Monday, May 28, 2007

BBQ

Chicago knows how to do up a holiday right. Call up all your friends, organize social event that casually takes up the entire leisurely day. Roll home when it gets dark.

And now that it is approaching summer, it is even better! Instead of shuffling between bars in layers, or waiting outside to be buzzed up, you are chilling on a deck, sipping a pale beer (Spring Ale, Corona).

Memorial Day is THE day to BBQ. A note. In Chicago, barbeque is a verb. Which is funny to me, because in the east, barbeque is a noun. And oh how I miss it. I have been crazy-craving some Pee Wee's. The wonderful pulled pork with amazing tangy tomato-based sauce. Topped with slaw. With sides of the richest macaroni & cheese, and mashed potatoes that are "delivered daily by angels."

Instead, I enjoyed some hamburgers and hot dogs grilled over charcoal. Ah. Since I got up today, I have smelled grills all day. Various kinds of smoke and meat, all of it drool-worthy. People poured out onto the curb, down stairs. Chilling on patios, around the grill. I got an invite to a BBQ that started on a nice tucked-away roof deck with a ton of food and snippets of overlapping conversation. It then moved inside to the hardwood floor and pushed-aside couches for the dancing. Almost everyone at the party danced, so we all took turns. I was the only person who knew non-Latin.


Watching the routines and dancing made me miss it. It reminded me of some of our ballroom parties my junior year, including one involving collard greens.

I also learned that deviled eggs are perfect. Easy enough that even I can make them. Not super time-consuming or expensive. Can be made in advanced. And everyone, including little kids like them. Woo!

And after that phenomenal intro to summer, I get to work for the next 12 days straight. *sigh*

on iTunes: "Mamma Mia" - ABBA

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