Saturday I had plans to meet my sister and her daughter downtown for Tasting Table in Fulton Market. I knew my niece Claire had her placement test for high school (how did she get that old already?!) so I had some time to kill before meeting up with them. Taking the train downtown was the best idea ever. It’s an hour and 15 minute ride on the weekend because it makes all the stops, but it was super relaxing, and what I didn’t realize was that Metra has a weekend pass – for $8 I could take as many rides on Saturday and Sunday – so $4 one way is a cheap way to go, especially since parking in Chicago is ridiculous.
When I woke up on Saturday morning I saw that Hannah had already laid the ground work for breakfast – each of us with our favorite coffee mug, K-cup lined up and . . . canned corned beef hash. I had about 1/2 a cup of hash and a piece of toast for breakfast and took my coffee to go. Tia, I know you are eyeing that skull mug!
My first stop was the German market at Daley Plaza. When I worked downtown I used to have a brat with sauerkraut every.single.day while the market was open. But Saturday, being nearly 50 degrees on December 5, it was a sea of humanity. I could barely get close enough to any stalls, and when I did, the line was so long. I did end up buying that snowman bell, and Mom, while I wanted to buy that angel for you on the bottom right? Um, it was $80, so sorry I didn’t buy it for you. Plus, I think it’s like me and snowmen, I think you have enough angels!
I texted my sister, she still wasn’t sure what time she’d meet up with me, so I headed over towards the green line exit where they would be coming out, which is right across the street from the French Market. I got to shop around, buy some cheese, and as luck would have it, they have this tiny 8 stool bar and they happened to have one of Tony’s favorite beers – Boddington’s, so I took that as a sign to have a beer.
After waiting for my sister for nearly an hour, she finally bailed on me. Not gonna lie, I was a lot bummed. Saturday was the one year anniversary of Tony’s memorial, and while part of me just wanted to stay curled up in my bed all day, I planned something for that day so that it wasn’t an option. Maybe I should have intimated how important it was for me not to be by myself? As I started walking towards Fulton Market, I was getting pissed that she let me down, but when I think of it, she usually says she’ll do something with me then cancels at the last minute, so I shouldn’t have been too surprised. I just decided to make the most of my day by myself!
The venue was wide open and easy to move around. My main goal for going to this open market was to buy a good knife. I know, you’d think that with the amount of cooking I’d do, that I would have invested in a good knife, but I haven’t. Buttermilk Supply was one of the vendors and that is when I decided I needed to go here. Sam was so personable, and when I told him that his booth was the main reason for me coming, he was a bit taken aback. He asked if I lived in the neighborhood and when I said I lived 55 miles away he couldn’t believe I’d come that far for a knife! While they were all gorgeous, I knew I couldn’t spend $400 on a knife, but I settled on this one – at $120, he said it was the best knife for the price for every day use. After I bought that, it was time to head back to the train station, but not before I got my picture with Santa!
Yesterday morning I couldn’t wait to try it out. Look at how pretty he packaged it!
Well, just WOW is the only way to describe this knife. It feels good in my hand, and is super sharp – it makes it feel as if I’ve been using a plastic knife all these years. He told me to buy this sharpening stone at Amazon to sharpen it at home.
Yesterday I did some meal planning, went to the grocery store, did all my laundry – and not only washed and dried it, but folded it and put it away! I think the new closet is making me be more adult about taking care of my clothes!
And when I was cleaning up my desk area, turns out I have a bunch of Cabot cheese coupons that are about to expire at the end of the year, so I had to start stocking up. Looking at my cheese/deli drawer, it doesn’t look like I have an obsession with cheese at all!
So all things considered, it was a good weekend. I got nearly 18k steps in on Saturday, the weather was gorgeous, and I think we’ll still have temps in the upper 40s and mid 50s this week – not bad at all for the second week of December!
Time to get some steps in before work – hope you had a great weekend! Make it a great day!
The second year without Tony will be much better and then you will still count the years but it won’t be so painful. I couldn’t tell you what I did on the first year anniversary of my husband’s death but for several years I donated money to a charity on his birthday. I always try to think of his birthday rather than the death date. We actually lived in the Chicago suburbs for 7 years and the 2 older kids were born there. I loved going into the city at Christmas time and looking at the windows at Marshall Field. I liked shopping there too! I’m glad you made a bummer day a fun one.
Thanks Nan – and I love the idea of celebrating his birthday instead of his death day. 😀
So proud of you Beth! You could have gone home after your sister cancelled your date but you didn’t and you made the best of it. If I had lived closer I would gladly taken her place because I loved the way you spent your day.
Thanks Fran – and for the record, if we did live close to each other all we’d do is cook and walk together all the time – how fun would that be?!
You look so cute with Santa!
Thanks Jan! Just as I was leaving he was coming in and I just had to!
Sounded like a great day to just “treat yourself” That knife looks PRETTY sharp though if it can cut a lemon so well. (you know the old saying, when life hands you lemons….make lemonade…..you are very good at making lemonade, even though your sister didn’t show, you had a good day) Did you end up buying that old cook book??? I love old cook books.
Your cheese/deli drawer looks great….I see some goat cheese….yum my first thought was fried goat cheese on a salad, so good.
I did not buy the book – I thought of it, but it was $50! I was going to see if I could find a cheaper on online because the title alone intrigued me.
The goat cheese is for my Cooking Club this week – I have appetizers and I am making a garlic crostini with herbed goat cheese and roasted grapes with a walnut pear balsamic glaze 😀
I’m glad you made the most of your day instead of hiding out (which would be understandable!).
Thanks Lisa – it was a great day to be a tourist in my own backyard 😀
Let me know next time you’re up for a city adventure and we’ll tear up the town together. Promise I won’t bail either “sister of the heart”!
Aw, thanks Kris! 😀
Sorry you were stood up, my sis has done that to me too. I would have loved to hang out with you in Chicago for the day. Looks like you got a great knife. Enjoy.
Well next time you guys come to the midwest we’ll have to do that! 😀
Total bummer that your sister ditched you. Glad you had a good time though!
Yep, it’s all about attitude and I made it a great day!
Even though your sister couldn’t make it, maybe it was good that you found out after you were already there so you got out for the day. That market is cool.
John and I used to love taking the train to Chicago on weekends. It’s such a deal with the price, too.
I am definitely going to take advantage of the weekend train more often in the spring and summer when its nice out. 😀
Loved visiting the market with you–you did such a great job of describing it, along with the picture collages. I am jealous of your new knife! Maybe when I grow up I will get one for myself 🙂
Thanks Debby, it ended up being a lovely day! 😀
Once again, your upbeat attitude comes roaring through and I love that you made the day good, even without the support of your sister.
That knife looks amazing, and I am glad you treated yourself…with as much time spent cooking as you do, you are going to wonder how you ever lived without it!
Oh and I am proud of you for seeing your laundry all the way through. 🙂
Shelley, do you watch Parks & Rec? They have this episode of “treat yo self” and it’s pretty hilarious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsABTmT1_M0
And thank you, I feel like a total grown up with all my clothes put away 😀
I DO watch Parks and Rec and absolutely LOVED that episode…and I’m not ashamed to admit that I quote “Treat yo’ self” quite often while I’m shopping, LOL!
So glad you were able to have a great day even though your sister cancelled! Sounds like beautiful weather for December and you were able to enjoy it! I love those types of markets myself and whenever I visit my family in NY we always try to head to Eataly.
Love the snowman bell! Enjoy your warm weather while you can!
The weather could not have been better for December – I think I walked nearly 7 miles that day!
🙁 So proud of you for making the best of the situation. I know your sister is kicking herself in the bottom for not showing up on such an important day.
The knife looks amazing. Do you think the sharpening block would be good on any knife?
My husband and I were discussing travel plans for next year and have decided Chicago would be a good place to visit. Any tips for the best time to travel when places aren’t full of mobs of people but also a lot going on with opportunities to taste the yummy foods?
Yes, I think the sharpening block is good for all knives. Here is the link, I don’t think I linked it above:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KTH3DU8/ref=s9_zgift_hd_bw_g328_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=02VQH58VTHJFTZV3NPHR&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=20a2f086-4a26-5d00-a1df-f530c50cafc6&pf_rd_i=553346
You are coming to Chicago??!! Yippee! I would suggest not around spring break time but May and June are beautiful – there are tons of food walks you can take in different neighborhoods – like pizza, any ethnicity, etc. I’ll email you!
Pastoral is one of my all time favorite places in Chicago. The knife looks amazing. Glad you had good weather for exploring the city, but sorry it was not all you planned.
That’s okay Jacky – as the blog post title says “life goes on!” but I was tempted to have you meet me when she bailed! We’d eat all the cheeses! 😀
I got a heart owie reading your sister stood you up on THIS day in particular. Nice you sort of shrugged it off and made the best of it and had a lovely day but still sad your sister didn’t place more value on your being with someone that day. Hugs.
Aw, thanks Kal. I’ve learned that I have to react to a situation to my advantage. I could have just been pissed and gone home, but I decided to make it a great day, and it was. 😀
What a great day. (And, fwiw, I had corned beef hash on Saturday morning too!)
You and I would have had so much fun! We literally hadn’t had corned beef hash for months, its a nice taste treat every once in a while 😀
So it looks like you got a Japanese knife? They are known to be the best in the world and I have to say, the one that Little Helen brought me back from Japan is my favorite knife. The one I have is only for fruits and veggies – I’d like to add to my collection for meats!
I’m sorry your sister stood you up, but I’m glad you had a nice day. Sometimes things work out just the way they are supposed to.
Yep, it’s Japanes and it’s amazeballs. Seriously it really did feel like my other knives were like plastic ones.
Yep, it ended up being a great day!