The Fabulous Life

 . . . involves lots of good food and drink, which I was treated to last night.  My friend Ruthie (I've decided to give her a label now because she is my partner in crime for so many things) discovered a social-network type site called Grub With Us, and we've now gone out to 2 meals with groups from that site.  The first one, back in January, was a dinner at Sapori Trattoria (an Italian favorite in Lakeview).  Last night we were treated to a very yummy Vietnamese dinner at Simply It, in Lincoln Park.  The meal was complimented by a few fabulous cocktails, mixed up by the girls from Through the Liquor Glass.
            Dinner itself was family-style (it always is with a Grub With Us crowd), and included Pineapple Calamari, served in a hollowed-out half of a pineapple, and Coconut and Mango Beef, served in a hollowed-out coconut.  There were other delicious dishes served on, ahem, plates, but since I am a sucker for great presentation I am singling those two out.
            Dessert was another story.  It was fried banana, alongside some different ice creams, etc.  Ruthie and I both hate bananas but since we love dessert, and that was the only option, we dug in and found it to be . . . well, fried anyway!  The strawberry ice cream was very good.  But seriously, Ruthie and I were inspired by the book we're reading for our "food lovers' book club:" Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything, and so we tried the foods that we didn't think we would like.  I still don't like bananas, but I can be an adult about it.
            In case all this doesn't seem fabulous enough, I want to show you a little of what Ruthie has to offer.  She has recently started writing a neighborhood blog for the Chicago Red Eye.  Her neighborhood is Wicker Park/Bucktown, which always seems to have chic things going on.  A few weeks ago, she put on a photo shoot featuring clothes from a nearby boutique and many of our friends.  No, I am not in the photo shoot, but at least you can see how fabulous my friends are.
           And now, lest you think my life is too fabulous . . . I will take it down a notch.  I don't get phone calls often, but this morning and yesterday morning I've had wrong numbers from random people.  I know they're not reading my blog, because they don't know me, but seriously people, thanks for reminding me how rarely my phone rings!