B-Day Stuff

Well, I missed you all so much on my birthday, but I did have a really great birthday

Last Thursday a bunch of us went out to see Historic Quito at night which is gorgeous because there's tons of churches that are all lit up. After our tour, we went to this really cute restaurant and ate lots of good stuff including "chocolate con queso," which is hot chocolate with chunks of cheese floating in it (or in the case of my hot chocolate, chunks of cheeses sinking in it.) They use cheese here instead of marshmallows. There's even a saying, "chocolate sin queso es como amor sin besos" – chocolate without cheese is like love without kisses.


My chocolate con queso...it was pretty happy to see me as you can see by the big smile


At Las Rondas, a famous (so I'm told) restaraunt where we ate

So then after we were extremely full, we went to a discoteca where we attempted to dance off our ridiculous food intake. At midnight I turned 21, which isn't that big of a deal here, but it's all good!

Then on my actual birthday, some of my friends and I went out for pizza! Haha, I didn't think you could vary pizza THAT much (though I should know better with all of Mom's delicious creations), though this one had an Ecuadorian twist...it was topped with choclo, the Ecuadorian corn, and you eat it with ají, the traditional spicy sauce. Oh, and pizza is always eaten with a knife and fork which can be a bit tricky, especially when your hungry. Then Sarah (who's birthday is also el 26 de octubre) and I got free flan for dessert! Of course we shared. Some.


Sarita and me with our free flan

On my actual birthday day (Friday), a bunch of us attempted to make Oreo cheesecake. But we used way too much margarine and not enough Oreos and didn't cook it long enough so it was kinda a gross cream cheese mush. But involved lots of sugar, so I still ate my whole "slice" aka, glob.



Believe it or not, that's cheesecake on that plate

On Saturday, my host mom, sister, and I went to Friday's for lunch to celebrate Pati and my birthdays. It was the first time I'd had "American" food, and I gotta say, I thorougly enjoyed my Cobb salad. Ecuadorian food is good, but there is some stuff I miss.

That night, the four of us went to the concert of Juan Fernando Velasco and Alberto Plaza. It was really good, but we were kinda to the side and I couldn't see much or understand much, so I actually fell asleep for part! But there were some parts that were really lively. I've never seen Pati dance so much! Plus we got these cool orange blow-up sticks to bang together and wave around. Well, I think that's what they were for because that's what everyone did. We finally got home around 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Talk about a bunch of birthday festivities!

Daniela (my host sister), María José, and me at the concert, with our orange sticks

Esmeraldas pics

Wow! What a cool-sounding weekend! I hope I get to have fun reunions with college friends like that a few years down the road. Here's a couple of pics from Esmeraldas....the first is me in a lovely hammock in the hammock room and the second is Megan, Liz and me enjoying pineapple boats.... a half of pineapple with three scoops of ice cream, two kinds of syrup, sprinkles, and two cookies. Mmmmm, talk about a Dinner of Champions.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

love, Chris

A Weekend Full of College Friends

Well Mom & I had some good times getting together with our respective college friends, even tho they were in separate places. Mom got together in Evanston with her college friends Michelle Mahaffey, Elise Howard, and Melissa Page Friday Nite. Then they joined a few hundred other classmates for a 25th college reunion party at Northwestern's Scott Hall on Saturday night. They had a great time and Mom made it home in one piece.

Dad's college roomate & buddy Pat made a short but sweet visit to Chicago this weekend, to celebrate his recent appointment to Admiral in the Navy, and 'cast off' before his one-year deployment in Bagdad. Deb Lawrie joined us for a great dinner at Sullivan's in Naperville, where we caught up on our respective lives, futures, and solved some of the world's most pressing problems (ok well maybe we only came up with some interesting ideas...but its a start). Then Mom met up with us at our house where we chatted about kids, parents, and other important topics 'til after 2am, when we all crashed for the night. Pat left for a 'family meeting' in Homewood early Sunday morning, anf Deb Lawrie headed back to Northfield. Grandaddy & Dad worked on the Glasair Sunday afternoon for the first time in over two months. It was great!

Talking to our kids made the weekend complete! We talked to Brian briefly Sunday afternoon (he had hosted a cool Bar-B-Que at his apartment the night before) and with Christina Sunday night (she had just returned from a weekend bus trip to Esmaraldes, on the coast of Equador).

All in all it was a great weekend with college friends!

Love

Dad

What a Great Adventure!

Hi Chris!
We just read your latest awsome 'Ecuador-ish' blog entry about your trip to (wherever!) and i gotta tell ya Chris...it was awsome again! Your description of your travels up & down & over & thru the hills & dales & hot springs & bull pastures & mountain peaks of that far away & exotic place...reminded me so much of your kitchen-table recital of 'goin' on a bear hunt' when you were about three or four. Except this is the real deal! And there's the same confidence and playfulness in your words. As I read it, I can see your eyes lighted up as you recall your experiences & write about them. Saying 'these are new & slightly scarry challenges but...I am not afraid...' and I amn having a blast! And the pictures confirm you really are having quite a time! You're quite a girl Christina Marie Beaird. And we love you very very much! Love your Dad & Mom

Dad’s Week-end at U of I! October 5-7th, 2007

Friday: Dad & Mom left Joliet later than planned but still made Champaign in plenty of time to check in at the Illini Union, pick up Brian and Lauren, and have a nice (large!) dinner for four at Biaggi’s. Ran into Bob Valdes (Valdes Engineering) and his immediate & extended family. Dad & Mom dropped off Brian and Lauren, then went for a walk on Green Street (11 pm-ish). It is very warm out and it was fun to see all the students & their parents out cruising Green Street (in the upper 70’s at 11pm). Filled the coolers with fresh ice and crashed and burned exhausted!

Saturday: 6:30 am – Dad (aka Mr. Tailgate) was up and at’em and got a great “Game Day” space right on Kirby Street. Mom slept. Mr. Tail-gate ran back to the Union after getting a campus construction status update:
IMPE upgrades - making progress,
Stadium - still under major construction;
Orange Snack Bar by the Six-pack – now a hole in the ground;
New Business School - making good progress. Outer shell nearly complete.
New apt building across from Brian Patrick’s apt – re-started construction.

After showers, we had a quick breakfast and walked to the tailgate, set-up and watched the river of orange humanity flow by us on Kirby St sidewalk, en route to the stadium. Our space was situated on the sidewalk a couple of places down from one of the many ExxonMobil dad’s (Tom Chesebro and Alex, a freshman in ME). After a couple of cookies and several bottles of water later, Brian, Lauren Kmieciak , her sister Lia and dad, Gary joined us and we flowed to the sold-out stadium (scalped tickets going for $130+) and found our respective seats (which we had “scalped” from the Kmieciak’s!). Fabulous game (U of I beat 5th ranked Wisconsin). Stadium is reconfigured to handle construction with the scoreboard switching ends and the student section now behind the north end zone where the scoreboard used to be. Half-time show: Three -in-One. Sans Chief, but with the requisite responses from the crowd: “Chieeeeeeeeeef”. Dad says there was a big hole in the three-inone performance without the Chief. Final score: 31-25. U of I led the entire game, but the game seemed very close the entire second half.

Tailgated post game with several XOM friends & families stopping by – Chesebro’s, Readles, Valdes’. And of course the Kmieciak’s and Beaird’s (missing Chris). Grilled burgers, brats among the hard-core tailgaters in our “hood”. Lauren had a Bean Bag toss and Lia (4), learned to use a bottle opener on beer. With only one minor injury. Lia was a trooper, especially considering the heat and the length of the day.

Went to our respective rooms, showered/napped/emailed (everyone had their own agenda!) Met for Cold Stone Creamery (dinner). Ran into Knox Go-and-Servers, Russ Heitz (heading to a bar to meet Brittany) and Bill Hilton (not heading to a bar with his daughter). Dad ordered the “Gotta Have It” size (much to his embarrassment and Deb’s happiness since all she ordered was a “spoon”.) Lauren, Lia and Gary returned to the dorms. (Lia spent the night with Lauren. We still don’t know where Gary slept. His plan was to sleep in his truck.) Dad, Mom, and Brian hit Murphy’s (where Jay, a track team friend of Brian’s, was bouncing and we got in without a cover.) Had a couple of drinks, dragged Brian up to our room in the Union for brief social visit. Afterwards, he hopped a bus back to his apartment and we called it a night. (Bed by about midnight).

As an aside, big sports week-end. U of I beating Wisconsin, Northwestern beat Michigan State in over-time. The Cub’s were swept by the Diamondbacks in 3 games in the play-offs. And Briana ran the Chicago Marathon in 4 hours and 14 seconds. In 90+ degree heat.

Sunday: Got up at 7:00 to get in line to get rooms for NEXT year’s Dad’s week-end. (Quite the hassle, but it’s so worth it). We were successful in securing two rooms. You just never know. Got another hour of “rest” (people banging around the hotel). Showered, shopped (one can never have enough U of I garb.) Hit Curtis Apple Orchard for a donut and bag of Honey-Crisp apples for Brian. The three of us had a nice brunch at Radio Maria, dropped Brian off at Huff Gym so he could meet his teammates and run in the 95 degree heat with a full stomach.

On the way out of town, we drove by Christina’s apartment-to-be on Second and Armory and it was looking nicely maintained. Hit the road and headed to Grandmother and Granddaddy’s house for supper. The entire week-end was really nice!

Mom & Dad