Cheesecake...

So I hadn't had a chance to post my picture of the cheesecake which I took because they had a sign about posting your picture to Eli's website. But I think I have reached celebrity status with the commenter on my previous post. Unless someone is messing with me, which wouldn't be nice.

Anyway, here is my picture that I took for the Eli's Cheesecake contest. Actually, Bill took it as I was in it. Also, notice that I have the nifty "I back the bid" bracelet, which can be yours if you sign up at the 2016 tent.

I love the Taste!

Bill and I went to the Taste of Chicago last night. Since I started spending my summers here, (the summer of 2001) I have gone to the Taste every year. This year was no exception. I was bummed when I read that there would be less vendors that last year (including the loss of bella luna). But I was excited for the new format and the mandatory 2 taste portions. Anyway, as the rain held off yesterday Bill and I decided to try to go because we weren't sure about the rain today or tomorrow.

Tickets are still 8 for 12$, so we bought 3 sheets of tickets for the two of us. now usually we end off the night trying to figure out what to do with our one or two tickets, but with two taste offerings at every booth I was optimistic.

**note we only get taste portions unless otherwise stated**
We started off right away with my curry fries. I have never been to Abby pub, and if I did go I don't know if I would even try their curry fries, but it is a tradition for me to start the taste off going up Jackson and getting my curry fries. We then hit up Sweet Baby Ray's for a meatball sandwich (or a large meatball on a sad looking bun). I then got two cheese perogi from the Polka Sausage and Deli (usually I get perogis from kasia's). We couldn't pass up the sweet potato hashbrown from Hashbrowns, but with all of that heavy food I ended up passing on my normal frozen banana. (I could always get it on my way out).

Time for the main strip! We head down the main drag, that was surprisingly open due to the redesign and the smaller number of vendors. Seriously, I hardly ran into anyone while walking down the main drag. We happily past Robinson's (as we still had meatball on our pallet) and Eli's (oh we'll be back don't you worry my sweet cheesecake). We stop by Lou Malnati's for some bruschetta and then turn toward the Buckingham Fountain. We check out the offerings at the chefs table, and while they all sound great we weren't willing to part with enough tickets for any of them. We picked up some churros from Adobo Grill (though I really wish they had a taste of their guacamole.) then we went down the southern most part. Bill sadly past Las Tablas (they don't do a taste of their empanadas) and then hit up Arya Bhavan for a taste of samosa.

On our way back, I hit up Tuscany for some fried ravioli. As we walked, we were trying to figure out what to do with our 6 tickets. We were happy it wasn't 5 because then you never know what to do with the two. anyway as were are walking a little boy comes up to us and asks us if we would like his ticket. Now Bill and I are hardened city-ites and so we assume something is wrong with this picture, but we see he is there with his mom and we ask her and she says they are leaving. What a genuinely nice thing- it really made our day. And, because we had 7 tickets, we were able to get an Oreo Eli's cheesecake with ice cream on top (the only non-taste portion of the night). It was a sweet end to a wonderful taste experience. And again little boy -- I don't know who you are but thank you for making our night so nice.

Beautiful Weekend

We have had a beautiful weekend here. We had dinner downtown with Angela Jason and the kiddies on Friday. And Saturday we had the four of them over for a cook out. Today we took winnie to Starve Rock and went hiking for a few hours.

Anyway we have had a great weekend and the heat and humidity finally broke so the weather has been phenomenal.

hot hot and more hot

so it went from lows in the 40s to highs in the 90s in a week and a half period of time. my garden, which has been bombarded by rain doesn't know what to do, and the weeds are taller that the plants in some places.

Out air conditioner got fixed yesterday... i don't know if we will replace it or not. sigh... sometimes a house is not all it is cracked up to be.

work is busy for me and bill, and our second wave of visitors are coming in today.

Taste of Chicago starts up tomorrow and Bill and I will have to make plans to go for dinner or lunch next week.

that is about it... we're still eating muddy buddy/ puppy chow here in our office. I guess when each recipe calls for 9 cups of cereal you end up with a lot.

Better luck next time James

I won the muddy buddy puppy chow throw down at our office today. It was James vs me and we did a phone in American Idol style contest replete with a paula, randy and simon. Even after discounting the fact that I added extra voters (thanks Bill) I won. The real winners are my co workers who now have 18 cups of cereal covered in chocolate to eat.

Apparently, I won through intimidation as two different people called into Lani and told her they were voting for me because they thought I would "hit harder" or I "would yell at them more". Geez people can be so sensitive sometimes.

Here is a picture of us and our entries sorry it's blurry Amy couldn't hold the camera and press the button. Amy was not allowed in the picture since she forgot her entry. maybe I'll take a picture of her red white and blue cupcakes she is supposed to make as reparation for forgetting the contest today.

lovely weekend

aside for the onslaught of oppressive humidity we had a great weekend.

Mine started early with a vacation day on Friday to visit the museum of science and industry down in Hyde Park. we had a great time and since the regular admission was free we bought tickets to see the Harry Potter exhibit and the U505 tour. I think the coolest thing was that it was the annual reunion for the men and their families that helped capture the sub. I am ever so grateful to those men who helped fight and protect us (not only during WW II but in all of the conflicts in which America has been involved.

Saturday we had the girls feis (pronounced fesh), which is an Irish dance competition. All three did really well. In the afternoon we went to the Brookfield zoo.

Sunday Erin and Brad and family got up early and left and Bill and I lounged around. it was really hot and humid and both of us took naps (so nice).

This week we clean up and get ready for our next set of visitors.

Have a good week!

find me a find catch me a catch

Bill and I saw the Fiddler on the Roof last night with Topol. It is his farewell tour and it was so wonderful. I felt so lucky to be able to see him in it and thinking in a broader sense just to be able to go to a show like that.

I must say that Fiddler is one of my favorites. The happiness and sorrow is real and the life and love expressed in the musical really touches me. I seriously cried a bit during "sunrise sunset" Anyway, if you are in Chicago and can try and get tickets to see the show while it is here do it. try to go to the night time performances because I think Topol has a sub for the matinees.

Ok have a wonderful weekend folks...

...if I were a rich man... yah da dibby dibby dum...

first rule of fight club....

so discussions at work today lead me to think of fight club and that line i am referring to in the title line. anyway, I was wanting to blog and figured that is as good as any for a title.

I took some picture over the weekend of the garden again. We had broccoli from the garden last night. I just hope that all the rain and cool weather doesn't hinder my plants.

not much else happening. I have visitors this week and next, so I might not be blogging much.

Later

The Great R&T "Bake-Off" (#1)

Well we had our rice krispie treat bake off today, and I won. We had a taste test of my treats, the "home made" ones from the deli down stairs and the pre-packaged Kellogg ones.

below is a picture of the results with the two instigators of this taste test. the scoring was done by Amy (on the left) using "golf scoring". The one who started the idea is James (on the right). Only one person didn't vote my treats number one, and he will owe me a drink at our CFA celebration tonight.

The reason i have (#1) on my title is that this was so much fun that we have decided on a second one. it will be puppy chow vs muddy buddies. I'll let you know the results when ever we get around to hosting that.

im back

Test is all done I think I did ok and we'll find out in 2 months or so.

anyway, now that I have all this extra time on my hands I am amazed at everything I have been able to do. on Sunday Bill and I did a bunch of landscaping. On Monday I scrubbed my deck and watched a movie. yesterday i read a book (A Same Kind of Different As Me)went to dinner with Bill and then watched part of the sisterhood of traveling pants 2. Ok so I haven't been painting the house or anything, but just to have the time to read a book or watch a movie has been so nice.

so I hope all is well you all of you. I hope your summer has been good so far. I'll have to take some more pics of the new path were making in the yard and how much my veggies have grown.

have a good week!