Chicago

How do some people blog almost every day? I've noticed they use a lot of pics and post recipes and do not write much on their blog. So here goes trying that (although) I still enjoy writing from time to time...
Here's some pics from our recent chi town vacation (can I really call it that? I want a REAL vaca soon!)



Giordanos stuffed crust! So good, although I do think I like Gino's East better- still amaze balls



Trump tower! Three blocks from our hotel.


















Just a few pics from the Art Institute









A few pics I took at the Cloud Gate in Millennium Park - this place looks like an awesome place for music concerts and festivals!

















Some pics of the architectural boat tour I took. This trip was all about going and doing things I have never done in Chicago - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!



Met K and S at the Ralph Lauren lounge for afternoon drinks. It was great - I sat on a couch in RL as we relaxed for a bit!







Joe and I ate at a place near our hotel - Rockit - it was pretty fun - the menus were made from album covers and the food was REALLY GOOD (so were the drinks!)



Can you guess who ordered what? Last night - we were pretty tired and decided to eat at a place just a block away - the food was okay but the drinks were pretty great!

So this happened last night...

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Steel Magnolias

So I have had the newest version of 'Steel Magnolias' saved on my DVR for over a month.  I'm not sure why I haven't watched it before now, except I wanted to make sure I was able to stay awake to watch it.  There was nothing fun on TV tonight and decided tonight was the night to watch the newest version...

I remember going to the movie theatre to watch the original Steel Magnolias movie staring Julia Roberts and Sally Field.  I went with my mom and I am pretty sure I was a teenager or maybe even a pre-teen.  I don't think my dad or brother went with us, so it was a girls movie date.  I'm pretty sure I didn't process this at the time, but this movie made me realize how amazing my mom is!   I realized that my mom was very similar to the character, M'Lynn, played by Sally Field - right down to the similar haircut (sorry mom, kinda true...).   But what was the most similar was how much love M'Lynn had for her daughter, Shelby.  After watching that movie, I knew without a shadow of a doubt, my mom would react exactly the same if I ever needed a transplant or went into a coma.  But what I really realized was how deep, complex, and amazing the bond is between a mother and daughter.  I felt so close to my mom after watching the movie.  Like I said, at the time, I was unable to process why I felt this, just knew I did.

Since then, I have seen the live play version of this movie, re-watched the original movie over and over, and then watched the re-make with Queen Latifah, Phylcia Rashad, etc...  Every time I watch it, it just makes me appreciate my mom more and more.

I also recall just how my mom and I bonded over the movie - we told everyone how good it was - how we were bawling one minute and crying laughing the next.  It's just such a great ladies movie - makes you appreciate your girlfriends and realize how blessed you are for your mother.  I honestly don't know what I would do with out my mom - I love and appreciate her so much!  I know there is nothing she wouldn't do for me

Saturdays

Saturdays.
I love them!
Ever since Joe and I started dating, I have always looked forward to Saturdays.  I love that I can sleep in, if I want.  Or I can take a small nap (I save the big ones for Sundays, maybe I will write about that in another post.)  I also love that I usually can clean, do laundry, or at least pick some things up during the mornings.  I also LOVE that my husband also has Saturdays off.  However, he usually has projects he works on - whether it be art or podcasting, but it leaves me to watching awesome Saturday TV.  And during the summer - Saturday afternoons are THE BEST!  My friends come over and we swim in my apartment complex's pool.  It's MY FAVORITE!  CANNOT WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN THIS SUMMER!

But what I love most about Saturdays is Saturday night!  I ALWAYS do something I think is fun.  It's usually date night, which is my most favorite of times!  Joe and I usually find a fun place to eat - we carefully think about it - what have we had recently, what are we craving, is it a NU game, etc...  and base our decision off of that.  We also look at what we want to do afterwards.  Not gonna lie, most of the time, some sort of movie is involved.  That's my most favorite of dates.  But I also love live theater, so if it's not the movies, we may be at the Omaha Community Playhouse or the Shelterbelt Theater.  (P.S. - I think we need to check out the Bellevue Little Theater soon!)  If we have gone out a lot, some times, Joey P. and I just rent a Red Box movie, get take out (not gonna lie, Casey's Pizza is one of our faves!)

We presently have a new goal of trying out all the mom and pop restaurants in Bellevue.  Tonight, we went to 'That's Amore'.   I had read this place was looking for new owners and might be closed.  But the open sign was on it tonight.  I felt a little bad - there was only one gal serving the entire place.  It wasn't busy, but would have benefitted from two peeps.  Joe ordered pizza and I got the stuffed shells.  Mine came with a salad, which I ordered with ranch.  The ranch was FREAKING AMAZING.  My salad was fine.  It said it came with tomatoes, and I got one diced piece of one.  Not a deal breaker though.  My stuffed shells I ordered with both alfredo and marinara - so it came as half and half - I thought it would be mixed, but I was able to mix it.  There was way more sauce than needed to be.  The shells were good though.  Joe's pizza was just 'eh'.  Needed more sauce, but in the end, doubt we will order that again.  We do like supporting local business, so we might be back again if they remain open.

As we were looking for 'That's Amore' - we saw another new, mom and pop restaurant - Mi Casa - which we will definitely be trying out next!  Mexican, I think, is one of our most faves!
 
After dinner tonight we went and saw GI Joe - don't think I need to review it, other than to say, I got pretty restless after Channing Tatum was no longer on screen.  ;-)

I'm still here!

I might start this up again - we'll see...


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Some times it's the simple things

Haven't blogged in a few weeks - not sure why...  I have done some awesome things - Beer Tasting Bingo (won a beer and a beer stein!), wine festival, saw Argo (thought it was done so well - it was great!), Gospel on the Green, and went to Shelterskelter at the Shelterbelt Theatre (seriously love this place, small, intimate black box theatre, can bring booze in, cheap, and something different to do - to Shelterbelt with Love starts the weekend of my BDay - might want to get a group together to do this ;-)

My husband and I have always dedicated Saturday Nights to "Date Night" - ever since the very beginning of our relationship.  We haven't always been able to spend Saturday nights together, but it is a rare occasion that we don't.  We usually go out, but sometimes will just get a pizza and rent a movie.  However, since we have been married, we usually go out, because we tend to eat at home every other night of the week.

Today, my fabulous husband helped his aunt move, while I stayed home and didn't do much.  ;-)  When he got home, he asked if we could just relax at home tonight, which I totally agreed to - I was already relaxing and thought it sounded great to continue to.  However, we wanted to get dinner and decided on chinese.  I am not the biggest chinese fan, so when I say that I am in the mood for it, Joe usually goes with it.  I also wanted to go to the Dollar Tree store beforehand.  I had been on Pinterest earlier in the day and came across a few craft projects I wanted to try out.  One was making an ornament wreath and they suggested going there for cheap, nice ornaments.  Neither of us had been there before and now know we will go there to get any wrapping/gift bags we may need for any occasion.  :-)

After we were done, we went home to watch the "Five Year Engagement" that I had rented from the Red Box.  We both got into comfy clothes and found our spot on the couch.  We watched the movie and really enjoyed just vegging on the couch and being entertained by the movie.

As much as I love going out to the movies/theatre, hanging out with friends and family, going to fun restaurants, etc...  every once and a while, I am so appreciative to just relax at home with my husband.

P.S.  I also made this for a work potluck...

Pitch Perfect

Although there was another night Husker game, that really didn't influence my choice to go out last night.  I have been wanting to see the movie Pitch Perfect ever since I saw the trailer for it!  And the choice of movies out lately has been slim pickings, so I was itching to see a good one!  My husband and I had free passes to a Marcus theatre, and that is how we made our choice on which theatre to go to.  Before the movie, we decided to try out the Bellevue mom and pop restaurant, Lil Burro.  It was just okay, not the greatest, but not horrible - they had good chips and salsa.  I did feel bad for Eric, who joined us, his steak fajitas were so over cooked it was like beef jerky! 

Then we headed off to the movie - Eric chose not to go, whatevs, he missed out.  ;-)  Our theatre was actually packed for it being shown during a Husker game.  We ended up sitting in the front row of the stadium seating.  I thought I would hate it, but the movie was so good, it didn't bother me at all.

The movie is about two rival a cappella groups - The Bellas (all girl group that likes to sing the same songs for each competition) and the Treble Makers (all boy group who changes up their music each time).  There are several mishaps that happen along the way to take them to the final competition.  It was such a fun movie!  It did not disappoint at all!  Here are some of my pros and cons for the movie...

Pros:

• Loved the cast - each character was so funny
• The music was super fun
• The plot was good, which made the movie continue on with out dragging in any points
• I sometimes just need to go to a movie where I don't have to think too hard and just be entertained for a two hours
• although I don't think they meant this to be a pro, but I secretly LOVED the song, 'I saw the Sign' by Ace of Base and this song was featured 
• I now have to go watch the Breakfast Club

Cons:

• the two guy roommates looked too much a like, I had trouble telling them apart
• there was a pretty gross scene in the middle - it was hilarious, but made me gag at the same time
• the fact that they call Fat Amy Fat Amy - dudes, you are in college, that seems more like a junior high thing to do
• i don't have any more cons  :-)

I would go see this movie again, it was so fun.  I loved it!

Next week - Wine Festival and Argo!

I also want to see 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' - but I don't think it is playing here... boo.