TV Night Comfort

May is a wonderful month. In Chicago, it seems to be the time when people start clawing their way out of their caves to participate once again in outdoor activities

We’re happy to have survived the 7-month winter. Happy to dine al fresco with friends. Happy to expose our glow-in-the-dark skin in hopes of absorbing a little vitamin D. Happy to run outside versus inside the funky-smelling gym alongside the meatheads and cardio queens.

We’re so freakin’ happy.

However, with all this activity going on outside of the home, it’s only natural there are consequences.

Like season finales.

This was the first time I’ve ever tried to make zucchini “pasta”. Or ribbons. Whichev. Either way, the vegetable peeler was involved and it slightly terrified me. I don’t do well with bloodshed.

The last two weeks have been devastating. All my shows are slowly drifting away. And I do not like it. What am I supposed to do all summer without Marshall and Lily? Sheldon? Jess and those three crazy kids she lives with?

It also doesn’t help that many of my finales this year have been absolutely heart-wrenching.

There’s no need to show raw chicken cooking. So I didn’t. But then I took the same pan (sans chicken) and sautéed the artichoke hearts. It’s all about the flava’, ya know?

Seriously- what is that about?

Turns out I had more zucchini “ribbons” than originally anticipated. Lucky for me, they shrank down a little in the pan with the artichoke hearts that had already been cooking up for a few minutes.

I’m not even going to get near what happened in Grey’s last night. Heaven forbid I ruin it for anyone. I’m also a bit embarrassed to admit my groupie status on this one. Thankfully, I wasn’t in it alone because my girls Kelly and Laura sat through it with me via text.

A new wine I tried from Trader Joe’s. Broke it out during the cooking process. Because after my horrid commute, there was no way I going without. Had two sips and realized there was a bad cork and the wine was ruined. Sadness. Thank goodness I had plenty of backup!

But I will tell you viewing the episode required this:

Pretty, yes? A combo of whole wheat pasta, zucchini ribbons, chicken, artichokes and black olives. Plus a little too much parsley. That was an accident…

Pasta and alcohol.

Comfort food and drink. They helped soften the blow. Sort of.

Guys. I am so distraught.

This really was good. And not too different from when I normally make pasta- with fewer calories because a lot of the pasta was swapped out with zucchini!
Too bad I had to enjoy it between waves of nausea. Thanks, Grey’s…. ugh!

Thanks ABC. You’ve RUINED MY SUMMER.

Alright, fine. That’s maybe a bit dramatic.

Thanks ABC. You’ve RUINED MY WEEKEND.

That’s better.

Luckily, I saved some of that pasta for lunch today.

I still need it.

Too bad the wine bottle didn’t also fit in my lunch bag.

What tv shows are you sad to see go for the summer?
Also, if you do watch Grey’s, PLEASE don’t give away too many details. I know a few people who are saving it for the weekend and I don’t want to ruin it for them!!

Moving Confessions

Today is moving day! Hooray!

Actually, it’s more like “thank God”. Because I’ve been stressing for quite some time. I mean, if you read my post yesterday, you know what my general outlook on life was the last few days.

Don’t worry- I AM quite excited. Excited to finally be living in a walking neighborhood and just in the city of Chicago in general. There are just things I’m going to miss about my ‘burbs…

Like plenty of parking.

And not having to pay $5 an hour for said parking.

My one-bedroom apartment with one mirrored and one blue wall. It had character. And our new landlord won’t let us paint (BOOOOO!).

The workout room (even with all the weirdness that walks through on a regular basis). Though it’s the size of a walk-in closet, I’m not getting a gym membership right away- so I’ll be losing the elliptical and stairmill by the end of this month. Jillian Michaels and I will probably become even better friends. However, I am gonna have to be more mindful of when I’m doing my dvd workouts. Now it’s not a random stranger living below me, but my roommate. With whom I’d like to stay friends with.

And the most obvious thing I’ll miss is probably being in such close proximity to these girls:If I wanted to bug someone, Annie was a short drive away and Mon was just a matter of cutting through a yard.

It was awesome.

But it’s not like we are all going to stay in the same place forever. Alas, it was my time to leave.

But, to celebrate the awesomeness one more night, Mon and I did what we do best.

Workout and then cancel it out with wine and pizza.

The run was nothing new/crazy/out of sorts. 3 miles at an 8:31 pace. Considering my general “ache” from lifting boxes all week (and crappy mood in general), I’m honestly quite surprised the gym trip happened at all. Because another carload of stuff had to be packed before getting into “relax” mode.

Why does “relax” mode take forever to get to?

Pizza and wine night- I have no idea how many times we’ve gotten together for it. Sometimes planned, sometimes on a whim (Pizza-making from scratch while under the influence is not encouraged, but will still turn out decently well if you happen to try it).

Just make sure you have everything necessary. I bought the pizza dough from Trader Joe’s, but forgot I’d need some flour and a rolling pin (already moved both to the new place) to creat a decent pizza. Mon saved me from buying some flour at the store (do you think she actually has it on hand?) and I got creative with wine bottles:One for rollin’, one for drinkin’. 

Toppings of the night were spinach, black olives, mushrooms and onion:Topped with shredded cheese and a corny red box flick (Just Go With It), and you have one decent night.

I feel like Mon and I will still have many similar nights, but one of  us will be taking the train and we’ll be ordering the pizza from the local joint down the street. Close enough.

If you’d like a little chuckle, here’s a list of things I learned from when I moved two years ago.

Or at least a list of things I should have learned. Clearly I didn’t really learn it all being as how the new place doesn’t have an ice maker (other than me, myself and I), I didn’t downsize- but actually acquire more shit, don’t drink during moving weekend (here I am the morning after wine), and I’m no longer in a one-bedroom (so alas, I will not be able to walk around naked and pee with the door open any longer).

So really… did I even learn anything?

Happy weekend, kiddos! I shall see you on the other side of the city limits sign!