The Sweatshop of Love Blog

Fried Plantains, Veggie Burrito, Egg Sandwich, Rice

I’m sitting in a very empty apartment right now. It is only slightly emptier physically – I’ve lived here for over four years if I can even wrap my brain around that, and PT had only lived here for about 10 months, so most of the things are mine and still here. But I’m sitting in PT’s spot on the couch just so there is something in it. The bed is HUGE with just me, Velma, and Pudge. I’m not crashing into someone else cooking in the kitchen.

I’m unshowered, because what is the point? I’m wearing super ratty underwear, because what is the point? I’m baking bread – small loaf. I’m making granola bars – mostly freezer bound. I cleaned the cat hair off the rug this morning – PT’s job. There are pictures of us everywhere that I just don’t know what to do with.

My freshmen year of college was full of long distance relationship drama. It seemed like everyone I met had one, including me, and eventually they all failed. As far as I know. I moved to Chicago after one year so I didn’t get all the follow up stories. But there was always someone screaming on the phone, someone crying in the bathroom, someone getting drunk and cheating on their boyfriend in California, someone carrying their room phone around with them because their boyfriend was supposed to call them four hours ago and he must be dead.

White Whine Pasta with Mushrooms and Broccoli

Sure, we were 18. We were living on our own for the first time. We were in relationships with the first boys we ever kissed. Shit is bound to happen. My own freshmen long distance relationship fell apart before October.

I like to think that a lot has changed in 8 years. Maturity, self control, smart decision making, knowing what’s important: all of these things should have grown exponentially in these early 20s years.

PT as Frog

But who knows. I have a couple girlfriends in long distance relationships now; Chicago/London and Chicago/Spain. Which sounds a hell of a lot more challenging than Chicago/NYC. Technology makes it easy to communicate constantly with anyone willing.

It’s funny and fitting that most of the pictures from this past week with PT are of food. We had a seriously delicious lunch at Irazu – the site for many past PT/Allyson meals. We made lots of veggie pasta. And tuna helper.

Officially single but fielding/making phone calls and texts and video chats and gchats galore, who knows what the right answer is. If it’s meant to be it will happen. If it isn’t it won’t.

In the mean time I’m going to work like a crazy person. I’ve got all this room and time now magically. Work, work, work.

The best thing about working from home?

Pasta Lunch

All I could think about all morning was a mushroom and broccoli pasta lunch. So I made it! And am eating it right now.

I don’t know if it was the amazing weather we had here in Chicago this weekend or if I was just a girl on a mission, but I rocked this weekend so hard.

Costa Rican Fiest

It all started when PT and I couldn’t stop talking about Irazu. For some reason our solution was not to just go to Irazu but to try to replicate Costa Rican food at home.

The problem is that we think the burritos we make are way better than any burrito out there. That is funny, I know, living in Logan Square where there is a dude on every corner making burritos from his family recipe.

(Note to self: Write up burrito recipe to post on blog.)

So we started with a regular burrito I always make and set out to make some Gallo Pinto and Cabbage Salad.

Gallo Pinto and Cabbage Salad

This recipe for the Cabbage Salad is dead on. It is exactly like Irazu’s amazing salad! We halved the recipe and we still had salad left over for Saturday. This recipe for the Gallo Pinto is close, and I think with a little tweaking we could get it. We made about a third of the recipe, it still made a ton. And there is a critical flavor missing from this recipe that Irazu’s rice has and I’m determined to figure it out.

Amazing!

We had to have fried plantains, too, naturally. My favorite part of this meal was plating it! I love when there are many aspects to a meal that you can chose from. I’ve got a dinner party in the works for Friday, so stay tuned for try #2.

Sunday Pizza

Mushroom, Artichoke Heart, Caramelized Onions

And our Sunday pizzas were amazing! Mine was fresh mushrooms from the Logan Square Farmers Market, artichoke hearts, and caramelized onions.

PT's Pizza, with Bacon

Bacon-licious

PT’s pizza was the same as mine, only with bacon.

I was productive on the knitting front, too! I knit the two (Eric) Man-Hats, wrote the pattern up for them and posted it on Ravelry. I knit two elephant bodies and finished knitting PT’s Christmas Present (pics later). I know I haven’t done a Christmas Present Update for PT in a long time because, while I was working on it, it was painfully boring. I didn’t want to subject myself to it, much less you.

The Black Tape!

OMG!

And I managed to leave the house! We went to see The Black Tape Saturday night. I’m going to be writing their press kit so we had to go get the live experience. I’m an old lady and didn’t even realize it was possible to start doing anything at 12:30am, but I made it somehow!

I think I earned a little time to relax, but I’ve got some elephants to finish and some seeming to do. (And probably a trip to the gym to make!)

Before

After

I was hoping it was not going to come to this.

I was using some leftover Knit Picks Gloss from a sweater I knit a few years ago for my Twilight/Gloaming Shawl. The sweater is Thermal on Knitty.com, and I liked it, but then I lost 30 pounds so it didn’t fit anymore. It’s been sitting in the back of my closet in a pile of stuff I can’t get rid of but will eventually figure out how to fix.

SOOO Close

I was within four rows of finishing the shawl without tearing up my sweater. But, alas, it needed to be done. And that fatty sweater in the bottom of my closet wasn’t doing me any favors. So I tried not to think about it, un-seemed a sleeve, and ripped!

Pretty!

And I finished my shawl! And I’m not even sad that I had to amputate my sweater because I couldn’t wear it. No matter how many hours I spent on that sweater, it’s unwearable.

LOVE

LOVE LOVE

But this shawl is ridiculously wearable! I’ve pretty much been wearing it since it dried after blocking. And you have to seriously block the crap out of this shawl. I made the big size, and after I bound it off I was seriously underwhelmed. It was tiny!

Pudge Makes Blocking Difficult

But I blocked it, with the help of Pudge Rodriguez, and it is stunning. I mean, I’m wearing it right now in a wife beater and pajama pants. I’m in love with this little shawl.

PT Biked Up an Appetite

Empanadas!

Shrimp and Veggie Special

I finished my shawl, PT finished some fancy producer work, so we thought it would be a great night to celebrate with a trip to Irazu. We went to Irazu once before and were totally in love, and trip two didn’t disappoint!

We ordered empanadas to start: beef and potato for PT, and a black bean and a spinach and cheese to share. They were outstanding! We split the shrimp and veggie dinner special with the amazing Costa Rican rice, cabbage salad, and sweet fried plantains. The entire meal, then the entire rest of the night, we kept saying, ‘Man that was a great meal!’

Man, was that a great meal! I’m still not over it.

Everyone is making a big deal about how Barack makes time for Michelle. They go out to eat! They go for walks around the White House! He looks like he really likes her! They actually spend time together! Like it is a foreign concept to like the person you are married to.

On the other hand, imagine if John McCain would have been elected. Cindy would be so pissed! She would have to live with John for the first time in who knows how long. And the White House would probably be a downgrade from the house she is living in, and John would probably be a downgrade from whoever she is dating now. Would we be talking about how John makes time to go out with Cindy on date nights? Absolutely not. I actually had google ‘John McCain’s wife’s name’ to write this post.

Whitey Barack

PT and I have no need for ‘date night’. ‘Date night’ to me is like what Valentine’s Day is; an excuse for couples who don’t like each other anymore to go out and spend a lot of money so other people will see they still like each other. PT and I like each other, and we do fun stuff all the time.

I know. Weird.

As a joke, we decided last night was ‘date night’. We pretended we didn’t like each other even! Right up until PT put my sunglasses on. You can’t really pretend not to like that face.

Michelle, eat your heart out.

We went to Irazu on Milwaukee. Amazingly, I’ve never been! I’ve lived within two miles of this place for almost five years and I’ve never gone. Thanks to Barack and Michelle, we walked over. I even dressed up! I wore a tank to show off my hot toned arms and a big white skirt that PT promptly spilled coke on.

Patio

The best part about summer in Chicago is getting to eat outside. Irazu just expanded their patio, too, so there were plenty of seats, even for that woman in the blue with her boobs hanging out (unfortunately not pictured).

Veggie Burrito

I ordered the Veggie Burrito: Award Winning! Black beans, yellow rice,lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese, sour cream & hot peppers. I got my hot peppers on the side, thank god, because they weren’t joking about the hot. There is no way I could have eaten a burrito with that on it. But PT helped himself!

Pepito Sandwich

PT ordered the Pepito Sandwich: Rib eye steak, sauteed onions, cheese, pinto beans & Lizano sauce. I, naturally, didn’t take a taste, but PT said it was very good.

Sweet Plantains and Gallo Pinto

On the side we ordered sweet plantains and gallo pinto, or Costa Rican rice. The plantains were out of control, and the rice was excellent. We ate and ate and were outside and happy! Just like Barack and Michelle would be.

I’m embarrassed now that I haven’t eaten here until now! I’ve been missing out on some seriously delicious food. We can’t wait to go back. If only we didn’t like each other so we had an excuse to go out.

Added Bonus: VERY close to Margie’s Candies! We crossed the street and got cones after dinner.