The Best Day of Your Life: Superhero Edition
On June 21st, Thrillist's new national holiday had legions of revelers taking the day off and tackling the very best that 17 cities nationwide and across the pond (what up, London) have to offer. The only way it could've been better? Acid. Just really good acid. Or if you were a physics-bending superhero who could personally experience the best of every city in one day, eating 15+ meals and downing 15+ drinks from sunrise to sunset.We pulled together sweet photos from our readers and editors to show how that would go:
Step One: Wake up and smell the Stella. What, it's a special occasion!
Then get fully dressed.
And now you may smell the coffee at Minneapolis's Urban Bean. Also, drink the coffee.
Only half-caffeinated? Jump across the pond for a cortado courtesy of London's The Attendant, which is either a beloved coffee shop housed in a former public toilet, or a movie that'll pick up a sympathy Oscar for Best Wardrobe.
Move on to a grits-slathered breakfast at Atlanta's very own Home Grown. They also serve a "Redneck Taco", which is coleslaw & BBQ pork in a pancake, or just any taco you eat while Jeff Foxworthy points at you.
If you warp back to Minneapolis, there's good news and bad news waiting for you at Hazel's Northeast. Good news? This caramel-pecan roll w/ a ball-o'-butter. Bad news? Your left and right hand got mixed up in the teleportation process. Because science.
Block the haters and dive face-first into your third breakfast at Tamale House East in Austin, TX, where they know a thing or two about breakfast tacos.
Breakfast is such a good-ass meal, let's have more of it: at NYC's Randolph Beer, where this croissant-wich has your name on it, but will only say LaTavia Roberson's name.
Time to tackle the Oregon Trail. First, ford the river, and -- oh, whoops your party died, better try again.
This time let's wait for a ferry. Ah, here it -- damn, now Silas has dysentery. Classic Silas! Okay, third time's the charm.
Caulk the wagon and roll to Portland's Pine State Biscuits, whose Reggie Deluxe (fried chicken, bacon, egg, sausage & gravy... on a biscuit) more than makes up for the tragic loss of Silas.
Last breakfast! Stay the same age but not the same weight at Chicago's Glazed & Infused, with the M&M, pretzel, peanut, and potato chip, caramel-drizzled chocolate cake doughnut.
Six breakfasts. You are a MAN. Now some quick culture: the rad graffiti lining the Atlanta Beltline, followed by the photo opp that is LACMA's Levitated Mass.
The Tron grid-esque depths of Portland's boozy arcade Ground Kontrol are also culture. You can't argue with this.
CULTURE OVER. COMMENCE LUNCH SEQUENCE: Start your... 7th? Yep, 7th meal of the day with a cascading crustacean-stuffed lobster roll at Charlie's Kitchen in Cambridge.
Hop an Amtrak down to New York -- RIP Fung Wah -- for dim sum at Jing Fong.
Roll back to Austin for brisket at John Mueller Meat Co. Warning: this meat elicits a wide variety of emotional reactions.
Thank god, this last lunch is relatively close by: Dallas' East Hampton Sandwich Co. Slurp down an order of jalapeño cream sauce with sammy and chips on the side.
Much like Dallas, Boston has grassy knolls. Crawl up to the Esplanade and pass out on one.
Refreshed? Dust off the Rihanna plane, kidnap a couple dozen reporters, and jet off to Minneapolis's Sea Salt for a game of cornhole. Remember to keep reporters imprisoned on plane throughout.
Dallas' Top Golf offers not only beer, but also golf.
SF's Dolores Park is a great place for a battle of end-of-every-1980s-TV-show freeze frames.
Having burned off 0.004% of your food intake, pop by quirky man-boutique Betabrand, where they post customers who strike the right poses up on their Facebook.
This just screams "I don't get out of bed for less than 80,000 calories a day."
Would you like some dranks now? This STK Atlanta martini looks like a work of art.
After a martini, these rooftop shots at LA's Rush Street also look like art.
Quaff a stein o' stout at The Standard NYC's Meatpacking biergarten, where they have ping pong, sausages, and... whatishappeningit'salltoomuch.
For some guys, the Best Day of Your Life is just watching a very large television.
Pull an Irish exit to Philly, where a Swedish Fish vodka slushie awaits at Sampan's Graffiti Bar. Whatever, man, at this point you don't care what color your drink is.
Don't forget to grab a glass at the San Diego Brew Project.
By the time you reach SF's Lightning Tavern, your beer pong sucks. Fortunately, on the Best Day of Your Life, you get to kick good sportsmanship to the curb.
"So... much... awesome..." at Harriet Brewing's Taproom in MSP.
Dinner would probably be a good idea. Start in Seattle by pill-popping a platter of Matt's in the Market deviled eggs.
Stuff yourself into a bottle, roll into the Pacific, and trust that in only 10mins, you'll magically wash ashore in SoCal, ready to nom Sushi Ike's Seared Salmon Right Away.
Heed the siren song of the Midwest for franks and dogs at Chi-Town's... Franks 'N Dawgs.
Or heed the call of London, which sounds a lot like "Yum Bun".
What? No tacos since third breakfast?! Outrageous! Make things right with carnitas from SF's Tacolicious II.
15th meal! Make it count with a sub from New York's Meatball Shop -- best enjoyed 10-15ft from other people.
Okay, these you can share: twin cupcakes from Atlanta's MetroFresh.
Cigar time. Roll down to Little Havana to peruse Miami's smokable options.
Then hit NYC's OK Cigars for these Ditkas, which were actually made by Buddy Ryan.
Like a boss.
At NY's The Frying Pan, it's not unusual to find a boatload of people waiting to split a beer bucket with you.
Hate buckets, but like glasses bigger than buckets? Commandeer that boat south to DC's Standard.
Or, ATL's Lure has saved you an ocean-sized bowl of punch. Oh whatever, just have both.
The sun has officially set. Send it off Denver-style with a glass of "Embalming Fluid" keg wine on Linger's rooftop. Toasting high atop the Mile High with a drink that'll handsomely send you six feet under? Now that's the best damn ending to the Best Day of Your Life.
Epilogue: Lick this plate.