Justin and Katie February 20, 2011

May 21-23 I spent with the Smith and Johnston families. I left early with Dan and met up at the Smith house. We all then drove up to the very tipity top of Michigan to celebrate Justin and Katie’s wedding. It was a nine  hour drive, which wasn’t that bad. I found out I would be staying at the bunkhouse while everyone else (Dan, Jared, Kelly, and Paul) were staying at the bed and breakfast and I felt kind of bad that I wouldn’t be with my friends. Then I saw the bed and breakfast. When we pulled into the driveway we say bikes hanging from trees, sculptures made from garbage, a secret garden, and a car covered with bumper stickers. It reminded me of the eclectic art house from Harriet the Spy (the movie). We went in and it was a little overwhelming. This man had been in the Bed and Breakfast industry for over 25 years and it showed, because he stuffed every little knit knack and what not he could in that house. I was fascinated, but at the same time glad I wasn’t staying in that house. I could see how it would be creepy at night.

We dropped off our stuff and went to the lakehouse/bunkhouse. By the way we had passed the only movie theater within 40 miles and it was playing one movie at one time. I found that rather entertaining. The movie was Robin Hood btw, good movie, I recommend it. Anyway, we drive through the town and reach this gravel road and then drive for what seems like 20 mins til we get to the lakehouse. It was beautiful! The house was made for 20-30 people to be able to stay in it. It was Katie’s grandparents house. When you walked in all you saw was the forest and the lake because the back wall was all windows. I got to meet Katie’s family who is a blast and I am kind of sad I won’t be seeing more of them.  We ate fajitas and drank cherry wine while we all mingled and got to know each other.

The next morning I got up early and helped cook.  I was the best damn celery cutter you’ve ever seen! I found out that Katie and Justin are now vegans! and that they had actually gotten married on a court tv show earlier in the month. They needed the wedding license and since the show paid them to get married then, it made sense. I was still shocked. Justin cooked and we had vegan waffles for breakfast. It was actually really good. Then we had the rehearsal. Afterwards Dan, Jared, Stephanie, and I went kayaking. It was a lot of fun and I know realize how much I miss canoeing/kayaking, camping, and whatnot.

When we got back we went to a second hand book store called ‘dog eared books’. It was very cool and had a lot of charm. I got an old cool version of ‘The Odyessy’ and a newer book called ‘Philosophy made simple’. Then I came back, showered, and all the bridemaids helped Katie get ready. Most of them were theater majors so there was a lot of singing and they definitely knew how to do hair and makeup. It was fun. I finally got to wear my dress.

The ceremony was simple and beautiful. I’ve never cried at a wedding, but it was so wonderful and they were so happy. After the wedding we took pictures on the beach. Then we drank margaritas and ate delicious food. Everyone gave toasts, including me, and we all just had fun, drank wine, and mingled. Katie was beautiful, Justin was glowing. It was definitely the best wedding I’ve ever been to. I am so happy they found each other and I wish them every happiness in the world. I’ve never found two people more right for each other.

The next morning we left in a hurry cause most of us slept in, so I forgot my pillow and coat. We did stop at a cute little coffee shop where I got chai, and apricot scone, and a breakfast burrito. It hit the spot and then I managed to sleep for most of the ride home. We did have an incident where our tire exploded on the highway, but since it exploded out, not in, it wasn’t that big a deal. We called a company, they helped us change tires and we were on our way.  It was a wonderful weekend.

This past weekend (May 29-31) I went to Chicago for the first time ever. Since it was such a small wedding the party was the next weekend and everyone was invited. Unfortunately my family couldn’t come, but Mike came with me. We met up with Dan, Jackie, and Bry. Mike and I drove up early early in the morning. He wanted to leave at 4, and since I wasn’t driving, I didn’t complain. I got to sleep around 1am the night before and woke up around 3am because I was so excited. Around 430am I found out he had slept in and went back to bed. We didn’t actually leave until 6am (which is when I wanted to leave anyway). It took 8 hours and $30 in toll roads to get there, but we finally did around noon. We couldn’t check in yet, but we parked and explored a little bit. We got food, saw the Chicago bean, saw Millenium Park, and went to the Institute of Art. The museum had the largest display of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Art in the country. That’s pretty much all we got to see because by 3 we were both exhausted. I definitely want to go back and check out more of that museum, because it has some very cool things.

We went back to the hotel and checked in. Then we promptly fell asleep for an hour. After that we meet up with Dan, Bry, and Jackie and had dinner. Then we meet the whole group at their hotel. It was good to see everyone again and meet more of their friends. We went to see a comedy sketch called “Cupid has a Heart On: A Musical Guide to Relationships”. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. It was hilarious. I’ve never been to a comedy club before, but I’m definitely going to have to go to more. This was important because Katie and Justin met at an improv group.

The next morning I meant to get up early, but I slept in until 10 or 11. No big, we got up and went to the Shedd Aquarium; one of the top 10 aquariums in the States. It was a good thing I bought tickets ahead of time because the line was out the door, down the block and around the corner. We just walked right in. Mike was very good, I spent at least 4 hours in there and he let me take my time. I had a wonderful time….except when people decided to tap on the glass. That drives me NUTS! It was mostly adults too. Mike saved me from hitting a few people in the back of the head. They had beluga whales there, and one was a 3 week old baby.

We got a Chicago Polish Sausage from a street vendor that was delicious. Then we went to the beach which was over crowded and the water was freezing. So we sat on the hill and watched the sailboats for awhile while picking out a restaurant to go to. We decided on Catch 35, which turned out to be fancier then we expected. It had excellent food. I had clam chowder, blue cheese crusted fillet mingon medallions with demi glaze, crab mashed potatoes, green beans, and for dessert: carrot cake bread pudding. Yum yum yum!

After dinner we hurried up, showered, dressed, and went to the party. The dinner took longer then expected, but it was worth it. I finally finally finally got to wear the dress I bought. It is a sleek dress that is a dark green/blue with ruffles…that’s not the right word for it….but anyway, I love it! And I got tons of compliments on it. The bride and groom redid their vows, and had their first dances again. The rest of the night was dancing, drinking, laughing, and eating. It was so much fun. Definitely worth going for.

The next morning we slept in and then found us some Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. omg, soooo good. It’s a good thing those aren’t here because I would be 50 pounds heavier at least. Then the rest of Monday was driving back in the awful downpour and paying ridiculous tolls again.

I had two absolutely wonderful weekends in a row. I couldn’t be happier.

Katie and Justin are spending their honeymoon in Costa Rica right now! How excited!

 

 

*Disclaimer*

This was written way back when….I’m not sure why it was still in the drafts. I just came across it.

Bad Luck…..but still fun. October 31, 2010

So I’ve had this mini vacation planned for about two months now. It did not turn out how I had expected. Don’t get me wrong, I still had fun, but it was a little more frustrating then it should have been.

The morning I wanted to leave for Pittsburgh my Ipod broke. Go figure. I’ve only had it for about a year and a half so there’s really no reason it should break. So I left an hour and a half later then I wanted to, without an ipod. I grabbed a cd player only to find out that it did not work either (lame!). The drive to Pittsburgh was beautiful. The leaves were absolutely beautiful.

I made it to Pittsburgh and got to spend time with Tyler, a friend I haven’t seen in years. He showed me around his school, Duquesne. It was little and nice. After showing me around we went and got dinner at a Californian restaurant. The food was delicious. But of course…I got sick….so we didn’t go salsa dancing like we had planned. Instead we walked around in the night air for awhile just talking. I really did enjoy that.

He let me sleep in his bed while he slept on the couch. He even bought new sheets for me…egyptian cotten. It was the softest most wonderful sheets ever. So I had a good nights sleep for the first time in awhile.

The next morning we got up and went to this little street market. It reminded me of the morning markets in Europe and Japan. I loved it. There was fresh food, clothes, things, it was a blast. We picked up some ingredients for dinner and headed back. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to go to the aquarium like I was hoping. So we hung out and he cooked dinner. It was delicious. He made filet mignon with a mushroom sauces, broccalini, potatoes, a caprese salad (mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil) and fresh bread from the market. He paired with with a merlot, which I’m not usually a fan off, but it was perfect for the dinner.

We sat and talked for hours. It was a very nice dinner. Then we went salsa dancing, but I didn’t feel at all well again, so we left early and watched a movie.

The next morning he made french toast and I left to go to Buffalo to visit Ash. At the gas station my car broke down. Turns out it was the security system that hasn’t worked in seven years. Took 2 1/2 hours to figure that out. So I didn’t get to Buffalo until late. It was great to see Ash though.

The next morning I went to school with her and found out that I don’t remember anything from my chemistry classes. It was nice to be at a school again. While she was at her other classes I did some grad school research. I found this really neat program called the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) funded by the Science Foundation. It’s science based internships that this program sponsors students for. How cool would that be if I can do that?!

After school we went to the oldest independent bookstore in Buffalo and got some original buffalo wings. Tasty tasty. Then we came back and watched ‘Into the Wild’.

The next day I decided to sleep in…which means I couldn’t drive because the weather was supposed to be ‘the worst in a decade’. It wasn’t, but I’m still glad I didn’t drive in it. I hung out with Ash (although she had to do school work the whole time), went to the Conservatory by myself (which was very nice), and watched Avatar (the anime not the movie).

The next morning I drove back home and got ready for my work week.

Since my trip someone has slashed my tired (so the tire people tell me) and I had to buy a new one. And there is no power in my house from Friday until Monday.

Lots of things have gone wrong recently, but I’m over it all. I was really annoyed and stressed about it before…but it’s not that big a deal. I’m really glad I took the trip and got to see my friends. And life can only get better.

I hope to update soon, I have a fun idea about art/artist to post. But my time at Panera is up, so I have to go.

 

Happy Halloween!!!

Vacation to Charlotte September 30, 2009

I had an absolutely wonderful vacation!!! It started on Thursday. I couldn’t sleep I was so excited. I woke up at 6:30, then 7, and finally 8 am when I got out of bed. Of course I didn’t pack until about 2o mins before my flight, which was in the afternoon. I haven’t been in an airport for awhile. This might sound silly but I always enjoy going to the airport.

I flew on US Airways which makes you pay $15 to check a bag. I was super annoyed about that, but whatever. FYI: Southwest airways doesn’t make you pay to check a bag.  I sat next to a very nice women who decided that I should got back to school and go into sales. She travels the country for a pharmacutical company. Eventually she wants to travel internationally. I felt bad for her because she had to fly down to  Charlotte before she could fly to Indianapolis.

When I got to the airport Chris picked me up and we went straight to a BBQ place. I had a BBQ pulled pork sandwich with a green bean casserole. I also had some sort of blueberry beer, but I wasn’t a big fan. I think I just wasn’t in a beer mood. You could definitely taste the blueberry part, which was pretty good. We talked and talked and talked. The weather was wonderful. He apologized because it was cooler then normal, only 80 degrees.  Needless to say I was very happy.  We listened to a little bluegrass band with a fiddle, a banjo, and some guitars. I had lots of fun.

That night I also got to meet Allie.  She’s a pound puppy lab mix that has more energy then she knows what to do with. She was a little intimidating on the first day,  jumping on me and being very mouthy, but she got better once she calmed down. Chris is working with her, and he’s done a great job so far, she’s a sweet girl and loves to play.

The next day, after sleeping in, cause that’s what you do on vacations, we went to the art district in Charlotte called NoDa. I loved every moment of it. If you ever go to Charlotte, you must visit! Here’s the website: http://www.noda.org/

I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful this art district is. But I’ll try.

The first place we went to was The Crepe Cellar. DELICIOUS. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love crepes. So this was a must do. I had a very fresh sandwich with some delicious french fries. I don’t even like french fries that much, but I couldn’t stop eating them. We also got some cider called Organic Dupont Brut, Normandie and it’s from France. If I ever find it again I’m definitely buying a bottle. It was a honey color and very refreshing. Tasted like carbinated wine. I loved it. Then for dessert I had a wonderful and huge nutella and banana crepe. It was the biggest crepe I’ve ever seen and I couldn’t finish it, but it was totally worth it.

After eating to much we explored the art galleries. Chris was a good sport and let me go into every single one. He even let me go into a used book store. My favorite gallery by far was Green Rice Gallery and Studios. http://www.green-rice.com/ It was a gallery that artists had open studio’s in. I met the owner of the gallery and a few artists. It was very interesting to see the different studios and different forms of art. I would have stayed there the whole day if I could have. It was so inspiring. Their motto is “Artists without walls.”

This is some art by Patricia Thompson – one of the artist of the Green Rice Gallery

One of the artists suggested we visit the coffee shop called ‘Smelly Cat’. (I started singing the song from Friends, I couldn’t help it) We got the most amazing chai milkshake I’ve ever had. It was wonderful!! After which we went back to the apartment and fell into a food coma for about three hours. After I woke up my stomach was upset since I had had so much rich food. So I was not feeling well the rest of the night. Chris was great and got me medicine and some ginger ale. He also rented some movies and made eggs for dinner. We watched Coraline. The animation was well done, but the story itself was a little creepy. That definitely would have given me nightmares when I was little.

The next morning we went rock climbing. Obviously I was feeling better. We climbed at Inner Peaks Climbing Center. I really liked it. I was a little lazy because I knew I would crash fast if I tried to do to much to fast. I was really bad at climbing, but I reached the top of all the routes I tried (not including bouldering) and I really did have fun. Very sore later though.

After climbing we showered and went to a bar to watch the OSU vs Illinios game. You would not believe how many OSU alumni are there. It was a very crowded bar and I kind of got a little people overloaded. I’m really not a very good football fan unless I’m with a bunch of people I know. We won, so that was good. It was a shutout, so it was kind of a boring game. And when I went to get some chai I got jipped. She poured the chai in the cup, keeping the foam out, but when she realized she hadn’t made enough chai, she then poured in all the foam to make it look full. Right in front of us. I should have said something, I just know I’ll never go back to that coffee shop again.

After the OSU game we came back to the apartment and I de-peopled. Basically he kept the dog busy playing catch while I napped and read. After awhile we hunted down a salsa dancing place and got dressed up to go. I was so excited because I had just bought some new shoes for salsa dancing. Just as we were ready it started pouring rain, so to wait we decided to have a glass of wine. Of course we realized to late that we didn’t have a wine opener. So…we got out the tool box and went to work. Eventually we got it open with a long screw, a screwdriver, and a pair of pliers. Yes, the wine was worth it.

After we had a glass the rain let up, so we went uptown (it’s actually downtown, but for some strange reason they call it uptown) and found a salsa dancing bar. It was a lot of fun. Chris did very well for never having salsa danced before and it was a neat little bar. I tired out quickly, not sure why, this was definitely my low energy day, so we got home about one I think.

The next day we started by going to the Carolina Raptor Center. I’ve always wanted to go, I’ve actually considered about applying there more then once. It was a very large raptor center with a few raptors I had never seen before. I was like a kid in a candy store. I had so much fun and took way to many pictures. After that we stopped at Petsmart and bought Allie a new toy, a giant duck. It quacked for about …half an hour…but it’s still her favorite toy which makes me smile. We also ate at a restaurant called Fresh Start or Just Fresh. Anyway, a little expensive for salads, but very good. Just what I needed after a few days of junk food and  eating out.

That afternoon we took Allie to a nature preserve and hiked around in the woods for awhile. She was a little difficult to walk at first – to many new sights and smells – but she got better. It was very relaxing to walk around in the woods. Really neat place, I wish we had time to explore it more, but the sun set so we went home and watched some movies. We watched Airplane – pretty funny, and Sunshine Cleaning – okay movie.

My last day in Charlotte we drove three hours to the nearest beach. It was called Isle of Palms Beach and it was in SC. Really cute little beach and just what I needed. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, nice warm water, and plenty of sand. It was very windy, and since we had only brought beach towels, not chairs, we were covered in sand the whole time. It was pretty funny. I was very happy that I had brought a big bag to put in front of my face so at least the sand didn’t get in my eyes and mouth. It was a puppy beach so we saw some really cute ones. I got some seashells that naturally had holes in them to put in some art pieces. We saw windsurfers, and since it was a Monday it wasn’t very crowded, which was nice. We stayed for five hours, but I wish we could have stayed longer.

We drove home and didn’t get back til late. The next morning we got up early and Chris drove me to the airport. I left Charlotte when it was warm and sunny and I got back and was greeted by cold rain and clouds. Welcome back.

It was a wonderful vacation and I feel refreshed, relaxed, and happy. I’m so glad I went. Work starts tomorrow and I have some errands to run, so off I go.