tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372005522024-03-07T18:07:05.555-07:00Lets make a snack..."Every life is many days, day after day. We walk through ourselves, meeting robbers, ghosts, giants, old men, young men, wives, widows, brothers-in-love, but always meeting ourselves." James JoyceAubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.comBlogger212125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-3620111096618918712013-12-01T20:18:00.002-07:002013-12-01T20:19:29.557-07:00Will it be Food Pics or Cat Pics that Take Over the Internet?I've noticed that there is some annoyance out there in the social media world towards people who take pictures of their food and share them with the rest of the world. I <i>understand</i>. Your life is too full of <i>real things</i> to care about what someone you hardly know had for dinner. And as is the case with most social media - you didn't <i>ask</i> for the picture - it was thrust upon you as you were innocently scrolling through pictures of babies in their first suspenders and cats who have not only made their owners work for them, but have started a campaign to take over the internet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzKPU5gqiy7MkTQ13ds-xwxD4vQW65Oo4yrJPjBNfOTHkkx3GVE6kW47oFUjTENWYOj32_iHgsSWT-tyTkJuTkepss7qZuxb8S-9EK1N3PTq8Rr2vlDLG-qI7YfE_Uv33_xw07g/s1600/19_495709.jpg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzKPU5gqiy7MkTQ13ds-xwxD4vQW65Oo4yrJPjBNfOTHkkx3GVE6kW47oFUjTENWYOj32_iHgsSWT-tyTkJuTkepss7qZuxb8S-9EK1N3PTq8Rr2vlDLG-qI7YfE_Uv33_xw07g/s320/19_495709.jpg.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I take pictures of my food. I do so with glee. GLEE. And when I post a picture of my food, it is because I'm still savoring it. I feel like, for me - <a href="http://www.aubreystinykitchen.blogspot.com/">what my meal looks like</a> represents my current life or state of mind to a certain point. There are times, honestly, when I think my best foot forward or my most photogenic side is the meal I just created. It might represent something just for myself - how colorful, or fresh, or gloopy I'm feeling. And it might represent what I want to convey to the people I'm cooking for - "I'm comfortable with you," "you make me feel warm," or "our weekend is going to be zesty/fiery/rich."<br />
<br />
What we eat says so much about us already, and if we're proud or excited to share it, I think those of us that do are sharing something significant of ourselves. So, go ahead and post those pictures! (Not like anyone can stop those of us that do!) I want to see your fancy gougères that you put so much time into. And I'll probably even give you a thumbs up/heart/like for your peanut butter toast and iced gin at 9pm picture because it says a bit about your day and how you've chosen to celebrate it/wallow/comfort yourself.<br />
<br />
So, cheers!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiaVAWaNZorwNFdyxj4znE2WOH5S45G7cI9GmH8OmlANBTpFRAolmp568aawqCl5lXz9e9s4UCAc08PXXFd0_5imThk_wj6jmFZi6Zgmx6UkC5D12zkGkVegKz8zhwwaQFP0K7w/s1600/20121024_202738.jpg" /></div>
<br />
<br />
You can find more of my food pictures on <a href="http://instagram.com/aubreyalexis">instagram</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/aubreyalexisfs">twitter</a>, though I must warn you - I'm <i>also</i> one of those annoying people who posts copious pictures of her dog. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeyK6Aj4f1VkRhI7jErt4ZqDz8AeH1ZeyRIijkmWutUGq5hHmoJUpBlKdIb3kF6X_O9yjziJwfktxDmnO7QbhS5gyrn4HQIWndwIG3IibXyxWWgIPQJpY1EEm5T99HaOU9JEYVQ/s1600/IMG_0256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeyK6Aj4f1VkRhI7jErt4ZqDz8AeH1ZeyRIijkmWutUGq5hHmoJUpBlKdIb3kF6X_O9yjziJwfktxDmnO7QbhS5gyrn4HQIWndwIG3IibXyxWWgIPQJpY1EEm5T99HaOU9JEYVQ/s320/IMG_0256.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
See? It's because she's SO CUTE! And I'm <i>sure</i> you think so too! Right?Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-29686089670313487252013-10-07T10:44:00.000-07:002013-10-07T10:44:05.763-07:00Mode - Knoxville: Summer of 1915I recently went to a somewhat unusual event at the Ruth Page Center for Music and Dance. <a href="http://www.modeensemble.com/">The Mode Ensemble</a> - a collection of a dozen or so talented musicians put together an evening of Early American and Civil War Era music in a constant flow of ever-changing ensemble on stage. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbzUZCtpQ3DZxzLRUuqzy-0C-bY5pixlDCra7R4poWMvtyb1ow3nzogC4ntThWdyeTjkmjp_CrUyaTnrC2lAdOFj2lvdrR5C3hAmeA10S-Kt4XxfodwQA37DZOxlPRqPmaiWRiw/s1600/545192_642171451886_940780626_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbzUZCtpQ3DZxzLRUuqzy-0C-bY5pixlDCra7R4poWMvtyb1ow3nzogC4ntThWdyeTjkmjp_CrUyaTnrC2lAdOFj2lvdrR5C3hAmeA10S-Kt4XxfodwQA37DZOxlPRqPmaiWRiw/s400/545192_642171451886_940780626_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Offering era-appropriate food and very sweet cocktails while performers and audience members dressed the part, the evening was a lot of fun and felt transportive. <br />
<br />
Ashlee Hardgrave did an excellent job with Alan Louis Smith's <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQY6ZF7An48">Covered Wagon Women Vignettes</a>, </i>and the Prairie Spring, Haymaker's Hoedown and Banjo & Fiddle performances at the end of the first half were energetic and skillfully played. The second half of the evening though was where all the emotion came out. Anthony Plog's <i>Songs of War and Loss</i>, sung by ????? (performer's names were not included in the program) was intense and it was followed by a dark reading of a Civil War Soldier's letter over <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N__4oE0Afs">Jay Ungar's Ashokan Farewell</a> (from Ken Burns' documentary on the Civil War). Copeland's <i>Quiet City</i> and Barber's <i>Knoxville: Summer of 1915</i> made a fantastic end to a really well-rounded and enjoyable show.<br />
<br />
The program could have been more complete and the initial words about the final piece, which lasted a good half hour, could have been left out, but the music was really the important part, and Mode knocked that out of the park.Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-45993467815563290862013-10-07T10:17:00.000-07:002013-10-07T10:17:13.946-07:00Happy Birthday, Verdi!Thursday marks the anniversary of the 200th year since Italian Romantic Operatic composer Verdi was born. He is most known for his prolific opera composing (averaging one every nine months for a good decade of his life). <br />
<br />
His operas are known for their grandiose style with prominent use of the chorus. He also experimented quite seriously with developing a style of realism or <i>verismo</i> in his music composition. He did experiment with all types of Italian operatic writing at the time and this can be seen throughout his works. <br />
<br />
Many colleges, music festivals, and city orchestras are celebrating Verdi's oeuvre this season with performances, and I recommend checking a couple of them out! <br />
<br />
If you're in Chicago, you're in luck. Yet to be performed is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvW3RZiQXpI">Verdi's Requiem Mass</a> (Thursday @7:30pm, CSO), which can be watched that evening online at <a href="http://cso.org/verdi" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank" title="cso.org/verdi">cso.org/verdi</a> (I'm definitely doing that with a glass of wine after work). The <a href="http://www.lyricopera.org/">Lyric</a> is doing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpcQcLZRetQ">Verdi's Otello</a> - my favorite of his operas (opened Oct. 5) and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcKdnkGBSgA">La Traviata</a> - another of my favorites and one of his most well-known operas (Opens Nov. 20). So, Chicagoans - GO! (For opera neophytes, these are both very accessible and a lot of fun.)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnptI-QWb00Umoiu5VL9aI5uC1N2TOiYpXJ-xmHJj-hlT9QKI90tOVZFBWEX6dHj4Y_T7mrTWg2e1yFfZjjQ9xt71d8aklfz83DekAVEbO6EvS6g-3EFhubrSjw_DapMDh9vcJsQ/s1600/Joan3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnptI-QWb00Umoiu5VL9aI5uC1N2TOiYpXJ-xmHJj-hlT9QKI90tOVZFBWEX6dHj4Y_T7mrTWg2e1yFfZjjQ9xt71d8aklfz83DekAVEbO6EvS6g-3EFhubrSjw_DapMDh9vcJsQ/s1600/Joan3.jpg" /></a>Chicago musicians have been hard at work already though -<br />
<br />
I had the pleasure recently of seeing <i>Joan of Arc</i>, performed by the <a href="http://www.chicagooperatheater.org/joan-of-arc/">Chicago Opera Theater</a>. The production was creative - a sect of fundamentalist Christians putting on a play of the famous story, <br />
making the piece more apropos for today's audience. The baritone was fantastic and the writing for the chorus was perfect and made sense given Verdi's penchant for grandiose declamatory choral writing. I was having such a good time that I forgot to take notes and the time just flew by!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZtMnqG47g9HJL65MeVRnmKnswqPlMc7bxOnmfHsbWLrulxz1kBV84BtciwYs-meA8z9MQIIRlKXIwYzZo25G_PUOp6FchRPdcNOplfOYtx0wrSLbGXxJkOE8WjaiAQl8F0yJBw/s1600/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZtMnqG47g9HJL65MeVRnmKnswqPlMc7bxOnmfHsbWLrulxz1kBV84BtciwYs-meA8z9MQIIRlKXIwYzZo25G_PUOp6FchRPdcNOplfOYtx0wrSLbGXxJkOE8WjaiAQl8F0yJBw/s1600/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls.jpeg" /></a>I also recently had excellent seats to see <i>Macbeth</i> performed without set by the <a href="http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2013/09/a-bloody-magnificent-macbeth-muti-singers-cso-and-chorus-deliver-a-verdi-night-to-remember/">CSO</a>. Aside from a very strange offstage recording at certain points of <br />
the opera, I was enchanted. Verdi writes soprano emotion so well - that even without costumes and a set, the listener could feel the palpable anxiety from the vocalists and the orchestra. I have never heard a better performance of this opera - the cello solo in the third act, the beautiful chorus, and the exquisite and glittering orchestral playing - not to mention the voices made it an amazing evening!<br />
<br />
If you've missed the above performances, the <a href="http://cso.org/">CSO</a>, the <a href="http://www.chicagooperatheater.org/">Chicago Opera Theater</a>, and the <a href="http://www.lyricopera.org/">Lyric</a> are always top-notch and you can't go wrong in attending a concert. Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-48255222403465114652013-04-19T07:34:00.003-07:002013-04-19T07:34:56.221-07:00Picasso and ChicagoIt is only on display for the next couple of weeks, but the <a href="http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/picasso-and-chicago">Art Institute</a> is currently showing a special exhibit on Picasso's works. Though I wasn't quite on board with the way the exhibit was organized and thought the idea of Picasso's connection with Chicago as a thread through the exhibit was tenuous, you should go.<br />
<br />
There were some well-known paintings and sculpture, but a lot of the exhibit was of Picasso's drawings. Here are some of what I thought were the highlights:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4JXUYZDqCwEhHaJI7tHpWJMwJgb_IJtJAa0ybGQKEupMW0BWUFyqRNTzrWHBe_ItkM-gidPQXDmc0gdFuCdo-sERjP1wCZfd7ag9ABvcHN1zg47z9Voq_Yfgw_Y5sAaPPsLvxw/s1600/20130415_135027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4JXUYZDqCwEhHaJI7tHpWJMwJgb_IJtJAa0ybGQKEupMW0BWUFyqRNTzrWHBe_ItkM-gidPQXDmc0gdFuCdo-sERjP1wCZfd7ag9ABvcHN1zg47z9Voq_Yfgw_Y5sAaPPsLvxw/s320/20130415_135027.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Drawings of a Bull. There was a big collection of drawings of animals - many of them in a calligraphic style. </div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcUJeIZ6gB3hm1oTNJqSWV-1JnBYsVAeS6hvrXgBRR-BBdP08JPuqIDfxMH9Z-NMPNyrP8JOXLkmgfJiDQAhXWGeNFvxNJDHy0gouCO-Y7-965zUGaYmroCJJP859-OroR14__Q/s1600/20130415_135632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcUJeIZ6gB3hm1oTNJqSWV-1JnBYsVAeS6hvrXgBRR-BBdP08JPuqIDfxMH9Z-NMPNyrP8JOXLkmgfJiDQAhXWGeNFvxNJDHy0gouCO-Y7-965zUGaYmroCJJP859-OroR14__Q/s320/20130415_135632.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Picasso used typical household goods in many of his works. This sculpture is created from pots and pans and cake forms.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3lGWBQsCF_clca4hKpJeTJHdLHUjAmcpGWGIbNRpaGBhEGgVtA4iECk_FhrVFdQwEXMgA-vnDXDdJBrH1JsevLMouRJkyZcIXaOWXN886HmxmnCFUj8155H3hJ-A-eVogsI9Ow/s1600/20130415_135248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3lGWBQsCF_clca4hKpJeTJHdLHUjAmcpGWGIbNRpaGBhEGgVtA4iECk_FhrVFdQwEXMgA-vnDXDdJBrH1JsevLMouRJkyZcIXaOWXN886HmxmnCFUj8155H3hJ-A-eVogsI9Ow/s320/20130415_135248.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Lots of drawings with a pastel wash. I'm particularly fond of the rooster in this one. </div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgag0-o8q68_OuUwXbGbq9-iyz1V0dqXwMzkQDyFv4xbpnSOzN80QvUlUYDL_534K5Zq-HODyTP6-TJB4NSQL32-vQjUqrpRcDPLvi9KyTTA1MuWd60rgAikNBx7p5hw_nZqnf0Fg/s1600/20130415_135614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgag0-o8q68_OuUwXbGbq9-iyz1V0dqXwMzkQDyFv4xbpnSOzN80QvUlUYDL_534K5Zq-HODyTP6-TJB4NSQL32-vQjUqrpRcDPLvi9KyTTA1MuWd60rgAikNBx7p5hw_nZqnf0Fg/s320/20130415_135614.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Folk Art - Picasso style!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In the book Gertrude Stein wrote on Picasso in 1938, which I read this week, I learned the following funny story about Picasso:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When he was a young artist, he used to say that it would be so incredible if he were burglarized and someone stole his paintings and drawings (meaning his artwork was worth something). And so, later on, when he was not an <i>unknown</i> artist, he <i>was</i> in fact burglarized, and the thieves thought only to steal his linens and left his artwork behind. Fools.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Aside from just the artwork on display, there was a room in the exhibit that included information on learning about authenticity of, history of and the quest to discover the materials used in some of his artwork. Descriptions of how art experts found out a lot of these things using various x-ray techniques, UV light and such fill one room of the exhibit and made some of the work that these curators do really exciting. It also reminded me a bit of <a href="http://www.usanetwork.com/series/whitecollar/">White Collar</a>, which was fun. </div>
Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-25264977809412818102012-11-15T08:40:00.000-07:002012-11-15T08:40:47.277-07:00A Russian Music Orgy at the CSOWell, I know where all the <a href="http://www.sfcv.org/article/top-10-classical-music-jokes">high-brow percussionists </a>were last night! With Mussorgsky's <i>A Night on Bald Mountain</i>, Tchaikovsky's <i>Piano Concerto No. 1</i>, and Stravinky's <i>The Rite of Spring </i>on the program<i>,</i> the <a href="http://cso.org/">Chicago Symphony Orchestra</a> dominated its audience with grand crashing chords and lurching anxiety, which made the two hours seem like a quarter that.<div>
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhPdpQxapwOYlyTz5HSDqRnJoku0rT-VTcnDr88s5dtIQGGq6-8v5W90CWa_JUZIwMIj0sxlWEL2Rr256yY-cFaH1xWht7TGtcAAx7cHztgAt4mprqyTTPZG0Dpc8xWcn71c2hg/s1600/561624_10151302380908156_270438365_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhPdpQxapwOYlyTz5HSDqRnJoku0rT-VTcnDr88s5dtIQGGq6-8v5W90CWa_JUZIwMIj0sxlWEL2Rr256yY-cFaH1xWht7TGtcAAx7cHztgAt4mprqyTTPZG0Dpc8xWcn71c2hg/s320/561624_10151302380908156_270438365_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
The concert hall was pretty full for a Wednesday evening, with attendees of all ages pushing to get their tickets and reach their seats. <a href="http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/romanticperiod/qt/baldmountain.htm">Mussorgsky</a> set the tone for the evening - not an evening to sit back and listen, but to sit forward and WATCH. The stresses and meter in this piece are so uneven and lurching and the swirls of sound that the piece creates got into every corner of the room. I don't know how anybody could sit comfortably directly behind the orchestra for this program. There were some excellent clarinet and flute parts (this program was another showcase for the woodwinds), and I think the harp must have been miked because it was a lot more prominent than I was used to... I felt at times that this program was just going for fortissimo oppression of the hall.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm pretty sure the entire audience was familiar with everything on the program that evening, so the <i>maestoso </i>first movement of the Tchaikovsky was heard with welcome and relief. With such a need for precision in the treble and sonority in the bass, I must say that the <a href="http://timeoutchicago.com/music-nightlife/opera-classical/15189886/cso-piano-tuner-jim-houston-interview">piano was tuned beautifully</a>. Performed by 21-year-old <a href="http://www.daniiltrifonov.com/">Daniil Trifonov</a>, who ambled on stage with gangly limbs and a skateboarder's haircut, I thought, "he's just a kid!" and then ....... he turned into the piece. Though this famous movement is often looked at as a choppy piece of extreme difficulty, and while this wasn't the cleanest of performances, I thought it was well done, energetic and passionate. The very clean high trills in the second movement over the waltz-like theme in the orchestra was exquisite and the lively Russian third movement was powerfully played. This was my favorite part of the evening.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While these days, a standing ovation in the concert hall seems almost required, this time, the audience was rewarded with a flashy encore of the piano version of the Infernal Dance from Stravinsky's <i>Firebird Suite</i>. I felt like the young pianist was saying, "Oh yeah? Let's step it up a notch, Chicago. Here's MY Stravinsky..... let's see what YOU can do!"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And the CSO brought it. A staple piece that they play well, I felt this time the concert hall was almost unable at times to hold the music in. Never letting the listener rest for more than a few moments when the solo instruments take over, the orchestra definitely has the capriciousness of this piece down. Their <i>pesante</i> was nauseatingly so and their take on frantic was almost unbearable. I hope nobody in the audience came in that evening already anxious. Bravo.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This concert is being performed again on <a href="http://cso.org/TicketsAndEvents/EventDetails.aspx?eid=4830">Saturday evening</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Also, Happy Birthday, Dad!</span></i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2jC4AwCEIFppFEfcKZTkaWbPmrEQBYgG9sGBYBIICfP0u8llhuMtmPxDGmG-c9jGXDwo69IAhhumscHGQb2VN-YryolUJwqLvfBflW8aMoCaXCUGJ8ohxa6VTFwzo0_UTftPQA/s1600/IMG-20121114-00419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2jC4AwCEIFppFEfcKZTkaWbPmrEQBYgG9sGBYBIICfP0u8llhuMtmPxDGmG-c9jGXDwo69IAhhumscHGQb2VN-YryolUJwqLvfBflW8aMoCaXCUGJ8ohxa6VTFwzo0_UTftPQA/s400/IMG-20121114-00419.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-87004958452491131702012-11-07T08:16:00.002-07:002012-11-07T08:17:13.107-07:00Simon Boccanegra at Chicago's LyricThis October, the <a href="http://www.lyricopera.org/tickets/production.aspx?pid=10692">Lyric opened Verdi's Simon Boccanegra</a>, an early opera of Verdi's, which satisfies its listeners with Verdi's typical sweeping melodies and word painting. <br />
<br />
A story of disaster, ambition, politics and love, the mostly-male cast, with some fabulous bass and baritone voices, tremble with the anger and exasperation in their attempts to get what they want and satisfy their ambitions and vengeance.<br />
<br />
The prologue is very tame and opens with pastoral sounds, much like Beethoven's 6th symphony. The aria by Ferruccio Furlanetto, who plays Maria's father is full, deep and compelling as he emotionally sings such words of vengeance as "my hate will haunt you." And so the drama begins. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtS4hDpCZ-mGx2Fw_nBY9QAyGH1-QprapjYrqV1X_XVSUZzbzPSLs71qI2DPm9lIC8tN0Tth0HZLzpHjZPA9ZPlauI5ObGlO_bfwrnTBQR5UqkdiWSeln4Xq3qFLDaO7V_uMAHA/s1600/18.-Frank-Lopardo-Krassimira-Stoyanova-SIMON-BOCCANEGRA-DR2_0298-c.-Dan-Rest_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtS4hDpCZ-mGx2Fw_nBY9QAyGH1-QprapjYrqV1X_XVSUZzbzPSLs71qI2DPm9lIC8tN0Tth0HZLzpHjZPA9ZPlauI5ObGlO_bfwrnTBQR5UqkdiWSeln4Xq3qFLDaO7V_uMAHA/s400/18.-Frank-Lopardo-Krassimira-Stoyanova-SIMON-BOCCANEGRA-DR2_0298-c.-Dan-Rest_thumb.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
There is a very nice technique used by the Lyric in the production that allows the scene to expand visually by showing action off stage in shadows. In fact, with several pillars on the sides of the stage, a new backdrop can be placed conveniently behind a pillar to change the scene while not requiring much set changing. <br />
<br />
It isn't until Act 1 that we hear a female voice - in a very silly and poetic (yet beautiful) love song. Despite the fact that there is only heightened emotional frivolity every time Amelia (the sole female character, who is tugged this way and that, with very little control over her fate) opens her mouth in the first half of the opera, Verdi uses his familiar gorgeous melodic shaping so that regular opera-goers don't even need to hear her words to know what Amelia (played by Krassimira Stoyanova) is saying.<br />
<br />
While Act 2 brought in the expected "pena" aria and some beautiful singing by tenor Frank Lopardo ("a jealous rage destroyed my reason") the a cappella trio and the end of Act 2 was sudden and uncomfortable.<br />
<br />
There is an unusual duet in Act 3 with two very low voices, which reinforces the feel of the opera - that it is tragedy precipitated by men. The fates and disasters of these men are wound together. The bipartisanship that Simon Boccanegra (Thomas Hampson) implores his people to adopt must be a lasting topic, and though this opera still took place in 14th century Genoa, it still has appeal to any audience.<br />
<br />
Opera-goers at the Lyric are lucky this year to get to experience such a great production with such experienced singers in these rolls. Thomas Hampson and Ferruccio Furlanetto have made the roles their own and really make the listener feel with their baritone and bass voices the power, anguish and drama of this lasting and noble story.Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-71472364270161371302012-07-06T19:10:00.002-07:002012-07-06T19:13:38.762-07:00Lichtenstein at the Art InstituteI'm seeing primary colors everywhere this summer! The <a href="http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2012/05/29/colorful-vinyl-installation-to-engulf-state-adams.php">corner of Adams and State</a> is currently engulfed in color and if you like that, keep walking east to the Art Institute, where the first oeuvre exhibit of Lichtenstein is being presented.<br />
<br />
We all know him for his large, over-the-top, two dimensional, dotted works on mundane subjects which had his audience questioning the meaning of art. I admit to not being very moved by his works but I did experience more appreciation for him today when seeing his works laid out like I did.<br />
<br />
A few of the highlights for me:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Sf_bPBiiaq43xmmJjM-bc6YufOTABGxLxs7P1nnV0iKvXL9zL7JKWXVZR600OGcjw4PR9ILGCdfGEYYxsckYswRblkWIUTgDgAe6DEBFklLCwws5In9gvPgpG3mKU8nHGIp7g/s1600/imagejpeg_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Sf_bPBiiaq43xmmJjM-bc6YufOTABGxLxs7P1nnV0iKvXL9zL7JKWXVZR600OGcjw4PR9ILGCdfGEYYxsckYswRblkWIUTgDgAe6DEBFklLCwws5In9gvPgpG3mKU8nHGIp7g/s320/imagejpeg_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Reclining Nude in Brushstroke Landscape</i>, 1986</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQ3048SZWq4n0gVfZWI55AVBnwb8mUA2wsPvEY7JXnxQ5Hcpj1G0OWNhMlUcr9ml0aZObhXX5pZpZ_fZZ2Xy2vzOYWr3BOPzBH2DbN96rRcbqMIL1eO2ZTDBYj3s8sNB6WvZyaQ/s1600/imagejpeg_2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQ3048SZWq4n0gVfZWI55AVBnwb8mUA2wsPvEY7JXnxQ5Hcpj1G0OWNhMlUcr9ml0aZObhXX5pZpZ_fZZ2Xy2vzOYWr3BOPzBH2DbN96rRcbqMIL1eO2ZTDBYj3s8sNB6WvZyaQ/s320/imagejpeg_2-2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Modern Sculpture with Glass Wave</i>, 1967</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I thought this looked like a musical instrument</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIE3saA3VTEw1dq00M-9Sk6nZ3vksG6K-gWaZIJSjSVsF1TT1MIB2arIFTOw_Pt06s631R7Ny0ajOpKX-ycGq84ZQt7tfrTXqxlTMrwDa7KH_s4-3rq8flHdcmtA-zfTnw8VvTQ/s1600/imagejpeg_2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIE3saA3VTEw1dq00M-9Sk6nZ3vksG6K-gWaZIJSjSVsF1TT1MIB2arIFTOw_Pt06s631R7Ny0ajOpKX-ycGq84ZQt7tfrTXqxlTMrwDa7KH_s4-3rq8flHdcmtA-zfTnw8VvTQ/s320/imagejpeg_2-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cubist Stillife,</i> 1974</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"The Old Guitarist?" Cute.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_998381650"></span><span id="goog_998381651"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95qERnCvsxdWGN9j42gzq9bC0DNiz0Xu8orQAUUHEo5O-AyTwPqBkzmV_svJ3-g0rf_TICBB2oPeyaOmqk4fdMB9nb3jHXmPsVJHY_gaoSgF52Q-KAyhRHF2nSnH6XsdYxSj8SA/s1600/imagejpeg_2-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95qERnCvsxdWGN9j42gzq9bC0DNiz0Xu8orQAUUHEo5O-AyTwPqBkzmV_svJ3-g0rf_TICBB2oPeyaOmqk4fdMB9nb3jHXmPsVJHY_gaoSgF52Q-KAyhRHF2nSnH6XsdYxSj8SA/s320/imagejpeg_2-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>Washington Crossing the Delaware</i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
The exhibit is fun, not too serious or large, and quite accessible. I'd recommend going! Then check out the <a href="http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/capturingthesublime">Italian Renaissance and Baroque</a> drawings on the lower level. Lots of red chalk drawings and some really amazing detail!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i> </i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And if you want to meet me at the corner of Adams and State for anything besides the Art Institute, we can go shop at Anthropologie and then get a vodka flight at <a href="http://www.russianteatime.com/index2.html">Russian Tea Time</a>!</div>
</div>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-53922370506633571152012-07-06T18:49:00.000-07:002012-07-06T18:49:05.143-07:00How do pastels work?!Today, at the Art Institute of Chicago, I found myself fascinated by pastel technique. Cross between painting and drawing, pastels give an artist a lot of control over the look and the lines of a work - usually portraits, from what I can tell.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the highlights in my opinion:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL68DP0EeIP5wtzuvDkpJXqafVcL7jR5PZqN1CLpv-2TrhQ-Y3F8PImx2MpGc78Gunqqz0yvSES9hDnUgj_zsKts9-U3f2Rdk9Wwp_GVGtpCPt8Cbqi75nCz-scyCfwVglLiqU_Q/s1600/imagejpeg_2-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL68DP0EeIP5wtzuvDkpJXqafVcL7jR5PZqN1CLpv-2TrhQ-Y3F8PImx2MpGc78Gunqqz0yvSES9hDnUgj_zsKts9-U3f2Rdk9Wwp_GVGtpCPt8Cbqi75nCz-scyCfwVglLiqU_Q/s320/imagejpeg_2-9.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Charles-Antoine Coypel</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Portrait of Philippe Coypel and his Wife"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1742</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHwN5yZCDV5u0EL5GyhU1lelVjE5c4J06-8h282hyphenhyphenYkNiY60yLfDQDdJnIe7Rqg0VdmfefIoY3_Mf7BnPKIxj3JKff66Cb2FfsHAHfgaQcNX1-5ETKairLaU9-roqXVYFjrsC1A/s1600/imagejpeg_2-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHwN5yZCDV5u0EL5GyhU1lelVjE5c4J06-8h282hyphenhyphenYkNiY60yLfDQDdJnIe7Rqg0VdmfefIoY3_Mf7BnPKIxj3JKff66Cb2FfsHAHfgaQcNX1-5ETKairLaU9-roqXVYFjrsC1A/s320/imagejpeg_2-8.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Look at the fine detail of the lace, the sheen of the pearls and the texture of the woman's skin.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOPLCs0KVYheSrnzz51wDp4L5WQAm8wZOqDmtKPiGtAGdFJPMokX4gfZuaG8ouHq92LUUwRFxeovXHznD1FjI8aqt4MgW9uxbRUMmXh9FWtfYx7Xz7xTMsJ7wy0P2rKO0i_7OpA/s1600/imagejpeg_2-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOPLCs0KVYheSrnzz51wDp4L5WQAm8wZOqDmtKPiGtAGdFJPMokX4gfZuaG8ouHq92LUUwRFxeovXHznD1FjI8aqt4MgW9uxbRUMmXh9FWtfYx7Xz7xTMsJ7wy0P2rKO0i_7OpA/s320/imagejpeg_2-11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rosalba Carriera</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Young Lady with Parrot" 1730</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>wet chalk and pastels</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bXrWBA8BvPXF-jRBIKPwGXvNa4P1CpoZ45n68UiwqyVudtg5qYUT2PDgmvRT9Hdjek7WUOg8M2XbBmbLg5Im12Pc_W34EQwW5CUBXNXpwcQ2bPrS960LvNvo0ifXJSSa2GVv2g/s1600/imagejpeg_2-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bXrWBA8BvPXF-jRBIKPwGXvNa4P1CpoZ45n68UiwqyVudtg5qYUT2PDgmvRT9Hdjek7WUOg8M2XbBmbLg5Im12Pc_W34EQwW5CUBXNXpwcQ2bPrS960LvNvo0ifXJSSa2GVv2g/s320/imagejpeg_2-10.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This is more what I think of when I think of pastels - all the blending, but even still - so much life is able to be put into a pastel work - why don't more people use them?!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLmRNi2Xx7ICG07X3SEOJRitPkhCQuHhuLiIRHD50_ZMkkSUOo__ofi-afJvMDXQnF5PnrEePMXkHN5_gkqtr3e0ktL1DEDG_5Muw9T38zBd7lRExkjf8P8vdXJWcrDfg-iaTbw/s1600/imagejpeg_2-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLmRNi2Xx7ICG07X3SEOJRitPkhCQuHhuLiIRHD50_ZMkkSUOo__ofi-afJvMDXQnF5PnrEePMXkHN5_gkqtr3e0ktL1DEDG_5Muw9T38zBd7lRExkjf8P8vdXJWcrDfg-iaTbw/s320/imagejpeg_2-13.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Joseph Wright of Derby</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Self Portrait in Fur Cap" 1765/68</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-4_JNESwYlJMRb8iwHXtltettPkVYFIt77I7yb43nSZ7jzTZWx4cAVA_xQYynFSEkYVIN4ym6-FLs1ruCAfuYzzLkPx3BfmyVSXHB2y2kHjBtEQePUpOOcfP4pSRYjNVGfDnRQ/s1600/imagejpeg_2-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-4_JNESwYlJMRb8iwHXtltettPkVYFIt77I7yb43nSZ7jzTZWx4cAVA_xQYynFSEkYVIN4ym6-FLs1ruCAfuYzzLkPx3BfmyVSXHB2y2kHjBtEQePUpOOcfP4pSRYjNVGfDnRQ/s320/imagejpeg_2-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i>This looks like a photograph to me. I'm amazed at what the artist was able to achieve here with monochromatic pastels (grisaille). This is one of my favorites.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-1OR0baof07kCBPzq29jx8NHyfXVhP1jhvyNNl7weujQQ9H20VcP-fHYXA0xNNWLUCUJQBUCDEFvbzbCzODj9GIqoXZ96UNHM5HL87HkfmdCY_gAxpOIgs0mpWOzsrZbTjr6jA/s1600/imagejpeg_2-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-1OR0baof07kCBPzq29jx8NHyfXVhP1jhvyNNl7weujQQ9H20VcP-fHYXA0xNNWLUCUJQBUCDEFvbzbCzODj9GIqoXZ96UNHM5HL87HkfmdCY_gAxpOIgs0mpWOzsrZbTjr6jA/s320/imagejpeg_2-7.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Edgar Degas</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"On Stage," 1879-81</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJwDWZhKHVlmaGe5xvgQVsxaSiyLqxxmbovD_DDCZjUlKCY_3NutsIfKXilVJbsWGGzUqarHuNfo20UtEvHcRebotN1K7n9Mh4fJE-ISt_JW4VXGQ8LsrQn5NqVIJDbiChbWW5w/s1600/imagejpeg_2-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJwDWZhKHVlmaGe5xvgQVsxaSiyLqxxmbovD_DDCZjUlKCY_3NutsIfKXilVJbsWGGzUqarHuNfo20UtEvHcRebotN1K7n9Mh4fJE-ISt_JW4VXGQ8LsrQn5NqVIJDbiChbWW5w/s320/imagejpeg_2-6.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Confusingly, the plaque next to the painting says that Degas used pastel and <i>essence</i> over monotype on cream laid paper. Any idea what this essence might be? Artists out there? The essence of genius? I wonder if I can get some of that in powder form - like pixie dust.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In other news: Consumers <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/07/the-11-ways-that-consumers-are-hopeless-at-math/259479/">can't do math</a>; Financing for the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18748717">first high-speed rail in the US </a>has been approved; and you might be able to <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/07/can-you-teach-yourself-synesthesia/259519/"><i>teach</i> yourself synesthesia</a>!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Happy Fourth of July, Everyone!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-85146428987212805322012-04-18T09:26:00.000-07:002012-04-18T09:26:15.311-07:00How We DecideI just finished the book <i>How We Decide</i> by Jonah Lehrer. You might know him from the book <i>Proust Was a Neuroscientist</i>, which I absolutely LOVED. This book was along those lines, but not quite as in depth as I would have liked.<br />
<br />
<i>How We Decide</i> turns our attention to what are brains are doing when we are making a decision. How when we go with our gut, our brains seamlessly provide the excuses for our decision, and how often times our emotions know the answer to a tough problem before our brains have picked up on the reasoning.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnO5idX3iBLktVoi5FupuY9J4l36P5-SbZAyHCk5lFFwqX-BwfsJDV4T70IezxuTQ7_ewjFOMdhqVZNkNOAzNYCyrObyDp12LXpPvIZqMQzwK7ms7rto5e5pEYNqzWvYaUQ4KIw/s1600/how-we-decide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnO5idX3iBLktVoi5FupuY9J4l36P5-SbZAyHCk5lFFwqX-BwfsJDV4T70IezxuTQ7_ewjFOMdhqVZNkNOAzNYCyrObyDp12LXpPvIZqMQzwK7ms7rto5e5pEYNqzWvYaUQ4KIw/s400/how-we-decide.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>Things I learned:<br />
<ul><li> In the long run, randomly selected stock portfolios will beat experts and computer models and the best strategy is to pick a low-cost index fund and wait. Do nothing.</li>
<li>Don't think about the technical aspects of doing what you already know how to do (think playing the piano or playing golf)</li>
<li>Too much information in many situations hampers decision making. Our attention cannot focus on what is important to us and may make decisions on things that SOUND important.</li>
<li>Watch out for back surgery. Most patients get better on their own.</li>
<li>Neurons mirror the movements of other people. If you see someone else smile, then your mirror neurons will light up s if you were smiling. Isn't that nice?</li>
<li>Just looking at a fancy or expensive item without the intent to buy, makes you primed to buy something less expensive. Window shopping is DANGEROUS.</li>
<li>Political pundits are more often wrong than those that don't claim to be experts. (thank goodness!)</li>
</ul>While the book really started to get interesting just as I reached the end (and it was hard to tell on my kindle with the footnotes and acknowledgements), I did enjoy it and look forward to reading more about the same subject as well as more by this author.<br />
<br />
Things I am going to keep in mind: I'm going to try to think LESS about the decisions that are very important to me, since my emotions can handle those and I'm going to think MORE [rationally] about the small decisions that don't mean as much to me. We have to make decisions without all the information and Lehrer advises to always remind ourselves of what we <i>don't</i> know. I'll let you know how it goes. <br />
<br />
(My new favorite quote is now, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on my dopamine neurons." Hee hee! You see.... it's FUNNY.)Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-60309192040251858462012-04-17T09:48:00.002-07:002012-04-17T09:58:24.931-07:00El Ideas - a fourteen course mealAlways a fan of creative cooking, Chicago businesses and expensive things, and consistently game for experiencing all three at once, I went with <a href="http://aprilfs.blogspot.com/">my sister</a> to celebrate her birthday at<a href="http://elideas.com/about/"> El Ideas</a>, a small, wonderful, backstreet, laid-back, extremely fun Chicago restaurant. <br />
<br />
The dinner courses proceeded as follows:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Kohlrabi</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QxS6jIXeFNnaxARLnMrJea8-jg8Ja1X2dNZEHavM_2hZIQHX95eYwbtZgFaFK8PagHre28fTyc0UllZn24RrVQbVwrureKJGNO2D7hPCfi_ap7FfO383Ioi09fGuOJnqbCyGFA/s1600/2-10.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QxS6jIXeFNnaxARLnMrJea8-jg8Ja1X2dNZEHavM_2hZIQHX95eYwbtZgFaFK8PagHre28fTyc0UllZn24RrVQbVwrureKJGNO2D7hPCfi_ap7FfO383Ioi09fGuOJnqbCyGFA/s1600/2-10.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A kohlrabi soup with dehydrated olives, chorizo and pepper</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Crab</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5ElibiBq6nb8Y-TB4u4EWV4yNtZY1xXZoINoo_DJi44RzaW71NUE1pmuIoxFjlbHfvtc4dz4oW5Kmr3n57266rLy-2aVJf1nc0XRppJy1B4sodzbwjUXUTGVxQ2OHe_iKyBqrw/s1600/2-9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5ElibiBq6nb8Y-TB4u4EWV4yNtZY1xXZoINoo_DJi44RzaW71NUE1pmuIoxFjlbHfvtc4dz4oW5Kmr3n57266rLy-2aVJf1nc0XRppJy1B4sodzbwjUXUTGVxQ2OHe_iKyBqrw/s1600/2-9.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> layere uni pudding, basmati rice seasoned with yogurt, a crab roulade, lemongrass leaves, a lychee disc topped with ossetra caviar. This is all surrounded in a lychee foam. Freeze dried strawberry is sifted over the top</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cucumber *</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHg_OzKJCi8DImQ3VfU2iqmqq2zopSf8hLSBXrzEnawpwqWFaTEKC1Lr_ck3mxoYywMSFFz-gOnmOliDE5jyLFlGMncX7hyphenhyphenYGwEeJFZzRSrDVzA8zWQexT3BOLhLWJ93SN6Xr-Iw/s1600/2-8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHg_OzKJCi8DImQ3VfU2iqmqq2zopSf8hLSBXrzEnawpwqWFaTEKC1Lr_ck3mxoYywMSFFz-gOnmOliDE5jyLFlGMncX7hyphenhyphenYGwEeJFZzRSrDVzA8zWQexT3BOLhLWJ93SN6Xr-Iw/s1600/2-8.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Centered around cucumber, with three separate preparations; smoked, pickled, and a gel. Accompanied by wild char roe, smoked trout, and creme fraiche</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Grouper *</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NE8ire-bRI6dylWhWklk_aQfxJXWObX3Gv5YBVxOOQGv3a75gJ3x2gbpMhFAkI72LPEafe54jmr5aye5Tg9UAx4kpY0ZMCW9dAwQvpmIMUZWvqQnjBsr1EFX-91caQL2npMfuA/s1600/2-7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NE8ire-bRI6dylWhWklk_aQfxJXWObX3Gv5YBVxOOQGv3a75gJ3x2gbpMhFAkI72LPEafe54jmr5aye5Tg9UAx4kpY0ZMCW9dAwQvpmIMUZWvqQnjBsr1EFX-91caQL2npMfuA/s1600/2-7.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Peas cooked in bacon fat, a pea puree, pickled carrots, glazed carrots, mortadella, melted green garlic and mint</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cannelini</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">[No picture. Apparently we were busy EATING!] </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Rillette is wrapped in a sheet of pickled turnip to make a cannelloni. The liver is sous vide with shallot and port, then sieved and whipped with butter to make a light mousse. Hakuri Turnips are poached in butter and set on the plate, and the dish is finished with mandarin cells and small turnip greens</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Fava *</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrq9RwnYxmgwPEgrGUbuG8itoUOc3EuDOxegxB2jR6hNJiS9jmuxp7qNUzVJCuRKX4JrfKcNTzU7FlPE9GrqrcrabhF82UpjSakDLJQXT_Cgsn5qSY0-QTOPYTLJ-xlI-GF7ocg/s1600/2-11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrq9RwnYxmgwPEgrGUbuG8itoUOc3EuDOxegxB2jR6hNJiS9jmuxp7qNUzVJCuRKX4JrfKcNTzU7FlPE9GrqrcrabhF82UpjSakDLJQXT_Cgsn5qSY0-QTOPYTLJ-xlI-GF7ocg/s1600/2-11.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Fava beans are served as a puree and as a salad along with artichokes (shaved and cooked in verjus and dehydrated chips), a serpentine of ricotta and mascarpone cheese, a pudding made with the incredible citroen vinegar from Huilerie Beaujolais, and frizzled rabbit. Lavender enters the scene in aroma only which is poured as a tea tableside over dry ice</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Apple</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OKqFoknsPK6k3FRh1pC3XYNexKWLh-KzU0uX2kFje0WPiWyGlPhKlg2E_mCYcN90BPtMhMqECKV58fbuqC-SJjtc0mYmdR2nrh9dMErDhHEIFUJtO96wqGX35KGJtiRJInFZ-g/s1600/2-5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OKqFoknsPK6k3FRh1pC3XYNexKWLh-KzU0uX2kFje0WPiWyGlPhKlg2E_mCYcN90BPtMhMqECKV58fbuqC-SJjtc0mYmdR2nrh9dMErDhHEIFUJtO96wqGX35KGJtiRJInFZ-g/s1600/2-5.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Granny Smith apple sorbet and then built a roasted peanut sauce that is seasoned with a bourbon barrel aged soy sauce. Peanut brittle serves as a bed for the sorbet and fresh thyme serves as a great bridge for the flavors</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Foie Gras</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFeXClR9Ow7s8nosSMT23NVHaYn_UVB-Uuk1rUC1ytVq6lltUpRMRXqAHJqF9jfC-cJ0albpZ5AFJUwkt_X8WLwdL4NWdz77cVuYYVO4UG-R1KpfCbZz6siQbO9han48y6HJC5A/s1600/2-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFeXClR9Ow7s8nosSMT23NVHaYn_UVB-Uuk1rUC1ytVq6lltUpRMRXqAHJqF9jfC-cJ0albpZ5AFJUwkt_X8WLwdL4NWdz77cVuYYVO4UG-R1KpfCbZz6siQbO9han48y6HJC5A/s1600/2-4.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The liver is cured and made into a mousse, onion is represented in the forms of chive, shallot jam and dehydrated onion. Freeze dried, seedling farms pickled cherries and rainbow oxalis finish the plate</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ham & Cheese</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9P46BX1bkPk0febr5LaZhAigvjq93a7_oYBseORysRSce96QK32aaD2ouLU0x3Hk-9Ksa_TXOoPIIZNAtgELQR7NlmBs0vkQtVX6QgsFJ0NlQt6ezBajvvJltqi7BVXqHUZ38rQ/s1600/2-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9P46BX1bkPk0febr5LaZhAigvjq93a7_oYBseORysRSce96QK32aaD2ouLU0x3Hk-9Ksa_TXOoPIIZNAtgELQR7NlmBs0vkQtVX6QgsFJ0NlQt6ezBajvvJltqi7BVXqHUZ38rQ/s1600/2-3.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Benton’s ham with cocoa nibs and Swiss chard. Fontina cheese, and mojo nuts (brought in a couple of weeks earlier from their forager, Dave Odd)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sweetbreads</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">[Again - no picture! Must have been having a good time!]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>coffee streusle with almond flour and coffee, a coffee pudding, and the sauteed sweetbreads are glazed with coffee to finish. pureed dried apricots for sweetness and fried sage for some herbal notes</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Maitake *</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GtBm2q-sGOGWTkPgtvyQ16tB5pfJte7CoRnWaV7mKY5FSufTKQkdvfgd-mbjVB19C4Koqi7NEiN3034roAst0QgRVNowfPz45IA7ZHRT5VPwhRF8sYshPcqjlO7-SsBjwhp8yQ/s1600/2-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GtBm2q-sGOGWTkPgtvyQ16tB5pfJte7CoRnWaV7mKY5FSufTKQkdvfgd-mbjVB19C4Koqi7NEiN3034roAst0QgRVNowfPz45IA7ZHRT5VPwhRF8sYshPcqjlO7-SsBjwhp8yQ/s1600/2-2.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Grilled scallion relish, sunchoke is prepared as a puree, a baked chip, and a hash, pecorino cheese, peppercress, and crispy maitake mushrooms</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Muppets</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMnquFomiJZFdkwgUtbTqsz5NEK95XWeSZM0BFMzt-ZLCcs76za_yqMiE9S6tgIXirAMBIwdbLJUofCM2kR1MZ6F000WtITsmvCWCc3Q39v-ZQluTg8r5TW2D8xVz10ID21rVSg/s1600/2-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMnquFomiJZFdkwgUtbTqsz5NEK95XWeSZM0BFMzt-ZLCcs76za_yqMiE9S6tgIXirAMBIwdbLJUofCM2kR1MZ6F000WtITsmvCWCc3Q39v-ZQluTg8r5TW2D8xVz10ID21rVSg/s1600/2-1.jpeg" /></a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> frog legs / malted barley / beer jam / braised sauerkraut / pork belly / red curry</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Beef *</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYL0QfsZSjHRjhmO27wGU94Wyoka_EnKcOBsujuFAnZcm04cQaWdfdL-KGwSwp0l4ghEoLC4nfsgyLy6RcB1l0zHwUIdOj4Dzd5h-OBT7THKlSBwvmRVFlUyYbhk4v1JfAGc_zbA/s1600/2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYL0QfsZSjHRjhmO27wGU94Wyoka_EnKcOBsujuFAnZcm04cQaWdfdL-KGwSwp0l4ghEoLC4nfsgyLy6RcB1l0zHwUIdOj4Dzd5h-OBT7THKlSBwvmRVFlUyYbhk4v1JfAGc_zbA/s1600/2.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b></b>rhubarb / celery / black walnuts / ramps / black trumpet mushrooms / hook’s blue cheese / grape must</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Wagyu striploin from Strube Ranch</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Breakfast</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDEY2SyQP1pPiqrfGo4C5og061D0zY8HwbtwrhF9rweHGr7Zu3hMMhRzHmJ55o9tkL4vvalUEupC6S3KVxjrEFyj6K9WGZUKAuHRza3fGwJR3zWOejqOITqXtdWTEOzja-6Tx-A/s1600/2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDEY2SyQP1pPiqrfGo4C5og061D0zY8HwbtwrhF9rweHGr7Zu3hMMhRzHmJ55o9tkL4vvalUEupC6S3KVxjrEFyj6K9WGZUKAuHRza3fGwJR3zWOejqOITqXtdWTEOzja-6Tx-A/s1600/2.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Blueberry compote, orange juice fluid gel, buttermilk panna cotta, froot loop ice cream</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Movie Snacks</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDyYTkvNHTQ2EZt1gD_5w2ewHkNQvtaoSbZlresx5pnxefHCIAyLdziahff_O3VlvZ02wQaeNdrEzyS89eRvicjeRVyopvTYgkVpuBt9Tz6OFZmtsdKKUzkZIuxdRYycRE8eVdg/s1600/2-6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDyYTkvNHTQ2EZt1gD_5w2ewHkNQvtaoSbZlresx5pnxefHCIAyLdziahff_O3VlvZ02wQaeNdrEzyS89eRvicjeRVyopvTYgkVpuBt9Tz6OFZmtsdKKUzkZIuxdRYycRE8eVdg/s1600/2-6.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>homemade whoppers, black popcorn with extra topping, pretzles, raisinets made with vine ripened raisins, Coca Cola bubbles, and a Twizzler ice cream </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The dishes created by chef Kevin McMullen were definitely my favorite. There are several of these that I'm just going to HAVE to try to make at home (of course they just won't be as beautiful)! The trout was fantastic (I thought I didn't like trout). The fava dish was also great. Gonna have to work on that! Or....... I'll just go back sometime soon. Let me know if you're interested in joining me!<br />
<br />
(Kudos also to Bill, the dining room manager for organizing everyone's wines impressively and making things cozy, comfortable and seamless. Aside from the fancy display for each dish, when I recreate some of these items at home, I'll definitely be missing the ambiance that Bill created!) </div>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-993135844628600102011-06-22T12:27:00.000-07:002011-06-22T12:27:45.468-07:00Being 33 so far means more dinner and more wineIs it dorky to blog about my birthday dinner? Is it absurd that my only birthday pictures are of food? Don't answer those. Instead, come along with me on a tour of my birthday meal from <a href="http://www.motorestaurant.com/">Moto</a>, the restaurant famous for its chef's innovative and sometimes wild preparation and presentation of gourmet cuisine.<br />
<br />
We sat down for a 10-course meal with wine pairings and over the course of three hours, enjoyed the following:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpJK_4mOyhl-bOQ2Oxus4hY0LmE_ZAhZ1jU9t-rkG1Jj0bbIVlOOJrPNV0owR6XBFssRUY8NLzv9XA5X19w9a4biA1ortrqdgYZHWSed2cK-3vfm8iQPDwLDNgXgYiSHnO6419w/s1600/2011-06-17+19.59.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpJK_4mOyhl-bOQ2Oxus4hY0LmE_ZAhZ1jU9t-rkG1Jj0bbIVlOOJrPNV0owR6XBFssRUY8NLzv9XA5X19w9a4biA1ortrqdgYZHWSed2cK-3vfm8iQPDwLDNgXgYiSHnO6419w/s320/2011-06-17+19.59.15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The menu. Yes - we enjoyed it. Mine was on a tortilla sheet with salsa.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigq4dQZ5u-aBGNJ_QG5_8RJS_16yeAJObSwE_xDoHykgNTA46f1W2a6LCap8bD-ktMdSpthdsZgy4xvzIwMv7NBheThwOxGQCob6rG7Elo3Imob1wuLYbaoKlwuZaE0dt1lcI1JA/s1600/2011-06-17+20.12.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigq4dQZ5u-aBGNJ_QG5_8RJS_16yeAJObSwE_xDoHykgNTA46f1W2a6LCap8bD-ktMdSpthdsZgy4xvzIwMv7NBheThwOxGQCob6rG7Elo3Imob1wuLYbaoKlwuZaE0dt1lcI1JA/s320/2011-06-17+20.12.54.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The "Snowman" - tuna with sake lemon foam and sea salt eyes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIvilmy1ehtMofsHPHktqL3YlZdXojd8Sn4eOxQ5tYcmO8Zf_8CSX0DcUtlkm2FdAryrCLp16kD3vlXSVE2RjIuwUgQjlC0CP2Vw_4IqBSMd8un4Jd0jhazWSuUR5uckXucUyPA/s1600/2011-06-17+20.31.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIvilmy1ehtMofsHPHktqL3YlZdXojd8Sn4eOxQ5tYcmO8Zf_8CSX0DcUtlkm2FdAryrCLp16kD3vlXSVE2RjIuwUgQjlC0CP2Vw_4IqBSMd8un4Jd0jhazWSuUR5uckXucUyPA/s320/2011-06-17+20.31.19.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The "Rosebud" - pickled beets, frisee, rose petal, and something else I can't remember (this "something else I can't remember" will come up again, I assure you).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1hNx4GGbiJvtD4lrT2SIHvpGWTivrBVaNJQFtEpuWJGi9yHBr_rafazWYn2Tj6wWBtL1tueG3WQi5H6Gwlzk3DWpKJP1zoAKqtVwa9JsW18FIONu8amaQs3vopKeiMyZeH_tRQ/s1600/2011-06-17+20.31.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1hNx4GGbiJvtD4lrT2SIHvpGWTivrBVaNJQFtEpuWJGi9yHBr_rafazWYn2Tj6wWBtL1tueG3WQi5H6Gwlzk3DWpKJP1zoAKqtVwa9JsW18FIONu8amaQs3vopKeiMyZeH_tRQ/s320/2011-06-17+20.31.37.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">"Foraging" - Monte's second dish. Moss made of bread and truffles with asparagus. *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iyvWpIlG2j-PR-eaNTb87tYtJOHQNhYjCwCufAHFrpT5m71IgFbZ6397KeZ07v536Yoc4QKMRFCM531fw1n2Lqz145vQiI2HjCewjq7_RExzCz0JlHsMfyGvGxxkpHBwMKgOfA/s1600/2011-06-17+20.47.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iyvWpIlG2j-PR-eaNTb87tYtJOHQNhYjCwCufAHFrpT5m71IgFbZ6397KeZ07v536Yoc4QKMRFCM531fw1n2Lqz145vQiI2HjCewjq7_RExzCz0JlHsMfyGvGxxkpHBwMKgOfA/s320/2011-06-17+20.47.52.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">"Vichyssoise" - Halibut served with crispy shoestring potatoes, leeks sauteed in butter, blended potato leek soup, and parsley powder served from a pot of liquid nitrogen. *<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW7Lw2lSnb32lJqTxw-M-ijv7wLXE6qgpP7SDQi0Q15B6Jqcy6oq0Hy1n0wz4uht1hYJbPPmZOUb1KCE42DAKdsCHB2RdXYySgWHdSqQqR5J-Z20gJpDqH3nfO8v_gzBSIfPUDg/s1600/2011-06-17+21.03.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW7Lw2lSnb32lJqTxw-M-ijv7wLXE6qgpP7SDQi0Q15B6Jqcy6oq0Hy1n0wz4uht1hYJbPPmZOUb1KCE42DAKdsCHB2RdXYySgWHdSqQqR5J-Z20gJpDqH3nfO8v_gzBSIfPUDg/s320/2011-06-17+21.03.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sushi Roll - rabbit loin, brussel sprouts, sesame and allspice aioli. I love this presentation. *<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MTPNK7b9ZfkYzDgDRWVr-Ooj-nfYLbdxwg4Og4hAoQnI4t_QktcII3t0m5TCM7KwaH3imcOYuxyOYBDpoIfSnud08tOkCDZ21sPvQWx9hxAk3H-dU79w28W2SKmlLrt7yJYAsA/s1600/2011-06-17+21.03.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MTPNK7b9ZfkYzDgDRWVr-Ooj-nfYLbdxwg4Og4hAoQnI4t_QktcII3t0m5TCM7KwaH3imcOYuxyOYBDpoIfSnud08tOkCDZ21sPvQWx9hxAk3H-dU79w28W2SKmlLrt7yJYAsA/s320/2011-06-17+21.03.18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Monte's - Orange crab cake with lemon cream cheese, fennel, graham cracker crumbs and butternut squash ice cream. *<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4dUx8UFg7pasAb49YxOFrYh2y2qxYfarINAMa1jbqig3DO-07lMWNSVdz6sQCJpJqrS2mWj__LnpPmGzfvgF6nyezKaoQ83FTlWA7KL_wqoIIsOvaPN-H1YEn2cBV0IbGro1NQ/s1600/2011-06-17+21.19.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4dUx8UFg7pasAb49YxOFrYh2y2qxYfarINAMa1jbqig3DO-07lMWNSVdz6sQCJpJqrS2mWj__LnpPmGzfvgF6nyezKaoQ83FTlWA7KL_wqoIIsOvaPN-H1YEn2cBV0IbGro1NQ/s320/2011-06-17+21.19.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Seared Quail with sugared peanuts, corn powder, and cola and cranberry puree with edible cracker jack paper.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2onSvPNMODuj962MhaV1O7VjPcrjmu5T20PIl0Qp3FlfEO0mPOC05lqDA10ajm58w9AuVnO8MEz89Q_7I4CTbsPd6f_wzfUrzFKgkHxATcx5BR7BCEKCvQnTDV-niARb8nO9Ebw/s1600/2011-06-17+21.37.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2onSvPNMODuj962MhaV1O7VjPcrjmu5T20PIl0Qp3FlfEO0mPOC05lqDA10ajm58w9AuVnO8MEz89Q_7I4CTbsPd6f_wzfUrzFKgkHxATcx5BR7BCEKCvQnTDV-niARb8nO9Ebw/s320/2011-06-17+21.37.32.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br />
Rooster with cornbread puree, carrot tops, micro cabbage leaf and a sage emulsifier poured from a candle over the entire dish. *<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUZFW52LJ7RJlQrLhhphWrP1d-SnqOTxlnLKnEbyWXw2-DaQZGIGFFX7G5-DpauU5m2quGaINSeIiayoOUheZmKAPQnsMbOU3pgh_ZBMq-B6LcI3MjScYZqBLBCwPkXVttfh4rg/s1600/2011-06-17+22.12.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUZFW52LJ7RJlQrLhhphWrP1d-SnqOTxlnLKnEbyWXw2-DaQZGIGFFX7G5-DpauU5m2quGaINSeIiayoOUheZmKAPQnsMbOU3pgh_ZBMq-B6LcI3MjScYZqBLBCwPkXVttfh4rg/s320/2011-06-17+22.12.38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Pork Belly, some kind of mushrooms (the menu currently says maitake, but I'm not sure that is what we had), red cabbage and mushroom puff<br />
<br />
Blue cheese puree, pear something or other, apples and chamomile foam (excellent with the port). No picture. I guess I was having too much fun to stop and snap one!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMIQTPnn99EtyvEkbSWyFIqLOoBM1oMe9Yr_5QdO4BqwBIrSCBmSARUCOEjXLVlY_mKsK6rL87b5hZBUck8Y2VTJMssQffSqKVVd8_E2ND5paNDt9tv1bhaOUkGLcYx6l-EDQmQ/s1600/2011-06-17+22.29.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMIQTPnn99EtyvEkbSWyFIqLOoBM1oMe9Yr_5QdO4BqwBIrSCBmSARUCOEjXLVlY_mKsK6rL87b5hZBUck8Y2VTJMssQffSqKVVd8_E2ND5paNDt9tv1bhaOUkGLcYx6l-EDQmQ/s320/2011-06-17+22.29.25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Wintergreen Fluff with thyme infused pineapple and coconut powder. I couldn't eat this. I gave mine to Monte.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGNLIgNqc_ixv9hkpsRYvoZJW_9pcsGA42UMRdrIR0JvRepzZm9H8_Nq-zRKC382HUmpEuHNbyIhFXweaiBuq67ByM5zj-EtpXPSHfsuoeWyxcDFzox6Yi9MA-AUrQ0JxKNMzvg/s1600/2011-06-17+22.56.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGNLIgNqc_ixv9hkpsRYvoZJW_9pcsGA42UMRdrIR0JvRepzZm9H8_Nq-zRKC382HUmpEuHNbyIhFXweaiBuq67ByM5zj-EtpXPSHfsuoeWyxcDFzox6Yi9MA-AUrQ0JxKNMzvg/s320/2011-06-17+22.56.41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For dessert Monte had Earl Grey ice cream and crumble with chocolate mousse and greek yogurt.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3dcn7SF3UcQlNqosFA-Z1QMg4vLT_qKYUk7145HhNkzlyWuj5k7-FQlAAho-ZponVKAN3Czzc2WsQceMSLd2K9xsgiKg2VdE7Mzr33fTXa0yjAMaVz0UQgnX3aowsHwgZ-TnHA/s1600/2011-06-17+22.56.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3dcn7SF3UcQlNqosFA-Z1QMg4vLT_qKYUk7145HhNkzlyWuj5k7-FQlAAho-ZponVKAN3Czzc2WsQceMSLd2K9xsgiKg2VdE7Mzr33fTXa0yjAMaVz0UQgnX3aowsHwgZ-TnHA/s320/2011-06-17+22.56.29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For dessert I had cereal. Yup! Almond milk and cereal flakes with liquid nitrogen frozen raspberries. It was fantastic with the last two wines. I could start eating cereal if it was always served with an excellent cuvee and champagne.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJvYW6kQTKEi63UtORpBxk2xyXK1T3e68QSr0CNziWb_r4LK5B8Ghosb8m3qICGNr9-CrT7HMbJo_BhimNVuJTdxML86CALI2O6cHLJ3X8mr4ZP5Hw7k5YOxF3vF8dr8-KUZaGw/s1600/2011-06-17+23.10.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJvYW6kQTKEi63UtORpBxk2xyXK1T3e68QSr0CNziWb_r4LK5B8Ghosb8m3qICGNr9-CrT7HMbJo_BhimNVuJTdxML86CALI2O6cHLJ3X8mr4ZP5Hw7k5YOxF3vF8dr8-KUZaGw/s320/2011-06-17+23.10.46.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>We finished with a beaker of something or other (I thought I tasted cardamom in there) with a frozen corn packing peanut on top.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The food was fantastic. The wine was perfect. The presentation was so much fun. We got a tour of the kitchen and had a really memorable time. Then, because we're gluttonous, we went over to my <a href="http://www.branch27.com/">favorite bar</a> and got a burger and fries and ended the evening with a beautiful little surprise from the staff there:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWObQYLrOyzpKWjjpq7K7tuOUk_OxKVDx_yGYlxrImtPg9jxgod7EAHyg-BFB_b24QsYvMsmYzuQbshO9kQGKHzBLVT63_ZkyvrrX5m-w8mockOx-uj2zXFuDcZd2YhzEdqzvqg/s1600/2011-06-18+00.53.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWObQYLrOyzpKWjjpq7K7tuOUk_OxKVDx_yGYlxrImtPg9jxgod7EAHyg-BFB_b24QsYvMsmYzuQbshO9kQGKHzBLVT63_ZkyvrrX5m-w8mockOx-uj2zXFuDcZd2YhzEdqzvqg/s320/2011-06-18+00.53.03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I like being 33.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">* indicates something I'm going to try to recreate. I'll link to the recipe, once I've figured one out.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-38071814893676772612011-06-09T11:09:00.000-07:002011-06-09T11:09:04.976-07:00Urgent AND ImportantI have been SO busy lately! I don't know - I guess it is end of the teaching year type of stuff that has kept me tied up. But I haven't had time to practice the piano. Or read. Or exercise. Or answer e-mails from friends. Or drink wine on my porch. Or any of the things that I would typically do on nice summer days. <br />
<br />
And today - I finally cracked. Halfway through doing something that is both urgent and important, I started crafting. That's right. Making CRAFTS. With glue. And yarn. And even <i>toothpicks.</i> Here are the results:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Hx-nrcL23-qfVoiYtKDhm810ThLod7OQ3VRbs5FSzIqIXNdIMiuct2txXmGbNIq4MZEcJeKatsD73qWzxE9HU1Is2L3lIR3OtI84kWvw5j3fPd_s_v6gDhMgY1XYpy4s_oOBXg/s1600/2-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Hx-nrcL23-qfVoiYtKDhm810ThLod7OQ3VRbs5FSzIqIXNdIMiuct2txXmGbNIq4MZEcJeKatsD73qWzxE9HU1Is2L3lIR3OtI84kWvw5j3fPd_s_v6gDhMgY1XYpy4s_oOBXg/s400/2-4.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A pretty dumb one: a sheep grazing in a jar.</i></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6j8fUdtppn0EJGJ6R3NJbszjSNaycOL-qGUuHwixbxO253KDgl__HAMga7aew1voLcG2XKVCCIaOqVUnTd4VNvNUu2GNP2kRzYmIt6XTrvMonIpH-bg5xVK8Iq7_-W4YIkcXmwQ/s1600/2-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6j8fUdtppn0EJGJ6R3NJbszjSNaycOL-qGUuHwixbxO253KDgl__HAMga7aew1voLcG2XKVCCIaOqVUnTd4VNvNUu2GNP2kRzYmIt6XTrvMonIpH-bg5xVK8Iq7_-W4YIkcXmwQ/s1600/2-3.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A drawer and champagne cork jewelry box. </i></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzvXENwu9oXF8D5Io8MuLmLmI-ehOQGRz75Yl8WBLndtEwnZq5SfiYmcmEZYqpzUz1Dv0zDvX8vQhiGvVcUhsqR3koQhI56h-Ibk-ODpHbqUuU-RZgfbsiz7vqUSDO9UZjhsjig/s1600/2-5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzvXENwu9oXF8D5Io8MuLmLmI-ehOQGRz75Yl8WBLndtEwnZq5SfiYmcmEZYqpzUz1Dv0zDvX8vQhiGvVcUhsqR3koQhI56h-Ibk-ODpHbqUuU-RZgfbsiz7vqUSDO9UZjhsjig/s1600/2-5.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I'm particularly happy with how this one turned out.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
And now I'd better finish my work and jump in the shower and head off to teach before anybody notices that I stopped for a morning. I hope nobody notices the marker I can't get off my fingers!Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-25871834770364211312011-05-16T19:31:00.000-07:002011-05-16T19:31:25.650-07:00Flute and Piano<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FXC3egna4ZSg_DLjhNVhGu3dz6S-19EDJK72exB_h1Xcs2PkETVoynpZjItdGRWpcuhaKEqoOhXj9Bc69_QCs_RIpJ3nRibimAMf3cx6OGr4I5o42dfQMiSZpsqhoxUOdj5d7w/s1600/YellowButterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FXC3egna4ZSg_DLjhNVhGu3dz6S-19EDJK72exB_h1Xcs2PkETVoynpZjItdGRWpcuhaKEqoOhXj9Bc69_QCs_RIpJ3nRibimAMf3cx6OGr4I5o42dfQMiSZpsqhoxUOdj5d7w/s1600/YellowButterfly.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/72zlv6hvdq">Yellow Butterfly - by Hugo Wolf</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">performed by Erin Murphy and Aubrey Faith-Slaker</div><div style="text-align: center;">.</div>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-38073431407079319132011-05-09T11:50:00.001-07:002011-05-09T11:51:45.812-07:00A Mother's Day Collection of Answering Machine MessagesNot shells, not stamps, not coins, not shot glasses...... <a href="http://www.box.net/shared/hls11sb0y0">voices</a>.<br />
.<br />
.Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-84104816880820778712011-05-02T09:53:00.000-07:002011-05-02T09:53:23.758-07:00Spring and Soirees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX9iawZ2c9rFfx11zxcVHjoOzhIWUtKD1GmbZp6F9-uDLS2-Ou76CCE8lFR8eZ4PI786CCLg2W6a4WZ_AezJWc1RFROo3JGCoDMP55h5j7yHo5OTCfltLS4fVPeD3QPEwTvxRjw/s1600/Photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX9iawZ2c9rFfx11zxcVHjoOzhIWUtKD1GmbZp6F9-uDLS2-Ou76CCE8lFR8eZ4PI786CCLg2W6a4WZ_AezJWc1RFROo3JGCoDMP55h5j7yHo5OTCfltLS4fVPeD3QPEwTvxRjw/s400/Photo1.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/945zudkej3">Gershwin's Lullaby</a> from Yesterday's Soiree</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">.</div>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-74584725086194223592011-04-13T18:11:00.000-07:002011-04-13T18:11:37.870-07:00Cooking in OaxacaOkay - after a week of gorging ourselves on Oaxacan cuisine, Megan and I decided to take a cooking class. At <a href="http://www.casacrespo.com/">Casa Crespo</a>, under the hilariously dour tutelage of Oscar, the owner, Megan, I and five others cooked and enjoyed an entire Oaxacan meal.<br />
<br />
The class started with a leisurely coffee while we all decided what dishes most appealed to us. Once we decided, we all sauntered (There is no walking in Mexico - and definitely no <i>brisk</i> walking. Only ambling, sauntering, moseying, meandering and maybe a bit of strolling.) to the Sanchez Pascuas market to buy our ingredients. This was perhaps the most instructive part of the class. <br />
<br />
Before even reaching the market, I learned:<br />
<ul><li>soaking chiles in vinegar and water reduces the heat (spiciness)</li>
<li>avocado leaves can be used to flavor salsas and moles</li>
<li>tinga is the name for a dish composed of shredded meat, tomatoes, chipotle and onion</li>
<li>chipotle is dried or smoke jalapenos</li>
<li>the chocolate in Oaxaca has no milk in it. Just almonds and cinnamon.</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgIDtsAxTh1GlMn3Q-gJ31Mswd4rcPxkZsV8mip50u5hF7UJlt-o8n4B8qFhYw8dLBBOMxjlBkJAKKRX1PGSTIKbbai91o9C5R3ji9jUx6DJSph_hdXJXmgS8sQOSbZWH0ANoMw/s1600/IMG_9585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgIDtsAxTh1GlMn3Q-gJ31Mswd4rcPxkZsV8mip50u5hF7UJlt-o8n4B8qFhYw8dLBBOMxjlBkJAKKRX1PGSTIKbbai91o9C5R3ji9jUx6DJSph_hdXJXmgS8sQOSbZWH0ANoMw/s320/IMG_9585.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Once in the market, Oscar took us on a tour and named and described the use for all the chiles we encountered. I must admit that the options at Whole Foods for chiles can't compete. Oscar mentioned that many of the uses for chiles are simply to add color to the food or salsa, and why would we need those chiles when we have Red #40?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhto0LAEZLLlSOogD2Je8ZWF3rsrVoP2abmBq4LnGvNtDym4vhFDfaxwnFbp5BFee2BetK4DSlFi0gHnBecT0NzB4IagFNbmuaalebFxGnkEcN25tRGQ5Mbx5lHZ6HGn1yTDcRsiQ/s1600/IMG_9589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhto0LAEZLLlSOogD2Je8ZWF3rsrVoP2abmBq4LnGvNtDym4vhFDfaxwnFbp5BFee2BetK4DSlFi0gHnBecT0NzB4IagFNbmuaalebFxGnkEcN25tRGQ5Mbx5lHZ6HGn1yTDcRsiQ/s320/IMG_9589.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Back at the restaurant, we rolled up our sleeves, donned our aprons, and got to work, first with making tortillas. I've <a href="http://aubreystinykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/04/corn-tortillas.html">tried it since at home</a>, but was quite disappointed in the results without having a tortilla press to use. But, it was fun!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjipfR91RxahOlsP-_AZ12uvYP33SAAu0Za_8IKPSi6BTAON5E8Vzi9yh96GChwGEceinNEELbtYa_RRvCTCnXrVhkl8FjdKvqWWJvf3TO7VZrCIteHzUWg1CXywyK5Kl5Y0Gcg/s1600/IMG_9631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjipfR91RxahOlsP-_AZ12uvYP33SAAu0Za_8IKPSi6BTAON5E8Vzi9yh96GChwGEceinNEELbtYa_RRvCTCnXrVhkl8FjdKvqWWJvf3TO7VZrCIteHzUWg1CXywyK5Kl5Y0Gcg/s320/IMG_9631.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRD-cvAOwgpuuiYz_0aE73NP4-T6Djk5BlA0hkWLvyRMkq2ivwKcOwgjGA9SW3b4FFkBrg6uXw_gb-FEHgoZJ7-tiYpB86vRrG218D9pUirGr45tXW1Fs_jYUFOjFxfrBP15SYUg/s1600/IMG_9642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRD-cvAOwgpuuiYz_0aE73NP4-T6Djk5BlA0hkWLvyRMkq2ivwKcOwgjGA9SW3b4FFkBrg6uXw_gb-FEHgoZJ7-tiYpB86vRrG218D9pUirGr45tXW1Fs_jYUFOjFxfrBP15SYUg/s320/IMG_9642.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Then we started working on the almond mole, the stuffed chiles, and the <a href="http://aubreystinykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/04/salsa-and-quesadillas.html">quesadillas</a>. Besides learning that everything is better if it is first blanched, soaked or roasted, we learned that..... (let me put my serious face on here)... "Puebla says by accident they created mole. This is not possible. It is a complicated process!" No no. Mole was invented in Oaxaca.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYFmoT4Iha574Xg81kbTDyON-Wh6OGTC9ZsltvZwB0SmxsHevlvlzqHZ6nXiJ2Q22BQmhcZ7on2JpR5b7H4IO__o2_QuOSFSeVNgCh1FTLEQJtHsmyW6AiUEwSd2yXsYzNtQO2A/s1600/IMG_9657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYFmoT4Iha574Xg81kbTDyON-Wh6OGTC9ZsltvZwB0SmxsHevlvlzqHZ6nXiJ2Q22BQmhcZ7on2JpR5b7H4IO__o2_QuOSFSeVNgCh1FTLEQJtHsmyW6AiUEwSd2yXsYzNtQO2A/s320/IMG_9657.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Anyway, after much snacking and much cooking, and five salsas, an avocado soup, chocolate ice cream, cucumber drinks and guacamole later, we were ready to take a break while everything cooked.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufiai4ml7ZcBDEACdN928ypp38ajm35jI_PjO5gAZaFlwYc6_2JYQbigkOuXPirmSCVi9C3q0VJZEBDSqNwaVoStaRVsRYa2RKfkl1lFDcw7H_zSWfN-RgWYvW4lCse9PB80LGg/s1600/IMG_9597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufiai4ml7ZcBDEACdN928ypp38ajm35jI_PjO5gAZaFlwYc6_2JYQbigkOuXPirmSCVi9C3q0VJZEBDSqNwaVoStaRVsRYa2RKfkl1lFDcw7H_zSWfN-RgWYvW4lCse9PB80LGg/s320/IMG_9597.jpg" width="320" /></a> The meal was fantastic. The company was interesting. The instructor made me want to instigate trouble. And, recipes in hand, I am going to attempt them all here in Chicago. I'll return with links to the successes. This was one of the most memorable and lasting vacation activities I've ever had - I've shared the story and the pictures - I can't wait to share the tastes and the smells with you!Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-40138712634774554732011-04-10T20:04:00.000-07:002011-04-10T20:04:20.568-07:00Food in OaxacaOne of the most interesting things about travel to me is tasting the local cuisine. On my recent trip to Mexico, I not only got to taste the cuisine, but I got to <i>devour</i> it. For the foodies out there, these are the highlights from what I enjoyed:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP7x9cNUEMR0kQZgYcG_ibQGIAItyWmLyZLMhsKOZOSZLxyZ2vsBZACGoTsFKBsCXVqNN_2vLnx9xCv-VOgxXUrlj3-mRVx4OwXFLDq_v7_Oe8InI7yYNSpT-T-TfI4dL3jGS2w/s1600/IMG_9526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP7x9cNUEMR0kQZgYcG_ibQGIAItyWmLyZLMhsKOZOSZLxyZ2vsBZACGoTsFKBsCXVqNN_2vLnx9xCv-VOgxXUrlj3-mRVx4OwXFLDq_v7_Oe8InI7yYNSpT-T-TfI4dL3jGS2w/s320/IMG_9526.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Enfrijoladas con pollo frito and Entomatadas with queso fresco, raw onions, and thinly cut red meat (tosajo).</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>El Tipico (an adorable breakfast place with a walled garden patio in back).</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDWxpyQaMIHirfRAgKDX00t_d0xlawJWwhOaJf4MrbnyBsa0zPSzz-_Bjm54HJe4gSlcEeSvylLFFekVgHopqaF6mxCA3m5L1xCnf6zZTUGdKJY4w38svLwyLXgg2uPZ4eZMs_g/s1600/IMG_9536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDWxpyQaMIHirfRAgKDX00t_d0xlawJWwhOaJf4MrbnyBsa0zPSzz-_Bjm54HJe4gSlcEeSvylLFFekVgHopqaF6mxCA3m5L1xCnf6zZTUGdKJY4w38svLwyLXgg2uPZ4eZMs_g/s320/IMG_9536.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Consome de pollo (soup, beautifully presented, with rice, chicken, avocado, chilis and tomato). Crema de flor de calabaza (squash blossom soup with pumpkin seeds).</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>La Olla (a lovely place for dinner with several levels - the top terrace has a gorgeous view of the city)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZDkq8-WLvyH40BWK7VQEZKoRICGjjFzV4lVkpW_YW3XvSPtgFL7u_Qkhbl_NiIMxlBYqUdVQ1JKSO9f281v4qIemL7BY8huzFJZlfs7t3QC7hVOP-FM94-jOR5KfFB_q0HevOA/s1600/IMG_9553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZDkq8-WLvyH40BWK7VQEZKoRICGjjFzV4lVkpW_YW3XvSPtgFL7u_Qkhbl_NiIMxlBYqUdVQ1JKSO9f281v4qIemL7BY8huzFJZlfs7t3QC7hVOP-FM94-jOR5KfFB_q0HevOA/s320/IMG_9553.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Taco de ejotes con huevo (green beans and egg) and taco de cazon (shark).</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Itanoni - a wonderful place with such an array of fabulous choices of tacos, tamales, quesadillas, juices etc. I'm definitely going back there!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8ihLaATZFuwEgZsaJEhaTVVHG1kuGurLpVvr3bLBBHi77mqWwMvqr8jLvWrv6bt3fLMxbH2vfw2BdNjGBLvWlGF6kxgB0hCS4m7-hloKpIDMEsKZV0XMCqeQoQu0Vgw1s-MDyw/s1600/IMG_9555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8ihLaATZFuwEgZsaJEhaTVVHG1kuGurLpVvr3bLBBHi77mqWwMvqr8jLvWrv6bt3fLMxbH2vfw2BdNjGBLvWlGF6kxgB0hCS4m7-hloKpIDMEsKZV0XMCqeQoQu0Vgw1s-MDyw/s320/IMG_9555.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Tetelas espirituosa - beans, sour cream, cheese, salsa, and hierba santa. SO GOOD.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Itanoni again. Couldn't help it.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDihZaa4x43lP-j7O2ihEPJD3sqS91QrQZuMZUpHKqK23pCvzsZ62p3bTi_BCuahILVIoYNBSvjAkvUET8KH55ce8MV4tTn3riOLOqF7fGZo6qnGhI7OsOvl8fId3jr8V9JkZ3cg/s1600/IMG_9565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDihZaa4x43lP-j7O2ihEPJD3sqS91QrQZuMZUpHKqK23pCvzsZ62p3bTi_BCuahILVIoYNBSvjAkvUET8KH55ce8MV4tTn3riOLOqF7fGZo6qnGhI7OsOvl8fId3jr8V9JkZ3cg/s320/IMG_9565.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Canelas (cheese wrapped in hierba santa).</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>La Biznaga. The open air ambience was so lovely here, that I forgot to take pictures of some of the most wonderful food both times we went here!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM33oxX0WyMDXrIYWZBlYpQk0SLoj9_zu9PCkWh_2enHZVKW1EoQS37LC4wmGuV-qhNBz2-PipbZNIFP6dHo5iQEWXIigc9mhlDIgqh9DjDp4QDWPM12iNvby63RUPM3kRr9o2-w/s1600/IMG_9572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM33oxX0WyMDXrIYWZBlYpQk0SLoj9_zu9PCkWh_2enHZVKW1EoQS37LC4wmGuV-qhNBz2-PipbZNIFP6dHo5iQEWXIigc9mhlDIgqh9DjDp4QDWPM12iNvby63RUPM3kRr9o2-w/s320/IMG_9572.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Chichilo with chicken, green beans, and nopal. Seven different moles in the background.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Los Pacos. A lovely, airy restaurant, that specializes in moles. I bought some to take back home with me and can't wait to recreate this meal (without the grasshoppers).</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTLmODhREs4Itvi6f0Hj3wRD4TWYFXOPbj-I8FADGUNV-2nf1PU_JRGXaUAbpg4opjrt9twLMQWlV7JnmVlsJwWiXDzUvDStzJ1_ZcyzO0VvlW4_FrZoS2cAnzpq08Z1ydE8YUw/s1600/IMG_9578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTLmODhREs4Itvi6f0Hj3wRD4TWYFXOPbj-I8FADGUNV-2nf1PU_JRGXaUAbpg4opjrt9twLMQWlV7JnmVlsJwWiXDzUvDStzJ1_ZcyzO0VvlW4_FrZoS2cAnzpq08Z1ydE8YUw/s320/IMG_9578.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://aubreystinykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/04/tostada-de-tinga-de-zanahorias-la.html">Carrot tinga tostada</a> with lentil humus, sour cream, and Parmesan cheese.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>La Jicara. A pretty new, and delicious restaurant adjacent to a fabulous bookstore.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpcr1WOW1-A1fpv44v9oMPvzPKX95uNUZL9wGgJdDZosus1rhm3_wbP3k1WkzkCkK7PUMjThWMaE2k76eH8zfvQnMkXArZGS39hP17BgDog7E5LLB2DX5L6JUudhPn6vYKN09VA/s1600/IMG_9582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpcr1WOW1-A1fpv44v9oMPvzPKX95uNUZL9wGgJdDZosus1rhm3_wbP3k1WkzkCkK7PUMjThWMaE2k76eH8zfvQnMkXArZGS39hP17BgDog7E5LLB2DX5L6JUudhPn6vYKN09VA/s320/IMG_9582.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Champurrado: a mixture of atole (a porridge-like drink made of masa) and frothed Oaxacan chocolate.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This was at a lovely little market in a church plaza. Look at that froth!!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1HvotvtkylYx2D8YP48kWz4xV35PIhVXIcf6X55cQXsMkAhYzlBUD3gYqO2qx82jbIfrxw9ca-aojhE5LscOTsQ2577exDRKHolF444c5rGH2bAlNPaP6j3PCeT64rJcMeOe3Q/s1600/IMG_9686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1HvotvtkylYx2D8YP48kWz4xV35PIhVXIcf6X55cQXsMkAhYzlBUD3gYqO2qx82jbIfrxw9ca-aojhE5LscOTsQ2577exDRKHolF444c5rGH2bAlNPaP6j3PCeT64rJcMeOe3Q/s320/IMG_9686.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Chille Rellenos. The spicy kind. Delicious. Sweet. Beautiful. At this point in the trip, I had stopped writing everything down! Casa Oaxaca. I think. A breezy, palatial restaurant with great service and a very interesting menu (try the shrimp cocktail).</i></span></div><br />
Now, wasn't that colorful? I think these pictures, more than any others, represent Oaxaca to me.<br />
.Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-51555642041922013642011-04-10T19:08:00.001-07:002011-04-10T20:34:11.484-07:00Creepiness in Oaxaca<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br />
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">While the environment was lush, the buildings gorgeous, the people friendly, and the food amazing, there was a lot of creepiness I encountered on my recent trip to Mexico that I just have to share. I give you these examples:</div><div class="" style="clear: both; color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Dh-2jBIUrvcPEBt0dbucHK4_j-UGejdvBhS3L6bGMSy2iKxoERXZoB7Sqy3Tyz3oGRJytgmbIlYYKUVMttN8yQ717_QXMTiRbXKGo094HMjnL2Y82mtKkIK50WHPObXQVxU4TA/s1600/IMG_9570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Dh-2jBIUrvcPEBt0dbucHK4_j-UGejdvBhS3L6bGMSy2iKxoERXZoB7Sqy3Tyz3oGRJytgmbIlYYKUVMttN8yQ717_QXMTiRbXKGo094HMjnL2Y82mtKkIK50WHPObXQVxU4TA/s320/IMG_9570.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chapulines. Grasshoppers sauteed in garlic and oil. Only creepy when I was picking legs out of my teeth.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqeNbjxhjk1TeasEzTCk4ZiuBtJy3_HzYm4P0AYh3-cfQ_CyfTX9ZzKv9hLjjviB1FdYbKzJ7IOUyzPlb8aMjmweE1dv8L20bBCMWp-JQYAoU1TKbVbAytqD4SmN1J405QvoZtg/s1600/2011-03-29+12.57.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqeNbjxhjk1TeasEzTCk4ZiuBtJy3_HzYm4P0AYh3-cfQ_CyfTX9ZzKv9hLjjviB1FdYbKzJ7IOUyzPlb8aMjmweE1dv8L20bBCMWp-JQYAoU1TKbVbAytqD4SmN1J405QvoZtg/s320/2011-03-29+12.57.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agave plants. Very cool. Only creepy in that they look a bit of aliens that have descended from space in front of this Baroque church in order to hatch or suck our soil of nutrients.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHW3BW9dzXnKGNU1TD4MKg0pltX8q2lq3EM2LMkYXjEWkxJUOBt8md2G1kqkg_ZgegsH9HPtMEWZBZWcp8dpNSSL9udky9Oj2n2D8DLF_AaXXrcZH-71GU9liyilfz4oKmZLiwg/s1600/IMG_9648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHW3BW9dzXnKGNU1TD4MKg0pltX8q2lq3EM2LMkYXjEWkxJUOBt8md2G1kqkg_ZgegsH9HPtMEWZBZWcp8dpNSSL9udky9Oj2n2D8DLF_AaXXrcZH-71GU9liyilfz4oKmZLiwg/s320/IMG_9648.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very tasty fruit called Granada China. Only creepy because it looks like a brain-slug and you eat it like you're doing a shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilywI5q-Z1ymLQ-5MvmN-L_ksiHAwjT5v0_5K9XdQaMLNOzC5M-_7h5EkYJ4OMpe25p7Zo_riy7J9uAyBAtWmwIG4KJz3248-AZG7rW7xHiaSXVJLvWD2iwz2cV1ZRwPT0B8rH4w/s1600/IMG_9673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilywI5q-Z1ymLQ-5MvmN-L_ksiHAwjT5v0_5K9XdQaMLNOzC5M-_7h5EkYJ4OMpe25p7Zo_riy7J9uAyBAtWmwIG4KJz3248-AZG7rW7xHiaSXVJLvWD2iwz2cV1ZRwPT0B8rH4w/s320/IMG_9673.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An art project? A mummy parade? I actually can't think of what's NOT creepy about this.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I heard that in places in Mexico, women wear live bejeweled bugs on their blouses as ornamentation and that there is actually a market for portraits done of your baby on Jesus's lap. And I'll leave the creepy image of the pornographic skeleton figures to your imagination.<br />
<span id="goog_1497973069"></span><span id="goog_1497973070"></span>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-27067700061462805882011-04-10T18:11:00.001-07:002011-04-10T20:19:33.092-07:00Beauty in Oaxaca<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKz3mx9AU2W08zM8TPsBI_QBEd3Pqy5WaXT-8uhMBOnFKDtZE-083t5l69og0qbRVPCRu-od451CDAZcxjludPw7ajajJM49JUqBFa4Qw0nvmWyJ-KW-w4aCPoczuNb2XpKPkTmw/s1600/IMG_9525.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKz3mx9AU2W08zM8TPsBI_QBEd3Pqy5WaXT-8uhMBOnFKDtZE-083t5l69og0qbRVPCRu-od451CDAZcxjludPw7ajajJM49JUqBFa4Qw0nvmWyJ-KW-w4aCPoczuNb2XpKPkTmw/s320/IMG_9525.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I recently visited my good friend Megan in Oaxaca. </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfwNhCXCXxYsEu9zRFLRCGXvFHDaYXJjpO0-wr0Z1PaokyAY5FZABr3DNP1sdVH7svbmlBq-_dnhf8Tw7PeBM3rjKsUCczsVE0uD5d2WdRqzoCkQQWQMfPa3QXMjR9Q85F8nH7g/s1600/IMG_9528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfwNhCXCXxYsEu9zRFLRCGXvFHDaYXJjpO0-wr0Z1PaokyAY5FZABr3DNP1sdVH7svbmlBq-_dnhf8Tw7PeBM3rjKsUCczsVE0uD5d2WdRqzoCkQQWQMfPa3QXMjR9Q85F8nH7g/s320/IMG_9528.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The perfect vacation: relaxing, seeing the world, and catching up with a friend.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZ1CW6nD3A6HGJM0T_Ot64PPaZm1EY_do2Zk7wb2gG0JlXkCOsAlUUb3NSwOLy4On5UpVRHxdPq7exrQeHRbSGzm_0_qMaqx-5v5zjbXcIkn7TdwXjhMCnxe2EsvCC9g1zcIqtg/s1600/IMG_9532.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZ1CW6nD3A6HGJM0T_Ot64PPaZm1EY_do2Zk7wb2gG0JlXkCOsAlUUb3NSwOLy4On5UpVRHxdPq7exrQeHRbSGzm_0_qMaqx-5v5zjbXcIkn7TdwXjhMCnxe2EsvCC9g1zcIqtg/s320/IMG_9532.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The churches and other Baroque era buildings were just gorgeous.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZVTsLm9njJKp3f4Pv2BXjbMAPi4BDEIqZ8G77tzy6iC_AsEF2mknNqtnAIFZ08SRVn_RWOOiQ0JA-nkITlghq1PzyjCIweQPracktvkGikRQbn9zD9J1E4jTClLRZ9gta4O3Sg/s1600/IMG_9535.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZVTsLm9njJKp3f4Pv2BXjbMAPi4BDEIqZ8G77tzy6iC_AsEF2mknNqtnAIFZ08SRVn_RWOOiQ0JA-nkITlghq1PzyjCIweQPracktvkGikRQbn9zD9J1E4jTClLRZ9gta4O3Sg/s320/IMG_9535.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It doesn't take much to entertain me. Just walking around town and stopping in places on a whim was fantastic.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5L26QAmEgRbqruvKoYm3Ij0Ol9iVshgq8fb26Yp8q-Knd8qmzvLiIwUmyHD0avbg2-A0pMRCBB8ZLkz_-nQbRyVh-KW1A53KOCJ9Bzy5YG0PsBojbDr_VoEhkPwGOpVXKWNU7HQ/s1600/IMG_9546.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5L26QAmEgRbqruvKoYm3Ij0Ol9iVshgq8fb26Yp8q-Knd8qmzvLiIwUmyHD0avbg2-A0pMRCBB8ZLkz_-nQbRyVh-KW1A53KOCJ9Bzy5YG0PsBojbDr_VoEhkPwGOpVXKWNU7HQ/s320/IMG_9546.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We did eat a lot. I mean - what are vacations for???</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHCTaqeD3u54oyyoZQNrwZUbvM6QhSzl2FlKyIHLfbKyQa2c3UrbDeYSrToQBHpy8jjNfw9zhziQKH6mzvTPZkY2ocGKq-ut8aHhgpRw7StvuFbUciAhlgNDjgw0JyWYG7MQ6qQ/s1600/IMG_9567.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHCTaqeD3u54oyyoZQNrwZUbvM6QhSzl2FlKyIHLfbKyQa2c3UrbDeYSrToQBHpy8jjNfw9zhziQKH6mzvTPZkY2ocGKq-ut8aHhgpRw7StvuFbUciAhlgNDjgw0JyWYG7MQ6qQ/s320/IMG_9567.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The scenery was gorgeous.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77iFPlaeU-vlz7sWsLG00tXAKX3Car3Xq20yKwM13AlRQNIgkjAIw5O_DFtHgwd3t-sfi1ycMl2cbThO1QzV1VstwnfvNnY5B12OqZLJvlXlzA7ecIM5iFu1loG387Gjis8p91A/s1600/IMG_9579.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77iFPlaeU-vlz7sWsLG00tXAKX3Car3Xq20yKwM13AlRQNIgkjAIw5O_DFtHgwd3t-sfi1ycMl2cbThO1QzV1VstwnfvNnY5B12OqZLJvlXlzA7ecIM5iFu1loG387Gjis8p91A/s320/IMG_9579.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Did I mention that it was in the upper eighties while I was there?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81gSsTtCgaz6DUvzXEKKRKls4vlMhGOd4Xay-K4V7WeaS_qmz7wtU8gRKLI3z9RehSXAP7EXFB3XR69W-3yf1Z_zfwhNebe3bovJ5Ubb_QfJk4LAIaQYcoCcEL2b7o_UnczvQaw/s1600/IMG_9666.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81gSsTtCgaz6DUvzXEKKRKls4vlMhGOd4Xay-K4V7WeaS_qmz7wtU8gRKLI3z9RehSXAP7EXFB3XR69W-3yf1Z_zfwhNebe3bovJ5Ubb_QfJk4LAIaQYcoCcEL2b7o_UnczvQaw/s320/IMG_9666.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oaxaca was such a beautiful place to visit - with something for everyone. You should go!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWYDtKB_T1DoGmFeXyIJNKd1W9AAwvqnbmjLGEeR0ltvYgKRmAJMq7H6ng7gfWfeq5zLUEzBDSkz2Hwg5qBgTL8vftRaP6i8xZG3K6DXImm53v9zRhVdvUPrL8xth5VvwHUVfRg/s1600/IMG_9655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWYDtKB_T1DoGmFeXyIJNKd1W9AAwvqnbmjLGEeR0ltvYgKRmAJMq7H6ng7gfWfeq5zLUEzBDSkz2Hwg5qBgTL8vftRaP6i8xZG3K6DXImm53v9zRhVdvUPrL8xth5VvwHUVfRg/s320/IMG_9655.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I can't wait to go back.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-69363972418993247112011-02-17T10:27:00.001-07:002011-02-17T10:29:26.434-07:00Ugliness that is Commonplace in FebruaryIs anyone else cheering the nice weather? Is anyone else hoping that was the end of it? Bring on spring! The blizzard pics from the Trib were great, and everyone saw them. This however, is what February is mostly like. Dirty. Cold. Frozen. Cluttered.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreHNYUg5DJqmkiJQ-wyd4Kyv333NkNegSJO5atQGUqmAu929nh4zYGoGYKhhocQPNZwqVN_z-D4k7L48xzSjlgs3G3Vir_TeelvrZN0YTuDYZcdEI8sWvIUTrmv5nr5av9ORghA/s1600/2011-02-12+17.33.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreHNYUg5DJqmkiJQ-wyd4Kyv333NkNegSJO5atQGUqmAu929nh4zYGoGYKhhocQPNZwqVN_z-D4k7L48xzSjlgs3G3Vir_TeelvrZN0YTuDYZcdEI8sWvIUTrmv5nr5av9ORghA/s320/2011-02-12+17.33.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just enough shoveling to make a car-fort.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6cAL5_vU8_FjOKWPFO7LKprPjhZ8KndXCyJ_1vCnrJSDts5SYr2_CkPj9imr6aWeWNRclDrhzD8oDQ7VuOu6AE17ZpFQnTYVdO2q76_1ix6G_Pm9MYW6AkMfGPPN5KdGhY6WCA/s1600/2011-02-12+17.33.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6cAL5_vU8_FjOKWPFO7LKprPjhZ8KndXCyJ_1vCnrJSDts5SYr2_CkPj9imr6aWeWNRclDrhzD8oDQ7VuOu6AE17ZpFQnTYVdO2q76_1ix6G_Pm9MYW6AkMfGPPN5KdGhY6WCA/s320/2011-02-12+17.33.18.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free chairs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dSokxVcGoUQFGVnpU4Y7DNCxf1IFrqbTZKuKmpQUe36xskvP-SW8UwIfCHZONcIT0-MdmEfcG6iA-3_L1NeGdkEJYuetHGSCEk1PnrMcJOAQ7cexXEmsHDz9FHSXDLHeFqrMoA/s1600/2011-02-12+22.13.04.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dSokxVcGoUQFGVnpU4Y7DNCxf1IFrqbTZKuKmpQUe36xskvP-SW8UwIfCHZONcIT0-MdmEfcG6iA-3_L1NeGdkEJYuetHGSCEk1PnrMcJOAQ7cexXEmsHDz9FHSXDLHeFqrMoA/s320/2011-02-12+22.13.04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you put your name on your lawn furniture, everyone knows who to be mad at!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfucw3B4MadcwCC0xLNyNtBSporRU9ptgRw039ZNM7tUYyQhZ0B9npS6ExkzvNSuX983CNtBjU1ohT1iRJMxdP7PNUoTtrf2dJ4iOavLT7xItpaBIWSpZOM9101-hwcArgq6csw/s1600/2011-02-12+17.02.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfucw3B4MadcwCC0xLNyNtBSporRU9ptgRw039ZNM7tUYyQhZ0B9npS6ExkzvNSuX983CNtBjU1ohT1iRJMxdP7PNUoTtrf2dJ4iOavLT7xItpaBIWSpZOM9101-hwcArgq6csw/s320/2011-02-12+17.02.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't even bother moving.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-23108327445654469802011-02-10T21:54:00.002-07:002011-02-10T21:54:36.649-07:00Doe... a dog<a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7629300&id=514483155" id="myphotolink"><img height="480" id="myphoto" src="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/182700_10150125609413156_514483155_7690945_847879_n.jpg" width="640" /></a>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-41116998796206473532010-12-02T10:06:00.001-07:002010-12-02T10:07:47.977-07:00Ribbon of Highways; Endless Driving Days<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99VAISsvqIw7hCjPnhq-fLEn-ddAiPRWUAoKQI8daWXNTB7BtlS-fHErl8tF5k_r6tJj1f4uL4ykV4btbAkA3rOnU3vVuTy6wHMHmCAU9PwRSWIOXMOz_2Kfx1VjTmsM3rStJ7w/s1600/IMG_9473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99VAISsvqIw7hCjPnhq-fLEn-ddAiPRWUAoKQI8daWXNTB7BtlS-fHErl8tF5k_r6tJj1f4uL4ykV4btbAkA3rOnU3vVuTy6wHMHmCAU9PwRSWIOXMOz_2Kfx1VjTmsM3rStJ7w/s320/IMG_9473.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day One. 8:00am. Starting out heading west from Chicago.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xZ0MVSwsf7Fj6DHmf3h3zwZAOgFKROXmqLc5mDWRu-vdCcokWVWOiksMZ0je363hgMtH4rgp4T0fA_ULg9y_H_TNEwE79h7ZdERJGtHZpwxxbZHD4mr7pMXXwB7SngvVa4E8VQ/s1600/IMG_9474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xZ0MVSwsf7Fj6DHmf3h3zwZAOgFKROXmqLc5mDWRu-vdCcokWVWOiksMZ0je363hgMtH4rgp4T0fA_ULg9y_H_TNEwE79h7ZdERJGtHZpwxxbZHD4mr7pMXXwB7SngvVa4E8VQ/s320/IMG_9474.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 1 hour: An old farmhouse west of the Chicago suburbs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9vcu1gOEHyI-alsDqDufAfdkpie3-I0QOfvNJSJuNGEWhLTm3J6or4DQjLL1cyq49FDipojw2-AKPym66-XlcQvP-E_cT6DhWqm0502Z2wicOjIKOd_klXRGXxBs9Td4H0wc0w/s1600/IMG_9478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9vcu1gOEHyI-alsDqDufAfdkpie3-I0QOfvNJSJuNGEWhLTm3J6or4DQjLL1cyq49FDipojw2-AKPym66-XlcQvP-E_cT6DhWqm0502Z2wicOjIKOd_klXRGXxBs9Td4H0wc0w/s320/IMG_9478.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 2 hours: Western Illinois.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PcLd2IVAjAbKY4p9_myVK0c10Vj9OQQDtOUouJpyXZL0qVsD3v_V4yH4TcEkHu9sqi2a1LiuRPG_ak1qD9pY7Xz-kPynTZe60iBRXSYefVfAr5U95xSQauKdEEVCL9k-f_aytA/s1600/IMG_9481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PcLd2IVAjAbKY4p9_myVK0c10Vj9OQQDtOUouJpyXZL0qVsD3v_V4yH4TcEkHu9sqi2a1LiuRPG_ak1qD9pY7Xz-kPynTZe60iBRXSYefVfAr5U95xSQauKdEEVCL9k-f_aytA/s320/IMG_9481.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 3 hours: NPR and books on tape.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTWDCAm6XfNK0qWImXVIM6uHWQcVryyzOG69I0CdvD2aGAyDTNlfUBAjvGLou55bpJFy-IDdKXrrgNRsOdaHHn1AisHXTy6Oia2hKEa-QI1eOb64k7tP8SPNllgJ21rQPOzjA8w/s1600/IMG_9482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTWDCAm6XfNK0qWImXVIM6uHWQcVryyzOG69I0CdvD2aGAyDTNlfUBAjvGLou55bpJFy-IDdKXrrgNRsOdaHHn1AisHXTy6Oia2hKEa-QI1eOb64k7tP8SPNllgJ21rQPOzjA8w/s320/IMG_9482.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 4 hours: Iowa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kgLwjM2500uKYdddhP03hLDm_2GeICQJ5u5PYUeB5wjljBiglIRqJhvCT_NgKdWlj8nX6LEoFcclBbPVBUSv-zTLunUFMegPFkvwMZ7PcceTY8L7Mgp7AZMIedepIXVgbsM5zg/s1600/IMG_9484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kgLwjM2500uKYdddhP03hLDm_2GeICQJ5u5PYUeB5wjljBiglIRqJhvCT_NgKdWlj8nX6LEoFcclBbPVBUSv-zTLunUFMegPFkvwMZ7PcceTY8L7Mgp7AZMIedepIXVgbsM5zg/s320/IMG_9484.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 5 hours: <a href="http://ltorganic.wordpress.com/about-us/">Lt. Organic Farm</a>, serving fresh meals just off I-80.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SfVyYiCUvNu7WjJnrEWCLdiHbwYdcYVqFmdfsGPu1NTt7S3PWvyunq2esr_yuxxw_-JABU7Ust518rPxe5Tw3wQ66OpIIawGGOnq6XDw0Gq0sgEVz2GoNJ-6KaMsyRb5HCiaqA/s1600/IMG_9485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SfVyYiCUvNu7WjJnrEWCLdiHbwYdcYVqFmdfsGPu1NTt7S3PWvyunq2esr_yuxxw_-JABU7Ust518rPxe5Tw3wQ66OpIIawGGOnq6XDw0Gq0sgEVz2GoNJ-6KaMsyRb5HCiaqA/s320/IMG_9485.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 6 hours: More Iowa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6n3gLLSCjAfyHMc1Rtj1iya0gCFhyM0X9ot0mvNH-TzFpa42eKURyTaeHOfpWMBBDzdenAtpb1Jt0REJsufnvowmNVc5N3bT72dyR1q_Er88OaoCLGaL6rOjidEZKLhGOws7BA/s1600/IMG_9486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6n3gLLSCjAfyHMc1Rtj1iya0gCFhyM0X9ot0mvNH-TzFpa42eKURyTaeHOfpWMBBDzdenAtpb1Jt0REJsufnvowmNVc5N3bT72dyR1q_Er88OaoCLGaL6rOjidEZKLhGOws7BA/s320/IMG_9486.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 7 hours: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Iowa#List_of_Wind_Farms_in_Iowa">Iowa Wind Farms</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxR1JnZEafLk3Vo0IhaLwshnW9TmBMrp9FywsAYEimzBvnbRXV7oQF1ZWXNl_HxLzFYx1r2_nB4sei5hcdAjOOtZHX0B61MzKLmXtjCUIq7lFAFuonl-EQUS6Do7q2Nf-X98NrTg/s1600/IMG_9495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxR1JnZEafLk3Vo0IhaLwshnW9TmBMrp9FywsAYEimzBvnbRXV7oQF1ZWXNl_HxLzFYx1r2_nB4sei5hcdAjOOtZHX0B61MzKLmXtjCUIq7lFAFuonl-EQUS6Do7q2Nf-X98NrTg/s320/IMG_9495.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just getting into Omaha. End of Day One.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish0d9TRLromsVLIxxYD21erlZETJgxTYplzcMCmYbIsm8sgJZcJV39t5-i6g8ewLH9XgkmSY_wAZaTglpJBxA847z1RK3FUbLpfxaDycxy5LH_oV4CNWR1LkW6OeErAqAghlUfA/s1600/IMG_9498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish0d9TRLromsVLIxxYD21erlZETJgxTYplzcMCmYbIsm8sgJZcJV39t5-i6g8ewLH9XgkmSY_wAZaTglpJBxA847z1RK3FUbLpfxaDycxy5LH_oV4CNWR1LkW6OeErAqAghlUfA/s320/IMG_9498.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day Two: Heading West again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY-KUhQWK8xpHqTHj0Lhx_8Jg_g2PdHzKbYpudPHcdrzI9xiiLJYYv161A6MDiLOTkOHX2q78tqTe24dNX50uLD5iUF1QTk48oU3IJKxVT5tFHM6rCsdPnXpuwXqiWaKphpYzSg/s1600/IMG_9499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY-KUhQWK8xpHqTHj0Lhx_8Jg_g2PdHzKbYpudPHcdrzI9xiiLJYYv161A6MDiLOTkOHX2q78tqTe24dNX50uLD5iUF1QTk48oU3IJKxVT5tFHM6rCsdPnXpuwXqiWaKphpYzSg/s320/IMG_9499.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 1 hour: Nebraska.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcnHoPcOYIuHl6XVZk02WqiEJiOiHYOGxmPHKulrlNQ2G59YvlExtb4okNqKU2E0Lp11meyORkHB72EC9hQXgrYOx9CfgHta8aX2sOhO_AuE6XZF0J0EjvCDotQ6XwbDV73xKQQ/s1600/IMG_9501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcnHoPcOYIuHl6XVZk02WqiEJiOiHYOGxmPHKulrlNQ2G59YvlExtb4okNqKU2E0Lp11meyORkHB72EC9hQXgrYOx9CfgHta8aX2sOhO_AuE6XZF0J0EjvCDotQ6XwbDV73xKQQ/s320/IMG_9501.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 2 hours: Nebraska.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhb54zYM8BxqrPjG-6uCPGA-5qK55MPDLVtmMF0N5NpYGRDgris_YnYAgAXsZ89f2feSdAuQX8K6RtJPl-0-DjX3Ppz22qv2pV_Vc8qSf0_yrTqaeniuFoSftBvvmNbO1O5Z6Mg/s1600/IMG_9503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhb54zYM8BxqrPjG-6uCPGA-5qK55MPDLVtmMF0N5NpYGRDgris_YnYAgAXsZ89f2feSdAuQX8K6RtJPl-0-DjX3Ppz22qv2pV_Vc8qSf0_yrTqaeniuFoSftBvvmNbO1O5Z6Mg/s320/IMG_9503.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 3 hours: Kearney Nebraska.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENzjCvm7uUUtgTGzvQjaz7P8avBUF894i17dHPVA3cXe43C6RONjo0MS6IsbbV_GdL2Gb8LktvWUVqz9Hu57zVsa7uNIL87kIUABdvpdfouPWKMuOw5_VMigW8BvcePh3plO2CQ/s1600/IMG_9504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENzjCvm7uUUtgTGzvQjaz7P8avBUF894i17dHPVA3cXe43C6RONjo0MS6IsbbV_GdL2Gb8LktvWUVqz9Hu57zVsa7uNIL87kIUABdvpdfouPWKMuOw5_VMigW8BvcePh3plO2CQ/s320/IMG_9504.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 4 hours: I'd eat meat from this farm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTHGyGSSGhOKummlGU_4PaTxMJJlXeDNR1LcHzA2-ZbEI3stj9c9H9dHlzVGYI0uTu9dU2_7RAAxKzeiNppgu6O5LVWbQE-2mXngJ98xWc2yhtYNnXi4l1KOBWF3rODzbfXSH-Q/s1600/IMG_9506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTHGyGSSGhOKummlGU_4PaTxMJJlXeDNR1LcHzA2-ZbEI3stj9c9H9dHlzVGYI0uTu9dU2_7RAAxKzeiNppgu6O5LVWbQE-2mXngJ98xWc2yhtYNnXi4l1KOBWF3rODzbfXSH-Q/s320/IMG_9506.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 5 hours: Or this one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIemgRW4C2L0JmHBJig96jCfa3_IRcBsRd-f03PKxMpSWMh5yFJgp62cPrlqwe87oiP6v0y10PbmmVZ696EhGRCoUPK1NSjofL9u0Gk2k168928D7eZ8VwtVx1yeoTto4rMr_cQ/s1600/IMG_9507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIemgRW4C2L0JmHBJig96jCfa3_IRcBsRd-f03PKxMpSWMh5yFJgp62cPrlqwe87oiP6v0y10PbmmVZ696EhGRCoUPK1NSjofL9u0Gk2k168928D7eZ8VwtVx1yeoTto4rMr_cQ/s320/IMG_9507.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 6 hours, clouds seem exciting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRxwwLn-E9-mB8rhMt_vHb0GN1AIweH9ii-NmxXF7lK-dQ2jknlu7PdHVNY5-KuSbUVc81QCnY19vSg-_m48FZjqu-BXuY0TngDrtT2wtXd9jHnTDe-6f9UN94Qt1vrYtDA7ReQ/s1600/IMG_9509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRxwwLn-E9-mB8rhMt_vHb0GN1AIweH9ii-NmxXF7lK-dQ2jknlu7PdHVNY5-KuSbUVc81QCnY19vSg-_m48FZjqu-BXuY0TngDrtT2wtXd9jHnTDe-6f9UN94Qt1vrYtDA7ReQ/s320/IMG_9509.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 7 hours: Getting into Colorado.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdsH2sLE4ZaQ_yQwglh1cXWjcEmyaz_UX271tQ7EJmCq7sMijowH9IyMsYYw4Yg4lDckB8BklrA_1NXXbpIUR8YkJ44ho1zieXJ_tyUIlF8bBkHL9wlK7rOSu54UWkUQQTHdbpA/s1600/IMG_9510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdsH2sLE4ZaQ_yQwglh1cXWjcEmyaz_UX271tQ7EJmCq7sMijowH9IyMsYYw4Yg4lDckB8BklrA_1NXXbpIUR8YkJ44ho1zieXJ_tyUIlF8bBkHL9wlK7rOSu54UWkUQQTHdbpA/s320/IMG_9510.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 8 hours: zzzzz</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d3hzv9vrEWIp1Kg-FN7cFGaQDkD4D1TZvzMBzTbzpJpVlJrwgrh28OVGnEYD_H2F9twXD0iy9H6kQISjVXmmT3Evwfkljptxpn_Dr5l2y-gi6IPGDhO33BeFEAzoQZfF2fcygQ/s1600/IMG_9511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d3hzv9vrEWIp1Kg-FN7cFGaQDkD4D1TZvzMBzTbzpJpVlJrwgrh28OVGnEYD_H2F9twXD0iy9H6kQISjVXmmT3Evwfkljptxpn_Dr5l2y-gi6IPGDhO33BeFEAzoQZfF2fcygQ/s320/IMG_9511.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 9 hours: Colorado.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJIPmmSYEInL3NIYKUiGfxYqpgFcF8A8DbIdPtGeRKCQaHfdMgbsVatb2343-RXWpA_JkEfPzKx7G9qzvqwW4FGhqeFgrkH_zXQRqlSWD5vB5jbzU830DOg0dNXHXdRlCJhXfVg/s1600/IMG_9512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJIPmmSYEInL3NIYKUiGfxYqpgFcF8A8DbIdPtGeRKCQaHfdMgbsVatb2343-RXWpA_JkEfPzKx7G9qzvqwW4FGhqeFgrkH_zXQRqlSWD5vB5jbzU830DOg0dNXHXdRlCJhXfVg/s320/IMG_9512.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 10 hours: Rocky Mountains / Pikes Peak / Colorado Springs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-70326132996334469982010-11-14T11:21:00.000-07:002010-11-14T11:21:37.068-07:00One of the the things that I love about Chicago is that it has history that you can see. That might sound a little silly since it is definitely not one of the oldest cities I've spent time in, but I once lived in Dallas, and everything there is new - things don't get a chance to get old there. The architecture is one of the best visible histories of Chicago and the view of the details on many of these old buildings is especially good from the el. Recently though, on an episode of <a href="http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,8,80">Chicago Tonight</a>, I saw a clip on ghost signs in Chicago. These are mostly painted advertisements on the sides of brick buildings that have withstood our harsh winters and now remain up, faded, and no longer advertising anything one can buy.<br />
<br />
<br />
As an excuse to spend the last beautiful day of the season out enjoying the weather, I traipsed down to the loop to check out some of these<a href="http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=48,2,1"> signs that were featured</a> in the program and to look for some others that I might not have seen before. Here are a few of my favorites:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wNG9dFbUxApROJblcMzWyCfD4NGLvgJZEYZ5X2Hsty41qmx8o6pXfZVVOO3qLrNiHXIjFcGPCrusRcXfZ9c8x4UqAAfMYnDN-IWmwide6-t6Y-EFSNIEj3Z-0AkXlxdhAD6uhw/s1600/2010-11-12+10.33.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wNG9dFbUxApROJblcMzWyCfD4NGLvgJZEYZ5X2Hsty41qmx8o6pXfZVVOO3qLrNiHXIjFcGPCrusRcXfZ9c8x4UqAAfMYnDN-IWmwide6-t6Y-EFSNIEj3Z-0AkXlxdhAD6uhw/s320/2010-11-12+10.33.09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A very cool sign, <a href="http://www.lyonhealy.com/hall/">Lyon and Healy</a> used to deal with "everything known in music" since they opened in Chicago in 1864. Now, however, they only make harps. I see this sign every time I go to work! </div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugzkasyOubPClC0aNgL704VCa9RUJYJUG8tx2uLiEe7_X5rC4txOqcDXd-LNPkcmD0TX5MoUC0IiRWlIZC9YtMMqFsiYdcAY_ZTVEAHHnv9WnQrPj3NzfR4IdiQJJuh4j6acayw/s1600/2010-11-12+10.39.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugzkasyOubPClC0aNgL704VCa9RUJYJUG8tx2uLiEe7_X5rC4txOqcDXd-LNPkcmD0TX5MoUC0IiRWlIZC9YtMMqFsiYdcAY_ZTVEAHHnv9WnQrPj3NzfR4IdiQJJuh4j6acayw/s320/2010-11-12+10.39.55.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This sign, for the Harmony Cafeteria, is in an alley just off of Wabash. Obviously it was in use before the building next door was erected. There were three of these cafeterias around Chicago and the following picture is a postcard I found online advertising the cafeteria.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TX-HiXgDr4B8iQ_JYSJT_wM5opUolZz_0vvJyyJQtg8md4LzmbzL5UVc1A9BdKTPbWIEIn4dbtEo0yoAyWWEPfaoyeRlBZ8FLx7qYN8wI05THyldDuGvyL2OUgzVaWl6VPkzvA/s1600/HarmonyCafInside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TX-HiXgDr4B8iQ_JYSJT_wM5opUolZz_0vvJyyJQtg8md4LzmbzL5UVc1A9BdKTPbWIEIn4dbtEo0yoAyWWEPfaoyeRlBZ8FLx7qYN8wI05THyldDuGvyL2OUgzVaWl6VPkzvA/s320/HarmonyCafInside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOjeZ6JJpcoq9ML8WNvsKjogsTTp4sW-WQXFAHtq0tgflOlFX4zr2UJ4y9TzkM5XxKcbhSCbwTM8VsGEb8qu1azTBX56ji0OXhjuT57xril_eVBMpzCOrzxhYRYVna47wdSLsWQ/s1600/HarmonyCafPostcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOjeZ6JJpcoq9ML8WNvsKjogsTTp4sW-WQXFAHtq0tgflOlFX4zr2UJ4y9TzkM5XxKcbhSCbwTM8VsGEb8qu1azTBX56ji0OXhjuT57xril_eVBMpzCOrzxhYRYVna47wdSLsWQ/s200/HarmonyCafPostcard.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The building that holds this Harmony Cafeteria sign was erected in 1881 and designed by Louis Sullivan. Today though, I had to peer down the alley and squeeze past a truck in order to get the partial picture you see here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWccgIqev28PujVE9t8990hoTwi2RsJgSEDxY49uE2aLnYioDXT5BTJRySrgD7op467E3qCN5RCbx39VFCr-Ogr8oR1Ah3p8hHJes4DyTOSWjaWJjBDJRZTlXb5hkzdmbY42bfZA/s1600/19SoWabash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWccgIqev28PujVE9t8990hoTwi2RsJgSEDxY49uE2aLnYioDXT5BTJRySrgD7op467E3qCN5RCbx39VFCr-Ogr8oR1Ah3p8hHJes4DyTOSWjaWJjBDJRZTlXb5hkzdmbY42bfZA/s200/19SoWabash.jpg" width="158" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BtVK5TuUuQKRqn87ODBtPu67fQ3rJjG6IXWM9Lnp7-R3zshoqociMESFyOyRm1mGQ-QXmDx8B6T21AjTkO2fb0u_fMhcGNTcwFoLIUGTqXTypBER8pvnk-W2BlMTZy3qHLugZg/s1600/2010-11-12+10.49.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BtVK5TuUuQKRqn87ODBtPu67fQ3rJjG6IXWM9Lnp7-R3zshoqociMESFyOyRm1mGQ-QXmDx8B6T21AjTkO2fb0u_fMhcGNTcwFoLIUGTqXTypBER8pvnk-W2BlMTZy3qHLugZg/s400/2010-11-12+10.49.45.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Century Building, at 202 State street once housed Romas Restaurant, which became Adam's in 1975. It sounds like this restaurant was around the area since the beginning of the century - possibly closed for a while during World War II, moved a couple of times, and is remembered here in this pretty cool sign! Apparently the building once held the tallest electric light restaurant sign, which spelled "Roma's Restaurant." </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJwO3FF5N_ziu6edi1IW37imapgOTGSR4vBYgA2rUeGYSIL5y2tHBCyt-APY19fdjHy7IeqluAtwcC0e2bCpOUBHTlgiHLHBwxIIXj4k1qxubQWN1n6qsuBzUKER9DiAr4qm-VQ/s1600/2010-11-12+10.59.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJwO3FF5N_ziu6edi1IW37imapgOTGSR4vBYgA2rUeGYSIL5y2tHBCyt-APY19fdjHy7IeqluAtwcC0e2bCpOUBHTlgiHLHBwxIIXj4k1qxubQWN1n6qsuBzUKER9DiAr4qm-VQ/s400/2010-11-12+10.59.56.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I found this sign on the Southeast corner of Van Buren and Wells. It looks like it says Kling Bros and Co, Klingmade, and Mackinaw coats. Can you see it? I found a mention of Kling Bros in a list of "manufacturers of union-labeled garments" in a 1903 edition of<a href="http://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks%3A1&tbo=1&q=caledonian+kling+bros+&btnG=Search+Books"> The Caledonian</a>. How fun!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxevzPmQrv6niVlz-Tjj7N7awBgWlb1LXncjMF2Axu9wQX-Xqg4Zm2zOTkJxSCRDDnxMnlH3jj008Rt3eC51MA2FKiThMnfd98MfNvKulnpiIpH11uRzfgOyAIuxvbVfbizDPTxw/s1600/2010-11-12+11.18.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxevzPmQrv6niVlz-Tjj7N7awBgWlb1LXncjMF2Axu9wQX-Xqg4Zm2zOTkJxSCRDDnxMnlH3jj008Rt3eC51MA2FKiThMnfd98MfNvKulnpiIpH11uRzfgOyAIuxvbVfbizDPTxw/s400/2010-11-12+11.18.06.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> This one was also fun, on the side of a building at 302 South Wells. It looks like it says "Perfect Soda Cracker" on top, and pictured here, "Uneeda," "biscuit" and the Nabisco sign. In 1890, American Biscuit Company set up headquarters in Chicago. In 1910, the company had a huge factory in Chicago to handle it's "uneeda" brand of goods. Now we know it as Kraft, in the North suburbs. Here is a <a href="http://shunpikingtoheaven.blogspot.com/2010/06/do-you-know-uneeda-biscuit.html">link</a> to an excellent blog with pictures of Uneeda Biscuit signs that help make this one more readable.</div><br />
<br />
There are more. All over Chicago. Some easily readable, some almost faded completely. And I must admit, I had a wonderful time, walking around with my eyes squinted down alleys and up the sides of buildings and my gaze on a past that is slowly fading.<br />
.Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-59230782114825833552010-11-11T12:18:00.001-07:002010-11-11T12:20:48.264-07:00This Season at the Lyric (so far)I<i> love</i> going to the opera. I got hooked on it in grad school and try to go to a couple every year. I find that opera is a touchy subject with most people I. For those of you who don't like going to the opera, I have prepared a little chart here to help change your mind. For those of you who DO like the opera, skip the chart and read on!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xepHi2Eb2p5gnfAA7MsWBsvQbCZh2Q9k8kT_fUVTKZ7jU1WFQv7tAM58k7SXFDpvOjVc-uRzK9wAZ0VbAqO_qHhTmkLiq3ape5aN3KvaLQQpt3u9K2Q_4IKxX9XDlp8Iicqy-w/s1600/Go+to+the+Opera.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xepHi2Eb2p5gnfAA7MsWBsvQbCZh2Q9k8kT_fUVTKZ7jU1WFQv7tAM58k7SXFDpvOjVc-uRzK9wAZ0VbAqO_qHhTmkLiq3ape5aN3KvaLQQpt3u9K2Q_4IKxX9XDlp8Iicqy-w/s400/Go+to+the+Opera.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There. Now that we know that it is definitely worth it to go to an opera, let's talk about the operas that are currently out this season! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have seen two of the several operas out <a href="http://www.lyricopera.org/">this season</a> so far and they couldn't have been more different! The first one was <a href="http://www.operatoday.com/content/2010/10/verdis_macbeth_.php">Macbeth</a> by Verdi. As expected, it was over the top in drama, it was pretty depressing, full of madness (thank you Shakespeare) and the music was lush and memorable. There were only three singing parts and no tenor at all (yay!). The soprano who played Lady Macbeth completely stole the show. The sets and the costuming were great with simple, yet effective symbolism that would have made Shakespeare proud. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-11-07/entertainment/ct-live-1108-midsummer-review-20101107_1_young-scottish-conductor-lyric-opera-ardis-krainik-theatre">A Midsummer Night's Dream</a> couldn't have been more different! There are so many characters in this story, so many scenes, and so much going on that it only made sense to throw in an entire children's chorus and a dog! Britten is a 20th century composer, so the music may not be what you expect to hear in opera if you aren't that familiar with it (there are some great cello parts). In fact, I saw several people walk out before intermission! However, Britten is hilarious in the ways that he plays with our musical expectations and everyone involved in the show was fabulous. The <a href="http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/otg/features/x782436230/Berwyn-native-Esteban-Andres-Cruz-to-debut-at-Lyric-Opera-of-Chicago-in-A-Midsummer-Night-s-Dream">actor who played Puck</a> had the audience laughing aloud!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The other operas out this season are Carmen (who wouldn't want to hear the Toreador's Song again??),</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/D8Ult8x-doE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D8Ult8x-doE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">a Masked Ball (Verdi is always great for a stunning and moving opera experience), The Girl of the Golden West (Puccini is quintessential opera. Italian. You'll love it.), Lohengrin (Wagner. Oh boy. I've never seen any Wagner live. Who wants to go with me?), and Hercules (as much as I'd like to see a Handel opera, this one has a modern take to it that doesn't thrill me).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">the only one I wouldn't recommend is The Mikado. It is a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta and I personally find their work to combine the least likable characteristics of an opera with the least likable characteristics of a musical. Stay home. Go to a sporting event. Play a video game. OR..... go to the opera and enjoy it and prove me wrong!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">. </div>Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37200552.post-84043785437406936892010-10-03T21:38:00.001-07:002010-10-03T21:42:10.434-07:00Proust was a Neuroscientist by Jonah Lehrer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This book caught my eye multiple times in the book store (yes, I still go to book stores) and I didn't pick it up because I feared it would be meandering and oversimplified like some of <a href="http://www.gladwell.com/blink/index.html">Malcolm Gladwell's books</a>. But, upon seeing it on a friends' shelf when i was without book (!), I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1zGtMWxl1venr-GF3aEC0toT0PmU5VsqytR6vcdKOz8GsEbeyLQLiQ6kou_dCLuaR5A-Upvq6nuVCgUZNbyYAsrl_INcWr51oHjQIa1GehQCvSoiPN4LoYkRwqFGOTu8U7zdqA/s1600/proustneuroscientist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1zGtMWxl1venr-GF3aEC0toT0PmU5VsqytR6vcdKOz8GsEbeyLQLiQ6kou_dCLuaR5A-Upvq6nuVCgUZNbyYAsrl_INcWr51oHjQIa1GehQCvSoiPN4LoYkRwqFGOTu8U7zdqA/s1600/proustneuroscientist.jpg" /></a></div><br />
While Lehrer gave many simplified examples for several of his arguments, or while he attributed too much to single people [see <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2178584/">article from Slate</a>], I didn't mind and found it to be easy reading <i>while</i> giving the reader enough to ponder.<br />
<br />
The idea of this books is that many of the advancements made in neuroscience can be shown in example in the philosophies of artist long before science proved them (or even tried to prove them).<br />
<br />
Some of my favorite chapters are:<br />
<ul><li><i>The Essence of Taste, </i>which talked about the discovery of <a href="http://www.umamiinfo.com/">umami</a> and its pared down amino acid, L-glutamate, by Kikunae Ikeda, the savory cooking style of <a href="http://www.escoffier.com/">August Escoffier</a>, and the finding of the exact receptors on the tongue for this particular taste in 2000. Fascinating. It also made me hungry.</li>
<li><i>The Method of Memory</i>, which discusses how faulty our memory is, how the act of remembering changes our memories, and how <a href="http://www.tempsperdu.com/">Marcel Proust</a> philosophized on this very subject in his "fiction."</li>
<li><i>The Source of Music</i>, which discusses our mind's plasticity, especially when it comes to sound, the <a href="http://cercor.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/7/941.full">corticofugal network</a> (awesome), which continually alters what patterns our sensory cells respond to, and Stravinsky's experiment of these very phenomena with his <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uMfXh4OOx8">Rite of Spring</a>.</i></li>
<li>AND <i>The Emergent Self</i>, which discusses teh quest of neuroscientists to find the <i>self</i> in the contradictory mess of our short-term memory, the "<a href="http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Neural_correlates_of_consciousness">neural corelate of consciousness</a>" (NCC for short - c'mon - really??) and <a href="http://www.virginiawoolfsociety.co.uk/">Virginia Woolf's</a> experiments with demonstrating these functions and the self's elusiveness in her literature.</li>
</ul>This book is touted as a work that demonstrates how art trumps science, but I really see it as showing two sides of the same coin and how related the two really are. Read this book and let me know what <i>you</i> think!<br />
.Aubreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17260409403063526196noreply@blogger.com0