Chicago On My Mind

Just returned from one week in Chicago. My kids and I were visiting family, including a birthday celebration for my mom. Many of you know my fondness for the city of my youth. Each visit I give myself a huge kick in the rear for not fully appreciating all The Windy City offers when I lived there full-time.

All of our visits include stops at the old favorites - brunch at the neighborhood coffee shop (diner to you East Coasters), perhaps a Cubs game (they lost!) and a swim in the lake. We also try new things - this time we visited Chinatown and the Museum of Science & Industry (I highly recommend the Smart House Exhibit) with dear friends. And we always leave mental space as well as real time for the unexpected. My son and I missed seeing Barack head to Springfield to announce Biden as his running mate by this much. And in the sustainable/foodie category, I found "The Field."

Quoting their website, Outstanding in the Field seeks to "bring together local farmers and food artisans, chefs and winemakers, [as] we explore the connection between the earth and the food on your plate." The picture, above, gives you a vivid understanding why Jim and his team's events are often referred to as "the long table." The dinners are often held on farms in rural communities or outposts of urban areas. The Chicago experience was organized on a thriving city farm, a couple of acres smack dab in the middle of a former, historic disaster in urban planning, The Cabrini Green Project. Quite the compelling story about how we can eat locally and seasonally anywhere, at least for part of the year. Outstanding in the Field will be on the East Coast through the fall. We have a chance to check them out close to home on September 16th in Hamburg, PA. Sounds like Jim needs to learn more about what's happening in Lancaster and allow us the chance to host in 2009. Party bus up Route 61, anyone?!