The (holiday) weekend, succinctly

And to think, we almost didn't have any tree this year!

We finally succumbed to an artificial tree. For the last two years, we used to pick a real one from the quaint pop-up tree stand down the street, but with real trees come hard-to-clean sticky sap, a pine needle carpet, dog throwing up said needles, and major drama hauling it down two flights of stairs post-season. And since we were going to be away quite a bit this winter, I reluctantly said we could get an artificial tree, but after the holidays, when we'd surely find better savings.

Luckily for me, I have a hubby who wouldn't let me give in to my silly rationale. He took me to Kmart where we scored a surprisingly real-looking, 6-foot Washington Pine on sale for $49!! For that price, I can buy a whole LOT of pine-scented candles! 

The rest of the long weekend seemed to center around holiday decorating, including an impromptu trip to Christkindl German Market on the opening weekend, as is our tradition each to year to acquire a special ornament for our collection. The upside: it was 33 degrees, by far the "warmest" Christkindl we've attended thus far. The downside: we arrived just before closing time so we had to race around for our perfect ornament and missed out on Gluhwein and sausage :(
 
I forgot to say what I'm thankful for... a hubby who gets things done, whether it's cleaning the house top-to-bottom hours before hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner, finding ways to save money, or spurring us on to go get a tree just because I love it so! Thanks, Fella!

Remembering Russia + bits of poetry

Currently lost in the poetic prose of Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay, and remembering with vivid detail the romanticism of Moscow last May...

"But Nina is looking just ahead, toward the south end of the square, where St. Basil's Cathedral, marvelous and absurd, stands like bonbons on display. The rest of the city may still be in tatters, but St. Basil's is dazzling, freshly restored, its striped domes patterned with bright swirls of color. "Somebody made that," Nina says, with surprise. "People made that." Her realization is genuine; she has never so clearly and precisely, thought of it that way. Seeing it in the midst of the incredible snow, she is aware, unmistakably, that that vision in the distance is the product of human effort." – excerpt from "Russian Winter"

I will certainly be sharing my review of the novel, but for now, I never want this beautiful, intriguing tale to end...

OOTD: Zara suede dress + booties

I will post scenes from this weekend later, but for now, here is a pic of the Zara suede sheath dress and belt, products of my Black Friday shopping excursion... what do you think, is it too Robin Hood?

Holiday traditions

The other day my friend Maya and I were chatting about holiday traditions. She asked if I have a menorah and a tree. 

The answer is yes, to both, though it got me thinking about what "tradition" means and what traditions – holidays or otherwise – The Fella and I actually keep, because at times, it somewhat feels sparse.

After our first holiday together as a married couple, three years ago, with no menorah and no tree, I was determined to make the second one more meaningful. When we finally got a tree the following year, we called it the "Charlie Brown tree" not only because it was small but because we had three ornaments to our name. So we decided to begin a new tradition of collecting a special ornament or two from the Christkindl German Market each year, to slowly but surely grow our collection. So this not only means we browse for ornaments, but also enjoy a warm boot of Gluhwein and candied nuts together in the wintry confines of twinkling Daley Plaza.

That year I also decided it was high time to begin properly celebrating Hanukkah. After a profuse search, I acquired a non-traditional "menorah that is technically a candelabra with nine holders". 

It's absolutely breathtaking, organically shaped like a delicate tree branch, laden in silver. I feel a little tingle of holiday joy every time I look at it. According to West Elm, the year before I purchased it, they didn't have great sales on their traditional menorah, prompting them to design a more versatile product that can be used every day, or also, as a Hanukkah menorah if you please. Yes, please! Evidently, this concept worked because these were sold out across the nation. (I know because I feverishly hunted down the single one left in all of inventory at a store in the 'burbs of Chicago.)

Maya's question led me to a bigger one: Now that we possess said coveted menorah, what do we really do with it, aside from swooning over its silver beauty?

Sadly for our lovely menorah, there are some days during Hanukkah when it doesn't get lit at all because The Fella and I are either working real late or out partying real late. He doesn't practice the Jewish religion, appreciating it mostly from a cultural perspective and upbringing. I would be a liar if I said that the Jewish holiday significance means much to me, a non-Jew, who is perhaps even more so, an agnostic. I do appreciate the beauty in the act of carrying out rituals, but unfortunately, in past years we haven't always carved out the time for things like the lighting of the menorah.

What are your holiday traditions? I'd appreciate any tips on how to incorporate more rituals and to cultivate a little more meaning!

Braving Black Friday

I haven't braved Black Friday since my high school days when I'd hit the malls of SoFla with my mom, aunt and sis. And even then we always went at a reasonable hour like 8 a.m., nothing like the 4 a.m. spectacles you see on the local news. 

This year I got up at 7:15 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving, and headed downtown to The Shops at North Bridge where the first 100 shoppers received a $10 pre-paid gift card. [Aside, yay for free money!!] I used it on a ruffled silk blouse from United Colors of Benetton, originally $70, marked down 50% off, plus an additional 10% off. My total was $24.08 when all was said and done. Not bad!

Of course, I also felt drawn to visit Zara a few shops away on Michigan Avenue. I found a store mobbed with Chinese tour groups so I blended right in (apparently the Chinese yuan is particularly high right now, so shopping in the States is a high priority on the itineraries). Amidst the madness I was lucky enough to unearth a suede chocolate brown sheath dress with a stitching detail marked down to $39.99 and a leather sash.

It's funny how the promise of a little free money could lure me out to try the madness this year. I discovered that Black Friday is not too crazy as long as you're not holding up some big-box wall. After all, 'tis the season! (Sorry, hubby, after all, it is half my money, pffffff!)   

Happy Thanksgiving!

My first Thanksgiving table came out decent if not a bit thrown together at the last minute in all the cooking and cleaning frenzy. For the centerpieces, I trimmed fresh sprigs of lemon-thyme from our soon-to-be-frozen over stoop garden, and tucked them in green glass bottles that used to contain plum wine. Together with a bamboo runner and ivory linen napkins, the simple centerpieces complemented my new "Grass Twist" tablecloth from BBJ Linen Retail Store, a dramatic departure from the typical orange and brown palette of Thanksgiving. This is one I can definitely resurrect for Christmas entertaining! A few crystal candle stemware with tealights provided for an amber ambiance against our everyday black and polka dotted/striped Denby dishes.

I made the custom napkin holders out of mist-colored parchment paper, and a simple accent of autumn leaves from off-white cover stock strung on a bit of raffia. The only thing I would have done differently is use a natural color or kraft paper for the leaves, but I didn't have that on hand at work. Oh well :P   

And, of course, the holiday table was surrounded by a few good friends, two begging dogs, a few mishaps, and laden with the typical Thanksgiving goodies...

{ smoked turkey via Blake's mom from Greenberg Smoked Turkey,
one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2003 }

{ maple-glazed baked ham }

{ creamy spinach and artichoke }

{ whiskey-glazed sweet potatoes and apples from G + Emily }

{ wild rice dressing }

{ homemade pumpkin pie via Kim }

{ pecan pie from Ann Sather Swedish restaurant }

{ good friends }

Rainy day blues

It's days like this (i.e. trying to dash to work in monsoon-like conditions – I say "trying to" because it was virtually impossible to dash anywhere on glacially slow-moving CTA buses and trains jam-packed with other commuters also trying to avoid the wild rain) that I'm reminded of why I need a really good, sturdy umbrella. Read, not your typical Chinatown cheapie buy-on-the-fly for a few bucks. (I certainly own more than a few of those!) Stringy hair, soggy coat sleeves, and wet leather does not look or smell pretty, believe me.

Besides that, I've mostly been using a blue and green polka dot umbrella from Target, like, circa 2003. The bright, summery colors make me happy especially on gray days, but it's been through a lot. The wrist strap long came off, it's missing the sleeve, and it suffers from a broken metal rod which means a small portion of the umbrella doesn't quite hold up in inclement weather, flapping around a bit like a sad little duck with a hurt wing.

I'm currently coveting this "Raindrops on Railways" umbrella from Modcloth.com, a reminder of my very favorite city in the world, New York. I love its clear vinyl and bright spots of yellow, and the large bubble shape should cover me well. I'm typically a bit too cheap to get a new whole umbrella, but wouldn't this be quite the stylish baby to tote around on a wet, wild day like today in Chicago?

The Thanksgiving table

I'm really excited to host my first Thanksgiving!

While it won't be with family, we'll be giving thanks with our "urban tribe" instead. This consists of our friends in the city, otherwise orphans who are stuck working this holiday at the hospital and couldn't go home. Last year we spent it with a large group of NMH medical residents at Leslee and Adam's house. But this year, they've moved away, so we've taken the plunge and invited over a few stragglers who will remain in town.

I love all the menu planning and neurotic list-making, but what I'm most excited about, is dressing the table! Awhile back when I was sourcing custom linens for my sister's baby shower, I had purchased a tablecloth for myself called "Grass Twist" from a client, BBJ Linen. They are a luxury linen rental company that also has a retail store open to the public. The store carries discontinued linens that are no longer part of their collection, and those with slight flaws and defects. For a fraction of the cost you can have access to really beautiful, custom linens that you can't find at regular department stores or shops. 

I'm thinking my new old "Grass Twist" will be the perfect, festive backdrop for the Thanksgiving table! It's rich, metallic green shade and dramatic texture offers lots of possibilities, and I'm teetering between Glamourous Autumn and Rustic Chic. What do you think? Any tips on how to dress it?

The weekend, succinctly

It was a relaxing weekend, the last before the Thanksgiving madness. In between a birthday party at a cozy dive bar with twinkling Christmas lights (complete with a moose head on the wall, covered by bras a la Coyote Ugly style), and pre-Thanksgiving menu planning and grocery shopping, I started to work on #8 of my 30 for 30 list by taking a Digital Photography Bootcamp on Saturday. It was months of knowledge crammed into 7 hours. 

The biggest thing I took away from the class was gaining familiarity with the new Nikon D3100, and learning about how to achieve a good exposure, the "perfect storm" which consists of three key factors: ISO sensitivity, shutter speed, and aperture. I don't know if this is a bad thing that that's all I can remember from a 7-hour intensive class without looking back at my notes, but there really is a lot involved as far as technique and general understanding of how to create the appropriate trifecta. Sadly, I can't post any of the shots that I took during the class because, as it turns out, I need some way to process and convert .NEF RAW files to be readable. Argh– that's next on my list to figure out.

I also watched a little bit of Chris Campbell's "Fannie's Last Supper", a PBS special on the culinary icon from Victorian times in Boston's heydey. It was fascinating and inspired me to prepare a simple Boston Bibb lettuce salad with tomatoes, cucumber and dressed with a champagne cider with garlic and three cheeses. I'm getting excited for the short work week and hosting my first Thanksgiving!

New York City, part 4

Day 4 was our last in New York City. It was an easy day – not including our early morning adventures at Rockefeller Plaza – filled with hot Horlick and egg tarts in Fay Da Bakery, dumplings and black vinegar fish, Shanghai style, and long conversations with Grandma at her apartment. So long, New York! Until next time~ xo

{ The Today Show live at Rockefeller Plaza }

{ wonton dumplings, Shanghai style }

{ black vinegar fish }

{ park at Grandma's apartment }

{ admiring a picture book of baby Jordana }

#30 Be part of The Today Show audience–CHECK!

November 15, 2010, the day I was part of The Today Show audience at Rockefeller Plaza, #30 on my 30 for 30 list. CHECK!

It's 5:30 a.m. and my cell phone alarm is going off ingratiatingly. In the dark, I stumble over an empty Kenneth Cole shoe box, a product of The Fella's shopping excursion at Macy's, as I cross the room to shut up the phone. Snooze. Then, as I make my way back to the bed, I stumble over it again, running into Viv's coffee table, swearing. !@&*%$! Who's stupid idea was it to go to The Today Show?!@&*%!!!

Oh, ya, mine.

Looking back to last Monday, I can now smile about it. A pretty cool experience was had as a result of waking at the ass crack of dawn to see the live show. Sometimes it's worth it. The Fella and I groggily made our way to 48th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues where the line forms to gain admittance to the Plaza. Even though we arrived around 6:30 a.m., fans had already lined the barricades, particularly crowded in the best spots where the Today Show anchors always come out to greet the audience. We were going to settle, but then saw prime spots open up right in front of the studio which we managed to nab! Sweet!    

We saw Linny in the crowd. Linny is the guy in the picture below, wearing a leopard-print (?), hooded jumpsuit. According to my little bit of Internet research, he's a pseudo celebrity because he's a regular in The Today Show audience, day after day for the last 15 years. The Fella calls him the "creepy dude who just stares". And he's kinda right, Linny does just stare out, observing intently, not waving or smiling like all the tourists.

We had the privilege to be standing next to the Presidents and Members of Tom Felton's Official Fansite (Harry Potter's evil villain), in all their fabulous wizardry regalia. They taught me a chant (that I've now forgotten) to greet Harry Potter when he comes out onto the Plaza. They even gave me a business card. Yes, a business card.

At 7:30 a.m., the Ambush Makeover Team came out, looking for their next victims lucky ducks. Louis Licari, stylist to the stars, approached, intently staring at me. Like for a whole minute. That's a long time when you don't know why a perfect stranger is staring at you. Then he turns to one of his assistants in his entourage and whispers something to her, looking back at me. She looks at me, whispers back, half-smiling. The Fella swears he heard Louis say "Pretty." But I'm still a bit self-conscious about my new bangs, so I am imagining that he's saying something like, Wow, what is that girl thinking with those bangs?

At 8:00 a.m., the three hosts come out on the Plaza to greet the fans. We saw Al Roker, Meredith Vieira, and Matt Lauer up close and personal. It was like watching them as I get ready for work, ONLY LIVE and I didn't have to go to work!!! And not to sound like a stalkerish, over-adoring fan, but Meredith had awesome gams and I wanted to rip those glossy, nude platforms right off. I really, really mean this.

So, we managed to get on air three times, saw Lee DeWyze (American Idol) and Harry Potter breeze through the Plaza, heard Al's signature "Let's see what's going on in your neck of the woods!", but the coolest part by far was meeting Meredith! In 30 seconds, I managed to squeak out all about my 30 for 30 project and how this was #30.

You can catch a glimpse of The Fella in the Ambush Makeover video clip at 47-48secs, in the middle of the screen. I'm too short to see well, and the camera pans too quickly, but after several times of reviewing the clip, I could finally spot me! 

All in all, this was a good reason to get up at 5:30 a.m. I just don't know how Linny does it 365 days a year!

New York City, part 3

There are three main things that inevitably happen when I go to NYC, and that's eat, shop, and eat some more. 

Sunday continued the streak of impossibly beautiful autumn days, so we began with a leisurely brunch in the West Village. It was impossibly teeny tiny, and the small menu was just right, mostly filled with their specialty, gourmet paninis in as many combinations as one could want. 

This was followed by sugar-coated almonds Uptown, coal-fired slices of New York pizza in Midtown, New York street dogs in Herald Square, and finally, perfect spicy fish soup at gastropub Blue Ribbon back in the Village. In between all the eating, there was also some vintaging in TriBeca where I unearthed THE most wonderful old skirts (including my new old 1970s Burberry wool skirt!!), shopping at Macy's on 34th Street with my mom and sis, and languid strolls through Central Park. I heart New York! 

{ efficient use of small nooks in 'ino caffe on Bedford }

{ truffled egg toast at 'ino caffe }

{ vintaging in TriBeca }

{ old Life magazines + leopard print couches }

{ Rachel Zoe would have *died* for this vintage shop! }

{ reflections at The Pond, Central Park }

{ quintessential Central Park scene }

{ uptown horses }

{ traditional Macy's Herald Square shopping trip with mom and sis }

{ meeting up with old friends at Blue Ribbon Bar }

 { the most perfect spicy fish soup ever }

Outfit, head to toe:

Black top, Uniqlo 

Skirt, vintage Burberrys from The Family Jewel

Red tights (not visible), from Spain

Leather walking boots, Zara Spain