More Michigan Love

Posted on October 8, 2013 by lisafindley

There’s just so much of it. Here’s a mural I spotted by the (delicious) Soup Spoon Cafe this weekend:

Are you grateful for pork fat?

Where the heart is

And a bumper sticker I saw in my neighborhood:

Statistics

Summertime, Summertime

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Big skies in Ontario

Lace among the conifers

Up north/back in time

This superhero is ready to take on that storm

Sunshine in a bowl

Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive

Elegant wedding table setting (and that cookie was delicious)

Big Star in Wicker Park, Chicago

I hope that does its job deterring thieves

August=tomatoes

A few hours before dusk, when the deer come out

One of the Best Street Art Corners in Chicago

Posted on August 20, 2013 by lisafindley

I went to Chicago this weekend, visiting friends and family I hadn’t seen for a year. I had a wonderful time catching up over delicious meals and drinks, especially as the weather gradually warmed up to proper August temperatures. I didn’t have much time on my own, but Thursday afternoon I went back to my old neighborhood, and I finally took some pictures of an art studio I’d seen from the el but never found on the ground before. Here are some shots of the great paintings I found there.

Near the California blue line stop, in case you want to find this corner for yourself

Ferrets! Right?

It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re going (I wonder how many people leave them notes about the “your”)

This looks especially cool as the el is coming in from the city at twilight

Mid-Michigan Humor

Posted on August 12, 2013 by lisafindley

My friends and I didn’t drink in high school, but we found plenty of other ways to amuse ourselves. If we could annoy some adults while we were at it, all the better. So for a little while we liked playing Liberation Lettuce, named after a head of iceberg lettuce we found in the socks section of our local superstore one day. We decided someone had liberated that lettuce from captivity in the produce section, and we wanted to free other grocery store items too. Move socks next to the cheese. Shift some Sharpies over to the contact lens section. It was silly, and hopefully we never moved enough stuff to make the employees’ jobs harder. But a couple weeks ago, I saw an inspired example of Liberation Lettuce, which brought the game to new heights. Whoever you are, chocolate sauce aficionado, I salute you.

And it’s on sale!

Thailand by the Numbers

Posted on June 10, 2013 by lisafindley

Attempts to say ‘thank you’ in Thai before I got remotely close: 23

Attempts to bargain at night markets: 8

Successful attempts to bargain at night markets: 5

Elephants hand-fed: 10

Baby monkeys cooed at: 1

Fruit shakes consumed: at least 30

Laundry I washed myself during my six weeks in the country: 0

Meals I cooked myself during my six weeks in the country: 2

Oceans fearlessly kayaked in: 1

New fruits tasted: 5

New favorite fruits: 5

Meals that introduced a whole new meaning to the word ‘spicy’: 3

Total days spent in Thailand: 44

Total money spent: $2,947

Average per day: $67

Total money spent, not including airfare: $2,802

Average daily cost, not including airfare: $64 (yes, that is much more than many backpackers spend while there, but I got a lot of gifts and some comfortable private rooms, not to mention a week with the elephants, on that budget)

Pools, rivers, and oceans swum in: 3

Wats (temples) visited: countless

Times I tired of admiring the symmetry and detail of a Thai wat: never

Wat Po in Bangkok

Have Party, Will Travel

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That’s the latest motto for this Stowaway. Whaddya think?

Have party, will travel

New Zealand by the Numbers

Posted on April 19, 2013 by lisafindley

Hot spring rivers frolicked in: 2

Sights that made me say “wow”: at least 12

Sheep spotted: ~100,000

Cows spotted: ~80,000

Glaciers hiked: 1

Couches surfed: 8

Times I had no idea what vowel a Kiwi was using while talking: at least 9

Concussions sustained: 2

Road trips enjoyed: 3

Radio stations picked up on entire 8 weeks in the country: 2

Times I heard the inexplicably popular song “Maneater” on those radio stations: 9

Number of different tracks off the 12-track “Jagged Little Pill” I heard on those same radio stations: 6

Total days spent in New Zealand: 55

Total money spent: $3,965

Average per day: $72

Christmas carols sung at full volume while driving through the mountains: 8

Carols we knew more than the first verse to: 0

Dolphins swum with: at least 30, possibly more; magic is hard to quantify

Australia by the Numbers

Posted on February 5, 2013 by lisafindley

Miles traveled: ~6,030

Kilometers traveled (after all, it’s the unit of measure here): ~9,800

Methods of transport used: 5

Times an Aussie actually said “G’day, mate”: 0

Times an Aussie called me “mate”: at least 10

Times I heard the unofficial anthem “Livin’ on a Prayer”: 16, or that’s as high as I counted before I started crying as a stress response to hearing it

Days spent in medical care: 15

Sweet treats purchased after visiting doctors: 6

Possessive wallabies admired: 1

Wild kangaroos spotted, ever so briefly: 1

Parrots permitted to perch on my head: 1

Wild koalas spotted: 3

Wild penguins spotted: 8

House pets befriended: 3

Total days spent in Australia: 69

Total money spent: $6,098

Average per day: $88

Total money spent, not including airfare: $4,573