playlist

Year One

Today is our 1st year anniversary.  It's been fast, sweet, happy + fun-filled.  I do know how good I have it.  

Photo by Rett Peek

Chicago, Pt. II

Last week, Collin came over for supper.  We got caught up on each other's lives, listened to music, and watched videos while we ate homemade stuffed poblanos.  At one point, we stepped out onto the front porch to enjoy one of the remaining summer nights.  As he shut the door behind him, I knew we were locked out of the house.  ATM was away working on his music, so we couldn't simply knock to be let back in.  Collin had no shoes on and I was looking pretty casual in my workout ensemble - neither of us had our phones.  All we could really do was shrug and laugh.  It was the best reaction to an inconvenience I've ever experienced with another person.  It felt good to not get anxious, upset, and/or spastic.  Thankfully, Collin had his truck keys, so we were able to drive across town to procure a house key from ATM.  It was a lovely night for driving.  The rewards of keeping calm & cool are great.  I hope I remember that next time any problem arises.  Personal growth?

Weekend before last, ATM & I drove back to Chicago to have a little fun for the Labor Day holiday.  As evidenced by our 2 trips to Chicago in as many months and our future trips to Chicago (yes, again) and New Orleans, ever since we've discovered a cheaper way to travel, we try to as often as we can.  airbnb is a great resource for the thrifty traveler who doesn't want to 1. stay in a hostel, 2. inconvenience friends who live in bigger cities, or 3. just enjoys having some space and privacy - but really can't afford going the hotel route.  For the value & experience, I recommend airbnb.  Pro tips: If you drive, inquire about parking.  Be sure to check the minimum night stay before you get your hopes up.  Some people require multi-nights or weeks.  Be sure to search for 'entire house/apt' if that's what you want -- otherwise, you could be in a 'private room' situaish and that sometimes means you'll be sharing common areas, including bathrooms.

The remnants of Hurricane Isaac followed us all the way up to Chicago, which made for shit driving conditions.  We stopped halfway in Mt. Vernon, IL again.  The rain made staying in a dingy, cheap motel pleasant:

Picked up a some wax fangs and an Invisible Ink activity book at destination travel stop Boomland.  If I also bought an Archie comic, it would've been a winning trifecta of gifts my Gran would've gotten me:

Arriving in Chicagoland:

We ended up staying in this nook of Chicago close to the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods.  Despite the proximity to the interstate, it was pretty quiet.  We did notice that it's a family-oriented area with a lot of Polish and Hispanic peoples.  Colleen, our hostess, went on an impromptu camping trip, so it was her boyfriend Don that checked us in to our accommodations.  After giving us a key and showing us how to work the private entry, we were set.  We engaged in a little R & R and got ready to go out to have some supper and meet up for drinks with our new pal Chris.  

By the time we got out and about, we were pretty hungry.  We figured we'd just start walking down Milwaukee Avenue and probably stumble across something halfway decent.  A few minutes in and we came across Tozi, a Korean BBQ restaurant.  It was quite good -- there's no need to order appetizers or salads because they give so many (pickled, delicious) sides to go with your lbs of meat.  If you knew what was good for ya, you'd wash it all down with OB Golden Lager.  All this and K-pop!  

After dinner we strolled further down the street to Rodan.  I can vouch for their sake & ATM for their Sazerac.  I don't know if it was a fluke night, but their selector played reggae over the duration of our stay, which is excellent.  I've only recently become turned on to sake, thanks to our friend & my "sake guy"(heh) Ben.  He will probably be the fella that leads Arkansas to growing rice for sake production and probably have a heavy hand in brewing it, too.  Anyway, I figure sake is like tofu -- if you've had it prepared incorrectly, you'll probably not give it a fair shake.  I've only had the warmed generic kind in sushi restaurants.  Awful stuff.  I think his calling it a wine simplified it for me making some circuits in my brain switch.  Too, he's let me sample so many varieties that you learn, like any other spirit, there's different flavors, aromas, dryness, etc.  A good chilled sake is lovely, especially when you're sitting on a sidewalk table on the streets of Chicago with a new friend.  

Before we departed for the evening, Chris took us to Big Star.  I feel that introducing someone to that place is a gift.  I tried the fish taco, which was fine, but it's the pork belly taco that I'm being haunted by.  I'm certain that when we're in town next, I'm going to swing by there and get a greasy brown bag full of those thangs to eat all the way home to Arkansas.

The next day was pretty topical:

Before we went to the Chicago Fire match, we swung by Chris' home to deliver a rack of ribs all the way from Whole Hog Cafe.  He has a sweet pup named Babar that was so afraid of us, that I'm pretty much hell bent on becoming pals with him.  I can't help but have wounded feelings when an animal is frightened of me.  We'll get there.  He & Chris walked us to our car:

Who's the best? FIRE! Who? FIRE? Who? FIRE FIRE FIRE!

What's funny is upon arrival I had an orange ribbon in my hair.   All the way to our section, I was getting looks.  As I took my seat, I looked up to see that the opposing team's colors are orange + white.  I slyly reached up and slipped that thing out of my hair and stuffed it deep into my purse.  Heh, I don't want any trouble, guys & gals.  Anyway, it was a great match.  We had really good seats and could see/hear everything.  A totally different experience than when I saw the Seattle Sounders.  Fire won!  I'd like to go back.

Left the next morning to hightail it back to Arkansas.  Pro tip: There is nothing good to eat between Chicago & Little Rock, so hit up a grocery store before you go.  Fill your cooler with goodies.  When you get home, squeeze your cats & burn a little pinon wood.

We go back weekend of the 21st.  Django Django.  Hot Doug's.  That's about all the time we have for.  I love Chicago!

DJANGO DJANGO

Welp, my wish came true and the Djangos are playing stateside.   Looks like we're going to Chicago again shortly after our Labor Day weekend trip.

I did not foresee going to Chicago 3x's in as many months.  This is AWESOME!

Good-bye, weekend.

I have to relearn to relax constantly:

Nu shooz:

Lighting scheme:

Cubans:

Lake Hamilton:

Mexico Elegante.  We've got to go back for their beautiful ceramic skulls & tiles:

Michelada:

tens tens tens twenties:

 I need a career change.

EEEEEEEEEEEEE!

My aunt & cousin became US citizens yesterday! 

I like food, food tastes good.

Despite this heat, I've been cooking.  It's my thing, so I post photos here and I post photos there.  



Tacos:


Pozole, made with chicken thighs instead of pork:


Cornbread:


This weekend, I'm going to make last of the summer strawberry cupcakes.   I think we're going to assemble some kind of hot dog 'buffet' this weekend at the Victory St. space.  Slaw, kraut, onions (raw + sauteed), relish, mustard, chili, cheese, Sriracha -- am I missing anything?    Speaking of slaw, I've been craving it terribly lately; I want to put it on everything so I need to find a recipe that is insanely delicious + healthy, maybe one w/o mayo?  So, I'm into trying new recipes and if anyone wants to get together and cook + dine, I love  fun, progressive dinners.  

Lately, my favorite thing to order from a restaurant is Mt. Fuji's ahi tuna tataki.  It's perfect:




Husb + his eel sushi:

Kings River

It's about time that I get serious about major future happenings, but not right at this moment.

The official plan is to stick around town for the next several weekends so we can save $$$ for another trip to Chicago.  We started off strong.  Then, in my last post,  I lamented how I've yet to go swimming so far this summer.  As luck would have it, Alannah happened to be housesitting for some folks who live on the Kings River in Northwest Arkansas -- did we want to come up for some swimming, eating + hanging out?  There was no convincing us otherwise.  

On Saturday, we met Alannah in Eureka Springs for lunch and to get supplies + foodstuffs.  I hope they never take this sign down on Main St.:

This grocery store made me too excited because it's pretty much a functioning museum to the grocery stores of my childhood.  Like when I was 4, 5, 6 -- before they became the steroid inflated behemoths they are now.  Incredible + amazing.  Maybe a little gross, too, but in the best small-town way.  I wanted to wander every single aisle and take a ton of photos, but we had other plans, so not this time.








After properly stocking up on everything, we followed Alannah on a gravel road for a while:






We arrived at the house and wasted no time getting into the water, it was so hot!  While the water was low (no rain/extreme drought conditions), it was very cool (spring-fed!) and there was a current, washing away all horrible hotness downstream.  It was so relaxing.  Had to work at not snoozing in the intense sun.  Look at these cool breezes:




Little Django:


Moses:


We didn't stay out there but about 45 mins.  Despite the cooling waters, Helios pretty much beat us into submission, making us useless the remainder of the day.  We stayed inside and read, napped, ate, relaxed + watched Olympics coverage on the telly.  Alannah is the best hostess, reliable with the good food, conversations, and laughs.  I'm talkin' baked Brie bites, shrimp/veg kababs, hi-falutin' salads (heirloom Insalata Caprese AND crunchy Asian salad), crusty bread, and grilled corn. etc.  I made some home made chocolate chip cookies with a little salt sprinkled on top, but they seemed so lame compared to her fine dinner.  I am definitely a spoiled person and that was the best meal of the summer and I've been eating so well (pokes belly).



 

The next day, we went down to the river for another dip (can't stay out there too long, it's 100+ degrees), noshed on leftovers, and started the slow move towards departure, which was hard because all I wanted to do was lounge + eat. 

Major thanks to Alannah for such an unexpected lovely weekend.  We couldn't have planned it any better.  Miss + love that gal.

Look at this face!