Take Me Out to... Wrigley Field

There's a reason Chicago's Wrigley Field is one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois. It's a baseball lover's paradise. So, I guess I'm wondering why it's taken us so long to include it in our stadium tour?


After completely missing it during our first summer in Chicago, this year we made sure to make it a priority. I'm not quite sure how we got so lucky, but we saw three games at Wrigley in one week!

As lifelong baseball fans, we were pretty giddy to get inside such a historic park - and maybe boo the Cubs.


Wrigley is one of just two major league ball parks that still has a manual scoreboard. It's pretty epic. But as awesome as it looks, I've got to be honest with you. I had a little bit of trouble, at first, getting used to it. In no time though I started to really like it. It was nice not being bombarded with commercials, replays and more commercials. I found myself much more into the game!

{I really need to learn Photoshop so I can remove shadows. Sorry, sweetie}
I'm sure you're aware that there's a lot of drama regarding new video scoreboards and all the renovations bound to be made by next year. I have to admit, I really liked the low tech feel of Wrigley. Well, until it was time to leave. Then I got a little creeped out trying to exit those teeny corridors with 40,000 fans. It was a kinda close for comfort. But we survived and it certainly won't keep me from going back again.


The first of our three games was against the Angels. Albert Pujols and his boys stomped the Cubs. All the home runs gave me a chance to witness a Wrigley tradition. The fans throw opponent home run balls back onto the field. It's pretty funny. I've said it before, Chicago baseball fans are unmerciful. It's great to watch.


Our second and third games were part of a Cubs/Cardinals series. They were horrifying. The Cardinals were trounced. It was embarrassing. That's all I have to say about that.

Despite the losses, our visits to Wrigley were pretty fantastic. It definitely lives up to the hype and I'm glad I got to experience it before it gets renovated.

How Wrigley Measures Up:

Hot Dog: We obviously got Chicago dogs - except they didn't have the pickle spears! WHAT?!?

Nachos: We opted for plain chips and cheese and put most of our effort into The Northside Twist and mini cubs helmets full of soft serve ice cream.

Most Obvious Sponsor Presence: Toyota and Budweiser

Unique to Wrigley: What is most unique to Wrigley is soon going to change. Its lack of a jumbo screen is refreshing and charming. Spectators are given the opportunity to actually watch the game on the field! It was really, really nice not to feel inundated with ads.

So what do you think about the anticipated renovations to Wrigley? 

Welcome addition or blasphemy?

Take Me Out to ... The Cell

Nothing says summertime like an afternoon at the ballpark. Since we're Chicago south-siders now, last weekend we decided to cheer on the White Sox and continue our stadium tour.


The White Sox play at U.S. Cellular field which, it turns out, is just a 15ish minute bus ride from our place in the South Loop. We headed to the park early to make sure we had plenty of time to get some Sox gear before we made the trek up to our seats.


As always, what we ate during the game was just as important as what happened on the field. I can report that both resulted in happy endings. Hot dogs, Nachos and a special U.S. Cellular treat, corn off the cob, were on the menu and the Sox won. We had literally nothing to complain about.


But during the fourth inning something happened for which I had no frame of reference. One of the Sox players, Adam Dunn, came up to bat and the entire crowd started to boo. I was completely confused. Why were they booing their own player? And it didn't stop there. The 4 tween boys in front of us started to heckle him. Like, SERIOUSLY heckle him. They were unmerciful. They were unrelenting. They were hysterical.

Now, I was born and raised in Cardinal nation. We are loyal fans. We love our boys of summer (Unless they ditch us for LA - Just ask Pujols). I have never seen a home crowd boo or taunt their own player. In fact, Cardinals fans rarely boo opposing players! At first, I was mortified. But then I couldn't help laughing.

Chicago is a tough town. Apparently Dunn hadn't been producing and so the fans made it known that they were disappointed. Loudly. As a side note, Dunn hit 2 home runs on Wednesday, so maybe the tough love worked. Regardless it was an eye opening and entertaining experience.

How The Cell Measures Up: 

Hot Dog: Obviously, the Comiskey Dogs (Just Chicago Dogs by another name) were fantastic.

Nachos: Pulled pork Nachos were okay. Is it strange to say we were hoping for neon yellow cheese sauce and were disappointed with the sprinkle cheese that we got instead?

Most Obvious Sponsor Presence: U.S. Cellular, Miller Lite and Pepsi

Unique to The Cell: We bought seats in the upper deck and weren't even allowed to VISIT or check out the stadium at field level! They definitely kept us, the unwashed peons, separated from the fancy folks.

Do you have any plans to catch a ballgame this summer?

 

Operation Fruit Cake

I've mentioned once or twice that this is our first Chicago Christmas season. I'm in a merry, merry mood about it and have been inspired to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas (a little early) here on la bloggy blog.

On the first day of our Chicago Christmas we considered a new holiday tradition: Fruit Cake.

Having never tried Fruit Cake before, I thought it might be a fun project that might also qualify for my quest to "Eat 25 Foods that Make Other People Gag."

Source: funandfoodcafe.com via Molly

Confession: That is not my fruit cake.

But it IS the fruit cake that inspired my fruit cake.

It turns out the fruit cake baking process is way more intensive than I anticipated. Three days more intensive... Here's the run down.

Day One: Candy Cherries and Prepare Fruit.


Check.

Day Two: Bake Cake.



Check.

Day Three: Drench in Golden Syrup and wait for the cake to drink it in.


Check.

Day Four: Eat.


Check.

Now, I won't say that Fruit Cake is my favorite holiday treat. But it's far from gag-worthy... and that's a good thing because we have a boat load of it.

Thankfully, according to the recipe, it will keep for months if you continue to drench it in syrup regularly. I have a hunch that it will taste even better as it drinks in more syrup. I mean what doesn't?

"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."

Buddy the Elf

This fruit cake is incredibly dense and not overly sweet (probably needs more syrup). If you decide to make the recipe, I suggest you cut it in half, thirds or maybe fifths. (Seriously we have 5 cakes and more batter in the fridge). Also, I really wish that I'd set aside some candied cherries to make the top festive.  Other than that, I deem operation fruit cake to be a rousing success.

So tell me, fruit cake, yay or nay?

Something Fishy

The handsome hubby learned something very early in our relationship. To plan a great date one thing must be included - good food.

Last weekend's date night definitely qualified as a "great" one. Not only did we feast on sushi (my favorite) I got to eat a few things that might make others gag. As weird as it sounds, one of the items on my Ultimate To DO list is try 25 things that fit that description.


We started our meal at OYSY's (50 E Grand Ave, River North) with a bright, refreshing, tentacle loaded octopus salad. As a huge fan of octopus, I appreciated that it wasn't overworked. It was lightly marinated, combined with some pretty veggies and dressed in a fresh lime dressing.

But really, octopus is pretty pedestrian compared to what came next.


Deep fried shrimp head.


And I ate it. The whole thing - antennae and legs and eye balls.

Before I dug in, I verified with the waitress that it was intended to be eaten. The last thing I wanted to do was eat a "decorative" element. The waitress explained that she has never tried one, but fried shrimp heads are something her father really loves. She reassured me it was on the plate to be eaten.

I mean, she practically dared me.

I asked her if I should just eat it whole and she explained that I could do that or crack it open and eat the "insides." The thought of that was too much for me, so I took the easy route. I ate it all in a few bites. And until I got to the legs, it was delicious. It was like a dumpling with filling that I prefer not to identify.

But the legs and antennae were a bit much for me. They aren't something I'd revisit. They were flavorless, unpleasantly crunchy and they got stuck in my teeth. Not ideal.

Next time, I'll stop a bite before the legs.

I believe the tastiness of the shrimp head is further proof that you can fry just about anything and it will taste pretty dang good.

What the strangest fried food you've ever enjoyed?

Mmm Mmm Monday: Dinger Dogs

We also got a chance to catch a Twins game while we were on our road trip to Minneapolis.

I bet you couldn't guess that an important part of our ball park experience is dinner.


At Target Field we got Dinger Dogs. Dinger Dogs aren't your average hot dogs. They're foot long hot dogs!


We also stuffed ourselves with Nachos.  In case it's tough to see (disposable camera problems) that is an adult sized batting helmut filled with ooey, gooey Nachos.

Indulgent or what?


In 1987, the Minnesota Twins beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Therefore, I hereby dub that banner the banner of shame.

How Target Field Measures Up 

Hot Dog: The Dinger Dog was definitely filling. I'm not going to say it was the tastiest dog I've ever tried, but it definitely gets points for being nearly two dogs in one!

Nachos: Again, here, they get high points for quantity. Yellow corn chips, nacho cheese, ground beef and jalapeños...and lots of it. And plenty of novelty points for being served in a batting helmet.

Most Obvious Sponsor Presence: The Twins play in Target Field... but Budweiser, US Bank and Best Buy had a very visible presence also.

Unique to Target Field: During one of the innings they had a little boy helping with announcer duties.  He called out each player before their at bat started. It was pretty stinking cute.

Our trip to Target Field means another stadium crossed off the list and another major league culinary experience. What the sports fans in the twin cities might be missing in flavor they certainly make up for in portion size. Perhaps they're packing in the calories for the cold weather on the horizon.

Are you totally grossed out that we ingested that much junk food during 9 innings?

Check Here for Part 1 of our Minneapolis Road Trip Recap

Road Trip Recap

Last weekend, the handsome hubby and I set off on a road trip. I bet you've been sitting on the edge of your seat wondering where we were headed, haven't you?
Well, your wait is over. I'm here with all the dirt.


We drove North through Wisconsin (which was surprisingly picturesque) and ended up in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Unfortunately, about two hours into the drive I reached for my camera only to discover I'd left it back in Chicago. But we didn't let that stop us from documenting the trip. We stopped and bought a few disposable cameras and continued on our merry way.

confetti | lasers | light up bracelets
fantastic effects almost as great as the band
Friday night we saw Coldplay in concert!

Yes, we drove to Minneapolis to see them even though
they'd been in Chicago earlier that week.

We spent Saturday afternoon at the Mall of America. No sales tax on clothing or shoes, a selection of roller coasters and I mean, come on, it's the MALL OF AMERICA enticed us to spend a few hours exploring it.



Enormous Lego sculptures were an unanticipated bonus.

holy puffy-faced, early morning, pre-coffee face!! This is clearly an instance where being able to see the picture immediately would have come in handy.

This trip meant that I'm one step closer to visiting all 50 states! Yay for progress on my Ultimate To DO list.

Any adventures in Minneapolis you can share?

Mmm Mmm Monday: Taste of Chicago

I was warned by several savvy Chicago locals to stay away from the Taste of Chicago.

They said it was too crowded. They warned it had become increasingly dangerous over the past few years. They all agreed that it wasn't worth the trip. They unanimously advised staying away.

Turns out I ignored their advice.

Since the Taste was within walking distance of our place and one of the biggest food events in Chicago, I couldn't very well skip it all together. I mean, come on. But I did keep the heart of their advice in mind and kept my visits short and around lunch time.

Perhaps it was my low expectations, but I enjoyed myself. Although I didn't spend much more than a few hours spread over two trips, I had a delicious time.

(Especially since I had a fist full of FREE tickets to use on my 2nd trip! 

Thank you, Bill, Vicki and Ann.)

I tried an Asian Carp Slider with tomato-jalapeno chutney. That's right, I said Asian Carp. Yes, THAT Asian Carp. I didn't find the carp to be nearly as tasty as the chutney it was slathered in. But I'm definitely counting that as one of my "25 foods that will make other people gag."

I tried Raw "Spaghetti & Meatballs." Which was zucchini ribbons, cold marinara and a carrot and nut faux meat ball. Now, I know this sounds a little bit weird. But it was incredibly refreshing and delicious. So good in fact, I'm adding raw to "must try" restaurants.
There was a helping of tempura fried veggies and potatoes with chipotle dipping sauce that I thought tasted entirely too rich and decadent to be healthy. However, knowing they were prepared by Karyn's on Green, I figure I must be wrong.
But after all those veggies, this girl needed a little bit of meat. A helping of Robinson's rib tips hit the spot.
I also tried a "cheezborger cheezborger" from Billy Goat Tavern (the burger was meh but the pickles were outstanding), Bulgogi from Jin Ju (fantastic), a dark chocolate covered frozen banana from the Fudge Pot (yum) and a small cup of rainbow cone (more! please!).
Sure it was crowded. Sure it was hot. But the lunch crowd was comprised mostly of families so I never felt anything but safe. The portion sizes were pretty reasonable for the prices. And I thought there was a great variety of foods to sample. 
Now, I can't claim to be a Taste of Chicago expert. I was too hot to stick around for any of the cooking demonstrations and I didn't bother to get tickets for any of the concerts. But my limited experience this year was positive enough to warrant a trip back next year. What it lacked in ambiance (black top, crowds and ohhhhh the heat) it definitely made up for in good eats.
Are you a fan of street/food festivals? Or if you're in Chicago - Did you make it to the Taste?

Campy Nostalgia: A Visit to Southfork

For years during my childhood, Friday night meant two things in my house, Imo's pizza and Dallas on television. The Ewings and the Barnes and their family feud was how my parents and I would kick off the weekend. It was a big haired, shoulder padded, cowboy hat wearing weekly tradition.

{image source}

So imagine my excitement when I had the chance to visit SOUTHFORK ranch earlier this year. The hubby was in training, and I got to join him in Dallas for a few days. While he was in class I snuck out and headed to Parker, TX. I spent the afternoon touring an iconic television homestead. It. Was. Epic.




It was on that tour, that I realized that soon, very soon, TNT would be airing an all new Dallas! This time around, John Ross and Christopher (J.R. and Bobby's sons) will be the one battling it out. It's a whole new generation of campy, oil soaked, television drama.

{image source}

And it all starts tonight!




Unfortunately, they weren't filming at Southfork the day that I was there. But, the house was used for location shoots for the new series.  The whole tour staff was happy to share stories of how wonderfully sweet and friendly Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray and Larry Hagman all are. I slurped up every bit of name dropping goodness like any life long Dallas fan certainly would. I was in geeky, fanatic heaven.




My trip to Southfork definitely made my first trip the Longhorn state totally memorable. Not only could I check another state off the Ultimate To DO list, I got to take a step back in time. As bizarre as it is, Southfork is a cherished piece of my childhood. Here's hoping the new series is an equally guilty pleasure.


Is there a television location from your childhood that you'd love to visit?

Birth

First let me say, Anna's birth was nothing like what I have witnessed for years on television and in the movies.

Nobody was screaming, panting or yelling at their husband, "You did this to me!" Nobody on the hospital's staff was running around panicked or flirting/fighting with their co-worker/lover. And, though Anna came quickly, it certainly wasn't a 2 big pushes and "ta da," the baby is here.

After witnessing the birth of Miss Anna Christine, I can truthfully say it was undoubtedly the most miraculous, jaw dropping, emotionally surprising, awe inspiring event I have ever experienced.



Her Mom and Dad checked into the hospital around seven o'clock in the morning and by five o'clock in the afternoon, she was here.

No muss, no fuss. (Although Momma Jill, might have a different story to tell you from her perspective.)

I was incredibly surprised by how much the experience affected me emotionally. I didn't expect to feel so protective of Momma and baby through the labor process. I didn't expect to feel so helpless when Jill was in pain. I didn't expect to get nervous and anxious as I watched the nurse prepare for Anna's entrance into the world. I didn't expect my heart to swell with admiration and awe after each round of pushing. I didn't expect to shed tears of joy when Anna finally arrived.


So, although I was reeling from being so horribly mislead by television and film for all of these years, I wouldn't change a moment of Monday. It was all so, so different than I expected it to be. It was all so, so much more magical than I anticipated. I have so much respect for my strong, capable friend. She was composed, funny, and brave through all of the pain. I was tickled to watch how enamored the proud Pappa was from the moment Anna appeared on the scene.






I'm not sure what I expected when I added "Witness a Birth" to my Ultimate To DO list. Knowing we have no intentions of having our own children, it seemed like something cool to add to the list. I guess I figured it was something you don't see every day. I guess I figured it was something entertaining to write about. But, two days later I still find myself emotionally affected by what I witnessed.

As is so often in my life, I got much more than I bargained for. My heart is brimming with gratitude. I feel honored to have been welcomed in to share such an enormous event. I feel inexplicably tied to sweet, little Anna. I feel a whole lot of other stuff that I'm not going to share here - and no it isn't baby fever.

I will tell you though, I have been incredibly emotional since Monday. For years I've laughed at my Momma friends who cry at things like Hallmark commercials. But suddenly, that's me. Do you think pregnancy hormones are contagious?

 If one person asks me when I'm having my own baby, I promise I will cut you.

Jill, see how much I love you?

Not one picture of you appeared in this post. And I have them. Boy do I have them.

Consider that my little way of saying, "Thank you and I love you."