1111 W Granville Ave Chicago, (773) 465-1616, ginosnorth.net
8/8/26 – Always Great seeing Mixologist, Joe.
A belated BD celebration for Joe from the Q-tips.
Mrs. Q had: An Old Fashion & a Cosmo.
Mr. Q had: A Perfect Manhattan & glass of wine.
We shared: Gino’s Special pizza – Includes Italian sausage, fresh mushrooms, green peppers, and onions.
8/5/26- chwinery.com – 6731 Dempster St. Morton Grove, IL
A dinner with Mrs. Q’s sister at Cooper Hawk Rest. The first time visit to this Restaurant for the Q-Tips.
We shared the bread.
Sis had: Chicken dinner w/ mashed potatoes.
Q-tips had: Their Old Fashion drink & each had a cup of: Lobster Bisque Soup.
Q-tips shared: Smashed Sliders & Shrimp.
8/4/26- 5959 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660, (773) 856-0175, regalia5959.com Yes, Indoor/Outdoor dining.
We shared the Bread & an Appetizer: Crab Cake. Was ok but a bit pricey.
Mrs. Q had: an Old Fashion. Mr. Q had: Perfect Manhattan & a glass of wine.
Entrée: Both O’s had: – Seared Tuna Carpaccio– Chipotle Aioli / Serrano / Crystalized Garlic / Lime / Soy.
Some entrees are large enough to share unless you are really hungry.
5661 N Clark St., (312) 973-0462, littlemadridtapascafe.com
8/3/26 – Q-tips say: Nice place. They now have a “surge charge” if you use a credit card instead of paying with cash.
Yes, they do have a “Happy Hour.”
We began with glasses of prosecco.
Gambas Al Ajillo – Shrimp cooked in EVOO, fresh garlic/parsley.
Tabla de Embutidos – Spanish charcuterie board with Spanish olives and almonds, jamón serrano, Spanish chorizo, salchichón. Served with almonds .
Albondigas -Spanish meatballs, Castellana sauce & a side of chips. Anchovies & olives.
Delicious Dessert: Churros & Chocolate – they make their own delicious chocolate.
Enjoyed the small plates & sharing.
Tabla de Embutidos
MAS ALLA DEL SOL -5848 N Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60660, (773) 654-1900, masalladelsolrestaurant.com
7/30/26 – Life is good!
We began dinner by sharing the Complimentary Salsa– Guacamole & sauce.
Mas Alla del Sol – The Q’s shared: Lamb Shank w/side delicious corn mashed potatoes/salad.
Mr. Q had: a Margarita. Mrs. Q had: A Margarita.
Mrs. Q says: MAS ALLA DEL SOL is NOT your local Taco Bell. Food and drinks are decent. A tad over -priced but worth every penny. Street parking. Street parking is FREE on Sun.
Complimentary Salsa sauce &
we order a side of guacamole.
6157 N Broadway Ave Chicago, IL – (773) 754-7429, beardandbellychicago.com
7/29/26 – “Maid Day” so NO COOKING DAY.
Dinner at: Beard & Belly.
Mrs. Q had: Happy Hour –
Old Fashioned – Maker’s Mark – demerara, Regan’s orange bitters, angostura bitters with an orange swath- dirty ice on the side.
The other half had: Old Fashion & a glass of wine.
Sandwiches can be big at times so we share sometimes.
We shared the: Baked Pretzels w/ mustard & Pastrami Rueben. Was ok but a the meat was a tad dry.
In the tense 72 hours before D-Day, and with the fate of the free world hanging in the balance, PRESSURE follows General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Captain James Stagg as they face an impossible choice–launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.
Q-tips say: Yes, we did enjoy Pressure. Brendan Fraser and Andrew Scott are just as fierce as the storms in Pressure, an intense D-Day drama that sharply captures a pivotal, life-stakes moment in history. Did appreciate that they show the actual battle on the beach and not just take the shortcut of them hearing what happened in the radio room.
A father imprisoned for his son’s murder receives evidence suggesting his child may be alive, compelling him to escape and uncover the truth. Netflix
Q-tips say: Was ok but not everyone might enjoy it. Recommend watching if you like suspense movies. Might have you on the edge of the seat and just when I thought you had it figured out there was another twist in the story.
After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.
The critics loved it.
Q-tips say: The dumbest movie we ever have watched.
Its massively overrated. Mrs. Q says: Reasons I did not like it:
The Dead Cat, No character development, The Screaming, The Ending & Why did no one in Nickis life ever question her behavior?
The Ingalls of Wisconsin make a new life on the Kansas frontier.
Q-tips say: Yes, we are enjoying it.
A family just quietly battling the prairie alone might get repetitive pretty quickly but the relationships with the people around them are what give the story its warmth.
