It's the second to the last Portillo's and it's cold again. See me in my winter coat with the snow in the background? Notice the bags under my eyes? Those are from Christmas shopping. You know I'm kidding, right? I rarely ever shop before Christmas Eve. The bags are empty. I really do wait until the last minute. To me there's something about the crowds, the hazardous parking lots, crazy shoppers, screaming kids, etc. that I enjoy ... NOT. On the other hand, messing with people that are in a hurry can be fun. I'm supposed to be nice, but someone has to make these people understand that Christmas is more about personal interactions than gifts. Even if those interactions are not always positive. Someone needs to teach them patience. Alright, I really am much nicer than that ... at least occasionally. Well, in order to avoid the whole situation, I shop really early in the morning. I'm talking really really early while everyone else is still sleeping. One year I remember leaving just before 6am and hitting eleven stores by 10am. There are many advantages to shopping on Christmas Eve. First, I don't have a lot of time to agonize over my purchases. For example, I used to buy stuff - see it somewhere else for a lower price - then feel like I got ripped off. I would proceed to buy the second one and then return the first, even if that involved hours of running around and waiting in lines. Second, and potentially worse, I would see something slightly better and then second-guess my first purchase. In any case, both of these situations are eliminated if I wait until the last minute. There's no lollygagging around, I'm forced to by the only item left that's not broken!
If you're inclined to shop, the Portillo's in Vernon Hills is directly across the street from a mall. Fortunately we avoided the shopping, but not the crowd. This Portillo's was busy, but it has to be one of the largest. There's an enclosed atrium! There was no problem finding seating. I noticed something else here, and perhaps it was just timing, but the Barnelli's seemed busier than the Portillo's. Also, and I can't seem to figure out why this always happens, but I must be a magnet for screaming babies, with deaf, and inconsiderate parents. Josh may have inadvertently stumbled onto an ingenious idea ... wearing headphones all the time.
Jeff:
Chicken Caesar Salad
Caramel Pecan Cake (Interesting it says "Rum Cake" on the receipt - no wonder it was so good)
Joy:
Chopped Salad
No comments:
Post a Comment