There's A Problem

I think Camille's might have closed.  The location in downtown Chicago.  It was one of my favorite lunch spots.  I loved their wraps and chips.  Something different.  And delicious.  Yet another restaurant I like closed.  File this with Caliente on Sheffield and Mambo Grill.

Sigh.

I think I have a party in mind to blame.

Sneak Peek - Kat's Wedding

Happy Friendiversary!!!

Four years ago, in June 2006, two early twenties, lost, confused girls had a run in at the fax machine in a very gray office building.

J:  Hi.
E:  I'll be done with the fax machine in a minute.
J:  No, I meant hi.

Despite the rough start, a mere couple months later, said two girls started carpooling the first week of September. 

Happy friendiversary, Emily!

Something French

Bead Girl Bootcamp!

So, as my loyal readers know, for my birthday this past year, Emily got me the Caravan Beads Bead Girl Bootcamp jewelry making class groupon.

Long story short - this was an AWESOME class.  It  actually ended up being just me and one other person.  After the class was over - I was feeling inspired  so I free-formed some earrings (which are part of my cousin's birthday gift - don't read this part, Kellie).   Humorously, my classmate bought something around $125 worth of  stuff.   I'm convinced this is how they get people - after  the class, everyone buys something.

Anyhow, with no further ado, here are three of the things I made in class.

Boredom on the Horizon....

Emily is going to Europe to visit her sister for two weeks.

I am inconsolable.  What the FLOCK am I supposed to do while she's gone?  AHH.  All of our lakeview byobs are going to not hit their monthly sales because of this.  I need to find a 'rent a friend' website for this half-month (half a month?!?!  ARGH!!).  Like 'bag borrow steal'.  Do these websites exist?  Can I create one and make some money maybe?

Hmm.  I shall explore this entrepreneurial opportunity.  We all know I'm about to have some time on my hands.  Sigh.

Murder Mystery Dinner

So I did the Murder Mystery Groupon (as my loyal readers know). 

www.themurdermysterycompany.com

I was cast as an 'importer/exporter' (they knew my love of Seinfeld upon first glance); Emily was cast as the gold-digger. 

Emily won!  She guessed whodunnit.  I am so proud.  She really has a future with crimestoppers or Dateline.   Watch out, Chris Hansen.

Anyhow.  I definitely found this to be a fun experience.  I would recommend having a drink before showing up, if you are the type to do so, because one needs to get into his/her character quickly.  That, and being under the influence is a potential set-up for a defense if one finds herself charged with a heinous crime. 

All in all, I recommend it.   Definitely worth the $30 groupon. 

Addicted to Groupon

So I am going to a 'Murder Mystery Dinner' event.  I really hope I get picked as the culprit.

How did I find out about this?  Well, let's just say one part Emily, one part - you guessed it - Groupon.

Groupon has become insanely popular in a short period of time.   Sidenote:   anyone notice that Groupon is really just the ever-so-slightly cooler/more modern version of QVC (aka the home shopping network)?   Down to the very details of the 'this many bought' count on the side.  That, and the 'this many minutes/seconds left to buy'.  It's really uncanny if you think about it.  The most serious similarity - we might be getting some kind of a 'great deal', but 95% of the time, we wouldn't have been buying these completely random things in the first place. 

I'm not going to think about that right now.  I'm looking forward to my murder mystery dinner.

Kat's Bridal Shower

I get out once in a while...that being, when my friends get married.

The bride to be, looking beautiful.

delicious food

quite the view from Mary's apartment - most notable - the Sun-Times building

I have engagement envy, simply because I want to own this Lolita glass

The prize for getting the most questions right on the "How well do you know the bride & groom" quiz - a guacamole maker!    I won!   I'd like to thank Kat for having a Kladda tattoo on the small of her back and Brian for starting every joke with 'do you know where I can find?'

My gift!  A spice rack!  To help keep the spice in their marriage!!!

A conversation between the bride & MOH - you want me to wear WHAT?!

SHOE ENVY

a dance party broke out

Sidenote:  Yes, I am aware that this blog has turned into a picture book lately.  

Groupon?

So, I will be honest.  I don't really know what groupon is.  But I do know that it's popular.  I could easily google it and look it up, but I'm lazy/not really THAT interested.

Anyhow.  I am now the proud owner of a 'groupon'.  I have an upcoming jewelry-making class at Caravan Beads, thanks to Emily!  Woohoo!

Pictures of my self-designed jewelry to come.

Trying Something New...

(When I say this, no, I don't mean blogging about something other than figure skating, facebook or my personal life.)

So, tomorrow, I am going to a workout class called 'the Bar Method' with Kat. Sidenote: you may or may not notice that Kat gets a LOT of action on the blogs, between Emily & myself. Another note: Kat's fiance, Brian, talks a lot about Emily & my blogs. However, he does not read/comment on said blogs - Brian, we're watching!!

Anyhow. I am excited to try something new. One of my goals is to be healthier/work out more - however, the cold weather/my lack of exercise equipment/lack of gym membership make this difficult.

The Bar Method is supposedly somewhat 'ballet' based for body sculpting. It's supposed to be painful/cause your muscles to burn. I can't wait!

Has anyone else out there tried Bar Method Chicago? Review to come.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....

Emily is in Mexico over the next couple days, including the weekend! What am I EVER going to do? Who am I going to constantly email/text? Who am I going to go to a BYOB with this weekend? Who am I going to report my EVERY MOVE to?

This is devastating. I really honestly don't know what I'm going to do. The only remote consolation for this is Olympic figure skating coverage, but even THAT isn't enough.

Fine Print

I got an email today confirming my enrollment in speed dating.

The ever-observant Emily noticed something I missed:

(INSERT COMPANY NAME) DOES NOT CONDUCT BACKGROUND CHECKS ON THE MEMBERS OR SUBSCRIBERS OF THIS WEBSITE

Oh dear.

Noticeably Absent....

Anonymous.

Where have you been? Did the holiday season get the better of you? Is the year off to a rough start? There have not been many blogments...this saddens me. Did you make a resolution to only read high quality intellectual pieces on the internet, like Perez Hilton? Did my blog not make the cut? Was there some offensive material on my blog? Was there some offensive material on Emily's blog, and I was found guilty by association?

Please come back. I have never been good at 'getting people back' - if you will, I'm often times way too stubborn...but in this very special instance, anon, I want you to know there's a big fat olive branch with your name on it.

Happy New Year!!

Emily was using the horn to her advantage. Happy New Year all!!

2009 in a Nutshell

As the old year comes to a close, some stats of 2009....

Number of job changes: 0
Number of moves: 1
Number of blog posts: 323
Number of trips out of town: 2
Number of romantic relationships: 0
Number of times my personal romantical life appeared in Emily's blog: 3
Number of incidents that could be classified as 'car trouble': 2
Number of friends (per the facebook.com): 723
Number of blog followers: 12
Number of broken New Year's Resolutions: 3
Number of blogs I'm following: 10

...and a partridge in a pear tree?

My First Christmas Present of the Season!!

That middle gift is the Lolita "Wine Tasting" wine glass!



Welcome home!




I'm gonna need a bigger shelf!

Thanks Emily!!

Birthday Alert!!

So tomorrow is one of my very best friend's b-days! Happy 27th Emily!!

I'm glad Emily turns 27 before I do. She can tell me how it is. Like when you hear a loud noise outside and send someone else to check it out - let me know how it goes, Em, and if I should try to avoid it or not!

Giveaway!

So, some of my readers have expressed an interest in a giveaway. Well, there is an actual giveaway happening on one of the blogs I follow!

Becky's Blog - it's called Thyme for Wine - is hosting a giveaway. Becky - my favorite holiday food are chocolate chip shortbread cookies - I will post to your blog appropriately. Jaime - six points!

(Who is Becky? She's Emily's brother Doug's girlfriend! That's who!)

Anyhow.

What spurred the giveaway? Becky is up to 50 public followers! I will 'follow' in suit - when I have 50 public followers, there will be a giveaway.

Stay tuned & recruit!

Halloween Recap

A pregnant gal and a busy nurse need to eat! (P.S. Our favorite hot waiter was phatom of the opera. He has no reason to hide his face, though.)


You know you're from Chicago if....


Medical staff on board in case of an emergency....


Who knew I'd be on a school bus ever again in my life? I sure didn't. Although, I must mention, I was at the absolute back of the bus - the epitome of coolness.


Funtimes.


It was Christmas in some people's hearts.