February Break, pt.1

I’d been on this rather busy project for nearly a year and the whole time I would say to myself “As soon as this thing ends I’m getting out of town.” And then, at the beginning of February, it ended! So I knew I had to make good on my word to myself. But before I could, Uncle Frank and Aunt Afton were in town and I got to spend a very nice long weekend of sorts with them.

The first afternoon that we met up I walked them over to the library and we saw the original Winnie the Pooh and friends before going to dinner.

Dinner that night? Uncle Boon’s with Uncle Frank (and our backup plan, had it been to busy? Around the corner with us to Uncle Boon’s Sister with Uncle Frank’s Sister)

A couple days later we went for lunch at Parm…but first, a little visit to the temple chapel where, surprise surprise, all the local moms had rented bounce houses for the kids? Something of a low key tradition. If you know you know.

When I was picking out restaurants to go to with Frank and Afton I just asked myself “Hmm, what does their sister (Mom) like?” and then we’d go there. And wow, Parm could not have been a bigger hit. It seemed like we could have just gone to Parm over and over again and everyone would have been super happy. I was super happy to just see them happy with some of my New York food. I ordered a slice of ice cream cake for us and Afton immediately said “Oh, that’s not going to be enough” and we ordered a second one right away.

After that, hiding from the cold, we wound up in the Natural History Museum.

Then Saturday we had Tacos No 1 (a hit!) and I dropped Afton and Frank off at Aladdin. Later I’d retrieve them and take them down to Frankies. Another hit! Frankies with Uncle Frank! Then we met up with Greg at Morgenstern’s. Greg brought along his friend Jared, himself a descendant of San Marinions, just like all us Taylors.

We went up to the Plaza hotel to have a look around and a walk around and then here’s a picture of Afton and Frank waving goodbye as he headed to seperate subways. I needed to get home and get ready for Nashville, but I also needed to see Free Solo for a second time (this time on the real IMAX at Lincoln Square).

My early morning flight to Nashville had about 11 people on it.

Ah, nice calm Nashville mornings

Sunday night I attended my third Superbowl at Jeff’s but you know what? Doesn’t seem I have any photos. Just imagine me eating way way too much chili queso dip (and also imagine about five or six people bringing chili queso dip). After the big game we went out and walked off some of that queso.

I guess my photos are a real grab bag for the next two days of Nashville, but the main idea is we had a lot of fun just walking around and hanging out and stuff. One of the best things we did was go swimming at the Y Monday morning (no pics because it was wet). And I diversified my Hot Chicken eating by going to Bolton’s. It’s a famous place, a place with history, but boy, I do like Prince’s better and that’s that. Last thing we did before my flight to LA Tuesday afternoon was go to a Mexican shopping center called Plaza Mariachi. What a fun place! I could tell they really party there on weekends.

Ok. For next time, remember what I just said: That afternoon I caught a flight to LA

December Pt 2

Here’s a weird post about the rest of December featuring barely any pictures of people.

Christmas afternoon (no pictures of Christmas morning stuff, apparently) we visited the Morton Arboretum to see all the trolls there. Look at all these giant trolls!

The next day we visited the Conservatory and had a delicious tlayuda at Cruz Blanca because the waits at Au Cheval are preposterous. That night, after dinner at Las Fuentes (no pictures?) we saw the Woman in Black, my favorite scary play, finally come to the United States.

Then I caught a plane west for a quick little LA trip (funny that I’m writing this after having just gotten back from a completely different LA trip). Consider this stack of photos an impressionist (or expressionist?) representation of being in Burbank, being at Grandma’s, tacos with Nicole, Pepes with Grandma, a little visit to the Arts District, Gus’s Chicken with Collin, Porridge and Puffs with the Paughs, Jitlada with Cher and Lauri and Bobby Flay, walking around San Marino/Pasadena, picking up Greg and all going to Zankou Chicken, Grandma making pita chips, and me getting dropped off for the Flyaway Bus. You know, the usual!

And after all that I was back in New York in time for New Year’s with a ball drop view!

December Pt 1

Nothing says “beginning of February” quite like posting about the month of December!

Things kicked off with the annual stake Christmas concert.

I was working off Rockefeller Center and had many opportunities to push my way through the holiday crowds.

Dipped into nearby St Patrick’s to observe some of the Dia de la Virgin goings on

We had a nice ward Christmas party and I was also invited to attend the LDSPA (probably not the right abbreviation?) dinner

And then, the big event of December: Mom and Dad came to town just before Christmas. Day One we ate at Ikinari Steak and Olmsted

Day Two: Lunch at Carbone and a viewing of the Bands Visit that night

Day 3: Korean Fried Chicken for dinner, a visit to the Mogan Library, and dessert at Empellon. That is not an avocado!

Day 4: Lunch at Cosme, dinner not pictured, Mom bought a goat, and we saw the Magic Flute

Day Five: After a great Christmas program at the Union Square chapel, we lunch at Spotted Pig, grab some DKAs, I show off my new knife from Cory, and we fly to Chicago!

Ok, I really think I can get the rest of December posted before March happens but we’ll see!