Touring

I met the Menopause Posse on Wednesday morning for a tour of Columbus.  Did you know that Columbus, Indiana is right up there with New York City, Boston and Chicago architecturally?  Well it is.  Now you know.  We went on the city architecture tour, which was so cool.  Even the elementary schools are designed by well known architects.

This is a view of a church as our guide walks beside the library, designed by I.M. Pei.

 Here is another church view.

 The hospital is prairie style.

 This church was awesome.  It looked like a spaceship.

 Speaking of spaceships, my blouse took flight as this photo was taken.  That's me, Judith, Kathy, Mom and Marsha.  They've been friends since high school, Wiley class of '67.  They travel together every summer and use phrases that they used as teenagers.  Their favorite?  My mother referred to our guide as a "hot piece."  Apparently that was hip in the 60s.  What a hoot.  I would also like to note that our guide was at least 70.  

 We had ice cream at the local soda shop.  

We also toured The Miller House, a recent acquisition of The Indianapolis Museum of Art.  They don't allow photos, but it was spectacular.  It was built in the late 50s, a wonderful example of mid century design, and had all the original furnishings.  Check out this link and go-

Miller House

We met some friends at the Ball and Biscuit, and T wore his new Seattle shirt, purchased at the bottom of The Space Needle.

 Robeghan, pictured mostly so you could see the eclectic crew behind them.  That man in the background is attempting to bring back the top hat.

 In typical Allison-Betsy banter, A asks, "Do my lashes look longer and fuller?"  She's been using Latisse, that lash thickening product peddled by Brooke Shields.  

 Yes, they look full and long.

We did a photo comparison, and I'm even willing to show my fivehead to display my lashes.  I don't Latisse, but mine are in decent shape.

That nose.  You know you're jealous.

Seattle Mega Post

This is a long one.  I had oodles of photos from our trip to Seattle.  I flew out Wednesday and returned Sunday morning after we took the red eye departing at 11:20 p.m. Saturday night.  I thought the red eye would be glamorous, like I had just wrapped shooting my movie out in LA and had to be back in NY for a promo appearance in the morning.

Then I remembered I'm not a star.

The red eye is not glamorous or fun, especially if you have a propensity to drool while sleeping.  

I was ecstatic upon arrival on Wednesday evening when T picked me up.  He was already there after driving down from working in Vancouver on Monday and Tuesday.

 The weather was beautiful as we drove in-

 and settled into our fabulous corner room at the Pan Pacific Hotel, with two walls of windows.

 The sun drenched bathroom where I took many baths with a view of the Space Needle.  Yes, I take baths in hotels.  Don't judge.  So far after years of travel, I have had no ill side effects from this practice.

 The large magnetic field surrounding the Happiest Place on Earth drew me in on the way to dinner on the first night.  T did his best to try to capture me in front of the signs noting historical awesomeness since 1901.

 Our first night's dinner was at Wild Ginger.  It was a pan asian style place and was where I began my tour de Seattle scallops/seafood.  I had salt and pepper scallops with rice and Riesling. Not that you particularly care, but I do. The lovely olive green silk shirt I donned photographed poorly.  Upon reviewing this picture all I could think was "Hammer, don't hurt 'em."  

 What?  You want more pictures of me in front of stores?  Here you go.

 The view of the Space Needle from our room.  I heard the theme song from Frasier all week.

 While Trinity worked on Thursday, I went down to the public market by myself.  

 Fish were flung, 

 and I had a chai tea from the original Starbucks.  I went to one about a block away in the market and stood in line there.  I intuitively felt it was not "the original."  I was correct.  I'm not proud of this 6th sense.  I ventured down and then found "the original."  I felt like Parker Posey in Best in Show, when she talks about meeting her husband at the Starbucks, but not the same one, and how lucky she is to have been raised in the era of J.Crew catalogs.  Brilliant.

 I went to the Seattle Art Museum, and was thrilled that it was Free Thursday, the first of the month.  I only spent about an hour there, so $15 would have been a bust otherwise.

 There was an exhibit about the Quilete tribe, made famous from those God awful, sucky Twilight books.   I have long said that those are the most horribly written pieces of "literature" I have ever read. I sent a picture to my Twinerd fans, Allison and sister Katie. 

This piece was more my style.  15th century Italian religious beauty.

 There was a porcelain room.  I need one of those for my new wedding china, still in the box until we get a bigger house!

 T was ready for a little outdoorsiness.  We had lunch,  crab salad for me, and then visited Snowqualmie Falls.

 Trinity's required picture as proof we were there.

 We then had a side trip to visit the grave of Jimi Hendrix.  Yet another typical random site that I have visited with him.  I swear he would drive an hour out of the way to see a giant rubber band ball.

 Then it was turn for my pick.  We went to The Bravern, a very swanky outdoor mall in hoity toity Bellevue.  We started our shopping with a Trophy cupcake.

 I feared we might have a Pretty Woman moment, since the place was ultra swanky.  As we headed into a store I spied this-

 I was intimidated no more.  How snooty are you if you can't spell?  It is spelled "completely" you rich fools.  Errors like this make me absolutely crazy.  They're everywhere.  Or maybe I should write "their everywhere" like so many people do.  Geesh!

 I found a darling dress on sale!

 I ate more scallops that night at Matt's in the Market, a restaurant that I found on the NY Times 36 hours in Seattle feature.  That is such a great resource for travel.

 More window shopping

 Dancing after a lovely cocktail or two.

 The next day we ferried over to Bainbridge Island for more seafood    and leisurely exploration.

 It was windy and 60 degrees, which was a wonderful change from 100 degrees in Indiana.

 Napping with my two favorite purchases of the trip, my dress and a chocolate macaron.

 This was my first macaron, purchased in a lovely little chocolate shop run by a French woman with a glorious accent and a very tiny waist.  She must have gotten that by eating lots of her chocolate.  I quickly followed suit.

 We wrapped up the trip by finally visiting the Space Needle and going on the Underground Tour of Seattle.

I adored this gorgeous city.  I had to miss my 10 year DG pledge class reunion at IU to go, so I was thrilled that I loved it so much!

Boots and Babies

2 out of 3 family members were mesmerized by the new boots that arrived last week.  Yes, I successfully found Frye boots to fit over my apparently large legs!  Success!

Thank you Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!

We went to visit T's parents on Saturday for the night.  My mother in law is a smart cookie.  She clearly wants to unleash my inner maternal instincts.  She whipped this out-

that be Baby Trinity.

In case you didn't know, his right shoe proudly displays his name and the left his birthdate, August 28, 1976.

Have. you. ever?

I know I'm biased, but that is one cute baby.

One cute, chunky, and hairy baby.

Well played, Pat.

I can't stop looking at this picture and it is the new wallpaper on my phone.  

You know, my new iPhone.

In case you forgot.

If I had a baby with that face I may never stop squeezing him.

I think I may want one of those.