The Brits take over Chi-town!

Blonde Jo and Blonde Claire came for a wee Holiday to Chi-town and we had the best week and it was so lush having them to stay. They loved the roof top and we made the most of it, having dinner, drinks and sunbathing lots up there.

The weather was a bit crazy at times, and one day it was scorching, so we hit the beach all day, the next day I think we had a mini tornado and Jo Jo wanted to go Tornado chasing!

We had lunch at Ralph Lauren with bubbles - loved being ladies that lunch! We had mani-pedi's - which was hilarious. Jo and I were so busy chatting the girl scrubbing the badger claws asked what language we were speaking - and she was positive it was Spanish.....errrr no love, Bristolian I think you mean!

Jo did feel slightly violated by her first pedicure...glad it wasn't just me that found it creepy when they start massaging your shoulders!

We did a boat trip (yes just looking at buildings) ate giant ice creams and had cocktails up the Hancock tower which was lush (and one of the best views of the city) Shame the couple practically having sex on their table were right in our eye line!

We also went to a Cubs match and the girls loved it and the Cubs won - whoop! They got hats and t-shirts and giant foam hand (we were the only people in the stadium to have such a thing, but they wanted to go all out!) We saw people with mullets and eating nachos that looked like someone had thrown up in a bucket. It's all about the toxic cheese....yummmmm!

And this picture I just had to post and we saw it as we taking a stroll and this is seriously someone's number plate....it's just not right!

Miss the girls already and I can't wait to see them in August...I wonder if another wedding will be on the cards soon.....Sorry Mendez!

Dust's Birthday

Dust's Birthday weekend involved....karaoke at Trader Todds - funniest bar with a beach concept and a shower curtain as a toilet door! We didn't get to sing (there were 27 songs infront of us) but we did get to go on a boat in the bar and I Smirnoff Iced Dust royally!

This photo just makes me giggle!

Such a funny evening...thanks our Dust. Although that shot-ski was pure agony....

England...2 kegs, flip cup, plastic cheese and a whistle

So Saturday was the big game the world cup opener - England V's The US of A and Suze and I decided to have a bit of a world cup themed party. On the Friday, we were in party prep mode...making home made burger, pasta salad and planting plants for our roof deck...we were like Desperate Housewives, just without the picket fence.

On Saturday morning we were up early doors as it was the start of our marathon training. We ran 6 miles at 6.30am and then home to shower, change and get on the footy attire.

The kegs were delivered (2 giant barrels of beer) - the grill was fired up and everyone arrived in time for the big game. It was a brilliant day and despite the absolutely rubbish performance, we all had a great time. We had England V's USA at Flip Cup (unfortunately the Brits lost, but then we are novices and it was only my third competitive game...I've now improved muchly!) We had bags on the roof, dancing, cheese throwing (thanks Kwiec) plant hugging (thanks Kwiec) and pouring beer into people's mouths from the top roof to the second balcony - pure genius Jake and Alex!

Some of the party had red and yellow cards so we could card people for bad behaviour. Yellow card and you had to down your drink, sending off resulted in a shot - mainly vodka tea in a teacup. Oh and of course there was 'You've been iced' - Brits for those that don't know about this - check it out on Youtube...best game ever and I got iced in a friggin saucepan!

We even had a few yankee doodles in England tops! Nice work Lindsay!

My new party trick now appears to be trying to get into my suitcase. And you are probably wondering why we have a suitcase on the roof.

Well this isn't a normal American thing (I promise) but for some reason we borrowed a table with 3 legs and so some clever sod's idea was to use my suitcase as the fourth leg. Well after a few beers I think Sara and Dust said to try climbing into the suitcase...and being me I did exactly that. I'm determined to fit in and travel somewhere...

And this is Jake pouring beer into Alex's mouth! BRrrrrrrrrilliant!

Birthday weekend….bingo bongo

My Birthday weekend in Chi-town was aces and thanks to all those that made it so so special – you really are a bloody brilliant bunch. The festivities started on the Thursday night with Ferrick’s Birthday. We went to this great place called the Violet Hour which is a bar set in the prohibition times. There’s a hidden door in a big green wall – no signage and you have to knock to be let in (a bit like the Caz Bar on the Cowley Road in Oxford). You then go through a curtain into an uber cool bar. Here the girls and I had a few cocktails, followed by a couple more drinks and then I joined the softball lot for a cheeky drink….which turned errrrr messy.

Friday’s fun included some driving range action (I hit them ok….my friend, errrr not so much….sorry Joe!) and then off to the hairdressers to try and look remotely nice for the big night out.


Now for the Brits among us, the Blackhawks (Ice Hockey Team) are in the final of the Stanley Cup, which is a really big deal. The final consists of 7 games and who ever wins the best of, wins the cup. So Friday was game 4 and Chicago was buzzing. So we changed the plans slightly to engineer watch the Hawks and went to Piece in Wicker Park to watch the game and it was brilliant. The bar ended up giving us the pit and we had a giant screen to watch the match – Suzy and Dust got me a Hawks t-shirt which I love – so I wore that for the night. (Unfortunately the Hawks lost that game - but it’s not over until the fat lady sings).

We then ended up at a bar called Innjoy where there were slippery nipples, dancing, shoulder snogging (not me I hasten to add) drinks being spilt into poor boys laps and just general chaos – it was much fun. On the way home, our neighbours in our building were having a party, so we called in to consume a bit more wine (because clearly you can never have too much wine). I don’t remember a lot of that party but Suzy reckons there was a man swimming in goggles….I wish I could have seen that!

On Saturday – the Birthday marathon continued in true Carpenter fashion and Suzy and Dusty and I had Birthday breakfast. I then skyped the family and we had Internet present opening (man skype really is the best thing ever) – the only down side being that you could blatantly tell if I didn’t like a present (sorry Mum!) But Ads (my mum) excelled herself this year – two lovely tops from old Ted – so I was so happy as I do miss Ted – jewellery and an England whistle! And C-bass and Simon got me the best England Shirt ever ready for the big game next week. Suze also got me spaghetti hoops ready for spagehetti hoops on toast with HP sauce – I’m so excited.

After that Suze and I had a bumble and had our nails done, had a cheeky mimosa and then we all went off to Alex and Lindsay's BBQ just down the road. They’ve just moved in together so it was a celebratory BBQ (with little birthday cup cakes, that were delicious!) AND It was an absolutely RIOT! There were so many games but highlights we’re ‘You’ve Been Iced’ (which unfortunately I did within about 2 minutes of arriving) flip cup, slapping the sack, dance offs, knee slides, crunk, shower curtains being pulled down by mistake). Hilarious.

Sunday Funday then involved softball – which was fun. We lost 9-10 but had a good come back in the last couple of innings. A few beers in the pub (and a fish bowl…don’t ask!) then a game of bags (another great game) and a cheeky beer and then off to Schoolyard to watch the Hawks and YESSSSS it was a bloody brilliant game and we totally won. So know it’s all down to Wednesday’s game and I’m in California, which I’m excited about, but I did also want to be in Chi for the Hockey.

Bring on the trophy….it you like a lot of trophies in your cabinet join our club (sang to the theme tune of the Club chocolate bar advert…for those in the know!)

Kitchen / Bathroom – what all good apartments should have….

I just had to post this picture and some of you will have heard of the Kitchen / Bathroom Apartment story from back in October last year, when I first got the job offer in Chi-town.....

Well I was bumbling down the road the other day and realised that this is the outside of the apartment that Suzy and I viewed before we found our place that made us roar….when we were shown it had a Kitchen / Bathroom – so I could be cooking and Suzy could have a cheeky crap while she waited.

Seriously, and stupid Bret (Bret…Jermaine) the estate agent thought we liked the apartment and kept on asking if we had any more questions and if we wanted to move in. I know I’m a fan of poo stories, but errrrrrr Crumbs chief! This apartment was categorically the worst apartment I've ever seen and at $2,500 a month - what a snip!

Bridesmaid Bar Crawl....

So the group do this Leo Sayer (all-dayer for the Yanks) every year called the Bridesmaid bar crawl (BMBC). Because the yanks are all in a million weddings each year (the Val for instance has 7 weddings this summer) they all have a ridiculous number of wedding dresses. The concept is that everyone dresses up - drinks all day, plays games and drinks some more.

The venue for the crawl is Southport (which is right handy as that's mine and the Mussers road) so we hosted the breakfast. Lots of the pups came over and we ate scrambled eggs in little pastry baskets (made by Chef Lindsay) bagels, bacon, sausages and we drank black velvets (champers and Guinness) yummm!
We then all paraded down the street to High Bar (a great Bar with a rugby theme, so the Brits liked it!) In there was played flip cup. Now this was my first flip cup experience and I totally sucked.

Now those of you that know me, know I'm not happy when I'm crap at something and having me on the team was like having a handicap. In fact I really was a Joey. So I decided to put myself in the corner and practice for a bit, until I could learn the feeling of a successful flip. Unfortunately I have still not managed to learn such motor skills - but that's got to improve over the next two years right?

This is a picture of the winning team (not that I really contributed....crap bags). N.B Cousin Stu - I reckon at the big wedding we should play Beer Pong and flip cup!

As we walked down the street the granny Musser and I decided to wave like the queen - it was mighty funny, but I think the Americans just thought we were special. Although we did teach them the calorie free wave.

After High Bar we rolled to Newport, Justin's, Schoolyard & Wellingtons. I may have missed a pub in there, because it goes a bit blurry. There were fish bowls - men dressed as women and even chuffing Mrs Doubtfire! Wang was one of the first casualties (he fell over) and everyone else lasted pretty well.

All in all - The Bridesmaid Bar Crawl was Bingo Bongo!