Tales of a Southern Gal...

Come visit my other blog!

2010-05-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

I may still post here from time to time, however--please visit me at my new blog!

http://twoprepsinapod.blogspot.com

New blog...

2010-04-26T17:39:00.000-07:00

I will still post on here but please also visit me (and my hubby!) over here

One gal's consigned skirt is another gal's treasure...

2010-04-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to rediscover an upscale consignment store near my work. Consignment stores take some work to weed through the ick to find the prize. Above is my latest prize. J Crew lavender pencil skirt. For $12. I kid you not. I silently yelped and hoped it fit, which it did.

I'm contemplating starting a fashion blog to help inspire me to remix my current wardrobe. I have worn the above J Crew skirt with the white Target ruffle top, Target lavender cardigan and the nude flats.

Update: I Polyvored this look below:

Spring @ Work by natylite78 on Polyvore.com

Target--Thank you for being a friend

2010-04-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

I am dedicating this post to my blogging friend Andie!

I would typically buy weekend and casual wear from Target. However, they have really stepped up their game this season! Below are some of my most recent purchases. Most are things that can be work or weekend. the style is classic and fun.

Target by natylite78 on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Women's Merona Collection® Yoselin Point Toe Flats - Tan : Target, $27 but my Target had for $13
Merona® Collection Women's Rina Top - Salmon : Target, $25
Mossimo® Black: Women's Racerback Bib Top - White : Target, $20
Merona® Women's Essential Cardigan - Lilac Shimmer : Target, $20
Women's Merona® Erina Thong Flat Sandals - White : Target, $20

Gator Soapbox

2010-04-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Yes I am a Florida Gator fan. I grew up a little more than 1 hour from Gainesville and the Gators have always been a part of my life. I was accepted to UF but ended up going to Rollins instead.

However, while Tim Tebow was a fine enough quarterback, I am so glad he has left UF.

The hype was exhausting. The bandwagon Gator fans were driving me insane. Tim is not the first nor the last great QB to walk into the Swamp. Shane Matthews, Danny Wuerffel, Jesse Palmer, Rex Grossman--all played in the NFL. Unfortunately, Gator QBs don't have the best of luck in the NFL.

The T-Bow shirts. The hero worship. Give the kid a break and let him relax!

Travel Art

2010-02-22T18:07:00.000-08:00

I love decorating with art that reminds me of trips I've taken. To no ones surprise, I love anything Chicago related. I'm debating between these two items for my dining area.

http://www.orkposters.com/chicago.html

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13773621&ref=sr_gallery_17&&ga_search_query=chicago+neighborhood&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

Thoughts?

Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for the bad first dates; the numerous broken hearts and crushes; the jobs I didn't get; the times I jumped first then looked later...for it brought me to where I am today. Wonderful husband, family, friends, a job I love and more than I could have imagine.

Happy Thanksgiving!

To the first man I ever loved...

2009-06-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

Dad, Thank you for the laughs and the quiet moments that I will treasure forever. I love you!!

Love, Me

Monogrammed Mania

2009-06-20T13:36:00.001-07:00

There was an unintentional theme for my trip to TJ Maxx today. Obsessed much? But I love them!!

My First Cake!

2009-06-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

I didn't get into cooking and baking until just a few years ago. I've made cakes before but always from a box mix! This was my first attempt at making an actual cake from scratch AND frosting it! The occasion was my hubby's birthday. The cake was Ina Garten's Coconut Cake. It was a project for sure, but the end result was tasty!!

Break up to make-up

2009-06-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

One of my fave Stylistic's songs! Okay this post has nothing to do with breaking up. However, thanks to Andie, it will be all about makeup! She posted about her typical beauty routine. I've been neglecting this blog so what a fun way to get back in the swing of things.

I always start with washing my face with Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser.

Then I moisturize with Philosophy's Hope in a Jar.

After cleansing and moisturizing, I start with Clinique Almost Power Makeup (Shade 134) with SPF 15.

Then I pull out my fun makeup palette from Sephora. Look at all this stuff I got for $32!! I typically use the eyeshadows but I try the lipcolor from time to time.

The next product is completely thanks to my wedding day makeup artist, Stevie. Love Nars blush in general. I used to wear Desire but I loved the natural flush or Orgasm (hehe, who doesn't love that??). I also use Bobbi Brown's Peony and a random bronzer from Walgreens when I'm feeling blah.

Ah....lips. I suppose some would say that I am blessed with pouty lips. However, I am always struggling with chapped lips. I was on a Burt's Bees Pomegranate lip balm for a while. I've gone back to an old favorite -- Mac's Tinted Lip Conditioner in Plum. I'm also a fan of Shiseido's Lip Gloss (with moisturizer) in Bare Berry.

Finally, I "spray and walk" Chanel's Chance Eau Fraiche. This was a gift from my hubby for our wedding day. I love it for spring and summer! In the fall and winter, I wear the original Chance by Chanel.

I would love to hear any of your product suggestions!

Menu Planning

2009-03-24T19:07:00.001-07:00

With all the time I'm NOT blogging, I've been menu planning. I work a pretty hectic schedule, so menu planning is the only way I can make sure the hubby and I aren't eating sandwiches every night (not that there is anything wrong with that, but I like variety!). I usually cook Sunday and Monday nights dinner at the same time. Just this past Sunday, I bought a pork tenderloin at the market. In the package, there is actually 2 loins.

For Sunday's dinner, I prepared one of the loins in a marinade comprised of lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. I marinated it for about 4 hours. This was served with roasted green beans and carrots plus some rosemary foccacia bread.

For Monday's dinner, I cut the pork into kebab size pieces. I marinated it in a marinade comprised of lemon juice, orange juice, salt, pepper, chili powder and crushed red pepper flakes. Pork is delish when marinated overnight! I also cut red peppers and onions to be skewered on with the pork. FYI If you have it, mango chutney is a great accompaniment to the skewers when serving. I also prepared a roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, and grape tomato salad in a red wine vinegar dressing. This salad tasted much better the next day, so it is a natural choice for advance meal preparation.

Monday night dinners are usually later than normal in my home. I take a Zumba class until 7:30pm. My husband is actually pretty good in the kitchen, so I trust him to finish executing the rest of our dinner. He was responsible for building the skewers and cooking the couscous to go with our meal.

Like another Food network personality, I don't mind taking a little help when I can. While I enjoy making my own marinara and cream based sauces, I have not been as successful with making my own indian curries. So one of my weekly staples has been Indian curry sauces in a jar. My Super Target carries Patak's curry sauces and they are pretty darn delicious! Throw in some chicken, potatoes, carrots and whatever else you have--delicious Indian food in a hurry. For tonight, we had the Tikka Masala sauce with chicken and potatoes, served with garlic naan from Whole Foods.

So for the rest of the week, Wednesday is a night out with our friends. Thursday - I have a work dinner. So I don't have to worry about cooking again until Friday. I am planning to buy some shrimp and prepare Ina Garten's Roasted Shrimp with Orzo for dinner.

Last week, we dined on Ancho Chile Chicken Tacos, Another Indian Curry (a yellow curry this time around), Steak in a Red wine shallot sauce and fingerling potatoes, Chicken Pesto sandwiches, and a Homemade Pizza with Pesto, proscuitto, mozz cheese and artichokes.

Better stop now--my stomach is growling!

TV, DVD and me (Thanks Kimba!)

2009-03-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

I've been in a blogging funk lately. I'm still keeping up with my faves via Google Reader (Hi Andie and Diana!), but I haven't been all that inspired. However while reading one of my favorite blogs All About Kimba, her tv post was light and fun and just the thing to ease me back into blogging.

What I'm watching (and DVR'ing)

Sunday:
The Amazing Race
Kings (giving this a shot!)

Monday:
The Big Bang Theory
How I Met Your Mother
Gossip Girl (DVR'd and watched usually on Wednesdays)

Tuesday:
Biggest Loser

Wednesday:
I used to watch Dirty Sexy Money but that has left us :(

Thursday:
The Office
30 Rock
Millionaire Matchmaker ::hangs head in shame::

Friday (Yes I'm lame like that)
Dollhouse

Honorable Mentions:
Jon and Kate Plus 8
House Hunters
My First Place
What Not to Wear
No Reservations
Iron Chef

DVR'd - recording is set in case we have time to catch up
Barefoot Contessa
Everyday Italian
Throwdown
Basically--I'm all about the Food Network!

Holiday Wrap-Up

2009-01-04T13:02:00.000-08:00

The unseasonably warm Florida Holiday made it slightly difficult to be in the spirit. However I had a wonderful holiday season! The hubby and I are lucky as both our parents live locally, so we do not have to travel to be with them. Christmas eve was spent at my parents' home--my childhood home! We plus my sister gave my dad a Harmony remote, so bye bye all 6 of his other remotes! I finally gave my mom our wedding pictures in an album and she was very pleased. Christmas morning was spent at home with a tasty breakfast of eggs and buttermilk pancakes. Christmas dinner was spent at my in-laws. Busy times. I lucked out and had 12/26 off also so I had a nice 4 day weekend.

So I must have been a very good girl this year as I received some amazing presents! My two favorites came from my husband. First off, I got the Kitchen Aid Artisan mixer! It's in the Classic White and now I can make more recipes out of my new cookbook "Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics!". Inside the mixing bowl was my second present--tickets for Hubby and I to go to Chicago for our 1 year anniversary! I can't wait!!

New Year's Eve was spent with our good friends--eating good food, drinking bubbly and playing Rock Band. It was our first time playing but our friends are well versed for sure! It was too much fun.

So the decorations are down, resolutions have been made and it's Playoff time for football! Here is to a great 2009!!

Oh and my resolution? To be a better friend and be better about keeping in touch and reconnecting with friends of the past!

Inspiration

2008-12-22T19:10:00.000-08:00

I adore 2 movies about music education: Music of my Heart and Mr. Holland's Opus. Studying music was a large part of my childhood and teen years. I was a self-proclaimed "band nerd", playing first the piano, then flute for many years. These movies give me the warm fuzzies and I find their stories inspiring--driving me to continue learning and growing in my love and appreciation of music and myself.

Do any movies inspire you?

A "What Not to Wear" Drinking Game

2008-12-05T19:34:00.000-08:00

One of my Friday night ways to unwind is with an episode of "What Not To Wear". However after several years of watching the show, you start to notice certain trends. Thus, a "What Not To Wear" Drinking Game is born.

A shot or in my case a sip of wine (haha!) when the following happens on "What Not To Wear":

- Stacey says "Shut Up!"
- Nick gestures for a hug after finishing the hairstyle
- Carmindy mentions Crest White Strips
- Stacey and Clinton hold hands
- The makeoveree cries during their confession tape between shopping day 1 and 2
- Stacey and Clinton ambush the makeoveree on day 2

With my low tolerance, I would be on the floor after one episode!

Long live Clinton and Stacey!

Sharing the Goodness (of these recipes!)

2008-11-29T20:17:00.000-08:00

I'm finally got around to uploading my pictures onto my laptop. I found pictures of some of my favorite recipes. 'll try to include the recipes I used but truth be told, I made up some of them!

Plum Tart

Orzo with Lemon, Basil, and Feta Cheese

Butternut Squash Risotto

Rigatoni with Pumpkin and Goat Cheese

Zuppa Toscana

What I am Thankful for

2008-11-26T18:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! I have been very blessed this year and am thankful for...

(1) My family
(2) A warm home
(3) Enough food to eat daily
(4) A job and co workers that I adore
(5) Friends from all parts of my life

What are YOU reading these days??

2008-11-23T16:03:00.000-08:00

Hello blogging friends--I'm in need of some book recommendations! Please share some great reads for me to curl up with during the cool winter months!!

I'm currently reading Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri--a great collection of short stories!

Save me from hours of mindless TV watching!!

Thanks Diana!

2008-11-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

Wahoo! My first Blog award! Thanks Diana at The Chicago Blogger!

According to the rules, I need to list 6 things that make me happy!

1. My husband
2. My family (Mom, Dad and Sis)
3. A stack of books that I haven't read yet
4. Good friends
5. A perfect glass of wine
6. A successful recipe

So here are the rest of the rules!

List 6 things that make you happy (done!)
Pass the award on to 6 bloggers for Kreativ.
Link to the blogger who gave you the award.
Link to the blogs receiving the award.
Notify the recipients.

Here are my nominations (some of them may have already been nominated!)

Sweet. Southern. Spirited
The Sum of Awe
The Vogt Family
The Brantley Family Blog
Pretty Random Thoughts
Single Girl in the South

Happy 6 month anniversary!

2008-10-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Today is our 6 month wedding anniversary! We celebrated with a Ravens win and a delicious meal at home. I made Bow Tie Pasta with a Tomato Cream sauce and Chicken Sausage. I used the following recipe from AllRecipes.com. The dish was quite the hit! I will definitely add it to my growing list of good recipes. Alongside the pasta, I served roasted pole beans and foccacia bread, both purchased from the Green Market at the beach. I'm settling in for the evening with 60 minutes, The Amazing Race, and Mad Men (If I'm not snoozing on the couch by then!).

Tagged by Neighbor Lindsay!

2008-10-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

A. Attached or single? Yes, married for almost 6 months!
B. Best friend? My sister and husband
C. Cake or pie? I liking eating cake and baking pies!
D. Day of choice? Saturday
E. Essential item? eyeglasses
F. Favorite colour? blue
G. Gummy bears or worms? Worms!
H. Hometown? Orange Park
I. Favorite indulgence? Organic produce and meat
J. January or July? January--love the reprieve from hot weather
K. Kids? Hopefully in the next few years
L. Life isn’t complete without? Good friends and family + good food and wine
M. Marriage date? April 19
N. Number of magazine subscriptions: Everyday Food, Real Simple, Domino, Reader's Digest
O. Oranges or apples? Oranges
P. Phobias? drowning
Q. Quotes? Be the change you want to see in the world - Gandhi
R. Reasons to smile? my husband, successful cooking experiments, catching up with friends, silliness with my sister
S. Season of choice? Spring
T. Tag 5 people. Andie, Diana, My sister
U. Unknown fact about me? Hmm, I'm addicted to Sunday Puzzle on NPR Weekend Edition
V. Vegetable? Asparagus (keeping this Neighbor Lindsay), Zucchini, Red Peppers, Peas-anything fresh really
W. Worst habit?Excessive sneezing but I can't help it!
X. X-ray or ultrasound? had both--both uneventful.
Y. Your favorite foods? Sushi, cheeseburgers, tortallini alla panna
Z. Zodiac sign? Pisces

Why we should all clean out our wallets!

2008-10-10T20:40:00.001-07:00

I got a big desire to organize this fine Friday evening. I decide to tackle all that unread mail and ended up shredding most of it. I also decided to clean out my wallet. What a bonanza in unused gift cards!! I found...

A Bed Bath & Beyond Gift Card with a balance of $10.01
An American Express Gift Card with a balance of $14.81
A Wiliams-Sonoma merchandise credit for $32.05

Holy Cow--I can't believe there was $56.87 just hanging around in my wallet! I plan to have a little fun with my new found "money" tomorrow!!

Old City Farmer's Market

2008-09-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

My friend, her son and I took a little field trip on Saturday to the Old City Farmer's Market in St. Augustine. We had heard about this farmer's market from the vendors at our regular market--it is one of the larger markets in the area and besides produce and bread, they have a variety of artists on display also. Plus they have prepared food stands and activities for kids!

It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning. It is finally cooling down in Florida so I didn't sweat to death while perusing the stands. Here is a picture of most of my goodies (sans the big container of peppercorns):

The greens in the bag are arugula leaves. Tasty! Quite the bargain at 2.50 per bag compared to 3.50-4.00 in the grocery store. In the jar is fig jam. YUM! I made crostini with fig jam, caramelized onions and parm-reggiano cheese today.

Shopping at the Market on Saturdays has made me look forward to preparing dinner on Saturday nights. Saturday nights used to be a "going out to dinner" night but it has turned into "enjoying fresh produce from the market" night.

Today I decided to take the delicious plums and make a rustic plum tart. I love pies and tarts as they are tasty but much easier than cupcakes and cakes!! Check it out:

Waiting for dinner to finish cooking and then it's a busy TV night for me (exciting I know): The Amazing Race and Mad Men! Wahoo!!!

Really? 5 months already??

2008-09-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

My hubby and I have been married 5 months as of Friday. Can't believe time has flown by so quickly!

We unintentionally celebrated with steak sandwiches and an amazing bottle of 2006 Phantom Blend by the Bogle Vineyards. Married life has been amazing so far. I lived with my husband before we got hitched, but it does feel different for the better now that we are married!

Otherwise the weekend was jam packed! I went to an Obama rally with my friend Neighbor Lindsay and her sister. Then I had an amazing reunion dinner with 3 friends from high school.

Sunday was spent cooking, watching football with my hubby, and reading new magazines. Bliss!

Weekend Update!

2008-09-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

I didn't have any huge plans this weekend and that has been a godsend. I spent the weekend doing my favorite things: Green Market with my neighbor (Hi!!), Reading through my stack of books from the Library, Watching Football and Cooking with my husband. Gone are the weekends of drinking WAY too much and waking up when the day is half over. I personally love being up early to enjoy the quiet of the morning or cook breakfast. This morning, I did the latter as my father in law was over to help us put in a new toilet (thanks Mom and Dad!) and the men needed the bacon and buttermilk pancakes to keep them working!

Now it's time to prepare for Monday ...and for the new episode of Mad Men! Woot!

Loving my Library

2008-08-30T08:54:00.001-07:00

I know I have said this before, but I love my library. The staff is very friendly and the library itself is kept up well. I came home with a bunch of books that I can't wait to read. Here is what I got:

Jeffrey Steingarten is my favorite judge on Iron Chef America. I've never read his work before though so I am looking forward to reading this book.

I stumbled upon this book while on my way to check out. I haven't heard much about it however the story sounds compelling. I love memoirs, biographies etc.

I feel I have been on a 1960's kick--with watching Mad Med, Doris Day movies (okay that is more 50's but stay with me here), Across the Universe. This looked like an interesting read and I like the female perspective.

I'm no fine dining expert by any means, but I've enjoyed my fair share of dining at some pretty fancy schmancy places. Was it always the best meal I had ever had? Not in the least, but the experience is something I enjoy from time to time.

Elie Krieger is one of my faves on Food Network. I like that she educated you on the nutritional aspect of the food she prepares--like what vitamins are present etc. Plus her baked onion rings recipe (with some slight modifications from me) is my favorite non junky junk food.

I'm deciding what to read first. I'll probably start with the Starbucks story! Have any of you read these books before?

New Blogger!

2008-08-24T19:14:00.001-07:00

Hello dear readers! MartiniGirl is a new blogger who is sharing her life as she approaches 40. She is just getting started, so if you get a moment, please stop by her blog!

http://martinigirlispushing40.blogspot.com/

Okay, off to watch Mad Men (Andie, hope you are watching too!!)

Passing Time during the storm

2008-08-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

My boss told me not to come in on Friday due to high winds from Tropical Storm Fay. What does one do with unexpected time off?

In my case, I try out new recipes! I picked two very easy recipe based on what I already had in the refrigerator or pantry.

The first one is Baked Zucchini Sticks. I had picked up some lovely zucchini from the market last week and wanted to try something other than the normal Zucchini boats I usually make. I also had half a large can of whole tomatoes leftover and decided to make a homemade marinara to accompany the "sticks". Here is how it turned out!

Since we were eating something somewhat healthy, I wanted something sweet to go with it. I had half a bag of leftover frozen peaches and some pie dough so I decided to make this. I love pies since they are not as labor intensive as cakes :)

I didn't have enough filling or peaches for the original recipe, so I ended up folding over the pie crust and it ended up looking like a rustic tart. See for yourself:

The only major substitution I made was vanilla extract for almond. This turned out to be pretty darn delicious!

Other than trying new recipes, I was pretty low key over the weekend. The hubby and I ventured out on Saturday to pick up groceries. We made a very nice dinner on Saturday night, complete with amazing ribeyes from Fresh Market. Yum and definitely a once in a while treat! I also cleaned, did laundry, etc etc.

Today I went to Target to pick up the newish Emily Giffin book "Love the one you're with". I tried to hold out and check it out from the library, but it is always on reserve for someone and I couldn't wait any longer. It is an easy read and a good story. I can see it appealing more to married women than the twenty something single. However, I recommend it for a quick read.

Time to get ready for the new week. I hope you all have a great one!

Edit: on the zucchini recipe, I substituted Whole Wheat Panko Breadcrumbs for the regular italian breadcrumbs. I tossed in some garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, oregeno and basil to jazz up the pankos.

I <3 fresh produce

2008-08-17T20:15:00.001-07:00

for the past month, I've been getting the majority of my produce from the local Green Market held in a local park near the beach. At first, I used to go with specific goals in mind (like I have to get 2 tomatoes). However, going to a local farmer's market with a shopping list is not very productive. It's better to wing it and make decisions based on the selection. Then based on what you get, develop your menu. I feel that I made out with some superb produce yesterday, spending a grant total of $18. I came home with:

1 huge green bell pepper (which was used today to make beef fajitas)
6 ears of sweet corn (3 of them were served for dinner tonight)
6 medium zucchinis (2 served this evening -- using my favorite stuffed zucchini recipe)
6 huge tomatoes (1 used yesterday to make a tomato sandwich on italian whole grain)
2 lbs of green beans
1 huge italian eggplant (will be used tomorrow along with the tomatoes to make roasted eggplant, tomato and mozzarella stacks---and also to be used on Tuesday to make paninis)
1 lb of Muscadine grapes (I had never tried these before, but very good!)

Can't wait to see what I will get next week!

So good to be back!!

2008-08-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging today from a River North hotel room...getting ready to have tea with 2 of my favorite ladies! We did make it to Bongo Room for Brunch and it was well worth the wait. Shopped a little in Lincoln Park..enjoyed the gorgeous and perfect weather...pretty much having the perfect Sunday! Details about tea to be shared later!!

I'm a bad blogger

2008-08-06T19:04:00.000-07:00

I know, I've been quite the neglectful blogger! Work has been unbelieveably crazy and I've been working hard just to keep my head above water. However there is a reprieve. I'm headed to Chicago this weekend! Well in actuality, I will be in Indiana, however I get one blissful day in the city. I am excited to soak up a little Chicago flavor. I'm hoping to drag my sister to brunch with me at the Bongo Room. I want to have high tea at the Peninsula Hotel. Some of you may remember my high tea experience at the Drake. So excited!!

The main purpose of my trip is to celebrate my bestest cousin's wedding! My cousin is 3 months younger than me and we grew up together (albeit we were separated by many miles). Love that we both got married in the same year we turned 30! :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

What I've Been Reading

2008-06-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

You may remember that I love to read cookbooks as actual books. I don't cook from them too often but boy do I love to read them. Typically I find them inspiring and may use a technique or flavor combination based on a recipe I read. The two most recent cookbooks I've read are compliments of my public library. Cookbooks can be very expensive so I love having a way to still enjoy them without the extra cost involved.

The first one is...

I think Dave Lieberman is a doll. I love the idea that you can entertain and prepare meals without breaking the bank. The book is a very easy read. He categorizes the recipes by occasions such as Casual Sit-Down dinner, dinner for two, tailgate party and more. The recipes are very accessable.

The second one is...

Sara Moulton's shows were some of the first ones I watched on the Food Network. I loved Cooking Live. Sara is definitely more a cook than TV Personality but I liked that about her. I have prepared many recipes of hers and they are very successful. My Baked Chicken Enchiladas are one of her recipes and my hubby adores them. The cookbook is geared towards uncomplicated weeknight meals without the crazy abbreviations and such (Sorry Rachael Ray--but I still love you!).

Overall I would recommend both these books for the home cook who would consider themselves at a high beginner to moderate level of ability. Bon appetit!

Just like a big Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

2008-06-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

I've made the below pie twice now and it has been quite the hit. I love no bake pies in the summertime. No need to make your home hotter than it already is!

Double Layer Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie (From www.allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

* 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 tablespoon white sugar
* 1 tablespoon cold milk
* 1 cup peanut butter
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
* 2 (3.9 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
* 2 cups cold milk
* 4 peanut butter cups, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Cooking Instructions

In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and peanut butter until smooth. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups of whipped topping. Spread mixture on bottom of pie crust.

In a second bowl, stir pudding mix with 2 cups milk until thick. Immediately stir in remaining whipped topping. Spread mixture over peanut butter layer.

Scatter peanut butter cups over top of pie. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Now when I made it, I made the following substitutions:

Sugar Free Cool Whip for the frozen whipped topping
Splenda for the Sugar
Sugar Free Instant Chocolate pudding
Keebler® Ready Crust® Graham 2 Extra Servings Pie Crust (a bit bigger than the 9" pie)

This is super easy! I hope you like it!!

Tonight's Dinner

2008-05-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

The hubby and I have been inspired by our Wine themed honeymoon to start paring wines with our dinner. Tonight we had the Masaman Thai Curry that I made last night wit jasmine rice. We paired Fetzer Gewurztraminer with our meal, as a Gewurztraminer pairs well with spicy dishes, which this curry certainly was!

Also on a baking note, I made my first pie yesterday! Pics to come.

From the wedding!

2008-05-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a little pic from my wedding day!

Picture is courtesy of my lovely photographer Lauren!

Can't win them all...

2008-05-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

I like to think that I'm a pretty darn good cook. However, I had a small disaster with my flounder this evening. I was following this recipe. However the flour separated from the flounder and I ended up with Flounder hash. Thank goodness it was still somewhat edible as I hate to waste.

Luckily the potatoes that I cooked in our new Dutch Oven as well as the Swiss chard were a success. Don't want to make my poor husband starve!

I know I shouldn't...

2008-05-12T19:10:00.000-07:00

but I love Gossip Girl. That Georgina. Crazy! But I love love love it. And now here I am, watching the season finale of The Hills.

In other post wedding news, the pics are in and I promise to share a few on here! Otherwise, just been trying to get the house organized. We were very blessed to have received so many generous gifts so finding room for it all has been a challenge.

Happy Monday to all!

I'm married!!

2008-04-20T10:38:00.000-07:00

We could not have asked for a more perfect day to be married. Pics to come!!!!

Seriously, why couldn't have this been while I lived there??

2008-04-12T06:02:00.000-07:00

I was getting my Chicago fix from http://chicagoist.com. They posted a story about the filming of a new Johnny Depp/Christian Bale movie in my old hood. But they mentioned the actual street where this was taped. And no joke, it is 1 block from my old apartment! Ack! This never happened when I lived there! See if for yourself: http://chicagoist.com/2008/04/11/lights_camera_l.php

About me #71-90!

2008-04-06T18:18:00.001-07:00

71. I'm a big sports fan. Baseball (Chicago White Sox), College football (Go Gators), NFL (Go Jaguars!), and Golf (no favorites but Adam Scott is HOT!).
72. I'm extremely ticklish. Like I have to work hard not to accidentally kick the nail tech when she is giving me a pedi!
73. I love to fly and typically spend the time devouring a light read novel or catching up on my sleep.
74. I love photography of scenes from my favorite cities.
75. My weekend uniform is a polo shirt, jeans or khaki short and flip flops.
76. My favorite place to score work clothes is New York and Company, Ross Dress for Less, and Target.
77. I like video games--we have all the game consoles at our home--Wii, Ps3, Xbox 360...
78. I'm a big believer in personalized thank you notes sent in a timely manner.
79. I once found out that a guy I went out with a couple of times kept a blog of detailing all the women he was involved with..and I didn't even make the cut to be mentioned lol.
80. I love warm blankets and cool pillows.
81. I will stay up all night to finish a Jodi Picoult book.
82. I recently discovered the joys of eating radishes, fennel, and rhubarb!
83. I'm a social networking junkie--Facebook, Myspace, Linked in...
84. I'm addicted to food blogs.
85. I also love blogs that talk about what people wear each day. Great inspirations!
86. I would like to try making a pie this summer. any suggestions?
87. One of my funnest jobs was working at Disney!
88. Frequent trips to dance at 8 Trax at Pleasure Island were the result of my summer Disney employment.
89. The best concerts I've been to include Cake, BNL, and Death Cab for Cutie.
90. I would love to see R.E.M.!!!

Sunday Dinner

2008-04-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

I love to cook when I have enough time to move at a leisurely pace. That's why Sunday Dinner is such a great night of the week for food in our house. It's usually the night I try new recipes that I find from cookbooks, blogs, etc. Tonight was an especially successful meal. I was craving feta cheese for some reason. So the menu du jour was:

Chicken stuffed with Feta, Garlic and Sun Dried Tomatoes
Asparagus with a Lemon Vinegrette (adapted from my Chicago friend Abbey's recipe)
Whole wheat couscous with roasted garlic

It was fufiling and not too guilty a meal :) Any recipes you would like to recommend for next Sunday...leave in the comments!!

And if you are into food, please check out Abbey's blog at http://noolives.com

Golf for dummies!

2008-04-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

My work had a manager's outing at a golf course today. Mind you, I've never played before however I'm up for being in outside on a sunny day rather than in the office! Ends up that I did play and I had a great time!! Maybe I should check out getting some clubs of my own!

Movie Recommendation: Once

2008-03-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful film. I first heard of this film while watching the Oscars. Once of the songs was nominated for an award. Then I got the soundtrack, which I loved. We just got it in from Netflix and it did not disappoint. A story about 2 souls connecting without the gratuitous sex and seemingly superficial behavior. I can't say enough lovely things about this film!!

All you ever wanted to know about Gator Girl #51-#70

2008-03-17T17:19:00.000-07:00

51. I'm highly annoyed by Ingrid Hoffman from "Simply Delicioso". She's cute but someone her actions are like nails on a chalkboard.
52. I'm much more a fan of Ellie Krieger from "Healthy Appetite"
53. My wedding date is exactly 1 year + 1 day after we got engaged.
54. I love to dance in the car!
55. I am a fan of public transportation.
56. I used to wear big coke bottle glasses.
57. I did the whole makeover thing when I was in 9th grade, which included trading the glasses for contacts.
58. At age 29, I decided that I liked wearing my glasses the most so i'm back to that.
59. My glasses are maroon plastic Calvin Kleins.
60. I love Sheshiedo Lip Gloss, Bobbi Brown blush, and Clinique press powder.
61. My perfume of choice is Chance by Chanel.
62. I love commercials. Must be my old job's influence!
63. Reed Diffusers=Heaven
64. I'm a fan of First Lady Biographies
65. I try not to eat foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup in it.
66. This has made me the slowest grocery shopper ever!
67. I write restaurant reviews on Yelp.com
68. I've used Craig's List to list my old apartment, find a trivia team and date!
69. I love lemon flavored things- candy, cake, drinks etc.
70. I go to Target a minimum of once a week.

More on me #31-50

2008-02-24T19:58:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's taken me so long to get the next installment of my list posted! Here goes..

31. I like reality shows that deal with dating... with the exception of The Bachelor. Hate that one. But I love Millionaire Matchmaker, Confessions of a Matchmaker etc.
32. I use Google Reader to keep up with all my blogs.
33. My #1 favorite actor is Paul Rudd. But Ryan Reynolds is a very close #2!
34. I love to read my cookbooks.
35. But I end up looking up most of my recipes on allrecipes.com or reading them in my favorite magazines.
36. I like all things paisley.
37. I love personalized stationary.
38. I'm a fast reader.
39. My favorite jeans are Long and Lean from the Gap.
40. I'm a big fan of heist movies, like Ocean's 11, The Italian Job etc.
41. My favorite subject in high school was chemistry (for real!)
42. In fact, I was a chemistry major in college for the 1st two years.
43. However I changed my major 2 more times and ended up majoing in Psychology.
44. I was the co-editor of my college newspaper my freshman year.
45. I have a weakness for Nora Roberts books and Danielle Steel movies. However I don't like movies based on Nora's books. Crazy!
46. I typically get 8 hours of sleep a night unless it's Sunday--then it's 6 hours.
47. I sleep with one leg outside of the blanket and one covered.
48. I also like to fall asleep to the tv.
49. I wanted to be a librarian, but I'm too loud lol.
50. I'm musically inclined. I played the piano for many years and the flute for at least 10 years.

I can't believe...

2008-02-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

that I'm getting married in a little over 2 months. Where did the time go????

I don't write much about wedding stuff on here, but I do have a wedding blog...

http://thefuturemrsb.blogspot.com

Read if you are interested!

Kisses,
GatorGirl

Oh Wrigleyville, how I miss thee...

2008-02-02T21:08:00.000-08:00

Here is an column about the inevitable new developments in Wrigleyville. Click here to read.

I miss you my fun albeit somewhat crazy 'hood.

100 Things About Me: Part 1/#1-30

2008-01-20T17:29:00.000-08:00

1. I love gnomes. Even before Amelie!
2. My favorite reality tv show is The Amazing Race.
3. I love to travel and have been to Argentina, Philippines, and many US states (this also explains #2)
4. I did not live alone until I was 28 years old. This was only for 8 months.
5. My favorite US cities are San Francisco and Chicago.
6. I have 2 college degrees.
7. My first job was as a sales clerk for a Hallmark store at age 15.
8. My current job is as a recruiter.
9. I like to drink water, diet coke, Bloody Mary's, and Crown & Gingerale.
10. I once stood behind Jeremy Piven at a nightclub. He is a lot shorter in person!
11. I like scrapbooking but I only do it like 5 times a year.
12. I blog using a MacBook.
13. I'm slightly lactose intolerant but I still eat ice cream.
14. I like to cook and prefer it to eating out.
15. But sometimes, greasy takeout chinese is all I want.
16. The first sports team I remember liking was the Florida Gators Football team.
17. I am an older sister.
18. I love "House Hunters" on HGTV
19. I would like to meet Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Terry Gross (Host of NPR's Fresh Air) & Will Shortz (Puzzle Editor of the NY Times).
20. I read a lot of Babysitter's Club, Sweet Valley Twins, Sweet Valley High, Sleepover Friends, and Pen Pals books between the ages of 11-13.
21. I sneeze in 3's.
22. My first car caught on fire while I was driving it.
23. Now I drive a Honda Civic. I want a Honda CRV!
24. I'm a magazine junkie. Specially, Real Simple, Domino, Everyday Food and Reader's Digest...and all the bridal mags!
25. I used to love Lucky, Marie Claire and Glamour but for some reason, I'm just not into them as much now.
26. I wish I could live a week in a place like Stars Hollow.
27. I like Tuna Salad sandwiches.
28. I like tall guys with brown hair and blue eyes.
29. Luckily my fiance fits the above description!
30. My sister is my best friend.

Book Crazy

2008-01-12T15:46:00.000-08:00

I went to my local Homegoods store today to look for a stockpot. For those of you who are not familiar with Homegoods, they specialize in brand name wares for the home at a large discount. I love coming here for random kitchen supplies, dining and bedding linens, and more! However I was not successful in finding the stockpot. What I did find are lots of great home maintenance and cookbooks!! I found 3 books that I had been coveting on Amazon.com. They are:

(1) Real Simple: Cleaning

Great tips on cleaning for our home. I'm a little obsessed with all things Real Simple. Cost was only $14.99 and it retails for around $21.

(2) Everyday Food: Good Food Fast. I subscribe to the magazine Everyday Food, which is a Martha Stewart Publication. The recipes are much more manageable that the ones in Martha's regular magazine. This book has 250 recipes sorted by Season. Such a bargain at $12.99!

(3) Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home. another great household guide from what I"ve read thus far. I got it for $29 bucks and it retails for around $45.

I think any of these books would be great presents for a new bride or anyone with a new home!

Do you have any books that you would recommend?

Oh and before I go--it's my 100th post!!!

More things I love!

2008-01-05T19:03:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Mine was filled with relaxing times with friends and families. No complaints here!

For my first post of 2008, I would like to take this opportunity to share some things that I'm loving in 2008 (all 5 days of it!). No really, I feel strongly about my love for these shows, products etc!

(1) Philosophy "Makeup Optional" Skincare: I've been conveting this skin care set for a few years. Being too cheap to spend the $70 bucks to purchase it, I put it on my wish list for Christmas and hoped for the best. Luckily Momma Gator heard my plea! I have actually used it before, thanks to a bunch of samples from my local Sephora. It's nice having the actual regular size products as opposed to the little samples! I love love love it!

(2) Mission: Organization (an HGTV show): Like many other people in the new year, I had this intense desire to be organized. I started dvr'ing this show at the beginning of December and it has proven to be very educational. I cleaned our kitchen and pantry and ended up with several boxes of items to donate to Goowill on New Year's Eve! I also find it motivating to keep organized when I see how messy some of the rooms are on the show!

(3) Paula Deen's Vidalia Onion Peach Grilling Marinade: This marinade had a surprising, yet welcomed little kick to it! I've used it on chicken breast as well as porkchops. Both were received very well by my fiance.

(4) How to Look Good Naked (New Lifetime show): In the heydey of Queer Eye, I was quite the devotee. I was initially very skeptical of the likability of this show, however I just saw the premiere and it made me want to set up a season pass on the good old DVR. I felt good after watching it and I think you will too!

(5) Bag Who? BAGGU!: Baggu makes Reusable Shopping Bags. Not only are they reusable, they are easy to carry around in your purse! They fold up to into a 5 by 5 pouch. I keep 2 in my purse and one in my larger work bag. I received these for Christmas from the fiance and I love them! They can carry up to 25 lbs. No more plastic bags!!

I love to hear what everyone else is coveting right now!

Favorite Christmas Movies!

2007-12-25T16:21:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do on Christmas is watch movies. After the hustle and bustle...after the family dinners and present openings, it is a good way to decompress. Many of my favorites happen to take place during the holiday season but aren't necessarily Christmas themed (like "White Christmas" or "Miracle on 34th Street") Here are some of my favorite movies to watch during the holiday season...

(1) While You Were Sleeping
(2) The Holiday
(3) Love Actually

I also like to look for cheesy romantic Holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel and Lifetime. I just finished "Eve's Christmas" on Lifetime and it was terrific! It really warmed my heart. Back when ABC Family had a lot of fun cheesy movies, there was a great movie with Kristin Davis called "Three Days". Does anyone remember that one?

I'm watching "A boyfriend for Christmas" on the Hallmark channel now (I dvr'd it). I'm only 15 minutes in so I haven't decided if I'm hooked yet!

Holiday Happenings!

2007-12-23T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Fiance and I had 15 or so friends over for a cocktail holiday party last night. Honestly, I wanted an excuse to show off my holiday decorations as well as all my holiday serving pieces! Plus I love to cook for people when I can. We served an array of appetizers as well as Poinsettias, lots of red wine and beer for the boys. The appetizers were well received! I made a Seven Layer Taco Dip that satisfied my requirement to offer at least one vegetarian friendly dish when I entertain. I also had a tasty (store bought) Spinach and Artichoke dip. However my Seven Layer Dip along with my Chicken Satay were the hit of the party!

We had a great turn out. It was a great way for our friends to meet each other. Also, we got to play the Wii, which is always fun with a group of people!

Unfortunately I have to work tomorrow but only till 2pm. Then it is off to my parents' house for Christmas Eve dinner!

I hope everyone is having a Happy Holidays!

Argh

2007-12-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

I hate being lactose intolerant.

Blegh.

That is all.

Post Thanksgiving Eats

2007-11-25T19:22:00.001-08:00

The Fiance and I were over all the heavy food we had been consuming this weekend. So it was time to consult my two favorite websites for recipes: www.AllRecipes.com and www.foodtv.com

We didn't want to have anything that contained leftovers nor did we want anything heavy on the tummy. Thus we had the following tasty dishes for lunch and dinner. I have to admit, I was plesantly surprised they both turned out well. Both were new recipes for me to try!

For lunch, we had Panzanella, which is an Italian bread salad. We used the Barefoot Contessa's recipe, which consisted cubed bread, tomatoes, yellow peppers, red peppers, basil, cucumbers and a tasty homemade vinegrette. A link to the recipe I used can be found here. This was the perfect lighter lunch. I especially loved all the veggies!

For dinner, we had Fish Tacos! This recipe is courtesy of the Food Network, more specifically EPCOT Catering. There is a show called Behind the Bash that shows you what goes on behind throwing a big party. These mahi tacos were served at a Disney Anniversary Party. I substituted Tilapia for the Mahi as Mahi isn't easily found this time of year. Also I added cheese, corn, avocado and romaine lettuce as toppers for the tacos. These were a big hit with the fiance and I'll definitely be making this one again.

We are trying to balance out the heavy holiday meals with ones like these. Any suggestions on some sucessfull lighter recipes would be appreciated!!

Ten Things I'm Loving Right Now!

2007-11-18T19:13:00.000-08:00

I apologize for being MIA! Work and wedding planning has been taking up a lot of time. However, I did want to share the ten things I'm loving right now (aside from the fiance and family of course!)

(1) Twinings Chai Latte for the Tassimo: No longer will I have to go to Starbucks to get my Chai Latte fix!

(2) Tripadvisor.com: I'm planning a December long weekend in Savannah and a Honeymoon in California Wine Country, so this site is invaluable to me!

(3) Sugar Free Syrup for my Coffee/Chai Latter: Paired with our Tassimo, it's like having my own coffee shop in our kitchen.

(4) Taste of Home Cookbook: I got this for Christmas last year. It is a great collection of recipes and most importantly, cooking tips like the temp that chicken needs to be at!

(5) Sweet Potato Fries: Alexia makes a great brand of sweet potato fries. Best served with a side of garlic mayo. YUMMY!

(6) Real Simple Magazine: From the useful tips to the art direction of this mag, what's not to love?

(7) Sunday Puzzle on NPR: It is rare that I miss the Sunday Puzzle. Great word puzzles to help wake your brain up!

(8) NFL: What's a Fall Sunday without NFL?! Enough said.

(9) How I Met Your Mother: Suit Up! Best tv on Mondays!

(10) Revlon Ceramic Hairdryer: The reason behind my non poofy hair! It's like getting a professional blow out!

What are your favorite things??

Southern gals love their southern food!

2007-10-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

I love southern food. I know that it isn't the healthiest but I love it just the same. While in my favorite Publix, I decided that we needed to have biscuits. I've always been a little wary of the Pillsbury frozen biscuits, but I decided to give them a shot. boy was I mistaken! These biscuits are fantastic! Just before they came out of the oven, I brushed a little bit of butter on the top. Perfection. Served with country fried steak, corn and gravy, it was the perfect little southern meal. Needless to say, my fiance was one happy camper!

Tagged!

2007-09-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Not So Single Girl! Here goes!

Four Jobs I Have Had In My Life

1. Cashier at a Hallmark store
2. Cashier at Disney World!
3. Research assistant in a biology lab
4. Waitress Extrodinaire

Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over

1. Under the Tuscan Sun
2. French Kiss
3. The Goonies
4. While you were sleeping

Four TV Shows I Like to Watch

1. How I Met Your Mother
2. Nip/Tuck
3. The Office
4. Beauty and the Geek

Four Places I Have Vacationed (Wow, do I need one now!)

1. Buenos Aires ( It was work but like a vacation!)
2. San Francisco
3. Philippines
4. Bahamas

Four of My Favorite Dishes

1. Caprese salad (tomato, basil and mozzerella)
2. Thai Peanut curry
3. Spicy tuna sushi roll
4. Sweet Potato fries (more a side, not really a dish!)

Four Web sites I Visit Daily

1. Gmail
2. Myspace/Facebook
3. Netvibes
4. Wedding Bee!

Four Places I Would Rather Be

1. Visiting friends in Chicago
2. Drinking wine in Wine Country
3. Buenos Aires!
4. NYC

Wahhhh!!

2007-08-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

No fall boots or winter coats for me to purchase this year. Where I won't miss the cold completely, I will miss the fashion options.

Wahh.

Finally! Pictures from Argentina!

2007-08-25T07:31:00.001-07:00

My trip was wonderful! Buenos Aires is a romantic and cosmopolitan city with lots of charm. The architecture is gorgeous, the people are beautiful and gracious and the food is incredible! Highlights included:

* Futbol game (Argentinos Jrs. v. Boca Jrs.)
* Exploring Recoleta cemetary and shopping at the open air market
* Delicious food over leisurely and fun (but looong) dinners!
* A Fun Tango show
* Dancing at Sunset until 4am
* Great people to share it all with!

Yes, I did work too. It was an amazing experience to interview Argentines for opportunities in the US!

Here is a glimpse into my trip. For the first time ever in my blog, I will have pictures of me in there!

Don't Cry for me...

2007-08-09T11:39:00.000-07:00

Because I'm leaving for ARGENTINA!! Yes, my company is sending me to Buenos Aires for a week on a recruiting trip. I am a lucky lucky girl!! I'm leaving in a few hours and will be back stateside by Thursday early morning! I hope to have the opportunity to take a lot of pics to post here.

Wish me luck on the trip!!

Seven Things About me

2007-07-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

Argh! I typed my whole response to Not-so-Single Girl in the South's seven random things about me and when I tried to publish it...poof! Gone!

So here goes again...

(1) I'm obsessed with all things trivia. From Trivial Pursuit to the World Series of Pop Culture to NTN Trivia, I love it all.
(2) I still squeal when I spot John Krasinski on any tv show or movie trailer. I totally didn't expect him to pop up in The Holiday!!! Hehe, yes I am BEHIND.
(3) I love reading recipies but rarely use them.
(4) I didn't really learn how to cook until I moved to Chicago. Now I really enjoy it and like to find ways to make my favorite take-out food at home.
(5) I am an NPR nerd.
(6) When I drink water, I always spill a little on me.
(7) I think Rob & Big are stupidly hilarious.

I would like to tag my sis (if she still reads this!)

Wow!

2007-05-22T16:36:00.001-07:00

I didn't realize I had been MIA for a month!! Time really goes by quickly!

So the boyfriend err....fiance and I are going to Orlando for the weekend. It'll be fun to get a change in scenery for a day or two. Nope, we are going to Disney World or Universal. Believe it or not, there is actually non touristy things to do in Orlando! I went to school there for 2 years. I lived in a charming little town just outside Orlando, where I would spend my Saturday mornings at the local farmer's market and my evenings at one of the sidewalk cafes. It really was an oasis from the tourist trap of Orlando. There is also a great little neighborhood near downtown called College Park. I highly recommend stopping by if you are in the area!

My other blog!

2007-05-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

I don't want to bore what few regular readers I have with posts about my upcoming wedding, so I've created a new blog. I'm still going to post on this blog, but it will be my oasis from wedding planning :)

Anyway, if you are interested, here is the link to my wedding blog:

http://thefuturemrsb.blogspot.com

How it happened!!

2007-04-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

Because I just adore (Not so Single) Gal's blog, here is the story of how the engagement happened!

We are dog sitting for her parents dog (whom I LOVE). She is a black
lab named KC. Anyway I got home from work and Jeff was waiting at the
top of the stairs with KC and a bouquet of flowers. He gave me the
flowers and I was more excited to see the dog! I was down on the
ground with her and then Jeff gets on his knees and says "oh look what
KC has for you on her collar" and there it is, my ring dangling from
her collar! I said "are you for real? (I know, i'm so romantic) and he
asked me to marry him and of course I said yes!

He had asked my parents for my hand in marriage last month and then
talked to my sister. All of our friends here were in on it! We
normally meet them every Wednesday night at a local restaurant so
after I made some calls, we headed there and got to celebrate with
them!

So....

2007-04-19T18:13:00.000-07:00

I'M ENGAGED!!!!!

WAHOO!!

Missing...

2007-03-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

I am loving being home but I will have to admit there are a few things I miss about Chi-town (aside from my friends!).

Like...

(1) Intelligentsia Coffee
(2) Baseball
(3) Good Concerts

I hope to visit again soon!!

Week 3: Grow Aerogarden Grow!

2007-03-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Again, the cilantro is on the short bus. But check out the Italian Basil! I will start harvesting it next week!!

Update on my Aerogarden!

2007-03-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

Here is my garden at 2 weeks + 1 day. Aside from the cilantro, the herbs are growing nicely. The BF did some research and found out that the water pump may be causing the cilantro not to grow. So I'm going to call Aerogarden to see about getting a replacement or something. Otherwise, look how cool this is!!

One of the coolest presents I've ever gotten...

2007-03-03T13:52:00.001-08:00

My BF is a really good gift giver. He always manages to think of something that I would love without having asked him to get me. My birthday is on Monday and he went ahead and gave me my present now since we are celebrating tonight with our families.

So I love to cook and love using really good quality ingredients, including fresh herbs. However we are limited on space here plus we don't have a yard, so having my own herb garden is challenging. Lo and behold, I get this for my bday:

It is an Aerogarden and will allow me to grow my own organic herbs in my own kitchen! It is like a super fancy science experiment. Or like my own mini version of The Living with the Land exhibit at EPCOT. In a few weeks, I will have my own mint, italian basil, cilantro, parsley, purple basil, and chives!! I'll be sure to post pics when it starts to grow. THe pic above is what it should look like when fully grown.

Do you know your neighbors?

2007-02-21T08:25:00.000-08:00

When I lived in Chicago, I rarely interacted with my neighbors. In the Lake Shore Drive highrise, I would see people on my floor only once a week! Sometimes, I would ride the elevator down with my across the hall neighbor. However we would speak few words if any and just stare straight ahead on the seemingly long ride down. When I moved to the courtyard building in Wrigleyville, again I rarely saw my neighbors. When I did, it was just the quick hello and nod.

Fast Forward to condo in Florida. A few weeks after moving in, our neighbor came over to introduce himself. He came bearing a bottle of champagne to boot. It was so friendly and so unexpected. I had some baked goodies that I had made with my bf's mom. I assembled a little plate and sent the bf to bring them over the next day.

Last weekend, I got the urge to baked Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Being the Semi-Homemade girl that I am, I used boxed Red Velvet Cake mix (Duncan Hines). However I made the cream cheese frosting from scratch -- an activity that ended up being fun! Of course I make way too many cupcakes. I decided to bring some over to our new neighbor that moved in. We weren't sure exactly when she moved in, but we did notice she would always park in my bf's beloved parking space. :) Anyway, I packed up 2 cupcakes and hopped over to her door. I thought I would just drop off, say a few words and leave. I ended up chatting with her for like 15 minutes. She lives there with her husband. She's very friendly and was floored that I brought her cupcakes as a "welcome to the neighborhood" present.

I headed back to our place. I wasn't there more than 10 minutes before we got a knock at our door. It was said friendly neighbor who gushed about my cupcakes--especially the frosting. It was boost to my day! The next night, the BF's friend is in town and we had just finished dinner. BF was being the good BF he is by taking out the trash. He ran into said neighbor and next thing you know, they are coming up the stairs to get more cupcakes! Evidentally she told him how much she and her hubby liked them so BF invited her up to get more. Thank goodness because I was about to eat them all myself :)

For the few blogging friends I have, here is a picture of the cupcakes!

In honor of Valentine's Day..

2007-02-14T09:09:00.000-08:00

I work from home so I decided I would play my favorite cheesy romantic comedies on our kick butt tv in honor of Valentine's Day.

I'm starting with Never Been Kissed (Swooning for Michael Vartan).

Then moving to Win A Date With Tad Hamilton (Swooning for Topher Grace).

I think I'll end with The Wedding Planner (Swooning for Matthew McConaughey).

Then the BF will be coming home to cook me dinner. YUM!

Super Bowl Snacks

2007-02-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

We're having friends over for Superbowl. Like good hosts, we will have plenty of food and drink available. We're serving the following...

- Chicago Style Hot Dogs (please, no ketchup)
- Filipino Eggrolls (Lumpia) with Sweet Chili Sauce for dipping
- Ranch & Bacon Pasta Salad
- Egg Salad Sandwiches - originally was going to be Deviled Eggs but when I peeled the eggs, I messed up a couple of them :(
- Fried Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese dressing, celery and carrots
- Honey Dijon Kettle Chips
- Yellow Cake cupcakes with chocolate frosting
- Beer. More beer.

We always have too much food when people come over but I'd rather that then to run out.

They were talking about Super Bowl Parties this week on Good Morning America. They said that the average American consumes 1,200 calories during Super Bowl. Yah I can safely say we are hitting that but hey, this is the one time of year where I can serve so many bad food together.

Also can you believe the NFL was not allowing the church to throw a Super Bowl Party? Seriously like the NFL doesn't already make enough money. I know they are worried about viewership going down with the rise in Super Bowl Parties, but isn't this only if Nielsen families aren't watching the game?

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

En fuego

2007-01-29T17:27:00.000-08:00

The weather in Florida is supposed to drop into the 20's tonight. In honor of the cold weather, we lit our first fire in the fireplace! Yay. I wish I had marshmallows though..

All it takes is one bad apple...

2007-01-28T14:10:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends and I went to see the touring Broadway show Sweet Charity. The touring cast has Molly Ringwald as the lead. She did a pretty decent job and was cute as a button. However there was a show competing with Sweet Charity. A Show in the back of the theater specifically. An extremely belligerent woman was screaming throughout the first half of the performance. It would be one thing if she screamed while people were clapping. Oh no. She was screaming during the performance--repeating lines being said by the characters. Both my friend and I went to get the usher. Eventually police came and escorted her out of there. Her friends were mortified to say the least.

Aside from the "heckler", we had a great time. People watching is always one of the best parts of going out around here. The weather is a tad chilly here in Florida right now. I was amazed to see the large number of women who wore fur coats! It was chilly but certainly not fur wearing weather. Plus, WHY would you even own fur in the South?

Slugfest in the Midwest....

2007-01-21T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Colts came back from an 18 point deficit to defeat Tom Brady and the "Legendary" New England Patriots. Peyton and his boys have a ticket to Miami and the Super Bowl in two weeks! And against the Bears --- what a game that will be. Against all the naysayers (even I'm guilty of this), the Bears will get a chance to do their Super Bowl Shuffle again.

In honor of Da Bears making it to the Big Game, we will be dining on Chicago Style Hot Dogs. I ordered the neon green relish, mustard, sport peppers and celery salt from Vienna Beef. All we need are the dogs, poppyseed buns, onions, tomatoes and dill pickles. If you have never dined on a Chicago Style Hot Dog, Wiki has a little write up here.

I'll post pictures of our Chicago dogs after the game!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2007-01-11T20:20:00.000-08:00

I wonder if there is a max out in the number of changes you can have in a short period of time. In the past 6 weeks, I have...

1) Moved to Florida
2) Started working from home
3) Went from long distance dating to in person/cohabitation
4) Flipped my social calendar (from going out queen to slight homebody)
5) Switched from PC to MAC

It's no wonder I'm a little pooped!

It's been a while!

2007-01-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are over and my somewhat normal schedule is slowly reappearing. The theme of my holiday was cooking and entertaining.

We held two holiday dinners at our humble abode. The first one was on Christmas Eve. I had my first sit-down, somewhat formal dinner. I'm talking china... tablecloths + coordinating fabric placemats and napkins. Our families came over for dinner and it was a success! I was smart and accepted any help that was offered. I only had to cook/glaze the ham and make the green bean casserole. All the other goodies were brought. The table loked beautiful too! I even had a holiday centerpiece. My motif was a rich dark wintery blue and silver. Yes. I'm a dork!

The second party was much easier. NYE with a few friends, heavy appetizers and lots of beer. I rocked Paula Deen's curry chicken salad recipe. I also had some devlied eggs (duh-- we are in the South), lumpia (Filipino Eggrolls), a winter salad with walnuts, gorgonzola and cranberries complete with a from scratch dressing, chips and salsa and brownie cupcakes.

We got our first tree compliments of my dad and trimmed with a mix of donated and personal ornaments. I even had a mantle to decorate. :)

Hope your holidays were wonderful!

Ugh

2006-12-18T13:54:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting to hear back from this local university about a position. I had made the top 5 and thought I had a pretty good chance to get the position. I hadn't heard anything--and I know that in Recruiting--silence is deafening. Anyway, since I am also an alum of the school, I receive monthly newsletters from the College. I check my email today and lo and behold, another newsletter. I start reading it and see there is a story about the position I interviewed for. No surprise that there was an interview with the person who would be running ths center, aka the person who got the job over me. I'm pretty bummed. I mean, luckily I have my current job still and I have other employment options. HOwever I'm disappointed that I didn't even get a call saying thanks, but no thanks. Or a letter. I mean--SOMETHING.

The person who got the position is very qualified and actually already works for the university. So c'est la vie I suppose.

I'm gonna pout a little more then just let it go...

An almost two years in review

2006-12-14T13:17:00.000-08:00

I lived in Chicago for almost 2 years. Here are some pics I took while I lived there...

My office building is in this pic. Guess which one!

I loved living in Wrigleyville!

Oh, eL, how I loved and hated you.

I'm working on getting many more uploaded here!

Back in 'Hood

2006-12-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

I'm back in Florida and it has just been wonderful. I'm keeping pretty busy with work as my employer has requested that I work remotely a little longer in order to transition my responsibilities. This works out great for me since I'm still making money! I've been interviewing for jobs and am anxiously awaiting the feedback on one of them. The place I interviewed with (a local University) is notoriously slow when it comes to making decisions, but I hope I will hear back soon!

Being near my boyfriend and my family has been wonderful!! I'm also reconnecting with old friends, which is always a blast. The weather has been awesome--it didn't take long to defrost!

I miss my friends in Chicago but honestly I can say I'm not missing Chicago itself very much ;-)

Leaving on a jet plane

2006-12-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

So at 7ish tomorrow morning, I'll be on a one-way flight back to Florida. My last few weeks in
Chicago have been a whirlwind. Lots of going away dinners, a kick butt going away party, a 2nd places finish for my last night of pub quiz, one last night for quarter beers. While I will miss the fun times that I have had in Chicago, I'm really looking forward to being home. It's been too long away from my family, my boyfriend and the sun.

Since this blog is primarily my experience being a southern chick in Chicago, I'm at a lost of what to write about now that I'm moving home. But I'm sure I'll think of something!

Talk soon my friends :)

Soul Singing Santa

2006-11-28T10:39:00.000-08:00

I was at the Thompson Center today, at the post office. On my way back to work, I decided to pick up some tasty Pumpkin Soup at Au Bon Pain. While waiting to cross the street, I saw the Soul Singing Santa. It's a guy dressed as Santa who sings soul music, like Al Green and Lou Rawls. He has a little sound system with his backup music. Now I love this music! It always puts me in a great mood. And Soul Singing Santa actually has a great voice too! So I gave him a buck. I normally don't tip street performers (except the Puppet Bike), but I had to make an exception for this guy!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2006-11-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

When I mention a train in my postings, I'm usually referring to the CTA. However I do enjoy riding the Metra which is the commuter rail to the suburbs and beyond. I went out to Oswego yesterday to see my former boss' home and have dinner at one of my favorite chain restaurants, Outback. Since I was born and bred in the suburbs of America, Outback is a very comforting place for me to be.

Anyway, back to the Metra. I boarded at Union Station, which is a few blocks away from Sears Tower. It takes a little over an hour to make the trip. The Metra is enjoyable for me because it is usually quiet, always cleaner than the eL could ever be, and the seats are cushy. I ike seeing all the "villages" that we pass along the way. It's just very relaxing.

Post dinner, I got to partake in ice cream from a local institution, Oberwies Dairy. The ice cream there is really amazing. While we can get the milk in the grocery stores, we don't have the ice cream shop in the city.

So after my enjoyable and relaxing day, I board the Metra with a full belly to head back to the city.

I'm going home to Florida for Thanksgiving. I missed last year and while I had fun with friends, there is nothing like being home.

Strange things about me

2006-11-17T09:49:00.000-08:00

This is for my blogging friend Andie...

TAGGED!

Ive been tagged!
The first player of this "game" starts with the topic "seven weird habits/things about me" and people who get tagged need to write a blog about their seven weird habits/things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next six people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says, "You are tagged"

1. I am slightly obsessed with stupid MTV programming like "Parental Control" , "Date My Mom", and "My Super Sweet Sixteen". I once made my boyfriend watch 4 episodes straight of "Parental Control" and "Date My Mom"

2. I get sick everytime I drink red wine. I always end up puking. I'm a wimp.

3. I can always fall asleep when on a plane. Typically I'll fall asleep right as the plane is taking off. Maybe this is more due to the fact that I like flying in the early morning (less chances for delays).

4. I love sweet potatoes, but not in the way that people are used to eating them (with brown sugar and marshamallows). I like to eat them baked in olive oil, garlic powder, black pepper and rosemary.

5. I'm rockin a big TV crush on John Krasinski from the Office. Could he be any cuter??

6. I used to walk dogs and pet sit to make money while I was in college (aside from waiting tables). My dog clientele ranged from Irish setters to standard poodles!

7. I harbor a not so secret love for the 70's pop duo The Carpenters. Blame my parents. But how could you not love Karen's voice??

Hmm, who to tag? Oh! My friend who writes Musings from the Windy City!

Lift your pinkys!

2006-11-11T20:06:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends, PreppyGirl, has said that every woman should experience formal afternoon tea at least once in their life. In an earlier post, I listed "Tea at the Drake Hotel" as one of my Chicago "Things to Do". I was able to check off this item as PreppyGirl and I, along with four of our girlfriends had a 3pm seating for tea at the Drake. We all dressed for the occasion, with the majority of us in skirts and sweaters. While waiting to be sat, we enjoyed the fabulous people watching opportunity. We marveled at our beautiful and elegant table setting, which included this contraption:

Since the majority of us had never had loose leaf tea before, it was a first to use a tea strainer!

Afternoon Tea at the Drake Hotel is held in the Palm Court Room. For $26.50, you receive your choice of tea and four types of tea sandwiches including:

Roast Beef
Cucumber and Tomato
Egg Salad
Asparagus and Ham (looks like a sushi roll!)

In addition, you receive fruit bread, scones, devonshire cream, and preserves. After all of that, you get a wonderful selection of petit fours.

We all tried different flavors of tea. I selected the Ginger Peach tea, which was wonderfully fragrant. I wish I had a candle that smelled like that! I tasted some of the other teas ordered by my friends, including Wild Blackberries. The sandwiches were really tasty, with favorites being the Roast Beef and Asparagus/Ham. Our waiter even brought us an extra plate of sandwiches after we devoured the first batch. The petit fours were excellent as well.

It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. We spent two hours giggling about the tea experience and just having really good and funny conversation. I was really happy to be able to share this experience with these great girls!

Countdown to Sunshine

2006-11-10T10:34:00.000-08:00

The apartment is on its way to being subletted (in the tenant application phase), I've scheduled movers, and I'm transitioning my work duties to someone else on my team. The countdown is on!

I suppose I could get sentimental about the city of Chicago during this post, but I've decided to concentrate on the lighter side of things.

Today's focus : The Drinking Glove

Say What?

The drinking glove is a necessity in Chicago when the temperature dips below 50. This is half the year. With the barrage of pub crawls that occur in the fall months, it is a necessity to have a drinking glove to wear on your hand to hold your beverage of choice. Also, think of all the tailgating that is done up in the Midwest. You need the drinking glove or your hand will be so numb that you won't be able to hold a beer. Best use of a drinking glove was during the Southside Irish Parade. You would see people not wearing jackets or scraves, but lo and behold, the drinking glove will be ever present. It's the one item you don't lose no matter how drunk you get.

Da Bears are Da Best?

2006-11-02T14:16:00.000-08:00

So the Chicago Bears have had a perfect season. They have had more than their share of shutouts. However I really don't think that the Bears' perfect record is that impressive. Okay, hold on to that tomato for just a second. I like the Bears. I really do. I've been watching Rex Grossman since his days at UF. They are a good team. But Super Bowl bound great? Hmm..not so sure.

Why would I make such a statement against the beloved Chicago Bears? This is the primary reason. They are in a weak division. Let's look back at who they have played so far:

Green Pay Packers (Final Score 26-0; Packers current record: 3-4)

Detroit Lions (Final Score 34-7; Lions current record: 1-6)

Minnesota Vikings (Final Score 19-16; Vikings current record: 4-3)

Seattle Seahawks - after Shaun Alexander was out (Final Score 37-6; Seahawks current record: 4-3)

Buffalo Bills (Final Score 40-7; Bills current record: 2-5)

Arizona Cardinals (Final Score 24-23; Cardinals current record: 1-7)

San Francisco 49ers (Final Score 41-10; 49ers current record: 2-5)

None of these teams are especially steller. In all honestly, the Bears are in the weakest division on the NFL (the NFC North). The Bears have been playing pretty sucky team so of course they have been winning. The Cardinals game was the DIRTIEST win ever. Grossman and those interceptions. Don't even get me started. They should NOT have won that game. The Bears play the Miami Dolphins (1-6) this Sunday and again, I'm sure they will kill them. But this easy schedule is the worst thing that could happen to the Bears. They have a tough couple of games coming to them after the Dolphins game, which include the NY Giants (oh Eli--I heart him) and the New England Patriots. I will happily change my outlook about Da Bears if they can win against these two strong teams. The undefeated record would actually be meaningful to me if it has been maintained come December.

Let's imagine that the Bears do make it to the playoffs. I would be very interested to see how they stack up against the following teams: Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and Baltimore Ravens.

A Bears/Colts playoff game? Bring it on!

eL Etiquette

2006-11-02T13:55:00.000-08:00

While riding the Red Line into work today, I witnessed several eL etiquette atrocities. I saw several girls using their big Kate Spade/Coach/Louis Vuitton bags as weapons. The big bag is an essential in Chicago, as many of us don't have a car to use to schlep our stuff around. However, the big bag should never, and I repeat NEVER be used as a weapon. Many girls on the eL today used their bags to push against people as they manuevered their way into the car. Also many girls used their bags to establish their personal space zone. When you are packed like sardines in a car, there IS NO personal space. We are all just trying to make it into work without being too late. Could you just put your bag down or at least not use it to hurt someone?

I also saw a pregnant girl (at least 6 months) who had to stand because no one would give up their seat for her. I too was standing so I had no seat to give her. Everyone was concentrating a little too hard on listening to their iPods, reading their RedEye, or staring blankly into space. I even saw seated people look straight at her and not even flinch to give up their seat. I swear this happens on a weekly basis.

When we pulled into the Grand spot, there was a girl who shoved people out of her way to get out of the car. Mind you, these people were already in the process of moving for her and she just couldn't wait. Again, we know--you are late to work because the eL was delayed at Fullerton for like 10 minutes. But come on, the shoving isn't necessary.

So please..there is no need to shove or use fashionable accessories as weapons on the eL. And for goodness sakes, if you see a pregnant woman or an elderly person stading on the eL, give them your seat!

An Acclimated Chicagoan

2006-10-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

As a southern transplant to Chicago, I always wondered when it would feel like I really lived here. Where I felt like it was a home (obviously can't be like my actual HOME in Florida, but you know what I mean). Here are some ways that I realized I had settled in here:

(1) I knew multiple ways to get from Point A to Point B on the CTA without consulting www.transitchicago.com. This is especially helpful if there is an accident on LSD or major delays on the train.

(2) I had developed an educated opinion about where to get the best deep dish in the city (Lou Malnati's of course).

(3) I could easily identify a Trixie or Chad by sight and name at least three bars where they can be found.

(4) I could shout my order quickly at Potbelly's.

(5) I got slightly irritated at suburbanites trying to figure out the turnstile at the eL station.

(6) I knew the difference between fans at the Cell vs. the Friendly Confines (i.e. US Cellular vs. Wrigley Field).

(7) I wasn't surprised to read about the Mob in the Trib.

(8) I memorized the Empire Carpet commercial *sings 588-2300 EMPIIIIIRE*

(9) I relate all my downtown directions to State and Madison.

(10) I could distinguish between 312, 773, 847, 708, and 630.

I wonder how long I'll retain this info when I move back to the FLA?

Any Chicagoans reading my blog? Add to the list!

Argh

2006-10-19T19:56:00.000-07:00

I'm a tad worried about finding someone to sublet my place. So if any of my readers are interested in a 1br sublet in Wrigleyville from December to June, please leave a comment or email me. Thanks!

**Clarification: For my non Chicagoans blogging friends, Wrigleyville is a neighborhood within the bigger neighborhood of Lakeview in Chicago, north of Downtown. I live within a block or 2 or Wrigley Field. There are also around 20+bars and restaurant within a couple of blocks of my place.

Here is a Wiki entry on my 'hood: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrigleyville

Random Chicago-y Things...

2006-10-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a particularly trying week so I'm sorry I haven't blogged anything cool lately! I don't have enough for a posting on one particular item, but I have some bits and pieces so here goes...

(1) Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins at the Vic Theatre - Chicago has some fantastic musical venues. Intimate, historical and just plain cool. One of these cool theatres is the Vic. When they don't have concerts, they do a Brew and View where you can drink beer and watch second-run (out of the mainstream theaters) movies. However on this occasion, I had the opportunity to see one of my new favorite performers, Jenny Lewis (lead singer of Rilo Kiley). Jenny was actually a child actress. She was in one of my childhood faves, Troop Beverly Hills. Now, she is a singer, who likes to dabble in a fun mix of indie rock and country.

(2) Brunch is my favorite time of the week - Sunday brunches have been my favorite times of my week for several years. Back in Florida, this is the time that I would see my close friends, catch up on the week, and eat tasty brunch food without worrying that I was going to be late to work. I've tried to continue this tradition while in Chicago. Luckily, I have found some friends who also enjoy this leisurely Sunday activity. There are several tasty and quirky places in the city to enjoy brunch. Two notable places are M. Henry and Tweet.

Both places are located in the Northside neighborhoods (M. Henry on the border of Edgewater and Andersonville; Tweet in Uptown). Both serve fresh, organic and inventive brunch menus. As well, both places typically have a long, yet well worth it wait. I love the quirky, artistic atmosphere as well. I also like that both places are so not typical Wrigleyville/Lincoln Park Chicago. There are no tvs blaring in the background. The crowd is eclectic. Plus the food. Can't stop thinking about the food!!

(3) Crawling for dessert? - While waiting to be sat at M. Henry, I saw a sign for a Dessert Crawl in Andersonville next Saturday from 7p-10p. For $20 per person, you can visit over 15 restaurants in the 'hood and try different desserts. There are some amazing pastry places in Andersonville so I can't pass this up. I also like the idea that this is a food crawl instead of a pub crawl. Sure a few more calories, but I know I won't be a drunken mess after this event.

So in some non Chicago news, I'm definitely moving home in December! So this blog as I currently have it won't continue since I won't be a Southern Gal in the Windy City. Any ideas on what I should blog about??

Brrr!

2006-10-11T19:30:00.000-07:00

Can someone please call my management company and tell them to turn the heat on? I'm dying here!

I was spoiled in my last apartment. The majority of my neighbors were nice little elderly folks so they tended to heat the building early in the season.

Now I know why heat is included in my rent. Because they aren't going to turn it on!!!

For tomorrow, first snow! I will take time to appreciate it this time around as my days here are numbered :)

What a lovely day to...

2006-10-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

frolick in the country?

Yes, you read it right. This city gal spent her Saturday enjoying some of the best parts outside of Chicago. The day started with apple picking at the All Season Orchard . All Season is located in Woodstock, IL, roughly 55 miles northwest of the city. At this orchard, you purchase a bag that can hold half a bushel (around 25 lbs!) of apples and it's 100% "U-pick-'em". For those who don't want to pick their own apples, you can buy apples in the general store at the front of the orchard. You can also purchase goodies such as unprocessed honey, lots of apple-based bottled sauces, and most importantly--apple cider donuts! It was such a great, sunny day and completely enjoyable to be outside, playing among the 7,000 apple trees (!!!).

After apple picking, we ended up (thanks in part to a call to my boyfriend for directions) at another Chicago suburban legend, Hackney's. Hackney's is a family owned and operated restaurant chain that has been in buisiness since the 1930s. We dined at the Glenview location on E. Lake, which is one of six area locations. They are known for their burgers and onion loafs. Burgers were excellent, incredibly flavorful and juicy. The onion loaf was a bit overdone for my taste, but it was still pretty good.

While winding back down Sheridan Rd. towards the city, we stopped at the amazing Baha'i Temple in Wilmette. This architecturally impressive temple is the only one of its kind in the US. There are nine Baha'i temples around the world, in countries such as Panama and Australia. The temple is open to all and is surround by tranquil gardens. Situated in the ritzy suburb Wilmette, it definitely stands out among the traditional Victorian and early American style homes. The most impressive part of the temple was the inside. Looking into the intricate details of the ceiling almost made me weak in the knees.

So Chicago visitors and natives alike, take the time to explore the areas outside the city. Chicagoland isn't just about skyscrapers and deep dish pizza!

Chicago Wish List

2006-09-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

I have had a lot of great experiences while living in Chicago, but I still have a list of things I would like to do here, including:

1. See a movie at The Music Box
2. Eat brunch at the Four Seasons or have tea at the Drake
3. Watch a drag show at The Baton
4. Go to the Museum of Science and Industry
5. Listen to jazz at the Green Mill
6. Walk on lakefront path from Oak Street Beach all the way to Foster Ave. Beach (running out of time since it is getting cold soon!)

I used to have apple picking on my list, but thanks to a good friend of mine, I'm going to do this tomorrow!

Advice for a newbie to the "City of Big Shoulders"

2006-09-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

Before I start, has anyone else heard Chicago referred to as the "City of Big Shoulders"? I heard that for the first time last week. I haven't tried researching where this name came from though.

My sis just moved to New England for school. As well, a friend of mine just moved here from Austin, TX. Both my friend and sis are lifetime southerners. I've been advising them on what they should buy to prepare for winter and thought i may make an interesting blog post. Or not. Oh well, too late..because I've already started!

(1) Thick, water resistant, Down Coat with a hood for the 30 degrees and lower days. If you want a higher end coat ($250+), North Face is pretty popular. This style in particular is regularly seen on the city street. However, if you are a little more economical --around $100 (me! me!), Lands End has some great coats. This is similar to the one I got last year.

(2) A lighter coat for those 40-50 degrees days. There is a little more flexibility in this area, since you could go with a leather coat, a lighter down coat, corduroy, etc. For in person shopping, I like Nordstroms Rack and TJ Maxx for bargains; Fields (errr--now Macy's) for mid range...For high end, any of the other department stores would work.

(3) Cute but functional rain boots. I"m actually on a search for a pair of these right now. I figure that I can use them when I move home too. I know. They sound incredibly dorky, but you know how I hate wet pant legs. I found this pair as well as this one at Target's website.

(4) Lined boots to wear while trying not to fall on the sidewalk. Now if you buy the right pair of boots, you shouldn't have this problem. I got a shearling lined pair of ankle boots from LL Bean last winter and they were awesome. Now how can I write about winter boots without mentioning the infamous Uggs. I'm sure they are very comfortable. In the right wintery environment, I bet they do a great job keeping your toes nice and warm. However, when girls started wearing them in all types of weather...even with shorts? YUCK.

(5) Wool Hats, Scarves (of various colors, thickness etc), and gloves (cheap ones, if you are like me and lose them all the time!)

(6) And for God's sake, cover your ears! Traditional ear muffs are kinda dorky. Luckily, there are more options these days. I used to have a pair of 180s but my hair is so thick that they wouldn't stay on. I used the headband thingy that people wear when they ski to keep my ears from getting frosty.

(7) Lots of long sleeves cotton shirts. Layers baby layers. That thick sweater will feel like a light cotton tank top when it is 15 degrees outside. Gotta layer --the wind cuts right through you!

Luckily, I'm enjoying 60 degree weather right now. I did pull my winter clothes suitcase out, but in defiance, I have left the bag unopened on my living room floor.

My cousin, Oysy, and a "Fat Pig" = My Friday night

2006-09-23T18:34:00.000-07:00

My cousin and I had a "date" on Friday. We started out at Oysy for tasty, inventive sushi. Oysy is one of my fave sushi joints, second only to Tsunami on Dearborn. They have a terrific selection of speciality makis. One of the highlights of our meal was the Rainbow Dragon, which consisted of salmon, tuna, super white tuna, eel, ebi, shrimp tempura, masago, cucumber, chili tobiko, wasabi tobiko, black tobiko, avocado, and mayo. Whew! It came "snaking" out to our table, complete with a little dragon face.

After dinner, we headed up LSD to Uptown for the next part of our evening: Fat Pig. Say What? Fat Pig is a play, a Neil LaBute play, which makes its Midwest debut at the Profiles Theatre. I have been excited to see Fat Pig since I read about the off Broadway debut last year. Neil LaBute's work is so honest and emotional without turning into a made for tv movie. I saw the movie version of The Shape of Things, which starred the original cast from the play. Instantly I was drawn to Neil LaBute's ability to capture the truths of relationships. He just gets it.

The following is a sumary of Fat Pig, from the Profiles Theatre website...

"FAT PIG is Neil LaBute's award-winning and bitingly funny romance about love in the modern age of body image and peer pressure. Tom is a young career guy who hits it off with Helen, a bright, sexy woman who happens to be plus-sized - and then some. As he reluctantly finds himself falling in love with Helen, Tom's colleagues are brutally cruel in their assessment of his new mate. LaBute probes our carb-counting, extreme makeover nation by asking tough questions. How much has our relentless pursuit of beauty turned us into an uglier species?"

Fat Pig did not disappoint at all. It was funny and sad and honest, without being trite. The cast at Profiles was incredibly compelling, as if these parts were written specifically for them. Also the venue itself is amazingly intimate (50 seats!). It was the perfect environment to see this play. I would highly recommend taking in this play if you get a chance. The theatre is located on Broadway north of Irving Park.

Now I must get back to watching the Gator game. Go Gators!

P.S. Did anyone here the tornado sirens downtown on Friday night? My cousin and I were on our way to dinner when we heard it. I had no clue what it was at first. My cousin had to clue me in. Pretty freaking scary!!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of a Chicago Fall

2006-09-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a wonderful long weekend in Florida. My return was met with the the light crispness of an inevitable fall. Aside from my body not liking the 25 degree drop in weather, I'm a fan of the change in seasons. Some would argue that Chicago only has two seasons: Winter and Construction. However, I am a girl from Sunny Florida, where Septembers are marked by a drop in temp from 95 to 89 degrees. Anything below 70's feels like fall to me.

So here it is...the good, the bad and the ugly of fall...

Good: Football (College and NFL); knee high boots; Fall TV
Bad: Putting away the flip flops; Shorter days; End of the Daley Plaza Farmers Market
Ugly: Wet jean bottoms caused by puddles; Sinus misery; Umbrellas that can't stand up to the wind

It is my last Chicago fall. This Southern girl is headed home hopefully by the end of the year!

New layout

2006-09-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I got a little bored of the dark design (I've had it since last December), so I'm trying this one out. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. After all, you are the one that has to read it! Thanks!

Chicago Cheap Eats

2006-09-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

Chicago's Citysearch page published a list of top cheap eats in Chicago. Here is the story:

http://chicago.citysearch.com/bestof/winners/cheap_eats/?brand=msn

One of my favorites (Potbelly's) made the list. You'd be hard pressed not to stumble across a Potbelly's during a trip to the Windy City. Like many other cities and their local foods, it helps to know how to order a Potbelly's sandwich. Potbelly's is insanely efficient. You could be 10 people back from the actual order counter and have your order taken. Skinny..Regular or Wheat...and don't tell the first person what you want on your sandwich...that's the second person's job to dress your sandwich. You catch my drift. My personal favorites include Turkey or Chicken Salad on Wheat, Skinny (1/3 less bread).

Another cheap eat in Chicago is found at numerous neighborhood bars. The famous $1 burger. Monday's are a popular day to offer this special. From Kincade's in Lincoln Park (you can upgrade to a Deluxe Burger with fries for $2) to The Dark Horse in Wrigleyville to Celtic Crown in the outskirts of Lincoln Square...the $1 burger is a popular cheap eat.