Priding

This was my view on the way to the grocery store Sunday.

by Joe

by Joe

Scenic.

by Joe

We enjoyed the parade in passing as we made our way there, but didn't stick around too long. I had bitten off a bit more than I could chew. First the grocery trip. My bike lock had frozen up, leaving me wrestling to lock it for a full 7 minutes in the sun-baked parking lot, leaving me frustrated and Joe impatient. We started the bickering. In a huff, I sent him home, determined that I would rather shop alone. I was wrong. The trip home was miserable and I felt very sorry for myself. Balancing too many groceries on your bike through a parade isn't fun no matter how festive it might be. What is it about grocery shopping that brings out the worst in us? Joe said it that morning before we left the house. "It's no fun grocery shopping together." As a couple that has fun together most of the time, it's a little jarring when you identify such a pattern. 

After the exhausting trip back, we wrestled with dinner plans. We had planned to make curry for the neighbors that evening, but now I was talking about going to the parade and meeting with some friends but then when would I make it to the beach like I had planned and Joe had to leave so when would we clean the house? Somehow I had managed to make this enjoyable itinerary felt stressful. Mustn't try to do it all at once. After all, this was my first day off in twelve. Finally I caved and canceled dinner. No one seemed to mind much. Joe got ready for his afternoon of volunteering at the library. He's been keeping his foot in the door at the branch where he did his internship. It would be the perfect place for him to land a job. It also prevents a gap on his resume. 

With a little post-grocery store breathing space, I hopped on my bike for a ride up to the beach. I sorely underestimated the parade's influence on my neighborhood. I headed east for the lake, but was obstructed by a marching procession of cowboys. I rode north but there were more nearly naked boys blocking my way. After several failed attempts, I managed to wind around the start of the festivities and head up through the hot traffic to Hollywood Beach. 

Considering that it's a well-known gay spot on Pride day, the beach was very pleasantly sparse. I was meeting with a group of friends to sun ourselves near the water. They all happen to be gay, but didn't seem concerned about the celebration. Rather than the holiday going on in my neighborhood, here it was just a lovely sunny Sunday hanging at the shore. That was far more of what I needed than the tension back on my block. After beers on the beach, we went for blue cheese burgers and sangria at Moody's, my favorite outdoor patio.

Sometimes you accomplish nothing by doing too much, and sometimes doing nothing does you more good.

Oomphing Up: Finished Product

Oomphing Up

I've had this cheap H&M jacket lying around for a few years, and while I've always liked it, it's a little plain for my taste. This morning, I was finally ready to do something about it. I spent something like $4 on lace and thread, and it took me about an hour to complete. If you can sew around a curved edge on a sewing machine, then you should give this cheap and simple project a try to give a little life back to an old staple.

Getting Real

I caught Joe peeing while eating a Twizzler yesterday. Here's a list of things I've done while peeing.
-read a magazine
-read a novel
-read a cookbook
-plucked my eyebrows
-fixed my makeup
-made a phone call
-brushed my teeth
-browsed on my phone
-browsed on my laptop
-watched my soccer team practice

Showing Off My New Ride

What, you don't have a pteranodon on your bell? 

Biking around here in the summer is a no-brainer. Not only is it scenic, cheap, green, and great exercise, it actually makes for a faster commute than driving or taking public transit. Plus it's really fun (albeit a little sweaty). 

After the disappearance of my bike (rip), I was lost. Thank goodness for friends like Becky. She heard of my plight, and offered me this gem that had been collecting dust in storage. A quick tune-up later, and it. is. amazing. It's lightweight and super fast (not to mention easy on the eyes). We have fallen in love. And, thanks to a new U-lock, I'm not letting this one get away. 

Sharing the Love

The twins serenaded me. Enjoy the pick-me-up!

Getting Weepy

Just had to share. I made it to about 19 before losing it.



Sometimes you gotta seek out a feel-good.

Yoga Practicing

I've done yoga sporadically for years now, mostly at home with a dvd or at my old gym. I'm naturally pretty flexible, but due to a mild case of scoliosis, my alignment's a mess and my back and shoulders regularly ache. Recently our friend Amy took me to a free class that she attends, and I'm now committed to going regularly. It's twice a week at a swanky chiropractic health center in our neighborhood (I'd tell you where, but the class is crowded enough as it is). It's cool that they're striving to make yoga practice accessible even in these lean times, and the instructor really treats it like a labor of love.

Joe also has back issues, so he tried out the class with us last week, despite his insistence that he hates doing yoga in public. I was so proud of him for sticking it out, because the class was tough. He has occasionally practiced it at home with me, but my 30 minute dvds have nothing on the 90 minute sweatfest this tiny woman put us through. Hovering planks, long-held warrior poses, wheel pose...she doesn't hold back. Time will tell how into it Joe will get, but I'm glad he gave it a chance for the good of his body. I'm still aching from Monday, but am looking forward to class tonight.

Wheel Pose

Avocado Mac and Cheesing

Dudes. I chose this new recipe tonight from the blog Two Peas and Their Pod after my sister not-so-subltey requested that I make it for her. It is so very yummy. It's as creamy and hearty as mac and cheese should be, but still tastes summery and fresh, thanks to avocado, cilantro and lime juice. I added an extra half avocado to the avocado sauce, as mine were rather small, and colby jack instead of pepper jack for the cheese sauce. Then I blended some jalapeño into the avocado sauce to add a little spicy kick to the pasta. Even though my week has been crazy busy, this dish was quick and easy to make (though you have to give the cheese sauce a few minutes of your undivided attention).  I loved it (and so did my sister). Next time, I'll try adding grilled chicken, tomatoes, and asparagus to really flesh it out. 

Do you like green mac and cheese?
Would you eat it in a box? Would you eat it with a fox?

Summer Playlisting

Here's what I've been listening to around the house these days. Real summery.



As I rarely listen to the radio, Carly Rae hasn't driven me nuts yet.
 Feel free to skip it.

Graffiti-ing for Chickens

Little Robert

Ever since I saw Exit Through the Giftshop, I've been dying to try my hand at graffiti. I love the idea of taking back public space and creating art that interacts with its environment. But I'm also a chicken. Until I come up with the right piece to risk my freedom on, I got a little practice in my friend Robert's book of walls. If only spray painting were as easy as doodling with markers.

Poop's Abysmal

Creature of Habit

Vader

Nesting 

Fear and Loathing

Making Room

With all the cooking going on in our kitchen these days, we needed to get a little more organized. Two cheap stainless steel Ikea shelves and a couple utility hooks later, we finally have a decent makeshift broom closet and a spot for odds and ends that were crowding up the countertop. Glad to make good use of a wasted kitchen corner.

Pee Weeing

Monday, we packed up some mango salsa, fancy beer and our camp chairs for an outdoor viewing of Pee Wee's Big Adventure at Millennium Park, sponsored by Bike Chicago. It was a fitting tribute to Hector, my stolen bike. It also made me worry that I didn't try hard enough to get him back.

The movie was shown in the Pritzker Pavillion. We met with some friends a little early to snag a patch of grass with a decent view and share our snacks. We also tried to chat, which was difficult with the blaring background music. The playlist consisted of every song they could think of with the word "Chicago" in the lyrics. Then they started playing songs by Chicago.
We get it. We're in Chicago.

It's been a long while since I've seen this film, and I liked it more than I remembered. Maybe it was the glorious scenery that colored my mood.

Blending Pure Bliss

Chicago is all about food. On our block alone, there are two mexican restaurants, two italian restaurants, a pita shop, a crepe place, a bar & grill, a thai spot, a late-night sushi joint, a mexican bakery and a hot dog stand. It can be tempting. Both to save dollars and to eat better, we've been committed to cooking at home more this summer. We really have no excuse not to, since we both have a pretty leisurely schedule at the moment. The only way we were going to avoid temptation was to mix in some new recipes.

Pure bliss in a glass

The best part of trying new recipes is how often you find new favorites. We make smoothies a lot around here anyways, adding a couple scoops of flax seed for a boost. This one uses my favorite fruit--fresh pineapple--and coconut milk, which we keep stockpiled for curry. I like mine with double the yogurt, but this can't be beat. We're going to try freezing it into popsicles for an even more refreshing treat.

Show Going and Celebrating

Sunday was Monica Barcelona: Bitch I'll Cut You at the Chicago Women's Funny Festival at Stage 773. Having both seen my sister perform improv and gotten haircuts from her for years, it was great fun to see the two combined. It's essentially an improvised salon scene with a live haircut for one lucky audience volunteer. Mo and Erica rocked it. The show was high energy and got loads of laughs from the audience.

But you don't have to take my word for it (I am a little biased, after all). Our friend Ada Grey agrees. Ada is a 7 year old who has been blogging her reviews of Chicago theater since she was 4 (dictated to her mother). She was there with an official press pass and a front row seat, swinging her mary janes in anticipation. She loved the show, and raved on about it afterwards. You can read all about her take on Monica Barcelona in a couple weeks on Ada Grey Reviews for You.

After the show, we headed to Coopers across the street for celebratory drinks. They do a $3.50 beer of the month special, and this month is Shiner Ruby Redbird. Holy crap, people, this is one refreshing beer. Kind of like a grapefruit shandy. It's rare that the cheap beer on the menu is also an awesome one. I will definitely be picking up a six-pack for my next picnic. We decided to celebrate our celebratory beers with a bbq pork/coleslaw pizza. I love trying unusual food combinations (chocolate covered bacon, anyone?), and the pie didn't disappoint. It was fitting after a show that combined Monique's dual talents. I'd go back for this dish, which is saying something in a town where there are unlimited choices for amazing pizza. Also, I hear they have homemade ice cream. 'Nuff said.

My new favorite summer brew.

Reminding

Chicago's finest. Or is that cops? 

You wouldn't think this needs to be said, but here's a summer reminder,  kids: Don't empty your bbq into the dumpster. Idiots.

Checking Off the List

One of my favorite things to do is knocking out silly little tasks that get ignored indefinitely (yet I'll leave a sink-full of dishes for a week, go figure). Last night, it was WD-40ing the door hinges. Our place was built in 1906, and while I love it, the squeal of our old paint-crusted hinges drives me up the wall, especially when I'm trying to get ready quietly so Joe can sleep in. It took about 2 1/2 minutes, and now I can sneak around our apartment like a ninja. It's the little things.

I also got my watch battery replaced yesterday. We took a pleasant stroll to the watch repair shop (with a pit stop for cantaloupe bubble tea), walked into the ammonia-filled workroom, and walked out 4 minutes later with a slight buzz and a working timepiece. My sister and her then-boyfriend had given me this cute little Fossil watch when I was maybe 16. It disappeared somewhere within a couple years, and was forgotten about shortly after. Years later, I got a call from my dad, who had just had the roof of my childhood home replaced. The roofers had found, in the leaf-jammed rain gutters, my watch, still ticking away, without a scratch or rust spot in sight. If a watch can survive me, you know it's a quality one.

Touring and Whoring

Yesterday was just about perfect. The nice thing about having a little extra time off is that those sort of lovely days happen more frequently. It began with my favorite kind of morning--a leisurely one--at home with Joe, alternately playing Big Game Hunter on the Wii and napping (as grown ups do).

Then we went on a walking tour of Chicago's redlight district with Chicago Elevated. It was pretty fascinating. To clarify, there is no longer a red light district in Chicago. But at the turn of the last century, it was a'raging. In fact, it was the largest in the country (aren't we proud!). While I've never really had an interest in whoring, Margaret our guide sure made that world sound lively. If it weren't for all the violence, disease, and demeaning sex with creeps, I'd at least give it a chance. The luxurious Everleigh House brothel sounded particularly glamorous, with its "butterflies" in ball gowns, flirting with johns while discussing art and literature at gourmet meals before...ahem...getting to business. Maybe I could just sneak out before dessert.

 We finished off the glorious day with dinner and margaritas at El Mariachi in Lakeview with a good friend whom we hadn't seen in ages. I knew they have amazing fish tacos, but I had no idea they had such a beautiful outdoor seating area in the back. It was the perfect setting to catch up and wind down while the sun set. Sigh.

Getting Spooked

This is Cappy. I've volunteered to walk him for a neighbor while they're out of town. He's really that happy in real life. The only problem with Cappy is that he's not very friendly with other dogs. To avoid the majority of other dogs walking through the neighborhood, I have to take him up and down the alley, rather than the grassy sidewalks, which is a bit of a bummer. I wish there was some way to explain to him that this is a direct consequence of his anti-social attitude.

Late last night, on our last walk before bed, we stumbled upon something 

lurking in the trash that nearly scared the crap out of me. 

Ok, it was just an old pair of shoes. But for a moment, I thought for sure I had found a body. Maybe I've reading too much cannibal news lately.

Reminiscing

Ray Bradbury, man. He was one of the first influential writers that I really got into. I'm glad he made it to the ripe old age of ninety-one. 

It was the Illustrated Man that snagged me. I still have the copy that I borrowed from the Mid-Continent Public Library when I must have been about 12 (sorry, librarian friends, it's true). My aunt Ireta described it to me one night while we listened to music--mostly Metallica, Fleetwood Mac, Jon Secada--at her kitchen table and she gave me sips of her Zima. Of course, she completely butchered the plot. The only thing she nailed was that there was this guy and he had a lot of weird tattoos. We checked it out and I read it aloud to her while she cooked dinner. I've read it dozens of times since. We also read an unofficial and unflattering biography of Martha Stewart that summer. Ireta died of lupus several years ago, but those late nights spent at her table are still vivid. I'm glad I stole that book. 

Getting Sappy

Moonrise Kingdom, as I preluded to, was highly enjoyable. Without giving too much away, it was Wes Anderson at his Wes Andersoniest. While Joe enjoyed it too, he struggled with the fact that it sticks to that formula, whereas I don't really care--I prefer to ignore the rest of his body of work for the moment, and get swept up in a well-done and compelling film. But who am I? You didn't come here for a movie review (why are you here, again?).

Maybe it's just because I could relate to it. I was a bit of a loner. I had a young romance in which it was us against the world (they are 12, I was 14). In my case, when it was finally just us, it became us against us. Sometimes you have to face that all your problems can't be blamed on external factors. Of course, the credits role long before Sam and Suzy's relationship gets real.

That's what I thought this captured nicely--the urgency and all consuming power of first love at a tender age, particularly when it's forbidden (all the while managing to keep it charming, not sappy). Which, for me, was a nicely bittersweet taste that evening.

Mourning

If you see this bike, please throw a brick
 at the asshole who's riding it.

I was going to post about seeing Moonrise Kingdom yesterday, and the many ways it was reminiscent of my childhood romance (spoiler alert--mine ended in divorce). But that will have to wait because some ASSHOLE stole my bike Hector from behind my building last night! Where is the logic? It has little-to-no value. It was next to half a dozen much flashier bikes that were just asking for it. And yet, my sweet little work horse was taken against its will. I think the ASSHOLE must have realized I had some faith in humanity left, and decided to crush it. Also, I had a cable lock. That was dumb.

Sigh, there goes my transportation/exercise/tour guide for the summer.

Brunching

Featured in TimeOut Chicago! 

Yesterday began with a lovely brunch with my sister and some friends.

This is my sister.

Ok, that is her alter ego Monica Barcelona. She is performing at
the Chicago Women's Funny Festival
on June 10th at Stage 773.
It will be good. You should go.

The twins. 

Brunch was yummy, as were the bloody marys. Our friends brought their darling two-year-old who is very good at the Spiderman theme song. Kids are the best. I take care of the most amazing three-year-old twins a couple days a week. The other day, one described to me how orange juice is made by squeezing potatoes. "Hmm, I hadn't heard that," I replied.

"Oh, it's just an expression."

Oh, right, THAT expression.

Scrambling

It could use a little graffiti... 

One of the best parts about Chicago is that it's a big city next to a big beautiful lake. Would I swim in Lake Michigan? no, but it makes for a lovely bit of scenery for biking, jogging, picnicking and sailing. My activity of choice (given that I don't have a boat) is scrambling along the rocks. At least, I think that's what you call it. There are large boulders along the water's edge in certain areas, and it's a blast to climb, jump and crawl across the shoreline. It's a great way to get some exercise against a picturesque backdrop, but it also involves balance and a little problem solving, which keeps it from getting dull. My lower body is still a little sore from all the lunging and leaping yesterday, but a pristine afternoon on the lakefront was just what I needed after a couple dreary days of rain. We followed up our scramble with homemade strawberry-banana-mango smoothies when we got home. Game on, summer! 

This little guy popped out right beside us,
and we looked like paparazzi
 trying to get a good shot of him. 

Swinging From Umbrellas is Strictly Prohibited

Mango Salsa-ing

We made this yummy recipe served with El Milagro Chips for brunch yesterday. We added tomato and the optional avocado, and used my homegrown cilantro. It was taaasty. I think it would be even better after the flavors are left to blend overnight. I can't say for sure because we devoured it immediately.

Joe insisted that we flavor it with our "dinosaur salt" (or Himalayan salt, as real grown ups call it). We refer to it as such because it pre-dates the dinosaurs. It is mined by hand and is supposedly purer than other salts. We got it at a Christmas party, we don't actually buy into it, but the idea of eating ancient minerals is appealing. Also it is pretty and pink.

DMVing

Next, please. 

 My out-of-state license was expired (which I woefully discovered while trying to rent a car at the airport at 11pm). It was time to become a real Illinoisian. So yesterday I trekked an hour by train/bus to the DMV. What can I say about the DMV that hasn't been said a million times? To keep it succinct, I'll just say this ---bleh. It didn't help that I was beat and it was a bleak day. I don't know if I've ever been to the DMV when this wasn't the case.

But I made it, and got in the first of 6 lines I would eventually stand in. Seems I would have to take a written test. Do I really need to know how many underaged passengers a minor can have in their car while in the graduated license program? Apparently so.



One interesting thing I learned- an Illinoisian parent can cancel their teen's license at any time for any reason until they are 18. I'm glad I didn't grow up here, because I'm pretty sure my parents would have tried this at some point. They were fond of inventive punishments. I once had my bedroom door taken away for what would be the worst summer of my life. The only way I could win it back was by conceding to a wrestling match with my mother. Silly mom, you can't win against the inner rage of a teenage girl with no privacy.

I passed the written test with flying colors, took my picture, and got the hell out of there. Happy to know I've got another 4 years before I have to do it again.

Not bad, eh?