Last week I tried to go thrift store shopping. I attempted again today but got side tracked. I was very much enjoying the song on the radio (The Toadies – Possum Kingdom). I was so into it. I effing love this song. That I missed my turn. I took the next turn and out of the corner of my eye I see the word Chicago. Then “Welcome to Chicago”. WTF.

I pulled a u-turn and stared in disbelief.

Looks very familiar. Vienna Beef. Its defiantly worth a shot. I tell myself I can’t be too excited. Its NC after all. I go in and the guy asked me if I had been there before, I told him no but I was from Chicago. He smiles, oh so you are familiar. Yes. :D

I ordered an Italian beef for Jeff and hotdog for me. As he is making it he explains that he is from Chicago and he has been in NC for 30 years. For the last 30 years its always bothered him that there is no Italian Beef outside of Chicago. So three months ago he opened up shop. He even gets the beef and dogs shipped in FROM Chicago. ok, now I’m excited.

He further explains that he has a map near the door that have Chicagoland and push pins to mark your neighborhood. All the pins he got in 3 months. I thought that was pretty good. AND I wanna know who the other Aurora pin in. I marked Aurora for me and Jeff and (after taking the pic) South Elgin for me.

I came home and presented Jeff with his food. I haven’t seen him that happy in a long time. Not like since we were home, but like a LONG time. We ate our Chicago food in near silence and enjoyed every single bite. And I gotta say, it was good. It was authentic. I was impressed.

Thank god for small world syndrome.