Minna-made

Unpacking after moving has taken quite a bit longer than I had expected. This in addition to minor "issues" with our apartment have kept me hesitant from breaking in the new space. It's now week four in my apartment, and slowly but surely, things are coming together and I've started to feel a bit more at "home".

via moi

S came over the other day with two lovely new additions to my kitchen: basil and rosemary! After I wake up each morning, I scuttle into the kitchen and rub a leaf of each for good measure. They smell so great!

Moving out of my old apartment, I did a major purge of my things: I threw out boxes of old clothes, many bottles of lotions and sadly... a lot of kitchen stuff too. However, essentials at hand, I've started to cook once more.

via moi

I made my pseudo pad thai. I say pseudo (and probably should) about most/all my cooking as... I barely measure. This is a bad habit I've picked up from years of watching my halmoni (grandmother) cook in the kitchen... only I have no experience to back up my method. haha oh well.

I love "easy made" recipes. I hate when I pick up a cookbook filled with ridiculously obscure french names and processes or 'crazy' ingredients. I'm a simple girl, with simple tastes and would like a recipe to be blunt and show me how in 10 steps or less. No hand-holding, just slap it down on the table.

(Also, please ignore my washer/dryer in the background. My kitchen is cramped but functional and cute!)

Other weekend happenings: I'm loving my new neighborhood and all the foodie/wino nooks and cranies.

via Glut with Guts

Truffled eggs at Fork in Lincoln Square/North Center = HEAVENLY. Sitting atop a light puff pastry with a thin layer of mushrooms and goat cheese, this truffle flavor infused eggs made me happy and giddy. I don't think I spoke the entire time I was eating this and had my eyes closed like a freak after each bite.

Other notables from the Fork menu:

via Glut with Guts -- Duck Crostini

via Glut with Guts -- Orange Carrot Juice

After brunch, +1 and I went to our favorite breakfast/bakery place (that had a 2 hour wait for brunch! Hence why we choose the no wait Fork instead.) for some coffee.

Welcome to Lincoln Square:

via Glut with Guts -- Cafe Selmarie

via Glut with Guts -- The Fountain of Lincoln Square gets a washing!

via Glut with Guts -- Sunday Sprawl

via Glut with Guts -- Summer Sprigs! :D