A trolley birthday party in Chicago

Celebrating "Just Jess!" on wheels

Clang, clang, clang — cue The Trolley Song! Maybe trolley parties are run of the mill in the Windy City, but this Milwaukee girl had never considered such a thing until my princess of parties and birthday girl, Jess, decided we should celebrate her 30th on wheels.

We started with a barbecue in Jess's backyard. I made an avocado salsa (recipe coming soon!) and herbed potato salad, while Fritz manned the grill for her prosciutto-wrapped, cheese-filled jalapeño poppers. Let me tell you: Those poppers were inhaled. 

Fritz says all you have to do is mix cream cheese, shredded pepper jack, some lemon juice, and herbs of your choice for the filling. Slice jalapeños in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and stuff with the cheese mixture. Wrap in a slice of prosciutto, grill, and wolf. P.S. Shout out to Jess's Rob, who cooked up cheeseburgers and kept the evening running smoothly — a true host with the most! 

We boarded the trolley around 7pm, meaning we were driving through downtown Chicago and along Lake Michigan at the golden hour. The party playlist blasted only the raddest of jams: Backstreet Boys, Justin Beiber, Beyonce — you get the picture. The guilty and not-so-guilty pleasures one craves with a side of canned rosé. 

During our wild ride, the group hopped off the trolley for a couple photo ops — one by the lake and one in the heart of downtown. 

It really was a gorgeous, hilarious, bask-in-old-friends evening, and all thanks to our Jess and her birthday. So cheers to you, birthday girl! Thank you for being born and giving us all a night to remember.