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Emmy
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Friday, March 4, 2011
Kruse Wedding
Hello Friends!
I am so sorry for not posting for so long!!! After the crazy holiday season I got a new job and starting coaching again so I have been extremely busy!
For those who are interested, my new job is as an Event Assistant at a company called Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA). We are a small, non-profit company that puts on expos, forums, and other conferences for people in the surface mount industry. The work is interesting and very different from what I have worked on in the past so it is nice to be learning new things about different kinds of events. I also LOVE the people that I work with so that is always a plus :) Today is my friend and co-worker Patti's birthday and since I couldnt be there today, I made sure that she wore part of my present the whole day :)
The reason that I am not at work today is because I have a volleyball tournament with my M1 15 Royal team at Wisconsin Dells this weekend. Both the girls and I are EXTREMELY excited, and I am just super happy to be back in Wisconsin. Its funny, when I went to school in Madison I loved coming home and now that I live back in Minnesota I love coming back to Wisconsin!
So since we dont play until 3:00pm today at the Chula Vista Sports Center, I figured I would stop at my favorite coffee shop and see my favorite barista and get back on the blogging wagon!
The big thing I wanted to write about today is a recap of the wedding I did in September for Jen and Matt Kruse. The fabulous photographer, Sarah Pollio of Sarah Pollio Photography, was kind enough to share some of the photos from the day with me and I wanted to share those pictures with you guys! She is extremely talented and a joy to work with, I definitely recommend her for anyone who is looking for a photographer for any event!
I also had the pleasure of working with Christa McKibben from Tippy Top Creations who did the absolutely fantastic cake toppers. They looked so good, and just like Jen and Matt!
The wedding was wonderful, despite some pre-wedding jitters at the beginning of the day :) The weekend started with the rehersal and rehersal dinner at a family friends home in Maple Grove. The dinner was wonderful and the house had a beautiful grounds that would be great for an outdoor wedding or event! I didnt get any pictures of the rehersal dinner, but I will have to go back and talk to them about maybe hosting some events there!
The day of started literally started bright and early, the sun was shining and the birds were singing and love was in the air :) I know its cheesy but a girl can get cheesy when its her first solo wedding right?
I arrived at the church nice and early to get things ready and to greet everyone as they came in. All the bridesmaids and groomsmen arrived and started getting ready, and I was so happy I got to use a lot of things in my handy-dandy wedding kit! We used everything from stain remover to cough drops to cover up (for the groom who had a slight black eye :) I will tell you this, having a wedding planner for the day of just for their kit is probably the best advice I can give any bride because we spend hours thinking of every little thing that you might need on your wedding day. As my mom likes to call my kit, "Everything from Q-tips to condoms" ;) You never know who might need what that day/evening....
The ceremony was great, everyone did a great job, especially the ring bearer and flower girl who were just too cute for words! After the ceremony the wedding party all packed up in the limo and I headed out to the reception site, Fox Hollow Country Club, to get some last minute things taken care of . After a great meal, the night was filled with cake eating and of course, DANCING! Everyone had a great time, and I couldnt have asked for a better first time wedding day.
I hope you enjoy the pictures from the wedding, if you have any questions about any of the vendors or things that you might want in your wedding kit, let me know!
Now that I had a chance to hammer this post out I promise I will be better at posting regularly!
I also want to get back into the Operation Beautiful swing so I got my postie on at Caribou :)
Song of the Day: Of course I cant forget the song of the day! In the spirit of my volleyball tournament this weekend I have chosen one of my personal favorite pump up songs, "All I Do Is Win" by DJ Khaled. This song gets me so jazzed up and the dance moves I have adapted for it arent too shabby either ;)
"All I do is win, win, win no matter what, Got money on my mind I can never get enough. And every time I step into the building, everybody's hands go up....... and they stay there, and they stay there, and they stay there. Cause all I do is win, win, win!"
Monday, November 8, 2010
Squirrels!
What a weekend!
Many of you who know me, know that I love being busy. I would much rather have a million things going on at once than have nothing to do at all. This weekend was no exception.
On Friday I told you that we were going to Famous Dave's Blues and BBQ Club in Uptown for dinner and music. We ended up going a little after 6:30pm to beat the cover charge and wound up having a really great time during the Happy Hour with Gregg Inhofer. After a few beers and BBQ, we didnt end up staying long enough to
hear the main act of Magic Slim and the Teardrops which was disappointing, but overall it was a really fun time. I would definitely recommend Famous Dave's in Uptown if you are looking for a chill night with some good blues and good food. I wouldnt necessarily go there on a date if you wanted to talk to someone because the music is really loud, but I heard that during the main acts there is dancing and toe-tapping on the floor, so bring your dancing shoes after 9:00pm ; )
Saturday started off early as I am dog-sitting for the Theisen's while they are in the Dominican Republic for a wedding. Their very loveable pup is Rosie, and she can be a h
andful. Although she is a very well trained dog, when Rosie starts running around, its hard not to smile and get just as excited! On Sunday morning I took her for a walk and realized quickly that next time I would need to bring my running shoes, and some doggie bags! Whoops! Sorry City of Maple Grove, I'll pick those up tomorrow.....Anyway, jumping around a bit, this morning I got up early to go on a run with Rosie and it was insane! Not only did we get kind of lost (I really dont know anything about the streets in Maple Grove) but Rosie was practically dragging me the entire time! You know those dogs in Up that hate squirrels? I think Rosie watched Up and decided that attacking the squirrel race was a good idea. We would be jogging along nicely when BLAM! Rosie would practically rip my arm off to chase a squirrel up a tree. Needless to say, it was a long run. But I forgave her, and it still breaks my heart every time I have to leave her for the day :(
Back to Saturday, after feeding Rosie and finishing my book at the MG Caribou (I am rereading the Lucas Davenport books by John Sanford which are awesome!) I scooted on down to Adrian's Tavern on 48th and Chicago Ave to chat with my Uncle Steve and cousin Molly. Adrian's is said to have one of the best burgers in Minneapolis, and I will say, they do have a mean Juicy Lucy. The burger goes delightfully with my favorite brew on their tap, Summit EPA of course ;) It was nice to catch up with the both of them, even though Uncle Steve whooped my butt in cribbage. I even got to see my aunt Barb who just got back from her African adventure! I can't wait to catch up with her and hear about her trip!
Sunday was jammed packed. After the run around with Rosie, I came back to Uptown to have lunch with Miss Lindsey, who was in town for the weekend from Lacrosse. Unfortunately, she got a little bit lost coming to my apartment and ended up in North Minneapolis, which is not anywhere close to where I live. I felt terrible, and to make matters worse, our lunch wasnt the best either. We went to the Uptown Cafeteria, and although the decor was interesting, the service and food werent the best. I have heard good things about the Uptown Cafeteria during the summer when they have their rooftop patio open, so I guess I would have to wait until I can get up there to give a final verdict on the place. I would recommend the Uptown Cafeteria for their Happy Hour specials ($1 additional drinks and $3 select foods) but not necessarily for the dining experience.
After lunch with Lindsey, I had a running date with Krissy around Lake Calhoun which was wonderful, but not a good idea after eating spicy sausage hash for lunch! Regardless, we had a good time and the weather was absolutely beautiful!
Next was a "quick" drive back up to Maple Grove to feed Rosie, and then down to St. Paul where I met Heather, an old friend from Madison, at Bonfire for dinner. Bonfire always has awesome food, and last night was no exception. I had the chicken bruschetta salad and it was amazing! I also had a glass of Malbec, which is my favorite red wine : ) The atmosphere at Bonfire is great, perfect for sitting and chatting with friends! It was great to catch up with Heather again and hopefully we will get to hang out more since we both live in the cities now!
So like I said, it was a busy weekend seeing people and doing things! But I wouldnt have it any other way! Another busy week of seeing people and places coming up, cant wait to keep you updated! :)
Many of you who know me, know that I love being busy. I would much rather have a million things going on at once than have nothing to do at all. This weekend was no exception.
On Friday I told you that we were going to Famous Dave's Blues and BBQ Club in Uptown for dinner and music. We ended up going a little after 6:30pm to beat the cover charge and wound up having a really great time during the Happy Hour with Gregg Inhofer. After a few beers and BBQ, we didnt end up staying long enough to
hear the main act of Magic Slim and the Teardrops which was disappointing, but overall it was a really fun time. I would definitely recommend Famous Dave's in Uptown if you are looking for a chill night with some good blues and good food. I wouldnt necessarily go there on a date if you wanted to talk to someone because the music is really loud, but I heard that during the main acts there is dancing and toe-tapping on the floor, so bring your dancing shoes after 9:00pm ; )Saturday started off early as I am dog-sitting for the Theisen's while they are in the Dominican Republic for a wedding. Their very loveable pup is Rosie, and she can be a h
andful. Although she is a very well trained dog, when Rosie starts running around, its hard not to smile and get just as excited! On Sunday morning I took her for a walk and realized quickly that next time I would need to bring my running shoes, and some doggie bags! Whoops! Sorry City of Maple Grove, I'll pick those up tomorrow.....Anyway, jumping around a bit, this morning I got up early to go on a run with Rosie and it was insane! Not only did we get kind of lost (I really dont know anything about the streets in Maple Grove) but Rosie was practically dragging me the entire time! You know those dogs in Up that hate squirrels? I think Rosie watched Up and decided that attacking the squirrel race was a good idea. We would be jogging along nicely when BLAM! Rosie would practically rip my arm off to chase a squirrel up a tree. Needless to say, it was a long run. But I forgave her, and it still breaks my heart every time I have to leave her for the day :(Back to Saturday, after feeding Rosie and finishing my book at the MG Caribou (I am rereading the Lucas Davenport books by John Sanford which are awesome!) I scooted on down to Adrian's Tavern on 48th and Chicago Ave to chat with my Uncle Steve and cousin Molly. Adrian's is said to have one of the best burgers in Minneapolis, and I will say, they do have a mean Juicy Lucy. The burger goes delightfully with my favorite brew on their tap, Summit EPA of course ;) It was nice to catch up with the both of them, even though Uncle Steve whooped my butt in cribbage. I even got to see my aunt Barb who just got back from her African adventure! I can't wait to catch up with her and hear about her trip!
Sunday was jammed packed. After the run around with Rosie, I came back to Uptown to have lunch with Miss Lindsey, who was in town for the weekend from Lacrosse. Unfortunately, she got a little bit lost coming to my apartment and ended up in North Minneapolis, which is not anywhere close to where I live. I felt terrible, and to make matters worse, our lunch wasnt the best either. We went to the Uptown Cafeteria, and although the decor was interesting, the service and food werent the best. I have heard good things about the Uptown Cafeteria during the summer when they have their rooftop patio open, so I guess I would have to wait until I can get up there to give a final verdict on the place. I would recommend the Uptown Cafeteria for their Happy Hour specials ($1 additional drinks and $3 select foods) but not necessarily for the dining experience.
After lunch with Lindsey, I had a running date with Krissy around Lake Calhoun which was wonderful, but not a good idea after eating spicy sausage hash for lunch! Regardless, we had a good time and the weather was absolutely beautiful!
Next was a "quick" drive back up to Maple Grove to feed Rosie, and then down to St. Paul where I met Heather, an old friend from Madison, at Bonfire for dinner. Bonfire always has awesome food, and last night was no exception. I had the chicken bruschetta salad and it was amazing! I also had a glass of Malbec, which is my favorite red wine : ) The atmosphere at Bonfire is great, perfect for sitting and chatting with friends! It was great to catch up with Heather again and hopefully we will get to hang out more since we both live in the cities now!
So like I said, it was a busy weekend seeing people and doing things! But I wouldnt have it any other way! Another busy week of seeing people and places coming up, cant wait to keep you updated! :)
Also I know I am doing a bad job of integrating my ideas/thoughts about events and things like that into the blog, so I am going to try and do a better job of that. If anyone has any suggestions on what they would like to see on the blog in that regards, please let me know! One little tidbit I have, I am in the midst of my third event for The Family Partnership; the National Family Week Leadership Celebration. Among my list of duties, I need to create center pieces for the tables at the event and would really like to do something in the paper/tissue paper/duct tape flower arena. I did a tweet/facebook post about it a couple of days ago, but does anyone have any other pointers on how to make these? I think it would be a fun and personal touch for the event, and the nominees or their families can take them home with them once the banquet is over.
Song of the day: Today I thought I would give a shout out to a local artist that I really love. His name is Tim Montag and he does all his own writing and recording out of his studio in Becker, MN. I really like all of his songs, but my favorite is "New Love", an lovely little upbeat song that brings a smile to my face when I hear it. Please check him out, he is under Tim Montag on facebook and you check out his album at Tim Montag store.
Song of the day: Today I thought I would give a shout out to a local artist that I really love. His name is Tim Montag and he does all his own writing and recording out of his studio in Becker, MN. I really like all of his songs, but my favorite is "New Love", an lovely little upbeat song that brings a smile to my face when I hear it. Please check him out, he is under Tim Montag on facebook and you check out his album at Tim Montag store.
"And when my lips touch yours you'll know, You and I will write a new meaning for, Love, in a way the world could never dream of. Love, love, You and Me will be in New Love" :)
Friday, November 5, 2010
Chipper Friday!
Good Afternoon!!
Anyway, here's a recap of some fun things I did this week. : )
On Monday is was the lovely Ms. Sarah's birthday so a couple of us went to Lyndale Tap House for dinner. According to the website, The Tap House was opened in 2009 to bring residents of the Lyn-Lake neighborhood (which now includes me!) together for some high quality, original food and drinks at affordable prices. Their big draw is the Baltimore Style Pit Meat, which is specially marinated and seared on a specialty grill for maximum tenderness and juciness. When we got there we weren't terribly hungry so Dani and I split the Habenero chicken lollipops (sadly not as spicy as you would think) and a bowl of chili which was wonderful. I would definitely recommend the Lyndale Tap House for some down-home quality barbeque, and they have a great beer selection as well : )
Tuesday was election day, and after a long hard day at work I was bummed that I forgot my license in my apartment and had to go from Edina, back to Minneapolis, and then all the way to Eagan to vote. It was a double bummer because once I got there, they were out of "I Voted" stickers! So sad... :( But the evening got better when I went and had snacks and a photoshop lesson with Beth. It was great to catch up with her and I got to hear all about her recent trip to LA! I'm thinking a trip out to California will be in the works soon ; ) Plus I got schooled on Photoshop so I can make all my Italy pictures look really cool!
On Wednesday Megan's boyfriend's mom got us all free tickets to the Twin Cities Live "Girls Night Out" showing of Morning Glory, starring Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, and Harrison Ford. The movie was really cute; it was about a young executive producer taking a job at a failing morning talk show and turning it all around in time to save the show from being canceled. Its a definite chick flick, and I've got to tell you, Harrison Ford looked ANCIENT as one of the co-anchors! Long gone are the days of Han Solo I guess.
Thursday was another crazy day at work, pay day and month end billing are not fun times, but I was able to have dinner with Maddy at one of my favorite Thai restaurants, Sawatdee! It was really interesting because I am used to going to their St. Paul location which is a little bit bigger and has a wide selection on their menu. However, the Uptown Sawatdee was really small and had only about 10 items on their menu, including the delicious Pad Thai that I had : ) I liked the small business feel, and the owner was really friendly and chatted us up about how everyone seems to disappear on the streets once the weather gets cold! Brrr!
Song of the Day: After a crazy week at work and my excitement for some good music and of course beer tonight, I thought this song by Josh Thompson would be perfect! "Beer on the Table" is a classic kind of country song about workin that 9 - 5 just to get some food in your belly and beer down your gullet ; ) Three Cheers to Chipper Friday! : D
I am so sorry for the long hiatus, after my Italy trip it took me FOREVER to get all caught up with work and my events and everything! Also I just moved to Uptown so I was busy unpacking and exploring my new city! I am going to try and get a fun, new place on here everyday (or so) so keep checking back! I am also working on my Italy posts, I just havent had time to sit down and remember all the fun things we did! But dont worry, I will be getting them done this weekend, so look back for those!
Anyway, here's a recap of some fun things I did this week. : )
On Monday is was the lovely Ms. Sarah's birthday so a couple of us went to Lyndale Tap House for dinner. According to the website, The Tap House was opened in 2009 to bring residents of the Lyn-Lake neighborhood (which now includes me!) together for some high quality, original food and drinks at affordable prices. Their big draw is the Baltimore Style Pit Meat, which is specially marinated and seared on a specialty grill for maximum tenderness and juciness. When we got there we weren't terribly hungry so Dani and I split the Habenero chicken lollipops (sadly not as spicy as you would think) and a bowl of chili which was wonderful. I would definitely recommend the Lyndale Tap House for some down-home quality barbeque, and they have a great beer selection as well : ) 
Tuesday was election day, and after a long hard day at work I was bummed that I forgot my license in my apartment and had to go from Edina, back to Minneapolis, and then all the way to Eagan to vote. It was a double bummer because once I got there, they were out of "I Voted" stickers! So sad... :( But the evening got better when I went and had snacks and a photoshop lesson with Beth. It was great to catch up with her and I got to hear all about her recent trip to LA! I'm thinking a trip out to California will be in the works soon ; ) Plus I got schooled on Photoshop so I can make all my Italy pictures look really cool!
On Wednesday Megan's boyfriend's mom got us all free tickets to the Twin Cities Live "Girls Night Out" showing of Morning Glory, starring Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, and Harrison Ford. The movie was really cute; it was about a young executive producer taking a job at a failing morning talk show and turning it all around in time to save the show from being canceled. Its a definite chick flick, and I've got to tell you, Harrison Ford looked ANCIENT as one of the co-anchors! Long gone are the days of Han Solo I guess. 
Thursday was another crazy day at work, pay day and month end billing are not fun times, but I was able to have dinner with Maddy at one of my favorite Thai restaurants, Sawatdee! It was really interesting because I am used to going to their St. Paul location which is a little bit bigger and has a wide selection on their menu. However, the Uptown Sawatdee was really small and had only about 10 items on their menu, including the delicious Pad Thai that I had : ) I liked the small business feel, and the owner was really friendly and chatted us up about how everyone seems to disappear on the streets once the weather gets cold! Brrr!
Today I deemed "Chipper Friday" because, well, I'm just in a chipper mood! I am really excited because a) I am finally blogging again ; ) and b) we are going out tonight to Famous Dave's Blues and BBQ club in Uptown! I have heard some good things about the music here, so it should be fun to chow down on some good BBQ, drink some beer, and jam out to some blues! I'll let you know tomorrow how everything goes!
Song of the Day: After a crazy week at work and my excitement for some good music and of course beer tonight, I thought this song by Josh Thompson would be perfect! "Beer on the Table" is a classic kind of country song about workin that 9 - 5 just to get some food in your belly and beer down your gullet ; ) Three Cheers to Chipper Friday! : D"It puts the gas in my truck, butter on my biscut,
Couple bucks when I'm itching, for a scratch-off ticket.
That poker makes me broker every Saturday night,'
but I still got running water and they ain't turned off the lights.
Come Friday night my friends and I start peeling off them labels,
working hard all week, puts some beer on the table!"
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Me llamo Emilia
Work, work, work, all day long.... man if I am going to have this much paperwork piled up when I get back from being gone for a week, I'm definitely not looking forward to getting back to work on the 19th......
The good thing about being back at AgeWell is that I am back in Edina and
therefore available to go on my bi-weekly lunch date with Joel : ) Each time we meet, we try to go to a different place (except a couple of weeks ago when we had a small communication error and ended up at Toby Keith's again ; ) but I love Toby so I'm not really complaining!).
Today we went to a Mexican place in the Shops at West End area called Rojo Mexican Grill. Located on the corner of West End Blvd. Rojo has a really cool outside eating area with dark wood and fun earthy red, brown, and yellow tones to go accent. I didnt get a chance to go inside because it was such a beautiful day outside and we just ate on the patio, but I saw on their website that they have several "Watch-them-cook" stations, which are always really cool to see. The food was very good, I had some mammoth chicken tacos and super tasty sticky rice and Joel had the Rojo burger which apparently was very spicy! Because it was only 1:00pm on a Tuesday, I didnt venture out and try one of their 75 different tequilas, although I do love me a good tequila ; ) If you are in St. Louis Park or the north part of the cities, check out Rojo Mexican Grill yourself, or call me up and we can meet for margaritas!
I have been slacking a bit o.jpg)
n my "Operation Beautiful" messages lately, so the other day when I was at Starbucks I left a fun one in the bathroom that I hope the staff and customers will appreciate ; ) I mean we all know how caffeine can give us that extra burst of energy in the morning, so why not use that enthusiasm to help make someones day! If you are picking up "postie" trend (haha I love that word) please let me know and send me your pictures!! I can't wait for the day when I am going to put my own Postie up and see one already there!
Song of the Day: It seems the song of the day has been predominantly country music for the past couple of days, and though I LOVE country music, I think it's time to mix it up a little bit. This song is from one of my favorite rock artists now, the unbelievably talented Zakk Wylde. Formerly Ozzy's protege, Zakk plays for Black Label Society, an awesome hard rock band, and also has his own solo material. I really enjoy this song "Between Heaven and Hell" because it shows off his incredible guitar skills and is smooth, deep vocals.
"All that you know and all that you knew In the end child, tell me what's it all mean to you? Don't forget just who and where you are -- You can spread your wings son But don't you spread yourself too far"
The good thing about being back at AgeWell is that I am back in Edina and
therefore available to go on my bi-weekly lunch date with Joel : ) Each time we meet, we try to go to a different place (except a couple of weeks ago when we had a small communication error and ended up at Toby Keith's again ; ) but I love Toby so I'm not really complaining!).Today we went to a Mexican place in the Shops at West End area called Rojo Mexican Grill. Located on the corner of West End Blvd. Rojo has a really cool outside eating area with dark wood and fun earthy red, brown, and yellow tones to go accent. I didnt get a chance to go inside because it was such a beautiful day outside and we just ate on the patio, but I saw on their website that they have several "Watch-them-cook" stations, which are always really cool to see. The food was very good, I had some mammoth chicken tacos and super tasty sticky rice and Joel had the Rojo burger which apparently was very spicy! Because it was only 1:00pm on a Tuesday, I didnt venture out and try one of their 75 different tequilas, although I do love me a good tequila ; ) If you are in St. Louis Park or the north part of the cities, check out Rojo Mexican Grill yourself, or call me up and we can meet for margaritas!
I have been slacking a bit o
.jpg)
n my "Operation Beautiful" messages lately, so the other day when I was at Starbucks I left a fun one in the bathroom that I hope the staff and customers will appreciate ; ) I mean we all know how caffeine can give us that extra burst of energy in the morning, so why not use that enthusiasm to help make someones day! If you are picking up "postie" trend (haha I love that word) please let me know and send me your pictures!! I can't wait for the day when I am going to put my own Postie up and see one already there!Song of the Day: It seems the song of the day has been predominantly country music for the past couple of days, and though I LOVE country music, I think it's time to mix it up a little bit. This song is from one of my favorite rock artists now, the unbelievably talented Zakk Wylde. Formerly Ozzy's protege, Zakk plays for Black Label Society, an awesome hard rock band, and also has his own solo material. I really enjoy this song "Between Heaven and Hell" because it shows off his incredible guitar skills and is smooth, deep vocals.
"All that you know and all that you knew In the end child, tell me what's it all mean to you? Don't forget just who and where you are -- You can spread your wings son But don't you spread yourself too far"
Monday, October 4, 2010
Home for a day and already wrapped up in the planning of my next trip. Back to work today at the Family Partnership, getting things finalized for the Peace Power and Unity Conference that will be happening while I am gone (October 16th, you all should check it out!) and National Family Week which is in November. Although I get to show off more of my creative instincts doing weddings and party like events, I really enjoy working on conferences and workshops like these. It creates a different atmosphere that definitely helps me when organizing and planning my other projects : )
After work I had to take care of some of the things I needed to get done before Italy, mainly going to the bank and the AT&T store so I will have money and a way to connect with people while I am overseas. I haven't been to Europe in a while, so I forgot how much the Euro to the Dollar exchange rate is. Despite having to pay the 1 Euro to every $1.50 rate, I got soo excited for my trip with that colorful money in my hands : ) The last time I was in Italy, it was my sophomore year of high school when my high school band went for our spring break trip. At that time we traveled down the Southern coast, stopping in Rome, Sorrento, the Almalfi Coast, and Tuscany.
This time around I am going with my fabulous Aunt Cindy and cousin Sam! We are renting a villa in the town of Positano
and I'm sure the wine will be flowing the entire trip. We should have wi-fi in the villa so I am going to do my best to bring you with me on the trip!
Song of the Day: I heard this song on the radio for the first time today and immediately fell in love with it. I mean, you can never go wrong with a Tim McGraw song, and this one is no exception. Delightfully called "Felt Good On My Lips, " this song is a cute little sing along song that reminds me of that new crush feeling : )
"Said her name was a hand me down name, From the side of a family that long ago came, Over here on a boat from somewhere in Spain. Sounded to me just a little bit strange, I guess. But I have to admit, it felt good on my lips. Oh oh oh I wanna go crazy, You can go crazy too. Oh oh oh I wanna go crazy, I wanna go crazy with you"
After work I had to take care of some of the things I needed to get done before Italy, mainly going to the bank and the AT&T store so I will have money and a way to connect with people while I am overseas. I haven't been to Europe in a while, so I forgot how much the Euro to the Dollar exchange rate is. Despite having to pay the 1 Euro to every $1.50 rate, I got soo excited for my trip with that colorful money in my hands : ) The last time I was in Italy, it was my sophomore year of high school when my high school band went for our spring break trip. At that time we traveled down the Southern coast, stopping in Rome, Sorrento, the Almalfi Coast, and Tuscany.
This time around I am going with my fabulous Aunt Cindy and cousin Sam! We are renting a villa in the town of Positano
and I'm sure the wine will be flowing the entire trip. We should have wi-fi in the villa so I am going to do my best to bring you with me on the trip!Song of the Day: I heard this song on the radio for the first time today and immediately fell in love with it. I mean, you can never go wrong with a Tim McGraw song, and this one is no exception. Delightfully called "Felt Good On My Lips, " this song is a cute little sing along song that reminds me of that new crush feeling : )
"Said her name was a hand me down name, From the side of a family that long ago came, Over here on a boat from somewhere in Spain. Sounded to me just a little bit strange, I guess. But I have to admit, it felt good on my lips. Oh oh oh I wanna go crazy, You can go crazy too. Oh oh oh I wanna go crazy, I wanna go crazy with you"
Leg Six: New Berlin and HOME!
I dont want this trip to end.....maybe I'll become a traveling salesman and just drive the open highways catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and having a blasty blast all over the country....pretty pretty please? Never mind that this is what I look like after a week long roadtrip....hmmm maybe not....
Sunday was another early morning wake up call, as I wanted to get back on the road to make it home before it got too late. So I said goodbye to one Jayme in Chicago and hello to another Jaime in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Because Jamie had to work in the morning, we had a quick catch up chat at the Panera right by her house. Now usually I go to Panera for lunch or dinner for a salad or grilled pannini, so it was a rare treat to be there for breakfast. So I thought I would be a little adventurous and try something new, a ham and swiss souffle. And O' my goodness, did that decision pay off! I am a big fan of eggs and egg dishes, and this tasty treat was the perfect pairing of fluffy eggs and crispy pastry that absolutely melted in my mouth. Enjoying great food is always the best way to enjoy great friends ; )
After learning a little more about Jamie's life, it was back on the road again, this time on the long road home. I cant express how much I enjoyed this trip, I got the chance to reconnect with so many wonderful people, and meet some equally wonderful new ones! There really isnt anything more important to me than creating and fostering relationships with people. I know I was joking earlier, but I would really love an opportunity to travel the country, and even the world, meeting people, seeing amazing things, experiencing new things, and writing about them to share with you all! If anyone has any ideas or knows of any opportunities to do that, please let me know! : )
Song of the day: Even though I love traveling, there really isnt any place like home. As "The Great Midwest Roadtrip" came to an end, it was so nice to fall into my OWN bed and curl up in my homemade quilt once I got back to Eagan. So the song of the day is a wonderfully soulful song by Marc Broussard called "Home". Home may be the name of the song, but all this song makes me want to do is get my boots on and make my way down to the South for some fried chicken and bluegrass ; )
"Hot damn you should have felt the groove,
Like I was swimming in a sea of soul.
The sun was rising and the day was hot,
And we was all about to lose control.
My daddy turned his face up towards the sky,
And I knew that there was nothing to lose,
I felt the crowd breathe in and I closed my eyes,
And we disappeared into the groove"
A Day in the Life of Jaymian
You know, I think I could get used to being in Chicago.... ; )Saturday, Jayme and I got up early for a day full of sightseeing, Badger watching, and of course, WALKING! Despite the chilly and rainy weather, Jayme and I walked all the way down Michigan Avenue (picking a pretty snazzy Northface jacket on the way ; ) to Millennium Park where we got to see the BEAN! I had never been to the bean before, so it was SUPER fun taking a million crazy pictures. I'm not a professional photographer by any means, but I think at least some of our pictures turned out pretty cool! If you are getting married in Chicago, I would definitely think about going to Millennium Park for engagement or wedding pictures. Not only would you get the pretty outside garden shots in the park, but you could do some really fun things with the features in the park, like the bean, or the founders fountain. If you are goingto be in that area, Allori Photography has some good shots at the bean, also Huffaker Photography has some really cool pictures as well.
After the long walk home in the rain, I was ready for a good brew, burger, and some Badgers! Luckily there was a Wisconsin bar right behind Jayme's apartment in the city! The bar was called the Cedar Hotel, and they had a mighty good cheeseburger if I do say so myself. The only disappointing thing, besides the score of the game, was that they didnt have any Wisconsin beers (besides Miller lite) for us cheese heads to enjoy. A Spotted Cow sure would have hit the spot, but my Goose Island 312 did the job fine ; )
I know it seems that the day couldnt have gotten more exciting, but o yes, it did. That evening was most exciting because I got to see my cousin Chad and his lovely girlfriend Mary Kate! Because both of our dads moved away from Michigan before we were born, we didnt really get to see much of each other growing up. I have always been in the Midwest and Chad and his brother Jake were in California and Missouri and all sorts of crazy places ; ) So when we finally get to see each other, its a big deal! We celebrated by getting margaritas and appetizers at Blue Agave and then walked down to Bootleggers where Chad and I were robbed by one cup in beer pong! I had such a good time catching up with him and meeting Mary Kate, I cant wait till the next time I see them (hopefully as family and as clients ; )
Song of the Day: To go along with my excitement to see my cousin, the song of the day is all about being proud of your family and your name, however its okay if you go your own way and maybe do things a little bit differently. "Family Tradition" always makes me smile, and not just because of Hank Williams Jr's twangy smoothness ; )
"Don't ask me Hank why do you drink? (Hank) why do you roll smoke? Why must you live out the songs that you wrote? If I'm down in a Honky-Tonk Some ol' slicks tryin to give me corrections I'll say leave me alone I'm singin all night long it's a family tradition"
Leg Five: Chicago!
Bear with me, still recapping from the weekend! Not much to report for Friday cause I spent most of the day driving, but I do want to share the delicious restaurant we went to the first night I was in Chi-town!
After the fun filled evening with the family on Thursday night at Opus, it was tough waking up with the Garner family at 5:45am on Friday to say goodbye to them before they all jetted off to their wonderfully busy lives. It was worth it though, and after a quick morning catnap, I was on the road again, this time to visit Jayme in the windy city! The traffic in the city was CRAZY but I finally arrived and Jayme and I hit the streets! We ended up having dinner at Due, a sister company to the famous Uno's Pizzeria. Mmmmm I'll tell you nothing hit the spot better at a street side table than a pepperoni Chicago style deep dish pizza and a frosty Sam Adams Cherry Wheat! If you like the food they have at Uno's, I would definitely recommend Due, they have such a wide selection of entrees that you really cant go wrong if you go there : )
After the scrumcious meal at Due, Jayme and I walked to the three story movie theater on Illinois St. to see the Social Network. I thought the movie was good, a little different than I thought it was going to be but still good. It's funny, after hearing the backstory, I started thinking about the backlash that could come from the movie; yet within the 10 minutes when we got back to Jayme's apartment I was already on facebook. O the technology age we live in .... I should really work on my internet obsession....
Song of the Day: Since I went along with the Michigan theme on "The Great Midwest Roadtrip" I think it is fitting to continue on to the next city for the song of the day. Today's song is " 25 or 6 to 4" by, yes you guessed it, Chicago. This is a great song to jam out to because not only because, well come on it's Chicago, and the guitar solo is amazing, but also because I really like the horn sections : )
"Waiting for the break of day (ba da-da-da-da-da Da) searching for something to say (ba da-da-da-da-da Da Da!) Flashing lights against the sky, giving up I close my eyes"
After the fun filled evening with the family on Thursday night at Opus, it was tough waking up with the Garner family at 5:45am on Friday to say goodbye to them before they all jetted off to their wonderfully busy lives. It was worth it though, and after a quick morning catnap, I was on the road again, this time to visit Jayme in the windy city! The traffic in the city was CRAZY but I finally arrived and Jayme and I hit the streets! We ended up having dinner at Due, a sister company to the famous Uno's Pizzeria. Mmmmm I'll tell you nothing hit the spot better at a street side table than a pepperoni Chicago style deep dish pizza and a frosty Sam Adams Cherry Wheat! If you like the food they have at Uno's, I would definitely recommend Due, they have such a wide selection of entrees that you really cant go wrong if you go there : )
After the scrumcious meal at Due, Jayme and I walked to the three story movie theater on Illinois St. to see the Social Network. I thought the movie was good, a little different than I thought it was going to be but still good. It's funny, after hearing the backstory, I started thinking about the backlash that could come from the movie; yet within the 10 minutes when we got back to Jayme's apartment I was already on facebook. O the technology age we live in .... I should really work on my internet obsession....
Song of the Day: Since I went along with the Michigan theme on "The Great Midwest Roadtrip" I think it is fitting to continue on to the next city for the song of the day. Today's song is " 25 or 6 to 4" by, yes you guessed it, Chicago. This is a great song to jam out to because not only because, well come on it's Chicago, and the guitar solo is amazing, but also because I really like the horn sections : )
"Waiting for the break of day (ba da-da-da-da-da Da) searching for something to say (ba da-da-da-da-da Da Da!) Flashing lights against the sky, giving up I close my eyes"
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Hendrix Original
Ah! Its funny how even on vacations you get so busy! Sorry I havent been updating, I'm catching up today before making the final journey back home to Minnesota. I saw a TON of cool things over the weekend so I am probably going to do separate blogs for each day so you dont get overwhelmed : )
So on Thursday I got the chance to hang out a bunch with my family and get in touch with some of my Garner "entrepreneurship" roots. There are a lot of people in my family that have the entrepreneurial spirit, and I am eternally grateful for that because I can always turn to someone who has been there when I need help.
The oldest business my family owns is called Garner's Jewlery and Exchange and their main office is in Taylor, Michigan. In addition to be a jewelry store, the store also functions as a pawn shop. When I was a kid my sister and I would always come to Michigan for the summer and we would rush to the store to see what discount DVD's and videogames we could find ; ) They have a HUGE selection of items, everything from TV's and CD's to instruments and guns. If you live in the Taylor/Detroit/Redford area and are looking for something, come to Garner's and they can help you find whatever you need!
In the same building as Garner's Jewelry and Exchange, my family also owns and operates Garner Properties and Management, where they manage over 1200 properties in the Detroit area. But wait, that's not all. My cousin Aaron also started his own law firm, the Law Offices of Aaron D. Cox. All of our family businesses specialize in customer service and making sure that our clients receive the best service out there. It makes me proud to be the next family member to be starting their own business : )
So after a day of family reconnecting, the whole lot of us went out to downtown Detroit where my Aunt Brenda works at the MGM Grand - Detroit. After some drinks and sushi at Ignite, we all met up at Opus One, a schwanky little restaurant of Larned St. Because it is restaurant week for many of the businesses downtown, we got to have a full sample of the menu, from appetizers to desert. It was great because the whole table ordered different things so there was a bunch of sharing and tasting of everyone's dishes. The food was absolutely delicious, and the wine never stopped flowing ; ) It was great to sit and chat with my family and get more advice on how to further my business. Per Aaron and Uncle Chris's advice, I am putting out a help wanted listing for my "catch phrase". Apparently I need a catchy slogan that people can associate my business with and I have been trying to come up with something but am not having any luck. So, if anyone out there has any suggestions for a catch phrase for em.my events, post it here or let me know and there will be a prize for the person who comes up with the best slogan!! : D
Overall the Michigan trip was just great, I love being with my family and definitely need to make it a point to see all of them more often! Thanks to everyone for having me and to Uncle Chris and Aunt Brenda for letting me stay with them!
Song of the Day: This trip has been so fun and relaxing, especially when I am just chilling at my aunt and uncle's house with Turk. So the song of the day is "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson cause its just a fun little song that makes me smile and makes me want to just do whatever all the time, haha ; )
"This Song is meant to keep ya from doing what you're supposed to, like waking up too early. Maybe we can sleep in, I'll make you banana pancakes, pretend like it's the weekend now. And we could pretend it all the time"
Bravo Beverage: According to my Uncle Chris and his friend Gordon, this drink is the King of gin drinks. I am a fan of gin, but it has a very, so to say "ginny", taste to it so if you dont like gin I wouldnt really recommend it. The drink is called the Hendrix Original, and my Uncle is very particular on how you fix it. I dont remember exactly what is in it, but the two key ingredients are Hendrix gin and powdered sugar. I was a little skeptical at first, but after tasting it, I really liked it! Now its not a drink that I can see myself ordering all the time (fancy gin is expensive!), but maybe every now and then : )
So on Thursday I got the chance to hang out a bunch with my family and get in touch with some of my Garner "entrepreneurship" roots. There are a lot of people in my family that have the entrepreneurial spirit, and I am eternally grateful for that because I can always turn to someone who has been there when I need help.
The oldest business my family owns is called Garner's Jewlery and Exchange and their main office is in Taylor, Michigan. In addition to be a jewelry store, the store also functions as a pawn shop. When I was a kid my sister and I would always come to Michigan for the summer and we would rush to the store to see what discount DVD's and videogames we could find ; ) They have a HUGE selection of items, everything from TV's and CD's to instruments and guns. If you live in the Taylor/Detroit/Redford area and are looking for something, come to Garner's and they can help you find whatever you need!
In the same building as Garner's Jewelry and Exchange, my family also owns and operates Garner Properties and Management, where they manage over 1200 properties in the Detroit area. But wait, that's not all. My cousin Aaron also started his own law firm, the Law Offices of Aaron D. Cox. All of our family businesses specialize in customer service and making sure that our clients receive the best service out there. It makes me proud to be the next family member to be starting their own business : )
So after a day of family reconnecting, the whole lot of us went out to downtown Detroit where my Aunt Brenda works at the MGM Grand - Detroit. After some drinks and sushi at Ignite, we all met up at Opus One, a schwanky little restaurant of Larned St. Because it is restaurant week for many of the businesses downtown, we got to have a full sample of the menu, from appetizers to desert. It was great because the whole table ordered different things so there was a bunch of sharing and tasting of everyone's dishes. The food was absolutely delicious, and the wine never stopped flowing ; ) It was great to sit and chat with my family and get more advice on how to further my business. Per Aaron and Uncle Chris's advice, I am putting out a help wanted listing for my "catch phrase". Apparently I need a catchy slogan that people can associate my business with and I have been trying to come up with something but am not having any luck. So, if anyone out there has any suggestions for a catch phrase for em.my events, post it here or let me know and there will be a prize for the person who comes up with the best slogan!! : D
Overall the Michigan trip was just great, I love being with my family and definitely need to make it a point to see all of them more often! Thanks to everyone for having me and to Uncle Chris and Aunt Brenda for letting me stay with them!
Song of the Day: This trip has been so fun and relaxing, especially when I am just chilling at my aunt and uncle's house with Turk. So the song of the day is "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson cause its just a fun little song that makes me smile and makes me want to just do whatever all the time, haha ; )
"This Song is meant to keep ya from doing what you're supposed to, like waking up too early. Maybe we can sleep in, I'll make you banana pancakes, pretend like it's the weekend now. And we could pretend it all the time"
Bravo Beverage: According to my Uncle Chris and his friend Gordon, this drink is the King of gin drinks. I am a fan of gin, but it has a very, so to say "ginny", taste to it so if you dont like gin I wouldnt really recommend it. The drink is called the Hendrix Original, and my Uncle is very particular on how you fix it. I dont remember exactly what is in it, but the two key ingredients are Hendrix gin and powdered sugar. I was a little skeptical at first, but after tasting it, I really liked it! Now its not a drink that I can see myself ordering all the time (fancy gin is expensive!), but maybe every now and then : )
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