Miss me? I'm sure...This week has been really crazy in regards to my schedule (and time I'm able to alott for blogging) because my French host sister arrived on Tuesday and we've been keeping really busy. She was able to easily find my apartment from O'Hare and we've been seeing the sites ever since, after of course, we got caught up on each other's stories.
Now that Eulalie is here, I have a reason to do many of the touristy things that I before did not have reason enough to do (mainly it was my pride that prevented me). On Wednesday, we walked up Michigan Ave in search of an ice cream shop and instead stopped at Giordano's for a deep-dish pizza and 312 beer. On Thursday, we went to the Art Institute (which is free on Thursday's after 5pm) and saw two amazing exhibits: a Persian art display and a retrospect of Henri Cartier Bresson's work. HCB is a renowned photojournalist who has traveled all over the world catching such moments as Ghandi's funeral, Mitterand's inaguaration, and Sunday morning in Harlem. I was particularly excited by the exhibit because it contained a photograph of his that I wrote an essay about for a French class my junior year of high school. This is it:
Lilou was especially thrilled by the warm reception of a fellow Francais. For the long Labor Day weekend, we went to Iowa and stayed with Mark in Iowa City. On Saturday, we visited my family in Des Moines, where my parents made an all-American meal: fresh-mdae hamburgers, corn on the cob, coleslaw, and iced tea and lemonade. Lilou had never had corn on the cob, so that was an especially thrilling moment. After lunch, we drove around the city, stopping at TJ Maxx (where my sister works), Von Maur, Audrey's and my high school, the Farmer's Market, etc. It was a beautiful day and with my family, one of my best friends, and a full belly, I couldn't have been much happier.
Yesterday, L and I managed to convince the boys to go the resevoir to soak up some rays. I actually got in the water and I actually got some color. Afterwards, we drove to Tiffin where we stopped at "Jon's," a diner/drive thru type place. We had none other than an Iowa pork tenderloin. She seemed to enjoy it. I certainly did.
I wish I had pictures of all this. Eulalie does, but we can't upload her pics onto my Mac without a cord (which she left at home) and roommie Jamie has her computer with her (her PC is able to accept the card from L's comp). So...long story even longer, pics will be up soon. In the meantime, below is a picture of my amazing sister, who works at TJ Maxx, and nannies, and has her own car, and has beautiful dark curls, and is a great seamstress. I'm jealous of her in more ways than one. My dad was able to catch her in the midst of another (I'm sure) wildly successful day at TJ:
Also, many thanks to Lawrence for driving us back to Chicago.
Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend! The All-American meal sounds sooo good. Did Eulalie like it? Or was she like "please, where are all the nutella crepes and baguettes?" (Or is that not all they really eat in France...)
ReplyDeleteOMG I didn't know Audrey works at TJ's! I am definitely going when I'm back in October. I miss it terribly out here.