Sunday, January 29, 2012

Rocky Mountain High

View from Megan and Dana's apartment
Amidst my quarter life crisis I made a trek to Denver to visit some friends.  I have been thinking that it would be fun to live in Denver for over a year but I had never actually been there.  I fixed that little problem.  I got fairly lucky getting to Denver considering the crazy snow storm that hit Chicago right as I was leaving.

My first rodeo

Dana, Megan, Kathryn, Me








Once I made it we all met up and went to the Rodeo.  It was my first rodeo and I had no idea what to expect.  I really liked it a lot.  It reminded me of a minor league baseball game except the baseball was switched out with live stock and cowboys.  Some of the entertainment was pretty cool like the synchronized horse riding (1st video).  I also really enjoyed the Bull Riding. (2nd Video)

Megan and Dana loving life and the Griz
After the rodeo we went out to the Giggling Grizzly and then over the the Gin Mill before we finally made it home.  The Grizzly is owned by the same people that own The Riv in East Lansing.  It was just a really fun night.

Drive to Estes

Drive up to Boulder

The next day Dana and myself headed up to Estes Park.  We had a little slow start but we made our way up in to the mountains.  We drove through Boulder which seemed like a really cool city.  I really loved driving through the mountains as Chicago is just a flat city with nothing other than buildings.  Though Chicago has the lake but mountains are pretty sweet too.




Me at Estes Park
Once we made it up near Estes we took some pictures by the sign for Estes Park and then wandered through the town.  Some really cool shops though I think my favorite was the place called "Chicago's Best" that had a sign stating that they were known for Philly Cheese Steaks.
Estes Park


After we wandered through Estes we took a drive up in Rocky Mountain National Park.  The park looked beautiful but unfortunately it started snowing so we really couldn't see out the amazing views that were there.  I will definitely be going back sometime to check out Rocky Mountain again.
Lobby at the Stanley Hotel




When we were getting ready to leave we stopped at The Stanley Hotel and wandered around there for a short bit before we headed back to Denver.


Art at the Art Museum
Court House


Court House

16th Street Mall


Big Blue Bear
The coolest Zamboni at Southwest
Ice Rink 
Union Station
Once we were back in Denver we order pizza from Beaujos Pizza.  Its Colorado style pizza so obviously coming from Chicago I really wanted to check that out.  I really enjoyed dipping the crust in honey and the pizza itself was excellent too.  Dana lead me around downtown so I could take some pictures after we finished dinner.  I really enjoy the smallness yet largeness of Denver at the same time.  After I took some pictures we met up with my friend Kathryn for a drink and just to chill.  Really it was just a great night.



Me and Big Blue Bear
Sunday I went to brunch at a place called Snooze.  I had sweet potatoes, cherry bourbon and a caramelized banana pancake which were all really awesome.  After brunch we drove around and I got to see some more sites in Denver.

Over all it was a city I could see myself living in.  Now I just need to figure my life out but in the mean time I will go start packing for my next trip out to Colorado to go skiing in a week!


Sunday, January 8, 2012

Merry Christmas


Walnut Room
So I have just really been getting bad at this.  But oh well.  My last weekend in Chicago I had a handful of visitors.  My parents came into town so I could show them all of the holiday things Chicago has to offer.  My friend Kristin and her family also came into town.  I showed my parents around to Christkindl Market, Macy's (Marshal Fields), Michigan Ave and Zoo Lights.  Kristin and her family joined us for Zoo Lights as well as my mom's college friend who lives here in Chicago.      


Live Music at Christkindl Market


Mom & Dad along Michigan Ave


View from the Signature Lounge
So after Christkindl and Macy's I took my parents the Signature Lounge for drinks before we met up with everyone for Zoo Lights.  My mom had been there before but my dad had not.  Going on a Saturday the weekend before Christmas might have been a bad idea but he still really enjoyed it.


Landscaping along Michigan Ave
Zoo Lights
Zoo Lights 
Zoo Lights












Rosemont
I really love Christmas lights and the city I work in, Rosemont has a great display of Christmas Lights.  After work I walked home and just took pictures along the way.

The following weekend I drove home for the holidays.  The first night I was back in Michigan I stayed in Grand Rapids with my old college roomies for our 4th annual Brewery Pub Crawl.  We went to Brewery Vivant, Hop Cat, and Founders.  It was the first snow fall I had seen all year.  It is a great thing that we do so we all get to see each other at least once a year.  Sadly Nick can't make it back for these but I did get to see him a few times earlier in the year.

Photos coming soon!

Once I woke up on Christmas Eve I drove to DeWitt and we had lunch with my dad's friends before going to Church and then Christmas at my Grandpa's.  I spent a good portion of the night playing find the bad guys with my little cousin Brooklyn.  After we left there I drove around Lansing with my parents and look at Christmas lights around the city before headed home.


Happy coffee drinking Dad
Mom opening her new Camera from
me and Alissa

On Christmas Day we skyped my sister so she could open gifts with us even though she wasn't home.  My sister and I got my mom a new camera.  I didn't know how badly she needed a new camera till she came out the weekend before.  I got my Dad a Keurg coffee maker.  I went out on Black Friday with my mom and purchased the coffee maker from Kohls.com while I was standing in Younkers.



Later that day we went to my Grandma's for Christmas with my Mom's side.  We ate so much food like always and had a wonderful afternoon.  After Christmas at my Grandmas we went to some family friends for a few drinks and a couple more deserts.  Again we skyped my sister.  It is sad to not have her home for the holidays but Skype does help make it better.
Grandma's Santa collection