Vintage 338

One of my favorite places in Lincoln Park is Vintage 338. It is a wine bar that also serves an amazing brunch. I really like the building it is in and the decor inside is a little contemporary and a little retro.

I enjoyed a new take on a Croque Madame. It was delish!

The Wine Bar.

I love this chandelier. I like the luxury of the crystals, but the toned down look of the shades.

Bistro Marget

A few weekends ago, the JLC (Junior League Chicago) girls and I ventured into Old Town for a little lunch. Old Town is a small area, just north of the city. It is very cute and even a little quaint.
The entrance to Old Town:


For lunch we went to Bistro Margot. Bistro Margot is a little french/parisian eatery.
The outside sign:

The inside is very warm and cozy, decorated in red velvet, marble floors and lovely little pictures.
The inspiration for the sign and my favorite picture:

I had a traditional french lunch. A cup of French Onion Soup and then Kim and I shared a Croque Madame with Pommes Frites. T'was delish! It was a lovely way to spend an afternoon with the girls.

Chicago French Market

A few weekends ago, I ventured to the Chicago French Market. The CFM is an indoor marketplace selling fresh groceries and flowers, along with many food stands. The purveyors are all local businesses and local ingredients (as much as possible). Because the CFM is pretty new, there are only a handful of vendors. The goal is to eventually have to be close to Milwaukee's Public Market. It was very pretty on the inside and I am glad there is a lot of room for growth.

The Apple Stand - look how shiny and yummy these apples look:


The Flowers Stands were also one of my favorite parts. I especially love pink and orange together in the form of gerber daisies.


My lunch was from Pastoral. Pastoral is a local artisan cheese and gourmet foods shop.

I had a lovely sandwich with herbed goat cheese, avocado, roasted red pepper, and tomato all on warm french bread. It was delish.

For dessert I had the best crepe this side of the Atlantic. It was a fresh made crepe with smeared Nutella, marshmallow sauce that was then broiled, with graham cracker crumbs and banana's. It was amazing.


Each weekend, they are adding more vendors and shoppes which is very exciting. I am already trying to figure out when I am going to visit next.

Oregon Trail - Day Five

Oregon Trail - Day Five
September 1, 2009
Locations: Hood River, The Falls, Troutdale, Portland

Our day started off wonderfully. We woke to the sun coming up over the Columbia River. We really enjoyed our visit to the River Lodge & Grill. It had a beautiful stone fireplace, great views and very plush rooms.
The River Lodge:

Our first stop of the day, was a scenic look at Mt. Hood. KMD tells me this is a great time to be here in the dry season because you can see so much. Many of the times she has been here, it has been too foggy and hazy to see the top on the drive in.
Since we were east of Portland and we had until 5pm to pick up the keys to KMD's new home, we stopped at the 'Falls'. We visited four different waterfall sites. The biggest is Multnomah Falls. It was stunning with a beautiful bridge intersecting the falls. We walked up to the bridge part for some pictures. This area was the most popular with a restaurant, gift shop and restrooms!
Multnomah Falls:

After visiting the gift shop for some postcards, we headed down the scenic drive to Ponytail Falls. Ponytail was smaller than Multnomah, but you could hike up half a mile and go behind the waterfall. We hiked up it, but it felt like much more the half a mile as we took a steep grade path up with hairpins turns. I definitely worked off breakfast. Being behind the waterfall was super cool, as you could see it rushing down below. The little waterfall below Ponytail is called Horsetail Falls.
Ponytail Falls (behind the falls):

Sheppard's Dell was a quick stop. We got out of the car, walked down a lovely bridge/ramp and snapped a picture.
Shepperd's Dell:

Latourell was my favorite waterfall. This one you feel the spray hitting you and it was so refreshing and natural. Somehow, I got brave and decided to use the rocks as stepping stones and walk into the waterfall. In case it wasn't clear, I am not a fan of nature in general. However, I love beautiful scenery and the majesty of the landscape of this country. Being up close and personal , not so much. I mean I live in a concrete jungle. Anyway, back to the story. I loved walking into the little creek and getting so close to the waterfall. My clothes were damp, my shoes were dirty, but I loved every minute of being in the waterfall and working to get there.
Latourell Falls (KMD walking in the falls):

After working up an appetite, we headed to Troutdale. Troutdale is a great example of not judging a book by it's cover. The name is not so cute, but the little town? Adorable. We had a ladies lunch of chicken salad and iced tea at a place called Celebrate Me Home. This was a home furnishings store, but with a little bistro inside. My favorite store by far was the Troutdale General Store. It had an old-fashioned soda and ice cream fountain on one side and the other was literally a whole store of cuteness. I could have purchased so many treats.

Our time was winding down and we needed to get the keys to the new home, so we hopped in the Viv the Volvo and headed into Portland. KMD is living in a totally cute area called Lake Oswego. After picking up the keys and making the mandatory trip to Target, we headed to Trader Joe's for a few groceries. It will be nice to have our own food and not eat out all the time. Although lots of places to dine out will still be had.

Happy Portlanding!

Oregon Trail - Day Four

Oregon Trail - Day Four
August 31, 2009
States: MT, ID, WA, OR

We are in the home stretch of driving. Today we covered about 600 miles of road. Our day started in Bozeman, MT. We had a very nice stay at the Wingate. Options are extremely limited and we were pleasantly surprised about nice this hotel was. After breakfast we made a little stop at Target for some magazines that I could read outloud. We have had a lot of music and needed a change. In toto- I spend $44 on magazines, from the trashy to the classy. It was pure enjoyment. We also picked up this lovely magazine called Sunset. It is a magazine about how to live in the west. It is really beautiful.

This leg of the trip was beautiful with changing landscapes, but also one of the toughest in terms of changing terrain. We went up and down huge huge hills and mountains.

The lush green mountains and hills, the vast farmland, rows and rows of trees - all stunning. For a long part of the drive, we drove next to a beautiful river/creek. It was straight out of A River Runs Through It.

Our big sightseeing stop today was Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. It was amazing. This crystal blue lake, rows of boats, the towering mountains in the background - we just took it all in. We walked around, visited a few cutie shops. Papillion Stationary was my favorite store there. We ended the little diversion with Idaho potato french fries and homemade ice cream.
The sign to the harbor:

The main street with shoppes and cafes:

The prettiest picture ever:


Our final leg of the day's drive was supposed to conclude in Pasco, WA. Upon arrival, we decided to keep on driving. There wasn't really anything there. Pasco was picked because on the map, it was the largest word, which usually means a larger city. As we kept driving, we noticed a complete lack of dinner options and we were getting really hungry. As a whim, we exited at Boardman and decided to give the River Lodge and Grill a try. It was really that or a pizza shack (eh). We were so completely surprised by how cute and nice this lodge was. We went into the dining room for dinner and sat by a big window overlooking the Columbia River. Our dinner was such a pleasant treat, we decided to stay the night here. I will have pictures of the lodge and lovely river setting tomorrow.

Ciao!

Oregon Trail - Day Two

Oregon Trail - Day Two
August 29, 2009
States: SD

KMD and I woke up early on Saturday, packed the car and headed off for the Falls of Sioux Falls. As we drove into Park Falls you could tell, they were going to be lovely. The falls were beautiful. We walked around for a few minutes and then headed back downtown for breakfast.

At first we were a little nervous because not that much seemed to be open, but KMD spotted this little cafe that looked just like 'us'. It was Cafe 334. We checked out the menu and headed inside. We were able to sit by the window and enjoy the scenery. Cafe 334 has pained little blue dish and little purple octopi on the storefront window.

They also had a sidewalk chalk advertisement out front. Sidewalk chalk as a special place in my big girl heart. During college, we also used sidewalk chalk to advertise our events. After a yummy breakfast of eggs, tomatoes, bacon and homemade english muffin's, we headed off in search of postcards. (I love to send postcards. Always have and always will.) Postcards in hand we began driving.

Last night, when I realized that we were not far from the Corn Palace, I knew we had to stop. My family visited the corn palace when I was 8 years old, during a cross country drive. I was curious to see if it was still as fun and neat as I remembered. Turns out, it was!

They were also having the Corn Palace Festival. Now, I love and I mean love a festival. The rides, the games, the food, the people, the colors. Growing up in the Midwest, all the Catholic churches have festivals during the summer and they are always a blast. So yes, I love a festival. We toured the outside of the Corn Palace. Fun Fact: It is decorated with a different theme each year. All the corn has to be replaced because the birds eat it. So it never looks the same way twice. After the tour, we rode the Ferris Wheel in the number 8 car. 8 is KMD's favorite number. We worked up an appetite riding the Ferris Wheel and indulged in some corn on the cob, a corn dog and lemonade. It was perfect for a sunny day.

Back in the car, our next sightseeing stop was Badlands National Park. I wasn't quite sure what to expect and I was blown away. For miles and miles (read: 300+) it was full on prairie. Then we enter the Badlands and it is huge stock and rock structures and deep deep valleys. The colors were beautiful. We stopped several times along the scenic route to take pictures and enjoy the surroundings. I am glad and thankful that I have been able to see another National Park and something so beautiful.

We were supposed to see Mt. Rushmore that day, but it was getting later and we are staying at a little bed & breakfast in the Black Hills. We knew it was off the beaten path and did not relish looking for it in the dark. That turned out to be a good choice. It was very very far off the beaten path and we needed the daylight and help from the Garmin to find it. We are staying at the Coyote Blues Village B&B. It is owned and operated by a very nice Swiss couple. We were very hungry upon arrival and immediately headed out in search of the recommended Horse Creek Inn. We were warned it looked like a cowboy bar (true), but the food was wonderful (also true). The decor was very old school and grandma-ish, but the food was so good. The craziest part was the price. For ice tea, homemade soup, tossed salad, filet cooked to order, fresh dinner roll, baked potato and tax & tip the bill came to $40.00. I am so not kidding. I mean that is a night out for one in Chicago. Amazing!

We returned to our lovely b&b to write postcards, upload pictures, check email, update blogs and get ready for bed. As KMD and I are out in one of the common areas working away, another bedroom door opens and a head pops out. It is an older woman, Beverly. She heard our voices and decided to check us out. She must have thought we looked okay, because she pulled up a chair and began chatting away. We both had the feeling, Beverly never met someone she didn't like talking too. She liked that there were some young people here now. She liked looking at all of our photo's from the past day and asking lots of questions about the purpose of our trip. She and her friend Mary, are here to see Mt. Rushmore. Beverly is very patriotic as evidenced by her flag and Mt. Rushmore shirt, pin and earrings. Beverly enjoyed drawing parallels between KMD & I and her & Mary. We had a really nice time with both of them and had the feeling if we were staying any longer, they would have planned an adventure for all of us to enjoy.

I have to take a moment and be thankful and mindful of our trip. While I am sad to be geographically losing one of my favorite people, I am grateful we have this trip and time together. We are two girls on the road traveling cross country. It sounds amazing when I say it out loud and write it down. Cross Country. It is something so few people have the time or opportunity to do. We are seeing large parts of this country, national treasures, different sights and spending time together. I couldn't ask for more.

Whew!

I am still here. Tired, but still here. I have been swamped at work and unable to write. I will have lots of time this weekend and have several items to discuss, including the cutest cupcake invitations, my upcoming adventure and the search for new calling cards.

What I Am Reading: The Widow Clicquot

Weekend Plans: Backyard BBQ -> Northside Fest with 16 Candles Band -> Beach Time -> Dinner at Mia Francesca -> Going Away Cocktails at the Signature Room -> Tracking down a Lilly Planner -> Getting some much needed sleep.

Ciao!

Weekend Recap

This past weekend was absolutely lovely. We decided to deep six the Botanic Gardens because it was so very hot here in Chicago. The humidity was very high as well. Saturday started off with errands - waxing appointment, mailing a swap gift, picking up macaroons for a special treat tonight and popping into Pottery Barn for a few more glasses. After running errands, I came home and began to get ready for an evening in the 'burbs. The girls and I decided it would be neat to explore some of the cute suburbs surrounding the city. We picked Highland Park for our Saturday adventure. I work in the NorthShore, so I have spent a lot of time in the HP, but it was new for the girls. We took a lovely drive up Sheridan Rd, enjoying the lake and amazing houses. We spent an hour shopping in the small boutiques. We went to Cafe Central for dinner. Since we were seeing Julie & Julia, we went for a French theme. The meal began with a wonderful bottle of Pinot Grigio. I enjoyed the french onion soup, followed by a petite filet with fresh vegtables and truffle mashed potatoes. Delish.

After dinner, we walked next door to the Highland Park Theatre. The HPT is very very old school. Red small tickets for the movie. It sort of smells like your grandmother's basement. The inside is all wood with older speakers and and old fashioned popcorn maker. It was a fun treat and I love supporting small business.

For a special treat and keeping with the french theme, I had picked up macaroons from Sarah's Pastries on Oak Street. During the movie the girls and I had a treat of macaroons and mini Sofia's. I adored Julie & Julia. I especially loved the part with Julia in France. So lovely. I would have loved living in Paris during that time.

Sunday began with brunch at Southport Grocery and Cafe. This is hands down one of my favorite brunch places. I usually am a savory breakfast person, but at SG&C, I enjoy the Cupcake Pancakes. So yummy. They also make THE best cupcakes in Chicago. I love love love the cupcakes here. I know, it's alot of cupcake. I can't help it.

After brunch, it was the beach all day. It was really the only way to be outside, because it was so hot. I made homemade chicken salad with dill, dried cranberries and walnuts as a late lunch/early dinner to take with us. Served on crossiant with a side salad of pinenut, pea and parm orzo. Dessert was juicy watermelon.

We spent the day at the beach with magazines, books, and music. It was a lovely day and when we heated up, we dipped into the lake. This is the view from my beach blanket and a picture of my favorite tree.




I heart the weekends. *Sigh*

Crust Chicago

Tonight, James and I went to Crust Chicago in Bucktown. Crust is an all natural organic restaurant. Even though the weather the yucky, we sat outside under a covered tent and it was perfect. To drink I have a Mango Iced Tea. Delish! We started with the tapenade which was wonderful fresh vegges, garlic and goat cheese with toasted pizza crust. I had a margarita pizza that was on the thinnest, lightest crust ever. It was so good. J had the pepperoni calzone and it was huge. He loved it tho'. Stop by and check it out.

The Heartland Cafe

Last night, I met ECW for dinner at The Heartland Cafe. It was a little funny how we ended up here. This is one of his favorite places, but somehow he never told me that. I was going through my a la cards, and noticed Heartland. It seemed up his alley, so I suggested it. He was thrilled and a little amused that I suggested it. I had the maple-pineapple free range chicken with wild rice and zucchini. It came with a side of cornbread. The chicken was delicious. The cornbread was too thick and heavy for me. I like light and soft cornbread. They use cornmeal, but it is a little coarse. The cafe is very interesting. It has the smell of light patchouli and cedar. They have a little shoppe attached selling lots of naturey/organic products. Mostly it was fun to sit on the screened in porch and catch up with ECW.