Highlights of 2013

Okay, I know, it's been just under a year since my last post. I totally suck at this thing but I am resolving to try and be better, I swear! I'm making my reentry into this poor, sad blog with a highlights reel of the last year. We'll start with Christmas...yes, Christmas 2012.

I celebrated Christmas like it was my last one ever by participating in as many activities as I could.

American Theater Company presents It's a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play

Music Box presents the 29th Annual Christmas Show: White Christmas

White Christmas (my favorite Christmas movie of all time and this may be the best Christmas event I've ever gone to).

Caroling at the Bean (Millennium Park).

A night at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.

Late night eats at Elsa's on the Park. This tree was made out of thousands of paper clips suspended with fish line!

Visiting the Fonz in downtown Milwaukee.

In April, Chicago was flooded for a few days.

I threw my best friend a bridesmaids tea in April, a few weeks before her wedding.

And then, at the end of April, I officiated their wedding - one of the most exhilarating and anxiety-inducing moments of my life.

At the beginning of the summer I checked out the new Logan Square restaurant, Parsons Chicken & Fish, and Adam Rapoport, editor-in-chief of Bon Appetit was there signing his new grilling book.

At the beginning of June, one of the biggest outdoor parties of the year, took place: Maifest.

I turned 30 a little more than halfway through June and celebrated with a special request - dirt cake. I love to indulge my inner 8 year old.

I celebrated on my actual birthday with a trip to Willis Tower and to the Ledge (my knees went weak).

With two of my favorite people on Earth - who were not scared at all.

My inner adult rang in 30 with a luau at my apartment at the end of June, wearing my grandmother's Hawaiian dress from the 60s, and surrounded by my beloved friends. A friend came with a saber for a ceremonious sabrage, my first, and created a memory I won't soon forget.

The luau was complete with photo booth.

In July, I volunteered at Pitchfork Music Festival.

And met some other awesome volunteers from the organization I work with - Open Books.

My wonderful friends all convened on a Saturday in July for an all day picnic in Logan Square's Palmer Square Park.

I added this burger to my top 5 burger list (Little Goat kimchi burger).

Drank some beer.

And some more beer.

And a ginger hibiscus margarita from Rodan.

And introduced one of my best friends from London to the mint julep (and old fashioned) at The Southern.

At the end of July I went to Door County.

Enjoyed a beautiful view of the bay (and a glass of wine).

Did a wine tour and tasting of Stone's Throw Winery at 10:30 in the morning (though, according to this clock, it is always 5:00).

I looked yonder at Ellison Bay Bluff.

I imbibed in a signature vacation cocktail: the brandy old fashioned, Wisconsin's favorite drink.

I went on the first ghost tour of my life and loved every minute of it.

In mid-August my girlfriends and I went camping and were miserable - I got more than 30 insect bites all over my body.

 

I made my obligatory Superdawg trip at the end of August.

 

At the beginning of September, I went to Glazed and Infused for a maple bacon long john, which ruined me for all other donuts.

And then went thrift shopping all over creation with one of my gal pals.

  There was a LOT of this.

And I got to spend ridiculous amounts of time with the most awesome people on Earth. 

See you soon, dear readers!