There Was A Singalong

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Gold Coast Mansion Christmas Party

On Friday night I attended my husband’s work holiday party at a  house mansion on a street that I have walked by for years and it surpassed every dream I ever had about how insanely gorgeous it must be inside and how it would be the perfect house to ornately decorate for Christmas. There was also a singalong led by the host at a baby grand piano that was adjacent to this roaring fire and being there singing these songs while drinking really fancy French wine was basically my Christmas dream come true. 

The rest of the weekend was a far cry from the festivity of Friday night (i.e. I didn’t get dressed or leave my house until 6pm on Saturday night and that was only because I needed Jeni’s Ice Creams but this weekend still goes down in the books as a really good one.

That said…there are 11 days until Christmas and I haven’t done nearly all of the Chicago Christmas things and the only Christmas movie I have checked off my list is “While You Were Sleeping” which doesn’t really count because I think my mom and I are the only people who like or consider it a holiday movie. Love Actually, White Christmas, It’s A Wonderful Life, The Christkindlmart, Zoo Lights, it’s time to get my holiday game in gear.

Quotable

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three arts club

Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.

Pablo Picasso

This quote was on the barricade of the new Three Arts Club/Restoration Hardware showroom during construction and even without having seen what the building looked like inside before, what powerful words. Sometimes you have to tear shit down to build it up again. Preach, Pablo.

Also- this furniture store/restaurant/place to sit on couches you don’t own with pastries and espresso and pretend like you live there is really really gorgeous. The space once housed women pursuing the arts in the early 1900s and while I could go on and on about what an architectural gem this place is, click here for legit info from the experts at Architectural Digest.

Argo/Greenhouse/Park Heaven

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I am drinking tea in a greenhouse-looking building, sitting in front of a fireplace and listening to the babbling of a fountain that well behaved children are running their hands through. Is this an urban dream?

Real talk, I was mad when I saw that an Argo Tea was going in what used to be a public (although rundown) park but now that I see what a beautiful job they did with the space AND I can sit in an actual chair AND it no longer smells like pee, I feel like I rushed the judgement. Welcome to the ‘hood, Argo…and thanks for bringing macarons.

Chicago q

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It’s late October and we ate brunch outside today.  That sheer awesome’ness of this weather is not lost on me so dining al fresco, we did.

Chicago q in the Gold Coast with it’s cozy outside seating was just the spot.

My pick?  A pulled chicken sandwich served with 4 sauces and cornbread.  Ryan devoured brisket and fries, dipped in ketchup that he was convinced was homemade (our server looked at us like we were idiots when we asked).  Add a mimosa and a ginger bourbon fizz into the mix and we were hooked.

Eating anywhere outside today would be amazing but I seriously cannot wait to tuck back into q, next time for the mac and cheese, maybe when it’s more scarf and earmuff season- cozy inside AND outside can’t be beat.