Feb 20
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Spy Themed SafeHouse Restaurant Opens in Chicago

Posted by | Restaurant Opening, Uncategorized | No Comments

If you ever wanted to be in a spy movie or just simply love anything 007, then you are going to love the newly launched SafeHouse Chicago. Originating in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1966, this fascinating space is anything but a typical dining experience. Milwaukee’s location has even gained Landmark status.

As a Wisconsin girl, the SafeHouse was always the place to bring friends who came in to town. To this day, I still have their original Spy’s Demise cocktail glass. Oh, the memories…

There is much that goes on inside the restaurant that you need to experience firsthand. Mystery is a very good thing.… Read more

Feb 14
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In the Driver Seat at the Chicago Auto Show

Posted by | Trade Show | No Comments

If you were looking for a new car, where might your first stop be? A dealership? Online? How about the 2017 Chicago Auto Show?! I’m in car shopping mode so am genuinely interested in what I am going to learn at the show.

This past week I had the pleasure of attending the Women in Automotive Luncheon in preparation for the Chicago Auto Show. Both events occurred at McCormick Place making it not only a day of education but a walk through a maze of vehicles that offered everything from power to design to technology to luxury to family focused features.… Read more

Feb 03
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Talking Restaurant Reviews on Public Television’s Check Please

Posted by | Entertainment, Restaurants | No Comments

You are making plans to go out for dinner with a group of friends but aren’t sure where to go. So. Many. Choices. How to choose, how to choose?! If you live in Chicago, San Francisco, Miami and Phoenix, you tune in to Public Television’s Emmy Award winning show, Check, Please.

Or, if you are like me, you have a long list of must visit places that you have been jotting down as you watch each episode of Check, Please. This entertaining program, now in its 16th season in Chicago, showcases restaurant reviews made by a panel of three guests per show.… Read more

Feb 01
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Choosing Healthy with my 6 Favorite Snap Kitchen Meals

Posted by | Healthy, Restaurants | 7 Comments

`Cooking is one of my favorite ways to relax. Immersing myself in a recipe or creating one from scratch is simply a happy place to be. Especially when life is super busy or stressful. But there are days, weeks and even months, when life is just too crazy busy and I don’t have time or energy to cook. Which is why I am so thrilled to have found Snap Kitchen stores.I first learned about Snap Kitchen last year and have become a regular customer ever since. With stores in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia and Chicago, customers have the opportunity to come into the stores and choose the meals, snacks, beverages and desserts that fit their specific nutrition and health goals.… Read more

Jan 26
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Gotham Steel Pan with baked apples

Is the Gotham Steel Ceramic Titanium Pan Really Non-Stick?

Posted by | Cookware, Housewares | 23 Comments

You might have seen the late night commercials showing the red colored cookware claiming no butter or oil is needed and nothing will stick to the pan. Do you believe them? Are you curious? I am!

Is the Gotham Steel Ceramic Titanium Pan Really Non-Stick?Which is why I decided to try out the Gotham Steel Cookware myself. I want to see what happens when I make eggs like they did in their commercials. Do the eggs really slide out of the pan like the ads show? Curious minds want to know.

The other obvious benefit to not using oil and butter is that you are able to cook a little healthier.… Read more

Jan 13
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10 Examples of Smart Home Technology for your Kitchen

Posted by | Housewares, Technology | 13 Comments

Smart Kitchen Tools

In 1999, Disney Channel released an original movie called Smart House. In this children’s movie, a teenage boy named Ben wins a competition where the prize is a fully automated home that can ultimately take care of itself. To Ben, this home means his dad will not have to re-marry. However, in typical movie, Ben’s dad falls in love. Ben, feeling betrayed, tampers with the smart home’s computer program and causes it to try to take over. Spoiler alert, the movie has an all-around happy ending.

When I first saw this movie way back when, I was in awe of the idea of an automated, or “smart,” home.… Read more

Jan 09
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Experience The Peninsula Hotel’s Chocolate at the Pen

Posted by | Dessert, Hotel, Travel | 21 Comments

For most people, there is nothing better in this world when it comes to sweet treats than chocolate. In any form. Rich, decadent chocolate made from only the finest cacao beans.So, it should be no surprise that the elegant Peninsula Hotel Chicago is offering an adventure in to the world of chocolate from the eyes of a world-class pastry chef. Chocolate at the Pen is a chocolate bar like no other. Executive Pastry Chef and Chocolate Sommelier, Dimitri Fayard, sets the stage for an evening of sweet indulgences that range from desserts to chocolate truffles to a hot chocolate station to homemade ice cream all presented to appeal to your eyes first.… Read more

Dec 22
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Delicious and crispy roasted potatoes topped with parmesan cheese for the perfect side dish.

Crispy Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

Posted by | Housewares, Recipes | 12 Comments

I like entertaining. Truthfully. I love it. Coming up with recipes whether reading cookbooks, searching online or creating my own dish is totally fun for me. Finding side dishes that everyone likes when you are hosting a dinner party can be a bit overwhelming at times however. I have found though, that potatoes are a welcome addition to just about any table. It’s familiar and comforting to many people. And there are a 1000 ways to make them! As a Brand Ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, I look for ways to incorporate this very popular and so flavorful cheese into my recipes.… Read more

Dec 21
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Celebrating the Holidays with Max & Leo’s and Chicago Trolley

Posted by | Restaurants, Tourism | 8 Comments

Everyone knows that coming to Chicago is an adventure in architecture, food, the arts, shopping and sports! From a tourism perspective, there are endless ways to see all that Chicago has to offer. In the winter time, our options are a bit limited given the weather. Which is why our recent holiday celebration of artisan pizza from Max & Leo’s and a ride aboard the Chicago Trolley Holiday Lights Tour made for such a festive evening.

We started out at Max & Leo’s for its artisan pizza and wings. Made in 900 degree coal fired ovens, the pizza’s char crust is filled with creative ingredients from the always popular Margherita to the Brooksy (Mascarpone and sliced mozzarella, grilled chicken, caramelized onions and wild mushrooms) to L’Umina (ricotta cheese, sliced pears, caramelized onions, basil, fresh sliced prosciutto and drizzled organic wildflower honey) to many other varieties that you can see here.… Read more

Dec 10
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Dining on the Freshest Seafood at Sullivan’s Steakhouse Naperville

Posted by | Restaurants | 5 Comments

sullivans-lobster

Going to a steakhouse as a non-meat eater can sometimes be concerning. Will the fish that they offer me be at the same standards as the steaks being served? Will I have choices or just that one line item of salmon? Had I gone to Sullivan’s Steakhouse from the start, I would never be asking these questions. The fish is outstanding.sullivans-board-roomIn the quaint downtown of Naperville, Illinois, you will find a Sullivan’s Steakhouse. There are many reasons to be celebrating at Sullivan’s in Naperville. From the newly remodeled restaurant with a contemporary feelsullivans-decor-picmto the holiday season to a girl’s gathering to family dinners to a work meeting.… Read more