Singin’ in the Rain Sunday

adminblogs, cnn news, Grahamwich, Hunter Boots, lazy Sunday, Luna Bell, purple wellies. NCAA Tournament, Ramshackle Glam, Ryan, sleeping in, The Vie Society, Uncategorized, web logs%s Comments

This rainy Sunday morning has consisted of:

  • Sleeping in- definitely the latest I have in months
  • Staying in bed even longer playing with Luna Bell
  • Pouring a second cup of coffee even though it is past noon
  • Coming up with a plan to save the world as Ryan and I watched the news
  • Getting off our high horse and changing channels to watch basketball instead
  • Catching up on some of my favorite blogs.

Between the lazy morning, the rain and the concept of the first day of Spring, I’m feeling, well, a whole lot better.

My purple wellies are by the door, just begging me to go splash in some puddles.  Perhaps on the way to Grahamwich?

Happy Sunday!

 

Grahamwich Lovewich

adminChicago Dining, foodie, gourmet sandwiches, Graham Elliot, Grahambulance, Grahamwich, laughter, River North, Ryan, sammies, true love, truffled popcorn, Uncategorized%s Comments

I’ve said it once (the first time I went there), I said it again (the second time) and I’ll say it again right now: Grahamwich is a marriage of flavors in my mouth.

I’ve always loved a good sammy but chef Graham Elliot’s gourmet sandwich venture takes it to another level.  This cash-only River North shoppe offers a chalkboard menu with 8 wildly creative sandwiches, sides (pickled seasonal veggies!  truffled popcorn!) and a long, communal table.  The communal table inevitably leads to perfect strangers gushing over their food together.  Trust me- been there, done that.

Ryan and I may have laughed all the way down Ontario about my “marriage of flavors” comment but every Grahamwich stop I make absolutely justifies that statement.  The Turkey Confit with candied yams, stewed cranberries and sage mayo was unbelievable and I thought I would love it forever but then I had the Smoked Whitefish.  Perfection.  And don’t even get me started on the Truffle Popcorn.  Or the Salted Caramel Apple Pie Frozen Yogurt.  Or the homemade soda…  Or…

You get the point.

Oh and word on the street (literally) is that a Grahambulance (!!!) is in the works: a delivery VW van bringing sammie joy to the people.

So much love for Grahamwich.

(photos via metromix)

Snowiest February in Chicago’s Recorded History

adminChicago, Chicago River, Columbus Street Bridge, Lake Shore Drive, quiet moments, Ryan, Snowfall, Uncategorized, walking%s Comments

Yesterday was the day February 2011 won the prize for most inches of snowfall on record, beating out 1896 by 3 inches.  The dusting we got overnight made everything white again so even if more snow was not on my high list of wishes, it did make the city look very pretty.

When I called Ryan on my way home from work, he was only a few blocks ahead and offered to wait for me to catch up so we could walk home together.  What a doll.  I snapped this picture from the Columbus Street bridge.  What I love about it is that is doesn’t look like we’re in a city; it looks like we were in the middle of the woods, entirely alone.  But right next to that white path is a river and tall buildings and a busy highway.

I think that might be my favorite thing about Chicago- so many quiet moments in the middle of the hustle and bustle.

Finito

adminBlue Skies, Grahamwich, Luna Bell, Ryan, Trader Joe's, Uncategorized, West Elm%s Comment

I’m not usually a complainer but I am so over January.

26 hours to go and this month is finally ovah.

Between the cold, busy (but not with the fun stuff) weekends, the cold and just way more hum-druminess than I prefer, I am more than happy to kick January to the curb.

In the spirit of counting our blessings instead of sheep, here are some things that are making me smile all the way into February.

My man and my cat: (I act like I hate that Luna Bell loves R more than she loves me nowadays but secretly, I kind of love that she is his incessant little shadow).

Blue skies beyond the bare branches:

Delicious meals with equally delicious friends (photo via Tango Sur, circa NYE):

Winter Trees glasses that make salute even sweeter:

Grahamwich: (I may or may not have said there was a marriage of flavors in my mouth after R and I stopped in for a sammy on their opening weekend)

(photo via MetroMix)

…Hot yoga for heating up sub 20 degree days

…Trader Joe’s 99cent whole wheat pizza dough, perfect for making healthy homemades AND breadsticks

…Filiberto, the amazing Italian who led my study abroad program (circa sophomore year of college), finding me on Facebook and thus, reigniting my desire to plan a trip back to the motherland.  Immediately.

Ahh.  Ok, into February we (almost) go.

BF/GF Holiday Adventure Night: Christkindlmarket Edition

adminbf/gf adventure, Christkindlmarket, Christmas Tree, Daley Plaza, German, German Market, Ryan, spiced wine, The Loop, Uncategorized%s Comments

On our last night in Chicago before heading to Michigan for the holidays, Ryan and I bundled up and tromped off to the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza (I say tromped because have you seen my boots?  The only thing to do in them in tromp!).

The Christkindlmarket recreates a traditional German market right in the Loop.  Spiced wine, streudel, old fashioned German goods for sale and lots of weinerschnitzel abound.  The Christkindlmarket is one of my favorite holiday activities; buy a steaming hot cup of the spiced wine, wander around looking at everything for sale, select a new ornament for the tree and nosh on some potato pancakes with applesauce.

The tree is really great this year.  I heard on the news that it is actually one massive tree, cut down from a family’s farm out in the suburbs (or maybe further than that.  I don’t know if the suburbs here have farms- I don’t speak suburb).

Having just gotten done running before heading to the market, we held off on the weinerschnitzel and potato pancakes this year but we did have some spiced wine (gluwein, if you will) and enjoyed walking around the packed crowd.  It felt like the right, Christmas’y thing to do.

Oh, did you want to see my hat closer?  Early Christmas gift from Ryan, for the win!

Merry, Merry!

Ellen, Snow and Sweaters

admin12 Days of Giveaways, Caribou Coffee, Cloud Gate, Ellen, Festive Chicagoans, First Snow, Flag Sweater, Freezing, Ryan, The Bean, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Toes, Uncategorized%s Comments

Since last April, I have been an avid Tweeter (Twitterer?  Twittist?).  I follow my friends, random Broadway stars and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Today, Ellen tweeted this:

Ellen DeGeneres 

@TheEllenShow Ellen DeGeneres
“It’s on Chicago! Get over to The Bean with your most creative holiday sweater and Jeannie might have a huge surprise for you!”
I love Ellen, I love Chicago, I love that Ellen was showing Chicago some love and  I remembered that Ryan has an American Flag sweater shoved in a bin in our storage closet…why not go down to the Bean to see what was up?  So, I grabbed the sweater and my camera and headed to The Bean to see what was to be seen:

About 100 people, decked out in their holiday, err, finest.  Let’s just say that as fetching as I looked in a flag sweater that I pulled over the top of my winter coat, these people came stronger with their holiday sweaters.  And battery packs that powered actual lights strung on their bodies.  Ellen was taping her show in LA and came on to deliver a message to us about the contest she was holding:

Long story short, I did not win $10,000 tonight but I did see snow for the first time this year and I did get a Lite White Berry at Caribou when I could no longer feel my toes.  Oh and I got to hang out with some festive Chicagoans.  An entirely successful evening.

When these things go on in your backyard, you simply can’t not go see what the Ellen is going on.

Happy Birthday: Ryan Edition

adminbirthdays, Chicago, foodie, Happy Birthday, More cupcakes, Ryan, Uncategorized, Wow Bao%s Comments

Dear Ryan,

It’s your birthday and as you enter your 27th year, I wanted to let you know how much fun I had with you as a 26 year old and how great I think 27 is going to be.

In the last year, we’ve been on 3 planes together, road tripped to 3 weddings and explored the heck out of this city we live in.  We moved in together (!) which means we combined all of our “stuff”, painted walls and moved furniture around 50 times until our new apartment felt like home.  Remember coming home from vacation in Florida and how we realized that this place is home simply because we’re in it together?  Looks like we didn’t need to care about where the furniture was so much.

You, birthday boy, may be the funniest person I have ever met.  Thanks for making me laugh until my sides hurt.  Despite the fact that the Chicago Marathon filled up before you could register, you did every single long training run with me.  Thanks for being my biggest cheerleader- I couldn’t have done those 26.2 miles without you!

You love Wow Bao, More Cupcakes, and Luna Bell, all things that I adore.  You also love numbers, finance and leaving wet towels on the bed, all things I do not adore.  But I couldn’t have a better person in my life right now and I am super grateful to have you as my partner-in-Chicago, someone who is as big of a foodie as I am and will wander around this city with me for hours, just enjoying being somewhere we love with someone we love.

So, happy birthday, baby!  I hope you enjoyed your Bacon-Maple Cupcake.

Love,

Nina

Back.

adminChicago, Home, InStyle, projects, RealSimple, Ryan, The Island, Uncategorized, vacation, vince camuto boots%s Comments

This cabana is where Ryan and I spent the last 4 days.  We filled our time with really important things like reading magazines, swimming in the ocean, playing some ball game thingy I bought at Publix, swimming in the ocean, eating seafood and making cocktails.  Tough weekend, ya know?  It was fabulous and exactly what we needed.

Speaking of eating, Ryan taught me how to attack one of these guys during our dinner at a place known on the Island as “The Tiki Bar”:

I’ve had lobster before, I love lobster, but have traditionally been more of a tail girl so this was a first for me.  Dating a Marylander, a land where people are apparently obsessed with cracking open crabs, I can’t get away with pre-prepared shell animals anymore.

Having extended summer just one more weekend and relaxed more than I thought possible, I am back in Chicago and ready to take on fall.  I feel like I’m on project mode after having so much time to devour magazines and write and bounce ideas off Ryan all weekend.  I have all of these bare walls in our bedroom and I’m thinking of taking over one of them with this:

I love the idea of gathering my favorite photos and paintings, putting them in plain frames, throwing in a silhouette or two and creating a border of sorts.

I’m also loving on this ring (I do love a monogram), the InStyle Look of the Day app and I’m pretty sure these boots will eliminate any question of if I can wear black and brown together.

Like I said, way too many magazines were read this weekend…

Whether it’s back to school, back to work, back to whatever- I’m happy to be back in action in Chicago.