Merry Merry

...Merry Christmas from our family to yours...

May you remember the real reason behind the season.

Happy Happy Birthday JC!

Barnabys

The famous sign out front

It's sad, it's really sad.  But Barnaby's in Schaumburg is closing it's doors.  Barnaby's is a fine family establishment, and has been in business for 32 years.  I have been a customer for 28.  Barnaby's holds fond memories and great food.  They specialize in pizza.  Opposite of Chicago style, and by far the thinnest pizza I have tasted.  As you enter the restaurant, your eyes have to adjust to the dark, dungeon like atmosphere.  There isn't a window in the place.  You choose your seat and decide what to order.  Once the decision is made, at least in my case, mom would go order the food, and my dad would go order the drinks.  Two separate lines that would always confuse a first timer to the restaurant. After ordering you sit and wait for your number to be called to pick up the food.  I am always a fan of restaurants in which I don't have to tip anyone because I do all the work!  

When I say dungeon like, the lights fit the description.

While waiting for the main entree of pizza, you eat appetizers, watch TV, write letters to Andrea on the back of menus, poke at your siblings, mosey over to the juke box, and do your best as your salivary glands pump out saliva due to the smell of this thin crust pizza.

The memories that this place holds are not only about food.  They are about family.  We used to go with my grand parents on Sundays.  While the rest of us ate pizza, my grandpa would happily order spaghetti and garlic bread.  He loved it and was so happy, and it involved him going up to the salad bar, and allowing me to help him fill his plate.  I am reminded of my brother playing games with me on the back of the menu, hang man, tic tac toe, and connect the dots.  I am reminded of my parents arguing about what to get on the pizza, even though they get the same exact thing each and every time.  There is an area with a window where you can watch the guys make pizza.  Most of my time as a child was spent there, struggling on my tippy toes to see thru the window as they put on a show tossing the dough up in the air and running it thru that machine that makes it flat.  It left me mesmerized.  

And finally right before leaving as you prepare for the sun to stab your eyes again, there is a juke box by the door.  On the side ( and not everyone knows this ) is a small hole, where people's change used to come out.  Those putting in their money were not always aware of this hole.  And like clock work, on my way out, I would always stick my finger in the hole to see if there were any coins.  If there was a quarter, I hit it big.  You better believe I stuck my finger in that juke box one last time.

Good Friends, Good Party, Good Times

 Friday, December 16th was Adam's work party.  Located at Scoozi's downtown we already knew what we were in for... excellent food, good music, photo booths, and lots of fun.  The KCura party did not disappoint. Adam and I both dined on parmesean encrusted filet mignon, some sort of broccoli asparagus hybrid, and roasted potatoes.  This was followed by many sweets at the dessert table.  Not to mention cocktails.  Lots of cocktails.   Enough cocktails to have to take 2 Tylenol before bed.

The very next day we met Amanda, Dave, and Andrea at the Grand Lux on Michigan and Ontario for brunch.  I was the only one to partake in the lunch part of brunch. Shocker.  While everyone else had pancakes and waffles and eggs. I had salmon. What can I say?

The ladies and I did a necklace exchange and all ended up with a different necklace.  It's fun to see what we came up with as far as trying to please either person to get the necklace.  While Amanda and Andrea go for fun, sparkly pieces of jewelry.  I am much more plain and hippy in my style.  They still like me though.  I think.

Coats off

Coats on

 After we split up with the girls and with Dave we walked around Chicago, taking in some of the sights.  I finally saw that huge Marilyn that everyone has pictures with!  Score.

 Other scenes from Chicago:

 I always love looking at all the floors in Marshall Fields, eh hem... Macy's.  It just amazes me at how big the place actually is, and I like to think about when my mom and dad were little and how much of a production it would be to get dressed up and look at the window displays and shop there.

 Our final stop was at Hala Kahiki with Adam's friends from his old job in Orlando. Chris and Mark were in town visiting.  Mark and his fiance will be getting married here in 2012, so we will be seeing much more of them.  Needless to say Hala Kahiki is a Hawaiin bar and totally themed.  And to make it even better, it's a block away from Gene and Judes, so a hot dog was in order after our drinks.

 They even had a decked out area outside.

All in all we had a wonderful weekend, filled with good friends, and good times.*

*My mom dog sat our little angels, and still isn't aware of how slick our little Charlie can be.  He ended up snatching 1/2 a stick of butter off the kitchen table, inhaling the entire thing.  We came home to some of the aftermath.  Not good times.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Today is the hubs birthday.  His 30th birthday mind you.  Adam doesn't find this to be a very BIG birthday.  He has been no help when asking him what he wants or what he wants to do.  Seriously, I have had my 30th planned for quite some time and it's still 1.2 years away.  

(Key West, in case you are interested! Everyone's invited!) 

But I'd just like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the greatest guy.  He is a gem, really.  I love him, like, a LOT and I hope his next 30 years are better than the first!