Category Archives: Restaurants

Where’s The Beef?

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Ellen Ross

I’m proud to be a Midwesterner. We’re friendly, honest and here in Chicago, boy do we know- and love- our steak. And our steakhouses. So forget your cholesterol count, pull up a chair and damn the expense. Today we’re going … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, food, Restaurants | 22 Comments

Check, Please!

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Ellen Ross

Based on a True Incident… Cast of Characters: Ellen, a beautiful, brilliant and sophisticated divorcée, her brother Kenny, a really good guy, Norman, a suave vegan man-about-town and The Waiter All the action takes place in Booth 11 at a … Continue reading →

Posted in pop culture, Restaurants | 12 Comments

No Chopsticks and The City

Posted on January 24, 2016 by Ellen Ross

A Very Politically Incorrect Play For A Sunday by Ellen Ross Cast of Characters: BFF’s Charlotte, Miranda and Carrie All the action takes place in Jade Gardens, a fictional Chinese restaurant. Charlotte: (sweetly) Where have you two been? You are … Continue reading →

Posted in pop culture, Restaurants | 8 Comments

Postcard From Boston

Posted on January 3, 2016 by Ellen Ross

Hello, Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea. This is Sam Tofias, your roving cub reporter, checking in from Boston, Mass. I’m writing this blog post today because my Gran is still recovering from her whirlwind Christmas … Continue reading →

Posted in Boston, Grandchildren, Grandparents, pop culture, Restaurants | 10 Comments

The Chairman

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Ellen Ross

Author’s Note: This post is dedicated to Bernie Kerman. Ring-a-ding-ding, baby. As you undoubtedly know by now, this Saturday, December 12, marks the hundredth birthday of Francis Albert Sinatra. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, he died on May 14, 1998 … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Music, Palm Springs, pop culture, Restaurants | 14 Comments

Gigi

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Ellen Ross

This is the grand staircase of the even grander restaurant Maxim’s. The Chicago Maxim’s that dwelt in the Bertrand Goldberg-designed Astor Towers. Opened in 1963 as an homage to the 1893 Paris original, it was run by Goldberg’s wife Nancy. … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Gender politics, pop culture, Restaurants | 6 Comments

Class Reunion

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Ellen Ross

These are class photos from Echoes 1965. My New Trier High School year book. (That’s me with the corsage- second row, third from the left. No idea why I’m wearing it. Maybe this picture was taken on my birthday?) I … Continue reading →

Posted in Dating, Memoir, New Trier High School, pop culture, Restaurants, The 60's | 8 Comments

A Bottle of Red, A Bottle of White

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Ellen Ross

The woman pictured above putting the serious chop on some vegetables is the eminent personification of abbondanza herself- Mamma Leone. Founder and culinary genius of the eponymous- but now shuttered- restaurant in New York. Her first customer was Enrico Caruso. … Continue reading →

Posted in food, Memoir, Restaurants | 23 Comments

Salad Days

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Ellen Ross

At long last the temperature here in Chicago is forecast to hit 80 degrees today. Yeah! So my appestat automatically dials down to lighter fare. And that means only one thing. Salad. Whether it’s Caesar, chopped or spinning, I love … Continue reading →

Posted in food, Memoir, pop culture, Restaurants | 6 Comments

Sleepless in Seattle

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Ellen Ross

(Photograph by Kevin Gibson) I’m back, Dear Readers. And this post marks a milestone. It’s my 250th. First, I’d like to thank all of you. Some of you have been here from Day One. And some of you have just … Continue reading →

Posted in food, Restaurants, Seattle, Travel | 19 Comments