It's a Celebration, Bitches

Oh, Chicago, how I love you. And Lisa, Matt, and Otis and Eddie? I love you even more.

I don't even know where to start. I really don't. It's awesome hanging out with people who have the exact same interests as you? Indeed, it is. I loved that I could go to the gym first thing in the morning and not have people look askance at me for working out while on vacation. I love that I had an amazing walking about and shopping partner. I love that I had amazing dinner (and lunch) companions. I love that I saw episodes of Paradise Hotel. And, oh, the food.

Why do I always have such fine while I'm visiting you, Chicago?

Random:

• I won the Mexican food eating competition that ensued directly after my arrival on Friday. Take THAT, burrito that was almost, but not quite, as big as my head. And hello, Burritos as Big As Your Head. I am not fool enough to think that I could challenge you to a duel.
• Splits McGee at Lisa's gym is the president of my fanclub. Who knew that the bendy monkey-ness would inspire such admiration in others?
• Even with all of the eating, and there was a lot of eating, let me tell you, I still managed to misplace a pound. Goddamn.
  
• Anthropologie, you disappointed me with your calf-length skirts. A Boo to you, kind sir.

Shall we talk about food for a bit? Because it was amazing. Burritos and falafels and Thai, oh my. And a truly amazing meal at The Green Zebra. I may have stolen a menu. If by steal, I mean Lisa asked the server to give one to me.

The dinner: shared between the three of us
The food:

• Melon Cucumber warm soup-y type thing Amuse
  
• Heirloom Tomato Salad
• Casa Verde Heirloom Tomato Soup with Marjoram-Parmesan Palmier
• Warm Blue Cheese Cake, plum wine-grape reduction, hazelnut Tuile
• Prospera Farm Baby Carrots, Carrot Cake, Black Truffles, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• Crispy Sweet Potato Dumplings, Fresh Water Chesnuts and Dandelion Miso Broth
• Gnocci, Morel Mushroom Gallette, Braised Heart of Palm, Pohas, Sweet Corn
• Grilled Wild Mushrooms, Silky White Corn Polenta and Herb Emulsion
• Shoal Creek Farm Chicken Breast, Roasted New Potatoes, Crisp Skin and Wild Honey
• Chocolate Brownie Cake, with Chocolate Ganache, Basil Mousse, and Strawberries
• Tastings of ice creams: Chocolate Banana, Lavendar, Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Chip
• Fig Galette

My main dishes consisted of the Heirloom Tomato Salad, Baby Carrots, Grilled Wild Mushrooms and the Ice Cream. With tastes of everything else excepting the Chicken dish (Hi, I'm a vegetarian? Okay then). I had black truffles for the first time ever, and I now understand the why behind everything said about them.

I will be dreaming of that meal for a long, long time.


Rockstar: INXS recaplet: JD made love to the camera and in a fit of drunkeness, Suzie drank champagne poured off of his foot. That is all.