Author:bluelollipoproad

May 14, 2011 In Feedback

what are your top 3 favorite foods?

I’ve been studying a lot about food lately. You know, reading a ton, obsessing about my dream kitchen, often wishing I was nearer to my brother’s farm in Vermont to be able to have all that organic goodness regularly, and trying to get creative because not only do I not eat any fish/seafood, but I’ve been back on the vegetarian train (unless I feel safe/inspired to have a bit of something meaty on occasion) so it’s been a challenge for me to find interesting new eats to try that fit within my rules.

I love to hear about what other people eat. Those comfort foods, the nostalgic ones, or that one thing you eat over and over that never gets old.

Anyone care to share? Please post a comment here, send me a link to your favorite restaurant, food truck, or farm, or shoot me a note through the contact page here.

Here’s to delicious meals and new food finds. Thanks for sharing your favorites!

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May 11, 2011 In Live the life you want to live

what’s that nike says?

Some of my favorite conversation is the “What I really want to do.” You know, the:

*Well I couldn’t possibly do that

*Everyone will think I am crazy

*I’d feel awful moving so far away from my friends

*My parents would be so upset if I did that

*I shouldn’t be so selfish

*Why can’t I just “grow up” and be Ok, with where I am and what I’m doing now?

….oh how I could go on.

I had yet another one of these conversations last night with a friend who has a legitimate itch she wants and needs to scratch. She’s got a goal, a dream, the total drive, ambition, personality and experience to make it like a rock star and then some, but she’s stuck in herself right now. You know, that place where we all get to before we either:

A.) Push, push and end up going for it.

B.) Give up and  live in complacency.

When are we going to stop feeling the guilt, convincing ourselves we are crazy, or listening to other people who tell us we “shouldn’t” want certain things our souls ache to be/do? I am guilty of falling into the “gosh I shouldn’t” at times too, but thankfully I have kept those cheerleaders around me who only have to look at me in that way they do, and I get back on my horse and ride again.

Watch out people; I am “crazy” Auntie, friend, sister, daughter, co-worker, coach, neighbor, (insert whatever other title here)- that will always tell you to go for it, and live the life you want to live. (Have you seen the new Blue Lollipop Road tagline?:)

Gasp! I am encouraging throwing caution to the wind and actually living the live you want to. That is doing work that works for each of us, being around people we can learn from, feeding our mind, body, soul in whatever ways we need and allowing ourselves to change things when it’s the right time to change.

If you are someone out there who wants to go, be, try, do something and an actual or phantom person in your head is telling you that you’re crazy or wrong, just remember the only thing that will ever be crazy or wrong is living inside a life you don’t want at all.

Go for it S.B.

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May 9, 2011 In De-lish, Food, Illinois, Photos

chicago sunday brunch #2

Yesterdays brunch was at Nookies Too in Lincoln Park. I confess, this was my 3rd visit. Last time I was at Nookies it was my 31st birthday and that’s where I chose to have breakfast complete with a friend and mimosas. All three times I have been I’ve gotten the same thing; Crunchy French Toast:

Nookies Too: Crunchy French Toast

My sister and I have even stolen the concept and made this at home, except I use Frosted Flakes instead of regular corn flakes. You can use Captain Crunch too- just crush it up and roll the egg soaked bread…voila! A sweet treat for a funky brunch.

I feasted yesterday and couldn’t resist taking lots of photos to capture in full the golden brown, crunchy, sweet, perfection:

Nookies Too: Crunchy French Toast

Nookies Too: Crunchy French Toast

What did I do after I finished on this sunny Sunday after my food coma set in? I walked it off course! About 10 miles to be exact; All through Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Roscoe Village and more. Nothing like a feast and earning it.

Stay tuned for next weeks brunch post #3…

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May 8, 2011 In Argentina, India, Maine, North Carolina, People, Photos, Vermont, Virginia

thanks mom

Dear Mom,

Thank you for raising me in a beautiful, safe place where I could run and play:

Front yard in Hidden Valley

Thank you for encouraging me to travel and explore:

Me at the Taj Mahal: November, 2008

Thank you for giving me 3 of the best siblings, who have turned into my best friends:

The Kid and I, Wilmington, NC: March, 2009

Brad and I on bus in Argentina

…so one of those siblings could give me a great nephew:

With DJ and Mason: June 2009

Thank you for telling me to go for it, and always follow my dreams:

I made it! At Alaska border 8/8/1: State #50

Thank you for sharing doughnuts with me on our special breakfast dates:

Blue Benn Diner breakfast with Mom

Thank you for being my friend, and the one person who I know will love me with all of her heart forever:

Mom and I at Seadog Brewing Company, Maine

You are the definition of what a mother should be. You are the reason I will always believe anything is possible. I am so, so, very lucky to be your daughter. I love you Mom. Happy Mother’s Day.

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May 6, 2011 In People, Photos, Vermont

thanks grandma and grandpa

I’ve been thinking about my Mom all week this week. I think of her everyday, but as I put my card in the mail on this Mother’s Day week I realized this is the first one since all 4 of us Peacock kids were born, that just 1 of us would be home to spend time with her this year on the day devoted to Mom’s. In an effort to make up for my absence to spoil her, I’ve decided to devote a long weekend of posts and photos to help illustrate what she means to me.

First I will start by thanking my Grandparents, after all- they did make her. Thankfully I have never had to question for one second in my life whether I am loved or not, but if I ever did it would take just walking into the room with my Grandma and Grandpa to know I am:

Gramp, Gramp and I: May, 2009

Gram, Gramp and I: January 2011

Obviously they taught my Mother the power to love wholly and unconditionally. There is an art form to this. Let’s just just say Picasso and van Gogh have nothing on my Mom. When the world has felt like it’s collapsing around each of us kids at times, the one thing that has always remained in concrete is that this one woman is always there; our biggest and most loyal, unwavering fan. Her super human strength continues to support us through anything we could possibly dream up.

Thank you for making my Mom Grandma and Grandpa; By making your daughter, you have made me the luckiest daughter in the world. I love you.

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May 5, 2011 In North Carolina, Photos

a beach mood on cinco de mayo

As I freeze my tail off here in the Chicago spring still wearing winter coats and scarves everyday, I fantasize about sitting on the beach all day until sunset, with an icy cold corona in my hand. Naturally I had to go back into my photo archives to find something to fit my mood on this day observed in the U.S to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage. I took these in the Outer Banks, North Carolina last July, arriving just as the sun was going down:

OBX at sunset, July 2010

…and sitting through a magnificent sunset:

OBX at sunset, July, 2010

Cheers to celebrating Cinco de Mayo and being lucky enough to sit on the beach during a sunset like this!

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May 4, 2011 In De-lish, Food, Illinois, Photos

you rocked our pancake world bongo room

How was brunch on Sunday? In a word: holyfreakingindulgentanddelicious. (Did you get that?) Ok, so that’s more than one word, but I had to blend them all together in attempt to describe the level of pancake euphoria my friend and I experienced at Bongo Room in Wicker Park the other day. I’m still floating with memories the warm white chocolate sauce on one of our stacks:

Bongo Room White Chocolate & 4 Berry Pancakes

I’d been to Bongo room nearly 10 years ago and fell in love then. I’ve dreamt of the Oreo pancakes with vanilla sauce I scarfed down so long ago since that long ago visit. This time around when I saw some menu changes and no Oreo stack of any kind offered, surprisingly I wasn’t disappointed. How could I be with all offered on this springs menu?

This Sundays visit I was with a new friend, fellow foodie, and Bongo Room first-timer. Even though this was our first meal together, as soon as we looked at the menu, we looked at each other and yes, we would be ordering 2 things and splitting of course. The best friends are made over sharing food after all! We were on this same drooling page for sure. In addition to our choice of the White Chocolate & 4 Berry Flapjacks (graham cracker crusted flapjacks topped with warm white chocolate cream cheese sauce, four berry coulis & fresh berries) we chose the Banana Heath Bar Pancakes (banana pancaked with heath bat chips, topped with warm toffee-butter cream & fresh bananas.) Here’s what our stacks looked like before we started our feast:

Bongo Room Heath Bar & Banana Pancakes

Bongo Room White Chocolate & 4 Berry Pancakes

Did I mentioned I had saved my appetite for 14 hours at this point? Yep, I was starving and ready to do some damage. If you know me, you know I don’t leave a bite on a plate of goodness. Well kids, you heard if here first; I just couldn’t finish. Neither of us could. Even starting with the most empty stomachs possible, the famous Bongo Room breakfast plates got the best of us. I still think we did some good damage though:

"After" Bongo Room Banana Heath Bar Pancakes

"After" Bongo Room White Chocolate Berry Pancakes

What a perfect mess we made. I’m proud of our accomplishment. This meal was like running a marathon; you work really hard, give it everything you have, it all seems a bit painful halfway through, near the finish line you think you could die, but after you’re done you’re so satisfied with good pain, feel pride like you have never felt before, and think: “I did it! I did it!”

I can’t wait to “run” my next marathon at Bongo Room. Until then, I will actually be running around my neighborhood so I can still fit into my jeans. Good thing the doctor called last week and told me my good cholesterol numbers were higher than she’d ever seen.

Man I could go for some pancakes right now…

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