Just Julie's Life.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

A Tour of my Neighborhoods....Weekend

Sometimes it happens that I get REALLY REALLY REALLY sick of my neighborhood. Same people, same places, same food, etc. It can get really old. So Friday, Erica and I ventured up to Albany Park and went for a delicious Lebanese dinner at Semiramis.
Hello Delicious! BYOB and amazingly delicious! Then we headed to North Center and stopped into a couple of German bars - love them! http://www.laschetsinn.com/ and http://www.yelp.com/biz/resis-bierstube-restaurant-and-tavern-chicago

So much fun!
On Saturday, I headed up to Lakeview to get my friend David his sunglasses that he fell in love with while he and Ema were in Chicago. I bought him 4 pairs.

Saturday night, Bill and I had date night and we went to Honky Tonk BBQ in Pilsen, yet another neighborhood, and dined on BBQ in a really cool, retro-funky space. Copper tin ceilings and all! And, Bill's good friend Kari is the manager there, and we haven't seen her since our wedding! It was great catching up and pigging out.

Sunday was yet another neighborhood day. We started our day by recycling our Christmas tree in Humboldt Park

Then we made our way to the Logan Square Farmers Market and bought local farmed honey, meat, some bread, etc. Blew through $50 before the blink of an eye!
I do, however, really wish I was in Las Vegas. Our bestie neighbors Jamesy and Rachel are there with Lex. Look at all the fun they are having.

Sigh. I'll just chill with the Best Dog in the WORLD instead. And have a Bloody Mary.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Julie is Cooking

I LOVE cooking - its something I love even more when I have a dishwasher, which I do.
Bill LOVES to eat, so it really makes cooking fun. One of the best gifts I got for Christmas was a dutch oven. I have wanted one for SO long, and its an awesome orange color.

Bill really wanted a crockpot, and I didn't, but of course my mom bought him one.

Anyway, tonight, upon inspiration from one of Rachel's recipes - I am baking chickpeas with smoked paprika. When they are out of the oven they should be crispy and I'm going to douse them with a little honey.

1 - 15oz can of chickpeas - rinse and pat dry
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 TS of smoked paprika
1 1/2 TS of kosher salt
1/2 Tablespoon of honey

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, take them out, dump them in a bowl and spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of honey over them. Mix well and serve! Yum! **Update - Bill ate them all. I had about 10 Chickpeas**

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Things to accomplish in 2010

You know how it will be nearing the end of the year, and there are tons of things you wanted to do that you never did?
Just so I can remember everything I want to do, I'm starting a list now. This will be updated as I accomplish things and remember more things I want to do in 2010. Places and things I want to go to, try, check out, do, etc. All that good stuff.
1. Richwell Market - 1835 S. Canal Street
2. Hot Dougs - 3324 N. California
3. Modern Wing @ the Art Institute
4. The BEACH. Haven't been in at least 3 years.
5. Pho Pho Pho
6. A bike ride
7. The Green Market
8. Use my Chicago Public Radio Membership card for restaurant discounts.
9. Go to the Steppenwolf Theater
10. Get my money's work from my A.I. membership.
11. Visit the Mighty Carmona Family!
12. MAXWELL STREET MARKET!!!!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Is it NYE Yeah You Know ME!

I can honestly say this NYE has been the best I have had in years. Technically, it was "Bill's Year". This means that we hang out with Bill's friends, and that Bill has a hand in planning it.
Last time it was Bill's year, we went to a Moroccan restaurant and liked it so much we went again last year. Marrakech - http://www.marrakechcuisine.com/

This year me, Bill, Emily, Frankie, Mary-Frances, Jeff, Mackie & Lex went to Kyu Sushi - http://www.kyusushichicago.com/
It was WONDERFUL. BYOB, a friendly favorite, great service and most importantly, delicious sushi. It was fabulous.

Bill and I then had people over, and of course I have a tendancy to over do it with the food - I'm part Italian and a smidge of Jewish - what do you want - and there was quite the spread - I had five different cheeses, three different dried sausages, three different types of olives, bread, bread sticks, nuts, I don't know all kinds of stuff. It was super super fun, because everyone from all their events came over to ring in the new year together. I had a blast.
Again - pics to prove it.... after the jump....

Christmas Obligatory Post

Christmas came and went - without drama. The slight amount of drama was that - gasp - Bill and I got to spend Xmas-eve alone. It was very nice. Bill had to work and it was the first year we didn't go to Oak Park. We went to Jeremy + Shirley's for a yummy dinner, and chilled upstairs and watched a movie. We went to Christmas at my parents house with my token Jew, Mackie, and had a lovely time. Pictures to prove it after the jump...