tuesday

On Tuesday we went back downtown to The Museum of Contemporary Art. Some of the exhibits were just plain strange. This is a view of the main lobby

from here on the second floor where the only exhibit was this video of a rube goldberg type machine that lasted for a good twenty minutes.

This was made of silk flowers. There is a very similar one in the Burchfield Penney Art Museum that I blogged about in November.

A closer up view

This was made entirely of plastic pony beads and was supposed to be a swimming pool. One of the more appealing exhibits.

My yummy lunch...I chose two items from the small plates menu. Beet, orange, ricotta, arugula and hazelnut salad and a shrimp and white bean salad. I loved them both

as much as I loved this Sangria

from this restaurant, the Grand Lux Cafe above Ann Taylor on Michigan Ave

that featured all kinds of different light fixtures

and decorated walls and ceiling

then we walked to Navy Pier where the weather started to turn nasty and begin raining.

We were getting tired from days of walking and decided to take a cab back to the parking garage

and go to the airport early where we could relax, read, nap and listen to music.

monday

our reflections in the bean

On Monday we returned downtown. We parked in Millennium Garage because our first order of business was for Bill to see Millennium Park. I had thoroughly explored and enjoyed this park in June when it was filled with people and all sorts of lovely lush plants. Not quite as impressive in the winter but still enjoyable. Bill used to work in the Standard Oil/Amoco/Aon building and when he used to look out the window of his office he saw a rail yard where this park is now.



It was a very foggy day but warmish day. I like the way the buildings disappear into the fog in this reflection of the skyline in the bean. At least it wasn't raining and I was just so happy to be downtown.




Dinobill

There are some very strange sculptures in this park.



I can't get enough of these glass block ever changing towers.








one of the many bridges across the Chicago River

After exploring the park we decided to slowly make our way to Union Station where we were to meet John and Marie. They were dropping off relatives at the train station and we had made plans to meet them for lunch. We walked along the river on Wacker Drive stopping at Trump Tower and the building across from Marina Towers where Bill worked when he worked for Arthur Young. We thought about going up in Sears/Willis tower but it was so foggy that you couldn't see the tops of the buildings let alone a long distance. I had wanted to check out that glass floored box but wasn't even able to see it from the outside of Willis tower for all the fog. The day before we had searched on-line for a play, opera or production of any kind to attend Monday evening but nothing seemed to be going on on Monday evenings except the Blue Man Group. As we passed the Civic Opera House we decided to go in and found that The Damnation of Faust was being shown that evening. A very enthusiastic opera patron in flannel shirt, jeans and purple Crocs who was buying tickets for several operas latched onto us. He gave us a 20 minute synopsis of the play which he had already seen and was attending again that evening. He let us know that he was a man of means who could afford the best seats several times and hoped that we could fit the price of two tickets in our budget. He really was a delight to talk to though and didn't really have to convince us to buy tickets at all as we were quite excited about the show. I checked out 120 Riverside Plaza where I had worked before we crossed the street to Union Station. I was surprised to find that Carson's was still in the building and the layout of the store was just as it had been when I worked in the building.



Lunch with John and Marie at Fulton's on the River. I had a delish grilled Lake Superior trout salad that kept seeming to multiple as I ate it. Like the loaves and fishes, it seemed I had as much on my plate when I finished as there had been when I started. Gov Pat Quinn was having lunch there as well. He stopped by our table and told us to have a good afternoon.



After saying goodbye to John and Marie, Bill and I walked back towards Michigan Ave. I stopped in Water Tower Place to pick up some gifts. We walked through Northwestern University. We thought about going to the Art Museum, Planetarium or Aquarium but didn't really have the time before we were to go back to the Opera House for dinner at the Bistro and a lecture before the opera. We went into Treasure Island, America's Most European Supermarket where I bought some horrible awful rose cookies and a heavy glass jar of Greek vanilla preserves.



On to the opera house. We had had a late lunch so we weren't really hungry for dinner. The bistro offered light fare. Crystal served me a Champagne cocktail and yummy creamy Tomato Basil soup that blistered the roof the of my mouth. B and I shared a duck salad with creamy cranberry dressing that was out of this world good.
From there we went downstairs to the main floor for a lecture that was eerily similar to the one I received from the opera patron earlier in the day.



Then curtains up and I couldn't stop smiling and smiling as I enjoyed this edgy, witty , devilishly good opera cleverly staged in the 1970s.



We walked back to Millennium garage through the park. I was glad I had my heavy jar of Greek vanilla preserves as it would make the perfect weapon for bashing in the head of any would-be mugger.



A lovely, lovely day ending in a traffic less drive in heavy, heavy fog back to our hotel.

sunday

Bride Ujenda, Bill and Mona

On Sunday morning I awoke early, showered and dressed and went downstairs with my Kindle in search of coffee. More than an hour passed before I saw any faces from the wedding. Plans were formed the previous night after the wedding to meet in the lobby and walk over to ihop for a group breakfast. Ihop was very accomodating and soon the twenty of us were seated altogether.


Jim and Mary, Ujenda and Gary, MJ and David


Later in the day Jim and Mary would be flying back to Florida, MJ to San Fran and Dave driving to Michigan. All had arrived several days before the wedding whereas Bill and I had planned to be in town several days after the wedding. We got together for one more group photo in the hotel lobby before Bill and I headed out for our excellent Chicago adventure.
B and I had purchased tickets to see Wired to Win at the Omnimax in the Museum of Science and Industry and we had to hustle to get there on time. It was a 50 minute movie that took you into the minds of the cyclists in the Tour de France and explained how it was more a function of their brains rather than their bodies that drove them to continue on through the pain they were experiencing. We both really enjoyed the film. Then, of course, we had to walk through the exhibits some of which I have seen dozens of times. The balcony where the babies in jars and slices of the human body are kept has been completely redesigned into the You Experience so it was somewhat fresh. The old giant heart that you could walk through was gone, replaced by a new giant heart that beats at your heart rate when you grab the handles. I guess I was feeling stressed being in this museum because when I grabbed the handles the giant heart started beating at 95 beats per minute. I became irritated because my heart rate usually falls somewhere in the 50s. When Bill grabbed the handles the giant heart would not even recognize his heartbeat. So when we came to the table where you try to control the ball with your brain waves by relaxing, I was feeling all nervous, tight and stressed. When B and I finally got the chance to sit across from one another with the electrodes strapped to our foreheads, I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I am normally excellent at this so I was very surprised to hear the guy say "Very nice job, Sir" within about a minute of sitting down. I opened my eyes and saw the little ball in my court. I can't even begin to tell you how much this p****d me off and irrirated me the rest of day. When I felt I couldn't stand in front of another exhibit or read another word, I sat down with some film playing behind me and told B to go on and finish reading the genetics exhibits. I wasn't sitting for more than ten minutes before the museum guard came through telling us the museum was closing in 10 minutes. Good thing it closed at four because the traffic was terrible. It took us two hours to get back to Addison, change clothes and drive to Schaumburg to meet our friends, Mary Jo and Dave and Donna and Bruce for dinner at McCormicks and Schmicks.
Such good friends and such good food. Excellent conversation and excellent presentation of food. It went by much too quickly. And why didn't I get my camera out and capture photos of these good friends? I don't know why. Sometimes when you are having a good time you come away thinking "OMG,I never even took my camera out of my purse all evening".
B and I ended this evening by watching the rest of the Academy Awards in the hotel. I was very much pleased with the best movie win. I loved both Avatar and The Hurt Locker but I was rooting for The Hurt Locker. This little movie had made an impression on me.

a wedding

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Dameron

Last Friday Bill and I flew to Chicago to attend the wedding of our niece, Ujenda. Ujenda is the daughter of Bill's brother John and his wife Marie. I always get so excited when I spot Chicago from the air. The United plane we took from Buffalo was rather small and did not achieve a very high altitude so combined with the clear weather afforded us an electronic grid of lights to view all the way to Chicago. We arrived at our hotel around 11 pm and flopped into bed. So the next morning when I woke up in Chicago, it seemed like a dream to me.

B and I didn't actually stay downtown. We stayed at a Hampton Inn in Addison that was near Venuti's where the reception was held and also just minutes away from Roselle where we lived for over thirteen years. The wedding was at 2:30 so after a nice breakfast at the hotel we went out for a walk on the walking paths shared by the hotel and Addison Recreation Center. Hoping for a bit longer walk we drove up to Busse Forest Preserve in Schaumburg and Elk Grove Village passing by Alexian Brothers where Jay was born. When I worked at Gould on Golf Road in Schaumburg I used to look out the window from my desk and see elk grazing in this forest preserve. It was a lovely sunny morning and we shared the path with numerous other people and a family of deer. Returning to the hotel we found the workout room vacated so got in a good workout before getting ready for the wedding.


John and Marie...mother and step father of the bride


Gary and Ujenda exchanging vows


the whole lovely wedding party


my nephew Dave and his Maryum

Dave is Bill's sister Mary's youngest son and attends University of Michigan


all the young dudes...my nephews Kenny, MJ and David


All the old dudes.....Bill, Tony (Kenny's dad), Mike (MJ and David's dad) and John (Bill's brother)


all the dudes...Kenny, MJ, Tony, Mike, Bill, Dave and John


Mary (Bill's sister), Stacey(Kenny's wife), Maryum and David


Mary talking to Schneider cousins Patty and Debbie

Bill's Aunt Joann and Uncle Don produced Patty, Mike, Debbie and Barbie. I had not seen Patty or Barbie in many years.


the cake


a small portion of the elaborate sweet table



Cousin Barbie Schneider dancing with her daughter Megan who is my Facebook friend but this is the first time we had ever met. Late in the evening Mike dragged me out on the dance floor and then shortly after we were joined by Barbie and Megan where we proceeded to do what I can only describe as some sort of bizarre tribal dance.


all wedding attendees from Bill's side of the family...Andersons, Schneiders (a lot of Schneiders), Lischings, Schicklings and Kweders.

blueberrry chicken

Sauteed chicken with blueberry sauce and blue cheese

Not the best pictures ever but I'm in a hurry. It was good. Yum, shallots, Madeira, blueberries. Parsley and prosciutto with the sweet potatoes.

greek night

Earlier this week I bought a nice little rack of lamb at Wegman's. Sunday being my day off, I found some time to plan a Greek menu around it. We started with Avgolemono....Greek lemon soup. I brought a half cup of instant brown rice and 4 cups of chicken broth to a boil for 5 or so minutes. Removed from heat and quickly whipped in two eggs that I had whipped previously with a scant 1/4 cup of lemon juice. I added salt, pepper, dill and a few chopped canned artichokes to my soup.


I drizzled a little olive oil on the rack of lamb and seasoned it with garlic salt, oregano and a sprinkle of lemon juice. Accompaniments were minted peas and Greek country salad.


Although not a Greek dessert, pumpkin mousse went quite well with my gingersnaps.

ginger snaps

Years ago I bought this cookie stamp because it was way too cute to walk away from. It came in it's own little nest inside a wooden box. Today while poking through my pantry, I came across a package of Betty Crocker gingerbread cookie mix that I bought at Christmastime but didn't use. I didn't make any Christmas cookies this year. The package said you could make cut outs or roll the cookies into a ball and stamp them with a bottom of a glass. A light bulb turned on in my head and I remembered my cookie stamp.


Stamped and ready to bake


and baked


and stored in an antique green glass cookie jar