Inked (again) and what about that heat?!

This was originally posted on July 18th, 2006.


Have a seat and get ready for another update from Chi-town aka The Windy City (and I'm not talking gas).

... When I got home from my little get together with Mark & Dave took me to Indie Cafe on 5951 N Broadway St. It's a little Japanese/Thai restaurant (BYOB)that has the potential to become really big, but is now a little undiscovered gem.

I had yummie chicken gyoza and veggie sushi :) We had brought a bottle of wine (Indie Cafe is BYO) which reminded me of Lambrusco. That pleasantly surprised Marcella and Dan, two friends who had come along; Marcella's family lives in the region where that kind of wine is made. It soon became clear that Lambrusco is virtualy unknown in the US...

Now yesterday.. I didn't do as much as I wanted to. Just walking three blocks to the grocery store and back took a lot of energy - the heat and humidity was worse than during my visit to Beijing, China. Whoda thunk it possible? I was literally soaked by the time I got home - and I'm not one to break into a sweat easily. I heard on the news that one man had died from a heat stroke a couple of days ago. And really, yesterday's wind? Hair dryer would have been more appropriate.

I watched "Hoodwinked" which I found very entertaining. I liked the squirrel :)

By the time I went to bed it was pouring outside and there was a heavy thunderstorm as well.

Today's decidedly cooler - compared to yesterday. Woo-hoo!

I started with brunch at Urban Tea Lounge on 838 W. Montrose Ave. I had a Jackie Chan Chai and a yummie (I do use that word a lot, don't I?) Honey Smoked Turkey sandwich. It's a small place, but inexpensive and very tasty. And it is possible to have high teas there, too.

The owners, Cece and Ryan, may not look conventional (they're both pierced and tattooed) but they totally rock! I somehow found myself talking to Ryan about 80s music and he asked me where I was from etc. I actually got a lunch special, which in my case meant I only had to pay for the sandwich - dang, I hope I can come back to this place before I fly back next Monday ;p

On my way back to the El (anyone who's seen ER or Blues Bros. know about the elevated metros) I walked into Chicago's Tattoo Factory. And before I knew it I was getting tat no. 4. I have to add that getting the inside of my arm tatooed does hurt a great deal more. DANG! I still feel it... It turned out a little larger than I initially wanted, but it turned out great and I am content.

I visited Boys Town (Wrigleyville, near the Cubs stadium) where Mark used to live and, boy, has it changed! There were a lot of stores I couldn't recall being the five years ago. Anyway, it was only to visit a certain bookstore - after a little while I needed to go home to tend to my new tattoo. I'm hoping to go back and walk through Halsted St (which is the gayest street here).

Anyhoo, Mark's got a night off and wants to spend some quality time with me, so I postponed dinner with Stef. I called her yesterday evening and, luckily, she was alright with it. Mark is happy I am meeting up all these women; I think he's kinda dating through me - ha ha ha.

Well, ttyl!