Friday, December 23, 2011

The Midwest tour continues: Ohio

What do you think of when you hear Indiana? That is the question my friend Jake and I tried to answer during the long drive through the flat, open state on our way to Ohio two weeks ago. I was making the trek to visit my friends Jon and Marisa who moved to Columbus nearly a year ago, and Jake was visiting his sister. I'm glad to have had a driving partner this time. I've made this drive solo once before, and it is longer than long. When I think of Indiana I really just think of farms. Farms and wind turbines. Jake thought of rest stops. I'm sure there is more to it and I'm just not privy to the details. If you are, please share. After about 8 hours of driving, we made it to Columbus where Jake and I parted ways for the weekend.

The first order of business was Pipsy proofing so the three of us could go grab some food. Pipsy did surprisingly well confined to their kitchen area with gate. She only pushed through once, and didn't do any damage.

Marisa found a great restaurant that had awesome veggie options. Though I can usually find something on most menus, I love being able to choose from more than three entrees. Betty's is in downtown Columbus, which as a city really reminds me of a city that combines both Milwaukee and Madison. That is to say I feel really comfortable there. Betty's is pin up themed neighborhood bar/restaurant that has an awesome collection of vintage "risque" photos posted on its walls. The drink menu was packed with specialty drinks as well as wine and local brews. After perusing the menu, I was reminded that I like White Russians (a drink I never think of ordering unless I see it on a menu. Here it was dubbed the Betty White Russian, and it was a tall.). For dinner I had the pumpkin chili that was just spicy enough and a warm mushroom salad. There were three types of mushrooms sauteed and served atop romaine lettuce topped with goat cheese. Pumpkin chili should really be on more menus, as should goat cheese items. Then, it was dessert time at Jeni's ice cream across the way. I was actually too stuffed to even take more than one bite of my scoops and saved them til the next day. Jeni's has adult ice cream flavors, some infused with booze, some with the bite of spicy curry and others with goat cheese (see, they took my more goat cheese idea before I even had it). I chose the Bangkok Peanut and Whiskey & Pecans. The Bangkok Peanut had a nice kick to it and the Whiskey & Pecans tasted just enough like whiskey for me to really enjoy it without making that face I do when liquor burns as I sip. You can get Jeni's online. If I wasn't such a procrastinator, I probably would have ordered some for Christmas, maybe I'll bring some to New Years.

Saturday I had the crazy idea of working out so Marisa and I went to their complex's gym. I miss having a workout facility in my building, and still need to get to Bally's to combat the winter weight that is sure to creep up on me. After the elliptical and treadmill it was time for brunch. I'm spacing on the name of the place now. I want to say Skillet, or something like that. The food was good, but we had to wait a while which is neither Marisa nor my strong suit when we're hungry. But, when the food came we ate, drank (OJ and coffee) and were merry. Brunch fueled us for a visit out to their new house. Well, really a pile of dirt next to a hole right now, but by spring it will be a house. I can't wait for the housewarming party! Jon and Marisa always make me feel at home. Their guest bedroom is nicer than most hotels, the bed is super comfy and their place has a playmate for Pipsy, their Westie named Tucker.

Saturday night we went to a brew and view type place for dinner, drinks, and a movie. We saw New Year's Eve. I have a weakness for chick flicks, and this was just what I needed to get my fix for a few months. If you've seen Love Actually or Valentine's Day, you've probably got the idea of this movie. But, it's sweet, fun and lighthearted. I always say that if I want to see something scary or dangerous or action-y, I'll turn on the news. Reality is scary enough, I like to escape with stories of friendship, love and happiness. Also, the idea of a brew and view is genius. We went from drinks and movies to drinks and arcade games at Dave and Busters. We played Skee Ball and tried to beat each other at basketball. Skee ball is still my favorite, even after Marisa and I tried Dance, Dance Revolution. Dance, Dance is a great way to make yourself feel uncoordinated and out of shape. Maybe I just need more practice, or to play before cocktails.

Sunday, my last day in town, we indulged our terrible television addiction by watching awful shows like Teen Mom and Scouted before going to brunch. I don't mind not having cable at home, but it really is fun to be able to watch ridiculous shows that come on when flipping through channels on a lazy Sunday. This Sunday brunch was at a bar with an awesome buffet. They had a Bloody Mary bar too, which I always want to enjoy, but I just can't get into Bloody Marys. Tomato juice is just not my thing. So, after eating delicious food yet again, it was time for me and Pips to say goodbye and make our way through good ol' Indiana.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Thanksgiving travels

Up until this year, my holiday travels were limited to Midwestern drives. But this Thanksgiving, I was invited to spend the weekend with Andrew and his family in Seattle (the city his brother and sister-in-law are lucky to call home). Though I was a little sad to miss the twins first Thanksgiving, and time with my family, I couldn't say no to the offer. Our flight left the evening before Turkey Day, and I was pleasantly surprised at the less-than-chaotic lines at O'hare. I got through security in less than a half hour, and managed to escape any grumpiness. I more than love to travel, but flying and me usually have our issues. But, no matter how awful the flight made me feel, I was happy to be able to share Thanksgiving with such a great family in one of my favorite cities.

Thanksgiving Day couldn't have been more ideal. I was able to go for a nice jog around Seattle University before dinner. The hills can be deceiving, and the rain a little chilling, but it was a good workout that helped me feel less guilty about the excessive amount of calories I was about to eat. The meal was delicious, and I was excited to have contributed Green Bean Casserole (a dish I really should incorporate into my weekly rotation, rather than a dish just for holiday buffets). There was no need for Tofurkey, the non-meat side dishes and pumpkin pie were more than enough, and the traditional flavors made me feel right at home. Our hosts did a fabulous job! We ended the night with Hot Toddies and a game with a forgettable name that incorporates charades, acting and clues.

There was no camping outside for black Friday deals, or early morning line standing. I've only been involved with the craziness of Black Friday once, years ago for a Nintendo Wii. I almost lost all hope in humanity. Never again. Black Friday for us involved a brewery tour, winery trip, a chocolate shop, and dinner at a dog-friendly pub. Red Hook Brewery was more like a funny lecture interspersed with tastings, and that was okay with me. I kind of wished I could have tasted the original Red Hook of the 80s that supposedly had a slight banana flavor, but all the samples were pretty tasty. If I remember correctly, my favorite was the Copper Hook, and the Pilsner wasn't that bad either. At one point our tour guide said one of the brews was like "a fairy-tale in your mouth," which I thought was worth repeating. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I liked hearing it. Though we didn't tour Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery nor Theo's chocolate shop, we did get to meander around their gift shops. Both worth the trip, I'm regretting not buying any Theo chocolates so much that I'll be checking online when I finish this post to see if they ship nationwide. At Theo they had a drinking chocolate that reminded me of this amazing chocolate shop that lasted for just a few months in Wauwatosa. It was creamy and rich and everything hot chocolate should be. Down the street from the chocolate shop is this adorable dog-friendly pub. Emmet, our hosts' adorable mini-pincher/chihuahua, was able to sit with for dinner. I wish more places were dog friendly, I would love to be able to go out to dinner with Pips.

The next day was skiing. Real mountain skiing. We drove the winding roads to Crystal Mountain. It had been 10 years since I'd skied, and that was on Wilmot "Mountain" in southern Wisconsin. The bunny hill at Crystal Mountain seemed larger than the entire run at Wilmot. After a few passes on the bunny hill we decided to take on the next run. The trail was called Tinkerbell, but it was scarier than the name implied. On the lift, my stomach began to churn and curdle half way up. It was a green run, the easiest after the bunny hill. But, to get there we had to go down a slightly blue section. That was my downfall. I had a little mishap off a few feet from the lift, but that was nothing compared to what happened on this blue-ish slope. I had the most epic fall. I was going too fast, couldn't make myself turn to slow down and ended up face down. When I lifted my head, through the cracks in my snow covered glasses, the tree stump was too close for comfort. One of my skis was buried deep in the snow and the guys had to dig to help me find it. I got up slowly, my quad burning, and got my boots back in the skis. I was extremely nervous to go down again, but made it the rest of the way with only one more (far less epic) tumble. The guys were ready to go again, but I opted for practice on the bunny hill. And after the bunny hill we took the gondola to the top of the mountain, about 2,500 vertical feet from the base. Some crazy people, Andrew and his brother, skied down, while others, like me, had their hot chocolate at the summit restaurant and took the gondola back down. At the top of the gondola, there is an unbelievable view of Mt. Rainier and the range. Being among this amazing natural landscape makes me realize how incredibly small we all are, and how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to be a part of the life of this mountain that has been accumulating stories for hundreds of thousands of years. My bruises and sore muscles were worth every moment.

Thanks to my hosts and Andrew's family for making this a fabulous trip. Until next time, Emerald City...