Weekend

I had dinner on Friday with my new friend Kate. We laughed a lot, or at least I did. She has all the qualities I look for in a friend: funny and likes the same TV shows I do. Then I had to go to bed early so I could get up and go to work at 6:30 for the monthly web site check, which is just a bunch of bull shit that I could do from home. I was tired afterward, but I don't believe in napping, so instead I went for a bike ride. My thought was, Well, if I go for a bike ride now, then I won't feel guilty about doing nothing all day. But I think I pushed myself too hard because I threw up a little. While I was on my bike. I couldn't stop, I was on a busy road! So I just vomited and kept going, like a pro. That's probably how Lance Armstrong does it. GOD, why am I so gross?

Then I was supposed to go out to dinner with Adrian, but he stood me up. Whatever, I probably had more fun eating bean burritos and watching TV alone.

Today I went to Colleen's company picnic in the western suburbs. Matt and I didn't do anything embarrassing. We spent most of the time inside the barn watching the Lions game on a big screen. I was a little disappointed because Colleen had said there would be an elephant, but there was no elephant. And we were too late for the hot dogs. Oh well, I got free beer and ice cream. Well, time to watch Rock of Love!



"It's BACON!"

Peewee's Playhouse

CUT TO: me in ten years doing an interview on the Today Show about my 17 cats with "J" names.

Show

My friend Val came into the city on Saturday to see Ani Difranco, and she invited me to go with her. First I met her at her friend Chad's apartment in Lincoln Park and we had lunch. Chad told me I look like a girl he went to high school with, so when we got back to his apartment he showed me a picture of her and I did not find her attractive. I was like, "I don't see it..." Then Val and I took the L downtown to the Auditorium Theatre. We looked for a place to have a drink before the show, but could only find...wait for it...Bennigan's!

I don't really know Ani Difranco's music, because I mostly listen to what 55 year-old truck drivers listen to, but it was a great show. The Auditorium Theatre inside reminded me of the Fox, although I think the Fox is more ornate. Val had gotten really good seats—third row in the pit. A musician named Melissa Ferrick opened—she was good AND funny. Both had high energy and we danced a lot. Val said the Asian guy from one of the Law & Orders was sitting across the aisle from us. I'm not so sure.

This is how close we were.

Episode 4

Mom weekend

So my mom came this weekend. I picked her up from O'Hare on Friday night, then we walked uptown to Bar Louie for some appeteasers, even though the last time I was there I accidentally used the men's room, but I'm over it.

Saturday we went to a couple of architectural salvage places, Salvage One and Jan's. It was mostly just me saying things like "Will you buy me this pram?" "Will you buy me this cowboy rug?" "Will you buy me this baptismal?" "Will you buy me this statue of Jesus knocking at my door?" Salvage One was a very cool space—three floors! Jan's was crazy and cluttered with mazes of weird junk. Both are in the Greek Town area, so we had lunch at Greek Islands. I read the words "meat pie" on the specials menu and was like, "Say no more, I'm sold." Later we moseyed through the Wine Crush (street festival) in Old Town and had a glass of mediocre chianti. Then we went to Webster's Wine Bar in Lincoln Park for dinner and had a bottle of Rioja, followed by a flight each and a snack at the Stained Glass in Evanston. I was still hungry.

Yesterday we walked around Evanston and had lunch at a Japanese place. Then my mom cooked me a lot of food while I pretended to help by chopping carrots! Now the freezer is full of chicken gluck (a Shelton Family favorite) and pinto beans. Oh, and my mom also bought me Corona so I could have a use for the rest of the lime we bought for the guacamole. We're so economical.



Salvage One














"Will you buy me this toilet chair?"


Now that's a real man's lunch. Eaten by someone who's dressed like an 80 year-old woman.


Jan's


I NEED ONE OF THESE OF PEEWEE.


"Will you buy me this bust of naked black people?"


Relapse!

Prepare for Winter

Last night I walked to the beach and sat in the lifeguard tower. The wind was cool, the sand was cool—it was great. I'm enjoying the new chilly temps. To kick off the winter season, as my grandma already has, I'd like to share this email she sent me (with her permission).

I know it seems a little early to think about it but you should. Chicago can get socked with some good snow storms—especially if they catch lake effects off Lake Michigan. You might have another 3 hours ride home some day. Things to have in your car:
1. Tough WARM boots. Not fancy ones but WARM ones. Who cares what they look like if you have to walk. You can keep them in your backseat and no one will see them.
2. A hat
3. Mittens. NOT gloves.
4. Scarf
5. An old blanket
6. An old rug. This can be used if you are on ice and will give you traction.
7. Stash some food in your glove compartment. Some granola bars, a candy bar, gum, etc.
8. A long handled brush to brush the snow off your windshield.
9. Maybe a small shovel
10. Flashlight
11. Keep your gas tank filled.
If you need any of these items put an X next to it for a Christmas gift. Just want my lovey to be safe and sound.

Rooftop

Yesterday I went to a block party/music fest hosted by a small bar called the Hideout tucked away in an industrial area of the city. I went with Brendan and his brother Marty, who I kept accidentally calling Morty. And then trying not to laugh. Of course I'd never heard of any of the bands, but Brendan said they were great. I ended up really liking a band from Ireland called The Frames. The lead singer is in the movie Once, which I haven't seen but all I heard yesterday was how good it is. Oh, I saw my 7th grade boyfriend, Joe, in the beer line. WE-IRD.

I also made a new friend—a new doctor friend, Kate, who is also new to the city. One of her friends owns a warehouse there, right across from where the stages were set up, so we watched the last performer from the rooftop with a bunch of other people. The view of the city was amazing—with everything lit up, plus the weekly fireworks at Navy Pier—and I felt smart when Kate asked me which is the Sears and which is the Hancock. The warehouse was very cool inside. They've converted it into a living and office space. The rooftop was done by a landscape designer. I asked Kate what her friend (who's actually in Bhutan right now) does for a living, and she said, "He's independently wealthy." I don't know what that means. Later it got chilly on the roof, so a few of us went through a pile of this guy's clothes for warmer shirts. With the roof, the music, the view, the interesting people, I felt like I was in a movie.

I wonder how long into our friendship I should wait before asking her for free medical advice about my constant gas.

Long Weekend

My friends Kelly and Erik came to visit this weekend. Erik is the one who helped me move and put my furniture together wrong even though he's an engineer, but I'm completely over it and never bring it up anymore. Kelly was here in April. We all know each other from French class and study abroad.

They got in late on Friday, so we just walked into town for a low-key drink. Saturday we rode the L into the city, walked a lot and had Chicago hot dogs for lunch. I don't know if you know this, but I love hot dogs. We also went to H&M to dress Erik for the evening. I took them to the Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park for dinner. It's my new favorite place. Then we went to an upstairs club called The Apartment in Lincoln Park. I think it's called The Apartment because it has beds. Unfortunately the bed area was roped off, otherwise what a perfect time and place for a nap, right? I'm too goofy for the club scene, but it was fun. No one was dancing when we got there, so Erik and I decided we'd get it started for everyone. We're really, really good dancers.

Yesterday we had a relaxing day at the beach in Rogers Park, and dinner outside at a bar in Lincoln Park. Then we met our friend Melissa and her friends for a drink...of water and headed home early.

It's nice to have visitors. My mom's coming in two weeks. I feel like I'm running a hostel, without the bunk beds and Germans.



I made a list of things we could do. Then Erik made a list of things from my list.


Kelly brought her clothes in a box.


Breakfast at the bakery.


Statues on Roosevelt and Michigan.


Buckingham Fountain




Millennium Park


















How did my mom get in this picture? Oh God, that's me.