Hungy Young Poets planning at Meshugga

This is one of those places I would absolutely love if only it's overpriced coffee didn't taste like the charred remains of a warehouse fire. We visited Saturday - it was a planning meeting for the River Styx's "Hungry Young Poets" reading series, which Julie is co-curating this season.







Stay tuned for new car smell and First Friday fun.

Saturday in Olivette

Julie & I bought a car. We decided replace our 2003 Toyota Matrix 4wd XR with a new 2008 Nissan Versa 1.8SL. We've been struggling to get anywhere close 30 mpg out of the Matrix lately, and that was putting a damper on the "I don't know, where do you want to go?" portion of our lives. We pick up the new creature tomorrow night.






That poster? Not a Versa.

Friday Morning, Midtown St. Louis

Some mornings, as you're trying to get your morning coffee into you, you see things that look perfectly normal... until you start to wake up.



Go ahead, write me a caption.

Easter in Bloomsdale

Signs of Spring in South City

Our first crocus of the season.


Our first racquetball of the season.


The annual egg dip.

More from the weekend

Saturday in Festus, MO

The wedding went off without too much drama.







Julie & I stayed at the hotel. I have to admit, it was way nicer than I expected to find in Jefferson County.

This Weekend

Friday night: Syberg's with Julie...




and trying to figure out my fancy new flash...

Rudolf Yaber does like his tinsel.


Saturday morning: Pack for a fun-filled weekend.

Saturday afternoon: Julie's brother's wedding.

Saturday night: The Reception

Sunday: Hike at Hawn SP with the girls.

Photos of all this to follow.

Monday night @ The Taproom

Julie fed me a splendid birthday dinner at the Tap Room Monday night.


I love the Ploughman's Plate & Beer Bread.


My stew came with this huge beer biscuit.


We had a couple of leftovers.

Saturday @ The Pizza & Root Beer Party

Since we couldn't make it out to San Francisco in time for the Naughty Librarians’ Convention, we decided to hang out in PrinHi, eat pizza, drink whatever was on hand, talk and play games all night.

Dinner at Bricktown

That wasn't really Cath's drink.


Polaroids and mac & cheese - JulieDill's evening was very busy.


Ann's loaf of meat.

Watching the skiers at Chestnut Valley

That's Julie under those big sunglasses, and the frozen Mississippi in the background.

Wide Angles in Galena

Eventually I left Dubuque for the icy sidewalks of Galena. I decided to play with a wide angle adapter I got recently.






This is where I ate lunch, Procento's Pizzeria. I recommend it.

Dubuque

Julie and I continued on past Staunton, past Peoria, past Davenport, all the way to Dubuque.

What do you do when you've spent all afternoon eating junkfood in a car? You get to your hotel and eat a dinner of appetizers and margaritas, of course.

This is what it looks like when we're not acting like adults.

The next morning, after everyone else headed off to the ski slopes, I went for a walk in downtown Dubuque. It's pretty active and accessible, but it had a few slow spots.


They're only open Wednesday, 1-4.


A closed candy counter on Main Street. Oh well, it matches the closed shoe store and the other empty storefronts. I can't complain. I couldn't make an interesting photo of the modern & active Opera House or Five Flags Theater.

Friday in Staunton

On our way to Dubuque we decided to stop in Staunton and interrupt Thom at work.

Pinball Repairs in PrinHi

Julie & I interrupted Funhouse repairs Saturday night. It was time for dinner at Appolonia.