Back on the Horse

Meet my new commuting machine.

This weekend, after four irksome weeks commuting to work on the CTA, Dave and I set out to get him a new, not-cursed bicycle. A car door landed him in the ER one month ago, the second major accident and fourth or fifth worrisome mishap he had with his old bike. As a show of support, I've been taking the CTA with him this whole time and it finally got to a point last week where we were both really tired of it.

So I came along on the bike hunt with the sole purpose of making sure he did not spend past the budget he gave himself. Dave's not a spendthrift by any means, but I've seen him under the trance of a desired but stupidly-priced object, and I'm pretty darn good at getting him to snap out of it. He knows this, and that is why he requested my presence.

I have a bike (what's your bike gotta do with me?), but I don't like it much. I like that it's pink and that I got it at Working Bikes for $40, but that's about it. It hurts to ride, the gears are rackety, and I can't go very fast on it. But it works and it cost me barely nothing, so I've never thought about replacing it.

I was watching Dave wizz around on the third floor of Kozy's Cyclery, testing out his potential new pedalmate. He wanted me to try out the bike he was considering buying, and even though the seat was so high up I couldn't sit down, I instantly felt what a difference a good quality bike made.

So I snuck back down to the main floor and starting poking around. And there I found it: a 2010-11 GT Traffic 4.0. I took it for a test spin indoors and my heart started racing at what an easy and fun ride it was. I took it outside and some construction workers wolf-whistled at me, probably because I was riding an awesome bike.

I'm not the kind of person who would ever spend $400 on a bike, because I've never liked riding enough to justify it. But then again, I've never owned a new, quality bike. So I bought the bike. And I haven't been off it since.

I got to work in 20 minutes today, without waiting for a bus or train, without spending a dime, and without being sandwiched between strangers...and I got some exercise to boot.

P.S.--Here's the mama Dave got: 2010 Specialized Tricross Singlecross, and he didn't spend a penny over his budget.

Three Years of Nose

Yesterday marked 3 official years of D+D! It'd be really easy for me to get all gushy on here, but I ain't gonna. But here's some pics of us around anniversary-time over the years:


Oh happy day! in 2006


On top of the world (or a building in Manhattan) in 2007


Loving me, loving you, loving Groucho in 2008


We've-been-together-so-long-we're-starting-to-accidentally-dress-the-same in 2009!

Austin, Texas

Went down to my home state of Texas for the 2009 College Media Advisers conference for work, but had the chance to throw in plenty of pleasure, and migas.

Bat attack.

And we'll go honky-tonkin', honky-tonkin'.

Shoop, shoop.

Pedernales Falls State Park

6th Street Halloween wakka wakka

Unfortunate.

Blog, I'm sorry I've ignored you

Dear Adorable Chorus blog,

This is ridiculous. It's been months. I should be updating you more often. When we first got started, it was exciting...like the beginnings of any romance. But then I got "busy." I started and stopped posts without ever publishing them. I'd write something out but couldn't find a good photo to accompany it. I'd read other friends' blogs and think mine could never be as entertaining as theirs, so why bother.

Well, whatever. It's time to start again. I'll blog on my lunch break. I'll get up 15 minutes earlier than usual and blog before work. I'll quit vegging out at home in the evenings and think of some fun way to update you. This blog is supposed to be about my every day encounters here in Chicago. Well, I'm encountering stuff out the wazoo. Time to start writing about it again.

Attached is some random photo I thought was pretty. Talk soon.
Love,
Danielle

I rode my bike to work today!

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I did this! 8.1 miles! Took me nearly an hour but I did it!

G Twanky

via Wonkette

Happy Birthday, Miro

I can't believe it's been almost 6 years since I first laid my eyes on Miro, a little grey furball of a kitten who was rescued from the streets of Dallas and brought to Denton Veterinary Center, the clinic I vet teched at while attending UNT.  

Miro was born on March 15th, 2003 and today is his 6th birthday.  In celebration of his big day he gets:

• a big bowl of tuna
• as many hours as he wants hanging out on the back porch
• a brushing session, as long as he wants, and a nail trim (which he strangely loves)
• catnip galore
• a thorough scrubdown of his litter box
• unlimited scratches and pets, and an open-minded attitude from his owners about his taste for toilet bowl water

And now, here are some other things that have made Miro happy during his six years on this earth:

Attacking the sheets while the bed is being made

Hanging out with E.T.

Dancing

Posing with various pooches and Bascis

Inspecting the preparation of Jack-o-Lanterns

Taking drugs while roadtripping

Admiring himself in the mirror

Dressing up for Halloween

Sleeping like this

Hanging out with E.T...even more...

Getting caught drinking out of the toilet bowl

Graduating

Being an all-around wonderful and adorable feline companion!  Happy Birthday, Miro!!

Mike Gunn's facebook profile is my favorite facebook profile

A real life drama unfolds in our bedroom

Noses in the News

Check it out everyone, your pals Dave and Danielle are in the Chicago Tribune today! (And so are Ryan Wilson and Nate Martin!)

Creative hosts conjure recession-friendly entertainment

A weekend of good company

Friday night:

• we had a lovely dinner with "the marrieds" Haley Byer-Ettinger-Lips and Jason Lips and Ms. Rhea Byer-Ettinger at Pizza D.O.C. Toppings included asparagus and goat cheese, anchovies, and eggplant and zucchini. It was darn tasty.
• We're thinking a Noses & Lips summer camping trip is upon us.

Saturday night:

• In celebration of International Women's Day, I headed out with lovely ladies Emily, Andra, Samantha, and Cristina for a great evening of sushi and wine at Coast. Sushi was terrific and we all shared on one big plate. Dessert was absolutely divine, which is surprising for a sushi place but it really was great.
• When I came home Dave was watching "The Loved One" (1965) starring Jonathan Winters, a very young Robert Morse, and Rod Steiger. It's a hilarious Dr. Strangelove-like film about the funeral industry. I could go on in more detail, but I'll just say it's probably my new favorite movie of all time. Seriously.

Sunday night:

• Our friend Paul sent us a last minute invite to a "small dinner party" he and his roommate were having. Upon arrival we saw the cute couple David and Caleb snacking on cheese and grapes and we both assumed that maybe one or two other people would show up and the dinner party-ing would begin. Within 20 minutes, about 20 more of our friends showed up and Paul led us all into the vacant apartment next door (his landlord is way cool) where he had this elaborate table set up with intricately folded napkins and a huge variety of wine, amongst other things. We dined on garlic-and-walnut beet salad followed by this amazing Moroccan stew with shark and cod and finished off with an assortment of desserts and apertifs. It was one of the most pleasant surprises I've had in a long time...and I can confidently say it was the best dinner party of 2009, despite the fact that it's only March. Gotta love the amazing hospitality of your friends.
  

The Pink Building

When making the daily trek to your 9-to-5, it's easy to turn a piece of scenery into a companion of sorts. Certain landmarks become familiar faces you look forward to seeing every day. They also act as a marker indicating where you are on your journey, and how much longer you have to go.

For me, it is this pink building that starts to peak out along Lake Shore Dr right around Lawrence Ave. After a slight turn around the Foster Ave exit, she pops out completely as seen in the photo above. At this point I know that my exit is coming up and I'm only about 5 minutes away from my desk-tination (Loyola University.)

I adore this building. The color is like no other building along the lake shore and the way the top three stories are painted white summons the idea of cream atop a pile of strawberry pudding. And the little flag waving on top! What is this building? Does it house a princess? Is it full of poodles?

I don't know the answer, and really I don't think I want to know. Our relationship is meant to be simple and elusive like that.

I've had others, of course. The McDonald's pit-stop on I-70, between Kansas City and Lawrence, always lifted my spirits a little because I knew I'd be home in a matter of miles:


(photo credit: Flickr member My Blue Dragon)

And others have others. I remember well over a year and half ago I was visiting Dave in Chicago and while biking around he wanted me to get a shot of him and his lady. He looks forward to seeing her everyday along Chicago Ave on the way to his job in River North. Unlike my chunky pink building or the Mickey D's, she really does appear to be a lady...prancing on the tippy-top of an antique building, pointing him in the direction he needs to go...

OMG FDIC

I am so sick of Suze Orman pointing her finger at me all over Chicago. And I'm sick of that striped shirt too! Although it does compliment my blog banner nicely.

Let's take a moment to look at a photo of Pam Grier

I watched Coffy for the second time last night with two human males and let me tell you that this woman is so hot she can make toddlers wolf whistle. As for the two human males, I could barely hear the movie over all the howling.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't participating myself. Dang, Coffy!

My Grocery List

I am about to head to the store, here's what I'm looking to procure:

feta cheese

bread

salad material

3 onions

1 lb butternut squash

3 pears

fresh rosemary

fresh ginger

soy milk

pecans

linguine

broccoli

veggie broth

sesame oil

dark kidney beans

1 small can diced tomatoes

veggie chorizo

tortillas

4 bell peppers

mushrooms

Monterrey Jack cheese

olive oil

asparagus

lemon

sm. pkg sliced almonds

12 oz salmon

1 sm. bottle dry champagne

1 whole vanilla bean

heavy cream

Italian parsley

1 potato

tortilla chips

milk

eggs

This week's menu

Tonight: Shrimp and feta penne

Sunday: Butternut squash-pear soup

Monday: Broccoli Lo Mein

Tuesday: Veggie chorizo kidney bean wraps

Wednesday: Couscous stuffed bell peppers

Thursday: Salmon with champagne vanilla sauce and rice

Friday: A nice dinner out on the town!

I wonder how much my groceries will cost? My guess is ~$75.

Update: It actually came out to $100. But that's $100/6 meals, which is about $16 per meal for two people and it creates a free lunch the following day. If we ate out for 6 nights at, let's say, $30 total each time and then went out for lunch for 6 days for $8 a pop, the total amount spent on food would be $228. Plus, don't forget breakfast! Anyway, that's my diatribe on why eating at home is the way to go.

Update-o-rama

Here are some random things, accompanied by visuals!

1. I saw a cat circus!

2. I heard there was a flea circus coming to town. Let's hope some person doesn't decide to visit both circuses in the same day!

3. Speaking of cats, Miro's going to be a big brother this spring because he won't stop telling us how bored he is now that Mom and Dad are both gainfully employed. We're hoping for an orange one.

4. The new Telefon Tel Aviv album is currently keeping me sane whilst driving to work in start/stop Chicago traffic each morning.

5. Dave and I have had two very successful nights of our film series "Swallow Your Cinema," except last night I used Orville Redenbacher's "Popping and Topping" popcorn oil for the popcorn and, although no one complained, I'm pretty sure I used waaay too much.

6. My job is awesome and I am so thankful and thrilled to be there each day.

7. I'm going to a Bulls game this weekend to see them play my old hometown team, the Houston Rockets. I don't care if I appear to be becoming a super fan, Bulls games are so much fun.

8. We got a postcard from FRANCE today from Joe T and Anastasia and it made my night!

Israeli couscous for the win

I made this recipe last night for the mister and a guest and it was so easy and yummy. Israeli couscous are just like regular couscous except they're much larger and have this great chewy texture. Almost every Israeli couscous recipe requires that you do a little sauteeing before you boil them to optimize the texture.

You can find the original recipe here, but below is my tweaked version. I served this alongside some fried eggplant topped with crumbled feta cheese.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (1-pound) box Israeli couscous
  
• 3 cups veggie broth
  
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• small package slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the couscous and cook until toasted and lightly browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Carefully add the veggie broth, and the juice of 1 lemon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the couscous is tender, but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the couscous, if needed.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked couscous with the remaining olive oil, remaining lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper and let cool.

Once the couscous is room temperature, add the fresh herbs, and dried cranberries. Toss to combine and serve with toasted slivered almonds on top.

The 80s

were the best, okay.