Fall Farmers Market

via Glut with Guts

There's something amazing about having a farmers market amongst the concrete towers of the Loop. Especially when one strolls past and the brilliant hues of yellows and reds of summer's final flowers lure you into the market.

Read more and see more photos after the jump.

(Belated) Restaurant Week Review: Rhapsody

Rhapsody, albeit in a central location, was certainly a dining experience surprise. Located centrally near the Art Institute and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, this is definitely a great selection for patrons of the arts.

Restaurant Week Menu Review

First Course: Arancini Filled with prosciutto and taleggio cheese, saba, grape salad; Carpaccio of Beef, truffle potato salad, fried cipollini onions; and Grilled Smoked Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp, chick pea puree, calabrian peppers, mint
Review: While I'm a big fan of arancinis, this one was a bit disappointing, lacking in bountiful flavors although fulfilling promises of deep-fried rice. The carpaccio was definitely flavorful, but a bit too salty for my tastes, with competing flavors of aged beef and intense truffle flavor. I always prefer my truffle flavor a bit mild and freshly shaved, not enveloping every last bite. The shrimp, although beautiful, was a task to consume, with the head and tail still attached, just not a preferable presentation in my book.

Second Course:Artichoke Ravioli, provolone cheese, brown butter artichoke broth; Roasted Chicken Breast Salad, local apples, celery, hazelnuts, pecorino cheese, bibb lettuce; Nonna Zanella’s Gnocchi, braised lamb, tomatoes, rosemary, parmesan
Review: I think the surprise here was the chicken "salad". The plate came to the table with a huge hunk of chicken bedded next to a lump of cabbage. While roasted to perfection, it was an interesting presentation and preparation of a "salad". The ravioli was beautifully plated with roe added great color to a normally beige pasta dish. The gnocchi with braised lamb is what won me over, with soft gnocchi paired with the marinated braised lamb, this dish was both hearty and flavorful.

Third Course: Bombolini, custard filled doughnuts, chocolate dipping sauce; Panna Cotta, vanilla, citrus & mint salad, crispy “crepe”; Café Espresso, baked chocolate custard, espresso merginue,
vanilla gelato
Review: I had higher expectations for the bombolini, as many food critics predict the cupcake craze to be replaced with a passion by beignets. The pana cotta was a great selection to be followed by a heavy meal, with the creaminess not overtaken by the fluffy flan-like textures. The cafe espresso was the boldest of the desserts, with such rich chocolate and espresso bean flavors.

The Room: I had no idea this gem was hidden away in this space. Seemingly appearing dark and draped from the outside, the inside was surprisingly large with great open spaces, making the dining experience feel as if in a large outdoor garden. Despite the large space, the room provides a balanced atmosphere which could be great for shared business conversations during lunch, or even romantic nothings whispered over dinner before a show.

Cupcake Craze

It's mid-afternoon. The Loop feels dead, as almost half of it's workforce is celebrating "Veterans Day". One could use a sugar pick-me-up. Enter: Flirty Cupcakes on Wheels, the food truck delivering scrumptious cupcakes to office drones in need (ie. the likes of me).

Last time they pulled up in our neck of the Loop, I scarfed down so many, that my stomach and head we're angry with me for a good two days. But that's a sacrifice worthy of such sugar fix. So this time, I practiced extreme self-restraint. I watched a friend purchase hers, and dolefully drooled and watched. Without purchasing any. What has taken over this glut?

Enjoy my photos above!

Cravin' that Cupcake,
♡M

Lauren Launch

[GASP] is my forehead really this big?

I was recently mailed (what? snail mail still exists?) an invitation to attend the launch of Ralph Lauren's new handbag collection Lauren, which I almost threw out until I read the words FREE CHAMPAGNE. So of course I:

1. called and rsvped
2. called dear friends m and c to join
3. make friends with the server upon arrival who was in charge of the champagne tray that night


Being in Macy's the event was a bit shabbier than I assumed it would be, and welcomed in lots of (smelly) people from the street who wanted in on the free champagne (much like me).

purses and champagne, this grown-up girl's Thursday night

The event was a bit diappointing, and teh appetizers were beyond gross, but m, c and GwG (aka me) enjoyed the abundance of champagne, and the opportunity to get psychic readings.

psychic: ohhh... your aura is yellow.
m: uhh...  but i hate yellow...

psychic:  your aura reads that... the suede lauren handbag over on that top shelf would best fit your spirit
c: uh... thanks. But my spirit doesn't need a new $200 bag...

psychic:  your spirit is very, very close to the earth. you are an earth mother... you are more attune to this earth than others
GwG: really? I eat a lot, maybe that's why you're getting that reading? I eat lots of food from the ground? Oh wait... that didn't come out right....


Apparently there's new art in block 37? I'm loving the pop-up art loop revolution, I really think it does stop people in their tracks and draws people into inhaling and observing the arts.

Fall Festivities

Chicago weather is cooperative today, a playful tease before the impending chilling colds. But being a true Chicagoan, we must put that at the back of our minds, to complain about later.

There are only a few more days left of the Farmers Markets in the Loop, so I made my way over and traveled through narrow aisles of gourds and herbs to make my favorite purchases... HAPPY BUTTER. For $5 a piece, I picked up a buttery brown pumpkin butter for me and a honey sprinkled cashew butter for +1. mmmm.... I can't wait until morning to bust out some toast with pumpkin butter (and maybe a little fig jam?), my stomach is excited with anticipation!

Again, iPhone photos :(  i must remember to carry around my Olympus!

p.s. check out the pumpkins on a stick!

Dining on Diamonds

For lunch today, I made my tasty choice at the Jewelers Mall on Wabash. Uhh.. what? Apparently there's an awesome falafel place hidden inside the Jewelers Mall, and once I heard, I knew I needed to make my way there.

Wait, what? No, really. You enter into the Jeweler's Mall and walk past aisles of glistening gems to find this hidden lunchtime GEM. Get it? GEM amongst GEMS? har har har... [I know I'm so lame]

Here's what I saw from Left to Right from where I was sitting. (Next photo assignment: learn to take cool panoramic photos... and remember to bring camera everywhere so I don't have to resort to taking lame ass iPhone photos....)

Mister: "Yo, you takin' mai phOtO?!"

Still perplexed? I swear I'm not lying when I say you have to walk through the jewelry aisles!

Stolen a la YELP

AWESOME.

Diamond lusting,
Your GLUT who's gaining a gut