Hey old friends and recently acquired new ones!  Did anyone here know that there is a salt cave in Chicago?!? I didn’t!  So you know I had to go check it out for this week’s adventure.  Not only did I check it out, but I managed to make an ass out of myself while I was there too!

What the hell is a salt cave?  It’s apparently a kind of spa that’s very popular in Eastern Europe.  This one in Chicago is obviously not natural, 16 tons of  salt (well, maybe less since I stole some as a souvenir) was imported from the Black Sea to build the Galos Salt Cave http://www.galoscaves.com/_en/ofirmie.htm which is at 6500 W. Irving Park.  I pulled up and almost missed it because it is apparently attached to “The Jolly Restaurant”.  Weird, right?  Supposedly, there’s all sorts of health ailments it will improve if you go for several sessions: Respiratory, digestive, and cardiovascular system disease, asthma, ulcers, circulation problems, etc.  It looks super cool and beautiful, right?

And what does one DO in a salt cave?  Apparently, you don’t actually DO anything.  You rest, and soak in the salt.  I didn’t get it.  And as anyone who ‘s met me even one time will tell you, I’m not exactly a very “zen” kind of girl.  Don’t be fooled by the pretty colors- they didn’t turn those lights on until the end of the session.  When I walked in, it was pitch black.  I was so sad- I wanted to SEE the salt cave.  So, assuming I was alone, I whipped out my phone and attempt to use it as a light.  Sadly, it was not bright enough because I suddenly heard “Ouch!!!”  I looked down to discover that I had just slammed my thigh into some woman’s head.  Oops. I guess I was not alone after all- there were several women in here!  I scurried away through the salt mortified, and found a chair.  I attempted to set it up and it wouldn’t straighten out and kept making these horrible screeching sounds.  I wisely decided I would climb over the arms of the chair, flop down, and use my body weight to straighten it out into its natural horizontal shape.  I threw myself in and toppled over with my feet above my head.  Jackass.  Finally, I got settled in and began to relax.  Now what?  After five minutes I was bored.  I had 40 minutes left.  hmmmmmm.  I began to flick

the salt around.  Then I wondered if this Black Sea salt tasted like regular salt and picked a piece up and stuck it in my mouth.  Eeeeaw.  It was salty.  Then I laid there some more, not feeling healthier or relaxed.  Bored, I stared at the wall.  Could that really be a solid wall of salt?  Or did it just look like salt?  So yes, I did get up and lick the wall (no, I didn’t make out with it, I just touched it with my tongue- which I suppose is just as gross anyway).  I was in fact surrounded by all salt.  Neat.  I fell back in, and out, of my chair.  And then I laid there.  After 45 minutes (which cost $15), the lights came up and the session was over. 

Rating: 2.5/5 stars.  In all fairness, I’m sure if you attended several sessions you might feel some effects.  Or if you like spas and relaxing it’s worth checking out.  And I actually absolutely loved it as something totally unique and out of the ordinary to do- but I have the attention span of a flea so I thought it was awesome for, ohhh, ten minutes.

So that was my NEW experience for the week.  Now I will update you on on-going fun or previously written things.

Thursday: My fourth 8 at 8 dinner http://www.8at8.com/ was at Cafe Ba-ba-reeba.  This is a very expensive dinner club for singles that sets up four guys and four girls for dinner.  It was a pretty fun dinner, and I got digits from one of the boys.  He was funny, and funny is sexy, so I believe I will hit him up.  If you want to know more, I posted a full review about 8 at 8 on Jan. 30th. (3.75/5)

Friday:  I went to what is my favorite event of all the events I’ve been to: a Mingler!  Check out www.macncheeseproductions.com or my January post “What is a Mingler?” for more info.  I’m not saying this because hostess, Saya, reads my blog faithfully (shout-out!), but because it’s true.  These Mingler’s are parties at Saya’s house where everyone comes alone- forcing them to “mingle” and meet new people.  No bullshit, EVERY time I go I have a fabulous time.  I always make new girlfriends and get new ideas of fun, unique things to do.  It never ceases to amaze me that at every single one of these parties, everyone who has their pulse on what is cool in Chicago is there.  Everyone who is making new things happen in this city is there.  And ultimately, the most fun, friendly, highly educated, impressive, creative, good, interesting, unique individuals are there.  So if you haven’t gone, please go.  The people who go to these events are the heart and soul of this city.  I can’t wait to explore some of the latest ideas I got from this last party.  (5/5)

Saturday: I went on the date with mystery man!!!! This is the guy that my girlfriend from a very far away state set me up with.  He was up there for business and when she mentioned she had a friend in Chicago, he asked if I was single and gave her his number to give to me!  I suggested we go to D’Noche, which is a fantastic Cuban restaurant in Logan Square.  He was a lot different than most of the guys I go out with which was refreshing.  I think that’s because he’s from a small town and MUCH younger than me.  I believe young enough to put me in cougar territory.  Sweet.   And while I don’t anticipate him being “the one”, we did agree to at least go out on a second date!!! So yay!  That’s my fifth date this year, but my first second date.  Admittedly, those are not impressive numbers, but considering that the year “pre-blog” gave me a big fat ZERO number of dates, this is pretty damn good.   Yeah, he’s a good guy.  I’ll keep you posted.  Oh!  What made him especially decent, is the fact that I dragged him to the Milwuakee  Street Arts Festival in Logan Square and it was very small, disappointing,  pretentious and generally lame- and he was not the least bit annoyed by it.  That went a long way with me. 

I’ve got a couple other random”honorable mentions” because summer is just an endless smorgasbord of awesome, but I’ll save those for another week cuz I think this is enough fun for now!  But if you’re looking for some upcoming fun- next weekend is Pierogi Fest!  Not only is it filled with tasty treats, but the parade is led by Mr. Pierogi himself.  Yes, a man in a pierogi outfit.  And BTW- one of my girlfriends dated him.  Hot.  Check it out.  I’m going to!