Surly Jones and the Roller Girls take Mpls

As if dinners and movies weren't enough for one week, we followed it up with some frigid afternoon racing on Saturday, a mini nap and a warm shower, then dolled up again for the MN Roller Girls and Surly Jones' half-time show!

STELLAR! Absolutely stellar! It was my first time seeing the roller derby ever and it was impossibly hard not to hunt down the person in charge and sign up. Ultimately it was the girl on crutches that finally made me realize it wasn't worth doing if it meant time away from my bike. But man was it awesome to watch!

Then, to make it better, Surly Jones rocked out the most bitchin' half-time show ever! The floor was packed and the band was on fire. I don't know what happened or when, but four of my most favorite musicians found a way to turn it up to 11!

It was like watching videos of KISS before they had branded everything from Tshirts to pinball machines.... Surly Jones was out there playing to the crowd as if their life depended on it. And every ounce of desire and passion that dripped sweat on the stage permeated the crowd and pulled the words right out of their throats as they sang along to every song.

And, as if roller skates and rock n roll weren't enough to allow this girl die happy, Surly Jones finished their set with my favorite song on their set-list.... Fat Bottom Girls by Queen. Starting it off all acapella, the band toed the front of the stage and got the crowd singing along instantly as they harmonized and rocked out the first verse.

I have followed them along as much as my travel schedule has allowed and THIS show was by far one of the top three they've ever put on. As if I've never said it before, go see SURLY JONES! You'll not regret it! Next up is a pre-Turkey show, followed by a super rockin' gig at the Star Bar Friday night - can I say it's my favorite of their show posters ever??

Droolin' for the next installment of Surly Jones,

Kristy Kreme

Warm Bellies and Ringing Ears

Aside from all the great racing to be had lately, Jay and I have had a bunch of wonderful quality time with friends. Last week we joined Teri & Randy for dinner at Burger Jones for the first time. The staff was totally fun, the drinks spectacular, and the food was delicious and guilt-ridden all at the same time. Beef, salt, cheese stuffed in beef, root beer in Guinness, cheese curds, 4 types of fries with 4 different dipping sauces.... WOW!

And, if that weren't enough grubbin to keep a hibernating bear satisfied, the boys still found room for over-priced treats at the movie theater after dinner. Full bellies and all, we donned 3D glasses to test our intestinal fortitude at Jackass 3D. Not 20 minutes into the movie, I'd laughed so hard I burned off all of the cheese curds I devoured and began working on my tasty burger.

I had watched Jackass, the tv show, when it was on but never one of the movies before. It was HILARIOUS! All I can say is I wish I could have been watching the "High-Five" skit in real life. Sure, there was more vomit than I needed to see, but it was so much fun. With all that life gives us to stress or worry over, this was the perfect way to escape and laugh until I cried.

Thanks Randy & Teri for getting us out - it was AWESOME! Can't wait til our next date! Oh wait... we can never too long without seeing you again!

Two nights later we joined Teri, Kaity, Ralan, and Lon to celebrate Kim's birthday with pizzazz! Her son and some family helped us surprise Kim with dinner for 11 at Wondrous Azian Kitchen in DT Minneapolis. The speed of the meal was slow but it fit the the mood perfectly - allowing us more time than ever to laugh and enjoy ourselves on a Friday night.

The food was delicious and well-presented. Jay's caterpillar roll was one of my favorites ever, with eyes and all.

Then, to complete the meal, we had a fabulous banana egg roll..... hey, who rearranged the plate to look like a......

After the meal ended, the crue headed out for some fun at Spring Street, but Hwood and I were too tired to party on. We headed home to snuggle with the puppy on the couch and relax on a Friday night. It was the perfect ending to a crazy workweek for sure.

Kristy Kreme

Goodbye Homie, HELL-O Foamy!

Video killed the radio star in the 1984...

A mountain bike magazine killed Homie Fall Fun Fest in 2010.....

Homie, the place I first got the guts to kiss my now-husband on the cheek, leading to our first kiss later that night...

Homie, my first time on a mountain bike.... first single speed (tricycle not included).... first Bacon & Peanut Butter Donut.... first time hanging with the 612 Mafia...... first time I opened my eyes into a new world I never thought I'd be a part of....

Love you Homie! So sorry the magazine article tainted your underground persona and forced you to hibernate for an unannounced amount of time. BUT, I have to thank you tons for sending your cousin Foamy to keep us in-the-know folks entertained during your sabbatical.

For those of you outside the know peeps, Foamy was a fabulous single speed mountain bike gathering on a cool, beautiful fall afternoon in the city. Tucked just a few feet off the bike/walk path, we gathered for beer, comraderie, and some awesome feats of strength for yet another year, Homie's death n' all. Costumes, homemade spiced wine, and some crazy treats (my fave is the Wild Turkey balls) make the rounds in the group as we ride, drink, laugh and have fun. And this day didn't disappoint.

Jay trying to take out Wheels by ghost-ridin' the Tomac

Me & B-Rad

For me, a year's worth of mountain bike racing was the best prep work I could've had - giving me the skills (on top of the liquid courage) to make it to the top half of the Miss & Out Derby ... one I rarely make it past the first lap of. SO FREAKIN' RAD!!!

Considering we had rocked out for 8 hours straight the night before, we couldn't stay til sundown, but we were fully satisfied to return home early and order a pizza with Wheels & MSH.

Full bellied and with tired legs, we ambled off to sleep in preparation for another day of racing.

Lovin' Fall,

Kristy Kreme

Another Awesomely Surly Halloween

This year was an even more-rockin' Halloween than last year, just as promised. Even though the last two years spent at the Surly Halloween party were AWESOME, this year grabbed the proverbial dial with gritty hands and turned it up to 11! The grub, the decorations, the music, and of course the costumes were exponentially better than ever before..... it was a fabulous 8-hour rager!

Without Kaity & Teri organizing the rest of us riff raff, the hosting aspect would have never come together so splendidly. We carved pumpkins, made sweet "bloody" sheets to cover the furniture, hung Kaity's ass-kicking umbrella chandeliers, and loaded up the tables with homemade yummy's. Couple that with booze and adults with years of costume inspiration and incomes to fund their imagination and you've got yourself a warehouse full of Halloween goodness.

The deco's were amazing - down to the bloody sheets - and no one could've pulled this look alike off even if they tried!

My favorite part of Halloween, you ask? Costumes, baby, costumes! If there was a reason to dress up in costume every month, I'd be all over it... er, wait..... is that what I do 40 hours a week at work? Dress like a corporate employee rather than a goof? :O) Yeah, Hwood had fun (I hope) helping me get all tat'd up to pull off my most favorite costume ever! Kat Von D, baby!!!

It took 2 hours to do two full sleeves, my back, and her signature stomach "Hollywood" tattoo with temporary tattoos! But it was worth it. To top that off, I got to pair them with my two new loves in the world... bitchin' red platform shoes with a 5" heel! Yum! I'd wear them to work if I was sure I'd still be employed by the end of the day.

Hwood as David Lee Roth with me as Kat Von D

Aside from all the costume follies, the music was the main attraction, kicking off the night with D.N.F., Hollywood's band of hard-rocking buds. With crazy antics and kicks galore, D.N.F. lit up the faces of the buzzing crowd with their eclectic songlist full of speed-punk, grunge, and 80's rock. Even though it was only their second show ever, they only had to pull through a couple derailments brought on by a blown fuse or too many pre-gig shots, but they did so with a smile on their face and kept the crowd's attention as they brought it back to rockin'.

CrashMatic followed it up with some quality skills, but much less high kicks and Oh Yeah's. Sad to say I had to miss most of their show, though, so that I could ensure my hard-rockin' hubby got some food in his belly to soak up some of the cocktails. But it was the most amazing thing seeing how much joy and light illuminated his face.... to see someone you love live out a dream is one of the most awarding things I've ever been blessed enough to be a part of. It was splendid.

As the darkness outside our little House of Zombie stumbled on, Surly Jones took the stage to keep the party moving and the energy high. Another AMAZING performance from my favorite local band. Headed up by Garth Vader, the crue rocked out the best Halloween show yet with some awesome new song additions and more energy than ever before. Way to go, I love you guys!!!!

Can't believe we have to wait a whole 'nother year before we get to do it again. By quarter after 2:00 in the morning, the music was still bouncing of the exposed brick and the bar was still tended. We were supposed to be up by 6:00 the next morning for a birthday bike ride (Jay made it.. I slept), so we relunctantly headed for the door.

My ears were ringing and my legs were exhausted from dancing, but I was too wound up to sleep. Jay and I hung out with lil Smokey for a bit just to wind down before we finally stumbled off to bed, fully rocked and totally entertained after another UNBELIEVABLE Surly night with friends.

Thank you all for the best Halloween memories EVER!

Kristy Kreme Von D