photos during the Coronovirus epidemic

With the Coronovirus raging on, I've done some exploring around the city to beat the ennui and boredom I have been feeling the past 9 months. From Molly's Cupcake, which won the cupcake war on the Food Network, in the South Loop to a beautiful dog park on Michigan and 14th Ave. to a colorful outside patio bar (Flo & Santos) on South Wabash to a random trip to IKEA and the forest preserves in Schaumberg, yours truly has done some ambulating around the streets of Chicago. I also treated myself to some take-out dim-sum from Minghin, a Michelin restaurant in the South Loop and to some mango and lychee and honeydew bubble tea from the same place (talk about double-fisting :) Although it wasn't the same as eating in at the restaurant with the beautiful decors and ambiance, I loved the siumai, the shrimp crepes, the egg custard tarts, and the BBQ pork buns that transported me to the fares of Hong Kong.

This year's Christmas Eve is definitely different and a bit quieter than the ones before it, but I had the occasion fortunately to listen to some Nathan Fifield (recommended by my ballet teacher) and do some introspection and take a calming walk around the neighhorhood. I strolled over to a Nepalese restaurant about a block from where I live located on the corner of Michigan Ave and 13th Ave. (where there hung pictures of Mt. Everest and the shirpas and the tents that grace the lower base camps in the region) and tried the Masala tea and the mango lassi which was a treat for the soul. I also enrolled in a more advanced Pro Barre class and learned some new ballet moves along to Fifield's Christmas ballet class Volume I.

Some of the songs on the Volume include:

Last Christmas (for the Warm-up moves)

Happy Christmas War is Not Over (for the Grand Allegro Moves)

Believe (Plie)

Santa Baby (Tendu 2)

Jingle Bell Rock (Tendu 3)

Deck the Halls (Jete 2)

Silent Night (Rondes de Jambes)

Silver Bells (Rondes de Jambes d'Air)

Sleigh Ride (Petites Battements)

We wish you a Merry Christmas (Grande Battements)

Let it Go (Grande Allegro)

It was so graceful to go through all these dance moves set to Fifield's surreal piano music set to Christmas carols. Because many of us didn't get to hear that much Christmas carols usually sung by revelorous carolers as in other years, these songs delighted my heart and brought some warmth and laughter to my heart! I felt like a kid again..

A few other highlights these past few days included cooking a delicious Christmas Eve lunch meal replete with sirloin steak, green onions and cilantro avec chipotle sauce made by yours truly, enjoyed with sangria wine. I had some ambivalence and hesitations about what Christmas would hold this year, but all in all, it's been a blessful Christmas Eve (with an appearance by Beatriz BB - see previous essays!) I think I shall finish off this quirky day with a phone call to my la petite soeur and an episode of Ahjussi (also see previous essay on Ahjussi). What better way to round out the year than ballet, Netflix, Korean dramas, good wine, and a spectacular view of downtown Chicago and the all the glittering lights that remind me to keep on going and brighten what could be another humdrum holiday

Despite this being an unusual year for everyone, I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy 2021. I hope this list serves as a guide to some of the readers out there who are looking for something to do this upcoming weekend or for some ideas to help pass the holidays. I write this photo-essay as a gift and Happy Exploring everyone!

Here goes: