For your consideration

In less than 24 hours, I will know if I made the top 10 for 'A Really Goode Job'. In all honesty, I am freaking out. The pressure has been building, and now I don't know if I want to scream or laugh. It's so exciting! I figured I'd take this opportunity to convince you why I should be selected. First off, I have a personality - lots of people can say this, but it's really quite true. I hope my video portrays that. I am the good times go-to for all my friends. I am invited to all sorts of activities because everyone knows I'd try anything once, and I can talk to anyone old or young. They actually call me 'Metromix Melissa' because I am full of fun facts regarding Chicago, and all of its neighborhoods, restaurants and events. I also am quite intelligent - go ahead and laugh because it I know it is a bold statement to make. I have all kinds of interweb experience, and can bring that to Murphy Goode. I can implement, and I can teach, the ways of the social highway. I can build a positive reputation for the brand online. I did it for Barack Obama, and I can do it for you. I also love wine...I really, really do! From the first real swig I had in a plaza in Granada, Spain, to the tastings at my local fave Juicy Wine Bar, my love has evolved - and I hope to take it futher. Having the opportunity to learn the ropes of a winery is a dream. Finally, I want this more than anything. I know I'd be great at it, and enjoy every minute of it.

Thank you for your consideration!

Happy Birthday, America.

You are still fabulous at 230-some years old! I plan on lounging about today and going to a BBQ later...hopefully the rain will stay away (seriously.) so I can get my fireworks fix. Yesterday, I went on my friend Howard's annual reggae boat cruise for the July 3rd city fireworks...Always a good time, though I am cursing their cheap wine this morning...

WTF?!

Dear neighbors,

I know its a big holiday weekend and I know you are excited to celebrate. I am excited to celebrate too, and even more excited for a 3 day weekend and an abundance of grilled meats. But, we need to discuss the full mariachi band that is messing with my zen at the moment. Yes, a full band at full volume. Usually, I am all about the live music, but just not feeling it tonight. And if I had to guess, the whole block is not feeling the love from the mariachi's either.

Oh, and did I mention that the band is accompanied by fireworks. Hello, people!! Today is July 2nd, not July 4th. Save the USA spirit for Saturday, please.

Thank you,
your very sleepy neighbor

Check out Chicagoist.com!

I will know in less than a week if I've made the Top 10 for 'A Really Goode Job'. It is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time!! I found out today that I am featured in an post on Chicagoist.com. I am excited, and thankful, for the shout-out!!

Taste of Chicago ...blah

I took the lunch trolley over to Grant Park to check out this year's Taste of Chicago. I'd give it a thumbs down. It was boring. It is the same booth over and over again: grilled corn, deep dish pizza, hot dogs, and then something sweet. Repeat. There were definitely less booths this year than in years past. I guess it's a sign of the times. I did try Vermillion's chimichurri masala chicken wings and they were spicy as hell! Other than that it was just blah.

Michael...

Michael, Michael everywhere! I was at a gate at LaGuardia Airport when CNN announced his death. There was a collective gasp from the travelers waiting to board the flight. No one could believe it. I started to think back to all the time I spent listening to Thriller, and watching the video with my friends. I had his posters all over my room. I thought I was in love at the tender age of 10!!

This evening, I was sitting at a cafe on Division Street in Wicker Park. A Walgreen's Wellness Center on Wheels cruises by blasting 'Bad' by Michael Jackson. All the patrons stopped eating, and starting clapping. It was a little bizarre to me. A whole weekend has passed, and this is still the top story in the media.

I think Bob Schieffer put it best in his closing remarks of his newscast today, "Americans are confusing heroes with icons. Take a look at the memorials in Washington, D.C. and consider all the people that built this country and preserved peace around the world. Those are the real heroes. Was Michael Jackson a great entertainer? Absolutley. But, is he really a hero? No, he is an icon of an era."

Oh My Deliciousness...

Not sure if that is a word or not, but I just had the most wonderful meal at Diner in Brooklyn. A friend recommended that I go there and have a burger while I checked out Brooklyn. Besides the famous grass-fed burger, the menu was made up mostly of specials. Once I heard the choices, I swayed from the burger. I had the flatbread as an appetizer. It was drizzled with honey and thyme, and served with a mixed greens salad and a brie-like cheese. The honey/cheese combo was wonderful!! I then had a sirloin steak with french fries and some delicious butter sauce. The butter sauce was divine. I also had a fizzy red wine served chilled named Lini. It was very refreshing on this lovely summer day in NYC. Great meal - highly recommend it!