...and the Cabaret band plays a little slower, sadder

This just might be the only post where in I look to the Cabaret as a personal journal... ya know, with feelings and stuff. But, Momma is sad.

I suppose it makes sense to use the blog to share with you. I mean, it's not like I'm, say, Anderson Cooper, with a blog audience of 300 grand or whatever - - my "you" is all of my closest friends.

I found out on Wednesday that Wendi (ya'll know Wendi - the Vickster's roommate/best friend/co-worker & my good friend) has cancer. Horrible, aggressive, far-along type of cancer. She went to United emergency after a bed-ridden week due to back pain. She's had back problems for years, so it made sense, just seemed really, really bad this time. Nothing some treatment, muscle relaxers and pain meds can't fix, right?

Wrong. The CT scan came back with a big red X on it. Not literally, I'm sure, but I can only imagine that the word hit that room like a flatbed of concrete blocks. Cancer. Breast cancer metastacized into her spine, wrapped around it, fractured it.

Jesus.

It's been a full day now of knowing, visiting, crying, waiting. There are plenty more tests to be run & specialists to see. Everything to know is not yet known, but the fucking word still sits there. It's been a full day now and still, all I can really say is Jesus. And shit. And keep Wendi in your thoughts. And keep the Vickster in your thoughts. And let's all try harder to quit smoking.

Ciao, buddies.
-Nina

Because you care about every thought that crosses my mind

We all know the Tavern on Grand is known for great walleye (is the walleye even really that good? I'm not so sure), but has anyone ever had a burger from there? Hot damn, kids. Seriously good stuff. Run right out and get one. Right now.

________________________________________________________________

Is anyone watching this Heroes show?














I watched an episode last night and now I find myself a tiny bit intrigued. I'm not sure I have the time or energy to take on another program, plus - I'm not convinced yet. If you watch it/have watched it, a recommendation either way would be appreciated.

I hear it's big with the Lost crowd.




















But, Star Trek and Steven King are big with the Lost crowd too. And, clearly, I am waayyyy to cool for that stuff.

Cioa, buddies.
-Swyrrlvr4815162342

Like a laser beam? Really?

Wow.

What a weird day.

I'm still feeling melancholy and a bit blue about being home. And I don't mean that I don't like home, because I do. But, I would rather be traveling in Europe. Right now. I'd just rather be traveling, always. But that's not that weird. Today was weird because I could not stop thinking about all of the food from Europe. Typically I'm missing things like, uh... the hearty preservation of ancient architecture, the late nights & good times with friends, the attractive men who actually care about fashion, the tiny cars...

But, o no, not today. Today was about crying over chocolate croissants and garlic prawns.

All day today I searched, fruitlessly, between the pantry, the fridge & the freezer, looking for anything mysteriously and deliciously French, Italian, or, fuck it, even German. Nothing. Peanut Butter, tuna, oatmeal, frozen corn, walnuts. I got excited for a flash when I found some smoked salmon, but it had a use-by date of September 4th.

So, I threw it across the room.

Here's a little tour of what I did not find in my kitchen today:

Onion Soup. (Paris)

Moroccan Smorgasboard, suckas: Lamb tagine, chicken & lamb couscous. (Momo, London)

Spinach spaetzel & mushroom sauce, white sausage & something else. (Munich)

Giant, buttery, garlicky, perfect prawns. (Hvar)

Andalusian gaspacho & Raw fish tartare with quinoa and hummus cream
(La Boussole- Paris)

Yes, yes,
I am that geek who takes pictures of her food... right there in the middle of a 4-star, with a flash & everything. But, do no worry- when people look at me all crinkly-nosed & disapproving, I just tell them I work for a fancy, important food magazine.

And then I play "see food" and give them the finger.

Ciao, buddies.
-Nina
p.s. I'm going to bed hungry (Amy said I was bad) after looking at all of this amazing food. I can't wait to see what kind of dreams I have.

Allow me to dork out for a moment.

I just have to write about the Twins. I tried to hold off for a couple of days to see if the urge would dissipate. No such luck. I am totally bummed that the season is over & I have to wait until freaking March for more Twins time. I understand that there are probably only a few of you who will care (you know who you are), but whatever, it's my damn cabaret, suckas.

O, and for momma's lady friends who are neither interested in America's pastime nor my take on the Twinkers, know that I have peppered this post with pictures of young, hot boys... just for you. Well, and for me, obviously, as every photo involves my favorite, Young Joe, aka Baby Jesus, aka Muffin Butt.



You can't see me, but I'm a pickle in the middle of this little man-boy sandwich.

What a kickass baseball season for Twins fans. I know that has been said (even by the national media) to the point that the sentiment has nearly lost its meaning, but man... take some time and think about it just one more time. It's simply a phenomenal sports story & we are lucky that it happened to be our team involved in it. It would be a cool story, if it not even our team, but it was & we should be really pleased about that.

And, although it ended in the most anti-climactic fashion imaginable (and really quite unbelievably poorly played), Twinsfannation can take heart by 1. remembering September (sorry, cheeseball, I know) and 2. legitimately looking forward to next season (for real).



Yeah, I'm in that sandwich too.

What do I think went the most wrong in the ALDS, you ask?

Well, forget the dumbass-rookie-mistake-I-always-want-to-be-a-hero-these-young-studs-are-showing-me-up-and-I-can't-handle-it Hunter play. One play doesn't lose a series. Forget the booted infield bloops (wake up, Bartlett) and Cuddyer groping the astroturf, looking for the ball like he had a boiled ham attached to the end of his right arm... a few defensive miscues don't lose it all either.

However, I do think the defense problems are certain side effects of what really lost them the series... emotional immaturity and a straight up lack of experience.

I think the Twins played "out" from the first moment the Big Hurt hit a dinger off of Santana. Their emotions & nerves got the best of them & they couldn't pull out of it. They could not shake it off, and that, coupled with some stupid management (DHing Jason Tyner, who couldn't hit a homerun off of a tee... Mike Redmond not seeing one at bat... putting Jesse Crain in, ever = all dumb) set the stage for the defensive miscues and the painful offensive impotence (Justin M & Ronhill Light are exempt from this verdict). O, and the A's played pretty well, too.



Do you think that Justin (aka Grunt, aka Porno) washes Muffin's hair at home before going to bp every morning? I do. hoyay !!

The good news is that they should have the nerves out of their system now, right? Yes. Momma says so. Next season's playoffs will be entirely different.

And more good news is that there is not a whole lot that needs to be done during the off-season, in my opinion. I mean, picking up & dealing players, not workouts and stuff. I'm only really looking for 1 - a real DH, 2 - one more starting pitcher. Honestly, that's it. I also say cough up the moula and keep Torii in center (I could be convinced otherwise on this one, but for now I say keep him).

With one more reliable (hopefully experienced) pitcher, the rotation is going to be fine next year. Let's see... Santana, Liriano, Bonzer, Garza/Baker/Perkins & the new guy (ZITO!ZITO!). Yes, that means I say dump Carlos Silva. And I also say dump Jesse Crain and his stupid necklace and his even stupider nappy beard. Aside from dumb Jesse, the bullpen rules. Don't change a thing. Well, except give Nathan ("twitch-n-pitch," I recently & hilariously heard him referred to) more innings. It doesn't just have to be a save situation, silly.


"I like older women."

I like the infield as is as well. Altough I like a tall, lean fellow at third - tinyPunto has earned the spot & hopefully a Gold Glove. Second & short are fine & Porno has turned into a really good first-baseman (along with a killer hitter. I mean, c'mon, he is unreal). And, obviously, I sort of like the catcher.

O, and they better keep Mike Redmond. I get the sneaking suspicion that he may be single-handedly responsible for the big turnaround this season.

O, and someone tell tinyPunto that you don't get to first faster by sliding headfirst. That is a statistically proven fact.

Your thoughts, please! Want so super fun & smart Twins-related reading? Check out Bat Girl.

Ciao, buddies.
-nina
p.s. I'm thinking I'll play fantasy baseball next year. Anyone interested?
p.s.s. I just heard they picked up Torii's option.

Minneapolis Day, on the shores of the Adriatic

might be a bird, might be a loon...

jive-Turkey

a little shopping, a little Hagia Sofia... not a bad day, buddies.



Our last night, we went to a Whirling Dervish "show"at the big train station. The music was really cool, but I can't say the whirling was my favorite. Walking out, Shorty and I compared our Dervish nicknames.... Sad Dervish, Reluctant Dervish, Jeff Buckley Dervish, Too Young to be a Dervish Dervish.



Now, this here, however, was a favorite. Inside the Hagia Sofia, there are Christian mosaics which had been tiled over when the place went from basilica to mosque. The mosaics are pretty remarkable, as is the entire Hagia Sofia. Yeah, yeah, no shit. I know.


Ahhh... it makes my heart melt a little looking at this right now. This was the view (of the Blue Mosque) from our hotel's rooftop patio, on which Shorty & I spent muchas time and and muy muchas dinero. Yes, it was perfection.
_________________________________________________________________

well, pumpkin pies, momma's home (literally; on the couch, in "my spot") now. i'm struggling a bit with the old post-fantastic-trip blues. it's only a matter of days before I fall back into regular ol' life, I know this to be true, but it's a goofy time right now. bear with me, buddies.

ciao, buddies.
-nina

i was in asia today

I had this dream last night that I was sitting on a rooftop patio, edged with greenery and fruit, looking out upon a giant cake, with six candles stuck into to the frosting... Shorty was there, as was a group of older Brits... the call to prayer was going off, ships were in the harbor beyond the cake, A Girl from Ipanema was playing in the background, fantastic wine was flowing like a severed vein....

o wait. no dream - this is happening. the giant cake is The Blue Mosque, the candles are the minaretes & evertyhing else is really happening. it's nuts. Istanbul is nuts. coming into it, earlier today, I felt almost jaded by travel fatigue. it's nice...but, whatever, I've seen so much. but now.... after a couple of the call to prayers & a few glasses of wine - on this amazing rooftop patio; someone is beginning to be bewitched.

see Shorty's post for a more eloquent post....

ciao, buddies.
-nina
p.s. the way I missed the whole crew before is different now.... I SO, SO badly want you to be here. i want you to see this. i want you to hear this. i mean, i really do miss you... but more so, i wish you could be here. ciao.

I've been meaning to do it this way all along...

Roman Forum
this was super cool, i thought. you could walk around right in it & it was free = good stuff.
it is pretty mind-boggling, when you are standing in the middle of it. the weight of the ages
& the power weilded and then lost really is palpable. but i like to dork out like that,




























Inside of the Pantheon
totally gorgeous. i wasn't expecting it to be as ornate as it was. pantheon is my favorite thing
from Roma.



























Trevi Fountain
yah, you know the one... Felini & all. it's ridiculously ornate & over the top, but also very cool.
we threw coins in, standing backwards and over your right shoulder, as you are supposed to.
we are now guaranteed to return to Roma.















The Vatican & St. Peter's Basillica
this is just gorgeous to walk up to - and then inside you're like... o yeah, this place. you've seen
it a million times, but it's still cool to see. the piazza in front of the cathedral, with the pilllars (designed by Michelangelo, of course. that grouchy little genius) is really pretty. I looked for Il Popers but didn't see him popping his weird little head out of anything.

















and of course, Colloseo
it was cool to see, but I have to say, it didn't deliver the way the Pantheon or some other big dog- types (Duomo, David, Parthenon) have done for me previously. I actulaly like the Roman Forum better. we didn't go in, it costs something stupid, like 10 euro - but we did drive by it at night or early in the am or something, and it was all lit up inside by what seemed to be big black-lights. maybe they have raves in there after hours or something.

okay, that was my good-little-traveler post. don't look for that again.

ciao, buddies.
-nina
p.s. shorty and I are shopped-out. i never thought i'd say that, but tis true. i didn't buy much at all today, just a (fantastic black leather, okay fake leather) purse. hey vickster - i looked for one for youm but couldn't find anything anywhere (in my price range) that I thought you would like. sorry!!

Man, remember the bowls and bowls of steaming & fresh seafood... best meal of the first 'leg' of the trip.
















Mr. October.

Weeeee! says Boy Hog.

Bonjour buddies. not much time to write, just know that Shorts and I are having a blast in Paris. yesterday was supposed to be a day of museums, historic walking tours & maybe *some* shopping. well... yah, you know how it ends. we went over to the bastille area for late dinner (which ended up being street-paninis) and drinks. when mel & i were in paris before, we stayed over there & it was quite fun; chill & a bit funky, with a few bars & cool restaurants. now it seems as though all hell has broken loose over there & it's THE place to party... but not in a cool way.

it was fun, but a bit of a disappointement until we stumbled upon french break-dancers in the street & then took a super-fun cab ride home - - I'll leave you hanging until Shorty posts the video.

today we are off for Montmarte, lots more food, more shopping & the Eiffel Tower tonight. YAY.

ciao, buddies.
-nina

newly added hot items to the photo smorgasboard

I know this was a game of 'look scared while Tawny pretends to bite,' but I think that is real terror on Mel's face. This was about 4 seconds before Girl Hog took a backwards dive off of her stool, if I recall correctly.
















ANGIE!















Just tell him how you feel. You'll never get anywhere if you aren't honest with him.

newly added hot items to the photo smorgasboard

I know this was a game of 'look scared while Tawny pretends to bite,' but I think that is real terror on Mel's face. This was about 4 seconds before Girl Hog took a backwards dive off of her stool, if I recall correctly.
















ANGIE!















Just tell him how you feel. You'll never get anywhere if you aren't honest with him.

take it to the beach

marienplatz


moi, making a wish on the lucky star on charles bridge. i'm wishing that I can someday go to Paris again. o, wait.


ninja toothpicks! scary!


the soberest tech has ever been. ever.


tagged, sucka.

we are in paris now, which makes me really happy, and about to head out for some touristy-type stuff. we saw Notre Dame and ate (the BEST meal yet. amazing) in the Latin Quarter. today we see our first crappy day of the entire trip, which stinks but reminds us how lucky we got with three straight weeks of sun.

so, au revoir, I must hop into le shower (which, by the way, has shower doors that go all the way to the floor, a constant hot water supply, AND a shower head that hangs stationary ABOVE the head... where are we?!) and go eat me a croissants w chocolat and drink me a cappucino or deux.

ciao, buddies.
-nina

p.s. i have to apologize up front for my lack of photos and videos. shorty is totally big pantsing me. she also blogs much more because... well, I sleep more. que sara que sara

the pantheon.

i finally got some photos to upload, but just grabbed a couple randomly... so don't expect this to make sense & there's not much. at least I can prove that I am indeed in Europe while writing this stuff. I bet you thought I was blogging from a starbucks in Hastings.














old town square. praha.

















the best pizza ever at Pizzaria Buffeto, right by our apt in rome (&where shorty met her scooter buddy)















uh, yah.

ciao, buddies.
-nina
p.s. we are in Paris now & off to see some sights after a nice nap & a superb shower (shower doors! shower head that stays stationary ABOVE your head! we must be in oz). first up - notre dame and then a nice dinner and then a walk about the bridges at night.

slow roll shit show big pants juicy squeeze yes yes power through good morning

ciao!

ROMA = yay. i am completely digging rome. although i have never seen more insane traffic (i am shocked that there arent mass casualties from scooter v. car v. pedistrian incidents) in my life, it is amazing & gorgeous. last night, after we checked into our super cool apartment in the piazza novano, shorty took me around the area- piazza navona & the pantheon. i cried when i saw the pantheon. i just love it when the real big dogs of art/architecture really deliver, and it did. every little street we turn down is more lovely and alive than the last -- and the architecture is just kicking my ass. i love it.

i forgot how much i love italy until being here about 4 minutes. what a difference, going from germany to italy. wow. at first i missed the german efficiencey and tidiness, but no more. the italian way is much more for me. if i was unsure of that before, now i know.

today we went to the vatican area & san pietro, the spanish steps, and then did some shopping and lunching, which is really my favorite part of italy. tonight we will check out the "best pizzaria" in roma, which is conveniently located outside our apartment door, and then hang out aournd the square, i am sure. tomorrow is the colloseam, roman forum, more shopping & lunching in an off the beaten path type area called Mondi. tomorrow night - fancy dinner, and then that is it. i am horribly sad already at the thought of leaving... although, knowing the streets of Paris are in my immediate future helps.

to all of my travel buddies - - holy crap do I miss you guys. i keep getting random images fromt he last two weeks in my head & have to watch it to not bust out laughing. or crying. i miss the shit show but, have to admit, it was pretty kickass to get wake up rested and sober today. mostly, i wish you guys could be here. man, would we have a blast in roma together.

ciao, buddies.
-nina

welcome to the shit show

mardi gras, carnivale, MN state fair... you can all fuck off. nothing, and I mean it so hard, can top Oktoberfest. wow, what a shit show. we hopped the fence to get in (the parade was coming thru the main gate) around 10:45, scored a kickass table for all 14 of us outside of the Hippodrome tent, waited until noon for the keg-tapping, and then... well, shite.

okay, sorry, I have to run now. I want to type more but must go eat some snasages and other boiled things & then we return to the scene of crime. YAY. there is a wine tent ! ! I'm totally excited, but also a little scared.

ciao, buddies.
-Nina

la vie boheme!

Ah, Prague… how many ways I heart you.

I am sitting in a wifi bar, near the Powder Gate, in Prague, right now. Yes, huh. Am too. Today is our last day in Prague (boo), we head off to Munich tomorrow morning. We’ve had a unbelievably fun time so far on this trip. “The time of my life” is a laughable understatement.

I truly am sad to be leaving Prague tomorrow. After visiting back in college, I fell in love with place & deemed it my favorite place on the earth. I was a little nervous that coming back now, after so much time, tourism & Westernization, it would be a let down. But, no worries, Prague simply cannot disappoint. It is more beautiful than I remembered, more charming, more funky, more full of life… all of it. Everyone loves it.

Nice work, Prague.

Croatia was awesome – really, really gorgeous, cool people, very laid-back attitude, polished white marble architecture & ruins all over the place. The three different places we stayed (Dubrovnik, Hvar & Split) had very different feels to them, which was cool & really added a lot to the trip. Dubrovnik is one of THE most beautiful places in the world, I’m sure, a bit fancier than the other places, more touristy/expensive & such. Hvar was beachy & playful (we rented boats and island hopped!) – very Europeans-on-holiday feeling. Split really came through – it was my favorite of Croatia, which actually really surprises me.

Okay, I stop me now the typing. Sorry, I could go on and on forever, but have to run and meet the crew (the whole crew of 15 of us business is really working out remarkably fantastic, by the way. who knew?) for a little walk over to the old Jewish Quarter.

Sorry no photos – blogger just won’t do it. You’ll just have to take my word for it.

Ciao, buddies.
-NinaP.S. Hi Wendi.

how you living, minneapolis!?

just a very quick note to saz Yo! and that we are having THE TIME OF OUR LIVES in croatia. i had big plans to blog a lot, but - it seems that I just plaz and drink wine and eat fresh seafood and look at beautiful stuff and hang out with my bffs and cry because it is SO fantastic instead.

Croatia is great. we LOVE it but are readz for a change of scenery. love you and miss you mom. I think about you all the time and how much zou would love it here. rest assured we are safe and having SO, SO much fun. off to Prague tomorrow. talk later. hi everyone else too. HVALA.

I'll just park down the block then.

I sort of love this whole Fantasy Football phenomenon. I do not participate, nor do I really even understand how the whole business rolls... but I think it's funny and rather cute just how huge it has become with nearly every single boy I know. I like how the appeal runs across American male culture. Jocks do it, khakis do it... even some hipsters I know love it.

Even the wives & girlfriends don't mind it terribly. The mass proliferation of poker games, televised TH'em tournaments & online gambling seems less well received, for obvious reasons.



This is Mel's garage two nights before Brad's big FF draft party (do they call them parties? meetings? meets?). Normally there are just ... uh - their cars parked there.

Cute. I wonder though, on the left side, is that a podium (where the leader, or commander, or chairman, or whatever, gets to stand) or a bar?


Ciao, buddies.
-Nina
(thanks for the photo, Mel. I lurve how you "think blog" now)