Weekend Wind-Down #157

It's been a while since we've done a Weekend Wind-Down post...December was an especially busy month, culminating in a glorious two-week CHRISTMAS VACATION up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Missy's parents. A couple of days before Christmas eve, we hit the road and headed up north.

We stopped at Trader Joe's and stocked up on FESTIVE ROAD SNACKS...



In South Carolina, we sped by the PEACH-SHAPED WATER TOWER in Grafton...



We took a break and gassed up off of our favorite exit in North Carolina, Exit 82, in Jonesville. There's a gas station there with a decent SUBWAY restaurant attached to it. The bathrooms are clean and so is the restaurant, so we always make a point to make sure and stop there. Next door, there's this old abandoned restaurant called POP POP's that we always wish was still open. How could you not want to eat at a restaurant with a DANCING HOT DOG as a mascot?



In West Virginia, we stopped at Beckley to gas up and stretch our legs. It was the first time on our trip that we saw a good amount of snow and the first indication of how super cold it was going to be up north. HOT CHOCOLATE and SQUASHED PENNY procured, we headed for the Pennsylvania state line...















Just over the border, we stopped for a pee-break at the Pennsylvania Welcome Center and then raided their information center...













Twelve hours after leaving Athens, Georgia, we were finally made it to Missy's old neighborhood. Making our way up the walkway in front of Missy's parent's house, we were greeted by the chilly night air and cozy Christmas lights on the front porch...





FAVORITE MOMENT OF THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS?
MISSY - Two-week vacation and snow!
RAOUL - Seeing the Toynbee Tiles in person was pretty cool.

WORST MOMENT OF THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS?
MISSY - End of vacation :(
RAOUL - Fatigue hitting me hard on Friday/Saturday.

FUNNIEST MOMENT OF THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS?
MISSY - Jordan giving me that giant Snickers bar!
RAOUL - That giant Snickers bar that Jordan got you for Xmas! Also, watching all those episodes of Key & Peele.

WORD OR PHRASE OF THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS?
MISSY - "Grab the noodles, grab the nuts"
RAOUL - "Toynbee idea in Kubrick's 2001. Resurrect dead on planet Jupiter"

FAVORITE MEAL OF THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS?
MISSY - Mom's New Year's Eve dinner and Tram's.
RAOUL - Vietnamese food from Tram's...SO GOOD.

WORST MEAL OF THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS?
MISSY - There was something I made the other night that I wasn't happy with...
RAOUL - Does dinner at Big City Bread count?

FAVORITE TOURISTY THING WE DID IN PITTSBURGH?
MISSY - Phipp's Conservatory...they had it decorated so nice.
RAOUL - Does finding the Toynbee Tiles count? I'll say Heinz History Center.

RESOLUTIONS FOR 2013?
MISSY - Write more snail mail letters; publish a few more zines I've been wanting to do; work on at least one project a month for myself; organize organize organize; start up trapeze classes again.
RAOUL - Get lean in Thirteen.

PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS?
MISSY - Siouxie & The Banshees, Grass Widow, Beirut.
RAOUL - Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift For You, They Might Be Giants, Band Aid, A Very Special Christmas, Herb Alpert, Bjorn Again, No Way Sis, The Singing Saw At Christmastime, The Music Tapes, Har Mar Superstar, Atom And His Package, Poundsign, Suretoss, Bob & Doug McKenzie, Timezone, Beck, Halo Benders, The Smiths, Belle & Sebastian, Throwing Muses, Chain & The Gang.