I <3 New York City

MEGAN AND I WENT TO NEW YORK FOR A WEDDING!


Megan and Liz (the bride)


Look at our awesome hotel room at the Salisbury! We got at upgrade!






central park>


The Dairy>








I like the real bird poop behind the fake bird.








Not the usual type of ceiling you'd find in a public park






http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b37/hfipublishing/New%20York/100_0816.jpg
The Weather Station in Central Park








Inside the weather castle


The Met


<5th Avenue


The Plaza Hotel


The carriage rides into Central Park


FAO Schwartz!








Taking a lunch break at Trump Tower




Ol' St. Patrick's


Rockafeller Plaza












The site of the former World Trade Center


My first official piece of New York style pizza in New York. Notice how I have folded my pizza in half. Why? I don't know.






In Chicago, this may be seen in an alley. Not in NYC. This is right in front of Wall Street, which is probably one of the highest concentrations of wealth on earth. Yet, they have trash piled up on their sidewalk. True wealth, indeed...




The Statue of Liberty WAAAAAAAY off in the distance








The Brooklyn Bridge!






Superdawg and Hot Doug's is much better...

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The New York Times building






I learned so much about coffee beans here...






A celebrity sighting!!!!


Toys R Us in Time Square!






">
,br>Looking good!




Columbia Circle





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Grand Central Station






New York Public Library





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Macy's






Flatiron Building




I guess this is where they stick their homeless population in Manhatten...










A truck with a rocket strapped to it.

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I left the station for food since the only thing I could find was a burger for $12. TO THE STREET VENDOR!!!


THE BEST GYRO I'VE EVER HAD!

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Welcome to Fairfield, Connecticut. This is where we had our rehearsal dinner at the Roger's house (of Roger's and Hammerstein) and also where Megan went to college.

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Before we got real ugly. And we got real ugly that night. It wasn't the drinking or anything fun either. It was food poisoning or something. Worst night of my life and Megan's still dealing with it. What a fun plane ride home that was...

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The happy couple



NEW YORK CITY!!!!

I’m ENRAGED!

I mean, ENGAGED, to this fine little lady. Details to come and phone calls to make:


xoxo,
Mike

Those Were Simpler Times Indeed

Nick on X-mas. We hung out with them after going to Megan's bosses party earlier. Her boss was getting ready for the party and saw Rod Blagojevich in front of his house huffing and puffing from jogging. When he walled up, he asked, "are you okay?" hoping he wasn't going to have a heart attack or something.
"Yeah! The truth will come out," says Blago.
"Oh, okay, well keep your head up." was his uplifting reply. Then a black SUV rolls up. A man yells out, "Are you okay sir." Blago nods and continues his run.
In this picture though, Nick is playing Mexican Train.


A Pickle Pult is the best kind of heat to pack.


Here's the ammo


Here's a good beer from Wisconsin. It was established in 1848 or something. It's sad when people from 1848 were remembering "Simpler Times." I imagine it going like this:
"Remember when we didn't have paved roads, sewers, and outhouse?"
"Ah yes, simpler times..."


Eric and Nick having some Pete's Pizza. A deep dish, of course, while we're celebrating New Years at Goldie's


Christie and Eric flashing the 2-double zero-9

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Nick wearing his "BOOZ" glasses


Megan says to Mike, "Ohhhh, let's take a picture now before we look ugly!"


Eric looks like he's from some scary movie based on New Years 2009. Like "Hellraiser: New Years Resolution."


DANCE TO TETRIS AND BASEKETBALL!


This just makes it look the the best night ever! Christie, Eric, Katherine, Nick, and Megan are all so excited!


Somehow, our facial expressions are exactly the reverse of what they really were in this picture.


This is the image going on our wedding invitations...

Spent last weekend up in Muskegon visiting the parents and the grandparents. I no longer know where anything is. Did you know Target is in Fruitport and a Walmart in Norton Shores? The world is topsy-turvy...

Eggo My Lego

This is a snowfall that started about a week ago and hasn't stopped. We've have a few inches since this was taken and about 6 more by x-mas.


The view of the bush outside my window. It has about twice as much snow after today.


This is Nick's "Yankee Gift Exchange" for Megan. Lego Star Wars guys!


They are so epic


Brave!


Fast!


LOYAL!


and the latest addition to our toy shelf...


Here's Grover on the lunchbox flashing the "Van Buren Boys" gang sign


Megan love "It's A Wonderful Life." So, when she saw that it was going to be on the big screen at the Music Box as a double feature, we had to go. We were completely unprepared. We thought we were going to a movie, not an experience. It was their 25th x-mas show that featured a choir, a organ player, and a possibly drunk Santa leading a sing-a-long. Everyone (except us) was dressed up and insane. Every time (literally) Mr. Potter came on the screen everyone hissed. Whenever Clarence was on screen people would ring their little bells. We were completely unprepared, but it was good fun.


The show was sold out. This is before. The second movie was "A White Christmas" with Bing Crosby and George Clooney's grandma. Megan has never seen it and I forgot which movie that was. Once it started, I remembered I really don't like that movie and Megan leaned over half way through and said, "I really don't like this." So, we left. The crowd for the second movie was weird too. There was some Army guy that was so excited by everything and sang along to the "Sisters" song.

Christmas plans are still somewhat in flux. I'm staying in Chicago for the 25th for sure. We're heading to a couple parties that day after we open gifts under our little tree. Michigan for a quick weekend trip (pending weather that won't kill us).

On a final note: You have to check out this story from Chicago today. It's like something out of a movie. Amazing and stupid at the same time! http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/12/man-survives-100-foot-fall-from-dan-ryan.html

German Christmas Village Santa Train Party Christmas Explosion

Downtown Chicago. The tree (or hundreds of little trees making a large one) in Daley Plaza with the skyscraper church in the background.


Kristkindlmarkt (aka German Christmas Village) in Daley Plaza


Even Jesus had a booth at the German x-mas village...


Someday, I will have a mantle over the fireplace that looks like this...


Pretty trees


Governor Blagojevich's home, which is down the street from ours. There are several news vans and a helicopter here at all times. I'm still trying to figure out how what he did is worse than any other politician. I mean, people and corporations don't give millions of dollars ($1 billion alone between Barrack Obama and John McCain) to politicians because of their "ideals" or they are "good people." They give money because they expect something in return. Ask Dick Cheney about Haliburton. Is it because he got caught and swears? I'm not a supporter or a fan of Blago, but I still don't see what the big fuss is all about.


SANTA TRAIN! Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Train! Megan and I took this to Katherine's X-mas party. My favorite is the CTA employee dressed as an elf giving out candy canes. She said this is her eighth year doing this.


Even the seats!












My "White Elephant" or "Yankee Gift Exchange" present was a frog shower cap. It goes nicely with my x-mas sweater!


Katherine and another couple at Katherine's party


Katherine was very proud of her real tree with bubbler lights. And, for you Michiganders, she did get them from Bonner's in Frankenmuth...


Megan and I checked out a few places this weekend. Here's one with a view of Soldier Field.


Now, imagine this as my home with socks and art supplies on the floor. Oh, look how well that 1999 iMac looks shoved in the corner...




A view of the Clark House (I think that's what it's called), which is the oldest home in Chicago.


Look at all the trains. There are a couple of "El" lines and freight trains in this area. The South Loop is an old train yard area. Lots of tracks remain and the train companies still own the land. But recently, they have begun to lease the "air rights" over the rails for 99 years to developers to put up buildings. The area north of Grant Park is the same way. There's a whole underground city and infrastructure around there.


Here's the view from the new Museum Park building overlooking Grant Park. Not bad. I mean, I'd expect more from a place that ranges between $1.6 - $2 million...


Here's my wife, Ann Fairbanks, deciding whether or not this property would be a good investment. "It would be nice for events..."


It's snowing like crazy out there. First, it snowed. Then in was nice and warm and melted the snow. Then, it got cold and hell and froze all the melted snow and iced everything up. Now, there's all of this. I'm so glad I don't drive...

I hope everyone is doing as well as I am these days. Lots of x-mas parties lately and a ton more to come. I think I have three more this week, one was today, and a few last week. Then there's x-mas itself... Busy...

xoxo,

Mike