Top Chef, CVS going high end and very not happy

Top Chef: Week 2 - bring the flavor!
So it's week two of this show in Chi-town and now that whiny Nimma is gone, let's see who is next to go!

Quickfire Challenge: Green City Market (yay) - recipes with only 5 ingredients
Great challenge. First off, I used to live near Green City Market so I had a mini joy-gasim at the though that Top Chef was near where I used to live. And what was up with Mark being all up in the vendors grill? Lamb? This isn't Whole Foods, and digging in the vendors stuff, not proper etiquette.

My winner was Ryan, with the steak, potatoes and greens. Classic and solid choice. Oh and Andrew adding another ingredient? Ew someone wasn't paying attention. But that guy is funny and game for anything so good for him!

In the end, Mark was the final winner, which kind of surprised me. Honestly Ryan was my guy :)

Elimination Challenge: Catering a cocktail party of 200 at the Lincoln Park Zoo
Wow we're spending this entire episode in Lincoln Park. Maybe Lakeview next time? At least they shop in my hood, something is better than nothing, but we all know a episode at Wrigley Field is inevitable too.

Ouch and Lisa slipped too in the produce department. Lawsuit! Sue! Nikki whining about table decor was a good call, even if her eyebrows are plucked within an inch of their life.

Very interesting presentation by Team Lion too, everything in the main part of the spoon. Very different and easy to eat in a party. Mark's anchovies was also a bold choice, ballsy! By the tone of the music, you could tell that Team Gorilla was in trouble but the contestants this year are good about pulling dishes that won't work rather than serve them anyhow. The banana bread from that team did look awesome though, made me want some.

In the end, Andrew won, which made me happy. I would not eat his dish but it was creative and honestly that guy is just too hilarious to vote off now. And unfortunately Valerie had to go because of her soggy, ill-prepared dish. I thought Nikki would go, especially when she wore the freaky glasses to panel.

CVS going high end?
Tonight while entering the CVS on Michigan, I noticed a sign on the revolving door that says that CVS now carries Bumble & Bumble products, which caught me as a surprise. Somehow I don't see CVS and Bumble & Bumble together, especially when B&B starts at $25 a pop. Getting my Coconut shampoo with corn nuts? As convenient as it is, I'll stick with getting it at the salon, where it's tax-free! Wee!

Dead to me
I'm ashamed to say that I have a quirk that is very unattractive. Fortunately it's not a drug habit, but actually I can be very judgemental to the point where items I buy can be considered "dead to me." This means when I buy something, like a shirt, I won't buy it if it has a "pull" in the fabric, discolor or spots. When I buy a handbag, I inspect it like an airport screener to make sure there are no "nicks" or wear on the leather or suede. It's a nasty habit but I'm trying to ease up a bit on it.

So my dad told me tonight that my computer arrived via Fed Ex and he split open the box to make sure it was in there. Fortunately he didn't take out the computer (and I might have been short tempered at this point) but I flew into a rage about him opening it before me, especially considering I paid for it. So I told him that before I arrive home on Friday that the box has to be resealed (yes even though the computer was not touched) and it had to look like it wasn't opened at all. It still irks me tonight but I'll just try to wipe that comment from my memory. My computer, which I love already, has a flicker of "deadness" to me. So sad.

Finally...Everyday Adventures is hitting the road again! Yes tomorrow I'm flying to Pensacola for a work trip so watch for a thrilling entry from my hotel room tomorrow night. Oh my fingers are crossed for a good story.