1,000 places to see before you die...

I went to one of these places tonight, thanks to my friend Chris!! She is too much fun...

Evanston in the rain...

I spent part of my day in Evanston (Home of Northwestern University) with one of my girlfriends today. Aside from the drizzle of rain, it was quite a lovely and relaxing way to spend a Saturday. Even the drive to Evanston is nice...winding about on Lake Shore Drive onto Sheridan...through Rogers Park into Evanston. The main reason we went was to eat at the Dixie Kitchen. When I miss home, I tend to indulge in the culinary treats of the South. I had Seafood Cakes with Cheese Grits and Greens. YUM! Then we wandered around to the different shops...namely Bookman's Alley. Bookman's Alley is a lovely used bookstore and a highly recommend it to any "libraphile" (if there is such a word). We ended up at Ethel's Chocolate Lounge, sipping hot chocolate and catching up on anything and everything. Yes...quite a lovely day :)

White Sox! White Sox!

I went to my first White Sox game last Saturday. I'm completely infatuated with Scott Podsednik(Pods). Aside from my schoolgirl crush, the game was terrific. U.S. Cellular Field (the "Cell", Comisky, etc) is a great place to watch a game. As well, to be able to watch a World Championship team do what they do best...amazing!

Also....gotta love a big polish sausage and beer!

Tulips and Sunshine

It is finally spring in Chicago. Tulips are lining Michigan Ave. The city population appears to have doubled with people emerging from hibernation. Outdoor seating is readily available at many restaurants. The Wendella Boat Tours are starting up again. Most importantly, it's Baseball season!!!

This is truly the best time of the year to be a Chicagoan!

Happy One Year Anniversary!

It is my one year anniversary of moving to Chicago. Wahoo!

A year in review...

- Met lots of great new friends
- Went to many pub crawls
- Rode almost every line of the eL (except the Yellow line) and too many bus lines to name
- Found my escape place (Evanston)
- Survived a Chicago winter (it was mild this year though)
- Went to lots of Cubs games
- Ate an Italian Beef sandwich and a Chicago style hotdog
- Survived the heat of the Taste of Chicago and the gluttany of the Southside Irish parade
- Memorized the city street layout
- Gave someone directions on the street
- Volunteered at the Chicago Children's Museum (ongoing)
- Found a favorite bar(s)

All in all, a pretty good year. but fate would have it that my time here could be limited. What am I --a nomad??