The Sweatshop of Lovers Blog

Problems

I mentioned this weekend that, worst case scenario, my Tigers and PT’s Twins would be facing off in a one game playoff to be the champions of the division.

Worst Case Scenario. Hi. How are you? Oh, you are taking place TODAY AT 4:07?!

This is only the 9th time in the history of baseball that a game 163 was required to see who was going to the playoffs. So yeah, it’s kind of a big deal.

And the Tigers have a lot going against them:

1. It’s at the Metrodome. Remember the Metrodome? That place sucks. And it will be filled with screaming Twins fans.

2. The Tigers have the worst road record in baseball.

3. The Twins have won 16 of the last 20 games to tie the Tigers and force this tiebreaker. That’s a lot, and constitutes being on a roll.

I could be here all day listing reasons why the Tigers are going to lose this game. But do I think they are going to lose? No. Well, maybe. GAH! I don’t know, ok?! I’m going to watch this game, and I’m going to be yelling to myself, and hope hope hoping they win, and that is all I can do.

If the Tigers win, the Twins lose, and PT is very sad. If the Tigers lose, the Twins win, and I’m going to be very sad. Either way, I’m glad we don’t have to watch this game together.

Can a relationship survive game 163? Has it ever been done? I’m glad this is almost over.  It’s been a rough ride.

Shrimp Stir Fry with Brown Rice

The cold rain was a nice motivator for PT and I to stay in last night.

(Another untimely Tigers loss and Twins win made it seem like we were both home alone. The Central is still up for grabs. If the Tigers win and Twins lose today the Tigers will win the Central for the first time since 1987. But if the Tigers lose I have to be pissed all day and they have to win tomorrow.)

We made some teriyaki shrimp stir fry with red pepper, broccoli, pineapple, shrimp, and onion, with brown rice. It was so good! I love just throwing things together with some teriyaki stir fry sauce and getting a meal like this.

Cute Packaging!

Note, Pin, and YARN!

I mentioned earlier this week that I won a skein of Kitchen Sink Dyeworks yarn, and it came in yesterday while I was watching The Office!

It was wrapped really cute, came with a handwritten note and a KSD button! It was so sweet, like getting a present from a friend. I will be buying yarn from Kitchen Sink Dyeworks in the future. See what little special touches do?!

And I’m blown away by how beautiful this yarn is! I can’t wait to dive into it.

Any suggestions? I’ve only got 390 yards. I’m thinking lacy shawl? Help!

Workout Fuel

Today was the Michigan/Michigan State game and the Minnesota/Wisconsin game. These are big games; Michigan and Michigan State hate the crap out of each other, and PT was telling me that it’s the same kind of thing with Minnesota and Wisconsin. Neither games were being broadcast on regular TV so we planned to go to the gym to watch them. We made broccoli and onion omelets with pepper jack cheese and a piece of PB&J pumpernickel toast to fuel our workout!

Burritos and Fresh Guacamole

We ran/walked for about two hours while watching Michigan AND Minnesota lose. It was a painful bike ride home! We were tired, sore, and deflated by two close losses. So we made burritos with red pepper, pinto beans, onion, fresh guacamole, black bean and corn salsa, and cabbage.

Girl Friday Started (!)

And I did a bad thing. The Tigers were getting blown out last night, I was sad, it was 8-0, it was rainy and I was cold and baseball sucks and before I knew it I had Girl Friday cast on. Yes, I should be working on presents! But I couldn’t help it.

I figure it’s better to indulge in knitting than, like, a pan of brownies.

And it’s providence because Girl Friday (my Ravelry page) is a Kitchen Sink Dyeworks pattern!

That counts as full circle, right?

I cast on for both front panels and the back, though. I hate knitting a lot of separate pieces. I’m using Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool, the same yarn I used for the Vogue Cropped Jacket, but in natural.

I checked the gauge at it was so on I creeped myself out. It was exactly exactly exactly on with size 8s. I have never seen a gauge so perfect, even when I used the exact yarn and needles a pattern called for. I can’t wait to start the lace pattern!

… right now!

Yesterday I was the super luckiest girl in the world and won a beautiful skein of yarn from Kitchen Sink Dyeworks! It totally made my day, I can’t wait to get it, and it inspired me to think up my own giveaway!

I’ve never done one of these before! I’ve had it on my mind grapes for a while now, and I figure today would be a wonderful day to kick this off, what with the Tigers and Twins having The Double Header of Doom. 11:05am. 6:05pm. My season has come down to these next three days.

… but enough about my self inflicted baseball torture and onto the giveaway!

Knit Headband!

Cute!

This season The Sweatshop of Love is focusing on quick, cute, easy gifts for the holiday season, and this is one of my favorites.

Based on the knitty pattern Quant, but, you know, easier and quicker, I’ve got quite a few of these puppies in The Sweatshop inventory, waiting for the right moment to pop out.

Entrelac Greens

Love Entrelac!

I love me some entrelac! And this pattern is a great introduction. But, why learn to entrelac when you can just win this cute headband!

The i-cord ties make this headband fit snugly to any head, and will keep your ears warm and hair not so hat-heady. It’s perfect for pony tails (I’ve been told!).

To enter, leave a comment with an idea you have for a  present you plan on making for someone this holiday season.

You get bonus points if you tweet this giveaway! I’m at twitter/sweatshopoflove.

And are you a fan of The Sweatshop on facebook?

I’ll pick a winner on Friday, if I’m not curled up in fetal position because the Tigers blew their shot at the ALCS.

Good luck!

Upon arriving in Minnesota Thursday afternoon and entering PT’s mom’s adorable little house, I was greeted with this:

Baby PT

“Aw PT! You were so cute!”

“Yeah that is my senior picture.”

“THAT is your SENIOR PICTURE? I was going to guess 8th grade.”

Minnehaha Falls

PT was anxious to take me on a grand tour of St Paul, where he grew up, and Minneapolis, which is like a whole other world according to PT’s mom.

St Paul has about 300,000 people and Minneapolis has about 400,000, and St Paul is known as the small, quaint city, and Minneapolis as the big city.

I didn’t, and still kind of don’t, understand why they are two cities. Wouldn’t it just be easier to have one big city separated by the Mississippi River, instead of two cities that are just like one big city anyway?

It’s like the sharks and the jets, so I probably shouldn’t have even said that while still in Minnesota.

In any case, both cities are beautiful; full of parks and old buildings and tree lined boulevards. Our first stop was in Minneapolis, just over the river, to Minnehaha Falls. See? Lovely waterfall inside the city limits!

F Scott Fitzgerald's House

Historical Spot

I had forgotten that F Scott Fitzgerald grew up in St Paul, but PT was on it and took me to see his house. I love him, and I love Zelda, and I really love Ernest Hemingway who grew up in Oak Park but whose house I still haven’t seen, shamefully.

The Mississippi River

We had lunch on the banks of the Mississippi River, which I can safely say I’ve never done before.

Good Sandwich

Big Tuna Sandwich

PT’s favorite sandwich place in St Paul is called Acme Deli, where you fill out a sheet of options, hand in your worksheet, and get a sandwich. I got a tuna with lots of veggies, cheese, and horseradish, and it was awesome.

Turkey Breast

PT got the turkey breast with olives, of course.

Hidden Falls

Where we stopped for lunch also had a waterfall called Hidden Falls; less hard core falls than Minnehaha and much more mosquito filled, but still! Lunch+Mississippi River+waterfalls? This place is great!

Izzy's!

And we got some ice cream for the trip to Minneapolis! PT worked at Izzy’s for a summer, so it was part of the PT life tour. At least I can justify going the first time that way, anyway. The second time, this time, I was just being a fatty. But, I mean, salted caramel ice cream? With a little taste of whatever other ice cream flavor you want? It’s a good thing I don’t live here.

Lake Calhoun

PT&ME

We stopped at Lake Calhoun, one of the many lakes in Minneapolis, and walked on the path around it. There were lots of people out biking and jogging the paths, enjoying the beautiful afternoon.

Cherry and Spoon

We stopped at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden that I loved.

‘I don’t get it,’ I said.

‘What’s to get? It’s a cherry and a spoon.’

PT sees things pretty clearly.

PT on the Light Rail

PT never asks to get his picture taken. I take pictures like a crazy and PT puts up with it like a champ, but this moment was a big moment in PT’s life. He was riding the light rail to the Metrodome for his last Twins game at that hell hole. So many people were riding that thing to the game! He was a very happy boy.

The New Target Field OMGOMGOMG!

Or I thought he was a happy boy, but in comparison to how happy he was to see the new Target Field where, in a matter of months, his beloved Twins will play, outside, like baseball should be played, he was catatonic on the light rail.

I didn’t understand exactly what a big deal this was. The Tigers got a new stadium a few years ago and it was a big deal but I wasn’t losing my shit over it. But then I went into the Metrodome to watch a baseball game.

What Baseball Should NOT Look Like

Entering the Metrodome, sitting down, and realizing you are about to watch baseball was kind of like seeing my best friend get punched in the face. Like, they took baseball, something I love so much, and dropped it into the shittiest place on earth. I was pissed! How could they do that? How could they stick BASEBALL in there?

Joe and Joe

But they were giving away Joe Mauer on a stick, which was fun. I don’t know why they didn’t throw some makeup on him and pluck his eyebrows down a little before blowing up his face that big, but it’s Minnesota. He might need those brows for warmth.

Besides the location, it was the perfect night. PT’s last Twins game in the Metrodome was a win, the Tigers won, the White Sox lost, and we light railed it back home.

Day Two? STATE FAIR! EVERYTHING DEEP FRIED AND ON A STICK!

I’ve got to charge my camera batteries.

View From My Outside Desk

Eat your heart out, New Wave. Actually, don’t, because I will be seeing you in like 4 hours. Actually, I don’t even know what ‘eat your heart out’ means. Bygons.

I set up the card table on the porch and, as you can see, I’m enjoying a big salad, the sunshine, the fresh air, and working! Right now all I can thinking about is the Peanut Butter Cup and Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream in my freezer that wouldn’t be a temptation if I were at New Wave, but still. There isn’t a cloud in the sky. I’m rocking my outfit of choice this summer, the wife beater/skirt combo, and feeling good.

Ok I just got some ice cream.

Sock at the Sox's Game

Last night Mother Nature appologized to us about the last two games we tried to go to by handing us the nicest baseball night yet. It was so warm I got a waffel cone. My hands didn’t need to be hidden away in mittens so I turned the heel on my second sock.

Sad Boys

The Twins did not have a good night. PT’s face says it all.

(Yes, the Tigers won. I know that is what you were really concerned about.)

Despite the loss, the anti Detroit sentiment (so I wore my Tigers shirt! Whatevs), we had a great night. Anytime you can see a ballgame without getting wet/hypothermia, it is a great time.

I feel like I haven’t taught in a long time! Group class tonight, then Pattern Reading 101 tomorrow night, then we are off to Michigan for the Memorial Day weekend. My mom is texting me up a storm, my grandpa already has our Friday planned, starting off with a big breakfast at The Peppermill, followed by baking. Snickerdoodles and carrot cake, to be exact. The forecast is looking great for little Allendale; upper 60s, lower 70s and sunny through Monday, which is what we need considering we will be residing in a tent in the front yard. But, anytime you can sleep in a tent without getting wet/hypothermia, it is a great time.

That said, Allendale=dial up internet connection=no Allyson till next week. My goals for the weekend? Finish sock, finish The Hours, the Tigers at 25/18, gain 4 pounds. I can do it!

Have a great long weekend, blog friends.

Yesterday PT and I got up early and biked downtown to check out the new modern wing at The Art Institute. It has been a LONG time coming and we were both really excited that it was finally ready for visitors!

Modern Wing Bridge

We biked down Monroe towards the Art Institute and right away we saw something we had never seen before; people were walking on the bridge over Monroe, connecting Millennium Park with The Art Institute! We parked our bikes and were immediately greeted by people from Target with chips, water bottles, and pamphlets about the new wing. Target was sponsoring the opening weekend festivities, including free admission, and the chips were a delicious snack.

First Look

We walked through the doors and into this gigantic room! It opened at 10:30, we got there at about 10:35 and this picture was taken at maybe 10:42. I think all of Chicago was as pumped as we were because the place was packed, and this is as empty as we would see it.

View From the Balcony

We worked our way through the first floor, which was where the featured exhibits were. By the time we got upstairs and to this balcony, opposite the entrance where the first inside picture was taken, it was hard to move around comfortably, there were so many people there. We didn’t mind.

We were here checking out some free art!

Not Sure Who Did This One

Mom – LOTS of Picasso.

These Sculptures Have a Great View

To say that the setting for The Modern Wing is distracting isn’t right. ‘Distracting’ has a negative connotation that I certainly don’t mean. The way that all the outer walls are all glass keeps reminding you where you are. You are between the beautiful and historic Grant Park and the biggest rooftop garden in the country, Millennium Park. Both parks are between Lake Michigan and the breathtaking Chicago skyline. Why would you want to have walls when you can see these unique landmarks and monuments all the time?

Design!

My favorite part of the Modern Wing was the Architecture and Design exhibits, naturally. I loved this display of chairs and lamps.

Spider Lamp, Big Blue Wall Cancer

I really wanted to sit on that wire chair. It can’t possibly be functional, right? And I’m pretty sure I’m going to try to give my wall blue felt cancer sometime very soon.

Terrace

While we were looking for the balcony and the bridge we were so excited about walking across, we stumbled upon this terrace that everyone was very adamant no one walk on.

We Found It!

After some serious searching we found the balcony. We think you can only get to it by walking through the coat check and into the elevator hidden around the corner, but it could just be all the people were hiding the normal entrance.

Bridge Meets Museum

When you walk out of the museum and onto the bridge you get the full scope of the Chicago skyline. This picture is looking north west back onto Monroe, where Target rolled out the red carpet to welcome everyone into the Modern Wing. Below are the South Shore and Metra train tracks.

Up Monroe

Down at the Museum

You can see the balcony at the top of the museum.

PT and I kept having those ‘holy shit, we LIVE here’ moments. If the opening was in January we would probably be less amazed, but this city is amazing from May-October. It is tolerable in November, December, and April. But it is May, yesterday was beautiful, the view of the city from the balcony and bridge was breathtaking. The new Modern Wing is one of the coolest places I’ve ever been. All of these things are less than 5 miles from my house.

Millennium Park

Despite getting yelled at for:

1) PT’s bag was too big

2) No water in the museum

3) No water on the bridge (but chips are ok)

4) No flash (that was an accident!)

and awkwardly running into a boy I kinda dated for about three seconds, the Modern Wing gets two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Lake Michigan

We took a walk over to Lake Michigan and said hello to Opera, and the fishes. I tantalized PT with stories of what Lake Michigan is like on the other side, which we will be seeing next weekend!

Buckingham Fountain

We were tourists in our own city, which is good for you, once in a while. To get a chance to be a tourist in the city you live in is something not a lot of Americans get to do. PT and I took advantage of it yesterday.

Amazing Toe Up Sock!

I finished my sock during the Tigers game last night! I got to knit happy because they have been looking great this series (told you).

Next Sock

I even got started on Sock #2.

Potato Stir Fry

For lunch we had potato stir fry with broccoli, carrots, onion, and green pepper.

Avocado and Mango Chicken

To get me to not dump him after the baseball debacle this week, PT made me Avocado-Mango Chicken for dinner last night.

Taco'ed It Up

It was excellent! I told PT I could still dump him at any moment, and it is all resting on the next Tigers Twins series, but I appreciated the dinner.

I’ve just been notified that tonight’s dinner will have a clam element. PT discovered Mark Bittman’s blog this morning and might be getting carried away. He is talking home made pasta with spicy red clam sauce and muscles? This is going to be good.

It is dangerous to be as erratic as baseball is. One moment you have a 5-0 lead and three outs later your are trailing 6-5. One moment you feel good about the decisions you’ve made in the past few months and one conversation later you are laying in bed on a rainy day questioning everything.

Tuesday at this time I was riding high. The Tigers were coming off a sweep of the Indians, the rest of their May schedule was looking relatively easy; all mediocre teams till the first week of June. I was thinking we could get up a few games on the Royals and hope things fall into place in June. Magglio would be back. Bonderman would be back. Carlos Gullien would be back. Two of three in the Metrodome seemed possible.

Now I’m reading about these games I had to witness over the past three days in bewildered awe.

A) How did I not kill someone?

B) How could I have thought I was watching a good team?

C) Why am I dating a Twins fan?

D) Why do I like this stupid, boring sport?

E) How do you blow a 5-0 lead?

F) How do you give up a walk off grand slam to JOE FUCKING CREDE?

G) How do you not score with two men on and no outs over and over and over again?

Bewildered. Awe.

So of course if I live 7 months of my life on the Detroit Tigers Emotional Roller Coaster how can I expect the rest of my life won’t get pulled along with it? I have no idea what I’m doing with my life. One of these days I’m going to wake up and think, ‘I have no idea what I’m doing with my life,’ and it won’t be immediately followed by me thinking, ‘You are young, it doesn’t matter’. Most of the time I think I know what I’m doing. Today? Not so much. Today I should have a 9-5 with benefits and an actual pay check that is direct deposited into my money market savings account. Today I should not be sitting at home at 2:30 on a Friday afternoon blogging, I should be in an office somewhere in heels doing some bullshit.

Tomorrow, though, I will feel better. The Tigers will win tonight. Jackson is pitching and the As are terrible. They can’t lose 4 in a row, they just aren’t that bad. And I’ve seen bad. It will be sunny tomorrow, which will help. The Modern Wing finally opens and is free through the 22nd so I won’t have to think about how I could have used those $12 towards food/my cell phone bill. That will help, too.

Grilled Cheese, Salad, Lentil Soup

Tomorrow it will be more important to me that I get to eat as well as I do, with all my cooking time. More grilled cheese with fresh bread. More homemade lentil soup. More freshly chopped salads. More homemade pizzas and cookies and crock pot things. More homemade pasta.

But there is a difference between knowing you are going to feel better and actually feeling it. Tomorrow I know I will feel better. Today I’m feeling down in the dumps – stupid for quitting my job, stupid for not valuing money like I should, stupid for not trying harder to make money, stupid for loving things I have no control over. Stupid for being sad. Stupid. In need of cupcake. Stupid. In need of bad romantic comedy on hulu.