Happy New Year!

Another year has come and gone. 2009 has been a complete whirlwind.

• We started off the year continuing our wedding planning. And finally, this past June, Sean and I tied the knot. It was a great time and much fun, but it's only the start. Tomorrow we embark on our first full year as a married couple and we enjoy it more and more each day.
  
• Since there was so much to plan - and pay for! - travel was somewhat limited this year. Vegas for the bachelorette party in May was a blast! Honeymooning in Kauai was like nothing I had ever experienced before.
  
• We saw many of our good friends also marry this year - Scott & Katie, Tom & Beth, Johnny & Nancy and Paul & Jen. Congrats to you all!
  
• A long-time friend moved to another state. Miss you Kevin!
  
• My little sister bought her first house. I'm so proud of all of her accomplishments. She's the hardest working pharmacist I know and I love her dearly.
  
• My office closed at the end of October. The announcement was made only 3 days after we returned from Hawaii. I consider myself so lucky to have been able to find a new job in such a short period of time. Given the state of economy, I am truly grateful for the opportunity. I miss all of my old work friends, but thankfully see quite a few of them often. You guys are the best!
  
• We completed a few home improvement projects - a brand new (and bigger!) rooftop deck, new windows and new blinds. It's a start, but my wish list for 2010 still includes a new dining room set, installing hardwood flooring throughout and remodeling at least one of the bathrooms. If only money grew on trees.
  
• I became surrounded by pregnant friends and family members - Denise, Wohn, my cousin, my neighbor, some friends' wives - just to name a few. They're all due in January or March, I think, and I can't wait to see how blessed their lives become with their new bundles of joy.
  
• As always, we spent a lot of time in and around this fine city with friends and family. From the Sox game outing in July, to fun on the boat, plays, concerts and new restaurants, I enjoyed each and every moment with the ones I love. I was also able to meet some new friends too. Blogger buddies, you rock!

As we embark on a new year, may you all enjoy life to fullest with open minds and open hearts. Try new things. Go to exciting places. Tell everyone how much you love them. We're only here for a short time, so be happy and healthy and have no regrets!

Cheers! Happy New Year!

2010 Printable Calendars

Looking for an 8.5" x 11" at-a-glance calendar for your office or fridge? Check out some of the cool designs you can download at RedStamp.com.

Download your favorite here. Did I mention that it's FREE?! Just scroll down the page to see the available designs. Enjoy!

Jersey Boys

There's a little holiday celebration tonight with a few of my gal pals. We're doing dinner and then heading over to the Bank of America Theater to see Jersey Boys.

Its Chicago run ends on Januray 10th and to be honest, I hadn't really cared much if I saw it or not. Maybe I just considered it to be more marketable to my parents than me. However, a few friends I know who have seen it stated that it was surprisingly entertaining and very interesting to learn the background on Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

I'm always up for a live performance and some girl time, so I'm guessing I'll be pleasantly surprised and really enjoy the show. I know I'll enjoy the company!

Have you seen it? What did you think?

Back to the Grind

Back at work today and so very tired.

Over the Christmas holiday weekend we visited family in both Indiana and the Illinois 'burbs, spent time with some friends in town from NYC, shoveled snow, drank and ate too much - everything and anything but relax. It was great to see everyone though!

I'm not quite sure how I'm going to survive work today. Maybe this?

At least it's a short week. I took off Thursday, so it's only 3 days for me. It doesn't mean my schedule isn't packed though. Ugh! I think I need to take full advantage of my "alone time" tonight while the hubs is at his final Bears game of the season. And by that I mean, go to bed!

Happy Monday, everyone. Hope you had a great Christmas. Enjoy the final days of 2009!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you peace, joy and a very, Merry Christmas!

I never got around to sending out Christmas cards this year. Shame on me! Instead you get this festive 2008 photo of my big wreath. It hangs on our interior door. My hubs hates it because it's so large that it's difficult to close the door when you're coming inside. It's not like I can put it outside. We live on a corner. In the city. Across from a bar. That poor thing wouldn't last more than 10 minutes. Bah humbug to him. I love it!

Whatever you're doing, wherever you travel, be safe and have a wonderful holiday with food, family, friends and maybe even some egg nog - spiked of course. Cheers!

Review: Bakin' & Eggs

We had brunch over at Bakin' & Eggs this past weekend. You may remember my excitement about the new neighborhood spot opening when I first blogged about it here. Unfortunately, the experience did not meet my expectations.

The interior was pretty open (wasted space perhaps?) and in lovely browns and blues. Seats included some refurbished benches, probably from an old church. We had a short wait - maybe about 15 minutes - before we were seated.

The menu was really small. A couple of frittatas, a few breakfast sandwiches and some sweets, savories and sides. I have no problem with a small menu as long as the food is big on flavor.

My hubs ordered the croissant breakfast sandwich and flight of bacon. The piece I tried was nice and crispy and full of flavor, but his actual sandwich, on the other hand, was overcooked. I chose the breakfast burrito that must have included an entire onion in it (yuck!), a touch of peppers, not fully melted cheese and runny scrambled eggs. A friend of mine ordered eggs and grits and said it was just okay, but not something she'd want again.

The service didn't help our experience any. We were more than halfway finished with our meal before our server came to check on us. (Someone else had brought us our food.) At that point, my husband indicated he had not received the beverage he asked for when we first had our orders taken. Our server left, we finished eating and finally Sean's chocolate milk (Yes, you can make fun. I do! He doesn't drink coffee.) showed up when we were ready for our check. Thankfully, they had enough sense to remove it from the bill.

Maybe their baked goods are better than their brunch. Perhaps they're still working out the kinks of being a brand new spot in town. Whatever the story, if I'm looking for upscale breakfast at a joint that serves delicious baked goods, I'm walking a few extra blocks to Southport Grocery and Cafe. And if I'm craving a simple meal of eggs and bacon, I'm heading to our go-to corner diner where they know us, S and G.

Wherever I go, I'm pretty sure it won't be back to Bakin' & Eggs. So sad.

Photos found here.

Six Months

Married. Six months ago today. Time flies. Loving every minute of it.

From our honeymoon in Kauai. Where it's warm with no snow. Unlike Chicago.

We spent the day marathon Christmas shopping. Home now. Exhausted. Cooking some dinner and then looking forward to relaxing the rest of the evening.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

I Heart This!

With one week until Christmas,  you probably aren't even thinking about Valentine's Day. I'm asking you to though. Because how cute is this card from Kelly over at Keg Design?

She's involved in a design contest over at minted.com. Check out all of the details here on her blog. Then go vote for Kelly. I rated all of her cards "Love It!" (#5), but this one is my favorite!

Review: The Publican

Last Friday, Sean and I went to dinner with some friends. I'm not sure if I should even do a review of The Publican. Why? Because you shouldn't be reading this. You should be running there right now. Yes, it's that good!

The Food
If you don't like pig and you don't like oysters, I would highly suggest not eating at The Publican. But, um, who doesn't like pig, pork, bacon? Oh you understand.

The guys started with two types of oysters - Penn Cove and something else. I didn't pay much attention. I thought I was going to be brave and try them again (I tried them about 10 years ago and don't really remember liking them.), but when a few friends recently described to me as "soft and wet" and "elephant boogers, I decided against it. They looked just a bit too slimy and I'm all about texture.

Moving on to the good stuff.

The menu is structured from smallest items to largest items. We ordered a variety of things (There were 7 of us.) and pretty much everyone just ate bites of what they wanted. Here's the rundown:

• Yellowtail Crudo - (Not halibut listed on the menu) Small. Just a bite. Tasty!
• Serrano Ham - So good. And lean too!
• Roasted Pear Salad - with celery, salata ricotta and arugla. This was absolutely delicious!
• Dungeness Crab - It was good, but no one shoud have to work that hard for their food. Skip it!
• Porchetta - Basically pork loin wapped in pork belly. Wow! I think I said it was a happy pork explosion in my mouth. This is gigantic! Do not order this for one person.
• Potee - Sausage, pork tenderloin and pork rib.  It was great, but it wouldn't be my first choice.
• Suckling Pig - Get this! It was so freaking good. I've never tasted a pork dish so fantastic before.

The Publican has an extensive beer list. I have no idea what the guys drank. I only had one St. Bernardus, upon recommendation of the server. After that, I switched it up to a pinot noir. My favorite!

The Atmosphere
The style is all about communal dining. The restaurant is filled with long tables in the middle and some smaller tables and booths around the perimeter. Even the bathrooms have a communal round sink with multiple faucets. It's a busy, busy place bursting with conversation and excitement. Make a reservation!

The Service
Our server was super knowledgeable and made excellent recommendations when we asked for them. Plus, he put up with us, so you have to give him some credit for that.

The Verdict
Like I said, go. Go now.

The Publican :: 837 W. Fulton Market, 312-733-9555

Happy 101

Whitney over at The Pink and Green Puppy listed this blog as one that brightens up her day for the Happy 101 award. Many thanks!

The Rules

1. List 10 things that make you happy.

2. List 10 blogs that brighten your day.

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. The hubs

2. Family and friends

3. A warm cup to tea, hot chocolate or coffee on a cold day

4. Fresh, clean sheets on the bed (And then getting into the bed!)

5. Music

6. A really great book

7. Vacation(s)

8. Christmas

9. Walking out of the salon after a new 'do or a facial (Facial tonight. Hooray!)

10. MAC Lipglass (The Dazzleglass is awesome, btw!)

10 Blogs That Brighten My Day

(Confession: I've been so busy lately that I can't keep up with all of the blogs I used to read, so I'm only giving a shout out to those I read most frequently - in no particular order. Hopefully that still counts!)

1. Reasonably Swanky

2. KEG Design

3. Bits and Pieces

4. Indigo Star Fairy

5. Thrifty Little Blog

6. Social Climbers

Wow, I can't even come up with 10. I'm terrible! And I think a few of these bloggers already did a Happy 101 post because I'm slow too! Sigh...

The Weather Outside is Frightful

Winter finally hit Chicago. It's 2 degrees outside right now. And that's before the wind chill.

It's been snowing and sleeting like mad. Yesterday, I was walking by the Sears (I mean, Willis) Tower and the wind was so strong I blew halfway across the sidewalk. Good thing I'm not a light girl!

I always feel bad for the poor souls who have to drive to work each day and park on the street. I used to be one of them years ago. How thankful am I to have a garage in the city now? Very!

I met some friends for drinks after work last night at Sweetwater. While cabbing it home, there were people running on the lakefront. Crazy! That's what you call dedication.

I guess we should have been prepared. It is December already! But, with the great November we had, I guess most of us were hoping winter was never going to come. Now, it's down parkas, tall winter boots and lots and lots of layers.

Stay warm, everyone!

All photos from Chicago Tribune

Christmas Mix

I've yet to get around to making a 2009 Christmas mix, so here are my selections from last year. I'm sure quite a few of these will make a reappearance anyway. Enjoy!

1. Winter Song - Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson
2. Why Can't it be Christmastime All Year - Rosie Thomas
3. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Harry Connick Jr.
4. Happy Christmas/War is Over - Sarah McLachlan
5. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - The Smithereens
6. All My Bells Are Ringing - Lenka
7. Do They Know it's Christmas? - Bandaid
8. Mistletoe - Colbie Caillat
9. Ruldoph the Red-nosed Reindeer - Jack Johnson
10. Little Drummer Boy - Jars of Clay
11. Sleigh Ride - KT Tunstall
12. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings - Barenaked Ladies
13. O Holy Night - Faith Hill
14. Christmas/Baby Please Come Home - U2
15. Song for a Winter's Night - Sarah McLachlan
16. What Child is This - Matt Wertz
17. 2,000 Miles - Coldplay
18. Maybe Next Year/X-mas Song - Meiko
19. All I Want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey
20. Auld Lang Syne - Hotel Cafe Tour

One of a Kind Finds

This past weekend was the One of a Kind show at the Merchandise Mart. I've been attending this show for the past 4 years now and as always, it does not disappoint.

The highlight of the show this year was the opportunity I had to meet one of my blogger friends Nic from Indigo Star Fairy. She was in town with her mom to do some shopping, so we were able to finally chat in person over a cup of Starbucks. So much fun!

The One of a Kind show featured hundreds of artists, artisians and designers and even had an entire section of the floor devoted to Etsy sellers this year. I always attend hoping to find unique gifts for those on my Christmas list, but it never fails that I end up shopping for me. Oh well!

I struck gold  - or silver - with some cute jewelry finds!

My first purchase was a silver hoop necklace from Stylish Girl by Laila.

Not the exact necklace I purchased. 

My stupid computer won't read my camera so I found this picture on Etsy.

It's very similar.

I bought some simple silver earrings from Juliet Jewelry.

E25 Earrings

I really loved was this necklace Juliet showcased. I couldn't bring myself to consider spending the money on it though since I was supposed to be Christmas shopping for others. And failing miserably, obviously.

N15 Signature Necklace

I also found another pair of silver earrings from String a Strand on Wells.

Again, similar to this Esty find, but not the exact photo.

All jewelry finds were from local Chicago designers, so that was pretty cool.

Check out these notecards we (my two friends and me) purchased from Circle Street.

We picked out a variety of colors and designs to put together a 5-pack (discounted price!). The seller was awesome too. She offered to type a message on the outside of the card for us on the spot. Think - thanks, hello, congratulations, happy birthday and you rock.

Another year. Another great show. If you ever have the opportunity to attend, I highly recommend it.

Why I Don't Bake: Reason 654

If you've been reading my blog for some time, you know I love cooking, but baking? Not so much. Regardless, every once in a while I crave something sweet and want to bake a treat. And then I'm reminded why it's not a good idea!

A few weeks ago, I bought these Guittard Green Mint Chips from Cost Plus World Market.

 I had this brilliant plan to make brownies and use the mint chips. Hello?! Chocolate mint? Yum. And since baking if not really my forte, I figured I may as well pick up this as well.

I made the brownie mix according to the directions and threw in a bunch of chips for delicious mint flavor. Um...that didn't work so well. Apparently I should have read the instructions on the bag indicating to melt the chips before using.

Instead, I was left with a pan of brownies with full on, non-melted mint chips that completely sank to the bottom. To top it off, it doesn't really even taste that great.

The next time I get the bright idea to bake something, (because it will happen again!) someone stop me! And for your reward, I'll make you a delicious, gourmet multi-course meal. As long as you bring the dessert.