Entries Tagged as 'scott'

Christmas Dinner at Auntie Gail’s

December 26th, 2008 · No Comments

mitch
Mitch: “Take my photo so I can see if your flash hurts my eyes like my mom’s does.”

dallas_tommy_mitch
Jeff and Doug got this pinball machine when they were kids and now their own kids play it.


rachelle_kenji
Rachelle & Kenji

hideto
Hideto

jeff_mitch
Jeff & Mitch

cory_gifts
Cory selecting a package in the gift exchange.

mandy_brad
Mandy & Brad

tommy
Tommy

cory_hideto
Auntie Cory & Hideto

dallas
Dallas

danny_kenji
Danny & Kenji

tommy_ice_cream
Tommy loved the ice cream sandwiches made with Auntie Gail’s homemade cookies.

On Christmas day we always go to Dallas’ Auntie Gail’s house in Mt. Prospect. This year we didn’t have a ride, but we live so close to the Blue Line that we just took it out to the Cumberland stop and Auntie Laura picked us up. Very convenient, just so we don’t have a lot to carry.

Every year Auntie Gail makes beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn and her mom’s lettuce/mayo/crab/?? salad. Always delicious. Also, around Thanksgiving every year Auntie Gail starts reminding everyone to bring a $10 grab bag, “no junk.” The exchange always gets a little crazy with people going after the same gifts over and over even though they have no idea what they are. It’s all about the packaging. Dallas and I got a fancy wine opener (from Naoko) and a deviled egg plate (from Auntie Laura).

This year it was fun to see Kenji, Doug and Naoko’s baby who was just born less than a month ago. He’s so tiny. When Tommy and Hideto were born I don’t think I saw them til they were much older. I stole Kenji away for almost an hour and then finally gave him up to the next person to hold him. Also, I’d only spent time with Hideto one time before. He was visiting from the Bay Area with his parents, Dallas’ cousin Scott & Krystyn and it was nice to see him again. He’s gotten so big!

Previous Christmases at Auntie Gail’s:
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005

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Erin’s Wedding Not-a-Shower-Just-Girls-Getting-Together-For-Drinks-and-Food

October 18th, 2008 · 2 Comments


Erin & Rachelle, Old Town, Chicago

Erin and Scott are getting married next weekend. This is each of their second marriages and instead of going through all of the traditional wedding hoopla, like they did for their first weddings, they have decided to elope and get married on a tiny farm in Woodstock, VT. I think it’s romantic that they’re choosing to concentrate on the marriage and that for the wedding they will only be focused on each other and their vows. No need to worry about whether the wedding cake is pretty enough or if Uncle Joe had too much to drink. What really matters? The two of them. Who will be there? The two of them. Of course, because Erin and Scott spend just about waking moment online in some fashion, they have created a blog and will be keeping everyone up to date while they’re away. The unique nature of this wedding hasn’t gone unnoticed. This week both Time Out Chicago and Glamour Magazine wrote about it.

Erin and Scott met when they were both writing for Chicagoist and Margaret and I were the co-editors. When we first hired Erin, she and I had only written emails to each other and IMed. We finally met one night for dinner at Lula. Afterwards Erin offered to give me a ride home. She said to me “I think I have crush on Scott Smith.” I laughed and was like “Yeh!! Margaret and I do too! He’s awesome.” And then as time went by … “OH! You mean .. oh. … gotcha!” Scott tells the touching story of how it all happened here. I read it remembering being present at many of those events in the timeline. When they first came to Chicagoist. When they first met at Wishbone. A drunk happy hour at My Bar (on Chicagoist, on rachelleb.com).

Today some of Erin’s close girlfriends threw her a wedding shower party for all of the women in Erin’s life to get together for a few hours for lunch and drinks. (Olivia took this photo of Erin and I at the party.) The couple has requested no gifts for the wedding, but I couldn’t help but get them something small and sentimental. I hope they like it.

It has been a joy to see their relationship evolve. It’s had it’s ups and down’s like everyone’s but I think they truly were meant to be together. I know that they will have a beautiful life together. I wish them the best… this weekend and in life!

- Erin’s photos from the party.

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Summer of Rachelle Concludes and Happy Birthday To Me

September 7th, 2008 · 3 Comments


Roscoe Village, Chicago

This is the third year in a row at this apartment that I’ve hosted a barbecue for my birthday (2007, 2006). I like to have everyone over. It’s a bit of work, especially since we always have a Labor Day weekend barbecue the weekend before too, but sometimes I like not being out on my day and not having to figure out how to go home.

Since I started a job at Roundarch this past Tuesday, this barbecue was also the last Summer of Rachelle event. Sometimes it feels like we just had the Summer of Rachelle kickoff, but I think I spent the summer well with the right amounts of relaxing and traveling and spending time with friends and family.

Aside from Scott and Erin, who had just left; Ed, Cinnamon and Andrew, who hadn’t arrived yet; and Jill who, was manning the camera, the following two photos show everyone who was at the party.


Chris, Lisa, Kate, Alden, Amanda, Jessica, Jessica, Paul, Quinn, Rachelle, Chris, Dallas, Limey, Jen, Brian, Caroline, Chad


Richard, Stephanie, Danny

We grilled a ton of sausages and some turkey burgers Dallas made earlier. I had special requested the turkey burgers. Also, last year when we made wontons, we had a bunch of leftover filling. It has been in our freezer all this time because Dallas and I never made wontons ourselves. Dallas’ mom gave us the idea to saute the filling up and serve it with lettuce, and make lettuce wraps. We forgot to put it out for the barbecue, but it was a delicious snack, along with hot mustard, later on in the night. I have been making this pasta salad with fresh basil all summer and people seemed to like it a lot yesterday. I also made some cookies and will post the recipe at another time.


Dallas as the lead Rock Band singer.


Alden, Jessica, Paul

We spent a lot of time last night outside, but also spent a lot of time inside playing Rock Band. I bought another guitar so now two people can play guitar at the same time, one on lead and one on bass. Everyone was taking turns on the different instruments. It was a lot of fun. I was psyched because we were getting the old band back together, too. Paul, Alden, Jessica and I used to play Rock Band all the time when we worked together at Google. It was fun to play with them again.

I had a really great time last night and was thankful to everyone who came over. I have great friends and family! Thanks to Jess for the flowers and to everyone who brought wine and beer and delicious food, too. Happy birthday to me… and welcome to the working world!

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Weekend With Molly & Megan

March 5th, 2008 · 3 Comments

Megan
Megan :: Fogo de Chao, River North, Chicago

Dallas, Megan, Molly
Dallas, Megan, Molly :: Fogo de Chao, River North, Chicago

Megan & Scott
Megan & Scott :: Fogo de Chao, River North, Chicago

Megan
Megan :: Fogo de Chao, River North, Chicago

This past weekend we hung out a lot with some of Dallas’ friends from college. Molly was visiting from Saratoga Springs, NY where she is now an exercise science professor at Skidmore College. Megan was in the city from a little closer.. the suburbs.. where she teaches 3rd graders. Also? She and her husband Scott are expecting their first baby. So exciting.

On Saturday Molly & Megan met up with us in Roscoe Village and we had a nice dinner at Piazza Bella, followed by a few drinks (not for Megan) and a lot of Guitar Hero at our house. While we were eating that night Megan mentioned that she and Molly and Scott were going to Fogo de Chao on Sunday and of course Dallas had to get in on all that meat action. For those of you who are unfamiliar with these popular Brazilian barbecue places, basically you pay a flat rate. Then you have this little coaster that’s red on one side, green on the other. Flip it with the green side up and you will be bombarded with meat. When you’ve got enough or need a break, flip it to the red side.

The first time I went to Fogo de Chao I wrote that I thought it was a place that you’d only be able to visit once or maybe twice in one year, but I’ve already gone twice this year. Besides this past weekend, I went a few weeks ago with some work associates. They were in town from Tokyo and we wanted to give them a unique experience that they couldn’t get at home. I think we succeeded.

Anyway, it was nice to see Molly and Megan and Scott again. I’m not sure when we’ll see Molly (and hopefully her husband Eric, too) next, but we vowed to see Megan and Scott more, since they’re not too far from us.

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Happy Birthday Margaret!

July 29th, 2007 · 1 Comment

Karaoke Dallas
Dallas Singing “Bust a Move” :: American Legion, Bucktown, Chicago

Karaoke Margaret
Margaret :: American Legion, Bucktown, Chicago

Rory Lake
Rory Lake :: American Legion, Bucktown, Chicago

Karaoke Scott
Scott Singing “Faith” :: American Legion, Bucktown, Chicago

Karaoke Laura
Laura :: American Legion, Bucktown, Chicago

Karaoke Evelyn
Evelyn :: American Legion, Bucktown, Chicago

Karaoke Rachelle
Rachelle Singing “Is This Love” :: American Legion, Bucktown, Chicago

Cupcakes
Cupcakes :: American Legion, Bucktown, Chicago

For Margaret’s birthday she and Evelyn, whose birthday is only a week or so later, rented out the basement of the American Legion Hall in Bucktown and had Rory Lake, of Karaoke Dreams, come in and had a karaoke party. Apparently the American Legion is where all the cool hipsters are hanging out these days. Dallas was psyched to go to the party. He sang 2 songs: Bust a Move and Ain’t Nothing But a G Thang. He submitted a 3rd song and we were waiting for it to come up, when surprise, surprise, my name got called. He tricked me and put my name in to sing Is This Love. I tried to protest and say I didn’t put my name in and that I didn’t know the song. All I could think of was White Snake’s song Is This Love, but it was the Bob Marley song and I was ok with that. I still didn’t really want to sing it but everyone was yelling my name and I sort of got peer pressured into it. It was ok. I needed that trick to get me to sing anything at all.

The party was a great time. Everyone was singing, the American Legion guys were funny, and it wouldn’t be Margaret’s birthday without yummy cupcakes from Alliance Bakery. Oh, also all the beer was only $2/can. That always helps.

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