Eataly Chicago!

I first heard about Eataly back in summer 2012. I was in New York City for a work training and a coworker mentioned it in conversation. When I asked her what it was, she simply replied that I had to see it to understand what exactly the Eataly experience is like.

And boy was she right. I immediately fell in love with this Italian market meets restaurants. I gushed about Eataly to anyone and everyone. I tried my best to shop to the best extent possible when in New York, given my hotel room's measly mini fridge space. But when I heard Eataly intended on opening a Chicago location I was ecstatic.

My first experience at Eataly Chicago was everything I had dreamed of and more. The first stop was La Pizza & La Pasta for lunch.

Capricciosa Pizza-mushrooms, prosciutto, artichokes and olives

When in Eataly : ) 

Dad and I!

We meandered around the second floor, taking in the delicious food and sights at every corner: 

A stop at Il Gelato for a double helping of coconut and pistachio was a must before making a few purchases. 

Some tips for visiting:

-Try to stop by at an off-peak time, in the morning before the lunch rush or in the mid-afternoon lull. Check out their hours here.
-If you are going to eat at one of restaurants (which you so should) put your name in with the hostess when you first arrive. You can shop around until your table is ready, and they conveniently text you to let you know.
-Take a lap around each floor to get a sense of what is available. Then take another trip around to actually pick out items you wish to buy.
-It's easy to rack up a huge shopping bill here. Focus on the unique items, splurge on the well cut/high quality meats and seafoods, and skip the produce. I picked up a few dry scallops, goat cheese and prosciutto-all of which was to die for.

I'm beyond excited Chicago has it's very own Eataly. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Winter at the Farm

It was foggy and chilly this morning-a perfect opportunity to trek about at my Grandma's and capture some snowy snapshots.

Wild Fish Sushi in Arlington Heights

I met my great friend, Steph, for dinner this week. We are creatures of habit when it comes to dinner but decided to be brave and branch out for sushi this time around!

Wild Fish is a more contemporary sushi restaurant, with a beautiful decor and a great eye for the presentation of its dishes. Not to mention the food is delicious.

Amidst catching up on everything from work to vacation plans, Steph decided on a yummy looking specialty tuna maki and I went with the sake-don. Served with a tiny serving of miso soup and a forgettable salad, this was the best sake-don I've ever had. The perfectly sized portion is just the right mix of rice and fresh sliced salmon with lovely garnishes. Topped with some soy sauce this was fantastic. Per Steph's suggestion, I just had to pull out my camera and take a quick pic:

And you can see Steph's dish in the back!

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Wild Fish and look forward to stopping in again sometime soon. While it's not the most budget friendly restaurant, the atmosphere and food are worth the occasional splurge. Wild Fish is located in downtown Arlington Heights and their website can be viewed here.

Snapshot: New York in July

Cookie Exchange

A few weeks ago, some of my absolute favorite people and I put together a cookie exchange to kick off the holidays. My girls and I take things quite seriously, so planning the mechanics of this exchange was no exception. We argued (in the friendliest way possible) over the amount of cookies to provide, the ingredients we were planning on using to ensure a good level of variety, and teased each other over who would have the best cookie.

What a fabulous idea this turned out to be! Everyone showed up with beautiful and delicious cookies to share, ranging from oatmeal butterscotch to Mexican wedding cookies to chocolate with peppermint frosting. I made my tried and true recipe for biscotti, opting for a mix of cranberry pistachio and double chocolate (see below for recipe).

I recommend planning a cookie exchange with your friends, and not just for the holidays! Food exchanges are a fun way to find new recipes and share your own favorites. Plus who doesn't love bringing home food you didn't have to make?!

Biscotti Recipe!

You'll need:
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 tsp baking powder
a dash of salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
your choice of add-ins

Some fun combos:
1. 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder + chocolate chips
2. Lemon zest + slivered almonds
3. Dried cranberries + orange zest

Mix your sugar and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in your baking powder and salt, then eggs. Stir in your flour by hand then add your add-ins, hand stir until just fully mixed.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease or lay down a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and plop on your dough. Smooth the dough to form a long oval on the sheet (it doesn't have to be perfect). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes.

Using a large knife, cut your oval in half longways then cut across the other way to create biscotti sized pieces. Turn the pieces on their side and put the cookie sheet back in the oven to back for 7-13 minutes, depending on your oven. Keep your eye on it as you don't want your biscotti to be rock hard!

Cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Best served with a cup of coffee!

It's Blog Time!

Hi! I'm Logan and I am so excited to FINALLY start a blog to call my own. I've toyed for a long time with the idea of blogging, and have frequently drummed up blog topic ideas only to be discouraged for this or that reason. I've decided it's time to take a jump and start on what I hope will be a fun blogging ride!

So bear with me as I take my first steps into the world of blogging. While I have a vague concept of what this lifestyle blog will look like, time will tell the vibe of this online space. What I can guarantee are honest opinions and hopefully some fresh ideas to incorporate into your own life.

Let's get started!