Sweet T and a Honey B
Food, Fitness, and the Adventures That Make Life Sweet

Doggie Day Revenge!

Very few weekend activities can so easily combine my favorite things; a cold beer on a summer afternoon, the chance to give back to a very worthy cause, and dogs. A LOT of dogs. Lo and behold, I stumbled upon an event scheduled for Labor Day Weekend that included all of these things while mindlessly browsing Facebook last week. Lagunitas Brewing Company, one of me and hubs favorite breweries in Chicago, was hosting an event they called ‘Doggie Day Revenge’. This afternoon get-together was essentially one big party aimed at celebrating Chicago locals, their pups, and ‘One Tail at a Time‘ (or OTAT)- a no-kill, all breed, dog rescue that commits themselves to reducing euthanasia rates in the city and surrounding area in hopes of making Chicago the next no-kill city. They have facilitated 2,000 adoptions to-date and are located in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. We were looking forward to an afternoon of good brews and playing with an endless amount of pups, but were even more excited to find out that all proceeds from admission was going to such an incredible cause. 

With admission / the donation to OTAT, everyone received a treat! Bryan and I each received a token for a beer and Whiskey got a very fashionable orange Lagunitas bandana that he looked very handsome in. The parking lot was transformed in to an absolute doggie heaven. There was a designated area for the pups to play off-leash complete with sprinklers, small pools, approximately a million tennis balls, and a few shaded areas. What was even better about this area was that we could bring our beers in with us while we watched Whiskey play with some new friends. When our little buddy got wet, a little muddy, and good and tired, we purchased a couple of tamales (YUM) to enjoy at the tables set up in the lot while we chatted with some fellow dog + beer lovers. 

I couldn’t decide if Bryan was more excited for an afternoon IPA or if Whiskey was more excited about the smell of chicken tamales…?

In addition to Lagunitas tapping a few of their beers (I had their appropriately named ‘DogTown’ Pale Ale) and the tamales available for purchase, they of course thought about our furry friends too! Wiggle Waggles Pet Food Truck was in attendance for the event and Whiskey was such a good boy that we picked out a peanut butter/banana cookie for him to enjoy at the party and a bacon/cheese cookie to take home. 

Whiskey waited very patiently for his cookies

 

This was such a thoughtfully put together event and a fun way to close out the summer! We all left with full bellies and tired eyes after playing in the water + sun. I loved Lagunitas and their extremely tasty brews before, but knowing that they celebrate and appreciate rescue pups as much as I do make them number 1 in my book. I’m hoping they make this an annual event because Bryan, Whiskey, and I will certainly be in attendance at next year’s party!

 

After doing a little more research, I found that One Tail at a Time is so much more than an adoption/fostering organization. OTAT offers solutions to Chicago’s issues surrounding pets with ‘community pet days’ where owners in need of resources receive microchips, vaccines, and spay/neuter vouchers in effort to keep pets with their owners and out of shelters! They have also established a shelter diversion program with seven no-kill rescues in the area. Four days a week, volunteers are on site at Chicago animal control to try and help owners figure out a way to keep their pets as opposed to surrendering them. If a pet has to be surrendered, volunteers immediately begin working with the partnered no-kill rescues in order for that pet to be taken in by one of the rescues instead of the city shelter. These are just a couple of ways that OTAT interacts with the community in order to provide resources and educate pet owners on top of facilitating foster homes and adoptions. I was proud to support One Tail at a Time this past weekend and I plan on finding ways to do so in the future! Please click this link to donate to OTAT and help bathe/groom, feed, vaccinate, or even save the life of a rescue animal in our city!

 

Our boy left a little wet, a little muddy, and very happy!

The Wooden Spoon

Last week Bryan and I celebrated our three year wedding anniversary and it’s unbelievable how much has changed and how fast these three years went by. I love this man more and more each day and have truly enjoyed having him as my partner to tackle life’s lows and celebrate the highs. With that said, as I am sure the majority of couples can relate, it’s easy to get caught up in day to day routines. Often times we have to remind ourselves to step back from the responsibilities of running a home, graduate school, work e-mails, taking care of a dog, etc. and that before any of this, it was just him and I wanting to spend every moment together (still true..well..most of the time 😉 ). Because him and I usually have so much going on, date nights are sometimes a rare commodity. This is why I surprised him with a cooking class in the city to enjoy some wine + good food, celebrate these last three years, and possibly learn a thing or two along the way. 

While researching the dozens of places to partake in a cooking class in Chicago, one place in particular caught my eye. The Wooden Spoon had everything I was looking for – an intimate setting with a great menu, knowledgeable chefs, and was tucked inside of one of Chicago’s many interesting neighborhoods. It was a mere coincidence that once I had decided on this location for our class, they had a ‘Whiskey Grilling’ class scheduled for the week following our anniversary. I was sold. 

Let me start off by saying that this is one of those times I wish I could capture just how incredible of an experience we had in a blog post. I got a small taste of how kind and patient everyone is there after a small bout of panic while calling and telling them we would be 25 minutes late to our class due to a bad accident on Lake Shore Drive. Needless to say, we arrived a little bit flustered but were greeted by Chef Richard and four other wonderful couples with cheers, blue aprons labeled with our names, and wine opener to quickly get the Zinfandel flowing. 

The Location

In order to convey how cool this place was, it’s definitely worth mentioning the neighborhood as well as the welcoming store front, store and kitchen set up, and beautiful outdoor grilling area. The Wooden Spoon is located in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood and is family owned and operated. Upon arrival you are greeted by an adorable store front complete with an actual giant wooden spoon, windows adorned with various kitchen gadgets, and chalkboards boasting the cooking classes scheduled for that day. It’s also important to mention that The Wooden Spoon is not just a cooking school but also a one stop shop for pretty much any kitchen tool or gadget you’re looking for. I had barely gotten my apron on and I had already made mental note of a few items I wanted to purchase after class. 

At the back of the store is the kitchen area out of even the most inexperienced of chef’s dreams. At the center of the prep and seating area is the equipment and enough open space to ensure that everyone feels included in the preparing/cooking of the meal and for the Chef of the evening to demonstrate and answer questions. 

Just outside the back door of the kitchen is the patio and grill. I could have easily spent all evening on this patio staring at the colorful mosaic tiled pizza oven and charming fountain and garden area. We got incredibly lucky with perfect grilling weather for the evening and as a result, we were able to socialize with everyone inside and outside while we sipped on our wine and waited for the last few dishes to finish up. 

 

The Chef

Bryan and I both agreed that Chef Richard Ginn was probably one of the coolest people we have ever met. If I could describe the ideal person to walk us through how to cook with our favorite beverage – it would be him. Originally from South Carolina, Chef Richard is not only part of the team at The Wooden Spoon, but also has his own custom furniture design and construction company in Chicago called Riftsawn Woodworks. With such an interesting background, we really enjoyed learning from him and he creates an environment in which every couple feels relaxed and comfortable asking questions. 

 

The Menu

It would be ridiculous to not mention what we made but I left this for last because I sit here still dreaming about easily one of the best meals I have ever had (husband agrees too). The pictures I took on my phone don’t do any of this any sort of justice but I was desperate to capture each and every dish. 

The couples began with preparing of all the sauces/glazes we would need, chopping vegetables, and combining the ingredients for the dessert. After the initial prep, the real nitty gritty of the meal began. First up was Grilled Shrimp with a Whiskey Cocktail Sauce. This looked delectable despite me not being able to take part (silly shellfish allergy). Luckily, Bryan took one for the team and ate both of our shrimp portions. Between bites, his only words were “holy crap”.  I’d call that a stamp of approval.

Next, the couples split up cooking the main dishes and sides. This included Grilled Chicken with a Whiskey BBQ sauce and spicy slaw, Grilled Whiskey Mustard Pork Chops with grilled apples, and Whiskey Glazed Carrots (this was my”holy crap” moment – we’re talking carrots glazed in butter, brown sugar, and whiskey, people). While it’s easy to say that any of this was the ‘best of’ chicken, pork, vegetables, etc. we’ve ever had – let’s talk dessert…

GUYS.

 

I kid you not- there was complete silence once the Double Chocolate Whiskey Cake with Whiskey Chocolate Ganache was served and everyone took their first bites. We’re talking out-of-body-experience kind of cake. It was the perfect amount of moist (I hate that word) cake mixed with a warm, oozing, ganache at the center of it all. One of the other ladies in our group caught eyes with me from across the seating area, shook her head, and threw up her arms in praise. We were each able to have a gigantic slice and I borderline licked the plate. 

Bryan’s reaction: “I never want another kind of cake for my birthday ever again”. 

We ended the evening with applause for ourselves and Chef Richard, took pictures with our newly made cooking friends, and perused the shop for some must-have kitchen items. Bryan and I picked up a cute cast iron cook book, new meat thermometer, and of course- a couple of adorable wooden spoons with their logo to remember the evening by.

 

 

To say that we left with our bellies full is the understatement of the year. I loved that Bryan and I got to share this experience together and we will 100% be going back for future classes. The recipes from the evening were shared with us via e-mail minutes after we left the class and I know these dishes will be on rotation in our own kitchen here at home. I more than recommend The Wooden Spoon for your own date night or a fun evening out with a group of friends. Thank you to everyone at The Wooden Spoon for making our anniversary celebration such a special one!

 

Link here to the calendar of classes to book your own experience at The Wooden Spoon!

 

 

A Very Special Christmas Tradition

Every year since I was about 15, my mom and I make it a point to take one full day out of the busy and fast-paced weeks leading up to Christmas for our annual ‘Christmas in the City Day’. We take the train downtown, eat lunch at Pizano’s (our favorite pizza in Chicago), finish up some Christmas shopping, and take in all of the lights at the Christkindl Market at Daley Plaza. Our evening ends wrapping presents, cooking a warm dinner, and watching the Bells of St. Mary’s on our old VHS tape that was recorded just shortly after I was born. This is arguably my favorite day every year, especially the last few years after I’ve moved out of the house and gotten married. Now we call it our annual ‘sleepover’. 

This tradition was extra special this year. Almost six months ago to the day, I had more than a few moments where I was unsure Mom was even going to be here, let alone shoveling pizza and dodging hundreds of Christmas shoppers. Back in June, I wrote about mom having a benign brain tumor removed and a couple complications she had afterwards. At that time I wrote about that, little did I know the complications were only beginning. After an infection that left her in a debilitating amount of pain, a stroke on the night of the 4th of July, and two very dangerous allergic reactions to medication, the summer thankfully ended and mom came home for good. I didn’t share a lot of this at the time because our family experienced so many ups and downs-and the downs were very scary. Watching my best friend experience so much pain and depression due to her temporary loss of independence was difficult to say the least. June, July, and August are a complete blur and that time period is still one I get emotional thinking about. A lot of my emotion comes from the pride I have for her and how hard she worked every day to get better. There were many days where even standing up to the use the restroom was a huge feat yet here we are six months and a world of difference later. 

This weekend, we made the decision to change this year’s ‘Christmas in the City’ to ‘Christmas in the Burbs’ as Mom is still finding her balance in large crowds, but I can truthfully say this was the most fun we’ve had to date. I picked her up just before lunch time and we still managed to make a stop at Lou Malnati’s for some deep dish pepperoni pizza. In the last few years, there has been a Christkindl Market location in the suburbs and this year we took full advantage. We did a couple laps while sipping on Hot Cocoa with fresh Bavarian cream and munching on cinnamon roasted pecans (this day never lacks in the snack department). After a little while, we made our way to the outlet mall for a bit of shopping. In full disclosure, we bought more presents for ourselves than others this weekend 😉  

After being out in the cold all day, it was time to head home to wrap some presents and watch our movie. Mom made us some toasted ham sandwiches and coffee while we transformed her living room in to Santa’s workshop for the night. I made it a point to stand back and take in how wonderful the entire day had turned out to be. I ended up being the one that had a hard time keeping up with her and fell asleep on the couch by the tree. 

Our day was nothing less than perfect and watching my mom participate in our normal traditions while enjoying herself fully made my entire Christmas season. I continue to be in awe of how hard she pushes herself to get a little better each day and I hope this tradition is something we carry on for many years-complete with a pepperoni pizza. 

Rock N Roll Chicago – My First 10K!

How many times can one say they had a weekend of quality time with their loved one, good food and sightseeing, accomplished a long time goal, enjoyed beautiful weather, and didn’t have to go far from home to do so? This was easily one of the most fulfilling weekends I’ve had in quite a while and an experience I was so excited to share with my husband. 

Not long after our last lengthy race, Bry and I decided to begin training for the Humana Rock and Roll Half Marathon (or in my case, the 10K, let’s not get crazy here). Runner’s high is a real thing and finishing our races in April left us with the need to push ourselves a little further. The timing also worked out perfectly because our two year wedding anniversary was on July 11th. We figured an overnight in our own city  (that we don’t explore nearly as much as we would like to) would be an ideal way to celebrate – and a shiny new medal wouldn’t be bad either 😉 

We drove downtown to the Health & Fitness Expo on Saturday afternoon to pick up our bibs, shirts, and take a peek at some new running gear. Being around all of these people who are working towards the same goal that weekend is pretty cool and the energy at the expo made us even more ready to begin our runs the following day. After browsing a bit and taking some pictures, we headed to the Hilton to drop our stuff off and grab some lunch. I had been hearing about a restaurant/cafe called ‘Goddess and the Baker‘ for quite some time and luckily it was a 15 minute walk from the hotel. Holy..cow..did I love this place. I am so sorry I had not ventured downtown sooner to try it. Their menu boasts fresh and seasonal choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner complete with a HUGE selection of delicious looking/tasting pastries and a heavenly coffee bar. It was really difficult for me to pick just one thing to eat off their menu but I chose their Chicken Club sandwich and kombucha to drink. Bryan and I sat by the window and enjoyed the people watching. I also couldn’t pass up a macaron and cold brew on my way out. This is easily my new favorite spot downtown and I am already looking forward to trying the naan bread grilled cheese next time 🙂 

We quick stopped at CVS to stock up on Larabars and water for the morning (I forgot the city doesn’t provide grocery bags anymore..) and walked back to the hotel for unpacking, a small nap, and stretching. Before we knew it, it was time to explore again and we certainly wanted to enjoy the 80 degree weather. Since we had to call it an early night, we wanted to stay close, so we ended up where every other tourist in the city ends up – Millennium Park. Though this time, we didn’t take the typical ‘Bean’ selfie, but stopped under the bandshell to listen to some classical music and perused the new Maggie Daley park. Did I mention how perfect the weather was? It seemed like everyone and their cousin was outside enjoying the music and the breeze off the lake. We enjoyed some dinner al fresco at the Plaza in Millennium Park underneath my favorite string lights and headed back for the hotel to rest up before bed. 

Let me tell you – 4:30am comes early on a normal day, but when you have to run 6.2 or 13.1 miles, it comes extra early. We rolled out of bed, stretched, and tried to shred some pre-race jitters. Bry and I each went our separate ways and headed towards our corrals around 6am as the race officially began at 6:30. It wasn’t long before my corral was up to the starting line and I started my first 10K! Running along the lake shore was so much more scenic compared to my usual runs at the park by our house. The view certainly made the first three miles go by really quickly. I started feeling a bit tired at mile 4 and while I hit my ‘wall’ about mile 5, the live music along the route, light shows, and cheering crowds as I neared the end motivated me to push through. Before I knew it, I was sprinting (okay, after 6 miles I guess I couldn’t call it a sprint) the last quarter mile to the finish line. I quickly hobbled over to the teams handing out water bottles and chocolate milk, received my medal, and hurried to the side of the crowd watching the half marathoners roll in to watch Bryan finish his very first half. Bryan finished the 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 12 minutes which he was super proud of – and so was I. We had both finished the longest runs we’ve ever completed so we headed over to the post-race party to grab our free beer and share in the excitement of everyone else finishing the race. We didn’t spend a ton of time at the party because it was time for brunch – probably what we were looking most forward to this weekend. While I am not a fan, there is nothing like a huge post-run Bloody Mary to my husband. 

As much as we would have liked to enjoy some more city time, we were so glad we decided to not spend the second night and head home for a shower and very long nap. We finally ended our anniversary weekend with a pasta dinner at Gattos, one of our regular Downers Grove spots, and live Irish music and darts at Ballydoyle. I was so tired by the end of Sunday evening, that I found it hard to stay awake past 10pm. Between all of the fresh air, running, and contagious energy downtown, I was so ready to hit the pillow. It was a much needed weekend spent celebrating all the hard work training we’ve put in the last few months and two years with my very favorite person. 

We’re certainly ready to give our knees a bit of a rest from hitting the pavement, but are looking forward our next two races: the Stan’s Donuts 5K in August and and Ditka Dash 5K in October.  Do you have any races you’re training for? What is your biggest fitness goal?