You can't really see it but I'm holding a puppy
The Cowgirl looks good in the morning
Do not trust these animals
Diane and Dorothy discuss life with Asia the dog
The wide streets of Laramie
Horses.Monday, August 31, 2009
Photographs of the Day--Laramie
You can't really see it but I'm holding a puppyThe Cowgirl looks good in the morningDo not trust these animalsDiane and Dorothy discuss life with Asia the dogThe wide streets of LaramieHorses.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
In Praise of Diane Kempson
What is there to say about Diane Kempson, part-owner of our favorite lodging of the trip, The Cowgirl Horse Hotel in Laramie, Wyoming. She’s probably the most interesting person around as far as we can tell. Sure, you think you got her pegged the minute you meet her; friendly drawl, Idaho t-shirt, dogs. You might think she has lived in Wyoming her whole life, but that is dead wrong. This lady has lived literally everywhere. Oh New York City? Yeah, she lived there. In the 70's. Charleston, South Carolina? She was freaking born there! Toronto, Chicago, this that and the other place. This woman is the living embodiment of that Johnny Cash song that everybody loves so much. She’ll also talk to you as long as she pleases about dogs, horses, vegetables, those snobby San Francisco elitist. What do they know!? Nothing, compared to Diane Kempson.
Laramie: Puppy Heaven
I had a good feeling about Laramie from the get-go. Not only does Wyoming have a spectacular reputation of being majestic and cowboy-centric, I had booked us at the famed Cowgirl Horse Hotel, located on Black Elk Road. The Cowgirl is a place for weary cowgirls to hang their hats and put up their boots and just relax. But Phil didn’t need to worry, cowboys are welcomed too.
We pulled up to the house at around 8:30pm, a little later when we had wanted. Fortunately, proprietress Diane was having a girls night with some girlfriends and red wine and the party was just getting started. Her two dogs, Dash and Asia greeted us warmly. Asia is a Belgian Sheepdog and reminded Phil of Kia, his dog back home and he felt a pang of homesickness. The room was adorable. Two huge beds, a shower with two shower heads! Plenty of chickflicks on DVD. We didn’t even have keys! No keys needed here at the Cowgirl.
Diane pointed us in the direction of town and recommended a brewpub, Altitudes. It’s the new hotspot in Laramie. We both had delicious food, Phil had a steak sandwich and I had a buffalo burger. The best thing about the dinner was the “chili beer”, a light lager made with jalapenos. Too bad I was getting the altitude madness bad and couldn’t finish my beer and we turned in early. But with good reason. Diane (who was still up when we got home, swilling that red wine) let us in on a little secret; she and her partner Pam breed Rottweiler’s and there was a litter of 5 week- old puppies living in the stables!
We could barely sleep that night and woke up at 6:45am, bounding out of bed like it was Christmas morning. Diane was still sleeping one off so we explored the grounds by ourselves. We met several gorgeous horses. Pam and Diane house 15 horses at a time. But we couldn’t find any puppies! Heading back to the house we noticed we were being watched by something we later found out was a pronghorn antelope. It fixed us with a death stare, made a strange noise like lasers shooting out of its mouth and bounded away.
Luckily Diane had finally pulled herself out of bed and she knew what was on our minds: PUPPIES! She led the way through the beautiful stables and there tucked in a cozy corner were five of the cutest round-headed little Rottweiler puppy we have ever seen. Phil bonded with little Steve McQueen who kept escaping from the pen and the only girl, a little runt, Diane Jr., warmed up to me right away. We could have stayed there all morning, we could have stayed at the Cowgirl all day, but we finally tore ourselves away from the puppies and Diane, and hit the road.
We made a brief stop in Laramie to see the wide-streeted town in the daytime. I finally bought the straw hat of my dreams from a cowboy who used to live in NYC and go to Broadway shows on a regular basis. We stopped in at the delightful Laramie food co-op, was given a free bag of ice not because we asked for it but because the guy overheard we had a cooler and regretfully left town and headed west toward Nevada
We pulled up to the house at around 8:30pm, a little later when we had wanted. Fortunately, proprietress Diane was having a girls night with some girlfriends and red wine and the party was just getting started. Her two dogs, Dash and Asia greeted us warmly. Asia is a Belgian Sheepdog and reminded Phil of Kia, his dog back home and he felt a pang of homesickness. The room was adorable. Two huge beds, a shower with two shower heads! Plenty of chickflicks on DVD. We didn’t even have keys! No keys needed here at the Cowgirl.
Diane pointed us in the direction of town and recommended a brewpub, Altitudes. It’s the new hotspot in Laramie. We both had delicious food, Phil had a steak sandwich and I had a buffalo burger. The best thing about the dinner was the “chili beer”, a light lager made with jalapenos. Too bad I was getting the altitude madness bad and couldn’t finish my beer and we turned in early. But with good reason. Diane (who was still up when we got home, swilling that red wine) let us in on a little secret; she and her partner Pam breed Rottweiler’s and there was a litter of 5 week- old puppies living in the stables!
We could barely sleep that night and woke up at 6:45am, bounding out of bed like it was Christmas morning. Diane was still sleeping one off so we explored the grounds by ourselves. We met several gorgeous horses. Pam and Diane house 15 horses at a time. But we couldn’t find any puppies! Heading back to the house we noticed we were being watched by something we later found out was a pronghorn antelope. It fixed us with a death stare, made a strange noise like lasers shooting out of its mouth and bounded away.
Luckily Diane had finally pulled herself out of bed and she knew what was on our minds: PUPPIES! She led the way through the beautiful stables and there tucked in a cozy corner were five of the cutest round-headed little Rottweiler puppy we have ever seen. Phil bonded with little Steve McQueen who kept escaping from the pen and the only girl, a little runt, Diane Jr., warmed up to me right away. We could have stayed there all morning, we could have stayed at the Cowgirl all day, but we finally tore ourselves away from the puppies and Diane, and hit the road.
We made a brief stop in Laramie to see the wide-streeted town in the daytime. I finally bought the straw hat of my dreams from a cowboy who used to live in NYC and go to Broadway shows on a regular basis. We stopped in at the delightful Laramie food co-op, was given a free bag of ice not because we asked for it but because the guy overheard we had a cooler and regretfully left town and headed west toward Nevada
Profile in Courage: Officer Loy
We were cruising, nearly to the end of Nebraska. We’d moved from Highway 80 to the more scenic Route 30, guiding us through intermittent towns announced by their huge silos, which loomed over the plains like skyscrapers in the distance. Phil was in a driving groove, but was admittedly suffering from the triple-whammy (self-diagnosed) of Highway Hypnosis, Big Sky Lunacy, and Altitude Madness. So he can be forgiven if he for a moment thought that the sirens behind him were a hallucination. Dorothy corroborated, though, so we pulled to the side of the road. Up to the car strode Officer Loy, all of nineteen years old, possessing the impressive admixture of Barney Fife’s crime-fighting acumen and Columbo’s charm.
“I have pulled you over because I clocked you driving 69 in a 60 zone,” he declared, trying to conceal his Book of Things Real Cops Say. “Is there any reason you were speeding?” Phil combed his mind. He didn’t know that driving nine miles over the limit was speeding. Didn’t he deserve a commendation for staying within ten miles per hour of the limit? There was even a car in front of us that he refused to pass. “Uh,” said Phil, “We’re just trying to make time to Laramie.” The officer returned to his car, while Phil and Dorothy tried wrap their minds around the idea of being given a ticket for driving 69 in a flipping 60 on a near deserted road in East Honestly Nowhere, NE. Loy walked back to the car with a piece of paper in his hand. “I’ve decided to give you a warning today,” he told us, pausing to allow the gravity of his benevolence to sink in, “but a couple of things. First, you say you want to make time to Laramie. Well, why are you on 30? You should be on 80, where the speed limit is 75.” Check and mate. He had Phil dead to rights. Outwitted, Phil stuttered, “We’re taking the scenic route,” but clearly, he’d been beat. The satisfaction on Officer Loy’s face was evident. “Second,” he said, “The speed limit on Nebraska state roads is 60 MPH.” Thusly educated, we pulled away slowly and carefully, inching our way toward Laramie with nothing but a cocktail of relief and gratitude in our hearts. A real credit to the uniform, that Officer Loy.
“I have pulled you over because I clocked you driving 69 in a 60 zone,” he declared, trying to conceal his Book of Things Real Cops Say. “Is there any reason you were speeding?” Phil combed his mind. He didn’t know that driving nine miles over the limit was speeding. Didn’t he deserve a commendation for staying within ten miles per hour of the limit? There was even a car in front of us that he refused to pass. “Uh,” said Phil, “We’re just trying to make time to Laramie.” The officer returned to his car, while Phil and Dorothy tried wrap their minds around the idea of being given a ticket for driving 69 in a flipping 60 on a near deserted road in East Honestly Nowhere, NE. Loy walked back to the car with a piece of paper in his hand. “I’ve decided to give you a warning today,” he told us, pausing to allow the gravity of his benevolence to sink in, “but a couple of things. First, you say you want to make time to Laramie. Well, why are you on 30? You should be on 80, where the speed limit is 75.” Check and mate. He had Phil dead to rights. Outwitted, Phil stuttered, “We’re taking the scenic route,” but clearly, he’d been beat. The satisfaction on Officer Loy’s face was evident. “Second,” he said, “The speed limit on Nebraska state roads is 60 MPH.” Thusly educated, we pulled away slowly and carefully, inching our way toward Laramie with nothing but a cocktail of relief and gratitude in our hearts. A real credit to the uniform, that Officer Loy.
Photographs of the Day-Omaha to Laramie
Curly-"Gold! Gold! GOLD!!"
Info-tainment
Man of the California Trail
Prairie Girl
Git off my property
What happened here?
Also, no wi-fi
The Millford Inn-Nobody has set foot on this land in years...On the Road: Omaha to Laramie (Pt 2)
On the open road and feeling much better, we began to power our way through Nebraska, a flat and veritably joyless state. Lunch was eaten out of the car, as we parked outside an almost certainly haunted old building that once housed the Millford Inn. Creepy photos to come. It was likely the only time Israeli couscous had been eaten there. We considered a seance, but, discouraged by the handwritten sign outside - "No Wi-Fi" - we continued our drive.
On one of the few occasions that the radio was turned down, though, we heard a sound coming from Kitty Jo that most resembled soulful, atonal humming. This time, it was Dorothy's turn to lose her composure, to the detriment of the tabloid in her hand (sorry, Twilight stars). We pulled over and cooled down while KJ did the same. Fortunately, arching across Route 80 was a surefire cure for the blues: The Grande Platte River Road Archway Monument (or GPRRAM). KJ burned rubber turning into the exit, and before long we were greeted by Curly the prospector, who told us about buying tickets and receiving our electronic headsets. We were then ushered up Nebraska's second longest escalator (really!!) and learned about the opening up of the American West through the promise of "gold, gold, GOLD!!" We came away from it with a new appreciation of the cultural history of the West (sort of), a commemorative pressed penny, and a lucky, three-legged pig, who wards off evil spirits and would ensure an uncomplicated rest of our trip. Right?
On one of the few occasions that the radio was turned down, though, we heard a sound coming from Kitty Jo that most resembled soulful, atonal humming. This time, it was Dorothy's turn to lose her composure, to the detriment of the tabloid in her hand (sorry, Twilight stars). We pulled over and cooled down while KJ did the same. Fortunately, arching across Route 80 was a surefire cure for the blues: The Grande Platte River Road Archway Monument (or GPRRAM). KJ burned rubber turning into the exit, and before long we were greeted by Curly the prospector, who told us about buying tickets and receiving our electronic headsets. We were then ushered up Nebraska's second longest escalator (really!!) and learned about the opening up of the American West through the promise of "gold, gold, GOLD!!" We came away from it with a new appreciation of the cultural history of the West (sort of), a commemorative pressed penny, and a lucky, three-legged pig, who wards off evil spirits and would ensure an uncomplicated rest of our trip. Right?
Pick(s) of the Day--August 28, 2009
Album(s) of the Day
Phil's Moms Mix
it had an amazing calming effect on Phil after the accident...
Song(s) of the Day
"Jackson" by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash
will be included on our debut album
Phil's Moms Mix
it had an amazing calming effect on Phil after the accident...
Song(s) of the Day
"Jackson" by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash
will be included on our debut album
On the Road: Omaha to Laramie (Pt 1)
When we say it was hard to leave Omaha, don't think that we formed some kind of emotional attachment to the city. We had a nice night there, sure, but it was actually hard to leave. For one thing, it's a city of aggressive drivers, tearing down the street at inappropriate speeds. I suppose that's why we didn't see any pedestrians. For another, the entire city of Omaha seems to be under construction. Looking down one major avenue, we saw cranes erecting structures on either side of the street, while construction crews tore up the street itself. Every turn we made was attended to by a confusing constellation of orange cones.
We were nearly free from the city when Dorothy realized she couldn't find her sunglasses, so we backtracked to a nearby Walgreen's for new ones. A wild goose chase for a mailbox left us on a small street, trying to make a left turn onto a larger street, with the aforementioned drivers bearing down on us. We should mention that Phil's normal composure in the driver's seat had at this point given way to slight frustration at the entirety of Omaha, and when he nosed into the street to make a seemingly safe turn before being cut off by some Nebraskan lunatic with someplace real important to go, he somewhat thoughtlessly threw the car into reverse to get out of the intersection. The rearview mirror rendered useless by the gear in Kitty Jo's (the car's) backseat, Phil was only made aware of the car right behind him when he heard the crunch. The upshot? Well, very little harm was done; Phil's ego certainly took the biggest hit. Insurance information was traded with the fellow in the car, whose driver's license told us was from Los Angeles, on Valencia Street, a fact that Dorothy took as a harbinger of good things to come. With this small consolation, we left Omaha for good, on a long ride certain to be without further excitement. Right.
We were nearly free from the city when Dorothy realized she couldn't find her sunglasses, so we backtracked to a nearby Walgreen's for new ones. A wild goose chase for a mailbox left us on a small street, trying to make a left turn onto a larger street, with the aforementioned drivers bearing down on us. We should mention that Phil's normal composure in the driver's seat had at this point given way to slight frustration at the entirety of Omaha, and when he nosed into the street to make a seemingly safe turn before being cut off by some Nebraskan lunatic with someplace real important to go, he somewhat thoughtlessly threw the car into reverse to get out of the intersection. The rearview mirror rendered useless by the gear in Kitty Jo's (the car's) backseat, Phil was only made aware of the car right behind him when he heard the crunch. The upshot? Well, very little harm was done; Phil's ego certainly took the biggest hit. Insurance information was traded with the fellow in the car, whose driver's license told us was from Los Angeles, on Valencia Street, a fact that Dorothy took as a harbinger of good things to come. With this small consolation, we left Omaha for good, on a long ride certain to be without further excitement. Right.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Photographs of the Day--Omaha
The biggest door in Nebraska State-Cornerstone Mansion
Happy Birthday Leos
McFosters
It's not raining in OmahaPhotographs of the Day--Iowa
Meredith loves the burgers at Shorts
They tell me my darts fly in a perfect arc
Meredith's neighbor on Washington Street
Iowa City morningphotograph by Meredith Lynn
Friday, August 28, 2009
Pictures
Technical difficulties are currently preventing us from uploading photos at the moment. Expect them tomorrow. Thank you for your patience.
Best,
Phil and Dorothy
Best,
Phil and Dorothy
Omaha
Written 30 minutes ouside of Laramie, as the wide expanse of Wyoming sky turns from gold to deep blue.
We had a pretty quiet night in Omaha, a pretty quiet town. We stayed at the Cornerstone Mansion B&B run by the spunky Barbara and her talking dog Lucy. On Sherrie Flick's recommendation we went to eat at McFoster's restaurant on Dodge Street (which made us think wistfully of Brian of Dodge Street Tires...). Our waitress was the spitting image of Amy Poehler and the sweet potato fries were incredible.
After dinner we went across the street to hang out with Omaha's "white-belted hipsters" at Brother's Lounge. Phil liked this bar so much he wouldn't shut up about it. They made a killer Pimm's Cup and Phil broke the dartboard with his machine gun-like delivery to the bull's-eye.
We skipped town pretty early the next morning. Or at least we tried to. Apparently they are re-building the entire city of Omaha and there was construction galore. That's when Phil had his first "misadventure" of the day...to be continued.
We had a pretty quiet night in Omaha, a pretty quiet town. We stayed at the Cornerstone Mansion B&B run by the spunky Barbara and her talking dog Lucy. On Sherrie Flick's recommendation we went to eat at McFoster's restaurant on Dodge Street (which made us think wistfully of Brian of Dodge Street Tires...). Our waitress was the spitting image of Amy Poehler and the sweet potato fries were incredible.
After dinner we went across the street to hang out with Omaha's "white-belted hipsters" at Brother's Lounge. Phil liked this bar so much he wouldn't shut up about it. They made a killer Pimm's Cup and Phil broke the dartboard with his machine gun-like delivery to the bull's-eye.
We skipped town pretty early the next morning. Or at least we tried to. Apparently they are re-building the entire city of Omaha and there was construction galore. That's when Phil had his first "misadventure" of the day...to be continued.
In Praise of Brian Sekafetz
The Road is hard. The Road is fucking hard. You learn this one of two ways: either you see it in a Hollywood movie from the comfort of your rented futon or you learn the hard way, from experience. Specifically, the experience of having your car vibrate the entire time you're on the highway. You wonder, Why is it vibrating? What's the vibrating for? Is it the shimmy shimmy shakes?
Sometimes, only one man can answer therse questions: Brian Sekafetz, owner of Dodge Street Tire in Iowa City. A man among men. A man who took the time to drive our Lesbaru down Highway 80 just to get a feel for its pain. A man who balanced our tires and then took it for yet another drive down Highway 80 while we hung out in the "customer lounge" watching SportsCenter with a third generation corn-fed mechanic stud eating the world's most perfect turkey sandwich. A man who, after spending an hour "car whispering" at the Lesbaru, charges us nothing because he didn't fix the problem. Not that he couldn't, mind you, he just wanted to make sure we got to Hollywood before it was too late...because he never did.
Whenever the wind blows down the lonesome highway, it will speak one name - Brian Sekafetz.
Sometimes, only one man can answer therse questions: Brian Sekafetz, owner of Dodge Street Tire in Iowa City. A man among men. A man who took the time to drive our Lesbaru down Highway 80 just to get a feel for its pain. A man who balanced our tires and then took it for yet another drive down Highway 80 while we hung out in the "customer lounge" watching SportsCenter with a third generation corn-fed mechanic stud eating the world's most perfect turkey sandwich. A man who, after spending an hour "car whispering" at the Lesbaru, charges us nothing because he didn't fix the problem. Not that he couldn't, mind you, he just wanted to make sure we got to Hollywood before it was too late...because he never did.
Whenever the wind blows down the lonesome highway, it will speak one name - Brian Sekafetz.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Iowa City
Iowa City. The Brass Candle. Smocktown. The Hub of Hubris. The Shame of Iowa. Iowa City.
Iowa City goes by many names, but to us, it was home to Meredith Lynn. Meredith hosted us in her modified loft above an Authentic Indian Restaurant. Her cat, name of Zeve, welcomed us with open claws. Meredith gave us a taste of life in a college town, ushering us into a delicious burger "joint" (Shorts Burger and Shine) and then into "Joe's Bar." Therein we played darts (Dorothy prevailed), Big Buck Hunter (nature lost), and met various Iowans. Including Craig, a displaced Pittsburgher and high school pal of Phil's (go Vikes). Despite the rainy weather, spirits were high, we had a great time, and memories were made, stored, and treasured.
Iowa City goes by many names, but to us, it was home to Meredith Lynn. Meredith hosted us in her modified loft above an Authentic Indian Restaurant. Her cat, name of Zeve, welcomed us with open claws. Meredith gave us a taste of life in a college town, ushering us into a delicious burger "joint" (Shorts Burger and Shine) and then into "Joe's Bar." Therein we played darts (Dorothy prevailed), Big Buck Hunter (nature lost), and met various Iowans. Including Craig, a displaced Pittsburgher and high school pal of Phil's (go Vikes). Despite the rainy weather, spirits were high, we had a great time, and memories were made, stored, and treasured.
Pick(s) of the Day--August 28, 2009
Song(s) of the Day
"Don't Do Me Like That" by Tom Petty
Lesson learned. You can never have to much Tom Petty on a road trip. NEVER.
Album(s) of the Day
D&P CC CD Part 2 by Cotton
Maggie May-Rod Stewart
Here You Come Again-Dolly Parton
Don't Do Me Like That-Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
April Come She Will-S&G
He's Misstra Know It All-Stevie Wonder
Under Pressure-Flaming Lips
Jacking the Ball- Sea & Cake
Maisie-Syd Barrett
Here Comes My Girl-Tom Petty
Baba O'Riley-The Who
Ramblin On-L.Z.
The Swimming Song-London Wainwright
You & Me & Moon-Magnetic Fields
Killer Queen-Queen
If I Could Talk I'd Tell You-Lemonheads
Alone Again Or-Love
I Saw Her Again-The Mamas & The Papas
Different Drums-Linda Rondstandt
Something Pretty-Patrick Park
Danny's Song-Loggins and Messina
Pagoda's Theme-M.M
Paper Planes-M.I.A
Float On-Modest Mouse
"Don't Do Me Like That" by Tom Petty
Lesson learned. You can never have to much Tom Petty on a road trip. NEVER.
Album(s) of the Day
D&P CC CD Part 2 by Cotton
Maggie May-Rod Stewart
Here You Come Again-Dolly Parton
Don't Do Me Like That-Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
April Come She Will-S&G
He's Misstra Know It All-Stevie Wonder
Under Pressure-Flaming Lips
Jacking the Ball- Sea & Cake
Maisie-Syd Barrett
Here Comes My Girl-Tom Petty
Baba O'Riley-The Who
Ramblin On-L.Z.
The Swimming Song-London Wainwright
You & Me & Moon-Magnetic Fields
Killer Queen-Queen
If I Could Talk I'd Tell You-Lemonheads
Alone Again Or-Love
I Saw Her Again-The Mamas & The Papas
Different Drums-Linda Rondstandt
Something Pretty-Patrick Park
Danny's Song-Loggins and Messina
Pagoda's Theme-M.M
Paper Planes-M.I.A
Float On-Modest Mouse
Phil's Chicago Post
Driving into Hyde Park in the early evening had me immediately in a nostalgic mood. The end of summer is a nice time to be in the South Side of Chicago. Such a short stay in the city was a tricky proposition for me: there are a lot of people there I want to see, a lot of places to see, a lot of restaurants to revisit. I stayed on the north side, at the Casa de Carmen, without fail the most welcoming place in town. We ate well. Monday night we went to Borinquen, home of the Jibarito sandwich. Tuesday morning I got pancakes at Flying Saucer just down California. Really good pancakes. I ordered the short stack, but hadn't factored in the diameter of the pancake, which was considerable, and I couldn't eat the whole thing. The same was not true of the Italian Beef from Portillos that I inhaled that evening. Soup and 'rogies from the sassy Polish mama at Podhalanka the next noon, and we were on the road. This blog has become very food-centric, but of course what made the visit wasn't what I ate, but who I saw. Thanks to everyone back in Chicago for always making it feel like home. This will do it for my first blog post, but I will be back with more as I get the hang of this.
Best,
Phil
Best,
Phil
Picks of the Day-August 26, 2009
Song(s) of the Day
"Slower Traffic to the Right" by Haiku D'etat
Album(s) of the Day
Astral Weeks by Van Morrison
the perfect pick when Phil needs a nap and Dorothy needs something to sign along to
"Slower Traffic to the Right" by Haiku D'etat
Album(s) of the Day
Astral Weeks by Van Morrison
the perfect pick when Phil needs a nap and Dorothy needs something to sign along to
Photographs of the Day--Chicago
This sign means Chicaquiles will be eaten soon
I think we can ALL agree on that
Kids splashing around in Millennium Park
The shady courtyard at Meggs and JoshChicago Post by Dorothy
We pulled into Chicago on Monday after an easy day of driving. Phil dropped me off at my sister and brother-in-laws apartment in Hyde Park and headed off to meet up with his friend Carmen in Andersonville.
Chicago felt more like the calm before the storm than the official start of the trip. Phil has lived in Chicago for more than 7 years and my sister has been in Hyde Park forever.
That night Josh, Megg and I went to dinner at Irazu in Wicker Park and sat outside and ate yummy Costa Rican food. I had been to Irazu four years ago for breakfast and still remember the french bread toast with sour cream and their avena (oatmeal) milkshake. This time I had potato tacos and horchata. Amazing.
The next day Megg took me to check out the new modern wing of the Art Institute. Cy Twombly and an exhibit of Japanese screens were the high points of the place.
Phil and I met up after being away from each other for a total of 24 hours! We played Rock Band at Carmens and this was my first time and I pretty much killed it singing on Maps. Cocktails at Weegees in Humboldt Park ended the day. Phil had the best cocktail with a claret's sour. The bartender sported a pretty cute vest.
Breakfast at La Condessa in Pilsen (check out the pictures) the next morning with Megg and Josh and then it was time to hit the road again.
I felt a little sad to be leaving Chicago and its impeccable radio stations (93.1 fm WXRT and The Drive) but pretty excited about our next city, Iowa City, the first never-been-to-before stop on our route.
Chicago felt more like the calm before the storm than the official start of the trip. Phil has lived in Chicago for more than 7 years and my sister has been in Hyde Park forever.
That night Josh, Megg and I went to dinner at Irazu in Wicker Park and sat outside and ate yummy Costa Rican food. I had been to Irazu four years ago for breakfast and still remember the french bread toast with sour cream and their avena (oatmeal) milkshake. This time I had potato tacos and horchata. Amazing.
The next day Megg took me to check out the new modern wing of the Art Institute. Cy Twombly and an exhibit of Japanese screens were the high points of the place.
Phil and I met up after being away from each other for a total of 24 hours! We played Rock Band at Carmens and this was my first time and I pretty much killed it singing on Maps. Cocktails at Weegees in Humboldt Park ended the day. Phil had the best cocktail with a claret's sour. The bartender sported a pretty cute vest.
Breakfast at La Condessa in Pilsen (check out the pictures) the next morning with Megg and Josh and then it was time to hit the road again.
I felt a little sad to be leaving Chicago and its impeccable radio stations (93.1 fm WXRT and The Drive) but pretty excited about our next city, Iowa City, the first never-been-to-before stop on our route.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Day 1--Pick(s) of the Day
Songs(s) of the Day:
"See You When I Get There" by Lou Rawls
"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" by Bob Dylan/Nick Drake
Album(s) of the Day:
Road by DH
Born to Run-B. Springsteen
Never Goin Back Again-Fleetwood Mac
Take it Easy-Jackson Brown
Destination: Anywhere-The Marvelettes
She's Free-Jeff Buckley
See You When I Get There-Lou Rawls
The Divorce Song-Liz Phair
This Year-Mountain Goats
I Want to Break Free-Queen
(Don't Go Back To)Rockville-REM
Slim Slow Slider-Van Morrison
Packing Blankets-The Eels
I'm So Bored with the U.S.A-The Clash
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright-Bob Dylan
Refugee-Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
I've Seen All Good People-Yes
"See You When I Get There" by Lou Rawls
"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" by Bob Dylan/Nick Drake
Album(s) of the Day:
Road by DH
Born to Run-B. Springsteen
Never Goin Back Again-Fleetwood Mac
Take it Easy-Jackson Brown
Destination: Anywhere-The Marvelettes
She's Free-Jeff Buckley
See You When I Get There-Lou Rawls
The Divorce Song-Liz Phair
This Year-Mountain Goats
I Want to Break Free-Queen
(Don't Go Back To)Rockville-REM
Slim Slow Slider-Van Morrison
Packing Blankets-The Eels
I'm So Bored with the U.S.A-The Clash
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright-Bob Dylan
Refugee-Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
I've Seen All Good People-Yes
Day 1--Photographs of the Day
Susan & Dorothy-Mother/Daughter shot
Goodbye Breakfast by Susan--Baked eggs, croissants, berries & cream
Maura protesting our departure
Phil takes the wheel after Ohio
Gary, Indiana--You smell it before you see it
The Chicago Skyline--Our first destinationDay 1--To Chicago
What we’ve done today:
We said goodbye to our parents and pups.
We left Pittsburgh.
Phil won the lottery at the rest stop and will fund the trip with his winnings ($2)
Dorothy snatched a handful of Wet-naps for the car (free of charge!)
We got the GPS on, leading us to our destination. Dorothy is still getting used to it, but Phil feels at home with it, really.
The GPS has our arrival time in Chicago at 4:40, though the number keeps getting later with each stop.
What we saw today:
A cloud shaped like a bird
3 black dogs
Amish folk in porkpie hats, almost certainly headed to KFC
A sign for Hoover Road and a truck that said Dot. Coincidence?
It's been a pretty quiet day.
We said goodbye to our parents and pups.
We left Pittsburgh.
Phil won the lottery at the rest stop and will fund the trip with his winnings ($2)
Dorothy snatched a handful of Wet-naps for the car (free of charge!)
We got the GPS on, leading us to our destination. Dorothy is still getting used to it, but Phil feels at home with it, really.
The GPS has our arrival time in Chicago at 4:40, though the number keeps getting later with each stop.
What we saw today:
A cloud shaped like a bird
3 black dogs
Amish folk in porkpie hats, almost certainly headed to KFC
A sign for Hoover Road and a truck that said Dot. Coincidence?
It's been a pretty quiet day.
The Beginning
Mission Statement:
The mission of this blog is to chronicle a cross country road trip begun this morning by two old and dear friends, Dorothy and Phil.
Bios:
Dorothy is boss of the blog. She was given this title when she invented blogs and Phi is not allowed to touch the blog. She’s moving to Hollywood to produce Hollywood blogs.
Phil is her underling. He will be her ultimate downfall.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Pittsburgh to Chicago
Day 2: Chicago
Day 3: Chicago to Iowa City
Day 4: Iowa City to Omaha
Day 5: Omaha to Laramie
Day 6: Laramie to Elko
Day 7: Elko to San Francisco
Day 8: San Francisco
Day 9: San Francisco to San Luis Obispo
Day 10: San Luis Obispo to Val Verde
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