So, I know it’s been an eternity since my last blog, but when you’re moving across the country and trying to get everything in order, something has to take a backseat.
Let’s back up a bit and hit some highlights from the last 2 ½ months.
July:
Steve took the bar exam at the end of the month. I tried not to show my anxiety and be strong for him; but it was hard. I am sure those three days of non-stop bar exam were some of the most intense of his life. If that’s not enough, we are still patiently waiting for the results to come back in mid November. MID NOVEMBER! I know a lot of kids took the CA bar, but that is just a cruel and unusual waiting period.
August:
After much prodding from me and probably his parents, Steve decided to join two of his law school friends, George and Jen, on an overseas trip to Europe. I DESPERATELY wanted to go; but big changes in management and duties at my job pretty much squashed any hope of going anywhere. Not to mention, I didn’t REALLY have the dough to fork over $1000 for a plane ticket last minute, which is when Steve decided to go. On top of all of that, I needed the days off to move out to California and wait for the movers to deliver our stuff. On the bright side, Steve had a fantastic time visiting Paris and Barcelona both he and I are glad that he went.
September:
After a few more days in Chicago after his international trip, Steve traveled to Montana to visit with his family before moving over to California for good. About a week later, after flying back to Oregon for a dear friend’s wedding, I said my many goodbyes to my Chicago co-workers and friends and boarded a plane to made my dramatic exit from Chicago.
I landed in San Jose on Sept 2nd, into the welcoming car of my Grandparents, who whisked me to their house in Monterey until Steve (who was driving his car from Montana) could get to California a few days later. We finally had our keys to a cute little two-bedroom townhouse in Fremont, California on Sunday, Sept 5th. And so began our life in the Bay Area.
Steve’s law firm job doesn’t start until January, so in the meantime, he is a law intern at a medical company in San Mateo. He started his first day on the 7th, while I enjoyed my week off of work exploring the surrounding area and waiting for the movers- who came that Wednesday. Luckily, my dad had brought us an extra bed, so we didn’t have to sleep on the hard floor waiting for our stuff!
I started work on the 13th, and am really still getting used to the new commute and office. We chose to live in Fremont because it’s a good halfway point between both of our jobs (I work in Cision's Emeryville office). Gone are the days of the bus and the train. I now have a 40 min commute in the morning, and a 50-ish min commute after work. It’s really not that bad, but I do miss the ease of getting on public transit and having someone else drive me! Luckily, everyone in the office is super nice and I am settling in here pretty well. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to work with my co-workers as well from here- but things haven’t really slowed down that much and I still feel like part of the team. Plus, I am learning more about different departments by being here!
Although I would have never thought this possible when I first moved there, I really do miss Chicago. The people, the lifestyle and even the scenery. Suburban life in Fremont is so very different. I am sure as soon as I get acclimated with my surroundings that I will begin to love Fremont life as well. Establishing a stomping ground is the most important. And, it’s so nice to have San Fran so close, so we can get a taste of Big City life whenever we want to. I also love having my extended family close. We have been down to Monterey to visit them quite a bit, and while it feels so odd right now, it’s a wonderful feeling as well.
In other news:
My brother has decided to continue his college career at my Alma Matter – University of Oregon. I know my mom is probably having a hard time with him further away now and dad still traveling down here for work, but I hope that he finds something that he likes and enjoys his first new residence outside of Central Oregon—where he has lived the majority of his life.
There is a “free” gym in my work building that people use a lot at lunch. It’s only $100 one time app fee and then free from there on out. Although it doesn’t have classes, I think I will give it a try because I really like the idea of getting to work out during lunch-- plus you can't beat the price. Then, I can just head right home without feeling guilty! If I get super bored, there are other gyms with classes close as well I can look into.
I really have to start watching what I eat now (FOR REAL), because our official wedding date is set for Aug 6, 2011 at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch (we put down the deposit two weekends ago). Now all the “fun” stuff starts-- looking for vendors, dresses, and all the little things that make a wedding special. I am determined to stay on top of it all and am so thankful my family is there to help.
Lastly, I’m taking my California drivers test this Friday. I haven’t switched my license since I got it in Oregon, but since I plan to be here for a long while, I decided to get everything squared away so I can be a real resident!
I think that’s all the big stuff since my last blog. I plan to be a bit more frequent in my blogging efforts and look forward to the road ahead!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Time to Get a Move on!
Yeesh…It’s been three weeks since my last blog. Wedding research is consuming my free time. But that’s okay, I love getting organized and planning.
Speaking of weddings, two weekends ago I left for Monterey to see my cousin Monica and her fiancé Pete get married on Carmel beach. The weather wasn’t the greatest, but the wedding was really nice and the reception that followed up the street at the La Playa hotel was really beautiful. I don’t really see my dad’s side of the family much for one reason or another, but it was fun and interesting to hang out with all of the relatives for a night.
We – my dad, mom, grandparents and me – also managed to do a TON of wedding venue sight-seeing. We checked out places in Monterey and Fremont, the two cities where Steve and I are considering getting married. I’m pretty sure that we have found a hidden gem at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch and Balesteri’s restaurant. The price is excellent and it’s SO beautiful up there. The event coordinator/cater is Susie Balesteri, and she is the nicest person that you would ever want to meet. Steve hasn’t seen the place yet, but hopefully he can visit in August sometime to see it. We are tentatively penciled in for August 6, 2011, barring Steve’s approval, but I really think that this could be the place! I’m going crazy with the Knot.com and Herecomestheguide.com looking for wedding stuff…there is so much to think about and do! I have found that using delicious.com to record and tag all my website bookmarks is the best way to keep everything together, but separate.
I also have some other VERY exciting news to share. I am going to be officially moving to the Bay Area in California on September 1st! I spoke with my supervisor, and she and the VP of my department have agreed to let me continue to do the work that I am doing here at Cision, but transfer to the Emeryville, CA office!! I could NOT be happier. I love what I am doing and to be allowed to keep my job and move really is a dream. All those years of worrying if I would ever get back to the west coast seem so far gone. I’m freaking out a little bit, because it IS July and we’ll be moving in less than two months. I haven’t even thought about packing yet, and we still need a place to live! So much to do, so little time!
Steve is still studying hard-core for the California Bar. It’s really like a job; he studies for at least 8 hours a day. I don’t know how he can manage to keep all of that legal stuff in his head at once. He takes the bar in San Mateo at the end of this month, so he’s definitely rounding the final turn. I’m trying to be helpful and encouraging, but I will be SO happy when the madness of this non-stop studying is done and we can enjoy the summer together. Hopefully a trip abroad will be in the plans!
I’ve been slacking on my gym time, but plan to change that these coming weeks, because I really don’t have anything super set in stone for now until the move. Here’s hoping that the weather shapes up a bit for the weekend!
Speaking of weddings, two weekends ago I left for Monterey to see my cousin Monica and her fiancé Pete get married on Carmel beach. The weather wasn’t the greatest, but the wedding was really nice and the reception that followed up the street at the La Playa hotel was really beautiful. I don’t really see my dad’s side of the family much for one reason or another, but it was fun and interesting to hang out with all of the relatives for a night.
We – my dad, mom, grandparents and me – also managed to do a TON of wedding venue sight-seeing. We checked out places in Monterey and Fremont, the two cities where Steve and I are considering getting married. I’m pretty sure that we have found a hidden gem at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch and Balesteri’s restaurant. The price is excellent and it’s SO beautiful up there. The event coordinator/cater is Susie Balesteri, and she is the nicest person that you would ever want to meet. Steve hasn’t seen the place yet, but hopefully he can visit in August sometime to see it. We are tentatively penciled in for August 6, 2011, barring Steve’s approval, but I really think that this could be the place! I’m going crazy with the Knot.com and Herecomestheguide.com looking for wedding stuff…there is so much to think about and do! I have found that using delicious.com to record and tag all my website bookmarks is the best way to keep everything together, but separate.
I also have some other VERY exciting news to share. I am going to be officially moving to the Bay Area in California on September 1st! I spoke with my supervisor, and she and the VP of my department have agreed to let me continue to do the work that I am doing here at Cision, but transfer to the Emeryville, CA office!! I could NOT be happier. I love what I am doing and to be allowed to keep my job and move really is a dream. All those years of worrying if I would ever get back to the west coast seem so far gone. I’m freaking out a little bit, because it IS July and we’ll be moving in less than two months. I haven’t even thought about packing yet, and we still need a place to live! So much to do, so little time!
Steve is still studying hard-core for the California Bar. It’s really like a job; he studies for at least 8 hours a day. I don’t know how he can manage to keep all of that legal stuff in his head at once. He takes the bar in San Mateo at the end of this month, so he’s definitely rounding the final turn. I’m trying to be helpful and encouraging, but I will be SO happy when the madness of this non-stop studying is done and we can enjoy the summer together. Hopefully a trip abroad will be in the plans!
I’ve been slacking on my gym time, but plan to change that these coming weeks, because I really don’t have anything super set in stone for now until the move. Here’s hoping that the weather shapes up a bit for the weekend!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
A GREAT Graduation Weekend
My Fiancé is an official graduate of the University of Chicago Law School! I would say he’s an official lawyer…but there is one little obstacle called that BAR that needs to be passed first! Steve’s family came to visit last weekend to watch him graduate, and we had a good time showing them around the city.
Steve’s parents, brother, sister and grandmother arrived rather late last Thursday. Traffic was horrendous that day for one reason or another, and they didn’t get in until about 7:00. We rode the red line down to their hotel at Balbo and Michigan. Thanks to Priceline, they stayed in a really nice hotel called the Blackstone. We chatted a bit and went home to catch some sleep.
On Friday, I had to work a full day, but Steve showed his family around Millennium Park, and a little bit more of the South Loop. It was CRAZY that day because the Blackhawks had won the Stanley Cup the night before, and they were having a parade downtown. The city estimates there were some two million people downtown. That’s insane! Friday night we had dinner at Volare, an Italian restaurant that gets good reviews on Yelp. I might have agreed with their review, but the night we were there it was 90 degrees and their air conditioner broke. WE were the ones being roasted the entire meal. We finished the night with a trip up to the Willis Tower to view the city at night.
Saturday was the graduation in Hyde Park, where the school is. It was foggy that morning, and sure enough, during the first ceremony that was all-school and outside, we got POURED on. I was so soaked. Directly after the main ceremony, there was a Hooding ceremony (indoors at Rockefeller Chapel, thank goodness), for all of the law students. I was so proud of Steven and all of the work that he had put in. He looked great walking down the aisle and getting his hood put on by his law school professors. Truly a moment to remember! We went to the Law School reception after the Hooding ceremony and took pictures with friends and ate some yummy appetizers. Then, we took a quick ride back up to downtown and tooled around the Shedd Aquarium for a few hours. I grew up with the Monterey Bay aquarium, but this one was pretty impressive too. For dinner we ate at Gino’s East pizza, so they could get a taste of real deep dish. Steve and I returned to the apartment and celebrated a bit with some Champagne before totally crashing into bed after the big day.
Sunday, everyone came over to check out our apartment. We then headed over to Ann Sather to have some brunch and tasty Cinnamon Rolls. The family was leaving that day, so we road with them out of town a bit for one last stop to an old school that Steve’s great grandma when to in 1908. It still stands tall and proud over in the Albany Park neighborhood. I took a picture of all the relatives in front of it, and then they dropped us off at the blue line before heading back to Minnesota, where Steve’s sister lives, and the halfway-ish point between Chicago and their home in Malta, MT.
It was a great weekend and I was so thankful that Steve’s family could come and share it with him. The next big adventure in our lives is the passing of the Bar exam, which Steve has thrown himself into studying. At about the same time Steve graduated, my brother was graduating on the other side of the country from COCC with his AA. He’s thinking of going to a 4 year college next year, so I will be sure to catch his graduation from that!
I’m off to California for my cousin Monica’s wedding next weekend. So this weekend is all about relaxation, hopefully in the sun!
Steve’s parents, brother, sister and grandmother arrived rather late last Thursday. Traffic was horrendous that day for one reason or another, and they didn’t get in until about 7:00. We rode the red line down to their hotel at Balbo and Michigan. Thanks to Priceline, they stayed in a really nice hotel called the Blackstone. We chatted a bit and went home to catch some sleep.
On Friday, I had to work a full day, but Steve showed his family around Millennium Park, and a little bit more of the South Loop. It was CRAZY that day because the Blackhawks had won the Stanley Cup the night before, and they were having a parade downtown. The city estimates there were some two million people downtown. That’s insane! Friday night we had dinner at Volare, an Italian restaurant that gets good reviews on Yelp. I might have agreed with their review, but the night we were there it was 90 degrees and their air conditioner broke. WE were the ones being roasted the entire meal. We finished the night with a trip up to the Willis Tower to view the city at night.
Saturday was the graduation in Hyde Park, where the school is. It was foggy that morning, and sure enough, during the first ceremony that was all-school and outside, we got POURED on. I was so soaked. Directly after the main ceremony, there was a Hooding ceremony (indoors at Rockefeller Chapel, thank goodness), for all of the law students. I was so proud of Steven and all of the work that he had put in. He looked great walking down the aisle and getting his hood put on by his law school professors. Truly a moment to remember! We went to the Law School reception after the Hooding ceremony and took pictures with friends and ate some yummy appetizers. Then, we took a quick ride back up to downtown and tooled around the Shedd Aquarium for a few hours. I grew up with the Monterey Bay aquarium, but this one was pretty impressive too. For dinner we ate at Gino’s East pizza, so they could get a taste of real deep dish. Steve and I returned to the apartment and celebrated a bit with some Champagne before totally crashing into bed after the big day.
Sunday, everyone came over to check out our apartment. We then headed over to Ann Sather to have some brunch and tasty Cinnamon Rolls. The family was leaving that day, so we road with them out of town a bit for one last stop to an old school that Steve’s great grandma when to in 1908. It still stands tall and proud over in the Albany Park neighborhood. I took a picture of all the relatives in front of it, and then they dropped us off at the blue line before heading back to Minnesota, where Steve’s sister lives, and the halfway-ish point between Chicago and their home in Malta, MT.
It was a great weekend and I was so thankful that Steve’s family could come and share it with him. The next big adventure in our lives is the passing of the Bar exam, which Steve has thrown himself into studying. At about the same time Steve graduated, my brother was graduating on the other side of the country from COCC with his AA. He’s thinking of going to a 4 year college next year, so I will be sure to catch his graduation from that!
I’m off to California for my cousin Monica’s wedding next weekend. So this weekend is all about relaxation, hopefully in the sun!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Loved the 3 Day Weekend
Even though this week is only four days long, it seems like it’s taking forever. I’m not sure if it’s the summer weather, Steve’s bar study, my poor eating habits and struggling gym motivation, or our trip to California at the end of the month, but something is making me super antsy.
Memorial Day weekend was fun. I love three day weekends. I wish that every work week was only four days long. It seems so balanced that way. On Friday after work I went to the gym and then headed home for a semi quiet night in with the Fiancé. Saturday morning we had plans to play tennis with our friend from Law School Ben, and his med student girlfriend, Annalisa. The weather was great—a little windy, but super sunny and 78ish. Both Steve and I came back with sunburns. I had cleverly covered my shoulders with sunscreen, but the back of my calves got the brunt of it. We grabbed a slurpee and went home to rest before heading to our friends’ house to watch the fireworks at Navy Pier from their rooftop. Navy Pier will shoot fireworks off every Wednesday and Saturday, and thanks to our friends’ new apartment, we have a killer place to watch it from!
Sunday was more tennis (and even more sunscreen), followed by lunch with our good friend Katelynn in Lakeview at Wilde. We had some great artichoke dip and mac and cheese. We finished Sunday off with dinner at a delicious thin crust Pizza joint with Ben, Annalisa, Julian and Julia and snagged some Berry Chill on the walk back home.
I wish I could say Monday was uneventful…but it wasn’t. I headed out to the suburbs to do some shopping, which was pretty successful. I was heading home and not quite sure of the turn I needed, so when I was stopped at a light and saw that I needed to make a right turn to get on the street that I wanted, I did it. Unfortunately, I (honestly, I promise) did not see the small sign that said “no turn on red.” It being Memorial Day, there was of course a cop that saw the whole thing and pulled me over. As I saw his flashing lights I KNEW that I had missed the sign. Luckily the guy was nice, and although I could have got a $200 ticket for the moving violation, he just gave me a $50 ticket for having a license that was out of state even though I had lived in Chicago for 2 years. I guess it COULD have been worse, but still sucked.
The rest of the weekend was spent cleaning house and doing laundry. Beach Volleyball at Cision has started up on Wednesdays, throwing a bit of a wrench into my workout schedule (as VB and the semi-mandatory boozing at Durkins afterward is NOT that great of a workout), but I’ll figure something out. I might give swimming a rest for a while until my allergies calm down. I usually don’t have them that bad, but I notice that for about 2 days after I swim, my allergies are about 5 times worse. I think it’s because the chlorine from the pool gets in my nose and makes my nasal passages raw and more susceptible to pollen and such. I’m determined to stay motivated this summer and get some good exercise in to at least balance the crap I’m sure I’ll eat.
Steve's grad ceremony is on June 12, sadly the same day as my brother's is from COCC. I feel bad for not heading back home, but Jared's probably transferring to a 4 year college to get a BA so I should be able to catch is next one. Steve's family comes to visit on the 11th, and I am looking forward to visiting with them. Then, life resumes as normal until June 25th when we take off for my cousin’s wedding in Monterey. Here’s hoping the weather is AT LEAST nice on the weekends so I can have some fun in the sun.
Memorial Day weekend was fun. I love three day weekends. I wish that every work week was only four days long. It seems so balanced that way. On Friday after work I went to the gym and then headed home for a semi quiet night in with the Fiancé. Saturday morning we had plans to play tennis with our friend from Law School Ben, and his med student girlfriend, Annalisa. The weather was great—a little windy, but super sunny and 78ish. Both Steve and I came back with sunburns. I had cleverly covered my shoulders with sunscreen, but the back of my calves got the brunt of it. We grabbed a slurpee and went home to rest before heading to our friends’ house to watch the fireworks at Navy Pier from their rooftop. Navy Pier will shoot fireworks off every Wednesday and Saturday, and thanks to our friends’ new apartment, we have a killer place to watch it from!
Sunday was more tennis (and even more sunscreen), followed by lunch with our good friend Katelynn in Lakeview at Wilde. We had some great artichoke dip and mac and cheese. We finished Sunday off with dinner at a delicious thin crust Pizza joint with Ben, Annalisa, Julian and Julia and snagged some Berry Chill on the walk back home.
I wish I could say Monday was uneventful…but it wasn’t. I headed out to the suburbs to do some shopping, which was pretty successful. I was heading home and not quite sure of the turn I needed, so when I was stopped at a light and saw that I needed to make a right turn to get on the street that I wanted, I did it. Unfortunately, I (honestly, I promise) did not see the small sign that said “no turn on red.” It being Memorial Day, there was of course a cop that saw the whole thing and pulled me over. As I saw his flashing lights I KNEW that I had missed the sign. Luckily the guy was nice, and although I could have got a $200 ticket for the moving violation, he just gave me a $50 ticket for having a license that was out of state even though I had lived in Chicago for 2 years. I guess it COULD have been worse, but still sucked.
The rest of the weekend was spent cleaning house and doing laundry. Beach Volleyball at Cision has started up on Wednesdays, throwing a bit of a wrench into my workout schedule (as VB and the semi-mandatory boozing at Durkins afterward is NOT that great of a workout), but I’ll figure something out. I might give swimming a rest for a while until my allergies calm down. I usually don’t have them that bad, but I notice that for about 2 days after I swim, my allergies are about 5 times worse. I think it’s because the chlorine from the pool gets in my nose and makes my nasal passages raw and more susceptible to pollen and such. I’m determined to stay motivated this summer and get some good exercise in to at least balance the crap I’m sure I’ll eat.
Steve's grad ceremony is on June 12, sadly the same day as my brother's is from COCC. I feel bad for not heading back home, but Jared's probably transferring to a 4 year college to get a BA so I should be able to catch is next one. Steve's family comes to visit on the 11th, and I am looking forward to visiting with them. Then, life resumes as normal until June 25th when we take off for my cousin’s wedding in Monterey. Here’s hoping the weather is AT LEAST nice on the weekends so I can have some fun in the sun.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
All Stuffed Up
I did make it to Bally three times last week, but the total for this week is going to be a big, fat zero. Even though I didn’t feel that great Friday after work, I went swimming anyway. I woke up on Saturday morning with a nasty head cold. Steve had been sick the previous 3 days, and a few people had been out sick at work. I am sure I caught it from one of those sources. I attempted to go to work on Monday, but my supervisor sent me home after commenting how miserable I looked.
In college, I used to get sick quite a bit—late nights, stress over papers, etc. But they were usually mild colds that I could work though and go to school with. Since I moved to Chicago and started working at Cision, I honestly have way less stress than when I was in college. I usually only get sick twice a year or so (knock on wood). When I do get sick, it hits me hard. It’s kind of a good thing that I got sick on the weekend, because I was down and out for four full days. After finally getting some sleep on Tuesday night (my cold eased up enough for Nyquil to FINALLY work), I came back to work Wednesday. I’m taking a break from the gym this week so my body and immune system can fully recover.
Side note—Isn’t it so weird when your nose is plugged up on both sides and you can’t smell or taste anything? It really limits your appetite, because it’s like…what’s the point of eating this yummy food when I can’t taste it? Someone should hone that in for a diet plan.
In other news, Steve graduates from UChicago Law on June 12 and will be done with classes and finals by this time next week. That is INSANE to me. In September, we will have been here for three full years. What a fun and interesting ride. He’ll then start his studies for the bar that he takes in Cali at the end of July. Once that’s over, I’m hoping that we can have a fun and relaxing summer – with some national and perhaps international trips, wedding planning and taking it easy until the next chapter in our lives really starts to pick up speed.
In college, I used to get sick quite a bit—late nights, stress over papers, etc. But they were usually mild colds that I could work though and go to school with. Since I moved to Chicago and started working at Cision, I honestly have way less stress than when I was in college. I usually only get sick twice a year or so (knock on wood). When I do get sick, it hits me hard. It’s kind of a good thing that I got sick on the weekend, because I was down and out for four full days. After finally getting some sleep on Tuesday night (my cold eased up enough for Nyquil to FINALLY work), I came back to work Wednesday. I’m taking a break from the gym this week so my body and immune system can fully recover.
Side note—Isn’t it so weird when your nose is plugged up on both sides and you can’t smell or taste anything? It really limits your appetite, because it’s like…what’s the point of eating this yummy food when I can’t taste it? Someone should hone that in for a diet plan.
In other news, Steve graduates from UChicago Law on June 12 and will be done with classes and finals by this time next week. That is INSANE to me. In September, we will have been here for three full years. What a fun and interesting ride. He’ll then start his studies for the bar that he takes in Cali at the end of July. Once that’s over, I’m hoping that we can have a fun and relaxing summer – with some national and perhaps international trips, wedding planning and taking it easy until the next chapter in our lives really starts to pick up speed.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Windy City Exploration
A visit from an old friend from High School equaled another exhausting weekend in the Chi! Josh, a very good friend who now lives in LA, decided to come and visit his birth city, and the place that he lived for three weeks before his parents moved. He’d never been back to Chicago before, and I can’t imagine how odd and wondrous it must have been for him to see the house and hospital that he stayed in. I’m exhausted from all of the stuff that we did, but we had an amazing time and it was so great to explore and show him all this city has to offer.
On Thursday, Josh arrived in the loop via the Blue Line from O’Hare around noon. I met him, ate lunch at Panera Bread, and then took his stuff so he could explore the city until I got off at 4:30. During that time, he managed to walk all the way up to Navy Pier, jump on the train and check out the architecture building. After we arrived at the apartment, we all headed for some dinner at Mr. Beef – a famous Chicago Italian beef shop on the near west side. And so started my weekend of eating amazing(ly unhealthy!) food again.
Friday I had a half day of work, so Josh took off to Wrigleyville to discover where his parents lived during their time in Chicago. I met him up there at about 1:00 and we had lunch at Murphy’s Red Hots, where I had a burger and Josh, of course, had a famous Chicago hot dog (no ketchup!). After, we headed to Wrigley Field to check out where the cubs played and then made our way down to Lincoln Park where we had Molly’s cupcakes…YUM! We then stolled around Lincoln Park zoo and enjoyed the semi-nice weather and super fun animals. We grabbed Steve to go to dinner and ate some delicious pizza at Gino’s East and then went to our favorite bar – Guthrie’s for some Life, Balderdash and Scatagories.
Saturday, we went to brunch at a new place on North ave. called Elly’s. I was happy with my food, but they definitely could make some improvements on other things. Yelp review to come soon! We rode the Red line down to the Sears…pardon, Willis Tower and took in the city from 103 floors up. Steve had to go back for some studying after the tower, so Josh and I wandered down to the Museum campus to look at Soldier Field and the other beautiful buildings around there. We also got a great view of the city from the Planetarium, which extends out into the lake a bit. We rode the Red line back to Grand, where Josh and I sampled some of the local FroYo at Berry Chill. Then we headed home to get ready for dinner at the swanky new Purple Pig on Michigan and the Broadway musical, Avenue Q, with Steve and our friend Katelynn. While the restaurant left us a bit hungry and a little broke, it was fun to be somewhere on Chicago’s hot list. The play was fantastic and SO funny.
On Sunday, I was dying to check out the Celtic Fest in Millennium Park, so I took Josh with me while Steve studied and we enjoyed a few hours of Celtic music and dancing. Lunch on Sunday was at White Castle (well, Steve and Josh ate White Castle-- I had McDonalds) and then we drove around to look at Swedish Convent Hospital, where Josh was born. We drove through Devon Street to check out all the Indian restaurants, and then down to Hyde Park to show off the Law school and the UChi campus. We then decided to get in touch with our hipster side in Bucktown for dinner. We picked out Café Matou and had some fantastic French food and finished the night at the Map room, which is known for its great selection of beers.
On Monday, I went to work for another half day while Josh got to explore the Art Institute of Chicago. When he returned, we headed out for one last Chicago staple – a gyro from Five Faces ice cream by our house. I was sad as I rode down to the Blue Line with Josh to wish him well on his trip home. It’s so fun to have someone in your city to hang out with and show around. I’m so excited that he came to visit and look forward to exploring more of his city soon!
Now, Steve and I don’t have much going until my cousin Monica’s wedding in Carmel in June, so it’s back to the routine and the grind for a while. I’m excited for the next adventure!
On Thursday, Josh arrived in the loop via the Blue Line from O’Hare around noon. I met him, ate lunch at Panera Bread, and then took his stuff so he could explore the city until I got off at 4:30. During that time, he managed to walk all the way up to Navy Pier, jump on the train and check out the architecture building. After we arrived at the apartment, we all headed for some dinner at Mr. Beef – a famous Chicago Italian beef shop on the near west side. And so started my weekend of eating amazing(ly unhealthy!) food again.
Friday I had a half day of work, so Josh took off to Wrigleyville to discover where his parents lived during their time in Chicago. I met him up there at about 1:00 and we had lunch at Murphy’s Red Hots, where I had a burger and Josh, of course, had a famous Chicago hot dog (no ketchup!). After, we headed to Wrigley Field to check out where the cubs played and then made our way down to Lincoln Park where we had Molly’s cupcakes…YUM! We then stolled around Lincoln Park zoo and enjoyed the semi-nice weather and super fun animals. We grabbed Steve to go to dinner and ate some delicious pizza at Gino’s East and then went to our favorite bar – Guthrie’s for some Life, Balderdash and Scatagories.
Saturday, we went to brunch at a new place on North ave. called Elly’s. I was happy with my food, but they definitely could make some improvements on other things. Yelp review to come soon! We rode the Red line down to the Sears…pardon, Willis Tower and took in the city from 103 floors up. Steve had to go back for some studying after the tower, so Josh and I wandered down to the Museum campus to look at Soldier Field and the other beautiful buildings around there. We also got a great view of the city from the Planetarium, which extends out into the lake a bit. We rode the Red line back to Grand, where Josh and I sampled some of the local FroYo at Berry Chill. Then we headed home to get ready for dinner at the swanky new Purple Pig on Michigan and the Broadway musical, Avenue Q, with Steve and our friend Katelynn. While the restaurant left us a bit hungry and a little broke, it was fun to be somewhere on Chicago’s hot list. The play was fantastic and SO funny.
On Sunday, I was dying to check out the Celtic Fest in Millennium Park, so I took Josh with me while Steve studied and we enjoyed a few hours of Celtic music and dancing. Lunch on Sunday was at White Castle (well, Steve and Josh ate White Castle-- I had McDonalds) and then we drove around to look at Swedish Convent Hospital, where Josh was born. We drove through Devon Street to check out all the Indian restaurants, and then down to Hyde Park to show off the Law school and the UChi campus. We then decided to get in touch with our hipster side in Bucktown for dinner. We picked out Café Matou and had some fantastic French food and finished the night at the Map room, which is known for its great selection of beers.
On Monday, I went to work for another half day while Josh got to explore the Art Institute of Chicago. When he returned, we headed out for one last Chicago staple – a gyro from Five Faces ice cream by our house. I was sad as I rode down to the Blue Line with Josh to wish him well on his trip home. It’s so fun to have someone in your city to hang out with and show around. I’m so excited that he came to visit and look forward to exploring more of his city soon!
Now, Steve and I don’t have much going until my cousin Monica’s wedding in Carmel in June, so it’s back to the routine and the grind for a while. I’m excited for the next adventure!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Hurry Up, Weekend!
I’m happy to announce that I did in fact make it to the gym three times last week, and walked two miles home for the other two work days. I feel stronger already. :)
I did kickboxing yesterday and tried to work out my arms extra hard. I really want to tone them up before the wedding, since that is the main body part that is sure to be exposed no matter what dress I get. I’m on track to swim tomorrow, but the rest of the week gets busy. A good kind of busy!
My friend Josh, whom I have known since high school, is coming to Chicago on Thursday to visit for four days! I’m pretty stoked for him to see the city. He is from LA and has never been back since he was born here some 23 years ago. We’re going to see Avenue Q, and do all kinds of fun Chicago things. I think that the walking we will do will be a pretty good workout, and I’m going to try REALLY hard not to eat terribly while he is here.
In other news, I have gone a little wedding nuts. I joined herecomestheguide.com and theknot.com and have been using them to find venues, colors ideas and so, so much more. It’s so hard for me because I want to start planning, but since we don’t live in the state that we are getting married in, I can’t book any appointments to see places or interview caterers, etc. We’re still not even sure if we’re going to have the wedding in Monterey area, or Palo Alto area. I still have quite a bit of time, so I am trying not to stress too much, and my cousin’s wedding in Carmel this June will be a good learning experience too.
This weekend can’t come soon enough!
I did kickboxing yesterday and tried to work out my arms extra hard. I really want to tone them up before the wedding, since that is the main body part that is sure to be exposed no matter what dress I get. I’m on track to swim tomorrow, but the rest of the week gets busy. A good kind of busy!
My friend Josh, whom I have known since high school, is coming to Chicago on Thursday to visit for four days! I’m pretty stoked for him to see the city. He is from LA and has never been back since he was born here some 23 years ago. We’re going to see Avenue Q, and do all kinds of fun Chicago things. I think that the walking we will do will be a pretty good workout, and I’m going to try REALLY hard not to eat terribly while he is here.
In other news, I have gone a little wedding nuts. I joined herecomestheguide.com and theknot.com and have been using them to find venues, colors ideas and so, so much more. It’s so hard for me because I want to start planning, but since we don’t live in the state that we are getting married in, I can’t book any appointments to see places or interview caterers, etc. We’re still not even sure if we’re going to have the wedding in Monterey area, or Palo Alto area. I still have quite a bit of time, so I am trying not to stress too much, and my cousin’s wedding in Carmel this June will be a good learning experience too.
This weekend can’t come soon enough!
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