diapers and skinny jeans

Nestled in a tiny, inconspicuous cove up in the north side Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Parson's Chicken and Fish is a delicious spot that is suitable for the whole family, and definitely not short on trendiness or flair. Erick and I knew this would be the perfect place to welcome his brother and sister-in-law home from their cross country move back to Chicago. Parson's is known for their delicious fried chicken, best use of a slushy machine , and the ever tempting funnel cake if you're up for dessert. You can relax in the summer sun in their extensive outdoor patio, play a round of ping-pong, or take photos near the gorgeous, lushly vined brick walls. As a brand new establishment opening up just recently this past June, I'd say they're off to a great start. ( Thank you to all of you that wished a little sunshine our way - it finally came out to play! ) What were you up to this weekend?

For our recent week in the maternity series , we headed to the Chicago MCA.  Erick and I both had no idea they had activities and snacks on their "family day" and were pleasantly surprised when we decided to stop by.  It was the perfect afternoon of browsing around with no specific time constraints, sheltered from the cold, Chicago winter and watching our daughter completely enthralled, tagging along her Papa's side.  I stayed on the sidelines a bit just to watch them interact with each other - it's a beautiful thing the love a little girl can have for her Papa.

This is our usual Wednesday- a trip north to the city, late breakfast with pancakes and eggs to share, new cafes, time spent walking outside, no concrete plans at all. Today I was in search for the best coffee in the city and was smitten with our choice of Star Lounge Coffee Bar .  I would have never been able to find this hidden gem without the help of my friend Jenny , so here most sincerely, is my thank you. I felt it necessary to add Sofia didn't actually get a true taste of my latte, just a bit of the chocolatey foamed milk on top.  Such a curious little one we have...

When we're feeling indulgent, our go-to doughnut shop in the city would be Glazed and Infused . We've been here more times than I'm comfortable admitting, and I don't plan on letting up anytime soon.  A quick trip from anywhere in the city, this little shop is located in the South Loop neighborhood with easily accessible street parking nearby.  If you go, you need to try the bacon maple long john: every bite is like bacon and pancakes merged into one.  It's heaven! Follow along with our favorite food travels, In The City

A craving for sandwiches instead of brunch, this weekend we ventured to a spot in the heart of the industrialized, hip party of the city. Publican Quality Meats is a sister company of one of our favorites for a gorgeous dinner, The Publican . Specializing in charcuterie, pastries, sandwiches, and boasting an ever changing menu, PQM is the perfect casual dining experience.  One of my favorite features was the upscale grocery market featured on the inside of the restaurant.  All the meats used in your meal you can order to-go straight from the butcher-- still kicking myself over not bringing some thick cut bacon home for breakfast.  Ah, next time! I've been thinking lately of compiling all of these places we've visited in the city to make it easier to research and find... definitely an upcoming organizational project I've been working on in terms of the blog.  I hope to have a more steady flow of columns here, after a year of writi...

As you can see, spoons are for combing your hair, slobbering on, tapping Papa on the shoulder with, and especially  making noises on the table. Trust me when I say that there is never a dull moment eating brunch with the De La Rosa's.  We can't be beat! Erick, Sofia and I had a delicious meal over the weekend: black bean cakes with chorizo and eggs for him, and dandelion root and leek omelette for me.  Sofia had bites of both, plus her own bowl of fruit and scrambled eggs.  The weekend was unusually warm, all of us spending most of the day trying not to break a sweat. Pictured above: M.Henry's gorgeous outdoor patio.  If you've never been, definitely give this spot a look. (And from what I hear, their Sunday brunch menu is even better then what we had!)

Thanks to the inside scoop from a good friend of mine, we were able to stop by a brand new coffee roaster in the Lakeview neighborhood today. Bow Truss is rustic, spacious, and simple- all of its decor reminds me of a snowy, vintage ski resort up in Vermont.  A strange, but welcome feeling in comparison to this Chicago summer. The prices are out of this world, nothing on their limited menu creeps higher than $3.  With an Intelligentsia across the street, they are definitely going to give them a run for their money.  I spent a good ten minutes chatting with whoever was working today, and unfortunately never caught his name, but I was thrilled at how genuinely interested he was in having sharing a conversation.  We talked about the launch, and he kindly gave me more information on their different roasts and how quickly the Bow Truss concept became a reality. I love this place. My only complaint is that I don't live close enough!...

Erick had a major video project to finish up this Wednesday, so luckily I was invited to head out for a day at the Lincoln Park Zoo and Green City Market.  I spent my time with the littlest Larry Barry (pictured above) and my cousins as well as Nina and her little girl Violet who you may have remembered from this post .  The weather got hot quickly, but I did manage to grab a great deal at the end of the day with some fresh flowers, eggs, a sunflower seed bread loaf and a smoothie!  This is definitely one of the better markets I've been to -  I'll have to come back on a Saturday sometime for some more goodies. I am so happy that it's market season again!

My sadness over Erick working on our family day turned into a spontaneous quick bite to eat .  I feel sheepish for complaining so much today... he just goes and does amazing things like this.  Goodness! I love this man more than anything.