guess who's back...

Thanksgiving has come and gone...and I think my weight is finally back to where it was before so. Obviously I ate a lot--many thanks to Melissa's family for hosting me. It was a nice Italian feast, including antipasto, fresh raviolis, stuffed mushrooms, eggplant parm, etc. It was awesome. That Friday night Marly came into city and we went out with Jamie and Jonesy at Cubby Bear in Wrigley. How was it? It was fucking far, otherwise fun. Saturday, Marly and I woke up to get some bagels from Chicago Bagel Authority, which were steamed and not so good. Feeling unsatisfied, we walked around for a while and then went to BaBaReeba for some brunch tapas and the Wisco game. We watched, we ate a lot, it was solid. We got french toast with fruit compote, a strawberry waffle, a spinach and artichoke crepe, eggplant salad, oatmeal, and diet coke. Unexpected good brunch spot. For dinner, we went to IPO in the W downtown with the girls. It was gross. The fucking waiter brought all of the food out at the same time...all of it! The apps, the drinks, the entrees, and the sides all came out together and no one knew what to do. Obv I ate everything really quickly to make room for food on table, but still, who does that? After we went to Old Town Social which I like and I had a few drinks and work the next day. Blah boring post, but I'm tired. tomorrow I'm going to FRONTERA!!!! and then Saturday I'm going to BANDERA!!!! and monday JStar!!!!!! will be back with details tomorrow

Girl & the Goat

Hello and wow. I've just come back from foodie nirvana aka Steph Izard's G&tG...as if you haven't heard of it. Basically, I wasn't sure if it would live up to the hype, but I'm happy to report that it definitely definitely did. Before I get down to business, poor Navid on 90210 and oh my god Teddy needs to stop doing gay bar drive-bys! I'm loling here. OK, so we started off with two of the three homemade breads. We got the squish squash with came with pecan brown butter and then this like brown sugar oil. We also got the pretzel bread which I think was my favorite thing we had all night it had big pieces of salt on top and came with dijon mustard butter and a thousand island sauce on the side. Afuckingmazing. genius with the mustard butter and I ate the whole loaf. Then we got chickpea fritters with romesco, hazelnut hummus, sesame, and goat feta. They were square and tasted like polenta and hummus combined and the feta added this creamy element that I liked, even though I'm not into cheese. They also had toasted chickpeas as a garnish that were the right textural compliment. We got the roasted cauliflower with pickled peppers which was amazing. Everyone told me to order the cauliflower, and in general I wouldn't, but I was not disappointed. Next was the squash ravioli with mushroom raisin ragu which was awesome. The raviolo were sweet, but the mushroom ragu which had tons of different mushrooms in it was sweet and hearty and really really good. Like no wonder that she won top chef. She's so good at mixing all these elements without it seeming cluttered. Ugh I wanted a gay kiss in 90210. So the mix of elements brings me to the red fish, with freeze dried black beans, cubed butternut squash, and hen of woods mushrooms. The black beans were perfect with the squash and the fish was perfectly cooked. Love love loved it. You can most likely refer to gingerfoodie's facebook or blog...she took some photos. Abby has acquired some rotten bananas and that means bananananana bread tomorrow. wooohoo. I'm in a slight food coma right now and I definitely want to go back to girl and the goat as soon as I can....so most likely in February because they're looking pretttty booked. Good for Stephanie she was always the best top chef winner and now I can say that with certainty. Chuck Bass just gets sexier by the episode, doesn't he?

xx,

hhh

whoops

Oh em gee, I forgot to write about Big Star! I love it there soooooo hipster, probably the most hipster place I've eaten so far in chicago. Tostada de Pescados were amazing. So cool and alternative, love the Christmas lights! That's all

where have I been??

Talk about a long time coming....I haven't posted in so long. I guess that I could say I have been very busy eating, which we all know is definitely true, but I have also been very busy working at my full time job at RL! Since we last spoke, I was about to have my second interview there. Well, I got the job and it is so amazing! Back to this later....I need to talk about last night.

So basically when I had nothing to do a few months ago I joined jdate regrettably and then I went on a few dates with this kid, which I'll mention right now required me to pregame alone. So last night he took me to Karyn's on Green which is a really nice and fancy vegan restaurant. Kind of lame choice but I understand why he did it seeing that I am a vegetarian after all. So dinner was actually really delicious especially the "chicken legs" which tasted like McDonalds chicken nuggets, I got drunk...standard....so I'm expecting him to drop me off at home after because he drove me, but no. I guess the whole seduction plan was to keep getting me to drink so we went to a bar, I down a vodka soda, then he's like so what are you doing now? I was like I don't know I guess I'm going to go home and see what my friends are up to....well then he's like, I can hang out. Here's where this gets interesting....so I'm really not attracted to this person, he is short, ask my how the last time I invested myself in a short jewish boy went (for a year EWW)...and not to toot my own horn or anything I can just feel people staring at me and this kid together and thinking the same thing. So, we go up to my apartment and I pour us wine, not because I'm at all trying to seduce him, but because in my rational state of mine I decided that i needed to drink more. So we're watching Conan and I think it's really funny (the show not the situation) and finally this kid leans in for the kill and in Kesha's words blah blah blah. As this is going on and I'm really disinterested, I'm thinking to myself....WOW. Is this what dating is? A return to high school? It's one thing in college when you get back to someone's place, you know what's about to happen. There's no like pussyfooting around the situation, you're either going to bang or eat pokey sticks, and if you're lucky, you'll prob get to do both and then watch a big tv if you know what I mean. But now, this whole real world dating involves like going upstairs with someone and being really awkward like we used to in high school when we'd sit on a couch and pretend to watch a movie and try and not focus on what was to come. Moral of the story...I miss college! I miss the boys I used to hang out with and the simplicity of it all...and furthermore, I HATE jdate!!!! I'm slightly nauseated with myself right now, I need to go shopping and to Anne Sather for some cinnamon rolls.

Ok back to the food and life, I've been working at RL for the past 3 weeks and it is so great. So many famous people! When I was there for my second interview Lionel Richie was there and since then it's just gotten cooler. Technically I'm not supposed to talk about it. So in between work, I've managed to get some solid eating done, don't worry. Tonight I'm going to Hub 51 with Marissa, which hopefully will lead me to a nice fratty finance boy in a suit and some kick ass cornbread....in that order. I promise to stay more on top of this from now on...especially because Girl and the Goat is on Monday!!!!

Stay classy, because I really haven't

-hhh

birthday debauchery

Hi there,

It definitely has been a while and a lot has happened in terms of my culinary exploits. To leave off where we left off, Marly called into Perennial and told them we were coming to review it, so basically we got a ton of free shit. We started with the butternut squash soup with creme fraiche perennial trail mix on top and an arugula and grapefruit salad. Those apps were good. then they brought us out foie gras encrusted jumbo scallops very nice. For our dinner we split the house made tofu with sides of butternut squash noodle kugel and mac and cheese. Both of those were very good. And then for dessert he brought us out these little apple and ice cream lollipops with caramel. Overall, I'd say the seasonal menu of Perennial is nice and intriguing. I would definitely go back, but not before I try a bunch of other places. So that was Wednesday.

Thursday, I started my job at Signature Room! I like it so far. Aside from the unfortunate fact that I have to wear a ridiculous suit, albeit slimming, the job is challenging and it's a very busy restaurant, like 500 people for lunch busy. I totally lied on all my apps and said that I knew how to work open table--well that is plainly not true. I never have done computerized hostessing and it was a lot to learn in such a short time. But after I got the hang of it, it's been pretty much smooth sailing. After work on Thursday we went out for Marissa's birthday to Luxbar. The food was standard, but the company was great and I'm really happy that I got to meet a few fellow gold coast girls that are now my going out partners in crime.

Friday I worked again and then Abby and I went to RJ Grunts for dinner!!! Salad bar was so good, we also got a side of fries which were delicious. I honestly don't think that I had had french fries the entire time I have been in Chi so it was a great accompaniment to my overloaded plates of lettuce, pineapple, and tuna noodle. Then we went to say hello to Alinea (passing by in the cab) and to our friend's friends' house on Halsted. We went to Old Town social and then McFadden's which was soooo fun and then we went home for some pizza rolls and I'm sorry to say that's no euphemism. Saturday I woke up hungover and went to work. Got out of work and went out with Marissa and my new friends to Hub 51 and I was WASTED. Way too much hub punch which is so delicious and I was dying. I left early by myself standard in a taxi at 2am.

After being so retarded, I obviously needed to get some brunch on Sunday morning. Abby and her friends from school were out the door at like 430 am to volunteer at the marathon so I met them afterwards for brunch at Nookies on wells. It was really solid I got a vegetarian omellette, which had broccoli, mushroom, spinach, cauliflower, zuchini, and tomatoes. Then we went home to relax and made chili with no "carne in m'pocket are you mad?" and cornbread. It was fine but we made way too much and its grossing me out now. Monday I also had off from work and I met Marly for lunch at Specialty's. I got a sub-standard greek salad but it came with amazing focaccia bread that was really salty and i want some right about now. Then, I went to an interview at RL restaurant just to keep my options open and it went so well. I have a second interview in about an hour I'm bugging out about it. Ok, so then Tuesday I worked nothing special and then yesterday was my birthday!!!! We went to Mercadito which was really good and so buzzy I loved it. We waited a while for our table and Marly and Jamie got a spicy margarita which was cool. For dinner, we ordered the trio of guacs--mango chipotle, traditional, and pineapple. Duo of salsas- verde and this roasted tomato spicy one. Fried plantains, mahi mahi ceviche, this salad with chipotle balsamic dressing that was sooo spicy and amazing. Then we got tilapia tacos which were so good sliced avocado on top spicy sauce inside and the fish was cooked perfectly--grilled with a crunchy crust on outside but not dry at all. Jamie and Abby got shrimp tacos which looked awesome, too. They brought me out caramel flan for my bday but we all know that I don't swing that way. We got in the taxi to go home and the driver told us that he knows Hema, which may have been the highlight of the year. Now I'm off to Ralph Lauren and then to MADISON!!!!

hopefully I make it out of wisconsin alive

----hhh----

kitchen nightmares....

To quote the great words of my most favorite writer ke$ha (no offense to Toni Morrison of course) but.... "I've got a sick obsession!!!" And the name of my new obsession is Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares on BBCAmerica. As a former London dweller, I have always been aware of the quality programming of the BBC. I used to only think that this applied to Gavin and Stacey, my most favorite sitcom written by a sassy fat woman, but seriously Kitchen Nightmares is so good and strange I cannot stop watching it. Who gon check me boo? Right now the one I'm watching involves Ramsey redoing a restaurant in Scottland and he makes them all go get kilts to wear while they cook and then they end up taking photos up each other's skirts. muy interesante. and because it is on BBC, they don't have to censor it and they just curse up a storm. I can't take it, I'm loling like I do when I watch the osbournes. I guess I just have this thing for screaming British people. Short post--I just had to get that off my chest. Back with more later after Perennial cocktail partaaaay tonight!

oh weekends

Hi there!

This weekend was really fun...after my Friday night all alone, that is. I'm randomly not feeling well right now, but I just ate some Totino's so I think that I'll have enough energy to complete this post. Anyway, Saturday morning my alarm went off at 8am for yoga and I shut that shit down like the DOH. After I woke up at 11, I met Jamie who was being hipster and studying at Starbucks, we then got gingerfoodie, and went to State to watch the game. We got cheese curds, tuna tartar, and I got the greek salad with avocado that I've been dreaming about. Speaking of dreaming, the other night I had a dream that I was on Captain Hook's boat I wish I was kidding. He was sending people to walk the plank and the way to get out of it was to jump off the boat onto this like wooden board, everyone was going and they were making the jump, but then obv it was my turn and I fell and I was sent to my watery end. All I can say about that is WHAT THE FUCK?! So back to the state, all of our food was good and the greek was as good as I had hoped.

After State, in an incident that can only be described as abroad behavior, Marly and I went to see the social network. However, nothing is ever simple and I know that it was my fault, but we ended up on the wrong side of Illinois and we were wayyy far from the theatre. I hailed a cab as we would have on spring break in shitaly (hipster Batali reference right there) and we made it to the movie, which I thought was as amazing as everyone said. In a similar mode to my obsession with the fool of King Lear, I couldn't stop talking about the movie all night and I proceeded to tell everyone in the bar that they should go see it. standarddd. But seriously, Jesse Eisenberg was so good, like Adventureland good. So after the film, we went home and got dressed, I discovered that I had nothing to wear, and then in a similar shitaly fashion, Marly misnavigated us to BabaReeba and we took the bus two stops and then we had to get in a taxi anyway....and it was pouring pouring rain. After the misadventure, we had a greatttt dinner. Let me give you a rundown of all the tapas Marly, Jessie, Rachel, Jessica, and I ordered:

mixed greens, beets, oranges & goat cheese

ensalada mixta

local tomato salad with arugula & migas

ensalada de tomate con rucula y migas

roast eggplant salad with goat cheese

berenjena asada con queso de cabra

warm potato & onion omelette

tortilla española

goat cheese baked in tomato sauce

queso de cabra al horno

mushroom empanada with porcini alioli

empanada de championes

ahi tuna, shaved vegetable salad

atún y ensalada de verduras

seared salmon, heirloom potatoes, chimichurri

salmón asado con alcachofas y salsa verde

seared scallops, raisins, couscous & pine nuts

vieras salteadas

roast dates with bacon & apple vinaigrette

dátiles con tocino

meatballs with sherry tomato sauce

albondigas al jerez

sdfdpfg, yes....we were full. My favorites were the eggplant salad, heirloom tomato salad, and ahi tuna what a surprise. And we cannot forget my obsession was present--red sangria!!! Marly thinks that I'm obsessed with sangria and I have decided to go with it...I'm not ashamed!

After babareeba, we came home and drank...a lot. Then we went to Benchmark for David's bday and it was really fun and then we went to the bar next door to Benchmark and I met a boy that told me he was 42, 34, and 25. I pray he was 25 because he was a hot tall. While you may think the discovery of a hot tall would be the highlight of the night for me, please have more faith. When we left the bar at 2, we definitely did not go home....instead we went to Tempo Cafe which is 25 (typo, keeping it) hours and genius. I got the morning glory waffle--strawberries, blueberries, bananas solid. So we left tempo at like 330, went home I fell asleep in my clothes standard.

That brings me to today. I woke up, went to hot yoga at 12 during which I sweat out that entire waffle, then I came home and showered, planning on going to forever 21, but instead I fell asleep on the couch for about 3 hours. Let me just assure you that this is easier said than done seeing that our couch is made for a midget. I woke up and went to dinner with David at Riccardo Trattoria which was sooo delicious. Very authentic Italian, they make everything there, etc. Only complaint was small portions, but I think that's good sometimes. I got ahi tuna with an arugula salad and canellini beans. Very up my alley. David got orechiette pesto and then we had panna cotta for his birthday. And that brings me back to the couch, where I am currently sitting.

Goodnight and good eating,

hungry hungry hipster