Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Horrifically Unhealthy Chicago Food Faves

When you're visiting Chicago you must have a piece of deep dish pizza. It's almost a crime not too because this is the food (along with Chicago style hot dogs) that is so often identified with the city.

Wiener Circle. My favorite hot dog in the city is probably calorie laden but it's a treat.
Imagine my surprise as I'm eating my breakfast yesterday and the local NBC news cast starts listing off the horrific nutritional details of this treat. 800 + calories in one slice?! 48 grams of fat?! I almost fell off my chair remembering maybe not so fondly, the times I've enjoyed not one or two slices, but sometimes THREE slices. It's just that good that it's hard to resist.

How can you resist this popcorn goodness? (courtesy of the Chicago Reader)
Who doesn't love Garretts Chicago Popcorn Mix? There is something so sinfully delicious in the mix of caramel sweetness and day-glow orange cheddar. One cup packs 400 calories and 36 grams of fat! Yikes.

I don't know about you, but I'm going for a run.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Biking and Eating Take Two (or Three)

Just around midnight with friends Janet & Lara getting pumped for our 25-mile ride
You already know I love biking and eating as referenced by earlier blog entries. There is something so special about hopping on your bike heading for a new destination. The food seems to taste different, maybe because of the excitement surrounding the new adventure. I've lived in Chicago for over a decade and have always wanted to try the L.A.T.E Ride, a 25-mile journey that starts at midnight and ends as the sun rises over the city. It sounds poetic doesn't it?

And we're off! Great vantage point for a shot of the riders (courtesy of ChicagoTribune.com)

Chicago's Chinatown (courtesy of Wikipedia)
I envisioned my friends and I traversing the city from Chinatown (perhaps for dim sum?) through Greektown (for a late night gyro.) We could feast on tasty bits in Wicker Park and get late night tacos in Humboldt Park. No, the ride didn't exactly happen like that. Instead we slowly (oh so slowly, barely pedaling at the start) made our way across the city. There was an unexciting rest stop mid-ride where we enjoyed not-yet-ripe bananas, but it didn't matter I was famished and they tasted great.
Here comes the sun
As we finished the final stretch of the ride along the lakefront trail, we could see that the sun was intending to rise. We biked faster and made it back to Grant Park in time to see a beautiful sunrise. There was live classical music. There was the scenery and there were treats - chobani yogurt, energy bars, Keifer and oat milk.

And we're done!
What a truly memorable Chicago experience! It was a tough go starting a ride at midnight at finishing up around 5, but after a shower, a long nap and some eggs I was a happy camper once again. This was such a fantastic way to see the city (well, if you're not planning to do the Chicago Marathon which is also a scenic 26 mile tour) and would recommend it to try at least once!