Amazosity (a-may-zaw-city) – An amazing monstrosity. Don’t you know anything?

You have to do the following if you want to understand: 1) Go to the Chicago Spire website 2) Mumble something like “Oh my… Jesus… What the… wow….” 3) forget about your life before that point 4) Pupils will dilate due to intense wishing and imagining 5) Faint 6) Continue reading ‘In Anatshell’.

Within the first few minutes of discovering the Spire.  Some questions immediately came to mind.  Does it have a spiral elevator? I don’t know.  Will there be a wicked restaurant at the top? Probably. If there is, will they have most expensive Edamame appetizer ever? Yes.  Will they give you a complementary segway just for renting a place? How much will it cost? Can I make that much by then? Can I marry someone who already makes that much? Yes… Now I’m relaxed.  Hopefully, it won’t come to this but at least I can be relaxed knowing that my dream is attainable… *sigh*

Back to reality (kind of).  Yesterday I was at the Opera from 7:30PM until 11:15PM.  I had no idea that it was going to be so long and my stomach was clapping on its own by the end; however, after the first intermission I was feeling quite entertained so it was ok.  My clever scheme got me student tickets to the Opera for $20 (See www.anatscleverschemetogetoperaticketsfortwentydollars.com).  It’s literally 5 minutes from my house and if I had Palins’ accent I would say that ‘I can see the Opera from my house’.  I saw Manon which is about a French chick who fell in love, ran away with a guy, betrayed him, married someone else, regretted it, found the first guy and got him back, went gambling to get money, won, was accused of cheating, got sent to prison, died in the first guys arms.  I’m fairly certain that you won’t find a description quite like mine in the literature but that is the bottom line.  There were actually several comic moments, a lot of them as a matter of fact.  Thank god there were subtitles, otherwise I wouldn’t understand a word except for ‘Manon’ which was said approx. 5,329 times throughout the production.

Now for some Chicago restaurant reviews

Petterino’s – Right next to the theatre, I went here with my friend Didi after we went clothes shopping and she was starving.  I chose not to have an entrée but instead had tomato soup, a blue cheese side salad and a sweet potato.  I have to say that I was stuffed by the time we were out of there and it was very tasty.  Unfortunately, they aren’t in Rewards Network so I’m guessing it’s the last time I’ll eat there.

Usagi Ya – This is a Rewards Network restaurant with good sushi.  I went here on a Ride-A-Long which is a fancy name for driving along with a sales rep to meet restaurant owners.  The owner was very nice and I love sushi so…

Indian Garden – This experience has been ground breaking for me. I have decided after taking a long hard look at my life, that I just don’t like Indian food.  Ethnic foods are always fun to have on occasion and everything else doesn’t leave me smelling bad. Therefore if given the choice of feeling 20lbs heavier and smelling for 24 hours after a meal or not, I choose not.  The food may have been good but it was my last Indian meal ever. Unless I go to India… (Restaurant is not in the Rewards Network program)

Star Of Siam – This is a yummy Thai restaurant.  I don’t remember what I ordered but I did get the spring rolls with my friend as an appetizer and it was really tasty.  It’s in the program so I may go back at some point.

Now for the spotlight – Berry Chill!
I haven’t been to the actual place but when I was at an Oktoberfest festival last week, they had a stand and I got some.  It’s frozen yogurt basically where you can choose your toppings.  Check out their website and yes, they are in the program. Yummm! (and healthy by the way)

Not to sounds like an advertisement but if you live in the US, you should sign up for Rewards Network.  It’s free, we have great restaurants and you get rewards.

I’ll end this post with a very strange thing that my bank does on their website when you log in.  Maybe someone can help me understand what my bank is trying to say here.

What’s with the monkey??

First things first. I’m officially the breadwinner of my household. Actually the modern term might be something like the finedinningwinner of my corporateapartmenthold. I’ve never really worked in Israel, so you could say that this is my first real job experience. Yesterday something strange happened at work and it made me think. After some kind of reorganization, my boss was laid off; my bosses’ boss was laid off and (get ready) my bosses bosses boss was laid off. Needless to say, it was a strange day at the office and it’s really too bad because I actually really liked my boss… and my bosses’ boss… My boss often used the word ‘groovy’ which was entertaining and he taught me… well… everything I know so far about the company. After all of this happened, there was a conference call meeting where everyone, out of awkwardness, talked about which type of bagel is their favorite and the main differences between sweet and salty, a topic which isn’t debated enough if you ask me. By the time we had all figured out who had what for breakfast, the conference call was underway and in many fancy long descriptions, we were told that life goes on. I know that ‘Life goes on’ is always true as long as you can say it, so this was no new concept for me.

What culinary discoveries you ask? Well, if you squint until you look Chinese and see beyond the frozen lean cuisine and edamame dinners, you will notice that I’m beginning to form an interest around my own culinary skills. Last night, I defrosted some chicken breast, cut up peppers and onions, made rice, flipped it all up in a pan with stir fry sauce and walla! I was Chinese! I’ll be Chinese tomorrow too I think because I made a very large portion. My next goal is to duplicate my moms special coleslaw which I love and after that … who knows…

What about other meals? Breakfast has taken two forms:

1. Low fat yoghurt and blueberries. Blueberries are such a startup. People in Israel don’t eat them enough. Anyway, I like fruit names that describe what your eating.
2. Egg white omelet and turkey bacon. Why did I not know about turkey bacon? I love bacon and to have a piece of bacon that’s 20 calories blows my mind. Another great concept is the egg whites. Why hover over a bowl and separate yolk from white when you could simply purchase the egg whites in a carton. Genius…

Lunch? Well, recently I have been bringing in wraps that I make at home. There were two days when I actually went home, ate, and came back. Luckily, there is a nice Mediterranean place downstairs called Mezza that has good salads and wraps. We buy or bring food and sit in the kitchen and eat…. It’s the employee way. One day, it will be late night pizza in a basement (when my startup is underway), but until then, I will have to deal with the paper bag and aluminum foil lunches. This part of my life is called ‘healthy eating’. (guess what movie I’m referencing?)

Alright so we are saving the best for last. I have discovered a triathlon training place called ‘well fit’. It’s owned by an Israeli guy (Sharone) who moved to the US fifteen years ago and started this company. I met him through someone and participated in one of his running classes. Yesterday though, I had one of the best workouts since arriving in the US.

Sharone sent me a message on facebook telling me to come to an indoor cycle class on trainers. I told him I would come and didn’t think much of it. After a frustrating experience in the spinning class in my building, I was willing to try anything. I rode my bike a few blocks, got lost, consulted my map, found my way, and arrived at this University gym. Down the steps and into the basement I went, to discover a mound of triathletes with their bikes, mounting them on trainers and getting ready. You always think that your brain can control your movements if you aren’t having a seizure but I couldn’t control a smile when I saw what I was in for.

I have never used my bike on a trainer and I was surprised at how easily it slipped right in. Cinelli’s first steps, Cinelli’s first fall / slip and Cinelli’s first trainer… awwww… I love my bike. The feeling on the trainer was much different than a spin bike but once you get control of your legs and add resistance, then it’s a great workout. We even concentrated on single legs by taking the other food out of the cleat and spinning with the other. The workout lasted about an hour and I got a free waterbottle. Woo hoo!

What’s next?

• Next week I’m going to a concert which only cost me 12 bucks because my Upenn student ID is valid until 2010. When I found this out, I began rubbing my hands together in a circular motion and saying ‘excellent’.
• Next month is the country music festival which I am excited for. Taylor Swift and Gretchen Williams here I come. Yee Haw.
• Guess who is getting her first paycheck tomorrow?
• I ate at one restaurant from my company (Star of Siam) and should get cash back for eating there. If you live in the US, go to Rewards Network and get money back for eating out!

Here are some photos:

Jazz Club (Tal and myself)

You can go too : Andy’s Jazz Club
11 E Hubbard St, Chicago, IL

(312) 642-6805

Andy

Leane Cuisine w/ added fun

Oye! Has it been 3 weeks? What’s up? Not much? Me? oh, my entire reality has changed but aside from that… nothing much.

(This photo is my baby Cinelli tucked in the back seat, isn’t he cute?)

Where to begin…
I’ve chosen to focus this entry on key moments during the past three weeks.  They might not be the most significant to me, but I feel they are worth mentioning and from this moment on, I will commit to one entry per week.  I was linked by another website saying that I write well but don’t update enough.  Mark my words!

I am now sitting and typing in my own apartment in Chicago on the 47th floor drinking diet Dr Pepper and watching the country music festival on television (Trace Adkins is on now singing ‘you may not know it now, but your gonna miss this’).  An hour ago I was running in the gym which is located on the third floor which takes approx 45 seconds to get to.  It’s hard to believe that just a few weeks ago I was enjoying my last days in Israel and saying goodbye to all of my friends and family.  I’ve worked two days in my new position at Rewards Network, an american company partially owned by Sam Zell.  My reality has changed 180 degrees…

Ladies and gentlemen… My view :

Two weeks in Leisure world / Seizure world / Wrinkle City
Both sets of grandparents reside in the lovely ‘Leisure World’, Maryland.  ‘Leisure World’ is a gated community for 55 plus but don’t let that fool you.  These folk don’t waste a moment and except for the occasional ambulance parked outside and the constant talk about medical conditions, you wouldn’t know.  Well… you probably would know but it’s not as bad as you might think.  You must stay in Leisure World long enough to realize it’s not that bad to get older and just enough to appreciate that you have a long way to go.

Here is the world renowned Leisure world volley ball team. Don’t be fooled.  These geezers take this game more seriously than a nuclear threat.

Speaking of serious, I am a proud attender of the Redbul Flugtag!

Nothing says nothing better than a bunch of goofballs running gigantic silly constructions into Lake Michigan in an attempt to fly.  Someone had to represent the articulent, educated, beautiful people of the world in the crowd of this event and I obviously volunteered.  I must admit, it was pretty entertaining, see for yourself on the website.

Baaastan (Boston)

One week in Boston was enough to see Harvard , MIT , eat one and a half canoli’s, give saint Anthony a buck and experience the Boston massacre through your iPod.

Conclusion

I’m back.  I have a new running route right near the lake, a new place, a new job and the only thing left is to find new friends.  These are my new running buddies.

העתיד שלי -
בטח ראיתם את הפוסט שבו אני רצה בתחרות 10 ק”מ בניו יורק. בזמן שביליתי בארה”ב, לא ביליתי את רוב זמני בספורט אלא בביקור חברות, ראיונות עבודה, פרזנטציות, אוכל טוב ו… אולי כמה בילויים בלילות. עברתי כל מיני ראיונות אבל בסופו של דבר אני בחרתי לעבוד בחברה בשיקגו לתקופה של לפחות חצי שנה (סביר להניח שאפילו יותר). ההשלכות לגביכם, הקוראים והחברים שלי, הוא שלמרות היותי במקום מאד רחוק, אני עדיין רוצה לשמור על קשר ולעדכן אתכם במה שקורה בחיי. למרות המרחק הרב, אני אבקר בארץ לפעמים ואתם אולי תבקרו אותי גם. נכון? נכון שתבקרו? כדאי לכם… יש שלג בשיקגו.. ו Oprah נמצאת בשיקגו גם!

האנשים שמכירים אותי כבר הרבה שנים ידעו שהיום הזה יגיע ותמיד כשהסתכלתי להם בעיניים ידעתי שהם רק חושבים “לפחות יהיה לנו מקום לישון כשנבקר בארה”ב”. האנשים שמכירים אותי פחות, מכירים אותי יותר טוב עכשיו. הגישה שלי להכל הוא שצריך לגוון כל הזמן וכשמשנים את כל המציאות שאנחנו מכירים אז לומדים הכי הרבה, מתפתחים, ולומדים להעריך כל מיני דברים שלפני זה לקחנו כמובן מעליו. כמו שבספורט לפעמים צריך להכניס את הגוף לשוק כדי לעורר אותו, זה תופס לכל שאר התחומים.

העתיד של הבלוג -
הבלוג הולך להשתנות טיפה מהמתכונת המוכרת. עד עכשיו הבלוג התעסק רק בספורט אבל עכשיו הוא הולך לכלול סיפורים מגוונים מחווית המעבר לשיקגו והפעילויות שלי שם. אבל זה לא הכל… אני מקווה שאתם יושבים…

אני נרשמתי למרתון ניו יורק!

רשמית לא נבחרתי בהגרלה (צריך לעבור הגרלה כדי להתקבל למרתון) אבל בעקבות הקשרים החדשים שלי בארה”ב, כנראה שזה יסודר בשבועות הקרובים. בכל מקרה, מרתון יהיה השנה. תוכלו לעקוב אחרי האימונים שלי כאן בבלוג ואני אדאג לעדכן אתכם בכל נושא החל מבחירת בגדי ריצה טובים לחורף, גוון האדום של האף שלי, ועד למחשבות הטירוף של הריצות הארוכות. בנוסף לכך, יהיו עדכונים לגבי העבודה שלי (בחברת Rewards Network) והתפקיד (בפיתוח מוצרים חדשים) וכמובן, האבחנות שלי לגבי התרבות והאנשים שאני אפגוש. יתכן שיהיו גם פוסטים באנגלית אז תכינו מילון Oxford ליד המחשב ותפסיקו לקרוא כתוביות בסרטים!

אירועים מתקרבים -
טריאתלון תל-אביב ב 28 לחודש. נרשמתי למקצה האולימפי. האולימפי הראשון שלי היה באילת, השתתפתי בדואתלון אולימפי לא מזמן וזהו האולימפי ה-3 שלי לצורך העניין. תאחלו לי בהצלחה

הכתבה!
הנה הכתבה שעשו עלי בשביל עיתון הבין תחומי, פיוז’ן. הצוות בא לבקר אותי בהולמס פלייס כדי לצלם את התמונה הזאת. יש עוד כמה תמונות שהם צילמו. אצרף אותם גם לפוסט.