Thank you all for the kind words about the SHAPE Magazine nomination. If you’re a new visitor to my blog, welcome! I would love to hear from you, so don’t hesitate to say hi!

One thing I’ve noticed since graduating two years ago is how much more I appreciate my trips up to Evanston. Recently, I met my friend Lauren for a day of exploring our beloved college town. Our first stop was Rollin’ To Go, a renown sandwich shop for students and residents alike.

I had heard about this place multiple times while in school, but this was my first chance to step inside. Lauren was an old pro, taking me through their generous menu and highlighting her favorites.

After a lot of debate, I decided on the Pesto Chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato and provolone.

The ciabatta bread it was made on was an amazing workout for my jaw. 🙂 That said, I can never turn down a hearty piece of bread, especially when piled high with such tasty ingredients. The pesto was delicious, and I was very happy with my choice!

All sandwiches are also served with seasoned potato chips. I found myself searching for the chips with the most seasoning on them — call me a salt fiend, but they were mm mm good.

We rolled out of Rollin’ To Go (you knew that was coming, didn’t you?) and took a spectacular walk around campus. The lakefront is beautiful this time of year, and the weather was what I’ll call chilly sunny — cold enough for a jacket, but with the warm sun beaming on our faces, it felt fantastic.

Eventually, we made our way south to downtown Evanston, where Lauren said it was essential we pay a visit to Bookman’s Alley, a rare and used bookstore. How could I say no?

We had so much fun looking through all the shelves — I felt as though there was literally a book for every subject, from every era. Some were so old that they weren’t even for sale anymore, while others were so valuable that they ranged in price from as low as 30 dollars to several hundred, if not more!

It was actually at this store that I decided once and for all to pursue my alternative novel idea. Lauren did not realize this at the time, but encouraging me to check out what they had to offer solidified what I hope will become a lasting first draft. I know this is a vague statement, but I promise that more will be revealed with time.

My adventures in Evanston continued this past weekend for a Northwestern football game!

Bobby and I have season tickets this year (thanks to a great birthday/anniversary gift from Mama and Papa Bender) and came dressed in our purple best, ready to cheer on the Wildcats.

We had fun watching the game go from day to night…

…not to mention that the first half against Michigan was incredibly exciting! In the end, our team unfortunately lost, but we’ll be back again in a couple of weeks to cheer them on again.

Reminds me of Mo Greene, our famed NU anthem creator who just released a new video:

Go on throw your hands up. 🙂

What are some of your favorite memories from your college campus?

Abrazos,