Once in a Lifetime Dinners - past or present

I've given this about 12 hours of thought (including sleeping overnight), so don't criticize my decisions too harshly. This is a list of people I'd like to have dinner with and why:

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Highly-acclaimed, world famous architect whose crowning achievement (pun intended and IMO because of it's more personable scale as opposed to the IBM building) is buildings at the Illinois Institute of Technology... most notably Crown Hall - it's in Chicago so it is at my disposal to visit anytime I want (Farnsworth House in Plano would be fun to see too). He also expressed ultra-modern design using exoskeletal forms (exposing the structure). He was a master at creating exciting spaces using minimal materials - steel, glass, and stone. I would love to pick his brain and find out where he drew his inspiration. This would draw out as more of an interview for me than a social engagement. It would be cool to show him some of my own work and hear his critiques.

Meal: Sausages, kraut, and beer

Edgar Allan Poe

A very dark and influential writer... poet. King of the short story, which I'm sure is the only prose (besides this wonderful blog) that I, myself, would have the patience to write. Again, a brain-picking interview. I was always fond of his work, especially (ironically) as a child. I found it chilling, while at the same time... well... poetic. I'd want to learn more about his time in history and dig into his twisted life - but not as his therapist, just to kill the curiosity. It would be interesting to hear his reactions to the influences he has made on more contemporary artists because of his work - the Tim Burtons of the modern world. I would also have him read "The Raven" to me to hear it in his voice - a poem I used to listen to and read repeatedly in my youth (not many people know this, so you're welcome for the disclosure and sincerity).

Meal: Sushi and green tea

Tim Gunn

Now this guy is classy! He just emits a glow of exuberance and sophistication (and a little bit of flamboyancy). If you don't know who he is, he is a fashion design expert and the co-host of Bravo's hit reality competition, "Project Runway". I actually was inspired to write this post by watching the new season premiere of Project Runway with my wife and watching and listening to Tim Gunn's performance. He is a very eloquent human being and it would be cool to have a nice meal with him and just watch his etiquette and hear him speak. He is also a bit of a wordsmith, not unlike myself, so I would enjoy unleashing some of my longer-syllable, more provocative words on him. I'm sure I could pick up a thing or two from him as well...

Meal: Game bird and a nice Bordeaux

Larry David

I had to throw a comedian in here, and I think Larry is a good one. I have to confess that I have only seen one of his stand-up acts, but I have seen everything he's written up until Season 5 of "Curb Your Enthusiasm". I think this guy is a comedic genius. The way he tells a story and brings all the parts back together at the end in one big hoo-rah is absolutely dumbfounding... it gets me every time. I can watch old SNL skits, Seinfeld, or Curb episodes over and over again and to know that he wrote/co-wrote them is unfathomable when you look at him. He has a very unassuming look and I never knew what he looked like until Curb (as it turns out, he looks just like one of my friends from high school's dad, who coincidentally turned me onto Seinfeld in the first place). Having dinner with him would just be flat out fun and I could try out some of my material on him ;)...

Meal: Steak and Dark beer

So that's my very short list. I'd love to hear yours and see your comments about mine.

It's a plane, it's a bird!

This past Sunday Kristen and I went to the lakefront to watch the annual air and water show. It was a good time - we saw a few jets and bi-planes do some tricks - that is, until the rains came. We had a blanket to sit on and we were watching from what I call the concrete beach... a section of tiered concrete ledges leading down into the lake. We had to use the blanket to cover up so we didn't get drenched. The rains broke a little bit, just in time for Jaime and Dan to come down to meet us. We couldn't quite get together since Belmont Harbor where we were supposed to meet has two ends that don't meet and you have to walk all the way around the harbor to get from one side to the other (roughly a mile walk).

Since the rain looked like it was looming back and the air show was going to be delayed, we all decided to leave our posts and high-tail it out of there and grab a bite to eat. We walked into Wrigleyville where the Cubs were in rain delay. Right as we got into the neighborhood it started raining really hard, so we took refuge under the el tracks, then proceeded to walk quickly to Yak-Zie's... a friendly Wrigleyville bar and grill that is cash-only. I had the Italian beef sandwich and it was delicious except the hot giardiniera bothered my stomach the rest of the evening.

We sat in there for a little while waiting for maybe the Cubs game to start - of course I didn't mind that it wasn't on because I was content watching the golf tournament (although Tiger would go on to blow his lead later that next day). Also, this postponement of the baseball game marked a 5 game lead in the NL Central for the Cardinals who won later that day. The subsequent late-inning implosion of the Cubs' bullpen (notably from closer Kevin Gregg) has, as of today, provided a 6-game lead for the Cardinals who appear to be cruising into the playoffs with a possible match against the NL West leading Dodgers who are 1-for-5 against our Birds this season.

Let the Hunt for a Red October begin!!!

Licensed to Drive

My Missouri driver's license expires next month. Since I was running errands today, I decided that I would put 'renewing my driver's license' on that list. I went to the DMV, which is traditionally a not-so-sought-after chore. My experience was actually pretty pleasant. I went to the nearest DMV and it was a HUGE facility and they were busy. They were actually very well-tuned and ran their operation seamlessly. Here's the process:

You walk in and immediately get into a line. This line leads you to a greeting desk where you tell the person what you are trying to achieve in your visit. I researched this trip before making it, so I absolutely knew the 4 pieces of documentation I needed, and I had them. He gave me a number and told me to wait til it was called. I started walking to a seat and looked up at the number board and mine was up and the little female computer-generated voice over the loudspeaker was calling it, directing me to the counter where I was supposed to go. Apparently in their system, they give you a number with a letter in front of it that identifies the purpose of your visit. Since my visit was pretty straightforward, they were able to immediately usher me to the proper personnel at the next station, which today happened to be counter #5. I walked up and handed off all my info. After a quick vision test I was directed to the cashier, so I could pay the 10$ for my license. Pretty seamless process, right? Oh yeah, I forgot to add one thing.

Remember, I live in a new state now, so since I am technically applying for a "new" license, I have to follow their state law requirements. One such requirement, besides the application fee and vision test, is a written exam!!!! AHHH, nowhere in my research did I see that I would have to take, let alone pass, a test today!! After I left the cashier counter, they sent me over to the examination area. This is all in one building mind you, and they run you through this place like a herd of well trained, well shepherded cattle. I go up to the exam guy and he wants to know if I am taking the test in English (gotta love that Chicago diversity!). I affirm and I am off to test-taking land. I did not cram for this test because I figured, "How hard could it be? I know how to drive, right?" As it turns out, I was correct in my assumption - the test was a breeze. It consisted of 20 multiple choice questions (mostly T/F and "all of the above" types) and 17 road signs that you had to identify. Going through the test, I was fairly confident in my answers. For the signs part, I felt great about that one too, because I am such a visual guy. I took my completed test up to the grader and she made a few marks and then told me, "Pass". I have to admit I was relieved - even through my confidence there is always that air of "what if?" But no problemo - got 2 wrong on the multiple choice and 2 wrong on the signs (not sure which ones). They shuffled me to another counter where a lady input my info into the computer that creates the physical license cards, all the while peppering me with questions about where I'm from and why I'm here. It was in a welcoming tone though, so I politely obliged.

I got my mugshot, picked up my new ID and headed home. The whole endeavor, including driving time, took me 75 minutes - not too shabby in this city. Granted, it was around noon on a Thursday, but that is no matter. Like I said, the place was crowded, they just had this system down pat. It wasn't bad, I didn't get irritated, and now I am legal to drive for the next 4 years.

New GB and Rivalry

This past Saturday Kristen and I found ourselves scouring the city, looking for something to do. It was a gorgeous day outside, so we wanted to participate or at least stand on the sidelines of a local event. We searched some street festivals - a common activity in the city during the summer - and happened upon the Wrigleyville Summerfest. What caught our attention was the band that was the opening act for the evening. They are called 'Maggie Speaks' and Kristen had heard of them before - and heard positive reviews. We decided we'd check them out and this would provide us with our entertainment for the afternoon/evening.

We headed down to the fest - aptly named due to it being in the Wrigleyville neighborhood just a few short blocks south of that toilet bowl known as Wrigley Field. It was basically a small two-block party lined with tents selling such confections as authentic ethnic food, jewelry, photography, wrestling masks, and bowls made out of old records... quite an eclectic mixture. The festival also spilled into the adjacent schoolyard where they had some stuff for the kiddies - a petting zoo, pony rides, and games - and some stuff for the bigger kiddies too - a climbing wall and a "cornhole", or "bags", tournament. We didn't really engage in many of the activities, but it was fun to watch all of the people having a good time - Kristen and I people-watch like it's our damn job!

Around 5pm, the band came on and we watched their first set. There was beer at the festival, so we relaxed with a few Bud Light Limes and enjoyed the ear candy. 'Maggie Speaks' is a cover band and they play pretty much what is popular on the radio - which is why I make the correlation to Glorious Blue in the title of this post. It really actually felt like we were listening to GB when they played some of the more "alternative pop" (Maroon 5, et al). In fact, I even thought the lead singer resembled GB's lead guitarist, Andy Howard - Kristen did not concur. What set this new band apart was they had a female vocalist as well, that could help out with some of the higher pitched and female sung songs. All-in-all it was pretty cool and it took me back to the hard core GB days, with the exception being that we were outside on a street instead of inside a smoky bar and we left at 6pm as opposed to 1am...

I say we left at 6pm, but our fun didn't stop there. We only left because we wanted to explore Wrigleyville a little and have a few more beers that were a little more moderately priced. We stumbled across a bar called Red Ivy about 1/2 a block from the stadium. It enticed us in with its open-air seating and promises of cool breezes and imbibations. The beer was the only thing I enjoyed in this bar. Aside from the waitress sucking ass and being kind of a bitch, I was most turned off by the treatment I received for presumably being a Cardinals fan (I wasn't wearing a Pujols jersey or anything, just keep reading)... We were sitting in this sports bar and watching one of the one thousand TVs. They kept flipping to different games and I put up with it because I didn't really care what game I watched. Keep in mind that the Cubs were out of town and playing at this time, so a lot of the TVs were already set to the station airing that game - the one right in front of us was not. The Sox already played that day, but they wouldn't have been aired anyway, even if they were playing... stupid Cubs fans.

So we're sitting there and our TV turns to the Cardinals/Pirates game. I'm pretty ecstatic because I get to watch live video of my team, something I do not get to do very often in my new hometown. The game is on for about 5 minutes, then switches over to the Detroit/Minnesota game - an AL Central rivalry having nothing to do with the Cubs. I ask our bitchy waitress to have it changed back and she says she will see what she can do... nothing. I look at the guy who is in charge of all the TVs and motion him over - I've had a few beers at this point, so the liquid courage starts kicking in... he is a large African-American man. I tell him I want to watch the Cardinals game, he tells me he has another guy in the bar throwing a fit over the Tigers/Twins game, I tell him who cares about that game, he reminds me I'm in Wrigleyville and asks what I expect. That was the exchange - I had lost. We promptly finished our drinks, paid our check, and left with the waitress not so much as even thanking us on our way out the door. It was our intention to eat there since we asked for menus upon entering, so they could tell we were (I was) pissed when we left so abruptly. I think they take the NL Central rivalry just a little too seriously over at Red Ivy - fuck them!

We headed back toward home after passing through the street festival one more time en route to our car. We ate at a bar and grill near our house where we proceeded to chow down the best tater tots I've ever had! We told our new waitress the story of our encounter and she felt our pain... upon handing us our check, she wrote, "I hope your service didn't suck"... or something like that. I don't know, by this time I was drowning my sorrows in about my 7th 'Goose Island-312'.

All things considered... it was a pretty fun outing.

Cereal

I had cereal this morning for breakfast - which I do about once per week. Nothing out of the ordinary there. I had honey-oat Oh's... delicious. I added strawberries.. magnificent. However, eating cereal for breakfast is not without it's tiny torture for me.

First of all, I am slightly lactose intolerant, so milk is a bit of an issue. Luckily, Kristen buys skim milk which is sort of watered down to start with, and I also take a dairy digestive supplement before inbibing large quantities of milk which provides me with the enzymes I otherwise lack to properly break down the lactose. It's a small little pill and I only really need it when I am drinking a glass of milk or eating cereal - not for cheesy dishes or ice cream - so it isn't too bad of an encumbrance. All of this allows me to enjoy the cereal the way it is meant to be enjoyed... wet. I don't mind dry cereal - I'm sure I had a lot of it as a baby - but for a "meal" I think the milk (and sometimes, fruit) is necessary to complete the course.

That kind of segues me into my second point. A bowl of cereal actually doesn't cut it for me as a meal for breakfast in the morning. I find myself (as I am right now) snacking earlier in the day (or later in the morning) when I have cereal for breakfast. I don't want to eat a bigger bowl because I am afraid of an unruly B.M. in the middle of the day should I take in too much lactose for the small digestive supplement to handle. Also, if I eat too much, I will get a stomach ache regardless, and that just isn't comfortable. Maybe the dairy pill is doing too good of a job at breaking down the lactose and once it is finished with the milk it starts to attack other foods through the enzymatic process, rendering it useless for properly nourishing me... I don't know. All I know is that anyway I slice it, I better make sure I have something to snack on at work if I am going to have cereal for breakfast.

These pretzels are making me thirsty...

Planet Sub

I just wanted to put this out there as kind of a public service announcement that everyone needs to try this relatively new sub shop - Planet Sub. It is delicious and you won't be disappointed.

I had my first Planet Sub experience just a few weeks ago in Kansas City. My buddy Justin had just picked me and Kristen up from the airport and after we got our tuxes from Men's Wearhouse, we were looking to grab a bite to eat. I suggested Buffalo Wild Wings (or B-Dubs, for short) because I know Justin absolutely loves this place and it would be too hard to resist. Well, I guess the pressure of the next two days' events was too much for him to overcome because he declined, siting that it would probably take too much time and he wasn't really that hungry anyway. Instead, he suggested Planet Sub, which just opened a new location not too far from his house and on our way to our destination.

We walked in and Kristen did as she always does when walking into any order-at-the-counter food joint - whether she has been there or not - and stared in vain at the menu for what seemed like 45 minutes, but was probably only about 3. This is not necessarily a fault of my wife, but rather a testament to the sheer scale of this menu - and I don't mean the physical size of the signage, but the amount of sandwiches and other concoctions represented on the board. We finally made a decision and awaited the service of our lunch. The staff does not call out orders by name, but rather by playing card - that which they distribute after your order is placed. I believe we were the Queen of Clubs... and I got immediately excited when I heard our card being called from the counter.

I raised my hand and the gentleman placed a foil-wrapped torpedo onto my table - no tray, no problem. I unraveled the foil to reveal a beautiful BBQ ham and turkey sandwich - the "Planet BBQ" as it was called. It was a scrumptious blend of deli meats infused with and smothered in KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce... all on a toasted bun. It may or may not have had some veggies on it - I don't really remember. I also have no idea what Justin or Kristen ate because I was too immersed in my own culinary wonderland to have any inclination of the goings on about my surroundings. I ordered the full, or large, which might have been about a foot long. As it turned out, that was too much sandwich for me (I also had chips and a drink), so I saved the rest for the next day... it heated up nicely in the oven, by the way.

I would say my overall first experience at Planet Sub was a good one. I implore anyone that reads this to eat there and to share the story with anyone who does not read this. I think you will find your experience to be comparable to mine. You might be thinking, "...but Chris, how can we enjoy these wonderful subs if we don't live in Kansas City??" Fear not! There is a downtown location in St. Louis. Even better - for those of you that don't want to bother with fighting downtown to have a sandwich - I have an inside tip on a new location that is opening in the Central West End on Euclid at Laclede. I realize that the bulk of my readers are from the more southern reaches of the metropolitan area, and as such prefer not to venture out just to eat a sandwich. However, this new location in the CWE is ideal for a light lunch or dinner after a day at the Zoo, Forest Park, Steinberg Skate Rink, or any of the other various adjacent local activities. I don't have a personal interest in this location, I just think it is that good.

Let me know of your planet Sub experience in the comments...