A Gilt-y breakfast

In my opinion, there's no better way to start off the morning than with tea, scones, and a side of fashion. Last week I was invited to meet with Gilt Groupe's Melissa Liebling-Goldberg, Women's Editorial Director, over an intimate breakfast at The Pump Room. She wore an amazing Cynthia Rowley printed dress (from Gilt, of course!), a perfect tribute to the Chicago designer for this media appointment in the Second City. Along with 10 other style bloggers and magazine writers, we chatted about exciting new things happening over at Gilt, including the launch of Gilt Live and Trend Tuesdays. She told us she's got her eye on cobalt for fall and athletic-inspired trims and details for Spring '13. And she says the Gilt Girl is savvy, smart and stylish. Well, obvi.   

Playdate, then and now

Remember how I recently wrote about all the fun, free things to do in the city? Here's another one from two weeks ago. Max had a playdate with his pal Roman at a local playroom that was celebrating its eighth anniversary––free open play, birthday cake and gift bags! Last time he was here he was seven months old, which doesn't sound all that long ago, but boy, just look at the difference, then and now!

Open Streets Chicago

What does it feel like to take a stroll right smack in the middle of a major street?

What would my neighborhood, Wicker Park, look like in a post-apocalyptic society?

Two very important questions, obviously.  

Swingin' good fun

It's safe to say that Max officially loves the swings now. In fact, he loves it so much he got real mad when it was time to go home, after pushing him back and forth for over 25 minutes. Here we are at Wicker Park proper two weekends ago––just look at the sheer joy on his face, I would like to always remember that smile, the sound of his pure laugh.

11 months going on 30

Max eats better than me. And certainly, me as a baby. Between all the healthy homemade foods I prepare for him and the diverse roster of restaurants in the city we take him to, he probably has a pretty refined palette by now! Lucky duck, you. And somehow, he always looks like he should have a white linen napkin tucked under his chin. Here Max is at Old Town Social Club enjoying fancy duck wings rubbed in harissa spice, and here I am asking our server what harissa is! He also really wants some of Dadda's stout, hmmmm.

Pre-fall tweed

This was last weekend. It wasn't quite fall-like weather then. We had a spell of 80 degree temps, but I couldn't wait to break out my fall closet, like this tweed Michael Kors waist coat paired with a vintage silk Winter Kate top and grey skinnies. Baby Max likes it too, particularly the shiny buttons and zips. 

Busted!

Look who got busted attempting to climb the stairs for the first time today! Uh-oh!

xx Skulls xx

Confession: I have a thing for chambray. I have a thing for skulls. 

So when I came across this perfectly faded, skull-embroidered chambray shirt by Genetic Denim on Bluefly.com the other day, I knew I had to click it to my cart right away. Retail price is $195, but after a site-wide discount, a new member discount, and an additional promo code my friend passed on, I paid a whopping seven bucks. 

 

It's quite possibly my proudest purchase to date. 

I love the orange stitched trim at the hem and the subtle cross-stitches on the sleeves. It's attention to the little details that makes a designer shirt, well, designer. I wore it here on a brisk day at the zoo, then later to walk the dog, but can't wait to wear it many more times throughout the fall! 

Next up on my fashion wish list? Find a cheap knockoff of the Alexander McQueen skull scarf! The designer scarf, which costs a pretty penny, is yours for $295. The last time I was in NYC Chinatown, land of unbelievably authentic-looking but fake Louis and Pradas, I couldn't believe all I encountered were some uninspired, kinda-blah skull scarves that just can't claim to be counterfeit. And the hunt continues . . . 

A cookie monster at Lincoln Park Zoo?

So this happened.

Lil rascal managed to escape my watchful eyes, dump my entire bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies onto the blanket, and get his grubby, lil hands around a whole cookie! Well, actually, he had two in his hands but dropped one. It was one of those moments (I suspect this is the first of many to come!) where you're so surprised, then horrified (it had two kinds of sugar and a stick of butter!), but then can't help but to laugh. And take some pictures, of course.

Fashion's Night Out

My dream is to one day attend New York Fashion Week. I don't care which show, any'll do. A good friend of mine actually was seated front row, next to Bill Cunningham, one year. Yes, that Bill Cunningham. But since I can't join NYFW this year, I can at least enjoy Fashion's Night Out here at home in Chicago. Here are some pics from a fun evening mostly spent getting manis and massages at The 900 Shops VIP lounge. Officially it was a working night as media; unofficially, a girls night out! Read on for the full recap here.

Music class

{ via iPhone }

Just one more thing I love about Chicago: all the free stuff to do with your kids in the city! I could probably never enroll Baby Max in any expensive classes or activities and, instead, just bounce around from one freebie to another every week. Like this cool music class held at Urbababy, a fancy kids boutique in Wicker Park. He got to play with his pals Nico and Paloma and shake some maracas. It was led by the requisite perky, young music instructor from Bubbles Academy who strummed a guitar and sang animal songs and pop covers of Taio Cruz. She got all the kids waving their arms in the air-air-air-air-air. 

Last weekend, succinctly

Sometimes you just gotta pause and catch your breath and think, "Wait a minute, I'm not wearing pants."

Seriously, where does the time goes these days? It's like everything is in fast forward, ever since Max became so mobile. It's incredible, really. Like it happened overnight. I used to think he required so much attention––you know, the "baby kind" that involved around-the-clock feeding, diapering, holding––but boy, I had no idea what life would be like at 11 months! 

Utilitarian pink

Something about pink, especially pastel, always feels a little too sweet for my liking. I like to pair this flowy pink dress with something a little more utilitarian, more unexpected, like this denim safari jacket. 

Kicking back on North Avenue Beach

If today is a miserable, gray day, then yesterday was the exact opposite: picture-perfect blue skies made way for a little jaunt to North Avenue Beach and some people-watching. Oh, and a wee photo shoot was in order. Obviously. 

The weekend, part 3: Korean bbq, etc.

And finally, besides other fun activities like splashing around and Basil Fest, I shopped a huge consignment sale for serious steals on baby toys and clothes (this was quite the experience in itself, lots of moms throwing elbows and such!). I also got to catch up with a friend who was in Chicago for the holiday weekend. 

The weekend, part 2: Baby pool

Labor Day marked the last day of summer, and with it, the closing of the community swimming pools in Chicago. We didn't get a chance to take Max to the neighborhood splashground as much as I would have liked; the time was never right––too hot, too cold, too rainy, too crowded, blah blah blah––but we did get in one last dip before summer's official end!

The weekend, part 1: Basil Fest

Basil Fest 2.0, the brainchild of my old high school friend, happened over the holiday weekend. It was at this same party last year that Baby Max was still in my belly, enjoying the wonderful world of end-of-summer basil, and where we met a new friend, Alex Agudo. He is the talented jewelry designer behind the label Monsieur Pamplemousse, and it was one of Alex's spectacular pieces that The Fella gave to me as a "push present" (translation: a present for pushing out a human being). 

Statement

I've been wearing this new House of Harlow 1960 resin necklace (designed by Nicole Ritchie) to death since it arrived on my doorstep.