What We Do

How We Do It

Who We Are

The Barnacle

Our Top 10s of 2024

Like many of you, we love Top Ten lists—they are easy and fun to read! We especially love lists that look back on the year. Whether it’s Spotify Wrapped, the Top Ten News Stories, or some other random, digitally generated list, it’s fun to do a quick read to look back on the year.

The 2 Fish Co. team decided to write our own version of the Top Ten of 2024. Take a look to see what we loved about 2024!


Shelly’s Top Ten

I can’t tell you how many recipes I have sent to myself from Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. My goal for 2024 was to cook or bake them all, and I got close! Here are my 10 favorite internet recipes from last year.

1. Cinnamon Chips Scone

This is an easy recipe that comes together quickly and is super tasty (especially if you like cinnamon). I almost always double this recipe and put one batch in the freezer to enjoy another morning. @katieleewilken on Instagram.

2. Bean n’ Cheese Burritos

These burritos are great the day of but are terrific to have in the freezer until you need them. What I love about this recipe is that everyone in my family loves them, and they are packed with veggies. @frasercooks on Instagram.

3. Mini Lunchbox Pizza

You may see a theme developing because the beauty of these mini pizzas is that they can wait in the freezer until we need them. The two-ingredient dough comes together fast and easily, and then you add your favorite toppings, and they are ready in 15 minutes.

4. Homemade Chili Oil

This condiment has become a staple in our home and is especially tasty on Ramen noodles. Follow @thegirlinthegreenapron on Instagram.

5. Homemade Chicken Taquitos

My favorite meal prep is making freezer meals, so I don’t have to cook when I’m tired. This year, I plan to test out more freezer meal recipes and prepare better for busy days. I hope y’all love this recipe for taquitos as much as we do! @recipiesmentor_com on Instagram.

6. Healthy & Easy Granola Bars

These bars are seriously easy to put together and so much healthier than their supermarket equivalents. Follow @the.mediterranean.diet on Instagram.

7. Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Muffin

I always have a couple of bad bananas from each bunch that need to be made into bread. My family has leaned toward liking banana muffins more lately, so this “healthier” version caught my eye. I was leery of the oat flour, but I’ve become a true fan. Easy, healthy, and delicious. @my.proteinpantry on Instagram.

8. One-Pot Mediterranean Beef Marinara Ditalini

This is an easy and satisfying dish that utilizes my current favorite noodle, ditalini. When I find it in the store, I buy two boxes because they are not always available. @mistergoodmoodfood on Instagram.

9. Brussel Honeycrisp Salad

I love this recipe, and the dressing is the star of the show. The dressing can be used on any salad, but the pairing with the apple makes this one a winner. It comes together easily with ingredients that I often have on hand. @shelikesmilk on Instagram.

10. Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe comes from one of my favorite food creators. He argues that the best chocolate chip cookies are made at home and not bought, and I tend to agree. Brown butter takes these cookies to the next level, and their ability to be frozen is a plus. They’re so good. Follow @scheckeats on Instagram.


Adam’s Top Ten

Amidst the chaos that was 2024, I managed to stumble upon some genuinely awesome things that brought a little light to the madness. Here’s my Top 10!

1. Detroit Lions Trick Plays

This has been a magical year for my hometown Lions. As a Detroit native who has ridden the highs and lows of this franchise since the early 90s’, I can think of very few experiences in my life that have been quite as cathartic as watching us a) win and b) do so in STYLE. From fake punts and fumbles to offensive linemen scoring touchdowns and, well, offensive linemen ALMOST scoring touchdowns, this is the team we have waited a lifetime for…and they are making it worth the wait.

2. Jet Lag: The Game

Though the Jet Lag channel has been creating content since May 2022, there were four seasons of this delightful travel competition show released in 2024, so I’m counting on it. In Jet Lag: The Game, three delightful fellows (Sam, Ben, and Adam) compete in a variety of games such as capture the flag, tag, hide and seek, and even something resembling Risk – the twist is that these games are happening on a huge scale in locations all around the world. In their latest season, they play a game of hide and seek in which the playing field is the entire country of Japan. You can watch on Nebula (a very cool platform for creators) or on good ol’ YouTube (for free). Either way, you can thank me later.

3. Freyja

My wife and I got a puppy. She’s an unhinged maniac.

4. Shōgun (Season 1)

Based on the James Clavell novel, Shōgun is a captivating historical drama set in 17th-century Japan. It involves samurai, castles, and an epic score. You can check it out on Hulu but take your time – season two likely won’t be out until 2026.

5. Moonbound

Moonbound is the latest novel by one of my personal favorite authors, Robin Sloan (also from the metro Detroit area!). I don’t want to say too much about the plot, but if you enjoy the hero’s journey, King Arthur, and/or beavers, this is probably a good one for you. Robin’s email newsletter is also one of my favorite ways to spend an hour or two every few months.

6. This Giraffe

I got this giraffe from a friend as part of a Secret Santa exchange this year. I don’t think I need to explain why it belongs on this list.

7. Apple TV Originals

The main reason this is here is because of Silo (the second season finale was released on January 17, 2025!) but I’m expanding this list item to all of Apple TV because of original content such as Shrinking (season two is out now), Time Bandits, and STEVE (martin). Apple isn’t the only service pumping out excellent content (looking at you, Fallout, over on Amazon Prime), but if you’re choosing just one streamer, Apple TV is my choice from 2024.

8. The Last Murder at the End of the World

The Last Murder at the End of the World is the latest from another excellent author (Stuart Turpin). It continues his pattern of writing genre-defying mysteries that keep you guessing, even if you’re the sort of person who makes a game of aggressively trying to solve mystery novels in the first few chapters. His first novel (The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle) is well-known at this point, but all of his work is well worth checking out if you like a (very) good mystery or two.

9. Star Wars Outlaws

It’s a Star Wars video game where you have a little buddy who looks like this.

10. The Foolery

The Foolery opened its doors in downtown Grand Rapids early in 2024 and has quickly become one of my favorite spots. They offer some delicious and unique takes on Detroit-style pizza and a phenomenal atmosphere in which to enjoy it. Their sister restaurant, Social Misfits, is right next door and offers the best (and only) Ramen waffles in West Michigan.


Scott’s Top Ten

Top 10 lists are the best, and for more than 20 years, I’ve been compiling my favorite songs into lists yearly for anyone who will pay attention. It started with an email exchange list with friends and family. With the advent of iTunes, I created CD compilations for friends, including album art. Over the past decade or more, I’ve created Spotify lists. So, for 2024, I bring you my ten favorite songs in no particular order. Check out the accompanying Spotify playlist, or compile your own!

  1. Take Me Home, Country Roads — Aaron Espe
  2. Blue Sky & The Painter — Bastille
  3. Old Tom Bombadil — Bear McCreary & Rufus Wainwright
  4. Trampolines — Chicane
  5. And Nothing Is Forever — The Cure
  6. Anyone’s Game — Iron & Wine
  7. Mobile God — James
  8. David Byrne Does Hard Times — Paramore & David Byrne
  9. My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys — Taylor Swift
  10. Bus — Travis

And because I can never play by the rules, here’s your bonus track!

  1. Capricorn — Vampire Weekend

Kathy’s Top Ten

The original assignment was to choose our Top Ten songs for the year. But, as you can see, no one stuck by that. It’s hard for me to pick a Top Ten of anything, but here are ten things that made me really happy in 2024.

1. Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé

Because I tend to listen to music while driving preteens and teenage girls in the car, I rarely listen to full albums—we tend to skip from song to song. But this album by Beyoncé was on repeat for me for most of 2024. While there are debates about Beyoncé “doing country”, I think what she did with this album is beautiful. I have a soft spot for artists (of any medium) who challenge themselves to stretch their skills and abilities, and the way Beyoncé builds on cultural trends (or creates new cultural trends) in her music and shows, curates different aspects of cultural expression, and highlights different artists is brilliant. This album, for me, holds together and offers beauty and joy every step of the way. And, yes, I sing along loudly while driving alone.

2. The Detroit Lions

I married a Lions superfan, which was an unexpected addition to our marriage. Now, after decades of ruined Sundays after losses, the Lions are bringing joy and happiness to our home (even after a really sad loss to the Commanders). Also, I’d do anything for Dan Campbell.

3. Tom Lake by Anne Patchett

There are numerous reasons I loved reading this book—too many reasons to list here. If you haven’t read this book, you really should. It’s a delight.

4. Up North Independent Bookstores like Bay Books (Suttons Bay), Leelanau Books (Leland), and McLean and Eakin (Petoskey)

2024 was the year of Up North for me and my family. We loved every minute of it. One of our family traditions is finding an independent bookstore wherever we travel, and these three bookstores are gems.

5. “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + The Machine and “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers

See #1 above and recognize the amount of time I spend in the car with girls who love music. Both songs are appropriate for singing loudly in the car with the windows rolled down.

6. USA Track and Field

Track and Field is a sport—a collection of sports—that celebrates all body types and abilities and is just fun to watch. While watching track and field, I am constantly inspired by the human spirit.

7. Ilona Maher

Beast. Beauty. Brains. Never tone it down. But I still don’t understand rugby.

8. Fresh Michigan peaches in August

This is one of the gifts we in West Michigan get for surviving January, February, and March.

9. Shelly’s Buckeyes (chocolate peanut butter balls)

If you know, you know.

10. Slow Horses

This show on Apple TV+ is a British spy drama that follows a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents. Gary Oldman is brilliant as the obnoxious (and disgusting) boss. This show is full of intense drama interspersed with clever wit and humor.


Let us know what we missed! What should we add to 2025 that we missed in 2024? And what are you looking forward to in 2025? We’d love to hear from you!

SHARE IT!