architectural artifacts: worth a visit

certain things, experiences or people have the innate ability to leave a lasting impression. maybe its the first time you saw the ocean, or the distinct memory of your grandmother's laugh or maybe its just the intense comfort you feel around your best friend. whatever it may be (even if you can't explain it) sticks with you.

from the moment i stepped through the doors and admired the chandelier-covered ceiling, i knew architectural artifacts would be one of those sticking memories. you don't know where to even begin looking, besides away from the price tags, but i did know to get my camera out and document the wonderment.

enjoy the pretty pictures and if you ever have a reason to hang out in this space DO IT!


want more photos? no problem.

travel: straight ahead

in a few short days i'll be jetting off for a weekend in our nation's capital.

i have not visited DC since my 6th grade field trip over 15 years ago. then my priorities were more aligned with who i was sitting next to on the bus rather than appreciating the sights of the city. this time i have one my oldest friends as a tour guide and i couldn't be more excited for friday to arrive.

aside from obvious cherry blossom picture-taking, a visit to the local lululemon and a run around the city - no plans are set. however, i did come across this facebook fan page (like page?) of 365 things to do in DC.

here are some of their suggestions:
should not surprise you the food/drink related ones caught my eye...

• brunch at founding farmers <-- umm YUM!

• take in an early-evening drink at the top of the W Hotel. one of the best views of the city!

• arrrive early to Mr. Smith's Piano Bar and secure the small table just inside the front window. order drinks, request a song, and enjoy one of the most surprisingly fun places in the city. <-- i do love a good piano bar. anyone know the cheese factor on this place?

• spend a crisp spring morning at the dupont circle farmer's market. with over forty local farms represented, the market boasts an amazing mix of produce, jams, candy and other goodies. 9 am - 1 pm <-- sounds heavenly aaaaand right in the neighborhood.

clearly, i am just skimming the surface. restaurant, bar, shop suggestions PLEASE. things i like that may help you include: long meals, wine pairings, craft beers, good jukeboxes, live music, gelato, jewelry, fun thirfty/vintagey shopping, pretty things worthy of photos, food, food and more food, really good iced tea, people watching and general merriment.

it's grilling season!

no one can deny the pure satisfaction of biting into a delicious burger. be it beef, turkey, veggie – or in this case, portabella – when it's done right you take note.

this beautiful mushroom cap was part of last week's CSA share. about a month ago i joined with one of my favorite foodies and each friday we get a box of farm fresh produce to share. (how fun and green of us, huh? shop local!) naturally, this has inspired several kitchen concoctions. but last night's was by far the simplest and tastiest yet.

all you need is a grill (yay for grilling season - although the oven would work just fine), some basic seasonings and of course, cheese.

what ya need:
• one portabella cap (remove stem)
• balsamic vinegar
• olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 white onion (another CSA inclusion)
• 1 handful of feta (very exact, i know)

how to:
1) clean portabella and cover each side in balsamic vinegar plus a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
2) chop onion and garlic (allowing vinegar to mix on plate is just fine, if not suggested)
3) put shroom on the grill (inside side down) and let cook for 4 to 5 minutes
4) flip cap and add chopped ingredients and cheese. leave for another 4 to 5 minutes.
--

easy as can be my friends.
yes i was talking about burgers, however i just ate it beside some grilled asparagus and mini pita bread. it would have been a sin not to soak up those juices.

happy grilling!

want:

• to win the lottery
• it to be friday
• a friend for lu (in theory)
• my thighs not to rub together
• a fountain diet coke machine (in my kitchen)
• the cavs to win it all
• a whole new wardrobe (that fits!)
• a sparkling mom-just-cleaned apartment
• this gadget
• this life
• summer!

what about you?

GPOYW

i had a really great weekend edition:
gay bars, fake siblings, a voyeristic sketch, an amazingly successful bake sale, serious zumba-style dancing (not pictured, try not to be too upset) and the scleroderma food fight.

things that are funny:

• gak
• the phrase: be kind, rewind.
• this episode of seinfeld with elaine dancing
• the fact that i never repeated an outfit more than twice a year in high school.
• all the million flavors of jelly beans in this world
• my mom still having my rainbow bright sheets.
related, i still know every last one of those theme songs...
• frizzy hair being in style

okay, basically the 90s.

as if i needed another reason to skip town...

this month's self magazine reports that 'an old-fashioned trip is the only way you can really recharge.' apparently one in three adults don't use all their alloted time off. need an excuse, i'm here to help or ya know, take those days off your hands...

here are their 5 excuses to travel:

1) you'll be fitter and slimmer. getting away helps reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to excess belly fat. being active on vacation (other than just raising a cocktail) will help you relax even more.

2) you'll sleep better. people who make a habit of engaging in pleasurable pursuits, such as taking a trip, catch higher-quality zzzs.

3) you'll live longer. women who go on two more more excursions a year are 8 times less likely to develop heart disease. allowing time to decompress can alleviate stress, which has been linked to cardiovascular issues.

4) you'll be calmer at work. using a higher percentage of vaca days for enjoyment, rather than life duties, can help people return to their cubicles feeling less overwhelmed.

5) you'll strengthen your bond. women who get away at least once a year are almost twice as apt to be satisfied in their marriage/relationship. hit the road together or apart, just go.

time to book a trip, eh?

but hey, maybe you could win one? they are giving away 20 spa vacations. just remember where you heard that when you're considering that travel companion ;)

this weekend: give back...with food!

hey chicago friends there are two very special (food-related) events going on this weekend. why not get out, give back and eat up!?

first up is the national food blogger bake sale. come kick off the share our strength fundraising season at smash cake bakery, 2961 N. lincoln, this saturday (12pm-3pm). some of chicago's finest food blogs and bakeries will be there as well as a little help from those of us who just wanna pitch in. i made some rather tasty oatmeal peanut butter coconut cookies for the occasion. aaaaand i don't bake so you know this has got to be special...

next up - chicago's food fight for scleroderma. join us sunday night at the chopping block (in the merch mart) from 5pm-8pm to witness three chefs go head-to-head in a live culinary battle. all benefits go to the the scleroderma foundation and while you're helping the cause, nibble on the food, sip vino and mingle.

hope to see you this weekend!

Dove Visibly Smooth Sleeveless Ready Party!

there's no denying my love for a good workout class. make it zumba and i'm even happier. add 10 girlfriends, free stuff and a themed party just for us...insert jumps of joy!

so obviosuly when i was asked if i would be interested in hosting a fitness centric event sponsored by dove including all those wonderful things, i instantly replied YES!

this past sunday we gathered at cheetah gym in bucktown for our private class with the wonderful haley stone and her partner in ass-shaking crime, julie steffen. we were promised a good workout and boy did we get just that. their energy was outstanding plus i absolutely loved the variety of dance styles and music genres they combined throughout. i'm used to go to these group classes, but its not often i am surrounded by good friends to giggle with in the mirrors. that, of course, made it that much more fun. i was basically in a state of sweaty hysterics the entire time and loved every moment of it.

want a taste of some of the songs we got down to? no prob, miss haley has a youtube channel devoted to just that. this rihanna routine was probably one of my faves. guess i can practice in my bedroom now no prob. and hey, so can you...

post dance party i think more than one of of us were grateful for our stick of wild rose deodorant and fresh tank to change into.

huge thanks goes out to dove, haley, julie and my lovely guests - jess, stef, katie, erin, maris, laura, leanne, leah, suz and kelly! such a fun way to get your butt off your couch on a sunday afternoon.
-------------------------------------------

now its your turn to benefit from dove's love. leave a comment and five random readers will receive their own stick of dove visibly smooth. contest goes through sunday (4/18) and winners will be announced early next week.



full disclosure: dove provided the the theme and tools for my sleeveless party - including: product samples (for party and giveaway), time with trainers and workout tops.

GPOYW

we had a fake facebook relationship on saturday edition:
(mature, i know. also, highly entertaining.)
later that evening, we told the woman working at taco bell we were a couple. then proceeded to go on and on about how cute our babies would be. blankly and oh so seriously, she told us our children would be "average. yeahhh definitely average." so so funny.

also, big big happy birthday to this guy. love ya chad!

the one where we out-do ourselves...

growing up easter was always celebrated with jelly beans, a slab of ham and my extended family. of course, from time to time i found myself poolside in vegas with a partner or two in crime, but that's what happens when spring break correlates so well. but for the last four years - my chicago family and i have been doing our own kind of celebration. its a tradition we hold close to our hearts and each year seems to out-do the previous.

per tradition - there was an easter egg hunt with the most clever contents to date. the alley egg toss started fine - albeit crowded - but turned into a bit of a yoke-y mess. me thinks next year we start that activity a tad sooner to avoid a repeat egg fight affair. there was an amazing dance party and hundreds upon hundreds of photos. also, a glorious ice luge was a welcomed addition to this year's festivities. oooh yes, surprises are a good thing...

without further ado, here's a taste of my easter:

already looking forward to next year!
thanks again to the kids on eddy for hosting and mr. dixon for the stellar pics.

Biggest Loser: Month 3!

well we are halfway there.
three months through this lovely weight loss competition.

thankfully march was a little (just a tad) kinder to me than february. in fact, one week the scale moved more in those seven days than it did the entire last month. i think after three weeks of goose eggs my body was just ready to let go of some lbs. it seems to always work like that. you keep pressing along and fight NOT to get discouraged - cause hell, you DO feel great and you CAN notice some differences...and then right when you're ready to throw in the towel cause you can't lose another pound BAM down three. and like that, you're back on track and feeling good about things.

it's hard not to fixate on that number on the scale - when ultimately, it is the measure of your success. sure, you know better. just cause you didn't lose this week doesn't mean you failed. or more importantly should you discount your entire summer wardrobe being two sizes too big. yet, we place so much value in that number. how do you focus on losing without focusing on what you lose?

what i do know is i am down 15 pounds! i worked out 23 out of 31 days last month (that includes a 4 day vacation people) and i've been increasing my miles each week. friday night (like after work!) i ran 6 miles. i realize this may sound like chump change to many of you, but when you are used to three or four - six is pushing it! aaaand i felt like i could keep going. but there was dinner plans and a pup to get home to.

this month i'm gonna keep steady with my gym routine i've come to need and love. but now with spring warming the city there are going to be lots more runs/walks with the pup and bike rides (new bike arrives this weekend!) along the lake. it already feels so good to be outside playing in the sun and walking more places. ahhh yes, life is just a little easier with sun-kissed cheeks and the breeze in your hair...

april, you're a busy one, but i'm ready for you!
(as always, if you have any wise words PLEASE pass them along. we're hoping for another 15 gone come june!)