Happy Hour Menu

I found the happy hour menu for Devon Seafood Grill and it looks pretty darn good! I'm excited and know that everyone will have a wonderful time. Click here for the menu.

Also, the restaurant is located at 39 E. Chicago Ave. (2 blks west of Michigan Ave.)

I am not sure of what the parking situation will be like so I highly recommend everyone take a cab/train/bus...especially during rush hour.

Happy Hour - 4.17.09

Friendship is Essential to the Soul - 4/17 Happy Hour

Just a reminder that the happy hour is still scheduled for tomorrow at Devon Seafood Grill. I hope to see everyone there.

Date: Friday 4/17/09
Location: Devon Seafood Grill - 39 E. Chicago Ave. (corner of Chicago Ave. and Wabash)
Time: After Work (530p - until)

*Please note that while Devon Seafood Grill has a Happy Hour from 4p to 7p and 9p to close, it is only available at the bar so that's where we'll be posted... and it's definitely first come first serve with the seating. This isn't like some professionally planned event. lol... just something casual and laid back for everyone to get together... just wanted to throw out that little FYI :)

Music & Martinis - 4/16

Music & Martinis will be hosted on 4/16 by BYPOC (Black Young Professionals of Chicago) at Exposure Tapas Restaurant in the South Loop. The event will last from 5p-2a and is free, no RSVP needed.

For $20 you can enjoy the following:

~ Chef's selection buffet
~Unlimited martinis from 5p-8p

Live music will be provided by the Alpha Clef Project (never heard of them... maybe that's why they need people to down all those unlimited martinis)

Exposure Tapas Restaurant is a decent place, overpriced for dinner so I wouldn't recommend going unless there's a special event. Since it's free you really can't go wrong and if you're looking for something to do after work, $20 isn't bad for food and unlimited drinks for 3 hrs.




Exposure Tapas Restaurant
1315 S. Wabash (Just south of 13th/Wabash on the East side of the street)
Chicago, IL

Nutritional Soda?

Yesterday when I felt the beginnings of a migraine manifesting itself in my brain I decided to head to CVS and grab something with some caffeine in it. My main goal was to get the caffeine sans the overload of calories. I am a sucker for branding and packaging and the colorful label caught my eye. Regular coke would have done the trick but if I could get some vitamins and minerals thrown in the mix, why not!


Nia... Nia-cina.... Nia-cina-mide? Cya... Cya-noco-ba-lim?

I felt like the little kid in the Breyer's ice cream commercial trying to sound out the ingredients in my soda. A while back Coke introduced a new product called "Diet Coke Plus" that is fortified with vitamins B3 (niacinamide), B12 (cyanocobalamin) and minerals. Like many, I don't drink soda for its nutritional content, but more so for the tingling sensation it gives my throat.

I am a water person. I love drinking bottles of water all day long. Soda is good every once in a while (with pizza, when you're hung over, eating McDonalds, etc...) so I didn't drink the whole thing... but it had nothing to do with the taste. I actually think it was pretty good.

Could I taste the vitamins? No.
Minerals? No.
Did I feel a difference in my body or energy level? No.

I don't know if this drink really does anything outside of the ordinary but if you're in the mood for something "diet" I'd recommend grabbing this and getting your daily dose of Vitamins B3 and B12 (whatever those do) while you scratch your soda itch.

Coffee Woes - Update

So, I found myself walking past Starbucks again and figured that I needed to get over my "stage fright" with ordering a normal coffee. The line was really short so I knew this was my chance to get this coffee situation handled.

Me: Hi, can I get the pairing special that you have? The latte and artisan sandwich.

Starbucks: Sure. What kind of latte would you like?

Me: (hesitant) Umm, well what can I get? (my way of saying what the fuck is a latte? lol...)

Starbucks: (slightly annoyed) Well, you can any latte or coffee. A latte is like coffee.

Me: (seeing that he doesn't get that I don't know what a latte is) Can I add something to it, like caramel or vanilla?

Starbucks: Yes

Me: Okay, well give me a tall caramel latte.

So, it wasn't that big of a deal for me to order a caramel "latte" and just freak it out with some sugar... but I still have no clue what a latte is. One of my co-workers that used to work at a coffee shop tried explaining it to me (coffee with milk, I believe... or coffee with milk and some expresso... I don't know.) Should it be this complicated to order a freaking drink? Like, I really need to take a coffee for dummies course and get my life together. Starbucks is a little out of control with their drinks. While I was waiting this guy walked in and ordered a Tall Vanilla Redeye with Soy! lol... Redeye? What's that? I bet it has a lot of sugar or caffeine in it. Anyways, for now I like Starbucks again. Could it be possible that I'm frenemies with them? Who knows...

Coffee Woes

Tall White Mocha extra Whip? Check.
Tall Blended Strawberry Lemonade? Check.
Regular coffee?? Umm... I'm a little lost.

I don't know why I feel so much anxiety about going to Starbucks and ordering a normal cup of coffee. Maybe it's the long lines, employees eager for you to know what you want (like going to McDonalds and staring at the menu as if it's actually changed....) or the seasoned Starbucks pros that walk in there and bark their complex orders out with ease (5 shot venti, 2/5th decaf, ristretto shot, 1pump Vanilla, 1pump Hazelnut, breve,1 sugar in the raw, with whip, carmel drizzle on top, free poured, 4 pump mocha... yes, absolutely ridiculous).

For the last few weeks I've been trying to build up the chutzpah to walk into Starbucks and just order a plain coffee (mainly because of their daily special of a "tall blend" and Artisan Sandwich for $3.95) but I find myself unsure of what exactly a "tall blend" is and when I walk into the store my nerves kick in and I feel a little stupid asking them about something so basic.

Anyways, I've decided to stick to Dunkin Donuts for regular coffee because in addition to being less intimidating and having better lids, they use real sizes like small, medium and large and a medium coffee cost me $1.50! I was shocked to hand over such a small amount of cash today! You mean to tell me that coffee isn't supposed to cost upwards of $5 dollars? Huh? What? What rock have I been living under steadily shelling out top dollar to Starbucks... and for what? A little extra pomp and circumstance when they yell out my order and hand me my drink? The "ambience" of which the Starbucks in my building is missing tons of... I'll have Starbucks be my go-to place for sweet, candy like drinks and stick to what "America Runs On" for my normal coffee.

Hidden Gem

McCormick & Schmick's
1 E. Wacker Dr.
312-923-7226

This is my hidden gem in the city. Feel free to stop by for happy hour which includes heavily discounted food and a few wine specials.

Mon - Fri
330p - 630p
930p - close

Sunday
All day




Ron is the BEST bartender and will make sure to take care of you all night!





I recommend the Cajun Burger w/fries $1.95 (yes...it's ridiculously cheap...and good!) and the Mahi Cakes w/ peanut sauce $3.95 (absolutely delicious and hits the spot for any fish lovers!)







Also, the wings $3.95 are a good choice too!