Working in the marketing space, it is often hard to disconnect from digital devices. From managing corporate social media accounts to maintaining my own, I am essentially always on. I'm really not surprised when I read stories about people who are addicted to their phones or the statistics that claim smartphones users touch their phone an average of 2,617 (and upwards to 5,400) times a day. This only makes occasional digital detoxing more important.
Last night I had a dream I was camping. For some, camping is a great way to unplug. However, if you know anything about me, I hate camping. In my dream, a storm came (I have PTSD from this happening when I went camping when I was younger), resulting in a mandatory evacuation; everyone at the campsite had to bail and arrange flights back home.
If the image of me camping doesn’t sound realistic, a flight during a storm definitely proves the validity of my dream.
The poorly organized evacuation resulted in my luggage going missing — including my laptop, and me having a meltdown because I thought I was going to be late for jury duty. Essentially, my dream was directly related to the anxiety I felt for jury duty in the morning, and my apparent connection to screens, mainly my laptop.
The last time I served jury duty was in 2009 in Madison. A group of about 100 jurors waited in a room, when I spotted a familiar face — Mr. Cowan, my high school biology teacher. I wasn't great at biology, but Mr. Cowan was one of my favorite teachers.
Maybe it was because of my willingness to read books for extra credit, or my animated spirit when it came to dissecting a mouse. My refusal to poke and prod at the little white, formaldehyde-soaked rodent led to a book report on "The Double Helix" by James D. Watson instead.
It might have been his name, but he reminded me of Seth Cohen from The O.C. — awkward at times, nerdy, yet personable. Mr. Cowan and I caught up for the five hours we were required to stay, but ended up being pardoned at the end of the day. A waste of time? Sure. But also, a great way to detox, digitally.
In the event you don't get called in for jury duty, here are some other options to break free from your devices:
Explore new restaurants.
Full disclosure, these ideas only relate to digital detoxing — I'll obviously be sharing what I drank at all of these establishments.
a boozy brunch.
Split-Rail: Seinfeld or Friends? During restaurant week, Split-Rail rolled out a 90s sitcom themed menu where patrons could choose from items inspired by episodes like The Soup Nazi or The One with All the Cheesecakes.
Central Perk vibes.
We went for brunch — I had a crabby bagel with a fried duck egg + and grapefruit mimosa. Dan opted for the French toast bread pudding and chicken nuggets. They were spinning a Taylor Swift album, which I didn't hate.
a casual dinner.
Bar Biscay: This modern spot for Spanish plates popped up a couple weeks ago in our neighborhood. The interior is a dream, with exposed brick, Himalayan salt candleholders, fresh colored accents and neon lights. I enjoyed the salt cod brandade and oysters on the half shell while Dan chose the chorizo picante.
What I drank:
Full Frontal - singani 63, el buho mezcal, luxardo bitter, vermouth, orange bitters
Basque in the glory.
a night cap.
The Delta: Located in Wicker Park, while this place has been around for a year, we recently stumbled upon it after a night out on the town. They have a late-night food menu, cooking up tamales and animal-style fries — YUM!
What I drank:
Cypress Water - old grove gin, orange, tonic syrup, lemon, thyme
Play a game.
Punch Bowl Social: Currently located in 12 cities across the U.S., PBS is the Soho for non-Sohos. We went to the opening party for their new location in the Fulton Market District. THIS PLACE IS HUGE. Equipped with full-size bowling lanes, ping-pong, life-size scrabble, billiards, darts, and arcade games; this place is the adult version of Discovery Zone we've all been waiting for. If you don't care to give a digital detox a try, check out the virtual reality room, where you can participate in immersive games while adorned with a VR headset.
Take a stroll.
When I'm craving some quiet time away from the city, one of my favorite things to do is go to the beach and search for sea glass. A couple of my favorite beaches are located in the northern suburbs of Chicago. While you're up there, check out the Chicago Botanic Garden. Every year, they put on one of my favorite events: Evening with Orchids. It's the perfect mix of botany and booze. They partner with local distilleries to serve up some crazy-delicious cocktails.
If you're in the city, stop by the new exhibit at the Garfield Park Conservatory: Hashtag No Filter. This is one of my favorite exhibits at GPC — if you're looking for fresh air, vibrant colors and inspiration for spring planting, check this one out; it's so bright and beautiful! It smells great too.
Hashtag no filter.
Both gardens offer free admission (CBG charges a parking fee), so it's an economical choice for those looking to detox on a budget.
Try a new recipe.
If you're feeling adventurous (and hungry), creating something new in the kitchen is always relaxing. I love writing down recipes to share with others — here's one of our most recent creations.
Poulet de Grand-Mere:
For the chicken:
If you don't have time to marinade the chicken, Trader Joes carries spatchcocked lemon rosemary chicken that is PERFECT for this recipe.
Prepare spatchcocked chicken by rinsing and patting dry. Apply a good amount of garlic powder, salt and pepper — remember to get all the crevices! Spray chicken with cooking spray and sear on a piping-hot pan that has been preheated in the oven — flip and sear the other side. This will ensure the chicken is nice and crispy.
Spotted Cow chaser.
For the hash:
- 1 lb. baby red potatoes, quartered
- 4 rainbow carrots, cubed
- 10 pearl onions
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1 tsp of the following spices: sage, coriander, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Chop 3 large slices of bacon into bite-size pieces + cook on cast-iron skillet.
In the same skillet used to fry bacon, combine the red potatoes, rainbow carrots, pearl onions, and garlic. Stir in the herb blend. Incorporate the chicken broth and olive oil until all the liquid is absorbed and the hash firms up.
Place seared chicken on top of the hash and place in the oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove and quarter the chicken. Place the hash back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until the desired consistency.
Enjoy!
Get creative.
Since I work almost entirely from home, it's important that I organize time for self-care and time away from my screens. Often, working from home can feel like I'm working 24/7, since I find myself working at very strange hours — like when I wake up early or check email from my colleagues in Europe and APAC in the evenings.
Because of this, I like to take breaks throughout the day with casual reading, puzzling, painting, and writing — usually while wearing a K-Beauty facemask.
How do you take time away from screens?