Last weekend started out with a trip to Via on Friday, 2625 N. Downer Ave. It was busy when we got there and we were going to sit and eat at the bar, but a table opened up moments later.  I’m in love with caprese salads and theirs is really good. It’s probably enough to be shared, but I wasn’t in the mood so I scarfed the whole thing down, while my dinner companions shared the Thai chicken pizza.

After dinner, we hopped a cab to Vintage, 2203 N. Prospect Ave., for a friend’s birthday. I’ve only been here after a few too many cocktails at a wedding, so I couldn’t really have told you what I thought. But after another look, I really like it. I did have a little trouble with the fact that they had ESPN on one television, right above another TV showing the second "Jackass" movie.

I hadn’t paid any attention to the games earlier in the evening and now I was trying to focus on the scores while trying not to look at people sniffing each other’s farts or being run over by buffalo. Next time, guys, skip the crappy (literally) movies and play something classic or cult; they make for much better conversation starters. Or better yet, during the month of March, just leave all the channels on basketball.

I had gone to bed with the best of intentions for the following day. I planned to work out, clean my car, do my laundry and pay my bills. I woke up and knew instantly that none of those items was going to be checked off my list. Even my large coffee couldn’t inspire me to get that all done, and my mind was distracted by my plans for the evening.

I worked for a summer at Crank Daddy’s, 2108 N. Farwell Ave. (soon to be moving to 2170 N. Prospect Ave.), as a glorified product assistant. When I got another job and left I was definitely sad to say goodbye to my comfy jeans and T-shirt uniform as well as my awesome coworkers.

I stayed in touch with a couple of them and when it came time for their annual Spring Fashion Show to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Rese…

Maybe I’m getting old. Maybe I just realized that winter is going to end one of these days and I’m not going to want to look like I did after the binge season some call the holidays, but Fridays have recently been dedicated to the gym and actually getting some decent sleep.

I’m not talking every Friday but, is it just me or is a lazy Friday night once in a while not such a terrible idea? Alright, even saying that made me feel a little boring.

I did do something this weekend I haven’t done in a long time … and that I’m not really proud to admit to. I went tanning. Alright, before you start judging me, listen to my justification. I’m going to Playa del Carmen in a couple weeks and, in my experience, when an English / Irish gal from Wisconsin heads anywhere vaguely sunny during the months of October through May, her skin melts on arrival. I don’t want that.

I’m past the age where I’m stupid enough to tan for vanity. I live in the Midwest, I know I’m not kidding anyone sporting an orange-hued tan while there is still snow on the ground, I don’t want skin cancer and I don’t want premature wrinkles. But I also know better than to show up in Mexico without a decent base going. It sounds a little ass-backwards but this little pre-tanning is going to save me from a world of hurt and losing the top twenty layers of my skin. That’s my excuse and I’m stickin’ to it.

We’d decided it would be a blast to get Black Keys tickets for their show at Summerfest. We headed down to the gate at 11 a.m. Saturday morning and, I’m happy to report, got amazing seats. Duh! Winning! (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.) It was definitely bizarre to see the grounds covered in snow and ice. Hard to believe in just a few short months we’ll all be down there people watching in the summer heat. Anyone else going to the Black Keys?

Afterward we needed to warm up so we headed to Stack'd. I’d never been before so I was thrilled to be checking out a potential new f…