BEERy Exciting! Great Nebraska Beer Fest and Local Eats

As the wife of a craft beer bar owner, I have been lucky enough to be introduced to the amazing world of craft beer and along with that, wonderful and interesting people who make up Omaha's craft beer community.  For the last three years, some of our great friends from Nebraska Brewing Company in Papillion, along with other regulars in the craft beer community, have worked together to bring great beers to our state at the annual Great Nebraska Beer Fest.  For their 4th annual event, there will be over 80 breweries represented for more than 400 individual craft beers!!  For just $40, you have 5 hours to try this extensive beer collection all in one place.


Anchor Brewing Co. July 2009



New Belgium April 2012

The Great Nebraska Beer Fest is hosted at Shadow Lake Towne Center in Papillion (home of Nebraska Brewing Company). In addition to some of the local Nebraska Breweries (including: Nebraska Brewing Company, Infusion Brewing Company of Benson, Moonstruck Meadery of Bellevue, Blue Blood Brewing Company of Lincoln, Ploughshare of Lincoln, Gottberg Brewery of Columbus, and Empyrean of Lincoln, just to name a few), the festival boasts many local homebrew clubs as well as awesome breweries and brew pubs from our neighboring states. I have had the pleasure of visiting a few who will be in attendance including: Keg Creek of Glenwood, Iowa, Avery of Boulder, Colorado, New Belgium of Fort Collins, Colorado, O'Dell of Fort Collins, Colorado, Anchor Brewing Company of San Francisco, Twisted Pine of Boulder, Colorado, Tommyknocker Brewery of Idaho Springs, Colorado and Goose Island of Chicago.



Tommyknocker Brewery January 2009

Nebraska's craft beer community is also excited to host some breweries that have never been in the state before including: Stone Brewery of California, Maui Brewing Company of Hawaii, Free State Brewing Company of Kansas, Cigar City Brewing of Florida, Funkwerks of Colorado, and Blind Tiger Ale House of New York (again, just a few of many).  The Great Nebraska Beer Fest web site is extremely informative including a list of all of the participating breweries and brew clubs, a description of each brewery and/or club, as well as a description of many of the beers that will be featured at the festival.  There is a detailed description of what you can expect as a patron of the festival, there is a breakdown of the day, details on the featured beer seminars and a shout out page to the MANY sponsors of this great local festival. 

As the craft beer movement continues to grow in Omaha, this event will only get bigger and bigger.  In the mean time, check out some of the above-mentioned local breweries or some of our awesome local craft beer bars including:The Lauter Tun, Krug Park, Crescent Moon, The Huber Haus, Max and Joe's, The Library Pub, The Blatt, The Omaha Tap House, Jake's, and Brass Monkey.  Here's a cool local beer blog too, for all of you beer aficionados out there: www.beervanaomaha.blogspot.com

GNBF Itinerary

Friday August 24^th

4 to 6pm. Breweries beer drop off
7 pm Brewers Reception, Nebraska Brewing Company Patio.
Beer aplenty & food

Saturday August 25^th

10 am Brewers / Volunteers Brunch Nebraska Brewing Company
11 am to Noon Brewery setup, Dick’s Sporting Goods Parking Lot
Noon to 1pm VIP, Brewers & Volunteers Special Session
1 pm Beerfest Open to General Public
Food Vendors Open
Opening Music, Omaha Pipes and Drums
1:30 pm Seminar Tent - Beer Travel with TheBeerGeek.com
2:30 pm Seminar Tent - Homebrew Troubleshooting Panel with Brewers from Boulevard, Tallgrass and Nebraska Brewing Company
3:30 pm Seminar Tent - The role of the Internet in the growth of Craft Beer - Panel of Internet beer gurus, both local and from across the nation!
4:30 pm Seminar Tent - Chris Spradley - Beer and Food Pairing
6 PM Final Pour, Beer Fest Ends

Goose Island July 2012

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It's time for some more critiques on a few local restaurants. In the last month, I have experienced amazing Thai, Italian and Indian cuisine in the Omaha area. Since the Old Market is such a hub for entertainment, it shouldn't surprise you that two of these restaurants are located there. The first is Nicola's Italian Wine and Faire at 13th and Jackson. Similar to many of the restaurants in the Old Market, Nicola's ambiance is due in large part to the old exposed red-brick walls. Patrons have the option of eating in the dining room or in the large outdoor patio (which does have a fair amount of shade available).  Based on Northern Italian cooking styles, each entree is accompanied by two large pieces of bruschetta.  Meals are moderately priced.  The menu reflects the common Italian restaurant--pastas, seafood dishes, paninis and sandwiches, soups and salads, and dessert, but within each category, there are some twists on classics that make Nicola's worth the trip.  For example, during my most recent visit, I tried the Spaghetti Aglio & Olio.  This dish reminded me of a capellini pomodoro.  It's described as " a lighter dish; spaghetti sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil with roasted garlic, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes and Italian bread crumbs, sprinkled with fresh parsley and Parmesan."  The saltiness of the kalamata olives along with the tartness of the sun-dried tomatoes created the perfect flavor profile on that hot summer night.  Nicola's is also home to more than 100 wines.  If you're looking for a new local Italian restaurant, check out Nicola's.



Nicola's Outdoor Patio

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Omaha is lucky enough to have a few authentic Indian restaurants spread out across town.  My husband Chad is a huge fan of Indian food so we recently planned a date night to the Old Market's Indian Oven.  We arrived around 8:30 after taking in a movie and we were pleased to find that the restaurant was open until 10, allowing us the luxury of a leisurely dinner.  Due to the extreme heat and humidity, we opted to eat inside, although they do offer a small patio out front.  There were a handful of customers in the restaurant, so the noise level was pleasant.  The decor consists of beautiful paintings, low lighting, and candlelight--simple and elegant.  We started the meal by sharing a bottle of Taj Mahal--a light, crisp refreshing lager, and a piece of garlic naan and a cilantro pesto dip.  The bright flavors of the cilantro accented the crispness of the beer and again, with such a hot summer, this was a refreshing starter to our meal.  Although I am fairly adventurous, when it comes to food, I shy away from the unknown, but with my trusty guide, Chad, at my side, I took a leap of faith as I read through the menu of unfamiliar foods.  He informed me that anything with tandoori in the tile would be spicy so I steered clear of those dishes.  After reading through the descriptions of the chicken dishes, I based my decision on the dish that contained the most familiar ingredients and settled on the Chicken Kadai.  It was phenomenal.  It was stew-like and even with the hot weather, the herbs and spices used somehow managed to create yet another refreshing dish.  Chad let me taste his chicken tikke masala which would be another easy transitional dish for thsoe of you who are new to Indian food.  It is a chiken dish with a tomato cream sauce.  I am officially a fan of Indian food now.  The Indian Oven describes its food as "fun, playful Indian street food" and I assure you--you will feel like you are eating in an exotic Indian city when you eat at The Indian Oven.

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Mai Thai Original Location 144th & Center

Thai has not been such a stretch for me.   I have loved Asian cuisine for much of my life--everything from Chinese to Japanese to Vietnamese.  Thai food overlaps with dishes like beef and chicken fried rice; however, Thai food also uses Jasmine rice (a.k.a. sticky rice), ginger, pad Thai noodles, fresh spring rolls... There are several authentic Thai restaurants in Omaha.  One of my favorites is Mai Thai.  The original location at 144th at Center is small, but the modern Asian influence in the decoration creates a fancy, yet cozy feel.  Recently, Mai Thai has opened a second location at Aksarben Village--a new developing area complete with housing, shopping, bars, restaurants, a movie theater, and a gym.

 The new location is much larger than the original.  There is even a trendy bar inside.  The menu is the same between the two locations.  Much like in other ethnic cuisines, there are some staples to Thai food including Pad Thai, spring rolls, ginger chicken, chicken/beef fried rice, Pad See Eew-- the list goes on.  I almost always have the Pad Thai because it is, in my opinion, the spaghetti of Thai food.  Mai Thai does a wonderful job with their Pad Thai so I figure, why mess with perfection.  My other staple are the fresh spring rolls--fresh veggies wrapped in rice paper with homemade peanut dipping sauce.  However, Mai Thai does have a substantial menu.  They even have a dish created by their chef called Chicken Mango.  I recently had the mango fried rice with chicken.  The sweetness of the mango brightened up an old favorite.  There are several dishes that use basil as well.  During my most recent visit, since I was lucky enough to be joined by family and friends, I had the opportunity to try a new appetizer as well as deferring to my spring rolls.  This time we tried the fried calamari with sweet chili dipping sauce.  Calamari tends to be hit or miss, sometimes too chewy, sometimes looking entirely too much like a baby octopus, but Mai Thai's calamari was just tender enough.  The flavors were delicious and the portions were perfect to share with a table of 6.  Mai Thai is the place to be if you want great Thai food and thanks to their new location, you shouldn't have too far to drive if you're hungry for some Thai!

Supporting L-O!-cal Art

When you think of Omaha and Art, your first thought is probably the beautiful Joslyn Art Museum (which is probably why it is one of the select "pin point" attractions promoted by Omaha's Visitor Center; however, you should know... that is just the beginning!

In addition to the Joslyn Art Museum, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art is a more modest site for art in Omaha.  Housed at the south end of the Old Market, the Bemis is a classic red brick building with a simple, yet noticeable, orange sign adorning their east wall and it houses artwork and artists from all over the world.  Bemis is a rarity, in that it offers residencies to artists which includes "3 months of uninterrupted, self-directed work time" (in other words, "no deadlines"), "space--each artist is provided with a generously sized live/work studio with a private bathroom and 24 hour access to facilities including a wood shop, installation spaces, and a large sculpture fabrication facility," and Residents receive a $750/month stipend to assist the artists financially.  This programs is based on their mission:

"The spirit and programs of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts are based on the conviction that exceptional talent deserves to be supported. Our practical commitment to this belief is achieved by providing well-equipped studio spaces, living accommodations and a monthly stipend to artists who are awarded residencies. These artists come from around the world to work within a supportive community of like-minded people. The atmosphere and environment offer an ideal situation for creative growth and experimentation and encourage artists to confront new challenges."

The Bemis is open to the public to view exhibitions free of charge with the option to leave donations.  In addition to exhibiting the work the Residents produce, the Residents also conduct art talks where they share information and pictures describing their artistic journey that led them to the Bemis and then they spend time describing the work they are producing at the Bemis.  After the artist finishes his or her talk, there is time for the audience to ask questions. 

I attended an art talk put on by Hendrikje Kuehne & Beat Klein who have been developing idealized landscape collected from historical paintings of paradise gardens.  They are here in Omaha all the way from Denmark.  I discovered their work via Facebook.  The piece that I was most drawn to was created by tearing up postcards of landscapes up into tiny pieces and putting them back together to create a new landscape:

Another artist presented as well.  His name is Brian Porray.  I will direct you to the Bemis website to view his bio (as well as the bio of the other current fellows), but Brian's art was EXACTLY why these art talks are perfect for people (such as myself) who do not consider themselves to be "art people."  Here is an example of his work and perhaps you'll see what I mean:

Now, if I had been in a gallery and seen this, I would have quickly dismissed it to be nothing more than random colors and shapes, but the art talk gave Brian a chance to discuss his work and it gave lay people like me the chance to understand the thought process.  If you are one of these people, I suggest you peruse their website for more information for art talk lecture series or check out the Bemis (and other area art galleries on the First Friday of every month in their "open house" style attempt to share local art.  I will definitely be back.

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Omaha is also starting to make a name for itself on the music side of the art spectrum.  We have been home to the Red Sky Music Festival for the last two years, we have a flourishing music neighborhood in Benson, we have great venues such as The Slowdown and  The Lauter Tun that promote great local artists.  We even have our own record label--Saddle Creek Records.  For the last three years, Omaha has been home to a new music festival--Maha which is completely dedicated to promoting independent music and local artists, not to mention support all things Omaha... Just like our blog!!

This year me and my fellow bloggers had the distinct honor of attending Maha due to the extreme generosity of one of their extremely enthusiastic "Street Teamers"--Sherry Huffman.  As a result of her generosity, we experienced many of the awesome things Maha had to offer.  Our first stop was the beverage tickets which also happened to be the first pleasant surprise of the day (well, actually second to the glorious weather). I am used to paying upwards of $3 or $4 for non-alcoholic beverages and $6 or more for beer or other alcoholic beverages.  Not at Maha!!  I paid a mere $2.50 per bottle of water and thanks to Omaha's own Diventures, the nation's largest indoor scuba center, I was able to refill that bottle for free at their water station.  Beer and mixed drinks only cost $5 a piece and the options extended beyond Bud Light.  Maha included a local brewery in the Lucky Bucket Beer Garden!!  Maha food also went beyond your typical hot dog and hamburger stand.  Maha had Greek food!! 











There were two reserved seating areas as well as a satellite bar in the midst of the wide open green space at Aksarben Village's Stinson Park.  Fans had more than enough room to spread out with blankets and lawn chairs and although not all of the lyrics were family-friendly, children had more than enough room to run in addition to the playground that sits in the park.  In addition to the opportunities exert physical energy, children were also kept entertained by the free craft stand sponsored by the Joslyn Art Museum as well as the opportunity to decorate free t-shirts at the Goodwill booth.  Finally, there were several blank canvases available for artists to graffiti.  The next highlight was the extensive table of band swag.  Posters, buttons, t-shirts--you name it. 

After I hit all of the cool tables and tents, the Omaha Stalker blog team found a spacious area in the middle of the green space.  We could see both stages--oh... Did I forget to mention that there were TWO stages?!  This made the festival extremely efficient.  As a band performed on one stage, another band was setting up on the other. The festival even ran ahead of schedule!  Due to work, I was not able to stay to see Garbage or Desaparecidos (band of Omaha's own Conor Oberst), but 4,300 fans did--in the rain, no less.  I did, however, get to see a few interesting bands including my favorite of the day--Josh Rouse of Paxton, Nebraska.  He had a very Jason Mraz feel to his music, right down to the fedora he wore.  Check out Maha's web site for more information on the bands that performed.

I will definitely be back to Maha next year.  And after such a pleasant experience on Saturday, I didn't think I could be more excited for such an awesome local event until I read on their website the reason the bird was chosen as their mascot.  I will leave you Omaha Stalkers with these words:

"Maha Music Festival is about a pride of place. It’s uniquely Omaha — founded and run by people deeply rooted in our city, committed to adding a healthy dose of independent music and arts to the city’s robust cultural mix.

When Oxide Design Co. partnered with Maha to develop a new visual identity for the festival, we set out to capture all of that: pride, place, and independence. And we found it in the great chief of the Maha tribe, Chief Blackbird. The Maha were the most powerful Native American tribe in the Great Plains — a tribe whose name inspired our city’s, and then our festival’s."



Dining and drinks and music! O! My!

Hello to all of our fellow Omaha Stalkers! We have decided to add a new component to our blog. In addition to blogging about our experiences in Omaha, we are going to start pre-blogging about upcoming events we plan to attend. We will still feature direct links to web sites for upcoming events on the right hand column of our blog (since we certainly can't attend ALL of the amazing and fun events Omaha has to offer), but we figured that by previewing some events that only come around once a year or events that are only available for a limited time, you would all have enough information to decide if you want to attend while you still have the chance. Finally, we would ask that if any of you would like us to preview any events or at least give an honorable mention to something that we have neglected, please let us know and we'd be happy to spread the word about your favorite things to do in Omaha.

That being said, I will begin with a brief summary of some of my recent experiences with drinks and dining at LOCAL establishments and I will end with some previews of a few upcoming events.

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Summer brings some of my favorite days of celebration including my birthday and my anniversary. As you already read, I celebrated my birthday for an entire weekend by eating and drinking my way across Omaha. Well, Chad and I followed suit as we celebrated our second wedding anniversary last week. Chad and I went on our first date four years ago. We started our evening at a quaint bistro in Omaha's own Dundee neighborhood (Readers--there will be a future blog dedicated solely to Dundee, so be patient.) and we have eaten there to celebrate our anniversary every year since. Mark's is located on the upper level of a two-story building, just east of 49th and Underwood. The first decision you're required to make when you get to Mark's is where to sit. You have the choice of their fabulous outdoor patio, complete with colorful landscaping and the cool shade of trees, or you can choose a seat in their cozy dining room which gives you a complete view of Underwood and the Dundee Neighborhood via the wall-length window on the south wall. Mark's offers an extensive wine menu, a full bar, local craft beers on tap (last week they featured Lucky Bucket and Hopaluia), and a lengthy choice of bottled beers. Chad and I often choose items off of their regular menu (I highly recommend the cheese plate, the hummus, or the bruschetta appetizers and the Pad Thai or their famous Macaroni and Cheese entrees). We started with the hummus which was light, served with veggies rather than bread, and refreshing with a lemon wedge adding a light citrus flavor. All in all a nice appetizer--just filling enough and the citrus cleansed the palate before our main course. For our min course, Chad ordered the burger (cooked to order) and when he asked for a steak sauce, the waiter went behind the bar and began mixing a few ingredients together. In moments, Chad was served with a ramekin filled with a delicious homemade steak sauce. I ventured into the unknown with one of their specials: venison stuff toasted ravioli on a bed of sweet tomato sauce, completed with heirloom tomatoes picked from their own rooftop garden. Being 1/4 Italian, I have a special place in my heart for good homemade ravioli and this definitely ranks above good. And nothing beats home grown tomatoes. The sauce was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Needless to say, we were too full for dessert. The final important note about Mark's is the service. Our waiter perfectly timed our order, allowing us time to eat our appetizer without rushing us with our entree. When asked if we were celebrating anything, we shared the story of our first date at Mark's and before we knew it, our appetizer was comped as an anniversary gift. Mark's is the perfect place to go, no matter what you're in the mood for.

View from street

Chad and I have a few favorite haunts when it comes to drinks, depending on what we're in the mood for. Being a bar owner and a mixologist, when we want a cocktail, if we aren't drinking at The Lauter Tun, we have cocktails at The Boiler Room. And that's just what we did after we finished at Mark's. The Boiler Room is located at 11th and Jones in the Old Market. For those of you who are familiar with the Old Market, Jones Street marks the south edge and although it is a regular city street, it has a bit of an alley feel to it. The Boiler Room sign is in no way flashy--a classic black sign with white block lettering--so if you aren't looking closely, you might miss it. The first thing you will notice when you walk in is the extraordinary meeting of the industrial feel brought out by the exposed iron beams and brick walls and the modern feel brought by the wire banisters, local art donning the walls and the orchids which bring a delicate balance of color to the room. You enter on ground level, but you will quickly see that the two-floor restaurant was built downward into the old brick building. The bar is on the bottom level and has limited seating, but it is worth it if you can get a seat. Our bar tender immediately added to the ambiance, wearing a black vest, white button up shirt with sleeves rolled up, and a black tie, and more importantly, a deep knowledge of unusual and old-fashioned cocktails. I was in the mood for a light and crisp cocktail (given the 100 degree temperatures outside) and our bar tender guided me through cocktails on their menu. He encouraged me to order "...Something Borrowed, Something Blue" which boasts a host of liquors I was unfamiliar with including: Old Genever, Creme de Violette, lime and Prosecco. Chad was in the mood for whiskey, but after looking through their binder which includes several pages of aged liquors and wines (they have an extensive wine cellar too, for you wine fans out there), he asked our bartender for a suggestion. He made Chad a Rattle Snake, a cocktail popular in 1910, that included a blended whiskey, egg white, and a few other ingredients--this cocktail was not on the menu. If you are looking for a great cocktail, knowledgeable bartenders, and a nice evening out (and you happen to be downtown), check out The Boiler Room

View of the bar from upper level

Upper level dining area

Another successful celebration thanks to Omaha's fine dining and drinking options!

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Upcoming EVENTS!!!

The Lauter Tun Homebrew Showdown

The Lauter Tun is hosting a homebrew competition on August 5th. The goal, hopefully, being that the winner will be able to brew his or her beer at the Tallgrass Brewery in Kansas and then we will put that beer on tap at our bar!

Instructions:

Delivery no later than August 4th

Personal Delivery Only no Mail

3 12oz bottles per entry or 2 22oz bombers

Limit 2 entries per person

Entry forms are online on facebook

Beers will be judged as a “mini best in show”

Judged by stylistic accuracy, as well as technical merit

Open to ALMOST all categories excluding BJCP Styles 17, 20, 21, 22, 23

The goal of this competition is to recreate your masterpiece at a brewery and have The Lauter Tun put that beer on tap at our bar. The aforementioned excluded styles may be entered if you wish but they will not be able to be recreated at a brewery. The most likely beer style for recreation would be any style of ALE, as most Microbreweries product a majority of Ales. So any extreme beers including spiced, wood aged, some sour beers, etc. that will either take too long to age, contain too many specialty ingredients not regularly available to the large brewery, or a beer that will destroy a draft line at the bar if left on for long periods of time (ie: habanero ale), may be judged, but may not be recreated at the brewery. E-mail chad@thelautertun.com to get main entry form and bottle labels.

The Lauter Tun: Fundraiser - Global Partners in Hope
When: August 9, 2012 6:00 PM
How Much: $10-15 cover for charity
Global Partners in Hope are hosting an event which will help raise money to build drinking wells in sub-Sahara Africa. You can register online or at the door. There will be a cover charge $10 in advance or $15 at the door. We normally never have a cover, but this is not for the music, this is for a great cause. All of the cover will go toward the charity and we will increase certain drink prices slightly, the increase will of course also go toward the cause. There will be live music and some catered food. A great cause and some great entertainment. Be sure to check this out! Please feel free to click on one of the links to get more information.

Maha Music Festival

Where:Stinson Park at Aksarben Village

When: Saturday August 11, 2012 from Noon to Midnight!!

How Much: $35 for 12 hours of awesome local bands!

2012 Schedule

Noon		Gates Open
12:10	Centris Stage	The Seen
12:45	Weitz Funds Stage	Conduits
1:30	Centris Stage	Eli Mardock
2:05	Weitz Funds Stage	Frontier Ruckus
2:55	Centris Stage	Universe Contest
3:30	Weitz Funds Stage	Josh Rouse
4:35	Centris Stage	UUVVWWZ
5:10	Weitz Funds Stage	Dum Dum Girls
6:15	Centris Stage	The Mynabirds
7:00	Weitz Funds Stage	Delta Spirit
8:10	Centris Stage	Icky Blossoms
9:10	Weitz Funds Stage	Garbage
10:40	Weitz Funds Stage	Desaparecidos (featuring Conor Oberst)
Midnight		Show Over – See you in 2013!

This is Maha's 4th year-- the first two years were at Lewis & Clark landing, and then after the flooding, it was moved to Stinson park. Thanks the green space at Stinson Park, festival guests have lots of cool, cozy grass to sit on. There are two alternating stages: Main and Supporting. Main stage acts are the more 'big name' bands, and Supporting stage has more local acts from Omaha/ Lincoln. It is a non-profit festival and completely volunteer-run from street teaming before hand to day-of-show workers. There is free parking in Aksarben Village. TWELVE HOURS of music for $35?! Can't beat that.

Mapping Out the Weekend

Hello all! It has been a few weeks since I have shared, but hopefully you enjoyed the Swimmer Superlatives that Diana and Katie presented a few weeks ago and I know that reading Sarah's latest on good-eats around town made my tummy rumble.

My latest story goes back to the original idea for this blog. I had the opportunity to visit not one, but two of the points on the "Omaha's Top Attractions" map last weekend. The first stop was the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. This was the first time I had been there since the aquarium re-opened after the amazing renovations. My sister and I took my niece and nephew because it was going to be the coldest day of the week (mid-90s). We got there just after the zoo opened and decided to start with the Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Pavilion. This building includes a lot of small animals and insects in small cases around the main room. There are also interactive learning opportunities for kids to get an up-close look at snake skins, butterflies, and other assorted items.

Our next stop was the newly renovated Scott Aquarium. It was amazing. As soon as you walk in, you may run into a line of people off to the right. That is because there is a small area that includes several different types of aquatic animals that you can touch. If you aren't interested in that you can bypass the line and head in to the aquarium. A lot of the main attractions are still located in the same areas like the penguins, sharks, and jellyfish, but each area has had a make-over that just enhances the experience. When we left the aquarium we HAD to stop for popcorn at the snack stand right outside before continuing on to the Grewcock Butterfly & Insect Pavilion.

We did visit a few of the outdoor exhibits like the zebras and sea lions but it was so incredibly hot that our main focus was finding an indoor attraction. Although it was hot, there were hoses and sprinklers set up throughout the zoo to cool off while walking from place to place and most of the buildings are air conditioned as well. If you aren't interested in walking around the whole zoo, you can also pick up the train either by the giraffe complex or at the Train Depot near the Children's Play area. There is also the Skyfari (similar to a ski lift) that takes you over the middle of the zoo as well as a tram that you can get on at different locations. We visited the bears, the cats, and the gorillas before deciding to call it a day.

Here are a few helpful tips for visiting the zoo: 1) If you are visiting in the summer, be sure to go early. The zoo opens at 9:00 throughout the summer and it is a great way to beat the heat.  2) Look at your map. The map includes the times that the tram, train, carousel, and Skyfari are available. It also list the times of different presentations throughout the zoo. 3) Although I LOVE zoo food, you can bring in your own snacks and eat at any of the snack areas scattered throughout. 4) Be sure to check out their website for events in the zoo. They are open year round and offer different family-oriented events at different times in the year. www.OmahaZoo.com

Peter Kiewit Foundation Sculpture Garden

Large Covered Wagon
(The pioneer woman is puffing on a pipe
and her two rowdy pioneer children are about to fall
out of the back of the wagon. It is supposed
 to be a likeness of a family on a cross-country vacation.)

The second map point I visited was the Joslyn Art Museum. Now I will admit, I am not an art buff by any means, but I will say that you don't need to be to appreciate this beautiful Omaha landmark. When you drive past it on Dodge, you can see only the profile of the beautiful building. As soon as you pull into the parking lot, you will have a few unexpected, but very welcome surprises.  The building is surrounded by several beautiful sculpture gardens. There is the Discovery Garden at the northwest corner of the campus that includes a number of different interactive sculptures and of course the main garden directly in front of the museum includes a giant reflecting pool, numerous sculptures, and an amazing full-on view of the museum. 

This is called the Story-Telling Hut
(This exhibit will disintegrate
within 18-24 months.)

I call this "Laura Riding the Pencil"

After spending some time outside admiring the beauty of these gardens, I took advantage of the free admission that is offered on Saturday mornings between 10:00 and noon. My first stop was the gift shop located just inside on the main level. Since Omaha is celebrating 150 years of the Union Pacific Railroad, there were a lot of train-related items available, but as always, they had a good assortment of items that are related to the exhibits. You can get anything from books to prints about some of the pieces on display.

In the main atrium there is also a little cafe that is open at different times throughout the day. It is a quiet area that is lit mainly by the natural light  provided by the open space. To the right of the atrium is a staircase that leads up to the gallery that houses their traveling exhibits. The current exhibit being shown is called The Great West Illustrated. It includes photographs and paintings that celebrate the Union Pacific Railroad.

On this same level, you can cross above the atrium area into the permanent galleries. But before you do, make sure to check out the beautiful glass sculpture created by Dale Chihuly that is placed in the floor-to-ceiling window. (My picture doesn't even do this piece justice.) Some of the other permanent pieces of this collection include works from Edgar Degas, Claude Monet,  Jackson Pollock, and El Greco. 

Chihuly: Inside & Out

Beyond viewing the artwork, there are also educational programs and research opportunities that you can participate in. There are also lectures, musical performances, and art classes for people of all ages. For more information on these programs and services, please visit www.joslyn.org.

I had a great time marking a few more map pins off my list and I hope you are all doing the same. Please be sure to share with us if you have any places you would like us to report on or if you have any fun adventures to share from any of the places we have already visited! 

Goodbye for now Omaha Stalkers!

Dining Out in O!maha

One of the great things about Omaha is that there is no shortage of restaurant choices. We have fast food chains, sit down chains, and of course, the wide variety of local 'mom and pop' places. You want Indian? Great--try The Indian Oven or Jaipur. Want Italian? Try Malara's or Picollo's. It's Omaha so I bet you want to know where to find a good steak. What not try one of the many family owned steak houses Omaha is known for such as Caniglia's Venice Inn or Cascio's Steak House? (I think you see my point). In honor of Omaha's great love of food (of all kinds), I have decided to dedicate this entire post to some of my recent experiences with food in Omaha.

One sunny HOT day in early July, after an afternoon of tanning, some friends and I decided that the best way to finish off the day would be to find some great Mexican food and drink some of the best margaritas Omaha has to offer. Luckily, there are plenty of options, but since we were out West, the first thought we has was Rivera's (www.riverasmf.com). I heard rave reviews of their pomegranate margaritas and their carne asada so there was really no question. I ordered the fish tacos--delicious. Just spicy enough and very filling. I tried some of the carne asada and it was Extremely tender and flavorful. The pomegranate margaritas did not disappoint either. As the wife of a bar owner and liquor connessuir, I was deeply impressed by their extensive tequila selection as well. I usually look for a tequila I was introduced to on my honeymoon in Mexico, called Casa Noble. Not many places have it so when I found it on their menu, it was a must have. Finally, we ended the meal with the lightest, fluffiness sopapillas I have ever had. Rivera's gets my vote for amazing Mexican food in West Omaha. Check it out.

One of the most important holidays takes place in July and that means food. No, not the Fourth of the July, my birthday. The older I get, the more likely I am to ask for time with my friends and family instead of gifts and that often translates into eating at restaurants around town. This year was no different. Laura and I started our celebration with a family lunch at Biaggi's. They have locations in 12 states around the country so it's not a local company, but their classic Italian food and upscale decor create an atmosphere that makes you feel at home. The meal begins with bread and oil to tide you over until your meal comes. Although the lunch menu is not quite as lengthy as the dinner menu, patrons have options ranging from salads, sandwiches, pastas, and other Italian entrees. Even more enticing, the lunch menu offers the option of half and half, allowing patrons to try multiple fares in one sitting. I had the Capellini de Mare--capellini noodles with shrimp and scallops and a half portion of the Messina salad, complete with capers, olives, feta cheese, and field greens. The half and half was the perfect size for lunch. Unfortunately I was too full to try one of the many Italian desserts offered, but I will be back to try some tiarami su and some cannolis. Here's the link to their menu: http://mobile.biaggis.com/menu/16.

After we rested our stomachs for a few hours, Laura, Diana, Katarina and I went to P.F. Chang's. Again, I love local, but you can't argue with some chains. We started with an appetizer--tuna tataki crisp, which included ahi tuna, scallions, and cucumbers marinated in citrus sesame soy sauce on a crisp wonton. I had my usual orange peel chicken and brown rice for my main course and followed it up with a FREE tiarami su mini dessert (**ask for your free dessert when you visit on your birthday).

Birthday celebrations continued through the next day. I was treated to a phenomenal lunch of Vietnamese cuisine at a local restaurant downtown by two dear friends from work. The restaurant, Saigon Surface, is just on the outskirts of Omaha's famous Old Market. It is small, but modern and crisp. Each table has its own iPad to tinker with throughout their meals. The staff was extremely friendly. We started off with vegetarian tofu egg rolls. The fresh flavors of mint and cilantro were very refreshing. Our waiter was very knowledgeable of the menu and helped give suggestions for our entrees. I had the grilled combo vermicelli bowl which included wild prawns, chicken, pork, and a Saigon egg roll. The bowl was extremely filling, yet the vermicelli noodles were very light. A perfect dish for a summer lunch. I was surprised with a dessert--Surface flan which is basically a creme brûlée flan. I HIGHLY recommend Saigon Surface. Support local cuisine. And right now, on their home page, you can print out a copy for a free entree anytime during the month of your birthday. Here's the link: http://www.saigonsurface.com/

 Saigon Surface is modern, trendy, and delicious!





I finished off my whirlwind restaurant tour with my husband Chad. We ate dinner at Omaha's own 7M, 'an eclectic mix of Omaha's art, food and wine' located in Northwest Omaha. The modern restaurant has the feel of a trendy cocktail lounge. The bar has a great beer selection and I drank one of the best gin gimlets I had ever had. We were assisted by not one but two very knowledgeable servers who helped guide our selections. We were aided further as our waiter shared pictures of the evening's specials on his iPad. I am a sucker for fish tacos and although the specials looked amazing, I had to go with an old favorite and it did not disappoint. They were some of the best fish tacos I've ever had. Not to mention how aesthetically pleasing the plates were. I opted to take one taco home to save room for a piece of locally made Lithuanian Torte. The sweet crumbling crusts are layered with a citrus jelly and it's made at our own local Lithuanian bakeries. My biggest complaint was that there were too many amazing sounding dishes to choose from. We will be back. Perhaps to check out their VIP-style Chef's Table. Check it out on their web site: http://www.restaurantomaha.net/index.html

Omaha has the most restaurants per capita in America, so as you can tell, I have just scratched the surface with this inaugural dining out special, so be on the look out for future blogs dedicated to the food Omaha has to offer. And if you're a beer lover, check out Chad's new blog to learn more: www.beervanaomaha.blogspot.com Thanks for reading. And as my Italian grandmother always said at dinner, 'Mangia!'

2012 Olympic Swim Trials: Our Swimmer Superlatives

Lochte and Phelps--part of the drama enticing the sold out Swim Trials Finals crowd at the Century Link Center, Omaha

Ah, the joy of being part of the over 13,000 fans in the Century Link Center for the Olympic Swim Trials!  The attendees are from all over the country.  Though most of the friendly swim fans we meet are from anywhere but Nebraska, they are singing Omaha's praises for being such an enthusiastic, swimfan-friendly setting.

As mentioned in our previous posts, my sister Diana and I (Katarina), were excited to attend all 15 sessions of the Olympic Swim Trials which spanned eight days.   We are very thankful to USA Swimming, who made time at Aqua Zone in between sessions very entertaining, which included opportunities to meet past and present Olympians.  We are also very grateful to the athletes. Their optimism, willingness to spend time with fans, and patriotic attitude about representing the United States was all very inspiring.  Diana and I figured it would be most amusing if we recorded our personal highlights in our own very biased way. 

OUR BIASED 2012 SWIM TRIALS SWIMMER SUPERLATIVES

Most Impressive Display of Taking Off a Swim Cap, Therefore Inspiring our Swimmer Superlatives:

 MATT GREVERS

Most Enthusiastic After Winning a Race: MATT GREVERS

One of our Day 3 highlights was Matt Grevers' enthusiasm after winning the 100 backstroke.  He emerged from the pool into a sprint to hug multiple people.  His medal ceremony was endearing, being that it was presented by Adolph Keifer, gold medal backstroke winner from the 1936 Olympics, who was also celebrating his 94th birthday that day. When interviewed after the medal ceremony, we enjoyed Grevers' humility when saying he didn't think he would make the team (though he's been the U.S.'s top backstroker within the last couple years).

Nick Thoman and Grevers being interviewed for NBC

Most Gracious and Impressive to Talk with in Person: TYLER CLARY (Matt Grevers is a close second)

Before we could even thank Tyler for taking this picture with us, he thanked US first!  A few days later, while autograph signing with Matt Grevers and Annie Chandler, Tyler thanked us for losing our voices, told us about the Speedo photo shoot on a waterslide, and went on about how impressed he is with the Trials crowd.  Then, Matt Grevers told us about how the excitement of the crowd at the Swim Trials is better than that at the Olympics.

Best Medal Acceptance Pose: BRENDAN HANSEN

Most Missed by Us: AARON PEIRSOL
Peirsol, the best backstroker in history, retired from swimming in 2010, and we enjoyed watching him in the last three Olympics.  It seemed weird to not see him compete in the backstroke events, but we're glad he was constantly around during the Swim Trials.

Most Likely to Save a Drowning Child: CULLEN JONES
Cullen is a spokesperson for the Make a Splash Foundation, a "national child-focused water safety initiative" for which he goes on tour to spread the importance of learning to swim.   More information about this foundation can be found at http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=1699

Best Smile: CULLEN JONES

Closest Resemblance to a "Full House" cast member: ELIZABETH BEISEL

Yes, we did tell Elizabeth that we think she looks like DJ Tanner.

Most Able to Make us Emotional: KATHLEEN HERSEY
Diana and I were fortunate to sit next to Kathleen's parents during the 2008 Swim Trials. They were generous, shared helpful information, and we enjoyed having someone (Kathleen) to cheer for.  Her awesome parents made it even more exciting for us to watch her make it to the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.  When we learned that Kathleen's mother died from cancer earlier this year, we were saddened to say the least, and I felt myself getting choked up when we expressed our condolences to Mr. Hersey.

Most like a Greek God in Human Form: RYAN LOCHTE

If Ryan Lochte and Michelangelo had been alive at the same time, we're certain Ryan would've been a source of great inspiration for the sculptor.

"I guess milk does the body good,"  Ryan Lochte responded, when Bob Costas (reporting live from the Swim Trials) commented on Ryan's amount of recent shirtless pictures. 

Most Impressive with Handling Shloads of Fans: RYAN LOCHTE

It was cool to see how Ryan did his best to sign as many autographs as possible.

Most Dateable: PETER VANDERKAAY

There is just something endearing about how Peter stays low key, even after we caused trouble.  (We were NOT supposed to be taking pictures on the autograph stage.)

Almost Makes Me Want to Like the Color Pink Whilst Dominating the 200 Breaststroke in a Pink Suit: REBECCA SONI

Most likely to pull off a messy bun and look darling: MISSY FRANKLIN

Best Overcoming Story: ERIC SHANTEAU
Shortly after making the team at the 2008 Trials, Eric was diagnosed with testicular cancer.  Now in remission, he's still an amazing breaststroker, and also a 2012 Olympian.

Most Reluctant to Take a Picture with a 12 Year Old at the Zoo in Omaha's humidity:
 ANTHONY ERVIN
Though there was no one else around, and a small chance that anyone would recognize him at the Henry Doorly Zoo, Anthony had to be convinced to pose for a picture with our swimfan friend Ryan.  We hope that the reluctance was due to the exhausting heat of 100 degrees plus humidity, because we later found Anthony to be friendly about taking pictures and signing, especially after Day 8's closing ceremonies.

Most likely to High Five While Eating a Sandwich: NATHAN ADRIAN
We were respectful of the fact that swimmers don't really have time to chat before finals, so we appreciated that while walking by, Nathan always gave high fives (when he was eating) and smiled (when he wasn't eating).

Most Able to Make Us Burst Out Laughing: GARY HALL JR.

During his tenure as a 3-time Olympian, Gary Hall Jr. was known for his antics on the starting block. For example, at the 2008 Trials, he wore a bejeweled boxing robe and made a show of punching the air.  While meeting him, we inquired about the whereabouts of his boxing robe and he said it was at the drycleaners due to a mustard stain.  He proceeded to tell us about how he was a 3-time drowning victim, asked us what antics we would use at an awards ceremony, and then we all practiced our princess waves.

Most Able to Look Professional in Purple Skinny Jeans: SUMMER SANDERS

Summer, a 1992 gold medalist, was the MC of the Swim Trials.  She impressed us with her mix of t-shirts and skinny jeans, professionalism and personal touch to relate to and congratulate each Olympic qualifier.



Summer Sanders interviews Brendan Hansen after he qualifies for the Olympic Team



Most Recognized Parent: MICHAEL PHELPS
Debbie Phelps was so recognizable, she even had her own autograph signing session.

Most Hungry: MICHAEL PHELPS
Though there were only eight fans around when we encountered him, Michael gave us a long list of reasons why he had to make it quick (one of which was he hadn't eaten all day).  Michael was done competing at this point.

Most Interesting Pre-Race Stretching: MICHAEL PHELPS
The way Michael flapped his arms almost seemed painful...should stretching make a sound?

Best Eyelashes: RICKY BERENS

 

Best Jaw Structure: NICK THOMAN

Closest Voice Resemblance to John Cena and My Friend Derek: NICK THOMAN

Best Male Biceps: JASON LEZAK
The last leg of the 400 free relay in the 2008 Olympics was the fastest in history, due to some superhuman trait of Jason's...we told him that even our dog showed an emotional reaction to his amazing come-from-behind victory.

Most Likely to be a 16 Year Old Swimmer at the 2016 Swim Trials: RYAN OLSON

 

Ryan Olson (pictured above with Ryan Lochte and Ryan Olson's swim mom, Melanie) is a 12 year old competitive swimmer in Utah.  His specialty is the 400 IM, much like his swimming idol Ryan Lochte, who is so graciously showing Ryan's "Big O" swimming sign in the picture above.  Ryan is a friendly, hilarious, and bold swim fan who was successful in having 28 different Olympians sign his Swim Trials t-shirt.  Diana and I are very grateful we befriended Melanie and Ryan, as we shared many great outbursts.  Plus, we're grateful to Melanie for letting us use some of her pictures!

WHAT'S NEXT?

The question has already been raised about where the 2016 Swim Trials should be held.  Summer Sanders and Rowdy Gaines seem to be proponents of the Trials staying in Omaha.  The bids haven't even been submitted yet, but we're keeping our fingers crossed for a third Swim Trials in Omaha.  But for now, we're super excited about cheering on Team USA at the Olympic Games in London, which start on July 27th.  For the televised event schedule, check out http://www.nbcolympics.com/ .

Also, if you go to https://raiseourflag.teamusa.org/Content/index.aspx , you can buy a stitch in the U.S. flag to support the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams in London.

Happy Olympics Viewing!