Saturday night was the Red Velvet Gala at the St. Louis Symphony. Their big performer for the show was -- as you probably guessed -- Yo-yo Ma.
And what a show it was! Our own local musicians played a couple of rollicking good pieces without the visiting star: Suppe's Light Cavalry Overture and Herold's Zampa Overture. Yo-yo joined for Haydn's Cello concerto in C major and Saint-Saens's Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor. He seemed to be having so much fun with the other musicians when the tune was light or he wasn't mid-solo. But as soon as he started really sawing away at the strings, he was transported to a different place. It was really amazing to watch.
As an added bonus, since it was the night of the gala, everyone was appropriately attired for the symphony - not a pair of jeans to be found!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Quote of the Day
"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself.
(I am large. I contain multitudes.)"
-- Walt Whitman, Song of Myself
Very well then I contradict myself.
(I am large. I contain multitudes.)"
-- Walt Whitman, Song of Myself
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
An Incomplete Tribute
"He looks up at you with his big, true eyes, and says with them, 'Well, you've always got me, you know. We'll go through the world together, and always stand by each other, won't we?'"
-- Jerome K. Jerome
It is two months ago today that I got to pet Rades for the last time. I miss seeing his cute little face. Thankfully I took a lot of pictures of him in his last couple of years. In case you miss him too, here he is:
Looking adorable - and actually looking at the camera, which was rare:
Being uncharacteristically friendly:
Snoozin':
Okay, this next one is a bit of a sad picture, but it's a funny story. Everyone who knew him knew Radar was terrified of thunder - and, over the course of his life, and ever-increasing number of things that he associated with thunder, rightly or wrongly. He always sought out a dark spot where he could hide until the storm was over (if that was in fact the source of the noise; if not, he would just wait for an appropriate amount of time to pass before he resurfaced). Occasionally I'd find him hiding in the bathtub, but that was pretty much the normal course of business for R the Wonderdog. Then there was the morning that he went ahead and leapt into the tub while I was in the shower. Imagine how surprised we both were! Once I was finished, I managed to work a towel underneath him to help absorb some of the water he had soaked up, but there was no coaxing him out of the tub until he was good and ready.
Guarding (and sometimes dismantling) the ducks:
Goin' for a car ride:
Playing outside, looking handsome and totally in his element:
Hunting squirrels:
Hunting rabbits:
Wishing he was playing outside:
"All knowledge, the totality of all questions and all answers, is contained in the dog." -- Franz Kafka
-- Jerome K. Jerome
It is two months ago today that I got to pet Rades for the last time. I miss seeing his cute little face. Thankfully I took a lot of pictures of him in his last couple of years. In case you miss him too, here he is:
Looking adorable - and actually looking at the camera, which was rare:
Being uncharacteristically friendly:
Snoozin':
Okay, this next one is a bit of a sad picture, but it's a funny story. Everyone who knew him knew Radar was terrified of thunder - and, over the course of his life, and ever-increasing number of things that he associated with thunder, rightly or wrongly. He always sought out a dark spot where he could hide until the storm was over (if that was in fact the source of the noise; if not, he would just wait for an appropriate amount of time to pass before he resurfaced). Occasionally I'd find him hiding in the bathtub, but that was pretty much the normal course of business for R the Wonderdog. Then there was the morning that he went ahead and leapt into the tub while I was in the shower. Imagine how surprised we both were! Once I was finished, I managed to work a towel underneath him to help absorb some of the water he had soaked up, but there was no coaxing him out of the tub until he was good and ready.
Guarding (and sometimes dismantling) the ducks:
Goin' for a car ride:
Playing outside, looking handsome and totally in his element:
Hunting squirrels:
Hunting rabbits:
Wishing he was playing outside:
"All knowledge, the totality of all questions and all answers, is contained in the dog." -- Franz Kafka
Monday, October 28, 2013
Quote of the Day
"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should
burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I
would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow,
than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to
live, not to exist."
-- Jack London
-- Jack London
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Goal #43
Goal #43: fill the Goodwill box.
I have been working on cleaning out my closet and just trying to be a bit less sentimental (and/or more ruthless, depending on how you want to look at it). I need to get rid of stuff.
Recap of goal #42:
- Card lost...? Really not sure what happened to it. Gift still undelivered. Thumbs down.
- Card mailed. Thumbs up.
- Both ice creams made. Soup made and mostly eaten. Thumbs up.
- Have not visited. Thumbs down.
I have been working on cleaning out my closet and just trying to be a bit less sentimental (and/or more ruthless, depending on how you want to look at it). I need to get rid of stuff.
Recap of goal #42:
- Card lost...? Really not sure what happened to it. Gift still undelivered. Thumbs down.
- Card mailed. Thumbs up.
- Both ice creams made. Soup made and mostly eaten. Thumbs up.
- Have not visited. Thumbs down.
Friday, October 25, 2013
What I'm Reading Now -- At Home: A Short History of Private Life
Every now and then, I'm in the mood for some Bill Bryson. This time, it's At Home: A Short History of Private Life, in which he examines his own home, a presumably lovely former rectory in rural England. Since his next book just came out (One Summer: America, 1927), I figured I probably shouldn't get too much farther behind.Bill Bryson made a name for himself with his humorous travel writing, but his stint of writing travel books was both preceded and followed by his writings in popular history. At Home is his investigation into how we live in the place we live, and how that place came to be.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Random Links
A conversation in #hashtags.
The 9 types of physics seminars (also note the blog subtitle).
More old photos, colorized.
Terrible news for relationships.
The formatting is messed up and I think a lot is lost, but the story is still fascinating.
How did they get there?
The 9 types of physics seminars (also note the blog subtitle).
More old photos, colorized.
Terrible news for relationships.
The formatting is messed up and I think a lot is lost, but the story is still fascinating.
How did they get there?
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
The Road You Traveled
It's interesting to look back at your life and wonder how the heck you
go from there to here, yet the same time know that all roads inevitably
led to where you are.
You think about the person that you were and wonder what happened to her, how she became you. But you also undeniably know that that person you were could not have become anyone other than the person that you are.
You think about the person that you were and wonder what happened to her, how she became you. But you also undeniably know that that person you were could not have become anyone other than the person that you are.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Evita
Just a couple of days after my last trip to the symphony, I was lucky enough to be taken by P to go see Evita at the Fox.
The musical was basically a live version of the movie, which was fine by me. I hadn't seen the movie in ages, but I remembered that there were a lot of songs I liked in it. I was a little disappointed to discover how few of the words I remembered, but it has been a while and I don't have the soundtrack.
All the fun stuff I remembered was still there, as was the depressing. Frankly, I thought the woman who played Evita was rather strained, especially in the higher registers. Colonel Peron and the narrator had lovely, full voices, but I found Eva's to be a bit thin and screechy.
But I always enjoy a musical, and am looking forward to the next time I get to go!
The musical was basically a live version of the movie, which was fine by me. I hadn't seen the movie in ages, but I remembered that there were a lot of songs I liked in it. I was a little disappointed to discover how few of the words I remembered, but it has been a while and I don't have the soundtrack.
All the fun stuff I remembered was still there, as was the depressing. Frankly, I thought the woman who played Evita was rather strained, especially in the higher registers. Colonel Peron and the narrator had lovely, full voices, but I found Eva's to be a bit thin and screechy.
But I always enjoy a musical, and am looking forward to the next time I get to go!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Goal #42
Goal #42: write two cards, deliver a gift, make food to share, pay a visit.
So many things! Here's the breakdown:
- I have a card and a gift that are overdue for mailing and delivery, so I really need to take care of those.
- There's another card which needs to be written in order to be timely.
- I went grocery shopping tonight and got goodies to make mocha and salted caramel ice cream. I forgot to add "pasta" to my list, so I am one key ingredient short for the chicken noodle soup I was also hoping to make.
- I finally talked to an old friend last week, after far too long. She said "stop by anytime, I'd love to see you." I hope that's true, because I'm planning to stop by!
Recap of goal #41: T is moved! There is another project ahead, as he is also planning on moving all of his possessions which are stored elsewhere to his new apartment also (it's big). But that's for another day.
And in addition to that, I spent much of today working on my own apartment. While there is still a long way to go, there is visible progress towards cleanliness!
So many things! Here's the breakdown:
- I have a card and a gift that are overdue for mailing and delivery, so I really need to take care of those.
- There's another card which needs to be written in order to be timely.
- I went grocery shopping tonight and got goodies to make mocha and salted caramel ice cream. I forgot to add "pasta" to my list, so I am one key ingredient short for the chicken noodle soup I was also hoping to make.
- I finally talked to an old friend last week, after far too long. She said "stop by anytime, I'd love to see you." I hope that's true, because I'm planning to stop by!
Recap of goal #41: T is moved! There is another project ahead, as he is also planning on moving all of his possessions which are stored elsewhere to his new apartment also (it's big). But that's for another day.
And in addition to that, I spent much of today working on my own apartment. While there is still a long way to go, there is visible progress towards cleanliness!
Friday, October 18, 2013
Gershwin and Adams
A couple of weeks ago, T and I had occasion to pay another visit to the St. Louis Symphony. The show opened with Gershwin's Cuban Overture, which was a rollicking good time.
The next two pieces were contemporary works composed by John Adams, one of them specifically for Timothy McAllister on the saxophone. McAllister is a saxophone professor at Northwestern University as well as a frequent performer with various orchestras. Neither T nor I were big fans of the John Adams pieces - not our type of music - but I did really enjoy watching McAllister on stage with his sax. It was like he was dancing with it.
The final piece was Gershwin's Concerto in F, with Jon Kimura Parker on the piano. Lovely, more melodic, which I like. I have a hard time following scatty, instrumental jazz. Mostly it just makes my head hurt. I was happy for the return to Gershwin, and we even got a bonus Joplin piece for the encore!
And I learned something about saxophones too. They're generally not included in orchestral compositions because they weren't actually invented until the middle of the 19th century, and most of the classic works had already been written by then.
The next two pieces were contemporary works composed by John Adams, one of them specifically for Timothy McAllister on the saxophone. McAllister is a saxophone professor at Northwestern University as well as a frequent performer with various orchestras. Neither T nor I were big fans of the John Adams pieces - not our type of music - but I did really enjoy watching McAllister on stage with his sax. It was like he was dancing with it.
The final piece was Gershwin's Concerto in F, with Jon Kimura Parker on the piano. Lovely, more melodic, which I like. I have a hard time following scatty, instrumental jazz. Mostly it just makes my head hurt. I was happy for the return to Gershwin, and we even got a bonus Joplin piece for the encore!
And I learned something about saxophones too. They're generally not included in orchestral compositions because they weren't actually invented until the middle of the 19th century, and most of the classic works had already been written by then.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Where Is My Miracle?
I ordered a copy of a client file from the firm that previously represented her. It came in this box:
I expected a miracle to fly out when I opened the box. Sadly, it did not. Disappointment.
My intern hopefully offered that "maybe it's at the bottom." Could be. I haven't gotten there yet. I'll let you know if I find anything.
I expected a miracle to fly out when I opened the box. Sadly, it did not. Disappointment.
My intern hopefully offered that "maybe it's at the bottom." Could be. I haven't gotten there yet. I'll let you know if I find anything.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
A Shout-Out to our Hometown Boys
From an article on the Grantland website:
"St. Louis is a city that lifts its team every October, and together they hit greater heights than anyone thought possible. "This is why I signed back here," Adam "Ace" Wainwright explained last week. "There's no amount of money worth what this city and this team means to me. I'm honored, I'm privileged, I don't deserve any of this."
Wow.
A guy who's actually grateful for his fans. A guy who'd play for free. Ace Wainwright understands that playing professional baseball isn't a birthright. It's a privilege.
That's how this entire Cardinals team operates. While hotshots like Puig live in the fast lane, the Cardinals are the type of guys who bike to work.
Together, as a team, all just spokes in the wheel.
Sometimes in this world we say the games we watch are bigger than sports. But for now, for today, it's just about baseball.
Because this game was built on the crack of the bat, the smell of the grass, the poetry of the local nine charging out of the dugout to raucous cheers. The simple stuff that takes us all to a better place for a few hours. That's baseball.
Teams like the Cardinals are what this silly game is all about. Guys like Ace Wainwright and David Freese and Carlos Beltran. Guys who celebrate and have fun, but do it the right way. Less Mickey Mouse, more Mickey Mantle."
(For the rest of the article, click here.)
"St. Louis is a city that lifts its team every October, and together they hit greater heights than anyone thought possible. "This is why I signed back here," Adam "Ace" Wainwright explained last week. "There's no amount of money worth what this city and this team means to me. I'm honored, I'm privileged, I don't deserve any of this."
Wow.
A guy who's actually grateful for his fans. A guy who'd play for free. Ace Wainwright understands that playing professional baseball isn't a birthright. It's a privilege.
That's how this entire Cardinals team operates. While hotshots like Puig live in the fast lane, the Cardinals are the type of guys who bike to work.
Together, as a team, all just spokes in the wheel.
Sometimes in this world we say the games we watch are bigger than sports. But for now, for today, it's just about baseball.
Because this game was built on the crack of the bat, the smell of the grass, the poetry of the local nine charging out of the dugout to raucous cheers. The simple stuff that takes us all to a better place for a few hours. That's baseball.
Teams like the Cardinals are what this silly game is all about. Guys like Ace Wainwright and David Freese and Carlos Beltran. Guys who celebrate and have fun, but do it the right way. Less Mickey Mouse, more Mickey Mantle."
(For the rest of the article, click here.)
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Quote of the Day
Lots of people ask me what's so great about living in the city. Where do I begin? There's the convenience of having most everything close by, not needing a car to get everywhere, proximity to cultural hot spots, a slew of restaurants to choose from, etc. And the people.
It's funny, I'm really not what you would consider a "people person." And for as much as I love the density and the crowds, I don't go out around my condo very often. But I like that I can. I like that there will be people there if I walk out my door. I like watching out my window. And I really like how one of my favorite anonymous bloggers summed up the view from her new downtown condo:
"I watched a man eat dinner alone in a cafĂ©. I marveled at the Fedex delivery woman’s long, hot pink manicure—was she new to the job and didn’t know it would chip on the first day, or did she just not give a rat’s ass? I sniggered at drunk people wobbling by on bikes. I wait for people engrossed in their iPhones to crash into one another on the sidewalk.
There are happy people, lonely people, angry people, rich people, poor people, people with nothing to do, people in a hurry. The view is a liquid storyline, and I can’t seem to get enough.
The earth below is a treasure trove of things to see, and I soak it up daily with absolute gratitude. Every passerby is a puzzle and vignette, an amuse bouche of a larger, more mysterious story."
It's funny, I'm really not what you would consider a "people person." And for as much as I love the density and the crowds, I don't go out around my condo very often. But I like that I can. I like that there will be people there if I walk out my door. I like watching out my window. And I really like how one of my favorite anonymous bloggers summed up the view from her new downtown condo:
"I watched a man eat dinner alone in a cafĂ©. I marveled at the Fedex delivery woman’s long, hot pink manicure—was she new to the job and didn’t know it would chip on the first day, or did she just not give a rat’s ass? I sniggered at drunk people wobbling by on bikes. I wait for people engrossed in their iPhones to crash into one another on the sidewalk.
There are happy people, lonely people, angry people, rich people, poor people, people with nothing to do, people in a hurry. The view is a liquid storyline, and I can’t seem to get enough.
The earth below is a treasure trove of things to see, and I soak it up daily with absolute gratitude. Every passerby is a puzzle and vignette, an amuse bouche of a larger, more mysterious story."
Monday, October 14, 2013
MS 150
Last month, T and I rode in the MS 150 along with J, J, and B - my normal riding partners.
Saturday was hot and fairly miserable - about 95 degrees, sunny, not a great day for riding. But I did my century! Thankfully there are lots of volunteers who staff the rest stations, provide lots of food, water, root beer shots, ice packs, and other goodies. I needed every one.
The century route
Fairly early in the day, maybe 20 miles in, we were riding through Amish country, and saw the most adorable thing! We had passed a couple of horses and buggies coming the other way down the road, so were paying special attention to what was around. We rode up behind a little flatbed trailer being pulled by a little brown pony trotting down the highway. At the reins were two little boys, neither of them probably a day over seven, and behind each of them on the trailer was a vintage galvanized steel milk jug. So picturesque!
101.21 miles, when all was said and done.
Unfortunately, B took a spill on Saturday and headed home Saturday night. It turns out that she fractured a couple of ribs, so probably a good thing she didn't try to ride on Sunday. She sure toughed it out on Saturday to finish the ride though!
The second day of the ride had a somewhat delayed start due to some early morning thunderstorms that rolled through Columbia -- and when I say "thunderstorms," I mean "torrential flooding downpours." They held up the start of the race until about 9 a.m. unless you were one of the very first people out of the road - which T and I weren't, because some car trouble meant we had to ride our bikes the six miles from our hotel to the starting line.
So, all in all, rough going early on Sunday. Since we started so late - and had to drive back to St. Louis that afternoon/evening, we opted for the 40-mile route over the 75. And there was good news too: the rain really cooled things off. Aside from having to watch out for the slick roads and water splashing up off other people's tires, it was an entirely more enjoyable day to ride because of the cooler weather. By the end of the day, we had done about 50 miles - making it a true MS 150 for me!
Unfortunately, as I was busy riding my bike all weekend, I don't have much in the way of pictures. Maybe I'll be more diligent about it next year!
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Goal #41
Goal #41: Pack and move.
What?!? Again?
Not me this time. T is temporarily relocating to another residence so he can have some contractors do work on his place. I (perhaps foolishly) offered to help.
Recap of goal #40: that chicken is cooked! I snacked, I made salads, I put some leftover shredded chicken in the freezer, my apartment smells deliciously of stock right now, and the frozen chicken will go back into that stock to make chicken soup some day soon!
What?!? Again?
Not me this time. T is temporarily relocating to another residence so he can have some contractors do work on his place. I (perhaps foolishly) offered to help.
Recap of goal #40: that chicken is cooked! I snacked, I made salads, I put some leftover shredded chicken in the freezer, my apartment smells deliciously of stock right now, and the frozen chicken will go back into that stock to make chicken soup some day soon!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Random Links
15 minutes of this gets a little tedious, but I still kinda want to be her friend.
Apparently it is possible to have too much bacon.
As if we didn't already know that men and women are different, now: kissing.
This guy looks like a flea-infested ski bum with a ratty, 11-string guitar. But man, can he play!
Reading good literature improves your social skills.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Cardinals Win the NLDS!
The night before last, T scored tickets to Game 5 of the NLDS - and he took me! We had so much fun, especially because the Redbirds wrapped up the series that night - thank goodness!
David Freese, our October Son, put the Cards on the board with a two-run homer. John Jay sent Matt Holliday home with an RBI single. 3-0. Matt Adams slammed a 2-run, 400-foot bomb in the bottom of the 8th, which was followed shortly by a Pete Kozma single that scored Jay. 6-1 final.
For the off-field celebration, here is a great video posted of the Cards celebrating in the locker room - very amusing.
On to the NLCS - let's go Cardinals!
David Freese, our October Son, put the Cards on the board with a two-run homer. John Jay sent Matt Holliday home with an RBI single. 3-0. Matt Adams slammed a 2-run, 400-foot bomb in the bottom of the 8th, which was followed shortly by a Pete Kozma single that scored Jay. 6-1 final.
Me with my rally towel (which K kindly gave to me - you can see him in the background of this pic). He works there so can get another one any time. Honestly, how can you run out of rally towels at a time like this?!
My boyfriend Adam, who pitched a complete game, and a pretty good one at that! It was a bit touch-and-go in the top of the ninth, but he steeled himself and finished the game with a total of 107 pitches.
In addition to the above feats, there was some top notch fielding as well. Check out this highlight reel for some video (starting at 0:32). Unfortunately, they miss a great leaping grab by Matt Carpenter, who kept his head in the game and was able to turn it for a double play.
The on-field celebration
For the off-field celebration, here is a great video posted of the Cards celebrating in the locker room - very amusing.
On to the NLCS - let's go Cardinals!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Another Delicious Dinner
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Quote of the Day
"Speech is the mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so he is."
-- Publilius Syrus: Latin writer of maxims
-- Publilius Syrus: Latin writer of maxims
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Breck
Another long-ago trip: Breckenridge.
I managed to just squeak in under the wire at the Denver airport, which was shut down shortly after my plane landed because of the thunderstorms that were rolling in. (Let that be a warning to you: Denver airport on a summer afternoon = bad idea.) D was kind enough to pick me up, and we had an enjoyable but unfortunately trafficky (is that a word?) ride up to Breck to meed up with Dad. He had a delicious dinner ready of chicken thighs, salad, and corn. But first: vodka tonic. And with dinner: a Caymus.
Never a group to take it easy, we started out with my first day at altitude by hiking almost nine miles. "What? Just nine miles?" Keystone asked. He, for his part, ran almost 18, and enjoyed a lovely field of wildflowers.
We climbed about 2,500 feet in elevation, up to a max of about 12,880 feet at Upper Crystal Lake. To celebrate our successes, we drank, read, ate a dinner of tuna steaks, and passed out.
As if nine miles of mountain hiking wasn't enough exercise, we decided to go mountain biking the next day. Dad and D both had their bikes, and we rented one for me (which I liked a lot - a Specialized of some stripe). Mountain biking is so much fun! I hadn't done it in a while, and I forgot how awesome it is! What a rush.
Dinner that night was a party at the neighbors' house, which was surprisingly enjoyable! I'm not much for parties with strangers, but I had a good time! Of course, there was wine, food, and Aperol - a new one on me! And then I went directly to bed.
Then: fishing! We got up early and headed out to the Middle Fork Ranch for a lovely day of fishing. Aside from the bit where D almost got struck by lightning. Wait, what? True statement. Clouds started rolling in just before lunch, and the temperature dropped like crazy. There were storms on the horizon, and D felt the electricity - literally. Graphite fly rod = lightning rod.
We had leftovers for dinner, then headed down for Denver the next day to do some shopping. It was a perfect day in the city, wonderful for walking around and grabbing some delicious tapas at an outdoor cafe for lunch before getting back to the airport and the grind.
I managed to just squeak in under the wire at the Denver airport, which was shut down shortly after my plane landed because of the thunderstorms that were rolling in. (Let that be a warning to you: Denver airport on a summer afternoon = bad idea.) D was kind enough to pick me up, and we had an enjoyable but unfortunately trafficky (is that a word?) ride up to Breck to meed up with Dad. He had a delicious dinner ready of chicken thighs, salad, and corn. But first: vodka tonic. And with dinner: a Caymus.
Never a group to take it easy, we started out with my first day at altitude by hiking almost nine miles. "What? Just nine miles?" Keystone asked. He, for his part, ran almost 18, and enjoyed a lovely field of wildflowers.
We climbed about 2,500 feet in elevation, up to a max of about 12,880 feet at Upper Crystal Lake. To celebrate our successes, we drank, read, ate a dinner of tuna steaks, and passed out.
As if nine miles of mountain hiking wasn't enough exercise, we decided to go mountain biking the next day. Dad and D both had their bikes, and we rented one for me (which I liked a lot - a Specialized of some stripe). Mountain biking is so much fun! I hadn't done it in a while, and I forgot how awesome it is! What a rush.
Dinner that night was a party at the neighbors' house, which was surprisingly enjoyable! I'm not much for parties with strangers, but I had a good time! Of course, there was wine, food, and Aperol - a new one on me! And then I went directly to bed.
Then: fishing! We got up early and headed out to the Middle Fork Ranch for a lovely day of fishing. Aside from the bit where D almost got struck by lightning. Wait, what? True statement. Clouds started rolling in just before lunch, and the temperature dropped like crazy. There were storms on the horizon, and D felt the electricity - literally. Graphite fly rod = lightning rod.
We had leftovers for dinner, then headed down for Denver the next day to do some shopping. It was a perfect day in the city, wonderful for walking around and grabbing some delicious tapas at an outdoor cafe for lunch before getting back to the airport and the grind.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Seattle
Many moons ago, I allowed the folks at Delta Airlines to transport me to Seattle. I was on my way out to visit J, who had the monumental task of moving ahead of him. This move was especially exciting, because he was moving into his own brand new house!
I have virtually no pictures from this trip, because we were busy moving things the whole time I was there, but I'll give a verbal recap.
I arrived late morning on Thursday, and we got right to work packing up the rest of J's apartment. We had quite a time trying to maneuver the moving van through the narrow Seattle streets, and we managed to get a parking ticket in the meantime, but we got the furniture loaded up and moved! And much to my delight, I discovered that the leasing office at his apartment kept a handy stock of cookies, orange soda, and coffee at the ready. Those came in handy when I was running out of steam! We finally broke for dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Cactus, and it was all the deliciousness I needed after a hard day of work.
There was more moving to be done on Friday, so we got up early to pack up the rest of the boxes. There was a lot of rushing around, since the major appliance delivery was scheduled to happen at J's house between 10 and noon. We dashed out of the apartment with the last few boxes we could carry around 9:45, and it was on the way back to the apartment that J got a call informing him that the fridge had been damaged in shipment and that they didn't have one of the pieces they needed for the stacking washer/dryer units. So, no appliances after all.
No worries though. I used my unexpected free time by going for a run and relaxing a bit before we headed off to the Klondike Gold Rush Museum. It was actually pretty neat, and I learned a bit about Seattle's growth as a jumping-off point for the intrepid gold hunters. When we finished filling our brains with info at the museum, we wandered a bit and ended up at Zig Zag Cafe for dinner. I was delighted by the cocktail menu and had something with a clever name which starred a delightful apricot liqueur. As if that wasn't interesting enough, dinner was a camel burger with pickled fruits of various sorts. The burger was a tad dry, but it was a worthwhile experience.
Unfortunately, due to the late hour, the Pike Place Market was closed, so we found an ice cream shop and enjoyed our dessert spoils while taking in the view of the bay. All in all, a lovely evening.
Saturday morning I slept in, then headed to Portage Bay for brunch. We had to deliver our leftovers to J's apartment since the fridge never got delivered to his house, and then we headed off to Pioneer Square. We were going to go on the Seattle Underground tour, but unfortunately it was sold out. Instead we wandered around shopping, and finished it off with the most epic trip to Bed Bath & Beyond ever. J had a fancy new house, and he needed to stock up on supplies.
We headed to dinner at a great little spot that was recommended to me called Oddfellows (where I also went the last time I was in Seattle). And what's even better, my friend M came out to meet us! We had delicious food and tasty cocktails, and it was a fabulous evening. One of the best things about Oddfellows is that it's right next door to Elliot Bay Books, which is so great! I didn't buy any books because I'm already overwhelmed by unread pages, but they do have an impressive collection of greeting cards and I bought most of them. Oh, and there was more ice cream for dessert of course!
Sunday started with another run, which was followed by brunch at Madame Toulouse (which, incidentally, has delicious [breakfast] cocktails - are we noticing a pattern here?). We were super touristy and went to the Pike Place market, then headed back for the not-yet-sold-out underground tour. And you know what? The tour was fascinating! I learned all about the development of Seattle (stuff I didn't learn at the gold rush museum), including why there's a story of all those buildings below ground. Did you know that? I didn't - but now I know why it's there! Want to know? Go on the tour - or read about it here. Dinner was at a huge but weirdly-hard-to-find place called The Pink Door, and then I got completely and totally hooked on House of Cards before heading to the airport for an unfortunate redeye back to St. Louis. Although I have to say that I planned well for the flight - I had a hot pink pashmina so I could stay warm/cover my eyes, and headphones so I could block out the noise. I managed to stay awake the entire next day at work!
I have virtually no pictures from this trip, because we were busy moving things the whole time I was there, but I'll give a verbal recap.
I arrived late morning on Thursday, and we got right to work packing up the rest of J's apartment. We had quite a time trying to maneuver the moving van through the narrow Seattle streets, and we managed to get a parking ticket in the meantime, but we got the furniture loaded up and moved! And much to my delight, I discovered that the leasing office at his apartment kept a handy stock of cookies, orange soda, and coffee at the ready. Those came in handy when I was running out of steam! We finally broke for dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Cactus, and it was all the deliciousness I needed after a hard day of work.
There was more moving to be done on Friday, so we got up early to pack up the rest of the boxes. There was a lot of rushing around, since the major appliance delivery was scheduled to happen at J's house between 10 and noon. We dashed out of the apartment with the last few boxes we could carry around 9:45, and it was on the way back to the apartment that J got a call informing him that the fridge had been damaged in shipment and that they didn't have one of the pieces they needed for the stacking washer/dryer units. So, no appliances after all.
No worries though. I used my unexpected free time by going for a run and relaxing a bit before we headed off to the Klondike Gold Rush Museum. It was actually pretty neat, and I learned a bit about Seattle's growth as a jumping-off point for the intrepid gold hunters. When we finished filling our brains with info at the museum, we wandered a bit and ended up at Zig Zag Cafe for dinner. I was delighted by the cocktail menu and had something with a clever name which starred a delightful apricot liqueur. As if that wasn't interesting enough, dinner was a camel burger with pickled fruits of various sorts. The burger was a tad dry, but it was a worthwhile experience.
Unfortunately, due to the late hour, the Pike Place Market was closed, so we found an ice cream shop and enjoyed our dessert spoils while taking in the view of the bay. All in all, a lovely evening.
Saturday morning I slept in, then headed to Portage Bay for brunch. We had to deliver our leftovers to J's apartment since the fridge never got delivered to his house, and then we headed off to Pioneer Square. We were going to go on the Seattle Underground tour, but unfortunately it was sold out. Instead we wandered around shopping, and finished it off with the most epic trip to Bed Bath & Beyond ever. J had a fancy new house, and he needed to stock up on supplies.
We headed to dinner at a great little spot that was recommended to me called Oddfellows (where I also went the last time I was in Seattle). And what's even better, my friend M came out to meet us! We had delicious food and tasty cocktails, and it was a fabulous evening. One of the best things about Oddfellows is that it's right next door to Elliot Bay Books, which is so great! I didn't buy any books because I'm already overwhelmed by unread pages, but they do have an impressive collection of greeting cards and I bought most of them. Oh, and there was more ice cream for dessert of course!
Sunday started with another run, which was followed by brunch at Madame Toulouse (which, incidentally, has delicious [breakfast] cocktails - are we noticing a pattern here?). We were super touristy and went to the Pike Place market, then headed back for the not-yet-sold-out underground tour. And you know what? The tour was fascinating! I learned all about the development of Seattle (stuff I didn't learn at the gold rush museum), including why there's a story of all those buildings below ground. Did you know that? I didn't - but now I know why it's there! Want to know? Go on the tour - or read about it here. Dinner was at a huge but weirdly-hard-to-find place called The Pink Door, and then I got completely and totally hooked on House of Cards before heading to the airport for an unfortunate redeye back to St. Louis. Although I have to say that I planned well for the flight - I had a hot pink pashmina so I could stay warm/cover my eyes, and headphones so I could block out the noise. I managed to stay awake the entire next day at work!
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Goal #40
Goal #40: chicken.
I bought a whole chicken at the farmers' market on Saturday. Now I need to cook it. Plans: snack on the legs and thighs. Shred the rest for salads. Make soup.
Think I can do it all?
Recap of goal #39: total success! Hooray! I've mastered a basic life skill!
I bought a whole chicken at the farmers' market on Saturday. Now I need to cook it. Plans: snack on the legs and thighs. Shred the rest for salads. Make soup.
Think I can do it all?
Recap of goal #39: total success! Hooray! I've mastered a basic life skill!
Saturday, October 5, 2013
The Song I'm Loving Today
Teach Your Children (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, or some iteration thereof)
This song gets me every time I hear it. I don't hear it often, but it came on the radio this morning while I was on my way to the farmers' market. It's so clean, so simple. Love it.
You, who are on the road,
Must have a code that you can live by.
And so, become yourself
Because the past is just a goodbye.
Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by.
And feed them on your dreams,
The one they fix, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why,
If they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh,
And know they love you.
And you, of tender years,
Can't know the fears that your elders grew by.
And so, please help them with your youth
They seek the truth before they can die.
Teach your parents well,
Their children's hell will slowly go by.
And feed them on your dreams,
The one they fix, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why,
If they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sign,
And know they love you.
This song gets me every time I hear it. I don't hear it often, but it came on the radio this morning while I was on my way to the farmers' market. It's so clean, so simple. Love it.
You, who are on the road,
Must have a code that you can live by.
And so, become yourself
Because the past is just a goodbye.
Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by.
And feed them on your dreams,
The one they fix, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why,
If they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh,
And know they love you.
And you, of tender years,
Can't know the fears that your elders grew by.
And so, please help them with your youth
They seek the truth before they can die.
Teach your parents well,
Their children's hell will slowly go by.
And feed them on your dreams,
The one they fix, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why,
If they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sign,
And know they love you.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Quote of the Day
"Not even the brightest future can make up for the fact that no roads lead back to what came before."
-- Jo Nesbo, "The Past is a Foreign Country," The New York Times Opinion Pages
-- Jo Nesbo, "The Past is a Foreign Country," The New York Times Opinion Pages
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Random Links
New versions of old photos.
A new version of a classic song.
Leopards.
"I can't believe we're out of breath lip syncing!" starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, et al.
A new kind of symphony.
Historical photos.
A new version of a classic song.
Leopards.
"I can't believe we're out of breath lip syncing!" starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, et al.
A new kind of symphony.
Historical photos.