Shiso Hungry

Friday night. One birthday. Five friends. Two bottles of wine. Three hours of sushi gluttony. A solid equation for the beginning of a fanatabulously rad weekend.

My friend Kristine, the birthday girl, selected Shiso in Old Town as the lucky location of the evening. Having lived in Chicago for five years, I've frequented many BYOB sushi places. Shiso was a new find for me.

So after successfully making it through this horribly depressing January week, the five of us put on our lighter winter jackets (30 degrees - WOAH) and headed to North Ave and Cleveland to enjoy a slew of Japanese fare and each other's company.

The place was filled with friends and dates... not one table left open. If you're planning to check it out on a Friday or Saturday night, reservations are suggested. Between four of us who ate, we split six rolls and a birthday brownie Sunday. Needless to say, no one left hungry.

The highlight of the plates, hands down, no question, was the Shiso Signature roll. It's set at a higher price ($12.95) but completely worth it. As described on the menu, the Shiso Signature contains smoked salmon, avocado, jalapeno, cilantro and cream cheese deep fried. Wrapped with rice and black tobiko. Served with unagi sauce and spicy mayo on the side. Basically if that means nothing to you... it was like a piece of heaven in your mouth.

Afterwards we walked down the street and enjoyed a couple brews at the Old Town Ale House while admiring the random naked paintings of celebs like Blago and Sarah Palin. Hilar. Loved the bar... another great city find.

What about you? Any discovered or re-discovered Chi-town jewels?

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12 Months of Book Nerds

Book Club: Although this may have started off as just another overly-scheduled reason to get together and drink wine, our Tuesday night book club has turned into one of my favorite nights of the month. Headed into year two, we decided to revamp the book selection process and put together a calendar of books. This list will allow us to reserve books at the Chicago Public Libraries, read ahead on vacations and, most importantly, appease our type A personalities.

In case you want to join in virtually, below you'll find the list of books through November. Anyone have a suggestion for December?

January: "Three Cups of Tea," by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

February: "I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie," Pamela Des Barres

March: "Olive Kitteridge," by Elizabeth Strout

April: "Robber Bride," by Margaret Atwood

May: "Half-Broke Horses," by Jeannette Walls

June: "Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble and Coming of Age in the Bronx," by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc

July: "The 27s: The Greatest Myths of Rock and Roll," by Eric Segalstad

August: "Say You're One of Them," by Uwem Akpan

September: "Too Much Happiness," by Alice Monro

October: "South of Broad," by Pat Conroy

November: "I Was Told There'd Be Cake," by Sloane Crosley

Happy reading!

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Notable Quotables - Three Cups of Tea

"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars." -Persian proverb

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CTA Profiling

Although Chicago is a very diverse city, let's be honest, the neighborhoods are not so much. And although a lot is segregated based on race/ethnicity, from when the immigrants settled in the Windy city, I feel like it's almost transforming more into lifestyle differences than anything else. It's like Chicago is a giant high school cafeteria and all the cliques represent the neighborhoods.

What made me think of this, you ask? Tonight I was meeting friends for dinner on Southport and took an irregular (for me) commute from work. From the Merchandise Mart, home of my new Cubicle, I hopped on the Brown line and was all of a sudden surrounded by a number of people, clearly heading to different neighborhoods.

Knowing I had to get off at Southport, but not really wanting to pay too much attention to maps or avert my hearing from my Ipod tunes, I scanned the car looking for the likely suspect who I guessed would be getting exiting at Southport. It took about .5 seconds to spot the trendy girls in the expensive outwear and nice purses. Young, preppy and total Southportians.

Was I right?

Well, I was totally judgemental... totally stereotyping... and totally RIGHT on.

I know... I know... it's like predicting the loud cell-phone girl on the bus is getting off the 134 at Diversey and Sheridan... or the student reading their textbook will get off the Red line at Fullerton or Loyola, but for a second, I patted myself on the back for my observation and prediction, saying to myself, "Man, do I know this city or what?!"

Have you CTA profiled recently? Maybe without even knowing? Try it next time your on the bus or train. And don't judge me... it's the winter, 8 degrees and we're expecting 12 inches of snow in the next 24-hours. We might be spending a LOT of time on public transportation in the coming days. No harm in a little guessing game or two.

Stay warm, Chicago.

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No Treadmill Left Behind

First Monday of the year... you know what that means: Official Workout Day. Everyone is inspired, despite all their past failed resolutions, to REALLY work out and be healthy this year. And so, every gym, every yoga studio and every treadmill was used and abused tonight. Every trainer repeated the mantra - no treadmill left behind - while they dreamt of March 1st... and the fall of the resolutions.

And so... it is only right that tonight was one of the weirdest yoga classes for me. First of all, with the on-slot of new yogis, the class began with loud chatter from the multiple friend groups surrounding me. Yoga rule of thumb is kind of like rush hour bus rules... you don't talk. It's relaxing... it's hot... but because I've been a zen of yoga for the past week... this didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.

Then as I arose and checked out the room, I had to smile when the tallest, skinniest man I've ever seen was in front of the studio in nothing but a speedo. Yes. Awesome. This made me silently laugh...realize my immaturity and thank God none of my friends were in the room. I am most certain this would have led to removing myself from class due to a case of the 6th grade girl giggles.

But the straw that broke the camel's back was the music selection. For the past week I've been raving about CorePower Yoga's music... but today, it was off. Whereas most times it completely relaxes me... this had the opposite effect. It was totally 90s jazzercise... and I kind of wanted to give up because I didn't have a thong leotard on to match the tunes.

Overall, I felt good for sweating out every ounce of sodium I consumed today... and still feel a bit of zen... even desipite the crazy experience.

Any fun gym stories from the Official Workout Day? Long wait to get into Kickboxing? Pick-up lines at the water fountain? Arm wrestling for the stationary bike?

Do tell....

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500 Days of Summer

In the past week, I've had two good friends recommend this movie to me. Both telling me that they watched and thought... this is a 'Colleen' movie. It has a witty script, great characters and realistic view of relationships; and if that's a 'Colleen' movie, that's a-okay with me. Although, at times, the couple mirrored one too many of my past relationships... it, in the end, is a hopeful movie.

Here's a few of, what I thought were, the most memorable lines from the movie:

"This is a story of boy meets girl. But you should know up front that this is not a love story."

"They used to call me 'anal girl.'.... I was very neat and organized."

"Girl: I'm going to the supply closet. Anyone need anything?

Boy: You know what I need.

Girl: Silence.

Boy: Toner. I need toner."

"Boy: This girl... she took a giant sh*t on my face. Literally.

Girl: Literally?

Boy: Okay... not literally."

"Tom walked to her apartment intoxicated by the promise of the evening. He believed that this time his expectation would align with reality."

"I know you thought that she was the one. But the next time you look back. Look closer."

"I just woke up and knew... what I was never sure of with you."

"Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin and they end with no lasting memories made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life. May 23rd was a Wednesday."

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Korean-Style New Years Eve

Many New Years Eves have come and gone. They have involved champagne, noisemakers, sparkles and over-priced bar packages or house parties. Not much distinguishes one from the other. And since 21, many have followed with a day on the couch, nursing a notable hangover. Not one stands out from the others... until last night.

Last night, I traded in my much-sought-after Girl Talk ticket to attend my friend Cristy's birthday party at Korean Karaoke in Lincoln Square.

Let me set up the scene for you. This small establishment can be found in Lincoln Square... basically take Lincoln Ave and drive really really far away from the lake... and you'll eventually drive past it... most likely having to do a U-ey or two before you find it. You'll enter after locating the neon sign reading "Lincoln Karaoke." That's the name of the "bar."

It appears shady, a little like a mix between the DMV and a brothel... but don't be deceived, within each of the rooms contains two flat screen TVs that flash music lyrics and random pictures from Korea (i.e. butterflies, Koreans running, naked babies, etc), a few discos balls, hundreds of Korean and English-language songs.

For $15 a person, plus the price of drinks from the shared bar (with bartenders!), you can sing your heart out for six hours. And we did. I wasn't sure if I could sing karaoke and be entertained by it all night. But I can... and it was.

Maybe it was the great friends... or their great (er) voices, or maybe it was the full moon or the bubbly I was drinking... but as I counted down with the Koreans and my long-time friends, I had a great feeling about this year. If Korean Karaoke is any indication of the next 365 days, 2010 is going to be a memorable one.

Happy New Years everyone!

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