This week I would like to introduce Rebecca of Homemaker's Habitat.
What brought you to Chicago?
I've lived in downtown Chicago for about 8 years but grew up in Rockford, IL, which is about 90 minutes northwest of the city. After college there was no question in my mind that I would move to downtown Chicago because I love the pace of the city, the eclectic neighborhoods and, of course, the amazing food!
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
I work in public relations, so my day job keeps me pretty busy. At the end of a long week though, my husband and I love nothing more than spending a quiet night at home, creating an amazing meal and enjoying a glass of wine.
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— Whitney Merritt /
This week I would like to introduce Jenn of
Eating Bender.
What brought you to Chicago?
I was actually born in Lake Forest but moved away when I was very little, only to come back to Chicago to attend Northwestern University in Evanston (Go Wildcats)! I fell in love with the city after a summer internship my junior year and decided to move downtown and find work after graduation this past June. I love living where all the action is and experiencing city life!
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
I work in public relations at a big agency in the city, so a lot of my time is spent planning client events. I also work a lot with social media at my job, tweeting on behalf of brands and monitoring what people are saying about our clients on blogs, Twitter, and other digital mediums.
When I'm not blogging OR working, I can be found running around the city, playing the occasional round of golf (though I wish it was more often) and vegging out in front of the TV with my favorite shows (too many to name).
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— Whitney Merritt /
This week I would like to introduce Jessi of To Kiss the Cook.
What brought you to Chicago?
I was raised in Memphis by a pair of northeasterners, made my way to rural Ohio for college and then took the tunnel burrowed under Indiana by many previous generations into the city of Chicago. I always knew I wanted to be in a city (better food) but until three days before I moved here, I thought I'd be in Boston. Au contraire. This city, which was supposed to be a two year incubator before New York, San Francisco, Boston, London etc. has now been home for going on five years. I am satiated in wanderlust by living right on the blue line, a straight shot to O'Hare. This comes in handy every 3-4 weeks.
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— Whitney Merritt /
This week I would like to introduce you to Caroline of Whipped.
What brought you to Chicago?
I grew up in Michigan, moved to Europe for a bit while courting my husband and then lured him back to the U.S. with the promise of big city living. Chicago became our home in 2001.
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
I have my own marketing consulting business where I am lucky enough to work with a bunch of chefs! I relax by playing with my daughter, swimming, doing yoga and scheming up dinner party plans that I don't have time to execute.
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— Whitney Merritt /
This week I would like to introduce you to one of the first food blogs that I really fell in love with (and we are lucky enough that Kristin lives in Chicago): Kristin of The Kitchen Sink!
What brought you to Chicago?
I went to college at Northwestern, where I fell in love with both Evanston and Chicago---not to mention my husband, whose family lives here, too. We spent a couple years in Washington, DC after college, but we've been back for about five years.
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
Well, I'm a lawyer by day. Beyond that, I love wandering, in this city and other cities and in the wilderness, too. My family is in Minnesota and I try to get up there as much as I can. Beyond that, I'm usually cooking or eating or scouring the markets (farmers' and otherwise) for food. So, I suppose I'm never that far from the stuff that ends up on the blog.
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— Whitney Merritt /
This week, I would like to introduce Elizabeth Stephens of The Fearless Cook.
What brought you to Chicago?
I grew up in the Atlanta area and went to UGA (in Athens) for undergrad, then attended the Creative Circus, a small advertising and design portfolio school (also in Atlanta). I got a job after graduation at an ad agency in Chicago and, though I've since moved to another job, have been here ever since (about 2 and a half years now).
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
Well, being in advertising, I work a lot. I love to do yoga, especially bikram yoga. I also - obviously - cook, but I also love trying out all the great Chicago restaurants. And I read a lot - books, magazines, you name it, I probably have my nose stuck in it.
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— Whitney Merritt /
This week, I would like to introduce Natalie Slater of Bake and Destroy!
What brought you to Chicago?
Destiny and a moving van. I was born in Joliet and as a teenager I spent every second I could spare in Chicago. As soon as I was ready to go to college I moved to the city. I graduated from Columbia with a BA in Magazine Journalism.
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
I'm the Internet Communications Manger for a Chicago-based green e-commerce company (ReusableBags.com), which means I'm kind of always blogging. I run our corporate blog, Facebook page and Twitter accounts. Besides Bake and Destroy I also have The Donut Database and Send More Cops. And I contribute to Brutal As Hell and All Things Cupcake. So um...yeah, always blogging.
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— Whitney Merritt /
This week I would like to introduce Mara who writes the blog "What's for Dinner?"
What brought you to Chicago?
I was born and raised in Skokie, IL, and with the exception of the 5 years I lived in Peoria for college, I've stayed in the general area. I lived in 3 very different neighborhoods in the city over the course of 4 years, and now live out in the NW Suburbs.
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
I'm a middle school Spanish teacher, so much of my time is spent planning/grading, but other hobbies besides cooking and blogging include crocheting, photography (of things besides just food) and, my fiancé's least favorite hobby: shoe shopping.
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— Whitney Merritt /
This week, I have to pleasure of introducing one of my favorite Chicagoland food bloggers, Tim from Lottie + Doof.
What brought you to Chicago?
Birth. I was born near 59th and Kedvale and have spent most of my life in the city. I went to DePaul's Theatre School as an undergrad and Northwestern for grad school so I have lots of ties to the city.
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
I work at a university during the day but my free time I spend with friends eating good food and enjoying the city. I like antiques and we recently bought our first place so we are spending a lot of time searching for things for our home.
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— Whitney Merritt /
I hope that you have enjoyed the weekly interviews of Chicagoland food bloggers.
Next up, Valerie of Marathon Val, who has recently decided to eat Vegan.
What brought you to Chicago?
I grew up in Valparaiso, IN, which is just across the border from Chicago. I have fond memories of taking Saturday trips into the city to celebrate special occasions and to go holiday shopping. When I met my husband, who is from the Chicago area, it was a given that I would move here to be closer to him since I was already in love with Chicago!
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
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— Whitney Merritt /
You may have noticed last week that I introduced you to Food Loves Writing on Friday, but I have decided to move this weekly feature to the middle of the week when you might need a little inspiration or a new distraction in the work week.
This week I want to introduce another one of my favorite Chicagoland Bloggers, Jacqui of Happy Jack Eats.
What brought you to Chicago?
I've always lived in the Chicago suburbs. I grew up in the Waukegan, and after college I moved to Lisle. Now, I work in the Loop as an editor, and even though the commute can be hell, nothing beats strolling through the farmers market on my way to the office and having lunch in Millennium Park. Winters, on the other hand, I could live without. But I suppose you're not a true Chicagoan until you've survived one or two or twenty-five of those.
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
I'm an Internet junkie. When I'm not eating or cooking or writing about eating and cooking, I'm reading other food blogs, browsing Flickr, or loitering around Twitter. I'm one of those people who surfs the Internet while watching TV (hooked on Lost and Dexter). Blogging has also sparked an interest in photography, and I'm currently accepting donations for a new digital SLR camera.
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— Whitney Merritt /
As a food blogger myself, I have filled my google reader with blogs that I read and enjoy on a daily basis. Many of these bloggers live, write and eat right here in the Windy City. I decided that I wanted to introduce you to some of my favorites with a new weekly series: Food Blog Friday.
First up, Shannalee at Food Loves Writing
Photo by Rebecca Brogan
What brought you to Chicago?
The Chicago area is where I grew up and where my family is from, and, excluding four years of college, the only place I've ever lived. I'm a big believer that home is where you make it with people you love, but, at least for now, I'm glad that's here.
What do you do when you aren't blogging?
I love to explore new places, whether that means a weekend in Maine or a Saturday in Oak Park, and I've started really getting into antiquing---have you ever looked at vintage aprons or cake stands? It's like history you can use! Other stuff: Enjoying my first experience with a CSA, finding ways to stay outside and watching entire series of television shows online. Oh yeah, and I have a day job---as an editor/copy writer.
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— Whitney Merritt /
