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1. I won two free breakfast sammiches from potbelly!
2. Sid's Dream Bedroom:
toast mattress
egg pillow
Wake n' Bacon Alarm clock
3. milkbones taste disgusting. Not that I put one in my mouth or anything...
4. i let a clerk at tjmax sucker me into donating a dollar. Part of me wants to believe that he really wants to help the children. A bigger part thinks there is probably a contest to see who can get the most donations.
5. I stole this pic from Julie. I just think it's kind of awesome.
6. I am watching Deep Red right now but it's annoying me. The movie is in Italian...most of it has been dubbed over but every few scenes it is in Italian with no dubbing and no subtitles.
7. Random im conversations:
me: so i heard from the grapevine that i am one of only five single girls invited to your wedding
Rob: pretty much
me: i don't know if i should feel sad at that fate or happy that i will have my pick of men
Rob: you will have your pick of a number of nerds and geeks
me: so sad then
Mike: becareful of the gods wathching me
(next morning)
me: ummm...ok?
(that afternoon)
Mike: hmmm, i have no idea what that IM was about
Jeff:: you may be slpitting a bed with rob
me: i don't care who i sleep with, i'm not picky
Jeff:: haha ok we will tell rob that except instead of picky, we will say easy
me: eh, that's more appropriate of a description
I don't know if he meant to say there that I am a slut, or really was looking out for me...
This is probably pretty much an exhaustive list minus local small shows and such. I'm not very versed in music. I love concerts but I never plan outings and no one ever invites me. So it's pretty pathetic. But, with a while weekend of Lolla coming up, I was inspired to compile this...
Janet Jackson
July 13, 1994
My first concert. I liked Janet Jackson back then because we danced a lot to her in dance classes. I was supposed to go with a friend, but she had to cancel and not go because her parents said she was "too suggestive."
Morrissey
September 26, 1997
I went with my sister because she needed someone to go with. We were right up against the stage at the Aragon. I had eye contact with the bass player or guitar player or something.
Whatever Q101 (I think)'s Music Thing was Called
Some time in high school
I just remember that I went to this but don't remember who played or when. I remember getting food at some place and Sera squishing a pigs in a blanket on Jacqui's car window.
Tori Amos
Some time in high school
I still remember the beginning to the song i composed while waiting for this to start. Oh Heindrick oh Heindrick can you spare a dime...Ask me to sing it for you.
REM
Some time in high school
It was Michael Stipes' moms birthday, so he called her and had everyone sing happy birthday.
Teen Idols Tour with Peter Noone, Davy Jones, and Bobby Sherman
August 15, 1998
Mickey Dolenz is the cutest Monkee ever. But Davey Jones would have to do. I saw my first shooting star that night.
Lilith Fair
1999
What do I remember the most? The fact that they wouldn't let the women use the mens bathrooms (even though it was 99% women at the fest...the other 1% did in fact include my boyfriend).
Bob Dylan
October 27, 1999
Went with Josh at Assembly Hall.
Eve 6
March 4, 2001
I want to say that for some reason I bought Hood's ticket to this and he paid me back with cash wrapped in a piece of paper stapled together with a bazillion staples. That could have been for something else though. I may have still been slightly afraid of him at that point.
Blink 182
July 7, 2001
You know you're too old for something when you're surrounded by little girls with the band members names in facepaint.
Matchbox Twenty
August 3, 2001
Was this the concert where JoeJoe's car broke down in the parking lot? And Joe either saw a naked man or two teddy bears in a car? And we went to Denny's and Glen ordered two meals? It was either this one or the next one...
Barenaked Ladies
August 24, 2001
I didn't even remember that I saw them, but apparently I did. This may have contained the incidents I described above.
Saraphine
2001
The one guy in the band was friends with my best friend's sister. So we saw them a couple of times. Nad came down for one show at the Canopy Club. It was just before I started dating Hood and I had her check him out. Phil, the guy we knew, is now in Treaty of Paris.
They Might Be Giants
October 18, 2001
I saw They Might Be Giants Live?!?! That's news to me.
Vans Warped Tour
July 27, 2002
My best friend got engaged here on stage with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
Indigo Girls
2002 or 2003
They played at Krannert Center so I scored free seats by ushering! We had a round table discussion with them beforehand and they kind of pissed me off...but that's just because I am the anti-feminist/anti-protesting/anti-whatever type.
Barenaked Ladies and Alanis Morrisette
July 21, 2004
I remember seeing them this time. My new boss had a ticket she wasn't using and gave it to me. Score.
Plain White T's
July 26, 2007
We were going to see them at the county fair...but then their dumbass opening band broke everything and they were 2 hours late going on. We ditched out and went to see the premiere of the Simpsons movie instead.
Flogging Molly
February 16, 2008
Awesome concert, awesome friends. The opening band had a chick on a washboard.
Friday
Friday I woke up sick. Actually, I woke up all night sick and needless to say that when my alarm clock went off at 6:45 I was feeling pretty damned crappy. It really felt like food poisoning. Not fun.
Unfortunately I knew I had a big email blast waiting to go at work and I didn't want us to have to put it off until Monday, so I got myself up and went off to work. Sick + train ride = very very nauseous val :-(
I spent most of the morning with my head on my desk waiting for our design company to fix something before I could send out my email. Finally at around 12 I finished up and left. Sick + second train ride = very very very nauseous Val.
I literally slept the rest of the day away, woke up around 7 feeling better. Watched the first disk of 24 season 4 (Netflix is raping me because I've been averaging watching 1 disc per month the last few months). And then went back to sleep.
Saturday
Luckily Saturday I woke up feeling much much better. So, what do you do the day after you've been out with food poisoning? Why, go drink some beer and watch people eat sandwiches of course!
There was an MLE (Major League Eating) event at the Taste of Lincoln Avenue, so of course I was there! I mean, I've driven half way across the country and flown even further to see people eat large quantities of food, I'm not going to miss one that's right in my back yard!
I managed to get Emily to say she'd go with me, so I called her up to see where and when she wanted to meet. Turns out the party she was at to watch the Cubs lose was about 3 feet from where the contest would be. So I met her and Julie and others there and grabbed some beer and chips. I actually was able to sucker a few of them into coming to the contest with me. If you're keeping track this was the fifth major league eating event that I've been to in the past year. If you're keeping track, that is.
I left a little earlier than everyone else to make sure I'd secure us some prime spots. Good thing, because by the time everyone else meandered out of the apartment, George Shea had already taken the stage and a pretty large crowd had formed.
Maybe it was the fact that everyone was already kind of tipsy, but we couldn't stop laughing as the players were announced. I just thought it was awesome that I was able to get others to enjoy my particular kind of crazy as everyone seemed to be enjoying it (well, except maybe Julie, who still thought it was all pretty disguising).
All the competitors were announced. I think my friends particularly burst out laughing at the "four horseman of the esophagus" line. Three of my favorite eaters were eating: Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti, Tim "Gravy" Brown, and Pat "Does he have a nickname?" Vandam. Tim saw me from the stage and waved. :-) After the eaters took the stage the makers were announced and everyone took their positions. Unfortunately the makers were in the back, so you couldn't actually see them make sandwiches.
This contest was a little different than most. It was the Jimmy John's Freaky Fast Sandwich Making and Eating Contest. It pitted three sandwich makers against three MLE eaters. Could the eaters eat the sandwiches as fast as the makers could make them?
The countdown began and then the eaters were...well...forced to stand there and twiddle their thumbs while the sandwich makers got going. Finally a freshly wrapped sandwich was brought out and the Pats grabbed it and tore it in half. This event was different than most, it was all about teamwork. There were only two counters on stage: one for how many were made and one for how many were eaten. It would be a group total, so they were sharing sandwiches and helping each other out.
At first the eaters were doing pretty well and keeping a good pace, but slowly the sandwiches started piling up. I have to admit they looked pretty hard to eat. I mean, a hot dog is just a hot dog, these had thick bread and meat and probably vegetables and condiments. Pat Bertoletti said afterwards that he had one that was mostly sprouts and "how do you eat that?" Personally shredded lettuce makes me ill (seriously, I know it's a weird thing but I just can't eat it) so I wouldn't be able to eat one of those things (I like their slims...meat, bread, a packet of mayo, it's all you need in a sandwich), but add in all that lettuce and I'd have a reversal in a second.
Anyways, the sandwiches were coming out too fast. Tim threw one into the audience and my friends caught it and ate it. More came out, he threw a couple more but there was still a pile. Soon the clock wound down and their fate was sealed: the eaters lost. The Jimmy John's sandwich makers made too many sandwiches too quickly for the three to eat.
After the contest I said hi to Tim and to Pat and my friends bombarded him with questions. We went back and hung out at Jason's apartment, pondered temp tattoos at the fest (Em so needs to get either "Babe" or a Jesus Fish across her chest) and took pictures with Abe Lincoln.
as I was taking a picture:
Honest Abe: Is that a Canon?
Me: Yes.
Honest Abe: Please don't point a cannon at me.
Later Julie and I headed to the lakefront for Venetian Night. Heather met up with us and we spent too short of a time watching decorated boats go by. Seriously, Venetian Night used to have way less of a crowd and way more boats. This time there was a huge crowd and hardly any boats.
My favorite was some yacht club boat that didn't decorate at all. The guy kept blowing the boat horn on it and all the old ladies on it quivered and covered their ears. It was kind of funny.
We stayed for fireworks then I headed with Heather to check out her swanky new place.
I was going to go out afterwards but I was still feeling kind of sick, so after two failed cab rides (seriously can cabs get you anywhere correctly?) I decided it was time to call it a night.
Sunday
While watching the original Parent Trap with Julie and Em we noticed that in the scene where they all go camping they bring along a couple of donkeys to carry all their shit around. I immediately texted JoeJoe and told him that he has to bring donkeys along when we go camping in a month. He texted back that I'll have to settle for ponies. There best be ponies.
That's all I've got.
PHOTOS HERE!!!
ONE.
My "emo" post from the other day reminded me of the love poems I used to write in seventh grade. I had an unrequited and unadmitted crush on this guy (I would write his name here, but I'm afraid of him googling himself and seeing this) who lived around the block from me. I used to sit at my open window, which faced the backyard, the ally, and the street around the block in hopes of maybe seeing him walking the dog or heading to the library. Everyone knew that I had a crush on him but I still was always too shy and too embarrassed to admit that I had feelings for anyone.
These poems have been living on my website for years, but it's been probably years since I have even looked at them. Embarrassingly enough my poetry prowess back then was mostly influenced by the first verse of Janet Jackson's "That's the Way Love Goes." Reading them now though I'm shocked at how little I have changed since seventh grade. I could easily have written these today (an MA in writing and I'm positive my skill at poetry has not changed since grade school) about unrequited and unadmitted crushes, about being afraid, about hiding, about not admitting how I feel.
Hiding
Why do I hide?
Hide from my true feelings
Why do I say I don't
when I really do
Love you that is.
Why do I gaze at you
then turn when you look back
Why do I cry when I'm alone
because I'm alone
Because I can't face you
Why do I hide
Words
I can't let you scream at me
for I don't see your lips moving
the way you want me to move mine.
When you find the courage to do
what you want me to do
Then maybe I'll listen.
Then I'll let your words bore through my skull.
I'll let you torment me for being a fool.
Which I know that I am anyway
but don't forget that you're one too.
Anyway, I know that I can't speak.
I know that my lips will not move
for I am a fool.
Maybe I don't want to be
Maybe I don't even have to be
But I am, perhaps forever.
I've already lost so much, so many
for my lips will not move how you want them to.
So scream.
Scream as loud as you can.
I'll try to listen if you do the same.
Maybe I can be convinced.
Maybe someday I''ll scream as well.
Untitled
my mind is filled with thoughts of you
each and every day
my soul and heart argue together
there is just no way
no way your heart will feel for me
no way my heart will win
no way you'll ever love me true
my soul just will not sin
sin by letting our hearts go
free to intertwine
touch, feel, love, love
where they'd be just fine
fine and clean yet full of worry
they begin to wind
thoughts too heavy for me to handle
entering my mind
TWO
I keep forgetting that I want to be a writer. Lately my life is all about photography and web editing and I've forgotten about writing. Maybe it's because I've been staring at this draft of a novel for years and have no idea where I want to take it. Do I want to write a novel or a memoir or a young adult book. Maybe I can't write it because I am no longer obsessed with the topic. Maybe I'm just lazy.
All my life writing was something that I was told I was good at but something I always resisted. The first time I decided to be a writer was after my freshman year of college when I had a story to tell. I first wanted to write it for revenge. Then for empathy. Then for healing. My senior year of college I took a writing class and for a 15-page assignment I turned in a 72 page draft. The summer after I graduated I got it up to 120 pages. It's sat ever since. Shortly after that something happened and I no longer needed to be obsessed and, therefore, could no longer write it. I've written other things since but always abandon them after the first draft. And now that I am no longer in classes I find it hard to actually sit and write anything.
I've forgotten that I wanted to be a writer. I've forgotten that the story I wanted to tell (whether it be in novel, young adult, or memoir form) is still a story I feel should be told and that even though I don't need it anymore, maybe someone else does.
I need to figure it all out again. I want to finish it. I want to start it all over. I'm hoping that I can find the inspiration.
THREE
It's been a long time since I've picked up a book and couldn't put it down. Every once in a while I'll start reading and not be able to stop until I've gotten to the end. The last one, I'd say, was Gone With the Wind, which I read over a year ago and that still took me over a month to read despite the fact that I was obsessed over it. I bring this up because I write better and more when I read something that I find to be amazing.
I had a glimmer of this yesterday when I read the first entry in The Best American Essays of 2007. Three words in and I had to put it down to jot in my notebook a few paragraphs of a short story. The essay, "Werner" by Jo Ann Beard, was so captivating and well-written that I completely forgot that it was a true story and not a work of fiction. Unfortunately I quickly lost that mojo three sentences into the second essay, which was more academic.
They always say to be a good writer you have to read, and it's true. I definitely write my best and write more when I am reading something good. Unfortunately it seems that lately the closest I get to a book is "The Complete Guide to CSS" and the like.
If you've read this far (has anyone read this far?) please leave me a comment with a book recommendation. What's your favorite book, or one that you think is well written or one that changed your life or one that you keep reading over and over. I need good book suggestions. Maybe something will inspire me. And maybe if your book suggestion is good I'll thank you in the acknowledgments of my first novel.
So as a web editor (read: web geek) and e-marketer (read: email geek) it's part of my job to get tons of emails from companies and actually look at them and read them and see what they are doing. Tough job, I know.
Today I got two emails: one from Abercrombie, one from Hollister. Abercrombie owns both brands and apparently they are so obsessive about being conformist that they can't even make an effort from distinguishing the "California" lifestyle from "New York."
1. I take my horoscopes way too seriously.
2. I won my first game of chess EVER today
(p.s. I don't know how to play chess)
3. I am happy the part-timers are back.
4. I'm surprised that I've never seen this before but...the other day, in the middle of the day, I finally saw someone take the roundabout in Brookfield backwards.
5. Damnit, I just noticed Showgirls is on tonight. That pretty much means I have to watch it.
6. Quote of the day from the Marketing boss at work: "GREAT NEWS!...We're in the Batman movie!"
Things that make me happy:
- Planning Road Trips (and that I found at least one crazy friend who wants to drive to Mount Rushmore with me over Labor Day)
- Daydreaming (even though they will never come true)
- That I now may be booked to shoot three weddings.
- Another magazine might be publishing some of my photos.
- When people use my photos and credit me.
- That my favorite competitive eater asked if he could use a photo I took on a t-shirt!
- When the guy at Starbucks gives me my mocha for $2 and includes a free raspberry brownie because there was apparently a coupon for it that I didn't have.
- Free Leinenkugel Lip Balm
- My new Wii :) and my new Guitar Hero :) and my new Wii Fit :)
Things that make me sad:
- Daydreaming (because they will never come true)
- Realizing that if I ever do want to be a wedding photographer I'd have to give up my weekends.
- When people use my photos and don't credit me.
- That I can't figure out how to connect the Wii to the internet and therefore cannot get the competitive eating game. And that Iron Chef America isn't out yet...
- The fact that Robert Irvine lied and therefore was fired from Dinner: Impossible, which was my favorite show but now is horrible with the new host because the new host isn't as much of an ass and therefore the concept doesn't quite work. (I do like the host on Iron Chef (as much as I can like anyone on Iron Chef) just not on this particular show)
- I haven't seen the new Batman yet.
- Melted ice cream.
- Crappy expensive studio apartments (can I afford anything on my own in Chicago?)
Have you ever been startled because you think you see a person, but it turns out that it's just a mannequin?
Later do you ever realize, wait, no, that naked man in the corner in the cage is actually a real person?
***
So in typical Val/Emily fashion, this is how my Friday night plans came to fruition:
Val: Look Em, a sex tour of chicago!
Emily: I'll get the tickets!
Really, neither of us needed any convincing that this was a BRILLIANT idea. And really I could have said any event in there and we'd both be up for it...
***
After work I met up with Em, her coworkers, Parker (who DID NOT bring any hot law students with him), and Julie at Cactus where we got some beers and chatted (except not with hot law students). We left shortly after though to go grab dinner.
We grabbed a cab from an awesome cabbie and got dropped off at the Hard Rock Cafe. We got cosmos and purple hazes. The waiter made us get those instead of Irish coffees. He was cute and an actor and from Effingham and didn't like when we asked about the cross. We left him our numbers...
After dinner we went outside where our bus was waiting...
Our bus, of course, being the bus for the Weird Chicago Red Light District Sex Tour of Chicago!
Yes, yes. Emily and I spent our Friday night on a sex tour!
Our first stop was an "Adult Book Store" where our guide, Ken Berg, showed us around, explained the differences between types of butt plugs, anal beads, vibrators, etc. etc. Then we were taken into the private booths in the back to watch porn. Apparently it is actually illegal for women to be back there. You had to put tokens into the booth to watch it and then could flip the channels. There was even animated porn on one of the channels and some guy on guy and a lot of anal. Just in case you were keeping tabs.
This creepy guy then introduced himself to Em and I. He was kind of creepy.
The next stop on the tour was the liquor store to get some booze. Em and I got two big bottles and shared. I was already drunk by this point anyways and had to pee pretty badly, but you kind of have to drink when you're in a bus looking for sex-related things.
On our way to the next stop we drove through the Viagra triangle, and heard all about the advent of brothels and playboys in the city. My only gripe really was that we didn't really see any of these places, we were just kind of told about them.
Oh well because next up...
It was time to play "Spot the Ho!" aka "Ho or CVS (Common Variety Skank)." We drove up and down Lincoln in an area where all the hooker motels apparently are. We spotted plenty of CVSs and we spotted a few women who we were pretty certain were whores (we even saw one with a guy closing the door on a motel room...) It was a fun game!
We sped down LSD and then past Comiskey to get to our next location:
the S&M Dungeon of Miss Simone.
Basically it was a really nice apartment that just happened to have sex toys, restrains, masks, etc. over every inch of the wall. Mistress Simone is a pro dominatrix who specializes in medical play, which includes enemas and play piercings and such like that. There were several rooms and several apparatuses and a "Cross Dressing Room."
At one point I was startled to see someone in the corner in a cage but then realized it was just probably a mannequin. But then later when I got closer I noticed he was moving. Nope, the naked, blindfolded man with a rope hung around his penis standing in a cage was most definitely real...
We also saw a "full service" massage parlor that offers full release...But alas they were closed for the night...
The last stop was Batteries Not Included, which was another sex shop. We were schooled on the different types of vibrators. We were told things named after animals were good. What I never understood? Why are vibrators and dildos always given women's names?
Yup...it was just a typical night in Valryland :-)
p.s. sorry for the lack of photos. I really didn't think it was appropriate to take pictures of strangers in sex shops and dominatrixes in their natural environment...
1. I was talking to Jeff about how I'm thinking of chopping off all my hair and donating it to locks of love (i think it is probably way too damaged for them to take it though?) He said he was going to do it too, but says he'd look horrible with that long of hair and refuses to grow it. You know what that means...
(I appologize that that is quite possibly the worst photoshop job ever.)
2. I shot a rooftop party today. This was the view:
Awe-some.
my locker was always messy so i didn't even find the love note asking me to meet you at the drugstore after class until days later.
I didn't know who you were.
I wouldn't have gone anyways because I always assumed it was a joke.
***
Musing from the airport I forgot to blog about:
"Did you leave a banana?" - Lady in the airport bathroom.
Bryan had to bring a whole lot of syringes through airport security and they didn't bat an eye or ask for his doctor's note. But they had to search my bag (twice) and confiscated a bottle of soap. Good to know our airport security has their priorities straight.
"save it for the line at McDonalds"
***
I've had to censor my blog way too much lately to either protect myself or protect others. I'm sick of it. Here's a (not entirely) cryptic blog of random (not entirely) cryptic thoughts to remedy all that.
I sometimes feel so stupid, getting swept away in possibility, and not taking time to think.
I used to cry that he would only want me while drunk. Now this.
I complain that no one wants to date me and then complain when someone does.
I now know how (t)he(y) problably felt.
You shouldn't have to pay.
Girlfriend for the night.
I know you two are dating. I was waiting to see how long it would take for you to tell me.
I don't call because I want you, I call because you're the only one who knows.
I don't think you think I'm over it.
1. Someone with a Wii needs to buy the competitive eating game so that I can play it. I'll even give you the $10.
2. I need to get a wii so I can play that and Mario Kart and Guitar Hero whenever I want. I won't any get better though. As soon as I buy one they will unveil Wii Pink.
3. Wii needs to invent a game called "Broadway Star" where you have to sing and dance to showtunes. I am the only one who would buy that.
***
Monday I had the day off because it made more sense to take off then that this Friday. I've found that more people notice that you are off on Mondays.
Monday MK was a demanding ass and MADE ME go buy him lunch and bring it to him.
There once was an awkward toast
Where stick-to-it-ivness was valued the most
They did it all night
the priest said it was right
thank god Glen's mom was the host.
Heather and Sarah
***
After about a million years of being together Glen and Jen finally got married on Saturday.
My morning started at 8am with my alarm going off. My alarm clock broke a long time ago so I now just use the alarm on my cell phone. After I turned it off it occurred to me that I certainly did not set an alarm clock for 8am. And that wasn't the alarm clock ring. I apparently had just picked up and hung up on Heather. Damnit Heather. I called her back. She wanted to know if I had an envelope.
***
Julie picked me up a few hours later and we headed off to the church. Heather kept calling me for directions, which is never a good plan because I am horrible at giving directions, don't know where anything is, and don't know which way is which. Luckily she made it into the pew just in time for the wedding to begin.
The wedding was a full Catholic ceremony. So it was your pretty standard wedding...until the priest walked out on them... Yeah, so I guess he picked up the wrong book and at one point just walked off the stage and left everyone there for a few minutes. At least he came back or they both would have been left at the alter.
After the wedding we hung around for a bit and saw Amy and Aaron's new baby Hannah. She was adorable and looked way older than one-week old. Then we headed to JoeJoe's parents house where we raided their fridge because we were all starving. Julie, Heather, and I left there a bit early to go check into our hotel. It was a very awesome place that had a swiveling tv and a giant bed and a walk-in closet. After freshening up a bit and a costume change from Julie (that only two people noticed) we called up a cab and left for the reception.
***
We were pretty much the first ones to get there as "MattyK and the Hepcats" were still setting up to play cocktail hour. The grooms cake (a Guitar Hero guitar) was out for all to see and the drink specials were up...Including THE IRISH PIRATE!!! For those of you who don't know, way back in college Glen played bartended at Joe's birthday party. Glen, who at the time didn't drink at all. He invented a drink: the Irish Pirate...which is Baileys and Captain...and pretty damn disgusting...
More people started showing up so we grabbed some drinks and mingled and ate appetizers. I bet JoeW $5 to grab the big garnish off the platter when the appetizer lady came around. He said he'd take the bet but he didn't :( MK finally played my song for me but wouldn't play Journey for Heather.
After cocktail hour we took our seats, watched everyone make their entrances and watched on as the beautiful newlyweds took the floor to cut the cake and share a first dance or two.
During our dinner of soup, salad, mashed potatoes, and meats our awesome table was totally awesome. After Glen's mom gave a speech Heather whispered to me "I made a dirty joke during her speech" and then she and Sarah wrote a limrick about it (see above). Then Heather said we should get Glen and Jen's names tattooed on our foreheads. I said no and she suggested I get it on my inner thigh because "no one will ever notice it there." Gee thanks Heather! :-( This resulted in Heather writing me a note that said "remember somebody special out there wants to look at your pubic crevice" and Julie yelling really loudly "Val wants to have sex some day." We also got our hands on a copy of the itinerary...which was made dirty by phrases such as "in bed" "sexy cocktail hour" and "for a good time call ###" I called the number Heather wrote down, which happened to be Jeff's. He didn't know what I was saying so he gave the phone to Russell and I told Russell "Oh baby baby. Oh baby. Oh baby baby. Oh baby." He just kept saying "Who is this?" Hahaha.
See. Awesome table.
We were also totally enthralled by the salad which came in a cucumber bowl which was quickly deconstructed by us all.
After dinner it was time to dance, dance, dance and drink, drink, drink.
I said I'd take an Irish Pirate when everyone went to take one, but I didn't get handed one. Oh well...the last thing I needed was to be given a drink that almost immediately curdles. That surely wouldn't have gone well.
JoeJoe discovered the key to getting him to dance: Whiskey. Although he kept dancing than stopping as soon as I tried to take his photo. But I do have proof.
Alas, the night finally wore down and we said our goodnights to the beautiful bride and dashing husband.
Julie, Heather and I headed back to our hotel room and got into our one big bed (OK, so maybe we didn't all stay there...)
***
The next morning we headed off to Jimmy's in Naperville for a day-after lunch. Of course, I get a text from Glen that they'll be an hour late as I am pulling into the parking garage. Oh well. Luckily I spotted one of the bridesmaids and her boyfriend when I got there, so I pulled up a chair.
People came and some went and finally Glen and Jen arrived. We had a ridiculous set up of chairs, tables, and a booth that made a big el shape in the bar and we had good conversation and good food.
***
So congratulations to Glen and Jen! The wedding was beautiful and we all had an amazing time!
Photos Here!!!
This week I learned that I get really anxious if my blog isn't up to date with my life...
Monday
Met with my financial panther to go over my finances. After I looked at my statement that said that after a year of investing I have LOST $50 he said that technically I had made money but I had to pay fees...So basically that means I have lost money and he has made money off of me. I told him he was buying me dinner.
I asked him if he was losing his other clients money or if it's just me he hates. He said he couldn't disclose that so I called Scotty and asked him how his finaces were doing. Scotty laughed.
I played with the boat on his desk and he then stole one for me from someone else's desk. He also told me that I was by far his most entertaining client.
After the meeting we went to some Mexican restaurant for dinner. I had yummy mole enchiladas (the sauce not the vermin) and he tried to order in Spanish which didn't go so well.
He paid :-)
Tuesday
I went over to MK's to watch Top Gear but again didn't end up watching it because my nose was buried in hot dog eating pics.
Went home and finished my hot dog photos while watching a taped episode of the Price is Right. Yes, I said TAPED. Val is old school like that. I saw Brian in the audience :-)
Wednesday
Headed over to Ravinia to listen to CSO with Joshua Bell. Ravinia is one of the most beautiful settings to listen to live music. You can't see the stage from the lawn, but whatver, between free park and ride and a free student lawn pass it is a very very good deal. Plus you don't need to see classical music being played to appreciate it. Although Joshua Bell IS a site for sore eyes. Alina and JoeJoe joined me, although Joe spent most of the time watching the Sox game on a mobile device. We had a picnic. I made peanut butter cookies and apricot chicken salad and ALINA cooked up some yummy pasta salad and pita sandwiches. Chelsa joined us after intermission when she got off of her box-office duties.
Thursday
At around 5am the fire alarm that is directly over my bed started letting off a loud, shrill beep every five minutes. For two hours it kept waking me up in that way where I couldn't remember if my actual alarm had gone off yet. I was too lazy to get up and do anything about it.
At 7am I unplugged it from the wall. It then beeped the "I'm unplugged from the wall" beep every two minutes. I took out the battery. It somehow STILL beeped the "I have no battery" beep. Luckily I found a new battery.
***
I found out that my photos are going to appear in the next issue of Chicago Agent Magazine.
***
After work I went shopping in a downpour. While I didn't get most of what I set out to get, I did happen upon this cute (and pink) Heatherette dress that was marked down from $270 to $30...I can't pass that up even though I have no idea where I will ever wear it to. I actually would more likely wear it with jeans.
Friday
Met up with Em at Cactus for happy hour. Drank half of her shark drink and a beer. Ian had to add the lime for me because if I tried it I'd have spilled it all over.
***
The soundtrack to Spring Awakening doesn't do justice to what it sounded like live.
***
Glen invited me to meet up with everyone at Uncle Julio's after the rehearsal dinner at 11. Julie and I got there around 10:30 and got some margaritas. A little after 11 JoeJoe and Alina showed up...but couldn't get in. Turns out the place closes at 11.
So we left the bar and headed somewhere else. And then we stayed there for a while.
I'm sure you've all been, at one point or another, so exhausted and worn out that you thought "I just need a vacation."
But this past weekend I was at the point where I was so exhausted and worn out that I kept thinking "God, I really don't want to go on this vacation."
Not that I wasn't excited to go see the Nathan's finals, because it was a totally kick-ass experience and the downright coolest event I've ever been to in my life...it's just, I wasn't really prepared for it. And I certainly wasn't prepared to spend three days in the city that never sleeps after basically not sleeping for the last two months...
I boarded the plane on Thursday morning after barely getting three hours of sleep the night before. At one point I woke up and thought "Hmmm...we're in the air...how about that?" I put my seat back and fell back asleep.
We arrived in NYC and checked into the Affinia. They had a special beverage at the front desk for us, a "pillow menu," a stuffed gorilla on the bed, and apparently you could order up a rubber duckie (although we didn't know that one until in the airport home...). We even had a kitchen. Why we needed a kitchen, I don't know, but it let us keep our water cold.
The first thing we did was take off to find...well...something...
We took a walk down Fifth Avenue and decided we were hungry so we ducked into Heartland Brewery for lunch. I had a delicious roast chicken and a Berry Champagne Ale that was tasty.
When I went to the bathroom there were three doors. One had an icon of a man on it. One had an icon of a woman on it. The middle one had icons of both a man and a woman on it. Huh? I chose the woman.
We continued walking up the street, saw the Empire State Building, saw St. Patrick's Cathedral, saw Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall...We didn't go into any of the buildings mind you, just saw them...
Then we hit Central Park. I'm a sucker for parks so besides the contest this was the only other thing I really cared about seeing while there (well, that and Broadway...) My only real mission there was to track down the Alice in Wonderland Statue. After quite a bit wandering we finally stumbled upon it :)
We walked around a bit more and then, of course, waited outside a bit trying to figure out what to do. Outside of the park was no Jenny's front lawn, but it would have to do. Nad and Bryan got in a bit of a tiff at this point and stormed off in different directions leaving me alone. I ran after Nad and we made our way back to the hotel.
Later Bryan was off to meet some businessy people so Nad and I headed to check out Times Square. It's a lot crazier than I remember it from last time. It used to be a lot seedier and now it just has giant glowing M&Ms. We walked around looking for food and settled on a little diner where I got some spaghetti and meatballs.
Friday was the hot dog eating contest. After the contest we took naps. We proceeded to sleep through the fireworks. oops. This is what not sleeping for two months does to you. Honestly I was perfectly happy to take this is a true restful vacation and didn't really care if we did anything or not. I was perfectly happy to take advantage of the pillow menu and sleep away my weekend. I needed it.
Saturday after I don't know how many hours of sleep we woke up and were out the door around 11. Apparently the city that never sleeps sleeps in because it was pretty dead outside.
We got coffee at Juan Valdez just because we were hungry and we had never seen a Juan Valdez shop.
Our truly brilliant idea for the day was to take a double decker bus tour. Now, I am usually pretty against doing tours like that and prefer to wander on my own, but a) Nad's coworker gave her some unused passes that got us on for free and b) it was a hop on/hop off thing so we could get on and off as we pleased anywhere that we pleased. So, think of it as a free cab.
Our truly brilliant idea for the day quickly turned to being truly stupid when it started to downpour and we were stuck, freezing and soaking wet on the top of a bus. They gave ut ponchos but conveinently ran out leaving us the only three on the bus without one.
We got off at the first stop and bought overpriced tourist sweatshirts to keep warm. I at least got mine in pink.
We were driven around and saw all the sites and neighborhoods. We got off at the World Trade Center site and later at the Statue of Liberty.
After the bus dropped us off at the end Bryan took off for more business dealings and Nad and I chilled around Times Square. Now, if you've known me for a while you'll know that way back when in high school I was your quintessential theatre geek. And so to me New York is really about just one thing: Broadway. I was dying to see a show while there. So Nad and I went to go check out prices at the half-price booth. Unfortunately her and Bryan couldn't justify the money for tickets. :( After discussing it with Nad though she said it was OK, if it was OK with me that I could just get a ticket for myself. So I bought myself a single ticket to see Spring Awakening, which won the Tony in 2007 and has been on my list ever since.
Before heading to the show we grabbed a bite at an Irish Pub where we split some Whiskey Chicken and Guinness beef stew. And then I headed off to the theater.
I felt a little self-conscious because I didn't have time to go back to the hotel to change so I was in my jeans and just a t-shirt. I normally always like dressing up at least a little for the theater.
Spring Awakening was AMAZING. It's a "coming of age" take set in long ago Germany set to a pop rock score. A boy with radical philosophies gets a girl pregnant. Another student is wrongly held back in school and commits suicide. A guy masturbates on stage. Typical Broadway.
Warning signs promised "partial nudity" but that just meant half a naked man ass. That's not even partial.
So I got to see hot dog eating, an Alice in Wonderland statue, and a Broadway show...and caught up on some much much much needed sleep (of course, I am already back to ruining that). And I guess that's all I can ask for in a weekend getaway.
Photos Here!
Tim "Gravy" Brown (Professional Competitive Eater): Wait...you're...fans?
Me and Nadia: Yes.
Tim: That's weird.
I think we've proved time and again that I am one weird chica. I wouldn't even try to argue that one. But I think you know you have a problem when a COMPETITIVE EATER tells you that you're weird for being a fan of COMPETITIVE EATING...
***
So this weekend Nadia, Bryan, and I flew half way across the country to New York City to watch the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.
I like to think of that plan as awesome and not weird, thank you very much.
Friday morning we arrived at Coney Island (not so) bright and early at 9am (we arrived in NYC on Thursday morning...I'll recap the rest of the trip later). Even though we got there three hours early there was already a big crowd and we weren't able to get a prime viewing spot. We waited around on the outskirts and got some Nathan's hot dogs and fries for breakfast. Soon enough they opened up another gate and we flooded in to try to get a better spot. Considering there were about 35,000 people there our spots were pretty good. But considering that there are a lot of tall people and people holding cameras in the air and people clapping thunder sticks it made it hard to see or get good pics. :( All I have to say is thank god for my 300 uberzoom lens. (And all I additionally have to say is I am sososo sorry to anyone who I may have accidentally hit in the head...numerous times...with my lens. It's really long and I don't notice what it's doing.)
We watched the countdown clock do its business and listened to the many opening acts. There were a few bands, performances by Mr. Badlands Booker himself (one of the competitors who recently found his way out of retirement), and some trampoliners.
Finally the competitors were announced and one by one took the stage. They came out in everything from the plain contest tee to purple jackets to a 007 tux to Cubs gear (stay tuned to later in the post where I yell at him for that one...) to almost nothing at all...
Takeru Kobayashi made his entrance decked in red and yellow dyed hair inspired by the famous condiments. I've been a CE fan for a while now and it's been a goal to see Koby live so it was reassuring and thrilling to see him walk across the stage.
Last to hit the stage was Joey Chestnut, the reigning champ who last year at this time pulled ahead of Kobayashi to steal the Mustard Yellow Belt. Really, as much as I'm a Pat Bertoletti fan and want to bring the belt to Chicago, it was guaranteed that this would be a fight to the end between Joey and Kobayashi.
After introducing them all they were all sent away. These were merely the intros for the crowd and they would later do it all over again for the camera.
In the mean time we had more entertainment...including a marriage proposal and surprise "wedding" on stage between two fans.
Finally, the clock started winding down and the ESPN broadcast began with some pre-taped footage. Then the competitors were announced and once again took the stage.
As the contest was about to begin they positioned "Frankster" the hot-dog mascot on one of the wings...who directly blocked the entire competition from our view. We all started chanting "Hot Dog Move" but the hot dog just thought we meant he should dance. Luckily someone got him out of our way just before the final ten-second countdown began.
And then they were off...the competitors crammed hot dogs into their mouths, dipped buns into water and koolaid, crammed particles of food into every crevice their mouth could hold. Joey and Kobayashi were dead center and despite surges of eating power from their surrounding competitors it soon started to be their game. At any moment it was hard to tell just who was in the lead and how many dogs had been eaten.
The ten minutes went by entirely too fast and in the end it was hard to tell just who won...and then they announced it...a tie.
Kobyashi and Chestnut both finished 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Crazy.
Since we can't leave the Fourth of July battle at a tie between America and Japan that could only mean one thing: overtime.
Each competitor had five hot dogs laid in front of them. The one who finished first would be declared the victor.
I couldn't see much of it, since there was a photographer in the way (hmmm...what do I have to do to be that guy next year...) but from what I gathered they both ate their five hot dogs pretty darn quickly, but Chestnut managed to once again declare victory by stuffing five hot dogs down his throat in 50 seconds and America was the champion.
It's hard to say how I feel. When you look at baseball I am not really a fan fan and even though I cheer on the Sox I don't usually (or at least only playfully) diss too much on the Cubs. But when the crosstown classic hits I am a diehard Sox fan through and through. But with eating I respect each eater individually, and while I have my favorites, I never really care too much as to who wins over the other. I think I was kind of hoping for a Koby win because it was always a goal of mine to see him compete in person and it may have made my life to see him win. But I am happy either way. As Marge Simpson says "Can't I just bet that all the horses will have a good time?"
***
After the contest we headed over the after party at this bar on the boardwalk.
Yes, I got myself invited to the after party.
Yes, I am a crazy fan/groupie...but that 's OK...
So, last year after the Square Off the pics I took got linked to from a few places so a bunch of people saw them. Imagine my complete and utter shock when an email arrived in my inbox from one Mr. Patrick Bertoletti (my fav eater because he's a Chicagoan AND has a mohawk). He saw my pics and wanted to respond. So before leaving for this contest I emailed him just to let him know I'd be going and he emailed me to let me know about the party.
So I talked to Pat a bit there, who, despite having eaten 38 hot dogs, said he was still hungry but saving room for beer.
At one point Rick The Manager came up and said to me "you look familiar." I said I'm sure we hadn't met but maybe he'd seen me at another contest. "What was your name again?" "Valerie." "Wait, did you take photos for Humble Bob? I looked at your whole website!" Crazyness. :-) Usually when I hear "you look familiar" it's because they for some reason think I am Kirsten Dunst (I still don't really see it). It's not often I get recognized for being me.
I decided to pick a fight with Tim "Gravy" Brown (another Chicago-based eater) because he had come out wearing a Cubs mask. Forget what I said earlier about not hating on the Cubs.
Me: What's with the Cubs Gear?
Tim: I'm from Chicago!
Me: So am I. Go White Sox!
I guess he can be forgiven since he said he's not really a fan of baseball. And because he said that if Nad and I found him a Sox mask that he'd wear that next time. I've also decided that Tim Brown is awesome because he is a big fan of Troll 2. And anyone who likes crappy movies because they are crappy movies is ace in my book.
I gave Tim one of my nifty new "business" cards (I had these Moo Cards made up after the last contest I went to because I thought it would look cooler that scrawling out my website for people to tell them where they could find all the pics I took) because I'd taken a bunch of photos of him at the qualifier. He didn't quite notice that I gave him one that had his picture on the back of it. Later he came up to me and said someone else pointed that out to him.
After a few beers and a bit of time hanging with the eaters we headed off and boarded the Subway back to Manhattan. It was a weird and wonderful and wacky day. But I can't think of a better way to celebrate the Fourth.
PHOTOS HERE!!!
p.s. I tried my best to get good photos, but it was really hard because we were a bit further back and there were peoples ' heads/thundersticks in the way. :( So there aren't any really good close ups of food spraying from faces like I got at last year 's Krystals...
p.p.s. Speaking of Krystals, they announced that the date of this year 's contest will be September 28...I really want to make it, but the 27th is the Opening Night Gala and Opera Ball at Lyric...how stupid of a plan is it to hop in my car in my gown at midnight after the ball and drive the ten hours to Chattanooga? And what the hell happened to red eye flights?
Sometimes Jeff gets really drunk on July 4 and drunk dials me in the middle of the night.
Sometimes he then asks two days later what he had said because he doesn't even remember calling.
Sometimes I am an ass and decide that instead of telling him what the message said I'd just post it to my blog. :-)
Recap of the Nathan's Fourth of July Hot-Dog Eating Contest and my trip to New York coming as soon as I wade through the 857 photos I took of a 10 minute competition...
I'll be in New York City for the Fourth of July weekend watching people eat lots of hot dogs!!!
That's right, I'll be watching the Super Bowl of competitive eating live at Coney Island: The Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest!!!
Watch ESPN on Friday at 11am central and maybe you'll spot me in the crowd!
Last year Joey Chestnut brought the title back to America by defeating the undefeated Takeru Kobayashi...who will win this year?!?!?!
All I have to say is...Go Pat!!!!
because really...this guy is all kinds of awesome:
FINALLY! After over a month and a half...and after not sleeping for the last week...I FINALLY finished my Amsterdam Photo Site!!!
It was the best trip ever, so I hope you all enjoy the photos!!!
Click here for the Amsterdam Photo Gallery!!!
Monday Lunch
Spinach and Basil Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust (Father & Son Pizzeria), Taro French Fries (Tamarind), Grilled Steak Teriyaki Skewers with Crispy Rice Noodles (Tavern On Rush), Tiramisu Gelato (Canady Le Chocolatier)
Monday Dinner
Crab Legs (Grazie! Ristorante), Parmesan-Crusted Chicken with Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese Salad (Tavern On Rush), Guacamole and Chips (Adobo Grill), Fried Dough (Harry Caray's)
Tuesday Lunch
Sesame Crusted Salmon (Chant), Chicken and Waffles (Lagniappe-Creole Cajun Joynt)
Tuesday Dinner
Toasted Cheese Ravioli (Harry Caray's), Orange Duck (Chant), Salpicon (fruit salad in watermelon juice) (Las Tablas), Garlic Mozzarella Cheese Bread (Polo Cafe & Catering)
***
1. Today I was on standby for jury duty but luckily I did not have to go!
2. I dragged JoeJoe into my insanity today by letting him accompany me to the Taste for lunch.
3. Despite the fact that I have millions of things to do I went over to MK's to watch Top Gear tonight...of course, I ended up just bringing my laptop and working the whole time...I have no idea what went on in that episode...
Edit: July 2, 2008, 7:18pm
I don't feel like making another post today, so I'm just adding to this one. I have discovered that the absolute maximum anyone can make it to the taste is 8 times. Between the rain and the 3 hours of sleep I'm working on I just couldn't make it after work. So here's my little lunch, and my last taste of the year:
Steak Burger with Blue Cheese and mustard sauce (Tutto Italiano), Hand-cut Sweet Potato Fries (Hashbrowns)
1. Super Secret Mission #1 (let's just say this involves getting a certain someone I have a huge crush on to fall in love with me...you probably know who it is...) ;-) (5)
Not yet...but I may have made a huge step... ;-)
19. Go to two parades (3)
Pride parade!
43. Take three professional development courses (5)
I had some videography training for work. I think that counts as one.
54. Go to a coffee shop at least twice a month to write (5)
Did this month
61. Watch all the seasons of 24 (3)
Finally finished season 3.
64. Watch all the Indiana Jones movies (I have honestly never seen a one of them) (2)
Jeff and I watched the first two. But he was a slacker and didn't want to watch the third. Plus there's a fourth one now...
92. Dave and Busters (I have never been!) (3)
Went for my graduation party!
Beat my taste-going record :) (probably not possible as I hope to be in NYC for much of it, but I can try!) (3)
Not yet...but I went to the Taste of Chicago 5 times so far (and Taste of Champaign once!)
111. Ride the Navy Pier ferris wheel (0.5)
Me and Em went!
June total: 3.5
May total: 13
April total: 0
March total: 1
February total: 5
January total: 13
Total Points: 35.5
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