What I Loved on My Summer Vacation, by GG

Dear Blogging World,

As you know, this summer, I went on a long weekend to California, after saving up and budgeting $1000, a little here and a little there. On my trip, we stayed at a swanky hotel, ate some fabulous food and toured San Francisco, Sausalito, Napa, Sonoma and the Muir Woods.

It was really nice to get away from work, especially right after my one-year anniversary, but I’ll admit I came back more tired than I left, in some ways!

Here are the things that I loved the most:

Delica @ The Ferry Building: First night we got there, we were hot and tired and starving! Our hotel concierge recommended we head out to the Ferry building because of its variety and location on the water. The very first thing I ever ate in California, it turned out, would be at Delica, this supercool Japanese delicatessen. I didn’t even know what a croquette was before this trip, but the sweet corn/potato/onion one I had at Delica was AMAZING.

Muir Woods marked the biggest change on this trip–a decrease in temperatures. It went from 114 degrees in Sonoma to 64 in the Muir Woods National Monument. Shocking to my system but pretty cool (no pun intended). These woods are seriously gorgeous, filled with huge cliffs, amazing lookout points and so much natural beauty. This is where I first saw the Golden Gate Bridge, while standing on an oceanfront cliff. Incredible. Later that day, we drove up to the more wooded area farther north, and our car whipped around curves where I could see thousands of feet below me. I’ll be honest–I totally hyperventilated, both sobbing and laughing hysterically, my hands clammy and my breath short. Surprise: I am a little afraid of heights, especially when there are no railings! Totally worth it, nonetheless.

I thought Sausalito was fantastic, filled with gorgeous waterfront homes built into the mountain, a quaint downtown and ocean breezes. On our way in, we noticed an Italian restaurant, Cacciucco, in the residential area, where there was al fresco dining and no line. After we parked in the downtown, it probably took 25 minutes to walk back over, but it was delicious. The salad I had–spinach, pears, walnuts, honey and pecorino cheese–was perfection.

The Best Chicago Bakeries

I can’t say this post is especially frugal, but it is food, and it is some of the most delicious food: in Chicagoland: the bakeries.

Whether you’re from the city or visiting, you need to make time for some of the amazing bakeries around here. Seriously. Can you think of anything more fun than a nicely packaged box of cupcakes or cookies? I can’t. And in Chicagoland, here are my top four favorites:

1. Swirlz, 705 W Belden Ave, Lincoln Park, Chicago: The best frosting anywhere and gorgeous presentation.

2. Sweet Mandy B’s, 1208 W Webster Ave, Lincoln Park, Chicago: Literally, get anything. I dare you to be disappointed.

3. Bleeding Heart, 1955 W Belmont Ave, Roscoe Village, Chicago: Best Earl Grey cookies I’ve ever had. Extra bonus: all organic!

4. Bennison’s, 1000 Davis St, Evanston: They get points for the supercool vintage storefront and the window view into the actual bakery. I love, love the petit fours, and the prices are very reasonable.

the rest of the weekend

After I posted yesterday, I did end up getting a ton done. In fact, this was probably the best Saturday I’ve had in months!

My brother and I went to Lincoln Park to try another pizza place: Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder. This was our first non-Neapolitan experience, and it was crazy-good. Drinks, Mediterranean bread and pizza pot pie (as good as it sounds!): I paid $10.

Then we went to Swirlz, and he treated me to a Grasshopper cupcake. The woman who checked us out (the owner?) said we really should try the cranberry-chocolate, and we were unsure. “Oh, just give them one,” she told the guy bagging them. So I got two free (delicious! designer!) cupcakes on top of an amazing pizza meal: My total cost? free.

Fall is just ending in LP, and the tree-lined streets are lovely shades of deep orange and bright yellow. Maple leaves dot the sidewalks, and a chill was in the air. We walked over to Urban Outfitters just as it was getting dark, and I bought a great necklace I love: $19.62 (including Chicago tax).

Leaving the neighborhood, we headed to a big mall where we knocked out some beginning Christmas shopping: Crabtree and Evelyn for Mom ($19.26), a purse ($18) and a scarf ($18) for our great friend J and some snacky sweets for Dad’s birthday ($4) next week.

My kind of Saturday.

Spacca Napoli in Ravenswood

(This is weekly post #1 in the Frugal Foodie Thursday series.)

For months, Friday nights have been pizza nights. My brother and I started this tradition last winter in an effort to find the best pizza in Chicagoland. We’re big pizza fans—I, more than anyone. I could eat it every day: cold, hot, toppings, no toppings. And since I’m feeling especially daring, I might as well tell you my culinary exploits have involved my making every imaginable substance into its own kind of pizza. Crusts I’ve tried: store-bought dough, homemade dough, pita, Italian bread, crackers… I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say, each has its pluses and minuses. Each, that is, except the one I’m about to describe.

I should also tell you, in the interest of full disclosure, that, while I wouldn’t refuse it of course, I don’t especially prefer Chicago-style pizza. Call it sacrilege if you must, but this Chicago girl likes her pizza thin-crusted, Neapolitan-style. Blame it on world travel or perhaps my Italian grandmother. Either way, this is how it’s got to be.

A while back, Chicago Magazine did an issue that highlighted the best Neopolitan-style pizza places in Chicago. We’ve tried as many as we could. Some have been good, some great—but none could top Spacca Napoli, the first we visited and I daresay the best pizza in the city.

When you go, if at all possible, get the Pizze Margherita. It’s covered with just enough ripe tomatoes, Italian mozzarella, fresh basil and perfect olive oil. The crust is soft—not too soft, but easy to break off and chew, and crunchy—not cracker-crunchy but crisp. The flavor is sweet in a deliciously olive oil way, which, I’ll just say it, is the best kind of sweet in the world of pizza. It’s pizza perfection and, top this: it’s ready in minutes. Their ovens cook it up quickly and I mean quickly.

Other reasons to visit: a beautiful atmosphere, complete with al fresca dining, should you choose; great service—our waiter was completely charming; and easy parking just a block or so away.

Even more! Stop by their website, where a 25% OFF coupon will work for lunch Wednesdays or Thursdays through the end of the year. For dinner, I spent around $12, but I’ll admit I just drank tap water; I don’t know if the lunch menu’s even more affordable, but with the coupon, what could you lose?

Make plans to visit this incredible spot soon. I know you’ll love it.

$10 Saturday

In Chicago, the 4th of July means the Taste. Few summer things are as fun or as memorable as eating dozens of helpings of Chicago’s finest. If you go, you must try the rainbow cone and delicious Connie’s pizza. Yum.

I’m saving the experience for later this week, so today my brother and I planned to hit up Lincoln Park’s pizza fest, not quite the Taste, but respectable.

We got there and realized a $5 donation was encouraged just to enter. Since we didn’t know what to expect in the food available, we decided to try our own route.

I mean, really, who needs a festival in a city with thousands of restaurants? Between the two of us, we tried pizza from two places–here and here–rather large “tries,” to be honest, and chocolate and peach ice cream from a great place near Armitage. Total cost? $10/ea.

We paid nothing for parking, little for gas and had a great day in gorgeous weather. We walked to the free Lincoln Park Zoo, visited a water-lily park and checked out neighborhoods Brother is looking into for housing.

This is my idea of fun: food, walking, gorgeous weather, the city. Ah, Saturdays in Chicago.