Weekend with Shell

Last Friday my cousin’s wife Shelli came into the city for a girls weekend with me. She came in on Friday, spent the night and then stayed for the day on Saturday. We had such a great time. It was sooo fun to have someone here that I really connect with and to do many of the things that we both love. I picked her up from the train and we went to my store and walked around looking at products and chatting about nutrition and life as we usually do. BUT this time we could do it without boring other people or getting lovingly made fun of for it. Then we went to a great dinner Friday night and sat outside enjoying the beautiful weather. After dinner, we went home and sat on the balcony with wine and chocolate and visited for hours. Saturday we went for a run, stopped by the farmer’s market, got coffee, walked around downtown, went to the HUGE Whole Foods up north for a great lunch, and went clothes shopping. Our run was a great path run by Lake Michigan and it was good but a little hot and humid. We were dripping wet with in minutes and by the time we got the farmer's market we were wishing they sold towels to dry us off. Where were the wool farmer's when you needed them? So we ended up walking through the market pretty quickly which didn't bother me much since it was so crowded. Starbucks was a couple blocks away and we grabbed an iced coffee togo as we made our way back home strolling along. I must say that me and coffee have a fun relationship especially after a run and without any food in my body. mwah ah ah....I kinda like it. I am enjoying my new little weekly coffee times. Not daily just a couple times a week for fun and enjoyment :) Now about clothes shopping experience, if you know me very well, you know that I have a phobia of clothes shopping but we went to one store and it went very well. You would have been proud. I tried on a bunch of stuff, found some great things, and didn’t pass out, didn't break a sweat, and didn't want to strangle someone. But after an hour and half we left and I kindly said “I think I'm done” It was a successful trip and made me a little less nervous for the next time…. I think :)
Overall, it was such a fun weekend and I am so glad that I have finally met some more of my wonderful family on my dad’s side. Shelli and I have so much in common and I enjoy her and her family very much. Feels great to have that closeness and connection in my life while in Chicago. Wishing they only lived a little closer.

Schafskaese (Sheep Cheese)

Today was a chill day of tea time, yoga, gilmore girls marathon and making schafskaese. Schafskaese is a little something I learned to cook while in Germany and I have been craving it for a few weeks now so I decided today was the day. It is very simple yet so delightful ;) All you need are olive oil, an onion, red bell pepper, garlic, tomato, peppercinis, and some seasonings, oh and the block of sheep cheese of course. On a flat large piece of foil I first placed a few slices whole slices of white onion and drizzled them with olive oil. I used the real stuff from Italy that Anke (Caro's mom) gave to me as a gift in Germany and it was in a super cute little glass flask. (very cherished) Next I placed a slab of the Sheep cheese on top followed by two slices of tomato, some red bell pepper, garlic cloves, peppercinis, and an italian seasoning mix that I had on hand. There is a specific seasoning over there especially for Schafskaese but I unfortunately couldn't find it before I left so I have to compromise. I remember some of the general herbs involved though. Once the tower of deliciousness is completed, you just have to wrap up and close the foil and bake in the oven at about 400 for around 30-45 minutes. It comes out smelling wonderful and it is all soft and warm in a seasoned juice after baking. Finally you just dig in with a warm bagette. Although I skipped the wine today, a nice bottle of red wine compliments this dish very nicely.

June

Wow...I can't believe it is already nearing the end of June. Where has the time gone? Nothing super exciting going on here. Work has been very busy and a bit testing at times but that's the way it goes with any job I suppose. The hard part about it is that I still don't really have time to do a whole lot of cooking any more nor do I want to stick around to grocery shop at the store so I'm a little bummed about that. I'm slowly gathering a handful of friends and there really is alot going on in Chicago so I'm workin on exploring a bit more. It is a little tough still as I feel as though my heart isn't really here. I believe I am still where I'm suppose to be though and just need to be patient.
Sari and I are working on a big project and I truely believe it is going to happen but it is just gonna take a bit longer than I had hoped. It is gonna be AWESOME! Lets just say travel, food, and culture. What more could you ask for? I guess maybe romance but that will happen along the way ;)
I feel like my blog has been very neglected lately. I guess maybe cause I am a little bit at a stand still and my creativity has been overextended at work so there isn't much left for my personal writing. I'm hoping to change that up. This is on the vurge of getting a whole lot more interesting :)

Chicago with my Pops

My cousins Jill and Toby with my Dad

Dad at the Chicago Board of Trade

First time in the Subway

Packed on the train

The Game

Dad and I at the game

At Wrigley

Chiquita booth at the Blues Fest

Thursday my Dad arrived on the train for a spur of the moment visit for the weekend. We had a great time amongst our very eventful weekend. We had a few days to think about and get some things worked out and it all came together great. I was already working on overtime at the beginning of the week so I was able to get off early and pick him up at the station right after he arrived. We drove out to the suburbs to meet my cousins for dinner. It had been over 15 years since they had seen each other and he met their families for the first time.
Friday was the spontaneous and busiest of the days but we didn’t feel rushed so it made it very smooth and enjoyable. We got up and went to the Chicago Board of Trade to say hi to my Dad’s friend’s nephew who offered to bring us on the “trading floor” and give us tickets to the very coveted Crosstown Classic Cubs/Whitesox game at Wrigley Field. On our way there we passed tons of Chicago Blackhawk fans headed to the celebration parade since they had won the Stanley Cup just two nights prior. We fortunately didn’t get stuck in the crowd of 2 million people and made it to the security desk at the Board of Trade. I wasn’t able to go on the trading floor because I was wearing shorts. I knew there was a dress code but wasn’t about to sacrifice my comfort in the 90 degree super humid weather just for a few minutes with a bunch of people standing around with colorful jackets on yelling out numbers. I was happy to wait outside and see it behind the observation windows. After we picked up the tickets, we thought about trying to catch a glimpse of the parade but fortunately decided we didn’t have time and got on the train to the game. We were lucky we got on at the stop that we did because the next 20 minutes and 10 stops were soooo swarmed with people coming from the parade and other going to the game that we would have had to wait for who knows how many trains to go by before getting on. It was dad’s first time in a subway so it couldn’t have been a funnier experience. We were packed like sardines in the little train cars and it was sooo hot and humid. We had a couple comical fellow passengers and lots of yelling comments to keep us entertained as doors burst open each stop. Dad pulled out the camera to capture the ride.
We made it to the game and had great seats in right field. When we went through the gates they were handing out discount passes for the Blue Man Group shows so we decided to see if we could get tickets for that night. We were in luck and got 12th row seats for the show at 7. After the game, we went and shared a little Chicago style pizza before going to the show. The show was pretty entertaining. I picture the creators of the production to be three college guys sitting in there livingroom making up random stunts, stupid games, and music jams on whatever they could find. Pretty funny. After the show we took a cab to the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park but it was just starting to close down soooooo….for the second time we decided to compare pizza at another place. Good thing we got smalls at both but we still both were a little miserable afterwards since we aren’t used to that much cheese in one day :) We had to walk most of the way home just to get some fresh air. It was a beautiful walk down the Magnificant Mile checking out downtown Chicago.
After a little rest we woke up and enjoyed our morning with a little breakfast and coffee before heading out in the drizzle to the Blues Fest. We spent about 5 hours, listening to a few different bands, taking our coats on and off in the indecisive weather, and being entertained by some locals enjoyin the cactus juice a little too much. We left the park and walked over to Printer’s Row to check out the huge book fair going on in the street. It began to rain and we were going out to the suburbs to meet our cousins one more time so we just kinda whipped through the booths pretty quickly. They had some really cool books old and new and lots to look at. Sari joined us for the ride out to the burbs and was able to meet everyone as we met at my cousin’s ice cream shop and stood outside for a couple hours of visiting. Then back home to get a little rest before having to go back to work today.
The train departed today and I went back to work exhausted but it was worth it and I had a really great time. Thanks for coming dad! It really meant a lot. Love ya!

Raw Berry Crisp

I demo-ed a dessert this last week that is awesome and a great healthy treat for the summer, especially cause berries are so sweet right now. Here is the recipe and a pic. It is really good. Enjoy :)

Raw Berry Crisp

6 cups mixed berries (any combo of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries)

1 T maple syrup or agave (it doesn't really need this especially when the berries are ripe and in season but it can bring of the sweetness a little bit more)

1 cup Pecans

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup chopped dates

1 t cinnamon

First wash the berries and put in a bowl. If using the syrup, drizzle it over the berries just mix it around to distribute.

Then place berries in a 9x11 dish or smaller. In a blender or food processor, mix the nuts, dates, and cinnamon until fully ground. Remove and spread over the top of the berries. Viola! Easy, Fast, and really delicious.

Busy Busy....Weekend Visitor

Well, alot is happening it seems and I'm feeling as if I a spread a little thin but thats how I am I suppose. Work has been really busy. The last six weeks on top of planning, creating, and working the floor I have had to do about 10 hours a week of online training for another nutrition certificate. I am sooo happy to say that I completed it yesterday so hopefully that will free up a little time to settle into the store more. I have had a couple classes one of which was last night and it was pretty fun. It was a private little casual cooking class for a birthday party with about 16 people. We made a salad, main dish and dessert and they were great. Would be nice if I could do more of these but unfortunately it is only a small piece of my job and we can't accomodate all the requests we get.
To help calm my body and release a little stress I finally started doing yoga again! I am soooo glad. I have gone three times in the last week and didn't realize how much I missed it. There is a studio right by my work and it is great. Although I must say that doing Yoga and working in a Health Food store in Chicago is much different than doing the same in Santa Cruz. Not quite the same when you walk out the door :)
SPEAKING OF SANTA CRUZ! I am sooo excited to say that I just booked a ticket to go there for my birthday in July. I have been dreaming about it and missing it sooo much lately that I decided what a better way to spend my big 3-0 than a little yoga, the beach, farmers market, acupunture with a wonderful friend, and of course spending time with my Tammy and her fam. Thanks Mom and Dad for helping me make it happen!
BUT before then, I am very excited to say that my Dad is coming out here tomorrow. It was a total last minute spur of the moment thing but we already have some good plans. This weekend is the blues festival at Grant Park right near my house so of course that is on the agenda since he loves the blues. We are also gonna try hit up the cubs game on Friday. Love having visitors since it doesn't happen to often so I'm gonna take full advantage of the experience and am very much looking forward to spending a little one on one with my pops. Look for updates and pics after the weekend.

Long Time No Blog....Catch up time

Holy Shmoley....I feel a little behind on my blogging and even though I have been pretty busy not too much exciting has happened but here is a little update. Last Friday my Aunt Gwen, Cousin Becky, and Cousin Tim's family came into the city for a day visit. I picked them up at the train and we first spent an hour walking around my store shopping and visiting before we went back to my place to sit and visit. Then we went out to dinner. It was great to see them and I love having visitors since it doesn't happen very often. I spent the remainder of Memorial Weekend working and didn't have any big happenings. Work has been a bit stressful and time consuming lately as well as sucking out a little bit of my creative energy to be able to write and cook hence the no blogging and no food posting recently. I'm hoping to work it out a little bit better as I go so this doesn't continue and drive me crazy, put tightness in my chest and cause myself the inability to breathe smoothly.

Some fun news this last week though.....the project I have been sort of mentioning is in some stages of movement and now it is a bit of a waiting game but it's gonna happen...I can feel it. I will explain more when I get some response :)

Tuesday night I spent the evening having dinner and walking around the city with my dear friend, Anna, who is also my German Tutor. We went and had coffee at this cute Austrian Bakery in the middle of our walk and then continued on through the treeful green streets in the beautiful warm evening air. Very nice. Wednesday Sari, Yvette, and I went to a delicious crab dinner before hitting up the VIP lounge at the movie theater for a little cocktail and the showing of Sex and The City 2. I must say I liked the first one better but it was all great fun. We did it in style just like the girls :) Friday, I went to my German lesson and then volunteered at Maifest up in Lincoln Square serving German food and Beer. I had signed up a month or so ago not knowing that the last few weeks would be as draining as there were. So needless to say I was not too excited about going as I was feeling as though I had spread myself pretty thin lately. But I fulfilled my obligation and promised myself a day for myself on Saturday and the experience turned out to be pretty good. Maifest is a German festival weekend with music, food, and beer in Lincoln Square which seems to be sort of a German area of the city with little European shops and decor. I spent the first three hours setting up and serving some Brauts, Kraut, LeberKaese, and Cakes. While there I met a new friend, Stephanie, whose parents originally came from Germany and Austria but she as lived here the entire time. So afterward we sat down for a couple hours and enjoyed a cold mug of Beer and listened to some music. The following three hours I spent pouring Beer and helping clean up. So it wasn't all that bad and of course it gave me a little taste of Germany again so that always perks me up. Finally, today has been a God-send. I slept in until 9 (yes that is really sleeping in for me :) ) Then I finally got to catch up with Caro which was really nice. Also talked to my sis and mom and tried calling a few other friends. I finally decided to try a yoga studio and am sooo glad I did. I didn't realize how much I missed it. I haven't done yoga for almost a year and I was doing it a few times a week before that. The studio I went to is right near my work and I really liked it. I am excited to begin my journey back into Yogie-ism. After class I came home and showered and cleaned up some things that have been piling up in my room. That made me tired so I took a nap. After about and hour, I got up and decided to cook up a little dinner and journal. It was so nice to slowing prep some veggies for a delicious black bean soup with steamed rice and asparagus. While eating it I sat and reflected by writing in my journal. I tell you that is a saving grace for me and I have been finally taking the time to do it more often. My meal was delicious and my body thanked me for the healthy treat. I am enjoying this day of all about me and will now watch a little Gilmore Girls, take a bath and do some reading before retreating to a good nights rest before my work week again begins tomorrow. Awwwwww.......I can breathe again.

Here are a few recent pics. (The beer pic is with Stephanie and I and the other is of Sari and I when we went to dinner last week.)