Monday, August 1, 2016

Randoms: July 2016

It's been a while since we had a random topic post. Let's see how this goes.

Chicago Weekend

We spent a weekend in Chicago with a bunch of friends from all over the place. The Chicago Rock & Roll Half Marathon Weekend has become a tradition for Holly (legacy runner with all 8 under her belt) and our friends. On Friday Dave hosted lunch at Howell's & Hood, then took his friends on a tour of his office on the 76th floor of the Aon Center - the country's 7th largest building. Later that evening bar stops included 3 Dots and a Dash, the Renaissance's new rooftop bar, Miller's Pub, and dinner at Stout Barrel House.

The next day 14 of us took to the Chicago River in kayaks on a tour from Urban Kayaks. Our 2 hour private tour was perfect for novices and included a lot of Chicago historical facts along the way.

 

On race day there was a bit of lightning and rain during the event, but it cleared out quickly. A few of us a couple of songs from the headlining band - Echosmith. They were very good and so young (ages ranged from 15 - 21). We had lunch at a Printer's Row favorite: First Draft. Later that night was date night with drinks at Siena Tavern and dinner at RPM Steak.

Summer TV

TV for us this time of year means a few hours a week dedicated to Big Brother and movies we've DVR'd during the year. We caught up on the 4th season of Orange is the New Black and found a few other gems this season:

Stranger Things on Netflix is a well-done eight part Sci-Fi series set in 1983. The story follows several pre-teens and their families as they try to solve a mystery surrounding some disappearances. The 80's theme is everywhere: toys, clothes, Trapper Keepers, TV commercials, and background music fitting an after school special. The entire season is available.

The Night Of on HBO is not as family-friendly as Stanger Things, but it's a story that draws the viewer right in. Without giving too much away it's about a good college-kid that has a chance encounter changing his life forever. Episode 1 lays out the premise and the rest (so far) is dealing with the aftermath and trying to determine the truth. Episodes are released weekly and as of this post four have aired.

Pokemon

We tried Pokemon Go. We liked the initial concept, but the game is not fun for those of us in the rural suburbs of Chicago. There is no way for us to progress in the game. There are no Pokestops near the house and the nearest gym is miles away.

Dave has been enjoying the other recent Pokemon release: Pokemon Trading Card Game for the iPad. You collect cards, win decks and other rewards through trainer tournaments to create your own decks. You can join Online tournaments and play against others.

Jackson Hole

Our next big trip is coming up in a few weeks. We are going to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for their marathon. We're going to be joined by 3 other couples and enjoy our time visiting the area including the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.

Olympics and Beers from Around the World

This was the year Chicago was supposed to host the Summer Games, but the city lost the bid to Rio. This will be a fun year to watch for Dave since he works closely with many Brazilians and will enjoy their POV on how their country is portrayed.

Our Olympic tradition continues this Friday: Beers From Around The World. This is when we buy a bunch of international beers and film our review while watching the Opening Ceremonies. We may take advantage of some of the new broadcasting tools like Periscope to bring a segment or two live.

Link to 2014 video

Link to 2012 videos

 

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