Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Take this day to appreciate all of your blessings big and small. Remember, things could always be worse.

Food and Fun in the Windy City Part II

I am a fan of the food in Chicago and the more I visit the more good food I eat.  Finding good places can be tricky for an out-of-towner but my love of Chicago food started with a food tour I took a year ago and since then I have gotten some great suggestions from my daughter, Cate who lives in the city.


On my most recent trip I had the chance to experience more good eats. We had a plan of all the places we wanted to visit including a list of food spots. The big event during the trip was to run the Hot Chocolate 15K. We did eat a lot of good food, but not in excess quantities (except maybe cupcakes), plus we ran the 15K and had to walk everywhere we went, so it balanced out, sort of.


Being a fan of cupcakes I wanted to try some of the cupcake shops in Chicago. We went to Crumbs first and the cupcakes were large, but visually appealing with enticing names.

We got a PB&J, Chocolate Milkshake and a Raspberry Brownie Cheesecake to try.  They were okay, but I wasn't impressed and won't be going back.  A little dry and too much cake for the frosting.   


Although I gave up on Crumbs, I did not give up on cupcakes.  The next day we went to Sprinkles to try a few.  I know they brag about being the first cupcake shop and having the best cupcakes so I wanted to see for myself.

If you follow Sprinkles on Twitter they often tweet a secret word that will earn you a free cupcake.  Because Cate is so connected, she knew the word and we got a free pumpkin cupcake!

Oh, these were fabulous: so fresh and flavorful! Sprinkles bakes cupcakes all day in small batches and I think that really makes a difference.  I knew we had to go again before I left town.  We did and this time came home with a few more because again Cate scored us the free cupcake of the day and the girl was nice enough to give us two salted caramels!  

I was in heaven! Those salted caramel were to die for.  I liked every single cupcake I tried from there.  I can't wait to go again.

I may have to try the cupcake mixes they sell to see if they are just as good.

A trip to Chicago is not complete without pizza so we ate  some of that too.  I had to try the original pizza pot pie from Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co.  I make a homemade version of this and wanted to see how it compares to the original.  

The restaurant is in an old building that has a lot of history.  The host does not take names for those waiting for a table.  When asked if he wants your name he replies "No name, I remember you."  And he does.  I learned he has been the host for years and it has always been that way. The pot pie was great, but no better than the one I make at home.


We also went to Pizano's for deep dish pizza.  It was only November 5th and the place was all lit up for Christmas. (A little over the top, I think.)

spinach, mushroom, onion pizza

Another great place we went was Counter Burger in Lincoln Park. This is a build your own burger joint.  You place your order for by making your selection on an order form. You choose your meat, toppings, sauce and bun. 

I went with a hamburger on a pretzel roll with chipotle aioli, cheddar, onion, lettuce, tomato, black bean and corn salsa and avocado.  It was BIG.

We shared some onion rings and fries to go with it.

It was a fantastic burger!

My trip also included some shopping.  I got to see a giant Whole Foods that contained a liquor bar, a wine bar and a food court with at least four different types of cuisines.  It was incredible and so different from the small neighborhood one we have. A trip to Trader Joes was on the list and I am so jealous we don't have any in Florida.


I also got a chance to go to Title Nine, a retailer of women's fitness and casual wear. I usually shop from their catalog.  It was so nice to be able to try the clothes on and see them all in person for a change.  I ended up buying some pants and a smart wool sweater.  Now I just need it to get a little cooler at home.


I had such a wonderful time with Cate in Chicago!  I miss having her around, so it was nice to spend time with her. She was a great hostess and has really learned her way a round in a short time. I came home tired from all of our excursions and am thankful I do not have to rely on public transportation to get around. 

Have you ever been to Chicago?

Of all the things I did, which would you like to do the most?

Food and Fun in the Windy City

Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit, but I like it even more now that my daughter Cate lives there! I recently spent four days with her and we packed in as much fun and food as we could.  Every night I fell asleep exhausted. 

Upon arriving in the Windy City (rightly named-the wind blew ALL the time) we hit our first eatery The Bongo Room. This was recommended by a teacher a met at a conference and she nailed it!  The food was fabulous! We made it just in time to order off the breakfast menu.   

We shared a breakfast burrito and their special White Chocolate, Caramel Pretzel Pancakes.  I was worried these would be over the top sweet, but it was more of a savory flavor and one of the best pancakes I have ever had.  

My next meal was at a Melt Sandwich Shoppe, a local soup and sandwich place in Bucktown/Wicker Park.

All the sandwiches are a variation of the grilled cheese.  The place had a school house theme with the menu items written on the chalkboard walls.

I chose The Provence which was loaded with roasted mushrooms, tomatoes and truffle white cheddar. It was a big sandwich and more than I could eat.  Cate got a wrap that I enjoyed more.  The food was okay, but I wanted it to be better.

Our destination that night was Arts n Spirits to paint.  These casual group painting places have become quite popular and this would be our first time going to one.  Each night they spotlight a different painting which they teach you how to create.  This crazy flower design was tonight's project.

Although we liked this painting we decided to go rogue and change it up a little and make a blue toned background. I had a great idea to capture the creation of my painting from start to finish, but I got so absorbed in the painting that I missed a few steps along the way, but you get the idea.

I am not much of an artist, but they guide you step by step and make it easy enough for anyone to follow along.  

 

As you can see, we exercised our artistic licenses. 

We spent about four hours working on these and the time flew by.  After waiting for a bus and a train and walking the half mile to her apartment, we didn't get home until midnight. That was day one!

I will share more of our adventures in Part II...

Hot Chocolate 15K Race Recap

 I will definitely run for chocolate!

While in Chicago over the weekend visiting my daughter Cate, we ran the Hot Chocolate 15K together.  The race started in Grant Park and took us on a big loop through the city ending up back at the park.

For a Florida girl like me, the start of the day was a CHILLY 39 degrees!  We had to get up and leave her apartment early since we were relying on the train to get there.  Our timing was perfect but we ended up with a little extra time due to a delay in the start time.  A section of the route had to be changed at the last minute because a large truck got stuck under one of the underpasses.

Cate and I decided to run the race together and lined up in the open time corral.  It was great back there,  very relaxed and plenty of room, in fact it was not crowded for us at any time during the race.

I was so cold at the start of the race, my toes felt numb.  I did not wear the right gear.  I don't know what I was thinking.  I had capri pants, long sleeve t, gloves, winter headband and the awesome running jacket we got in our goody bag. I did warm up as we got going, but never warm enough to take anything off.

We ran at an easy pace just taking it all in. As we got to mile three the road became littered with gear people had discarded as they warmed up.  I spotted some items I could use and scooped a few things up along the way. I knew they did not donate all the discarded stuff and it would just end up in the trash.

Having only eaten half an apricot Clif Bar before the race, I stopped at all four water stops for gatorade.  Kudos to the gatorade makers of this race, you know how sometimes it is too strong or too weak, this time it was perfect!

The course was mostly flat with a few spectators along the way.  It was neat to see the city from this vantage point.  The last part of the race was down Michigan Avenue.  After crossing the finish line with a time of 1:54:33, we were rewarded with a bottle of water and a piece of Ghiradelli chocolate. I ate mine right away.  It was a new flavor I had never had before and it was delicious!

Intense Dark Sea Salt Soiree

But that was only the beginning of the chocolate treats.  They don't call this race the Hot Chocolate for no reason.  We headed to the after race party and the tent that was serving the chocolate fondue first!

Each tray had a banana, pretzel rod, marshmallow, rice crispy treat and apple slices to dip in the warm fondue.  We got right to eating and enjoyed every bite.  The banana and marshmallow may have been my favorite.  It was so cold out, that the chocolate had already hardened like a candy bar before we were finished.

Because I did not run this race hard, I actually felt like eating afterwards.  Usually, my stomach is less agreeable to food when I run faster.  Running with Cate was a win-win decision.  We got to experience it all together, I could enjoy all the food at the end, plus the lines had diminished by the time we got to the after party.
Of course that wasn't the end of the goodies, we made our way to the hot chocolate tent and indulged in a creamy glass of  liquid chocolate.  We could top it off with either marshmallows or whipped cream.  I loaded on the whipped cream! SO GOOD!

I enjoyed everything about this race.  I thought it was well managed with a good course and good perks.  In addition to the food at the end we got a running jacket that I wore for the race.  We also got personalized bibs.(I love that)

 Now I can add Illinois to the list of states I have run a race in.

What a yummy race!

Does the swag influence you to run in races?

What's the best thing you ever got at a race?

The Walk for Farm Animals Recap

The Orlando Walk for Farm Animals, organized to raise awareness and funds to end factory farming, was a success despite the soggy conditions.  The turnout was small, about 75 in all, but we walked our route, carried our signs, and tried to inspire others to care about the plight of farm animals in factory farms. Similar walks were held all over the country this weekend.

I have never participated in an event to raise awareness for an issue like this, so it was a very interesting experience.  I feel very strongly that factory farming is not healthy for the animals, for those eating the animals or for our environment. So I signed up for the walk and encouraged others to walk too or donate to  Farm Sanctuary if they could.

Me and some team members.

We got a small team together and showed our support. We walked a two mile loop around the cultural center of downtown Orlando.  It had been pouring all morning, but luckily the skies cleared just as we started.

We passed this beautiful live oak tree.

We were led by a local guy who was very passionate about this cause.  He had us stop on all four corners of our loop to smile, wave and show our signs to the cars passing by.  This was the part that felt uncomfortable for me. Our leader was carrying a megaphone and had painted his hair green for this event. He had us stand there for too long a time and he was yelling things about liking animals and saving the animals and other stuff, but it was all garbled together.  He looked fanatical and was yelling and I don't think people like fanatics.  At least I don't.

I prefer a more subtle approach to changing people's minds and influencing their beliefs.  I know his intentions were good, I just hope he didn't turn people off with his hair and yelling.

Despite the corner loitering, it was a nice walk and we did get a lot of positive response from passerby's.

Next time a group is out supporting their cause I will definitely give a honk or a wave if I agree.  Those little gestures made us all cheer and smile.

At the end of the walk we were treated with cupcakes, brownies, water, apples, bananas and bagels from local businesses.  In addition, there was music and a vegan hot dog vendor.

To thank my team members for their support I decided to put together a goody box for them.  I found a farm themed box at Party City and went to work baking the night before the walk.

I filled it with a pumpkin-carrot cupcake, a peanut butter oreo blondie and a salted caramel square.  All new recipes I found on Tasty Kitchen.  (I liked the cupcake the best.)

It was a good morning and I'm glad I went. I got a chance to raise money and awareness for a cause I believe in and that feels good. Plus I got to keep the awesome posters of the cute farm animals!

I left feeling very hungry because I was not brave enough to try a vegan hotdog and the food just wasn't what I wanted. I ended up stopping by Jason's Deli for a  portobello mushroom panini. It was excellent!

Have you ever eaten a vegan hotdog?

Warning: Contents May Be Addictive

The Ultimate Fall Snack

Nothing says October like candy corn! But you may not know that candy corn is a superstar when it is paired with dry roasted peanuts. It's that salty sweet thing.

  Not only is it delicious, it is simple to make.

All you need is a jar of dry roasted peanuts and a bag of candy corn.

Pour the candy corn into a bowl (I used a 12oz bag)

Pour in some peanuts. (I used about 8 oz)

Mix and enjoy!

Now go make the world a happier place by making your own batch!

WARNING:

This is one of those snacks that keeps calling you back.  It can become addictive!

What food do you look forward to each fall?

I signed up for Run to the Finish Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge and you want to too!

Six Mile Run and Perfect Weather

Ahhh.  Finally Florida is getting a taste of fall! 

I know for most of you fall weather may be nothing new, but until two days ago it has continued to feel like summer here. The great weather will only last a few days, but I plan to enjoy every minute of it!  


I started this morning's long run around 9:00am, very late for me as I usually hit the road around 5am, BUT because it wasn't a broilfest today I could actually sleep in, take my time getting ready and head out for my run a little later. 


The skies were partly cloudy, there was a light breeze and the temperature was 60 degrees.
I took a little extra time trying to decide what I would wear. Usually it's a no brainer: shorts and a  tank, but the cooler temps made me think twice about what to put on.  


Because the cool days are few and far between, I never remember how many clothes I need for what temperature.  I decided to go with shorts and a short sleeve shirt and was a little chilly at the start.  You may be chuckling at being chilly at 60 degrees.  This is what living in Florida has done to me.  Its made me a wimp for any weather under 70 degrees.  

I am running a 15K in Chicago in two weeks and after running 8 and 9 miles the last two weekends, I decided to run 6 today.  I felt so energized and not bogged down by hot humid air. I did warm up, but not to the point of being a soaking wet sweat ball which is the usual result. Really the fact that is hot here most of  the time is my biggest gripe about living here!

Running felt easier, less taxing on my legs and lungs and I still had energy when I was done.  I can't get over what a difference a few degrees make.   I could get used to this!


Today was a perfect day for a run!


If you'd like to support me in my Walk For Farm Animals and enter to win the giveaway, click HERE.

What conditions do like when running?