Stamp of Approval

Wow, it feels like forever since my last post! I would like to say I'll keep this short and sweet but for those of you who know me, you know that's not in my nature. I'm going to start off by saying that yet again, this will not be a food related post! I know and I'm kind of sorry but kind of not! I have received several gifts lately/bought some goodies for myself and I thought I would highlight some of my new favorite brands. Some have been on my radar for years while others have recently been brought to my attention by friends in the fashion/style realm. As most of my friends know, I am not a style maven. I may read Cosmo and Glamour and have a wicked Pinterest closet but when it comes down to it I would rather be in a Florida (Heat, Gators, Hurricanes, Dolphins, Panthers, or Marlins) shirt and jeans. 

The first brand I have known about for quite some time but never took the time to really consider it. Fossil has had a store in Woodfield since I was in high school and I only went in to look at handbags. How could I have been so misguided? For our anniversary, I told my boyfriend I wanted a watch. I knew which one too; Michael Kors would be the only brand I would look at. I even went to two stores in the mall to be sure I had found the right one. The time came to buy the watch (the bf took me with for sizing so I could wear it right away) and I just couldn't make up my mind. After going to Macy's, Michael Kors, and then back to Macy's something didn't feel right. Of course as I was about to say "screw it and just get the Michael Kors" when my bf marveled at the Fossil watches in the next case. Of course I fell in love and had two Fossil watches and a Michael Kors out on the glass case trying to decide. I went back and forth numerous times and after 15 minutes wanted to go to the Fossil store to check out a larger selection. As soon as I walked into the Fossil store I was in love. Not only was the sales girl so helpful but I found the perfect watch and I was able to get a bracelet (perfect for stacking) for less than the price of a Michael Kors watch. My day was made and while we were at it, we got him a watch too! I am so happy with my watch and bracelet, both of which are of a higher quality than anything MK has put out and instead of a 2 year warranty, my bad boy has an 11 year warranty! Everyone knows that being one of the most accident prone people on this earth, I need that! 

 The finished product, less than the price of a Michael Kors watch and almost identical!

 They designed this case just for me!

 This picture doesn't do this rose gold bracelet justice. It's stunning

The next brand is a new one for me, Bridier Baubles. They have the most charming website and not too many items to overwhelm hesitant online shoppers. I am often indecisive when I only shop so only have 10-15 options keeps my anxiety at a minimum. I just happened upon their "under the sea" sale and snagged some items perfect for my Florida born self. The items were moderately priced and the shipping was free. I've been on a few other times and they are always having a flash sale of some kind with a different theme, I appreciate creativity. I haven't worn these pieces yet but I'm sure that when I do, I'll be getting loads of compliments. These pieces are unique without being too over the top for me. 

Adorable pieces going with a nautical theme! I love the charm bracelet especially!

This next pick comes from a restaurant so I guess I am kind of relating this back to food! On a recent trip to Cracker Barrel (come on who hasn't been there and noshed on some chicken and dumplings?) I was given an adorable owl mug. Owls are Chi Omega's mascot and few Chi Omegas graduate without some serious owl swag. I can never get enough but I am picky about pieces that I add to my already grand collection. This mug was too cute to pass up! The quality of it is great, it isn't some cheap piece of ceramic and I will actually use it for a strong cup of coffee or tea in the AM. It is Halloween themed but who cares? I'll use this all year round! I may even use it to hold some autumn colored flowers on my desk. 

I go back and forth on this next one; Kohl's. See for me, shopping at Kohl's isn't fun. You have to wade through a lot of riffraff before something good comes along. I was given a $20 Kohl's cash that had to be used that day and hey, I can go in to any store and spend $20. I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, I had to wade through about 8 racks of clearance items and try on about 25 pieces before I settled on three that would eat up the $20 but I did get some interesting pieces out of it that I normally wouldn't have picked out for myself. The bottom line is, this store still needs help. The staff is often scatterbrain or too bored to care and a lot of the clothes are not great quality and are overpriced but if you are the in mood to sift through some junk, you can kind make some surprising finds. 

I love this colors in this skirt!                                                                                                    This shirt is perfect for layering

This dress is so comfortable with a unique pattern, couldn't pass it up.

And last but certainly not least, I am head over heals for See Designs. I actually won this tote bag ($78 tote bag) from a blog that I follow. I've been getting pretty lucky with these blog giveaways. This tote is called a circle tote (not because of the pattern). The bag has a round base and it is perfect for carrying just about anything in. I use it for work, for a quick weekend away, and for grocery shopping. It's a canvas bag so it is easily washed for when stuff spills or it gets a little rough around the edges. 

Impromptu Date Night Dining: Ristorante Dinotto

So after going through the "what do you want for dinner" charade, I finally made a decision this past Thursday; I wanted Italian. Well, that didn't make our decision any easier since it seems that there are thousand of adorable ristorantes all over Chicago. However, I had one neighborhood in mind. Old Town has become my new favorite and go to hood for a good, classy time and my boyfriend had the perfect place. Ristorante Dinotto is located on North Avenue just east of Wells and it was a fabulous night for sitting on a patio and enjoying a glass of wine, or two.

In our case, it ended up being a bottle of wine. They actually had my favorite bottle of Moscato. I know Moscato is a dessert wine but I just can resist. Moscato d'Asti is fantastic and it's not super cheap but somewhere in the middle. From the outside Dinotto doesn't look like much but it is quite large inside with white tablecloths and an overall classy and homey feel. We opted to sit outside and while I had reservations, I'm so glad that we did. The patio is beautiful, complete with an outdoor bar and a fountain. You can't see the street since there are vines and other plant life covering the gate separating the patio from North Avenue. There isn't much to see on North Avenue anyways. They had beautiful soft lights strung above the patio and they cast the perfect romantic light, almost like candlelight.

This is obviously a picture of the patio during the day but it's beautiful

We started off with bread, olive oil, pesto butter, and parmesan cheese. I've had olive oil and bread at other Italian restaurants but this was by far (almost) the best I've ever had. We ordered the fried calamari with marinara sauce. It was lightly breaded, juicy, with just the right amount of crunch. I would order it again in a heartbeat and the portion was huge, easily could have fed 2-3 people or more. 

Some amazing fresh bread with olive oil and cheese and some fabulous wine

For dinner I ordered the farfalle con pollo and my boyfriend had the rotolo in vodka sauce. The portions were again huge. The farfalle was served with mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic cream sauce with bowtie pasta and chopped chicken. I thought it was delicious but heavy so when they packed up my doggie bag it looked like I had barely eaten a bite! My boyfriend's rotolo wasn't the best he had ever had but he did enjoy it and again, it was a huge portion with two large pieces of rotolo smothered in vodka sauce.

Farfalle con pollo 

The service was impeccable. We never needed water and our server didn't hover and let us have time to enjoy the patio and each other. I'm not super romantic or anything but this definitely had me considering my idea of a typical date. The prices were a little high but you are paying for the excellent service and the ambiance. They did have a sign that stated that during peak times (when people are waiting to sit on the patio) outdoor dining would be limited to 90 minutes per table to accommodate other guests so I'm guessing that this place can get pretty busy. When we were there it wasn't busy but it was a Thursday night. There were other tables occupied nearby, mostly couples and a group of quite rowdy Italians that were having a great time catching up. 

I would give Dinotto an A for food, ambiance, and service. The leftovers were excellent the next day with a little fresh cheese on top. I absolutely loved the patio, next summer it will be hard to pull me away. For a low key date night, this place is perfect and intimate. 

Hit and Run is Only... Sort of a Hit

I know, I know, the name of my blog implies that I will only discuss food. However, that is not the case. I simply couldn't think of a blog name that encompassed my foodie nature along with my love of all things entertainment so bare with me for a while.

Anyways, Tuesdays are movie nights. Why? Because Regal Cinemas has $6.50 movie night for Regal Club Members. Unlike AMC's club program, the Regal club is free to join. You also get a coupon for a $2 small popcorn on Tuesdays. I believe on Mondays you pay full price for your ticket but you get a $2 candy. Also, using the Regal Club Card gets you points which are redeemed for free tickets, free drinks, and free popcorn/candy. I have gotten quite a few free tickets and other perks so if you don't have the card, get one! You have nothing to lose!

So, I let my boyfriend pick the movie and since there weren't many other options we went to see Hit and Run. I can't blame him solely for this pick though. I really wanted to go to the movies and there wasn't much else I was willing to see. I must say, it seems that there are a lot more previews before movies than there used to be. Maybe it's just me, it usually is. I did see a preview for Argo, the new Ben Affleck movie that I am pretty pumped to see.

When our movie finally started, I wasn't expecting much (I was almost at the bottom of the popcorn bag which always depresses me for a few minutes). The opening scene was quite touching. It was a bedroom scene but not the one you would normally expect. The premise of the movie? Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard need to get her to L.A. for an interview at the University of California. The hitch? He's in witness protection in the middle of nowhere because he ratted on some buddies of his and was the getaway driver in a bank robbery, which explains his ridiculous car and mad racing skills. He throws caution to the wind and goes with and then the hillarious drama ensues.

Tom Arnold as a Marshall assigned to protect him was spot on, I enjoyed his role although a lot of critics thought it was a tad bit over the top, all I can say is do not give the man a vehicle or a gun. Bradley Cooper played the main man he sent to prison and oh wait, they used to be best friends. Cooper is tipped off by a jealous ex-boyfriend of Kristen's that Dax is on his way and somehow the motley crew of Arnold, Bell, Shepard, Cooper and crew, and a couple of wayward cops end up in some crazy car chases and intense scenes discussing the quality of dog food, among other completely irrelevant topics.

Kristen at times was annoying and chastising, maybe that was just her conflict resolution masters degree talking. Shepard, Cooper, and Arnold stole the show. Shepard was the most relatable character, even though most of us probably have never robbed a bank. Cooper played a complete idiot toting a gun but did it with finesse, dreads and all. Arnold really surprised me, I laughed during every scene he was in, especially at the end when the conflict had been resolved.

As far as the plot goes, it's been done before but that doesn't mean it wasn't entertaining. It wasn't my favorite movie of Kristen Bell's but the chemistry between Bell and Shepard was great (they are together in real life, makes sense). It was lighthearted fun, I was never afraid for any of the characters. The intensity level just wasn't there but I did shamelessly enjoy the impossible car chases down dirt roads and Arnold's terrible luck with everything, except for his Pouncer app (for more on that, you need to see the film. It would be quite hillarious if we had it in real life).

Overall, the comedy was there. The dialogue was also (surprisingly) there as well. I enjoyed the witty banter between Arnold and Shepard the most although the dialogue between Bell and Shepard was also great and unique. Shepard wrote, directed, and starred in the movie so it was worth seeing it just to support him, I am a shameless fan after all. Appearances by Jason Bateman and Kristen Chenoweth only added to the film as a whole (especially Batement).

My verdict? A solid B+

Crosby's Kitchen: New in the Neighborhood

My boyfriend and I have been caught in the "what do you want for dinner" circle for the past month. You know that feeling, when you can't decide what type of food you want and get irritated when your partner can't do the same. It seems stupid but I know we are not the only couple that go through this. I took the initiative and decided to make a list of new places to choose from. On this particular Monday night we chose Crosby's Kitchen because it was close and the weather was conducive to dining outdoors. 

Well, imagine our surprise when they did not have outdoor dining. That's okay, you know what they say about assuming (if you don't, ask a witty and/or sarcastic friend that loves puns/cliches). We were told the wait would be 20-25 minutes but we could wait at the bar in the meantime. Well the bar was packed and the wait ended up being 30-35 minutes. There is a decent sized waiting area so it wasn't uncomfortable but we did watch a lot of people from the athletic club across the street walk in to ask about the wait and walk out so they did lose quite a bit of business. 

View of the bar and some of the tables/booths in the center (picture from rachelleb.com)

From the outside, this place looks huge but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Along one wall there are about 5-6 booths. On the opposite wall there are again 5-6 booths that sit 4 maybe 5 people comfortably. In the center is a row of 6-7 tables that can sit 4 people and a row of 8-9 tables that can sit 2-4 people. Backing up to those two rows of tables are another 6 booths that can sit 2-4 right next to the kitchen. The bar sits about 20 people but I have no idea if you can order food from there or not and it is first come first serve. They could definitely have added more tables they had planned the layout better. There almost seemed to be too much space between rows of tables/booths. if  The kitchen is pretty much out in the open and is visible to just about every table in the place, which I liked and I thought it lived up to the name of the place. If you call yourself Crosby's Kitchen, I would like to see the kitchen. 

The picture below is our view from our booth, the kitchen is so cute and really adds to the charm of the place. (The picture is not mine, I got it from www.rachelleb.com)

I had heard that this place had phenomenal corn bread, that's another part of the reason why I chose it. My boyfriend and I love cornbread. Since I'm from the South, I have a very high standard that has to be met and I am often disappointed. Our server was very friendly but neglected to tell us certain things about the menu. They were out of two of the beers I tried to order. In my experience, when they bring the table to the menu, it is the server's responsibility to say something like "Oh and by the way, we are out of ..." So, I was a little frustrated and asked for more time to pick something out. They were out of Two Brothers Domaine DuPage French Country Ale and Crispin Honey Cider. My boyfriend ended up getting Boulevard "Unfiltered Wheat". When our server came back to the table, she had two Boulevards even though I hadn't ordered yet. It was quite loud so I suppose she didn't hear me. I ended up not ordering a beer but she left the extra, at no cost to us, and I eventually drank that. I cannot let alcohol go to waste!

Then we ordered food. As an appetizer, I couldn't resist the lobster deviled eggs. For 3 halves, it was $9 but I figured, why not? When we ordered the cornbread we were told they were out. I had had enough at that point and kind of snapped but she kept her composure. She then explained it would be about 20 minutes, they were making more but it just wouldn't come out right away. Why didn't she say that in the first place? Saying that you are out of something implies that there isn't anymore. If she had said that it would be a few minutes, I wouldn't have said a word. It ended up taking a whopping 6 minutes to make it to our table. I would have expected to wait a few minutes anyways. For main courses, we ordered the chicken dip with mashed potatoes and the Wrightwood salad. 

Of course, I managed to screw up the picture of the cornbread but it came out in a circular cast iron skillet with a padded handle cut into four decently sized pieces with a container of maple butter on top and a spatula to scoop out the pieces. It came out piping hot, as any good cornbread should. The menu simply says "iron skilled cornbread served hot with maple butter". I felt that it had a little spiciness to it but I was pleasantly surprised and I would order it again. 

The lobster deviled eggs came out about two minutes after the cornbread. The picture below doesn't even do it justice. They were outstanding, smooth, and most importantly loaded with succulent lobster. At $9 they are a little pricey but if you love deviled eggs or lobster these are for you, splurge a little! I can't say enough good things. 

Our food came out about 10 minutes later, perfect for me, I was starved after waiting over half an hour to sit down!  The chicken was succulent and not dried out at all. The chicken dip included rotisserie chicken, jack cheese, tomato, onion, arugula, and chicken au jus. The jack cheese was the perfect compliment and the bread held up to the au jus. The au jus was almost completely unnecessary. The chicken was perfect all on it's own but the au jus wasn't overly salty which I liked. The mashed potatoes were forgettable, they didn't have any particular taste and were kind of lumpy.
 

I didn't get a great picture of the Wrightwood salad but it had a lot going on. It included rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, craisins, avocado, goat cheese, corn, almonds, citrus vinaigrette, and cornbread croutons. Let me tell you, this salad was delicious. The cornbread croutons were perfect and the goat cheese was fresh and creamy. Sometimes when they throw everything in a salad it is a bit overwhelming. Not in this case, every flavor complimented the next and the textures were also extremely diverse. My boyfriend and I ended up splitting each of our dishes, we also do this so we get to try more than one dish in one visit. 

We skipped dessert to go to an Italian ice place but the skillet cookies is supposed to be phenomenal here, we will be back to try it again. The manager, Michelle, ended up taking the cornbread off our bill since there was an issue which she definitely didn't have to do but we appreciated it all the same. The hospitality definitely felt Southern which I appreciated. The servers all wore checkered blue and white long button downs and jeans and the hostesses wore white button downs with dark wash jeans. With the exception of a few hiccups our experience was great. I'll chalk the the minor issues up to being new and working out the kinks. We'll be back! Check it out and let me know what you think! Check out the full dinner menu below, they also serve brunch and lunch. 

Full Dinner Menu  


 

Pardon Our Dust

I'm sorry for the lack of posts recently, don't worry a lot of work is being done behind the scenes! However there is an amazing giveaway taking place on one of my favorite blogs!

Greek with Envy Chicago Prepster Giveaway

Destination Detour

Yet another wonderful giveaway from my friend at Chicago Prepster! Bubble necklaces are all the rage these days and she is giving away a cute one. Every single time I go out to a swanky restaurant, it never fails. I see some girl with an amazing statement necklace, it distracts me for about thirty seconds before I return to my foodie adventures. Check out her blog here and enter to win!

Chicago Prepster Bubble Necklace Giveaway

Check out this awesome giveaway from fellow blogger Chicago Prepster!
http://www.chicagoprepster.com/2012/07/all-that-jas-giveaway.html