Sunday, August 15, 2010

Chicago Status Updates

I:

-tried on several pairs of the (ironically-named) "skinny jeans" at stores up and down Michigan Avenue and Rush Street and concluded that I will not be participating in this fall fashion trend. Other things I'll be opting out of: booties; purses with fringe; belted, jewel-tone, plaid, button-down shirts; tiered ruffled skirts (though I did buy one each for the girls).

-attended the morning session of Jason's conference with him on Friday, then wandered the streets for the rest of the afternoon, slowly accumulating little shopping bags along the way, until I acquired a giant Anthropologie bag (clearance throw pillow!) and was saddened to have to walk many, many blocks back to my hotel in the 90-degree sunshine and humidity with Difficult Shoes. I was further saddened to become lost whilst circling the block that my hotel was on, unable to just find the street entrance, eventually becoming trapped in some underground labyrinth of parking structures until I stumbled upon the correct one.

-was lucky enough to see peeks of the Blue Angels yesterday afternoon as they swooped in and out and around skyscrapers and caused the kind of sonic booms that made everyone on a city block pause, look at the sky, and smile.

-ate one of the best steaks of my life at Gibson's Steakhouse at about 10:30 p.m. with Jason and a lot of red wine.

-missed the girls and occasionally wished they were with us, especially while we stood taking in the fireworks over Navy Pier last night.

-took myself on a self-guided photo-walk of the city streets for an hour yesterday afternoon, pausing and snapping anytime a sign, building, skyline, or architectural detail caught my eye. The pictures themselves are completely amateur, but I like how setting out with the intention of noticing great shots made me so much more aware of my surroundings.

-took a nap.

-went running with Jason along the lakeshore two mornings in a row at sunrise.

-bought and started reading the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I want to fold down the corner on almost every page so far.

-bought school clothes and little headbands for kids, a summer blouse and a fall hat for myself, birthday presents for Jason, and a clearance throw pillow.was grateful to come home today to my quiet, leafy street and find two little girls playing in the front yard, full of stories about all the fun they'd had with Mimi and BopBop and eager to show me the Fairy House they built in the backyard. It's bedtime, and I'm going to settle in with my new book just as soon as I go out and sprinkle some fairy dust on it - you know, so little girls will be able to see that the fairies came.

1 comment:

  1. Sounds like you had a terrific weekend in the city! There's nothing worse than realizing you're wearing Difficult Shoes. Well, maybe skinny jeans and plaid shirts are worse. (Will these trends never die?)

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