The Santa Clause on the TV, Christmas Tree decorating, Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner. The wind is a-blowing outside but our apartment feels warm and snuggly.
Happy Sunday!
Twinkle, Twinkle
Pretty little walk home from work last night.
So sparkly!
All Aboard!
All I wanted when I headed to the Red Line today was $2.25 ride up to Lincoln Park so I could blow a gift card at West Elm. What I got, however, far exceeded my public transportation hopes and dreams:
Yes, that’s right! It was the 2010 CTA Holiday Train! I saw it last year and was so dazzled by the flashing lights that I forgot to get on. But this year, this was the train I had to take to get to my destination! I couldn’t believe my luck- today is only the 2nd day the Holiday Train has been running!
The entire six-car train was decked out, inside AND out. Lights, ribbon, garland and look! The seats were even festive:
See the excitement on that girl’s face?
Attention to detail was most certainly paid. Instead of the usual ads for random online colleges or Hall’s Cough Drops, the Holiday Train stuck to North Pole-specific advertisements.
This Sunday afternoon ride o’ mine wasn’t just aesthetically pleasing; the train also smelled like cinnamon and pine needles and Christmas carols were blaring over the sound system! Usually, the el kinda smells like pee and the only thing coming over the sound system is a cranky CTA employee telling me that my “train has been delayed momentarily”. The Holiday Train is like Christmas on steroids- so much Christmas in such a small space for such a short (I only rode it for 4 stops) period of time. Aka, the Holiday Train is glorious and perfect and the best thing that could have possibly happened to me today.
Oh and how about this golden nugget?
The Holiday Train has humor. I dig it.
The Holiday Train really pushed me over the edge in my excitement for Christmas. When I called my mom to tell her, opening the conversation with a breathless, “The best thing in the world just happened to me!”, I am pretty sure she thought I was going to tell her I got engaged or a promotion or adopted a kid or something. Nope, Mama G- just a little holiday cheer. So thank you, Chicago Transit Authority, for making my day and putting enthusiasm of epic proportions into your modes of public transportation. Chicago is a better place because of it.
Just A Chi Town Girl’s Favorite Things
If it’s good enough for Oprah, it’s good enough for me.
This morning, the Queen of Chicago announced her “2010 Ultimate Favorite Things”, her biggest show of the year which gifts her entire studio audience with everything The Big O deems amazing.
While I won’t be dishing out these goodies (O and I do NOT share the same bank account), in the spirit of Chicago Women divulging their favorite things, I wanted to give you Just a Chi Town Girl’s 2010 Favorite Things. Some are Chicago-centric, some are just fabulous but all are things I love. And hope you will too.
Have Joy.
1. Lush’s Love Lettuce Mask
A nice little pick-me-up, mini-spa-at-home treat. It smells like lavendar, uses crushed almonds to exfoliate and has seaweed in it to get your skin nice, clean and green. Oh and if you return 5 empty pots to Lush, you get a mask for free. Positively Lush-ious.
2. Kiehl’s Coconut Lip Balm #1
A little shine, a lotta moisture and the coconut adds a taste of summer year round. Perfect stocking stuffer (hint, hint, Mom.)
I first found K. Amato when I lived in Lincoln Park- she has a little storefront that is by-appointment only but my roommate and I attended her 3x a year open houses religiously. The Wabash necklace was my Christmas gift from Ryan last year (in a gorgeous smokey quartz), a statement piece I love! Her designs are sophisticated, unique and affordable. Plus, Kristen is a Chicago girl- gotta show her the Chicago love!
4. Aspen Bay’s Capri Blue Candle– #6
I fell in love with this candle years ago at Anthropologie. The flame looks beautiful through the blue glass and the smell is just to-die-for. I change candles seasonally in my kitchen but this is my standard, spa smell that I just can’t live without.
5. lululemon athletica Groove Pants
Oprah and I share one thing: our love of lululemon and our belief that their pants make your rear end look new and improved. My favorite are the Groove Pants; wearing them as I type, in fact!
More Cupcakes are the best cupcakes in Chicago. Hands down. Visit their Delaware Street boutique on any given Saturday and the line is out the door. Perfect ratio of cake to frosting is hard to find but More has nailed it. Try the Black and White- it’s my favorite!
6. Goose Island’s Sofie
I am a diehard 312 fan (I live in Chicago, how can I not be?) but Goose Island has a new kid on the block: Sofie. Sofie is a tart, dry sparkling ale that has the citrus taste we know and love from 312 but there’s a smooth, vanilla aftertaste business to Sofie. Reminds me a bit of champagne, a bit of beer…aka, the perfect holiday drink!
If you have ever been walking down Michigan Avenue and smelled Garrett’s Popcorn wafting it’s way toward you from down the block, you know what I’m talking about. There’s really no way you can’t give in the that smell. The cheese-caramel popcorn mix. Enough said.
8. Burberry Cashmere Scarf
Burberry is definitely not a Chicago brand but sometimes, you just have to go across the pond for some luxe. I know this is not an original add to my Favorite Things List but this scarf is snuggled against my neck from November to March. There’s something about Burberry to me that just signals the holidays. Maybe it’s the classic plaid.
9. Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist
A beautifully woven collection of essays, author Shauna Niequist‘s first book had me at “celebrate”. Cold Tangerines explores the idea of celebrating (gasp!) the everyday, ordinary parts of our lives because guest what? The things we constantly overlook are exactly the things that are take-your-breath-away amazing. Shauna is a Chicago author and person that I just adore– I look forward to her books just like I do a great meal. And I devour them immediately.
I know I didn’t send anyone on a cruise but I do have a giveaway, my VERY FIRST giveaway, coming up next week. Stay tuned and get excited- it IS definitely one of my favorite things!
Happy Birthday: Luna Bell Edition
Dear Luna Bell,
You are 3 years old today and in the 3 years we have been buddies, I can truly say that you are one of the very best decisions I have ever made.
When you were a kitty and it was just you and me in Grand Rapids, you cuddled up every night in the nook between my neck and shoulder. I bet that’s why you still sleep on the top of our pillow (Ryan’s pillow, if we’re being honest). You just have to be near us and we like that very much.
You were such a trouper in the U-Haul during the move to Chicago 2 years ago. Even though you probably knew I didn’t have any business driving a 16foot anything, you crossed your little paws and didn’t even meow. You were also very good when you took your first cab ride when we moved downtown a few months ago. If you could talk, I think in your little meow voice you would have informed the cab driver that there was a lady present and to drive safely.
Remember a few weeks ago when we sat in the hallway with a stack of magazines to read while we waiting for the Trick or Treaters? And how you chased that little Tinker Bell who (in all fairness) looked like a large, fuzzy toy? That was fun.
You sit on things I’m trying to read (see above picture), you sprint to the rug to roll exactly 3 times when we walk in the front door (see below) and nothing makes me giggle more than coming into the living room at night and seeing you looking out the window, with your head going back and forth, watching the cars on Lakeshore Drive go by. You are a city kitty and a very important part of my family.
So thank you, Luna Bell, for weaseling your little furry self into my life during a time when I really needed a friend and for spider-jumping your way into our hearts. Secretly, I’m worried I’m not going to like my kids as much as I like you because you’re really funny and cool. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. And when we do, please don’t bite their little toes (don’t act like you didn’t take a chomp out of Ryan’s the other morning).
Love,
Nina
A Royal Engagement
The announcement of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement was made earlier this morning. While this officially dashes the hopes of girls around the world who wanted to become princesses, I think it’s kind of exciting. A royal wedding is a big deal and I love the formality around it all.
And hats. Girlfriend can rock the side hats. So classy, so classic, so regal. Exactly what a princess-to-be should be rocking.
The future Princess has such great modern style. Beautifully tailored coats, chic wrap dresses, preppy riding boots- I love pretty much every photo I see of her. I think the most exciting part of this (aside from a lifetime of happiness and all that stuff) is seeing what she is going to wear in the coming months. Engagement parties, royal photo ops, her wedding dress…she will officially become a style icon.
Just a tip, Kate- keep sporting hats. Bigger hats. Hats with feathers. Hats with birds nestled in them. Whatever you can get your hands on. You’re going to be a princess- if anyone can get away with it, you can.
A NYE Request
It’s that time of year again. No, not actually New Year’s Eve yet but it is the time of year when people start cementing their New Year’s Eve plans.
And by people, I mean other people. Definitely not me.
Last year, Ryan and I decided what we were going to do on December 31st. At 6:30. PM.
I love Halloween, I am a Thanksgiving person, I start listening to Christmas music in August. But for some reasons, I can’t seem to make New Year’s Eve plans even remotely before the ball drops.
My most notable NYE was my sophomore year in high school. I had one Bacardi Limon & Lemonade, sat in an upperclassman’s hot tub and made snow angels. I remember thinking “This is awesome. This is as good as it gets!”.
Judging by my lack of caring about NYE plans in the past decade, that was as good as it gets.
Every year, I vow to make plans that are awesome enough in advance for me to at least secure a cute outfit. Emails are circulating around my group of friends so I think now is the time.
So, I am opening this up to all of you cool, New Year’s Eve loving, awesome pre-planning people: What was your favorite New Year’s Eve of all time? Do you have any must-experience Chicago New Year’s Eve traditions you want to share with me? And Ryan? And possibly 3o of our friends?
Saturday Morning Pie Making
Today was the 4th Annual Friend-Family Thanksgiving, a gathering of Chicago chums to break bread and share a feast of all feasts. My best friend Holly was in town from Atlanta and our contribution to Friend-Family Thanksgiving was apple pie. After making a pot of our favorite coffee, we set to work:
We quickly perused the FoodNetwork.com and came up with a game plan: Cut apples. Add sugar, cinnamon, and more sugar. Put in crust. Simple and easy but since it was the first thing we did this morning, it made Holly and I feel super domestic and productive.
We pushed our culinary pie prowess a bit and got creative with the crust, going with a lattice crust on one pie and cut out hearts and stars for the other.
30 minutes in the oven and an almond glaze later, we were ready for Friend-Family Thanksgiving.
I am so lucky to live near to my closest friends and am even luckier that they enjoy eating, drinking and making merry as much as I do too. It’s the start of the holiday season and my heart is as fully as my belly. Which is really, really, really full.
It’s November, right?
Chicago Forecast: 70 degrees today. 68 degrees tomorrow. High of 65 on Friday.
In November?!
I mean, the Corner Bakery had its air conditioning on today.
I am convinced that this heat wave is because I bought a winter jacket on Sunday. Mother Nature knew I was prepared and decided to throw me a curve ball.
First thing on the agenda tomorrow: running along Lake Michigan. The marathon was exactly a month ago today and I must say, without 26.2 miles looming ahead of me, I have been running 1x each week, at best. Gotta get out there before the snow sets in.
Which will probably happen on Saturday. Chicagoans knows that 70 to snowing is totally, absolutely, definitely a possibility.
Monday Morning Honesty
I had an email conversation with a friend this morning that started as “Happy Monday”, “How are you?”, “Sweater Vest Thursday” and ended up devoting entire paragraphs to “Monday Morning Honesty”. One sharing of a truth led to another and all of a sudden, it was two friends being real about where they’re at with some things in their lives, not painting over the ugly and sitting with things exactly as they are, right this second.
It made me wonder about how often I might paint over the ugly and not even notice.
It made me even more grateful to have a good friend that I can be real with, even that realness isn’t the pretty package I want it to be.
Monday Morning Honesty. I dig it.