Hockey Night, by way of Des Plaines

I got Aaron two tickets to a Chicago Wolves (minor league hockey) game for Christmas. His +1 ended up being yours truly (yeahyeahyeah) so we skidattled off campus right after I got out of work and enjoyed the afternoon together, taking the long way down to an arena we had never been to before. It started out wonderfully enough--we loitered around Barnes and Noble as we're apt to do, longing to purchase an entire shelf of excellent DVD's that were on an incredible sale. We came out with two cups of coffee and a much-needed day planner instead.

With still so much unexplored territory to be experienced, Aaron and I took the non-interstate way to the arena and ended up for a long time in the city of Des Plaines, IL. Here are a few fun facts about Des Plaines:

• It's pronounced exactly how it's spelled, unlike "Des Moines" in Iowa. Dess Planes.
• Apparently it's official nickname is "City of Destiny". Yeah, this makes sense, especially if the destiny in question is to get into a major car wreck at night because of the poorly lit streets and confusing intersections and one ways. (This didn't happen to us, but it almost did)
• First.McDonald's.Franchise.
• Also home to what I dub as "The Worst Wendy's Restaurant Ever".
• The Left Behind series? The story is set in Des Plaines. Is it bad to say that I find this to be very fitting?

Sorry to anyone who lives in Des Plaines... we were not fans of the town. To its credit we are judging the entire town based on one very nerve-racking, ill-conditioned main road--and the weather was super crummy. 

But we made it to the Allstate Arena! We got to sit right behind the Wolves bench, eat nachos, and watch their mascot (a wolf named Skates?) shoot pyrotechnics from his fingertips. Rock rock on! Check out Aaron's phone pictures:

All right, it's time for me to gear up for Saturday Night Live... I'm feeling like a 15-year-old all over again because The Strokes are the musical guests!!!!! WOOOOOOOO! 

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