scenes from chicago

Big thanks to friends, new and old, for making Chicago what it was. Most of all to sweet Hiyabel, for hosting me and being the reason for this trip. See you soon, Chicago.

Music by BOY.

mindy's hot chocolate

I popped into Mindy's on a whim while I was killing time in Wicker Park. The kitchen was still prepping and the entire place felt empty because of it. I sat back and waited, half enjoying the uniformity of the tables and half wondering how good my mint chocolate shake would be.

I can't say much for the menu since I was in and out, but the simplicity and design of the space clearly left an impression.

(For the record, the shake and cookies were amazing. And their head pastry chef is a James Beard Award winner.)

spacca napoli

Confession: I don't really like deep dish pizza. There, I said it. I'm sorry, Chicago! I prefer my pizza to be saturated with basil and garlic-- not cheese. I like the pizza-oven-smokiness from thin crust. And I like that it's acceptable (and standard) for one person to eat the entire pizza by herself.


Enter: Spacca Napoli. I don't think any of the pizzas on the menu had more than 4 ingredients (we shared a marinara and a mushroom truffle oil pizza bianca). I loved that the pizzas came unsliced, that wine was served in tiny, flat glasses, and that I almost completely forgot that cheese belonged on pizzas during this meal.

No bad, Chicago. Not bad.

a lakeside picnic

It's wonderful to see how something as simple as a picnic can brighten up a day.

It wasn't much, when you think about it: strawberries and figs, pretzel and seed-filled breads, chilled lambrusco, and a tiny chocolate fondue set.

It was something we were looking forward to since it'd been planned. When the time came, there was something special about knowing that we were exactly where we wanted to be.



Plus, we got some sweet cityscaped-silhouette shots.

about summer

This was the first summer in three years that I wasn't on the other side of the world. I often miss it. Celebrating the 4th of July with whichever Americans we could find, visiting a new village every weekend, speaking in broken Italian and succumbing to miming everywhere else.

I know that I can't always be in far-away places but these short trips visiting dear friends are a new kind of adventure. A wonderful reminder that there is always something new to explore, no matter how close to home I might be.

lake forest

Regardless of what I've read, seen, or heard from anyone else, The Great Gatsby has always struck a chord with me. It's a novel that I forget then reread and then choose the same favorite quotes accidentally. Every time.

The Paris Review recently published a piece in which the author believed to have visited the town "Where Daisy Buchanan Lived." I'm silly about these kinds of things, so of course we drove up.


I should have seen this coming, what with the golf course as the article's feature photo; but when I got there.. it was mostly just a golf course. The bemused country club attendants showed me where I could take this gloriously lit photo, but the sky was paler than an April morning.

But nevermind. Adventures end when you let them, and we weren't ready.


We found the most picturesque pond, fresh with wildflowers and dotted with the drizzling rain. It was regal, enchanting, and everything I pictured Daisy to call home.

demera

Ethiopian food could be my new favorite solely based on common etiquette: eating with your hands and sharing everything family style.

Can I have multiple "best parts" of the meal?

Tej (honey wine). Sambussas (filled with lentils). Injera (in general). Awaze (so spicy I almost cried). Shahi (spice tea).

And most importantly, sharing everything with Hiyabel-- Ethiopian/Eritrean food expert and dinner companion magnifique.

the river & the lake

Chicago is the first time this summer has felt like summer. It was hot and sticky, and a breeze has never before felt like a such godsend.

We took a long trip along the river and out onto the lake, gazing up and watching the sky slowly change colors. By the time we made it out on the lake, the skyline was lined with the moodiest clouds swirling behind the red sunset. Beautiful in its own formidable way.

hiyabel

I'm in Chicago!

More importantly, I'm (finally) visiting dear, sweet Hiyabel. We've come a long way since first meeting as freshman-year roommates. It's funny seeing her in her grown-up life: stepping into her beautiful apartment and hearing about her favorite place for lunch near work.

Even though we aren't sharing a dorm room anymore, I can see bits of our friendship that have carried over. When she picks me up from the airport, she's wearing the earrings I sent for her birthday from Denmark. We talk about our favorite ducks, continue planning our dream trips, and pick up right where we left off.