Birthday: A New Decade

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Birthday donut

In addition to being blog re-launch day, it’s also my 30th birthday. I am so grateful for every year I get to have on this planet so turning 30 sounds like a great move to me. The celebration has been low-key but wonderful. A dinner date, live jazz, champagne, a brunch with friends, beautiful weather, a lovely little festive donut, a few cards covered in glitter.

I feel like every birthday before this, I wished for something for the future. I so remember birthdays in my early 20s in turmoil wondering if my life was going to “work out” (spoiler alert: it does. Oh, the drama!). But sitting here tonight thinking about blowing out the proverbial candles on a cake, my only wish is for exactly what I have right this second: a life I love and people I adore in it. Contentment, happiness, a few more deep breaths…if this is 30, I will gladly welcome it.

Hi, New Decade. Thanks for having me.

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5 Questions With…Megan Runser

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Megan Runser

When I first thought of doing a series where I ask some of the most amazing women I know the same 5 questions, the first person I thought of was Megan Runser. In addition to being one of my dearest friends and a serious contender for the title of funniest person in the world, I knew that sharing anything about her would rock your world because that’s the kind of person she is- quick to make you laugh and even quicker to inspire you. After her Stage IV Hodgkins diagnosis, Megan set out to be “As Good As Gold” again and partnered with BaubleBar to create a line of jewelry under the same moniker. The line is gorgeous and all proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Further, BaubleBar is donating $1 for every post on Twitter or Instagram that shares what gives you strength using the hashtag #AsGoodAsGold. Cool, right? Megan is good AND does good- that’s a winning combo if there ever was one.

So here it is: 5 Questions with…Megan Runser.

1. What is your favorite thing about where you live? Austin, Texas, is my jam for a lot of reasons but namely the fact that I can boogie home to see my family in Houston by hopping in my car for a quick 3 hour car drive instead of the advanced planning required to cruise home via airplane from Chicago and NYC.  Austin also affords an abundant population of active peeps, yoga studios on every corner, insane breakfast taco selections, and a judgment-free “anything goes” casual vibe.  I still hope for a miraculous seasonal climate shift that brings temps down by roughly 30 degrees year round — I’ll let ya know if that happens.

2. Here’s 50 bucks- what are you going to do with it? Hey thanks sugar momma – that $50 would go straight to le bills de MD Anderson(My more fun non-responsible adult answer would be to purchase a bevy of supplies for a lil’ DIY gold foil greeting card action.  I love nothing more than sending friends cards by snail mail, & I’m determined to make them on my own for the sake of economics and creative control, er, freedom!)

3. What’s your favorite holiday and why? Not just because it’s around the corner — but my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because it’s one of usually 2 times a year that my family is in the same room. The morning consists of me dragging reluctant parties out the door by 6am for our town’s annual Turkey Trot where I trot and then meet up with the rest of the crew strolling the family walk.  Late afternoon we refuel with 3rd and 4ths (yep, far surpassing second rounds of helpings at the Runser household) and then play some sort of board game as a family.  It always ends with my brother and I as final contenders, and never fails that we end up in a fight because we both hate to lose.

4. What’s the best trip or vacation you have ever been on? The best trips for me aren’t dictated as much by where I go, but rather who I’m with. My 6 best friends from college and I meet up every year towards the end of summer, and it’s always a weekend where every single second is filled with non-stop smiling, laughing, reminiscing, story-telling, big life update sharing, and a bit of more serious reflecting/advice-giving.  I’m so lucky to have had this group of absolutely incredible women as staples in my life for the past 14+ years — friendships of this caliber are hard to come by and even harder to maintain throughout the years.

5. What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Co-host The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. No, really – I would. We’d be a stellar team, I just know it.  It might get a little messy given the fact that he’s married, and my desire to marry him would probably only exponentially escalate once we were bestie coworkers…but I’d be willing to maintain the utmost level of professionalism for the sake of making some comedy magic with him.

Click here to check out Megan’s #AsGoodAsGold line with BaubleBar; click here to donate to her personal medical fundraiser.

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Just a Chi Town Update: Sparkly & New

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Well, hello there! Welcome! Am I overdressed? Do you like my shoes?

As you may have noticed, things look a little spruced up around here. Real talk- things are a lot spruced up around here.

I have been writing Just a Chi Town Girl for 5 years now and in that time, the experiences, photos, writing and everything in between have grown, just as I have. The website itself though? Not so much. I don’t have the same haircut I had 5 years ago, why in the world did I have the same website design? It was time.

For as much as things change, they do stay the same. I am still that girl who loves Chicago and calling it home makes me wildly happy. My family is my heart and my husband Ryan and our cat Luna Bell have grown that love times a million, to say the least. Some days, I am confidant my cooking skills have grown as well…other days, not so much (buckwheat waffles did not go well). I started this blog while sitting/living on a friend’s couch and while I have an actual house (err, condo) now, I share the same enthusiasm I did about it that day 5 years ago.

Thank you for reading and for being a part of this little community. I hope you love this new and improved little corner of the internet and are living a life you love in a place you love too.

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Makeover Time

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Good morning, kittens (that’s my mom’s new kitty Vincent).

El blog is going to get a much needed update and as a result, will be down for a few days. Just a Chi Town Girl recently turned 5 and homegirl is in need of a makeover. The next time you see us, we will be all spruced up and ready to go with more of what you’ve come to expect on this blog (Chicago love, food, health, cats) and some new content I am really excited about.

As always, thank you for reading and I’ll catch you soon!

Xo
Nina

A Weekend Away- Kohler, WI

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This weekend was one for the books.

Ryan and I took off to Wisconsin for a much needed getaway. Since the honeymoon, we have both pretty much been working around the clock and it was time to…relax. Have some fun. Be together.

You guys, it’s fall in Wisconsin. The drive to Kohler was stunning and it felt so good to see…trees. I am not relinquishing my status as a city girl and our weekend was not rustic by any means but being outside, walking on leaves, and seeing a big sky of stars at night refreshed me in a way I didn’t know I needed.

My sweet husband planned the weekend, most likely because he wanted to get in as much golf as possible, but I felt so cared for by his plans. The spa at Kohler was amazing, our meal at The Immigrant Room goes down as one of the top 5 meals of my life and trap shooting for the first time was a blast but there’s nothing like time together. It’s a special day when you wake up with your person and think “what fun thing should we do today?”.

I walked with him while he played 18 holes of golf and friends, karma paid me back within hours…we were having a nightcap when a group of broadway performers and investors started a singalong. My heart beats fast just thinking about it. Holding hands with my husband while belting out “Seasons of Love” and various selections from The Sound of Music while drinking a manhattan is pretty much my version of heaven on earth.

I know you can’t call tradition after only doing it once but we recapped the weekend on the drive home the way we talked about our wedding on our honeymoon so I think a weekend in the sweet village of Kohler needs to be our fall tradition. Or at least more weekends entirely governed by togetherness and fun.

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Serial Podcast

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Have you guys been listening to “Serial“? It’s this weekly podcast that unfolds a nonfiction story over the course of a season and this season, the episodes explore a murder that happened in Maryland in 1999. The person investigating doesn’t know much more than the listener so you’re essentially discovering things together and I am fascinated. I don’t like SVU or other tv shows like that but this is just interesting and such a smart idea to bring the television episode format to podcasts.

I couldn’t wait for the latest Serial episode to come out this morning and to listen to it on my morning walk. I imagine the look on my face was super funny with all of the twists and turns happening in the story and I may have sworn out loud when it ended because it was really starting to ramp up.

You can download it for free in iTunes.

Everyone Loves Flowers

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Spotted this truthbomb of a sign yesterday and couldn’t agree more. I love getting flowers, sending flowers, buying flowers, you name it.

In case you need to do any of the above, here are my favorite bloom spots:

A New Leaf: a splurge but truly exceptional arrangements.

Ashland Addison Floral: I received the most incredible rose arrangement from a friend the week of our wedding from this shop and the people who work here are beyond nice.

Mariano’s: the best deal out there and I am so in love with mix and matching from their huge pick your own section. Oh and a dozen roses are 10 bucks. This is my go-to for keeping fresh flowers in my house.

The Bouqs: when you need to get flowers to a non-local address, this online flower company your best bet. Lots of options and no hidden fees.

Lentil Stew

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Some nights when it comes time to make dinner, I hit starvation city and dinner becomes a veggie burger and baked potato kind of situation. Tonight, however, I was poised and ready to go for lentil stew and was reminded that cooking during the week doesn’t have to be complicated or take forever. Tonight’s meal was satisfying, healthy and I have enough to get me through the rest of the week so if I do hit starvation city, I won’t have to dive for the freezer. Jackpot.

Lentil Stew
I bag of lentils
Vegetable broth
4 carrots
1 red pepper
I can cannellini beans
5 leaves of kale
Salt & pepper

Boil the lentils in the vegetable broth, then add the carrots. Cook for 20 minutes and then add everything else. Season to taste. Cook until lentils have softened and add water until you get the consistency you want- I like mine more stew like but you could definitely add more water or broth to get soup.