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Feels like -26°C. ❗️ Wind Chill Advisory ❗️

Just another March in Chicago.

And currently I can't work because everything is broken 💻, so while support is fixing that, I'll write here.

Last Saturday my parents came into the city and we went up to the Chicago Botanic Garden to see the Orchid Show , a by-now years-long tradition. There's not much specific to write about it--it was nice, I took pictures of orchids, my secret favorite part was the desert flora greenhouse area and not the orchids at all--but the garden's orchid display seemed more subdued this year compared to previous years. There were fewer orchids on the walls in the entry hall, the vendor who sells little clay display orchids or small garden dioramas wasn't there at all, and there weren't as many informational displays outside the greenhouse. There also wasn't a vanilla variety exhibit, which maybe is due to the vanilla shortage? None of that stopped the crowds, though, which were as thick as they always are. But only inside, since it's still cold and snowy outside and there was nothing to see anywhere there wasn't a greenhouse. Sometimes it's warm enough during the Orchid Show that the tulips have started to poke through the ground, but not here.

After the traditional stop at Graeter's for ice cream, and then back to my apartment so my father could fix the slightly-broken drawer that he further broke while trying to fix it, my parents dropped me off in the suburbs at MomoManLove's birthday party. It was medieval-themed, which I had known about before I went, but I didn't realize how far it went. There were banners hung from the walls and most of the attendees were appropriately attired, whereas I was (as usual) dressed like an extra from Blade Runner. So, I said I was an emissary from the Dark Lord.

I also brought matcha white choco cookies, which I made using this recipe, and everyone loved them! It's only the second time I've ever (non-bread) baked, after the flourless choco cake I made for the Seder I threw last year, and so far I'm 100% in on people loving my baking. Let's see if I can maintain my record, since I've got Passover this year coming up.

Last Wednesday, I met up with scottjohnsonhatboro for dinner, since he's in town (well, Skokie) for work and Andersonville was having its own restaurant week. We went to Octavio and got their prix fixe menu, where we talked about scottjohnsonhatboro's job and each got ordered the opposite item of the two choices for each category. The banana tres leches cake was the best part of the meal, sadly--the fajitas were merely edible--but I've always heard good things about brunch there. The cake was enough that I'd go back again.

This week is full up already. A friend is coming over tonight and I'm making shakshuka and we're going to play board games, and tomorrow I'm going to a rum tasting. Wednesday lisekatevans invited me over to watch First Reformed, since she has to watch it for a discussion on a local access channel she was invited to. Friday is a Within Temptation concert, and that should be fun since I last saw them in concert ten-and-a-half years ago and I don't know what any of their recent music is like. And I had to turn down a game night invitation on Friday due to said concert!

I'm looking forward to this week.