Goose Island - 312

Time out, look who is using my photo!!!!

See that 312 image?  I took that as my husband shoveled. That's how he kept his beer cold during Blizzardmania a week ago today. Go me and my photography skills (go ahead and laugh - hahaha).

Happy New Years Eve

This year like years past, I'm left at work reading all your "3 day work week" and "Off for 3 days" Facebook status. You would think I'd be over this working on NYE and New Years day thing since I've been doing it for what feels like forever...but I'm not.

But it's still the holidays and I am trying to stay positive. I did have Christmas day off so that was a first and I enjoyed every minute of it. Also, when I have to work, that means the hubs has to clean, cook, and prep for our annual NYE party (3 years in the making). That makes things a little less stressful right? So when I get home today, I will just be able to enjoy the night with friends and family and Chicago's finest, Goose Island.

PS Per Minne, this year the poppers aren't invited.

PSS If you're wondering why think back to the NYE we spent in Naperville. At midnight the poppers went crazy and Minne got so scared she pooped herself. 3 time.  No lie.

Goose Island & Melting Pot

Last night the hubs and I joined some of our local friends for a Goose Island Beer Tasting at Melting Pot. Great friends, food and drinks - what's not to like?

We learned a little about the Illinois roots of Goose Island and we got to learn quite about the beers them self. Every amazing fondue item paired exceptionally well with the Goose Island beverages. As you can see from above, we started with cheese and the Honker's Ale which went over pretty well. We followed up with a yummy salad and the standard 312.

All 3 of the couples there last night have all been married less than 2 years. In between bites and meals many stories we're exchanged and marriage conversations had. My girlfriend A managed to spout out "And you still married him/her" more than once during the night. Just imagine the show "Marriage Ref" with 6 couples at Melting Pot minus the ref. It got a little out of hand, but in a fun way of course.

And then the entree came. We had spicy shrimp, peanut butter chicken, some sort of summer sausage, steak and a BBQ pork. To accompany that we tried the Brown Nut Nut Brown (which we found out recently won an award and yet they are still discontinuing it - anyone else find this odd) and my personal favorite the Matilda.

We concluded the night with chocolate fondue paired with fruits, pound cake, rice crispy treats, brownies and more. I can't speak to how great everything was because I had a piece of cheesecake and the hubs polished off the rest of the desert plate to himself. The Goose Island beverage was the Pere Jacques, which was another one I really enjoyed.

I learned a lot that night:
1. I tend to like the Belgian style beers more.
2. The hubs really likes desert
3. The staff at the Melting Pot is extremely overly friendly
4. When you give people good food and beverages, they are more inclined to throw their significant other under the bus (I won't cite any examples here out of the kindness of my heart and...well...the fear of embarrassing myself and running my friendships)
5. Everything is apparently more awesome in Plainfield?!