The jam-packed summer adventures continue! This weekend, my fantastic friend Sam and her boyfriend, Alex, came into town for a Windy City reunion. Sam got in late Thursday night — just in time for the midnight premiere of Harry Potter! I wore my Gryffindor scarf for the occasion. 🙂 Jill, Sam and I were thrilled […]
Tidbits and Treats
A Family Affair
It’s always a treat when my family visits us in Chicago. Last Wednesday, the Benders started arriving for a fun-filled weekend, kicked off by a trip to Cirque du Soleil, one of my favorite shows. This time around we were under the big top at the United Center to see Ovo. It was quite the […]
Red, Red {Strawberry} Wine
What do you get when you combine strawberries and wine? A fabulous weekend excursion! On Saturday, Jill and I met Lauren (also known as X…don’t ask) and Kelli in the ‘burbs for the Long Grove Strawberry Festival. You may recall a very similar trip involving apples back in October. The event was just as exciting […]
Grass-Fed Family
Hello and happy Sunday! Hope you have been enjoying a fabulous weekend. 🙂 I may be back in Chicago now, but the last few days at home with my family in Arizona were packed with excitement. It all started with a Saturday morning hike up Pinnacle Peak, complete with a self-timed photo at the highest […]
The Traveling Pans Take On Chicago Neighborhoods
A couple of weeks ago, the women of The Traveling Pans came together for another fun meal. This time, the theme was Chicago neighborhoods — and the location was Mara’s house! Didn’t she do an amazing job with the table setup? It was so fun and bright! My neighborhood of choice was Portage Park, which […]
Happy Father’s Day!
Cheers to all the dads out there reading this post! There’s one dad in particular, however, that I think is pretty great. Here are just a few of the reasons why! Dear Papa Bender, I’m so lucky to have a dad who has inspired me to be healthy from the beginning. You’ve provided advice and […]
The Birthday Boy Named Eric
I loved all of your guesses in my last post. I promise you that I will share what Polish dish I made soon, but right now, there is a very special announcement I need to make. My baby brother, Eric, turned 18 years young yesterday (June 17)! Look at that blonde hair! I’m here in […]
So Here’s What Happened
Bobby smiled as he read your thoughts on his video post. 🙂 Thanks for your sweet comments! So here’s what happened. After Bobby’s CFA exam, I had every intention of whipping up a fabulous meal. He called to let me know he was on his way home and I told him I was headed to […]