This weekend, we'll be cabbing it downtown to holiday party-hop. 'Tis the season!
December 7, 2012
December 6, 2012
Revolution Brewery
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| Signature raised fist tap handles |
I’ve been looking for an excuse to go down to Logan Square
to try out Revolution Brewery for a long time. Finally, we found ourselves in
the vicinity during a free afternoon, and headed in to check it out. The beer
was interesting, incredibly varied, and the perfect complement to their
eclectic menu. On this particular day, the fact that the wait was minimal didn’t
hurt either. All in all, I’d say it's worth a trip.
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| Tasting lounge with worn half cask tables |
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| Bacon fat and sage popcorn starter |
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| "Red Flannel Hash" for the red-flanned girl |
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| Unexpected decor details |
December 5, 2012
Winter Wonders
My boyfriend and I usually carpool to and from work, and although our commute is long, the drive is on a leisurely stretch of road that winds through the picturesque North Shore communities lining Lake Michigan. This time of year, when the sun has set long before we’ve even left our offices, we can admire the holiday decorations adorning the beautiful mansions along the way.
Invariably, we begin debating the merits of white vs.
colored lights, and I usually change my preference depending on the day. Every
so often though, we’ll stumble upon an untraditional and highly impactful
display that happily reminds me that there can be much more to holiday
decorating than a single string of lights.
December 4, 2012
Handmade Holidays
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| The fantastic world of Sayuri in the windowed corridor |
One of my favorite holiday traditions is a morning visit to
the annual Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Market. The Pulaski Park Fieldhouse is a
great venue, and the event organizers always perfect the ambiance with art
installations and turntable tunes. The booths are filled with inspiring crafts,
nods to Chicago, unique food (Puffs of Doom, anyone?) and tons of gifts, including one that I scooped up for myself—this cute print by One Canoe Two.
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| Colorful stamped cards for every occasion |
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| Rows of sparkly druzy stone necklaces draped over burnt wood |
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| Perfectly creepy anatomical china |
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| Simple boxes of rustic deliciousness |
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| Admiring the Fieldhouse on an unseasonably warm morning |
December 3, 2012
Kansas City
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| Our first of several trips into Kansas |
We used an invitation to a wedding in Kansas City as an
excuse for a long weekend of new sights, local foods and a short visit with
family. First up was an afternoon trip
to Independence, Missouri, where we chased daylight and scouted for signs of
ruts left in the ground from wagon wheels on the Oregon Trail.
The following morning, we headed out to Fair Share Farm in Kearney to pick spinach, learn about community-supported
agriculture and eat carrots plucked straight out of the soil. We crisscrossed
over the borders of Kansas and Missouri so many times during the trip that I
lost track, and then it all came to an end with a night of dancing and drinking
beneath romantic strings of lights.
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| The start of the Oregon Trail, behind the historic Bingham-Waggoner estate |
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| Tangles of wire on the outskirts of Independence |
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| Gas station Barbeque that lived up to the hype at Oklahoma Joe's |
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| The amazing view of Country Club Plaza from our hotel balcony |
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| Gorgeous greens in the high tunnel at Fair Share Farm |
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| Marveling at the extensive beer selection (Deschutes!) at Grinders |
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| Wedding rafters at the Hobbs Building |
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