364. Innovative

364. Innovative
Definition: (adj) original and creative thinking, introducing new ideas
Location Placed: Kane Brewing Company, Ocean Township, New Jersey
Date Placed: 1/14/12 at 5:12pm
Status: Found by Phil





I hadn't heard of this brewing company until right before one of my friends suggested we check it out. They give out free brewery tours on the weekends (I believe? If you're interested, you might want to check before going.) Having only ever been on distillery tours, a brewery tour sounded like a nice addition. I'm always game to learn a few new things, and I certainly did. If you're local and looking for a little something different to do, I'd recommend popping over!

363. Accurate

363. Accurate
Definition: (adj) careful and free from errors
Location Placed: Scottsdale Quarter, Scottsdale, Arizona
Date Placed: 1/2/12 at 1:21pm





The warmest day of the trip at over 80 degrees, we decided to do some shopping in one of the lovely areas of Scottsdale. It made me totally long for warm weather at home. But at least I stocked up on the sun while I was down there. It's also nice that *knock on wood* this winter has been pleasantly mild so far with no excessive amounts of snow. I mostly keep inside during the winter months. What do you guys do during the winter to bide the time until the warmth?

362. Holiday

362. Holiday
Definition: (n) a day of celebration and festivity
Location Placed: Joe's Fresh Grill, Gilbert, Arizona
Date Placed: 12/31/11 at 5:57pm





We decided to check out Joe's as it was featured on the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. We enjoyed our burgers and hot dogs under the shade of some sort of large tree. It was pretty nice when it was light out. We followed the rest of this holiday evening buying and setting off some fireworks. Unlike where we live, buying fireworks in a grocery store parking lot is legal as well as setting off said fireworks on private properties. We also took advantage on New Year's Day of the holiday and set them off that night too!

361. Peace

361. Peace
Definition: (n) quiet, calm, serenity
Location Placed: Southeast Regional Library, Gilbert, Arizona
Date Placed: 12/31/11 at 3:39pm
Status: Found on 12/31/11!





We were out enjoying the warmth of the preserve I mentioned in Crane 360 when I realized that the library bordered the preserve. So I absolutely had to at least walk around it. Since we were with a group of people, I just got to see the outside and the front area. But that was nice enough. Plus it was in the 70s temperature wise outside, so we definitely wanted to milk it for all it was worth!

Email on Jan. 1, 2012 at 4:50pm
"Hello!

I found Crane 361 at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve/ Public Library while walking with my mom and dog, Zoie. The message “peace” definitely corresponds perfectly with this time of year and spending time with family. My mom will use the crane as a part of her elementary teaching lesson about Sadako and the 1000 Paper Cranes and then I might take it to college with me.


Thanks for making our day and good luck with your project!
-Emily (and Zoie the dog)"

Emily included a lovely picture of herself and Zoie with Crane 361! I was super excited to hear about Emily finding this crane followed shortly by Crane 360 being found.

360. Cute

360. Cute
Definition: (adj) attractive or pretty in an endearing way
Location Placed: The Riparian Preserve, Gilbert, Arizona
Date Placed: 12/31/11 at 2:53pm
Status: FOUND!





Over the holiday, a handheld GPS was acquired so we decided to go geocaching with a couple friends in the area. For those unfamiliar with geocaching, it's kind of like an adult treasure hunt. You use coordinates to find hidden caches, which can be little trinkets with a pad of paper to record when you visited, or just a pad. You never really know what you're going to find so it's always a surprise. We ended up finding 4 caches in the preserve and is a nice walk even if you're not into that sort of thing.

EDIT://1.2.12
This crane was found by Val on 12.31.11. She emailed me today to let me know she found it while on a walk with her son and his friend. She says she plans on bringing it with her to Palm Springs when she heads out there shortly!

359. Astonish

359. Astonish
Definition: (v) to surprise or impress greatly
Location Placed: Chino Bandidos, Phoenix, Arizona
Date Placed: 12/30/11 at 11:50a





On TV there is a show called Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, hosted by Guy Fieri. Guy goes around and finds the best of the little places around the U.S. So Chino Bandido's was one of the ones he featured on the TV show. They serve a bunch of different foods together (Chinese & Mexican, mostly). It's apparently a favorite where I'm staying, so we popped over there. Let me just say how astonished I was! I had a Chinese BBQ Pork quesadilla with pork fried rice, and it was amazing! I was a bit hesitant but if you're in the area, it's well worth a check out.

358. Plenty

358. Plenty
Definition: (pronoun) a large or sufficient quantity of
Location Placed: San Fransisco Airport, San Fransisco, California
Date Placed: 12/26/11 at 6:28pm





I started trying to work on putting up my crane entries after my leisurely airport dinner but before my boarding time. I thought I had had plenty of time to do so, but evidently not. While I certainly didn't miss my plane, I did cut it a little closer than I should've, that's for sure. Thankfully I've never missed a plane. Have you ever missed a plane? What did you do?

357. Vivid

357. Vivid
Definition: (adj) producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in your mind
Location Placed: Peet's Coffee and Teas, San Fransisco Airport, San Fransisco, California
Date Placed: 12/26/11 at 6:17pm





I like having normal seat companions when on flights. While I've certainly not done a TON of flying, I have certainly met my fair share of "special" people. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't check the credibility of at least one story from a fellow flightmate after landing. Flying, and sometimes long public transport in general, is one of those things where you feel like you can share your life story with someone (or having someone share with you as is my case) but not actually know the name of the other person. It's a big faux pas to even ask it from my experience. What do you think?

356. Ambitious

356. Ambitious
Definition: (adj) having or showing a strong desire or determination to succeed
Location Placed: Yankee Pier, San Fransisco Airport, San Fransisco, California
Date Placed: 12/26/11 at 6:11pm





I headed off to Phoenix yesterday with a connecting flight through San Fransisco. I've never been there before, but the connection wasn't long enough to allow me to leave the airport and do some sightseeing. Someday. But I think I was able to possibly make out the Golden Gate Bridge at one point in the flight. I hope one day I'll be able to leave a crane there.

355. Lively

355. Lively
Definition: (adj) full of energy; outgoing
Location Placed: Ocean Place Resort & Spa, Long Branch, New Jersey
Date Placed: 12/11/11 at 1:24am





I went to a Christmas party this weekend at the Ocean Place Resort & Spa. I've been there in previous years for the annual Christmas party and find it more enjoyable each year. I decided to place this one on my way out since we decided to not spend the night in the hotel portion. Definitely a lovely place to celebrate the holidays.

354. Proficient

354. Proficient
Definition: (adj) well-advanced or competent in a skill
Location Placed: Bank of America, Brooklyn, New York
Date Placed: 12/4/11 at 1:49pm





Since this was my first visit to Brooklyn, let alone to my friend now living there, we had a good wander around the area. There were tons of restaurants close by and we did a bit of walking to get breakfast, go to the food store to make dinner, and just check out the scenery. Since it's so close to go for a visit (and not terribly difficult to navigate by car), hopefully I'll get to pop up there and do some more exploring in the not too distant future.

353. Mighty

353. Mighty
Definition: (adj) having great strength
Location Placed: NYU Polytechnic Institute, Brooklyn, New York
Date Placed: 12/3/11 at 2:12pm





It was a really close game but Poly pulled ahead of Brooklyn at the very last few minutes. I hadn't been to a college basketball game in a while, so it was nice to enjoy all the fans getting into it and rooting for their teams.

352. Crisp

352. Crisp
Definition: (adj) brisk, clear
Location Placed: Starbucks, Brooklyn, New York
Date Placed: 12/3/11 at 1:09pm





I headed up to Brooklyn for the weekend to visit a friend of mine from high school that I hadn't seen in a while. She recently moved down from Boston, so I figured it would be a good time to visit since it's a lot closer. A quick Starbucks run was in order prior to seeing the women's basketball game between Polytechnic Institute and Brooklyn College that her sister was playing in. We enjoy a few quick sips outside during probably the last crisp weekend before the weather turns cold. (I feel like I've been saying this for months, but we did have a really mild fall compared to what it usually is.)

351. Scintillating

351. Scintillating
Definition: (adj) brilliantly and excitingly clever or skillful
Location Placed: Monmouth County Library Headquarters, Manalapan, New Jersey
Date Placed: 11/20/11 at 4:44pm





Since I had to be up in the area to do a bit of special occasion shopping, I figured I might as well pop into the county library mecca. It's the biggest of the local libraries for me. So it was nice to pop back in and have a little look around now that I don't live near it. Doesn't hurt that it is one of the few area libraries open on a Sunday during the academic year. Doesn't take much to make me happy.

350. Beatific

350. Beatific
Definition: (adj) blissfully happy
Location Placed: Monmouth Beach Library, Monmouth Beach, New Jersey
Date Placed: 11/8/11 at 6:34pm





Earlier today during my lunch break, there was a moment where I was certainly feeling beatific. I decided to sit outside and soak up a last little bit of sun before it inevitably gets colder for the weekend. (Many place north and west of me actually got quite a bit of snow Halloween weekend!) Today was sunny and warm, but the crisp smell off fall and bright leaves were ever present. I guess you sort of appreciate the warm days more when you know the cold ones are a stones throw away.

349. Opulent

349. Opulent
Definition: (adj) wealthy, luxurious or lavish
Location Placed: Newark Penn Station, Newark, New Jersey
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 5:59pm





I usually plan it so that on my way home from New York City, I get a direct train and try to plan the shortest one. But with my day ending conveniently the same time as rush hour out of the City, I had to take what I could get. But it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. The wait was quick, I got a window seat, and my view was the sun was setting over 'the City That Never Sleeps.'

348. Gallant

348. Gallant
Definition: (adj) brave, heroic, grand
Location Placed: New York Public Library, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 5:12pm





I only got the barest peek of this library but it beats all my little local libraries hands down in terms of grand scale. There are museum exhibits in rooms of the library that are biggest than my local ones. I would've loved to have poked around every nook and cranny, but I was trying to get back home in time for dinner.

347. Saucy

347. Saucy
Definition: (adj) bold and lively; smart looking
Location Placed: Starbucks at 42nd & 6th, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 5:05pm





Just looking at the background of the crane placement picture screams New York. The yellow taxi (nearly taking out pedestrians), the sky scrapers, and the people walking in a crosswalk that says "Don't Walk". While I'm definitely a country girl at heart, there's something I've come to enjoy about the city. Probably just that everything is so close and you can find pretty much anything you're looking for.

346. Perspicacious

346. Perspicacious
Definition: (adj) having insight or understanding of things
Location Placed: Barnes & Noble, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 4:03pm





We had a lovely poke around the store amidst dress shopping. It was a nice way to break up trying stuff on and finding very little. I never have a problem finding a book I'd enjoy reading. I've been trying to curb my book buying habits namely because I cleaned out Borders during their going out sale a few weeks back. Between that and my library addiction, I doubt I really need any more books. (We'll pretend it's that, but I also didn't have any of the B&N giftcards I still have from the holidays last year.) But that doesn't stop a girl from looking!

345. Crafty

345. Crafty
Definition: (adj) related to making decorative objects by hand
Location Placed: NBC Studios Gift Shop, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 12:51pm





While I am super bummed that I wasn't able to do a studio tour on my trip, I was pretty pleased to just browse the store to see all the random things from my favorite shows. I'm a big fan of the U.S. version of the Office so to see a mock Dundie award was a pleasure all on its own. I was very tempted to buy one as a gift for someone, but realized it might not be the best idea to haul it around when I was trying to go dress shopping. Oh well, I can always go back when I manage to get a studio tour booked.

344. Idolize

344. Idolize
Definition: (v) admire or revere
Location Placed: Teresa's Gourmet Eatery, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 12:41pm

343. Complete

343. Complete
Definition: (v) make something whole or perfect
Location Placed: St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 12:29pm





I'm a fan of enjoying big, impressive churches. And this one was both. I ended up going in at the tail end of one of the daily masses, which apparently people can come and go as they please during. But after the mass was over, I took a little walk around the perimeter and enjoyed some of the architecture and artwork. It was very similar to some of the astounding ones I saw in Europe. Impressive is about all I can say.

342. Restful

342. Restful
Definition: (adj) having a quiet and soothing quality
Location Placed: Museum of Modern Art Gift Shop, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 12:22pm





Next time I am in the city and have a bit of time, I actually want to go to the MoMA. It's been a while since I've been to a proper art museum (Louvre, 5 years ago, perhaps?) and I think I'm overdue. (I have to have been to an art museum since then!) But I decided to pop into the gift shop since it was right there. Even the gift shop has some museum worthy things! Impressive. Do you have a favorite art gallery/museum you enjoyed going to?

341. Zest

341. Zest
Definition: (n) great enthusiasm and energy
Location Placed: Rockefeller Plaza, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 12:16pm





No visit to the area is complete without seeing where the Christmas tree will stand and where the ice skaters will skate when the time comes. The weather was a very crisp autumn day, great for some wanders. It seemed like a lot of other people (see: tourists like me) were also out and about for the great weather. Now I just need to get myself there during the holiday season...

340. Whiz

340. Whiz
Definition: (n) a person who is extremely clever at something
Location Placed: Radio City Music Hall, New York City, New York
Date Placed: 10/17/11 at 12:11pm





Since I had taken a long weekend from work, I decided to pop up to New York City to find a dress for a Christmas party. In the past I've usually left that up to the very last minute but wanted to get a jump on it this year. So I decided to head up to the Rockefeller Plaza Center area to meet a friend for lunch. On my way was the famous Radio City Music Hall. I was tempted to take a tour but it was a bit of a wait. I was once there many years ago as a small child to see the Rockette's do their Holiday spectacular. Maybe next time I'll go for a tour.