lbk livin'

My first day in Lubbock and I am already having more fun than I know what to do with.  Truth be told, anyone hanging out with these two lil' rugrats would be in the same boat.  Below are some pictures from the Big Day with B and Av - I can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store for us all!

b was so proud of his monkey - he took it everywhere!

hey there, cutie pie!

climbing mt. jump 'n' jungle

i literally cannot get enough of this sweet face - what a darling girl!

yummy!

a fashion forward av shows off the over the shoulder look...it's so in this season

she is not a shy one, this girl.  she also was not a fan of keeping this dress on today!

momma!  let me be held and eat my cake, too!

the aftermath...

this is some spilled milk that is worth crying over - and av certainly did just that...

eat local wherever you go*

Tucson --> Lubbock: At a Glance
Time spent in the car: 10 hours
Distance covered:
States driven in: 3
Time zones driven through: 3
Tickets accumulated: 0 (although I did get a written warning - story below)
Hours of sleep upon arrival: 4.5

Now for the slightly longer version (don't worry, there will be a picture if you get bored)...

After much planning and packing, I took off for greener (figuratively and literally) pastures.  The first leg (of the many legged creature that is my summer vacation - perhaps it's more like an octopus than a legged creature...but that's neither here nor there) took me to Lubbock, TX.

The drive started out well enough - everything was packed nicely in my car, Grrtrude had not one, but two(!) sleeping areas, and I had just popped my new driving mix into the CD player.  The mix, while wonderful, only opened the floodgates (damn you, Elton John!) - and I hadn't even gotten out of town!  I probably looked a hot mess driving through Tucson sobbing and making ugly cry faces, but I have always believed that sometimes you just need a good cry, and that first half an hour of my drive was evidence of that. 

While there wasn't much to speak of on the drive, there were a few interesting points of interest.  First off, this needs to be stated for the record: New Mexico, although it claims to be the Land of Enchantment, is a big fat liar.  There is nothing enchanting about that land.  Well, that is a bit dramatic.  I did enjoy driving through the Lincoln National Forest, home of the cute town of Cloudcroft, and that was pretty nice.  But other than that, I saw a truck almost get run off the highway by a big trailer that didn't see the vehicle when it attempted to switch lanes and that was about it. 

Oh, and I got a written warning from a member of the Artesia Police Department.  So there is that.  Here is how this all happened...

Earlier in the week, I was speaking with so co-workers (one of whom is from Alamagordo, NM) about the silly speck on the map that Artesia, NM is.  Well, turns out my reality has a great sense of humor...and by great I mean ironic and slightly acerbic. 

So at around 10:00p local time I stopped to re-wrap my tattoo and get some gas.  While I was pumping gas, another vehicle pulled in for gas, and after I jumped back into my car, one of the guys from the other vehicle came up to my window asking if I had change; they had apparently gone over on pumping gas by $.33.  Now, while I want to help folks, I get really nervous at night when I am alone and in an unusual place.  So I said no, I don't - sorry.  I had flashes of me turning to rummage for change and him breaking my window and, in turn, my face.  No es bueno. 

After that, I rolled out of the gas station and although I knew the way I needed to go, I wanted to quickly look ahead for my next turn.  After a minute, I realized there were flashing red lights in my rearview, so I pulled over (right next to a generator for a fireworks tent - nice placement, Z).  When the Officer, who for my own amusement I will name Officer Krupke, came to ask if I knew why I was stopped and I replied no, he told me I didn't have my headlights on. 

D'oh!

Apparently I had rolled out of the gas station and started driving so quickly that I neglected to turn on my lights.  I guess the light from the station made me think they were on...or something. 

ut-oh spaghettio

Either way, Officer Krupke was kind and gave me a nice momento to remember my time in Artesia, which you can see below.

*The title of this blog was the last piece of advice my dear friend Kevin shared with me after we parted ways in Tucson, so this is just a little tribute to him.  I certainly plan to follow said advice also.  But more on that in future posts, I am sure. 

it hurt, but it was so worth it...

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but I would claim this tattoo is worth much much more.  After about 3-4 hours in the chair, I couldn't be happier.  This is true catharsis.

grandpa and grandma tribute piece (over my heart)

another glimpse - christian nailed the eyes, hair, and smile/smirk on grandpa - he looks so proud.

i am bad at goodbyes...

While I am very happy for what this week brings, I am also starting to feel a deep sense of sadness - this weekend only helped to solidify that...

On Friday, folks left work early and went to a going away happy hour, which was amazing.  During the affair, Kevin (who is also self-admittedly bad with goodbyes) shared that the academy needs more people like me but that he would be incredibly sad to see me go.  Being one of my dearest friends in town, a lump jumped into my throat as I began to realize that my morning ritual of a walk and drink with Kevin would only last a few more days.  

Saturday morning saw a flurry of activity, as Dustin, Jai and I shipped 12 boxes of books to Rachel and Keri, who graciously offered to store them during the summer.  Truth be told, they may not arrive for a few weeks given that I shipped them media mail (I wonder what warehouse they will sit in?), but I got them out for $200.91 (including insurance and delivery confirmation, which I saw as a very big success.  

the color on this is just amazing!

my touch up - happy 9th birthday tattoo!  now don't fade!

After a late breakfast, we headed down to 4th Avenue to get my ears pierced, browse the wonderful independent bookstore Antigone, where I almost bought this (but resisted), and kill some time before heading over to Rogue Tattoo Parlour for Jai to get this fine piece of artwork tattooed on his shoulder.  The detail is just beautiful, and Christian, an old friend of Jai's did amazing work in a very short amount of time (this took less than two hours!).  I liked his work so much that not only did I ask for a touch up for my first tattoo (9 years old already!), but I made some plans to get a tattoo I have wanted for a very long time before leaving town: a portrait of my grandparents.  The photo I have of them was taken in 1975 by my father and shows them in the prime of their lives.  My grandfather, who died three and a half years ago, looks incredibly proud and is next to my grandmother, who at 96 still looks as charming and spunky as she was back then.  The tattoo will be done on my left chest (right over my heart) and will be done tonight after the shop has closed.  Christian, who will be doing this for me and who's work can be previewed here, does amazing work and I feel great knowing that such catharsis will happen in the state (and town) where I was when my grandpa passed.  It will certainly be an emotional night, but I am looking forward to the finished result.  Stay tuned for photos in the next couple of days...


Saturday evening and Sunday morning consisted mainly of cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning (with a viewing of Priscilla of the Desert with Dustin and Jai thrown in there for good measure).  I did my last load of laundry on Sunday morning and cleaned up a bit before going to see X Men: First Class with Kevin.  My last movie in Tucson, and I cannot think of a better person to see it with...I am going to miss him a heckuva lot.  After the movie we went to get some Sonoran Hot Dogs (another hit on my last meals in Tucson list) and, as we parted ways in his driveway, one of the most heartfelt hugs I have ever received.  I am going to miss Kevin and his family a lot, and while I am not sure when I will see him again, I am going to try my damnedest to make it happen.  I have a lot of love and admiration for him, his family, and everything he and they have done for me over the past three years.  I am getting teary just thinking about it, but I know that when I drive away from Tucson I will be leaving one of my best friends.  

And then it was back to cleaning with Dustin and Jai (and a visit from Will, too!)... 


Let me publicly say that Dustin and Jai are without a doubt some of the best chosen family someone could ever ask for!  Jai deep cleaned my entire kitchen, Dustin was so good at distracting, err, playing with Grrtrude, and it was just such a wonderful evening to spend with them.  Mike stopped by to get the rest of his stuff, which was awesome, as it cleared out my space all the more, and then Jai left with some extra loot for his efforts.  Here are some photos of me in action cleaning as well as the Pile of Things in the Corner (aka all I am taking with me).  The bike and the dog aren't in the photos, but rest assured: they are coming with me as well!  

pre bed disassembling

that should all fit...no problem!

alternate view - weird to see it all in a pile like this...

a getting emptier everyday apartment

This past Monday I ended up off-loading a lot of furniture.  I mean, a lot.  So basically all I have left is my bed...and my hamper (a constant reminder that I still have to do laundry before I leave).  Other than this, I am living among boxes (which will be shipped to Dayton this Saturday) and, dare I say, a vast amount of empty space.  


Well, as vast as it can get in a studio apartment anyway. 


I am so close to leaving that I can taste it.  I can see the visual markers of my drive out of AZ - the sign welcoming me to New Mexico, the flat roads of Texas signaling my arrival in Lubbock to end the first leg of my trip.  It is all so wonderful, and yet I still have a week to go.  So for now, I live among the boxes and space, all the while trying to calm what I believe to be a nervous dog who maybe thinks she is not coming with me.  If only she knew what was in store... 


Speaking of my trip, I don't think I have detailed much of this at all, so this may be a great time to do so.  I will be blogging from the road, but here is a (somewhat) detailed itinerary for the time between my leaving AZ and moving into my house in OH...


29 June: Leave Tucson, AZ for Lubbock, TX (ETA: 4:00a 30 June 2011 CST)
I will be seeing my friend Christina in the L-B-K, who I have not seen for about a year and a half.  I was unable to make it out to see her for Thanksgiving this past year, but always love seeing her and her two beautiful kids.  I have been told her daughter Avery, who is around 2ish, has taken to dancing in the kitchen.  Bring it, Av!  


5 July: Leave Lubbock, TX for Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, WY (ETA: late afternoon)
I will be staying with my college roommate Justin, his wife Sharon, and their baby boy Alec.  I cannot wait to see them all, as the last time I saw Justin and Sharon was when I was standing at their wedding (which was absolutely beautiful and definitely reinvigorated my belief in love).  I have never held Alec, so I will enjoy the chance to do so and be in the company of some very dear friends.  


8 July: Leave Cheyenne, WY for Iowa City, IA (ETA: whenever I can get through all of NE)
From Wyoming I will be headed to Iowa City to see my friend Alandis and my graduate school mentor Tracy.  Landi and I are new friends, and she is graciously hosting Grrtrude and I.  Tracy is wonderful, and has offered his house as well, but I told him I would just steal him for dinner one night instead of imposing on he and his family.  It will be nice to be back in the Midwest, and I just love Iowa City.  Heck, I thought about getting my PhD there!  Plus, this will mean most of the loooong drives will be behind me (except the last leg of my journey).  


10 July: Leave Iowa City, IA for Dayton, OH (ETA: early enough to have dinner with Rachel and Keri)
Heading to Dayton will be exciting, as I will be staying with two cherished friends in Rachel and Keri.  These two fine people are allowing me to store my books and whatnot at their place during the summer.  So.  Dang.  Nice.  I am hoping to have some fun time with both Rachel and Keri and will get to explore Dayton during the day while they work.  Fun fact: Dayton is less than an hour from my new home in Oxford, so I will get to play with Rachel and Keri a lot!  


12 July: Leave Dayton, OH for Louisville (pronounced: Luhvul), KY (ETA: 8:00a EST)
I will then go to Kentucky for the ACPA Summer Leadership Meeting.  This is something will be doing as a part of my responsibilities as the Chair of the Standing Committee for Men and should be a nice time to explore a bit.  I am looking forward to checking out the Brown Hotel, which was the scene of Chuck and Cindy: The Wedding (if you have no clue what this is a reference to, Netflix Elizabethtown and behold the awesomeness of the Chuck Point).  


15 July: Leave Dayton, OH for Twinsburg, OH (ETA: dinnertime)
After heading back to Dayton after the SLM, I will be headed to Twinsburg to see Hilary, Scott, their two amazing kids Colin and Kiley, and their beautiful dog Shaggy.  Hil was my undergraduate career counselor and now works at John Carroll University.  I stayed with her and the fam on my way out to AZ four years ago, so it will be nice to reconnect.  Colin is quite the little hockey fan, so now that I will be at a school with one of the better men's hockey programs in the country, I will be getting us all tickets for a game or two.  


16 July: Leave Twinsburg, OH for Syracuse, NY
Syracuse is home to Brad, an amazing friend from my college days, as well as Chase and Steph.  While Chase is a newer friend, I have grown to love him dearly and am excited to meet his partner Steph.  It will be a nice way to be welcomed back to the East Coast, of which I consider the great state of NY a part.  


18 July: Leave Syracuse, NY for the BK, NY
I can almost feel it now - the hot breeze running through the streets of Brooklyn as I walk Grrtrude through the neighborhoods and parks of one of the best cities in the country.  I will be landing in NYC with my brother Adam for about 11 days and will be taking in galleries, drinking beers on rooftops, and seeing the city from the saddle of my bike.  


30 July: Leave NYC, NY for Boston, MA
If New York City is one of the best cities in the country, Boston most certainly is right up there as well.  Adam, his boo Rachel, Grrtrude, and myself will be heading to Beantown for a weekend with the extended family.  Mom will also be meeting us in the city on the 31st, after which she will drive with me up to NH, where I will spend the next leg of my journey.  


31 July: Leave Boston, MA for Deerfield, NH
After much driving, it will be nice to finally be at my ultimate East Coast destination.  I will spend a week with my Mom in her beautiful cottage where I will get in some great hilly riding, go fabric shopping for new curtains, and just enjoy the soothing quiet on her deck.  Grrtrude will love the woods too - it will be fun to see her experience the East Coast, and I will likely head to the beach for an evening walk or two with her.  


6 August: Leave Deerfield, NH for Dayton, OH
14 hours in a car with my Mom and Grrtrude can only mean one thing: I will be one day away from getting the keys to my new place in Oxford!  Rachel and Keri are playing host again, and Grrtrude will get some more time with her new playmate Albus the terrier.  


7 August: Leave Dayton, OH for Oxford, OH (ETA: 9:00a EST at the latest)
Finally I will be...home!  It will be amazing to move into my new place with my Mom by my side.  We are going to spend the first day going to Ikea and Target and then are going to start to unpack!  Mom will spend about 4 days with me, which will be amazing!  She will also get to come see me consult, as I have a gig at the University of Dayton doing some training with Resident Assistants on sexual assault prevention, so that will be awesome too. I haven't taken a trip with my Mom in a very very long time, so it will be amazing to have her company.


Well, I think that is it.  It all makes me tired looking at it, but I know it will be gorgeous and just a wonderful five weeks.  Pictures and posts will come from the road, but until then, I still have one more week left here in Tucson, AZ.  

so long, farewell, alveterzane, goodbye

I gots me less than 10 days in this state...weird.  


I had Friday off from work (woot!) and the day started off a bit painfully (physically speaking), as I did a grueling ride of 33.4 miles.  In retrospect, this isn't a long ride.  Shit - I used to train for century rides!  But given the news that I have not been cycling consistently (read: at all, save for a couple outings) in the past year, this was a tough one for me.  I also had to pick some of the hillier roads in Tucson, heading North into the foothills.  While I love River and Skyline, them's some hills!  The good news is that whatever hills I went up I was able to then go back down...brilliant!  Needless to say, the rust is being knocked off and I had a good farewell ride on River and Skyline, capping a successful 50+ mile week for me.  Once again, not much for now, but I will get better, faster, and lighter.  I have a goal of trying to ride in each state I land during my journey across the country, so that will be fun too!  I am hoping to close with an amazing ride around my hometown, which I used to do all the time when I was young.  Oh the memories...


But I digress...

from left to right: Djay, Jessie, D, Mel, and yours truly

After my ride, I met D, Mel, and Jessie for one last morning chat session.  Mel is heading out to Astoria, OR and Jessie to Nebraska to teach math at a tribal college.  D is sticking around in Tucson and will continue to fight the good fight, and while I have been just honored and humbled to have such glorious women in my life, I am deeply saddened that I will not have the opportunity to see them whenever I want.  These women have had a profound effect on my life for the past two years and are a large reason for me remaining happy and healthy in Tucson.  I owe them more than they will know and know we will be close for years to come.  


After seeing the ladies, my legs felt like lead, so Jessie kindly gave me a ride home and I headed off to have lunch with Kevin and see Midnight in Paris again.  The movie was just as brilliant as the first time I saw it and it was great to spend some time with Kev.  The movie made me think a lot about the role of nostalgia and the past in our realities in more than just a romantic musing sort of sense.  But this is perhaps a different post for a different time.


The weekend ended with some conversatin' with mon frere on Father's Day, time with Jai, coffee with Dustin, and some wonderful phone conversations with dear friends.  It was a great closing to a week that afforded me a chance to be calm and relaxed, which will be needed given my week ahead will be busy busy busy!  I am offloading a chunk of my furniture tonight and my dance card is filling up - wahoo!  If anything, my mind needs to be occupied this week...not ready to deal with these silly things we call "feelings" quite yet.

this is where i want to do my work

I have been thinking a lot about how I am going to outfit my new pad.  Although I am still very much committed to heading to Ikea and potentially buying out the entire store, there are some other touches that I would like to bring into the place.  Like this gorgeous desk below.  

I found this little number on an estate sales website called Everything But The House.  It seems as though this site allows one to bid for estate sales items as well as go to a site and purchase pieces in the Cincinnati area, and although I will not be there for awhile, seeing this desk made me optimistic for the future.  The desk has two wings that fold out, a raised area on the top, and a beautiful color.  Just epic.  Looking at it, I had an overwhelming feeling that I could do some marvelous work on a desk like that.  It just looks like it has stories to share and enough life to help me create my own.  Below are some additional images that were shared.  Let's hope the desk I finally land is as close to this one as possible.  

angled look.

drawer details.

with wings out.

wonderful detailed shot.

and miles to go before i leave

I finally found the common cure for insomnia: blogging.  


With less than two weeks to go (13 days to be exact), I find that I have been in a bit of a slump.  Not quite able to leave yet, but not quite ready to go either, I am stuck in limbo.  I have been spending some great time with friends, but I finally decided to assuage my guilt from the past year of not riding much (read: hardly at all) and took BetCi, my 2005 Specialized Allez that I got in Alphabet City (hence the name) a few years ago, out for what I hope will be a series of closing rides in Tucson.  


Really, I am quite fortunate to have picked up cycling in Tucson, which is consistently rated as one of the best cities for the sport in the country.  However, between my class in the fall and my travel this past spring, it took all I had just to keep my head screwed on straight.  But long gone are the days of excuses; no longer will I get dirty side glances from BetCi as she stands in the corner of my apartment; no more will I feel like a poser amongst other cyclists.  Nope.  Not again.  My training to become a valued part of the Miami University Cycling Team begins now.  


Well, okay - it started Tuesday.  


I went on a short, albeit satisfying, ride of around 19 miles after work.  Although it felt as hot as how I imagine the River Styx to be, it was so gratifying to turn my iPod to my favorite mix albums, clip in, and ride with enough pace to fill my lungs with desert air.  Romantic imagine, huh?


The plan is to ride again on Friday (30+ miles with hills) and then go out a third time on Sunday (mileage TBD).  Not bad for the first week back in almost a full year.  I am also planning to take at least one ride in each state that I stop in on my trek back to the Northeast...and then a lot of rides in beautiful scenic New Hampshire.  I have been daydreaming of riding around my hometown again, which I used to do when I was a little kid.  Only now I will be on a better bike, in spandex, and hopefully going just a touch faster.  


And although I love BetCi and we have been through a lot together, I have also been daydreaming of this piece of eye candy below...if you or someone you know has about 10 large and they want to become my personal benefactor, this would be my first purchase...

je friggin t'aime.  i want me one (or three)

a trio of films, or parting is such sweet sorrow

This weekend turned out harder than I thought it would be...


I guess I haven't really given too much thought to the fact that I am not just leaving a place, but people as well.  I have been so busy counting down days and preparing for my travels this summer that I have lost sight of some of the loved ones I will rarely get to see once I head out of the Southwest. 

eh, coulda been better

On Saturday I had a chance to spend time with four women who have come to mean quite a bit to me: Mel, D, Jessie, and Djay.  Oh, and Mel had her two precious twin boys in tow as well, Aiden and Elliott.  We went to see the first of the three movies I saw over the past two days (yup - you read right: three movies) by heading to a matinee showing of Pirates of the Caribbean IV: On Stranger Tides in 3D.  The plot and screenplay were a bit slow at times, but seeing Geoffrey Rush is always a pleasure, and the costumes were good, as they usually have been with the Pirates movies.  I just can't believe they still have another two to go until this whole Pirates thing is done!

number 2: not much better

After a quick trip to replace a pair of sandals that I sadly left in San Francisco (I hope whomever has them enjoys them as much as I did - shoot, I liked them so much I bought them twice!), I headed off to have dinner with my friends Kevin, Sue, and their daughter Ande.  We grilled steaks at their house and, after some rice pudding, all piled in Sue's Prius to do see Super 8, the new Spielberg/Abrams summer blockbuster.  I am a bit tired of the alien flicks, but the fact that it was a period piece (of sorts) and Kyle Chandler (of Friday Night Lights fame) played a great Deputy Sheriff role made for some nice moments.  And even though the film wasn't the best, it was nice to be able to watch a silly movie with some good friends.  I am sure the movie will make big bucks - a lot of folks seem to love this sort of thriller...just not me.  At least one of us liked it (if you guessed Kevin, you're right).  

lucky number 3

The piece de resistance was the movie I saw on Sunday night, which was the new Woody Allen film Midnight in Paris.  The movie made me want to fly to Paris immediately and speak (what little) French as I walk around the city and scribble notes in a sketchbook.  Although Allen wasn't in the movie himself, Owen Wilson was an amazing stand-in.  All his nervous and anxious moments were classic Allen, as was the humor throughout the movie.  Even the beginning of the movie made me think of Allen's 1979 classic Manhattan with all of the city shots used to set the stage.  Plus, the cast was nothing if not amazing.  Rachel McAdams was great as were Carla Bruni, Adrien Brody, Kurt Fuller, Marion Cotillard (love her!), and others.  If you haven't seen it yet, this is the first must see of the summer to me.  It was Woody Allen through and through, and was just a darling film.  


While watching three movies in one weekend is far from the norm for me, it was great to be able to spend some times with friends.  It's hard, this moving thing.  The more I think about it, the more difficult it will be for me to leave some of these people in a few weeks time.  Up next: more time with the same folks I saw this weekend.  It seems like there isn't enough time, but in the end, I know I have made some friends who will be around for a long long time indeed.    

we only pack at night (in black & white)

Today was a big day in the Nicolazzo household.  It started out with the annual trip to the vet and Grrtrude getting a clean bill of health (yay!).  Truth be told, I will miss Dr. Samuels at Central Animal Hospital.  The good doctor has been wonderful with G, and I can only hope to find someone as wonderful with my little one as he has been once I relocate in the Midwest.  For anyone with a pet in Tucson, I strongly suggest their veterinary care! 

But I digress...

After reading some of my newest amazing book at Ike's, I picked up some great pizza and met up with Dustin, Jai, and Will for a Book Packing Party!  My books will be shipped to my dear friends in Dayton who have agreed to serve as my temporary storage space until I am able to move into my place in August, so tonight was phase one.  Phase two, also known as the pain in the arse of bringing them to the USPS and shipping them, will take place toward the end of the month.  

The five of us (including the pup) had a heckuva time playing, talking, packing, eating, and being silly.  I will let the pictures talk for themselves!

Grrtrude the Bandit ready for anything!

before (aka to be packed)

Look at those pretty smiles!  (from left to right: Will, Dustin, and Jai - love them!)

Best. Supervisor. Ever!

Break for pop!

Our discussion circle after packing was accomplished (from left to right: Dustin, Will, and Jai - still love them!)

D-O-N-E, and that's the way you get done (with Phase I)

She is so easy to please - nothing like a rawhide to keep this miss muy ocupado

last meal in tucson

During the course of today, I had an interesting conversation with a friend about what we wanted our last meals to be if we had to choose.  While this was a question to help pass time, it made me realize I have the chance to decide what my last Tucson meal(s) will be.  Seeing as I head out of town in a mere 20 days (eeep!), this question could not be more timely.  


Being a bit of a foodie, I do not think I can come up with just one meal.  Instead, I will offer a Food Wishlist of sorts.  


(1) Mac 'n' Cheese Burger and Chili Cheese Tots (Lindy's on 4th)
While you in no way want to think about how many calories and artery-clogging fats you are consuming while at Lindy's, there is no way this place could not make my list.  The last time I was there I attempted the OMFG Burger Challenge (3 lbs of beef patty in 30 minutes - this should never be done by anyone in their right mind) with two of my fraternity brothers, and while I had a burger hangover for the entirety of the next day, I still want to go back for one last meal (albeit smaller...much smaller).  The place is a Tucson icon, continually gets rave reviews, and was on the last season of Man v. Food, too!  All in all, it is a place I must head back to, as it may be the last time I get to enjoy the splendor that is Lindys.  


(2) Super Nachos (Los Alazanes)
For late night fare, this ranks right up there at the top.  I discovered them after a late-night phone call when I was not ready to head to bed.  After scouring yelp for good 24-hour joints, I decided to give ye ole Super Nachos a try, and I must say, these puppies live up to their name.  Once again, not good for you at all (noticing a trend?), but they are so good.  Like, so good.  I will have to have these one last time, but feel like it will have to be a late night run just for nostalgia's sake.  


(3) Pho (Miss Saigon & Pho 88)
Although I just had Pho at Miss Saigon this week with my friend Jai, it's just so dang good!  Fast, simple, and fun to eat, this is another meal I must get before heading out of Tucson.  Miss Saigon and Pho 88 are two of the better places to get pho in town, with Pho 88 just edging the other out in terms of quality.  Service is better at Miss Saigon though.  I swear our food came out in about 5 minutes when we were there - crazy fast.  

(4) Black & Tan (Auld Dubliner)
Seriously, let's give this "beverage" the credit it deserves and call it what it is: a meal.  I can never have one of these unless I am doing it on an empty stomach because it just fills me up!  And nothing in town makes me want a Black & Tan more than heading to the Auld Dubliner.  I don't get to do this too often, seeing as it is usually teeming with students based on its incredibly close proximity to campus, but I hear that my farewell happy hour will be here, so Black & Tan(s) beware - I will consume you!

(5) Sonoran Hot Dogs (La Guero Canelo in S. Tucson)
Although uber-unkosher, this hot dog is a must have for anyone even thinking about visiting The Old Pueblo.  A hot dog wrapped in bacon, cradled in a bakery roll, and topped with such goodies as beans, mayo, sweet relish, ketchup, peppers, and pickles, there is nothing that is bad about this concoction (aside from caloric intake and its ability to clog arteries - see above for food pattern).  I recently went to a Franks/Franciscos (one location that is Franks, a greasy spoon diner, in the morning, and then changes management and is Franciscos, a mexican food joint, at night) to have two of these beauties, but the best come from El Guero Canelo on the South side of town.  You can even get a pop with real sugarcane rather than HFCS - yum!  


A Top 5 List sounds good for now - very High Fidelity of me, too.  So I shall leave it at that - let the feeding frenzy begin!

wrap yourself in bolts of fabric

Today was full of working, and when I say working, I really mean looking for fabric patterns for the curtains in my new apartment.  With some work on the side (read: and pillows, too).  


But seriously, I work.  Sometimes.  Whatever - on to the fabrics!


I will have these glorious floor-to-ceiling windows in my new living room, and have decided to create the illusion of floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining room and bedroom by getting long curtains for other windows in my bedroom.  I think the large swaths of color and fun patterns will help open up the space a bit and add a nice element to the nest.  To add to my joy, my amazing Mom has told me she will make the curtains for me when I am back in the Northeast this summer.  Super fun times!


In terms of what I am looking for, I am thinking mod.  I also want some sort of pattern couched in bright(ish) colors.  I don't need technicolor bright, but I want to add some lightness to the space.  I am guessing I will mix up the patterns in different rooms, but seeing as the living room and dining room are combined in this quasi-great space concept, I will likely try to stick with the same fabric in those spaces.  I will mix it up in the bedroom though, and as I was told by a wonderful friend of mine today, I can even make my own pillows - brilliant!  


Alright - enough of the talk, here are some ideas of what I am thinking of...

fun print numero uno

First off, I found this pattern on a mod fabric website today and really like it.  It is playful, bright, and a bit quirky.  One of the students I advise told me it looks a bit childish, to which I thought, "yeah, so!"  Real grown up, Z.  Real grown up.  Needless to say, I am looking for something similar to this and will start my looking when I get back to NH in early August.  Moms apparently has some spots to check out.  I am thinking there will be stuff like this - I would love to have curtains to put up so I can have some privacy while I am moving in (read: so I can wear whatever the hell I want in my own space whenever I want without reproach or scaring the neighborhood kids).  

ducks and bunnies and kittens - oh my!

The next pattern I saw is super playful and would be fun for pillows.  Seriously, ducks, bunnies AND kittens?  The only sort of kitsch I would appreciate more would be a Westie print, but honestly, how much Westie is too much Westie?*  I feel like doing something fun like this would be a good start of ideas for pillows, which I will probably mix up and do a bunch of different patterns for.  I am also thinking of making a dog bed for Grrtrude.  And by "I will make" what I really mean is I will con a friend with a sewing machine to help me immensely with promises of food and drink.  We all do what we must to get by.  I figure it's a fair trade - I am quite the chef-lite in the kitchen space.  Now to find that person with the sewing machine...


Needless to say, the Nesting To Do List is already growing, which feels awesome.  I feel real good about this apartment and feel like I could be here for the duration of my doctoral experience.  If not, it isn't the end of the world, but thinking about being in the same space for four years is so exciting!  I know someone who lived in the upstairs apartment when she moved to Oxford and she loved it, so I have high hopes.  Although I have a short-term lease through the fall semester at this point, I am hoping I will feel good enough to sign a long-term lease once I get to the space and get the lay of the land.  It also doesn't hurt that the apartment is within walking distance of campus (about a mile to a mile and a half away), which means no need for a parking permit, suckas!  


*trick question - the answer is no amount of Westie is too much Westie!  In fact, sometimes for shits and giggles I will go to YouTube and check out Westie vids.  But seriously, I do work.

in t-minus...

14.5 more days of work until I head out of the Southwest...but who's counting?  

grrtrude photo bomb

The past four years of living in an area that is hotter than hot (and that's during the winter) is quickly coming to a close, and I for one cannot wait!  Grrtrude, my four year old Westie (enter photo at below), doesn't know what's coming.  She may not be the only one.  

During the past year, I have been living in a small studio apartment in Tucson, AZ.  In a few short weeks, I will be heading out of the state I have called home to partake in a doctoral program at Miami University in Oxford, OH and upgrading to a new apartment, nay, the first floor of a house.  Hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, a covered porch (with a swing!) and two bedrooms can't be wrong.  And all for just a few bones more than the place I am living in now.  Seriously, if there were no other benefits to my moving, the sweet cost of living is reason enough to sway my motivations.  Well, that and the great program, lovely winters (check back in with me about this in December), and wonderful disposition possessed by those that reside there.  

beautiful new place

At this point, my days are consumed with daydreaming about how I will outfit my new pad.  I have made the decision to sell/donate/gift most of my things (aside from my books, clothes, BetCi the bike, and Grrtrude the dog) and start over in my new setting.  A fresh start for a my new path.  Plus, truth be told, I was getting a bit sick of all the old stuff in my current place.  

As can be seen, my bookcase is busting at the seams and I guess I never spent as much time as I wanted to outfitting my place.  The temporal state of my existence in Arizona has been a known fact in my mind for some time, so spending the time, energy and money to outfit my current environs seemed, well, silly.  But no longer - I am thinking of doing up my new place with modern furniture (can you say Ikea much?) with touches of antique and thrifty goodness about the apartment.  I also have a wonderful artist friend who is going to help make my walls look as beautiful as the Tate Modern.  Well, maybe not the Tate, but the Tate wishes it had what I will acquire.  They don't even know.  

The visions that I have bouncing in my noggin are reminiscent of a Mad Men motif (more Midge's apartment than The Draper Residence) crossed with low furniture and a fully creative space.  Oh, and a headboard made from chalk a la (500) Days of Summer.  Seriously, what is not to love about creating the Perfect Nest?  For now the blog searching will go on and ideas will continue to be stockpiled.  Can't stop a kid from dreamin', now can ya?