Oktoberfest Dinner at The Bergoff

The fall always makes Brandy nostalgic for the time she spent in Germany many years ago.  The beer gardens, the hearty food, the Oompa music, all of which when combined with the incoming crisp autumn air can mean only one thing:  Oktoberfest!  Oh, the many evenings (and mornings and afternoons for that matter) Brandy whiled away with a pint of lager, a bratwurst in hand, and a delightful band pumping out "The Donkey Song" for the crowd's delight.  "I'm normally not much of a beer drinker, but Oktoberfest is a whole different ball of wax," Brandy says, "Fall may mean pumpkin flavored coffees for Americans, but for me it never feels like the end of summer until I have a frothy, malty, golden lager to sip on."

Luckily for Brandy, she recently had the opportunity (through her delightful friends at Chicago Food Bloggers) to preview the Oktoberfest menu at the world famous Berghoff, a Chicago landmark that generations of people have come to count on for traditional German food and beer.  Owned and operated by several generations of the Berghoff family, the restaurant is famously the first to obtain Chicago's first liquor licence after prohibition was repealed.  Though their focus is on traditional European fair, in recent years they have added bits to their menu to help contemporize and Americanize things just a tiny bit, but as evidenced by the popularity of their Oktoberfest celebrations, their roots and heart will always be in Germany.


The special Oktoberfest menu (which is available starting today, Wednesday September 10th) consists of a collection of seasonal beers and dishes, all perfectly and expertly paired.  Brandy was lucky enough to not only get a chance to sample five of the dishes, but also five of the beers, most of which were crafted by the Berghoff's own brewery.

First up there was the Pretzel with course grain mustard and Beer Cheese; a perfectly crafted soft pretzel with a nutty, full bodied yellow cheese dipping sauce.  This rich and salty dish was paired with the Berghoff Hopfenstomber, a lighter hoppy lager meant to counter balance the richness of the cheese.

Secondly there was the Bratwurst, which came served on a bit of rye bread with some sour kraut and a fresh pickle slice.  The brat itself was a white meat sausage with a mighty snap to the skin and plenty of spices.  This worked perfectly with this year's Berghoff Oktoberfest, which was rich in malty goodness.

Next was one of the vegetarian options on the menu ("A sign of the times, I suppose," Brandy said, adjusting her spectacles to make sure she was reading the menu correctly), a Quinoa and Grilled Vegetable Salad.  Though an unusual and not necessarily traditional dish, the quinoa had a very nice nuttiness that matched well with the freshness of the veggies and the bitterness of the endive leaf the whole thing came served in.  This dish was paired with the Berghoff Lager, a lighter, sweeter beer that served as a nice remembrance of summer's passing.

Lastly for the savory dishes was the Pork Stew, which was actually one of The Berghoff's new gluten free menu options (the current owner's daughter is allergic to gluten, so it was under her leadership that gluten free options became a part of not only the Oktoberfest menu, but the every day menu as well).  The stew was very hearty with surprisingly lean pieces of pork bathing in a lovely tomato based broth with bits of potato and other veggies.  The stew was paired with Omission, a gluten free beer the Berghoff brought in especially.  Being gluten free, the beer was a bit on the lighter side in terms of flavor, but it did match well with the rich stew.

Lastly was a little bite of Apple Strudel, which Brandy immediately wanted more of (we're talking a whole pan to herself).  The pastry crust was perfectly crispy and buttery, not doughy at all, and the filling had just the right amount of sweetness and spice.  This delightful little dessert was paired with the Berghoff Shambler, their take on a summer shandy, which had notes of fruit and citrus that matched the slightly tart apples in the strudel very well.

Though she couldn't make it to Germany for Oktoberfest this year, Brandy thought The Berghoff's selection of beers and bites was as close as can be expected on this side of the Atlantic.  And what with a lineup of musicians to supply the restaurant with some authentic Oompa, she can once again sit back with a lager, a brat, and kiss summer goodbye in her favorite way.

The Berghoff is located at 17 West Adams and is serving their entire Oktoberfest menu Septmeber 10th-12th outside, and inside the restaurant for lunch and dinner every day until October 1st.

The writers of this blog were invited by the restaurant to sample their Oktoberfest menu at no charge in exchange for an honest review

Food News: Martha Stewart at Macy's on State Street!

Greetings, brunch fans!  Today, Brandy has asked us to let you all in on some super secret food news.  Next Tuesday, September 16th the Queen of Crafting, the Duchess of Decor, Her Royal Highness of Home Made will be in Chicago!  Yes, THE Martha Stewart herself will be at Macy's on State Street, giving a cooking demo and signing copies of her newest cookbook, One Pot: Easy Meals for your Skillet, Stock Pot, Slow Cooker, and More!  The book doesn't get it's official release until September 23rd, but attendees at the demo on the 16th will have the opportunity to get a free advance copy when they purchase $75 worth of Martha Stewart Home goods, and as if that wasn't sweet enough, they will also get a $10 Macy's Gift Card and have the opportunity to have Martha sign their books after the demo!  Here's all the info you need to attend:

When: Tuesday, September 16th @ 5:30 PM

Where: Macy's on State Street, Lower Level

To RSVP and secure a seat: https://marthastewartstatestreet.eventbrite.com 

For more information on the event, please click here

We do hope to see all of your there, but if you can't make it, be assured that Brandy will be posting a recap of the entire event right here soon after!

The writers of this blog have been compensated by Everywhere Agency for the information contained in this post, but the opinions stated were not influenced.

Crio or There's No Place Like Home

The Slow and Savory Review

As much as Brandy loves going out for brunch, sometimes it's just plain hard to leave the house.  "What I need is a private chef," Brandy has often contemplated, "I'd like to just wake up to a full gourmet brunch every morning.  Or better yet, be given a choice of brunch foods upon waking so that I can find something that suits my mood.  I wonder if there culinary students out there who would like a position like that..."  But until Brandy finds the right person to take the job, she still will drag her weary bones out the door every weekend morning in search of a brunch to fit her fancy.

Recently while running errands in Lincoln Park, Brandy came across Crio, a Latin inspired gastro pub, on an off the path corner of Clybourn.  Liking the bright red exterior and colorful chalk boards out front, she decided to head inside for a little mid morning refresher.

Crio's interior was definitely a little darker than is usual for a brunch spot, but Brandy couldn't help thinking what fabulous atmosphere the place must have had at night.  "I wouldn't mind sitting across from some young chappy under lowered lights in this place, let me tell you!" Brandy mumbled to herself.  The walls were partly exposed grey brick and partly darkly painted backgrounds with bright, intense murals and paintings, and although the large windows at the front of the dining room let in some sun, Brandy found she liked the fact that the light didn't brighten up the cavernous space too much in an unnatural sort of way.

She started off right away with a Bottomless Mimosa, which certainly did prove to be bottomless as one of the extremely kind and personable managers kept delivering a new glass every time she was halfway finished with her current one.  The drink itself wasn't particularly special as mimosas go, but had a nice brightness to it without being too sweet.

For her sweet course, Brandy chose the Guava Pancakes, simply because she'd never seen such a concoction on any menu before.  "Banana?  Sure.  Chocolate chip?  Of course.  Blueberry? Naturally.  But Guava?  Now there's something original!" as Brandy put it.  After the first bite, she found she was utterly in love with these pancakes; their texture was impossibly light and the guava syrup they were topped with packed plenty of fruity deliciousness to each mouthful.  Brandy even detected notes of coconut and cinnamon, but above all was the absolutely delightful tropical flavor of the fresh guava slices on top.  The kicker to everything was that the pancakes came topped with a scoop of marscapone cheese in place of butter, a touch that had Brandy positively swooning.  Just as she was starting to worry that she would run out of the delicious syrup on the side, a second full cup was delivered to her table before she'd even had a chance to lift her head to look for someone.

The savory dish of the day was the Steak Skillet, which consisted of roasted corn, asparagus, potatoes, bacon, and slices of flank steak cooked to order.  Everything in the skillet had the perfect texture, from the silky potatoes to the crisp corn kernels, the tender steak, and the succulent asparagus.  The flavors were all very vibrant, yet distinctive, and everything had a nice garlicky punch to it.  Brandy very much appreciated that there was no attempt to incorporate eggs into the skillet, as a lot of other restaurants would have tried to do in order to make it more "breakfasty."  "Don't get me wrong, I love a good egg where it's appropriate," Brandy said, "But what some places don't understand about brunch is an egg isn't always necessary.  In this case, It would have been superfluous, as the dish is so rich already, so I'm happy there's none to be found."  The only downside to the skillet was the rather large puddle of oil at the bottom of the dish, which did require some maneuvering around to scoop up forkfuls of the corn and bacon without bringing along a lot of grease, yet somehow, Brandy still managed to get almost every morsel into her mouth.  "I like people like you who clean their plates!" The kindly man who had been seeing to Brandy proclaimed as he removed the dish from the table, which instantly endeared him to her forever.

As a special treat, the restaurant actually sent a dessert to Brandy's table without her even ordering it!  The stunningly beautiful plate presented to her was described as "a pudding made with heavy cream and sour cream" topped with a strawberry coulee.  Though incredibly full from stuffing both entrees down her gullet already, Brandy could hardly turn down such a generous gift, so bravely she soldiered on.  The pudding tasted like the child of a cheesecake and a flan; a firm, creamy texture with just a little bit of tang to it, and the bright, acidic strawberry sauce provided an excellent counter balance.  

Coming back around to check on her, the kindly man asked if Brandy lived near by.  "No, dear.  Just happened to be in the neighborhood and decided to pop in," Brandy smiled through the haze of at least four mimosas.  "Well, you know where your new home is now," he smiled at her, and Brandy smiled back at him.  True, the food at Crio was absolutely outstanding and the atmosphere quite aesthetically pleasing, but the thing that really topped the bill for Brandy was the service.  Every single thing during that brunch was done instinctively and with a genuineness that is very difficult to find even in the most high end restaurants.  "You better stop re-filling those mimosas," Brandy kidded with the man as he delivered yet another glass, "Or you'll never get rid of me!  I'm serious, is there somewhere I can take a nap?"

The Short and Sweet Review 

Dinner at Azzurra

There are may secret societies in this world.  Free Masons, The Priory of Sion, the Illuminiati; the list goes on and on.  Some are more secretive than others, and some are operating under the very noses of the general public.  How many of these organizations Brandy is a part of, she will never admit to, but there is one not so secret society she will proudly proclaim her membership to: The Chicago Food Bloggers.  When gathered together, the members of this prestigious organization perform secret rituals (known as the Dance of the Cameras), speak in code ("Where have you been lately?" is their traditional greeting) and plot world domination one plate at a time.  Wait... forget we mentioned that last one.

Recently, a group of Chicago Food Bloggers were invited to dinner at Azzurra in Wicker Park and Brandy was positively honored to join them.  "I know my main expertise is in brunch, so I don't always get these invites, but everyone's got to have dinner eventually," as Brandy said, "And what better time to have it than with a group of Grade A food enthusiasts?"

The evening started off with a quite lovely bread basket for the table and some sparkling rosé.  The group took the time to admire the beautiful interior of Azzurra, which gave the impression that one was dining al fresco by the seaside in Tuscany.  Several bright paintings of beaches and oceans hung on the white washed walls and the gorgeous antiqued tin ceilings held blow glass light fixtures that looked as if large exotic flowers were blooming from it.

The first course consisted of four dishes: a Market Corn Bruschetta, a Watermelon Salad, Grilled Octopus, and Fried Zucchini Blossoms,  Everything was so incredibly fresh and light that the daunting task of trying all four dishes for one course of what promised to be a multitude of deliciousness to come soon seemed a simple task.  The Watermelon Salad was a refreshing mix of melon, tomato, cucumber, basil, and goat cheese, which made everyone sigh about the last vestiges of summer fading away.  The Corn Bruschetta was a lovely twist on a classic, making use of the corn's inherent sweetness as well as a nutty and buttery shaved cheese on the top to counteract the smoky, toasted bread.  The Grilled Octopus was possibly the most visually appealing of the dishes, being small tender pieces of octopus mixed with thinly sliced fingerling potatoes, herbs, red onion, and olive oil.  The favorite of the table by far was the Fried Zucchini Blossoms, which came stuffed with ricotta cheese and served with a chunky tomato sauce, which were so light, crispy, and creamy that a request for seconds of these delectable bites was inevitable.

A glass of a crisp white wine was served as the next dishes made their way to the table.  The second course consisted of two beautiful pasta dishes: a Bucatini (which is a sort of hollow spaghetti) with pea shoots, crushed fennel, and pecorino cheese and a Cavatelli (a rolled shell shaped pasta) with tomato, pesto, and Parmesan cheese.  While the cavatelli was a beautiful, clean mix of classic Italian flavors with a perfectly al dente pasta, the favorite amongst the group seemed to be the bucatini, which had an amazingly fresh smell (it reminded Brandy of a grassy hill in spring time) from the pea shoots and fennel, as well as an earthy taste from the perfectly portioned cheese.

The diners then enjoyed a full bodied red wine as the third course was presented as a parade of entrees: Brick Grilled Cornish Hen, Grilled Trout and Fresh Vegetables, and what was being called a "True" Eggplant Parmesan.  The trout was very tender and flaky with a nice char from the grill, which matched well with the cornucopia of vegetation served along side it.  The Cornish hen had a sort of herbed crispy coated skin and was amazingly moist and succulent on the inside, while still maintaining a soft crunch on the outside.  Brandy's personal favorite was the eggplant parmesan, which to her mind resembled more of a lasagna, but really had a nicely firm eggplant as it's layers, topped with a slightly sweet tomato sauce.

As the group groaned for mercy, the final course was served: dessert.  First there was a lovely, rustic Berry Cobbler, made with strawberries and blueberries and topped with some vanilla whipped cream.  Again, this dish seemed to set the group into lamentations for the end of a beautifully mild summer.  Lastly was what several people at the table descried as the best Tiramisu they'd ever had.  Fluffy, light, yet still rich and full of coffee flavor, the dessert was the perfect end to such an extravagant dinner.

As the group relaxed with coffees and some of the house made Nocino (a potent liquor made with walnuts), Brandy couldn't help but nose around a bit.  This was when she discovered that Azzurra served brunch!  Making a careful note in her book to come back as soon as possible for said brunch, she and the rest of the Chicago Food Bloggers waddled off into the night.

The writers of this blog were invited to dine at Azzurra at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

Buzz Burgers, Barrels, and Beer or Why Bother with Buns?

The Slow and Savory Review

The first time Brandy had a real American cheeseburger, she was instantly in love.  Yes, it was fast food, yes it was greasy, yes it was not the normal gourmet experience she was used to, but by God was it tasty.  "I remember the perfect tang of the pickles, the sweetness of the ketchup, the soft bun, the melty cheese, the bite of the mustard... all coming together in perfect harmony with the beef.  It was heaven."  In fact, the burger inspired Brandy's very first trip to America, though as she gorged herself from one end of the country to another, eating every burger she could get her hands on, she started to get bored.  "My brain knew these things were still the same mix of deliciousness I had once coveted, but my tongue seemed less convinced."  So she slowed down on her burger consumption, only allowing herself to have one every so often so as to keep them special.

Recently, Brandy has started to take notice of a lot of fashionable burgers popping up all over the country, which has given her pause.  "I never thought there was anything wrong with the old fashioned kind of burger, but some of these new fangled concoctions do sound bloody intriguing!" she has been known to comment.  A newer burger joint in the North Center neighborhood called Buzz Burgers, Barrels, and Beer professes to be on the cutting edge of burger couture, so Brandy knew she had to check them out and satisfy her eternal craving for America's favorite sandwich.

Though the outside of Buzz looked a little nondescript, the inside was surprisingly refined with lots of dark, polished wood surfaces.  Other than the slightly dim day time lighting, the set up was pretty typical pub chic with booths, high tables, and a long bar towards the back with television sets above it, playing various sports.  "Seems like it would be quite cozy on a cold winter night," Brandy mused, taking a table by the window to watch the rain.

Glancing at the menu, the first thing to catch Brandy's attention was the cocktails.  "This price can't be right!" she said, switching her regular reading glasses to her super strength reading glasses.  But after calling over her server to confirm what she was seeing, she finally accepted that the price on the menu was correct: brunch cocktails were $3.  This included mimosas, bloody marys, and screwdrivers, apparently, and although these drinks were obviously not being made with top shelf stuff, there was almost no beating the price anywhere in town.

The menu of burgers was so appealing that Brandy simply could not choose just one, especially as two of the burgers were screaming to be tried.  Pointing slyly to the menu and explaining that she simply had to try that much food for the sake of burger eaters everywhere and that she also had a strict rule about savory and sweet foods, Brandy placed her order.

First up was a side of Hand Cut Fries, which came served with not only with some ketchup, but also a truffle aioli, which Brandy thought was a nice addition.  The fries had a perfect thickness and texture, with a crisp exterior and a fluffy interior.  "It's good to see they're not just throwing some generic frozen fries onto the table," Brandy said, "But I could do with some more of this truffle aioli!"

As a variation on the fries, Brandy also ordered the Hipster Poutine.  Brandy was a little disappointed to see that this was not really a poutine, but more along the lines of chili cheese fries, which is perhaps why they were called "hipster."  Instead of gravy, the fries had been topped with something called "sauce of a dozen spices," which while delicious, served more as a seasoning for the fries than a dressing.  There were no cheese curds (the ultimate sin in Brandy's mind), but a mix of various cheeses had been melted onto the top of fries, making them gooey and even more decadent.  The fries were also topped off with some green onions, Tasso ham, and bacon, which gave them nice bits of texture and smokiness.

Starting with her first burger, Brandy dug into the infamous Ramen Burger, a dish that was popularized in California last summer and has somehow only now made its way to Chicago.  Instead of a traditional bun, this burger had two rounds of deep fried ramen noodles, which while not the most ideal means of burger containment, provided a really unique crunch.  The meat on the burger was actually a very good quality kobe beef, which meant the texture was soft and succulent.  The toppings included an aged cheddar, arugula, sun dried tomato, Sriracha, and a fried egg.  Pressing down the ramen bun caused the egg to burst immediately, though sadly the yolk seemed to just drip through the burger and onto the plate, making the bottom bun soggy and loosing the velvetiness it could have lent to the burger.  The egg was actually very salty, causing Brandy to take sips of her drink between every few bites, and although she had braced herself for the hot sauce, there was only one bite that she could even detect that it was there.

Lastly, since the Ramen Burger served as her savory, Brandy countered it with the Donut Burger.  This delicacy was supposedly a Southern invention, originally made with a Krispy Kreme glazed donuts in place of the bun.  The burger this time was made with Angus beef, which made it a more heavy and deeply flavored, though it was a little difficult to taste the meat underneath a heavy handed, yet not unwelcome douse of housemade sweet ketchup, which almost resembled more of a barbecue sauce.  "It's rather smart of them to have paired the donuts with a sweeter sauce," Brandy smiled, "Going more savory would have been folly."  Also adding to the sweetness were some caramelized strawberries, but swinging back into the savory direction was some bacon, pepper jack cheese, and just a little bit more of that truffle aioli.  The thing that Brandy appreciated most about the burger was the fact that the top donut had been slightly charred, giving it not only a burnt sugar taste, but also a smokiness that matched well with the dish's more savory aspects.

After bidding goodbye to her sweetly talkative server, Brandy waddled off outside into the rain, feeling as full as she ever had, but quite satisfied with her little burger adventure.  "Sometimes, it's nice to reacquaint one's self with an old favorite," she said, "It's like suddenly being reminded why you fell in love with someone you've been with for years.  There's nothing wrong with a little variety, after all."

The Short and Sweet Review

Social Media Update! Do you follow Bunny and Brandy?

Greetings dear readers!  We just wanted to take this brief opportunity to update you on the many places Bunny and Brandy have spread their love of brunch across the web!  Some of these outlets are old news and some are new to the game, so make sure to check them all out for live streams from Bunny and Brandy's adventures and specially curated brunch recommendations!

Twitter: @Bunnyandbrandy

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bunnyandbrandy

NEW! Instagram: @bunnyandbrandy

NEW!  Pintrest: www.pinterest.com/bunnyandbrandy

Partner sites where Bunny and Brandy create exclusive content for the brunch loving public!

Tabelog: www.tabelog.us/reviewers/bunnyandbrandy

Foodie: www.foodie.com/1509166/profiles/brunchtime-blog

The Besty: www.thebesty.com/bunnyandbrandysbrunchtime

Urbanspoon: www.urbanspoon.com/u/profile/1482732

River Roast or Smoke House on the Water

The Slow and Savory Review

Being a brunch expert certainly has its perks on occasion.  For instance, that kind of clout can often score one invitations to some of the most exciting and delicious events around town, but what Brandy really loves is when she gets to sample a brand new menu at a recently launched brunch service.  "It makes me feel like I'm a spy, in a way," Brandy slyly grins, "I get to go into a new situation and gather information covertly, then make a report about it to the masses.  In a way, I'm a bit of a hero.  I save the brunch going public from wasting their time and money!"

Regardless of Brandy's inflated ego, she recently got an invite to check out River Roast, one of Chicago's newest Southern comfort food restaurants, headed by Chef Tony Mantuano (of Spiaggia and Terzo Piano) and Chef John Hogan.  River Roast boasts not only a bounty of contemporary American fair with a relaxed tavern atmosphere, but also some of the most extraordinary dining views in the city, as the restaurant is located right on the river at the LaSalle Street Bridge.  The upstairs area is more trendy and lounge like, where as the downstairs looks more warm and friendly, with an open kitchen that almost resembles a market, displaying oodles of fresh fruit and veggies which add splashes of color to the otherwise gold toned wood dominated room.  The patio is where the best views can certainly be found, as it faces directly out to the river, where diners can watch all manner of boats float by.  Brandy was also delighted to find out that for brunch, River Roast brings in local blues bands to play for the patrons.  "Nothing like a little live music with your bacon and eggs," as she always likes to say.

Brandy arrived to find a group of some of her fellow food bloggers seated banquet style in the downstairs dining room ("How did I know they were bloggers?  They were all on their phones," Brandy said.).  The morning started off with an absolutely perfect mimosa.  Bright, flavorful, but not too acidic or sweet, everyone at the table simply could not stop fawning over the cocktail.  "What's your secret?" One of the brunch guests asked a server.  "Lots of booze," the server responded.  "Cheers to that!" Brandy toasted.

The first food to the table was a Housemade Biscuit and Honey.  The biscuit was flaky perfection with a good, rich buttery flavor, but Brandy absolutely adored the tiny honey pot and mini dipper that came with it.

Next was the Ploughman's Platter, loaded with choice cuts of cured meat, head cheese, dried cranberries, tiny pickles, toasted sourdough slices, several blobs of different mustards, and a small salad with a soft boiled egg.  Brandy was glad to see an ode to her British roots presented here, though for a proper Ploughman's, she would have liked to see some cheese and perhaps a few apple slices.  "This is a fine charcuterie selection, don't get me wrong," she said, "Just maybe not a traditional Ploughman's like I'm used to."  Still, Brandy loved the variety of textures on the platter, from the crisp pickles to the soft head cheese and the chewy, sweet cranberries.

After the table was left to snack on that for a while, the torrent of food began to arrive.  For side dishes, the servers brought out tiny skillets with Housemade Breakfast Sausage, which was fatty, rich, and well spiced.  The surprise star of the table were the Crispy Potatoes, which almost everyone had a second helping of.  True to their name, the potatoes were crackly crisp, yet light and not greasy at all.

The first of the two entrees was the Biscuits and Gravy.  Utilizing the same flaky, buttery biscuits, the dish was then doused in a gravy made with pork and topped with a sunny side up egg.  The gravy was very nicely seasoned, just enough to wake up the palate, and the richness of the pork made the dish very filling.

Lastly, the dish that made the table groan for mercy was the Savory Tart.  "It's a quiche, surely?" Brandy questioned when she laid eyes on it.  "Oh, it's more than a quiche," the server said, "This is more cream than egg, really."  The filling had been swirled with Swiss chard and dotted with cubes of bacon lardon, giving it a beautiful, yet rustic appearance.  The tart was so tender that Brandy found it difficult to cut and lift a piece from it's dish, and so throwing all decorum aside, she simply dug her fork into the thing and scooped up gobs of the creamy, fluffy filling and the flaky, buttery crust.  The filing was indeed more indulgently creamy than a typical quiche, as it had a good deal of sheep's milk cheese mixed into the almost souffle like inside.  "It feels like I'm eating pure butter...and I like it," as Brandy said.  The bacon lardons gave a good bit of smokiness and chew to the tart, and the Swiss chard lent a little tang and bitterness in a very pleasant sort of way that cut through the silk texture.

After thoroughly stuffing their faces, the attendees were then treated to an architectural tour from Wendella Boats, which picked them up right from the dock at the restaurant.  Although Brandy has done similar tours several times now since moving to Chicago, the wonder and majesty of the city she now calls home never seems to wain.  The day was rather foggy and unseasonably cool, but that didn't stop Brandy from snapping away at the mythical buildings that dominate the landscape of this wonderful city.

Though Brandy was all but ready for a nap when the boat arrived back at the restaurant, she couldn't help but grab a seat out on the patio, order one more drink, and relax to the blues band as she watched a fleet of kayakers row their way down stream.  "Comfort food indeed!" she said to no one in particular, "I'm beginning to feel a little too comfortable.  They may have to pry this seat away from my cold, hard bum if they want it back for dinner service."

Make sure to check Bunny and Brandy's Facebook Page for more pictures from the brunch and the boat tour!

The Short and Sweet Review