Category Archives: Jen

Post No. 850

Every 100 or so posts, I like to make a list of the most popular pictures on this blog.

Here is the list of the 10 most popular photos in the Artistic Gallery.


Outburst of the Soul
1. Outburst of the Soul


2. Self-Portrait


3. Jen Relaxing Between Sets

Grizzly McAlpine
4. Grizzly McAlpine


5. Rebecca – Senior Pictures


5. UnHingd Publicity Photo

Piano Ruins
7. Abandoned Piano – McCallsburg

Obama at Mike O'Brien's House
7. Obama

Obama at Mike O'Brien's House
7. Obama

Boone County Fair Photo Contest - 2008
Campanile Self-Portrait

06-11-08
7. Alexis – US 30 Flood

The 10 Most Popular Pictures in the Snapshots Gallery.


The Big Jesus Road Trip
1. Jesse and I with the World’s Largest Cheeto

The Big Jesus Road Trip
2. Jesse eats a Bob’s Dog

The Big Jesus Road Trip
3. Jesse and I at the Surf Ballroom

The Big Jesus Road Trip
4. Jesse Kissing the Blarney Stone in Emmetsburg

Shannon at Backbone State Park
5. Shannon reading map in Backbone

Eastern Iowa Road Trip - 2006
5. Jesse and I in Clinton

The Big Jesus Road Trip
5. Jesse in the Surf Ballroom

Bonne Finken
5. Jen and Shannon making a deal at a Bonne Finken Concert

Bonne Finken
5. Cousin Amy, Sara and Jen at a Bonne Finken Concert

Bonne Finken
5. Sara and Jen at a Bonne Finken Concert

Eastern Iowa Road Trip - 2006
Robert checking out the view in Balltown

If you want to see how this list has changed since the last time I posted it follow this link:



Number 750

I will check this out again in another 100 Journal Entries.

One other thing…

If you would like a Username and Password for either of the galleries, send me an email with what you would like your username and password to be, and I will get you set up.

Having an account to the Galleries allows you to Rate, Favorite and Comment on Pictures. Plus, it allows you access to the “Secret” Albums.

Memorial Day Weekend

I had a pretty awesome Memorial Day Weekend and saw all of the right people. Plus, my grill got quite the workout.

The weekend started with FNSC at my humble abode. The group core was there, plus Jesse and Dawn. Jesse, Willy and I hung by the fire pit until about 2 in the morning.

On Saturday morning I got up early to go to the bank with Mom and Teresa to sign some legal documents involving a safety deposit box.

After that exercise I hit up Salon 908 where I put up a new 20×30 picture in the salon to replace the one that had been sold. While you are waiting for a haircut at Salon 908 now you can stare admiringly at this picture:


Weekly Photo Challenge Plant Alternates

I also got a sheering. Now I look borderline presentable. Even though I declined the eyebrow waxing that was offered.

I went home to clean up the kitchen best that I could. I had a Chef coming over to use it that afternoon and while I know that he looks down on my pathetic assortment of kitchen utensils, I wanted the area to be clean while he made magic.

After the kitchen cleaning, I went to Reiman’s Music to take pictures of a white piano for that week’s RWPE.

Next was a trip down to Beaverdale to pick up Sara. Although the Sara pickup also involved taking out her old air conditioner and putting a new air conditioner in her house. This ended up being a more painful process than I wanted it to be, but despite having to remove a nest from her window sill, the air condition finally found its home in her window.

Then was Todd and Peggy’s wedding. They got married on a golf course in Pleasant Hill. It was an impressive affair that included a free round of miniature golf, a photo booth and fireworks.

After the wedding Sara and I went to a bridge overlooking 235 so that I could work on a Personal Photo Project that will be published on July 9. It was from this experience I learned that another criteria that I should look for in photo assistants is the ability to turn a blind eye if I want to do something that is slightly illegal or dangerous. Sara doesn’t like it when she perceives me to be in “danger”. Of course, I already knew this from Personal Photo Project No. 16.

After dropping Sara back off in Beaverdale and doing some final tweaks on her air conditioner installation I voyaged back to Boone. A trip that takes quite a bit longer now that the Highway 17 bridge over the Des Moines River is closed until August.

I was hoping to make it back to Boone to hit the tail end of Nate’s birthday bash at The South Side, marking my triumphant return to the Boone Bar scene for the first time since 2008. However, I pulled back into Boone at roughly 1:40 and decided that it wasn’t worth it to go for 5 minutes. So instead I returned home to the Clockwork Couch and watched the tele.

Shortly after I got home Nate and Bethany returned home. They were both staying with me for the weekend and we talked briefly before they both crashed.

I got up early on Sunday morning and went to church. After church I grilled out with Nate after he returned from a poor round of golf with his friend Ryan. Earlier in the morning I had inadvertently interrupted Ryan’s vomiting efforts. It must have been quite the party that I missed.

Tim had bought a Nate a birthday cake with Nate’s 3rd or 4th grade picture on it. Most of Nate’s picture remained, except Nate’s face. Apparently Ryan had eaten Nate’s face the night before. After we were done grilling, I had some of Nate’s cake.

Later Nate proclaimed that the chicken wings he had made in my kitchen on the previous day were the best that he had ever made. This was a bold proclamation. Just ask Corey Faust if you doubt the veracity of that statement. Nate is going to make these legendary wings next time I go to Minnesota. Looks like I might have to cash in on that when I go see The Swell Season at the end of July!!

After resting from the grill, Jill came over and picked me up. We hit Jen and Derrick’s for a barbecue. Derrick grilled up bratwurst with pineapple in them. It was decided that these brats tasted slightly breakfasty. Even though Webster doesn’t consider breakfasty to be a word. They were still tasty. Plus any chance to eat burgers made with Derrick’s super secret burger recipe is always a great time.

I got to watch the Gorshe Baby Ultrasound for the third time. I still have no clue about the sex of Baby Gorshe, but I enjoy watching the video nonetheless.

After a lengthy discussion about the greatness of Daniel Tosh, we left while Derrick napped on the loveseat.

The next morning I slept in until 9:30. That is a late morning for me, except on the occasional work day. Nate, Bethany and I grilled out for lunch. By this time, my grill was definitely entering the danger area that cause the fire during the 2009 Road Trip Planning Barbecue, but it made it through another meal without incident.

After the meal Nate and Bethany packed up and I burned Bethany a copy of Strict Joy for their car trip home.

I then grabbed my camera and took a few pictures.


Sorrow and Gladness - 2020

Sorrow and Gladness - 2020

Sorrow and Gladness - 2020

Whispering Beauty - 2010

Whispering Beauty - 2010

Whispering Beauty - 2010

Whispering Beauty - 2010

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend

After taking pictures I went to the cemetery. At the cemetery I ran into Carla. We walked around the cemetery for about an hour. Then I went home and prepared the house for an impromptu family barbecue.

I didn’t clean the grill, but it did manage to make it through yet one more meal without erupting into flames. I should clean that at some point.

After the family went home I rested on the Clockwork Couch and watched Wooden Shoes. A movie made my a fellow computer miner by the name of Scotland Thompson. If you want a review of the movie, too bad, but I will loan my copy out.

I would like to report to interested parties that do not know yet…

Willy did finish his 100 Mile Race this past weekend.

Willy knocked out 100 miles in La Grange, Wisconsin as part of the weekend of Kettle 100 Endurance Runs.

He ran 100 miles in an official time of 28 hours 24 minutes 29 seconds.

I know, pretty insane!

A Small, Intimate Gathering

I had my, what could theoretically become, annual Birthday Barbecue on Saturday.  I would like to thank all of the people that attended and made the evening special:

  • Bardole, Shannon
  • Bennett, Charlotte
  • Cousin, Amy
  • Daniel, Jeffrey
  • Degeneffe, Austin
  • Degeneffe, Melissa
  • Degeneffe, Scott
  • Dill, Colby
  • Dill, Dan
  • Dill, DJ
  • Gorshe, Derrick
  • Gorshe, Jen
  • Henning, Monica
  • Howard, Jesse
  • Howard, Kalista
  • Howard, Kelly
  • Howard, Saydie
  • Howard, Taylan
  • Hugen, Todd
  • Janson, Jay
  • Jauhari, Andree
  • Jenson, Terra
  • Johnstone, Jack
  • Johnstone, Jason
  • Junck, Sara
  • Kahler, Logan
  • Kahler, Russ
  • Kewer, Jeff
  • Krause, Dawn
  • McAlpine, Willy
  • Nitchals, Peggy
  • Parsaei, Nader
  • Perkovich, Becky
  • Roberts, Lori
  • Roberts, Steve
  • Runestad, Anders
  • Stensland, Carla
  • Stensland, Johnathan
  • Wever, Ada
  • Wever, Amanda
  • Wever, Greg
  • Yin, Amy

Next year, I will move the barbecue back to its traditional spot of the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.  Feel free to circle the date May 28 on your 2011 calendar that you have yet to purchase. It will perhaps be an even smaller and more intimate gathering.  I might start instituting a survivor type invitation policy similar to the fashion of invites that Jay uses for Symposium.

Special thanks need to be extended to the following people:

Sara for taking the pictures for the invitations.

Sara for providing the s’mores goodies.

Jay for making three desserts: chocolate raspberry cookies, key lime bars and apple crisp.

Steve for providing homemade salsa and chips.

Becky for making a pasta salad.

Scott and Melissa for bringing a banana creme pie.

Shannon for baking a fresh rhubarb pie with rhubarb picked from my personal rhubarb patch.

Johnathan for bringing over cornhole.

Logan and Russ for running the grill.

Mom for baking a cake and creating a watermelon fruit thing.

Derrick for being the fire-starter.

Andree for being the best dressed person at the party.

Shannon for opening the party.

Willy for closing the party.

There isn’t any photographic evidence to support that this party existed. I was too busy to touch a camera and Sara didn’t take any pictures this year. Maybe next year I will add “Party Photographer” to the list of Staff positions for this shindig.

If you wish to be hired for this position (no pay, no benefits, possibly a STAFF t-shirt*) simply send the answer to the following question to bennett@photography139.com:

Why would I make an awesome Party Photographer?

I suppose I should start planning Friendsmas now. It can wait a couple of months.

*That is not a joke. There will be staff t-shirts next year.

Vacation Day 8 – The Cinema

I woke up on Saturday morning and decided today was a good day to do yard work. I don’t normally reward myself because just being me is quite its own reward, but I knew that I wanted to work up an extremely healthy appetite for the night’s dining. I was going to The Open Flame with Derrick, Jen, Sara and Cousin Amy.

I’m not a person that embarrasses easy. It is the residue of not really caring all that much what other people think. However, there are a couple things that do embarrass me.

One of the many reasons that I enjoy dining with Derrick is that I know that he will not commit a dining faux pas that will leave me having to make apologies for being seen with the chap. He doesn’t order his steak well done. He doesn’t order boneless wings.*

I was looking forward to grilling a steak rare-medium rare while standing next to a man doing the same thing. After having a healthy portion of The Open Flame’s legendary appetizer Sampler Platter. We’re talking about almost a foot tall of onion rings, potato skins, cheese balls and mushrooms!

Before I could even make it out my door to start on yardwork, my Mom and Grandma pulled into the driveway and headed to my backyard for the year’s first rhubarb harvest.


Vacation Day 9A - Some Color

Vacation Day 9A - Some Color

Vacation Day 9A - Some Color

Vacation Day 9A - Some Color


I don’t want to bore you with too many details of working in the yard. The short version is that I trimmed back the raspberry bushes and removed a few bushes. I might have mowed and run the weed whacker. But the biggest accomplishment really was removing the bushes. I’m particularly glad to be rid of some bushes that were taking up valuable real estate around the gate by my garage.

In between bushes I got a text from Jill wanting to know if I had seen the ultrasound pictures yet. I had not. She told me that she thinks that Baby Gorshe is a boy. I told her I would get back to her after I had watched the video.

After I concluded my yardwork I showered up and headed to the Gorshes.

I looked at the photos. We watched the 11 minute video. It was both in 2D and 3D. I weighed all of the information and came to the conclusion that I have NO CLUE about the sex of Baby Gorshe. Jen did tell me that most people seem to think that Baby Gorshe is a girl, but the more that Jen watches the video the more she is inclined to think that maybe it is a boy. I guess we’ll find out in September.

The Open Flame is as awesome as I remembered it. I can’t quite figure out why I only make it there every few years. This is a flaw in my life that I shall remedy in the future.

The meal was awesome and the conversation was 95% baby. Except for a part where I think I regrettably offended Cousin Amy by referring to The Black Crowes as has-beens. The truth is that I would go see The Black Crowes in concert for like 15 bucks, but not 50.

Although in fairness, there are very few bands I would pay 50 bucks to see.

    UnHingd
    The Swell Season
    The Foo Fighters
    Brandi Carlile
    Building 429
    Butthole Surfers
    Eric Clapton
    Norah Jones
    Pearl Jam
    Pink Floyd
    Red Hot Chili Peppers
    She and Him
    Tom Petty
    Jeremy Camp
    Tristan Prettyman
    Shannon Curfman
    Wynton Marsalis
    The Smiths (If they ever reunited)

Everybody else that I would pay that much money to see is dead.

Either way, after the meal I was way too full. I considered the possibility that I wouldn’t be able to eat at all on my last day of vacation.

*I admittedly will give a pass to most women in my life for ordering boneless wings because let’s face it, women don’t know anything about chicken wings.

Vacation Day 7 – Couch Time

When I originally was planning my vacation I had set aside this day to make a road trip. I didn’t know where I wanted to go for sure, but I knew that a trip to Wilton and their old timey ice cream parlor was definitely on the list.

I had spent some time with a fellow computer miner and member of the Broken Furnace Support Group Micky in discussing places near Wilton. I had given some thought to visiting a mint shop in Deep River. A really big frying pan in Brandon. I was also thinking about visiting Muscatine to see the Button Factory Museum and the Button Factory Restaurant that was highly endorsed by Micky.

However, after spending an extra day in Minnesota and driving close to 800 miles in those 3 days, plus spending only about 30 minutes of waking time at home on Thursday I decided to just become reacquainted with my buddy the Clockwork Couch.

I vowed not to leave my house until Friday Night Supper Club.

For the most part, I made good on my vow. I sat on my couch and caught up An Artist’s Notebook. I sent Jen a text message wishing her a “Happy Ultrasound Day”. I texted Jill some frog pictures from a Personal Photo Project that will get published in about 3 weeks.

But mostly I tried to reduce myself to a vegetative state while watching movies. It must have worked, because the only movie I can remember watching for sure is Unforgiven. I realize now that I should have made it a western day. Backing it up with The Ox-Bow Incident, Once Upon a Time in the West and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

However, I was only able to sit and do nothing for so long. So I contacted Mercury AKA The Salmon AKA The Dance Machine AKA The Ex-Lone Wolf AKA Willy to see if I could photograph him running.

A deal was brokered and I followed him around McHose Park (in a car) while he ran. I will publish those pictures in 5 weeks, but I will publish some of the other pictures I got while hanging around the best city park in the state.

You should be warned that one of these pictures is brutally frank in its portrayal of the biological function of sex. I suppose that it could be described as pornographic.

Ye be warned!


Linden

Vacation Day 7 - Couch Time

Vacation Day 7 - Couch Time

Vacation Day 7 - Couch Time

Vacation Day 7 - Couch Time

Vacation Day 7 - Couch Time

Vacation Day 7 - Couch Time

Vacation Day 7 - Couch Time

Vacation Day 7 - Couch Time

After our trip to McHose I went home and cleaned up for FNSC. While I was getting ready I got a text from Jen.

“Happy ultra sound day! Everything looks perfect! Don’t know if it is a boy or a girl… It’ll be a surprise.”

That was awesome news!

With news like that it was time to go and cap off a pretty lazy day with a great FNSC.

RWPE #18 – Wild

Here are the submissions for last week’s theme – WILD:


IMAGE LOST
Dawn Krause A

IMAGE LOST
Dawn Krause B


Michael Vest of Waxen Media

WEEK 18 - WILD - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

IMAGE LOST
Carla Stensland

IMAGE LOST
Julie Johnson of The Joy is in the Journey

There were a couple of late submissions for FEET. They can be seen on the FEET post:


FEET

The Random Theme Generator has been generating and this morning it spit out the following theme:

LEADING LINES

The best definition of LEADING LINES is a photo with very strong lines in the composition that lead the viewers eyes through the photograph. A simple example would be almost any picture of railroad tracks or of a highway. A viewer will naturally follow lines through a photography, so it is a powerful compositional tool to put your subject at the end of lines.

Below are a couple of examples of LEADING LINES:


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

Wild Goose Chase

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

ACTORS

Des Moines Regatta - 2009

Remember, the lines don’t have to be straight. An “S” Curve in an image is a very powerful compositional tool. Of course, as always, no reason to be too literal with the theme.

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16

This is the first Personal Photo Project of the Week where I didn’t actually take the pictures. I just designed them. Sara was kind enough to take time off from her studies to come up and take these pictures that graced my birthday barbecue invitations.

These pictures are not presented in order of personal preference, but simply in the order that they were taken.


Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Alpha

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Beta

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Gamma

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Delta

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Epsilon

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Zeta

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Eta

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Iota

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Kappa

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Lambda

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Mu

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Nu

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Xi

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Omnicron

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 16
Done Got Old Pi

The theme for the invites this year came from an old blues song originally recorded by Junior Kimbrough, (I think) but was introduced to me by Buddy Guy on his album Sweet Tea. An album that I believe might have been a gift from a Sam Goody employee.

I’m not going to pretend that the song is a masterwork, but you never know where you will find inspiration.

Done Got Old

Well, I done got old,
Can’t do the things I used to
‘Cause I’m an old man

Well, I done got old,
Well, I done got old,
I can’t do the things I used to do
“Cause I done got old,

Remember the day, baby
That done passed and gone
When I could love you
Most all night long

But now things gone changed
And I done got old
I can’t do the things I used to do
‘Cause I’m an old man

I can’t look like I used to
I can’t walk like I used to
I can’t love like I used to,

And now things gone changed
When I done got old
I can’t do the things I used to do
Because I’m an old man

And I’m an old man
I’m an old man
I’m an old man
And I’m not the same
I’m a very old man

In addition to Sara taking the pictures I should thank her for loaning me the prop cane. Derrick was also instrumental (bad pun intended) in loaning me the unstringed, left handed guitar with real bullet holes.

After the photo shoot, Sara and I met up with Jen and Derrick and went to Wallaby’s for celebratory fried mushrooms. Something that I like to think is a tradition for us.

To answer two surprisingly common questions:

1. Yes, the white shoes were intentional. A lot of people have a problem getting their head around the white shoes, but believe me they were very intentional. Even Sara had a little difficulty with them. Her first few pictures she tried to shoot around them until I told her that they should be in the picture.
2. My favorite pictures are Alpha and Mu.

I ordered something like 75 prints and since I only have about 10 friends and I don’t have much use for pictures of me, if you show up to the barbecue and want an additional picture of Blind Dog Bennett, that might be arranged.

One last sidenote, the guitar is destined to be turned into a clock, but if it doesn’t become a timepiece, Derrick is going to set it on fire and smash it. After all, that is what Derrick likes to do.

Vacation Day 3 – Guinea Pig Denial

I woke up early on Monday morning. I’m not sure if it was the excitement of the forthcoming trip or if the rumors of Greg McDermott’s departure were so exciting to me that I was like a little kid on Christmas anxiously awaiting the chance to rip the wrapping paper off of his new Omega Supreme!

As I prepared for the trip (as much as I always wish that I was a night before packer – I am definitely a 15 minutes before leaving packer) I listened to the local sports talking heads Deace and Miller discuss McDermott’s departure to Creighton. Only they weren’t using words like “potential” or “possible”.  They were talking about his departure as being a done deal.

I always liked McDermott.  I hoped that he was going to get it done. While almost all of my other Cyclone friends had left the McDermott sinking ship, I was certain that this past year was going to be his season. He had two future NBA players on his roster. A capable veteran point guard. A pair of sharpshooters. A serviceable center. A bench full of athletic underclassmen.

However, it all went downhill very fast. I remember the moment that I knew that McDermott wasn’t going to get it done. 

Jill and I had went over to Derrick and Jen’s to watch a movie.  Derrick had called me earlier in the day to make sure that we were a “unified front” on being able to watch the Cyclones demolish Northwestern before we watched a movie. Of course we were a unified front!

The only problem was that Iowa State didn’t demolish Northwestern.  In fact, they lost to a Northwestern team that was missing one of its best players.

This was a bad sign.

True many Floyd and Eustachy teams were terrible in the early part of the season, only to cohese and become a dominant force down the stretch.  After all, the Elite Eight team lost to a bad Drake team.

Only one of the warning signs that McDermott was in over his head at ISU was the disturbing fact that his teams did not become better as the season went along. In fact, they seemed to get worse.

Even though my head knew that this highly touted team was going nowhere fast, I think my heart forced my mouth to utter the phrase “wake-up call”.  Only this wasn’t a “wake-up call” for them. It was a wake-up call for me. 

The season went downhill fast. A loss at home to UNI. Barely beating Iowa’s intramural team. Barely beating Houston. Lucca leaving in the middle of the season. 4 conference wins.

Then moments after the season was over, Brackins goes pro. Buckley and Hamilton transfer. The NCAA punish Iowa State for being Iowa State and doesn’t grant Gilstrap another year of eligibility.

It seemed like there was blood in the water. The only question was how would Pollard come up with 2.5 million dollars to payoff McDermott?

Only instead of dropping the axe on McDermott like he did on Wayne Morgan (despite Wayne Morgan having 3 straight winning seasons) Pollard gave McDermott a vote of confidence.

Then a month went by and it got weird. Two assistant coaches left. Colvin left. Pollard sent out two enigmatic letters. One to a kid telling him that he understood his concerns about the direction of the ISU basketball team, but his records indicated that the kid didn’t donate money to the athletic department, so bugger off.  Then another letter where he blamed McDermott’s inability to keep players (including a finalist for Player of the Year honors that played for Syracuse this year – yeah that hurt to watch) not on McDermott, but on this generation of worthless kids. He started the letter by throwing Fennelly under the bus and ended it with some very fuzzy math.  He tried to make the argument that kids transferring is an epidemic, but if you actually do the math with the numbers he provides, the average Division 1 school lost .5 kids to transfer in the last two years. Iowa State has lost 6. Now 7 with the transfer of Boozer.

Then Christmas came. Oregon hired Dana Altman. Creighton wanted Greg McDermott to replace him!

Not only was Iowa State not going to continue its long descent into irrelevance, it wasn’t going to cost us 2.5 million to go in a new direction. In fact, Creighton is going to have to pay us $800,000 for the right to take our problem off of our hands.

The only problem was that I wasn’t going to be in the state to hear the news. I was going to be in Minnesota.

However, I’m a problem solver. After I gassed up the car and picked up some needed supplies for the trip (two bottles of water, a bag of beef jerky and two Whatchamacallits) I texted Baier, Jesse and Schmidt and asked them to let me know when it had become official that McDermott was heading to Nebraska! Then I hit the open road.

I arrived in Eagan at about 11:30. Nate was the only one home and awake.

I had assigned Nate the task of finding us interesting places to eat at during my two day stay in Minnesota.  He handed me a magazine with reviews of numerous Twin City restaurants. However, he noted that Bethany strongly favored eating at Chino Latino.

I found the review of Chino Latino. The review stated that Chino Latino served guinea pig!  I was in.

After deciding on the dining option for that evening we piled into the car and head to Five Guys for lunch.  We had a little bit of difficulty finding it, but when we did finally locate it, it was worth it.

Five Guys is a burger joint.  The menu is simple and the food is tasty. I will definitely be going back.


Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
They serve fresh cut potato fries. They put them in a cup, but they also fill the bottom of your bag with more fries.

Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
A “hot mess” but in a good way, not in the Edie Sedgwick way.

Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
It is usually busy enough that they serve you free peanuts while you wait in line.

Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
They also let you know where your potatoes came from.

Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
Simple menu and you get to add whatever toppings that you want!

Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
Bags of Potatoes


Even though we were stuffed, Nate suggested that we visit a White Castle. I’ve always heard that their food is nasty, but I’ve never eaten at a White Castle and I’ve always wanted to try it.

To give our stomach time to process the goodness of Five Guys we headed from Edina to Apple Valley so that Nate could pickup and deposit his paycheck.

Nate banks where Bethany works, so I got to speak with her briefly. When her co-worker wasn’t butting in to tell me about his brother-in-law that used to play football for Iowa State. Only he can’t remember his name, but he rushed for 438 yards in one game. Some people you just have to let speak.

Next stop White Castle!


Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
White Castle

Our sojourn to White Castle wasn’t adventurous and nobody would make a movie about it. We each ordered two sliders.

The hype about White Castle was dead-on! The food is absolutely dreadful. I can’t believe this place stays in business.

We took the rest of the day to rest before Chino Latino.

Jesse called and gave me the fantastic news that it was official. Creighton had given our basketball program the gift of a fresh, new beginning!

Nate called Chino Latino and made a reservation, but found out the sad news that in order to get the guinea pig, Cuy, you had to order it 48 hours in advance.

DENIED!

Luckily Jill was sort of able to provide some recommendations to me. Sort of.

Later in the night Bethany came home and we went over to her significant other’s house to meet up before going to Uptown.

While we were waiting for some people to get ready, Bill called to ask if Creighton had really hired McDermott.

“Yes.”

“Do they know that he had 4 straight losing seasons at Iowa State despite having the greatest homecourt advantage in the nation?”

“They don’t make them very smart in Nebraska.”

“True that.”

7 of us met up at Chino Latino. Beth, John, Becca, Nate, John’s friend Ben and Bethany’s co-worker “V”.

Chino Latino serves equatorial food. That means that the food comes from countries that are on the equator.




Nate really wants to order Fidel’s Capitalist Pig Roast at some point. Which is a teenage pig, if you are the type of person that needs labels.

The food was excellent. Once I saw the $45 price tag, I didn’t feel so bad about the guinea pig denial.

I rode back to Eagan with Becca so that I could see her new car and the cowboy joint where she currently works.


Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
Near Chino Latino

Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
Becca’s Favorite Store

Vacation Day 3 - Guinea Pig
This is kind of how it feels to be riding around with Becca.


Day 3 of vacation was an excellent day by almost all tangible measurement.