Peaches Prattlings











It was a beautiful night to be out and about in Chicago.

I had a great class today and topped it off with dinner and a boat ride on Lake Michigan.

It started with a walk down Michigan Avenue towards Navy Pier. Along the way we passed these fabulous painted pooches, Chicago’s K9s for Cops. They are all over the city and so much fun! Not sure which is my favorite, but Dick Tracy is up there!

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Then it was on to meet LJ for dinner, I was with someone from her project in Philly who is here this week for a meeting. We went to Harry Caray’s, it’s a Chicago landmark, like he was. I will say the memorabilia was great, not so much the food for me. But I was there for the company, not the food.

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Next, a ride on the Sea Dog, one of the boat tours at Navy Pier. This one was one of the faster boats, so it was a windy, full of spray, lets get moving, cheesy guide, great boat ride. And the city at night…fabulous!Collage 2017-08-18 06_35_28

A walk back to the hotel, settle in, talk to you and then…night night!

What’s our next adventure?!

 



Tonight was date night!

WIS found, as she always does, a new vegan restaurant for us to try! Wahoo! I am a very lucky person to have people who want to share veggie/ vegan with me!

Tonight we went to Ground Control in Chicago. No, I didn’t see Major Tom!

This is a cool, eclectic place. Pinball machines, backgammon and checkers boards in the tables, interesting artwork, nothing really flowed, but it worked. You walk in, take a moment and you’re hooked, good vibe, atmosphere and you feel like, yeah, I can hang here.

I got there first, which doesn’t happen very often these days! So I settled it, anywhere…I was the only one there at 530pm, by the time we left, it was a full house.

I ordered a cup of tea, it was a little chilly and rainy, comfort, ah… and I was a ‘Starvin Marvin’, so I thought a pre- dinner snack… garlic smashed potatoes with gravy…vegan!! I don’t usually get to order smashed potatoes because, for those creamy, dreamy smashed potatoes, butter and/ or heavy cream, as it should be! Oh my, but these were wonderful!

When WIS arrived, we settled in and ordered…

Fried green tomatoes with a tangy remoulade and hummus with olives and veggies, quite the kick! And tasty!

Then, main courses. I had the Southern Fried Tofu with more smashed potatoes, beer braised greens and corn and peppee relish. WIS had the Kimchee Grilled Cheese with caramelized onions, avocado and smoked gouda. Wow, just wow!

Then…must have dessert! I don’t eat dessert very often, but when it’s vegan… raspberry and lemon cake, again, vegan and again, Y U M!

So many fabulous vegan restaurants in Chicago, every one “how can this be topped?!”



Fifth, sixth, maybe eighth time I’ve seen this movie, only gets better!

If you know me, you know I love movies and if I love a movie, I’ll watch it a few times, maybe more.

And if you know me, you know I love going to the movies and I love going with friends. And movies outside, bonus!

Tonight, the trifecta! A fabulous movie… in the park… with friends! How can you beat that!

After teaching, I went to my hotel, dropped my laptop bag, changed into jeans, headed out too pick up snacks, then…Millennium Park for movies in the park!

I met up with DLP and JM, my new movie in the park dates. We had all sorts of snacks, meats, cheeses, guac, hummus, chips, fruit and sweets for dessert. What more do you need?

We snacked, chatted, caught up and then roll film. DLP and I had seen the movie together, JM hadn’t. There were also a lot of folks around hadn’t, it was fun hearing their reactions.

DLP and I knew what was coming, but we still cheered, clapped and cried, just where we were supposed to!

If you haven’t seen this movie, it’s so inspiring, thought provoking, emotional, uplifting, and so much more.

What’s our next adventure?



{August 4, 2017}   Happy Birthday JCT!

It’s August 3rd, happy birthday to anyone celebrating their birthday, but today is my friend, JCT’s, birthday!

JCT and I have been friends since 2009, wow! We met on the same project I met RJS and ST, we hit it off and we’ve been friends ever since. She has recently come off the road traveling for work, we used to swap stories, ideas, give each other advice, how to get the best bang for the buck.

She and I have a lot in common and some fabulous differences. Her family seems to have adopted me! Am I complaining, not a chance! Her brother and I have been friends for a while. I call her mom, mom, her daughter calls me auntie, how awesome for me and their dogs, well, let’s just say their boy pug, BooBoo, has a great affection for my arm, we’ll leave it at that!

JCT and her mom love cooking for me, I never turn down home cooking, especially some of the great Chinese treats they make! I love listening to JCT and her mom have conversations, Chinese, Chinese, Chinese, Home Depot!

When I’m in Atlanta and our schedules connect, I will spend the weekend or at least the night. We talk, talk, talk, I know, shocker! Then we put on our pjs, lean the recliners back and talk some more and then fall asleep, sometimes while we’re in the middle of a conversation.

Weeks can go by, sometimes a little longer, we pick up the phone and it’s as if we talked yesterday. Those are the best friendships and I love counting her as not only a friend, but a sister.

祝你生日快樂,親愛的朋友。我愛你。



I don’t know if you know…I travel for work.

What? Say it ain’t so! Ha ha. Well, that being said, you know that some weekends I stay with friends, which I love, for so many reasons.

One if the things I love is showering and getting to try new and fun products, some even fancy and expensive. RJS always tells me what new treats are in store for me!

I don’t spend that much time I the shower when I’m in a hotel, nothing very exciting, but at my friends houses…

Ahhh…



That sounds like a good day to me, you?

We slept in, ha ha. Ok, slept in is exaggerating, but stayed in bed, that’s more like it. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to sleep in, but it was definitely comfy! I was sleeping on a double height queen sized blow up mattress, super firm and comfortable, window open and I could hear the traffic go by, made me feel like I was at home in my bed at my dad’s house, slept well!

We got up eventually, went to brunch at a local diner in the neighborhood, yummy. Then headed back to downtown Chicago, walked around, window shopped, went to our favorite nail place for some massages chairs and attention to our claws and paws. The fun part, we weren’t there right before closing, we could take our time and not worry it was just before closing.

After our spa treatment, we needed some munchies, I was craving guacamole, so off to The Taco Joint for just that and some other treats, yum!

Later that night, a treat! The architectural fireworks boat tour! This was my fifth boat tour of Chicago, which I love, DLP hadn’t done one yet, touristy check! You know, when you live in a city, you don’t always do the touristy things! Even better, LJ and her beau, JD, joined us.

It was a great tour and out guide is one that I’d had on another tour, he was a lot of fun. Everyone enjoyed it and the fireworks at Navy Pier were a lot of fun!

After, we went to see their new apartment, great view, location and feel, perfect for them. Next, food! We were hungry!

It was a great night with great friends!



{July 30, 2017}   A new vegan restaurant!

I love trying new places, especially when someone else is excited to share it with me!

This weekend I’m staying in Chicago with DLP, no definite plans yet but one, dinner at a new vegan restaurant in her neighborhood, Majani!

It was inviting when you walk in, small, but cozy. The restaurant is open, including into the kitchen, only separated by a counter. Wooden tables, some that are family style, just sit where there is an open seat.

The menu was simple, on a chalk board on the wall. They had a dinner special, tonight it was glazed carrots, lentil sausage croquet, spinach rice and salad. We also ordered a crab cake. For dessert we got a vanilla cupcake and two slices of carrot cake, to be eaten at some point, we were completely stuffed by the end of dinner!

The presentation was lovely, very vibrant colors and tasty too! Always a good thing! DLP was teasing me because everything that came out to other tables I looked at and wanted to order and as she said, “you can’t eat everything! And we can come back!!” Ok, fine… she’s right, of course, but it all looked so good!

When we got there, there was a family of four sitting at the table next to us, who were enjoying their meal very much, especially the baby who eventually had icing all over himself!

The next people who sat at that table were nice couple who we started chatting vegan with and let me tell you…I found a kindred spirit! Our reactions to some of the same items at different places, the milkshakes at Chicago Diner! Kitchen 17! Oh, we were trading and oohing and aahing! DLP was just laughing, but she could talk to some of those places, she’s been wonderful to go with me!

This is really inspiring me to launch my new blog, don’t worry, this one isn’t going anywhere, I love sharing my life with you, but I love telling you about the fabulous vegan I encounter, so my new blog will only be about being vegan on the road. Keep an eye out for it ‘A short, round vegan on the road’!

Bottom line, I really enjoyed this new find andI would love to share it with everyone, thank you DLP for introducing it to me!



{July 23, 2017}   Going through withdrawls!

It’s true, I am! 

For my friends, the beach, the constant companionship of vacationing together! 

Do you ever get that? It’s happened a few times for me, the first was when I took a cruise with neighbors in my last neighborhood on Georgia. We spent seven days together, breakfast, excursions, dinner, entertainment. Then you go home, back to reality and you don’t see them every day, it takes adjusting!

After spending a week with some of my closest friends, literally 24/7, how do you go back? I texted the girls earlier, they all agreed! Sigh…

Looking forward to the next trip! And the bonding and the friendship and the lice and the beach and the… and the…



{July 21, 2017}   Mexico Day 6

Our last official day here in Mexico, Playa del Carmen. What a great trip it’s been!

The day started too early! But… that means some beautiful images from the beach to share with you!

We spent some serious time at the pool today and at 12pm, we had a photo shoot on the beach, great pictures! Then some lunch and trying a shot of tequila, um, one was enough! But I did it!

After lunch, more pool time, SDL and CKM went for some massages and DJL and I had some one on one pool time with MissA.

SDL and CKM back and we played a little more, then it was time to turn in our pool towels for the last time. Sigh…

Back to the room to shower and get dressed, we had a sunset photo shoot scheduled! It was a lot of fun and the photos look great!

Then it was time for our next dinner reservation, at the Japanese restaurant. Again, they accommodated my dietary needs, everything was cooked in the kitchen, delicious!

After dinner, we selected photos for our package and then went to the show, Mexican Folklore. It was a lot of fun, dances from different regions of Mexico, the costumes were fabulous!

Then it was time to dance our way back to our rooms to pack, tomorrow is coming very early! Our shuttle to the airport is picking us up at 6am! Ugh!

What a great day! Buenos Noches!



{July 20, 2017}   Mexico Day 5

Wow, day five, already? Yes! And time for an awesome adventure!!

The animals greeted us on the way to an early breakfast, we had to be in the lobby at 7am!

Then the adventure begins! We drove about 45 minutes to Tulum, the site of ancient Mayan ruins.

Tulum is the site of a pre-Columbian Mayan walled city serving as a major port for Cobá. The ruins are situated on tall cliffs along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. 

Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya; it was at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico. 

Old World diseases brought by the Spanish settlers appear to have resulted in very high fatalities, disrupting the society and eventually causing the city to be abandoned. It is one of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites.

It was also a city of great class distinction, you were either part of the 15 percent wealthy, underclass, including nobility, artists, philosophers or, you were part of the 85 percent working class who served them. 

We teased MissA, we were her 85 percent!

Next, it was a cenote, pronounced si-notay, if that helps! is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath. They are especially associated with the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, cenotes were sometimes used by the ancient Maya for sacrificial offerings.

This was amazing and as soon as I can get some photos off my go-pro and they’re decent, I’ll share. 

You go into the cave with a life jacket, helmet and headlamp, its a wee bit dark! You see stalagmites, stalagtites, a few albino fish and bats. The bats didn’t bother us at all, they were tiny and kept to themselves in the cieling. The water was fffrreezing! But what a mechiah, a relief, after how hot Tulum was! 

We had a muy fabuloso guide named Oscar, very knowledgeable and funny. Gave our tour in English and Spanish, for the other family that was with us.

After the cenote, lunch at a local beach, a little play time in the water, so beautiful!

Then it was back to the hotel, get a little pool time in, we had some time to kill before our dinner reservation at Mare Nostrum, the Mediterranean restaurant at the resort. With our package we got two reservations at one of their formal sit down restaurants. We chose Mediterranean for tonight and Japanese tomorrow. 

It was a lovely setting, the small buffet was set up for appetizers, nothing like the buffets we’ve been to for other meals. There was some salad for me and they made me a verdura, vegetable, tempura from the Japanese restaurant next door and Chef Mario happened to be there and spoke to our server and one of the chefs you be sure I got something that I could eat, love him! 

After dinner, a nice stroll around the resort to the beach to take in the sight, smell, fell, pure fabulousness of the beach at night! Sigh…

Tomorrow… another day in paradise. Buenos Noches!



et cetera