Some long overdue pictures from my trip to Chicago last month. We went to visit longtime friends of mine, two of which had a baby girl quite recently. For those who don’t know, I spent 7+ years in Chicago for both school and work. I love the city and the people there, and wish we could go back more often. Another milestone for the trip was our son’s first airplane ride – he performed admirably and slept the entire way there and back. Like father, like son.

Giordano’s stuffed pizza. While the merits of which Chicago-style pizza joint is best can be debated endlessly, I’ve had many a good spinach stuffed pizza here and have yet to be disappointed.  Call me a creature of habit.

Logan doesn’t like to be teased with food. He’ll grab.

I lived in Chicago’s south side for two years – specifically, in a blue collar neighborhood called Bridgeport, the home of the Chicago White Sox. When I had left, the area was still family-oriented, diverse and relatively ungentrified. I was pleasantly surprised during this last visit to find a small coffeehouse called Bridgeport Coffee Company flourishing, where they serve in house roasted single origin coffees and blends. The espresso was subpar (mostly due to the machine and the preparation) but the made-to-order pourover coffees were excellent. This place serves flavor shots – they’re clearly not trying to be a cool guy shop, but they do roast some good coffee. Right across the street is a bar called Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar; it used to be a neighborhood dive but has been transformed into a bar that serves up craft beers and liquors. Where were these places when I lived there?

Beyond all the good food and drink that Chicago has to offer (and there’s a lot of it), I was especially grateful to be able to reconnect with longtime friends who know me well. It’s also exciting to see us all growing up together and starting families together. Surreal, but exciting.

Cake photos courtesy of Sidney Lo.

Lily and I threw a baby shower last weekend to celebrate the upcoming arrival of our son. She came up with the idea of a denim/western theme for the party… events like these are usually planned exclusively by the wife and her friends, but I had a lot of fun getting involved with it. We got some good help from friends: Cheryl did the graphic design for our invites, signage and thank you gifts, and Jenny (Cupcakes in Heels) surprised us with an unbelievable cake. Even the cupcakes are indigo colored… we were floored with the amount of detail and work that she put into everything.

Beyond the event, though, we’re definitely thankful for the support from family and close friends. Having a kid is going to change our lives in a major way, but Lily and I are looking forward to the ways that it will shape and teach us. Being married has taught me a little bit about being selfless, but I’m pretty sure that becoming a parent takes that to another level. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

This evening, I joined a bunch of friends in celebrating my good friend Albert‘s birthday at a dive bar in Williamsburg. The large outdoor patio featured two grills for us to cook up our own food, and the weather made for easily one of the nicest summer evenings we’ve had in NYC this season.

East River Bar
97 South 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Fatted Calf Charcuterie
644 1st Street / Napa, CA

Darioush Winery
4240 Silverado Trail / Napa, CA

James Cole Winery
5014 Silverado Trail / Napa, CA

Russian River Brewing Co.
725 4th Street / Santa Rosa, CA

Though we can’t communicate very well, I quickly learned that they show their affection by keeping people well fed. After sifting through the contents of their entire refrigerator while offering to cook us any and everything (which we politely refused because we were heading to dinner later), we agreed to some light snacks.

I cherish moments of stillness with people I love and care about – it reminds me that the things that occupy my mind on a day-to-day basis aren’t all that urgent.