Gary, IN isn't really all that scary.

So last week my beloved new friend Allie invited me and The Bob for a glimpse of life on the other side of the lake for dinner.... So into Gary, Indiana we go.

View of IN fleeting industry

Gary, IN Courthouse

Gary's fine horticultural practices

Our first stop in Gary was to the market so we could get the items Allie and Aunt Beth needed for dinner.

Jansen's Market

Allie perusing the produce

So onward to the lake we go and to our surprise this part of IN is actually not flat! The beach was surrounded by beautiful dunes and we had the pleasure of making it the shore of Lake Michigan just as the sun set.

Allie and The Bob walking to the lake

Sun starting to set over the dunes

 

Sun setting over Lake Michigan - Chicago on the horizon

Setting over the dunes

So back to the cottage we go where Aunt Beth and Allie prepare us the most delicious meal!

Aunt Beth hard at it

Allie working in the kitchen

The Bob assisting Allie on the grill

The Bob setting the table

Time to eat

So far much of my posting has to do with food or drinks... Well that is what Chicago has to offer - Good food and drinks made by great people.

Summer in Chicago.

I have been calling Chicago home since Memorial Day and I have been told by many Chicagoans that I am lucky to have moved up here during "the heat of summer".

So with the dog days of summer rolling in, I am spending my time divied up between half heartedly looking for a job and acting like a real tourist in this city I now call home. I have had the fortune of meeting some wonderful people so far and even sharing a few of my adventures with them... So let's recap my latest conquests:

                   Sangria Saturdays with Laura (7/17)            Stanley's Produce (7/17)

American Aquarium Concert @ HOB with Morgan, Allie & new friend Garrett

OZ Park with Allie - Dorothy's Red Slippers 7/15

Garfield Conservatory Park with Allie 7/14

Architecture Boat Tour and Lake Michigan Water Taxi

Lincoln Park Zoo with The Bob and Lindsey

4th of July Rooftop Party at Cathy & Franks

Pride Parade with the Bob

Humbolt Park with the Bob

That should just about catch you up on a few things I have been up to. I have also had the pleasure of interviewing for jobs as well. None were what I am exactly looking for so the search continues...

Sangria Saturdays.

4 oz Triple Sec

1 L Ginger Ale

1 Bottle Merlot

Smidgen of Suga

Diced Fruit

Lots of Love

Land of Sky - Brownfield Site

My studio this semester is undertaking a brownfield site located along the French Broad River, in the River Arts District, of Asheville, NC. The site was originally the home of a tannery that used the tannins from chestnut oaks. Now it is a dilapidated squatters paradise.


The developer would like to see it as an extension of the existing River Arts District with low rent spaces for artists and businesses. The River Links Organization and the City of Asheville have other ideas since it is located in the 100 year flood plain. They see it as a recreational extension of the French Broad River - not a mixed use development.


It is our duty to decide and design the best possible solution for the site given the the constraints and wishes of the involved parties. Also, did I mention that this is indeed a design competition? It is focused for Architectural and Landscape Architect students. We have departments and studios from NC State, West Virginia, VA Tech, Arizona, and Clemson competing.

More on the competition.

mooreSQ

Competition. Competition. Competition... Its healthy right?

The Moore Square Design Competition is the City of Raleigh’s first public design competition. The design competition is a one-stage conceptual design competition with an invited jury of five individuals chosen to select the winning concepts. Cash awards will be presented to the first-, second-, and third-place winning concepts.

The State of North Carolina owns the Square and the City of Raleigh maintains it. Pending approvals of the Raleigh City Council and the State of North Carolina, the first-place winning design concept team will be provided the opportunity to participate in the master planning process.



So I was approached by a group of colleagues from a development firm in DT Raleigh: one architect, one graphic designer and one community liaison, back in June. They were interested in working with a student landscape designer and I was referred to them by a colleague.

So now 2 months later we are working full steam ahead with a solid design... The deadline looming in the near future... September 29th, 5 PM... Pray for us.

More on the competition...

Back in the States 3 months and counting...

So summer is here and quickly passing me by. What will I have to show for it? Well let's do back up to June...

The week after I arrived back in the States I moved into my new house, went to a beer festival, Bob Graduated, went to Decemberists concert, went to a Blue Crab Festival in SC, got a dog...


Sir Winston Didymus Jarlen (combo Jarzemsky+Allen) the Third


Deep sea fishing with Dad, Lindsay (roommate), and Mr. Roberts


Bobby's graduation: Master's of Biological and Agricultural Engineering (Environmental Engineer)


Blue Crab Festival - Little River, SC
Laura, Bob, myself, Bobby, Lindsay, and Katie (from left)

So in July my parent's bought a pontoon boat and 2 jet skis! This is where we spent the 4th of July...





So with other adventures to come such as camping, travels to MN, hopefully more beach, and Bob's interview in San Antonio I will leave it here till the next post!

I have a of these on my walls back at the house...

Weird... Especially since I was referring to the animals I was visiting at the Prague ZOO. One of the top 5 zoos in the world.




Yesterday Ben, Keeley, and David made our way on a very crowded bus to the zoo.

We got there around 1130 and left around 400. It was intense and huge!

Most of the animal habitats were pretty nice but I was disappointed with the elephants,

polar bear,
a few of the smaller cats, and the 3 toed sloth...

These guys didn't look too happy and spent most of their time pacing. Have you ever seen a three toed sloth pace? So slow...

For more pictures from the zoo... http://picasaweb.google.com/allen.lorna/200904_PragueZoo#