Top Shelf New Year's Day - Brunch at M.Henry, Movie "The Tourist," and Best Muse song

By Lu

January 1, 2011 - the new year is here. I've been waiting for this day to come since beginning of July. I thought I would feel so much better by then. However, the turn of event in December did not make it so. Even so, I'm glad that the new year is finally here. Not sure why. It was just another day, but there's something about starting a new year that gears you towards making changes, turning over a new leaf, making resolutions, and you just have hope for a better tomorrow.

Yep, I wrote that because that's how I feel. I intend to get a hold of my life and make it better for me. There is something powerful about letting go and forgiveness. It just lifts all burden away, especially when you know you have done nothing wrong. It is comforting that when you lay yourself to bed, you can close your eyes knowing that you are settled with your conscience.

My year in 2010 started so beautifully but ended very badly to the last minute of the year. Did love have something to do with it? You bet. One thing I can say, when I looked back through my past relationships, they were all good and I could think of each of my exes with smile on my face, even those that left bad marks. 

I got an email from my first love, Philippe, today as I told him he needed to read my Pizza post. He told me he didn't remember my mom's pizza but he definitely remember me asking him to kiss me in front of my parents' house. Hahaha... I remember it too and I remember it was a great kiss. I could go back and remember the time we spent together with a big smile. I always think highly of him and he actually had role in exposing me to the more refined and cultured things in life. I remember him teaching me on how to use knife properly as we ate our farewell dinner at the Aryadutta. Hahaha. Hey, we didn't really use knife to eat in Indonesia! Give me a break!

I'm blessed to know so many great people in my life and a short stack of sweet love stories though my last one didn't end so well. 

However, people make their own choice in life and they are the one who have to live with it. I am welcoming the new year and erasing all bad memories.
 

Yet, I woke up on New Year's Day with a new found hope. This year is not going to be the same and though I am only hoping for a mediocre, steady year, I am looking forward to me being happy again. That is one of the reasons why I started this blog - me, going back to my first love, writing.

You will get to know my friend, Sandrine, very well. We have a new tradition in going for brunch and movie for new year to celebrate her birthday that falls on December 30th. I couldn't believe we were doing it again already. It just seemed like yesterday that we went to see "Up in the Air" and had brunch at "Orange." I remember last year I was beaming talking to her about love. This year, we were talking about totally different things...baby, life, new beginning.

She decided that brunch would be at M.Henry. The place was rather cool I had to say and it looked pretty popular as we had to wait for about a half an hour. It is on Clark Street in Chicago, Andersonville area. The place isn't big, and it is kinda narrow but I never got to see the place as a whole as we got table at the front by the window.

While we waited, the reception area had bakery cases filled with baked goods that looked scrumptious. I made up my mind already on a certain pastry that I would order as we waited for our food to come. The wait wasn't bad, and when we were sitting, wait staff did take a little long to take order. But they were really busy. The coffee was good and strong as how I like it. The menu is small with breakfast and lunch items. Sandrine decided on the bread pudding; I went for the egg sandwich, and Sandrine's mom got chorizo scrambled eggs.

The foods were picture perfect - they were so pretty. Bread pudding was great but a tiny tart. My egg sandwich - no complains..but it was just an egg sandwich. I did change the gorgonzola cheese to a sharp cheddar and maybe that took the pizzaz out. The scrambled egg dish was yummy and their home fries were great too. I ordered a cinnamon brioche roll with frosting and we inhaled that in a second. Sandrine thought it was a tad dry. I still ate it and sipped my coffee.

I would go back - definitely it was one of the better Chicago breakfast places. It was much better than your standard Omega. The menu was small but innovative. I should have gone for the omelette with chevre. But then now it gave me a reason to come back.

Next - movie.. Only Sandrine and I went to movie as grandma is taking over baby duty from dad. Icon movie theater in Roosevelt Rd downtown is awesome - bad elevators..but parking is free. woot woot! What's not to like. They also offer real butter on your popcorn for 50 cent more, which was worth it.

The movie was a little disappointing. It was short and the story was really weak. It just didn't have enough suspense, action, or whatever else. You would forget about this movie in several months. But the scenery was gorgeous. I didn't remember Venice being so beautiful and big. It definitely makes me want to come back and really explore this time. All I could remember was walking through the small alley to a place where they make mouth blown glass statues/figurines. I bought 3 horses (figurines) there and gave it to my mom. I think she still has them. Johnny Depp and Angeline Jolie also were great to look at. They really did make her look extremely pretty in this movie. I've never thought Johnny Depp was that handsome, but he sure was attractive in his own way. At the very least, this movie made me dream of a better tomorrow - love, travel, and that it is okay to make a poor choice in men sometime.

One thing that got my attention was the song they played as the credit crawls. I've never been a big fan of Muse. It didn't make me a Radio Head fan either. But I recognized it was Muse as soon as I heard it as there's really not many people have vocal as whiny as Matt Bellamy of Muse. But for some reasons or another the song sticks with me.

It's called "Starlight" and it just resonated to me..and it has been awhile but that song put huge smile on my face and again I was dancing around in the car as I drive. Check out the video on Youtube:

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgum6OT_VH8

I want to share this song with JEF. When I listened to the lyrics it was for sure that this ship has taken me far far away from all the memories. My whole life I have been searching for that starlight and I won't stop searching as there is always a silver lining in every journey. With this, I just wanted to remember quickly people that touched my life and remember them like how I knew them and how they used to make me smile and dancing around.. I want to hold you in my arms. But let bygone be bygone.

Time marches on. People will grow and change and I can only hope that it is for the better. We always have room for growth and self-improvement. I thank all who have touched my life in some way in 2010 and those who are still with me in 2011, I will cherish your friendship this year and hope we can be better friends. Those who are gone from my life, I am wishing you peace.

I started the first day of 2011 well and so far so good!