Posts from — May 2012

Congratulations to my dad, as he retires his whistle and classroom after 30+ years of teaching.  Though he’ll still continue coaching football (it’s impossible to pry him away from the sidelines), I applaud his dedication and commitment to his students over the years.  Though the road hasn’t always been easy, he stayed true to his values and stood up for the right thing when many others sat down.  Unfortunately, if you know him well, you know that retirement will never mean relaxation — but I do hope he takes a few moments to slow down and enjoy the next chapter of his life.  Cheers to a great teacher, mentor and role model.

With a gorgeous view of the Chicago River’s skyline, it’s difficult to not appreciate my walk to the office each morning  — even when, within a mere matter of minutes, the sun fades and raindrops quickly deflate my impromptu commute on bicycle.

I must admit my annoyance in a sidewalk closure that detoured my brisk walk home.  But on the brighter side, it provided me the opportunity to discover this amazing residential high-rise along the river.  Isn’t this building pretty cool?

| Festive sprinkles |

| Preparing each ingredient while the chocolate melts |

| Dipping, sprinkling and refrigerating |

| Cleaning up the colorful aftermath |

The warm air, green trees and sunny skies left me with a spring in my step today — and reminded me that summer is just around the corner!

| Sidewalk view from 76 stories above |

One wouldn’t assume that a window would be fully operational when residing in a skyscraper, but shockingly, our living room window opens so widely that both of our adult bodies could fit through simultaneously — and subsequently plunge 800 feet below.  So you can imagine my morbid fear when I returned home a few days ago to find that our heavy duty screen (which serves as the only barrier between the pavement and us), had been removed for its annual seasonal cleaning.  I nearly fainted with worry and, for the past few days, I abandoned my favorite reading spot and refused to sit anywhere near the window.  But this afternoon, I gathered every fiber of my strength to face my fears and stick my head outside with my camera in tow.  Snapping these two unique angles (complete with a map of my favorite celebrity couple’s former condo) made my bravery well worth my shaking hands and wobbly knees — though the window has remained closed and locked ever since.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve fallen prey to notoriously snacking.  Whether I’m overwhelmed with work at the computer, relaxing in front of my TV at night or scouring the kitchen cabinets out of boredom, I tend to gravitate toward a handful (or bowlful) of less than healthy foods like these or these.  And while I love a variety fresh fruits and vegetables, I rarely devour them for snacks — that is, until I came across this homemade hummus recipe that served as the perfect complement to the baby carrots and green peppers currently occupying my refrigerator.  Luckily, the dish’s incredible taste may subtly feel just far enough away from healthy to trick my mind the next time I’m grazing for a snack between meals.