Vince's Visit

We had our first visitor last week. We were both so excited to have Mark's dad stay with us, especially because we haven't seen anyone from our families in quite some time. Of course, there was also a bit of panic because...well...he was our first visitor. Everything has to be perfect when someone comes to visit, right? I don't think that it is unusual for a young married couple to have some anxiety about the first time a parent visits them. All sorts of ridiculous worries begin to crop up, like what if he just can't stand the way I've arranged things in the kitchen, or what if he thinks our napkins are too girly. While I wanted to have the walls painted and a complete herb garden on the window sill, I settled for cleaning, getting throw pillows, a new quilt, some more drinking glasses, and setting out some flowers on the table. 

Taking pictures at the Bean

Once Vince arrived, we started catching up with each other and making some queso fundido. Our queso fundido is basically Oaxaca cheese (if it isn't Oaxaca, it isn't going to be as good), chorizo, sautéed onions and bell peppers, more chorizo, and more Oaxaca cheese all thrown into a skillet and baked in the oven for a while, then topped with cilantro and tomatoes before being gobbled up with tortilla chips and tortillas. 

After all of that eating, we went for a walk around the neighborhood. We went out toward the lake, all the way down to Promontory Point, over to the Osaka Garden, around campus, to the Seminary Co-op Bookstore, and on our way back home we stopped by A10 to grab a few bites and drinks on the patio. It was about a six-mile walk, and it was fun getting to take someone around our neighborhood--especially with the cool and sunny spring weather.

Le sigh, this is what happens when the men are left to photograph themselves!

On Memorial Day, Mark and his dad rode the bus downtown to walk around the city while I stayed home and got some work done. You've already seen that they took some pictures at the Bean, but they also checked out Buckingham Fountain, Michigan Avenue, the Chicago River, Mark's office, and Portillo's (a hot dog and Italian beef place, which the guys described as alright, but touristy). They were even thoughtful enough to stop by Sprinkles and get me a cupcake! 

Buckingham Fountain

Portillo's

Being Memorial Day weekend and all, we made some open-faced burgers for dinner. We combined equal parts bison and beef and threw them on some of the same bread (a different loaf, obviously) that we made our french toast from the day before. The best part, though, is the topping: caramelized onions.

Cooking burgers on a well-seasoned cast iron skillet is a really good way to make burgers when you can't grill them

Olive oil, butter, onions, fresh thyme, sherry wine vinegar, salt, and pepper

On Vince's last day, we took him out to Graham Elliot Bistro--a place we've gone too before and thought he might especially enjoy since he watches MasterChef (if you don't know the show, Graham Elliot is one of the judges). The place has changed since the last time we visited, and the food was much improved. We talked about life over darn good food and wine. 

These were our mains that night: Norwegian cod, a play on beef stroganoff, and rabbit porchetta

Mark and I have just been waiting for the day when we could do this. Our parents did a lot for us. They raised us. On top of raising us for eighteen years, they supported us in college and when we first graduated. After all of those years of being freeloading children, we can finally give back to them in some small ways. We finally have a place large enough to host our parents, live in one heck of a cool city, and can take them out to enjoy some of our favorite restaurants and places. We hope we have made y'all proud.

Y'all have seen the view from Promontory Point during the day, but this is what it was like last night.

We loved having Mark's dad over and can't wait to have more family visit us. Come on over, have a gin & tonic, and stay a while!