The Weekend Update: Memorial Day

0.5 Most of my Saturday night friends in the "best" pose.

I just love 3 day weekends!

1. The weekend is best started with an after work cocktail with a good friend at Holligans.
2. If you like shoes or drag queens I'd recommend seeing the movie Kinky boots.
3. Saturday night a couple of my friends learned some good lessons.
a. Vension meat is actually deer meat.
b. The word dump is only used in special cases. "I took a dump on the ice" is not one of them.
4. Little girls need to be taught about strangers, not jump on their lap and hug them.
5. The stigma of Jo Cats wears off if you're sober.
6. Burn baby Burn, and that's what I did Sunday morning.
7. Brought the (cough) (ahem) boyfriend home to meet the family.
8. If only we had some missing teeth we could have been a hick family.
a. made chicken on a beer can (again)
b. made pie on the grill
c. watch people tube off pontoon boats
d. watch children drive their cars into parked cars.
9. Ate at Coldstone Creamery for the first time ever. I ordered a mint and banana and the guy behind the counter said I was wierd.
10. Closed the long weekend walking alongside Lake Michigan.

Dear Grandma

Dear Grandma Rose,

I hope you're having an excellent Memorial Day weekend. You're probably up north and won't be checking this till Tuesday, but I just wanted to let you know I had my first, second martini. It was fantastic. I thought of you when I ordered it. I wasn't even on planing on having a cocktail because it wasn't even 5 o'clock yet. A work meeting landed us inside an pub and when that waitress came around the words "ice water" couldn't come out of my mouth, instead "dry martini" filled it's spot. How wierd is that? However I do have a question for you - the waitress but a lemon instead of a green olive in the glass, is this normal? Well thanks for introducing me to martini I think we'll get along just fine.

gina

The Weekend Update: HAPPY

1. Meet Jeff out for a 3 drink maximum night. Started at Hooligans, OG’s for curly fries and the fabulous Axels for darts.
2. John, if you’re reading this, I hope you are having a great time in Seattle, but BLOODY tell us you’re moving!
3. Drank beer, oh yeah and went on the Miller tour with a couple crazy friends.
4. Saw that my roommate was in much need of some Man Scaping.
5. If anyone hasn’t tried chicken cooked on a beer can, they should make it there Half Year Resolution.
6. Had a fantastic brunch at the Country Club (Grandma did not have a martini, I repeat did not)
7. Sound on the tallest point of Waukesha County where I could see Holy Hill, absolutely incredible
8. Skipped around the woods and swung on some tree (without getting hurt)
9. Found a new favorite toy, an electric stapler, although it’s best held by a handsome lad.
10. Went back to the County Claire for a new favorite beverage, the Irish Diesel.

My Chair!

Before and After

Here's what I've been working on for the past couple weeks. The photo doesn't do it justice so if anyone wants to come over and sit in the beauty they are more than welcome. Must bring wine.

Rooster Burger

I was curious as to why we don’t eat roosters. They look like a chicken, but how often to we grill up a rooster or have breaded rooster or Kentucky fried rooster? Never. So I did a little research on to see if the male version of a hen is edible:
“Rooster meat is by far tougher than hen's meat, but it is edible. It's the hormones in the meat that makes the difference. Just like with beef, for instance. A yearling steer (Castrated male, castrated while young) makes the best beef available. Cow meat isn't nearly as nice, and is often sold as 'budget' beef. It's still fairly edible, but has a little different flavour and is a little tougher, because of the estrogen that goes through their system. And bull meat is quite tough and stringy, and has a very stong flavour to it, because of the testosterone in it. “

Anyone up for a Rooster Burger?

The Weekend Update: Grandma Day

I ended the weekend completing one of my new year’s resolutions. Can you guess which one?

1. Caught up with William Zabka at the Ynot II.
2. Broke down after 6 months and had a piece of meat (summer sausage) and it was good.
3. Finished upholstering my chair!
4. Took my mom’s mom and her special friend out to dinner.
5. Didn’t win the conversation that grandma’s countertops have always had a pattern in them and there was no way windex got in them.
6. Was told by a two year old that I was scared of dogs.
7. If you ask a small child what her favorite dog does, there’s a good chance she’ll lick the side of your face.
8. Drank my first martini with my dad’s mom. The first sips were sketchy but after that it was a smooth ride and I understand why she walks down the beach with them.
9. After a weekend of not parting I brought a bottle of Cedarburg wine to Sara’s house and we didn’t stop till it was finished. There was food and Sunday evening programming on as well.
10. Realized the little things make all the difference.

Optomism in the Rain

Right now, in Milwaukee, it is pouring rain. I've decided to stay home from work and get some personal work down. Oddly I can't be more happy right now. Maybe it's because I haven't taken a personal day in about a year. Or it was the double chocolate-chocolate cake from last night that Big Mike at Baker's Square recommended. My Key lime pie failed when I was about to "woo" my handsome host Or it's the phone call for my next work opportunity. Or it was the 20lb lobster in the tank at William Ho's. Or maybe it is one of those times where everything in flows together. And the best part after the rain is that things will start to grow even more, even my chocolate appetite.

Where's the Beef?

So before hitting Euro bar for a birthday party my roomie and I stopped at the grocery store. I was beginning to think I was nuts and just forgetting to buy bread. Turns out my roomie has been scarfing down my whole wheat. And I owed him lime juice so off to the markets we went!
Processed cow in a can anyone?
Three loafs should do it!

The Weekend Update: Can't help but smile

My best senior picture pose.

The girls at the Eastsider

Another great weekend where everything was unplanned

1. If you go out with 3 other hot women you're bound to attract attention, get shots and get picked up by the Eastside bartender.
2. Laughed, danced and took our best pictures at Flannery's.
3. Got exceptionaly far on my chair I'm upholstering.
4. Learned never to use box die, although everyone loves gina in darker hair.
5. Saw my soon to be niece work a room of adults, she had us in tears, almost pissing ourselves with her comedy.
6. Learned the the jack-fruit is grown in tropical climates and can get up to 200 pounds. Yes I had the Jacked-Up salad at the forty8.
7. Played glow-in-the-dark frisbee in the Whitnall park gardens.
8. On the way back to Shorewood a long stem red rose ended up in my hand by an astonishing gentleman.
9. Walked by a house where the owner placed fake flowers in her yard. I chuckeled.
10. It's Sunday night and I still can't help but smile.

Place the food item in the food group

I started the vegetable/fruit inquiry by looking up cucumber in the dictionary. Turns out this long beloved vegetable is actually a fruit. So I brought this conversation up with someone and have been deliberating on what group the PEA fits into. Thoughts?

The Late Weekend Update

This weekend was so fun that I completely missed my monday post!

1. Met the girls for martinis at Hotel Metro
2. Dance and sang and watched Sara proceed from normal to bubbly at Lucilles (Happy B-day Jon!)
3. Showed my face in Jo Catz since the magical driver lisence night.
4. The only pick up line I got was from Sara, "If I said you had a great body would you hold it against me?" She grabbed me anyway.
5. My perfectionistic side got the best of me in my upholstery class
6. Cooked a fabolous dinner for a male. No, this one isn't my drug dealer
7. Partied out in Bayview, where I found Hayward Williams, he did the best cover of a Springsteen song to date!
8. Closed down LuLu's and had my first organic wine.
9. Had to have an intervention with me and Springsteen's new album.
10. Saw "Thank you for Smoking" and got a surprise when a flood of popcorn ended up on my lap.

turning Folk

Bruce Springsteen new album, We Shall Overcome, the Seeger Sessions, was released on Tuesday. I haven't stopped listening to it. While it is clear break from his classic rock it still is Bruce. Simple ballads songs are decorated with violins, trumpets, a tuba, a trombone, a banjo and even an accordion. There's a rooted serenity in how these songs are played. Removed from the sudio and recording in a country house comes out in the innocence of the song. If I could roll up my jeans and stomp in the mud I would, oh wait, I can!

The MAN candle

There's a man candle in the dining room. It suprisingly doesn't smell like girl or bakery. It smells like thick musty blueberries. So kudos to the candle factory for appealing to the male species.

Gina makes an arse out of herself

So yesterday I had a nice social activity with a handsome lad. We went to the driving range and then decided to stop at a burger joint. When the woman rings up the total I say, "I got it because you brought the balls." Pause. Pause. Pause. Yeah some people tell me I have a way with words.

The Weekend Update: Everyone’s getting old

1. Threw Dad a surprise birthday party although my Dad is a smart man and has his way of finding out about things.
2. The guy who made me wet myself when I was a kid brought tears to my eyes.
3. I haven’t accomplished one of my new years resolutions: Acquire a taste for martinis. This would have been the perfect time as Grandma was sipping them delightfully.
4. I really like upholstering
5. Discovered Bayview and had a fabulous birthday dinner for one of my many lovely friends.
6. I think my friend should start a car dancing sport.
7. Thrift shopping is best when you locate a shop in the wealthiest neighborhoods.
8. My hope to have a rockstar evening on Saturday turned into a Jazz affair on Sunday.
9. Working very hard the week before makes the weekend so much easier.
10. The week is best started with a walk to work with Jeff.

Beer for Breakfast

As usual, on my walks to work I usually notice something out of the ordinary. This morning I was crossing a street near the MSOE campus when this guy (a rugged 50 but slim) was riding his yellow bicycle. When I bring a lunch to work I usually throw it in a plastic bag and wrap it around my bike handles. This is because my bag is full of work shoes, a coffee thermos, a calendar and other misc items. It is quite hard to do this and I give credit to this man for riding with this plastic bag that could at any time jab into the front tire causing a scenario. Today, though, I could see the contents inside this plastic bag - three shinny cans of ICEHOUSE. It was 8:26 dude in the am. Here is what I'm thinking.

A. His wife left him and was grabbing the beer before she hit the road and a meesly 3 was all he could manage to save.
B. He found a way to drink during the workday at which I will have to find him to take lessons.
C. He was too drunk this morning to distinguish the coke cans from the beer cans.
D. He is on a new diet. Breakfast: beer, Lunch: beer, Snack: beer.
E. He works third shift and is headed for his after work drink since bars are not open.
F. He is just having a really bad morning.

The Weekend Update: Bear Right

If you would like to make a slight turn in Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota you would "bear right" instead of taking a slight right. This an other new learnings below.

1. Driving up to Mall of America takes way to long
2. Bridesmaid dresses can be found in a color and style that the whole bridal party is happy with - at the first store.
3. Customer service is horrible. Register Lady: The strapeless one comes with strapes or Would you like to try a size eight in a blue? ME: I'm not a size eight and we are not wearing blue.
4. Danielle will get served a water alongside a cocktail just because the waitress mistakes comedy for drunkeness
5. June Bugs does a body good.
6. Some men like to be rated in order of boyfriend potential.
7. UPF = Upper Pussy Fat (This woman looked like she was carry a cow's uterus below her belly button)
8. Speeding because I can't stand sitting will cause the State Trooper (female) to pull me over.
9. Teaching a 2 1/2 year old to blow bubbles is adorable.
10. Pepto must follow easter candy eatting.

The morning girl in kitchen scenario

This morning I went down to the kitchen to fill my thermos up with coffee and there was a girl there. Hmmm. And then she sat down in the living room and didn't say anything. One of my roomie's has a girlfriend so I called out, "Hey are you so and so's girlfriend?" Which she responded, " I'm his ex-girlfriend." I know he wouldn't cheat on his current girl due to our first gossip conversation about how mad he was at his mate for breaking one of the commandments. So if this girl was current girlfriend turned ex why was she still in the vacinity when he wasn't present?

The Weekend Update: The Warm front is moving up

So while most of my girlfriends left me for Vegas and Minnesota and my guy friends left me for an ex-boyfriends wedding I spent the weekend twidling my thumbs, yeah not really.

1. Thought I was going to a formal dinner party until the wedding veil, feather boa and whip came out.
2. Made it to Turner Hall for dinner and didn't get sick. Last time I had the fish fry I puked on the sidewalk an hour later.
3. Went to this great German beer House where the girls wore tight bossom dresses and some men wore leprachan shorts.
4. Threw a temper-tantrum in my upholstery class
5. Set up my new pad so it feels more like home.
6. Headed to North Ave only to retire from ever playing darts again, well unless I get a handicap of 51 points.
7. Capital Brewery has a new beer which is absolutely fantastic.
8. Added onto my New Years Resolution: Learn how to make pancakes
9. Watch my high school crush, Vince Carter, play and beat the Bucks.
10. Embraced this new weather called the sixties!

Do Wa Diddy Diddy Dum Diddy DO

Does anyone know what happened to Puffy Daddy aka Sean Combs aka Diddy aka P Diddy's band? I got sucked into a MTV marathon of making the band one Saturday I might have been hungover since I couldn't run away from the TV. A whole bunch of bubble gum girls tried out and Diddy hand picked 5 girls to make the band. I tried googling them and nothing. If anyone has any information regarding there wherabouts there will be reward of cookies in the form of bunnies. (Easter is coming)