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August 29, 2005
Off to Shipshewana
Last night was a huge success, we surprised Brady with tickets to Three Men of Tortuga at the Steppenwolf Garage. Nice change from the norm, the seven of us probably lowered the average age of the audience by 10-15 years. After that, we headed over for tapas at Ba-Ba-Reeba's (still my favorite tapas restaurant in Chicago, no matter what Michelle says! Even on sangria varietals alone! So nyah!) We had originally told Brady we were bringing him to the circus. He seemed somewhat disappointed that there was no tent and no elephants, but never fear! In anticipation of this, we all donned red foam clown noses and awaited his return from the bathroom. Too funny. Then, since we still had room for something sweet, over to Coldstone's to top it all off.
Was a great Sunday evening, and got home with enough time to get to bed early in preparation for today's journey to Amish Country. Woke up at 7am, ate leftover Dave's Eggs (nothing better, still can't figure out what makes them so tasty), and packed in record time. I just printed out directions to the campsite, and it looks like an easy 3 hour drive or so. Carb and cal healthy snacks are packed, I'll pick up an oil change, charcoal and coffee on the way out and everything should be smooth sailing. That is, until I have to pitch that tent! I figure I'll take today easy. Pitch the tent, find dinner, do some easy reading. Tomorrow I'll do the 100-mile tour via audio CD, and Wednesday I'll hit the auction, as recommended by my 1,000 Places to See Before You Die book. Anyway, off to get that oil change. Hellllooooo Jiffy Man!
Posted by carolyn at 08:02 AM | Comments (0)
August 26, 2005
It's quittin' time!
Soooo...this is my very last post ever using my Orbitz laptop. Feels good. :) My plant is all packed up, my bills are all paid and everything feels aligned.
Many goodies in the mail also. Loyola sent an invite to a Caravaggio art exhibit premiering at the school's museum. I suspect it's because I donated this year. Either way, it means I get to see Mr. Clauson in a suit. Yums. I also got an invitation from Marlboro to ride around on a racetrack with an instructor. A four-hour racing class. I called the number, read all the fineprint, and there doesn't seem like there's any catch, so we'll see what happens! It could just be a promotional event targeted at a particular Midwest demographic, and sure I'll tell them I smoke if it gets me on a track.
Anyway, Dave should be here soon, so time to sign out. We're going straight over to ShareASale to drop off my plant. :)
Posted by carolyn at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)
August 25, 2005
A Good Life
Went to a wake last night. A work acquaintance from back in my MyPoints days lost his wife to ovarian cancer. I've been to about as many funerals as weddings, which is not a good statistic to have at my age. Right up until I got to the funeral home, it was cake. Then I started thinking about what it would be like to be 35 years old, happily married, with two beautiful kids...only to find out that that I had ovarian cancer. That's when I started getting a little shaky. By the time I pulled into the parking lot, I wasn't sure what would happen when I got inside. Got out of the car, crossed the street and met up with Jeff. When we went inside, I was blown away! There were about 150 people, and the noise level was what you might find in a popular restaurant on a Friday night. The mood was was all over the place, you had clusters of people laughing as they reconnected and shared stories, other folks were crying, but regardless of what they were doing, they were being emotional. Mary's life clearly affected many people. I sure hope I have that same effect on people around me.
Posted by carolyn at 01:37 PM | Comments (1)
August 24, 2005
The Millenium Falcon and Phi
It was the very last Movie in the Park of the season, and it was Star Wars. Yes, the first one. Or rather, the fourth episode. The one with a young Obi-Wan and the way spiffy Millenium Falcon. Met Michelle at Grant Park at 4pm and snagged great seating. Laid out a huge blue tarp and blanket, and got ready to chill for four hours. By 5:30p, the park was packed. Two of my business associates from out of town dropped by and were just amazed by the sheer mass of people. I was glad to introduce them to one of Chicago's best offerings, and the casual event facilitates relationship building. They hung around for a couple hours, enough time for some good conversation.
And here comes the dork...
It's possible that the Millenium Falcon's deck adheres to the golden ratio. If you've read DaVinci Code, you'll know of phi. I was so taken by the idea, I actually went and bought a mathematics book to better understand the concept. Basically, phi is 1.618, and this ratio is exhibited all over nature. It's reflected in the layout of apple seeds in an apple core, in the spirals of a nautilus shell, in the petals of a rose, etc. It is also captured by artists like Salvador Dali, because it is believed to have esthetic perfection. The following is excerpted from Mario Livio's The Golden Ratio:
"...in Salvador Dali's painting from 1955, 'Sacrament of the Last Supper', the dimensions of the painting (approximately 105.5 x 65.75) are in a golden ratio to each other. Perhaps even more important, part of a huge dodecahedron (a twelve-faced regular solid in which each side is a pentagon) is seen floating above the table and engulfing it."
A dodecahedron, or a twelve-faced solid object in which each face is a pentagon, adheres to the golden ratio as well. My theory, and I need to look more into this, is that the windows of the deck on the Millenium Falcon are proportionate to phi. Anyone know where I can find specs? Just curious...
Anyway, better go before the nerd fully emerges from the closet...
Posted by carolyn at 12:08 PM | Comments (2)
August 21, 2005
Matthiessen State Park
Packed up in a record one hour! And that included sweeping out the tent and penalty time for forgetting to include the rainfly. Not too shabby! We rolled out of KOA around 10a and went back to the Lodge to gorge on their breakfast/lunch buffet. Was okay, not as good as their menu in my mind. Then again, that country skillet thing was incredible. And, the buffet is geared toward the masses. So many large, large, large people there. While standing in the omelet line, I got pulled into the gravitational field of a massive biker, gender unknown. When the line moved forward, I actually stumbled because I couldn’t get out of the way fast enough. We are not talking large here. Not "fat" or "obese." The person was just HUGE. MASSIVE. PLANETARY!!!
After brunch, we drove to Matthiessen to hike the dells. It was even more beautiful than I remembered. One of the canyons had a few little caves begging to be crawled through. We managed to squeeze through one of them, and were rewarded with a stunning view of the formation, striated with mineral colors. It was beautiful. Hope my photos will do them justice.
Matthiessen remains one of my favorite hikes ever, it's challenging enough to be fun, but you're never in any danger of falling off a cliff or getting eaten by animals.
Posted by carolyn at 03:13 PM | Comments (0)
August 20, 2005
Hiking in Starved Rock
Beautiful morning. Dave and I headed to the Lodge for breakfast. Oh my, protein and carbs. We got there before the morning crowd, so were able to enjoy a nice, meandering meal. From there, we went back to camp, grabbed our gear (i.e., camera, water bottles and camelbak), and made our way to the trails. What started off as a relatively gray, moist morning cleared into a beautiful afternoon. We hiked about three miles through the park, basically up to Starved Rock and out east to Lone Tree Canyon (which, by the way, has multiple trees). Think my favorite feature was Wildcat Canyon though. It's one of the first big ones you come across and offers great views of the river and canyon formations. The really nice thing about Starved Rock, is that they put in stairs to help hikers climb the elevation. The really nasty thing about Starved Rock is that there are so many stairs. On the loop around back, we took a set of stairs at a relatively good pace. Got to the top panting and grinning. Man, I think I'm in pretty good cardio shape, but I had to sit down for a bit to catch my breath. We hear some hikers headed our way and approach the descent. "Read somewhere it's 160 steps," says one of them. He's got a toddler perched on his shoulders, who looks awfully cute in a beige floppy hat and jeans. And that's only one set of stairs. There didn't seem to be too much wildlife, although I did get bit twice. Then again, I always get bitten by skeeters and other such creepy crawlies when I go camping. No matter that I'm wearing 100% DEET. Skeeters don't seem to care much.
We hit the grocery store on the way back, as today is our three-month anniversary (How cute, eh? In our 30s and counting in months) and Dave has offered to cook dinner. No girl in her right mind is going to turn down an offer like that! Two ribeyes, an onion, a lighter, some peanut butter mousse and horseradish cheese later, we're back at our tent. The first thing we do is hit the showers. Who would've thought that showering in a stall could be enjoyable? After soaping off all the stink, I re-applied more stink. DEET'd myself all over. Mmmm, fresh!
Then we just sat around the citronella and read for a few hours. The breeze and shade were so nice, I think I dozed off a bit. Dave made an amazing dinner and a couple Dixie cups of champagne and a s'more topped off the evening. Don't think I could've had it any better if I tried.
"It could be magic rain, you don't know!"
Posted by carolyn at 05:03 PM | Comments (0)
August 19, 2005
It's raining, it's pouring...
If you've never been trapped in a leaky tent with a 6'5" boyfriend during a flash thunderstorm, I don't recommend it. At 2am, the ground started shaking. At 2:01am, the rain started tapping. At 2:01:30, the rain was hammering down on the tent like there was no tomorrow, the tent was illuminated with lightning and the ground shook with the force of the thunder. You know that old trick, count the seconds between the flash and the thunder, and you can gauge how far away the storm is? It works. There were 0 seconds between the lightning and the thunder, and yes indeed, we were getting stormed on.
Groggily propped the eyes open, verified that indeed, it was raining, and tried to go back to sleep on my little camp pillow. (Hand-stitched that little pillowcase myself, thank you very much!) Argh, mumble, groan. "What?" asked Dave. "Lantern's outside," I grumbled as I forced my body up and into tevas. "Ungh," said Dave. Just goes to show that he and I continue to operate on the same wavelength. We both stumble out of the tent and still only half-awake, proceed to zip up the rain fly and throw gear in the truck. Back inside the tent, I peer up at the supports and thank God that the crossframe is made out of extending fiberglass poles and not telescoping, lightning-friendly metal rods. The stakes are metal, but they're driven deep into the earth. No worries, right? Wrong.
"Ungh," says Dave again, exhibiting his natural talent for verbal communication. He wipes away at his forehead. There's a leak in one of the seams of the rain fly. It's a slow leak, only about one drop every 30 seconds or so, similar to Chinese water torture, or so I'm told. "Not bad," I think to myself. After all, the only thing between us and the fury is this thin nylon tent, and it's doing a pretty good job of keeping us dry for the most part. And besides. The leak wasn't over me, it was over Dave! (Kidding, kidding.) The only solution was to move the sleeping bags away from the leak. Easy. Five minutes later, "Ungh," says Dave. Another leak sprung, this time spurring us to shine a flashlight on the tent to see where it was coming from. Same thing, through a tiny hole in the seam. Nothing we could do to fix it at night. We move the sleeping bags one more time. It's not so bad, my feng shui is a bit off now, but at least we're not under any leaks.
If Dave hadn't been there, I probably would have packed up right then and there and driven back to Chicago. But being with him, I knew everything would be fine.
"Ungh."
Posted by carolyn at 12:41 PM | Comments (1)
Utica: Cajun Connection
Headed out for the second camping trip of the season last Friday. This time, Dave and I headed southwest to Starved Rock State Park, in the tiny town of Utica. By tiny, I mean that the main drag was exactly one block long, and had about five bars, one grocery store and a screenprinter. The whole block sat under the shadow of a huge grain silo, so even if you were in the middle of the street, your eyes would be drawn away from the run down storefronts and plywood signage and up toward the towering metal structure. But Utica is not about that little strip of retail. It is about the wooded beauty of Starved Rock and the damp, sandy canyons of Matthiessen.
After setting up camp, we headed about over to Ron's Cajun Connection. It was probably the only real, sit-down restaurant for miles, but it was damn good. It's the kind of place that's got so much character, it makes up for the linoleum floors and vinyl chairs. I started off with a salad (and got a mouthful from Chef Ron over that choice, last time I order a salad in Utica!), Dave had a cup of gumbo that was incredibly flavorful and chunky. We ordered a sampling off the menu, jambalaya, bubba shrimp, crawfish ettouffee and chicken fingers. Midway through the meal, Chef Ron himself comes bounding out of the kitchen and makes a pit stop at every single table. "Didja like it?" "How was it?" "Whaddya think?" He's got a mellow Louisiana accent and drawls out, "Don't leave yet. Just wait right there. Don't go nowhere." Disappears into the kitchen. About ten minutes later, he plunks down a plate with a sliver of pecan pie and two plastic forks. "Try that. Try to guess the secret ingredient." Chef Ron grabs for the Tabasco bottle and smacks it down at the head of the table. Leans one meaty palm into the cap and says, "Now I can't tell you what it is, but it's on this table!"
I'm thinking, that can't be right. There's no way you could put Tabasco in pecan pie. It just doesn't make any sense. I give Dave the first bite to see if his head explodes. When it doesn't, I take a tentative forkful for myself. Chew. Filling's good, not too sweet, not too gooey. Crust, pretty good, definitely homemade. Pecans, nice. Nutty, definitely roasted. I swallow it down. Then...BAM! There's the heat! Oh man, surprising and clever. It just sneaks up from out of nowhere, kind of like the restaurant itself.
After dinner, we headed into "town" to stock up on s'mores fixins. It was 9p by this point, everything was quiet. Even though the bars were open, all you could hear was silence. No talking, no laughing, no music. Very strange for us city-dwellers, but probably pretty normal for Utica. The grocery store was open though, and we got in seconds before the sign flipped from "Open" to "Closed." Back at the campsite, we got our new mantle lantern going, stroked the fire, and alternated between lazy chats and moments of reflection. There's something about a campfire that erases all traces of petty stress from my mind. I get so mesmerized by the flames, that my mind goes gently blank and I realize that my problems, my issues are really insignificant in the grand scheme of life. None of the concerns I have now will define my life.
Of course, when you're done being meditative, there's always the traditional ghost stories. To which, Dave says, "Drip. Drip." What an eerie foreshadowing...
Posted by carolyn at 08:40 AM | Comments (0)
August 18, 2005
Camping Checklist
Okay, three people have asked me for my camping checklist since the beginning of the season. So here we go, advice from me, lol! I use an acronym: MATE. Mess kit, Apparel, Toiletries, Equipment. Cheesy, huh? Yeah, but it works! (I think, let me know if I've missed anything :) )
MESS KIT
* Everything but the food! As long as you have this stuff, you can cook almost anything.
Smokey Joe
Charcoal
Foil
Tongs
Waterproof matches (I wrap my matches in aluminum foil)
Newspaper (for kindling)
Folding grill rack
Pan
Pam spray
Pot
Water bottle
Cups (I have metal cups that match my pot!)
Plates and bowls
Forks and spoons
At least one serrated knife
Wine bottle opener
Salt/Pepper
Napkins
Sponge (for dishes, not sex)
APPAREL
* Try to use synthetic materials, they dry faster. Wicky, wicky!
2 t-shirts
1 long sleeved t-shirt
2 pairs of shorts
1 pair long pants
Hat
Hiking shoes
Tevas
2 pairs of socks
Bathing suit
Underwear
1 light fleece jacket
1 windbreaker
Watch
Bandana
Sunglasses
TOILETRIES
* If using a primitive campsite, or pack-in/pack-out, be sure to use environmentally friendly toiletries!
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Soap
Purell
Deodorant
Camp towel
Contact solution/extra contacts/case
Glasses
Hair elastics
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Insect bite ointment
Advil
Any other pills
Tampons (condoms, u pick)
Bandaids
Gauze pad
First aid gel
Handi-wipes
Two letters: T. P.
EQUIPMENT
* It helps to think, what do I need when I'm up and about? What do I need when I'm sitting down? What do I need when I'm lying down?
Sleeping bag and pad
Camp pillow
Lap blanket (picnics and extra cover)
Tent
Tarp
Stakes
Hammer
Leatherman
Compass
Carpentry gloves (leather, use as oven mitts and for brush clearing)
Duck tape wrapped around pen
Journal
Camp chair
Playing cards
Books
Lantern
Flashlight
Extra batteries
Camera and film
Posted by carolyn at 09:09 PM | Comments (0)
August 17, 2005
Chicago's South Loop
Helped Manish and Neha move from their South State Street condo to a beautiful apartment. It's amazing how much the South Loop has changed. There's a cute cluster of restaurants on Wabash and State. Gioco's, Zapatista's, Subway... The brand new Target concept store on Roosevelt and Clark, and reportedly a shopping mall anchored down by Whole Foods! Property values out there seem to be rising superfast. Though, it would seem if Whole Foods, a high-end organic type grocery store, concluded from their financial analysis that it would be profitable to plunk down a South Loop store, then the neighborhood must have some extra juice left to squeeze. I think the initial appeal of the South Loop was under-priced, under-developed land. The area has similar benefits to the north side: stops on the red line, close to Lake Michigan, cute little restaurants. It also has a couple features the north sides doesn't have: easy access to the expressway, a Target, and the benefits of new construction.
Actually, maybe the reason for the price differential between my Edgewater condo and a South Loop investment is that I would have to put about $25k of upgrades into my condo to make it comparable to new construction. Ah, yes, that makes sense.
Either way, wish I could get in on the action. Besides Manish and Neha, I know two other people who have bought in the area, and both of them are expecting some healthy appreciation.
Meet one of my favorite south side bloggers: Blagica: blah-GEET-sa
Posted by carolyn at 08:35 AM | Comments (0)
August 16, 2005
Stock Picking
Alright, I was stupid and got smacked by a $40 fee because I didn't make any trades last quarter. Last time that's going to happen. I was swamped with work-related issues, so didn't do any research. Since I had no market knowledge, felt stupid making a trade. Which is even more ridiculous, because it probably cost me MORE money not to trade than it would have if I had just picked some random stock to invest in.
Even with the MBA, I haven't really subscribed to any portfolio theory. I am somewhat diversified, but not invested heavily enough for any portfolio management philosophy to apply. I should probably change that. My itty bitty portfolio has gone up 35% over the past year, mostly carried by one stock in the energy sector. That was a good tip on Cameco, or CCJ. As oil prices keep going up, people will start looking for alternative means of fuel. Cameco is a uranium producer.
So CCJ shot up a few months after I added it to my portfolio. If you factor that one out, then I'm only up about 12%. Damn you, Jet Blue. I know it's stupid, I know better than to hold an airline. But the appeal of owning just a wee bit (fewer than 20 shares, no biggie) is just fun. Plus, me being the optimist, I think JBLU still has wings in it. Just may not see any profit until oil prices go down.
Anyway, I should throw some more money into the market. Anyone got any ideas?
Posted by carolyn at 11:22 AM | Comments (2)
August 15, 2005
Ciao, Orbitz...
Today marks my last two weeks at Orbitz, it's a nice and easy feeling as I coast to a gentle stop. Everything is on track to be closed or transferred, so not too much guilt over leaving. I'm off to become the fifth employee of an absolutely fantastic e-commere company that's more aligned with my personal beliefs and values. The core compentency of Shareasale is affiliate marketing as opposed to selling travel. Anyway, I barely wanted to get out of bed today. Would really like to use up my sick days, but probably better that I'm in the office for these last few days.
The decision process was a bit gruelling. For two years, I knew this is what I wanted to do. But standing at the edge of the cliff, with the very opportunity I wanted dangling in front of me, I was scared to leap. I'm leaving a stable job, stable salary, huge conglomerate, and taking a chance on my own ablities. If I fail, the repercussions could be enormous. If I succeed, I will be so proud to have accomplished something that would have an actual impact on a company, and potentially on the industry.
Anyway, Michelle and I celebrated my last two weeks by meeting at Poag Mahone's for hamburgers and gossip. Mahone's was apparently ranked by GQ as having one of the best burgers in the nation. I still think Moody's is far better.
Posted by carolyn at 08:29 PM | Comments (1)
August 14, 2005
Starbuuuucks!!!
It's so strange how technology has pervaded every little bit of our lives.
I had lunch with Kevin today on Argyle street. Fantastic Vietnamese pho, which is absolutely impossible to make on your own, but served in less than five minutes at a proper Vietnamese restaurant. We hit a couple of grocery stores after that, Kev was looking for mangos, I was looking for ginger. Kev is a friend from CollectiblesToday, my former job, in love with a Chinese-Thai woman who is in the States earning her MBA, but who has retained her sense of self, her sense of culture. (She persists in mocking him though.)
*First phone call*
Kevin: I'm in Starbucks, do you want anything?
Nah: What?
Kevin: I'M IN STARBUCKS, DO YOU WANT ANYTHING?
Nah: What?
Kevin: I'M IN STARBUUUUCKS!!!!
Nah: I can't hear you, just meet us back here!
*click*
*dial tone*
Kevin: I'M IN STARBUUUUUCKKSSSS!!!!
Kevin shows up at the meeting point 20 minutes later, Nah's first question, "Why didn't you get me anything?"
Cell phone reception was so bad, Kevin was in the doghouse even before he had a chance to buy a new phone. "Can you hear me now?" Whatever.
Posted by carolyn at 09:19 PM | Comments (0)
August 12, 2005
Trendy Rogue
Stopped at H&M on my way to the alumni board meeting last night. Don't know what drew me in there as it's usually too trendy for me, but I think it must have been the siren call of my new $35 gray denim jacket. Metal buttons, nipped at the waist. Love it. Just putting it on makes me feel more urban, more edgy. Paired with my Sevens and nifty Diesel sunglasses, I feel quite hip! Additionally, even though the jacket is clearly outside my fashion comfort zone, I know it works because it passed The Test. Every morning, I cross the street to get to the bus stop. In doing so, I pass a construction site. The construction guys are too polite to whistle or hoot, which is much appreciated. But they still look, and if they approve, one of the guys will walk out into the street and stop traffic to let me pass. It's a good test. If the construction guys don't approve, then it could add five minutes to my commute time.
Man, this jacket is inspiring all sorts of great ideas. I think I'm going to order one of those personalized necklaces that spell your name in script. But...I think I'm going to have it say "Rogue." Luck of luck, it's fate. Limonges has a 10% off coupon code good through the end of August: AFC805
Yoink!
Posted by carolyn at 09:11 AM | Comments (0)
August 11, 2005
Lunch at the Art Institute
Joined a colleague for lunch at the Art Institute today. We were originally planning to see the Toulouse Lautrec exhibit, but that was nixed when we saw we'd only have a half hour to enjoy it. So we opted for the impressionist wing instead. Monet, Manet, Renoir and such. It was such a nice break from the office, letting the eyes rest on brush strokes and colors rather than on spreadsheets and contracts. It's so strange how each piece can evoke a different emotion -- indifference, curiousity, pride, compassion...a cultured excuse for mood swings. I'll have to start going once a month. Altaf had some interesting observations. He grew up in Pakistan, and so when he tried to identify or relate to a particular painting, he would look at the year and compare the overall subject matter or individual details to the corresponding time period in Pakistan. So for example, we stood in front of a painting depicting Rome's Santa Maria church set in Parisian streets. I can't remember the title or the artist, but it was social commentary on the French pulling away from Roman Catholicism. Altaf looked at the piece for a few minutes, then noted a cotton stuffed mattress piled in the heaped wagon of a middle-class family. He explained that in Pakistan, there is a huge distinction between upper and lower classes, and that most Pakistanis during the time the painting was done, would be sleeping on mattresses woven out of straw or some other fiber. In front of another domestic kitchen painting, Altaf observed the woman wearing an apron. It was amusing to hear him wonder why the Eastern culinary culture rarely called for an apron.
Posted by carolyn at 03:14 PM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2005
Ben Folds Ravinia
Took in my first Ravinia concert of the season last night, Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds. Awesome lineup, and definitely evidenced by the complete and absolute clusterfump of Abercrombie clad bodies. As I got off Metra and headed toward Dave, two Ravinia employees pushed past me and walked authoritatively toward a kerchiefed J. Crew kind of girl. She was hunched over on a bench, a string of spittle dangling from her lips, pointing at a pink puddle of puke just left of her flip-flop. I was embarrassed just seeing her. This was not representative of the evening I had in mind. To me, Ravinia is a quiet, pensive evening of wine, cheese, and olives. Good music. A fading sky and candlelight. Guess I'm old. The Ravinia I met last night was younger. Spilled beer bottles, dancing on picnic blankets, and not a candelabra or centerpiece in sight. It was acceptable to talk and laugh during the concert. There were no buttoned-up men in suit jackets walking around with a poster lettered with "Quiet Please." Instead of subdued luxury, there was youthful energy. We walked a bit over to the pavilion, two thirtysomething couples caught somewhere between young-and-uninhibited and old-and-reserved. It's a fine place to be, as long as you're not grasping for one end or the other. At the pavilion, people stood three or four deep, trying to get a glimpse of the performance. Dave had the only vantage point, and described the scene to the rest of us. "There's a guy down there and he has a guitar." Okay. Then on to the ice cream parlor, where a bottle of Ecco Domani went for $30. The price didn't surprise me, after all, Ravinia held a captive audience of drinkers. There's no where else to go if you run out of wine or beer. However, it would make more sense to stock a label that no one knew, thus avoiding criticism and likely increasing conversion. You would have to be extraordinarily desperate to pay $30 for a bottle of Ecco. I was only moderately desperate, so I ponied up $7.50 for a glass. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening. Different, but nice.
Posted by carolyn at 09:32 AM | Comments (0)
August 09, 2005
One of those days...
Woke up this morning in a foul mood. Don't know why, just one of those days where any little sound sets me off. Distracted myself for about a half hour putting together fruit tarts for Ravinia this evening. But that was just setting myself up again, because all that perfect arranging was sure to slip in transit.
And it did, ah well. I picked up an ice pack at the dollar store near work to hopefully ease the slippage for the next leg of travel.
Just got back from lunch with Manish at Tokyo Lunchbox. This tiny hole in the wall on Van Buren and Wells has been a lifesaver for me. Sushi just tends to put me in a smiley mood. Maybe it's the color, maybe it's the word "tekka maki," who knows. I caved and had a dragon roll. Mmmm, eel, avocado, spicy sauce and fish eggs. Whoever took those ingredients and combined them together was a genius. Who knew they'd work? I bet someone did it on a dare.
Supposed to have a one-on-one with the CEO in about an hour. Never thought I'd make this much of an impression in 10 months. At least it's nice to know that I made a difference.
Posted by carolyn at 09:05 AM | Comments (0)
August 05, 2005
Happy Happy Joy Joy
Write like no one's watching...
Falling in love is such a strange trip. It always seems to start with this *wham* sense of chemistry, but you never really know if it's "one night stand chemistry" or "long-term relationship chemistry." More often than not, it turns out to be a one-nighter followed by a few half-hearted, obligatory dinner dates to save face. Other times, a friendship grows into love. Rarer still -- two people meet, fall in love and feel like they've been together forever. They go right from first date straight to the rhythm of two. She finishes his sentences (he thinks it's interrupting, she says it's collaboration); he reads her moods; and they both find that sharing personal space and personal time feels more like a treat than an inconvenience.
Just thinking about seeing Dave in just a few hours makes me happy. It doesn't really matter what we're doing (tonight it's the gym and dinner), but the fact we're doing something together. I love knowing that its my hand he's holding, that I'm the one who laughs at his jokes, and that I'm the one that he loves despite all flaws and nuances. I love knowing that how I feel is reciprocated. Even before either of us said so, I think we both knew we were in a happy place.
There's a line from "When Harry Met Sally" that kind of resonates. It's the bit at the very end, when Harry says to Sally, "when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of the life to start as soon as possible."
Posted by carolyn at 01:22 PM | Comments (0)
August 03, 2005
Saucy Tarts at Sur La Table
Cashed in on a Christmas present today! Last year, Brady gifted me a certificate for a cooking class at Sur La Table, one of my favorite stores ever. (Though usually I'm browsing, not buying.) I stashed the certificate away so that I could savor the potential for as long as possible. Finally, in June, I couldn't take it any longer. I pulled out the catalog and started cruising for classes. When I saw a listing for Summer Tarts, I knew that was the one. I am a huge fan of tarts...sweet, fruity noshes; savory, saucy quiches...Mmmm! Basically, put a pastry crust around some kind of filling and I'm a very happy camper. Our chef was Kathy Skutecki, a casualty of the ailing economy. Kathy was laid off from her advertising agency job two years ago. According to her, that was the boot she needed to make the career change. Good move, definitely. Kathy is confident, passionate, encouraging and patient. Her love of fresh fruits and farmer's markets comes across clearly. We have organic peaches and sour cherries, beautiful berries and creamy cheeses. She even apologizes for a slightly bruised peach. You know that she selected each of our ingredients personally.
For the first 45 minutes of the class, Kathy demonstrates how to make a sour cherry tart. As she kneads away, she describes the different types of dough used for different types of tarts. Pate sucree is light and crisp. Its higher sugar content makes it sturdier and great for free form crusts like those used in galettes. Pate sablee is a rich and crumbly crust, similar to the texture of a cookie. With it's high butter content, the dough is creamy and can be pressed into pans. We made some incredible dessert tarts with the latter, filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with fresh fruits. My first attempt incorporated thin slices of kiwi, mandarin oranges (drained from the can!) and a single, perfect raspberry. I had no idea that something so beautifully edible could be created by my own fingers! It took effort to cut into it...but that first bite was the only challenge, all subsequent bites were heaven.
After Kathy's demonstration, we each went to a different station. Brady and I opted for the peach galette, because we had both experimented with savory tarts and I had been looking to rediscover freeform tarts. I lived in a co-op during my last year of college. This meant we all chipped in on chores, and a communal budget went toward groceries and utilities. Unfortunately, someone had erred in their calculations, so for one sad week, all that we had in the kitchen were stables and a bushel of pears donated by someone else's grandma. In a moment of inspired desperation, I threw together flour, eggs, sugar and pears, and out came the most delectable pear tart. Starving, deprived coeds came from all corners of the house and I was a minor celebrity for about a week. Luckily, we had enough flour and pears to last us till the next grocery run. The crust we made today still wasn't exactly the same, but I think tweaking the amount of butter is the missing link. Shouldn't take too many more tries to recapture my collegiate crust.
While we were slicing peaches for the galette, the station next to us was sauteeing leeks. Oh my God, the aroma. I peeked at their recipe, and indeed, there were absolutely no spices called for other than salt and pepper. So that amazing, warm, lung-filling scent, so fresh that my forearms tingled, that was the simple chemistry of leeks sauteed in butter. You can bet I kept an eye on that table.
Due to the nature of tarts, we worked our way backward on the tasting menu, from sweet to savory. I saved the leek and gruyere tart for my last bite and it tasted as full as it smelled. Got home, made another midnight run to the grocery store, and picked up the ingredients so that I can make it again for a potluck dinner tomorrow. Excellent.
AH! And another dream realized today! With the cooking class, we got a 10% discount on any purchases. As luck would have it, the Riedel wine glasses I have coveted for many years were 20% off! I picked up four viognier chardonnay glasses for $8 each! When I got them home, I spent a good five minutes pinging the side of one of them listening to the pure tone echo off the crystal. Lovely lovely lovely!
Posted by carolyn at 10:48 PM | Comments (0)
August 02, 2005
Airbus Boo Boo
Still laughing here...
***
Admitted "Poor Taste": In a speech before about 200 airline industry officials on Friday at the Capital Hilton, Colin Stuart, Airbus's vice president of marketing, surprised -- and offended -- several of the attendees when he compared the new Airbus A380 super-jumbo jet to his wife.
"Larger bellies, greater noise reductions, increased payload -- it actually reminds me of my wife," he joked.
Stuart also made reference to his wife in discussing the many late design suggestions airline executives put forward for the 555-seat aircraft. "It was like my wife when she was having our new kitchen designed. Once it was completed, she wanted something more," he said. "They always want more."
During the question-and-answer period, a female reporter asked about the impact of the new jumbo jet on airfares, especially in the age of high fuel prices. "Good to see you're not home in the kitchen," Stuart quipped before answering.
Said one attendee: "He made Larry Summers look politically correct."
Yesterday, Stuart called BizClass to issue an apology. "It was in very poor taste, and I would like to withdraw the statements. I didn't think them through," he said.
Posted by carolyn at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)
Runner's Denial
It is past midnight and I am looking forelornly at the big toe on my right foot. Well, the toenail rather. A few months ago, when I was a non-runner training for the Corporate Challenge, I took my first long run and pushed through some soreness in my big toes. Within 20 minutes, I learned that I would need to start cutting my toenails shorter. There was no way the toebox of my Nike boings were going to show any mercy. (Just learned these were the first Nike shox designed specifically for women.) I remember when I peeled off my socks that day, I looked down and my right toenail was black. That weekend, I went and got a pedicure. "You're working too hard," the manicurist said. I took that as a compliment, and blissfully watched her apply a darker red over my darkened toenail. Two more pedicures later and the darkness turned bright green. I'm talking algae green. Which was fine by me, as this color was more conducive to being hid by the lighter, more trendy pink polishes ever-so-fashionable during the summer. But alas, two months later, I can no longer deny the fact that I have sacrificed by right big toe toenail to the sport of running. I finally pulled out the Complete Book of Running and read with horror that I can expect to lose my toenail. That I should have been applying anti-fungal whatever and bandaids. Now let me tell you, my poor feet have seen everything. For five years, they were shoved into toe shoes and forced to look dainty while supporting a hundred-some pounds of ballerina. Then, they were put through sprints and quick jumps for tennis. The hard soles of biking and hiking shoes. Athletics aside, pointy-toed stilettos, ferchrissakes! And yet, I have never before witnessed such a sad sight as my little runner's toe. About a half hour ago, I flip-flopped my way over to the 24-hour grocery store to purchase an anti-fungal. It took me a good 20 minutes to decide on the one that had a brush applicator. The only reason I chose it was because there was only one left...all the other runners in my neighborhood must've purchased the remainder just minutes before my arrival. Back at home, I read the instructions word for word. I did a search on "black toenail." How depressing. Don't do this unless you have a fetish.
Luckily, I came across a newsletter that mentioned a euphemism, "runner's toe." Now that certainly sounds more comforting. Although the end result is still the same. No matter what I do, that toenail is a goner. I sat cross-legged on the floor and peeled the shrinkwrap off the anti-fungal stuff. Twisted the cap off. Shore'nuff, there's a brush attached to the cap that looks like my pink nail polish applicator. Now how hard can this be? I brace myself. Gingerly I reach the applicator out and dab at the top of my toe. To my huge surprise, I slip a little and the brush goes UNDER my toenail! I have no idea how to react!
A) The anti-fungal crap is going where it needs to go...but,
B) My toenail must be in the process of falling off!
This is terrible. My only redeeming hope is that underneath the edge of blackness is a ridge of new growth. But these traumatizing articles say that it'll take three to six months before that lovely new growth takes over! One article suggested, and I'm not kidding, that you plaster the nail bed over and paint the plaster with red nail polish. Horror! That would be like getting a boob job for a funeral!
Well, not much else I can do about it tonight. I think I'm going to sulk a little more over my impending loss and make sure to put the anti-fungal stuff next to my toothbrush so I don't forget to re-apply in the morning.
Posted by carolyn at 12:25 AM | Comments (2)
August 01, 2005
Muffin Tops
More about those ultra low cut jeans. Maybe I should quit the crunches and just go buy a new pair of Diesels?
Posted by carolyn at 02:54 PM | Comments (0)