HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAIGE!

Dinner at mi casa.......

le menu...

Vino tinto
Fettucini with white Alfredo sauce and steamed camarones
Mixed field greens with an Italian balsamic vinaigrette
Medallions of baked chevre on a bed of pesto sauce

Ice cream and whipped cream for dessert

Temporary tatoos

Adventures with Fredo........

Balloos...

Post Weddinng Party - July 28

Mia's White Sangria Happy Hour

New Pictures of Benjamin

More Chicago

So here goes.... I left Michigan and headed back to Chicago to hang out with Nick, Geoff's friend from Chicago. They were heading to a neighborhood festival where Mofro would be playing and thought I should come back. I agreed. We headed to a bbq and then to the festival. I was a blast and I had so much fun. So in 4 nights I have been doing just about everything, museums, festivals, weddings, baseball games, dinner, drinks, dancing, a little nightlife, running into old friends, and there was still more to come. The next night I headed to a Tapas restaurant and then to play connect four, which I won two out of the three games, the second game was a push. So it was good to know I still have my connect four skills, I went to a gallery and saw some amazing poster art from the Art nouveau period and the period right after... early 1900's, including some by Toulouse-Lautrec. I love them all, especially Muncha, and one day I will own one, but not now. We tried to hit a jazz place and when we got there found out it was gay night. We decided to stay anyway and the people watching was great, but there was no jazz playing, ah maybe next time. Then after almost no persuasion or at least very little I decided to stay in Chicago another night to see Cirque du Soleil, Corteo, and had dinner or rather drinks and a little bite at the famous Smith and Wollensky restaurant right on the river. We had been having so much fun I wasn't quite ready to get back to Tropical Paradise Hell, but work was calling my name. At the restaurant Nick got us super awesome table in the corner... glass windows overlooking the river by night and we reminisced about the days of concert going, Panic and a myriad of other things. Needless to say I had a blllllllaaaaaasst, came back tired but with great perspective. If anyone ever needs a tour guide in Chicago I know a great one. And if you don't get to know him in this life you can always check back with me, maybe I can introduce you in your next go round.

Chillin at the Cottage on Lake Michigan......

Benny got hitched!

I made it to the wedding only a few minutes late, had to change clothes in the car... after stopping at a gas station to ask directions. Whew.... I forgot there was an hour difference between Chicago and Holland, Michigan, so what seemed like I would be arriving one hour early turned into right in the nick of time.... Needless to say they are now married and to those of you who bet I would arrive during the wedding please collect your money from those who said I would arrive before it started or those that said I would miss it all together.