The Girl and Her Dog

Chicago is famous for many things, including its food. Deep dish pizza, Italian beef and Chicago style hot dogs immediately come to mind, but pie definitely does not.

Unless it’s a Wednesday night at Baker’s Square where a slice of pie is free. Except, you have to order an entree to receive it free. A fact lost on me until tonight. Pie (or Baker’s Square) may not be inherently Chicago, but going there with friends to gossip over a slice of deliciousness certainly is.

I’m not sure when or how it started, but I’m glad it did.

For the second time today I visited City Hall downtown. Last week I attended a workshop, and this week I met a new contact while delivering some paperwork. While I’m undecided on whether I was witnessing an episode of Parks and Recreation (check it out) or seeing a fascinating governmental body hard at work, the architecture is undeniable.

When I first agreed to share a plot with my co-worker, I was excited but hesitant in my optimism. Would anything actually grow?

Yes, my name is spelled wrong. Standard.

The answer, it turns out, is yes. Last week, our very first vegetable–a zucchini–was found. Needless to say, we were both more than elated to find that we had actually grown something. Three zucchinis and two loaves of zucchini bread later, I’m anxiously awaiting something new.

The infamous first zucchini.

Delish.

On Sunday, I attended a barbeque meant to welcome two members of my cousin’s extended family to America. Only a few years older than myself, Yadi and Karol were born and raised in Poland and had never been to the United States.

So as I spent the past few months listening to my cousin describe all of the grand plans they had in store for their guests, I couldn’t help but wonder what it must feel like to come to America for the first time. Culture shock? Wonder? Awe? Disgust? Confusion? Hatred? Ha. Who. Knows.

Hopefully they experienced a good ol’ fashioned BBQ this weekend, and will return to Poland with many good things to say about life in America. There certainly was no shortage of food, as evidenced by below.