bring your patience with you…kids take over the place.

Some photos I snapped at the National Aquarium.

After checking in at our hotel we walked the rather short distance to Camden Yards. Upon entry to the stadium we hit up the strip of bars and street vendors outside the stadium’s outfield entrance. Each establishment had an outdoor standing section that filled up with patrons lined shoulder-to-shoulder. We were right in the middle of it. Wearing our Mariner teal in a sea of orange we were treated very well by the Orioles fans up until the moment we left. It was then that one intoxicated individual said some inappropriate things to Sidney.

The bar district right outside of Camden Yards.

We walked in Camden Yards and admired the ballpark. We took in the center field and right field views. We walked on Eutaw Street, the famous divider between the warehouse and the outfield bleachers. We finally settled in our seats on the lower level of the first base line. On a pleasant night in Baltimore we watched the Mariners top the Orioles. Robinson Cano and Dustin Ackley both hit homers and Fernando Rodney recorded the save. After snapping a few photos to commemorate the win, Sidney and I walked out of that stadium on Saturday evening smiling that the visitors took one from the home team.

Great night, great seats, great win.

On Sunday morning, I went to church at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (called the Baltimore Basilica for short). Located just a block from our hotel it was a great experience celebrating mass in such a beautiful masterpiece. With the 8 a.m. mass only running about 45 minutes I spent some time giving myself a tour of the church when the service concluded.

The Baltimore Basilica is a beautiful church.

I returned to the hotel and after breakfast Sidney and I headed back to Camden Yards. I purchased heavily inflated tickets from a scalper and then we headed back to the vendor/bar area. Sidney and I sat down in the famous Pickles Pub and had a drink. After scarfing down a hot dog I bought from one of the vendors, the two of us went inside the stadium. In a truly fun part for me, Sidney and I went all the way down to the first row right off of the Mariners dugout and watched the pitching staff go through agility drills. Felix Hernandez and Fernando Rodney both ran right past us and a few other players came by and signed autographs. It was cool to get such an up close view of the actual playing field.

Up close and personal.

Instead of going up to our third deck seats we decided to stand on the right field deck. For the whole nine innings we watched over Nick Markakis’ shoulder from one of the best views in Camden Yards. Although the angle was great the outcome was not. The Orioles shut out the Mariners, 1-0. After the game we headed back to the car as a 500 mile drive awaited us. We made it back to Myrtle Beach a little before 2 a.m. on Monday morning.

This was our view from the right field deck.

Camden Yards vs. Turner Field – As I visited both ballparks for the first time this summer, here is a very brief comparison: Turner Field is nicer inside. It also has a better fan experience in terms of video board elements, on-field entertainment, and P.A./Music presentation. Camden Yards tops Turner Field in location. Camden is in a neighborhood that has charm. It also has a vendor/bar/tailgating feel that you don’t get at every MLB ballpark.

Pictures I took from both Turner Field and Camden Yards. Both good ballparks.

BronyCon – Baltimore was the site of the “My Little Pony” National Convention (Called BronyCon) this past weekend. As I mentioned above, we saw hundreds of people dressed in ridiculous costumes…most of them were adult dudes.

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Baltimore was great. I had the opportunity to see a city and a state I had never been to, take in a couple games in a ballpark I always wanted to visit, and watch my favorite team on the road. Thanks so much to Sidney for going with me and putting up with my nerdiness. Where will we go next? Don’t Blink.

Don't Blink

By Brent Reser

Tag Archives: Cheesecake Factory

A Charlotte Cheesecake Weekend

Making the Effort to Eat at the Cheesecake Factory

My Top Ten Casual Dining Restaurants

Sid’s Blog Post Reaction and Atlanta with the Mathis Family

Our Baltimore Blast