kimberly ah

Feb 17 2013

adventures, cocktails, Week of Indulgence

#WeekofIndulgence: Bluebird & Fitzgerald’s Club

On Wednesday night Naoto and I attended a little cocktail party at The Bluebird in Bucktown. We had a great time munching on mini sandwiches, drinking old fashioneds (mine is pictured above with my fawn clutch, a Valentine gift from long ago) and catching up with our realtor friend, Nancy.

Since the party ended at 7 and it is the Week of Indulgence we decided to hit FitzGerald’s on the way home to catch a little Jazz concert. FitzGerald’s is a little gem of a nightclub in our “neighborhood” that we don’t take advantage of often enough. On Wednesday nights in the Sidebar (a smaller bar to the side of the main club) they have acoustic jazz and serve classic cocktails.

It wasn’t overly crowded and the music was good and the drink was delicious. I had the 20th Century–gin, lillet blanc, creme de cacao and lemon. There are about a dozen more cocktails on the list that I want to try, so hopefully we’ll make it out again as soon as Naoto is feeling better (or sooner, because I have a built-in designated driver for the next eight weeks!)

Tagged adventures, cocktails, FitzGerald's nightclub, food, jazz

Feb 15 2013

Over the Moon

I like to send silly greeting cards to Naoto at his office (the translation office, not Trader Joe’s). I do it because he mostly gets the boring mail at home and because I have a compulsive habit of falling in love with the perfect greeting cards for him and buying them too often. I love going to visit Naoto and seeing them all displayed on the ledge behind his desk.

When I saw this card with “Presley” flying over the moon, I fell in love (as I do with all Rifle cards!). I decided to send it to Naoto as a little pre-Valentine. I also made him a special blue washi tape bunting (because blue is his favorite and all of the pink ones just seemed too girly!) and tucked in inside the envelope.

I decorated the envelope with some blue washi tape and a vintage paper heart from this set by K is for Calligraphy and I used one of our leftover wedding invitation stamps for the postage (because who else wants to see that stamp!).

When I went to Naoto’s office on Wednesday night, he had the bunting all strung up by his desk. You can see his little card collection in the background (along with the all-business bulletin board information!)

For his “real” Valentine, I bought him a box of Choco Tacos (mentioned recently here)…I’m pretty sure he appreciated those more that the washi bunting!

Tagged celebrations, crafts, decorating, diy, holidays, mail art, snail mail, washi tape

Feb 14 2013

9 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures, snail mail

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I know some of my Valentine’s are still en route, being lovingly handled by the post offices in a few countries, but I wanted to share them before red and pink become as stale as Christmas cookies in February.

I had the little gold foil heart cards in my stash from last year. They are from the Paper Source (and are apparently out of stock). I also bought these postcards from Rifle Paper Company. I am pretty much in love with anything Rifle and once I saw the little flying cupid postman and the postage stamp edging, I knew I wanted these in my stationery stash.

Last week I pulled out my washi tape stash and some twine and started making some simple washi tape buntings. I got kind of addicted to playing with different colors and patterns and ended up with more than a dozen of them so I tucked the tiny buntings into little glassine envelopes and sent them off with some of my cards.

I miss the Valentine’s of my school days when my classmates used to add little stickers or candy hearts in the tiny, thin white paper envelopes of their store-bought Valentines, so this seemed like a good way to bring that back.

I hope you have a super Valentine’s Day! Whether you are spending it with your significant other, your family (both human & furry!), I hope your day is full of love and good mail!

Tagged celebrations, crafts, holidays, mail art, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Feb 13 2013

Big Band at the Library

Naoto and I had a date at the Oak Park Library. In February and March, Oak Park is doing a set of programming–films, discussions, movies and concerts–celebrating America’s music. They kicked things off Saturday night with the Glen Ellyn Jazz Ensemble performing a big band concert.

At first it felt a little weird going to the library on Saturday night, but they had the Veterans Room set up like a “club” with little tables and candles (the battery-operated kind!) and balloons and starry confetti. There was a cash bar in the back (yes, a bar at the library!!) serving up beer and wine and there were cheese trays, popcorn, grapes and candy. In spite of the brighter lighting (the lights were dimmed, but understandably not “club-dark”) it definitely felt more festive than a library event room! We were lucky enough to score a little table for two in the back and we had a really great time listening to the energetic sounds of the band and watching the horns bob and move with musical vigor. A few people were even dancing (but not us…we have the rhythm you’d expect from a small town white girl and an Asian guy)! The whole night made me wonder why we don’t go out and enjoy more music…

The best part (besides the fact that the concert was free!) was that it ended at nine and I could get Naoto tucked in early for his 5AM shift Sunday morning! (Exciting Saturday nights around here!)

If you are interested in seeing the rest of the America’s Music programming at the Oak Park Library, go here.

Tagged adventures, wine

Feb 12 2013

7 Comments

adventures, coffee talk, Week of Indulgence, what's for dinner

#WeekofIndulgence: The Little Goat Diner

Last night, as part of the Week of Indulgence, we took a little trip to the Chicago’s West Loop and ate at the Little Goat Diner. Naoto loves diners, and we’ve both heard really good things about Chef Stephanie Izard’s other restaurant, The Girl & the Goat, so once I heard that the Little Goat was opening, it’s been on my radar as a “must try” place. We invited our neighbor-friend, Karen, who took one look at the menu and decided she was “in” for the Week of Indulgence adventure.

When I eat at a diner, I am often overwhelmed by the choices…sweet breakfast like pancakes or waffles? Savory breakfast like an omelette? Lunch plate or lunch sandwich? I found the well-edited (but still quite plentiful!) choices on the Little Goat menu to be as overwhelming as the twenty page corner diner menus. So many choices, and each one as intriguing as the next! I wanted a little bit of everything, plus I already knew I was going to have the Blood Orange Meringue Pie!

I also knew I wanted a latte–the Little Goat serves Stumptown Coffee, which I haven’t tasted since Naoto & I went to Portland back in 2002!! So good! My dining companions had beer & cider. (If good coffee is offered, I don’t mind being the designated driver!)

Naoto got the Smoked Corn Beef Hash with Eggs. It was a huge portion (perfectly sized for the Week of Indulgence!) which he polished off with ease.

Karen & I both got the Tomato Apple Soup with the Yay Toast, which was a gjetost cheese and cheddar pancake…the soup was amazing–it was smooth and packed with flavor and it had a bit of spice and the pancake was perfect for dipping–it was a grown-up tomato soup and grilled cheese pair (but way better–the cheese was so interesting!).

Karen got the Fried Pickles & Onion rings to share and I got the Tempura Mashed Potatoes to share. The fried pickles & onion rings were so sinfully tasty, especially the dipping sauces–a ranch and a curry sauce. And my potatoes were the best mix of tempura-fried, crispy goodness hugging creamy mashed potatoes. They were served on Asian barbeque and ranch sauces.

As soon as I pointed out that there was a Choco Taco on the dessert menu, Naoto was on it. Choco Tacos are his favorite summer snack, and this one (inspired by the original) was served in a parfait glass with candied pumpkin seeds (I think?) on top. Karen & I each had a couple of bites, but Mr. Indulgence polished off every chocolatey bit. I was too full to eat dessert at the restaurant, but I ordered the Blood Orange Meringue pie to go. (And then I forgot it on the table resulting in a trip back to the restaurant to retrieve my forgotten treat!)

Look at that perfectly baked meringue! This pie is the perfect balance of tart and sweet…and I would drive back a hundred times for it! If you go, get the pie! Get the pie!

Since the Little Goat is open until 2AM, I hope Naoto & I can make an occasional late-night trip into the city for a little bite together when he gets done at Trader Joes (once he’s better, of course!) They also have a bakery with all sorts of intriguing bread and scone options (so maybe an early morning trip should be next?)

I think Little Goat juuuust might end up being the highlight of the Week of Indulgence…just a hunch.

P.S. Get the pie!

Tagged adventures, Chicago, coffee, food

Feb 11 2013

5 Comments

adventures, celebrations, Week of Indulgence, what's for dinner

#WeekofIndulgence

Next Tuesday Naoto is having a little surgery to repair the cause of his chronic acid reflux. I’ll spare you the details, because acid reflux is not romantic (it is Valentine week, after all!)

After the surgery, Naoto will be on a strict diet for the next two months, slowly adding foods back into his diet as he heals. For the first two weeks, he can only eat broth, strained soups, pudding, milk, gelatin, yogurt, cottage cheese and well-cooked & pureed vegetables. Weeks 3-7 get a little bit better because we can add in tofu, white rice, eggs, fish and some other solid, substantial foods. But the real kicker is that it isn’t until Week 8 that he can have fresh fruits & vegetables, citrus, bread, meats, alcohol and caffeine. So basically, since eating and drinking are Naoto’s favorite hobbies, it’s going to be a rough two months. I’ve made my share of jokes about this change in lifestyle (my favorite: BYOB—Bring Your Own Broth) but in all seriousness, I feel really bad for him, and neither of us are looking forward to what this is going to mean for our social lives for the next two months.

So, in an effort to prepare for the upcoming diet, I’ve deemed this week The Week of Indulgence: a week of excessive eating and drinking adventures. We are going to pack in all of the foodie fun we can before Monday night when Naoto turns into a sad pumpkin who can’t eat anything at all before the surgery. We kicked things off this weekend with lunch at Sankyu (Naoto’s bento box is pictured above) and we are planning a few more food adventures, including two city spots we’ve been meaning to try. And, we are planning a little “Welcome Back to the Eating” party for when Naoto returns to a “normal” diet…so much to look forward to!

I’ve started using #weekofindulgence on Twitter and Instagram to track our food adventures…so be prepared for more food & drink posts than normal over there.

Tagged adventures, coffee, food

Feb 08 2013

6 Comments

adventures, some stuff about me

It’s “Heart” Work

Naoto & I are both members of our local gym. The difference is, he loves going and I hate going. I drag my feet out of the locker room and Naoto bounds out with excitement for the upcoming treadmill time (yes, that’s him above, super-excited about the workout ahead). When we update our runs (or in my case run/walks) on Daily Mile, Naoto writes things like, “Ran 5 miles. It felt awesome!” I write things like, “The only reason I ran for that long is because I wanted to see the end of the Friends episode.” When Naoto goes, he bounces around like a celebrity high fiving the card-taker at the door. When I go, I avoid eye contact and put my earbuds in so I’m not obligated to interact with anyone. (I think I’m the more normal one in this respect.) When Naoto goes he likes to take his time and change and shower in the locker room. I like to come dressed for the gym, rush into the locker room just to hang up my coat and shower in the privacy of my own bathroom when I get home. Naoto never turns on the treadmill’s TV or listens to music. I plot my gym visits around TV shows and often embarrass myself (& Naoto) by snort-laughing at Colbert or cheering out loud at a sports team.

But as annoying his enthusiasm about working out can be, I still love going to the gym with Naoto. He’s a good influence in more ways than one.

Tagged adventures

Feb 07 2013

16 Comments

home is a 1970s apartment, homemaking

Project Distraction…

You know those little home improvement projects that you finish and then say, “What took me so long??” Yeah, this was one of those. The Great Clean-Out unearthed a whole lot of art gathering dust in the closets and on the floors of our bedrooms. This week I decided to tackle the desk art.

On a giant piece of kraft paper, I tested my layout on the floor first (with Presley’s “help” of course) and traced the frames onto the paper. Then I cut out each “frame” and hopped on my ladder and taped them all up, readjusting a few times until I got them all where I wanted them. Then I measured for the picture hangers and hammered and hung each picture one at a time. I readjusted things as I went, based on tiny mis-measurements. It wasn’t an exact science (for instance, I’m not sure how I feel about the tiny cat floating away from everything at the top) but I’m pretty happy with my little collection up there. Eventually I’d love to take down my twine-o-postcards and have art hanging up across the entire desk unit, but I’m okay with this for now.

Finishing this was a nice distraction from the Great Clean-Out (which is still sprawled across the dining room table and the living room floor). Now back to putting things away and plotting the rest of the art in the apartment. Right now, I’m loving the haphazard collage look and I’m thinking I might need to “build” another one with some old family pictures in my stash.

Clockwise from the top left: Cat–postcard purchased in Japan//Girl on a Swing papercut–Tina Tarnoff//photo strip–taken at Fitzgeralds a few summers ago//You Are My Sunshine–purchased at Renegade a few years ago, but I can’t remember the seller//Presley–one of my first Instagrams, developed by PostalPix//Iron Head collage–Vivienne Strauss//Lord Byron Letter Writing quote–Bison Bookbinding & Letterpress

Tagged decorating, home, home improvement, homemaking, letterpress

Feb 06 2013

1 Comment

adventures at the library, crafty adventures

Into the Fold

Last night my friend Jackie and I went to the Oak Park Library for an origami flower class.

Ian, a librarian and the origami class teacher, learned origami at a young age and has been doing it ever since. He was a cool cucumber in a large class, full of latecomers, adults, children and different paper-folding capabilities. He had a big board displaying the step-by-step folds, which was an awesome tool both for comparing my folds and trying to sneak ahead as I got more comfortable. I folded the three flowers above in about an hour and my folds were better each time. That’s not to say my last flower was perfect (oh, far from it!)…but I did get better!

Learning a new paper fold made me realize how much I enjoy learning and taking classes. I need to take advantage of opportunities like this one and get out more often, even in the snowy cold!

Thanks for joining me, Jackie!

If you are interested in learning how to fold an origami lily, I found a helpful tutorial here.

Tagged adventures, crafts, diy

Feb 05 2013

3 Comments

snail mail

Mail That Made Me Squeal

Get it?

I think I should just give in and accept that February is officially going to be Pun Month because of all the Valentine puns out there.

The internet has done amazing things for my mailbox. Before joining the Letter Writers Alliance and Twitter, my postal fun consisted of mailing a bunch of cards and letters out and receiving “Hey, I got your card” emails in return. Being able to connect with other letter writing and mail art lovers on the internet has been not only rewarding for my mailbox, but for my creativity, too. Once I started receiving awesome envelopes from all over the world, I wanted to step up my own game, try to push the envelope (another pun!) and play more and use up my supplies.

I got an envelope full of mail goodness from Mary, a self-described life, mail and street art enthusiast whom I “met” on Twitter. Inside the envelope was a tiny pink plastic pig (pictured above).

It. Made. My. Day!

Right now he is sitting on my desk reminding me to keep it clean and to “live brilliantly” as Mary suggested. Thank you, Mary–a proper postal thank you will be coming your way this week!

Tagged mail art, snail mail