Category: travel

12/09/21 01:26 - ID#60865

View from Hancock building

Thursday (e:terry) arrived so we did a lot of typical tourist stuff,

First off we walked up Michigan Avenue to the Hancock building and rode up to the 94th floor. It's a little outside the loop so you have a really good view of downtown.

Next up we took the red line south of downtown to Chinatown. They have a full vegan restaurant which was so good. Soy beef and broccoli is delicious. I love being able to order anything on the menu.

After that we wandered west through a radiology convention at the convention center, up along the lake through the museum district, and into downtown.

There was a very cute German Christmas market going on. Most of the time these things are just basically craftshows but this one had gluehwein and a bunch of food and trinket vendors from Germany and Austria.

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Permalink: View_from_Hancock_building.html
Words: 174
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/09/21 02:01

Category: travel

12/09/21 01:23 - ID#60864

Solo wandering

Wednesday (e:paul) was working so I had time to wander by myself. It's weird because I can't say I've ever really spent any traveling alone before. A big plus in not having to form consensus on where to eat or what to do next lol,

I spent most of the time wandering around the loop/downtown and the waterfront. So many buildings you can just wander in and look around, There's a big free Chicago Cultural Center/museum right off Michigan Avenue. Super posh hotels that you can walk right though.

A 7 story Macy's that's what AM&A's probably always wished it could be. (e:mike) it sounds like the multilevel department store you said you used to fantasize about.

I ate at the French Market inside the Metra train station just west of downtown. They have a bunch of different food stands although a lot seemed to have close (less commuters I guess).

So many things are named after Rosebuds there.

Permalink: Solo_wandering.html
Words: 186
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/09/21 02:10

Category: travel

12/09/21 01:14 - ID#60863

Chicago EUCers

Tuesday night we tried to go on a ride with the Chicago EUC(Electric Unicycle) group.

(e:paul) and I tried to get used to riding in big city traffic before taking the train to the meetup spot. On the way from the L stop to the meetup, there were all these cute dancing Jewish guys on every corner asking if you were Jewish, and wishing people a happy first night of hanakkauh.

These guys were seriously prepared for riding and had every motorized device you could thing of.

I guess we are definitely beginners because we lost the group in two blocks after I hit a red light and they kept going. No way could I keep up with them, they were going 30mph+. I'm too much of a scaredy to go that fast.

Didn't end up too bad because Paul and I rode through Lincoln Park, ending up appropriately at a middle eastern restaurant named Old Jeruselam.

Permalink: Chicago_EUCers.html
Words: 173
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/09/21 02:07

Category: travel

12/09/21 01:12 - ID#60862

Choo-choo-chicago

(e:paul) had a work shindig in Chicago, so we decided to make a trip of it. Paul and I headed out on Monday night via the Amtrak Lakeshore Line.

He wanted to bring the electric unicycles and I love the train, so there we go.

Permalink: Choo_choo_chicago.html
Words: 54
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/09/21 02:02

Category: family

12/09/21 12:45 - ID#60861

Thanksgiving week

The house was very full for Thanksgiving week. (e:hodown) came and visited us from her globetrotting travels, and was with us the week before.

We went with (e:mike) for a crazy night at the wine bar at Main. (e:hodown) found a new ping pong buddy.

Then (e:terry)'s family came into town the Tuesday before. Altogether we had 9 people in the house which was the most ever. The Mickelson's got to pingpong, (e:paul) got to teach unicycling, and we took the family to the botanical gardens and parking lot christmas market on South Park.

Permalink: Thanksgiving_week.html
Words: 118
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/09/21 12:48

Category: house

11/14/21 12:22 - ID#60857

dj roomba

As confirmation of my previous post that i turned thirty, I went and bought a Roomba.

My union at work got a new contract got a new contract with retroactive pay, so i thought I'd splurge.

We also had to get ready for (e:Terry)'s family coming to stay for Thanksgiving. So (e:Paul) and I went for a shopstravaganza at Niagara Falls Boulevard Plaza of Hell.

I am terrible shopper and waffled the whole time at Best Buy whether to get one and if so, Paul eventually convinced me to just pick one. I also had decision paralysis on choosing a shopping curtain.

Anyway the Roomba navigation is kind of dumb, it has to bump into everything. But it is amazing at cleaning and the floors have never been less dusty.

Permalink: dj_roomba.html
Words: 132
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 11/14/21 12:23

Category: birthday

08/09/21 10:38 - ID#60845

Now I'm 30

Last Thursday i turned thirty! It seems crazy, i know it doesn't actually change anything but it feels like i just finished school yesterday. I remember (e:mike,58043) 's 30th 8 years ago and it seemed so far away.

To celebrate, and since my sisters' partners both also turned 30 within weeks of me, my parents rented a house down in Pennsylvania near Allegheny. It was a fun weekend of games, pizzas and watching (e:Paul) learn how to unicycle.

Then last Thursday we went over to my parents to celebrate with my Aunt Shirley who i share a birthday with.

All in all a great birthday. Can't ask for better guys and family.

Permalink: Now_I_m_30.html
Words: 136
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 08/09/21 10:38

Category: baking

12/28/20 10:23 - ID#60832

Cookie cheer

Since I didn't go over to my parents for the usual cookie decorating shenanigans (e:terry) and I went on a baking bonanza and made a shitton of cookies to deliver.

We baked:

Double batch of oatmeal scotches
Choco-chip, heavy on the dark brown sugar
Shortbread thumbprints with raspberry jam from my mom's coworker
Snickersdoodles
Rumballs

Turns out despite meticulous planning with recipe and plate distributions in a google sheet, we ended up with 10 plates worth instead of 6.

Permalink: Cookie_cheer.html
Words: 88
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/28/20 10:23

Category: house

12/28/20 10:17 - ID#60831

New mattress

I can't believe after not posting for so long and everything that happened this is what I am posting but gotta start somewhere. We finally bought a new mattress, after years of researching while sleeping on the saggy pokey old one. I think I did a good job sifting out the marketing bullshit, and settled on a natural latex one. The outside is wool and cotton so there's no flame retardants. In theory it's compostable?

But it's very quiet and I can sleep again.