An Anniversary in Dubuque

Mike and I shared a wonderful 10-year anniversary weekend in Dubuque recently.  Despite being in the throes of a sinus infection, I had a relaxing time.  We kept some costs to a minimum while letting ourselves be free with the pocketbook on others.

And before getting into this, my apologies for the photography - it's pretty clear which photos were taken off of my little Casio and which are products of Mike's Canon. 

Dinner at L. May Eatery

Despite our numerous visits to Dubuque, we don't do much eating there.  I found this restaurant while searching online and liked their menu selection.

7-grain bread with a garlic/sun-dried tomato butter - Mike ate both our slices due to my oat intolerance :(  The salad, however, had a wonderfully refreshing citrus vinaigrette.

For the man of the hour, lobster lasagna - it was gone in about 4 monstrous bites

For the lady with the stuffy nose, a simple tomato, basil, mozzarella pizza with balsamic reduction.  Barely shown in the red dish  - scalloped sweet potatoes that were wonderfully spicy - must figure out what was in it! 

The food was outstanding!  We had not had a good meal on that level for some time (restaurant options in Cedar Rapids are pretty mediocre).

Being our anniversary dinner, we didn't put any checks on our tab.  L. May is the kind of place where if you are careful, you can walk out with a stuffed belly for around $35 for two people.

But if you were us that night and order two beers, a martini, lobster pasta, pizza, an extra salad, scalloped sweet potatoes, bread pudding AND a brownie, you will easily double that with tip.  

We had no regrets :)

Fenlon Place Elevator

This is one Dubuque curiosity we've driven by many a time but hadn't checked out.  It's called a funicular railway and it claims to be the shortest and steepest one in the world. 

We paid a whopping $4 for the two of us to make a round trip.  It was hardship I tell ya ;)

View going up ...

View looking down ...

At the top, we were rewarded with gorgeous views of the city and the River.

Shot Tower

Another unique landmark along the riverfront is the Shot Tower.  A relic of the lead industry at the turn of the century, the structure stands awaiting restoration from the city.  Mike enviously pondered the excellent views that surely could be seen from the top.

Stone Cliff Winery

I'd seen Stone Cliff wines at HyVee numerous times but hadn't been brave enough to commit to a whole bottle.  So we made the trip to their tasting room (bottom right), which is located in a historic brewery. 

Most wineries offer a tasting where you pay $5 to sample 5 wines.  It's a great way to try a variety without paying for a whole bottle.   

Between the two of us, we sampled virtually all of Stone Cliff's offerings.  We also got appetizers to serve as a light lunch.

We quite enjoyed the wines.  Smooth without being fussy - simple flavors that linger on the palette.  There's something very Midwest about these wines.

The price is a bargain - their most expensive bottle is $12!

We made it out after a total of 10 samples, two appetizer, and two bottles of wine for home (a cherry and semi-sweet red) only $40 in the hole.

This ended up being quite the inexpensive outing, given that our bed-and-breakfast was free (review here).  All in all, we spent just over $150 for two days out of town, including gas, food, and wine.  

It was a relaxing and unhurried trip - precisely what we needed.

A Busy October Ahead

My October calendar is about to explode, seriously.  Usually it's the summer months that are jam packed, but this haunted month has a full schedule ahead.  A snapshot of the upcoming weeks: 

UNI Homecoming
Going back to Cedar Falls is like a mini-reunion with my college mates.  We only get to see each other a handful of times during the year, and this is a great excuse to catch up.    

(source)

We're splitting a hotel with another couple to keep costs low and we're all so pinched it's easy to suggest inexpensive places to plop down for a beer.  We're also getting reduced price tickets for being marching band alumni. 

Midwest Popular Culture Association Conference
To keep up with my academic research, I am presenting a paper at this conference.  It's great to exchange ideas and gain some professional development.  It's also something that goes on my resume and shows Upper Iowa I'm serious about my field of study.

I'm focusing on the movie "Doomsday" and its lead female character (source)

Located in Milwaukee, this trip is definitely a splurge.  I already paid my conference registration fee, but we need a hotel for 2 days, gas to drive the 10-hour round trip, and then food.  Working on planning the trip down to a T to avoid as many extra costs as possible. 

Back to Teaching Film 
Toward the end of the month I'll returning to teaching another Movies course in Waterloo.  I'm finalizing the syllabus this weekend and I'm excited about changes I've made to the structure of the class. 

First time I'm teaching Star Wars (IV) - should be interesting (source)

Halloween 
We have good friends in Dubuque who throw a huge Halloween party every year.  Last time they smoked a whole hog and had adult apple cider waiting for everyone.  Mike and I don't have many opportunities to be social around here, so it's nice to get out of town and hang out with people we've known for a long time.  We're not really into costumes, but I'll be whipping up some ghoulish treats to share.

(source)

Rocky Horror Picture Show
Last year I was a RHPS virgin.  I'd never even seen the film before - I know, the shame.  It was a blast going to the Englert Theatre in Iowa City and I can't wait to go again now that I know what to do!  I definitely want this to be a yearly tradition.

(source)

Wow - that's a lot!  I'm hoping I can keep up with it all, but might as well cram in all of the fun stuff before the Arctic chill descends.

Do you have any plans for October?

Life Goals from a 17-Year-Old

I recently cleaned out a bookshelf and stumbled across a journal of sorts from high school.  Amid the angsty poetry was a list of life goals.  I suspect I crafted this list around my junior year (circa 2000).  Here is what I wished for and accompanying color commentary:

Be an extra in a movie ... still an excellent goal

Get my eyebrow pierced ... glad I never did

Go clubbing in a big city ... I went to a lot of salsa band in college

Go on a sleigh ride ... took one with Mike my last winter at UNI.  Campus was gorgeous and covered with a beautiful snowfall!

Kiss at the top of the Sears Tower ... been there but no smooches

Blow my own piece of glassware ... I could still see this happening or at least seeing a demonstration

Learn basic Italian ... took a semester in college.  I can't speak it worth a darn but I can read advertisements with some success

Win a ribbon at a fair ... I was never in 4-H, why did I have this goal?!

Ride or drive in a monster truck ... still would be fun

Publish some writings ... haha, check that, every single month

Get a PhD ... doubtful, but a master's is pretty close

Learn to drive a stick ... I think that ship has sailed. 

Build a piece of furniture ... I have a curio cabinet that I intend to restore

Visit every state ... I'm envisioning retirement and a comfy RV

Tell me this isn't the cutest VW?!?!?

 Visit all five Great Lakes ... I have 3 more lakes to go

See a mountain ... I went to Denver and turned 21 in the shadow of one

Go inside the St. Louis Arch ... did that during March Madness one year with the pep band

Ah, to be a high school again with such simple wishes :) 

Though I wouldn't actually trade places with my 17-year-old self, I think it's important to have fun goals amid the rest of life planning.  It's too easy to get caught up in crunching numbers and forget that life is to be enjoyed.

So after making financial goals and resolutions for 2012 and beyond, I'm going to remember to include a list of fun things to do!

An Endocrinologist Walks Into a Bar ...

I don’t actually know the punch line to that joke, but when I do, I’ll let you know.

After having missed out on basic healthcare for 5 years, I recently went to the doctor to get some maintenance tests done.

I have had my suspicions that something was not right with me for some time.  I have no end of struggles losing weight and managing stress, well beyond the normal difficulties one experiences.  My body just does not want to cooperate with my efforts to slim down and chill out.

I’ve been doing my homework and I walked into the doctor’s office with a list of tests to run: full blood chemistry profile, glucose/insulin, thyroid, and cortisol.

This would be my starting point and eliminate (or confirm) a ton of common conditions, all of which can be tested from a regular blood sample.

(source)

My PA was young, energetic, and very nice.  She agreed with my selection of tests and added one more for androgen (more on that in a minute).

My blood samples secured after getting vasovagal on the lab tech (every frickin time …), I played the waiting game.

In the meantime, I started researching the two conditions my PA suggested:

·         Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

·         Cushing’s Disease

I'll give you a minute to google those <waits patiently>

Interesting, huh?  Here I was thinking that I had diabetes or a thyroid issue and I was way off.

So while I was in the Atlanta airport coming back from Florida, I got the call.

The good news?  No nutrient deficiencies, glucose and insulin levels normal, cholesterol good, thyroid not an issue. 

(source)

The other news?  My cortisol and my HGH (human growth hormone) levels were abnormally high.

Particularly after looking at the symptoms for Cushing's, I was not surprised by this.  But I am a little freaked that I have something that’s much more complicated than diabetes or thyroid issues. 

Because my PA couldn’t decipher from my tests which condition I have, I’m being passed off to an endocrinologist the second week of October.

I have two theories about the nature of this visit:

A)  Because either condition is uncommon, my PA simply wanted to have the specialist make the call (which I totally would too in her position). 

B)  The endocrinologist might not be able to make heads or tails out of my preliminary results either and need to do more extensive tests.

I’m hoping I’ll walk out of that appointment with a clear diagnosis and a game plan, but I’m fully aware that may not be the case.

I also acknowledge that I could have something completely different.  Elevated cortisol levels are connected to a million conditions, though HGH is secreted by the pituitary gland (and no, I haven’t been shooting steroids to break any home run records).

A man with his own candy bar doesn't need to be any cooler (source)

At this point, I just have to wait three weeks and go from there.

In many ways, I feel validation - there is something going on.  I haven’t just been making excuses or been too inept to get in shape.

But I also feel trepidation.  I am uneasy about what’s going to happen next.  I have a million questions about where a forthcoming diagnosis will leave me, how it will change my life, and how it will alter our finances.

But there’s no sense in worrying about a condition I may or may not have.  Until I know what I’m up against, I’m being extra gentle with my body, recognizing that the limitations I am experiencing are real and not just in my head.     

A Free Night at a Bed and Breakfast

Tonight, we are headed to Dubuque for another mini-vacation.  I know, it's kind of our spot, but we just love it there.  There are two reasons for this trip.

A) It's the 10-year anniversary of our relationship.  I had hoped to go to Chicago, but the general craziness of this summer left us without the financial means to do such a trip.  Smaller is better.

B) We have a free night at a bed and breakfast.

I scored this deal by being a considerate customer. 

About a month ago, we stayed at a bed and breakfast on another trip to Dubuque (my only sibling does lives in the area).  We'd never stayed at a B&B before so we were curious what it would be like.

Overall, we enjoyed our accommodations, but we had two issues.  Because we didn't meet our hosts (privacy being a huge bonus at this place), I sent this email:

This was our first time staying at a bed-and-breakfast and overall it was a decent experience.  We love older homes and we really appreciated how you kept a historical ambiance to the room but updated with newer amenities. The aesthetic is something we'd like to recreate!

However, we did encounter two drawbacks.  The major one is that the ceiling leaked (that's why you found towels over the register).  We lived in a Victorian years back and are forgiving of quirks, but the leak was all throughout the night and was noisy.  It didn't make for a great night of sleep despite the luscious bed.  

Secondly, the whirlpool tub is in need of a cleaning.  We love big bathtubs, so props for including it, but when we turned on the jets, we were covered in debris.  I suspect someone used rose petals in there and some got sucked into the jets.  It washed off easily, but it was a disappointment.

Thanks for taking the time to read these.  As I said, we had a decent visit and loved many details - breakfast was also good and we very much appreciated the privacy.  But with the above items, we don't feel like we got everything out of the Solon Langworthy House we were hoping for.  


Within a matter of minutes, I got a very apologetic email back from the owner expressing their dismay over the hiccups we experienced.  They even sent pictures of the ceiling being torn into for repairs!


In the end, they offered us a complimentary stay.  That certainly wasn't my intention when I emailed them - being a teacher and editor, professional feedback is just a given with me.  

But case in point - if you have dissatisfaction with service or a product, provide your feedback in a polite and respect way.  You never know what you may get in return. 

A Photoblog of My Orlando Trip

Between the ridiculous delays getting to Orlando, the sweltering humidity, and hiccups like incorrect alarm clocks, Florida did not leave any favorable impressions on me.  Memphis was magical and exactly the kind of getaway that I needed - Orlando just zapped my energy and patience.

The trade show itself went well and I gathered a lot of ideas and contacts for the magazine. Since I don't have anything nice to say about Florida otherwise, here are some pretty pictures of my travels.

The view from above the clouds never ceases to be beautiful

A very large cloud formation - probably a good storm brewing!

Reminds me of Disney's version of Mount Olympus from "Hercules"

A view like this still doesn't convince to ever go parachuting

One of the few moments it wasn't raining while I was there

One of the convention hall entrances - this place was massive!

On the tradeshow floor

The hotel I stayed at

You've probably seen pictures of this whimsical building before

I passed it walking to the convention center - it's basically a fun house

Nothing says the tropics like a big flower with fresh raindrops

Isn't this cool?!  A second later we passed a cloud and I would have missed this shot

Staying Patient Through 10 Hours of Delays

Well, my business trip to Orlando this week was quite the flying adventure.  Traveling by plane is still novel and fun to me, but perhaps that's because I can count the number of times I've flown on one hand ...

My last trip involved four flights, no delays, fast security checks, small lines, good weather, and easy-to-navigate airports.  I wondered, why does everyone complain about flying!?

A very grey morning in Iowa proved otherwise. I don't remember the last time I got up at 4am, but golly I sure hope I don't have to do it often.  The airport suggested arriving 90 minutes early, but I saw no reason to show up more than 60 minutes early for a 6:40am flight.

I got through security quickly, though I was "randomly selected" for a patdown (probably because of all of the electronics I was toting along).  A very nice TSA lady quickly and professionally did her routine.

I was a little surprised at where their hands must fly – under the bra line and over the pubic mound – but it was less invasive than a routine physical by a doctor.  I know people make a fuss about TSA, but I didn’t have any qualms with it.  At any rate, those workers aren't the ones making policy decisions. 

Once I got to the boarding area, it was announced that my flight was overbooked and they needed a volunteer to switch flights. I thought I’d be a good citizen and see if I could help.  They didn’t have any way of getting me to Orlando the same day so they had to keep me.

5 minutes later, they announced that to solve the overbooking dilemna, the person to check in last would be bumped from the flight. Guess whose name was called?

Yep, there’s more than one reason to show up early to the airport.

As we looked for alternative flights, there were widespread overbooking problems.  They could get me to Detroit the same evening but not into Orlando until Monday afternoon. That would leave me with only one morning at the trade show before I had to fly back - pretty pointless.

A quick call to my boss determined I could take the Detroit flight and fly back a day later than planned on Wednesday.

Once that was sorted, it turned out that our plane had to be grounded because of mechanical issues.  With the delay and the threat of the flight being canceled altogether, a lot of people jumped ship. 

In all that shuffling, I quite amazingly got my seat back.  However, I still had the problem of having to stay overnight in Atlanta.

So we waited for a new plane to come up from Georgia just to take us back down there.  Our original flight was supposed to leave at 6:40am - we left at 2pm.  The flight itself went smoothly and I got to see the Atlanta skyline as we came in.

(source)

Once in Atlanta, I thought it prudent to confirm there was no way I could get to Orlando before securing my hotel voucher.  Crazily enough, a seat opened up and I could keep my original schedule - I just had to wait 3 hours.

Sensibily, I secured dinner (the food choices, as well as the Atlanta airport, are unremarkable), appeased myself with a Starbucks Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate (addictive), and purchased the new Anthony Bourdain book "Medium Raw" (fantastic!).

There really is no reason to pay $3.50 for a small hot chocolate but I'll definitely be making this at home!

I ended up getting into Orlando at 11pm - 10 hours after I was supposed to.  I paid $40 to have a cab drop me off at my hotel (gouge!) and crashed.

Throughout it all, I stayed in good humor, until lack of sleep made me hunger for a bed.  

Found this pic online, but this is from the hotel I actually stayed at

Lessons learned:

• Show up to the airport 2 hours early
• Listen to your mother - always pack extra clothes
• Don't forgot your cell phone charger
• Make sure to have a good book (or be willing to purchase one)