‘Wisconsin’ Category

22 November 2009

Weekend recap: New Moon and more football

By: Jessica B.

Happy Sunday everyone! I cannot believe it’s time for Thanksgiving but at the same time, I’m ready for a break from the city, basking in the scary quiet of the suburbs and one-on-one time with my parents. Well, at least for a few days :)

Anyhow, let’s get started!

Vampires, werewolves and shirtless action, oh my!

As you know, Friday morning at 12:45 a.m., TC and I were at the Chicago AMC theater with several hundred other Twilight fans to get our New Moon-on. We arrived at 11, thinking the line wouldn’t be too bad and were greeted with this.

IMG_3883

Holy sh*tballs

People must have arrived for the movie at 8 or 9 p.m. That is a level of hardcore I will never achieve.

Thank goodness for relevant reading materials to pass the time.

IMG_3886

Sadly, people didn’t dress in costume (we were easily the most casual people there), but the ladies got R-O-W-D-Y when the movie got started, clapping, cheering and gasping/screaming when Jacob and Edward were on screen. As expected, Jacob’s ab-action got the loudest response while Edward didn’t fare so well. I guess the ladies like a little meat on their men’s bones :)

And as a member of Team Jacob, I would look at that chest all day long. RAWR. I even said to TC pre-movie, “when I see Jacob without his shirt on…it’s cougar time.” I think we laughed about it for 10 minutes. Exhaustion will do that.

We got out of the movie at 3:15 a.m. and I walked into my apartment at 3:45 a.m., where I promptly went to bed and got back up at 7:30 a.m. to get ready for work. Kill me now. I fared pretty well during the day but crashed HARD Friday night. But, it was SO WORTH IT.

So what did I think of the movie? (non-spoilers below)

I loved it. It was much better than Twilight (like day and night different, aka better) and the things that really irritated me about Twilight weren’t so bad this time (minus Jasper’s unfortunate hair and Alice’s bad fashion sense.)

I also really loved the Jacob character. He was exactly what I imagined he would be and the scenes he had with Kristen Stewart had more heat and emotion than anything with Edward (sorry ladies). Maybe I like him so much because I identify with his character in a lot of ways, but he was great. And TC and I disagreed on a scene in the movie that foreshadows book four but we did agree that we’ll be back at another midnight showing for Eclipse on June 30. It’s on the calendar already!

Football with a side of soft pretzel

Lately, we’ve been really fortunate with good weather in Chicago. And by good, I mean not frickin’ freezing. And Saturday was a great day that included mild temps and sunshine. And that was the day I was up in Evanston with my parents for the Northwestern/Wisconsin game. Compared to the seats my parents and I are used to in Madison (50 yard line, 20 rows back), these seats were….not as close.

IMG_3891

I cannot believe that guy stood up in the middle of my shot. D-bag.

Whenever I go to a game, I always treat myself to a hot dog, soda and soft pretzel. That is my go-to for stadium food. I don’t know what they put in it (and don’t want to know) but it is awesome. And as it got darker and colder outside, the fans became bigger d-bags and my team started losing, I was ready to get out of there.

Oh college football, I love it but it will break your heart sometimes.

So did anyone else do fun stuff this weekend? If you saw New Moon, what did you think? Or what is your favorite stadium food?

15 November 2009

Weekend recap: Beer, football and blue eyes

By: Jessica B.

I love beer and football, even if the former isn’t exactly diet-friendly right now.

And sadly, college football season is coming to a close, so to celebrate the last two games of the Badger football season I hit a Badger-bar this weekend for the Michigan game and next weekend I’m headed to Evanston to see them play Northwestern.

Yes, I do love college football. That and I can’t say no to a 32 oz. beer for $7 at a bar that puts fresh duct tape on the seats before the game starts. That’s MY kind of place :)

College football has a ton of rivalries but the Michigan/Wisconsin game is a big one. Why? Because fans of each team hate each other. The only team I dislike more than Michigan is Ohio State. That’s how we roll in the Midwest.

But I do have a lot of friends from Michigan so TC, her friend Marie and I put our team alliances aside and watched the game together at a Wrigleyville bar. As you can see, it’s my kind of crowd :)

Sea of red

Well, minus the b*tchy looks on those girls faces

At the bar, I also learned that I can easily make guys buy shots for me and my friends, all with power of my eyes.

I wish I knew about this power earlier!

I’m not trying to be narcissistic but I do have big eyes that I try to play up  with slightly tinted contacts and lacquered-on mascara (without looking like Tammy Faye).

So a drunk guy stumbles over to our table and begins to slur/talk to us. He starts with TC and Marie and when he looks at me he stops talking.

Him: Wow your eyes are blue

Me: Yes they are

Him: They are like really blue

Me: Yes

Him: They’re beautiful

Me: Thank you, that’s very sweet

Him: They are…striking….

Me: Thank you!

Him: I’m going to buy you guys some shots

And then three shots showed up. I know what you’re thinking, he’s married, but I’ll take a compliment where I can get it.

Whatever power my eyes have over drunk guys, I need to harness it, especially when I want a makeout session or shots. I guess the eyes are more powerful than the boobs.

How was everyone else’s weekend? What is your best feature or what do you do to celebrate your favorite sports teams?

29 September 2009

So I guess it’s fall

By: Jessica B.

The last two days in Chicago have proven to me that it’s officially fall. Yeah, I tried to hide from it and still wear my cute summer clothes, but I do hate being cold and soon enough a summer dress may just look silly.

So it’s fall now. Thanks weather, I got the memo.

It’s still going to take time to really let this sink in, but I want to be positive and list the things I am looking forward to with this change of season:

  • Leaves changing colors - I don’t see this a lot in the city, but whenever I go home, I go for a drive to enjoy them
  • Scarves – I love them and wear them all the time when it cools down. Time to get them out!!
  • Honey Crisp apples – These are like dessert in apple form. I always look forward to when they are in season
  • Perfect sleeping weather – Cool weather + blankets = perfect night’s sleep
  • Cotton jackets – Warmth without being too hot, perfect transition to the down jacket
  • Smell of fall - It just smells crisp and cool, that’s the only way I can describe it
  • Heated mattress pads/blankets - I love cuddling up in these with my slippers on and flannel jammies. So comfy!
  • Working on my “winter coat” – I mean indulging in the treats and warm drinks/foods of the season. All in good balance with going to the gym :)
  • College football!! – Yeah I love it. I plan to be watching the Minnesota/Wisconsin game on Saturday morning too!
  • Farmer’s markets – so much goodness in one place

Yikes, this is very close to last year’s list too!

Anyhow, one of my favorite things about college football is home games in Madison. Unfortunately, I don’t go to many of them (given the lack of car thing) but the best part of the home games is at the beginning of the fourth quarter when the student section erupts in the well known “jump around,” to the House of Pain 90s hit. On a bad day, I listen to this song on my iPod and do a little “jump around” myself.

The video isn’t great but you can hear the crowd sing along and people standing start moving up and down almost in unison. It’s pretty awesome.

And speaking of farmer’s markets, I went to one near the capital in Madison this weekend and took some awesome photos. Sadly, I didn’t buy all of these items, but the food porn going on is more than enough for me :)

Peppers, caliente!

Eggplant

Kettle corn!

I was good and bought apples, but I did that moreso because I wanted one of these guys:

IMG_3794

Red velvet whoopie pie

I love red velvet and cake and I think I just found the perfect combo! Oh and it does taste like heaven, although it took me forever to finish this one. Damn it’s filling.

What are you looking forward to this fall? Is it finally fall-like weather near you?

Review blog update: Yes, I’ve been behind on this, but now that it’s getting cooler, here’s my favorite nighttime moisturizer

27 September 2009

Weekend recap: weddings and football

By: Jessica B.

Just because I was sick last week, missing half a day of work and working from home one day, that could not stop me from celebrating two of my favorite things: college football and my friend getting married.

And after some last minute prayers to feel better and survive the craziness, I’m pleased to say that I’m back in Chicago in one piece and feeling a lot better than I did Tuesday-Thursday last week (thank goodness!)

So let’s get started!

Football

My parents and I are huge Wisconsin Badger fans. Sure, I went to the University of Minnesota, but in our house, Badgers are #1 and getting invited to my take one or two of my parents tickets to the games is a big treat (*cough* 50 yard-line seats *cough*). And because I had to be in Madison for a wedding that same day, my dad gave me the golden ticket to the Michigan State game, where he told me beer would make me feel better (it does) and a soft pretzel (LOVE THOSE) would settle my stomach. My stepmom even smuggled in chardonnay, which we drank from a water bottle. Seriously, that woman is the QUEEN of smuggling stuff into games. Here’s the view from our seats.

Wedding

So after a great game (which we won!), I had to get ready for the wedding, which I did in my own traditionally classy way, carrying my dress, shoes and make up into a public restroom and changing in the handicapped stall. The Badger fans that walked into the bathroom and saw me struggling to reach the zipper on the back of my dress must have thought I was c-r-a-z-y.

But I pulled it together and was ready to meet up with Rebecca C and head to the ceremony.

And despite my “tough cookie” exterior and dead-inside heart, I do actually have a fluffy, nougat center (like a candy bar) and seeing two friends get married in such a personal, wonderful ceremony made me tear up, especially as the bride and groom choked up during the vows. I even had a moment, seeing them so in love and happy, where I said, “maybe this is something I want.”

Then my little group made our way over to a bar near the reception hall, but this bar had a tree inside. Yes, a HUGE faux tree. It was awesome. And drunk, male football fans were more than excited to see pretty ladies in dresses. I even discovered the joy of New Glarus’ Spotted Cow beer, which is almost as popular Miller in Wisconsin but is NOT available in Illinois. Oh the cruelty.

The reception was amazing, held at an old, vintage movie theater with the tables set at the floor of the theater with lovely accents and soft lighting. If I had gone with a date, yeah I would have been in the mood to make out :)

My weekend even ended with a French cab driver, asking me why I’m single and refusing to believe I’m 30. Yeah he got a little bigger tip than normal. Sometimes, it’s still nice to hear :)

So how was everyone else’s weekend? Do anything fun? Any other big college football fans out there?

09 September 2009

Nightmarish childhood chore flashbacks

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: family, Wisconsin

Now that we’re getting into fall, my dad is salivating at the thought of me coming home to visit because he has plenty of yard work for me to help out with.

Yard work sucks and I suck at it. Trust me.

Actually, I look like a total sissy in the yard because I don’t like to get dirty (especially my cute outfits and shoes) and I gingerly hold tools, as if they are covered with a disease that could spread to my entire body.

I know, it’s quite a sight to see.
But, the one outside job I hate more than anything, more than raking leaves (and getting callouses) or shoveling snow (and hurting my back) is picking up sticks. I hate it so much!!!
When I was a kid, my parents had a good-size house and yard in Wisconsin and my dad figured out the best way to get me to do this awful job is simple: offer money in exchange for me straining my back.
And it worked.
I picked up sticks in our yard several times to feed my Disney plush toy habit. I just heard, “well, I will give you $5 toward your [insert plush toy name that I absolutely had to have at that moment] if you go pick the sticks up from the yard.”
I don’t believe I even had to think about it because I was immediately in the back yard picking up those f*cking sticks, hating every minute of it.
And when my dad saw me slacking off, he would threaten to decrease my wage, causing my whining and bitching to become a whisper while I picked up those sticks. And he sat on the porch and WATCHED me do it to make sure I earned my keep.
Over the summer while my parents were having some yard work done, I had to help pick up sticks again on their patio and the horrid memories of my childhood came rushing back.
But when I jokingly asked for $5 to help with all the work, dad didn’t think it was funny and offered me hug instead.
I know, I should have asked for $15 to cover inflation.
The recession has hit hard!
What was your least or more favorite childhood chore? I’m sure I wasn’t the only one subjected (still) to labor when they go home to visit!