Beer and Pizza: Pt. 2

I'm anticipating summertime with my mouth watering for heirloom-tomato-and-basil-with-garlic-rubbed-bread sandwiches. After becoming convinced that it doesn't actually get warm and sunny in Chicago, I semi-satiated my longings with Oberon, Bell's light seasonal wheat beer, and pesto, sausage, and spinach pizza covered in a thick tomato sauce. Caffe Florian's cozy, dark wood charms and thick and crispy not doughy pizza crust almost make it ok that I'm not lake beaching and BBQ-ing.

happy hour

At a faux pub, I ordered a decent but fairly boring beer for an afterwork gathering. Both beer and event exceded expectations. Perhaps influencing each other?

i did not pay $50 to see the live performance of This American Life

The Hideout house drink was perfect, simple (rye, soda, bitters, & lemon), and non sequitur ("The Wooden Leg") .

The accompanying entertainment (illustrated tales) was urbane, humane, and witty

with a tinge of requisite awkward adorable overshare.

last taste of winter

Uncommon Ground has their organic rooftop garden started for the season, but it's too early to for the menu to sprout spring flavors. On the first seventy degree day of the year, we closed the evening with the last of winter's foods.

To drink

Midwest Maple Manhattan: death’s door whiskey, maple syrup, chai infused sweet vermouth, maple sugar rim

To appetize

Artisanal Sausage Sampler: wild boar bratwurst, cognac pheasant sausage, market potato salad, pickled vegetables, whole grain mustard

To eat

Crispy Gunthorp Farm Chicken Breast with polenta, wild mushrooms, and brussel sprout salad

To finish sweetly

Chocolate chip banana bread pudding with whiskey gelato & caramel sauce

am so am grateful for - april 10, 2009

Poets of triple fermentation.

Poets of 70's songstress obscurity & fame.

Poets of words.

tourists/townies - april 9, 2009

Like many Chicago tourists, Marcus and I took advantage of Thursday evening free admission to the Art Institute. We got cultured, but didn't belabor the process by seeing everything or staring meaningfully at pieces that held no interest. It turns out that I'm excellent at naming the nameless "Untitled" pieces.

Like many Chicago tourists, we followed-up our art outing with Chicago-style pizza. I'm making it one of my missions to find beer-and-pizza masterpieces.




Pizza: Giordano's Famous Stuffed Pizza - special sans 'shrooms. Okey dokey.

Beer of choice: Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat. I'm a fan of this simple everyday beer.

Bringing it Together - April 3, 2009

Tito Beveridge used his time at the Interview Show to promote living the dream and making it happen. That is, bringing together your loves and building a life from them. Tito likes science and partying so now he makes an oh so smooth vodka out of Austin, TX.

But it's really Tim Tuten who should be my mentor. He's a co-owner of the Hideout and about to be working under Arne Duncan in the Department of Education. That's pretty much living my dream - having a hand in a fun, cozy, music-filled bar and a toe in education policy.

I believe! Soon enough you'll see me by night in own my bar complete with skee-ball, old timey juke box, and deeeelishous local food tidbits. By day, you'll find me researching and suggesting cross-the-lifespan ed policies for social justice.