Order is back in my life: school is in session. We had a great weekend, though. Started Friday with a trip to the Art Institute, complete with lunch in their elegant restaurant. Saturday brought a bit of retail therapy, hanging a chandelier in our closet (see photo above), and a fun dinner at Firkin. Sunday was all about newspapers, running in the wind, and at night watching Pursuit of Happyness, which is definitely worth a rental.
But it’s Bakery Monday, and this week’s bakery is local: Gale’s Coffee Bar, located in the Wheeling, IL, Westin hotel. “Gale” is Gale Gand, noted pastry chef and author. You can pick up pastries such as pain au chocolat or blueberry muffins at breakfast, or stop in at lunch for a fantastic selection of paninis. We went at lunch, and my husband’s Philly cheesesteak panini got a thumbs-up. I reliably order the turkey panini with bacon and avocado, and once again, it was great. Gale’s Coffee Bar also has a case full of tempting desserts to finish off your meal, like mini lemon meringue tarts, or decorated sugar cookies. Check out the website here (Gale’s Coffee Bar is part of the Cenitare restaurant group)>
If you happen to live in Chicago: on April 14, Gale Gand will be at her Coffee Bar from 1:30 to 3 pm for a cooking demonstration and book signing. See you there!
Today is the final day of Spring Break 2007. We’re wrapping up with a trip to the Art Institute today.
Here are the Five:
- untitled
- thank you thank you thank you
- ruby red chard
- Duck duck
- Robin you knew that was coming, didn’t you?
Happy Flickr-ing; see you Monday!
When Simply Photo and Joy (http://ohjoy.blogs.com/) both rave about something in the same week, you can bet it’s something you shouuld check out. Such is the case with Rinne Allen. Her photographs are just so, well, gorgeous. (My favorites are allium, butterfly, and wintered berries, available at Rinne’s bird handmade site as postcards.) Like what you see? There’s more at Hable Construction in NYC, or at Toula’s, in her hometown of Athens, GA.
Love the inspiration you get looking at the world through other’s eyes.
Yesterday around noon the temperature dropped 24 degrees in an hour, according to the morning paper. Summer back to spring in an instant. But that’s okay: the yard is awake with the beginnings of spring, including these lilac buds above. Is there anything more heavenly than the smell of lilacs in April and May? We have two bushes that are outside our kitchen window, and they’re finally tall enough to see from inside the house. Perfect.
Carolyne Roehm updated her website today with ideas for weddings. (I was hoping for Easter, but that’s okay.) She’ll be on Martha’s show today demonstrating some of the ideas from her site …
SaveSave
Having some good luck in the book department lately. Last week, I ordered two books from Amazon, and love both. First, I read “Leaning Into the Wind: A Memoir of Midwestern Weather”, by Susan Allen Toth. Our views about midwester weather are quite similar … I smiled when I read that she had an “other place” where she could envision herslef living happily, in superior weather. Great minds …
The second book, which will take a year to read since I’m only reading one day’s entry at a time, is “Life Is Meals”, by JAmes and Kay Salter (with exquisite illustrations by Fabrice Moireau). I read about this book in the New York Times recently. The book is filled with snippets about food, its histroy, and recipes. Today’s entry is about cafe au lait, my drink of choice at Starbucks, where they call it a Misto. I will enjoy spending the next year with the Salters, reading and learning about food.
What are you reading?
