Entries Tagged as 'lori'

Camping @ Bong Recreation Area

June 25th, 2006 · 4 Comments

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Bong Recreation Area, Wisconsin

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Maggie & Dallas, Bong Recreation Area, Wisconsin

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Rachelle, Stephanie & Jessica, Wisconsin

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Maggie, Bong Recreation Area, Wisconsin

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Bong Recreation Area, Wisconsin

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Dallas, Bong Recreation Area, Wisconsin

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Bong Recreation Area, Wisconsin

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Bong Recreation Area, Wisconsin

Finally got to check out the Bong Recreation Area, instead of just laughing at the sign every time we drive past it on the highway. Danny, Lori, Dallas and I went camping there this weekend. It was nice to get away from the computer and the City and TV and all the regular stuff and just unplug for a while.

My brother lives only about a half hour from where we were camping so they came by for a couple hours on Saturday. We checked out the beach at the lake and then had cooked some brats on sticks* for lunch. It was kind of hard. I think that each brat hit the ground and was rinsed about 3 times, but that’s part of camping. You’ve got to expect to eat some dirt. Late on Danny & Dallas golfed 9 holes nearby and Lori and I took Maggie on a 2 mile hike.

Overall, it was a good time. Fun. Relaxing. The only bad part was Saturday night when it started sprinkling in the middle of the night.. and then pouring. The entire place was turned to mud. We left right away in the morning on Sunday and got breakfast at Perkins in Kenosha.

* Brats on sticks was the only meal that didn’t really turn out and it was kind of my fault. I had a little camping grill that I was going to bring along. I used to use for regular grilling all the time. I haven’t really used it much since Dallas moved here 1) because he thinks it’s stupid and 2) he and Kristin have a full-sized grill we use instead. I went to pull my mini grill out the night before camping and it was full of webs and pillbugs. Disgusting. I threw it in the trash. Otherwise, in true Danny fashion, we had wonderful meals. Red beans and rice with kielbasa, corned beef hash with eggs, beef & vegetable soup, grilled corn on the cob, and smores. Lots of smores!

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Aunt Laura’s 60th

June 6th, 2006 · 1 Comment

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Dallas & Auntie Laura, Roscoe Village, Chicago

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Flowers From Dan & Lori, Roscoe Village, Chicago

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Flowers from Dallas & Rachelle, Roscoe Village, Chicago

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Brisket, Roscoe Village, Chicago

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Pulled Pork, Roscoe Village, Chicago

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Aunt Laura, Roscoe Village, Chicago

Sunday was Dallas’ Aunt Laura’s 60th birthday party at Danny & Lori’s house. Danny spent somewhere around 26 hours making brisket and pulled pork and homemade barbecue sauce for the party. Delicious. So tender. All of Dallas’ family that lives in Chicago and its suburbs came over to celebrate. Laura got lots of flowers and gifts and some really great cake from Dinkel’s Bakery, which is like a Chicago institution.

Dallas had to leave really early in the party for a flight to Toronto for work. This is the first time I’ve gone to one of his family functions when he wasn’t there for most of it. Luckily, I know all of them so well by now that it didn’t really feel weird at all. The kids were asking for him later on, though. He’s the goofy guy that plays with them. Earlier, before he caught his flight, he was in an intense game of war with Mitch & Chris.

ยป The last time I had homemade brisket.

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Riverview Tavern

May 29th, 2006 · 1 Comment

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Riverview Tavern, Roscoe Village, Chicago

Wednesday Night: Wine at Avec. Thursday Night: Chicagoist Staff Happy Hour. Friday Night: Gapers Block Party. Saturday Night: Barbecue/Housewarming at Darren & Cory’s new place. Sunday Night: Dinner & Drinks at Riverview. Luckily, I didn’t get drunk every night, I took it easy. Otherwise, I’d be in rough shape right now. Instead it was a great weekend. And hot, did I mention HOT?

Riverview is pretty much right across the street from Danny & Lori’s so we’ve been known to frequent it regularly. It’s named after the old amusement park that was in operation from the late 1800s to the late 1960s and was located not to far from where the bar is now. Inside are lots of photographs and signs from the old park. It’s cool. Good drink specials ($3 Goose Island Summertime last night) and good food.

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First Barbecue of the Season

May 22nd, 2006 · 3 Comments

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Yesterday we grilled steaks, corn, brats, onions, and garlic bread with Danny and Lori. The first time this summer. I’ve decided that even though the temperature keeps dipping down I’m just going to pretend it’s officially summer anyway. I bought a few new summer clothes this weekend and I also went through my whole closet and dresser and shoes and got rid of a ton of stuff that I haven’t been wearing and got out all of my summer clothes that were jammed in the back of my closet. It’s like a new wardrobe now.

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Mitsuwa

March 20th, 2006 · 13 Comments

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Tuna Sashimi :: Mitsuwa, Arlington Heights, IL

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Octopus Sashimi :: Mitsuwa, Arlington Heights, IL

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Daikon :: Mitsuwa, Arlington Heights, IL

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Cute Packaging :: Mitsuwa, Arlington Heights, IL

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Open Up :: Mitsuwa, Arlington Heights, IL

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Crunky :: Mitsuwa, Arlington Heights, IL

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The Motherload, East Ukrainian Village, Chicago

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Katsu Pork, Roscoe Village, Chicago

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Sukiyaki, Roscoe Village, Chicago

Yesterday I tagged along with Danny and Lori to go to the Japanese store that I kept hearing Dallas’ family talk about, Mitsuwa. It’s in Arlington Heights, which makes it impossible for us to get to, but Danny & Lori have a car so, problem solved.

Mitsuwa is a huge Japanese supermarket. Then there are a few seperate shops around the outside, but under the same roof: A bakery, a liquor store, a place that sells pottery, and a big food court. The produce, meat and seafood all looked great. I was wondering where people were buying their daikon! The snacks and confections are the section of any Asian supermarket that I love, though. The packaging is always so irresistable and cute. .. and in New York I used to always buy strange candies and then take them home and try them to see if they were any good. I used to always send it to my niece, too.

Dallas wanted me to pick up some norimaki for him. . the kind with the nori (seaweed) on the outside. I don’t really like it and it makes your breath smell like ass, but Mitsuwa had about 20 different kinds to choose from. I prefer my rice crackers not to have a lot of nori. Yum. I was also looking for some ume (asian plum) candy for him. I got all confused trying to figure it out and picked the wrong candy. Hey, don’t send a white girl from Wisconsin to the Japanese supermarket to do your grocery shopping unless you’re looking for some new things to experiment with! I did a pretty good job, though. I was also looking for some lychee. I remember buying it on the street in New York, but I didn’t find any in the produce department at Mitsuwa. Oh well. Re: the chocolate candybar called “Crunky”: Either Lil John has a new product he’s endorsing or they meant to say “Crunchy.” One last thing, we were surpised that Mitsuwa had Kaua’i Kookies since the only place we’ve ever seen them is on kaua’i. There were only 2 flavors there, but still …

Later that night we all went to Danny & Lori’s where the boys cooked katsu pork and sukiyaki for us. Then along with that we had maki, inari, bao, and sashimi that I bought earlier. So good.. so much food! It was the first time I had sukiyaki but if Danny ever says he’s making it again, I’m stopping whatever I’m doing and hailing a cab to their place. So delicious.

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