Tchotchkes and Goodies

First of all, I had no idea that my favorite word, and my favorite thing: “Tchotchke” also referred to a pretty girl or woman. Which means…I COULD BE A TCHOTCHKE. Do you have any idea what this means??? This is like, the best day of my life.

So, I’ve been obsessed with tchotchkes forever. My favorites include, fake food that looks real, or little glass versions of food, miniature anything really…li
ke a little piano? My heart flutters. The absolute winners can be found in my biffle’s house.  I mean, you just can’t do better than Chinese babies riding giant Koi fish like they are about to slay the Huns.

Something about tchotchkes just makes me feel like a kid all over again. And, sometimes, it’s nice to feel like a kid. Which brings me to my overall discovery: there are quite a few local treasures in this place that make the snot-filled kid in all of us come out to play.

Oscar William Cotton Candy: OM NOM NOM. Gourmet Cotton Candy for a Cause? Yes, please. Now, let’s be serious, the kid in me is not so cause-driven, but she sure is taste-driven and this ish is delicious. Oscar William sets up at various events around the Triangle and has each member of their staff dressed in bowties and old school button-ups and hats. You also get to spin a prize wheel…which means….FREE STUFF. My ultimate fave.

The Alley: So, I’ll be honest with you guys. I can’t bowl. Even with the bumpers up, I manage to seriously endanger all of the people around me. I also get daycamp flashbacks when we had to go bowling every Tues/Thurs after a long morning of being outside so every kid smelled like feet and beetle poop and it was just an overall miserable time. BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT bowling as an adult…aka drinking while bowling…aka not really remembering your score and bowling granny style after the 4th round…has become an extremely favorable hobby. And, The Alley is used to Hillsborough Hike nights so they don’t judge!

North Carolina Theatre: I know this one sounds serious, but with productions like Elf the Musical, Les Mis, and The Little Mermaid all lined up for 2013/2014, I’m getting butterflies like a kid on her way to Toys R Us. I’m already dreaming about sneaking in my bags of candy… or even better,cotton candy. Maybe a smidge of TOPO’s vodka (shhhhh). It’s going to be great.

Café Prost: Last, but certainly not least, are the delightful pretzels you can find at Café Prost’s ingenious food truck. I have always loved soft pretzels. My mom used to get her hair done in our local mall and there was an Auntie Anne’s across the way which started my addiction to Cinnamon Sugar pretzels. I would fiend for those suckers. Café Prost? A million bajillion times better (Don’t hurt me, Auntie)… Just look at it. LOOK AT IT. Point made.

Take a break from commuting, emailing, trying to find a parking spot at your stupid apartment complex which is somehow harder than finding a parking spot at the mall on a Saturday, and try some of these babies out to unleash your inner third grader (not any younger than that though, get serious).

P.S. Seriously, to that guy that owns that motorcycle that you can’t see until you are already turning into the spot: TAKE IT UPSTAIRS. I will literally house this motorcycle in my own bedroom to avoid being tricked one more time. Or we can share a spot. Suzie is friendly. And, she likes to snuggle.