my world in a paper cup.

taxi!

2012-01-20T20:35:00.000-06:00

pretty sure i was part of this group in a former life.

goodbye childhood!

2012-01-03T20:49:00.000-06:00

while i was home over the christmas break, i rescued a few things from my childhood which were doomed for storage in a cold new england attic--or worse!

usually i am all for throwing things out. i love nothing more than to donate clothes, recycle magazines, and just generally rid our apartment of anything non-essential at all costs. my dream is to live in a hotel room--i want a bed, a TV, a nice bathroom, a place to stash my clothes, and a closet for all my shoes. that's it! no nicknacks please!

but look at this stuff!

surely i couldn't get rid of my sorority paddle? i mean, all the sisters in the house signed it the year i pledged. surely i could not get rid of my gymnastics coat? i remember that when my dad surprised me with it [in 1988, 1989?], i looked at the name on the sleeve and honest-to-god thought there must be another michaela, because there was no way i could be gifted with something so cool. and let's not even speak of getting rid of my girl scout sash--i need that just to prove to people that i've been in the woods and done crafts and stuff.

so yeah, i rescued it all from storage in new england so it could live in storage in chicago. but that's okay! i usually feel better getting rid of stuff, but this time i felt better keeping it.

christmas in new england.

2012-01-01T19:44:00.001-06:00

this post is a little late, but even so, i want to write something about my favorite holiday.

this year the reedy clan drove from chicago to new england. and while sitting in the car for four days (2 there, 2 back) isn't exactly my idea of a hootin' hollerin' good time, the long journey was most definitely worth the time we got to spend with family and friends.

last christmas was spent just the three of us (me, hubs, bully) in our chilly little chicago apartment. it was nice, but it was a little sad to spend the holiday away from family for the first time. jim and i both grew up in massachusetts so this christmas seemed extra special--lots of family time, lots of nice visits with friends, lots of yummy food, lots of sleeping in, and lots of being lazy.

we're back in chicago now and back to the grind. 2012 will be a good year for us, i can feel it in my ferragamo clad toes!

2011's greatest hits

2012-01-01T11:17:00.000-06:00

2011 was good to us indeed! here are some of the year's highlights:

we went on a last minute vacay to mexico
i discovered a love for bright pink lipstick
we soaked up the sun in the park across the street
i finally hung a picture collage
fred made a cameo in a documentary
we ate a lot of forever yogurt
we celebrated the fourth of july with friends
we bought a car!
my niece was born
chicago got a Topshop
we went to the races
jim surprised me with tickets to the avett brothers
we made our annual pilgrimage to brimfield for christmas candles
i participated in my first blog challenge and swap
i hosted our annual urban family thanksgiving this year
i went to hawaii to meet my honorary niece
we went on a road trip to rhode island

road trip.

2011-12-22T22:39:00.000-06:00

the hubs, the bully, and i are packin' up our sleigh and heading to the east coast! we are driving (gulp!) from chicago to providence, rhode island (with a stop in the buffalo, ny area), and we're heading out of town tomorrow morning.

here's to lots of candy, music, books on tape, and divey tourist traps along the way!

my stylish elf shoes.

2011-12-21T21:45:00.002-06:00

i think if christian louboutin made shoes for men, santa would have one killer pair of boots.

christmas quiz

2011-12-20T20:18:00.000-06:00


baby, it's cold outside!

i've seen this little christmas quiz popping up in a few of my favorite blogs, so i decided to give it a whirl myself. ho ho ho!

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate // egg nog please. with rum!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? // a little of both.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? // white lights only.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? // nope. i don't think i've ever seen the real thing? such a shame!
5. When do you put your decorations up? // right after thanksgiving.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? // pumpkin pie. lots!
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? // christmas eve at my grandmothers--always a big deal.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? // a friend told me in 3rd grade, but i pretended not to know for a long time.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? // yes, but just one.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? // lots of red and blue scandinavian themed ornaments.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? // love it in december, hate it after new years.
12. Can you ice skate? // yes, indeed!
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? // no favorite--i've been too spoiled.
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? // making the darkest days of winter seem cheerful--this is painfully cheesy, but i mean it!
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? // pumpkin pie or anything chocolate.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? // tea at The Drake.
17. What tops your tree? // a red star.
18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? // giving. i'm weirdly embarrassed to open gifts in front of people!
19. Candy canes: yuck or yummy? // yum. it's science.
20. Favorite Christmas show? // Love Actually, Elf, Home Alone.
21. Saddest Christmas song? // Baby, It's Cold Outside--"say, what's in this drink?"...basically a song about date rape.
22. What is your favorite Christmas song? // adeste fideles.

a super sexy glimpse into our bedroom.

2011-12-19T22:08:00.000-06:00

i lied. it's not that interesting.

this is the very first time that fred has ever been on our bed. he sleeps in the kitchen thankyouverymuch. mostly because i'm paranoid that he'll jump off our bed and hurt himself. also because i'm a sucker and i know that he could wedge himself into my spot and i'd oblige and be sleeping on the floor in no time flat.

p.s. as you can tell, our bedroom is in desperate need of...anything. it's the only room i haven't put any effort into--mostly because it's very small and decor of any sort requires a lot of creative thinking, and also because i don't want to pour too much money into a rental.

p.p.s. does it sort of look like we're sleeping in a prison?!?!

p.p.p.s. it does. oh god.

let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!

2011-12-17T08:56:00.000-06:00

we woke up to snow this morning.

and it's the perfect kind too--glittery and fluffy.

december snow is lovely. it's january/february/march/april snow that must DIE.

hawaii.

2011-12-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

hawaii was ah-mazing (duh police, right?). as much as i loved all the sun and sand and rum punches, the best part by far was seeing my friend jacqueline and her new baby, amelia, who was just five days old when i arrived on black friday! the whole time i was there i was all, hey jacqueline...i can't believe you live in paradise...AND YOU HAVE A BABY. it's crazy, but in the best way possible.

home.

2011-12-04T10:55:00.001-06:00

i flew home this weekend (left honolulu at 7pm on friday and arrived in chicago at 7am. oy.), and it's a good thing i'm back because i was clearly missed as a bully pillow.

i finally found something to do with all those polas!

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

we had what seemed like hundreds of instax minis floating around our desks drawers, and i finally decided to do something with them. *pats back*

i stood on our desk and started sticking the little polas to the wall in a heart shape, hoping i had enough pictures and double sided tape to finish the job. (who wants half a heart hanging over their desk?!)

i'm happy with the result. i'm not sure my landlord will be too pleased though.

thanksgiving challenge :: blog swap reveal!

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

as i mentioned here, this 'plenty to be thankful for!' blog swap/challenge was a first for me -- and i am so glad i did it! i met a lot of great bloggers through this challenge, one of whom is kit from life of a scott, my blog swap partner. kit and her husband live in florence, south carolina, which is funny because my parents actually moved there from massachusetts while i was in college. small world, right? kit's expecting a baby in about 20 weeks -- she's gorgeous and sweet as can be and her bump is adorable! not only that, but kit's an amazing gift giver...i sort of think i made out like a bandit for this swap? check out what she sent me...

...essie nail polish in a pretty deep purple color called 'carry on', burt's bees in a refreshing grapefruit flavor (i tore of the cap and put it on immediately as soon as i opened the box), a colorful scarf, note cards that are too pretty to give away, and a card with a super sweet message!

thanks so much, kit!

i am thankful for black friday.

2011-11-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

while i am usually very thankful for black friday discounts and left over thanksgiving turkey, this year i am thankful for airline miles because i'm using mine to visit my dear friend jacqueline in hawaii! by the time you read this, i will be up, up, and away! off to visit jacqueline and her sweet daughter, amelia, who was born just this past weekend. i am excited to see my friend and my new 'niece.' to those of you on the main land -- happy shopping!

here i am the day before thanksgiving, braving the wilds of Aldi!

i am thankful for the special people in my life.

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

boy oh boy, am i ever thankful for my friends and family. i am a lucky girl because i have incredible people in my world -- the bestest hubs, friends who have stuck by me even through my most dreadful of phases, and family that gets me. also? i have people who are willing to look at my wedding photos...time and time again. :)

my bridal party: 2 brothers, 1 new sister, 2 friends from high school, 3 friends from college. 1 brooklyn bridge. lots of love.

my dad walking me down the aisle. everyone says we look alike.

my new hubs. lots and lots of love.

i think it's important to surround yourself with people you love -- people that inspire you to be better than you are, people who push you to do bigger things. it's important to live your life around people who support you and genuinely want you to succeed. i think it's important too to show the same support for the people you love -- i know i'm guilty of not always being the greatest wife/daughter/friend/coworker, and probably the most special people in my life are the ones who like me anyway, despite all my many flaws.

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i am thankful for thanksgiving traditions.

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

every year, a week or so before thanksgiving day, my friends throw what's come to be known as our annual urban family thanksgiving. this little tradition gives us a chance to celebrate the holiday together before going our separate ways for family fun. (it also gives us the chance to eat a big thanksgiving dinner before thanksgiving!)

it's important to be with family on the holidays, obvs. but i think it's also important to be with the people we'd choose for family, if we could. urban family thanksgiving let's us do just that.

this year the party was at my apartment, which was a lot of fun. i drank a few spiked ciders before realizing that i hadn't taken any pictures, so the ones that follow were taken a) under the influence and b) in a desperate attempt to capture the evening. i wish i had taken more, but there's always next year!

i ran out to costco the day of the party to pick up flowers. i got these bad boys and a bunch of other bouquets as well as a poinsettia that got lots of compliments. who knew costco had such great flowers?
my hubs and our bully boy in the kitchen.
we turned the office into a beverage room when the kitchen started over-flowing with food.
my sweet friend, tia.
friends at the end of the night.
dan & suzie -- so cute!

i am thankful for my favorite thanksgiving recipe.

2011-11-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

i am not much of a cook. it's not that i don't think cooking is a great idea (saves money, much healthier, etc.), it's just that...well... i can't get into it. one year i decided to make martha stewart's pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for thanksgiving, and i was all excited and ran out to buy every.single.ingredient. we're talking flour, salt, sugar, EVERYTHING. (unless a recipe calls for frozen pizza or peanut m&ms, the ingredients aren't in my pantry.) the cupcakes were a HIT (martha is a goddess), but jeeze louise, for the $50 i spent at the grocery store i totally could have bought some martha-worthy treats at the bakery down the street.

but! i still have a recipe (of sorts) that i'm excited to share. i just learned it for a little shin dig that went down at my place over the weekend. here goes:

ingredients:
apple cider
brandy
cinnamon sticks
nutmeg

directions:
pour apple cider into a crockpot
add 4-5 cinnamon sticks
add some nutmeg (not sure how much exactly -- just make it look all pretty on top)
turn crockpot to high and wait for cider to get really hot
turn crockpot to 'warm'
add brandy (not sure how much exactly -- just keep pouring until an onlooker says, 'wow, that's a lot.'
ladle portions into adorable mugs and serve

this is pretty idiot-proof, even for my fellow anti-marthas out there AND it's a crowd pleaser.

enjoy!

i am thankful i live in the 21st century.

2011-11-18T09:39:00.001-06:00

i am thankful that i live in the 21st century because i get to have kick-ass job in technology.

i work in mobile which is basically the wild west of the interactive agency world -- which basically means that i'm a cowboy! i work with actual geniuses every day who make mobile web sites and native applications come to life on people's most personal devices. i'd marry my job if i could, that's how much i love it.

p.s. how cute is my bully?

brrrr.

2011-11-17T20:16:00.001-06:00

please excuse the fact that i'm in my pajamas. and i'm not wearing a bra. and my apartment is a mess.

but look at these boots! i couldn't decide which pair of Sorels to buy, so i bought two pairs online and had them shipped to my work address. they arrived in GIGANTIC boxes which i had to carry out of my building, down the stairs, and on to the street where i flagged a taxi by kicking my legs into the air as cars passed me by. i got home and wore one boot on each foot for about 15 minutes until i decided to keep the brown ones and return the gray ones.

bring it on, winter. i am not afraid of you.

i am thankful for the blogoverse.

2011-11-17T15:08:00.000-06:00

i am basically obsessed with blogs. lifestyle blogs, fashion blogs, political blogs, blogs about tv, happy mormon mommy blogs, angry feminist blogs, wedding blogs, food blogs, design blogs, shopping blogs etc.
i am thankful for the consistent flow of fresh content on any subject you could every want (or not). i am thankful for the hours of entertainment and endless ideas and inspiration. i am thankful for my friends who blog, especially the ones that live many miles away, because i sort of can't stand Facebook and i sort of hate talking on the phone, and i'd be sad to miss out on all the photos and stories and baby bumps. i'm thankful for my own blog because i'm building a nice little diary of my life -- starting with brief, sporadic posts in 2007 and going all the way through my trips to thailand and kenya, my moves from chicago to new york city back to chicago, my wedding and 'moon, and all the little adventures in between, and all the good stuff that's yet to come.

wednesday.

2011-11-16T16:00:00.000-06:00

i am thankful for my hometown.

2011-11-16T09:03:00.001-06:00

i was born in lowell, massachusetts -- the birthplace of both the industrial revolution and jack kerouac! if you've never been to lowell, you can get a pretty accurate glimpse of what it looks like from the movie The Fighter.


Sisters from The Fighter.

when i was in fifth grade, i moved to a teeny tiny town northwest of lowell called dunstable. with a population of about 3,000 people, dunstable was so small that it didn't (and still doesn't) have it's own high school. i went to groton, the next town over, for high school -- if you've never been to groton, you can get a pretty good sense of what it looks like from the movie School Ties.

i'm thankful to have grown up in massachusetts for the following reasons:

1. easy access to the beach.
2. pretty new england foliage
3. hockey is cool (both field and ice)
4. pilgrims love it!

i kid, i kid! in all seriousness, it was a great place to grow up. i made amazing life-long friends, i had teachers that let me drop-off homework at their house, i'm pretty sure i was pulled over for speeding a dozen times and the cops always let me off without so much as a warning, i learned to celebrate diversity, and by the time i left new england to go to college in the midwest, i left with a sense of pride for where i came from.

Field Hockey is cool!

our weekend.

2011-11-15T10:30:00.000-06:00

guess what? i totally got a head start on my christmas shopping this past weekend. i tell myself every.single.year. that i'm going to get a head start next year, and this is the year it happened. if you can't tell, i am quite pleased with myself.

i'm pleased too that i managed to convince my hubs to drive me to ikea...and crate and barrel...and CB2...and bed bath & beyond.... all in a search for the perfect euro pillows and shams. he is a kind, patient man. especially considering when we finally got home and i tried putting the euro shams on my new euro pillows, i realized i bought one euro sham and one standard sham. it was a damn sham shame. the hubs had to go retrieve the bed bath & beyond receipt out of the trash -- i may have emptied the contents of our vacuum on top of it. :(

i am thankful for YouTube.

2011-11-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

if not for the glory of YouTube, i would not have seen the Hunger Games trailer. holllaaaaaaa!

i am thankful for my guilty pleasures.

2011-11-14T07:30:00.000-06:00

so here's the deal -- i'm participating in my first ever blog swap/challenge, and i'm 100% giddy about it! i've always wanted to do one of these, but i've always been sort of...nervous about it? i'm not sure why exactly, i think i'm just strangely social awkward sometimes. but whatevs! time to grow up. GAME ON.

here's how it works: every day for the next 11 days, i'll be participating in a blog challenge where i write thanksgiving themed posts based on a topic chosen by the challenge/swap hosts. i'm excited about this part because the topics are FUN, and [because i'm a huge nerd] i sort of love having assignments.

now comes the really fun part! the challenge/swap hosts match each participant up with a partner, and we're going to swap packages filled with stuff we're thankful for. this feels like sorority initiation week all over again and i freakin love it!

the first topic is, "i'm thankful for my guilty pleasures!" so here i go.

////

i asked my husband what he thought my guilty pleasures were and he said, "do you have any pleasures you do feel guilty about?" i love that man. and he's right -- i'm sort of loud and proud about all the things i love.

ten things i love that i sort of feel guilty about (but not really):

1. chain restaurants :: i live in a city known for great food, but sometimes a girl just needs to get her Chilis on.
2. sephora binges :: laura mercier tinted moisturizer, NARS orgasm blush, YSL concealer.
3. boxed wine :: specifically, the archer farms wine cube. there's always one (or two!) in my fridge.
4. photography apps :: i have LOTS.
5. whoopee pies :: specifically, the trader joe's pumpkin whoopee pies -- they cannot be beat.
6. carbs :: i love noodley carby carbs (see pic above). i only feel guilty about this when i can't stay awake after eating.
7. great shoes :: a wise friend once told me that when you buy the best, you only cry once.
8. taxis :: if it's cold and i'm tired, i'm gettin' in a cab.
9. sleep :: i average eight hours per night. (my hubs might tell you i'm averaging nine these days.)
10. media :: i am looking at a computer/tv/ipad/iphone the majority of the day.

bucktown bulldog.

2011-11-12T18:14:00.001-06:00

walking the fredster is a lot more fun on the weekends because we don't have to rushrushrush like we do during the week.

my little fam went on a group walk today (and by "walk" i mean we went around the corner -- our bully doesn't like to move too much), and i discovered that picking up #2s is a lot more fun when you're wearing cuban heels.

happy weekend. :)

i can't help it.

2011-11-11T23:00:00.001-06:00

do you know what this is?

this, my friends, is an assortment of christmas stations from Pandora. and this (don't judge) is what i've been listening to on my commute to and from work.

p.s. i made a frozen pumpkin pie [for dinner] last night. it came out all soupy in the middle. i ate it anyway.

functional footwear

2011-11-10T16:55:00.001-06:00

The North Face af1 shoes, $110
UGG Australia waterproof shoes, $220
Hunter waterproof wellington boots, $125
Sorel knee high lace up boots, $200
Sorel waterproof shoes, $140
UGG Australia zips shoes, $225
Hunter wedge heel boots, $240

it snowed in chicago today -- just a teeny bit and only for a few minutes. i saw it outside my office window and thought fa la la la la la la la laaaaa. then i thought, okay time to buy some Sorels before they totally sell out everywhere like they did last year!

chicago's a big city and i do a lot of walking every day. nothing bums me out quite like wet/slushy/frozen toes, so here's my list of windy city must haves (not that anyone asked?):

Hunters
i like them in the classic forest green color, but whatever rocks your boat. these bad boys are just what you need for rainy fall days. they're not very warm though, so i don't recommend them for temps under 40 -- even with the cute wooly tall socks.

Uggs
good for dry, fluffy snow days. (bad for slushy, wet snow days). i am partial to the minis.

Sorels (or North Face or any other boot that looks like it was made to be worn on the tundra)
sort of fug? yes. but they keep your pigs warm in up to -25 degree temps so who cares. (not this girl.)

on chicago's coldest days i put on a pair of Sorels and a big ole puffy coat and BOY OH BOY AM I UGLY. but i am also warm. :)

wednesday.

2011-11-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

brimfield.

2011-11-08T20:31:00.000-06:00

in my previous post, i mentioned that the hubs and i took our annual trip to Brimfield, the most deliciously plaid store in all of chicago, to buy candles that smell like christmas.

i couldn't help but follow up with some more pictures of the store. this place is like a cozy, christmasy, plaid cabin, and i wish i could put on a scratchy wool sweater and curl up in one of their mid-century chairs and never leave.

the thing i really love about this store is that it sort of reminds me of the shops on martha's vineyard -- the ones that people decided to open, just so they could sell stuff they love. the more i think about, the more i think that's it -- i love that this store is clearly owned by someone who decided to make a living selling things she loved. that kind of passion is infectious.

weekend.

2011-11-07T19:16:00.002-06:00

this weekend was ah-mazing. it was overcast but unseasonable warm, relaxing but also productive. it was a good combo of me-time and friend-time. the hubs and i struck a nice balance between his shows (we're on season 2 of The Shield) and my shows (i'm watching Felicity for the first time). there was champagne... I FOUND A SALE ON FERRAGAMOS.

here's a quick rundown because i know you're dying for a peek inside my exciting life:

friday night lights.
the hubs worked late on friday, so i drank champagne alone (every day is a celebration), then i ate a pizza.

saturday.
nordstrom's half-yearly sale -- holla! i snagged a pair of 'gamos on super duper sale and wore them out of the store -- nay, i skipped out of the store. i met up with friends and went to a creepy asian antiques store, then we had lunch at Bull & Bear.

sunday.
after brunch at Clarks, i dragged the hubs up north for our annual trip to Brimfield -- or, as i like to call it, that plaid store in Andersonville. this place sells candles that make your whole house smell like christmas. we bought five of them.

it is not the world's most exciting life, i'll give you that -- but holy cow wait till you see my new shoes!

polka.

2011-11-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

is there anything more girly/chic/fun than polka dots? i wore mine to the races, and i'd wear them every day if i could.

obsessed!

the boss.

2011-11-05T07:30:00.000-05:00

some people say they love bruce springsteen, and i'm like....yeahhhh, but really, NO. no one could ever love bruce springsteen as much as my mother -- she loved him in the i'm gonna go to new jersey and steal rocks out of his driveway kind of way. and because my mother loved him so fiercely, and because I TOTALLY SAW HIM PLAY MEDOWLANDS RIGHT BEFORE THEY TORE DOWN THE OLD GIANTS STADIUM, i claim a special love for the boss.

jim's birthday dinner at The Bedford.

2011-11-04T20:53:00.000-05:00

my husband celebrated a birthday this week, so let me tell you a few reasons why i'm glad he was born and then grew up to be my h-band:

+ unlimited and unconditional foot rubs. i wont lie, it's pretty awesome to have someone who can't be grossed when i throw my "nana feet" in his lap and yell, "FOOT RUB PLEASE!"

+ he takes out the trash/recycling/dog.

+ live-in bug killer.

+ he lets me win every fight. (he says it's because it makes things easier for him in the end, but i know it's because I AM ALWAYS RIGHT.)

+ he lets me pick the restaurants we go to, even when it's his b-day.

for this particular b-day dinner, we hit up The Bedford. in my humble opinion, it was nom-worthy. now i'm no food critic, but any place that serves frites with béarnaise as an appetizer and plays Beastie Boys and Soul Asylum gets five stars from me.

eyes.

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

all images via we heart it.

some people do 'wordless wednesdays', so i'm doing nothin-but-words wednesdays.

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

a so-chicago saturday

2011-11-01T07:30:00.000-05:00

this past saturday was one of those perfect fall days -- sunny and cool but not too cool, great for walking around the city and/or loading up on mounds of bread and cheese.

i met up with some friends from work (i sort of hate that i clarified the friend part with "from work" because that makes it sound like they're different from other friends, and really they're not, so i'm just going to call them friends from now on -- cool?) for a little deep dish action at girodanos (even though my favorite is gino's east -- i'm such a good friend, right?)

after pizza we went shopping and i debated between a very ugly (but very practical) pair of Sorel winter boots and a very pretty (but not at all necessary) pair of Ferragamo pumps. i'll let you guess which ones i ended up getting.

it was a pretty fantastic fall saturday, which is great because i'm collecting all the chicago-goodness i can get these days before winter comes and i'm forced into hibernation by thundersnow and snowpocalypses. afterall, Ferragamo pumps are no match for a snowpocalypse.

boo!

2011-10-31T09:21:00.000-05:00

happy halloween!

this year we're going to dress the bully up like a bunny (i know, I KNOW. cutest thing ever, right?), and hand out candy (i hope we have enough, i keep eating all the fun sized bags of peanut m&ms), and of course we're going to celebrate the birth of a man who is permanently dressed up as my most favorite person in the whole wide work -- my hubs.

sugar bender.

2011-10-30T08:51:00.000-05:00

Linus :: "You’ve heard of the fury of a woman scorned, haven’t you?"

Charlie Brown :: "Yeah, I guess I have."

Linus :: "Well, that’s nothing compared to the fury of a woman who has been cheated out of trick-or-treats.”

###

We had a halloween party/talent show at work on Friday, and even though I've been trying to cut down on my sugar intake lately, I ate LOTS of treats -- so many that when I went home, I fell into a deep, sugar-induced ~~coma~~ sleep and didn't wake up until 12 hours later.

those fun-sized candies might be the scariest part of halloween.

i and love and you.

2011-09-30T17:29:00.002-05:00

the hubs surprised me with tickets to see the avett brothers tonight at the aragon ballroom!

things that make me feel warm and fuzzy right now: fridays, beards, cellos, dates, hubs.

happy weekend!

happy thursday.

2011-09-29T18:59:00.002-05:00

thursday tv makes me happy. :)

a day at the races.

2011-09-29T14:51:00.002-05:00

the hubs and i recently spent a day at the races which was fun and much less dumpy/sad than i originally thought it would be.

i'm not sure why, but i kept picturing the Arlington Race Track to be a seedy little OTB with old, dirty men betting money they don't have on depressed-looking ponies. happily, the race track was clean and sort of...family friendly? who knew!*

also? it was a great excuse to wear polka dots and pearls and drink mimosas in a shmancy suite on a sunday.

(have you ever seen anyone sporting pearls, polka dots AND a half grown-out mullet? now you have.)

*please note: i'm going to maintain an ANTI horse racing point of view until a horse opens his/her mouth and tells me s/he likes to run around in circles while a [probably] eating-disordered man is smacking his/her behind with a stick made of leather. *shakes head, shakes head, shakes head*

vince.

2011-09-18T14:55:00.002-05:00

i have a fantasy where i put on a Vince sweater and then curl up in a bed made entirely of Vince sweaters.

Vince cable knit cardigan
€367 - my-wardrobe.com

Vince knit sweater
$285 - net-a-porter.com

Monica Vinader striped sweater
$295 - net-a-porter.com

Vince sweater
$275 - barneys.com

Vince knit sweater
$275 - net-a-porter.com

Vince v neck cardigan
$109 - barneys.com

Vince sweater
£195 - net-a-porter.com

Vince leather biker jacket
$1,292 - my-wardrobe.com

Vince long coat
$675 - barneys.com

welcome topshop!

2011-09-11T09:22:00.000-05:00

topshop opened on michigan avenue this week which officially makes chicago the best city in the WORLD. muahahahahaha.

that said! i tend to avoidavoidavoidavoid michigan avenue thursday - sunday, especially when there's a big store opening (tourists! crowds! bumping! drumming! silver man dancing! ahhh!), so i haven't actually been to the store yet. here are a few things i'm looking forward to though:

TopShop shirt dress
$60 - topshop.com

Mesh shirt
$76 - topshop.com

Tuxedo jacket
$170 - topshop.com

TopShop knit jacket
$80 - topshop.com

High heel boots
$124 - topshop.com

Leather boots
$190 - topshop.com

Zebra high heels
$128 - topshop.com

Leather pumps
$124 - topshop.com

Cross body handbag
$50 - topshop.com

TopShop knot necklace
$30 - topshop.com

friday.

2011-09-09T07:20:00.003-05:00

fridays make me feel like this.

if you aren't sure -- that's a good thing!

meow.

2011-09-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

i've been a little obsessed with leopard print lately. when done well, it's simultaneously chic and dangerous which is maybe the best combo ever.

i tried on this leopard pencil skirt from j.crew yesterday, and while i loved it, it was a lot of look for this booty. so i'm sticking to spots on shoes and accessories only for now.

here are a few i wouldn't mind adding to my fantasy fall wardrobe:

Fendi black shoes
€252 - pret-a-beaute.com

Christian Louboutin embellished shoes
$1,295 - net-a-porter.com

Patchwork shoes
$450 - saksfifthavenue.com

Christian Louboutin red sole shoes
$795 - bergdorfgoodman.com

Jimmy Choo pocket tote bag
$3,095 - net-a-porter.com

Yves saint laurent bag
$2,995 - ysl.com

Clutch hand bag
$765 - alexandermcqueen.com

Valentino leopard print glove
$475 - net-a-porter.com

Yves Saint Laurent leopard print scarve
$819 - mytheresa.com

Yves Saint Laurent animal print belt
£365 - net-a-porter.com

J crew
$80 - jcrew.com

just like anyone.

2011-09-04T20:12:00.000-05:00

i miss the 90's.

i miss the plaid and the dirty hair. i miss combat boots and army jackets. i miss the fact that our country was freaking dripping with wealth, and i miss bands that put Claire Danes in an outhouse in their music video. i miss how cool it was to be sad. i miss My So-Called Life.

fantasy fall

2011-09-03T20:52:00.002-05:00

here are some things i wouldn't mind having in my closet this fall.
even if that closet only exists in my mind.

Acne long sweater, $290
EQUIPMENT long sleeve shirt, $190
Vince boat neck shirt, $345
Rag Bone biker jacket, $1,295
Chloé wide leg pants, $695
J brand skinny jeans, £200
Salvatore Ferragamo leather boots, $695
Fendi ballet flat, €310
Prada leopard print pumps, $790
Michael kors watch, $240
Madewell vintage necklace, $35
Madewell retro sunglasses, $134

boomers.

2011-09-03T15:58:00.002-05:00

saturday afternoon thunderstorm.
better curl up on the couch with a bully and a hubs and whoopie pie and wait it out. :)

2011-09-03T12:40:00.000-05:00

so raise a glass to turnings of the season
and watch it as it arcs towards the sun
and you must bear your neighbor's burden within reason
and your labors will be borne when all is done
- the decemberists

favorite things.

2011-08-30T08:45:00.000-05:00

here are some of my favorite things from the weekend.

1. blue skies, white puffy clouds.
2. street meat.
3. vintage ferragamos (found friday after work. and only $25 dolla? holla!)

on the front stoop.

2011-08-28T18:16:00.000-05:00

jim, fred, and i sat outside on the stoop one day after work. we said hello to neighbors as they walked by and soaked up the august-ness of august. it was nice.

1. knees strategically placed to hide the fact that i'm not wearing a bra. (yes, i'm in my pajamas.)
2. the cutest bulldog in bucktown.
3. my boys.

frances bean.

2011-08-20T11:25:00.000-05:00

i keep going back to this photo shoot of frances bean cobain just to stare. love!

a trip to cleveland.

2011-08-18T21:21:00.001-05:00

now that we have a car, the hubs and i are able to go places and do stuff. and as much as this may sound like the basis of every car commercial ever made ever, having a car brings us a renewed sense of freedom. and in a time when jobs are hard to come by, and fuel prices are ridiculously high, i thank my lucky stars that we can swing it. yay for wheelz.

i'm especially glad we have a car these days, since my little, teeny, tiny, precious niece, caroline, is just 6 hours away in cleveland. i grew up especially close with my aunts and cousins, and since most of my fam is coastal, and because they're especially awesome, i plan to cling (or should i say, Kling?!) to the fam we have close by.

jim, fred, and i ventured out to The Cleve last weekend. and it was wonderful. every. single. moment. was great. even the car ride was fun. jim, the fredster, and i drove past the wind farms and corn fields of illinois, indiana, and ohio, listening to The Decemberists and stopping at rest stops for candy and fast food -- we basically allowed americana to bleed out our ears.

sometimes i get scared that i'm getting older. sometimes i feel pressured to hurry up and get stuff done. but sometimes i catch a really great moment with my hubs and our bully and i think that this is the best i've ever felt ever and only more good stuff is yet to come -- so i might as well enjoy the ride.

naps.

2011-08-16T16:32:00.002-05:00

wow. i just realized that my fam and friends must be terrified when i come around with a camera.

1. the fredster and i nap at home.
2. my brother-in-law and his new baby girl nap.
3. my hubs naps in cleveland.
4. the fredster naps with his tongue out.
5. my precious niece is the cutest napper.

das cool.

2011-08-15T21:32:00.001-05:00

if ever you doubted that we are a young, white couple living in bucktown, know this: we are now the proud owners of a VW Jetta.

and hey y'all, this is really exciting for me because this is the very first time i have ever owned a car ever. look at me all grown up. holla!

and as much the Zip Car thing was awesome for awhile, and as funny as it was to tell suburban folks that no, we don't own a car, and yeah, i sort of know how to drive, i'm thrilled to have me some wheelz. cuz we're going to go places and do stuff... either that or we're going to complain about rising gas prices.

this week i learned...

2011-07-23T14:01:00.002-05:00

1. that the alley next to the el stop by my house almost always smells like pee. sometimes when i'm on my home and it's 101 degrees the smell is really gross, but sometimes it's sort of comforting because yay i'm almost home!

2. that life is way more fun when you wear almost all your jewley on one arm at one time. see above. (thanks to the man repeller for the inspiration!)

3. that fake hanky panky thongs are sort of better than real hanky panky thongs.

4. that if i'm wearing a short sundress, my hanky panky bum will touch the surface of whatever seat i'm in. like when i'm sitting on the el train. i figure this is not a good thing, but if there's a free seat on the el, i'm totally sitting in it.

it's been a productive week, my friends.

whoopie fail.

2011-07-10T00:05:00.006-05:00

last weekend, for jillian's fourth of july party, i made gluten free chocolate whoopie pies with cream cheese frosting and they were a hit. and i was excited because i thought maybe that could be my thing. like maybe i could be the girl that brings those delicious whoopie pies to parties, and then people would be like, "invite michaela to your party -- she'll bring her whoopie pies."

so. feeling confident coming off my whoopie pie party debut, i decided to make whoopie pies for a friend's baby shower this weekend. and i decided i would make pink whoopie pies because my friend is having a baby girl, and who doesn't love adorable little pink cakes? so i went to the store and bought all the stuff to make vanilla whoopies because i thought it would be easy peasy to add food coloring and make them pink and pretty. but you know what? adding a few drops of red food coloring to a vanilla cake mix does not make pink cake. no, no, my friends. IT MAKES SKIN COLORED CAKE.

back up to earlier in the day when i found a small spot of something brown and suspicious on the back of the couch. (now i don't want to accuse anyone of anything -- but i am totally looking at you fredward!!!) i thought i could easily clean this spot because it was small and our couch is pretty stain proof, so no biggie. i grabbed a bottle of laundry stain remover and sprayed a couple BIG spots on the couch. ten hours later i have BIG water stains on the couch and oh man...i should not have used laundry stain remover on my beautiful green mid-century modern sofa.

in other news, if you know any bachelorettes who would like a nice [white-ish person] skin-colored cake in the shape of the penis, i am totally your girl. not that i own a penis-shaped pan...i don't. one time in high school i bought a friend a box of penis shaped pasta because i thought it would be a funny gift (?), but then her dog found the box and tore into it and her parents found lots of little penis-shaped pasta pieces around the house...

the moral of this story is that i am a bad friend. also, i am a bad baker. possibly (probably) i am a bad couch-cleaner.

p.s. i'm not quite sure how i am supposed to deal with all these first-world problems and still make time to learn Google+.

truths.

2011-07-06T21:07:00.000-05:00

+ remember that episode of "Sex and the City" where Carrie's computer dies and she's all upset about losing her files and everyone is all, "don't you backup your work?" and she's all, "what, does everyone run home at night and backup their work?" remember that episode? it's a goodie. anyway, my boss ran ye olde Time Machine on my little white Mac and now this baby's got back. for some reason, even though i didn't do anything at all, i feel very adult and accomplished now. i'm now a person who backs things up.

+ speaking of television, i recently started watching season one of "Giuliana and Bill" on Netflix Instant, and i think they're maybe the cutest couple ever.

+ in case my first two truths don't totally out me as a 20-something white girl, i'd like you to know that i am now filling in my eyebrows. this post, by A CUP OF JO, totally makes me feel good about rocking some fierce brows.

+ i joined Weight Watchers on monday and today is wednesday and I. AM. STARVING. also, there were Sweet Mandy B's cupcakes at work today, and i didn't have one. avoiding them felt masochistic and wrong. question: is denying yourself desserts supposed to make you feel like dying inside?

+ my dog is super wrinkly and adorable. (see above.) sometimes when he's being really quiet (which is a lot because he sleeps about 16 hours a day), i check on him to make sure he's still breathing. he's an old buddy and i'm a paranoid bully mama. i sometimes whisper in his ear, "please don't die in your sleep tonight."

+ i'm glad the fourth of july is over because the fireworks that went off on saturday, sunday, and monday nights in the park across the street were keeping me up at night. i'm old.

the weekend.

2011-07-05T09:50:00.007-05:00

this weekend was the perfect mix of fun and lazy which i totally appreciated. my bestest gal pal, jillian, threw a little 4th of july bash at her place where we ate lots of yummy foods (i made gluten free whoppee pies in adorable little whoppee pie tins), drank lots of frozen umbrella drinks, caught up with an old friend who recently moved to Chicago, and reminisced about all the funny things we did in college. the rest of the weekend was spent sleeping in, cuddling up to my hubs and our bully, and just generally avoiding productivity at all costs.

1. walking over to jillian's. it was 1085897746746 million degrees outside.
2. jillian and two teeny puppies.
3. julie being sassy.
4. the reason why i had to join weight watchers this weekend.

the fourth.

2011-07-04T11:48:00.000-05:00

happy birthday too to my first niece, caroline, who was born on july 3rd in cleveland. :)

orange crush.

2011-07-02T22:06:00.000-05:00

i love orange.

also i love this dress from Topshop.

chicago is getting a Topshop which sort of thrills me...but then i remember that buying stuff from the brits = $$$$$ and Topshop is really just the british equivalent to H&M, and do i really want to spend $95 on a dress that's 100% polyester?

answer: only if it's a damn fine orange dress.

things that made me happy this week.

2011-07-01T18:01:00.002-05:00

+ wearing laura mercier tinted moisturizer - illuminating. i've been a big fan of laura mercier for some time now, but i just recently tried the illuminating kind and i'm in love! it's glowy and golden and sheer-but-not-too-sheer. plus it has spf 20 which i have to wear every day. holla!

+ dinner with my bestest g-fries at butterfly sushi & thai. it started to hail golf ball-sized hail in the middle of dinner, but we had four bottles of wine to share so we we didn't mind waiting out the weather.

+ this byzantine necklace by need supply. i want!

+ a classic blue line / forever yogurt date with the hubs. i made myself a cake batter yogurt and topped it with peanuts, reese pieces, brownie bites, and hot fudge. we snagged a table outside too. baller!

+ we finnnnallllyyy got the first disc of true blood season 3 from netflix. yes, yes, we're a season behind.

+ the hubs started a new jobby job today at a schmancy school on the south side.

+ drinking sergio prosecco (bought at costco -- i am a proud new member!) while watching old episodes of the kardashians. (why, why, why, do i love them so?)

lots more happiness on the way this [long!] weekend.
xoxo!

our indoor cat.

2011-06-21T09:58:00.001-05:00

the fredster hates going outside. show him a collar and leash and he will turn and trot the other way.

in other news, these 1950s cabinets totally sold me on our apartment. aren't they adorable?

or maybe i should say, ador-a-bull?

ha. sorry. don't hold that one against me.

anniversary.

2011-06-20T05:50:00.002-05:00

jim and i celebrated our anniversary at buona terra, a little italian place in logan square.

i had a great time because the food was yummy, the prosecco was bubbly, and my dinner date was super cute.

later that night, we shared a slice of our wedding cake -- it wasn't even frost bitten!

on to our second year of marriage. and hopefully at least 70 more.

one year.

2011-06-19T08:33:00.000-05:00

happy anniversary to my hubs.

i thank my lucky stars every day for you.

the night my iPhone went swimming.

2011-06-18T22:32:00.001-05:00

the hubs and i went on a dinner date tonight. i took some pictures on my phone because the whole thing was lovely and delicious and i have a sick need to photograph everything i eat, but you'll just have to take my word for it because i dropped my phone in the toilet while texting a friend from the restaurant bathroom....sad face!

right now, in an attempt to draw out the moisture, my iPhone 4 is resting in a bag of rice. except we didn't have regular old rice in the pantry (who does?!?); we only had instant rice. so to be clear, my sad little phone is currently stashed away in a pouch of Uncle Ben's 60 second Ready Rice.

this is a tragic tale. i hope you don't have nightmares.

have you hugged your bully today?

2011-06-18T11:42:00.002-05:00

we have!

home.

2011-06-14T20:12:00.000-05:00

jim and i flew back to new england for a wedding this past weekend, and it felt oh-so-good to be back home.

it feels good to be back home {in chicago} too. :)

happy memorial day!

2011-05-30T20:31:00.000-05:00

it was hot, hot, hot in chicago today. so i put on a somewhat inappropriately short dress from ~~forever 21~~ forever 35 and walked over to logan square to drink rum punch with the hubs.

{rum punch is a fun treat because it tastes like our 'moon in Belize.}

and because the heat always takes a lot out of us, we came home to nap in front of old episodes of Cougar Town.

so overall, it was a great weekend.

curing the blahs, one crazy genius at a time.

2011-05-25T21:36:00.000-05:00

sometimes i get really stressed out and bummed and blaaaaahhhhhh. but then! then a coworker will show me a picture of richard stallman playing the recorder to a butterfly, and i'll basically melt with happiness because how is this not the best thing anyone has ever seen ever?

brooklyn, brooklyn, take me in.

2011-05-24T20:57:00.002-05:00

sometimes i miss new york. and i realize that sounds crazy, considering how many times i complained about living there. but sometimes i miss getting a slice of pizza from a certain place near our apartment, or a cup of coffee from a deli on the way to work. sometimes i miss the random cobble stone streets and grabbing a magazine from a street vendor. sometimes (um, all the time) i miss having a subway stop on every corner, and sometimes (um, all the time) i miss how in new york, i'm not bitchy...at least i'm not any more bitchy than the next person. sometimes it's hard to be the only person who walks really, really fast and sometimes being landlocked makes me want to scream. sometimes i miss the feeling that something really big is happening nearby. sometimes i miss gypsy cabs and walking across the brooklyn bridge and wearing whatever i want (usually something crazy) and having no one so much as bat an eye. i miss the spot where i got engaged. i miss the F train. i miss silent raves in union square. but mostly...i miss the brooklyn flea and that one vendor who sells vintage yves st. laurent blouses.

sprung.

2011-05-01T12:28:00.001-05:00

i think it might {finally!} be spring in chicago.

famous!

2011-04-28T09:45:00.000-05:00

our wrinkly little smooshed-face monster is going to be in a documentary about bulldogs.

here is the trailer.

Teaser: Bulldogs from Footnote on Vimeo.

did you spot the fredster?

happy easter!

2011-04-24T13:52:00.000-05:00

in lieu of an easter bonnet, i shall wear a leopard print scarf.

a saturday in bucktown.

2011-04-24T07:35:00.003-05:00

this saturday was a true spring day.

60's and sunny. breezy. brunch. shopping. husband.

perfection.

the great banger fail.

2011-04-21T21:32:00.001-05:00

jillian, caroline and i hit up wicker park's Bangers and Lace on saturday morning for some brunch action.

the decor was deliciously cozy and cabin-like which was nice because there were some serious april showers outside.

only prob is that i don't like sausage. and jillian doesn't eat meat. so there wasn't a whole lot we could eat on the menu.

oh well! we stuck around for the coffee.

it's all good in the 'hood. as they say.

last weekend. this weekend.

2011-04-18T04:38:00.001-05:00

1. stranded kite. so sad.
2. it was 80 and sunny this day (last sunday); i was in heaven.
3. thai soup with tofu.
4. i love it when my friends laugh.
5. dog with a faux hawk.

finally!

2011-04-16T16:30:00.002-05:00

i've been wanting a photo collage on my wall for approximately 1.5 million years. so i finally got my act together and bought all the frames, printed out the pictures, put the pictures in the frames, windexed all the glass, mapped out the collage, and convinced the hubs to nail it all to the wall...

...and i'm in love!

i wanted a collage of our family and friends laughing and dancing and having fun or just totally looking happy, and that's exactly what we made.

i'm excited to wake up to this every day. it makes our apartment feel like a home, and i love living here even more than i did before. {if that's even possible.}

major props to the hubs who actually did the manual labor involved in getting this on the wall. {give me a hammer and nails and i'll look at you and say, "HUH?" i'm basically worthless in that regard.}

i put ketchup on my ketchup.

2011-04-16T00:40:00.003-05:00

my dear friend jacqueline got me this t-shirt for my birthday, and it's basically my most favorite t-shirt ever.*

it's just so me.

give me any food/condiment that combines vinegar, salt, and sugar and i'll throw it down my gullet. when i sit down with a plate of fries, it's only because fried potatoes act as a perfect vehicle for my ketchup. {this is true for most foods.}

p.s. do you like my pink reindeer pajama pants? i like them almost as much as i like ketchup. almost.

*the only t-shirt in my collection that's also in the running for "best t-shirt ever" is the one i got from my husband that has a picture of hugh laurie as dr. house and says, "it's not lupus." also awesome.

the time i was condemned to a life of solid colors.

2011-04-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

one day when when we were seniors in high school, amy, nikki, and i ventured into boston to try on prom dresses. it was a pretty fun outing until we ended up at Cache and and met a sales girl who was dead set on giving us the world's strangest prom options while also serving up a nice combo of backhanded compliments and outright insults.

por ejemplo...

the sales girl took one look at amy and said, "you. you're....thin. we're going to put you in THIS." then she held up a black corset top with ropes and tassels. it was dominatrix-meets-grandma's curtains. poor amy had to hold the wall while crazy-lady pulled the straps as tight as she could, a la scarlet o'hara.

then crazy-lady looked at me and said, "you look like a size ten." oh, the utter disgust in her voice! "we're going to put you in solid colors." but then she came back with a two-piece pastel, flower print number? i wanted to kill myself.

sales-weirdo went easier on nikki, although i think she may have gone a little pervy with the way she kept complimenting nikki's body.

anyway! sometimes i go shopping and i'll find something i really like, like this...

(Ali Ro Printed Dress w/ Beaded Shoulders via Bloomies. On sale!)

...and i'll think to myself, "i can't get this. i should wear solid colors."

luckily i'm older and wiser and much more comfy in my skin, so these thoughts never last long.

solid colors be damned!

sunday.

2011-04-11T05:57:00.000-05:00

1. teeny tiny leaves!
2. had to document my first iced coffee of the season
3. side of gallery cabaret in bucktown
4. my bully buddy in holstein park

date night

2011-04-10T08:50:00.000-05:00

on saturday night the hubs and i visited our favorite wicker park / bucktown spots: blue line and forever yogurt.

yes, we are predictable. but we are also awesome. {at least i like to think so.}

The Doughnut Vault

2011-04-08T14:49:00.000-05:00

if you live in Chicago, i command you to line up for a donut from The Doughnut Vault.

but get there early! the line wraps around corner and these bad boys sell out quickly.

to monitor doughnut status, follow @doughnutvault on twitter.

The Doughnut Vault

401 1/2 N. Franklin Street

Chicago, IL 60654

happy eating!

weekend forecast

2011-04-08T09:20:00.001-05:00

chicago weather cracks me up.

and sunday's weather forecast has been changing daily this week...first 80 and sunny, then 70's and stormy, and now 83?!

whatever weather we get, i'm excited to spend this weekend....

+ sipping coffee with friends {we're going to the intelligentsia cafe in lincoln park -- best coffee ever!}

+ snuggling with a hubs and our very lazy bulldog

+ finishing the third book of The Hunger Games series. {finally!}

+ and maybe...possibly...if this whole 83 and sunny thing is true...going to the beach to dip my toes in the lake.

have a happy {and sunny!} weekend!

whoopee! also, whoopie!

2011-04-05T22:14:00.001-05:00

this is my dear friend jillian, and this picture was taken shortly after we popped a bottle of sparkling wine at a little byob thai place and the cork went flying across the restaurant.

{lucky for us, our neighboring table thought it was hilarious.}

jillian has recently convinced me to start working out which i think is ~~laughable~~ awesome.

i will miss all those nights that i used to spend eating whoopie pies on the couch in my underwear, but i supposed this is an ok way to spend my time after work as well.

me and my snuffles mcgee.

2011-04-03T06:58:00.000-05:00

fred often likes to snuffle around.

snuffle, snuffle, snuffle.

he sounds like a pig rooting for truffles.

and i know that seems like it wouldn't be the cutest sound a dog has ever made ever, but trust me, it is.

think spring!

2011-04-02T13:07:00.002-05:00

it's 50 degrees today!

so even though i've had to wear my winter coat for the past two weeks, today i'm going to celebrate spring with by taking a little stroll with my hubs and the fredster.

happy {spring} weekend!

tart

2011-04-01T20:05:00.001-05:00

did you know that chicago is home to the largest whole foods in north america?

it is. and it's amazing.

jillian and i often go to "the whole" {as i like to call it} for lunch because this place has an amazing food court.

they have a wine and cheese bar, a coffee bar, a bar serving draft beers, a 50's diner serving {humanely raised} burgers and hot dogs, a taquoria, a sushi/noodle kiosk...not to mention a gigantic salad and hot food bar, a trail mix station, a bakery, a gelato station, a deli sammy spot, etc.

it's basically insane.

it's the only grocery store i've ever been to where 1) people shop for food while sipping pints of beer or glasses or wine and 2) i would voluntarily go to eat an entire meal of food and then stay for hours using the free WiFi.

so anyway! jillian and i hit up The Whole recently for some tacos and wine. jillian had a gluten free cupcake for dessert, and i found this amazingly delicious vegan chocolate mousse tart.

heaven!

south africa.

2011-03-31T05:12:00.001-05:00

sometimes i just ache for south africa.

i have a hard time articulating why i loved my time in south africa so much, and why it just felt like home -- like i was supposed to live there...why i think maybe i did live there in another life.

apart from marrying my husband, spending a semester studying at the university of cape town was perhaps the best thing i have ever done.

i can't wait to go back.

1. me, about to jump off a 33+ foot cliff into the water.
2. jumping! (these pics say '98, but they should say '03.)
3. table mountain.
4. the university of cape town. (i was in fantastic shape after hiking up this hill every day.)
5. table mountain as seen on the victoria & alfred waterfront.
6. beach.

more mexico.

2011-03-30T05:58:00.002-05:00

ohhhh, good lord.

even i am sick of my mexico pictures!

but please bear with me. it's cold here in chicago, and the 10 day forecast is not very promising.

i'm just a better person in warm weather, and i'm trying my best to channel warm vibes via sunny mexican memories.

1. tacos eaten at a tourist trap during a rain storm.
2. horses.
3. church on 5th avenue.
4. sign for a tattoo parlor.
5. hubs holding a corona.

pink

2011-03-29T05:15:00.001-05:00

i declare this spring to be a season of lipstick and dresses.

for me anyway.

i live with a man and work with all men. {even my dog is a boy!}

and although i love them and all their manly male-ness, i'm genuinely afraid i'm going to start sprouting man parts if i don't take action soon.

viva la femme!

pops! for champagne

2011-03-28T05:35:00.001-05:00

my friend rosie got a new jobby job recently.

to celebrate, we went to Pops for Champagne and split a bottle of bubbly while munching on mussels in a buttery wine sauce and garlic herb frites.

{this will be the happy hour that every other happy hour will never live up to. }

after we were done pretending to be french, rosie and i met up with tia and suzie and suzie's man-friend at Wells on Wells to drink some wells.

after all that friday night fun, i went home to eat peanut m&ms on the couch and watch old episodes of Lost with my hubs.

it was maybe my most favorite friday in a long time.

typical

2011-03-27T09:56:00.000-05:00

want a glimpse into the super sexy texts i send my hubs on a friday night?

yup, we are really wild!

beach

2011-03-26T09:51:00.001-05:00

i thought spring had sprung in chicago. just the other week we had sunny skies, temps in the 60's, and i was digging spring shoes out from the back of my closet.

alas, we're back to 30 degree weather. which is ok. because i know spring isn't too far off.

and in the meantime, i'm going to dream about warm and sunny mexico.

basically the definition of my weekend.

2011-03-21T15:14:00.001-05:00

this weekend i did a lot of napping on the couch.

it felt sort of awesome at the time, but now i wish i had done something productive.

funny how that happens, right?

a text message from my husband

2011-03-21T09:58:00.000-05:00

happy monday!

Mexico

2011-03-18T18:37:00.003-05:00

we've been back from mexico for almost two weeks now, and i still have a wet bathing suit crumpled in a ball in my luggage. so it's not surprising that i haven't shared too many pics yet.

people who have traveled with me know the following:

1. i hate itineraries/agendas. i like to wake up in the morning and decide what i'd like to do that day over an amazing breakfast. organized plans make me nervous.

2. i love to travel but hate to plan trips. i like it when someone else decides what hotel i/we should stay in, what neighborhoods we should visit, what activities we should [tentatively!] plan on doing...just tell me how much it costs and i'll show up.

3. i need to eat regularly throughout the day. if i go long periods of time without food, i get hangry.

so i'm a super lucky girl because not only do i have a husband who smiled and nodded when i said, "we're going to Mexico and we're going to do NOTHING while we're there!", but i also have a co-worker who had been to Playa del Carmen many, many times and he was only too happy to plan our trip for us.

i'm lucky too that although i ate my weight in queso fundito and then proceeded to drink my way through a sea of frozen margaritas, i managed to come home with a mere 2 lbs souvenir [of chub] on my tummy!

(the cheese was worth it.)

coke light

2011-03-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

this is what i like to call a classic Nancy Botwin picture.

and even though Nancy Botwin is a sort of terrible person (or at least she would be if she were a real person), i love that she's always sipping a diet coke or an iced coffee because it makes me feel less guilty about the gigantic amounts of caffeine and fake sugar i consume in a day.

bulls on parade

2011-03-15T14:07:00.000-05:00

we took the fredward to a bully meetup at Unleashed doggy daycare on sunday afternoon.

i tried to take pictures of the bullies in action (because they sure were adore-a-bull! ha!), but alas, those buggers are quick and i'm still struggling with all the buttons on my camera.

let's just say that our little wrinkly wiggle worm got all excited and pooped in the middle of the room.

pretty typical sunday afternoon for the Reedys!