Noelle's Day Off | Chicago, Illinois

I was born in the 80s and like most kids, I was raised by the TV and loved movies, especially those directed by John Hughes. I devoured all of his films and they always resonated with me. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is in my top three John Hughes movies. In all actually, I just wanted to be as cool as Ferris. After I watched it for the first time, all I've ever wanted to do was follow in his footsteps and do the same things. When Markus and I moved to Chicago, I thought that my dream was finally going to come true. A couple years passed and I thought it was just going to be one of those things I said I would do, but never did. So cut to last November, Markus and I finally fulfilled my dream. I even convinced him to dress in the spirit of Ferris and Sloane.

Unfortunately, we didn't do everything featured in the film. It's highly unrealistic to be able to do all those things in one day. Also, the locations are spread out through Chicagoland. I cut it down to four things that were close and the most iconic. First, we stopped at the same parking garage they dropped off Cameron's car. We were able to park our car there for the whole day. Afterward, we walked over to Sears Tower. I know it's now called Willis Tower, but it will always be Sears Tower to me! This was the only place that someone recognized us dressed like Ferris and Sloane. I was surprised that no one else noticed, but I guess we did look Asian hipsters.

After we finished peering over the ledge at the Skydeck, we made a quick stop at the Flamingo Sculpture on Dearborn. It's the scene where Cameron and Sloane are looking for Ferris. Our last and final stop was at the Art Institute of Chicago, where I would finally see my favorite painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. After we spent a couple hours in the museum, I was exhausted, but in a good way. I was so happy that I finally had my own day off and explore cool places in the city. The whole experience was everything I hoped it would be and more!

Boka | Chicago Restaurant Week 2016

I thought our meal at Sepia was amazing, but our meal at Boka was on another level. Markus and I almost missed out, but we both figured that Restaurant Week only happens once a year. I've been wanting to eat at Boka for ages now. It's been Michelin starred for the past four years and it's one of the most popular restaurants in Chicago. When I went to make a reservation, all the weekends were already booked and I could only book a table for two on Thursday, the last day of Restaurant Week. I'm so glad that we decided to keep our reservation because it was one of the best meals I've ever eaten. 

Cold Course
Roasted Beets, yogurt, almond, caraway
Marinated hamachi, kohlrabi, grapefruit, horseradish

Our first course was a cold course of roasted beets and marinated hamachi. We had a similar pairing at Sepia. I was completely blown away by both dishes. Every component melded together perfectly, creating something delicious. The beets were roasted nicely and the almonds and caraway were a nice touch. The marinated hamachi with grapefruit and horseradish was an incredible flavor profile and both dishes were a wonderful way to begin the meal. 

Hot Course:
Seared scallop, fennel, morcilla, sherry
Slow poached egg, squash, grains, parmesan

The second course was a hot course of seared scallop and slow poached egg. I love scallops and when they are cooked perfectly, it's like butter. The thing I enjoyed most was that the scallop wasn't overdressed in any sauce and the garnishes only highlighted their natural flavor. The slow poached egg was also very good. It was very simple in flavor but the real winner of the dish was the toasted grains that added a nice crunchy texture.

Entrees:
Grilled short rib, bitter greens, chestnut
Lightly smoked arctic char, beets, dill, brown butter

I loved everything about our entree course, which consisted of grilled short rib and lightly smoked arctic char. I tend to stay away from beef, but I couldn't resist the combination of beef, bitter greens and chestnuts. I was very intrigued and have to say, it tasted great. The meat was the real highlight and very tender. The arctic char was delicate and was accentuated by the brown butter, dill and beets. I loved how subtle the fish tasted and then when you added the garnishes, the flavor intensified. 

Desserts:
Dark chocolate mousse, 70% south american cacao, creamsicle
Coffee & hazelnuts, praline, whole milk ice cream

The dessert course was a delicious end to a wonderful four course meal. I love dark chocolate in all it's forms and I had to try the mousse. I really liked it, but Markus made a comment that the creamsicle crumbles tasted like Fruity Pebbles. After that, it was all I could think, but I like Fruity Pebbles, so it worked out for me. The coffee and hazelnut dessert was a teensy bit better than the mousse. I think it was because of the addition of the caramel. It added a little bit of sweetness that I didn't know I wanted. Overall, this entire meal from Boka was incredibly good and I would not hesitate to return even if it wasn't Restaurant Week.

Sepia | Chicago Restaurant Week 2016

One of my favorite things about living in Chicago is the abundance of delicious restaurants. Since moving to the city, Markus and I have been making our way through some of the hottest restaurants in the city. The best time of the year to visit the more expensive restaurants is Restaurant Week. For two weeks, restaurants throughout the city have prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner. As soon as the list was released, I immediately made reservations at Sepia. My friend Josh, recommended the Michelin starred restaurant. The four course menu is a steal at $44 and an opportunity we couldn't pass up.

Top: Cured mackerel, green olive, celery, golden raisin, toasted ciabatta
Bottom: Salad of fennel, blood orange, baby arugula, cashew dukkah, labne

Of all the courses we had, the first course was my least favorite. It's not that it wasn't good, it just wasn't memorable. To begin with, I'm not a fan of mackerel. It's a bit too fishy for me. The only time that I was able to truly enjoy mackerel was in Kyoto. Markus is a huge fan, so he loved the dish. I did enjoy the garnish, which was a perfect blend of salty and sweet from the olives and raisins. The salad of fennel was sort of a one note and didn't really wow me. I really can't even recall what I liked about it, but I do remember it was very refreshing. 

Top: Braised duck raviolo, rosemary, medjool date, grana padano
Bottom: Soft boiled egg, mushroom ragu, black truffle butter, toast

This second course was incredible and I would eat both dishes again in a heartbeat. I love duck in all it's forms, it's one of my favorite meats. The raviolo was so good, seriously, one of the best dishes of the night. The sauce they used brought out the sweetness in the duck. Markus and I were both quite sad we had to share one. The soft boiled egg was good, but the real star was the mushroom ragu. I would order just a bowl of that and eat it all day. 

Top: Spice crusted whitefish, potato masala, broccoli raab, coconut milk
Bottom: Grilled Berkshire pork collar, cheddar-corn spoon bread, collard greens, smoked apple butter, “pot liquor”

The third course was my favorite of the night with the best dish being the grilled Berkshire pork collar. The meat was so tender and flavorful and absolutely perfect with the spoon bread and collard greens. At the table next to us, a woman sent the dish back and it took everything in me to not grab it and eat it. The spice crusted whitefish was also very delicious and by no means a dud. The pork was just a knockout.

Top: Chocolate hazelnut tart, fig jam, pear, caramel
Bottom: Ginger-lime parfait, mango coulis, rum gelee, coconut crumble

The final course of the meal was just as good as the previous. Sometimes desserts in these pre fixe meals are a bit of an afterthought, but Sepia delivered. The ginger-lime parfait was so light and elegant. The flavors weren't overpowering and the coconut crumble added a nice texture. I preferred the chocolate hazelnut tart, because it was the kind of dessert that I always crave. It was chocolaty, but not too sweet. It was my last bite of the night and the perfect end to our first meal at Sepia.

Married for a Decade

I can't believe that Markus and I have been married for ten years today. Honestly, it doesn't feel like that long. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. Marriage isn't easy, but it's easier when you're married to your best friend. Markus has managed to make my life so fulfilling and giving me what I've always dreamed of as a girl, adventure.

When we first got married, Markus and I were poor twenty-somethings and never had the chance to have engagement photos taken. We both thought that this anniversary was the perfect time to finally have them done.  We found an amazing photographer, Mark Federighi. He was fantastic to work with and he couldn't have chosen a more beautiful place, the University of Chicago. We're both so pleased with our photos and are so happy to share them with you!

Movin' On Up

I thought this day would never come, but it's finally here. Markus and I are moving to the city! We spent a year in the burbs and while they've been pleasant, it just isn't for us. The past six months were very challenging and it seemed pretty dismal. I was starting to get discouraged, but then things started to fall into place. We found an awesome apartment in Logan Square, one of the best neighborhoods in the city. Also after five months of patiently searching for the right job, I found it! I'll be working for an awesome company in the Loop, the heart of downtown. It all still seems so surreal, but it's really happening and I'm so excited for this new chapter in our lives. I can't wait to share all of our new adventures with you, my dear readers!