Evansville Weekend

My parents and I visited my brother Kevin in Indiana last weekend! Although he's come home several times, I hadn't been to Evansville to see him since last February. He bought a house in August, so I was excited to see his new home and neighborhood for myself. I wish we could have stayed longer, but we definitely made the most of the time we had! On Saturday it snowed all day, but didn't pile up or interfere with traffic. It was just pretty. This is hard for Southerners like me to understand, but I loved it.

As far as my family is concerned, the best thing about Evansville is the great restaurants! We feasted at our usual faves, Turoni's and Acropolis, and went to Kevin's favorite hibachi place, Zuki (where we got sushi as well as hibachi). I think I gained several pounds.

We also played darts at Kevin's house with some of his friends, and I demonstrated my terrible dart skills. I don't remember being that bad the few times I've played before, but this time I could barely hit the board! After a while I gave up and watched basketball.

I like Evansville, although I don't think I could live there. To me it seems like a nice place to take a sabbatical and/or writing retreat for a few months - all the wide open spaces are good for your head. Kevin loves it there, and I'm happy for him!

Presidents' Day Weekend

Last weekend, my parents and I went to Indiana to visit my brother! I hadn't been to Evansville since we helped Kevin move last summer. His birthday is on Lincoln's birthday, and my mom's birthday is on Washington's birthday, so Presidents' Day weekend was the perfect time for a family gathering.

 

On the drive up on Friday, we stopped in Paducah, Kentucky. Paducah was prettier and less sleepy than I expected. We had lunch at the very historic Kirchhoff's Deli and Bakery (it opened in 1873). Then my mom and I visited the National Quilt Museum while my dad napped in the car. :) Again, I expected to see a few impressive but generally grandma-type quilts. Instead, I was blown away by the craftsmanship and creativity of the quilts. Many were like paintings made of cloth. Sadly, pictures were prohibited, but I encourage everyone to go see the quilts for yourselves. They were amazing. I'd love to visit again and spend more time there. I was inspired!

We had an enjoyable, but low-key, visit in Evansville. Debra came up from Nashville to join us for part of the weekend. Our days pretty much revolved around eating, thanks to the cold, dreary weather and abundance of good restaurants.

I haven't had much experience with German food, but Gerst Haus was great!

One afternoon we drove over to Newburgh to show Debra the cute "downtown" and the Ohio River.

Proof that I was not on this trip by myself

We also took in an Icemen game downtown at the new Ford Center. I hadn't been to a hockey game in many years, but I had fun! Everything is so easy to get to in Evansville. Nothing in the city is more than about ten minutes from Kevin's apartment. Also, all downtown parking is free. Mind: boggled.

Oh, and I met fellow blogger Amanda! She goes to Kevin's church. :)

We had a nice visit, but I was glad we got home fairly early yesterday. The weather in Memphis was nice and I was able to go for a jog in the sunshine (with new sneakers - my knees are already thanking me). This winter hasn't been nearly as bad as the past few, but I'm suddenly, totally Over It. But the time change is only a few weeks away! Then we'll at least have more sun.

With them Indiana boys on them Indiana nights.

Last weekend, I checked another state off my visited-states list: Indiana! My brother Kevin just moved to Evansville for a new job - he's been there about three weeks now. He found an apartment, so my parents and I drove up with his furniture, helped him move in, and got to know the area a little. The word I find myself saying most when describing Evansville is "nice." It's just... nice! :) It's large enough to have everything you need, but it doesn't feel congested or overcrowded, and nothing is further than ten minutes away. Kevin's apartment is literally across the street from most of the major stores you can think of, but it also backs up to a bean field.

Kevin's boss told us to go out for a nice dinner and add it to his moving allowance. So we went to Bonefish Grill. There's a Bonefish here, but I had never been (it's expensive!). Well, IT WAS AMAZING. My mom and I shared a black cherry mojito, we all shared the Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer, and I had stuffed tilapia with potatoes au gratin. It was the most delicious meal I've had in a long time. Anyone want to start going there with me? I hear the Bang Bang Shrimp is only $5 on Wednesdays!

The highlight of the trip was a baseball game at the stadium where A League of Their Own was filmed! It's the third oldest baseball stadium in America. We had "box seats" through Kevin's work, but "box" there means the front section. Also, if you want refreshments, someone gets them for you. Swanky!! The game itself was so-so, but the entertainment between innings was hilarious. I think this game will be a family joke for a looooooong time:

Yes. That is a giant pink intestine.

We also visited downtown Evansville (although everything was closed because it was Sunday), and the next town over, Newburgh. If I moved to the area, that's where I'd want to live! They have a beautiful historic riverfront. The riverfront downtown looked nice too (there I go with the "nice" again!), but it was more, you know, downtowny.

I'm sure this was only the first of many trips to Hoosier country. I look forward to exploring it more in the future!