Mike's Instant Vacation

Welcome back! I know. I know. I've been gone from my blog for a very long time. If you ask me why, I think it's weather related. I really do.  I think that when it's cold outside, I like to stay inside and blog. When it's nice out, I like to be outside riding my bike, on the beach, around town, just enjoying myself. So you see, my blogging mood changes with the weather. :) Anyways, I decided to post a blog today because it is my friends birthday, and I figured it's the perfect day to post it, even though it was done six months ago. So here we go!

Today (Meaning six months ago) I am shooting a good friend of mine Mihalis Psimis. Some of you may know him as "BongoMike," or simply just Mike. Either way, Mike's the one on the dance floor with his bongo drum making you move to the rhythm of his beat! You see, Mike has been a percussionist for over 15 years in Chicago, and has been making people shake their booty at many weddings, festivals, dance clubs, and events around the city. He says, "There's nothing more joyous than making people dance and be happy. It's such a great feeling when you can just play music and make people forget about their problems and their worries. Music takes you away. It's an escape from all your troubles. It's a drug, that is very addicting, and I can't get enough of it."

Mike is a very passionate, energetic, and a free spirited person. Oh...AND he's definitely a looker too!  Here's Mike.

Here's a little on Mike before we go on his vacation:

Mike was born and raised in Chi-town baby! I say it, like he would say it, "CHI-TOWN BABY!"  His dad Zack is Greek, and his mom Martha is Cuban. What a hot combination right!? And yes, that is the same Martha from my previous blog on 90 miles Cuban Cafe. (The great cook) http://spanos311.blogspot.com/2014/02/logan-square-sculptures-and-90-miles.htm 
He works in sales in downtown Chicago as his day job, but his real PASSION is MUSIC. From playing his bongo drum, to jamming on his guitar, to writing and creating his own songs, music is in this man's DNA. If you remember from my 90 miles blog, his grandfather Rolando was a member of a swing band in Cuba back in the 50's and 60's. So you see, the love of music runs in Mike's blood!

Mike also loves CARS. His dad Zack was a mechanic for over thirty years and taught Mike to work on cars at a very young age. Mike has also worked as a car mechanic for several years before he did sales. He says his dream car would either be a '69 Camaro, a '72 Chevelle, or an '81 Monte Carlo. "I really loved my '94 black Camaro that I had back in the day. It had T-tops, plates that read "Bongo," and a windshield with the word ELLAS!  (Ellas is another work for Greece)

I am picturing Mike now driving around Chicago back in the day in this black Camaro trying to pick up the ladies;)

One last thing I must mention about Mike before we get to his vacation is his very beautiful dog Abby! She is one of the sweetest dogs you will ever meet. All she wants you to do is hug her an play with her. (AND FEED HER of course)  Isn't she gorgeous?

Awwww....

They love each other very much. I can say so much more about Mike and Abby, but this blog is about Instant Vacations, so we must go on. Ready for Mike's instant vacation? Lets go!

"Having any three-day weekend from my work week"

Mike says he is a very  "homey feeling"  kind of guy.  By that, he means he likes to make his home comfortable and cozy so he could just feel like he's on "vacation" just by being there. Chilling and relaxing in the backyard for like this for example...

"Hearing  a song and remembering when I was in a certain city, or country, takes me on an instant vacation. I LOVE Greece and I even went to China last year and climbed the Great Wall. I love traveling and plan to do more in the near future"

.

"The smell of BBQ or outdoor cooking. I am a lover of all types of foods. I am not a picky eater at all"

"Finding a hole in the wall food shop that carries delicious ethnic food"

Cubanito 2555 N. Pulakski Chicago

We went to Cubanito and had some of the BEST Cuban sandwiches we ever had! Check it out if you are in the area. You will love it.

"Ummm. Maria can I eat in peace please?"

OHH! Sorry! Let me put my camera down.

"The moment you're with your friends that you haven't seen in a long time. I love being around good company. Sometimes that is all you need to feel like you are on vacation."

Let's Dance!

"Doing something spontaneous that you would probably never do again. I am a very spur of the moment kind of guy and I love a good adrenaline rush!" 

He's a magician!!

No he's not....he's simply Mike. (So cute though!)

"Playing music with friends. I believe music is LIFE. I can't imagine my world without it."

Look at you looking like Stelios Rokkos. Remember when people used to say that you look like him? I kind of see why NOW!  

Stelios Rokkos (Greek Rock Singer)

"When I hear my friends parents yell at them for not doing what they are told to do. I get a real kick out of it. It must be my Greek side."  (Greek parents will tell you what to do for the rest of your life, just in case  you are wondering.)

You are so funny Mike! You get pleasure from other people getting yelled at? 

"Come on Maria don't you? I know you do too!"

Lol. You're right! I kind of do too! It must be a Greek thing. 

Speaking of Greek things, I forgot to mention how much Mike loves his Greek Frappe. (Iced Nescafe coffee) Even though I think he makes it way

"too foamy"

                                       

"Shhhh......Skase Maria!"  

Ok, Ok. I had to say it. You know I'm just messing with you! 

And with that, we end this weeks Instant Vacation. Thank you SO much Mike for spending the day with me. I had so much fun with you. You helped me with my photography assignment this week and I couldn't be more grateful.  Keep smiling and spreading your light. Your energy is contagious!!

Before I go, here's a little Video on Bongo Mike. Enjoy and have a great week!

                                 

Beautiful sculptures in Logan Square and 90 miles Cuban Cafe!

OK guys I'm back, but I can't seem to get myself out of bed this morning. :( Me and my girl Cassie happened to go out last night and let's just say we had a little too much fun.  

You have a photography assignment to do Maria! Stop fooling around, and GET UP!  

All right...I'm up. Let's do this! I am going to bring my girl Cassie with me today. She is gorgeous, hilarious, and simply brightens my day whenever I'm with her. Sorry, she will not allow me to take her picture at the moment. You saw a quick glimpse of her in the video, and you will see her again in a few. :) She is the one with the quote on her wall from my first blog remember?  

"The Real Voyage of Discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust  

I think this quote will be helpful today due to the nature of my assignment. So this week we have to go outside and take 36 pictures of different sculptures. All the pictures have to be taken from DIFFERENT angles. You have to come close, go far, go up, go down, and all around, and see what happens when you change your position. My teacher says wait and see what happens. Hmm, I wonder what that means...sounds easy enough though, right? All right, lets go grab some coffee, and do this.

Remember Eunice? The girl from Dunkin Donuts that helped me with my assignment last week? Well, we decide to pay her a visit and give her the photos that I took of her. She was so happy with how well they turned out!

Eunice Jones at Dunkin Donuts, Chicago

You know, the more I do this, the more I like it and want to keep doing it. It truly makes me happy to see people smile when I show them their pictures. Ok Eunice, gotta go. Time to find ourselves some sculptures! 

I did some research beforehand, and saw an article on how some "mysterious" sculptures popped up in the Logan Square neighborhood. Logan Square? I thought to myself. That's interesting. Mysterious? NOW you got my attention. Off to Logan Square!

Since we are headed to Logan Square, why not stop at 90 miles Cuban Cafe first for some lunch. I've been there once at night, but never in the day time. Lets see what it's like.

                                          90 Miles Cuban Cafe 2540 W. Armitage Chicago

90 Miles Cuban Cafe 2540 W. Armitage Chicago

Hey, that's the sign that's in Key West...90 miles to Cuba! You are WAY further than 90 miles from Cuba here buddy, as you can tell from all the looooovely snow. 

I am really loving all the murals on the outside of the restaurant, especially this one of the Cuban band. It reminds of my friend Mike's abuelo, Roland Arrom, God rest his soul. He was a member of a swing band in Cuba in the fifty's. He played the saxophone, trumpet and all kinds of other instruments. He wrote his own music as well.  I remember when we used to visit him in Miami he would tell us stories about Cuba and how beautiful it was. He used to say, "Maria Elaina, MUSIC is LIFE," He used to call me Maria Elaina because of my middle name, Elaina. He really loved SWING music. His band was called the "Roland Swing." Awww....abuelo I really miss you. You had such an amazing spirit and passion for life.  I know you are making music with the angels up above, and having everybody dancing. :) 

90 Miles Cuban Cafe 2540 W. Armitage Chicago

Did I just see cafe con leche? Sign me up! Cafe con leche is a traditional Cuban coffee drink (actually it's common in most Latin American countries) It literally means, "coffee with milk." I have to have some ASAP. I know, I know, I just had some Dunkin Donuts, but how can I say "no" to cafe con leche??!

We walk in, and it is simply MAGICAL. I love all the paintings, and the little sayings everywhere. You also hear good salsa music playing in the background. I literally feel like I've been teleported to Cuba. "Two Cafes con leche please!" 

Cubana

If Love arrives....do not let it go. US FLAG?! (lol)

Always ;)

Cafe con leche

I got my cafe con leche, and I am IN LOVE WITH LIFE right now! Cheers! 

Even my girl Cassie is feeling the music, dancing, and loving life right now. Ready? HERE SHE IS! The beautiful Cassandra Hannan. 

Cassie!

All right, lets EAT! So Cassie let's me do the ordering, since I am semi-familiar with the food on the menu. I remember them from the time Mike's mom, Martha, would make them for us in Miami. She is a lovely woman and a phenomenal cook! :)

So we order:

Ropa Vieja, with plantains, rice and beans 

Guajirito with plantain chips.

Yucca

This is Cassie's first time eating Cuban food and she is simply amazed at how good it is. Everything tastes delicious. From the shredded beef(ropa vieja), to the plantains(platanos) that came with it, to the Guajirito(which is the Cuban version of the Puerto Rican Jibarito), to the Yucca, which is a root vegetable similar to the potato. Wow! That was good!

Now, we are stuffed and ready to go back to BED, but we can't! We must stay focused. We finally pay, and head towards the door. As we are walking out, something catches my attention:

I made it nice and BIG so you guys can see it. 

The poster speaks for itself. You can come to 90 miles in Logan Square every Wednesday and be transported to a Latin American country for the next few months! Are you kidding me!? Heck yeah! Whose ready? I know I am. Food AND entertainment from a different county each week? Can't beat that. Also, 90 miles is BYOB, so bring your favorite bottle of Malbec wine (or whichever kind you like) and enjoy. :)

We get back in the car and start driving towards Logan Blvd where the sculptures supposedly are. We get to Logan Blvd. We're driving, driving, driving, AND nothing! Huh, that's interesting. Where are they? I tell Cassie to  look left, as I look right. Still nothing. Ok. Where did they go? 

I can tell you guys are tired already huh? I know, but come on, stay with me. We're almost done, I promise. We can do this! :)

As we turn around to go back the way we came, Cassie spots one, "There it is!"  Phew....finally! 

These sculptures are pretty far apart from each other and since it's cold outside I decide to drive, stop, shoot and go. So lets do some shooting already! So this is what I did. I took the pictures from far, then I came close. I went up, I went down, and then I went ALL around. 

Here is what the sculptures look like when you simply look at them from a distance. 

"Expanding Universe" by Eric Lindsey

"Another Thought" by Michael Brown

"Living Sculpture" by Jason Verbeek

"Bouquet" by Terrence Karpowicz

And NOW here is what I saw with my camera lens ;)  Can you tell which ones go with which sculpture above? You know what...forget it. I'll make it easy for you. Nobody's got time to think anymore. ;)

"Expanding Universe" 

"Another Thought"

"Living Sculpture" 

"Bouquet" 

WOW!!!!! COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!

I felt like I was getting lost in them! I would go closer and notice one thing, even closer and notice something else. I really enjoyed the flowery one. You would never know that those are plants inside that sculpture, unless you went that close! Also, the icicle just hanging down on the "Bouquet," amazing....simply amazing.  Which one is your favorite? I still haven't decided on mine. All I know is,  they are ALL beautiful.

I have to say,  that this assignment taught me A LOT! You don't know what you are missing until you look at something up close, from multiple ways, in different angles, and so forth, AND as a photographer; it's really important to pay attention to these DETAILS. (Wink, wink Ernie) It totally gives you a new perspective on the object that you are looking at. The teacher was right. I definitely made a new discovery today.

I ask you to try it for yourself and see what you will find. Trust me, you will be AMAZED. I know I was. 

Until next time,

XOXOXO

  

PS: I found out that these sculpture were placed in Logan Square by the city, and Mayor Emmanuel, to incorporate ART and CULTURE to different neighborhoods in Chicago. They will be displayed on Logan Blvd till Fall. Enjoy while you can:)