My purse...

...is overflowing with random little things. 

 

{1.  Let The Great World Spin, Colum McCann / 2.  BlackBerry Curve  / 3.  Hobo International Lauren Clutch in Maple  / 4.  Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Gloss  / 5.  Goody Stay Put Hair Ties  / 6.  Kashi Honey Almond Flax Granola Bars  / 7.  Isotoner Gray Cable Knit Mittens  / 8.  Tide To Go Stick  / 9.  Southwest Gift Card (from Kyle's Mom!) / 10.  Sonia Kashuk mini make-up case }

Drug Store Deal

 

I live in Chicago where the winters are long and the air is dry.  I finally tried this Neutrogena Body Oil and it's amazing!  The smell is really subtle and my skin is just the right amount of hydrated and not greasy at all.  I'm sold.

NY Transit Posters

I know these are pretty old, but I've always loved the art posters advertising the Transit Authority.  You can even buy them at the transit museum gift shop. 

                        

Emmi Jormalainen

This is mighty, mighty nice. From Emmi Jormalainen.

 

Packing for a Weekend Trip

I love weekend trips.  I can't wait to take a few this spring.  In anticipation I rounded up some of the items I hope will be staples in my getaway bag...


{1.  Sunglasses.  Ray-ban aviators are classic.  / 2.  A big bright scarf to wrap up with.  /  3.  A comfortable dress.  Preferably with pockets.  / 4.  J Crew Brewster boots go with me pretty much everywhere.  / 5.  The cutest duffel bag I have ever seen.  /  6.  Make-up brushes from Sonia Kashuk.  / 7.  A bathing suit for taking advantage of hotel pools.  / 8.  A corkscrew because I always end up wishing I had one.  /  9.  Playing cards  / 10.  A big stack of magaines. } 


And as a bonus, something cute to sleep in...

The Roomba

 

I got a Roomba for Christmas from my parents (yes, I realize I am getting older and less exciting) but it is a game changer folks.  I love, love, love my little cleaning robot. 

PS:  If you watch Flipping Out on Bravo, my favorite scene ever was when Jeff got a Roomba.  

Pretending to be a Stylist: Ski Outfit

We've decided to do a weekend in Vermont before all the snow melts. In honor of our little vacation I dreamed up a ski bunny outfit for those of us that will likely spend more time wandering around the Ben and Jerry's factory than on the slopes....

{1.  Stripey Cardigan \ 2.  Camera for capturing the pictures we failed to take last year  \ 3.  Duck Boots for traipsing through snow drifts  \ 4.  Leggings for keeping warm  \ 5.  A plain top for layering \ 6.  A trapper hat because they're pretty geeky chic  \ 7.  My favorite Timex watch

Back to New York

 

I'm headed back to New York this afternoon to see the boy and work from the NY office for a few weeks.  Wish me safe travels and no snow!

{Photo Credit:  fumika from flickr}

Leslie For President

I bought stamps from Pretty Tape's Etsy Shop last week and they arrived in Chicago in time for me to get crafty before I fly to New York for a few weeks.  I love stamping.  I've never had any before, but it's fun to make ridiculous messages and send them out.  

I made this "Leslie for President" card for my little sister. 

PS:  I just bought simple flat cards and envelopes from Blick Art Supplies in Chicago.  They were something like 30 cents each.  Not too bad.

New Recipe: Nutella Swirled Banana Bread

Hold the phone, friends.  I just got wind of what could possibly be the most enticing recipe I've ever seen.  It's the Nutella Swirled Banana Bread from Lindstew Foodies

I'm dying.  dying.  to try this.  Alas, I'm leaving for NY today where the boyfriend's oven is out of commission.  Maybe I'll hijack a friends apartment for this.  It's that important...

Yellow Monday

I die.  The Dancing Owl in Mask and Cloak from Yellow Monday.

Pretending to be a Stylist: Rainy Day Outfit

 

It's above freezing for the first time in awhile!  It's also a little drizzly which inspired me to put together my dream rainy day outfit.

{1.  Blue and White Striped Umbrella  /  2.  The timeless trench  / 3.  A sunny clutch /  4.  Red Wellington's  /  5.  Another pretty little dress}

Drug Store Deal

 

I know it's pretty lame, but I am a little obsessed with the Dove Beauty Bar.  I wish Dove made air fresheners that smelled like this soap.  It's a classic.

Recipe: Perfect Oatmeal

My friend Alice, who is headed to Culinary school next Fall gave me this amazing non-recipe for Oatmeal.  It's amazing.

Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal

Old Fashioned Oats

Water

Peanut Butter

Half of a Banana

A sprinkle of brown sugar

Pour about a half cup of old fashioned oats into a bowl and add enough water to cover them pretty well.  Nuke in the microwave for about 2 minutes and then stir in a spoonful of peanut butter.  Slice half a banana into the bowl and then mash it with a fork.  Sprinkle with a touch of brown sugar.  Stir the whole thing and enjoy.  


PS:  I love the Quaker ads that came out last year

 

Brimfield

 

One afternoon the boy and I were on a walk and stumbled across Brimfield in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood.  I was blown away with the style and finds at this adorable antique and home furnishing store.  The space is chock full of great plaids, hand made afghans and just a really well edited collection of things anyone would be happy to have in their home.

I walked away with a Kentucky Derby glass from 1973, the year Secretariat won the title.  This store is amazing.  The prices are great, and it's firmly on my list of things that make Chicago great.

Austin Kleon

 

Agoraphobia by Austin Kleon.  Spotted on 20x200 here.

Random 9: Great Books

A roundup of a few of my favorite books of all time.


(Clockwise from top left: Bluebeard/Kurt Vonnegut, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close/Jonathan Safran-Foer, You Shall Know Our Velocity/Dave Eggars, Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World/Haruki Murakami, Housekeeping/Marilynne Robinson, The Gravedigger's Daughter/Joyce Carol Oats, Light in August/William Faulkner, Snow/Orhan Pamuk, The Unbearable Lightness Of Being/Milan Kundera)

Messy Hair

I really wish I knew how to create a messy up-do on my self.  Maybe there's a class I can take?

Things I Love About Chicago: Sue

 

This picture from 20 x 200 is such a great shot of Sue at the Field Museum.

Fresh Sugar Rose

 

I  confess to not being a lipstick person.  I don't think I've ever actually worn lipstick.    I read an article recently singing praises for this balm.  It's PHENOMENAL.  Admittedly it's pretty pricey at $22.50 but the subtle sheen and slight color result in exactly what I need to feel put together.

Lazy Sunday: Olympics, Coffee and a Fritatta

I love, love, love Sunday's. Last week I tried to a new recipe from Martha.  It's her potato and onion fritatta with rosemary.  I had it with toasted sourdough, and it was pretty stellar.  Martha never leads me astray. 

News that Makes Me Smile

This story from the BBC made me smile. 

A German snowboarder stranded in the Austrian Alps for six hours has been rescued after attracting attention by setting fire to his cash.

Great Gifts: Graduation Present for the Little Sister

My little sister is about to finish up her first year in Grad School.  She works so hard and I've bookmarking ideas for a little congratulatory present this spring when she finishes finals.  Here's what I'm considering...

A Lovely Ring by Blanca Monros Gomez, A pretty summer dress from Mod Cloth,

 Oil Paints from Mussini for lazy summer days spent painting (hopefully something that finds its way to my walls...),  The Alphabet Poster from Rifle Paper Company because it's beautiful, A little weekend trip to NY, because I wish we got to hang out more

Love It: Grey Flats

 

These grey flats from Samara would match pretty much everything I own.  And (added bonus) they look ridiculously comfortable.

Random 8: Great Picture Books

A roundup of some of my favorite picture books.  I like to have a few on hand for impromptou gifts for adults and kids alike.

(Clockwise from Top: The Giving Tree/Shel Silverstein, Leonardo The Terrible Monster/Mo Willems, The Runaway Bunny/Margaret Wise Brown, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day/Judith Viorst, 365 Penguins/Jean-Luc Fromental, Olivia/Ian Falconer, Where the Wild Things Are/Maurice Sendak, Yertle the Turtle/Dr. Seuss)

New Glasses

After about 3 years it's probably time to get new glasses.  I've always had rectangular frames, but I'm sort of smitten with the bigger round frames that are apparently all the rage lately. 

I found these on Zenni Optical for only 8 dollars.  It seems like a pretty risk free investment. 

Things I Love: Board Games

I should build a Board Game library.  Wouldn't it be fun to just have a shelf full of all these?  I'm admittedly not the coolest kid on the block, but I love parties with friends where we play board games. 

Pretending to be a Stylist

If only I could be this chic, and if only my bank account supported my fashion dreams...

Dress from ModCloth

Sandals from Birkenstock

Earrings from ModCloth

Bag from J Crew

Cardigan from J Crew

Missed Connections

I am full on obsessed with Sophie Blackall's Missed Connection Illustrations.  Inspired by the missed connection pages of Craigslist.  I would have killed for a copy of any of these and much to my delight they're now available on her Etsy shop!

Valentines Day

I forgot to post about Valentine's day.  It's not my favorite holiday.  I don't even think it technically qualifies as a holiday in my book. 

People have been asking what I did for Valentines Day though, and I'm happy to report the boy gave me a Dunkin gift card.  It makes me smile.  Anyone that knows me know that Christin, like America, runs on Dunkin.  Then we pigged out on Mexican food and watched the Olympics.  It was nice.  And I'll be well caffeinated for weeks.

New Recipe: Cheddar, Bacon, and Fresh Chive Biscuits

I found this recipe for what look like perfectly buttery biscuits in Bon Appetit, and it's available on their website here. 

These will be made and eaten swiftly, all by me.  Their suggestion of using them for sandwiches with a little dijon, sliced turkey and lettuce sounds...divine.

William Lamson

 

This lovely print is available on 20 x 200.  It was shot in Santiago, Chile but it reminds me of summers growing up in Kentucky.  

Love It: Melissa Joy Manning Ring

 

Yes Please.   This Melissa Joy Manning ring is prettty gorgeous.  When Kyle and I were in Costa Rica I found and pined over a ring that looked like this but in green.  I even made Kyle stand in a little gift shop and just look at it with me. Multiple times.   It's a good memory even if I don't have a ring to show for it. 

Love It: Blue Birkenstocks

It's about time I upgraded my plain black summer Havaiana's to a legit sandal.  These blue Birkenstocks would do the trick nicely, I think.

Classes I Really Want to Take

I'm dying to sign up for a bunch of cooking, sewing, knitting and screen printing classes.  I wish I had unlimited funds.  I'd do some pretty cool stuff. And I'd probably sign up for the 5 week beginning garment construction course at Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago first.

Giordano's

I love New York style pizza, but the knife and fork Chicago deep dish style has a special place in my heart too.

I'm personally partial to Giordano's.  I don't even have words.