Weekend Notes

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Avec

Friends, food, food, friends. That was the cadence of my weekend and you will be hearing no complaints over here. Because bacon wrapped chorizo stuffed dates at Avec.

CH Distillery

And a nightcap at CH Distillery.

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And a chocolate cream pie that changed my opinion about chocolate cream pie at Bavette’s. Usually, it’s just my husband and I so after the glory that is Bavette’s seafood tower, steak, chicken, and corn (why is that corn so good, someone tell me), we can’t even look at dessert but that’s the benefit of having friends in town who are dessert people- insistence on dessert.

Related: dessert people are the best people.

Also related: can everyone we love and adore spending time with please move to Chicago? Thanks.

Not pictured: fried pickles for lunch at the Butcher’s Tap, drinks and apps at Gilt and the egg sandwich I needed from the Eastman Egg Company truck that was basically parked outside of my front door on Sunday. Like I said- friends, food, food, friends.

Which brings us to tonight:

veggie soup

Vegetable soup as far as the eye can see. #balance

Aside from the really wonderful meals, this weekend left me so full of everything I love about life- time spent with our people. Old stories, new stories, laughing, listening, future, past. That connection feeds me and can’t imagine a life without a table between us sharing all of that…and dessert.

32nd Annual Music Box Theatre Christmas Show

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Music Box Marquee

Walking by as the marquee was changed at the Music Box Theatre reminded me that I need to get tickets for the annual Christmas Show. Sure enough, they went on sale on Monday. December 11-24th, The Music Box has showings of It’s A Wonderful Life and White Christmas that include a singalong with Santa in their gorgeous, historic theatre and it’s even better than you might imagine. My mom, husband and I went for the first time last year and let’s just say we won’t be caught without bells this time around.

Snag your tickets now-this is a whole thing and they go quickly. You won’t regret it and it’s worth mentioning that there is a bar should this much Christmas cheer require a cocktail.

Another Lap Around the Sun

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IMG_0551

It was my birthday on Tuesday and last night while I was laying in bed, I got to thinking about the previous year. I heard once that some years are questions and others are answers and while 30 was definitely a year of questions, the answers that did exist were alarmingly…strong. The terms ‘hell yes’ and ‘fuck no’ come to mind; I find that the older I get, the more clearly things fall in either of those buckets. Not “oh that could work” or “maybe” or “I’m not sure”…it was a year of visceral reactions, hell yes/fuck no and I either moved forward full force or in the opposite direction.

So that’s something.

I think this is where I’m supposed to list the things I learned this year but more than anything what 30 gave me was assurance about my priorities.  I know for sure that I am more in love with my husband than ever. That my close relationship with my family is both my roots and my wings. That this unlikely and incredible tribe of women in my life who are flung all over the country are the most essential personal board of directors that I could ask for. I know for sure that nothing in my life works unless I am healthy, comfortable and active. And that my time and resources must be prioritized in accordance with these things I know for sure.

And I also know that I am grateful for every year the good Lord wants to give me and am gladly welcoming being 31.

Weekend Notes

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Halloween Leaves

If you grew up in the Midwest, Halloween was the one day a year when you were convinced your parents were trying to ruin your life. Terrible weather was a guarantee and in trying to make sure you didn’t get, I don’t know, pneumonia, your costume got stuffed under a snowsuit/raincoat over your costume making it impossible for anyone to know that you were a gypsy/witch/Scarlett O’Hara (for example). As it was pouring down rain on my walk to workout on Saturday morning, I thought about this and how twenty-some years later, Halloween still means layers protecting you from the gross elements but I was decidedly less mad because it’s a fun memory and I was listening to a good Halloween playlist.

LB Halloween 2015

Our cat Luna Bell was a hero in a half shell for Halloween. No American Short Hairs were harmed in the making of this photo- LB was a purry little kitty while putting it on and after shimmying out of it, she promptly rolled inches from where Ryan was sitting for some more attention.

2015 Pumpkin

My mom always made holidays such a happy time for me when I was a kid and when carving this pumpkin on Saturday, I was instantly transported back to standing on one of her kitchen chairs because I was too short to scoop out the insides. However, not actually being a kid anymore meant I got to admire this year’s handiwork while sipping a Blood & Sand cocktail which seemed fitting for the holiday. As did my “Go Green, Go Halloween” themed pumpkin- Spartan pride knows no bye week.

Nov 1 2015

 

And just like that, it was November 1st and 70 degrees- a complete 360 from Saturday. Again, if you live in the Midwest you know what a miracle yesterday was and were outside the entire day like we were soaking it up. Being able to eat outside anytime after Labor Day is the biggest treat in Chicago which meant we were basically obligated to get bloodies and burgers at Crosby’s Kitchen to marvel at our Fall luck.

Happy Monday, friends. There are sunny days and warm temps ahead this week which means the “it’s not snowing yet” luck continues so lets keep the enjoying every second train going, shall we?