My holiday card to you

Last night we put the Christmas music on, turned on the twinkling lights, lit the cinnamon-scented candles, and got to work.  Writing out our Christmas cards that is.  Which look something like this.  Cute right?  The picture is a bit grainy I know, but nothing a new camera can't fix.  :)  Oh I didn't tell you?  This past weekend Christmas came a week early for me, as I picked out my new DSLR camera!  As soon as I learn it, you can expect to see an improvement in picture quality around these parts. 

But back to the Christmas card.  I thought I'd "send" this little holiday card onto you as well.  I love how little Tipsy is taking her job to pose here so seriously.  She really is the greatest little muse.  And I think she embodies the holiday spirit quite well here too.  And my message from my home to yours couldn't be more true.

So thanks for a great year, a lot of fun, inspiration and learning along the way.  I wouldn't still be blogging if you weren't out there reading, and if I had all your addresses, you can trust I'd spend hours writing each of you individual holiday cards.  But for now, this will have to suffice. :)

A night at Vera

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Friday night the hubs and I headed out to try out Vera, the new West Loop spot focused on Spanish small plates, sherry, and other worldly wines.  Chef Mendez and his wife Elizabeth are the dynamic duo behind the vision, and, if I may appeal to Chicago chef trivia for just a moment, do they not remind you of the Spanish-flair version of Chef Tony and Cathy Mantuano?  I love there are these pairs of culinary forces working as husband and wife teams in Chicago.

But in any case, I digress. Vera quickly grew on me, from my first step in the door.  The small, intimate scene, complete with booths flanking the right, bar flanking the left, and cheese bar just behind it, evoked a sense of neighborhood right away.  Destination diners and locals alike are sure to feel the hospitality, and few other places can you find the Executive Chef out in full sight the entire evening, talking with line cooks, servers, and patrons alike.

And the food.  The food was made with love; rich, rich love.  The bread and trio of butters delectable and sinful, the foie gras even smoother and creamier than the butter if that's possible.  And the lamb chorizo?  Order it.  I know, I know, I must be on a lamb kick (reference here), but I don't think I could come back and pass this dish up.  Next time I will also be trying the brussels sprouts with Iberico ham, and pork belly with persimmon salad.  See, what did I tell you?  Rich love.

Not to mention the sherry and wine selection. Both the husband and I tried a glass of Spanish sherry evoking hazelnuts that was just amazing.  I then stuck with red wines, and tried both a glass of Tempranillo and Cab that were both complex in flavor and really, really good.

I see a section on their website labeled "Classes", with the byline "Coming Soon."  Please, Chef Mendez, let me know when this happens.  I'll be the first person signed up.

the final gift guide

1: infinity scarf / 2: bronze star / 3: hand-forged bangles



a: jonathan adler salt and pepper / b: urchin box / c: small bee dish / d: horn magnifier / e: pure and good hand duo

A: spherical ice tray / B: tortoiseshell toothbrush / C: beer making kit / D: passport holder / E: leather fringe key chain / F: wood grain iPhone case

PS ~ the winner of the holiday decor give-away is Jillian {of cornflake dreams}.  Please email me with your shipping address!

artist spotlight ~ Catherine Cary

Do you ever find that when looking for some inspiration, you turn to one source time and time again?  Perhaps it's a good book, a musician, a quiet part of your home, a favorite inspiration board, or, an artist. 

Catherine Cary's art fills me with inspiration time and time again.  I look to her strong strokes to find my center, to her energetic lines to find motivation.  I happened to meet Catherine this past year at Chicago's Artropolis, and her persona was just as balanced and centered as her art.

So now I wonder, what do you look to for consistent inspiration?

Elegant Holiday Cooking with Terzo Piano

I had the joy of attending the most recent Terzo Piano cooking demonstration, and as usual, found myself departing giddy with the knowledge I'd gained a whole new arsenal of incredible recipes and foodie wisdom.  The theme "Modern Twists on Holiday Classics" included several delectable dishes ~ bacon and onion custard tart with fresh thyme, turkey stew with wild rice, roasted lamb with herbs and garlic (my favorite!), chocolate pecan tart with stout whipped cream, and more. 

The Roasted Lamb with Fresh Herbs was the best lamb I've ever tasted.  Succulent, delicate, and flavorful, I seriously couldn't stop commenting on how wonderful it was.  All the while Chef Meg Colleran Sahs and Tony Mantuano were providing tips for the recipes, pairing each course with a drink, and quizzing the audience to test our food knowledge.  I can't get enough of these events ~ they are one part cooking class, one part foodies mingling, and one part a fabulous dining experience. 

The lamb would be a perfect way to celebrate the upcoming holidays with family, or make it for yourself to eat throughout the week, that way you don't have to share. :)

I've decided if the husband is still in search of a Christmas gift for me, a year's worth of Terzo Piano classes would be just splendid. :)

Holiday decor {a give-away!}

This wintry pine tree is all I need to put me in the holiday spirit.  I think it's such a fun piece, with so much whimsy and just the right touch of shimmer. It could easily fit in with a variety of home decor.  And guess what?  World Market is gifting one to a lucky reader!

To enter simply leave a comment and let me know where you'd use this little guy in your home.  For an extra entry, follow me on Google Friend Connect.

Winner will be chosen Wed Dec 14.  Good luck!
{and Happy Friday}

Stocking Stuffers! {gifts under $25}

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A / B / C / D / E / F / G

Yesterday's talk of stockings had me thinking about what to fill them with.  I'd be happy with any of these lovely finds, and they're all under $25!  I think these would also make excellent grab bag gifts, or gifts to any lady friend, yes? 

Stop by next week for gift ideas at the $50 and under price point.  And head over to Hunter's blog Navy & Orange today to see my guest post gift guide there.  I'll give you a hint ~ none of these items are repeated!

The Holiday Spirit!

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The holiday spirit ~ it's finally hit me!  I was beginning to worry there was something wrong with me, when the talk of Christmas trees and gifts and decor all started, I was still focused on Thanksgiving.  But sometime this past weekend, my mind allowed me to make the switch, and I've been humming holiday tunes ever since.

Humming, and scouring the stores and interwebs for perfect holiday decor.  This is the first Christmas in our new home, which allows me the opportunity to think new decorations!  First up?  Stockings.  The husband and I have been waiting to get matching stockings until we had a proper mantel to decorate. I debated over the above for a while... it was even hard to pick out our pup's. I found I'm really liking felt and burlap stockings this year.  They have just that little bit of modern "oomph" I like in my home.

Do you hang stockings?  What look do you go for?  Anyone still use theirs from childhood?

Espresso Drinking at Bar TOMA

When I walked into Bar TOMA (named for Chicago favorite Chef Tony Mantuano) this past Sunday afternoon, I was excited to test out the acclaimed espresso and experience the atmosphere of the newest joint to enter Gold Coast dining.  Probably most touted for the pizza, Bar TOMA also serves up awesome gelato and an espresso I can unabashedly name "best in town".

It starts with the espresso machine, which is one of four of its kind here in the city.  Then enters the training the baristas need in order to use the machine (Steve was sent to Italy to learn direct from illy!), the illy beans and roast, and the experience ~ a marble stand-up espresso bar; and you have the ultimate in espresso drinking.

I learned so much about espresso, and the main take-away is to enjoy it.  Head barista Steve (@StevePaluck) walked my friend and I through the four sips of a true espresso.  The first, bold and bitter, moves to a more leathery finish with the second sip, until the chocolaty caramel finish becomes more predominant in the third, and the forth sip is even sweet.  Try drinking an espresso in four sips and pay attention to the flavors ~ it's fun!

And don't be too worried about your espresso consumption ~ as I learned that it actually has 75% less caffeine than coffee.  Yep, you heard me.  It's all in the brewing time.  An espresso is brewed a puny 27 seconds compared to coffee which is about 6 minutes.  This allows the flavor to pull in disproportion to the caffeine ~ thus ending up with the richer and bolder cup of espresso compared with coffee.  And ristretto (which is a "short" shot of espresso) is brewed a mere 21 seconds.  And it was my favorite!  It didn't have the same "bite" coming out of the gate, but rather was much smoother upon first sip.

Too much info for you, or are you as geeked out as I am?  I should also add that I sat discussing this with the well-trained barista Steve and my friend who grew up on a dairy farm... so milk also became a big item of discussion, and by the end of this afternoon delight, my drink of choice was transformed from a coffee with skim milk and a dash of sugar to a ristretto black or a cappuccino with whole milk.  Let me break it down for you ~ transformational experience.

Go to Bar TOMA in the morning, afternoon, or evening for a cup of jo, and stay longer than I to experience the food.  I'll be back soon, the mozzarella bar is already calling my name.

Detox Report

Several of you reached out to me the past two days asking how the detox was going, and as usual it makes my day to hear from you.  I thought I'd recap my experience with the leek detox and give you the honest truth.

Tuesday morning - I had leeks for breakfast, and then leek soup a few hours later.  I broke down and had a cup of coffee as well, because I felt verrry tired and wanted to stay productive at work. 

Tuesday afternoon - I was feeling pretty good, so I had the allotted leeks (1/2 cup) for lunch, and then some more leek soup a couple hours later.  It's surprising how leeks are such an appetite suppressant ~ at this point I was amazed I wasn't hungry!

Tuesday evening - Here is where things started to slip a little bit.  I'd worked out Tuesday morning, and was planning to work out Wednesday as well.  I started to fear I wouldn't have enough energy to get through my next work out if I didn't have anything to eat besides leeks, so I broke down and made dinner for both the husband and I.  I kept it to a 4 oz portion of grilled fish and roasted brussel sprouts, but it still made me feel like I wasn't doing the detox justice!

Wednesday morning - I woke up, famished. I made it to the gym, but was starving afterwards.  So I cheated again, and had 1/3 cup oatmeal.  Ugh.  At least I snacked on leek soup throughout the day... though I may have had another cup of coffee.

Wednesday afternoon flew by as I was trying to wrap up work and get packed and in the car for a training session I'm in for the next 2 days.  I was hungry, but too busy to notice. 

Wednesday evening - According to the "rules" the second day's dinner can be a light meal, consisting of a 4-6 oz portion of fish or meat and vegetables.  But since I was going to a work event, I snacked on appetizers and had two glasses of wine instead.  Oops.

So what's the verdict?  Obviously I didn't follow the detox very carefully, and I blame that on my willpower and knowledge of what happens when I get famished (I turn crazy mean I tell you!)  What I learned is that I truly love leeks, and that I also really like variety.  And I didn't come away feeling cleansed, just hungry... but then again I didn't really stick to it to a tee.  I would try it again when I know I can take it a bit more seriously...  But we'll see when that happens ~ I wouldn't hold your breath.  I liken a detox for me like taking candy away from a 5 year old ~ I love food too much not to throw a fit.  :)