Once and a While...

It's summer...

I'm 27...

I'm well traveled...

And I'm having fun!

Just thought you might wanna know ;)

Sunday

This trip to Atlanta was everything I needed...

...and nothing I didn't.


E and I kicked around the city drinking frozen Jack and Cokes and enjoying the general splendor of the weather and Final Four fans all flooding the city at once. We ran the Color Run, went to a Braves game, completed a scavenger hunt through a cemetery (despite my total lack of word search skills), saw some impressive aquatics at the Georgia Aquarium, ate a lot of ice cream and played Settlers of Catan. It's okay to admit that you're jealous because I continue to be bummed that I can't go back and do it all over again this weekend.


Until my next adventure I suppose.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

-K.K.

On My Mind

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Packing my little carry on and taking the orange line to the airport straight after work. This trip has been in the making since last January when Miss E moved and I could not be more excited about running the Color Run, eating ice cream, and kicking around the city with my friends. Arrivederci Chicago and here I come Atlanta!

En Route

One of my guilty pleasures now that I live in the city is taking my car for a drive on the weekend. I'll take the long way to run errands past the lake, near downtown, looking out at the giant Ferris Wheel on Navy Pier. I never thought I would miss driving, but I was spoiled with great road trips as a kid so maybe that has something to do with it. Reading books and magazines aloud, playing eye spy, putting on the Chicago Bulls mix tape and jamming along (don't even pretend you didn't root for the dream team).








Strangely enough, the very start of Route 66 is right outside my window at work, and
having been bitten by the travel bug quite some time ago sometimes I want to hit the open road Thelma and Louise style...except for all the murder...but Brad Pitt can totally come.


Headed anywhere fun this summer? Can I come too?

Travel: Atlanta

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With the Atlanta trip less than a month away, E asked me what I wanted to do while I was there other than the Color Run and promptly stuffing our faces afterwards. I've never been outside the Atlanta airport so this may take some research, but here's what I have so far...

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Stone Mountain Park seems like a relaxing place for a hike with my niece Kira. E's reaction: The KKK started there! Thank you scenic Georgia.

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Historic Oakland Cemetary Tours...this may seem like a strange one, but E and I have been kicking around historic cemeteries since our high school days...take that how you will, we just find them fascinating.

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I ask for recommendations at work when tourists from Atlanta roll through, and almost all of them say the Georgia Aquarium...or the World of Coca-cola tour? Since my love of sea creatures far outweighs my feelings towards sugary beverages (unless the Jack Daniels factory is magically attached) then I think I'll be spending a day at the Aquarium. 

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Either that or E's membership to the Zoo Atlanta since ohmygawd a baby orangutan was just born! My heart beat still!

I've heard good things about the Atlanta History Center and and I could get free tickets to the High Museum of Art and E suggested going to the Cubs/Braves game too! Of course I don't want to spend my whole vacation doing touristy things so I should probably narrow it down. Hopefully further foursquare investigation will lead me to some good bars and hangouts.

Have you ever been to Atlanta? What can I absolutely not miss?

Sunday

In case you're wondering, I "lovingly ripped off" this little survey from Delightfully Tacky. It seemed like the perfect re-kick-start to my blogging adventures. I thought I would take a break for a couple of weeks and see if I was any better for it...but alas I am not. My creative outlets are few and far between, and eliminating the blog only added stress as opposed to decreasing it. I will try and remember this next time I decide to go blogger AWOL.

Reading...
Stuck on the last two chapters of Dresden File's Summer Knight. Once I'm finished I can't decide if I want to continue with the the series or take a little break with Diane Keaton's Then Again.


Watching...
Catching up on my Hulu queue. New Girl, Chicago Fire, Parks and Recreation, and I still have the last episode of 30 Rock there too. I can't bring myself to watch it! Need a new series to though...


Wishing...
I could get the remainder of my apartment put together. I moved in November and things are still in plastic boxes and art is still sitting on the floor. I need a plan of attack to organize and decorate this place on a limited budget. I would love it to feel more like my home than just a place to crash every night. I know these things take time, but I feel like I'm stalling by not doing the basic projects I've already set up for myself. Hopefully once those things are done I'll have a sense of direction in what I want to do next.


Proud of..
I started working out in my apartment four weeks ago and I'm still at it! I have yet to go outside for a run, but I can already feel a difference in my energy level just by doing plyometrics. I like the Bikini Body Workout from Self and the Get In Shape for Summer workout from Refinery29. I have also taken a greater interest in nutrition and cooking for myself, which isn't to say that I'm not having cereal for dinner every now and then, but I'm getting better!


Excited about...
Mama Morgan decided to come to Chicago for a few days at the end of March! Also the Atlanta trip and Color Run is fast approaching.


Impatiently awaiting...
Spring's arrival and the opportunity to wear all my sundresses and shorts again. I realize that I should be looking for on sale boots and winter coats, but I can't help but browse sandals, skirts, and swimwear for the upcoming Atlanta trip. As lovely as Chicago is in the winter, it's even better in the summer.

Mardi Gras

Wishing I had found a way to Mardi Gras this year. Spending some time with my family, reliving my "glorious" 21st birthday down in the Quarter. As it stands I'll be sporting my yellow, purple and green, and possibly making red beans and rice or oven baked beignets. Not the same I realize but you've got to make do sometimes. Of course if anyone wanted to find a place to grab a hurricane, I'd be down for that too!

Paris in the Rain

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I have always loved the rain. Waking up to it hitting the roof, sloshing around in my red rain boots, and sharing some really great smooches as it comes pouring from the sky. Honestly nothing beats a kiss in the rain, just ask Gene Kelly. But sometimes I wish that my red boots, rainbow colored umbrella and soaking wet embraces could be in Paris for the day...

The Blues

Chicago is known for its bi-polar weather and wind that will knock you clean off your path, but what it's been known for lately is cranking out some grey and bitter days. On a daily basis I seek solace in going home, changing in to sweats as quickly as possible, and drinking hot tea in bed by the delightful radiator in my apartment that sounds like a VHS tape is being rewound. I close the curtains and the sound lulls me in to a warm dullness that blocks the wind and cold from entering my tiny sanctuary.


Today proved no different. I woke up, took a scalding hot shower, and shuffled around my apartment in my Minnetonka slippers lapping up coffee and zoning out in to my bowl of Chex. I started window shopping spring clothes online, then swimsuits, then airfare, and oh look! My debit card is already sitting on my bed! Must be fate. I book a spring flight for Atlanta and let the warmth spread over me and the muted Chicago sky fades to blue.

Oh my gosh, I am so freaking excited!

Out Take

Took an unintentional break for my trip back to a Ohio, and what a lovely 30 hours it was. I wish I had more time, but Mom and I are back in Chicago for a bit, and then my friend is flying in for New Year's! Most excellent. Thanks to everyone that made my trip hilariously wonderful. Not pictured: my friends hamming it up with my parents in a bar moments after I stepped off a plane. Priceless.

Chicago Day - the Field Museum

On Monday Running Buddy (or RB for all intensive purposes) drove down to have lunch and use my new work benefit: free admission to the majority of all Chicago museums! We decided on the Field, Chicago's natural history museum and I instantly fell in love.

We started off our perfect Chicago day with cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather's, home of Chicago's best cinnamon roll, and they aren't fooling around. Gluten intolerance be danged, I ate both of the cinnamon rolls my eggs and hash browns came with. Only mild queasiness followed.

Then we hopped on the red line and made our way towards museum campus. I had actually been here once before for a job interview when I first moved here, so it was refreshing to come back in a better state of mind, and with all the beautiful Christmas decorations up. I flashed my I.D. badge (like a boss) and we were in.

The first thing you do when you walk in is meet Sue, the world's most complete T-Rex.

We went through ancient Egypt (mummies!), animals, the hall of birds, and Ancient Americans which was one of my favorites.

More dinosaurs! Middle school field trip Kiley was beyond excited.

"Kenneth Parcell" shrank us and lead us on a journey under the soil (animatronic bugs = terrifying) 

Everyone in the museum ends the day on the front step taking pictures of the skyline...I almost wish I had turned the camera around. There was a distinctive row of people all snapping away. RB and I finished the night with a slice of pizza and then I returned to the theatre for a tech rehearsal. All in all it was the quintessential Chicago day.

Also, if you ever feel like going to the Field, call me up my answer (work permitting) will always be yes! 

Mama I'm Coming Home

Friday night I called my Mom and asked what the possibility of me flying home for 48 hours was. She said they were great, especially for Christmas. Saturday during my lunch break I booked a plane ticket for right after the Sunday matinee of the Christmas show I'm working on, and now I'll be home for Christmas! We'll drive back to Chicago Christmas night so I can be back at work the day after, and then I'll get some quality time with Reid and Mom leading up to New Years. My fears of sitting alone in my apartment Christmas morning and shedding tears in to my oatmeal have all but vanished, and I'm super excited to see my family and get some Tim Horton's. How I miss Tim Horton's...and also my family.

Can't wait to see you C-bus, I'll be home for Christmas!