this is country music and we do

Novemberings (and a hint o' December)...



High Places at U of M. Rob used a laundry bin full of clothes as a stand. #ingenuity



The new(ish) Kalamazoo River Valley Trail. Nice.



HP at the Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids.



A bunch of local publishers took over a former Borders for the 2011 Chicago Book Expo.



Went south for Thanksgiving—to Louisville & Nashville.



I don't think I'd been to Louisville since I was in high school and found it quite charming.



And very hospitable.



Some charming and hospitable Louisvilleans.





Friday brunch.



There's a weird, gigantic man-made cavern under the Louisville Zoo called the Mega Cavern. Inside there are ziplines, Christmas lights, and a gift store where you can buy stuff like this...



I'M ALWAYS SAYING THIS.



Like most places nowadays (gas stations, laundromats, Taco Bell), you can be the Mega Cavern's friend on Facebook. #no



Cave Hill Cemetery, an intriguing place.



The inscription on this one says "God Always Seems to Pick His Prettiest Flower." (Yikes.) There's an unusual story behind this grave. Think: low-rise jeans.



The Colonel!



Another quirky Louisville place (actually just outside of Louisville), Henry's Ark.





Part of my Animals at Sunset series.









Karaoke at Rush Inn. Cassie owned some Tammy Wynette.



Will killed it on some Josh Turner. (I listened to new country pretty much this entire trip...not that I don't already listen to it all the time lots.)

Louisville (not pictured): pizza at Garage Bar, tons o' PS3 gaming, bookstores, record stores, sushi, skatepark, bagels, cheese grits, a cocktail called the Churchill, art show, coffee at Java...



Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in East Nashville. I think Dan and I sampled every flavor they have. Finally settled on lemon yogurt and black currant lambic sorbet(!)



Cocktail with jalapeño and candied ginger at Burger Up.



Hatch Show Print posters at the Country Music Hall of Fame.



Dolls!



Attempt at a David + dog tableau. Miles is in position...



Hold it!

Nashville (not pictured): Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, Noshville, Parnassus Books, Bongo Java, tempura donuts at P.M., House of Kabob, drinks with friends at Whiskey Kitchen, the Turnip Truck.



Back in the Chi...made Christmas wreaths last week at Misericordia.





It's beginning to look a lot like.

burn my autumns

Very sad to hear the news that Loren Jansch, lovely wife of Bert, passed away this past weekend. She, too, was battling cancer and had gone off chemo temporarily to be with Bert (who died in October).

Dan and I visited her at Marie Curie hospice in London last month. She was residing in a corner room that looked out on autumn trees. She said she hoped she could get well and look after Bert's legacy...a legacy that is now ours—that is, anyone who loved his music—to preserve. Rest in peace, Loren.

the last living rose

Took a trip to London Town in early November. 'Twas brilliant.



Bakery near our hotel in the Holborn/Covent Garden area.





Sad saucissons at the French Kitchen.



Nighttime walk to Soho.



Heh.



Hix/Mark's Bar. (Cleo gave me some solid recs! She also introduced me to this drink the last time she visited the 312: Aperol Spritz.)



Portobello Road Market.













More like Cali-Cool Hand Luke, no? Dude looks like he's fresh from the set of The O.C.



I love nighttime carousels in fall. A real Something Wicked This Way Comes vibe happening here.



I've only been to London twice but both times I've had this jam playing on near-constant repeat in the back of my head. (AHHH! Stop feeding the birds, ya old coot. They've had their fill!)



Amazing night market outside the Royal Festival Hall.





Special surprise guest at Roy Harper's 70th Birthday Concert! We had a cool pre-show convo where I told him he was the icing on the birthday cake.*



Joanna was his other special surprise guest of the evening (pictured w/ Roy's wife Tracy).



All my pics from the actual concert are really blurry, but it was a very magical evening.



JP is a really nice dude! But his guitar playing? MEH.**



These kids killed it on a duet of "Another Day."



Store windows at Liberty.





Love this place.



Arancini at da Polpo.



Covent Garden market.



Ladurée shop AKA macaron heaven!





Piccadilly Circus.



Variously colored doors of Belsize Park.







Let me watch night fall on the river,
The moon rise up and turn to silver,
The sky move,
The ocean shimmer,
The hedge shake,
The last living rose, quiver.


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* Cause apparently my dorkiness is a "special surprise" I like to spring on ppl (legendary or non).
** JK JK