BIRTHDAY MONTH!

Good Morning!

You know what today is? No I’m not talking about the Blackhawks parade… It’s ONE WEEK until my birthday! Partttyyyyyyy!  I don’t know about you, but birthdays have always been a big deal in my family.  Instead of one day you pretty much get a whole month which is why July is the greatest.

Brian decided that he is taking me to the new Brewery/Restaurant that opened up just down the street from us – DryHop! I’m so excited, I can’t think of anything I want more on my birthday other than delicious craft beer and some mussels!

Doesn’t this picture make you want to play hookie today and enjoy the weather? 😉

My little sister, Kristan, was also born in July and will be turning 21 just two weeks after my birthday! FINaLLLy!

I may be more excited about her turning 21 than she is.

Yesterday after work, I headed straight to the gym because rain was in the forecast and it was rolling in quickly.  The gym was pretty empty, which was awesome! I completed a quick 3.5 mile run on the treadmill followed by a lot of stretching and a quick ab circuit.

On my way out, I grabbed a couple Quest Bars to go because my friend and I are tackling 10 miles on Sunday and it will be a great way to refuel.  P.S.  Look how cool the sky looked when I left the gym – right after it had stopped raining!

Before dinner, I snacked on some fresh pineapple while my body cooled down and I stopped sweating.

Fresh pineapple is so delicious and affordable right now when you buy it in its whole form.  Love.

For dinner, Brian and I made “garbage bowl” salads with pretty much anything that was in the fridge including the leftover quinoa and chicken from the night before.

His and Hers.

They were very large and very filling 🙂 to end the night on a sweet note I finished with a brown rice cake topped with Greek Yogurt, honey, cinnamon and some dark chocolate chips.

This weekend is going to be pretty chill, which I am thrilled with considering all of the birthday activities that are coming up.  Also, I am going to try and stay as lean, clean and green as I can in preparation for the 4th of July!  Have you checked out all the new 4th of July inspired workouts on the ToneItUp blog?  They look awesome – cant wait to try one tonight!

Have a good weekend, friends!

Hopleaf

Rise and Shine!

Last nights dinner was INCREDIBLE.  I woke up this morning still full and extremely happy – isn’t that the best way to wake up?  Brian and I went to a restaurant/bar called Hopleaf last night with two of our friends.  Hopleaf is in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago which is one of my favorites.

When you first walk into the bar you are immediately greeted by the door man who casually checks your id while simultaneously flipping through some Earnest Hemingway book.  The decor of the place is trendy but casual – exposed brick walls, wooden bar booths, shiny beer taps and a open concept kitchen.  Hopleaf has a some-what recently added addition (since we have been there last) that really brightens up the place.

The craft beer selection is extensive.  I’m talking a 10 page booklet with excellent Belgium offerings.  The waiters are all very knowledgeable about every beer and are not pretentious about it.

To start, the group ordered a round of appetizers: Belgium style mussels steamed in Wittekerke white ale with frites, the sausage plate and a caramelized onion and goat cheese tartlet. All of this was brought to our table within 20 minutes and we could not believe how much food it was!  The mussels were succulent and juicy with a delicious aroma of shallots and thyme.  The sausage that I tried had an amazing spice to it and it was paired with a mustard dipping sauce that I could have licked straight from the container.  The onion tartlet was good – but the frites – oh those frites – to. die. for.  I’m not even a huge “french fries” fan, but these were so thin and crispy they practically melted in your mouth.  Did I mention they came with a heavenly garlic aioli?  yum.

As if we needed anymore food to stuff into our bellies, our entrees came out just as the last fry left the basket.  I ordered the Diver Scallops which came with a roasted pumpkin puree and crisp apple slaw.  It was delicious.  The scallops were cooked perfectly and the slaw added a nice acidity when paired with the earthy pumpkin puree.

The scallops were technically on the appetizer list, but I was grateful for the small portion because I was already pretty full.  The rest of the crew got the Tilapia Sandwich with gribiche sauce, the Organic Black Earth Farms Brisket Sandwich and Brussels Sprouts with breadcrumbs and bacon.  I think it’s safe to say at this point in the meal we were indulging in pure gluttony.

I highly recommend Hopleaf to anyone who loves craft beer and Belgium-style food.  Their menu is a slam-dunk, I would have easily ordered everything listed.

Happy and full!

After we left, we were walking down Clark and noticed a dog store that had all of these adorable doggies running around and playing.  We literally could not help ourselves and went inside to see what was going on.  There was an event called ‘Woof and Wine’ going on where dog owners could bring their dogs and have a cocktail while getting to know the other owners in the area.  Clever!  Brian and I went ahead and bought some dog food for Bailey to support the local store, and my friend bought her a nice treat!  It was truly a great evening with friends and food.

I have indoor soccer tonight at 9:30 p.m., which is later than I was hoping for…  but at least I can get a few things done around the apartment before I leave.

Ta Ta for now!