i'm not here today.
well, technically i am here today, as you're currently reading this, but my real post is over on katelin's blog as i'm happily blog-sitting for her as she's enjoying her honeymoon - yaaaaaaaaaay congrats to katelin and matt!!
my task from katelin as a guest blogger was to create a love list, any love list.
so i, being so musically inclined, decided to list out my top ten favorite love songs.
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, love.
click on through to katelin's and find out exactly what songs i find the most swoon worthy.
go on, read it!
thanks to all who entered my contest to win tickets to the Taste of the Browns, a benefit for the Cleveland Foodbank that gives attendees the opportunity to enjoy food and wine samplings from the regions most amazing culinary talent and mingle with Browns players themselves.
well it's finally time to announce the winner... congrats to Stephen Hall, whose 10th entry was chosen from 80+ entries via random.org.
sad you didn't win?
well lucky for you i can still offer everyone a fabulous discount of $25 off their ticket price to the Taste of the Browns by purchasing your ticket online through this very special cleveland's a plum promo code link - hope to see you there!
and now in the most perfect segue a girl could ask for i'm going to share with you the delicious way that i spent my last night in chicago.
this past monday night i was lucky enough to attend the American Liver Foundation FLAVORS of Chicago event at the galleria marchetti downtown.
after having been to and written about FLAVORS of Cleveland in '08 and '09 i was very excited to be able to attend the first annual chicago version.
we were honored to be seated at Chef Shawn McClain's table who's the chef/owner of Spring (the restaurant our meal came from), Green Zebra, and Sage restaurants - all you need to do is google him to know how awesomely talented he is and his meal definitely did not disappoint. 
starter: crispy pork belly steamed bun, house made pickle with thai chili sauce and cilantro. this is a specialty at Spring and holy crap this was one of the most delicious things i've ever had.
first course: Summer Salad of Local Nectarines - Aged Goat Cheese/Toasted Pistachios/Crystallized Wasabi (i could eat this salad everyday with the above sticky bun on the side, yes please!)
wine pairing: NV Brut Blanc 'Privilege', Varichon & Clerc, Savoie, France
second course: Lemongrass & Coconut Soup - Thai Basil/Fresh Crab (the most flavorful soup i've ever had, fyi)
wine pairing: 2009 Pinot Grigio, Alois Lageder 'Riff', Venezie, Italy
third course: Pan-Roasted Barramundi - Wild Mushroom and Toasted Sesame Gnocchi (barra what? think cod, and while i'm not a sesame seed fan i still ate every bite)
wine pairing: 2008 Chardonnay, A to Z, Willamette Valley, Oregon
fourth course: Wagyu Flat Iron - Short Rib Dumpling/Eggplant Masala/Pickled Orange (i tried to order 25 of the short rib dumplings to take back to cleveland with me)
wine pairing: 2008 Pinot Noir, Au Bon Climat, Santa Barbara County, California
dessert: Citrus Panna Cotta - Summer Berries/Black Figs/Cookies (no words can describe the deliciousness that was this panna cotta)
wine pairing: 2008 Moscati d'Asti, "Bricco Riella", Cascina Pian D'Or, Piedmont, Italy
seriously? i don't know how to describe the food any better, i wish there was a way you all could get a taste.
lucky for me i get to attend another FLAVORS event in cleveland in just a few weeks. i should probably start fasting now...
happy wednesday (and september) all!
it's sunday night, i'm watching the emmy's, eating good food, drinking wine, hanging out with my friends ANG*, maris and jess.
did i mention i'm doing this from chicago?
truth.
but let's go back for a moment to discuss friday when i was still in cleveland.
friday night i had every intention of going to the indians game but after having to go see the townhouse i'm trying to buy with MOB and seanski everything just started running late.
i did manage to watch the indians fireworks from the thirsty parrot though, drink some more cocktails and make the decision to head to tina's night club - which is always the best decision on a friday night.
our friend jess came and met us where we bopped around her neighborhood and got mani/pedi's at get nail'd - i.e. the best family owned salon EVER. the 3 sisters that did our nails were a complete riot and fully entertained us.
we got back to ang's got ready and headed to vines on clark for dinner and drinks were more friends met up and i finally got to meet jessica - the angels sang when we met, fyi.
post dinner we headed to merkle's right down the street for what i can only describe as a full out dance party - annnnnnd jennifer and stacey came to hangout too. happy times.
saturday night was my first time in wrigleyville and the only way i can describe it is like a w 6th (in cleveland) on crack. could i hangout there on a regular basis? probs not. but was it a fun sweat your ass off dance till you get blisters saturday night out? hell yes and i loved it.
thanks so much to all the girls who came and hung out!
my partners in crime for the weekend jess and ANG*sunday we brunched at wilde bar and restaurent, shopped, saw the kids are all right (awesome, btw), shopped some more and that brings us to the present - i.e the first sentence of this here post.
i'm still in chicago (for work now) and i'll be back in the CLE tuesday afternoon - see ya then ohio.
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tuesday is the last day to enter to win two tickets to the cleveland foodbank's taste of the browns event - comment on this post to enter!
it's friday.
YAY!
tomorrow i'm heading to chicago till tuesday for half work half play time and i can't wait. i haven't been to chicago in over two years which is just crazy to me.
watch out chicago.
but on to more important things like announcing the winner of two platinum tickets to the rock and roll hall of fame rock hall ball happening next friday.
congratulations to.......
commenter #37 (who was picked via random.org) - TWJ
TWJ, who after much contemplating who TWJ actually was (because they didn't leave any contact information) is actually my friend travis - so yay travis, have fun!
all the rest of you have a great weekend and get out there and enjoy the weather while we still can.
today's the last day to enter by commenting on this post to win two tickets to the rock hall ball, and you can still enter to win two tickets to the Taste of the Browns by commenting on this post - good luck! ____________________________________________________________________
things i'm currently thinking:
i consider myself a most excellent cook, yet i still to this day have never successfully cooked a poached egg.
#fail
while i'm happy for all my mortgage loan pre-approval letters i wish someone would just tell me what the eff it all means and what the eff i should do.
#clueless
while i'm very excited that i'm purchasing a house, a huge part of me still wishes i wasn't doing it by myself... i know that i can do it on my own but i just always thought i'd buy when i got married.
#oldfashioned #canthelpit #babysteps #getoverit
at the jay z / eminem concert i'm seeing next week in detroit i wonder who is going to appear on stage first?
#egos
i think i'm allergic to saying the word "boyfriend".
#doesclaritinfixthat
whatever happened to the actor that played biff tannen?
#backtothefuture
what are you currently thinking about?
