Night Out in NYC

I just returned from an almost week trip out East to visit my brother's family.  Along the way it worked out that a world-traveling friend of mine from college is now stateside once again and residing in New York city.  So we were able to coordinate a girls weekend with a couple other old friends as well!  Although it was a short overnight trip for me, we made the best of it and had a great time.  After I arrived we took a stroll through Central Park.  I didn't take any photos as we were being hounded enough as it was by people trying to sell us things, I didn't want to enhance the touristy vibe.  It was just like the movies, I kept thinking of the end of Elf when Santa lands in Central Park, or the crazy pigeon lady from Home Alone 2.

 We then enjoyed some shopping and a light lunch before heading to the 9/11 memorial.  I was quite the ordeal to get into the memorial site as they are constructing new towers around the memorial and security is important, for obvious reasons.

I was a little worried that the memorial would be spoiled by the crowds and security, but once inside I was happy to be proved wrong.  It was a very reflective and respectful atmosphere.  And I thought the memorial couldn't have been more appropriate.  The two towers' footprints were into waterfalls with the names of the fallen surrounding. 

This was the Survivor Tree.  Reduced to a stump after the towers fell but still standing, it was removed and nursed back to health, then returned to its previous spot where it is thriving.

I'm very glad we chose to visit this memorial.  It was a very emotional and humbling experience but such an important part of our history.
 
We then headed back to Julie's apt and got ready for our evening out.  We had THE BEST sushi I have had to date.  I am worried that all future sushi is ruined for me. 

It was a great visit with great friends

The topics of conversation have changed from boyfriends, parties, and classes of our college years to marriage, family planning and whether or not we should be using wrinkle cream yet,

But I wouldn't have it any other way, that's the great thing about old friends isn't it?  You can pick up right where you left off and proceed without a hiccup.  We have vowed to make this a more common occurrence and I hope we can stick to it.  Who knows what our next main topics of conversation will be?

St. Patrick's Day

Happy Americans' Irish Stereotypes Day (after)!  St. Patty's Day is a big deal in this state.  We don't have a 4th of July parade, but you better believe there is one for this holiday!  We decided to go though (We have had to be in them before for Eric's employer, but they weren't sponsors this year (Thank goodness)), I always enjoy a good bagpipe band

  That is about the only kind of decent photo I got.  We didn't get there early enough to stake out a prime parade route spot, and I didn't feel like throwing elbows with 6 year olds!  There were some fun floats though, scattered among the local politicians and car dealers.  We then decided to be mature adults and head home rather than overindulge in green beer then have to wait 3 hours for a cab.  Besides, I had a date with a corned beef roast. 

In the past I've always thrown it in a crock pot and let it do its thing.  This year, I tried Rachael Ray's  method and braised it in Guinness on the stove (I did not do the home brine, too much work and no fridge room).  It was easy and tasty, although the cabbage picked up a little bitterness from the beer. 

I heard on the news that this is a completely American tradition.  Oh well, it was yummy.  I also made a variation on Irish soda bread.

It was super easy and very good.  My glaze didn't turn out as thick as it was supposed to though (I admit, I didn't measure the liquids, just an eyeballed splash).  It reminded me of a scone, only hints of sweetness in the bread and from the glaze.  I had a piece for breakfast this morning.  I think this will also become a tradition for us. 

In other news, not much else exciting happening here.  I'm on a stretch of shifts in preparation to take a vacation out east next week.  Nursing shifts are easy on your PTO bank, I'm taking off 8 days and only using 3 days vacation!  Oh, and we saw Radiohead last week

I need a camera with a better zoom.  It was a pretty great show, those screens actually showed real time close-ups during the show and were on pulleys so they got re-arranged.  This is the first time they have come to CO since 2003 (which Eric often ranted about). The show was on my 1st nephew's 5th birthday.  It was nostalgic remembering the night he was born, I was also at a concert that night, on crutches post-ACL tear.  I don't remember too much of that show (I think it was Sound Tribe Sector 9) since I was glued to my phone all night for photos and updates.  I'm sure his mom has a much different story for the night he entered this world and stole all of our hearts, though mine involves less pain (even with a knee injury!).

Hops and Heifers

Recently we got the opportunity to spend the day with the good folks at Oskar Blues Brewing and it was quite fun.  This company is more than just a brewery, they are embracing a sustainability model that their owner calls "the triple lindy".  They started with the brewery (obviously), added a FANTASTIC restaurant that not only features all of there beers, but 40 tap handles exclusive to craft brews, and then, most recently, started a farm! So lets start with the farm. 

Meet, Pancetta, Pork Chop, and Bacon.  I was a little creeped out that they came to sniff my pork breakfast burrito and really wanted me to share.  These guys are fed with the prep scraps from the restaurant and will, eventually, be main courses there.  Our guide told a funny story about being the lucky one chosen to don these guys in Oskar Blues shirts for a beer dinner hosted at the farm, he said it took 4 people and 45 min.  The pigs were still wary of him.

Black Angus cows, don't they look delicious?  These beauties are fed with spent grain from the brewery (among other things to make them tasty) and will, like their pigs friends, be main courses some day.

About the time we were drooling over the cows, these little guys came for a visit after busting out of their pen.  I chuckled that they didn't run for freedom, but rather just wanted to hang with us.  We herded them back to their home, they made me smile. 

It wouldn't really be a farm if they didn't also grow things.  Unfortunately, March is not the best time to see the bounty.  They do have a vegetable garden in the summer that supplies the restaurant.  And they grow hops.

Hops grow vertically on these poles and wires, I really hope  we can come back in the summer to witness them in all their glory.  This part of CO isn't the best climate for hop growing, so the brewery still supplements from other sources and saves their hops for special release brews in the fall.  Now on to the brewery!

We've seen our fair share of breweries but it is always a good time.  This brewery also has a small tasting room, Aaaaannnddd....

Skee Ball!!  Craft Breweries sure do know how to have fun!  They even have a league night. After a few rounds we had a "sensory experience" (aka., tasting) with the head brewer, Dave. 

A very delicious experience indeed.  Then we headed to the restaurant, no photos taken on this day, since I was too busy eating.  Here's a photo from a previous visit though,

Thanks for a great day, Oskar Blues!  And if you are out at your local liquor store (they have a pretty wide distribution net) and come across a six pack of Dales Pale Ale (it'll be in a can), go ahead and pick it up, you won't be disappointed.