“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight!Schlemiel! Schlimazel!Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!”—intro to Laverne & Shirley, (1976–1983) We’re gonna do it! Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Sprecher Brewery. “I really like the Cherry Cola from Sprecher Brewery! This has a nice bite and it’s very refreshing!” This is no spin-off. Sprecher Brewery … Continue reading Sprecher Brewery
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”—A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, 1859 Early on a Saturday morning, a hot July day was starting to shimmer and sizzle. I felt my skin struggle to breathe. Drops of sweat raced down my back. This was just my second time … Continue reading Butterflies and Blooms
Spunky _________________________. a) and Our Gangb) McFarlandc) Monkeyd) Brewstere) Dunkers You knew the whole time. I knew you knew. Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Spunky Dunkers. “The Spunky Dunkers Peanut Cake donut is very moist! I taste something almost like ginger? I like the Red Velvet Cake donut too. It’s … Continue reading Spunky Dunkers
What is human nature? Is it base? Or something greater? Are we apart from nature or a part of it? We ask the questions for which we seek the answers. It’s human nature. Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Human + Nature at The Morton Arboretum. “I am amazed by the … Continue reading Human + Nature
Let’s sit down for some pancakes. Put away your pure Vermont maple syrup, unsulphured blackstrap molasses, and sorghum syrup. You won’t need butter, but we will include a couple eggs. That’s where the overlap stops. How about cabbage for a start? Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Okonomiyaki: Japanese Savory Pancakes. … Continue reading Okonomiyaki: Japanese Savory Pancakes
If you could do it all again, would you rather view a painting simply hung on a wall or would you prefer to be immersed in the art? “If you could do it all againA little fairy dustA thousand tiny birds singingIf you must, you must”—Thom Yorke, excerpt of “Dawn Chorus” (2019) To stand before the original … Continue reading Immersive Van Gogh
Quick! What is “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports?” a) Get your mind out of the gutter. b) The manager reaching, at last, the suspended cash register with “The Key.” c) Your car racing—then screeching to a stop—by a valet with your radio’s volume weaponized. d) “The Run for the Roses” or The Kentucky … Continue reading Woodford Reserve: Kentucky Derby Recipes
Welcome to The Simple Luxuries. Thank you for visiting my WordPress blog. That was my introduction on April 1, 2019. Fifty-two posts later, we are moving forward into our third year. Although the current availability of places to visit and things to try have been limited, we hope to join everyone soon like a wave … Continue reading Year Two: Review
When I was a kid, like many kids, we celebrated holidays throughout the year in our elementary school classrooms. I remember one spring when a certain holiday was about to pop up on the calendar. It was mid-March, so early during the progress of the year and my education. For the following day, I was … Continue reading St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022 “Whose woods these are I think I know.His house is in the village though;He will not see me stopping hereTo watch his woods fill up with snow.” Robert Frost (aptly named) wrote my favorite poem of all time, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” … Continue reading Self-Guided Woods Walk at Chicago Botanic Garden
The Simple Luxuries 