September’s Date Night took us to Logan Square- which is located roughly 15 blocks south of us on the same street. (‘Cause there’s something to be said about not having the entirety of the Date Night consist of the commute.)
We started out at the stellar City Lit bookstore- a place where, upon walking in, I needed to buy roughly half of their shelved stock. That mystery I’ve been dying to read. The last in that [slightly embarrassing] series I’ve been desperate to finish. That sci-fi book. The latest snarky comedic offering by one of my faves. All of them were laid out in a way that clearly stated: Keely And P.J., Remember How Much You Love To Read?
Then we wandered over to the little kid section and remained there for a startlingly long time. Because we needed to buy all the things for our girls: series we’ve been jonesing for them to start, long-lost favorites from our childhoods, and stuff we hadn’t even known existed but that we required, nonetheless.
I found a board book of The Paper Bag Princess, a book which I thought was ridiculously fantastic in grade school, and which I bought for Susannah’s upcoming birthday. (So, uh, shh. Don’t tell her.)
I also walked away with a copy of Dashiell Hammett’s original The Thin Man– the book which spawned the movies for which I named my biggie girl, Nora. I mean, how’re you gonna tell me I can’t own a copy of my kid’s namesake novel?! (This is the part where you pretend to be P.J. and sigh understandingly.)
Pardon the dim- er, romantic- lighting.
After we pried ourselves away from this gloriously independent little bookshop, we walked two storefronts to our dinner. (Yay, Logan Square!) We chose Lula’s Cafe, a really really really wonderful place to eat. (Really.) One of the first farm-to-table concept restaurants in Chicago, it truly redefines “Bohemian Bistro-” and “Yum.”
Here’s what we ordered from the daily menu:
-Crispy veal sweetbreads (which I love, as long as I don’t ever really think too hard about what they consist of) with these divine baby carrots in a sauce that made me want to lick the plate. (I refrained. I am an adult.)
-The pumpernickel-stuffed quail breast in smoked yogurt with za’taar spice (my people!) that made me oh-so happy.
-Gargantuan scallops in brown butter and hazelnuts, with spaghetti squash and magic.
And we really couldn’t decide on one dessert to split (which usually never happens- we’re generally quite simpatico, dessert-wise)…so we ordered two. I got the peanut butter pie (mousse with Chantilly cream and grape powder) and Peej chose the chocolate custard with chocolate churros for dipping. Each of us thought we had made the wiser decision.
And we both licked the plates.
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