I want candy

I was so excited a year or two ago when they finally built a Baja Fresh in Metro-Detroit. Soon they expanded and built a couple just a few miles away from my home! Not only do I wake up craving their shrimp nachos at night, but now I have become obsessed with their Choco Starlights- chocolate mints that look like the red and white peppermints but are brown and green. There is always of a bin of them right by the plasticware and condiments. Mmmmmm…..I have gotten everyone I work with hooked on them as well.

The Mother of all Families

I know this is old news, but I just found out Olive Osmond passed away on Mother’s Day this year. Now, I’m sure some of you can put two and two together and figure out that Olive Osmond was the mother of the most famous entertainment family in the world- the Osmonds. It saddened me to hear this and how odd that she died on Mother's Day.

Top of the Park

Last night Aaron and I were invited to a reception tent at the Top of the Park in Ann Arbor. I had no idea what to expect and what fun it turned out to be! Apparently, every summer they hold the Ann Arbor Summer Festival on the top level of the Fletcher St. parking ramp. They set up booths for food, a stage for live music, a “beer” garden for alcohol and when it gets dark out they show a movie on the building next door! It’s like you are in an outdoor movie theater. Or rather, a drive-in with no cars. It was a very interesting use of urban space, that’s for sure.

an Ikea virgin no more

Aaron and I made it back safe and sound from Chicago Sunday night. We had a blast! We left Saturday morning and on the way through Indiana we stopped to get some fireworks. (All good fireworks are banned in Michigan.) Aaron got one big boomer and I bought multi-colored sparklers. I haven’t seen colored sparklers in years so I got a nice big pack of them. Then we were off to the city…..

We parked my jeep near Grant Park and ended up walking all the way down the Magnificent Mile and back again. Let me tell you, it was way more than a mile. Try 7.6 miles round trip. Anyway, it was a nice little shopping stroll and a great way for Aaron to soak up the city. (He’d never been there before. This was my eighth visit.) We tried a real Chicago style hot dog which was delish. They put pickles and tomatoes on them. Yum!

Eventually we made our way back to the car, regrouped, and headed to the Blues Festival. We probably saw about 17 bands at four different stages. By about 8pm we were wiped out and decided to make our way to our hotel in Schaumburg and grab a bite to eat. Due to the fact there was a 2 hour wait at the Cheesecake Factory and we had eaten at one before, we decided to try the Todai Seafood Buffet nearby. How interesting! It was a Japanese seafood buffet with lots of sushi, seaweed and iced green tea. Aaron wasn’t a big fan.

The next morning we headed to the Ikea store. What an experience. Of course we were there for the last day of their Spring Sale so it was a complete madhouse. I bought a few piddly things because it’s really hard to buy for a house you don’t have. I’m definitely glad I went. Before we headed out of town we stopped by Pizzeria Uno for some authentic Chicago style pizza. Mmm, Mmm Good!!

Things I learned while I was in Chicago-
1.) H&M stores are not all they are cracked up to be.
2.) Grant Park was created after the Great Fire of 1871. A lot of the debris was pushed into Lake Michigan, creating the fill for what is now the actual park.
3.) There are theories that the Great Fire of 1871 was not started by Mrs. O’Leary’s cow. Many scientists believe it was a comet that hit the Great Lakes region and started fires throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan on the same night.
4.) The city of Chicago has a professional soccer team called, get this- the Chicago Fire. I think that is hilarious! I guess you have to be a history geek to fully appreciate the humor in that one.

I need me some blues

Tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn Aaron and I are off the the
The Chicago Blues Festival. I can't wait! I've wanted to go for years and we're finally going to do it. The plan is to drive into the city early, park, walk, shop and then head on down to the blues festival. On Sunday we are going to head to the IKEA store in Schaumburg, Illinois and to participate in the last day of their Spring Sale. I'll see you next week!

Me-ow.

Dutch Boyd. Wow. He’s hot, he’s INCREDIBLY smart and he plays a sweet hand of poker. What more can you say? Aaron and I caught him Tuesday night on ESPN for the 2003 World Cup Poker Tournament. When he said he started college at the age of 12 and finished law school by the time he was 18 it was as if he had me at “hello”. (You know I love me some smart men.) Seriously, if anybody has any information on this man please let me know. He’s a hottie and I bet (hee, hee) everyone will know his name soon.

I only found a couple of pictures of him online and you really couldn't tell what he looks like, so you are stuck with an image of poker chips. It was that or dogs playing poker (I love those kitschy pictures!). I also just found out that dear, sweet Dutch is only 22 years old! A mere pup! *sigh*

Yippee!!

Laurie Notaro’s latest book is being released today!

I have a question. What’s the difference between “release date” and “publishing date”? Some books list a release date and some books list a publishing date, yet they both seem to be the day I see them in stores. Hmmm.........

Do You VooDoo?

Check out these Voo Doo pin cushions! Courtesy of Sublime Stitching, a unique place to find cool embroidery transfers. Ya know, the one I want is sold out so maybe I’ll have to work on making one for myself.