Sometime in late April after the Cubs home opener and after this post by Fave Bro, I proposed to throw a Chicago Style Hot Dog with my friends at SLC. In my email invitation, I set these guidelines, “In honor of Chicago, Baseball, and [Fave Bro] (and all associations with those three nouns), I propose an evening of Chicago Style Hot Dogs (and tofu pups for me). We'll do it right, boiled, on a poppy seed bun, with kosher dills, relish, onions, tomatoes, mustard, celery salt, and sport peppers. and maybe some Old Style and Twizzlers on the side. We can listen to the best of [Fave Bro's] Baseball Broadcasts, and make up some of our own. and then I will blog about it... in lots of detail.” I forwarded this email to Fave Bro, the inspiration of the party after all, and he was so excited, he posted this, “Inspired by my last post, my sister proposed a hot dog night among her friends. Sadly, at last check, it hadn't happened. I'm hoping it's happened by now.” Unfortunately, all the end of the year hustle-bustle took over and we didn’t find the time.

Then my SLC friend (and fellow ice cream adventurer) planned to come down to Chicago from the 4th of July. Sarah tossed around the idea of visiting Fave Bro up at the ring fingernail, but it turned out to be way too complicated (due to companion) (even though Fave Bro’s hyperlinked email to Sarah was a hit). So instead, she suggested to throw the Chicago Style Hot Dog Party in Chicago!! Even if we couldn’t be with Fave Bro, we’d party in honor of Fave Bro!

On Tuesday, July 3, at Lame Bro’s apartment (because he is only person in Chicago I know that has a television and CABLE-- and because it is fun to throw a party at your bro’s apartment) Sarah, companion, and I arrived with organic hot dogs, tofu pups, whole wheat buns, relish, onions, tomato, salted in the shell peanuts, pickles, chips, limes, and avocados. (We shopped at Stanley’s, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s, so we did our best, but no poppy seed buns… but even Fave Bro made exceptions… turkey dogs.) Lame Bro got out the thrifted x-mas dishes I gave him for Christmas. While I made guacamole in a gravy boat, Sarah and companion went to a food and liquor and bought Rwizzlers, beer, and sport peppers. Lame Bro provided the mustard and celery salt.

Though John Kim failed to show, Nancy and Aurora were there. We ate as we watched Chic-A-Go-Go -- live and tivo-ed! We saw two episodes: one featured Aurora and me dancing and the other featured Sharkula. We spoke with Erin Wingo, then in the Washington state back woods. She concluded that Lame Bro is really doesn’t deserve the name (and I agree, though I will still refer to him as such). Nancy threw grapes into Lame Bro’s mouth, which impressed companion the most! We left 3 long, annoying messages on Fave Bro’s phone. Then we went to the lake front to watch the fireworks reflect off the buildings behind us and walked home in the rain.

*Note: Later in the summer Sarah saw the recipe for the perfect Chicago Style Hot Dog in Travel and Leisure Magazine. Good job us!