I thought we left home . . .

There are few things that I hate about traveling.  But there is one.

When you get to the exotic, remote, new destination - I hate it when everything that you find there is the exact same as the place that you left.  Specifically shopping.  I love a small, independent store with beautiful items and a diversified stock.  There is a perfect shop right across from Lish's apartment.  It sells everything from cards, jewelry, bags, hats, gifts and now even flowers.  This is the type of store that I want to find in every destination.

Usually instead I am faced with the same Gap, Banana Republic and JCrew that I find at home.  Now don't get me wrong I love all these places but the chains have taken over.  Same difference if it's Gucci, Chanel or Burberry. Walking along Robertson Blvd I could have been on Michigan Ave.,  Fifth Ave or Newbury Street.
 
Different wrinkle but same vein is this problem.  Not too long ago we were in Italy.  While there I bought a striped, scarf that kept me warm on the trip but was also a little different than anything that I had at home or had seen at home.  Cruising through Whole Foods the other day I stopped dead in my tracks - there was my scarf.  Ugh!  There goes my charming travel story.

CHIC-A-GO CHIC-A-GO!!!!

Chicago is a finalist for the bid in the 2016 summer Olympics. We find out this Friday if we get it. I am sooooo excited. I love the Olympics, always have always will. My love for the Olympics started as a child with the gymnastics, then swimming was added on, then running, Flo-Jo anyone? Tizzy and I used to pretend we were gymnasts in our backyard sticking every cartwheel with the arched back and hands in the air. And now it's all of it, I love it all. I mean I was THERE with Michael Phelps in the last Olympics, we were tuned in. He was breaking records and I was cheering him on from my couch. I am sure he knew it, and it gave him the extra push he needed. But it wasn't/isn't just the big name sports. I mean did anyone see the synchronized swimming? Those are real athletes, and artists, there is no way I could do that. I was so into the Olympics that I even had a dream about being Ryan Lochte's (the REALLY cute swimmer who is always finishing JUST behind Phelps) girlfriend. It was then that I decided I might be too "into" the Olympics.

Anyway on Friday we learn our fate. I could have the Olympics here in my town, in my backyard. There have been doubts, and detractors with the Olympics coming to Chicago, but not me.

I want it, I want it BAD.

Join in with me

CHIC-A-GO, CHIC-A-GO, CHIC-A-GO!!!!!!!

Too much information . . .

I have become review obsessed.  Any purchase I go to make, any vacation I plan, any chance I can get to read a review - I am doing it.  Although I do not write reviews - I am an avid reader.  I think they are wildly entertaining and speak more about the person reviewing than the item/place/whatever they are reviewing.

The other day I hit the Review jackpot.  I was on Amazon.com reading a review of a Blackberry Case (I told you I read all reviews) when I noticed a link to check out other reviews written by this Reviewer.  Yes, please.  Let's see what we're working with.  The initial perusal  was overwhelming.  There were reviews for everything from shampoo to books to purses to clothes.  I was impressed and a bit awed with the breadth and scope to which this Reviewer was critiquing and sharing her thoughts on all items in her life.  And I do mean ALL items.

As I clicked over to page 2 - there it was - a review of a vibrator!  No, surely not.  Yes, sir.  A vibrator!  Better yet the Reviewer started by stating how she was desperate to get this home and try it out.  I could only assume she had it shipped to work?!?  The rest of the review was entirely too detailed.  Can you imagine sitting down to review a vibrator?  Needless to say, it was TOO much information.

I am no longer reading reviews.

Secret to a Perfect Wedding . . .

 Lish and I being model wedding guests.

I love weddings. There was a time a few years ago when we were on the wedding circuit.   At this point in my life, I have become an excellent wedding guest.  I don't mind saying it myself.  I always arrive early, am very enthusiastic during declarations and introductions and I can usually be counted on to cry during the vows and the speeches - especially if the person delivering it is as well.  You will religiously find me on the dance floor and I am unafraid of  dancing with grandpa. I know how to bustle a dress and I am a wizard at  spinning the bride to achieve maximum dress twirl.  I've been to every type of wedding: casual, formal, day, evening , big, small, traditional, themed, hometown and destination.  My knowledge and experience is broad and deep.

This past weekend we were in California at a wedding. It was fantastic.  So. much. fun.  When I think back on this wedding I get a warm, fuzzy feeling.  During our 6 hour flight home I tried to pin down why this wedding worked out so well for us.  There were several things working against us going in - we only knew a handful of people going, my husband was going to Vegas for 2 days before arriving and we had a relatively early flight on Sunday.  Despite these obstacles we had the time of our lives.  We ate.  We drank.  We mingled.  Most importantly, we left it all on the dance floor.

Despite doing our part to entertain ourselves and I'm sure scores of others this wedding was fun and memorable because the two people having the most fun were the bride and groom.  They were excited and present and leading the charge at every moment.  They were gracious and loving.  The whole weekend was about them.  From the rehearsal dinner bonfire to the photobooth we had fun because we were doing what they wanted to do.  Not what tradition dictates or their parents and families.  What they wanted to do.  It was absolutely perfect. And so are they.

 

 Sunset at the Rehearsal Dinner Bonfire

Why are there so many shirtless men....

on Match.com. That's right I am a member, and that's all we are saying about it for now. The thing that has stricken me as the most interesting is the number of guys/men who have pictures of themselves shirtless on there. It's not their main photo, so at least I will give them, but seriously I don't have any pictures of myself strolling on a beach, why do you? The ones who are in mid marathon/triathlon, I will cut them some slack. They are just putting up a variety of pictures, and showing their hobbies, okay. But the rest of these d-bags are just showing off their abs.

I wish I could put a tag line underneath.

"Someone call the vet, cause these are some sick puppies"

Great Deal A-MAZING DEAL actually, RUN DON'T WALK TO GET THIS DEAL

Sports Authority offers a warranty on their shoes. In March when I needed new running shoes I was offered a warranty at the checkout. It was $10 and is good for 12 months. I thought I'd go for it since I go through more than one pair a year. Why not, give it a try, it's only $10 if it doesn't work. Today I used the warranty and got my new pair of shoes.

Here's how it works.
I had a $90 credit (the price I originally bought my shoes for). I could buy any kind of shoes, it did not have to be the same pair I had originally bought. If I wanted to buy a more expensive pair I only had to pay the difference in price. The only catch was I had to buy the $10 warranty again on the new pair. Since the pair I bought was $85, my total at the register was $5, the price of the warranty and the credit of $5 since my new shoes were less than the original. And now I have another 12 months to to redeem the warranty again. So I could get another pair of $10 shoes, instead of spending $85-$100 every 6-9 months.

I asked the woman at the counter if it was the manufacturer who offered this warranty. Was it only on the brand I happen wear? No, Sports Authority offers this warranty on all shoes in the store except for kids shoes and sandals. Sports Authority has Uggs, so you can buy a $200 pair of boots spend $15 on the warranty (the warranty is more for boots), then get them replaced next winter because of something as simple as salt stains.

Like I said RUN DON"T WALK. This is a great deal, and I LOVE a deal.

Fall

Fall is normally my favorite season. I don't know why but this year I am NOT as excited about it. Maybe because the weather took so long to get warm, I feel like summer came and went. I feel like I didn't get to wear my favorite summer clothes enough. It's too soon to be in jeans all the time. I am not ready to retire my bathing suit (even if I don't look great in it). I am not ready to stop day drinking on the weekends. Vodka Lemonade anyone? I don't know why I think I can only do that in summer, but I do. The summer to me is always a good excuse to be a little more, well everything. I can always blame/rationalize anything on summer. There is such a short period of time when the weather is that nice in Chicago, that you HAVE to make the most of it. I am not ready to stop making the most of it, or too much of it.