Los Angeles, Oh what a Time it was!

I'm shocked its been almost a month since my last post!  This one is totally dedicated to how "Nobody Walks in LA".  Just kidding, we walked around a bit!  We had a total blast in Los Angeles, it was Bill's first time there, and he even said he liked it more then he thought he would.
Upon arrival I receive a text from James saying "I'm coming to get you!"  This was odd, considering Rachel was going to get us.  Well, Rachel's car broke down after Home Depot, so Jamesy had to leave during rush hour to get us.  1.5 hours later he arrived!  We were tired, hungry and thirsty but thrilled to see James, its has been since our wedding that we have been together!

Finally we land in Silverlake and Rachel and I were reunited again!  I miss the Winn/Barron household so much, I hate how far they live.  The first night we went to a bar to grab food, Bill and I were exhausted and wanted to rest up for the next day.

Day 2 we went to Olvera Street and I bought awesome stuff for my birthday party fiesta!!!

The evening of Day 2 we went to Pins and Needles and played pinball for hours and hours.

Day 3 we went to Melrose Avenue for shopping and then to Papa Cristos - "The best Greek food in LA".  We feel bad for people in LA.  Although we ate a ton, it wasn't as good as Chicago.  But check out Papa Cristos!

The evening of Day 3 we went to Smog Cutters.  My cousin Trevor and his girlfriend Holly met us, along with Jenny, Bridget and lots of James's and Rachel's friends.

Day 4 we were all feeling wow so awesome, so we went to Griffith Park and enjoyed the view.  We had a great brunch in the morning and headed up there.  It was beautiful and amazing and just what a hangover ordered!  

And finally that evening we made homemade pizzas on the grill, and invited people to come over and join us to eat and drink, and I was thrilled to have my old friend Daniel, who I met in Savannah, Georgia in the year 2000 while I was working on "The Gift", even stopped by.

We had a fabulous time, and missed Jamesy and Rachel (and Signal!) immediately, and forever after, too! Move home to Chicago our friends!!!

And one month later!

So I'm getting settled into my new position as Creative Industry Liaison at Columbia College Chicago in the Portfolio Center.  Everything is going very well, and next week Bill and I fly to Los Angeles to spend a week with Jamesy and Rachel!  We can't wait!  Rachel spent 6 weeks with us this past summer, but Bill and I  haven't seen Jamesy since our wedding, which is almost 2 years ago!

Our last vacation was to visit the Mighty Carmona Family in North Carolina, and that was soon after Victor passed away.  We have Lex staying at our house next week to take care of Lenny + Olive, and hopefully they will be angels.  Although I doubt it since now when we leave we have to put the garbage can in the bathroom.  Oy vey. So annoying.

2011 MASTER LIST

Ok, per a heavy duty FB conversation today, here is the beginnings to my 2011 accomplishment list. Items left over from 2010 will be marked with a *.
1. Hot Dougs - 3324 N. California*
2. Modern Wing @ the Art Institute*
3. Pho Pho Pho*
4. A bike ride*
5. The Green Market*
6. Use my Chicago Public Radio Membership card for restaurant discounts*
7. Ramen Ramen Ramen  **WENT TO ARAMI 2/18/11.  THE ARAMI RAMEN WAS AMAZING!!!**
8. Korean BBQ (I'm on an Asian Food Kick)
9. Visit Rachel and James  **TRIP IS BOOKED FOR SPRING BREAK, MARCH 2011******
10. Visit the Pacific Northwest
11. Have a romantic weekend with Bill
12. Avoid the same old 2010 haunts (Oak Oak Tap, Clutch, Cleos, all those same old places)
13. Master brand new Soups
14. Make a recipe out of EVERYTHING in my CSA, not just the stuff I'm familiar with
15. New gig, please **I START 2/28/11 - DREAM JOB!!!****** FYI - amazing. Awesome. So great.
16. Get Bill to actually donate some articles of clothing, shoes, etc.   He Donated TWO shirts. Its a step.
17. Margie's Candies
18. Girl and the Goat ***reservations 5/14!***
19. Start a business plan for a doggie daycare "Victors Garden"
20. Get a piano
21. MOST IMPORTANT!  A DINING ROOM TABLE!  I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year, and at this rate we will be eating on the floor!

Off to Milwaukee!

Mackie, Me and Mary-Frances

Bill and I haven't escaped this concrete city since our lovely time in North Carolina.  Now I'm going without him, because he has to work, to Milwaukee for Mary-Frances's Birthday weekend.
We are going to the elusive Irish Fest.  This is the other reason Bill isn't going - he's not much for fests, drunk people, Irish music, etc. I can barely get him to go to Greek Fest (which is next weekend and we are going).
So - highlights of Milwaukee:
Friday night, got there around 8:00 and I was super dehydrated and feeling terrible, so I went to dinner then resigned to the hotel room.  LAME-O!
Saturday morning I was up and alert so John and I went to Beans and Barley and there was a super cute farmers market in the parking lot, so John and I grabbed coffee and wandered around.
Moving onto lunch, we all regrouped and manage to eat together, too!  My favorite Mexican restaurant in Milwaukee, Cempazuchi.  The best shopping of the trip was Art Smart's Dart Smart and Juggling Emporium!  We were trying to make the brewery tour at Lakefront Brewery but sadly it was sold out.  So we had a couple beers on the river (not lake) and headed to Irish Fest!
After closing down the fest, we went to Bruno's on Brady.  A superior dive, with lots of dart games and an awesome jukebox!

Mary-Frances and Mackie at Lakefront Brewery.

John, Kadima, Me + Todd

John, Mary-Frances, Jeff and Justin post Bruno's!

Todd & Darren

Fun Times on a Road Trip!

Erica and I LOVE visiting our friends Sara and Charles, and their kids Sean and Scarlet in Pekin, IL.  Sara, Erica, Charles and I all went to ISSA, the Illinois Summer School for the Arts for a couple weeks for two summers when we were Juniors & Seniors in High School.  Long story short, although its an AMAZING long story, Sara & Charles fell in love and have two amazing kids.  Erica and I were roommates when we were 16, and now we are still the best of friends.  There will be references to our beautiful Kristin, too, throughout this blog, and she was also at ISSA. I think for all of us to still be such amazing friends after 16 years is quite remarkable.  Quite possibly amazing.  Two weeks, two summers in High School.  I can't imagine my life without Sara, Charles, Erica and Kristin.  And of course our beautiful Sean McCash, who passed away 10 years ago that really tied us all together.  He is who Sara & Charles's Sean is named after.
It took Erica and I 4.5 hours to get to Pekin (stupid roll over on I-55 @ 294) but it was so well worth it.  We had a blast with our lovely friends.