11 posts tagged “chicago”

Growing up, not only were our next door neighbors Greek, but so was my classical guitar teacher (with whom I studied for years). It gave me early exposure to Greek food and culture. Mrs.Dadas, our neighbor, was an elegant lady and a wonderful cook.

My family was somewhat adventuresome anyway from a culinary standpoint (at least for the 1960's) and so I developed a real taste and appreciation of Greek food. Our favorite Greek restaurant was the Parthenon, located in Chicago's Greek Town. Last Wednesday night, while I was staying in the Loop, I paid a visit to the Parthenon, which is still in operation. It's been at least 30 years since I've been there.

Chicago has a whole class of restaurants that hardly exist in Seattle. Family-style restaurants that have been in operation for years serving the same specialties, year in and year out. I had the dolmades and they were exactly as I remembered them.

This is about as hot as it ever gets in Seattle, even mid-summer. I had planned some pie-baking over the weekend, but did it last night because I sure as heck won't fire up the oven when it's in the mid-80s.

We've had some lovely fresh local rhubarb, which I've turned into a couple of Rhubarb Custard Pies:

I'll be gone next week - in Chicago on business, with a quick visit up to Northbrook to visit my Dad's wife. I'm on a rather challenging work project currently and the distance from the client (who is based in Chicago) doesn't make it any easier. Mostly I work with clients who are local (in Seattle). I am hoping the Chicago trip gives me some traction there. I am hoping for some decent weather to make up for what I experienced in my February visit.

The weather thankfully was not nearly so frightful as my last trip. In fact, less snow on the ground meant more vegetation was exposed... and more deer were around in our first stop - my Dad's wife Carol's house. The deer are not so shy. But then again, they are probably quite hungry.

While at Carol's, the three of us went to Lyric Opera. I just love how the Lyric Opera House is integrated into the bottom of a office tower.

Inside, Dmitri Hvorostovsky did not disappoint. He and the entire production of Eugine Onegin were just stunning.

On Monday, Drake and I moved our base of operations downtown. Tuesday I lead a workshop for a client who is based downtown.

Tuesday night, we had a lovely, lively dinner at Topolobampo. I normally don't take photos at restaurants, but I couldn't help sneak a shot of the dessert. In the middle, those are warm, mole-filled donuts, topped with warm chocolate sauce.

Tuesday morning we were out for a walk down Adams St. to the lake. On the way back, we stopped in at Millennium Park, including the Cloud Gate:

And back now in Seattle, signs of spring--the cherry blossoms are blooming.

Ten more minutes and really... I'll start packing. We leave tomorrow for Chicago--a mix of personal (family) and business. We are also going to catch (the dreamy) Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the role of Eugine Onegin at Lyric Opera.

But enough goofing around...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM CST TUESDAY.

A MIX OF RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW HAS BEGUN ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. THIS PRECIPITATION WILL START CHANGING OVER TO ALL SNOW THIS EVENING. TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM THIS STORM WILL BE IN THE 5 TO 7 INCH RANGE. SNOW WILL BEGIN DIMINISHING TOWARD DAYBREAK TUESDAY.

WINDS WILL BEGIN INCREASING TO AROUND 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH TONIGHT. ONCE THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND...IT WILL LIKELY START BLOWING AND CAUSING SOME NEAR WHITE OUT CONDITIONS.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS...COMBINED WITH BLOWING SNOW WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS.

A few days after I got back from Chicago last week, I checked recommended feeds from my GoogleReader. Oddly enough, near the top was the Chicagoist blog. Now, I live and work in Seattle, but was born and raised in the Chicago area. Google didn't recommend the Seattleist blog--only the Chicagoist one. It was as if Google somehow knew I just got back from Chicago (similar to when it seemed to know I was both blonde and lived in Seattle--though I can't find that post right now, but it was serving up ads for both Seattle and blond jokes on the same page).

Anyway I've been enjoying news bits from Chicago in my RSS reader. Yesterday it included a video of an old Burt Weinman Ford ad. Anyone in Chicago during the 60s and 70s will remember these.

Image... a 1977 Ford Pinto... just $1888 full delivered price

I arrived to sub-zero temps (-2, -25 wind chill) Sunday night and departed Tuesday in the midst of a classic lake-effect snow storm.

I've been working hard and long but it's OK. My current client provides portfolio management software to financial planners. They've got a great system and we're making it better. The papers on my desk are bits and pieces of the current user interface -- chopped up and recombined. I refer to these fragments as I design the new interface.

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This project, which I started in late September, ends in another three weeks. My next project is already on the radar. I leave Sunday for Chicago, where I'll meet the new client (on Monday). After the meeting, I'll pop on the Metra to visit my Dad's wife Carol. I'll stay overnight at her house and have most of the day Tuesday to visit.

The forecast is not looking very Seattle-like. At all.