Chicago: Love-Hate

It's hard to hate Chicago when it's gorgeously autumnal outside, with leaves changing color, painting the city of concrete a whole different array of hues.

via Glut with Guts, with Neighbor J

But I know that soon, the dreaded winter is coming. When hibernation becomes a life-necessity, and being social during the weekday (at least for me) is a bottle of wine and movies on the telly. It's dreadful, really.

I hope that once that feeling sets in, I take a look at this video, and remember the great things this city has offered me, and the incomparable memories I've been blessed with here.

My favorite memories of  Chicago? They're so varied and blurred, but below are a few of my favorite ups and downs.

• My first clear Chicago memory is when my friend Miko and I traveled into the city to visit SAIC and DePaul. We were so lost and confused, and had a great adventure from being lost and confused.
• My first day of college, when my parents just dropped off my stuff on the curb and waved me goodbye (typical middle child treatment). It was the first time I've ever had to handle everything on my own, including schlepping my own stuff.
• My first boyfriend, and getting to see the city through giddy puppy love eyes.
• My first heartbreak, and seeing the city through lovelorn eyes.
• Leaving to study abroad in Morocco (and later Budapest), hugging my parents goodbye, and walking bleary-eyed through the grand international terminal in O'Hare.
• Returning from abroad and seeing my parents at the airport. It filled my heart with so much love, every time.
• My first corner office, with the view of Navy Pier and the lake's clear blue water.
• Getting that diploma

via Glut with Guts

Sitting here appreciative of the opportunities I've had, and looking forward to the many more ahead.

Thanks, Chicago. Sorry for the love-hate.

Blizzarazzi 2011

What a wild whirlwind it's been these last few days! Chicago was hit with on of the worst storms it has ever seen, with cars still littered and abandoned all around the city.

Since I work for a great employer, we we're urged to leave as early as possible on Tuesday and brace ourselves for the quickly approaching storm. I stupidly decided the bus would be my best route home, only to realize once we we're in express mode that road conditions were the worst on Lake Shore Drive.

I'm so grateful to have made it home in one piece, as a bus not far behind mine ended up stuck on LSD, causing a delay and back up where people were stranded in their cars for more than five hours, some even more.

+1 stopped in for a second to make sure I was ok, and quickly went on his way before roads became blocked. I sat in my lonely apartment listening to the boisterous thundersnow howl outside my windows. I've never missed having roommates so much. I wish someone had been there to hold my hand and sing Broadway tunes to drown out the loud howls!

With such treacherous outdoor conditions, I had the next two days off of work. Now for those who know me, you know that eventually I want to be a freelance writer/copy editor, working from the comforts of home. I got a taste of the freelancer lifestyle the last few days, and was shocked at how much discipline and focus is needed! Instead of getting any work done, I watched mindless TV (when the power wasn't out) and cooked like a fiend, only interrupted by panicked work e-mails and calls.

On another note, thank goodness I don't work from home... I'd get so FAT!

SNOW DAY #.5 Menu:
Grilled Chicken and Mediterranean Pasta

SNOW DAY #1 Menu:
Breakfast Frittata w/ green onions, sausage and red onions
Southwest Mac and Cheese (from scratch!)

SNOW DAY #2 Menu:
Spinach Quiche
Sweet and Sour Pork

Oh man, I've never been more grateful for the indoor gym in my building. I was getting a bit stir crazy and feeling a bit heavy after all that cooking!

Wednesday, the storm finally broke. Neighbor J lives in a high-rise and texted to let me know that people were crawling all over the snow! We quickly got ready and ventured out into the catastrophic outcomes of Blizzard 2011. Struggling through 3 feet of snow in each step, we made our way to LSD which had been closed off to traffic (who would be driving in this madness anyways?). We joined the few brave ones and walked up and down LSD, something I'll probably never forget!

Oh man, I missed work greatly, but it was nice to be a "kid" again and play in the snow:

Tasty Thai Treasure at Tac Quick

Last night, I asked Neighbor J to join me for dinner. Although we live only 1.5 blocks away from each other, we hardly see each other these days, as we've both become consumed amidst work, school and etc.

Being the dictator I am, I gave Neighbor J three options: Falafel (my favorite), Ethopian, or Thai. Neighbor J loves Thai, so it came as no surprise when we began heading on over to a well known Thai staple.

Tac Quick's sleek interior

Tac Quick is pretty well-known amongst Chicago foodies, although I hadn't had a chance to visit until now. I was taken aback when we walked in, to see the upscale interior where most of Chicago's Thai places are bare minimum decor. Our waitress was super friendly as she beckoned us to our table.

Crab Rangoon

I usually don't order crab rangoon. I feel like a traitor Asian, for choosing a menu item that has become so Westernized. I read in many reviews, though, that this was the appetizer to get, so we ordered it. OH MAN, it was good. Tac Quick makes their crab rangoon with, get this... REAL CRAB. Not to mention, there was a subtle kick of black pepper adorning the gloop inside.

Gyoza

This picture was taken after Neighbor J quickly each ate one, as they came to the table pipping hot. The dipping sauce was the star of this dish, as it was thicker than just plain soy sauce, and had pepper afloat.

Pad See Eiw

Neighbor J got this crowd favorite, which was presented in the most artful manner I've ever seen for a Thai place.

Kuay Teaw Tom Yum Muu Sab

Now this is the key to really enjoying your Tac Quick experience, order from the secret menu. I ordered the Kuay Teaw Tom Yum Muu Sab, a delicious spicy and bitter soup filled to the brim with rice noodles, veggies and pork on pork madness.

Just because I liked it so much, a close up

Portions were huge for this $7.25 dish, I barely finished half!

And because I'm sure you're wondering what my dear friend Neighbor J looks like, 

Neighbor J

Tac Quick is located on the border between Wrigleyville/Lakeview and Buena Park, just a quick three steps south of the Sheridan redline stop. It's BYOB, so make sure you stop at Sheridan L Liquors first!


A Tasty Thursday Treat for YOU,
♡M

Me, You, and M Henry = ♡

Friday, I'm in love... with breakfast. hahaha Breakfast is the best meal of the day, and according to scientists it's the one meal where you can be a glutton and feel... less guilty about it.

M Henry
5707 N. Clark St.

The patio at M Henry

And SINCE breakfast is the MOST important meal and the best meal to indulge in, that makes M Henry the breakfast palace.

Last weekend, (after a long night of party-ing) Neighbor J was in need of a pick-me-up, and I... well I'm always along for the ride anytime breakfast is involved. As we're both still new to the neighborhood, we decided to come check out the plethora of breakfast options on Clark in Andersonville. I love the versatility of Clark in Andersonville, as it could be breakfast heaven if you want, lunch love, dinner dash, delicious dessert, or devilish drinks... your preference is catered to on this versatile street!

Back to  breakfast. M Henry is the best. When Neighbor J and I arrived, we were seated immediately since we had asked to be seated in their back patio. This was a real treat since the weather was still warm but breezy and not yet freezing cold. We were just one of a handful of people who chose to sit outside, but it was better than waiting in front for an hour to get a table!

COFFEE... NOW.....

I love drinking coffee on the weekends, since I rarely drink it outside of the office. M Henry made it especially a treat, as their coffee had a slightly nutty taste. Apparently both Neighbor J and I loved it, since we each drank four cups each. The busboy eyed our table the entire meal to make sure our cups never ran low.

The Rustic Peasant Quiche

Oh me oh my. This quiche, completes me. I know I say that about everything (apparently also proving I use the Jerry McGuire reference way, way, WAYYYYY too much for someone living in the now), but this quiche was amazing. A perfect blend of egg and cheese, packed with veggies I love (asparagus, sautéed leeks, shallots, applewood bacon, gruyere and lorraine swiss).

M Henry is quickly winning my vote as breakfast heaven.

Beggin' for more Breakfast,
♡M

weekend catch-up: 10.16.2010

Neighbor J and I spent a lovely weekend doing what neighbors do, pouring over our sad little apartments wishing for bigger, better places. So after a quick bite at the always amazing M Henry (review to come!) we made our way to target.

We lamented over the abundance of stuff we want and the lack of funds to provide for such. So we picked up a handful of items then we stumbled our way over to Gethsemane Garden Center.

Wow-EE! The place was so beautiful and Neighbor J and I ended up spending almost three hours there, pouring over potted plants and fresh flowers.

Flower Lettuce

Flowers in Bloom!

I bought a little lovely yellow flower for my window sill, which I've come to love already! More weekend updates to come.

Fresh Flowers Make My World Go Round,
♡M

Hunt and Gather, Gaztro-Wagon

Last night, I took Neighbor J on an adventure: Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we went. Or at least it seemed that way.

Neighbor J texted me and asked if I wanted to grab dinner. I had been RAVING about this awesome falafel joint humbly called, "Taste of Lebanon". Well before meeting up with him, I checked my tweetdeck, like the addict I am. A sign appeared from the trending gods, and on top of my recent tweets list, "@wherezthewagon Touchdown ravenswood metra stop."

Conversation ensues:
"Neighbor J, LOOK! The food truck is so close by!"
"Close by? It's like two miles away! And um.. a food truck?"

ㅎㅎㅎ the PR skills of my former life kicked in, and I was able to convince Neighbor J of the awesomeness of the food truck revolution and our impending NEED to be part of the trend.

SO off we went, dodging through foot traffic (aka maneuvering and jumping out of the way as the senior citizens of Edgewater sped toward us on their fast motorized wheelchairs), resisting alluring temptations (gelato, coffee/tea and, desserts galore of Andersonville's Clark street!), and going over and under the bridges of Ravenswood (aka the metra line).  Who knew the northside landscape could be so adventurous?


It felt slightly like what I imagine Geocaching to be like, using tweetdeck to navigate our way to foodventure finds. Wow, they should make a version of urban geocaching for food. Wouldn't that be awesome?


After being on the wrong side of the tracks for a while, we finally found....

Gaztro-Wagon We Found You!!!

Moments of silence took place, as Neighbor J and I devoured out sandwiches...

zee infamous Wild Boar Belly Sandwich

I ordered two sandwiches (one for me, one as a request for a friend I was meeting later) but... temptation took over, and I ended up eating half of each. I know.. I'm a bad friend. So in total I ate:

• 1/2 of the Wild Boar Belly: Blue Cheese, Date Jam, Romesco Sauce, and onions
• 1/2 of the Braised Lamb: Queso Panela, Apricots, Candied Walnuts, Padron Pepper

Man... was it good. The Wild Boar was delicious, containing all my favorite things, gooey oozey cheese, sweet jams (particularly date and fig for me!), and onions galore. YUM.


The Braised Lamb was equally noteworthy. As a love of all meats smoked, braised, and grilled, it was hard not to love the sweet sauce of the lamb, and the juicy tender meat. Sadly, I think the apricots were left out of my sandwich? I didn't get to taste any, and neither did Neighbor J. hmmm....


I can't wait to track down this truck again. I want to try their Fidel Castro (uhh.. hellO Manchego cheese.. one of my favorite hard cheeses) and their Duck Confit. MMMM.... 


Dreaming of my next sandwich,
Your resident, shameless GLUT

Not MY picture, but look how happy Chef Maroni looks!

Chicago Food Film Fest 9.24.2010

A bit belated, but updates from the Chicago Food Film Festival on Sept. 24, 2010.

Neighbor J and Friends from Purdue, Moi and neighbor J

As the first ever Chicago Food Film Festival, none of us were sure what to expect. One of us had read that it was an open door free for fall event, and warned us not to expect organization. I must say however, it was a very organized event and enjoyed by all of us!

The evening began with the opportunity to try foods of all sorts of food from around the Chicagoland Area.

fOOd~

We sampled pomegranate margaritas, cucumber martinis and lavish wines from Lush.Delicious braised carrots and beets from Harvest Moon Organics, an abundance of cheese from Jarlsberg Cheese, and fried foods galore (hellO cheese curds)!

The rushed reception of food was following with a screening of multiple short films focused on film.

Food Film Festival Founders George Motz and Harry Hawk

Each film was paired with surprise samples passed out during the film. From out comfortable seats we sampled: Deep Fried Orero, Cucumber Soda and AMAZING Hoosier Mama Sugar Cream Pies.

One of the films, Mr. Okra

And what better way to top off a fun fall evening of food, films, and friends than with some festive pumpkin spice ice cream. gaaahhhh... still drooling~

Bobtail Ice Cream's Amazing Pumpkin Spice

p.s. Did I ever tell you I love alliterations? I could wordlessly write these warming words all day....

Discovering the New Neighborhood: Round 1

As of late, I haven't been eating out much. Mostly due to an infliction of a skinny-wallet, and (far fetched) aspirations to becoming a skinny me.

Well I caved.

But hey!! Give me some slack, I'm in a new neighborhood and need to know what's out there!

On Tuesday, I joined two of my favorite North side neighbors E & J for dinner at That Little Mexican Place on Bryn Mawr. I must begin by saying how much I love this little street in my little neighborhood! While waiting (forever!) for J to join us after work, E and I ordered margaritas and scarfed down the pico de gallo and salsa verde at the table. DELICIOUS.. all three in fact! The margaritas were a perfect blend of not too sweet, and not too sour, with the perfect amount of fresh squeezed lime juice. And speaking of fresh, the chips came out so warm and toasty, paired with a delicious cilantro/garlic mix of heaven, that they refer to as salsa verde in the restaurant.

As we waited, I couldn't help but contemplate over ordering the table side guacamole. Everyone who ordered it had a look of content happiness on their faces.

I ordered the pork and pineapple tacos. Yum! The beans and rice were definitely not the best I ever had, but the tacos... oh my. They don't joke around when they say FRESH corn tortillas! The tortillas alone are reason to keep coming back to this place! I've never really been a fan of the corn, always preferring the flour kinds, but I think.. they've made a convert. And who doesn't love pineapple in any dish? (ps. i'm one of those weirdos who refuses to order anything other than pineapple pizza.. NO canadian pizza, just pineapple. YUM).

Anyways, a bit pricey, but this is quickly becoming my new little mexican cafe for margarita needs and salsa cravings.