Travel | Peaches Prattlings

{October 25, 2017} A new friend and a concert! A pretty good day!

Tonight I made a new friend, introduced them to a new restaurant and went to a concert. This was all after working a full and fabulous day! Not too shabby, huh?

So, fabulous day to start. We went live yesterday with the application I am supporting and that was quite the experience. Some things went better than others and then there were the others, but over all, I’m pleased.

Then, dinner with a new friend! SMH is a new member of the team I am on in Chicago. Tonight we were going to go to one of my favorite vegan restaurants, Kitchen 17, to introduce her to vegan deep dish. Well, before we went to dinner, SMH was given two tickets to the Katie Perry concert! Did I want to go? Sure!

So, the concert started at 7pm, we were hungry and went to Native Foods, another fabulous vegan restaurant I love. I cannot believe I forgot to take a picture of my food! I had their new steak sandwiche and it was fabulous! Enough that I ate it two days in a row, right?! SMH had the reuben, you know much I love that sandwich. I couldn’t finish it like the night before, no idea how that happened!

After dinner we went over to the United Arena for the concert. We got there as the opening act was finishing up, about three songs we heard, Noah Cyrus, the younger sister of Miley Cyrus. She was pretty good, I don’t know her music.

The negative, we waited a little over an hour for the main event. It was after 9:15pm when Katie Perry came on stage, not cool. The arena was packed with all ages, but a large number of kids under 10 years old, think their moms were happy the fact that their kids were up and waiting, waiting, waiting. SMH kept looking at each other, how long do we give it! We are two adult women at a concert on a Wednesday night, have to go to work in the morning. We all know that I don’t sleep much, but still, we felt old asking this question!

The one good thing…all the music that was playing while we waited was 80’s, I was happy! Of course, to SMH and half the crowd these were oldies, as they had not been born yet in the 80’s!

When it started, what a performer and performance! The sets, the musicians, the music, the backup dancers, the lights, the sounds, the effects! I’ll be honest, I don’t know a lot of Katie Perry’s music, more than I thought, which was definitely nice! The first few songs SMH and the rest of the crowd knew, and then she went into some ‘old school’ Katie Perry, ‘Hot and Cold’, ‘I Kissed a Girl’, the sets changed almost every song or every few songs and they corresponded to what she was singing. Really great and simple sets and props to convey the message and tell a story. Sometimes, I’m not sure what that story was, but it told a story!

We gave it until about 10:30pm and then we were out and we were ok with that. Get this, SMH’s mom was invited to the same concert! She had plans and wasn’t there, but how cool would that have been to see her there! Overall, a great night, making a new friend, introducing her to some good food, which she really enjoyed, a great concert to end a great day!

Enjoy the photos and the clips!

{October 23, 2017} Let’s get some cultchah on!

Nope, not a typo! Must be read with a New York accent!

I came into Chicago earlier today, I had a dinner meeting in the office at 5pm. I got settled into the hotel and since I didn’t have a lot of time, I thought a few minutes of culture and art would be nice.

I decided to go to the Art Institute of Chicago and even better…I get in for free with my work ID! A little culture for free, score!

First order of business, go in a different direction than I always do. I tend to stick to just the modern and impressionists. I ventured to the left this time.

Chagall windows, Picasso, Dubuffet and Miro sculpture models for pieces around Chicago. Then some sustenance, a fabulous bowl of sauteed brussel sprouts. Now to walk off the sprouts.

Greek and Roman statutes, different installations, architechture, book covers and sketches, I couldn’t resist the impressionists and modern.

I was there a little under two hours, admired, enjoyed, discussed and pondered. Quite enjoyable!

{October 22, 2017} Time with my girls

I don’t know if you have heard me talk about my girls, my nieces, EJS and MGS. Oh well maybe once or twice, ha ha!

This weekend, albiet short, was the chance to spend one on one time with my sister, which you know is rare and a date with just me and my girls. How happy was I?

GES and I went somewhere, more will be revealed later, some quality time at lunch then retail therapy. I’m really good at encouraging her… to spend money! She got some great stuff! For the first time, there were more shoe options for her than me! I’m an eight, she’s a five, what are the odds?

We got home and the parents went out for dinner with friends and it was me and my girls!

Turns out no kid appropriate movies were in the theater so it was mac-n- cheese for dinner and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They both curled up with me, MGS on my lap and EJS next to me and laughed and talked about the movie.

After, no fights, just teeth brushed, jammies on, hugs and kisses and lights out. That was easy.

I am leaving early in the morning to go back to Chicago, big dinner meeting tomorrow night. Extra hugs and kisses since I won’t see them again until Thanksgiving.

{October 20, 2017} Travel too much?

Um…I don’t think so, others might.

I’ve told you, at least I think I have, that if I’m not on a plane every week or every other week, I get a bit antsy. I like my lifestyle and now I’m spoiled. I admit it!

Well, things just got real! I am currently Platinum status on Delta, that’s the third tier and Gold status on United. I was wondering when I was going to catch up to PSM on United and promote to Gold, this was a few months ago when I was traveling back and forth to Hawaii more often then he was and then one day, wow, Gold!

Now I’m Platinum on Delta and Gold on United for this year and working towards Platinum for both for next year. Platinum gets you some nice perks. More upgrade opportunities to first class, better seat options, more free checked bags, boarding earlier, first on, first off, more legroom and some other nice perks.

Well, all of a sudden, I go to check into my flight and bam! Platinum on United! For this year and next! What? When did that happen? Who cares, I’ll take it! Now, all I need is Platinum on Delta for next year and I’m golden! Ha ha!

So… tonight I was upgraded to first class from Chicago to Boston. They serve dinner on these flights, but since I was upgraded, no vegan for me. The flight attendant told me to pick something from the snacks for sale and I got hummus and chips. She was very sweet and took this box and put it on a tray with a placemat, napkin roll with real silver and added a roll for me and the wine glass. Not necessary, off course, I would have been happy just to have the snack, but she made it more special, thank you!

Let the spoiling commence and continue!

{October 19, 2017} I’m bummed… last official hokey…

And pokey. Sigh…

Today was my last official End User training class with the client before we go- live on Tuesday. That meant my last official song and dance.

Let me explain…

If I haven’t already told you, one of the things I do and I’m known for in the world of training, is singing and sometimes dancing every day at 2pm I’m my class. It started when I got on this project.

Picture it… you’re teaching a class, these are all adults, and you look out and see yawning , eyelids drooping and fidgeting. You may not be bored, just tired, hopefully not bored! I can guarantee that people don’t get bored in my classes! I don’t let them! I have my methods.

I call on people to read, answer questions, cal them out when they yawn! I do the last one with humor, never embarrass anyone, doesn’t accomplish anything. I also tell a lot of bad dad jokes! I also know what I’m like as a student and this would work on me!

So… we get back from lunch at 1pm and by 2pm, fidgeting…I tell them to get on their feet and then I have them sing and add dancing and even hand gestures. We go back to pre-k and kindergarten! The Itsy Bitsy Spider, The Wheels on the Bus, Take Me Out To The Ballgame, You Are My Sunshine, Row, Row, Row Your Boat, in a round!

I go to one site and when I get there…”what are you going to sing today?!” How much do you think I love that!

Lately, with one day classes…The Hokey and Pokey! Oh, it’s awesome! A bunch of grown men and women all singing and putting their right hand in, taking their right hand out, putting their right hand in and shaking it about. They do the hokey pokey and turn themselves about and that’s what it’s all about! Right hand! Left hand! Right foot! Left foot! Finally… whole self! Wahoo!

So, today, being the last official End User class, the last song and dance. Sigh…

Can’t wait for the next training project!

{October 19, 2017} Oh my yum!

Today, I went to two and very different places for great meals.

The first was Ritz’s, a small, very casual place open for breakfast and lunch. A very locals place as I found out listening to the conversions going on around me as I sat at the counter.

It is wide open, a bunch of square tables and a small counter that could seat maybe six people. The kitchen is open, then menus are paper and an old Pepsi signboard shows their specials, which around here are the horseshoes. The horseshoe is an open-faced sandwich originating in Springfield, Illinois, United States. It consists of thick-sliced toasted bread, a hamburger patty, French fries, and a “secret” cheese sauce. And that is as far as I go with that, we know I’m not eating it, as much as people rave about it! Make it vegan, I’ll give it a shot!

I ordered an egg sandwich and looked at my surroundings. I loved the menu ideas in the napkin holders. The atmosphere is relaxed, the kitchen had AC/DC playing, the cooks were having a good time and when one of them saw me taking pictures, started posing for me!

This was a good neighborhood joint, I’ll be going back!

For dinner, a different experience. Augie’s Front Burner in downtown Springfield.

This is a farm to table restaurant that featured good hearty food, definitely farm to table, lots of steak, lamb, salmon, good dairy like goat cheese, not the first choice for a vegan, but I loved looking at the creations they offered.

When I got there, one of my co- workers I was meeting had already told our server that there was a vegan coming, thank you, I so appreciate the people I work with! The server told me the chef was working on something for me and checked with me on s few things, thank you again!

The food came and oh my! I started with a beet and carrot salad with a cranberry relish. It was fabulous! I bet it would have been amazing with the lemon ricotta or some goat cheese, sigh.

My next course was so pretty. It looked like a flower of vegetables! Each was some sort of baby or small vegetable, seasoned and sauteed, laid out around rice with something sweet in it, like cherries, no idea, but yum! And it was topped with a few sweet potato chips and greens. This was fabulous!

A place I would go again, if I could have this, or something equally fabulous!

{October 11, 2017} Three new vegan meals in two days? Yum!

I’ll take it!

One of my favorite vegan restaurants in Chicago, Native Foods has launched its new menu and I have tried a few things between yesterday and today.

I couldn’t believe it, vegan bagels, lox and cream cheese? What?! Yup! A bagel, unfortunately plain, but wait! The cream cheese was made from cashews, it was creamy and light and tasty. The lox was thin sliced carrots, but it’s the way they marinated it smells and tastes like lox, wow! They offer it just like a ‘real’ lox platter with capers, lemon and onions. Doesn’t it look fabulous?!

Last night, I ordered from True Foods, we’ve talked about it before, I hope you remember! I ordered a pizza with butternut squash, onions, spinach, cranberries and almond ricotta! Wow!

I also ordered guacamole with chips and Winter Squash toast, this had brussel sprouts and toasted hazelnuts. Yum! Think I was able to come close to finishing? Not a chance, guess what was for lunch!

Tonight, I went back to Native Foods, with LJ this time. I ordered plantains with two different dipping sauces and for dinner, chicken and waffles! The syrup was maple siracha, a little too spicy for me, but the ‘chicken’ and waffles, tasty!

Dessert was our favorite oatmeal cream cookie, which we shared, so rich!

Don’t the pictures make you hungry!

Day 5 of 7 Challenge!

{October 10, 2017} O M G…La la la love!!

My friends and family so know me!!

Look at what SDL and Miss A gave me for my birthday! Anyone who knows me knows my favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz! I love everything about it, I even have my “Dorothy Converse”! Converse/Chuck Taylors that are covered in red sparkles!

The way my Monopoly connection started was when LGR gave me a Wizard of Oz version and it kind of took off from there, people gave me a bunch of different versions. Love it!

I got a bag with Dorothy’s Ruby Red Slippers, “There’s no place like home” so true! It feels like I’m coming home when I’m with my friends. There was a Wizard of Oz Mad Libs book, can’t wait! A coloring book and colored pens, love! Great for my travels, I can’t wait to use it on my next long flight home!

The last, possibly best, gift of all! A t-shirt from Miss A…BAE Best Auntie Ever! O M G! A title I wear with pride! And she helps make me a BAE!!!

Thank you so much SDL and Miss A, you made my big day extra special! I love you both!

Day 4 of 7 Challenge:

{October 7, 2017} Challenge accepted.

I was challenged yesterday and I accepted.

The challenge was this:

Seven days. Seven black and white photos of life. No people. No explanation. Challenge someone new each day.

I thought it was interesting and decided to give it a go. I was challenged by CWB and then I challenged GES’ sister- in- law, AS. She’s a great artist, I think it will be fun to see what she posts. And…I get to challenge a new person each day.

Here’s my entry for today, day 1. Remember, black and white, no people and no explanation. I wonder what I’ll photograph tomorrow and who I’ll challenge! Whatever it is, I can’t wait to see what they do!

Look out, it could be you!

{October 3, 2017} It really pays to say something

I’m a legacy! Wow!

Ok, let me explain what a legacy is and then how I am and why it pays to say something.

As you know, this weekend I did the Hot Chocolate 15k in Denver. This was my fifth Hot Chocolate race, two 15k’s, the rest 5k’s. The majority were in Atlanta and some in Denver.

A few months ago Ram Racing, who sponsors and puts on the Hot Chocolate Race, among others, sent out an email to all participants about their new Legacy Program. You would get an a medal, pin, beanie, picture frame and a special bib to wear, in addition to your race bib showing that you’re a legacy.

The legacy categories are three, five and ten years. Three is bronze, five is silver and ten is gold.

I got the email and rushed to check, yup, I have five! You know me and my bling!

Then… they send an email changing the policy… you have to participate for those years… in the same city.. what?! Now I’m just annoyed…

So… Have you met me? You guessed it, I went to guest services and said my peace. The woman I talked to, Serena, was very nice and understanding. She looked up my name and saw that I had participated in at least five Hot Chocolate races.

And… ready… She told me that the organizers are going to honor those that received the original letters that said three, five or ten years in a row. What? Really?! I wasn’t trying to get something, I wanted to voice a concern. But… yrs, they are going to honor my five years!

So…I got a five year silver medal, in the shape of a mug, a silver five year pin, a picture frame and my legacy bib! There is also a beanie, which they are mailing to me. I got it!

Now, if I decide to do this race again, which I have a feeling I will continue to do, I participated in the inaugural race in Atlanta in 2013! I will be sure to do the race in the same city.. if I want the legacy to continue.

Thank you to Ram Racing and The Hot Chocolate Race for honoring what you said and recognizing those of us who made it.

It really does pay to say something!

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