There are Saturdays and there are Saturdays. I literally was walking down Michigan Ave and starting crying I was so happy.
Chicago, I love you so hard.
Wedding Musings
I am getting married in almost a week. Some thoughts:
-Ryan has taken to calling it “wife’ing me up.” The chances of that phrase being worked into his vows are high.
-This time leading up to the wedding is sort of like running a marathon; your training is over, the day just needs to get here without you breaking your ankle.
-That said, while I am excited about next weekend, this time leading up to it is awesome. I am hyper-aware of how special and fun it is.
-Speaking of my marathon analogy, people keep saying to me “Omg, are things so crazy, are you so busy?!?”. No? Everything is planned, vendors are going to do their thing…am I missing something? What should I be doing?
-To have an answer to the aforementioned question, I got a massage. And I might just do it again next week.
-The 10 day forecast is literally changing in 10 degree increments every day.
-Luna Bell is ruining my seating chart attempts.
-Must.Write.Vows.
Link Love
Jeni’s Ice Cream is such a treat and their seasonal pineapple upside down cake happening right now is to die for.
Dove’s commercial celebrating Father’s Day made me ugly cry. Dads are the best.
This guide to packing for your honeymoon is going to come in handy.
Preach, Shauna Niequist- her post about value and relationships or lack there of says what I wish I had been able to say to myself and others the last decade.
The Lincoln Park Zoo is hosting an adult’s night out on Friday nights this summer. Cocktails and zoo animals. In.
Summer in Chicago means packing a picnic and grabbing a spot in the law at Millennium Park to listen to music. A list of classical concerts hitting the Pritzker Pavilion.
Clear Eyes, Full Hearts
Sending infinite amounts of love, prayers, healing energy, hugs, high kicks and high fives to a dear, sweet friend as she begins chemo today.
Cancer sucks.
Texas Forever.
(Image via)
National Donut Day
I think we’re all pretty clear here on my great love for donuts, right? Well, it’s National Donut Day tomorrow so I thought it was important to give you the heads up so you could plan accordingly.
Here is a list of national chains doing special deals (free donut with coffee at Dunkin’!).
Here, again, is the list of Best Donuts in America. If you’re in one of these cities, make it happen and report back (I’m looking at you, Minneapolis and Brooklyn).
I don’t know of any specials in Chicago but Do-Rite Donuts and Dinkel’s are my current favs.
Fun fact: the first Donut Day was in Chicago in 1938 as a fundraiser to help people suffering during the Great Depression.
And as my Dad and I always say, “You know what’s better than going to get a donut? Going and getting a box of donuts.”
My work here is done.
(Image taken at Dandee Donuts in Fort Lauderdale, FL- the first stop after my parents pick me up from the airport)
Summer Lip Color
One of my favorite things about summer (in addition to warm weather, ice cold rosé and not having to dry my hair) is that all you need to do to be “ready” is throw on a pair of sunnies and a great lip color. After a winter of reds and my favorite bright pink, I set out to find my summer shade.
NARS Salamanca: a berry shade with a light kick, perfect for just enough color.
fresh Sugar Rosé: It goes on like chapstick so it’s about as un-fussy as you can get and the color gives a natural summer flush.
NARS Tasmania: a perfect pink cantaloupe, this shade gives more of a neutral lip. Perfect for a fresh face with the aforementioned big sunnies or for when you break out the big guns and do a smokey eye.
EOS lip balm: No color here but I have these Spherical little balls of moisture in every room & bag, I am including them in every gift I give…it’s basically chapstick but fun. Sweet mint is my favorite and you can find them at any drugstore for 4 bucks. Win-win.
Not Messing Around Monday
I was not messing around with this Monday. Pure Barre, copious amounts of water, consumed the vegetables that didn’t get eaten (in lieu of donuts & wine) over the weekend, a solid work day, some good walks while chatting with my parents…this week is on track for awesome.
Happy Monday!
On gluten-free beer, cheese curds and friendship
We shot up to Milwaukee this weekend to celebrate a friend’s birthday. His sweet girlfriend arranged the entire surprise weekend and the itinerary was, um…ambitious. All sorts of awesome but any day that starts with a brewery tour then on to a ball game to a darts tournament to a steak house…you get my point. Lots of water, lots of pacing ourselves, lots and lots of fun.
The box of donuts from Dinkel’s we contributed to the road trip was the first win of the day but arriving for our tour at Lakefront Brewery to find they brew a gluten-free beer was the second. The third was discovering that this New Grist is outstanding- super light, refreshing and smooth. By the end of the tour, our entire group had switched over to it and these are a hops and wheat loving bunch.
Related: I love tours. Let me follow you around, tell me things, teach me something new…I love tours.
Also related: I really enjoy Milwaukee. Great beer, great coffee, cheese curds, a gorgeous ballpark and best of all, my friends who I love in Chicago getting out of dodge together to bring our buddy to (near) tears over his surprise birthday. High five, land o’cheese, high five.
(Cubs win!)
Countdown
Me: Have a great day! 3 weeks! Love you! Will send you countdown updates throughout the day!
Him: I’ll send you prenup updates throughout the day!
This wedding thing is getting real, folks. And soon.
(Ed. Note: there’s no prenup. My future husband thinks he is funny before 7am.)
On Marriage, Advice and Bill Murray
“If you have someone that you think is The One… buy a plane ticket for the two of you to travel all around the world, and go to places that are hard to go to and hard to get out of. And if when you come back to JFK, when you land in JFK, and you’re still in love with that person, get married at the airport.”
Bill Murray ran across a bachelor party in Charleston this weekend (my bachelorette party missed him by a month! dang!) and gave this advice to the groom’s friends. Who would have thought that the guy behind “What About Bob?” could nail it like that? I may not be getting married at the airport but I could not agree with Bill more- find someone you adore…go through sticky situations, new situations, great situations, hard situations…abroad, locally, wherever…and if you emerge still adoring them? Marry them. Marry them immediately.
Click here for the full video.