Five ways to Keep the Love Alive in Long-Distance Relationships During the COVID-19 Pandemic

It’s been quite the year, but I hope everyone has been taking care of themselves and their families. The past year has been riddled with change and new norms for me just like everyone else. I moved mid-pandemic back to the United States (more on that in a future post) to be with my husband for starters. This big move got me thinking about our relationship. Just six months into our relationship, I accepted a job in another state. Instead of letting this 8-hour drive (45-minute flight wheels up to wheels down) be an obstacle, we let the distance drive us together. Then, three years later instead of moving closer together, I moved to a different country for a new job. Since then, I’ve come to realize we are not alone. There are so many other couples who do this too, so to all the couples spending this Valentine’s Day apart due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to say. I see you. I hear you. I respect you. I feel you. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I’m going to share some tips on keeping the love alive with your special someone, even though you may be oceans apart.

1. Say I Love You – These three little words need to be said too.  Your partner needs to hear you love them just as much, if not more when you are apart. Take the time to remind them.
2. Make time to video chat – My husband and I swear that the lesson we learned in communication while we were long-distance is a large part of why our relationship works so well.  Every relationship is different, but I do think keeping a healthy flow of messages through text, phone calls, and video chat make life a little easier.  Try making a schedule of when to talk and video chat.  Luckily, technology makes keeping in touch much easier than previous generations who only had expensive phone calls and letters.  Take advantage and send your loved one a simple text, even if it’s just hello.  Letting them know you are thinking of them will keep the spark alive.  While you can’t touch, you can talk and be together in other ways.  Keeping the line of communication open is key.
3. Do something together — Play a game, cook, do a movie night and discuss it afterwards, etc.  My husband I loved playing games via Steam, and since a big part of our relationship centered around cooking, we tried to make time to cook dinner together over video chat.  We would pick a recipe, ensure we had the ingredients, sign on to a video chat, then cook the meal and eat it together.  Is it the same as being in the same room?  Of course not!  Did we enjoy it?  YES!  It was super fun to compare how each dish came out too.  Back to amazing technologies, you can use a watch party service on Movies Anywhere, Vudu, or a third-party such as Kast to watch a movie together (maybe even make popcorn) and discuss it afterwards.  Dinner and a movie is a classic for a reason.
4. Stay busy – This addition came from my husband.  We both kept very busy while apart.  Me because that’s how I like life.  Him, I think to help keep his mind off being apart. Coming home to an empty apartment is not as nice as coming home to someone you love. This is a good opportunity to solidify who you are as an individual, what keeps you going, what hobbies you enjoy, what you love. I think staying busy helps you invest in yourself and goes back to the adage, “you can’t love someone else, without loving yourself first.”
5. Have an end-date in sight or end plan – This one might be hard due to the current pandemic situation.  Therefore, maybe not be a date; maybe just a plan that when it’s safer one party moves to the other party.  Having this goal in mind makes it easier to keep up the relationship rather than having no date and no guarantee the current situation will ever end.
6. Be patient – Long distance relationships are hard.  “If it was easy, everyone would do it.” Give your significant other some extra slack, they’re probably stressed about the situation too.  They missed the video chat time?  Okay, they’ll be there next time.  And just know, as someone who’s made it to the other side, all things come to an end at some point, and when the distance does, your relationship will be all the stronger for it.

Welcome to the Bletchley, Sherlock

In an earlier post about speakeasies, I mentioned my favorite bar as of this writing – The Bletchley.  This London speakeasy is quite unique making you order your drinks in code.

Bletchley Park was the British code-breaking establishment where the first computer was built in order to decrypt German messages, which you may remember from the Oscar-nominated film, The Imitation Game (fantastic film, by the way).  Before these early computers were used, enigma machines were used for this purpose.

The Bletchley bar takes you back to World War II, London.  It is the perfect place to round out a day after visiting the Imperial War Museum or touring the Churchill War Rooms.  In true speakeasy style, you must find the location of the bar by entering an alley way to find the back entrance of a building in Chelsea.  The entrance to the outside shares a door to the kitchens of the front restaurant.  There are no windows on the door to the bar, nor is there any indication of the amazingness that one can find inside.  Only the truly curious and adventurous will enter.

Agent Black and Foxtrot at your service to decrypt the German messages with our enigma machine.

Once inside, you are given a WWII-style coat and shown to a cozy table with an enigma machine.  You are given puzzles to solve, relevant to WWII.  Don’t worry, they vary in difficulty, but even the most difficult are not too challenging.  With each puzzle you solve, a new, completely customized drink is brought to your table.  The drinks are strong and delicious – tailored to your personal likes and dislikes based on your answers to the questions.

Everything in this bar is set to immerse you into WWII-era Bletchley Park, even the staff are serious about their secret agent work.

My husband and I had a blast pretending to be Agent Black and Agent Foxtrot (coded as well to indicate allergies), solving puzzles, pretending we were hunkered down in one of the huts of Bletchley Park, solving messages, and getting paid in lavish libations.  If you ever find yourself in London, be sure to check this place out!

Do you have a favorite unique place to go?  What are your favorite London haunts?

Easter without the Fasting

While Iceland is a wonderful travel destination year round, Easter, like Christmas, in Iceland is a special time.

Officially, the country is dominated by the Lutheran church, as seen by the giant testament to their faith, Hallgrímskirkja, the famous church which dominates any Google image search with the word, “Reykjavík.”  However, most Icelanders declare atheist (although perhaps a truer word would be “agnostic”) beliefs.  Despite this, all of Iceland still celebrates Easter full-force.

By this I mean, they start the Easter season the way any holiday should be started, with food.  The Monday before Catholic countries start Lent, Iceland celebrates Bolludagur (“Bun Day”).  This is one of my favorite holidays.  In Icelandic, “bollur” are round bread buns (“bolla” is singular).  These bollur are light, round pastries, sliced in half and filled with a cream in the middle.  They are often also covered in a frosting or sweet fruit topping as well.  To me, they are kind of like a cross between a donut and a cream puff, which makes for sweet, sweet happiness.

The tradition is that one must spank another to receive their bun.  This leads to children arming themselves with homemade paddles on Sunday and waking their parents on Monday morning by spanking them while yelling “Bolla!” over and over again in order to receive their bollur. Where else can you spank your PARENT and get away with it?

This is only the beginning.  The very next day is Sprengidagur (Mardi Gras in most places).  While Icelanders do not partake in Lent, they still want to participate in the gluttony celebrated on “Explosion Day.”  Similar to Mardi Gras, Sprengidagur is reserved for eating as much as one can, or till one explodes.  Traditional food for the day is salty (I guess to balance the sweet from the day before) – salt-preserved lamb and split-pea soup.

Ash Wednesday, Öskudagur, also has a special Icelandic tradition where children dress up in costumes and solicit shops and businesses for candy by singing to them, very similar to Halloween in the United States.

All is quiet in Iceland for the next few weeks until … the Easter eggs (páskaegg) come out.  Then you know it’s almost time!  You can find these eggs in grocery stores all over the island.  Locals will give them to their children, spouses, or receive them from their employer.  They range in sizes and are hollow, but don’t worry the large ones contain more candy inside.  Every egg from the tiny number 1 to the large number 9 all contain an Icelandic proverb, malshættir, which often have hilarious English translations.  The eggshell is chocolate, some of the newer ones are chocolate and licorice (such as the Draumur one in the photo) or puffed rice.  A new one this year from the famed Icelandic candy company, Nói Síríus, featured an Icelandic candy, Tromp, which is chocolate, marzipan, and licorice.

Various Icelandic Easter eggs. The middle one has a Draumur shell, which is a licorice and chocolate bar.

Traditionally, these eggs are hidden.  Children will wake up on Easter morning and hunt down their eggs with their parents and caregivers helping them along with “hot” and “cold” verbal cues.  Once they find it, the children break open their páskaegg excitedly and read the proverb inside before devouring the candy.

Easter is a national holiday in Iceland.  As a result many companies and businesses are closed from Maundy (Holy) Thursday through Easter Monday.  With so much time off, a favorite past-time of Icelanders is to go skiing, visit a summer house, or even take a holiday outside the country.  Do keep this in mind if you are travelling in the country during this time.  Many businesses will be closed.  Additionally, it is forbidden to party on Good Friday, so all bars and clubs are closed midnight to midnight on Good Friday.  In protest, Icelandic atheists gather annually at Austurvöllur in downtown Reykjavík to play Bingo.  It’s open to anyone, and there are prizes!

For those staying close to home, traditional meals include a “party bird” (turkey with stuffing) or a “turkey ship” (turkey breast) with sweet potatoes, vegetables, and gravy on Good Friday, similar to Thanksgiving in the United States.  On Easter itself, families indulge in a roasted leg of lamb, more sweet potatoes, vegetables, and gravy.

All in all, Easter in Iceland brings families together over food.  How does your culture celebrate Spring?  What foods are special to this time of year?

Chicago Food Staples (Part 3 of 3) – Poppin’ Popcorn and the Legendary “Chicago” Mix

On first glance, popcorn does not seem to have much in common with Chicago.  However, a deeper dive lets us see Chicago is really the perfect place to have a popcorn mecca, if there ever could be one.

Corn, or maize, is a New World crop which even today paints the breadbasket of the United States into fields of gold.  Therefore, it makes sense that some Native American tribes would have legends explaining what happened when some dried kernels became hot and exploded into white puffs.  The most prominent legend states that these corn kernels contained souls of gods.  When they became heated, they would become angry.  If the temperature continued to rise, so too would their anger, until it became unbearable and they would pop!

Today, we now know corn is actually a grass and the kernels are seeds.  Some specific strains of corn are cultivated specifically to be harvested, dried, and sold as kernels for popcorn.  The kernels pop because they contain some moisture, which turns into steam as they are heated.  Steam is a gas, which means the molecules move faster than they do in a liquid phase and therefore require more room.  In need of expanding, these molecules press against the carapace of the kernel until the force of the steam pushing out is greater than the force pushing back.  Pop!  The kernel explodes.

In 1948 and 1950, during an excavation of a site in New Mexico, anthropologist Herbert Dick and botanist, Earle Smith found evidence of multiple popcorn species which were carbon dated to be about 5,600 years old.  Some of the kernels were so well preserved they could still pop.  Dick and Smith even heated a couple in oil to prove it.

Chicago itself has a long history in popcorn, not just because it is the largest city in the United States’ breadbasket.  Charles Cretors, a Chicago native, was the first to invent a popcorn machine in 1885.  A few years later, in 1893 (in time for that infamous Chicago World’s Fair), Cretors also invented a steam-powered corn-popper and peanut roaster.

This probably worked out perfectly for two German immigrant brothers, Frederick and Louis Rueckheim.  They brought their molasses covered popcorn to the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 as well.  This treat wasn’t as popular because the molasses made the popcorn too sticky to enjoy.  However, the brothers persisted feeling their molasses, popcorn, and peanut treat would delight with a few improvements.  Delight it did, as eventually this snack came to be known as Cracker Jack, whose recipe has only changed once since 1896 (and remained a trade secret the whole while).

Coming out of the Great Depression in 1949, the most notable Chicago popcorn brand, Garrett’s, was founded.  As I sit here trying (and failing miserably) to make my last bag of Garrett’s popcorn last a little longer from my trip to Chicago, I can attest to their wholesome sweet and salty “Garrett’s Mix.”  All their popcorn flavors are good.  My husband believes butter is the far superior flavor.

There’s a reason a business like Garrett’s lasts 65 years.

The founders, Claude and Gladys Garrett, founded this gem just as popcorn POPularity (cheesy…okay, silly puns done for now) was on the rise.  It was during the mid-twentieth century that popcorn became synonymous with television and movie watching.  Even during the early years, people would form lines around the block and down the street just to get a bag of Garrett’s air-popped popcorn.

It was noticed that customers were buying one bag of the CheeseCorn and one bag of the caramel corn (Caramel Crisp®) and mixing them.  Garrett’s began doing this themselves and the “Chicago Mix” was born.  The lines outside still never dwindle.

From upper left and clockwise, Garrett’s Buttery, Buffalo Ranch, and iconic Garrett’s Mix.

Little did they know this would eventually turn into a lawsuit.  In 1992, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based company, Candyland Inc. filed for a trademark on the name, “Chicago Mix.”  Despite many companies using the cheddar cheese and caramel corn mixture as the infamous Chicago Mix, Candyland uses and trademarked a different popcorn mixture (Cheese, Caramel, and Seasoned).  Candyland business owner states that they wanted to market the mix after a big-city name to draw attention to the product.  I am here to tell you this company protects their trademark viciously and have threatened lawsuit after lawsuit to all the other companies using the name “Chicago Mix” for any reason.  Garrett’s hung on to the “Chicago Mix” name on its website.  Eventually, however, Garrett’s moved into a more “ownable ‘Garrett Mix’” name.  A Garrett spokesman told the Tribune, “this transition began prior to any lawsuit due to countless brands now using the Chicago Mix name on what Garrett Popcorn Shops feels is a product vastly inferior to ours.”  If that’s not a classy burn, I don’t know what is.

But, Chicagoans love traditions and the “old ways.”  Much like the Willis Tower is still the Sears Tower, if you wait in the long line and finally reach the counter only to ask for a “Chicago Mix,” those wonderful people will know exactly what you want.

And in case you were wondering, Garrett’s does ship all across the United States and Canada (no other countries due to their preservative-free recipe).  Thank goodness because this bag is almost out.

Chicago Food Staples (Part 2 of 3) – Dragging the Dog through the Garden

Hot dogs are synonymous with summer and the USA.  After learning so much about them, I have come to realize, hot dogs are really the perfect food to represent the United States.  They both have a long history completely entwined with immigration.

A true Chicago hot dog from Portillo’s

Hot dog forerunners, sausages, were first documented in ancient times.  Homer mentions them in his epic poem, The Odyssey, “As when a man besides a great fire has filled a sausage with fat and blood and turns it this way and that and is very eager to get it quickly roasted.”  Even in the 8^th century B.C. people were eager to eat this delicious spiced, processed meat.

“As when a man besides a great fire has filled a sausage with fat and blood and turns it this way and that and is very eager to get it quickly roasted.”

Homer, The Odyssey

Eventually, the hot dog forerunners made their way to Central Europe where they received their next names – “wiener,” “wienerwurst” and “frankfurter” – named after the cities where they are likely created, Wien (Vienna) Austria and Frankfurt, Germany.  There is much debate over which city can actually claim the creation of the frankfurter sausage.  Frankfurt claims to have developed the unique combination of spices and smoked sausage packed tightly into an intestinal casing.  They even celebrated the 500^th anniversary of the hot dog in 1987, which the people of Vienna contested, citing the name “wiener” as proof they came from Wien.

My favorite wiener legend is that a butcher from Coburg, Germany developed the hot dog then moved to Frankfurt.  To promote his product, he named it after the city.  At any rate, hot dogs and sausages became a staple food in the Germanic culture.

Eventually, in the 19^th century, these Germanic people migrated to the United States, bringing with them, as all immigrants to the United States before and after them have, their delicious food.  Many Germans settled in the Midwest, populating the farmlands and cities.  During the 19^th century, Chicago was the meat-packing capital of the nation, and Germans provided the cheap labor to run that industry.  Meat plants, including the Union Stock Yards, took advantage of sausages and hot dogs as an opportunity to turn less desirable meat parts into something tasty.  Their good taste combined with affordable price and on-the-go eating capabilities launched hot dogs into one of the most popular meals.

It was during this time that Chicago’s first hot dog company, David Berg, was founded in 1860.  Other notable Chicago brands include Oscar Mayer (1873) and Armour (1867).

A second wave of immigrants changed the hot dog industry forever.  The Jewish immigrants soon were swarming Chicago and introduced the all-kosher, all-beef hot dog.  The Jewish people peddled the streets, but they also transformed the meat-packing industry to process food that was safer and more pure.  At the World’s Fair in 1893, Emil Reichel and Samuel Ladany introduced their family frankfurter recipe.  Again, these hot dogs provided sustenance that was tasty, cheap, and on-the-go friendly.  From their profits, Reichel and Ladany founded Vienna Beef hot dogs, which still uses the original all-beef recipe in natural casings.

Just as it is unclear exactly who invented the hot dog, it is fairly unclear who the first person to put the hot dog sausage on a bun.  However, the prevailing legend is that a Bavarian hot dog seller in St. Louis, MO loaned his patrons white gloves to eat his hot sausages, but his gloves were not getting returned.  As his supply dwindled, he asked his brother-in-law who was a baker for help.  The baker’s wife suggested long, soft rolls sliced on the slide.  Now, the modern hot dog was born!

My last hot dog legend comes from yet another immigrant.  Around the turn of the century, a young, ambitious Polish immigrant, Sam Rosen, opened his first bakery at 16 years old in New York City.  A few years later, Rosen moved to Chicago seeking out better fortunes. There, he purchased the New York Baking Company, which he renamed after himself.  S. Rosen’s quickly shot to fame due to its rye bread, but it’s also supposedly the originator of the poppy-seed bun, a must-have for a true Chicago hot dog.

It wasn’t until the Great Depression that Chicago hot dogs were “dragged through the garden.”  During this time, Chicago’s immigrant community was located on the West Side.  You can still find remnants of it today.  A market grew on Maxwell St. where all immigrants could sell their wares, including hot dogs and produce.  Despite hot dogs being a cheap eat, the Great Depression brought on hard times.  To make the meal more filling, vendors would pile their hot dog with a variety of the produce available at the market.  This made for an affordable and balanced meal.

One particular Maxwell St. stand, Fluky’s, served “depression sandwiches” which were topped with mustard, relish, onion, pickles, pepper, lettuce, tomatoes, and French Fries for a mere 5 cents.  A patron could get just the toppings, “Garden on the Bun” for an early vegetarian option that was even cheaper at 2 cents.  The company built a reputation on good food, service, and a community feeling.  They served all their patrons, including those who didn’t have the nickel.  Sadly, the company went out of business in 2006.

The modern Chicago-style hot dog is served with mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, dill pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun.

The modern Chicago-style hot dog is served with mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, dill pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun. Don’t think about asking for ketchup on this unique hot dog!  It’s too sweet for the other flavors, and any true Chicago hot dog vendor will scoff.

As I can never pass up the chance to have a Chicago dog, when my husband and I recently visited Chicago, we stopped at Portillo’s.  Founded 53 years ago, Portillo’s is a bit flashier than most hot dog stands, but serves a great hot dog.  They have many locations in the Chicagoland area as well as in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.  They also ship to all 50 states, so you can enjoy that Chicago dog from the comfort of your own home, even during quarantine!  Time to fire up the barbeque and grill up some hot dogs!

Portillo’s at 100 W. Ontario.

Have you ever tried a Chicago hot dog?  What did you think?  Do you have a favorite spot to grab a Chicago hot dog?  What are your favorite hot dog toppings?

Five Ways to Calm your Travel Bug while under Lockdown

The COVID-19 virus has put the entire world into an unprecedented situation.  Lockdowns and quarantines have disrupted many travel plans.  I was supposed to go to Fort Smith, Arkansas in April, but that is no longer happening.  Many of my coworkers also had to cancel their own holidays.  Furthermore, since my husband and I live in two different countries, we are both unsure when we will see each other in person again.  As we all try to navigate similar uncertainties, our personal travel bugs are getting restless.  As a result, here are five ways to appease your travel bug.

1. Read travel literature

It is a well-known fact that reading is armchair traveling.  Lockdown and quarantine provide ample time to read travel books and blogs.  Why not pick up that book that transports you to another city/country/world?  Don’t know where to start?  Goodreads is a great place to find recommendations and lists.  This may be a great way to add some places you never thought to visit to your travel bucket list.

Some of my favorite travel related books which transport me to another place.

2. Backyard Scavenger Hunt

Even though we can’t always leave our house, sometimes our own backyard has enough in it to be entertaining.  Spend some time outside, what kinds of critters do you see?  What kinds of trees are there?  How many birds visit the bird feeder?  Challenge yourself and/or your family to see who can find the biggest leaf.

3. Hiking

Even though we need to maintain a social distance, we can still go out and enjoy nature.  If you can get out and go to a nearby mountain for a hike, the solitude and mountain presence can be pacifying.  This is a chance to become one with nature.  I never recommend hiking alone, but during these times, I do recommend hiking with someone who lives with you to reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19.  As just one or two people on the trail, it is the perfect time to be one with nature and really get to know the mountain.

Also rail/bike trails make excellent places to experience social distancing and you can explore nature and history at the same time. Are you in a city? Look up some self-guided tours to explore and learn more about the city you live in. Most cities have seen reduced amounts of people in the streets, as all of the tourists are gone, but I would still recommend doing this at off peak hours.

4. Plan a trip

As many people’s travel plans have been derailed, it is important to note, some airlines and hotels are offering AMAZING pricing on travel with the ability to change the date but hold the fare for a future trip between the origin and destination cities.  Airlines are offering great deals such as this because they are hurting financially and need some income during a time when no one is spending money on tourism.  These deals allow you to merely postpone your planned trip, rather than cancel it all together.  Let the continued planning begin!

Additionally, if your planned travel date is far enough in advance, the pricing offered may be worth the risk because most hotels and airlines are waiving their cancellation policy.  Worst case scenario is you don’t travel with that super low deal and you can apply that money to future travel. Be sure to check the current policy of the individual travel partner to be sure this applies.

You might not be able to book tickets or have a date in mind, but you can plan your itinerary.  Where do you want to go when all this is over?  What do you want to do?  Some studies suggest even just planning a trip can boost your mood.  Other studies show experiences are worth more to our mood than material items, as our mood stays more positive for longer with experiences rather than material items.  So, plan that trip.  Get a great itinerary.  Then, when lockdowns and quarantine are over, you are ready to book!

5. Virtual Trips

While definitely not the same as actually travelling and experiencing a new place, virtual trips can offer exploration fuel to appease your travel bug during these social distancing times.  More and more museums, other companies, and individuals are offering virtual trips. Are your kids disappointed about that cancelled trip to Disney? People have posted videos of the front seat point of view of many of Disney’s most popular rides. Set up in front of the TV with them in a laundry basket and you banking it back and forth in the curves for an afternoon of fun (and a sore body the next day). YouTube also has a plethora of videos of many different sights and attractions from throughout the world, all from the safety of your living room.

Whether you are travelling vicariously through a book or virtually, planning your next in-person trip, or exploring your local area, it is satisfying to escape those four walls in some way, without risking exposure to this novel coronavirus. What are you doing to keep sane and placate your travel bug?

Chicago Food Staples (Part 1 of 3) – Chicago Deep Dish

As many of you know, there are some Chicago food staples you can’t leave the city without – Deep dish pizza, hotdogs, and popcorn!  Here are my thoughts on these local delicacies.  This is part one of a three part series, today’s post focuses on Deep Dish Pizza.

True to its name, deep dish pizza has a buttery crust filled with layered meat, cheese, vegetables, and tomato sauce.  Deep dish pizza finds its roots in Neapolitan thin crust pizza and Italian immigrants.  While it is debated if the two owners of Pizzeria Uno, Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo, actually invented the staple dish, Pizzeria Uno is unquestionably the first restaurant to make deep dish pizza.  My favorite theory is the one that Alice May Redmond invented the pizza while she was working as a cook for Sewell and Riccardo at Pizzeria Uno’s.  Redmond and her sister, Ruth were hired by the founders of Gino’s East.  From when it opened in 1966, Gino’s East became a formidable competitor for Pizzeria Uno.

Gino’s East, a Chicago tradition since 1966

Lou Malnati’s and Pizano’s were opened by the sons of the other theorized true inventor of Chicago deep dish pizza – Aldopho “Rudy” Malnati.  They, as well as the other restaurants which have since started making their own deep dish pizza, have all started to compete with Pizzeria Uno as the best deep dish pizza in town.  For more on deep dish Chicago history, check out these articles by the BBC, Food Editorials, and Eater Chicago.

More importantly than how it got here, is how do we get some?  And, who is the best?

You can still grab a pie from the original Pizzeria Uno location (29 E Ohio St).  Other deep dish restaurants include Lou Malnati’s, Pizano’s, Gino’s East, Giordano’s, Edwardo’s, Connie’s, and Nancy’s.  It’s really just a list of people’s names, isn’t it?

During my last visit to the Windy City, my husband and I tried Gino’s East.  To be a little different, we got the Burger and Fries pizza, which was surprisingly good.  The tangy-ness of the dressing complemented the savory meat and cheese flavors.  Overall, I enjoyed all the toppings, except the fries, but I am not a fries person anyway.

Burger and Fries deep dish pizza from Gino’s East — a delicious twist on a classic!

The other two deep dish pizza restaurants I’ve tried are Lou Malnati’s and my personal favorite (perhaps more for nostalgia than anything else) Giordano’s.  I think their crust is the most buttery.  There’s only one way to find out which is your favorite – and that’s to try them all!

Can’t get to Chicago for your deep dish fix?  Don’t worry, these deep dish pizza restaurants got you covered.  Pizzeria Uno has franchises all over the United States, and internationally (Saudi Arabia, Honduras, and India) under the guise of Uno Pizzeria and Grill.  Uno’s and Lou Malnati’s will both ship the pizza straight to your home as well.

Tune in to Part 2 of 3 next week – the Chicago Dog!

Speak Easy Chicago

Ever since my husband and I went to The Bletchley in London a few years ago, I have become obsessed with speakeasies.  This meant, before we went to Chicago, I did a little digging and found this great site discussing nine speakeasies in Chicago.

Of course, you can go on brewery or even speakeasy tours in Chicago, but I wanted to experience the wonder of finding these places on my own.  And, honestly, some of the tour websites were so confusing, I became too frustrated.  This lovely Urban Matter article let me do the work and enjoy the hunt myself.  After all, that’s half the fun of the speakeasy.

We were in Chicago for five days, five nights, and I can proudly say we made it to three speakeasies.  Not so bad when you realize we flew into town late the first night.

We first went to Watershed, which is owned and operated by the same people as its upstairs neighbor, Pops for Champagne, a classy place to grab a drink in River North.  Watershed is in the basement, has a low ceiling, and a more relaxed vibe.  The mix-matched furniture feel cozy.  The menu is small, but it offered a variety of beer (the true speakeasy drink), wine, and my favorite – crafted cocktails.  We each ordered ourselves a drink, saluted a great find and drank our, quite strong, drinks in amicable chatter.  My only complaint about this bar was how loud the music became as the night wore on.  We came to the bar to chat and drink, not get our ear drums blown out.  We did have the pleasure of conversing with one of the co-owners who mentioned one of his favorite things about the bar was the lack of televisions.  He said it allowed people to actually talk to one another.  I whole-heartedly agree but feel if he keeps turning the music up, the fact that there are no televisions will not matter.  No one will be talking because they won’t be able to hear each other.

Watershed entrance and drinks

The next night, we ventured to The Violet Hour, which has a somewhat secret entrance.  While the entrance is right on the sidewalk of a main road, the door is unmarked and incorporated into a mural that changes periodically.  We even missed it the first time we passed it thinking that couldn’t be the bar.  I’d say, The Violet Hour gets some points for that.  Inside, the feel is more swanky than Watershed and less cozy, but it quickly became my favorite of the three we visited this trip.  We were seated at the bar, which I usually don’t like, but this time, it gave me a great chance to meet other people and get to know our amazing bartender, Ruby.  Again, they serve beer, wine, and hand-crafted cocktails.  These cocktails are up a notch from Watershed because they are served with their own syrups, bitters, and other mixers.  The cocktail menu is quite extensive as well.  I had no idea what I wanted.  A little help from the bartender, I narrowed my options down to four, and ultimately went with the rum old fashioned.  A little while later, we were ready for round two.  This time, I told Ruby some things I liked, and she said, “oh, I got you, girl,” and served me up with one of the best drinks I’ve had in a long time.  She was right, she got me.  It was a little husky from whiskey, a little fruity, and just a bit of adventure, as she set some of it to flame just before serving it to me.  More because of the bartender and cocktails, The Violet Hour was my favorite speakeasy we visited during this trip to the Windy City.

With cocktails as beautiful and smooth as these, it’s easy to see how The Violet Hour stole my heart.

The final speakeasy we visited, I hesitate to call a speakeasy.  To me, Brando’s Speakeasy was more of a dive bar than anything else.  It most certainly had that feel.  The door is hiding in plain sight with a small sign near the doorknob indicating you’ve found the right location.  The menu is decent, and the drinks fine.  However, there is nothing particularly special about the place.  They do have karaoke, which adds to the dive bar feel for me.  In the end, I would rather skip this place on my speakeasy tour of Chicago.

We were a little over dressed for this dive bar.

One place I really wanted to explore, but we did not get the chance to go was The Drifter, which of the nine Urban Matter sites, is the only still in operation speakeasy from the Prohibition Era.  Mark my words, that place is a must-see for me next time I’m in the city.  Till next time, Chi-Town!

Food and Fun

My favorite thing about Icelandic culture is that much of it centers on food.  While Iceland may not be the first place that comes to mind when one thinks of gourmet food (fermented shark anyone?), it is certainly a hidden gem.  A perfect highlight of this is their Food and Fun week in late February/early March.

Food and Fun is a week dedicated to well, food and fun.  In the traditional Icelandic way, they just call it what it is.  Many readers from the United States may relate this to restaurant weeks held in various cities around the country.  Here, in Reykjavík, top restaurants serve prix fixe, usually multiple courses.  You can also add on a wine pairing with each course.  Often times the restaurants invite award-winning chefs from mainland Europe as guests.  Each year, all the participating restaurants also have to develop a cocktail using a sponsored alcohol.  On the last day of Food and Fun, there is a competition (open to all) to see which cocktail is the best one.  So in a nutshell – food and fun!

Last year, my husband and I went out with some friends to Kopar with guest Belgian chef Kobe Desramaults.  We had the most amazing time.  The sponsored alcohol was Monkey Shoulder whiskey.  Kopar’s cocktail included Monkey’s Shoulder whiskey, yuzu, grenadine, angostura, lemon, and ginger ale.  I thoroughly enjoyed the cocktail, food, and friends.  I was so amazed when the chef came out to serve us the last few courses.  Our entire meal surrounded the great food – it was all we could talk about while we ate.  We enjoyed langoustine, snow crab with a Belgian gueuze beer, a scallop served raw with a hay smoked mussel and leek oil broth that cooked the scallop before our very eyes, whey and bone marrow, a rack of hogget lamb, and finished the meal with roasted sunchoke ice cream, dark beer, actual malt, and chocolate sauce.  Then, when we left (pleasantly full, but not over-stuffed) the meal was still all we could talk about.  It was incredible and unforgettable.  Maybe it was the two Michelin Stars Desramaults earned before the event last year, but this was definitely a top-notch experience.

All the food and fun at Sumac in 2020

Therefore, when Food and Fun came around this year, I was super excited!  My husband couldn’t come, but I was still able to get together with some friends for a great night out.  This time we went to another favorite restaurant, Sumac.  Sumac usually pairs Mediterranean with Scandinavian cuisines.  The two cuisines could not be more different, but somehow, Sumac makes them work together perfectly.  For this year’s food and fun, they invited Atli Már Yngvason.  Yngvason is Icelandic-born, yet he now lives in Oslo, Norway, where he is spreading his love of mixing Asian and Latin American flavors with those from Scandinavia.

And just like last year, this year did not disappoint.  The sponsored alcohol this year was Torres 20 year brandy.  At Sumac, they mixed it with umeboshi (pickled ume fruit from Japan), peach, and soda.  I enjoyed the summery flavor mixed with the smooth brandy.  It was a sweet cocktail, but not sickeningly so.

We had a seven-course meal, each course bringing new delights.  Our first course was a halibut ceviche and guacamole, followed by takoyaki (Japanese wheat balls) with refreshing ginger and bonito flakes.  The third course was a beef tartar topped with wasabi, löjrom (small roe), and chives.  A slow cooked (I suspect maybe even by sous vide) cod with celeriac, crispy chicken skin to change up the texture, and spring onion finished our first four courses.

Our first three courses at Sumac’s 2020 Food and Fun (clockwise from top left): takoyaki, halibut ceviche, guacamole, and beef tartar.

These dishes were followed by a salad, which was my least favorite course.  The dish was served with a few long Romaine leaves and a shrimp and beef minced meat sauce.  Since the shrimp and beef were intermingled, it could have been only beef.  I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.  I wish they had put whole shrimp on top, or not told me it was there.  To me, this entire course was a disappointment.

The disappointing salad. Look how sad it is.

However, that could have just been to bring me down before bringing me up for the main event.  The main course was by far the best course of the entire meal.  It was Raz el Hanout lamb with red cabbage, tzatziki, hummus, and freshly grilled pita breads.  They could have just served me this and the dessert and I would have left a happy lady.  So good.  The flavors popped in my mouth – sweet, tangy, spicy!

The main event: Raz el Hanout lamb and pita feast!

Finally, we finished with grilled pineapple topped with milk ice cream, green chili, and an Omnom chocolate toasted topping.  I think it could have used a bit more green chili to add some extra pizzazz, not much, just a pinch really.  However, this was my second favorite dish over the course of the entire menu.

Grilled pineapple, ice cream, chocolate, and green chili wonderment right here.

While overall, I think last year’s meal at Kopar far exceeded my culinary expectations as not just a great meal but also a mind-blowing culinary experience.  I felt that meal stepped out of comfort zones, and Desramaults took us on a culinary adventure as we toured the limits of cooking.  This year, Yngvason did not quite meet that bar, while it was still great meal ingested with great friends and conversation.  At any rate, I will still be looking forward to next year’s Food and Fun experience.

What about you?  Have you participated in a Food and Fun experience or any restaurant weeks in your local area?  What are some of your favorite events and restaurants?

Non-Traditional Tour Agencies

I currently live in Reykjavik, Iceland.  One of the nice things about living as an expat is that people want to visit your new home.  For example, last Friday, I went to dinner with a tour through my alma mater, Smith College.  This dinner was organized through Smith Travel, a subsection of the Office of Alumnae Relations at Smith College that has been organizing trips for alums and their families for 43 years.  They work similar to other tour agencies, booking with partner tour guides.  Their tours often have themes and are led by professors or subject matter expert alums.  It is probably the Hermione-traits I share with other Smith alumnae that make such a trip so enticing to me.  After all, who doesn’t want to go to school on their vacation?

This particular Smith Travel trip had participants traveling throughout Iceland’s southern coast, a magnificent must-do for anyone who visits Iceland.  Top spots they were going to stop were Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Stokkseyri and one of my favorite restaurants in all of Iceland – Fjöruborðið, a langoustine house.  Their theme was to immerse participants in Icelandic culture and learn about how Iceland harnesses the geothermal energy available here.

Skógafoss during winter. The wind blows the glacial spray right in your face!

Also, as part of this trip, participants have the opportunity to meet with local alumnae (myself and the two other Smithies living in the Reykjavík area).  On the first day of the trip, Dano Weisbord, Smith’s Director of Campus Sustainability, gave a short lecture about Smith’s history and plans to move to what he calls “geo-exchange” (it is different than the truly geothermal energy we are able to enjoy in Iceland, thanks to all the geo-activity here) and solar energy to heat and power the campus.  Afterwards, the two other local Smithies and I gave a short bio of how we ended up in the Land of Fire and Ice before we all headed to dinner.

The lecture and dinner were both held at the Radisson Blu Saga Hotel in downtown Reykjavík.  We had a three-course dinner on the ground floor at Mímir.  As per Smith Travel’s standard, the hotel and restaurant are both first-class.  The three-course meal consisted of buffalo cauliflower as an appetizer; plokkfiskur, a traditional Icelandic fish stew; and a chocolate mousse with mango-coconut ice cream for dessert.

I have been wanting to go on a trip with Smith Travel for a long time, and this experience has solidified that I will go for certain because I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  It was a great time conversing with other Smithies, learning about their lives and experiences, as well as sharing my own.

I know not everyone is as lucky as I am to not only have attended college but went to a college with travel options for alums.  Fear not, fellow friend!  There are other solutions for you too!  I know some museums offer similar styled tours, such as the Springfield Museums of Massachusetts (link may not work in your location) and The Field Museum of Chicago, IL.

Does your alma mater also offer travel options to alums?  Have you taken a trip with them?  What about other non-traditional tour agencies, such as museums?  Do you make use of your public library for discount admission tickets?  If so, where have you been?