I have always loved you, Weezer

I hadn't seen this video yet - I found it on another blog. Ya know Ultragrrrl, from Spin? Her blog: http://ultragrrrl.blogspot.com/


If you have even an iota of internet dorkiness, you will probably love this as much as I do. Or if you just like Weezer, this will allow you to listen to the sweet sound of Rivers Cuomo. He's the reason I love horned-rim glasses, and sweaters.

Washing Machine on the Fritz? No Worries in Northern Illinois.

I am, right now, sitting at the World's Largest Laundromat. In case you were wondering, the World's Largest Laundromat is in Berwyn, Illinois. It is rather large. About the size of one of your larger Value Villages, for my Atlanta peops. They have many miraculous machines, including a "bill breaker." If, like me, you have a $10 bill but only need $5 in quarters: you're in luck. Go to the bill breaker, my friend, and get 2 $5s for your $10. Wonderful!

The World's Largest Laundromat uses solar power to heat its laundry water! That, and the free wi-fi, is the reason I decided to drive over to Berwyn instead of going to the combination laundromat/bar that's only about 0.5 miles from my house. Also I am more in the mood for free coffee/donuts 9:30 am, which I can get at the World's Largest Laundromat. At the laundromat/bar they offer more in the way of pub grub and beer. SUPER COOL, but in a evening-laundry kind of way.

Also, I really wanted to drive my laundry wherever I was going. I have enough to fill two triple loader machines at the World's Largest Laundromat, but I would still feel a little chumpish driving only 0.5 miles and then trying to find a parking space on Southport. Ecologically, my drive to Berwyn probably cancels out my patronage of a solar powered laundromat, but here's what you DIDN'T know: the World's Largest Laundromat also has an aviary! And I'm sitting right in front of it on what I believe is a discarded dorm couch! And one of the doves who lives in the aviary in the Worl'ds Largest Laundromat has recently had BABY DOVES and she's sitting on them right now. So you can see that my decision, ultimately, was the right one.

Seeing is Believing

Chicago Holiday Weekend! Happy Memorial Day everybody. Hope you're barbecuing or watching the I Love the 70's marathon or something else fun.

Friday night we went out to see Gayco's 10 year anniversary presentation of their first show, "Whitney Houston, We Have a Problem!" First of all I LOVE that title. It was fun seeing how Gayco has progressed in a decade, and I always love their shows. Fun times. Later, we went to a friend's birthday celebration at Hopleaf in Andersonville. Great bar! They have a pretty amazing selection of beer and a really friendly bartender. Duh, this is Chicago. Sadly, the rest of Andersonville seemed to be shut down completely, except for Simon's Tavern. I actually really liked Simon's but it was empty, and the birthday boy was looking for a party. So we ended up at Carol's Pub, as all good partiers should.

Saturday we went to see the White Sox (see them lose, but that's OK). Our generous friends have front row seats right behind the Sox dugout, and brought me and Disc0 along. It was a blast. We saw Ozzie Guillen get heckled, yell and curse right back, grumble around, get heckled again, win over his hecklers with a smile, and eventually get thrown out of the game. Classic. Then we went on over to Jimbo's Lounge, which is basically the antithesis of everything Wrigleyville. To my knowledge, it's the only bar within walking distance of Comiskey (I mean US Cellular Field, not that that's a lame name for a ballpark or anything), they play nothing but oldies during peak bar hours, the average age was late 30's rather than 21. It also displayed a bunch of those paintings in which many 50's icons are hanging out together in a diner, or on a fancy finned car. I liked it. Except for the most inappropriate 80's copy machine ad ever, which was also displayed proudly on Jimbo's wall. You'll just have to head to Chicago's south side to see it if you really want to know.

Sunday we went to see a law school friend perform in his weekly show at iO, 3033. This guy is also teaching us all about board games, btw. Watch for my logic and reasoning to improve drastically in the coming months. Anyway, the show was hilarious, as always. It's probably my favorite show at iO right now. Our buddy is one of the funniest people I've ever met or seen perform, and his team members are some of the best in the biz. Good times! I also made cupcakes from Amy Sedaris's Tattletail's Vanilla Cupcake recipe. That is a delicious recipe, and I take very little credit for how yummy the cakes were. Amy gets all the credit.
(I mean this, but I'm also saying it in case she reads this blog and wants to be friends).

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood

Disc0 and I are still committed to exploring Chicago, so that we have our favorite places all over the city. TBF, we're still limited in this exploration to north of the loop - southside is coming, though!

Today we took the Red Line up to Rogers Park. I've never been there even though one of my besties went to college up in them there parts. I love Rogers Park! Its a little bit funky, a little bit rock n' roll, a little artsy fartsy, and a lot more integrated than our neighborhood. I found my DREAM HOUSE up there on W. Jarvis, y'all. TBF, I find my dream house in every neighborhood. Last one was in Uptown.

We walked up Sheridan, right by the lake, to the Lake Side Cafe. It was like a smaller, sweeter version of the Chicago Diner. I love that Chicago has one vegan diner that's all "corporate" and "the man" against which the smaller, scrappier vegan diners have to fight.
Anyway, it was yummy and friendly and I had a delish chai tea with my quinoa salad. Disc0 had a vegan Chicago-style polish sausage. As he said, encased meats are often so processed anyway, at some point your enjoyment of the meal doesn't even depend on whether the stuff inside the casing is actually made of meat.

The plan was to walk down Sheridan to Loyola after lunch, but then it got really cold and windy so we just hopped down Howard to the el and went back home. I really like Rogers Park and want to spend more time exploring. There is gorgeous architecture all over the place.

There were tons of crazy/drunk Cubs fans on the el. They are so cute.

I'm trying now to decide what to make for dinner. This week I've done curried turkey burger sliders on tiny challah buns, cheese enchiladas on whole wheat tortillas, curried chicken salad, and pizza with caramelized onions. Common law housewifery!

Candybar!

I went to the dentist today, ya'll. It has been almost two years (I know, grodie and bad, but I use my Sonicare erry day). Luckily the dentist was super cool. It's one of those new-fangled dentists where all of the dental assistants look like fashion models and there are flat screen TVs for when you need more than just your normal, run of the mill cleaning. I didn't get to watch the TV, but that's OK. Now my mouth is sore in that difficult but accomplished way that only the dentist can bring.

When I was riding the train to the dentist, a presh, young, be-faux-hawked hipster sat down across from me. After a couple minutes he said, "Excuse me!" and pointed out that we were both reading the same book. Not only that, but the same edition of that book. Gotta love the el.

The book is Audre Lorde's Zami, btw. I first read it as a snotty little college sophomore in Women's Studies 100. I didn't get it at the time. I'm enjoying it a lot, ten years later. I may start re-reading a lot of things and wish I'd taken more women studies classes when I was a little pill so that I could re-read the books now that I'm a bit less of a pill (in some ways).

The weather was amazing today: pure 70 degrees, sunny and barely breezy. The winter is so worth it for Chicago spring and summer, ya'll.

I just found out the girls night happy hour tradition my friends and I started right before I left the firm is going to be back on as of next week. That will be so nice. We usually go to Monk's Pub which is best recommended for its relaxed manner and free peanuts. Peanut process at Monk's: just shell it, eat it, and throw the shell on the floor. Easy peasy.

Hippies are hippies everywhere! Yay.

Today I went to the opening day of Chicago's Green City Market. It's a famous (?) farmer's market where you can get produce, bread, lunch, coffee, meat, and (obviously) a shitload of cheese (hi, welcome to the midwest).

Unfortunately, since today was the opening day, there wasn't all that much produce to be had. Fortunately, this seems to indicate that the GCM is true to its mission of selling local food in season. If my local farmers don't have cucumbers in season right now, that is fine and dandy and I'll wait until they do to make the cucumber-yogurt sauce to go with the falafel I've been wanting to make.*

Even though I didn't obtain all the produce on my list, I did really enjoy walking around the market. I can be sort of a bougie liberal hippie, and I used to love seeing other BLHs at the farmers markets in Charlottesville and Atlanta. Now I know where to find them in Chicago - the Green City Market. In addition to this sense of homey familiarity, I picked up a (really tasty) baguette from the Bleeding Heart Bakery tent, some delicious Wisconsin horseradish/cheddar spread, and some fresh chipotle-tomatillo salsa. I hope in later weeks to be getting more fresh fruit and veggies, but I was happy with my first foray.

In other news, I love volunteering at the DV legal services clinic. And I really love my improvisation classes. This is true even though I am not all that good at it yet, and I'm not usually a big fan of things of that nature. I'm already learning alot, and didn't realize how much I missed acting classes. Fun and challenging. Being a part-time housewife, part-time voluntorney** and part-time improv student rules.

Finally, this weekend I went to the Yahootie Wedding!!!!!! Holy shit - they got hitched. And it was the most gorgeous wedding I've ever attended. I love so many people down in the dirty dirty, and was so happy to spend time with them. And of course, Beck and Gar are two of the most wonderful people in the world, and seeing them so elated to tie the knot was just beautiful. And furthermore, I got to dress up sexy with a bunch of other sexy bridesmaids in our red shoes and fancy fishnets, and spend the day with women I love as we primped and preened and got our hair did and our makeup applied and focused on our friendships with the amazing bride and with each other. Gush!
* * * *
*This might be a lie. I might go to Whole Foods and get a cucumber this weekend. I will try to make it a domestic cucumber so as to reduce the carbon footprint of my homemade Mediterranean dinner.

**volunteer attorney

I remember the outfits!

This has nothing to do with Chicago, and a lot to do with the fact that I am a common law housewife for the time being, and therefore have time to read all the blogs in creation (in between doing other productive things, I promise) (for reals).

This is my favorite new read...thanks to Phoebums at Get Entertainmental:

Some brilliant woman has decided to go back and read the Babysitter's Club series and blog about it. If you have any affection for these books, you will adore this blog. I adore it even more because I often feel like I may have written it while sleeptyping. I know I didn't, and that the real blogger deserves all the credit, but you might have suspicions too:

-Uncited Wet Hot quotes? Check.
-References to the best 90's movie ever, Party Girl? Check.
-Makes up gerunds out of nouns? Super check!

Whoever this gal is, she rules. You will find her blog, Claudia's Room, in my right hand links henceforth.