Assistant to the City Manager...

People often ask me, "what exactly do you do at your job?"

My answer varies, depending on the day. Because truly, my duties vary, depending on the day. Some days it's phone calls and scheduling, others research and reports. There's the occasional economic development and industrial tax abatements, and then the newsletters and minutes. The Youth Initiative involves much of my time, as do memos, meetings, and marketing.

But this week...this week I've been inundated with something that is definitely not a part of my job description. This week I've been dealing with one of those tasks that clearly falls into the "and other duties as assigned..." You can read all about it here.

Because Nothing Says Happy Father's Day Like Madras Plaid...

In an effort to update my father's wardrobe, I took the liberty of buying him a new outfit for Father's Day. Madras plaid shorts and bright colored polo shirts seem to be all the rage these days, so I figured I would introduce them to my father. After a delicious dinner (thank-you mother and Amy), my dad's fashion lesson began...

The before picture: well-appointed in a neutral striped polo and khaki shorts.

And after in the big reveal: madras shorts and an orange polo shirt!
*Editor's note: there is a small orange stripe that runs through the shorts.
The auth0r would hate for anyone to think that she selected a mismatching outfit...

Though dad was quite skeptical about the new look, Nick and
Adam's outfits provided strong support for my plaid plea.

And here's Jenn, showing him how the cool kids pop their collars these days.
Don't worry, we won't really let him out of the house with that collar up...

Of course, I think my dad looks great in this ensemble. I'm sure it will take some getting used to, but in the end I think he'll come around. However, let it be known that my dad is a fantastic guy and we would all love him no matter what he wore...even those silly velcro shoes he seems to love for putzing around the yard.

Here's to you dad, and to all the great fathers I know. We wouldn't be the same without you!

The Big Apple

Once upon a time, this girl went to New York City for a long weekend away...

She marveled at all the media images in Times Square, and wondered
what it would take to get her mug up on one of those billboards...

She froze her posterior off at a very fun Yankee's game...

She admired the NYC municipal buildings and wondered where
the Assistant to the City Manager/Mayor sat...

She gazed at some ridiculously beautiful architecture...

She fought off some crazy Asian tourists to get this photo...

She finally found her way in Koreatown, and also found that she loves
Korean BBQ (if only those chopsticks weren't so darn tricky)...

And she did it all with her rockstar host.

While she must admit the City was a bit imposing, and not at all as manageable as her beloved Chicago, she is sure she will return and post many more belated stories on this silly blog. If you have any suggestions for her next visit there, she would gladly welcome them...