Random Thoughts Thursday

This past weekend, I went to Chicago to celebrate my 33rd birthday (which was this past Monday). I had an AWESOME time! For those who don't know, Chicago is my hometown - lived there the first 8 years of my life. When we go back to visit, we usually don't get a chance to visit and enjoy downtown. This weekend, my sister and I were able to do just that, as well as relax and not think about issues or problems we may have faced at home.

First of all, our friend and her hubby live in one of the downtown high-rise condos. The view was SPECTACULAR!

So, Friday night, we went out to a restaurant called Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine. Since we were celebrating my bday, the menus at our table had this:


Cool, huh? I definitely felt special. I ordered one of the Prix Fixe meals: appetizer was Thai Spiced Shumai Meatballs on a sugar cane stick; entree was the Pulehu Sirloin, Potato Croquette, and Cauliflower Gouda Gratin; and dessert was Roy’s Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle. The meatballs weren’t really appetizing to me, but the entree and dessert were mouthwatering, delicious, tasty, & whatever other good adjective you can think of. My meal is the one pictured in front of the woman with the red dress (me).


Here’s another pic of the first night.

Our Saturday schedule looked like this:

• wake up at 8:30
• eat breakfast (pancakes, bacon, pineapple chunks, orange juice)
• walk to the Navy Pier




• go to yoga class
• get a 30 minute massage (heavenly!)
• manicure/pedicure
• spend hours walking downtown, enjoying the sights
• go home and rest
• go out to eat dinner

Sunday, we went to church, ate White Castle (a MUST when we go to Chicago), then went to the airport.

So, yeah, I enjoyed my time in Chicago!

More Chi Town pics:

10 Things I learned in Chicago:

10. Airplane seats are NOT made with curvy chicks in mind. If you happen to have hips, sitting on the airplane can be quite uncomfortable.

9. Roy's Melted Chocolate Souffle at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine is the best chocolate cake EVER! The cake was flourless and the melt-in-your-mouth kind. OMG, I've gotta find that cake! Sadly, the closest Roy's to Houston is in Austin or close to Dallas. Might have to make the trip!

8. The sounds of downtown Chicago are oddly calming. We went to sleep every night with the patio door opened (she lived on the 53rd/54th floors) listening to those sounds.

7. Despite the cool weather, you may still see women wearing short skirts or shorts.

6. Although my sister and I look almost exactly alike, people still have to ask if we're sisters. Sometimes, I was tempted to sarcastically say, "Nope. I've never seen this chick before."

5. If you're gonna spend hours walking downtown enjoying the scene, do NOT wear flip flops. Gym shoes (tennis shoes) are more sensible. Our enjoyment of the scenes was cut short (although we spent hours walking) because my sis and I had flip flops on.

4. If you plan to have a nice leisurely lunch outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, make sure you have something to keep your food from flying away. They don't call it the Windy City for nothing!

3. I want to live in a high-rise apartment downtown 2 miles from the lake. Seriously...or at least someplace with a view of a lake or ocean.

2. Plan to buy more than one bag of Garrett's Caramel Popcorn (or the Chicago mix of cheese & caramel popcorn): one for while your in Chicago and another for when you get home. I only bought on bag the day before we left, thinking it'll last me til I got back to Houston. It did not.

1. I MUST make it a point to get a massage at least once every 3 months. Massage+Calming Music=Pure Bliss!!!

Rae's Random Thoughts: Part 2

A continuation of last post...

3. 7th Anniversary of 9/11: Really, this whole country was affected, but not everyone was directly affected (didn't lose loved ones in the planes, twin towers, or Pentagon). This year, I decided to just say a little prayer to God for the continued strength of those who lost loved ones. I opted not to watch the shows that replay the images of that day. In the past, every time I watched the shows, my heart hurt. Listening to the frantic calls of the ones who didn't make it...seeing the towers fall...looking at the big hole in the Pentagon...learning that the passengers in United 93 decided to do something about the hijackers...I just didn't want to do it this year (watch the shows). The images are already forever etched into my brains. To me, it was the day America learned that she was not untouchable. I will NEVER forget that day - couldn't, even if I wanted to.

4. 12th Anniversary of Tupac's Death: Tomorrow, September 13th, will mark the 12th anniversary of Tupac's death. I felt it (in my heart) when I'd heard that he was gone, like, is this some kind of sick joke? He's not really dead...is he? And now, some magazine has listed Tupac as the most overrated person in music (link: http://news.yahoo.com/story//nm/20080903/music_nm/overrated_dc)! I mean, come on, really? I have to admit, I'd gotten tired of the "Tupac's really alive" comments that circled around since his death, BUT, to say he's overrated, in IMHO, is just plain...dumb. Pac is one of the best. His death didn't stop that. Now, he's not my all time favorite rapper (Nope, Jay Z has that title), but he is in my top 5. Overrated? I don't think so!

And last, but certainly not least,

5. Hurricane Ike: So, we're preparing for Hurricane Ike right now. It hasn't even made landfall yet, but Galveston is already having flooding issues. The waves have started crashing over the sea wall, built to protect Galveston from hurricanes. They've predicted that, after all is said and done, Galveston will be under water. I'm in Houston, which means we won't get the storm surge, but we will get the wind and rain (and, in some areas, the flooding). Thankfully, I don't live in an area that has bad flooding. We're just concerned with the wind and electricity going out. The reporters are comparing this hurricane with Hurricane Alicia, which devastated both Houston and Galveston in 1983. This is going to be weird for me. I've never been in a hurricane - always had the threat, like H. Rita - but never been in one. Hurricane Alicia hit here a year before we moved to Houston and Hurricane Rita skipped our area (although one of our windows blew out) and hit the areas about an hour or more away. My family's preparing, though. Got the food, batteries, gas, etc. The 'cane isn't set to hit 'til early tomorrow morning, but the sky's getting a little darker, and the wind is picking up on what would normally be a scorching, sunny day. My prayer is for all of us, especially those who have homes in Galveston. And, can you believe that there are still some people who refuse to leave? I'm not talking about people who can't leave. I'm talking about those who can leave, but are refusing to. Everyone (Galveston's mayor, reporters) is saying how imperative it is that they leave (even to the point of saying it's life or death) but they won't. I can't understand that. It's already flooding and Ike hasn't even hit yet. Those waves crashing above the sea wall? About 15 ft. Did I say that Ike hasn't even hit yet?

Galveston Seawall on a good day...see how far the water is?

Galveston Seawall today...15ft waves crashing against the wall.