Coated in ice

Ice everywhere. It coated the roads, the bushes and trees. The tree limbs are heavy under the weight of the ice, as I was writing this a huge limb broke loose and hit the ground with a thud. The noise was so loud that the dog started barking she though someone was on the back porch. The weather was so horrible that the schools were closed. So far we are lucky and still have our power, but others are not so lucky. If you thought Chicago winters could not get any worse, just add the 20 below zero windchill that is to follow this storm. Chicago winters are long and cold, and the temperature swings are outrageous, so if todays weather is not to your liking, there is always tomorrow!
Thankfully, I will be going to warmer weather this afternoon, as long as the flights are not cancelled.
Merry Christmas to all!
Stay warm.

Best Pizza In Chicago

We were up by O'hare airport when we decided to grab some pizza. Thanks to my ipod touch we were able to find a place near by. We choose Caponies Trattoria on North Harlem. They had been reviewed by the TV show Check Please. Two of the three on the show agreed that they had good pizza. Ever since we left the small town of Mt. Dora, Florida, we have been looking for a small pizza joint to replace our favorite pizza. Mt. Dora Pizza, in Florida is still our top choice, but Caponies in Chicago is a close second, or maybe a tie.

Caponiesmenu is great. The wood burning oven is what makes their pizza superior, and the fresh ingredients. We got there early around 4:30 on Saturday, and ordered the calamari. It was great, big pieces, with a great breading that was light and crisp. We looked over all the pizzas on the menu and found the Suprema loaded with Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and green peppers. I was having trouble deciding on which one I wanted, I asked the attentive waiter which he would recommend, and he said the White Pizza. The White pizza had mozzarella, fontina, ricotta, parmesan and percorino romano cheeses with fresh sauteed spinach and garlic.

As we waited we took it the small local flair, decorated with The Sopranos memorabilia it was the perfect setting. I love the small town feel when you walk in. It was a cold day, and with the wood-burning oven reaching degrees near 1000, it warmed the entire space. When the pizza got to the table we were so hungry, without a moments hesitation we dug in. The crust was crisp on the outside and perfect in the middle, the ingredients were piled on, but not overwhelming, and the flavor was out of this world. My favorite of the two was the white pizza I really enjoyed it, and would go back just to have it! So if you are ever near O'Hare airport in Chicago, take the 15 minute trip to 3350 N. Harlem and get some great pizza at a great price at Caponies Trattoria!

Well Worth the Wait

The Cure originally suppose to visit Chicago on September 29, 2007, played last night at the Allstate Arena for a solid 3 hours!


The opening show 65daysofstatic were on for only a short time. The drummer was amazing, but the lead guitar was so quiet we could hardly hear it. They were ok, but not my first choice. As they played the arena started to fill up, by the time they were done all the seats were filled. Then a short break, and at 8:15 The Cure took the stage, to an arena filled with screaming fans. Speaking of the fans, it was a different crowd than the last The Cure concert we attended in Tinley Park, during The Curiousa Festival 2004. This year they were more subdue, and a little older.

Robert Smith was great, and he even did a few little dances during songs that he was not rockin' the guitar. They played our favorite songs "Edge of the Deep Green Sea", "Friday I'm in Love", "Love Cats", "Never Enough", "Boys Don't Cry", and many more.
Then when they started the song "Just Like Heaven" the entire crowd sang, it was awesome. You could hear him above everyone, but the idea that the entire crowd was sing was pretty neat.

This concert experience was a little different. The cell phone and the cameras inside are so prevalent that people around us spent more time trying to take pictures, and video via the telephone, that they missed half the concert. One concert goer next to us watch TV on her iphone the entire time we were there. It was kind-of annoying when people would whip out there cell phones and make a call, or record the stage. The lights from the cell phones where everywhere among the crowd. When looking down to the seats in the middle, you could see a sea of light. A little silly, I think, considering the quality that one might get from a video clip on their phone. That is just me though,

We had a great time, and after the 4th time the band came back out on the stage the fans were ecstatic. After the last song, the lights stayed dark, and we thought for a second he would come back, but no a few seconds passed, then the lights came up and there was a sound from the crowd that was sad "awww". It was time to go, make our way through the crowds that were polite and calm. We arrived home shortly after midnight, we were tired, and happy.

Etsy Artists

As a new part of my blog I have decided to feature some of my favorite ETSIANs. There are so many talented people on etsy that it is hard to narrow it down, but I will try.

My first artist is one that I know, she is a Chicago local artist and her work is great. She is influenced by other great artists such as Klimt and Picasso. Her work is bright, interesting and unique. She just started with Etsy, and I hope everyone will welcome her.


We will be seeing more of her in the future. Check out her etsy page.