Remembering a Different Home

Normally, if I feel a little homesick (or have a feeling of saudade), it's for New Mexico (or El Paso, TX, or even Tucson . . . but generally somewhere in the Southwest).

But lately, I've been kind of missing my other home, Chicagoland. See, I went to college in Chicagoland - Lake Forest College (in Lake Forest, Il, to be exact). And before I joined the Air Force, I worked as a Certified Legal Assistant in Chicagoland (in Deerfield, IL) and lived in Chicagoland (Arlington Heights, IL, about 8-9 miles from where I worked). So I lived in the Chicago area for a number of years.

There's so much to do in a metropolitan area like Chicagoland. There are plenty of sports related activities, like my being able to go to Chicago Blackhawks games (my favorite NHL team). My brother and I would go to a home game together at the United Center at least once a season - the 'Hawks, a beer, nachos, and good company - you couldn't get a better type of fun than that. Plus Chicago has two MLB teams, an NFL team, and a MLS team. Of course, Chicago has plenty of cultural activities, too - the Art Institute, the Shedd Aquarium, opera, theater, various concerts. And restaurants - think of a type of food . . . Spanish tapas, Italian, deep dish pizza, steak . . . you name it, Chicago has it.
 
Andrew and I also got married in Chicago, in December, when the air was crisp and cold, Christmas-y lights were twinkling, and there was a hint of snow in the air and that special holiday buzz surrounding us.

(Oh, and here's a little-known tidbit: the best driver's license photo I ever had was for my Illinois license, when I'd renewed it in December 2002.)

So as you can see, there is something special to me about Chicago.

But I'm sure you're wondering what got me on a "I miss Chicago" kick.

It was a dog.

A dog? 

Yes, a dog.

Not a canine.

A dog.

A hot dog.

A hot dog?

Yep. A Chicago dog.

Poppy seed bun, hot dog, mustard (and NEVER ketchup!!!), sweet relish, dill pickle spear, tomato wedges, sport peppers, and a bit of celery salt.

There's a hot dog place near us that opened within the last year here in east-central Iowa. We'd never been there, but had noticed they advertised Chicago-style hot dogs. So this past weekend, out of curiosity, Andrew decided to go get some Chicago-style hot dogs, just to see how they stacked up to the real thing.

The dog (and a beer), via Instagram app on my iPhone.

(No, that's not the exact color . . . I tried giving it a little bit of an artsy look to it with the Instagram app.)

Well, it was pretty good - good enough to satisfy the Chicago dog craving. But it made me miss stopping at the hot dog stand I used to get my Chicago dogs from, when I was in the city - a little place called Hot Diggity Dog on Ohio St (off of . . . um . . . Fairbanks, I think?), where they had the BEST chocolate malts.

And that's what made me start reminiscing about all the other things I missed about Chicago (driving Lake Shore Drive at night, going for a run at the lake, the IMAX at Navy Pier, etc.) . . . and, well, there you go.

Memory Lane Friday - New Shoes

Today's Memory Lane Friday topic is "New Shoes." I'm going to talk about running shoes.

Before I joined the Air Force, it seemed like I could wear any running shoes I picked out at the store. I could've picked out a pair based solely on the colors. Or, I could've picked out a pair because I saw them on a commercial . . . or because they were on sale . . . or because of the brand . . . it didn't matter which ones I picked out, except for ensuring they were my size (7.5 at the time).

Now, at this time, I'd run because it was good exercise, but it certainly wasn't one of my top cardio staples. My usual cardio was using the elliptical, taking a class (the cardio-boxing type classes were my favorite), or maybe riding a stationary bike or going swimming. Running was my last choice.

However, when I decided I wanted to go into the Air Force, I knew I'd need to run more, especially since I'd have to run certain distances for time (the faster, the better), and the more I ran before I joined the Air Force, the easier the running tests would be.

So I started running more.

Well, guess what? Running started getting fun, and moved up my "Cardio" list. And during this time, while my running mileage increased, I could still wear any type of running shoe without having any discomfort/injury issues.

When it was time for me to head to training, my info packet stated to bring "Running shoes (conservative color, high quality)" with me. So I went to some athletic store in the Chicagoland area to get new running shoes. Somehow, I had it in my head that I needed to find white or almost all white shoes, or, if possible, white shoes with blue accents (even though the packet simply indicated "conservative color"). Maybe I'd been talking to someone who suggested I try to find all white shoes . . . who knows.

I didn't find all white shoes, but I did find a pair that were mostly white, with a few black accents (for instance, the swoosh was white, but outlined in black and the soles were black).

During the 12.5 week training, I wore these shoes all the time for PT (Physical Training), and I never had a problem with them. They were comfortable.

At some point after training, I must've gotten new running shoes to replace the now worn down white ones, because I remember having a completely different pair (maybe a couple different pairs) by the time I got to my second duty assignment in Tucson, AZ.

By this time, I was running regularly, and it was fun. But this is also when I realized that the type of running shoes I chose were starting to matter. See, I'd gone to some sports store and after briefly (VERY briefly) talking to someone, I picked out a pair of silvery-gray and white shoes. Supernovas, I think? The first run in these new shoes ended abruptly because I was feeling a sharp pain in my right knee. The second and third runs? Same thing. Okay, these weren't going to work.

I knew of a running store specifically geared towards running stuff - I'd passed it every day on my way to work - and decided to go there, instead of going back to the generic "sports" store. The following Saturday, I took the Supernovas in as well as my previous pair and told the guy "Help me, please!" explaining the knee pain, and everything.

He spent a lot of time talking to me and asking me questions about my running, watching me run up and down the street, and finally suggested a type of shoe (Brooks Ariel). I tried them on, and they were comfortable right away. I ran down the block and back. Still comfortable. I'd take 'em. He even told me that, if by some off chance they started causing knee pain, or any other kind of discomfort during my first few runs, I could bring them back and we'd try a different pair.

I never had a problem with them - not one little ache or knee pain in the 400+ miles I ran in them.

I figured out after 400+ miles in these shoes, that once I started getting a bit achy in the knees and lower back, it was time to "retire" these shoes and get a new pair of Ariels, and that would always do the trick - I'd be back to pain free, comfortable running.

So, needless to say, the only pair of running shoes I'll buy is Brooks Ariels. But now I'm in an 8 instead of a 7.5. (My feet grew sometime between Livie's birth and our moving to New Mexico.)


Here's my newest pair. I bought them a number of months ago so I'd have them on standby for when I had to "retire" the previous pair.

The previous pair has been retired recently, so I haven't logged too many miles in these yet . . . maybe 40 - 50 miles or so, mostly on dry trails (crushed limestone), streets, sidewalks, and treadmills (at the gym and also in my parents' basement). 

That's why they're still clean (aside from some dirt on the bottom which you can't see in the photo) and new. And they're the most recent pair of shoes I've bought for myself. 

I love the green accents. The "lime" green seems much brighter in person, though. All my other Ariels were silvery gray and blue, so the green is a nice change.

Memory Lane Friday is hosted by Two Bears Farm and the Three Cubs. Please click on the button below to check out her post, as well as this week's other Memory Lane Friday posts:

Next week's Memory Lane Friday topic is another "No Theme"! Come back next week to check it out.

Memory Lane Friday - A Birthday

This week's Memory Lane Friday topic is "A Birthday."

My birthday is mid-November . . . November 12th to be exact. Ahh, autumn - my absolute favorite season. I always had the idea that because I was born in the autumn, I love autumn the best. 

Anyway, since my birthday falls in a chilly month, I never had pool parties or something similar to celebrate my birthday. It was usually something indoors.

I remember one year, however, that I had my birthday at Living History Farms in Urbandale, IA. It must've been for one of my early "teen" birthdays (13 or 14?). I remember having classmates from school in attendance, as well as a friend who went to a different school, but was on the local United States Pony Club team with me.

On this birthday, I vaguely remember going on a hay ride with all my friends, and maybe having a tour of the Living History Farms, and how farm life in the Midwest was, way back in the day. Then I remember being in some building with a fire crackling, and having cake around a long wooden table.

Other than that, I don't have many memories of spectacular birthdays when I was younger. Although, when I was about 5 or 6, I do remember being sick and having to stay home from school on my birthday.

The good thing is that I'd gotten a present from my mom early in the day - Legos - and I was having fun figuring out how to make things as I sat in the den, wishing I'd felt better, and watching TV (Sesame Street, I think).

I also remember that it was a gray, November day, and the Midwestern skies looked like gunmetal - dark, ominous.

At some point, when I looked outside, it was snowing! I was so excited. Now, I love autumn - the scents: apples, cinnamon, crisp air, pumpkin pie -  and I love the cool, crisp weather, the changing leaves.

The first snowfall, though, always seems like magic.

So,anyway . . . I do remember really fun memories of various birthdays as an adult.

When I turned 28, I was living in the Chicagoland area. My mom happened to be in the area, and my brothers were already in the area, because they were going to college in Chicago.

So we all got together with some friends at one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago - Rosebud on Rush (it's just down the street from Holy Name Cathedral where Andrew and I got married a few years later). I think my birthday was in the middle of the week, so we met midday on the Saturday either just before or just after my actual birthday. We had a great time and had some great food. And to top it all off, I think I may have even gone to a Chicago Blackhawks game on my actual birthday, probably with my brother Joe and his friend Travis.

Here we are at Rosebud on Rush. I'm the third one from the left.

My mom took this photo.

And the next year when I turned 29, I was in Air Force Officer Training School (OTS) in Maxwell, AL. Well, it was getting close to the end of our 12.5 week training (we graduated exactly one week after my birthday, by the way). Anyway, towards the end of training, we had what's called a Dining Out - a formal dinner, where we were in our most formal uniforms, the Mess Dress, which is the equivalent of a tuxedo. Our Dining Out was just 3 days after my birthday, and during our last week of training, so while it wasn't a "birthday" party, there was a very festive vibe in the air. 

This is me in my Mess Dress just 3 days after my 29th birthday.

Then in 2002, when I turned 32, Andrew and I were recently stationed in the greater Boston area and were continuing to plan our church wedding for that December in Chicago (read: I was saying, "here's what I want," my mom was doing her best to execute my plan in Chicago because I couldn't get leave to plan it in person, and Andrew was just going along with it). 

Now I don't remember what Andrew and I did to actually celebrate my birthday. But my favorite memory from this particular birthday was a call from my mom. 

She'd said, "Guess what I'm doing right now on your birthday?" 

Of course, I had no idea, but I knew it must've been something good, so I smiled really big and I asked her, "Um, I dunno. What are you doing on my birthday?"

"I'm in Chicago and I'm tasting wedding cakes, trying to decide which one you'll like the best." 

Well, she certainly picked the right one, because it was absolutely delish. It was white cake and had a lemon butter cream filling plus a layer of raspberry glaze in the middle. SO yummy. Of course, she picked well, because she's my mom and she knows my taste. Besides, it WAS my birthday, so I must've been sending her vibes on what I'd like best.

Here it is, topped with stargazer lilies (one of my favorite flowers, also found in my bouquet):

This photo only: © 2002 Brad Baskin

So I have no special memories of one birthday in particular, but lots of small memories from a bunch of birthdays.

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Come back next week when the topic is July 4th!

A Change in Homesickness?

I usually feel homesick or saudade for New Mexico. But today, I've been kinda longing for Chicago, my other home.

This morning, I was talking to Livie's preschool teacher, who'd been in the Chicagoland area over the weekend. I was telling her about all the fun things to do in the Chicago area, and she said that the next time she and her family are there, they want to do some fun touristy stuff. (They'd been in town for a relative's graduation up at the Great Lakes Naval Station, and had been busy doing family stuff.)

So I was thinking a lot about Chicago itself and the Chicagoland area. . . how as a small child, I'd lived in Willmette, back when I was a single child before my younger siblings were born. I remembered how I'd gone to Lake Forest College, in Lake Forest, IL and all the fun stuff I did while there. I'd lived in Arlington Heights for a while after college, while I worked in Deerfield. Oh, I remembered a little tapas restaurant in Arlington Heights, but the name is not coming to me at the moment. I'd been there a couple times and thought it was such a nice place to eat, and had delicious food. Oh, and speaking of tapas . . . in Chicago itself, I was a fan of a tapas restaurant called Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba. Yummo.

A couple favorite memories revolve around hearing a c-jazz tune by Joe Sample called "Night Flight." I remember hearing it for the first time on WNUA, the local c-jazz station. I was reading a library book (Clive Cussler's Flood Tide, if you're interested) at the time, with WNUA playing softly in the background.

Anyway, I was fascinated by that song, but I'd missed the title and artist names. But then, on a rainy autumn evening on my way to the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, I'd heard it again. As I drove to the library, I enjoyed the tune, with the wiper blades swish-swishing against the windshield and the chilly rain tapping the car. It was still playing when I got to the car, so I sat in the parking lot hoping to catch who the artist was and what the song was called. And again, I'd missed the title and artist names - the DJ didn't come on after it was over, and another song came on right away. So I went into the library, hoping I'd hear it again soon and catch all the pertinent info.

Guess what happened when I heard it a third time? Yep, I missed what it was called, and who the artist was. But then on another night after I'd finished listening to a Blackhawks game on the radio (they'd won, by the way), I switched the station to WNUA. And I heard it again. This time, however, I heard the title and artist name! Woo hoo! And this is how I became a fan of Joe Sample. While I lived in Arlington Heights. For some reason, when I hear Joe Sample's "Night Flight," I feel like I'm home with a good book, having just heard (or watched) the Blackhawks win a game.

And since I'm a HUGE Blackhawks fan, I've been reminiscing about going to games at the United Center with my brother and his friend.We always had a lot of fun going to games, eating United Center nachos, cheering for the 'Hawks!

Oh, and I got a tattoo (the Blackhawks' logo - the one with the crossed tomahawks on the C) in Chicago: a permanent reminder of my former home. ;)

Plus, Andrew and I got married in Chicago, at Holy Name Cathedral. Beautiful place, beautiful architecture, lots of history. (And down the street from some awesome Chicago deep dish pizza at Giordano's and Italian at Rosebud on Rush.)

One thing that I really miss is Lake Shore Drive at night. Beautiful! I love seeing the darkness that is Lake Michigan on the east side of LSD, and the bejeweled city on the west. Seriously, it looks like the city is wearing bling, with all the twinkling lights. Ahhh, it is a wonderful sight.

There is just SO MUCH to do and see around there.

And as a final note: There is a fellow Lake Forest College alum, Tim, who recently posted a photo of Chicago on Facebook. I just wanted to say that while I was reminiscing about Chicago all day because of Olivia's preschool teacher, his photo is what prompted me to write down some memories of my beloved Windy City.

Oh, and here are a few photos that I want to share from last year's trips back to Chicago.

The Bean (Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park) and the city:

The Bean, the clouds, the city's reflections:

Again, the Bean:

 

  

Livie's "pushing" the Bean.

  

The city, the river . . . 

 

The Hancock building, with fog swirling around . . .

The Water Tower and the Hancock Building at night . . .