My husband (did I mention I am happily married?) and I have two friends in town this week. We all went to school together and now live in three different states so most of our communication is limited to Facebook posts, Foursquare check-ins and texts (sad given modern technology). Both of our friends wanted to go somewhere "cool." Cool . . . cool . . . cool . . . umm, do you even know me? Was I EVER "cool?" AND can it be "downtown?" UGH. Cool AND Downtown???
Here's the thing: I love "downtown Chicago." I think most visitors to the city define "downtown Chicago" as North Michigan Avenue. I am not judging - I also used to define Chicago by that famous shopping strip. But now, well, I would like to consider myself a "local." I know that Chicago has a lot of "cool" places.
We tried to comply with our friends' request and stopped in at a couple of spots "downtown." (I don't know why I keep putting the word downtown in quotations like it is some kind of weird allegation.) It was a cold and windy day so patios were not an option. We were met with long waits, crowded bars, high prices. Insert BRIGHT IDEA HERE. Let's go to The Bedford!!! It is VERY cool and although it isn't downtown, it definitely isn't something you would find just anywhere.
The Bedford is located in the Wicker Park neighborhood in the basement of a reclaimed landmark bank. The lounge is the former bank vault. The food is wonderful. The service is superb. "Cool?" Absolutely.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
What I Love - March 2012
The top ten things I loved in the month of March 2012:
1. Bliss Lemon & Sage Soapy Suds Body Wash
The smell is perfect. Not too strong and the citrus component wakes me up in the morning.
2. Up & Up Gummy Multivitamins Berry, Peach & Orange Flavors.
Yes, I am 29 years old. Yes, I like to take my vitamins. Vitamins are good for you for so many reasons. I NEVER forget to take my vitamins now because these are so yummy.
3. You, Me & Anthropologie
I love reading this blog. Sara is so energetic, cute, and fun! I got the idea for a monthly post about "what I love" from her. I hope you enjoy her reviews and thoughts as much as I do!
4. Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon
I opened a bottle that I recently brought back from Sonoma Valley to celebrate my birthday. No, I was not drinking it alone. It was as good as I remembered. Shout out to my husband - he was the one who picked it out and purchased.
5. Facebook's "unsubscribe" button.
6. William Sonoma's Tiki Pork Starter.
If you love your slow cooker (you know I do), and you eat pork, you must try this starter. Grab the slider buns at your local Whole Foods, brown your boneless pork shoulder for 10 minutes (all sides), put the pork and the entire jar of tiki pork starter in the slow cooker for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. A yummy meal when you walk through the door after a long day at work.
7. DEAN & DELUCA Napa Blend
As I previously mentioned HERE, I love coffee. I picked this blend up on a recent trip to Napa Valley, California. It is delicious (I am sipping it now). You purchase a bag of your own HERE.
8. True Blue Spa 60 Second Manicure Hand Scrub
I love this scrub. It exfoliates well and my hand lotion just sinks into my skin after I use it. For the girl who has no time (or money) for a weekly manicure, this product is for you. At $12, you should definitely try it for yourself. It feels good to do something for yourself, even if it is only for 60 seconds.
9. N-Bone Pearly White Chew Bones.
I have a precious little doggie who I love very much. The vet recently recommended that I start giving her a natural chew bone after meals for approximately five minutes to help with her dental hygiene. Well, let me tell you it was NOT easy to find a natural chew bone that is made in the USA. My dog LOVES these bones and I can already tell a difference with regard to her plaque and tartar build-up. Two warning: First, the bones are a little messy (I have my dog eat hers on a "special rug" that I can vacuum up easily). Second, one bone lasts about 8 days (price is $10 - $15 per bone) - a little pricey, but worth it in the long run to keep your dog healthy.
10. Birthday Cards.
Yes, birthday cards. Birthday Cards are THE BEST. First, it is awesome to receive something in the post that is not (a) a bill or (b) a credit card offer. Second, there is such a variety of cards out there. This year I put all my birthday cards out on my kitchen island and this morning when I walked past I could not believe how different each card was. It was a perfect representation of the different personalities in my life. Birthday cards bring happiness to an otherwise ordinary day.
1. Bliss Lemon & Sage Soapy Suds Body Wash
The smell is perfect. Not too strong and the citrus component wakes me up in the morning.
2. Up & Up Gummy Multivitamins Berry, Peach & Orange Flavors.
Yes, I am 29 years old. Yes, I like to take my vitamins. Vitamins are good for you for so many reasons. I NEVER forget to take my vitamins now because these are so yummy.
3. You, Me & Anthropologie
I love reading this blog. Sara is so energetic, cute, and fun! I got the idea for a monthly post about "what I love" from her. I hope you enjoy her reviews and thoughts as much as I do!
4. Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon
I opened a bottle that I recently brought back from Sonoma Valley to celebrate my birthday. No, I was not drinking it alone. It was as good as I remembered. Shout out to my husband - he was the one who picked it out and purchased.
5. Facebook's "unsubscribe" button.
6. William Sonoma's Tiki Pork Starter.
If you love your slow cooker (you know I do), and you eat pork, you must try this starter. Grab the slider buns at your local Whole Foods, brown your boneless pork shoulder for 10 minutes (all sides), put the pork and the entire jar of tiki pork starter in the slow cooker for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. A yummy meal when you walk through the door after a long day at work.
7. DEAN & DELUCA Napa Blend
As I previously mentioned HERE, I love coffee. I picked this blend up on a recent trip to Napa Valley, California. It is delicious (I am sipping it now). You purchase a bag of your own HERE.
8. True Blue Spa 60 Second Manicure Hand Scrub
I love this scrub. It exfoliates well and my hand lotion just sinks into my skin after I use it. For the girl who has no time (or money) for a weekly manicure, this product is for you. At $12, you should definitely try it for yourself. It feels good to do something for yourself, even if it is only for 60 seconds.
9. N-Bone Pearly White Chew Bones.
I have a precious little doggie who I love very much. The vet recently recommended that I start giving her a natural chew bone after meals for approximately five minutes to help with her dental hygiene. Well, let me tell you it was NOT easy to find a natural chew bone that is made in the USA. My dog LOVES these bones and I can already tell a difference with regard to her plaque and tartar build-up. Two warning: First, the bones are a little messy (I have my dog eat hers on a "special rug" that I can vacuum up easily). Second, one bone lasts about 8 days (price is $10 - $15 per bone) - a little pricey, but worth it in the long run to keep your dog healthy.
10. Birthday Cards.
Yes, birthday cards. Birthday Cards are THE BEST. First, it is awesome to receive something in the post that is not (a) a bill or (b) a credit card offer. Second, there is such a variety of cards out there. This year I put all my birthday cards out on my kitchen island and this morning when I walked past I could not believe how different each card was. It was a perfect representation of the different personalities in my life. Birthday cards bring happiness to an otherwise ordinary day.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Coffee
It's no secret to my friends and family that I LOVE COFFEE. I started drinking coffee while studying abroad in Italy. It was just the thing to do. Get up. Drink gorgeous coffee. Walk to class. Drink more gorgeous coffee. Class. Walk around the town. Drink an afternoon coffee. Walk around the town (again). Drink Wine (oh, and eat something for dinner). Go to Bed. Repeat.
I don't consider myself a coffee snob. I will drink anything offered to me. I have only thrown out coffee once because of the taste (it was at a work conference - I have no idea what brand it was). My husband says I take my milk with a little coffee. I say it is cafe au lait. My favorite coffee drink - a flat white. Rarely found in the continental United States. I recently discovered that Blue Bottle Coffee in the San Francisco Ferry Company will produce the endangered drink upon request (and it was delicious).
In addition to a coffee addiction, I also suffer from "budget awareness." While I am a proud Starbucks card carrying gold member, I like to save my $1.75 each day by brewing my own coffee in the morning and carrying it to work in my beloved Starbucks double walled, vacuum sealed stainless steal tumbler (you can get your own tumbler here).
Coffees to check out while in the Windy City:
Bite Cafe (Ukrainian Village): In addition to their fabulous food, the brilliant people of Bite Cafe serve up their own specialty brew. You can only drink it while dining in; they don't sell it and that makes my heart hurt.
Magnolia Bakery (Loop - Block 37): As you can imagine, I go for the cafe au lait . . . every. single. time. My cupcake just doesn't taste right without it.
I don't consider myself a coffee snob. I will drink anything offered to me. I have only thrown out coffee once because of the taste (it was at a work conference - I have no idea what brand it was). My husband says I take my milk with a little coffee. I say it is cafe au lait. My favorite coffee drink - a flat white. Rarely found in the continental United States. I recently discovered that Blue Bottle Coffee in the San Francisco Ferry Company will produce the endangered drink upon request (and it was delicious).
In addition to a coffee addiction, I also suffer from "budget awareness." While I am a proud Starbucks card carrying gold member, I like to save my $1.75 each day by brewing my own coffee in the morning and carrying it to work in my beloved Starbucks double walled, vacuum sealed stainless steal tumbler (you can get your own tumbler here).
Coffees to check out while in the Windy City:
Bite Cafe (Ukrainian Village): In addition to their fabulous food, the brilliant people of Bite Cafe serve up their own specialty brew. You can only drink it while dining in; they don't sell it and that makes my heart hurt.
Magnolia Bakery (Loop - Block 37): As you can imagine, I go for the cafe au lait . . . every. single. time. My cupcake just doesn't taste right without it.
The "Library"
So, blogging only about books didn't work for me. No surprise there. My life isn't just about books. It is my goal to make my "Library Under the L" just that - a library. A place of information about various topics. Ok, with a goal in mind, here we go!
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