Arkansas Alumni Chicago Club

Friday evening, Michael and I went back into the city for a fun filled adventure. We belong to the Arkansas Alumni group here in Chicago and we love to get together with everyone. So, when they annouced we were going to do a bike hike through the city together we couldn't stay away.

Bobby's Bike Hike, which is owned by a fellow Arkansan, ran the tour. The tour start around 7:00 in the evening. This evening was particularly was cold and it really wanted to rain. We rode for three hours and was about 8 miles. Who knew that in Chicago in July one would need to wear long sleeves and pants, we had a ton of fun.

The best part of the entire trip was seeing the city from a different view. Riding along Lake Shore Drive, through the middle of downtown, and then Millennium Park at night was awesome.

After the tour we all went to dinner at a little corner place to celebrate Jeremy's birthday. Below are some of the fun pictures. I recommend to anyone who wants to see the city of Chicago to look up Bobby's Bike Hike next time they are in town.

Bekah & I sporting the helmet
City view
Biking in July

Michael and I at Buckingham Fountain
Arkansas Alumni Chicago Club

Elton John & Billy Joel

You definitely read the title correct.

Last night Elton John and Billy Joel graced Chicago with their music and presence. Michael got us tickets to watch the two legends perform live at Wrigley Field. They were awesome to watch. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the two of them perform together on stage.

The concert started with both on stage in dueling piano style. Then Elton John took the stage and performed for almost an hour and a half solo. Billy Joel and his crew of New Englanders and one Australian, who I believe on the weekends works in Las Vegas for Thunder Down Under, were up next. Billy Joel made a lot of jokes and played tons of music. After Billy Joel was done performing solo, Elton John joined him back on the stage for another 45 minutes of dueling pianos and great music. It was four hours and one of the best and most memorable concerts I have ever been to. Michael and I enjoyed every minute.

Special thanks to Jen at Michael's office who let him in on the fact that tickets were going on sale.

Billy Joel performing with Elton JohnMore Billy
He was loving it.
Love Elton's hair
Elton's hands...
Jamming to the music
They were great!

Florida

July 2nd, I flew to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. My friend, Megan, recently made West Palm Beach her new home. I went down there to help her get settled and of course to enjoy the warm weather, the sun, and maybe the beach. I spent 10 days in an apartment with no furniture or TV. Yikes!

I am getting ahead of myself. The day I was flying out started the week badly. My flight was three hours delayed. Should have known something then. By the time I arrived in Fort Lauderdale it was almost 1:00AM. As soon as Megan picked me up at the airport we drove 40 minutes to a hotel in West Palm Beach. So tired we were knocked out. The next day we went to Megan's new apartment, which is in a high rise next to the intercoastal. When we walked into Megan's apartment it was covered in dirt and a film of tile dust. The smoke alarm was also beeping at us. Priority one, make the alarm stop beeping or we might not be sleeping in the apartment. If it hadn't been for the 20 foot ceilings and the alarm being on the wall next to the ceiling, we might have been able to handle that task alone. We went and got help and then went to Wal-Mart for cleaning supplies.

Once back with new batteries and cleaning supplies, the security guard came up to try and help the problem. Well apparently a new battery doesn't help much so the smoke alarm ended up not being reconnected. So, Megan and I start cleaning the apartment at the same time as washing sheets to sleep on that evening (on an air mattress). Not too long later Megan and I begin to hear water, but it sounded like the water was hitting tile. Sure enough the washer was leaking. We immediately call for help and the security guard comes upstairs and turns off the water, but not before we learned that the sink and refrigerator were also leaking water. So fun.

This basically sums up the never ending problems this apartment has brought. I did find some time, while also working remotely for my job, to lay out in the sun. Megan and I met some really nice people in her building. I think she will be in good hands.

Beautiful Sunset
View from Megan's Apartment
One of the weekends
It stormed everyday
This storm brought lots of lightning
New friends

Engagement

Seems like it has been forever since I haven't posted anything, oh wait it has.

Since my last post I have been very busy. Michael and I received our engagement pictures, which we were very pleased to see. Striegler Photography is the one who took the photos. Michael and Bryan are friends from college and he takes wonderful pictures.

We spent two hours with Bryan and his wife Ashley taking pictures around the University of Arkansas campus. It was a lot of fun and we got 191 great pictures. It is very hard to go through them now and pick the best. Our favorite includes about 40 of the pictures. I decided to only place a few of those on here for your entertainment.