And the Winner Is......

After several months of discussion and poll-taking, we finally have a NEW blog....Loop de Lewis!!! We are loving Chicago and, both Brad & I are excited to share our new city with all of you, so please visit us at Loop de Lewis

Also, for those of you wondering, Brad is all done with the Bar Exam!!! Thanks for all your thoughts and words of encouragement! It is great to have all the studying done and we are now enjoying what is left of our summer! We also had a great trip to San Diego and I'll be posting pics on our new blog and Brad will put extras up on our Flickr account.

Bar Exam!

The Bar Exam is beginning right now as I'm typing this! Brad will be taking the Bar both, today & tomorrow and I ask you all to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I'm really proud of all his hard work and he is definitely prepared for the test - you wouldn't believe how much information is in his head. I think he is AMAZING, but I'm probably a little biased!

On Thursday, we leave for San Diego, for 4 days of relaxing, hanging out with Matt, Erika, Nate, & Sarah, and eating as much Mexican food as humanly possible!

Pastry Camp

I have always loved the idea of summer camp! Perhaps this is due to really great childhood experiences at Camp Mennoscah, but to me summer camp means a time of growth and fun!!!! So a few months ago when I found that the French Pastry School of Chicago holds several Pastry Camps during the summer, I was super excited. I have always loved to cook & bake (I'm pretty sure there is a picture of me at about the age of 5, rolling out pie dough) and have even toyed with the idea of going to culinary school. I thought, what could be better then combining the two!!!

So, at the end of June, I attended a week long Pastry Camp at the French Pastry School of Chicago! There were 16 people in my class from ages 16 - 75; we had a couple of chefs, but many were just food enthusiasts like me! I had an amazing time and it was a good chance to meet some really nice people.


Warning: Food pictures below may make you very hungry! Please stop and grab a snack before going any further!!!!

This is what I brought home on the 2nd day of Pastry Camp! We made so much in the first two days!
From L to R: (Madeleine Cookies, Brioche Loaf, Brioche with Streusel, Brioche with Bee Sting topping, French Bread, Financiers)

These are Financiers (a yummy bit of goodness with huge raspberries placed in the centers!) and were a crowd pleaser!
They are named Financiers because they were created in the financial district in Paris!

Brioche Loaf - Before this bread is baked it is really thick, once baked it becomes very light & fluffy because of our good friend, butter!!!

These are little tins filled with Brioche & topped with Streusel

Brioche with Bee Sting Topping

Classic French Souffles

Macarons with raspberry jam filling
This may not look like a Macaron to many of you and that is because many people in the United States call Coconut Rochers, Macarons. However, this is considered a Macaron! This was one of my favorite things we made. They are traditionally dyed to reflect the coloring of the filling, which can be up to one's imagination! For instance, green with pistachio butter cream or brown for a chocolate or coffee flavored filling. Our instructor said that Macarons are going to become very popular in the next few years: she said they are the new cupcake!

Our Instructor, Chef Laura, with some super fancy Macarons. They were dusted with ruby colored powder!

Lemon Tart with Meringue Delights

Cappuccino Creme Brulee with Hazelnut Pistachio Biscotti

Chocolate Lover's Obsession
Warm Bittersweet Chocolate Cake topped with Coffee Ice Cream

Pretty Packages (L to R) of Passion - Apricot Pate de Fruit (one of my favorites!!), Royaltine (sort of like a no-bake cookie with Hazelnut & Chocolate), Caramels with Salted Butter, & Biscotti

The whole class listening to our instructor during a demonstration. Don't you all think our hats were great!?!

My warm, fun pastry partner, Deb!

At the end of the week, I realized that I wasn't really interested in going to full-on Culinary School, but that I would love to take more 1-week long classes! Special thanks to John, Andrea, Jack & Brad for sampling all of my pastry camp creations!

You guys picked a good weekend to visit!

Just 6 More Days!!!

Just 6 More Days.........

...........until Brad is done with the Bar Exam
(will the studying ever end?????),

...........until we leave for San Diego,

...........for you to vote on my new blog name!!!

Which Name???

OK - I promise this is the last time we will be voting on a name (unless I get more good name suggestions)! I have a new survey for you all to take. Kevin gave me some new ideas that I really love, so we'll take the winner from the old poll and put them against my favorites from Kevin's suggestions. Here are the choices:


In the Loop (winner from the last poll)

3-1-2 Contact (Our Area code)

Loop de Lewis

Outside the Loop (We don't actually live in the Loop!)



Please vote away!!!!!!

Survey

Please take a second and vote for your favorite name for the blog! I am ready for a new name & if you have any other suggestions, let me know!

Coming Soon: A week of Pastry Camp! Yes it is as good as it sounds - Yummy!

New Name!?!

Now that we are living in a new city, I feel that it is time to come up with a different name for my blog! I would love to hear your suggestions. Here are a few I've already been given:

* Deep Dish
* In the Loop
* Illy con Queso

Any others?

From Chile to Chicago

Alright, it has been a long time since I have been posting regularly and I'm sorry! Throughout the last few months I have wanted to post things, but then I feel like I can't because I'm not caught up - it is a vicious cycle!!!!! So here is the last few months in one post starting back in February!!!

February '08
All of our stuff in the Santiago Airport! This looks like a lot of stuff, but we were there for 9 months!
India is in her red bag on the top of the pile!

February '08
The welcome kit provided to us on the flight from Chile to the U.S! Everything was so cute!

February - March '08
It was so great to visit our family and friends in Kansas - we missed everyone so much! When we left Chile, it was at the end of summer down there & it was great to come back and catch just a little bit of winter!

March '08
After visiting in Kansas for a couple of weeks, Brad & I flew up to Philly to gather all our earthly belongings out of storage. We visited friends from Tenth, I saw friends from my old job, and Brad met up with a few law school friends. We were also able to spend a few days with our dear friends & former roomies, Joe & Carolyn & take a trip together up to Jersey City to hang out with Laura & Kevin.

March' 08 - Heading out in the Moving Truck or Album Cover?
In this photo, you'll notice that Brad is quite bearded! He stopped shaving a few days before we left Chile and by the time we arrived in Chicago, he had a pretty full beard. A few days after we moved into our apartment, Brad was asked by someone in our elevator, if he was "in one of those Rock Bands". That comment was a great endorsement for the beard! Anyway, I think this photo would make a pretty good album cover. The beard may become a winter tradition & there is talk about growing it again in July while Brad is studying for the Bar.

With the moving truck all loaded up, we headed out to Chicago!

March '08
Overnight stay in South Bend, Indiana. We toured the Notre Dame campus in our moving truck!

March '08
Brad's parents, brothers and India met us in Chicago & helped us move into our new place! It was so great to have all the help! We're looking forward to them all coming back to Chicago for a real visit, not one where they work the whole time!!! A few days later, Matt & Erika, came for a visit. We had a great time together and watched lots of college basketball!

Room with a View!!!
Our apartment is on the 17th floor, north of the Chicago River. The view is amazing and we can watch the new trump tower being built!

March '08 - Wrigley Field
Thanks to some of Brad's relatives & people from his office, I was able to go to the Cub's Season Opener and another game later that week! It was so fun, but super cold!!!!!

Fukudome up to bat! These seats were so great!

Inside Wrigley!

March '08 - March Madness!!!!
The KU flag stayed in our window from the Sweet Sixteen all the way to the National Championship!!!!
Rock Chalk, Jayhalk!

April '08
On April 3rd, my brother & sister-in-law had another little boy, Jack Ronald.

April '08
Luke checking out his new little brother!

April '08
View of the Wrigley Building from our window the night KU won the National Championship.

April '08
Just in time for Spring, Kevin & Laura come for a visit!

April '08
Tulips on Michigan Avenue

April '08
Tulips were everywhere - it was beautiful! This picture was taken a block from our apartment and has Marina City in the background!

May '08
In May, I went to Kansas! Man, the flight was so quick, just 1 hour and 20 minutes. I spent an evening with my friend Katy, spent a few days with the Wethingtons in Lawrence, which was so great. I saw each girl play a soccer game and was amazed at how grown-up they each were! Then I spent a week in central Kansas, helped my mom paint her porch, visited family, & saw my nephews. In the above picture, one can see how Luke likes to be on the move! I also had lunch with Brad's parents & then rode with Carola up to Lawrence. Brad flew down to KC for our friends, Pat & Kristen's wedding. It was a beautiful occasion and such an encouragement to our own marriage! Since we returned to Chicago, Brad has begun to study for the Bar Exam, which takes place at the end of July! Also, my dad came to visit for a few days & we had a great time exploring the city together!

June 8, 2008 - Six years of marriage!
It is hard to believe that we have been married for six years already! Though, to think we have lived in Lawrence, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Santiago and now Chicago in that time period, it does make sense! Thank you to all our friends and family for the wonderful encouragement and examples you are in our marriage.

My Big Break?

Alright, I'm finally going to post something on the good ol' blog! I've been avoiding the blog because I feel like I have to do a huge catch up post covering the last few months, but I'm scared I may never post again if I don't start soon! So I'll try to catch you all up in the coming days or maybe I'll just start from today & move forward!

But first I wanted to share what I stumbled onto today.........the set of the new Johnny Depp movie, Public Enemies! They have been shooting the film around Chicago for the last month, but we seem to always find out locations after the fact. Well, today I watched them film a few scenes! The scenes were shot over and over again and it seemed like very tedious work. My friend, Kirsten, was able to get some pretty good pictures!

Johnny Depp is in the middle of the picture in a black vest & white shirt

Depp between takes seemed very focused on his John Dillinger character.
Notice the extras in their 1930's costumes!

Up Close!

I know what you're thinking, Who is that guy in the red shirt, drinking pop?
Does he know that Johnny Depp is right over there????

The filming took place about 6 blocks from our apartment in the River North neighborhood. Three blocks were blocked off for the filming, but only 1 block was actually being filmed. When a scene would begin, the police and security would stop all regular traffic (which was pretty substantial at noon on a weekday!) and the old fashioned cars would drive around and then pull a U-Turn and head the other direction. This way, cars were always going by in the shot.

Kirsten & I posing in front of one of the old-style cars.

Let's Go Jayhawks!!!

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm going to be starting the blog back up this week! I know it has been almost 2 months, but I'll be sure to share what we've been up to in the past month!

We had a wonderful time visiting family and friends in Kansas, Philly, Lancaster, Jersey City, & Chicago. We're really enjoying our new place and the city of Chicago and it seems like spring is here! Also, my brother & sister-in-law just had their second son, Jack, on April 3rd (many pictures to come!)

Tonight, we are so excited about KU playing in the National Championship. It has been so fun to be in a city with so many KU Alumni & fans. Whenever, we wear our KU gear, people always chat us up about the team - it has been so nice! Hopefully, they can play a really great game!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, KU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Top Ten List: # 1 Brian's Visit/Climbing the Volcano

This was a favorite trip for us! It was so great to have a familiar face here and to all accomplish something so difficult together! Also, sliding down the volcano on our hinies wasn't too bad, either!

Top Ten List: # 2 Time Together

Brad & I have had a great time just being together! It has been nice to spend so much time together after 3 years of Law School! I'm really thankful for that!

Top Ten List: #3 Our Conserje, Jose

Don Jose, our Conserje (doorman/janitor in our apartment building), was the nicest Chilean we met. He was always very patient with my Spanish and was so helpful with everything! He really made coming home every day a joy!

One day when I locked myself out of the apartment (India ran out of the house & the wind slammed the door shut), Jose was a godsend! I was locked out with my cat, no shoes & no way of contacting Brad for the other key. Jose tried to pick our lock and when that didn't work, he found me shoes somewhere and watched India while I walked to Brad's office to retrieve the keys! We will miss Jose!

Isn't he so cute?!? No, I'm not a giant, he is just a little short!
He also loved India!

Top Ten List: #4 The Andes

The Andes are the most amazing mountains I have ever seen in my life. They surprise me everyday & I will miss their majesty. Each day they remind me how creative God was with his beautiful creation!

One of our favorite things we did here, was skiing - twice! We both love to ski, and the snow was amazing! There were no trees on the slopes and you could see forever! It was unreal!

Top Ten List: #5 Stencil Graffiti

So, this may be something that's common to Latin America, we're not sure, but Chile seems to have more graffiti than we're accustomed to seeing. Of course, most of it is unsightly, but there is a lot of stencil-based graffiti that is very sophisticated. Brad especially loves snapping shots of interesting views, and he (with the help of Nate's laser printer) is working on a project that is inspired by all these stencils. Hopefully we'll be able to display his work in our new apartment in Chicago-- stay tuned for updates!