Enjoying some French Press Coffee

Enjoyed some coffee from Brasa a month ago while eating out with Katy.

Bought some a couple weeks ago, however, it was still a whole bean.

That was fine because I've been told that you should grind the beans fresh before you brew it.  So I jumped on the bandwagon and bought a burr grinder and enjoyed my first cup this morning.

It was great!  Well worth the extra time on a day off!

Style Blog

Anyone have any good ideas of what I should call it?  I've got plenty of ideas, just tapping any new perspectives.

Mom & Dad Visited

So, Mom & Dad came to visit a long long time ago already.  But don't worry I don't have any pictures to prove it.

However, that doesn't mean I didn't have a good time hanging out with them mostly at restaurants.  We enjoyed WA Frost, The Bachelor Farmer and Olive Garden.

I've never enjoyed so much tasty food.

I know I tweeted about some of it...but Cocoa Crusted Elk Striploin with barley mushroom risotto, caramelized Belgian endive and winter fruit reduction.  It was rare, fairly cool once the first few bites were gone but it was delicious.  And I really like barley mushroom risotto; it was great with the striploin.  I also drank an Ethopian Sidoma french press coffee.  It was good but it wasn't the best thing I've had.

The Bachelor Farmer was great too.  I know Eric didn't approve of our toasts but I did.  The duck liver pate, dried cherries and pistachios reminded me of liverwurst I ate as a kid.  I'm surprised Mom fed us liverwurst but didn't feed us the tasty caramelized brussel sprouts from Brasa.  Dad ordered house smoked steelhead trout, scrambled eggs, pain de mie and capers.  I only got a small bite but it was good.  On the dinner side Katy's venison was delicious, the chicken I got was good too but it was outdone by the side of cauliflower and parmesan cheese which was melted perfectly with the best texture possible.  Mom got the meatballs, lingonberries, mashed potatoes and pickled cucumbers.

Olive Garden was terrible.  We left Grandma's with an expected no wait and we got there and it was 30 minutes.  Haha, just like last time I went to Olive Garden 8 years ago.  But I'm glad we were able to go out with Grandma.

Ok, so I like food; especially unique food.



  

Front Closet Redo

Katy and I thought about redoing our front coat closet, making it more like our own closets.

So we ventured to Ikea and Home Depot to check things out and went with a pre-fabricated set.  I guess I helped buy it, went to work last weekend and Katy had it done.

Christmas 2011

A catch up post on Christmas.

What a time, what a day, what a couple of days.

Thanks to Mom & Dad, Naomi, Eric & Emily, Ella & Edith and Mark & Megan, Mattingly & Myla for coming all the way to Minnesota to celebrate Christmas.

Here's a look.

Mill City Museum
Work
Shopping late night with Katy, Em and Mom
Breakfast pastries
Christmas Dinner
Korv
Swedish food
Playing at the playground
Opening Presents
No Snow
And so much more!

I had a great time and we're glad everyone came to Minnesota.

Packers v. Giants NYC

Well, last weekend was the weekend.

Saturday PM
Paul, Lance and I took off from snowy Minnesota and landed in warm New England.  We were delayed a little bit getting out of Minnesota due to de-icing but soon enough we were in tree-branch fallen Connecticut.

We got to bed and took a four hour nap, 1am to 5am.  We hit the NYC bound train from Union Station to Grand Central Station.  By about 8:30 am we were in NYC ready to tackle the pavement until 3pm or so before the Packers-Giants game.

We jumped off the southbound train from New Haven and Dad got us on a tour bus and started our trek south.

We rode down to Battery Park and  took a view from afar of the Statue of Liberty before walking back up to the World Trade Center and taking a look at the progress of Freedom Tower.  We also walked by the fire station just next door to the World Trade Center.

We saw where the Occupy Wall Streeters were...

We did miss out on seeing the new 9/11 Memorial however.  We could have but you had to be early or get tickets online.

After this we did alot of walking.  Paul, Lance and Dad let me see the J.Crew Liquor Store.

After this we walked up towards the Pop Up Flea, walking by all kinds of shopping though SoHo and NoHo!

So we hit the Pop Up Flea and I was able to say hello to Kat McMillian, of Pierrepont Hicks.  It was fun to say hi and see her because she and a number of other local businesses had a pop up shop before Christmas where I said I was going to try and come to the Pop Up Flea and see her.  It was fun to hear her encourage me to stop by and say hi to her in NYC.  I appreciated that.  So, I said hello and Dad talked to her for a bit before my time was up, we had to keep moving.

Also, while at the Pop Up Flea, I saw Ty Pennington dart in and make his way to Dehen 1920 https://www.dehen1920.com/collection.  Crazy nice vintage wool sweaters and outerwear.

Sometime after that we kind of got side tracked and delayed waiting for our bus in Chinatown or there abouts.  But we made it back to Rockefeller Center before heading on the train to the Meadowlands.

And it was gametime!  It was great weather-high 40's to low 50's and blue sky.  For the first weekend of December we couldn't have asked for much better weather.

It was a great game.  The Packers didn't play really well but well enough to win and have control late in the game.  However, the Packers D let the Giants tie the game up at 35 with :58 left.  However, Aaron Rodgers shredded the Giants D in the final minute and Mason Crosby hit the game winning field goal, seen above.

After jumping back on the train to NYC we walked through Rockefeller Center and Times Square.

So, we were in NYC from early morning to late evening.  There's so much to see and do that you can't possibly get it all done, you can only hope to get back before you forget what you have to do.

The rest of the trip in CT on Monday was nice too.  We hung out at home, went to Yale in New Haven and saw Meg, Mattingly and Myla.

Chicken Coop

Christmas is over.  New Year's is over.  I have alot of blogging to do.  I have yet to finish the Packers-Giants, NYC experience too.  

But right now I feel like a chicken in a coop.  I've left the house two times in four days.  Saturday I went to work and Sunday I went to the ER.  Monday nowhere.  Tuesday same.    

It was quite the New Year's Eve for me and Katy.  I shut down Herb's and we ordered pizza from Old Chicago, which I grabbed on my way home.  We ate watched some tv and the Lincoln Lawyer.  I had to work at 7am Sunday so we were in bed a little later than planned at 11pm or so.  

Unfortunately, the flu got me.  BAD.  I woke up at 1:30 am with my stomach not feeling very good and from that point on until about 7 or 7:30am I vomited about every 20-30 minutes.  It made for a long, long night.  

Do you ever wonder why you don't get sick during the day?  I mean, the last time I remember vomiting during the day was in front of everyone in class in elementary school.  This time?  Middle of the night.  Last time from the bad calamari at Matty B's in Minneapolis?  Paul found me in the hall after I threw up in the middle of the night.  Countless more times in my memory did I throw up at night, the middle of the night.  Why is it that I always get really sick and vomit in the middle of the night?  Just curious.  

So, after my stomach had been cleared three times over I slept for a couple hours before trying some gatorade and water and a popsicle.  Well, that took its' time but that came out as well.  Sunday afternoon we finally decided that I couldn't hold anything down, I wanted to get this thing figured out and get hydrated so we went to the ER.  I got stuck with an IV for almost four hours, slept for a couple and took in some nausea medicine and morphine in the mix.  I also drank some Maalox and something "cocktail." Well, that was also nasty.  Good thing I didn't throw that up.  

I spend all day yesterday in bed or on the couch and I have yet to step foot outside today either.  That's why this is called "chicken coop."  I suppose it could have been called "squirrel trap" too or something similar but I'm wanting to get out of here.  But I still haven't eaten much and the shower I just took was a chore.  So, back on the couch is my behind.  Luckily I haven't vomited in a day or two and I can still feel it in my abs.  Ever want to get some good ab ripping exercises in, just get the flu and vomit for 6 straight hours.  

Anyhow, I hope this wasn't in the air since you guys were all here.  I hope you didn't get it and that Katy avoids it at all costs.  

Merry Christmas.

Happy New Year.  

Avoid the flu.  Wash your hands.  Drink water.