Classic Cloons

Oh boy.

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:03:07 -0700

Playoff hockey is a time of year I’ve always enjoyed. And last night, my Red Wings who have had a pretty “meh” season, beat the Anaheim Ducks in Game 7 to advance to the second round. And guess who we get to play? The Blackhawks. The next two weeks will be an interesting few avoiding the hype and coping with the fact this town will be trashing talking my boys non-stop. Fingers crossed for an outstanding series (and of course, a triumphant Wings team).

Hamming it up tourist style. (at Cloud Gate) It’s still...

Sun, 12 May 2013 18:18:00 -0700

Hamming it up tourist style. (at Cloud Gate)

It’s still really fun to be a tourist in your own home town.

Jan 2013: My first trip to Kuma’s Corner. Legendary Metal...

Tue, 07 May 2013 22:45:35 -0700

Jan 2013: My first trip to Kuma’s Corner. Legendary Metal and Burger Bar. We waited 1.5 hours for a table in music that would soundtrack my nightmare, but man, the burgers are amazing and hanging with Adam and Meghan is always a wonderful time. Next time, I will have to try some of the famous whiskey on tap.

2013: New Year’s Day Part Deux The Cordiers hosted a Jets...

Tue, 07 May 2013 22:39:24 -0700

2013: New Year’s Day Part Deux

The Cordiers hosted a Jets and Sweats party. It was, in one word, everythingyoucouldhopeanddreamtodoonNewYearsDaywhenyouarehungoverwanttoloungebuteatpizzaandbewithyourfavoritepeopleandwatchfootball. Or just “awesome” works too.

So glad we’re making this one a tradition for years to come!

2013: New Year’s Day and my first trip to...

Tue, 07 May 2013 22:37:16 -0700

2013: New Year’s Day and my first trip to Portillo’s

I don’t know if I ordered the wrong thing, or Portillo’s had just been so hyped up by all the locals here, but when I finally got to try it for the first time on New Year’s Day with former Chicago native Kelly P (see birthday girl Kel in photos below); I was honestly not impressed.

Which is good - not everything on this blog needs to be sunshine and rainbows (although I do have a skewed view of the world being covered in those things) - but it was a funny way to kick off a new year, full of excitement and hope for good things to come and then have one just be “meh” at best.

I know folks, I’ll give it another try and get a chocolate cake shake someday. Promise.

2012/2013: New Years Eve Fitting that my first NYE as a Chicago...

Tue, 07 May 2013 22:32:00 -0700

Megs and I selfie at sushi

The ladies.

Me, Ryan, Meghan

The gang

Birthday Girl, Kel!

Netto's Birthday Cake

Last stop - Raven's jukebox.

2012/2013: New Years Eve

Fitting that my first NYE as a Chicago resident was invaded by some of my favorite people who I lived with in LA. Netto came up from Virgina (she left LA right before I did) and Kelly came in from San Diego (she move shortly AFTER I did) and if you get back to Zoo lights you know about Megs and Ryan being in town. It was a lovely merging of old friends, new friends, old new friends and old old friends at our friends Caitlin and Allison’s. They hosted an amazing house party, and we put on our favorite sparkling items, grabbed some BYOB sushi and headed over to their place in Lincoln Park. Somehow, karma was on our side and we easily got cabs all night, including one that took us to Raven’s late night where I got mad they were charging a cover (“Why? I’m here almost every weekend!”) and then there was some unnecessary but fully entertaining popcorn throwing. So all in all, a standard good time.

2012: Zoo Lights Good friends Meghan and Ryan who I met in LA...

Tue, 07 May 2013 21:51:00 -0700

2012: Zoo Lights

Good friends Meghan and Ryan who I met in LA but are both Midwest raised came to Chicago to bum around and celebrate New Year’s Eve with me in the city. Which was AWESOME. They got in a night early and before heading to see Book of Mormon, I made us some spiced hot chocolates and we headed to check out the Lincoln Park Zoo Lights. People, let me tell you, this night was awesome. First of all, I learned that the Lincoln Park Zoo has giraffes. Didn’t know that until we went here. Secondly, the lights are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. We had a blast exploring the sites and I look forward to making a visit to the Zoo every year part of many Christmas seasons to come.

And for the record, this morning I ran through the Zoo. Just a side note that running through a free Zoo whenever I want is pretty damn awesome, and I saw a Sichuan Takin, which I didn’t even know was an animal until today. So yea, Chicago, you keep on winning at life.

2012: First visit to Publican Quality Meats All I have to say is...

Tue, 07 May 2013 21:36:00 -0700

2012: First visit to Publican Quality Meats

All I have to say is this place is life changing. So delicious and really started getting me a little too into eating into the West Loop, and hanging out with KK and Kawa. Like those two could suggest anywhere for food and I will follow them into the dark.

Also - had my first Zombie Dust here.. wow that’s great beer.

2012: Christmas in GP Overall, Christmas this year was awesome....

Tue, 07 May 2013 21:30:56 -0700

Came in early and caught up with Rachel and Drew (highly recommend Social in Birmingham)

Dinner before the Lions game at Detroit hot spot Green Dot Stables.

Padge and I at the Lions game.

Sylvia plays us a song on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve - we eat fish, we're Italian.

The Rentenbach men.

Nana and Syliva.

What time the kids woke me up on Christmas morning.

Toby all smiles in a new cap.

Me and my sister!

2012: Christmas in GP

Overall, Christmas this year was awesome. It was fun being in the Winter Wonderland of Chicago and falling in love with winter weather and snowflakes. But what really rounded out the season was heading home to be with friends and more importantly, family. This Christmas was the first time we’ve had my niece and nephew home, and it was so fun. Kids ripping through presents and then watching Elf as a family, it was all in all a perfect holiday.

2012: Christmas Gift from our Office Cupcakes, hot chocolate and...

Tue, 07 May 2013 21:08:20 -0700

2012: Christmas Gift from our Office

Cupcakes, hot chocolate and Carolers. Awwwwwwe.

2012: ChristKrindlmart Visit From Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve,...

Tue, 07 May 2013 21:04:38 -0700

2012: ChristKrindlmart Visit

From Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, Daley Plaza in Chicago turns into a German Christmas Village that is cheesy and wonderful and really makes you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside when you go. (perhaps my spiced wine in a boot help with that?) The city started this tradition in 1996, and moved it to its current location in 1997. They have gift shops that have any ornament you can dream of (so many German pickles!), games for kids, food, hats, sweaters. It is a very fun outdoor open air market (and also a great place for a date). And the website says it’s a great place for you to practice German in case you ever want to do that (looking at you Sherene).

2012: 12 Days of Christmas Bar Crawl Well again; I have come to...

Tue, 07 May 2013 20:51:42 -0700

The agenda

Maria and I ready to hit the town.

My favorites of the night: 7 Swans a swimming

Geese a laying... get it?

(drug) Lords a Leaping

Three French Hens

The team captains photo.

2012: 12 Days of Christmas Bar Crawl

Well again; I have come to the realization I’ve been slacking BIG TIME on not only my Facebook albums but the list I made back in January of uploads to do… it’s 114 days old according to my phone. And oh yea, spring is here so why not go back to reliving that freezing cold winter?

This past December, my old pal Maria invited me on what proved to be one of the most fun bar crawls I have ever been on. The 12 Days of Christmas, where every person in the song is cast and we crawl. I got to be on Maria’s team of 9 Ladies Dancing. What was really fun about this besides the epic costumes was the fact everyone was 1 to 2 degrees from knowing each other, so it was pretty much the most amazing mixer ever. Ran into friends of friends and made plenty of new ones - and finally got to wear a tutu on a bar crawl. I’m hoping to make the cast list again next year!

#firstvisit #derbyhat #wrigley #cubs...

Sat, 04 May 2013 12:23:21 -0700

#firstvisit #derbyhat #wrigley #cubs #ihaventwatchedonesecondofthegame (at Wrigley Field)

Happy what-would-have-been Six Year Anniversary to me and Los...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:24:54 -0700

Happy what-would-have-been Six Year Anniversary to me and Los Angeles. I miss your golden sunshine, sandy beaches but most of all; I miss the amazing friends I had out there. Thankfully, they will be mine for a lifetime. #californialove

Busy River. I apologize folks, after re-reading my blog last...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:05:01 -0700

Busy River.
I apologize folks, after re-reading my blog last night I have realize so many of my posts are about the weather. I will do what I can to remedy that for you 5 followers out there. However, here’s one more. Massive rains this week flooded many of the suburbs and Chicago was forced to reverse the flow of the river away from Lake Michigan so that our rain water is pouring back in. I have never seen the river so brown or so high… That water level is crazy. Please spring, get here soon. It snowed today.

My mind still hasn’t fully wrapped around the fact that...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:16:00 -0700

My mind still hasn’t fully wrapped around the fact that there were bombing this week at the Boston Marathon. Chicago Tribune, this is a beautiful tribute, printed the Tuesday morning after the horrendous incident.

rocketshoes: It’s fake. Who cares. If 1.8 seconds of this are...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 05:39:44 -0700

rocketshoes:

It’s fake. Who cares.

If 1.8 seconds of this are real, this song just reassures everyone’s face that Daft Punk is the best at making music, all the time, always.

Holy shit. How is a loop of like 30 seconds of the song THIS GOOD?

Not so much to so with life in Chicago on the outside; but on many levels this song reminds me if life in this city. That and really all I can think about most days is how excited I am for the full album to come out.

First visit to the Art Institute of Chicago on Saturday 4/13/13.

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:25:59 -0700

First visit to the Art Institute of Chicago on Saturday 4/13/13.

25 things every Chicagoan should know how to do

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:38:04 -0700

25 things every Chicagoan should know how to do:

Actually already knew a couple of these (read - buy wine at Lollapalooza)

Photo

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:16:48 -0700