This place rocks. After being in 100+ degree weather in Texas for the past month it was petty awesome to be in a place that has gorgeous weather and so much cool stuff to see outdoors that is all walking distance from each other.
We have already seen a Picasso stature, the famous Chicago Bean, Garrett’s popcorn, Millenium Park and a lot of the city. I’m staying in the Tremont Hotel and while it is not as posh at the Sheraton that Roger and Jes are staying it is covering the basics, plus, the staff here is nice and the Hotel has a cool historic vibe and is only 1 mile from all the cool parties.
Pictures and a better post to come…
There’s most likely a slot machine.
My lungs still hurt just a little bit from the intense amounts of second hand smoke I inhaled at the Texas Hold’em table. For about 3 hours non-stop I played Hold’em with just 70 dollars. Eventually I cashed out with $225.00. Earlier in the day I was playing a Wheel of Fortune slot machine and I hit a 500 dollar jackpot. It was nice winning that money because right before that I was down to my last 13 dollars out of the 200 dollars that I had already spent. I had planned on only gambling away $100, but then I went back to the ATM and got another $100 out and started losing that money right away.
When I left the Wheel of Fotune game I was up $400. When I left the poker table I was up $540.
On Friday when we arrived I checked in to my room. It was the nicest room I’ve ever stayed in at a hotel complete with 3 televisions and a small sectional couch. The bed was awesome, the bathroom large and the tub would have easily fit a large Asian family with ease.
After relaxing for a couple of hours we went to Jack Binion’s Steak House and feasted on crab cakes, peppercorn steaks, garlic bread, baked potatoes, creamed spinach and corn. For dessert we shared some cheesecake and some bread putting with cinnamon ice cream. The bread pudding was so amazing that I turned my nose up at the cheesecake and didn’t even try a bite.
Feeling like a beached whale I went up to my room and went right to bed.
The next morning Cody and I got up and had a nice workout and then we had breakfast and soon thereafter the gambling started.
Cody, Amy and Nita Miller and I all sat in a row of slot machines plunking away and trying to win big. I was the only one out of the three of us to hit big on the Wheel of Fortune game even though at various times I think we all hit $100 bucks only to quickly lose it.
On Saturday night we went to Jack Binion’s steak house again and I had the Filet Mignon and the King Crab legs. The King Crab was the best I’ve ever had, the filet was perfectly cooked and juicy, and the garlic mashed potatoes rounded out the meal nicely.
We had the bread pudding again for dessert and Nita got a creme brulee to go.
After dinner I went to bed but couldn’t sleep. At 1 a.m. I went back to the Casino to play some more poker. I was doing well at first but then the dealer got on a lucky streak and even my low straights weren’t beating his high straights or his flush. I finally stopped myself 3 hours later and with $200 less in my pocket.
I took another 40 bucks that I had and went back to the Wheel of Fortune game and quickly lost it, but I was still ahead by $300 and I decided I was going to go home with that money in my pocket.
Nita, Cody’s mom, got us free rooms and all of our meals were free except for the tip. Since I didn’t have to feed or entertain myself for an entire weekend I was actually up another $150 bucks as that is normally the amount I spend on a weekend if not more.
A big thanks to Nita and the Miller’s for always being so generous. I really had an awesome time with them.
I’m smiling, but I had just eaten so many cookies that I felt like I was about to explode!
I already miss you a little bit.
I’m sitting at home after a 3 day trip to see a Kanakuk friend – Eric Holst. We only spent a summer together 9 years ago, but as anyone from Kanakuk can tell you that Kanakuk is a place that bonds people together forever no matter how far the distance or time.
I had read on Eric’s facebook post one morning that he was eating blueberry muffins and drinking Spunky Monkey Coffee. I left a comment that said something like, “I wish I was there…” without missing a beat, Eric responded with, “You should come down for a visit.”
That is really all it takes for me, within a few days we had it planned. I was to come down for the Minnesota State Fair on a weekend that everyone had off and so i did.
On Friday I arrived and dropped off my bags at their apartment at Bethel University and then promptly went to the State Fair. As soon as we got inside we stopped for a Pronto Pup which is like a corn dog but instead of corn meal they use flour. I devoured one quickly smothered in ketchup and mustard. We started to walk away and I said, “Um, guys, would you look down on me if I got another one of those right now?” They laughed and said, “No Way!” The Pronto Pup is called “A banquet on a stick.” I laughed at that title at first, but after I had one I agreed. They were delicious.
Later that day I consumed a turkey leg, a malt, a chocolate covered pretzel, a large quantity of fries, a 32 ounce root beer, one fried green tomato, and at the end of the day we bought a bucket of warm chocolate chip cookies and then walked over to the stand where they have all-you-can-drink milk for just a buck. I got one glass, then went back and bought another glass so I would have two cups and then i got two more refills and so I overindulged with 5 glasses of milk and way too many cookies. It was heaven.
The next morning I couldn’t believe I was actually hungry. When I woke up and went into the kitchen Eric was cooking eggs, bacon, and blueberry pancakes as well as some fresh brewed coffee. I was really surprised to see him so effortlessly cooking all of this food. I like to cook and I have never seen another man that enjoyed cooking as much, if not more, than I do.
After breakfast we went to a cool sculpture garden and walked around for a bit. We climbed on some sculptures even though there were signs that said, “Please do not climb on the sculptures” everywhere. Like big kids we played and then we went out for an AMAZING lunch of bacon cheeseburgers, fries and malts at a place called “The Convention Grill”.
After feasting at the grill we went to see the Minnehaha Waterfall and even waded into the creek. The water was really cold at first but after a while it became quite pleasant. On the way to Minnehaha Falls we drove by these beautiful homes that had so much character that I started to fall in love with Minnesota. However, Eric and Nikki said that the temperature in the winter averages around 16 degrees for 3 months straight and that alone will keep me from ever being a resident of the lovely state.
Saturday’s dinner consisted of some grilled steaks, squash, sweet corn and watermelon. We ate outside on picnic tables that were near a beautiful lake. After dinner we sat in the iving room and talked and then eventually watched the movie 21.
Sunday was a simple continental breakfast of toast with peanut butter and honey, fresh peaches and watermelon and some more great coffee.
We went to church and then for lunch we went to this wonderful gourmet pizza place and had delicious pizza and a piping hot artichoke dip. After lunch it was off to the Mall of America – the largest mall in the U.S.A and then finally back to the airport where it was time to return home.
The entire trip was a good time. Eric and Nikki have two cute kids that are 2.5 and almost 4 years of age. They were fun little chatterboxes that kept things lively and I couldn’t help but think that Wyatt was cute even when he was throwing a fit.
I told Eric that out of all my weekend excursions that this one had moved to the top of the list for “The Most Fun in a little over 48 hours award”. I was serious, I mean, we packed so much fun, good conversation, and great food into such a short amount of time that they quickly moved to the top of the list. Not that there really is a list, but if there was…
So on the way home to round out the great trip I spent the 90 bucks to upgrade to first class. No one was sitting beside me and the two hour flight home could not have been more enjoyable.
Thanks Eric and Nikki for a great weekend, i hope to come back someday soon! (After the freezing cold… for sure)
Recently my work allowed us to take a “Field Day” downtown to have lunch and see a movie all on their tab. You have to love Texas Instruments. On top of that, TI pays for all of us to have Dart stickers attached to our badges that allow us to ride Dart anywhere, anytime, for free. However, have you been to Dallas?
We started our trip in Plano which is very upscale suburbia, however, the closer we got to downtown the crazier the people got. One man sipped a beverage that smelled like straight gin, another looked shifty-eyed and carried a bag of who-knows-what, while another person loaded up their bike and took up lots of space. Soon I started to worry about my safety and I’m 6′ 5″ and 350 pounds!
So while I like the idea of public transportation, I don’t like the “Public” part when it involves weirdos.
On the upside, there were 3 police officers on the return trip home and so I felt much safer. The train was clean and the air-conditioner cool and if I really stop to think about it, if I just bring some mace I’ll probably be fine.
The only other downside to this public transit was the numerous stops and the time it took to drive the 12 miles to downtown. In my car I can speed to Mockingbird Station in about 12 minutes, it took us what seemed like 30 and so if time is money, then I don’t think I saved a lot of money, but I was going during work hours and so hey, a bad day on a bus is better than a day at work anytime!
