I would like to give a big shout-out to Sam for sending me not only a pair of Brooks running shorts, but including a load of satisfying goodies in there as well. The Brooks shorts are great. If only I didn’t have to wait the 8 months it will take Chicago to thaw out from this single-digit temperature to use them. My running has still been kind of inconsistent, but I’m very very VERY slowly starting to get back on track. I plan on running the same Frosty 5K I ran last year, the very same one that jump-started my racing career, and I’m looking at a few half-marathons early in the spring.
Also, for those of you who asked for the chai cupcake recipe in my last post, here it is. I topped it with a basic cream cheese frosting that I dyed blue. I wouldn’t say I’m a good cook – I just like to play around in the kitchen and I’m pretty good at accurately following recipes. I don’t spend my free time inventing recipes with figs and ricotta and bourbon pears. If you put me on Top Chef, I’d probably serve beef stew.
But the real reason I posted was to show off the epic eating adventure I went on today. I went to Kuma’s Corner with a few girlfriends to sample one of the best burger joints in Chicago. Kuma’s is a bar that blasts death metal over the speakers, features paintings of women in bondage on the walls, and has “DIE EMO DIE” scrawled on the giant menu chalkboard, so you can imagine how hardcore their burgers are. And how out of place 3 little Asian girls looked. We started off with a calamari appetizer, with peppers and lemon aioli.
Kuma's Calamari
The peppers weren’t spicy, but gave a nice subtle tang to the calamari, which was breaded light – just right. And everyone knows how much I absolutely adore aioli of any kind; I was practically lapping it out of the plastic cup.
I got a Kuma Burger – the menu reads that this is a 10 oz. burger topped with bacon and a fried egg, all loaded on a pretzel roll. I could barely fit my mouth around this thing.
Kuma Burger
Here’s a burger autopsy shot. Check out that thick slab of patty meat!
Burger Autopsy
I’m very proud of my eating crew. While everyone else around else was loading half their burger into a takeout container, we polished off everything on our plates, except the rings of onion and a few scraps of waffle fries. Mind over matter, break through that wall!
They Call Me the Human Garbage Disposal
I seriously needed a nap after that thing, or at least some elastic waist pants. And naturally, after a burger feast, the first thing that comes to mind is “CUPCAKES!” So we all drove over to Molly’s Cupcakes in Lincoln Park and each walked out with a box.
Cupcakes Inside!
I got four to split with Fiance – tiramisu cupcake, pumpkin spice, cookies and cream, and the Ron Bennington (chocolate cake filled with peanut-butter/butterscotch, chocolate ganache, topped with crushed butterscotch).
Ron Bennington and Cookies and Cream
Pumpkin Spice and Tiramisu
Tiramisu Autopsy - Filled With Mascarpone!
Inside the Ron Bennington
My schedule for the next upcoming days includes a dim sum brunch with coworkers today, dinner with Fiance and his friend on Monday night, and dinner with a coworker and her boyfriend Tuesday night. If all this gluttony doesn’t get my butt out on the roads, nothing will. I have also decided that I should host a show about eating and running. I would run races in different cities (maybe scantily clad to attract the 18-36 male demographic) and then stuff my face with delicious local food. Food Network or Travel Channel really needs to make me an offer.
