A New Adventure | Peaches Prattlings

{March 3, 2017} Reza’s… another great new restaurant!

Well, new to me anyway.

I met with WIS, a friend I met on this project in Chicago, at Reza’s, a really good Mediteran and Persian restaurant in the Andersonville neighborhood.

It was a nice, open space with an enclosed patio that doubles as more restaurant space. If you go while it’s cold, be aware that you have to go through this patio to get to the restrooms, which were equally freezing!

The space was nice and welcoming with brick walls and original artwork. Next time I’ll take pictures of the pictures. The menu was very vegan friendly, lots of great appetizers, which were also on one of the vegetarian plates, we were sold!

We asked the waiter if he thought it would be too much food… no, I have many customers who order those two dishes. Sure… only 2 people?! We each had lentil soup, which was great, it could have used a little something to thicken it up, but very tasty.

Then we got our fatoush salad, one of my favorites, but this could have been a main meal! It was delicious, so happy about that. I say that because there are places that just don’t know how to make it… and it’s not that complicated! No, I haven’t made it, I found others who do it so well! Ha ha

Then we ordered a plate that had five appetizers, hummus, banaganoush, falafel with pomegranate remoulade, Persian salad and eggplant steak, wow!

The other plate was called Vegetarian Feast and oh my! Cous-cous with eggplant, zucchini, roasted peppers, tomatoes, topped with almonds, raisins and feta.

I topped it off with hot Persian tea and we were set!

This is a great restaurant with a nice ambiance, I recommend it. And the price is right too! And guess who has lunch for tomorrow!

{February 28, 2017} Ristorante Merlo

Fabulous!

Tonight I asked at the front desk for a recommendation for dinner and I was given Ristorante Merlo. I know, you want to add a t to the end of it!

This restaurant is in a house set on the street amongst larger buildings, slightly hidden in its own way, one of those places that unless you know you’re looking for it, you miss it.

I walked in, no reservation and was taken downstairs past a bar and dining room with banquet seating, less intimate. Downstairs it looked like a place for a nice romantic dinner, family gathering, more intimate, like you might be with family.

There were only about eight or ten tables in the room

They sat me at a corner table and for about twenty minutes, I was alone in the place, a little weird, but I had my server’s attention and he was prepared to make my experience special.

It is not a vegan restaurant, but they accomdated me. I had the minestrone and it was fabulous, the broth was wonderful and the vegetables were barely cooked, nice and crisp. Then the pasta came out, tagliatel, spinach, asparagus, garlic and olive oil, really nice and flavorful; I didn’t even have to add salt, lovely. It was on the al dente side, because it was fresh that day, love it! What I liked was the portion size, appropriate, not too much.

The bread basket had fresh, crisp, flavorful foccaccia and crisps that were actually flash fried fresh pasta, that didn’t taste like pasta, it was great!

I had really nice dinner, can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds!

{February 27, 2017} What a weekend!

This weekend was great!

I flew to Denver Friday evening and checked into the only hotel I’ve stayed in since I moved from Denver. It’s a nice Homewood Suites in the center of the city with easy access to restaurants, nightlife, museums, the highways to get to the mountains and anywhere else you want to go.

I got to the hotel, had to get some work done and eventually got some sleep. I set the alarm, but that snooze button is too tempting. The phone woke me up, oops. I got up and headed to the airport because I was picking up my honey!!!

PSM is going to a meeting in Iowa this coming week and needed a place for a layover and Denver was one of those options and decided to make it a weekend, so here we are! Together!

We went back to the hotel and met his mom’s cousin and her husband for breakfast, a very nice couple who have lived in Denver for over thirty years. We had a really nice time getting to know each other, hearing stories about PSM’s family and PSM as a little kid.

After breakfast, it was time for a little break and some rest, after a bit PSM got up and prepped for his presentation next week.

Later we headed out into the city and ended up at a Machete for dinner, PSM was craving what we can’t really get in Hawaii, Mexican food. It was a noisy, energetic, eclectic restaurant with an impressive list of tequilas, someone was happy!

We were meeting APM, someone I’ve been friends with since high school, we met in youth group. Thursday and now Saturday, friends from youth group, fabulous! I also found out that his middle name is PSM’s first make, go figure!

After dinner we walked around, got some coffee and tea for a minute then wentb to another bar to hang out a bit longer, then on to the hotel and closing the blackout curtains, we were sleeping in!

Sunday brought a sleep in, brunch, a little more practice and then a tour of Boulder. It was nice to be in a place that I love together.

Then off to the airport, our flights were ably the same time, he walked me to my gate, we got to spend a little more time together and we realized that this would be a good place to meet for a weekend, easy for us both to get to, sweet!

Then I was off to Chicago and PSM is off to Iowa. I’ll be in Hawaii in a few weeks to see him again and we have a plan for my April trip! Wahoo!

Have a great night!

{February 24, 2017} A blast from the past

Thursday night brought a real treat!

I got to see a blast from my past. JM is someone I was in youth group with when I was in high school.

We lost touch after high school, as so many do and then reconnected through Facebook. I saw that he was traveling to Chicago on Monday and I reached out.

I was teaching and be had plans but had a window before going to see Hamilton. That changed a bit and we ended up meeting after the show. My hotel was just a few blocks away and it was like time had stopped. He looks the same, a little less on top, but the same face, smile, sense of humor and good nature.

We walked to the Palmer House to get a drink and sat and talked about everything. Hamilton, theater, musicals, literature, marriage, kids, movies, family, life, work, you tube, holidays, games, geeks, travel. Yup, I think that about covers it.

About 1am we were both starting to get a little woogie so he went off to his home base for the evening and I walked back to the hotel and boy, I’ve never seen State Street deserted before!

When we were talking, it felt like we had just seen each other a few weeks ago, how fabulous!

We parted company with the promise to keep in touch, I’m looking forward to that.

Such a treat.

{February 21, 2017} I was dressed for bear…

Ok, I apparently have been using that expression incorrectly for a while.

I thought it meant dressed warm for cold weather, oh well. I was coming back to Chicago this week expecting it to be cold and no, I didn’t check the weather, that would be the smart thing to do.

I was wearing jeans, knee socks, a sweater and winter boots. For a freezing plane or a winter day, I was stylin’! The outfit looked good, I thought so and someone else said so, put together and work appropriate, we could wear jeans today!

I get to Chicago and it was warm! I didn’t need a coat, that was in my checked luggage, never took it out of my bag! The office was warm, I was sweating and my bag was at the hotel, so I couldn’t change my top!

It was even warm walking back to the hotel, I got into the room and dropped jeans, sweater and socks! I even turned the air on and sat there in my skivvies to cool off.

I remember being here in Chicago in April last year and it was still cold! I was going on that! And I’ve been told that it might be coming again, hmmm…gotta check the weather for tomorrow!

{February 17, 2017} But my shoes are off!

Yesterday was a travel day.

By the time I got to Saint Louis Airport, TSA PreCheck was shut down. They gave me a card so that I could do a modified PreCheck by leaving my shoes on, woohoo, I still had to take me laptop out…

I knew that my shoes would set off the metal detector so I took my boots off and when the guard looked at my feet she thought I was still wearing shoes and told me to take them off, turns out it was my socks!

I have two pairs of socks like this pair was given to me by my fabulous friend RJS! How funny is this!

Got to make travel days fun!

{February 14, 2017} Just another travel day…

It’s Monday, so back to the daily grind, right? Off to Mt Vernon, IL I go.

As I mentioned yesterday, I stayed at a hotel last night in case the roads were bad to the airport, I was close.

I got there, checked my bags and went through security. There was literally no one on line! This is Logan airport in Boston, that never happens! Do you remember when I showed you JetBlu a few weeks ago? Nope, no one! There we people at the airport, but hundreds of flights had been canceled, so it was sparse.

I got some breakfast, got on my flight, which was full, by the way. That flight was at 840am, we waited for the de-icing to begin, then left. In Detroit, I had enough time to powder my nose and get to my next flight.

In Chicago, I had a two hour layover, but not as much time as you’d expect. Get luggage, catch shuttle to next terminal, check luggage back in, walk from B-gates terminal to C-gates terminal, then go in search of something to eat, it’s been a while and a time since since breakfast. Why is it so difficult to find something for a vegan, it’s 2017 airport people! I would like something more than the hummus cup with pretzels.

Get to gate, wait 20 minutes, board flight for St Louis. Short flight, collect luggage, go to car rental. Collect car, drive 1.30 to Mt Vernon.

I started at 7am eastern and ended 530pm central [630pm eastern].

Let’s just say, I decided if I was going to do anything for dinner, it would be coming to me! I’m staying put in my comfy clothes until I have to get up for work tomorrow!
The best part of the day…since you can now download from Netflix…I binge watched Stranger Things! Wow!

Night!

{February 11, 2017} It’s snowing in Boston!

It’s Saturday and it’s a snow day. A stay in day. A play date day.

I got up and went in search of life. GES was on the sofa with MGS and PK, she was the mysterious person on the air mattress in MGS’ room when I kissed her goodnight last night. ACS and EJS were at soccer game.

They got home and EJS scored three goals! Then we all went to breakfast.

After breakfast, MGS, EJS and PK played outside in the snow, so funny to watch! They slid down the steps in a toboggan, apparently three steps is enough. They then wanted to clean off the cars and ingenious….MGS figured out she could close the trunk using the ice scraper to hit the button!

A good time was had by all! Especially those of us warm on the inside watching!
EJS was picked up to go to a birthday party. There was bowling then a sleepover at a hotel. Pizza, swimming, staying up late, sounds good to me!

ACS went to get a haircut and when he got back GES and I went to get pedicures. Then some groceries and picked up dinner and the two of us watched Florence Foster Jenkins until the rest of the family got home.

It was a nice relaxing day.

What will tomorrow bring? Besides more snow.

{February 10, 2017} I’m in a living snow globe

Isn’t that crazy?!

I landed in Boston tonight and as we were waiting for the jet way to reach the plane, the snow started to build on the window.

I thought it looked like a slow globe! Please don’t shake the plane to make it blizzard! Ha ha

{February 9, 2017} My night

Well, tonight, after a whirlwind of dates with friends and my team, it was a me party.

After work, I headed to my hotel, participed in the conference call then it was search for food. I also got a new suitcase delivered, wahoo! I love my eBags backpack and needed a new bag for work that’s durable, especially the way baggage handlers handle bags. I thought it was too big, but after packing tonight…

So, I went out trying to decide what to b have for dinner and as I put my hand in my pocket, I found a coupon…Old Navy cash…and I thought…I haven’t talked to Old Navy in a while, so…

Coupon used, new fun stuff acquired, a few dresses to twirl and keep me entertained, we said goodbye for a while and I went to one of my favorite places, Vapiano’s, never actually been without LJ or DLP…I ended up deciding on take out. A cheese-less pizza and a salad. If you think about it, a cheese-less pizza is really just a flatbread, which works for me.

Back to the room, eat, have a fashion show for myself, glad I bought the bigger bag! Chilled out, watched Gigi on TV, then talked to CWB for a while, so very glad we reconnected! Then it was eventually time for lights out, after talking to you, of course. Fingers crossed sleep actually comes.

Travel day tomorrow!

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