Fall trip home, part 1
*linked from FaceBook*
So I finally have time to post about this. Last week, Oct. 14th - Oct 21st, I flew home to Indianapolis to visit my folks, this time with my bf (Ben) in tow, :) He's met my parents before when they came out here to Seattle, last year to visit me. So we all decided this time he could come with me.
We left our apt in Seattle and went down to the airport in Seattle's newest mode of transportation, the Light Rail train. It just opened back this summer. It goes to various Seattle-surrounding neighborhoods (much like where we live, Beacon Hill, which is just south of downtown) and it transports people to downtown and all the way down to the airport. Waaaaay better than taking the nasty bus! It's still being built as we speak and soon enough it will go father south than the airport and further north than downtown.
Here's some pics of us on the train.
Kinda reminds me of New York city's subway
Ben smiling on the train
We arrived a bit later than we would have liked to the airport, partly our own fault, so we rushed to our plane but as it turns out we had more than enough time before out plane left. We had a connection (as there's rarely ever nonstop flights from Seattle to Indy or Indy to Seattle, *grumbles*) but made it to Indy by around 10pm. My family picked us up in their new van! It's actually used but it's a giant van, like an express van, and way nicer than the old one they had. Ben and I kind of wanna buy it off 'em, so we can use it for roadtrips and camping, heh. We all headed for Steak N' Shake, since we don't have those here in Washington and I miss 'em. Ben got a side by side shake and loved it!
My older brother Mike and Ben got along really well. They both are into music and bands and had lots to talk about. Sometimes I'd be off doing my own thing for a brief time and they'd be hanging out in the basement watching tv or playing video games, and having a beer. Ya know, guy stuff.
The next day or so were sort of like catch-up, esp. with the 3-hour jetlag from the time difference. But we did go to downtown Indy on Thurs. or Fri., since I know Ben wanted to see it really bad. We were gonna go to the Covered Bridge Festival but we ran out of time. When we first got to downtown we drove by my old university, IUPUI. Ben seemed rather impressed and I believe he commented that it's bigger than his old university, University of Idaho.
We then proceeded into into downtown, though we drove past downtown a bit because we wanted to go to White Castle, again they don't have those in WA. It was mostly a snack but I'm not sure how much Ben liked it, lol! I'm not a huge fan of White Castle myself.
We then went thru downtown, passing by the new Lucas Oil Stadium, that's both new for Ben and me. He esp. wanted to see it cuz he's a newly-converted Colts fan, thanks to yours truly, ;)
Downtown Indy
We then went to Circle Center Mall and bopped around there for a while. My mom just had her birthday on Oct. 9th so I got here some lotions at Bath & Body Works as a present.
Once we were done there we headed over to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. I wanted to take Ben there because we yet again don't have one in WA. Although apparently Seattle's supposed to get one soon. I had actually went to Hard Rock on another trip back and bought Ben a shirt from there. I got a Long Island Iced Tea, love those things, :) What was funny is our server looked like Roger Daltrey of The Who, lol!
My family and Ben and I at Hard Rock Cafe
On the way back to our car, we walked thru the Monument Circle and Ben thought that was pretty neat, as we don't have a giant monument like that in Seattle.
On Sat. we rode the Pizza Train, which is part of the Indiana Transportation Museum, up in Noblesville, IN. My mom's a volunteer coach attendant, and has been volunteering for them for years. She would oftentimes get me and Kristy on for free so we could ride up to Tipton and go to the Pizza Shack to eat. It's a pizza buffet and it's quite good. Of course the general public rides too and it's quite a turnout. Nowadays it's hard to even get seats without it being sold out! Anyway I figured it'd be quite a neat experience for Ben, since we don't have old trains like that here in WA.
My mom the coach!
Me and Kristy
Me, Kristy, and Ben
Group picture at the Pizza Shack. From the left side of table it goes me, Ben, my mom, Mike's friend Jenny, Mike, Kristy, and my dad.
Later that evening we celebrated my mom's birthday and my brother's belated birthday (July 6th). I bought a Halloween-themed cake plus Kristy and I exchanged early Christmas and birthday gifts.
Blow out the candles!
Mom opening her birthday card and gift from me
Mike showing his birthday gift from me; the new Pearl Jam album
Kristy opening her Xmas/b-day gifts from me
Me opening my Xmas/b-day gifts from Kristy
On the weekend we went over to Jenny's house because she had just moved into a new duplex and wanted to show it us. On Sun. morning we hung around a bit longer so that we could watch some football. Afterwords we all drove up to Noblesville to show Ben Morse Lake park and beach, where I used to go swimming in the summer sometimes when I still lived in Indy.
We met up with my parents there and since we missed the Covered Bridge Festival, we drove to one that was nearby. It's called Potter's Bridge and it's just one single covered bridge up in Noblesville.
To be continued...
So I finally have time to post about this. Last week, Oct. 14th - Oct 21st, I flew home to Indianapolis to visit my folks, this time with my bf (Ben) in tow, :) He's met my parents before when they came out here to Seattle, last year to visit me. So we all decided this time he could come with me.
We left our apt in Seattle and went down to the airport in Seattle's newest mode of transportation, the Light Rail train. It just opened back this summer. It goes to various Seattle-surrounding neighborhoods (much like where we live, Beacon Hill, which is just south of downtown) and it transports people to downtown and all the way down to the airport. Waaaaay better than taking the nasty bus! It's still being built as we speak and soon enough it will go father south than the airport and further north than downtown.
Here's some pics of us on the train.
Kinda reminds me of New York city's subway
Ben smiling on the train
We arrived a bit later than we would have liked to the airport, partly our own fault, so we rushed to our plane but as it turns out we had more than enough time before out plane left. We had a connection (as there's rarely ever nonstop flights from Seattle to Indy or Indy to Seattle, *grumbles*) but made it to Indy by around 10pm. My family picked us up in their new van! It's actually used but it's a giant van, like an express van, and way nicer than the old one they had. Ben and I kind of wanna buy it off 'em, so we can use it for roadtrips and camping, heh. We all headed for Steak N' Shake, since we don't have those here in Washington and I miss 'em. Ben got a side by side shake and loved it!
My older brother Mike and Ben got along really well. They both are into music and bands and had lots to talk about. Sometimes I'd be off doing my own thing for a brief time and they'd be hanging out in the basement watching tv or playing video games, and having a beer. Ya know, guy stuff.
The next day or so were sort of like catch-up, esp. with the 3-hour jetlag from the time difference. But we did go to downtown Indy on Thurs. or Fri., since I know Ben wanted to see it really bad. We were gonna go to the Covered Bridge Festival but we ran out of time. When we first got to downtown we drove by my old university, IUPUI. Ben seemed rather impressed and I believe he commented that it's bigger than his old university, University of Idaho.
We then proceeded into into downtown, though we drove past downtown a bit because we wanted to go to White Castle, again they don't have those in WA. It was mostly a snack but I'm not sure how much Ben liked it, lol! I'm not a huge fan of White Castle myself.
We then went thru downtown, passing by the new Lucas Oil Stadium, that's both new for Ben and me. He esp. wanted to see it cuz he's a newly-converted Colts fan, thanks to yours truly, ;)
Downtown Indy
We then went to Circle Center Mall and bopped around there for a while. My mom just had her birthday on Oct. 9th so I got here some lotions at Bath & Body Works as a present.
Once we were done there we headed over to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. I wanted to take Ben there because we yet again don't have one in WA. Although apparently Seattle's supposed to get one soon. I had actually went to Hard Rock on another trip back and bought Ben a shirt from there. I got a Long Island Iced Tea, love those things, :) What was funny is our server looked like Roger Daltrey of The Who, lol!
My family and Ben and I at Hard Rock Cafe
On the way back to our car, we walked thru the Monument Circle and Ben thought that was pretty neat, as we don't have a giant monument like that in Seattle.
On Sat. we rode the Pizza Train, which is part of the Indiana Transportation Museum, up in Noblesville, IN. My mom's a volunteer coach attendant, and has been volunteering for them for years. She would oftentimes get me and Kristy on for free so we could ride up to Tipton and go to the Pizza Shack to eat. It's a pizza buffet and it's quite good. Of course the general public rides too and it's quite a turnout. Nowadays it's hard to even get seats without it being sold out! Anyway I figured it'd be quite a neat experience for Ben, since we don't have old trains like that here in WA.
My mom the coach!
Me and Kristy
Me, Kristy, and Ben
Group picture at the Pizza Shack. From the left side of table it goes me, Ben, my mom, Mike's friend Jenny, Mike, Kristy, and my dad.
Later that evening we celebrated my mom's birthday and my brother's belated birthday (July 6th). I bought a Halloween-themed cake plus Kristy and I exchanged early Christmas and birthday gifts.
Blow out the candles!
Mom opening her birthday card and gift from me
Mike showing his birthday gift from me; the new Pearl Jam album
Kristy opening her Xmas/b-day gifts from me
Me opening my Xmas/b-day gifts from Kristy
On the weekend we went over to Jenny's house because she had just moved into a new duplex and wanted to show it us. On Sun. morning we hung around a bit longer so that we could watch some football. Afterwords we all drove up to Noblesville to show Ben Morse Lake park and beach, where I used to go swimming in the summer sometimes when I still lived in Indy.
We met up with my parents there and since we missed the Covered Bridge Festival, we drove to one that was nearby. It's called Potter's Bridge and it's just one single covered bridge up in Noblesville.
To be continued...