tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66287980017867254462024-03-05T23:21:23.890-08:00MegaBlogIowa City to the East Coast and back for $69.50; (A journey by Deborah Yarchun).Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-21281999947780532012011-08-19T08:35:00.000-07:002011-09-02T22:11:26.327-07:00The Return to Iowa City(August 10, 2011)<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On the way back to Iowa City, mid-morning, I sat in the very back of the bus on the top, center-aisle. My face reflected back at me, layered in the glass pane over cornfields and the megabus logo.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Time bends on long trips. Towards the middle it feels, in a good way, like it won’t ever end. At the end it seemed it passed too quickly, even though I felt like I lived a lifetime. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On this trip, I explored four cities I’ve never been to in my life and revisited three; four if you count Iowa City. I met and revisited countless people.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I pushed my personal boundaries—stepped into the unfamiliar, and in one of the few instances in my otherwise relatively uptight life, let go. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">FINAL STATS</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">__________________________________________________________</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Number of miles traveled by<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>bus: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> 2888. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Based on google-mapping each megabus station and counting the Great Megabus Detour.)</div><br />
Total hours spent on the bus:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> 60</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Total number of days I traveled: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">30</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Number of different households I slept: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">14</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Nine of them friends I knew in advance, four hosted me through couchsurfing.org and one was with friends of a friend. )</div><br />
Number of unique visits to my blog as I write this (nationally and internationally): <br />
2,332<br />
(thanks everybody!)<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Total expense:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Factoring groceries and rent against every dime spent on this trip out of my pocket- I came out... <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">$100 ahead!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">It was not my initial intent, but taking this trip actually saved me money. I’m sooo using the $100 I saved towards starting a Roth IRA! (many many hours on a bus bought me time to investigate how to have a financial life).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
__________________________________________________________</div><br />
On August 10, 2011, the day the midwest heat broke, at 2 pm I arrived back in Iowa City. <br />
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<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/AVvXsEg2c63mgtkI7sRbeduOTo7WzS5TK9h-hZ0A6Eoc0G7vOi9Yxbk-Iro8DqKySxOT-Ihrg3YDRxhIV51Z25Bym-aN8qxmUzCpm6FZjU4sr50DhqLe5LWtrtBSYJep5tuj8s2VOYdkiTJ6iMG0/s1600/IMG_20110810_135516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2c63mgtkI7sRbeduOTo7WzS5TK9h-hZ0A6Eoc0G7vOi9Yxbk-Iro8DqKySxOT-Ihrg3YDRxhIV51Z25Bym-aN8qxmUzCpm6FZjU4sr50DhqLe5LWtrtBSYJep5tuj8s2VOYdkiTJ6iMG0/s320/IMG_20110810_135516.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> (Iowa City doesn't have a skyline. )</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Through the City of Literature, on my way by foot to my apartment (eight minutes from the center of town), I dragged my bags past my favorite familiar sights:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">The Ped-Mall:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNILvDsfYVysMyhInkGR5NVL0q0PzHYh81wvSwiMSKDZB_o7UZhN2FfpDI1NFa710IKqE9CFs-VzA2ENGc8ebYhdwjHKfKY0WCMbedKxLiS3d789V_e_F55jk5aJXX-XU98xjNYBwIjaMG/s1600/IMG_20110810_135926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNILvDsfYVysMyhInkGR5NVL0q0PzHYh81wvSwiMSKDZB_o7UZhN2FfpDI1NFa710IKqE9CFs-VzA2ENGc8ebYhdwjHKfKY0WCMbedKxLiS3d789V_e_F55jk5aJXX-XU98xjNYBwIjaMG/s320/IMG_20110810_135926.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">(where children play in the fountain)</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I passed a freestanding outdoor piano (open for all to play) and one of the many book statues scattered around the ped-mall.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This one's page was open to a map of Iowa City's landmarks; etched in the corner: "Beyond this place, there be dragons."</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEjFwZAcXFvmh05uiWDo_ECqb5fHgozwbu_C_IPVYtLlxuhaeIn0t7ia1YY96ed4X_3txNHWcjL3BgdI0h43q9ySWbi2sInPvHRnzqNSO271VW7SQmZyO0Z4cctmiNbobnivLjiwbQ2pQWrG/s1600/IMG_20110810_140157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwZAcXFvmh05uiWDo_ECqb5fHgozwbu_C_IPVYtLlxuhaeIn0t7ia1YY96ed4X_3txNHWcjL3BgdI0h43q9ySWbi2sInPvHRnzqNSO271VW7SQmZyO0Z4cctmiNbobnivLjiwbQ2pQWrG/s400/IMG_20110810_140157.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh, Iowa City. </span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I passed the Old Capitol Building:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwaujagogi06kr5GkmLxLii5k7zQWLvLxi0PgLVfO_-1zYvZCg3_vf7EXc0VuA1DtIRU_-yvqe4xd0gNuB5-34Ng993WdTpHqFrB2KTnfUvbD3NQnCNGUKiUYDPjP1qIHUaRk9s_EQlXt/s1600/IMG_20110810_140814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwaujagogi06kr5GkmLxLii5k7zQWLvLxi0PgLVfO_-1zYvZCg3_vf7EXc0VuA1DtIRU_-yvqe4xd0gNuB5-34Ng993WdTpHqFrB2KTnfUvbD3NQnCNGUKiUYDPjP1qIHUaRk9s_EQlXt/s320/IMG_20110810_140814.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And I returned to my bike. Plants now poking from it’s lonely spokes. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoow8nKLLzNK4NGEiPtswNHbm6_MDc0GJe08IywR4PhQavEBy_wjG7wZy-ZVfu3t5nn1E5QY7xHrSk5xtzewoBzlsOalkT7IK14ANqCRohL52ztus2j-NQzQXqdSgrNBmv68xL7LyOo3X/s1600/IMG_20110810_141517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoow8nKLLzNK4NGEiPtswNHbm6_MDc0GJe08IywR4PhQavEBy_wjG7wZy-ZVfu3t5nn1E5QY7xHrSk5xtzewoBzlsOalkT7IK14ANqCRohL52ztus2j-NQzQXqdSgrNBmv68xL7LyOo3X/s320/IMG_20110810_141517.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I entered through my front door, into my apartment:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Where I immediately passed out on my own futon.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kj1QyVJkZdBf157ysTU76A8OPuNX3gWWP53r-7QTh7_1as8t9nr-R563gT92M78H1f_3g8H9cfpAlJPHzVoTZKwXvlpYvaFGsJIudwmGi-peapW_FSrEy1Q_k1SXOWhJICcdyRvEaEF_/s1600/IMG_20110810_213337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kj1QyVJkZdBf157ysTU76A8OPuNX3gWWP53r-7QTh7_1as8t9nr-R563gT92M78H1f_3g8H9cfpAlJPHzVoTZKwXvlpYvaFGsJIudwmGi-peapW_FSrEy1Q_k1SXOWhJICcdyRvEaEF_/s400/IMG_20110810_213337.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">___________________________________________________</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">That evening…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I unicycled into the sunset. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2I7v5fUqxmvr4bob1CGbhUO8pUqM73r_13uDX0ndPRENCXdStirK_TCycGEya-DRd1R6I64_KMi8iIje9BoTVcz1spW0rZcvxnnBxkV1vuO4V63FGKLghGRIDfMGHk8BPfiUGP4qbFUcb/s1600/IMG_20110811_200755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2I7v5fUqxmvr4bob1CGbhUO8pUqM73r_13uDX0ndPRENCXdStirK_TCycGEya-DRd1R6I64_KMi8iIje9BoTVcz1spW0rZcvxnnBxkV1vuO4V63FGKLghGRIDfMGHk8BPfiUGP4qbFUcb/s320/IMG_20110811_200755.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">How can megabussing solo halfway across the country and back for $69.50 not leave you feeling profoundly empowered?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="449" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KXyQzzVt4Mg" width="525"></iframe><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">END OF EPIC MEGABUS JOURNEY</div><br />
<br />
Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-23320550472690070782011-08-17T06:59:00.000-07:002011-09-02T22:14:25.776-07:00Coming Full Circle in Chicago. (Windy City Whirlwind part 3)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(August 9)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I left Columbus and headed back into the dome of the Midwest. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEi_I2bmXtOo41izvNtAjfgjQY9BVC7g2nTVIrSqdpPwbT73etV9f6R01CXHWy2Ewwhjgw0hiXRaNNPtkjf3o7kDlHB3ROvq_EvpYo1VrcDXXwxX53hkyYaT2moD0PMsybGnaO2ZG4lVnXNa/s1600/IMG_20110809_150756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_I2bmXtOo41izvNtAjfgjQY9BVC7g2nTVIrSqdpPwbT73etV9f6R01CXHWy2Ewwhjgw0hiXRaNNPtkjf3o7kDlHB3ROvq_EvpYo1VrcDXXwxX53hkyYaT2moD0PMsybGnaO2ZG4lVnXNa/s320/IMG_20110809_150756.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let the corn begin.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We drove through Indiana</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgeFYT_qspJFBOLFH7KerkRPpFOjAI8ZamDwGRw5fpfKhXA8vFQXz2YUyq_o0W-K9NIdCbEF6kwdrd9U03fwx3bslTojfJwEadBpulHRK7rg8yS0ooo2qjEIWu126Ss7Zd5JpftC_mlj8/s1600/IMG_20110809_141135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgeFYT_qspJFBOLFH7KerkRPpFOjAI8ZamDwGRw5fpfKhXA8vFQXz2YUyq_o0W-K9NIdCbEF6kwdrd9U03fwx3bslTojfJwEadBpulHRK7rg8yS0ooo2qjEIWu126Ss7Zd5JpftC_mlj8/s320/IMG_20110809_141135.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Indianapolis </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">and past miles and miles of wind farms--</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWEN62shZhLU8qZeE3nVmfg093lM_XAwqgBU2hqO2RtvHIkAimTU44PAQYcsgcNxEHnFdoheaZnZGWTB2zE4_TSfn9JbwDZklV3JjUdtSdcXpjqIXo_OpSbDz3tieEtBNU8AjexwmYeEQ/s1600/IMG_20110809_155303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWEN62shZhLU8qZeE3nVmfg093lM_XAwqgBU2hqO2RtvHIkAimTU44PAQYcsgcNxEHnFdoheaZnZGWTB2zE4_TSfn9JbwDZklV3JjUdtSdcXpjqIXo_OpSbDz3tieEtBNU8AjexwmYeEQ/s320/IMG_20110809_155303.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">before we finally reached Chicago:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLyjeO4Y_84O435QhfK70rxyV-sGWyzrFzT7aAeW-dw88iYSDkn3J8BtDR0GCcCCsPbSDs8_2xJYogYTEQDO6Y8XM_nphXt43F23XcAF9yApgfB30RYIsK4pZdYIyHr7HUJvseoQJtqpx/s1600/IMG_20110809_164107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLyjeO4Y_84O435QhfK70rxyV-sGWyzrFzT7aAeW-dw88iYSDkn3J8BtDR0GCcCCsPbSDs8_2xJYogYTEQDO6Y8XM_nphXt43F23XcAF9yApgfB30RYIsK4pZdYIyHr7HUJvseoQJtqpx/s320/IMG_20110809_164107.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chicago from the megabus.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This time, Chicago wasn't a stranger. In fact, given the short time I've known it-- it felt weirdly familiar. Like when somebody <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">hugs you the first time you meet them-- and then you run into them three weeks later-- and even though you haven’t said a word since, it’s like you’ve known each other your whole life. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
From Union Station, I headed straight to Bucktown, Phil's hip neighborhood.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My impression of Bucktown in the two shots I had time to take:</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbe6I7CwBHWtW_Lx46mKTRXRs5Tl4wKTQeZ9E-P4ss0GQyV3WXh6sfqv7K8SqzR8FiNx4T0-_KIz1JjqUh-jpcyQt00em7RBaw69igtt9dTjahfSnb82zCD3QVFLUY8gj2Zfywu-xjA2q/s1600/IMG_20110809_174914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbe6I7CwBHWtW_Lx46mKTRXRs5Tl4wKTQeZ9E-P4ss0GQyV3WXh6sfqv7K8SqzR8FiNx4T0-_KIz1JjqUh-jpcyQt00em7RBaw69igtt9dTjahfSnb82zCD3QVFLUY8gj2Zfywu-xjA2q/s320/IMG_20110809_174914.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bike shop.</span></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/AVvXsEjIoMkPUO1wDRgSXPeIqvma8__1oH-c9UiS4tqXbu8YYUemApUQaMjnHo7KpjkujhluqxUZ-3R63g4GgWtcLS343jIDHFkr1qzVQ3FsW5sVOROqZRXtEX4tpZxY8-DpWADXACNoLf6aaGOo/s1600/IMG_20110809_175018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoMkPUO1wDRgSXPeIqvma8__1oH-c9UiS4tqXbu8YYUemApUQaMjnHo7KpjkujhluqxUZ-3R63g4GgWtcLS343jIDHFkr1qzVQ3FsW5sVOROqZRXtEX4tpZxY8-DpWADXACNoLf6aaGOo/s320/IMG_20110809_175018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nostalgic hipster art.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
In Bucktown, I reached the home of comedian Phil Biedron, the original megabus master. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><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;"><img border="0" src="http://www.philbiedroncomedy.com/_/rsrc/1302429305736/home/yellow.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(image borrowed from <a href="http://www.philbiedroncomedy.com/">http://www.philbiedroncomedy.com/</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Since April 2011, Phil has been booking $1 megabus tickets for his comedy tour of the midwest (Phil's blog: <a href="http://midweston25.blogspot.com/2011/04/itinerary.html">Midwest On 25</a>).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Postcards of all the places he’s been (many visited via megabus):</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRRs7q1ywuP-9ghoeXxoOt8fGv31800e6oTrSrUMAX23mIsHf_kswpGaHGQWmV0mKRj2kD0-QEV35qO4U_hIDK7LIPLuaemW6dYvjNSgDU6nH8U5ais33Bk0QZfR3mJLWv_CoThaeeicJ/s1600/IMG_20110809_180648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRRs7q1ywuP-9ghoeXxoOt8fGv31800e6oTrSrUMAX23mIsHf_kswpGaHGQWmV0mKRj2kD0-QEV35qO4U_hIDK7LIPLuaemW6dYvjNSgDU6nH8U5ais33Bk0QZfR3mJLWv_CoThaeeicJ/s320/IMG_20110809_180648.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">including:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEhCFFsOgrXXD91OBETODvLjeU3_xpFBWctTgW-WWCU9poa4hMcPOilo0tILVmjDGBsgXd-u56USCKReKLZbg0eGx7vzZ9il1t-jAZZvaUwaKTVlCXdv6W2A62PTvgwKzD3oxkypu03CjaSy/s1600/IMG_20110809_180714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFFsOgrXXD91OBETODvLjeU3_xpFBWctTgW-WWCU9poa4hMcPOilo0tILVmjDGBsgXd-u56USCKReKLZbg0eGx7vzZ9il1t-jAZZvaUwaKTVlCXdv6W2A62PTvgwKzD3oxkypu03CjaSy/s320/IMG_20110809_180714.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This was unfortuantely the best Iowa City postcard that Phil could find.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This postcard is from his fateful trip to Iowa City, where he helped spark the Great Megabus Adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Phil’s very goal-oriented. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Phil’s other wall:</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/AVvXsEgWWKJnyvNsqzJHkxwveQg7GEdRhVubWcA9m8W5pYYWivuBRI0lUyfV9USoNfUd04k85WxuqPaVmI0tK48XA0fqYN9OIk6wem8Pql11Y6havkbUIZL9NehKlwksP4YccFTdXolKghyt4L0r/s1600/IMG_20110809_180630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWKJnyvNsqzJHkxwveQg7GEdRhVubWcA9m8W5pYYWivuBRI0lUyfV9USoNfUd04k85WxuqPaVmI0tK48XA0fqYN9OIk6wem8Pql11Y6havkbUIZL9NehKlwksP4YccFTdXolKghyt4L0r/s320/IMG_20110809_180630.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Goals accomplished so far:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Finish a rubiks cube (start 2/4/11 end 5/12/11)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">How many licks to the center of a toosie pop? (304)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Vegetarian for one week (11/1 - 11/8 2010)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As soon as I met up with Phil, almost immediately I was back in the windy city whirlwind—from Bucktown, straight to Ravenswood, where Meg, Phil's girlfriend, had made dinner—and then twenty minutes later <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to the Lincoln Park neighborhood for <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Million Dollar Quartet”—where Phil’s roommate, Jake Lindquist ushers. (Jake was the tour guide of the speedboat architecture tour<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phil and Meg took me on during my first whirlwind.)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At 7:28, Phil and Meg dropped me off at the Apollo theater before speeding off to an audition. Jake handed me a program, took my bag off my shoulders and ushered me to a seat front-row center.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Great Megabus Adventure culminated unexpectedly in a night of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and a strong sudden desire to visit Memphis. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEgDrKz3q4KXYNyQzFL7Y2R_sCBR2lukDULjnV84Y0VkvU3WokqgrRCIG7uV-TbRrgfXVdgLnLe8R8V9VKfg0gtDFq-ikr0a3fDLhnpG0PCcUmUm4sNLoDO3CwsPZLGf1vSR25AufJdjl93q/s1600/milliondollarquartet1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrKz3q4KXYNyQzFL7Y2R_sCBR2lukDULjnV84Y0VkvU3WokqgrRCIG7uV-TbRrgfXVdgLnLe8R8V9VKfg0gtDFq-ikr0a3fDLhnpG0PCcUmUm4sNLoDO3CwsPZLGf1vSR25AufJdjl93q/s320/milliondollarquartet1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Photo borrowed from <a href="http://www.milliondollarquartetlive.com/">http://www.milliondollarquartetlive.com/</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Followed by beers with Meg and Phil.</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gc-8l45I2TwCipg6mvYWSJ6ibzD5rEg15NG_RwhHcydwO5b9tPb78CZW8I2Sa3V3Vs4LR30lFHemfnowchvHiRiCNao3gIHVP96JPH0K5mDm9hS_oWwPy-QxP9IAWoeBGcVdhLOhBzOk/s1600/IMG_20110809_231907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gc-8l45I2TwCipg6mvYWSJ6ibzD5rEg15NG_RwhHcydwO5b9tPb78CZW8I2Sa3V3Vs4LR30lFHemfnowchvHiRiCNao3gIHVP96JPH0K5mDm9hS_oWwPy-QxP9IAWoeBGcVdhLOhBzOk/s320/IMG_20110809_231907.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">STAY TUNED FOR: the startling conclusion, my return to Iowa City.<br />
<br />
</div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-7297729791917458662011-08-15T22:28:00.000-07:002012-12-28T00:39:59.490-08:00Columbus, Ohio. The High Street Hike: (German Village to the Short North)<span style="font-family: inherit;">(August 7th and 8th)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On the road, after leaving Pittsburgh, it rained the entire day. Until the clouds receded and—</span><br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
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<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Columbus, Ohio appeared:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXp9HHwrQN7gVv45azTMC-n3NHOC0dR6AAHIKOvAm6lGNwBcZ6_2XMCT2wcb_uLoh01mVZ0OfAe7Xwijlp311KXHdzkwy1n9oIdc6qqSlsAGL3jCYRsQWLWTZ0m2da96ps_9vR_UEiS7F/s1600/IMG_20110808_204013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXp9HHwrQN7gVv45azTMC-n3NHOC0dR6AAHIKOvAm6lGNwBcZ6_2XMCT2wcb_uLoh01mVZ0OfAe7Xwijlp311KXHdzkwy1n9oIdc6qqSlsAGL3jCYRsQWLWTZ0m2da96ps_9vR_UEiS7F/s400/IMG_20110808_204013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I temporarily traded my life as a Hawkeye...</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="138" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfggFg-AXqprgwT7H8KInWZXZa7Q7O-2wtxyvPY7UHMhbORfat8YTiX4vr73UeG1a4JJnpb2lZ8zMcFSx_myEgE5T9A_bpQwypG0vHGb3dhn_Soej-PU4L0-kX3U2iRhCkz4ChcJTB628/s200/iowa-hawkeyes1.jpg" width="200" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">for two days amongst the Buckeyes.</span><br />
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<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/AVvXsEhDwFMHLmiQG8rlS01tI3LMcOQXbHqBNajwmrmyNVWgAZDmTQQZsgXkfi31H_BkT0XS_kz36f0AZmrHjlKZ6JD9S8oa565e4pc8X97KvDb_7kArHL0lD2cVgJsOCAUX7ogP12vyA6qzoKjV/s1600/mascot_headshot_ohio_state_crop_340x234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwFMHLmiQG8rlS01tI3LMcOQXbHqBNajwmrmyNVWgAZDmTQQZsgXkfi31H_BkT0XS_kz36f0AZmrHjlKZ6JD9S8oa565e4pc8X97KvDb_7kArHL0lD2cVgJsOCAUX7ogP12vyA6qzoKjV/s320/mascot_headshot_ohio_state_crop_340x234.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">FYI: A buckeye is the seed of the buckeye tree (similar to an acorn). Also, a local confection (<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__bpPUkeA-2o/TFpHOP9U5GI/AAAAAAAAATc/i09dz3xwFkY/s1600/buckeye.jpg">seen here</a>). Also, quite possibly the most bizarre mascot ever.</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This time, I didn’t have to find my hosts-- they found me. Alternative rock musician Colin Morris initially contacted me after he discovered a link to my blog through the Megabus' twitter feed. <br />
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<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/AVvXsEh67_d2NEzhErY7wWXu00LiyxqQx3t8c_jIgkMHOfA9zKNvGe4x2OYQjQ0Mjei2-B6JElckb0_5a-f-Y6GkUnfIyX8VvZZj0wl-0p_GvsbVQQmB8B25jjtNGzuiTPgsvUfJ5AGx8cerqLlV/s1600/colinmorris+and+brownfox+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67_d2NEzhErY7wWXu00LiyxqQx3t8c_jIgkMHOfA9zKNvGe4x2OYQjQ0Mjei2-B6JElckb0_5a-f-Y6GkUnfIyX8VvZZj0wl-0p_GvsbVQQmB8B25jjtNGzuiTPgsvUfJ5AGx8cerqLlV/s320/colinmorris+and+brownfox+-+Copy.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colin Morris (center) and his band, Brown Fox. He's the lead singer and songwriter.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It turns out Colin and his girlfriend Elizabeth Brown are both members of couchsurfing.org. So, I had the privilege of learning about Columbus, Ohio through these two lovely people:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2vFHSZsVcLDW87ZEchj2MJfYOKd0ekdSRHX0P4GBExiiqdLwxVTb-t7D2lj_iN7tVCOZIj6SAExatrTZwgtieasQ_FF9VqR-D0cb68Wax1lgGALCkoFjywStSkyNO2KNEMWY_m903158/s1600/IMG_20110808_204706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2vFHSZsVcLDW87ZEchj2MJfYOKd0ekdSRHX0P4GBExiiqdLwxVTb-t7D2lj_iN7tVCOZIj6SAExatrTZwgtieasQ_FF9VqR-D0cb68Wax1lgGALCkoFjywStSkyNO2KNEMWY_m903158/s320/IMG_20110808_204706.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
My overall impression:</div>
Columbus is an up and coming city with a skyline roughly the size of Austin's ten years ago. According to Colin, due to the availability of jobs compared to elsewhere in Ohio, it also has a "disproportionately web savvy population." There are a few seriously shady spots (see the end of my High Street hike), but also some crazy cool nighttime lighting:<br />
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
Bicentennial Park in the evening is almost the perfect setting for a romance:</div>
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<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA7LtGn-aQUvP2Es84NrFGikPWzfRlUWSlTyei57R95F7YtfMCOROqtZXTa7Rn1W2xx32ZsFRhqP0MjqK9LXRQ92l9Ld9EnQRZj_VaiF6d6hje64L9Ze8AMcZyD-RqfNmj_twNTnIBjRB/s1600/IMG_20110808_205317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA7LtGn-aQUvP2Es84NrFGikPWzfRlUWSlTyei57R95F7YtfMCOROqtZXTa7Rn1W2xx32ZsFRhqP0MjqK9LXRQ92l9Ld9EnQRZj_VaiF6d6hje64L9Ze8AMcZyD-RqfNmj_twNTnIBjRB/s320/IMG_20110808_205317.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKeHQ0K_jVh0nB-mW7qXCXOQ7KMx7CFUq7Jp5WYJKDdsCFFLUABtnCuG7VjkI_4dmdLrA52jv11D3HKRZvsebS3fbG_db29TfpT_idv3-9LimvLgqfrXZvp2Lwqg6RrBazoWuZLjc7z46/s1600/IMG_20110808_205226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKeHQ0K_jVh0nB-mW7qXCXOQ7KMx7CFUq7Jp5WYJKDdsCFFLUABtnCuG7VjkI_4dmdLrA52jv11D3HKRZvsebS3fbG_db29TfpT_idv3-9LimvLgqfrXZvp2Lwqg6RrBazoWuZLjc7z46/s320/IMG_20110808_205226.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
or</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
a horror film!</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/AVvXsEgVAr6NR4roYWDMfHNmVIQvOIgo0ZlO4e-qP-3q6GFfN8GOb70rH8k70ZLYAgG1pxbyTuFpXQBVkAe3L4VumZ_KD_Dyg1ggcxxoWgjwRSy316hwWz3dB1YtAUw_L4-Kk9yArZ4DFhBckyiH/s1600/IMG_20110808_210309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAr6NR4roYWDMfHNmVIQvOIgo0ZlO4e-qP-3q6GFfN8GOb70rH8k70ZLYAgG1pxbyTuFpXQBVkAe3L4VumZ_KD_Dyg1ggcxxoWgjwRSy316hwWz3dB1YtAUw_L4-Kk9yArZ4DFhBckyiH/s320/IMG_20110808_210309.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“No, Elizabeth. Don’t go into the mist!"</span></div>
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</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/AVvXsEinfCOwnv2mxArLt8g1LvWWSTZBKUZp-Vw4e8rHrSZm2fYYTi2A8iYD0IUd7B1HUxNlmDVwMOG897N4FsyFHn_rNZNxxjXmLZZJShgPGpjQ8gh1huI2msdAihrBOGNEW8Gx59_JpZsnghtK/s1600/IMG_20110808_210826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfCOwnv2mxArLt8g1LvWWSTZBKUZp-Vw4e8rHrSZm2fYYTi2A8iYD0IUd7B1HUxNlmDVwMOG897N4FsyFHn_rNZNxxjXmLZZJShgPGpjQ8gh1huI2msdAihrBOGNEW8Gx59_JpZsnghtK/s320/IMG_20110808_210826.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center">
<span style="font-size: small;">"I sense a presence."</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
could it be...</div>
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<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/AVvXsEhs2KOO61foh-_P2EH1aBtBI4duwh4-8STjwtD1JzwcnKcZcXwfJcSTCRUqh1HPFM9Pqh_FSlUnevRdfVPQSRjlv81pJ7NdGShnhg-Z6gqngm-PT20Tlagqf0uQXaGubVMDU5kuurr7y8lC/s1600/IMG_20110808_210831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2KOO61foh-_P2EH1aBtBI4duwh4-8STjwtD1JzwcnKcZcXwfJcSTCRUqh1HPFM9Pqh_FSlUnevRdfVPQSRjlv81pJ7NdGShnhg-Z6gqngm-PT20Tlagqf0uQXaGubVMDU5kuurr7y8lC/s320/IMG_20110808_210831.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">(random dude in a bathing suit!)</span><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<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/AVvXsEhISLVmBUE8M2a4Lg_vZhi7kYRuokMmHSb8F4rTDTVqBbRcaPB1ZlMB8AZ2FZDBxHeGt_CyVf5GQQEgLwT_rMQHmwzEefG15muL8reTGUg2Nr6dMEbPrdEFAFB5QhYoxmg_XkswQpI8X6lj/s1600/IMG_20110808_210457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISLVmBUE8M2a4Lg_vZhi7kYRuokMmHSb8F4rTDTVqBbRcaPB1ZlMB8AZ2FZDBxHeGt_CyVf5GQQEgLwT_rMQHmwzEefG15muL8reTGUg2Nr6dMEbPrdEFAFB5QhYoxmg_XkswQpI8X6lj/s320/IMG_20110808_210457.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Me, experiencing "the other side."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</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/AVvXsEhmITPwIdBCVhu99fp8oeo39ZHJHqhsvaUkmIL7jsixAYREyWqQKeojiTrThe9OrLdKGj62l5QOtDF_MaoEz31IpOrKMxD0EDvSLVkL-If5OGHW8nOTwyvG2ohhDyrhg1ZQosQxMRtUrIcU/s1600/IMG_20110808_211004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmITPwIdBCVhu99fp8oeo39ZHJHqhsvaUkmIL7jsixAYREyWqQKeojiTrThe9OrLdKGj62l5QOtDF_MaoEz31IpOrKMxD0EDvSLVkL-If5OGHW8nOTwyvG2ohhDyrhg1ZQosQxMRtUrIcU/s320/IMG_20110808_211004.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colin to the rescue!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></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/AVvXsEhLoLeVFohSxYwTUdEATkRtHH09Iq9VgQ7nG7uhmRjEp8LykljQp8SjGoMNrnP6PX1AxOW6Ks5ASobOt1bGP79cuQlDFj9jG9Rib8KmNbDzg6KfTiU6NWcLPix9qNruRO-V6rz105qLDohr/s1600/IMG_20110808_211052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoLeVFohSxYwTUdEATkRtHH09Iq9VgQ7nG7uhmRjEp8LykljQp8SjGoMNrnP6PX1AxOW6Ks5ASobOt1bGP79cuQlDFj9jG9Rib8KmNbDzg6KfTiU6NWcLPix9qNruRO-V6rz105qLDohr/s320/IMG_20110808_211052.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colin saving Elizabeth from the demonic mist. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
We’re back to a romance…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
BUT WAIT</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br />
Guarding German Village at night…<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBzPy7wIrIJzRgGRaDJdmZ36lHnhcflSlqIx7yVgeEUKHXtGAkQcJ7KCOysOFAXqw3xLTKb1G7Tahsi4yu9IFJHFKRbXIkuEYS3nklzCA0yBR3NRhPZTX4t8Pcn9XDaOxIR1okALMp2Rs/s1600/editedjesusglow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBzPy7wIrIJzRgGRaDJdmZ36lHnhcflSlqIx7yVgeEUKHXtGAkQcJ7KCOysOFAXqw3xLTKb1G7Tahsi4yu9IFJHFKRbXIkuEYS3nklzCA0yBR3NRhPZTX4t8Pcn9XDaOxIR1okALMp2Rs/s320/editedjesusglow.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
IT'S THE CREEPY JESUS-SHADOW-ATTEMPT ON LIVINGSTON METHODIST CHURCH!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Fortunately, we made it to Harvest for pineapple and ham pizza (made from almost all locally grown ingredients).</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/AVvXsEis1FiqRSNyyDhE_lcu22U63v-acU6JE3u4tx-t8owwmGK1Tnp9LPb2xdiHOEzV3vNa6JlOE-usfONcV5rHm_AckJmkJnJDEtkIrVLH8wQqSS9bh6XHiDi4hLuPG5shJ5BlYrcETVDnLlU4/s1600/IMG_20110808_214604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1FiqRSNyyDhE_lcu22U63v-acU6JE3u4tx-t8owwmGK1Tnp9LPb2xdiHOEzV3vNa6JlOE-usfONcV5rHm_AckJmkJnJDEtkIrVLH8wQqSS9bh6XHiDi4hLuPG5shJ5BlYrcETVDnLlU4/s320/IMG_20110808_214604.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Phew.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Colin and Elizabeth are Kent State college sweethearts. <span id="goog_741995003"></span>Elizabeth<span id="goog_741995004"></span>, an aspiring cookbook author and chef (see Elizabeth's food blog <a href="http://littlegourmande.com/">here</a>), followed her food connections to Columbus. Colin followed Elizabeth. <span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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I not only had the privilege of trying Elizabeth's pasta sauce over gnocchi the night I got into town (secret ingredient= the lemon), she pointed me in the direction of some of the best food in Columbus:<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
Jeni's Splendid Ice-Cream:</div>
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<br /></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/AVvXsEgt-w4pNDKZVDAucRoe4f5MF-FNS8sXU82UiUKunVnVRGmPEYjYlJRVZSX974rAdkqHQudrqCsh5yuIM6cvBe24TTTKE0KeJATC1mYfsniOdqAZmehQbJRRMpj52FDCBE-qFgUHYuR-To8M/s1600/IMG_20110807_213303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-w4pNDKZVDAucRoe4f5MF-FNS8sXU82UiUKunVnVRGmPEYjYlJRVZSX974rAdkqHQudrqCsh5yuIM6cvBe24TTTKE0KeJATC1mYfsniOdqAZmehQbJRRMpj52FDCBE-qFgUHYuR-To8M/s320/IMG_20110807_213303.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-bottom: 6pt; padding-left: 6pt; padding-right: 6pt; padding-top: 4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
Salted caramel ice cream topped with riesling poached pear sorbet. <span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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</td></tr>
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Jeni's is a local artisinal ice-cream phenomenon with all organic ingredients and luscious flavors:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLbMugoHb8j96nkkK4DKbxDPjwFg7Q8116pbnjgWYccWWulZJYhNvJvBb0Qzxg4_0kcWrXSSY5lMIiy0cocxh_TYhKeHGyUTGuddJzDpmWYl7cq_BRfzHwBQESPcod1jJjFDBen0LWruq/s1600/IMG_20110807_213345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLbMugoHb8j96nkkK4DKbxDPjwFg7Q8116pbnjgWYccWWulZJYhNvJvBb0Qzxg4_0kcWrXSSY5lMIiy0cocxh_TYhKeHGyUTGuddJzDpmWYl7cq_BRfzHwBQESPcod1jJjFDBen0LWruq/s320/IMG_20110807_213345.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
Some of my other favorite eats while in Columbus were at North Market...<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
<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/AVvXsEidMWx5OzAPoxD-m2lBsp4gbhdNH9myAnmDawWLUihVhlw1S4CtrNJa00H9-yqhV0W5IbsRkNL6tREYXp9aQ25YC3uL_0Q_vLbVR7oVa3OmtJEIz1jw7X00srGu9N2bsWKX5_rYak5NHgmx/s1600/IMG_20110808_151738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="117" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMWx5OzAPoxD-m2lBsp4gbhdNH9myAnmDawWLUihVhlw1S4CtrNJa00H9-yqhV0W5IbsRkNL6tREYXp9aQ25YC3uL_0Q_vLbVR7oVa3OmtJEIz1jw7X00srGu9N2bsWKX5_rYak5NHgmx/s400/IMG_20110808_151738.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-bottom: 6pt; padding-left: 6pt; padding-right: 6pt; padding-top: 4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
similar to West Side Market in Cleveland and Reading Terminal in Philadelphia.<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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</tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
At North Market:<br />
<br />
Lan Viet:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIPrU-qfj-J93rnDF_J54gbhhz6yVBsSUY6w-MXDvOzpIKOUyvzSBpE-IwtGIwkIU_Ku3ynF4oJ1V6Ra27fFiIX5mpOynJtmOSlaS3hIn1s_umx3hz1sQl4P7ke2tCf77Rx8S3Kkcqwlb/s1600/IMG_20110808_153122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIPrU-qfj-J93rnDF_J54gbhhz6yVBsSUY6w-MXDvOzpIKOUyvzSBpE-IwtGIwkIU_Ku3ynF4oJ1V6Ra27fFiIX5mpOynJtmOSlaS3hIn1s_umx3hz1sQl4P7ke2tCf77Rx8S3Kkcqwlb/s320/IMG_20110808_153122.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><br />
<br />
where I enjoyed a bean-sprout salad covered in carrot-lime dressing:<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span><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/AVvXsEjztYweGcTjhtE0gbjOgFgEt0fgs6le6b7Zr9KhsB3jdg66enXK2AMdD2xEzJc9Sqx6KLi7FPnhZdnbSfT3icoR_KqErBGCh4tqxE8y0z08-D5QG5TVXbtAFiXIdvzxNllr_gPkPMrsYRn2/s1600/IMG_20110808_152522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztYweGcTjhtE0gbjOgFgEt0fgs6le6b7Zr9KhsB3jdg66enXK2AMdD2xEzJc9Sqx6KLi7FPnhZdnbSfT3icoR_KqErBGCh4tqxE8y0z08-D5QG5TVXbtAFiXIdvzxNllr_gPkPMrsYRn2/s320/IMG_20110808_152522.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; padding-bottom: 6pt; padding-left: 6pt; padding-right: 6pt; padding-top: 4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
Vietnamese fusion rabbit-food<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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</tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
and Flavors of India</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSK82rgVsIMFWmn8Oz9Eyu9fichEmX2QvqxNy-0ZiZSSBJhZlLf4wrOdr8KKVF_0eN8z0dvSqmKL7tdgqRrQwkMeB49OGksDuRN8Gd8CV8GGnDXx8AE7fon9GjfWrBZK1HB4MNU7YH38Ua/s1600/IMG_20110808_154014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSK82rgVsIMFWmn8Oz9Eyu9fichEmX2QvqxNy-0ZiZSSBJhZlLf4wrOdr8KKVF_0eN8z0dvSqmKL7tdgqRrQwkMeB49OGksDuRN8Gd8CV8GGnDXx8AE7fon9GjfWrBZK1HB4MNU7YH38Ua/s320/IMG_20110808_154014.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
I had a cardamon iced-tea.</div>
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<br /></div>
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For dinner, my second day, Colin and Elizabeth and I went to Katzinger's. A deli trying to emulate two other delis by combining their names: Katz and Zingerman's (of Ann Arbor, MI).<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/AVvXsEhZxzBgdibgEdVVLjzLFuicC5x4yQ4y1lp_5QJ2k_m8MRtShORNZVoHG6Fr8ir9lVUZXwTOIw8-72BUNkphvl9vohDkEYxWXcRQWMJZG5iS81BU5Jja9Pb8NLfNhMmDxu_en-fOL1HFm1Cq/s1600/IMG_20110808_141723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxzBgdibgEdVVLjzLFuicC5x4yQ4y1lp_5QJ2k_m8MRtShORNZVoHG6Fr8ir9lVUZXwTOIw8-72BUNkphvl9vohDkEYxWXcRQWMJZG5iS81BU5Jja9Pb8NLfNhMmDxu_en-fOL1HFm1Cq/s320/IMG_20110808_141723.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">(Great Matzah ball soup, unlimited pickles.) </span></div>
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</tbody></table>
I didn't get a chance to visit the original Max & Erma's (a big deal in the Midwest)-- </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGF1P6gQvMFW74om9g9XauIAOU5NpJBxeyNt9AkJGPsJ2BYB5YmMwnELg9cNx02jD1fRxkv0c0bUbJLHYyDGhoGv4UFJVOXudANSYeDnNMxRJ5IaGGMtjSFB2y6mc5T0-1L1ZfHI6udQU8/s1600/IMG_20110807_214358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGF1P6gQvMFW74om9g9XauIAOU5NpJBxeyNt9AkJGPsJ2BYB5YmMwnELg9cNx02jD1fRxkv0c0bUbJLHYyDGhoGv4UFJVOXudANSYeDnNMxRJ5IaGGMtjSFB2y6mc5T0-1L1ZfHI6udQU8/s320/IMG_20110807_214358.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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or Schmidts Sausage House for weiner schnitzel. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjNRDbFAOwNivrq_T5HXHmSV6lbFyQ576lKZK_8orVTXYWFVYhVoJO4w6x7YaHJrlVfyeNASZvutCeHhx4q1LoKAGjmioobpzrXZBdTQBXeU5ElMemesw07Z75-tYnG18Gu17bUTB5L9N/s1600/IMG_20110807_211547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjNRDbFAOwNivrq_T5HXHmSV6lbFyQ576lKZK_8orVTXYWFVYhVoJO4w6x7YaHJrlVfyeNASZvutCeHhx4q1LoKAGjmioobpzrXZBdTQBXeU5ElMemesw07Z75-tYnG18Gu17bUTB5L9N/s320/IMG_20110807_211547.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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They're both located in German Village, Colin and Elizabeth's neighborhood. </div>
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<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/AVvXsEirrXdv6SnGA4PPtFNvKAUo2LuaYTjN5SvbcEGAyj3cnIWLARggJuy4DqKY2MNgbUxF51sOTOWnqqalc2c5FHBhSWWreB92PE15ZyQRFDmlXifihST5payThsP5fnIu2_NOP4phiOp6OYOS/s1600/german+village+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="73" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrXdv6SnGA4PPtFNvKAUo2LuaYTjN5SvbcEGAyj3cnIWLARggJuy4DqKY2MNgbUxF51sOTOWnqqalc2c5FHBhSWWreB92PE15ZyQRFDmlXifihST5payThsP5fnIu2_NOP4phiOp6OYOS/s400/german+village+logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Borrowed from <a href="http://germanvillage.com/">http://germanvillage.com/</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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German Village is a charming historic district, south of downtown-- filled with gardens, brick-paved streets and gas-lit porches.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3w_9Nni68NLkOBaRCICelHOSP0nK6Wy2XSDD4_PnDO_iospmGiyjvQJZBnTJGuCt1MDs4jaGdX_waSbppK4kLBT4tcaXe5oRduSfIJaVUEpeCJTxBsYiFUuzsK2g1-uirzufdsuikUZnL/s1600/IMG_20110807_222719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3w_9Nni68NLkOBaRCICelHOSP0nK6Wy2XSDD4_PnDO_iospmGiyjvQJZBnTJGuCt1MDs4jaGdX_waSbppK4kLBT4tcaXe5oRduSfIJaVUEpeCJTxBsYiFUuzsK2g1-uirzufdsuikUZnL/s200/IMG_20110807_222719.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<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/AVvXsEi9HGghcGdPLTgIffSfnmEeuTWeNtZnUcy64vNnsVlmkaqdj50UiR6czCEtMoKVhktSLmp_CWduh4V6-utnZUbktlcHaq2JXWUPlPCLv7nKuM4sQdY3sG8yLVRaoQiPIoVvmHIr5e2_ASYE/s1600/IMG_20110807_223318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HGghcGdPLTgIffSfnmEeuTWeNtZnUcy64vNnsVlmkaqdj50UiR6czCEtMoKVhktSLmp_CWduh4V6-utnZUbktlcHaq2JXWUPlPCLv7nKuM4sQdY3sG8yLVRaoQiPIoVvmHIr5e2_ASYE/s200/IMG_20110807_223318.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Beware of Dog."</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">While Elizabeth and Colin worked during the day, I explored their neighborhood.</span></span></div>
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GERMAN VILLAGE </div>
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I started at The Book Loft:<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX342CCDo3wg3FFQC0pCF0BJ13W_E0TqNDwraSY3TvhgjLfeu6Hs15eFX5d8IRWIcNhHVlh6t32NPQB9bVHWHpO8S3Hn1SzCK5YdJppgKfkYzRi58mKEW5W5Ape2k64AavA3sry7TzbW9I/s1600/IMG_20110808_130116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX342CCDo3wg3FFQC0pCF0BJ13W_E0TqNDwraSY3TvhgjLfeu6Hs15eFX5d8IRWIcNhHVlh6t32NPQB9bVHWHpO8S3Hn1SzCK5YdJppgKfkYzRi58mKEW5W5Ape2k64AavA3sry7TzbW9I/s320/IMG_20110808_130116.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">a city-block long discount bookshop featuring 32 rooms-- </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNvNONzrH6vx1Wilh8V5-FFW2aoAmpaDSD_gQp87rqabUKXJrJFai4XdOOzQ6r-jqy1Ec-cESbZeVsJQXnCpmd9581r7kihziBvxhqA2SSp1EXGx7PPPggtVVvJEipt6DGv8fFNLrRQ-k/s1600/IMG_20110808_131242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNvNONzrH6vx1Wilh8V5-FFW2aoAmpaDSD_gQp87rqabUKXJrJFai4XdOOzQ6r-jqy1Ec-cESbZeVsJQXnCpmd9581r7kihziBvxhqA2SSp1EXGx7PPPggtVVvJEipt6DGv8fFNLrRQ-k/s320/IMG_20110808_131242.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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--where I wandered around 20 minutes (legitimately lost), gave a nod to Mark Z Danielewski's <u>House of Leaves</u>, and eventually made my way to the exit. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDJN-1Hin5cufBktjZ6COakS5bjARvBNhVuEeAVQ-QNiaw8pz-z7aQR7n4wwzfzKm-wyRxyglIhru3fO4OjOSQZ6ZTUkW2GfWubS9D_RljUqN3IhfuGYKJEICaCcDkboaTc7znZV6gYUu/s1600/IMG_20110808_131424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDJN-1Hin5cufBktjZ6COakS5bjARvBNhVuEeAVQ-QNiaw8pz-z7aQR7n4wwzfzKm-wyRxyglIhru3fO4OjOSQZ6ZTUkW2GfWubS9D_RljUqN3IhfuGYKJEICaCcDkboaTc7znZV6gYUu/s320/IMG_20110808_131424.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></span></span> Around the corner from Book Loft, I passed a historic school: </div>
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<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/AVvXsEitxj7uLB0j9sCNriz4PFTY_jTvtumSWVQs7mkE0ezerDGk9vOg1qhkx4P23ZA-KMP8BNl78g3zZcYiNS_7ydf0UtbYR0tlBqTafgqgJVpWqkPYz-I6lRWR7vBe2ZuwW78p6nrHVTBI8PoI/s1600/IMG_20110808_141127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxj7uLB0j9sCNriz4PFTY_jTvtumSWVQs7mkE0ezerDGk9vOg1qhkx4P23ZA-KMP8BNl78g3zZcYiNS_7ydf0UtbYR0tlBqTafgqgJVpWqkPYz-I6lRWR7vBe2ZuwW78p6nrHVTBI8PoI/s320/IMG_20110808_141127.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Learning adorns riches and softens poverty."</td></tr>
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and the German Village gift shop:</div>
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<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/AVvXsEgXao-6u75_X5XH6Wqhyphenhypheno5uiRZTfR5bGYsy5eWX40OyLddw5giAj_b6opwswcXZtwAdhXtWIJfqoOartyX_pXSI7cu6GkfP5ZO5LoN1djrAwhrImZbZ6OPyS3jaa6oFgm6rY8qno2FVbLCc/s1600/IMG_20110808_131617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXao-6u75_X5XH6Wqhyphenhypheno5uiRZTfR5bGYsy5eWX40OyLddw5giAj_b6opwswcXZtwAdhXtWIJfqoOartyX_pXSI7cu6GkfP5ZO5LoN1djrAwhrImZbZ6OPyS3jaa6oFgm6rY8qno2FVbLCc/s320/IMG_20110808_131617.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> No hand-knitted tanenbaum tissue boxes for me; the day I visited, they were closed.</span><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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And then I began...</div>
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The High Street Hike:<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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In Columbus, Ohio, you can pretty much follow High Street from one side of the town to other and hit most of the landmark sites. </div>
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Columbus Commons:</div>
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<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/AVvXsEgS_317tEZYFRhxXbIhYWdSOs6JlnVJFcGq5DHycnjcmevPd15R9_Z63EplKxXi-_L8O1VvTuSjqqZMFR88u1DU52mS_Mp7l_kS4d_l2D0xG9HYjOYtIf404L9JV80JZXC1CHeCbDGBQron/s1600/IMG_20110808_142543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_317tEZYFRhxXbIhYWdSOs6JlnVJFcGq5DHycnjcmevPd15R9_Z63EplKxXi-_L8O1VvTuSjqqZMFR88u1DU52mS_Mp7l_kS4d_l2D0xG9HYjOYtIf404L9JV80JZXC1CHeCbDGBQron/s320/IMG_20110808_142543.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Columbus' answer to Chicago's Millenium Park, according to Colin. Featuring, when I visited, an outdoor library.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
Ohio's State Capitol building:<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHBbu7LRQ4kLlSrvwSD10OY7wXar7e5oDorUXih6JljbUSMydeM9mT19h_VhpNsc9RseAodYIJBX8LQF_oRQGgfYKTriW1tMYR8g0jEdQd9waoXavkDyQJzJohd2AHw7kLQQ3jhckbnRf/s1600/IMG_20110808_145047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHBbu7LRQ4kLlSrvwSD10OY7wXar7e5oDorUXih6JljbUSMydeM9mT19h_VhpNsc9RseAodYIJBX8LQF_oRQGgfYKTriW1tMYR8g0jEdQd9waoXavkDyQJzJohd2AHw7kLQQ3jhckbnRf/s320/IMG_20110808_145047.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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And food carts with profound advice:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwW34uHk1zQe0oGXxaAVVofMqSKsLCuE5MeMHd3dLHWcUOodwGlLVZPBeaEaJUcwBwWkIJWbNigA3Or4vjBJWvln_hr-rbLT7ZyP4ZYtsKhnbvIx4BSPZOmRK5QzEwwfu1FPssco2F_ef5/s1600/IMG_20110808_150149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwW34uHk1zQe0oGXxaAVVofMqSKsLCuE5MeMHd3dLHWcUOodwGlLVZPBeaEaJUcwBwWkIJWbNigA3Or4vjBJWvln_hr-rbLT7ZyP4ZYtsKhnbvIx4BSPZOmRK5QzEwwfu1FPssco2F_ef5/s320/IMG_20110808_150149.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Down High Street, just after North Market, I reached...</div>
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THE SHORT NORTH:</div>
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<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/AVvXsEjIgenmxOcDg28ylfDX8b1ns8CA3dLHyUFhRdzS47NFroLN4JcdkHj8NRdfj-buhK-7FRNdJEqohhB5c5j-DJzohqP9a2i6hwG8Ei4jypOmuHnqvtYgNxn0BK01k5W_bmxoPYffSap-rImh/s1600/IMG_20110808_155404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="351" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgenmxOcDg28ylfDX8b1ns8CA3dLHyUFhRdzS47NFroLN4JcdkHj8NRdfj-buhK-7FRNdJEqohhB5c5j-DJzohqP9a2i6hwG8Ei4jypOmuHnqvtYgNxn0BK01k5W_bmxoPYffSap-rImh/s400/IMG_20110808_155404.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center">
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(this photo's artistically enhanced color saturation brought to you by microsoft office picture manager and a long megabus ride.)<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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The Short North is the main commerical strip in Columbus, featuring: mildly eclectic storefronts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWAwerUuskrfd7yATyg93eAB7ivEp7SkNIdcEhzWQD6iXJNyiSXBDK2VC9V7UHZvIp7vD5HCt49KUUrx8MtXQ_X2goBK1NxKDuPEpM9Onbd7qC_VYhFbBXAqQn-cCbdpkpwYrp_UYPm9k/s1600/IMG_20110808_161152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWAwerUuskrfd7yATyg93eAB7ivEp7SkNIdcEhzWQD6iXJNyiSXBDK2VC9V7UHZvIp7vD5HCt49KUUrx8MtXQ_X2goBK1NxKDuPEpM9Onbd7qC_VYhFbBXAqQn-cCbdpkpwYrp_UYPm9k/s320/IMG_20110808_161152.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Outside of a store called Tigertree, you can put a quarter in this machine, and robo-hen will hatch you an egg with a home-made pin inside (made from discarded library books).<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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Mine hatched me a pin with a rooster on it. The guy behind the counter at Tigertree told me this actually never happens.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTE8t50akJo9raqVww4u_8cE6A-mfyBJaFh8U7gCcwic2_6zq9MER3IJekrC7JRsbmd6EFBauE5mXhyphenhyphenj_Wo0wGHgS8NFzZLbGnEVqfJokZjJdeql5aEe1-VNaS6MW42BLOsdXtvYtYU81/s1600/IMG_20110811_184139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTE8t50akJo9raqVww4u_8cE6A-mfyBJaFh8U7gCcwic2_6zq9MER3IJekrC7JRsbmd6EFBauE5mXhyphenhyphenj_Wo0wGHgS8NFzZLbGnEVqfJokZjJdeql5aEe1-VNaS6MW42BLOsdXtvYtYU81/s320/IMG_20110811_184139.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Meta-Pin.</span></td></tr>
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Meta-Blog:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPEmh3iPup0TtYdB6UkIA1IJpsV4uTLCIWKBWp_DUCMntvn-zI9KDRKDdTOw4roJIaPZKoYyIqlACjhS6tNyQYihczkYycNwntiwxXf3UTcvtw6UBiO-64y3BDBvvDNknlFfZP__f_xlC/s1600/IMG_20110812_004401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPEmh3iPup0TtYdB6UkIA1IJpsV4uTLCIWKBWp_DUCMntvn-zI9KDRKDdTOw4roJIaPZKoYyIqlACjhS6tNyQYihczkYycNwntiwxXf3UTcvtw6UBiO-64y3BDBvvDNknlFfZP__f_xlC/s320/IMG_20110812_004401.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It was either the poultry pin or the oddly placed classical music blasting from the exterior that drew me into the UDF on High Street. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3XU4tT2uxQBXx0e5DS3IC-ILZFgi2tZAXfsjeQtlxOKx6T3jJhgeVvEQ12ta5pkTnI0x4-YKDBMJ8OWXQlX1yJoOxQo6s4Qgm8OF8eoqjQzM5dFHWclbcjXFa59yNfaxHwPSz7nJ16Ze/s1600/IMG_20110808_163959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3XU4tT2uxQBXx0e5DS3IC-ILZFgi2tZAXfsjeQtlxOKx6T3jJhgeVvEQ12ta5pkTnI0x4-YKDBMJ8OWXQlX1yJoOxQo6s4Qgm8OF8eoqjQzM5dFHWclbcjXFa59yNfaxHwPSz7nJ16Ze/s320/IMG_20110808_163959.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A convenience store and dairy in a few states in the Midwest.</span><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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Where Jama (the blue-haired girl below) guided me to a new discovery-- a sherbet cherry limeaid freeze. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFj35gQiF6pQ9RdLEBZMsDTcZlCmuYaO3lTjnBGq1Sn-CobeXDhRmkbzn3g7mSqkKW1ZG2Qz7QA0YtdyL8SPK2vVv5hro7A4WVt4bCdqlI5JBnpuvDUot5VstPCBzfWvhKDzLHCzZKAuoH/s1600/IMG_20110808_163539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFj35gQiF6pQ9RdLEBZMsDTcZlCmuYaO3lTjnBGq1Sn-CobeXDhRmkbzn3g7mSqkKW1ZG2Qz7QA0YtdyL8SPK2vVv5hro7A4WVt4bCdqlI5JBnpuvDUot5VstPCBzfWvhKDzLHCzZKAuoH/s320/IMG_20110808_163539.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(Cherry sherbet blended with limeaid juice).</span><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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Later, Elizabeth informed me that blasting classical music is UDF's strategy to ward off bums. "No, seriously."-- Elizabeth. <br />
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Roaming with my sherbet freeze, I continued past tons of bars and restaurants:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0QNOBMA9DdEahRfUYMVKEfAp9Je4XsThqTuFXnA1KSMbjo6h5e_g_FwEwK7yy46tQNVsah1zyhGoKnajnDt7HOLHdqbBYsLm1Ari_NrWY7HHUh2PsLgKkXJf9lB3P8hoWasafcvRmJZb/s1600/IMG_20110808_164541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0QNOBMA9DdEahRfUYMVKEfAp9Je4XsThqTuFXnA1KSMbjo6h5e_g_FwEwK7yy46tQNVsah1zyhGoKnajnDt7HOLHdqbBYsLm1Ari_NrWY7HHUh2PsLgKkXJf9lB3P8hoWasafcvRmJZb/s200/IMG_20110808_164541.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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And a tattoo studio / art gallery, The Short North Tattoo.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpHiKp5lH7MMcRM3FEqaOLHTP1q25fqs06HDOZQUmAiglzVHcrw-kfj5lPks8oQX1CUybgsQ2jmQtTIuFyOhp5t7nvt5egL7Yvh8uVjzdvJw0qVWs1q5XQzyJwJidWBRlBQuuAFlyanqL/s1600/IMG_20110808_171610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpHiKp5lH7MMcRM3FEqaOLHTP1q25fqs06HDOZQUmAiglzVHcrw-kfj5lPks8oQX1CUybgsQ2jmQtTIuFyOhp5t7nvt5egL7Yvh8uVjzdvJw0qVWs1q5XQzyJwJidWBRlBQuuAFlyanqL/s320/IMG_20110808_171610.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Possibly the cleanest looking tattoo parlor I've ever seen.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxR7M_QS25C3K0NHemE3O8lrzOIA5TMubpbfROHQvQfo1x6rmfFN3bA34zI8mgQRmTcA2HT88p4RgOV3DEkivbOP_Ilw2TavMnVwKXSTK01q-JzJcQahadG3uxU_iSKWzEUaODFtg7eaJ/s1600/IMG_20110808_171912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxR7M_QS25C3K0NHemE3O8lrzOIA5TMubpbfROHQvQfo1x6rmfFN3bA34zI8mgQRmTcA2HT88p4RgOV3DEkivbOP_Ilw2TavMnVwKXSTK01q-JzJcQahadG3uxU_iSKWzEUaODFtg7eaJ/s320/IMG_20110808_171912.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Some of their art.</span></div>
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They switch out their gallery the first Saturday of every month for gallery hop, a monthly event and 25-year-old tradition- where all the galleries in Short North open to the public. <span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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The Short North is also Columbus' central arts district. <span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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Some of their murals:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhBc_hyfWTbwNUoseDtLaXPa1-d1yXvUMJeN7dBpOKfdxy5-kMpNmcfZwCZxTiO9KfjeIF6DGEv3W1UjBRxYN-bsOj7_Imc78QMLfZ-TeWVyQ1nao6-QNh1S6Y4Xtp94UDHcUJoDc0khW/s1600/IMG_20110808_155526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhBc_hyfWTbwNUoseDtLaXPa1-d1yXvUMJeN7dBpOKfdxy5-kMpNmcfZwCZxTiO9KfjeIF6DGEv3W1UjBRxYN-bsOj7_Imc78QMLfZ-TeWVyQ1nao6-QNh1S6Y4Xtp94UDHcUJoDc0khW/s320/IMG_20110808_155526.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(the two white cars are not part of the mural.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9e_EUOpxw-yjO7kG2bEvVoupHFnOaNOogTFiZ2UpLD1TrkCqQGGzcFKlonMMoB07fXi4s6QqdVIO_tcyszcIlcB6nhJztbyxyeWHmvqlS1fcihq7FqqQRkW2fUcKZUkm_somFFkVB4cBO/s1600/IMG_20110808_160152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9e_EUOpxw-yjO7kG2bEvVoupHFnOaNOogTFiZ2UpLD1TrkCqQGGzcFKlonMMoB07fXi4s6QqdVIO_tcyszcIlcB6nhJztbyxyeWHmvqlS1fcihq7FqqQRkW2fUcKZUkm_somFFkVB4cBO/s320/IMG_20110808_160152.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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I swear on this trip I'm being stalked by Grant Wood.<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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Placards along the Short North, tell about various local artists and other historic tid-bits:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd7U8TWf51T4hozJgXbRoR3wr-eVxIBQ-L3DpKZ4AMl-H26tE-IWB4C7P_sHyTn1zUii3_iTIGFjBaLwE3m35DGpN-wmBcwqeyQNwzMg1vkxWWzNA6yaGltT1BgVi8W9DRna-hpFDLUbE/s1600/IMG_20110808_172410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd7U8TWf51T4hozJgXbRoR3wr-eVxIBQ-L3DpKZ4AMl-H26tE-IWB4C7P_sHyTn1zUii3_iTIGFjBaLwE3m35DGpN-wmBcwqeyQNwzMg1vkxWWzNA6yaGltT1BgVi8W9DRna-hpFDLUbE/s400/IMG_20110808_172410.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The other side of this one featured a map with Short North's sites. One site in particular, caught my attention-- leading me all the way to the end of the Short North to... </div>
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A cement couch.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bejm3KuT6pw9dhLV-LDOiErkEWQgE6_BHujjkGtNqe73fTNEFIhtTHCWjPXp4QNHhxCiYO1_J6Q2K0EtiiVPU6gREKViSB1lzD7pPJ-Jj6h8LNeUc6_MlUdw1YeUH6hyphenhyphenD0BqmDFC01xv/s1600/IMG_20110808_170552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bejm3KuT6pw9dhLV-LDOiErkEWQgE6_BHujjkGtNqe73fTNEFIhtTHCWjPXp4QNHhxCiYO1_J6Q2K0EtiiVPU6gREKViSB1lzD7pPJ-Jj6h8LNeUc6_MlUdw1YeUH6hyphenhyphenD0BqmDFC01xv/s320/IMG_20110808_170552.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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This is all I managed to capture of the cement couch. It was occupied by a homeless person. It's a good thing I didn't have a chance to sit on it. Later Colin and Elizabeth warned me—“NEVER SIT ON THE CEMENT COUCH” (it’s apparently one of the most unhygienic public spaces in Ohio).<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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The cement couch also marks where the Short North ends and what locals call “Kro-ghetto” begins. (There's a Krogers, a regional grocery store, at the corner). I turned back just as a fight broke out at the bus stop.<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"></span></div>
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I recommend that visitors to Columbus steer clear of the shady spots and stick to the cool trippy lights:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokq11o804lYfucwP66Laiz_5h9yryXG3I3vVEkSFcFB7ZvZGOJgrt2owm_UvRc6wlbCL7IvXTG7wSIFybhE86uDTlyaEecDwJNfHzWR-WIrrL_snmPfn-lKZXukzkvD0Xh_yUT3mijgJI/s1600/IMG_20110808_205448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokq11o804lYfucwP66Laiz_5h9yryXG3I3vVEkSFcFB7ZvZGOJgrt2owm_UvRc6wlbCL7IvXTG7wSIFybhE86uDTlyaEecDwJNfHzWR-WIrrL_snmPfn-lKZXukzkvD0Xh_yUT3mijgJI/s400/IMG_20110808_205448.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-64584786381458424322011-08-10T22:23:00.000-07:002011-08-12T06:38:37.665-07:00A Pass Through Pittsburgh<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(August 6<sup>th</sup>- 7<sup>th</sup>)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the way from NYC to Pittsburgh, I abandoned my favorite spot (the far left seat at the table towards the front) for the upper level of the megabus. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Clouds touched the Alleghenies. Rain pelted the sun roof. </span><br />
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<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/AVvXsEicNKzhHc_RTu-4Aqa10dtPdN5zRDa7zVLzKsrf7GW1NlabKX_Jt0ydMrKqwWO6AuU2Aw9C_-FAqtvKTZsZCEk2gjk7NVHxMd4C5tC1V_82EGjWAyLaTaqPxz46NGzzwinzq-xianzWs8cq/s1600/IMG_20110806_110131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNKzhHc_RTu-4Aqa10dtPdN5zRDa7zVLzKsrf7GW1NlabKX_Jt0ydMrKqwWO6AuU2Aw9C_-FAqtvKTZsZCEk2gjk7NVHxMd4C5tC1V_82EGjWAyLaTaqPxz46NGzzwinzq-xianzWs8cq/s320/IMG_20110806_110131.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the road- near a place called Lock Haven.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">As the bus swayed, the driver announced, “I have to fight the wind from rocking me. No, my coffee is not spiked.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In terms of distance, it was the longest ride of my journey: 6:50 am to 2:30 pm and roughly 380 miles, but it went fast. Riding through the mountains with a panoramic view was exhilarating. </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">So many of my friends travel to other countries in search of spectacular views and microbrews —I think we sometimes underestimate what’s just down the highway in our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In more rural parts of the route between NYC and Pittsburgh– you might as well be driving through Austria and Switzerland, even parts of South America.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RuS443pr8ct3VesEgDrYi5G3-G-NBopEeKGYhWTEMScdGYSHEkV9aKU-fvIbsvOZ_MsZXPHbrVVA2GA8LfThYpcYSrLhKN18d26AiQvgr7BuEB6frQHrSgJ2hwTYkb92Zr5d_zqteAlf/s1600/IMG_20110806_110141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RuS443pr8ct3VesEgDrYi5G3-G-NBopEeKGYhWTEMScdGYSHEkV9aKU-fvIbsvOZ_MsZXPHbrVVA2GA8LfThYpcYSrLhKN18d26AiQvgr7BuEB6frQHrSgJ2hwTYkb92Zr5d_zqteAlf/s320/IMG_20110806_110141.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you’re savvy, this could cost you no more than $1.50 (or in my case $5). </td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Back in the Steel City, </span></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqftOF0kmQWfWxNMAlBOmxqcW_8brk9luWQ6ngCBJV7vRwcSXef_1Ql6zJEMIp03PURNUkU1uL6iO0T46Me8jq2H0IQVybA2U3YpmQJPx3bwJF6PVFy9rkPVtrm1ISAPQHQ_4Nns1tPUL/s1600/IMG_20110806_144303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqftOF0kmQWfWxNMAlBOmxqcW_8brk9luWQ6ngCBJV7vRwcSXef_1Ql6zJEMIp03PURNUkU1uL6iO0T46Me8jq2H0IQVybA2U3YpmQJPx3bwJF6PVFy9rkPVtrm1ISAPQHQ_4Nns1tPUL/s320/IMG_20110806_144303.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was greeted by Ben Paul, my host and last minute hero. My original couch-surf host had dropped out on short notice, sending me on a frantic couch-surfing message flurry. Ben contacted me back within an hour. </span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Lux5m2YQ0mt5VpunVPc_GD2JHGEOs7m3fe9yhJz97WTII2H3ItHKPQ6PtsIDE_k3B0U-NHKlWt9Qmza_-t5gS3MdpFzGDFmvpk3r_bnOMHKH1nLVAIXv6WDInGoslWtqBWaBZiJLqove/s1600/IMG_20110806_190016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Lux5m2YQ0mt5VpunVPc_GD2JHGEOs7m3fe9yhJz97WTII2H3ItHKPQ6PtsIDE_k3B0U-NHKlWt9Qmza_-t5gS3MdpFzGDFmvpk3r_bnOMHKH1nLVAIXv6WDInGoslWtqBWaBZiJLqove/s320/IMG_20110806_190016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My 24 hours with Ben Paul / why he is awesome:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*One of the first things Ben did was guide me on a musical hike down the Tranquil Trail in Frick Park. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I played the drum:</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBPYThYz2CEKS0gn5KxM1HneXyzew11YZyWxeDYu_UnoFzuWVWXgn1H0etFDNAtXHDzPzAmMHBg8YYc3v0rTZ5AyfGwKaIbwOKkPKLX7AC4iTsg92JpxD61_tqbom_SLs8qFUp0zLmBE4/s1600/IMG_20110806_194712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBPYThYz2CEKS0gn5KxM1HneXyzew11YZyWxeDYu_UnoFzuWVWXgn1H0etFDNAtXHDzPzAmMHBg8YYc3v0rTZ5AyfGwKaIbwOKkPKLX7AC4iTsg92JpxD61_tqbom_SLs8qFUp0zLmBE4/s320/IMG_20110806_194712.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the drums from the Brazilian drum band Ben plays in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ben played the melodica:</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu15BWoSwESBZr8uqMD15QsupOlDeOvcV75j_9DA0q97Ee81tUUJfgXX4hNgADlxIBfidSDtqw_fxXxJyFSmxQeawNIJ9h5IBmo33TgzhhqBQ2HA-gqc8AN3tonyjeKPTTUmCpWB2Fw2D4/s1600/IMG_20110806_193221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu15BWoSwESBZr8uqMD15QsupOlDeOvcV75j_9DA0q97Ee81tUUJfgXX4hNgADlxIBfidSDtqw_fxXxJyFSmxQeawNIJ9h5IBmo33TgzhhqBQ2HA-gqc8AN3tonyjeKPTTUmCpWB2Fw2D4/s320/IMG_20110806_193221.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> *Ben is also the automatic good guy by any formulaic movie standard. He managed to pet every dog in Frick Park, with the exception of the one he couldn't reach:</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjjXwTfxzLVE4137EUpUw3_V7uH_B3Z4hfRsUct7gh23br19-1e-nu2I9I74DjRoufDfqD7K0AuJIPbfDAikVD3xZ8HLA_8PbQfb1wuvJ93YKYv5n5ZTqxD73CSvhGrttT-giIb8YbNe-/s1600/IMG_20110806_193023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjjXwTfxzLVE4137EUpUw3_V7uH_B3Z4hfRsUct7gh23br19-1e-nu2I9I74DjRoufDfqD7K0AuJIPbfDAikVD3xZ8HLA_8PbQfb1wuvJ93YKYv5n5ZTqxD73CSvhGrttT-giIb8YbNe-/s320/IMG_20110806_193023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIw6Vu3b_oO36HUS9XOiNCF-C9qkZQAPdpITPaEGF21wtL9996NLbZhVkp92avX1YFq9T89I5xdfFvLSAmMSUHokhqQ3GXJKVuDH2dVDyT02abmHErlJNrDPCKtdGXy4-3Fz7vBW34dieD/s1600/IMG_20110806_193443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIw6Vu3b_oO36HUS9XOiNCF-C9qkZQAPdpITPaEGF21wtL9996NLbZhVkp92avX1YFq9T89I5xdfFvLSAmMSUHokhqQ3GXJKVuDH2dVDyT02abmHErlJNrDPCKtdGXy4-3Fz7vBW34dieD/s320/IMG_20110806_193443.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">*But his favorite animal is the llama:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6cck0c1-ejsNcfpKK2o1Z6u9WayEq4xo0WzNKwjYzEtfBcSYsTAGv9NgaWlNCfGRTaHZj9sgJRm7TBQR90Bwgxj32pc8we6-aqLIFGuBn8aisWL3ONCTNzbS5W1_mFLc8prm__9TOZVU/s1600/llama1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6cck0c1-ejsNcfpKK2o1Z6u9WayEq4xo0WzNKwjYzEtfBcSYsTAGv9NgaWlNCfGRTaHZj9sgJRm7TBQR90Bwgxj32pc8we6-aqLIFGuBn8aisWL3ONCTNzbS5W1_mFLc8prm__9TOZVU/s1600/llama1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxU7Jto-62fXr9SWcv-vYKa-bnKFmPnDUWOPVsMembXB493X1lixKcHucaScbFHixGHoOXz-O6G8EphbeWoIu6BLDcZg6RWNnCgKZ7QzT7NyK6VSjtUb_00-f0UcSrQSLRxCzYSKJn1BTX/s1600/llama3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxU7Jto-62fXr9SWcv-vYKa-bnKFmPnDUWOPVsMembXB493X1lixKcHucaScbFHixGHoOXz-O6G8EphbeWoIu6BLDcZg6RWNnCgKZ7QzT7NyK6VSjtUb_00-f0UcSrQSLRxCzYSKJn1BTX/s1600/llama3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmG-u11weBboXhKvXhSTqwT5vH9CZqsPRTYiZ8dHS0K8n9MzVx-yBL3ZHv8DopcWwF1ThbXGDKjgzI_kXf4A-8R7wjpi9GRXs1_2eznstNBuW2YjiFspK9Gg3UP1NtCEBWpH3n9o26UCR8/s1600/llama4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmG-u11weBboXhKvXhSTqwT5vH9CZqsPRTYiZ8dHS0K8n9MzVx-yBL3ZHv8DopcWwF1ThbXGDKjgzI_kXf4A-8R7wjpi9GRXs1_2eznstNBuW2YjiFspK9Gg3UP1NtCEBWpH3n9o26UCR8/s320/llama4.jpg" width="201" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQB4BE0JaQb_K43b60WMxItdYZVGy4CtBj9AUQPnkeTHEdYOk7XX6K6wKlMvZegsFdC-QUFkbQfuCd85xP_DIUpdnsnlY6_ttlfdGX17aeoSWkb2r651w_3oT65emF4ntSWk97gryynuve/s1600/llama6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQB4BE0JaQb_K43b60WMxItdYZVGy4CtBj9AUQPnkeTHEdYOk7XX6K6wKlMvZegsFdC-QUFkbQfuCd85xP_DIUpdnsnlY6_ttlfdGX17aeoSWkb2r651w_3oT65emF4ntSWk97gryynuve/s1600/llama6.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8b-_mcb3_GdcVTMNlUGeuQVghFz-IPd-1cHWQNXAt1mBlnZV9M82CFpYXH-ZaY5w6QmrglIaB30evlhYFX-zfb2k3mvO0_LyCUQyAYkd72n_19254PpO3RbnSnwoVg72nvJvFo1TEC-G/s1600/llama5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8b-_mcb3_GdcVTMNlUGeuQVghFz-IPd-1cHWQNXAt1mBlnZV9M82CFpYXH-ZaY5w6QmrglIaB30evlhYFX-zfb2k3mvO0_LyCUQyAYkd72n_19254PpO3RbnSnwoVg72nvJvFo1TEC-G/s200/llama5.jpg" width="163" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEUDNFQDKfGNv5WY8zQJ9TvCK6IeATz05FWNtJjS5njz3YpWzvOfu6XDm4qWVCxZ4bnIDRmpTqsG5CJHpeKWaRCmkR9h929xjWPMQSmNRs5hwYix0A5zu1SKkWSxUT0-8bG9M2_WiP9An/s1600/llama7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEUDNFQDKfGNv5WY8zQJ9TvCK6IeATz05FWNtJjS5njz3YpWzvOfu6XDm4qWVCxZ4bnIDRmpTqsG5CJHpeKWaRCmkR9h929xjWPMQSmNRs5hwYix0A5zu1SKkWSxUT0-8bG9M2_WiP9An/s1600/llama7.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">(llama medley raided from Ben's facebook profile pic album)</div><br />
*Ben is also an excellent teacher; back in the apartment after our hike, he on-the-spot learned Yann Tiersen’s "Comptine d'un autre été: L'après-midi" (track four of the Amelie soundtrack) by ear and taught me how to play a section of it on the piano. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="229" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/F76O2Qsq0To" width="440"></iframe><br />
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Soundtrack to this blog post. (Not Ben. Video borrowed from youtube).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*Teaching is a part of his mission in life: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His PhD in Clinical Psychology from Pitt is on hiatus as he focuses on his web-start-up: <a href="http://communiteach.com/">CommuniTeach</a>, a free website focused on connecting people in communities for “skill swap” meet-ups. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMtI3LvPxoCGKpEFkIzIYYGXIc2QEURWG0UhsMZPyy3-mfUrV3sHEn9bAy5sdw0zwAgp2JkqGi2QqEt5jO58nW-lWYKQp_sB08dQCEJOSA0BqplOJGORc-jFdui1q6sikZxwCPIaHPiKp/s1600/communiteach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMtI3LvPxoCGKpEFkIzIYYGXIc2QEURWG0UhsMZPyy3-mfUrV3sHEn9bAy5sdw0zwAgp2JkqGi2QqEt5jO58nW-lWYKQp_sB08dQCEJOSA0BqplOJGORc-jFdui1q6sikZxwCPIaHPiKp/s320/communiteach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">How it works:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Members list on their profile what they’re interested in teaching and what they’re interested in learning (ex: <span style="color: #211b15;">vegetarian Indian cooking). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #211b15;">Somebody takes the initiative to organize a skill-swap party (LearnIts). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #211b15;">Attendees bring ingredients and, guided by the member conversant in Indian-cooking, make some damn good Bhindi Bhaji. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">*Another reason Ben is awesome: He made me a CommuniTeach certificate for couchsurfing excellence:<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEixyasabmVR6KZ8oL_gtHfckXU3fV6yltgWYE_Qc0qtix5KBjQhWDs1hgMc0ujS1rWJWwafXBHb6g3bJSc-GVieV5QAYQr6GuBWySUfHzmsKsEwA57YNJbXzoUY2GdVX3vV7s9eiZ9FsX6t/s1600/IMG_20110810_195436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixyasabmVR6KZ8oL_gtHfckXU3fV6yltgWYE_Qc0qtix5KBjQhWDs1hgMc0ujS1rWJWwafXBHb6g3bJSc-GVieV5QAYQr6GuBWySUfHzmsKsEwA57YNJbXzoUY2GdVX3vV7s9eiZ9FsX6t/s400/IMG_20110810_195436.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We basically spent the entire time trying to impress the heck out of each other. Both of us apparently succeeding. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>The next day, Ben introduced me to his favorite restaurants / concepts in Pittsburgh:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Conflict Kitchen...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfIbot0JUFUjYlVDm1qFLYH6xFx6yivx_uMVKZBc5xtvLhgvLSJ4vSRjZ3i8Dz1nmJgX52WyQefQ77bcIe7_Jfj5C3vuugXesgT9mo6S3IkW7PQKdUkahiSCs4f5FfJpbnssLECsZxGxv/s1600/IMG_20110807_115340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfIbot0JUFUjYlVDm1qFLYH6xFx6yivx_uMVKZBc5xtvLhgvLSJ4vSRjZ3i8Dz1nmJgX52WyQefQ77bcIe7_Jfj5C3vuugXesgT9mo6S3IkW7PQKdUkahiSCs4f5FfJpbnssLECsZxGxv/s320/IMG_20110807_115340.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">A restaurant that changes its identity every six months based on cuisine from a country that the USA is in conflict with (both arms and abstract conflicts). A week ago, they served Bolani Pazi, an Afghani sandwich and looked like:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEiDaH6z_oLsBt4QUyB2frJY-PZPhDDNd8WhMgPouOocBRLzGHqsZfaG2OyKM-RmYpSNuIv9GkYZPN7aJLeSUHECOqE38JQk6tZljOoQXjdmbAl_PzYFchPSZMOBAzNDo8yhUS6F8FYKdsvt/s1600/bolani_talk2-590x442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaH6z_oLsBt4QUyB2frJY-PZPhDDNd8WhMgPouOocBRLzGHqsZfaG2OyKM-RmYpSNuIv9GkYZPN7aJLeSUHECOqE38JQk6tZljOoQXjdmbAl_PzYFchPSZMOBAzNDo8yhUS6F8FYKdsvt/s320/bolani_talk2-590x442.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo from their website: <a href="http://www.conflictkitchen.org/">http://www.conflictkitchen.org/</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">When we visited, they served arepas (grilled corn cakes with fresh fillings).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Conflict Kitchen was featured on "</span><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128172025"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All Things Considered</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">" on NPR-- Ben's favorite radio station. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Speaking of NPR...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> Ben once met his hero, Ira Glass of NPR's This American Life, </span>by photo-shopping himself a backstage pass.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2snaeZG9MSi2nK8yXuLf8k_jv4qCDjqzKszycXc4cimNZR-fxe72TeRsfo9KhnCjX4-mcUwjhPcHbIwx11hjiL6MBxCpAERO8XhHTGqygkTkSgnf-CPjEBTSS-A0sp4ebO8cUPlLibYd/s1600/BenPaul+This+american+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2snaeZG9MSi2nK8yXuLf8k_jv4qCDjqzKszycXc4cimNZR-fxe72TeRsfo9KhnCjX4-mcUwjhPcHbIwx11hjiL6MBxCpAERO8XhHTGqygkTkSgnf-CPjEBTSS-A0sp4ebO8cUPlLibYd/s200/BenPaul+This+american+life.jpg" width="120" /></a></div><br />
Despite the fact backstage passes for This American Life don’t exist, this actually worked. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEgmY8EjDO6ijVoDO35CWC27jduBRAlaMSfR1f_k9uFxIA1tRiWejfm6i0OAzzrawBs1EvuxtBwMM1U1jnhTFunidsz9pqOUJU5QOu0tCDMzMenMi4-WKaiZDHUg4_BztKXHbnXgzRA1EwGb/s1600/BenPaul+and+Ira.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmY8EjDO6ijVoDO35CWC27jduBRAlaMSfR1f_k9uFxIA1tRiWejfm6i0OAzzrawBs1EvuxtBwMM1U1jnhTFunidsz9pqOUJU5QOu0tCDMzMenMi4-WKaiZDHUg4_BztKXHbnXgzRA1EwGb/s320/BenPaul+and+Ira.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ira Glass and Ben Paul</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After learning all about our country's ideological conflict with Venezuela over chicken and avocado arepas, we headed next door for bottomless coffees at <a href="http://www.waffleshop.org/">Waffle Shop</a>, part diner:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2hLHHcCZZOeVxS6yYmhwsudPaJZ2zbgByfcTkE5_h3M3CPSIneNxEf09sr-MsZ3fyuA7Hnis4a1oF-bObtcG3L7hE71MIMxLc_BDCaDCdUYlWFRre6Pbw9FVZZwcjHZjq-OUONYFjwbP/s1600/IMG_20110807_105800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2hLHHcCZZOeVxS6yYmhwsudPaJZ2zbgByfcTkE5_h3M3CPSIneNxEf09sr-MsZ3fyuA7Hnis4a1oF-bObtcG3L7hE71MIMxLc_BDCaDCdUYlWFRre6Pbw9FVZZwcjHZjq-OUONYFjwbP/s320/IMG_20110807_105800.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
part ongoing live-streamed- talk-show—</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwkxhcCurjzHU4Ko7SVJ9ZHGv2-oD0s0OBjyWdRmowlqG5LBJuabxUrLV8fh7JYs4XDNM4U4UDRiWojPL8bY3noioQL_4QUc8c99e3BxFEp8wnwGwhGItonQ7wWbbtpB9mCeIk8dLtJR_/s1600/IMG_20110807_104051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwkxhcCurjzHU4Ko7SVJ9ZHGv2-oD0s0OBjyWdRmowlqG5LBJuabxUrLV8fh7JYs4XDNM4U4UDRiWojPL8bY3noioQL_4QUc8c99e3BxFEp8wnwGwhGItonQ7wWbbtpB9mCeIk8dLtJR_/s320/IMG_20110807_104051.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
where members of the community and customers can be interviewed, tell stories or host their own show. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Both Conflict Kitchen and Waffle Shop are projects of Carnegie Mellon University. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
(For obnoxious hilarity, check out Waffle Shop's<a href="http://www.waffleshop.org/"> live stream</a> on late Friday and Saturday nights during the school year, when college students trickle in from nearby bars.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My timing was fortunate, Waffle Shop is also open on Sunday mornings from 10 am- 2 pm. I had just enough time to squeeze in a talk-show appearance with Ben, before bidding him farewell and heading back onto the road to resume my Megabus return voyage. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> Next stop:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Columbus, Ohio. </div></div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-84769568157975749412011-08-08T21:51:00.000-07:002011-09-02T18:59:20.266-07:00The Great Mobile Manhattan Slumber Party (Part 2)NYC (August 4th and 5th)<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On the morning of Thursday, August 4<sup>th</sup>—the utterly bizarre happened. </div><br />
It started like any other day. I woke up on a friend’s couch, packed my bags, carried my suitcase down the stairs, opened the door— and...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">there it was:</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/AVvXsEhl0SnMvBYgoRgtmrGoko9HS2Zw2R5tW49l5haq7xznEZc8ap5ntPWNWl_mH0r8TntRqFh6kbFm6b2XGuT0ZDb88iJxmVWdOPntl3kxtxrWERvzORZOv7_c2DJSeKhXvnQmrNYY-REZ_cOX/s1600/IMG_20110804_120054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0SnMvBYgoRgtmrGoko9HS2Zw2R5tW49l5haq7xznEZc8ap5ntPWNWl_mH0r8TntRqFh6kbFm6b2XGuT0ZDb88iJxmVWdOPntl3kxtxrWERvzORZOv7_c2DJSeKhXvnQmrNYY-REZ_cOX/s320/IMG_20110804_120054.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Inexplicably parked. Right there. Waiting. In the middle of Chelsea on 25<sup>th</sup> street, right outside my friend’s apartment. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">THE MEGABUS</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQv2uOekSQJQvZI397RGSEoBuVdUrsB0DVkw7bbwe2MxlnL-InDGTDq-3xYE-pgcE9Y_VCswwXRkqUWc0D0G6Jhl67HLf3vf0RRv2Sg0AbkL_BaF7F2U_9NIgqTBHE9Qa2Gg3dZk-n5xQn/s1600/IMG_20110804_115751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQv2uOekSQJQvZI397RGSEoBuVdUrsB0DVkw7bbwe2MxlnL-InDGTDq-3xYE-pgcE9Y_VCswwXRkqUWc0D0G6Jhl67HLf3vf0RRv2Sg0AbkL_BaF7F2U_9NIgqTBHE9Qa2Gg3dZk-n5xQn/s320/IMG_20110804_115751.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I can still hardly rationalize it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I knocked on the door. The startled driver hit a button. The doors glided open with a spacecraft-worthy whish.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Why? I don’t understand. Why are you here?” I demanded.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Through broken English, he apologized profusely — “I use the restroom. I stop to use the restroom.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I tried to explain, “It’s okay. I just had to know. Thank you.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Moments later, I sat with my suitcase in a McDonalds, dazed, sipping the worse decision of the day: a McCafe mocha frappe (AKA: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>glorified chocolate milkshake loaded with caffeine).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Within 20 minutes, I was on an elevator, keys shaking in my hand (left for me with the doorman) on the way to the 10<sup>th</sup> floor of my friend’s apartment on the Upper West Side—where I would stay the last two nights of the NYC leg of my journey.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Everybody has a dog here. Notice that?” a young man on his way up to the penthouse joked. “Do you have a dog?” </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“Not yet,” I answered with conviction. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Less than an hour from the megabus encounter—still hyped on McCafe Mocha Frappe, I was at the Imagine tile in Central Park. “Maybe this will help.” My friend, Will, opened his leather murse—revealing a bottle of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>stoli citron vodka. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEj4xFA2ONsQ20YPLtbAi68bqDKxjIsTamUOfuQ9inXXD-bCKzmmNoXA7wfG1b2zXZTuwFeuo6hELfcfKmx15FOyDpMaxQt7FnNYdJzFva8vKFzyKPqj6EGx1MsY_MRtqOKE58xWyMfrJvbg/s1600/IMG_20110804_135530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xFA2ONsQ20YPLtbAi68bqDKxjIsTamUOfuQ9inXXD-bCKzmmNoXA7wfG1b2zXZTuwFeuo6hELfcfKmx15FOyDpMaxQt7FnNYdJzFva8vKFzyKPqj6EGx1MsY_MRtqOKE58xWyMfrJvbg/s320/IMG_20110804_135530.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Imagine Tile: John Lennon's memorial near Strawberry fields. The entrance is at 72nd street and Central Park West.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEhl6-MraYudrkCU8tA1A6wFkXOKIk3YbWODInlvqjuyAvce8MLA7fumxnAYElzsdsDQ9VJA9gDk6FYnEa1onmwanD8PddMur2ak_0Cc-6aEUAO-40_qyqjurNqQ2HSEVFrlzPLKRY7tobew/s1600/IMG_20110804_135333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6-MraYudrkCU8tA1A6wFkXOKIk3YbWODInlvqjuyAvce8MLA7fumxnAYElzsdsDQ9VJA9gDk6FYnEa1onmwanD8PddMur2ak_0Cc-6aEUAO-40_qyqjurNqQ2HSEVFrlzPLKRY7tobew/s320/IMG_20110804_135333.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The man to the left claims responsibility for the daily floral arrangments. He's been there nearly every time I've visited it since 2006.)</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For the next few hours, Will and I tossed coins in every fountain we passed as we made our way across Central Park—</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Three shots of Bethesda:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0g9QpOWLt6UYyitEjqQsSGtiaJzftDxqlpIvonJ5EAbLeU2YbH_9ZUxTikwspIQ-aeIaB5DE6Mu5NtheYYkH7KHNhOq9M_JUstHddsMp8LAfcyFFBXzQPm6tvsdTjQWRakS9_BnlABNl/s1600/IMG_20110804_140727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0g9QpOWLt6UYyitEjqQsSGtiaJzftDxqlpIvonJ5EAbLeU2YbH_9ZUxTikwspIQ-aeIaB5DE6Mu5NtheYYkH7KHNhOq9M_JUstHddsMp8LAfcyFFBXzQPm6tvsdTjQWRakS9_BnlABNl/s320/IMG_20110804_140727.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; 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/AVvXsEjg6P4gqd823xEH5n1wno658tqaACMF7sLxikb1P-PXk-qocal0hzSu21zcgGlpZh6IPpYPf3-Q_AluyB6iNOkknnaICes8TUgQPXb7nG6muX_fGcz5eFp6lAzgZLQHdcQwU0LMTnvk5htq/s1600/IMG_20110804_140635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6P4gqd823xEH5n1wno658tqaACMF7sLxikb1P-PXk-qocal0hzSu21zcgGlpZh6IPpYPf3-Q_AluyB6iNOkknnaICes8TUgQPXb7nG6muX_fGcz5eFp6lAzgZLQHdcQwU0LMTnvk5htq/s320/IMG_20110804_140635.jpg" width="239" /></a></td><><><><><><><> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF83O-ouMAkxSqSE2OmYum30Po_pKOIYkkkCNaCLEzNFhSiu61QIfW44zsw8TJuE7ZFrYemIy99U3IZ1Q2aUYJ0CsGgm30p1uIwqgyPS5u-_-9dp1wCLarOU5FqMACa_MUmI_kUuV_mWJ/s1600/IMG_20110804_140911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF83O-ouMAkxSqSE2OmYum30Po_pKOIYkkkCNaCLEzNFhSiu61QIfW44zsw8TJuE7ZFrYemIy99U3IZ1Q2aUYJ0CsGgm30p1uIwqgyPS5u-_-9dp1wCLarOU5FqMACa_MUmI_kUuV_mWJ/s320/IMG_20110804_140911.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div></div></></></></></></></></></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend, actor, Will Manning</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"> We stopped to listen to the occasional string quartet:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMR_6bBUbieFJK52zk8eXyub_UvvH6PBEE2eZ3a5BC49Pvgg83LK61TbodCtcTY2JU8ExfTFTp7pybQZJ7sYfZgrshKI6dW6T5vSEutCaxYQ1SiS-n8S9cwPs8G94LMMCYXkvSUX9yxbHC/s1600/IMG_20110804_141306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMR_6bBUbieFJK52zk8eXyub_UvvH6PBEE2eZ3a5BC49Pvgg83LK61TbodCtcTY2JU8ExfTFTp7pybQZJ7sYfZgrshKI6dW6T5vSEutCaxYQ1SiS-n8S9cwPs8G94LMMCYXkvSUX9yxbHC/s320/IMG_20110804_141306.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In a blur, between Bethesda Fountain and...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY5xb1TvOiEseeNAByXsZxcfmQ5M8u-BjHF1sihk10x_sqsBNBeyCLZXWtVdddLpv1ZZu7blsOk8olEe4AxGz8yRiwQS1JGQc-F45tz74G5kbneDjg5WP0M7PMoVLwlcAuKCb-h5AaUhI/s1600/IMG_20110804_144553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY5xb1TvOiEseeNAByXsZxcfmQ5M8u-BjHF1sihk10x_sqsBNBeyCLZXWtVdddLpv1ZZu7blsOk8olEe4AxGz8yRiwQS1JGQc-F45tz74G5kbneDjg5WP0M7PMoVLwlcAuKCb-h5AaUhI/s320/IMG_20110804_144553.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> Central Park's Sailboat pond, we passed:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEiiD5Xp_RAmgMX6GparHmYbIUWKJNKJ16uhmj7xrBaDd2kCNBeahoXM5oI5FbRyNqKugf4EOjnzfN5lGjY1rLJMukDsNZoO5nHOIweHP57-tqDS5k-LWDPXe3KMhvvU-FOWwVIde9snW_CZ/s1600/IMG_20110804_143925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiD5Xp_RAmgMX6GparHmYbIUWKJNKJ16uhmj7xrBaDd2kCNBeahoXM5oI5FbRyNqKugf4EOjnzfN5lGjY1rLJMukDsNZoO5nHOIweHP57-tqDS5k-LWDPXe3KMhvvU-FOWwVIde9snW_CZ/s320/IMG_20110804_143925.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">artists</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/AVvXsEjc7jsofAM702OTZf_HH2F0C0J3jotpZF2wrHPYkssHWbaDl-7sxDdyJgiJglKMIx8Oy5jDb7WYtnXk_Ty0o4536LdRaJtEB5WhINF7Y6xeopzvRIBvEFa7eY7ROcl9remwuCn68ZZ-j4CA/s1600/IMG_20110804_143933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7jsofAM702OTZf_HH2F0C0J3jotpZF2wrHPYkssHWbaDl-7sxDdyJgiJglKMIx8Oy5jDb7WYtnXk_Ty0o4536LdRaJtEB5WhINF7Y6xeopzvRIBvEFa7eY7ROcl9remwuCn68ZZ-j4CA/s320/IMG_20110804_143933.jpg" width="116" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a harpist</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/AVvXsEhd7KZZqQYz8iDfYM_wyXecZc5qAxnjzvFsy62WJNNV4IIcdtfUtajKcgHGUSnnJ8qGGlxRSbmr3-2e7nKLvLcLjS1qdPspU1zu9M2Do4_ISmMA5PgSD7J0laoDO2HCE0yRhK6oOCpl3F2b/s1600/IMG_20110804_144156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7KZZqQYz8iDfYM_wyXecZc5qAxnjzvFsy62WJNNV4IIcdtfUtajKcgHGUSnnJ8qGGlxRSbmr3-2e7nKLvLcLjS1qdPspU1zu9M2Do4_ISmMA5PgSD7J0laoDO2HCE0yRhK6oOCpl3F2b/s320/IMG_20110804_144156.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">a Shakespearean production</div></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/AVvXsEhVcjASvjNmAHQm9UXLlMcBO4dNxhyRY5hyD9klW7IhcPjLNaclENurZgE_MUwxwGRLINU9VM5umCxMHyUx1eG6nU66m_TfkK5PViYCvyBZHlKZxM3D_wKLwSZdKxnWKSGj_GCM62nNQunp/s1600/IMG_20110804_144248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcjASvjNmAHQm9UXLlMcBO4dNxhyRY5hyD9klW7IhcPjLNaclENurZgE_MUwxwGRLINU9VM5umCxMHyUx1eG6nU66m_TfkK5PViYCvyBZHlKZxM3D_wKLwSZdKxnWKSGj_GCM62nNQunp/s320/IMG_20110804_144248.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and hobo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEjvz7t6AIRhe-kJum0uWZSnOXza29_gxj9fqQe27I3KT_08N5EOXFBNZtPz6fGuomIr837fTtyWnzSiqM4LFp6H0FD0rj9FDt2ziUR00es8f3UoptPpM695rjjZNIha9loCkVKiHAoyP-jH/s1600/IMG_20110804_145656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvz7t6AIRhe-kJum0uWZSnOXza29_gxj9fqQe27I3KT_08N5EOXFBNZtPz6fGuomIr837fTtyWnzSiqM4LFp6H0FD0rj9FDt2ziUR00es8f3UoptPpM695rjjZNIha9loCkVKiHAoyP-jH/s320/IMG_20110804_145656.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the shrubbery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsp1ah6nh9lkDWjIxwhMseY5pwTe6lghO4LFsXAoZesv3DamsfScrHL5RtoG4wAFFq9FwUVKD6ACfXIZ7s_7OAREibwprAgyVhyphenhyphen9vIkDC51IGITKt43MYECuADrjhtTVIeOFFfUzvkzaWT/s1600/IMG_20110804_153850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsp1ah6nh9lkDWjIxwhMseY5pwTe6lghO4LFsXAoZesv3DamsfScrHL5RtoG4wAFFq9FwUVKD6ACfXIZ7s_7OAREibwprAgyVhyphenhyphen9vIkDC51IGITKt43MYECuADrjhtTVIeOFFfUzvkzaWT/s320/IMG_20110804_153850.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We finally landed at The Met, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">where (as a former employee of Deutsche Bank), Will apparently has lifetime access. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr88m4FN1zxb4Q7xs3BicGjcFFlM64MfpuNmwZhh_Y2YRwpsFsXKQ4A_9WiAjcMfIvedsNO48teP6jKCyRerUCg4V81qY2OZNOAncQorZ1Xt6xjluoAYH4EMtlnXevWuy4_TBnPP1AsBlw/s1600/IMG_20110804_154038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr88m4FN1zxb4Q7xs3BicGjcFFlM64MfpuNmwZhh_Y2YRwpsFsXKQ4A_9WiAjcMfIvedsNO48teP6jKCyRerUCg4V81qY2OZNOAncQorZ1Xt6xjluoAYH4EMtlnXevWuy4_TBnPP1AsBlw/s320/IMG_20110804_154038.jpg" width="201" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> We roamed the museum like a labyrinth, taking turns letting our whim pick our next exhibit: “Right or left.” Past wrathful deities in the Asian Wing:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEg8ErXBGxA32-U-z5eDMTsJLHLh3uEKiApNBHjaGo-5ancR289kYhlF1SVbD8EAyTjer3HcJ_I-Br6UfAROKipcRU9JEUdlWkC5ZjfNXzXeTbEdgMp-yyYxmrTFdZ2HwPI1LdvYfoabW5tn/s1600/IMG_20110804_155330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ErXBGxA32-U-z5eDMTsJLHLh3uEKiApNBHjaGo-5ancR289kYhlF1SVbD8EAyTjer3HcJ_I-Br6UfAROKipcRU9JEUdlWkC5ZjfNXzXeTbEdgMp-yyYxmrTFdZ2HwPI1LdvYfoabW5tn/s320/IMG_20110804_155330.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrathful dieties.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Grant Wood:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtX-bVcqmg6-E8JVtRYKRgVhYkolbPb3wOdghNcQeDB146LPNi6ielR2wxnk0A6PbMPCWlVzsOpjWFUxPVFbyvsVZ4wf3UK4zFBqh9f_iWb-uOL2JSkUV5TV5y1iAC-Cyyj0nvWs8NiOD3/s1600/IMG_20110804_164059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtX-bVcqmg6-E8JVtRYKRgVhYkolbPb3wOdghNcQeDB146LPNi6ielR2wxnk0A6PbMPCWlVzsOpjWFUxPVFbyvsVZ4wf3UK4zFBqh9f_iWb-uOL2JSkUV5TV5y1iAC-Cyyj0nvWs8NiOD3/s320/IMG_20110804_164059.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The creepy insect statue-people of the Oceanic wing:<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_kPpVaNvv_m0Dp7cHkNpLnEF3j54YhcQx3arfww-g2cIqLDPEelXLc6Ex2bNck27Bh2pF5JNha0y6X3yqWVi8HDKt6q3W6Da7q5ErSGQmDvqKSC8RdGMKitKAmrpTm79MbVu40OGrL-0/s1600/IMG_20110804_164740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_kPpVaNvv_m0Dp7cHkNpLnEF3j54YhcQx3arfww-g2cIqLDPEelXLc6Ex2bNck27Bh2pF5JNha0y6X3yqWVi8HDKt6q3W6Da7q5ErSGQmDvqKSC8RdGMKitKAmrpTm79MbVu40OGrL-0/s320/IMG_20110804_164740.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Modern art:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCL7ggoLT04cduFXTAzv_SU1yQaFBIyjzM7gRmeqinxalGwQpW4k4WWYNXBJcrLTJOV-iXSoL0VTKbhmx8F_XUthgV16Nc-n9cd90q5xlk4QN9Mvm3Y62mkjbPML4mAHqcaFEwNakfYEKG/s1600/IMG_20110804_162454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCL7ggoLT04cduFXTAzv_SU1yQaFBIyjzM7gRmeqinxalGwQpW4k4WWYNXBJcrLTJOV-iXSoL0VTKbhmx8F_XUthgV16Nc-n9cd90q5xlk4QN9Mvm3Y62mkjbPML4mAHqcaFEwNakfYEKG/s320/IMG_20110804_162454.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
and skylights:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQzLUN3C4OJmE4E2XsXu4TYe7dVlaxgO_eaetogZYHoV6_FALj-scHRE9LJLVQde6GNGsvR1uIi0vwwYMcBDYnwNSi40jfpbwmTtEPK8Lz-cymY86JJQMb3RZTi4KwdAq-su6jeqLQCSV/s1600/IMG_20110804_154909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQzLUN3C4OJmE4E2XsXu4TYe7dVlaxgO_eaetogZYHoV6_FALj-scHRE9LJLVQde6GNGsvR1uIi0vwwYMcBDYnwNSi40jfpbwmTtEPK8Lz-cymY86JJQMb3RZTi4KwdAq-su6jeqLQCSV/s320/IMG_20110804_154909.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> to the roof, where Will was hungry enough to consume Manhattan:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEhI2AVDYrUU7Z-_19qbblHNOAR9eyjq-jwFL03UoobvSXuPapeMe9_hvWzM1oJExGAttMZvUTQ6H36P8d5cYEEpK7Ql6kgALl4KYRKsSZsPmqEaGxmW6N5iEjoGW2rNUqLDuICOCeN92Ezb/s1600/IMG_20110804_161338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2AVDYrUU7Z-_19qbblHNOAR9eyjq-jwFL03UoobvSXuPapeMe9_hvWzM1oJExGAttMZvUTQ6H36P8d5cYEEpK7Ql6kgALl4KYRKsSZsPmqEaGxmW6N5iEjoGW2rNUqLDuICOCeN92Ezb/s320/IMG_20110804_161338.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pac-man style</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Regardless of my plans, inevitably at nearly every city I've ended up in an art museum.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A few hours later, in a different daze, Will handed me over to my friend Brett, by day, a History grad student at Hunter, by night-- a theater critic. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Before we caught our show that evening, as Brett and I ate Five Guy peanuts </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjn91hyphenhyphen8jemQUsn3n596c96lp-Bq3zgB_4VkXRcYRUqOfUc_kZIvaBjIw8z1LA_8GumudKC81HyI7ZZcjgNECdXAcFL7b2D2xVGbwDe98jBKpPP43PuvYfnJGouZVBqHu8JDja8UVMEfw/s1600/IMG_20110804_190603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjn91hyphenhyphen8jemQUsn3n596c96lp-Bq3zgB_4VkXRcYRUqOfUc_kZIvaBjIw8z1LA_8GumudKC81HyI7ZZcjgNECdXAcFL7b2D2xVGbwDe98jBKpPP43PuvYfnJGouZVBqHu8JDja8UVMEfw/s320/IMG_20110804_190603.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">beneath Tecumseh Sherman--</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEhHPI3bMuOo6g1MiN35rR1cDSW36S7iYIBdgJ-Oqf8Il_y4GGN_HkROj4P7KXNtvuHJYlVrKrM2YwlFk-eUTebSYUG5EWEW8AjyIrCdAs5NP2cKJeH5IWdSwbBvWebvoZiFX-I9DYvm0G-V/s1600/IMG_20110804_190608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPI3bMuOo6g1MiN35rR1cDSW36S7iYIBdgJ-Oqf8Il_y4GGN_HkROj4P7KXNtvuHJYlVrKrM2YwlFk-eUTebSYUG5EWEW8AjyIrCdAs5NP2cKJeH5IWdSwbBvWebvoZiFX-I9DYvm0G-V/s320/IMG_20110804_190608.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William Tecumseh Sherman</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Brett pointed out that Five Guy's unlimited-complimentery-all-you-can-eat peanuts are probably from Georgia, and that Tecumseh Sherman burned most of Georgia to the ground through his scorched-earth tactic in the Civil War.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We shrugged and headed to 59E59. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My last two nights in NYC, sandwiched between Five Guys and a falafel joint, I caught shows by two of my playwright friends.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Playwright Anna Moench's "The Pillow Book" at 59E59. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And "Bring a Weasel and a Pint of Blood," an annual show-case of Brooklyn College's MFA playwrights work.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After my last meal in NYC: Tabbouleh in a twelve ounce cup at Mamouns (my favorite East Village falafel stop)...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOvnOg1nS5v0NtLDc9hP2ijQNfVjtX82iKvJ3w8o4xo-0MI8A0bWEmvvQzWTlEeMHK8zri2yCIrbdK3meoYRNOWcS0vPCC_s5uNpJWdZ6XHUKRSs8z7YJWQKip5xU9zhIjTN7DEglyoHn/s1600/IMG_20110805_214259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOvnOg1nS5v0NtLDc9hP2ijQNfVjtX82iKvJ3w8o4xo-0MI8A0bWEmvvQzWTlEeMHK8zri2yCIrbdK3meoYRNOWcS0vPCC_s5uNpJWdZ6XHUKRSs8z7YJWQKip5xU9zhIjTN7DEglyoHn/s320/IMG_20110805_214259.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> I kissed my friends Kacey and Erin goodbye, and returned to the Upper West Side to prepare for my return megabus journey Westward. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Map of the great <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">mobile Manhattan slumber party:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbETJ8-0EmUt4bmb5vXnhahr0ghMMXdtanfh_MJOaz2_5ZTkkuMiOP1Rnk0sM-tWHz9Ibm16Gj3jAEQE-k26SSUqOS-Vf7GspBF88YBQb0LRBdnQXMCRZyTe4azy4-ocBg-Cv2l99V6uvI/s1600/greatmanhattan+slumber+party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbETJ8-0EmUt4bmb5vXnhahr0ghMMXdtanfh_MJOaz2_5ZTkkuMiOP1Rnk0sM-tWHz9Ibm16Gj3jAEQE-k26SSUqOS-Vf7GspBF88YBQb0LRBdnQXMCRZyTe4azy4-ocBg-Cv2l99V6uvI/s1600/greatmanhattan+slumber+party.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-20887830184905428772011-08-08T21:31:00.000-07:002011-08-09T06:32:40.274-07:00The Great Mobile Manhattan Slumber Party (Part 1)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">NYC<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(July 30<sup>th</sup>- August 3<sup>rd</sup>)</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The minute I stepped into the Megabus line at Boston’s South Station, I had one of those moments…</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You know, when your former life begins to bleed into the path of your travels before you even reach your destination? When you’re standing in a line, about to board a bus, and the guy in front of you turns around—and—</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>--oh, shit—</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it’s that guy you had the most ill-fated third date with <br />
in your life...?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And in that moment of recognition, as your eyes connect-- every bad NYC date you ever went on comes at you like a specter or a disturbed friend. In some park of your former selves, your 23-year-old NYC (pre-Iowa) existence sits naively on the swing right next to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
</div>Our first date had been so promising. We went on a No Pants subway date:<br />
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<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/AVvXsEj1IE6X9hGXdiWRk5lspaSN2AsN6-4E-xU0-SLC9oZu45nIat5tKN9BV03sXO_vJOD_I6GuNblprmDG4VAiCrmyu2sBfb4A3Hge3i9fCIdk42fh5b9JCxn3j8nHuzWDpmYdKIwvjwIAi353/s1600/no+pants+subway+ride+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IE6X9hGXdiWRk5lspaSN2AsN6-4E-xU0-SLC9oZu45nIat5tKN9BV03sXO_vJOD_I6GuNblprmDG4VAiCrmyu2sBfb4A3Hge3i9fCIdk42fh5b9JCxn3j8nHuzWDpmYdKIwvjwIAi353/s320/no+pants+subway+ride+day.jpg" t$="true" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I only have photographic evidence because a photographer from Caja4 was like “here, hold this sign.” (according to google Caja4 is either an anti-aging blog or a Spanish radio channel).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We were two of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 1,200 </span>pantied participants at <a href="http://improveverywhere.com/2009/01/14/no-pants-2k9/">Improv Everywhere’s 2009 No Pants Subway ride</a>—who casually removed our pants and rode the subway all the way to a giant no-pants party in Union Square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At the time, I was a regular Improv Everywhere agent:</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/AVvXsEiRYqG3QyFn5l__QIdnO-qrWxrKLj5NBalAf72GvUMlv5n47x-ujnlo-GVNJVbqt60HttOhdJpj_jMostoFf1af5kcUaCu3BNI5WEQEkVPWaVF9d_O7oIsC24dVIDN_gOBOuwKPxKeCfZNE/s1600/8126_682825535148_15706888_39415775_6457274_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYqG3QyFn5l__QIdnO-qrWxrKLj5NBalAf72GvUMlv5n47x-ujnlo-GVNJVbqt60HttOhdJpj_jMostoFf1af5kcUaCu3BNI5WEQEkVPWaVF9d_O7oIsC24dVIDN_gOBOuwKPxKeCfZNE/s320/8126_682825535148_15706888_39415775_6457274_n.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my friend Chris Becker in 2009. Two of 2000 <a href="http://improveverywhere.com/2009/10/04/invisible-dogs/">invisible dog walkers</a> around Brooklyn Heights.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But of my rogues gallery of bad NYC dates, the one that followed our wonderful No Pants Subway date is at the top. Buy me a drink and I may pour my heart out. Let’s just say it ended on no-texting terms and several bad comic sketches. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now on the Megabus, he sat on the top and I sat on the bottom. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">By the time, we’d traveled from the uppermost part of Manhattan, and into the heart of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the big apple… </div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzG27JWl5jxbjpgX4KPmNO6ESpBWc3sQucKh9-_EsWUFo8UyzQGk0HGgH4xHCDUPs_yaU2GVvpTvFMtxoCbIHJ0_rzZU6mNmBntb8UcMVOLf0JYD-OE_b2E5qqIkn8Cu2mkoqfGRdTW2Uz/s1600/nycskyline-use+this+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzG27JWl5jxbjpgX4KPmNO6ESpBWc3sQucKh9-_EsWUFo8UyzQGk0HGgH4xHCDUPs_yaU2GVvpTvFMtxoCbIHJ0_rzZU6mNmBntb8UcMVOLf0JYD-OE_b2E5qqIkn8Cu2mkoqfGRdTW2Uz/s400/nycskyline-use+this+one.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Compliments of google images)</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/AVvXsEhezdMsKiiVWc9WfNx2BxG_4cPrN8DkZdgOOZ3zOPq22OKEKzhpVWGlv4XVe4pOoPVP9IWgmlWXUgrf4WVeatQOTSBctIMPq1GNCsPczPyfQtGu2qAyDfEkRzb6lHVEW8Re9qUIC7XokXme/s1600/IMG_20110802_181503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezdMsKiiVWc9WfNx2BxG_4cPrN8DkZdgOOZ3zOPq22OKEKzhpVWGlv4XVe4pOoPVP9IWgmlWXUgrf4WVeatQOTSBctIMPq1GNCsPczPyfQtGu2qAyDfEkRzb6lHVEW8Re9qUIC7XokXme/s320/IMG_20110802_181503.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obligatory Times Square shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I was ready to let go.</span><br />
<br />
The last thing you should ever do when returning to NYC, is reflect on the number of bad dates you’ve had there.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I went straight from the bus to my friend Kacey's daily habitat:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
The container store:</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3seywSHPeBwUExaP5rPN27S1FLRH_fr13ZwaVoCxhBVChuP_O5MfAEjt0f1QHp6mhuzTdexdhQcv3RowrdOtzsvobXTrbA0k6NYL0_kdXM8WkGLSQwJQxNgAC_i2TG2xtoiTFruK95VR/s1600/IMG_20110730_200917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3seywSHPeBwUExaP5rPN27S1FLRH_fr13ZwaVoCxhBVChuP_O5MfAEjt0f1QHp6mhuzTdexdhQcv3RowrdOtzsvobXTrbA0k6NYL0_kdXM8WkGLSQwJQxNgAC_i2TG2xtoiTFruK95VR/s320/IMG_20110730_200917.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Where I switched out of my megabus accoutrements in the restroom and transformed into:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEhugb3ZhwXq1HBOWfr7BChQ9GT89J8TUfDxbWBhffXVL3pwEGg8-AgyBNT0AF-ixBM6ABsZPXkkW_BdJv4SBS77v_72HQ0IjTmspqwjoYKfNNxfko0DkDLPwIfFPucJ9YZtsno-CRkRiNPi/s1600/IMG_20110730_201352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugb3ZhwXq1HBOWfr7BChQ9GT89J8TUfDxbWBhffXVL3pwEGg8-AgyBNT0AF-ixBM6ABsZPXkkW_BdJv4SBS77v_72HQ0IjTmspqwjoYKfNNxfko0DkDLPwIfFPucJ9YZtsno-CRkRiNPi/s320/IMG_20110730_201352.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A <u>new</u> New Yorker.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kacey finished catering to NYC's OCD and pushing plastic boxes, and together we wandered the city--</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
Past cool buildings:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisogrRk0j7hKDa8408gahvynq4v-MLm_44uHkjfJp3Y43fdhQXdas2KIrbAU_mO7e3-JBEph4vitfehr3UgkxbsEeclsG75iWufbHZwzAO5bGnj8YCft8ocPuT_9vsWBZ_G-naNfmSbk9M/s1600/IMG_20110731_151013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisogrRk0j7hKDa8408gahvynq4v-MLm_44uHkjfJp3Y43fdhQXdas2KIrbAU_mO7e3-JBEph4vitfehr3UgkxbsEeclsG75iWufbHZwzAO5bGnj8YCft8ocPuT_9vsWBZ_G-naNfmSbk9M/s320/IMG_20110731_151013.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><br />
and irreverent bars:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGPoFlRqIv7HUc9Myx9jkS79fN0WKzCzj62XiyStDhAfpzEnvBUnmgHqANk4qrpQUGYGhcJcwhGj9SWsjY6yJdCs7BW7VDqcbYTnXIepLvzpPVTeWPa23jJz66cAsihcC8esUabqjS_cS/s1600/IMG_20110731_154634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGPoFlRqIv7HUc9Myx9jkS79fN0WKzCzj62XiyStDhAfpzEnvBUnmgHqANk4qrpQUGYGhcJcwhGj9SWsjY6yJdCs7BW7VDqcbYTnXIepLvzpPVTeWPa23jJz66cAsihcC8esUabqjS_cS/s320/IMG_20110731_154634.jpg" t$="true" width="301" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
After a brief respite at a secret park in Manhattan (217 E 51st street)-- featuring a waterfall...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsSArqjksDKT8LQ7pXYsc-OPmiQSQlBf0kTD_XQi5u5daiZumLYX5fmTVnPR6PWyNs25Ycz8Wsb_C2Ag3DGJbBIsfyav8mWn9mJ0RHdytGt6u61JOhSJyUDV-BSh6Xn7Eg_nZIfZpnpK1/s1600/nophotographs+allowed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsSArqjksDKT8LQ7pXYsc-OPmiQSQlBf0kTD_XQi5u5daiZumLYX5fmTVnPR6PWyNs25Ycz8Wsb_C2Ag3DGJbBIsfyav8mWn9mJ0RHdytGt6u61JOhSJyUDV-BSh6Xn7Eg_nZIfZpnpK1/s200/nophotographs+allowed.jpg" t$="true" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">( no photographs allowed)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>we made our way<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to the Upper West Side.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ever ask yourself--</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">What if a free flowin' psychadelic performance scene with live-in musicians, artists and poets occupied a massive rent-controlled luxury apartment on the Upper West Side?</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">They do!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Kacey introduced me to them that evening through their weekly potluck / experimental musician showcase “papacookie” (titled in honor of original residents, musician Jonathan’s grandfather, "papa" and grandmother, "cookie"). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Their kitchen alone captures the spirit of the apartment:<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/AVvXsEg-b0C9Biye92SBtKMTHd5GGEtuteQc33ytWMwjpvndOzAs9VJMIR8hLDiUVSgzXT2gbeEAZ0y51tFd1PHkYqOuSNTrbhzCi6O9Lwsxi6XBeJ3gxuuKzmvUyzDS4O6cr6TRFIBc25fB-nRu/s1600/IMG_20110731_011054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-b0C9Biye92SBtKMTHd5GGEtuteQc33ytWMwjpvndOzAs9VJMIR8hLDiUVSgzXT2gbeEAZ0y51tFd1PHkYqOuSNTrbhzCi6O9Lwsxi6XBeJ3gxuuKzmvUyzDS4O6cr6TRFIBc25fB-nRu/s320/IMG_20110731_011054.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">(note amongst other things, the music stand)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Their collection of cookbooks includes Kafka’s long lost masterpiece:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp12o_GRdIR7wxQ05RKj58EE4jS_xAl_taE8ZHHdpREmEB12PO5nKiF4TF1s5AN_gcT5ps2P4H5VEScPDzBQ_fov-BTAy1tCnfk8SB26Oc1-auL1tS_T0z4v5m0sVYFZ5DXv9lNl8oKjvC/s1600/IMG_20110731_010404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp12o_GRdIR7wxQ05RKj58EE4jS_xAl_taE8ZHHdpREmEB12PO5nKiF4TF1s5AN_gcT5ps2P4H5VEScPDzBQ_fov-BTAy1tCnfk8SB26Oc1-auL1tS_T0z4v5m0sVYFZ5DXv9lNl8oKjvC/s320/IMG_20110731_010404.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(<u>Microwave Gourmet Healthstyle Cookbook</u>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/jonathanwoodvincent">Jonathan</a>, an accordion player, pianist and composer, refers to their household as a “perversion of luxury.”<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/AVvXsEilr3oLU12zNz-SqQkzCZADg3RN4eR4baSXToLT4xOMH9GnjqwyqVacgEgEr00DhOY9_tFO65yG5A59oJgItm7VC2PIDQbf5MIFsyOhmgxFwLyPIOn0GipdH0UyOvsG5sC0pPnX2KACVGkM/s1600/IMG_20110731_142939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilr3oLU12zNz-SqQkzCZADg3RN4eR4baSXToLT4xOMH9GnjqwyqVacgEgEr00DhOY9_tFO65yG5A59oJgItm7VC2PIDQbf5MIFsyOhmgxFwLyPIOn0GipdH0UyOvsG5sC0pPnX2KACVGkM/s320/IMG_20110731_142939.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their gilded front gates.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQafMskL5CbvSCqyjfdt3S-TH89ajlKPVkYlFQicge3uTRp5_N4MnrdK-RFpBB2HnSueDRnBjuGYR8ag4p_F6kVGCSxyJxI65prou2dysJ6z0euV045xV7QoyNgwAVQxcaSUzwrVew7Elu/s1600/IMG_20110731_143009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQafMskL5CbvSCqyjfdt3S-TH89ajlKPVkYlFQicge3uTRp5_N4MnrdK-RFpBB2HnSueDRnBjuGYR8ag4p_F6kVGCSxyJxI65prou2dysJ6z0euV045xV7QoyNgwAVQxcaSUzwrVew7Elu/s320/IMG_20110731_143009.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtyard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>At "papacookie," beneath the peeling ceiling (paint scraps dangling), surrounded by candelabras and massive panoramic windows, I listened to:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A cello played by a drumstick, snare drums by a cello bow...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">An electric guitar poet.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A trumpet and piano duo. (That evening, playing the trumpet into the carpet was a popular choice.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And 15 minutes of synchronized balloon playing (by the experimental group Hag). Their commitment to the balloon-playing alone, made it<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>more than hot air and noise. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Later over a Sixpoint beer, Hag's trumpeteer, Brad, explained to me how his group learns the language of each others' sounds and improvisationally make phrases. How it's more than playing, they “get inside each other’s music.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At papacookie, the best seat is the windowsill:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEj6kjgQ6vqdj6uVRUyfpIas_S7JnMsifSMAjc6K3UqT-mJI0GtQfSRdeUIjTLzNxEjReVnX1oRDFMOZ7Pt9ocGz-QoKyYdHVm1yvhNumBNHj9k0Md7KyF6l8JqIQtOSVGTRgKYUvFqn7XEe/s1600/kacey+at+poppacookie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kjgQ6vqdj6uVRUyfpIas_S7JnMsifSMAjc6K3UqT-mJI0GtQfSRdeUIjTLzNxEjReVnX1oRDFMOZ7Pt9ocGz-QoKyYdHVm1yvhNumBNHj9k0Md7KyF6l8JqIQtOSVGTRgKYUvFqn7XEe/s320/kacey+at+poppacookie.jpg" t$="true" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Kacey Stamats- </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(photo by papacookie resident photographer,<a href="http://richarddanielb.tumblr.com/"> Richard Daniel Bergeron</a>)</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The sound of the city is more an addition to the music, than an interruption. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And the residents were more than welcoming. That night, I ended up crashing on their living room floor on a set of couch cushions. Richard, photographer of the above image, made me breakfast the next day. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My trip to NYC was clearly not your typical NYC tourist fare:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJeNN8wdnoez8PSLOmKlblzHjomw7J3N870YksF6Tmdmk9h26MpezzcZLfW8j21DfT-APANTgxcXZjHfXhZwcj7dQaJn7Rf4FgcdfvAUF1Sy6TRSEhbeWQ1mdad9bBrN75EZh-bqcgnPE/s1600/Statue-of-Liberty-face-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJeNN8wdnoez8PSLOmKlblzHjomw7J3N870YksF6Tmdmk9h26MpezzcZLfW8j21DfT-APANTgxcXZjHfXhZwcj7dQaJn7Rf4FgcdfvAUF1Sy6TRSEhbeWQ1mdad9bBrN75EZh-bqcgnPE/s200/Statue-of-Liberty-face-1.jpg" t$="true" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Though I can tell you the most affordable view of the Statue of Liberty is a free ferry ride on the Staten Island ferry.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">During my time in NYC:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*I revisited the best of my internships:<br />
<br />
New Dramatists:<br />
<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" 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/AVvXsEjxwSx6YRpv9qkEd39mYldsowe4HFmQpAz7ZYqch67-tfIvl6UYVUamVxa0Rb8DNQ-jQH2wuuM9e3V1cZpaAB9MuODiLKymSzu64MIBEF7mUhsL_lTGEF7P5uj1yPZaaTnXHYbx0t3YW64s/s1600/ny_new_dramatists_2_740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwSx6YRpv9qkEd39mYldsowe4HFmQpAz7ZYqch67-tfIvl6UYVUamVxa0Rb8DNQ-jQH2wuuM9e3V1cZpaAB9MuODiLKymSzu64MIBEF7mUhsL_lTGEF7P5uj1yPZaaTnXHYbx0t3YW64s/s320/ny_new_dramatists_2_740.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Dramatist's flag: "Dedicated to the Playwright." Located at 424 W 44th street- a library of their current resident and alumni's plays is open to the public M-F, 10 am- 6 pm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I rode a highly acclaimed dilapidated elevator (mentioned in a NY Time's theater <a href="http://theater.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/theater/reviews/drawn-and-quartered-at-intar-review.html">review</a>) and met up with my former intern mentor (from my days at Rattlestick Playwright Theater), Lou Moreno. He's now the Artistic Director at Intar, a 45 year old theater company committed to works by latino writers. <br />
Lou gave me a tour of their new<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>equity approved theater space—built this year by the company's own hands, in defiance of a drop in funding. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
*I ate A LOT of Thai food. Iowa City only has two Thai restaurants (neither compare to NYC's). My new favorite discovery: Cafétasia in Greenwich Village. They not only have delicious pad thai—their $10 lunch special includes an appetizer, entrée and drink. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">My leftovers:</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOElUHh-rAUumzSIg-IZfLmZgLkDeO5iDsCo4lHKjEgUU4pojM2BIVO4OVRU2AmRIoRIqHaqog1aA4He3uuO0jEdJFseY8_926zZW6F0tiCnZ1nFnsArHS4edJCyhetIbNJITLZB8_h_cd/s1600/IMG_20110802_114309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOElUHh-rAUumzSIg-IZfLmZgLkDeO5iDsCo4lHKjEgUU4pojM2BIVO4OVRU2AmRIoRIqHaqog1aA4He3uuO0jEdJFseY8_926zZW6F0tiCnZ1nFnsArHS4edJCyhetIbNJITLZB8_h_cd/s320/IMG_20110802_114309.jpg" t$="true" width="239" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*I attended a puppet party in the Magical Garden (a community garden on the Lower East Side). </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/AVvXsEgA0JGh2uYLuUQ2zD_uYeumFHu0vaCk_E2-CqZRsfYFeLPvUUdUA7qb-LKsCuQ3muyQvplkFUyDi6Ch4CvM3KByGnkl1yP-D2205r7wtwgoxC-4UNS8v6Dfbmv6p6tlaiwCkf-1fZouQKxM/s1600/IMG_20110731_210933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0JGh2uYLuUQ2zD_uYeumFHu0vaCk_E2-CqZRsfYFeLPvUUdUA7qb-LKsCuQ3muyQvplkFUyDi6Ch4CvM3KByGnkl1yP-D2205r7wtwgoxC-4UNS8v6Dfbmv6p6tlaiwCkf-1fZouQKxM/s320/IMG_20110731_210933.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Gretchen Van Lente and her puppet doppleganger. </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This was part of a free Punch Puppet Slam through <a href="http://www.dramaofworks.com/about/index.html">Drama of Works</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QGtevTiru5R5vol0W6xCg_KPznSHbWMk3AgyYsL-iyUvFirs-q0fwrapUSWkVAUnokRa_j41zTSY8WyxJBUMuRhbUSGS3GU9aWQl5EgAYXWJVpIwqcMu03oEzUPJMqmWuJtKu5uhSSTm/s1600/IMG_20110731_195604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><img height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pV08ITdHQeUnQtGxUs7PglZ9WVqTKfGrmmcRl8PceMC4Te8scY69vQvgVpKQq2ot5pLE81mddyl3Vrr829B8lok_mYgQEBQZczjMpp3jTmX7fJoI_TcZ7b8HrbkJYqHwzPmGtame0pkD/s320/IMG_20110731_195632.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 608px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 30px; visibility: hidden;" width="36" /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pV08ITdHQeUnQtGxUs7PglZ9WVqTKfGrmmcRl8PceMC4Te8scY69vQvgVpKQq2ot5pLE81mddyl3Vrr829B8lok_mYgQEBQZczjMpp3jTmX7fJoI_TcZ7b8HrbkJYqHwzPmGtame0pkD/s1600/IMG_20110731_195632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QGtevTiru5R5vol0W6xCg_KPznSHbWMk3AgyYsL-iyUvFirs-q0fwrapUSWkVAUnokRa_j41zTSY8WyxJBUMuRhbUSGS3GU9aWQl5EgAYXWJVpIwqcMu03oEzUPJMqmWuJtKu5uhSSTm/s320/IMG_20110731_195604.jpg" t$="true" width="120" /> <img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pV08ITdHQeUnQtGxUs7PglZ9WVqTKfGrmmcRl8PceMC4Te8scY69vQvgVpKQq2ot5pLE81mddyl3Vrr829B8lok_mYgQEBQZczjMpp3jTmX7fJoI_TcZ7b8HrbkJYqHwzPmGtame0pkD/s320/IMG_20110731_195632.jpg" t$="true" width="119" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Take that, puppet!</div><div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The puppets sang more than Sesame Street songs, they sang what might as well be the mantra of my trip: “I don’t know what I’m looking for, but I’m looking and finding more.” And I thought: "that’s right, profound puppet wolf. Sing it!" </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">*I entered the trenches (okay, a bar), and battled towards gender parity<em> </em>in the theater through attending a Women in Theater Cocktail party (an upbeat networking event).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">*And </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I helped celebrate my director friend Gavin's birthday party at the Astoria Beer Garden.</span><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/AVvXsEj6a2mu3eEQBolYKQofRfINCmpS_X0RcLhyphenhyphenL7JF-JrnmWc937ZRTQUpZ8WWpTijmP5MIWOlp1Yb3diL9upIaYDS-JrbsumyMiKXvzqGXi84727222QROeAhZggYKFlT1yZJUY7dkKsXhMzw/s1600/IMG_20110803_000315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6a2mu3eEQBolYKQofRfINCmpS_X0RcLhyphenhyphenL7JF-JrnmWc937ZRTQUpZ8WWpTijmP5MIWOlp1Yb3diL9upIaYDS-JrbsumyMiKXvzqGXi84727222QROeAhZggYKFlT1yZJUY7dkKsXhMzw/s320/IMG_20110803_000315.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gavin of St. Fortune’s Theater Company delivering a State of the Union address on his life.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> The next day, guided by a physical theater specialist, I got in touch with my liver and endocrine glands during a a multi-modal training session through Sanctuary Playwrights Theater’s innovative <a href="http://www.sanctuarytheatre.org/">NextStage</a> program. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEjQLkIZquehwmS0Q1Gxf7LmdSHuu95_RtLgsBmEyuR76sI0Ka-0bEZ51w0cyiwUQNMqd6Pu8rgSrNTt_9CCbO9ZVgUh90jdHWFuf6TTh4lWZDOlRAV0cUsX7j_mzvyyZSFT0t3WQ-TbI3NU/s1600/IMG_20110802_220614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLkIZquehwmS0Q1Gxf7LmdSHuu95_RtLgsBmEyuR76sI0Ka-0bEZ51w0cyiwUQNMqd6Pu8rgSrNTt_9CCbO9ZVgUh90jdHWFuf6TTh4lWZDOlRAV0cUsX7j_mzvyyZSFT0t3WQ-TbI3NU/s1600/IMG_20110802_220614.jpg" t$="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the Theaterlab space we used for Tuesday night’s training, channeling my pancreas. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>The following evening, I took Artistic Director Bob Jude Ferrante up on his challenge-- to begin developing a new play for Sanctuary by running my own workshop with several members of the NextStage acting company.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsSArqjksDKT8LQ7pXYsc-OPmiQSQlBf0kTD_XQi5u5daiZumLYX5fmTVnPR6PWyNs25Ycz8Wsb_C2Ag3DGJbBIsfyav8mWn9mJ0RHdytGt6u61JOhSJyUDV-BSh6Xn7Eg_nZIfZpnpK1/s1600/nophotographs+allowed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsSArqjksDKT8LQ7pXYsc-OPmiQSQlBf0kTD_XQi5u5daiZumLYX5fmTVnPR6PWyNs25Ycz8Wsb_C2Ag3DGJbBIsfyav8mWn9mJ0RHdytGt6u61JOhSJyUDV-BSh6Xn7Eg_nZIfZpnpK1/s200/nophotographs+allowed.jpg" t$="true" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And I wrote:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEiwJXYqr543ZOYeNphhlij6tefn6-m60a84R27eE0qlFGwuc93NXKz6AChnDENqezPsomlFtA-SjyIS8UfrS0HWjahpfYtnGqXjAydQ3Z5L6yfHiD0L_VDKNSkzkcNedIQ8RJt9PtbFZd4i/s1600/IMG_0177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJXYqr543ZOYeNphhlij6tefn6-m60a84R27eE0qlFGwuc93NXKz6AChnDENqezPsomlFtA-SjyIS8UfrS0HWjahpfYtnGqXjAydQ3Z5L6yfHiD0L_VDKNSkzkcNedIQ8RJt9PtbFZd4i/s320/IMG_0177.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*At my friend artist Chris Becker’s West Village apartment, attended by my temporary livingroomate, Theo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYL1m4pbd0mkkUe_AKfUwAu1iYZUfr6oW3cSpyBv7VCiXEc83tokI56MvhDkhKQsIBaJGAWTv1YFUtma9FOylas7mp9AjH8aaTXgVC1sicsBbeWIoLPcGAjUu3sm3rl_ebvWA7cKp7bidZ/s1600/IMG_0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYL1m4pbd0mkkUe_AKfUwAu1iYZUfr6oW3cSpyBv7VCiXEc83tokI56MvhDkhKQsIBaJGAWTv1YFUtma9FOylas7mp9AjH8aaTXgVC1sicsBbeWIoLPcGAjUu3sm3rl_ebvWA7cKp7bidZ/s320/IMG_0178.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Theo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEgopSWCgwcpb49Eyrugo4V4XqoZsq2I8Q323zDrGgHkgP7zCA2FBFtP17tOcTlZtx2Gl29Yn9er0ixu_k7tpG9qO8fXM2Hbk53gB5e2Z3PGmf4MQcky19EsVXJK7FlwaEcZgfMhsNuGZCr1/s1600/Capital_by_themindofmadness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopSWCgwcpb49Eyrugo4V4XqoZsq2I8Q323zDrGgHkgP7zCA2FBFtP17tOcTlZtx2Gl29Yn9er0ixu_k7tpG9qO8fXM2Hbk53gB5e2Z3PGmf4MQcky19EsVXJK7FlwaEcZgfMhsNuGZCr1/s320/Capital_by_themindofmadness.jpg" t$="true" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surrounded by Chris Becker's meticulously hand-drawn artwork. (See more <a href="http://themindofmadness.deviantart.com/#/d1j74f3">here</a>.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zSnRn39UArNhGuCgQ1Qs-YEpyE4yzaoNQ52EwS08tR0geAHDesCh4TN0r71ILrj_4Pu8r1XodkGmA73oaT79DZN8VnqCV6gV845d_NKOIc061uhtsrLEhFup99PizeOMllQG3wqrxC_a/s1600/IMG_20110803_135309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zSnRn39UArNhGuCgQ1Qs-YEpyE4yzaoNQ52EwS08tR0geAHDesCh4TN0r71ILrj_4Pu8r1XodkGmA73oaT79DZN8VnqCV6gV845d_NKOIc061uhtsrLEhFup99PizeOMllQG3wqrxC_a/s320/IMG_20110803_135309.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*With my friend, non-fiction writer, Emily Herzlin on her Upper West Side rooftop.<br />
Emily is working on a memoir about her love of Synge and her travels to the Aran Islands. (her travel blog: <a href="http://letterstoaran.blogspot.com/">http://letterstoaran.blogspot.com/</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></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/AVvXsEgqy9XmF7g6JxWiEuKLb4HgQ5IRvn7xwvhKWcySVYPWPRtsyvoPvxtiKX_d8RPHmWJEqO7Qj1OnF_8MwokXjVtXj1VGU-Ck0RQzznGcGUmezGEG6e9_Cm5btTlNexosjv1aPpCGAsU5v5fz/s1600/IMG_20110805_144008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqy9XmF7g6JxWiEuKLb4HgQ5IRvn7xwvhKWcySVYPWPRtsyvoPvxtiKX_d8RPHmWJEqO7Qj1OnF_8MwokXjVtXj1VGU-Ck0RQzznGcGUmezGEG6e9_Cm5btTlNexosjv1aPpCGAsU5v5fz/s320/IMG_20110805_144008.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*And in spacious public spaces. My favorite: The David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center:</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But despite spats of productivity, there were plenty of times that I stopped and smelled the flowers:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgeT2EWgo4QkxNS_eJ7U3z7h1bPs_TIMjH0-W4fLHQ5Q-P_3wdRRJlzI9gs6bAo9GTmywibMacWFYHU4THbiW4zLxws5iLEsoywWVikn9QcqQeDaZo2Gy6DgdLVAxx3G-ZDqrKsoFYbl8/s1600/IMG_20110731_214319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgeT2EWgo4QkxNS_eJ7U3z7h1bPs_TIMjH0-W4fLHQ5Q-P_3wdRRJlzI9gs6bAo9GTmywibMacWFYHU4THbiW4zLxws5iLEsoywWVikn9QcqQeDaZo2Gy6DgdLVAxx3G-ZDqrKsoFYbl8/s320/IMG_20110731_214319.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">(Or in my uncoordinated case, fell in them.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">STAY TUNED FOR: NYC Part II (falling in flowers)</div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-68513645875981814522011-08-01T23:37:00.000-07:002011-09-02T19:03:41.364-07:00Boston: the pinnacle of the journey (where she reaches her Aunt and Uncle)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">On July 25<sup>th</sup>, I arrived safely in...</span><br />
<br />
<div align="center"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">BOSTON</span></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/AVvXsEjoJIluw7rbs6FFT8k1YZs7KgFXaEni2ZDT-wrobDmg427VFITSz1WRQSLYgShhkHBV2FUd_zR1P10pQq_TZAxDGlzrS081tljZA7CptS6vhuDa0Z4Z2WJtlgFXMRJcqYYlqyxICibhsT7e/s1600/IMG_20110729_121339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJIluw7rbs6FFT8k1YZs7KgFXaEni2ZDT-wrobDmg427VFITSz1WRQSLYgShhkHBV2FUd_zR1P10pQq_TZAxDGlzrS081tljZA7CptS6vhuDa0Z4Z2WJtlgFXMRJcqYYlqyxICibhsT7e/s320/IMG_20110729_121339.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Skyline shot finally captured from my phone... during a Boston Harbor Whale Watch tour.)</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">And for the next five days, I lived my motivation for this trip: a visit to my Aunt and Uncle. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">If they were your relatives, you’d probably travel all the way across the country via megabus to visit them too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Boston, my Uncle Jim made sure that I caught my first Major League Baseball game.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVV_ikS5HMHQCcLCnvTIB6Xh3A6POZiN62c9ALIBOcNRordYwAcJgvt-G5QhVTwTsTzPGyYoDkWN6ipCvQBT059pKI7mRmvl_t0soNB4dhakPF9DTpUYoUNJJxdC4-lBA02BkIPg1QMeeT/s1600/IMG_20110726_224225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVV_ikS5HMHQCcLCnvTIB6Xh3A6POZiN62c9ALIBOcNRordYwAcJgvt-G5QhVTwTsTzPGyYoDkWN6ipCvQBT059pKI7mRmvl_t0soNB4dhakPF9DTpUYoUNJJxdC4-lBA02BkIPg1QMeeT/s320/IMG_20110726_224225.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Where I saw the Red Sox beat Kansas City 13-9. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQomBJcEkLgHcUanWWcxKMkrgsAoRbrxiS_3Cuj1zlSRjCF_EN_C__pYk4lRTx5wlb7H97Fov6GgEfhOSrwLDoVECgvVc1uWt0jUYkhRsxnqGzu1vRCbN1oIro6kHtx6fVoDIa9JMlyfas/s1600/IMG_20110726_192328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQomBJcEkLgHcUanWWcxKMkrgsAoRbrxiS_3Cuj1zlSRjCF_EN_C__pYk4lRTx5wlb7H97Fov6GgEfhOSrwLDoVECgvVc1uWt0jUYkhRsxnqGzu1vRCbN1oIro6kHtx6fVoDIa9JMlyfas/s320/IMG_20110726_192328.jpg" t$="true" width="245" /></a></div><br />
And the glory of Fenway Park at Sunset.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7o6BOVuCqw3uU77zH69RfMuitqQ2NNWBXyPHa04FJsGkUOfJe3LINKveZbGhGHIoUo5mzSIlhEWZhfZa1e5o0TLAIGZsbAzczNGBw8jSspjWGmsqEl7QbZI88EQYqmO97srcVcdF2mrb/s1600/IMG_20110726_195426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7o6BOVuCqw3uU77zH69RfMuitqQ2NNWBXyPHa04FJsGkUOfJe3LINKveZbGhGHIoUo5mzSIlhEWZhfZa1e5o0TLAIGZsbAzczNGBw8jSspjWGmsqEl7QbZI88EQYqmO97srcVcdF2mrb/s320/IMG_20110726_195426.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></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/AVvXsEipE__SrmbrG00PlUZVHiq4eydJHCxwnySpjH4uyo0ou6FcWQnEEOcMqdDvdkcwqRHoLvKG6HsIKMtDksvI7JuHkIZKIK7YoMLZfO4YQYvnMJNnDJ4KadBETE7ZciSivxJQn14kAEQ85QKZ/s1600/IMG_20110726_221556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipE__SrmbrG00PlUZVHiq4eydJHCxwnySpjH4uyo0ou6FcWQnEEOcMqdDvdkcwqRHoLvKG6HsIKMtDksvI7JuHkIZKIK7YoMLZfO4YQYvnMJNnDJ4KadBETE7ZciSivxJQn14kAEQ85QKZ/s320/IMG_20110726_221556.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Uncle Jim’s holy moment in the 7<sup>th</sup> inning stretch.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Another person who's shared in my Uncle Jim’s season tickets:<br />
<div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Howard Zinn</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiADq1hnWTUrC0_1rU7WxBmswbfwyc2qeqj-93miHuBEA23QbEaR7om2wx8kidvey-7EKA7CCi3jh1pDoSozEE5Qwzv1u6PjUbt9GWKDjNa_dcbSSmDkFcQG_hkzZYe5is7L_jh6jovmp/s1600/IMG_20110730_004246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiADq1hnWTUrC0_1rU7WxBmswbfwyc2qeqj-93miHuBEA23QbEaR7om2wx8kidvey-7EKA7CCi3jh1pDoSozEE5Qwzv1u6PjUbt9GWKDjNa_dcbSSmDkFcQG_hkzZYe5is7L_jh6jovmp/s320/IMG_20110730_004246.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My uncle took Howard Zinn to his last major league baseball game.</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/AVvXsEhJUkkdFiF2hHLXbrD86AS9TSH7XkhsH49iPpGWUXVNcjQqtmT25gmWznlzJ_V1HOxr31sBtSeXEohJvfd8ko3uZMnFeCB99S76pzqcPYA-Q_h24vsupSUOWSoIpuq3jicZrQ6AzlS7z6j7/s1600/IMG_20110730_004916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUkkdFiF2hHLXbrD86AS9TSH7XkhsH49iPpGWUXVNcjQqtmT25gmWznlzJ_V1HOxr31sBtSeXEohJvfd8ko3uZMnFeCB99S76pzqcPYA-Q_h24vsupSUOWSoIpuq3jicZrQ6AzlS7z6j7/s320/IMG_20110730_004916.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(See? It's like we're at the same game.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Howard Zinn is the author of the book I've been reading on my megabus journey across the United States:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJPuWD25hx86LRxOC3oV4IdoiMvZkhMcrJ2ghlxYoDTo7GWrnEIxCNjm1VcEMrnHyEt5VoJ8sYgrXDEDPPaUGW90WVhPR5Edb4cT_NkpJ2i-xiuhVaPkf1lw8u8SPuyIuOrp_fkEPThPw/s1600/IMG_20110727_163147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJPuWD25hx86LRxOC3oV4IdoiMvZkhMcrJ2ghlxYoDTo7GWrnEIxCNjm1VcEMrnHyEt5VoJ8sYgrXDEDPPaUGW90WVhPR5Edb4cT_NkpJ2i-xiuhVaPkf1lw8u8SPuyIuOrp_fkEPThPw/s320/IMG_20110727_163147.jpg" t$="true" width="253" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>A People's History of the United States</u>. Some light summer reading.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">(No trolling the comments, please. I get that he’s a controversial historian.) </span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>My aunt made sure that I got beach time. Which is all the the more precious when you’re landlocked in Iowa. <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/AVvXsEi70MfEVfeo_3OXA7-I0wJwphp6xRcuDozu2CyZTYrgEJCEwnUAZZXnKifJkg1ut57ZW5Q6x5ekTreyG2jkypZzDWxk4zR__MIQ76a4-7CIYDdi6XKaXe83wnKrtVmO0sZN4G3rg0litShv/s1600/IMG_20110727_144720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70MfEVfeo_3OXA7-I0wJwphp6xRcuDozu2CyZTYrgEJCEwnUAZZXnKifJkg1ut57ZW5Q6x5ekTreyG2jkypZzDWxk4zR__MIQ76a4-7CIYDdi6XKaXe83wnKrtVmO0sZN4G3rg0litShv/s320/IMG_20110727_144720.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plum Island, Massachusetts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Where I had plenty of downtime with these two wonderful people:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmw5Zxl2kqWDI6ossaXEABMNvYMdKGUWnoRGgKLkuOXtT8fXCgEc7sUoexubKBnXpKV-zMUlK9iUft5KRAvVr_CFrOGNbcP6i8dR5YJAHBHU3NYBmiu9jBwN0hAPcUZTI6xGc7NQEg2nl/s1600/IMG_20110727_164007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmw5Zxl2kqWDI6ossaXEABMNvYMdKGUWnoRGgKLkuOXtT8fXCgEc7sUoexubKBnXpKV-zMUlK9iUft5KRAvVr_CFrOGNbcP6i8dR5YJAHBHU3NYBmiu9jBwN0hAPcUZTI6xGc7NQEg2nl/s320/IMG_20110727_164007.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My aunt and uncle. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And just in case that wasn't enough-- the next day, they took me out on the ocean on a four hour whale watching tour through Boston Harbor Cruises.<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/AVvXsEjPSF4jA7kC1iF-o9CWkgftnvGoRR5yaZ3nZdSyqfnq0oD6IV823F63C2s7zBHj_n76Ftk6yX0hWV9GOzqo8iBM_3VwOTt6V3oi5eUmQmWHcF7gikha6KtW56Lcx57zuHZXRm7CbhUIBCER/s1600/IMG_20110729_121016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSF4jA7kC1iF-o9CWkgftnvGoRR5yaZ3nZdSyqfnq0oD6IV823F63C2s7zBHj_n76Ftk6yX0hWV9GOzqo8iBM_3VwOTt6V3oi5eUmQmWHcF7gikha6KtW56Lcx57zuHZXRm7CbhUIBCER/s320/IMG_20110729_121016.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We pulled away from Boston Harbor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI6qyLPv8zvL7-BQWcTIMNI2XVEYR7QBT906F3DIOjEPjh4vxDY5Tts3hy2kQDd49gLeEJeWjrkbIMPM9MO0UfoYnHNi7YO6GkxFayXBMV4Mhq1idxNj8fCj8bqZz2W9ZivmgnNOrE_Zf/s1600/DSCN1169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI6qyLPv8zvL7-BQWcTIMNI2XVEYR7QBT906F3DIOjEPjh4vxDY5Tts3hy2kQDd49gLeEJeWjrkbIMPM9MO0UfoYnHNi7YO6GkxFayXBMV4Mhq1idxNj8fCj8bqZz2W9ZivmgnNOrE_Zf/s320/DSCN1169.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, finally in a skyline shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></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/AVvXsEjwSPh_019pj-lalrAgUwqerA3cZpvNQK29skrosbVSJPRl1y_uqSyFzsqSiIDtfBQArNjgx4RcikGv-GQviyOC7h3PEvP5t-45gHjmLH3cRJF3KINB2YGkyXgfpAPE7av_FGSvnYqpVAO7/s1600/IMG_20110729_154438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSPh_019pj-lalrAgUwqerA3cZpvNQK29skrosbVSJPRl1y_uqSyFzsqSiIDtfBQArNjgx4RcikGv-GQviyOC7h3PEvP5t-45gHjmLH3cRJF3KINB2YGkyXgfpAPE7av_FGSvnYqpVAO7/s400/IMG_20110729_154438.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">We passed Fort Warren (constructed around 1833).</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And then we saw:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HzabJMshUH-ZVnw77GpKk9bBk4edil5TXiOxJG6GkoWO9nSdD7Nj_uxvQGCix4FmbzRwbNn1pLNu1XkQQ3vmfixY8x4YWPlv0znq7XCahIlcjZe_QHvghGfm7M5ERXuTNPmL1w8zqvfT/s1600/IMG_20110729_133914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HzabJMshUH-ZVnw77GpKk9bBk4edil5TXiOxJG6GkoWO9nSdD7Nj_uxvQGCix4FmbzRwbNn1pLNu1XkQQ3vmfixY8x4YWPlv0znq7XCahIlcjZe_QHvghGfm7M5ERXuTNPmL1w8zqvfT/s320/IMG_20110729_133914.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whales!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Boston Harbor Cruises gurantees you'll see a whale-- or you get your money back. <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/AVvXsEi5O2lW6tQP3QvrDLmam_Bwhi2ucB6kcxQ4AFojVCosNwbmjKCM_-YKat6aFHc9aV0tsvAZpWBAc70gHqWd-WQcAqBqR_H06HngW25S1CdwEWRg54_hQ3F252V3YGCWAUc8lCw94r4TWdX3/s1600/IMG_20110729_161158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5O2lW6tQP3QvrDLmam_Bwhi2ucB6kcxQ4AFojVCosNwbmjKCM_-YKat6aFHc9aV0tsvAZpWBAc70gHqWd-WQcAqBqR_H06HngW25S1CdwEWRg54_hQ3F252V3YGCWAUc8lCw94r4TWdX3/s320/IMG_20110729_161158.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This does not count the ten foot whale atop their ticket booth. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Some came breathtakingly close to the boat:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDMfbTFjX6baPfXWEounD8Ek5biY2xwxItqUPsPDqkwVa41P5Vf9EBmwQ0_JNfC8lbmwwtSKmxFu0Qebb4cgOd0FwYiOGZEwzDFt7D8UDIxORScj09Sz7a7RNg54pTBDyQ51QJnFPogJ6/s1600/IMG_20110729_141250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDMfbTFjX6baPfXWEounD8Ek5biY2xwxItqUPsPDqkwVa41P5Vf9EBmwQ0_JNfC8lbmwwtSKmxFu0Qebb4cgOd0FwYiOGZEwzDFt7D8UDIxORScj09Sz7a7RNg54pTBDyQ51QJnFPogJ6/s320/IMG_20110729_141250.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The best day to go is when the sky is overcast and the water is a little rough. </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My aunt captured this video:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx7RPJgo-EP9K0J10MOPBDJzyo8bo1Duje0O00upyh75_UT-tHNvZcN12dvPxGW4i12M_n6t0FYorKcq81AfQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I got this one:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzGsgHcojREYRPdWka7snLm-QuVJMv_gfYxGJswrSA9AfJOI0HKdfTFOienq5zOSApzuasvVUnuA83RearAOg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At least six whales leapt entirely out of the water —but of course, all we managed to capture was a lot of:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEi9g-vtXHBRj-kJxP3yzecN8D9_BvA1RYDY3Lq3f9Zu44cPjcS0pg4ncDInkw4aHNLgiqAxcIN4Lm5LXMV4IU882QwE14s6iON7IL4ZDo06Y_84EnJgrAGDChV_d1jMkyVkXdxiFjs-479V/s1600/IMG_20110729_141223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9g-vtXHBRj-kJxP3yzecN8D9_BvA1RYDY3Lq3f9Zu44cPjcS0pg4ncDInkw4aHNLgiqAxcIN4Lm5LXMV4IU882QwE14s6iON7IL4ZDo06Y_84EnJgrAGDChV_d1jMkyVkXdxiFjs-479V/s320/IMG_20110729_141223.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Splash.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Which made Uncle Jim go a little nuts:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjWrGWusFh4M_DY3BYN7Z9PpSvQWZf9oqLAhDXkZUq-5n6xBv4Qgd9WTWrrVQ55c0T5tz7jPPs7O9UyapBtHYj9nhsWdcjQzoQqTxPznM56vA2AcIC2DU6jE3NE4LozP10AMVeKYM2O_S/s1600/Mr.peanut-+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjWrGWusFh4M_DY3BYN7Z9PpSvQWZf9oqLAhDXkZUq-5n6xBv4Qgd9WTWrrVQ55c0T5tz7jPPs7O9UyapBtHYj9nhsWdcjQzoQqTxPznM56vA2AcIC2DU6jE3NE4LozP10AMVeKYM2O_S/s1600/Mr.peanut-+edited.jpg" t$="true" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
That or my aunt and I stumbled upon the Planter's Tour after our whale watch, when we hung around the historic (now extremely commercial) Faneuil Hall Marketplace.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEiWlYAiO2zE8sa0fTpayseKnme4QJPzfIsRkj3XOeJECSjMBxb15ALE7tOwO3bPgqnmpY6w3Dg8PmI6UX9_hnbLzJONYABdAHyC6mMlC-t1RrJmC-ucjNighhSCfvgwhGKYijICCaBKY8YR/s1600/IMG_20110729_111630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlYAiO2zE8sa0fTpayseKnme4QJPzfIsRkj3XOeJECSjMBxb15ALE7tOwO3bPgqnmpY6w3Dg8PmI6UX9_hnbLzJONYABdAHyC6mMlC-t1RrJmC-ucjNighhSCfvgwhGKYijICCaBKY8YR/s320/IMG_20110729_111630.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nut-Mobile.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Faneuil Hall:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FRUK_8YYTZbT7AZgRWptzneOwVqrSxlMV3u40YjNgTByjJuelBhe4M9g9cVHrM5QGl51qmO_SMMOlJZm_5-sZSKaElMro6estpb6ixE3HitrLSzVTwINVXdT2gg9uLbKouZ9g23FAQHW/s1600/IMG_20110729_163746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FRUK_8YYTZbT7AZgRWptzneOwVqrSxlMV3u40YjNgTByjJuelBhe4M9g9cVHrM5QGl51qmO_SMMOlJZm_5-sZSKaElMro6estpb6ixE3HitrLSzVTwINVXdT2gg9uLbKouZ9g23FAQHW/s320/IMG_20110729_163746.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Featuring Samuel Adams.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEg1c_kciEIadKUUhUCMrvNWgvERIc5PsF_CACxGBnlC4ocbSr4MtdSA-j4d5sXNluFgHJ0S2IcYA-Ig-UAD9p_xQX-Chv4pQWc9IvYgYO3tA-vG4vCZqFMh62Wx0u3SDF5LgtiPBvsGMLQH/s1600/IMG_20110729_163714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1c_kciEIadKUUhUCMrvNWgvERIc5PsF_CACxGBnlC4ocbSr4MtdSA-j4d5sXNluFgHJ0S2IcYA-Ig-UAD9p_xQX-Chv4pQWc9IvYgYO3tA-vG4vCZqFMh62Wx0u3SDF5LgtiPBvsGMLQH/s320/IMG_20110729_163714.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Times have changed. </td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My uncle is a rock critic. Early on in the week, he asked me:: “So what would you rather see Chistina Perri or something that will totally blow your mind?” Resulting in the big shebang that makes him officially the coolest Uncle in the world:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">VIP passes to the Flaming Lips!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Where the universe opens up:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFMoi5BkpA6qFxf_YG4l-B6MVsn5MVFrP-J9R8QoogN1QrwGdTTnFfUZWlPQrgXUEoImkwafOPKGImTgPZsj78D1Hj9B8rAjMiBZJr1lj-nN1ls9hwCD5WJ7oXE-EsWENhxxBRczseLu-/s1600/IMG_20110727_212558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFMoi5BkpA6qFxf_YG4l-B6MVsn5MVFrP-J9R8QoogN1QrwGdTTnFfUZWlPQrgXUEoImkwafOPKGImTgPZsj78D1Hj9B8rAjMiBZJr1lj-nN1ls9hwCD5WJ7oXE-EsWENhxxBRczseLu-/s320/IMG_20110727_212558.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Stares back at you:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXljCKTBUAb4Fapr9NU3d1cwo4y8DhuC0n2pZTCH8rCtGOUp-h7E1AYUZ7_GtLU0ohrjmHJS9dOpcvL_OB0Omy0NqxAEQLFi5wBePPIkMRbP3YLQhyphenhyphenFK6u1O7iWZPHoRDrsrMjWUgyM5j/s1600/IMG_20110727_205236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXljCKTBUAb4Fapr9NU3d1cwo4y8DhuC0n2pZTCH8rCtGOUp-h7E1AYUZ7_GtLU0ohrjmHJS9dOpcvL_OB0Omy0NqxAEQLFi5wBePPIkMRbP3YLQhyphenhyphenFK6u1O7iWZPHoRDrsrMjWUgyM5j/s320/IMG_20110727_205236.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">And part rock-star / part shaman, Wayne Coyne comes out in his space bubble:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegJiyzah2p0l3vv5Yc7s9L5iUo6zelknAN0wYoV4rBwgMG9PD9T_Vwl3RKAcdOreRArlvDZtm3oEk_hc-Is3ccILpgah2N1_roZbi5f9xbhyphenhyphenUhAoAnGqnJWN46r2YVtQ5l3A3mWCzJtrI/s1600/IMG_20110727_205736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegJiyzah2p0l3vv5Yc7s9L5iUo6zelknAN0wYoV4rBwgMG9PD9T_Vwl3RKAcdOreRArlvDZtm3oEk_hc-Is3ccILpgah2N1_roZbi5f9xbhyphenhyphenUhAoAnGqnJWN46r2YVtQ5l3A3mWCzJtrI/s320/IMG_20110727_205736.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">CAUTION: video may cause epileptic seizures:</div><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_V3EPZAVpiM" width="425"></iframe><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Wayne Coyne promised us our birthday, New Years and Christmas all rolled into one spectacular psychedelic experience.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEhrr8RxiF90_9qqkFN3AzgGP2gzIglywxRsUTOAyOIYahUxYZqn5jBI5w0CFJqHu5IUCM4DkL0mx5vfa-iTOiscjOmXresHSe63lcVJADzyFdy7pZPufPZG7GRpuHm98l5l_l6MeSnE4fo0/s1600/IMG_20110727_210026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrr8RxiF90_9qqkFN3AzgGP2gzIglywxRsUTOAyOIYahUxYZqn5jBI5w0CFJqHu5IUCM4DkL0mx5vfa-iTOiscjOmXresHSe63lcVJADzyFdy7pZPufPZG7GRpuHm98l5l_l6MeSnE4fo0/s320/IMG_20110727_210026.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">And guided the audience in a collective fantasy that the balloons are giant magic orbs; the confetti, pixie dust. </span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> Maybe it was the contact high, but I was SO with them.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZo7_L_1b3X0TDoyBWXugH5k2q9Y8Idf0eQANNhJZjpMQIIJXDDPBPX4Oqz8dz0RT5O4QrFEB_vTAKbmIkDZdLohyphenhyphen1Ai5cvHdZM_C-47dTCLBav3XAf2zCECTMey5sSMp-zgfh1ye42P15/s1600/IMG_20110727_210326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZo7_L_1b3X0TDoyBWXugH5k2q9Y8Idf0eQANNhJZjpMQIIJXDDPBPX4Oqz8dz0RT5O4QrFEB_vTAKbmIkDZdLohyphenhyphen1Ai5cvHdZM_C-47dTCLBav3XAf2zCECTMey5sSMp-zgfh1ye42P15/s320/IMG_20110727_210326.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Wayne Coyne and his megaphone. </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEjHKHSKGYI1iITMVVTLw93OhFSi07RYdy-8ByyA4tWrgpMD_XA3g66-DpK2IND7v1palo-aaBgZGznSRtd5_xb-hoABaSV0lLtl_MCt45b2MJWSprmBOM2bHM0mKJWqKO87e4nkojOEX3F-/s1600/IMG_20110727_214737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKHSKGYI1iITMVVTLw93OhFSi07RYdy-8ByyA4tWrgpMD_XA3g66-DpK2IND7v1palo-aaBgZGznSRtd5_xb-hoABaSV0lLtl_MCt45b2MJWSprmBOM2bHM0mKJWqKO87e4nkojOEX3F-/s320/IMG_20110727_214737.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wayne Coyne and his massive hands that shoot lasers. </span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQ_0qDPUgFlhzUFcTnxcgbrDmEyKwPCEC4pVtUAQR1ngE4g1xe5pxGyAK_JFzIuhHYclhyphenhyphenok3u3Nb0BA2_4w8nmqQ_B13tkHrJZeiiRsF-v-hje1rN9MvAI5jRFHWvqAxL13K8UMZffIu/s1600/IMG_20110727_214703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQ_0qDPUgFlhzUFcTnxcgbrDmEyKwPCEC4pVtUAQR1ngE4g1xe5pxGyAK_JFzIuhHYclhyphenhyphenok3u3Nb0BA2_4w8nmqQ_B13tkHrJZeiiRsF-v-hje1rN9MvAI5jRFHWvqAxL13K8UMZffIu/s320/IMG_20110727_214703.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STROBE LIGHTS</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Flaming Lips are 40% music, 60% spectacle. And 100% what Wayne has coyned “exaggerated optimism.” </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This includes the aurora borealis / hypnotic green lasers:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2V7G_zny2FI" width="425"></iframe><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Of course, there were other Boston highlights:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*Hanging around Coolidge Corner (the neighborhood in Brookline, where my aunt and uncle live).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCd5DuA9s00dAebwJmN_LdZdBQ09ZC_QJIMAvJ3hwfz-kLZU61HAkuCC84kgen3AyRJy9VMQosTrBHeMfX5WaG9r7zHfPC4DkoNk-VGoGkLkvsRgXifVCTP5Gm3sxRAQKIhD9J24WoJf1b/s1600/IMG_20110729_170923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCd5DuA9s00dAebwJmN_LdZdBQ09ZC_QJIMAvJ3hwfz-kLZU61HAkuCC84kgen3AyRJy9VMQosTrBHeMfX5WaG9r7zHfPC4DkoNk-VGoGkLkvsRgXifVCTP5Gm3sxRAQKIhD9J24WoJf1b/s320/IMG_20110729_170923.jpg" t$="true" width="239" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*A visit to Mr. Sushi (possibly the best sushi in Brookline).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">* Seeing Project Nim </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqK06pJErlyvc9tg3rT1grv1NU5UedevnIVEOg8xI9iTNU7CEY7Hhnbow07kybGqawqD1ZbOQYiDwwXY5Piet9iB83LY2KdfMYdzNkFx9VEdUs3QuVYPf23QYcIIRnv3SKYFbXi_SwUbGe/s1600/Project-Nim-Movie-Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqK06pJErlyvc9tg3rT1grv1NU5UedevnIVEOg8xI9iTNU7CEY7Hhnbow07kybGqawqD1ZbOQYiDwwXY5Piet9iB83LY2KdfMYdzNkFx9VEdUs3QuVYPf23QYcIIRnv3SKYFbXi_SwUbGe/s200/Project-Nim-Movie-Poster.jpg" t$="true" width="136" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(A documentary about Nim Chimpsky, an ape that was raised to be human as a psychological experiment.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*After "Project Nim," watching my uncle correspond via e-mail for the next few hours with Noam Chomsky.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But it'd be pretty hard to upstage the Flaming Lips.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Next stop...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> NYC.</div></div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-54700171430772180472011-07-31T09:34:00.000-07:002011-09-02T22:20:37.079-07:00Philadelphia (Part 2)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(July 24, 2011)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I did it. I plead Guilty. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It required no thought. No remorse at all. At first. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A dash down Allen Street. A mad knock on the door of the bus as the engines revved up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doors slid open. I threw cash into a man’s hand. We took our seats. Only when it pulled away and we passed Mr. Toothies, did it hit me...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">I TOOK THE CHINATOWN BUS.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEjjjM_mfjcQlu9RO20RGu9UAs0Khi7KVxL2Tkr-x6jugc8OXGY937oSZCqRv1eoIJtbVDxPgj_IBUMBBi1LyG9b7-EZZUBnSyf2XVO1e7AK3sgRBxZq4Bx1u32cZQBgu2T7TAkpLdlTeu9t/s1600/chinatownbusapex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjM_mfjcQlu9RO20RGu9UAs0Khi7KVxL2Tkr-x6jugc8OXGY937oSZCqRv1eoIJtbVDxPgj_IBUMBBi1LyG9b7-EZZUBnSyf2XVO1e7AK3sgRBxZq4Bx1u32cZQBgu2T7TAkpLdlTeu9t/s320/chinatownbusapex.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo compliments of google images)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was no longer the Megabus Queen. Their seat was no longer my official throne. As of 10:30 am on<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sunday, July 24<sup>th</sup>, I was the megabus traitor!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My brain (recognizing it was running on<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>not-nearly-enough sleep) had said stay in NYC. My gut had said—go back to Philly! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQ0UtnrkiyRKvhm7k98LEcU_cy8djuM5G7DpG5udqjRfIddZLueP_ST4DBbKMokGg0N1BJIR4HxAI7VwxqOYz5vWkirWwnCI81LtySK8F4iDqL24q1wKfoO8JYS9jUJ7E3GQI42qCae_B/s1600/Deb-0601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQ0UtnrkiyRKvhm7k98LEcU_cy8djuM5G7DpG5udqjRfIddZLueP_ST4DBbKMokGg0N1BJIR4HxAI7VwxqOYz5vWkirWwnCI81LtySK8F4iDqL24q1wKfoO8JYS9jUJ7E3GQI42qCae_B/s320/Deb-0601.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me on my friend Kacey's roof (where we almost slept the night before), deliberating. (photo by Kacey Stamats)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My friend, Kacey, seconded my gut and jumped on board, sealing the deal. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But I hadn’t booked a ticket in advance through Megabus, making the Chinatown bus the most economical/flexible route. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So there we were, surrounded by plastic "thank you" bags. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </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/AVvXsEhEwa01nJxBZNnAIlDljJAesQGVismkwYcZZwk4tBRNFrPQXQnBowy7WGMAdfqJEBp96Czk0QLfgW39B-WDcQsvFnNqkqiwXde5WxW47C75FVXucnGtmTj_9jKIsaiVSJMIFjlKU1ATNwr2/s1600/Deb-0628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwa01nJxBZNnAIlDljJAesQGVismkwYcZZwk4tBRNFrPQXQnBowy7WGMAdfqJEBp96Czk0QLfgW39B-WDcQsvFnNqkqiwXde5WxW47C75FVXucnGtmTj_9jKIsaiVSJMIFjlKU1ATNwr2/s320/Deb-0628.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo by Kacey Stamats)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>But our timing was impeccable, as we glanced out the window, we caught an entire other scene:<br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Wavt51WnVB5XKPWrl_EPPnGIvW9d7EJY4e62swxILTklOAR2b1WarOcgnbDF3FewB2Xd_J_sRzBAhcZbhhsRZF7TAxOrQZzZwFUjAaQl_IrYXMb72U3us6cDVyV8X-cxyhAqSgqyqNyo/s1600/Deb-0621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Wavt51WnVB5XKPWrl_EPPnGIvW9d7EJY4e62swxILTklOAR2b1WarOcgnbDF3FewB2Xd_J_sRzBAhcZbhhsRZF7TAxOrQZzZwFUjAaQl_IrYXMb72U3us6cDVyV8X-cxyhAqSgqyqNyo/s320/Deb-0621.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view from the Chinatown bus. Hundreds line up in front of City Hall in Lower Manhattan on Sunday, July 24th. Photo also by <a href="http://www.kaceyanisa.com/">Kacey Stamats</a>-- she's a photographer, by the way.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I came into NYC, lugging my suitcase, backpack loaded, on what felt like the hottest day in NYC history (it was a day of record breaking heat). I left NYC on a truly historic day-- but not because of the temperature, though this is definitely hot. As we glided past City Hall, hundreds lined the streets- ready to seal the knot for the first time legally.<br />
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After two hours on the chinatown bus...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEiJv1F1jA4PnG5-7abphPifHk18AxYeCybOKeL7ahnsPOTDlhMJhJXTX4WXU12J7wudTg6PoiS7OZezimAXLEOVrvnLpWUVDWFGksNuAuRRU0PqP9XVT6NmYZGiLRnCql7cnEGKy5-PCiaE/s1600/Deb-0636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJv1F1jA4PnG5-7abphPifHk18AxYeCybOKeL7ahnsPOTDlhMJhJXTX4WXU12J7wudTg6PoiS7OZezimAXLEOVrvnLpWUVDWFGksNuAuRRU0PqP9XVT6NmYZGiLRnCql7cnEGKy5-PCiaE/s320/Deb-0636.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(another hipstomatic shot/ half-portrait by Kacey Stamats)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We arrived--<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmY_7ACLCKzUsDBQKOopmm8LZsBJq1zHnWOljNFfl5XTu6eZf7nuDnyxuouctOocz6v0X5MZeX20qDJdcg12YmmiGZl66eds2CSfyOxp7U_ajR0P0G_RS4VKu2aTNyf_ingzP9J3WAG3I/s1600/IMG_20110724_122257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmY_7ACLCKzUsDBQKOopmm8LZsBJq1zHnWOljNFfl5XTu6eZf7nuDnyxuouctOocz6v0X5MZeX20qDJdcg12YmmiGZl66eds2CSfyOxp7U_ajR0P0G_RS4VKu2aTNyf_ingzP9J3WAG3I/s320/IMG_20110724_122257.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinatown in Philly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The first thing we did was visit<a href="http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/about/early"> Reading Terminal Market</a> (my other favorite grocery destination), Philly's famed farmer's market since 1893. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAX8s_XmJjfFPMKp8n91svG6I4Lr-hutv86RY7D442dmxBNeiHGvX6X4NwoWK0z2DPU7lU6jO7GGz-JaiCbVBe2xPLZVSmc0RcfttfPwFOsi4QXu_JEQq3m_5PDebnIWpRwO8ACK0RGYq/s1600/IMG_20110724_123651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAX8s_XmJjfFPMKp8n91svG6I4Lr-hutv86RY7D442dmxBNeiHGvX6X4NwoWK0z2DPU7lU6jO7GGz-JaiCbVBe2xPLZVSmc0RcfttfPwFOsi4QXu_JEQq3m_5PDebnIWpRwO8ACK0RGYq/s320/IMG_20110724_123651.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">RTM prides itself on the fact that you can find almost anything there:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhWMiVFt6OANGr9qCuRxd-q4uDzyqe7AeZectiRu3ym9JgnjanTNeAvLrB4JZq_bl_wYlWevYOQi30B6I6T9npiSFC_UYf2H-R4geJit3rHkXBB4LLRnOxK1yVzF709SxolzhKVRcMUHt/s1600/IMG_20110724_124646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhWMiVFt6OANGr9qCuRxd-q4uDzyqe7AeZectiRu3ym9JgnjanTNeAvLrB4JZq_bl_wYlWevYOQi30B6I6T9npiSFC_UYf2H-R4geJit3rHkXBB4LLRnOxK1yVzF709SxolzhKVRcMUHt/s320/IMG_20110724_124646.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok Produce</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></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/AVvXsEgS0DLF8pGJoe1jOHa9fNnfFxPf0Fp5WceUbOhXqQvp5a1WkM-jQllHuZ3IzZtwziPSxXM9xDrTZsbmu6oofrd2Wajqz-nd9-eq2d1acbHZCTRKRb1SqvFf1FgEXKu-TVAhveDxNxdhZmlk/s1600/IMG_20110724_124425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0DLF8pGJoe1jOHa9fNnfFxPf0Fp5WceUbOhXqQvp5a1WkM-jQllHuZ3IzZtwziPSxXM9xDrTZsbmu6oofrd2Wajqz-nd9-eq2d1acbHZCTRKRb1SqvFf1FgEXKu-TVAhveDxNxdhZmlk/s320/IMG_20110724_124425.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where I used to buy fish.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Anything:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-AH9yIsXfTeOjqDFn2kE7cjReixp3xU0YGn07ookNSXkUMGNMaQygE6cQQUoYEcZKHXxGgM6MZMXFowavjAUHdsv7C16o1dYUvqnDzu8-d6vDliSGPGlURLQzrZyKM_Pxy0qi5LePVOb/s1600/IMG_20110724_125107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-AH9yIsXfTeOjqDFn2kE7cjReixp3xU0YGn07ookNSXkUMGNMaQygE6cQQUoYEcZKHXxGgM6MZMXFowavjAUHdsv7C16o1dYUvqnDzu8-d6vDliSGPGlURLQzrZyKM_Pxy0qi5LePVOb/s320/IMG_20110724_125107.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate mice and dentures. <a href="http://www.chocolatebymueller.com/">Chocolate by Muellers</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Occasionally you can even find live music. When we went, the Philadelphia String Quartet was blasting Journey. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Recognize this song?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxOVDt7F01kAJrDcN6aowbY102beJsDyExi6azuP3zNYoM8JrXRj7PjJ9CPCI8RQoXH8nE1RgJJrUmzWPcXuQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The second thing we did?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After wandering around Center City:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyIjS2ZpiaKtXk6nJst9vFJ5eqmuXpSgIDCWeCf1Tb7dzwWARr6jry0aRP6Px-DKDiaw850Ineiakk0DoEt7U3dVyTtSgIRwEW2ck7NuVBW1H1ZUa7T-zjZRuxuM6JAvwAQ3elqNQf74t/s1600/Deb-2735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyIjS2ZpiaKtXk6nJst9vFJ5eqmuXpSgIDCWeCf1Tb7dzwWARr6jry0aRP6Px-DKDiaw850Ineiakk0DoEt7U3dVyTtSgIRwEW2ck7NuVBW1H1ZUa7T-zjZRuxuM6JAvwAQ3elqNQf74t/s320/Deb-2735.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William Penn stands on City Hall, the tallest statue atop a building in the entire world. (photo by Kacey) </td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">And through City Hall:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RgKyW5XD-ev4p_yoqc8Ym9F5oYcd8bV7SndLc0TH22D7WbsEUcORexIRp0UY-ptF-q_paXvC91mRsyUO6KK5HqSMsJsDtj9eFhJNnrvt0RVPNF1Z-PVcbzhk_lDaiXQh21Ru8Ef4vt6Z/s1600/IMG_20110724_125849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RgKyW5XD-ev4p_yoqc8Ym9F5oYcd8bV7SndLc0TH22D7WbsEUcORexIRp0UY-ptF-q_paXvC91mRsyUO6KK5HqSMsJsDtj9eFhJNnrvt0RVPNF1Z-PVcbzhk_lDaiXQh21Ru8Ef4vt6Z/s320/IMG_20110724_125849.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">A building impossible not to admire for it's honesty on whose back this country is built on / over:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVrKiS5MW5hddgAnlck6VNlzqYnn67C8l1yrvrd1NIJLzljxas4ViNFTPtQ75cjg3SHEsHBAfYYBUr3KqIo4BCvLAcmDAm_rz20Md9ZC45j9gSmY_T4MS5BXkdpoRZf5QgrT6jLrynU_i/s1600/IMG_20110724_125941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVrKiS5MW5hddgAnlck6VNlzqYnn67C8l1yrvrd1NIJLzljxas4ViNFTPtQ75cjg3SHEsHBAfYYBUr3KqIo4BCvLAcmDAm_rz20Md9ZC45j9gSmY_T4MS5BXkdpoRZf5QgrT6jLrynU_i/s320/IMG_20110724_125941.jpg" t$="true" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">We...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Bought a cheesesteak!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMnfOtbCWHy74p1RCGM7uk3VuwDuXavw5XkMyVJ3n8KqJfQkzOvaAZjPjP1ihzRT-xGgc-KTkgf4sxpBAQn-2SokLykqqkEsU4I3_NhwLUZJ_uittBIKieXhRZzSFWJG0GUxIKOAiWIFc/s1600/Deb-2768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMnfOtbCWHy74p1RCGM7uk3VuwDuXavw5XkMyVJ3n8KqJfQkzOvaAZjPjP1ihzRT-xGgc-KTkgf4sxpBAQn-2SokLykqqkEsU4I3_NhwLUZJ_uittBIKieXhRZzSFWJG0GUxIKOAiWIFc/s320/Deb-2768.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kacey and I and a cheesesteak (on Broad Street).</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/AVvXsEjiLM6GkYj0tiSgtORiup82B86OkYeAiMc1yRApE91ncT2TV2EFAxHHLSq2XrwpcuAt6Ix6X_Vrb5jLME8zo7gZWli1oU1_Onih0hzzh-7AqhazbWG6BT3OfZrD8k3Fk2EVu_9UWUnJSc7M/s1600/Deb-2784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLM6GkYj0tiSgtORiup82B86OkYeAiMc1yRApE91ncT2TV2EFAxHHLSq2XrwpcuAt6Ix6X_Vrb5jLME8zo7gZWli1oU1_Onih0hzzh-7AqhazbWG6BT3OfZrD8k3Fk2EVu_9UWUnJSc7M/s320/Deb-2784.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-Cheesesteak satisfaction. Back in Rittenhouse Square. (photo by Kacey)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We then made our way to PlayPenn, (a new play development conference I interned at in 2005, their <span class="bodytext">inaugural </span>year). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXONuDSYJi48reb7o3cfnunz38oBcqrUdMJtC0Hfj2uNYvmpuwY1fuBAq-FnHLa9e4Wsl95NFSGpC1k37DQIVfBqgDpmDoS-lmmVCUTtKveSVFykmphkInSNKjiHyumDkQNhaByOpe3567/s1600/adrienne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXONuDSYJi48reb7o3cfnunz38oBcqrUdMJtC0Hfj2uNYvmpuwY1fuBAq-FnHLa9e4Wsl95NFSGpC1k37DQIVfBqgDpmDoS-lmmVCUTtKveSVFykmphkInSNKjiHyumDkQNhaByOpe3567/s320/adrienne.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.playpenn.org/">http://www.playpenn.org/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Where we caught the last two readings of the conference, plays by two awesome emerging voices: local Philly playwright, Jacqueline Goldfinger and current UCSD MFA Playwright, Lauren Yee. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Afterwards, Kacey made her way back to NYC and I headed to West Philly, where I crashed at Jake’s (my curly haired Trader Joe’s friend). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And where I had one of the most awkward shower experiences in my life):</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/AVvXsEgZ6OeXaexU8n8SiQaTrH8-54ycsyLD9zsqryEAG_3Q-uJA5m4x1goLZOHBShQXeIS_awAqsVTArnEkcvVSw6sWyx2SaxKmBXsoVpfzalsyWANDtZHmUHJMZKKQyXx-8Ng9iPHqDfBJNfXx/s1600/IMG_20110725_022532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6OeXaexU8n8SiQaTrH8-54ycsyLD9zsqryEAG_3Q-uJA5m4x1goLZOHBShQXeIS_awAqsVTArnEkcvVSw6sWyx2SaxKmBXsoVpfzalsyWANDtZHmUHJMZKKQyXx-8Ng9iPHqDfBJNfXx/s320/IMG_20110725_022532.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Jake’s dad got this for him for his birthday. Not a statement on either of their political affiliations.)</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You think showering with McCain would leave you cold. Not so. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was another night in the heat-wave at a friend's with limited A/C. Around 2 am, I wandered onto the balcony, where I saw it...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> the HAMMOCK.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCVz43OpZi6EOoDXRie7GiLuV7jXmHs4OR5PBqd_IGWd1sVKlNax9U7Gskrk1iwhbErb3N1_grSaglbsCTY_co5vDewAGhB14w8gdwyoleCDfPe854EI16uA3W6fZazi3vddDn7OkU4rh/s1600/IMG_20110725_022306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCVz43OpZi6EOoDXRie7GiLuV7jXmHs4OR5PBqd_IGWd1sVKlNax9U7Gskrk1iwhbErb3N1_grSaglbsCTY_co5vDewAGhB14w8gdwyoleCDfPe854EI16uA3W6fZazi3vddDn7OkU4rh/s320/IMG_20110725_022306.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Moon-shot from the hammock, where I slept.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And woke to:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEjI8HTcGPl8uWCufBGURRmsS48XClrlxe8tlRUlH4SUN28vNsFGoaNLy421kz_hKu9YQ4i_Yqwq80US6DH4wVf86i97DUNlfBmsbMdojqtWK7WzJUY4FLGU-1uUdhhxpumKTQgh-bhST78E/s1600/IMG_20110725_055622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8HTcGPl8uWCufBGURRmsS48XClrlxe8tlRUlH4SUN28vNsFGoaNLy421kz_hKu9YQ4i_Yqwq80US6DH4wVf86i97DUNlfBmsbMdojqtWK7WzJUY4FLGU-1uUdhhxpumKTQgh-bhST78E/s320/IMG_20110725_055622.jpg" t$="true" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twilight in the morning from the hammock. </td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSDeWCutRTKnPBH0yqTGsa6aZYHCGHetaHq_LJuE1tDkvIc8WFKjSf74rfvJl7Zw83-rJLzg0icr-zTFZvxkp69DddEueXWHAgTGjjJVbpcJZ3T-XkVBUBAlXJyp4wyynu7ZXItg6qTAl/s1600/IMG_20110725_061151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSDeWCutRTKnPBH0yqTGsa6aZYHCGHetaHq_LJuE1tDkvIc8WFKjSf74rfvJl7Zw83-rJLzg0icr-zTFZvxkp69DddEueXWHAgTGjjJVbpcJZ3T-XkVBUBAlXJyp4wyynu7ZXItg6qTAl/s320/IMG_20110725_061151.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun rising over West Philadelphia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">And onwards I went, schlepping my suitcase down the many broken sidewalks of Philly, on my way towards 30<sup>th</sup> street<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>station, to catch my MEGABUS for Boston.</div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-57942411791173776452011-07-29T22:45:00.000-07:002011-09-02T19:06:25.995-07:00The Great Megabus Detour<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This was my initial route:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="425" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LhZTiG9yUI4" width="500"></iframe><br />
<br />
I'm not about to edit this video. But I had to take a detour. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Instead of four days in Philly as I had planned, I rerouted myself here—<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT083OHs9dHKu0qR-HCpbVXDLsEeG37nXfT7vQ7beyRLOVjhmIrntXLPJqjRpO-SxscaO5jArEuYkL8-oY6S98bMpifuLnqKYhHwrNDNvHxs1dTnjQ2MKP5l9vybQgrzqe0R3KqiU6rIpQ/s1600/midtown-skyline-new-york-city.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT083OHs9dHKu0qR-HCpbVXDLsEeG37nXfT7vQ7beyRLOVjhmIrntXLPJqjRpO-SxscaO5jArEuYkL8-oY6S98bMpifuLnqKYhHwrNDNvHxs1dTnjQ2MKP5l9vybQgrzqe0R3KqiU6rIpQ/s320/midtown-skyline-new-york-city.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NYC (compliments of google images)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>More specifically, here—</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuRaZUNU7qkUcz6LBewZBty2WNyDdP5uWmMc1d3euv-A9uZuY_mH68k3lPLtz1pHWVY34uvd4U-CJEIgl2xuhTiPjEN_xAa8FTDWtAXjNqsBdRpPTIV4-NtXpRXukl_hVoU5X65Bm2Owt/s1600/source_front.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuRaZUNU7qkUcz6LBewZBty2WNyDdP5uWmMc1d3euv-A9uZuY_mH68k3lPLtz1pHWVY34uvd4U-CJEIgl2xuhTiPjEN_xAa8FTDWtAXjNqsBdRpPTIV4-NtXpRXukl_hVoU5X65Bm2Owt/s320/source_front.gif" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>To a casting table for 10 hours of auditions (over the course of two days) for my one-act play “Spinal Alignment,” which is being produced in October at Manhattan Theater Source as part of <a href="http://www.estrogenius.org/">Estrogenius</a>, an annual celebration of female voices. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I learned about this well after launching this blog and creating the above video. I’m not going to factor in the additional cost of travel (under $20 total) that this added to my trip. Consider it a cruise ship excursion.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I missed two days of Philly, but because I was in NYC, I got to catch an event I’d long been eyeing from Iowa—</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Telephone:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A multi-disciplinary exhibition created by <a href="http://www.overturnensemble.org/Home.html">Overturn Theater Ensemble</a> and <a href="http://culturefixny.com/">Culture Fix</a> (a bar, gallery, event space) on the Lower East Side. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fETpUF77pO8vNPcKM10q2BAyc8qHc1uDAaIn70wsj6j9gnxO8g0Ap9H9IvN-cinXvQs2ic0OCFHOKmv8o6kIUK8jC2ClSH_QJJeL9ItyW-PSJ4qJn-ZtzxaLWW4o2F3XO82hnL8vEFrL/s1600/IMG_20110722_200355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fETpUF77pO8vNPcKM10q2BAyc8qHc1uDAaIn70wsj6j9gnxO8g0Ap9H9IvN-cinXvQs2ic0OCFHOKmv8o6kIUK8jC2ClSH_QJJeL9ItyW-PSJ4qJn-ZtzxaLWW4o2F3XO82hnL8vEFrL/s320/IMG_20110722_200355.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I highly recommend Culturefix. They’re firm believers in innovative ideas. Their resident business (above them) is a picnic basket delivery service (<a href="http://www.perfectpicnicnyc.com/">http://www.perfectpicnicnyc.com/</a>). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>The idea:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkb7-3uReOEG7471xL7dFftLun5gmfLbyAXWz2Wx8YI3X-USd1wGMTgTMbfFnildhyphenhypheniBCKvGCVTETr0LCPdOwlG655ElONGYuNbJaDwRl57qs2M9Y5dnYvjDJE6qNKbRV4QzWR0Y3UGfs/s1600/IMG_20110722_183823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkb7-3uReOEG7471xL7dFftLun5gmfLbyAXWz2Wx8YI3X-USd1wGMTgTMbfFnildhyphenhypheniBCKvGCVTETr0LCPdOwlG655ElONGYuNbJaDwRl57qs2M9Y5dnYvjDJE6qNKbRV4QzWR0Y3UGfs/s320/IMG_20110722_183823.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Culturefix co-owner and chef, Ari Stern, created an original appetizer (the probably-way-too-small-image at the top of the above photo).<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAxEihGhIcrubLUS1SHHceFr8ZL7GH9bBWNOcVyiNBWTBz6pXVxqaKqRPAKGwRCLiByOv1aP-E8Q8AzkBW7qZN_MWTvbUVxsi7OQkqD8AdrikhOZxdINBh7IysBBpvNc8T1vGKqJn055v/s1600/Down_Arrow_Icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAxEihGhIcrubLUS1SHHceFr8ZL7GH9bBWNOcVyiNBWTBz6pXVxqaKqRPAKGwRCLiByOv1aP-E8Q8AzkBW7qZN_MWTvbUVxsi7OQkqD8AdrikhOZxdINBh7IysBBpvNc8T1vGKqJn055v/s1600/Down_Arrow_Icon.png" t$="true" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Composer Michael Vincent Waller created a song based on his experience eating Ari’s appetizer.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAxEihGhIcrubLUS1SHHceFr8ZL7GH9bBWNOcVyiNBWTBz6pXVxqaKqRPAKGwRCLiByOv1aP-E8Q8AzkBW7qZN_MWTvbUVxsi7OQkqD8AdrikhOZxdINBh7IysBBpvNc8T1vGKqJn055v/s1600/Down_Arrow_Icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAxEihGhIcrubLUS1SHHceFr8ZL7GH9bBWNOcVyiNBWTBz6pXVxqaKqRPAKGwRCLiByOv1aP-E8Q8AzkBW7qZN_MWTvbUVxsi7OQkqD8AdrikhOZxdINBh7IysBBpvNc8T1vGKqJn055v/s1600/Down_Arrow_Icon.png" t$="true" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">16 artists created original works of art based on their experience listening to Michael Vincent Waller’s song.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAxEihGhIcrubLUS1SHHceFr8ZL7GH9bBWNOcVyiNBWTBz6pXVxqaKqRPAKGwRCLiByOv1aP-E8Q8AzkBW7qZN_MWTvbUVxsi7OQkqD8AdrikhOZxdINBh7IysBBpvNc8T1vGKqJn055v/s1600/Down_Arrow_Icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAxEihGhIcrubLUS1SHHceFr8ZL7GH9bBWNOcVyiNBWTBz6pXVxqaKqRPAKGwRCLiByOv1aP-E8Q8AzkBW7qZN_MWTvbUVxsi7OQkqD8AdrikhOZxdINBh7IysBBpvNc8T1vGKqJn055v/s1600/Down_Arrow_Icon.png" t$="true" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">16 playwrights were each assigned one of the works of art created and wrote one-act plays inspired by it. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAxEihGhIcrubLUS1SHHceFr8ZL7GH9bBWNOcVyiNBWTBz6pXVxqaKqRPAKGwRCLiByOv1aP-E8Q8AzkBW7qZN_MWTvbUVxsi7OQkqD8AdrikhOZxdINBh7IysBBpvNc8T1vGKqJn055v/s1600/Down_Arrow_Icon.png" t$="true" /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">These plays were read at Culturefix July 17<sup>th</sup> through July 24<sup>th</sup>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
Because of my Megabus detour, I got to attend the readings on July 22nd. The night I attended, it turned out I knew both the playwrights.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Altogether, this is the megabus trip that keeps giving. If I hadn't booked this trip, I would have been sitting at home in Iowa instead of casting my show. And I wouldn't have been in Manhattan on Sunday evening to help celebrate a wedding. </div><br />
I might've also missed the record breaking 104 degree heat of NYC (and no A/C at my friend's). <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWvYYUBlRlFOBQnxKO_MAMcXNM9EIft7Je7MyjcLa2hNWWxz52jrtKHmWtNnSkEFg89KXs30Nr0ZgXusH5VyW_Gi5VjQaW3V_RU1Pu6Dz3zt7YaSXZk1G3_69HlbvqxN7cOZM6_APAB2u/s1600/the+cat+in+the+roof+hatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWvYYUBlRlFOBQnxKO_MAMcXNM9EIft7Je7MyjcLa2hNWWxz52jrtKHmWtNnSkEFg89KXs30Nr0ZgXusH5VyW_Gi5VjQaW3V_RU1Pu6Dz3zt7YaSXZk1G3_69HlbvqxN7cOZM6_APAB2u/s320/the+cat+in+the+roof+hatch.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by my friend Kacey Stamats.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We almost took a hint from the cat (upper left frame) and slept on the roof. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In heat-waves, this is not uncommon in NYC. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">TUNE IN NEXT POST FOR: THE RETURN TO PHILLY</div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-78130812858784050092011-07-29T00:10:00.000-07:002011-09-02T19:07:56.000-07:00Philadelphia (Part 1)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Thursday, July 21)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I held my breath for wishes as we passed under mountains via the Pennsylvania Turnkpike tunnel highway. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFN7Qa8RiGf9WOCrZfYPWSrfYltWwi9VY14mpVaa140lrGO8z4em2bGAaC4qip4rBJwhyphenhyphensGM9SvnOalpSaMbWSShVoyDZJq2nMCSLRzrbaycqslEipj4qfMMKaWBZAeZQF6j-AC1oZDRJo/s1600/tunnel3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFN7Qa8RiGf9WOCrZfYPWSrfYltWwi9VY14mpVaa140lrGO8z4em2bGAaC4qip4rBJwhyphenhyphensGM9SvnOalpSaMbWSShVoyDZJq2nMCSLRzrbaycqslEipj4qfMMKaWBZAeZQF6j-AC1oZDRJo/s1600/tunnel3.gif" t$="true" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
This megabus drive (a triumphant $5) marked not just a change in landscape, </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0Zxrr9t5tkplw0IaW6uH7FddWsevQ14hnclnM_UJSvMSdC2uVHBL9IKbbU07pbIXt_5kVeEghMlix4gHnF7tKsBuAJlKxjO1QnVhvSpmj3-p2R_iN-JwHjn4yVVD6fb5FK05ryId8kai/s1600/IMG_20110721_172733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0Zxrr9t5tkplw0IaW6uH7FddWsevQ14hnclnM_UJSvMSdC2uVHBL9IKbbU07pbIXt_5kVeEghMlix4gHnF7tKsBuAJlKxjO1QnVhvSpmj3-p2R_iN-JwHjn4yVVD6fb5FK05ryId8kai/s320/IMG_20110721_172733.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walls of trees.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">but also a change in the nature of the journey—from unfamiliar cities to cities I’ve been to. Many times. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And suddenly I was back:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> PHILADELPHIA</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/AVvXsEi4eemx0GdqVf4bfZWWGg_Begnx-30OWKJXHvzT6hhhYcVENRPXx2SW3ENO2-iDcQOn_3p-XoxfwirRgBefdcXiiiZoOGMXc2Uc4cL8NxQw7EVLeWVSn6QUXpFht7t_6gwU4Ku0rsO0YR0M/s1600/philly2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eemx0GdqVf4bfZWWGg_Begnx-30OWKJXHvzT6hhhYcVENRPXx2SW3ENO2-iDcQOn_3p-XoxfwirRgBefdcXiiiZoOGMXc2Uc4cL8NxQw7EVLeWVSn6QUXpFht7t_6gwU4Ku0rsO0YR0M/s320/philly2.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo from <a href="https://www.louisdallaraphotoblog.com/">https://www.louisdallaraphotoblog.com/</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The iconic / ironic City of Brotherly Love. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3t3x0GODBm8I8MjJmmxpo0HhHFasGq3R2Xd0F8JPsrXNymxG_dciCohHsSRV3Ebn-Mhx9QdRnPC1k_FCMotFqCmBRaM5LUvYN-zSClA2U_WuLBFYuAyf3y4OM_DE1JM6yw-RZ17o8vvX/s1600/love-park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3t3x0GODBm8I8MjJmmxpo0HhHFasGq3R2Xd0F8JPsrXNymxG_dciCohHsSRV3Ebn-Mhx9QdRnPC1k_FCMotFqCmBRaM5LUvYN-zSClA2U_WuLBFYuAyf3y4OM_DE1JM6yw-RZ17o8vvX/s200/love-park.jpg" t$="true" width="200" /></a></div>The mid-point of my journey (distance-wise)-- And a place that marks not just the birth of our country's independence, but also my own. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
When I first moved to Philly for college, I was afraid to walk alone at night (even in relatively safe neighborhoods). As I walked away from the megabus stop, it occurred to me that I had just traversed half the country solo.<br />
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Over the past 11 days, I’d soaked in three cities worth of my hosts’ pride. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And as I passed the Cira Centre:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoplX8tSoDT1CRKyDQWa3QGnYI3iaoGR77MLrt-QWC-L_lZ1CngQrCOIfARDm6mAWBw1Uv8dg5CTbcjY4InPv6DDlTaP1WMKAF2v-35wyWBT4EFH6MYAuEeuIG8f4qICzfW1AxpqyWNmKH/s1600/cira-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoplX8tSoDT1CRKyDQWa3QGnYI3iaoGR77MLrt-QWC-L_lZ1CngQrCOIfARDm6mAWBw1Uv8dg5CTbcjY4InPv6DDlTaP1WMKAF2v-35wyWBT4EFH6MYAuEeuIG8f4qICzfW1AxpqyWNmKH/s320/cira-web.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Cira Centre. One of those cool buildings that on the right day perfectly reflects the sky.)</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I remembered how thrilled I’d been when it joined the Philly skyline. It’s amazing how quickly the pride for a place can come back to you-- especially Philly pride.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But this trip to Philly wasn't about the historic sites- there wasn’t any time:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Not the liberty bell </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSahvOvuHE67sAP968CgStTDqVLOO2r7zQklU3-wbvOlQWA-KQdcoCz1JLUVGGqkVg7sG6qTM4f4BHTHvfk_O0YnqPhuOb_LoH1XXWoiBMszLFr_kj-M5RIL6VyJFlFV_HS6PKTxBjPMM/s1600/libbell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSahvOvuHE67sAP968CgStTDqVLOO2r7zQklU3-wbvOlQWA-KQdcoCz1JLUVGGqkVg7sG6qTM4f4BHTHvfk_O0YnqPhuOb_LoH1XXWoiBMszLFr_kj-M5RIL6VyJFlFV_HS6PKTxBjPMM/s200/libbell.jpg" t$="true" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always free to visit.</td></tr>
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Not Independence Hall </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6A2eVkrpjqa9F_du4fHO8Q1QlNrCtPakBOq_bWdGHsrKDnMoUq2FWa_xkYJ3EUXoiIMMpmvsYzTZ0SiNsl-qYhBoIjR9jkQ57wVlRyTnvRDBQ_oo7Rl4REsDNPaLa0Ix4JPKo32VFJi2Y/s1600/independence-hall-philadelphia-paindh1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6A2eVkrpjqa9F_du4fHO8Q1QlNrCtPakBOq_bWdGHsrKDnMoUq2FWa_xkYJ3EUXoiIMMpmvsYzTZ0SiNsl-qYhBoIjR9jkQ57wVlRyTnvRDBQ_oo7Rl4REsDNPaLa0Ix4JPKo32VFJi2Y/s320/independence-hall-philadelphia-paindh1.jpg" t$="true" width="213" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left">Walk-up tickets for a tour are free at the Independence Visitor’s Center in the morning-- <a href="http://www.nps.gov/inde/independence-hall.htm">www.nps.gov/inde/independence-hall.htm</a></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Not <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Philadelphia Museum of Art and Fairmount park and Boat House row </span></span> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8IrEvMDhwVhX4HhajCoQj7ZtF7BJeiJKGn-sqZqGC9lYN-wgWPfR4h44_qi-XWQx2ay68E3G19QPGQ5FmxX_l3265t8bypwhAAb23q434u72qlbT4JYvdC30TqQ0fph3OqxH3zi6i9kl/s320/philadelphia_022p.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" t$="true" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first Sunday of each month, Philadelphia Museum of the Art is pay what you wish.</div></td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not The Independent Seaport Museum (<a href="http://www.phillyseaport.org/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.phillyseaport.org/</span></a>) – often overlooked. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZPLMr0orB7lye379mo-h-6W-BljV9FaDMiD_z1pEVY_prBeohEQIbcP5x1mEUX2uxk9Ivhsxhp5dQMd8wqlvbPd-7Wj2qwj57ErxnXnAn8FoqaTy7QzJ_FPT9R57gxpiolpTkcL60Se5/s1600/olympia_ship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZPLMr0orB7lye379mo-h-6W-BljV9FaDMiD_z1pEVY_prBeohEQIbcP5x1mEUX2uxk9Ivhsxhp5dQMd8wqlvbPd-7Wj2qwj57ErxnXnAn8FoqaTy7QzJ_FPT9R57gxpiolpTkcL60Se5/s1600/olympia_ship.jpg" t$="true" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pay what you wish 10-12 every Sunday.)-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(photo courtesy of the Independent Seaport Museum.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not Christ Church Cemetery</div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQdnpqIKhFAxfReJFYAZeiPjGFJ7MAr3KkuP3whsQdg9LwlPsuvfrdVQ-dgsyO1YhLLmetGaIqL7CIEQifhx7_fL1S4WpscbnLCLMIb7VbMpvM_f2Ni9n8bI3hnxL9qAPcYNCpLEmx2m0/s1600/benfranklin%2527s+grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQdnpqIKhFAxfReJFYAZeiPjGFJ7MAr3KkuP3whsQdg9LwlPsuvfrdVQ-dgsyO1YhLLmetGaIqL7CIEQifhx7_fL1S4WpscbnLCLMIb7VbMpvM_f2Ni9n8bI3hnxL9qAPcYNCpLEmx2m0/s1600/benfranklin%2527s+grave.jpg" t$="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ben Franklin's grave. Another great wishing spot. Wishes are pay what you wish: suggested amount- a penny.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Or my favorite places:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Isaiah Zager’s Magic Garden</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNd-zmFHGiHRkDL77BKg6X9yvDo_rPSyIu01qW9GKJIQnNVGFoMGaNz-glxDt9woVYG_5ro2ApJkWtKvHE4MdWdcJ4YoxcCpTHyrDiIC8r5Vom7xjiENensdcZp4C2ESi5pDhyphenhyphenNimCikw/s1600/zagargarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNd-zmFHGiHRkDL77BKg6X9yvDo_rPSyIu01qW9GKJIQnNVGFoMGaNz-glxDt9woVYG_5ro2ApJkWtKvHE4MdWdcJ4YoxcCpTHyrDiIC8r5Vom7xjiENensdcZp4C2ESi5pDhyphenhyphenNimCikw/s320/zagargarden.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A house on South Street entirely covered in mosaics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tour of the inside has long been on my bucket list. </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The clothespin:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpISZLxcYUtG4oQ28PsaeZ8FTSIl8F5Fb8O1FeYrabnaQ57PgEMJ0DkJRCZayRsLE5L-63jMiWljvgiXcSi-ybbv0mKG1Dnyb1FulPWC3hlF2HyxcF5oU8A5Y0y2Etc3hXPrwDi9s5B8AZ/s1600/clothespin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpISZLxcYUtG4oQ28PsaeZ8FTSIl8F5Fb8O1FeYrabnaQ57PgEMJ0DkJRCZayRsLE5L-63jMiWljvgiXcSi-ybbv0mKG1Dnyb1FulPWC3hlF2HyxcF5oU8A5Y0y2Etc3hXPrwDi9s5B8AZ/s320/clothespin.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Claes Oldenburg’s work at 15th and Market Street.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> Lorenzo’s pizza on South Street, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">where the answer is always “No.” </span></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/AVvXsEh_PUZ-fg_UgF7HTeFWM-sZaDvm-C9X58Blbh-4-z6InHrMFoydukxYq-TJtUcYhXDrTtV-wRoeKPyC384AqFakArk7au3X9RvVNQD_Oh5u-WEN8TYOD9DY6WFetXI1zVrxH1qtyA0trqJ1/s1600/lorenzos-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PUZ-fg_UgF7HTeFWM-sZaDvm-C9X58Blbh-4-z6InHrMFoydukxYq-TJtUcYhXDrTtV-wRoeKPyC384AqFakArk7au3X9RvVNQD_Oh5u-WEN8TYOD9DY6WFetXI1zVrxH1qtyA0trqJ1/s1600/lorenzos-2.jpg" t$="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My college friends used to speculate that the secret ingredient in their sauce is grape jam.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Not even one of my favorite annual haunts...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Eastern State Penitentiary:</div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih94xT_Tu9iReq90Ub9UNJWaotxKlsbI3f__qpc4oaz78VRRaEwhw_VbwMsp9A9tWTYMPhYIcWC4SRizarR39r79iigfH-fRkfFRWRzIOitI7xteld3YFK9joB5Jq8-8m0pyYsojLQletf/s1600/ESP04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih94xT_Tu9iReq90Ub9UNJWaotxKlsbI3f__qpc4oaz78VRRaEwhw_VbwMsp9A9tWTYMPhYIcWC4SRizarR39r79iigfH-fRkfFRWRzIOitI7xteld3YFK9joB5Jq8-8m0pyYsojLQletf/s320/ESP04.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where 12 Monkeys was filmed and where trees grow through old bunks. A popular ghost hunting destination.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I didn’t revisit any of these sites. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(photos compliments of google images)</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Instead, straight off the bus, I walked instinctively to:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1e5ugfTycAAZ7ofJBkjWHRUpkuZwa9EOw4tDftyf1Y0DcBxEWg5iqX2j9iu5fzCELjaHr4xiYE-Z6eMtFA2eKWMaqy_z30L1GO8-lX_1liBlGwuODEAAyYP6i5NWTAktwmZPYsUZPdYn/s1600/Trader-Joes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1e5ugfTycAAZ7ofJBkjWHRUpkuZwa9EOw4tDftyf1Y0DcBxEWg5iqX2j9iu5fzCELjaHr4xiYE-Z6eMtFA2eKWMaqy_z30L1GO8-lX_1liBlGwuODEAAyYP6i5NWTAktwmZPYsUZPdYn/s320/Trader-Joes.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Is it weird to feel nostalgic for your old grocery store?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In honor of my friend, Jake, who used to work there (who I hadn’t seen since I left), I got into a line with a guy at the register with curly hair just like his. And then he looked up. AND IT WAS HIM. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I forget that it’s only been three years since I left Philadelphia.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
I left Trader Joes not only with a banana, but a place to stay Sunday night.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After catching a show, I headed to my Thursday night couchsurfer’s place (not far). A condo on Rittenhouse Square.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzgIXlLexmq3NZt8dkdILu8fZZO01lnVnVynucSQWx2Lw1hm2CO9SfcEktQidYdTC45nzEglCMWd-0mFu9lNZa8uTWowitCs45Oi2fGXB9zCrJOyNsh19vUn_Or7sIzst1zx-9FsZ4237/s1600/rittenhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzgIXlLexmq3NZt8dkdILu8fZZO01lnVnVynucSQWx2Lw1hm2CO9SfcEktQidYdTC45nzEglCMWd-0mFu9lNZa8uTWowitCs45Oi2fGXB9zCrJOyNsh19vUn_Or7sIzst1zx-9FsZ4237/s320/rittenhouse.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rittenhouse Square.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> Where for a night, I had a room with a view:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEjC8zeGF6_RV7Kv4Pjbxd4R-_Maa35E4xNhwJlB3dX10BuuyzgWAH6JjjY61ryCPPOpLKo5eKiMbdQchyphenhyphenXanCRxt2w4JtrDeTxlzlUndWcs_yUSzy173IEHR1-M__nfVbhb15Dyzn9tl5u7/s1600/IMG_20110722_005318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8zeGF6_RV7Kv4Pjbxd4R-_Maa35E4xNhwJlB3dX10BuuyzgWAH6JjjY61ryCPPOpLKo5eKiMbdQchyphenhyphenXanCRxt2w4JtrDeTxlzlUndWcs_yUSzy173IEHR1-M__nfVbhb15Dyzn9tl5u7/s320/IMG_20110722_005318.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(actually from my phone camera)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">and a great conversation with my host, an Options Trader. It's always enlightening to spend time with somebody whose only occupational similarity involves the word equity (Actors' Equity vs equity securities). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We probably would have talked into the next day. But we both had early mornings.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBPCrZV8RkuLvYcobpJe7US9tygOlXnvCVHp5IETKK0lkn_f1kS1ZD6-4Zgd34fwMChna0wcIfmZ3kOMnr_knFrSVjWEIXPlFjyZeuuEFCSKtg1kACFq-Tl-syOxVlP3S35BwatV8gJc1/s1600/IMG_20110722_063749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBPCrZV8RkuLvYcobpJe7US9tygOlXnvCVHp5IETKK0lkn_f1kS1ZD6-4Zgd34fwMChna0wcIfmZ3kOMnr_knFrSVjWEIXPlFjyZeuuEFCSKtg1kACFq-Tl-syOxVlP3S35BwatV8gJc1/s320/IMG_20110722_063749.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
I caught this at sunrise before I had to head out on the hottest day of the year. Can you see the heat?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">TUNE IN NEXT ENTRY FOR... <br />
THE GREAT MEGABUS DETOUR</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-54333478218780449312011-07-24T20:15:00.000-07:002011-08-07T09:12:55.959-07:00Pittsburgh from the Perspective of Puppeteers(Monday, July 18<sup>th</sup>- Wednesday, July 20<sup>th</sup>) <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I left the flat lands of the Midwest and headed East towards the Alleghenies. After a quick three hour megabus ride, we entered:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">PITTSBURGH<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/AVvXsEivz4Oq-MSqpWK4-cVIF7LyMq6phK86Lyw1PSQBMUri5CyfFyU7umGc_UEJ0zggdB68TtIWnCdvhXEoZTeOEimHRLC-DuuWA5MWO7pfm-CMQESFmnmpyYaOlhsEOeGcRVakBn0ua2Bvzocf/s1600/pittsburghskylinetouse%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivz4Oq-MSqpWK4-cVIF7LyMq6phK86Lyw1PSQBMUri5CyfFyU7umGc_UEJ0zggdB68TtIWnCdvhXEoZTeOEimHRLC-DuuWA5MWO7pfm-CMQESFmnmpyYaOlhsEOeGcRVakBn0ua2Bvzocf/s400/pittsburghskylinetouse%2521.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="apple-style-span">(awaiting verification for photo-credit. Inititally posted on <a href="http://snarking.wordpress.com/">http://snarking.wordpress.com/</a>) </span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span">Land of three rivers. City of bridges.</span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Right off the bus, I followed a concrete path that snakes beneath the Pittsburgh Convention Center...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7D5IA-RusrECMlcUfkSIpx0DDQ75cf9zvUKSAgM8MDDxfg2VEupdW32gsjOfQTMeahcfSXu18mnNYXsTrRYtwhNeEz1vsldPvNRYbDmoFYhYZATalhJwEJU6QC2QT3DJ3HvhoyO48zk-H/s1600/IMG_20110718_135424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7D5IA-RusrECMlcUfkSIpx0DDQ75cf9zvUKSAgM8MDDxfg2VEupdW32gsjOfQTMeahcfSXu18mnNYXsTrRYtwhNeEz1vsldPvNRYbDmoFYhYZATalhJwEJU6QC2QT3DJ3HvhoyO48zk-H/s320/IMG_20110718_135424.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">to:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-AlpoR2m3t4Pzu6ULdURzMKtPa6fcihVunAw-xOI3wmRsDBTjdBgEYMwC9LXCwJpbkNRem01M8ue0-KjgwkOKzGGCji8tZX2k-DD-umb4sIc0CAJNyU48LhpDKyloR3QO8E_ZhiaCX40/s1600/IMG_20110718_140037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-AlpoR2m3t4Pzu6ULdURzMKtPa6fcihVunAw-xOI3wmRsDBTjdBgEYMwC9LXCwJpbkNRem01M8ue0-KjgwkOKzGGCji8tZX2k-DD-umb4sIc0CAJNyU48LhpDKyloR3QO8E_ZhiaCX40/s320/IMG_20110718_140037.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">A glimpse of three of Pittsburgh's 446 bridges.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This was my last view of Pittsburgh’s exterior for a while, because next thing I knew, my friend Murphi picked me up and (before a huge storm started) whisked me away to:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong><em>Murphi’s House of Wonders:</em></strong></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Murphi and her boyfriend<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zach are both<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>puppeteer playwrights and flea-market aficionados with a taste for the off-kilter.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I'd classify her and Zach's home as somewhere between The Twilight Zone and Nightmare Before Christmas—but that doesn’t do it justice. It’s really closest to the explosively strange worlds of <a href="http://www.murphicook.com/Site/Writing.html">Murphi’s plays</a>.</span></div><br />
As a collector of oddities, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Murphi has A LOT of cool <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(er…interesting) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>possessed looking toys:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">(DISCLAIMER: the following is not for the faint of heart)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbvztFKYE-FcKizMy4O3CYb0HW9uyvzUytQeCjDnfjtO_Qn4Tpjvf48WowUJeihEHSCdJRl4_GYX0V0OG7O8FYWHwmhE1hN5ZVbUyoDRzjOBIj1RT3r4ZeuRE7W83UHfSoyJ009cysqBV/s1600/IMG_20110719_224911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbvztFKYE-FcKizMy4O3CYb0HW9uyvzUytQeCjDnfjtO_Qn4Tpjvf48WowUJeihEHSCdJRl4_GYX0V0OG7O8FYWHwmhE1hN5ZVbUyoDRzjOBIj1RT3r4ZeuRE7W83UHfSoyJ009cysqBV/s320/IMG_20110719_224911.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A paranoid alcoholic teddy bear.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A taxidermy gator collection:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></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/AVvXsEgO6BFVSegYFKuj35gsllRJVW8VR7kOmwyYygZ70HzfZ570Zi4hvnpCdytSFAZGz_ND_jRF5C1UtcfMSvyxfZcltou2NQxf9fLNT8frOYvm_6cQKm4Puo4psWoBDPVb3i7ZF34IE4TcoWBX/s1600/IMG_20110719_190751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6BFVSegYFKuj35gsllRJVW8VR7kOmwyYygZ70HzfZ570Zi4hvnpCdytSFAZGz_ND_jRF5C1UtcfMSvyxfZcltou2NQxf9fLNT8frOYvm_6cQKm4Puo4psWoBDPVb3i7ZF34IE4TcoWBX/s320/IMG_20110719_190751.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Two taxidermied gators posed atop a sterilizer box .)</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeomZeP75Mk1KNhV0loBwGWO9FiMCZ5CA2_XTw1iAxIDTc3N4kT2_mjyuSZvJXOlWLLZ8lCswqSFLpG94TxTSrwj7ZQ0aFDLK7ZmA-kHWYMWHQTRj5mM3K1D89F8wZTq35P3cvQwa8boD-/s1600/IMG_20110719_225032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeomZeP75Mk1KNhV0loBwGWO9FiMCZ5CA2_XTw1iAxIDTc3N4kT2_mjyuSZvJXOlWLLZ8lCswqSFLpG94TxTSrwj7ZQ0aFDLK7ZmA-kHWYMWHQTRj5mM3K1D89F8wZTq35P3cvQwa8boD-/s320/IMG_20110719_225032.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Murphi’s birthday present to Zach. Outfit and mini-gator puppets hand-made by Murphi.)</div></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/AVvXsEgkiv-yPuA_EEGzd80d2gRjzNYg8LCesbJc4qn2-p5WuUaHvo99B21InlyJMTBjttgKgwAD98hZRQGjy46Nqw0J7GmutWiUjYUFHBr_uRMyR0IopVaUpc0_tB8Vs5_c7qsvVIqM4ei_YHFO/s1600/IMG_20110719_225005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkiv-yPuA_EEGzd80d2gRjzNYg8LCesbJc4qn2-p5WuUaHvo99B21InlyJMTBjttgKgwAD98hZRQGjy46Nqw0J7GmutWiUjYUFHBr_uRMyR0IopVaUpc0_tB8Vs5_c7qsvVIqM4ei_YHFO/s320/IMG_20110719_225005.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Mr. Toad does karaoke.) </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_ZDPJvWkin5rQP0hEcEx1sY0tMk8Us3id5uOqQLLztTfsrWEHCXGEAYIChRFV2pzWP1d_EBTYgDGy_nHw52nuJgxTgDzBK8XIJgfn1qc9O1VGwITKcbv78y335XeSfIhfj85waty4qv0/s1600/IMG_20110719_191641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_ZDPJvWkin5rQP0hEcEx1sY0tMk8Us3id5uOqQLLztTfsrWEHCXGEAYIChRFV2pzWP1d_EBTYgDGy_nHw52nuJgxTgDzBK8XIJgfn1qc9O1VGwITKcbv78y335XeSfIhfj85waty4qv0/s320/IMG_20110719_191641.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><br />
And my favorite:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Creepy German wind up bunny:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/onEB_VC1zsI?hl=en&fs=1" width="425"></iframe><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">(creepy factor enhanced by Zach’s sawing and Murphi’s toy piano playing)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguo6uTOc7XgwubN_foQWKwenZCmsn4peP-N03RDopjFL9npmUy_Icw6e-a8HnFSqdJvRAEkRT3rxOOzDWfTqBHT0SkDZni2QaJ9-uH-8b3EkfsEJBNZCusPBNIQJfbD68bxb6p6mi5gD7a/s1600/IMG_20110719_173036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguo6uTOc7XgwubN_foQWKwenZCmsn4peP-N03RDopjFL9npmUy_Icw6e-a8HnFSqdJvRAEkRT3rxOOzDWfTqBHT0SkDZni2QaJ9-uH-8b3EkfsEJBNZCusPBNIQJfbD68bxb6p6mi5gD7a/s320/IMG_20110719_173036.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But by far the greatest thing in Murphi and Zach's apartment: Murphi's chaise!</div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIUdkkZwiFdlAosMa6rDh8QjEqTSNUYWelm0-qCqFwIbjRlCUngXR829zU7kVZnDBPAmraMo6nS56lihojMfbxWOJd4pur5FnGoqLU9ItaK_cOfLTcLC8_n8gdKAzKnhJSizpshwnfftg/s1600/IMG_20110719_225824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIUdkkZwiFdlAosMa6rDh8QjEqTSNUYWelm0-qCqFwIbjRlCUngXR829zU7kVZnDBPAmraMo6nS56lihojMfbxWOJd4pur5FnGoqLU9ItaK_cOfLTcLC8_n8gdKAzKnhJSizpshwnfftg/s320/IMG_20110719_225824.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Murphi on the chaise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This was good, because I spent a lot of time in Pittsburgh catching up with my work, while in a sort of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>chaise malaise. <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/AVvXsEiBQzlrGEXgSyzgdZYB_Hog6EcS0QWzDXVv2VS6exAmCJ5gs367yobUx6_D4j_wJk-LkBEqbB6xg3iQisxMDT3_Sp2Rb9dnqful_7nT_NbproSAPoP86FmLIIcZHYS2UuDUZ1j34woH7-Io/s1600/IMG_20110719_230617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQzlrGEXgSyzgdZYB_Hog6EcS0QWzDXVv2VS6exAmCJ5gs367yobUx6_D4j_wJk-LkBEqbB6xg3iQisxMDT3_Sp2Rb9dnqful_7nT_NbproSAPoP86FmLIIcZHYS2UuDUZ1j34woH7-Io/s320/IMG_20110719_230617.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaise malaise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My first day in Pittsburgh was mostly spent in their living room, recovering from whirlwind exhaustion and also quite possibly the change in elevation. Or a minor case of arsenic poisoning from jokingly petting the taxidermy. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMe_CkzwDRlIY1qWLUqxtgtCeTbJwFJI2vquKrC8vmK90oZa3QSY36CnvlQeDEOWQUU20qFo6YcltAKod7_lS2di9P30sfoQy1nhXzgbD_S39sjBXBE3J7JNQ6UAEAHoMVZ9WSAC7VZOp/s1600/IMG_20110719_192117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMe_CkzwDRlIY1qWLUqxtgtCeTbJwFJI2vquKrC8vmK90oZa3QSY36CnvlQeDEOWQUU20qFo6YcltAKod7_lS2di9P30sfoQy1nhXzgbD_S39sjBXBE3J7JNQ6UAEAHoMVZ9WSAC7VZOp/s320/IMG_20110719_192117.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMeogo8ct__lceWpAgkcYnRaWEOFCBPt182mziSmt-N_YaTaRPtjJsBvhSTRcsRbTik6bAljmPaxIrXyn4FNsqnLLbh8T0rmUMc87Yapl1kJQU5WsxQmCwFNDma2rfeNhnSgDH1nyY2fp/s1600/IMG_20110719_191624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMeogo8ct__lceWpAgkcYnRaWEOFCBPt182mziSmt-N_YaTaRPtjJsBvhSTRcsRbTik6bAljmPaxIrXyn4FNsqnLLbh8T0rmUMc87Yapl1kJQU5WsxQmCwFNDma2rfeNhnSgDH1nyY2fp/s320/IMG_20110719_191624.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But I’m pretty certain it was the change in elevation.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Am I the only one who finds it funny that they live in a neighborhood called Squirrel Hill? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Because of the time spent on their chaise during my first day, instead of exploring Pittsburgh, I got to witness Murphi and Zach fashion a projection unit out of a packing tube, magnifying glasses and a light-bulb. Ala MacGyver. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-Apl4gBfQZkFAXzCuyuOdCUUCdNy4pxTFbyTBUbSU_Fff7DwnnaA_Gnqso1M0fAfXS4_XCCh8twpTYbqkrll3TaRjNNCiy218BzyIT2B2YS3TIZWohCTJ7fpL7iHqhDP4NHugneSbiF3/s1600/replacement+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-Apl4gBfQZkFAXzCuyuOdCUUCdNy4pxTFbyTBUbSU_Fff7DwnnaA_Gnqso1M0fAfXS4_XCCh8twpTYbqkrll3TaRjNNCiy218BzyIT2B2YS3TIZWohCTJ7fpL7iHqhDP4NHugneSbiF3/s320/replacement+shot.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The results:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></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/AVvXsEhyqnHX8aXB9f1B81YYjheiIzhUB8vx-js17fN_0JW-enJQPhTYfNY5o4W9g_PBGwDPvRKQALtxNlC6INUol-Qyxo_Yw1Iwaf-m-bfmxfa4D1gIZcARh0vxv6oRMogErxjnzVuf2kqb_gCd/s1600/IMG_20110720_005347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqnHX8aXB9f1B81YYjheiIzhUB8vx-js17fN_0JW-enJQPhTYfNY5o4W9g_PBGwDPvRKQALtxNlC6INUol-Qyxo_Yw1Iwaf-m-bfmxfa4D1gIZcARh0vxv6oRMogErxjnzVuf2kqb_gCd/s320/IMG_20110720_005347.jpg" t$="true" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apologetically low quality image (from my phone-camera) of Zach's projection for his magic light box project.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This was part of a prototype for a larger installation Zach is doing for the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. </div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://zachdorn.com/home.html">Cool-ass puppeteer for hire</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">But I couldn't let my knowedge of Pittsburgh be limited to Annie Dillard, Michael Chabon and August Wilson.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrs9y1CBMfAvgaIbSCVvWvwsp6B2xWdGURq34qa9oNJ3OLUcPxIfVEiK85LOEikaJcYxldf5wPsphqxNXVb895OfNoXUyECMY61PcN1ptnoxpb_0_ofxNGgF02f6jt-V9rlkqR76MTTNP/s1600/dillard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrs9y1CBMfAvgaIbSCVvWvwsp6B2xWdGURq34qa9oNJ3OLUcPxIfVEiK85LOEikaJcYxldf5wPsphqxNXVb895OfNoXUyECMY61PcN1ptnoxpb_0_ofxNGgF02f6jt-V9rlkqR76MTTNP/s200/dillard.jpg" t$="true" width="130" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosWAk161nasAbjR2P636D7IxIJ3JMUb9-SLPMEZRmWGdlQU8IlcVzPqb0R9ggnEMPF39FOWuFb2-bbYLVuDkaO9p9Z07iDVi73Py0kPxIvWhrTxGWYY4SEIS18Dg3PvWUvUFRXwppZoD3/s1600/michaelchabon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosWAk161nasAbjR2P636D7IxIJ3JMUb9-SLPMEZRmWGdlQU8IlcVzPqb0R9ggnEMPF39FOWuFb2-bbYLVuDkaO9p9Z07iDVi73Py0kPxIvWhrTxGWYY4SEIS18Dg3PvWUvUFRXwppZoD3/s200/michaelchabon.jpg" t$="true" width="128" /></a><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAHHFs2RqfdGD-2zXFQmKejlVo-w1vFtsaC_lHOkxWiEuai0ZQ1PTcHva9vNeyAWeH2ew1uu9XIvIVXEUuJMfGAVPJLmul87Nz-6rwwnOwigXncrpovrj1FsVeuedfcXSEVd1MqvAl-uB/s200/augustwilson.jpg" t$="true" width="132" /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">It was time to get out.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On this trip, I have been discovering that it's not so much the place as it is the people showing me the place that makes the experience. And this time, I had two puppeteers steering my way. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">They guided me to the Mattress Factory, a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>museum filled with installation works. It's located on the North Side, one of Pittsburgh’s oldest neighborhoods... </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Where if you wander down the right alley, you might stumble upon a building with the following engraved:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEgE-Rca1lPyde3ucYBKoFNxejyuEcAlfwanOL1zB7EGxXy7bPJW_qUjaRGSlBfyo5C9ZzIl55fAHZn9U4JFPWrqIl7LWFQ34ldYOpy-Z8PHa_y6oLXY_RctumdHoNgRz842WtQkuhv7elZz/s1600/IMG_20110719_135105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-Rca1lPyde3ucYBKoFNxejyuEcAlfwanOL1zB7EGxXy7bPJW_qUjaRGSlBfyo5C9ZzIl55fAHZn9U4JFPWrqIl7LWFQ34ldYOpy-Z8PHa_y6oLXY_RctumdHoNgRz842WtQkuhv7elZz/s320/IMG_20110719_135105.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(part of an outdoor installation)</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Arriving at each new city, the traveler finds again a past of his that he did not know he had: the foreignness of what you no longer are or no longer possess lies in wait for you in foreign un-possessed places” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-- Italo Calvino (Invisible Cities)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On a megabus journey, running into a trippy quote like this can only send you one place:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Into a state of inescapable self-reflection.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Mattress Factory turned out to be a great place to go to REFLECT.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_dHz1vappa7LRa38J_UvqivEmKUJU2pabRBHJxGemj0WXeXOnIU2kTsZi3S0PzntHPBPVJd0qFbs8mTIcQcPUZ7yjqGIeuQXFOknsOh8b-cahwWUn1mNrhgTHwNtsQh02f5hWatQAckb/s1600/IMG_20110719_125223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_dHz1vappa7LRa38J_UvqivEmKUJU2pabRBHJxGemj0WXeXOnIU2kTsZi3S0PzntHPBPVJd0qFbs8mTIcQcPUZ7yjqGIeuQXFOknsOh8b-cahwWUn1mNrhgTHwNtsQh02f5hWatQAckb/s320/IMG_20110719_125223.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0_Iu4fP35bKpJeAIS2K7npJHfk8Mjan7N9JyzWfuxYmm2gQW-Vv8KOfaDP1URZxS-IBMcpDAcJgk58nzfTm89FXO4D0zjS2q2Cv4xpzOcmfTSbCraN76rmShP_qsELcsIbE5Ofb24gAK/s1600/IMG_20110719_125207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0_Iu4fP35bKpJeAIS2K7npJHfk8Mjan7N9JyzWfuxYmm2gQW-Vv8KOfaDP1URZxS-IBMcpDAcJgk58nzfTm89FXO4D0zjS2q2Cv4xpzOcmfTSbCraN76rmShP_qsELcsIbE5Ofb24gAK/s320/IMG_20110719_125207.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzXQbZGUVrLsD9YF_s3InP2JEOOVkaWpToj7bhokBA8JaDN0FholIRlbeHuDAZHVaHfztp795cq3nb6oUtxb2lZ9HVeCcbyzGkmoCCO5gLxaYjDyZkvcCQIW4qE9K5FnArkhx1stLP4Lu/s1600/IMG_20110719_125330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzXQbZGUVrLsD9YF_s3InP2JEOOVkaWpToj7bhokBA8JaDN0FholIRlbeHuDAZHVaHfztp795cq3nb6oUtxb2lZ9HVeCcbyzGkmoCCO5gLxaYjDyZkvcCQIW4qE9K5FnArkhx1stLP4Lu/s320/IMG_20110719_125330.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeCKPpN7LM7fvN0Zy1wAPOj4EXilDtOTWRql76hyphenhyphenzsUh10k8XWE0-QJHu_uIIBNwe8hS-aMYhfqCj12rlWRtLhnAdjImUUSxj9vDjzDDquJV21QCevFk42sNhVcK2V_9nlOCDHuwNCWHE/s1600/IMG_20110719_151316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeCKPpN7LM7fvN0Zy1wAPOj4EXilDtOTWRql76hyphenhyphenzsUh10k8XWE0-QJHu_uIIBNwe8hS-aMYhfqCj12rlWRtLhnAdjImUUSxj9vDjzDDquJV21QCevFk42sNhVcK2V_9nlOCDHuwNCWHE/s320/IMG_20110719_151316.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8KqeHyMdFi4TJ32IVkXrgBjNnfeLYAOHwZY-KIQaItBmbXvkJRQbuZslKlRXOccXsyNMMiQwXzKBCqTFxUqukCbOW5tI8Pnayet8vJsYeDOg0RXpQedBnJXFQdzWRRqOCLALlRAAn0Ef/s1600/IMG_20110719_151950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8KqeHyMdFi4TJ32IVkXrgBjNnfeLYAOHwZY-KIQaItBmbXvkJRQbuZslKlRXOccXsyNMMiQwXzKBCqTFxUqukCbOW5tI8Pnayet8vJsYeDOg0RXpQedBnJXFQdzWRRqOCLALlRAAn0Ef/s200/IMG_20110719_151950.jpg" t$="true" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUtrkMAyGg-xrtp3xTZUSbbKuQTYReZz8M9nkV97O1exxvD8nqCQmTulF96rsvWgSPlYXlT3pe_1JMkidCkkJFc0V7JKizy3ffsBGrxa6X4RnH0URr_rq0McqJHWCSrmmkg0eVItm3gJ0/s1600/IMG_20110719_151851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUtrkMAyGg-xrtp3xTZUSbbKuQTYReZz8M9nkV97O1exxvD8nqCQmTulF96rsvWgSPlYXlT3pe_1JMkidCkkJFc0V7JKizy3ffsBGrxa6X4RnH0URr_rq0McqJHWCSrmmkg0eVItm3gJ0/s200/IMG_20110719_151851.jpg" t$="true" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3hd7IClMz7bSqXLLc8YO4-BXpKcwn0WwLF2j3bBrhvUm6Xw7TZDzNeUandlFGekusabSo3JO28ROmZ8ZRuD0NIeUw3u3YYBlOaZ0TiuMnFDJpswoBjPCXH3qcAg09-cbIAaqHf7YcouQ/s1600/IMG_20110719_152004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3hd7IClMz7bSqXLLc8YO4-BXpKcwn0WwLF2j3bBrhvUm6Xw7TZDzNeUandlFGekusabSo3JO28ROmZ8ZRuD0NIeUw3u3YYBlOaZ0TiuMnFDJpswoBjPCXH3qcAg09-cbIAaqHf7YcouQ/s200/IMG_20110719_152004.jpg" t$="true" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3sXqAkjRk7yuIMKba_je9gzL0p5j1d10WmUQQ12TxjTCW8Sh71lG1SvwdtXJfoA7GFxqozA5XYKnu5us91zYD-WmR6Kz3y4V1TzgAI_IBRw4UEHkb4hdkTMISn6v5VFXCYlw-wF3Z3iF/s1600/IMG_20110719_151110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3sXqAkjRk7yuIMKba_je9gzL0p5j1d10WmUQQ12TxjTCW8Sh71lG1SvwdtXJfoA7GFxqozA5XYKnu5us91zYD-WmR6Kz3y4V1TzgAI_IBRw4UEHkb4hdkTMISn6v5VFXCYlw-wF3Z3iF/s320/IMG_20110719_151110.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Or spend way too much time taking artsy photos in Yayoi Kusama's mirror installation. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Eventually, I discovered a secret doorway—leading to:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8JQm7EYn-K2o761NghQUdKmhcbW5DOpnmjVnnAyYtnpHhcn5TYSB_80CWZDIQC4nNlfWR1RKAF8xZP6IbbPEr1-NWUOpobEGGZvfdLJ41jHVvd8cL5pGB2XIZwSTcHS8ASXXXH3fQHsa/s1600/IMG_20110719_125427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8JQm7EYn-K2o761NghQUdKmhcbW5DOpnmjVnnAyYtnpHhcn5TYSB_80CWZDIQC4nNlfWR1RKAF8xZP6IbbPEr1-NWUOpobEGGZvfdLJ41jHVvd8cL5pGB2XIZwSTcHS8ASXXXH3fQHsa/s320/IMG_20110719_125427.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing like surreal polka-dotted naked mannequins to jar you back into reality. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> My other favorite exhibits at the Mattress Factory:</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><ol><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Gary Pyle's work titled:</div></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtlbK-gUm1yrV3z9Krd_2JNYXfp1JPtqSns7NkePImFz1zHvBA-2omUc6yXohZGObrhZTq8WoeNdTg0gX-w2uOBVE88wmw-OJOf1r-vUyb8OZJIInpb5fXxc_WTJ7FXeZWUtfSMRzOL1V/s1600/IMG_20110719_135556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtlbK-gUm1yrV3z9Krd_2JNYXfp1JPtqSns7NkePImFz1zHvBA-2omUc6yXohZGObrhZTq8WoeNdTg0gX-w2uOBVE88wmw-OJOf1r-vUyb8OZJIInpb5fXxc_WTJ7FXeZWUtfSMRzOL1V/s320/IMG_20110719_135556.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I'm pretty certain this piece was in honor of Pittsburgh’s gloomy weather during my stay:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AmzbSskCcEPcswEGyOHCVCt0BSiI39Xt2pFk9GCAC_8rpDjWLj-Y9zWrZeI2j_BUJZ7-ooHGWlKlNcbfa_1Y9HWURs_d29HvirkdWY2dMk7X06wiCgmlApleJch02YEQx5FHxxwjBdEM/s1600/IMG_20110719_135604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AmzbSskCcEPcswEGyOHCVCt0BSiI39Xt2pFk9GCAC_8rpDjWLj-Y9zWrZeI2j_BUJZ7-ooHGWlKlNcbfa_1Y9HWURs_d29HvirkdWY2dMk7X06wiCgmlApleJch02YEQx5FHxxwjBdEM/s320/IMG_20110719_135604.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span id="goog_607699551"></span><span id="goog_607699552"></span>2. James Turrell’s light gallery on the third floor. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Where, in a total play on the viewer's perception, a red box floating <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in space:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxb3-oL1nIoDXNeuFZKrAHTdEin8v_4AeV9hT0OUOUqBmyDyp6_Qlce8GnnUPmYTGe8nWGk64K5djHKUaShzGjyuuEVFkFXhoBIoxMHixpM_gU021rIq6oVNi1QamZzGyJ2ac1FQmY7oh/s320/IMG_20110719_130619.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> upon closer inspection is revealed to be:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZr1P5-qzlRRrMZW338pzsobbNX-qLonrCcNnL0PV5k0ovsiVWre9e1TDvoBLtokyzUFEoDDI-0gYuBBbfJ4al9hPZzlrM3rIsqQnnNZEYNEwaiKVt0a_VVxLTS8A6MWi0bWc-5AyZwix/s1600/IMG_20110719_130632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZr1P5-qzlRRrMZW338pzsobbNX-qLonrCcNnL0PV5k0ovsiVWre9e1TDvoBLtokyzUFEoDDI-0gYuBBbfJ4al9hPZzlrM3rIsqQnnNZEYNEwaiKVt0a_VVxLTS8A6MWi0bWc-5AyZwix/s320/IMG_20110719_130632.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> Nothing more than red light projected in a corner. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Ready for my own perception play? Ready?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqxvv2GiII6D_tCcLjUR49EAaD8SMF6AE-AiOJLVCVrhe5M-WMhui70Jj04OPFLjaGxnhoL5ywyRgh7MnOn6552fJX2HElGA91Cu__m0qoM-IMMsnaIW1wQ40jSPB43VxFJeJDpZKLHxu/s1600/IMG_20110719_151851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqxvv2GiII6D_tCcLjUR49EAaD8SMF6AE-AiOJLVCVrhe5M-WMhui70Jj04OPFLjaGxnhoL5ywyRgh7MnOn6552fJX2HElGA91Cu__m0qoM-IMMsnaIW1wQ40jSPB43VxFJeJDpZKLHxu/s640/IMG_20110719_151851.jpg" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
Am I standing or lying on the floor? (<span style="font-size: x-small;">answer at the bottom of this post.)</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">3. My other favorite installaton at the Mattress Factory... the BoxSpring café. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Despite the fresh ingredients on the menu, it’s by far the most affordable museum café I’ve ever seen—</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
My lunch:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Mango, orange, mint soup</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">summer squash and brie quiche</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">asian coleslaw</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">price: $11. (<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">ß</span></span>It’s okay to splurge once in a while.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Further Pittsburgh dining highlights and a bonus perception play:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">On the outside, this building looks like a church:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhs3FFcla5Z4jz-estauT4xxvVTz-Jeba0yaksrvzYJvlEICi-1C_EpLei33v03qsiUXPexKN-rlUXSIUurntoyTmIx5AGSXn3F15DaJmvSSI6B47amS6Dnb-XNfCHKNlFXdlDfXMvI2C/s1600/brewery3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhs3FFcla5Z4jz-estauT4xxvVTz-Jeba0yaksrvzYJvlEICi-1C_EpLei33v03qsiUXPexKN-rlUXSIUurntoyTmIx5AGSXn3F15DaJmvSSI6B47amS6Dnb-XNfCHKNlFXdlDfXMvI2C/s320/brewery3.JPG" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><br />
But on the inside, it's actually:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><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/AVvXsEiRnz4XAPlSpCI3AqTnIHJ_yswM_1q710q5S_niatHiS6zqh17UoSThX8g2_6t2n0gUohlYAkWr5DwWAIAu3ZH7d8a-wLqPUSWFgeiwxrF2Z5yauwuzXCdQN5wvgyic3GVy9ipqE1CaGMV1/s1600/brewery1+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnz4XAPlSpCI3AqTnIHJ_yswM_1q710q5S_niatHiS6zqh17UoSThX8g2_6t2n0gUohlYAkWr5DwWAIAu3ZH7d8a-wLqPUSWFgeiwxrF2Z5yauwuzXCdQN5wvgyic3GVy9ipqE1CaGMV1/s320/brewery1+-+Copy.JPG" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’m told grainy photographs are hot right now. That makes my poor quality indoor shots automatically hip, right?</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">A brewery! And restaurant. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">Murphi and Zach took me to:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpjJFElAQSfC9M6BJapahwVeKsES4PBMRniSuRnDV3oklIodFdMXnlvy14FcI44sv3E49nW0Ay0Zp44UuH7AfbykkjZ3knVwLfpR4Hoi4oJ1qfaZI9h6ccqnKhyphenhyphentQTfJMRpG7WDXR4htr/s1600/brewery2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpjJFElAQSfC9M6BJapahwVeKsES4PBMRniSuRnDV3oklIodFdMXnlvy14FcI44sv3E49nW0Ay0Zp44UuH7AfbykkjZ3knVwLfpR4Hoi4oJ1qfaZI9h6ccqnKhyphenhyphentQTfJMRpG7WDXR4htr/s320/brewery2.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
And on Wednesday, after some quiet writing time at 61c (a local coffee shop), Murphi and I had farewell waffles at Waffalonia. Yes to establishments devoted solely to waffles. (Yes, it’s real.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And soooo good. <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/AVvXsEgDhK4F-UVDlAfUW_oUheHcbF0emHQrQywS9GhTulXk3YvUsVmyYT4XBBLSCp-WhBOdBzakMMe5jAuIFIi0dMsOlpwRcizOfO3Q5TmNZrCF44DvERF3yiSk2T4k_nuaCD7lC0ws5ENCXd-n/s1600/IMG_20110720_171212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhK4F-UVDlAfUW_oUheHcbF0emHQrQywS9GhTulXk3YvUsVmyYT4XBBLSCp-WhBOdBzakMMe5jAuIFIi0dMsOlpwRcizOfO3Q5TmNZrCF44DvERF3yiSk2T4k_nuaCD7lC0ws5ENCXd-n/s320/IMG_20110720_171212.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Cinnamon ice-cream and fudge topped sugar waffle. </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This was followed by dinner with my friend Dan O’Neil, who went out of his way to drive me to my next destination. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Fun fact: Peter, Murphi and Dan = 1/3<sup>rd</sup> of Carnegie Mellon’s Dramatic Writing program).<br />
<br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">To allow space for the puppet explosion set to happen Wednesday evening, the night before Zach’s deadline—I had found a place through couchsurfing.org.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I know what you may be thinking:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Sleeping at home of strangers? What's this woman thinking?? I realize not everyone out there are rapists and ax murderers, but in this day and age -- come on, let's use common sense!!" (</span>direct quotation from a comment posted on<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.kcci.com/r/28621176/detail.html">kcci8</a> which recently publicized my journey). <span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
Relax. It’s not craigslist. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
___________________________________________</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">HIGHLIGHT ON COUCHSURFING AND WHY I AM 99.9% CERTAIN I WILL NOT BE AX-MURDERED IN MY SLEEP (we should always be open to the .1% chance of being ax-murdered. Regardless of sleeping arrangements.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">About <a href="http://couchsurfing.org/">Couchsurfing.org</a>: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*members' identities are generally verified<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*they usually have references from previous surfers and hosts and friends</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*my judgment is pretty sound. So far. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am obviously not going to stay with anybody I sense is unsafe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mostly, I am staying with young couples. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*320 countries actively participate, creating an international exchange of ideas and good-will</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*it’s free</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Here is why it’s a brilliant social experiment (in couchsurfing.org's own words:)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“<span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13pt;">Our mission as an organization is to create inspiring experiences: cross-cultural encounters that are fun, engaging, and illuminating.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13pt;">“you have a lot more information about new people than you do in most circumstances.” (</span>it's like reading a new friend's facebook profile before you’ve met them.)<span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13pt;">“You have the chance to read all about other members' experiences with that person, whether positive or negative.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://thegreatmegabusadventure.blogspot.com/2011/07/one-week-to-start-of-journey.html">(see my first entry for a list of my positive experiences prior to this trip.) </a></div>___________________________________________</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>After the young couple that were going to host me had a last minute emergency, Ali and Emily (sisters), with only one days notice saved the day. <br />
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</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/AVvXsEhCpiYdBZ4oNDFaVfvpzmEyBJVNx-V8ybRIRfleaNzo7fxHjU6p_5ywfMZinCi-bX72mhhmjhGE1oX9MbYUVQJrJvgmaqLXs1X-UNkT5b-eBiZpvBqbKI3W3DoT_4lHqYleUyYA2ApmK9ej/s1600/IMG_20110721_010305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpiYdBZ4oNDFaVfvpzmEyBJVNx-V8ybRIRfleaNzo7fxHjU6p_5ywfMZinCi-bX72mhhmjhGE1oX9MbYUVQJrJvgmaqLXs1X-UNkT5b-eBiZpvBqbKI3W3DoT_4lHqYleUyYA2ApmK9ej/s320/IMG_20110721_010305.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(these are the ax-murderers I stayed with)</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ali is a biology senior at Pitt; Emily, a recent graduate about to move to Austin, TX<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to work for AmeriCorps. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They were great.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On the way to Brillobox, a local bar, for trivia night-- they showed me around Bloomfield... </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A place filled with idealistic punky bookstores, according to Ali, </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">and quirky wall art:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl3-_7pKq-uBiq2EJOLy3giDARaHci9iuEmypKCXrufOsdDAHsyOD0tYiHMs6oE1gWPrB3cbhMz1Ik90Lbg9tumIoqdNnQ86LblUKtmSqRx-Q098ZqDIzfMk0QnfFMscpC9dWFY4xSLhQ/s1600/IMG_20110720_203352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl3-_7pKq-uBiq2EJOLy3giDARaHci9iuEmypKCXrufOsdDAHsyOD0tYiHMs6oE1gWPrB3cbhMz1Ik90Lbg9tumIoqdNnQ86LblUKtmSqRx-Q098ZqDIzfMk0QnfFMscpC9dWFY4xSLhQ/s320/IMG_20110720_203352.jpg" t$="true" width="239" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They confirmed what I suspected all along, Pittsburgh is a terrible biking town:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhITUr9q-8z43suq-6XlR6FQBUYvCIKLowmEMOuZdzsuaRa7-ed3MeOWczZu1uf2THKYrk8c19RONGs02X3bPrJVzBYrew8RJs0nfwfYX5p9gB4sXE2aWpwqpcETyuIlh2Pn1efKNwDZU/s1600/IMG_20110720_202226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhITUr9q-8z43suq-6XlR6FQBUYvCIKLowmEMOuZdzsuaRa7-ed3MeOWczZu1uf2THKYrk8c19RONGs02X3bPrJVzBYrew8RJs0nfwfYX5p9gB4sXE2aWpwqpcETyuIlh2Pn1efKNwDZU/s320/IMG_20110720_202226.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
Despite our losing at trivia (an unfortunate set of categories in the second round), Ali, is a trove of knowledge. And she made sure that before I left, I had seen the wonders of her own home.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Specifically:<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_E9FEm8fVyTY8an3Y_ohy4PgNrp5lvDkwU3dJtKlIapLwwKdjf3yzKXc6mM73jkCPombGmiayNclnsWQF5cauqYO9-1Y3mWYGHl9oOMvnk6VMMK4_0w8SjZBrnmkFPMpbirBdkG7MEAcT/s1600/IMG_20110721_004956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">The Pittsburgh toilet!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkzqopEhCTkRdypnNfQTjvdrLDrI6Vj6Tgz6jlQbhhO76BLjLCHFhMDgghyphenhyphen_LChfMUe7qfL3XXfU3dsIEpKMISgLJ64T1w3FgqiFwpa7eInhYVGnrQCaC5520DvXnVxaWwKoyr7U3DzID/s1600/IMG_20110721_005009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkzqopEhCTkRdypnNfQTjvdrLDrI6Vj6Tgz6jlQbhhO76BLjLCHFhMDgghyphenhyphen_LChfMUe7qfL3XXfU3dsIEpKMISgLJ64T1w3FgqiFwpa7eInhYVGnrQCaC5520DvXnVxaWwKoyr7U3DzID/s320/IMG_20110721_005009.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_E9FEm8fVyTY8an3Y_ohy4PgNrp5lvDkwU3dJtKlIapLwwKdjf3yzKXc6mM73jkCPombGmiayNclnsWQF5cauqYO9-1Y3mWYGHl9oOMvnk6VMMK4_0w8SjZBrnmkFPMpbirBdkG7MEAcT/s320/IMG_20110721_004956.jpg" t$="true" width="240" /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A toilet and shower located in the basement, where pre-WWII steel-workers and miners could wash up immediately upon entering their home. Ali and Emily’s house (according to their landlord) dates to about 1910. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If I missed any further “Steel City” toilet lore, I’ll be back in Pittsburgh August 6<sup>th</sup> on my way back to Iowa City. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
Next stop Philly!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlMrvJgCZtJoTzmFv92a9r005_HmjT5DKdCxdSVig4OYfqLZ2XIQsumdDCegGmlcqMW_SdpOQSPIbtpe0QjfI4ctdfgS7lWzveBDZ-ZrDk_qQChCvH5rRWEX5bwC7pVbq9e-jX3WCEcpH/s1600/IMG_20110721_105923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlMrvJgCZtJoTzmFv92a9r005_HmjT5DKdCxdSVig4OYfqLZ2XIQsumdDCegGmlcqMW_SdpOQSPIbtpe0QjfI4ctdfgS7lWzveBDZ-ZrDk_qQChCvH5rRWEX5bwC7pVbq9e-jX3WCEcpH/s320/IMG_20110721_105923.jpg" t$="true" width="239" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Answer to visual riddle: I am lying on the floor.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div></div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-59276137435565119892011-07-19T14:41:00.000-07:002011-09-02T22:26:00.493-07:00Chill times in the Big Cleve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span class="bodytext">(Saturday, July 16<sup>th </sup>- Sunday, July 17<sup>th</sup>)</span></div><br />
I said seeya later to Chicago at 8:15 am and after a quick stop in Toledo, was in Cleveland by 3:30. Either time flies on the megabus or wi-fi is a time machine. It felt like two hours. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">CLEVELAND: </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/AVvXsEg05XmPOlPLVBDW6fKVBNA8nruHm7SVCISAJen4FOiW8Je7lRjZwJkBMAjQ8hKi8eswrAt3oEgH2J5qRCQjO8esKDxMDYM-EjOmIPHxlWa248XLkAo5vqvE92FEDnDsCsdjShg-ASJOD4DZ/s1600/Cleveland_Skyline_Aug_2006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="103" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05XmPOlPLVBDW6fKVBNA8nruHm7SVCISAJen4FOiW8Je7lRjZwJkBMAjQ8hKi8eswrAt3oEgH2J5qRCQjO8esKDxMDYM-EjOmIPHxlWa248XLkAo5vqvE92FEDnDsCsdjShg-ASJOD4DZ/s400/Cleveland_Skyline_Aug_2006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Photo credit: Avogadro94, Copyright: Wikimedia Commons)</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>My impression of Cleveland: Post-industrial, slightly depressed with a great arts scene and an increasing number of dedicated young locals.<br />
<br />
Immediately after meeting up with my friend Peter at the the fountain in Tower City, a mall overlooking the river—we made our first stop: Ohio City, a trendy district in Cleveland, where we checked out <a href="http://www.glassbubbleproject.com/index.php">The Glass Bubble Project</a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVhPKtRvnqeG8dTLyL1AXi8IX5ytGlOyQdEiNth1WhlmQKX5t6WswgBsJnkkjgVmIqHJBTRKw_K-vAmosi34iFHAGz5kwMqybjgZG6jMRmbanlF1N0IPmKUR3-z5cdg0Ky1g5SSbVpuzl/s1600/IMG_20110716_162832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVhPKtRvnqeG8dTLyL1AXi8IX5ytGlOyQdEiNth1WhlmQKX5t6WswgBsJnkkjgVmIqHJBTRKw_K-vAmosi34iFHAGz5kwMqybjgZG6jMRmbanlF1N0IPmKUR3-z5cdg0Ky1g5SSbVpuzl/s320/IMG_20110716_162832.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A studio that specializes in recycling glass and scrap metal into art.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7did_0GAQQ75dQbTUWGOwF1rUkVXoxqGS8q7EXaJxjUPTshzLU_vGRmG07zy2Oayivglo2zlwcp2S7Eqo5f5AQOTBOOcU9tC_11bZ2FD_KKKI3Pq5s-VqvhwK3kwSX8_58weMJFdWzES/s1600/IMG_20110716_163230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7did_0GAQQ75dQbTUWGOwF1rUkVXoxqGS8q7EXaJxjUPTshzLU_vGRmG07zy2Oayivglo2zlwcp2S7Eqo5f5AQOTBOOcU9tC_11bZ2FD_KKKI3Pq5s-VqvhwK3kwSX8_58weMJFdWzES/s320/IMG_20110716_163230.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chandelier made of wine-glasses and recycled glass bottles.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And West Side Market.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJGaKpkPPWV_N035m_Vb8jmxxK-Pf-HktZ0EuskntaRQwhubCsNNYCky7ZLkfwRSDwS-EKKavHCyhdBc_msNLAWr0altIwPnY5TL-fW7eHo5oHUWZpIcVlb_P_-IdyZezCThECwlfpQRp/s1600/IMG_20110716_163849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJGaKpkPPWV_N035m_Vb8jmxxK-Pf-HktZ0EuskntaRQwhubCsNNYCky7ZLkfwRSDwS-EKKavHCyhdBc_msNLAWr0altIwPnY5TL-fW7eHo5oHUWZpIcVlb_P_-IdyZezCThECwlfpQRp/s320/IMG_20110716_163849.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">A cathedral of produce<br />
and eccentric grocery items...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsuSaEhzkSWrW2PFbTfqVloZ3gKyH8tNCYWViPrstTrI69sG0Gqtmx1sOdtMCYfTNMtX8d07TIATnhQjMofn56zYRuTUQm3fEkfleSzbl1hByT3QXBCKsb7_TviTQnp7ZBZvayungMd3i/s1600/IMG_20110716_165354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsuSaEhzkSWrW2PFbTfqVloZ3gKyH8tNCYWViPrstTrI69sG0Gqtmx1sOdtMCYfTNMtX8d07TIATnhQjMofn56zYRuTUQm3fEkfleSzbl1hByT3QXBCKsb7_TviTQnp7ZBZvayungMd3i/s320/IMG_20110716_165354.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">***</div> My hosts of the century, Peter and Oliva, are amongst the scores of young locals devoted to reviving Cleveland.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Olivia is a librarian pursuing a masters in Public Administration. And Peter, when he's not busy pursuing his MFA in Playwriting at Carnegie Mellon, works at the Art Museum.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They invited me into their home:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</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/AVvXsEhAtldtwZa6aq01a8MhyphenhyphenJ4AKL2-t06qOdxanIYoTylrFvRRFJgJtGruIsnRp8Pdhwe9va5UeCSwA7223NgwpoDOA0nb9EhtmcV_GXoEkyfeZLwZ7pTsBpZaYAwq7R2eDpK0zWLNpe-i5vBJ/s1600/IMG_20110716_183058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtldtwZa6aq01a8MhyphenhyphenJ4AKL2-t06qOdxanIYoTylrFvRRFJgJtGruIsnRp8Pdhwe9va5UeCSwA7223NgwpoDOA0nb9EhtmcV_GXoEkyfeZLwZ7pTsBpZaYAwq7R2eDpK0zWLNpe-i5vBJ/s320/IMG_20110716_183058.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their neighborhood viewed from their backyard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And showed me what Cleveland hospitality is all about:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvRYq0X6Xqyb6ASBVKDdTWIsOe2kg7c4aetKwDBgcXXKlrEhlniSLCUfFx9DYdHhpNWxOmhFSIeofk-oxd3cb4KntlPLCQMqDR_13YTgn-JFjuWpno-_t55ZKGXjd2qG4fFRHuZXxRN6a/s1600/IMG_20110718_022633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvRYq0X6Xqyb6ASBVKDdTWIsOe2kg7c4aetKwDBgcXXKlrEhlniSLCUfFx9DYdHhpNWxOmhFSIeofk-oxd3cb4KntlPLCQMqDR_13YTgn-JFjuWpno-_t55ZKGXjd2qG4fFRHuZXxRN6a/s320/IMG_20110718_022633.jpg" width="147" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">well beyond the flowers, welcome card, chocolate covered espresso beans and dried strawberries (West Side Market goodies) they left for me on the dresser in their guest room.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Over the next two days, they shared Cleveland with me from the perspective of a long time insider—history and all—from the story of an infamous local serial killer to a high school next to a small airport that featured the coolest elective ever— aviation lessons. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They also shared their deft cooking skills and excellent taste: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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/AVvXsEhTD_wPL66U3myAz9i8oZYQqiFa4Iywh1G0NtwGw0KpDNeVdEHyEr8u3fvtnX1MOHKpiUCEJRV3bk3SrxPF0NVOLJL65nsxWq664VDKEkxJr6roxakTeslw8jSae4U5M4QJvqc0xsh3YdrD/s1600/IMG_20110716_193253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTD_wPL66U3myAz9i8oZYQqiFa4Iywh1G0NtwGw0KpDNeVdEHyEr8u3fvtnX1MOHKpiUCEJRV3bk3SrxPF0NVOLJL65nsxWq664VDKEkxJr6roxakTeslw8jSae4U5M4QJvqc0xsh3YdrD/s320/IMG_20110716_193253.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Peter and Olivia. Our dinner: raw oysters, escargot and grilled chicken.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesMO0XifhlpM5FckRGtyKsy-eJ9XByv-VIT0HMXu9vt8vVzvtc8hyYKGeF41an5VjVYQ0VpyolVoMRG4ujeOfEcxLRMO-3ke_BE5r7JnUDGKS4B1acV_-oV-Cqc2HWrROLa_lc9eHm2Gj/s1600/IMG_20110716_192641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesMO0XifhlpM5FckRGtyKsy-eJ9XByv-VIT0HMXu9vt8vVzvtc8hyYKGeF41an5VjVYQ0VpyolVoMRG4ujeOfEcxLRMO-3ke_BE5r7JnUDGKS4B1acV_-oV-Cqc2HWrROLa_lc9eHm2Gj/s320/IMG_20110716_192641.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">The escargot experiment: 400 degrees for ten minutes in a toaster oven. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBmIevFdxC-EhX4Lf97V8JtQAo4joOLACAb092FhTAOxCQonaktDokN_NAG6HyL6-C3qK7sKtttlXocDXR_ZNoQ45mDmkju7XQtGNHaRHl3f_klKCvcirFWonXkuCbwe82JgqcjyRVfd_/s1600/IMG_20110716_194128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBmIevFdxC-EhX4Lf97V8JtQAo4joOLACAb092FhTAOxCQonaktDokN_NAG6HyL6-C3qK7sKtttlXocDXR_ZNoQ45mDmkju7XQtGNHaRHl3f_klKCvcirFWonXkuCbwe82JgqcjyRVfd_/s320/IMG_20110716_194128.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Delicious.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> This was followed by... </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIOU8TVzVG7mhAnEKT9s-K9nEJ_EfRGU1rpa_kh7GXsQdeAhVNb6M_0R7Q75EIyQ64EGluJxGyqYULD2vSdMyhrgSnOiY9EjpFtVxBhY0RTpyQ8bvFeNWDjjkzQuMXqPzTbu2EPF_LLn9/s1600/IMG_20110716_224447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIOU8TVzVG7mhAnEKT9s-K9nEJ_EfRGU1rpa_kh7GXsQdeAhVNb6M_0R7Q75EIyQ64EGluJxGyqYULD2vSdMyhrgSnOiY9EjpFtVxBhY0RTpyQ8bvFeNWDjjkzQuMXqPzTbu2EPF_LLn9/s320/IMG_20110716_224447.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Olivia’s homemade green-tea-honeydew-melon-mint sorbet. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And if that wasn’t enough, the next day they took me to Taste of Tremont:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Zet12tvYY_N3fbWAnqpKW0bAZwECB__dsXQhyvQ7YsGzVXTBxXp1TqDF_rdXYmxACxElvWMnRaR0cizO3QV4AxFSU1PxxYKhWcsAujTSX2dl1UfPHHEIRpAQxg7sElzDt047ZHDH3a6/s1600/IMG_20110717_154404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Zet12tvYY_N3fbWAnqpKW0bAZwECB__dsXQhyvQ7YsGzVXTBxXp1TqDF_rdXYmxACxElvWMnRaR0cizO3QV4AxFSU1PxxYKhWcsAujTSX2dl1UfPHHEIRpAQxg7sElzDt047ZHDH3a6/s320/IMG_20110717_154404.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHPAmH5eWTCO8YBJLjA37519F8eKhzNW7kjBEEI5fIqE1xyXdhfAkTw65BiifFPnbFkXnil2XrYU4oN1P5Dc9BnnXVyLDLvkjiOQYtbPY15Joriu6YiHuRtPjMtEAX03x1Y7CWGm23yBZ/s1600/tasteof+tremont.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHPAmH5eWTCO8YBJLjA37519F8eKhzNW7kjBEEI5fIqE1xyXdhfAkTw65BiifFPnbFkXnil2XrYU4oN1P5Dc9BnnXVyLDLvkjiOQYtbPY15Joriu6YiHuRtPjMtEAX03x1Y7CWGm23yBZ/s320/tasteof+tremont.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(photo credit: coolcleveland.com)</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Followed by our own taste of handmade artisanal chocolates at Lilly Tremont.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubQ53IEYnqu8mKE9T6_RnxLGPCasbTVLpC-2K5h5m7so-Ja-904zLWvBlaAS5mL-ARk7580ZIPY-7oKaIaDr2xErKcCVAyRV7zjMTnC3DLtyOOG21Dk6fTw0dvQUL_f6TnQ7ezOJxV9Bs/s1600/IMG_20110717_171031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubQ53IEYnqu8mKE9T6_RnxLGPCasbTVLpC-2K5h5m7so-Ja-904zLWvBlaAS5mL-ARk7580ZIPY-7oKaIaDr2xErKcCVAyRV7zjMTnC3DLtyOOG21Dk6fTw0dvQUL_f6TnQ7ezOJxV9Bs/s320/IMG_20110717_171031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My favorites:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*Hot Mama (the square shaped one with red and green flowers): Cayenne pepper, sichuan peppercorn honey--dark chocolate.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*After Midnight (the round one)- a hand rolled truffle with cocoa—Nongne-o-imperial stout dark chocolate.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">*L.O.O.P (oval with the white houndstooth pattern)—fresh lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, roasted hazelnuts, espresso infused salt-- milk chocolate.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(<a href="http://www.lillytremont.com/">http://www.lillytremont.com/</a>)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In 1.5 days, Peter and Olivia made sure I saw Cleveland, in all its glory.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJd6G2uHOFW3auJ9e9HIRIPjHrprNzFcywUeZHkU5jAOAk2rdUCPXGkXDgTWCPbNF6OL2DI21hwIZ6LHoftlgn93u6r15FbKYYViw9dWjZDhbVaVDrTSOLWd84AI93nmx07dhfrUTIVxtr/s1600/IMG_20110717_131416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJd6G2uHOFW3auJ9e9HIRIPjHrprNzFcywUeZHkU5jAOAk2rdUCPXGkXDgTWCPbNF6OL2DI21hwIZ6LHoftlgn93u6r15FbKYYViw9dWjZDhbVaVDrTSOLWd84AI93nmx07dhfrUTIVxtr/s320/IMG_20110717_131416.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">From abandoned warehouses: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-Uq5YGJkZCV01b90qCHjuZvHldz-MHRNPSwoX48WE_8KwvP-FBh4XuAK8pn6t779wxQ9tN9mS-Ec_8pnWyqTZINChODWNh5rHtb-C_eHGaIB9Cito8EoFyhlQ8dJe2alLotbhHme-pyy/s1600/IMG_20110717_154147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-Uq5YGJkZCV01b90qCHjuZvHldz-MHRNPSwoX48WE_8KwvP-FBh4XuAK8pn6t779wxQ9tN9mS-Ec_8pnWyqTZINChODWNh5rHtb-C_eHGaIB9Cito8EoFyhlQ8dJe2alLotbhHme-pyy/s320/IMG_20110717_154147.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">to a park with gardens sponsored by the many ethnic groups that populate Cleveland, toThe Hope Memorial Bridge, named after Bob Hope's father. It features the Guardians of Transportation.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUn5PcAziKzaxEFXeCCyuzkH4-UIu7rfuervUW1NdhMSDRV9LBnEYrDGNWzbg8R29hgT5uiGbZo-ZVG2Hx0pHb0e-3vA4bv0myMbSk5wNXHFtlkZbhvfcpFm6HS8xhHEYc3ED41c_0JV7/s1600/Carnegie+bridge+statues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUn5PcAziKzaxEFXeCCyuzkH4-UIu7rfuervUW1NdhMSDRV9LBnEYrDGNWzbg8R29hgT5uiGbZo-ZVG2Hx0pHb0e-3vA4bv0myMbSk5wNXHFtlkZbhvfcpFm6HS8xhHEYc3ED41c_0JV7/s1600/Carnegie+bridge+statues.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgclChsXfj2SyL3HIeNa7uYM5JQHSsB5tgJpSK0WE6BvXiHI94zPqvHBwI-0ijaPNX7MZDrPKZdD082KF8EXRtF9sWAztZA_Lp_-mzqBI41AQniXGgngpjQNfvA2w1FB4qP8IC798TCSP/s1600/hope+memorial+bridge2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgclChsXfj2SyL3HIeNa7uYM5JQHSsB5tgJpSK0WE6BvXiHI94zPqvHBwI-0ijaPNX7MZDrPKZdD082KF8EXRtF9sWAztZA_Lp_-mzqBI41AQniXGgngpjQNfvA2w1FB4qP8IC798TCSP/s320/hope+memorial+bridge2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(All three photos compliments of google images)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtLsEMdS9osVdnytX_B-eBF01kTnoprYkWJ9rYvYcmDvZq1f24bDIEqlh9GClpp-GsXiYtyYRojUhMQBPmDicrkcoBgVZ5voO43d6Vys2xQoAlkJyIeYJA3LoeK-Mi99PQCESc-qvITBO/s1600/hope+memorial+bridge3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtLsEMdS9osVdnytX_B-eBF01kTnoprYkWJ9rYvYcmDvZq1f24bDIEqlh9GClpp-GsXiYtyYRojUhMQBPmDicrkcoBgVZ5voO43d6Vys2xQoAlkJyIeYJA3LoeK-Mi99PQCESc-qvITBO/s320/hope+memorial+bridge3.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was disappointed to learn that laser beams do not shoot from their eyes.<br />
<br />
You have to admit, they look like a cross between: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmN9-52CQn7UVQMmiovShxRLtCk2po1jEiyksPEcAIFMWGz3-ZO0hftaCNVxedeiMDDig5VLZS1KQ58ARVd9p5wfT6UuBMB0RjvzhZnZaB4qo4-SVx3Wi9YyBP0TQWNRthwynz88f4TPP/s1600/lordoftherings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmN9-52CQn7UVQMmiovShxRLtCk2po1jEiyksPEcAIFMWGz3-ZO0hftaCNVxedeiMDDig5VLZS1KQ58ARVd9p5wfT6UuBMB0RjvzhZnZaB4qo4-SVx3Wi9YyBP0TQWNRthwynz88f4TPP/s1600/lordoftherings.jpg" /></a><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwIykCIHAUoy90Y_zaL-BKQM-oDHLH399Bu1RztCQwZCjcS8_MXToPTmfadyxqtjGfeHPKlgJwmruGJyrsyNYYEwq8Q-By1VhsleNcJtwNzhAPilcfOSwefE2nUkXkM4PONc7734FRkcu/s1600/neverending+story.jpg" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<--It is Cleave-land.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Lord of the Rings and Neverending Story. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Awesome fact about Cleveland: The Cuyahoga County's Cigarette tax has generated millions of dollars to support the arts, including 40 annual independent artist fellowships, each $20,000. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This tax does not apply to candy cigarettes. Disgusting habit.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Peter and I both picked it up in Omaha from a friend at the Great Plains Theater Conference earlier this summer—where we initially met. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7s86gG38QfqfXsOr8zZeXVBy1c-YGeQEPEqRqCWNRuAfSt2mDbSJ-kuTASPDBbeQBtTXc1sKjpXD1oG2QJ1grXfiSGPhBVzL5E6KnjMGc8p5grvUldN1wV2wnTbn-e_9qorJ2yHSlDYnM/s1600/IMG_20110717_130438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7s86gG38QfqfXsOr8zZeXVBy1c-YGeQEPEqRqCWNRuAfSt2mDbSJ-kuTASPDBbeQBtTXc1sKjpXD1oG2QJ1grXfiSGPhBVzL5E6KnjMGc8p5grvUldN1wV2wnTbn-e_9qorJ2yHSlDYnM/s320/IMG_20110717_130438.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> Caught ashing my candy cigarette during a drive through Cleveland. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We skipped the Rock & Roll hall of fame for the Cleveland Museum of Art, which was:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ULrLkogwsbtxjIAD1wL-kr4ihPu4cJ-in5kRPAE2hDohyphenhyphenecSqolO3ghFcqcgm4z0JcEYSOWK45aP2JR_DJbR5vErI1ykyed9JXSVhSucLte1RQTsFiwy8IxKBXgmVogHKfoTuOoTid8T/s1600/IMG_20110718_083637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ULrLkogwsbtxjIAD1wL-kr4ihPu4cJ-in5kRPAE2hDohyphenhyphenecSqolO3ghFcqcgm4z0JcEYSOWK45aP2JR_DJbR5vErI1ykyed9JXSVhSucLte1RQTsFiwy8IxKBXgmVogHKfoTuOoTid8T/s320/IMG_20110718_083637.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">FREE. Oh, Cleveland-- how do you know me so well?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(The provenance of the Free Stamp downtown is too complicated to post. It involves BP.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Cleveland Art Museum is top notch, featuring the best of each art movement:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They even have the only original work by Praxiteles (a much-written-about ancient Greek sculptor) ever found. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Apollo Sauroktonos (Apollo the Lizard Slayer):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkeJpbFzlbMnWhDUMU2pv2l_bIfSM2FWiZYAv8qsgxQALSIlF69So3GbGCvbpz4Y4gs8r5Vp0rvW9AV6dsM1yGIyM3nI9SiRZ-uFCPpumUrwpPeqfUxGArMbXTQysMDnvO9TGodD33t7d/s1600/IMG_20110717_133518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkeJpbFzlbMnWhDUMU2pv2l_bIfSM2FWiZYAv8qsgxQALSIlF69So3GbGCvbpz4Y4gs8r5Vp0rvW9AV6dsM1yGIyM3nI9SiRZ-uFCPpumUrwpPeqfUxGArMbXTQysMDnvO9TGodD33t7d/s320/IMG_20110717_133518.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Peter's favorite exhibit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNaIudgT31fjuduzngoac9Ccg32WgOEHaB0hdXMLVVd2_kWrsR-Fj_YWk7RONGv70Xrj-9MPktYwDW8hYkD9CC5boGegD9CRehzGcQbOhcZBbQlUTaJoIy6gwhqRZZoqhsxOUaegtItUv/s1600/IMG_20110717_134430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNaIudgT31fjuduzngoac9Ccg32WgOEHaB0hdXMLVVd2_kWrsR-Fj_YWk7RONGv70Xrj-9MPktYwDW8hYkD9CC5boGegD9CRehzGcQbOhcZBbQlUTaJoIy6gwhqRZZoqhsxOUaegtItUv/s320/IMG_20110717_134430.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Mine too.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
They have one of the original casts of Rodin’s “The Thinker.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLV9u6k0OH76iX3B6kkaU5nQFBgmfusSDLpEFM8ncSx9pA3FXhZwEOz0BmnMlnBB8jAaJAkovxkTUC7IHqisAMlJ3KuafKvl1a0H4EpQM5JPW3WWXzGfFMLGh5ky9krOc_PPpKW1iYhNz0/s1600/IMG_20110717_135033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLV9u6k0OH76iX3B6kkaU5nQFBgmfusSDLpEFM8ncSx9pA3FXhZwEOz0BmnMlnBB8jAaJAkovxkTUC7IHqisAMlJ3KuafKvl1a0H4EpQM5JPW3WWXzGfFMLGh5ky9krOc_PPpKW1iYhNz0/s320/IMG_20110717_135033.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">He probably spends most of his time wondering—“Where did my feet go?” It was devastated by a pipe bomb tossed in 1970 by radical anti-war protestors. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Did you know that artists from Cleveland were original pioneers in the Op-Art movement? They have an entire disorienting room in their modern art wing dedicated to their work. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfx2hR4tSoTpVR27fT2mmRubJ_vP7kjqsBvEQ28kQ0JgFVxMi_sPAZeGJNnfkCtHLseP2XYdEoZltyHo-lN8lKxrfTqZ8E1ctzz20eqfJQXvY9J5Ujd6jmFzSUJ-xv_kkVEL3gFQ2-Novp/s1600/IMG_20110717_142254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfx2hR4tSoTpVR27fT2mmRubJ_vP7kjqsBvEQ28kQ0JgFVxMi_sPAZeGJNnfkCtHLseP2XYdEoZltyHo-lN8lKxrfTqZ8E1ctzz20eqfJQXvY9J5Ujd6jmFzSUJ-xv_kkVEL3gFQ2-Novp/s320/IMG_20110717_142254.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
Also, in honor of Cleveland's early steel industry...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphend0bImIVqmRtGTPDalL56tlRZ0Bjt2E3RAFSjTN2C8o0Y5AcjJKhOk_jb_WZGx5RUVSGtU_YnfThGI7Cx7Upzna8kdqLBa9C8MbiZ1J9D44HAzke6UXZNA7GYsyAAvmAbwygsE3TNV0B/s1600/IMG_20110717_142707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphend0bImIVqmRtGTPDalL56tlRZ0Bjt2E3RAFSjTN2C8o0Y5AcjJKhOk_jb_WZGx5RUVSGtU_YnfThGI7Cx7Upzna8kdqLBa9C8MbiZ1J9D44HAzke6UXZNA7GYsyAAvmAbwygsE3TNV0B/s320/IMG_20110717_142707.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They have an entire room dedicated to armor.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We took advantage of the gorgeous weather by taking a quick jaunt around the Art Museum’s exterior</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Where I captured:.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2xc9Hc_hkU4q2kZ-E4fSWA54XORUT1ZX_TrHtGrRPH87TFemVLwLIpBEeDZZEnBGZnpxgz63Rtyms6SImCG1fFQ0AXeX6RPMT4rUzuIcxBwILfAN0MpXD6s3wdmLXopHtdAr9FnxSo_t/s1600/IMG_20110717_143437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2xc9Hc_hkU4q2kZ-E4fSWA54XORUT1ZX_TrHtGrRPH87TFemVLwLIpBEeDZZEnBGZnpxgz63Rtyms6SImCG1fFQ0AXeX6RPMT4rUzuIcxBwILfAN0MpXD6s3wdmLXopHtdAr9FnxSo_t/s400/IMG_20110717_143437.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">The monster koi of Wade Lagoon. (Artful shot from my phone. <br />
Not photoshopped.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFg5VFuupxZQGP_cfAe8x-TOl6ePMWnOqrTL2ZpSP4MRQFvKBB7bmbDaQSa6AtEpfpAJzHf_pGrRz5iJqPR6_9FctXkIaN4JiHbYO-oHfp1MuYNi6H2g7QTar6nx5H0f2nYVweF-3H8kr/s1600/IMG_20110717_143445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFg5VFuupxZQGP_cfAe8x-TOl6ePMWnOqrTL2ZpSP4MRQFvKBB7bmbDaQSa6AtEpfpAJzHf_pGrRz5iJqPR6_9FctXkIaN4JiHbYO-oHfp1MuYNi6H2g7QTar6nx5H0f2nYVweF-3H8kr/s400/IMG_20110717_143445.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> The foliage at the bottom is a reflection. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It’s a Cleveland tradition to take a picture with Wade Lagoon’s amorous mermaids. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGOyryZkVhC_iTpCCbpP2AhaYvxlWEFPIU_i481zetz7wa50ZNQng7TNieF_JRgk0UPzDJkpt8SVOIwST1OY2pt-jyCEfxRZob-Uuj5BQ_TZfJOiTv-49BBkBhYqLDdofsRwPnV01yVhW/s1600/IMG_20110717_144311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGOyryZkVhC_iTpCCbpP2AhaYvxlWEFPIU_i481zetz7wa50ZNQng7TNieF_JRgk0UPzDJkpt8SVOIwST1OY2pt-jyCEfxRZob-Uuj5BQ_TZfJOiTv-49BBkBhYqLDdofsRwPnV01yVhW/s320/IMG_20110717_144311.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> (I might have made that up to justify posting this image). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">Can you sense my urge for magic?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In the evening, I finally caught a late night showing of...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTopBZPoR0OiJL8xMC1pv31TPyksjltHFZ82K_pyEzvJjlXC7r17EySk34pMQ6D3bksbtBdmfnGJ4WMuGGpbxsqR3Al7y-2mnvjgjxxdnkiVo7UJ8ebQw9pqtMEzBSQwaTVMELX9r3eJG9/s1600/HPott1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTopBZPoR0OiJL8xMC1pv31TPyksjltHFZ82K_pyEzvJjlXC7r17EySk34pMQ6D3bksbtBdmfnGJ4WMuGGpbxsqR3Al7y-2mnvjgjxxdnkiVo7UJ8ebQw9pqtMEzBSQwaTVMELX9r3eJG9/s1600/HPott1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyle1CyEozdJ8b-xcMC_enPz20Gf1Mo8It7Ezd9lPe-niaX2eXmqPAsfJrDgARr913zQZNBMLGkps7apOm8ul_l-A22zBMVvBg2M2Y89Gkcvkqw4X9-P9u5lTWOFY4xlLI3Gcy65vCvEY/s1600/Harrpy+Potter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyle1CyEozdJ8b-xcMC_enPz20Gf1Mo8It7Ezd9lPe-niaX2eXmqPAsfJrDgARr913zQZNBMLGkps7apOm8ul_l-A22zBMVvBg2M2Y89Gkcvkqw4X9-P9u5lTWOFY4xlLI3Gcy65vCvEY/s320/Harrpy+Potter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This was followed by a midnight ride through the Rocky River Reservation and a full blown case of Harry Potter syndrome. As Peter drove us through the thick of the woods, I half-expected the car to swerve as we narrowly miss a stag patronus.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My only mistake was booking only 1.5 days. But to be fair, at the time I organized my megabus adventure, I had no idea I'd be staying with two Cleveland enthusiasts, who according to my next host Murphi, Peter's classmate in Pittbsurgh, love Cleveland more than anybody she's ever met.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">On to Pittsburgh!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-20332984825077999022011-07-17T23:07:00.000-07:002011-07-18T17:31:23.068-07:00Windy City Whirlwind Part II<span style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(Wednesday, July 13<sup>th</sup>- Friday, July 15<sup>th</sup>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The next three days of my Chicago romp, I made many discoveries.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The biggest:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can’t go more than a block without running into an exhibit or live performance. From Michael Dinge’s scrimshaw engraved laptops on display at the Chicago Visitor Information Center,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></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/AVvXsEgY0XAEKZu9a5FRnlSegca50EDcYHQdDnvrKVJKI0awipn-9Z9qfRaqyhqj9qtBzg7BpPQFlha92WZkS7bEevMRfvtayOOjmTVPbzc0a8UIMB41Bjxh29-vXWD0UnM7bUsuRoENhf8fwU7i/s1600/scrimshaw+laptop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0XAEKZu9a5FRnlSegca50EDcYHQdDnvrKVJKI0awipn-9Z9qfRaqyhqj9qtBzg7BpPQFlha92WZkS7bEevMRfvtayOOjmTVPbzc0a8UIMB41Bjxh29-vXWD0UnM7bUsuRoENhf8fwU7i/s1600/scrimshaw+laptop.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(compliments of google images)</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">to the chorus filling Millenium park with Defying Gravity from Wicked, and tunes from Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera and Rent during my insta-greeter tour—it’s EVERYWHERE. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdH73taDLCA_Hh-LGkFSQqkxeIrSs7bZC_agE-C68UzFYCpQSxjwtkHe-FnPnVFdINgUJI18TXL9g_O7H0uYSgEKCvafHpaqyfS6hDd3T6IeUiV3ji7OpgT5k7fdoLBla-iBaqHaCcnwsx/s1600/IMG_20110713_121458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdH73taDLCA_Hh-LGkFSQqkxeIrSs7bZC_agE-C68UzFYCpQSxjwtkHe-FnPnVFdINgUJI18TXL9g_O7H0uYSgEKCvafHpaqyfS6hDd3T6IeUiV3ji7OpgT5k7fdoLBla-iBaqHaCcnwsx/s320/IMG_20110713_121458.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Creepy fountain with face projections that smile and then spit water at you. Chicago definitely has a sense of humor.</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I caught the image posted above on Wednesday afternoon during a one hour tour of Millenium Park through Chicago Greeter, a program that offers free guided tours of Chicago. </span><a href="http://chicagogreeter.com/"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">http://chicagogreeter.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzsW358d-iIyuGSCsnrtQygpy0uNLI1xZUjWEjL-y5E8YvglcyguCM1vd_qF03dYfOe5k32sKhK_9Nt43JM2v09wjuczmQOHM4YhdFEN1JN62lC1TGXbolFZC_-tz7nmMFF2HW0Exy4kK/s1600/IMG_20110713_122405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzsW358d-iIyuGSCsnrtQygpy0uNLI1xZUjWEjL-y5E8YvglcyguCM1vd_qF03dYfOe5k32sKhK_9Nt43JM2v09wjuczmQOHM4YhdFEN1JN62lC1TGXbolFZC_-tz7nmMFF2HW0Exy4kK/s320/IMG_20110713_122405.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate (aka: The Bean). Back of Bean. At the corner of the park.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rcsyGqmv9ohH7gOYkyPuLXsrmkJdbVVQ8ycuJtzT3FjHJHNtZJo4Flg2k2IqCBY9ASs1B-Rs_kL82WZOnd9n2gBZvqwzNN9XRJPS1B7ZsmU6WJYgTQgJPM221Z7S5hdR9pB93YD3TKt8/s1600/IMG_20110713_122543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rcsyGqmv9ohH7gOYkyPuLXsrmkJdbVVQ8ycuJtzT3FjHJHNtZJo4Flg2k2IqCBY9ASs1B-Rs_kL82WZOnd9n2gBZvqwzNN9XRJPS1B7ZsmU6WJYgTQgJPM221Z7S5hdR9pB93YD3TKt8/s320/IMG_20110713_122543.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Front of the Bean.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTUuXB5hb6jROD6YNZDIe3c_-cD83e8wx7dLQNB8UB9GmssXWJZOm2pJiQB8WP3v2CTGa26E96dP6InnUIyO2JWRokDO5HJ836FiAm_JPhffn-cJiGxTJz6FuqI7CZ8TuHqqESDjh2ary/s1600/IMG_20110713_122505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTUuXB5hb6jROD6YNZDIe3c_-cD83e8wx7dLQNB8UB9GmssXWJZOm2pJiQB8WP3v2CTGa26E96dP6InnUIyO2JWRokDO5HJ836FiAm_JPhffn-cJiGxTJz6FuqI7CZ8TuHqqESDjh2ary/s320/IMG_20110713_122505.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Mid-Bean. What do you mean this isn't an original camera angle? </span></td></tr>
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<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></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/AVvXsEjq4Ayo_bn6FNzX3YMel9Ou6rO69HRyV17qhslO-V5wx6OVOK9xo0mpJYtZC6leBLFbfrhotpMINFORbNEp8XAvWMR42ndLVdZyxIX1g_ldtnzI3Ah8Fi80FTqi3_PNrC8qlJpNZ5SKx8Sz/s1600/IMG_20110713_115541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4Ayo_bn6FNzX3YMel9Ou6rO69HRyV17qhslO-V5wx6OVOK9xo0mpJYtZC6leBLFbfrhotpMINFORbNEp8XAvWMR42ndLVdZyxIX1g_ldtnzI3Ah8Fi80FTqi3_PNrC8qlJpNZ5SKx8Sz/s320/IMG_20110713_115541.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Millenium Park.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I discovered:</span><br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Chicago is a city that doesn’t shy from letting you in on <u>the loop</u>. Info is everywhere. </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiog2EnUML6cPYY_BPwEoWKoll8smBb8wB8Bxuh6Im8twrNPH3WasT7JFDbtpuHZZvq126DFbCSK-6F2GsMt8c6md0Nq_YPd16a524nb3MtFXJKhfO-uG7Mxwn3zM77lkjeYD5t2XAzHOhI/s1600/IMG_20110713_140405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiog2EnUML6cPYY_BPwEoWKoll8smBb8wB8Bxuh6Im8twrNPH3WasT7JFDbtpuHZZvq126DFbCSK-6F2GsMt8c6md0Nq_YPd16a524nb3MtFXJKhfO-uG7Mxwn3zM77lkjeYD5t2XAzHOhI/s320/IMG_20110713_140405.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I stumbled into this model on the way to the restroom following a lunch date with a friend I hadn’t seen in five years. Apparently the Chicago Architecture Foundation is right next to the Corner Bakery that's across from Millenium Park.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">By the way, “The Loop,” is actually a district in Chicago around where the subway lines run parallel.</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB54J4yhS4WikZpyNNFyeN0-kuIElJGy5mNW7FZiE1QolzBsM2MEooiE9WrVE9wxqxhOa8Pfp-mkx1ad1fsENFKVG4p3UfXDtRSzYslnPCUZ_x22QuBOW4HvdWp0ZWTNmoyHZWI0Miktr/s1600/the+loop.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB54J4yhS4WikZpyNNFyeN0-kuIElJGy5mNW7FZiE1QolzBsM2MEooiE9WrVE9wxqxhOa8Pfp-mkx1ad1fsENFKVG4p3UfXDtRSzYslnPCUZ_x22QuBOW4HvdWp0ZWTNmoyHZWI0Miktr/s320/the+loop.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also discovered that </span><span style="font-size: small;">the first and second Wednesday of each month is free day at the Art Institute Museum (the really famous one featured on Ferris Bueller’s day off).</span></span><br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Some of my favorite exhibits at the museum:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqohhDUK7TVYRC3XqADOrnEZRWMkpF6p2RNpz5cVGTJjSW88oXqBmi3K37XTic-zOp6ekIHDOoxyyBTl10bnujOfIiDUEw_JcSGZ1KqWZPtL-pP6ZWjjPb5bUQAszXt4R9dezz1nEV1D3/s1600/IMG_20110713_161000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqohhDUK7TVYRC3XqADOrnEZRWMkpF6p2RNpz5cVGTJjSW88oXqBmi3K37XTic-zOp6ekIHDOoxyyBTl10bnujOfIiDUEw_JcSGZ1KqWZPtL-pP6ZWjjPb5bUQAszXt4R9dezz1nEV1D3/s320/IMG_20110713_161000.jpg" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">American Mugshot. </span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not my most attractive picture, but probably wasn’t theirs’ either.</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(please please please don’t let this go to google images)</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4ZZVPZufQs6x8mY1S4gpYdpHLYXUoV61Za58C2PL6kbKvouy4Yc6HENUq-vrtRhnH0Id0WK1nqWkH1oD3hTrPlwAC-AS6QD5_WvXnq0mkakBELWN_7qxsycMf9CfCQRQA6Md_Hw1W-yT/s1600/IMG_20110713_151403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4ZZVPZufQs6x8mY1S4gpYdpHLYXUoV61Za58C2PL6kbKvouy4Yc6HENUq-vrtRhnH0Id0WK1nqWkH1oD3hTrPlwAC-AS6QD5_WvXnq0mkakBELWN_7qxsycMf9CfCQRQA6Md_Hw1W-yT/s320/IMG_20110713_151403.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Chagall!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3jZJ4lZJeq9TqDjU704Jqn6jTSZq0Nb8nXUMmXXi0riGbyUb7_9k2QOqkVn0CwmMlFfUfW-jAu_j-_PHHldbfbiyuQIP6kFUbpI_w1IAzzK1D-2hVW7TTan6aNzev511baKJpE8inj6u/s1600/IMG_20110713_151526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3jZJ4lZJeq9TqDjU704Jqn6jTSZq0Nb8nXUMmXXi0riGbyUb7_9k2QOqkVn0CwmMlFfUfW-jAu_j-_PHHldbfbiyuQIP6kFUbpI_w1IAzzK1D-2hVW7TTan6aNzev511baKJpE8inj6u/s320/IMG_20110713_151526.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Charles, my new megabus friend, in a recreated version of the original Chicago Stock Exchange. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_GAN9YGhpYXBB4atw-HAlKS1TsuzrpKKPas8XwZTIAht03YV4XM2SfxHckL0hhAoVMwKiroxybKaplvkQmsW8zZCw6ZbBt88e4AMqxorPUX1VjK_m90i4klKIaCIv45j3583cK2okdBp/s1600/IMG_20110713_150306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_GAN9YGhpYXBB4atw-HAlKS1TsuzrpKKPas8XwZTIAht03YV4XM2SfxHckL0hhAoVMwKiroxybKaplvkQmsW8zZCw6ZbBt88e4AMqxorPUX1VjK_m90i4klKIaCIv45j3583cK2okdBp/s320/IMG_20110713_150306.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Hyper-link exhibit (my dream home)</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2K7_4IR7bGqU1pIuXH1obbN_LNOqPLKep77wJxHH5paBZJM2KV8foOMQX-CWNn61uzqlcbu1TRZY93O5ZmmrZGCw07h0JpKgNssBaDROu_nYJUbO6luQL_t_-jb2M5CKQPvNj3dn7oR5/s1600/IMG_20110713_163654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2K7_4IR7bGqU1pIuXH1obbN_LNOqPLKep77wJxHH5paBZJM2KV8foOMQX-CWNn61uzqlcbu1TRZY93O5ZmmrZGCw07h0JpKgNssBaDROu_nYJUbO6luQL_t_-jb2M5CKQPvNj3dn7oR5/s320/IMG_20110713_163654.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Their paperweight wing. (<--It actually exists.)</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you’re visiting Chicago on a budget and want to be crafty about it, </span><a href="http://explorechicago.org/city/en/supporting_narrative/events___special_events/special_events/tourism/Museum_Free_Days.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">this site</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> has all the free museum dates. </span></span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">On Thursday, I discovered even more about Chicago via speed-boat through the Seadog’s 75 minute architecture tour of the city guided by Jake (Phil’s roommate who was able to get us comp tickets). </span><br />
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<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/AVvXsEihkzYz1xlRq8vg6L8phHRVjXOSGfcNOP3KEouj1ML3gGWKLN7-NdvGF1kepUPAcL99TcukoJ1uqYWK_xxPUKISVqlThFP_eT_aA2DimJDNznlEesZ1bZx0N4iGyXCZF9P6ZaZpRos25hdT/s1600/seadog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkzYz1xlRq8vg6L8phHRVjXOSGfcNOP3KEouj1ML3gGWKLN7-NdvGF1kepUPAcL99TcukoJ1uqYWK_xxPUKISVqlThFP_eT_aA2DimJDNznlEesZ1bZx0N4iGyXCZF9P6ZaZpRos25hdT/s1600/seadog.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(compliments of google images)</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstC0orba7OQqcujGmiu9jR5_AXR5mLInF6pB_l5p47LSxdcsmflwXEmXLfpaq4h-iPoeGb-_liGqeimib4PTa3idKLiXwcz2KIOim9qt9x4u709Z7sE_OyY_KZjMkOw-r3lff3vVocPZv/s1600/IMG_20110714_114512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstC0orba7OQqcujGmiu9jR5_AXR5mLInF6pB_l5p47LSxdcsmflwXEmXLfpaq4h-iPoeGb-_liGqeimib4PTa3idKLiXwcz2KIOim9qt9x4u709Z7sE_OyY_KZjMkOw-r3lff3vVocPZv/s320/IMG_20110714_114512.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17KzaLyI9ABsMaPpE7UesykIcuRtD_79bfdpEogtF2uq6q_fS0E5e9ohmvteggZSjsqwQw2aTE2zhBTM3mRa7CPmJQFDBWincPwjpmTWqg97UoQV74p6PuJH82TRH18XeZHmTtIEfGucp/s1600/IMG_20110714_114540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17KzaLyI9ABsMaPpE7UesykIcuRtD_79bfdpEogtF2uq6q_fS0E5e9ohmvteggZSjsqwQw2aTE2zhBTM3mRa7CPmJQFDBWincPwjpmTWqg97UoQV74p6PuJH82TRH18XeZHmTtIEfGucp/s320/IMG_20110714_114540.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The architect probably didn't intend for this building to look like corn cobs when he designed it..</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgXDI0oDHzLdmwyEAA0fp-vKDq5VFqaXx4Hy2QLpu-JqzMPtBZ9QV1ubux8_1eNR7ZgHqH6sMJT7JgLopk2innV4TA2mP27j2VHKPJBHAOrwNC7-8b9WwrOoJpPVlof9-js_6OFyRNdrl/s1600/IMG_20110714_111640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgXDI0oDHzLdmwyEAA0fp-vKDq5VFqaXx4Hy2QLpu-JqzMPtBZ9QV1ubux8_1eNR7ZgHqH6sMJT7JgLopk2innV4TA2mP27j2VHKPJBHAOrwNC7-8b9WwrOoJpPVlof9-js_6OFyRNdrl/s320/IMG_20110714_111640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Phil and Meg on our action packed tour. Two comedians with brilliant rapport. Hanging out with them is like an ongoing live sketch comedy act. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">After our speed-boat tour, Phil and Meg made sure I saw an entirely different side of the city. They took me to the Billy Goat Tavern.</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrjBCIoppjZiefZCchdwU5coTwnf5yj9prijSwWKjojEPhfc7A5AXcrneVZ9Kxo_nOn2mH-rqhs3IPsqei4L1UcLg3OVAhFIb5vnUyId9vjyLjgeotqahrj_ByPE-0wCbAAupj07hGt8P/s1600/IMG_20110714_133420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrjBCIoppjZiefZCchdwU5coTwnf5yj9prijSwWKjojEPhfc7A5AXcrneVZ9Kxo_nOn2mH-rqhs3IPsqei4L1UcLg3OVAhFIb5vnUyId9vjyLjgeotqahrj_ByPE-0wCbAAupj07hGt8P/s320/IMG_20110714_133420.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Made famous by SNL:</span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri_pApN_b6fgJmjz1kzd_5hCPT_6fMx-xgIJiKSgHBovo_rqB4W8yIdiP7XljuGxPlt7EPlC9eRFpwO4_FrDxvSuSMcfq3K7AJhZ1mVA3AHEsesgHc524uV8E5ni4zQyaSA747yvKlGc5/s1600/IMG_20110714_133442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri_pApN_b6fgJmjz1kzd_5hCPT_6fMx-xgIJiKSgHBovo_rqB4W8yIdiP7XljuGxPlt7EPlC9eRFpwO4_FrDxvSuSMcfq3K7AJhZ1mVA3AHEsesgHc524uV8E5ni4zQyaSA747yvKlGc5/s320/IMG_20110714_133442.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div align="left"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Before I even glanced at the menu, the guy behind the counter insisted, “Double-cheeseburger! I order you a double-cheeseburger.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me: “Wait, but--” “It’s okay. Double-cheeseburger!”</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Fortunately, I was hungry.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Other discoveries:</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">*Chicago is the site of the world’s first ferris wheel:</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD78Pi-ZM2_9lNlqlhwDQASKJE42d6Fx5x0yuozzS2JYU6jhws55tVVZYj0yrhOcDiKx6rLzVEvmR-lfUbXoknzhEixFDAEwWZxvlUCHjgemwcw5kcPe_jH9P5sngd58PG9pJJA49YXYX3/s1600/IMG_20110714_125510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD78Pi-ZM2_9lNlqlhwDQASKJE42d6Fx5x0yuozzS2JYU6jhws55tVVZYj0yrhOcDiKx6rLzVEvmR-lfUbXoknzhEixFDAEwWZxvlUCHjgemwcw5kcPe_jH9P5sngd58PG9pJJA49YXYX3/s320/IMG_20110714_125510.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">This is not the original designed by George Washington Ferris that debuted at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. The one at Navy Pier, stands in its honor. The original was melted down into a bridge that now sits in Pittsburgh. Maybe I’ll get to walk over it on Monday.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmtK8AB2pT-pJOHybGYdqPtKYe-RAvUcD-PhlfmQnkwdde_1AEf3nttO8__BGW5-MX4OMBMtv6WNORJE0SobAhYcr2y6Yj0S2f-UTuWpBYWORWciUlkUr9qvh6xjjKWOpB8d5TVLPZl4R/s1600/hancock+center.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(compliments of google images)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">*The Hancock Center (6<sup>th</sup> tallest building in America). The X-bracing on its exterior is actually an essential part of its support structure. The entire building is known to sway up to an entire foot in the wind. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></div><div align="left"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">*Chicago is a city filled with clever bookstores:</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14wQ62hLy0Y9cY47FZQUflU09-jvPxD6h5_x8Gvs6CLaKfMiQm6LJXD5i4DjCcIG2S1I5AGsAvOItI5nt-tUCVbbzXr-pKA8Fb1ljR427Fdl2WgvD50S0ds5sqeEY1vV-qcmlUfgO05Ha/s1600/IMG_20110715_151054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14wQ62hLy0Y9cY47FZQUflU09-jvPxD6h5_x8Gvs6CLaKfMiQm6LJXD5i4DjCcIG2S1I5AGsAvOItI5nt-tUCVbbzXr-pKA8Fb1ljR427Fdl2WgvD50S0ds5sqeEY1vV-qcmlUfgO05Ha/s320/IMG_20110715_151054.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">*And the Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago's free zoo) is, bizarrely, guarded by playwrights:</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeusNN7SgCZ0sV0HWOjca58OJdL0Rws_nKKnS_-Fvme_MbYiYrjG_0zdZeP263ZnWVQuadSs6WetADg3dlRrModDOWAd_kxGhEphqIvntofP438Wx61EyRN1OorCQ8V5RiTz35ftVFK7U/s1600/IMG_20110715_155519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeusNN7SgCZ0sV0HWOjca58OJdL0Rws_nKKnS_-Fvme_MbYiYrjG_0zdZeP263ZnWVQuadSs6WetADg3dlRrModDOWAd_kxGhEphqIvntofP438Wx61EyRN1OorCQ8V5RiTz35ftVFK7U/s320/IMG_20110715_155519.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Schiller</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTF0y9srF9ZxGlSeHfw5K2k__OM9AkepQ8l-q84pUE82K5klvuoZ1RXWaEdB90Z5VhdcgydbavELyOrJFZ3LiJjlNU33ENqdHsi-kZXw6ugBu6a9ItxdDZFvhiszHTbGeSHdRbYD8dsQUw/s1600/IMG_20110715_170102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTF0y9srF9ZxGlSeHfw5K2k__OM9AkepQ8l-q84pUE82K5klvuoZ1RXWaEdB90Z5VhdcgydbavELyOrJFZ3LiJjlNU33ENqdHsi-kZXw6ugBu6a9ItxdDZFvhiszHTbGeSHdRbYD8dsQUw/s320/IMG_20110715_170102.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Shakespeare</span></div><div align="left"><br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Why is the Chicago zoo guarded by dramatists? And where’s Albee?</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">That’s me with Dusty Wilson (founder of Official Playwrights of Facebook) in the pic above. We’ve both been admins of the group since 2005. Best way to meet somebody in person for the first time: watching monkeys scratch their butts at the zoo.</span></div></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUNiLJmYSnWWZD1WPgfra3dqPVY4gq-e676IMEz31BEKWwBARD1WoJWxqlyi0aLuHFirc3ih3tksaMujptnUerK8z9yXEUTDNA2qQi9R0HyylHsFN-tVlokDDnj2kHi-pUUl1l__lhFnd/s1600/IMG_20110715_161919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUNiLJmYSnWWZD1WPgfra3dqPVY4gq-e676IMEz31BEKWwBARD1WoJWxqlyi0aLuHFirc3ih3tksaMujptnUerK8z9yXEUTDNA2qQi9R0HyylHsFN-tVlokDDnj2kHi-pUUl1l__lhFnd/s320/IMG_20110715_161919.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">These guys have the right idea.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmkJWDrezMwS0Conc-MyOWiQk4he9OSjKOOkjoxrM9l-cF-ikpyeYBnIXZi77KoRa-wFCFSs0fplXbI7TrM00ccXyb2EtQXyoM42Jah9grlX_LKdG5daXURt-QJvEf6maYvhMPn2m0QMj/s1600/special+exhibit-+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmkJWDrezMwS0Conc-MyOWiQk4he9OSjKOOkjoxrM9l-cF-ikpyeYBnIXZi77KoRa-wFCFSs0fplXbI7TrM00ccXyb2EtQXyoM42Jah9grlX_LKdG5daXURt-QJvEf6maYvhMPn2m0QMj/s320/special+exhibit-+edited.jpg" width="264" /></span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Special exhibit in the monkey house: homosapien</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">While in Chicago, I also got my theater fill:</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">In addition to the devised piece I caught at Lookinglass on Tuesday, I saw:</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Wednesday night:</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Jesus Camp the Musical at a storefront theater. </span><br />
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</div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Thursday night:</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Middletown by Will Eno at Steppenwolf, which I had the good fortune of ushering for Thursday evening.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQdcob3GjCR7Gk5-RIcL_u5K8eR20T6TuvfkhYrfx9nabLYfAfgqAbiDTWOvqxgn4lQZdWgugYMOrCJwU6bnkwl67wHqlJjssnnREcIMbX04eiCv9JxnKVylNdZKrLIpcC3Z5hDl720C4/s1600/steppenwolf.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(compliments of google images)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Friday night: </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">David Henry Hwang’s play Chinglish at the Goodman (also through ushering). Chinglish is set to open on Broadway after it closes in Chicago on July 24th. </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJXmNpew8Ao1KjuS9gyzCKjMW6e3KbJxzB44QByiwuZyfM4nDpT6yJxE7X8MUuw35uJCBbg-0SXj1H9XwuXQ5Yff9R0Mo6q2mbvOMXdfltxE7v3ox1e2x0hYjbQYC1CpAKUZdCWyPF5sA/s1600/chinglish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="111" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJXmNpew8Ao1KjuS9gyzCKjMW6e3KbJxzB44QByiwuZyfM4nDpT6yJxE7X8MUuw35uJCBbg-0SXj1H9XwuXQ5Yff9R0Mo6q2mbvOMXdfltxE7v3ox1e2x0hYjbQYC1CpAKUZdCWyPF5sA/s320/chinglish.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">NYC has always been a top contender for where I’ll end up in 2013, but with the hundreds of theaters, the sense of artist camaraderie and the affordable rent, Chicago seems more and more alluring. This was certainly a motivating factor in me booking four full days. </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Next stop: </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAU4_xFsbdO1bCwKlZbPpVwNydlVeCqOhxlpgTfJeh7owMmvds1n0DJb-l7pLYgOXsQMm4eGhrB0A_SuWINPrF92IcPaz6zoOvY7RF8tQt80Os7Krdt3N3NNLeWKw_fdifieLepAZW1kO/s1600/IMG_20110716_081003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAU4_xFsbdO1bCwKlZbPpVwNydlVeCqOhxlpgTfJeh7owMmvds1n0DJb-l7pLYgOXsQMm4eGhrB0A_SuWINPrF92IcPaz6zoOvY7RF8tQt80Os7Krdt3N3NNLeWKw_fdifieLepAZW1kO/s320/IMG_20110716_081003.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-86229959201134606982011-07-17T22:33:00.000-07:002011-09-02T22:28:06.145-07:00Windy City whirlwind: Chicago!Day 1<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On Tuesday, July 12<sup>th</sup> at 10:10 am-- the Great Megabus Adventure officially began.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We pulled away from Iowa City and into--</div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdnjrNbj39qTPxYPjokbYUf5hBR18BVwZ1zjGaBApu_VLimp1g6ZyQHf-1gwJIbUJClbYr5jgtxCqqCYjTEAhUNgU-ezCC6HDSS_c0o9NffFUr7LadxspRQ3d6L2fTeQlgWC7pJrCr6bk/s1600/IMG_20110712_124949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdnjrNbj39qTPxYPjokbYUf5hBR18BVwZ1zjGaBApu_VLimp1g6ZyQHf-1gwJIbUJClbYr5jgtxCqqCYjTEAhUNgU-ezCC6HDSS_c0o9NffFUr7LadxspRQ3d6L2fTeQlgWC7pJrCr6bk/s1600/IMG_20110712_124949.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">an endless expanse of flat land and uninterrupted sky.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The “midwest dome,” according to Charles, the young writer from Ames, Iowa who ended up sitting across from me.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It’s true. Riding through the midwest, you get the sense that if you wandered maybe 500 miles through the corn in any direction, you’d eventually be able to touch a wall of sky. Maybe that’s a special kind of delirium that comes with 4-7 hours on the road.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">By 3:30 pm, I was greeted by:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">CHICAGO</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnIalXt1VQTrZEmSvAzL41n60ZniFZoyaPK0mQQlj2CR9BmUTkP0YBTtLXpTx7h8sW8g92OVdPSnjcMvqgl5bVtQaqWlgQBqho-GPe1nx8uqmWEQ1n9CGu87qxLXTufc71Ix4T4rkNvrI/s1600/ChicagoSkyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnIalXt1VQTrZEmSvAzL41n60ZniFZoyaPK0mQQlj2CR9BmUTkP0YBTtLXpTx7h8sW8g92OVdPSnjcMvqgl5bVtQaqWlgQBqho-GPe1nx8uqmWEQ1n9CGu87qxLXTufc71Ix4T4rkNvrI/s400/ChicagoSkyline.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Compliments of Google images)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My first impression: it’s like NYC and Philly moved to the Midwest and had a love-child. A really really really big love-child. And one I might just get along with. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I took my first steps in Chicago, I expected to be hit with instant trip jitters. I wasn’t. Only the cognitive static that comes with roaming through a place you’ve never been before, glancing around and wondering, “Could I live here? Will I live here?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> I was also greeted by: </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTapPPbaO_kPyv-xh_Y3QYv0YKb4zCmIXZBx2mXB4_AYRcgs3ndG4P4XAJ8EjW8JKQZRjxvVdUmt8jRVt8w6hDYi3HXpY13_dT6R33S_fhuxOnOiJDokBY2rI8PNzaJHuHkdWcUJS7qJs_/s1600/IMG_20110714_150241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTapPPbaO_kPyv-xh_Y3QYv0YKb4zCmIXZBx2mXB4_AYRcgs3ndG4P4XAJ8EjW8JKQZRjxvVdUmt8jRVt8w6hDYi3HXpY13_dT6R33S_fhuxOnOiJDokBY2rI8PNzaJHuHkdWcUJS7qJs_/s320/IMG_20110714_150241.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Phil! <span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Later in the week we went to the nature conservatory in Lincoln Park (free on Thursdays). </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Phil makes friends easily.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Phil is the comedian / couch-surfer and fellow frugal spirit I mentioned in my first entry. He regularly takes his own megabus journeys by booking the $1 tickets. His girlfriend Meg, hosted me while I was in town. </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not only has Phil been a Chicago tour guide, he’s now working part-time as a bell-hop and was able to store my luggage the rest of the day at his hotel. Meeting for coffee with a stranger you met over a hospitality social networking site while they’re visiting your town— actually an excellent idea. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Before Phil headed off to his acting class, we cheese-greased our fingers with Garrett’s gourmet popcorn mix, apparently (next to deep-dish pizza) a fundamental Chicago staple:</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHY3iOfqxbKc_2P8yExbypc3aaWryYWrdvJfRx8O4a64teS1WE1M90wdRjHLKDn9AEkVPdVXyeQdtczftg0fg3QT6b4-YOpAhq7E844dw4e3nyQsmv3LSbbbcj2y_ZBrNoo-bWG2Udt1_n/s1600/IMG_20110712_174745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHY3iOfqxbKc_2P8yExbypc3aaWryYWrdvJfRx8O4a64teS1WE1M90wdRjHLKDn9AEkVPdVXyeQdtczftg0fg3QT6b4-YOpAhq7E844dw4e3nyQsmv3LSbbbcj2y_ZBrNoo-bWG2Udt1_n/s320/IMG_20110712_174745.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">We also toured Ghirardellis, the Magnificent Mile and— </span></span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5JRGScrn2CXoQgPF8s5BS6t9w05IxV1cFGlz98xKI-b82Gw6-iPlCOHmE7fP-FebMv-9VS9L89h9LnSJ2f7eMnaZdpVjbBHpqvAMUKmxitF0v_aRvMIKPq_zjq5wB73GIyuRPG-u5yzD/s1600/IMG_20110712_202502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5JRGScrn2CXoQgPF8s5BS6t9w05IxV1cFGlz98xKI-b82Gw6-iPlCOHmE7fP-FebMv-9VS9L89h9LnSJ2f7eMnaZdpVjbBHpqvAMUKmxitF0v_aRvMIKPq_zjq5wB73GIyuRPG-u5yzD/s320/IMG_20110712_202502.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div align="left"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lookingglass Theater’s lobby! Did you know they’re located in a water treatment plant? </span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">As soon as Phil and I parted ways, Charles, my new megabus friend, met up with me and we checked out MOCA--the Museum of Contemporary Art (free on Tuesdays). </span></div><div align="left"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PPDyL685VB6PzkkmOvG9nl9JlIi45s6mNdcD7aoDkc0Ppe2R9pG3DAoDY8BC8-pFi3KgdbQaLnt5CyxVk1Nh5xpp_bFQFN9sH0B2fvlaAwOON257DIavMe26v3BkwNtev9ohfAShQxus/s1600/IMG_20110712_184113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PPDyL685VB6PzkkmOvG9nl9JlIi45s6mNdcD7aoDkc0Ppe2R9pG3DAoDY8BC8-pFi3KgdbQaLnt5CyxVk1Nh5xpp_bFQFN9sH0B2fvlaAwOON257DIavMe26v3BkwNtev9ohfAShQxus/s320/IMG_20110712_184113.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phone bone!</td></tr>
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</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Afterwards, Charles and I caught a show at Lookinglass Theater by their middle-school to high school aged ensemble: a 45 minute devised piece about immigration politics. It’s pretty impressive to see sixth graders not only successfully devise a piece of theater, but take on such a heated topic with more sensitivity and intelligence than most adults. Props to Lookingglass!</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">By the end of the day, I’d figured out CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) enough to navigate my way to Meg’s place in the Ravenswood neighborhood. </span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">She didn’t tell me that she lives at Hogwarts: </span></div><div align="left"><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/AVvXsEgswLbmyiB2tkl-6Xwg3-LhEp1Y37HYMJf0yOLZ9F8f2LRaO_M_JZPf2Om2oTBudP2Y6YasRyfk06z7yMmQpX2ge5PgA0gAzjTY_XNjggPM3ah0hY_vlfw7oqWpq3mXcmVTUfn6_DGhdSlO/s1600/IMG_20110713_175814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswLbmyiB2tkl-6Xwg3-LhEp1Y37HYMJf0yOLZ9F8f2LRaO_M_JZPf2Om2oTBudP2Y6YasRyfk06z7yMmQpX2ge5PgA0gAzjTY_XNjggPM3ah0hY_vlfw7oqWpq3mXcmVTUfn6_DGhdSlO/s320/IMG_20110713_175814.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Awesome fact about Meg:</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">As a professional child wrangler, her job is to get kids to make faces like this. </span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfB0WbReSdVKbSTTdYuEDJkW-rEuRNYckTlQV_8I2XbmJ0Lie6tKDr9oZFZBuSmPCgk8-AjsgWEufel77A71-Pwz4OFSLxKuGwMDspSt0-VpbdL4UFZljdv8JGntmLhHJNwuNLb6TRrBT/s1600/childrens+museum2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div align="left"> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGjtKvcaVljPFruR-z0Vd9eeFx6ir338-CrFKDOTGC1X0a5jxyzHcXcne_4sympkTTOTApNaJsb5cgdYvscFReK_4zZ6T6B1KJL9HpAY-wwZrDZB3ZBPS1qBAQTthom-K_1ZrW1L8Z3Xo/s1600/childrens+museum2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGjtKvcaVljPFruR-z0Vd9eeFx6ir338-CrFKDOTGC1X0a5jxyzHcXcne_4sympkTTOTApNaJsb5cgdYvscFReK_4zZ6T6B1KJL9HpAY-wwZrDZB3ZBPS1qBAQTthom-K_1ZrW1L8Z3Xo/s1600/childrens+museum2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHucBJOU29mrCW3rAnOBiBNIub7mQoG-GTIiMlzEg-VaAK0u8gIvi_nsxP0xi1Pi-B4aIHfA7nrNOyrY9bdnH9HLtRjrQCf2_bzLj0gf3rTYuXIopnlQcZemiI0bIbT7huWYvwed_m0Lf/s1600/edited+version.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHucBJOU29mrCW3rAnOBiBNIub7mQoG-GTIiMlzEg-VaAK0u8gIvi_nsxP0xi1Pi-B4aIHfA7nrNOyrY9bdnH9HLtRjrQCf2_bzLj0gf3rTYuXIopnlQcZemiI0bIbT7huWYvwed_m0Lf/s320/edited+version.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Meg's latest work.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">End of Day One</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-84067887317166497372011-07-09T21:00:00.000-07:002012-12-28T00:10:45.662-08:00My Route:<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="425" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LhZTiG9yUI4" width="500"></iframe><br />
<br />
It’s amazing the things you can figure out how to do when you’re inspired. <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Like how to make rudimentary animations with sound effects using powerpoint and convert it from ppt to swf to avi and then upload it to youtube, grab the html and embed it in your blog--when two days ago these acronyms meant virtually nothing to you.)</span><br />
<br />
Somebody leagues ahead of me in their coding knowledge should invent an Indiana Jones map generator application (once more, please consider your <a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=BhzovjmPaXHzZAFS0mUEdjkCJHmKFe40j_u5IO-rwTtQQcXwbkZUHa8S4DC&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d0b7e678a25d883d0fa72c947f193f8fd" target="_blank">muse</a>).<br />
<br />
My itinerary for the next four weeks by dates:<br />
<br />
July 12th- July 15th—Chicago<br />
<br />
July 16-17th—Cleveland<br />
<br />
July 18- 20th-—Pittsburgh<br />
<br />
July 21- 24th—Philly<br />
<br />
July 25th- 30th—Boston<br />
<br />
July 30th- August 5th—NYC<br />
<br />
August 6th- 7th—Pittsburgh<br />
<br />
August 7th- 8th—Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
August 9th—Chicago<br />
<br />
August 10th—Back in Iowa City!<br />
<br />
My plans: <br />
A mix of theater related activities, exploring each city, tons of coffee dates (I will be extremely wired), adventures in couch-surfing, being shockingly productive on busses, hanging out with friends and reveling in life.<br />
<br />
Three days until the start of my trip!<br />
<br />
Iowa City highlight:<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/AVvXsEg03I_UkfVxqWd_7m4MgLNfYBep-4cNYM7AScicBTmBTH4VpOT5UwCLxeXbjma4Q3yAMM00s5pn7M0fVIfqonge6kyZ_6se2WHxex5NQmgo2g2XJ_MPsrg10fcvWtDXOCVqxvimbrAQ8yKS/s1600/prairielights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="103" m="m" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03I_UkfVxqWd_7m4MgLNfYBep-4cNYM7AScicBTmBTH4VpOT5UwCLxeXbjma4Q3yAMM00s5pn7M0fVIfqonge6kyZ_6se2WHxex5NQmgo2g2XJ_MPsrg10fcvWtDXOCVqxvimbrAQ8yKS/s400/prairielights.jpg" true="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">(Prairie Lights: An iconic Iowa City independent bookstore with excellent coffee at their upstairs Time's Cafe-- where I planned the Chicago part of my tour. It's also a haven for writers and has a podcast series called <a href="http://www.prairielights.com/live">Live from Prairie Lights</a>-- definitely worth checking out if you're into new writing. )</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="bodytext">Also, thanks go out to Robert Nealan, the bicyclist referenced in my first entry, for being Megablog’s first official follower. Rob’s bike campaign <a href="http://rideforhumanity.wordpress.com/page/2/">"Ride for Humanity"</a> is also amazing and well worth checking out. </span></div>
Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6628798001786725446.post-62884195379437644862011-07-05T20:23:00.000-07:002011-09-02T19:15:35.446-07:00One Week to the Start of the Journey<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once upon a time there was a girl who moved to Iowa City. </span></div> <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/AVvXsEjcuChtK5FWkCdA0CG4pDpRgYaYnfZOQBtjwhVYsdT27Y6NFhv2qj-Cln601HDIaYhrbB6TuMFE3WS49TeqJuROFeC1cZHQqkbXF578Ewj8vTiRf8js6p2PKKmfaGCD6heUbljEaRRBVez7/s1600/iowa-city-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuChtK5FWkCdA0CG4pDpRgYaYnfZOQBtjwhVYsdT27Y6NFhv2qj-Cln601HDIaYhrbB6TuMFE3WS49TeqJuROFeC1cZHQqkbXF578Ewj8vTiRf8js6p2PKKmfaGCD6heUbljEaRRBVez7/s320/iowa-city-sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: Todd Landry (<a href="http://www.toddlandryphotography.com/">http://www.toddlandryphotography.com/</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtSVSddxUFBwNWw_e_yBmAbon044MxCsd_gBuXgIYnVjQsZA82lAIG0UVDoQPFIKkI9yO-D197weaYSENlbRiCRXJU4J8abKOo1_YjottM6ESJCOrW__Wq5cg-1MdyrCXLGHK3VWTitJf/s1600/cityoflit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtSVSddxUFBwNWw_e_yBmAbon044MxCsd_gBuXgIYnVjQsZA82lAIG0UVDoQPFIKkI9yO-D197weaYSENlbRiCRXJU4J8abKOo1_YjottM6ESJCOrW__Wq5cg-1MdyrCXLGHK3VWTitJf/s200/cityoflit.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And it was a glorious town with a surreal park,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wy1MW7vyxGcQ2ZTDeJ65O9XelaWdLMooKun1Czf-dFPFXZ17iVw_M8-H1Z0pdPinTOZD-wK4zlyOQQZd_dFFuOU6RjjvCHoCQPb7YMu3BrCaOVY7beKBOz1sylzu9-pamBU0xuBT7uuJ/s1600/Iowa+City+park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wy1MW7vyxGcQ2ZTDeJ65O9XelaWdLMooKun1Czf-dFPFXZ17iVw_M8-H1Z0pdPinTOZD-wK4zlyOQQZd_dFFuOU6RjjvCHoCQPb7YMu3BrCaOVY7beKBOz1sylzu9-pamBU0xuBT7uuJ/s320/Iowa+City+park.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pinhole Iowa City Park Airplanes (by MarcioTK <a href="http://www.panoramio.com/photo/3153669">http://www.panoramio.com/photo/3153669</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> a frothy river,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPSaL5UAYtr8fWVk5Hes4JzYWhrTdrsXWce5hCOuCEqewdhIr_2IxGtw43gUa7lu9FeQ3Xu1NbyslpkDMf8Wlk2-orDPoUjtfI78Q7sVX060vc2LRXgta2owy3p1YwzhNik_fL_lAdkME/s1600/icriver1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPSaL5UAYtr8fWVk5Hes4JzYWhrTdrsXWce5hCOuCEqewdhIr_2IxGtw43gUa7lu9FeQ3Xu1NbyslpkDMf8Wlk2-orDPoUjtfI78Q7sVX060vc2LRXgta2owy3p1YwzhNik_fL_lAdkME/s320/icriver1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">a quaint center,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFanyrdbFomTqQfn45fwh6Lbf5ztPhqbfQZ83Zv_gwMFTQM_t1oeemr4YwsWmNEZB71Rjm6luq18FVPhOLy2K5skJ88oW7-UhnbUsEtQ5FwW3ixkJqYLcN5m_nOpsRzcYlsNdB49C51Ts/s1600/Downtown-Iowa-City-_-Old-Capitol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFanyrdbFomTqQfn45fwh6Lbf5ztPhqbfQZ83Zv_gwMFTQM_t1oeemr4YwsWmNEZB71Rjm6luq18FVPhOLy2K5skJ88oW7-UhnbUsEtQ5FwW3ixkJqYLcN5m_nOpsRzcYlsNdB49C51Ts/s1600/Downtown-Iowa-City-_-Old-Capitol.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">occasional strange occurences,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWNVmwtaVJUoiGDaxGIAK_6mtEwvxP35sd0ErPn18HR_r5gK_Q5rJBHJrRH5rI0z0RFSPLoWYvIW_5GYQ217X86eBR74M8slTUzP3tjjlG6Wb0OhkFF8BGjGXKFdtl28c5mpKYDSZFGPK/s1600/IMG_20110413_192342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWNVmwtaVJUoiGDaxGIAK_6mtEwvxP35sd0ErPn18HR_r5gK_Q5rJBHJrRH5rI0z0RFSPLoWYvIW_5GYQ217X86eBR74M8slTUzP3tjjlG6Wb0OhkFF8BGjGXKFdtl28c5mpKYDSZFGPK/s320/IMG_20110413_192342.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> and ample writing time. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The girl had moved almost a year ago from NYC to become better versed in the ways of the playwright through the University of Iowa.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But as the impending 90% Midwest humidity settled in, as her peers filtered out of town to their respective summer writing journeys, she began to think of her aunt and uncle in Boston and the wonderful time she had when she visited them last July. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7ziAPFso7CUUrL9wiKU-hqmF2xKSPkFEIxCXJ26NsmYoVBAvQgpQtta3Z9FW-JSdLCxDiTQ52H5XTpxABx17_OFQ19XGCmFnZIp90XNiwlM6GvetpYxL3rDVBADV_AIKYnDrljggfRkJ/s1600/amosroza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7ziAPFso7CUUrL9wiKU-hqmF2xKSPkFEIxCXJ26NsmYoVBAvQgpQtta3Z9FW-JSdLCxDiTQ52H5XTpxABx17_OFQ19XGCmFnZIp90XNiwlM6GvetpYxL3rDVBADV_AIKYnDrljggfRkJ/s320/amosroza.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">(The guy with the hat is not my uncle. He's standing to the left of him. That’s musician Amos Lee. We’re at the Lowell Summer Music Series. Picture borrowed from my uncle’s blog: </span><a href="http://www.jimsullivanink.com/"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">http://www.jimsullivanink.com/</span></a>)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The girl glanced around and decided-- it was time to take her own writing journey. </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">But as she sat in her IC apartment, gazing forlornly out her window, she thought...</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbhpErHnvvKxzxjFprRkRCcN1DNEwxsTx9OgEAz86SQboFBujI5rEi1aBRsngESiV32BPgXs_0SdKOM3Z3CDGHww9P9ddQIssa_lUn26ScaxyU9EZVemG_T5PdEWyXQunaUfBPkoQ1Tml/s1600/IMG_20110704_165734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbhpErHnvvKxzxjFprRkRCcN1DNEwxsTx9OgEAz86SQboFBujI5rEi1aBRsngESiV32BPgXs_0SdKOM3Z3CDGHww9P9ddQIssa_lUn26ScaxyU9EZVemG_T5PdEWyXQunaUfBPkoQ1Tml/s320/IMG_20110704_165734.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "hmmm…this playwriting direction is kind of economically harrowing—how can I not spend $400 on a plane ticket?"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And she thought and she thought and she thought...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> Until it hit her...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> like a bus...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> The solution:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP22_BSP4JgmhPFfS8UhiVSlz68HvaZ6yg7u0XMDzPOMKg0IGVd0CHdnxY2WObmiJnghkIZejvHQc6V8j31uxs6_XcQ_S8e_GI6sAifYB0Ru6y810al5zLTh33fKqF3_LZjb_Bzd_1PwZJ/s1600/megabus2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP22_BSP4JgmhPFfS8UhiVSlz68HvaZ6yg7u0XMDzPOMKg0IGVd0CHdnxY2WObmiJnghkIZejvHQc6V8j31uxs6_XcQ_S8e_GI6sAifYB0Ru6y810al5zLTh33fKqF3_LZjb_Bzd_1PwZJ/s1600/megabus2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If you book far enough in advance you can get tickets for as low as $1 (plus a 50 cent booking fee).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
I booked in May. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">_______________</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Where this takes me:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Iowa City – Chicago – Cleveland – Pittsburgh – Philly -- Boston – NYC – Pittsburgh—Columbus, Ohio – Chicago—Iowa City</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(and I’m sure to plenty of seven-hour-bus-ride-introspective-ramblings).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The best part: the megabus has wi-fi and outlets. (<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">ß</span></span>virtual office!) </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The drive:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A combination of my semi-spartan grad school existence, adventuresome spirit and a thwarted attempt to visit my Aunt and Uncle in Boston the last time I was in NYC for one of my plays. (The timing didn’t work out).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Finding the most affordable route became a game. A really logistically complex one (beyond Stratego) that involved pretty much two days in May, eyes-locked on my laptop at the Iowa City Public library.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Also, possibly charts and spreadsheets.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But I’m a grad student. It’s summer break. Let’s go!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</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/AVvXsEiyDwQWBDEZ5wFb_GX_d9IxFkj71nR5t_amhoQVaxt00fPZZkWl6_h3WbvvS2-e_FtzYEsHJPDC3SXHf7yjr3N3k9voUgLbBBxlHcYvJBTdzWlxP4gYFdxEiJoBFudE9WlT7KUNXiBb8vPn/s1600/icpl.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDwQWBDEZ5wFb_GX_d9IxFkj71nR5t_amhoQVaxt00fPZZkWl6_h3WbvvS2-e_FtzYEsHJPDC3SXHf7yjr3N3k9voUgLbBBxlHcYvJBTdzWlxP4gYFdxEiJoBFudE9WlT7KUNXiBb8vPn/s1600/icpl.bmp" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ICPL (how I spent two days of my summer)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If a savvy / mildly OCD computer coder invented a megabus routing system like hopstop.com or expedia, they might make buckets of money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(And if they wanted to give me 3% of their company for being their muse, as soon as I get fiscal sponsorship through fractured atlas-- they’ll be an arts donor. Cough...in the meantime, I have a paypal account). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Total this costs me: $69.50. (<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">ß</span></span>Huzzah!)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Total length of trip: July 12<sup>th</sup>- August 10<sup>th</sup>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And I have a subletter. Rock on.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ultimately though, while my financial philosophy is embodied by thrift-shops and affordable bus tickets, this is actually<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>less about saving money and more about the people I hope to meet on the road, and the chance to spend time with friends.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>With the help of: <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Couchsurfing.org (a hospitality social networking site that I have been a part of since January)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Twitter</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Facebook</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And a slight internet addiction...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This has spiraled into an opportunity to visit new places, revisit older ones, meet new people and reconnect. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
I find that once you start exploring off-the-beaten-path ideas and alternatives to hotels- you not only save money, you have more fun and become a magnet for the awesome.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My recent misadventures through couchsurfing.org have encouraged this notion.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Since I joined in January, I have hosted:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Valentine, a scholar and theater kindred spirit from Lyons, France. She traveled all the way from France specifically to Iowa City to write a paper on the artist Grant Wood. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7meIQku-YcvIHjFhY5q-5Pim8Bm4Qy_24gMsHtQU2QcRYje67hX0r-vq5oisZw7mqiUcGnWpBqMkF3toSMkmjv0l5rJuppch0IMIqoHH-ZdKKp8lLtyUWYBbnVz6Epjf2YhGoWGQm4Ro/s1600/grantwood1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7meIQku-YcvIHjFhY5q-5Pim8Bm4Qy_24gMsHtQU2QcRYje67hX0r-vq5oisZw7mqiUcGnWpBqMkF3toSMkmjv0l5rJuppch0IMIqoHH-ZdKKp8lLtyUWYBbnVz6Epjf2YhGoWGQm4Ro/s1600/grantwood1.bmp" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Not familiar?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtmH6m1Gss-fYx-8jq_8QG452jzUIInWXOYzfMY3D7RJYdXEqy9QHL9byKSnfz-krm-eoS5Z4jmf0KCzI2ZsMm_80pntgLUta-P_jCZikILf5jbSTF4mTJoDvAMX06yF7x2JFEYHMjSHK/s1600/grantwood2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtmH6m1Gss-fYx-8jq_8QG452jzUIInWXOYzfMY3D7RJYdXEqy9QHL9byKSnfz-krm-eoS5Z4jmf0KCzI2ZsMm_80pntgLUta-P_jCZikILf5jbSTF4mTJoDvAMX06yF7x2JFEYHMjSHK/s1600/grantwood2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I've also hosted:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">--Meaner Pencil, an awesome cellist vocalist from Lincoln, Nebraksa. (<a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/meanerpencil">http://www.reverbnation.com/meanerpencil</a>). Her band name is an anagram of her actual name, Lenna Pierce. My encounter with Lenna resulted in a night of hanging out with experimental musicians in a former child violin playing prodigy's living room and my discovery of the existence of an instrument called the shruti-box. A shruti box according to wikipedia "is a small wooden instrument that traditionally works on a system of bellows." Anything that works on a system of bellows is inherently cool. <a href="http://www.shrutibox.com/">http://www.shrutibox.com/</a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">--A gentleman hitchiking between organic farms.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">--A motivational speaker on his way back to Canada after two months in a rainforest of South America following a broken engagement with his fiance. I learned a lot from this guy. Also, he motivated me to set up a twitter account. (<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/DeborahYarchun">http://twitter.com/#!/DeborahYarchun</a>). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And while he was couchsurfing Iowa City, I had coffee with comedian Phil Biedron who has been taking intermittent tours of the midwest via Megabus by booking $1 tickets in advance. Phil was clearly very inspiring. (<a href="http://midweston25.blogspot.com/2011/04/iowa-city-party-party-fun-time.html">http://midweston25.blogspot.com/2011/04/iowa-city-party-party-fun-time.html</a>)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Phil and his girlfriend Meg will be hosting me during my time in Chicago. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My only adventure in surfing so far was mid-June through the Twin Cities Couch Fest / a quasi-couchsurfing convention. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There I met:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sean Kolk, who is on his own bus journey of the United States-- a remodeled school-bus. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOfYvg2SXJQiGl3ADX1SYTwlxEgMw0XBtwz307r6XUPtszVM4PJ7aBjUqhvdezXoS6HjUAZnZPCinLscT1ga9nk0n2Cfe4KUb1JTpPcfsM83DqFZrMW4M529W9PNnwHA9or-8vNdaPYF8/s1600/seankolk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOfYvg2SXJQiGl3ADX1SYTwlxEgMw0XBtwz307r6XUPtszVM4PJ7aBjUqhvdezXoS6HjUAZnZPCinLscT1ga9nk0n2Cfe4KUb1JTpPcfsM83DqFZrMW4M529W9PNnwHA9or-8vNdaPYF8/s320/seankolk.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dm_Lx3NZOkEdGJtt2czJJ2tOzAW7jkts3QDed48V2bkhgSZzf9z8FSvU1wyJwBNIFeKLHYbmvuRWka_8cofCN-rIQhlbte8E-n3Sgi_4UbUh1YbsLCBfs2s2KVEeEj4LKaCHCk_HpGAN/s1600/schoolbus1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dm_Lx3NZOkEdGJtt2czJJ2tOzAW7jkts3QDed48V2bkhgSZzf9z8FSvU1wyJwBNIFeKLHYbmvuRWka_8cofCN-rIQhlbte8E-n3Sgi_4UbUh1YbsLCBfs2s2KVEeEj4LKaCHCk_HpGAN/s320/schoolbus1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">(Like "Into the Wild," but not.)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAEDoOGmwGvT8uxBKVGRsCGEiFHrJ0a8NqDDWc0HSJt33XRC4LpK647tFRecYQaCdp40Gk8AAyftgYcDqQ8-iByFX2YktqQPIKpqi4WkbMWk8RLMZfc9ztVTUA4g6N7WuOcS0YyQTXBDv/s1600/on+top+of+the+bus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAEDoOGmwGvT8uxBKVGRsCGEiFHrJ0a8NqDDWc0HSJt33XRC4LpK647tFRecYQaCdp40Gk8AAyftgYcDqQ8-iByFX2YktqQPIKpqi4WkbMWk8RLMZfc9ztVTUA4g6N7WuOcS0YyQTXBDv/s320/on+top+of+the+bus.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Me on the bus.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At the TwinCities Couchfest, I also met an architecture student midway through a coast to coast bike journey. He didn't join us on the bike tour, where I tested my own limits by biking 40 miles in one day through St. Paul and Minneapolis. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And I was hosted by these two wonderful people:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </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/AVvXsEhlxyRyBScrU4owVX20yrSQwfYVm8j-KxZLxoewWM4E6Nz661huVXsiNZNMl9TpEOy7ObB1I4JdWkueu37KgmPQ8s_HO76gLkMotJkqNprgXeGCY0SDz4E2C1BRbeCBrwk0hcrpdUv7tkkA/s1600/Dylan+and+Laura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="327" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxyRyBScrU4owVX20yrSQwfYVm8j-KxZLxoewWM4E6Nz661huVXsiNZNMl9TpEOy7ObB1I4JdWkueu37KgmPQ8s_HO76gLkMotJkqNprgXeGCY0SDz4E2C1BRbeCBrwk0hcrpdUv7tkkA/s400/Dylan+and+Laura.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indie album shot taken from my phone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Dylan, a brewer of fine microbrews and his wife Laura, a self-employed seamstress. They not only let me borrow a bike for the weekend, they gave me a ride in their 1960 Mercury to a picnic at Hidden Falls in St. Paul.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON0UL3C2A0VyIoZd5YtBB6n09520fmbuD2rRg7dbU0rSmZqn0IXKLUTkDHEBs1tr21ouBFhOdim-BxwxEn8occBWKKydq01o8EKVAIKWcnTo8MLTBGwfneK9RdVSS1afKhAdbUWRDEdJd/s1600/Twncitiescouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON0UL3C2A0VyIoZd5YtBB6n09520fmbuD2rRg7dbU0rSmZqn0IXKLUTkDHEBs1tr21ouBFhOdim-BxwxEn8occBWKKydq01o8EKVAIKWcnTo8MLTBGwfneK9RdVSS1afKhAdbUWRDEdJd/s400/Twncitiescouch.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the picnic at Hidden Falls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">That was one weekend and I have four weeks coming up starting July 12th. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">I gotta feeling that it's going to be a good ride. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Let the Great Megabus Adventure of 2011 begin!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div></div>Deborah Yarchunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16616292594492973589noreply@blogger.com0