Three weeks into 2009, my commitment to New things is going strong, but my commitment to Mad About New is waning, as you may have noticed. I probably should have made a New Year's resolution to blog, but my only resolution is to become a better Scrabble player, and I am happy to report that I have already achieved that goal. Since the resolution did not include any specifics on "better", it turned out to be pretty easy. I have a Page-A-Day Scrabble calendar as a constant reminder of the goal, am learning the lingo through reading 'Word Freak', know most of the 101 2-letter words, and am earning 300+ points in most games. I am also realizing that it would be pretty easy to become obsessed with this project.Meanwhile, I've enjoyed several new art experiences and even discovered that St. Paul can be a nice day trip or Friday night date! New to Me, January 1-25:
1. Text/Messages: my texting friends Rachel and Em and I checked out an interesting new show at the Walker on our day off
2. MacPhail Center for Music: spent 1/2 a day there for Leadership Twin Cities - perhaps I should take up the bass?
3. Minnesota Shubert Center: LTC tour of the Hennepin Center for the Arts and relocated Shubert Theater - reminds me once again of the amazing arts scene in MN
4. MIA's new show of drawings from the Weisberg Collection: coldest night in 5 years and the museum was packed - worth a trip to check out this amazing collection by little-known artists
5. St. Paul Chamber Orchestra: inspired by LTC and $10 ticket special, Bill and I experienced the SPCO featuring the London Sinfonietta playing a mind-opening piece of unusual classical(?) music: Heiner Goebbels' Songs of Wars I Have Seen
6. Nomad World Pub - another place I've been meaning to go for years - enjoyed Surly Smoke and Jones Street Station
7. St. Paul day trip - Em and I ventured across the river to many new places: Cooqi gluten-free bakery (fudge-like brownies - yum), Lula (well-organized vintage wear), Everyday People Clothing Exchange (new location), Bead Monkey (now must make this necklace), Ten Thousand Villages (a gift shop making a difference), My Sister's Closet (found perfect vintage fur hat), and Picky Girl (love the name and great small selection).
I also made it to a few New to Me restaurants:
1. Tiger Sushi - new location at 28th & Lyndale has great food and good atmosphere (despite a tv on the wall)
2. The Liffey - blueberry stilton was certainly New to Me
3. Pizza Luce in St. Paul - have now been to all locations
4. Pop! - cute but not awesome for the vegetarian
5.Hell's Kitchen - fun for group breakfast with out-of-town guest Jen
And, finally, the best part of the New Year was this week's inauguration ceremony for our New President Barack Hussein Obama. Watching on tv in the lobby at work and then celebrating with my bookclub that night, I have new hope for the future!
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