Monthly Archives: May 2012

The Foodie

Karen
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My cousin Karen graciously agreed to help me out with today’s blog quest and was patient as I practiced taking portraits. I’m excited for her to begin college at Iowa State this fall, though I will miss regularly seeing her infectious smile, learning her foodie nutrition tips (she plans to study dietetics), the occasional run (she’s much faster), and hanging out with an all-around fun cousin.

May 21st, 2012|People|Comments Off on The Foodie

Weathered Cattails

Cattails
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Caught some weathered cattails on Wirth Lake before the rainstorm. And, a bird dove into my shot for a cameo, which came out of nowhere because I didn’t see it until I reviewed my photos. Maybe it was an Angry Bird?

Speaking of angry birds, it reminded me of the time in 2006 when I walked the Lake Michigan lakefront in Chicago with my friends Greg and Megan. Minding my own business, I was walking along and suddenly my elbow felt wet as it moved past my shirt. Puzzled, I patted my arm to figure out what it was. Slimy. I looked down, and my face slowly transformed into a foul expression of disgust. I had been shat upon by a bird. Not just any ordinary bird…an obese bird. How do I know this? It had divebombed the equivalent surface area of a salad plate on my shirt. No s#!t. Well, actually, there was a lot of it.

The sad thing is that it wasn’t the first time, nor the second time it’s happened to me. …Not  exactly the type of chick magnet, one might aspire to be. Today then was a lucky day for meeting the birds. Today was s**t free.

May 21st, 2012|Nature|Comments Off on Weathered Cattails

Swingin’

Swing
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Tucked away on the East bank of the University of Minnesota in the Knoll area is this wooden swing. Here it sits with little rhyme or reason, except for swingin’.

Sing Moten’s Swing with the Manhattan Transfer.

May 19th, 2012|General|Comments Off on Swingin’

Buca’s

Buca's Family Italian Restaurant
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Today’s photo is my most technically challenging photo to date. One, because I had to carry a tripod and shoot continuous images. Two, because it’s actually four photos that I composited into a single image (a new phrase I learned). The Buca’s sign actually lights up in separate stages as wine is poured into the glass, but never all together. Three, because it took me 90 minutes to figure out how to do this in Photoshop. And four, the resulting working file of 273 MB, combined with running Photoshop, sucked the living daylights out of my computer’s system resources and my computer crashed twice. I’m that determined. Only the best images for this blog!

May 18th, 2012|Food & Drink|Comments Off on Buca’s

First Avenue

First Avenue
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Originally built as a Greyhound bus station in 1937, First Avenue is a landmark music venue in Minneapolis on the corners of First Avenue and 7th Street. The building is marked by 531 stars on its exterior walls. Confession: I’ve not yet heard a show here.

May 16th, 2012|Minneapolis, Music|Comments Off on First Avenue

Duck, Duck, Gray Duck

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Yes, I’m well aware these are geese. But here in Minnesota, they play a game of Duck, Duck, Gray Duck (not Goose). Who knows why. Do you?

P.S. Mom, I finally got a picture of animals, though it happened to be in a retention pond next to a hazardous waste area.

May 16th, 2012|Nature|Comments Off on Duck, Duck, Gray Duck

Whitney Bridge


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Sometimes, getting the photo you want is part patience and part magic. The Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge is a well-recognized bridge that spans 17 lanes of traffic (I-94, Hennepin and Lyndale Avenues) and connects the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden with Loring Park. This bridge has been on the beginning and tail end of my running route the past three months, and I’ve been studying the effect of shadows. I was standing on the bridge for about 20 minutes, when the sun literally popped from behind the clouds, and my photo was lit with the desired effect for about a minute. And bonus, I got a runner in there for perspective.

Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge, Minneapolis

May 16th, 2012|Minneapolis, Photography|2 Comments

Jewelers Row

Jeweler's Row
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I went to morning Mass at my former church Ascension in Oak Park and took the Blue Line downtown for brunch with Lisa in Streeterville. Today was one of those rare Chicago days when the weather is perfect–sunny skies, slight breeze, warm but not hot temps–and the city wasn’t yet flooded with tourists. I walked through Millennium Park to soak it all in and almost wished that my commute home was a train ride to Elmhurst vs. 333 miles away.

Millennium Park gardens
Buckingham Fountain (in background), Chicago

Ascension Church, Oak ParkAscension Church, Oak Park, Ill.

Aqua, Chicago
Aqua Tower, Chicago


Crown Fountain, Millennium Park

 

 

May 16th, 2012|Travel|Comments Off on Jewelers Row

Special Talent

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I almost started laughing when my friend’s daughter posed for this photo with her special talent. Too cute. I took the prerequisite smiling photo (below), but I think this one’s more fun. It was rainy so we retired inside and pretty soon, I was testing out their newly acquired piano, which incidentally was the first acoustic piano I’ve seen with fewer than 88 keys.

Before long, Maureen was playing along on the flute. [We first played music together for the Notre Dame MBA “dorm Masses” almost seven years ago.] Then Adam and Maureen’s two daughters wanted to join in the fun, so they raced to find and dance in their pink tights and tutus. We had a full-on recital, complete with musical introductions and recorded by Adam for posterity. It was serious, and at times, seriously funny.

Earlier, I began the day with a morning brunch in Wicker Park with my friends Erin and Drew. I love visiting this neighborhood with its quirky charm, great restaurants, and 6 corner intersection of Damen Ave, Milwaukee Ave, and North Ave. I can pretend to be a trendy hipster, if only momentarily.

The day ended in Naperville with Giordano’s pizza, storytelling, wine and dancing with  friends who are much better bowlers than me. At least it can be said that my points contribution to the old team was consistent. After all, I’ve never claimed bowling as my special talent.

Francesca's Forno

May 15th, 2012|People|Comments Off on Special Talent

United

Anne and Michael Slowik
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My friends Anne and Michael married in Chicago on Friday night. It was a beautiful wedding and a fun reunion (for me) of friends and former colleagues all day long. From McDonald’s breakfast at the Arch to a midday lunch with a buddy at Miller’s Ale House, the wedding and reception in Tinley Park, and a late night happy hour at Brick House, it was a full day. A day filled with joy, radiated by two friends who now begin their life united as one.

May 14th, 2012|People|Comments Off on United