Yesterday was my 27th wedding anniversary!
Tom had made dinner reservations at a nearby gourmet spot--Vie in Western Springs--and we were both eagerly anticipating that. Since I worked a half day, we decided to go to the movies in the afternoon to see "Julie & Julia". While I'm not familiar with the former character (the present-day blogger/writer), I had just finished reading Julia Child's My Life in France, loved it, and was curious about the film. So off we went, intending to go to the York Theater in Elmhurst. But, as is typical for us, we somehow took the wrong road (even though we've lived in the area for over 20 years) and ended up in Rosemont at the enormous and gaudy Muvico theater. Think Vegas plopped amid a soul-less office building complex. It was weird! We dashed through the pelting rain and made it to the film, missing the first 10 minutes or so. Phew! The movie was a joy--perfectly cast, funny, poignant. We made it back home without further road incidents and headed out for our big night out.
Vie was incredible. The restaurant was pretty and sleek (and unexpectedly big--I kept stumbling on new rooms); the service was smooth; the food was unbelievably good. I'm sure it helped that one of our daughter's friends, a culinary student, is interning in the kitchen and kept sending out little treats for us. It was La Grande Bouffe and Big Night combined! And I can here testify that I had foie gras for the first time in my life and it was delicious. I also had an incredible beet salad, pork loin, halibut, and a homemade lemon verbena ice cream. My limited powers of description can't do justice to this meal; it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Everyone should save their pennies and visit Vie for a special occasion dinner!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Do do do what you done done done....
It's been awhile since my last post, no doubt because my workplace is done with our "techplay" session (so now is it "techwork"??) and I haven't had time at work to post! But since the last post, I have been duly graduated from library school! I am now a card-carrying librarian; an MSLIS (Master of Science in Library and Information Science); an alumna of the University of Illinois GSLIS Program (thankfully, NOT implicated in the latest Clout U Scandal----trust me, NObody wrote a letter or made a phone call on MY behalf!) Anyway, the degree itself arrived by mail a mere 3 months after my "official" graduation----now THAT'S efficiency for ya!
BUT--I'm out, and that's what counts. I did not go to campus for the graduation ceremony; I participated "virtually" via computer. I felt this was appropriate because 1) this was a mostly online program and 2) I was too cheap to get a hotel room and/or park in Urbana to graduate with 10,000 of my closest friends. Plus, I was able to hear my name read out loud & simultaneously drink champagne while wearing my daughter's (appropriately blue) mortar board! How many grads can say all THAT?? My workplace also gave a charming grad party for me and 3 graduating co-workers (2 from high school and 1 from college) which made me feel like some kind of Elder Stateswoman or something. Plus there was ice cream; what's not to like?
I was able to attend the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago this summer (on my own dime, though my employer generously paid for food & parking), which was fun. I saw cronies from grad school, attended some interesting and useful (and some not-so) sessions, and got a lot of fun SWAG to bring back to the library. (I kept the pre-pub latest Lorrie Moore for my husband as well as 2 llama finger puppets; I cannot explain the latter. I just had to have them!) So I suppose I'm no longer "Proto Librarian"--- but "Posto" sounds weird and its semi-logical follower "Postal" sounds even worse, though considering we just finished Summer Reading, perhaps it's not far off! :D J/K, as the youngsters say (just kidding); I actually love Summer Reading & consider myself the Queen of M & M Bingo. August will no doubt be Dullsville in comparison. But before we know it, school will start (thankfully, NOT for me!) and we'll be back in the groove. Is change good? I don't know. Change is just....change!
BUT--I'm out, and that's what counts. I did not go to campus for the graduation ceremony; I participated "virtually" via computer. I felt this was appropriate because 1) this was a mostly online program and 2) I was too cheap to get a hotel room and/or park in Urbana to graduate with 10,000 of my closest friends. Plus, I was able to hear my name read out loud & simultaneously drink champagne while wearing my daughter's (appropriately blue) mortar board! How many grads can say all THAT?? My workplace also gave a charming grad party for me and 3 graduating co-workers (2 from high school and 1 from college) which made me feel like some kind of Elder Stateswoman or something. Plus there was ice cream; what's not to like?
I was able to attend the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago this summer (on my own dime, though my employer generously paid for food & parking), which was fun. I saw cronies from grad school, attended some interesting and useful (and some not-so) sessions, and got a lot of fun SWAG to bring back to the library. (I kept the pre-pub latest Lorrie Moore for my husband as well as 2 llama finger puppets; I cannot explain the latter. I just had to have them!) So I suppose I'm no longer "Proto Librarian"--- but "Posto" sounds weird and its semi-logical follower "Postal" sounds even worse, though considering we just finished Summer Reading, perhaps it's not far off! :D J/K, as the youngsters say (just kidding); I actually love Summer Reading & consider myself the Queen of M & M Bingo. August will no doubt be Dullsville in comparison. But before we know it, school will start (thankfully, NOT for me!) and we'll be back in the groove. Is change good? I don't know. Change is just....change!
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