Weekend Edition!

Heyo!

Happy Hump Day!

So, this will be kind of a combined weekend edition, highlights from last week as well as what's coming up this weekend.

Last weekend, Jessica and I stopped by the Chicago Film Festival; "Tomboy" on Friday and "Like Crazy" on Sunday. "Tomboy" was a French film, and although I am typically opposed to reading subtitles, I really enjoyed it. It was a total film festival film, and it was French, so they didn't hold anything back. In the end, it had a good message and was made well, so I was pleased. I would recommend it, but it probably won't play except for maybe at some artsy theaters. "Like Crazy" on the other hand will absolutely go mainstream. Jessica showed me the trailer for this a couple weeks ago and both of us thought it was going to be a heart-wrencher. The trailer played an Ingrid Michaelson version of "Can't Help Falling In Love" that would make the Grinch cry. Luckily for me (and probably the rest of the theater) this song was not in the movie. Even though the movie was not quite what I expected, it was a good movie. Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones are fantastic and 100% believable in their roles. They were also both in attendance at the Film Festival and let me tell you, Anton Yelchin is adorable. And hilarious. He is the perfect amount of vulgar combined with sarcasm and intelligence. I think that the Q&A after the show definitely made me like the movie more. Overall, I'd give the film a B+/A-. It didn't blow me away, but it entertained me, which at the end of the day is what a movie should do.

Other than the film festival, this was an action packed weekend with all three of my favorite things: eating, drinking and laughing.

After the Film Festival, Jessica and I went to one of our favorite places to eat and people watch: Hub51. There is really only one reason why I list Hub as one of my favorite places, and that is the carrot cake. Yes, the food and drinks are good, but nothing special - really glorified bar food. And yes, the people watching is fantastic. But when it comes down to it, nothing, and I mean NOTHING, beats that carrot cake. The cake itself is moist and sweet while not being too dense or overpowering. The frosting is pure heaven. The flavor is ideal as it provides the sweetness you are looking for in a cake, while also providing the ever so slight tang of cream cheese. Not to mention, it comes with an extra gob of that heavenly frosting and also - for those that prefer something SLIGHTLY lighter - a gob of fluffy, sugary whipped cream.

Sunday was Chicago Marathon day!! Shout out to ALL the runners - especially my roommate Bridget and my friend David for being rockstars, braving the heat and running 26.2! The marathon get's me extremely emotional. I absolutely love it. I love seeing people from all walks (or wheels) of life getting out there, supporting a cause and going through what I would only imagine is an incredibly painful experience to accomplish a feat that is so incredibly impressive it graces many peoples (including mine) bucket lists. Last year, I was at the finish when the paraplegic's came and I actually broke down in tears. This year, I saw a blind man running all 26.2 miles with his arm on the shoulder of his guide. It is honestly one of the most inspirational experiences, and if you have not had the chance to watch a marathon, GO.

After the marathon, naturally I was starving. I mean, you can't watch all these people running and not get hungry. We went to Rockit and had one of the best bartenders ever. First of all, she was a badass. Tats everywhere, nose ring. Loved it. But more importantly, she loved her job and it was evident. There is nothing more refreshing than having a server that actually enjoys what they do. She was able to make recommendations and was attentive without being annoying. Service gets an A++. I got a turkey burger that was just about the size of my head with avocado, sauteed onions and brie cheese. Love that they have the option of brie cheese - it melts so well and provides a little bit of sweetness to the burger. Overall, the food was good - and absolutely hit the spot - but was nothing to write home about. If I went again, I would probably try something a little bit more adventurous - they have a Pork & Egg sandwich that looked awesome - so when I go back, I'll probably give that a go. The best thing about Rockit on Sunday is their brunch specials - $5 bloody mary bar and $5 Mimosas - definitely worth a try!

Overall, it was a pretty good weekend. Coming up this weekend - I can't decide between a Research Institute of Chicago black-tie event (think young doctors and lawyers) or the Iowa vs. Northwestern football game (tailgating and "boys weekend")... help me out?!

Until next time,
Aly