The weekend was spent traveling to the place that generates New England weather. All I have to do is call my MIL to find out what will happen to us two days later. The Windy City is a first class town, even though the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908.
We had dinner on Saturday in an uber-restaurant. It's the kind of eating establishment where you simply check your expectations at the door, bring in a sense of experimentation, and a healthy appetite. Since not everyone is a gastronaut, I'll flash only the menu at you.
The menu itself is made of rice paper. The ink is soy. The decor on the side is puffed rice, parmesan chips, and dehydrated shallots with teeny sprouts. Once you decide on which menu you want, you mix it together with the creme fraiche under the rice paper, and you have your amuse bouche: risotto.
It looked better than it tasted, but the rest of the food at Moto (reviews at the link) was amazing. Boston has NOTHING like this, alas.
I brought an old WIP for mindless airplane and car knitting. I'm 1+ skein away from finishing the Irish Hiking Scarf. It's always hard to take a picture of a long WIP, but here is the valiant attempt:
The pattern is from Hello Yarn. The yarn is Classic Elite Wings (alpaca/silk). I'm making it L O N G in anticipation of the brutal New England winter. This was a yarn and pattern I had stuffed into my den in preparation for the long postsurgical hibernation. That took it to half-way done, and now it is time for the rest.
My MIL is a jeweler in the Chicago area. She has a beading station set-up at home. My knitting is taking a back seat (literally, since I'm only knitting now while in the car) to learning how to assemble professionally perfect stitch markers. I have tourmalines, pearls, amethysts, moonstones, garnets and more in front of me.
There are TWO towers like the one you see to the left of the picture. Each drawer is filled with gold and silver things to make beaded items, or with a different gemstone.
I'm a busy little chipmunk. My cheeks are full.
I am not much of a beader, myself, but tourmaline and silver stitch markers! Bestill my heart.
As for your dinner, I am full of envy and demand details of the ...doughnut soup?
Posted by: Juno | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 01:21 PM
I'm with Juno...spill the beans on dinner, please. Oh, oh....a new addiction. You're a goner.
Posted by: margene | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 01:29 PM
Hey, I was in Chicago this weekend, too. I was a-weddinging, though, so I didn't have any meals as exotic as yours! Do give us the details.
Posted by: Sarah | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 01:54 PM
Mmmmmm... I think I know where I'll have to eat when I go to Academy in Chicago next month!
Posted by: Barbara | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 01:54 PM
Well, I see some seriouls beading in your future. Oh yeah!
Posted by: Colleen | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 02:24 PM
Dinner sounds great, but a room with drawers full of gemstones.. aahhh... I have worn a moonstone everyday of my life since I was in my teens. Very magical, they are.
Posted by: Judy | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 02:25 PM
I haven't beaded in years, but I still have stones I collected to, you know, fondle every once in a while. Tourmaline is wonderful...great substitute for emerald, which is my birthstone but I'm too much of a klutz to wear them without cracking them. Tourmaline's much harder.
Posted by: Lee Ann | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 03:24 PM
Well, that just all sounds fantastic. What a dining adventure, and you picked up a new hobby while you were there! The gems "in front of you" are making my mouth water!
Posted by: Norma | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 03:47 PM
Ok, I have to tell you that I would eat the worst kind of crap if it were presented that way.
Completely charming.
Posted by: stephanie | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 04:02 PM
Well, I'm totally jealous. And, tourmaline, too, my favorite stone. Do take pictures.
Posted by: Marcia | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 04:35 PM
In case you ever need to know this, I just love amethysts.
;-)
Posted by: claudia | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 04:55 PM
I'm only a little jealous.
Posted by: Cassie | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 05:28 PM
I'm with Cassie; only a little jealous.
Posted by: Cordelia | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 09:26 PM
Hey: I'm a gastronaut without a babysitter. How dare you spare me the details. I'm dying . . .
Posted by: julia fc | Tuesday, September 20, 2005 at 05:05 AM
and the beads . . .
I am faint from the rush of blood
Posted by: julia fc | Tuesday, September 20, 2005 at 05:06 AM
I'm green with jealousy over that beading! How very wonderful for you.
Posted by: Risa | Tuesday, September 20, 2005 at 03:10 PM
That menu is gobsmacking! I love it, except if you need to remind yourself of what you ordered, it might be a little difficult. Excuse mme whilst I regurgitate the menu. Ah, that's right....
That beading station is way too organised. How about a box of bags of beads, some tigertail spoinging madly and a bed with a rumpled spread to put the beads on?
Posted by: Lynne S of Oz | Wednesday, September 21, 2005 at 12:43 AM
And I'll be in Chicago next weekend for a bookseller's conference! Thanks for the link. But honestly? I have it on good authority that drinking the Harlot under the table isn't much of a challenge....(especially if it's a tall table.)
Posted by: rams | Wednesday, September 21, 2005 at 07:24 PM
WAITAMINute. I just blew up the picture -- three possible meals, ranging from $65 to ...I couldn't register a number that large? I'll sit outside and sniff when the door opens...
Posted by: rams | Wednesday, September 21, 2005 at 07:42 PM