Surprise Sendoff!

Last night I was like a four-year-old on Christmas Eve.  I couldn’t sleep.  Too excited.  I thought this day was never going to come, but here it is.  In a few short hours, I will be on a plane to London! 

So as I watch the Bears game in my living room, thanking God that I’m not at Soldier Field with my Dad and brothers in this freezing weather, I want to write a quick post about my final preparations before departure, many of which revolve around food.  Naturally, I couldn’t leave the country without a little taste of home.  One place I always have to eat at while I’m at home is Egg Harbor Café.  If you are from my hometown of Barrington, Illinois, then you understand.  Egg Harbor is just about the cutest brunch place you’ll ever find.  And I never go there without seeing someone I know; I love that.  Most people order eggs or pancakes, but I always get lunch food when I go there.  Tomato bisque and a half Chicken Salad Italiano sandwich to be exact.  Never disappoints. 

The other must-eat whenever I’m in Chicago is deep dish pizza.  There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world.  Italy may have invented pizza, but I doubt they do deep dish the way Lou Malnati’s does.  Just saying. 

Then last night, my family surprised me with most beautiful sendoff.  Here’s what I knew: that I was going to have dinner at Shaw’s Crab House (a great Chicago seafood and steak restaurant) with my parents and younger brother.  Here’s what I didn’t know: that my two older siblings, their significant others, and my grandma would all be joining us!  It was a wonderful surprise, and it meant a lot that my entire family wanted to be there to see me off.  We had crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, oysters, calamari, Alaskan king crab legs, steak, and mashed potatoes.  Everything was amazing.  The meal also functioned as an early 21^st birthday dinner.  My mom even had chocolate cake (the same special kind I mentioned in the last post) waiting for us at home.  I couldn’t have planned a more perfect last supper. 

Now I’m all zipped up and ready to go!  Europe, here I come…