51 posts tagged “chicago”

Last year I wrote a post about the Helsinki and Birmingham Complaints Choirs.  I love the idea about bringing irony and creativity to complaints.  So, I was thrilled to learn of the establishment of the Complaints Choir of Chicago.  I wasn't able to catch them at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Empty Bottle yesterday but they'll be at the Bean in Millennium Park today and I'll be there.  Yay for complaining! 

My new favorite is the Complaints Choir of Poikkilaakso.  These kids are pissed:  Santa Claus is Stupid!

I woke up to read some yucky news.  Grant Achatz of Alinea has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the mouth.   It's a cruel irony that if the chemo saves him, he'll most likely lose his ability to taste.

He and my friend Marty got to know each other through having kids in the same class.  In addition to his highly conceptualized food, he's known to make great scalloped potatoes for the school potluck.  Here's to his recovery and getting back to doing what he loves.

Around 2:30 today I decided that studying really sucked and that a break was needed.  For a couple days now I have had a strong craving for a burger so I dragged Matt to Kuma's Corner.  We sat in the garden, listened to some Metallica and Slayer and other metal and had Belgian beer and the Kuma Burger - 1/2 pound burgers topped with cheddar, bacon and an egg over easy on a pretzel bun.  I had mine without the egg and ended up giving my cheddar and bacon to Matt.  What can I say?  I'm a purist when it comes to burgers.  I've eaten two and a half now since giving up a vegetarian diet and just like them with a nice slice of tomato, medium rare. 

Here, in all its splendor, is Matt's Kuma Burger. 

We actually got hot sitting outside and we're now enjoying the a/c and the prospect of not having anything else to do today.  I have a Lucky magazine that is dying to be read but I've got a section on copyright to review first.

Just made reservations at Charlie Trotter's.  We'll be dining with Melissa who'll be in town.  She's a vegetarian and Alinea doesn't have a veggie tasting option.  Avenues,  either.  Moto is fun but not quite what we wanted.  It's funny how Trotter's is still considered one of the best in the country but it has been so overshadowed by the others.  

While walking with Matt to the train this morning, we passed this cab.  The crash seems to have happened quite a while ago and it's on a major street so it was weird to just see it there.

 

World Market/Cost Plus is revamping its wine selection and is putting some really good stuff on major sale (nationwide). It seems they are getting rid of their higher-end wines and a lot is 50% off.

I stopped by the Evanston because a friend told me that they had the 2003 Pontet Canet (Pauillac appellation of Bourdeaux) for $37/bottle. I saw it in another wine store for $95 just yesterday. This is a lovely, lovely wine at a great value.  I got the last two bottles at that store but there are other locations in Chicago.  

I encourage everyone to pick up the 2004 Belle Glos Clark and Telephone Pinot Noir. It's on sale there for 50%--originally $40 and a really lovely bottle of wine. It's one of my favorites and I almost did a jig of complete excitement at the thought half off!

The cicadas are due to "invade" Chicago today.  I rather like the sound of that.  Perhaps it is because I watched Pan's Labyrinth last night but I am imaging the sun being obliterated by all of these magical bugs and watching them descend.  This first image is fatally flawed as they'll dig out of the ground, making the grand entrance a little less grand.

I'm  kind of hoping to get some cool cicada pictures and to hear their weird song.

Despite a nasty chill, I went down for the opening day of the Green City Market.  There weren't as many vendors as usual. I'm not sure if that's because of the cold or because it's so early in the year.  I hurried through my purchases and photos but came away with some goodies: fresh eggs and dandelion greens from Growing Power, butterkase cheese from Prairie Pure Cheese, big portabellas from River Valley Ranch and asparagus from someplace I can't remember. 

The Monsters of the Midway is one of the only races Matt has in Chicago.  We got down to University of Chicago yesterday morning with a 300 pound cooler in tow.  Matt didn't have a chance to share prize money he'd won last year so he bought a bunch of stuff for the team and friends. 

This year the race coincided with some sort of science nerd/medieval fest at UC.  I narrowly missed photographing the girl wearing the black velvet coat and people drinking shots of salad dressing.  I did manage a couple of some people medieval fighting but did not witness any actual games of D&D.  I'm sure they were going on.  Later when I went in Ida B. Noyes Hall to go to the bathroom I found that someone had shaved off a lot of very long hair and just left it on the floor! 

Matt had an okay day, nothing great.  His teammate did well, getting 2nd, which is important.  I think Matt just missed top 10.  After his race, he stayed to race with the pros and cat 1s and 2s for practice.  Crazy. 

The best part is I actually made a nice new aquaintance.  Last year I noticed a girl with a cute skirt on and complimented her.  It turned out she is the girlfriend of this other guy on Matt's team.  As I sat on my blanket reading my book, I noticed her also sitting on her blanket reading her book so I went up and said hi.  Julie, who teaches art to elementary school kids,  was very cool and a nerd in the best way.  She was afraid I was going to tease her about reading Harry Potter and we walked around watching the medieval people and getting each others Freaks and Geeks references and other stuff.  I look forward to hanging out with her again. 

 

Last night when Matt got home from work he suggested we head to our favorite place for dinner.  In order for Matt to get down to a better racing weight, we have turned a dietary leaf and are only eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish.  It was wearing on us.  Thursday night I swore at my beautiful salad, sauteed broccoli and tilapia and almost ordered a pizza.  But that would not be supportive so I held back.

We know all the waiters, busguys and owner at this place and enjoy them all.  One waiter is now teaching school full-time.  Before that he was our waiter but when he left for student teaching we got to know everyone.  Now that he's back it's a little weird.  We are used to Wayne and Tomas.  Lately, Wayne has been regaling us with tales of his new apartment.  His neighbor across the street has taken to flashing him late at night. It creeped him out and he wondered why she'd do that and then last week he ran into the neighbor and realized she is a he.  Wayne is gay and said somehow it creeped him out a lot more when he knew it was a man, probably because the man looks like a very voluptuous woman.  We joked about the neighbor putting his penis between his legs like the guy in Silence of the Lambs.  But anyway.....

Back to our teacher/waiting, Marty.  It's hard to compete with naked man/lady stories.   When Marty left, they hired a pastry chef.  She sucks.  The place is very good, a three-star type of place but she is the weak point of the restaurant.  Wayne and Tomas know we don't like her dessert.  They don't like it either.  Tonight Marty waited on us and after our main course he said, "I think you deserve dessert so I took the liberty of ordering it for you". 

It came out.  We didn't know what they were.  Matt's turned out to be some type of cake thing with strawberry.  Mine defied description.  There was this colored whip cream and a big triangle of what I thought was a rotten Clif Bar.  There was date or fig and it crumbled in a bad way.  There were some chocolate bits. 

Wayne walked by and said, "I can't believe you are eating dessert?  What is wrong with you?"  We told him Marty was treating us.  He brought Tomas over who started laughing really hard.  This stuff was bad.  We started laughing hysterically and I was suddenly gripped with the fear that Marty would know we didn't enjoy his nice gesture.  I cut my cake thing in half and in a panic, put it in my bag.  Fear not I had a couple napkins in there and it was not a good bag.  Matt just stared at me like I was crazy and, yes, he was probably right. 

Finally we paid the check and left.  Of course Marty comped us on our desserts.  On the way out, Wayne gave me a hug and said, "So, how'd you like the Poop Cake?"   And I thought they were figs.  Silly me.