Posts from — September 2011

I rarely miss an opportunity to visit our local Trader Joe’s, but when I find myself in Lincoln Park, I can’t help but make a special trip to the mecca of Whole Foods locations, which is literally packed from floor to ceiling (two stories) with organic treasures. Whether I’m looking for pre-packaged gluten-free goodies or a quick bite of tofu and rice, I always leave with new recipe ideas and a few fun ingredients for my kitchen (like chipotle and lime chickpeas).  Since my sister was in town today, we hopped in a cab and spent over an hour just milling up and down the aisles and enjoying our lunch from one of the several restaurants within the store.  The perfect Saturday afternoon.

Most of my weekday evenings follow the same routine — a quick meal at home, my comfy yoga pants and a decent amount of cleaning (I feel so de-stressed with Windex in my hand).  Last night, however, I decided to take advantage of my trip to Evanston and immediately headed for Cozy Noodle, one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurants in the entire city.  With funky decor (the walls are adorned with U.S. license plates, Pez dispensers and super hero lunch boxes), I enjoyed switching things up every once in a while and closing out my Wednesday evening on a reminiscent and fun foot.

I’ve always loved the idea of drinking San Pellegrino with every meal, but given my proclivity to lemon-infused water (from the tap, no less), I never thought it would work.  Turns out, with a little prodding from my sister, I do enjoy the taste of mineral water and consider the pretty glass bottle to be a fun addition to my daily routine.  It’s so silly to think that I’ve passed by the grocery store shelves for years and never encouraged myself to try a sip!  Do you have any food products that you have yet to taste?  Maybe Thai or Indian cuisine, a unique piece of fruit or a different candy than your favorite?

Though I’ve been a runner since age ten, I’ve never experienced a more challenging workout than running the stairs in my apartment building.  By the 50th floor, I’m out of breath and vowing to never put myself through this torture again, but by the time I finally pull myself up the final set of stairs on the 92nd floor, I’m excited, proud and ready to improve my workout again the next day.  I’m hoping that all of my training will be put to good use in February when I enter the Hustle Up the Hancock, a fundraiser to benefit the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Today was the epitome of restful. After solidly sleeping until 5:30am, I ran two blocks to Starbucks in my pajamas and an overcoat (yes, I have a mild addiction to soy chai lattes) and curled up on the sofa with two straight hours of Grey’s Anatomy (accompanied, as usual, with a stream of tears and a newfound list of favorite songs). Afterward, we met up with my beau’s best friend from LA for drinks at Sable (he was in town for a bachelor party) and enjoyed watching the football game over Mexican fare at Dos Diablos. We capped of the night with take out dinner, several bowls of popcorn and two movies at home (though I promptly fell asleep twenty minutes into the second flick).

With a 2:45am alarm clock, 45 minute drive and 4am set up schedule, I was eagerly waiting in line when the nearby Starbucks opened at 5am (they unlocked the doors a few minutes early when they spotted my sleepy nose pressed against the glass). Needless to say, the early morning rain showers subsided in time for the 24×20 balloon arch to stay afloat (which welcomed over 250 participants and 90 volunteers), and the dunk tank, air bouncer and appearances from Tommy Hawk and the talented Boyz Acrobatic Team were hits among the group as well. As the final Arthritis Walk of the season, the event went off without a hitch and thankfully, I was greeted at home with a Sprinkles cupcake, glass of sangria and freshly washed sheets (all three of which nicely aided my much anticipated five-hour nap).

My trip to Hinsdale, a suburb near tomorrow’s Arthritis Walk in Downers Grove, was such an unexpectedly wonderful experience. The charming storefronts and street signs were gorgeous and, like usual when visiting a small town, I left feeling nostalgic and even more excited (if that’s even possible) about visiting my own hometown in November. Though I managed to squeeze in an inordinate amount of final planning meetings in the 9-hour window I earmarked, I cannot wait to plan a trip to visit the quaint town again and leisurely explore the neighborhood boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses.

Despite the fact that Fall doesn’t officially arrive until tomorrow, I’ve already noticed a drastic shift in seasons and temperatures. While I’m certainly missing the scorching weather, beach-filled weekends and al fresco dinners, I’ve been savoring every bit of the crisp breezes, light sweaters and football games that accompany the changing season. After my major event on Saturday, I’m looking forward to a relaxing weekend and can’t wait to catch up on this week’s TV premieres and visit some friends for a Guitar Hero party. In the meantime, I couldn’t help but photograph the gorgeous floral decor that welcomes patrons of The Kerryman in River North. Have you ever seen such voluminous arrangements?

Usually, I don’t find myself in the kitchen during busy evenings, but somehow, the autumn weather that quickly set in left me with an ardent desire to curl up and enjoy some comfort food.  With mushrooms, peppers and a few leftover vegetables, I finally put my box of gluten-free lasagna noodles to work and adapted this recipe to include homemade marinara sauce, layers of fresh herbs and creamy (soy and rice milk) cheeses.