Postcards from Christina

How to fake drink when you’re pregs & fool your co-workers – my 5 best tips

2012-01-22T12:57:00.000-05:00

During my first pregnancy, when I was hyper-sensitive about being outed before I was ready, I masterminded all kinds of ways to fake drink during social events with co-workers and friends. This time around, I haven’t had to rely on any of those acquired skills, and I kinda miss the challenge.

My favorite story, which I haven’t even told yet to my dear friends whom I fooled (SURPRISE Michelle, Allison and Alexa!), was when I was meeting up with some friends at a restaurant in Tremont that I had been looking forward to trying, Ty Fun.

When I arrived, I realized in a panic that one of my best tricks up till that time (tip #3: pay off the bartender) was dead in the water. If you haven’t been to Ty Fun, it’s one giant room and my friends had already been seated with a clear view of me when I walked in. What to do?!!! I said hello, left my coat on my chair and said I needed to visit the ladies’ room.

From my bathroom stall, I Googled the restaurant’s phone number, called them up and asked if whoever was assigned as our server would bring me an alcohol-free version of whatever drink I asked for. The ridiculous, yet effective, convo went something like this.

Restaurant: “So what table are you at?”

Me: “My three friends are seated in the back. I have red hair.”

Restaurant: “I don’t see you.”

Me: “I know. I’m calling you from the bathroom.”

Restaurant: “Why are you calling from the bathroom?”

Me: “Because I don’t want my friends to know I’m pregnant so I can’t actually order a non-alcoholic drink. Can you please help me?!”

Restaurant: “Uh, okay.”

Of course all of my friends were drinking red wine, which is hard to fake (I have faked white before though), so I ordered the house mixed drink special…WHICH CAME OUT WITH A GIANT PINEAPPLY FRUIT ACCOUTREMENT. I don’t know how I didn’t get outed right then and there because it looked so ridiculous, but I made it!

So, without further adieu, here are my top five tips:

1. Be selective with outings – yes, it sucks to be a homebody before you even birth your little ball and chain…errr bundle of joy, but pick your battles.

2. Arrive with a co-conspirator – if you can, find a friend you can trust who can be your wingman in case your plan goes to hell.

3. Go early – if you’re on your own, get there first so you can order a non-alcoholic drink that looks legit.

4. Make friends/pay off your server/bartender – briefly explain your situation and ask them to not make a big deal about bringing you your fake drink. Tip big.

5. White wine or mixed drinks are the easiest to fake – if a friend wants to try yours, say you’re not feeling well and don’t want to give them germs.

BONUS: If you’re put on the spot, order a drink, take a sip and then fake a headache. Someone did this to me, and it totally fooled me.

What has worked for you guys? Any massive fails?

We survived! Deets on our kiddy bag of tricks

2012-01-18T18:47:00.000-05:00

We're home! Dylan is still sick, but he toughed it out during the flight. We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare, and since our gate was right next to a kids' play area, he got to climb through tunnels before being couped up on the plane.

Thankfully, our flight came in 40 minutes early. Phil and I juggled D between our laps since he just wanted to cuddle as he slept all three hours or so. My stomach was in knots before that flight because we weren't sure how he would do. In hindsight, planning a cross-country trip with an 18-month-year-old was a bit ambitious, no? I do think, though, that we were pretty prepared for travel. Here's some intel on my strategy for smooth-as-possible travel:

1. Booked Dylan his own seat on our flights -- we got our own row and that was great
2. Premade four bottles before each flight so he had as much milk as he wanted
3. Bought a bunch of new mini toys and books plus some of his faves to introduce at various times during the flight to keep him occupied. I was really excited about this Fisher-Price iPhone case, but he still wanted the phone outside of the case
4. Brought a lot of little snacks
5. Used a lightweight car seat (we borrowed it from a friend) on the flight -- we debated between a seat and CARES but I felt that he would sleep better in a car seat
6. Made him his own playlist for the flight -- it's no coincidence that the kid's initials are DJK: this kid loves music. His fave songs definitely comforted him when he got upset or restless on the plane

Our next fam trip is slated for April to Florida. Thankfully, a shorter flight. :)

Cable cars, Musee Mecanique & puke

2012-01-16T22:23:00.001-05:00

As soon as we bought a one-day pass for the cable and street cars (literally), Dylan threw up in his stroller. Thankfully I carry a mess of bibs and wipes in the diaper bag so we could clean him up and then head back to our hotel nearby. He took a long nap and we knew we needed to leave the hotel at some point to get our room cleaned, so we crossed our fingers and took a cable car ride. Dylan seemed to be doing OK, so we rode it to the wharf and visited the quirky Musee Mecanique, which I liked from my last trip.

Dylan got to run around and Phil watched an old XXX reel. I watched the same one last time, and it featured a woman beating the crap out of a guy. Ha!

I bought a crab cake on the pier and we rode the cable car back to the hotel. Once we got back, Dylan started running a fever. I have never been more aware of how far we are from home and how long the flight is to get there. :(

Food trucks in Marin, Muir Woods (almost) and Golden Gate Park

2012-01-15T22:07:00.001-05:00

So, I'll venture to say that most people who visit San Francisco rent a car to visit wine country. Our clan rented one on a whim to go to a food truck meet-up in Marin, which I heard was beautiful and just across the Golden Gate Bridge by Sausalito.

It was a nice day in the Bay, but as soon as we crossed the bridge, we got rocked with sunshine. The Pickle napped while Phil and I sampled fare from five! food trucks. My fave food I tried was a deconstructed samosa with paneer from an Indian food truck called Curry It Up. There was a fun band playing, and once he woke up, Dylan got a kick after chasing after all the little dogs.

We swung by Corena's again in the morning and she suggested we visit Muir Woods to see the redwoods (and so Dylan could run around). It was on the back to San Fran from Marin, so we tackled the super steep, curvy and narrow road to get there. I enjoyed the chorus of "whoas" from the peanut gallery in his car seat. Unfortunately, lots of other families wanted to visit during the holiday weekend, so while our Jeep's tires touched the soil of Muir Woods, our feet never did.

On the way back, I somehow missed the turnoff to the Golden Gate Bridge overlook, and I am still kicking myself. I was really hoping for a fun family photo with San Fran and the bridge in the background like the one of Sarah and me from 2008.

I wanted to get back to Golden Gate Park since I enjoyed my visit so much last time. Once we got there, it was early evening and a bit chilly, so we didn't stay long. I did get to try something new though, since the de Young Museum wasn't open when Sarah and I visited. We went up into the tower for great views of the city.

Prego bellies reunited in San Francisco

2012-01-14T22:52:00.000-05:00

Phil and I love to get out of the Cleveland cold in the winter and head west or south. Although we haven't had much of a winter yet in Cleveland, it still was great to get some California sunshine. Today we scored a 66-degree day!

We kept things low-key today after our LONG flight. We grabbed lunch and then lounged at our hotel before meeting up with a newly transported friend, Corena, to San Francisco. She's due in a couple weeks, so you can see a big difference between our bellies. So fun watching our boys play together at her place! How she navigates the giant hill she lives on while being nine months prego, I have no idea.

The Pickle did really well on the flight. He cried a little during the last 20 minutes since his ears were bothering him. I have never been more thankful for no flight delays in my life since the five-hour-plus flight is long enough! We've been really fortunate to avoid weather disasters during our trips, with the exception of our 2008 Vegas trip (at least we were stuck where it was warm).

Even though the last time I came to San Francisco, I traveled with my friend Sarah and her mini, I still wasn't quite prepared mentally for how different it is to travel with a child. Usually I'm a turbo trip planner, but this time I prepped like crazy for the flights (you should have seen my bag of tricks for the Pickle) and left our itinerary up in the air. I have to remind myself that realistically, we can only tackle one or two things a day. It was a giant pain today trying to find elevators to accommodate the stroller for access to public transporation. Phil and I carried the Pickle up LOTS of steps. Sarah has made it all look so easy!

Ohsh, our Hotel Monaco room guardian

2012-01-14T22:03:00.000-05:00

Meet Ohsh, our fish in our room at Hotel Monaco. Why did we name him Ohsh, you might be wondering. Well, the Pickle has been saying "Ohsh" a million times a day. I fear it's because I say "Oh shit!" so often. Phil is in denial.

Love, love, love our room! The front desk sweetees upgraded us to an awesome suite since it's our first family vacay. We have a separate bedroom with sliding doors and a living room with a Queen sleeper. We'll see which bed the Pickle sleeps in.

Last Hurrah

2012-01-10T21:48:00.000-05:00

Today and tomorrow, I’m in Troy, Michigan, for client meetings. Normally for these types of fly-by trips when I barely step outside the walls of a conference room, I won’t bother writing a post. But, this trip is significant because it will be my last biz trip with D&E. My last day is next week. I start at Rosetta later this month to help build a social media department, and I couldn’t be more excited!

I know what you might be thinking: new baby and a new job = crazy. Maybe I am, but I feel ready for the challenge, and Rosetta could not have been more accommodating so far for me and my bun. I know pretty well the people I’ll be working with on my core team, and that makes this new venture (at Ad Age's 2011 Top Agency to Watch, no less) much less daunting. Plus, I have an incredible partner in my hubs, who has been relentlessly supportive.

But, back to Troy. I’ve been lucky enough to travel with one of my favorite co-workers, and after a long day of driving and meetings, we hit the nail salon and Morton’s for fab nails and a big, beefy meal. Our meetings were in a glass-windowed conference room across the street from the restaurant, and I kept staring at the sign ALL DAY. A girl can’t go wrong with filet and sautéed spinach. Mmmm!

San Fran is soon, so stay tuned for recaps of our first family vacay.

Shabu shabu in Cleveland! Finally!

2012-01-09T21:14:00.000-05:00

It’s been nearly three years since my trip to Japan, and I finally found and sampled shabu shabu in Cleveland! In case you’re not familiar, shabu shabu is a Japanese version of hot pot and translates to “swish swish” from the sound of the razor-thin meat and veggies you stir briefly in the pot.

In late December, my Japan trip companion, Gina, and I went to Ginko in Tremont, one of Dante Boccuzzi’s newest restaurants. It’s actually housed below Dante (love that place). In addition to my excitement for a shabu shabu reunion, from what I had heard from friends’ reviews, I couldn’t wait to try the restaurant. I’ve loved every encounter with Dante’s restaurants, and I really like the chef. (During the Taste of Tremont this summer, I happily chatted with him about Ginko’s upcoming opening.)

Ginko’s space is cozy with a fun circular sushi bar, very similar to the restaurant Gina and I visited in Tokyo where we first tried shabu shabu. There are two tables for shabu-shabu cooking – the top center of the table lifts up to reveal an electric burner to heat the broth, meat and veggies. Shabu shabu is so fun because it’s interactive. You dunk your meat and veggies in the broth for 10 seconds to two minutes and then dip them in two types of sauces. While we were eating, I could almost hear the "arigatou gozaimasu" from all the servers we encountered in Japan. :)

While our meal was delish, unfortunately, I think we visited on an off-night for service. The two shabu-shabu tables are the only seating for which Ginko accepts reservations, so I made sure to request a table more than a month before our visit. However, when we arrived, the hostess had no record of our reservation and was rather combative about it. Instead of apologizing, she said we could have a table, but she needed it back by 8. We also had a snafu with our server, but she did apologize and take a sushi roll off of our bill.

Based on advice from Chef’s Widow about how to handle a less thanstellar restaurant experience , I emailed the chef that night to let him know about our experience, but I never heard back from him.

Regarding the sushi and shabu shabu, they were great! There are two beef options for shabu shabu: Angus for $25 or Kobe for $50. We both went with Angus and weren’t disappointed. Since I’m pregs (SURPRISE!), we stuck to veggie sushi rolls: avocado/cucumber. Mmmm!

The shabu shabu is definitely worth trying, but make sure to make a reservation before you go because of the longer dining experience. When you call, specifically request a shabu-shabu table.

Have sippy cup, will travel

2011-11-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

Just booked our first fam vacay to visit friends in San Francisco in January! The Pickle is United's newest frequent flying tot...can't wait to get his official card in the mail.

Just saw this post yesterday from Travel Savvy Mom about visiting San Francisco with kids --
lots I did during my 2008 trip and definitely some new things to try.

Parents with kiddos who have flown across the coast with a tot: please send travel tips. :)

A new state!

2011-10-28T20:59:00.000-04:00

Knocked off another state this week. I hadn't even realized that I've never been to Virginia before. To me, I guess it's just one of those states that feels like I have to have visited at some point.

I was in Richmond for work, and I was fortunate enough to visit during the city's Restaurant Week (Cleveland's is next week!) I tried The Hill Cafe in the Church Hill neighborhood on Wednesday night and got a great meal for its Restaurant Week special of $25.11, of which $2.11 is donated to the food bank.

When visiting someplace new, I like to try local cuisine as much as possible, so I sampled fried oysters, shrimp and grits with bacon, and pecan pie. Maybe I'm the only one who doesn't know this, but the pecan pie I had from two different places had a lot of syrupy chocolate. When I've had it in the past near home, I don't remember it being so chocolately.

Last night, we tried Comfort, which was just featured in GQ this week. Comfort is to Richmond as Melt is to Cleveland -- cult following, comfort food, funky staff and no rezzies accepted. Each dish comes with a choice of two to three Southern sides (of course I opted for three). I had the luscious meatloaf with sweet potatoes, squash casserole and fried okra. I also tried a Legend Brown, a yummy, local brew.

After dinner, I convinced our group to check out The Fan neighborhood since it sounded cool. We went to tiny Bacchus, but since there wasn't room at the bar, we moved on to The Fan House. Lots of cool drink selections here, and the mixologist didn't disappoint. I tried a proseco drink (#11) with sweet potato purée because it sounded so crazy, and it was goooood.

I was disappointed that places seemed to be pretty spread out in The Fan since we couldn't just walk from place to place. I wish I had some daylight hours to explore, particularly since I heard there are a ton of galleries in that area.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the charming old row houses from the 1800s in the city, particularly those by VCU, this year's March Madness Cindarella story. (Incidentally, I saw Davidson soon after its storybook March Madness a few years ago during a Charlotte trip.) I also liked the refurbed old tannery and tobacco buildings in the city...so much character.

I wouldn't be disappointed if I was able to visit Richmond again, particularly since it's 90 minutes from Virginia Beach. Hopefully I can get some daylight hours to properly explore the neighborhoods and galleries.

Doing Good with Foster the People

2011-10-06T11:07:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was another mash-up of eating out, shopping and connecting with former Clevelanders, this time with a volunteer twist.

My friend Carli has been doing PR for the Do Good Bus, which has linked up with the band Foster the People during its U.S. tour. The Do Good Bus kidnaps Foster the People fans who are up for an afternoon of mystery volunteering in the city where the band is playing that night.

I made a donation to help get the bus on the road and my pic made the back of the bus (I'm below the flash to the left).

Before catching the Do Good Bus, I browsed some shops in Bucktown and Wicker Park (wait till Pickle sees his surprise). My faves were Psychobaby (custom baby clothes), The Red Balloon, P45 and Cynthia Rowley. I kid you not, but the only thing I bought for myself were some cult Cynthia Rowley Band-Aids. Trust me, I've spent enough on meals and wine this week.

The Do Good Bus took us to an organization called The Gaia Movement, which collects clothes, toys and books in bins throughout Chicago, farms a small garden to source food for a church's food pantry and teaches people about sustainability and the environment.

I sorted and cleaned books and helped box them up for Christmas deliveries for kids...ahhh, so heartwarming. I had a great time meeting new people and comparing our best book finds. Mine were a bunch of Harlequin novels clearly aimed at lusty single moms. See below.

When I was going through the piles of books, one of the garden team leaders came over and asked if I wanted to help out with the garden. I sheepishly told her I'm not an outdoor girl and that I was enjoying the cool, shaded warehouse environment. :)

Once we got back into the city, the band interrupted its sound check to come by and say hi. We got a picture snapped of Mark Foster, Carli and me to represent the Cleveland connection. (Note that I made Carli pose with the broom she was using the clean the bus.) Mark was nice enough to sign the postcard I was sending to Dylan.

It's so funny, but when Carli and I saw the band in Cleveland in June at the Grog Shop, they were parked on the street with one van that was hauling them around the country. Four months later, they have an entourage of four sweet buses (five couting the Do Good Bus) and will be on SNL Saturday (featuring a surprise guest!!).

Heading home today to see my boys, whom I miss like crazy. Can't wait to veg and eat salads for the next few days.

Michigan Avenue and Two Dinners

2011-10-05T10:03:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a lovely, relaxing day. I'm staying in Bucktown, so I found a gym to help me lessen the guilt of all the gorging I've been doing. However, I didn't even make it back home before stopping to eat a cheddar and figs grilled cheese sandwich at a wonderful cafe called Birchwood. The staff are so friendly and helpful, and I loved sitting on the patio. (Even DailyCandy wrote about it, so you know it's awesome.)

I spent the majority of my day on Michigan Avenue, and the blisters on my feet are living proof. Strangely, my wallet really isn't much emptier from that jaunt. I've been spending all my money on food and drink vs. goods. However, at Zara, I purchased mommy-and-me scarves (not matching though). They have BABY SCARVES. BABY SCARVES. The one I bought hopefully will go nicely with the Pickle's pea coat from Gap (I know I have a problem).

I hit up the new Topshop, which just opened a couple weeks ago, but their stuff never fits my linebacker shoulders. I had a moment of panic in the dressing room when I thought I wouldn't be able to get the cute star-pattered sheer top I was trying on back off. No rips!

Met up with friends for drinks and a sampling of the foursquare-raved-about garlic bread at Michael Jordan's new steakhouse in the Intercontinental Hotel. Crowd was older and the service was lackluster, but we were entertained by our server's throwback look to the Robert Palmer Addicted to Love video. And, the garlic bread was amazing. The chicken and waffles appetizer also was really good.

Finally got to go to Avec for a late dinner, and the dates are all that everyone have said they would be. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long for a table. My friend Mary and I both had our inaugural sampling of bone marrow, and neither of us were converted fans. However, I still want the antique bone marrow scoops that I saw at the Art Institute on Monday.

Hitting up some baby shops in Bucktown this morning and then meeting up with Carli on the Do Good Bus. Back home to the Cleve tomorrow to relieve Phil of our sick kiddo. He has the worst luck when I travel. :(

Art and Indian food

2011-10-04T10:56:00.000-04:00

So, no extreme relaxation brownie needed yesterday. A visit to the Art Institute of Chicago, some Cakebread chardonnary at The Wit and a delightful meal at Cumin did the trick.

I tried to live tweet my visit to the museum, but Twitter was S L O W yesterday so my tweets weren't quite in real time. Here's a link to them. My faves were the kimono and war posters exhibits and a little one-on-one time with my fave painting above.

My friend suggested that I try the restaurant in the new modern wing, Terzo Piano, and it was fantastic. I had the due piccole, which was a flatbread pizza topped with microgreens from The Chef's Garden in Ohio, goat cheese and beets. I'm so glad I asked my server what it was since it was listed in the salad section and it wasn't really clear what the presentation would be.

After my afternoon at the museum, I walked to Edelman's Chicago office. The building is impossible to miss because it was designed by the same architect as the World Trade Center towers. It's also right by Millenium Park. I walked on the bridge from the new modern wing to Millenium Park, which is something I didn't get to do the last time I was here.

At Cumin in Bucktown, I had my favorite Indian food staples: naan, samosas, paneer mahkani and saag (this time with lamb). Awesome!

After I finish up some work, I'm hoping for a wonderful, wandering afternoon outside in the sun.

Tomorrow, I'm doing an afternoon of volunteering on the Foster the People sponsored Do Good Bus with my friend Carli, who's coordinating publicity for the bus' efforts during the band's U.S. tour. The weather outlook looks great.

Kicking off birthday month in Chicago

2011-10-03T00:07:00.000-04:00

Beth (D&E alumna) and Mary (MT alumna) at Big Star

Hello! I am alive. I am surviving the chaotic balancing act that is Christina the individual with Christina the wife and mama the mother. During hectic times, I tend to go social media dark. Here is a glimpse into the light.

I have been busting my ass the pass six weeks trying to prove that I can do it all. Sacrifices include my twitching right eye, hating myself when I put work first, and spending "quality time" with my hubs while I work on my laptop in bed with ESPN on in the background. Such is life, and I'm certainly not the only one.

I find myself in Chicago during the kickoff of my birthday month! and I have the fortune of meeting up with five friends over five days. Mwah! I'm here for a trade show this weekend + Monday and then attempting to take "vacation" the rest of the week. Try, try again, I will continue to attempt. :)

Tonight, I met up with agency alumna from my past two Cleveland jobs in Bucktown. Fun! We tacoed it up at Big Star (super strong and cathartic margaritas), pretentioused it up at Violet Hour (goat cheese=yum and brandy=yuck) and caloried it up at Hot Chocolate (love those lusty Mexican hot chocolates).

The last time I was here, Mingus was in my belly and I was keeping him a secret. Now, I'm trying to sync my schedule so that I can Skype with him and his daddy #firstworldproblems (yes, I just used a hashtag not on twitter...get over it XOXO).

At the NACS show for convenience store execs, here are my favorite new products:

Lazy Larry Extreme Relaxation brownies are da bomb!

Pickle!

Perky Jerky! Holla!

Making the most out of biz trip

2011-08-09T12:14:00.000-04:00

This article in USA Today about how to make the most of a business trip by getting out of your hotel, reminded me of all the times I've been able to leverage a work trip for fun. It also reminded me of how frequently I used to travel to work and how that has changed. :(

My favorite travel experiences that were add-ons from business trips were my last Europe trip (my first blog post!), San Francisco and San Diego. All of those were from 2008. Damn. I need to figure out how to do some leveraging, STAT.

Little Italy, Coventry & Gordon Square

2011-07-31T22:36:00.000-04:00

Brunching it up at Washington Place Bistro

Ugh. I feel disgusting from all the eating I've done this weekend. But, Jen raved on and on about Cleveland's restaurant scene, so all of the gorging was worth it! And, the Pickle was such a good little diner.

We started at Washington Place Bistro for brunch in Little Italy. Yay for monkey bread and mimosas!

From there, we spent a couple hours on Coventry in all of the shops. We hit Big Fun, Next, American Apparel, Winds of Change and City Buddha. (What happened to Brigade??? I didn't know it moved to Beachwood Place.) We would have stopped in Blush, but it was randomly closed.

I CANNOT WAIT to get him in these hilarious American Apparel 70s short with knee socks!

Jen's flight was tonight, so we persuaded Phil to join us at Luxe on the patio since he had never been and Gordon Square is sort of on the way to the airport. Dylan CRUSHED the short rib and potato gnocchi (why wouldn't he?...it's awesome). Then we went across the street to Sweet Moses for malts and sundaes. They had the cutest little table for minis, and Dylan made friends with a little girl and her giant lollipop.

Mmmm..Sweet Moses!

I can't believe we almost hit every place on our list. We only missed Tremont and some East side stuff, but Jen has been to those places before. I realized that I left out Chagrin Falls as a must-see neighborhood. I haven't been in a while, but need to hit up Jeni's soon. Who's in?

Downtown, E. 4th Street & Ohio City

2011-07-31T22:19:00.002-04:00

Striping it up at The Greenhouse Tavern rooftop bar.

On Friday and Saturday, Jen practically became mayor of my parking garage since we jetted back and forth to downtown each day. On Friday, we started at the Downtown Farmers' Market where we filled up on food truck eats and bought out Ohio City Pasta.

Dylan loved his pulled pork enchilada, but he ended up with mud butt the next morning. :(

From Public Square, we walked to the Rock Hall to see the awesome Women Who Rock exhibit. Loved our visit, but we almost missed Gaga's meat dress since its display was obscurely positioned in the exhibit (it's on the 6th floor in the display case on the other side of Rihanna's outfit).


We found the PERFECT souvenir for the Pickle: a Rock Hall maraca. Please note his Rock Hall attendance bracelet.

After the Rock Hall, we went home for Dylan's nap and got ready for our girls' night out. Since Jen interned with the agency I work for, we met up with Lisa, one of my co-workers, at The Greenhouse Tavern. We gorged on dinner (the pot de creme is AMAZEBALLS) and headed up to the rooftop for fresh air and great views of E. 4th Street.

Love to see this place busy!

We ran into other peeps we knew, including another co-worker, Julia, and Alexa.

Chatting with Julia, we realized all four of us were dressed in stripes and Michael Kors watches.

On Saturday, we headed to the West Side Market to pick up veggies, more pasta (I know) and cottage cheese pirogi (Phil's fave). There was a fun band playing at the Ohio City Open Market, so we stopped by and then visited Room Service and bought hilarious inappropriate Barbie greeting cards.

Since Jen always shows me awesome Charlotte shops, I really wanted her to see The Dredger's Union, so we went back to E. 4th.

For dinner, we cooked up beer can chicken, all our amazing Ohio City Pasta (rosemary and roasted red pepper pasta tossed with pesto and roasted red pepper sauce), and made a salad with veggies from our garden and the Market. Mmm!

Jen and I went to see Friends With Benefits (JT's character's name was Dylan!) when the Pickle went to bed. Loved it! Since I had only a few hours of sleep the night before, I passed out when we got home.

Please see this amazing onesie Jen bought Dylan from wrybaby.com!

Operation Life Doesn't Suck After Baby commences this weekend

2011-07-26T13:17:00.000-04:00

Last summer when I was super pregs and had limited traveling options, my favorite out-of-town gal pals came to visit me and my belly. Luckily, this summer, I’m getting a repeat performance.

My friend Jen from Charlotte is visiting this weekend, and Sarah and her minis are coming in next weekend for Dylan’s one-year birthday parties (Yes, parties…one for each side of the fam).

Sarah has been my mom role model ever since I visited her and three-week-old Ella and realized that you can be a mom and not be a hermit. I’m hoping that I have a similar effect on Jen as we eat, shop and stroll in the Cleve off and on with The Pickle.

Here’s the tentative itinerary for the weekend:

Downtown:

Farmer’s market/food truck noshing
E. 4th shopping at The Dredger’s Union
Rock Hall for Women Who Rock exhibit (they have Lady Gaga’s meat dress!)
Maybe rooftop dining at The Greenhouse Tavern

Ohio City/Tremont/Gordon Square:

West Side Market chowing and people watching
Shopping at Room Service
Maybe dinner at Bac
Blowing my diet at Sweet Moses

East Side:

Manipedis
Shopping at Legacy Village and Brigade on Coventry
Maybe dinner at Rockefeller’s (haven’t tried yet)
Fam brunch at Washington Place Bistro

When friends come into town, what’s on your must-see list?

Road tripping in the super sexy veggie van

2011-07-17T10:24:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the annual Veggie U Food & Wine Celebration at the Culinary Vegetable Institute in Milan, Ohio. (Note: this Milan is pronounced “Mylan.” I guess I was trying to fancy it up by pronouncing it like the city in Italy. Whoops.) I attended for the first time and had a blast stuffing my face and sweating my ass off (OK, sweating wasn’t so fun, but at least everyone was).

I first heard about Veggie U from my friend Michelle at Cleveland Foodie a couple years ago. Veggie U is a program that educates fourth graders across the country on the importance of making wise food choices and understanding where their food comes from. As a new mom, I am all about that! I’m so proud that my Pickle loads up on the veggies. I love being a Veggie U donor and supporting their efforts.

Since the event was an hour away, a group of us hired a ~~church van~~ super sexy veggie van – as deemed by Suzanne – as our stylized method of transportation. It was hard to stay sexy since said van didn’t have air besides the lovely wind from the highway that ganstered up my hair. It also had a questionable tire. But, we had a blast with our hors d’oeuvres, Busch beer and seat dancing!

My fave foods from the event were Jeni’s Ice Creams, a goat cheese mousse salad, Washington Place Bistro’s pork and fried tomato dish and a mini champagne bottle with a straw. I waited in line three times for Jeni’s (What? It was hot!). The flavors I tried were goat cheese with cherries, pistachio and honey, lemon and blueberries and a taste of Allison’s sweet corn and black raspberries. I am seriously considering serving some at the Pickle’s one-year birthday party since Heinen’s sells pints.

Jeni & Charity are BFFs!

There was a fun panel discussion that featured The Greenhouse Tavern's Jonathan Sawyer (Noodlecat), Chipotle’s founder Steve Ells, former Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl and Veggie U Farmer Lee Jones. I asked the panel about their favorite veggies and will always think of Farmer Lee Jones whenever I eat asparagus since he said he lusts after them when they’re not in season.

Panel discussion

We noticed on the drive in that part of the farm had a big sign noting that the oregano being grown was for Chipotle. Yay! When Steve Ells said his favorite veggie is broccoli rabe, audience members shouted to make a new burrito with it. Yum!

Oregano for Chipotle!

Near the end of the event, the organizers gave away all of the beautiful fresh veggies on display and I got myself a hefty handful of carrots. I was so excited that the Pickle and I ate some for breakfast. Everyone was right: they are so sweet!

Initially, I had planned to go to Taste of Tremont today, but I think I’ve had my fill of heat and food this weekend. Have fun!

*Disclaimer: I was given a free ticket to the Veggie U Food & Wine Celebration during a blogger dinner at Washington Place Bistro in May.

Tulsa...so close

2011-07-15T12:45:00.001-04:00

I have a personal goal of conquering all 50 states. To be considered a legit trip, I have to stay overnight. Since I haven't checked off any new states in a WHILE, I was excited at the chance for a biz trip to Tulsa this month. Well, it was a no go, so Oklahoma will remain lonely for me.

Got a few visits brewing, but I haven't bought any flights yet. On the horizon: Vegas for Phil's 40th (lucky #7 trip for me!), maybe Boston for a conference for Phil, Chicago and San Francisco to visit a newly relocated friend. I'm also still aching to take the Pickle on an international trip. Stay tuned.

Aureole deliciousness

2011-05-26T23:28:00.000-04:00

I'm an idiot and somehow I deleted my earlier post. So, I will try my best to duplicate it.

Tuesday night's dinner was one that ranks in my 10 top. We went to Charlie Palmer's Aureole in Mandalay Bay. The restaurant boasts a giant glass wine tower tended by "flying wine angels." We only saw one "fly" and he looked more ~~stalker~~ stocker than angel.

The rosso bruno tomato and artisanal burrata salad was one of the best that I ever had. Burrata is a cheese made from mozzarella and cream...AHMAZING! The tomatoes were heirloom and the pesto was really light and perfect. And, there was some sort of parmesany, yet sweet crisp that was awesome. I really liked my halibut too, which was in a ginger sauce with udon noodles.

I struggled with making a dessert selection because there were a lot of great options. To our surprise, our server brought two additional desserts for our table from the chef, whom he said was pleased that several of us were members of the clean plate club (guilty as charged). We had SEVEN desserts on the table for five people. I liked the sorbet sampler best...so refreshing and a great presentation (see the triangle in the bottom right of the photo).

After dinner, we walked the Strip so Julia could see as many hotels/casinos as possible during her first visit. We toured Mandalay Bay, Luxor, New York New York, MGM Grand and The Bellagio.

At MGM Grand, we played roulette and Pai Gow poker. Amazingly, I walked away with extra money in my clutch (after my iPad win, could I get any luckier?). Julia, however, was not so lucky (her ticket below says $.08).

By the time we hit The Bellagio, my feet were walking by themselves. I had a combined total of sleep during my three nights in Vegas of less than 15 hours (totally worth it). But, the ceilings were too pretty to miss and thankfully The Bellagio connects to Vdara via a walkway.

This morning, I napped with the Pickle, so I think I'm back on track.

Good to see you, Vegas. Hope to be back soon for lucky trip #7.

Vdara

2011-05-25T22:14:00.000-04:00

When Phil and I last came to Vegas in December 2009, City Center was just opening. The hotels looked gorgeous and the elite stores in Crystals were something to see. So, I was excited when I learned I'd be staying at Vdara during this trip.

The hotel is beautiful and LEED certified for sustainability. There's no casino, which was refreshing. (Aria next door has one.) As soon as you open the doors to the lobby, the most wonderful, clean scent greets you. I don't know what it was, but I always found myself smiling as soon as I smelled it.

The suites rock! They're huge: kitchenette, sitting area with couches and chairs and a flatscreen, bed and another flatscreen and a bathroom with a tub and shower. And, Aveda products!

I was able to watch the Bellagio's fountain show from my room and I had a nice view of the Strip.

Vdara connects to the Bellagio via a walkway, and there's a tram within City Center that connects the other hotels and Crystals. Cosmopolitan is right next door and within walking distance, although I will admit that we took a cab back from Marquee ;).

Loved Vdara, and I'd stay there again. Also would love to stay at Cosmopolitan too!

I like to disco

2011-05-24T20:56:00.000-04:00

OK, so there was no disco last night, but we did have an AHMAZING time at the Marquee in Cosmopolitan. Frankly, I'm surprised that we made it out at all since we were at the trade show from 7 to 7 after a night of limited sleep. I consumed four cups of Starbucks coffee during the course of the day followed by a double shot of espresso at 8 p.m. just to keep me going. Since it's Julia's first visit, we've been checking things off her to-do list during our evening downtime. Visiting a nightclub was a first for me, so I was motivated to suck it up and stay out.

First, the Cosmopolitan is just beautiful. There are chandeliers everywhere. We picked Marquee because it's the only mega-club open while we're here (Tao and Tryst are fun, but only open Thursday thru Saturday) and because of the buzz. During dinner at Sushi Roku (yum) we signed up for the guest list online, which ended up being a great move since we got comped to get in after about an hour wait in line. There were all kinds of lines: guest list, locals, hotel guests, table rezzies, etc. Since we heard table rezzies require at least a $200 min, we knew we weren't going that route despite how fast that line moved.

After waiting forever (we were so tired we barely chatted), we went up in a party elevator to the 17th floor and walked into an awesome scene: tons of people, DJ on stage, lights, cool mist blowing, giant screen. Just fun. We weaved our way down into the DJ pit and danced, and then went outside for a little bit for the view. There were gaming tables outside ($50 min). I read that there were smaller rooms too, so we walked up a couple flights of stairs to the library. It's super intimate with its own bar, swanky decor, and a closed off balcony with a view of the main room.

Two seconds after we walked in - no joke - we were asked to join a table because a group had more liquor than they could drink...who turns that down? Our new friends said their table rez was for $1,000, but I can't imagine how that could possibly be right. Thankfully they were really nice and not creepy. The super cozy leather couches rocked and were a welcome break for Julia's badass heels.

We got back just before 3 a.m. (who am I????...I have not seen the other side of 2 a.m. in YEARS) and got up by 8 to start another busy day at the show.

Going to dinner tonight and then who knows. I fly back in the morning.

Can't hyperlink within the blog for some reason, so here are some links:

Marquee: http://www.vegas.com/nightclubs/marquee/

Cosmo lobby: http://twitpic.com/51sz1q

Julia's shoes: http://twitpic.com/51sv58

Mwah Monday

2011-05-24T11:20:00.001-04:00

I am blowing kisses at yesterday's awesomeness:

Great meetings at the show
Won an iPad at the show's social media pavilion (YAY! I never win anything in Vegas)
Scored some fashion finds....stripes...on sale!
Yummy dinner at Sushi Roku (baked lobster roll was fantastic)
Fun night at Marquee in Cosmopolitan

More deets later...

Beso Las Vegas

2011-05-23T02:43:00.002-04:00

It's 11:30 p.m. Vegas time, and I just got back to my hotel room after a yummy dinner, some window shopping and people watching.

At Beso, Eva Longoria's restaurant at Crystals in City Center, Julia and I recalibrated from the flight with some lovely pear and elderberry sangria. (We were tempted to try Eva's Cadillac margarita for $99 - what the eff is Persian lime juice anyway? - but we abstained.)

I really wanted to try the
chili rellenos with short rib and goat cheese, but they were all out. I settled for some guac and a salad with an interesting orange champagne vinegarette.

During our people watching as party goers headed to post-Billboard Awards gatherings, I lamented that the wardrobe I brought is not slutty enough. Actually, I own nothing slutty enough to compete with all of the skin and sparkles we saw. But I will make do.

It's time for bed, little mouse little mouse (kisses to Dylan)...

Sixth time's a charm?

2011-05-22T22:45:00.002-04:00

Headed to Vegas on a work trip and hoping to score big with great meetings, weather, dining, shopping and winning. Not too much to ask, no?

Based on my calculations, this will be my sixth visit to the Strip. So what's different about this trip? I'm sans hubs, lover of all things Vegas, and I'm a mama away from her Pickle. (I directed Dylan to abstain from reaching any milestones while I'm gone. My days away arms Phil with several hours of drilling him to say Dada v. Mama...I'm doubting our Skype chats will be effective training sessions.:))

I'm also experimenting with traveling with antravel instead of a laptop. I'm a little leery of forgoing access to my work file network, so I emailed myself a bunch of docs I might need and have been downloading apps like Docs to Go to let me create and edit Word and PowerPoint files. I'm traveling with a colleague (a Vegas newbie!), and she has graciously agreed to let me comandeer her computer should I run into issues. I have to say, so far, I'm loving the feel of my lighter purse and not needing to take out a gadget while moving through airport security. I do miss not having a way to save photos so I can upload them to the blog. Unless anyone has better suggestions, I'm planning to link to my twit pics.

Tomorrow will require lots of caffeine to keep my batteries running. We have late dinner rezzies tonight (Julia shares my love of restaurant hopping) and I expect to be a little jet lagged. Tomorrow, our 12-hour work day starts at 7 a.m. You know I'll be hitting the coffee shop at 6:45.

Can't wait to introduce Julia to Vegas' chiming, clanging background noise (and Pai Gow Poker)! And, the Billboard Music Awards are at the MGM Grand tonight, so maybe we'll rub shoulders with some celebs.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Travel 2.0

2011-04-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm in the Big Apple for a last-minute, quick work trip. I was happy for the chance to go to NYC, but navigating my new responsibilities as a mom can be a pain. Here's what can be frustrating:

1) Coordinating schedules with Phil to make sure he can be home when I'm away
2) Waking up god-awful early to catch a flight since I need extra time to feed the baby
3) Lugging my pump everywhere...Marc Jacobs, please, please partner with Medela for a kick-ass bag
4) Pumping on the road...desperation yesterday led me to a bathroom in Five Guys in Greenwich Village. Not awesome. A shot of tequila about five minutes afterward did help, though.

With all that said, I know the most annoying things are temporary, and I'll figure out the rest. Certainly not worth forgoing adventure...

March Madness in the Cleve!

2011-03-17T09:21:00.000-04:00

Six years ago, my hubs got me into March Madness. All the double and triple OTs...how can a girl resist?

Two years ago, we went to Dayton to see some of the first round of games and had a blast. This year, Cleveland is hosting games at the Q, and I'm pumped that we're going. We'll get to see Ohio State, hopefully twice. Yay!

Looks like Ohio State will host some games next year, so if you're interested in going, start planning! The lottery for tix usually starts right after the Final Four. I posted about our ticket-snagging strategy after we went to Dayton, so take a look, in case it's helpful.

3-year blogversary!

2011-02-16T18:19:00.000-05:00

Happy blogversary to me!

I started this blog three years ago during a solo trip to Europe to share my adventures with my fam and friends. Since then, I've loved revisiting trips by scanning posts and sharing and getting tips about what to do and where to eat.

In three years, I've written 161 posts (which isn't a lot, but I write to remember my trips vs. penning daily posts) and taken 27 trips to two continents, four countries and 15 states.

Happy travels!

Snowpocalypse 2011

2011-02-02T17:22:00.000-05:00

I had a work trip to Indianapolis planned for yesterday and today, but Snowpocalypse 2011 changed my travel plans. A true travel nerd, I actually was excited for this trip because it meant I got to check another state off my travel list (this would have made 23, which as I write this is still a surprisingly low number...how have I not been to half of the states?). However, when I saw the travel warning by the National Weather Service that said "roads will likely become impassable due to heavy snow or icing" and travel would be "very hazardous or impossible," I was not so excited. Looking at the inch of ice on my driveway, I'm glad to be home.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T08:54:00.043-05:00

Hello, 2011!

Yesterday, my brother and I were chatting about the Back to the Future Movies, and he said one was set in 2015...where are our flying cars, yo? We've got four years to bust them out.

2010 was a milestone year for me. I welcomed a new travel companion into the world, and wow, is my life different...in a good way, of course. Before I had a baby, I had always hoped to be really mobile with my child, and The Pickle is a trouper. (He's actually helping me type this, which is why an early draft published before I was finished.)

Here's a recap of 2010:

I survived first-trimester nausea on a work trip to Chicago
I took a road trip to D.C. while still hiding my bump. I discovered my new prego bladder-emptying threshold (every 45 minutes)
Phil and I took an amazing babymoon to Key West
Dylan and I took our first trip together to Dallas (it was a blast, but I came home exhausted)
I took my first work trip to NYC and endured the pain in the ass of mobile pumping (airport bathrooms blow for this)

Here's what's coming up in 2011:

I'd love to take an international trip with Dylan...can you imagine how cute his passport will be?! There are two possibilities for this: a Morocco trip with Sarah or somewhere in the Caribbean for a friend’s destination wedding. Fun!

Most likely, I'll have multiple Vegas trips, both for work and fun (Phil and his best friends will be celebrating their 40th this year). Dolla dolla bills, y'all!

Happy travels to you all!

NYC 5th Avenue Holiday Windows

2010-12-08T14:45:00.000-05:00

During this biz trip, I had about a 30-minute break each day to walk outside. That's not enough time to shop (Phil is rejoicing), so I settled for second-best: window shopping. Luckily, this is the best time of year to do so since the department stores go all out with their holiday displays. Plus, this article in the Times, which previewed the windows, got me in the mood.

I didn't make it to Barneys or Bergdorf, but here are highlights from Cartier, Saks, Fendi and Hollister.

Love, love, love the big red ribbon on Cartier's building. Big gold boxes that opened and closed with jewelry inside were in the windows.

A snippet of the windows at Saks, which were very whimsical. There was a light show at night, but I missed it. Sorry for the bad photo. At least you get a glimpse of me in the reflection! :)

Fendi's display was my favorite! The lights looked like icicles dripping.

While not Christmasy, Hollister's giant panel of a live feed of California waves was pretty cool.

Happy holidays! Any big trips planned to close out 2010?

Back to work and back on the road

2010-12-06T23:33:00.001-05:00

I've been back at work for a month, and today was my first biz trip (and the longest time I've been away from The Pickle). I'm in NYC for an overnight, and so far, so good. The weather forecasters freaked me out a little last night because of the anticipated snowfall in Cleveland, but my trip to the airport and flight were smooth. Fingers crossed for an easy trek home tomorrow night.

Initially, I thought about having Phil bring the baby, but then I realized I'd have little free time and that flight prices were astronomical (I bought my ticket not long ago). I'm glad he's not here because all of the little kiddies I see bundled up make me cringe. They look like little icicles. Poor peanuts.

It's been more than a year since I've been in the Big Apple, and I'm glad to be back. (Seeeee. I told you I'd still want to travel.) However, I think I lost my mojo when it comes to basking in unseasonably warm weather here in late November/early December. It is COLD.

Today I had only 30 minutes of free time so I wandered by Rockefeller Center and Radio City to see the trees. I remember walking by there a couple years ago in December and taking off my wool coat because it was so warm. Not this trip. No sir.

I was reading old NYC posts and came across this one about my favorite places to Christmas shop while in the city. I am a creature of habit! Today I stopped in the MOMA Design Store and I'm hoping to at least get a peak at the holiday shops at Bryant Park. And, I dined at an old standby for dinner, Buddakhan. Hooray for edamame dumplings and rock shrimp! I love taking people there and it was perfect because my client was staying in Chelsea.

During my walk, I saw some pretty holiday windows at the big stores. I hope to see more tomorrow and share some pics. Tis the season!

Tips for traveling with an infant

2010-10-25T11:46:00.028-04:00

Since amazing moms like my friend Sarah and bloggers I read like Baby Making Machine inspired me to take my Dallas trip with Dylan, I wanted to pass along some tips for traveling with a baby that worked for me...

Comfort your baby - Feed him on your flights during takeoff and landing to help his ears adjust to the change in pressure. Consider wearing a wrap to keep him close to you and give you free hands when you need it.

Protect your gear - I bought a stroller bag and big plastic bag to protect my stroller and car seat from rough handling. I also asked to gave my stroller hand-screened when we went through security so I didn't have to maneuver it on the conveyor belt (P.S. Don't dress baby in a hoodie or shoes since both will need to be removed in the security line. Seriously. See here.)

Ask for help when you need it and accept help when it's offered - It would have taken me FOREVER to fold my stroller and put it in the bag if kind strangers hadn't offered to help.

Arrive early to check in at your gate - Befriend the gate agent and flight attendant and ask if there's a row free so you can have some extra room and privacy if you're nursing.

Get over nursing in public - I was DREADING this, but it ended up being fine. No one cares and it's less of a big deal if you remember you need to do what's best for your baby. With that said, I'm a weirdo and am more comfortable nursing in front of strangers v. people I know.

Stay hydrated - this is easy to forget to do when you travel. Remember to take care of yourself despite being extra focused on your kiddo.

Make the baby the focus of your schedule - Know that he'll need you even more than usual. For that same reason, keep your schedule light on your first day of travel and clear your calendar when you return since he might need to readjust yet again.

Good luck!

We did it!

2010-10-24T20:44:00.000-04:00

We're home! We got back yesterday afternoon. I'm feeling rather accomplished that we successfully navigated our first big travel adventure, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I'm totally exhausted! In fact, we all snoozed yesterday afternoon in the comfort of our own bed. And, Dylan thankfully slept like a champ overnight.

On Friday, we went to the Dallas World Aquarium, which reminded me of parts of the Cleveland Botanical Garden and our zoo.

The first portion is like a rainforest but with critters like crocs, otters, toucans, flamingos and turtles. The second portion has all kinds of underwater creatures. My favorites were the sharks and sea dragons.

Ella hearts sharks and sported her Halloween costume when we visited. Dylan's eyes were wide during our visit, but he got freaked out by a giant manatee. Guess we won't be getting that kind of pet anytime soon!

We stayed in Friday night since D and I had an early flight (he was an angel again and two kind souls helped us with gate-checking our gear on the jetway). Sarah and I chatted for a while while her parents tended to our babies. I'm sad that I have no idea when we'll see each other next. Maybe we'll head to Wisconsin next summer...

A happier baby, a sculpture garden & shopping

2010-10-22T11:54:00.001-04:00

I got my baby back! Today, I focused more on keeping him on his "schedule" and keeping myself hydrated and less stressed. He was a happy kiddo!

We visited the Nasher Sculpture Center, which displays art indoors and outside on grounds in the heart of downtown Dallas. The outdoor portion of the Nasher is carefully nestled within a grove of lovely trees. You forget you're outside until you peek through the branches and see skyscrapers. Dallas' arts organizations are clustered together, but according to Sarah's mom, there's a shortage of nearby restaurants. I would have liked to have seen the Asian museum across street and Dallas Museum of Art next door, but we had to defer to the babies. :)

After the Nasher, Sarah and I got dropped off at the mammoth North Park Mall, which is a mecca of designer labels and baby stores. I restrained myself and only bought a present each for Dylan, Phil and me...OK two presents for me, but it is my birthday month.

Sarah, ever my mom role model, suggested I try facing Dylan outward in his wrap since he can hold his head up...he loved it! I kept hearing him coo and Sarah said he was smiling up a storm.

We utilized Nordstrom's women's lounge to feed him before shoe shopping. I measured my feet..still the same size! Dylan passed out again in the magical wrap, so we went to the locally owned Blue Mesa for dinner...he slept like an amgel while I chowed down goat cheese enchiladas. We headed home for a low key night, and I was so relieved he had returned to his usual charming self cuz I wad so frazzled last night.

Baby overload at the Arboretum

2010-10-21T21:57:00.002-04:00

So, the morning was amazing...a great flight and even a great lunch at Afrah, a mediterranean cafe with yummy eats and hookah pipes. Dylan slept in the magic wrap through lunch and then pretty much didn't sleep again.

We visited the beautiful Dallas Arboretum with our stroller twins but Dylan didn't want to ride in stroller so he mostly stayed in the wrap while I pushed the stroller like a chump. We saw a bazillion brides taking photos on the grounds...Texas is really big on bridal portraits...and a bunch of girls taking pics for their quinceanera. One girl even posed with a matching miniature doll of herself...seriously.

Dylan was super fussy the rest of today. I hope he gets back on track tonight. It's unnerving to hear your baby cry, particularly when you're not at home and fear you're inconveniencing others. Sarah keeps telling me that I'm more sensitive to it than others, which I'm sure is true, but I hope he feels more comforted tomorrow.

Whew! An easy flight

2010-10-20T12:40:00.001-04:00

I'm so relieved! Dylan was an angel on our flight and everyone from start to finish at both airports was so kind and helpful. From the parking attendant at CLE who let Phil park and walk in with me to security, to the gate agent who moved us to a row with no one else seated in it to the two guys on my flight who helped me prepare and unpack the stroller for gatechecking...awesome karma!

I was a bit intimidated about navigating the airport with all of our gear, but it ended up fine.

On our flight, we chair danced to the new Jimmy Eat World album Phil got me for my birthday. Dylan LOVES Jimmy Eat World. I actually first felt him kick while jammin to Praise Chorus during my D.C. trip in March back when he was Mingus.

Here's hoping for a great return flight too!

Dallas reunion

2010-10-18T13:18:00.000-04:00

I know this is a terrible shot, but it's one of the last pics I have of Sarah and me before kids four years ago. It's from a bar crawl we did in Hudson, Wis., where Sarah lives. Here's what this picture tells me:

1) I haven't had a drink in a LONG time
2) We're both moms...wow
3) The last photo album I put together was from 2006 and there's no way in hell I'm going to get everything organized before my maternity leave is up
4) Our Dallas trip is most likely not going to involve a bar crawl with three kiddos in tow

Sarah came to Cleveland with Eliza, her one-year-old, to throw me a baby shower in June (<3). When she was here, she reminded me that you can still do fun stuff with a little one strapped to you. We ate lunch at Anatolia Cafe, browsed local Cleveland goods at Made in the 216 and ate dinner at Luxe. I also drove them on my fave Cleveland street, Cliff Drive, for awesome views of the city, and we walked the paths at Edgewater Park and Lake View Cemetery until my preggo toes tired.

I know we'll have a blast on our Dallas trip, and I'm sure Sarah will inspire me to try to take Dylan places I might otherwise be intimidated to visit. The weather looks great, too, so I'll have a few more days for flip flops... BONUS!

Dylan's first road trip

2010-10-09T22:18:00.007-04:00

Just got back from a whirlwind trip to Michigan for my cousin's wedding near Detroit. The trip with a newborn was manageable with a few key items: my magical wrap which is 2-0 for putting him to sleep at weddings, the unfortunately named My Brest Friend nursing pillow and D-man's pacifier and clip.

The reception was at Waldenwoods, which is a charming, historic resort/luxe campground. Lots of little cottages and lodges on the ground. The bridal party kept the soirée going post-reception with a bonfire, but we hit the hay instead thanks to D-man's haphazard sleeping the night before. My aunt and uncle hosted a yummy brunch this morning since so many guests were from out-of-state and it was nice to recap the weekend.

We hit major traffic driving home because of the Michigan game and we wished we were driving Phil's car with his OSU tire cover. To add insult to injury, we had our own unfun version of a tailgate in a rest stop parking lot when I had to feed Dylan cuz of a mini hunger meltdown. Such is the life of new parents, I guess.

Dylan was a charmer and handled all of the attention (I lost track of how many people held him) and new surroundings like a champ. Let's hope I have similar luck with our Dallas trip!

There's a new sheriff in town and he's headed west

2010-09-27T22:18:00.001-04:00

My new little traveling companion, Dylan (aka Mingus), arrived almost seven weeks ago. As I mentioned when I first announced on the interwebs that I was pregs, I was really looking forward to taking him out and about and planning his first trip. Then the little bugger rocked our world and it was hard to imagine how I'd ever feel comfortable enough to take him on a flight by myself and navigate with all of our gear.

Now I'm starting to feel like I can handle it...maybe. Particularly after hearing how other new moms have tackled this challenge. Before I chickened out, I booked us a flight over the weekend for a trip to Dallas next month (my birthday month :)) to meet up with my friend Sarah (my mom hero) and her two girls at her parents' house. I'm really excited, but also slightly terrified about maneuvering Dylan, his stroller, car seat and diaper bag and my gear through the airport, not to mention keeping him comfortable on the flight.

In terms of gear, so far he loves my Moby wrap (see above pic), so I plan to keep him in that on the flight. Our stroller (love, love, love our Bumbleride Indie) is thankfully a model that's compatible with a car seat, so that will be less to carry. And, I bought a cover for the stroller to minimize dirt when it's gate checked (all recs from Sarah).

Wish me luck on my quest to find Dylan the world's tiniest cowboy hat and stay tuned for pics of how we manage to fit three car seats in the back of Sarah's parents' car...

Tips for seeing Tokyo on a budget

2010-08-27T18:38:00.000-04:00

Love this USA Today article that highlights what to see and where to stay in Tokyo when you're on a budget. I definitely concur that it's worth the experience to stay in a ryokan and travel the intricate subway system. In terms of sights, the Tsukiji fish market is one not to miss, the Imperial Palace grounds are beautiful and you can't go wrong exploring the plethora of temples. Don't forget to karaoke in your own private room...I promise that you'll find your cojones!

Travel by DVD

2010-08-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

Since I'm holed up at home (for the most part) while I wait for Mingus to make his/her arrival, I've been watching A LOT of movies. (I don't think I can bring myself to read anymore baby books without making myself crazy.) I've come to realize, which really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, that my favorites all feature destinations. A couple have pregnancies or births as part of the plot, too (nice bonus as I try to appeal to Mingus). Here's what's on my play list:

Under the Tuscan Sun: Italy

Memoirs of a Geisha: Kyoto

Woman on Top: Brazil/San Francisco

Gladiator: Rome

Troy: Greece (I need to go!)

Chocolat: France

Sense & Sensibility: England

I also recently discovered the show Sam Brown's Asia on The Travel Channel, and I am IN LOVE. Can't wait to see the episodes on Thailand and Japan so I can relive my trips.

Since Phil pretty much hates most of those girly movies and the Asia show :) I'm looking forward to having Mingus be my built-in travel partner, but he/she needs to come out first. C'mon Mingus!

Goo Goo for Gaga

2010-07-16T12:13:00.004-04:00

Yes, I know I'm WAAAAY overdue for a post...let's hope Mingus also doesn't become overdue.

Since I've been homebound as I hit my last few weeks of being preggers, I've been really, really, really looking forward to the Lady Gaga concert this week. I knew it would be a close call since it was three weeks before my due date, but Mingus stayed put and I had a great time! My homemade "Goo Goo for Gaga" faux "maternitard" was really comfortable too.

I tagged along with former co-workers Allison and Maureen (check out Allison's awesome recap of the concert with some of my photos and her video). We had great seats for my last concert before becoming a mom.

UPDATE: a friend shared this All the Pregnant Ladies Beyonce video spoof and asked me to do one for Gaga. Um, no, but you have to watch the video.

Pros for traveling solo

2010-06-01T13:51:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend, I read this column by Rick Steves in the PD about the benefits of traveling solo. I've found that when I'm on my own in a new city, I'm much more adventurous and likely to chat up people I don't know. Two trips in particular stand out in my mind. First, Paris when I crashed the dinner party of my Eurostar seat mate and then San Diego (my first trip) when I met a woman who treated me to a flight of wine at an awesome outdoor wine bar. And, NYC solo is always fun since my schedule is usually frenetic anyway. (Plus, you guys make fun of me for asking random strangers to take my pic in front of landmarks. I have no shame.)

Don't get me wrong, I think I would have hyperventilated multiple times if I traveled to Asia on my own. Having a traveling companion when we got super lost on a four-hour bus ride in Thailand while looking for a beach would have been extra terrifying without a friend at my side. Same for navigating multiple bus and train routes throughout Japan...Gina's navigating skills were a lifesaver!

So, wanna go somewhere but can't find someone to go with? First, ask me :) and second, just go! You'll learn a lot about yourself.

Girls' weekend in The Cleve

2010-05-11T12:08:00.068-04:00

One of the downfalls about being pregs is that my traveling is starting to become limited. :( One of the benefits is that my out-of-town girlfriends are coming to visit me to see the belly firsthand.

Jen, my favorite Southern belle from Charlotte, flew into Cleveland this past weekend, and we had a blast. But, she refused to acknowledge any of my prego sleepiness and kept me out WAAAAY later than my usual bedtime (you should be very impressed that I was out until 1 a.m. Saturday night)...which is why I look oh so tired in most photos from the weekend.

Usually I drive down to Charlotte once or twice a year to visit Jen and get my piggies out of hibernation and into flip flops. Although Jen grew up Ohio (we met at Kent State), this was her first visit staying with me.

I picked Jen up bright and early Friday morning and we headed straight to breakfast in Rocky River followed by our spa day at the Brown Aveda Institute (facials and blow outs). Then we met up with a mutual friend at Dante for a delightful dinner, grabbed drinks at Lolita and then crashed our friend's friend's 30th bday party at Reddstone in Battery Park. (I was not allowed to have a microphone during our Don't Stop Believin' karaoke performance so I rocked the blow-up guitar.)

So nice that hail the size of ice cubes decided to make an appearance during Jen's visit. Actually, with the exception of Friday afternoon, the weather blew. I guess it was payback for the last time I visited Jen in Charlotte during her birthday party monsoon.

Saturday morning, we went to Tommy's on Coventry for breakfast and to window shop the cute boutiques (Brigade, Blush, Next) since they weren't open yet. Afterward, we did some nursery shopping and then piled on more carbs at Melt (or "The Melt" as Jen kept calling it). Mmmm!

We hit Beachwood Place for some mom's day gifts, stopped home for a quick refresh and to grab Phil and then continued our gorging at Lago followed by another meet-up with a friend at 806. (We wanted to recreate my 30th birthday celebrating that Jen missed out on.)

So, dearest Jen got tastes (literally...did you see how much we ate out?) of all corners of The Cleve. Next up will be a visit from Sarah and one of her little nuggets in June. Can't wait!

36 Hours in Kyoto per The New York Times

2010-04-26T11:42:00.000-04:00

While I highly recommend spending longer than 36 hours in Kyoto, this travel article from The New York Times highlights some of the best ways to experience the city.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/travel/25hours.html

Key West: where to stay

2010-04-23T16:53:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned in an earlier post that when I travel, I do my best to take advantage of rewards programs. With that in mind, Phil and I booked the Marriott Beachside Hotel for our Key West babymoon. Initially, I was eyeballing the Dewey House, Key West's only B&B with beachfront access, but by the time grumpers agreed to the trip, rates went up significantly.

I really relied on Trip Advisor's reviews to make our booking decision. Reviewers raved about the suites at our hotel and free shuttle service to Duval Street, but explained caveats (high-demand for shuttle, small beach area) to manage our expectations.

For the reasonable rate we paid, we loved this hotel. I loved lounging on the beach/by the pool until late afternoon each day and then heading out to Duval Street to grab dinner and walk around. I didn't mind being away from Duval Street at all, particularly since Mingus put the kibosh on boozing.

I posted pics of our room and my favorite cabanas on my Trip Advisor review.

I want my cabana back!

2010-04-16T15:26:00.004-04:00

Weekend temps projected for Key West: high 70s

Weekend temps projected for Cleveland: mid-40s

Arrgh! I can't imagine wearing a coat.

Strip House 24-layer chocolate cake

2010-04-15T22:24:00.000-04:00

This pic does not do the size of this cake justice. It took me three sittings, but I crushed this mofo. Mmmmm!

Sailing and diving in Key West

2010-04-15T22:18:00.000-04:00

Last night Phil and I took a sunset sail on a catamaran with Fury for pretty views of the sky, ocean and reef. The wind was very gusty so we ended up doing laps outside the harbor by Sunset Key. But, we did see dolphins jumping in the water, which was really, really cool.

If I wasn't pregs, I would love to do some diving or at least snorkeling since my dad always wanted to come here to dive. Key West supposedly has some of the best diving in the world, particularly because of the reef. Seeing all the pretty shells in the markets reminded me of my dad. I'm so glad I got to come here with Phil and little Mingus because it makes me feel still connected to him in some way.

Why did the chicken in Key West cross the road?

2010-04-15T22:06:00.000-04:00

To get away from Phil!

OK, maybe from me. I started squealing when I saw all of their baby chicks. (P.S. When I was little I would hide eggs in the back of our fridge because I thought it you didn't eat them in time, they would grow into baby chicks...sorry Mom.)

Key West has a stray chicken population, which is really funny. You'll walk down the sidewalk and hear clucking from within the bushes and many random cockadoodle doos.

We also saw six-toed cats at Hemingway's house, which is now a museum. (The cats are descendants of his cats...not sure how the six toes mutation came into play.) Hemingway wrote many of his most celebrated novels from the pool house out back. I brought The Old Man in the Sea with me and read it on the beach yesterday in tribute.

Who does Mingus look like?

2010-04-15T11:28:00.001-04:00

I'm six months pregs today. Who does Mingus look like? (The baby's face is turned upward.)

???

(Note: despite what Phil says, Mingus is NOT the baby's name. Just an at-first horrific and now endearing nickname.)

P.S. No, I did not comb my hair today. Back off...it's Key West. ;)

Babymooning it up in Key West

2010-04-14T16:04:00.000-04:00

Ahh, paradise.

We've had beautiful blue skies with a refreshing breeze and temps in the high 70s since we got here yesterday afternoon. We love our beachfront hotel and somehow got upgraded to a suite that's the size of an apartment...we have a full kitchen, living room, dining table, 2 bathrooms and an outdoor balcony with a Widow's walk. Yessss!

We took a tiny plane from Tampa's airport to get here, which was a little comical (I was so glad for great weather). It reminded me of the flights my mom, brother and I took in our grandpa's four-seater plane to Michigan when I was a kid (note: his nickname was Crazy Lew and my g-ma was our co-pilot!).

Once we got to our hotel, we hit the beach. We have fun yellow cabanas on our little beach and roofed (with a fan!), open-air cabanas by the pool. I'm in heaven.

Last night, we took our hotel shuttle to Duval Street for dinner and exploring. We loved Mangoes, an open-air restaurant, for dinner and also Blonde Giraffe for some AMAZING Key lime pie. And, I ran into a friend, Patti, I used to work with...what are the odds?

This morning, we walked to the grocery store to buy some fixins to make use of our kitchen and then hit the beach again. Tonight, a sunset sail on a catamaran.

Traveling for two

2010-04-01T12:33:00.001-04:00

So...I'm five and a half months pregnant today and due in August. Whoa.

Phil and I are really excited, but I'm still processing everything, which is why I've been pretty private about sharing our news. I told my extended fam and work my news a month ago, and I'm finally ready to admit on the interwebs that I have a new traveling status: Christina + 1. (No, this is not an April Fools joke.) Some of you might have noticed my bump in my last post while in D.C., so I figured it's time to spill the beans.

Baby K, aka Mingus (our official nickname...long story) has been an amazing little traveler to-date. (Actually, I've had a super easy pregnancy so far.) He/she's been to St. Louis (which I never end up writing about because they're quick day trips for work), Vegas, Chicago and D.C. without incident. And, Mingus will get to experience Key West in a couple weeks. Woo hoo!

My fam keeps asking if I'll still travel while pregs (obviously, yes) and after the baby is born. Of course! I thrive on planning trips, and I don't expect that to change. I'll just need to make some adjustments. My friend Sarah has been an amazing role model for me. She traveled by herself with Ella, who was one, a couple years ago for our San Francisco trip, and she took Ella and her newborn to Dallas by herself a couple months ago. She started a blog to write about being a working mom, Postpartum PR, which I love reading.

In any event, I'm excited to have a go-to traveling companion. This kid is going to experience the world, one city at a time!

Sunshine, Asian art and the Eastern Market

2010-03-28T10:07:00.000-04:00

The weather yesterday was delightful, and lots of people were out to celebrate the start of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which kicked off with kite flying near the Washington Monument. We took the train in to Union Station and took a leisurely stroll to the Freer Gallery, one of my all-time favorite museums. Along the way, we walked through more groves of cherry blossom and magnolia trees...the air smelled so sweet!

I got to show Carli the Peacock Room at the Freer and some of my favorite Whistler and Dewing paintings, but the Thayer angel paintings weren't on display (or I couldn't find them). Carli started not feeling well, so we never made it to the Sackler galleries below.

We headed to the area near the Eastern Market to grab lunch and then browsed the stalls, which were a smaller version of Cleveland's West Side Market. We bailed on a play we were going to see at the Woolly Mammoth since Carli looked like death. Poor girl almost made it home before puking (if you're walking on Colesville Road today from the Silver Spring metro station, stay clear of the flower beds).

We watched the West Virginia v. Kentucky game and a movie and then called it a night before Carli went to bed with her bucket.

Today's a little gray and I'm hoping that the rain stays away for my drive. Phil had his softball banquet last night, so I'm also hoping he's not curled in the fetal position in our bed. :)

Everything's better with cherry blossoms

2010-03-27T09:46:00.000-04:00

Last night I had the privilege of experiencing Carli's infamous evening monument tour. She was right -- they look amazing at dusk and in darkness. It was chilly last night, but definitely bearable from all the walking we did. Oh, my piggies were oinking.

Today starts D.C.'s two-week long Cherry Blossom Festival. This year marks the 98th anniversary of when Tokyo gifted the trees to Washington. I read on the train yesterday that the festival is the district's highest-grossing tourist event, but we barely saw anyone as we walked around the Tidal Basin. I'm sure today will be a different story.

I can't believe my Japan trip was a year ago. Walking around the Tidal Basin reminded me of when Gina and I walked around the moat surrounding the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, which was lined with cherry blossom trees (and young professionals wining and dining on tarps beneath their branches). I hope Carli and I see tarps filled with people today!

She's been spoiling me with her new domestic diva skills -- homemade guac when I arrived, pesto pasta last night and now hashbrowns this morning...mmm! She's a girl after my own heart (love you, Jen)!

It's time for cherry blossoms! (this time in D.C., not Tokyo)

2010-03-23T20:05:00.000-04:00

I just read that Tokyo's cherry blossom season has officially begun. Last year, I had the fortune of timing my Japan trip to coincide with the opening (Kyoto) and closing (Tokyo) of cherry blossoms. It was such a lovely experience. The impermanence of the cherry blossom season, which appears and then vanishes within 10 days every March/April, always reminds me that life is short and should be seized and treasured.

This year, my friend Carli invited me to visit her in D.C. to view the cherry blossoms for our National Cherry Blossom Festival. I've been on bloom watch via this site and looks like this weekend will be perfect for a visit. Carli said she's been seeing blooms here and there, so hopefully it warms up and they're all in full view soon.

I haven't been to D.C. for fun since college when my roommate and I would stay at her aunt's in Maryland and take the train in to go to our favorite museums like the Freer Gallery and the National Gallery. (I've always been a museum nerd. Most kids spent all their money on booze in college and I was the dork buying prints to frame.)

Can't wait for this weekend!

2011 March Madness takes a spin through Cleveland

2010-03-20T20:45:00.000-04:00

Even though right now I am in severe bracket mourning (effing Kansas), I'm pumped that next year's tourney will make a stop in Cleveland for the first and second rounds. Find the 2011 schedule here.

We had a blast in Dayton last year and got to watch two of my favorite teams: Ohio State and Louisville. If you're interested in scoring tickets, start stalking the NCAA site once the championship game in Indianapolis is over. Last year, you could apply for tickets about two weeks after the end of the tournament. I detailed instructions about how we scored our tickets in this post, in case you're interested.

Hope your brackets are faring better than mine. :(

Move over key lime pie in Key West! I want some Strip House 24-layer chocolate cake too!

2010-03-19T12:05:00.026-04:00

I have been salivating over Key West dessert options based on the guide books I've been perusing as we prepare for our trip next month. Our hotel supposedly serves up a good Key lime pie, so you know I'll be actively sampling. I was also thrilled to realize that there's a Strip House in Key West, which serves up an AMAZING 24-layer chocolate cake (or so I've heard from the Food Channel). Cleveland's The Greenhouse Tavern was featured on a Guilty Pleasures episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and the show also highlighted this dessert.

I...can't...wait...to...try...it!

Watch The Best Thing I Ever Ate tonight at 10 p.m. to see Cleveland Heights' Lopez featured by Michael Symon for its yummy guacamole. Lopez is one of my favorite restaurants, and I've written about it here in The Heights Observer.

My fav hotel reward programs

2010-03-05T12:17:00.020-05:00

When I travel, I'm all about maximizing rewards...airline miles, hotel points, etc. When it comes to hotels, I heart Kimpton boutique hotels because of their fantastic amenities. I also participate in Marriott's rewards program, and have redeemed their free hotel rooms when in Paris, Raleigh for the Krispy Kreme Challenge and Dayton for March Madness (woo hoo). I'm "this close" to a Kimpton redemption.

While in Chicago a few weeks ago, I stayed at Hotel Monaco. I’ve never stayed at this location, but I’ve stayed at other Hotel Monacos in other cities (and other Kimpton-branded hotels) and loved them. I was cheerily greeted when I arrived, upgraded and given a card to redeem two mini bar items for free…despite my already steeply discounted rate. How's that for a welcome?! My room was immediately available and had a pretty bay window with a nice view...see above (the circular condos/parking building near the House of Blues has served as my beacon many times when visiting Chicago).

Many Kimpton hotels are green and they always offer great products like Aveda and L’Occitane in the room. Plus, they have daily free wine receptions, fun animal print bathrobes and offer complimentary items like fashion tape by request. I love staying in their hotels because they have a boutique feel, yet offer all the amenities and services (and then some) of a major hotel chain.

What about you? Where do you like to stay when you travel? Any travel reward programs that stand out to you?

How can we not be happy in Cleveland w a Man v. Food visit?

2010-03-01T12:56:00.001-05:00

I usually write about my travels away from Cleveland, not my adventures in my hometown, but I want to make an exception because of this b.s. that has Clevelanders in an uproar. Saturday was an AMAZING day, and I think it's a great illustration of awesome things that happen in our city.

First, Man v. Food filmed at Melt, which was incredible enough in itself, but I also got to meet Adam Richman! Phil and I have been huge fans of the show for the past two seasons, and even visited Hash House A Go Go when we went to Vegas in December because we salivated over the waffles Adam sampled on the show. So, I was pumped! (However, there is no way ever that I could eat 4 lbs. of grilled cheese, which is the Melt Challenge that Adam attempted.)

From Melt, we scrambled home to get ready for PlayhouseSquare's Jump Back Ball, an event I helped to plan (I was co-chair of ticket sales for this year's event). What a great night! The Spazmatics played some dynamite 80s tunes and everyone's outfits/costumes were great. We also ate delightful appetizers by Zack Bruell during the V.I.P. party before the event (even though I was still really, really full from our Melt outing). Mmmm.

So, a great night and a great example of how awesome Cleveland is! Holla!

UPDATE: read this blog for a great account by one of the Melt tattoo brothers of his experience during the filming Saturday: http://bit.ly/a1HEuu

Racing blues

2010-02-24T12:26:00.000-05:00

Image from NC State

At a party on Saturday (my friend Alexa's Fluorescent February soiree), I chatted with a few girls about fun races. (Click the link to see my ridiculous day-glo fuzzy boots from the party.) During our convo, I realized that this is the first winter I haven't been training for a race. No wonder I weigh my most lbs. ever.

I've done some great races. I ran a half-marathon in Vegas in 2003. It was supposed to be an easy course that's mostly flat or downhill, but my race featured 55 mph winds to the tune of porta-potties rolling down the streets (no joke). But, it was in Vegas. Nuff said.

Since then, I've run mostly 5ks in the winter time. I like quirky races like the Arnold Classic Pump and Run in Columbus and the Krispy Kreme Challenge in Raleigh that I did last year.

Not long after Phil and I started dating, we decided to do the Pump and Run together, which entails bench pressing followed by a 5k. Women have to bench 70 percent of their body weight, so my goal was always to get one rep (seriously). I ran my best time the first time I competed in 2005, but I didn't lift a rep until 2008.

You all know how the Krispy Kreme Challenge went last year. (Incidentally, I found out about that race at the Pump and Run in 2008.) I was a big talker, but not big enough of an eater and only finished eight of my dozen donuts (but I did run all four miles). Phil checked the stats from this year's race a couple weeks ago and only 65 women completed the event compared to 850 men (4 miles + 12 donuts in 60 minutes or less). Whoa. Guess there's always next year...

Olympics...tips if you go

2010-02-22T13:05:00.000-05:00

Back in 2002, I was fortunate enough to attend the Olympics hosted by Salt Lake City. I planned my trip for over a year and still barely snagged a room. If you ever get the chance to go, here are some tips.

Where to stay

Start your planning with this step because accommodations are the hardest thing to book...more so than tickets. I booked an awesome bed & breakfast in Salt Lake, which was a great alternative to the over-priced hotels, and included a fantastic breakfast. (Be prepared for some seriously inflated pricing.) Plus, the owners were incredibily helpful with navigating the city and were up-to-date about transportation arrangements for events held out of town in the mountains.

Even though I booked just over a year in advance, I snagged one of the last rooms. All of the hotels were full, which was ironic since I had been told they wouldn't permit Olympic reservations until one year in advance.

Events

For the 2002 Olympics, tickets went on sale a year in advance. Find out the time and date that tickets are available way in advance and plan to be glued to your computer for an hour so you can finalize your tickets immediately. They go very, very fast.

Tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies were ridiculously expensive...like $800, so I skipped those and watch them on TV. Because of its popularity, figure skating is also $$$$ and most seats are allocated to big corporate packets that are at least a couple thousand dollars. I remember the only seats available had partial view obstructions, so I passed on those tickets too.

Most of the events that involve a mountain (skiing, luge, snowboarding, etc.) are outside of the city center and up to two hours away. When you have the option to purchase transportation for those events...do it. Prices are reasonable and you'll avoid navigating the traffic. But, be aware that the buses depart as early as three hours before event start times and some of the skiing events start at 8 a.m. That makes for an EARLY morning.

When I went, it was shortly after 9/11, so you weren't permitted to bring any food or drink with you to events. They relaxed those rules mid-way through the Games since you're basically stranded on the mountain and dependent on the concession stands, which lead to some cases of altitude sickness (myself included, but I recovered pretty quickly).

I went to ski jumping, the luge, snowboarding (halfpipe) and speedskating events. I liked ski jumping because as an observer, I had a full view of the event, unlike some of the long ski courses or the luge. For the luge, you could practically hang your head over the side to admire the lightning-fast blur as it passed, which was amazing, but you could only see a fraction of the course. I liked the halfpipe for the same reason because you had a full view of the event.

Speedskating was incredible! I got to watch Apolo Anton Ohno compete in his first Olympic Games. My favorite event is the 5,000m relay because when team members "tap in," they actually skate in front of the current competitor and get a big push, which constitutes the transfer. It's really fun to watch. (Watch the event live at the Vancouver Olympics Friday night on NBC.)

There are live performances by well-known bands every night, but those tickets are usually only available for people who purchase the high-priced corporate packages. I bought tickets to Barenaked Ladies by visiting one of the ticket trading booths. It was such a fun concert!

Olympic traditions
Before I left for the Games, a colleague was kind enough to tell me about the pin trading tradition and gave me a few pins to get started. At Olympic village, you can trade or buy pins, and it's a really fun way to meet and interact with people from other countries. I wore my pins on a ski hat. It sounded dorky at first, but when you see that EVERYONE has pins, it's hard not to get into it.

There are also some fun interative booths at Olympic village. In one, you get to push a legit bobsled and compete against others in the crowd for the best time. That mofo was HEAVY, and I ended up defaulting since my foot went over the line. I lost to a bunch of 10-year-olds like a total loser, but it was really fun.

In another tent, I got to try on Olympic team uniforms and warm up gear from different countries. My fav were the Swiss igloo like warm ups that looked like aliens.

No Games have been awarded to the U.S. yet, but here's the schedule of upcoming host cities. Good luck! If anyone wants to go to Rio in 2016, I'm in!!!

Celebrating 2 Anniversaries

2010-02-16T13:08:00.006-05:00

Two years ago, I spent my first day alone on a biz trip in London and decided to blog about my experience. I thought it would be easier to capture my adventures online as opposed to making repetitive phone calls and e-mails. I really enjoyed the journaling since I was spending so much time on my own and decided to keep it up during other biz and pleasure trips. Now, I love looking back and reading my daily thoughts from trips like Paris, San Francisco, Thailand, San Diego and Japan. (Incidentally, I went on each of those trips with someone different...I have great, adventurous friends and an awesome husband who's supportive of my wanderlust.)

When Phil and I got married just shy of three years ago, we honeymooned in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. It was so beautiful, and I remember feeling so relaxed and content. I'm hoping to repeat that experience when we visit Key West in two months (YAY!) to celebrate our anniversary. I am counting...down...the...days.

Carnavale in Cleveland

2010-02-01T15:46:00.002-05:00

Image by bonitoviaje.com

As much as I'd LOVE to visit Rio or get back to Venice, odds are that neither of those trips are happening soon. (I am, however, still attempting to wear down Phil for a Key West anniversary trip.)

But, lucky for me (and you), PlayhouseSquare's State Theater will be transforming into Carnavale on Saturday, Feb. 27, for the 19th annual Jump Back Ball. I can't wait to get my feathers on (Hold up! I assure you I'll have WAY more clothes on than the chicky pictured above).

Sound fun? Get your tix at a discount by 11 a.m. tomorrow by using discount codes from one of these three awesome Cleveland bloggers: 27 Dressses in Cleveland, Cleveland's a Plum or I Heart Cleveland.

See you there?

Freezing in Chicago

2010-01-28T22:45:00.013-05:00

Dear lord, I have not been this cold in ages. Today reminded me why I shell out the cash I do to park in the building where I work as opposed to making the frigid seven-minute walk I used to in exchange for parking in a cheaper garage. Walking in -2 degrees totally blows. But, I'm in Chicago - a city I haven't visited in five years - and at least it was sunny today.

The last time I was here was when I was at my previous job promoting the CMJ Rock Hall Music Fest...by far, the most fun I've had working. I was in charge of street teams who visited cities within a five-hour driving radius of Cleveland to promote the three-day music festival that featured 100 bands. We visited zillions of music stores, college campuses and clubs. I ate at yummy restaurants like The Bongo Room (thanks Michelle!) and Topolobampo.

So, although January isn't my ideal time to visit, I still had fun today. I had lunch at Park Grill in Millennium Park (directly below the bean) and watched ice skaters while I dined with a WSJ reporter. And, I tried a new Rick Bayless restaurant, Xoco (which I still don't know how to pronounce) with a friend. Xoco is a cozy joint with a delightful short rib torta (Mexican sandwich) and killer churros.

Two pieces of advice: if you fly to O'Hare, consider taking the train downtown because cab far is more expensive than NYC ($60 vs. $2.25 on the train). And, if you ride the train in the city, http://www.hopstop.com/ will be your best friend because it gives you walking and public transportation directions. I heart hopstop and use it faithfully when I travel to the cities it covers.

Tomorrow includes another busy, chilly day (thank goodness for ear muffs). Visiting the Tribune for a meeting will likely be the extent of my sightseeing. I'll just have to come back once the weather breaks!

2010 Wanderlust

2010-01-16T19:29:00.011-05:00

New year, same infatuation with planning trips.

In 2009, I did so-so achieving my travel resolutions. I went on nine trips, four fewer than 2008, and I didn’t hit any new states. However: JAPAN. The Krispy Kreme Challenge and our March Madness trips were also really fun (and both were with Phil).

Bunches of you have been suggesting that I post more frequently -- not just when I go on trips -- so I’m going to work on that. Let me know what you’d like to read about…maybe your own trips and adventures? Lemme know! (And, if you'd like to guest post, drop me a line.)

Right now, I am scheming like crazy to get Phil to agree to a beach vacay for our third anniversary in April. (The pic above is from our honeymoon in Punta Cana.) I’m really digging Key West. If you’ve got any suggestions or hear of any travel deals, send them along!

I'm headed to Chicago in a couple weeks, a city I've been meaning to get back to since it's been five years. And, some friends from India have offered to let us tag along the next time they go home, so I will be ALL OVER that. Maybe this year, maybe next. I told Phil I will go with or without him (even though they are his friends from work).We'll see!

Christmas shopping in NYC

2009-12-16T14:14:00.005-05:00

Image courtesy of USA Today

USA Today wrote a story about holiday shopping in the Big Apple that includes two of my favorite holiday shopping spots from past visits: The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park and the MOMA Design Store. This is the first year in a couple years that I haven't been able to visit NYC between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I'm bummed. But, Cleveland has had some amazing holiday markets including, Made in the 216 Holiday Shoppe (now open until 12.24), Bizarre Bazaar (already over) and the Last Minute Market and Open Studio. Check them out!

Bet my breakfast was better than yours...

2009-12-07T19:09:00.004-05:00

Mmm...bacon waffle.

Phil and I trekked off the strip to Hash House a Go Go, a restaurant we saw featured by Adam Richman on Man v Food earlier this season. (Adam, pleeeease come to Cleveland for The Melt Grilled & Bar Challenge...12 grilled cheeses that are more than four pounds!)

Phil and I are huge fans of the show, and since we watched the Vegas episode, I could not get the ginormous bacon waffles off my mind! Thank goodness we went today instead of yesterday because the place was still packed at 11 a.m.

Sunday happiness trifecta

2009-12-07T00:36:00.006-05:00

Delightful food + shopping + winning money=happy Christina

Today was fun! Phil finally dragged himself away from the tables around 3:30 a.m. this morning (which meant he was up 24 hours straight), but we were back down in the casino before 10 a.m. We were addicted to the Wheel of Fortune type slot machines (ala Bill Simmons) where you get a chance to do a spin, and we played until my belly started grumbling around noon.

We had originally planned to venture off the strip this morning to grab brunch, but the marathon down the strip derailed our plans since roads were closed until 11 a.m. (P.S. I ran the half-marathon here in 2003 and the course never came close to the strip…wtf?! All I got was a sandstorm in the desert, which made the race a bitch.)

I had heard good things about Noodles in Bellagio (lots of Asian noodle options for a reasonable price), so we walked over. They have dim sum (11 a.m. - 3 p.m.), so Phil tried his first pork buns. Yum! We really enjoyed it and will definitely go back.

After lunch, we parted ways so Phil could head to the sports book and I could get my shopping on. There are so many options here! My best find was the Vosges boutique in the Forum Shoppes at Caesar’s Palace. Vosges makes the delightful bacon chocolate bar I crave that I discovered in San Diego a year ago (they sell them at our Whole Foods, too). The boutique had an awesome chocolate bar, and I tried the Aztec couture cocoa, a thick, dreamy drink with chipotle chillies, cinnamon and Mexican vanilla bean. Heaven! I also sampled some bacon caramel toffee and bought some for home (just try to pry it from my fingers). If anyone would like to get me the Chocolates of the Month Club for Christmas, I will love you forever.

I found Phil back at the tables at our hotel/casino around 4 p.m. and doubled my money at Pai Gow Poker by 8 p.m. Whoopee!

Tomorrow, I’m meeting up with a couple friends from high school…totally random and fun!

Breaking in City Center

2009-12-05T23:59:00.005-05:00

We booked this trip a few months ago via Southwest vacations (it was a steal!), and so far, everything’s been going well. I was excited to learn that City Center was scheduled to open during our trip, so we headed over to explore as soon as we checked into our hotel.

City Center is located in between Bellagio and Monte Carlo and there’s a tram that takes you through the 67-acre complex. I thought it stopped at each site, but it’s pretty much a straight line between Bellagio and Monte Carlo with a stop at Crystals, one of the six new buildings.

I wanted to see Aria, but it wasn’t open yet. It’s the only hotel in the complex with a casino, and I wanted to break it in. It’s gold LEED certified and looked beautiful inside. And, apparently, there are no floors 40-49 because the hotel doesn’t want to spook potential Chinese gamblers (the number four in Chinese sounds like the word for death).

Crystals is filled with lux boutiques, including the nation’s largest Louis Vuitton and Prada stores. It’s funky, contemporary shape reminds me of Case’s Peter B. Lewis building.

The buildings were beautiful, but I guess I was expecting more after all of the hype. Maybe once everything’s fully open it will wow, but we were a little underwhelmed.

Back at the tables

2009-12-05T23:44:00.001-05:00

Ah, Vegas! It’s not much warmer here in Cleveland, but we’re not complaining. We’re enjoying staying in the center of the strip as opposed to the Wynn or The Venetian – where we usually stay – since everything feels so much closer.

So far, we’re doing pretty good via Pai Gow Poker and this fun spin-the-wheel slots game, but I made a bonehead error before dinner. We always play the bonus on Pai Gow hands because you have the opportunity to win a lot if you get good hands even if you don’t bet a lot. I got distracted and forgot to play the bonus for a hand, and wouldn’t you know it, but I got four Jacks and lost out on an extra $40. I’m still smacking myself.

We had an amazing dinner at craftsteak in the MGM Grand, a steakhouse Phil heard about a few months ago and made a reservation (this is a first!). I had yummy shortribs and Phil had the surf ‘n turf: filet mignon with scallops. Mmm!

I’ve ridden the Monorail only once before, but it came in handy tonight since we stayed at the tables too long and had to rush to dinner from our hotel. The sidewalks and streets were packed, but we zipped over in about 10 minutes and made our reservation on the dot.

I’m ready to turn in, but Phil is still out and about at the tables…Wild Man!

Waking up in Vegas

2009-12-02T12:44:00.004-05:00

By week's end, I'll be waking up in Vegas and soaking up the strip. We'll get to preview the new City Center during its opening week (not sure that we'll get to all 67 acres though), make a splash at the Pai Gow Poker tables and gorge on eats we found out about from Man v. Food.

Counting down the days!

A morning at MOMA and The Met

2009-10-03T13:39:00.010-04:00

My meeting this morning was canceled, so I headed to The Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art for quick visits before my flight.

MOMA had a tiny Monet water lilies exhibit, which features only its own collection...all were from Monet's latest years. I guess once you've been to Musee d'Orangerie in Paris, it's hard to be impressed. :) Of course, I loved seeing work from Frida, Van Gogh, Klimt, Chagall, Picasso and Dali. The Scream is never on view when I'm in town, but I did see another Munch painting.

The American Wing Courtyard in the Met is one of my absolute favorite galleries. There are a bunch of Tiffany pieces, including both mosaics and stained glass. I could sit in there for hours. The Met also has a gallery with tons of sculpture...mostly dancers...from Degas, which is really cool.

Both visits were really abbreviated since I was so short on time, but at least I got to go! Back at the airport and getting ready to come home.

See you at Times Square, 9 a.m. sharp

2009-10-02T23:57:00.000-04:00

This was the view outside my first meeting yesterday at 4 Times Square. Can't beat that view in a big city. (BTW, getting past security at the Conde Nast building is like trying to get in Fort Knox. I always end up calling the reporter I'm supposed to be meeting with to ask them to come get me since they take forever to let me up.)

The editor I met with and I discussed what chefs in Cleveland are reinventing examples of our city's "working man" dishes, which was a fun conversation. I think Michael Symon and Matt Fish (Melt) are doing it well with Lola's beef cheek pierogi and Melt's Parmageddon grilled cheese. Anyone else have other examples?

The pork buns at Momofuku Ssam Bar during lunch were to die for. I went with the prix fixe option, which is reasonable, offers choices and is oh-so-delicious. My dining mate ordered the opposite selections of what I ordered, so I was able to try a lot of different dishes. We also ordered paper-thin slices of Broadbent's country ham, which was amazing. And, I tried unfiltered (cloudy) sake for the first time.

The rest of my meetings went well. I met up with a friend/former client for dinner in the East Village, where she lives. We ate sushi at a dive in Little Japan and tried sake sangria, which was surprisingly good. Then she took me to McSorely's, NYC's oldest saloon for mini pints. It was jam-packed, so we didn't last long. We made our way to the swanky bar at Cooper Square Hotel (the Ginger Diablo was yummy) and then called it a night.

Tomorrow, I have a meeting over coffee in the morning and then I head back home.

Big bite of the Big Apple

2009-10-01T22:53:00.012-04:00

I've had quite the NYC dry spell...even the bellman at my usual hotel asked me where I've been. Damn economy!

I'm lucky because most of this work trip revolves around food...either meetings during meals or meetings about Cleveland meals. Half of my meetings tomorrow are with foodie reporters.

This month's issue of Gourmet features hometown restaurant faves by well-known critics, so I tried one of the NYC listings for lunch today, Lupa. The restaurant is comfy and charming, and I really enjoyed my meal. I started with beets and pistachios and then the recommended spaghetti alla carbonara. The dishes were great, and my waiter was sweet as pie. Plus, lots of cute shops along the way on Thompson, including Clio, which I had on my always-growing must-see-NYC list.

Since my last meeting today was downtown, I headed back to SoHo for shop anc check more destinations off my list. I finally got to Madewell, Eryn Brinie (a Korean chain) and TopShop (a British chain). I loved Eryn Brinie and found a cute dress at Madewell, but TopShop was horrifying (picture jumpsuits, adult onesies and sequins on steroids). I was going to try on a dress from the Kate Moss collection, but then I saw sequin parachute pants displayed on the wall and had to leave the store immediately.

I'm excited to try Momofuko Ssam Bar tomorrow. I love eating my way through a city!

Instant Southern party: just add water

2009-09-27T09:38:00.000-04:00

A little rain never hurt anyone. Good thing since Phil and I came a long way to Charlotte for a quick weekend to celebrate Jen's and Matt's 30th birthdays at an outdoor party.

In all the years I have visited Jen in Charlotte (seven?), it has never, ever rained. Actually, it's always been perfect weather. Yesterday was an exception, but a hardy tent in Jen's parents' backyard kept us, her other party guests and the band nice and dry.

Jen's parents live a street away from the picturesque Lake Norman, which has an impressive 520 miles of shoreline (Phil and I learned this factoid last night from a buzzed Jen's dad...).

The party was fantastic! The wine tasting was fun, and the two-man band, Below the Belt, catered to bossy Jen's every musical need...at one point giving her the mike for a "Don't Stop Believin" duet. And, let's face it...no Charlotte night out is complete without Jen stealing a tambourine and tearing up the dance floor...er grass.

We capped off the night with a late-night visit to Waffle House (my first!). I devoured a chocolate-chip waffle, hashbrowns (smothered, covered, diced and peppered) and bottomless sweet tea.

I'm ready for breakfast #2 today. Oh, it's gonna be a loooooong drive home.

The Hangover + Katy Perry = Philstina in Vegas

2009-08-17T12:31:00.006-04:00

TV rots your brain (and apparently your wallet). Who didn't want to go to Vegas after watching previews of The Hangover and Katy Perry's Waking Up in Vegas music video?

A too-good-to-pass-up Friends Fly and Stay Free promo from Southwest sealed the deal for Phil and me. We're booked for December!

I like booking quirky classes during Vegas trips like Trapeze lessons and pole dance aerobics (ouch). I'm thinking of trying indoor sky diving since my friend Allison mentioned it before her Vegas trip a couple weeks ago. And, we've never seen a show in Vegas, so we might add that to the list.

I've been preparing Phil that I want to mimic our Picasso dining experience...any suggestions for an amazing restaurant?

At the very least, I hope we don't get stranded like last year. Wish us luck at Pai Gow!

Surfing in Sheboygan?

2009-08-09T01:00:00.012-04:00

Phil's friends from Ohio State, Brian and Trish, live in Howards Grove, Wisconsin, a small town that rivals the village I grew up in near Youngstown, New Middletown, Ohio. Howards Grove is about double the size of my hometown, but we at least have a stoplight. Ha ha. I've lived in Cleveland now for about 10 years, and it feels like so long ago that I lived in a small town.

We spent this afternoon in Sheboygan, a larger city near Brian and Trish, exploring the riverfront near Lake Michigan. I was surprised to see a number of surfers catching waves...you certainly don't think of Wisconsin when you think of surfing. It was nice and cool near the lake despite today's warm temps.

The riverfront is nicely developed with casual (but not touristy) little shops and restaurants that line the marina. I couldn't help but think what state the Flats might be in now had it been less concentrated with bars with more variety suitable for families and daytime use. There's still hope.

Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery tour rocks!

2009-08-07T23:39:00.000-04:00

When researching brewery tours to take while in Milwaukee, Lakefront Brewery got the best reviews, hands down. In addition, I wanted to check out Lakefront since it is the country’s oldest certified organic brewery (the ESB organic beer was tasty).

Phil and I had a great time on the tour! For $6, we were incredibly entertained by the comedic Curtsy (anytime someone snapped a photo, he shouted to tag him on Facebook) and sampled four tasty brews (two at the beginning, one in the middle and one in the end). My favorite was the Wheat Monkey. I think it’s my new favorite beer.

At the end of the tour, Curtsy convinced some volunteers to reenact the famous Laverne and Shirley sitcom opening. Check out the hilarious video below to see how much fun we were having.

Our time in Milwaukee is done, and now we’re heading to Howards Grove, a suburb of Sheboygan, to visit Phil’s grad school buddies.

Charles Allia Art Museum Mansion

2009-08-07T22:30:00.000-04:00

Milwaukee seems to have a good mix of public and private art galleries. We got a glimpse of the Milwaukee Art Museum earlier today and then headed to Charles Allis Art Museum, which is the former Tudor mansion of a Milwaukee mover and shaker couple from the turn of the century. The Allis family amassed a large collection of art from around the world with the intent to bequest their home and collection to Milwaukee County so it can be appreciated for centuries to come.

For me, there’s something special about walking through a museum that used to be a private residence. Paintings seem more spectacular when hung above a fireplace where their former owners admired them as opposed to in a formal gallery. (In college, I wrote a paper on the differences in viewing experiences for public and private museums and used the National Gallery and Phillips Collection in D.C. as examples.)

The Allis collection includes a lot of Asian art (check out the 18th Century folding screen photo) and American paintings. The home’s décor is beautiful, and I was tickled to walk through the butler pantry and see the old intercom system with the rooms still labeled.

I wish we were able to spend more time in the Riverwest neighborhood, which has a lot of independent galleries and shops, but we just drove through quickly on the way to our brewery tour.

Wiener schnitzel wonders -- and more pancakes!

2009-08-07T15:57:00.000-04:00

I heart Wisconsin pancakes! In Hayward with Sarah a couple weeks ago, I sampled sausage-filled lumberjack hot cakes. Today, I tried German apple pancakes with Hungarian sausage, and they were a cross between a funnel cake, stuffed French toast and pancakes. AMAZING!

During lunch, Phil and I engaged in an enthralling conversation about famous Germans at the historic, kitschy Karl Ratzsch (opened in 1904) in downtown Milwaukee. Our brief list was quite pathetic – Hitler, Heimlich and Hansel and Gretel --- until our Twitter peeps helped us out with a more extensive list (sorry, Bach).

Kicking off a downtown tour w the Milwaukee Art Museum

2009-08-07T15:29:00.000-04:00

The Milwaukee Art Museum opens at 10 a.m., so that was the first place we headed from the airport. Downtown is about a 15-minute drive, and as we got closer, we were greeted with a very industrial panorama of the city. Phil and I think Cleveland’s entry points are thankfully a bit more urban.

Since Phil isn’t exactly a man of the arts, I knew I’d have to make my Milwaukee art itinerary on the light side or risk his wrath. So, we agreed to check out the lakefront outside the Milwaukee Art Museum as opposed to spending a couple hours inside viewing the collection, particularly since a lot of folks mentioned the exterior is more impressive than the collection. (This is my third Great Lake in two weeks.)

The Cleveland Art Museum has me completely spoiled. A) it’s free B) we have a comprehensive collection (no Asian art at MAM) c) our building’s exterior is growing more impressive with the expansion efforts.

But, Milwaukee’s art museum was something to see. Overlooking Lake Michigan, it looks like an elegant ship and has a “plank” that connects to a parking garage, which provides nice views of the city.

The lobby was really cool. Plenty of architectural eye candy and one Chihuly installation. If I had more time (and an art enthusiast at my side), I would have spent more time there.

P.S. If you find street parking, be aware that the city is cheap: a nickel gets you two minutes. Seriously?

CLE whole body scanners embarrassing and SLOW

2009-08-07T08:04:00.007-04:00

As of Sunday, only two airports in the country, CLE and Houston, have installed whole body a.k.a. "naked" imaging scanners in passenger security lines. At CLE, there appears to be one full-body scanner in each security checkpoint...all other scanners are the normal ones.

This morning, I was directly behind Phil in one of the security lines, and he had to go through the full-body imaging scanner (ha!) while I walked through a normal one. Despite a short line overall in security, he took five minutes longer than me to walk through because of the extended time the new scanners take.

I'm not sure if more of these scanners will be added in the future, but if not, I'll do my best to avoid them so I can get through security quicker (and not think about someone checking out my lady parts).

$32k to fly with Zippy? I think not

2009-08-06T13:56:00.007-04:00

I love my pooch a lot...enough to send my retired racing greyhound to doggie daycare once a week. But, I don't think she's worthy of flying business class with me to Milwaukee tomorrow (hell, I only fly biz class when upgraded for free).

Check out this story in USA Today about a lady who booked out the entire biz class section on an international flight. I wonder if her dog stole her airline pretzels like my carb queen would (see empty bread loaf wrapper in photo)...

No love for the lumberjacks

2009-07-28T08:32:00.005-04:00

Check out the story in today's New York Times about how the 50th anniversary of the Lumberjack World Championships didn't get much love this year from national media, unlike years past.

The low prize money explains why Sarah and I spotted competitor with tattoos of their sponsors, like Stihl. That better come with a lifelong paycheck!

Guess I'll stick to my day job and not pursue a life as a lumberjill.

IKEA!

2009-07-27T18:23:00.013-04:00

Today, I got my first taste of IKEA (literally...Swedish meatballs...mmmm) before Sarah dropped me off at the airport. I'm impressed! Thankfully, I was able to shove a few things I bought into my duffel.

Earlier today, we browsed the boutiques in Hudson's downtown, which is right on the bank of the St. Croix River - really cute clothing, interior design and art shops.

I'm at the airport now waiting for my flight. Once I land late tonight, I need to haul it on the turnpike to Michigan for a client meeting in the morning...so no Phil for one more night.

This trip with Sarah was great - it was my fourth trip to visit her in Minnesota/Wisconsin. It's always nice to get some time in person to reconnect since we're not so great about staying in touch via phone, e-mail (a little better on Facebook). Our visits are always active...from running the 5k Gopher to Badger race (bridge that connects the two states) to canoeing to kayaking, etc. We both decided that memories from yesterday's kayaking adventure probably takes the cake (at least for laughs). The next time I see Sarah, she'll have another daughter (due on my birthday!).

Phil and I head back to Wisconsin in a couple weeks for a trip to the Milwaukee area to visit some of his grad school friends. Hooray cheese!

More Lumberjack World Champs Pics, Videos

2009-07-27T15:47:00.012-04:00

Check out those quads!

Logrolling...

Women's boom run (run across logs in the water)

Hello, baby!!!!

2009-07-27T15:10:00.002-04:00