Chicago Q is back open!  Chicago Q was the location for a blog meet up with a friend!

I was so excited that one of my long time blog readers and online friend was coming to Chicago for work.  She told me the dates she would be here and we decided to do dinner last Friday night.  Julianne and I started reading each others blogs probably in 2009?  She stopped blogging in 2011, but she’s been a loyal reader ever since and we are friends on Facebook.

Julianne suggested BBQ for dinner, and one of the restaurants on my bucket list was Art Smith’s Chicago Q.  In case you don’t know, Art Smith used to be Oprah’s private chef, but now owns several restaurants in Chicago, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.  Long time blog readers will remember how I won $10,000 for my buffalo chicken chili recipe back in 2013 – it was a “split the pot” recipe contest, where I won $5,000 and I had to choose what charity the other $5,000 would go to.  I chose Art Smith’s charity called Common Threads.  

It’s a program that teaches underprivileged children how to cook.  My donation of $5,000 from that recipe contest was able to provide a summer cooking boot camp for 20 kids.  It’s said that after taking the boot camp class (not only does it teach the kids how to cook, but their parents can be involved as well) that they go from eating fast food 90% of the time, to cooking at home 90% of the time.  #love

You can barely see the “q” on the sign there, but they have this adorable outdoor patio – someday it might be nice enough that you can sit outside.  Chicago Q is located in Chicago’s gold coast.  I walked from my office – it was a nice walk!

We started out with a Paloma.  Um, why have I never had this before?!  It was tequila and grapefruit and rimmed with salt – kind of like an less sweet margarita if that makes any sense.  So good!

Both Julianne and her sister-in-law got the sample plates – a taste of each meat with corn bread.  Holy balls that corn bread was so moist and delicious.  We got sides of mac n cheese and this amazing corn dish – Mom, it reminds me of the corn dish we make on vacation.  I got the ribs, because I knew Jacob would love the leftovers.  It was all delicious.

Julianne was flying back home to California on Saturday, but her sister-in-law drove in from Indiana and they went to museums and shopping during the day before meeting me for dinner.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it was like meeting an old friend even though we never met in real life before.  When she stopped blogging her kids were still pretty little – now they are teenagers!  Time flies.  Well, Hannah was 16 when I started this blog, and now she’s 26 – crazy!

I walked back to the train station – I had nearly 20,000 steps on Friday!   It was so great meeting you Julianne – now I need to come visit you!

Saturday morning was weigh in day at WW.  I knew I would be up – I ate all my daily points AND all my weekly points the night before weigh in.   It’s all good though!

Our weather was so gross this weekend.  Rain, sleet, hail, snow – you name it, we had it.  Temps hovered around 30 degrees, but with the windchill it felt like it was in the teens.  Around 2:30 the kadults and I decided we were going to take naps.  It just felt like a good nap day.  They went to their room and I napped on the couch with the dogs.  I didn’t wake up until 5:10!  And I had to leave at 6 to get to my Mom’s concert Saturday night.  The kadults woke up at 5:30 – we all couldn’t believe how long we slept, but it felt good – we must have needed it.

The concert was lovely as usual.  Being the favorite child I of course brought her flowers. 

Below is the conductor Wilbur.  He is amazing.  When I took the picture I didn’t realize how many people were in the background, so I sent the picture to Charlie and asked him to remove the people in the background and he sent me this back – perfect!

Sunday was an equally gross day, and I toggled between being productive and lazy.  Best combo evah!  Jennie-O turkey sent me some of their chorizo turkey sausage and I used that with scrambled eggs and these were the best breakfast tacos – spicy but not too spicy.  You know I still added hot sauce to mine. 

I finally got my ass in gear and got to the grocery store.  I had to laugh because I didn’t realize I put the poll in front of my face!

I checked this morning, and as of 421 votes 77% of you try to carry all your groceries in one trip – love it!  I am in the one trip no matter how heavy group too! 😀

As most weekends, I only ate two meals – started out with breakfast tacos and ended up with chicken and cheese quesadillas.  I did meal prep yesterday, so I had bites and licks throughout the afternoon.  These quesadillas are 7 points – 6 for the two tortillas, and one for the cheese.  I mixed Chobani and hot sauce for a zero point dip.  Super simple Sunday dinner.

Looks like we will have winter weather for a while longer here in Chicago.  I normally have my heat off by this time of year.   We will probably be in the 80s this first week of May. 😛

I rested this weekend, and believe that I have almost kicked this bronchitis.  If I feel okay today during the day, my plan is to hit up the gym tonight.  

Happy Monday – make it a great day!

p.s.  you can check out some of the other Chicago restaurants I’ve been at here.