A Quick Jaunt in Chicago - Part 2

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I slept at my parents' in the suburbs, so I woke up well-rested from an amazing, soft, king size bed. I made some breakfast for my mom and I and then we headed to her workout club, Fitness Loft, for some pilates and weights.

Afterward, we got a much-needed manipedi and then headed to her classroom. She is a kindergarden teacher (the cutest one, at that!), so she needed some help to set up her classroom.

hard at work?

After a bit, my brother picked me up while she kept working, and I went home to take a shower and get ready for the evening's festivities. We had a fun night planned, and we were meeting the rest of my family downtown for it!

Our first order of business was to find a rooftop bar where we could have drinks and appetizers before dinner. We arrived at IO Urban Roofscape (the rooftop bar of The Godfrey Hotel in River North) just before 5, and ordered drinks and apps.

a girl and her martini

Salmon Flatbread

Calamari
I am told it was good, but I did not even touch it because it looked too much
like baby octopuses and I can't really bring myself to eat 'baby' anything.

Eventually, we headed to our dinner location. We walked just a block or two to Zed 451.

They only serve dinner inside (you'll see why). We had about 45 minutes to blow before our ressy, so we headed upstairs to check it out.

We had cocktails on the rooftop, which was much lower than IO's and therefore had a very different, more "beer garden" feel. I had a blackberry basil tequila drink which was amazing.

Lots of "inspired" Herman Miller chairs. #gettherealthingyall

When our time came, we went inside for dinner. When we made the reservation, we didn't realize that this was a brazillian steakhouse- style dinner. That means it's all-you-can-eat salad bar and all-you-can-eat meat. We were totally surprised, but more than willing to take on the challenge.

And by we, I mean I.

We helped ourselves to a limitless "harvest table," which consisted of a variety of salads, appetizers, cheeses, and charcuterie. It is always a battle knowing your plate is bottomless, because you want to save room for the good stuff.

Eventually, they came around with the meats and we had a field day. Between a full stomach and the wine we shared at the table, we were all pretty ready to fall asleep that night.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• Have you been to a brazillian-style steakhouse? How did you react? The first time I went, back when I didn't eat as much meat, my body freaked out. Like, I felt totally sick. This time, however, I had no problems at all (thanks to my paleo diet?) and made out like a bandit with no negative side effects!
• If you've been to Chi - what's your favorite rooftop in Chicago? Seriously. I need to know!

Effen Cucumber Mint Martini

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Let's start today's post with a game. Humor me for a minute as you read a few sentences and try to determine what they've all got in common...

-On a hot summer day, you sit on the edge of the water and let cool water flow over your legs.

-A dream vacation involves dancing and swimming under a waterfall, or hiding behind the water's spray with your significant other.

-You're sitting in a lounge chair, sipping a Corona with lime.

-You return from a long run and down a bottle of Smart Water.

Did you guess it yet? They're all refreshing!

There's something magical about the light, happy, refreshing feeling you get from all of those things. Whether it's something as large scale as a dream vacation, or something as simple as downing a bottle of water, it seems to breathe new life into us. There's nothing wrong with a little rejuvenation, my friends.

Just as I believe that life is better when you embrace spontaneity and random events and urges that come up, I also believe life is better when you continually find ways to revitalize yourself. Put cucumbers over your eyes and take a nap, or make cucumber and mint infused water to treat yourself as you re-hydrate.

Or, of course, make yourself a deliciously refreshing cocktail. Not the kind of cocktail that makes you pucker and cringe as you slowly sip it. Not the kind that's filled with sugar, just to create something that tastes good. Nope, this is a different kind of cocktail. Let's just say the cocktail has... evolved.

Enter the delicious and refreshing taste that we all want at the end of a tough day, or the beginning of an eventful evening.

Effen Cucumber Mint Martini

Ingredients:

• Ice Cubes
• 3 Mint leaves
• 1 slice of Cucumber (1/4 inch thick), cut in half
• 1 lime wedge
• 1.5 oz Effen Cucumber Vodka
• 6-8 oz Seltzer Water (Sparkling Water, Club Soda, or Diet Tonic will also work)

Directions:

1. Add ice cubes to cup
2. Add mint leaves and cucumber wedge. Squeeze lime juice from lime wedge and add.
3. Add Effen Cucumber Vodka and Seltzer Water
4. Stir!

Notes:

• You may notice this is a martini recipe, yet it's not in a martini glass. What's up with that? Unfortunately, I'm far too clumsy to deserve to drink from a real martini glass (seriously, I even have to use stemless wine glasses, I'm just a huge spaz and I get all excited and knock stuff over). That said, feel free to act like a real grown up and use a real martini glass. :)

Blueberry Rhubarb Martini (or Blueberry Cranberry Martini, if it's cold out!)

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Guess what I learned this morning? This will be a cool August. Cool as in cold. As in... we're lucky in Chicago if it hits 70 today. I'm going to cry. Somebody bring me a tissue. This is sad news to me.

If you're wondering, I'm one of those people who hates winter. I hate, hate, hate it, and living in Memphis, Tennessee for four years of college didn't help. They don't get much snow there. In fact, one February morning, I was awakened at 5 something A.M. because it was snowing and my freaking-out-roomates wanted to drive to the grocery store to stock up. It was like we were being invaded. By snow. So no, I'm not happy about it getting chilly. Thus, I will allow myself the month of August to grieve the warmth... and then I will suck it up, move on, and warmly slip into my fall clothes. 

Why am I telling you all of this in a post about blueberry rhubarb cocktails? Because, people, it means the rhubarb will be going away! For good (or at least until next summer). So get to the store or into your garden and grab it all. Then make these cocktails.

P.S. If you stumble on this post during the winter, I dare you to try boiling cranberries instead of rhubarb for the syrup. Methinks it will be delicious.

P.S.S. In my opinion, if you serve it in a martini glass, it's a freaking martini. Put a margarita in there? It's a Margtini. Pour in some Guinness? Well, I'll let you name that one...

Blueberry Rhubarb Martini

Ingredients:

for blueberry infused vodka mixture...

• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1 cup Vodka

for rhubarb syrup...

• 2 Stalks Rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp Truvia or Sugar

remaining ingredients...

• Malibu Rum (optional)
• Seltzer water (optional)

Directions:

1. Make blueberry infused vodka: Combine blueberries and vodka in a container. Muddle blueberries, breaking them all apart and mashing them together with the vodka. Let sit overnight.
2. Make rhubarb syrup: Strip rhubarb and cut into small pieces. Heat water on the stove until boiling, then add rhubarb and truvia/sugar and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and puree. Let cool before using in this recipe.
3. Combine ingredients in the following ratio: 1 part blueberry infused vodka, 2 part rhubarb syrup, 1 part Malibu rum (optional, for added sweetness), 1 part seltzer water (optional, to add effervescence and lower alcohol content per ounce). Shake in a mixer and then serve cold.

Watermelon martinis

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Here's the recipe for the watermelon martinis we made last night for our Final Rose Bachelorette party!

What you need:

• Watermelon (to make 4 cups pureed)
• 1/2 cup Limoncello
• 1 cup Vodka (try lemon vodka or watermelon vodka)
• 2 limes
• Ice
• (Optional: Cointreau or Triple Sec)

What to do:

1. Puree 4 cups of watermelon chunks
2. Remove watermelon puree and set aside in another cup
3. For each martini, blend 1/2 cup of watermelon puree, 1 shot of vodka, 1/2 shot of limoncello, and a few ice cubes (To blend for 4 people, that's 2 cups of watermelon puree, 4 shots of vodka, 2 shots of limoncello, and 2 handfulls of ice cubes).
4. Garnish with lime slice and watermelon chunks