Chicago

Well, as the nature of my blog title suggests, I was off and running again (hence the gap in entries). This time up to my "home"... well it feels like home, Chicago. Every year my mom and I take a weekend during the summer and meet there. It's a tradition we've been doing for 10 years now, and although saying that makes me feel old, the fact of the matter is it is one of the things I look most forward to.
I started the weekend early by driving up Thursday night and staying with the Elsmo Four (see their blog at elsmofour.blogspot.com). My family has grown exponentially over the years with a wide array of people who aren't necessarily 'relatives' per se. The Elsmo Four, however, are actual relatives, and for that I could not feel more blessed. If the soul were a gas tank, mine leaves their enclave of Chicago on 'full', and I always hate to leave... reason number 3,967 why I just need to move up there! We had a fantastic time. The Elsmo vortex sucks you in and next thing you know you have a glass of wine or sparkling water in one hand and a dog or a cat in the other.
My mom met me there on Friday afternoon. Mel, Finn, Emma, and I spent the morning mini-vanning (yes, it's a verb too!) between soccer, the Whole Foods, and this awesome artisan cheese shop. Mel once told me that you can get through just about anything with some crackers, wine, and a good cheese. Honestly, I have had moments in my life where if you looked in my cabinets and refrigerator-- well, you'd know I took her advice to heart.
After a beautiful afternoon together, my mom and I departed for downtown. We had dinner at Toppolobampo, which was FABULOUS! Of course the food and wine were amazing, but really, just settling into the promise of the weekend made everything that much better. Saturday mom and I navigated all of our favorite haunts. Including the Crate and Barrel where the plush beds mock me year after year. I swear that one of these days I will have a bed like the ones in Crate and Barrel. Maybe it's better that I don't have a bed like that. It's less incentive to stay there when I have SO much to do these days. Saturday night we had dinner at Le Lan, also fabulous. Sunday came too quickly. Sunday always comes too quickly on this particular weekend of the year. Despite the sadness of having to wait an entire year for the next installment, I take comfort in the arms of my city. Just being there reminds me of the work I have ahead of me, but also the bold, sky-scraping incentive that lies around the corner.