Springtime in Chi-town

Well, it's spring in Chicago and we've yet to have a week that so truly announces it's arrival as this past week - sun, rain, warmth, brisk breezes. If with the good, comes the bad, then I'd say we had a pretty 50/50 split this week of either. I'm enjoying the flowering trees and the tulips and daffodils I see everywhere - here is a shot of LP near our house with the green grass and the budding trees:

So far, I think springtime in Chicago is a lot like the past 6 in Boston, though we haven't had a late snow (well, March was late for ME). Only 6 more weeks until it's officially summer!

I for one am quite excited for the outdoor Green City Market this weekend. After a false alarm last weekend, we are very ready to peruse the stands once again and scramble home to put it all together in some sort of veggie delight or fruit salad. I love, love, love the options and the freshness of it all. Plus, it's a fun activity with C and the pup! This weekend kicks off their 11th anniversary of bring local produce to the city. How better to celebrate it than with a 'lettuce fest'?

Outstanding in the Field. Out, standing in the field.

How funny are commas? This is such a different sentence when you add the comma...both are relevant to this particular post! Anyway, Outstanding in the Field is a fabulous organization that my friend Amanda clued me into. It is a group based out of Santa Cruz, CA that focuses on bringing people closer to the origins of the food that they eat. The "local food movement" combined with a unique goal to honor all the local farmers, artisans, and culinary leaders within a community that create, nurture, and prepare the food that we eat.

C and I are going to check out one of the Chicago events in August - I would encourage everyone to sign up. It's a steep price tag, but promises to be a wonderful evening: tour of the farm, unlimited wine, family-style dining on local produce/meats/cheeses, celebrated chefs, and sitting outside in August!

For our meal, Mindy Segal from the restaurant Hot Chocolate will be the executive chef. We'll be visiting the Chicago City Farm - with a great view of the city!

SoWa Open Market

Was in NYC this weekend and all the sidewalk merchants and vendors made me excited for the SoWa Open Market...even though I'm not a huge buyer of homemade goods, I still like perusing and especially the fresh produce. I still have dreams about these HUGE donut size blueberries. Amazing. Anyway, details below, start saving cash:
SoWa Open Market
5/17-5/18 Opening weekend
10am-4pm, every weekend (except holidays)
540 Harrison Avenue

See you there!