Okay, I finally feel a bit more normal after two weeks on the job - still totally overwhelmed but I am adjusting to living in that state. So I was so excited to cap off another busy week with the John Legend concert at the Chicago Theater. It was fabulous! I thought he was a great artist to begin with but I was not prepared for how high energy his show would be - he sang for an hour and a half and I was enthralled the whole time. The only thing that would have made it better is if he had selected me to come up on stage for a little dance (although in retrospect he was pretty sweaty at that point so I am glad I didn't have John Legend sweat all over me - I'm sure I'll regret this later on). Corrine Bailey Rae opened for him and I wasn't expecting much from her since I think all her songs sound the same but she had surprising range and it is MUCH better live. So hands down - if you don't own a John Legend cd or at least a few of his songs on iTunes get on there today and get them.
The weekend just continued to get better as I also had one of my favorite all-time people in the world in town this weekend and we went to dinner Saturday at one of the best spots in Chicago ( at least in my humble opinion) - Avec. It's a very simple, very small spot just west of the Loop with lots of smaller plates and a somewhat Mediterranean menu. Their wine list is full of things you've never heard of before so I always just ask the very knowledgeable waitstaff for their recommendations and I'm never disappointed. Their menu tends to change and feature more seasonal items but if you happen to go there you must have the following: chorizo stuffed dates with a tangy tomato sauce (these have become somewhat overdone as of late but their's are still good), there is also the cheese selection which like the wine list is unique but always delicious, and finally the best item on the list, foccacia with taleggio, truffle oil and a bit of sea salt, you will not be able to even leave one piece of this on the table, I promise.
And if you're ever looking for anyone to go with you to try it out - I'm only a phone call or email away!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
Would You Root for the Yankees of the Golf World ?
So yesterday was Easter, and nothing says "let's celebrate Christ's resurrection!" like 40 degree weather, eating ham and watching the Masters. Maybe it's not exactly what Mary Magdelene and the disciples had in mind but over the years but that basically sums up my day yesterday. Don't get me wrong, Easter is one of my favorite, if not most favorite religious holiday, I love the the joyfulness of it, lilies are gorgeous and it usually signals the end of dull, drab winter and movement into spring. Although, if I am asked to probe to the true reason why I love Easter it's probably because I associate it with getting a new outfit, since every year growing up I would get a new dress, and maybe a purse and hat if I was lucky (yes, I wore a hat and carried a purse at age 5 - does that explain a lot of things about me for you - I bet it does), and although patent leather is back in, I have not taken back to wearing those classic, shiny black mary janes with the frilly socks, though it's tempting.
Easter attire aside, it was a great day spent with family and friends, nothing I would change about. We capped off the day by watching the Masters, and while I was just glad that Phil Mickelson didn't win (I have an intent dislike for him - I won't get started on it here though other than to say, he's supposed to be a champion yet he is a sweaty mess - he's the Whitney Houston of golf), what I really focused on though was that everyone I was watching with was intently cheering for Tiger, which seems to be pretty normal for the average golf fan. However, once I got to thinking about it more, I decided that I am not going to cheer for Tiger Woods. Why you ask ? It's simple - Tiger is the New York Yankees of golf, he's loaded, he's talented, and if doesn't always win the big one he's at least in top contention for it. Now I can't stand the Yankees so why would I support the golf equivalent of the Yankees? I'll appreciate his skill but I will not watch another tournament and hope he kills it, instead I'll do the sensible thing and pick a new favorite player based on his name or how stylishly he's dressed (all highly relevant factors).
I am sure the even larger issue you're wondering about is - does she really watch golf on tv ? Up until this past year I never did, I swore up and down that it was THE most boring thing on tv, but that was until I took up golf last year and now it's a little more exciting, this will be my first, full official summer golfing though so stay tuned on how all that turns out, I've yet to really learn how to chip or putt so I'm sure I'll just be relying heavily on my ability to drive the ball straight to the tee (hmmm maybe I will cheer for Tiger after all).
Easter attire aside, it was a great day spent with family and friends, nothing I would change about. We capped off the day by watching the Masters, and while I was just glad that Phil Mickelson didn't win (I have an intent dislike for him - I won't get started on it here though other than to say, he's supposed to be a champion yet he is a sweaty mess - he's the Whitney Houston of golf), what I really focused on though was that everyone I was watching with was intently cheering for Tiger, which seems to be pretty normal for the average golf fan. However, once I got to thinking about it more, I decided that I am not going to cheer for Tiger Woods. Why you ask ? It's simple - Tiger is the New York Yankees of golf, he's loaded, he's talented, and if doesn't always win the big one he's at least in top contention for it. Now I can't stand the Yankees so why would I support the golf equivalent of the Yankees? I'll appreciate his skill but I will not watch another tournament and hope he kills it, instead I'll do the sensible thing and pick a new favorite player based on his name or how stylishly he's dressed (all highly relevant factors).
I am sure the even larger issue you're wondering about is - does she really watch golf on tv ? Up until this past year I never did, I swore up and down that it was THE most boring thing on tv, but that was until I took up golf last year and now it's a little more exciting, this will be my first, full official summer golfing though so stay tuned on how all that turns out, I've yet to really learn how to chip or putt so I'm sure I'll just be relying heavily on my ability to drive the ball straight to the tee (hmmm maybe I will cheer for Tiger after all).
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Momentarily Tapped Out
I started a new job this week, and while so far it's been great, I must confess that I am exhausted! My brain is on overload taking in SO much new information, mentally I have been so spent at the end of the day that I haven't even had enough brainpower to watch a Law & Order rerun (gasp!) Thankfully I do have enough brainpower flip through an US Weekly - should this change though I will become worried.
So I'm afraid that I don't have the ability to conjure up anything highly or even moderately entertaining or insightful - so all I have is this, some of my pet peeves that I've noticed have been occurring with increasing frequency.
Peeve #1 - When you let someone in traffic and they don't give you the obligatory 'thank you' wave. When I don't get the wave that is the height of rudeness on the road! Wave when someone lets you in or face their future road rage in the future.
Peeve #2 - I like to linger over a meal when dining out as much as the next person but when I'm ready for the check I like the server to be readily available and prompt with closing out the bill. They hover around all night then instinctively once they sense I'm ready to leave they - poof - disappear for at least a half an hour. If someone was getting ready to pay me I would be sure to be all over that - why aren't they ?
Okay, that's all I've got after day 3 on the new job - we're lucky that I am still typing at this point in the evening.
So I'm afraid that I don't have the ability to conjure up anything highly or even moderately entertaining or insightful - so all I have is this, some of my pet peeves that I've noticed have been occurring with increasing frequency.
Peeve #1 - When you let someone in traffic and they don't give you the obligatory 'thank you' wave. When I don't get the wave that is the height of rudeness on the road! Wave when someone lets you in or face their future road rage in the future.
Peeve #2 - I like to linger over a meal when dining out as much as the next person but when I'm ready for the check I like the server to be readily available and prompt with closing out the bill. They hover around all night then instinctively once they sense I'm ready to leave they - poof - disappear for at least a half an hour. If someone was getting ready to pay me I would be sure to be all over that - why aren't they ?
Okay, that's all I've got after day 3 on the new job - we're lucky that I am still typing at this point in the evening.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
A Few Days in Cabo
So I am back from my mini vacation in Cabo, a slightly darker shade of white, tan would be too strong of a term, and I’m sipping a new wine I discovered on the trip AND it’s 4:40 in the afternoon – I am really enjoying this no working thing!
After hearing so much about Cabo over the past few years, I decided that I needed to go and check it out for myself. Overall it was a lovely trip, very relaxing and great weather so it achieved it’s main purposes, but I am here to provide you more detailed than that! I am committed to providing you with the real scoop on wherever I go, so without further adieu……
The highlights of Cabo are definitely the weather, the days and nights are perfect, clear, not too humid and sunny and a little cooler in the evening – I couldn’t have requested better weather. It’s also a really easy place to maneuver, I know some people are apprehensive whenever leaving the country but this is not the case, they take U.S. dollars everywhere and if your Spanish is no more than the menu at Taco Bell, do not fear you can still easily converse. While there are no real huge cons to Cabo there were a few things that annoyed me (shocking I know), first being the prices, Cabo is not a cheap town and while I was expecting bargain basement deals it is still Mexico so I thought it would be at least reasonable, not the case, be prepared to drop some coin when there, on dining especially. Also related to dining, at times I was frustrated with the service there, while people appeared very eager to help sometimes there was just not enough understanding there, waitstaff especially.
We stayed at the Hilton in an area called the tourist corridor which is basically the strip of beachfront in between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. I actually think this is the ideal spot to stay in if you plan to leave your hotel on a regular basis (which we did). The Hilton was nice, great view of the ocean from their sweeping veranda, bar area and a nice infinity pool with good poolside accommodations and service. We did have the pleasure of staying at the Hilton at the same as the Creative Memories (aka crazy scrapbookers) annual sales trip so while our poolside company wasn’t my ideal it did make for some interesting people watching – who knew the world of scrapbooking was so full of intrigue ?
The two towns that make up ‘Cabo’ are Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, we checked out both and my favorite of the two is San Jose, it’s a little smaller and a little more authentic than San Lucas (i.e. fewer crappy t-shirt shops). While the towns themselves aren’t too much to write home about they make for a fine hour or two of wandering around, checking out stores, stopping at bodegas, etc. We ate two dinners in San Jose, one at Mi Cocina which was good, lots of fresh seafood and a few tasty authentic Mexican dishes and offered a flame-lit courtyard for dining. The other was Damiana, and while the food was just so-so the romantic back patio covered in plants and twinkling lights, complete with mariachi band provided great ambience making the dinner worthwhile. In San Lucas t-shirt shops, touristy bars and silver shops abound but it’s also a must to check out the main tourist attraction, Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo, if not for glimpse of Sammy jamming with the locale talent (we didn’t see him) then at least for a few beers in a fun people watching setting. We spent one night in San Lucas for dinner, a sushi joint of all places but it was surprisingly good (or maybe it was after a few cervezas) but nonetheless a fun casual spot to grab some fresh sushi after wandering around town all day.
There are a number of things you can do in Cabo, golf, para-sail, snorkel, deep sea fish, swim with dolphins, etc. Sadly, we did not try any of these out and were permanent sun bathers poolside (this was mainly my fault due to a travel injury – don’t ask!) But to be honest I think Cabo is best suited to relaxing by the pool and enjoy some beverages, if you are a big water sports person there are definitely other places I can recommend. Besides everyone needs to just have some R&R and be a pool potato sometimes.
So after several days laying by the pool we came to the close of our trip and my absolute favorite evening in Cabo – a dinner at the One & Only Palmilla.
The Palmilla is also located just down the road on the tourist corridor and it is actually the place we had planned to stay at when planning our last minute trip but word must be out on how fabulous this place is because we weren’t able to get a room, which after being there I can easily see why. The entire Palmilla resort is gorgeous, Spanish style architecture and landscaping with a prime hotel location that is just feet away from the rocky coastline and surf. The pool area is small but immaculately kept, I can only imagine that laying poolside you feel a bit like Cleopatra (where is my palm fan ? feed me grapes!). We went to the Palmilla because we wanted to check out what we were missing but mainly to go for dinner at C, a Charlie Trotter restaurant. Being the foodies we are (the other part of this ‘we’ being my boyfriend who has requested not to be named by name in here- because SO many people are reading this : ) we felt that we had to check out the Trotter’s spot and see how our local Chicago boy was doing in Mexico. We were more than pleasantly surprised. C is none of the reserved, formal French style that Trotter’s flagship is, rather the décor was cool, blues, silvers, whites and very modern, like dining inside a contemporary ocean. While the menu looked fabulous we opted for the tasting menu, being the true gluttons we are, the chef comes out (not Charlie) and requests your likes/dislikes and then goes to town. I won’t bore you with our whole menu but some highlights were a truffled risotto, possibly the richest dish on earth, along with a mini short rib in coconut foam that tasted like dessert, seriously it was the first meat I have ever had that was good enough to be dessert – how is that possible! We left feeling fully sated and wandered around the grounds which in the evening are lit entirely by candle, I can’t remember the last time I was in such a romantic place (Paris aside) I did not want to leave, the evening felt perfect, if I ever go to Cabo again I will only stay at the Palmilla.
So Cabo in a nutshell, great weather, a bit expensive, more chill than active and partying but still worth checking out.
After hearing so much about Cabo over the past few years, I decided that I needed to go and check it out for myself. Overall it was a lovely trip, very relaxing and great weather so it achieved it’s main purposes, but I am here to provide you more detailed than that! I am committed to providing you with the real scoop on wherever I go, so without further adieu……
The highlights of Cabo are definitely the weather, the days and nights are perfect, clear, not too humid and sunny and a little cooler in the evening – I couldn’t have requested better weather. It’s also a really easy place to maneuver, I know some people are apprehensive whenever leaving the country but this is not the case, they take U.S. dollars everywhere and if your Spanish is no more than the menu at Taco Bell, do not fear you can still easily converse. While there are no real huge cons to Cabo there were a few things that annoyed me (shocking I know), first being the prices, Cabo is not a cheap town and while I was expecting bargain basement deals it is still Mexico so I thought it would be at least reasonable, not the case, be prepared to drop some coin when there, on dining especially. Also related to dining, at times I was frustrated with the service there, while people appeared very eager to help sometimes there was just not enough understanding there, waitstaff especially.
We stayed at the Hilton in an area called the tourist corridor which is basically the strip of beachfront in between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. I actually think this is the ideal spot to stay in if you plan to leave your hotel on a regular basis (which we did). The Hilton was nice, great view of the ocean from their sweeping veranda, bar area and a nice infinity pool with good poolside accommodations and service. We did have the pleasure of staying at the Hilton at the same as the Creative Memories (aka crazy scrapbookers) annual sales trip so while our poolside company wasn’t my ideal it did make for some interesting people watching – who knew the world of scrapbooking was so full of intrigue ?
The two towns that make up ‘Cabo’ are Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, we checked out both and my favorite of the two is San Jose, it’s a little smaller and a little more authentic than San Lucas (i.e. fewer crappy t-shirt shops). While the towns themselves aren’t too much to write home about they make for a fine hour or two of wandering around, checking out stores, stopping at bodegas, etc. We ate two dinners in San Jose, one at Mi Cocina which was good, lots of fresh seafood and a few tasty authentic Mexican dishes and offered a flame-lit courtyard for dining. The other was Damiana, and while the food was just so-so the romantic back patio covered in plants and twinkling lights, complete with mariachi band provided great ambience making the dinner worthwhile. In San Lucas t-shirt shops, touristy bars and silver shops abound but it’s also a must to check out the main tourist attraction, Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo, if not for glimpse of Sammy jamming with the locale talent (we didn’t see him) then at least for a few beers in a fun people watching setting. We spent one night in San Lucas for dinner, a sushi joint of all places but it was surprisingly good (or maybe it was after a few cervezas) but nonetheless a fun casual spot to grab some fresh sushi after wandering around town all day.
There are a number of things you can do in Cabo, golf, para-sail, snorkel, deep sea fish, swim with dolphins, etc. Sadly, we did not try any of these out and were permanent sun bathers poolside (this was mainly my fault due to a travel injury – don’t ask!) But to be honest I think Cabo is best suited to relaxing by the pool and enjoy some beverages, if you are a big water sports person there are definitely other places I can recommend. Besides everyone needs to just have some R&R and be a pool potato sometimes.
So after several days laying by the pool we came to the close of our trip and my absolute favorite evening in Cabo – a dinner at the One & Only Palmilla.
The Palmilla is also located just down the road on the tourist corridor and it is actually the place we had planned to stay at when planning our last minute trip but word must be out on how fabulous this place is because we weren’t able to get a room, which after being there I can easily see why. The entire Palmilla resort is gorgeous, Spanish style architecture and landscaping with a prime hotel location that is just feet away from the rocky coastline and surf. The pool area is small but immaculately kept, I can only imagine that laying poolside you feel a bit like Cleopatra (where is my palm fan ? feed me grapes!). We went to the Palmilla because we wanted to check out what we were missing but mainly to go for dinner at C, a Charlie Trotter restaurant. Being the foodies we are (the other part of this ‘we’ being my boyfriend who has requested not to be named by name in here- because SO many people are reading this : ) we felt that we had to check out the Trotter’s spot and see how our local Chicago boy was doing in Mexico. We were more than pleasantly surprised. C is none of the reserved, formal French style that Trotter’s flagship is, rather the décor was cool, blues, silvers, whites and very modern, like dining inside a contemporary ocean. While the menu looked fabulous we opted for the tasting menu, being the true gluttons we are, the chef comes out (not Charlie) and requests your likes/dislikes and then goes to town. I won’t bore you with our whole menu but some highlights were a truffled risotto, possibly the richest dish on earth, along with a mini short rib in coconut foam that tasted like dessert, seriously it was the first meat I have ever had that was good enough to be dessert – how is that possible! We left feeling fully sated and wandered around the grounds which in the evening are lit entirely by candle, I can’t remember the last time I was in such a romantic place (Paris aside) I did not want to leave, the evening felt perfect, if I ever go to Cabo again I will only stay at the Palmilla.
So Cabo in a nutshell, great weather, a bit expensive, more chill than active and partying but still worth checking out.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Book Review: Memory Keeper's Daughter - Two Stars
Although I missed my monthly book club last week when I was in Cabo I still diligently finished the March selection, Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. Let me begin by saying that I was really looking forward to reading this book, so many people I knew had read it and raved about it, so I suppose, as is the case with most things with me that I put expectations upon this book that were much higher than this poor little novel could ever live up to, and the overall result was that I was not very impressed with this selection.
For those of you that have not yet read the book, here's the story in a nutshell, mid 1960s Louisville, Kentucky, when a newly married couple is expecting a baby. Norah, the wife, goes into labor a little early in the middle of a snowstorm and as a result her doctor husband and a lone nurse are left to deliver her baby. They deliver a healthy baby boy and then while Norah is still out of it, they also deliver a second baby girl with Down's syndrome, the doctor, deciding that they couldn't handle this grief due to his past with a sickly sister, asks the nurse to take the girl to a nearby institution. The nurse a single woman in her 30s and slightly in love with the doctor cannot comply and instead leaves town with the baby to start a new life.
As you can imagine the secret that the doctor lives with is a heavy strain on him, his marriage and his relationship with his son, the remainder of the novel follows the family, detailing what this decision does to their lives as well as following Caroline the nurse and her life raising the doctor's daughter and how it shapes her future for the better. The story is highly readable and enjoyable enough, my complaint though is that this is such an obvious plot, and the neatly wrapped up ending is also a bit to trite. While the concept of the progression of a lifetime of events set in motion by a single act is a very intriguing plot technique, it just falls flat in this book as nothing highly original or telling is developed from the story in this case. Overall, I'd recommend as a read but only after you've exhausted all the 'must-reads' from your bookshelf.
For those of you that have not yet read the book, here's the story in a nutshell, mid 1960s Louisville, Kentucky, when a newly married couple is expecting a baby. Norah, the wife, goes into labor a little early in the middle of a snowstorm and as a result her doctor husband and a lone nurse are left to deliver her baby. They deliver a healthy baby boy and then while Norah is still out of it, they also deliver a second baby girl with Down's syndrome, the doctor, deciding that they couldn't handle this grief due to his past with a sickly sister, asks the nurse to take the girl to a nearby institution. The nurse a single woman in her 30s and slightly in love with the doctor cannot comply and instead leaves town with the baby to start a new life.
As you can imagine the secret that the doctor lives with is a heavy strain on him, his marriage and his relationship with his son, the remainder of the novel follows the family, detailing what this decision does to their lives as well as following Caroline the nurse and her life raising the doctor's daughter and how it shapes her future for the better. The story is highly readable and enjoyable enough, my complaint though is that this is such an obvious plot, and the neatly wrapped up ending is also a bit to trite. While the concept of the progression of a lifetime of events set in motion by a single act is a very intriguing plot technique, it just falls flat in this book as nothing highly original or telling is developed from the story in this case. Overall, I'd recommend as a read but only after you've exhausted all the 'must-reads' from your bookshelf.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
My Mexican Fiesta
I'm off for Cabo San Lucas tomorrow morning so regretfully I will not be posting until next week, somehow I will suffer through it by laying poolside with a margarita.
I promise a full review of all that I see and do in Cabo next week. In the meantime enjoy this quasi-spring weather in Chicago and cheer for Florida in the tournament (my pick to win it all!).
I promise a full review of all that I see and do in Cabo next week. In the meantime enjoy this quasi-spring weather in Chicago and cheer for Florida in the tournament (my pick to win it all!).
Sunday, March 18, 2007
What's Our "Vegas Baby, Vegas!" ?
So I got to thinking this past weekend when most of the males that I know were out in Vegas for their annual March Madness trip, that there is no truly equivalent weekend trip that exists for the ladies, and this, is quite the problem.
When I got thinking about this guy's weekend (which I need to qualify before I go any further, that I think is a fine and fun tradition for the male species to take part in) I thought about what this weekend was all about for them, and it really boiled down to one word for me "excess", whether that be in the form of gambling, drinking, watching sports, it is basically an over the top experience of all things that males love to do but feel a bit restrained in doing to their pleasure during their regularly scheduled lives (gentlemen, if I'm wrong here please do correct me).
So knowing how much fun guys have on their Vegas trips, I started to think about what might qualify as an equivalent trip for me and my girlfriends to take on such a weekend and it was here that I drew a complete blank. Oh of course I can come up with fun "girls weekend" activities, trip to NYC, spa weekend, laying by the pool with mojitos and trashy novels but what I was really trying to think of was what would I love to do in excess that I normally feel like I cannot do unless on a special vacation with friends. And besides eating carbs and ice cream at will there really isn't much that comes to mind (and I pretty much already do that anyways - Atkins will never be for me). The fact that there wasn't anything that I wanted to do with such abandon started to make me wonder, is this a gender question or just a more personal one ? So I ask you all - is there really a ladies version of the weekend in Vegas ? And before you weigh in, I'll say a girls weekend in Vegas will never equate to the male experience of excess there, so don't even bother with that response (for that same reason, along with many others, there is no female version of the movie Swingers). I am readily awaiting any suggestions as I would love to try out this trip or even better, if you'd like to sponsor me and my friends on such a trip I'd be happy to report back on our findings : )
And I am quite convinced that if I do stumble upon the answer to the questions "what is the equivalent female Vegas trip?" that I will have found my entrepreneurial jackpot and plan to start marketing such trip/experience immediately!
When I got thinking about this guy's weekend (which I need to qualify before I go any further, that I think is a fine and fun tradition for the male species to take part in) I thought about what this weekend was all about for them, and it really boiled down to one word for me "excess", whether that be in the form of gambling, drinking, watching sports, it is basically an over the top experience of all things that males love to do but feel a bit restrained in doing to their pleasure during their regularly scheduled lives (gentlemen, if I'm wrong here please do correct me).
So knowing how much fun guys have on their Vegas trips, I started to think about what might qualify as an equivalent trip for me and my girlfriends to take on such a weekend and it was here that I drew a complete blank. Oh of course I can come up with fun "girls weekend" activities, trip to NYC, spa weekend, laying by the pool with mojitos and trashy novels but what I was really trying to think of was what would I love to do in excess that I normally feel like I cannot do unless on a special vacation with friends. And besides eating carbs and ice cream at will there really isn't much that comes to mind (and I pretty much already do that anyways - Atkins will never be for me). The fact that there wasn't anything that I wanted to do with such abandon started to make me wonder, is this a gender question or just a more personal one ? So I ask you all - is there really a ladies version of the weekend in Vegas ? And before you weigh in, I'll say a girls weekend in Vegas will never equate to the male experience of excess there, so don't even bother with that response (for that same reason, along with many others, there is no female version of the movie Swingers). I am readily awaiting any suggestions as I would love to try out this trip or even better, if you'd like to sponsor me and my friends on such a trip I'd be happy to report back on our findings : )
And I am quite convinced that if I do stumble upon the answer to the questions "what is the equivalent female Vegas trip?" that I will have found my entrepreneurial jackpot and plan to start marketing such trip/experience immediately!
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