Lights Out for Valentine’s Day: 2016

Traditionally, Mike and Melissa have cooked together as their unique way to celebrate Valentine’s Day (in theory: flowers, cards and chocolate are relegated to "surprise" moments). However, owning a restaurant, the couple now finds themselves cooking for others on this ever-popular dining out holiday. For the past couple of years, the couple has featured a weekend special at The Burlington Place which features two salads, two desserts and one of two of the Valentine pizza specials all for $25.00. Reminiscent of the meals the couple prepared together, this pizzas feature a few aphrodisiac items and flavor combinations that are all together lovely. Diners choose from either the Aphrodite which features asparagus, prosciutto and feta on a lemony garlic olive oil or the Pizza Enamorado which features fresh tomatoes, Anaheim peppers, red onion, bacon and an avocado drizzle all on a garlic olive oil. Each year, Melissa also develops two dessert specials for the occasion. This year, diners could choose from a Rumchata Pudding Shooter or a Sangria Brownie Tartlet. The plotting and execution of Valentine’s specials is always a joyful, hectic, crazy experience for the Harrington's, but one they ultimately anticipate and look forward to.

 

This year, however, a bit of a freakish wind surge had other plans for Saturday afternoon and evening diners. After a full and bustling second-Saturday brunch and Bloody Mary bar, Mike and Melissa had their Valentine plans shocked when the entire electrical system of The Burlington Place clanked off. Each whispered a few obscenities and waited with bated breath for a possible quick return of electricity on what should have been February’s busiest day. A couple hours later, after forcing the remaining heat of the pizza ovens to cook one last pizza for a couple who had called minutes prior to the outage, Mike and Melissa posted notices on the door: No Power, No Pizza. The duo then headed to Abode 212 to plot the next steps. Upon entering their home, the distinct smell of natural gas filled their nostrils and led the couple to their second spewing of obscenities.

 

While plotting their next steps (for home and business), Melissa texted a friend to inquire what her and her husband were doing for the evening. Together, Mike and Melissa decided that if electricity was not on by 4:00, they would leave The Burlington Place closed (seeing how the ovens take an hour to preheat, there was a very distinct window of time for electricity to return and allow the evening dinner hour to function relatively smoothly). If they were unable to return to The Burlington Place, they would then head to Worland where their friends would be watching Worland Warriors in their last home basketball game of the season before heading out to dinner themselves.

 

As 4:00 rolled around, the plan began to look a little clearer. The Harrington duo had a representative of Wyoming gas en route to turn off the gas and they themselves were loading into their Subaru to make their way to Worland for basketball and dinner with friends. Mike and Melissa were about to experience a Saturday night akin to those experienced by all those who don’t devote their lives to the service industry.

 

The Warriors conquered the New Castle Dogies and Mike and Melissa even had a chance to catch up with Tom Harrington and give a few hearty waves to John and Donna Harrington. Following basketball, the Harrington duo packed themselves over to Rumours where they enjoyed a couple of beers, wings and burgers with their good friends Cole and Lisa Nicholas. At approximately 8:30 p.m. Melissa received a text from her neighbor informing her that the power was finally back up in running. Good riddance.

Relieved to return home to power (although, no heat or hot water since the gas had been turned off), M&M said farewell to their friends, shrugged at the luck of the day and gave thanks for a surprise night out on the town.

 

Sunday morning saw M&M enjoying a brunch of Steak and Avocado Toast together prior to heading into The Burlington Place to serve up a decent handful of Valentine specials and learn very little about the previous days power outage. By mid-day Monday, all the weekend mishaps had been cleared up as the gas was back on and the smell was attributed to high winds making a strange mess of the ventilation system.

 

Cheers to all the love, all the delicious foods and all the unpredictable things that each life holds!

 

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Work Perks: Hitting the Slopes of Sleeping Giant

Since graduating college with a double major in both International Studies and Spanish, Melissa has found herself with at least one foot in the world of education. Stateside, she's served as a paraprofessional in three different schools and while living in South Korea she served as resident Native English Speaker in three different Korean Elementary schools. These positions have all held their various perks and moments of pure joy, always revolving around the students and gaining added favor with a variety of "work perks".

 

This past Monday, January 25th, Melissa and Mike both enjoyed the perks of being connected to Burlington Schools AND of owning their own business complete with a respectful clientele that understands M&M need/deserve the occassional break. So it was, the couple, along wtih middle school and high school staff and students found themselves enjoying a day of skiing, snowboarding and outdoor enjoyment at Sleeping Giant Ski Areat just outside of Yellowstone National Park. This, all in thanks to a school that values offering students opportunities outside of textbooks and tests AND a small community that's will to chip in and ensure the day is available not only to students but to community members at large.

The day saw Mike Harrington busting out his snowboard after about an 8 year hiatus. As should be expected from the man- the myth- the legend, he took to his snowboard as if it'd only been on hiatus for 8 months. After a quick reacquaintance with his board, he was shredding his way down the mountain, impressing numerous students who were convinced his skill set was fairly well limited to pizza-builder extraordinaire. By the close of the day, Mike had made just over 20 runs, for a total of 73 minutes, 12 miles and a top speed of 36 mph - feats he deemed were just a bit more exciting, active and enjoyable than lounging around at The Burlington Place building the weekly trivia.

Melissa opted to don a pair of skis for the first time since middle school, remembering how miserable she felt after her first and only time snowboarding about 10 years ago as a college student. She sat in on student lessons, learned a few things that made skiing a bit more pleasant than it was 17 years ago, pizza-wedged her way down the bunny slope, made it up the chair lift with her hubs once and then mostly enjoyed lounging around, drinking a bit of coffee and taking in the lovely winter scenery. She also had the added joy of running into Mike's aunt and uncle Cowger who were touring with a friend of theirs who was visiting from Maine - talk about the joys of Wyoming being one expansive small town!

Students and other teachers all enjoyed the day similarly to fit their own personal interests. Many students conquered the mountain on skis and snowboards, whereas a slew of 6th grade and middle school students received lessons and tried their hand (and legs, minds, muscles, core, etc) at winters pleasurable sports for the first time ever. A handful of students made their way down a few sledding runs while still others enjoyed games of Apples to Apples, Connect Four, coloring and chatting in the ski lodge. Overall, Monday, January 25th was among a special handful of Mondays that does not impart a case-of-the-Mondays to the workers and attendess of Burlington Schools.

As an additional perk to getting out and closing up shop, the duo made plans to enjoy dinner with a couple teacher friends and their spouses at Pat O'hara Brewing in Cody, Wyoming before returning home to soak in the hot-tub and rejoice at having experienced a bonus day off without having to travel far and wide for a holiday or wedding.

Somedays, work feels like just another day of engaging in the same ol' daily grind with a few small joys but nothing necessarily brag-worthy...somedays however, you can really get your brag and love that you are in a position to enjoy some fairly major "work perks".

Cheers to you and yours and here's to hoping you have some work perks to look forward to!

 

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Red Lodge Ditch Day

Melissa is not ashamed to admit that on occassion, she needs to get the hell-out-of-dodge and experience a little life outside of her normal two-block radius (the school and TBP are both two blocks away from Abode 212). Therefore, when the itch to run begged to be scratched, Melissa proposed a "ditch day" to her fellow co-worker and friend, Lisa. With full enthusiasm, Lisa agreed to join in the shenanigans and Melissa took a long, thoughtful look at upcoming Tuesdays (the only day that perfectly lends itself to down-time and ditch days). Being perfectly centered between the holiday breaks, December 8th was the day fated to serve the whims and desires of two women on a mission: drink coffee as frequently as possible, eat delicious things, drink something with alcohol, buy some gifts, gallivant and perform a couple of heel clicks - all in the sweet little mountain, ski town of Red Lodge, MT.

The ladies met up in Cody, WY where the wind about knocked them over but also provided the proper amount of "push" to head toward that Montana border and a day of freedom and fun! With a "Christmas cookie latte" making its way down the gullet of each traveler, the Jeep was put into drive and Winter Ditch Day 2015 began.

Upon arrival in Red Lodge, the first order of business was to grab a morning snack at the newly opened Wild Table. A quintessential chalkboard sign in front of the bakery/cafe/hole-in-the-wall-of-perfection, advertised freshly made Chocolate Croissants, which seemed to be the perfect beckoning off the streets and into the most perfectly quaint, seasonally decorated dining nook.

Full Disclosure: The Wild Table is a new business in Red Lodge, MT. It is owned and operated by a good friend of Melissa's. While her opinon may be biased, the truth is, owner Sheena is a phenomenal, creative, professionally trained chef who knows her way around pastries, breads, seasonal produce, holiday classics and all the comforts of delectably prepared foods. Melissa embraced her bias and not only enjoyed a croissant in shop but happily ordered dinner and dessert for her and Mike (as well as breakfast and lunch for the following day). All in all, Melissa gratefully devoured these foods from The Wild Table: Chocolate Croissant, Egg Salad sandwich on a Ciabatta Roll, Tomato Soup with Brandy and Cream, Minty Rice with Feta and a Pomegranate Relish, Caramel Apple Pie and Carrot Muffins. None were disappointing.

With enough caffeine and perfect pastry love coursing through their bodies, Melissa and Lisa began their shopping spree day in downtown Red Lodge. They made stops at a variety of outdoor goods stores, Back Alley Metals (impressively welded gifts and more) and Babcock & Miles (the finest wine and food selection for any lover of good and delicious things). As they increased thier piles of goods that would need to be wrapped for husbands, kids and family they worked up enough of an appetite to stop at Bogart's for their famous Margaritas, a couple bowls full of chips with salsa and main entrees which would put them on the verge of sleep while simultaneously carrying them through the last hour of gallivanting.

As the last stops on the gallivanting through Red Lodge came to pass the ladies ran back to The Wild Table to pick-up their dinner and then made their way to Red Lodge Coffee Roasters to ensure just enough energy to get themselves back to their respective homes and evening responsibilities.

The ladies returned to a wind-blown Cody, made one last gift-getting run to Sierra Trading Post then went their seperate ways feeling rejuvenated and excited. The event was such a roaring success that the girls are already plotting future ditch days and Tuesday outings to refresh, revive and rejoice in all that is delicious and fun! When bragging about their adventures to students Melissa and Lisa have made sure to add the following at the end of each conversation: #BFFGoals #BFFWinning #Adulting

 

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The Great American Beerfest: #TBT4THT

Here we go, a Throwback Thursday for The Harrington Times.
Since re-entering the blog world, I've discovered some true #tbt moments, some drafts which are simply titles, yet speak to the stories I wish would have been recorded. As I work on getting those out of the mines, I figure I ought to work on some more recent memories, moments from the past, but not quite so long ago. I figured, since most of my undone posts are beer related and the stories I most "recently" kept at the forefront of our blog space were beer-related, I might as well take a relatively small step back in time and re-experience the Great American Beer Fest (GABF, if you will).

GABF, is as Mike explains, the World Series of Beer. It is the beer event of beer events, if you have even the smallest love of craft beer, your sudsy-fermented-beverage-loving tastebuds want you to take them there. The challenge, however, is getting your hands on a set of tickets to this highly prized event. Fortunately, for Mike and I, we entered our proprietorship of The Burlington Place well aware that relationship building would be an essential ingredient to our happiness and success. Not only did we seek to build relationships with patrons, but additionally with our distributors, sales-reps and delivery folks. One such relationship, with our Budwieser distributors (who also distribute plenty of fine craft beer) has been 100% rewarding...especially when they have a handful of GABF tickets available and know that the TBP couple would love them and take full advantage of all the perks. Therefore, four tickets in hand, Mike and I made our way to Denver, meeting up with Dave and Julianne en route and began a weekend of sipping as many 1 oz. beer pours as possible in a 5 hour period.
Some key experiences and insights from our time at GABF:

• Veterans of GABF come adorned with pretzel necklaces, smart
• You should go in with a strategy...or develop one quickly. Mike went for the try-any-sour-ale-available strategy whereas Melissa went for the if-it-was-aged-in-a-barrel-it-should-be-rolling-down-my-gullet strategy
• Brewers are a very clever bunch considering we drank beers named: Morning Wood, Beavers Milk, Hopspresso, Sodbuster, Good Juju, Helluva Caucasion Stout, Melt My Brain, Sunday Morning Stout and Biere Joi (among plenty of others)
• If you have a cousin in the beer industry - you might just run into her while attending GABF
• Alas, if you've been emailing somebody in the craft beer/brewing industy, you might just run into him while attending GABF (and since few people can promote craft beer so well in a small, Wyoming town, you just might be a bit memorable)
• You CANNOT taste nearly as many beers in a five hour time span as you think you can, however, 1 oz. pours can help you on your way to buzz-dom

The evening of GABF festivities was filled with meandering and sipping, comparing and hoping that you would not end the evening with a last call of something less than fitting of your personal style. (Note to futue attendees: beware of the drunks who grab a pitcher off a breweries table, claiming it's their pilsner yet having no true idea what it is...it could possibly be all the backwash and watered down beer that gets poured into...you've got it, random pitchers). Fortunately, if your last call is a bit off color, you happen to be in downtown Denver with plenty of great dining and snacking options. For us, that fine dining option centered on the desire for wings and a lack of desire for researching our full options, so we ended up at Chili's for an assortment of appetizers, a watermelon margarita and a recap of the best beer moments. (One conclusion: Short's Brewery was one of our all around favorites - crazy flavor combos - gin and tonic beer, key lime pie, strawberry shortcake, bloody Mary, etc. and super AWESOME tap handles!)

So, having had an eventful evening running around America's greatest beer fest, the Sunday after is best served by heading any where that has a Bloody Mary bar and allows for some good eats, fresh air and golf, obviously. Therefore, head to a Top Golf. As our good friend Dave explained, Top Golf is like bowling meets mini-golf. In essence this means, you have your own "lanes" or bay complete with clubs, golf platform and wait staff service directly to your table. It also means you don't actually have to know much about golf to have a good time (similar to mini-golf). Ultimately, you're guaranteed to have a good time sitting, lounging, chatting and boozing it up with friends (and family if you're double lucky! - Thanks Mark and Calley for coming all the way out to see us!)

With beer from the previous night finishing it's marathon through our livers and bloody Mary's to satisfy our typical Sunday morning craving we headed back toward Ft. Collins to depart from our GABF company (only after a typical, epic-proportion, liquor store stop - because, why stop at 1 oz beer pours when you can take a few cases of specialty brews that aren't available in your own market?) A few long hours on the road lead us through Douglas where we stopped for wings and pizza (since we're obviously experts in determining quality of such things) and then continued back to reality...serving our own fine pizza along a killer selection of craft beer!

Cheers friends!

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Chinese New Years and Fat Tuesday: Lots of Celebrations!

February 10th, 2013: Chinese New Year
Celebrated in typical Korean fashion with a bowl of Ddeok-guk.
Celebrated in typical Harrington fashion with a bottle of craft beer.

February 12th, 2013: Fat Tuesday 

Celebrated in typical American fashion with piles of pancakes and bacon. 

Celebrated in typical Harrington fashion with good friends. 

A Mid-Winter Vacation: The Send-Off Moments

As Friday rolled around, the Harringtons knew they would soon be saying farewell to Hakcheol who was in route to Seattle before heading back to the home-land. The Harringtons were grateful to be able to 'sneak' Hyunhee out of her classes for the morning and after everyone had managed breakfast, the crew slowly made their way to Big Sky Brewing Company after stopping into a Casino so that Hyunhee could try her luck at the slots.

After sampling some brews, the crew took Hakcheol to the International Airport and sent him on his way before returning to the tasting room to finish off their sampling tour. Being a class day, Hyunhee had some responsibilities to address in terms of a volunteer activity for which Mike and Melissa dropped her off before heading over to Biga Pizza for some pizza that was truly out of this-world. The Harrington duo continued their afternoon with a combination of napping and reading (Mike) and thrifting and shopping (Melissa).

With the coming of evening, the Harringtons and Hyunhee had plans to meet up with Ethan and his girlfriend to enjoy a Vietnamese dinner followed by meandering downtown Missoula for first Friday's. After entering a number of shops and checking out some art displays, the Harrington and crew made their way to a yogurt shop where they were surprised (and thrilled) to run into another HSI student, Laice. A bit of catching up, downing some fine yogurt and capturing a few photos everyone was off on their separate ways for a good nights sleep.

Saturday came and saw the Harringtons and Hyunhee making their way out of town to visit the dear family of good friends Garrett and Alla (still living the life in South Korea).

A Mid-Winter Vacation: Hitting up the Casino's

Since Hyunhee was busy being a student all day everyday - we took to taking Hakcheol out into the great Montana wilds. Of course, this included a trip to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation where the Harringtons and guest learned loads about Rocky Mountain wildlife and the conversational hearts of hunters.

Having enjoyed the tour of the Elk Foundation (which, P.S. if you go, and sign the guest book - they'll send you a hand-written thank you note which is friggin' amazing!) the Harringtons opted out of a suggested trip to a strip club (sorry Garrett) and opted to take Hakcheol to a Montana Casino where he wooed the machine for a brief breath of time and promptly lost any hopes he had had of becoming a millionaire in Montana. As per usual, the Harringtons hardly even entertained the notion of a big win as their dollars were quickly swallowed.

A Mid-Winter Vacation: On the Road and In the Breweries

While it may seem the Harringtons only made their way to Montana to drink fine beer (such as those from 406 Brewing, or Draught Works, or Tamarack's) the truth is they made the long haul in order to see their dearest Korean friends one of whom was in Montana for a month of study the other of whom, her husband, was in for just a short visit, so the Harrington duo requested a couple of personal days and set out to see these two gems. You may remember the couple from THT events such as visiting Beartree Park, learning to Play Go-Stop at the Farm, watching the kickin' good show Jump, Sleepovers, trips to the DMZ and Final Farewells at the Airport. Needless to say, this is a couple which the Harringtons have many fond memories with and whom they cherish greatly. So, while Montana provides great beer, for a time, the state also housed some great friends.

Having survived some less than perfect driving conditions and a sample of beers at 406 Brewing, the Harrington duo was ready to meet up with the dear Koreans for whom they had made the long, crazy haul. Upon pulling into Missoula, the couple headed to the University campus to pick-up Hyunhee. Having exchanged hugs and words of greeting, the little trio was en route to the airport in order to retrieve Hak-cheol who had spent a lovely day or two exploring San Francisco. 

Upon reuniting with the entire crew, it was off to enjoy some fine American beer, food and of course chatting. The couples first made their way to Draught Works where they shared a double sampler followed by a few pints. As the representatives of good American brews, the Harringtons pushed and prodded the Korean couple to enjoy the fine flavors which can (and should) exist in a pint of beer. Hakcheol came around quickly in terms of enjoying quality libations, while Hyunhee would take a bit longer, always hindered by her inability to get much further than a half-pint. All jokes and teasing aside, the couples raised their glasses to being reunited at last and began plotting the course of the evening, dinner plans and the following days that they would all spend together.

With both Hyunhee and Hakcheol feeling a bit jet-lagged and the Harrington duo fading fast from many hours on the road, the crew decided dinner, followed by sleeping arrangements was to be the order for the evening. They made their way across to town to one of the breweries which also served food, Tamarack's, and set to chowing down, catching up and preparing to find their bed for the night.

As part of a Korean government program to improve English ability, Hyunhee would be staying on the University campus. Fortunately, thanks to expat friends in Korea who otherwise call Missoula home, the Harringtons and Hakcheol had been set up with a local Missoulan and made their way toward his apartment where they showed up too late to meet their host and eagerly made their beds on couches, chairs and floors - all ready for a nice night of sleep and a day of exploring and enjoying Montana to come.

Brew Tour: Tamarack's Brewing of Missoula, Montana

After our first brew stop in Missoula and a bit of running around, the Harrington duo and their Korean counterparts were ready to hit up a brewery which additionally served up a nice meal.

This lead the foursome to Tamarack Brewing Company. While they opted out of ordering a sampler (although, on second thought, they should of, if even only for it's beautiful presentation) each dinner ordered a pint and plate, filled to the brim with delicious eats.

Highlights of dining at Tamarack Brewing Company include chicken sandwiches topped with brie, buffalo wings, pasta salads and more. But of course, the true joy of dining at this establishment are the brews. For the individual who has a difficult time choosing a beverage (or a meal for that matter) each main course on the menu includes a drink recommendation and can make ordering a tad easier, especially if one meal or drink seems to stand out - simply browse the menu until you find a counterpart!

Wanting to chow down on the chicken and brie sandwich, Melissa was surprised at how satisfied her stout-porter-loving-tastebuds enjoyed the light and apricot-y Sip 'N' Go Naked. Being a lightweight and a cheap date, Hyunhee hardly made it through her Bear Bottom Blonde but was a bit more eager to down (the more potent, yet easier to sip) Sour Ale.

Overall, the trip to Tamarack's left each and every diner feeling satisfied and content in terms of beer and food!

Brew Tour: DraughtWorks of Missoula, Montana

After a long day of driving, highlighted only by a stop at 406 Brewing in Bozeman, and encouraged by the promise of meeting up with dear Missoula-visiting friends, the Harringtons arrived in Missoula with multiple recommendations for where to grab a pint. Wanting to introduce their Missoula-visiting-friends (who happen to be from South Korea) to fine, American craft-beer (and to conduct their own 'personal' research) the couple stopped for an "after-work" brew at Draught Works Brewery.

Starting off with a Sampler, the Harringtons worked hard to convince their Korean friends that the beer was indeed better than anything in Korea and that they did, in fact taste different from one another (have no fear, within the next hour the Koreans were convinced of the joys to be had in a fine glass of brew).

Having finished the sampler, the crew each made their choice and ordered a pint, Melissa and friend Hyunhee went with a solid stout: Gwin Oatmeal Stout where as the brews picked by the men folk didn't make it onto the list of what was enjoyed and therefore isn't impossible to recall what specifically was enjoyed. Regardless, the main thing to note is that the beer was enjoyed. And that's the most important thing.

Cowboy Basketball: 2012-2013

And some nights you just have to get away from it all and watch some basketball with friends and family. And you rejoice because they are a talented team and look promising. You mourn because on the night you show up, their winning streak walks out the door. Again you mourn a few days later when team members are exposed for their recent shenanigans and bar fighting. And you cheer, regardless, because what else would you do as a resident of Laramie, Wyoming.

C-O-W-B-O-Y-S

Brewery Tour: Black Bottle Brewery of Fort Collins, Colorado

And, the brew tour America continues! While the Harringtons do have some mighty fine things to say about Black Bottle Brewery, this post is just as much about reuniting with dearly beloved friends, truth be told, that's the most important part of this post.  However, since the couple enjoyed the first two reunions while sipping pure deliciousness at Black Bottle Brewery, it may as well become part of what will hopefully become a small series: The Brew Tour series, obviously.

With the main purpose of travel being reunions with friends, the Harringtons quickly loaded the car on a Monday evening full of joy and anticipation at finally being reunited with their dear, bearded and flannel-ed friend, Mark. With a heart of gold and more than a single talent, Mark spends his days in Kansas City, Missouri serving the local community, making random wines, learning to play the banjo, etc. He's a friend that Mike has known since junior high school and who was convinced to live in Laramie for a time after having slept on the Harrington's laundry room floor. In every way, time with Mark is something many yearn for and enjoy when they get it, the Harringtons were no exception.

The trio opted to meet up at one of Fort Collin's new breweries, Black Bottle Brewery, and were overwhelmed, if not completely enamored by the list and variety of beers on tap. From their in-house brewed specials to beers which span the country and the best brewing regions of the world, Black Bottle Brewery put more than a few drinkable brews in front of the Harringtons, Mark and eventually, Dave.

Being the lover of all beers dark and glorious, Melissa was head-over-heels in love with a Chocolate Milk Stout and something dark which had been aged in a Whiskey or Bourbon Barrel (however, we're not sure any of these remain at Black Bottle as their beer list is constantly changing and evolving...or the Harringtons have a horrible memory, either is possible). Black Bottle Brewery also offered the couple their first Sour Ale and Barley Wine experiences, both of which were beyond enjoyable. The only disappointments experienced at Black Bottle Brewing were: a) having to say good-bye to Dave before heading on to the next adventure and b) the portion of the food items...delicious food items (beer cheese soup, pastry-wrapped Brie with jam), just smaller than what any felt was reasonable in terms of price - but no big deal, the main purpose was reuniting and drinking fine beer!

After this enjoyable outing, the Harringtons and Mark made their way to Luscious Nectar, a juice bar/tapas bar/vodka infusions bar, where they enjoyed wrapping their arms around the ever-lovely, welcoming, and extremely fashionable Liz. Mike, Mark and Liz played a little small-town catch-up and soon the crew was simply enjoying reuniting, catching up, trying bacon-wrapped this and hummus dip that with a shared taste of pipe-tobacco vodka.

Before long, it was obvious that Tuesday would be quickly approaching and work would be begging our presence. Reluctantly, the Harringtons enjoyed another round of hugs and made their way up north, back to Laramie and back to working-man reality. Although, come Tuesday morning, they'd have the fond memories of reunions which are only possible this side of the globe to carry them through and remind them of all that life has already given them and promises to continue offering.

Holiday Cheer and Tea

While we fight to be present, it is sometimes required to volunteer for things you undoubtedly love, such as being with friends while enjoying tea. With a bit more hesitancy than typical of herself in such occasions, Melissa opted to host a table at a Women's Tea this past December and was reminded of her love for hosting, drinking tea and enjoying fellowship.

Feeling sentimental, and particularly family-oriented, Melissa set up her table with particular attention to items which would represent the history of her family and the family to which she is joined while also speaking tribute to the lovely family members who continue to enjoy and to the dear souls we've mourned and said good-bye to throughout the years. So Melissa served from the Blue Willow China which is that of Grandma Cushing's, set the table with Grandma Carolyn's wooden bowl filled with rocks polished by Grandpa Al, a pocket watch from Grandpa Jack, a wooden bird from Grandma Barb and it came together simply and beautifully and further reminded Melissa why it's good to be home.

The Death of a Car

Sometimes you enjoy concerts and quick vacations and these things let you know that you have a beautiful life.

Sometimes, your car dies on the side of the road and while you question whether or not life is always beautiful you're amazed by the blessings of friendship and family.

Friends who leave their desk and work obligations to help you navigate the death of your hardly-month-old-car, bringing you oil and oil filters, following you to make sure you're safe, and when you die again, sticking around, calling tow-truck companies and making sure we have somewhere to go.

Family who welcomes you into their home, last minute, bakes you a pizza and gives you a nice warm bed for a night while you try to figure out where to go from here.

So you spend a day watching Sesame Street and communicating with mechanics just to discover that the engine ran just enough without oil that the car is now and forever toast. The afternoon is spent making arrangements to get back home and get to work and figure out to discard this hunk of metal which just a day before was your mode of transportation.

And you end this segment of life, these concerts and vacations and car troubles still surrounded by family and receiving a ride from the same friend who helped the night before and you choose to believe that, even in these less than pleasant moments, you live a beautiful life.

P.S. Always, ALWAYS check your oil. We recommend you do so every time you fill up the gas tank.

Quick Trip: Phoenix, AZ

Since receiving tickets for Leonard Cohen prior to returning to the USA and having a job stateside, the Harrington duo was pleased to discover the weekend of the Leonard Cohen concert would be extended two days thanks to Parent-Teacher conferences, an obligation for teachers and parents, but not for paraprofessionals. Knowing that, if they were in the land of kimchi with a long weekend, they'd be sure to go somewhere and do something, the couple hit a few flight search engines and soon realized that Phoenix was beckoning them forth. Not only were tickets affordable, but the couple had a small handful of friends living in the city of warmth making the decision to purchase all the more easy.

So, after a cold, cold nights sleep in the Subaru, the couple checked in, disappointed to learn that Spirit airlines carry-on requirements were quite meager and the large bag to take-along the laptop (for NaNoWriMo) would cost an extra $40...bucking up and paying the outrageous fee, the couple was soon scarfing down breakfast, warming up and making their way to the gate.

Upon arrival at the gate, the couple soon learned that their flight was delayed by about two hours, longer than the anticipated flight itself. Always attempting to make the most of every situation, Mike continued reading while Melissa added to her NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) story about Lady Annyeong (a story which would not find it's conclusion in November as hoped, but has, at the very least, been started). The couple also spent some time eavesdropping on a group of hockey players who'd spent a wild week or so in the Rocky Mountain city of Denver and had a series of conversations regarding missing teeth and drinking beyond their fill. Also stuck in the airport, the same crew of men decided to attach a dollar to a string of floss and see how well they could prank passers-by, turns out they could do it without much trouble and brought loads of laughter to otherwise annoyed travelers.

That Time the Man Won Everything

Once upon a time, the man quite literally won everything. The first and most important element to the man's winning streak was his commitment to listening to radio, that's right the radio! And not just listening to the radio, but listening to AM radio and calling in during the SportsLine Live Radio Talk Show. A few nights and days of listening to AM radio and participating resulted in the Harringtons having 4 tickets to the Boise v. Wyoming Football Game, two free coupons for Boomer's BBQ and two tickets for Dracula at the Gryphon Theater!

So how did the the variety of activities play out in real life?

First of all, the Harringtons were able to attend a Football Game on an incredibly cold October afternoon. Highlights of the game-day included receiving a free pink towel, scarfing down a Philly-cheesesteak, sitting next to good friend David and sister Katie AND seeing sister Luella and her boyfriend Robbie for the first time since returning to the states...all the more exciting when that pair...isn't really a pair and there's new life being formed and ready to enter the world come April. Oh...and there was football ^_~

Following the game, the couple was able to soak up more time with Luella and Robbie and a couple of their friends for dinner at Applebee's which was filled with laughter especially after we all took a moment to view this video...hilarious (although a bit of very inappropriate language...mute maybe...if small or sensitive ears are near by):

Next in line for 'free things' redemption were the tickets for Dracula which was to be performed at Laramie's Gryphon Theater, the same theater where Mumford and Son's went 'unplugged' this past August. True joy was had when the Harringtons realized they were encouraged and allowed to purchase an alcoholic beverage to enjoy during the show, so it was, the couple sipped a Micro-brew and glass (plastic cup to be honest) of Chocolate Wine while taking in the talent and entertainment that was a Steam-Punk Dracula performance courtesy of Albany County Theater.

Finally, the final award of coupons for Boomer's BBQ was just recently used on Thursday evening and had the Harringtons drinking a local micro-brew (from a can!) out of Pinedale, named after the Wind River Range, chowing down on artichoke dip and out-of-this-world BBQ Pulled Pork and most importantly, topping the whole thing off with a serving of warm Bread Pudding complete with a whiskey sauce made from yet another local craft: Koltiska. If you haven't been to Boomer's, you are sorely missing out and need to go there whether you have coupons or not!

And that, dear readers, is the story of the time the Man won everything and the results which were enjoyable, delicious and oh-so-memorable.

Just a few Reasons to Love 519

On one side of the coin, you have the Harrington's hearts beating in South Korea, desperate for reminders from that beloved land...and then you have 519 which was, is and in truth will forever be a home for the Harrington duo. The basement-apartment-that-faithfully-served-as-home to couple from the first days of their marriage, through the first three years, through college graduations, first jobs post-graduation, Easter dinners, CouchSurfers, Potlucks, cups of tea, dumpster diving adventures and creations, the making of big decisions and daily decisions, 519 has housed a lot of the Harrington's love, life and heart.

And while, in many ways, transitioning back into Laramie life and American life in general has presented a handful of challenges and left the Harringtons unsure of future direction, 519 continues to hold plenty of lovable elements and endearing qualities.

The Harrington's love 519 on this go around because...

• they still managed to get a rocking couch to fill the living room
• they get to share it with their mutt and watch her learn to befriend larger, more powerful mutts

• the upstairs neighbors have faithfully shared food and conversations
• the upstairs neighbors also have an adorable little tyke who brings life and energy to every room he enters
• the little tyke is a lover of snow and has no problem peeking in windows wearing wolf hats and tiger mittens (coincidentally, gifts from Korea)

• there are many friends who remember the location and can easily drop by to say "hi"
• the kitchen is perfectly quaint and homey and inviting, everything a obsessive cook and baker longs for
• the location is the perfect walking distance from campus and down-town
• the house-mates remain steady and fantastic, just as they were when the Harringtons left them
• it's home...perhaps not the same as it once was, but home nonetheless, forever and for always.

The Moments you Need when Your Heart Beats in Two Places

As the Harringtons have settled into Laramie/Wyoming/American life, they have been blessed to re-enter life and relationships with all the fantastic people they left behind in 2010. However, each day has also reminded the couple just how deeply they were incorporated into Korean life and community and how that place of their hearts and souls is adjusting and aching and wanting to be as full as it was just a few short months ago.

Fortunately, the inconvenience of miles and time-zones has only stifled the frequency of interactions and reminders of Korea and the Harrington's Korea family. Smart phones have brought the Harringtons numerous reminders of faces and places the couple loves. These reminders are a sure fire way to bring a smile to the faces of the Harringtons if not a few tears to their eyes.

Not only do beautiful reminders of life 'over-there' show up via Kakao Talk, but they were ready and waiting for the Harringtons here in Laramie as well. A handful of Korean middle school students, a Korean-Japanese restaurant ran by a sweet Korean family who understands our love of their foods and traditions, gifts of choco-pie from parents of Korean students and a Korean grocer a few hours away are enough to bring ease to the Harrington's hearts.

These are the ways the Harringtons remember and remain connected. The way they honor where they have been and who they've shared life with. The way the thrive in a land that feels more foreign than it ever was and than it has any right to. The way they move confidently forward, aware that forever and for-always their hearts will beat in two places.

Our "First" Second-time Around 519 Guest: Harris

Just a few days after their 5-year wedding anniversary and barely a week after having returned to the USA, the Harringtons were thrilled to welcome their first guest into 519. Even more thrilling was that this guest was in fact a good-friend-turned-family-who-also-just-returned-from-the-land-of-kimchi...which means, the couple was able to wade through re-entry/reverse culture shock with someone who was on the exact same page. It was an incredible blessing to share the homeland, aka, the Kingdom, with this dear friend and to know that the bonds and friendships created half a world away were not created in vain.

The visit began with dinner out at the Library followed by a couple of growlers following the crew home for a rowdy game of Nerts with a Harrington sister before settling in for a night of rest and deep sleep. Since the Harrington duo was already employed, they made their way to work each morning while guest, Harris took his time walking, exploring, getting lost and reconnecting to sweet Lady Annyeong.

Wanting Harris to understand the fullness and beauty of Wyoming life, the Harringtons were sure to escort their east-coast friend out to the Snowies where the crew enjoyed some hiking and gallivanting below the majestic and looming Medicine Bow Peak. Alone on the trail, the crew took in the fall colors, cool-to-frigid breeze and the unadulterated beauty of the Mountain West.

Ripped Pants and Wedding Vows

Not even a full week into their second-time-around-American-life the Harringtons were entering the work force as Albany County School District #1 employees and even attending a wedding at the most gorgeous church in town.

The afternoon of September 2nd a dear friend, sorority sister and study abroad amiga-who-cannot-be-replaced, pledged to love her best friend, the man she loves and who loves her back, for as long as they both shall live. It was a beautiful ceremony, for a gorgeous couple and as should be expected from this duo, the after party...ah-hem, reception, was absolutely phenomenal.