Happy Halloween!

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Unbeknownst to us, our new neighborhood goes all out for Halloween the Sunday before the actual day. It was a gorgeous day and when our friends texted that they were on their way to do some trick or treating with their little shark, it was a no brainer- we were in! And since I am on a work trip today and it’s apparently raining buckets in Chicago, I am super glad we to do a little holiday’ing on Sunday.

Happy Halloween!

Update: it is apparently raining everywhere- I left my hotel without even looking out the window and am now quite soggy. It’s pouring!

Link Love

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This colorful coat is perfect for the chilly weather that seems to be here to stay.

Or you could just warm up with a pumpkin old fashioned.

Isn’t this guerrilla wedding at the Art Institute the sweetest thing ever?

I cannot wait for our table at The Dawson in a few weeks- it is definitely my most anticipated restaurant opening of the year!

Every single one of these treats look amazing and make me wish I was hosting something for Halloween.

Speaking of treats, have you been to Dinkel’s? We went there on Sunday, it was packed, I had an outstanding pumpkin donut with cream cheese frosting and I think it’s probably best that they make my Thanksgiving pies instead of me.

Speaking of balance, I made a version of this kale and bean burrito tonight and it was the perfect mix of comfort food warmth and nutritious virtue, with the kale and all.

 

Wrigley Touring Saturday

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Did you know that for only $25, you can spend an hour and a half in Wrigley Field, learning its nooks and crannies and hearing about its 100 year journey? We had out of town visitors this weekend so we checked it out and the tour was awesome. Not only was our guide entertaining and super knowledgable but we got to see places that just aren’t open to the public on game days. To be clear: Wrigley needs a major reno. I was actually really surprised by how run down some parts were but it was really cool to get the opportunity to see the press box and players dugout & club house in what has got to be darn close to its original form.

Great photos of Wrigley in years past lined the hallway to the Press Box. Apparently, a ski jumping competition was once held on the field. And women’s baseball! I love A League of Their Own!

Inside the Friendly Confines are one of my favorite places to be and that helped make for a nice part of the weekend.

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No Ifs, Ands or Buts…

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No ifs, ands or buts, these kids got GUTS!

Don’t tell me you don’t remember that show. After realizing quickly that it was the Saturday night for celebrating Halloween (people milling around in costumes will alert you to that pretty quickly), this guy stumbled across our path on the way home from dinner. True, I only saw a handful of costumes on that block walk but he gets my vote for best costume- man, my dad and I LOVED Guts. So many great memories of the Agro Crag…

Call Your Grandmother

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I called my grandmother a few days ago, just to say hello and tell her I love her. I don’t do it often enough these days; I let my worry over if she can hear me or if she is having a clear day or, to be honest, being busy with my own things get in the way which I realized is entirely bullshit the moment she answered the phone. Just hearing her voice made me cry. Here she is, 96 years old, and asking specifically how my trip to LA was, how Ryan is doing, if we have settled in to the new condo…it is just amazing- I have zero expectation of her remembering anything, she’s 96 for crying out loud.

I think her voice has sounded the same since I was a child. It was so good to hear it. Her voice is something I don’t have to miss yet.

When I hung up the phone, I thanked God for my darling, thoughtful, kind hearted grandmother…and looked up to see this church. Noted: call (and tell!) the people you love if for no other reason than you love them.

2 Observations

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I have been in LA for around 5 hours and I have 2 observations.

1- The West Coast has ruined me for sushi. First Vancouver, now LA- it’s just so, so much better out here. Dinner tonight was unbelievable. Proximity to water and all, I suppose.

2- So. Many. Mirrors. I have never seen so many mirrors in my life. The restaurant, the hotel, the gym, every surface in my hotel room. I am watching TV into a wall made of mirrors and the shower? I just have never seen so much of myself in one day. It’s been all me, all the time and I feel like I get that plastic surgery stereotype- if everyone is surrounded like this, I can see why no one has their original nose.

Tomorrow is for trainings and some fun workouts so I am sure there will be more than 2 observations by end of day. Stay tuned.

Highlights

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Weekend highlights pictured include the biggest piece of lasagna in the world c/o Rose Angelis, receiving the first gift from our wedding registry, dinner at the Halloween’ified Hubbard Inn and turning our time at Bub City into a game night with a large side of singing country music at the top of our lungs (and of course, the fried pickles). Not pictured (what can’t be pictured, really) is how darn good it was to have some of our best friends in town for the weekend. It was a blast showing them some things we love about our city and nothing beats having face time with people you love. So whether it was catching up sitting in our living room while devouring pastries from Beatrix, belly laughing over tots and football at our favorite neighborhood bar or walking down the street talking exclusively in hash tags, it was one of my very favorite weekends. I wish they lived closer but I am so grateful for the in-person celebrating we got to do, even if the time went way too fast.