Showing posts with label flag. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flag. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Las Condes, Chile

Las Condes, Chile, 2015
Acrylic on Canvas Board
8" x 10" " (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm) 
Collection of Lynne Lewis
© copyright Mike Kraus

5 DAYS LEFT for 20% OFF with my anniversary coupon code 1YEARFUN

The blue skies over Chile with the Andes Mountains is a celebration of memories and knowing where you're from.  She was an exchange student there.  But all those souvenirs were lost in a fire.  Many years later, her family welcomed a new child from Las Condes.  A city that has a special place in all their hearts.

  For more information or custom order, please visit:

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

My B-day is Going To Cause My Broken Back

Thanks to everyone for your b-day wishes. I think I have received more b-day congrats this year than any other year. Probably because MySpace has that b-day feature. Whatever the reason, thanks!


This is one of Noah & Frances' new cats. I believe this is Cinnamon Pop Tart.


And, I think this one is Turnip Bicycle?


Here's Frances in her new apartment with my old painting (Ben Johnson has made a claim)


USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!


Megan and SME at the California Clipper for a kinda b-day, Dustin visiting, need something to do night. We just about took the bar over with all the Muskegon Exiles there.


Noah, Frances, and I at the Clipper.


Frances getting ready for dispute resolution Humboldt Park style. Just like old times in Michigan.


Noah has never looked at Frances so lovingly...


Me and Noah in the pointing game.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIKE! LET'S GO TO A POLICE AUCTION. It was pretty fun, but I thought it would have cooler things like cars, drug dealer homes, couches, and all. They had tons of bikes!


Here are the two bikes we won! Megan's was $30 and mine was $25.


And here's Megan's new bike helmet.

Thanks again to everyone for making a great b-day for me. I hope to see you all soon if I don't see you a lot already at the weekly BBQs. If you do go to the weekly BBQs, I hope to see you tonight! xoxo, Mike

Monday, July 2, 2007

Belchy Bartokomous Or Farty McFly?

Things are coming along nicely. In a few days, I will be at the copy shop making the next issue of my 'zine. It's all written and all. So, hooray! In the next couple of weeks, I will be going camping. Hooray again! The 4th of July is this week. I've been BBQ-ing like there's no tomorrow. Fireworks! HOORAY!

Here's a bee drawn on a building that caught on fire near my apartment.


I've been seeing some fine automobiles lately. I have to think it's somehow connected to the Transformers movie.


The girls posing for Katie's (left) going away party, part II. For those that don't know, Katie is going to be a "Marilyn Monroe-type actress" at Disney World. So, that means a trip to Disney this October!

 
Margarita's for Katie!


Nick showing off Black Moses by Isacc Hayes. Karli's mom gave it to him with some other good finds from garage sales in Minnesota.


This is my new favorite photographer. He is located across the street from the Two-Way Lounge on Lincoln.


Matt and Amanda at the Two-Way Lounge. I don't know when the Two-Way became a Hipster bar, but it's strange. Seeing a packed bar full of kids with funny haircuts is much different than a couple of regulars. It's a good time, but a very different atmosphere. It's only a matter of time though until the douchebags arrive and PBR goes from $1 to $3...


Nick, Rob, and Matt figuring out the economics of the Two-Way.


To me, this much patriotism is suspicious. What are they hiding behind the flag that is eight stories tall and six windows wide? Is this a front? Whatever it is, I have to say: USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!


Tearing down a building on Clark somewhere near the Gold Coast.


I'm all about environmentalism, but I have limits. This is the worm bin at work. We are suppose to dump our food into this bin and have the worms convert it into dirt. Nothing too odd since I grew up with a composter and had a similar set up in Grand Rapids. But, this is downtown Chicago. This thing is going to stink up the office and bring in more bugs than you can imagine. Also, what are we going to do with the dirt in downtown Chicago? We don't have plants because we don't have windows. I'm sure you will hear more about this. It's the talk of the office already...


Beth and John showing off John's Pasta Party 2007.


PIZZA FEST! IT'S PIZZA FEST. This is Pizza Fest? Really? What a disappointment. Well, it wasn't well planned. Pizza Fest is a great idea and everyone I knew wanted to go to it. But, they scheduled it at the same time as the Taste of Chicago and no vendor was going to be here instead. So, only three pizza stands at Pizza Fest. I think they had more sunglass vendors than pizza. It was their first year. If they do this next year and hold it in September, I bet it would be awesome.


Mike, Megan, and I hung out at the beach for a little bit since Pizza Fest was a bust. Sat in the patio area overlooking downtown and then walk the beach. Feet in the water. Nice...

..
What a strange lifeguard situation in Chicago. If our lifeguards are in a rowboat wearing rain coats, it's no wonder they never filmed Baywatch here.


Cooking hot dogs at Angela and Brent's apartment!


Karli teasing the very pleasant Gracie.


Words fail me...

That's all. It should be another busy week. At some point, I need to pick up some batteries because they are on their last leg. No batteries = no pictures. With all the festivals, parties, and trips coming up, I need to remedy that soon. Much love, Mike

Monday, June 11, 2007

Chicago Is the Best Friggin' Place On Earth In the Summer!

Well, the title about sums it up...


Let's start off by paying tribute to the American Empire with an eight story flag.


Constrution of Block 37


Another view of Block 37


Nick and Karli enjoying a banana split from the "Ice Cocaine Truck." Little background for those who don't know. We have a ice cream truck that drives around our neighborhood at 10pm or later almost every night. Just seem a bit suspicious since most kids should be in bed. But, it keeps us adult kids all sugered up, I guess...


Went to Kuma's Corner for "Heavy Metal Burgers." This was the "Melvins!"


Karli got the "Judas Priest."


Nick had the "Iron Maiden."


And Mike is polishing off the "Metallica" burger. They were the best burgers I've every had. Especially since I was hungry at 6pm and didn't get it until 9:30pm. It was gone is seconds.


"A Private Bathroom" in Humboldt Park.


RIBFEST! Frances, Karli, and Mike waiting in line for Ribs from Hecky's, which served ribs from a school bus. The ribs were great and the baked beans were awesome. MESSAGE TO KATE DIAL - I OWE YOU RIBS AND THIS IS WHERE WE'LL GO! THEY ARE WAY BETTER THAN APPLEBEES!


Andrew and Matt relaxing at Ribfest.


Frances and I at Goldie's after Ribfest where we met up with Julianne and Damanda Talmadge.


Francy Pants.


Frances taking a nice picture with Mike at Goldies!


This about sums it up.


Mike, Nick, Frances, and I headed down to Maxwell (Canal) Street Market. Nick got Wheel of Fotune and Double Dare for Nintendo. Frances got giant pink sunglasses. All of us got really good tacos.


Frances scoping out the goods.


Looking for a good pair of sunglasses.


While waiting for Damanda to get out of work, Frances and I headed down to the book fair.


We met up with Damanda at the Andersonville Midsommer Fest. It was by far the gayest festival ever. I don't mean that as an insult. I mean there were more gay people here than at the Gay Pride Parade. Here, we see a scene where a cover band was playing all the hits from Journey, Rick Springfield, R. Kelly, Will Smith, and more!


I can't even discribe what this is. Basically, super-muscle gay men dancing with each other topless and either drunk or drugged up. It's not often that dancers in the back of the crowd get more attention than the band on stage.


This was another stage that featured a Motley Crue cover band with hair and all! We didn't even know this was going on until we went on the hunt for food and ended up at T's. Get the burger if you ever go yourself.

That about sums it up. Frances has another day in Chicago and we've just been going to all the great stuff around here.

Either tomorrow or Wednesday (depending on the source) is that start of the Puerto Rican Festival in my neighborhood (Humboldt Park). I'm really excited about it since it looks like chaos will reign. The neighbor kid has come over to do chores for us to earn money so he can go to the carnival. I may have to take some time off of work for this...

xoxo,
Mike

If you like this, you might like...

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...