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2009 Post Number One

Ok, we have been away from Hippoo for too long – we blame some time spent in Europe and the holidays for our absence. So, as we celebrate Stanley’s third birthday with family time around the television (watching Big & Rob Rob & Big with a lazy Stanley across my lap) we return to our public wall.

I don’t remember you taking this picture but for some reason I think I look good.

NYE dinner at Nick’s on Broadway in Providence. 

We had a lovely 7 course dinner which included oysters, lobster broth, and Derek’s famous duck.  Thank goodness we made it, a snow storm blanketed the Northeast with 8 inches of snow.  Props to the Department of Transportation for their efforts in clearing the powder that evening. 

I also had a cognac tutorial from Johnny Mac that evening.  First, sniff in the aroma.  Then take a sip and let it linger on the tongue for 3 seconds (One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three Mississippi) just enough to feel the tingle and then swallow.  Below is evidence that I may have let it rest on my tongue far longer than 3 seconds.  Yes, champagne and cognac do mix well.

At Mass MoCA breathing in clean air. 

I’m just making sure no critters lived in the greenhouse that could scurry up my nose or into my mouth.  See how tightly my mouth is shut?

I loved this space in Mass MoCA.

Sol LeWitt behind Kristine.

A Sol LeWitt iPhone sceensaver in progress.

Matthew blends in well with this particluar LeWitt piece.

Maybe this is why I dreamt of an elephant pool equipped with spouting snout and all.

Stanley’s new time out area when he cries for us at 4am.

Stanley has taken to place his rawhides in Matthew’s shoes for safe keeping. 

Shopping at the Renegade Fair

Four rooms of handmade goods that I was looking forward to ever since the rainy Summer edition!
Matthew and Evan were troopers as I bounced from one booth to another.

A week in Milano e Torino

I have more pictures on my camera…
More to come.

Claudia, our roommate, behind many bottles of acqua normale and a huge Apple monitor.

The Movie Showtime app determined my location and listed the nearest cinemas. How a Torino theatre is close to a Florida one is so strange.

Woo hoo! Car sharing in Italy. Now to get them to stop using plastic water bottles and make Sigg bottles chic.

The last month

Here’s a photo diary of the last month.

Torino, Italy (incomplete)

EPIC 2008 main hall

While attending EPIC 2008 I was invited to Experientia (Torino, Italy) to collaborate on some current projects! My presentation was scheduled on the opening of the conference in the above hall – we spoke from the funny podium on the far left of the image. 

Experientia is the Orange building at the center of the collage. Clear skies permit a breathtaking view of the alps that reminds me of Mt.Hood on a clear day. Sadly, Torino experiences sunny days as often as Portland does. 
View Larger Map

Mulafanso

My favorite coffee bar.

Mulafanso’s water fountain.

I have been spoiled by Mulafanso, but I am unsure how to surrender my Dunkin Donuts  

Le Fanfaron

My favorite restaurant!

Fanfaron features homemade food that is available in limited quantities each day, and is often sold-out by 13:30 – 13:45. If you arrive early you are treated to bread right from the oven! 

Weather<br />

Grey skies with moments of light, occasional views of gorgeous mountains, laid back local population…Portland? No, Torino…or so I thought. 

Portlanders do not use umbrellas, Torino residents do.

Weekend Update

More pics and text to come…

Acting casual

My favorite pic of us from the weekend.

Al Capone and his buddies the Archbishops of Chicago

Capone family monument.

We often pass Mt. Carmel cemetery on our way to the Oak Brook mall and wonder aloud about locating Al Capone’s grave. Our discussions exist for the duration of the block and drift away as we pass the cemetery’s boundry (adjacent to a Dunkin Donuts).

Today we decided to find Mr. Capone…

After a quick search on Flickr, we located a posting of Capone’s grave site with directions; enter the cemetery from Rosevelt and take an immediate right.

The Capone family monumuent is a minimal stone with four individual stones at its base making the burial of Al, hi brother, and their parents. Mt. CArmel is a cemetery dominated by wealth, with Chiago’s wealthiest marking their final restinsg site with gratuitous stone tombs; Capone family’s was minimal ad without celebration.

Al Capone’s burial site

I am not sure why people mark their visit with a monetary token, the man did cheat and steal his whole life! I regret not taking the quarter for 88′s exspensive toll.

Al and Kristine

Kristine marked her visit with a small tribute to Al’s early days before the Tommy Gun.

The Bishops Chapel

Kristine, the product of Catholic school, wanted to pay her respects the Archbishops of Chicagobefore we left grounds of Mt Carmel.

What to do?

So I’m all caught up on my work and I have an hour left until I’m able to run out of the door that is just 10 feet away from my desk. Sigh. What can I do to fill in that time?
Play Tris? I already have 8 of the top 10 scores. I’m getting a bit bored by it now.
I’m over Tap Tap and Aqua Forest already.
I usually love going to Foodnetwork.com to dig up new recipes I would like to try. I’m just not in the mood today. I really need to since there is a tub of ricotta in the fridge that’s about to die of old age. The nest I could find was a recipe for ricotta fritters. Why I gravitate towards fried recipes, I don’t know especially since I hate cooking with oil. I love fried things but it’s the mess afterwards that turns me off.
Owning a deep fryer is out of the question. Think about all that oil that needs to get cleaned up! I’ll leave it to the masters at Long Johns and Popeyes.

My Fruit Head friends. They greet me every morning and supply me with a sugar boost at 3.