Sloan and Life Before Travel
Sloan at Bottom Lounge // November 23, 2014 // Chicago, IL
There was a time once when I would drive into the city for live music every weekend. I followed bands, religiously read the liner notes to find even more obscure bands to fall for, and hung out after the show to get the set list and the band’s autograph. Sloan is one of those personable bands that always hangs outside after a show to talk to fans—at least they used to. I’m not sure anymore because halfway a set my back is hurting from standing in place and I’m wondering if they will finally play my favorite song. I’m definately not standing outside in the cold to see if Chris remembers me from the Twice Removed tour.
Before I left on my first RTW trip in 2004, I was really into music. When I came back a lot of bands I followed had split up, weren’t touring, or were now so popular that I no longer wanted to see them live. Every once in a while it bothers me that I’ve given up what was once such a huge part of my life.
Still, what can you count on staying around for ten years? Sloan. I can count on Sloan.
Fall Has Come and Gone
Why does the best season in Chicago have to be so short?
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- Yellow Leaves
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- L&E View
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- Flying in Fall
Somewhere Outside Lafayette, Indiana
Yesterday was a quick day trip to the central time zone for work. For living so close to so many other states, I rarely visit those closest. These beautiful fields of windmills reminded me of the time I spent bicycling around Ærø in 1999.
San Francisco Treat
That Bridge
At the end of February I was finally sent to the West coast on a business trip! I haven’t been to San Francisco in a few years, not since my “All You Can Jet” trip back in 2010. This time around, instead of inconveniencing my friend Iris by staying on her couch. I stayed at a cute Kimpton hotel downtown near Union Square. It offers Public bicycles to borrow (not on these hills!) and way too convenient of a location for shopping.
One my main tasks was to visit a Public Bike shop while I was in town. The only dealer in Chicago shut down last winter so I wanted to finally see one in person. On my last day I made a rookie mistake in an effort to look nice and wore a dress to the location I planned to cartwheel. I did it anyway.
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- Scenic Drive
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- Chinatown
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- Megan on Lombard Street
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- Colorful Public Bikes
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- Wordy Wallpaper
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- Top of the Mark Cocktails
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- Wedding Swan
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- Triangle Building from Below
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- Fun Kimpton Hotel
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- Palace Moat
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- Alcatraz View
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- Not Kearney Street
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- Lombard Street Panorama
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- Public Bikes Flagship
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- Fancy Breakfast Coffee
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- Hillside Art Deco
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- Dreary Bridge Views
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- San Francisco from Coit Tower
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- Hillside
One Week in Princeton
I have spent quite a lot of time over the past few years working in New Jersey, but never in such a cute town as Princeton. Rather than staying out by the highway in a big name hotel chain I was able to stay in a cute old inn right in the center of town.
Ice Cream Evening
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- Morning Meeting
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- Princeton Architecture
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- Chicago Skyline
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- Golden Chicago
Winter Tarmac
Winter Weardown
Everyone I’ve spoken to in Chicago agrees—this has been the worst winter in memory. It’s been bitterly cold and snowy. It’s almost March and I’ve only ridden my bike twice whereas last year I proudly rode all winter. Luckily I have a few business trips on the horizon that will get me away from these depressing temperatures.
More snow falling in Logan Square
Traveling Through 2013
In my travel roundup of 2012 I was hoping to travel a bit more internationally this year. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. It’s funny too, as I finally broke down and was approved for the Global Entry program. A big bonus of the program is qualifying for the TSA Pre-Check line when flying participating airlines.
I stuck with mainly United again this year—once you get status on an airline business travel becomes so much more enjoyable. Last year I made status based on miles (Australia put me over the edge), but this year I made it on segments (New Jersey and Detroit aren’t far, but each flight counts as a segment). Whereas I had two trips booked last year at this time, it’s looking like a Chicago January for me in 2014.
January: Brooklyn, New Jersey, Atlanta, New Jersey, New York
My first time in Brooklyn, and a view of the unfinished World Trade Center
Another first—Atlanta—where I rode the metro and visited the aquarium
After working in New Jersey I stay in Manhattan for a few days
February: Detroit
There’s never much to show when working outside of Detroit so here’s a shot of my winter biking adventures
The short flight to Detroit does provide for great views of Chicago
March: New Jersey, Minnesota
Odd weather left the view of Manhattan fro Jersey City radically different day-to-day
Flying in early allows me to meet up with New York friends and draw at the FIT museum
Minnesota is still awfully cold in March, the bike up to Chicago’s annual Traveler’s Century Club meeting was much more pleasant
April: Chicago
An entire month at home!
May: Pittsburgh
With May came weather good enough for long bike rides, helping out with the local Kidical Mass ride, and outlandish Mexican wrestling matches
I worked in the hotel inside Pittsburgh’s airport for days, but managed to get out and take a bus to the Warhol Museum before flying home
June: New Jersey, Minnesota
Every once in a while I’m upgraded to First Class
David was in town from Canada, so we managed a Sox game and a concert in Millennium Park
July: New Jersey, New York, New Jersey, Brooklyn
The Turrell exhibit at The Guggenheim was excellent, although incredibly crowded
This trip was a big museum stop for me—both The Guggenheim for Turrell, and The Met for the Punk Fashion exhibit
I saw Belle and Sebastian and Bjork in a rain storm at Pitchfork Music festival but managed to get hit by a car biking home
Working in New Jersey 8 times this year, I finally bought myself a MoMA membership. This visit I stayed a few days at the end to visit with a friend in Brooklyn
August: Detroit
A friend and I took our bikes out to the suburbs to bike the beautiful Fox River Trail
Detroit again—this place and I don’t get along
Summertime in Chicago is grand—free concerts, block parties and garage sales
View of the city on a bike ride past the Planetarium
The annual seersucker bike ride to Jackson Park
September: Detroit, Denver
Sooner or later I knew I’d end up in a Detroit ER…
On the bright side, after the ER I headed to visit my sister in Denver for the Tour de Fat
October: New Hampshire, New Jersey, Austin
Chicago’s beautiful lakefront
New Hampshire was another first for me this year
I visited both MoMA and PS1 on this New York visit
My first time in Austin was nice, but wasn’t the amazing place everyone had talked up
November: Miami
The Guy Fawkes tweed ride is the best ride of the year, but the ride home from Bridgeport is brutal
Once in the hotel I didn’t leave, and I managed to kill my computer. Maybe South Beach next time around?
December: Detroit
A snowstorm kept me delayed in dreary Detroit an extra day and a half
Fall Colors
Today was a beautiful fall day in Chicago. It was cold but not yet so cold that you don’t want to leave the house. Since I’ve been traveling so much I haven’t had a chance to make it up to the forest preserves North of Chicago since the beginning of Spring. I love fall, but just wish it wasn’t followed by winter.
Shooting Deer
Fall Bike Trail