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Brits In Chicago

Brits In Chicago

Old Nov 9th 2010, 7:30 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by MrEmjoy
Where do you get your breakfast fixings?
I've found back bacon and sossies (marketed as 'Irish' but made in Chicago) in a little knick-knack store in Richmond where I work (right up by WI border on Rt.12). A bit pricey though, and I don't usually have the time to eat breakfast in the morning so I am usually a tea n toast man.

The Ulster Fry was always a lunch time meal for me back home
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Old Nov 9th 2010, 7:32 pm
  #17  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing
I've found back bacon and sossies (marketed as 'Irish' but made in Chicago) in a little knick-knack store in Richmond where I work (right up by WI border on Rt.12). A bit pricey though, and I don't usually have the time to eat breakfast in the morning so I am usually a tea n toast man.

The Ulster Fry was always a lunch time meal for me back home
Aye, is it Winstons by any chance? I've just got hold of some Irish bacon it was about $5 a pound.
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Old Nov 9th 2010, 7:38 pm
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by MrEmjoy
Aye, is it Winstons by any chance? I've just got hold of some Irish bacon it was about $5 a pound.
Can't mind the name - was at least 2 years ago I bought it. Too tight to buy more! Both the bacon and the sossies were good though, made a perfect bacon buttie, and bangers and mash that made my son pee himself it was that good (had bought regular Heinz beans out of Jewel for that too . . .)

There is a 'Euro Deli' just opened in my town I have yet to check out, I wonder if they have some decent cheese (cheddar that isn't a big orange brick of rubber). Wish a Brit butcher would do the same
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Old Nov 10th 2010, 1:49 am
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

my DH was staying in the Springhill Suites in Waukegan until last week before he moved into our new house. We stayed there in the summer for a week too. We were originally going to look at living in Lindenhurst but we were advised that the school district is in financial trouble and also the High Schools were not as good. So we are now in the Stevenson High School district which I believe is excellent.

Do any of the supermarkets stock regular teabags and can I get my paxo stuffing and bisto gravy????? Will need them for Christmas Day!! Also what do you all do over Christmas? Looking forward to the Christmas feel again after 4 years living in Dubai where there is very little Christmas atmosphere!

Getting really excited now. 2 weeks tomorrow and we are on the plane to the States!!!!!
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Old Nov 10th 2010, 4:17 am
  #20  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by BRITX-PAT
my DH was staying in the Springhill Suites in Waukegan until last week before he moved into our new house. We stayed there in the summer for a week too. We were originally going to look at living in Lindenhurst but we were advised that the school district is in financial trouble and also the High Schools were not as good. So we are now in the Stevenson High School district which I believe is excellent.

Do any of the supermarkets stock regular teabags and can I get my paxo stuffing and bisto gravy????? Will need them for Christmas Day!! Also what do you all do over Christmas? Looking forward to the Christmas feel again after 4 years living in Dubai where there is very little Christmas atmosphere!

Getting really excited now. 2 weeks tomorrow and we are on the plane to the States!!!!!
Lindenhurst is pretty close to me, we're in Fox Lake. Good schools if a little to jock friendly for my liking From what I hear, Stevenson is a very good district. None are a patch on NI schools of course

Teabags - Jewel Osco stores sell 'Tetley British Blend', and they do the job nicely. They are round, have no string and when you open the box they smell like tea. About $4.50 if I remember correctly, for 80 but a cut above Lipton for sure! Not sure about Paxo/Bisto but that place in Long Grove should do them. My Scottish mate (who lives in Lindenhurst funny enough) managed to get a case of Irn Bru there so I'm sure stuffing and gravy should be an easy one.

Can't speak for others on the forum but for me at Christmas I enjoy the snow, try to live with the fact that the only public holidays are Xmas day and New Year's day, and if I'm lucky I get to take off Boxing Day and maybe even New Year's eve! The day itself is just the 4 of us, very quiet and lazy day. Moreso this year because we have no bloody money

Buffalo Grove is a nice town, from what I've seen of it - hope everything is as you expect it to be when you get over
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Old Nov 10th 2010, 12:48 pm
  #21  
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Thanks Sultan!

Yes it will be a quiet 1st Christmas for us too. I am looking for some "mummy" friends to have coffee with and pass some time with. My twins are not going to start pre-school until January but my eldest is going to start school pretty quick. Will need to find play areas for them. Do most women work? What is it like for women working? Pretty much like UK? Would probably like to go back to work but not until I have got everyone settled and happy!

Sorry for all the questions!!

TIA!
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Old Nov 10th 2010, 1:29 pm
  #22  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by BRITX-PAT
Thanks Sultan!

Yes it will be a quiet 1st Christmas for us too. I am looking for some "mummy" friends to have coffee with and pass some time with. My twins are not going to start pre-school until January but my eldest is going to start school pretty quick. Will need to find play areas for them. Do most women work? What is it like for women working? Pretty much like UK? Would probably like to go back to work but not until I have got everyone settled and happy!

Sorry for all the questions!!

TIA!
A lot of women do work - can't tell you what it is like though because I'm a bloke . The work culture out here sucks compared to the UK though, especially for an ex civil servant like me. I had to go from 25 days off plus 11 bank holidays to 5 days plus 6. Now I've been here 4 years I get 10, but that goes by quick with snow days at school and sick children days et cetera!

If you lived further north I would recommend you use our babysitter because she's good, and reasonably cheap (only charges by the day so if you're off work or whatever she wouldn't charge for that day). Only thing is she is in Grayslake, which is a pain in the arse getting up 83 from Buffalo Grove. Wouldn't recommend dealing with that traffic!

Don't worry about asking too many questions, it helps to be prepared and all that
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Old Nov 10th 2010, 2:12 pm
  #23  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by BRITX-PAT
Thanks Sultan!

Yes it will be a quiet 1st Christmas for us too. I am looking for some "mummy" friends to have coffee with and pass some time with. My twins are not going to start pre-school until January but my eldest is going to start school pretty quick. Will need to find play areas for them. Do most women work? What is it like for women working? Pretty much like UK? Would probably like to go back to work but not until I have got everyone settled and happy!

Sorry for all the questions!!

TIA!
Oh aye, A LOT of women work - in fact, I think the balance tipped recently to more women working than men. Or it might have been that more men were being laid off than women and becoming unemployed... hmm... Either way, it's the norm for us lady-folks to earn a wage outside the home.

My baba is only 18-months-old so I can't comment on the pre-school and school systems, but I'm happy with his daycare facility. There's a lot of legislation and forms you have to fill in, but given the lawsuit-happy culture we live in over here, it doesn't surprise me.

I love it here, I have to say.
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Old Nov 10th 2010, 2:18 pm
  #24  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by BRITX-PAT

Do any of the supermarkets stock regular teabags and can I get my paxo stuffing and bisto gravy?????
It depends what you drink, most have Twinings and Tetleys, or some crap called 'Barrys' that I've never heard of.

Sadly Paxo is limited to the store in Long Grove most likely and World Market. Google for your closest location, they have a few British things.

My Fresh Farms, http://www.myfreshfarms.com/ Has a good selection of British goods also, they also have a great middle eastern section. They also sell Yorkshire Tea which is the best tea in the world.



Also what do you all do over Christmas?
Moan about eating ham instead of Turkey.
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Old Nov 10th 2010, 2:21 pm
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by MrEmjoy
Moan about eating ham instead of Turkey.
Oh aye, I forgot about that. Back in Blighty we used to have turkey and ham, and mini sausages and roast potatoes (among other things). We have the turkey at Thanksgiving and I can't seem to be able to negotiate getting another little one for us on Christmas day (f*** the in laws, they can get their own )
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Old Nov 10th 2010, 2:22 pm
  #26  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by BRITX-PAT
Thanks Sultan!

Yes it will be a quiet 1st Christmas for us too. I am looking for some "mummy" friends to have coffee with and pass some time with. My twins are not going to start pre-school until January but my eldest is going to start school pretty quick. Will need to find play areas for them. Do most women work? What is it like for women working? Pretty much like UK? Would probably like to go back to work but not until I have got everyone settled and happy!

Sorry for all the questions!!

TIA!
I really can't speak for women but I'm a stay at home dad, full time, and it's fairly accepted, my wife is in a good working position, and I could never match her salary and would only be covering the cost of a Nannie anyway.

I sadly know most of the mums in the neighborhood and having an English accent helps
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Old Nov 11th 2010, 2:18 pm
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Thanks Guys and Gal for all your info! Really want to get everyone settled as quickly as possible and then think about looking for work perhaps next Summer when our twins will start Kindergarten and we are all a bit more established. My background is financial services ( I was a Financial Adviser in a bank in a previous life) and ideally would like to have a part time job perhaps in customer service or something.

I am sure that I will have loads more questions when we arrive. In the meantime, if I do need any help is the right place and thread to go on? Do I need to start another thread? Think I will pack some paxo, bisto and tea bags in my case along with my Cadbury's chocolate to keep me going initially! Is this where the Chicago Brits hang out???

2 weeks today and we will be in the air!
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Old Nov 11th 2010, 2:45 pm
  #28  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by BRITX-PAT
Thanks Guys and Gal for all your info! Really want to get everyone settled as quickly as possible and then think about looking for work perhaps next Summer when our twins will start Kindergarten and we are all a bit more established. My background is financial services ( I was a Financial Adviser in a bank in a previous life) and ideally would like to have a part time job perhaps in customer service or something.

I am sure that I will have loads more questions when we arrive. In the meantime, if I do need any help is the right place and thread to go on? Do I need to start another thread? Think I will pack some paxo, bisto and tea bags in my case along with my Cadbury's chocolate to keep me going initially! Is this where the Chicago Brits hang out???

2 weeks today and we will be in the air!
I guess this is as good a place as any, if you want to ask anything personal I've sent you my Email address in a private message!

And yes, do pack Paxo and Bisto!
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Old Nov 11th 2010, 7:14 pm
  #29  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by MrEmjoy
I guess this is as good a place as any, if you want to ask anything personal I've sent you my Email address in a private message!

And yes, do pack Paxo and Bisto!
This thread is making me feel a lot less anxious about moving out!
Im at the very early stages of getting my visa, but hoping to be out by summer!
My husband lives in Chicago, so ill be moving there!
I have spent the last 2 years flying back and forth and cant wait to be settled finally and no more goodbyes!
Im glad to hear ill be able to find some British food and footie! Although saying that i have turned into a huge Chicago Blackhawks hockey fan and watch all the games in the UK on espn. Cannot wait to be able to go to games again! any other brit hockey fans in Chicago on here?
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Old Nov 11th 2010, 7:26 pm
  #30  
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Default Re: Brits In Chicago

Originally Posted by hockeysarah
This thread is making me feel a lot less anxious about moving out!
Im at the very early stages of getting my visa, but hoping to be out by summer!
My husband lives in Chicago, so ill be moving there!
I have spent the last 2 years flying back and forth and cant wait to be settled finally and no more goodbyes!
Im glad to hear ill be able to find some British food and footie! Although saying that i have turned into a huge Chicago Blackhawks hockey fan and watch all the games in the UK on espn. Cannot wait to be able to go to games again! any other brit hockey fans in Chicago on here?
Nice to hear we are helping keep your anxiety down

This Brit isn't a hockey fan though. On top of that I lost out on $100.00 earlier in the year because we had a gig cancelled because of the stupid playoffs

(no offence )
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