Chicago, Chicago

I took a mini vacation recently to Chicago, and had the most wonderful time!  Food, fun, friends ... it was fabulous!

Initially, my plan was to attend the exceptional and extraordinary exhibit of Roy Lichtenstein's work at The Art Institute of Chicago.  However, that morphed into a plan to finally meet my blogging buddy (so woefully inadequate a term!) Leanne, of From Chaos Comes Happiness, so that we could tour the retrospective together.  Leanne is both an artist and a beautiful, kind soul; she was the perfect person to attend this event with.

Sometimes you just know that you've found a cherished friend, even if you've never met her.  Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett fell in love via letters, after all.  Words have meaning, and Leanne's sincerity, empathy, and heart pour through in hers.  Her sister-in-law noted that our cyber-"relationship" and long-sought meeting reminded her of finding a new boyfriend on a dating site!  But we knew that we were already friends, rather than merely hopeful that we'd like each other.  Sometimes you just know ....

Leanne came running down the stairs of the Art Institute as I ran up them  - we had agreed, in a fashion similar to meeting at the Empire State Building in "An Affair to Remember," to meet at the south lion out front - and we squealed and hugged and smiled and laughed ... oh, it was so wonderful to finally really see her smile, the shine in her eyes, her joy!  We wandered in to the museum and were off on our adventure.

I have to truly say that the Lichtenstein retrospective is amazing!  Oh, the breadth and depth of it, from the earliest work to ones completed shortly before his death; from sculptures to the well-known comic strip paintings; and from homages to predecessors like Monet and Picasso to Asian-inspired landscapes.  Leanne and I kept leaning in to the pictures, studying and analyzing the color schemes, the famous screened dots ... until we were chastised a couple of times by the security guards for getting too close and for - gasp! - pointing.  We weren't just admiring, but really wanted to understand the process and the technique, as well.  We must have been cute, though, 'cause the guards let us off with just lighthearted warnings.

There were readily accessible pictures, like one of a hot dog and another of those ubiquitous black-and-white composition books we all had in school.  Part of the philosophy of Pop Art, of course, is to represent and transform everyday objects, as well as to elevate the graphic arts that we simply take for granted because they surround us in commercial venues and on marketable products.

But then there were more serious pieces, like my new favorite picture, "Ohhh ... Alright ...".  Which of us hasn't uttered those two words with deflation ... with resignation ... with frustration ... with sadness ... with exasperation ... with disappointment?  I took this fellow redhead into my heart, and Leanne and I called her "our girl" - someone we both could so easily relate to, a friend we wanted to console - for the rest of the afternoon.  It is a hallmark of the power of the artist that his image - distilled and deconstructed - could elicit such a response despite its seeming simplicity and deceptively cartoonish style.

We then toured the gift shop seeking presents and souvenirs, mementos of our afternoon immersed in art and in heartfelt conversation about dreams, loves both current and lost, dancing, hopes, fears, and family.  A magnet for my refrigerator - which I now look at each day, prompting memories and a smile - a postcard to frame.  And then there was not only a room devoted to books, but two of those books were calling my name loudly: Midwest Sweet Baking History: Delectable Classics Around Lake Michigan and Food Lovers' Guide to Chicago: Best Local Specialties, Markets, Recipes, Restaurants & Events ... sigh.  Temptation as I read, longing to cook and bake and eat!

Leanne's husband, Phil, had very sweetly made a dinner reservation for us all at the Park Grill, right near the Art Institute; he was going to bring their daughters, Katie and Ella, into the city for the afternoon and then we'd all meet up for our evening meal.  I'd hoped to be able to meet those dearest to Leanne, but I was only going to be in town until Sunday at noon; so this was a perfect plan!

Phil is a sweetheart, happily wound 'round the pinky fingers of all three of his "girls;" some men are just born to be the daddys of daughters, and Phil is absolutely one of those true gems.  Katie and Ella are gorgeous and sweet, polite and kind.  But still, even though you have faith that they'll behave beautifully in such a grown-up setting, be sweet to each other rather than bickering as siblings can often do (particularly after a long day in the heat), and be gracious hostesses to an out-of-town visitor, it was still so charming and wonderful to see them actually be those fabulous girls.

Dinner ... oh, my word, dinner was extraordinary!  And not just because of the very fine company, but also because it was sublime and succulent.

I am the least decisive person on Earth when it comes to food, as Leanne can now attest to herself having seen me in (in)action!  For starters - a salad? calamari? soup?  As an entree - Alaskan salmon? A Kobe beef burger?  And sides - sides!  Oh, too many choices!  It would be so easy if I were a picky eater and might only like one very simple, benign item.  But everything sounded wonderful!  Too much temptation!

Because I have that combined Catholic-Jewish guilt complex - a powerful entity if ever there were one - I finally forced myself to pick the melon salad and avoid making the waiter come back yet again.  This selection was light and bright and crunchy and sweet and salty ... every taste and texture working in perfect unison in each bite.  There were three types of melon, lightly toasted pine nuts, crumbled feta cheese, and a creamy cilantro dressing that added a lovely zest in contrast to the delicate fruit.

Leanne and Phil both ordered the roasted beet salad with goat cheese and pistachios, which Leanne generously let me taste in all its tender, sweet, gorgeous glory.  Leanne also let me try a bit of her creamy risotto, which featured springtime vegetables and was perfectly cooked; it had just the tiniest hint of an "al dente" firmness in the center of each grain of rice, a testament to great skill and patience in the kitchen.

Then I chose the bone-in pork chop, which the waiter had recommended with great praise.  It was tender and juicy and utter perfection, enhanced by fingerling potatoes and by a kale-bacon-mustard saute that offered both color and an ideal complement to the chop - a variation on the theme of "pork" that seconded the motion rather than competing with it.  (And I want to thank Leanne and Phil again for their very sweet gesture of taking me out to dinner, including me in their family and not letting me contribute anything to this cause.)

We didn't order dessert at the restaurant, as we were on a mission afterwards: Intelligentsia, an immersion in all that is perfect in a cup of coffee.

They take their coffee very seriously at Intelligentsia, offering classes and instruction, French presses, pour overs, finely-honed equipment, extraordinarily well-selected beans ... everything you could need for a perfect cup of coffee whether it's enjoyed at the shop, taken to go, or brewed at home.

Ella ordered an apple juice, though she tasted others' drinks; Katie was in her glory sampling decaf and a vanilla latte.  I chose a simple decaf, as I am a chronic insomniac and hardly needed anything more stimulating - or, rather, more stimulating than the excitement of visiting happily with friends! - to further impede my already limited ability to sleep.

But alas, young girls need to find their way home after an adventure in the city.  And old ones, like me, needed to get back to real life.  My new family - truly, they all made me feel so loved and welcomed and included! - walked me to my hotel, where there were hugs and kisses, smiles and teary eyes, lots of love and many promises to visit Ann Arbor and to come back again to Chicago.  It's my kind of town, after all!  With people who welcome you to their city, and also into their hearts ....

Mongolian Tartar-Style Steaks

At the internationally-influenced picnic I recently served, I veered from my tendency to cook foods from my favorite cuisines - Jewish and Italian.  I cooked some tremendously flavorful steaks that were so easy to make that they hardly warrant a recipe.

Marc Cramer's Imperial Mongolian Cooking: Recipes from the Kingdoms of Genghis Khan is one of the more unusual and interesting cookbooks I have in my collection.  I bought it at the late, great, and much missed The Savvy Traveller bookstore that used to reside across Michigan Avenue from The Art Institute of Chicago.

When Jeremy was younger and our family would take weekend trips to Chicago, it was simply understood that I would visit the bookstore.  And I would spend a long time there.  And if anyone wanted to meander off to grab a snack when they got bored while I perused, they were welcome to leave and then come back ... everyone knew where to find me.  I'd be looking through books about year-round trips around the world, books about volunteering in exotic locales, books about quaint towns in foreign countries, and cookbooks devoted to ethnic cuisines.

But, as you can well imagine in a day and age that can't even support the behemoth that Borders once was, a little bookstore devoted to all aspects of travel and foreign locales couldn't possibly survive.  It closed in 2007.

Thus, not only did I take a culinary trip to Mongolia in preparing the recipe I'm going to share with you, but I also travelled back to Chicago, back to my favorite bookstore, and back to the many dreams and vicarious adventures that were fostered there.

Mongolian cooking is not just about choosing proteins, vegetables, and sauces, then stir frying it all together - a la Mongolian Barbecue - on a searingly hot surface.  The Mongol Empire once stretched across land now known as Poland and Hungary, across Armenia and Iraq, as far south as Vietnam and as far north as Russia.  Therefore, it incorporates a wide variety of influences and ingredients.

But typically, Mongol cooking is very meat-oriented; vegetables did not grow readily in the cold center of the territory, so only hardy varieties (potatoes, onions) would have been available.  Yak was popular, but beef and lamb make excellent substitutes.  Dairy products, as well, are essential to the diet, and yak milk is the base for cheeses and beverages.

These steaks, then, which are grilled and then accented with Asian flavors and scallions, are very representative of Mongol cooking.  They take just a few minutes to cook and a minimum of ingredients, but they offer a maximum of flavor.

Mongolian Tartar-Style Steaks (Tatar Uhriin Mah)
(slightly adapted from Marc Cramer's Imperial Mongolian Cooking: Recipes from the Kingdoms of Genghis Khan)

1 pound, total weight, thin-cut round steaks
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard
1 teaspoon sesame oil
pinch of red pepper flakes

Preheat outdoor grill to medium.  Lay the steaks onto a platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

While steaks are cooking, combine remaining ingredients.  Remove steaks to a serving dish and drizzle sauce over them.

Serves 4-6.

Frugal Floozie Friday -- Chicago Reds

Chicago Reds is a great place to go for an inexpensive meal, which is why it's today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature. Yeah, we talked about Chicago food yesterday, too, with the famous Italian beef sandwiches. But we've moved on to a different classic food item today; have no fear of redundancy!

My dinner companion ordered the Chicago Style Dog for $2.99: "The Classic Chicago Dog, a Vienna all beef dog topped with tomato slices, Kosher Pickle, Neon Relish, chopped onion, yellow mustard, Sport Peppers & celery salt on a steamed poppy seed bun." It was definitely "dragged through the garden," as they say, and generously so. My friend enjoyed it immensely, taking a sharp detour from his usual healthy diet of steamed vegetables and rice to indulge in one of his favorite guilty pleasures. He's had a difficult time of late, and it was good to see him smile so happily as he ate.

I, however, don't want all of those salad ingredients and funky colors on my hot dog. I'm from New York, born and raised; I want my "dirty water" dog (affectionately named because street vendors keep the wieners in warm water until they're served to customers) with mustard and sauerkraut, period. So for $2.59 I ordered the New York Dog: "Sauerkraut & yellow mustard on a steamed poppy seed bun." Perfect in its simplicity, I felt transported back to my hometown for a little while.

To accompany the mainstays of our meal, my friend and I shared the basket of Garlic Parmesan Fries (pictured above) for $3.49. These were as close to perfection as fries might possibly come - golden, crisp, hot, salty, garlicky, cheesy, but none of these attributes was overdone. The consistency was ideal, and the flavorings were exceptional. And the serving was so generous, especially with the hot dogs, that we had to take some of the fries home.

So our very filling meal plus some leftovers cost the two of us less than $10, falling perfectly within the Frugal Floozie Friday budget of $5 per person or less. And there are lots of other options within this budgetary constraint, as all of the beef hot dogs are under $3, and the Polish sausages and vegetarian Italian sausage all range from $3.59-$4.79.

For a great inexpensive and casual meal - not to mention some passionate arguments over which city's hot dogs are best! - head to Chicago Reds. And leave me a comment telling me how you prefer your hot dogs: New York or Chicago style? Detroit style, with chili and onions? Southern style, with cole slaw? Or - gasp! - with ketchup???


Chicago Reds
312 S. State Street (inside Amer's Deli)
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
734-761-6000



View Larger Map

Italian Beef Sandwiches for the Northwestern Game

When people think of Chicago foods, they immediately think of deep-dish pizza and hot dogs "dragged through the garden."

But Chicago is equally famous for Italian beef sandwiches, and so that's what I'm serving in honor of the Northwestern-Michigan game on Saturday. Northwestern is in Evanston, after all, which is just outside Chicago. You know those kids hop on the train and commute in to the city all the time!

According to Wikipedia:

"Origins of the sandwich are disputed, but one early vendor, Al's No. 1 Italian Beef, opened its first stand in 1938.

One story has it that the Italian Beef sandwich was started by Italian immigrants who worked for the old Union Stock Yards. They often would bring home some of the tougher, less desirable cuts of beef sold by the company. To make the meat more palatable, it was slow-roasted to make it more tender, then slow-simmered in a spicy broth for flavor. Both the roasting and the broth used Italian-style spices and herbs. The meat was then thinly sliced across the grain and stuffed into fresh Italian bread.

According to Scala's Original Beef and Sausage Company (formed in 1925), this meal was originally introduced at weddings and banquets where the meat was sliced thinly so there would be enough to feed all the guests. It rapidly grew in popularity and eventually became Chicago's most famous ethnic food: the original Italian beef sandwich."

Now, I didn't have time to roast an entire hunk of beef; so I cheated and bought some pre-roasted and pre-sliced meat at the grocery store's deli counter.

But I did marinate the beef in the requisite seasoned broth, added both hot and sweet peppers, and made sure to soak the bun in all those tasty juices, too, before piling up ingredients in the sandwich. Shortcuts, not dishonor!

This is a hearty, substantial sandwich - it's perfect for the game!

University of Michigan at Northwestern University
Saturday, October 8 at 5 p.m. EDT
GO BLUE!!!

Italian Beef Sandwich

2 cups red wine (Flip Flop Wines Merlot - a fabulous marketing gift!)
2 cups beef stock
2 .6-ounce packets zesty Italian salad dressing seasoning
1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
1 large red pepper, sliced
4 sub buns
1 cup hot banana peppers, drained

Bring wine, stock and salad dressing seasoning to a boil in a medium saucepan; add beef, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, then refrigerate overnight.

Reheat the beef in the saucepan with the marinade.

Saute the pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes, until softened.

Slice each of the sub buns not quite all the way through, lengthwise. Spoon some of the marinade onto the sub buns. Add roast beef, making sure it drips onto the bread when you remove it from the saucepan. Top with another drizzle of marinade, and finish the sandwich with both types of peppers.

Serves 4.

"You Deserve a Break Today ...."

Today there is no break from the week's Chicago postings; however, there is a break from the parade of restaurant reviews. Today, we're going to view some art ... and food-related art, no less.

But we're not going to the Art Institute. Nope. I've got something better planned for our tour!

I'm loathe to admit that, despite my being an avid non-smokers' rights advocate (and former volunteer and intern with the Lung Association, no less), Jeremy smokes. Where did I go wrong?!?!? Sigh .... And his latest fetish is cigars.

Now, it's a toss-up as to whether Tom or Jeremy is the hardest person on Earth to shop for. Me? I'm so easy -- food (prepared or ingredients, doesn't matter), chocolate, sweaters, dishes for photo ops, ancient cookbooks, jangly bracelets, dangly earrings, nail polish, lotions and oils, sparkles for my hair, coffee, scented candles, cocoa, books about languages and linguistics, Judaica, flowers, kitchen equipment, donations to good causes ... you'd have to buy me a lawn mower or something equally unnecessary and unromantic to disappoint me.

Tom, though, is very -- VERY -- particular about items, often spending months doing research, buying something and then still sending it back because it is somehow insufficient. And his material needs, thankfully, are minimal. Jeremy is a musician whose wish list is so sub-specialized that all he can do is give me catalogue numbers for items because there's no way to buy anything generic (other than the assortment of guitar picks Santa puts into his stocking every Christmas). He's a typical teenage male who will wear clothes off the floor, not caring if they're either new or clean. And he doesn't play video or computer games. What am I supposed to do when trying to buy gifts???

But sadly, Jeremy does smoke. And since there was no way to bring a deep-dish pizza home for him on the train, he didn't want any jewelry from the fancy shops along the Magnificent Mile (even if I could have afforded any!), and he didn't need a doll from the American Girls shop, we decided to try to buy him a cigar in that Midwestern bastion of male-ness where one would have presumed (wrongly, it turns out) that cigars are still in fashion.

We schlepped up and down streets to no avail, and finally gave in by asking a pair of policemen if they knew of a cigar shop. They directed us around the corner to the Cultural Center, which neither of us had ever been in before despite numerous trips to Chicago, in which we'd find a tourist help desk.

Inside, we found a coffee shop, a reading room, a writing workshop and a gift shop, and ultimately stumbled into the comparatively boring assistance area for lost travellers. The very helpful woman wearing a lovely many-stranded beaded necklace coupled with a vibrant purple gauzy scarf looked for the information and told us that a shop could be found just a few blocks away. (FYI: The information was out-of-date, and the shop has closed.) We thanked her and walked out, looking around as we did. And at that point we found some wonderful art galleries.

We saw sculptures like the one pictured above by Jason Peot, which was very delicate and beautiful despite appearing to be nondescript strings in the photo. We saw heartbreaking and inspiring photos taken in Nicaragua. We saw some truly ugly greyish-greenish paintings and ink drawings. And then, as we meandered through the corridors, we saw a sign that said something along the lines of "Artists at work." And so -- artist and girl who once considered graduate study in art history that we are -- we simply had to wander in.

And that's when we found Project Onward -- a studio for artists with mental and developmental disabilities: "Project Onward provides studio space, art supplies, and professional guidance to emerging artists in a communal workshop environment. With the program’s support, Project Onward artists develop a professional body of work that reflects both a devotion to their personal vision and a desire for artistic growth. We believe that artists with special needs deserve a voice in the world of art and ideas, and that their extraordinary work has a universal audience. Project Onward exhibits, promotes, and sells the artists’ works as a means to provide earned income and a sense of personal achievement, as well as to integrate the artists into the wider arts community."

Well, bleeding hearts and art aficionados that we are, how could we resist???

There was a wonderfully friendly retiree who greeted us and chatted all about the program. We explained to him that not only are we avid art fans and that Tom is an artist, but also that people with disabilities have special places in both of our hearts (as Tom works with the homeless and mentally ill, and several of our most precious loved ones have varying forms of mental illness). He welcomed us to look around the studio, talk to the artists (some of whom were more outgoing than others, of course), and to peruse the gift shop; not only do the artists create, but they get to sell their works as well and even keep 70% of the proceeds. Our host explained that to many of them, it's like a day job -- they come in each morning, do their work, sell their masterpieces, and get picked up by their family members in the afternoon and show off what they've accomplished that day. It's therapeutic on many levels, and a boon to both the artists and those who care for them.

So naturally, Tom and I weren't going to leave without supporting this amazing project. I saw shelves full of dolls with hand-made clothes and decoration ... a series of paintings of skulls, with lots of glitter sprinkled onto them ... a cane decorated with festive colored feathers ... pictures of an imagined world called Loudemar -- complete with moats and fortresses -- which a man with autism "escapes" to when the sensory onslaught overwhelms him ... complex and delicate pencil drawings reminiscent of Celtic knots ... brightly colored drawings of animals .... Oh, there was such an extraordinary variety!!!

But I kept hearing the call of some pictures drawn on pieces of cardboard which seemed to have been cut from boxes. There were small portraits of late performers (Janice Joplin, Lena Horne, Michael Jackson); medium-sized pictures of food items and restaurants; and still larger -- and very complex -- depictions of television shows such as "I Love Lucy," showing episodes and numerous characters, or of "American Idol" and its many contestants. In the tradition of Andy Warhol, these works celebrated pop culture.

And as I perused the extensive collection, hoping to find one for Jeremy -- now, who else but me would buy him this kind of gift??? -- Adam Hines, the artist who had created these many works, came into the shop. He has a radiant smile and is extraordinarily friendly; Adam could talk to absolutely anyone, and make them feel like his best friend within minutes!

I spoke with him about his work, telling him that Jeremy loves Hot Pockets when I found an image Adam had drawn of them; immediately, Adam started singing the theme song from the commercial. When I saw the McDonald's piece pictured at the top of the post, again there was a performance -- Adam instantly started singing "You deserve a break today, at McDonald's!" He is truly a proverbial "walking encyclopedia" of cultural trivia! And as you can see from the photo, he was inordinately proud (and practiced!) to pose with his work when I asked if he'd let me take his picture ... :)

So, McDonald's unfortunately being one of Jeremy's favorite places (I think he and his buddies should all get jobs there, for the employee discount), it was easy to pick Adam's tribute to that institution as a souvenir. Adam even signed the back of the artwork for Jeremy, and made sure that I promised to say "Hello" for him once I got home. He is such a sweetheart! And when I brought it home for him, Jeremy absolutely loved the piece! When he and I next go to Chicago, I will have to bring him to Project Onward and introduce him to our new-found friend, Adam. After all, how can you not love an artist who states in his bio: "I want to grab colored pencils and markers to start drawing whatever I want and make it into a masterpiece. Art making takes a lot of courage, especially to do such a fantastic job as I do!"

So, while I am a tremendous fan of the Art Institute and have immersed myself in its collection more times than I can count, I cannot enthuse and effuse enough about Project Onward and its unique offerings as well as its truly life-alteringly important mission. These two widely varying exhibition sites are just across the street from each other; if you go to one, be absolutely sure you don't miss the other ....


Now, before I go, let me take this opportunity to wish my sweetie a HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY today!!! Tom wants to go out to lunch to celebrate (we both have the day off -- he because he simply took a vacation day, me because it's yet another Jewish holiday -- Simchat Torah [sim-KAHT toh-RAH]). And then we'll go home and enjoy his chosen cake: chocolate layer cake with walnuts, slathered in a mocha-flavored whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauces. Photos, delicious details and recipe to come next week ....

Taste Eat Enjoy

The title -- and motto -- of today's post comes from a sign hanging over the outdoor cafe at Millennium Park in Chicago, one of several signs there that relate to relishing one's food and drink. From a hearty breakfast to unbelievably good coffee, and from free chocolate to burgers, follow along on Tom's and my Friday Feasting from last week ....

After our amazing Thai dinner the night before, we grabbed a quick breakfast at the Corner Bakery. Yeah, it's a chain and neither of us is too keen on those cookie cutter entities vs. the "mom 'n' pop"s; on the other hand, the chains still employ people who need jobs.

Since I was only eating a granola-yogurt-fruit parfait and Tom had scrambled eggs with bacon and tomato and avocado, along with toast and fried potatoes, I didn't bother to take a photo ... which is too bad, 'cause it was actually pretty good. But this was just a pit stop so I wasn't in "food blogger" mode at that moment.

And just why was this only a pit stop, you ask??? I'll tell you: we were on our way to Mecca -- Intelligentsia Coffee. I'm not an extraordinary coffee snob, but I do refuse to drink swill like Folger's or Maxwell House unless I'm truly desperate and semi-conscious. I adore the Beowulf Blend from Oren's Daily Roast in New York. I love the Dharma Beans and Deadman's Reach from Raven's Brew in Alaska. But we were in Chicago, so we indulged every one of our senses in the experience of Intelligentsia.

Walk in the door and you immediately notice the open and airy but simultaneously crowded and congested atmosphere. The staff bustles about efficiently, and you can actually watch as your pour-over is made. (I didn't photograph the entire process 'cause it kinda felt intrusive to be 2' from the barista and to be using him as a photo op.) Wet the filters to reduce the papery taste ... pour water through to heat the carafes, which are also on a heated grid, then rinse them out and let them drain ... freshly grind the beans (which have descriptives written about them making you feel as though you're reading about a bottle of wine with impeccable vintage!) ... slowly pour the water over the coffee to let it steep ... watch as your coffee is poured and carefully presented to you, a thing of beauty in every way ... :)

Tom had never been to Intelligentsia before, though I'd brought him some coffee from Jeremy's and my trip to Chicago in June. I think he felt as though he'd reached Nirvana; before even finishing his first cup there, he'd determined that we would go back again in the afternoon for more!

As we walked back to Michigan Avenue, a young man (well, a guy in his 20s -- that's young, to me!) wearing a pink shirt came up to us and asked if we'd like some chocolate. But, of course!!! He was promoting Ritter Sport chocolates, and handed us each 2 samples in addition to a card advocating for breast cancer research.

Two of our 4 treats were milk chocolate filled with strawberry yogurt; one was hazelnut; and the last was dark chocolate with marzipan, one of my favorite foods on Earth. I thanked him, watched a couple of other people gather their own goodies, personally witnessed someone refusing the offer -- ?!?!? -- and we walked off as I repeated my thanks and told the man that he had a great job -- he was dispensing happiness.

After a morning of wandering and meandering and stumbling upon the topic of tomorrow's post (shhh, it's a secret!), it was time for lunch. And a good, hearty, filling, sturdy, Chicago-worthy lunch, too -- burgers at Miller's Pub.

Dark wood, a noisy bar, crowds of happy eaters ... this is what we were immersed in as we walked up the stairs to the maitre d' on the second floor. He initially seated us at a table right in the midst of everything, which was simply too overwhelming to contemplate; so when I caught sight of a quiet (quieter) table in a corner, near the upstairs bar and next to the banister overlooking the main floor, I asked if we could move. And we did.

I excused myself for a trek to the ladies room, and when I came back Tom told me a most entertaining story about the three older gentlemen at the bar just a few feet away. Reminiscent of my father and his retiree buddies, these guys were telling their tales for oh, what? the 84th time??? They met, they reminisced, they embellished, they relished their time together, as they were clearly in their 80s and who knew which of them might not make the next lunch meeting? And one of them told a story about going into a whorehouse in Paris ... ah, the war stories!

We'd been on a mission to find a good burger, so this was actually one time when the decision-making process was fairly easy. Tom ordered a plain ol'-fashioned burger with lettuce, tomato and onion, served along with cole slaw and fries. When it was all put together, it was quite the enormous sight! A disciplined eater who doesn't usually indulge in so much fat and salt and lack of nutrition, Tom actually seemed to enjoy himself as he ate this ... :) Yes, one has to eat all things in moderation and try to watch out for one's health. At the same time, you can't be afraid of your food; sometimes you just have to have some fun for yourself.

I took a bit of a detour and ordered the Patty Melt: a burger patty on toasted rye bread with grilled onions and Swiss cheese. It was huge, it was greasy, it was fatty ... and oh, man, was it good!!! The pickle was a nice "old" one with lots of flavor, rather than the "new" ones that are too bright and still too cucumber-y. The cole slaw was creamy and very good; I'll eat virtually any kind, though I tend to prefer the vinegar types, so I was very happy to find that this sampling was too stingy and that I wished they'd served me more.

The fries were hot and crisp -- a little more golden brown would have been nice, but these certainly were a good complement to the sandwich. But clearly, the star of the show was the burger, which truly could have served for two meals had Tom and I split it. Does that make me a glutton, that I finished it all??? I was walking a lot! I was on vacation! I was hungry! And I just simply enjoyed it so much that I don't care what anyone thinks of my lack of restraint. Ha!

The afternoon was spent looking at obscure art exhibits, walking some more, drinking yet more Intelligentsia coffee, checking out The Bean in the sunlight, and generally meandering through Chicago. By dinnertime, we needed some sort of food but weren't extraordinarily hungry after our enormous lunchtime feast.

So I took Tom to my favorite gourmet food store -- Fox and Obel. Oh, the spices! The pastas! The jams! The chocolates! The ice creams! The crackers! The cheeses! I bounce around the store like a pinball -- here, there and everywhere.

Since there is a prepared foods counter, we decided to get something simple to eat there: a lovely Greek vegetable salad, since we were feeling a bit nutrition-deprived after those lunchtime burgers, paired with a rich whitefish spread and some crisp crackers. Oh, and don't forget the absolutely luscious cinnamon pound cake, too! That could have been dinner alone ... :) It was rich and buttery but still light, with a streusel that had sunk to the bottom. Sigh ....

So, that was how we spent our Friday -- eating, walking, walking, and eating. Not a bad little vacation, methinks!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday -- Scenes of Chicago, From Differing Perspectives

"Cloud Gate" (a.k.a.: The Bean) ....

The Bean, from below ....

Millennium Park (The Art Institute, The Bean and The Pritzker Bandshell) represented in the Chicago Model City

The Frank Gehry-designed Pritzker Bandshell