Profashional

Summer in the city is here. Glad I have a deck to enjoy it on +...

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:23:56 -0500

Summer in the city is here. Glad I have a deck to enjoy it on + a buddy to enjoy it with.

Thanks Mom & Dad!

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:20:09 -0500

Thanks Mom & Dad!

Early date night with my hubs > working til midnight (at...

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:33:59 -0500

Early date night with my hubs > working til midnight (at Parson’s Chicken & Fish)

noraleah: lemondifficult:bidenette: Le boom. OH SNAP.

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:25:52 -0500

noraleah:

lemondifficult:bidenette:

Le boom.

OH SNAP.

No.

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:22:50 -0500

No.

When you wear new ballet flats for the first time that apparently have teeth and a mind of their own...

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:39:00 -0500

When you wear new ballet flats for the first time that apparently have teeth and a mind of their own and are determined to chew your Achilles tendons raw.

Mid-week Brain Dump

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:58:28 -0500

Thoughts I’ve been thinking

- We’ve been in the midst of a major project for the past few weeks (the one that kept me at work until after midnight last Friday). We may have bought ourselves some additional time, but we won’t know until about 4:30 today. Fingers crossed this pans out, because the deadline is tomorrow.

- Related: doing business in California sucks. Waiting at the office at nearly 8 p.m. for someone to send you something because it’s only like quarter to six there, or not being able to actually speak with people until 11 a.m. is really annoying.

- Our grill (a very generous housewarming gift from my parents) arrives this weekend! We left our old POS grill behind at the condo, and I’ve been regretting that with all the warm temps.

- If we get our extension, I am GTFO to meet KB for some drinks and seedling exchanging. And by “seedling exchanging,” I mean she’s giving me plants. I got nothin’.

- My cousin’s husband, Chef Tyler, is in town this weekend for the restaurant show and will be staying with us. Is it rude to make your houseguest cook for you all weekend?

- Working from home on the deck > working from the office. Duh.

- Blackhawks!

- Parsons’ (just around the corner from us) is FINALLY open and I am so pumped. We drove past the opening night on our way home from the Blackhawks game last night and it looks killer.

-Summer! Rose! Grilled things! Standing Friday happy hours alternating between my roof deck and G’s roof deck! It’s going to be a good one.

Project coffee table: CHECK.

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:20:28 -0500

I have been a not-so-secret admirer of the Horchow Amelie table for some time now. My crush intensified when my friend M bought a real live version for her condo a few years ago. Shiny without being gaudy, feminine without being girly, it’s pretty much a perfect mirrored piece. I dreamed of my very own with navy velvet, wainscoting and a lovely rug for our frunch room.

As luck would have it, M now has an infant approaching the six month mark.

(btw, he is THE CUTEST and has THE BEST CHEEKS and I might steal him for my own because he is just that great)

Little Man O is soon going to start pulling up on things, and so M has decided that, much like when a man has to sell his two-seater sports car when he has a kid, it’s time for the fancy mirrored coffee table to go.

I mean, if it HAS to go, it should go to a loving home, right?

Right.

A perfect solution. I get my dream table at a fraction of the price, M can visit whenever she wants, and Little Man O’s precious little face stays intact (although I think those cheeks would break any fall!)

The jumbotron has already showed us pounding our beers and there...

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:31:55 -0500

The jumbotron has already showed us pounding our beers and there is still 30 minutes to puck drop.

Working from home. This is ideal.

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:50:04 -0500

Working from home. This is ideal.

This article features three of my favorite things: 1. Chocolate labs 2. My alma mater 3. A...

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:04:55 -0500

This article features three of my favorite things:

1. Chocolate labs

2. My alma mater

3. A heartwarming story.

I love this.

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:56:41 -0500

I love this.

Well this is neat. I am now taking applications for new best friends who want to buy me a $7,000...

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:16:00 -0500

Well this is neat.

I am now taking applications for new best friends who want to buy me a $7,000 light fixture.

Inspiration colors and pieces for our, as we say here in...

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:26:00 -0500

Inspiration colors and pieces for our, as we say here in Chicago, “frunch room.”

frunch room, n. - the room at the front of the house where people keep their fancies.

Weekend in pictures. What time I got home from work Friday...

Mon, 13 May 2013 19:14:00 -0500

Weekend in pictures.

What time I got home from work ~~Friday~~ Saturday
Party Clothes
Channeling my best Yolanda Foster for some hostess mojo on four hours sleep (but I bet Yo wouldn’t have burned the f*** out of her arm)
A table of desserts
Farmer’s market blooms
Awaiting Anabella!
Hostesses and the mom-to-be
PS isn’t she a gorgeous expectant momma
Giving my own momma some love @ Boarding House
A new-to-us dessert wine

Happy Mother’s Day (and a double-fisted cheers) to the lady who …raised two toddlers...

Sun, 12 May 2013 08:31:00 -0500

Happy Mother’s Day (and a double-fisted cheers) to the lady who

…raised two toddlers while getting an MBA from Kellogg.

…taught me part of first grade herself during the CPS strike in the ’80s.

…coached countless soccer teams.

…made sure she was home every day in time to drive us to volleyball, guitar, music lessons, soccer, baseball, swim meets.

…took me on the college tours junior year and was sufficiently embarrassed when I cried during the entire tour of UW-Madison because I was SO sick that day.

…taught me how to cook and the importance a great meal with the important people.

…helped me plan the most beautiful wedding.

…worked in South America for several weeks, with lots of presents and stories to share when she got home.

…could throw Thanksgiving dinner for 30 people blindfolded and with one arm tied behind her back.

…established our every Saturday, 7:30 a.m. Green City Market routine.

…showed a tremendous amount of grace and composure in the face of adversity.

…taught me that life is too short, to take the trips and opportunities that present themselves.

…and has not only been the best mom ever, but is one of my best friends.

I love you, Momma!

In my line of work, we call this a “resentment dinner.” ETA:...

Fri, 10 May 2013 19:23:00 -0500

In my line of work, we call this a “resentment dinner.”

ETA: That was literally the most disgusting piece of unagi I’ve ever had. Also, it was the only disgusting piece of unagi I’ve ever had, because unagi is delicious.

Smile Friday

Fri, 10 May 2013 08:13:00 -0500

The ~~band~~ Supper Club is getting back together again!

I generally like Joss & Main quite a bit but I cannot figure out for the life of me how this...

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:32:00 -0500

I generally like Joss & Main quite a bit but I cannot figure out for the life of me how this faux floral arrangement is $525.95, marked down from almost ONE THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS.

Mid-week Brain Dump

Thu, 09 May 2013 07:26:00 -0500

- I’ve been super busy at work this week. Unfortunately, I have a massive case of writer’s block this week, which is not so good considering what I’ve been working on all week is a written piece.

- I burned my arm on a pan earlier this week and it HURTS. It’s also in the worst possible spot - the part of my arm that I rest on my desk while typing - so it’s made writing this thing even more painful.

- I am fairly certain the people across the street are dealing drugs out of their house. We are turning into geriatrics because we sit and watch the comings and goings for hours.

- The corn risotto stuffed poblanos in the Smitten Kitchen cookbook are super delicious (albeit somewhat time-consuming and mess-making).

- This weekend, I’m hosting a shower for one of my good friends’ wife - who has turned into one of my favorite people and close friends. She’s having a little girl and I DIED over all of the super precious dresses while shopping for gifts. D and baby A are definitely NOT getting practical gifts. Whoops.

- I loved my mom before, but I am really liking the retired version o-f my mom. I mean, who else can I email at 1 p.m. on a Tuesday with a request that she develop a delicious pink sangria recipe by this weekend (and it MUST be pink!) and have taste-tested results by 5 p.m.?

What’s up with you?