Nicoise [nee-swahz]

Alex, Colby, and I went to Lawrence today. Our completely free days of summer are becoming fewer and fewer, so I wanted to get a day trip to Lawrence checked off the list.  I'm from Oklahoma City and have lived in Topeka for 6 years now, but I still feel like a visitor of Kansas. I kind of, sort of know my way around Lawrence. I kind of, sort of know what is there, but really I just know Mass Street and I've been to the KU softball field a few times in my life.

I wanted to do an unofficial tour of the KU campus.  We started at the Booth Family Hall of Athletics AKA the KU basketball stadium.  It was very impressive.  I loved that no one else was there. It almost felt like we had the place to ourselves.

Then, I wanted to do a driving tour to finish seeing the campus. Alex spotted the Spencer Museum of Art and asked to go in. It was right across from the Student Union, so we explored both. The art museum was wonderful. There we so many different styles of art. The featured art exhibit on the main floor was a textile exhibit where the artists took 17th century nativity figurines and printed huge, blown up images on a cloth. They were almost ghostly.

 

Alex was very impressed by the Student Union.  It had a technology store, a spa, a bookstore, and a full floor of food options.  It even has a bowling alley! (I'm guessing every other Kansan knows this already?)  Ah, the ways universities lure the young ones in. :)

We went to lunch at Free State Brewery. Neither Colby nor Alex had been there before. I had been there before, but I did not eat there that day. I think I had already had my lunch or something.  I went in planning to cheat it up big time.  I wanted a nice burger or a really naughty unclean sandwich. However, the skies opened and the angels sang when I saw this listing in the Seasonal section.

 

Do you see how they used the word "local" twice? And we are talking about beets here, people?  I was done. That's what I'm getting, moving on.  How nice is it when I actually PREFER the healthy choice?! That makes life pretty simple.  It was beautiful and actually had quite a few white potatoes underneath all of the lettuce.  This is officially the best salad I've ever had.  And I've had a lot of salads. It was just perfect. And I felt great about eating it.  By the way, I wondered what Nicoise meant. It's a French term meaning "in the style of Nice, France" (dictionary.com).

You're welcome.

 

We walked Massachusetts Street. Colby and Alex both got sweets while we shopped. I had full intentions to, but my lunch was so filling, that I just couldn't stomach it.

Fun Fact: Hanson is coming to The Granada theater in October. If you were born in the '80s, you know how terrific that concert will be. I got to show Alex the music video of "MmmBop" to help explain. Good times.

xo