Mother-Daughter Weekend

The weekend after Christmas Mom and I had planned to visit my grandmother in Rochester.  A big blizzard throughout the Northeast caused us to cancel those plans.  We decided that Mother Nature would not get in the way of the two of us getting some much needed time together.  So I cashed in some of my hotel points and we spent two days exploring Traverse City.

Usually when I go up north, I don't spend much time in TC other than stopping for a bite to eat.  I've always had the impression that it is a really great city, but it's impossible to compete with the allure of the cottage and the bay!  

We spent our first evening checking out all the shops and boutiques on Front St downtown.  There was an amazing selection of home decor and clothing, although 99% of it was way out of my budget!  Saturday we had a leisurely breakfast and then spent the rest of the day on Old Mission Peninsula.  We began with an attempted snowshoe at the lighthouse; it turned into a winter hike due to the fact that the snow was only a few inches deep!  It was gorgeous and peaceful, and the only time that I got my camera out all weekend. After our hike we grabbed lunch at a local deli and went to a few wine tasting rooms. That evening we headed over to the Grand Traverse Commons to check out the cool architecture and cute shops.

It was an absolutely wonderful trip, full of great conversation and relaxation.  I am so thankful to have such an amazing mom and to live in such a beautiful state!

Chicago Weekend

After many attempts that were thwarted by our mutually busy schedules, we finally found a weekend that worked for all 5 of us, and Todd, Nathan and I headed to Chicago on Saturday to spend some time with Stu and Erin.

It was a smooth drive over, and after hanging out for a bit at their apartment we went to lunch/brunch at a great place called Milk and Honey. Properly fortified, we headed out to spend the afternoon at The Museum of Science and Industry. This place is so much fun! It is full of all modes of transportation, including a huge submarine, and all sorts of cool, sciency stuff. We didn't even scratch the surface of all the exhibits (an expected side effect of visiting a huge museum with a toddler) but we all had a great time.

I think this view was what sold Nathan on the idea that this place is totally awesome!

Checking out a coal powered train engine.

Great pic of Stu and Erin

"Wook at the pwanes, Dada!"

If we had unlimited money, we would totally have a building on our property with a sweet model train set-up.

Nathan was completely entranced by the trains. His eyes were as big as saucers, and he was almost completely silent he was so mesmerized.

Nathan loved pretending to drive the train.

So did Aunt Erin!

Everyone got in on the action.

My favorite exhibit was the one where you could see baby chicks hatching from their eggs.

All of us expected the train, tractor or submarine to make the biggest impression on Nathan's museum trip. However, if you ask him what his favorite part of the day was, he will tell you, "Bubbles!"

N is really good about holding hands when walking in a public place or on the sidewalk. All weekend, he kept rotating who had the hand-holding honor.

A WWII submarine is inside the museum--so cool! Unfortunately the tickets to tour the inside were all sold out, but it was still neat to wander around it.

N loved practicing climbing in and out of the porthole.

One of the highlights of the trip was getting behind the wheel of a huge tractor!

After the museum visit we were hungry again, and Stu and Erin took us to one of their favorite restaurants, Revolution Brewing Company. Unfortunately I wasn't able to sample the beer, but the food was DEE-licious. The decor of the place was amazing as well--I took this photo as an inspiration/dream of the way we could finish our basement. The wood paneling on the walls is all from bourbon barrels, and the light fixtures use the metal bands that hold the barrels together. So awesome!

Look at Nathan in his big boy booster seat!! Also, note the fleet of cars that are required to keep the peace at all public dining establishments.

After dinner we headed back to Stu and Erin's apartment to hang out with their cat, James, put a reluctant but exhausted Nathan to bed, and have a lowkey evening.

The next morning Nathan and I got up bright and early and watched some TV for awhile, and then headed out to a small playground that is right around the corner from the apartment. When the rest of the crew got up and started thinking about breakfast, we all walked to Sunrise Cafe, a great neighborhood breakfast restaurant. Some more lounging on the couch, and then we hit the road. Nathan was so worn out from his busy weekend that he slept the entire way home!

Exploring the Twin Cities

I spent last week in Minneapolis and St. Paul for work. As my 10th travel season is currently underway, it was a lot of fun to have some new recruitment territory. The people were friendly and the cities are great--clean, lots of paths and bike lanes, and good recycling. I was working 12-15 hour days, so I didn't do much touristy stuff, but I did get the chance to explore some good local restaurants and go for a few runs.

Downtown Minneapolis skyline view from my hotel room.


On Friday night, I went with Lauren, my colleague from Ohio Wesleyan University, to have dinner at The Nook in St. Paul. This restaurant was featured on the Food Network show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" as one of the best places in the city to get the signature "juicy lucy." We had to wait quite a while for a table since it was Friday evening, but we went down to the Nook's basement, which had a bar and a tiny bowling alley in it, so it turned out to be a very pleasant way to pass the time.

When we finally got to eat the juicy lucy, we were not disappointed! SO tasty, and the opposite of health food. To round out my healthy meal, I added a beer and some sweet potato fries. :) They weren't kidding about the molten cheese in the middle...

The next morning dawned into a perfect, crisp fall day. To take advantage of the weather and a window of free time before a day filled with interviews, as well as to pay penance for my indulgent meal the night before, I went for a run around Lake Calhoun. It is one of a chain of lakes just on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis, with both a pedestrian and a bike path all the way around it. Beautiful scenery, gorgeous weather and a well-maintained trail made for an absolutely delightful 3.1 mile run. I took a brief pause to snap a photo with my phone of the Minneapolis skyline across the lake. So pretty, although this photo doesn't even come close to doing it justice!

I also spent some time exploring the cute shops that line Grand Avenue in St. Paul, as well as having lunch with one of my Kalamazoo College classmates at Cafe Latte, which is on Grand as well. Oh, and I had a fabulous tandoori chicken wrap for lunch at Brit's Pub in downtown Minneapolis. Those destinations are well worth checking out if you're ever in the Twin Cities.

Overall, I really loved the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and if it weren't for the extreme winter weather and the fact that it isn't Kalamazoo, I could see our little family really enjoying living there.

Penguin Shenanigans

Well, as promised, here is my penguin-focused post. These penguins, scattered throughout 21c are completely awesome. They have a great personality by themselves, and the fact that the hotel encourages everyone to infuse them with even more personality and adventures makes the whole atmosphere fun. We spent some time with several of the penguins during our brief stay. One of them was discovered down in the basement of the hotel, and seemed to be seeking a more exciting atmosphere. The other was penguin #96, who was hanging out in Stu and Erin's hotel room for the weekend. We had a nightcap with him, and the rest is history!

"Hey guys, I'm a party penguin, stuck in the basement of the hotel!"

"Hello? Can any of you help me find the party?"

"No, Todd, I don't think it's behind this door."

"No, this is definitely not it, can you please come and get me?"

Todd and Stu happily oblige the penguin's request.

Waiting for the elevator.

Off to the penthouse!

Back in Stu and Erin's room, #96 is feeling sleepy.

Erin snuggles in.

But wait, the penguin has work to do!

No, penguin, you can't work on a Saturday night! How about a friendly smooch?

Yeah, that's better!

Ooh la la!

Stu is not amused that the penguin was kissing his wife.

Todd decided to diffuse the situation by giving #96 a sip of bourbon, the universal peacemaking offering.

Peace was made. Male bonding ensued.

Penguins like to hang out with friends.

Self-portrait with #96