Chicago MMXII

I mean, when I went outside I was like, "ah, it's the perfect days like this that really makes the other 355 miserable days worth it." shades of "but he can be so sweet to me!"

(did i just make light of domestic violence? is that "not on"?)

anyone have any great dinner restaurant recommendations in the belmont/broadway area?

Chipotle?

Sorry. What's your price, food style preference, and how far is your geographical radius?

There is a new banh mi place on the NW corner.

every time the chi thread mentions chipotle, i crave burritos for weeks. srsly.

i am v burrito-suggestible.

parents are paying so like ... mid-range? normal? we just never eat anywhere over there so i thought it might fun to find somewhere in that area instead of going the same places we always go. not sure about food style preference, was just wondering if people had faves over there.

Adesso at Broadway and Buckingham is good. Ping Pong is good if annoying. I do not care for Joy's Noodles but other people do and it's cheap. Stella's is a solid diner option (great matzoh ball soup). Angelina Ristorante at Broadway and Addison is wonderful (good parent place IMO).

Adesso is closed now. I think.

http://www.angelinaristorante.com/dinnermenu/

I'm a big fan of this place because it's quiet and pleasant and the food is v. good.

El Nuevo Mexicano on Clark and Oakdale is very good.

I'd say Chilam Balam. Even though I've never been there.

HB Home Bistro

La Creperie on Clark almost at Broadway is good and I think it's a fun place to eat because it's all Frenchified and makes me feel worldly.

We need to eat at HB. I don't know why we haven't yet.

Jeff, I know I've asked you this 1000 times but what is that place where we ate on Halsted because we had a groupon and the decor was kind of prosaic but really comforting and homey and the food was great?

ha my parents' idea was "something mediterranean" which matches zero of the restaurants i've been looking at

I enjoyed Chilam Balam overall, although I felt like the execution didn't always match the creative ambition. I'd like to try it again before recommending it.

We need to eat at HB. I don't know why we haven't yet.

You should! Both of the times I've eaten there, the staff was v. friendly and the food was great.

ZAD on Broadway and Barry is Mediterranean but I don't know if I've ever eaten there. There's Cousin's at Broadway/Clark/Diversey and I think I have eaten there and seem to recall liking it. Unless that is the place where Jesse and I went and walked out of before even ordering because the service was so ludicrously horrible. But I think that place might have been in Andersonville and I think I like Cousins.

I'm fond of Yummy Yummy, too, even though the name is terrible. They have a huge vegetarian selection.

I've never been, but for Mediterranean, there's also Andalous at Clark/School.

But I think that place might have been in Andersonville and I think I like Cousins.

There used to be a Cousins in Andersonville -- where Jin Ju is now -- but I think it must have predated your living here.

ugh i hate organizing this stuff, texting between me and sarah and my parents, trying to come to a decision and make everyone happy.

Give then three choices:

Cousins
Angelina
El Nuevo Mexicano

And tell them to vote on it.

I've been a little stressed out today b/c I chose Atlas Brewing Co. for R3staur@nt Club tonight but literally no other club members RSVP'd, and Kr has plans after work in Evanston, so I thought I would have to go by myself. But now I think we are just going to go whenever she gets home.

Aw, man, call us if it looks like you're going to go by yourself. Or even if it's just you and Kr. We've got a hot night of cleaning up the house and Jeff is avoiding the temptation of new-to-him-beer but cleaning won't last forever and I'll drink all the beer.

Jeff, I know I've asked you this 1000 times but what is that place where we ate on Halsted because we had a groupon and the decor was kind of prosaic but really comforting and homey and the food was great?

Erwin, which is closing or has already closed.

That's right! Also, drat! Let's go to HB before they close.

OK, I'll keep you posted, J.

well now we're eating in our neighborhood so nevermind all that help you guys just provided. thanks anyways.

I'll remember this the next time you ask for help with anything.

Who's ready for the weekend?!?!?

i am. though i feel like it could be kind of crazy. it's evie's birthday weekend.

Hey did you all know that you can now return a Kindle book to the library before the check out time expires? I love it when people fix irritating stuff about a thing that I otherwise like.

you had been able to before, but it wasn't really clear how to do it or that it worked - you just had to "remove this book" after reading it. is there a clearer way to return them now?

Oh, happy bday, Evie!

Yeah you go to "manage my Kindle" and select "return this book" from the dropdown box on the right. It's a yellow button and I think it's labeled special actions or additional actions.

xp I totally said that as though she were following the thread.

...she is...

Do you all ever get that thing where you're walking from one room or part of the house, usually dark, to another and you get this urge to GET OUT NOW JUST RUN? Like some kind of lizard brain drudge siren goes off for no obvious reason and while you'e logically thinking, "Don't be silly!" you're also hightailing it to where the lights are? I used to get that a lot when I was walking from the utility room at the back of my parents' house into the house proper. Anyway I swear I got that feeling sitting at my desk today except instead of "Run to the light!" it was "GET OUT OF THE BUILDING AND LEAVE THE LOOP." So I did.

That has ... never happened to me. But I think you made the right decision!

I think I did, too!

It's never happened to Jeff, either. I had a therapist once tell me I have a "high startle reflex" (like, Jeff almost has to wear a bell to keep from scaring the shit out of me on the regular) so maybe that's part of it.

Actually today was just generalized stress/anxiety but I've always wondered what the whole urge to run out of the room was all about.

I've noticed you are a skittish automobile passenger too ;)

Today has been magnificent -- I biked downtown, ate key lime + pink lemonade sorbet w passionfruit bobas and raspberries (w dan at forever yogurt or whatever that amazing place is called) and bought some makeup and a swatch watch. Later I will rendezvous with my demon lover. Good day!

Sounds like when cats and dogs go from moseying to OMG TEARING THE PLANKS OFF THE FLOOR HAULING ASS GET OUTTA THE WAY.

also i have felt that feeling too carl

it's because we're psychic

I have felt that feeling, I think. For me it's not fear, just a sudden urge to GO.

Something similar used to happen a lot when I would hop into bed - still does sometimes - I would just feel like going EEEEEEEEEE!!!! BED!!!!! and sometimes I would JUMP in and make make those noises. Again, not fear, but just a surge of feeling of almost pleasant urgency.

Both really felt like I think pets must feel when they go from zero to CRAZY.

Tomorrow Courtney, K8E and I are riding in the Tour de Fat. I'm going to have to ride my bike to Logan Square, which will be sort of a test of my nerves. I am going to take side streets b/c I just can't get myself to load the bike on the front of the bus to go that short a distance. I was talking to the girl at the coffee shop where I get lunch about maybe riding my bike to the beach and she didn't ride anymore b/c as she got older she realized she wasn't invincible (she was about 28-30). I told her that riding on Diversey felt like walking in the middle of the freeway and she said "Yes, exactly!"

I am hoping that ChiLX is safe space for for speaking openly about biking w/out summoning the biker inquisition for violating the orthodoxy.

My bike's model is called Kalamar, for which a Google relates to a fantasy game and the Turkish word for squid. Neither seems very evocative of the nexus of the comfort of a cruiser and the performance of a street bike.