#82 - Take a mosaic class

Thanks, Groupon! I paid $30 for a 3 hour beginning mosaic class at the Chicago Mosaic School.

It was flipping awesome.

There were 2 instructors. One, Ahmed, from Egypt, (but not THAT Ahmed for Egypt. Although he was funny, and Ahmed should be threatened) taught us all the mosaic tool basics. We cut glass, ceramics, and porcelain. That was already fun. I'd never cut pieces before, just arranged tiles.

Then the other instructor, Helga, from Germany, took us on a little tour of the facility. Their student gallery is awesome. And they have a little store in the back called Tiny Pieces. And their bathroom is all mosaicked on the wall with sea life and then on the floor with marble. And their kitchen backsplash is all mosaicked. It's flippin cool. And they run classes on how to do all of that in your own home!

So then we picked out a picture frame or a big tile to mosaic. I did a frame. I love it. I did purples and whites and mirror. I need a cute girlie picture to go in it. I then had extra time (because I don't tend to overthink any art I do) and did a tile which I'm using as a spoonrest because it matches my kitchen.

I really want to take more classes there. I had so much fun. I hope they offer more Groupons!

If you're interested in mosaics, check out http://www.chicagomosaicschool.com/ Even their website is cool.

#69 - Snowboard down a blue hill without falling

I did not have high hopes for this one. Firstly because I'm a little broke after all of last year's adventures and secondly because I had enough trouble getting down the greens last year.

However, Brent Belt & Chris Ogden did it again by arranging Devil's Head 5.0. They managed to get us rooms for $109, lift tickets for $30, and rentals for $25! Plus, everyone brings their own food and booze, so it's a full day of ski / snowboarding for under $100 if you do it right. Even though Nora Neri had to back out on me (because she got a birthday flight to Florida that weekend. Whatever.), my dear buddy Rebeca Matus jumped on board! Oh man, I like her.

We got there around 10am but had a little trouble locating Rebeca's lift ticket, which was, in fact, not there, so we had to buy her one. Somehow we had to wait in the longest line ever for skis while the lift ticket line was short and then when we had to wait in line for the lift tickets, the ski line was short! Weird. It was only for her too. My lines were short. Oh well.

So by the time we got our tickets, our rentals, and then into our room, it was time to meet everyone for lunch. We found our tie-dye-clad hosts pinned with sheriff and deputy stars, in the parking lot with some of the group. We dined on turkey and cheddar sandwiches on French bread, which we were teased for bringing. We also had nips of whiskey, occasionally chased by Coke.

After a warming lunch, we hit the slopes. Well, the bunny hill. But we killed that sucka. So we moved to the green hills. That went well too! But we spent most of the afternoon on those. But then I got Cindy Cudz to take me on a blue hill. It was... really not bad. I liked it even. Thanks, Cindy!

I was so confident that in the evening I let Billie Berens and Marie Lucas and friends to take me down a black! Scary! Except

not. It was fine.

I still can't do my toe edge, but I have my back edge mastered! Love it! Too bad it's such an expensive hobby!

#73 - Eat Indian food on Devon

I had Indian food for the first time in 2010 in San Francisco with Miss Rachel Felson. It was delicious. Since then, I've been a big fan of the Trader Joe's Indian Food and naan. Easy meals.

I have been a little disappointed in myself for working so close to Devon (Chicago's "Little India") for around six years and never eating Indian food there. Luckily, Davisson Benson, one of my students, harasses people to go to a place called Shairra Punjab all the time. So I figured he was the one to go to.

We had a little lunch date and ate all kinds of delicious Indian food on the buffet, plus warm, wonderful naan, all rounded up by some floaters. Okay, that might not be the technical name, but that's what DB calls these little doughnuty things with rice pudding.

I can't wait to start bugging my coworkers and other students to go there with me now.