Living like a Tourist

Since Ellie and I moved into our apartment in May, we have hosted more friends and family than the entire previous year in a house seven times the size of our apartment. We had some traveling as far as Portland, Oregon and Santa Barbara, California and the rest from across the midwest. Due to the number of visitors, I've had a chance to play tourist in my own city! I still have a list the size of Texas, but I'll include some snapshots of summer in the Twin Cities:

JENA, MARY, ALI, TALIA, ALLIE, SARAH, & TAYLOR

 Talia and JJ got married this summer. Before we let her walk down the aisle, we had to take her out in style for a bachelorette weekend in the Cities. We hit a number of fun places including Blue Door Pub - Longfellow, bowling and laser tag at Brunswick Zone, Target Field, and the Shout House in downtown Minneapolis. Each event was a predetermined surprise for Talia, and was incredibly successful. The ladies arrived only 1-2 days after moving into our apartment and put up with the boxes and mess! Many thanks to all who helped plan and prepare for the great time that was had, especially to Allie and Taylor!! This group had travelers from Mankato, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul, MN, Milwaukee, WI, Chicago, IL, and Portland, OR.

COURTNEY, ANNA, & SARAH

Next up to visit were Anna and Courtney! Two friends from college who are teachers in Wisconsin. These two road tripped from Green Bay and Adams-Friendship. It had been far too long since we had gotten together.. literally years. We're not letting that happen again! They made it up during Pride weekend, which I was needed to perform with the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra brass choir and I had them tag along. While I played, they surveyed Loring Park and the Walker Sculpture Garden. Before the left, I made sure to treat them to some of our good eats: Blue Door Pub - Longfellow (I'm addicted, what can I say?), Pat's Tap, and Pizza Luce. On Sunday afternoon we made it to Minnehaha Falls.

BEFORE: ERIN, STEVEN, SARAH, ERICA, EMILY, & MARIE

AFTER: EMILY, ERICA, SARAH, MARIE, STEVEN, & ERIN

Later in July was the next big event, the Twin Cities Color Run 5k! We began planning and recruiting for our team back in February and March; as time went on, the group got bigger and bigger! Erica, Erin, and Steven traveled together from Madison, WI, while Emily arrived from New Ulm, MN, and Marie drove from Duluth, MN. Everyone knew what they were getting into and it was a blast to have everyone participate! Since the running event was on Sunday, we made the most of Saturday by checking out Como Park Zoo and Conservatory and the Walker Sculpture Garden. When Sunday came we were ready with our clean white shirts and temporary 'Happy' tattoos. Despite getting separated during the run, we miraculously found one another during the after party! I've included a few before and after shots for all those who haven't seen the remarkable things a color run does to you!!  
 The additional picture below has a fun little side story, it was taken while Erin, Steven, and I were trying to find Emily, Erica, and Marie. Erica and Emily had their phones with them (read: cameras to catch post-run photos) and we didn't. We had been standing next to this sign when a family who just finished the run asked if we could take a picture for them. I kindly offered yes, but only if she would take a shot of the three of us and text it to me! I knew it was a lot to ask of a stranger on short notice, but I quickly explained that we had separated and weren't sure we would be able to find them. Thankfully, our kind stranger obliged and texted me the shots when she returned to her car! Yay for humanity!

SARAH, STEVEN, & ERIN: LOST

SARAH, SARAH, LIZZI, & ERIN

The last of my scheduled visitors this summer came in this past weekend. Erin came from Madison, WI  and stayed with us at the apartment, while Sarah arrived from Santa Barbara, CA and stayed with her sister in Northeast Minneapolis. The four of us have been besties since (what feels like forever ago) in high school. We had such a fun time catching up and spending the weekend together! Sarah's sister, Jessica, had us on a suggested itinerary which worked wonders for making the most of the cities! For starters, Jessica and Sarah made it to Friday night's Vikings Pre-Season football game. On Saturday, we met at Lake Calhoun for drinks and snacks before heading to the Herkimer for appetizers and HH. Sunday's adventures started at Psycho Suzies and led to the Walker Sculpture Garden, Sebastian Joes and eventually Pizza Luce came into play before the weekend ended. It's never been doubted that we have a fabulous time together when we have the time and opportunity to travel and visit.

LIZZI, THOMAS, SARAH, SARAH, & ERIN: SARAH SANDWICH

We found out late on Friday that we would also have a surprise visit from Sarah (aka. Thomas) Saturday night when she needed a couch to crash on, wouldn't you know we operate our apartment like a couch surfing network!? Thomas was traveling back to Rochester from a Rugby tournament and contacted us. It had been years since most of us had seen Thomas and she happily tagged along on our Sunday outings!

*Disclaimer: From experience this summer, our apartment comfortably sleeps 8-10 depending on flexibility on couches and chairs in addition to air mattresses. Please note there is one bathroom.

This makes me a magician, right?

The ability to disappear for over a year and reemerge, doesn't that make me a magician? Probably not the most accurate of criteria, but I will consider listing it under my skills as a resume builder..

Where have I been? What did I do? Why did I blatantly stop blogging? There probably isn't enough time to share answers to each question know. The point is that I'd like to come back and do more with this; focus a little more creativity in this area of my life. Until I find a better routine, I'll probably go about sharing updates of events that have happened in the last 14 months.

It's been a wonderful year, I can't wait to share past adventures and what is coming next!
After a while, crocodile.

Salmon Salmon Salmon

I keep giving you recipes and then telling you how I didn't follow them 100%. Unfortuantely, this is no different.. The largest difference between the recipe and what I did: the recipe calls for baking in the oven, and when I set out to cook salmon, I had no bakeware in the house. My salmon went in the skillet.

Having tried this a few times now, I have found that the skillet does work well. I have tried both butter and oil in the pan. Also using a large pot cover to help keep the fish covered seems to do the trick. For the sauce, I add it on afterward and it is deeee-lish.

With the guidance of my great cooking buddy, Jenni, she seasoned the sauce a little on the hot side (for my taste) but it was great nonetheless. I had enough of the sauce to last me through the remainder of the salmon I bought! Talk about a change up from my mac and cheese, riceroni and hamburger helper boxed meals. Add on some mashed squash, sweet potatoes or a variety of greens. Man oh man, that is a fantastic meal!

Unfortunately there are no pictures for this meal, but the next time I put it together, you can count on savory photos!
sc

RUN RUN RUN!

When I went to Wisconsin last, I mentioned having gone for a run in 4º F weather. That was just over a month ago, and I hadn't been since. Until a couple weeks ago. I had a bit of a harder day at work than I was expecting, which lead me to want to plan an evening of anti-social activities. Luckily though, I have friends with better interests.

A couple weeks ago, Kate sent me a text and asked if I wanted to go for a run since the weather was so beautiful out. Of course I had to say yes, there was no doubting that my antisocial plans would include nothing remotely healthy of any kind. Running with Kate was the perfect option. Especially when you consider the amount of snow we were to get over the rest of the week. It was then or never (or at least a while).

I continue to look at runs in the area over the next few months, but have not yet registered for one. I have agreed to train with a friend who intends to run the Twin Cities Marathon in October. And I have officially decided (yet not registered for) that I want to run the 10K that happens the same weekend. One way or another, I will be participating in an event that weekend. Just you wait and see!!

In the meantime and despite my indecisiveness to sign up for a race, I am enjoying runs all over the city. Kate and I went again last week. Last weekend, I went for a run with Holly around Lake Harriet  That was a first for me. Loved it.. the weather was beautiful and it felt as though half the city was out!! Cannot wait to do it again!

Crock Pot 101

HONEY APPLE PORK LOIN... IN THE BEGINNING

Today I began my first crockpot experience: Honey Apple Pork Loin. Yummmmmm.

I found the recipe on Pinterest, where if I plan it right, I might not need a cook book for a long time. I geared up and purchased a pork tenderloin, apple crisp apples (instead of red apples), honey, and cinnamon. This crock pot I have had to be pulled out of the box, cardboard and foam pieces to be used! Talk about a large expectation for the first try..

I happened to find myself without work on the day I wanted to cook and eat this, how convenient! It became a snowy and blustery day, the perfect opportunity to stay indoors and cook up delicious eatings!

As far as following a recipe, I am sorry to say, I do not recall how large my pork tenderloin was, I never measured a bit of cinnamon, or honey. I also used Honey Crisp apples rather than red. Have to admit it though, now that I get to tell you about the encounters I had regarding my crock pot...

BEFORE SERVING.. I CAN STILL SMELL THE CINNAMON

There is some construction going on in my house, and the door/window man was going in and out all day. By the time he left for the day, he insisted that he would need to make himself an apple crisp when he got home to make up for the smells I was taunting him with. Good to know! :) I was checking the crock pot ever couple hours and enjoying the smells rolling out from under the top. The entire house smelled like sweet honey, apples and cinnamon.

When I was able to finally enjoy the food, I found it lacking something. I can't put my finger on it, but it was just missing something. Perhaps a good idea of measurements.. but with honey, apples and cinnamon, can you really go wrong? I'm not quite sure. But I will be happy to make this again and enjoy it with a few more people.

Change of Address

Last weekend I moved to a T. P. Healy house. This may not mean much to you, or even to me, but it does mean there is a great amount of history within these walls. Last summer, my Aunt and Uncle purchased this house because my Uncle's great-grandfather built it. The Historical Preservation Society had already been included with the house and is working towards the similar goal of restoring the house to it's initial beauty and elegance.

A co-worker of  mine connected me with a co-intern of hers. She said he had a few months between his internship and his next move in life and was looking to get out of his mom's house. Naturally we set up an opportunity for him to check out the Healy house. I've never lived in an apartment setting before, as I have always worked within Residential Living (and let me tell you, paying my first rent check last week? Surreal.).

Last weekend was when Daniel and I moved into the house. It's a little strange because we each have all these things, but are only keeping them in our specific rooms. We have hardly any furniture and the kitchen keeps filling up with various food and dining utensil type things. Overall, it's totally fun and I am exponentially enjoying this every day. :) If you want to visit, please feel welcome (you just might need to bring a chair)!! It is so much fun.

The house is my favorite at night. It is quiet and yet feels as though it is alive. Not ghostlike, merely warm and homely. Let me know if you're looking for my new address.

Pasta!

There are always a few things you should check when you are cooking. Be sure your measurements are accurate, that you do stir occassionally, etc. You should remember to also check on the things you're ad-libbing. Such as spices!

When I have a successful cooking experience, I consider it a pretty big deal. Though, I am very, very not surprised when something goes wrong either.

Leading into this one evening of cooking, I was planning on using almost all of the vegetables (carrots, broccoli, green pepper, and an unknown root vegetable {purchased as a sweet potato, but entirely NOT a sweet potato or any form of starchy root vegetable I've ever seen/cooked/eaten}), the remainder of my Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce, a can of beans, and an entire box of bow-tie pasta. After I pulled my vegetables out and started planning how I wanted to do this, my aunt who was baking pumpkin bread at the same time, suggested I use cinnamon and leave out both the broccoli and green pepper. She mentioned that she was using the cinnamon with her bread and that she would leave it out for me once she was finished.

When I finished with the pasta and then went to cook up some of the vegetables, I began adding the spice she indicated that she would be leaving out on the counter. I also did a quick once-over of the spice cabinet to see if I should add anything else. I did think a little something about seeing another cinnamon spice container in the cabinet, but did not think enough about it. When I drained the vegetables and added the pasta back in, I began stirring in the pasta sauce. Excited to be using a spice, I grab the cinnamon again and do a few shakes, mix it in, a few more shakes, mix it in, a few more shakes, etc. etc. etc.

It wasn't until I was dividing the pasta into multiple containers that I actually tasted some of this creation. Moving the serving utensil between the pot and the container, I dropped some on the counter. I picked up the accidental spill with my hands and tossed it in my mouth, expecting the most delicious pasta combination I have ever (personally) cooked. Only much to my dispair, I begin felling heat. Heat filled my mouth. Immediately I feel perspiration warming to my face. Although I swallowed, I knew I needed an entire bottle of water to cool the flavors in my mouth.

I double checked the spice container, still out on the counter: Cayenne.

Needless to say, I did end up eating the pasta as it was. It took me close to a week, with the assistance of many bottles of water, Wheat Thins & Hummus, and a few slices of french bread. Towards the end, it was alright; I'm just slowly building up my tolerance for spice food. Next to try? Srirachas Hot Chili Sauce. I'm totally kidding.

I think I should have my kitchen privileges revoked and my cooking skills put on probation.

Parties and Traditions

In March, I made another trip back into the wild landscapes of Wisconsin. Leaving Minneapolis Wednesday evening gave me two nights in Stevens Point before making the next leg of the trip down to Fond du Lac. My interest in stopping through Stevens Point was to see a few friends from school who are still in the area, still attending school, and/or my past supervisors and coworkers. I made a few other plans along the way, too.

Brighter and earlier Thursday morning than I was even ready to begin, I went for a brisk 2.5 mile run at 4º F with my friend Heidi (you can find her blog there, including our CRAZY photo at our final destination, Starbucks). She ran to me, we ran just over 2 miles, and then after our quick Starbucks date, we ran back to our respective places. Talk about feeling like a champion! Her Garmon watch froze, my iPod Touch shut down. We should not have been this ambitious, but boy did it feel sensational!

I followed my run with a quick breakfast at the Basement Brewhaus, and then coffee with a (past supervisor) great friend at Zest. Lunch was a group date at Polito's Pizza, mixed with a little shenanigans... Of course I had to make my rounds back to my alma mater residence halls, Knutzen and Burroughs. Dinner was at Tokyo Steakhouse with my London flatmates. Precious stories, laughter, vegetarian meals and life updates happened all around. Evening plans were wonderful. We pulled together a large group of kids to meet at the Basement Brewhause for Thursday $1 bottles, before heading for Partners' $5 (liter) Long Islands. Woof.

 

Special thanks to Val, for letting me stay, and Marsha, for driving all the way from Waukesha to join in on the fun. Tooooo much fun... never.

Friday morning, I headed out to Fond du lac for a Mom and me day. We had a little pampering, a great Culver's lunch, and a few errands while I did (a little) laundry. Saturday was the hugely eventful day: bridal shower in the morning with the bachelorette party in the evening. Talk about a whirlwind! No photos were documented for public use in the evening, but all was completely successful. The shower was wonderful with just the perfect balance of great food, happiness, social times and a few games! I'll have you know during the party, Emily completed all challenges flawlessly and even did a few not asked! We are still impressed.. :)

In case you were concerned, I did make it back to Minneapolis safely. Good travels make for wonderful stories!
s

Madison Excursion

For the last weekend in February, Jenni and I ventured to Madison, WI. When we initially planned this trip, we were going to attend a Passion Pit concert at the Orpheum Theatre.  By the time we had it figured out for the weekend, time off from work, and a place to stay... the concert was sold out. Though because neither of us had taken significant time off and been out of town since Christmas, we decided to keep our plans any way! Despite the onslaught of Winter Storm Q, who's anticipation was more overrated than what actually happened in Minnesota and Wisconsin, we left the cities Friday just after noon. The roads were close to dry, and the light snow we did experience was gone by the time we drove past signs for Tomah. We rocked out to all my Now cd's: 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7, mixed in some Grammy Nominee albums from the late 2000's and Totally Hits 2001. Wow. Talk about a set of throwback jams.

Upon arrival, Jenni and I went to Erin's apartment. Erin and I went to school together at UW-Stevens Point, and she landed a job in Madison. We settled in a little bit and started planning what to make up for dinner. Having a few ideas, we settled on salmon (it was Friday, which means no meat for Erin!) with sweet potato fries! Yummmmmmy. We took the evening to relax and enjoy each other's company and only really set up plans with other friends late in the night. Jenni and I left to meet up with other friends from high school who were around, Sarah, Erin and Lizzi. Erin also lives in Madison, Sarah is in Chicago and Lizzi was home on vacation from France! We met them out for drinks and made plans for brunch the following morning.

Brunch was at the Marigold Kitchen. If you are ever in Madison, go. Please. Do yourself the favor! It was great to combine groups of friends, this is something I do often and I love it when everyone meshes well! Erin, Sarah and Lizzi had other plans to get to after brunch, and Jenni, Erin and I made coffee plans with a friend of Jenni's and another friend of Erin and mine from school. We helped fill the coffee house with stories and laughter. After our afternoon date, we headed back to Erin's to lounge some more. We finally decided on dinner at the Great Dane. Best. Ever. Do it, also. Please.

Sunday morning we pulled out early and headed to Fond du Lac for some brief family time for both Jenni and I. Her family was celebrating a birthday and mine was going to help me with taxes and I wanted to get an oil change. Real fun stuff for Jenni! :) After our short stint in Fondy, we headed back to Minneapolis for an Oscar party! On the way back to Minneapolis, we got a phone call from our friend Kate, who was looking for some extra drinks for the Oscar party she was hosting! *For those of you who do not know, alcohol is not served in Minnesota on Sundays. Before Jenni and I left Wisconsin, we picked up some additional beverages.

The Oscar party was intended to have everyone dressed to the nines, and because I set Jenni and I back by close to a hour leaving Fond du Lac, we were not in 'to-the-nines' wear. Next time..

Short and sweet!

Recently I've been going through pictures and posts and memories of what I did in London last summer. I had so many exciting updates and trips to share! Unfortunately the weather in Minneapolis hasn't provided the greatest of opportunities to really and truly experience the Twin Cities as a proper tourist. As soon as the snow quits, I'll be sure to share every bit! 

For the meantime, I must apologize for not keeping regular tabs! I have a few trips to share, stories to tell, and the general hilarity that follows my random acts of stupidity. I'm making plans and setting goals with running and beginning to really get excited for races! I'll bring you up to date sooooon! I do have a few posts drafted, however, I haven't found any award-winning finishing touches. I'll be sure get them out in the next week or two. 

As of today, I've got a new address! Super exciting. The house is fantastic and it's going to be a wonderful opportunity to share the life of this house.

More fun and love to provide, given a little more time! 

Best. 

Networking.

If you know me, you know how much I enjoy networking and getting to know other people. This may or may not be why I am so interested in social media... to say I am connected is a bit of an understatement. Besides having this blog account, I also have Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Foursquare, LinkedIn, Klout, Pinterest, YouTube, and Facebook. I interact with a number of people on each outlet, and find the social media concepts to be learning opportunities. Here, I'll share a few small world moments that these connections have brought on.

This summer, I thoroughly enjoyed utilizing Foursquare to check in at famous locations, museums, tourist points of interest and airports. Early on in my European adventure, I had the opportunity to attend the Churchill War Rooms / Imperial War Museum with my Aussie friend, Fred. Towards the end of our trip with our class, we were able to visit the Churchill War Rooms / Imperial War Museum again. This was one of my favorite class trips, I had already been there before and all of the information was so great. This has got to be one of the most well done museums I have ever gone through. For Foursquare purposes, and because I was able to visit the Museum twice in three months (unless you work there, who does) I checked in on both occasions. This granted me Mayorship of the museum. It was not until the middle of September that social media informed me, the torch had passed. A man from Mexico had checked in more often than I had, and held the mayorship for quite some time, following my reign.

When I first moved to Minneapolis, I picked up a number of Minnesota-friendly followers on Twitter. One such person, @buddhastew who is described as "your local neighborhood woman boner", complete with a trombone in her picture. Considering my hobby and past of playing trombone, I reciprocated the follow, and tweeted at her asking where she plays and where about she is actually located in the Twin Cities. Wouldn't you know, she was performing on a cruise ship in the Caribbean (at the time). She then inquired about my job, asked if I was indeed working for the Minnesota Orchestra? I responded telling her I was, and that if possible we should get together when she returns to play duets. Just when I thought that would be as far as the connection went, people at worked mentioned a girl who used to work in our department, a trombone player who was currently performing on a cruise ship. When in fact, they knew exactly who she was. Lauren and I have since met, and on a number of occasions talked about getting together, though no plans have been made. We are just too busy!

Besides making friends and connections through social media interactions, I have been invited on a more professional level, by a friend from high school, Kate, to assist her at University of Minnesota Wrestling matches. I know I have touched on this briefly in the past, but there was one extra exciting event towards the end of January that left Kate and I on television. The Big Ten Network to be precise. The University of Minnesota was wrestling against Iowa, if you're familiar with sports conferences or the Big 10, you know this was a huge event. The dual was held in a larger venue than normal, and we were surrounded by Big Ten Network broadcasting staff (if you know who you're looking for, you'll enjoy some of the video around the one minute mark). Before the event began, I sent a quick text to my family and a few friends who I thought might get the channel and/or be interested. My brother, Morgan, went so far as to watch the event on TV (from South Carolina) and interact with me on the Minnesota Live Blog. Talk about cool. I love technology and how it brings people together.

More recently, my friend Marsha came to visit and we met at a coffee shop in Uptown (quite possibly my favorite), Spyhouse. While we were there, we had some small, casual conversation with a guy (Michael) who said he was visiting home for a couple weeks from China. A few harmless conversations, interjections and eavesdroppings later, we realized that Michael and I had a few mutual acquaintances. Not to mention similar plans for dinner. Michael was going to meet a friend for dinner at Pat's Tap. Marsha and I were going to grab food there as well. And later in the evening, I was going to stop by to see a friend who was going to dj. Towards the end of the late afternoon, when he went to take the bus to the place we were all going, Marsha and I extended him the offer of a ride. We quickly became connected through Twitter and have since kept up with one another.

Did you feel that? The world just got a little smaller. We must give thanks to social media, what else would we do with our free time?!
Sarah Marsh

Learning Curve

This month has continued to teach me that patience is a virtue and cars are not indestructible. Why do I know this? Because, in the month of January, I have experienced numerous occasions where my car did silly things and required my patience. This month kicked off with a ton of fun, some of which you probably read in past posts. What wasn't included were some near-to-tragic events with my car. I have had the opportunity to be angry with my car, which made me have patience over having no control and needing to wait for repair.

Initially, I had a small fender bender to begin the month. I tapped another vehicle while I was in reverse. Next-to-no damage, but the fact that it happened was enough. Saturday morning before work in Saint Paul. I stopped at the house the car was parked infront of to inform whomever owned the vehicle and consequently was late to work.

The following Saturday morning before work in Saint Paul, my door was frozen shut. Once I was able to unfreeze the door and get in to start warming up the car, my driver's side door would not shut. I ended up holding the door as tightly as I could with both hands and locking the door to make sure it stayed shut. How else do you expect me to have driven to Saint Paul with one hand on the door, one hand on the steering wheel and a third, that I do not have, on the shifter? Yes, yes I know that is impossible. Reasons why I needed a quick solution.

If you can believe it, the next Saturday morning on my way to work in Saint Paul (are you noticing the trend here?), I stopped for some gas in what was turning into a bad wintry mix. While stopped I planned on cleaning my windows for a fresh clean start before the weather kicked into overdrive. When I lifted the wipers off the windshield, one of my wiper blades tumbled to the ground. Just so happening to be the wiper in front of the driver's point of view. Go. Figure. I picked up the blade and headed the rest of the way to work.

Luckily, there is no official damage to the other vehicle, or mine, from the small accident. My door has had no problems (cross your fingers, knock on wood!) since that day, and the lovely man at AutoZone was able to snap my wiper blade back on easy as pie. At this point I felt confident is saying, nothing else could possibly go wrong with my car this month; that would just be crazy!

Until the next Friday night. I was headed to my cousin's house to babysit and something, a little more than half way from where I live to where they are, started making some noise. I was unable to tell just what it was, but I thought it was bizarre that I could hear it over my music. I waited until I arrive at their house to see what was the matter. Low and behold, my rear right tire was flat. I figured there was not much I could do to change the situation, so I went on to the house. Finding out quickly that my cousin didn't actually need me to babysit anymore, I had the time to contact AAA and be rescued.

Although unadvised to drive around on your spare, I managed to be successful at navigating around potholes for less than a week before selling an arm and a leg for two new tires. Game on car. Let's see what you will do -or won't do- the rest of winter!

More on the way!
Sarah Marsh

Life & Times in 2013

TAKE CALCULATED RISKS.
THAT IS QUITE
DIFFERENT FROM BEING RASH.

On New Years Eve, I spent the evening with the dear and wonderful, Jenni. When I finished work in St. Paul at the shoe store (more on this later), I picked her up and we headed to my place to make the dish I have so wonderful procrastinated on, the green bean casserole I received ingredients for as part of my Secret Santa. When it had cooked and without eating it, we moved on to apparel. Our plans included the Beer and Pretzel Party: Dress to Impress. With my personal stylist on hand, Jenni concocted what I was to wear so ensure we went out in style. We headed out to pick up our dinner, chinese take-out and then headed back to Jenni's to enjoy it- not to mention celebrate our fortune resolutions!!  Afterwards, we headed to Hannah and Amanda's for the shindig.

As we walked into the party, only knowing Hannah and Amanda, I could have sworn we walked into the wrong apartment. The music was going, conversations were innumerable, and there were so. many. people. Finally Amanda emerged from the crowd directing us on where to go to put our coats. Talk about a blast. There was dancing, great music, conversation, not to mention the meet and greets with soo manyyyyyyy peopppple. At one point, Jenni had a Michael Jackson encounter. This required photographic evidence:

PHOTO SHOOT WITH MICHAEL. .

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Be jealous. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and could not thank Amanda and Hannah enough..

WITH OUR LOVELY HOSTESS', HANNAH AND AMANDA!

They provided a bit of a champagne fountain when it got closer to midnight. We counted down off of people's cell phone clocks, and rang in the new year with some of the world's best company! 

On New Years day, when I finally rolled out of bed, I went to Jenni's house to order more chinese take-out and to go see Perks of Being a Wallflower. I cannot wait to purchase the book, soundtrack, and movie- once it is released. This movie was wonderful and fascinating.

HANNAH BELTING IT FOR
LUNA AND THE SUNBROTHERS.

TAYLOR & ME LOVING
EVERY SECOND OF
SERENADING BY HANNAH.

I went to see Luna and the Sunbrothers peform at the coffee shop again, and the were of course marvelous. I'm really enjoying seeing Hannah so often, not to mention hearing her sing! The group is great, my offer still stands, if you want to join me- let me know! The coffee shop they perform at has recently gone under a name change. It was previously, Second Moon Coffee House. It is now called Precision Grind Coffee. It's located off of Franklin and 22nd, and they typically play every other Thursday (as in, this week, but not next, but then again on the following). Yes, they have this discussion every week and it is hilarious. :D They have great coffee, great art, and great sounds. If you're a fan of specialty drinks, straight up coffee, free WiFi, or jazz & blues, you should be there. As soon as possible. Let me know if you're interested in finding out more about them, or just visit their Facebook page!

Since it is the holidays and people are in the area that aren't always, a miniature London Reunion was in store. Adrian, Shannon and I live here now, and Taylor is home being on break from university. Taylor came up with a wonderful idea for an out-of-the-box activity and drinks: Sky Zone and Margaritas. Not at the same time, mind you.. that would be outrageous! We paid $8.00 for a half hour of jump time. Shannon and I were joking to Taylor that we should jump for an hour, we've got the time! Taylor kept insisting that she had done this before and we would understand when it got to that point. Sure enough. We had 12 minutes left to jump, and we were exhausted. It was such a great workout. Even a few days later now, my shoulders are aching horribly. When I stretch my arms out forward, the muscles between my shoulder blades feel like a telescope being opened, section by section. I cannot wait to go back!! After jumping, we headed to Taylor's for fantastic margaritas and catch-up time with Adrian, who unfortunately could not make it to the trampoline house.. Next time FOR SURE!

BIRKENSTOCK SOCKS. 

As you may have picked up on in the first sentence here, I have another job. This is another part time deal, looking to raise funds in my life. Here is the point in time where you say, "Of course you did."... I have a job at a shoe store called Shoesters. There are two locations in Minnesota, and two locations in Virginia. We specialize in foreign comfort shoes, some fashion shoes, and loads of Smart Wool clothing. I had to share this picture today. I organized all of the Smart Wool socks, and then moved on to fix the mess of several, maybe seven (?), boxes of unorganized Birkenstock socks. Here is the outcome: seven MORE boxes of ORGANIZED Birkenstock socks. Loveeeeee itttt! :)


A short note about a fun adventure.. On Sunday, Jenni and I headed to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to see the exhibit: China's Terracotta Warriors. It was fabulous. We arrived later than planned, around 10:45am only to find the MIA didn't open until 11:00am. Much to our surprise, there were somewhere around 100 people (or more, who knows!?) waiting in line ahead of us. Here is the moment Jenni reminds me, Sunday is the free, Target-sponsored day. Of course! We made our way into the atrium, happy to be warmer than the 1º F temperatures outside. This was the case, until MORE people came. It was tremendous, and everyone wanted to be out of the cold. Even the people standing outside.. who were holding the doors wide open. I'm leading off topic here... When they let us in, Jenni and I decided to start with the short documentary about the Terracotta Warriors. This video was immensely helpful, at least to me, as I have not studied or learned more about this since approximately Mr. Robert's 6th grade S.O.A.R. and history class. Yes, I know, shame on me. However, as soon as the first cycle of the video ended, the executive decision of getting in line for the exhibit was made. It maybe took a half hour for us to get in, but as we were heading through the exhibits, we heard employees saying the line had become so long that some people might not get through the exhibit today... WOW. I'm so glad we made it in.. not to mention snapped a couple photos to create the picture above. :)

Once again, I promise not to procrastinate on my blog posts again. It is entirely too difficult to remember details of events so far from the original fun!! Here is my resolution. At least two blogs a month. One for every trip I take, another for every crazy Minnesota-related adventure, and one to just let you know that life is swell and what crafts are in my head or cooking is being done in the kitchen. All of this needs work, and it's an adventure.. why not document it? It will be all the more fun to recount and revisit in days, weeks, months, and years to come.
Sarah Marsh

New Years!

Tonight held a little bit of reminiscing for me. I read through a few blogs from a year ago when I first started. I was recounting my enormous amount of anticipation for the fabulous trip I was taking to London in the summer and how excited I was to complete my final semester on campus at school. A year has come and gone, didn't it go by in a blink?

Each new year is like renewing your membership to something. You have a chance to evaluate how the last year went and what you want to change, work on, or challenge in the next year. You have every moment as opportunity to grow and develop further skills, make new friends and see new places. This year is the year of opportunity and ambition. Let's conquer these goals and make this year out-do the last. Game on.

To look back on this year's major events: I spent spring break in California with my best friend and family. I graduated from undergraduate university. For ten weeks, I lived in London. I visited Dublin (Ireland), Paris (France), Bangor (Wales), Kenilworth (UK), Brighton (UK), Cambridge (UK) and Brussels (Belgium). I spent about 36 hours in New York and half a week in Washington, DC. I bought a car. I got a job, in my field. I moved to Minneapolis. I spent a long weekend in Arizona. This year has been spectacular. Pictures and words do not even begin to describe how wonderful my experiences have been.

Here is an extra special thank you to all of my friends, family and other various forms of support networks. Thank you for encouraging me to be the best person I can be, to experience things that only happen once in a lifetime (if you're lucky), and supporting me through all my endeavors. It's because you are so awesome that I can attempt to live so fully. <3 I wish you the very best new years you've ever had.

Bring it on 2013. Let's get this party started.
Sarah Marsh

Holiday fun!!

Happy holidays!! I hope your festivities were as wonderful as mine! I was able to spend time with wonderful friends, fantastic family and loads of loved ones. I have had the opportunities to road trip, hang out with my kitty, catch up on the newest movies, and have many, many times to smile! :)

My oldest brother, Morgan, flew in on the Tuesday before Christmas and we all but painted the town red! I was lucky enough to get out of work early and pick him up from the airport myself!! He sent his winter jacket, jeans and fleece jacket up ahead of time.. typical southerner, not ready for the cold that awaits. Once I picked him up, we grabbed lunch for the two of us, and our brother, Andrew.

Trying to be the accommodating sister for my tourist brother, I planned out a few holiday-specific activities including seeing the Macy's elves, going ice skating, playing in the snow, and seeing the Holi-Dazzle Parade downtown. Guess how much of that we did? If you guessed none of it, you are correct. We spent more time catching up on odds and ends shopping and taking opportunities to catch up with family.

On Wednesday, I had been granted a day off because projects and tasks around the orchestra office were slow. I was so excited to spend the day with Morgan! We hit various places like Walmart, Target, IKEA, and a few local shops. It was such a blast getting to spend time one-on-one. I am not sure Morgan and I have had this opportunity to hang out since I was somewhere around the age of 13. Yikes. Talk about a need to catch up with your sibling! Just before dinner at Andrew & Mary Elizabeth's, Andrew and Morgan went on a run with The Running Room's runners club. I picked up the boys, we hit the liquor store and headed to the house. We spent the night with great beers and delicious chinese food. The boys took turns playing in a RBI Baseball tournament with one of Andrew & Mary Elizabeth's roommates. It was an absolute blast.

As for Thursday, I had a half day in the afternoon at work. In the morning, Morgan and I ran a few more errands, grabbed lunch, and while I went to work, he did some honey-do lists for my Aunt and Uncle. After work, I headed to happy hour with some work friends for the Secret Santa reveal! My Santa ended up being my supervisor, she had some of the best gifts! I received ingredients for green bean casserole  a musical scarf, Apples to Apples in a Can, Travel Pictionary, Travel Would You Rather, and a bag of Peanut M&Ms. Talk about spectacular!! After I headed home, I went to see my friend Hannah's band, Luna and the Sunbrothers, perform at their coffee shop. They played a number of Christmas/Holiday-themed music and it was (of course) wonderful. More people should come to see them perform! If you're interested in joining me, text me- email me- facebook me- tweet me- I'd be happy to have you along! :)

Friday began with work, all day at the orchestra. Unfortunately it was announced that morning that more concerts were to be cancelled due to the lock out- through February 10th. After work, I headed home to pick up Morgan and go out to dinner with some lovely people-- our cousins! Although not everyone could make it, due to my poor planning and bad, bad misunderstanding, it was a blast for the couple of us who did make it. It was Morgan, Tom & April, Caroline & Nic, and me. Four cousins and two spouses. We'll get our acts together one of these times and make it a full group! We ate dinner at Pizza Luce and had an evening full of laughter.

Saturday meant family!! My parents drove in from Wisconsin and Mary Elizabeth's mom flew in from South Carolina. We began setting up as though it was a proper Christmas! We had dinner at the Depot in St. Paul with our five, plus Mary Elizabeth and her mom, AND my Aunt and Uncle! I think the waitress thought we were nuts... On Sunday, we celebrated Christmas in many different ways. Four of us had a gift opening under the Christmas tree, and then joined with Andrew, Mary Elizabeth, and her mom, then with our cousin, Caroline with her husband and children, and our Aunt and Uncle for dinner at my Aunt and Uncle's house. A feast, presents, family, loads of love. It was Christmas.

The next morning, Christmas Eve, Morgan flew back to South Carolina while my parents and I drove to Wisconsin. I had a week and a half off from the orchestra, I figured I might as well spend some time at home with friends who only make it home for the holiday, my kittttttty, and hang time at my parent's house. Boy was it needed. I hope your holidays were full of love and cheer!
Sarah Marsh

Snow is Everywhere!!

THIS IS WHAT I WOKE UP TO
SUNDAY MORNING!

Last weekend, Minneapolis found itself in the first big snow of the season! I never heard the final count on how many inches, but from personal experience, it had to have been around 8 - 12 inches out there. Despite the crazy weather, I had a few appointments to keep!

MY CAR AT THE END OF THE NIGHT...

Recently I have been invited to stand up as a groomsmaid in my friends' wedding. I went to high school with both the bride and groom, and I am super excited to be included in the wedding party! My appointment to keep, no matter the weather, was at David's Bridal to try on dresses and see what would work the best! I brought my friend, Jenni, along for moral support and opinion. Afterwards, we had planned to do a number of shopping excursions for Christmas presents. I'll have you know we did all of the above and then some! By the end of the night, we dyed my hair too!!

This short and sweet little blog post is to share the few photographs I have from the big snow and the change in my hair color.. I couldn't help it. I am just so excited about it!!

BEFORE... 

...AFTER!

...AND A FEW DAYS LATER. I'M LOVING IT!!

Musical Musings in Minneapolis

As many of you may or may not know, I have a strong interest in music. In fact, the word 'strong' is probably a bit of an understatement there. I love music. My mom used to say that I have music where ever I go, with bells on my fingers and toes... what ever that saying is! I would have music blarring from my room, something going in the living room/kitchen and music on the TV or stereo in the basement. I just cannot get enough!! Naturally, moving to Minneapolis where stages, shows, concerts and artists are seldom hard to find.. I have begun an adventure of listening!

KNOTS ON A STRING

A few weeks ago, I went to a show at the Fine Line Music Cafe to see a friend of a friend's group, Knots on a String. The show was fantastic. No complaints. The group consists of five girls of various instruments and vocal talents. I loved it so much, I purchased a CD and have been playing it non-stop in my car. Seriously, you can ask my friend Jenni!! :) Check them out on Facebook here!

Towards the end of their sets, they had two girls join them having performed earlier in the evening. It was a great combination. I would highly recommend you check them out at their next event! Like them on Facebook so you can learn of their events in the Twin Cities area!

LUNA AND THE SUNBROTHERS

In the last couple of weeks, I went to see Luna and the Sunbrothers at the 2nd Moon Coffee Cafe. The way I came to learn about this specific event is kind of a funny, small-world story.. I was eating at Pizza Luce with a friend, we were finishing up our drinks and waiting to get the bill when two girls walked in. I turned to my friend and said, "I know her-- that second girl with the curly hair!" She joked something about how I know people everywhere I go... yadda yadda yadda ... but I said, "No! Really! I know her through a friend I worked with at UW- Stevens Point, she went to UW- River Falls!" So I sent a quick text to our mutual friend asking if he knew of her whereabouts and if she was in Minneapolis, to be sure that I didn't look crazy by talking to strangers (even though I do that often). Long story short.. I did speak to her, and she is the lead singer for Luna and the Sunbrothers, and ultimately invited us to the show the next evening. Minneapolis just got a heck of a lot smaller. Like them on Facebook here, too! They have another show coming up at the Fine Line Music Cafe next week, you should all be there to check the out!

CHARLIE AND JAKE

On this particular Friday night, I was not doing anything special. Until I received a few text messages from my friend Charlie. He said a friend of his was in the vocal ensemble that was performing out in Apple Valley at a church. I'll have you know, working in the Ticket Services Department for the Minnesota Orchestra, we don't just ticket for the Orchestra, we also do other smaller performing ensembles. With this knowledge, I asked Charlie if it was in fact a Vocal Essence concert at the Sheppard of the Valley Church.. and indeed it was!! We went to see their Welcome Christmas concert, I met his friend who sang with them and we had a great time. The group is quite prestigious and very well known in the Twin Cities. If you're looking for a prime concert, you should look into their next concerts in February, March and April. I would highly suggest ANY of them-- and not because when you call for a ticket, you might get me on the line... because they are actually a phenomenal vocal (and small orchestral) group! Philip Brunelle has done an exquisit job keeping this group to the high exemplary level they are at. *Sorry for not catching an accurate photo of the group, I'll just put Jake as their sole representative, and Charlie, congratulating him on a fantastic concert. Well deserved!

Bravo! As more musical opportunities come about, I'll share them in quick time. For now, all I can do is recommend what I know to be great! I'm so glad I am in a city so appreciative of the arts and what is around!
Sarah Marsh

A Weekend Dream

When someone tells you they are going from Minneapolis to Phoenix at this time of year, you can automatically assume they are snow-birds. This is a person who flies south to get out of the winter. Can you really blame them for doing such a smart thing? It makes you want to be like them and do the same. With that said, I am no snow-bird. I was merely spending a long weekend with family, friends and some stars from the USA Women’s National Soccer team. Yes, you read that correctly. Let me tell you more... 

On Saturday, I flew out of Minneapolis at the break of dawn. Need a more specific time? 4:00AM, my alarm went off and I was at the airport no later than 5:30AM. I am assuming the flight was great, considering I slept the entire way. I woke up as we were descending into Denver for what might have been the shortest layover of my life. My ticket said a half hour, I had about ten minutes to sprint to the next gate and arrived in time to board with zone three! Again, my flight to Phoenix must have been great, because I slept through it! I think this means I am getting too used to traveling. What are your thoughts? 

Upon arrival to Phoenix, I was greeted by my friend Bryce’s parents. Since I didn’t have checked luggage, we were able to leave right away! When we got back to their house, we waited a bit for Bryce to get back from work before we headed out for lunch. I knew I couldn’t go anywhere but Chick-fil-A! It has been my favorite fast food restaurant for quite some time! :) If you have not experienced one, please do so!! 

After lunch, Bryce’s Dad, Bryce and I made a stop to their storage unit to get a mattress for me to sleep on. We made the transition fast and easy with Bryce’s monumentally large truck (his truck fills the lane, and puts you up almost as high as the semi drivers)! As soon as I was settled, we headed out to a new outlet mall area and planned on walking around until dinner before THE GAME: US Womens National team vs. the Republic of Ireland. While shopping, I picked up a cheap pair of UnderArmour running tights- you can’t have enough right?

For dinner, Bryce and I headed to the Yard House to meet our friend, Josh, who was joining us for dinner and the soccer match. Little did we realize, Josh did not know it was a women’s game, or that the match was on during the Big10 Championship game (featuring Wisconsin and Nebraska {which is a big deal because all three of us are from WI}). By having dinner at this steakhouse/bar, we were able to catch the beginning of the football game, too. We were able to eat a delicious dinner, enjoy fantastic Beglium beers, not to mention the Half Yard (also know as a Yard Stick or Tall Boy). Our waiters name was Jason. If anyone reading this goes to the Yard House near the Cardinal's stadium, request Jason! After watching most of the first quarter of the football game, we walked to the stadium, unfortunately about 10 minutes late. We had missed first goal. Luckily for us, the ladies scored again in the first half. This game didn't see as much action as the previous game against the Republic of Ireland earlier this week when we won in a 5-0 shut out.  

JOSH

BRYCE

ME

ABBY WAMBACH (no. 14)

MEGAN RAPINOE (no. 15)

JOSH, ME, & BRYCE

When the game was over, we headed back to the Yard House to see the end of the Wisconsin vs. Nebraska (70 - 31 final) football game... and a few drinks. We requested to be in Jason's section, and boy was that a great idea. I went to the restroom while waiting on our appetizers. On my way back from the bathroom, a short-haired blond was sitting in the booth nearest the hallway. She waved. Naturally, I returned the favor with the same response. It wasn't until I was half way back to my table that I realized that was Megan Rapinoe. When I looked back, I realized Shannon Boxx was sitting with her, too. When I got back to the table to tell the boys about who I saw, Jason approached the table holding a permanent marker. Jason said, "So you guys went to the game, yeah?" We nodded. He continued, "And your favorite player is...?" I responded, "Abby Wambach, didn't you see my jersey?" He laughed and said, "That's why I think you'll be needing this. Your girls in the next section, sitting outside. I'll let you know when she has had her plate cleared. You wouldn't want to interrupt her." And he walked away, leaving the permanent marker on the table. I cannot tell you how uncool I was for the rest of the night. My excitement was just too much. 

I eventually made Bryce get up and go with me to see Megan Rapinoe. Lucky for us, she was getting drinks at the bar by the time we were headed in her direction. Not wanting to disturb or interrupt her conversation with Christie Rampone, I waited a bit longer. As soon as I had a moment, I tapped her on the shoulder, thanked her for a great game and asked for a signature on my left sleeve. I was so stinking excited!! Shortly after Bryce and I headed back to the table, Jason informed us that Abby was done eating. I made Josh come with me this time. He played it off so much cooler than I did.. we walked out to her table, he knelt down and shook her hand, thanking her for the great game today. And he asked her if she would sign my jersey (obviously, because I could not form comprehensible words). I knelt down, too, giving her my right shoulder to sign. She said, "Why don't you turn around, I'll put it on the number!" My jersey just went up exponentially in net-worth. You can bet I won't be wearing it often- let alone washing it ever! 

BRYCE & ME

JENNY & ME

After such an eventful night, we had no choice but to sleep in, enjoy a great home cooked breakfast, and a day full of (more) football games. This must be how the rockstars live.. Wow. I was still basking in glory from meeting two of my most esteemed idols. Once the football games were done and we had collectively outlasted our lazy day, Bryce and I headed to Cave Creek to meet my Uncle Chick, my cousin (driving from California) Jenny and her daughter Phoebe! We had a few drinks at my Uncle's house before heading to Sesame Inn for an oriental treat. It has been years since I last saw Chick, Jenny or Phoebe-- it was just wonderful to catch up (Shelby!! We really missed you!!). This time I even managed to have photographic evidence (my mom always hates it when I forget to photo-document a family get together, which, I have accidentally missed A LOT of opportunities this year)!!

JENNY, CHICK, BRYCE, ME, & PHOEBE

On Monday, Bryce had been called into work in the middle of the night to cover for a co-worker who fell ill. When he finished up with work mid-morning, we headed to the Musical Instrument Museum. I had heard loads about this place from family and friends, I knew I had to stop in. Bryce isn't the most instrumentally interested, so I wanted to be sure we had a good time. We started from the weirder, older instruments and worked our way through the United States & Canada exhibit; eventually ending with country, rock and roll, and famous artists/music from Arizona. Afterwards, we tried our hands in the Experiment Gallery, took a walk through the Mechanical Music Gallery and Artists Galleries. The museum is fantastic. I recommend everyone go! There was so much to see, and the few hours we spent there was hardly enough time to see it all!

After the museum, Bryce and I headed to Cafe Mimi to meet up with my Uncle Chick once more. It is so much fun catching up with family. I could do it all the time! After some coffee, lemonade and appetizers, Bryce and I headed to Oregano's to meet his parents. We had some delicious pizza-- some of the best-- before heading to the Phoenix Zoo to see the Zoolights!

LION

There was so much to see at the zoo! And hardly any animals! A number of the trees were wrapped in lights, which gave it a beautiful effect. These pictures hardly do it justice.

SNAKES!

In most areas, the real zoo animals were asleep, but there were plenty of lit animals near where they were to know what animals belonged where! 

DAVE & KIM

ME & BRYCE

On Tuesday I had every intention to get a run in with the nice weather (despite my knees), but I was so exhausted I took the morning to sleep in. Unfortunately, Bryce was called into work again, but it gave me a chance to start getting my things together for the trip home and snack on the greatest of great chocolate cupcakes his Mom made me for my birthday (THANKS KIM)!!!!

My flights weren't too bad, but not quite the breeze I had coming in. In the first few minutes at my gate, I had a number of ferocious sneezes, leaving my face leaking like one of those kleenex ads! My eyes were crying, my nose was running- and looking around, I knew no one was happy that I would be on their plane. After getting in on the courtesy checked-baggage, I went for Wendy's and some NyQuil (mind you, it was noon). I slept through the first flight with out a problem. Ran with my first seatmate and the two guys behind me to the next flight out of Denver.. And just as I was expecting to get some sleep on the second flight, I had an infant and her parents next to me. Instead, I tried my hardest to stay awake. I worked on editing some photos and the first half of this blog! Ta-Da!!

MONKEY-ING AROUND AT THE ZOO... 

At this point in time, I don't have any more surprise trips (or planned) trips. I'll alert you the moment that fact changes! Until next time..
Sarah Marsh