ninainthechi

Weekend Notes

ninainthechiNovember 10, 2015Uncategorized%s Comments

Friends, food, food, friends. That was the cadence of my weekend and you will be hearing no complaints over here. Because bacon wrapped chorizo stuffed dates at Avec.

And a nightcap at CH Distillery.

And a chocolate cream pie that changed my opinion about chocolate cream pie at Bavette’s. Usually, it’s just my husband and I so after the glory that is Bavette’s seafood tower, steak, chicken, and corn (why is that corn so good, someone tell me), we can’t even look at dessert but that’s the benefit of having friends in town who are dessert people- insistence on dessert.

Related: dessert people are the best people.

Also related: can everyone we love and adore spending time with please move to Chicago? Thanks.

Not pictured: fried pickles for lunch at the Butcher’s Tap, drinks and apps at Gilt and the egg sandwich I needed from the Eastman Egg Company truck that was basically parked outside of my front door on Sunday. Like I said- friends, food, food, friends.

Which brings us to tonight:

Vegetable soup as far as the eye can see. #balance

Aside from the really wonderful meals, this weekend left me so full of everything I love about life- time spent with our people. Old stories, new stories, laughing, listening, future, past. That connection feeds me and can’t imagine a life without a table between us sharing all of that…and dessert.

32nd Annual Music Box Theatre Christmas Show

ninainthechiNovember 6, 2015Chicago%s Comments

Walking by as the marquee was changed at the Music Box Theatre reminded me that I need to get tickets for the annual Christmas Show. Sure enough, they went on sale on Monday. December 11-24th, The Music Box has showings of It’s A Wonderful Life and White Christmas that include a singalong with Santa in their gorgeous, historic theatre and it’s even better than you might imagine. My mom, husband and I went for the first time last year and let’s just say we won’t be caught without bells this time around.

Snag your tickets now-this is a whole thing and they go quickly. You won’t regret it and it’s worth mentioning that there is a bar should this much Christmas cheer require a cocktail.

Another Lap Around the Sun

ninainthechiNovember 5, 2015Uncategorized%s Comments

It was my birthday on Tuesday and last night while I was laying in bed, I got to thinking about the previous year. I heard once that some years are questions and others are answers and while 30 was definitely a year of questions, the answers that did exist were alarmingly…strong. The terms ‘hell yes’ and ‘fuck no’ come to mind; I find that the older I get, the more clearly things fall in either of those buckets. Not “oh that could work” or “maybe” or “I’m not sure”…it was a year of visceral reactions, hell yes/fuck no and I either moved forward full force or in the opposite direction.

So that’s something.

I think this is where I’m supposed to list the things I learned this year but more than anything what 30 gave me was assurance about my priorities. I know for sure that I am more in love with my husband than ever. That my close relationship with my family is both my roots and my wings. That this unlikely and incredible tribe of women in my life who are flung all over the country are the most essential personal board of directors that I could ask for. I know for sure that nothing in my life works unless I am healthy, comfortable and active. And that my time and resources must be prioritized in accordance with these things I know for sure.

And I also know that I am grateful for every year the good Lord wants to give me and am gladly welcoming being 31.

Weekend Notes

ninainthechiNovember 2, 2015Uncategorized%s Comments

If you grew up in the Midwest, Halloween was the one day a year when you were convinced your parents were trying to ruin your life. Terrible weather was a guarantee and in trying to make sure you didn’t get, I don’t know, pneumonia, your costume got stuffed under a snowsuit/raincoat over your costume making it impossible for anyone to know that you were a gypsy/witch/Scarlett O’Hara (for example). As it was pouring down rain on my walk to workout on Saturday morning, I thought about this and how twenty-some years later, Halloween still means layers protecting you from the gross elements but I was decidedly less mad because it’s a fun memory and I was listening to a good Halloween playlist.

Our cat Luna Bell was a hero in a half shell for Halloween. No American Short Hairs were harmed in the making of this photo- LB was a purry little kitty while putting it on and after shimmying out of it, she promptly rolled inches from where Ryan was sitting for some more attention.

My mom always made holidays such a happy time for me when I was a kid and when carving this pumpkin on Saturday, I was instantly transported back to standing on one of her kitchen chairs because I was too short to scoop out the insides. However, not actually being a kid anymore meant I got to admire this year’s handiwork while sipping a Blood & Sand cocktail which seemed fitting for the holiday. As did my “Go Green, Go Halloween” themed pumpkin- Spartan pride knows no bye week.

And just like that, it was November 1st and 70 degrees- a complete 360 from Saturday. Again, if you live in the Midwest you know what a miracle yesterday was and were outside the entire day like we were soaking it up. Being able to eat outside anytime after Labor Day is the biggest treat in Chicago which meant we were basically obligated to get bloodies and burgers at Crosby’s Kitchen to marvel at our Fall luck.

Happy Monday, friends. There are sunny days and warm temps ahead this week which means the “it’s not snowing yet” luck continues so lets keep the enjoying every second train going, shall we?

The Best Things I’ve Read Lately

ninainthechiOctober 30, 2015Uncategorized%s Comments

“I’ve learned firsthand that excellence in one area of my life promotes excellence in all other areas of my life.” Why Exercise Is a Higher Priority Than My Career reaffirms what my Dad has been telling me for years and something I have found to be true: strong body, strong mind.

People with passion have the courage to be themselves with abandon. We all care what people think about us. People with passion are just less willing to be ruled by the tyranny of public opinion.” Lady Gaga and the Life of Passion examines what we mean when we talk about passion. (*Sidenote: Lady Gaga went to a pilates studio in my office building over the summer to prepare for her role in American Horror Story and I have to admit that all 3 times I was in the elevator with her and her (HUGE) bodyguard, I totally geeked out when they got off.- I love Lady Gaga.)

The Most Beautiful Bars in Chicago– Maude’s and RM Champagne are two of my favorite spots to grab a cocktail; I would have added Gilt and RL.

I couldn’t agree more: bravery is merely a choice.

(the above photo is of this treasure trove of an envelope that I found last weekend. It contained around 50 photos that spanned over 50 years. I had never seen any of them and it felt like reading a diary, like knowing another layer of the people spanning my family tree. I can’t stop looking at them.)

I Am A Writer

ninainthechiOctober 28, 2015Uncategorized%s Comments

Identity is a weird thing.

Over the years, I have often said I am the things that I do. I am a yogi, I am a runner, I am a PR/marketing professional, I am a cat mom (kidding on the last one, I have never actually said that out loud). And that’s fine- people do that all the time. I enjoy those things and do them regularly. But identity is a weird thing; the things we do can find their way into who we perceive ourselves to be and that isn’t always the case.

I have practiced yoga. My practice is not who I am at my core, I am who I am even if I am not on my mat regularly. I work in PR and marketing. I work very hard to be very good at it but if I didn’t do that, I would still be me.

I was on a call last week when someone brought up my blog and asked if I might be interested in writing about something. I could feel my body language change. I sat up even straighter, my brain was flooded with ideas, my energy and excitement level piqued. When I got off the phone, it hit me- I am a writer. Writing for this blog and other projects feed me in a way few things do. I am a storyteller, I am word lover, I am a writer.

And you know what I haven’t been doing? Writing.

The only thing I can come up with is that I have been working so hard to be good at my new(ish) job that I have jumped ship on other things that make up my identity. In May I declared “I am going to be the best [insert job title here] ever ever ever” and have been spinning my wheels trying to be that ever since. I have been successful, I enjoy my job…and that is not who I am. It’s where I spend a lot of my time, it’s a big part of my life, it contributes to my big picture fulfillment and desire to achieve…and it’s not everything. The moment my blog was mentioned on that call and I thought about writing, I was immediately calmer, more confident, more comfortable, more rooted.

Which was a welcome reaction considering I have been dipping my toe in the “Who am I, what am I doing?” pond for the last few weeks.

I am a writer, I am a storyteller, I am a maker.

I am a writer.

So expect more around these parts from here on. I believe the more we do the things that make us who we are, the better we are at everything else we do and will be doing more of that…starting now.

2 Things

ninainthechiOctober 27, 2015Uncategorized%s Comments

I decided yesterday morning that I was going to start each day this week with 2 positive thoughts with the idea that it might make the bumps (annoyances, bs, insert undesirable thing here) that invariably happen throughout the day throw me less. To hold me accountable to this little experiment, I am texting these 2 things to my best friend every morning.

Today’s 2 things: I like my outfit and I spotted this sign two seconds after grumbling a not-so-positive thought under my breath. Yesterday’s involved a good cup of coffee with people I think are really bright.

The You Are Beautiful movement is really cool- check it out.

In the meantime, I will be referring to those 2 things to keep my head above water should the need arise. Will report back if this works.

Super Blood Moon

ninainthechiOctober 1, 2015Uncategorized%s Comment

I know it has been 3 days but I am still not over the Super Blood Moon. I usually don’t care about this sort of thing but I saw it rise from behind cloud cover when I was killing time walking around the Diversey Marina while waiting for my husband to finish at the driving range and the next thing I knew I was sprinting toward Lake Michigan to get a closer look (I know that’s not how it works but my legs moved to a “get to the water” chant or something. Super weird.)

I got there and it was a party. Tons of people were perched on the break wall. Some had wine and food, some had massive camera operations set up, some were like me and went “holy shit” and sat down to watch the Moon like a movie.

Oh and what a show it was. I stayed until it was dark, not taking my eyes off this huge orb of light that made a glittering moonpath on the water the higher it rose. When I did take my eyes off of it, I noticed that the Moon was the only light; no one was on their phones*, everyone was as enamored as I was. It’s rare to have a shared experience in public like that nowadays. (*The above picture shows everyone on their phones but I swear, once it was dark, people had their eyes glued eastward.)

After a quick Google search in the car, I found that the eclipse was going to happen at 9:13. Clouds had moved in so I assumed that what I saw at the lake was going to be it. It was almost creepy how the clouds parted exactly at 9:13. We had a wide open view from our rooftop! We had a glass of wine, waved to neighbors on the rooftops on either side of us, talked about the science of eclipses and enjoyed what I think will end up being the last of that Indian summer we were having.

And holy cow- Super Blood Moon lived up to its hype. Something that is truly rare, indeed.

In 10 Years

ninainthechiSeptember 30, 2015Uncategorized%s Comment

I remember sitting at Les Deux Magot 10 years ago at a table outside tucked in a corner. It was cold, Spring just hitting Paris, and I was finishing “A Moveable Feast.” I read a lot of Hemingway and Fitzgerald while backpacking after my study abroad was over so going to one of their old haunts was one of the first things I did after getting off the train at Gare du Nord. I treated myself to a cup of coffee so I could sit at that tiny table as long as I wanted; I was 20 years old and even though I was coming off of what I see now as an incredibly ballsy time period in my life, I remember sitting in that cafe entirely caught up in “Would I make the right decisions in college, what should I do for my career, where should I live, do I really like my friends, would I fall in love again?” Basically, would everything be okay? Would I be able to do it, whatever “it” was?

I was back at that same cafe a few weeks ago. The sun was shining, the benefit of Summer spilling into Fall, and I was passing by after spending several hours in a cooking class. I treated myself to a glass of champagne so I could sit at that tiny table as long as I wanted. I watched the bubbles rise and burst and when I entertained some new questions floating through my mind, I thought…

Yes.

Yes, everything will be okay.

Yes, you will be able to do it.

In the past 10 years, each of those questions were answered in one way or another. A decision is the right one simply based on the fact that you made it and everything absolutely works out even if it doesn’t because you are strong enough, smart enough, capable enough to move toward what is next. Turning 30 didn’t really mean anything to me, I had no list of 30 things I learned, but sitting in the sun on the sidewalk at Les Deux Magot remembering so viscerally who I was the last time I was there made me realize that the difference in the last 10 years is that I have learned that win, lose or draw, I’ve got this. It’s going to be okay, it is already okay, you’ve got this.

And you know what else? That independent, ballsy girl was still there on that patio. Coffee or champagne, some things never change.

Cheers.

Quotable

ninainthechiJuly 31, 2015Uncategorized%s Comments

Lukewarm is no good.

Right now I am enthusiastic about: Friday. A new writing project I am taking on. Friday. The books I downloaded after intense recommendations from the friends I had sushi and cava with last night. Friday. The nap I am going to take tomorrow afternoon because Saturday.

Lukewarm is no good. I love this quote so much.

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