As 2009 winds down, I’d like to reflect on how the year has been for Making Chicago Home. As you may or may not know, this baby blog was born on the 19th of February when the first post was proudly displayed.

Since then, MCH has covered everything from ballets to bad pizza, cat circuses, spaghetti wrestling, butchering, fashion and Chicago parades. It has been quite a ride.

One great find of 2009: Frushi from Orange

In the new year MCH hopes to grow and mature, and we hope you will be around to see the good things we find.

Alas, there are still things that I did not get to do in Chicago during 2009 that I hope to do in 2010. Please take the time to read over the list and let me know which things you think would be cool. I am going to keep readers updated about the items on the checklist.

1. High-five Mayor Daley. I know this one is a long shot, but can’t a girl dream? :-)

2. Indulge in a cupcake three-course meal. Meatloaf cupcakes for dinner, Swirlz cupcakes for dessert. Cupcakes are all the rage and I think it might be possible to make a whole meal out of it. I want an appetiser, entree and dessert three-ring cupcake circus.

3. Go to a show at TimeLine theatre. What’s cooler than the theatre? How about a theatre that “presents stories inspired by history that connect with today’s social and political issues”? Ever since I had the pleasure of Artistic Director PJ Powers speak about the creation of this theatre company, I kicked myself for not going sooner.

4. Take the Chicago Architecture Boat Tour. I know, I know. Everyone and their brother has done this tour. But I still haven’t and I love architecture. Shame on me.

5. Adopt a cat from Felines, Inc. I was a proud older sister to a handsome cat named Tiger for 17 years until he passed away last January. He died soon after I arrived in Chicago. It was tough but I think I am now ready to open my heart up to a new kitty-in-need. Felines Inc. has done remarkable work since 1977, and Executive Director Abby Smith cares so much about the fur balls that it will make your heart melt.

6. Be in the audience for an Oprah show (or better yet, be a guest!). Maybe she can do a show on local bloggers. Yeah? Yeah?? :-)

7. Guest cheerlead for the Windy City Rollers. Secretly, I want to be hard core enough to be on the Windy City Rollers. But since I don’t know how to roller skate and I don’t have a badass name (like Riley Coyote!), I will settle for cheerleading.

8. Tandem bike in Critical Mass. I don’t own a bicycle in Chicago yet, so someone is going to have to tandem with me. I really want to tandem bike with this guy. Please Paul, let’s make this happen.

9. Have a Making Chicago Home meet-up to the International Museum of Surgical Sciences. Because the Ugly Christmas Sweater party was so much fun, and several MCH readers came out who were really cool, I am inspired to do more meet ups. It would also be amazing if MCH could co-sponsor a once-a-month community dinner. I’m working on it.

10. Build my own robot at RobotCity Workshop. Preferably one that can make me breakfast in bed, style my hair and fetch me a RedEye in the morning, but I won’t get too picky: If it can make me breakfast in bed, I’ll be happy.

11. See the Blue Man group. Cliche? Maybe, but I have heard this show is really cool, and I have a thing for men with blue skin. Ooooh yeeeahhh.

12. Go to a Second City show. Does this need any further explanation?

13. One word: Chiditarod. Because whoever thought that racing shopping carts through the streets of Chicago filled with food for the less fortunate was a good idea, was right.

14. Take afternoon tea at The Drake. You may think afternoon tea is a stuffy, English tradition that involves cucumber sandwiches and rigid table manners…which is totally, utterly true. And I miss it! So when I got word that The Drake had my dear Queen over for tea in 1958, I just knew that I had to indulge.

15. Take a tour of Blommer Chocolate Factory and share it with the world. Because supposedly they do not give tours of the factory and I want to be the first!

16. Stuff my face at the Green City Market Annual Chef’s Barbecue. I cannot believe I missed this gem of an event last year! This year I will do anything to picnic with other Chicagoans in Lincoln Park with more ribs than I can count. Bring it!

17. Sing a 40s song with a band at the Green Mill Lounge. You know how some little girls dream of becoming a princess? Well I dreamt of singing Stormy Weather in a smoky jazz club to a group of gentlemen in zoot suits. Sigh.

18. Take a belly dancing class. Burlesque dance, pole dance and yoga might be popular, but I have always been really interested in belly dancing. It’s beautiful, hypnotic and I love the costumes.

19. Host a winter walking tour through the Walk Chicago Tours. Just to prove that Chicago is beautiful even when it is -4 degrees, windy and snowing.

20. Visit a farm near Chicago. Now that Green City Market and the Midwest has turned me into a Locavore, I want to visit and help out at one of the many farms who come to GCM. Any takers??

Other things: Enjoy a pint at the Map Room; find the best tres leches cake in the City; watch an El Circo Cheapo show, buy a dress from a Chicago-based designer; explore Andersonville more thoroughly; find where actually Little Italy is (hint: it is not near the UIC campus like people told me!) and have a fabulous time in the Windy City!

Is the tres leches cake from El Cid in Logan Square the best? I am going to find out in 2010!

Care to join me?

Happy New Year!

Dev xx

Advertisement