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South Loop Gourmet Gang rides again
this time it's a gourmet grilling, complete with fireworks
08/06/2011 11:26 AM
photo by Bonnie McGrath
photo by Bonnie McGrath
South Loop resident, Lisa Brandt, who started the South Loop Gourmet Gang, is a miracle woman. Every couple of months she sends out an email with a time, a place and a description of some fabulous food. And we all arrive. The cost is about $20 a person and the food is delicious and filling and every one has a good time. How she manages it all I don't know.
Last night, we all gathered in the beautiful courtyard of Cafe Society at 18th and Indiana. Behind the historic Glessner House. And there were--among all sorts of other things-- grilled teriyaki burgers, grilled peaches, grilled pork, grilled salmon and beer can chicken. With all the trimmings (including scented woods and herbs), all the sides and drinks.
As the sun went down, twinkling lights on the trees lit the courtyard in that beautiful warm, humid, summer way that makes you feel good to the bone. And friends chatted about everything from their recent travels out of the country to their recent trips to Millennium Park concerts to the beauty of the night.
Suddenly, we heard bombs blasting--and bursting--in air. Several of us walked down 18th Street to see what it was. It turned out to be a magnificent fireworks show emanating from Soldier Field. With a helicopter hovering overhead.
Some of the scores of Gourmet Gang members knew what it was all about. The Bears' Family Fest. At which--at the last minute--the Bears decided they couldn't hold up their end of the bargain--which was to practice on the field while adoring fans, who paid $8 to see their idols, watched them do it. But alas, the field had seams that were coming apart from too much heat in recent weeks and the Bears hightailed it back to their Bourbonnais training facility. The fans got their money back, their parking paid for and were treated to free food and the fireworks, and profuse apologies for, if nothing else, their determination in getting caught up in Lollapalooza traffic while trying to see the Bears. All for nothing.
I wondered why the Bears couldn't have stayed long enough to say hi, go through a few motions and scrap the hard core practice until a little later in the evening.
In the meantime, after the fireworks, I went back to the beautiful outdoor buffet in the courtyard and asked for a couple more pieces of salmon. I got it. And then out came vanilla ice cream, drenched in a citrus-like liqueur and delicious strawberries.
1 Comment - Add Your Comment
By judy marcus from Palatine
Posted: 08/06/2011 12:56 PM
Glad to see you got to have your salmon!