Walking Around Chicago: Weathered

Walking Around Chicago: Slow Down

Walking Around Chicago: Messages

Walking Around Chicago: Pavement

I was in a gray mood. I think the sinus infection had something to do with it.

Walking Around Chicago: Halloween Weekend

I followed JD up to Chicago last month. She worked. I walked.

Jersey Settlement Cemetery, western PA

I'm wrapping up the family visit, getting ready to drive back to STL tomorrow. A few days ago Dad took me for a ride to show me some places he thought might make good photos when the light was right. I made notes so I could find them again. This is one of the places. I don't think this is the photo I want, yet, but it's a start.

Things I Like About Chicago

Thanksgiving night at Gooski's on Polish Hill

After the adventure of cooking for the family, JulieDill and I wandered down the Parkway, picked up or friend Julie Platt, and wound our way up to Polish Hill. The Polish Hill Civic Association claims PH is "Pittsburgh's most vertical neighborhood." I believe them. Also, I'm really glad I learned to drive stick in PA and not out in the prairie...

Anyway, I liked Gooski's. It was dark, crowded, full of beer, and the people watching was good. Mostly we hung out in the corridor under this light...


and drank on this pitcher of Yuengling. Yes, JD was taunting the folk back home again.


More bar views:

Greensburg After Dark: Lounging

I really expected to see more bar-goers out on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Longbada was really dead when we got there.



Julie taunted folk back in STL by sending pictures of her Yuengling. This was an ongoing theme.



Eventually we got tired of staring at the well-lit bottles of booze and decided to go back to Murrysville.

Greensburg after Dark: Minatures in Windows

According to the Trib's website: "the 5th Annual Miniature Parade of Trees benefits the Tribune-Review's Operation Santa Claus... Customers vote on their favorite by making monetary donations."





The mini trees were in the Just Miniature Scale dollhouse shop window, just down the sidewalk from this scene:

On the Street in Short North

Stoppig for Dinner & Drinks in Columbus

JD & I started our drive to western Pennsylvania last Monday. Between construction and rain, the trip went more slowly than usual, so we decided to stop for the night in Columbus. For dinner, Julie picked out the Surly Girl Saloon in Short North.

I recommend the Frito Pie.

Sleeping Swanky in Clayton

Summer Lull

I guess the lull is over. School starts again this month, so I have to stop goofing off with all this "vacationing" stuff I've been playing at.

More Traveling Without Driving

I'm doing pretty well getting around town via Metro and school shuttles. As of Friday I don't have to wear my sling any more, but I still don't think I'll be driving any time soon.


Me on Metrobus 92, going to PT


View from the Grand Metrolink Station


Walking from the Forsyth station to the Ritz-Carlton

More on my mini vacation at the Ritz later.

PT on South Grand

Well, I've started physical therapy for real, now. I'm happy with how convenient everything is. Just another advantage to city working & living, I guess. When I'm at work I can take a school shuttle part of the way to the PT office. On the down side, it does mean walking past the scary mascot topiary...


The shuttle stop is right around the corner. It's never more than a 15 minute wait, unless the weather's bad or there's been yet another accident on Grand.


Then the shuttle plunks me down one large intersection away from the building I need to get to.


Unfortunately, this path isn't going to work for me today. I didn't really feel well enough to go to work this morning, so I need to hop on a bus or scare up cab fare. Oh well.

Friday Night on the MegaBus

Well, folks, Julie had to go to Chicago for a business trip last week, so I decided I would grab a ride up I-55 & spend the weekend sharing her fancy hotel room. Work being what it is (crazed), I didn't want to make expensive travel plans just in case I couldn't get away. I made the cheapest travel plans possible - I made a Megabus reservation way ahead of time. I must have been the first to reserve each way because I got my tickets for $1 each.

Here we see people milling around getting ready to leave St. Louis Union Station.


Here we see the view down the stairs from my seat.


Here we see the full blown rolling advertisement at our rest stop about 2 hours outside of Chicago.

Gatlinburg Fashions

Honest, this is the last Gatlinburg post. I promise.
But really, I couldn't let these pass by...