Summer Send-Off

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Last night, we attended a cook-out at the home of friends in Lincoln Park.  We’ve spent several Memorial/Labor Days with them and I must say, I’m a sucker for the rooftop element to this gathering.

This Labor Day isn’t messing around with its “Hey, summer’s over!” message so it was an evening for sweaters over dresses and shorts, an evening that forced our hosts to bring out the patio heater when blankets just couldn’t cut it.  But it was also a night for burgers on the grill, 312, Molly’s Cupcakes and Garrett’s Popcorn.

 

(Note: Ryan and I were craving Garrett’s yesterday so instead of buying it for ourselves, we grabbed a bag to bring as a host gift.  It was a HUGE hit- after sharing a few handfuls with us, our hosts tucked it away to have for themselves today.  So, even if you live in Chicago, Garrett’s is a clutch host gift.)

Last night was the perfect send-off to summer- one last hurrah.  But if we’re being honest, I’m totally eyeing the sweater section of my closet and excited for the cool crisp days ahead.

The King Would Be Proud

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After a successful (and fast, might I add) Elvis is Alive 5k, it was time to sit on the grass, drink a 312, listen to an Elvis tribute band and mutter repeatedly “How gorgeous is it out tonight?” because it really, really was.

High five to Fleet Feet Sports for putting on another great race- these people know how it’s done and the Elvis is Alive 5k is one for the books.

Crab Cake Express

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The best thing about dating a boy from Maryland?  Crab cakes.

Okay, there’s lots of other things that make Ryan rock but you’ll have to excuse me- I just finished the most glorious, huge, meaty, to-die-for 12 ounce crab cake and I can’t think of those other reasons right now.  All I can think about is how I lived 25 years before having a real crab cake.  Our first Christmas together, Ryan had crab cakes from G&M, his favorite, sent to Michigan for my family’s Christmas dinner.  We were blown away and declared it a tradition right on the spot.

So imagine my delight when we received a big, dry-iced G&M box labeled “Crab Cake Express” from Ryan’s parents yesterday- an Easter gift!  So generous, so thoughtful, so very, very, very delicious.

You can take the boy out of Maryland but you can’t take Maryland out of the boy…and when it comes to crab cakes, thank God.

(Menu: G&M crab cake, sweet potato w/ brown sugar and green bean sauteed with EVOO, onion and tomato.  And a 312– gotta throw some Chicago in there too, of course!)