Thinking Ahead to Milwaukee

I've received emails and supply lists from three of my four teachers for Bead & Button Show, and I'm starting to get psyched for the event. It's always one of those love/hate relationships. I love going to the show, seeing old friends and acquaintances, looking at new products and wonderful artwork featuring beads, and playing with fire and metal. What I don't like is staying in a hotel for a week, eating every meal out, and not having a pool available for swimming. I also know that once the show kicks in toward the end of the week, even the hotel's exercise room will become too difficult to visit because I'll be too exhausted to do much else besides sleep on my off times.

Milwaukee has some great architecture, including the Hilton
Hotel where I'll be staying this year. The hotel dates from the
1930's and has exceptional art deco throughout. 

The public internet connections in the hotels aren't great, so I always fall behind on my daily reading, I don't post in my blog for the week that I'm gone so I always feel a bit odd coming back to a routine, and I really miss my normal rather scheduled life. But I love Milwaukee - especially the architecture.

The Milwaukee Art Museum is one of my favorite places to go
when I have some extra time. If you're there at noon, the wings
are brought down and then up again - spectacular. It is perched
on the edge of Lake Michigan with a wonderful view of the water. 

Going to the show is always exciting. It's a lot of hugs with friends I've had for a decade or more, and it can be a wonderful experience if I have a good project or two to keep me occupied. I guess I am looking forward to it.

Among the more unique architectural sites in Milwaukee are
the bio-domes at the Mitchell Conservatory. These unique
structures are open to the public with a different biology in
each one. Spectacular to view from a distance and from up close. 

DH looks at it with that positive/negative aspect too. He has to work every day, so that messes with his schedule. He misses me terribly so gets much more grumpy than usual and won't spend time on the phone with me because listening to me makes him miss me more (I know - not sensible but it's his stated reason for not talking to me much while I'm away).

The Milwaukee Brewers professional baseball team plays here, at
Miller Stadium. It's an incredible moving building. See those
roof trusses? They open for good weather and close for rainy days.
Check it out in the next photo.

Here, the roof has been opened for a sunny day game. It's pretty
neat. I'm not a huge baseball fan, but one of these days I want
to sit in the stands of this stadium, order a brat and a beer, and
watch a game in this incredible building. Love it! 

By the time I get back, we're both exhausted. I'm always happy to return to routine and he's delighted to finally have a few days off during the week again. I suppose my one week away can be good for us - not just to kick-start my own creativity once more. Maybe I'm looking forward to my upcoming trip after all - LOL. Have a great Wednesday, I'll be starting it out in the pool in an hour.