Photo spam

As promised, here is a random photo spam to tide you over while I think up some new content. This is for Lorena, Shelley and Diana, who could not conceive of ice and snow on a beach. The series of photos was taken in Wilmette Illinois back in 2007, during a particularly brutal winter. At one point, Lake Michigan practically resembles an alien planet.

January 16
 

January 21, after a snow storm


January 26


February 7


February 21, after another storm


March 5


The next photo spam will be warmer and prettier, promise!

Lichtenstein exhibit

As I mentioned in my last post, Mom and I went to the final weekend of the Roy Lichtenstein exhibit at the Art Institute. Since it was the last weekend, and Labor Day weekend, the crowds were insane. We waited 20 minutes just to get in the door, then another 45 minutes to get into the exhibit. But it was worth it! I love his Pop Art.

While we were waiting, I wandered down to see the Chagall windows. They were restored a few years ago, and are as lovely as when I first saw them twenty years ago.









There were also models of famous Chicago artworks. This was my favorite.



The line was still so long.





I wasn't the only shutterbug. :)

Then we were in!






This one is called "Cold Shoulder". Hee!

We were not allowed to take photos of the more famous ones, understandably.
There were also a number of unexpected landscape and nature paintings. This one is the beach.




This was actually my favorite. I love how he created the mountains just out of dots!



Then it was time to go. Alas.



I am glad we went.

Labor Day weekend recap

My parents came for a visit over Labor Day weekend. They're from Connecticut, which actually more rural than you would think. There are roadside stands all over selling locally grown vegetables and fruit, and my dad has a pretty impressive garden of his own in his backyard. He grows his beloved tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, potatoes, beets, squash and zucchini, and I think peas and beans. And probably other things that he will remind me of shortly. :)

My mom has actually been canning a lot of it these last couple of years; she brought a couple of different kinds of pickles, hot pepper jelly, and honeybell orange marmalade as gifts this trip.

But they had never seen a farmer's market before, so we took them a couple of our favorites.


Heirloom tomatoes at the Glenview market



I wish I liked green beans more. Loved how they still were in the shape of the bushel basket!


My mom bought us a lovely bouquet of flowers, and the green glass vase from a vendor at the market too!

Cherry tomatoes from my dad's garden. They weren't quite ripe for our meals, so I ended up drying these for use in recipes this winter. (We ate the corn, though!)





Of course, then we had to cook the feast we bought. This was sweet potato squash, carrots, and onions, folded into a foil packet and grilled. It was AMAZING.




The first night we had Dad's summer squash, zucchini from the market, the packet above, and everyone's favorite turkey bacon-wrapped chicken thighs.




Hubby cooked, Dad oversaw the operation. :)



We hit another market on Sunday, as well as a couple of ethnic groceries. I am my parent's daughter: we all love food! :)

Monday we went downtown to play tourist. They had never seen the Bean before.







It was pretty hot that weekend, so the water display at Crown Fountain was in heavy use.





Mom and I left the boys to entertain themselves while we walked over to the Art Institute to see the Roy Lichtenstein exhibit.





It was the last day of the exhibit, so it was very crowded.



But I will leave the pictures of art for tomorrow's post. :)

A lovely summer weekend

Thursday was a work day of course, but it was also the night we went out to celebrate Phillip's birthday, so I am counting it as part of the weekend. Like I did in college, LOL!



I ordered another pair of the Gap white modern bootcuts, this time a size smaller.  Verdict: LOVE THEM. The 20s are just too big around the thighs, and they stretch out everywhere as the day progresses. These are snugger but when they stretch, they still fit. Hurray!

This is a Lane Bryant sweater top, my gold J Crew Outlet yellow stone necklace, and orange Clark sandals. So summery -- I had to keep in the flamingos and patio umbrella so you could get the full summer look.


Hair flip! Hahahahaha.


That night we went to a fabulous Southern-coastal restaurant in the city, then a tiny, delicious martini bar. Much laughter and jokes and good times were had to celebrate Phillip's birthday. So glad we did this! We all needed a break from work.





The iPhone collection. No one can put them down anymore!

Sunday I went down to my girlfriend Jessie's new apartment. She is loving showing off her new neighborhood to me, and I am loving exploring it with her. First we went to breakfast at Pannenkoeken Cafe, where we ate pannenkoeken, of course.






Pannenkoeken is a thin Dutch pancake, served open face with many different toppings. I went for a savory breakfast, with ham, pineapple and Havarti cheese. So, so good! I added a little of this Dutch syrup called stroop (no, really) so it wasn't too dry. The syrup wasn't as sweet as American syrup, but it was the perfect sweet compliment to the savory ham and cheese. I will definitely want to hit that place again.

Stroop!!!

We then wandered through Lincoln Square, checking out the funky toy stores and of course, Gene's Sausage Shop. Like I am going to pass that by!



Gene's had plenty of homemade sausage and pierogis, and their deli salads looked amazing. There was a shredded carrot with horseradish one that I want to try soon. (And then figure out how to copy it.)

Then we wandered through the residential streets. So, so cute! Lots of gardeners and neighborhood pride here.











I decided that I was not going to prepare much this week; we did not finish everything I cooked last week, and I am tired of the waste. The freezer is fully stocked and everything can be defrosted quickly when we get home. For the first week in a long while, we are going to eat our dinners on the same night that we cook them. GASP!

Of course, I prepped a couple of pints of blackberries and made a batch of blue-cheese coleslaw, but that's for lunch more than dinner. :)

So I came home and hung out on the porch reading my stack of Time Magazines that I had fallen behind on. I made a plate of snacks for me and Hubby. Mmmm.





George came out to join us too.

How was your weekend?