Better Run

Running and I have a love hate relationship. Which is to say that I love what running does for me but I hate, hate, HATE lacing up and doing it. Of course it's not unusual to love the results of something you don't want to do...giving up junk food or sitting down to write for instance. Any time I plan a run I make an excuse: "what if I lifted instead? what if I walk around the grocery store for an hour, does that count?" I'm sure it all counts for something, but not what I'm trying to accomplish.

A few days before leaving for Atlanta I woke up promising myself that after breakfast and some indulgent Pinterest-ing I would hit the trails. But upon rolling out of bed my mental block had other plans.

A thought occurred to me as I was staring down at my old, ripped up Asics. One of my best pieces of advice that always works: get dressed, walk out your front door. If you still don't feel like working out after you've gone through all the effort to prepare, then don't. I reasoned that even if I got out my front door and just took a walk down to Lake Shore my legs would recognize the familiar rhythm and know what to do. And they did.

For twenty minutes and I zipped up and down the sidewalk along with honking rush traffic and a homeless man that called me "pretty lady". Aw shucks! Of course he followed it up by asking if I was alone, to which I unapologetically about-faced and sprinted back to my apartment. Sweaty, panting, blissfully satisfied  Now that it's starting to warm up around these parts picking up running might not be such a bad idea.

Out Like a Lion

via Design Love Fest

via Brooklyn Blonde

via Hello Fashion

via This Time Tomorrow

via See Jane.

First day of spring and Chicago celebrated by letting the temperature drop 10 degrees from yesterday. Did I mention the wind chill? Way to be Chi, way to be.


As I was walking home after work, a girl bemoaning the weather to her dog expressed my thoughts: "I don't care what it's like tomorrow. I've got tights, I've got a jacket, I'm wearing that new spring dress!" Woman after my own heart. Loving her new spring clothes and telling her dog all about it. So I decided to throw caution to the wind and dig my white jeans out of under bed storage today. Seems like the perfect mix of practical/warm and fresh/spring.

Sunday

The Anatomy of a Chicago St. Paddy's Day Hangover:


A coffee run is the obvious first step and you feel like you're making the right choice by getting it iced despite the frigid temperatures. At least the ice cubes are hydrating. A line of college basketball players waiting for steak and cheese bagels makes you wonder if you'll catch the El on time, which you do. You start to wonder if people have noticed your green jeans that were so obviously for last night's festivities, but then realize that Sunday is actual St. Patrick's Day. Score.


Sip carefully on the iced coffee and wait to get home to devour the muffin in your purse that you're saving for when the time is right and your exact specifications have been met. The neighbors pomeranians silently but happily greet you at the front gate  furthering your longing for a dog but your pounding head confirms that it's a responsibility you can't handle. Grateful that the other neighbors are making something with rosemary in it today as opposed to curry as you lug your sad cramped up legs up three flights.


A twenty minute boiling hot shower/teeth brushing combination makes you feel at least half way human but now you can't bring yourself to get out of the shower. The comfiest of sweats are carefully chosen. One minute of getting situated on the couch with Chicago Fire playing on your laptop and a bite of the patiently awaited muffin confirms that you're not going anywhere. A quick facebook scan and a text from a friend confirms that people do still go out drinking on actual St. Patrick's Day but obviously not like Chicagoans do on Saturdays.

Sunday

In case you're wondering, I "lovingly ripped off" this little survey from Delightfully Tacky. It seemed like the perfect re-kick-start to my blogging adventures. I thought I would take a break for a couple of weeks and see if I was any better for it...but alas I am not. My creative outlets are few and far between, and eliminating the blog only added stress as opposed to decreasing it. I will try and remember this next time I decide to go blogger AWOL.

Reading...
Stuck on the last two chapters of Dresden File's Summer Knight. Once I'm finished I can't decide if I want to continue with the the series or take a little break with Diane Keaton's Then Again.


Watching...
Catching up on my Hulu queue. New Girl, Chicago Fire, Parks and Recreation, and I still have the last episode of 30 Rock there too. I can't bring myself to watch it! Need a new series to though...


Wishing...
I could get the remainder of my apartment put together. I moved in November and things are still in plastic boxes and art is still sitting on the floor. I need a plan of attack to organize and decorate this place on a limited budget. I would love it to feel more like my home than just a place to crash every night. I know these things take time, but I feel like I'm stalling by not doing the basic projects I've already set up for myself. Hopefully once those things are done I'll have a sense of direction in what I want to do next.


Proud of..
I started working out in my apartment four weeks ago and I'm still at it! I have yet to go outside for a run, but I can already feel a difference in my energy level just by doing plyometrics. I like the Bikini Body Workout from Self and the Get In Shape for Summer workout from Refinery29. I have also taken a greater interest in nutrition and cooking for myself, which isn't to say that I'm not having cereal for dinner every now and then, but I'm getting better!


Excited about...
Mama Morgan decided to come to Chicago for a few days at the end of March! Also the Atlanta trip and Color Run is fast approaching.


Impatiently awaiting...
Spring's arrival and the opportunity to wear all my sundresses and shorts again. I realize that I should be looking for on sale boots and winter coats, but I can't help but browse sandals, skirts, and swimwear for the upcoming Atlanta trip. As lovely as Chicago is in the winter, it's even better in the summer.

The V

The way I originally imagined this post was to give you a round up of all the cute things I saw about Valentine's Day, which is tomorrow people. Instead, I found these things...

Image Via

Grumpy Cat Doesn't Like Valentine's


The best way to say I Love You is with bacon


Chicago Reader's Romance is for Suckers, great short stories


Looking forward to the next holiday

And finally, "Joe" and his pal Murray on Sesame Street. Joe is sporting a tee with the heart on it, so I'm sure this counts. Eat it up ladies and gentlemen.

Febbers

Another V-day themed outfit? Don't mind if I do...

Since I'm so fond of coming up with the names for these things, I call this one "I still have to work that day but maybe I can cut out early and meet you guys at a dive bar where we do $3 Hooker shots and complain about how we are too fancily dressed for this place." 

On another note, looking back at my other V-Day outfit I don't know why I have a penchant for the edgy this holiday. I'm not normally not the type, but Bruce Willis is really getting to me. Also I hope everyone assumes that I'm wearing tights and a big fluffy North Face coat. I don't want to advocate freezing your bum off for the sake of Valentine's Day. Believe me, I saw enough bare legs on New Years to warrant a PSA in the greater Chicago area. Ladies: you do not want inner thigh frost bite. Unattractive.

Thursday Fever

I had to leave work early today. I'll spare you graphic details but there is nothing more delightful then the height of your illness taking place in a bathroom where there are children present:


"Mom, is she sick?"


"Yes Sweetheart."


"Should we help her?"


"No honey, just leave her alone."


One L ride and a trudge through the slush later I was curled up in bed eating saltine crackers and watching the "wintery mix" come down. That's snow mixed with freezing rain if you're unfamiliar with Chicago's positive phrases that all boil down to meaning "shitty weather." I'm starting to get itchy for spring and Valentine's Day hasn't even happened yet. I'm really counting heart shaped dark chocolate and photo evidence of warmer climates to pull me through the rest of this winter...

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18 Days

When E signed me up for the Color Run I thought it would be easy training. I would locate one of my Pinterest plans and get to work in a month... problem being most plans start 10 weeks out and I currently have 8. Oops. Of course I can't be caught dead running outdoors, because if I were running outdoors right now I might actually BE dead. Many Chicagoans (and possibly even me this time last year) would disagree, but in my defense I was in better shape a year ago today. I had come from of a job where I walked 10+ miles a day and I jumped in to running like it was no big thing. Now the only practice I get is when I need to catch a train or run back to the time clock when my break is over...could we count that as a speed drill?

So in lieu of trail running for the time being I joined the community center gym by my apartment and the blue hairs and I have been rocking it out on the ellipticals...honestly they are so friendly. "Are you new here? Welcome!" I re-stocked the cabinets with a slew of new and healthier groceries courtesy of Muffin-Topless. I also Pinterest picked a few strength training routines to build some lean muscle in the mean time. I tried my first routine last night: Refinery 29's Beach Body workout and I am sore as all get out today. It feels fantastic.

If you recall last winter when I did try winter running I promptly gave up when I became too stressed and overwhelmed. This is probably the worst reason to quit working out seeing as it helps manage that stress, but my unemployment logic wasn't all that solid. But this time I come armed with knowledge: it takes 18 days to create a habit. If I give it my all for 18 days I will come to prioritize what my body needs to be happy which is healthy food and a nice work out. Three days in and feeling fine!

The Blues

Chicago is known for its bi-polar weather and wind that will knock you clean off your path, but what it's been known for lately is cranking out some grey and bitter days. On a daily basis I seek solace in going home, changing in to sweats as quickly as possible, and drinking hot tea in bed by the delightful radiator in my apartment that sounds like a VHS tape is being rewound. I close the curtains and the sound lulls me in to a warm dullness that blocks the wind and cold from entering my tiny sanctuary.


Today proved no different. I woke up, took a scalding hot shower, and shuffled around my apartment in my Minnetonka slippers lapping up coffee and zoning out in to my bowl of Chex. I started window shopping spring clothes online, then swimsuits, then airfare, and oh look! My debit card is already sitting on my bed! Must be fate. I book a spring flight for Atlanta and let the warmth spread over me and the muted Chicago sky fades to blue.

Oh my gosh, I am so freaking excited!

Monday

What did I say just a gosh darn week ago? Blog content is so hard to create when you're surrounded by gray slush and dropping temperatures. Luckily a few things have been ruling my world lately that have been pushing me full steam ahead. Those things are (in no particular order):

The arrival of Ms. Whiskey-Pants to Chicago on Saturday for RB's birthday. We are gonna tear. it. up.

Travel plans to see Ms. E in Atlanta and a potential road trip up to Nashville for the Color Run. Better dust off my running shoes.

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Lastly but not least-ly, Starbucks oatmeal. I was already under the impression that steel cut oats were just good for your soul, but I will plan my day around making it to the Starbucks on Michigan and Adams just to get a bowl of this chunky deliciousness. I realize, I have a problem.

What's getting you through your winter week? (9 weeks until Spring!)

Threads

Never mind that I don't have the time, means, or necessity to go buy a new dress for New Year's. Remember that oh so distant promise I made to myself? Gosh darn it, sometimes a girl just needs a reason to buy a new dress. Can I get an amen? Thank you.

I picked it up at Urban Outfitters  mere hours before heading out for the night, or rather, Mom picked it up. I had showed her the dress online before and she did. not. like. it. I wanted to try it on just to show her how cute it would look, and it really did. I fell in love. As fancy as the frock is, it spent some time on the Chicago red line, in a dive bar that played southern rock revival, to a theatre where Jameson was spilled on it and finally it took a ten dollar cab ride home at three in the morning. All in all it was everything a good New Year's dress should be: sparkly, sexy, and comfortable enough to fall asleep wearing it at the end of the night. Plus...

I regret this facial expression.

Look at the back! I had to talk myself in to taking the sweater off at some point, Chicago is cold in case you haven't heard, but it was too fantastic not to. I can't wait to make up a reason to wear it over the summer.

In Take

These past couple weeks have been quite the whirlwind. Closing a show, working on a new one. Saying "hello" to old friends and saying "goodbye" just as quickly. It figures that it would take a nasty cold/flu combo to knock me out right as I was getting back in to the swing of my old routine. This holiday season I've been burning the candle at both ends so I was bound to fall off the horse at some point. Now I have time to catch up on blog content, marathon Slings and Arrows and hack up a lung today. Don't you wish you were so lucky? 

Chicago Day - the Field Museum

On Monday Running Buddy (or RB for all intensive purposes) drove down to have lunch and use my new work benefit: free admission to the majority of all Chicago museums! We decided on the Field, Chicago's natural history museum and I instantly fell in love.

We started off our perfect Chicago day with cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather's, home of Chicago's best cinnamon roll, and they aren't fooling around. Gluten intolerance be danged, I ate both of the cinnamon rolls my eggs and hash browns came with. Only mild queasiness followed.

Then we hopped on the red line and made our way towards museum campus. I had actually been here once before for a job interview when I first moved here, so it was refreshing to come back in a better state of mind, and with all the beautiful Christmas decorations up. I flashed my I.D. badge (like a boss) and we were in.

The first thing you do when you walk in is meet Sue, the world's most complete T-Rex.

We went through ancient Egypt (mummies!), animals, the hall of birds, and Ancient Americans which was one of my favorites.

More dinosaurs! Middle school field trip Kiley was beyond excited.

"Kenneth Parcell" shrank us and lead us on a journey under the soil (animatronic bugs = terrifying) 

Everyone in the museum ends the day on the front step taking pictures of the skyline...I almost wish I had turned the camera around. There was a distinctive row of people all snapping away. RB and I finished the night with a slice of pizza and then I returned to the theatre for a tech rehearsal. All in all it was the quintessential Chicago day.

Also, if you ever feel like going to the Field, call me up my answer (work permitting) will always be yes! 

Warm and Snuggly

It might be the festive time a year, my drafty apartment, or just my inherent dorkiness, but I am falling in lurve with matching pajama sets. They're classic, warm and are guaranteed to make your Christmas look like a Norman Rockwell painting. Throw on an over sized robe and cushy slippers to bring the yuletide with style.

/ 1. Aerie Fuzzy Scuffs / 2. Gap Flannel PJ set / 3. J.crew Vintage Pajama Set  / 

/ 4. Aerie Lace Trim Robe / 5. Gillian O'Malley Flannel Coatset / 6. Gap Fleece Sherpa Lined Robe / 

/ 7. Gillian O'Malley Woven Pajama Set / 8. Hanes Premium Men's Knit Robe / 9. Target Leopard Slipper /

High Light

Ever since this incident I've been trying to grow my hair out, which means a fair amount of babying. No brushing it when it's wet, using deep conditioners, feeding it biotin and massaging my scalp on a regular basis...I have a great long term relationship with my hair. It also means no dying it with hair dye from a box which is my usual "it's winter let's shake things up" routine. So I did the right thing and made an appointment for a cut and color. Next step: decide what to do with it.

I was sold on the ombre thing for a while: finally a popular hairstyle for poor match girl like myself that can't afford to run to the salon every three months. I let my color go last year and realized that growing out your sun kissed highlights isn't quite the same thing as going full ombre. I mulled it over before this last hair appointment, but ultimately decided that if I was growing it out, the last thing I wanted to do was bleach the heck out of my ends, especially since I don't have the long flowing extensions to try it out with.


I talked it over with the poor unwitting stylist who was lovely enough to help me figure out a solution for my wallet and the health of my hair...

I only got highlights around my face, see those little baby ones there? I can't tell if this is tacky or genius, but we'll go with genius for now. Most people don't notice the grown out back portion unless I point it out to them, or unless they're sitting behind me on the El and thinking "what a train wreck that girl is". But I'm happy, my wallet is happy, and now I feel ready to go for the holidays!

Mama I'm Coming Home

Friday night I called my Mom and asked what the possibility of me flying home for 48 hours was. She said they were great, especially for Christmas. Saturday during my lunch break I booked a plane ticket for right after the Sunday matinee of the Christmas show I'm working on, and now I'll be home for Christmas! We'll drive back to Chicago Christmas night so I can be back at work the day after, and then I'll get some quality time with Reid and Mom leading up to New Years. My fears of sitting alone in my apartment Christmas morning and shedding tears in to my oatmeal have all but vanished, and I'm super excited to see my family and get some Tim Horton's. How I miss Tim Horton's...and also my family.

Can't wait to see you C-bus, I'll be home for Christmas!

Gearing Up

Winters in Ohio my needs were simple: a pea coat and a nice pair of boots. But Chicago is a whole different ball game when it comes to winter. I'm not comparing it to the Klondike Mountains, but living right off the lake when the wind whips around and knocks you off balance, you only wish you could cherish the gray slush of Columbus. Winter is right around the corner here, and you can tell by chapped lips, hot chocolate cravings, and the Christmas Wreaths already up on State Street. Sheesh. The only thing that helps me look forward to it all is the thought of adding some nice style-staples to my wardrobe...

I think I have the basics nailed down thanks to some thoughtful Christmas gifts, but this year I'd like to step it up a notch, really give winter a what-for while still looking professional and stylish.

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Starting with a chic tailored jacket. Not that I dislike my winter coats, but my pea coat has seen better days. (I have had it since I was a junior in high school...yeah, that's devotion.) But something about the belted military style coats reads classic, sexy, and elegant. Besides which, I saw an uber stylish Chicago-lady wearing one paired with riding boots and wavy ombre ends and I was sold. Obviously I think very highly of Chicago winter style.

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Next come some serious boots. I have my lovely red Hunters courtesy of my Valentine, but some other styles have been catching my eye lately. These Sperry boots are nothing short of ruggedly amazing and the traction on those puppies will be great for slippery surfaces (I think it's safe to liken a wet El floor with a boat dock). The kick-ass classics: Dr. Marten's, and of course the ever-outdoorsy chic L.L. Bean Boots. The navy colored bottoms add the right amount of sharpness.

Lastly, top off your foundation with some luxurious looking accessories. I'm a sucker for lady-like gloves. Velvet scarves have been popping up around town lately, and I don't know if its the stylish elderly women I see on a daily basis, but a turban-style hat would add an elegant and edgy touch.

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Deck the Halls

The complaints about the holidays coming earlier and earlier keep rolling in, and right off my back. Obviously since I was ready to listen to Christmas music in mid October. But think about it folks, if we start decorating for the holidays early then there's an extra month to enjoy your hard work making your dwelling look festive, three if you're like me and let some x-mas stuff slip by through January.

Here are a few understated ways to inject some holiday cheer in to your home without driving you nuts before December:

Greenery is always a nice touch, especially in winter where you start to become tree-deprived.

 

Stick to either red or green while decorating, that way the Christmas spirit isn't all up in your face.

 

Use good old fashioned paper snowflakes! You legitimately can leave these up all winter long.

 

These metallic starts are festive yet not over the top.

Add some glitter: cheery and stylish.

 

White lights put some warmth in to your space, I love the glow they create in the evenings.

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