So much has changed. I'm single and couldn't be happier about it. I've got amazing friends, who are all ridiculously talented! Mid-twenties, a vibrant city, and I'm surrounded with brilliant, hard-working peers who make me laugh, challenge me, and support me every day. I feel so lucky!
Today was a beautiful Chicago summer day. I celebrated by having a delicious lunch with my friend and fellow kinder teacher Nora at Chickpea. How to explain - its like eating the best middle-eastern cuisine available IN someone's dining room, except its decorated with cheesy movie posters in Arabic. Mama Chickpea comes to the table, tells you how her back is doing, sits down next to you, and feeds you until you're stuffed with delicious lamb and hummus. She's got this handsome, natural beauty - deep, soulful eyes, a scarf over her braided salt and pepper hair, and wrinkles that make her even prettier. I had Mama's special... lamb and rice wrapped in cabbage and steamed. Yum...
Then, I took my fabulous new bike out to the lakeshore path for the first time. OH WOW. I'm addicted! First of all, here's my darling bike, Olive. Her color is Kalamata Green, so the name was just so fitting!
I'm in love with her built in rear and front lights, the back rack that can carry a TON of stuff, the gorgeous green color, the white wheels and brown leather/brown wood, and the built in fenders to keep me splatter free! Oh my goodness, she rides like a dream too! I loved the store I got her from, Kozy's Cyclery on Erie. The salesman Bryan was delightful and super helpful! I got to test ride bikes, which was nice because I was initially really nervous about being a city biker, but I got that out of my system really fast! He went out of his way to help me find the perfect bike and even went so far as to track down Olive at another Kozy's and reserve it for me to pick up since they didn't have her in my size at his store. Thanks SO much Bryan!Today on my ride this really handsome hardcore biker guy (he had one of those zippy racing bikes and wore a biker jersey outfit, so I know he was serious) -anyway, this biker guy said "I love your bike!" as he passed by me! I was all a flutter. Olive too. Everyone loves a good compliment! I road the entirety of the bike path from end to end and then road all the way back out west to come home. I feel like a rock star! I'm doing this as often as I can. And I'm definitely going to try and bike to beach volleyball tomorrow! Gooooo No Bambis!
("bambi" is beach volleyball lingo for someone who lets the ball fall and doesn't go for it) I'm definitely not a bambi. I feel like I spend half the game flopping around! Its fantastic!
Ah, I'm so happy to be back! The best thing about summer is having the time and the energy to come back to the things I love, like Lula!
XOXO
