The Green Zebra

The Green Zebra is another of those Chicago restaurants that has been on my bucket list of restaurants to try ever since I saw it rated as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Chicago. I wanted to see what a true vegetarian restaurant experience would be like since I can't remember ever going to a restaurant that was specifically vegetarian. Well, I have to say that I would not describe  the Green Zebra as one the best vegetarian restaurants in Chicago, I would instead describe it as one of THE BEST restaurants in Chicago. All of the dishes were hearty and provided layers upon layers of flavor. I learned that one of the Green Zebra's secrets is to add egg to a number of their dishes which helps to create the richness and depth that is often lacking in vegetarian dishes.

The menu itself was very eclectic which I hadn't anticipated. I knew that it changed with the seasons but I didn't realize that I would be able to try dishes that ranged from having Asian elements to Italian and everywhere in between. The dishes merged cooking origins and styles in such a way that I didn't have the capacity to notice that they lacked the meat that usually would take precedent in my meals.  I took some photos which I've included below but they do not do the meal justice. I recommend taking the trip to the Green Zebra at your earliest chance and can promise that you will not be disappointed and definitely will not miss the meat!

The Importance of "Me" Days

I've recently discovered just how important it is to take some time out to recharge the batteries every once in awhile and remind myself what it is to be "me". On a particularly dismal Saturday I set about finding some good wine (seen right), bad magazines and even worse television to fill my time. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself (although I think a good deal of that could have been due to the wine) and realized the need to take more time out of my life to just be with myself. I think that it's easy for us to always feel the need to be "doing something" but sometimes not doing anything is when we can get our best thinking done, at least that seems to be the case for me. So cheers to "me" days and the satisfaction they can bring.

The Purple Pig

The Purple Pig is a Chicago restaurant that I had been dying to try ever since it opened last year. The menu boasts an eclectic mix of meats and cheeses prepared with a Mediterranean twist. What's even better is that the plates are served tapas style so that you can order a number of different items and really get a good feel for what the restaurant has to offer.

I FINALLY made it there recently (every time I'd tried to go previously it was packed and had at least a 2 hour wait) and it was definitely worthy of the all the buzz that's been going around about it. I may have overindulged just a bit in trying the Butternut Squash Arancini & Sage Pesto, the Fried Brussel Sprouts with Thyme, Lemon & Chili Flakes, the Roasted Bone Marrow with Herbs, the Chicken Thigh Kebabs with Fried Smashed Potatoes & Tzatziki, the Jamon Serrano with Oyster & Trumpet Mushrooms with Fried Egg over Grilled Bread and the Lemon Panna Cotta but you only live once right, and I should note that I did have a partner in my gluttonous endeavor.

My favorite dishes were surprisingly the Fried Brussel Sprouts (although this dish was difficult to eat) and the Lemon Panna Cotta. The brussel sprouts had an amazing crispy texture and exploded with flavor while providing a hint of heat from the chili flakes. The panna cotta was one of the best desserts that I've ever had which is saying something since I consider myself to be somewhat of a dessert fanatic. The other dishes we tried were really satisfying as well, my only complaint being that the meal as a whole was quite heavy - now that could be due to the items we selected - but everything did seem a bit on the rich-side and you could tell that a lot of salt was used. On the other hand, the service was incredible, the atmosphere was very cozy and comfortable and the presentation of the food was impressive to say the least. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience and am looking forward to making my second trip back to try out even more dishes!

Restaurant menus displayed on the light fixtures

Excellent wine that was recommended by our waitress (it went really well with all of the dishes we selected)

 Roasted Bone Marrow with Herbs

 Fried Brussel Sprouts with Thyme, Lemon & Chili Flakes

 Butternut Squash Arancini & Sage Pesto

 Jamon Serrano with Oyster & Trumpet Mushrooms with Fried Egg over Grilled Bread

 Chicken Thigh Kebabs with Fried Smashed Potatoes & Tzatziki

 Lemon Panna Cotta

Fun surprise at the bottom of the panna cotta! Yay Purple Pig!!!

The things you can find on public transit...

I found this scribbled in a card (pretty "quackers" because it was a card with a happy duck on it) on my bus this this morning and couldn't help but share it. I hope that it wasn't purposely discarded or that maybe the person that it was meant for will find it here somehow (yes, I realize I'm totally ripping off PostSecret right now)...

"I hate that everything came to this - that when everything changes, we can't stay the same. I hate that on the night I should have stayed, I left. I hate that even though you begged, I left. I hate that I can't see. I hate that I can't change what's been changed. I hate that nothing has gotten better and is only getting worse. I hate that having faith means having nothing. I hate that all I feel is hate."
 

The Pacific Coast

I'm currently sitting in the airport traveling back from one of the best weekends I've had to date. I traveled to Portland which ended up serving as a means of celebrating my very much not-anticipated birthday - I only say that because I basically forgot I was having another one so soon after last year.

Turning a year older has given me some time to reflect on my acomplishments, growth and change that's occured over the past year. The thought hadn't occured to me before that I have experienced a lot of changes this past year and have definately come out stronger and a bit more grounded than I was a year ago. I of course have to atribute a lot of that change to the people that I have interacted with in both my personal and professional life this year - so here's to all of you for putting up with me! :)

I am the type of person that can get bogged down in the day-to-day so I feel incredibly grateful for my trip this weekend. I don't think that I've been as happy as I was gallivanting around Portland in quite some time. I loved getting to hop around to a variety of restaurants and shops but my favorite part of the trip was taking an afternoon to drive out to Pacific Coast. The ocean was so beautiful, vast and surprisingly different from others that I've seen. It reminded me that there is a great deal out there to see/experience and really got me excited for my future rather than being nervous about it like I have been as of late. I'm fairly certain that I could have stayed on the coast, become beach-bum and been pretty darn content for the remainder of my days - I guess that can serve as my backup plan in case this whole living in the real world thing doesn't pan out as I hope it does :)

I HIGHLY recommend a trip out the Northwest/Portland given the opportunity. I'll be sharing pictures of my trip as soon as I get out the incredibly dismal Seattle airport and back to my camera cord. Stay tuned!

Ashkenaz Deli

Chicago has a lot of really great delis to visit - it's one of the things I miss whenever I leave and Ashkenaz Deli is no exception. It's a Jewish-sytle deli nestled in the heart of the Gold Coast that has apparently been around for quite some time although I had never noticed it before my recent visit. From the outside Ashkenaz is quite unassuming from the outside, looking no different than any other old-school Chicago deli, but as soon as I walked in my nose is filled with the aroma of freshly-baked bagels and my eyes panned the display case filled with a plethora of home-made salads. Although it was a slightly pricey item I ordered a bagel and lox with homemade cream cheese, tomatoes and onions. In my opinion, how a deli does a bagel and lox is a true testament to their overall quality as a deli. I must say, the sandwich was delicious and served as a bright spot in an otherwise cold and dismal Chicago winter day.