Dressing for the Derby

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The 137th running of the Kentucky Derby is this Saturday which begs the question: if I were Kentucky-bound, what would I wear?

We saw tons (36 to be exact)of Philip Treacy hats last Friday at the Royal Wedding.  This Philip Treacy is my pick– perfectly tilted, an absurd amount of flair and the brim is still large enough that it could provide some shade (hey, a girl’s got to be somewhat practical).  I’d pair it with this Karen Millen dress, keeping it simple but still enough going on should your hat come off (perhaps after several mint juleps):

And wedges.  You can’t have your heels sinking into the grass.

Sadly, I’ll be cheering “Pants on Fire” (my scientific method of choose a horse: funniest name) on from Chicago but chances are, I’ll be doing it wearing a hat with a cocktail in hand.

Happy Friday!

For Sale: Kevin McCallister’s House

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I just received an email titled “I Found You and Ryan a House!” and a link to this article.

It turns out, the house from the movie “Home Alone” is on the market right outside Chicago in Winnetka and we could move in really soon.  For a cool 2.4 mil.

All I can imagine is Ryan yelling from another room “I’m eating junk and watching rubbish!  You better come out and stop me!”.

Good thing I don’t speak suburb.

Thanks anyways, Friend!

Thursday Treats

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It’s a rare morning that doesn’t consist of routines.  You know the drill- hit the alarm twice, turn on the shower, pat Luna Bell on the head, brush teeth, etc.

(Luna Bell)

But this morning, Ryan and I both had a few extra hours on our hands before we had to officially start our days.  Which meant sleeping in an entire extra hour, going to get LB so we could have some family cuddle time and hitting the gym together.  Nothing big but breaking out of that daily routine even if just for a few hours feels like such a treat.

Speaking of treats- we finally picked up a blender and have been whipping up smoothies for treats at night and when there’s time in the morning, for breakfast.

This morning’s smoothie consisted of 1.5 bananas, 10 frozen strawberries, a bit of apple juice and a tray of ice cubes (’bout as basic as it gets, right?).  Oh and 4 Splendas. per Ryan’s request.

Methinks that margaritas are the next thing the blender will churn out.  Currently accepting recipes for smoothies and/or frozen drink, fyi.

43 Degrees? Thanks, I’ll Pass.

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When I walked out of Trader Joe’s today, I could actually see my breath.  And since it was only 43 degrees, I guess that makes sense.  This confirms my decision to get the heck outta here come Sunday.

Actually, this confirms my decision: by the time I walked from work to home today, I had four missed calls from my grandmother.  I figured something was wrong; she must have fallen or is in the hospital or something (I’m a proven worrywart).  I immediately called her back, only to hear her say she was just calling because she realized that in a few days, we’d be on the beach having a cocktail (don’t threaten Hazel with a good cocktail!) and she was very, very excited.

Whew.

So for the next few days, I’ll bundle up and tolerate the cold because soon I will be on the beach, cocktail in hand, chatting it up with my 94 year old BFF.

Oh, Say Can You See…

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Large portions of our South are still reeling from the devastating tornadoes that ripped through last week.  We rallied to support Japan last month and the Red Cross is on hand to extend that same support to our closest neighbors.

Click here to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

Given tonight’s breaking news, I fell in love with this photo even more.  Come hell or high water (or tornado or terror attack), that flag keeps waving.

(photo via)

April Showers Bring May Flowers

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I had my fingers crossed all April that the old saying was true- if we were going to get so many damn showers, some May flowers was the least Mother Nature could do to make it up to us.

On our little walk this morning, it seemed as if Spring had literally popped up over night- I mean, when did the trees go from being bare to in full bloom?  When did the flowers become so bright?  It was so beautiful and much appreciated after an April filled with a record breaking 7+ inches of rain.

The month is starting out strong- I like the look of May already.

Royal Perfection

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I literally gasped when she got into the car.

Love that she wore McQueen.  Super loved all the hats and fascinators.  Super, super love that she proved once and for all that she is the epitome of class and beauty.

And maybe even beyond that stunning fashion moment and the sheer and utter perfection that was the Royal Wedding is that the bride and groom seem to really like each other and are embarking on what could be a fantastic marriage.

I suppose that is something to really gasp over.

(Because I’m sure they read my blog)

Congrats to the happy couple!

Chicago Museum Free Days

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Chicago has some of the best museums in the world but to go to all of them will cost a pretty sizable chunk of change.  Luckily, you can score totally free admission if you take advantage of one of the “Free Days” listed below.  Weekend days, obviously, go early because everyone loves free but I’ve found that hitting up weekdays is fairly sans lines.

Enjoy!

Adler Planetarium

May 12 & June 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Art Institute of Chicago

Free Thursday Evenings- free admission from 5-8pm through May 26th.  In June, free hours will move to the first and second Wednesday of every month with free admission all day long.

Chicago Children’s Museum

Free for Everyone: every Thursday 5-8pm; Free for ages 15 and under: First Sunday of Every Month

Lincoln Park Zoo

Free all the time!  Open everyday from 10am-5pm, you can check out some zebras, tigers, and monkeys (oh my!), all for zero dinero.  Nice!

Field Museum

Free Basic Admission: May 9th, June 7th & 13th, July 11th, August 8th, 29th & 31st