It's Been Awhile

So I'm on temporary hiatus from the blog if you haven't yet been able to guess that. I need to refocus and I'm just bored with it at the moment, just bored in general actually. Once I have more of plan and am not lolling in the land of apathetic thought I'll be back!

I'm Cashing It All In

I finally had an idea for a business that's actually viable, sadly I'm not quite yet ready to chuck my day job and run wild with it (as much as I'd love to) but I'm going to try and get this thing going on the side. Don't even try to ask, I'm not telling what it is yet, lest you try to steal my idea! Just know that it has to do with what I love - namely, going out and having great meals.
I probably won't be the next Facebook but I'm not ruling it out entirely.

In other news, fido is on his way out - he cannot stop chewing our house, walls, floor, baseboards - there is only so much I am willing to take and the slow destruction of my house is not one of them. Sad that it's not working out after all the work we put in but I'm a girl who knows how to cut my losses.

Stay tuned for my recap of the Zoo Ball next week. Yup, that's right I am going to a BALL - how crazy is that - it's adult prom and I am l-o-v-i-n-g it!

Always the Inviter, Never the Invitee

I had a realization this week - I am usually the person who organizes events amongst my group of friends. Book clubs, dinners out, golfing, shopping, etc., it's fun and I love doing that a) because it keeps me busy doing things I love b) because that means I'm in charge which is key. However, I realized since I am know as the inviter and organizer I never get invited to things myself - is this because others are just assuming I'm already busy or will be coordinating something soon? Even if that was true it would still be nice to get the occasional invite from others or maybe are they trying to tell me something???? : )

Some Musings

I hate folding socks, they never pair up like they should and one inevitably always disappears from washer to dryer to the basket. So I took a stand and said no more to dealing with socks, I throw them in the basket then right into the drawer, I like to think it saves me about 7.5 hours of aggravation a year - consider this your Holly Homemaker tip of the day (basically, if it really annoys you just don't do it).

A pet peeve now that it is fully summer and there are joggers out and about everywhere on the Chicago streets - lady joggers you must wear better support while jogging! It's just wrong to have to witness what I witness right out on the sidewalk, there is no excuse for not wearing a good bra and nobody wants to see what happens when you don't - so just go to Target and pick up a few, they do the trick and they're no more than $14 - thank you in advance.

I try not to talk too much about the S.O. here as he doesn't enjoy it but I have to brag that he ran his first half marathon this weekend and finished with an awesome time of 2:02:02, and there's even more - he did while in a cast for his broken hand!!!! I don't know too many people who would do that so I'm proud and bragging : )

Off to my all-time favorite city of London this week, the first time I have ever been there in the summer, I'm pretty pumped that Londoners tans will not be any better than mine.

After Much Ado

Here's Murph, yes, he's still with us (although under threat of banishment on a daily basis). He's cut back on the gum chewing and farting but is a retriever who doesn't like swimming??? (doesn't he realize his feet are webbed??)

If I Were a Black Man

It's been awhile I know, I know - I just can't bring myself to open the computer at home in the evenings any more unless it's absolutely necessary for work but I will make a renewed effort, consider it my mid-year resolution. I often write posts in my head but then just never get around to actually putting fingers to keypad.
However, I have had this one particular thought in my head for the past couple of weeks so I thought I'd share, I came to the conclusion that if I were a black man I would be Kanye West. Let's think about it, Kanye and I really are leading parallel lives (minus that whole famous rap star thing he has going). Were roughly the same age, from Chicago (or close enough) we both have a stylish yet preppy aesthetic, nice smiles with good teeth, diva attitudes (I would fully be pitching hissy fits like him if I wasn't winning awards for that music) .
Perhaps he and I will cross paths on Michigan Ave. one day and I can share this with him, I'm pretty sure he'd be pumped to have a white, female doppelganger living in Lakeview.
In the meantime though, "what doesn't kill only makes me stronger........"

A Few Random Musings

So last post I said it looked likely that it was adios for the pooch but alas he's still with us and we are living life as doggie parents. I'm 75% happy that we've kept him, along when he was throwing up for six hours straight last week, including a moment when he got up on the couch just for the express intent of throwing up - that was really what sealed the deal for me, nothing says love like cleaning up another's vomit.

A must visit restaurant for all you Chicagoans is Mercat a la Planxa in the Blackstone hotel on south Michigan, a fabulous take on Catalan tapas, I am considering it my de facto job to spread the word on how delicious this place is. We did the tapas sharing thing and I was not disappointed with one dish, go for the classic croquetas, the squid and angel hair pasta in squid's ink, arroz with crab and quail egg (really just but a quail egg on anything and I'll eat it). The sangria is equal parts refreshing and strong and the decor and layout is modern, interesting and inviting to a night out on the town.

Other random points of the week, why do manicurists always have terrible nails? They never have them done, I realize they use their hands for work but you rarely see a hairstylist with ugly hair - manicurists of the world, give yourselves some love.

You'll also notice the fun new color scheme on the b to the l to the o to the g - I certain reader told me that the black background was burning his retinas so I decided not to force him into early Lasik surgery, consider this my good deed for the quarter.

I Think I'm Unfit

So no pictures of the dog posted yet becuase 1) we are really still struggling on whether or not to keep him - it's really a lot of work and such a strain on the lifestyle that I am really just not cut out for (or at least not cut out for sucking it up an dealing with it) so the next few days or so will decide and 2) I still need to haul all my new digital camera gizmos and learn now to download on the new camera.

I give props to people who have dogs and kids, I really don't like the demands on my time, it needs to be on my schedule and the poor guy is still a puppy so he's just being himself. I am hearing the choruses of "I told you so" from my dad and the S.O. in my head already but who knows maybe he'll surprise me and wake up fully trained tomorrow or I'll wake up tomorrow and no longer be selfish (odds are on the dog people).

Fingers crossed that Tiger can pull off a comeback today!

I Don't Say the TV is Tacky and Why My Dog is Like Elf

So I've been adjusting to life with another living creature in the house (the S.O. I've already gotten used to), there have been a few accidents, few chewings and several "let me out at 3a.m. moments" what's great about those though is that I can put him in the cage afterwards - all my sucker friends with those babies can't - ha ha (imagine Nelson laughing voice here). Murphy is the moniker we have bestowed upon the dog, I'm not entirely sure he's a Murphy or if he even knows his name yet but it's the only one we could settle on. So anyways, when on walks with me (and only me) Murphy's favorite thing to do so is find old pieces of gum on the sidewalk or grass and promptly pop them in his mouth, he manages to find several pieces on each walk, leaving me amazed as to the amount of gum that the good people of Chicago are spitting out on a daily basis. We had this gum chewing routine occur so many times already that now he automatically spits it out when I begin to bend down and reach for this mouth, I think him and the Will Ferrell character in Elf would have got along fabulously.

I had a realization while having dinner with friends the other evening, we were discussing the gorgeous ring a mutual friend of our had received for the birth of her son (a very nice push present!) and the guys both commented that they thought it was too large and a little tacky, while the other woman and myself both of course thought it was beautiful and not at all too large. And the difference in opinion between the ladies and the gents got me thinking that while they would think the jewelry was too big (likely because they'd be the one purchasing it for someone) they would never say such a thing about, say, a TV. TVs in the male mind can never be too big, while I frequently think they are too large and overpower a room but since it makes the S.O. an most other males happy we go with it and therefore I think they should do the same with diamonds or any jewelry of the large and sparkly genre!

He's Not Marley But...........

I've been MIA but for one simple reason, we got a dog this past week and I am adjusting to a schedule of constant walks, jumping when there seems to be the slightest hint of an "accident" but it's great, he's cute and sweet but still very much a puppy!! So I promise somes pictures and stories once we get a bit more of a schedule going on. (Hopefully soon!)

Really? All at the same time ?

I feel compelled to share what I have observed on my daily commute. While I have only come across her a handful of times the walking/smoking/reading lady immediately draws my attention whenever I pass her on the sidewalk My question is - why???? I can understanding walking and smoking (well actually I can't because it's horrible and nasty) but they are two activities that aren't entirely strange when paired together, but reading and walking? Is that really the best time to get a few pages in, when cruising in morning rush hour on the sidewalk with hundreds of others THEN pair all three together, picture her, ciggy in one hand and book in another fully engrossed at 8:30a.m. Is she reading the best book ever? Does she have no other free time than during her morning commute - I just don't see how she is compelled to do all three. I can barely managing walking and talking on the cell phone, you don't see me trying to blow bubbles or fly a kite while on the phone. It's weird, I don't get, I want to know why she does it - maybe one day when I've had enough I'll stop and ask her.

Also, just got back from Miami - after a Jennifer Aniston sighting and the sighting of lots o' fake boobs I am back in Midwestern winter. I didn't expect to really like Miami but I am a fan- it's a little fake and ridiculous but the weather (in March) is fabulous and the hotel lounge/bars are beautifully designed - go to the Setai now for dinner and drinks - classy and sexy without being over the top. Michael's Genuine Food & Drink for a non-South Beach destination that is delicious and unpretentious. I couldn't handle it all the time nor in any season where there's massive humidity but I can now see why Will sings his song.

Home, home on the range

Just a few comments about my absolutely lovely dinner at Schwa last Saturday. If Michael Carlson can pair sea urchin ice cream and pine flavor ice cream cone and make it a delicious option that seems natural to pair together then honestly the man is an ARTISTE! That dish couldn't top the grand finale of antelope, butternut squash and white chocolate though - I'm sure reading this you think ewwwwwwwww, when I read the menu I was really skeptical about how it would work but it was the best three bites I've had in the past year. If that's not an endorsement I don't know what is.

Recommendation: Don't go see The Other Bolyen Girl, if you have read the books or are at all family with Elizabethan history you'll be irritated with the large portions of history that this movie glosses over and when you're in a movie where Scarlett Johanssen is the "other" sister you know the casting is all off. It just comes off as annoying rather than entertaining, if you do go just enjoy the SATC trailer - yay! Can't wait till it comes out in May.

A Question for Dr. Nunes

I am so over winter, I sound like a broken record but I AM! Next week I head to Miami for some work and some fun and while I have a fear of not being tan, thin or owning enough white clothing to mingle in Miami that will not stop me!! I'll be sure to share all my pasty exploits after I get back.

A question that came to mind today, per a conversation with my new mommy friend (but trust me not a cute, cuddly, baby question) do you think you could fake out your OBGYN and tell them you've had 3 kids when you've had none or can their all seeing eye detect that? I want the new mom to ask but I don't think she will - guess I'll have to wait for an answer on this one until October!

And I know, I know some of my Oscar picks were wrong but honestly at this point who cares - they were sooooooooooo boring, and this coming from an Oscar extreme fan (hmm what's the equivalent of dressing like an Oscar super fan? Do I wear an evening gown and updo while sitting on the couch??) something to consider for next year................

How Rude & Why I'm Okay Looking Like The Unabomber

So the comment that was attached to my last post SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO got on my last nerve. Excuse me, are you providing a helpful criticism as to what should be on my idle mind -hmmm kind of defeats the point of blogging, I am tempted to post several long and detailed restaurant reviews out of spite but I will resist the urge (repeat: I am the bigger person, I am the bigger person). Another restaurant review will be forthcoming though as next week we have reservations at the newly re-opened Schwa - so readers beware!

On an unrelated note as it has continued to be sub-zero polar ice cap weather around here I realized that I have transitioned into another life stage, the "not caring about looking cute and more focused on being bundled up a warm" stage. I so used to be that girl who didn't want to wear boots because they looked big and clunky and ugly or I would never dream of wearing a hat as it would mess up my perfect coiffure. Unbeknownst to me at some point I passed this stage and now when it is cold I resemble the unabomber (albeit a wool-blend, Chanel sunglass wearing unabomber) but the general look is about the same. I'm not sure if this is another byproduct of growing older or just a byproduct of a particularly freezing Chicago winter. If I start wearing a caftan and straw hat this summer then we'll know it's the former and not the latter.

A few Oscar picks for tomorrow, although in full disclosure I have not watching all the nominees this year so I feel a bit like a cheater picking them.

Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett - she convincingly portrays an iconic male singer, enough said.
Supporting Actor: I have not seen No Country for Old Men (nor do I plan to) but word on the street is Javier Bardem is a lock, what should be a lock is for him to never re-create that hairdo again.
Actress: Marion Cotillard - La Vie En Rose- haven't seen it yet but I love the original song! She's beautiful and animated, Julie Christie is too much of a sourpuss in my opinion.
Actor: Daniel Day Lewis, again haven't seen it but he is scary enough in trailers to have me believing in that performance.
Director: Coen Brothers, everyone loves a director who can go from funny to serious
Movie: Atonement, I loved it, thought it was beautifully done, still a get a little pang in the chest when I see a commercial for it - it better win, the only other choice is Juno but the academy would never give an Oscar to a little indie comedy.

Thalia Spice - A BYOB You Shouldn't Miss

This past weekend I checked out Thalia Spice a new Asian spot in I think what we can call West Town (Chicago / Halsted). Tucked away along an industrial alley Thalia is definitely a little find in the rough. The decor in lots of deep purples, reds, draped fabric giving almost a Casbah-like feel but not too much, just enough to be exotic but not in any overpowering way. We were ushered in to a little nook and that is when I realized my error of the evening - I had forgotten it was a BYOB spot! BYOB is great (but not so great when you forget your own B or W). We still stayed and ordered even though it would be a tee-totalling dinner - the menu at Thalia is quite expansive with one menu dedicated to what I'll call a more Thai-styled menu, with curry, noodles, claypots and most of the traditional dishes you'd attribute to Thai cuisine.l Then there's a second menu for the more Japanese / sushi focused items on the menu. So many things looked good and I'm sure I could have been happy with any number of them but we did take the easy way out that night and ordered a special pre-set menu they had in place for the evening. In my opinion it took many of the highlights from both menus and pre-packaged them for us, we got shrimp rolls, perfectly seared and seasoned ahi tuna, fish balls (don't laugh they are tasty) thai beef lettuce wraps, mee krab and then the finale, claypot lobster in a f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s lemongrass broth. Everything and I mean everything I had was delicious, it had the classic Asian flavors but what I especially liked was that the meal and flavors while memorable were still light, nothing oily or heavy that stuck with you after tasting. I must confess that we didn't linger too long after dinner, somehow it's not so fun to stretch out a meal over your water glass as it is a glass of wine so dinner was lovely, and relatively inexpensive (alcohol notwithstanding) but I would love it all more with a great wine or beer to accompany the meal. Thalia Spice a definite addition to my dining repotorie when I'm in the mood for Asian in the future.

To Blog or not to blog, plus a Takashi review.

So I haven't posted for awhile but I have received "feedback" from people commenting on the topics on my blog, some saying less baby talk, some saying bring back the restaurant reviews. I just found it amusing that people were telling me what to blog about, isn't the point of a blog that you post on whatever you're thinking about or intersted in at the moment? For example, a few things that popped into my mind this week 1) you know those drop down menus you have to use when completing order forms online, my pet peeve is that when you have to select country you scroll all the way down to the bottom to pull up "United States", I know it's petty but really are there that many people in the Ivory Coast or Madacasgar purchasing books online or ordering Laura Mercier blush? I highly doubt it, so can we just get it moved up to the top? I'm just asking.
Another one of my "critics" wanted me to go back to purely restaurant reviews, I am totally happy to do restaurant reviews I commented but that means I need to go out to new restaurants! During the busy holiday months and this past, cold depressing January I didn't have too many reservations on the calendar but I am now booking up the calendar so that I can again comment on our Chicago dining.
This past Friday I went and checked out the new Takashi, a Japanese/French inspired Chicago newbie located in the old Scylla space in Bucktown. I was a big Scylla fan and sad to see it go but I had heard nothing but raves about the new Takashi so a visit was due. The former cozy and cramped decor is gone and while the space is still a bit small, it is much sleeker and modern than it's former occupant, complete with a tiny but inviting bar to sit at while you wait. Takashi's menu is a number of cold and hot small plates along with a shorter "large plates" aka entrees selection. A number of the small plates looked delicious, fluke, bluefin tuna tartare, scallops, pork belly, the of the moment dish, and many others, in fact, I had a bit of struggle deciding upon the small selection, I think I could have been happy with three small and forgone the large selection altogether. I finally settled on the pork belly for a starter and was happy with the selection (although I did suffer from a little jealous after having a nibble of the scallops). The pork belly came with several steamed buns, a pungent mustard and little greens which allowed you to combine all four elements for a tasty bite or mini Asian sandwich combo. The belly perfectly prepared, not too crispy, not too fatty (ridiculous I know!) a definite recommend if you go, my fellow diners were also big fans of the scallops and duck. The large selections with the exception of the duck didn't really "wow" our table, fish dominated the selections with cod, bass, and salmon all making an appearance along with some claypot chicken and a wasabi steak selection. I split the salmon and the chicken with a friend and while both were tasty and fine, I wasn't wowed but that's not a criticism, not every meal is wow-worthy and there's nothing wrong with that - I was happy to find in Takashi another enjoyable and quality dining experience and in one of my favorite hoods to boot! The service is still new and not as steady as it could be but not at enough of a level to detract from the dinner. I am positive once real spring comes to Chicago (read: late May) I will make a visit to Takashi again for some fresh, spring flavors and maybe a spot on the patio.

A Scary Moment

So I had more comments than usual to my last "baby" post, and I was accused of writing about babies a lot - but I'll just this- I write about what's going on in my life and currently everyone is having or has recently had babies. When I get my puppy in the spring I'll focus on that!

So I have to confess to a scary thought that popped into my mind the other day as I was driving down the street. I passed a store and a top in the window happened to catch my eye and I thought to myself "that's cute" then to my horror I realized that the store was Chico's!!!!! Aggghhhhhhh. I did NOT just think a top in the 40+ trying-to-be-sassy-lady store was cute, Chico's is some weird more casual stepsister of Talbot's - does this mean my life is now in it's downward spiral? In full disclosure the top had some sparkly stuff on it and anything sparkly catches my eye and interest so it was kind of sneaky of Chico's to do that to me, luring in that way with sewn-on sequins.

So between everyone procreating and my Chico's incident occurring this past week I really am feeling that transition out of my 20s!!!! I will need to make the most of the last few months - I am heading directly to Express and Bebe and buying something highly inappropriate in order to balance this all out.

Come Check Out What I Just Got It's Great I Swear

I don't think I've mentioned it but about a bajillion friends of mine have had or having babies over these past few months. I've learned a new lingo of ultrasounds, breastfeeding (referred to as BF'ing by some), baby accessories and in general just an increased conversation about all that is baby. Which is all good and fine, I get it, it's the biggest thing that happens to a person/couple but it's also one of those things that you can't quite get as excited about or fully understand unless you're going through it yourself. So my question is - how excited will I be or should I seem to be about this mass wave of births? I've heard many a people say that they hate kids except their own and that seems to be an accepted axiom by many that I know so hmmmmm where does that leave me? In a land of toddler despising until I perhaps decide to hatch one of my own someday? What I think it will actually end up being like is when a friend gets some fun new toy, say a roofdeck on their condo or a Wiii (side note: if you have a Wiii call me, I so want to play!) or a boat. At first it's new and a novelty something you haven't seen your friend with before and it's fun for you to enjoy the newness with them but after a few boat rides or a couple weekend on the roofdeck you've kind of been there done that and want to suggest that you all go out and do something different. So what if I get that way about someone's kid? Yeah, they're cute and all but all they're still doing is laying there and drooling or crying - is it fair to say when I don't find that fascinating or do I quietly exit the room stage left at that point.
I've have yet to be bi ten with any "biological clock" urge in my life, perhaps because I am still young and vivacious : ) but does proximity to more babyness rub-off on one? Do I need to be worried about coming down with the tick-tock feeling by osmosis?
I don't know, it should be interesting, I"ll promise to weigh in on how I think the little aliens are in person once they arrive and I actually spend some time with them, over under on how quickly I lose interest in them is current at 3 months.

An additional update on the co-habitating front. So far so good, only the occasional flare-up of "but I do things THIS way" but we have become a bit organizationally obssessed, until now I had never visited the Container Store and in the past week I've been there twice, I guess intermingling one's things makes you crave a sense or order more? Maybe the Container Store should market to the 25-35 demographic a little more.

They Wouldn't Cancel Tom & Peyton

So it's been awhile since my last post and the other day I was commenting on how I just didn't having anything to comment on that I felt I needed to post here, and my new roommate suggested that it might be because I am settling into my new, comfortable domestic bliss so my inspiration had dried up. I doubt that this is the case, more likely a post-holiday brain drain and general aversion to typing anything after having so many days off of work.
Then this past week something to fire me up, the cancellation of the Golden Globes! Not that the Golden Globes are my favorite thing in the world but as I was explaining to my roommate they are akin to the playoffs and the Oscars my Superbowl so of course when your playoffs get booted from the Sunday night lineup you're bound to get a little cranky. The writer's strike, fine whatever, I get that there is a lot of money to be made electronically but seriously they all need to get over themselves and give me awards shows and dresses to comment on. I have to think that the movie industry brings in more money than the NFL (for those of you that really care do the research) and yet here we are with no opportunity to see Johnny Depp or Keira Knightley win some justly deserved awards. However, there will never be a cancellation of the Superbowl, of that I'm sure, it just seems wrong and unfair - how am I to get through this dreary month of January with no superficial awards shows to watch?
I guess I'll just have to get buy on envisioning Tom Brady in a tux.


Also, on an unrelated note, one of my first posts on this blog was dedicated to my love of Law & Order, then recently I saw this NY Times article

Now I'm not calling myself high-powered or super successful but I'll just let you draw the parallel.