Blue Steel

Appreciate our fine specimen of a canine:

He can turn both right and left.

V.I.P.

Also part of Denver Food & Wine is the Grand Tasting.  I was able to get tickets to this event, held on the Denver CU campus right downtown.  Not really knowing what to expect, Leslie and I ventured down (thanks to Mike dropping us off on his way to the Sprangs for his game) to the event and were let in an hour early thanks to the V.I.P. tickets!

All I can say is: SCORE.

We enjoyed wonderful lunch courtesy of The Brown Palace, the premier wines for tasting in the V.I.P. area, pop up desserts, and the best pretzel rolls known to man.  We were also given wine glass holders for around our necks that we initially thought a bit much...but learned quickly that was one of the best parts of being V.I.P.  That and the indoor bathroom.

We strolled around two huge tents worth of food and adult beverages (just kidding, the best part was no one under 21 was aloud in - including babies), enjoying tastes of everything.  The Asbolut tent had a fabulous bloody mary bar, not to mention epic people -watching.  As it turns out Leslie is a pro at What's the Issue.  As well as pointing out $900 shoes.

We stopped by the Patron tent where we heard they had popsicles (it has been miserably hot here), and were promptly ushered into the photo booth where we took these!

Best. Photos. Ever.

The day was pretty out of this world as well.

Art of the Cocktail

We ventured downtown on the 120X bus via 128 behind our house to attend Denver Food & Wine's Art of the Cocktail at the Ritz.  Lincoln was the official automotive sponsor, so we got in for free!  We tasted lots of different cocktails and finger foods that were in the competition for Best of the Night.  AND!  We dressed up as bartenders and had our photo taken.  Not bad!

We could rock the tattoo sleeves.  Just sayin'.

Whine

Keebler is so not ok with this new development (baby gate from Freecycle - sweet).

M'boys

Paint

Somehow makes the morning commute worth it.

End of the Line

I was totally dreading the drive home.  Seven hours with no stops to speak of on the last day of an epic road trip.  It was just going to be sad.

How could I ever think that?!

We made a quick stop on our way out of town to the Nebraska State Museum at Morril Hall.  We used to visit this incredible natural history museum every summer we came to Lincoln.  I remember these mastodons being massive.

We went in just to see the front - and the kind volunteer let us take a photo in the entrance without paying to take the tour.

It smelled just like it did over 20 years ago...

 Worlds Largest?

 Cool museum built over I-80.

We learned all about the Rest Stop Sculptures strewn about I-80, and the drama that ensued over their abstractness.  Fascinating what people get up in arms about.  But I actually really loved this one.  It moves with wind currents!

 I don't mind abstract park equipment either.

We stopped at the third Mexican restaurant we tried in North Platte, NE.  The first said they were open on the phone and promptly (and rather testily) told us they were closing when we walked up.  The second didn't exist?!  We really wanted us some queso.

From there we listened to Freakonomics thanks to the public library, and recounted the past (amazing) three days.  Top five trips.  For sure!

It's a Zoo Out There

On Sunday, we woke up to a glaringly bright day in spite of the night's storm.  We decided to stop at Falls Park on the way out of town since we had missed the planned opportunity the night before.  It was definitely worth the detour.

Sioux Falls is seriously all about the sculpture.  I like.

 "Oh...wow."  Even Mike was impressed.

 Falls!

The falls were so powerful in some parts that it created foam like there was dish soap coming down the rocks.  But it was natural!

 An old gent also visiting the falls said "I'm a free photographer in my spare time" and took our photo.  Cute.

 Panorama.  Go on.  Click and appreciate.  APPRECIATE!

We drove through Iowa to get to our next stop, which was an unexpected delight!  The short list of states I wasn't sure I'd ever visit is now one state less long.

I think I might've taken this photog shortly before we got pulled over...oops.  Fortunately the State Trooper was kind enough to lower the speed at which we were flying to 1-5 miles over the limit rather than the actual (10-15).  Needless to say the rest of our trip was at a bit slower pace...

We arrive at our next stop around lunch time, and fought for a parking spot as Mike admitted that this might be a more legit zoo than he originally gave it credit.

We ate a pretty terrible lunch at the cafe, but decades later I finally sat by the window at which we dined when I was a kid.  In my mind I picture it as this huge enclosure that domed around the monkey chamber and sloped downward forever.  Sometimes adult perspective is unwanted.  But I still loved seeing it again.

The dessert area and "night creatures" tunnels underneath were probably my favorite.  It is an incredibly well-planned zoo.

We both jumped sky high at this statue.

"Hey, next time we go camping, let's get bear mace."
"Done."

When we visited as kids, there were two polar bears.  One of the zoo visitors started throwing food into their enclosure (I do NOT condone nor recommend this), and the big white bears started showing of in the water, doing what I would consider tricks for more human food.  It was incredible, because you could watch them in the water through mile high glass, or watch them from above.  This poor guy was too hot to do much; I understood.

 Aviary.

 Our view of the rhino atop the SkyRide (worth it).

 Garden of the Senses.

 Wassaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap.

Butterfly Pavilion, our second-to-last stop on the four hour adventure!

 Always.  This always happens to him.  He's like a winged creature magnet!

 Last stop: aquarium.  Cursed strollers.

We drove an hour to Lincoln from there, and stopped by what was once a summer stay: my great grandmother's house.  I thought for sure that I'd remember things in the neighborhood or on the way to her home.  But I didn't.  I do remember this, though.  And the basement that both thrilled and terrified my sister and I.  Stacks of National Geographics and cups full of drink stirrers with which we were fascinated.  And the tree we would climb for hours.

I wish they took better care of the yard.

Anything but!

We checked in at the Courtyard Marriott (best hotel of the trip), showered the road off, and headed to Haymarket for the evening.

 We ate dinner at the bar at Lazlo's...

And then walked across the street to Ivanna Cone!  What was touted to me by my boss (who went to Nebraska and whose daughter now goes there) as the best ice cream ever.

 I have to say...it lived up to the hype.

We ended the evening at Brix & Stone Gastropub, where we conversed with the bar tender and a couple of locals still working at the restaurant.  They were apparently having as great a time as we were and so didn't tell us that they closed an hour earlier and only charged us $12.  It was fantastic!

Our final evening could not have been more perfect.