But seasons change and so will I.

I'm hungry for winter.

It's an interesting concept, wanting the cold weather to come when warm weather is always more comfortable. But there's a different type of comfort in the cool, crisp air that winter brings. Many people say that winter brings gloominess, sorrow, general cold things and ideas. But when I think of winter, I think of Christmas, the beautiful city completely illuminated with holiday lights, spices filling the air on the streets, warm sweaters and tea, fresh fallen snow.

It's my first winter living in the city, and although all of the things listed above have been experiences of mine before, I have experienced none of them as an independent adult. They are all things that when living downtown, alone, part of the real world, I think I'll be able to appreciate that much more. The little things during the cold months are what make them not as cold as they might normally be.

My dad said that I needed a heavy winter coat, so when I refused, he went out and bought me an Alaskan-appropriate down parka, perfect for those walks to the bus in the morning. But when I'm walking toward the bus on these first few crisp mornings, it's not the brisk weather I notice; it's the beautiful lake in front of me as I walk towards Lake Shore Drive. The beauty of the lake, of my own walk on my way to work, completely masks the unpleasantness of the temperature.

So some might say that winter is the worst season, unbearable during the really dark months. But I say, bring it on, Chicago. For my first, beautiful, Chicago winter, it can't come soon enough.

Hungry for...

CRAVING: Clam Dip

INGREDIENTS: Canned, chopped clams, Knorr's Vegetable Soup Mix and plan, 2% Greek yogurt

FROM: In college, you're always looking for a snack food, something to eat non-stop while positioned permanently in front of the TV. My friend, Rachel Dickstein, has a family recipe that would always satisfy any craving. The dip is super easy and although she usually uses sour cream, it's just as delicious with the lighter Greek yogurt.

WHY: It's easy and delicious, and you can make it in advance for all of those cravings throughout the week.

Needless to say, I made a whole tub of it on Sunday and my roommate and I have practically devoured it already...

Let's get cooking.

I'm hungry to cook.

Kind of ironic, right? I started this blog to vent about my life and motivate myself to exercise my culinary skills.

But I haven't been cooking. I love to cook. In college, when I had a bad day, I would come home and force my roommates to let me do all the cooking for that night, to let me make something really delicious. (A really hard life they lived, huh?)

For whatever reason, being in the kitchen relaxes me. It's my outlet from the rest of the world, to create something so delicious and amazing that whatever else happened that day suddenly becomes irrelevant.

And I have to start this up again. My new goal is to cook three dinners every week, to make sure that I not only use my beautiful new kitchen with stainless steel appliances, but that I cook to make myself happy. Because when I'm in the kitchen, I know that I'll be happy.

Hungry for...

WHAT: Cafe Sushi

WHERE: Corner of Wells and Schiller, Old Town

WHY: It's a great, authentic sushi restaurant with an extensive menu and a BYOB policy. What could be better?

FAVORITE: For this, I have to include two. Obviously the shrimp tempura maki roll was fantastic, perfectly crisp and a hefty portion with eight pieces rather than the traditional six. But to add something out of the ordinary into the mix, the mushroom maki roll was fantastic, with rice and marinated shitake mushrooms.

TIP: Bring your own booze. Seriously. Everyone in the restaurant had their own bottle of wine and it goes so well with sushi.

Hungry for...

WHAT: Feast

WHERE: Gold Coast location, Rush and Delaware

WHY: When Sara was in town, I wanted a fun, casual place for dinner where we could sit outside and catch up. In comes Feast, a trendy-casual restaurant in the Gold Coast with outdoor seating perfect for people watching. The menu is big enough to please everyone, with our table ordering salads, crab cakes, turkey burgers and pizzas. The prices and budget friendly, especially if you go for the appetizers that are really big enough to be entrees. Their wine list is delicious, too.

FAVORITE: The dip trio appetizer. It comes with three homemade dips: spinach and artichoke, roasted red pepper and walnut and hummus, with fresh-baked pita toasts on the side.

TIP: If you're in a rush but still want a delicious meal, head to their grocer right next door for a great selection of salads, sandwiches and snacks.

Oh, to be young.

I'm hungry for my youth.

I'm well aware that I haven't even reached my mid-twenties yet, but I have never felt so young and so old at the same time.

At work, I'm constantly fighting to defend myself because of my age and inexperience, trying to look older and appear more knowledgeable. My coworkers say that they're jealous of my youth, but they're not jealous of my inability to make decisions within the company or create my own hours. Those are luxuries for the 'old', keeping in mind no one I associate with in the office is over the age of 30. Feeling young is ridiculous, and some days, I wish I could fast forward to my middle aged years, the years of being in complete control of everything around me.

But then my friend Sara came to visit. She's one of my best friends and still a senior at the university I attended. After an interview, she stayed at my apartment, beyond excited to escape Champaign and have a night out in Chicago. All she said the entire night was how lucky I was, how amazing it is to be in Chicago, to be a real person, to have graduated. And as I was listening to her, all I was thinking was that I would give anything to have just a few days of no responsibility. Yes, her midterms and job hunt are both challenging, but they're nothing compared to a full-time job and real life. All I could tell her was that she should enjoy her time left in college, and that before she knew it, she would be contemplating doing laundry because $1.50 per washer doesn't factor into her weekly budget.

It's a constant back and forth. I want to be an adult, a "real person", if you will, but I also long to have my easy, care-free college days back. Not forever, just for a little while. I want to fast-forward, but what's the rush? No matter how much I wish I could change, I am where I am, right here, as a young but old twentysomething.

Hungry for...

WHAT: Table 52

WHERE: Elm and Dearborn, Gold Coast

WHY: Weeks ago, I saw a profile of this restaurant on the Food Network, naming it the best fried chicken in the country. The chef and owner is Art Smith, Oprah's former personal chef turned celebrity. So, naturally, after I told my dad he insisted that we go immediately, if not sooner. And to make things even more convenient? The restaurant is nicely located just three short blocks from my new apartment downtown. The only thing that made the situation even better... was the unbelievable southern food.

FOOD: Naturally, everyone but my friend, Eve, ordered the fried chicken, and her choice was decided simply because she is a vegetarian. She got the smoked salmon pizza which was also very good. My dad took it upon himself to order some appetizers and sides for the table, so when all was said and done, we had ordered pretty much the entire menu. The shrimp and grits appetizer and the sweet potato side topped my favorites that night.

TIP: The fried chicken is only on the menu on Sundays and Mondays, so if that's why you're going like the rest of the world, make a reservation and make it early. They start serving dinner at 4:45 p.m. those nights, especially to accommodate the mass crowds that always show up.