I can hardly believe it but today marks This Tasty Life’s 12 Year Blogiversary!!
12 years, man. That’s like a seventh grader in middle school.
Alyssa and I started the blog back in 2006 on a whim. There weren’t really “bloggers” out there yet. We did LiveJournal at first because it was so popular at the time, but we wrote about a bunch of weird crap. We even did “Reviews” on our original site called The Plain Jane. I wrote a review about “bananas”, you guys. Really I think it should be called “my quest to end heartburn”, but instead it’s called “bananas”. Go figure.
I remember back then Alyssa and I would take photos of our food while we were out playing Bingo and the other people would look at it and wonder what in the world we were doing and why we were taking photos of food. Now it’s a totally normal thing to see in restaurants all the time! Crazy how much changes in just a few years.
Let’s do a list for my 12 year anniversary, shall we?
A List of 12 Things I Love to Eat:
(in random order)
(because I don’t want to rank them)
- Shrimp. Shrimp of any kind. Fried. Sautéed. Grilled. In some soup. In a sandwich. Baked, Broiled. Any way I can get it, I love shrimp!
- Tomato + Garlic + Basil + Olive Oil. This is my new favorite snack. I eat it with Triscuit a lot but it’s also good on any form of bread. Cherubs cherry tomatoes are my favorite kind to use since I’m picky about my tomatoes.
- Banh Mi Sandwiches. But without the pickled veggies because no. No no no.
- Cheetos. Regular crunchy. Not Hot Cheetos! I can’t handle the spice!
- Salted Butter Bread from 85c Bakery. There are a lot of awesome things at 85c but my #1 thing is this bread. It’s salty, butter, soft, and kind of like a croissant, but not flaky.
- Milk Tea with Boba. Zero sugar, please.
- Brie. If a sandwich has brie on it, chances are high that I will order it.
- Mushrooms. It’s my favorite pizza topping. Also that Shroom Burger from Shack Shake is amaaaaaaazzzzzzzing.
- Peanut Butter & Chocolate. Preferably in ice cream form from Baskin-Robbins or Haagen-Dazs. Bonus fact: this is the only time I like to eat chocolate ice cream.
- Soft Pretzels. After I had a garlic soft pretzel in Vegas last summer, I feel like I’ve become obsessed with Wetzels Pretzels. I’m super sad the garlic version has disappeared.
- Popcorn. If I’m too lazy to make my own, I prefer the Homestyle popcorn by Pop Secret.
- Vietnamese Iced Milk Coffee. Creamy, strong, lovely deliciousness.
Some items were very specific. And some weren’t. Because I can do what I like! Muhahah!
Giveaways!
Also as a part of my blogiversary celebration, I will be hosting a series of giveaways on my Instagram account, @thistastylife. My very first giveaway is sponsored by me! Please check my Instagram account each day for a new giveaway!
The first giveaway is a $5 gift card to Wetzel’s Pretzels! I will be giving away 3 gift cards. One here on the blog, and two on Instagram.
This giveaway is NOW CLOSED. Congrats to the winner – Cathy Tran!
How to enter:
Comment below and tell me: do you prefer salted or unsalted pretzels?Check my Instagram account @thistastylife for additional ways to enter by tagging a fellow foodie friend.
This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by Wetzel’s Pretzels. I just really like their pretzels! Must be a US Resident to win. Gift card must be redeemed on the Wetzel’s Pretzels mobile app (because that is the only way they do gift cards). You have until 8AM PST Tuesday May 22, 2018 to enter to win this prize. Winners must contact me in order to claim their prize. One gift card per person.
I order salted pretzels if I’m eating it plain or dipping in cheese and unsalted if I’m dipping my pretzel in something sweet like caramel sauce or glaze
Good call on situational pretzel awareness! 🙂
Gotta have the salted pretzels. Happy Blogiversary!
Thanks you Susie 🙂
I prefer unsalted if plain, or the one with melted cheese!
Cheese is always a good idea!
Hey Mary! Found your blog on a whim a while back; stoked to see you’ve made it 12 years! I’m salted all the way on the pretzels! Cheers!
Thanks, Adam! 12 years – it’s been awhile!
Salted ??
Depends on my mood. Sometimes I like salted, sometimes I can’t resist those cinnamon sugar pretzels!
You know I’ve never tried the cinnamon sugar because I always want the salted butter one! One of these days I’m gonna try it!
Cathy Tran – you are the winner! Congrats!!
Yay! So much fun, thanks for running this cool promotion. Love the blog!
Thanks for entering Lyndsi!
happy blogiversary Mary! so happy to have met you at Taste of College Area and then continue the food adventure here and there! i’ll have to try them pretzels salted! (never tried before)
Thank you Lynn!! So glad we met and have done some fun foodie adventures together! Yeah, you should try one!
Definitely salted! …Surprised to find others like unsalted, really? I can’t see the point! LOL Continue to enjoy your blog. So many awesome local eats!!!
Haha, I love the salt, too – as long as they don’t overdo it! Thanks, Dianne!
Unsalted and unbuttered! I just like the doughiness of pretzels. 🙂 Happy Blogiversary – so glad I found you!
And unbuttered! A true pretzel connoisseur then! Thanks, Kim!
How salted we talkin’? LOL.
Salted if it’s by itself.
Either one if it’s with beer chiz dip!
Happeh Blogiversary!
I need to try some beer cheese dip again soon. Thanks Cris!
Salted, as salty as my personality when someone is eating near by and not offer me food.
Happy Blogiversary ~~~!! <3 🙂
Sounds like you. Thanks Emily!
Salted is the way for me
Happy Dozen years to your amazing blog Mary! May you have many more!
Thank you so much CC! Glad we met through our blogs!
Yay! Same here!
Yes please! I love those giant salt crystals so you can brush it off if it’s too much.. but still dip! Dip!
Unsalted!
Salted! Why do ubsalted even exist?!?!
Unsalted!!!
Happy 12 years Mary!