This weekend was...

chicks, chocolate, and Chekhov- in that order.

On the road

Me and my sis

The fabulous JKL

See, I promised you chicks!

Hint: when you go to see a Chekhov play, or for that matter any Russian drama, and they mention a "sudden loud noise" in the final act...they're just opening a big bag of chips...no they're not...

Rice Pudding Pizza

We ate some delicious food and tried on some gorgeous vintage wear while in New York. 

 Best vintage store ever? Easily Amarcord Vintage Fashion in Soho. I picked up a YSL skirt that I am still not brave enough to wear (I'm working up to it). Hayley bought a necklace by Givenchy that is so beautiful she plans on leaving it in her will to her future imaginary children. 

Funny story, my mom was recognized by a celebrity. While we were in Amarcord, Matthew Modine (of Married to the Mob fame) entered the store to ask if they carried prom dresses. They said yes and he exited to make a phone call. I was like, "That's Matthew Modine, ya'all" and they knew it to be so.

While we were leaving, Matthew Modine tapped my mom on the shoulder and asked, "I'm sorry. Have we met?" She blew him off. At first I totally thought he was trying to pick her up, which on second thought, I'm pretty sure he wasn't. Although, my mom does get hit on a lot. Me not at all. I'm ill tempered and squinty, but my mom is a lovely vivacious woman, so there you go. Anyhoo, my mom was recognized by a celebrity.

 Lombardi's pizza was gooey and delightful. We got two types of pizza: margherita and white. Both were crispy and fresh out of the oven.

 This trip weren't for no faint of heart sissy eaters. We stopped by Rice to Riches for some post-pizza rice pudding. They have the best spoons, one of which I kept and packed in my luggage. I really liked the spoon.

We rounded out the evening with some sky scraping sandwiches at Junior's in Times Square and then a walk to Rockerfeller Plaza. Loooooved Junior's, mostly for the ambiance, but the food was pretty solid as well. If you go try the egg cream (don't worry no egg in it) and the cheesecake and the red devil food cake and the black out cheesecake and well...just try everything.

The Great Steppenwolf Cheese Massacre

On our second day of Chicago-ness, Hayley and I opted for some fried chicken, skyscrapers, cheese, and a wee bit of theatre (spelled with a -re). I was staying in the Lakeview District of Chicago, which is pretty goshdarn adorable and even has its own mosaic tile welcome wall-mat. So lets start here.

Time to suit up.

Hayley's look = Steel-Eyed Ballerina

My look = Hardworking 1st Baseman

We journeyed to a restaurant called Crisp which I had discovered the week before by following nice smells in the area. Our meal was the culinary highlight of our trip. Take the best chicken strips you've ever had, then cover them with the most delicious soy sauce concoction you could ever imagine. Of course, we also had to get in on some rice and veggie action. We paired our entree with diet A&Ws. The flavors melded very well. Seriously, if you are ever in the Lakeview area, GO to Crisp. 

 So happy!

So full!

In the afternoon, we signed up for an Architectural Boat Tour. It was the best 2 hour nap ever. Just kidding. I don't know what it is about boats, but they make me feel like a sleepy baby in a hammock. I should mention that by this point I had been in Chicago for a week, but had yet to go into the downtown area. Did you know they have skyscrapers there? In fact, Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper. Wow. Those suckers are tall. 

The skyscrapers actually made me feel very small and insignificant and structurally unsound. Skycrapers: the supermodels of architecture. Speaking of large buildings, deep-dish pizza. We took a walk down Michigan Ave and found ourselves at Giardano's world famous pizza. 

Oh, sweet slice of pizza

scene of the crime

We then high-tailed it to Steppenwolf Theatre where we saw the quietly gorgeous Middletown by Will Eno. The play takes place in a small-town where a new comer Mary forms a friendship with a handyman named John. It talks about connection, loneliness, and our inability to see how breathtaking life really is. I would call it "Our Town" for an isolated generation and a damn fine piece of theatre. To quote the play, "Some of the dust on my shoes is from outer space. Most of the rest is dead human skin. Infinity, asteroids, and your great-great grandmother. All that struggle and science and stale candy in every little speck. You look at it and you think dirt. That's not even half the story."

All told, a simply loverly way to spend a day in Chicago.

I pretend to be a stepping wolf.