BTW: a few things I love today (Fall!)

A few things I'm loving today: 

1.  50% of Halloween decorations! On my way to work this morning, I cleaned out a good portion of SuperTarget's leftover Halloween supply.  I stopped for envelopes and was pleasantly surprised that they still had a decent selection, so I stocked up on gravestones, gooey rats and spiders, bleeding eyeball skull candles, a smoke machine (score!) skele-lanterns and other treats.  We're set for next Halloween (you're invited!) for sure.  Anyway, we've got a house to fill/decorate now, who wants to pay full price for that stuff?  Although, the people in Target looked at me like I was crazy.  Isn't this what people in the suburbs do?  Whatever.  To be honest, I am a bit excited to find out that Target's online store still seems to have a great selection of clearance items.... muah ha ha hahaahaaaa. 

2. Recycling Halloween candy into (even more!) delicious treats via one of my favorite blogs, thekitchen.com. All of the candy at our house comes from that which we couldn't get rid of.  This is a great idea for Thanksgiving desserts!

 
3. Geneva Commons in Geneva, IL for coddling me this morning when I had a momentary "ohGodwheredidwemoveto?" moment.  Thank you Lord for H&M, Anthropologie, Williams and Sonoma and Trader Joe's west of Route 59.  Thank you.

4. Tights!  Fall is in full swing and today, despite being fully bundled up head-to-knee, I stepped out sans tights.  IMMEDIATE REGRET!   Most of my good stuff is still packed but I'm always game for a trip to TJ Maxx or Marshalls, where most of my best finds have been.  I say "best" because in my opinion, cost is a huge factor.  I've spent $30+ on "fancy" tights that tear within minutes.  This way, at TJ Maxx, I can buy quasi-designer brands to my hearts content and don't even bat an eyelash when I have to toss them.  Sigh, SO many great designs to choose from.  Too bad I don't work downtown anymore where there are actually people to admire them.

5. New work out classes at (somebody else's) gym!  I was invited to take a "total body conditioning" class with a friend in Huntley tonight.  I'm very excited, though not as much about the exercising part as much as having an activity/friend date on a week night!  I'm being kind of nerdy (and 3rd grade) about it.  It's M's good friend's wife who is SUPER nice and sweet.  I hope she's not terrified by my leaching onto her for dear friendship life. 

More things I love to come...

Happy Tuesday!

Closing time.

Day one (ok more like day 0.5) living in the burbs. I know that I've been in Mt. Prospect for a while but this is seriously official.  We closed today (or Wednesday when I wrote this, sorry, packing had me delayed). Now, I am much more than a 25 minute (in good traffic) drive to the city and about two miles from something called "county fairgrounds?"  I'd say I'm in the middle of nowhere but there's a Caputos (yum) down the street and a giant brand new Crate & Barrel nearby. I can't be that far away from civilization, right? Gulp.

The house is beautiful.  Lovely.  Briggs and I are came here for dinner. He, to sniff around his new digs (he's clearly confused and agitated) and me to have take out sushi with M (standing over the countertops because of course we haven't actually moved). It's darker than night outside. I don't like it. It scares me.  Im not used to it. I'm pretending all the noises outside are the L or cabs honking. Can someone send me a "city" mp3?  The first month's electric bill will be high because I'm going to need ALL of the lights on at all times.

But I'm excited to be here. Excited to decorate. Excited to explore. Excited to build. This house is perfect for us in so many ways. Ok, minus the wallpaper.

Home sweet suburban home.

Social St. Charles.

BREAKING NEWS!  WE MAY BE CLEAR TO CLOSE AS EARLY AS THIS FRIDAY!

I started to write about my fave new spots to eat/drink/shop in St. Charles, the site of our new home, when I got word from M that the big bad mortgage company would not be needing our first born and was going to clear us to close as early as Friday!! WOOOT! Is it weird to be drinking alone at my desk right now in celebration?

So, where will I be taking you when you come to visit?

prasimo  is a great new concept restaurant on First Street that emphasizes seasonal,  local, and organic food prepared in a kitchen designed to reduce energy and  water use, incorporate recycling and use eco-friendly cleaning products.  The menu is outstanding (short rib tacos? yes PLEASE!) with a great variety.  Their green teas, fruit smoothies and organic wine list make this a must for lunch dates with your significant other, co-workers, or just a relaxing solo spot to relax (prasimo (yep, with a lower case "p') features a bar in front!).  I'll be curious to check it out in the evening to see what kind of crowd it draws.   

Also excellent and just a few blocks away, is Isacco Kitchen.  Although it seems to get some bad reviews, I had a great lunch there with M a few weeks ago.  He also can attest to their (giant and delicious) meat/cheese appetizer.  I'm also very curious to try the place right next door called Taste of Himalayas.  What kind of foods are in the Himalayas?  I have no idea.  We should go.

Geneva offers additional options just down the street, to the South of us.  But, let's face it, there's really only one reason to go to Geneva and that's to shop.

More finds to come soon.  I'm too excited about being one step closer to having a house!!

Hunted Houses

So, house hunting is a HUGE p.i.t.a. and we are once again in "under contract" limbo.  BUT, this time, she's a real beaut, Clark, and we're so damn close to our dream house, I can almost taste the several thousand square feet of dust I will be cleaning on a regular basis.  I might have been better off giving up my first born child as collateral for this house because getting a mortgage these days takes nothing short of a miracle, even with near perfect credit (clearly not mine). Also, if I have to hear a piece of "advice" from one more person about the next-best-foreclosure deal their brother's wife's sorority sister's contractor fiance knows about, I will scream.

But, now that we've got a house in our sights, I can't help but day dream about how we will decorate and transform the place into our "home."   Paint colors and new sofas, like two drops of pee when I think about it all. (Country wall paper is the first thing to go!)

The problem in re-decorating is that I have serious commitment issues.  I love too many ideas and end up being totally unable to commit to anything, waiting too long and then convincing myself that I don't actually like that idea to begin with.  I worry that while I like the idea TODAY, what if I wake up in three weeks and don't (although that has never happened to me, I still fear it).

Also, thanks in large part to my interior designer cousin, I have gained a much better appreciation for furniture than I ever have before (ever try to sit in my black velvet Napolean chair a la Jayson Home & Garden?)  While I won't be affording Merchandise Mart pieces anytime soon, I am also not the kind of girl to walk into a Crate and Barrel or Room and Board and pick up "the whole set" because I need to fill space, like we do now. (I spent 4 months cira 2007 sleeping on the floor on an old mattress as I awaited the finding of and then delivery of my "perfect bed.")
Speaking of Jayson Home and Garden... I wonder if anything is on sale...

Country with a capital "C."

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE!!!???   I know I know, I've been MIA the last five months (not that anybody but Megan and Beata are actually reading this but humor me, black hole).   The last five months have been SUCH a whirwind but I have loved (mostly) every single minute of it.  No need to rehash details but one of the major things to happen this spring/summer was mine and Martin's engagement! (cue loud hoorays and giant balloon drop!!!!).  With that wonderful news that has come some fun stuff like wedding planning and (gulp) house hunting.

House hunting can be fun and, through most of this process, it was. But, it's no secret that I'm more than a bit apprehensive of the fact that I am moving out of the city.  To the Country.  Capital "C."

Tomorrow we have an inspection on a beautiful house in St. Charles.  3,000+ square feet, beautifully redone basement, huge master closet that's probably bigger than my condo, in ground swimming pool, and more! I really am in total love.  And, if all goes well, by October 1 we will be homeowners!!   I

Of course, I'm ECSTATIC about the future but also mourning my departure from the City.  So, if all goes well, which I REALLY TRULY MADLY DEEPLY hope it does, I think I will be mixing up the content of the blog a little bit to catalog my adventures in "Country" living.  This City Mouse is moving to the Country so I'm going to seek out elements of the city living I love so much and am leaving behind and searching for new adventure and things to love in my new home.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow!  Country.  Capital "C."

And we're off...

So begins Day One of my new adventures in lawyering... as a solo practitioner.  In the suburbs.  Crap, did I really just do this?  I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking leaving the cushy, well-salaried, blackberry-ed firm life.  I'm also not exactly sure how this is all going to play out...

What I AM sure of, however, is that right now, it is 80 degrees outside and I'm about to call it a day to go enjoy it.  Happiness has just increased by a 1,000%.

Wish me luck.

UPDATE: Fake Meat Products

Dear Meat.... I miss you.... I can't wait to see/have you again April 4.  It will be a joyous reunion.

Love,

R

I heart fake meat products!!!

I gave up meat for lent and it's been quite an interesting journey trying to come up with tasty and satisfying things to eat.  I'm SO sick of shrimp, I'm pretty certain my cholesterol is sky high.  Surprisingly, I actually miss chicken more than red meat and overall, I have been quite unimpressed with the meatless meat options at the grocery store.  


That is... until we went to Trader Joe's... [cue harps and angelic awe].

Vegetarian's rejoice, fake meat mavens give cheers, Trader Joe's has an AMAZING selection of meat-free meat products that is about to revolutionize this fasting period, starting yesterday.  First recipe of the week: cooking with TJ 's soy chorizo.

Individual Portabella Mushroom Pizzas!

Carb-free, vegetarian, and totally mouth watering (as Martin will attest).  

Ingredients:

• 4 large portabella mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• your fave marinara
• Soy Chorizo from Trader Joe's
• shredded cheese (you can play it safe and use mozzarella but we tried a Swiss/Gruyere combo that was heavenly)
• diced olives (if you desire)
• any other “pizza topping” you enjoy

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Clean the mushrooms and put them on a lightly oiled baking sheet into the oven for about 5 minutes
• Remove mushrooms and top with sauce, cheese, chorizo, and a tiny bit of garlic and olives (and whatever toppings you love)
• Bake for approximately 15 minutes
• Dig in!

Seriously, THAT easy!  Bon Appetit! 

BTW: a few things I love today

1. Adorable dog leashes (at the end of which is an adorable bubs): http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/08/found-my-animal.html

2. Adorable travel bags: http://www.travelteq.com/  (BTW keep the website up for a while, the music on the page is an awesome "secret soor-prize!")

3. Delicious recipes for red velvet cupcakes (I would like ten of these minis for breakfast!)    http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/red_velvet_cupcakes_with_cream_cheese_frosting/

4. Fresh snow on a Friday!!!

New Year's Re-Soul-utions

I'm sure your gym, like mine, is full of "New Years Resolutioners," hitting the gym hard, determined that THIS YEAR is going to be their year that they drop [insert number] lbs.  I applaud them for trying, but let's face it, most of us (author included) have a difficult time sticking to the resolutions we make for ourselves.  Why is that?  Pressure to succeed?  Unrealistic expectations?  Weakness?  Probably a little bit of all of those...


2009 was a great, great year for me.  One of the best I've had in a very long time, in fact.  And for that, I'm so grateful.  But there are also things that I realized about myself, things I need to change, accomplish, strive for, that  I didn't get to do in 2009, things that aren't about making more money or losing five pounds.  This year, I want LESS.


Less stuff.  No more junk.  No more "stuff."   My mantra will be that "If it doesn't provide me joy, make me laugh, or keep me alive/human in some way, why does it exist in my life?"  No more junk. That goes for what I eat too, I'm actually starting to be scared by the things I read... what's in our foods, personal products.  Just shocking.  No more stuff.  


Less noise.  I want to read more and watch less TV.  Swim more instead of focusing on the "Calories Burned" feature of the treadmill.  I also want to learn to turn off my inner voice and that might require some yoga.  A real effort this time, because God knows that I've tried.  But I haven't REALLY tried.  So I'm going to try.  Again.  


Less anxiety.  I always feel like I'm running around because I try to jam too much stuff into my day.  It's unnecessary and makes me irritable.  Work, working out, cleaning, socializing, all of these are important things but they cannot get done all at the same time on the same day within the same time frame.  So I'm going to give myself a break and just say "no" more often.  "If it doesn't provide me joy, make me laugh, or keep me alive/human in some way, why does it exist in my life?" 


LESS.  


Joy to you all this new year.  I hope your ReSOULution is a successful one.