tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54338338738046402192024-03-13T03:40:53.453-07:00in my own Maliyacular...Welcome, welcome, welcome... to my blog! A blog devoted to merriment, sunshine and... well, just the random chaos that has always been fodder for ridiculous stories in my life.
I started this blog as kind of a joke, but MAN! Who knew that blogging could be so much FUN?! It's truly addicting, to put it lightly.
My goal? To spread merriment and sunshine the world over. I mean, who DOESN'T want just that much more happiness and goodwill in their lives?Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.comBlogger193125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-14765427261185733602013-11-04T11:49:00.003-08:002013-11-04T11:49:50.371-08:00All Good Things Must Come to an EndHello, hello! I hope you all are well.<br />
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Well, folks - I've been trying to do this for the past year but haven't been able to let it go just yet. However, I think the time has finally come to say goodbye to the Maliyacular.<br />
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I started this blog four years ago to be a creative outlet where I can develop my writing skills and storytelling through words and pictures. I'm happy to be living in an age where blogs even exist and I've been able to "practice" my writing in this kind of medium.<br />
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However, I think it's time to say farewell! Honestly, there is no one instance or reason why I've decided to bid adieu to my blog. I think I'm just ready for a change in the way I approach and continue to develop my writing. Having said that, I have to admit that ending my blog is one of the more difficult things I've done recently - I mean, it's been four years!! I've loved documenting various aspects of my life with words and pictures to share with a broader audience. And I love going back to past posts to see "what I was doing this time last year, two years ago, etc.".<br />
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I plan to continue to write (I mean, come on - it's in my blood!) and who knows? Maybe I'll start up another blog at some point... in which case, you better believe I'll be advertising it here!<br />
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For those of you who are reading this for the first time, thank you. For those who have been reading sporadically, whenever the content of a post catches your eye here and there, thank you. And finally, for those who have been reading continuously throughout the years... thank you... ten times over.<br />
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It's truly been nothing short of a delight.Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-49867172177348582772013-10-20T19:26:00.002-07:002013-10-20T19:31:27.753-07:00From South Dakota to Croatia to Bosnia-Herzegovinia to San Francisco - My Completely Non-Random Summer (in a Nutshell)Hello! It's been SO LONG! I hope you all are well!<br />
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Summer and Fall have been just FLYING along their merry ways, haven't they? I had the opportunity of taking a few random vacations here and there, which is likely what has made it feel like this year has been a'FLYING!<br />
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Over the past few months, I've been doing a fair amount of traveling - in part for work, in part for fun. As such, I've taken the liberty of cumulating my holiday posts into one handy-dandy summary post for your reading pleasure. You are very welcome.<br />
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From South Dakota to Croatia to Bosnia-Herzegovinia to San Francisco... you could say that my summer/early Fall have been quite the... medley, if you will... of travels.<br />
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There is PLENTY of reading to be done within each of the posts sooo... without further ado, I present to you...<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Summer (and Early Fall!), in a Nutshell</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/09/south-dakota-americana-extravaganza.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">South Dakota</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/croatia-in-nutshell.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovinia</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/san-francisco-weekend-of-narcissism.html" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/san-francisco-weekend-of-narcissism.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">San Francisco</span></a></div>
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A Choose Your Own Adventure (remember THAT awesome book series?!), if you will... by all means, ENJOY!! :)Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-21443281279411026482013-10-20T19:17:00.003-07:002013-10-20T19:17:49.756-07:00San Francisco - a Weekend of NarcissismMy final trip for the summer (okay, I'm so far behind with my blogging... this was more of an early Fall vacation) involved a visit to San Francisco. I hadn't been to SF in ages, so when one of my old friends from Ohio State (who lives in Chicago) mentioned that it would be fun to go out there to visit another one of our old friends from Ohio State, I was IMMEDIATELY on board!<br />
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That's how, come the first weekend of October, Arpana and I found ourselves on a flight to SF to visit the one, the only RUPAM!!! I knew the weekend was going to be a ball (there's something to be said about college friends), but... well, I didn't realize Rupam had picked up a new hobby over recent months.<br />
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Rupam recently got a nice camera as a gift - she hadn't gotten a chance to use it ALL too much lately so, well, I guess she figured what better time than the present to start practicing her photog techniques? Oh, who am I kidding? I was all for this since... well, since I LOVE. THAT. CAMERA!!!<br />
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But I digress. The weekend started off normally enough. The weather was GORGEOUS all weekend long (sunny and actually, quite warm, for SF) so we took advantage of the Friday afternoon sun to go on a walk through Rupam's neighborhood.<br />
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Rupam also had the brilliant idea of taking us on some like impromptu hike in her neighborhood. I don't think either Arpana and I were fully prepared for this (I mean, we live in Chicago - the land of flat, flat, FLAT terrain!) but we braced ourselves and made a concerted effort. To be fair, the views from the top were just lovely.<br />
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After navigating back down the hill(s), we wandered over to Dolores Park for a bit before heading to dinner.<br />
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The next morning, we arose at a relatively decent hour. Rupam fed us healthy (very Northern Californian) treats that she'd stocked up on for our arrival.<br />
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After our healthy and very satisfying breakfast, we headed down to the Ferry Building to check out the ever-famed farmers market. It was SUCH A GORGEOUS DAY FOR THE FARMERS MARKET!<br />
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After getting our fill of all kinds of free samples (did I tell you how much of a FREAK I am about free samples?!?!), we ended up wandering to North Beach, where we stopped and grabbed a late breakfast / early lunch.<br />
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It was at this point that Rupam had whipped out her camera in full force and... well, what's a girl (who LOVES THAT CAMERA!!) to do? That's right - POSE.<br />
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And pose some more...<br />
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I got a little carried away with all the camera clicking and really went to town. Isn't this picture SO FUNNY (with the Asian dude in the background)?? Hahah! Gets me every time.<br />
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Ah, there comes a point where a girl has had enough.<br />
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Oh please - who am I kidding here? I was ready to just keep on going! But by this point, people were starting to look at WHAT was causing us to giggle uncontrollably. So we decided to... well, take the show on the ROAD! Naturally.<br />
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After heading out of La Boulange (where we had been eating and modeling), we just started wandering the city streets.<br />
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Poor Arpana... caught in the crossfire of it all. NAH! She loved it just as much as we did (well... that may be a slight exaggeration but WHATEVER.)<br />
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We continued wandering down the city streets as we headed to the North Beach Public Library (of course, this was my request - I mean, doesn't EVERYONE want to hit up the public library during their holidays? ;)) No better time to... practice our "strolling" and "casual stopping" poses...<br />
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Until we spotted something we could pose with! Jackpot!<br />
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We did try to get creative, in our defense.<br />
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Honestly. Here we are in San Francisco and THAT was the best we could find to pose with? Seriously.<br />
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Anyway, after all that, we finally made it to the library! Hurray - my vacation was officially complete now :)<br />
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After that, we continued wandering - stumbling upon a truffle shop (!)<br />
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AAAAAND!!!! <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/06/purvi-and-christies-day-of-fun.html" target="_blank">laksdjflskd!!!!</a><br />
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We were pretty beat by this point (all that picture taking sure takes a lot outta you!) so we headed back on the bus to Rupam's place.<br />
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There, we relaxed for a bit...<br />
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Yes, that's Rupam on her bed with a coffee table and a pizza crust. Just... keepin' it classy, I guess. Hahah! (I love this picture.)<br />
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After napping for a bit, we decided to head out to the one Ohio State bar in SF to catch the end of the Ohio State game that was playing that night. Who am I kidding? Rupam and I couldn't have cared less, but Arpana's SUPER into football so we decided to follow her lead.<br />
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It actually turned out to be really fun! I actually ended up getting into the game for a bit... and we ended up winning!!<br />
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Afterwards, we headed back to Rupam's hood to change and head over to Blackbird - a bar that was pretty close to Rupam's place.<br />
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This place actually had the tastiest of beverages and the best people watching ever. Such a fun night.<br />
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The next morning was our last morning in San Francisco - it was all very sad. We headed around the corner to Kitchen Story to grab some brunch and meet Rupam's one and only Sam (we'd heard so much about him and were SO excited to accost him with our... well, rambunctious ways. Hahah!).<br />
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While we were waiting for Sam to meet us, well, what do you THINK we were going to do to occupy our time? Photography session, re-VISITED!!!<br />
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I have no idea what I am doing here... but, well, I'm glad I'm entertaining Arpana at least.<br />
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Not tired of us yet, Rupam? Here we go some more!<br />
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I was all ready to keep on going, but... well, I think Arpana had had enough.<br />
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Hahahah!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE THAT PICTURE!!!<br />
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Anyway, Sam arrived shortly thereafter so after one final shot...<br />
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We ended up finally getting seated inside... and the photography session turned tables!<br />
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Once our food came, we put the cameras away and dug right on in.<br />
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After a lovely brunch, it was nearing time for Arpana and I to head to the airport. But we had plenty of time to stop for some sweet treats...<br />
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And of course, we couldn't leave without a stop at the local market for some of the most amazing pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that I (quickly) grew addicted to during my time in SF!<br />
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And that, my friends, pretty much sums up the weekend in SF for ya. Hey, don't say the title of this post didn't sufficiently forewarn you...Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-76411097035767711362013-10-20T17:35:00.001-07:002013-10-20T17:35:24.427-07:00CROATIA!! In a NutshellOh hello there! I typically try to do at least one international adventure each year... well, this year I had no international trips on the horizon until my friend from San Francisco, Cara, contacted me a few months ago about a trip to Croatia. I was immediately on board - I've been wanting to see Croatia for quite some time now! Anyhow, it turns out that one of Cara's friends was organizing this whole extravaganza amongst quite a few of her friends, most of whom weren't really friends with one another.<br />
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The other girls in these posts had done a full week of boating around the islands of Croatia before I joined them for a week on land. All in all, I have to say that Croatia hit a soft spot in my heart - the people in this country were among the nicest people I've met before... and, well, that pretty much sold it for me.<br />
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In short, I loved, loved, loved this trip and would 100% recommend this destination for any and all - it's, simply put, perfection.<br />
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To make this easier on the eyes, I've divided my trip into quite a few blog posts (we did a LOT of stuff in a week, turns out!), so please feel free to pick and choose any / all posts that spark your interest. (If it helps at all, my favorite day was Day 9 :))<br />
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So, without further ado, I present to you... Croatia, in a nutshell:<br />
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/day-one-split.html" target="_blank">Day 1 - Split</a><br />
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/days-2-thru-4-zadar-plus-surrounding.html" target="_blank">Days 2 thru 4 - Zadar (Plus Surrounding Areas)</a><br />
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/day-5-dubrovnik-half-fun-is-getting.html" target="_blank">Day 5 - Dubrovnik - Half the Fun is Getting There, Right?</a><div>
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/day-6-dubrovnik-by-way-of-old-town.html" target="_blank">Day 6 - Dubrovnik, by way of Old Town</a></div>
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/day-7-dubrovnik-by-way-of-kayak-buza.html" target="_blank">Day 7 - Dubrovnik, by way of Kayak, Buza and of course, STEPS!</a></div>
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/day-8-dubrovnik-by-way-of-bosnia.html" target="_blank">Day 8 - Dubrovnik, by way of Bosnia-Herzegovinia</a></div>
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/day-9-dubrovnik-by-way-of-hiking-biking.html" target="_blank">Day 9 - Dubrovnik, by way of Hiking, Biking and Kayaking</a></div>
Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-47378734326852789072013-10-20T17:23:00.001-07:002013-10-29T05:56:00.844-07:00Day 9 - Dubrovnik, by way of... Hiking, Biking and KayakingJesus, doesn't reading the title just exhaust you? Welcome to our last full day in Croatia! Let me preface this post by simply sharing that I am a very good friend.<br />
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Earlier in the week, when Cara and I were<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/day-6-dubrovnik-by-way-of-old-town.html" target="_blank"> traipsing around like all of Dubrovnik</a>, we met a simply adorable couple (who were from Chicago!!) while exploring the fortress we visited. Okay, so maybe we met them by asking them to take <strike>one</strike> several pictures of us hamming it up in front of the camera but WHATEVER. We ended up chatting with them for a solid half hour (GOD! I love Midwesterners) and TOTALLY bonded. Anyway, while we were chatting, they mentioned how they were going to be doing a full day "Pedal and Paddle" tour on Saturday and mentioned that there were likely spots available if we wanted to join along.<br />
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Of course (of COURSE!), Cara's whole FACE like lit UP at the contents of this full-day tour: you basically take a ferry to one island, kayak to a second island, bike through the vineyards of that island, and then kayak back. I swear, this sounded like Christmas to that girl. Me, on the other hand...<br />
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Well, all I have to say is I wish we had a picture to capture the moment.<br />
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Anyway, I don't know WHAT comes over me. I think I have a VERY skewed sense of my abilities when it comes to being all outdoorsy and active. Or maybe it's just that Cara's enthusiasm is super infectious. She's like the most positive, peppy person in all the land when it comes to outdoorsy activities. I mean, she made me feel like I could kayak the world with the accolades she gave me (which, believe me, were wholly NOT warranted) when we were <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/day-7-dubrovnik-by-way-of-kayak-buza.html" target="_blank">kayaking through treacherous waters the other day</a>.<br />
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A combination of all of the above will explain why we found ourselves at the pier, ready and waiting to meet our tour group for this Pedal and Paddle day-long tour. To be fair, I was only nervous about the kayaking. I figured I had the whole biking through the vineyards under control, since I bike a decent amount in Chicago.<br />
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We found our new friends (John and Ryan) almost immediately and the group rounded out with a fifth man and our tour guide. Once we all convened, we headed onto the ferry that was taking us to the first island. The ferry ride was actually pretty long, but that was just fine by me. The more time on that ferry, the less time... well, biking, hiking, kayaking and everything else in between!<br />
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They certainly wasted no time once we got to our island. Look at what was ready and waiting for us...<br />
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The tour guide was asking us if we wanted individual or double-person kayaks. All the guys were, of course, about the individual kayaks. When the tour guide turned to Cara and me, Cara looked at me (again, her face was all lit up like it was Christmas DAY or something!) and asked "What do you think?? You want to try individual kayaks??"<br />
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I swear, I wish we had a picture of my response. I just looked at her like she was outside of her mind (I seriously think she WAS!).<br />
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Needless to say, we ended up in a double-person kayak, thank you very much.<br />
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There weren't too many pictures taken of our kayak expedition to the next island, but I do have to say that the waters were a LOT calmer than the other day so I felt a lot more comfortable. Once we got to the next island, I felt totally empowered with my athletic abilities (although, let's be honest, Cara was doing most of the work... but WHAT?! She was a ROWER in college!) and ready to relax with a nice little bike ride through the countryside.<br />
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Yeah. Within the first FIVE MINUTES of this biking nonsense, I really thought I just wasn't going to make it. There are absolutely NO pictures documenting this nonsense, because the first five minutes legit were straight uphill. (It also didn't help that I had not figured out my gears by this point, so I think I made this a lot harder on myself than it really needed to be.)<br />
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I ended up walking my bike up part of the mountain we were scaling but oh well. Soon enough, I was able to hop back on and continue with this whole biking thing.<br />
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After a bit of biking through some pretty level terrain, we ended up encountering a steep downhill incline, which, quite frankly, I loved. I mean, it's sure better than going UPhill, right? After going all the way downhill, we ended up navigating through some small roads and ended up at this waterside restaurant for lunch.<br />
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I have to say, I loved our group. We ended up just hanging out and gabbing for wayyy longer than our tour guide anticipated - but what can I say? We were having fun! SO. MANY. LAUGHS (mainly about the Tour de France thing we'd just accomplished). Thankfully, our tour guide was super chill so he let us lounge about for a bit... it was only when he threatened that we may miss our ferry back to the mainland if we didn't leave soon that I got RIGHT into action. There was absolutely no way I was missing our ticket back to the mainland!<br />
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But first... first, we had to finish our bike ride.<br />
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Yeah... I'm not even going to bother lying with that picture. Here's what the situation more closely resembled:<br />
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Well, we ended up having to scale yet another mountain as soon as we started our sojourn back to our kayaks (I mean, we did have to get back uphill). I definitely ended up walking my bike up part of it. (Full disclosure: these pictures do NOT reflect the mountain we scaled... this was basically right at the top, thank you very much.)<br />
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I wasn't the only one though!<br />
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Once we scaled that, though, it was okay for a good stretch of it. I was all about taking in the views (and, okay, simply appreciating my ability to breathe evenly) while biking along level ground through the vineyards that were our scenery. There was one point, though, when our tour guide ended up biking next to me and chit chatting.<br />
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Okay, here's the thing - I know I have a natural gift for gab and can talk to like a brick wall. I love getting to know people, what can I say? So normally, I would be all about chit chatting with anyone and everyone - ESPECIALLY about their hopes and dreams of moving to America, which is what our tour guide was going on about - he was SO excited about the prospect. I am, after all, a fan of America and immigration and stuff. But when it comes to chit chatting while working out... well, there are limits to my gift for gab.<br />
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Poor guy - I was trying to keep up with the conversation, but I just couldn't CONCENTRATE! I was too busy focusing on not like huffing and puffing outta control on my bicycle! It was the point when we were biking along and he was trying to keep up some conversation when his exact words were: "Oh man... I hate this part" - because he knew exactly what kind of terrain we were approaching. Sure enough, before my very eyes was quite the uphill slope. I literally just looked at him and, without even thinking, responded with "Jesus. Serious?"<br />
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And that, my friends, is the point when he decided that I may not actually need a conversation buddy during this entire expedition.<br />
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(Just FYI, you can't really see the huge uphill slope that was approaching in this picture. I mean, gotta defend myself to an extent here!)<br />
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God, I was so ready to be over and done with this nonsense. But you can't forget... we DID have to kayak BACK to the original island we were at.<br />
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It was during this point of the journey that I got a serious case of the giggles. I don't understand WHAT was going on (I was likely delirious, let's be honest here), but I could NOT STOP LAUGHING. As a result, these pictures are a skewed representation of what I was actually feeling throughout the day.<br />
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Cara, on the other hand, was basically ready to start the day anew. It's like the treacherous biking up a mountain thing hadn't really fazed her in the least.<br />
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Alas, finally (finally!!) we ended up back on the island that the ferry was going to pick us up at. Oh, sweet heavens - I wanted to kiss the ground. The ferry ended up picking us up right on time and we had a nice, relaxing ride back to the mainland. Once there, we bid farewell to our new friends (talk about a great day of bonding!), and headed into Old Town for dinner at this rather delicious place called Oliva.<br />
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And, of course, DESSERT!<br />
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In retrospect, I have to say this was one of the best days ever. As much grief as I've given this whole experience throughout this post, I have to admit that I felt GREAT at the end of it all (I just knew I was going to be S-O-R-E the next day!). But what a fantastic way to end our stint in Croatia. After dinner, we ended up wandering around Old Town a bit more (we were having a hard time saying goodbye to Croatia!) before... well, folks, by this point, you know what's coming...<br />
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Heading back to our apartment one last time. In case you don't remember the path throughout ALL of my other blog post references, well... here you go (daylight version). Enjoy:<br />
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And that, my friends, concludes the grand trip to Croatia! The following morning, we were up before dawn to catch our super early flights back to the States. All in all, in case it isn't clear enough from my blog posts, I ABS-olutely loved this country and would ABS-olutely come back here to visit again. The people were some of the friendliest I've met, the cities were some of the safest I've felt, the food was some of the most delicious seafood I've ever had and... of course, the scenery. Words can't even describe...<br />
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Til next time!<br />
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Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-91169027516438205752013-10-20T17:13:00.001-07:002013-10-20T17:13:47.009-07:00Day 8 - Dubrovnik, by way of Bosnia-HerzegoviniaFriday started off bright and early again. We had a trip planned to visit Bosnia-Herzegovinia for most of the day, but it wasn't starting till late morning. So Cara and I decided to take advantage of the morning (we're early birds, can you tell? ;)) and head back to Old Town for some souvenir shopping and plain old wandering around.<br />
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We ended up grabbing breakfast first at a sidewalk cafe, where we gabbed, perused guidebooks and... recounted the major events of the trip and documented them for my future blog posts!<br />
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That's right - I definitely documented all activities in Mindy Kaling's <u>Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?</u> It was the only paper I really had on me! And, quite frankly, this book was such a part of the whole trip... mainly, because I couldn't put it down. I was literally laughing aloud at so many parts of it and, naturally, had to share each and every funny anecdote with the other girls throughout the trip. SUCH a good read - I HIGHLY recommend it!<br />
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But I digress. After documenting our trip was complete, Cara and I decided to mosey around with no real plan in mind.<br />
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(Cats were EVERYwhere in Croatia - yuck.)<br />
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Anyway, we ended up stumbling upon a farmer's market! Naturally, we HAD to stop and peruse a bit.<br />
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By that point, it was time to head back to the apartment. You know what that means, guys...<br />
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By this point, I would have to say that I had actually gotten used to the steps. I mean, sure I wasn't ever looking FORWARD to our journey back to the apartment (I mean, please), but I wasn't necessarily ready to collapse by the end of the journey. Talk about progress! ;)<br />
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Shortly after we got back to the apartment, we headed to the main road to wait for our tour guide to come pick us up and take us to Bosnia-Herzegovinia. I was particularly excited about this part of the adventure, since one of <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2011/03/alma-and-christies-day-of-fun-photo.html" target="_blank">my good friends in Chicago</a> is Bosnian and her stories about growing up there are, quite frankly, fascinating to me.<br />
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Our tour guide arrived right on time and before we knew it, we were on our way to Bosnia-Herzegovinia! It actually is a pretty quick drive to Trebinje (the city we ended up visiting in the country) - only about 45 minutes! Of course, the views along the way kept us quite occupied.<br />
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Once we got to Trebinje, we picked up another tour guide who was actually going to give us a walking tour of Trebinje and neighboring areas. Trebinje turned out to be a T-I-N-Y town that was just so quaint, quiet and laid-back.<br />
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We started our tour by heading to a huge church that is pretty much THE landmark of Trebinje.<br />
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Then, we wandered around its city streets, which pretty much looked like they were straight out of a movie set. I mean, seriously... look at this guy, just canoe'ing along his merry way.<br />
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So picturesque.<br />
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And look at these fun benches!<br />
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Once we were done with the walk through downtown, we ended up hauling back into the minivan as our next stop on the tour was a monastery + winery (interesting, no?).<br />
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Check out the monk!! It was so cool to see him - what can I say? I haven't seen all too many monks in my lifetime.<br />
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Then, we wandered over to the winery itself.<br />
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Aww!! Our tour guide!! I forget her name, but she was spectacular. Almost (but not quite) as good as dear <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/days-2-thru-4-zadar-plus-surrounding.html" target="_blank">Ivica</a>.<br />
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And finally we got to sample some of the wine they made right there!<br />
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(Okay, in case you are wondering about Cara's... well, ensemble... we had to cover up our shoulders and legs before heading to the monastery itself. I, naturally, had plenty of cover-up gear since I'm pretty much ALWAYS cold, but Cara had to utilize some of the gear that the monastery had to offer for tourists who need additional cover up material... which explains.. well, is that like a SHEET she's wearing? Who knows. Anyway.)<br />
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After we were done sampling some wine, we piled back into our tour van to head to a restaurant that the tour guide highly recommended for us to try. It was kind of in the middle of nowhere, but it literally was the picture of peace and serenity.<br />
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After our bellies were filled, we all piled back into the mini-tour van and finally headed back to our apartment. We got back to the place by early evening, which allowed just enough time for some downtime and relaxation (i.e. MINDY KALING TIME!) before heading back to Old Town for...<br />
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A very small concert that was taking place inside one of the old churches! The audience was no more than 45 people and I. Absolutely. Loved this. I love the symphony / classical music, so pair that with a tiny audience in a pretty small space and you better believe I was a happy camper.<br />
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The concert was only an hour long, so we decided to take advantage while we were already in Old Town to grab a drink at one of the many outdoor bars. There was a big soccer match taking place that evening so all the bars were showing the game... and the places were packed!<br />
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After the game wrapped up, we decided to call it a night. We had one full day left in Croatia... and boy, was it going to be packed - needed to rest up!Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-35919185032442525692013-10-20T17:09:00.000-07:002013-10-20T17:09:00.551-07:00Day 7 - Dubrovnik, By Way of Kayak, Buza and of course, STEPS!Thursday started off with a pre-planned half-day kayak tour in the morning. Let the outdoorsy activities continue, I guess...<br />
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I was more than a little terrified of this whole kayaking thing - the last time I'd been on a kayak was when I was up in Seattle... the person I was with ended up PUKING in the water, because he basically had to do all the work to support a kayak of two people. Sigh. What can I say? I'm a weakling.<br />
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Given THAT scarring experience, I can safely say that I was NOT really looking forward to this whole kayaking experience. But everyone else was doing it... mob mentality and all that, I guess. We ended up kayaking (through some PRETTY TREACHEROUS WATER, I might add) to a couple of caves, which were pretty...<br />
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You would never know how terrified I was after kayaking through those treacherous waters...<br />
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We ended up getting a chance to get out of our kayaks and play in the water for a little bit... I'm not the strongest of swimmers so I have more of a fear of water than an average individual. However, I had full faith in my life vest so I decided to venture in... despite those treacherous waters.<br />
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Before I knew it, our kayak tour was coming to an end! While our kayak guide was chill, he was definitely no <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/10/days-2-thru-4-zadar-plus-surrounding.html" target="_blank">Ivica</a> in terms of knowledge / articulateness / etc. Oh well, he did end up as Gillian's kayak partner / buddy, so I'll give him some credit.<br />
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After kayaking, our group split up again (this was, in case you can't tell, pretty common throughout the trip, given how many people were in our posse). A few of us ended up walking over to the ever-famed Buza Bar, which is basically a bar that is right on the water. We ended up parking it there for much of the afternoon because... well, because it was pretty much perfect.<br />
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There aren't too many rules and regulations in Croatia (we were quickly finding out), so people are pretty much allowed to jump off of WHEREVER to get themselves into the water. I mean, look at these guys!<br />
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Cara and Gillian ended up jumping in as well for a bit...<br />
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And of course, it wouldn't be a seaside bar without... well, fun beverages!<br />
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Once we were done with a couple of hours at Buza Bar, we decided to head back to the apartment to shower, change and get ready for dinner. Gillian and Laura decided to take a bus back to the apartment (smart ladies) but... well, Cara and I decided to walk back to the apartment. So, you know what that means, my friends...<br />
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Steps galore!<br />
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Clearly, this left a <strike>scarring</strike> lasting impression on me, given my many (many) references to our sojourns to the apartment throughout my blog posts.<br />
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All good though. We ended up back at the apartment with plenty of time to shower and change before heading out for dinner. The girls had made reservations at this place called Taj Mahal... an ironic name considering it was a Bosnian restaurant, no? But alas, we'd heard great things about this place so were quite excited to check it out!<br />
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Check out how TANNNN we all ARRRRE!!!! So, so exciting! And what a great way to end our night! Some Bosnian food to prepare ourselves for our next day... which included a sojourn to Bosnia-Herzegovinia, itself!Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-21475057017318322842013-10-20T17:05:00.000-07:002013-10-20T17:05:18.274-07:00Day 6 - Dubrovnik, by way of Old TownWednesday started off bright and early - Cara and I decided to head out early to soak in every single second of the day ahead of us.<br />
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We ended up walking... well, pretty much all around Dubrovnik.</div>
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I feel like now would be a great time to provide a little disclaimer. Okay, here's the thing - I'm all about being all active and outdoorsy, but... well, within REASON. Cara, on the other hand, is like the picture of Northern California - she's SUPER active and outdoorsy (i.e. just before heading over to Croatia, she'd done some bike ride from Seattle to Portland). You know, just another day in the life, I guess.</div>
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Anyway, please keep that in mind as you read about our days in Dubrovnik - that's all. </div>
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Alright, back to Wednesday. We started off the day with a tour of Dubrovnik's walled-in Old Town. One of the most popular touristy things to do in Dubrovnik is walk the perimeter of the walls to take in all of Old Town from above, so that is how we started our morning.</div>
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We honestly just could not get enough of the views...<br />
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That wall turned out to be just such a fun little playground!<br />
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By the time we were done walking the perimeter, it was right around noon - peak time for sunshine and HEAT. We needed some hydration in a major way. What better way to re-hydrate than to fill up our water bottles at the Old Town fountain?<br />
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How fun is that?? I swear, that water actually tasted quite delicious - so fresh and REFRESHING!<br />
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During our walk along the perimeter of Old Town, we kept on discussing the huge hill (a mountain, I like to think) that was a natural part of Dubrovnik's scenic beauty.<br />
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You can't tell from this picture, but there was a huge cross at the top (Croatia's a hugely Christian / Catholic country) as well as a restaurant and museum. It's, of course, a tourist stop given the views you would have from its height, so there's a ski lift type thing to transport tourists up to the top.<br />
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Yes... that is what normal people would do. Cara, on the other hand, had this grand idea of actually hiking to the top of this thing. You know, to be fair, we hadn't done all too many outdoorsy activities during our time in Croatia just yet, so I was actually all for this - I do love hiking.<br />
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But... well, Jesus. It was H-O-T! (Remember, it was the middle of the day.) And it took us FOREVER to find the hiking path to begin with... that's the other thing about Dubrovnik... it's a city of steps. And we basically had to navigate our way back to the apartment we were staying at as it was on our way to the hiking path. I took the liberty of documenting our path from Old Town to our apartment, since we did it QUITE a few times during our time in Dubrovnik... you are welcome for this brief interlude:<br />
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This was the first set of steps that led from Old Town...<br />
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To... well, another set of steps...<br />
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Those set of steps led to a main road that gave us a bit of respite as we mentally braced ourselves for... well, the next set of steps:<br />
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To be fair, we did feel safe as we continued our journey of steps...<br />
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I'm not kidding, this is the next set of steps we encountered...<br />
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And the final set..<br />
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And that, my friends, is how we journeyed to and from our apartment each day we were in Dubrovnik. No wonder people in this part of the world are so slender... it's not JUST about that Mediterranean DIET! You've gotta consider that Mediterranean LIFESTYLE as well... a lifestyle of steps, if you will.<br />
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In any event! That was just PART of our journey to finding this damn hiking path. I was pretty much dying of heat stroke / exhaustion by the time we FINALLY found the start of the hiking path. And this, my friends, pretty much sums up how Cara and I were feeling by the time we reached the starting point of this hike up... well, up this MOUNTAIN!<br />
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Hahaha! That picture gets me every time.<br />
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Well, there's no stopping us (and by us, I mean Cara). I mean, we HAD worked awfully hard to actually FIND the hiking path - might as well not give up now. And so, we began our sojourn up this mountain. Here we go...<br />
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To be fair, the hike was actually pretty reasonable - I mean, the path is a pretty gentle navigation up the incline (rather than like a straight vertical shot up).<br />
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The path is still pretty new and under development, so we ended up running into some workers who were actually working on the path itself.<br />
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So crazy to think about their efforts and labor... talk about actually having a difficult job (put things in a whole lotta perspective for me, actually).<br />
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We continued along our way... almost before we knew it, the end was in sight. So close.. yet so. damn. far.<br />
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As with most hikes I do, I hate almost every moment until I reach the end destination... which is the point that I, somehow, magically forget how much I hated every moment preceding it because the views simply make it ALL WORTH IT.<br />
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This is one of my favorite pictures (what can I say? Guess it's the Catholic in me! ;))<br />
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We wandered around the top part of the mountain for a bit, soaking in the views from every single angle possible. We finally ended up <strike>collapsing</strike> sitting down at a restaurant for a late afternoon lunch... and/or delicious beverage.<br />
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After just chilling at this rooftop restaurant for a bit, we decided to take the ski lift thing back down to civilization. But we weren't done with our day... don't you worry.<br />
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While we were chilling at the restaurant, Cara had been looking through her tour book and thought it would be fun to go visit this fortress thing that we kept on seeing from a distance. It did look awfully interesting, so we ended up navigating our way (by foot) to the fortress... steps galore and all. By the time we got to the fortress, it was late afternoon and there weren't all too many people around so we got to wander around at our own pace... we just couldn't get enough of the VIEWS!<br />
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As with any fortress, of course there were reminders of... well, the whole purpose of a fortress - protection!<br />
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After making some new friends at the fortress (don't worry, you'll read about them later), we wrapped up our nonstop picture-taking session and moved along... to dinner! We ended up eating at this delicious restaurant called Sesame where we had, simply put, the most amazing figs, parmesan and arugula salad ever.<br />
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Holy... YUM! I mean, the rest of dinner was pretty delicious but that salad wins. After dinner, we were both EX-HAUSTED, to say the least. So we decided to head back to the apartment (we hadn't seen the other girls ALL DAY due to our nonstop activities!)... which, of course, required the standard navigation... up all those steps. Remember those? Let's revisit, shall we?<br />
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Jesus.<br />
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That pretty much sums it up. Onto our next day in Dubrovnik!</div>
Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-79628317920841026332013-10-20T16:59:00.001-07:002013-10-20T16:59:08.349-07:00Day 5 - Dubrovnik - Half the Fun is Getting there, Right?After a fabulous few days in Zadar, it was time to say farewell as we were heading to Dubrovnik to spend the last few days (Tuesday - Saturday) of our trip. Our plan was to take the bus from Zadar back to Split where we had rental cars ready for us to drive to Dubrovnik.<br />
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For how smooth of a journey it was to get from Split to Zadar, it's amazing how... well, eventful was the journey back to Split. We started off boarding this small mini-bus type of situation... it was a lot smaller than the bus we had taken to arrive in Zadar, but we all got seats so we figured we'd just roll with it... until we realized that the line of people to get on this minibus thing was getting longer and longer... and the space in the minibus was getting more and more cramped - people were literally standing on top of one another (I wish, oh how I wish, I'd snapped a picture of this whole experience). It was all rather disgusting, really, and we were all a bit confused as to WHAT was going on. We all ended up transferring from that minibus nonsense to a regular size bus after some lightbulb went off in whoever was organizing the bus situation's head.<br />
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Thinking we were all ready and set, I did what I do best on buses apparently... I passed out. What can I say? I'm perpetually sleepy, I guess. Unfortunately, I was rudely interrupted when our bus ended up stopping about 15 minutes later because we had to transfer buses for some reason. I rolled with it, confused but obedient, nonetheless. Well, another 45 minutes later... we had to transfer buses yet AGAIN! We were all getting a bit annoyed by this point, myself particularly because... well, a girl needs her SLEEP! Hahaha. To this day, I have NO idea what was going on (the whole bus situation was totally fine when we were traveling from Split to Zadar before!), but I was so over this whole "Half the fun is getting there" mantra that kept running through my head during this whole spectacle.<br />
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Anyway, we ended up arriving back in Split in one piece and headed right over to the Hertz to grab our rental car and GO! The seven of us split into two cars, so I ended up in a car with Cara and Gillian. The goal was for the two cars to follow one another on the journey to Dubrovnik... which is all fine and good in theory. Until the two cars lose each other before we even leave the city proper of Split!<br />
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The girls in the other car were well-prepared and had two sets of printed out directions in the car. Cara, Gillian and I... we had nothing - including no form of digital navigation assistance. So what did we do? Well, imagine that, we did the "old-fashioned" thing and literally just followed road signs that pointed us to Dubrovnik. Imagine that, right?<br />
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Well, those signs ended up taking us down this coastal highway that stretched all the way from Split to Dubrovnik so it was a pretty straight shot... and it was quite possibly the most gorgeous road trip of my life. I mean, sure it's the coastal route so you're guaranteed beautiful views of the sun and water... but still. There's something about the Adriatic Sea - the colors, the serenity. Sigh.<br />
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Sorry! Got a little carried away! I couldn't determine what pictures were the "best" so... well, I just dumped them all in! :) Hope you enjoyed the slide show! Hahah.<br />
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Anyway, after PLENTY of stops along the way (I'm telling you, we could NOT get enough!), we finally ended up in Dubrovnik!<br />
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We honestly had just the best time - one of the best road trips ever.<br />
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We managed to navigate our way to the apartment that we were staying at in Dubrovnik. The other car had beaten us there by just a bit, so we arrived to a full house. And by "house", I do mean... palatial estate (we'd gotten upgraded by our original hosts). With, naturally, amazing views.<br />
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That night was fairly uneventful as we were pretty worn out from our neverending journey from Zadar to Split to Dubrovnik and we wanted to get to sleep early in order to take FULL advantage of Wednesday, our first FULL day in Dubrovnik.Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-77658737866806919932013-10-20T16:54:00.002-07:002013-10-20T16:54:51.697-07:00Days 2 thru 4 - Zadar (Plus Surrounding Areas)Alright! Days 2-4 (Saturday thru Monday) of this Croatia extravaganza took place in a small town called Zadar. This was actually my favorite town that we visited in Croatia, primarily because it was so tiny - the smaller, the quainter, the better, in my opinion.<br />
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We ended up taking a pleasant bus ride through the Croatian countryside (or something like that) to Zadar... unfortunately, I missed the majority of the scenic bus ride since I legitimately PASSED OUT for the couple of hours our journey took. Oh well.<br />
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Once we got to Zadar, the host for the apartment we were renting (Ivana) ended up meeting us at the bus station itself, which was great since there was a whole flurry of activity going on (and I was still not fully awake). Anyway, Ivana turned out to be just the sweetest little gem in all the land - SO bubbly and full of all kinds of information. The best kind of host, if you will.<br />
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Our apartment turned out to be a multi-apartment cottage which screamed all kinds of things adorable. Check out our very own COBBLESTONE PATHWAY!<br />
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After settling in to our new digs, we were ready to start exploring. As we hung out in the little courtyard area, waiting for everyone to be ready, we noticed a small (adorable) grandmotherly Croatian woman beckoning to us from a neighboring apartment. She didn't speak any English, but quite frankly, she was so adorable, so I just eagerly headed on over to see what she wanted.<br />
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Boy, am I glad that I did! As if this woman wasn't adorable enough, she had also... MADE THESE WARM AND DELICIOUS MINI DOUGHNUT THINGS (I think it's a traditional Croatian treat) for our group!<br />
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We could NOT get enough of these things! They were just so warm and delicious (and I'm not even the biggest doughnut person). Quite frankly, it was more the gesture than anything else that did it for me... I mean, I wish we could've snapped a PICTURE that fully CAPTURED this elderly woman's pure adorableness without being totally creepy.<br />
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Oh well, that didn't stop us from shamelessly snapping pictures of other elderly people...<br />
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RIGHT?!? Okay, I'm all about the holidays but how creepy / weird is this guy?<br />
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Moving on...we continued wandering around the town and taking in the sites - because Zadar is situated right on the water, we had plenty of simply lovely views of the sunsets...<br />
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How cool is this HUMONGOUS sundial??<br />
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We wandered for a bit more, ended up having dinner at a place called Atrij (delicious, chill and located in a prime spot for people watching!)...<br />
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Okay, there was more to dinner than that, but you get the picture (no pun intended ;)).<br />
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The next couple of days were filled with outdoorsy touristy things - we were planning to visit Plitvice Lakes and Krka National Park. Both are known for being beautiful, forest-y type places with amazing waterfalls. Both of these activities are pretty popular and touristy, and we ended up going with this tour company called <a href="http://www.romeoandjuliet.hr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75&Itemid=222" target="_blank">Romeo and Juliet Travel Agency</a> , based on our host, Ivana's, recommendation.<br />
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I am going to do all I can to advertise this tour company because we simply had the BEST experience with our tour guide, Ivica. He was simply wonderful - so unbelievably knowledgeable, personable, and funny. Not to mention... he is totally in the know with all things American pop culture so you better believe we had plenty to discuss, given the VMAs that had just taken place (as he references it: "The Shame of Miley Cyrus" hahahah!!!).<br />
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In any event, we all piled into this tour minibus/van thing to begin our sojourn to Plitvice Lakes.<br />
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En route, Ivica spoke to us about the history of his country, including but not limited to the war which took place in the early '90s. While everything Ivica spoke about was interesting, his personal stories and experiences about the war were what stuck with me the most.<br />
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We soon arrived at Plitvice Lakes... and were basically taken aback by its beauty. It's basically a magical forest, if you will.<br />
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The trees can't get any greener...<br />
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The water can't get any clearer...<br />
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And of course, you can't forget those waterfalls...<br />
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We also visited a little cave that was located up some steep-ish steps which was nice. I would have to say the steps themselves are probably more exciting than the cave, though.<br />
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Okay, so that was Plitvice Lakes. We ended up hitting up Krka Falls the next day as well, per dear Ivica's recommendation. We were actually more impressed with the views and the waterfalls we saw there moreso than at Plitvice!<br />
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Okay, this is the problem with blogging about trips months after the fact. I have such a terrible memory that I'm starting to confuse what pictures were from Plitvice Lakes vs. Krka Falls. Oh well, all you need to know is that both places are spectacular. Although, if you are pressed for time, I would recommend Krka Falls over Plitvice Lakes (if you are purely interested in seeing amazing waterfalls), as it seemed to have the more majestic waterfalls to look at... AND you get to swim in the falls (which we did)! Can't beat that, right?Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-61658381407242580982013-10-20T16:50:00.003-07:002013-10-20T16:55:05.693-07:00Day 1 - SplitI flew out of Chicago on Thursday, August 29th (yes, I'm more than a bit behind on blogging) and arrived in Split on the afternoon of Friday, August 30th. The flight itself was nothing to write home about, although I DID end up catching up on a couple of pretty high-quality movies along my way:<br />
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<b>42</b> - this movie depicts Jackie Robinson's story and is nothing short of amazing. I was definitely crying at various points.<br />
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<b>The Internship</b> - okay, so this movie is of a slightly different flavor than 42 (it's the one where Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson decide to get internships at Google), but it definitely had me laughing aloud at various points in time. I would say... no need to pay for a ticket / rental, but definitely a good watch if you can see it for free.<br />
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Oh! Okay, back to Croatia.<br />
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So I landed on Friday afternoon ready and waiting for some fun, sun and RELAXATION. The other six girls on this trip had already completed a week of sailing around Croatia's islands (I had decided to just do the land portion of the holiday) so I knew that they would be in serious vacation mode by the time I got there. I ended up taking a cab to the apartment that the girls were renting and reuniting with Cara (my friend who had invited me along on this holiday and the only person I knew at the beginning of the trip!) who had parked it in a lawn chair outside the apartment to wait for me (DRATS! How I wish I had a picture of THAT.).<br />
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Most of the other girls were out and about (it was the middle of the day, after all), so I quickly just dropped off my stuff, changed my clothes, brushed my teeth (I hate super long flights) and was ready to GET MY EXPLORING ON! I had less than a day in Split (we were peacing out to Zadar the next day) so I had no time for any of this jet lag nonsense.<br />
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Once I was ready, Cara and I ventured out to explore the mean streets of Split... there are so many inaccuracies with that sentence. First, Cara was well-acquainted with Split by this point, since the town is pretty small and the girls had been there for a few days by this point. Second, the "mean streets" of anywhere in Croatia simply does not exist - this country, I would soon find out, is one of the safest and friendliest places ever.<br />
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Anyway, we ended up catching up (I hadn't seen Cara since March when <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/03/where-did-march-go.html" target="_blank">she'd come to Chicago for St. Patrick's Day</a>) while wandering around and taking in the sights.<br />
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After a bit more wandering, we were ready for a late lunch / early dinner and ended up heading to this restaurant called Fife. The other girls had indicated this place was pretty delicious (some of them had gone there on an earlier night) so we decided to take their word for it... and boy, were we NOT disappointed.<br />
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Honestly, this has got to be the best calamari I've experienced in life. Ever. Sure, we're in a country which is known for its seafood, but really. I still think about that calamari from time to time, if you will...<br />
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In any event! After a nice, leisurely meal (I love European restaurants that let you just chilllll for as long as you please), we continued wandering along into Split's Old Town area, which was cute and quaint.<br />
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And ended up hanging out there into the evening (I was NOT going to succumb to jet lag no matter how hard it was for me to keep my eyes open by this point!).<br />
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I was actually quite proud of myself for staying awake as long as I had - I'm such a wimp when it comes to sleep (I just love it so much) - but I was more than ready for bed by this point. We had an early morning the next day, after all!Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-88245256224492959962013-09-24T13:53:00.000-07:002013-09-24T13:53:32.166-07:00South Dakota: The Americana ExtravaganzaAs many of you know, I like to take trips that are a bit more "off the beaten path". Don't get me wrong - I love traveling so I will happily travel just about anywhere... but my favorite trips to-date have primarily been to those locations which people respond with a look of "Why did you decide to go THERE?".<br />
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While I have many goals in life, one major goal of mine is to visit all 50 states by the time I turn 50 years old. I actually think I'll be able to accomplish this before I turn 50, but there are definitely some states that will be visited solely for the intent and purpose of fulfilling this goal- nothing more, nothing less. I mean, please. Who would willingly go to North Dakota or Idaho (to list just a couple)? </div>
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South Dakota started out as one of those states that I figured would be just like that - I mean, what is there REALLY to see in this state aside from Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands? </div>
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Ah, welcome to my thoughts circa... well, just a few months ago.</div>
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Some of you may remember my trip to <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2012/10/maine.html" target="_blank">Maine last Fall</a> - that was the advent of this whole "D List State Vacation List" that some friends and I had conjured up. Well, Maine totally took us by surprise, soaring itself from D List to straight up A List in the course of a single, lovely weekend. In fact, it's so A list (in my book), that I now have a new goal to purchase a Fall vacation home there at some point in my life.</div>
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But I digress.</div>
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In any event, after that highly successful trip, we decided to see what other gems the good ol' U.S. of A. had to offer.</div>
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And that, my friends, is how South Dakota was born. Initially, we were thinking that we'd actually be a little bored if we went for a long weekend - I mean, like I said before, what is there REALLY to do aside from Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands? But the more and more we discussed this with other people... the more and more input people surprisingly had to provide! Who knew so many people had visited this STATE??</div>
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Before we knew it, we had an overpacked agenda and were actually nixing things from the list because we didn't think we'd have time to cover it all.*<br />
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We had so much to cover, in fact, I had to divide this post up to make it easier on the eyes! So, without further ado... I present to you: South Dakota, The Americana Extravaganza:<br />
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/09/americana-extravaganza-day-one-badlands.html" target="_blank">Americana Extravaganza - Day One (Badlands, Wall Drug, Mt. Rushmore)</a><br />
<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/09/american-extravaganza-day-two-rough.html" target="_blank">Americana Extravaganza - Day Two (Rough Lock Falls, Deadwood and SASKATCHEWAN!!)</a><br />
<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/09/american-extravaganza-day-three-buffalo.html" target="_blank">Americana Extravaganza - Day Three (Buffalo and the Wild West Saloon)</a><br />
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*I'm saying "we" as though I were actively involved in the planning process - please. Special thanks to Purvi and Rina, yet again, for planning this <u>entire</u> trip... and incorporating recommended activities / content that I would just merely forward along with a "Just a friendly FYI..." disclaimer. :)</div>
Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-51014465400360678142013-09-24T13:51:00.000-07:002013-09-24T14:08:24.393-07:00Americana Extravaganza - Day Three (Buffalo and the Wild West Saloon)And so we come to the final day of our wonderful, whirlwind Americana extravaganza.<br />
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We started off Day Three with a drive through Custer State Park - you can't come to South Dakota without seeing some buffalo roam, after all. That was the primary intent of our visit to Custer - and, boy, were we pleased. We saw all kinds of animals, including but not limited to these crazy beasts we call buffalo.<br />
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After driving... and pausing in amazement... and driving... and pausing in amazement... we finally made it through Custer State Park and decided to continue our drive through Needles Highway. A couple of folks had highly recommended doing the drive through the lovely and scenic Needles Highway... but MAN! Talk about the buzzkill to end all buzzkills. I honestly did not understand what the hype was about.<br />
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Oh well, gotta document (and check things off that list), right?<br />
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After that buzzkill, we ended up heading to Jewel Cave for a little tour. I hadn't been to a cave in ages, but MAN! I loved this thing - again, I think it comes back to me being a complete nerd and fully loving and appreciating the history that surrounded the formation of this cave, but oh well. It was so fun!! Complete with lanterns and everything!<br />
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After just about the most rugged thing we did on this trip, we ended up back in that beast of a Suburban... ready for probably the most impromptu... experience (it was nothing short of that, to say the least) of our trip.<br />
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Okay, to back up, one of the girls on the trip, Trang, is not only lovable but... well, crazy. Anyway, before / during our trip, she'd indicated how one of her life dreams was to do one of these ridiculous dress up in historically-themed costumes and have your picture taken. I mean, what kind of DREAM was this?? Of course, we all laughed it off in a "Oh, Trang" kind of manner, but... well, imagine our surprise when we were driving along and spotted... of all things, a storefront designed to do JUST that - take pictures of visitors all dolled up in Wild West attire.<br />
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I mean... seriously?<br />
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Not gonna lie, I was kind of cringing as we entered this little storefront. I had no idea what to expect - I mean, I've done some crazy / shameless things in my life... this had definitely not yet made my list.<br />
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I swear, though, Trang was absolutely giddy with delight. I'm not kidding - she was literally GLOWING and BEAMING as soon as we'd entered that store. You couldn't help but get wrapped up in the merriment / excitement... it was absolutely contagious!<br />
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And that, my friends, is how we came across what turned into one of my top 3 favorite activities of this whole Americana extravaganza. Each of us ended up getting all dolled up (with the help of the store owners) in Wild West attire and... well, posing against a saloon backdrop.<br />
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I think the picture just about says it all, no?<br />
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Needless to say, we could NOT stop laughing about this experience - it was so ridiculous... and yet, just. so. amazing.<br />
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What a way to end our last night of our trip, huh?<br />
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And that, my friends, concludes the tales of our Americana extravaganza. Yet another D List gone <strike>A List</strike> B List (let's not get carried away here) State Vacation for the books.<br />
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Til next time!<br />
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*Special thanks to Purvi and Trang for allowing me to<strike> straight up steal</strike> borrow their pictures from this trip.Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-62354206654431320382013-09-24T13:49:00.001-07:002013-09-24T13:50:17.703-07:00Americana Extravaganza - Day Two (Rough Lock Falls, Deadwood and SASKATCHEWAN!!)Well, after an eventful Day One, I wasn't really holding out all that much hope for the rest of the trip. I mean, we'd covered what I'd wanted to cover (Badlands, Mt. Rushmore)... what more could there possibly be?<br />
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Enter... Day Two. Day Two started off with a visit to Rough Lock Falls, which is this gorgeous woods-y/forest-y area complete with... you guessed it - waterfalls. We ended up mainly just driving through the area, but we did end up stopping here and there for the occasional picture or two.<br />
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This picture, without fail, cracks me up... pretty standard, some might say. (And by "standard", I mean "Christie laughs maniacally at, clearly, nothing that anyone else finds all that entertaining.)<br />
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Oh well, it was too early in the morning to be fully sane...<br />
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But it's never too early on a Saturday morning to... well, be doing an Irish jig? (Hahah - this picture also, without fail, cracks me up.)<br />
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Actually, you know what... come to think of it - I completely forget if these pictures were taken en route to Rough Lock Falls or en route elsewhere. Whoops (this is what happens when you delay blogging about a trip for TWO MONTHS!) - oh well, for all intents and purposes, we are going to say that yes... yes, these pictures were taken en route to Rough Lock Falls.<br />
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However, I can 100% assure you - THIS was taken AT the Falls themselves...<br />
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Pretty, right?<br />
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After doing another <strike>hike</strike> gentle stroll through some pretty forestry, we headed back into the beast of a Suburban to head to Deadwood. Deadwood is this town in South Dakota that closely resembles a "Wild West" town. While we were going to visit to see the "Wild West" in all its glory, our primary activity in Deadwood was... that's right - seeing a rodeo!!<br />
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I can safely say that each and every one of us was at least slightly traumatized by the rodeo - I mean, these cowboys were a bit aggressive when lasso'ing their horses and TYING THEM DOWN??!?!? (I'm absolutely NOT posting pictures of that spectacle taking place - I can't bear the memory!)<br />
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After that traumatic event transpired, we decided to walk around the town for a bit... and what a great distraction! It was as we were walking around that I noticed that my birthplace was showcased on QUITE a few license plates in the area - who knew that so many Saskatchewanians would be vacationing in South Dakota, of all places?? I HAD to document accordingly...<br />
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And naturally, I HAD to befriend my fellow Saskatchewanian...<br />
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(Of course, the owner of the car HAD to come back to his car while I was shamelessly taking my picture with the license plate. Oh well, at least my people are friendly folks, I guess.)<br />
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Honestly, seeing all the Saskatchewan license plates (and meeting my fellow Saskatchewanian!) was truly one of the highlights of my trip. I really need to see about making a trip back to my birthplace... if I'm going to advertise it as much as I do (I mean, how can you NOT advertise a place called "Saskatoon, Saskatchewan"... doesn't it just sound MAGICAL?!?!), I should probably see how the place has changed in... I don't know... the past 30 years or so?<br />
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Ah, but I digress. Another trip for another time.<br />
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We ended up wandering and finding a little tour group of Deadwood, so we ended up hopping right on board.<br />
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Literally.<br />
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It was fun - the tour guides were nice (and very knowledgeable!). I mean, the fact that they openly judged us for how little we knew about South Dakota, let alone Deadwood itself, is a mere aside.<br />
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After we'd gotten our fill of Deadwood, we ended up piling back into the beast of a Suburban and headed back to the hotel for a little downtime before heading off to dinner. Downtime for Rina and myself consisted of wandering through downtown Rapid City, doing a self-guided tour of all the presidents which line the streets of Rapid City.<br />
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We are such nerds, but, quite frankly - I absolutely LOVED THIS PART OF OUR DAY!!! I mean, you have to admit - we've had some serious WINNERS to serve as our presidents... we're pretty lucky, America.<br />
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Ahh! Rina and her favorite president - Abraham Lincoln...<br />
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Ahh! JFK!!! AND I happened to have Ted Kennedy's autobiography (one of my favorite books ever) in my purse!! It was so just meant to be!!<br />
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And... naturally, I HAD to save the best for last.<br />
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God, Bill Clinton. I don't know how much more of a love someone can have for a president. (Ironically, for how much love I do have for him, he's actually my second favorite president... second only to FDR, in case you were curious.)<br />
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In any event! We ended up wandering up and down the streets a bit more before finally heading back to the hotel to meet the rest of the group for dinner at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/everest-cuisine-rapid-city" target="_blank">Everest Cuisine</a> - which happened to have only some of the most amazing Indian / Nepalese cuisine I've ever experienced. Rapid City... who would've thought, huh?<br />
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*Special thanks to Purvi and Trang for allowing me to<strike> straight up steal</strike> borrow their pictures from this trip.Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-17678193978820412112013-09-24T13:48:00.003-07:002013-09-24T13:48:55.994-07:00Americana Extravaganza - Day One (Badlands, Wall Drug, Mt. Rushmore)My friends and I decided we would all fly out to Rapid City, South Dakota on Thursday night and fly back on Monday morning. Because we were all coming from various locations (San Francisco, St. Louis, Chicago and Yosemite-ish), we figured it was just going to be easier to meet at the airport.<br />
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Easier said than done. I think Purvi's flight from San Francisco was the only one that was remotely on time (landing around 9:30 PM). The girls flying in from Chicago ended up being delayed and arrived only around midnight / 1 AM. And my flight from St. Louis was straight up cancelled. I think there were some weather issues going on but still - what kind of start to the trip WAS this?</div>
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Oh well, some of us aren't seasoned travelers for naught. I mean, traveling can be a nightmare but a snafu here and there really isn't the end of the world - it actually just adds to the adventure, no? (Okay, I may be stretching the optimism / positivity a bit here.)</div>
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In any event, after approximately four hours of sleep on Thursday night (at this hotel that the airline put me up at), I was back up and at 'em at the Houston airport (I had had to connect from St. Louis through Houston to get me to Rapid City)... ready and waiting to fly through Dallas to connect to Rapid City. (Who knew I would be getting such a tour of the grand state of Texas through all this?)</div>
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Ah well - nothing a nice cup of (iced!!) coffee can't cure</div>
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After the craziness of Thursday night, Friday's flight(s) were fairly uneventful. My friends were ready and waiting to pick me up in the rental car (and by rental car, I mean the beast of a Suburban that Purvi had been able to swing with Hertz) at the airport so that we could head straight for our first planned adventure - the Badlands.</div>
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Oh, let me back up quickly to explain who all was on this trip. It was basically the Maine crew minus one plus two - yeah, I'm sure that made no sense. To spell it out... this trip was comprised of myself, Rina, Purvi and Trang (we all went to Maine together), Joyce (another friend from Chicago who is just crazy and added some real razzle dazzle to the group, let's be honest here) and Mark (another friend from Chicago who decided to make South Dakota a pit stop after a two-week backpacking adventure in the wilderness). </div>
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Our trip started off as a bit of a reunion - some of us hadn't seen each other for AGES! So you can only imagine what ensued... lots of this...
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And this...<br />
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Aaaand... finally, we got it just right...<br />
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(Poor Mark - I think he questioned joining us on the trip from this moment onwards.)</div>
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In any event, we continued along our merry way, hiking through the Badlands. I think "hiking" is a loosely used term in this situation - more... a gentle walk along pebbly ground, one would say. </div>
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I mean, don't get me wrong. There WAS room for confusion at various points in time... </div>
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But thankfully, Trang took the initiative to sign us up at various points along the trail in case of emergency situations... </div>
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Can never be too prepared, I guess... ;) </div>
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Overall, though, the Badlands turned out to be pretty picturesque:</div>
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I would argue that it's not necessarily worthy of a solid 3.5 hours of <strike>hiking</strike> gently strolling through pebbly terrain, but to each their own.</div>
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After the Badlands, we drove back to Rapid City with a stop at Wall Drug - this ridiculously touristy place, filled with all KINDS of tschotchky items. I couldn't BELIEVE how HUGE this place was - it was like a little playground, if you will.<br />
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Once we'd gotten our fill of Wall Drug, we piled back into that beast of a Suburban and headed straight for... where else? Mt. Rushmore.<br />
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I was so, so, so excited for Mt. Rushmore. I mean, it's an historical American LANDMARK!! I love history! I love America! How could one NOT be excited for this 20th century masterpiece?? We got to Mt. Rushmore close to dusk, as we were strongly encouraged to visit Mt. Rushmore for its spectacular night light show (or something like that). Check it out in all its daytime glory...<br />
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It gets even better at night!!<br />
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Okay, to be perfectly honest - Mt. Rushmore was nice to visit and all, but it's definitely just one of those "check things off a list" kind of things. I have no desire / need to visit Mt. Rushmore again... I mean, it's cool and all but... well, it's a lot SMALLER than I was expecting it to be. God, Mt. Rushmore is to South Dakota what the <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-two-panama-canal-and-run-in-with.html" target="_blank">Panama Canal is to Panama</a>... kind of a giant buzzkill.<br />
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Sooo, in a nutshell, that was Day One of this Americana extravaganza. You ready for Day Two?</div>
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*Special thanks to Purvi and Mark for allowing me to<strike> straight up steal</strike> borrow their pictures from this trip.</div>
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Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-294926035533845062013-08-11T20:58:00.000-07:002013-08-11T20:58:05.360-07:00"That's My Ish" - A Weekend With My 21-Year-Old TwinWow, has it been a while or WHAT? Oh well! Let's get right to it, shall we?<br />
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You've likely seen a post here or there about <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2011/04/bucket-lists-buried-life-and-maria.html" target="_blank">the one, the only... Maria Thomas</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/06/ah-grand-home-state.html" target="_blank">I've known Maria and her family for about 25 years and, simply put, they are the best.</a> Maria is the middle child of three and... well, we take great pride in the twin-dom (in personality) that we've formed over the years. I mean, who else could have taught eight-year-old Maria the lyrics to such age-appropriate songs as JayZ's "Big Pimpin"? (I take great pride in the fact that, to this day, Maria does text me when she hears that song from time to time. Ahh, the legacy and teachings I leave for future generations...)<br />
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Maria is one of the few people I know that is more crazy (in the "my kinda crazy" sorta way) than me. I do believe she's learned a fair amount of her crazy ways from me and, to be quite frank, I'm quite proud of this fact. Again... that whole legacy I'm leaving behind and all that. ;)<br />
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In any event! I cannot tell you how excited I was when Maria mentioned that she was going to be gracing Chicago with her presence this weekend. Of course, I hadn't exactly planned out an itinerary for the two of us (unless you count "hugfesting it out" to be itinerary-worthy) but I figured we'd just roll with it and figure things out when she got to my place. Easy peasy.<br />
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Well, that whole "getting to my place" came a lot earlier than I expected. Come 8:30 AM on Saturday, Maria was ready and waiting in my lobby. I was a bit surprised to receive a text from her that early on a Saturday morning (I mean, she IS 21 and she HAD been out the night before!) and, to be perfectly honest, I was a bit of a zombie upon greeting her given my whole four hours of sleep the night before, but... well, nothing a little hug/gab-fest can't cure, right? Right.<br />
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After hugging it out and chatting it up for a bit, we talked plans for the day. We decided to start off by venturing to the Lincoln Park farmers market for some coffee and breakfast, then make an appearance at the Lincoln Park Zoo and then head back to my place for a nap. The fact that the nap made it on the itinerary right off the bat is just one of many reasons why I adore the one, the only Maria - we are two. of a freaking. kind.<br />
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After strolling through the farmers market and finishing up our coffees / breakfast, we made our way across the street to the Lincoln Park Zoo. It never ceases to amaze me that this zoo is literally three blocks from my apartment - it's just a whole different world...<br />
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Filled with lots of animals (which I may or may not feel a touch bad for)...<br />
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And/or lots of adorable children (I swear we're not creepers)...<br />
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As we were wandering about the zoo, Maria and I managed to cover a WIDE range of deep topics - from the frequency with which an average college student checks Facebook... to our love of mixed children... to a detailed discussion of "which" mixed races would evolve the most beautiful child... to, well, something related to Maria's love for Hispanic families (hahah - is this getting to be way too much information?)... to... well, Maria's use of such clutch phrases including, but not limited to...<br />
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"That's my ish".<br />
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Okay, to be fair, I've heard this term before, but DEFINITELY not used in natural conversation. I forget what we were gabbing on and on about, but when Maria just inserted that phrase so naturally to the conversation... well, THAT's when it became clear that I was hanging out with a 21 year old ;) I think my new goal is to try to start incorporating that phrase into MY everyday conversations (dream big and all that)... I mean, Maria taught me well - that phrase was only inserted into any and all conversations for the remainder of the weekend, let's be honest here.<br />
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Ah, but I digress. All in all, it was just such a BEAUTIFUL DAY that we got to spend in Lincoln Park!<br />
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After spending some time at the zoo, were we EVER ready for our naps!<br />
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Such a money idea if ever there was one. After a couple of hours (what can I say? We don't take napping lightly), each of us woke up nicely bright-eyed and bushy-tailed... and totally ready to start the "downtown" part of our day of fun.<br />
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We hopped on that 151 (God, it's been so long since I've ridden that thing and no WONDER - it is the slowest thing EVER) and headed down to Michigan and Wacker. Stop #1: Chicago's architecture tour. This is one of my favorite "touristy" things to do in Chicago because you get to be on the water, soak up the sun AND learn about Chicago's history / buildings... so many of my favorite things all rolled into one tour!<br />
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After the tour, we headed a bit further south to check out Millennium Park - it had been AGES since I'd been to Millennium Park and it was just so FUN to wander about it with Maria, who had never been before.<br />
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Okay, so maybe our idea of "fun" is a bit different from others... considering the majority of our time was spent... well...<br />
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Stalking Oprah...<br />
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And/or attempting to pose like FOBs in pictures. I mean, is this a new fad or something? Maria told me about how her and her friends make it a point to do this each time they go places and... not going to lie, I definitely just gave her a "What the f" look. But... well, turns out Maria knows what she's doing. I kind of want to do this each time I travel now too! ;) (Clearly, this whole "craziness influence" is a two-way street.)<br />
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Take 1:<br />
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Take 2:<br />
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Take 3:<br />
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I have to say, I was quite impressed. The girl's got the look DOWN PAT. All she really needs to do now is stick her index finger and middle finger in her pocket and she will be SET. Ah, for next time.<br />
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We tried to do another FOB shot on the lawn, but... well, the darn picture turned out a lot cuter (read: less FOB) than we were intending.<br />
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Noted: next time we attempt a "FOB sitting on a grassy knoll" pose, make sure we are NOT beaming and are sitting more on our hips with our folded legs slightly to the side... do you know what I'm talking about? Have we thought about this way too much? Moving on...<br />
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After spending way more time than was necessary posing for these pictures (which, ironically, was actually taken by a FOB couple we'd spotted from afar... sigh, shamelessness-personified), we decided to move on to... Pritzker Pavilion!<br />
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I love, love, love this spot! It's. Just. So. CHILL! And Saturday was no exception! I actually had just intended to show Maria the pavilion itself, since it's so "majestic" in nature. Upon making our way to the pavilion though, how much of an added bonus was it that we stumbled upon...<br />
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Oh, just a Saturday night symphony concert. God, it was so lovely. I haven't been to the symphony in AGES and it was just so relaxing to zone out to some seriously calming / soothing music. Sigh. After hanging out for a bit, we decided to continue on our merry way - next stop: the Bean.<br />
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I actually had never seen the Bean at night - and it was definitely worth it.<br />
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We couldn't get enough!<br />
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As if the love for this city couldn't grow any more...<br />
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Amazing, right?!?!<br />
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Anyway, after THAT photography session, we made our way back on the 151 and headed back to my apartment. By that point, it was about 10 PM and... well, you know me - if it was up to me, I would totally have just called it a night. But of course, I've got my 21 year old twin to keep me in check - she was the one who voiced the executive decision that we were going out.<br />
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Of course, I smiled and nodded along but MAN, inside I was just thinking "It's just one night with a 21 year old, Christie. You can do it. You can do it." Hahaha.<br />
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It actually ended up being a LOT tamer / chiller than I was initially expecting - we were going to start off with drinks at the John Hancock tower's Signature Room before heading out... well, somewhere lively and bumpin. We ended up getting into the Signature Room pretty quickly for a Saturday night and snagged a pretty money spot, complete with:<br />
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Some pretty sweeeeet views<br />
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Some pretty sweeeeet drinks<br />
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And, of course, some pretty sweeeeet company<br />
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I honestly thought we would be there for about an hour before peacing out and heading out. However, we ended up gabbing for WAY longer than expected... and actually ended up closing down the Signature Room at 1:30. I guess this is what happens when you get engrossed in some pretty deep convos about family... Facebook... friends... Twitter... life... Tumblr... well, you get the idea.<br />
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By that point, I was definitely ready for bed (that nap can only hold me out for so long), so we ended up calling it a night.<br />
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But MAN! What a wonderful day! What else can one expect when they spend a day with the one, the only Maria Thomas? ;)<br />
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*Special thanks to Maria for some of the pictures which were incorporated into this blog post.Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-64556400418500773882013-06-23T18:15:00.000-07:002013-06-23T18:17:11.083-07:00Purvi and Christie's Day of FUN!Today just epitomized a typical summertime Chi kinda day. I'm sure you people are getting sick of how much I advertise this city (summertime or not), but I can't help it. Chicago (ESPECIALLY in the summertime) has got to be one of the most utopian places <strike>on Earth</strike> in the continental United States.<br />
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This weekend was no exception - it finally actually FELT like summertime for the first time in ages. I never thought I'd be so grateful for heat and humidity but MAN! If this is what it takes for it to actually feel like summer in the city... well, bring it ON.<br />
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I was actually expecting to be fairly useless today, given how unproductive my morning was shaping out to be. I mean, I'd arisen at my usual ungodly early hour (for a weekend) but... well, apparently, I can no longer expect to be a fully functional individual after a night filled with... well, wine. Lesson learned.<br />
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Oh well, after a couple of hours of napping, I was FINALLY ready to start my day anew... and it was only 11 AM! To be honest, I didn't have all too many monumental events lined up for the day, but I DID know I wanted to hit up my neighborhood Lululemon store for some goodies. Actually, let me back up for a second.<br />
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So let me be clear - before last weekend, I had never set foot in a Lululemon store despite being surrounded by Lululemon gear every which way I turned (hello, I live in Lincoln Park). Anyway, everyone I know who shops there has nothing but rave reviews... but it simply never peaked my interest. It's only been over recent weeks that my intrigue for this magical land we call Lululemon escalated, primarily based on the rave reviews my work teammates were giving it. I decided to finally bite the bullet last weekend and... well, at least enter the store to see what all the fuss was about.<br />
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Turns out. There's a reason for all the fuss. I ended up buying a pair of yoga pants from there last weekend and... well, I've pretty much lived in them all week long. They have got to be the most comfortable things I've ever experienced and... GOD! Not to be <i>completely</i> superficial, but they are just so... darn beautiful.<br />
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After texting my friend, Purvi, about my plans to go to Lululemon again this weekend to purchase a second pair of... yes, the exact same pants (this is how much the love developed over the course of one week)... she ended up calling back with her plans for the day and... well, one thing led to another which led to...<br />
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Purvi and Christie's Day of FUN! (See below video if you don't get the reference right off the bat.)<br />
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The day started off as any day can... and as any day SHOULD, really.<br />
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After that necessary pit stop, I headed south to meet Purvi at stop #1 of our Day of Fun: the Harold Washington Library. I consider Purvi to be one of those people who has seen and done pretty much anything. So when I recently learned that she had never set foot in the Harold Washington Library NOR did she own a Chicago Public Library card... well, to say I was shocked is an understatement. (I'm only saying this because I know how much reading this girl has done in the past.)<br />
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Most of you who know me know <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/06/ah-grand-home-state.html" target="_blank">what a fan of libraries I am</a>. <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2011/08/jodi-picoult-project.html" target="_blank">The Harold Washington Library is absolutely no exception</a>. And being able to see someone officially get their first Chicago Public Library card...?!<br />
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Happy, happy, happiness!<br />
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After touring this grandiose library's hallowed halls (seriously, it's like a museum), we continued our Day of Fun with a quick pit stop at Purvi's apartment to try on some dresses (her) and pick up a book (me).<br />
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Can I just share - I love visiting Purvi's apartment. Among other things:<br />
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1) She keeps me hydrated (a feat in and of itself, given that whole <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2010/02/list-of-things-i-dont-like-that-most.html" target="_blank">aversion to water thing</a>)... <br />
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2) Her bookshelf keeps me occupied for hours (okay, slight exagg) on end. But honestly, isn't it one of the most beautiful things you've ever seen? <br />
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3) ... And she has no problems lending me books that I don't have on my own bookshelf in Chicago! (Not the first time I've borrowed a book from her, mind you...)<br />
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The little things in life, really. Anyway, after hanging out at her place for a bit, we moved from the literary component of our Sunday to... well, the more superficial component of the day.<br />
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Next stop: Lululemon. I <i>had</i> to get those pants!<br />
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Well... let's just say I got a bit carried away. I had a feeling this was going to happen because... well, how people are supposed to exercise any form of self-restraint when they see all kinds of beautiful colors right before their very eyes is a bit unclear to me.<br />
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And it's me! I'm not a shopper by any means. But... I simply do NOT know what happened inside those hallowed walls of Lululemon today. A girl possessed, if you will...<br />
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(I'm sure that lady in the back mirror really loved me causing a spectacle by taking this picture.)<br />
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But back to the point... yes, my friends. I did indeed try on every single beautiful item that is splayed out on that table. And God, was it glorious. I honestly don't know what came over me. Eh, oh well. No sense dwelling on that because... quite frankly, because today turned out to be one of the happiest (shopping) days of my life! Hahah! So I may be embellishing just a touch...<br />
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Okay, to be fair, I didn't walk out the STORE with all of those things I tried on - I mean, I'm not CRA-zy (others may beg to differ but I stand firm). Just... well, just a handful of... necessities, I guess you could call them. :)<br />
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I know, right?! I can't stop staring at my bag o' STUFF! Pure. Unadulterated. Beauty. If you will.<br />
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Hmm... come to think, I guess now may be a good time to actually start thinking about dabbling in this whole "exercise thing", huh? I mean, I have the whole "costuming" thing down, apparently. Eh, let's not get carried away here. ;)<br />
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In any event! After THAT oddly high on life experience, Purvi and I made a slight pit stop for some serious sugar (yes, this is how we do up fro yo)...<br />
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Before heading to our final stop of the day: Fleet Feet.<br />
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Another happy spot of mine (I love the staff here!!).<br />
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After Purvi finished her own little shopping spree of inserts (practicality can be glamorous, right? :)), we finally decided to part ways. <br />
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All in all, such a sweet (albeit somewhat superficial) success of a Day of Fun, if you will.<br />
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Til next time...Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-39694438021910215432013-06-16T16:36:00.003-07:002013-06-16T18:50:32.970-07:00Happy Chelsea Clinton Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Typically, when I get mass emails from various sources, I immediately delete, barely taking a glimpse at the subject line (I'm sorry, but how MANY 40% off sales can Banana Republic HAVE?). I have to say, as much as I love all things Clinton, mass emails from the Clinton Foundation typically fall prey to this activity as well.<br />
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That's why it took a couple of (friendly!) reminders from the Clinton Foundation before I finally actually opened an email talking about a Chicago Day of Action. You would think I would be drawn to the day itself - it is, after all, a day of giving back to the community.<br />
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But... well, please. What actually prompted me to open the email was the subject heading "Last Chance to join Chelsea for a Day of Action in Chicago".<br />
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I mean, <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2012/05/am-i-only-chicagoan-enjoying-nato-being.html" target="_blank">an opportunity to hang out with a member of the Clinton family</a>?!<br />
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Count. Me. In.<br />
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Hey, at least I'm honest right? Right. We'll go with that.<br />
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In any event, I was actually really impressed with how well-organized this whole day turned out to be... especially considering I had absolutely no idea what my "assignment" was actually going to be until about two days before the event itself. But let me start at the beginning.<br />
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So this day of service was actually being put on by this group called Chicago Cares. Because CGI America was taking place in Chicago during the latter half of this week, the Clinton Foundation decided to partner with Chicago Cares to sponsor and promote this Day of Action (an annual event that the Foundation has started doing in various cities around the country, I believe). There were quite a few activities going on with this day of action - I guess there have to be with 1,000+ volunteers milling about to support the cause! GOD!! I was just so proud to be a Chicagoan on this day.<br />
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I used to be really into volunteering back in high school and college when the opportunities arose. But I kind of let the whole volunteering thing fall to the wayside as I tried to figure out what the heck I was doing with my life throughout my 20s. I've been trying to get more into it over the past couple of years and I have to say, I do find my life to be a bit more enriched because of these kinds of experiences smattered amidst the daily grind. Deep, I know.<br />
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But I digress.<br />
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So I was told to arrive at Daley Plaza to check in, pick up my T-shirt (the essentials, of course ;)) and map by 8 AM. Chelsea Clinton (among others) would deliver opening remarks at 8:30 AM and we would all be on our way to our respective work sites by 9:15 AM.<br />
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8 AM on a Saturday would normally trigger all kinds of miserable thoughts but not this day. In fact, not gonna lie, I woke up (sans alarm) at 5:43 AM this fine Saturday morning. I honestly could not even TRY to fall back asleep for another hour or so! I was just so DARN excited... I mean, it was <strike>Chelsea Clinton Day</strike> the Day of Action! <br />
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There was no WAY I was just going to wait till 8 AM to make my appearance on Daley Plaza. Please - I'm far too seasoned a veteran in celebrity stalking to know that you need to allow PLENTY of time to organize yourself... and/or plant yourself RIGHT in front of the stage (or wherever you anticipate the celebrity to be).<br />
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So I merrily got myself ready and hopped on my 22 bus to Daley Plaza earlier than I'd originally anticipated... and ended up at Daley Plaza at like 7:15 AM. Oh well - I hate crowds so I loved being able to walk right up to the registration table to pick up all my schwaaaag<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The eyes say: "It's 7:15 AM on a Saturday", the smile says: "It's CHELSEA CLINTON DAY!! HOLLAAAA!!"</td></tr>
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Once I got myself organized, I actually ended up having some time to wander about the different stands set up at Daley Plaza (I'm not sure why this surprises me... I was pretty much one of the first registrants ON the Plaza to begin with! Haha) and, of course, grab myself a cup of coffee.<br />
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Well, after grabbing my cup of coffee, I started getting a bit nervous about how many people were starting to infiltrate the Plaza...<br />
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So you better BELIEVE I made a beeline for that stage and... well, to be honest, just stood there in front of it. (Not sure if you were expecting something more glamorous and exciting out of a celebrity stalker but you're not going to get it here.)<br />
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I think it was about 8 AM by this point, so I only had a half hour to wait. <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2009/10/oprah-gone-ghetto-fabulous-just.html" target="_blank">Seasoned veteran of celebrity stalking that I am, a half hour was a piece of cake</a>.<br />
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And just like I thought, a half hour came and went. I honestly don't know what I do to occupy my time (I think people watching certainly helped things move along) sometimes but hey - at least time does end up flying. Before I knew it, look at who finally arrived!!<br />
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Oh, I couldn't stop beaming (creeper...). I was just so, so excited to see her!<br />
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After a few minutes of setup, the keynote addresses began.<br />
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You think I'm kidding when I say I was front and center but... well, I think the vantage point of this video I took will speak for itself.<br />
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And I just have to say, I absolutely loved her speech! She just came across as so down-to-earth and PERSONABLE!! Loved the personal anecdotes she had to share.<br />
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Anyway, come 9:15 AM, we were ready to leave Daley Plaza to head to our respective sites. I'm not kidding when I'm saying everything was so well-orchestrated... check out all these buses lined up to take us all to our respective sites!<br />
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I was so pleased with my assignment - painting hallways at a South Side school. I feel kind of lucky with this assignment since I'm a HUGE fan of everything related to this project - I love kids, I love education and... well, it's been a while since I've painted, but I do love painting as well!<br />
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After a few opening remarks by the school principal, we got right to work. My group headed to the school's third floor which looked like this:<br />
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Obviously, before beginning the whole painting thing, we had to "set up" - basically, we had to line the floors with drop cloths and tape the edges to avoid getting paint any/everywhere.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lgaDbbIclaM/Ub5EWs2XAXI/AAAAAAAADFI/ZPcLpkxRXlM/s1600/Hallway+with+Dropcloths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lgaDbbIclaM/Ub5EWs2XAXI/AAAAAAAADFI/ZPcLpkxRXlM/s400/Hallway+with+Dropcloths.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And then... well, then we GOT. TO. BUSINESS.<br />
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I have to say, I can't remember the last time I actually painted but this experience reminded me of just why I enjoy painting so much - it's so... cathartic, if you will. And well, this sounds kind of weird, but I also realized just how much I miss manual labor (in some regard). Again, I know, it sounds weird. But there's just something to be said about seeing something go from start to finish that you've created / done with your own two hands. Regardless, check out the final product!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BbxyI5NMngM/Ub5EUdHWgAI/AAAAAAAADE0/7cLWfV_5HtA/s1600/Hallway+After.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BbxyI5NMngM/Ub5EUdHWgAI/AAAAAAAADE0/7cLWfV_5HtA/s400/Hallway+After.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Okay, so to be fair, as we were going through this whole painting experience, quite a few of us were wondering what the difference between the "top panel" and "bottom panel" colors were. To be honest, I would have chosen very different colors for repainting a school hallway (I mean, this looks kind of BLAND, no?!) but oh well - at least it looked a lot cleaner and less dingy than it had before.<br />
<br />
I guess. (I mean... not even a colorful mural or two for the walls?! Really?)<br />
<br />
Before I knew it, we were done! The day literally flew by but, not going to lie, I was definitely EXHAUSTED by the end of it (all that early morning excitement, I tell ya...).<br />
<br />
All in all though, a delightful experience. I was talking to one of the Clinton Foundation folks and heavily emphasized my interest in making this an annual Day in Chicago... clearly, I hold a lot of clout with the Foundation so fingers crossed that they'll MAKE. THIS. HAPPEN!Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-22697172719254904622013-06-02T17:57:00.000-07:002013-06-02T17:57:00.757-07:00Ah, The Grand Home STATE!Greetings from Cincinnati!<br />
<br />
I was a bit reluctant to originally book my flight home to Cincinnati this weekend, since I've basically come to cherish each and every precious weekend I can have in Chicago (since I'm back to traveling during the week for work).<br />
<br />
I just have to say that that reluctance pretty much disappeared as soon as I set foot in the good ol' Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport.<br />
<br />
I don't know what it is... I'm in love with the Midwest in general (hence my move to Chicago to begin with) but there's something... just so darn special about the grand home state of Ohio. It's just so relaxing, so simple, so cozy, so SPACIOUS - let's just say... I'm a fan (understatement).<br />
<br />
My dad was picking me up from the airport so after locating him in the arrivals area, we began our sojourn home... with a slight detour.<br />
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I love all (well, okay, most) libraries - I've even kept each library card I've owned from each city I've lived in! (It's all very exciting, I know.) My neighborhood public library is absolutely no exception. Going to the public library was part of my dad's and my Saturday afternoon routine when I was growing up, so needless to say, requesting this quick detour on the way home from the airport was more than welcomed by good ol' Papa A (Nicole, that one's for you ;)). To be fair, I did want to get through (a wide variety of) reading materials for this weekend!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7dipmTZD0-c/UavmKQfBhCI/AAAAAAAADC4/nLkE3CINc24/s1600/OHIO+-+Books.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7dipmTZD0-c/UavmKQfBhCI/AAAAAAAADC4/nLkE3CINc24/s400/OHIO+-+Books.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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With that glorious pit stop, I knew that the weekend could only get better and better. After getting through my day of work on Friday, I had just enough time to run a few errands, take a (quick!) nap, and then... head to Reunion #1 of the weekend.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kBWLVRS9oNM/UavmUPWeGEI/AAAAAAAADDg/eihX9X84hEY/s1600/OHIO+-+Thomas+dinner+messed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kBWLVRS9oNM/UavmUPWeGEI/AAAAAAAADDg/eihX9X84hEY/s400/OHIO+-+Thomas+dinner+messed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Let's try that again...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJk3SRTRuNA/UavmVR4SC-I/AAAAAAAADDo/oP1b7UY2s5A/s1600/OHIO+-+Thomas+dinner+normal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJk3SRTRuNA/UavmVR4SC-I/AAAAAAAADDo/oP1b7UY2s5A/s400/OHIO+-+Thomas+dinner+normal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
My family's been friends with this family for over 20 years (before these kids were even born!) and to say that I adore them is an understatement. They're like a second family to me and, honestly, the happiness and excitement of each reunion never fades. This reunion was no exception... complete with a live reading of "Oh, The Places You'll Go" by the lovely new graduate on the very right of this picture (so proud! :)).<br />
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Needless to say, Reunion #1 was easily a sweet success.<br />
<br />
Come Sunday, I was off to Reunion #2 in... COLUMBUS, OHIO!!! Hollaaaa!!!<br />
<br />
This reunion was actually the main reason for my visit to the grand home state for the weekend, since one of my dearest friends from college, Nicole, was back in the country for a fleeting period of time (she's based in South Korea with the Air Force). <br />
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Add two other good friends from college (Meg and Lindsay) to the mix and you've got yourself one. sweet. REUNION!!!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PtwBBBnuH14/UavmLZpS8yI/AAAAAAAADDA/X4789zHL0nQ/s1600/OHIO+-+Four+of+us+at+Jenis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PtwBBBnuH14/UavmLZpS8yI/AAAAAAAADDA/X4789zHL0nQ/s400/OHIO+-+Four+of+us+at+Jenis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
(Please disregard that nonsense of a peace / V for victory sign.)<br />
<br />
After meeting in the Short North of Columbus for brunch (and hugs galore, let me tell you), we began just meandering around... and, look at that, <i>somehow</i> ended up... well, back on Ohio State's campus.<br />
<br />
Talk about a walk down memory lane - I haven't been back to campus since I graduated and I honestly could not stop BEAMING as we walked through campus (no matter how much it's changed!). Now, while most people would likely walk down their college memory lanes with trips to their favorite bars, the football stadium, etc... MY idea of walk down memory lane consisted of... well...<br />
<br />
My Chemistry / Organic Chemistry building!!!<br />
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I'm not sure WHY I was so excited to see this building... I mean, some of the memories I have from my days of Chemistry / Organic Chemistry are... less than pleasant to say the least. Maybe it's simply the fact that my love and devotion for the one and only Dr. Casey still reigns supreme... but I digress.<br />
<br />
And of course... of COURSE, no trip on campus would be complete without a visit to my beloved... my sacred... my one and only...<br />
<br />
Science and Engineering Library (SEL). <br />
<br />
Sigh, we need to have a moment. Just one.<br />
<br />
Unless you went to college with me, you will not understand the love and devotion I had for this library... hell, even people who DID go to college with me did not understand. I mean, I was definitely NOT of the Science and Engineering variety BUT this library was just my home away from home... my happy place, if you will.<br />
<br />
(It really is amazing that I actually had friends in college, considering how much time I devoted to this sacred place.)<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, they've since changed the name of the library from the SEL to something like the "18th Avenue Library" so I couldn't take a picture with the sign itself (it just wouldn't be the SAME!). Oh well, no matter. Might as well just head inside to get a few "action shots", right?<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrRrVq2P3hE/UavmQSyANKI/AAAAAAAADDU/hcMACRuGOGo/s1600/OHIO+-+SEL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrRrVq2P3hE/UavmQSyANKI/AAAAAAAADDU/hcMACRuGOGo/s400/OHIO+-+SEL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Good thing we didn't disturb the entire 4th floor with our ridiculous picture-taking extravaganza (well, we TRIED to suppress our exclamations... and giggles... as we walked down memory lane here).<br />
<br />
Ah, how far we've come from circa 2003...<br />
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Okay, so maybe not ALL our time in the library was spent hard-core studying. But we needed some lighthearted moments to get us through finals week! (On a completely side note, check out that CELL PHONE! Wowza.)<br />
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Okay, enough about the SEL. Moving on to...<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYJcWyKl2fk/UavmZPyRIvI/AAAAAAAADEA/auPAxlUunhg/s1600/OHIO+-+with+Brutus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYJcWyKl2fk/UavmZPyRIvI/AAAAAAAADEA/auPAxlUunhg/s400/OHIO+-+with+Brutus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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No trip would be complete without a big ol' hug for Brutus, right? <br />
<br />
Ah, good times through and through.<br />
<br />
Okay, I'm cutting off this post since it's (much) longer than I'd
previously anticipated. Get ready for my next post about the grand home
state... let's just say that you'll be 110% familiar with the terms
Skyline, Graeters, UDF, and LaRosa's by the time you're done reading
THAT one. Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-27049118448949392942013-05-27T05:29:00.000-07:002013-05-27T05:29:23.860-07:00Super Cool SurveysI love these things! I feel like the last time I did one of these was back in the day when mass emailing out random information about yourself was "super cool" (read: junior high / high school). Well, since I am pretty much the coolest person ever, I got super excited to see this pop up on <a href="http://carrotsncake.com/" target="_blank">this blog</a> I <strike>am obsessed with</strike> regularly follow.<br />
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<b>Current Book:</b><br />
Lean In - it's actually not bad... not only is it well-written, but I actually find myself nodding in agreement at certain points.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7XmWXO1VNL0/UaNLYqkSUeI/AAAAAAAADBs/5WnDo-TewEI/s1600/Current+-+Lean+In.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7XmWXO1VNL0/UaNLYqkSUeI/AAAAAAAADBs/5WnDo-TewEI/s400/Current+-+Lean+In.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Current Music:</b><br />
My Pandora is currently on a "90s Pop" station. At least I'm honest...<br />
<br />
<b>Current Guilty Pleasure:</b><br />
Umm... yeah, the Powerball. And/or all other forms of fast cash apparently, thanks to some particularly thoughtful friends of mine (read: Purvi M.)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KSEPFyjRXEY/UaNLZjtw4SI/AAAAAAAADB0/j2hPV2UIkTM/s1600/Current+-+Lotto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KSEPFyjRXEY/UaNLZjtw4SI/AAAAAAAADB0/j2hPV2UIkTM/s400/Current+-+Lotto.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Current Nail Color:</b><br />
Summertime orange-ish! Sure, it may not be the "official" name but you get the idea. If you "think summer", maybe summer will actually... I don't know... arrive? <br />
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<br />
<b>Current Drink:</b><br />
Dunkin' Donuts coffee!!! The Dunkin' Donuts that opened up literally one block away
from me may or may not be the start of a major problem.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s3WcAGPb4k0/UaNLYQooSRI/AAAAAAAADBc/ypCcoS302Yc/s1600/Current+-+DD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s3WcAGPb4k0/UaNLYQooSRI/AAAAAAAADBc/ypCcoS302Yc/s400/Current+-+DD.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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<b>Current Food:</b><br />
TJ's granola!! I think I could live off this and this alone for the rest of my days...<br />
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<b>Current Favorite Show:</b><br />
The Cosby Show. <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/search?q=cosby+show+therapy" target="_blank">It's been among my favorite shows for the past couple of DECADES, why would it change now?</a><br />
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<b>Current Wish List:</b><br />
This one's tough! I'll get back to ya... I know you are waiting on the edge of your seats.<br />
<br />
<b>Current Needs:</b><br />
Sunshine (I guess the actual "need" would be Vitamin D)... aaaand a vacation<br />
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<b>Current Indulgence:</b><br />
D-E-S-S-E-R-T-S - of any and all varieties<br />
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<br />
<b>Current Blessing:</b><br />
Family (related and "unrelated"), friends - generic and a bit cheesy, but the truth nonetheless<br />
<br />
<b>Current Outfit:</b><br />
T-shirt, sweats - it's 7 AM, what do you expect?<br />
<br />
<b>Current Excitement:</b><br />
REUNIONS IN OHIO NEXT WEEKEND! Hollaaa!!!<br />
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<br />Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-55284258203393692832013-04-11T19:57:00.001-07:002013-06-30T15:23:34.280-07:00Katie Couric - The Story, The Experience, The Dream Come TrueIf you know me at all, you know I tend to dream big.<br />
<br />
Well, this past week has reaffirmed my faith in the whole "dreaming big" thing.<br />
<br />
So, last week, I went on
the Katie Couric website to finally submit my YOLO video. YOLO=You Only
Live Once and it's a segment Katie has where she fulfills people's
dreams if they submit a video indicating why they deserve it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, so I get on the website but quickly get distracted by all
the other STUFF on it! So she has all these different prompts (i.e. "Are
you going through a divorce?" "Are you going through a rough time?"
etc.)... well, one of the prompts was about how / why you deserve your "big moment".<br />
<br />
I was like - oh my heavens, this is just calling my NAME. So I
quickly whipped up a little essay explaining how I would like my "big moment" for reasons x, y and z... once I set my mind to something, I will execute accordingly. You better believe I submitted my little essay right then and there (it was rather therapeutic given the day I'd
had! Haha.)<br />
<br />
WELL! I get home from dinner on Wednesday to a missed call
from 212 area code (New York) and a voice mail... from one of the
producers on the Katie show!! They found my story interesting enough, I
guess, because... they wanted me to come UP TO NEW YORK TO BE ON THE
SHOW FOR A SEGMENT!!!! <br />
<br />
The past week has been a WHIRLWIND! I got that call on
Wednesday, a camera crew came to my apartment to tape my "bio" on Friday
and then I was flown to New York (with car service and everything!) on
Sunday and taped on Monday!!! Isn't that CRAZY?!?!?!?!<br />
<br />
Sure, I mis-read my flight itinerary and only realized I had a noon flight at 10:45 on Sunday morning... when I was definitely still in my pajamas and not packed in the slightest... but professional traveler that I am, I literally just dumped a HURRICANE of clothes into my suitcase and hoped for the best...<br />
<br />
After the speediest cab ride ever and a bit of luck thrown in for good measure (this has GOT to be the only day in recent months that I did not encounter any traffic nor security lines in the slightest), I made it to the airport in one piece and, believe it or not, with about 20 minutes to spare before boarding!<br />
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Let the adventure begin!!<br />
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The Katie show had a car service waiting for me once I arrived at the airport (and for the rest of my time in New York) - I was in complete awe with the Lincoln Navigator that greeted me, complete with tinted windows... I didn't grab a good picture though, otherwise you better believe I'd be documenting the hell outta that pimped out ride!<br />
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After arriving at the Algonquin Hotel (talk about cozy, quaint charm in the midst of midtown Manhattan!), I quickly dropped my stuff off and then headed to 34th Street because I simply HAD to do some last-minute shopping considering I still had yet to decide on what to wear for the show the next day. Just FYI - I HATE shopping (no exaggeration) so this definitely was not the "fun New York shopping experience" that many girls dream of. Rather, it was a bit stressful and, to be perfectly honest, frenzied.<br />
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Oh well - I ended up buying a couple of pieces just in case.<br />
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Then, I was back to my hotel to prep just a touch for the next day and get a good night's rest - I had no idea what to expect so I wanted to be up by 7 although my car service (I love saying that ;)) wasn't picking me up until 9.<br />
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Well, good thing I woke up at 7... because as I was getting ready I realized two crucial items I had completely forgotten to pack in my haste: my makeup powder brush and... well, <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2011/01/spanx-and-fried-chicken.html" target="_blank">my Spanx</a>. If you know me at all, you know I am OBSESSED with my Spanx and of ALL days to forget my pair, it would HAVE to be the day I show up on national TV, right? Right.<br />
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Sigh, oh well. I guess a girl's gotta wing it from time to time. Anyway, so the car drops me off and I'm still a bit confused - I had no idea what to really expect during "my" segment but, let's be honest, I was just so darn excited about the experience that I brushed that aside. I was immediately ushered to the Green Room which was essentially a pretty large, lofty space for guests to chill in until they needed to get onstage. Well, I had quite some time before my segment, so I took advantage of my time by... well, documenting every inch of that green room of course ;)<br />
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Then! I was whisked off for hair and makeup - two things that I pay very little attention to on a daily basis (this is why you'll see pretty much a different looking person on that stage itself). But it was actually kind of fun! The hair and makeup people were just so NICE! And I have to admit, it was kind of fun getting all fussed over ;) (I'm only saying this because I usually HATE being fussed over.)<br />
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Well, it was during that time that I learned that I was going to be seated in the first row audience section, where questions would be directed toward me.We needed to figure this out at least by this point, since that was driving the "type" of makeup they were doing for me.<br />
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Well, after a bit more waiting, I was escorted right behind the stage to get all mic'ed up.. and that is when people realized there was a last-minute change and... get this, I was actually going to be put ONSTAGE with Katie (who I am
OBSESSED WITH!) and Daymond John (CEO of FUBU and on that Shark Tank
show). I found out I was going to be onstage just a few minutes before actually having to GO out onstage - God, it was such a chaotic frenzy that I didn't even have TIME to be nervous!<br />
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And you know what's so funny? I thought I would be nervous as soon as I saw the large audience, but I was unusually calm. I have a feeling Katie's persona had something to do with the lack of anxiety though - honestly, she couldn't have been a more welcoming and calming presence. Her smile was absolutely infectious and I just could NOT believe I was face to face with one of my role models. I mean, talk about a dream come true. (Understatement.)<br />
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And then... well, then the segment happened. Basically, Katie and Daymond were providing me insight and advice on how to live out my dreams and "have my moment"... you know what's funny? The nerves NEVER kicked in. (I can't get over that!) I honestly think Katie's personality and demeanor really have a calming effect on people, because that interview could have gone so terribly downhill otherwise.<br />
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When it was over, we chatted for a bit more and took a few pictures (which, by the way, I'm definitely following up in a friendly fashion with Katie's crew for - I want my picture with my role model!!) and then I was whisked offstage! I couldn't believe how quick it all was! I didn't even get a chance to tell Katie how much I adore her (I'm pretty sure that was apparent in my reaction when I first met her - it took all my self-restraint to not just give her a big ol' bear hug) and <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-tweet-on-katie-courics-show.html" target="_blank">how my tweet appeared on her show</a> and... well, I could go on and on.<br />
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And shortly after that, I was whisked off to the airport!<br />
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Like I said, it was a legitimate, frenzied whirlwind.<br />
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And I loved every, single, fleeting minute of it.<br />
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All I have to say is - dream big.<br />
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So, without further ado... one of my favorite moments - ever.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="354" id="flashObj" width="630"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=2294167619001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.katiecouric.com%2Fvideos%2Fshark-tank-daymond-john-fubu%2F&playerID=1778770226001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAABWfWhrnk~,FtZztaNxIqTVkSb1ju2Ka7JVAY8r79nB&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=2294167619001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.katiecouric.com%2Fvideos%2Fshark-tank-daymond-john-fubu%2F&playerID=1778770226001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAABWfWhrnk~,FtZztaNxIqTVkSb1ju2Ka7JVAY8r79nB&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="630" height="354" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-50679533087041937572013-03-24T13:52:00.000-07:002013-03-24T13:52:24.138-07:00Where Did March GO?!?!My oh MY! I just noticed that my last post was from the beginning of FEBRUARY! While I realize that <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-tweet-on-katie-courics-show.html" target="_blank">my tweet on Katie Couric's show</a> was a slightly life-altering, monumental occasion, it was NOT meant to be the end-all, be-all of my blog!<br />
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Given how dreary are these late winter months in Chicago (oh, the woes), I wasn't really expecting all that much for the month of March. My only goal for the month was to consume a Shamrock Shake. (Random, I know. However, I've never had a sip of one before, and my friend and I made it our goal for this month to consume at least one Shamrock Shake. Dream big and all that.)<br />
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Ohhh... how eventful the month of March turned out to be instead. I've divided this post into two main sections: Denver and St. Patrick's Day (in Chicago), in case it helps you navigate a bit more easily. You are welcome in advance.<br />
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<u><b>DENVER!!!</b></u><br />
It all started with my friend Neha randomly calling me one day asking if I wanted to do an impromptu trip to Denver. While the intent was NOT to crash her husband's guys' weekend in Denver... well, that's what ended up happening, let's be honest here. Neha had never been to Denver and had always wanted to go. I had been to Denver a few years ago and LOVED IT (understatement) so of course, was ready and willing to venture back.<br />
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I was actually wondering how this was going to turn out, but it ended up basically being a Cincinnati "reunion" in Denver. Reunion is in HEAVY quotes because it was my first (well, okay, second) time meeting some of these people and some others hadn't met each other at all... but it all worked out so beautifully. I mean, what else can you expect from a bunch of Cincinnati-ans?<br />
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I wish I could draw like a little family / friend tree of the random mix of Cincinnati-ans that descended upon Denver for one delightfully chill weekend, but since I can't... I will just list the characters involved (and some of my personal sentiments developed along the way... haha - get ready).<br />
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1) <b>Neha </b>- Neha is one of my FAVORITE people in Chicago. You have likely seen her name sprinkled throughout my blog. Anyway, we are kind of attached at the hip. Which explains our Denver shenanigans.<br />
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2) <b>Eashwar </b>- Neha's husband. Also awesome (especially when it comes to playing Celebrity). Fun fact about Eashwar - he is joining Neha and I for the BEYONCE CONCERT IN CHICAGO IN JULY!!!!!! HOLLLAAAAA!!!!! (Eashwar and Neha are out of the country currently so I have no concerns about him killing me for sharing that information with the general public. Yet.)<br />
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3) <b>Shekar </b>- okay, Shekar's one of those people that "everyone knows". He is basically Eashwar's brother and I have to say - the bromance between the two of them is pretty cute (the hugging and kissing is only minimally disturbing). I'd heard of this Shekar character intermittently over the years but had only briefly met him once at Neha and Eashwar's wedding in May. Anyway, we finally got to totally bond in Denver and well, my only regret is that I didn't get this guy's autograph. You will likely see him in Congress / the Senate at some point. Just a friendly FYI.<br />
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4) <b>Kiran </b>- another one of Eashwar and Shekar's good friends who currently resides in the ATL. While Kiran isn't exactly from Cincinnati, he IS from Columbus which is nearly as good (OH-IO!!). Yet another character of that whole bromance thing...<br />
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5) <b>Rayna!!!!</b> - okay, Rayna totally gets a few exclamations because she is one of my favorite people from high school who currently lives in Denver! It was SUCH a lovely little surprise to be able to spend some quality time with her this weekend - it had been a few YEARS and, well, we had a LOT to catch up on!<br />
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6) <b>Dan</b> - Rayna's boyfriend who I met for the first time this weekend! He is a winner... I don't mean to stereotype people from Colorado but to me, well, he just EMBLEMIZED what I would picture a "Denver person" to be like... so CHILL and so FUN!<br />
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Sadly, I didn't take a ton of pictures of the weekend. It was kind of a whirlwind trip since we were just there for the weekend but overall, it was just a great time with some great people from only one of the best cities in the U.S. - Cincinnati.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Neha and me - hip attachment in progress...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cincinnati love! I think Rayna and Shekar (center two) knew each other in high school? I think.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">(L to R): Future OH State Senator, Future Katie Couric/Oprah and Future [Insert Firm Name] Partner- the Nati produces some pretty awesome folks, let's be honest here</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G6Y0PODpWzg/UU9hpvOuvLI/AAAAAAAAC-U/27u6z5a2lIA/s1600/Denver+-+Christie+and+Rayna.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G6Y0PODpWzg/UU9hpvOuvLI/AAAAAAAAC-U/27u6z5a2lIA/s400/Denver+-+Christie+and+Rayna.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rayna and me - read: URSULINE / CINCINNATI LOVE!! </span></td></tr>
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<u><b>ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN CHICAGO!!!!</b></u><br />
Just last weekend, I had a few friends from my days in San Francisco descend upon Chicago to experience what can only be St. Patrick's Day in Chicago. What can I say? Chicago just does St. Patrick's Day RIGHT. Everyone is just so HAPPY and the city is so FESTIVE - it's the one day of the year that I don't really mind a bunch of overtly drunk people traipsing about the city streets.<br />
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Unfortunately, I caught a bug on Thursday night so was under the weather for most of the weekend. But I was DETERMINED to see Cara (who flew in from San Francisco) and Sonali (who drove in from Michigan) as MUCH as POSSIBLE.<br />
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Friday started off with a late dinner at Mercadito, only one of the best dining spots Chicago has to offer (if I do say so myself). It's trendy, yet DELICIOUS. I just couldn't believe the two-ish hour wait we had to endure on a Friday night of crappy weather! At least Mercadito had some pretty sweet drinks to offer to keep us happy.<br />
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Saturday was filled with all things St. Patrick's Day. I met up with Cara, Sonali and Sri downtown and we headed straight to the Chicago River to see it in all its dyed green glory.<br />
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We clearly couldn't get enough... <br />
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After that super touristy activity, we moved on... to a super touristy bar - Mother Hubbard's! For what else? Some green beer of course. Thank goodness Cara had come prepared with some green straws for us to sip our green beer in super classy form... God bless her.<br />
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After Mother Hubbard's, we ended up going to a house party and then out to Wicker Park for a bit. I was seriously struggling by that point (with exhaustion and stuffiness) so I ended up calling it quits at like 9:30 on Saturday. But hey, I tried.<br />
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After 12 hours of sleep on Saturday, I ended up waking up to the sun on Sunday... thank GOD! It's been SO LONG since I've seen sunshine and it's amazing what it can do for one's mental state. I ended up meeting up with Cara, Sonali and crew for one last lunch at Pequod's Pizza (YUM!) before saying some heart-wrenching goodbyes (haha - a little dramatic flair never hurt anything, right?)<br />
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I swear, I can't believe how quickly these weekends have FLOWN by. But all in all, I have to say - what a delightful month it's been.<br />
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Ironically though, I still have yet to consume a Shamrock Shake...Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-88513219350022056812013-02-10T15:52:00.001-08:002013-02-10T15:52:17.145-08:00My Tweet On Katie Couric's SHOW!!After an eventful January, I decided to take a break from my whole <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-years-goal-stay-up-past-midnight-on.html" target="_blank">staying up past midnight on weekends schedule</a> and devote the month of February to fruits, veggies and yoga. Sure, we're almost halfway through the month and I have yet to regularly intake fruits and veggies, let alone sign up for a neighborhood yoga class, but oh well. At least I haven't been eating out nearly as much as I had been for the month of January, which is enough of a cleanse for me.<br />
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In the spirit of all things low-key for February, I stayed in on Saturday night - my primary goal being to catch up on my DVR. When you DVR hour-long talk shows on a daily basis, your DVR tends to fill up pretty quickly. I just love Katie, The View and Ellen - what can I say?<br />
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After watching one episode of The View, I decided to switch over to a couple of Katie episodes that I hadn't yet caught up on during the week.<br />
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One thing Katie has started doing on Fridays is a "Friday Follow Up" segment, where she basically summarizes the feedback that she has received throughout the week from her viewers.<br />
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As this segment popped up on my screen, I distinctly remembered sending Katie a tweet about a show she'd had earlier that week that featured the men of Silver Linings Playbook. I haven't yet seen the movie but have heard a lot of hype about it and was definitely interested to hear what Robert DeNiro, Bradley Cooper and David Russell had to share about their experiences.<br />
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To be perfectly honest, I was shocked with how emotionally charged was this episode. I don't know if it was because of the topic the movie covers (mental illness) or because of all three guys' <u>incredibly</u> emotional reaction to the subject matter... whatever the case, I couldn't stop thinking about that show for a couple of days. So I did what any normal person would do - I tweeted my sentiments to Katie.<br />
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I honestly had forgotten about the tweet I'd sent until I saw Katie's "Follow Up Friday" segment pop up on my television screen. It was only at that point that I started thinking about how funny (read: awe-some) it would be to have the Maliyacular show up on the big screen (Katie's big screen, more like). I figured it was kind of a long stretch for a couple of reasons:<br />
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1. I figured there are thousands of messages that her staff is sifting through in order to figure out what will accurately portray a well-rounded plate of weekly feedback.<br />
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2. I figured I would be notified if my message had been chosen.<br />
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Turns out... I was wrong. Because imagine my (DELIGHTED!!) surprise when Katie's introducing the feedback related to her Silver Linings Playbook show and the screen shifts to THIS:<br />
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Needless to say, freaking out didn't even BEGIN to describe my reaction. There it was!! The Maliyacular on <strike>the</strike> Katie's big screen!! I could NOT BELIEVE IT!!! And the best part is... well, okay, there's a couple of "best parts" to this:<br />
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1. This episode's subject matter is something I feel strongly about so I'm happy she was able to feel/hear the conviction / emotion in my mere tweet. <br />
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2. More superficially speaking... I have it on my DVR!! You better believe I'm going to be saving THAT one for <strike>months</strike> years to COME!<br />
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MAN!! What a great start to my low-key month of February, that is ALL I have to SAY!Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-32549926078182922922013-01-27T17:55:00.001-08:002013-01-27T17:55:49.628-08:00Brunch in UptownWhen one of my friends, Roman, suggested doing brunch today wayyy north (in Uptown) today, I was a bit put off. It was going to take a lot to impress me if I have to trek way up to Sheridan and Argyle for a simple Sunday morning brunch. However, Roman has spoken pretty highly of his past experiences at <a href="http://www.tweet.biz/" target="_blank">Tweet</a> so I figured I'd approach this with a (fairly) open mind.<br />
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I arrived a little early but quickly fell in love with the place. Tweet just has so much CHARACTER... from the decor to the FREE COFFEE while you are waiting to the BOARD GAMES that are available while you are waiting for a table.<br />
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I had no problems getting settled on a cozy little stool to wait for my friends while sipping my free cup of coffee (okay, I may have had approximately three cups of free coffee but whatever) and admiring the old-school board games that were just ready and WAITING for players.<br />
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Once my friends arrived, we got seated in a back corner and... well, proceeded to get overwhelmed with the menu. I wish I'd snapped a picture of the menu - it was simply ridiculous. Each menu even had an ADDITIONAL menu embedded in it (with Velcro, of all things).<br />
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The really interesting (to me) thing about Tweet was how many gluten-free options there were. Not that I require gluten-free items, but it's just nice to know that the option is available.<br />
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Anyway, we ended up starting off with these mini-doughnut things that Roman had raved about in the past.<br />
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I have to say - I'm not the biggest doughnut-person at ALL, but I fell in love with these things. They were just so warm and delicious (and not overly sweet on their own). While the plate of mini-doughnuts came with a side of like syrup or something, I found that the doughnuts, themselves, satisfied my sweet tooth in and of itself.<br />
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After THAT lovely little starter, our server actually brought us complimentary dishes of fruit to enjoy before our actual meal!<br />
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I cannot emphasize enough how much I loved this aspect of brunch. We NEVER get free fruit with brunch in Chicago... and this fruit was just so darn fresh and delicious (it's been a while since I've ingested anything from that food group...) and a GREAT way to fill up just a touch before gorging on breakfast itself. <br />
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Soon after the fruit was devoured (I was already full by that point), our meals came out...<br />
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Holy food. The portions were QUITE generous, to put it mildly.<br />
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And SO DELICIOUS. I ended up going with Tweet's gluten-free pumpkin pancakes (<a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2012/10/pumpkin-pumpkin-everywhere.html" target="_blank">helloo</a>!) and... well, yum. Just plain yum. The pancakes were the perfect balance of sweet and (pumpkin) spice and everything nice... and I wouldn't have known that they were gluten-free at all. Unless I"m missing something, gluten-free pumpkin pancakes taste just how I would imagine "normal" pumpkin pancakes to taste.<br />
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Roman ended up going with a Danske omelette (he revisited an old favorite of his) while Purvi ended up going with a breakfast burrito and hash browns. I'm not a food critic by any means, but their plates LOOKED quite tasty and both were QUITE pleased with their meals as well.<br />
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All in all - today's brunch? A sweet success. Great food, lovely conversation (including a wonderful little blog idea, c/o Roman's creative ingenuity) and... well, FREE COFFEE! Hello! (Clearly, I have my priorities in check.)<br />
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Needless to say, I would DEFINITELY make a trip up north to re-visit this eclectic, delicious hidden gem... anytime at all.Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433833873804640219.post-47513092851907290232013-01-27T17:21:00.000-08:002013-03-24T18:39:03.430-07:00Pritesh!!!!!!!! (Plus a Few Other Favorites)Well, weekend number four of <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-years-goal-stay-up-past-midnight-on.html" target="_blank">staying up past midnight on the weekends</a> was a semi-success. I say a semi-success, because I didn't exactly stay awake til midnight on either Friday or Saturday night. However, the amount of fun I had on both evenings supercedes the whole midnight goal thing. <br />
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This past Friday was the day of our firm's Chicago market's All Hands meeting - this is essentially a large all-day meeting for all people in the Chicago Advisory (consulting) practice at our firm. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it to the meeting because of other client commitments I had during the day. However, I <i>was</i> able to make it just in time for the networking event that was lined up at Navy Pier immediately following the official business. <br />
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If you know me at all, you know I live for networking events - I feel totally in my element during these kinds of things. I knew this particular networking event was going to be especially fun, since a group of us had already planned to go out together afterwards, to celebrate Pritesh's visit to Chicago.<br />
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Pritesh is a co-worker from one of my old projects last year and... well, simply put, he QUICKLY escalated to <a href="http://maliyacular.blogspot.com/2011/11/evan-plus-or-minus-exclamation-point.html" target="_blank">Favorite</a> status in my book He is honestly just one of the GREATEST (read: nicest, chillest, funniest, etc.) people I know... I could literally go on and on about his greatness. Honestly though, as I've said before, you know how you can just pick out the "good people" based on instinct alone? That's Pritesh for you. Given how fantastic he is, it's no wonder that his <strike>former teammates</strike> "Chicago following" was so excited to reunite with him and take him out for his Friday night in Chicago.<br />
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The evening started off innocently enough - after taking FULL advantage of that PwC-sponsored open bar networking event (and/or being the last people to leave the networking event), we decided it was time to move onto the next stop. After a bit of debate, it was settled that we would head to Durkin's (a bar in Lincoln Park)... all you can eat pizza and drinks for $20 on a Friday?! You better believe it - it's times like this that you realize how much it pays to have someone like Sandeep K (read: frugality personified... and another Favorite) around.<br />
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How to get there, you ask? Well, why not an impromptu little limo ride?<br />
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(It's times like this that you realize how much it pays to have someone like Neha K (another Favorite) around to negotiate those limo rates...)<br />
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And, well, I mean, obviously the early evening (it was way too early to be considered "night") deserved a pit stop at a liquor store for... some champagne. Naturally. <br />
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I mean, Pritesh WAS in town - we clearly had a lot to celebrate!<br />
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After spilling like the majority of champagne throughout the limo and circling around the block a couple of times (we wanted to get our money's worth!), we finally tumbled on outta that limo and into Durkin's.<br />
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You better believe we got straight to work with that all you can eat and drink special. God, it's been so long since I've had Domino's pizza... and as much as I love pizza of all kinds (gourmet or otherwise), there is just something so tantalizingly delicious about good, ol' fashioned Domino's.<br />
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Okay, I may have gotten a bit carried away with the pizza <strike>gorging</strike> love that night, but... well, damn. It is just that good.<br />
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And... well, in all fairness, I think the rest of the pictures can just speak for themselves. The night was filled with...<br />
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Some serious socializing (and consumption of Domino's pizza)...<br />
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Some (past and present) roommates of PwC'ers...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3SNmyxqLJFg/UQXGUjGraXI/AAAAAAAAC4s/KLFmB7-iUX8/s1600/Priteshs+Roommate+and+Deepti.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3SNmyxqLJFg/UQXGUjGraXI/AAAAAAAAC4s/KLFmB7-iUX8/s400/Priteshs+Roommate+and+Deepti.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deepti is an old favorite of mine (Neha's former roommate) and Narayan is a new favorite of mine (Pritesh's current roommate)</td></tr>
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Some... props, I guess...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xaV0dd1C_D0/UQXGK4AIXwI/AAAAAAAAC2g/B1ZCyD8M2hE/s1600/Andrew+and+Narayan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xaV0dd1C_D0/UQXGK4AIXwI/AAAAAAAAC2g/B1ZCyD8M2hE/s400/Andrew+and+Narayan.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kY9dIPMJ5nU/UQXGUFMbfBI/AAAAAAAAC4k/h882UhVEnOk/s1600/Pritesh+and+Neha.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kY9dIPMJ5nU/UQXGUFMbfBI/AAAAAAAAC4k/h882UhVEnOk/s400/Pritesh+and+Neha.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the... take 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tUAqU-a1a9w/UQXGW73FAWI/AAAAAAAAC5I/I5BoCK3Uurk/s1600/Weird+picture+with+Sandeep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tUAqU-a1a9w/UQXGW73FAWI/AAAAAAAAC5I/I5BoCK3Uurk/s400/Weird+picture+with+Sandeep.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the... take 3.</td></tr>
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And, most importantly, some seriously legit FAVORITES OF MINE...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6pl_XihaWLQ/UQXGQfhj_RI/AAAAAAAAC4A/lY8WEOCFfZY/s1600/Me+and+Prtiesh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6pl_XihaWLQ/UQXGQfhj_RI/AAAAAAAAC4A/lY8WEOCFfZY/s400/Me+and+Prtiesh.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE ONE AND ONLY PRITESHKLDAJFKLSDJFLKDSJLJ!!!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8aTJ-WOoiZk/UQXGO15wNqI/AAAAAAAAC3s/vhJHhehCaWY/s1600/Me+Neha+Deepti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8aTJ-WOoiZk/UQXGO15wNqI/AAAAAAAAC3s/vhJHhehCaWY/s400/Me+Neha+Deepti.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neha and Deepti (and Garrett's popcorn... and Pritesh's hat...) are seriously just some of the greatest things. Ever.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YdYLmKvRvXY/UQXGVzQAglI/AAAAAAAAC44/NsdrZnVPXh8/s1600/Purvi+and+Sandeep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YdYLmKvRvXY/UQXGVzQAglI/AAAAAAAAC44/NsdrZnVPXh8/s400/Purvi+and+Sandeep.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a whole lotta awesome-ness enveloped in this picture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VX9Cc65m7Jo/UQXGNc5wETI/AAAAAAAAC3M/7bAIvOfAqhQ/s1600/Karina!.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VX9Cc65m7Jo/UQXGNc5wETI/AAAAAAAAC3M/7bAIvOfAqhQ/s400/Karina!.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG! KARINA!!! Karina and Sandeep seriously define the term "happiness".</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G17LUxhrDVM/UQXGPeeRuiI/AAAAAAAAC3o/ibkYERnmhQM/s1600/Me+and+Deepti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G17LUxhrDVM/UQXGPeeRuiI/AAAAAAAAC3o/ibkYERnmhQM/s400/Me+and+Deepti.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deepti R (legitimately, the COOLEST person I KNOWWWW)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rm4UgWNCH9E/UQXGTSbrcII/AAAAAAAAC4Y/Iwbfz4ypEc0/s1600/Neha+and+Purvi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rm4UgWNCH9E/UQXGTSbrcII/AAAAAAAAC4Y/Iwbfz4ypEc0/s400/Neha+and+Purvi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two favorites (in case you weren't already sensing the general theme of this blog section)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd9DOqKOtmQ/UQXGTybDTBI/AAAAAAAAC4g/AjvBUhfdWhU/s1600/Me+and+Purvi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd9DOqKOtmQ/UQXGTybDTBI/AAAAAAAAC4g/AjvBUhfdWhU/s400/Me+and+Purvi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugging it out!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M8mB5q5EzzE/UQXGWdlzolI/AAAAAAAAC5A/O8iC2u1oSc0/s1600/Sandeep+Pritesh+Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M8mB5q5EzzE/UQXGWdlzolI/AAAAAAAAC5A/O8iC2u1oSc0/s400/Sandeep+Pritesh+Me.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Legitimately two of the GREATEST people you will EVER meet. Ever.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nGwEWGg0Eog/UQXGMkFCLjI/AAAAAAAAC3A/cnIzP4HiCnY/s1600/GREAT+GROUP+SHOT.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nGwEWGg0Eog/UQXGMkFCLjI/AAAAAAAAC3A/cnIzP4HiCnY/s400/GREAT+GROUP+SHOT.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All in all... pretty much a perfect night.</td></tr>
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Christie Maliyackelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877946129410869973noreply@blogger.com0