finally

after many sub-zero days spent anticipating our trip, travel companion and i have finally made it- we leave tomorrow morning for ten glorious days in Costa Rica. all that's left to do is a little packing, a little cleaning (much to said companion's chagrin) and a lot of anticipating.

our itinerary? how kind of you to ask.

day 1: flying. for many hours. then arriving in San Jose and crashing at Casa 69.

day 2: experiencing Costa Rica's public buses with a five-hour trek to the Arenal Volcano area, arriving at Hotel Mountain Paradise. each bungalow may or may not have a private jacuzzi that looks out over the volcano.

day 3: a canopy and zipline tour with Arenal EcoGlide, then a hike to La Fortuna Waterfall... plus a second night in mountain paradise.

day 4: hiking, relaxing and exploring the town of La Fortuna... then sleeping in our mountain-view room at Hotel Las Colinas.

day 5: a 5:50am pick-up for our tour of Tortuguero. some traveling, boating, and hopefully kayaking in the amazon-like canals. apparently the tour is keeping our accomodations a secret until we arrive... hopefully that's not a bad sign.

day 6: official tour of Tortuguero... i know it involves boating, hiking and viewing of wildlife... the rest remains a surprise. then some more travel time down the caribbean coast to our hotel in the little beach town of Puerto Viejo.

day 7-9: finally a slower, more vacation-like pace... staying in the Azania Bungalows, walking along the beach, hanging out with sloths, snorkeling, kayaking, eating fish tacos, drinking cold beer, swinging in hammocks, sleeping in and enjoying peace and quiet. not much planned for these three days, though i have a feeling we will have no trouble filling the time.

day 10: one last morning on the beach, then public bussing it back to San Jose. exploring the city a little bit, having a nice, long, last dinner, then spending our last night (gulp) at Hotel Colonial.

day 11: i'd rather not talk about it. i'll already be longing to be back here...

have a warm, safe, peaceful next week and a half, and prepare yourself to be bombarded with photographs and stories when i return.

my favorite number

112. i think it's my favorite number. at least it's my mouth's favorite, since saliva starts to flow the second it's spoken. and it's all because of 112 eatery... as much as i love thai and sushi, i think this is my favorite restaurant in minneapolis. in the twin cities. in minnesota. possibly in the world. at least it's my favorite of those i've been to. i'm not saying it might not be topped some day, by some foreign deliciousness i've yet to experience, but, for now, 112 is gonna post up on the top spot.

why, might you ask, do i love this restaurant so much? let me list the reasons...

1. the food rides the perfect line between innovative and traditional. the menu is full of twists on basics (my favorite: the 112 burger, served on an english muffin with brie cheese) and an excellent mix of simple and exotic (exotic by the standards of a city in the midwest).

2. the staff. hostesses, bartenders, servers. i have never once had poor service, but what's even better, i've had nothing but exceptional service. and it's not the "technically right but lacking in charisma" kind of service, but the full-on, "i'm actually happy to be here serving you tonight, i'm going to refill your wine glass without you even noticing, i know every item on the menu and what makes it as good as it is, i'm happy to describe every last thing for you even if you're not planning to order it, and i'm going to have a genuine smile on my face the entire time" kind of service. how can you beat that?

3. the wine list. it's quality. it's broad. it's a great compliment to the menu.

4. the prices. this place is so reasonable, the last time i went my co-diner and i looked at each other and wondered out loud, "why don't we come here more often???" sure, there are the spendier options, but if you show up, grab a seat at the bar, order a couple of cocktails, an appetizer, split an entree and treat yourself to a dessert, i'm willing to bet you can walk out of there with an extremely satisfied belly for under $40 (plus tip). not bad for a date at a restaurant that makes you feel like you should be paying twice as much.

5. the atmosphere. low-key but classy. you can dress it up or down, place it into your own mold for the evening. it's always busy, but not in a way that makes you feel crowded or overwhelmed. just a steady flow of people who are happy to be tucked into the nearly-hidden restaurant for a mini-escape from the city. it's cozy and welcoming. in that restaurant, you could be anywhere.

6. the location, at least for me. three blocks from where i live. i can practically call it my kitchen.

7. the hours. full kitchen service until midnight monday-thursday, 10pm on sunday, and until 1am on friday and saturday.

8. the butterscotch budino. who's the genius who thought to put sea salt on butterscotch pudding? i have no words for how good this tastes.

the place is fantastic. i think you get the point. now it's your duty to taste the wonder with your own tongue.

museo

as i mentioned yesterday, i visited the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) this past weekend. and not only did it have some fabulous pieces of work from some of my favorite artists, but it was free. free, i tell you! baltimore loves its arts. and it should.

my mom loves Georgia O'Keefe, and growing up i was exposed to calendars and greeting cards and prints of her work. i love her soft lines and use of color. yes indeed.

ahh, Monet. what's not to like? here, The River Thames.

i was lucky enough to be able to visit the van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam a few years ago... i highly reommend alloting a few hours to explore it if you're ever in the area.

Felix Vallotton. not an artist i was familiar with, but this piece has me hooked...

and last but not least, Henri Matisse. the museum has a huge collection of his work- both paintings and sculptures- thanks to the Cone sisters. the second painting below- Pink Nude (the first is Blue Nude, logically enough)- underwent various transformations over a six month period, until Matisse felt he had the dimensions absolutely perfect. talk about perfectionism.

then there was the contemporary art wing, which always intrigues me. i'm more of a fan of "pretty art"- i find it difficult to grasp the meaning of the more contemporary, abstract pieces. does that mean i'm not a true art admirer? possibly. but that's okay. i give myself props for trying. (yes, that's the skin of an orange sewn together with a needle and thread.)

baltimore

hello my friends, and happy monday! how did it get to be february already? it's madness, i tell you. i welcomed the new month with an old friend in baltimore. have you ever been? i hadn't, but enjoyed myself thoroughly. old row houses, east coast architecture, delicious food, satisfying beer, free museums, sunshine and lots of laughter. a good weekend indeed. a few of the highlights for your viewing pleasure...

saying hello to my friend

house-brewed beer at The Brewer's Art

sweet potato fries at the eccentrically decorated PaperMoon Diner

a free wander around a fabulous museum (details tomorrow...)

oh so perfect crab cakes at Ethel and Ramone's

all in all, a quick but perfect weekend... enough to refresh me coming into a new week, and make me realize how lucky i am to have said friend in my life.