Restaurant for Two: a feature where I bring a friend to a restaurant and we write a review together. My friend, Janelle, and I drove west to check out this new BBQ joint.
In the far western Chicago neighborhood of Dunning sits a new barbecue restaurant called Lone Star BBQ Bar. Deemed one of the top safest neighborhoods in the city, Dunning is more Oak Park than downtown Chicago. Lone Star is beautifully renovated with wood panelling, a long bar and a large outdoor patio. It is a shining gem amongst the older, sagging nearby stores.
Best of all, the quality and taste of the food meets the new appearance. Lone Star is known for their smoked meats which isn’t surprising seeing as their smoker was made in the heart of BBQ country: Texas. The menu is filled with every sort of smoked meat: baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken wings, and hot links. Order the BBQ Sampler Platter to try a bit of all of this yumminess. Continue reading Restaurant for Two: Lone Star BBQ Bar →
While living in Hong Kong from 2010-2012, I traveled to many different countries around Southeast Asia and wrote about a few of them in my then-blog, Ashley’s HK Experience. I’m reposting my piece on a trip to Zhu Hai, China that my friend Karen and I took in September 2011 to my new blog as a travel piece.
Once upon a time there were 2 American girls who lived in Hong Kong, hoping to see the world and wanting an adventure. They both were addicted to online coupon deals and couldn’t resist the promise of fun with a package to China and Macau. Little did they know that the big, bad China would be there every step of the way, fooling them, not talking to them, making them eat with chopsticks, and peeing in toilets in the ground.
Saturday began like any other Saturday, with TV shows and lying about until the time came when the ferry to China was to depart. The ferry was clean, but nobody looked like these 2 American girls or spoke their language. The girls laughed out loud, but secretly hoped that at least 1 toilet in the next 2 days would have toilet paper and wouldn’t require them to squat to the floor on their haunches. Their wish certainly didn’t start off very well with the ferry bathrooms being a squatter with no toilet paper; the boat swelled and swayed and the girls wore flip flops, a piss poor combination for squatting toilets! Continue reading Zhu Hai: The Fairytale China Experience →
On my first-ever 15-hour plane ride to Asia, I met my first soulmate. Like a slow motion scene in a movie, I turned around in my tiny seat and saw him, my heart beating fast. “Who is THAT?” I sputtered to my seat mate. It sounds crazy, but when I saw him it was like time stood still. I knew that I was meant to be with him. There was this spark with a man I had never met before. I’d only just found out his name 10 seconds after gazing upon his face. He was my soulmate.
At the time, I thought he was my one and only soulmate. We dated for two years before it came crashing down in true we-just-got-out-of-college-and-don’t-know-how-to-date-in-the-real-world fashion. But that first feeling was real.
Soulmate: a person with whom one has a strong affinity, shared values and tastes, and often a romantic bond. (dictionary.com)
Continue reading Soulmates →
A friend recently told me that I didn’t “look happy.” And we’re not talking about resting bitch face here; we’re talking about the fact that I physically didn’t look happy. He lectured me on how the only way that I’ll ever attract a man is by looking happy: “Do things that make you happy and don’t worry so much. Be busy with life. Not consumed with the idea that you must find a mate. You’ll never find a guy if you’re pre-occupied with it. Just be happy and it’ll show. That’s what’s attractive.”
At first, I was annoyed that he was telling me what to do. I am happy, I countered. I do the things I want to do all the time…brunch with girlfriends, volunteering, traveling, spending time with family, yoga, I have a writing schedule, and the list goes on.
“So if you are happy, why don’t you look happy?” he queried.
That is a good effing question.
Continue reading Do I Look Happy? →
While living in Hong Kong from 2010-2012, I traveled to many different countries around Southeast Asia and wrote about a few of them in my then-blog, Ashley’s HK Experience. I’m reposting my piece on Vietnam (my trip was in October 2011) to my new blog as a travel piece.
I’ve just returned from a 6-day/5-night trip to Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon in Vietnam. What you call this city depends on where you’re from: Saigon if you’re from the south of Vietnam or Ho Chi Minh City if you’re basically from anywhere else. Saigon was the official name until 1975 when the north and the south merged together, renaming this city Ho Chi Minh City after a famous leader from the north.
Scooters
Upon arrival to Vietnam, my friend Orlando and I were bombarded by the torrent of scooters flanking all parts of the city. While there may be rules of the road here, they typically aren’t followed with motorbikes going both directions on 1 side of the street, families of 4 people riding on 1 scooter, people texting and talking on their phones, and having conversations with other motorists. There are 5 million motorbikes in HCM; with a population of about 10,000,000, that’s 1 scooter for every 2 people!! The population of motorists isn’t linked to one subset of people either: from grandmas, to 12 year olds, to sleeping babies, to business men in suits, and women in high heels and socks. Scooters are everywhere!
Continue reading Saigon: a City of Scooters, Culture and War →
Eight years ago, I had a birthmark removed. I still have a dark, bumpy scar where the incision was made. My knees and feet are pocked with marks from topples I’ve taken over the years. I have a prominent scar on my brow from when I was a preschooler with chickenpox. My body is physical proof of a life lived: the tumbles, the mishaps, and the decisions I’ve made.
My now-ex, Harry (yes, the “nice guy” and I broke up since he wasn’t as nice as I thought he was originally), told me as we were breaking up that he felt I held my past against him, that I came into the relationship with a grudge against every guy I’ve dated, but that I was taking all of my grudges out on him. He said that I didn’t start him with a blank slate, instead it was as if he came in holding my baggage. Continue reading Can you See my Scars? →
Taking Chicagoland by storm…one date, one yoga class, one salsa lesson, one blog post, one trip, one drink, one meal, one new friendship at a time.
New City Life Adventure 