With the spat of really nice summertime weather Chicago has experienced, one feels the need to soak it in while it's there since you never what's coming next. I was on my way across town via bicicletta when I decided knitting in the park was just the break I deserved. Having taken on a new part time job (as an account manager for The Wool Wide Web) I have been tied to my computer and as mobile as my work space may be every once in awhile you have to step away and recharge. Wicker Park was just that place. I like to sit on this statue's plinth. Meet Charles Gustavus Wicker (1820-89), for whom the neighborhood and subsequent park is named. I don't know why I like him so much, but his is the preferred sitting spot in the park. I can the fountain and benches from there and the chess tables where the homeless tend to gather, also the kids park and path through the park provide some of the best people watching. On sunny days the bronze heats up and makes sitting in the shade tolerable. Not to mention I can spread out. Which is exactly what I did. I pulled out the hat I was working on and proceeded to knock out a chart repeat while listening to an audio book and paying little attention to anything else.
After my afternoon sojourn in the park the weather turned back to a March-ish 40 degrees and I went back to hibernating in the city's pubs. Yesterday was a Revolution Extravaganza since I was there for lunch with my business associate Stefanie and her husband and then met up with another group of friends there for dinner. Since I was there for such an extended period of time I got to try many things. I started with a higher abv (7.1) Rise which was caramelly stoutish goodness and moved down (4.4) to the nitrogenated Paddy Wagon Stout which had a creamy Guinness like head and dry finish. To soak it all up to start was one of their thick salty squishy pretzels. I can never decide which dipping sauce I prefer there; the mustard is delicious and the cheddar soup is warm and delicious as well. Then, so I'd have room for dinner I tried the salt cod and potato fritters. Not overly cod tasting they came on a bed of arugula and cherry tomatoes which helped cut the salty starch of the fritter. At dinner I shared the farm burger (which has beets and a fried egg on it) with my husband. Don't think this combination would be amazing? Try it. The beets cut the grease of the burger and the egg cuts the sweet of the beets. And if you add some chihuahua cheese, UGH! Mouth watering. And someone else we were dining with likes mussels so there were those to split with the table as well!
One of my favorite things to do is sit down to a meal with friends. And I was doubly happy since I got to do it twice in one day. Of course that doesn't lend much time for work getting done.... but that's what a weekend is for right?
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