Book Club

After wrapping up the book written by Marie Tillman, I started "What Remains" by Carole Radziwill. I wasn't trying to follow the theme of death and grieving women, I really just wanted to read more about Carole because I think she's the coolest housewife to enter the Real Housewives franchise! I like the way she writes and I found the whole story with her, Anthony, JFK Jr and Carolyn very interesting. She went through so much intense loss over a short period of time and to see how she writes about it now is actually very beautiful. There were a few parts that slowed a bit for me (her upbringing) but I think they help you understand who she is and how she was thrown into this crazy lifestyle. After reading the book I love Carole even more than before!

I was still on the JFK Jr high when I finished "What Remains" so I downloaded "Fairy tale Interrupted" but Rose Marie Terenzio, who was John Jr's assistant for the last five years of his life. I thought this book was also interesting and shared a different side of John and Carolyn, however it was not written as well as Carole's book. Rose Marie stresses the point she is from Staten Island and is very proud of it, however she fits the stereotype to a tee. Her writing can be choppy at times and overall she's very crass. I'm also left wondering how true her story is. There is no doubting she was John's assistant, but I thought most of her book she came across as bragging about her relationship with him. I wonder if she really was his best friend/soul mate/big brother she said they were. That being said, it was cool to see how "George" was started and to get an insiders view on John Jr's relationship with Carolyn.

Pin Me

I've recently gotten back into Pinterest, big time. I came across this Thai noodle recipe that turned out really well! It's just chicken, snow peas, mushrooms and red peppers with a few ingredients for the sauce. Super good, quick to make and not that bad for you :)

Is this too much to ask?

Oh, this happened last night

Yes, that is a cut off. I can explain. Last night, while doing laundry, Neil noticed that one of his shirts had a big rip on the sleeve, so it was time to throw it away. Ever the fashonista, Neil decided to start off by making it a three quarter length shirt (why should girls have all the fun?) and then the top made its way to a cut off. If you know me, you know my thoughts on cut offs (which, I actually hope all women share this same point of view). They are the WORST and just gross. So Neil decided to wear his Larry the Cable guy inspired couture all night long. Back off ladies, he's mine.

Weekend Wrap Up

It was great to touchdown in Chicago on Friday (even though it was hot as hell). It's such a great feeling to come home. Neil and I laid low on Friday and Saturday was equally relaxing. I got a massage (thanks mom and dad!!) and Neil and I went to a restaurant called Trenchermen in Wicker Park. It was awesome! If I were to open a restaurant I would want it to look exactly like this place does! We split a few small plates and each had our own meal, which we ended up splitting. The menu was really unique and the combinations were amazing. We had pickled tots (probably my least favorite of the apps), Sepia noodles (UNREAL) and Sweetbreads. For the main course I had fish, although I can't remember what kind and Neil had the pork belly. I ended up mostly eating his! Loved this place and can't wait to go back!!

Sunday was a rainy, ugly day which was awesome! I have been trying to get into/caught up on Boardwalk Empire so we took advantage of the weather and watched a few episodes of that. We also continued with the tradition on Sunday breakfast (which I'm really digging).

Sunday night Neil cooked an amazing dinner!! I love his homemade pasta sauce! He whipped up a Polenta appetizer (which holds a fond place in my heart as this is the meal that finally eased me out of  my 3 days hang over last fall) and then made pasta with scallops for dinner. Both were amazing!!  Neil's an awesome cook and I love everything he makes!! The scallops were the bomb and were worth the $25.00 Whole Foods charged for them (well not sure if "worth it" is the phrase I'm looking for, but they were awesome).

(Picture of the pasta wasn't coming over well, will post later)

What the Pho?

Since I've been on a project in Southern California I've become OBSESSED with Pho. We are currently staying in an area near Huntington Beach called Fountain Valley, which is boarding a neighborhood referred to as Little Siagon. According to google Little Siagon is roughly 3 square miles and packs in more than 4,000 Vietnamese American businesses, including hundreds of shops and restaurants. One of our first nights here we ventured down the street to 'Pholicious' and it was delicious (sorry, had to go there).

Pho (pronounced Fa) is a Vietnamese noodle soup usually served with beef or chicken (I have been getting mine with Shrimp or Tofu). The soup includes noodles made from rice flour and is often served with Asian basil, saw tooth herb rau om (rice paddy herb), cilantro, thinly sliced green onion, lime juice, and bean sprouts that are added to the soup by the person who is dining.

All in all it's amazing! Super light, but very filling. You can also make it as spicy as you want. I have found myself eating it multiple times in a week and when my assignment is over here I am going to be sad to not have it on a regular basis. So if you haven't tried Pho, I highly recommend it! For a first timer I suggest waiting until the weather cools down a bit, it's a great cold day meal!

Weekend Wrap Up

Once again, I had the hardest time accepting that today is Monday! This weekend was so great and relaxing! Friday night Neil and I went out to an Italian restaurant near us in the South Loop. We have been saying we are going there for dinner for the past three months and something else always took its place, so Friday was finally the night! We went over to Trattoria Caterina and ate al fresco. It was a beautiful night and the food was great, the champagne was flowing and the company was lovely! I would definitely go here again!

After sleeping a solid 12 hours, I completely skipped over breakfast and Neil and I went to Zapatista for some Mexican food. This place was really good and I definitely see us being "regulars" here! After lunch Neil and I walked around the South Loop some and then put up new shelves in our family room (I deleted the pic by accident, but will post soon)! I love how the shelves look and that pretty much wrapped up the list of things I wanted to get done in the "new" place. Nice that we'll be settled a few months before looking for another place!

Saturday night we went to dinner with the newlyweds, Mary Kate and Kirk! We went to a place in Pilsen called Nightwood that was VERY good! We had a bunch of different and yummy apps and some really great cocktails! I had a cheeseburger for my main plate that was awesome. It was such a fun night, as always, Neil and I had a great time hanging out with the Watkins!

Sadly, on Sunday I had to leave for California for the week. The worst part: it's hot as hell here! Since coming to Southern California over the last few months I have fallen in love with their weather! It's never humid and always just the right temp. Last night I got off the plane and my hair instantly flattened and frizzed simultaneously (not an easy combination to accomplish, but my hair is special like that). The hospital is super humid today, too. Ugh. Is it fall yet?!

Words to live by

"Always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes, the special occasion is having a bottle of champagne in the fridge!”

Family

Last night I met up with my cousin Sydney for dinner and it was so much fun! Syd is the kind of woman everyone other woman tries to be. She is hilarious, beautiful, has a great job, and is an awesome mother to two of the cutest boys in the world! They just spent 9 days in London at the Olympics and her stories were amazing! Jim (her husband, my cousin) and Syd always take amazing trips and are literally always on the go! I love spending time with them and with their boys. I'm so lucky we live close enough to see each other as much as we do!

Pics

I was playing with Instagram last night and found some cute pics over the last few months. Thought I'd share some:

We always have a ton of baby bunnies on the side of our building! I can't help but laugh every time I see them! So dang cute.

Caitlin and I took this pic after Mary's rehearsal dinner

Mrs. Schrage and I.

Berm and I after Mary and Kirk's rehearsal dinner.

Weekend Wrap Up

I'm completely depressed that it's Monday and this weekend had to end! Friday night I came home from work to a just ordered Chinese food dinner that hit the spot! Neil and I just hung out and got sucked into watching Skulls then watched Friends With Kids, which I LOVED! It was a very low key and relaxing night!

Saturday morning was gorgeous! We walked out of our apartment to this!

Neil and I headed up to my old stomping grounds on the North Side for lunch and decided to walk home and make it a bar crawl as well. We started at Mystic Celt for brunch, then stopped at Halligans, the stopped by the Hotel Lincoln rooftop bar, The Parker. The rooftop views were amazing, but we couldn't get a seat or a drink, so left there pretty quickly. We then headed over to Old Town to the Old Town Pour House, which was super cute and had a lot of great beers. After drinks, we headed over to Michigan Avenue and thought we'd give Purple Pig a shot. Lucky for us, we only waited about 20 minutes and were able to get in!

As stated on a previous post, I LOVE this place! The food is so great, amazing wine menu and super cute ambiance. We had some awesome bites (I think my favorite was the fried egg plant balls with marinara sauce). Once we were done here we headed to the South Loop Club. From a distance, I always thought this place looked cute. Kind of hipster, but would possible have fun drinks and specials. Hear me now, NEVER go to the South Loop Club. It's gross, hot and they do not have good food! Because we had been drinking all day and a few small plates didn't cut it, we ordered some nachos. What came to us, was not nachos! They were almost stale chips with a tiny bit of cheese, a few tomatoes and about 3 full onions on it. Gross and VERY unsatisfying. I literally had to shower the place off me when I got home. Gross.

Regardless of the pit at the end of the night, the day was amazing and we ended the night with this view:

Sunday was equally as nice! We started the morning with a Sunday FEAST

Then I got the cleaning bug and started a deep clean on the apartment. It felt great! I absolutely love cleaning, it gives me such a feeling of accomplishment! Neil hung up the curtains in the guest room too and I reorganized in there, it finally is starting to look complete!

We ended the night with an amazing dinner on the grill. Neil also made this dish that we had at The Purple Pig the night before, which was artichoke hearts and fingerling potatoes with feta, olive oil and lemon juice all mixed together. It's a super light and refreshing summer "salad" and best served when its cold. Amazing weekend that I did not want to end!

Happy Friday!

http://thechive.com/2012/07/25/the-californians-dress-rehearsal-is-an-awesome-train-wreck-video/

Coldplay!!!!

Last night Neil and I went to the Coldplay concert and it was AMAZING!! I originally thought I wouldn't be able to make the concert, but my awesome team lead let me stay in Chicago for the week and it was SO worth it!!

Chris Martin is insane. He literally does not stop moving, dancing, jumping around and singing the entire time. How he's not out of breath the entire time is beyond me. They also sound so amazing live. There are a lot of bands that really disappoint in person, but I think Coldplay is even better live.

The show was at the United Center and the stage and everything was so bright and interactive. The band does a great job of including all parts of the arena (which isn't easy). They have bright colors, confetti, beach balls and glowing bracelets that make the whole venue light up.

I wish I took better pictures, I guess I'll just have to go again next time they tour!

                             (This is how the arena looked with every ones wrist bands lit up)

Home

Thanks to the Olympics and girls gymnastics I am currently OBSESSED with the song "Home" by Phillip Phillips! Best and cutest lyrics ever!

Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you’re not alone
Cause i’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it’ll all be clear
Don’t pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
Cause i’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it’ll all be clear
Don’t pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
Cause i’m going to make this place your home

Weekend Wrap Up

Another weekend for the books! This past weekend was my friend Caitlin's bachlorette party and it was SO. MUCH. FUN!! Laura (the most dedicated wedding goer I have ever met) flew in Friday morning and Mary Kate and I picked her up, ran some errands and headed to Coloma, Michigan for the weekend!

Caitlin's family has a few houses on land right on Lake Michigan and we took them over for the weekend! We got there and took a trip down to the water, which was beautiful! And then the drinking and celebrating began. We stayed at the compound Friday night and drank, dance and drank some more!

Saturday morning we got up and jumped on the (beautiful!) bus that took us wine tasting. The vineyards were each very different, but all fun in their own way! I loved Round Barn. They had a band and art show there and all the wine (and champ) we tasted was amazing!

When we got back from wine tasting Caitlin opened her presents and we all got ready for the night. While getting ready there was a down pour which, THANK GOD, brought the temp down about 20 degrees and made for an amazing night out!

We ate dinner in South Haven at Idler, which is a boat on the water. They had fun drinks and good food! We then ventured over to the Breeze in Coloma. According to Caitlin and family this place is usually pretty quiet, but lucky us, there were some locals there to record us dancing on their iphones (gross) and hit on the girls. The bar was a ton of fun and we took over the DJing for the night. We even saw a bar fight!

We ended the night back at the house with a pretty intense dance party as well! Such an amazing weekend! I'm so happy and excited for Caitlin and Hunter!

Sunday, we got home bright and early and I took Laura to O'Hare. As I was lounging and catching up on the Olympics, I received a call from my sister, that once again, her flight was cancelled and she was stuck in Chicago one more night :) Lucky for me because I didn't get to see her this weekend!!

Megan found a place in River North that (from the pictures) looks awesome! We mapped it out last night and its exactly two miles from my apartment! I can't even believe in a month she is going to be that close! We just lounged, ate sushi, watched Neil stretch and watched more Olympics. It made me so excited to have Megan here and do that whenever we want!! Can't wait for September 15!!!

At the request of Neil I'm updating my blog so he doesn't "have to see Lochte's stupid face" when he reads my blog.

Since I'm drawing a blank on what to write about, I thought I would just post a picture of Able Arnett because nothing makes me smile like this kid does!