Maude's Liquor Bar

A few weeks ago in the last lazy days of long hours of sunlight Lauren and I checked out Maude's Liquor Bar. Located on the long strip of trendy new restaurants on Randolph, the street that's getting buzzed about more than any other street in Chicago right now, Maude's opened a little under two years ago. This place is a gem - the food is incredible, the drinks are outrageously delicious, and the ambiance is great for people wanting to see and be seen. This would be a fantastic choice for just having a few drinks and apps prior to going out with your gal pals.

I began with the Bordelaise Cup, which had Small's Gin (a small batch gin made in Oregon), Lillet Blanc, cucumbers, mint, and ginger beer. I loved it.

This was on special the night we went. Goat cheese to spread on the freshly warm baked bread and marinated tomatoes.

This is the braised lentils, which were amazing. Please excuse the photo - it was very dark. This place is a great date bar - and they serve oysters, so you can get your aphrodisiac on.

A portion of their menu is dedicated to seafood towers of which the combinations are plenty (and pricey).

When I was finished with the Bordelaise Cup, I ordered the 20th Century off the shaken portion of the liquor menu. Martin Miller's gin (from London), Lillet Blanc, Creme de Cacao, and lemon. The Creme de Cacao almost prevented me from ordering this drink because I don't particularly like chocolate, but this was so subtle, it was really a perfect combination of flavors.

Then we ordered the steak tartare, which was on Time Out Chicago's 100 best things we ate in 2011. It was incredible and made me feel like it was the 1960s and we were Joan Holloway and Megan Draper. Gotta love Mad Men! This place is awesome and I can't wait to go back, even if it's just for drinks.

Autumn in one post

Can you believe it's November already? The election is over, Thanksgiving is in a couple of weeks, and time marches on. Time has definitely gotten away from me this season, which happens to be my favorite. Instead of sitting at home blogging about life, I have been out experiencing it but I haven't forgotten about you dear reader! Fret not, I am here to tell you all about how I've been spending my fall. 

October began with a bang in the form of a baby. Julie, one of my best friends, gave birth to her first child, Dane. I got to meet him on his real birth day and he was a snuggly little bug who didn't open an eye the entire time I was holding him.

My friend Brittany had a Sunday funday fall party at her new pad and went all out with decorations. I swear we are kindred spirits when it comes to fashion, decor, and entertaining. I get so much inspiration from her.

Specifically, things like this. So clever!

I got to see my nephew Oliver play a mean game of soccer - or so one might think by looking at this picture, which happened to be the one time during the entire game that he was paying attention to the ball.

I decorated my apartment for Halloween like a fiend. This photo is just a taste. I started at the end of September and I don't think I stopped until the weekend before Halloween!

I got to go to Sonny Acres Farm with these two freaking awesome people who had a fantastic time on the "strawberry."

And I took obligatory pictures of piles of pumpkins.

I had a Halloween party with a fridge stocked full of beer. Ain't no party like a Jacobs party!

And I dressed up as a 70's soul diva a la Foxxy Cleopatra from Austin Powers: Goldmember. That jumpsuit just happened to be in my closet - it was my grandma's!

Then, last weekend, three of my good friends came over for an impromptu brunch. Jessie is not pictured, but that's my pal Becky and her fiance Eric. They're getting married in April and I am officiating their wedding - that is if I don't cry or laugh through the whole ceremony. I can't wait to give them the awesome gift of a personal and meaningful ceremony and I'm seriously just honored to get to be up there with them guiding them into their lives together. More posts on restaurants I've recently visited coming up!