Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Purple nail polish and bloggers

I love the color purple and bloggers, but I do not love that I've become a morning person.

I tried to fight it, but mornings are when I'm the most productive. I can multi-task easily, don't get easily annoyed by things (cough in the office) and have the most energy to go out and take on the world! Of course, that means I'm ready for a nap by 3 p.m. or need to "power nap" before going out at night. But at least I don't eat dinner at 5 p.m. so that doesn't make me...too old...right?

And yesterday morning I was bursting with excitement for a spa night (more details to come), running downstairs to some co-workers to say, "woo, woo, it's going to be a great day!" They thought I was crazy. In fact, by 9:30 a.m. I was at work, in my favorite JCrew cords that fit again (yay gym!), working easily through e-mail and saw yesterday's post was on Brazen Careerist's Web site. I was on fire! (not literally)

So what better way to celebrate a great morning than hang out with some awesome Chicago bloggers at Spa Soak in Bucktown, courtesy of BOCA? Note: BOCA is a company client.

BOCA treated us to a lovely evening of mani/pedis (which my fingernails were very excited about), chair massages, drinks and nummy food, including some amazing coconut cookies. I've not eaten a lot of BOCA burgers before but the few I have tried have been very tasty. I like meat, but these aren't a bad alternative.

I even got to meet other Chicago bloggers, like April and Nilsa, for the first time too! I love meeting new people in the city. Especially when they are hilarious and fun to talk to. Oh and I have super awesome purple fingernails. They are fierce.

And another huge highlight of the evening (which caused me to spend an hour picking out the perfect outfit ahead of time), I got to meet one of my favorite bloggers, Miss Zoot. Her blog was one of the first ones I've ever read and I think she is hilarious. I also think her youngest son is adorable. Like too cute for words, I can't even begin to describe the cuteness. She was at the event and I tried not to sound like a scary superfan, which was very tough.

Who's got two purple thumbnails and feels more relaxed? This girl!

Giveaway:
I even got a nifty BOCA gift bag to giveaway to one of my readers! The gift bag includes: a yoga mat, reusable shopping tote (perfect for unexpected purchases while out), relaxing CD and day planner. The photo below isn't the best but this is a great gift bag.


To enter: Leave me a comment letting me know what you do to live a balanced life. This can be anything, such as going to the gym or for a run, playing sports or taking an art/writing class. Cut-off date to enter is Wednesday, February 18. So tell your friends and tweet out the news!

Don't want to enter the contest? That's cool, feel free to still leave me a comment about how you pamper yourself on a daily basis. I'm a big believer in a little treat each day.

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am bummed I couldn't make it last night...but this week is so insane for me.

I'm also a morning person, which means that since it's 10 p.m. I'm practically dead.

To live a balanced life, I leave my work at school. When I come home, I'm home. I might talk about work, but, unless it's some sort of emergency, I do not work from home.

Ray said...

I totally should have ditched class to come last night. :(

I would be telling a lie if I said I lived a balanced life. But I have started working out on a regular basis and it's slowly getting me there.

Ray said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ray said...

Sorry, I got trigger happy.

Gretchen Alice said...

Awesome, I could use a good yoga mat! I always try and take a class of some sort, like religion or photography. Anything to keep me learning!

Maki said...

I love purple, too!!! Gosh, Jess, I'm envious that you're so productive in the morning!!! Can I have a piece of your brain because I'm a zombie in the morning and I'm a mom - I need to be productive and active!

I try to balance out my hectic life by trying to create a time myself at least an hour: either going the gym, painting and blogging. The simple stuff will makes me happy = balanced life. And yes, please count me in!!!

Maxie said...

I'm not entering b/c I will be getting my own tomorrow (hopefully)

This question is going to sound ridiculous, but are we talking drinks (juice) or Drinks (cocktails)

Either way I can't wait!!!

Arielle said...

My life right now is pathetic. I live a balanced life by watching reality television. I am sadly NOT JOKING. Normally I like to go to the gym but this semester is so freaking busy that I haven't gone in 4 weeks. I'm in class all day and then I come home and do homework until all hours, yet I always give myself breaks to watch the various reality shows that I like. It allows me to turn my brain off for a bit. Except on days like today that are so crazy that I do work while watching TV. In short, my life is horrifically unbalanced and I could use some balancing! And a massage. For realz.

Anonymous said...

These days my goal is to make it to the gym four times a week (one day of weights and three days of cardio). I've taken up running (well, for as long as I can, then I walk the rest of the time) and it puts me in zen state like you wouldn't believe. Plus, the holiday spare tire is officially gone! Hooray! The other thing I really like to do is bake. It's really calming, gives me time to myself and keeps my brain from thinking about anything too serious.

Lys said...

i wish i lived in chicago! i would love to get together with a bunch of girls for a spa night. sounds like so much fun :)

for the little giveaway, i like to go to the gym for about an hour every weekday, sometimes one weekend day. also, i really enjoy eating healthy, like yogurts and non-sugary cereals and homemade oatmeal. oh, and lots of water!

when i'm not on a health kick, baking 8 dozen cookies (of different varieties. sometimes) really puts me in a great mood and makes me feel unbelievably accomplished.

Mandy said...

Man, you Chicago bloggers have tons of fun! :-) Purple nail polish is always fun.

I'm attempting to find balance right now. I turn off electronics, try to enjoy the small things, bake, read, or just play with my dog.

Andhari said...

man im jealous. lol. sounds real fun.

SA said...

The meetup sounded fun. Glad you had a great time. Purple fingernails=awesome.

To lead a balanced life I sleep. Yes, I know that sounds easy and whatnot, but I'm a bad insomniac. Some nights I don't go to sleep at all and I'm trying my best to actually put head to pillow, shut eyes, and drift off. It's so much easier said then done. And really, doesn't a balanced life start with a good night's sleep.

At least that's what I'm telling myself.

hmm...I don't know if you want five words or not. Let me know if you do.

widget said...

This is hilarious. I am sitting here at 5.30pm eating my dinner - as I have yoga at 7.30 - and found out that I am bordering on old........

I waited until closer to 6 to actually publish my comment though.....

BTW - love purple

bianca said...

Ooo what a cool giveaway!!!

To live a balanced life I try to take a dance class every week. I was a ballerina back in the day and taking dance classes really centers me. If I can't make it to a class, I still try to take some time out and just perform one of my old ballet routines.

Anonymous said...

Chicago has the best group of bloggers, I'm jealous...and I live only 3 hours away! Sounds like you girls had a blast!

To balance my busy life - I listen to music. I don't always have time to do the things that I should, such as working out, but I always make time for music. It de-stresses my brain and body, and you know - a good glass of wine doesn't hurt either. ;o)

CAVFC said...

purple polish is the best! it puts me in the mood for spring :)

i'm with bianca - i was a dancer for most of my life and still check out dance classes often. other than that, i'm at the gym four days a week and i recently took up pilates, which i love!

Anonymous said...

wow! I'm completely jealous of your day (and purple nails)! And does that mean I'm old if I like mornings and sometimes eat dinner at 5??? Oh well....

To balance my life, I try to keep a schedule with my workouts. I also make sure that I have time to spend with my husband. I also make sure that I never overschedule myself and have enough alone time where I can just veg or read or read blogs or take walks so I can de-stress.

Anonymous said...

Ooh I like contests. That spa day sounds lovely. We have a really good spa near here too, but I haven't been there in ages.

So, to balance my life I try to study until 6pm, not later, hang out with friends as much as my studies will let me, and I took up yoga again a month ago. And if I'm still feeling stressed, I'll dance around the apartment to my favourite bellydance music. Success guaranteed. :)

Anonymous said...

AHHHH!! I AM SO EXCITED FOR OURS TONIGHT!

Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks said...

So fun meeting you, too, Mizz Sass! =) Please don't consider this an entry seeing that, well, you know why. hahaha. I'm not sure I do pamper myself daily, but it sure is nice when I go to bed to have my husband curled up around me. It's easy like that when I'm 5'2 and he's 6'3!! Even if I've had the most frantic day, that always relaxes me.

Erin said...

Hmmmm...I work in Chicago (but live in the near west 'burbs) and I blog (but mostly about running). Do I qualify as a Chicago blogger? If so, how do I get in on these awesome Chicago blogger events? I'd love to meet new people! Right now, my life mostly consists of work, exercise, and domestic duties. I think that by having a social life I'd have a better balance. Of course, part of my problem is that I'm fairly strict about my exercise routine and tend to freak out when it gets interrupted. Which can make having a social life difficult (even when I do know people).

Unknown said...

I would love to enter (I even tweeted about it - @jharb_weave)!

I achieve balance by making sure I have an even amount of time doing things I want to do and things I have to do! I also make sure to work out several times a week and spend lots of downtime with the husband.

Anonymous said...

To live a balanced life, I do yoga...which is why I could use a new mat!

Except, well, that balance usually leaves by body within 15 minutes of leaving yoga class. So to compensate, I make sure I schedule plenty of veg time in front of mindless television. Helps me turn off stress.

Natalie said...

wow i could use that yoga mat! i achieve balance in a variety of ways and it kind of depends on the day. however, most of the time it's meeting up with my friends to work out together. while i love to run on my own, it's great to socialize with friends while getting a kick-butt workout in!!

laurwilk said...

Hmm....come to think of it, I really should pamper myself more often. For the most part, I try to keep my life balanced by not working too much, spending time with close friends and enjoying NYC as much as I can.

But, I really should think about a mani/pedi sometime soon. It's nearly flip flop season, after all! (THANK GOSH!)

Joey said...

Oooh, love purple polish. I had a pedicure over Christmas and chose a really dark purple. And loved loved loved it.

About balance: It's been an issue for me, especially lately. I tend to be a stressball and a half. I've been trying to make it to the gym 3 times a week, mainly running, which I find helps me relieve stress, anxiety and whatnot.
Also, I've been trying to take a good look at what is making me feel unbalanced and stressy and then try to put things into perspective.

Wonderful said...

I journal, sleep at least 8 hrs, and vent alot to friends. That's the only way I remain sane and balanced.

Jenny Grace said...

I'm a balanced living FAIL, but I want to win! Um....I try not to stress too much about work? Does that count?

Katelin said...

i can't wait for the boca night here next week! if only you were coming too, then it would be even more awesome :)

as for a more balanced life, i've been using the wii fit daily and man it makes me feel a million times better. and i drink tea every day. love it.

Jen K said...

I also enjoy purple! I went from loving the extremely mature hot pink color, to purple. I don't think that OPI makes "Lincoln Park after Midnight" anymore which is depressing.
To keep my life balanced, I definitely need excercise. Even if I pretend to jog/walk a couple miles, it at least clears my mind. I also think that you definitely need sleep. One night of a rough sleep and I'm a mess the rest of the week.

Erin W said...

Lots of crazy stuff happens at work every day (I work at a shelter for homeless youth), so to keep myself balanced, I do my best to makes sure that I leave work stuff at work.

Gina said...

A spa day sounds lovely. Just the thing to get you through the mid-winter blahs.

To keep my life balanced, I need some 'alone time' and plenty of sleep. They don't necessarily have to happen together.

Working Girl Two said...

to live a balanced life, this is hard! butttt, i have started to go to the gym twice a week, the other three days out of the week, i balance my fave TV shows, seeing friends, and going on dates by making sure i have my schedule all set before the week begins. that way i know what needs to get done and balance what i WANT to get done.

and to keep me centered, i have just started doing pilates - very calming!

laura @ so alaurable said...

I try and take some time every day--even if it's just 5 minutes--for "me" time. I retreat, grab my journal, paint me nails, pick up a magazine, and let myself have some uninterrupted time where I force myself to not feel guilty about all the other things I should be doing...otherwise, I'd go crazy.

P said...

I WISH I was a morning person. I HATE being a night owl.

Anyway, not entering the contest (i would feel kinda selfish doing so since the postage would be a bitch!) but i just try and make sure i do stuff i enjoy whenever i can. Even if it means getting an hour on the internet just idly browsing, or curled up in bed with my electric blanket on and a good book. and possibly some wine . . .

thegirlin3k said...

I try and attend a yoga class twice a week -- it makes me feel great and keeps me focused. I also indulge myself -- if I have a craving, I feed it, if I want to do something (within reason), I'll do it. Being able to indulge myself keeps me healthy!

LBluca77 said...

Running always makes me feel balanced. As much as I don't always like to get off my butt to go run in the end it is always worth it.

Anonymous said...

Oh wow I could use a spa day like nobody's business. That would keep me balanced. No, I'm kidding, what keeps me balanced is Pilates. Its the perfect workout...hard, but relaxing. I love being sore afterwards.

Maris said...

I WISH I WAS THERE!

Live a balanced life? I drink.

Just kidding. For me going to the gym keeps me sane. Sometimes I dread going because I think I'm too tired, don't have enough time, etc, but I never regret it when I'm done and working out really does give me more energy.

Maris said...

I WISH I WAS THERE!

Live a balanced life? I drink.

Just kidding. For me going to the gym keeps me sane. Sometimes I dread going because I think I'm too tired, don't have enough time, etc, but I never regret it when I'm done and working out really does give me more energy.

e said...

Ohh fun giveaway! I don't know if I've ever commented before.

Anyway, I recently got a wii fit which is really helping with balance both literally and figuratively. Also, I try to spend a little time each day reading something non-school or work related. It seems to help!

Anonymous said...

I try to spend some time outside at least once a day (more than my commute) - weather permitting of course. Since I work in cube farm and live with roommates, I don't get a lot of time alone, so I try to get out by myself to run errands or just have a cup of coffee and read at least once a week.

Anonymous said...

I try to spend some time outside at least once a day (more than my commute) - weather permitting of course. Since I work in cube farm and live with roommates, I don't get a lot of time alone, so I try to get out by myself to run errands or just have a cup of coffee and read at least once a week.

Anonymous said...

I try to spend some time outside at least once a day (more than my commute) - weather permitting of course. Since I work in cube farm and live with roommates, I don't get a lot of time alone, so I try to get out by myself to run errands or just have a cup of coffee and read at least once a week.

Heather @ Simple Wives said...

I try to spend a few quiet minutes with my fiance reflecting on our day...the good & bad. Those little moments are what gets me through work days!

thatShortchick said...

i know, i am so loving dark purple nailpolish!! especially O.P.I's 'eiffel' or 'eiffel for you'

as for a balanced life, i try to read a non-school related book. reading before bed just helps me calm down.

i wish i could get into the working-out thing. but i'm still not a fan.

Rachel said...

Oh, oh, oh!!! I want a new yoga mat!

To balance my life I make a point of meditating whenever I can. I don't do it for long, but even a few minutes of stillness helps me stay sane.

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