Good Reads

Music Training Enhances Children's Verbal Intelligence.

Amazing before and after. I am in love with the library!

Five really great 'Thriller' Dance Videos.

Homemade Pixie Stix.

Not sure what to read next? Type a book you like into this site for a list of suggestions.

Match the funeral music with the composer who wrote it.

Butcher and the Burger

Butcher and the Burger opened this Tuesday and Talitha and I planned to go there for breakfast. Unfortunately, when we got there, we were greeted with a sign that said they wouldn't open until 11am. Hungry and in need of coffee, we decided to grab bagel sandwiches down the street at Chicago Bagel Company and head back to Butcher and the Burger later for beignets. It was the worst bagel sandwich I've ever had. The cheese was unappetizing and I didn't care for the way they steamed the bagel instead of toasting it.

Back to Butcher and the Burger, we were the first official customers and ordered the beignets and Cafe du Monde, both of which were fantastic. We've already planned a trip back for burgers.

I wish I could dance like Ginger Rogers...

A couple months ago, I found my old tap shoes from a class I had taken in college. I loved dancing when I was younger, so I decided to sign up for a Tap class at the Old Town School of Folk Music. I've been tapping every week since...now, if only I could dance like Ginger.

Lulu Belle's revisited

Talitha and I made a return trip to Lulu Belle's for one sole purpose...the deep fried french toast...enough said.

Lake Geneva Part III

Before heading back to the city, my Mom and I went on an 8 mile hike around the Lake ooohing and aaahing at all the gorgeous colors and spectacular homes.

 

Good Reads

I love Mindy Kaling from The Office. Read an excerpt from her upcoming book here.

Ugg Vaccine. You too can prevent Elephant Feet. Find out how here.

New Cubs GM is a total babe.

Great guide to vegetable soups.

Map of Chicago using nothing but type.

Wilco performs new songs from their latest album in an NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert. Love the desktop percussion!

Awesome apple recipe roundup.

Lake Geneva Part 2

Sunday, my Mom and I rented bicycles from Pedal & Cup and enjoyed an 11 mile ride along the White River Bicycle Trail. The trail follows an old railway corridor and passes through farmlands and wetlands. After lunch in downtown Lake Geneva, we spent the afternoon shopping and then headed back to the hotel to relax and watch the Bears game.

Coffee

I adore coffee. Can't live without it. I drink it black which always seems to impress people for some reason. Illustrator, Christoph Niemann, chronicles the ups and downs of his relationship with coffee. Check out the full series here. His other illustrations for the New York Times are pretty brilliant too. This is one of my favorites.

Lake Geneva Part I

I spent the weekend with my parents in Lake Geneva enjoying the crisp autumn weather and colorful foliage. On Saturday, we rode on a historic trolley car from the 1920's out to The Elegant Farmer for some Apple picking. It doesn't get much better than hot apple cider and apple cider donuts.

Happy Hour

One of my 28 before 28 goals was to stock up my home bar, but besides a healthy collection of wine, my bar is currently stocked with one lone bottle of Tanqueray Rangpur. So, I've decided to tackle this goal one cocktail at a time. First up, Gin Lime Rickey. Christine and I mixed up this refreshing drink during Monday Night Football.

Gin Lime Rickey

2oz. Gin

1oz fresh lime juice

Club soda

Lime wedge

Pour the gin and lime juice into ice filled highball glass. Add the club soda, stir briefly. Add lime wedge. Toast and drink up!

Julius Meinl

Talitha and I met up this week at Julius Meinl for a working lunch. She's designing the website for Magnolia Strings (stay tuned for more on this...). I'm so lucky to have such talented friends! Because we couldn't decide between breakfast and lunch, naturally, we ordered both. We had the Truffled Croque Madame and the seasonal Vegetable sandwich. And never ones to skimp on calories, we had a decadent chocolate and pistachio dessert.

*photos by Talitha

Good Reads

 

Chicago is going to have another miserable winter. What's new?

How Steve Jobs changed the way we listen.

Thanks to Christine for introducing me to these guys.

What do you think of the pajama trend. Would you wear your PJs out in public?

I've been using this site as motivation to do the little things that I'm always putting of until later. Earn points for flossing your teeth, doing the dishes, giving someone a hug and then celebrate your productivity by trading your points in for fun rewards.

Madewell is coming to the Chicago area! In fact, it opened yesterday at Old Orchard Mall. Shopping anyone?

A Shade of Red

Artist, Alyson Fox, captured portraits of 100 women all wearing the same shade of red lipstick in her latest project, A Shade of Red.

She writes,"My desire is for these photographs to examine the confluences between photography, posing, performance, and cosmetics ("putting your face on" as they say here in the south) in a celebratory way- as a way of engendering a community based on our uniqueness. The women in these portraits span all ages and ethnicities. Some were comfortable in front of the camera some were very ill at ease. Regardless of their motivation or hesitation, in the end, I think we were brought together by two twin desires: One, the lure of the lipstick, of the chance to become ourselves by becoming someone else, and two, the desire to connect with people and be part of something."

There is something about red lipstick that is so empowering and sexy, not to mention, classic. I have naturally rosy lips so I rarely ever wear lipstick, but on that rare occasion, I swipe on the one color I own- a bold red.

Fall reading list

Six books on my fall reading list. Are you reading anything good?

Good Reads

More good reads from around the web.

Rad guide to New York City over at A Cup of Jo.

Handy flow chart for eating a healthy breakfast.

Most badass classical composers.

Beautiful post about life after college.

Do's and Dont's of eating sushi.

Yum.

Breakfast at Over Easy Cafe

Talitha and I had breakfast this week at Over Easy Cafe, a little spot that is all about the egg. We had the Bernstein Brothers' Scramble; eggs scrambled with smoked ham, applewood smoked bacon, tomatoes, chives, and cheddar cheese. And because that wasn't enough, we also ordered the Upside down apple pancake topped with cinnamon butter, whipped cream, and powdered sugar. In Talitha's words, "this was more of an apple cake than a pancake but no less delicious." I couldn't agree more!

*Thanks to Talitha for the yummy photos and delicious descriptions.