Sunday, March 22, 2009

Key learnings, birthday PIMP and buzzkill

Well, it's Sunday again. Why don't my weekdays fly by this fast? Right now I'm sitting in my apartment with nail polish drying on my toes (which I can't feel because of the toe-separaters) so let's knock out some key learnings before one of my little piggies falls off.

Quick note: I've been doing a lot better at updating my Tumblr blog, which will focus on fun things I find online that I want to own or recently bought. I thought it would be  fun way to showcase some fun shopping/fashion stuff. Check it out and let me know if you have one too so I can add you to my "follow" list.

Key Learnings:
  • One of the worst feelings is knowing you're going to throw up and you have to wait for it to happen
  • There is no shame in walking into a store and saying quickly, "hey chicky, where is your bathroom?" It's better than taking care of your business outside the front door
  • Even if the "club scene" isn't for you, it's still fun to go indulge in it once in a while
  • Brunch with friends is a weekend requirement, same with naps on the couch
  • When you go shopping to look for one specific item, you rarely find exactly what you're looking for (I have more luck when I'm not looking for something in particular)
  • It's okay to put clothes on over your street ones to avoid the dressing rooms. But be discreet
  • Champagne in a can tastes...not awful, but stick with it in bottles
  • Sleeping past 8 a.m. on a weekend will likely never happen again (stupid weekday sleep schedule!)
  • Trading the puffy coat for a spring fleece is a great feeling
  • You always get sick at the inopportune times
  • If you find an item of clothing you love and that fits well, buy it in at least one other color
Weekend Buzzkill
I've been really lucky this winter with not getting sick. I don't know if it was the flu shot but for once, I've not had any head cold, traditional cold or sinus infections. That is until a stomach bug decided to pay me a visit Thursday night through Saturday mid-day. Yes, it was glorious (I'm being sarcastic).

After about two-and-a-half days of hugging the bowl, eating mostly to toss it back up again and sleeping only a few hours a night, I'm ready for this BS to be over with. I was also hoping the bug would have been gone yesterday when my parents came in town for a visit, but alas no. Dad was forwarned about this and I really tried to rally because I didn't want to ruin their visit, but let's just say...I can't go back to Pottery Barn on North Avenue for a while. 

Here is a list of other things the stomach bug ruined for me this weekend:
  • Parent visit (the car ride to North Avenue was rough)
  • Brunch at Table Fifty-Two (parents wanted to go but it was rescheduled due to my stomach)
  • Brunch at Nordstrom Cafe (had to settle for a few spoonfuls of soup over my favorite salad ever and dessert)
  • Joy in shopping for cocktail dresses (swollen stomach = three-months preggers look)
  • Saturday morning breakfast (let's just say, I saw it again)
  • Excitement about friend's birthday dinner at Vermillion (I was scared my stomach wouldn't handle the food)
So while the stomach flu won the war, I was able to enjoy a cupcake at Molly's with my parents. I'll take what I can get.

And I'm pleased to say that there were no puppy kicking incidents during their visit. My stepmom was actually concerned about how I was doing, offering me water, soup and even breaks to sit and relax. Let's hope this trend continues!

Birthday P-I-M-P
After a full day with my parents, I gathered with friends to celebrate my buddy Liz's birthday. First up, dinner at Vermillion (Latin/Indian fusion) in River North. I'm open to trying new foods and I have to say, my coconut chili mussels did not disappoint. I even had the "fusion-style" ribs for dinner, and while they were good, it was a little too overseasoned/charred-looking for me. Yes, this probably isn't the best food to be feeding an unhappy stomach, but let's just say, we were seated near the bathroom in case I needed to get there.

And when it's your best friend's birthday, not even a stomach flu will keep you down.

Dinner was great and then we headed over to Hub 51, where a friend had a connection on the inside. What was supposed to be a table and drinks turned into a VIP booth at it's Sub 51 room downstairs, coat check, personal waitress and drink samplers. I won't lie, this was cool. And it got even cooler when our connection sent over a bottle of Snow Queen vodka (chilled of course) with Red Bull, tonic, soda water and cranberry juice, plus cans of Sofia's champagne in can and something called "a.m.," which I'm pretty sure could kill me if consumed in mass quantities. 

I am absolutely not a raging party girl or an active clubber, but it was cool to feel VIP for a few hours. And let me tell you, that waitress made a mean vodka cranberry and made hotpants look good again.

And let's just say, the women's bathroom was an interesting scene. I think my tweet of "Grey Goose-soaked cougar den..." says it all.

How was everyone else's weekend? I laid low today to prepare for Art Smith's Common Threads gala tomorrow night at the Museum of Contemporary Art. I'm not totally feeling my outfit for it, but it will do.

Reader shopping note:
Because so many of you asked about the dress and shoes from Thursday's post, I've included a link to each below:
  • Shoes: Nine West - Maytime heel (note: this is the style of shoe I'm planning to wear, but it's solid gold and not textured)

27 comments:

Living Dees Life said...

good to hear your feeling better!!

i'm sorry you got the flu at the wrong moment, it always happens that way doesn't it?

and definate cheers to VIP clubbin, altho i've never been myself! lol

Maxie said...

they sell champagne in a can?! haha

Anonymous said...

Don't forget the can of champagne came with a straw just like a juice box. The best kind of juice box. :) Thanks for coming out to celebrate even though you weren't feeling so great, it meant a lot!

alexa @clevelandsaplum said...

i've gotten bombed from that sofia champagne! sipping it with a straw is CLASSY, which is how i do it.

feel better me dear.

Mandy said...

Champagne in a can? Really now, who knew.

I hope you feel better soon! Thats a nasty bug, its gone around here too.

Pretty Unfamous said...

Oh no. I feel so bad that you got such a bad flu bug! I agree, knowing you're GOING to throw up is worth than actually throwing up. I had that feeling.

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

Cute dress & shoes!

Anonymous said...

sofia's champagne made me think that she should stick to the films and leave the rest of the family to the winemaking. really, i thought it was on par with her acting in the Godfather III. Okay, that's mean, I love her, just not the bubbles in a can.

Glad you're feeling better! :)

LWLH said...

Low key weekend...not much happened in these parts of the woods.

Andhari said...

HAHA true on that club scenes, luckily I love that one.

Brunch is a must also a key requirement to live by. You're a genius.

Where do you find champagne in a can?:)

The Modern Gal said...

I rarely have much delay between feeling like I'm going to throw up and actually throwing up. My body gives me like 30 seconds to decide where it's going to happen.

Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks said...

Being sick really does kill a weekend, doesn't it? We left a wedding on the early side this past weekend because I'm still sick (two weeks later). Sigh. Here's hoping you mend much more quickly than I have!

erin - heart in ireland said...

Besides being sick sounds like you had a fabulous weekend!

and champagne in a can? crazy! and that is awesome about the VIP booth!

thatShortchick said...

i am totally intrigued about the idea of champagne in a can.

Miss Merry said...

urgh, the stomach flu sounds awful! especially when you had so many fun things going on! hope you're feeling better!!

Anonymous said...

Hope you're feeling better!

I always seem to get sick on the weekends, it's no fun at all.

Anonymous said...

I SO want the Chicago poster on your Tumblr site. Love, love, LOVE!

LBluca77 said...

Champagne comes in a can? I have never seen it. That's funny though.

I hope you are feeling better.

Jenny Grace said...

I agree with all of your key learnings, but I have questions about this canned champagne.

Anonymous said...

I hope you're feeling better!

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry you've been so sick...I hope you're feeling much better by now. I went thorugh that a few weeks ago and I wholeheartedly agree with your first bullet point!!

The Eclectic Connoisseur said...

Oh, you poor thing. Stomach bugs are brutal! Congrats on the no puppy-kicking incidents this weekend. Champagne in a can? Sounds interesting. Hope you feel better soon!

Anonymous said...

I didn't know you had a tumbler, fun! Oh, and I really like those little cans (Coppola, right?). I had them at my bachelorette party and thought they were fun.

Anonymous said...

I hope you're ready to do it all over again this Friday :)

Katelin said...

seriously your weekends are so crazy sometimes i love it.

Rebekah said...

Nordstrom Cafe? Hey, I remember being sick there too! :o)

(So late in commenting because am so late catching up with the reader. Am re-writing The Brilliant Novel.)