There are so many culturally enhancing, mind awakening, spirit reviving, and insanely awesome FREE things to do in this city. And yet sometimes it is nice to splurge, throw down 20 bucks for a movie and enjoy the city as if 20 buck was chump change. It is even nicer to have some wonderfully sweet young suitor splurge for you, making the movie that much more enjoyable and the young man that much more delicious.
Go see Away We Go. Go with a delightfully charming partner. And never feel guilty about spending 20 bucks to enjoy a movie well made.
6.30.2009
6.28.2009
PRIDE: What a delicious mess
Life on Halsted slows to an irresistibly delicious crawl for PRIDE. Transportation is impossible, lines three people deep congest sidewalks and alcohol makes every corner an opportunity for a celebration. Pride makes Chicago look like summer.
After a few weeks of below average temperatures and a miserable coat of grey clouds, the sun decided grace Chicago with some real summer time sun rays just in time for half naked men and women to prance around in them. And prance, and dance, and hump and bump they did, all over the street. So many of them in fact that I could maneuver more than a block away from my little 1800’s house which happens to be sandwiched in-between Halsted and Broadway- the two main streets of Pride.
But of course with K in attendance I had no intention of leaving the Mecca of gay. To the streets we went to partake of the 1st ever Gay Pride Fair, which fittingly was like a summer fair with mimosas instead of beer, leather instead of live cattle and a general surplus of free condoms (including one free female condom- weird). We followed the condom fair with a night making the rounds at Sidetrack, talking up happily toned and waxed couples and drinking copious amounts of vodka seltzers.
And to end off the party of all parties, we attended the 40th annual Gay Pride Parade which was complete with Dykes on Bikes, dancing gay cowboys and more than a dozen politician pandering to the popular gay vote. I also saw a transvestite with tape over nipples and leggings half down straddle a police officer and two hairy bears attempt to dry hump around bulging beer bellies. It was not exactly a family parade, well except for all the families there including the Nettlehorse Elementary School. The parade managed to include the raunchy AND the political AND the family wholesomeness…probably because the gay community like the straight community includes all of this.
So for a slight soap box moment, gay pride parades are not just about getting raunchy and filling your pockets with free condoms (although that is the appeal of it for me). The parades are also to demonstrate gay political power, gay cultural power and gay domestic power. It is a parade to empower every aspect of gay life…which includes sexuality. So many ask why do gays feel the need to display their sexuality at parades, aren’t they just reinforcing stereotypes the “I’m so not a homophob” asks. They feel the need to display their sexuality because so many others deny it. They represent sex to show they are not ashamed, that this like politics and their children and their jobs, the fact that they have sex with a same-sex partner, is also a part of their life. Don’t ask, Don’t tell doesn’t exist for them. Don’t ask and I will show is more their motto.
That said the parade does get gloriously raunchy after float about 50, and by float 250 it is basically a walking naked billboard for everything from vodka to potato chips. Following over 300 floats was an endless night of partying on the streets. This was followed by my rather depressing 6:30 a.m. walk to work among the destruction of rainbow stickers and empty beer cans. Halsted looked like a life well lived.
After a few weeks of below average temperatures and a miserable coat of grey clouds, the sun decided grace Chicago with some real summer time sun rays just in time for half naked men and women to prance around in them. And prance, and dance, and hump and bump they did, all over the street. So many of them in fact that I could maneuver more than a block away from my little 1800’s house which happens to be sandwiched in-between Halsted and Broadway- the two main streets of Pride.
But of course with K in attendance I had no intention of leaving the Mecca of gay. To the streets we went to partake of the 1st ever Gay Pride Fair, which fittingly was like a summer fair with mimosas instead of beer, leather instead of live cattle and a general surplus of free condoms (including one free female condom- weird). We followed the condom fair with a night making the rounds at Sidetrack, talking up happily toned and waxed couples and drinking copious amounts of vodka seltzers.
And to end off the party of all parties, we attended the 40th annual Gay Pride Parade which was complete with Dykes on Bikes, dancing gay cowboys and more than a dozen politician pandering to the popular gay vote. I also saw a transvestite with tape over nipples and leggings half down straddle a police officer and two hairy bears attempt to dry hump around bulging beer bellies. It was not exactly a family parade, well except for all the families there including the Nettlehorse Elementary School. The parade managed to include the raunchy AND the political AND the family wholesomeness…probably because the gay community like the straight community includes all of this.
So for a slight soap box moment, gay pride parades are not just about getting raunchy and filling your pockets with free condoms (although that is the appeal of it for me). The parades are also to demonstrate gay political power, gay cultural power and gay domestic power. It is a parade to empower every aspect of gay life…which includes sexuality. So many ask why do gays feel the need to display their sexuality at parades, aren’t they just reinforcing stereotypes the “I’m so not a homophob” asks. They feel the need to display their sexuality because so many others deny it. They represent sex to show they are not ashamed, that this like politics and their children and their jobs, the fact that they have sex with a same-sex partner, is also a part of their life. Don’t ask, Don’t tell doesn’t exist for them. Don’t ask and I will show is more their motto.
That said the parade does get gloriously raunchy after float about 50, and by float 250 it is basically a walking naked billboard for everything from vodka to potato chips. Following over 300 floats was an endless night of partying on the streets. This was followed by my rather depressing 6:30 a.m. walk to work among the destruction of rainbow stickers and empty beer cans. Halsted looked like a life well lived.
6.20.2009
Unexpected Nights
The thing about Chicago is the night rarely goes as planned.
Tonight I was going to have a relatively selfish night of a long run, a fancy homemade scallop dinner and a new movie.
Three glasses of wine later and I am soaked in a random park by the lake wondering if the model boats on the playground are meant to symbolize beached boats or boats floating at sea.
Am I beached or floating?
And then Tom stopped by and pulled up a swing. And as he told me stories of directors I will never be able to pronounce, I thought about how good the rain felt and how lovely it was to be young and think you can make it in LA.
And i walked home drenched but somehow joyful as well.
Any night that ends happier than it started, is a good night no matter what the plan was.
Tonight I was going to have a relatively selfish night of a long run, a fancy homemade scallop dinner and a new movie.
Three glasses of wine later and I am soaked in a random park by the lake wondering if the model boats on the playground are meant to symbolize beached boats or boats floating at sea.
Am I beached or floating?
And then Tom stopped by and pulled up a swing. And as he told me stories of directors I will never be able to pronounce, I thought about how good the rain felt and how lovely it was to be young and think you can make it in LA.
And i walked home drenched but somehow joyful as well.
Any night that ends happier than it started, is a good night no matter what the plan was.
6.10.2009
U.T.I. in the C.I.T.Y.
Yesterday I got a UTI.
TMI on the UTI, I know. But I really wanted to write this blog in case any of my other fellow recent grads are also insurance-less and find themselves with a less than healthy uretha.
So you wake up peeing and then pee 15 mintues later and then pee again...time to go to Minute Clinic at CVS. $67 for the visit, $11 for the percription, $6 for the over the counter relief and you are on your way home without a 500 dollar emergency bill on your already overextended credit card.
Plus they send you a handwritten postcard wishing you well. My mom didn't even do that!
TMI on the UTI, I know. But I really wanted to write this blog in case any of my other fellow recent grads are also insurance-less and find themselves with a less than healthy uretha.
So you wake up peeing and then pee 15 mintues later and then pee again...time to go to Minute Clinic at CVS. $67 for the visit, $11 for the percription, $6 for the over the counter relief and you are on your way home without a 500 dollar emergency bill on your already overextended credit card.
Plus they send you a handwritten postcard wishing you well. My mom didn't even do that!
6.07.2009
Brunch in the City
All you naysayers of brunch clearly have something against joy and happy bellies. Coming from a state where there is no brunch, only the three boring main meals, I have come to cherish Chicago brunches. When else can you drink champagne before noon, eat pancakes after noon and have the option or eggs or a quesadilla on the same menu.
Brunch is brilliant.
This weekend I had the pleasure of partaking of two delightful brunches with my delightful mother.
First was the hangover cure of a blt and mimosa’s at Delecee’s on Saturday. While munching on fries and sipping our spiked orange juice my mom and I chatted away the late morning early afternoon away without an ounce of guilt.
And then there was the much anticipated boyfriend/mother/daughter brunch on Sunday. After scouring the internet for a brunch place both close to home and appealing in fun brunch options, we opted for Jack’s mainly because they had mango mimosas. My mimosa combined with a crab cake eggs Benedict and amazing company made brunch a hit.
People can hate on the brunch but I know it has to be because don’t have the company I am privileged in keeping… or the stomach for liquor in the a.m.
Brunch is brilliant.
This weekend I had the pleasure of partaking of two delightful brunches with my delightful mother.
First was the hangover cure of a blt and mimosa’s at Delecee’s on Saturday. While munching on fries and sipping our spiked orange juice my mom and I chatted away the late morning early afternoon away without an ounce of guilt.
And then there was the much anticipated boyfriend/mother/daughter brunch on Sunday. After scouring the internet for a brunch place both close to home and appealing in fun brunch options, we opted for Jack’s mainly because they had mango mimosas. My mimosa combined with a crab cake eggs Benedict and amazing company made brunch a hit.
People can hate on the brunch but I know it has to be because don’t have the company I am privileged in keeping… or the stomach for liquor in the a.m.
6.06.2009
First Family Wedding
My generation is getting married. Yesterday my 25-year-old cousin promised the rest of his life to his college girlfriend. They looked young and beautiful and in love and full of unrealistic perfection.
And I mixed wine, vodka and beer at the open bar, leaving my cheeks pink and my eyes unfocused in family photos.
What a difference 2 years can make in a life.
Two years ago my cousin was living in the basement of my aunt’s house looking for a job vowing to never live in Chicago. And now he is married and living in the burbs, ready to start a whole new life.
I have no intention of being married in two years but I do hope in two years I have the capability of completely disregarding my absurd convictions of 23 and committing my life to a promise of happily ever after.
P.S. My head is a wrecking ball.
P.P.S. The suburbs are weird. Like the 1950’s only with smuttier dressed preteens.
And I mixed wine, vodka and beer at the open bar, leaving my cheeks pink and my eyes unfocused in family photos.
What a difference 2 years can make in a life.
Two years ago my cousin was living in the basement of my aunt’s house looking for a job vowing to never live in Chicago. And now he is married and living in the burbs, ready to start a whole new life.
I have no intention of being married in two years but I do hope in two years I have the capability of completely disregarding my absurd convictions of 23 and committing my life to a promise of happily ever after.
P.S. My head is a wrecking ball.
P.P.S. The suburbs are weird. Like the 1950’s only with smuttier dressed preteens.
6.03.2009
Girls Night!
I almost don't want to write about this because this sushi place is the best kept secret in Chicago...but then i remembered that none of you reading actually live in Chicago. So the secret is safe on the internet.
Tonight our new extended group of girls went to Sushi X for Happy Hour. Happy Hour= half price rolls from 5-7 Sunday through Wednesday. Happy Hour also = amazing. For 10 bucks a piece we all got to try almost 10 different rolls of sushi and we all left satisfied.
But more that great sushi, we had an extended group of great girls. OK i'm going to get mushy for a second but it was beautiful to sit at a table of friends, women from all different areas, and talk for 2 hours straight. As someone in the group said it was like sex in the city only in a cooler city, with poorer women who have better fashion sense and more common sense.
In one word it was lovely.
Tonight our new extended group of girls went to Sushi X for Happy Hour. Happy Hour= half price rolls from 5-7 Sunday through Wednesday. Happy Hour also = amazing. For 10 bucks a piece we all got to try almost 10 different rolls of sushi and we all left satisfied.
But more that great sushi, we had an extended group of great girls. OK i'm going to get mushy for a second but it was beautiful to sit at a table of friends, women from all different areas, and talk for 2 hours straight. As someone in the group said it was like sex in the city only in a cooler city, with poorer women who have better fashion sense and more common sense.
In one word it was lovely.
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