Un-Birthday Dinner

I initially only planned to go out for drinks on my birthday, but it turned out that the particular bar wasn't open on Mondays, so I had to wait until Friday when everyone was free. I ended up inviting more friends over for a dinner at my place -- I cooked :) We made pre-bar jello shots, and had a scavenger hunt. What a way to turn 22!


2 dozen roses for me :)


dinner is served


really jumped the gun on blowing the candles: first verse-- "Happy Birthday to..."-- poof!


The indelectable (and indominable) ice-cream cake


trying to cut the frozen ice-cream cake


still trying...


i made jello sunsets and non-alcoholic sunRISEs:)

Drinks at Big Bang, Piano Dueling Bar

After everyone found their scavenger hunt treasures, we went to Big Bang. It was an "explosive" place :) with two pianists and a roomful of people who sang and danced along. Kinda smoky, but otherwise completely fabulous.


round of test tube shots


at our hard won table


dueling pianos


piano-top dancing


marriage proposal re-enactment

Licoln Park Gardens and Zoo

On my last day home for break, the skies opened for some glorious sunlight. My parents and I went to the Lincoln Park Botanical Gardens and Zoo, after which we went window-shopping on Michigan Ave and ate in Chinatown. Ironically, the place we ate at was called Lobster City and yet only had one lobster dish :)



Palm House



Lily House

Babbling Brook


Giant Dumb Cane Dieffenbachia amaena Araceae Tropical America


Frangipangi Plumeria rubra Apocynaceae Mexico to Panama


Heliconia


Orchids


Lilies closeup


Lollipop Pachystachys lutea Acanthaceae Peru : What a name!


Silver Chalice Aechmea fasciata Bromeliaceae Brazil


More lilies closeup


Giant Petunia

Meerkat: But you aren't.


Fish and Aligator: Behaving and being civil to each other


Ostrich: In the spotlight


Giraffes: Loving the camera


Giant Hissing Cockroaches: Why are they bathed in red light?

Lunch at Su Casa, just a block off of Michigan Ave: Although this was the only restaurant within a block without an hour wait, the waitstaff was still so busy that patrons had to wave a few times before getting their attention -- lunchtime on a nice day in Chicago is no joke!


Cityscape from parking lot elevator on Rush and Clark


Wedding party stops traffic on Michigan Ave


Chinatown Gate


Hancock Building at night from Chinatown