Kudzu Planet

Chicago Sights

2010-08-08T19:48:00.000-05:00

My nephew Blake was in town this weekend. We took a Segway ride on Thursday (like we did with his sister last summer). So fun! So many weird people in Chicago this weekend for Lollapalooza.

Buckingham Fountain

(Husband and nephew)

Prairie Field out past the Planetarium, near old Meigs Field. I have lived in this area for 20 years and I didn't even know this area existed before Thursday!

By the Planetarium

Kids goofing around under the Bean

Ha! You go, boyfriend.

Guy shooting a rap video

For reals, yo! See him rewind his boombox to get ready for the second take. Hee!

Take two. Oh, distracted by the little girl!

More scenes from Chicago

2010-06-28T05:15:00.001-05:00

Crossing over the highway.

UIC was having a graduation celebration.

Buckingham Fountain. I don't actually think I've ever been this close before.

Wider angle shot. Such a pretty day!

Lots of people's creativity is inspired by the beautiful parks in Chicago.

Yoga at Millenium Park

2010-06-27T08:49:00.000-05:00

Before we begin:

The view during Downward-Facing Dog:

I am seriously loving Saturday-morning yoga downtown. I can hardly move today, but I still love it!

Blackhawks Pride

2010-06-22T19:08:00.001-05:00

A collection of all the Blackhawks gear I was able to see this weekend. Go Hawks!

The Art Institute lions

Flags on the Michigan Avenue bridge

Sue the dinosaur outside the Field Museum

Sue, later that night

Michigan Avenue goings-on

2010-06-21T18:54:00.001-05:00

In the course of one day, here are some of the people I saw up and down Michigan Avenue.

Earnest nerd playing the guitar and singing to his girlfriend.

Young girls waiting for the Puerto Rican parade to begin.

More parade revelers.

Wedding party in front of the Wrigley Building.

A chess and checkers race game. Set up right in front of the Art Institute at night. Weird!

Chicago Weekend

2010-06-20T18:51:00.000-05:00

We had another great weekend in downtown Chicago. Lots of Blackhawks pride, lots of goings-on up and down Michigan Avenue. Plus, it was a beautiful summer day.

First we did yoga at Millenium Park. This was before most people arrived.

This was my view from way in the back. Man, it was HARD!

After a tasty breakfast at Yolk, I goofed around in the Agora sculptures. My friend Jessie took these shots. Thanks, J!

A really earnest nerd sang to his girlfriend as she tanned and ignored him.

Later I went on the river and lake architecture boat tour. I love that tour, so pretty!

(That is my favorite building in the Loop. I love the old-school short brick and ivy against the tall gleaming glass skyscrapers. The ivy growth isn't a random coincidence, either.)

Then I went to a concert. Keith Urban is a tiny dot in the crowd. Oh, I curse my decision not to bring my camera! The iPhone camera stinks.

More photos coming this week, promise!

I love my pretty city

2010-05-10T20:50:00.000-05:00

From this weekend.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2010-04-28T07:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Dad! Hey, you are finally old enough to retire, hahahaha. Enjoy your 65th!

I found some great old photos of the two of us through the years. I am only going to post a couple for today, in honor of my old man. :)

Could this be any more 1970? I think not. The floral couch, the hilarious little mustache he is sporting, my avocado green knitted vest and plaid pants...CLASSIC.

The thing about my dad that has never changed is that he likes to give smooches to his daughters. Sometimes I don't want one.

And sometimes I do.

He almost didn't make it to my wedding because he was sick and the doctor told him not to fly. But he did, and he walked me down the aisle and did all the things that dads do at weddings. We even got to dance. My face is hidden, but trust me, I am losing it there.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! Love you.

Spring Flashback

2010-04-18T15:59:00.002-05:00

Someone was recently going through my Flickr archives and added this photo as a Favorite of theirs. Thanks for the reminder, stranger; I had forgotten I had taken it!

5K: St. Patrick's Run at Diversey Harbor

2010-03-17T21:51:00.000-05:00

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year was to run 5Ks as often as I could. I started training in December, and my first one was during my birthday weekend downtown.

R was only there for a few minutes before he took off to go fish, so there is only one photo of me, and the rest I took while I was running. :) The theme was St. Patrick's Day, so again there were lots of people dressed up in costumes. I stuck with just a dark green top (peeking out under my running jacket).

It was really freakin' cold out. So glad I had invested in all the cold-weather gear; I wore every single thing! We also got a t-shirt for signing up, and I added that to the layers as well.

The race was at Diversey Harbor. It's too soon for any of the boats to be in yet, but it's still a pretty area. We lucked out; the rain and fog that had permeated the area broke up in time for the race, so it ended up being a really nice day!

People getting ready:

Then we were off! It was pretty muddy with lots of puddles on the path, so it was slow-going in spots as we all navigated through narrow running areas in a large group. I think next time I will try to get a spot further up in the crowd; I know I ended up running with the slower people around me, but we were very far back and it was almost all walkers behind us. That actually doesn't do well for my motivation because it makes me feel even slower than I am, if that makes any sense.

The two mile mark (the time is from when the race started, not my actual time):

I averaged just under 13 minutes per mile. Not bad, not great. It gives me lots of room to improve as I keep racing! I won't lie; I did stop and walk 3 times during the race, for short stints. I'll be looking to improve on that too.

The three mile mark. I got a good hard run in after that, with my final burst of energy:

My final time was 39:26, my pace was 12:44, and I came in 815 out of about 1800 participants. 37 out of 48 of my division (Women ages 40-44), and 457 out of 545 for my gender overall. Not that any of those stats really matter, except as a personal baseline so I can see my improvement as my 5K year progresses.

They were serving bananas and green bagels to runners afterward. Ha!

Instead, Hubby and I went out for pancakes. I love pancakes after a run; that's a tradition I think I will keep.

Now I just have to remember to post the next one here too. Should be in April!

St. Patricks Day 2010: Dying of the River

2010-03-15T05:56:00.000-05:00

It was my birthday this weekend, so my husband treated me to a lovely trip downtown. One of the main events was the Dying of the Chicago River, which we also attended a few years ago. It was a bit different this time because the weather was so awful. But we still had a great time!

First, we wandered around our hotel area and at the Hyatt, wondering if they really were going to do the dying of the river since it was so crappy out. Rainy and lots of fog. See?

The Wrigley Building. You can't even see the clocktower.

The river, pre-dying.

Just in case you need some perspective, here was our view from our room on Saturday morning, and then on Sunday:

But people did start arriving, surrounding the river on all sides. Lots and lots of weird St. Pat's outfits. I only got a couple of shots without being obvious.

She is my St. Patrick's Day soulmate. Hee!

I know, you are thinking, "But the river already looks green!"

But it's not NEON KELLY green. Once they start dying it, the difference is hilariously obvious.

They throw an orange powder into the water which instantly turns green. But if the wind is blowing the wrong way like it was this weekend, the guys throwing it start to look like Cheese Doodles. Hence the white coveralls, LOL.

When it's done, it's really quite lovely.

I'm lovin' it!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Art Institute January 2010

2010-01-17T20:25:00.000-06:00

The Art Institute added a Modern Wing. It's pretty darned cool.

(This isn't blurry.)

See?

Christmas Tree 2009

2009-12-14T07:13:00.000-06:00

Instead of putting up the big tree this year, we decided to get a cute little four-footer (no lights, unfortunately) at Menards yesterday, so a tree has gone up in our house!

It's not a Christmas tree without this ornament, a gift from my Aunt Rose long ago.

I stole this lighted wire gift box idea from an art display I saw a couple of weeks ago. I've had those boxes forever but wasn't sure what to do with them.

The side table by the window. (Yes, my living room walls are bright blue and mustard. And the couch is red. I like color in my home!)

My husband's stocking. Mine is Tweety Bird.

I think this was my husband's grandmothers. We had a couple in my house growing up too, but I think they are long gone.

My cats love to sleep under the tree every year, but since this one is on a small table they've been denied. So now they are sleeping under the table. I am going to get a large soft tree skirt and put it under for them; I'll take photos of it tonight.

Thanksgiving Eats

2009-11-27T21:17:00.000-06:00

I love cooking for Thanksgiving, because I get to be in charge of what we eat. We've started our own traditions, favorites that we love but we're too lazy to cook most nights. This year we had:

-fresh cranberry sauce
-turkey breast with herbs, basted with chicken stock and aromatics
-cornbread stuffing with sweet turkey sausage (our one indulgence)
-pan-roasted Brussels sprouts with shallots
-roasted vegetables and potatoes: carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, rutabega, acorn squash, Yukon potatoes, green beans, onions, 2 cloves garlic, tossed in olive oil and rosemary and thyme
-crescent rolls (my childhood favorite)

The turkey was done much sooner than expected, so the timing was off and the carrots weren't as soft as they should have been. But it was still delicious! This was my plate:

Oh, I did have more stuffing than that. But not much more; filling half my plate with veggies saved my dupa. I haven't overstuffed myself at any point this weekend, and of course we have continued to eat. We HAD to have sandwiches that night: turkey, stuffing, cranberry with bacon on toast. It's a long-held tradition in my family. The best part nowadays is that all the leftovers we have are still so healthy. Tomorrow we'll start really diving in; I may even make soup with the turkey and veggies. Yum yum yum.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! We skipped the football games and went to the casino instead, and Hubby won a bundle. I'm getting a new computer for Christmas!

Comment changes

2009-11-25T05:16:00.001-06:00

Sorry, I've had to make some changes on my blog to require people who want to comment to sign up with some kind of ID name. I've been getting spammed on older entries almost every day, and this is the only way I can stop that. Please feel free to sign up with some kind of ID system so you can continue to post...whenever I post again, that is. :)

Thanksgiving Recipes

2009-11-22T19:13:00.000-06:00

My friend Angie was asking to see some of my Thanksgiving food photos and some recipes. I'll try to take some better ones this year, but these are the cheesy mashed potatoes I made my first Thanksgiving three years ago. I'm not making them this year; they'll be my Christmas dish instead.

This is the recipe for them, from my friend Sharyn in Massachusetts.

Mashed Potato Casserole

8 - 12 potatoes (about 3 pounds. Depends on how big the potatoes are)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled
1 stick of butter (you can use half this, and it's fine)
1 cup sour cream (regular or light)
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish (you can prepare it yourself if you like. But I used the kind from the jar)
1 tablespoon coarse-ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
paprika (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Wash, peel and quarter potatoes (if you use red potatoes, you don't have to peel, although I prefer my mashed potatoes peel-less). Place in a large pot and cover with water. Boil potatoes until tender (about 15 minutes).

While potatoes are cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Coarsely chop onion and place in the skillet. Saute until translucent (about 5 minutes).

Drain potatoes and return to pot (or use a large mixing bowl. I don't like to wash extra stuff). Add onion, butter, sour cream, horseradish, pepper and salt. Now, the original recipe says to whip the potatoes using a hand-held electric mixer. I think it makes the potatoes a little gluey, so I just mix it all up good with a large wooden spoon. If you've cooked the potatoes long enough, they'll mash up easy. Or use a potato masher! It depends on how you like your potatoes mixed. In any case, if you use a wooden spoon, beat them up good, until they're fairly smooth. Then! Stir in your cheese.

Put the entire thing in an ungreased casserole dish.* I sprinkle paprika on it at this point, but it's more for looks than for taste, so that's optional. Cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Take foil off for last few minutes and it will brown up a bit, if you like that.

*If you want, refrigerate it at this point, and bake the next day. It takes more like 40 minutes to bake if it's cold when starting.

+++++

I also make a cornbread and sausage stuffing which is DIVINE. I promise there will be many pictures this year. But here's the recipe from Eating Well.

DIVINE.

OLR 5K

2009-09-27T12:46:00.000-05:00

I ran a 5K today! My first in many years. It felt good, but it was haaard. I'm pretty beat right now, I'm not gonna lie.

None of the photos were taken by me; my husband Richard was the guest photographer on this one. He also has video of me crossing the finish line (instead of a still photo) so we'll have to figure out how to upload that somehow. :)

Me and my running buddy, Cheryl. She is running an AIDS marathon in October! Go support her!

We are nowhere near the front.

And we're off!

My time was 38:01, #356. Not bad; I just wanted to finish under 40 minutes, and I did!

Lyric Opera at Millenium Park

2009-09-13T19:32:00.000-05:00

Went to a free performance by the stars of the Lyric Opera. It was held downtown in the Pritzker Pavilion in Millenium Park. It was so pretty and fun!

I love my city.

Lumiere Hotel, St. Louis

2009-08-26T06:03:00.002-05:00

After we checked out of Natchez Trace, we impulsively decided to go to St. Louis as our overnight stop on our way home. Turns out there is a gorgeous new casino downtown with two stunning hotels attached. We stayed at the Lumiere. It is one of those hotels where the rooms encircle the lobby from the inside, so each floor opens up so you can look down and see everything. This is the view from our hotel room floor.

Day:

Night:

We will definitely be staying there again!

Natchez Trace villa

2009-08-25T06:47:00.000-05:00

The villas at Natchez Trace are fabulous: roomy, air-conditioned, with two outside patios, a gas grill, two floors of bedrooms, a full kitchen and living room, and a shared dock for keeping your boat. We were able to easily fit 6 people in it for a week.

For me, the frustrating part was the air-conditioning; it's hard to reset it (and my BIL needs it to be cold) so we had it at 70 the whole time. But it was so hot and steamy outside it was actually *too* cold for me inside! Ha. So I ended up spending most of my time at the villa out on the second floor patio.

Not that it was a hardship, since it was so pretty out there.

Can't wait to go back next year!

Happy Birthday Kate!

2009-08-22T13:16:00.000-05:00

My sister Kate's birthday is today. It's the last year she will be in her thirties. (Not to worry, Kate, next year's milestone will be great -- especially because then we can torture Mom about having TWO daughters in their forties! Heeheehee.)

My sister's pretty amazing, with a very full plate of activities: she's a mom to two awesome boys, a wife, a teacher, and has gone back to school for yet another degree. Oh, and has lost over sixty pounds and has taken up running in 5Ks. And lives near all the relatives so she attends all the family parties. And probably does a million other things she doesn't even think to talk about because they're just second nature to her. She's smart, committed, busy, loyal, stubborn, family-oriented, kind, and passionate.

But I like her best when she is silly. Nobody does silly like Kate.

She danced with Elvis at Graceland!

Done now.

HEEEEEEEE. See why she's so great? For the record, when we had our mud fight at the lake on vacation -- THIS YEAR -- I would like it known that she threw the first handful of mud. Mom, she started it!!!

And just so she doesn't feel bad for me plastering my blog with pictures of her being a dork, here's the photo I took this morning after I got back from my 5K run that I did in her honor:

:) :) Happy Birthday, little sister!

The original Kudzu Planet

2009-08-21T05:35:00.003-05:00

Hubby says that he came up with the name Kudzu Planet somewhere else, but for me, this is where it all began.

Wave to Hubby! (We had to skip that hike down into the kudzu bowl; if we couldn't see him after a few steps down, we knew we might literally lose the seven-year-old in the thickets!)

This one was taken on our last trip in 2006. The elephant kudzu tree!

Bud and Disie Jowers

2009-08-20T05:23:00.003-05:00

Because Natchez Trace was farmland until the New Deal and the TVA, there are over 25 family cemeteries scattered across the park. Most are tucked away beside camping spots, but I cannot imagine who would camp next to one! There were headstones all over, some broken, some worn down from years of neglect and weather, some still intact, for babies and parents and families, just like cemeteries all over. The strangest sight were the series of square unmarked stumps in rows, like above. We couldn't figure out what they were, because there were no markings on them whatsoever, but they didn't look like replacement stones. For slaves, maybe?

One cemetery we stopped at had a couple of faded plastic flower displays up, which jarred with the actual headstone, which was simply the names, misspelled once and scratched into the cement with a stick. Someone still remembers the Jowers.

Browns Lake boat dock

2009-08-19T06:00:00.003-05:00

There is just something about this photo that is quintessential Natchez Trace to me. Maybe it's the torn-up roof, or the air of 'help yourself' honor-system hospitality; if you want to fish here or borrow a jonboat, you can just fill in the envelope and put whatever money in you feel is appropriate, and help yourself to what you need. This particular lake is tucked away on the other side of the park, where the tourists (such as they are) don't often go.

You can sign up for a turkey hunt, too! They had (rusty) clipboards inside the booth and everything!

Graceland

2009-08-18T06:19:00.002-05:00

Sun Records and Beale Street

2009-08-17T06:51:00.003-05:00

We did leave the woods one day for a trip to Memphis.

Sun Records

Beale Street

Mmmm. Yummy ribs.

Hee. Best doorstopper ever.

Sunrise, Pin Oak Lake

2009-08-15T05:57:00.001-05:00

I only caught two sunrises this year, but they were pretty.

Cub Lake

2009-08-14T07:27:00.000-05:00

Cub Lake at Natchez Trace. We've only been there in the fall, when the beach is closed and the paddleboats are locked away for the season. It was terrific getting to swim and play there this year; the adults were pretty bored, but I had a great time splashing around with my nephews in the swimming area. My sister even joined in one day; we had our first mud/water fight in 30 years! The boys were pretty surprised. :)

In truth, the paddleboats were more fun to watch than to ride; the foot pedals were short which didn't allow for full leg extensions, which made it hard to move. But the dog in the lifejacket sure seemed to like it!

Bird Watching

2009-08-13T07:32:00.000-05:00

Some of the birds we saw at Natchez Trace...

Bald Eagle and owl hiding behind him

Second owl, who made strange clicking noises at us

Hummingbirds!

The eagle and owls were in cages at the Park Ranger station. I have never seen either up that close before. It was pretty amazing!

Happy Birthday, Richard!

2009-08-12T05:20:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to my husband! Next year, we will celebrate your birthday here, with juicy steaks, cold beer, and a fat stogie for you.

For the record: I love you, honey, and I love that you love fishing, but this will never be me.

Porta-Bote

2009-08-01T07:59:00.000-05:00

We're headed out for a week's vacation with my sister's family, where there will be much fishing, boating, hiking, and general silliness with my awesome nephews. Before I go, I wanted to show off my husband's fold-up boat that he got this year. It will be making the trip with us, of course; that's why we got it! I watched him put it together last month, and I have to admit, it's pretty darned cool.

The whole set is here on Flickr, but I'm posting some highlights on the blog.

Looking pretty insubstantial...

Unfolding...

More unfolding...

The stick becomes the key to the set-up.

Putting in the first seat

Putting in the second seat (less gracefully than the first, LOL)

Screwing in the stern board

Voila! We have a boat!

You can also attach wheels so you can roll it to the water, which I maintain are HUGELY DORKY and make it look like Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang.

There is, of course, a waterproof floating holder for the iPhone. OF COURSE THERE IS.

And we are on the water! With very bad rowing! (The trolling motor was added on the next trip. And Hubby claims to have improved his rowing technique now.)

(Sure does look weird without the bow piece. Hubby will be adding it this week, although it's still kind of ugly with it.)

Comes apart pretty fast too...

That's all of it, including the fishing backpack

Pretty cool, righ? It's called a Porta-Bote, and you can order them online. Tell 'em we sent you!

Argh, matey!

2009-07-29T22:48:00.002-05:00

I love how in Chicago you can be on a random boat tour and come across something like this.

Hailey looking up in wonder

2009-07-28T06:10:00.000-05:00

My two favorite things together: my beloved Cultural Center glass domes, and my 14-year-old niece.

Chicago by Segway

2009-07-27T06:18:00.000-05:00

We rented Segways this weekend and explored Millenium Park and Museum Campus. It was great fun, and I highly recommend it for anyone visiting the city who wants to see the lakefront without walking it. Here are some of the highlights:

Group Yoga at the Pavilion

Monroe Harbor

Skyline with the newly renamed "Willis Tower"

In front of Buckingham Fountain

Riding up to Soldier Field

South Loop condos

Field Museum

Dinosaur enjoying the sunny day

Self-Portrait of me and my Hubby

I even have more to post tomorrow. *gasp*

We lost a person!

2009-06-15T21:16:00.000-05:00

My husband and I have been losing weight this year. Between us, we've lost over 120 pounds -- it's practically a whole other person!

This is us now:

This was us then (3 years ago at my brother-in-law's wedding):

Don't know how long he will let me keep these up here, so enjoy them while you can! :)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2009-06-06T14:36:00.000-05:00

Me and my godmother, Aunt Pat

I am in Tucson visiting our family, and for my mom's Birthday I thought I would post some photos so she could see how we all are. Especially Marley, the newest addition to the family. She looks like a Bukowski, for sure! :)

Aunt Pat and Uncle Art

Marley, who isn't too sure yet about this whole thing

Marley and her G.G.

Awwwww.

Love you, Mom!

Arizona trip

2009-06-02T08:40:00.001-05:00

Pools and mountains, glorious, originally uploaded by kudzuplanet.

I am in Tucson at a work conference. This is the resort I am staying at.

I miss my husband and cats, but I don't think I want to go home. EVER.

This is the difference 50 pounds makes

2009-05-07T21:53:00.000-05:00

This was me in January. That's a size 18 jacket.

This was me last week. I borrowed a girlfriend's same jacket -- size 12.

50 pounds. Now THAT'S fulfilling a New Year's Resolution!

Spring tulips

2009-05-06T06:39:00.001-05:00

DSC_2577, originally uploaded by kudzuplanet.

I played with the saturation and color on these, but yes, they were this bright and cheery!

Tulips in Shade

2009-05-05T09:44:00.001-05:00

DSC_2548, originally uploaded by kudzuplanet.

More photos from the Chicago Botanic Garden. The tulips aren't even in full bloom yet! There is more to come as the weeks progress.

Spring is here, at last!

2009-05-03T18:08:00.000-05:00

Even the bees are excited.

Progress Update

2009-04-05T09:35:00.001-05:00

Just to let you know I am still busy losing weight and photographing the results of that more than anything else these days. But spring is supposed to be around the corner (unless we get that snowstorm today, UGH) and I'm hoping to start looking around at pretty things outside again soon. Until then, here's a peek at how I'm progressing:

October 2008:

February 2009:

April 2009:

If you think that's amazing, you should see my husband! He looks terrific.

Much less of me to see these days

2009-02-28T10:25:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the long gap between posts! I am still here, and still taking photos, but the subject is pretty boring: me. I've been on a big weight-loss effort since January 1st, and it's coming along great! 28 pounds so far. As part of it, I have been taking photos of myself to mark the changes, which has been both an eye-opener and great motivation to continue. But it's not the most exciting blog subject, so I haven't been posting them here.

That said, here's a good visual of the changes. Same outfit (the top, at least), four months apart.

October 2008

February 2009

Yay!

Calendar: December 2009

2009-01-20T05:24:00.000-06:00

Winter Wonderland at the Chicago Botanic Garden. That is a replica of the B'nai Temple.

Calendar: November 2009

2009-01-19T06:37:00.001-06:00

Ice Rinks

Chicago

Detroit

New York

Calendar: October 2009

2009-01-17T08:13:00.002-06:00

Fall in Connecticut

Calendar: September 2009

2009-01-14T22:07:00.000-06:00

From the Glass Exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry:

Calendar: August 2009

2009-01-13T17:39:00.000-06:00

Sunrise fishing on Lake Michigan

Detroit, decaying

2009-01-11T08:50:00.001-06:00

I'm interrupting the calendar series to post some links about Detroit. Time.com had a link to a stark article about the ways big and small that Detroit is dying. It's a wrenching article, very hard to read but not one you should skip. There was also a link to a Detroit photographer who is blogging the decay of the city, and that is equally wrenching and important to see. They don't even have working fire hydrants anymore. How can that be?

I have grown to love Detroit over the years; it's ugly and sad and broken, and it hurts to see an American city brought down to its knees like this. (In comparison to Detroit, New Orleans is thriving.) But it has been trying to recover, and many of my photographs that I take when I am there celebrate that. The article and blog above force me to acknowledge that the growth there has been is still far surpassed by the decay and desperation that remains. For every step forward, Detroit is still fifteen steps behind.

I took this on Christmas Eve day 2007. That white bundle is a homeless person sleeping above the steam grate for warmth. (The steam grates are frightening things, imo; at night they make the streets feel threatening when all you see are shadows of people walking out of the smoke. They're used for a purpose in movies, and it's all the more unsettling in real life.) The thing about this photo that is the most unsettling is that this is the "nice" part of the city, between Greektown and the RenCen.

Calendar: July 2009

2009-01-10T15:30:00.001-06:00

We just got 10 inches of snow, so looking at a picture from the summer isn't such a bad thing today.

Calendar: June 2009

2009-01-09T06:32:00.001-06:00

The view from Glenview

Calendar: May 2009

2009-01-07T20:29:00.002-06:00

From my trips to Tucson.

April 2009

2009-01-06T05:55:00.001-06:00

Empire State Building, in Lego and in real life. Both were taken in New York on the same trip.

Calendar: March 2009

2009-01-04T16:28:00.000-06:00

From my trip to New Orleans last year. A French Quarter veranda in oil, then in reality.

Calendar: February 2009

2009-01-03T09:20:00.000-06:00

I love the little airplanes at the bottom, as if they are on the verge of kissing.

Calendar: January 2009

2009-01-02T16:13:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!

I gave out my annual calendar to family and friends, but I wanted to share the photos that I used. I try to pick what I think are some of my best shots of the year. Enjoy!

January 2009

Cultural Center: Dome and Gilt Staircase

2008-12-31T06:13:00.000-06:00

The refurbished Tiffany dome. I've posted photos of this one before.

Even the stairs in this building are gorgeous.

Cultural Center: White Ceiling Room

2008-12-30T06:39:00.000-06:00

This room is immediately off the dome room from yesterday. The detail work on the ceiling are astonishing; while we were in there shooting pictures another visitor lay down on the floor to soak in all the scroll work above.

Maybe someday I can actually get some shots in there when it's not overcast outside. The light from all the corner windows is probably incredible. Too bad I've never seen it!

Cultural Center Dome, unrenovated

2008-12-29T06:48:00.000-06:00

I love the Chicago Cultural Center; it consistently is my favorite downtown subject. There are two Tiffany domes on the top floors, one renovated last year and one still needing a makeover. This is the un-renovated one.

The space is just glorious. I actually bought a framed photograph of it from an art show this year, because I don't think I've really done justice to the beauty of this room.

I am really looking forward to seeing this cleaned up.

More photos of other parts of my favorite building to come this week...

Pieces of Art

2008-12-26T06:33:00.000-06:00

Not the whole paintings, just parts I found striking. I think both are easily identifiable, since the artists have such distinctive styles.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T07:08:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas to you all!

Merry Christmas Eve!

2008-12-24T06:31:00.002-06:00

The Chicago Hilton:

Daley Plaza and the Christmaskindl Market

(That one is for my friend Jill. She will know why.)

Merry Christmas Eve!

P.S. Chicago Public Radio used one of my photos from yesterday on their home page today. Yay!

Weather Report: Snowing and Christmassy

2008-12-23T06:53:00.000-06:00

Like the rest of the country, we've got a lot of snow and cold this Christmas. But no one let that slow them down this weekend!

Daley Plaza Tree

Christmaskindl Market in Daley Plaza

Even the street musicians were out. You could hear this one playing "Jingle Bell Rock" for blocks before you saw him.

+++++

If you're headed anywhere for the holidays, have a safe trip and a very Merry Christmas!

(I will be posting throughout the holidays. Got lots of timely pics to post!)

People and Art

2008-12-22T05:49:00.000-06:00

My husband and I spent the weekend downtown, enjoying our beloved city in full Christmas swing. We packed a lot of stuff into two days, trudging through the snow from museum to hotel lobby to outdoor market to museum. It felt like a winter version of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, so in that spirit, here are some people looking at the Impressionists.

Boys are always fascinated by girls.

I'm calling this one "Man with Clown".

Mia and Mark

2008-12-18T06:35:00.000-06:00

From the retail days. That inset box in the wall really got people to loosen up and goof off for the camera.

Tiff and Mark

2008-12-17T06:52:00.000-06:00

I came across these photos from a couple of years ago, and after all this time they still made me smile. These two were a couple of old co-workers horsing around for the camera; we all worked together in a clothing store that was going out of business, and our boss asked me to get some nice portrait shots of everyone before we closed. It took people a while to relax in front of the camera, but once they did, I was able to capture some great moments.

Polish Church

2008-12-16T05:49:00.000-06:00

This is the church my husband's grandmother attended when she lived in Chicago long ago. We finally went to see it over Thanksgiving with my in-laws. It's a quiet, peaceful space in the middle of a not-so-great neighborhood in the city.

Votive Candles

2008-12-11T20:59:00.000-06:00

Reindogs 2008

2008-12-10T06:19:00.000-06:00

Went to the Reindog Parade at the Chicago Botanic Garden this weekend; unfortunately the super-cold weather this year cast a chilly pall over the proceedings. Most of the poor little dressed-up pups were so cold they were either wrapped up in their owner's arms or walking on the snowy frozen ground with miserable expressions on their faces. I did get a few shots that I liked, though.

It is true, about owners and dogs looking alike; these two long, lean loners fit together perfectly!

Two little angels, swaddled

As my friend Robbie said, "His face shows the excitement in his heart." Poor sweet thing!

I love the look on his face here too.

Princess Fussy Britches

Christmas Lights: Excessive Done Right

2008-12-08T19:03:00.002-06:00

Now THIS is Christmas overkill!

I love this house. The attention to detail and the complete sets of everything is just astonishing. These are all old plastic figures, the kind they don't even make any more. These people have all of them.

Like the trains above. And a choir. (Did you know there were two fat sopranos? I didn't.)

The whole Disney ensemble.

The manger, complete with heralding angels. (Also note the chapel, nun and abbot on the far right. So cute!)

And lots of toy soldiers.

Oh, yeah, and Santa on the roof!

Altogether, it's pretty overwhelming.

But I still love it.

P.S. If the photos are cropped on the sides, click on them to see in full size.

Christmas Lights: Excessive Edition

2008-12-07T20:41:00.000-06:00

This is one of the most overly-decorated houses I've seen. There are lights, giant blow-up creatures, Santas galore, but worst of all, there is just no theme. Unless the theme is "Too Much of Everything".

Um. Is that Pooh and Eeyore behind the tree on the right?

Oh God, it is.

The lighted-wire reindeer seem overwhelmed and frightened.

A polar bear, Snoopy and a seal walk into an igloo...

Tomorrow will be excessive done right. Come back then!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T06:39:00.002-06:00

(Okay, I'm cheating a little; this is my sister's kitchen during a party, but it isn't technically Thanksgiving. I'm not there this year -- I'm hosting my own Thanksgiving -- but I'm pretty sure their stove looks just about the same today.)

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Happy Birthday Joe!

2008-11-09T07:00:00.002-06:00

My nephew turns 10 on Sunday. Ten! Oh my gosh. I spent a weekend with him and his family last month, to celebrate his and his brother's birthdays. These are a few of his favorite things:

Trumpet Valves

His ceramic Yankee Stadium

The 1800s tractor all the males in the family love

This is how I know he's related to me. :) I had the same thing hidden under my bed at that age!

Joe and his trumpet. I love this one.

Happy Birthday, Joe!
Love,
Auntie Kristen

Go vote!

2008-11-04T08:55:00.003-06:00

It's Election Day! Make sure you vote! I did!

I never claimed to be non-partisan. Sorry! :) My dad gave me this last weekend when I saw him in Arizona. It makes me giggle every time I look at it.

(Taken with my cameraphone at work. Which would explain the blurriness, haha.)

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T06:53:00.001-05:00

Pumpkins on my sister's back porch in Connecticut.

My 12th Anniversary Gift

2008-10-17T22:11:00.001-05:00

This was the adorable box my husband gave me for our anniversary this weekend. I guess I can't get Tiffany earrings every year! :)

Stained Glass Faces

2008-10-14T21:20:00.002-05:00

Kris was asking for a new photo. Can't believe it's been a whole month since I posted. Ooops! Here are two from the Glass Experience exhibit taken at the Museum of Science and Industry this summer.

007 wedding cake

2008-09-16T05:58:00.003-05:00

This was my favorite wedding cake at the Sandwich Fair. Not the most romantic of themes, but the funniest!

This vignette is my favorite. Was he ejected, or did he get out and stagger off until he passed out in the icing? Hahahaha!

Flood September 2008

2008-09-14T17:02:00.003-05:00

We've had some serious rainfall this weekend, with flooding in all kinds of unexpected places. We personally got very lucky; even our window well that always floods stayed bone dry this time. But lots of roads, rivers and retention ponds weren't as lucky -- or were many of my friends. Good luck cleaning up, everyone!

That said, some people don't have the sense to heed warning signs.

There was a lot more of Lake Glenview than usual!

Couldn't even get to the bridge.

That gurgling triangle of white in the middle? Is a fountain. It is surrounded by benches, usually.

The waters came down on Sunday around the lake at least.

Techny Basin was filling up all day on Saturday.

Notice the trees weren't flooded yet, and the water was actually going down to a second level in the bowl. By Sunday, it was full.

This may not seem like much...but this is what Techny Basin looks the other 360+ days of the year.

The whole set is found at Flickr.

Prize-winning...

2008-09-12T06:32:00.002-05:00

Peppers

Pickling

Tomatoes

Quick Breads

Quilts

All taken at the Sandwich Fair, September 2008.

Blue-Ribbon Corn

2008-09-04T22:02:00.002-05:00

I went to the Sandwich Fair today. I had a corndog, mini-donuts, an elephant ear, and lemon mix-up. I saw quilts and jams and pigs and rabbits. I snickered at the My Bank Pen collection, and was sad when we couldn't find the World's Tallest Man carnival exhibit. It rained hard the whole day.

I had a great time. My stomach still hurts.

Charter Fishing

2008-09-01T19:28:00.004-05:00

I posted a whole set of shots on Flickr of our morning charter fishing on Lake Michigan, but here are some of my favorite (photography-wise) of the set.

Sunrise over the bow

We reach our destination.

Fishing boat in the orange sun

Andy

Dave

Janie

Richard reels it in

Showing off the day's catch

An impressive collection of lures

Best tagline ever!

We will definitely do this again. At least the guys will; hopefully they'll continue to let me tag along and photograph their, um, hard work. (Truthfully, Matt the captain did everything, and deserves a ton of credit and thanks. Jackpot Fishing for all your charter fishing needs!)

6:16am Sunday, August 31

2008-08-31T14:22:00.000-05:00

Taken on a charter fishing boat on Lake Michigan this morning. Sometimes getting up early is worth it.

Miniature Trains at MSI

2008-08-29T13:39:00.003-05:00

Taken at the Miniature Train exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Miniature El in motion

Coming up to an El stop

Burger Bunker (out in the "country" part of the display)

When the train whizzes by, it actually does make the boat look like it's moving, too.

Freight Train in motion

I met my husband at the small building to the right of the Stone diamond building. The building is closed now, but here it is immortalized forever at the MSI Miniature Train exhibit. Haha!

Glass Patterns

2008-08-27T06:35:00.003-05:00

More from the Glass Experience exhibit at MSI.

Stained Glass Pieces. The top right one isn't blurry; that's how it looked.

Glowing Yellow Brick.

Inside a Chihuly vase.

Chihuly sketch.

Glass Wall Pattern.

Chihulys in a Row.

Baccarat Chandeliers

2008-08-26T09:19:00.003-05:00

Taken at the Glass Experience exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Straight-on

From underneath

More available in the Glass Experience set at Flickr.

More Air & Water Show photos

2008-08-21T05:53:00.003-05:00

I took over a thousand shots at the Air & Water Show, so you know I had to see if there were more worth sharing. These aren't quite as dramatic as the others, but they tell a story too.

I had to over-darken the colors so the smoke trails could be seen. The planes really were that close together as they twisted upward -- the crowd was gasping as they flew up.

Chicago Air & Water Show

2008-08-16T18:54:00.002-05:00

I know, it's been a while since I posted. I've been in a slump; everything I've shot has either been overexposed, blurry, or just boring. But I think today's trip to the Chicago Air & Water Show had gotten me out of the slump.

Then we had the brilliant idea to go to the top of the John Hancock building to watch more. The views were stunning.

I heart Chicago, too.

The rest are at this set at Flickr. They're all worth viewing in large.

Happy Birthday, Richard!

2008-08-12T06:27:00.003-05:00

Today is my husband's 40th birthday. He doesn't like to celebrate birthdays, but I couldn't let the occasion pass without posting something!

After all, just buying potato chips with him can be an adventure. :)

No matter how into fishing he gets, I like to think this is a rule he will never, ever break.

Enjoy the day!

Enjoy your 40s; I sure am!

I love Pudge

2008-07-31T06:57:00.003-05:00

Pudge Rodriguez, my favorite catcher of all time, got traded from the Tigers to the Yankees yesterday. Not that it really affects my admiration of him one way or the other; it just provides me with an excuse to post pictures of him I took at a Cubs/Tigers game in June 2006. We had front-row seats, just behind first base. Can you tell?

Pudge suits up.

Pudge in position.

Pudge watches the pop-up.

Pudge on his knees.

Play in motion.

Great Price on Holy Water

2008-07-30T06:27:00.000-05:00

At the Mission San Xavier gift shop in Tucson.

Happy Birthday Kris!

2008-07-28T06:51:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to one of the most generous friends I have. May you have a wonderful day and an even better year, m'dear!

(The cakes are from my niece and nephew's bar mitzvahs, but the dessert table was so huge they probably still have some left over. Ha!)

Fun Slide at Ribfest

2008-07-22T05:59:00.000-05:00

You wanted to believe the ride name, but then you realized it was ninety degrees out, and that slide was dry and wicked hot and would probably take three layers of your skin off as you went down it. Even the little sacks they gave the kids to sit on didn't look like enough protection against the heat...ouch!

From the archives

2008-07-19T11:34:00.001-05:00

Taken at the Butterfly Garden at the Peggy Noteabart Nature Museum last summer. It's one of the first photos I took with my then-new Nikon D80.

Queen Anne's Lace at Sunrise

2008-07-17T09:29:00.002-05:00

It's a hot one out today.

African Daisies, in all the stages of blooming

2008-07-16T06:19:00.000-05:00

The first time I've seen a grouping in all the different stages of bloom. The curled-in petals are the last stage, and the wide-open traditional daisies on the bottom are the first.

If I were a kid again

2008-07-15T06:57:00.003-05:00

If I were a kid again I could go to camp and make construction paper chains and staple them to a paper plate and watch them swing in the summer breeze, instead of going to an office and staring out the windows longingly.

Although, who am I kidding? When I was a kid I liked to stay inside and curl up on the couch and read or watch TV and wait for my mom or grandmother to yell at me to go outside already and play in the sun while it was still nice out. I would do it better if I could do it again. I think. :)

Monday, a week ago

2008-07-14T06:40:00.001-05:00

Overlooking Lake Michigan from in front of Buckingham Fountain.

Enjoying the summer downtown

2008-07-13T08:56:00.001-05:00

Oak Street Beach and Lake Shore Drive

Even better in large.

Echinacea, or purple coneflower

2008-07-12T09:26:00.000-05:00