Chicago - Day 2

I was in a really good social media conference all day Monday and Tuesday at a hotel out by O'Hare.

Let me just tell you: there is NOTHING going on at O'Hare.

So, after a very informative day of "conferencing" I headed downtown to meet up with Tyler. Oh yeah. He's here. Where is Tyler not?

I took myself to the nearest Metro, subway, El - whatever it's called here - stop, and tried to figure out how to meet Tyler downtown. I've always heard D.C.'s and Chicago's train systems are supposed to be "sisters" to one another, and I could see that. They're very similar. However, I really believe D.C.'s metro is nicer and has a broader range throughout the city. The cars on the Chicago train remind me of the NYC subway and there is really only one hub here to change trains and go to other parts of town.

I finally found Tyler and we went to the Signature Room at the Hancock Building for a drink. It's one of those sky lounges with a 360 degree view of the city. It was touristy, and amazing! I secretly love sky lounges. Being back in the "big city" looking out at all the lights and...cityness... going on around me made me want a martini. It was worth it - all $12 of it. It did, however, make me miss one thing about smaller towns - cheap drinks.

From the sky lounge, Tyler and I embarked on an ultimately fruitless quest to find a recommended blues bar. I love blues. I wanted blues. And if I'm going to be in a famed blues city I want to hear it.

We ultimately landed at a blues bar and restaurant and enjoyed some good food and an AMAZING band. A-maz-ing.

Then I made my way back to BFE Chicago for some rest before my final conference day.

Heading in...

The view...!


The blues bar we finally landed at...


In blues country...!


I had jambalaya (left) and Tyler had stuffed catfish...delish!

The rockin' band!!

He's Baa-ck!

But it wasn't for very long.

Tyler came blowin' into town last night like a tumblin' tumbleweed.

On his way to Omaha to see his sis, he stopped in Cheyenne to hang out for the night and check out my new life.

I showed him around town, we had dinner and drinks, and as T and I do, we went to a divy diner for breakfast.

This morning's pick was the Luxury Diner. Once inside, it really is more luxurious than a true divy place should be. But I still like it.

The place is a converted old rail car that doesn't seat very many.

They have a typical greasy spoon menu with eggs, burgers and such. But they also have some healthier options, which I think is nice (and which goes against everything a divy restaurant should be, I know).

One room is pretty devoted to trains, while the other has more of a 50s pop-culture theme.

The waitresses keep the coffee comin' and are down right attentive and nice.

After breakfast Tyler rode off into the...mid-day sun. I was bummed, but glad he got a taste of ol' Chey-town - literally and figuratively.

The lap o' luxury...


Since 1926 and still goin' strong...


Tyler agreed that his huevos rancheros were quite memorable...


Inside the train room...


Another greasy spoon success story!

Matt Lauer Lovin' Once Again

In general, I don't watch a lot of t.v.

It's not necessarily because I have some philosophical aversion to it, but mostly because I have other things I do with my time. And really, most times I'd rather listen to music than flip on the tube.

I know this totally puts me out of the loop on such water cooler topics as who slept with who on The Hills, and what contestant was voted off America's Got Talent, but I do have some favorite shows, for sure, and even some shows I've made a point not to miss.

One of those is the Today Show. I absolutely L.O.V.E. the Today Show.

My senior year of college Jonna and I decided not to spring for cable. And cable-free I went for years - even in D.C. - until about two years ago when I decided enough was enough with the rabbit ears and the fuzzy NBC, one of my favorite channels.

What a perk to see Matt Lauer clearly every morning - even though it's his voice I'm most accustomed to since I'm usually getting ready for work at that time and I obviously only have the show on for the...um...headlines.

When I lived with Carrie the t.v. was rarely on in the mornings - except for Tyler watching Plum T.V., the fun Vail channel. I didn't even care. And I can honestly say there was about a three month window where I barely knew what was going on outside my Vail bubble. A weird position for a former press secretary to find herself, but I was in a different state of mind then. I had a job to find. A life to figure out. I didn't have time to pay attention to Mr. Lauer and his...major headlines.

Now, with my own apartment once again, I have wireless internet through the local cable company, but I decided to revert back to the rabbit ears for a while. Only until I can either get my five months of unemployment figured out, or I have to make the major switch to digital cable, whichever comes first.

So, I'm back to a fuzzy Matt Lauer in the mornings. But the important thing is he's back. This means I've got me a steady morning routine. It means I'm getting back in the game.

Good morning Matt!

Tyler-In-A-Box

Ok, Tyler wasn't actually in a box, but a couple nights ago he popped up at the end of my bed like a Jack-In-A-Box, scaring the h-e-double hockey sticks out of me.

The room was pitch black and Carrie had just startled me by coming home from dinner without turning any lights on and suddenly showing up in my room.

She was laughing rather hysterically leaving me to think she'd enjoyed several glasses of wine with her meal. She denied this and continued to gasp for air through her laughter.

We chatted through her hysteria when suddenly someone said, "Hello, Kim."

I screamed, nearly kicked Carrie off the bed, and threw the covers up to my face. I found out then the cause of Carrie's laughter was Tyler slithering across the floor and peeping up periodically from the end of the bed. Yep, Carrie was in on the whole thing.

Tyler, Carrie and I have been hanging out since.

Your guess is as good as mine as to why I continue to spend time with them.

Adios Roomie!

Tyler left today.

I'm actually quite bummed about this. Ask anyone after this last summer, when Tyler spent two months on my couch in my studio apartment, and my sentiments would have been quite different.

But this time we were in the same boat. This go 'round we were both living under someone else's roof. And, since Carrie has to work a lot, Tyler and I became like two little peas in a pod.

Since we both worked the late shift, one of our things to do together was to grab breakfast.

So, this morning we went one last time. To one of my favorite little places in the Valley, and the place T took me on my first morning here. The French Press.

We sat under this fantastic picture that I just love, love, love, and toasted with our lattes. Not quite the Guiness we normally would toast with (Guiness has become T's new nectar it seems), but the foam is similar, I suppose.

I mentioned to CK that Tyler left for good this morning, but he had a good point...Tyler never leaves for good.

So, even though I might be bummed, there is a sunny side...

No more pull-out couch for me. I get his room.

Hasta la vista Tyler!

Only in a Ski Town

Saturday night I dragged Tyler out for a night on the town. We, or I anyway, had been planning this all week. We hadn't planned to meet a bunch of famous skiers, however.

The group included folks like Chris Anthony, who stars in Warren Miller movies, and a certain famous American alpine skier, A.J. Kitt. I've seen a few Warren Miller flicks and thought they were cool, but there is no way I would ever have known who Mr. Anthony (or Mr. Kitt) was until it was explained to me.

We also gave a ride to a random gymnast that night, but since we're in a ski town nobody knew who he was. I'm sure there are other towns where he is famous.

And, Chris Anthony was at the table next to me at lunch today, so I'm convinced he's following me. Which would only happen in a ski town, I'm sure.

Greasy Eggs and Ham

My hours at work are from 11 or 11:30 a.m. until close, which leaves me lots of time in the mornings to get up, work out, check email, etc.

Today, however, Tyler wanted to go to breakfast.

After exploring the little nearby town of Minturn a couple days ago, I suggested we hit the Turntable diner. It looked divy and fun, and I had just read in the Vail Daily that it was a favorite spot for breakfast.

It was perfect.

The name isn't just a play on the word Minturn, it also defines the theme of the place. Inside it's all oldies rock 'n roll paraphernalia intermixed with pictures of historic Colorado and Minturn. Early 80s music pumped through the dining room and the hostess/server was everything she should be at a greasy spoon in a small town, complete with the raspy smoker's voice and several "darlins" and "huns" thrown in.

"Coffee?" "Yes," Tyler and I answered obediently. It's the kind of place that doesn't serve frou frou lattes with sugar free syrups. I got mine black to fit in. Tyler threw caution (and manliness) to the wind and added cream and sugar.

Our meal? Well, they certainly don't skimp on portions, that's for sure, and it was all for a meager $10 a piece. Pretty good.

The best part was when we left. I told T he had no choice but to take a picture with me in this:



It was like icing on the cake...or grease on the griddle.

Positively Beaming

I want to take a moment to share something I am very proud of...

I have just finished putting all my stuff away at Carrie's.

This is not monumental for most people, I know. But if you could've seen what I had done to her apartment with boxes and bags you would maybe feel the same way I do. Accomplished. And, as I told a friend earlier, kind of like a squirrel that has hidden its acorns everywhere.

You see, it's not just me who's staying with Carrie right now. Our friend Tyler is also here. And Tyler, being the first to arrive at Carrie's hostel for lost and wandering friends, has the guest room. I tried to put as little in there as I could out of respect for his space, but some things just couldn't be helped.

The rest of my stuff is stored creatively and unintrusively throughout the rest of the apartment. At least that's what I hope she will think.

I would like to be as unsquirrel-esq as possible when it comes time to move, however. So, I've been taking both mental and physical note of where everything is - including my stuff in Linds H.'s house in Laramie. I know that sounds geeky, but I'm hoping when the time comes, it will help me know where all my nuts are stored.