Night Out In Chicago: Hub 51

Thursday, after dinner at Terzo Piano, I headed over to Hub 51, a lively bar, restaurant and nightclub hybrid with a standing room only crowd.

I soon found myself sitting next to P, an adorable entrepreneur in town from D.C. We quickly fell into easy banter as we talked about a mutual affinity for good wine and Harry Potter.

We continued flirting and the hours flew by. I almost forgot I had to get up early the next morning for day one of the BlogHer conference, that’s how effortless and engaging the conversation between us felt.

Eventually, P leaned in to kiss me. I discovered something unfortunate about him when he was thisclose -- bad breath. Talk about a buzz killer.

Still, as I cabbed back to my room at the Sheraton, I couldn’t help smiling. My eventful evening served as a delightful reminder that you never know when or where you’re going to click with someone.

Coming up…girls night out at one of NYC’s swanky rooftop bars and making connections at a good friend’s nuptials.

Getting To Know Chicago

Thursday, I enjoyed an action-packed day in the Windy City that began with a stroll around Navy Pier.

Attracting more than 8 million visitors a year, Navy Pier offers plenty of food, rides and entertainment.

Shiver Me Timbers: Posing with a few friendly pirates at Chicago’s Navy Pier

After posing with a few friendly pirates and catching a glimpse of Budweiser’s visiting Clydesdale horses, I headed over to the dock for Chicago Line Cruises’ 90-minute architectural tour. Chitown’s sleek, sophisticated skyline boasts rich examples of many different styles and our fabulous guide knew about all of them.

Next stop -- the Museum of Science and Industry to take in Harry Potter: The Exhibition. Featuring more than 200 costumes and props from the Harry Potter films, the 10,000 square foot exhibition is as enchanting as the young wizard himself.

What A View: Shantel and me at Terzo Piano

Having indulged the tourist in me, I was happy to make like a local and do dinner with my friend Shantel at one of Chicago’s hottest new restaurants, Terzo Piano. Located at the Art Institute, Terzo Piano delivers delicious, innovative fare in a chic, modern setting.

Shantel and I chose an outdoor table with a stunning view of the skyline and Millennium Park. A producer at Oprah, Shantel told me about her favorite assignments -- touring Sydney with sweetheart Hugh Jackman, working with Jon Bon Jovi and family during the show’s Inauguration coverage.

We also talked about our shared love of Australia, the slightly more laidback energy of Chicago as compared to NYC and the ups and downs of being single gals in big cities. One of the definite perks -- enjoying a girls night out on a glorious summer evening.

I love Chicago.

Chicago: My Kind Of Town

Ever since a brief business trip to Chicago fifteen years ago, I’ve been hankering to return. This week, my wish is coming true, as I enjoy a three-night stay here in this great city.

Cruising Around Chi-town: The view from a cruise covering Chicago’s rich architectural past and present

Since arriving Wednesday night, my whirlwind visit has covered everything from cruising Chicago’s waterways and dinner atop a swanky museum to catching up with a producer at Oprah and mingling with a few adorable locals.

Today, I’m getting some creative inspiration here at BlogHer, the largest annual female blogging conference. It’s impossible not to be inspired when you’re surrounded by 1,500 amazingly talented, accomplished women from all walks of life.

Coming up…more about my eventful jaunt to the Windy City. My kind of town, Chicago is!

By The Numbers: One Year Anniversary Edition

It’s official -- Single Gal In The City is one year old.

Much has happened since, at the prompting of my good friend Carla, I entered the blogosphere 365 days ago. From multiple first dates to old flame disappointments, from foot surgery to climbing Sydney’s majestic Harbor Bridge, I’ve covered a lot of ground. Along the way, I’ve fallen in love all over again with my beloved NYC, and with the joys of being single.

Sky high Smile: The view from Sydney’s Harbor Bridge, January 2009

Here are some of the highlights of SGITC’s first year -- By The Numbers:

Number of blog posts (including this one): 386

Number of men mentioned: 22

Number of dates with men met online: 8

Number of encounters with old flames: 3

Number of Opening The Vault posts with entries from old diaries: 40

Number of trips: 9

A travelgirl at heart, I’m excited about the journeys coming up -- including a trip to Chicago and, fingers crossed, my first-ever jaunt to California wine country if I make Murphy-Goode Winery’s Top 10.

And I’m looking forward to many more years of blogging about my adventures. Thanks to all of you out there for joining me in the fun!

Smitten With Steamy Kitchen

Every time I encounter a fellow female blogger, I’m reminded of how fortunate I am to be part of a community of fabulous women who have smart and interesting perspectives to share. The other day, I had the pleasure of meeting food blogger and photographer Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen.

Jaden Hair: Multimedia maven and blogger extraordinaire

My Quinn & Co colleagues caught up with Florida-based Jaden during her whirlwind visit to NYC. A true multi-media goddess, Jaden also pens a weekly food column for the Tampa Tribune and makes regular guest appearances on local TV shows. She manages to do all of this, travel frequently and be a wife and mother of two. I need to find out her secret to time management.

It’s no surprise that Steamy Kitchen is one of the most popular food blogs worldwide – Jaden is as passionate about the culinary universe as she is prolific in her talents. Her fresh take on Asian cooking makes me want to use my kitchen for something other than defrosting Lean Cuisines.

Jaden will be speaking at this summer’s BlogHer Conference in Chicago. I’m on the waitlist for a ticket, and hope to catch up with her again in the Windy City. In the meantime, I look forward to following her adventures in and out of the chef's hat at Steamy Kitchen.