Today we got to the Taste of Chicago! Yum! But before we did that, judiang and I went to her workplace in order for her to turn in cases she flexed on and pick up some new cases to flex. We got to the office block at quarter till 8am, so I wasn’t let allowed in her offices. So I popped into the Starbucks in her building and had a caramel steamer and read a book on my mobile. It was kind of fun sitting and looking out at the city view. So of course I took a picture.

Starbucks View The view from Starbucks when I had a caramel steamer this morning.

She came down to get me once visitors were allowed in. I read some more and enjoyed looking out her window. (I also fixed a certificate which had fallen from her wall. Yes, I’m anal.) Her office is on the 9th floor and you can see over the El (elevated train). I, of course, took a photo.

De Trains! De Trains! View of the El from Judi’s office at her workplace.

When Judi was done with her work, it was after 10am so we decided to walk to Taste of Chicago. elsaf e-mailed her requests, so once we’d grazed for a bit, we picked up her requests. Here are things that I tried:

• Potato Pancake w/ apple sauce from Manny’s Cafeteria & Deli – alas, reheated rather than fresh.
  
• Irish Egg Roll from Abbey Pub – my favorite 2009 Taste item so far. Basically a Reuben in a filo dough that’s been fried.
  
• Grilled Anjou Pear Salad from The Grill on the Alley – tasty, but a little too tart.
  
• Jambalaya from Blue Bayou – alas, they were already sold out of the Bananas Foster Bites.
  
• Potato Pierogi and Cheese Pierogi from Polka Sausage and Deli – very yummy and the cheese one was sweet rather than savory.
  
• Mustard-fried Catfish and Peach Cobbler – had a bite of these two items from Judi’s purchases.
  
• Baklava from Costa’s – wanted to end on a sweet note, so I did.

We started at 11am on the dot and were leaving the Taste at 12:05. 🙂