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Our 2018 Road Trip, Part 18: Upstate Monday Mealtimes
I’m an adult and if I want to start an entry about three meals with dessert, no one can tell me no. Sometimes we’ll try to pinpoint a few restaurant options during the vacation planning phase....
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Our 2018 Road Trip, Part 23: Mistakes on the Hudson
Strip mall pizza. Sometimes it’s a good thing. Sometimes you know you’re settling, and missing out on what you really wanted. We’re no strangers to disappointment. Not every plan we make goes through...
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The Chicago 2018 Birthday Weekend, Part 4 of 4: Food!
Spumoni! Best dessert of the trip. Chocolate, pistachio, and whatever the other one was. Previously on Midlife Crisis Crossover: For Anne’s birthday celebration this year, we headed up to Chicago for...
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Our 2018 Road Trip, Part 38: Down the Rabbit Hole
That time we met a gold rabbit gazing upon the adventure of General George Washingbun at Valley Furge. DAY SIX: Thursday, July 12th. Hundreds of miles stood between us and our next hotel, as well as...
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Our 2018 Road Trip, Part 42: The Week in Donuts
Clockwise from top left, I think: Berry Bomb, Double Mocha, Banana Split, Cheesecake, Andes Mint, and Cookie Monster! Eagle-eyed viewers used to our vacation storytelling pattern may or may not have...
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Our 2018 Road Trip, Part 50: The Last Roads Home
We know it’s time to go home when we start craving good ol’ home cookin’ or corporate simulations of it, The last day. The final hours. The way home. Pittsburgh to Indianapolis is a six-hour drive. Two...
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Our 2019 Super Bowl Deserted Restaurant Getaway
I’m a grown-up and I can skip to the dessert photo if I wanna. Behold the Cuban Creme Brûlée — espresso custard topped with caramelized sugar, Chantilly cream, shaved chocolate, and raspberries. 11/10...
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Another C2E2 Epilogue Starring Chicago
Sunday morning breakfast at Do-Rite Donuts and Chicken. Clockwise from top left: cream cheese Danish, blueberry, cinnamon crumble, red velvet coconut, old-fashioned chocolate, and maple bacon glaze....
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One Friday Morning at Chicago’s Nutella Cafe
Nutella waffle with strawberries and fresh hazelnuts. Oh, yeah. Previously on Midlife Crisis Crossover: my wife Anne and I attended our second Chicago entertainment convention of 2019, a scant three...
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Yet Another Convention Epilogue Starring Chicago
The early-evening view from our hotel room during Star Wars Celebration. That’s the north face of Two Prudential Plaza, with Michigan Avenue lit up and trailing back and to the left. Rather like...
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Birthday 47: Primo Pizza and Pointless Pondering
The top half is Thai-inspired. The bottom half is Creole-esque. All of it is coated in smoked Gouda with no objection from me. It’s that time again! This week I turned 47 without entering true Midlife...
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Shrimp ‘n’ Grits and a Biscuit Burger Brunch
Anne’s breakfast got more Facebook Likes and therefore gets to go first. Cajun-spiced sautéed shrimp atop grits with white cheddar and whatever “sauce Américaine” is. Every so often when we’re not...
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Memorial Day Weekend in Chicago: A Birthday Intermission
A restaurant proudly serving its own house brand of diet root beer? My kind of place. Previously on Midlife Crisis Crossover: as part of my 47th birthday celebration, my wife Anne and I drove from...
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Valentines the Day After
These scrumptious baked goods are actually the end of our story, but when you invoke the word “Valentine”, no one wants to put off the sugar till later. This year our Valentine’s Day was a wash. Anne...
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Lafayette Vignettes, Part 6 of 6: The Birthday Menu
The Quintessential Quiche at Eggshell Bistro in Carmel — topped with fresh herbs and filled with applewood bacon, caramelized leeks, roasted tomato, and Comté cheese on a multigrain crust. At least I...
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Restaurants In Memoriam: A Pre-Virus Retrospective
Loukoumadis (fried dough), our final dessert at the Mediterranean Grill in Avon, Indiana. Taken in April 2017 on their final weekend in business. If only we’d shared more meals from there… Midlife...
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“McMillions” and McMemories
Just a few of the souvenirs we still have from our years with the Golden Arches. All of these are from Anne’s old pin collection. Previously on Midlife Crisis Crossover: our family doesn’t subscribe to...
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Our Ten Terrific Tricks for a Stay-at-Home Comic Con
With your host, Dr. Bane-ton Forrester! Previously on Midlife Crisis Crossover: for the past several years my wife Anne and I have made a tradition of going somewhere — anywhere but home — for each of...
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Not Put Asunder, 16 Years and Counting
I already used up the one photo we’ve taken together so far in 2020, so please enjoy this previously unshared file photo from our April 2012 trip to Chicago and C2E2, a souvenir from a bygone era when...
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2020 Road Trip Photos #5: A Moment of Truth in Little Mexico
Los Mariscos Tropicales: shrimp, scallops, and crab served in a hollowed pineapple and topped with cheese, salsa, and rice. Anne ate well that day and has so far lived to tell the tale. It’s a pleasant...
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