OH HAI FISHIES

FINALLY got in on a free day at Shedd Aquarium. Went early too, so the loud school children weren't there for most of it.




Australian Rock Lobster...dinner for 3 I think


Coolest kids on the block




I found Nemo.


Slick looking place they got there.

Forging ahead

I'm probably loving life a little too much, but if it kills me then I'm just going to die very, very happy.

My cousins Hutch and Laura were in town a few weeks ago with Henry and Honor, and I met them for lunch at Ed Debevic's. It's a diner where the waitstaff is rude to you. I didn't find them that rude, if anything just a cliche sarcastic. Can't say it was that entertaining, but I suppose it's an experience.

My roommate had purchased a Groupon for a tour at Lynfred Winery, so we had a tasting there. Their blueberry wine was delicious.


I dyed my hair black again, my "winter" color. Mother hates this, but I get a good reaction from the masses usually. And as with anything, it will eventually fade.


Chicago also had this amazing thing called "Baconfest" and I don't even know where to begin. They had a dinner at one of my favorite restaurants here, and I happily attended a 5 course bacon-centric meal of epic proportions. It doesn't hurt that they've also recently hired a new chef who is from Baton Rouge. This is his chocolate bread pudding with candied bacon, citrus anglaise, and pecans.


There is not enough time in the day to show you all of my amazing adventures and all the good food I've had, but know that I am having a great time.

Be back later

I'm sorry I don't update this better. While I do not have a job in Chicago, I do appear to have a life.

The Weekend, in pictures

On Friday night we went out for some karaoke. I didn't sing though, I just took pictures.

Here's Luke, our Polish friend, singing Gangsta's Paradise


On Saturday we headed to a Chicago Fire game against DC United.


On Sunday we went to a pumpkin patch. We ate yummy corns!


Time to pick out pumpkins!


I picked this one. It's short and fat and has two dents on the other side like it was punched in the face. Twice.

Polska! Polska!

Last weekend my parents were in town. I also attended the USA vs Poland soccer game.

Row 6.


I made nice with the Polish Jersey Shore sitting in front of us.


Apparently Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw so there was plenty of support for both teams.


It ended on a tie, 2-2.


While my parents were here we walked to the Lake, ate out for some Mexican, had burgers at Harry Caray's Tavern, took the L downtown to see Millennium Park, picked up some gourmet popcorn from Garrett's, and eventually ordered a deep dish pizza. It was lovely having them, I can't wait to have them back! (even if I did get really drunk and stay out late and then sleep most of the next day).

Yummy things that are different in Chicago

Cheese fries. In my experience, cheese fries means making some fries, covering them in shredded cheese (usually cheddar), and then putting them under the broiler to melt it a bit. In Chicago, cheese fries means making some fries, and covering them in processed cheese sauce or providing processed cheese sauce on the side for dipping. This is not some horrible idea, but it is not what I'm used to, and from a flavor standpoint not my preference. I like my nacho cheese on nachos, not on fries. So if I ever get a craving for cheese fries, I'll essentially have to make my own.

Queso. I'm a girl who would have been happy to live off of chips, salsa, and queso. When I say "queso" I mean the melted cheese in a bowl, typically mixed with salsa/pico de gallo/etc so that it's somewhat spicy, and you get to dip all your chips in it and gain 500 lbs. Here, queso refers to melted cheese, but not the dipping kind. It's melted, but not runny, and you are supposed to wrap it in tortillas to eat it. This queso existed in my previous life as well, Ninfa's and Serrano's both serve these wrapping quesos, with additive choices such as chorizo, crawfish, and fajita meat. When I worked at Serrano's I always loved when people ordered the quesos, because we got to mix them and roll them tableside for the customers, and I thought that was fun. But what is not fun is that dipping queso does not appear to exist here. I do not understand why Chicago chooses to ignore the amazing greatness that is dipping queso. And people are welcome to argue that it's not "authentic" but I've eaten at many an authentic Mexican place and still been offered the option of dipping queso. Give the people what they want!

Back to the drawing board

Remember that job I had gotten? Well, Mr. Economic Crisis decided to step in and convince the company they needed a hiring freeze, which freezes me out. They still want me, but they can't have me til January, and I can't wait til January for income. So the process begins again...