Showing posts with label dive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dive. Show all posts

Friday, September 26, 2008

When September Ends


This is "Fur-Pig." Not really, but I forget his real name. It's Katherine's cat and that's the name I remembered of the many she gave me. I watched this guy for a few days. He's still alive, which is the key to cat watching!


A painting on sale at the White Elephant, which is a part of my work. There was a matching football one. Just in case you didn't know, my birthday is coming up...


Date night with the Megan. Here we are at Uncle Julio's Hacienda to be followed up by Hamlet 2. Hamlet 2 was pretty good (if you like bad movies, which I do). I mean, it's like Tray Parker and Matt Stone (South Park guys) movies. So, if you liked Cannibal: The Musical or Basketball, you'll probably like Hamlet 2. It was worth it to see "Rock Me Sexy Jesus."


So, the food at the Hacienda is decent. But SWEET JESUS it got expensive. I swear the prices have doubled since the last time I was here a year or so ago. They are lucky it was date night or I would have gone to Chipotle instead.


Megan and I went to Glenn's Diner for the first time and it happened to be their third anniversary. Here's the owner giving the big speech. Basically he said, "50% of restaurants close within the first year. 80% (or something like that) of those that survive close the 2nd year. But, if you can make it to three years, you have a great chance at a long life in the restaurant business. And we got there despite the economic downturn, the "L" station closing, and Montrose caving in (They are directly in the middle of the block of Montrose Avenue that collapsed last winter). Congrats guys!


Here's Megan celebrating with her complimentary solo styrofoam cup of wine


This isn't your standard "diner" food. I would say they are mostly diner inspired. I mean, Golden Nugget doesn't serve a wide variety of fresh seafood and all. This is a Bleu Cheese Burger that is served on toasted bread. It was really good.


Megan, always trying to be healthy, got the "Homage To Vegetables Salad" or something like that.

Well, since I have recently turned into a local food critic, I might as well tell you about a couple other movies I've seen this past week:

The Last Temptation of Christ by Martin Scorsese was alright. It's the most human I've ever seen Willem Dafoe look. The story was pretty interesting. Instead of being based on the gospels, it was pulled from a book by Nikos Kazantzakis and did a good job at portraying Jesus as a human. By that I mean that he makes mistakes too and has to make tough decisions. You really feel for this radical hippie fighting the man (or Romans more like it). It's a Scorsese movie, so he does have to be a bit heavy-handed at time, but it's worth it.

Young At Heart is a British documentary about old people in the US singing rock and roll songs. Got it? Basically it's a guy who interviews grandparents who sing songs by the Clash and such, which is the funny and sweet part. Then there's the sad part about its members dying. That leads to coping and performing at places as varied as concert halls to a prison. Ever seen a prisoner cry? It's here. Also, I'm not a Coldplay fan at all. Not a bit. But the guys rendition "Fix You" was incredible in the way that Johnny Cash could make any terrible song powerful. Highly suggested.

xoxo,

Mike

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANCES!!!

Happy Birthday Frances!!! We had a great time hanging out with you!!!


Leslie and Amanda with cat (Kung Fu or Pop Tart?)


Same cat


Frances (the b-day girl) and Noah (soon to be b-day boy).


Dinner at Feed the Beast. This use to be a funny little German restaurant. Now it's a funny little hipster restaurant


Frances and Leslie


Frances! You were suppose to make a stupid face! Now we have to do this all over again!!!


Noah and Frances at the Save More Bar. This bar was completely awesome. It was a dive with cheap beer, pool table, and jukebox.


Frances with our new favorite bartender Jason.


WHOA FRANCES! That's quite a chug you took!


When did the Save More turn into Coyote Ugly?


Megan, Leslie, Andrea, Jason, and Frances!


ANDREA: If blonde is "blonde," red is "redhead," and brown is "brunette," what is someone with black hair"
MIKE: Um... "Sulty?"
MEGAN: Definately a "Vixen."
JASON: VAMPIRE! What? No good? I'd make out with you...


Frances' new career path


Wise words are placed on post it notes


Leslie, Andrea, and Frances.


Leslie and Andrea rockin' out!


Leslie and Andrea in a nice pic


Leslie, me, and Andrea


Frances and Andrea w/ glasses


Leslie w/ glasses and Frances


Megan posing for the American Eagle catalog spread


Life's hard for Francy Pants blues musician


Noah is such a badass


Me with the redheads (Frances & Megan)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANCES!!! Noah, what are we doing for you?

Please add my FACEBOOK page. I'm still sticking with MySpace, but using this as my "professional page" in hopes of getting a job.

Michael Kraus's Facebook profile

Monday, December 18, 2006

My Half-Hour Story...

It's Monday and that means three things 1) laundry day 2) shaving day 3) blog posting day. It has come to my attention that some of you don't think I write enough. I'll work on that...


Mike Nummerdor and I went to funny named bar on Fullerton the other night and tested out there assortment of fine $2 beers. America beer won my vote for taste and presentation.

The best thing about this bar was that it is a jazz club. There's no cover and there's cheap drinks. Oh yeah, we were the only customers as well. It's a great place to become a regular.
Here's the experimental jazz band.

Ronan, a fine Irishman, is going back to Ireland for x-mas. So, we went to this Polish bar on Division. I would tell you the name, but it has three of them. It's either 1) Monica's Lounge 2) Theresa's Place, or 3) Something in Polish. Either way, it was another great dive bar where a bar fight broke out among "the regulars." Good times!

This is all nice and sweet, but I don't trust that gnome for a second...

Heading home from work on the Damen Blue Line stop.

Another holiday display near Amanda Talmadge's apartment. They seem to be on speed or ex or something.
..
The evil Santa Clause.

This is Amanda's cat Niko (or Neeko, Neco, Nico, or something). Nice cat, but watch the claws.

Frances meets up with Mr. Carpet on the way to Goldie's on Lincoln. Man, that bar is way awesome. The beer and liquor is cheap, they let you bring in or have food delivered to the bar and provide you with menus, no douchebags, video games on a big screen, and a relaxed atmosphere.

Frances and Amanda on the way to the California Clipper to meet up with the rest of the gang.

Frances in her "Virgin Mary" pose.

Frances at the California Clipper.

Some honky tonk band at the Clipper.


I't should be a really good week. Tuesday, I'm not getting anything done at work because I have a breakfast meeting as soon as I get there, a departmental holiday party soon after, and then the company party at 5pm at some architecture firm in the West Loop. Wednesday will be much the same, but recovering from the hangover and getting ready for vacation. Then, I have the next week off. I'll be heading back home at some point and look to have a good time with my friends. Hope to see you all soon!

xoxo,

Mike


Saturday, August 19, 2006

It Doesn't Get Better Than This...

I'm riding pretty high these days. It's official: I got my third promotion within a year at the Chicago Architecture Foundation. It's really a superficial promotion, but what can I say? Nothing really changes except a 10% increase in pay and now I am a "Tour and Volunteer Associate." There's a couple more responsibilities, which I wanted more than the pay in title. But, I still came out ahead. All's well with the ladyfriend. We'll see what happens tomorrow when she comes back. I've been seeing tons of my friends, who you will see below. Amanda Talmadge is coming to town since she is now moving to Chicago. It just keeps getting better and better. Further to fall, I guess...

RECYCLE THE FLAG! Not in Dick Cheney's America! You throw that away and get a new one!


Flag disposal. That's more like it...



Here is some vandalism I enjoy.



Man, this must have ruined someone's day...



France's at the Rail Bar on one of her last days in Chicago.


She loves Chicago!

Dustin Malmquist admiring the band at the California Clipper

Noah and Frances at the California Clipper.

Mike, Cliff, and Dustin.

Warming up...

Almost there....

HILARITY!

Famous Frances hand pictures.


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Hey Kate ____. Haven't seen you in about three or so years.

Noah, Frances, SME at California Clipper.

You are getting sleepy. Very sleepy...

That didn't take much. What a grumpy sleeper...


Kate ____ and myself

Yeah! It's Noah!

Man! It's Noah on something good...

Audrey at the Clipper.

Frances, Noah, and myself. Graduate school so we can be roommates again...

Much love and hope to see you all soon.

Mike

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