Old Friends and Rideshares!

I visited a Chicago friend this Saturday. How did I meet this friend? eRideshare.com! We drove from Chicago to Washington State together. Here we are at Red Rocks outside of Denver. The woman who took this picture asked if we were twins. Clearly not.

We had a lovely Saturday brunch at the Little Goat Cafe in Chicago. Go there, but expect to wait an hour! She had kimchi in her eggs, I had a parantha burrito, and we finished with a blood orange meringue pie. Lovely!

It has been over a year since our road trip and we let the friendship sit neglected all that time. Don’t do that! Call those people, especially when they’re so close!

Free Coffee from Bad Ass Coffee.

When I wrote about my failed attempts to drink Bad Ass Coffee, I never expected them to contact me.

FAIL! Last Summer in New Mexico.

I didn’t know there was a Bad Ass location opening in Wrigleyville.

Success! January in Chicago

And I certainly never expected them to send me free coffee.

They sent us whole bean Pele’s Blend which we drank on a lovely Saturday morning way back in September.

January in Chicago and the BAD ASS COFFEE COMPANY!

Before classes started, I insisted we escape Indiana and go to the faraway Chicagoland.

Charlie Brown at Science and Industry

We schemed our way into free admission at Science and Industry. My favorite part: the exhibit on granular materials and avalanches! It actually relates to research I do at Los Alamos, believe it or not. Even more fun, I knew/recognized scientists in the informational videos in the museum. I am one serious geek!

The cool shiny spheres behind me contain granular materials: little spheres, pasta, sand, confetti… anything that will flow, jam, and exhibit avalanch behavior. Yep, avalanches and pasta in the same sentence.

Enjoying the unseasonably warm Chicago weather

Science and Industry!

Beyond museums, our 2 night trip consisted of wandering the Chicago Art Institute, attending the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a fabulous meal at Russian Tea Time, drinking at Frontera, and roaming the streets of Chicago. Of course I have no photographic evidence I did all of these wonderful things, but I can say that I love having a student membership at the Art Institute. We used it as a warm homebase to spend time in between longer museum visits at the Field and dinner/symphony trips.

He loves Modern Art, just ask him

The Vampiro (a chipotle-cucumber bloody mary) at Frontera is amazing. If you feel that sweet + alcohol = anathema, drink this instead. Aside from the lovely cultural opportunities, I had several goals. I wanted to see the famous Picasso in Daley Plaza. I wanted to take Dan to the old Chicago library (more on that soon).

Contemplating the Picasso

BAD ASS COFFEE!

On our last day I wanted Chicago pizza and BAD ASS COFFEE in Wrigleyville. The Art of Pizza is everything I expected, perhaps more.

YES! It WAS OPEN!

Thank goodness, I successfully drank Bad Ass Coffee. It was delicious. The coffee they kindly sent me last September was even better. I took pictures, but they’re mixed in with my wedding photos, and I admit, I haven’t posted/thanked them properly.

Hiking the Chuckanuts

If only!

Rain!

This morning I walked to work in an Indiana downpour, or rather a Lake-Effect downpour. The temperatures have shot up dramatically, the humidity is palatable, and we have winter rain in South Bend. People will complain, for sure, but not me.

Moss! I miss this stuff!

After last summer’s drought, I can’t help but smile with every precipitation, snow, rain, or freezing rain (we’ve had all three this week).

So why the pictures of the Washington fall forest? Yes, I do wish I was hiking in the woods, preferably surrounded by real green. It would be lovely. Better still if a dear friend would join me.

Red Rocks in Colorado

i.e. where I want to be. I had the opportunity to wander this venue for a hike in August. During my last trip to Boulder, I tried to plan a concert as well. Instead I got an eclipse!

It is raining here. I had to clear ice off my car last night after yoga practice. Can you tell I’m in denial about winter!

Mount Baker (There’s No Place Like Home)

I took this photo of Mount Baker two years ago while picking raspberries with my mom. Aside from general loveliness, this is essentially the view from my Grandmother’s back deck. I need to go back to Washington, can you tell?