Because We Love to Eat…

Jessica and I met ten months ago. It’s not always easy for two 20-something girls to become fast friends, but that’s exactly what happened. Within one month, we had become fast and best friends. Within two months and two weeks, I was sharing holiday dinners in Highland Park with the Zweig clan (while my family – and I miss them so – have holidays by the pool in Florida). Within two months and three weeks, we had become fast, best friends and business partners.

On a cold, winter day last year, Jessica knew that my sister was visiting me from West Palm Beach – she waltzed into my office to find out how dinner was the night before. I had gone to Aigre Doux, a restaurant that she had been dying to try. I delved into every last detail of the Taleggio-drenched flatbread, the deep rare tuna steak and the startlingly gourmet hamburger. Jessica looked at me and laughed. “You talk about food the way I talk about food – my parents always thought I should be a food critic.” In my head, I mumbled the words “me too.” It was a match made in foodie heaven.

From there we decided that we needed to write a food blog – no! – a whole Chicago restaurant website – wait! – why stop there when we can have an entire website dedicated to the best city on earth: Chicago. And – oh! – there’s so much to talk about: restaurants, wine bars, dive bars, cheese shops, alfresco patios, theatres, black boxes, concert halls, symphony centers, hole-in-the-walls, spas, salons, street festivals, Wrigley Field, Michigan Avenue and every other wonderment that Chicago possesses. And – one more thing! – it needs to be written for, by and about the amazing, independent, successful, fun, sassy, and bold women that call Chi-town home. SCORE! We hit the nail on the head. CheekyChicago was born that very day, over two green teas and three petite Vanilla scones at a Starbucks on the corner of Diversey and Sheffield.

I have felt every wave of emotion over the past ten months. I’ve been proud, I’ve wanted to jump through the roof, I’ve cried myself to sleep, I’ve lost my appetite, I’ve been full of love, I’ve written a business plan, I’ve gained my appetite back again, I’ve lost sleep for weeks on end and I have had a helluva good time. I’ve never felt cheekier in my life.

I can’t wait to share my bundle of joy with you – today, tomorrow, next week, Valentine’s Day, Chrismukkah and all the future days, weeks and months we have together. Happy Oct. 21st, our Cheeky anniversary. Enjoy.