Summer is Coming!

As I look to the upcoming events of the summer, I realized that it’s going to be busy and awesome. We will be visiting family for weddings, graduations and baby showers. While also getting visited by parents to explore Chicago in its prime.

Coming up this summer are some anticipated adventures like: the World’s Largest Yard Sale (goes through 6 states) and The Farm Chicks Show in Spokane. Jake and I have been big garage-sale-goers since we started dating. We love turning old, worn treasures into something special for our home. My mom is also launching her store front this summer called Saturday Mornings. She is the ultimate treasure-finder! We plan to rummage until our legs are jello and our trailer is brimming with goodies.

What do you all have planned for the summer? Any events where I should make an appearance?

Here’s the scoop on some of my big summer events:

:::THE FARM CHICKS SHOW:::

June 6th-7th: Spokane, WA

My mom went to this event last year, she said it was full of people selling their own crafted items, antique finds and much more. It’s still a pretty new event but has been growing quickly.  It is an $8 cash fee to get in per day.  This show is an extra bonus to the main event being able to see my brother Evan at Mission Aviation School! Hoping he takes me up for a ride :).

 

:::World’s LARGEST Yard Sale:::

August 6th-9th

Here are a few images that give you a taste of what this adventure is all about. It’s 690 miles of people, food, junk and hidden treasures. These images were found on Pinterest. I hope by the end of this summer I can equip you with a full guide to conquering this adventure. And also supply you with some great photos.

:::CHICAGO FESTIVALS:::

Obviously, Chicago Festivals are going to be a key part to our summer. I love Chicago’s love for the summer months. People take full advantage of the warm weather here.

Click the picture to see a full schedule:

We can’t wait for Venice, possibly China to see my sister-in-law, and Montana too! I would love to hear some suggestions on what events to put into the summer schedule for either this year or next!

Also —-coming in the next week will be a City Guide to Brussels, Belgium!

Happy Adventures,

Erika

Breakfast.Lunch.Dinner | Lakeview, Chicago

I can’t believe I have yet to share a food guide to Lakeview! Well, here it is!

All of these places are walking distance from the Belmont ‘L’ stop on the Red, Purple & Brown lines. Lakeview’s borders are very grey too me, it seems to be one of the biggest neighborhoods of Chicago. So, I tried to focus these go-to spots to a smaller radius, mostly on Belmont Ave. & Southport Ave.

:::BREAKFAST:::

::For Coffee & Scones:: BITTERSWEET BAKERY – I love their selection of pastries here. If you go early enough, they will usually have 8 different types of scones! (Insert “praise hands” emoji)! My favorite scone being their apricot scone. They also have great desserts if you want something to-go!

::For a hearty Breakfast:: ANN SATHER – This is a Lakeview and Chicago staple. Ann Sather’s has adorable Swedish charm and delicious food to match. This spot is very reasonably priced (each dish coming with two sides, one of them = two cinnamon rolls that will seriously make you fall off your chair)! I have heard amazing things about the Swedish pancakes, I however ordered an omelet with the cinnamon rolls and hash browns as sides. Very tasty.

:::LUNCH:::

:::Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market – A great new addition to the area! We were hesitant to try this spot…just thinking a fish market can easily be a big flop. But, let me tell you that this lunch location is not to be overlooked! The clam chowder is to die for! I think it is better than those that I’ve tasted in San Fran. Their signature sandwich, the “Crabster,” is A-MAZING. So much crab! You can’t go wrong with this new neighborhood hit.

:::DINNER:::

:::Ukai Japanese Restaurant – I know, I know I put seafood also for lunch…but this sushi is so delicious, I couldn’t leave it out! This spot is BYOB, which is nice too. They have great signature rolls, my fave being the Cubs Roll, Jake’s being the Spicy Rainbow. I didn’t get pictures of this place, but here is one of the inside from their Yelp site.

:::DESSERT:::

:::Jeni’s Ice Cream – Unique flavors and homemade waffle cones…rockstar combo. I could just stand outside this little storefront and smell the air for hours. I could also probably spend my afternoon trying every flavor. My first round was the Wildberry Lavender with a scoop of the Toasted Brioche with Butter and Raspberry Jam. Any choice would be a good one! This is definitely going to be a reoccurring summer pit stop.

:::LATE NIGHT:::

:::Music Box Theatre – It is worth going here just so you can see inside this building. The theatre holds so much history and elegance. They show many film festivals here as well as an eclectic assortment of older films. They just completed their bar/cocktail space as well!!

I hope you get a chance to stop in to some of these places on your next visit to Chicago!!

Happy Adventures,

Erika

Breakfast.Lunch.Dinner | Logan Square, Chicago

Our home boarders Logan Square, Humboldt Park, and Wicker Park. I have already done a Breakfast.Lunch.Dinner posting on Wicker Park and now it’s Logan Square’s turn. We will be moving away from this area soon and that makes me a little sad, because we are just getting to know the hot spots!

Here are some places that we love and usually end up going on the weekends or during our free moments. You can get to them by ‘the L,’ the Blue Line – The Logan Square Stop or the California Stop. They are all very close in walking distance from the train stops.

:::BREAKFAST:::

  

BREAKFAST — Bang Bang Pie is off the California stop on “the L,” and is waiting with a warm biscuit and fresh cup of coffee. On Saturdays and Sundays, this place has a line out the door and around the corner. I took the photos as they were closing one day. So that it why there aren’t people outside in the sitting area. They have a great space to meet up with friends, host a book club, or even plan a rehearsal dinner! They have definitely expanded the menu since I first moved here. It was only biscuits and gravy, pie and coffee to start and now look at the options!!

:::LUNCH:::

LUNCH — Parson’s Chicken & Fish has such a cool vibe. They have great design, drinks, and dining areas. Their summer patio is huge and awesome with the outdoor bar. The indoor space is small and somewhat crammed in the winter. We have tried the Hush Puppies, Chicken Sandwich and the Fish Sandwich…all delicious! For drinks, this last time I had the Purple Slushy which is basically a sangria, and Jake had the Bitter/Sour and again…YUM! A popular item is the Negroni Slushy. This is only a 5-10 minute walk from Bang Bang! They even serve Bang Bang pies for dessert!

:::DINNER:::

     

DINNER — Revolution Brewery is an obvious choice. Not only amazing beer, but really good food. They have their main brewery on Kedzie Ave where you can take tours, and see how it’s all done. This location is off the California stop, and on Milwaukee Ave. The Soft Pretzel appetizer makes you feel like you are in Germany. Jake always gets one of their many burgers and he always leaves smiling. I usually get one of the salads or pizzas. The Avocado Chicken Salad and Smoke Stack Pizza are yummy!! We usually get multiple tasters for their beers and enjoy tasting the variety.

:::LATE NIGHT:::

LATE NIGHT — The Logan Theatre is one of my favorite spots. They kept it old school and the costs low. You can see new and old movies in this three screen theatre for only $7.50 per adult. They have a bar that you can order and drink there or bring it into the show with you. On some days, they have stand up comedy in their lounge area (where Jake is reading before we went into a matinée). We probably go here two-three times a month. It is just such an experience and good time.

Happy Adventures!

Erika

Randolph Street Market & Apartment Hunting

Last week we signed for another year in Chicago! We were shopping early online and stumbled upon a refurbished Brewery, loft style, in a new area near the lake! I’m excited to explore a new neighborhood of Chicago and also redecorate a new space :). So that means a lot of Pinterest browsing, antique market shopping, and also searching for organization tips.

While my mom was here last week, we went to the Randolph Street Market, which happens one weekend out of the month and has about 250 vendors! Here were some of my pictures from the shop-a-thon. 🙂

   

Jake and I decorated our current apartment pretty simply. A lot of neutrals, vintage furniture and basic lines and colors. I am hoping to give a new feel to our next place. Jake says he wants it to look like “the Jetsons” haha aka retro, 70’s meets futuristic, with a splash of Palm Springs flare. That’s how I took it at least…I will have to give you a before and after to see how it turns out. We hope to incorporate things that we have gathered from our travels as well.  It’s a new adventure that gets me just as excited as setting foot in a new city.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Erika

 

Stanley’s Fruits and Vegetables

STANLEY’S

If you live in Chicago, you need to know about this place. If you are a ‘juicer,’ you need to know about this place. If your want to fill your fridge with healthy foods without making a dent in your wallet, you need to know about this place.

I purchased the cardboard case (below, sorry for blurry pic) of 8 cartons of strawberries for $1. YES…8 cases of strawberries for a dollar. Not a dollar each, 8 for $1!!! Mangos 3/$1, Limes 10/$1, Watermelon $2, and the list goes on! They also have fresh bunches of Kale and other greens, perfect for your “green machine” smoothie. Honestly, half of my purchases go into the freezer because Jake and I won’t be able to eat it all before it turns bad.

I’m going to try to make some strawberry scones this week with my bounty! (I’ll keep you updated :))

Jake made the delicious sandwiches below with the sun-dried tomato focaccia bread they sell, along with a side of their juicy peaches!

HERE  is Stanley’s on Google maps!

I’m sad the weekend is over, but excited to enjoy some fresh eats and hopefully some delicious scones!

Have a great week!

Erika

Beach Day

Hoping for sunny weather this weekend! I spent probably too much time today looking at bathing suits, sandals, and other great items for sunshine! Here are some goodies I stumbled upon (links below photo):

World Flattened Necklace – $19.99, Mod Cloth

Striped French Bathing Suit Top – $39.99, J. Crew

Glamour-Girl Bathing Suit Bottom – $40.00 J. Crew

Round Folding Sunglasses –  $220 Ray Ban

Black Lace Romper – $18.33 She-Fashions

Dark Tan Caged Sandal – $27.00 LuLu’s

 

Happy Weekend!

Erika

Breakfast.Lunch.Dinner | Wicker Park, Chicago

BREAKFAST.LUNCH.DINNER | Wicker Park, Chicago

I love Chicago.

I am very excited to be living in this awesome city at this time of my life. There is so much to do and see. Jacob (my husband) and I could spend years trying to go to a different place for every meal, and we wouldn’t even come close to seeing it all!

One of the ‘happenin’ neighborhoods of Chicago is WICKER PARK.  It’s definitely known for having great restaurants, bars, shops and homes. These are some of my favorites and hope you get to try them out on your next visit!

photos: by yours truly

BREAKFAST— Stan’s Donuts  is adorable. Not only is it pleasing to the eye, but pleasing to those taste buds! My donut was incredible. I love the berry, mixed with a cream explosion center! Yummmmm! All their donuts are not listed on their site, you will have to go in to see the rotating specialty ones. There are plenty to choose from! (Also the competition–“Glazed and Confused”– is right across the street…but the line for Stan’s keeps getting longer. Sorry Glazed.)

photos by Piece Pizza

LUNCH— Piece Pizza Picnic in Wicker Park (the actual park!). On Sunday’s, Piece has a special where you get a large pizza and beer growler for $25!!!! But it has to be to go. Do not fret. Take it to the park! Wicker Park is right around the corner…grab the pizza to go and plop down on a blanket and enjoy the sunshine and an amazing pizza!

 photos by Big Star

DINNER — Big Star is packed. Always.  You will see why once you have a taco and a margarita (my personal fave). I have only been here three times, which doesn’t feel like enough. I am always happy I waited. They also have a window on the side you can order from, if you are on the move or don’t want to wait for a seat!

photos by The Violet Hour

LATE NIGHT— This hidden gem is directly across from Big Star. It’s called The Violet Hour, but there is no signage–just the painted wooden facade. Get this, the paintings change. Which is awesome. A friend introduced me by just walking by what looked like a painted wall…she tugged on the door and we entered the world of crafted cocktails! I was felt like we had found a secret passage way! The Violet Hour is a place to end the night.