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...