Monday, April 30, 2012

Chicago Spring Cold

 The last day of April is here, and it's a rainy one.
Out of the bay windows at one of my favorite coffee spots on Chicago Avenue, I see masses of umbrellas walking by with legs.

I'm a little wet and Chicago-spring-cold.
 Chicago-spring-cold is a state of being that means, "You're in Chicago.  It's spring by calendar.  And given the aforementioned conditions, it is sad because you're 0h so very, very cold."

And that's for free on this Monday.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Yesterday, Part II

You might remember yesterday I was dreaming of the park while cleaning my fridge.
Right after I hit "publish" on the blog, I grabbed my purse, dumped two books inside, and walked over to the park.
Down the sidewalk, across the street.
I might have read two pages total, but I deemed it an important success.

Then (Watch this. I'm about to make a case for why going to the park for an hour instead of finishing my work is choice behavior), 5:00 rolled around and someone called and walked over with hot coffee.
Husband, coffee, park.
Get it?

Monday, April 23, 2012

Him

Today I have thoughts of jogging, and reading outside at the park, and unfolding spring and summer clothes to hang in the front of my closet.

Today I have thoughts of how the day passes far too quickly with groceries, cleaning, planning.
Drop it all and go to the park?
(Yes?  Yes.  Yes!)

But today, in the midst of dreams and mundane, I find my thoughts are mostly and about him.

Mondays I think of him the most. Mondays I miss him the most.
I think because I have peace and quiet on my day off,
which creates an unassuming space to think and feel.

Husband, all I think and feel today is you
I wanna go back to Bakin' & Eggs and have Intelligensia with you.
Marry me, today and every day.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

The Doughnut Vault

Confession: First stop on my birthday morning was this place.
Hopefully it's not your first stop this morning, because I hear the lines on the weekend are too long.  
An hour plus is too long, right?

Mom and I got there on Monday morning and there was no line whatsoever.
They were already sold out!
This adorable little place opens early in the morning and just closes whenever they run out of doughnuts.

It was 10:30am. 

Husband and I had gone one time before, and I've been thinking about their chocolate glazed light-as-air doughnut since.
Mom and I were a little deflated, but we recovered quickly enough.
I'm sure I won't let it beat me that easily though, not with the doughnut knowledge I now have.
No sense in waiting around for birthdays!

You'll find this little beauty on 400 1/2 N. Franklin.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Birthday 28

Birthday 28 was super sweet with my Momma in town.
I was so blessed to have her here since Saturday, so if it's been a little quiet here, it's because she and I have been out and about.

Here's a few photos from my phone of this extended weekend, using the Instagram app.
They are of course, completely random and representative of the minority.
Minority being the times I even thought to pull out my phone.
It's just how I roll on those kinds of days.

So without further ado, "the minority"...
Work friends brought me cupcakes from Sweet Mandy B's (hello Sweet Mandy B's, nice to finally meet you!), a new neighborhood lunch find in Roscoe Village (John's Place), Michigan Avenue birthday shopping with my sweet, sweet Momma and Chicago's spring tulips.

Momma thank you for spending a day together in the way we love best- I will always hold it dear!

And husband, thank you for a birthday date yet to come this weekend.
You make a girl look forward to Saturday.
Or to every day.
 

Thursday, April 12, 2012

How-To

How-to bring in spring.
Stuff a few sprigs of baby's breath into a little vase and place on bathroom sink. 
In with spring, on the cheap!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Time Stands Still


 So guys, Time Stands Still.
But not really.
It closes May 13.
 You may remember I blogged about this poignant performance here?
I just wanted to be a pal and let you know to get there soon if you're interested!
Besides, this trailer is way cool compared to my keyboard's attempt to convey the essence of the show.

Steppenwolf is on to their next performance, The March, based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow, and we will be there.
Oh, we will be there.
You don't go to Steppenwolf and then be all, "Eh, I'm good."
That would be like reading The Hunger Games and then not picking up Catching Fire (ahem, husband).

Husband, brother, and me are all reading The March right now in preparation for the show.
Can you say nightly fighting for the book?
I should have bought it on my Kindle- that would have maybe given me dibs.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Easter, City Side Up

Husband was on-call for work this past weekend, and I worked Friday and Saturday too, so we had a Windy City Easter.
Is it silly to say that it felt like taking another step in the world of grown-ups by staying in our own home and buying the groceries, cooking the ham, and inviting the guests?

We dearly love our families and ever since college, really haven't stopped road-tripping to our families' homes on holidays.
And don't worry Mother, the plans certainly haven't changed.

But as Grandma Lu emailed me via a bird-chirping e-card, "sometimes work does have to come first." 
Of course, holidays and my family will always and forever be inextricably linked.
I was on the phone with my sister planning the menu and scribbling down her recipes, and on the phone with my momma the night before double-checking the ham instructions, all the while hearing Dad's sagacious ham commentary in the background.

As husband and I prepped and planned and cooked together, I felt my movements all being shaped, puppeteered almost, by the scene in the kitchen I watched for 20 years as a girl.
Make it special, stay up late, and by all means, have a hot roll with butter right out of the oven before wrapping them up for the next day and calling it a night.

As it turned out, Sunday was sunny and spilling over with dear friends around our little kitchen table. 
Community in your community is a basic construct that we find sweeter and sweeter with each passing year in this city.

How about you?
Have you hosted a holiday away from your family?

Here's a simple peek of Easter, city side up.

The Good: The Instagram app is now available for Android, hooray!
The Bad: Easter dinner was my first time to use Instagram and I completely failed at the concept of uploading.
The Ugly: I lost all the photos but these four.
 

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Bottle It

A snapshot of our street these days.
She's pretty, pretty.
Tulips are her signature spring scent. 

Now, there's an idea;
Chicago spring in a bottle.
It would be scented about like this...
Would you buy it? 

I want this scent in my hair, in my t-shirts, in my bedsheets.
Except Chicagoans don't line dry their laundry.
We should.  We really, really should.
 

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Birthday Wish List

I'm an April birthday girl.
I've always found it such a fun birthday month for all things spring, fresh, and beautifully simple.
I put together a little wish list, as a dash of inspiration for all of us.
Hope you enjoy, and happy spring!
Apologies to my male readers... Mother's Day?