Day 2 – What I wore today

Since I currently work from home, there are often days when “what I wore today” translates to yoga pants and a t-shirt. Its cool for a day or two, but after that I’m dying for an excuse to put on a fancy dress and go out – and not just to the post office. Fortunately yesterday I had evening dinner plans and thus a reason to get dolled up.  Otherwise this daily challenge shot might have turned out to be much more challenging.

Day 2 of the weight loss challenge was not as easy.  My addiction to Groupons has led to many great experiences, including last night’s prix fixe meal and beer flight at Marion Street Cheese Market. Unfortunately prix fixe meals and beer flights are not often found on the Path to Weight Loss. Considering I’ve also committed to exercising every day for the next 28 days as well, I think if I am careful the rest of the week there will still be less of me come next Wednesday’s first weigh in. Good thing its on the chillier side now, because its Veggie Barley Soup night!

Sepia

Beginning on my birthday this year I decided to start documenting all new restaurants I try. I splurged on the most elegant restaurant journal way back in January, but I simply have been too preoccupied with other things to write in it. Well, no more. And since I planned a special birthday dinner to a restaurant that I’ve been dying to try for over a year (last year it was impossible to get reservations), I figured it was the perfect time to begin detailing these experiences.

I invited a small group of my favorite people to join me for drinks and dinner at Sepia. People gradually trickled in as we all enjoyed some of the best cocktails I’ve had in Chicago. Although their cheese and charcuterie plates left something to be desired, their staff quickly fixed us some new ones when they failed to bring our half finished portions from the lounge to our table (which was in a secluded nook in the back – awesome). This kind of quality service sustained throughout the meal.

Weekend Wrap Up

After a thoroughly stressful July, this weekend was an absolute dream. I can only hope that the rest of August is just as enjoyable. Some of the highlights include:

If you have not seen any of the films that Studio Ghibli has produced, then you need to promptly add this to your “To Do” list. After finding nothing we wanted to watch on TV (why do I pay extra for On Demand again?), Eric pulled out this collection and we began our weekend tour of awesome Japanese animation. I am now obsessed with all things Totoro, as are most Japanese children under the age of 10, apparently. (Any of you out there reading who may not know me personally, will come to find “Child at Heart” to be a central theme to many posts – I get this from my mother who is the biggest little girl I know.) We ended the tour with an old favorite, Spirited Away, and Eric is now contemplating a No Face Halloween costume.

photo by (SHOCHU) Blackbox Studios, Inc.

On Saturday morning we ate breakfast at Big Jones in Andersonville. I have been diligently working my way through the restaurants in the a la card Chicago 2009 deck and Big Jones is one of the only cards left in the deck that serves breakfast. I love the a la card deck, as it has saved me money while getting me to try restaurants I wouldn’t normally drive 45 minutes to dine at first thing on a Saturday morning. But as soon as our waitress landed a plate of complimentary sugary beignets on the table, I knew we were in good hands. While my bacon and cheddar omelette was simply okay, the fried green tomatoes, Niman Ranch applewood smoked ham and cheese grits were all definitely above par. The service was excellent too, although I think it helped that there were less than a dozen customers in the place. And even though we were both absolutely stuffed by the time we left, I still insisted we pick up some deliciously good treats from the Swedish Bakery to bring to the cookout we went to that afternoon. I’m just sad I didn’t choose to bring any home for us.

Thanks to to Time Out Chicago for suggesting that readers bike 16 miles to the Chicago Botanic Garden, or else Eric and I may never have come to experience this beautiful place. We spent close to four hours exploring the 26 different gardens, and I am now planning on becoming a member. Not only can I picture myself taking virtually any visitor that comes to Chicago to see these gardens, I also want to go back every month simply to spend the day reading or embroidering in one of the numerous peaceful areas, like the one pictured above.  The only thing that disappointed me was their Japanese Garden, as both San Francisco and Seattle have much, much more beautiful and seemingly authentic ones. So I guess I’ll just have to spend my days in one of the 25 other gardens – darn!

Lots more good stuff happened and some not-so-good stuff (like failing my car emissions test), but all in all it was the best weekend I have had in a very long time. The challenge will now be to continue this pattern of actually relaxing and enjoying the weekend. I think I can do it.