Jungle Art

Here's my Children's Expressions calendar at work. I could never make art like this. Come on, look at this. It's a witch using a Jedi Light Saber against Dracula while ghosts are watching. Classic!


This one's for Christyn. Megan and I went to Satay for dinner after some wedding gift shopping for Leslie and Andy. Andy, are you registered at AutoZone or something? Anyway, the food is quick, affordable, and pretty good.


The sign about says it all. The Art Walk Ravenswood is a fun annual event that a few of my friends participate. It's definately a fun event with lots of great arts and things to see.


Here's an 6' tall eagle from a bank building or something at Architectural Artifacts. I don't know if Bubba still works there. But, it's a great store. Basically, it's a lot of great big antiques and pieces of old building up for sale. If you want the facade of an old mansion, you can buy it here!


I think I found what I want to put in my livingroom. It's a counter from an old diner or bar


Close up of the diner/bar counter


The interior of an artists' studio


This guy looks like a guy I went to school with that also did pottery. Even wears the same hat. Weird...


Megan and I went to the Chicago Botanic Garden for "Harvest Fest" on Sunday. Neither of us have been up there before. Harvest Fest wasn't much, but the rest of the gardens are pretty awesome.








They had tips on how to grow pumpkins this large. So, it will be my hobby for next year...






This would be really cool for BBQs...


LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PUMPKINS! And there are like 40 more varieties!






How do you grow a banana tree somewhere as tropical as Chicago?






This is a field of roses. So, next time I need flowers for being a jerk, I know where to get them cheap...


Just like France...




Oh Swany McSwanerson


The church bell thing on Evening Island.


Oh la la


work that camera!


Inside the Regenstein Center gallery.


An Armadilla!


So, what's so amazing about this plant? Look below:


OMG! IT'S LIKE 8' TALL!!!




These plants don't really exist in real life. They are manufactured somewhere in China and used as lawn ornaments in southwestern America.

REVIEWS!!!

So, I watched Deathtrap starring Alfred from Batman (Michael Caine) and Superman (Christopher Reeves). Basically, it's a movie about people trying to kill each other in cleaver ways so they can take credit for writing a Broadway script. But, when I say "cleaver," I mean it in the way that the show Frasier is "cleaver" and "hilarious." It's pretty dry. Not really worth watching unless you want to see Alfred and Superman makeout...

LET’S GEEEEEEEET READY TO RUMBLE!!!

There's nothing like a political debate in a bar. A few of our friends set up watching the Obama/McCain debate at Goldie's in North Center. I hope Obama wins just for the awesome Chicago factor. I can see it now: Obama Park, Obama Avenue, Obama Diner.


Megan in her "model" pose with Veronica (?). Sorry, I forgot your name and didn't really talk to you at all. What I do remember is you would "marry a man in a Mariache (sp?) band."


Katherine. I watched her cat.


Working on the fire truck on a beautiful Fall Chicago day.


Here's the new Fullerton station on the Brown and Red Lines. I use to live on this stop from 2002-03 during college. Now, I work at this stop. It should be completed sometime in 2009 with the rest of the Brown Line.


The Maxwell (Des Plaines) Street Market has gone upscale. Here's part of the new grounds. For those who don't know, the Maxwell Street Market use to be on Maxwell Street. Then UIC decided to tear down the neighborhood for a new student living center. So, this 100+ year old market was forced to move and the city reluctantly let them exist. Then moved to Canal Street and then developers tore down the neighborhood and put in all new Staples, Whole Foods, and all. What that meant was then had the city force Maxwell Street Market to move... Again... This time, the city made a very smart, very Chicago move. They moved the market to Des Plaines and set the street up for it specifically. It's all marked off with room to grow. They actually give out permits now (which is good and bad if you ask me). But, at least it has survived!!!


Megan and I found Mike Nummerdor at the market. Rosie (his lady) bought the lovely globe pictured here.








By definition; heaven...


This looks like every alley your mother tells you "not to go down." I definately went and it was AWESOME!!!


My newest shirt. Of course, I ran a marathon. Little ol' asthmatic Mike turned into a ball of mucus for eight hours after reaching mile one. Actually, the Marathon takes place later and I will not be running it at all because I tend to stop breathing after a little more than a mile of running...

IN OTHER NEWS:
As of yesterday, I am now fully insured. So, if you have a grudge against me for whatever reason and want to do me physical harm, now is the time to do so.

CLASSIFIEDS:
I have a new Intel-based iMac. Does anyone have Photoshop and/or Quicken that they'd like to lend me?

ON TV:
I'm only going to watch TV tonight. Cubs against the Dodgers in Game 2. White Sox against the Rays in Game 1. Joe Biden against Sarah Palin in the ring.

REVIEWS:
No food reviews this week. Odd, eh? But, I did watch The French Connection with a young Gene Hackman. It was a decent cop movie. Probably the "The Departed" of it's time. It was alright. It kept my attention and it's great seeing 1970s New York.

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

Heroes For Life

Children's Memorial Hospital needs to build a new hospital. Below is a link about what will be done and how you can help:
www.HeroesForLife.org


IT'S OFFICIAL! Children's Memorial Hospital has launched it's fundraising campaign to build the $1 billion Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago in the downtown neighborhood of Streeterville. To celebrate, we had an event at Northerly Island (formerly Meigs Field Airport).


Here's the outdoor patio area looking out over the Chicago skyline


Here's Dennis DeYoung from Styx rockin' out!


BLUES LEGEND BUDDY GUY PLAYED!!! I got to watch him from about 10 inches away!!!


BUDDY!!!


My uncle John is going to be so jealous!


This was a great event. Just look at how nice it is.


The food was great! They had all kinds of "Tenderloin of Beef," sushi, rosotto (sp?), crapes, tarts, sliced meats, and lots more!


Nathan looking and what's in the next couple photos.


FIREWORKS!!!


And, it was timed to music in the theme of "heroes" and "Chicago."


A view from outside the tent at the end of the night.

A great and fun night overall generously donated to Children's Memorial Hospital for the purpose of raising money for the new hospital.

Again, please visit this website so children from Chicago and around the world can continue to get world class healthcare:
www.HeroesForLife.org