Wanderlust Colorado Day Two!

Day 2 @ Wanderlust



You'd think yogis would be punctual. Not so much.

7 Ways to Rock your Cortisol taught by an integrative physician/yoga teacher. More about stress relief. Not my thing.

But getting to sit on the floor on pillows with pillow backrests? I can listen for an hour.

Random fact: Alzheimer's starts in your 20s.

I'm sorry, but no matter what you say, I don't believe that my iPhone camera can measure my heart rate.

Beastie Yogi w/ MC Yogi &DJ Drez- yoga class led by MC Yogi, spun by DJ Drez set entirely to Beastie Boys mashups and MC Yogi songs and b-boy samples

To Enter the Center
You can taste the nectar
But to enter the Center
You must surrender

200 people waving their hands in the air is cool.
200 people doing downward dog and waving their feet in the air is awesome.

"Don't bump into anyone's Lululemon"

Its unbelievably easy to groove to hip hop during yoga sequencing.

Am I the only one that has never thought about twisting to each side in standing yoga mudra?

At the end MC Yogi called us all up to the front to take a family picture. Something about that, just makes me happy.

Guiding Empowering Yoga was supposed to be a class for teachers to help with sequencing and whatnot. It was not. It was a a flow sequence that had poses I have never heard of in my life. It wasn't what I wanted, but I came out with enough that it wasn't total loss.

The lady next to me was from England and now teaches yoga to parolees with swastika tattoos.

All the ladies love that Tim is not only here, but actually doing yoga too.

Live music propelling class is happiness inducing.

I have hamstring death. There is also a death that involves the top of your foot bearing into your plushy arch, and it makes me go OWWWWW.

There is a sun salutation that involves rolling like a ball. I dig.

I totally concurred big toe grab side plank extend leg today. This makes me proud.

Tonight we braved outside of Copper and went to the Mexican joint in Frisco, and as always, it was delicious.

There is such a thing as "Wanderlust" time.

MC Yogi bounces on trampolines and makes me smile. Great mini concert. And then, came the happiest picture in awhile.

 

24 hours in the Windy City

A very brief weekend in Chicago. 
- Incubus & Linkin Park concert
- CorePower Yoga Sculpt
- Walking around the downtown Farmers Market
- Breakfast at Yolk
- Shopping at Macy's, Whole Foods, Athleta, and Sports Authority
- New pink Asics!

Sunday Funday.

So in a manner very unlike myself, the only pictures I have from this past Sunday are a few super pixelated cell phone pictures, so you will just have to hear about it and visualize. Think deep thoughts. Although, I'm sure this is actually a pretty boring entry for most, almost repeatitive perhaps. Deal with it. Start your own blog and complain about how all other blogs say the same stuff over and over. Don't worry, I'd still probably read it. ;-)

Quick back story. Tim and I love Craig Ferguson. You know, the guy with the robot sidekick on CBS late night. The Scottish one. Yeah, that guy. He's hilarious. I've read his book and I saw tickets to see his stand up in Minneapolis and just couldn't resist.

We've spent quite a bit of money recently between summer trips and my extra stupid medical stuff, so we weren't really super up for shopping, but driving all the way up to arrive right before the show and drive right back afterwards seemed kinda silly, might as well make at least a half day out of it!

We left town around 11 to make it up just in time for a late lunch at Common Root, which as much as I usually totally love it, left something to be desired. They prepared my toasted bagel immediately and let it sit for the 20 minutes it took to get Tim's out, so it was cold, chewy, and cream cheese congealed by the time I got it....unpleasant.

So after a quick yogurt parfait (the ONLY thing I'll eat from McDs, and thats in dire need) Tim dropped me off at Corepower Uptown for a Fusion Hot Yoga. I cannot begin to explain how much I love this place. Not just Uptown, but all of them. I wish Minneapolis wasn't so freaking cold. I would move there in a heartbeat and IMMEDIATELY get trained by Corepower. Everytime I go I get closer and closer to just sucking it up and figuring out a way to get my certificate up there anyway. I just love the facilities and the style and their philosophy. Their style is the most perfect match to mine, it brings in the mental meditation, but its not totally hippy enough to exclude the athletic and exercise aspect of it. But yet still completely traditional. I feel like every time I go I have a mini break through in some aspect of my practice...anyways. Enough yoga talk.

By the time I got back to the car, the bad lunch long drive dreariness was gone and I was totally ready for the rest of the day! Not that one can be in a funk for long once they get to Whole Foods. We didn't spend too much time there since we had to drive a bit for the show, but we stocked up on a few nights dinners, Love Crunch, and driving snacks for after the show. I want Whole Foods in Cedar Falls. Please? Anyone? Make this happen for my birthday (which, ps. is a week from Friday ;-) ).

Made it to the casino in good time for the show. Now, I don't really feel the need to talk about it a lot, and I don't think I would do the disgust sadness feeling justice. But it was actually my first time in a casino and it was sickening. This wasn't Vegas, here for a good time occassion gamblers. It was the morbidly obese, crippled grandmas, can't afford to eat chain smokers playing the digital slots. Just gross. And repulsive.

BUT. Craig Ferguson was funny. His opener was really good too. I like the comics that don't go fear going to the jokes that might take it just a little too far. That's where I start to find things funny. And both the opener and Craig did not disappoint. The venue was pretty good too, minus the fact that it was a really big igloo. I wouldn't have been surprised to see penguins waddling around in scarves and mittens. Show started at 7, and Craig wrapped at 8:30. Normally I would feel ripped off, but I was so cold and the drive ahead was long enough that I was ok with it. Plus it took us a solid 25 minutes to get out of the parking lot for seemingly no reason...

Drive home went fast though, pulled back in a little after midnight. Somehow I managed to stay awake the whole drive home, but that definitely didn't last long once I pulled the blanket over me.

On the way to Boston!: Driving to Incubus (Ohio)

Apparently despite sleeping about four hours Monday night, and six hours last night, my body does not want to sleep. Bah. I care more because I know today is going to be just as long as yesterday and being tired is just not an option! Well, it is, but coffee as a pick me up. I hate that, knowing that you can't/shouldnt go to the bathroom any time you want, and then that just making you think about it ALL THE TIME, and then have to go ALL THE TIME. Oh well. Yesterday I did pretty well.

We were up at 4:30 (despite being up til near 1) and on the road by a few minutes after 5. There isn't much you can really say about 9 hours of driving. It happened. At seemingly a turtle's pace. By 8am, it felt like mid afternoon. It got a bit better as we realized that our original calculations were quite a bit off and we would be there really early (which would have been nice to know before getting up so freaking early). We raced to make it to Dayton before 2:30 so we could make it to a First Watch. I mean, yogurt and apples and beef jerkey are great, but a real breakfast meal would be fantastic, and First Watch? HEAVEN.

We made it in time that we called about 20 minutes out, ordered takeout, and picked it up about 10 minutes after they closed. Eating in the car wasn't exactly super comfort, but it was still delicious! Stopped at the Macys in Dayton, more to kill time and stretch. Then was the most roundabout backwards way of finding the Wright Brothers/Dayton Aviation National Park Site so I could get my stampie! Worth it though, three stamps in the one location!

Two hours onto Columbus, drove past the venue, went through town (and insane traffic) to find a Whole Foods in order to get a post concert snack for the road. It was seriously the biggest Whole Foods ever. It has to be the largest in the country. It was ENDLESS. It was good we had a time constraint, I would have wandered that store all day. It was so large, there was more than one prepared food station. Like, not just more than one kiosk, but numerous throughout the store. Holla!

Escaping only with one bag, we took the much faster highway back to the venue, got in line, and were annoyed that the concert was supposed to start at 6:30 (we are a-ok with missing the opening act), but they didnt start letting people in until 7. The outdoor grassy area facing the back half of the building venue/stage was ridiculously nice. I'd go there again. Good job PromoWest. Got a good spot, but after so long in the car, sitting longer just wasn't top of the list. Waited, opening act, Young the Giant, was decent. Kind of a 50s vibe, but with the voice of The Killers. Waited some more, finally around 8:45/9:00 Incubus came out. I adore them, and their shows are always so so worth it. Outside you could still smell a LOT of other people more illegally enjoying it too. But their light/CG show is so good. This year it was like a screen save from earlier computers on steroids in the future. Yeah. Like that! ;-) They also know their audience and play at least half of their setlist from old albums. Loved it.

Back in the car, snacks eaten, two more hours to the hotel. Too tired to care about anything else, we crashed.

That Arch feeds me well!

Last week, I was treated to a bit of happy times before the torment of dental extraction. Tim and I had gotten tickets to Ke$ha quite awhile ago, and Mom decided she wanted to be part of the road trip down to St Louis, minus the concert. As a sidenote, Tim had the Ke$ha cd hidden in his car for quite sometime before I found out and was pissed that he hadn't shared it with me!

But anyways, so we all made the unexciting trip down early Tuesday morning. Wicked early, only so that we could endulge in just one more meal at First Watch while down there. Egg white omelet with turkey, spinach, feta, & tomato. Turkey sausage. And then Tim and I shared at banana crunch pancake. Holy breakfast in my belly. I would eat there every meal if i could. Not even kidding.

And then just like any twoday getaway, the shopping craze started. In a matter of hours we hit up REI (no dice on the desired sandals, but lots of clothes tried on!), Container Store, Gap (yay to the Buy a pair of pants, Get a shirt free deal, although the hoodie "jacket" I wanted was cheaper than the sweater I was allowed to get), and Macys (where the gift card went unspent).
My big excitement part of the shopping was supposed to be the fact that they have a Lululemon in StL. But then, we got there. I was pretty disappointed in the selection at this store. They had very few options, and even few fewer sizes. Like, they have maybe 4 different sweatshirts, and each style had maybe two or three sizes in stock. And sizes are 0-12 mind you, not S/M/L. And when I walked in, I did a quick lap just to see what I was working with, and a lady came up to us and asked if we were lookging for a gift! I was ridiculously offended. Who starts their greeting with that? What about me right now says I am looking for a gift instead of for myself....not amused. Even less amused when there was a lady in there with three SHRIEKING children. One of them was playing with a box of safety pins used for hemming. Like, what kind of mother let's their kid do that? Geeze. But I ended up getting two sale items. Mom bought me a sweet pair of gray pants, kind of hard to describe them actually. And then I got a bra/tank combo that i really dig, but also hard to desribe. Let's just say, I love workout clothes.

A quick jaunt into Williams and Sonoma had my mom buying a crap load of lavender, and on our way out, I saw a HUGE glass jar of  "Nut & Grain". Tim bought it instantly, its totally delicious. Well worth the overpricedness of such a jar of glory.

Dinner @ Pi Pizzeria. It actually turned out that it was directly across the street from the concert venue, but it wasnt really relevant since we had to take Mom back to the hotel inbetween dinner and the show anyway. However, it did mean we got a sneak preview of the 14 year olds going to the Ke$ha concert all dressed up and ready to go. It was insane. I thought Lady Gaga was crazy, those were weird, but these were SLUTTY. Like, I cannot believe 75% were allowed to leave their house looking like that. Both mom and Tim ordered the same pizza, only Tim got deep dish and mom got thin crust. Both were delicious, The Western: mozzarella, spinach blended with ricotta and feta, mushrooms, onions, and garlic. And I got the Bada Bing salad: field greens, toasted almonds, gorgonzola cheese, dried bing cherries, with raspberry vinaigrette. Only swap the gorgonzola (GROSS) for goat cheese. Yummy! http://www.restaurantpi.com

We totally lucked out getting back after dropping mom off at the hotel, parked a block away, and saw there were two lines. One was like two blocks long, and the other was maybe 10 people. And we knew it was a long shot, but we figured we would just attempt the the short one. Silly kids, it wasn't a special line at all, and we got in way before we would have in the other line. It was an all ages show, but we got split into lines of 21+ and underage because the underagers got charged an extra fee to get in. The staff of the Pageant was absolutely amazing. Best staff I have ever encountered at every level. Door security, ID check, bartenders, ushers, everyone. I loved it. And then there is the venue itself. Its amazing. Upstairs seated balcony thats 21+, has its own bar, assigned seating, and great views. Although the lack of jr high girls and stretching room was the best perk. Show was great, pretty sure there was lots of lipsyncing, but frankly, I dont care that much if the stage show makes up for it. And her and the dancers totally did. Including the stage director in the Santa costume....yup. Just really fun in general.
As a side story, the opening one man band was called "Beardo the Trailer Park Hero". Yup.

I slept like a rock, and despite the super early wake up call the day before, and a crazy busy day, and going to bed later than I had wanted to, I was awake enough when my alarm went off at 6:55 in order to go down to the hotel gym. Mom even went with me! The room was like a sauna. I wasn't on very long and I was quite moisturized afterwards ;-)
Breakfast Feast at First Watch. Coffee, fresh fruit crepes, turkey sausage links, and shared a carrot cake pancake with Tim. The granola and blueberry muffin that came with got saved for the car ride home at least. I was STUFFED. 
We then went to my mecca, Whole Foods, we spent 90 minutes there, and I could have spent 90 more. But my mom had finished her shopping and Tim had put up with enough of my aisle wanderings. We got quite the haul though. Including a peanut butter and jelly on banana bread for the road home. We pulled out of town around 11:30, and I have officially added St Louis to my ok long weekend destination visit list. Their food choices are growing and are pretty sweet looking (not including the ever fantastic First Watch). Their shopping is grand, and it seems like there is plenty to do. I vote yes. 

Slow Down, its moving too fast....

The next six weeks are shaping up to look quite awesome. Well, a few less awesome and more just eventful. But still. Keeping busy feels nice. And then summer doesn't exactly slow down....

Week #1-Valentines Day, normally eh. But this year involves a six course dinner. 4 Queens opens. Last Mens Bball game of the season!

Week #2-Two days in St Louis of eating and shopping and Ke$ha in concert. And then getting my top teeth yanked out, thats the less than awesome event....

Week #3-Dropkick Murphy's show in Des Moines. And the last two Womens Bball games of the season!!! Yay free time!

Week #4-Get psyched up (as if I'm not already) and leave for Disney!

Week #5-Best week of the year of Nordyke family craziness at DisneyWorld.

Then June brings (MAYBE) a mission trip to another continent with mi madre. No more on that until its locked. I'm already far too excited for only being in the works.

Perhaps another summer vacay with the fam in Colorado sometime in July....

Throw in five weddings, one being in South Dakota and another in Massachusetts, and you have one poor, yet happily busy and socialized Clare!

Lady Gaga and the Nashua Police.

Ok, so I have yet to blog about San Francisco. I have yet to blog about my weekend in Adventureland. But those must wait, because frankly, this story is much better.

Monday, Tim and I headed up north 3+ hours to the land of sheer insanity. Also known as the Lady Gaga concert. Yes, laugh if you must, but we were both ridiculously pumped. And I knew coming out of it that I would either hate her completely or love her that much more. Well, the show was amazing, the production value was ridiculous, and she is just fantastic. Her fans are completely off their rockers, but this is the midwest we are talking about. Three hours of her prancing around in crazy amounts of outfits and dancers without a single intermission, she's talented....I digress.

The real story is after the concert, after the first three hours of the drive home. I had planned on driving, but Tim loaded himself up on so much Red Bull and other energy drinks (he claimed he smelled like vitamins all day yesterday) that he easily drove the whole way as I was in and out of sleepland in the passenger side.

I get woken up to Tim saying cops are behind him. I say whatever, well, no, the lights are on. Ok, we get to the side of the road, turn the dome light on and wait. Both of us looking out driver side window.

*taptaptap* on the passenger window nearly scares the crap out of me. Ok, cool, I start my heart back up. Super doofy looking dude. If you have seen Psych, this cat looks like Buzz McNabb. Super nice, but dumber than a brick. "Caught you going a bit fast under the bridge back there...."

Pause for second heart attack as magically another cop appears at Tim's window as we are both looking at the one on my side. Scaring the total bejesus out of us again. They start asking us normal questions, Why are you out at 2:30, where ya been, where ya going...ok, fine. But then it turns into questions about our house, is this where you live now, how long you been there, and so on. Like in depth questions. Strange. All the while being really nice, including asking about my air freshner in the glove compartment? Its in a sunglasses case, but the guy was like, are those sunglasses in there? ZERO reason for him to think otherwise. Just odd fellows.

In the meantime, I haven't cleaned out my registrations or insurance papers out of the glove box since at least 2003 (I know, because I found proof of insurance of Feb '03). I have insurance card in my wallet, Tim's got his license, but I cant find my registration for the life of me. The sticker on the car is right, I just cant find the paper. I search, pulling handfuls of papers onto my lap, while they go back and check things out.

They come back, tell us we are getting a warning (not even a written one, mind you, just verbal) for speeding. And that its ok I cant find my registration, but is it ok if they search the car. Good lord. Its 2:30 in the morning, I am exhausted, they clearly don't even suspect anything, and they say they are just doing random searches and we got the luck of the draw. Great. If they hadn't been the NICEST cops I have ever experienced, and letting us out of a $120 ticket...fine, search away.

It takes me awhile to get all the papers off my lap, shoes back on (cause who sleeps in a car with shoes on?!) and out onto the freezing highway. In the time that Officer Doofy is searching the car, Officer Marinewannabe decides he needs to chat. In this chat he clearly ellaborates on drug bust stories, but also asks if Lady Gaga is a "good band". Live under a rock much? It takes at least 15 minutes to search every nook and cranny of the car. Doofy can't find the trunk latch, despite it being in the exact same place as every car i have been in, labeled with a PICTURE of a trunk, and says push. So he has to be shown, searches the trunk, and then searches under the hood? Yeah, ok.....

They let us go, and about to pull away, Doofy runs up to our car, tapping all the way down, and wants to make sure he closed the hood of the car well enough.....

Oh Nashua Police. Its only because you are so nice and have literally nothing better to do that I didn't want to punch you in the nuts....

Running Ragged!

Good Lord people! I feel like August is trying to kill me! The past two weekends have been crazy, Des Moines, Farmer's Markets, up to Minneapolis for shopping and Something Corporate, Des Moines, Tims work training, friend's birthdays, new yoga, more shopping, more friend time!

And now, the next two weekends will be even crazier. Next weekend (aka 5 days) is Boston for an engagement party and hanging with old friends and the madre. Then two days later Tim and I spend five days in San Francisco playing tourist and seeing more old friends. Then a few days later, back up north to see Ms. Lady Gaga. Insanity. Me and my Civic are the bestest of friends as of now. My back and I, do not share the same loving relationship. Here's the craziness so far!

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffeecake at the Farmer's Market.

Des Moines might actually be good for something! HUGE Farmer's Markets.

Lots of sunsets in the car.

I only have a few moments at home these days. Olivia misses me lots!

Tim saw these and asked if we were moving back to Boston. Skinny jeans still baffle me.

Not the dress I ended up getting, but I still totally dug it.

Something Corporate. I took video of the entire 9minutes of Konstantine. Love.

Emcal loves her some birthday $1 margarita.

DPP #19: Classy Chocoholic/Chicago Cirque

More on this Chicago weekend to come....but heres a glimpse so far.....

The worst Cirque show ever....no really, it shouldn't even be called a Cirque show. A.W.F.U.L.
Sometimes, especially when the chocolate is as big as, and in the shape of a brick....you just have to go for it!

DPP #5: Rosenau wins over TobyMac

I couldn't decide. I really couldn't. I took close to 200 pictures last night at the TobyMac show. With this new camera, complete with 20x zoom, I can take KILLER pictures. The stage wasn't exactly close, but you wouldn't ever know it by these pictures!

It wasn't just a Toby Mac concert either. I was obsessed with dcTalk growing up, so really that should be enough. But moreso was that the show was Rosenau's annual concert in Cedar Falls. The kid has found his calling. Watching him play on stage, he could never be happier. Awesome. I like when my friends from the past find their happy place! It was just Tim and I, Chris and Linnea though. Mom and Dad opted out. Something about his birthday or something....wimps. But we had good times without them!

3eb. I heart you.

I have been going deaf for a number of years now. Not to a degree that is medically concerning, but my phone conversations consist of a lot more, "What?" "Huh?" "Say that again"s. I blame my frequent attendance of concerts. And earbuds. And macaroni and cheese. Ok, maybe not that last one, but still. A pluthera of issues have contributed to my detriment. But on Monday, I only helped it along its course. Third Eye Blind was in Iowa City. I hate that it was on a Monday, and I totally didn't feel like going, but by the time it was time to go, I was pumped. We saw them six months ago to the day, and it was amazing. This would only be the same. It was awesome. The crowd took awhile to get warmed up (stupid Iowa City kids) but eventually we worked our way to the middle and it was awesome.


Third Eye Blind is the band of my jr high/ high school years. And I think saying that says enough. The red and the blue albums are two of maybe four albums ever that I can listen to nonstop, first song to last, without skipping a single song. Love it. Love them. I never saw them perform when they were "popular" and when I heard they were our touring to promote their first new album in six years....sign me up. His voice is just one of those voices, its like I am instantly back in the day (of course a Wednesday). Calming, even when not. *sigh*

Kevin Max's Monster Mash.

For once, I wish I lived in Nashville. HARDCORE.

I actually looked into how far away it was, just so I could go to Kevin Max's Monster Mash.

He let the audience pick the cover tracks. This is what they picked:
1. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”
2. Queen – “Another One Bites the Dust”
3. The Church – “Underneath the Milky Way”
4. Billy Idol – “White Wedding”
5. Modern English – Melt With You”
6. Duran Duran – “Hungry Like the Wolf”
7. Ozzy Osbourne – Bark at the Moon”
8. Corey Hart – “Sunglasses at Night”
9. The Smiths – Half a Person”
10. RUSH – “Limelight”
11. Echo and the Bunnymen – “The Killing Moon”
12. John Waite – “Missing You”
13. Men at Work – “Overkill”

I WANT TO TELEPORT!

Throwback Thursday: Toby Mac

It was about this time five years ago, that I met my freshman year roommate, Caroline. And today's picture is of one of our first adventures. A family friend of mine is the guitarist for the musician Toby Mac. I found out that they had a show close to Boston and bought tickets. I got Caroline to go with me. Now, it was far enough out, that we had to take the Commuter line out, and then walk aways to the actual concert locale. We get there after getting lost a little bit (which is scary for two 18year old girls in a brand new state) and are invited onto the tour bus...it was fantastic. As someone who grew up listening to dctalk, meeting TobyMac was insane. The concert was great, and Rosenau came down and sat by us for the opening act. And then, after the tour, we had hired a cab (since the commuter rail was done for the night) to drive us all the way back downtown Boston. He was kind of a weird dude. And then we got dropped off right where the campus shuttle would pick us up (which I never used again for the next three years) and ended up having to walk in the rain, and getting lost. It was definitely a bonding experience right away....

Tucker Max. The name says it all.

I got to meet Tucker Max.


Now for those of my readers that are on the more conservative end, just smile that I got to meet someone exciting, and go back to your Minesweeper game. Tucker Max isn't exactly the most upstanding guy that you want to take over to meet your grandmother. Well, actually, I think that would be hilarious, because he can be prim and proper when he needs to be, but his fame and fortune is based on a completely different part of his personality. If you don't know him, don't get offended easily, and aren't a feminazi, then you must buy his book. I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell. It's hilarious. And now he has made a movie from different stories in the book.

He is opening the movie in an uncommon method and touring around the country doing Q&As, and showing the film to different college campuses. Iowa City just happened to be one of them. I would tell you all about the happenings of said event, but he can do it so much better: IHTSBIH Iowa City Stop (Again, be prepared for crudeness....) and here's the pictures from the event: Flickr Iowa City

It was amazing. The movie was awesome, I literally had tears from laughing so hard from a certain scene. And when you see it, you will know exactly what scene I mean. But we also got sweet stuff!
Tshirt was to be expected....

But we also got a gear bag, pint glass, bottle opener, pen, WWTD bracelet, stickers, poster....
But the best part, after all is said and done, Tucker stayed at the theater for whoever wanted to stay and took pictures and signed stuff. Until the last person was gone. Which is mighty classy. When it got to be my turn, their tour manager commented how he was surprised at the girls that came alone to the event (he clearly did not understand how Tucker works) and at my Emerson hoodie. I got to Tucker, who also commented on my Emerson gear, but then him and Nils went on to talk about how one of their producers divorced a girl named Claire, but that she had an i in her name, and it turned into a whole thing. Loved it. Snapped the shot, and away I went.

Walking out the door, the two guys handing out t-shirts were fighting over who would give it to me (literally, pawing at the same shirt), and I made a comment that the one guy had clearly won, and his response? "Does that mean we get to make out?" I think someone has been on tour with Tucker for a teensy bit too long..... :)

After I got out, I looked at my signed copy of the book (well worn with lots of reading) and I have no idea what it says....anyone want to help a girl out?

Do you risk a camera revolution for 3eb?

You know, I think I have determined a pet peeve of mine. I don't know if you can call it that, because really, its not something a single person can do, but still, I'm going to go with that terminology. This pet peeve involves concerts, shows, or pretty much any event that I might want to take pictures. I know I have no real purpose for taking pictures of whatever band or comedian, especially from the seats that I usually barely pay for, but I like taking pictures, so any event I can, I do. A problem with this comes in the fact that nowadays, cameras and phones are so high tech and crazy that they are being banned from said concerts. Fine, ban me, take it away or send me back to the car.

Heres my issue, there is no real way to tell if you are going to get a camera in or not. Some places say won't tell you if its allowed or not, and therein lies the issue of if you want to try and get one in. If its a big event, and you've been waiting in line, going back to the car or all the way back to the apartment (for those boston days) is not an option. Neither is leaving it in an unattended box for the world to steal. So, do you try to get it through? For those outfits without pockets easily hidden, where do you put it? Do you risk it and then find that you go through metal detectors? And if you don't take the chance, and then find that you could have easily gotten it in, then you are aggravated with yourself for being a total pansy and not risking a camera revolution!

Anyways. Two nights ago I had the same old debate with myself when going to see Third Eye Blind at ValAir Ballroom. I gave in to chicken syndrome and left it in the car. Walked straight through security, not even a pat down! Ugh. The crowd was so light too, I could have gotten some awesome pictures of my blast from the past, but alas, my fuzzy crappy camera phone was all I had. I suck.

However, Third Eye Blind, very much does NOT suck. And they made the drive down and back in the same night all while sick, very very worth it. All the classics, all the hits, a few new pieces. Despite the light crowd, it was a GREAT crowd. It's been six years since they came out with an album, and when they played a random song off their very first cd (not a single from the radio), I swear every person in that room knew every single word. It was beautiful. One of their best too. Motorcycle Drive By. Learn it. Love it. And then go hear Stephen Jenkins sing it with several hundred other voices. Glorious.

Ok, I'm out for a few days. The fam has Cubs tickets in Cincinnati. So away we go. Have I been home over the weekend since April? I don't think so....

KC was the place to be!

Belated Birthday weekend 2009! I had bought Tim tickets to see Dane Cook for his birthday a few weeks ago, and so we were off to Kansas City this weekend to complete the gift! We left Friday evening after my training session and Tim got off work. But we didn't make it all the way to Kansas City, we paused in Des Moines for a heavenly fajita dinner at On the Border and to meet up with Travis and his girlfriend (who we had never met) for some pie. It was a quick catch up session, but good to finally meet the one we hear about so much. Plus, it was nice to get there by dark since the roads were wet with rain....and lots and lots of deer blood.

Sidenote: We stayed at a Marriott, which seemed nice, I've never stayed at a bad one, but this one had gross sheets. There were hairs, so we called to request new ones, and they were lippy about it! They didnt want to give us new sheets!! The did, but still. Gross.

After a bit of a sleep in and some yummy bagels on the road, we made it to Kansas City! The weather was gorgeous, a bit chilly, but the sun was beating down when we rolled up to the City Market. That's one thing I miss about big cities, fresh produce markets. I really like this one though, not just produce, but spices and nuts and seafood too. Seeing those bags of spices makes me wish I knew what to do with them all! I have a spice book, but haven't really been able to figure it out. The fruit all looked super delicious so we got some apples for ourselves, but also some HUGE scallion onion things for my mom and a bag of cherries for my father. AND THEN THE BEST PART....I FOUND BUBBLE TEA!
How glorious does this look?! Mango bubble tea with yummy orbs of chewiness at the bottom. How I missed you.

Dropped off the purchases at the hotel, checked in, ate our nummy Doubletree Hotel cookies (makes me think of Adriano) and went to the next heavenly location on the list. Whole Foods. It is virtually impossible to explain how happy going to a grocery store made me. So I won't even try. But we spent over an hour in the smallish Whole Foods and came out totally happy with ourselves. Tim made quite a few purchases, I was able to hold off all the crunchy granola urges. Ok, no more on the topic, I will start to drool.

Part of Tim's Kansas City Musts is to eat at Jack Stack Barbecue. Now, I like barbecue, but not all crazy like him and the other men in my life. But what I didn't expect at this place was that they would have such a delicious salad. Bed of spinach, strawberries, plain walnuts, and some feta. A picture is needed to document a very rare occasion that took place soon after said salad was served:
During dinner, we were informed of a less than fortunate event that happened as my brother and his girlfriend headed over to her prom. Now that its over and everyone is fine, its ok, but throughout dinner there were a few rather stressed phone calls made.

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