My Favorite Restaurant

Ok, so I completely forgot to write about what I considered the highlight of our trip. A 4 hour, 23 course meal at my favorite restaurant. If humans have the ability and creativity to prepare meals that look and taste as fantastic as these, then I can't wait to have dinner in heaven.

Yes, I realize it may be a little weird to take pictures of your food and then blog about it but I don't care. Don't worry I didn't post a picture of them all, just some of our favorites.

This dish was called RHUBARB with goat milk and onion, on a pillow filled with lavender infused air which slowly leaked out

WATERMELLON with lime and nasturgium. You inhaled it all in one sweet bite.

We called this "Carney Food." On the left is a mustard sorbe with passionfruit and allspice. Doesn't taste weird at all. In the middle was a smoldering cinnamon stick with a fried sweet potato on the end. On the left was bacon cooked in butterscotch, apple and thyme.

SOFT SHELL CRAB with carrot, five spice, and duck

PIGEONNEAU a la Saint Clair (a famous french dish made from the original early 1900 recipe) mazing, and not surprising since Chef Achatz worked at the French Laundry.

Home Again

We are back from Chicago. We got smart on the way back and instead of driving the entire 15 hours in one day we broke up our drive and spent the night in St. Louis visiting some very good friends. The visit was all too short but refreshing.

Our last day in Chicago was spent doing some tourist things. We took an architectural boat tour along the river that runs through the city. We learned a lot about the city's buildings and history. Highly recommend it. A tour with no walking is always nice. Then we went to Millennium Park and walked around some.

The break was nice but we are glad to be home and together again as a family.

Some building from the tour. I've already forgotten but I like the reflection the of other buildings from across the river in this building.

The "Bean" in Millennium park

A flower garden in the park

View of downtown buildings from across the street at the park

Chicago

While in Chicago I thought I would get caught up on some reading and hit the hotel gym everyday. Neither of those have happened but I have scored some great deals while shopping and covered many miles walking up and down Michigan Ave. We've eaten at our favorite restaurant and even took a short trip to South Bend, IN to hang out with some close friends. It has been so nice to have a bit of a break from "normal life." Thanks mom, dad and Marcus for helping to take care of Evelyn.

More pics to come later.

Us at Notre Dame

Maeve sleeping

Maeve in her cute hat that a friend made

4 Weeks Old

I'm not sure if there is anything more "American" than spending the 4th of July going to a baseball game and watching fireworks. (Although I'm pretty sure the fireworks thing came from China.)

It could have been a real disaster but we took the kids to a Rangers game in Arlington on the 4th and had a wonderful time. We were 10 rows up from third base so we had a great view and thankfully we had a whole team of family there to help us entertain Evelyn. (Thanks Gigi, Poppy, Uncle Ed, Aunt Debbie, and Uncle Greg.) Evie was a real trooper and made it to the 7th inning. She didn't get to see the fireworks at the end but I don't think she cared. Maeve slept the entire time and didn't seem to mind the heat or the noise.

Having fun at the Game

A picture with Poppy right before her meltdown. She is really wanting the Rangers to win.

The Neal Family

A visit from Poppy and few weeks ago