Water Bobble Challange

It takes a lot to get me to drink water... I never could do it... something so plain tasting ew... a waste of my taste-buds time. With the few exceptions, including gulps and gulps after gym class or a hard day at the park, to drink water when I was younger seemed like a severe punishment. No koolaid, no OJ, no Coke? Ewww I would rather die of thirst!
while I now try to stay away from things that are too sweetened, I do love Juices and naturally sweetened sodas (Reeds Ginger-ale, anyone?). But as far as water drinking goes, things pretty much remain the same. The only time I will drink copious amounts of water (and by copious I would mean 1 whole standard bottle of bottled water)is when I am in my Bikram class and sweat like a cute but still very sweaty pig.
A few days ago fellow blogger and Beau DJ Intel Found the coolest thing for water possibly ever. The Bobble!!! It filters your water for you with each sip! The Bobble comes complete with a colorful activated carbon filter that does all the magic and lasts 2 months(the bottle with filter is $9.99 plus S&H the replacement filters are $6.99 plus S&H) The savings is evident right away.
So here is my challenge!
I am giving up other non-alcoholic beverages ( no juice, no Izze, no Reed's etc..)Occasional Wine and beer is ok (i am a foodie) but NO mixed drinks with anything but SODA or water!
aaaannnnd I am going to try to drink the recommended amount of water every day (9 cups for ladies)
For 30 days!!
I, for one, think everyone else I know should do it with me...
No more wasted water bottles, wasting money, wasting water and killing the earth with plastic( I am the queen of leaving half empty water bottles around.)
Not only am I saving money and the planet I am also saving calories that I can use toward more NOMS!
Here is where you can get your Bobble Bobblicous

Let me know if you join in!!!

I LOVE HOT DOUG'S

As a preface to this letter, I know writing about Hot Doug's in Chicago is not original. Everyone loves it, including the king of the foodies Anthony Bourdain. But I cannot contain myself any longer and would like to indulge myself by singing their praises.
Dear Hot Doug's,
A love letter to you coming from a person whose only source of meat is fish may seem strange to many. It is well known across the foodie-dom that your love for encased meats is all encompassing. With this fact well known, a person who is ignorant to your ways may not be aware that you cater to people like myself and the stricter vegetarian crowd too.
I often drool reading about the "game of the week" and other sausages on your list. This is not at the sausages themselves, but the list of delectable and sometimes exotic toppings that you offer. Nothing is better on a perfectly charred veggie dog than Spicy Peanut sauce Snow White cheese and black sesame seeds or Garlicky Dijon mustard and Moody Blue Cheese... Nom!! And one cannot forget the classic Chicago dog!! hmmm its hard to just choose one!!
So in short thank you Hot Doug's, for making me usually bland veggie dog interesting and delish. You Rock my world!!
-Crystal
What I got on a veggie dog

and this one

ooof I'm Still FULL!!
PS: hows about a salmon sausage?

Ummm.. Wow ! Revenge of the Double Down !

So how do you start the second post on your blog after Gapers Block and Huffington Post write about your first article...... Well unless pizza-hut wraps a meat-lovers pizza around a kielbasa I don't think we can cook anything crazier.

I do promise foodie fun from around the Chicago area and abroad and would love to hear what others have eaten that was just fantastic (pescatarian, vegetarian, or chock full of meat).

We also have gotten a lot of funny/ angry responses on Huffington Post. Addressing that: I make no apologies for my diet I never said I was a vegetarian I do eat fish (just not cow, pig, chicken or any other land animal). I will continue to eat want just like I have my whole life. Also, lighten up!!! doesn't anyone else see the humor in recreating a Meat only sandwich without any meat??? Oh well!!!

I love that you guys are interested Keep checking back 'cause this is about to get super fun!!

Holy Double Down!!!!

This is the first official Snacks in the city Post! I have been toying with the Idea of this blog for a while but have never started an article. Well finally an event occurred in my snack-dom that has out done anything in previous memory.
Anyone on the net or well... anyone living knows about the meat monstrosity called the KFC "Double-Down". Well I am a Pescatarian ( mostly vegetarian but I include fishes in my diet) and this meat medley was not in the cards for me and really I had no desire for it. Well yesterday, Jason (my boyfriend and also pescatarian) was sneaking around the grocery store picking out peculiar items such as; 2 bricks of cheese, veggie chicken patties and fake bacon etc.... I think that you all are starting to get the picture. When I questioned him about this crazy idea.... he told me "Hey we deserve to dream too, don't we."
So this afternoon we had a super deeelish Vegetarian double down. OMG we both wanted another!

Here are some pics!