Vida

what i'm most thankful about this week.... the painting on the underpass at oak street beach. it's beautiful and i LOVE watching it coming together.  one day i look and interpret the art one way and the next the artist adds things and it takes a completely different meaning.  i love it.  there's so much going on. it's such a public space too, which i really enjoy. side note:  i'm nervous about this debt issue.  but i figure there's not much i can do at this point, but trust the politicians to figure this out. i know it's way more complicated than this, but i tell my interns, volunteers, and kids every time i work with them that sometimes you have to work with people you don't get along with.  but you make it work.

oh how i love the farmer's market ! there's a smallish one right by me on saturdays.  and i love it.  well, honestly i usually only go to one stand because i can tell it is actually locally grown, in-season produce.  i have to wonder at some other places where they have fruits and veggies that aren't in season.  how did that happen?  and my favorite place is very reasonably priced too!  today: baskets of peaches and blueberries, tomato, and corn for $8.  yes please. i also only have time to go to one stand because i'm in a hurry to get to work.  boo. the last couple weeks i had to take streets down to north ave. (instead of just hopping on the path) because the path's been wet and gross today and last saturday.  i don't want to get my work clothes all dirty on the way to work.   this means i pass by the big farmer's market at clark .  every time i had to fight with myself a little because i wanted to stop so badly. have a great saturday!  and i hope yo

so i'm not talking about a person here.  i'm literally referring to the season:  summer.  i love summer.  i just do. i feel like most chicagoans spend the majority of the year anticipating and planning and talking about the joys of SUMMER.  then when it's here there is NOT enough time.  i feel like i'm running myself a tiny bit ragged... but this only happens once a year. i mean seriously.   what happened to july?????  i really don't know where it went. it makes me a little sad. i've even heard people say they are looking forward to winter to relax.. out loud.  before quickly taking it back.  whew.   i know we've been under a heat advisory for the past like 2 or 3 weeks, but i would rather have this weather than the cold of winter ANYDAY! today qualifies for two songs.  it's the weekend!   Smith Westerns - Weekend by Vicente P

i haven't done this in awhile, but it's time for the book update... the help by kathryn stockett  -  it honestly feels like so long ago that i read this book.  i should probably update this more often.  this was definitely before memorial day.  anywho.  this is an eye opening book set in the 1960s in the south.  it's told through three different characters and there are all kinds of things happening to think about.  i really enjoyed this book, even though it may not have the ending you expect.  i loved the ending personally, but i can see how you might now.  p.s. i also hear this is going to be a movie... anna and the french kiss by Stephanie perkins - a bit of a mindless romance, but oh so cute!  it's an adorable little young love story.  super quick read.  karen read it after me and it was sitting on her coffee table waiting to be returned to the library.  i read my favorite parts again.  yep, sure did. half the sky by nicholas d. dristof and sheryl wuDunn  -  th

in no shape of the word am i a big fan of movies, but there are some  very few where i don't say, "maybe i'll see it when it comes out on video."   i missed Bill Cunningham New York when it was at the music box .  bummer.  yes, i knew it was there.  it was totally my fault. i was hoping this one  would come.... still no. but now! oh i can't wait to check this out next week!

once again i have a lot to be thankful for this week.  big and small. *my favorite coffee place put out their outdoor seating this week.  i'm looking forward to going TODAY! *if you haven't heard chicago got A LOT of rain friday night.  my apartment building got a little flooded.  i am super lucky my apartment didn't get flooded.  some of my neighbors did.  =(  So the building is a little stinky right now, but i'm super thankful my apartment is ok. *i keep finding my night bike rides so peaceful and lovely.  tuesday i went to the south loop for trivia and rode home on the lakefront path and it was so peaceful (there were actually a lot of people taking a late night swim).  and last night i was even riding on city streets and it was surprisingly peaceful as well. *pockets in dresses.  genius. *this is weird, but i love watching cream swirl around in coffee.  i actually don't use cream, but those interns at work...  i think half their cup is cream so they just

TODAY is my parents' 30th anniversary! So I would like to use a picture from their actual wedding, but since I don't have one...  I decided to go for recent I think that's a pretty big deal.  I don't know much about marriage, but I get that it's fun and wonderful, but also a lot of work.   i love to watch how much they support each other, even though sometimes usually it's not to my benefit. they're off celebrating in vegas!  (because they haven't been there before)  why not?  egh?

yeah, i know. heat is in the air.  although, personally i'd take the heat we had this week over the snow and freezing cold in winter time any day. rain is in the air too.  man oh man, last night was a big one. but  change is in the air too... i've been getting the itch to switch things up for a few months now.  i think i'm just someone who needs variety and to try new things, even though sometimes it's a little disconcerting. but at the end of the day, i ask myself, 'why not?' lately, i'm thinking of nyc. why not? i'm ready to move on from my job and i'm looking.   i'm looking in chicago and nyc and i figure whatever works out is meant to be. i mean moving to nyc makes me feel a little nervous (i've only spent a month there and only visited 3 times... total).  but when i moved to chicago i'd only been here three times.  and things worked out. i just think it's time to shake things up. that's my song of

fridays are currently rest days in my marathon training schedule.  so i take the opportunity to do some ab work and yoga. right now i'm working on my head stand in yoga. it scares me. to put that much weight on my head.   what i've learned in yoga is if i'm too scared or i think i can't do something, i won't be able to.  i work up this morning and kept repeating that i could do it.  i didn't do it perfectly (i'm still using the wall), but i did the best i've done.  it felt so good. i kind of feel like the little engine that could , but whatever.   the positive thoughts are a great take away though and something i know can be used in everything in life.

in chicago? why? this is the question i keep asking everyone and no one seems to know.   so there's this rather huge statue of marilyn monroe on michigan avenue.  they put it up a couple weeks ago.  i keep asking people why it's there.  i don't get it.  the only sort-of answer anyone gave me was it's art.  it's in a super visible place.  i mean i think it's fine, whatever, i just don't get it.   maybe i just don't know, but what does marilyn monroe have to do with chicago? then i assumed it was only going to be there for a teensy bit of time.  if you think a year is a teensy bit of time, you're right. ------------------- in other news.... mom sent me back with a couple peaches this weekend and i had a DELICIOUS one for breakfast.  peaches are definitely in season people! thanks mom!

GRETA'S HAVING A BABY BOY! yeah, i finally decided to share... last weekend karen & i threw our sister-in-law, greta, a baby shower. we took on a dr. seuss theme.  it was super fun to work with. we found some super cute invitations on etsy here .  it was super nice to have it personalized and then print it ourselves.  then we started brainstorming for games, etc.  we played B is for Baby , Hop on Pop , and Where's my Mother? .   overall, it was a fun girl get together to celebrate the coming of a baby boy (she's due in early october).  and we can't wait! "Oh the Places he'll go, Oh the Fun he'll have"

it's that time again! ohhh this week... -dunkin donuts 99¢ coffee 3pm-6pm -creative time with justin to make our postcards for reunion weekend  and i got to see his new place too! -baseball time with bryan.  yes, it may have been the cubs .  no, i'm not a fan of the cubs, but i am a fan of baseball. -the BEAUTIFUL weather on wednesday and thursday.  it was in the upper 70s.  seriously!  wednesday elsa and i had dome in the morning and had a short day.  we just decided to take the afternoon off to enjoy the weather (maybe we were over on hours too...). -i took saturday off work! -after rushing to the farmer's market last weekend, i got to enjoy my delicious fruit this week. -Ceiling fans!  I'm yet to turn on my ac and i'm basically loving it

there's this guy at work.  every time I ask him how he is he says "fantastic" or "it's such a beautiful day", etc.  and he doesn't say it at all sarcastically or annoyingly.  it just makes me smile every time! is it bad that i on the other hand can only daydream about how nice a nap would be and i can't remember the last time i took one? probably.

Love Etc.  is a new documentary that follows five couples in different situations for a year. Maybe this is silly, but I'd really like to see it.  Why can't it show in Chicago?   Music box ... ???? .... please.

i like shoes. and when i find a pair i really like i completely wear them out.  (once i took in my old birkenstocks for new ones.  there was quite literally a hole in the heel.  i mean you could see through it.) today i decided it's time to part with TWO pairs of shoes.  a very sad day. I wore both these pairs in mexico.  this basically means they're worn out.  mostly because i only had a few pairs of shoes there (i think 4) so i wore them everyday for a year.  I tried sewing up the holes in my shoes... it never worked very well. i bought this pair of simple shoes my senior year of college and it was a big purchase for me.  i wore them out!  the sole was coming off the rest of the shoe... woops. all their shoes are made from recycled materials.  i actually did an advertising campaign project about the company (in college). oh sentimental. my first pair of toms .  my friend, sarah, gave them to me as a going away gift.  oh did i love these shoes.  which is par

today it was time for my haircut.   Let me give you a little background on how well i take care of my hair.  ummmm.  i don't.  i get my hair cut every 4-6 months at great clips and i always say 2 inches trimmed and add some layers (because by the time I go in again the layers i originally had put it are no longer distinguishable).   so i went in today and said the same thing, but slipped, instead of saying 2 inches i said a couple.  the guy asked, "by a couple you mean 3-4 because i want to cut 4 inches off and add some crazy layers and make you look fierce?"  I still remember the last time I had that much cut off it was a male hair dresser as well and he didn't even get approval to cut that much off... he just did it.  i was a little upset with him (it was in mexico and i didn't get my hair cut in mexico again.  meaning i went 10 months without letting anyone touch my hair thanks to him.).   so  at first i resisted. i feel like it's the males who

i missed the post last week because of my trip so i'll include 2 weeks in this one.  so without further ado that leads right into my first ... *taking a break from technology on my trip.  it's always nice to take a little step back. *the free shows at the Taste *the painting last Friday was a great release *Elena came to visit the Adler Friday and it was great to talk to her and have her tell me i'm not crazy and confirm some of my thoughts by saying it herself.   *While having my usual reflection with the interns Saturday one of them said one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.  It was super sweet.

i just can't say no! i've purchased my LAST summer dress.  i have to say it and mean it.  i love summer dresses and they're probably the most difficult thing for me to resist.  i have plenty.  i don't need anymore.  period. but when i get compliments on them, it makes me want another...  very bad. this is the way i see it.  in the winter i wear the same stuff over and over with minor changes.  i just don't want to spend money on boring winter clothes.   however  when it's summer, i can pull out my super bright clothes (which seem much more natural to me).  they're also so easy to transition from work appropriate to after work.  oh i just love them.   modcloth is my absolute favorite dress shopping. so if i wasn't obsessed with summer dresses what would i want: *i keep hearing about white jeans white jeans.  if i found a pair i like i'd do it. *wideleg jeans!  i have my skinny jeans and i love those too, but what better way to mix it up than

remember on father's day when i said more to come later?  well, here it is.   yes.  i know it's quite a bit later, but it was a surprise! for father's day we gave dad: -a notepad because he always carries around notecards that he writes himself notes on ALL the time.  this time it's handy.  (now we just need to get him to use it, "it almost seems too nice to use."  -dado) Front:  "World's Greatest Dad" inside said:  They say an elephant never forgets, but I'm not an elephant. inside photo  -a politician/sports book -tickets to the muny to see kiss me kate .  the tickets were for sunday night and guess who showed up to go too?  ME!  karen picked me up from the airport saturday night (which was a bit dramatic) and we had lots to do on sunday during the day so when mom & dad showed up to meet karen they met US!  so we took them out to dinner and then headed to the show. don't worry - it stopped raining just in time for the sh

aww that title makes me think of my grandma.  she loved that show and would always comment on how cute the kids (and EVERYTHING they say is) today i did painting for the family workshop (right up my alley).  i really enjoyed it (besides worrying about the interns all the time).  so children's memorial hospital is moving and they are having different cultural institutions around the city decorate different floors.  the adler got the nicu floor so we're having kids paint space pictures to decorate the floor.  so that was the family workshop.  painting. one little girl came in alone (i don't know where her family was...)  but she painted the cutest picture.   it says "we are here" as kids finished, they brought their paintings to me (or just walked out the door with them).  if they brought them over to me i said "WOW THAT LOOKS AWESOME!  GREAT JOB!"  to all of them and inserted something unique applying to their picture.  one little girl kept sayi