perusing the internet

found a few things i want to buy for either myself or others:

new winter boots!

going back to my new mexican roots.

i dare you to tell me these aren't the sweetest things in the world

i think i squealed

january baby!!

the 773

You shouldn't come across a picture and think to yourself "I want to go there!" and then realize it's the city you have called "home" the last three years. But this picture did just that to me this afternoon:

the gods of styling

I am the farthest thing from a stylist but if I was, I would totally have all my models rock the messy bun and long thick eyelashes. This photograph could have been taken in 1960, 2010, or 2040 and that's what I love about fashion.

photo credit goes to someone far more stylish than me.

polka polka

This fall I went where I have never gone before, POLKA DOTS. I've always been an admirer from afar, like I am with high waisted pants, 5 inch heels, and pin straight hair. Yes those things look just lovely and fierce and all things vogue, just not for me.

To be honest, the older I've gotten the more I care about "my style" not necessarily being "in style." So during my bimonthly trip to H&M I grabbed a polka dot sweater and a polka dot blouse and tried both on with a frown on my face bracing myself for the worst. But they kind of sort of...worked. Both items passed my three check test (versatile? comfortable? cotton?) and while I returned the sweater, I have been LOVING my blouse and even purchased a black and white polka dot cardi from the Targ this weekend. I do believe there can be too much of a good thing, and so my polka dot buying will end after these two purchases. But I am proud of myself for trying something new, for stepping away from my usually black/white/navy/gray pallet and encourage my 2 readers to do the same!

work it girl.

my first food post!

When I first came to Chicago I had to cut a lot out of my budget, and as a result perfected 4 dishes that were on constant rotation. My favorite meal remains brown rice, edamame, and tofu, with red curry. It lasts 3-4 meals, is healthy, and just as good re-heated. However in the past 12 months I have certainly diversified my cooking portfolio. I wok it up on a regular basis, I have things in my pantry that do not have english labels, and I follow food blogs to not only find new recipes but also new techniques that this little brain would have never thought of. (Like adding your dressing to the pan when heating up shrimp/chicken/whatever for a salad - my favorite so far!) I also realized my interest in cooking has gone a little bit past "ok I need food to survive" when I was like a kid on Christmas morning after my mini food processor arrived. I CAN NOT WAIT to try the edamame dip I have been wanting to make.

Last night we had Trader Joe's orange chicken with some fabulous brown rice and rice noodles that my boyyyyfran so expertly stir fried. Tonight it's low fat mac and cheese with BBQ tofu (for me) and some kind of meat (for him.)

This will not turn into a food blog, trust me. But I figure I yip yap about everything else, food might as well be mentioned every so often.