Sunshine, Leaves, and a Little Dog Named Oliver

Our little Oliver has been loving the fall weather lately. Earlier this week, Carrie took him on a walk through the neighborhood. Although they couldn’t find a spot on the patio at Salute, he still enjoyed the outing. Trotting through the fallen leaves and soaking in the crisp air, he was the big dog on the block. A few times over the past couple of weeks, we’ve let him outside, and he just sits in the sun with a goofy look on his face, completely content and clearly enjoying life.

This is also the kind of weather where, on a typical weekend when I’m trying to watch football, Oliver insists on going in and out of the house a dozen times. Eventually, I just prop the door open so he can come and go as he pleases. Of course, he’d still prefer that one of us be outside with him to enjoy the weather together.

Seeing the leaves fall is a welcome sight as we hope for a long, beautiful autumn and an easy winter ahead.

Carrie and me at Vita's Place Enjoying a Drink and Evening

To celebrate our twenty-third wedding anniversary, we made it a weekend trip to Kansas City. We had a wonderful time, ate at some great places, had drinks at fun spots, and enjoyed being on The Plaza for our anniversary weekend.

We left after work on Friday without dinner plans. Since the art fair was taking place that night, we thought we’d wander around, look at art, snack, and have drinks while we explored. It had been several years since we’d been to the area during the art fair, so we were a little overwhelmed when we arrived. It was a full-on party scene. After grabbing a drink and walking around, we got comfortable with the crowd and the vibe.

We took Oliver with us for the weekend. He had a good time at the hotel, though we were a bit worried we might get kicked out. Every time we left the room, we could hear him barking. Apparently, he settled down and slept while we were gone, because we didn’t hear anything from the hotel about a disruptive dog on either Friday night or most of Saturday.

After the art fair closed at 9 p.m. Friday night, we went to McCormick & Schmick’s, which is always a solid spot. We sat at the bar, had drinks, and ordered dinner. We didn’t think much about the time and were enjoying ourselves, but as other guests started receiving their checks and leaving, we asked about our food. There had been a bartender switch, and the new person didn’t realize we had ordered, so our oysters and soups had been sitting in the kitchen for a bit. They were still good, though the ice on the oysters had mostly melted. Still, it was delicious and a fun night.

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel bar. It was packed. There was a wedding and another event happening, so the bar was buzzing. We had a few drinks and then went up to check on Oliver. He wasn’t barking anymore and was curled up on the bed. He probably wore himself out earlier.

On Saturday, we had talked about doing brunch, but since we already had lunch and dinner reservations, we decided to sleep in a bit before starting the day. We met my brother Tim and my nephew Patrick at Grünauer, a German restaurant Carrie had been wanting to try for a few years. It was great to catch up with Tim and Patrick. Carrie was a little disappointed in the food, but I think we’d both give it another shot.

After lunch, Carrie and I went to La Bodega for coffee and then headed to the Boulevard Brewing Beer Hall. I hadn’t been before, so it was a lot of fun to sample some beers and hang out for a while before heading back to the hotel.

We made it back in time to enjoy some complimentary cocktails during happy hour. Our dinner reservation was at Aixois, but first we stopped at Vita’s Place for drinks. We took an Uber there. It’s a fun spot we’d heard about from Carrie’s boss. After finishing up, we walked around the corner to Aixois. Great atmosphere and the food was excellent. I had swordfish, which was delicious. After dinner, we went back to Vita’s Place for another drink. I really enjoyed both spots, and the staff at Vita’s Place were incredibly accommodating, making sure we had a good spot at the bar.

Sunday, September 21, is our actual anniversary, but we skipped brunch again. Instead, we hit the road and stopped at Summer Moon for coffee. We got back to Topeka early in the afternoon, and I think all of us, including Oliver, slept most of the day.

It was a great weekend to celebrate our anniversary. I’m glad we were able to bring Oliver along and that he didn’t cause too much of a disturbance.

Love, Lawn, and Long Balls: Our Wild Weekend

Carrie and me at Wedding Reception

Carrie and I attended a wedding reception a few weeks ago. The picture to the left is a selfie we took at the reception. We had a great time celebrating and did a lot of dancing too. It was a good party at a cool spot just outside of Topeka. I had never been to or heard of The Brownstone. It's a great spot for a party, and we all had a fantastic time.

Today has been a combination of exercise and getting some things done around the house. This morning at 11 am, I did my weekly bike ride on the Peloton with Ally Love. Following my bike ride, I took Oliver on a mile walk, which is one of his longer walks in a while. He was so excited! I told Carrie I am going to try and take Oliver on a walk following each time I do a bike ride. After the walk with Oliver, I mowed the backyard and did some picking up in the front and back by blowing things off the driveway and back patio. The main reason for doing so is to prevent Oliver from tracking oak tree debris into the house. Finally, after mowing, I took our glass that had been overflowing for a while to the recycling area.

It is beautiful out today, so after I finished my tasks, I told Carrie I was surprised she was not sitting out in the hammock. The next thing I knew, Carrie was headed out to the hammock with Oliver. Meanwhile, I am inside watching the Royals hit a home run franchise record. We are up 11-6 in the bottom of the 9th against the Orioles. Both sides have been hitting a lot of home runs, but in the last inning, the Royals set a franchise record for the most homers in a game.

New Work Picture

About a week ago I had a new profile picture taken for work. I had been using the same picture for I am not sure how long. I am presenting at a conference in May, so I needed to provide a higher resolution picture which prompted me to reach out to our campus photographer who took about two dozen pictures of me. In the end, I picked the one to the right. 

Old Profile Picture

To compare, my old profile picture is to the left. It was also taken by our campus photographer, but it was probably over ten years ago. I really do not recall. I know when I would do virtual meetings with people that had not seen me in a while, they would comment on my old picture that I looked young. So, the new picture to the right is a better reflection of how I look today.

Another somewhat rambling post on this Sunday afternoon. I am happy to report that the Royals won 11 - 6 and won the series against the Orioles.  For me, I am headed outside to enjoy the weather. Have a great rest of your Sunday and a fantastic week!

 

A Week of Reflections: Travel Tales, Sporting Highlights, and More

This week will be one of those rambling posts about nothing... or a lot, depending on how you look at it.

To start, we have a few camping trips booked for the year. I'm excited to get out and camp again and hoping to do more than we did last year. If my memory is right, we only camped twice last year. It was one of our lowest times camping since we started in 2021. We have a new spot booked for our first trip this year. More on where we are headed after we go camping. For the first trip, we are not planning to take Oliver as it could still be chilly in the evenings, but for the second trip, we plan to take him with us.

After traveling consecutively for four months, I'm not planning to fly anywhere anytime soon. I will be traveling to Pittsburg, KS in mid-May, but no flights anywhere. I traveled twice for two different conferences (Chicago and Orlando) for work and then twice with Carrie (Austin and Miami) for fun. I must admit that I enjoy flying. I look forward to the whole process, from getting up early to connecting flights. I have some flight watches going to track flights to different places in case a good deal pops up for Carrie and me to make a quick trip to another city.

Changing over to sports, my Royals started off doing well and then stumbled for a few weeks, going on a losing streak. We are back in Kansas City and playing well against the Astros. We are back to .500 at 14-14, which is good. It did not look good a few weeks ago when we could not get a run to save our lives. Hoping this trend continues and having fun doing so against the Astros.

Two weeks ago was, of course, the Masters. Wow! What a fun final day that was, and I'm happy for Rory McIlroy to finally win this one after coming so close for so many years. Yes, I enjoy watching golf, although I no longer play. I like to tune in to watch, and this was a Masters final day not to miss. Back and forth the whole day. It was a lot of fun!

Looking at my reading for the year, I am six books in so far for the reading challenge. I set 20 books as my target to complete for the year, so I am 6 out of 20. Doing pretty good so far, and it helped to finally finish two books while I was traveling for vacations and conferences. I do need to pick up the pace a bit on my current book as I am back to only reading a few pages, sometimes a few sentences, before I go to sleep. I need to bring my book down to the family room and read again while watching shows or sports. I am feeling good about my progress so far and hoping to hit the twenty-book target by the end of the year.

Our little Oliver will turn 14 this summer. He is still getting around great and often running around in our family room or backyard. We have noticed in the past two months that his hearing is going. He can still hear, but selective hearing seems to be happening. We also know that his hearing is leaving as he usually does not hear us come home and we have to touch him to awaken him from his slumber. He can still hear high-pitched noises like pots banging but is struggling with hearing our voices. He went to the vet last week for a spa day along with shots, a checkup, etc., and I shared with them that his hearing was degrading. Of course, the vet was not concerned as he is going to be 14 this summer, and it is common for dogs to lose their hearing. Still, it is sad to see Oliver losing his hearing just like it was when he had most of his teeth removed years ago.

That is all for this rambling post on a Sunday morning. Have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week. I will talk to you again next week.

A Weekend of Coffee, Hammocks, and Celebrations: Our Fun-Filled Adventures

Coffee and Breakfast

What a great weekend! Saturday morning found Carrie and me at Circle Coffee for a late breakfast and coffee. I had not been to Circle Coffee in a few months, so it was good to be back. We sat on the patio to enjoy the beautiful morning. After coffee, we headed to the hardware store to get some things. We needed to repair the hammock so that we could get it working and ready for the spring weather. We also needed to pick up some items to hang pictures in my office at work. It was a productive morning for us, which was good.

Carrie helped hang pictures in my office that I moved into back in December. I had not had a chance to hang any pictures and wanted Carrie to help with the process. I also took the opportunity of a Saturday in the office to clean out two boxes that I had not cleaned out since moving into my new office. It looks much better now.

After finishing up the hanging of pictures and putting things away at my office, we headed home. Carrie and Oliver spent some time in the hammock after we got it hung up and working properly. Oliver gets so excited when either one of us heads out to the hammock.

Saturday night, Carrie wanted to go to Free State in Lawrence, so we headed there around five for dinner. We had not been to Free State in a long time, so it was good to have dinner and some delicious Free State beer. Carrie picked Free State for her birthday celebration. Good pick! We enjoyed a few Cyclist beers and a wonderful meal. We picked up Erin and Greg on our way to Lawrence and met Joan and Eddie there for dinner. After dinner, Erin, Greg, Carrie, and I went out in Lawrence and had a good time. It was busy in Lawrence. We finished the evening at John Brown Underground, which Carrie and I had been to previously, but Erin and Greg had not. Fun spot with interesting drinks.

A good Sunday so far with me riding this morning on Peloton, and after the bike ride, I mowed the lawn for the first time this year. It was good because I was able to talk to the neighbors to the east and south of us, as we had not seen each other in a few months with all the cold and nasty weather. It was good to be able to catch up with both.

Oliver in his Bed

I leave you with a photo of Oliver in our backyard that Carrie took earlier this week when I was on my way back to Topeka after being out of town. He loves his bed and he loves hanging out in the backyard, especially if Carrie or I can be out there with him. If we go inside, he wants inside and then wants to go right back out to the backyard. It is a vicious cycle of in and out with him and our backyard.

Have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week.

Exploring Miami and Sailing the Seas: Our Unforgettable Virgin Voyages Adventure

Arrival in Miami

View from Plane

Carrie and I went on our first Virgin Voyages cruise back in 2023, and we liked it so much that we signed up for a second cruise while we were still on the ship. We went on our second cruise from March 28 through April 2. It was another wonderful time, and we're already thinking about our next cruise on Virgin. We started this trip by spending two days in Miami before departing. We really like Miami and wanted to spend time there before leaving on our trip.

Hotel Pool View for Afternoon

We flew down early on the morning of Wednesday, March 26. We had a low-key first day, spending the day at the hotel pool, which was amazing, and then had a casual meal for dinner before making our way back to the hotel. We ate at some good spots this day, including Las Olas Cafe, which serves Latin-style food. It was so good that we went back again the next day to get coffee.

Exploring Miami Beach The next day found us in Miami Beach for breakfast at Cortado Cafe and Coffee House, where we ate breakfast, read, and I did some brief work. It's a popular spot for breakfast or coffee. We enjoyed our time on the corner watching people, and the food was great!

We were close to an Apple Store, as Carrie needed to stop by for an issue she was having with her Apple Pencil. After the Apple Store, we walked along the shops before deciding to grab a quick bite and drink at Oh! Mexico, where we had an appetizer and drinks. Actually, we had one appetizer and three drinks. It was an expensive bill for just an app and drinks, but it was good. It's a good spot to sit on the patio and people-watch while we snacked and drank.

Dining in Miami

Las Olas Cafe We ate at some good spots this day, including Las Olas Cafe, which serves Latin-style food. It was so good that we went back again the next day to get coffee.

Cortado Cafe and Coffee House The next day found us in Miami Beach for breakfast at Cortado Cafe and Coffee House, where we ate breakfast, read, and I did some brief work. It's a popular spot for breakfast or coffee. We enjoyed our time on the corner watching people, and the food was great!

Oh! Mexico After the Apple Store, we walked along the shops before deciding to grab a quick bite and drink at Oh! Mexico, where we had an appetizer and drinks. Actually, we had one appetizer and three drinks. It was an expensive bill for just an app and drinks, but it was good. It's a good spot to sit on the patio and people-watch while we snacked and drank.

Stone Crab from Stiltsville

Stiltsville Fish Bar Thursday night, we made reservations at a spot I selected called Stiltsville Fish Bar. We were drawn to this location due to their menu. I was interested in trying stone crab, which I had never had before and had never heard of until we were checking places to eat in Miami Beach. Stone crab is special to the Florida area, and it was good. We only had one as they are expensive, but it was worth the visit. We looked through other places to eat but decided on Stiltsville Fish Bar because of other items on their menu. Excellent!

Other items we had from Stiltsville Fish Bar...

Crab Cake from Stiltsville Fish Bar

 

Fish for Dinner From Stiltsville

Crab Cakes from Stiltsville

Key Lime Pie from Stiltsville

 

Following dinner, we headed to a nearby brewery where we could have some drinks while I watched the Washburn Ichabods on ESPN+ in the Final Four of the NCAA D2 basketball tournament. It was a good spot to watch the game on my phone while having some good drinks. Unfortunately, the Ichabods ran into a good team that went on to win the NCAA D2 championship.

Boarding the Virgin Voyages Cruise

Top Deck and Ready to Deport

Priority Boarding and Perks Friday morning found us headed to port to board the Virgin Voyages cruise line. Carrie and I were so excited to be on vacation and headed to our second cruise with Virgin Voyages. For this cruise, Carrie and I decided to sign up for more events than we did on the first trip. I’m glad we did, as we signed up for a painting class (more on this later), a spin class, morning meditation, and we went to both ports where we had originally thought we would remain on the ship. Again, I’m glad we signed up for more things, and for the most part, we stuck to the areas we signed up for.

The process of getting aboard was easy as we had priority boarding, which included a "Splash of Romance" that got us some Champagne along with some other perks we enjoyed. Virgin added some new options that could be ordered before leaving port, which included a bucket of beers, a bucket of Moscow Mules, and I also ordered premium WiFi so I could watch the basketball games I was hoping would take place on Saturday. The new additions of being able to have buckets of drinks waiting for us when leaving port were great!

Dining on the Ship

Pink Agave One thing I do not like about the Virgin Voyages app is that after the cruise ends, I cannot go into the app to see what we did or details about what we ordered. Everything ends except the home button on the app. However, I think I can remember the places we ate and call those out here.

Pink Agave is my favorite of the places we ate. This was our second time eating at Pink Agave, as the restaurants are similar between ships. Pink Agave has good drinks, the food is outstanding, and the wait staff is on point with recommendations, answering questions, and being attentive to our needs while we eat.

Seafood Dinner at The Wake

The Wake The Wake is another favorite on the trip. We went here twice, once for breakfast and then for dinner. It’s at the rear of the ship with large windows that look out over the ocean as we leave a wake in the water.

Razzle Dazzle Razzle Dazzle is another good place to eat on the ship. We went here our first night and had a good meal along with drinks.

Extra Virgin Our least favorite spot on the ship, both this voyage and our first voyage in 2023, is Extra Virgin. It’s an Italian place to eat aboard, and just like our first voyage, our experience lacked at Extra Virgin. The waiter took a while to greet us, get our drinks, and seemed burdened by our questions. We had the same experience on our first voyage too with Extra Virgin, where the food was alright, but the attention to detail or being there to answer our questions was lacking.

The Galley We did eat a few times in The Galley. It’s always a spot that is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks, and we stopped by there most days while aboard. We liked to check their daily special to see what was available and found some good things to eat in The Galley.

The Pizza Place Finally, not mentioning The Pizza Place would be remiss. Another place that is open throughout the day and late into the night, we stopped by to get pizza a few times, which was very good.

Activities on the Cruise

Carrie on Left, Mine on Right

Painting & Boozy Bevvies We signed up for Painting & Boozy Bevvies, which I will admit, I was a little anxious about doing. We had a great time. Champagne was being served, and they walked us through painting with watercolors. Truthfully, I was surprised how well mine turned out, where I can actually see the sun reflecting off the water. We sat at a fun table with other sailors and had good conversation.

Spin Class The spin class I attended was a lot of fun. The class totally kicked my butt, but it was worth it and made me feel good to work out while enjoying food, drinks, and snacks throughout the day while aboard. The class was packed, and I only did one spin class, but I would sign up for classes on our next trip.

Port Stops

Selfie at Pool in Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic As I mentioned earlier, we did make it into both of the two ports where we stopped. At the Dominican Republic port, we stayed at the resort pool off the ship and had a wonderful day. We found a nice spot with some shade to spend the day and enjoy the pool. There was a lazy river too, which we did, but we ended up getting out about halfway through as it was a long experience.

Bahamas Port

Bahamas: Virgin Voyages Beach Club at Bimini The other port we stopped at was in the Bahamas at the Virgin Voyages Beach Club at Bimini. This was our second time at Bimini. This time, though, we got there early around 9 am and had a great spot in front of the beach. It was an enjoyable day spent at the beach, and again we enjoyed good drinks, delicious food, as well as reading and snoozing. Wonderful day spent at the beach.

Departure and Final Thoughts

Leaving the Ship The last day aboard the ship was Wednesday, April 2. It was a sad day as we were leaving the ship and our vacation was ending. The process to exit the ship was the easiest it has ever been on any ship. We were off the ship and headed to the airport within thirty minutes. The fun had only started, though, as our flights were changed because of weather. We ended up not getting home until Thursday, with our Wednesday night flight being canceled.

Selfie in front of Virgin Voyages Ship

Looking Forward to the Next Cruise We had a great time on our trip and thoroughly enjoy Virgin Voyages. We are not sure when we will be sailing again, but we do want to go again on Virgin Voyages.

See all photos from our trip on Flickr.

Nashville Birthday Bash: Honky Tonks, Brunch, and Bourbon Steak!

On Our Way to Nashville

Here we are in the middle of July and it is hard to believe that a month ago we were in Nashville, TN for the 50 birthday celebration for Corrie. We had a great time. I meant to write this following the trip, but we were busy following the trip and did not get it done. We had a wonderful time in Nashville and plan to go back in the future. We went to so many great spots to listen to great music, drink, and of course we ate at some great spots too. This will be a few of the places we went but not an inclusive list.

Drinks at Assembly Food Hall

We were in Nashville from June 13 - 17. We packed in a lot during our time there. We would sometimes sleep late to about 9:30 or 10, but we were out the door and doing things in Nashville everyday we were there. We would not head back to take naps or breaks, but it was nonstop and a great time. Picture to the left was a spot we ended up a few different times called Assembly Food Hall. A variety of places to eat or get drink. Fun spot!

Group at Brunch

There were ten of us total on the trip although all ten were together I believe only two days together. Picture to the right was brunch at Adele's where we went Saturday morning on June 15. We all came away stuffed and happy. I want to go back there in the future for dinner. We spent that day going between drinking spots while the ladies went shopping. 

I am jumping around a bit, but on Thursday we spent the day on Broadway going around to the various bars. It was so fun with great bands at each and every stop. Some places would have multiple bands playing at the same time, but the way the bars were set up, you could only hear one when in the vicinity of that band. Most bands would take donations with a bucket or with a QR code to send money. We did both methods while we were going around Broadway listening where we would drop cash into a bands bucket or send Venmo through their QR code.

Dinner at Bourbon Steak

The highlight of the trip was the birthday dinner for Corrie at Bourbon Steak. We had reservations for ten and we had talked about doing a private dining room but ended up leaving it in the main dining room. When we arrived, we were surprised they took us to the private dining. It was incredible with the views, the food, and the company. The picture to the left, or the others in Flickr album, do not give it justice. We had our own wait staff that took good care of us. Javier was in charge of the wine and we had three bottles of wine through the night. It was a fantastic evening! 

To see all photos from our trip, you can browse them using the images below.

Fun memories to celebrate the birthday for Corrie. It was fun hanging out with everyone to celebrate big birthday weekend for Corrie. Carrie and I hope to go back to Nashville sometime soon.

Kansas City Kickoff: Concert, Hotel Stay, & Nashville Bound!

Carrie and John in Hotel

Carrie and I had the opportunity to get tickets to the Chris Stapleton concert in Kansas City on Wednesday, June 12. Carrie had a friend she knew that was selling tickets and we jumped at the chance. This was the night before we were scheduled to leave for Nashville, so we decided to get a hotel in Kansas City for the concert and so we would be set for leaving for our trip on Thursday.

We stayed at the Hotel Indigo in downtown Kansas City where we had stayed before. It worked out great as it was within walking distance to the concert and then a short drive the next morning to the airport.

Drinks Before the Concert

We stopped by the hotel bar before the concert to have a few drinks. Nice bar and beer was ice cold which was good on a hot late afternoon before heading to concert. It was fun sitting at the bar as we could see people walking by and we knew where they were headed in their cowboy boots, hats, and attire. No country dress up for us, but we were ready for the concert.

We made it to the concert and ready. The concert started at 7 with two opening acts, so we were a little late getting into see the first act. Not bad with good energy. The second opening act was really good. Marcus King and Allen Stone were good. Fun sound and got the crowd ready for the main event. We had a good time listening to them and watching T-Mobile Center fill up for the main act.

Selfie with Robin, Amber, and Crew

After we bought our tickets from a friend of Carrie, Carrie was talking to another friend of ours who was also planning to attend. Found out they were going to be sitting right in back of us. What are the odds? Robin bought her tickets through a web site and here we are sitting right in front of Robin and Amber. Too funny! Robin and Amber hooked us up with some free drinks from the T-Mobile VIP space where they were at when we arrived at the concert. Brought back a number of drinks for us to enjoy throughout the opening acts.

Chris Stapleton Stage

Chris Stapleton came back on for an encore and played two more songs. He puts on a fantastic show. The sound was excellent plus the video production of the video board above the stage and on the sides were excellent with interactions to what he was singing tied into visual effects on the screen above. It was fun!

Following the concert, we walked out of the T-Mobile Center toward our hotel. We immediately smelled amazing smells as we exited. There were food vendors everywhere and of course we had to get some for our walk back. We got hotdogs covered in veggies. Now, for $10 a piece, we probably would normally not have stopped to buy one, but after beer, music, and fun, we forked over the cash and carried them back to our hotel to enjoy in our room. Great way to end the evening. 

The next morning, we got up, had breakfast in the hotel bar which was really good, and then headed to the airport. A great time in Kansas City before our trip to Nashville. So glad Carrie found the tickets for the concert.

The Mavericks in Kansas City and a Relaxing Weekend

The Mavericks

This past weekend, Carrie and I took a long weekend trip to Kansas City to see The Mavericks perform. It was actually our second time seeing them in KC – they put on such a great show, and we already have plans to go again next year!

This time around, we met up with my brother Tim and cousin Tom for the concert. It was Tim's first time seeing The Mavericks, and we had a blast right up front – we were only about four or five people from the stage!

Tom, Tim, and John at The Mavericks

Opening Act at The Mavericks

Raul Malo of The Mavericks

Group Photo at The Mavericks

Selfie at The Mavericks

Oliver in Hotel Room

Oliver enjoys hotel life

We brought our dog Oliver along with us. He actually loves staying in hotels! He enjoys relaxing in the room while we're out, but his favorite part is definitely the walks he gets throughout the day. It's hilarious to see him prance down the hallway, knowing exactly how to get in the elevator, and thinking every door we pass is "our room."

Exploring Kansas City

We arrived in Kansas City on Thursday afternoon and checked into our hotel, the Intercontinental on the Plaza. This hotel is dog-friendly, and they haven't charged us a pet fee either time we've brought Oliver.

Pancakes at The Classic Cup

Friday morning, we slept in and then headed to The Plaza for a late breakfast at The Classic Cup Cafe. They have a great patio, perfect for people-watching with Oliver. The pancakes were fantastic, and Carrie loved her breakfast sandwich – the homemade fries were a hit too!

After breakfast, we wandered around the shops before heading back to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon of reading, snoozing, and hanging out with Oliver.

Oliver at Breakfast

Walking Oliver Late at Night

Drinks, dinner, and good company

That evening, we met up with Erin and Greg for drinks at Chaz Restaurant and Lounge before heading to our dinner reservation at McCormick & Schmick's (always a delicious choice!). We finished the night with drinks in the bar area of our hotel.

Us on The Plaza

Relaxing Saturday and back home

Saturday was another slow start. We grabbed coffee at Summer Moon Coffee before heading to meet Erin and Greg for lunch in Lawrence, instead of Kansas City. We dropped Oliver off at my mom's place before lunch and then spent most of the afternoon catching up with her before heading back to Topeka.

It was a fantastic weekend filled with great music, seeing family, delicious food and drinks, and beautiful weather. We made some wonderful memories, and we hope you had a great long weekend as well!

Happy Mother's Day to All the Moms Out There, Especially Mine!

Tongue Out and Sleeping

Every year on the second Sunday of May, we celebrate Mother's Day, a day dedicated to honoring the incredible women who raised us, nurtured us, and loved us unconditionally. But where did this tradition even begin?

The origins of Mother's Day can be traced back to ancient civilizations who celebrated fertility and motherhood. In the modern era, credit for the holiday goes to Anna Jarvis of West Virginia. After her mother passed away in 1905, Anna campaigned tirelessly to create a special day to recognize the sacrifices and contributions of mothers. It wasn't until 1914 that President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation making Mother's Day an official national holiday in the United States.

Why is Mother's Day so important? Mothers are the cornerstones of our families. They are the ones who bandage scraped knees, celebrate our victories, and offer a shoulder to cry on during our defeats. They are our biggest cheerleaders, our confidantes, and our guiding lights.

This Mother's Day, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to three amazing women: 

Carrie (Wife and Mom to Oliver), you take good care of Oliver and me. Oliver wanted to wish you a Happy Mother's Day which he did with kisses first thing this morning when he saw you wake up. Oliver cannot wait to snuggle on the sofa with you to celebrate.

Mom (Nancy), thank you for your unwavering love and support throughout my life. You taught me the importance of hard work, kindness, and resilience. Your endless patience and guidance have shaped me into the person I am today. Of course Oliver had to be part of the day to help celebrate.

Joan, Happy Mother's Day! Your warmth and thoughtfulness aren't reserved for holidays – your delicious cooking and special gifts are a constant reminder of your love and support. Thank you.

To all the moms out there, Happy Mother's Day! May your day be filled with love, laughter, and appreciation. You are all truly heroes.

Valentine's Day Dinner at Soliloquy was a Fun Experience

Menu from Soliloquy

Valentine's Day had Carrie and I at Soliloquy for a fancy Valentine's Day dinner and drinks. We had a fun time. Carrie saw the announcement about the event on FaceBook and had sent it to me a week or two ahead of Valentine's Day. It looked good and different, so I booked reservations. The menu was already set along with drinks to accompany the meal. The picture to the right is the menu from Soliloquy on Valentine's Day. I believe I heard this was the second time Soliloquy had done this for Valentine's Day. It was fun!

When we arrived, we walked in and did not even give our name, but they seated us. Carrie and I laughed as we were not sure how they knew who we were, so we asked the waitress and she told us that she just knew. There were only a certain number of guests as the 6:30 pm seating sold out, so she knew we were one of the couples.

Fluer de Lavende Drink

Some of my favorite items from the menu included the zucchini salad. The first drink we had which was Fluer de Lavande. The Wellington took the show. It was amazing! I had never had a Beef Wellington before and it lived up to the hype. I have seen it done in movies and even cooking shows, but I had never had it before. the flaky crust with the perfectly cooked prime tenderloin was delicious. To finish the night I had the Irish coffee which was a take on the original recipe which was also very good.

Tiramisu

As we finished our meal and they brought out the the Irish coffee and final dessert, we were discussing if we would do this again next year if offered. We enjoyed the experience. Some of the food was different, but we enjoy trying different things and experiencing new things. I think we would do it again. 

We paid for our reservation a week or so ahead as I had mentioned. When they dropped off a card, I thought it was the bill. It was sealed with wax. When I opened the envelope, it had the menu inside. No bill, so everything was done and paid for including the tip for our table service. It was nice as we left and had enjoyed a new experience.

Carrie and I had a fun night out experiencing something different. Food prepared in different styles along with drinks. It as a fun night and so glad I was able to spend it with my Valentine. Love you so much Carrie!

Have a great week and I will talk with you next time.