I'm always a little bummed out when 'Teen Jeopardy!' is showing. While it signals the start of a new Jeopardy! season at it's end, the Teen tournament leaves me feeling bad about myself. One one hand, I gloat when I get the questions right. On the other, I feel really terrible about myself when I don't know the answers. It's a lose-lose situation. One thing I love about this season, though- the 'Ask Alex' bit during the commercials. Viewers get to ask Alex Trebek things like 'why did you shave your mustache' and 'what do you think of Will Ferrel's impression of you on SNL?'. Love it.
This morning we moved most of my things- packed boxes, posters, some furniture- into my mom's 1985 Westfalia VW camper. Most of it fit, thank goodness. We're going to have to do another trip later in the month, but it won't be as much stuff. Still, I'm a little nervous. I'm really going to miss...
E, of course
this tasty, delicious can't-get-enough gelato
the metallic earrings at Penelope's
Napoleon
my neighborhood, at night especially
Mario's Ice on a cool day
and a host of other things...
Feeling a little overwhelmed, but that's how it goes.
I spent the last six days in Vermont, my yearly pilgrimage to see my extended Vermont family. The main reason for celebration? Carmen and Matthew's wedding! Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures (E took his camera, mom's was out of batteries, and I'm too cheap/broke to buy one) and the wedding photog is taking his sweet time posting the pictures he took. It was a really lovely time, starting Thursday night all the way through Sunday (whew!). Carm had asked me to sing, and I did. my favorite part? Halfway through the ceremony we had to move it inside (unpredictable VT weather!) and I was asked to start singing the song I had just sung to help Matthew and Carm down the aisle, again. I started singing and everyone joined in! It was one of my favorite moments.
More later...
While I'm packing for Pittsburgh, I'm making piles. Oh, piles of things to give away, to throw away (straight to the rubbish bin!) and to perhaps sell in a yard sale that will most likely never come to fruition.
Making piles, listening to back-logged This American Life podcasts (what a crime!) and thinking about how I might decorate my new place.
Really, this should be the last of my thoughts, as I still have this book to finish for a discussion on my first day of grad student orientation. There are more pressing issues, I know, but what to put on my walls?! Where to put the (yet to be purchased/found on craigslist) sofa?! I've never lived by myself and this is a serious conundrum.
I know for sure I'll put up some pieces that E has drawn for me (and framed! What a nice beau) but I was thinking I might steal some of his Mat Daly prints, too.
(This is off the CHAIN in person! via MatDaly.com)Mat and E have a sort of mutual admiration thing going and often trade posters (that's, apparently, the thing to do around here. I must say, there are loads of great poster artists in Chicago). I really, really love his work.
We've been quite busy as of late. I'm moving to Pittsburgh for graduate school in a few weeks (master's in library science, ahoy!) and E leaves for tour tomorrow.
Tomorrow night is Mannequin Men's release show at the Metro. I'm actually really excited for the show, and so proud of them. This past Sunday E and Kev were interviewed for Local Anesthetic on XRT. You can go to the archives and hear it.
A poster E screened for the show:
Things I'd like to do before leaving Chicago:
go to Penelope's (just to, you know, look)
eat some mashed potaters at the Diner
go to Montrose Harbor and eat a Vietnamese pastry
Then I get to explore a new city!
It was recently announced that our fair city's Sears Tower will be renamed the Willis Tower by summer's end.
My immediate thought was 'Nuh-uh...it won't!'
Next thought? 'Who is Willis?'
The Tribune and Sun Times set me straight on that one (an insurance group. Hmmm...all shades of interesting! Bah!) but I still am not at all sold on the name change.
Then I saw a group on Facebook (don't laugh) called something like 'Chicagoans for Wesley Willis Tower'. Now that's a name change I can back!
Just look at this incredible art...
(image via http://www.nieves.ch/)Doing some further research I found this fun posting. In your face, snooty British insurance giants!
Recently, my college friend Doug, a very talented musician, asked E to create some art for him. He plans to use it for perhaps an album cover, or a CD insert, maybe even poster art to advertise for gigs.
This is E's specialty! He's talented in the arena of screenprinted posters, but I love his collaged and colored pencil work, too:
It's like...the color plate from an adventure story. Straight outta Jack London...or McKenna's Gold...or...a dream.
Oh, my, banh mi.
While driving down North Ave. to drop off some posters for an upcoming art exhibit
at Heaven Gallery, E and I passed Bon Bon near the cross at Western Ave. (2333 W. North Ave.) While I frequently eat down off Broadway and Argyle (which is mostly Vietnamese. You MUST go to Pho 777. Now. They are ridiculously nice) and had seen signs for banh mi, I had never tried it. Hmmm...Vietnamese sandwiches. A lingering cough/cold combo has my tastebuds in bland mode, so today I needed food that sounded REALLY GOOD. You know what I'm talking about?
I have to say, I love a good sandwich and this place was excellent. A double thumbs up for good grub. I tried the portabello sandwich, and E the pork with a lychee drink. He loved his, but I couldn't get much of a description from him between bites. Mine had the perfect spiciness (jalapenos), pickled veggies (think daikon, carrots, cucumber), the nicest amount of mayo for taste and hydration, a sprinking of cilantro and portabellos that were inoffensive (as I often find food from the mushroom family to be, well, icky). The best part, aside from the kind, fun owners? The bread. Oh, the bread. I love me some carbs, and this bread was perfection- soft and chewy, but not so much that my jaw hurt.
Even the coffee was amazing- nutty flavor with something sweet and milky. I didn't ask, because I was too busy liking it. Try the coffee sandwich combo for $5.50. What a deal!
Interested in making this at home? Angry Chicken blogged about creating her own banh mi months ago. I haven't tried her recipe, but she's pretty spot-on with most DIY endeavors.
