Confidentiality

Dug's on a super secret shoot, where he had to sign a confidentiality agreement. Which means, I'd tell you about it, but then I'd have to kill you. So, we'll post lots of info when it gets publicly released.

When we were first dating and flew to Hawaii together, in March of 1995, Dug told me he was a secret agent and used that "I'd tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya" line. He was sitting in the aisle seat behind me, and as I turned to make some witty retort, my knee bumped the tray, sending a full gin and tonic careening into my lap. That was fun......spending the entire flight to Hawaii pickling in gin soaked jeans. But, I guess the line worked, 'cause I married the guy. And despite my clumsiness and propensity for spilling drinks on myself (more than a few times), he asked me to.

Fourteen years later, he's finally revealing secrets about his work to me, and thankfully he hasn't killed me. But, we can't orphan the children yet, they're young, and the industry ruthlessly protects its secrets. So, the world at large will have to wait, for further info about the top secret project.

Amazing Wedding Cakes by The Cakegirls

Last weekend, Dug worked on the show, Amazing Wedding Cakes, and spent the day following the creations of Chicago's own Cakegirls.

Cakegirls

Cakegirls is a custom cake studio located in the trendy Roscoe Village neighborhood of north Chicago. An experiment in cake design, Cakegirls has traveled a long road to success, which started in Rochester, Michigan where sisters Brenda and Mary Maher spent years sharing a room, sharing coloring books and most importantly sharing their Easy Bake Oven.

Back in 2000 when we got married, I got a call from our Wicker Park based bakery, as we arrived at the wedding location, saying there had been a disaster. The top layer of our 4 layer wedding cake, to feed 125 people, had fallen into the 2nd layer and both were destroyed! Just what every bride longs to hear. I almost burst out laughing. It's a good thing we're pretty laid back people.

The refrigeration had gone out in the back of the delivery truck and they got stuck for hours in Blues Festival traffic trying to reach our idyllic, but somewhat remote, lakefront location, south of the city. The small top cake was a flourless chocolate and a bit dense, but it still shouldn't have happened. They returned to the bakery and were able to replace the damaged layers and more or less redesign the custom spirals and dragonflies before dessert time.

Fortunately, nothing that dramatic happened to The Cakegirls and their delicious designs, while on camera. The series is already airing on We TV.

Tornado Week on The Weather Channel

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." If Dorothy Gayle lived in Greensburg today, the Emerald City wouldn't be the only green town she'd be seeing in the wake of a Kansas tornado.

It's that season again, twister time. And if you missed The Weather Channel's Tornado Week, the last week of February, it's not too late. "When Weather Changed History: Greentown," the show Dug worked on, aired as part of the Tornado Week line up. But you can still see the full episode here.

9th Annual Polar Plunge Chicago--Bikini Girls in a Blizzard

Chicago winters breed hardy souls and they were out en mass for the 2009 Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Chicago and Special Children's Charities. As temperatures hovered in the low teens and gusts of snow blew sideways, over 1,500 people donned everything from bikini's to winter coats to take the plunge into the icy waters of Lake Michigan.
Windy City Rollers Derby Girls could still outpace Cubs fans in a snowstorm any day.


Police and Fire dive teams were on hand in dry suits. The entrants were more colorfully, but less warmly dressed. Drownings weren't a big risk in the shallow water, but all rescue workers were trained in treatments for hypothermia and possible heart attacks. To prepare for The Polar Plunge, rescue teams practiced relay maneuvers to carry a victim from the water to an ambulance. Four men would take the board at a time and swap out with fresh runners half way up the beach in order to make the best time.

Chicago Park District employees drove two end loaders back and forth through the water to break the ice and keep an open area of water for people to jump into. Despite the giant Slurpee consistency of the lake, a playfulness permeated the event.

Entrants got creative with the costume contest including a well crewed yellow submarine and a plethora of Vikings and Nuns. Even Santa in sunglasses and the Statue of Liberty were sighted.