DNO - Dec 24

•  We're back at the Skating Ribbon in Grant Park
• I look like a corporate goon with that hair cut
• Throwback to LSSU hockey puck Karl got me years ago (that did not make it to the skating ribbon)

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Eastwood Secret Santa Exchange

•  Another successful Christmas on a day close to Christmas
• Top tier gifts this year
• Extra fun the 2 young ones
• Still waiting on my Bonsai plant

DNI - Dec 24

•  Date Night In December 2024 - Ginger Bread Houses
• Houses turned out well, could of used some more structural frosting, but it probably didn't help that I ate a bunch

Gala at the MSI

•  Holiday party was at the Museum of Science and Industry
• It was siiiiiiick
• Maura looked bomb and I had amazing flow (pics for ref)
• Maura met some of my cool co workers
• Most of the exhibits were open for everyone to check out
• They had a special James Bond exhibit with the Aston Martins (sick whips)
• We saw the sub, had to do it
• For the holidays they had Christmas trees decorated from different countries
• Twas open bar, as its the season of giving, and they had a nice buffet

X Mas prep

• Puttin up the Chirstmas Lights on the DG house
• Karl got stuck on the roof
• I believe we had egg nog

 

Detroit Visitors

 - Went to 90 mile, finally got to try the Sangria mix

- Went to a Hawks game

- Had some bevs

- Saw the bean

5th Annual Hot Pot!

 - Had the 5th annual at the rotary place in Wicker. An annual tradition for Tar and I

- Teb and M also joined. 

- Food smacked

I got a Pumpkin from work

 

Chicago Marathon

 - M and I cycled down to see the Chicago Marathon

- The champs were flyin

- Women record was set

Bucktown 5k

 - M and I ran the Bucktown 5k

- It was nice, a lot busier than expected

- Got a nice hoodie, but had to go to Lakeview for packet pickup

- Got a delicious donut and gross protein shake

Hi Em :)

Work Open House

 - Brought M, Tar, Teb, Tay, and C to my place of work

- They had a bunch of kid activities

- They had BBQ food available

- Tar got in trouble for wearing C's hard hat

MTL Trip

 - Went to Montreal for a weekend

- Haven't been there since covid. M's first time there.

- We met up with my college friends

- Went to a cool restaurant in Old Port

- Climbed the Montain

- BBQ in the park

- Poutine

- Biftek

- Hung out by Attwater 

New Bike

- We found a bike shop where you can donate a bike and they repurpose it or give to people that need them.

- They gave us a glass for M's old bike

- She bought a new one for $250 and it's perfect

Indy Trip

 

 - Swam Big Shoulder 5k, thought the race was gonna get canceled but it ended up happening. They changed the course to do 4 laps

- then Tar drove me to Inianapolis

- They kept saying it was my bachelor part but it wasn't. We're going ice fishing or camping for that

- We got an airbnb for a couple nights

- Apparently 'Kismet' is a Jewsish/Hebrew word? It's Kismet!

- Saw David Spade, par

- Rode my first Lime

- Teb got a sick rezzy at a fancy Steak House called St. Elmos. I thought the Shrimp Cocktail was drink and try to order that as a drink, but its nto a drink. We did end up getting Shrimp Cocktails and they had horseradish that was super spicy, really gets those nostrils cleared out. Our waiter apparently saw Pippen. Did you know they call him No Tippin Pippen. They also get WNBA players that are super famous now, probably cause of C Clark

- Played games at this cool bar. Arcade games, giant beer pong

- Saw a Colts game. Lucas Oil Stadium is cool. Got so many glizzies. Tar ate 3, beast.

- they lost to the Texans, great game tho and sick seats. We also got free t-shirts

 

P Water

 

 Another banger P water trip.

went on a few swims, few bike rides, made a salad for dinner.

C's Inaugural trip

 

Indiana Wedding

 

- Went to Muncie Indiana for Sean's wedding

- Was loads of fun

- Ceremony was outside and dinner/party was inside

- A mountain of Coors

- Went to their college bar after which was cool

- The people we were playing in BP got kicked out.... we're undefeated

Wine Tasting

 

1. Thanks Tay and Tar for the Chicago winery tour tickets

2. They get all there grapes from either Cali or New York

3. Some wine is made in the steel vats. Others are made in French oak barrels

4. The barrels cost $2,000 a piece. And you can only use a couple times. They can sell them after for $200, like bourbon people or something

5.  

Barcelona - Day 3

1. 8hr schedule guided tour
2. after breakfast, we got picked up around the block
3. after the bus door was unstuck on the curb, headed to Mountjuic. Check pronunciation
4. Our guide Tatiana (from Cuba) was full of energy and driver Laura navigated the busy streets without a worry. joined with Gary and Marie from Purth
5. drove by an arena that used to be a bull fighting arena, but it’s been banned in Catalina since 2011
6. also drove by Cassa Baylor, designed by Gaudi and it looks dope. Stone house with curved shapes and dragon scaled roof
7. apperantly Saint George from back in the day killed a dragon that was going to eat the princess so he slayed it queen. And red roses come out of the dragon. The dragon was eating farmers animals and so they started feeding it virgins (Karl would have been the first to go) until the princess was up. They celebrate with red roses on some day of the year.
8. top of mountjuic has a great look out over the city and museum on Catolian history
9. we had a view of some towers that were built for a world exhibition… or something like that
10. then got dropped off at the gothic quarter by our hotel and Tatiana showed the group around and pointed out some spots we missed on our first few days
11. we saw a small cute bridge above an alley that had a skull under it. The guy who designed it has grumpy he only was allowed to design the bridge
12. saw the Spanish flag, but the Catalonia flag. And an independence flag which has the blue triangle and star like Puerto Rico. They want indépendance from Spain but Tatiana says they’ll never get it
13. pooping man
14. drove near Sagra familia for lunch
15. veronica broke up with her boyfriend
16. best gelato ever appeared tly
17. sagrada familia. Wow
18. park guell
19. Then drop off time, we went to a market recommended by the guide earlier and got some JAMON and fruit for apero later
20. siesta by the pool
21. tapas at a cool fancy resto. Kinder Bueno foi gras, sangria, third installation of patatas bravas, brie

Barcelona - Day 2

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   Got up before breakfast closed, hotel spread smacked with a fresh orange juice machine and some yummy sausages
2. grabbed the beach stuff, got a couple croissant sandwiches to go, and grabbed a train to El Masnou for a beach day
3. nice chill beach that wasn't too busy and seemed like more of a local spot
4. tops optional there
5. Weather was very hot, most people had an umbrella but M and I had to resort to reapply sunscreen 4 times and jumping in the Mediterranean to stay cool and not burnt
6. Headed back to Barcelona mid afternoon and hung around the pool for a a siesta and tik toks
7. Went to a recommended place for Tapas, it was amaze balls
8. got sardines, some local tomato bread spread thing, sangria, croquettes with JAMON!
9. as left in a narrow walk way, Maura did the left right dance with an oncoming person and ended up going left, then the guy said “it will be the British Way”
10. Spain also translated inside out 2. In France it was via-versa