Day 226 has a cold one (or two)

The friend visiting continued today! (And this time the weather played nice.) A bunch of us went to the Goose Island Brewery where we enjoyed, what else, many a beer. We got a "sampler" bucket of 5 different beers and two of us split it. OY! That was a lot of beer.... but so so delicious. I'll definitely be back there for more.

A very happy Day 225

Saturday was rainy but perfect because one of my absolutely NY faves was in town for a visit! We spent a fantastic full day together and not even the rain could dampen the good mood. This is a view of downtown from the Westin hotel where he was staying. Chicago, you are so lovely, even in the rain.

Day 224 flew away

Mostly I'm posting this picture because I like how it came out. I learned that standing, looking like a crazy person, waiting for birds to fly out of a window on the street can sometimes pay off when you get a shot like this! The pigeons in Chicago don't seem to be as ballsy and crazy as the ones in New York. The ones that will just walk right up to your feet to get to some old hot dog bun that you happen to be standing by or something. These Chicago pigeons act naturally and fly away if you get too close or look at them the wrong way, etc... Did I really just write an entire post about the behavior of pigeons. Yes... yes I did.

Day 224 was mooned

There's a full moon tonight, which means all the crazies are out. That also means I'm staying in and having a Breaking Bad marathon. Happy weekend friends!

Day 223 calls this home

This is the view from the train right by my apartment. It's so gorgeous and wonderful, right? I simply love it. I thought today would be a good day to share my little piece of Chicago with you all. :)

Day 223 in the moonlight

We have moon flowers, aka weeds, in our garden. I think they look beautiful, especially at dusk. They die shortly after they bloom, so I will enjoy them while I can!

Day 222 is all better now

I was nursing a sore stomach and a bit of a headache for most of this afternoon. Not a good thing, especially since I had dinner plans that I was so looking forward too and wanted to be in tip-top shape for. I decided some Tao green tea would be just what I needed. Not only did it do the trick (felt better in less than an hour, ftw!) but it came with some wisdom as well. I enjoy finding little bits of advice in random places. Keeps life exciting, ya know?

Day 222 is yellow

No, you're not seeing things. This watermelon is indeed yellow! It's kind of bizarre eating non-red watermelon, but it's just as sweet and refreshing as the red variety. I felt an autumn-ish breeze this afternoon so the days of summer fruits are winding down. I'm already getting excited about apples and other autumn treats. In the meantime, I'll enjoy this weird-looking fruit.

Day 221 was so very sweet

I ventured out to the suburbs today to see some good friends and enjoy some delicious breakfast. Both were spectacular. I love having visitors! Which is perfect since the next two months involves a steady stream of friends hopping by this windy city for visits. Yay! Also, if you're wondering - yes, this waffle was incredibly delicious and no, I didn't eat it all. :)

Day 221 celebrates Shark Week

Okay, so Shark Week is technically over. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy these delicious shark-shaped fruit snacks! I believe it was the wise Tracey Jordan who once said, "Live every week like it's Shark Week."

Day 220 dropped the ball

Well, faithful readers, it's taken me until the 200s to consistently slip on posts. In honor of dropping the ball, here's my basketball hoop, which I haven't used in years. Appropriate comparison?

Day 220 caught in the rain

I snapped this on my way home from downtown today. Chicago streets thus far have been quite picturesque photo subjects. Today the city threw in some rain for good measure (FYI I didn't need more rain... my wet clothes from yesterday aren't even dry yet). Even with the rain, I still love this view.

Day 219 survived.

... but just barely. I'm not sure my feet will ever be the same post Lollapalooza. I'm also not sure that I got all the mud off of my body even after 2 showers and a hot bath. I can say that I had more fun than I thought I could trudging through mud and dancing in rainstorms with some very awesome friends. Will I do it again? Absolutely. I'll just need this entire year to recover.

Day 219 is crafty

My mom is a creative lady. With an art background, she's always thinking up fun little projects. This is another one. She's handweaving a basket using fabric and this rope-like material. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Day 218, no excuses

I got a late start to Day 218. Then I went out to celebrate a friend's birthday. Poor excuses for late posting - sorry faithful readers! As per usual, I was in a rush to get ready. Here I am, still shoeless as my ride was waiting for me outside. Looks like I need a lesson in time management.

Day 217 forgot

On Day 217 I was out of the house from 8:15 a.m until 2 a.m. and I forgot my camera. Oops. So, technically this photo is from Day 218. Comfort Food is a new food store in my neighborhood, focusing on using the best local ingredients. My mom and I grabbed lunch there and brought home this amazing pound cake. The label is slightly misleading as there are also blueberries in the cake. Delicious any way you look at it!

Play me some Day 218 music

This was my day yesterday (and well into this morning). My first day at Lollapalooza has thus far kind of changed my life. One big party and music-loving weekend with 90,000+ other people? Yes. Please. Thank you.

Day 217, say WHAT?!

I was tempted to post this without comment, but I have a comment. And that comment is... "Oh no he di'int!". I find Jesus crazies to be wildly entertaining, all shouty and basking in the glow of their madness. This "WOMEN" sign was a definite first though (click the pic to enlarge if you can't read the text. You won't be disappointed). One of these guys was also heard saying later "Do you want to know why lesbians are lesbians? Because they're not attractive enough for men." This is clearly one of the teachings of Jesus. Just turn to page...ugh...umm.... oh, wait.

Day 216 tried something new

I found myself sitting in Starbucks with nothing to do today for a good 20 minutes (long story, not a good one). I used it as a chance to try a new drink. I'm usually an iced coffee girl, but today I went the route of a chai tea latte. Do you guys know about these?? My first thought was that it tasted liked iced christmas in a cup. YUM. I've discovered the Starbucks secret to success and it's these things, because all I could think about after I finished it was what time I'd be waking up tomorrow to get another one. Addicted.

Day 216 has a bad hair day

I had some hair issues today. It was a headband kind of day. I'm really digging the color combination of these headbands (I didn't wear all of them at once). Something to keep in mind for future accessorizing!