Thursday, December 27, 2018
#26 - Visit 52 New Buildings in Chicago (Fail)
I'm sure those of you who are taking the time to read this think this is a strange item to add. However, every time I enter a cool space in Chicago, I think, "Wow. This city has limitless amazing spaces." So I made it a list item to see them. Not all of the following are amazing. But some really are.
However, this was a really tough list item to track. I remembered at the start of the year but slowly forgot this was one of my list items. So it's possible I hit it and just don't remember other buildings I visited! And part of the point was to take pictures to show the range, and I definitely didn't do that. Oh well!
1 - 2412 N. Milwaukee
1/9/18, with Stephanie Souvenir and Denisse Ocasio
This building spans a few addresses and houses several businesses. I walk by it weekly on my way to host trivia. It's not what I had in mind when I wrote this item, but I'm counting all of the buildings. This building houses both The Pink Squirrel and Deadbolt, which I wrote about in my post about going to 12 new bars. It's a pretty basic one-story business, but the spaces within it are really different and well designed.
2 - 5625 N. Broadway
1/13/18
Again, not the space I was imagining when I went to Northside Toyota to get my oil changed. Their garage is a huge indoor space. It was a frigid day, and even though the two garage doors were constantly opening, heaters were coordinated to blast just the right amount of heat to keep it comfortable. I couldn't believe how many cars they fit in such a tight space. There was constant movement. And so much light from above. Really quite a lovely space that I wouldn't have otherwise noticed.
n I came up with this list item, but the first where I was aware of being in a new space. It was actually quite fascinating once I took notice.
3 - 1100 W. Bryn Mawr
1/13/18
While waiting for my oil to get changed, I ran down the street to get some food. Nookies Edgewater was right there, so I gave it a try. This space is way different than Nookies Too. It has a more modern, upscale vibe, though the service felt more like a slow-paced diner. Lots cooler spaces out there, but big enough that it didn't feel overwhelmingly busy and rushed.
4 - 5050 N. Sheridan
1/15/18
I tried out Crossfit at Primary Crossfit. A big, open, Crossfitty-type space.
5 - 2524 N. Orchard St.
1/16/18
I was assigned to observe my class at St. Clement's School in Lincoln Park. It was exactly what you'd think: an old, urban, Catholic school. But with a gym with a TON of sweet equipment.
6 - 2607 W. 17th St
1/16/18
I went to a fundraiser at Lagunitas Chicago for 826 Chicago. What a really cool space. I've been to a lot of breweries, but this. was. huge. It's playfully painted all the way through. When you walk in, you're greeted by a host and a loooonnnggg underwatery hallway with the chimes from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory song. There are a few event spaces. We were in the bar area, on the third floor, but the third floor hallway windows overlook another space, a huge, purple game room where another event was taking place. The bar looked like a cozy bar, except the windows overlook the warehouse floor and all the brewing space. It's like being in a bar in a treehouse above a sea of beer. Then, there are catwalks all the way through the warehouse space where you can wander and watch people checking the giant casks, packing things, fixing things... Really a brewery wonderland. This is the kind of new space I had in mind when I made this list item. So glad I now know of yet another amazing place to visit and take visitors here in Chicago.
7 - 1102 W. Webster
1/25/18 with Nicole Garton and John Washo
We deviated from our usual happy hour spots this week, including a stop at Local Option with Nicole & John. It's definitely a bit craft beer, dark references (lots of 666s around the bar) pretentious but also great beer options. The server asked me what kind of beer I like, and I said whiskey, and he said they only had Maker's Mark and Jameson. So apparently they're not whiskey snobby. Or they're so whiskey snobby that that's what the owner likes so that's all there is. Either way, I made do.
8 - 2728 W. Armitage
1/30/18 with Drea Stoit
Chicago Restaurant Week at Table, Donkey, Stick with Drea Stoit! Detailed here.
9 - 1800 N. Lincoln
2/13/18 with Nicole Garton and Stephanie Souvenir
Another 2 Bar Tuesday in the books! Laura Masters made the suggestions but couldn't make it to join us. The happy hour drink specials here are decent $5 bubbles and drafts. The food looked interesting but was a little more than I was looking to spend. The space was very modern and clean. Lots of lines and low, almost 70's style decor. I really liked one wall that had keys hung on it like an old timey hotel. I would definitely go back for the ambiance.
10 - 1612 N. Sedgewick
2/13/18 with Nicole Garton
Second stop for 2 Bar Tuesday with just Nicole. The bar itself was my kind of bar. A little divey but still interesting. I think it's a rugby bar, which could be good or bad. Not an impressive space but a bar I'd like to return to.
11 - 2357 N. Milwaukee
2/15/18 with Laura Masters and Beth Jager
Always gotta grab one more week when out with Laura Masters!
12 - 401 N. Morgan
2/23/18 with Laura Masters, Megan Morrison, Missy Liebs, and others
Tickled Pink Gala!
13 - 4229 N. Lincoln
3/13/18 with Leanne Surmin and Drea Stoit
Oops. Misplanned 2 Bar Tuesday but wound up in a new place!
14 - 737 W. Wrightwood
4/23/18 with Norris Narsa, Angela Howard, Edric Cruz, Jessica Ornelas, and Ahmed Atia
What a cool little event space for such a bittersweet event: Wishing Norris and Angela best wishes on their journey to life on the west coast. I miss them dearly!
15 - 108 N. Green
4/2/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Theresa Chen, and others
A night out watching the NCAA Men's Basketball final.
16 - 113-125 N. Green
4/2/18 with Laura Masters and Alan Lee
A pop over to Fox Bar after a tough Michigan loss. What a cool space. Really beautiful and pockets that vary in look, from bright and spacious to small and cozy.
17 - 1851 W. Addison
4/10/18 with Missy Liebs and Holly Zann
I love this bar.
18 - 1055 W. Argyle
4/19/18
Pho. Yum.
19 - 1604 W. Chicago
4/22/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Missy Liebs, Megan Voss, Megan Daly, Stephanie Loring, Brandon Loring, Scott Jensen
Brunchin' at Beatnik with some of my favs!
20 - 724 W. Wrightwood
4/27/18 with Nicole Garton
We stopped at Burwood Tap on a walk further north just to see what it was like. It was a bigger space than I thought. It had a combo cabin-dive bar vibe, which I dug.
21 - 2728 N. Milwaukee
4/27/18 with Nicole Garton and Stephanie Punda
When transitioning from happy hour into a night out, it's always best to stop for dinner! We stopped at Renaldi's After Dark this week. It was fine. Actually I really liked the space. We went to the bar side, which is dark and small but has a large bar in the middle with stools circling. Then, upstairs, there's a little lounge that they've decorated interestingly with space for live music. I dug the space. Not the pizza.
22 - 1901 N. Clybourn
5/16/18 on recommendation from Leanne Surmin
My first trip to the chiropractor. I love this space. If I had an office not on a campus, I'd love to be a redesigned, old Chicago building with old hardwood floors and bare, brick walls. Such a pretty space.
23 - 150 N. Dearborn
5/17/18
Petterino's for a DePaul School for New Learning alumni night
24 - 3166 N. Clark
5/26/18 with Nicole Garton, Stephanie Punda, Leanne Surmin, Stephanie Souvenir, and John Washo
Wing Woman Night lunch at Ceaser's Killer Margaritas
25 - 815 W. Van Buren
6/7/18 with Matt Specht, Dave Merrill, Christian Kopp, Stephanie Souvenir, Nicole Garton, Stephanie Punda, Maureen McGonagle, Gale Stewart, Scott Vandermoon
25 - 320 N. Morgan
6/19/18 with Justin Phillips, John Washo, Leanne Surmin, Maureen McGonagle, Gale Stewart, Sarah Hardin, Scott Vandermoon, Rees Grant, Stephanie Souvenir, Stephanie Punda, Courtney Griffin, Nicole Garton
Such a cool trip to the Chicago Google Headquarters. I LOVED the local graffiti-type art. Gorgeous. Just a really cool space.
26 - 1200 W. Randolph
6/19/18 with Robin Heggum
We saw Roxane Gay!
27 - Unsure
6/19/18 with all the folks listed above at Google.
We had part of our summer retreat the Brailsford and Dunlavey offices in Chicago. The conference room was small, but the views were incredible.
28 - 1307 S. Wabash
6/24/18 with Laura Masters, Nicole Garton, and Jerry Munk
We had dinner at Lobo Rey.
29 - 1454 S. Michigan
6/23/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Eileen, Nicole Garton, and Jerry Munk
After dinner, we had a stop at Vice District Taproom in the South Loop. We played Taboo. I enjoyed the space in that it was a comfortable place to hang out and there were chalkboards everywhere. I wish they had fresh pieces of chalk for easier writing, but I enjoy a place that lets its guests leave their mark.
30 - 5358 N. Clark
7/8/18 with Ryan Groth
So happy to have a little Sunday Funday with my SD buddy Ryan. We hit up a few spots I knew but then also stopped in Replay in Andersonville to take advantage of the open windows on a gorgeous day. We did not take advantage of the free game play but maybe next time!
31 - 12 S. Michigan
7/15/18 with Grace Bagunu
We popped up to Cindy's in the Chicago Athletic Club. The inside was cool but I was expecting a bit more from the "rooftop" everyone raves about. It's just a balcony, though granted, a balcony with a beautiful view.
32 - 212 N. Green
8/3/18 with Nicole Green
A stop at the new Ballast Point location that I had no idea existed until Nicole came to town with some beer-knowledgeable friends. I don't really drink beer anymore but I had a taster or two in honor of my former San Diego life where I did drink beer.
33 - Unsure
8/22/18 with Rebeca Matus and friends
I was in a church somewhere on Ashland(?) for Rebeca's wedding. I can't seem to find the exact location. It was the only church I was in all year, and it was incredibly beautiful.
34 - 820 W. Lake St
9/1/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Megan Daly, Beth Jager, Missy Liebs, and Scott Jensen
I hit up Momotaro for Masters' birthday with some delightful company. What a gorgeous space. We were seated upstairs where we could look through the glass wall to the staircase and down at the bar. I didn't take any photos but I should have! The dinner details are here.
35 - 3123 N. Clybourn
sometime in September with JJ
A trip to the emergency vet with JJ: she's fine.
36 - 1136 W. Lawrence
11/9/18
A fun night out with Souvenir!
37 - 1550 N. Fremont
12/1/18
I got to meet Stephanie Izard in a Williams Sonoma that looks way bigger on the inside than the outside!
38 - 2936 N. Southport
I went to a show with Michael Bigelow at The Athenaem. The space itself was not as nice and as I thought. I wish it had the old theater specialness, but it just seems like a run-down theater.
39 - 108 N. State St.
12/6/18 with Laura Masters, Missy Liebs, Megan Morrison, and Carrie Kalita
 |
| Outside of The Pink Squirrel & Deadbolt |
1 - 2412 N. Milwaukee
1/9/18, with Stephanie Souvenir and Denisse Ocasio
This building spans a few addresses and houses several businesses. I walk by it weekly on my way to host trivia. It's not what I had in mind when I wrote this item, but I'm counting all of the buildings. This building houses both The Pink Squirrel and Deadbolt, which I wrote about in my post about going to 12 new bars. It's a pretty basic one-story business, but the spaces within it are really different and well designed.
2 - 5625 N. Broadway1/13/18
Again, not the space I was imagining when I went to Northside Toyota to get my oil changed. Their garage is a huge indoor space. It was a frigid day, and even though the two garage doors were constantly opening, heaters were coordinated to blast just the right amount of heat to keep it comfortable. I couldn't believe how many cars they fit in such a tight space. There was constant movement. And so much light from above. Really quite a lovely space that I wouldn't have otherwise noticed.
n I came up with this list item, but the first where I was aware of being in a new space. It was actually quite fascinating once I took notice.
3 - 1100 W. Bryn Mawr
1/13/18
While waiting for my oil to get changed, I ran down the street to get some food. Nookies Edgewater was right there, so I gave it a try. This space is way different than Nookies Too. It has a more modern, upscale vibe, though the service felt more like a slow-paced diner. Lots cooler spaces out there, but big enough that it didn't feel overwhelmingly busy and rushed.
4 - 5050 N. Sheridan
1/15/18
I tried out Crossfit at Primary Crossfit. A big, open, Crossfitty-type space.
5 - 2524 N. Orchard St.
1/16/18
I was assigned to observe my class at St. Clement's School in Lincoln Park. It was exactly what you'd think: an old, urban, Catholic school. But with a gym with a TON of sweet equipment.
6 - 2607 W. 17th St
1/16/18
I went to a fundraiser at Lagunitas Chicago for 826 Chicago. What a really cool space. I've been to a lot of breweries, but this. was. huge. It's playfully painted all the way through. When you walk in, you're greeted by a host and a loooonnnggg underwatery hallway with the chimes from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory song. There are a few event spaces. We were in the bar area, on the third floor, but the third floor hallway windows overlook another space, a huge, purple game room where another event was taking place. The bar looked like a cozy bar, except the windows overlook the warehouse floor and all the brewing space. It's like being in a bar in a treehouse above a sea of beer. Then, there are catwalks all the way through the warehouse space where you can wander and watch people checking the giant casks, packing things, fixing things... Really a brewery wonderland. This is the kind of new space I had in mind when I made this list item. So glad I now know of yet another amazing place to visit and take visitors here in Chicago.
7 - 1102 W. Webster
1/25/18 with Nicole Garton and John Washo
We deviated from our usual happy hour spots this week, including a stop at Local Option with Nicole & John. It's definitely a bit craft beer, dark references (lots of 666s around the bar) pretentious but also great beer options. The server asked me what kind of beer I like, and I said whiskey, and he said they only had Maker's Mark and Jameson. So apparently they're not whiskey snobby. Or they're so whiskey snobby that that's what the owner likes so that's all there is. Either way, I made do.
8 - 2728 W. Armitage
1/30/18 with Drea Stoit
Chicago Restaurant Week at Table, Donkey, Stick with Drea Stoit! Detailed here.
9 - 1800 N. Lincoln
2/13/18 with Nicole Garton and Stephanie Souvenir
Another 2 Bar Tuesday in the books! Laura Masters made the suggestions but couldn't make it to join us. The happy hour drink specials here are decent $5 bubbles and drafts. The food looked interesting but was a little more than I was looking to spend. The space was very modern and clean. Lots of lines and low, almost 70's style decor. I really liked one wall that had keys hung on it like an old timey hotel. I would definitely go back for the ambiance.
10 - 1612 N. Sedgewick
2/13/18 with Nicole Garton
Second stop for 2 Bar Tuesday with just Nicole. The bar itself was my kind of bar. A little divey but still interesting. I think it's a rugby bar, which could be good or bad. Not an impressive space but a bar I'd like to return to.
11 - 2357 N. Milwaukee
2/15/18 with Laura Masters and Beth Jager
Always gotta grab one more week when out with Laura Masters!
12 - 401 N. Morgan
2/23/18 with Laura Masters, Megan Morrison, Missy Liebs, and others
Tickled Pink Gala!
13 - 4229 N. Lincoln
3/13/18 with Leanne Surmin and Drea StoitOops. Misplanned 2 Bar Tuesday but wound up in a new place!
14 - 737 W. Wrightwood
4/23/18 with Norris Narsa, Angela Howard, Edric Cruz, Jessica Ornelas, and Ahmed Atia
What a cool little event space for such a bittersweet event: Wishing Norris and Angela best wishes on their journey to life on the west coast. I miss them dearly!
15 - 108 N. Green
4/2/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Theresa Chen, and others
A night out watching the NCAA Men's Basketball final.
16 - 113-125 N. Green
4/2/18 with Laura Masters and Alan Lee
A pop over to Fox Bar after a tough Michigan loss. What a cool space. Really beautiful and pockets that vary in look, from bright and spacious to small and cozy.
17 - 1851 W. Addison
4/10/18 with Missy Liebs and Holly Zann
I love this bar.
18 - 1055 W. Argyle
4/19/18
Pho. Yum.
19 - 1604 W. Chicago
4/22/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Missy Liebs, Megan Voss, Megan Daly, Stephanie Loring, Brandon Loring, Scott Jensen
Brunchin' at Beatnik with some of my favs!
20 - 724 W. Wrightwood
4/27/18 with Nicole Garton
We stopped at Burwood Tap on a walk further north just to see what it was like. It was a bigger space than I thought. It had a combo cabin-dive bar vibe, which I dug.
21 - 2728 N. Milwaukee
4/27/18 with Nicole Garton and Stephanie Punda
When transitioning from happy hour into a night out, it's always best to stop for dinner! We stopped at Renaldi's After Dark this week. It was fine. Actually I really liked the space. We went to the bar side, which is dark and small but has a large bar in the middle with stools circling. Then, upstairs, there's a little lounge that they've decorated interestingly with space for live music. I dug the space. Not the pizza.
22 - 1901 N. Clybourn
5/16/18 on recommendation from Leanne Surmin
My first trip to the chiropractor. I love this space. If I had an office not on a campus, I'd love to be a redesigned, old Chicago building with old hardwood floors and bare, brick walls. Such a pretty space.
23 - 150 N. Dearborn
5/17/18
Petterino's for a DePaul School for New Learning alumni night
24 - 3166 N. Clark
5/26/18 with Nicole Garton, Stephanie Punda, Leanne Surmin, Stephanie Souvenir, and John Washo
Wing Woman Night lunch at Ceaser's Killer Margaritas
25 - 815 W. Van Buren
6/7/18 with Matt Specht, Dave Merrill, Christian Kopp, Stephanie Souvenir, Nicole Garton, Stephanie Punda, Maureen McGonagle, Gale Stewart, Scott Vandermoon
 |
| Loved the Google Chicago spaces |
6/19/18 with Justin Phillips, John Washo, Leanne Surmin, Maureen McGonagle, Gale Stewart, Sarah Hardin, Scott Vandermoon, Rees Grant, Stephanie Souvenir, Stephanie Punda, Courtney Griffin, Nicole Garton
Such a cool trip to the Chicago Google Headquarters. I LOVED the local graffiti-type art. Gorgeous. Just a really cool space.
6/19/18 with Robin Heggum
We saw Roxane Gay!
27 - Unsure6/19/18 with all the folks listed above at Google.
We had part of our summer retreat the Brailsford and Dunlavey offices in Chicago. The conference room was small, but the views were incredible.
28 - 1307 S. Wabash
6/24/18 with Laura Masters, Nicole Garton, and Jerry Munk
We had dinner at Lobo Rey.
29 - 1454 S. Michigan
6/23/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Eileen, Nicole Garton, and Jerry Munk
After dinner, we had a stop at Vice District Taproom in the South Loop. We played Taboo. I enjoyed the space in that it was a comfortable place to hang out and there were chalkboards everywhere. I wish they had fresh pieces of chalk for easier writing, but I enjoy a place that lets its guests leave their mark.
30 - 5358 N. Clark7/8/18 with Ryan Groth
So happy to have a little Sunday Funday with my SD buddy Ryan. We hit up a few spots I knew but then also stopped in Replay in Andersonville to take advantage of the open windows on a gorgeous day. We did not take advantage of the free game play but maybe next time!
31 - 12 S. Michigan
7/15/18 with Grace Bagunu
We popped up to Cindy's in the Chicago Athletic Club. The inside was cool but I was expecting a bit more from the "rooftop" everyone raves about. It's just a balcony, though granted, a balcony with a beautiful view.
32 - 212 N. Green
8/3/18 with Nicole Green
A stop at the new Ballast Point location that I had no idea existed until Nicole came to town with some beer-knowledgeable friends. I don't really drink beer anymore but I had a taster or two in honor of my former San Diego life where I did drink beer.
33 - Unsure8/22/18 with Rebeca Matus and friends
I was in a church somewhere on Ashland(?) for Rebeca's wedding. I can't seem to find the exact location. It was the only church I was in all year, and it was incredibly beautiful.
34 - 820 W. Lake St
9/1/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Megan Daly, Beth Jager, Missy Liebs, and Scott Jensen
I hit up Momotaro for Masters' birthday with some delightful company. What a gorgeous space. We were seated upstairs where we could look through the glass wall to the staircase and down at the bar. I didn't take any photos but I should have! The dinner details are here.
35 - 3123 N. Clybourn
sometime in September with JJ
A trip to the emergency vet with JJ: she's fine.
36 - 1136 W. Lawrence11/9/18
A fun night out with Souvenir!
37 - 1550 N. Fremont
12/1/18
I got to meet Stephanie Izard in a Williams Sonoma that looks way bigger on the inside than the outside!
38 - 2936 N. Southport
I went to a show with Michael Bigelow at The Athenaem. The space itself was not as nice and as I thought. I wish it had the old theater specialness, but it just seems like a run-down theater.
39 - 108 N. State St.
12/6/18 with Laura Masters, Missy Liebs, Megan Morrison, and Carrie Kalita
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
#24 - Try 12 New Restaurants in Chicago (Fail)
1 - Nookies Edgewater
1/13/18
I rarely go out for breakfast, but I like that I started this item in January with a start-of-the-day meal. I was at Northside Toyota getting my oil change, and it was going to be a bit, so I went down the street to grab some food. I've been to the one of the other locations, Nookies Too, mostly after many drinks in my 20's. This Nookies location is a bit more like a restaurant than the others. I had the corned beef hash and some ice tea. Both were enjoyable but nothing to go back for. I did like the option of tomatoes as a side. Still, a nice treat to have a meal out!
2 - Table, Donkey, Stick
1/30/18 with Drea Stoit
One of the best events in Chicago is Restaurant Week. People who have never lived here often do not know how flipping phenomenal the food is in this city. I mean, it's consistently rated as one of the very best foodie cities in the world. We even have Alinea, which I will never be able to afford to go to. Hell, I can't afford many of the top-notch restaurants in Chicago... except during Restaurant Week. I've had some very memorable meals. This year, Drea and I went to Table, Donkey, Stick. I liked it fine. But I also did a bad job making choices.
For my first course, I had the duck liver mousse. That was fantastic. Really smooth and flavorful.
For my second course, I had some kind of chic pea salad kind of thing. I didn't really get it, but it was fresh and filling.
For my third course, I ordered the pork shoulder. That was my mistake and completely my fault. When Drea was deciding what to order, she asked the server about the pork shoulder. The server said it was really good and described it as tasting more hammy than you might think. Well, I hate ham. Always have. So I asked her to clarify. Because I like prosciutto and many things ham-adjacent, but I do not like ham. She said she thought I'd probably still like it then. I didn't. It was so hammy. Like, not so hammy that I didn't eat it. I did. But the whole time I was thinking, yeah, this tastes a lot like ham. And I don't like ham. So that's my bad.
Their wine list was short but the server was super knowledgeable, so I was very happy with my wine. And when I'm happy with the wine and 2 of the 3 courses, hey, that's a good meal.
Plus, it was nice to catch up with Drea as we've only seen each other in busy groups since I've been back. It was a lovely choice for Restaurant Week!
I took no pictures of my food.
3 - Maggiano's
1/23/18 with Maureen McGonagle, Gale Stewart, John Washo, Scott Vandermoon, Nicole Garton, Leanne Surmin, Stephanie Punda, Sabrina Wilson, Shaun Cooley
I've been hearing about Maggiano's for over a year now. Apparently it's Moe's favorite restaurant and we lunch there regularly during work retreats. But I'd never been.
It was definitely much fancier than I was expecting. I had the chicken piccate. Um... yum. I probably could have done the lower-cal version of something as it was quite buttery, but for the bites where I could forget about the guilt.... delicious.
Plus, we spent the whole meal talking about cats and I didn't have to drop a dime. Delightful.
4 - Hei Yen
4/19/18
Thanks to a promotion with Heartful Editor, I was able to quit my regular gig hosting trivia with Whaddayaknow. Honestly, I flippin love hosting trivia and working for Whaddayaknow, and the only reason I stepped down was because the hours are just too rough on me. Since gigs don't start until 7/7:30pm and I finish my full-time job around 5:00pm, I just always felt like I was wasting those in-between hours and those extra 2 hours felt more like 4-5 hours, which makes for a very, very long day. However, if I can ever swap my schedule around, I will totally pick back up with trivia again (if Dan will have me).
Because I finally had my Thursday evenings free, I was able to check out Third Thursdays on Argyle. I'm not really sure if this is an ongoing thing or was just a trial run. It's supposed to be several businesses that have deals on the 3rd Thursday of every month. I decided to check out Hei Yen. I had some pho. It was good. I still like a few other places down the street better, but I will totally go back there to try other things, particularly as I heard a woman at another table raving about some dish they have that she can't find wherever she's from, so she comes back every time she's in town. I'm not sure I got the discount, but hey, new place, yay!
5 - Beatnik's
4/22/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Missy Liebs, Scott Jensen, Megan Daly, Megan Voss, etc.
Masters was back at it again with the organizing of fun events. She got us a reservation at Beatnik's, and there must have been 25 of us there. Yes, we were one of those annoying giant brunch groups. And we had nothing to celebrate except brunch together.
Masters and I split a bottle for mimosas and I had the smoked salmon toast. I tasted a few other things. The food was very good, but the portions were very small, so for the price, there are better brunch spots. But the ambiance, whoa. This place is gorgeous. So overdone to the point that it's perfection. I really, really enjoyed the space. And the company.
6 - City Winery
6/29/18 with Robin Heggum
7 - Lobo Rey
6/23/18 with Jerry Munk and Nicole Garton
Nicole, Jerry, and I headed down to the South Loop for a food truck fest and to meet Masters and the gang. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the fest was at capacity and not letting anyone else in. But... we were also pretty far into our Sunday Funday, so we really needed some food. We met the gang at Lobo Rey and had some Mexican food that was decent but the service took forever. I'd consider going back and giving it another shot as the space was really cool and Masters and Alan rave about it, but I wasn't super impressed.
8 - Beatrix
7/22/18 with Tara Edberg
Tara was in town and we were able to grab dinner. Since she was staying downtown, I did a little Yelp search for something reasonably priced by high rated near Michigan Ave... yes, those places to exist! I found Beatrix, which had more ratings for brunch but also looked good for dinner. The vibe had more of a brunch/lunch spot because there's a coffee/pastry shop in the the entry way, but the seating area was nice and trendy.
I had some wine and the cheese ravioli. It wasn't as much food as I was hoping for, but everything was really good. And it's not that the portions were unreasonable, but without any decent side options, it was a weirdly small amount in just getting one dish, and it would have been weird to get two. There were some apps, but we weren't really in the mood for those.
So overall, it was fine.
9 - Momotaro
9/1/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Missy Liebs, Scott Jansen, and Megan Daly
We hit up Momotaro for Masters' birthday. The drinks and service were excellence. The big shocker for me is that the best thing I think we had was the friend rice. The sushi, salads, and soup were good, but the fried rice was a game changer.
10 - Roanoke
11/15/18 with Laura Masters and Beth Jager
Masters made us reservations for dinner before I went off to see Miss Saigon with work buddies. They had a prix fix menu for theater goers, so we jumped on that. I had a beet salad, huge, tasty steak with potatoes, and panna cotta ice cream. Super good.
11 - Pueblo
12/6/18 with Laura Masters, Missy Liebs, Megan Morrison, and Carrie Kalita
Pueblo is tucked in a mall that is tucked into a huge building on State Street. I had no idea there was even a mall there. None of us had ever been, so we went for dinner before going to see The Play That Goes Wrong. The service was slow and the food was overpriced--though in a touristy area, so that makes sense--but everything was tasty. I likely won't go back, but I wasn't disappointed.
I rarely go out for breakfast, but I like that I started this item in January with a start-of-the-day meal. I was at Northside Toyota getting my oil change, and it was going to be a bit, so I went down the street to grab some food. I've been to the one of the other locations, Nookies Too, mostly after many drinks in my 20's. This Nookies location is a bit more like a restaurant than the others. I had the corned beef hash and some ice tea. Both were enjoyable but nothing to go back for. I did like the option of tomatoes as a side. Still, a nice treat to have a meal out!
2 - Table, Donkey, Stick
1/30/18 with Drea Stoit
One of the best events in Chicago is Restaurant Week. People who have never lived here often do not know how flipping phenomenal the food is in this city. I mean, it's consistently rated as one of the very best foodie cities in the world. We even have Alinea, which I will never be able to afford to go to. Hell, I can't afford many of the top-notch restaurants in Chicago... except during Restaurant Week. I've had some very memorable meals. This year, Drea and I went to Table, Donkey, Stick. I liked it fine. But I also did a bad job making choices.
For my first course, I had the duck liver mousse. That was fantastic. Really smooth and flavorful.
For my second course, I had some kind of chic pea salad kind of thing. I didn't really get it, but it was fresh and filling.
For my third course, I ordered the pork shoulder. That was my mistake and completely my fault. When Drea was deciding what to order, she asked the server about the pork shoulder. The server said it was really good and described it as tasting more hammy than you might think. Well, I hate ham. Always have. So I asked her to clarify. Because I like prosciutto and many things ham-adjacent, but I do not like ham. She said she thought I'd probably still like it then. I didn't. It was so hammy. Like, not so hammy that I didn't eat it. I did. But the whole time I was thinking, yeah, this tastes a lot like ham. And I don't like ham. So that's my bad.
Their wine list was short but the server was super knowledgeable, so I was very happy with my wine. And when I'm happy with the wine and 2 of the 3 courses, hey, that's a good meal.
Plus, it was nice to catch up with Drea as we've only seen each other in busy groups since I've been back. It was a lovely choice for Restaurant Week!
I took no pictures of my food.
3 - Maggiano's
1/23/18 with Maureen McGonagle, Gale Stewart, John Washo, Scott Vandermoon, Nicole Garton, Leanne Surmin, Stephanie Punda, Sabrina Wilson, Shaun Cooley
I've been hearing about Maggiano's for over a year now. Apparently it's Moe's favorite restaurant and we lunch there regularly during work retreats. But I'd never been.
It was definitely much fancier than I was expecting. I had the chicken piccate. Um... yum. I probably could have done the lower-cal version of something as it was quite buttery, but for the bites where I could forget about the guilt.... delicious.
Plus, we spent the whole meal talking about cats and I didn't have to drop a dime. Delightful.
4 - Hei Yen
4/19/18
Thanks to a promotion with Heartful Editor, I was able to quit my regular gig hosting trivia with Whaddayaknow. Honestly, I flippin love hosting trivia and working for Whaddayaknow, and the only reason I stepped down was because the hours are just too rough on me. Since gigs don't start until 7/7:30pm and I finish my full-time job around 5:00pm, I just always felt like I was wasting those in-between hours and those extra 2 hours felt more like 4-5 hours, which makes for a very, very long day. However, if I can ever swap my schedule around, I will totally pick back up with trivia again (if Dan will have me).
Because I finally had my Thursday evenings free, I was able to check out Third Thursdays on Argyle. I'm not really sure if this is an ongoing thing or was just a trial run. It's supposed to be several businesses that have deals on the 3rd Thursday of every month. I decided to check out Hei Yen. I had some pho. It was good. I still like a few other places down the street better, but I will totally go back there to try other things, particularly as I heard a woman at another table raving about some dish they have that she can't find wherever she's from, so she comes back every time she's in town. I'm not sure I got the discount, but hey, new place, yay!
5 - Beatnik's
4/22/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Missy Liebs, Scott Jensen, Megan Daly, Megan Voss, etc.
Masters was back at it again with the organizing of fun events. She got us a reservation at Beatnik's, and there must have been 25 of us there. Yes, we were one of those annoying giant brunch groups. And we had nothing to celebrate except brunch together.
Masters and I split a bottle for mimosas and I had the smoked salmon toast. I tasted a few other things. The food was very good, but the portions were very small, so for the price, there are better brunch spots. But the ambiance, whoa. This place is gorgeous. So overdone to the point that it's perfection. I really, really enjoyed the space. And the company.
6 - City Winery
6/29/18 with Robin Heggum
7 - Lobo Rey
6/23/18 with Jerry Munk and Nicole Garton
Nicole, Jerry, and I headed down to the South Loop for a food truck fest and to meet Masters and the gang. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the fest was at capacity and not letting anyone else in. But... we were also pretty far into our Sunday Funday, so we really needed some food. We met the gang at Lobo Rey and had some Mexican food that was decent but the service took forever. I'd consider going back and giving it another shot as the space was really cool and Masters and Alan rave about it, but I wasn't super impressed.
8 - Beatrix
7/22/18 with Tara Edberg
Tara was in town and we were able to grab dinner. Since she was staying downtown, I did a little Yelp search for something reasonably priced by high rated near Michigan Ave... yes, those places to exist! I found Beatrix, which had more ratings for brunch but also looked good for dinner. The vibe had more of a brunch/lunch spot because there's a coffee/pastry shop in the the entry way, but the seating area was nice and trendy.
I had some wine and the cheese ravioli. It wasn't as much food as I was hoping for, but everything was really good. And it's not that the portions were unreasonable, but without any decent side options, it was a weirdly small amount in just getting one dish, and it would have been weird to get two. There were some apps, but we weren't really in the mood for those.
So overall, it was fine.
9 - Momotaro
9/1/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Missy Liebs, Scott Jansen, and Megan Daly
We hit up Momotaro for Masters' birthday. The drinks and service were excellence. The big shocker for me is that the best thing I think we had was the friend rice. The sushi, salads, and soup were good, but the fried rice was a game changer.
10 - Roanoke
11/15/18 with Laura Masters and Beth Jager
Masters made us reservations for dinner before I went off to see Miss Saigon with work buddies. They had a prix fix menu for theater goers, so we jumped on that. I had a beet salad, huge, tasty steak with potatoes, and panna cotta ice cream. Super good.
11 - Pueblo
12/6/18 with Laura Masters, Missy Liebs, Megan Morrison, and Carrie Kalita
Pueblo is tucked in a mall that is tucked into a huge building on State Street. I had no idea there was even a mall there. None of us had ever been, so we went for dinner before going to see The Play That Goes Wrong. The service was slow and the food was overpriced--though in a touristy area, so that makes sense--but everything was tasty. I likely won't go back, but I wasn't disappointed.
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Thursday, December 20, 2018
#8 - Run 125 Miles (Fail)
 |
| A run on the Embarcadaro on a sunny San Diego Saturday morning. |
February: More treadmills, but one day, the weather broke in to the 40's, so I went for a run along the lake front. What a great decision. As I reached my turnaround point, I discovered the Montrose Dunes, a place I never knew existed despite all my runs and bike rides along the Lake Shore Path. I slowed to walk along the beach towards the dunes, and a guy was walking nearby. He called over, "Do you want to see a snowy owl?" He gestured towards the water where a small group of people were gathered. They were bird watchers, come to see an unusual sight: a snowy owl in Chicago. My phone is not good enough to take pictures so far, but one of the photographers let me look through his telescopic lens. Really, really beautiful and a happy coincidence on a beautiful day. It was really nice to get such a lovely reward on my run!
 |
| About a dozen people checking out a snowy owl. |
March: So many treadmills.April: Finally outside!
May:
June: Welp. I just learned that the nagging lower back pain I have is a herniated disc. And guess what aggravates it? Running. Eff. So I'm on a break.
November: I tried to resume running. It's not my back. It's my hip. So... running is still a no go. Not good for my emotional wellbeing :(
_______________________________________
So I'm wrapping up the year with just under 100 miles. But if it weren't for injuries, this definitely would have been done. I'll try again next year!
#19 - Try All of Ruhlman's 20 Techniques (Fail)
When I finished my PhD program, K Rob gifted me with the book Ruhlman's 20, which walks through 20 essential techniques for cooking and includes recipes to practice each one. I did 12 of the 20 last year. I managed to knock 5 more out this year. It's a little weird I can't quite seem to finish it up. Some of the techniques and recipes left are very doable. I think what's actually happened is that I've gotten so into cooking that I've been reading a variety of cooking sources and trying all kinds of things, inspired my my new skills gained from practicing with Ruhlman. I'm sure I'll finally knock these last three out next year!
Many thanks to my perpetual taste testers, Chris Zann, Holly Zann, Elizabeth Pearson, and Michael Bigelow! I'm so happy to have a gang that regularly gathers together to enjoy each other's company and cooking!
The ones from this year are in bold.
1. THINK
Last year. Game changer.
2. SALT
I did this one last year, and I still get requests for the raw zucchini salad and make it often.
I also made lemon confit, a type of preserved lemon peel. I don't quite get it. Either it rotted or I don't enjoy the taste or I'm using it wrong. I still don't know.
3. WATER
I made a meatloaf cooked in a water bath last year. This year I did a weeknight coq au vin. Like literally on a weeknight when I just happened to have (most of) the ingredients. It definitely wasn't as picture perfect as the book, but it was incredibly flavorful. I will definitely give this a go again. And so easy!
4. ONION
Maybe next year!
5. ACID
I made it for the first time last year, but I'm so stoked to have this pulled pork recipe in my repetoire. So easy to make, plenty to share, so flavorful.
6. EGG
Practiced only last year with a tart.
7. BUTTER
All these experiments were last year, but I have definitely not been shy about the butter lately.
8. DOUGH
Yum. Snickerdoodles, but also last year.
9. BATTER
10. SUGAR
11. SAUCE
I love the sauce chapter. I did some sauce last year and now I make versions of that sauce (including lots with butter) often.
12. VINAIGRETTE
Last year I made a light vinaigrette for a salad at the Zann's.
This year I did an endive with vinegrette. It was super easy, definitely not as pretty or easy to eat as in the book, but it was super tasty.
13. SOUP
I need to make more soup. I can't wait to try variations from the sweet bell pepper soup I did last year.
14. SAUTE
I generally grill or bake chicken breasts, but Ruhlman said to give sauteing a try, so I did. Whoa. So moist. (That's for you, Holly.) This recipe was sauteed chicken breasts with tarragon butter sauce, which called for the simple butter sauce described above, with tarragon. As we ate these, Zann declared, "It turns out I like tarragon." But really I think he might just like butter and the tarragon was inoffensive.
15. ROAST
I have always been comfortable roasting, but I am thankful to this book for stepping up my roasting game. I did my experimenting with roasting last year.
16. BRAISE
17. POACH
I tried a couple poaching recipes.
It wasn't in the book, but after reading about poaching I decided to give it ago with my own concoction. I was craving a version of lemon-pepper chicken, and I decided to mix that up with poaching. Instead of just water, I used homemade chicken stock, lemon, garlic, and pepper and poached a single chicken breast, just for my dinner. Poached chicken always looks so bland, but this was likely the best chicken breast I have ever cooked myself, possibly one of the best chicken breasts I've ever eaten. I'd say I still prefer grilled chicken, but this was way, way better than any baked or broiled chicken I've had. I'm stoked to have this new technique in my repetoire.
The next week, I tried Ruhlman's warm arugula sad with bacon and poached eggs. I had to fudge a bit as my local grocery store didn't have arugula. I got an arugula-spinach blend instead. I also missed the part where I was supposed to get thick bacon, not regular pre-packaged bacon. While I hope to try the full recipe someday, I'm proud that I can improvise so easily now. The salad was very hearty and tasty. I will definitely make it again.
Oh right, the poaching part! I love eggs and have always wanted to learn to poach them. Turns out, I should have just Googled it years ago. Ruhlman offers a similar technique to Serious Eats. I went for the Serious Eats technique because it seemed easier to just use a strainer than a perforated spoon. I did take his suggestion of using water that is not bubbling. I think I might try it with a simmer next time because it seemed like the whites weren't as pretty as I would have liked. But everything turned out great and I will be poaching eggs on the regular thanks to this book.
18. GRILL
My next living space definitely needs access to a grill. I used to grill regularly in San Diego (where grilling season is year round), and I miss being able to cook flavorful, healthy food quickly.
I feel a bit like I'm cheating at this one, but it's going to have to do for now. Most of the technique Ruhlman teaches about grilling is about open flame and direct and indirect heat. I don't currently have a grill and the Zann's have a gas grill, so the charcoal techniques he offers are wasted on me.
For one of our Sunday dinners, I was asked to do the main dish and then I just couldn't decide between the Rip's own marinade for steak and the basic white wine marinade for chicken. So I did both. With the cut of steak, I should have cooked it on lower heat for a bit longer, but the chicken, I nailed the chicken. Perfectly cooked and very flavorful. Both marinades were foolproof and delicious. I've already done a version of the Rip's own to make sloppy joe's with some ground beef I needed to use up. No, that has nothing to do with grilling, but I'm stoked that I'm starting to understand how to combine flavors enough that I can apply these recipes to whatever I happen to have in my fridge.
19. FRY
20. CHILL
I did my best to make my version of a tasty "dessert" (read: after-dinner thing that might have a hint of sweetness) for one of our Sunday night dinners. I tried making granita. Grapefruit granita, to be exact. It's a simple recipe: just grapefruit juice, sugar, and white wine. It takes some commitment as it requires stirring every 30 minutes to break up the ice crystals, but I figured I could do that. It's supposed to take about 2-2.5 hours. So I made it about 3 hours in advance. I stirred it after 30 minutes--still pretty liquidy. I stirred again after an hour--didn't look any different. Again after another 30 minutes--still no change... and this continued until I headed with my slush to dinner. I put it in the freezer there, where it stayed for probably another 2 hours. Still just liquid with a few ice crystals.
My dear friends the Zanns assured me it was okay and we spooned out some of the liquid. It was tart. Really tart. I dug it. But it certainly wasn't a dessert. I took it home and froze it fully. I truly liked it. I even mixed a little with some vodka for a vodka slushie. Very tasty. For me, at least!
Many thanks to my perpetual taste testers, Chris Zann, Holly Zann, Elizabeth Pearson, and Michael Bigelow! I'm so happy to have a gang that regularly gathers together to enjoy each other's company and cooking!
The ones from this year are in bold.
1. THINK
Last year. Game changer.
2. SALT
I did this one last year, and I still get requests for the raw zucchini salad and make it often.
I also made lemon confit, a type of preserved lemon peel. I don't quite get it. Either it rotted or I don't enjoy the taste or I'm using it wrong. I still don't know.
 |
| Coq au vin simmering |
 |
| The fanciest of chicken thighs |
4. ONION
Maybe next year!
5. ACID
I made it for the first time last year, but I'm so stoked to have this pulled pork recipe in my repetoire. So easy to make, plenty to share, so flavorful.
6. EGG
Practiced only last year with a tart.
7. BUTTER
All these experiments were last year, but I have definitely not been shy about the butter lately.
8. DOUGH
Yum. Snickerdoodles, but also last year.
9. BATTER
10. SUGAR
11. SAUCE
I love the sauce chapter. I did some sauce last year and now I make versions of that sauce (including lots with butter) often.12. VINAIGRETTE
Last year I made a light vinaigrette for a salad at the Zann's.
This year I did an endive with vinegrette. It was super easy, definitely not as pretty or easy to eat as in the book, but it was super tasty.
13. SOUP
I need to make more soup. I can't wait to try variations from the sweet bell pepper soup I did last year.
 |
| Sauteed chicken breasts with tarragon butter sauce |
I generally grill or bake chicken breasts, but Ruhlman said to give sauteing a try, so I did. Whoa. So moist. (That's for you, Holly.) This recipe was sauteed chicken breasts with tarragon butter sauce, which called for the simple butter sauce described above, with tarragon. As we ate these, Zann declared, "It turns out I like tarragon." But really I think he might just like butter and the tarragon was inoffensive.
15. ROAST
I have always been comfortable roasting, but I am thankful to this book for stepping up my roasting game. I did my experimenting with roasting last year.
16. BRAISE
17. POACH
I tried a couple poaching recipes.
It wasn't in the book, but after reading about poaching I decided to give it ago with my own concoction. I was craving a version of lemon-pepper chicken, and I decided to mix that up with poaching. Instead of just water, I used homemade chicken stock, lemon, garlic, and pepper and poached a single chicken breast, just for my dinner. Poached chicken always looks so bland, but this was likely the best chicken breast I have ever cooked myself, possibly one of the best chicken breasts I've ever eaten. I'd say I still prefer grilled chicken, but this was way, way better than any baked or broiled chicken I've had. I'm stoked to have this new technique in my repetoire.
The next week, I tried Ruhlman's warm arugula sad with bacon and poached eggs. I had to fudge a bit as my local grocery store didn't have arugula. I got an arugula-spinach blend instead. I also missed the part where I was supposed to get thick bacon, not regular pre-packaged bacon. While I hope to try the full recipe someday, I'm proud that I can improvise so easily now. The salad was very hearty and tasty. I will definitely make it again.Oh right, the poaching part! I love eggs and have always wanted to learn to poach them. Turns out, I should have just Googled it years ago. Ruhlman offers a similar technique to Serious Eats. I went for the Serious Eats technique because it seemed easier to just use a strainer than a perforated spoon. I did take his suggestion of using water that is not bubbling. I think I might try it with a simmer next time because it seemed like the whites weren't as pretty as I would have liked. But everything turned out great and I will be poaching eggs on the regular thanks to this book.
18. GRILL
My next living space definitely needs access to a grill. I used to grill regularly in San Diego (where grilling season is year round), and I miss being able to cook flavorful, healthy food quickly.
I feel a bit like I'm cheating at this one, but it's going to have to do for now. Most of the technique Ruhlman teaches about grilling is about open flame and direct and indirect heat. I don't currently have a grill and the Zann's have a gas grill, so the charcoal techniques he offers are wasted on me.
For one of our Sunday dinners, I was asked to do the main dish and then I just couldn't decide between the Rip's own marinade for steak and the basic white wine marinade for chicken. So I did both. With the cut of steak, I should have cooked it on lower heat for a bit longer, but the chicken, I nailed the chicken. Perfectly cooked and very flavorful. Both marinades were foolproof and delicious. I've already done a version of the Rip's own to make sloppy joe's with some ground beef I needed to use up. No, that has nothing to do with grilling, but I'm stoked that I'm starting to understand how to combine flavors enough that I can apply these recipes to whatever I happen to have in my fridge.
19. FRY
20. CHILL
I did my best to make my version of a tasty "dessert" (read: after-dinner thing that might have a hint of sweetness) for one of our Sunday night dinners. I tried making granita. Grapefruit granita, to be exact. It's a simple recipe: just grapefruit juice, sugar, and white wine. It takes some commitment as it requires stirring every 30 minutes to break up the ice crystals, but I figured I could do that. It's supposed to take about 2-2.5 hours. So I made it about 3 hours in advance. I stirred it after 30 minutes--still pretty liquidy. I stirred again after an hour--didn't look any different. Again after another 30 minutes--still no change... and this continued until I headed with my slush to dinner. I put it in the freezer there, where it stayed for probably another 2 hours. Still just liquid with a few ice crystals.
My dear friends the Zanns assured me it was okay and we spooned out some of the liquid. It was tart. Really tart. I dug it. But it certainly wasn't a dessert. I took it home and froze it fully. I truly liked it. I even mixed a little with some vodka for a vodka slushie. Very tasty. For me, at least!
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