Molly's Route to Merlin's Rest
Mike's route to Merlin's.
An incremental difference yet still blog worthy. Mike wins.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Thursday, July 28, 2011
anniversary: one year!
Keeping it simple, we decided a long bike ride and a nice dinner were the way to go for year one. That way, we would have something to build to in future years. Well, we set quite a baseline for ourselves.
Here we are at about mile 37 of our bike ride:
In true Vasich fashion, we realized we might have bitten off more than we could chew, a little too late:
After biking for 5 hours, we decided to call and request that our reservation be pushed back an hour. Good thing or we would've had to eat in our sweaty biking clothes. Total mileage: 51.6643
Our meal was fabulous. Mike and I both opted for Muffuletta's Sunday night fixed menu option with the steak entree. It was delicious.
Here we are at about mile 37 of our bike ride:
In true Vasich fashion, we realized we might have bitten off more than we could chew, a little too late:
After biking for 5 hours, we decided to call and request that our reservation be pushed back an hour. Good thing or we would've had to eat in our sweaty biking clothes. Total mileage: 51.6643
Our meal was fabulous. Mike and I both opted for Muffuletta's Sunday night fixed menu option with the steak entree. It was delicious.
painting on a deadline
My family arrives tonight for a little McCarthy reunion. In anticipation, Mike and I have been feverishly getting our home prepared, a task that included painting our two first floor bedrooms.
Mike is the more experienced painter of the two of us, but, as it turns out, I am a painting maniac. Mike focused on the details, and I hit up those walls like a graffiti artist on the run. Needless to say, we made the perfect team.
The blue room didn't turn out to be the color that we were in expecting, but we adjusted to it quickly. It reminds me of the Mediterranean or, as Mike put it, a Tiffany box. The yellow room is the Monet or Giverny room, named after the poster of his water lilies and green bridge in the corner of the room.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
A last goodbye to winter (officially!)
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Evening at Midori's
On a cold Friday evening, Mike and I headed out for some noodle soup at Midori's Floating World on Lake. Our mutual craving for a big bowl of the steaming soup must have been rather immense since we typically refrain from choosing Midori's due to the slow service and lack of seating. Yet, the bitter cold of this particular February evening certainly called for Midori's noodle soup and we obliged.
To our surprise, our server was adorable and filled with recommendations (though these were for a local Malaysian restaurant as opposed to Midori's sushi bar...but nevertheless). She also instructed us to re-toast our sake in traditional Japanese fashion after catching us foolishly clinking our little glasses to "cheers." I also spotted her picking up after Midori (Yes! She exists!) as she threw order tickets and pieces of tuna on the floor in an angry huff. The server said, "We are so busy. I feel sooo bad for Midori! She is doing everything!" (Later, a man with funky glasses and a cool hat came out from the kitchen with a half sandwich wrapped in paper towel begging Midori to eat. She barely lifted her eyes from her rolls and made no indication of gratefulness.) All said, Midori's focus certainly paid off. Every sushi roll that came from her bar was not only delicious, it was art.
The noodle soups were everything we hoped for. Mike ordered his all-time favorite udon noodles in fish broth with tempura vegetables. I ordered my all-time favorite soba noodles with Wakame (Buckwheat! Seaweed! Love!) and shiitake broth. I could seriously eat noodle soup at least three times a week. I feel so healthy afterward; satisfied but not bloated the way American food hits ya in the gut. I think I am going to have to try out some recipes at home. I am guessing the soup isn't too hard to make and the ingredients cheap thanks to United Noodle!
Post soup, Mike and I returned home. Turned on the latest episode of Mad Men. Cringed over Don Draper's moodiness and Betty's awful parenting. Ate a piece of pumpkin chocolate chip cake that I made for last week's book club. Thought about roof raking and long runs as we fell fast asleep....
To our surprise, our server was adorable and filled with recommendations (though these were for a local Malaysian restaurant as opposed to Midori's sushi bar...but nevertheless). She also instructed us to re-toast our sake in traditional Japanese fashion after catching us foolishly clinking our little glasses to "cheers." I also spotted her picking up after Midori (Yes! She exists!) as she threw order tickets and pieces of tuna on the floor in an angry huff. The server said, "We are so busy. I feel sooo bad for Midori! She is doing everything!" (Later, a man with funky glasses and a cool hat came out from the kitchen with a half sandwich wrapped in paper towel begging Midori to eat. She barely lifted her eyes from her rolls and made no indication of gratefulness.) All said, Midori's focus certainly paid off. Every sushi roll that came from her bar was not only delicious, it was art.
The noodle soups were everything we hoped for. Mike ordered his all-time favorite udon noodles in fish broth with tempura vegetables. I ordered my all-time favorite soba noodles with Wakame (Buckwheat! Seaweed! Love!) and shiitake broth. I could seriously eat noodle soup at least three times a week. I feel so healthy afterward; satisfied but not bloated the way American food hits ya in the gut. I think I am going to have to try out some recipes at home. I am guessing the soup isn't too hard to make and the ingredients cheap thanks to United Noodle!
Post soup, Mike and I returned home. Turned on the latest episode of Mad Men. Cringed over Don Draper's moodiness and Betty's awful parenting. Ate a piece of pumpkin chocolate chip cake that I made for last week's book club. Thought about roof raking and long runs as we fell fast asleep....
The Infallible Sweet Potato Soup (with caramelized onions)
This recipe is from The New England Soup Factory Cookbook and comes highly praised. I served this at our New Years' Eve Party this year and for my book club (we read "Freedom," by Jonathan Franzen). On both occasions, folks returned to the kitchen for seconds.
Caramelized Onions:
2 tbs salted butter
2 large spanish onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Soup
4 tbs salted butter
3 whole garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 cups sliced onions
2 cups sliced carrots
1/4 cup diced celery
8 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
10 cups chicken stock (I used veggie)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tps ground nutmeg
2 tb worcestershire sauce
2 cups light cream
1/2 cup sweet sherry wine (I used a fruity red)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups caramelized onions
For the caramelized onions: In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 18 minutes. Add the brown sugar, salt and pepper. Saute an additional 10 min. Add the vinegar and continue cooking until the vinegar starts to evaporate and the onions look thick and syrupy, 8 to 10 min more. Remove from the heat and let cool. If working ahead, the onions can be stored in a tightly covered container until ready to use. (This is super important...first time I made this recipe, I left the onions in the pan. Bad Idea! It was like removing plaster...)
For the soup: In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. Saute for 10 min. Add the sweet potatoes and saute 5 min more. Pour the stock over the veggies and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sweet potatoes are very soft, 30 to 35 min. Puree in the soup in the pot using a hand blender (Buy one if you don't have one; it will change your life) OR working batches with a regular blender until smooth. Add the brown sugar, nutmeg, worcestershire sauce, light cream, sherry (wine), salt and pepper. Puree again until well combined. Stir in the caramelized onions with a spoon.
Makes 10 (Big) servings.
Caramelized Onions:
2 tbs salted butter
2 large spanish onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Soup
4 tbs salted butter
3 whole garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 cups sliced onions
2 cups sliced carrots
1/4 cup diced celery
8 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
10 cups chicken stock (I used veggie)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tps ground nutmeg
2 tb worcestershire sauce
2 cups light cream
1/2 cup sweet sherry wine (I used a fruity red)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups caramelized onions
For the caramelized onions: In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 18 minutes. Add the brown sugar, salt and pepper. Saute an additional 10 min. Add the vinegar and continue cooking until the vinegar starts to evaporate and the onions look thick and syrupy, 8 to 10 min more. Remove from the heat and let cool. If working ahead, the onions can be stored in a tightly covered container until ready to use. (This is super important...first time I made this recipe, I left the onions in the pan. Bad Idea! It was like removing plaster...)
For the soup: In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. Saute for 10 min. Add the sweet potatoes and saute 5 min more. Pour the stock over the veggies and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sweet potatoes are very soft, 30 to 35 min. Puree in the soup in the pot using a hand blender (Buy one if you don't have one; it will change your life) OR working batches with a regular blender until smooth. Add the brown sugar, nutmeg, worcestershire sauce, light cream, sherry (wine), salt and pepper. Puree again until well combined. Stir in the caramelized onions with a spoon.
Makes 10 (Big) servings.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
A couple shots
Oh dear. Our consistency in updating this blog has rather dwindled as we've begin to get settled into our new Longfellow home. I am going to do my best to post a few images and video clips in an attempt to recreate our earliest moments in 3039.
First off, a couple images taken by my inspiring mom-in-law (whose ability to routinely capture both the ordinary and extraordinary moments never ceases to impress me- only to be matched by the late Len Gitschier!).
A glimpse into our dining room:
And our little breakfast nook!
First off, a couple images taken by my inspiring mom-in-law (whose ability to routinely capture both the ordinary and extraordinary moments never ceases to impress me- only to be matched by the late Len Gitschier!).
A glimpse into our dining room:
And our little breakfast nook!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...
I must mention the sheer joy Mike and I have in regards to remaining in our current neighborhood. We are moving only one mile eastward so to remain in the heart of Longfellow.
At some point, Longfellow neighborhood has become THE HOTSPOT for Macalester alum AND nearly all other comparably creative, hilarious, and good-to-the-bone folk. (For those of you reading this who, to your misfortune, do not live in the Longfellow neighborhood- it's not that I don't think you are also wonderful. Rather, this here is a battle cry to convince you to move into our neighborhood TOO!). I regularly claim that Mike and I were the first to start the diaspora from uptown to our convenient, more residential spot (but still close enough to stores like 612 Xclusive, thank god). Yet, it's likely that our two close friends who first bought homes in the area were the real trendsetters.
Last night's events offer a perfect portrait of the Longfellow spirit. Allow me to set the scene:
After over 18 inches of snow accumulation in less than a 24 hour period...
After 2 shoveling sessions...
After digging out 2 vehicles from one side of the street and then digging out spots to move them to on the other side of the street (gotta love Minneapolis snow emergencies)...
After countless hours spent indoors packing up our upper duplex and cleaning the awful grime off of kitchen appliances that spent much too long collecting oil grease on top of the fridge...
After throwing away countless appliances whose grease was all too much for us (Yes! No more George Foreman! Remember this is MOLLY posting...not Mike. He might have some other words about this choice if actually blogged once and a while. Yup, you HEARD me, Mike!)...
The neighborhood gang exchanged text messages from our warm little caves and decided it was high time to join forces at our local pub, Merlin's Rest. As a central location, all parties trudged through the snow to warm up over scotch, beer, fish and chips, Harvest stew, and sausages. The walk was lovely; Lake Street was quiet except for the occasional stuck vehicle (which my good Samaritan could not pass without a shove or two).
Merlin's was cozy as could be and everyone was just delighted as one friendly face appeared after another. Really, it was the kind of night that we all long for as we grow up. We crave community and friendship, and unfortunately, for many, this is just not feasible due to career or other choices.
Fair warning, this post is about to get super sappy. Proceed with caution! One of the things I love about Mike is his stability in terms of his friendships and relationships with his family. Our decision to buy a house in Longfellow was pretty much all Mike. He had a premonition that we would buy this house even before we went inside and considered where a music studio could go. Mike wanted to stay right where we are.
This quality is something I value in my marriage and life because, admittedly, I get wanderlust sometimes. Every so often, I am ready to close shop, buy a green trailer, move to Australia, and spend my days surfing with Mike and Rachel, leaving everything behind. However, Mike's ability to find and manifest loveliness and joy within our HOME and within a stable COMMUNITY reminds me that maybe I just need to rearrange the furniture.
So! Longfellow it is! I am looking forward to all the future gatherings that reiterate the warmth of camaraderie, the need for stable companionship and, not to be discounted, the beauty of a glass of scotch or a stout on a cold, snowy night.
At some point, Longfellow neighborhood has become THE HOTSPOT for Macalester alum AND nearly all other comparably creative, hilarious, and good-to-the-bone folk. (For those of you reading this who, to your misfortune, do not live in the Longfellow neighborhood- it's not that I don't think you are also wonderful. Rather, this here is a battle cry to convince you to move into our neighborhood TOO!). I regularly claim that Mike and I were the first to start the diaspora from uptown to our convenient, more residential spot (but still close enough to stores like 612 Xclusive, thank god). Yet, it's likely that our two close friends who first bought homes in the area were the real trendsetters.
Last night's events offer a perfect portrait of the Longfellow spirit. Allow me to set the scene:
After over 18 inches of snow accumulation in less than a 24 hour period...
After 2 shoveling sessions...
After digging out 2 vehicles from one side of the street and then digging out spots to move them to on the other side of the street (gotta love Minneapolis snow emergencies)...
After countless hours spent indoors packing up our upper duplex and cleaning the awful grime off of kitchen appliances that spent much too long collecting oil grease on top of the fridge...
After throwing away countless appliances whose grease was all too much for us (Yes! No more George Foreman! Remember this is MOLLY posting...not Mike. He might have some other words about this choice if actually blogged once and a while. Yup, you HEARD me, Mike!)...
The neighborhood gang exchanged text messages from our warm little caves and decided it was high time to join forces at our local pub, Merlin's Rest. As a central location, all parties trudged through the snow to warm up over scotch, beer, fish and chips, Harvest stew, and sausages. The walk was lovely; Lake Street was quiet except for the occasional stuck vehicle (which my good Samaritan could not pass without a shove or two).
Merlin's was cozy as could be and everyone was just delighted as one friendly face appeared after another. Really, it was the kind of night that we all long for as we grow up. We crave community and friendship, and unfortunately, for many, this is just not feasible due to career or other choices.
Fair warning, this post is about to get super sappy. Proceed with caution! One of the things I love about Mike is his stability in terms of his friendships and relationships with his family. Our decision to buy a house in Longfellow was pretty much all Mike. He had a premonition that we would buy this house even before we went inside and considered where a music studio could go. Mike wanted to stay right where we are.
This quality is something I value in my marriage and life because, admittedly, I get wanderlust sometimes. Every so often, I am ready to close shop, buy a green trailer, move to Australia, and spend my days surfing with Mike and Rachel, leaving everything behind. However, Mike's ability to find and manifest loveliness and joy within our HOME and within a stable COMMUNITY reminds me that maybe I just need to rearrange the furniture.
So! Longfellow it is! I am looking forward to all the future gatherings that reiterate the warmth of camaraderie, the need for stable companionship and, not to be discounted, the beauty of a glass of scotch or a stout on a cold, snowy night.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Snowed In! One weekend before the big move!!!!
Thank goodness moving weekend is NEXT WEEKEND! Mike spent the morning shoveling (we get a discount on our rent as the "care-takers," or rather, "care-taker," of our little duplex unit) as I walked around with Rachel bounding through snow banks.
Now we are warming up and thinking about which room to conquer in terms of packing! The process hasn't been too bad thus far, but we have our share of goods still left to sort. To be honest, ll I really want to do is knit, drink tea, and listen to holiday music! But, nevertheless, we really need to start getting serious about this moving thing, so I will set aside my projects and gift wrapping for now!
Now we are warming up and thinking about which room to conquer in terms of packing! The process hasn't been too bad thus far, but we have our share of goods still left to sort. To be honest, ll I really want to do is knit, drink tea, and listen to holiday music! But, nevertheless, we really need to start getting serious about this moving thing, so I will set aside my projects and gift wrapping for now!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Well, we have some big news...
No, not a baby! Yes, a house!
We had the inspection completed yesterday and no surprises, so I think we can officially announce that we are buying a home right here in Minneapolis! Of course, I had to bring small wonder along on our inspection.
Believe it or not (and you probably won't believe it if you know the McCarthy parents at all as their ability to dwell on any decision is remarkably predictable), Mike and I only needed to tour the Craftsman Style Bungalow once before putting down an offer. Actually, Mike was ready to put down an offer with or without viewing the house first. He was just set on continuing to live in our Longfellow neighborhood, close to many dear friends and the Mississippi River. To be honest, I couldn't agree more with his taste. The bungalow was on the market just for a day and we jumped on it. In this economy, I know the sellers must have been rather pleased!
Here are some photos and videos (with written commentary) taken during yesterday's inspection:
Soon to be carried over the threshold...Notice our inspector and his rad ladder in the background. Next up, a quick video of the backyard (backyard includes: patio, little mud room and backdoor, rain barrel, compost, one car garage with room for the canoe, basketball hoop, and a couple of parking spots...and a fence for the ray ray!):
Now a couple glances inside the house:
"My house...it's never going to be this clean, I think." -Molly reports from kitchen.
Guest bedroom (1) with look into hallway:
And 2nd floor master bedroom:
Wow, both Mike and I are super in love with this place and we cannot wait to make it our home in mid-December! More soon...
We had the inspection completed yesterday and no surprises, so I think we can officially announce that we are buying a home right here in Minneapolis! Of course, I had to bring small wonder along on our inspection.
Believe it or not (and you probably won't believe it if you know the McCarthy parents at all as their ability to dwell on any decision is remarkably predictable), Mike and I only needed to tour the Craftsman Style Bungalow once before putting down an offer. Actually, Mike was ready to put down an offer with or without viewing the house first. He was just set on continuing to live in our Longfellow neighborhood, close to many dear friends and the Mississippi River. To be honest, I couldn't agree more with his taste. The bungalow was on the market just for a day and we jumped on it. In this economy, I know the sellers must have been rather pleased!
Here are some photos and videos (with written commentary) taken during yesterday's inspection:
Soon to be carried over the threshold...Notice our inspector and his rad ladder in the background. Next up, a quick video of the backyard (backyard includes: patio, little mud room and backdoor, rain barrel, compost, one car garage with room for the canoe, basketball hoop, and a couple of parking spots...and a fence for the ray ray!):
Now a couple glances inside the house:
"My house...it's never going to be this clean, I think." -Molly reports from kitchen.
Guest bedroom (1) with look into hallway:
And 2nd floor master bedroom:
Wow, both Mike and I are super in love with this place and we cannot wait to make it our home in mid-December! More soon...
Monday, October 25, 2010
Honeymoon Series: Snippets from Day 8
Day eight began with a nature video, of course! Our turkey spotting occurred on our way to breakfast at the Bovine.
After some scones and coffee, we packed our lunches and made a plan to hike up to the top of Mt. Tamalpais!
At the start:
Views from the peak:
Reflections and jokes on the way down:
And, then, on a completely different note, an impromptu visit to my old stomping ground, Slide Ranch. Many of the same goats and sheep were still there! As was my little old trailer, The Turtle.
Meet the goats!
Fiona:
Klezmer and Bata!
After some scones and coffee, we packed our lunches and made a plan to hike up to the top of Mt. Tamalpais!
At the start:
Views from the peak:
Reflections and jokes on the way down:
And, then, on a completely different note, an impromptu visit to my old stomping ground, Slide Ranch. Many of the same goats and sheep were still there! As was my little old trailer, The Turtle.
Meet the goats!
Fiona:
Klezmer and Bata!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Honeymoon Series: Snippets from Day 7
This was one of the most memorable days of our honeymoon adventure. It all began with some nature videos:
First, a lurking morning visitor:
Nature video 2:
Conversation regarding Mike Vasich's recent discovery:
Me: What Would Carol Vasich Do?
Mike responds: What Would Milt Vasich Do?
"It's all about comfort...no regrets."
Man, what I would've done for a pair of wool socks. 3rd confrontation with poison oak that day. I was doomed. That said, Mike seemed to possess the greatest sense of doom as we hiked through private property due to getting completely lost. He claims that he was "trying to keep it real," but I think he really had this image of some crazy land owner from the boonies attacking us with a shotgun...I kept reminding him that we were in northern California...but he would hear none of it!
Lunch break, "a mile or two from our destination...only 20 minutes away..."
Hours later...
I did get poison oak.
First, a lurking morning visitor:
Nature video 2:
Conversation regarding Mike Vasich's recent discovery:
Me: What Would Carol Vasich Do?
Mike responds: What Would Milt Vasich Do?
"It's all about comfort...no regrets."
Man, what I would've done for a pair of wool socks. 3rd confrontation with poison oak that day. I was doomed. That said, Mike seemed to possess the greatest sense of doom as we hiked through private property due to getting completely lost. He claims that he was "trying to keep it real," but I think he really had this image of some crazy land owner from the boonies attacking us with a shotgun...I kept reminding him that we were in northern California...but he would hear none of it!
Lunch break, "a mile or two from our destination...only 20 minutes away..."
Hours later...
I did get poison oak.
Honeymoon Series: Snippets from Day 6
On Day 6, we decided to take a long hike out to the Point of Tomales Bay and the ocean. A day that started sunny and warm in the valley turned into a mighty fog along the coast. The highlight for Mike was definitely the Tule Elk. I wasn't as impressed. We also had our second run in with poison oak. The path went from very wide and paved to NO PATH...only brambles. My legs were not very happy. Mike sympathized.
Mike loved the Tule Elk:
Mike loved the Tule Elk:
Sunday, October 10, 2010
2 more videos from apple picking!
For your viewing (and tasting) pleasure...
Mike on the apple growing industry:
Molly on apples that taste like bananas:
Mike on the apple growing industry:
Molly on apples that taste like bananas:
Recap of Parent Weekends - Sept. and Oct.
The last weekend in September was spent in Cleveland Ohio visiting the McCarthy parents! It was a union of friends, family, and musicians! Orange Mighty Trio began their short fall tour in Cleveland with a gig at John Carroll University, an evening gig at Barking Spider (a very spiffy bar and music space in a converted carriage house), an impromptu show for the residents at Grandpa Len's assisted living home, and a house concert at the McCarthy's! With all this on the calendar, I couldn't resist making a quick trip to join in the fun.
Additional highlights of the weekend include a trip to West End Farmer's Market, a John Carroll football game, visiting with Grandpa Len and checking out boxes of his old photographs and letters, and running through the Shaker Heights neighborhoods! Here's a couple short vids:
The following weekend, back in Minneapolis, the Vasich parents made the trek to the cities! Saturday was apple picking, buying fall pumpkins and other goodies, walks through the woods, and dinner at Punch Pizza.
Sunday morning was an early one- I had the Medtronic 10 mile race at 7 am!
In good spirits thanks in part to a hot cup of coffee, Carol, Milt, and Mike came out to cheer and support me!
It ended up being perhaps my best race of the 2010 season- 8:08 pace average with a 1:21:09 finish. I couldn't have been happier. The morning was absolutely gorgeous- fog rising off of the Mississippi River and the sunlight beaming down on the runners as we cruised up Summit Ave. It was quite a treat to have the Vasich family out on the course! Mike is really quite an elite marathon fan, and now Carol and Milt know the ropes for future races!
Additional highlights of the weekend include a trip to West End Farmer's Market, a John Carroll football game, visiting with Grandpa Len and checking out boxes of his old photographs and letters, and running through the Shaker Heights neighborhoods! Here's a couple short vids:
The following weekend, back in Minneapolis, the Vasich parents made the trek to the cities! Saturday was apple picking, buying fall pumpkins and other goodies, walks through the woods, and dinner at Punch Pizza.
Sunday morning was an early one- I had the Medtronic 10 mile race at 7 am!
In good spirits thanks in part to a hot cup of coffee, Carol, Milt, and Mike came out to cheer and support me!
It ended up being perhaps my best race of the 2010 season- 8:08 pace average with a 1:21:09 finish. I couldn't have been happier. The morning was absolutely gorgeous- fog rising off of the Mississippi River and the sunlight beaming down on the runners as we cruised up Summit Ave. It was quite a treat to have the Vasich family out on the course! Mike is really quite an elite marathon fan, and now Carol and Milt know the ropes for future races!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
More highlights from last weekend...
 |
| Mike demonstrating the art of portage. I am unwittingly impressed and attracted to this handsome outdoorsman! |
 |
| Dinner at Alma & Peter's swanky new place! |
 | |||||
| Minnesota State Fair! |
Saturday, September 11, 2010
LRT to Twins Game
Last Friday, we embarked on our first twins game in the new stadium. Too excited to remember our video cam once at the stadium, our only footage is from the light rail. Still kind of cool...
Canoe adventures!
As promised, here are a few videos highlighting our canoe pick-up from REI and it's ignaugaral trip out on the Minnesota lakes. It actually took us a couple of attempts to get the canoe- our first trip to REI took longer than expected, and we needed to get back home for a neighborhood late summer potluck (not mention, the huge pre-labor day sales...as expected, I got a bit waylaid in the women's athletic gear department).
Video detailing first attempt to pick up canoe:
Later in the work week, Mike and I were determined to bring "Lenny" home so we could take her (or, I guess it's a "him") out over Labor Day weekend. This time, I went straight with Mike to the boating department...
Successful canoe pick-up!
Saturday afternoon, we headed out to spend a few hours exploring the chain of lakes in Lebonon Hills State Park, about 30 minutes south of Minneap. It was a gorgeous afternoon, coolish and sunny. The lakes varied between weedy and lily-pads to absolutely clear and silent.
Our maiden voyage:
Video detailing first attempt to pick up canoe:
Later in the work week, Mike and I were determined to bring "Lenny" home so we could take her (or, I guess it's a "him") out over Labor Day weekend. This time, I went straight with Mike to the boating department...
Successful canoe pick-up!
Saturday afternoon, we headed out to spend a few hours exploring the chain of lakes in Lebonon Hills State Park, about 30 minutes south of Minneap. It was a gorgeous afternoon, coolish and sunny. The lakes varied between weedy and lily-pads to absolutely clear and silent.
Our maiden voyage:
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Autumn Planning!
School starts this Monday morning! The annual opening day certainly throws me and Mike, headfirst, into autumn. Personally, I love this time of year. I've read again and again that many people consider labor day the new "New Year's Eve." I can buy that.
As Mike and I prepare ourselves (and our newlywed-ness) for all the professional, work-related events and goals, we have created a list (over beers at Longfellow Grill, of course) of things we'd love to do together as the trees are changing color.
Here's a glimpse:
Labor day weekend @ a lake (yay! thank you Alma and Peter!)
Long bike ride to Redwing for picnic lunch
Late summer camping trip (with Rachel!? It would be her first camping trip...)
Chili and cornbread night (maybe the perfect evening for writing some of our wedding thank you's!)
Movie Club (like a book club...except no pre-work- just a movie and some critical friends)
Mad Men Halloween Party
Today, We are super excited because we are picking up our new canoe today from REI! The canoe is a special gift from my Grandpa Len. My mom once said that Grandpa Len can be summarized through three major parts of his life: a boyscout, a marine, a Catholic. I might add stellar dad and husband (and grandpa!) to that list. Among his many talents, he would write the most beautiful letters to my sister and I. He'd decorate the envelopes with calligraphy and drawings of flowers and animals. When he signed off, I could always count on his regular reminder: Work hard, play hard, pray hard. More than ever, it's a motto that I try to practice as much as I can.
Anyway, Grandpa Len, who can't talk very well anymore but who can still sing and whistle, bought Mike and I a canoe for our wedding. It's green, pretty light, and a real classic. Although my mom wants us to name it "Gitsch" for my grandma (Jean Gitschier), I think we might name it "Lenny."
Photos to come!
As Mike and I prepare ourselves (and our newlywed-ness) for all the professional, work-related events and goals, we have created a list (over beers at Longfellow Grill, of course) of things we'd love to do together as the trees are changing color.
Here's a glimpse:
Labor day weekend @ a lake (yay! thank you Alma and Peter!)
Long bike ride to Redwing for picnic lunch
Late summer camping trip (with Rachel!? It would be her first camping trip...)
Chili and cornbread night (maybe the perfect evening for writing some of our wedding thank you's!)
Movie Club (like a book club...except no pre-work- just a movie and some critical friends)
Mad Men Halloween Party
Today, We are super excited because we are picking up our new canoe today from REI! The canoe is a special gift from my Grandpa Len. My mom once said that Grandpa Len can be summarized through three major parts of his life: a boyscout, a marine, a Catholic. I might add stellar dad and husband (and grandpa!) to that list. Among his many talents, he would write the most beautiful letters to my sister and I. He'd decorate the envelopes with calligraphy and drawings of flowers and animals. When he signed off, I could always count on his regular reminder: Work hard, play hard, pray hard. More than ever, it's a motto that I try to practice as much as I can.
Anyway, Grandpa Len, who can't talk very well anymore but who can still sing and whistle, bought Mike and I a canoe for our wedding. It's green, pretty light, and a real classic. Although my mom wants us to name it "Gitsch" for my grandma (Jean Gitschier), I think we might name it "Lenny."
Photos to come!
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