As summer winds down, it feels like everyone is squeezing in as many gatherings and experiences as possible. For me, wedding season has been nonstop — two weeks ago I was in Maine for a celebration, and today I’m heading to Washington, DC for another. August was packed, in the best way. Below is a recap of the highlights from the month.
My friends Anne, Alexis, and I took a pizza-making class at Le Pain Quotidien, where we learned to make Neapolitan-style pizza. The class was hands-on and well paced: we first prepared a simple no-cook sauce, then assembled pizzas from pre-made dough and toppings while the instructor showed us how to make dough from scratch. We ate together at a communal table, sipped wine, and left with enough dough and sauce to make four personal pizzas at home. I loved it so much that I hosted a pizza dinner party two days later with friends Erin and her husband.
The Windy City Blogger Collective held its August happy hour at Chicago Q, which I believe is one of the best spots in the city for barbecue. The restaurant treated us to homemade barbecue chips and a trio of sliders. One friend tried brisket for the first time and declared the brisket slider unforgettable. My personal favorite was the fried green tomato with ranch — absolutely delicious. I also heard that Chicago Q plans to open a cigar lounge upstairs, which sounds like a fun addition.
I attended the Bad Martha Beer Chicago launch party with several members of the Windy City Blogger Collective. The beer was excellent — I especially enjoyed the Vineyard Ale — and I’m excited to see it on Chicago shelves soon. The launch took place on an Odyssey cruise around Lake Michigan and featured a traditional New England lobster boil for dinner. It was a lovely evening on the water with great company and great beer.
My friend Samantha and I joined a cocktail-making class at The Smith on Lake, held in Paramount Events’ space and hosted by Femme Du Coupe. We learned to mix three different cocktails — one with bourbon, one with gin, and one with tequila. The class elevated my mixology skills, and I’ve already adapted the blackberry bourbon cocktail into my own version at home.
I was a panelist at the Foodseum/SoFab Institute event “Culinaria Query: Re-Setting the Family Table,” alongside Monica Eng from NPR, food historian Bruce Kraig, and Jimmy Bannos of Heaven on Seven. The discussion at Scubas was engaging, and I enjoyed meeting attendees and conversing with fellow panelists. I also had a conversation with Kyle from the Foodseum and am excited to see the museum project progress.
Charles and I attended Jazzin’ at the Shedd Aquarium with friends, an event I’d wanted to experience for years. We toured many exhibits, enjoyed cocktails, and especially loved the shark and jellyfish displays. It was a memorable summer night and I plan to go again next year.
Several members of Chicago Food Bloggers and I attended Shine & Dine, an event benefiting Step Up Women’s Network, which supports girls through mentoring and after-school programs. The organization’s mission is to keep girls in school, encourage college attendance, and inspire career building. Cat De Orio, host of Check, Please!, was honored at the event and shared insights about her path in food and television that were inspiring to hear.
On a personal note, my favorite salon, goldplaited, recently featured me as their Gal Pal of the Week, and I did a fun interview with Honey & Birch. I’m grateful for the support and the opportunities to share my work and interests.
Wishing everyone a wonderful long weekend. I’m heading to Washington, DC — you can follow along on Instagram and Twitter at @thekittchen.