Taste & Counting Crows

"Mr. Jones and me," went to the Taste of Chicago... Ok, that was a little cheesy...





So, if any of your from the Chicago area, then you can probably recognize the two pictures above... the Taste! The Taste of Chicago is a large food festival that happens every summer in Grant Park in downtown Chicago. With around 50 vendors present, an estimated 100,000 head to the taste each day for the 10-day festival. The food ranges from African-inspired dishes to empanadas to deep dish pizza.

Despite a few weeks of cold weather, Chicago has finally warmed up. This made this weekend the perfect opportunity to head to Grant Park. Even though the Taste was packed with people, we still managed to weave through the traffic and find food that hit the spot. My first taste portion was rollof Rice and goat from a Nigerian restaurant. The second--and by far my favorite--was the jibarito. Originally from Puerto Rico, a jibarito is a sandwich made with fried plantains (instead of bread) steak, lettuce, tomatoes, and a garlic sauce/mayonnaise. Just look below to see what this sandwich looks like...





What goes nicely with food? I cannot think of anything better than a free concert by one of my favorite bands... the Counting Crows. After eating our fill at the Taste, we walked about 5 minutes across the park to the band shell, where the Crows and Augustana took the stage. Spending a good deal of my time listening to the Crows, I cannot tell you how enjoyable it was to see them in such a great setting. There is nothing like a free concert in the middle of the city, a stone's throw from the lake and from Michigan Avenue. Chicago really has so much to offer.

What a drastic change the last few months have made on the makeup of the city. Just 3 months ago, I was in Chicago interview for internships this summer... the streets were barren and windswept. Now the city feels alive. There are multiple festivals every weekend, free concerts in the Grant/Millennium Park, and farmers' markets around every street corner. Chicago is such a great place in the summer, the city seems to truly thrive on the heat.




Thanks for reading.... I gotta run. I live about 2 block from the beach (its still a beach, even if its on a lake, right?) and the sun is calling my name. Hope this summer is treating you all well. Happy 4th!

Love & Honor,

Matt Hoffman

US-Honduras

Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole! Ole, Ole!

Last Saturday night, around 55,000 fans filed into Soldier Field in Chicago to watch the US National Soccer Team face the Honduran National Team in a World Cup Qualifying match. And me, the avid soccer fan, couldn't miss the opportunity to watch the US National Team in action.

Those of you who follow soccer know that the following in the US is not great. The stadium was overwhelming filled with fans wearing blue and white (the national colors of Honduras). Moreover, the US was coming off a disappointing loss (1-3) to Costa Rica in San Jose just 4 days before. Yet, the atmosphere was magic... there truly is nothing like a packed and enthusiastic crowd at a soccer game.



So, facing a quasi-away game, the possibility of slipping in the standings, and possibly not qualifying for the World Cup (the next game is against Mexico at Azteca Stadium, where the US is 0-22-1), the US team responded in a 2-1 victory over the inspired Hondurans.

Honduras played well in the first 10 minutes of both halves but seemed to slouch towards the end of each half. Yet, there were moments of major concern for the US. After a mistake by a US defender, Honduras scored in the 5th minute of the game. The US tied the game before the half with a PK by Landon Donovan and then broke the tie in the second half with a header (slightly fluke-ish) by captain Carlos Bocanegra.

It was a great experience and I was able to have some interesting conversations with the Hondurans around us. I was able to go with a good friend of mine, Sean Wright, and it was truly an experience that I will never forget. Can't wait until the next home game (in my vicinity)!



I guess this is one of the benefits of living in a big city--important sporting events are located just an "el" ride away. Glad to see the US come away with a victory.

Tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 EST on ESPN, the US will be taking on Italy in the Confederations Cup in South Africa. This will be a good test to see how far the US has come and how much the team still needs to improve before the World Cup in 2010.

That's all for now.

Love & Honor,

Matt Hoffman

Welcome Back!

Chicago at night.


A giraffe at the Lincoln Park Zoo.



Hey all,

So,I have decided to kick this blog-thing back up in style. So, I will deliver a little check-in:

I survived last semester and did fairly well grades-wise. It hasn't quite hit me that I am going to be a senior in college... in fact, its a really scary thought. Even scarier is that I just signed up to take the GRE in September!!! Ahhhh!

I had a difficult transitioning back to Miami. Its hard to move to a place where you aren't familiar with the culture and try to fit in. Its even harder to move to a place where you are supposed to feel at home and not feel that same connection. Well, I eventually felt at home at Miami... it just took a lot of reflection on my experiences and, perhaps, toning down the my opinions and thoughts a little.

But, I am doing well, all things considered. Now, I am in Chicago through a program with Miami. I have an internship at DePaul University in their Student Leadership Institute... where I am helping them retool some programs, working with students, reading a lot of literature about leadership education, and discovering what a [9-5] job in student affairs is like. And to be honest, I absolutely love it.

Additionally, I am working at a youth center on the south side...in a neighborhood called Bridgeport (by the White Sox stadium). There, I get to play games and help tutor local children. After CPS gets out of school, I will be leading a soccer club and helping to tutor a few students in the afternoon.

So far, I have been able to experience a lot of places in the city... but, those descriptions will have to follow. I do have a few general pictures to share. And, many more stories to tell. But, for now, I am signing off. I think that I have discovered that if I write shorter posts, I am more likely to continue to write them... so, we will try this method for a while.

Hope all is well!

Love and Honor,

Matt


Sean and me in front of the "bean" in Millennium Park.

Bruxelles/Brussel: Waffles 101

Hey all,

The next city that I will had the opportunity to visit is the city of Brussels in Belgium. Out of all the cities that I visited in Europe, I think that Brussels is by far my favorite. Usually, when I make this claim, people just look at me as if I am crazy. Yes, it is not Paris or Venice or Amsterdam. But, there are so many things to like about Brussels and Belgium...

The first obvious characteristic about Brussels is that the city is bilingual and serves as a unifying factor between the Dutch-speaking people of Flanders in the north and the French-speaking people of Wallonia in the south. Despite political troubles within the country, Brussels serves a a key link uniting the country. Brussels also serves as the "capital of Europe" because it houses the European Commission--one of the major branches of the European Union. During my time in the city, we were able to have a briefing at the Commission and were able to ask the tough questions...about EU enlargement, the adoption of the Euro, and the European Security and Defense Policy. It was such a great learning experience to see the future of government in Europe.

In addition to visiting the Commission, we also had a briefing at NATO's civilian headquarters, just outside of Brussels. What another fascinating experience!!! We had the chance to meet with both US leaders in NATO as well as leaders of other nations to discuss their views of NATO and its future in Europe and around the world. Despite intensive security procedures and passing through numerous checkpoints (including the confiscation of our cell phones and cameras), the visit was probably one of the most exciting (cool) thing that I did while in Europe.

Brussels is also a very quirky town. The Grote Markt/Grand Place is the most beautiful city square that I have ever seen, especially at night. Lined with gold-crested trade guild houses and the central town hall, the luxury of old world Brussels was not lost on me. Moreover, the smells of chocolate and waffles fill the air as you pass through the covered markets of downtown. Brussels is quirky in the fact that there are numerous buildings that are left from earlier centuries right next to (as Brusseliers will say) modern monstrosities. It is not uncommon to see an old trade guild building next to a modern office tower... an example of such oddity is the regional parliament building which is half old, and half new. Moreover, any city that can have a statue of a small boy urinating as its city symbol (and be proud of it), is clear a city with a distinct personality. Brussels is truly enchanting, livable, and progressively eccentric.

Finally, the number 1 reason that I love Brussels is its food!!!! As such, this post's food section is about triple its usual size... Brussels has some of the best and most renowned food in Europe and in the world. Things that you must eat in Brussels: mussels, frites (yes, they were invented here, not in France), waffles--Liege and Brussels styles, Belgian beer, and chocolate, especially pralines. When people think of food in Europe, most don’t picture Belgium as a culinary capital. However, after all of my travels, I must say that the food that I had in Brussels was my favorite.

The European Commission (a major component of the EU) on the left and a random statue.

Left: the Brussels Capital-Region Parliament, an example of the mixture of old and new architecture. Right: a cool looking bookstore.

"I find that Belgium is better than some fight over language..." A quote that sums up the current Belgian political situation. Right: The Royal Palace of Brussels.

Comic strip on a wall near the city center... there is a huge cartoon animation museum in Brussels. The area on the right is a touristy area near the Grote Markt, but it has great mussels!!!

Town hall at the Grote Markt (central square). Manneken Pis... the little boy peeing. It is the symbol of the city. Strange?

Brussels is full of flags. Each represents something unique about this area. Left-Right: Flag of the Brussels Capital-Region, the EU Flag, the Flag of Belgium, the Brussels-City Flag, and the Flag of Wallonia (the French-Speaking Autonomous Region). There is also one for the Dutch-Speaking Region.

Guild houses on the Grote Markt... notice the gold embossed store fronts and the symbols within the architecture. An example is shipwright's guild which had the stern of a ship at the top of the facade. The building on the right is the (old) trade authority.

Chocolate ice cream truffle.... amazing! Kreik (cherry) beer is a national specialty... it didn't really taste like beer--more like a cherry Jolly Rancher.

Mussel soup & mussels=outstanding. The beer is gueuze, a very sour Belgian beer from Brussels. It was my favorite in Europe.

Two style of waffles: a Liege waffle which has sugar in the batter (left). The right is a Brussels waffle... the sugar is dusted on the top. True Belgians never put toppings are their waffles, only tourists do that. Option include bananas, strawberry, and chocolate; when in Belgium...

Traditional Dutch architecture. Brussels is a wonderful mix of French and Dutch cultures.

More interesting facades. Notice the "modern monstrosity" in the background. Royal Galleries on the right--first covered shopping area, even before Milan.

Both pictures show a part of the Royal Palace. The bulding in the backgroun of the picture on the left is the Palace of Justice.

The Grote Markt at night... the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen. By far my favorite town square in Europe.

The Cathedral in Brussels and the Grote Markt again.

Brussels is such a surprising city. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it (it's not on many peoples' list of top tourist destinations in Europe). However, it was one of my favorite cities in Europe. The town is quirky, ecclectic, strange, yet very liveable. The food was mouthwater. It was also enjoyable to see both NATO and the European Commission. But, the lesson that I will take away from Brussels is that it IS possible to live and work together, despite language or other barriers.

Hope all is well. Look for another post soon.

Love & Honor,

Matt

Paris: The City of Lights

Bonjour et joyeux jours feries!

I am finally back in the States after 5 months in Europe. My 2 weeks with my mom in Geneva and Spain were great fun and a perfect way to wrap up my European adventure and to relax from the stress of finals. This post will focus on two things: Paris and my initial thoughts upon returning to the US. I still have so many cities to show and explore so stick with me over the next few weeks as I attempt to catch up.

At one point in my trip, it appeared that I wouldn't have enough time to visit Paris. Which is a shame in itself but, even worse when you consider that out of all the cities in Europe, Paris is by far the most well known and most visited/referenced. Moreover, it seems that every French class ever taken stresses learning about the arts and culture of Paris--from the Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre to the Latin Quarter. So, while I might have had to pass on a few other destinations, being merely 3 hours from Paris was too tempting for me to pass up.

Paris is truly the heartbeat of Europe. It is alive, flowing, and active. The city is a mecca for arts and culture, for people of all races (my hotel was in the Arab Quarter), and wonderfully fascinating. Yet, despite these things, Paris is a truly livable city. It has the best system of public transportation that I have seen in Europe, is fairly affordable (well, anything is more affordable than Geneva), and has a downtown area that is used and lived-in by Parisians. These Parisians truly enjoy their city, their food, their culture, and, yes, their language.

People always have the misconceived notion that the French are snooty and are disrespectful to people who don't speak their language, especially Americans. I have heard the horror stories--and yes, I am sure that these incidents exist--but my experience was very positive. While I would agree that it is helpful to speak a little and understand the language, I ran in to no one who expected my French to be perfect of belittled my nationality. In fact, many of the young Parisians that I met were just as curious about my worldviews as and American as I was about there's.

Yes, I agree that French is a difficult language to learn and sometimes confusing. I also realize that it is very intimidating to speak to francophones as they are language purists--they are quick to correct and demand proper pronunciation. But, I never saw any of the "stuck up" French stereotype. In fact, during the time that I lived in Geneva (which, aside from a few minor differences, is relatively French in most aspects), this attitude was not very prevalent. Maybe it had a lot to do with the fact that I speak (or attempt t0) French. I honestly believe that this notion of the snooty French is overplayed and over-simplified. I would encourage anyone who is going to visit a French-speaking area to at least learn the basics. Even if you struggle and if they have to switch to English (which almost everyone can speak), they will appreciate the effort. I also encourage people to discover the prevalence of this stereotype for themselves... as different people will have different experiences.

But, back to Paris. I think that Paris was the only city in Europe that made my eyes tear up and gave me goose bumps. Standing at the Place de la Concorde and looking down the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, turning to see the Louvre, Notre Dame, La Madeleine, and seeing the Eiffel Tower left me speechless. This city is iconic in every way. I cannot stress the things that the city has witnessed--German Occupation, the reign of Napoleon, the Worlds Fair which lead to the building of the Eiffel Tower, and the French Revolution. To think of the all the famous French and their impact on the world: Charles de Gaulle, Napoleon, Rousseau, Voltaire, Joan of arc, any of the Louis(ies) and on and on.

But, what a cool city! I cannot express how much I enjoyed seeing Paris. Even though I went by myself (which allowed me to see everything that I wanted to see), Paris was enchanting. It would have been nice to return with my girlfriend/fiance/wife but I enjoyed my time. I think that it would have made my picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower a little less strange-looking (for the record, one night I sat on the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower with some cheese, bread, and wine... by myself). However, I did enjoy my time. The city is so full of life and is a great example of what makes Europe so, well, European. There are winding streets with bakeries (with baguettes, pastries, etc.), picturesque apartments, world famous monuments, Parisian fashion, exquisite restaurants stocked with the best ingredients, and a grandiose feeling of splendor, wealth, and affluence. Yet, in the distinct French manner, the city seems so livable and amenable to the Parisians. I think that of all the cities on the continent, it is the must-see, quintessential European city.


Saint Chapelle... wall-to-wall stain glass windows. The Sorbonne--one of the most famous and respected universities in the world.

Notre Dame and one of its iconic rose windows (sorry for the bad picture quality).

Two separate Hotel de Ville (City Hall). The one on the left is in Versailles and the one on the right is in Paris.

Versailles... a short 45 minute train ride from central Paris. The building on the right says "A toutes les glories de la France" (to all the glories of France).

The main entrance to Versailles...still busy in off-season. The Hall of Mirrors through a reflecting point of view.

The Louvre Museum at night. My favorite work of art in the Louvre, Hammurabi's Code. It is very impressive and give an interesting insight into the creation of ancient laws--"an eye for an eye."

La Tour Eiffel, during the day and at night. It is blue to celebrate France's EU Presidency.

The French Military Academy...one of the most respected in the world. The picture on the right demonstrates the livability of Paris. This picture was taken about 400 meters from the Eiffel Tower. The Parisians truly do 'live' in there city.

Hotel des Invalides--the former (and partially current) home for disabled veterans. It now houses the French Military Museum and Napoleon's Tomb (on right).

At Place de la Concorde, looking down the Champs-Elysees towards the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc up close.

La Madeleine... a church and namesake of my project in French class my junior year of high school. Sacre Coeur--church at the top of Montmartre (Mount of the Martyrs) near the infamous Moulin Rouge.

Sorry, no food this time. The food in Geneva is so similar that I decided not to take any pictures. But, I promise that the food section will return.

Ok, so, on to the my initial reactions upon return to the United States. The first thing that I noticed was that everyone spoke English. This may not seem like much of a shock but it is strange for me because in Europe, it was often hard to judge what language to approach someone with. I would like to think that I got a little better, the longer that I was in Geneva but it was still difficult to tell. This phenomenon was very interesting and a part of life in Europe that I came to like. In the States, it is rare that I approach anyone in a foreign language. Its strange to be able to read every sign and to see menus that are only in English.

My second impression is that there is a lot of space. Everything feels so spread out. Its hard to believe but if my hour and 45 minute drive home from the airport had happened in Europe, I could have easily been in one, if not two, foreign country. Moreover, buildings in towns and suburbs are much more spread out, the streets and cars are larger. It is strange to see a house with a large yard and to see fields that are so large. Also, I feel that roads are less congested (which is nice). I don't think you could ever convince me to drive in Europe, especially in Spain or Italy... a driver there must be aggressive to get anywhere.

In regards to jet lag, I don't think that I have really experienced it too much. It is always said that it is harder to adjust when you travel West. Because I forced myself to stay up for over 24 hours to adjust, I think I helped to prevent any problems. My mom, however, is having all sorts of difficulty adjusting to the time change. I think, overall, that it is just strange for me to be back in the States. Hopefully the holiday season will help me adjust more quickly.

Happy holidays to all. Enjoy family, friends, the time off from work/school, and remember to take time to relax over the season. I wish you all safe travels and encourage you to look forward to my next post.... which will be soon. Oh, and I look forward to seeing what new Miami Football Coach, Mike Haywood, will do to help the ailing RedHawk Football Team.

Love & Honor,

Matt