If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
Anne Bradstreet
GP’s It’s All Good
Striped bass with cucumber-clementine salsa & ginger sesame seed carrots.
Belgian waffles (gluten/sugar/dairy-free)
Turkey meatballs and homemade marinara sauce.
Sold American.
After a co-workers recommendation and a weekend cooking through it, I have fallen hook, line and sinker for Gwyneth Paltrow’s It’s All Good cookbook. It’s entirely focused on clean eating and almost everything is gluten free, which is great for us trying to take it easy on all things wheat. Also great is the prologue, in which I learned a ton about ingredients and their health benefits.
Everything I made last weekend was possibly the best things to come from our kitchen and I went into this week feeling fantastic. People talk a lot of shit about GP but I love her and this cookbook of healthy, flavorful goodness just seals the deal. Homegirl can sing, act, blog, cook and bring this goodness into my home, all while coming up with phrases like conscious uncoupling. Fine. By. Me.
Up next: sweet potato and five spice muffins.
Note from The Universe
Ahh. Note from The Universe, you nailed it today. Nailed it.
I am so grateful for friendships in my life that remind me every single day that the Universe, that God is present in our daily lives. It’s so cool.
Weekend Warmup
This weekend’s warmup was divine. I think Chicago is the best city in the world year ’round but the millionth polar vortex really started to break my spirit.
A single 55 degree day and my love is renewed.
Best. City. Ever.
Word.
When life gives you lemons, make limoncello.
More than anything, this little coin purse of truth reminds me that I love limoncello. And have a bottle of blueberry lavender limoncello on the bar cart that I should probably have a glass of tonight. Yep. Well played, Kate Spade.
Rain is not Snow
We woke up this morning to rain. Rain with thunder and lightening, to be exact. At first, it was all “oh no, it’s raining, now we can’t go for that run outside we were planning on,
this weather sucks.”
And then we realized that rain is not snow.
Thank goodness.
So we rolled over and slept for another hour to the sound of rain hitting our porch. A little lullaby reminding us that this is actually Spring.
I will take rain over snow any day that isn’t a day in December.
>
Some Views
After 5 years of seeing the sun rise on the Chicago side of Lake Michigan, it was awesome to catch a sunset from the other side last weekend. Some views need no filter.
Timing
It’s either a very good or very bad thing that I started a juice cleanse on the day a very stressful situation dropped into my lap.
In other news, I juiced a sweet potato. Hmm. Interesting.
An Un-Shower Shower
I was pretty against having a bridal shower.
Ryan and I aren’t 23 (spoiler alert) and have lived together for almost 3 years; the idea of a party designed to help us “set up house” didn’t feel quite right. And God help me with the shower games. The idea of being quizzed on how well I know Ryan gives me an anxiety attack just thinking about it and being stared at while opening gifts sort of does the same.
But my mom’s friends kept asking her how we were going to celebrate so my mom talked me into a luncheon with no mention of “bridal” on the invite. Celebration luncheon. A champagne celebration luncheon. I could do that. I wanted to do that.
Moral of the story: let the people who love you do nice things for you.
It was the most wonderful day. Women who have been influential in my life came together for bite sized food and mimosas and bellinis. It was so wonderful to see everyone, thank them for the mark they’ve made in my life and acknowledge that I am getting married and that is a really exciting thing.
Oh and guess what? I opened gifts and it was fine. It didn’t make me nervous, probably because I had known everyone in the room since I had a perm and I was so touched by the generosity and thoughtfulness of everyone who came.
Bubbly and dessert with people you love, all before 2pm? It was the best day.
Also- the Garrett’s Popcorn favors were a hit! It makes me happy to think that people enjoyed a bit of Chicago after they left.
Peace, love and desserts with tiny spoons,
Nina
PSA: Garrett’s in the Merch Mart
Go to the Garrett’s Popcorn in the Merchandise Mart.
I am giving the Chicago Mix as favors for a luncheon my mom is throwing me tomorrow and I had someone tell me earlier in the week to go to that location because they are so nice.
They were so, so right.
The 2 women that helped me were nice times 10 and it just made my entire day. Really- they were so awesome and I can’t wait to go back to see them again.
Sweet women who deal in sweets- that is something to shout from the rooftops!
