Chicago Restaurant Week

This week was Chicago's Second Annual Restaurant Week where participating restaurants offer 3 course prix-fixe dinners and lunches. I'm told that because of the popularity it has been extended for another week so there is still time for all of you foodies out there.


We met a group of people out last night at One Sixty Blue for dinner. It's Contemporary American cuisine with a contemporary/traditional look. We we seated in a private room with an amazing wood round table and cool leather chairs.



Starter
Leek gnocchi (baby leek, leek emulsion, black périgord truffle)
Bibb Lettuce Salad (roast beet, great hill blue cheese)


Main
Hanger Steak (fingerling potato, wild mushroom, smoke italian sausage)
Seared Filet Salmon (purple potato, kohlrabi, extra virgin olive oil)




Dessert
Chocolate Panna Cotta (cocoa nib streusel, spanish peanut crisp, coffee cocoa nib ice cream)
Sticky Toffee Date Cake (seckel pear, clementines, mascarpone cream)

It was a late night for us and our sitter...........

"Three white lines indicate a......

....vulva" (for those of you who are medically challenged, that means IT'S A GIRL!!! )


Good thing I didn't get rid of M's old clothes. When we heard the news I immediately looked at Chris for his reaction. He was teary-eyed and excited. However, a couple of seconds later the news sunk in and I saw a little look of terror in his eyes........he's going to be severely outnumbered:-))


After long thought, we decided to take M with us to the ultrasound appointment even though we had heard horror stories. As I expected (I really did!) she was awesome. I think she started to get this baby in the belly thing as a result of seeing the pictures--great experience for her. She studied the pictures for the longest time without saying a word. She was soaking it all in trying to grasp the situation (well, at least as much as any 3 year old can grasp). She then began to ask lots of questions and was as cute as ever.





Afterwards, we celebrated at The Depot with some lunch and root beers and toasts by M to her little sister. Words cannot even begin to express how extremely proud I am of M. She has such a beautiful, big heart. She is going to be a fantastic big sister.


Te voglio bene, M!!

A Berwyn Gem

My mouth has been watering for the last couple of days afer reading one of my friend's blog. We have a new Thai restaurant in the area and my friend has been twice this week! I completely trust her judgement so I HAD to go. It definitely lived up the hype. The place was beautifully decorated.....fresh, clean, modern. The food was excellent, generous portions and reasonably priced. We will surely be back. And, it's just down the street. How awesome is that!!!

Angel....

Fullersburg Woods

Feeding the ducks...



Trying to climb an unclimbable tree...

Sweet Girls.....

Last night we had dinner at one of Chris' co-worker's house. They have a little girl who is M's age. The girls played in the pretend kitchen and jumped on the radiator covers while the adults sat on the couch and chatted. This was a gluten-free dinner (my first) and we were in charge of the desserts....that was a challenge, but we passed with flying colors. Chris made a flourless chocolate cake (with a secret ingredient!) and almond cookies. The dinner and dessert were delicious.

Thanks for the wonderful evening, Wolf's. Looking forward to the next visit.

House of Blues

Chris meets some really fun and interesting patients on occasion. One of those interesting patients just happens to be an executive of Live Nation. These guys hit it off and his patient invited us to the House of Blues for the VIP treatment. Who could resist?! So Friday night Chris and I got a babysitter and headed to the City for a date at the House of Blues. We enjoyed the Foundation Room --a private club. It was swank but at the same time really warm and inviting. We had a fabulous waiter. Sat on the super comfy couches next to the fireplace and ate some excellent food. Watched the concert (Matt Wertz) in our own opera box seats and then hung out with his patient and his family who just happened to be a the concert that night. Great night but I couldn't do that too often....can't handle the late nights any more (sad)!

Happy Valentine's Day

Dining with the Chef

Last night I attended a fundraising event at Trattoria 225 in support of the Day Nursery. One of our friends, Mel (of the Elsmo), is the co-president of this organization. We had great food (I especially loved the gnocchi with wild mushroom cream sauce and goat cheese salad) along with a beer and wine pairing which unfortunately I could not partake in. There were some fun raffles most of which were centered around food and wine. However, one was an American Girl Doll which I dropped my name in…..and lost:-)) Sorry M. Good thing she doesn’t have a clue about the American Girl Place yet (and if I have my way….not for a really LONG time). I met some really interesting people and Mel was hilarious and a wonderful hostess as usual. Fun!

Playing in the City

Then off to Smoque for some awesome BBQ, homeade fries, mac-n-cheese, corn muffins, baked beans and peach cobbler. Now that's my idea of comfort food!!

50's

We hit the 50's today....yippee. And as suspected I saw some people outside with shorts on---I also saw some flip-flops! Nice. Chris and M washed my car. What's wrong with this picture?

Yeah, call me crazy but it just seems odd washing your car with snow on the ground!

We started the big thaw which along comes a lot of water. M didn't mind. She and the neighbors played in the huge water puddles. Afterwards, it was bath time---amazing how dirty those puddles are.

We met some good friends out for dinner in LaGrange (forgot to take pictures). It was really nice to see so many people out and about. The restaurants and bars were packed. At the restaurant, M drew her first REAL drawing. Look closely. It's a family of 3 stick people with really big heads (maybe 4....can't tell). Awesome.

The Blues

Blueberry almond cake, that is! Two slices tonight....ready for breakfast.

Super Bowl

I had a little too much scrumptous dessert on Sunday night (thanks, Ang... .btw, I need that recipe!) so I fell into a food comma at the end of the game and I was still in a fog yesterday. So here it is.....

Super Bowl Sunday.

We decided last minute to have some neighbors and their kids over for a little food and TV fest. Funny thing is we have a nice big TV and stereo mumbo jumbo stuff in the basement, but instead of watching the game on the big TV we decided to take advantage of this opportunity and throw the kids in the basement while the adults hung out on the first floor with the junky TV. I don't think anyone was bothered by this twist....in fact, probably a little grateful if the truth be told:--)) The kids played beautifully. Towards the end of the night we had the pleasure of being entertained with catwalk performances....some drag, some not. I'm almost ashamed to admit this (well, not ashamed enough I guess) but one of my favorite foods of the night was the buggles and cheese wiz :-((

Thanks for a really fun night, Dinou's, Kralj's, Pettit's and Elsmo's !

On the move

You mommies out there know how it goes. Aside from getting a positive test result and your doctor giving you the thumbs up, your first real confirmation that you are pregnant is when you first feel the baby move. With the first child it seems like forever. Every little gas bubble....could this be the baby moving?!! With the second, I guess you are more in tune with your gas bubbles and don't freak out (in a good way). You just wait and it seems to happen sooner than with your first when you were so anxious. Well, I started feeling the baby a few weeks ago. Nothing you could see or feel from the outside but little butterflies, etc. Each day they are getting stronger. Yeah, my belly is getting larger but today was the first day that I physically felt pregnant. After a long, hard day I was exhausted, back hurting, dragging my feet when walking and my lower abs were really soar (funny picture, huh). Don't get me wrong I am NOT complaining...it's amazing. Now I'm just waiting for the arms and butt to jut out from my belly like an alien. M will love that :-))