in which I whine

Monday marked my second full month of living in Chicago.

I'm loving this city; there's so much to do and see and eat and drink. but, if I told you it was easy to meet people and make friends here, I'd be lying. I find that I'm surprised by this, somehow. wherever I've lived, I've been surrounded by people I know, and have made a few random friends along the way. when I learned that we were moving here, I figured "oh, I've got blog acquaintances and there'll be a larger population of people our age, it'll be easy to make friends..." so far, not so much.

Rob's the social butterfly, and he's the one with the job. we hang out with his work buddies and their sig others a lot, which is great and they're young and fun and genuine. they're really cool, but I still sorely miss having a backbone crew of my own that I can see in person. of people that really get me. I haven't found anyone here yet that I can wander the aisles of Target with for no reason. or who know silly stories about me. or can read my expression well enough to know when I'm being sassy. don't get me wrong, I'm not shopping for Midwest versions of anyone out here, but I'm finding most relationships to be lacking something. everyone here is so damn nice, I'm still in search of a similarly sarcastic a-hole like me. sometimes, that gets old.

I'm fully aware that the power is in my hands. and that everyone I meet is a potential friend, and that I've gotta put myself out there and all that jazz. so what am I doing about it?! I'm working with two separate organizations as a volunteer, and I'm optimistic that something will come from it. firstly, I'm hoping that a relatively blank canvas will shed some light on learning about myself and what I want in a career. ideally, I'd also love to make some friends along the way. so aside from the warm n' fuzzies I'm getting by helping out, I'm trying my damnedest to introduce myself to people and get lost in those initially awkward 'getting to know you' small talk convos. my comfort boundaries are defintely being pushed upon, and I'm antsy for some results. that's where those two months come back in: am I being impatient? sure. did I think I'd be well on my way to friend-dom by now? yep. do I have any idea how to sit back and wait on things that are completely out of my control? ahhnope.

I know I have to give things time, and that it takes years to really feel like you're part of a community, but that's much easier said than done, amirite?!

hell, you can find anything in the world online...there should be a match-a-friend site or something. maybe it's my calling to create one...

erin go bragh

Kellie came out to Chicago for St. Patrick's Day, which was entirely fitting since we'd spent the holiday (yes...holiday) together in Dublin, Ireland three years ago. her trip was (too) quick, but we laughed like crazy, ate like fools, and I'm so so so glad she visited.

the eating and drinking began on Thursday afternoon with a pre-philanthropic-event-beer at some divey little New Englander bar on Armitage, followed by some tapas and sangria at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba. Rob and I had been for Restaurant Week, and ordered a handful of the same menu items, and branched out with baked goat cheese + tomato sauce and bacon-wrapped dates. first-timer Kel opted for the calamari and a chicken empanada - all with excellent excellent results. fat n' happy.

on Friday, Rob worked and Kel and I took a lonnnnnng run/walk down the waterfront trail and back through Lincoln Park before lunch at our fave pizza joint, Pequods. cabs were scarce all weekend, so by the graces of public transportation, we headed downtown to do a little shopping and found every. other. person. that decided to visit Chicago for the St. Patty's weekend. holy hell. we shopped quickly (read: got the hell outta there as fast as possible) and had a mellow dinner at home before whipping up some soda bread and hitting the hay.

it was dark when I got up on Saturday morning, since we'd already all agreed that it ain't a valid St. Patrick's Day if you don't eat a full Irish breakfast. we packed a few road sodas (read: homemade Irish coffees) and headed to an Irish bar downtown that we love. there wasn't a huge crowd when we arrived, but it definitely got more and more busy with each passing minute. breakfast did not disappoint. nor did the oh-so-cliche-but-come-on-you've-gotta-have-one green beers at 9am.

like everyone else in the city, we headed down to the River to check out the green glory. it's dyed using some chemical concoction that plumbers discovered and about 40 gallons of vegetable oil. would this fly in California?! methinks not. I'd seen a few photos from year's past, so I knew it would be a highly unnatural shade of green...it was even more fluorescent in person!

see that greenish/white line at the base of the buildings in the distance?! those aren't balloons or streamers...those are PEOPLE gathered along the bridges/riverbank. people. everywhere.

we stumbled upon a bagpipe crew warming up (Kellie: "how do you tune one of those things?!")

before: a murky brownish-green

during: tie-dyed

after: antifreeze-green

on the way to the River, we'd passed the Hard Rock Cafe's outdoor beer garden and scoffed at how unauthentic it would be to celebrate anywhere but an Irish pub. on our way back to our beloved Irish pub at 10:30a, we spotted the growing line and decided "hell - let's have a couple beers at the Hard Rock and be on our way". a couple beers turned into ALL THE BEERS, and other friends soon joined us. soaking up the amazing weather won out over the more authentic dark pub experience, and I've got the sunburn to prove it.

babies ... (turns out they were daughters of the owner, Jim)

the day ended gloriously: back to our place by 5pm, a skype check-in on Summer's surprise birthday party, a 2-hour nap, dogs + burgers + fries from FlubADubChubs, and the realization that we were much better off than the 99% of the people still drunkenly roaming the streets.

we all slept in a bit on Sunday and woke up miraculously hangover-free! since the weather was still so beautiful and we had some time, we wandered toward the lakefront again and watched part of a race along the trail. I was bummed that Kel had to leave so early (or at all!), and kept telling her to 'accidentally' miss her flight...no such (Irish) luck.

for the love of food: Taco Joint (02.20.2012)

Rob snagged a Groupon for tacos and margaritas at a place called Taco Joint, and we needed to use it or lose it. for a Monday night, the place was PACKED (other folks musta had the same soon-to-expire-Groupon). after a 20-minute wait, we were seated and ordered.

barbacoa (braised beef brisket garnished with cilantro & onion and roasted red jalapeno salsa): yum, spicy. I liked it, Rob didn't love the spice.

al pastor (marinated grilled chicken breast garnished with Serrano-pineapple pico and tangy tomatillo salsa): tangy is a good description for this one.

cochinita (Yucatan-style pulled pork garnished with pickled red onions and spicy habanero salsa): would definitely order this one again...holy cow.

arabe (grilled Puebla-style Lebanese-influenced taco with marinated pork loin and chipotle salsa, served on a Mexican style pita): yuuuuum.

estilo baja (Victoria Beer-battered tilapia garnished with a creamy-arbol cabbage slaw): pretty classic and tasty.

the margaritas + chips and salsa were pretty legit too. overall, the tacos were probabaly a bit spicy for Rob's liking, so we'd ask 'em to hold back on the sauces a smidge in the future. we haven't found much Mexican food here, so its nice to have a decent go-to.

for the love of food: Sepia (02.19.2012)

as part of Restaurant Week, we decided to check out some fancier spots that'd typically be too spendy for us to even want to consider. I watch Top Chef like its a job, and wanted to see what all the fuss was about over terrines and giant plates topped with a tablespoon of rich food. I'd heard good things about Sepia via various blogs, and snagged an early evening reservation on the first Sunday of RW. the restaurant was built in an old 1890s print shop, and actually features original flooring. its dark and cozy, and a modern-day printing company still uses the upstairs space.

cool tile

cocktails

r & r smash (templeton rye, carpano antica vermouth, cherry heering, brandied cherries, rosemary, lemon, old-fashioned bitters): so so good. I learned that templeton rye is a whiskey, and it was crazy-good with the brandied cherries and lemon. so good.

boston martha (magnolia & oolong tea infused michael collins irish whiskey, yellow enartreuse, honey, lemon, eggwhite, orange bitters): tea and whiskey was yummy. topped with frothy eggwhites, it made me think of a more mellow pisco sour. it was sweeter than the other drink, so it was fun to sip different drinks with different courses.

r&r smash ... boston martha

course one

cavatelli, duck sugo, grana padano: this was really really rich. and the portion teeny tiny. the sauce was light but creamy, and the the little pastas were like mini-gnocchis.

salad of fennel, blood orange, baby arugula, ricotta: when we scooped up a little of each component on the fork, this was yummy as hell. it was fresh and bright and really light.

course two

hot smoked rainbow trout, dill, apple, buttermilk: the smoke made me think of camping, and the apple + dill + buttermilk combination killllllllled it. the portion was generous, and the skin was crispy.

fig-stuffed pork tenderloin, sauerkraut, potatoes: bites with fig in 'em were deadly and juicy. the fig-free bites were less impressive, though I liked bites of pork and sauerkraut and potatoes. Rob was happy that we got more food in the second course, and the housemade bread and butter was awesome.

course three

chocolate port mousse, chocolate cake, meringue, almonds: hellllllo. little bites of marshmallow-y meringue with super-chocolatey cake, a light chocolate mousse, and candied almonds? yeah, I'd eat this again.

rose yogurt bavarian cream, coconut cake, dried fruit: so light and delicate, the coconut cake was almost like a souffle. the cream was delicious, and I could actually taste the rose (read: it tasted like roses smell...does that make sense?!)

overall, the food was tasty. rich. different than our typical fare. the drinks were pretty damn good. service was exceptional (to the point that the frequency of check-ins made Rob a bit uncomfortable). looking around, it seemed as though other young-professionals had the same idea, as no one really looked like they were 100% comfortable in the surroundings. they stored our coats in a heated closet, for God's sake. I don't think Sepia is a place we'll frequent, or really even visit again, but it was fun to try something fancy and new.

for the love of food: Cafe Ba Ba Reeba (02.18.2012)

we kicked off Restaurant Week at a little Spanish place that I'd heard lots about in the blog world. I was pumped, to say the least. Rob was excited that we'd be eating tapas, since he loves appetizer-style small plates. our prix fixe menu consisted of our choice of one pinxto + two tapas + one paella + one dessert from their extensive menu. our strategy (is there ever not one with us?!) was to order things we typically wouldn't if we were paying a la carte, so we kinda honed in on the most expensive options on the menu and really really got our money's worth at this place...

we chose...

classic white sangria: Rob prefers his drinks sweeter than I do, so we met halfway and chose this to drink. it was really good, and full of apples and oranges and lemons...

short-rib stuffed piquillo pepper: so, so good. they had a little kick to them, but not so much that Rob-the-anti-spice didn't like it. the short ribs just melted in our mouths.

ahi tuna poached in olive oil on avocado toast: these were mild and mellow, but still pretty rich. I would have liked a little more acid (listen to meeee, all TopChef-esque).

scallops, spaghetti squash, cranberry vinaigrette: these were amazing when all the parts were combined on one fork. I've not had much experience with spaghetti squash, but I'd really like to be its friend now. the cranberry pulled the saltiness out of the scallops and really made the dish cohesive.

beef tenderloin & blue cheese: Rob was hesitant to order these, since he doesn't care for blue cheese. in this case, it made the dish. tender meat + salty creamy cheese, served with housemade kettle chips...holy tastebuds, Batman.

spiced lamb kebabs with lemon, mint & tomato: these had just the right amount of spice, and the tomato sauce and torn mint highlighted the flavors. I love each and every one of these components separately, so slamming them together was awesome.

pork ribs, dry rubbed & sherry glazed: OH. MY. GAWD. these fell off the bone as soon as they touched our lips. the serving size was generous (5 decent-sized ribs, if I remember correctly) and the glaze was perfect.

paella with shrimp, sea scallops, mussels, green beans & cherry tomatoes: of everything we tried, this was the least exciting. I'm not exactly obsessed with paella in the first place, and I'm certainly no expert...but this dish was a little bland/flat. we still did our best to polish it off, though!

dulce de leche with tres leches cake: you could smother my hand with dulce de leche, and I'd probably be willing to chew off my hand. for realz. this was so rich and sweet and terrific, and the tres leches cake was a perfect 'background' for it.

pistachio olive oil cake with marinated oranges: Rob was initially drawn to the banana ice cream, but swapped his order to this at the last second, and it was incredible. the olive oil cake was super moist, and the macerated oranges were the perfect balance of sweet and tart. the marinade wasn't overly sweet, which I was grateful for.

overall, I love love LOVED Cafe Ba Ba Reeba. we left with full tummies and looking forward to our next visit. the menu was long, and I can't wait to try more. all of the pics that I took came out too dark :[

(sidenote: our friends Chris and Jen took us to another tapas place up in Wrigleyville on Saturday night...so unreal. I can't choose a favorite just yet...I'll have to go try 'em again)

weeks 1 & 2

week 1:

after our eventful flight out, we got to spend a little time feeling like squatters as we lived out of suitcases. our stuff wasn't scheduled to be delivered until the following Wednesday, so Rob and I hit the gym on Saturday morning in efforts to get into some sort of rhythm. our little gym has awesome Fly Yoga classes, so I anticipate we'll become regulars in no time. our first big night out as Chicagoans followed after, with awesome burgers (and tots!!) at Cortland's Garage (I highly recommend the Cortland Street) and the Burwood Tap for an all-you-can-handle wristband event.

the next week was a blur of cardboard and delivery people. its unreal how long it takes to unpack and organize and feel settled. I'm still working on it.

since he worked a lot that week, Rob was off early on Friday, so we took advantage of the opportunity to check out Toro Sushi, a highly-recommended sushi joint where the wait is long and the rolls worth it. its a BYOB place (so many around here - love.) and we showed up right when they opened up for dinner and were seated right away. SO. GOOD. for my own future reference: we tried the MJ, yellow submarine, park west, crazy horse, spicy salmon, and kamikaze rolls...amazing.

week 2:

the next weekend kicked of Restaurant Week, for which we had f.i.v.e. different reservations (to be detailed in a separate post). workouts were a bit fewer and further between during the week, but our tastebuds were beyond satisfied. since the restaurants offered prix fixe menus, our wallets weren't too irritated either! we got to try some awesome restaurants that're typically out of our price range, which was really fun.

Rob worked from home on Friday, so we rented a car for a quick n' snowy 4-hour adventure to IKEA for some 'storage solutions'. our little place is starting to come together, though I won't be posting any pics until I'm happier with the progress.

this week, I'm planning to go out and get lost in our own little part of the city. you'll be shocked to learn that I've been a bit...fixated...on getting settled and feeling like we're ready for company (our first guests arrive on Friday - yaaaay!), so I'm hoping to get out and a bout a bit more...

made it...barely.

so I've been here almost two weeks, and its borderline pathetic that this is my first post. we got all of our things last week, and internet last Friday, so its been a whirlwind of cardboard in these parts. but let's start at the beginning of this little journey, shall we?

I had the pleasure of flying out with KaliLou from Oakland airport. to say I was nervous would be the world's biggest understatement; I was petrified. you'll be shocked to learn that there were a few spreadsheets about the medication plan, the trial run, and timing on gameday. after the moving company packed up the boxes and all the tearful farewells were exchanged, Kal and I made our way to the gate, where we met up with an entire squealing gymnastics team...so that was fun. the monster was not happy. I was nervous about over-dosing her and equally anxious about under-dosing, and her adrenaline levels were high, so I tried to give her a little medical boost to put her at ease before boarding...

once on board, the fine residents of greater Oakland found any and every chance to complain about the cat. I understand that people have allergies, and had even asked the ground crew how I should proceed and where I should sit for the least disruptive experience for everyone on board. the other passengers were not at all accommodating or even respectful. they acted as if I'd brought on a plague, and weren't even willing to move seats to make things easier for themselves. they just wanted to bitch and moan and complain and make my experience (even more) difficult.

after some elevated stress, the flight attendants came to my rescue and mercifully didn't make me deplane, instead opting to stash KaliLou in her carrier in the wheelchair compartment in the back of the plane. air circulates from front-to-back and out, so allergies wouldn't be bothered so much. I would be allowed to check in on her periodically, and it would be cool and dark to help keep her calm...or so we hoped.

about 45 minutes into the four-hour flight, a flight attendant came to get me. Kal had been pacing in frantic circles in the carrier and her low howl was growing louder. we propped the door open, and I petted her through the small zipper to calm her down. once I was instructed back to my seat to wait out a bit of turbulence, I zipped 'er up and closed the compartment door. shortly thereafter, I heard the third flight attendant gasp because THE GD ANIMAL HAD BROKEN OUT OF HER CARRIER AND WAS TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE COMPARTMENT. tears. so many frustrated, embarrassed, fearful tears. I was certain they'd land the plan in rural Nebraska and ask us to leave and I'd be stuck in the wrong state with a pissed-off beast in a busted cage. the little bugger had used her nose to open/split the zippers (she's irritatingly smart.) and decided she still wasn't happy and an escape was the solution. I literally wrestled her back in the carrier, zipped it up, and tried my best to calm her. if that all wasn't enough, keep in mind how small the rear galley of a plane tends to be...and where the lavatory is located. terrrrrrrific.

things were...not going well. her adrenaline levels were too high, and the medication was no help in keeping her mellow. another flight attendant came back with a four-foot long, three-inch wide strip of what she called "nuclear tape" and suggested that we wedge some cocktail napkins in the door and tape it shut, so Kal could see/hear what was happening outside the compartment and keep her contained. after experimenting with the strength of the tape, I conceded and hoped for the best. we still had 2 hours left in the air, and I was beyond stressed. the flight attendants were so unbelievably helpful and kind, and even strongly suggested that I have a cocktail to chill out. I could see the compartment from my seat, and watched as Kal made snowflakes out of the napkins, but the tape thankfully held...

a windy landing had me sending subliminal messages to the little monster to lay down and stay calm. I have never felt so helpless and incapable in my life. after landing, we waited for the other (evil) passengers to deplane and brought up the rear. I'd texted Rob that we'd be the last off and he'd probably see the checked luggage before he saw us, so I'd meet him at baggage claim. our eyes met from the top of the escalator, and I burst into tears again. I was exhausted. Kali was exhausted. it felt like it'd never end...

we quickly poured into a cab and headed to our new little pad, with Kal whining periodically but happier that she should see/smell/feel Rob. rehashing the slightly-traumatic events of the flight brought a fresh new wave of tears...not quite the homecoming welcome I think Rob'd hoped to provide. we stumbled up our new stairs, through our new door, and let the beast out of her carrier. she sniffed around quickly, but because her adrenaline levels were dropping, the medication hit her suddenly ... drunk as a skunk. ironic as hell, ain't it?!

I still had a good deal of adrenaline coursing through my veins and was still upset, so I didn't sleep well. Friday night? slept like a l.o.g.

(sorry for the lack of pics - who'd want to have documented this strange torture, anyway?! pics to come in other, more pleasantly-themed, posts...)