Illinois

August 10, 2011 In De-lish, Food, Honda, Illinois

never stop exploring

Yesterday was a short work day for me. As I have on most of those short days, I exited, looked left, right and just started walking. I think one of the best treats about living in a city (especially in summer) is the ability to to be able to walk everywhere. To me this provides continuous, fantastic free entertainment, and a great way to get extra exercise too! People watching, talking to strangers, wandering in and out of shops, taking photos, sitting on a random bench to write or daydream for a while, stopping for a treat like Garrett’s Popcorn because you can’t resist the enticing fresh-popped smell:

…accompanied by truthful napkins:

I nibbled and walked and nibbled and walked and still had this much left when I got home:

(and that was the smallest size they had!)

…ahhh. A perfect afternoon.

I have put some serious miles on my flip flops these past few months. In 4 days I take off to start putting some more serious miles on the BLR-Mobile, and my loaned 2012 Hybrid Civic for a while. I can’t wait! By foot or by car, exploring is what gets my heart racing, especially when there is no plan. That’s always when the best stuff happens.

I wonder if I will go left or right (north, south, east, west?) on this trip. Which way do you think I should go?

August 9, 2011 In Illinois, People

my crash buddy found me

Remember Sam from a few weeks ago? I am happy to report that he sent me a note and that he is Ok. (Didn’t I just write earlier today about running into strangers and that everyone has a story?) It turns out that Sam not only is a speedy Bike Messenger, but an Artist/Photographer as well. Check out his website here. Pretty cool eh?

Thanks for writing Sam! Watch those buses out there…

August 6, 2011 In Illinois, Photos

a rare moment on the train

Early yesterday morning, I started a busy day sprinting to the train, and didn’t notice as I zoned out that I was the only one in this particular car until a few stops had passed. This has never happened before. The sun was shining in, the train rocked back and forth and it was a totally peaceful few minutes watching the city go by:

Relaxing, zen moments smack dab in the middle of the hustle = delightful.

August 4, 2011 In De-lish, Food, Illinois

never ending food porn

I might be borderline obsessed with delicious and pretty food. Even this, my simple veggie quesadilla from a patio dinner at Moonshine a couple weeks ago was beautiful to me:

Good food coupled by good company is like the best thing ever.

August 3, 2011 In Illinois, Photos

buildings, rivers, and beans- oh my

A few random Downtown Chicago snapshots from the wandering I have done this summer:

I heart The Windy City.

August 1, 2011 In Funny signs, Illinois, People, Photos

take me out to the ball game

A Cubs game at Wrigley Field in the Bleacher Seats is one of those bucket list/must-do’s, especially if you’re ever lucky enough to be able to live in Chicago during the summer. I had been to a couple of games almost 10 years ago, but got to go for another round last weekend with a friend who was in town.Â In no particular order, here’s a montage of the sweaty, sunburned, blast of festivities. (And these are just the photos from the first 3 hours of the full-day marathoning party around Wrigleyville!):

The game begins a bit cloudy:

The blue lollipop gives a major league thumbs up:

Yay, tickets for the Bud Light Bleachers:

…the only place to be at Wrigley. The stadium was packed to my right:

…and my left:

We got some free hats and stocked up on peanuts and beer of course:

…which I enjoyed thoroughly as the sun came out:

Every last person was branded with some kind of Cubs gear or color. I liked these two tees in front of us:

(I made sure to follow their rules.)

We all sang and swayed together:

I had to have a hot dog:

…and laugh at myself at how I have failed painfully at being a vegetarian lately:

We made friends with all the people around us. You somehow become insta-buddies after sweating on each other. I shared one of our double-chocolate delish Sprinkles cupcakes with these friendly fun gals behind us. (I had noticed one of them had a pregnant belly, so naturally it was just the right thing to do.):

As the game wrapped up, the carnage was everywhere:

Before we were booted out, I managed to snap a couple of clear pix of these great signs:

You’ve gotta love before, during and after game razzing and trash talking (which there was plenty of.) These Cubs fans were selling water outside the stadium:

If you can imagine the perfect All-American baseball game time, this was it. It was a total blast and couldn’t have gone more perfectly if we had planned every detail.

…buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don’t care if I never get back…

July 25, 2011 In De-lish, Food, Illinois

how do you gear up for a cubs game?

With free double dark chocolate cupcakes of course!

Meet Ellen and Morgan:

We passed by them on the way to the game Saturday as they were enticing the crowd with: “Would you guys like a free cupcake?”

Heck yes we would!

These friendly cupcake gifters said they drove all the way from California:

…in their nifty little van with their fresh-baked salt caramel, red velvet, and double dark chocolate sweets- to treat Saturday morning baseball fans. People swarmed them:

What a fun job. Cheers to Sprinkles!

(Why do I look like a kid who stole candy and hid behind the truck anyway? They gave the cupcakes to us!)

The only and best place fit for a photo of me noshing on the goodness, was of course right in front of the famous Wrigley Field sign:

Mmm…chocolate.

Who knew one little cupcake could make a girl so happy?

July 20, 2011 In Illinois, Live the life you want to live

challenge: get more than 3 hours sleep a night during a chicago summer

Because of all the traveling I have done, people ask me regularly what my favorite city or state is. My response has always been: “There’s too much to love! It depends on what you’re talking about; Food, people, fun stuff going on, weather, etc?”

Well kids, I’m finally able to give a straight answer:

Chicago is officially my favorite summer city!Â Anyone who likes food, music, endless events/festivals, patios to hang on, cold brews, sports, parks, shows, parades, going to lakes, water sports, walking for hours exploring free stuff, every kind of neighborhood imaginable, friendly strangers who invite you in, more food, more drink, the best overall vibe and mojo ever, and just when you think it’s over- the weekend arrives and it becomes double time goodness of all the previous listed.Â Chicago is quite literally 7 days a week of food, folks and fun.Â I am just absolutely loving life right now. For me to say I don’t want to leave a place is monumental and something I have never said or felt before. It is sensational.

Every Chicagoan I have met has told me “This is why we push through the brutal winters. For all this stuff!” – I can’t completely see why.Â (I know, I know- talk to me in January during a blizzard right?) All I know is that moving to The Windy City for the time I have been here- even with some bumps in the road, has been a fantastic experience for me and I would highly recommend a stay here for anyone.

Dear Chicago~

Thank you for every bit of you. I hope my readers forgive me for being occasionally absent from computer and blog posting time because I am so busy participating in all your recreation! Who needs sleep anyway?

July 11, 2011 In Illinois, People, Photos

meet sam

Sam accidentally ran over me with his bike Â on Friday. Like as in- ran over me.

It wasn’t his fault, it was the bus driver’s fault for not curbing the bus. When I stepped out the back door as I have done 100 times safely before, Sam was approaching the light the bus was stopping at and BAM. We both flew through the air, cell phones, purses and bodies spinning, and somehow got only cuts and bruises. We both couldn’t stop shaking and apologizing to each other as the bus driver looked back and us and drove away! (Thanks a lot Â Mr. CTA driver.)

Poor Sam felt so awful he just stood there and apologized a million more times with his bleeding head in his hands as we laughed nervously (because I think we were both in a bit of shock and would’ve cried otherwise.)

Reason number 5996773535 to always keep a camera with you? So you can take photos of Bike Messengers who accidentally run you over after you pick up that said camera from down the street where it flew out of your purse after he actually hit you.

Sam-Â If you’re out there and are reading this, I hope your head is Ok! 🙁

Here’s to unexpected people “crashing” Â into your life.

July 8, 2011 In De-lish, Food, Illinois, Photos

girls just wanna have fu-un

I had dinner with girlfriends last night at Mon Ami Gabi. I have always had more guy friends than girl friends, but for whatever reason recently, life has delivered me some of the most hilarious, fun, smart, sassy, accomplished and interesting women to hang with and I am loving it. We were all too busy chatting and being “that table” laughing too loudly to take photos of our first 54 courses of food, but I finally grabbed my camera when dessert came:

Do you know how hard it is to wait even 10 seconds to dig in with stuff like this in front of you and 3 other women with forks and spoons? These plates didn’t stand a chance against us:

Fruits, crepes, puff pastries, chocolate cakes, creme brulee’-oh my! Indeed like a pack of wherewolves attacked. I am all about those times the chef decides to just send out every dessert on the menu.

Here’s to French themed patio summer nights, never ending food-porn photos and falling asleep stuffed and smiling.