Price: $$$$ ($50 and up per person) Last weekend, my boyfriends parents came to town to visit us from Boston. For most people, this situation would probably drum up tons of anxiety and ensue a potentially uncomfortable situation. However, I am one of the lucky ones who have the most incredible "dating in-laws" (yes I made that up) that you can ever imagine. These people are truly my second family and I couldn't have been more excited to have them in town! :) Dan's Mom is a huge foodie, and ... [ Read More ]
5 Tips to get FREE Stuff When You Go Out
If it's one thing I know well, it's how to get something for free (or at a heavy discount). Every time I go out with my friends, they are always asking me how I end up getting things for free. I've decided, it's finally time to share my secrets so that you can find yourself enjoying some free stuff next time you go out! I'm going to keep the names of the restaurants/stores private so that no one gets in trouble! 1) Ask for it. This may seem too simple, but in reality, no one does it and ... [ Read More ]
Erica’s QUICK Chicken Pot Pie
Yesterday was the first day that I felt "winter" coming in Chicago. I know what you're probably thinking..."If she thinks THIS is cold, then just wait!" Yeah...I get it, and I don't care! If I want to be cold (and complain about it, I will). I digress... Anyways, because it was so cold, my boyfriend, Dan, and I decided we really wanted to have something warm and comforting for dinner. He told me he had has heart set on chicken pot pie. I've had a long 2 weeks (with no days off I might add), ... [ Read More ]
My Low Carb Pasta Alternatives
Real talk, I'm totally obsessed with pasta. ...and the reality is...my body type doesn't react well with carbohydrates. To put it bluntly, they make me fat. That is why I went on a mission to find some great pasta alternatives that would satisfy my craving, but help keep my carb intake low and my waistline small. Not only will I share my 2 favorite alternatives, but as a bonus, I'm going to tell you the best way to prepare them (because in reality, if I just told you about them, you probably ... [ Read More ]
Erica’s Crispy Chicken (or Eggplant) Parmesan
Since I can remember, it has always boggled my mind why people top their chicken/eggplant parmesan with sauce BEFORE baking it. In my opinion, it gets soggy and just doesn't taste very good. Growing up, every time my family would take us out to an Italian restaurant, I would always order "chicken parm with sauce on the side" (picture me at 6 years old ordering that. I knew what I wanted, even then)! It became a running joke in my family, but to be honest, I don't think I ever expressed to ... [ Read More ]
5 Tips to Throwing a Great Wine & Cheese Party (Without Breaking the Bank)
Shortly after moving to Chicago, I met a couple of great friends that I wanted to invite over and get to know better. Since I didn't have a job at time time, I needed to think of an impressive way to entertain at my apartment and not force myself into bankruptcy in the process but we can get help filing for bankruptcy easily nowadays. I've always thought that wine and cheese parties were a cool idea, but knew that they can get super expensive. I figured I'd give it a shot and see if I could ... [ Read More ]
The Most Perfect Caramelized Onions
I figured there is no better way to start the "recipe" section of my blog, then to show you one of my most requested recipes, my caramelized onions! Once completed, this sweet treat can elevate almost any of your current dishes (try them mixed into your Mac and Cheese, on top of a pizza or even tossed into a salad). For years now, every time I host (or even go to) a dinner party, my friends always ask me to make something with these onions and then proceed to ask me for my recipe. Until now, ... [ Read More ]
A Weekend in Chicago with my Sister!
Since moving to Chicago, I have to admit, I’ve been pretty lame. Aside from checking out Chicago’s great restaurants, I really haven’t done much else in terms of nightlife. This all changed when my arguably much cooler, younger sister, Melissa, decided to visit me a few weeks ago. For those of you who know Melissa, you know that she’s the life of the party wherever she goes. I knew that my social life consisting of Pilates at East Bank Club, walks through Ohio Street Dog Park and early dinners ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: Roka Akor
Price: $$$ ($30 per person or more) Upon leaving the AMLI River North Launch Party thrown by Michigan Avenue Magazine, I was given a gift certificate to try one of Chicago’s hottest restaurants, Roka Akor. Given the fact that it was a $50 gift card, I was pretty impressed and looked forward to checking out this River North hot spot. Since it was my turn to plan “date night”, I figured why not put the gift certificate to use and check out this place. I made the reservation through Open Table ... [ Read More ]
Who am I and what am I doing with a blog?
If I had a dime for every time someone told me, "You should write a blog!", I'd be a millionaire (and frankly probably still blogging about it). To be honest, I always found the notion of blogging a little strange. Like...who cares what I ate today or who really wants to read about how I am able to finagle a discount almost anywhere I go (btw, I typically embarrass everyone I am with in the process)? Well apparently, some people are interested in the weird things I do, the people I meet and ... [ Read More ]
