Weekend recap: Girl time and movies

Happy Sunday everyone! Right now, Chicago is feels more like fall than July. Not only was I in jeans all weekend, but also the practice of carrying around a jacket is getting to be more of a tradition. Yes, a jacket during the day...in July. WTH?

Anyhow, let's talk about the weekend.

I'm fortunate that I have good girlfriends in the city. I had a good group before I started blogging and since then, I've been able to meet and make more good friends here. I'm really fortunate.

So before the BlogHer insanity starts this week, I engaged in one of my favorite things: girl bonding time.

That's right, lots of friend time that consisted of hanging out, catching up, gossiping and shopping. You know, the things we all love to do with our girlfriends.

On Saturday, Liz, Sarah and I went to Yolk in River North (new location) to have some brunch and catch up. Things are so crazy right now that I haven't had time to sit and really chat with them about what's new with everyone, how work is going, etc. All while indulging in some of Yolk's lovely strawberry-orange juice. Seriously, I would drink that stuff by the gallon.

Then it was off to Nordstrom for its Anniversary Sale. Seriously, I love Nordstrom so much, it's my happy place. And while basking in the joy of some of my favorite things on sale, I was also happy to not go above my budget. So I stocked up on MAC and Mario Badescu and treated to a pair of Kate Spade aviators (bad a**) and Diorshow mascara. I cannot wait to try it.

Then today, TC and I went to see 500 Days of Summer because I haven't talked to her a lot lately either. Seriously summers are just too busy!

Yes, the anticipation for the movie was so strong I nearly lost my mind, especially all the positive stuff I heard about it this week. I will say this, overall, I did like it, but it was not at all what I expected. I was muttering the word "b*tch" a few times and one part actually broke my heart a little bit but it was definitely good. That said, I am currently obsessed with the soundtrack and my have to start dancing around to Hall & Oates one night. So classic.

So in the end, I got to spend some good time with some of my friends, which always helps keep me sane and in check. Trust me, the know how to put me back into my place. And fortunately, I get to hang out with more awesome bloggers/ladies this week at the conference!

Oh and I also went on a date Saturday night, which was...interesting. Promise I won't keep you waiting too long, I'm working on that post now for tomorrow night!

How was everyone else's weekend? Did you see any movies? Or what are your favorite things to do with your girlfriends?

Note: Wow there are a lot of passionate Harry Potter fans out there! Holy cow. Erin is in the process of recruiting people to force me to start reading the books. I look forward to watching her fulfill this quest :)

The Twilight Club

Are you a member?

It amazes me how books can really bring people together and form little groups of people who have and haven't read the books. And if you haven't read them, you feel a little...left out.

I have not read ANY of the Harry Potter books, so I definitely know I'm not in that club but I am a proud member of the Twilight club.

But while we were in Vegas, Jamie and I were obsessing over Twilight, talking about our likes/dislikes about the series, our favorite books, thoughts on the movie and agreeing to disagree about Team Edward vs. Team Jacob.

And then I realized our roommate Allie was not contributing to discussion. Why? Because she hasn't read the series. For a moment I was shocked. Hasn't....everyone read those books? Or at least one?

But after further questioning to confirm she hasn't read it, Jamie and I clammed up and told her she had to check it out. The conversation immediately ceased because we also didn't want to ruin it for her, but deep down inside, we were bursting at the seams to keep the conversation going.

With the Twilight series, I've noticed that once you read the books and find others that have read the books, you LOVE to talk about anything and everything about them. And now that the New Moon trailer is out, it's time to start talking about it again.

The day after the trailer premiered, a co-worker and I spent 15 minutes on our lunch break dissecting it, in fact, I left a lengthy comment on one of my favorite blogger's post about the trailer, commenting on everything from the level of Jacob's buffness to the werewolf morphing. It's insane the amount of effort I put into that comment. I used bullets.

Yes, I'm a member of the Twilight club. In fact, I'm tempted to go back and re-read the first and last book because I know I missed pieces.

So while I will not be seeing Harry Potter in the near future and joining that club, I'm more than happy in my Twilight zone, basking in teenage love, angst and hot men with no shirts on that sparkle.

Oh and now that Allie is part of the club, we gave her the official Twilight club initiation. Trust me, it only hurts for the first minute. Give into it :)

Do you find that you obsess about and talk about books or movies that you love with friends or anyone else who had read or seen it? It definitely is a good ice breaker!

Or if you had to pick between Harry Potter or Twilight, which would you choose?

Summer movie fever!

First off, today was a sad day. Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson both passed away, the latter came as a total shock. Michael Jackson was definitely more relevant to me than Farrah but both are sad losses. Time to dig out my Thriller cassette tape. Oh yes, I said cassette.

Now back to our regularly scheduled post.......

I am a total movie fanatic. I love going to see movies, smuggling in candy and taking advantage of its free heat or AC during the winter or summer.

And now that we're almost half-way through the summer movie season, here are the movies I cannot wait to go see:

Public Enemies

Love Michael Mann and of course Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Bring it on! Plus it was filmed in Wisconsin :)

Time Traveler's Wife

This book broke a piece of me inside. That said, I'm curious how they will remake this. Plus Rachel McAdams is gorgeous!

Transformers 2 (woo hoo!)

Checking my brain at the door and watching lots of stuff get blown up. Awesomeness

500 Days of Summer

I'm obsessed with this trailer. I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt and there are musical numbers!

GI Joe

My brother had all the toys growing up, I think he's more excited about this than me. And there should be some sweet man eye candy too

Julie/Julia

Haven't read the book but I love Amy Adams and the trailer makes me want to learn to cook!

Funny People

Hopefully as funny as "Knocked Up" without being too long

Paper Heart

Cute story about falling in love. Cast looks great

Movies not on the list:

My Sister's Keeper

The book broke my heart, I know I won't be able to stop the tears. And I don't know how believable Cameron Diaz is as a mom

Harry Potter

I've never read any of the books or seen any of the movies. No lie!

On a quick side note, TC and I hit the movie theater last weekend and opted not to scan for guys but rather just enjoy the AC and relax.

We saw "Away We Go" and "The Hangover." I know, two TOTALLY different films.

First, "Away We Go" was great. I highly recommend it. My boyfriend John K was great and Maya Rudolph totally surprised me. She's matured well beyond SNL. Yes, John looks like Grizzly Adams (nothing a razor and scissors can't fix) but it was really well acted, written and directed. A great mix of happy and sad with some really funny scenes mixed in.

And "the Hangover," makes me look at my Vegas trip very differently! Boy it was tame in comparison. And it makes me want to go back to Vegas right now. The movie is absolutely hilarious, but slightly distasteful too. So go see it :)

What movies are you looking forward to seeing this summer? Any big plans for the weekend?

Randomness: fashion, movies, pop culture and food

I cannot believe it's Memorial Day. Seriously. Time is literally flying by. Eeeek!

I'm back in Wisconsin right now, indulging on a gluttonous mushroom Swiss cheeseburger on pretzel roll, washed down with beer. It's like heaven, but not.

So in honor of a much needed long weekend, I'm keeping it kind of light tonight with lots of bullets, links and pictures!

• I found a blog dedicated to Michelle Obama's fashion and I'm completely obsessed with it. I check it daily and follow it on Twitter too. I am totally in love with her fashion sense, well most of them (the below is not an example of that exception)

• Now that my office has moved to a "tastefully casual" dress code, I'm in need of new summer shoes. I went to Nordstrom Rack last weekend and bought these shoes, what do you think? Bedazzled gladiator sandals, somewhat
  
  
• I watched the 60 Minutes interview with Vogue editor Anna Wintour last weekend. She's rumored to have a $200,000 yearly clothing allowance. What would I do with that? Chanel for everyone! After some damage at JCrew

• Last week I also went to a sneak preview tour of the new Whole Foods in Lincoln Park. And it is MASSIVE. My mind was totally spinning while I walked around on my tour. It's such a great representation of Chicago's various neighborhoods. I cannot wait to go visit and eat my way around. Oh and it has a cheese/wine bar inside! Anyone in Chicago interested in joining me for a wine/cheese flight?

• The New Moon poster for Twilight saga is out. Personally, I liked New Moon and Eclipse a lot so I'm all for more Jacob, especially without that dead animal of a wig on his head. Oh and Rob said in Cannes that they will be making a movie out of Breaking Dawn. I cannot wait to see how they do that. Yeah if you've read it, you know what I mean
  
  
• I bought a necklace from the Gap (it just started carrying jewelry) and the tag made it clear it's not for kids. So I guess that means I shouldn't try to eat it and I should probably keep it away from me while intoxicated too

• I fully plan on grilling out with my dad this weekend. Fish, beef, chicken, you name it and we'll grill it. Everything tastes better on the grill!

• When I went shopping for my bedazzled gladiator sandals I caught this fashion fail at Nordstrom Rack. It's Rock & Republic, with an "e" at the front. Ouch.

Finally, I'm thinking of "sexing up" my little blog and moving from Blogger to Wordpress, but I'm a little scared. But that may mean my reader's need to update their feeds. It's not settled just yet, but if the feeds were to change, would you guys follow me? Bueller? Lie to me?

Well, I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend! Anyone have big plans or is anyone traveling? Safe travels to everyone!!

Oh and if any readers happen to live in the Southeastern Wisconsin area and will be around this weekend, let me know because I would LOVE to hang out with someone other than my parents for a little bit. Dad doesn't keep up with pop culture or fashion like me :)

Key learnings, fanny packs and hot men doing battle

Happy Sunday everyone! I am super excited because we had two consecutive days of no rain in Chicago. It makes me forget about running to the cab in a downpour on Friday.

And this is my last full week of work before I begin taking the insane amount of vacation time I've hoarded. Yes, that was not a good idea, but hey, let's hit the key learnings!

Key Learnings:

• "You can dress it up and slap a designer label on it, but it's still a fanny pack," you're right Cheryl, fanny packs are just wrong. Too bad we see so many of them downtown in summer

• Do not watch TV shows about home break ins at night when you are...home alone

• When random guys (including Frenchmen) hit on my friends, I get free things like drinks and food by association. Woo!

• Raspberry vodka is much better than pineapple vodka, especially on an empty stomach

• Putting a fried egg on just about any piece of food makes it better

• Crack is whack. Remember that when you bend over while wearing low-rise jeans

• Not collapsing a stroller on the bus is more obnoxious than tourists downtown

• I hate paying taxes and the smell of cigarette smoke, more than anything

• It's still satisfying to hear your parent's say "you were right"

• There is someone else who is actually deader inside than me

Hot men doing battle

I must be going into heat because right now, watching action movies on the weekend gets me all flustered. I just imagine they're fighting over me. Boys, there's plenty of me to go around, stop! Chris Pine, Hugh Jackman, let's all get along.

As a follow up to the Star Trek hotness from last weekend, my newly retired bloggy friend Cheryl and I went to see Wolverine today and my man Hugh Jackman didn't disappoint. 

There was even a sequence of him running nude. HELLO! I think my heart stopped for a minute. I had several minutes of quick flashes of his butt and lower torso. I almost blacked out from joy from the image too. Fortunately, I was fine, but him resuscitating me would have been helpful.

But since hot men don't travel alone, he had his merry cast of hot to semi-hot male back-ups, including Ryan Reynolds (whose "gun show" had major fire power, Scarlett you're so lucky) and Taylor Kistch from Friday Night Lights. Riggins! He's not as boozed up and man-whorey dirty in this movie, but still, I'd roll around in the dirt with him. Oh and of course, Liev Schreiber, who is still nice to look at, minus the mutton chops. Chops are meant to be eaten, not grow like a rash on your face.

I can't lie, there were some hammy parts and painfully obvious CGI, but it was good, mindless fun. And as the weather continues to get nice, I'll quote my friend Teresa who said, "I don't like to see movies that make me think." Right now, I concur.

Did everyone else have a great weekend?

Reader note: For everyone asking about Project Runway on Lifetime, it doesn't start until August 20 :( I thought it was supposed to start in June! Well I guess Top Chef Masters will have to do in the meantime.

Key learnings, Star Trek and pop culture commentary

Happy Sunday and Happy Mother's Day! Well, I've watched the Mother Lover video from last night's SNL far too many times and while it's inappropriate, I can't help but laugh. Let's just hope I don't sing it out loud at work tomorrow.

So let's hit the key learnings before I am moved to sing out loud again.

Key Learnings:

• Yes, you can be buzzed after only two beers (it's called "that time of the month" + low tolerance. Works every time)

• Going out on Friday night gets to be more difficult at the end of a long week

• Try to be subtle when asking if your friend is dating a guy you think is cute

• Boobs are fun to look at, but not if you're a woman out at the bar. I didn't order a side of boob with my beer

• It's always "beer-thirty" time somewhere

• Kate Gosselin is a cold-hearted b*tch, but damn those kids are cute

• I do not believe for a second that Kirstie Alley gained all that weight from butter

• It's easy to mishear the word "hair straightener" for "strainer." That or I'm going deaf

• Going shopping with friends is a must so you can get a verdict on clothing choices (it is the most honest opinion)

• No matter how many times I do it, eyebrow waxing always hurts. And it never helps when your "girl" tells you it's going to hurt more because you waited too long between visits

• Renter's insurance is a MUST HAVE. Two friends recently shared stories of either being robbed or knowing someone who was robbed, both without renter's insurance. If you don't have it, don't wait!!

Star Trek: The New Generation in Hotness

Oh yes, this weekend my buddy TC and I boldly went where few women have gone before...voluntarily to the new Star Trek movie. And it was ab fab! I even teared up once (I'm a sap).

Yes, we packed into a crowded afternoon showing of the movie and began to watch the Trekkies stream in, while each eyeing which male moviegoer that could become future Mr. Jess and Mr. TC.

One guy's shirt identified him as a "future astronaut" (promising!) while another man had a shirt that said "beam me up Scottie" (ambiguously cosmopolitan!). 

So while I'm a huge JJ Abrahms fan (loved Felicity and Alias, and of course, LOST), I won't lie, I mostly went for the eye candy.

Trust me, the USS "Hottie" Enterprise can beam me up any day. I'm ready now! Let me just grab my purse.

I just didn't like that Chris Pine was beat up so much. Hit him below the neck! That's valuable merchandise up there! Oh let's be honest, watching him get ruffed up was hot. And Zachary Quinto had a certain...hidden preppy charm. Talk Vulcan to me baby. I'm listening.

I have nothing to contribute to Star Trek history, storylines or Romulan genealogy, but let me just say this, I like watching attractive men do battle on the screen, so bring it on! Oh and Winona Ryder, I missed you!

How was everyone else's weekend? Did you do anything fun for Mother's Day? Or did you see any good movies this weekend to recommend?

Key learnings, reality show filming and trekking for food

Happy Sunday! It was a great weather weekend in Chicago, mostly because the sun was out and not drop of rain. I even pulled out all the new spring clothes so I can start wearing them ASAP.

So while I'm mentally delaying the start of another week, let's hit the key learnings.

Key Learnings:

• I hate the sound of car horns honking. HATE it

• The two of the most distinctive sounds are: glass shattering and someone's car being hit (people sure don't like that)

• Netflix needs to start sending me happier movies. My latest selections: The Reader, The Wrestler, Rachel Getting Married and Doubt. Geez

• Mussels and fried eggs are my new favorite foods, along with gnocchi

• A beer headache is not a good way to start a Friday, especially when you have work to do

• Adjusting yourself in public is never appropriate or appreciated by women

• I am obsessed with taking pictures of flowers

• E! producers are serious when they say "no flash photography"

• Muffin tops are out in full force and show no signs of stopping

• Even on a summer-like day, someone will always be outside wearing a down jacket

• I am SO tired of hearing about Swine Flu

• I really like having a Blackberry, which means, I can never go back to life without one

Reality Show Taping

Today I went to the gym and was greeted with a large "NOTICE" sign on the front door. 

Swine flu? No, turns out E! was there filming Bill and Giuliana Rancic's new reality show. And the notice was to tell us that by entering the premise, we consented to possibly being filmed. So despite my mismatched outfit, glasses and unwashed hair, I walked in and did my workout, sneaking away to watch some of the filming.

I even took a few photos of the filming (Mission Impossible-style) before I was caught and asked to stop by a swarm of not-so-happy producers. Dude, I'm a blogger, you can't stop me!!

Oh yeah and Saturday night I went to The Publican, rated by Chicago Magazine and TimeOut Chicago as the best new restaurant. And it was a decadence of pork and meat. Sarah and I trekked down to the West Loop to meet Ray for a lovely night out. And somewhere between the chef's selection of three hams, farm roasted chicken, frites with fried egg, and lemon and chocolate gelato, I died and went to heaven. My parents even gave me the third-degree about my dining experience, which means a return trip with them could be in my future. Plus, when you see a restaurant sign with pigs on it, you know it'll be good!

How was everyone else's weekend? Do anything fun? I hope the weather was as nice by you as it was here! We have so earned it!

Reader note: I really enjoyed everyone's comments on the "petite" post from Thursday. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only petite person out there that feels bittersweet about my height. Everyone was great to share their thoughts on this and I very much enjoyed them :)

Movies I quote on a regular basis

I am a total movie fanatic. I watch a lot of movies, go see movies on a regular basis and, well quote them just about every day.

You can incorporate any of the below tweets into your day: at the office, on the bus, driving, talking with friends, flirting with a guy. It's a solid conversation starter!

Oh and it's been a long week, which is why I'm keeping the topic light for everyone tonight.

So I thought I would share with everyone the movies I tend to quote regularly with friends, primarily my buddy Ryan and my brother. We're a regular comedy routine.

Actually I watch a lot of these movies when I need a laugh, or just feel like watching something that doesn't require a lot of thought.

"You know, a lot of people go to college for 7 years"

"I know, they're called doctors"

"That is so fetch!"

"I can't go out"

"Boo, you wh*re"

"Follow me or perish, sweatermonkeys!"

"When in Rome!"

"I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly"

"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

And of course, there is one TV show, outside of the Office, to add to the mix.

"I just blue myself"

"There's gotta be a better way to say that"

And of course, the latest addition to this quote list, "totes magoats" from I Love You Man.

What about everyone else? What movies or TV shows do you love to quote? Or even just love to watch for the one-liners. Let me know if I'm missing any!

Key learnings, thinking spring and movie marathons

I may have spoken too soon at the whole "thinking spring" thing because Chicago is supposed to get 1-3 inches of snow tonight. *Pause for my expletive tirade*

Moving on, while I pull out the snow boots for tomorrow, let's hit the key learnings.

Key Learnings:

• When in doubt, grilled cheese or mac and cheese is always a good lunch or dinner food option

• Before deviating from your grocery list, make sure you can handle carrying the extra indulgence (it can be a long walk if you can't)

• You can never eat just a few Swedish Fish, the bag will magically disappear

• Clive Owen is smoking hot

• Just because it's 50 degrees, doesn't mean you should wear flip flops or shorts. It's not that warm

• When a customer says she "needs a minute" to decide on products to buy, don't snort in disgust and dramatically walk away. It's rude b*tch

• Diets don't count on the weekends

• A beer on a Friday night tastes like sweet heaven (just like Chipotle)

• When your bus driver gets road rage, it's okay to hold on for dear life

• Not everyone wears make up on the weekends, don't stare at them for doing so

• Any meal with cheese on it is going to taste good. Same with bacon

• The weather report is a key indicator as to the "need" to shave your legs for the upcoming week

Movie Marathon: 

Lately, I've been watching a ton of movies. It's my go-to for stress relief, after the gym and eating my weight in ice cream or candy. 

Netflix hasn't been sending me the best selection lately so I've started going to the theater again and hitting up Redbox near my house.

In the last two weekends, I've watched the following movies:

• Twilight
• Australia
• Slumdog Millionaire
• Pineapple Express
• Marley & Me
• X-Files: I Want to Believe
• I Love You Man
• Duplicity

As you can see, I've been busy.

Marley & Me was my big must-see this weekend. I stalked Redbox twice on Friday and finally got it, with tissues ready and everything. I have to say, I'm not a huge pet person, but the tears did flow. Not convulsing sobs but steady tears. And it was nice to see Owen Wilson move away from the man-boy movies.

Oh and thanks to I Love You Man, my new phrase is "totes magoats." So funny. The only movie from this list I don't recommend seeing is X-Files. Bad movie. Disgrace to the TV show.

Speaking of TV, what's up with Gossip Girl going on hiatus until the end of the month? WTF? And the Hills is starting again, which means I can go back to watching Spencer be a d-bag and Stephanie be a doormat. Lucky me.

So I know this post was a little boring, but hey, I had a relaxing weekend so there isn't anything overly juicy to share!

What did everyone else do this weekend? See any good movies or watch some basketball? Or what movies are coming up that you want to see? Discuss!

The Desert Island game

Okay, I'm in final prep for a busy weekend full of birthday parties and weddings, so I'm keeping this one light tonight.

I love the Office and in season two's episode, "The Fire," Jim and everyone play a game called, "Desert Island," where they list the top five movies, books, television shows they would bring with them to a desert island. Oh and I have a little version of the other game they played "who would you do?" too at the end ;)

So to kick off the weekend, I thought I would play this game with all of you!

Here are my answers:

Movies:

• Tommy Boy
• Casino
• Enchanted
• Bridget Jones' Diary
• Love Actually

Books/Magazines:

• Anything by Jennifer Weiner or Emily Giffin
• Vanity Fair (makes me feel smart)
• People
• Us Weekly (I need my gossip)
• Twilight series

Television shows:

• Office (yeah, that's not a surprise)
• Arrested Development
• 90210 (original version)
• O.C.
• Colbert Report

Now the question is: Who would you rather do? (aka "hook up" with)

1. John Krasinski - Robert Pattinson

2. George Clooney - Brad Pitt

3. Jon Hamm - Joe Jonas

4. Larry the Cable Guy - Stewie

My answers: 1 - John Krasinski, 2 - George Clooney, 3- Jon Hamm, 4 - Um, do I have to pick?

I'm curious to read everyone's answers! 

This weekend is the wedding I mentioned yesterday and Miss Jamie's birthday. I'll have pictures and stories to share!

What is everyone else up to this weekend?

Exceptions to my dead inside nature

I may be dead inside, but I still cry during certain books or movies. I'm really not a big crier but sometimes certain moments or scenes just really get me and I've become so engrossed in a character or story that a turn of events just hits me hard.

And because I have grown exceptionally sappy in my late 20s, I still can't control the urge to cry from certain movies and books.

So here is a list of books, movies, etc. that have made me cry. Two of them in particular made me cry so hard that I had to stop watching/reading, get myself together and then go back to finish it.

Steel Magnolias

The funeral scene gets me every time. D*mn you Sally Field!

Terms of Endearment

The last quarter of the movie make me cry every time. D*mn you Shirley MacLaine!

Bridges of Madison County

I can't believe I am admitting that I cried reading this book. Shame

Time Traveler's Wife

One word: SOB. Another two words: convulsing sobs

Eclipse (book #3 in the Twilight series)

I might have been hormonal when reading the end of this, but I cried so hard I couldn't fall asleep afterward

Titanic

Outside of the cheesiness, the ending was sad, seriously

Armageddon

The scene with Bruce Willis and Liv Tyler gets me. Breaks my heart

My Girl

Loved this movie and the funeral scene, just heartbreaking

So what have I learned from this. I am a S-A-P, much like I'm a S-I-S-S-Y. You may not agree with me on all of these, but there are a few that, well, if you didn't cry, you're the one who is dead inside. Kidding!

Updated: I forgot to add too that I'm a nasty crier. Like my face gets all red, eyes are puffy and makeup runs. During Juno, another movie I cried in, tears started and when my friend Liz looked over at me, I actually said, "look away!" like I was a monster.

What books or movies make you cry every time you watch/read them?

Well tomorrow if Friday and I am wicked excited about this weekend. That's right, wicked. 

Be sure to check back for a full weekend key learnings recap, which should be interesting because on Saturday, Chicago celebrates St. Patrick's Day! Let me know you are all doing anything fun to celebrate.

Tidbit Thursday

So my last post was a little heavy topic-wise, I thought I would lighten it up a little today with some fun bullets!

Let's check out what's noodling around in my noggin.

• Over the weekend, I bought a summer dress from JCrew for 10.25 percent off (no sales tax.) And I am LOVING it. Even though I've only worn it in my apartment because...it's not summer outside...yet, I cannot wait for it to warm up so I can wear it. The dress is a shorter version of this one in chocolate brown

• And because I'm weak, I also bought more JCrew argyle socks, which I'm am obsessed with. I have four pairs now and have my eye on two more pairs. I don't know why I'm obsessed with it, but I feel like it allows me to indulge my inner preppy personality...and I like it!

• For some reason, I have been very forgetful lately, which is unlike me. I can remember very random things about anyone. My recent incidents include: running into walls, nearly missing dentist appointments and forgetting parties I've RSVP'ed for. It appears as though my mind is scattered

• Tomorrow starts Chicago Restaurant Week and I am so excited I could spit. For one week each year, select Chicago restaurants open their doors and serve prix fixe lunches and dinners for $22 and $32 respectively. This year I'm going to four restaurants: Prosecco, Carnivale, Le Colonial and Coco Pazzo. Expect pictures from the first two places on Sunday

• Speaking of Sunday, it's Oscar time and my work is doing a pool. Fortunately, I just got my Oscar edition of Entertainment Weekly so I'm ready to put my $2 in and vote. Keep your fingers crossed that I win!

• Also, I'm f*cking TIRED of this winter weather. Today was minus zero again with the wind chill and now another winter storm is heading our way. I've lived in the Midwest my entire life, but suddenly, warmer, non-winter climate is lookin' real good

• I'm still puzzled by a man at the gym who was headbanging to his iPod one minute and then admiring himself in the mirror while moving his hips in Shakira-like fashion. People at my gym are weird

Oh and here is the picture of me holding the Oscar that I mentioned in Sunday's post. I want to thank my dad, family and of course, myself. I could not have done it without you!

Does anyone else have big plans for the weekend?

Also, since the Oscars are Sunday, I will be featuring the best/worst dressed stars on Monday. Feel free to prepare yourself for the lack of mercy I will show by checking out my past SAG and Golden Globes recaps.

Reader note: Thank you to everyone for your great comments on Tuesday's cheating post. I really appreciate everyone sharing their personal stories and thoughts on it. It was really interesting to read  everyone's opinion on it.

Also, I'll post the winner to the BOCA Balanced Living giveaway on Sunday too!

Key Learnings, Sephora temptation and Oscar movies

I hate to say it, but I love global warming. After a painfully long January and cool February start, Saturday was by far the best day in awhile. Temps in the 50s? In February? In Chicago?

Whatever is causing it, I'll take it. I love opening up the windows to air out my apartment. I also sleep a lot better with fresh air too. And now the weather is more mild this week? Holy cow, I'm not complaining. I love it! 

So now let's close the weekend with some key learnings.

Key Learnings:

• Quitting drinking during the week is tougher than starting to drink during the week

• Before going on a wild goose hunt, always call stores ahead of time to make sure they stock the item you're searching for

• Man furs, especially man fur vests, will always draw looks from a crowd (and giggles)

• Just because it's 50, doesn't mean you should be out in shorts and leggings with T-shirts. Let's not get too crazy

• A real gentleman will carry your obnoxiously large Crate & Barrel bags for you while walking through a crowd

• Low-key Friday and Saturday nights are a nice change of pace once in awhile

• Couches have a magical healing power to help you relax and feel better if you're sick

• Scalp massages always feel nice when getting your hair done

• All salons should provide wine to customers. It makes paying much easier

• The best mimosa's are 10 percent OJ and 90 percent champagne

• It's okay to be afraid of pigeons. They do get uncomfortably close in the city

Sephora love

Although I'm watching my spending, I decided to budget a little money for a treat and headed to Sephora on Saturday. My goal was get something practical and economical, not crazy. Trust me, I would love to roll around in eyeshadow and blush shades, but I need to keep it real too. Sephora is a girl's playground. Rows of make-up with a generous return policy, it's a win-win.

My only complaint is that there is never enough staff around to help. I end up having to track people down or wait for them to finish helping another customer, which ends up taking forever. Saturday, I had to answer my own questions, which left me with two hands full of foundation and concealer tests. I now have makeup all of my jacket too thanks to the tests.

In the end, I left with two items: Smashbox Under Eye Brightener and Clinique "All About Eyes" concealer. The only one I'm not 100 percent sure about is the concealer but I look forward to playing with both!

The Oscars

The Oscars are about two weeks away and I'm back to my one-movie-every-weekend routine. This weekend, a friend and I saw Gran Torino. It was shut out from the Oscars, but it was still good. I don't know if I'll get to see the Reader or Benjamin Button before the big show, but I don't think that will change up my pool too much.

How was everyone else's weekend? What movies do you still need to see before the Oscars? Or what one do you refuse to see until it's on DVD/Netflix?

Movie fail: Cult films I've never seen

One of my guy friends quotes movies all the time, and between you and me, I've only seen about a handful of the ones he's talking about. But I would never tell him that. I don't want to endure the long diatribe of why I need to rent them and how could I have never seen that movie? More trouble than it's worth, so I laugh and lie to him.

But this got me to thinking about a list in college that I made of "essential movies" (determined by my guy friends) that I needed to see. Yeah from this list, I've seen only a handful of them and the "absolute essential" list remains untouched.

Looks like it's time to update the Netflix queue. So here is my list of movies, including some cult classics, I've never seen. 

Movies I've never seen (but apparently should):

• Fight Club

• Swingers

• Animal House

• Lord of the Rings trilogy

• This is Spinal Tap

• Fletch (I've only seen half)

• Clerks (again, only seen half)

• Rocky Horror Picture Show
  

• Blade Runner

• Blues Brothers (being from Chicago, this is a tough one to own up to)

• Scarface

Feel free to join in on the teasing or let me know what movies you've never seen or that you're afraid to admit to never seeing. There is no judgement here. Take a look at my list!

Well everyone, tomorrow I am off to Union Station to jump on the Amtrak home for the holiday. I hope everyone travels safe and has a very good Thanksgiving. I plan on indulging in the Elegant Farmer apple pie myself.

I'll be back on Friday with a post about my post-Thanksgiving shopping. More deals, no mercy!

Reader note: Wow, thank you everyone for the comments on yesterday's dating "cut off" ages. A lot of really interesting and great comments. I also enjoyed the man perspective on this too. I'm glad to know I am not alone in having something like this and I agree with many of you that compatibility matters a lot when picking the person you date, not just age.

Key Learnings, Twilight and holiday lights

Thanksgiving is less than a week away now and I cannot wait to go home, put my comfy pants on for the holiday and let grandma get her annual insult in at the family meal. Happy Thanksgiving to us!

So let's recap my weekend because it was pretty productive. Trust me, it surprised me too.

Key Learnings:

• Chicago bloggers are awesome (actually, I already knew that - it's a fact)

• Sangria tastes yummy but can give you a serious headache

• Any bar with beer pong is okay by me! (although I'm better at flip cup)

• Baked mac and cheese tastes like heaven on a cold night

• Brunch with awesome blog friends is a great way to start your Sunday

• Standing in flower beds on Michigan Avenue is acceptable, as long as you don't kill foliage

• Sometimes tourists need to learn the "Chicago way" the tough way

• It's always good to act like a kid again, within reason

• Everyone should dedicate at least two hours on a Sunday to lounging on the couch with mindless television

• Reading books takes a lot of time away reading other things....like magazines, which leads them to make a large stack on your coffee table

Twilight: The Movie (spoiler-free)

So this little movie called Twilight opened on Friday. I think it's based on a popular book, but I'm not sure. I'm not a big reader :)

Anyhow, the movie has gotten a lot of mixed reviews, but my curiosity was getting the best of me so I had to go check it out, and hopefully avoid screaming teens. In my late 20s, I'm not in the mood for it.

When the movie was finally done, I had one thought. It was only....okay. 

I knew it wouldn't be a good as the books or as vivid as my imagination of the characters, but I honestly expected a little more.  Despite the slight deviations from the book storyline, I was a little disappointed. 

The angst was too much as was the hamminess of several scenes, but the one major, overarching issue I had with the movie was the casting of Rosalie and Carlisle. They just did not work for me. But Robert Pattinson is still good looking and Bella is how I envisioned her, so that was good.

My verdict: Read the books before seeing the movie

Lighting up Michigan Avenue

One of my first memories of Chicago was the lights on Michigan Avenue. Just before Thanksgiving, the city celebrates the lighting of one million lights on the Mag Mile to kick off the holiday season. 

We never came down for the lighting, but every year after Christmas, dad and I would come down to shop the post-holiday sales and see the trees lit up. I vividly remember walking down Michigan Avenue looking at all the lights, which were mesmerizing for a kid from Wisconsin. 

I look forward to this every year and now that I live in Chicago, I go every year to watch the city turn on the lights. This year wasn't as cold, which meant more people piled downtown. I'm a little sensitive to crowds after the Obama rally, but it was still fun, and after some prodding, Liz and I ended up standing in a flower bed on Michigan Avenue to enjoy the parade. No foliage was hurt and we got some awesome pictures. Here's one:

How was everyone else's weekend? Let me know what you thought of Twilight too, it sounds like I might have just been too picky :)

Reader note: Thanks everyone for your mascara tips. I need to write them all down and take the list with me to the store! I love hearing what other products people use. I'm also glad to see that I'm not the only Gap holiday ad fanatic or think it's too early for holiday decorations to be out. But after Friday, game on!

Key learnings, prowlin' and randoms

It's Sunday again and in Chicago, we have gale-force winds outside, which are gusting up to 50 m.p.h at times. So earlier today, I rescheduled my regular walk because I was nearly blown over from the strong winds (and to blow me over, that has to be a strong). Now, I'm sitting here and looking back on my weekend, enjoying a Honey Crisp apple (my favorite fall treat).

Please join me on my learning expedition.

Key Learnings

• Channeling E.T., Rocky and the Unabomber when dressing for your weekly walk will get you strange looks on the street

• There is no shame in hiding your favorite purse under your coat to protect it from the rain, even if you look ridiculous

• If you can help it, don't come home to a messy apartment after a long day

• Volunteering can actually be fun

• When in doubt a milkshake or chocolate donut will make you feel better

• It's okay to nap before going out to the bars, even if you're in your late 20s

• When it's cold out, fashion doesn't matter. Wear a proper coat and keep the cute outfit on underneath (example, a gold lame, backless dress with a chain back is not appropriate when it's 40 degrees outside)

• Carpenter jeans do still exist and still make your butt and hips look big

• No matter how cold it is, ice cream always tastes good

• The "Sex and the City" movie, even on second watch, wasn't any better than the first time I saw it

• The lack of available champagne at my salon is unacceptable

• Beer hungover is better than wine hungover

• Prowlin' is fun, when there are guys to be on the prowl for

Prowlin'

Yes that's right, Cheryl and I went "prowlin'" Saturday night for guys...because I still have to make out with three of them this year. 

We got dressed up and went out in Lakeview, but unfortunately I missed the memo that this weekend everyone was going to be out of town. It's like those weekends in college when everyone goes home and you don't and there is no real reason (like a holiday) why everyone is gone. Two unpacked bars, three beers and two vodka tonics later, it was time to call it a night. 

Guess we'll have to try prowlin' another time. Watch out guys! I was unsuccessful in my makeout mission now but that will not always be the case.

Randoms

I completely forgot to mention that I was able to do a mini-bloggy meet-up last week with D from All Things G&D. A Madtown, Wisconsin blogger, we got together for dinner at Grand Luxe Cafe (with a window seat) and had a lovely time chatting. It was so nice to talk Wisconsin, design, blogging, work and shopping. Plus, I introduced her to my "happy place" aka Nordstrom's and its shipping policy to Wisconsin. I cannot wait to meet up with her again and go shopping!

Finally, I finished Twilight today, after going on a marathon reading session this afternoon. I've been delinquent in my reading because of my legwarmer mission, but fortunately reading is back on now! Overall, I liked the book and I'm curious to see what happens in the next installment. Fortunately, it's an easy read, but I thought it definitely got more interesting in the last several chapters of the book. Promise, no spoilers but so far it's good :)

How was everyone else's weekend?

Trip down movie memory lane

This weekend, I watched "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and I'll be honest, it wasn't great. Compared to the originals movies, it used way too much CGI and everything had "soft lighting." I mean, come on. 

Anyhow, this movie and my yearning for a "Raiders of the Lost Ark" DVD got me thinking about movies that had a big impact on me...for more than one reason. Many of them are not recent, but whenever I see them on television, I am compelled to watch because it reminds me of being a kid.

• Raider's of the Lost Ark - Harrison Ford when he was younger = smoking hot. Let's just say this movie was released during formative years and I thought tall men were as dashing and looked as good in a fedora with a whip, meow!


• Aliens - Scared me beyond belief and made me scream out loud like, well a little girl in the theater


• Jaws - Yep this movie has made me scared of the water, including bathtubs

• The Muppet Movie - I grew up on "The Muppet Show" so I'll always love Jim Henson, but I used to hide behind my parents big brown chair when Animal got big near the end. There is something about Miss Piggy though that makes me laugh


• Star Wars - I wasn't born yet when this came out in theaters, but I do remember watching it in my stepmom's basement on Christmas Eve as a teenager thinking, whoa this is cool. And again, Harrison Ford = hot (but in need of a better haircut)


• E.T. - This is the first movie I ever saw in the theaters and of course, I hid behind my hands most of the time

• Back to the Future - I don't remember if I saw this in the theater, but it sure made time travel fun, and of course introduced me to the words "flux capacitor," which I thought was real. And, of course, who doesn't love Huey Lewis? 

Okay these are probably the cliched choices (minus the Muppet Movie) but I vividly remember a strong emotional reaction to each. But looking back on my list, three or four of these movies scared me in some way, so maybe that just goes to show I'm a sissy, scardey cat.

And while it's not movie-related, my first real teenage celebrity crush was Luke Perry. I used to have pictures of him from Bop and Teen Beat magazines on my wall. Jason Priestley was a close second. Look how adorable and tortured they look!

Oh and what the heck, I'll throw this in too to see if anyone remembers her....

I used to LOVE watching her cartoon on Saturday morning, dancing along. Plus her name is similar to mine so I used to call myself "Jem." It sort of sounds like Jess. I was so misguided. But this video brought back some serious memories.

So what movies hold special memories for you?

My lots of love list

It's way past by bedtime (yes, it's only 10:30 p.m. - sad) so I'm shamelessly copying this idea from some great bloggers I know because at the end of a long week, as I get ready to kick-start the weekend, I want to take a step back and focus on things that I love. Some things on this list might be cheesy, but I'm having a sincere moment here.

Yes, there is a lot of love on this blog tonight.

So without further ado, here is my inaugural love list.

Smell of fresh laundry - leaves falling - breaking the spine on a new book - opening up new lip balm - watching a thunderstorm - going for walks - getting a good song on my iPod shuffle setting - smell of home cooked food - someone giving me a honest compliment - laughter - hugs  - someone brushing my hair - drinks with good friends - chocolate cake - watching movies - reading a good magazine - cashmere - wrapping a soft scarf around my neck - knitting - dancing to loud music - prancing around my apartment in high heels - playing dress up - kissing a baby's soft cheeks - quiet Friday nights - snow crunching beneath my feet - playing in puddles - taking pictures - a good steak - champagne - watching the Badgers - the sound of a perfectly hit golf ball - sound of a tennis ball hitting the sweet spot - fresh cut flowers - air conditioning on a hot, humid day - guys in a nice, tailored suit - smell of leather shoes - feel of newly dyed hair - ice cream - breeze blowing through the trees - kisses on the cheek - The Colbert Report - sweatpants - having a "lay down" - watching a movie, wrapped in a blanket - Dancing/pretending that I know how to - the "smell of fall" - jumping into a warm bed at night - curling up with a warm bowl of soup - fires in the fireplace - ironing - sound of rain - spending time with my good girlfriends

Oh yeah, I have one more to add on here too. Relaxing on a Friday night with a movie, People magazine and a Pepsi. That's my plan for tomorrow night. I cannot wait! Plus I have a friend's birthday party this weekend so a "night in" would be nice, considering there will be shenanigan's galore on Saturday.

Next week I'll also recap the bloggy event that I went to tonight that was hosted by the 3-A-Day of Dairy program. (To disclose, 3-A-Day is one of my company's clients). Not only was it a good time with cheese, but also I got to meet some awesome Chicago bloggers, like Erin and Laura!

Almost TGIF time! Does anyone else have fun plans this weekend? At some point this weekend I need to transition out my summery clothes to fall ones. It's bittersweet.

My Sex and the City Saturday

***Note: this post does not contain spoilers***

So I did it, I went and saw Sex and the City today - even though it is an insanely gorgeous day in Chicago today. Ripe with tourists.

Let's get to the good stuff first, then I'll explain about my overall moviegoing experience on this one - it's a gem.

My thoughts on the movie

As a pretty big fan of the TV show, I was overall happy with the movie. It was great to see the characters again and of course, because I love fashion, I was half there to ogle the clothes too. The clothes, especially the handbags, were insane, just as I hoped they would be. I found myself near biting my hand - particularly at a few Louis Vuitton and Chanel bags - because they were so pretty.

I'm glad I saw the movie, but I won't lie - part of me was expecting something a bit more. While the fashion and "labels" were great, it seemed like it indulged a bit to much in product placement. Example, the Sprint phones and shopping bags proudly displaying Versace, Louis Vuitton and and Chanel. Hey I love labels but don't drown me in it. They never did to that extent on the show so it was more of a distraction in the movie. But, as always, I love the friendship between the women. I hope my close friends would do many of the same things that they do for each other for me.

I won't see the movie again until DVD but overall it's a solid choice. Oh an you don't need to be a long-time fan of the show to jump in the movie - although it probably wouldn't hurt.

My moviegoing experience

This was actually the most fun part of the last two days. So because of my poor planning, all of last night's showings in Chicago were sold out - like a week ago. Crazy! I was forced, literally, to see it today, even though I'm sure a few women would have scalped tickets.

I go over to the AMC around 5:30 to get my Saturday tickets and I was shocked by the sheer number of women camped out for their evening shows. At 5:40 p.m. there was a line of 40-50 women waiting for the 7 p.m. show! Women running up the escalator to meet friends or get in line, squealing and giggling and hugging when they finally got in line. There was a lot of estrogen and sheer hormone power in that lobby last night. I can only imagine what the inside of the theater experience was like.

People watching

I love this part of living in the city because no matter what, there is always something new that you see.

I think it's really cool that people were dressing up to go to the movie theater because, when does that happen anymore? But, I think some people were confused about how to embody the SATC show when going to see it. 

For example, while leaving the theater last night, a woman was stumbling in the street because of her insanely bedazzled shoes with the plastic heel. Not exactly Manolo's but okay. The kicker had to be the polyester/rayon-blend one-shoulder dress that was Saran Wrapped to her body. Again, not Chanel but okay. The best part of the entire package wasn't even the holey Old Navy sweater jacket she wore over this ensemble, but rather it was the "colorful" conversation she was having with someone on the phone. I'll save the details but the words, "c*cksucker," and "motherf*cker" were used several times. Classy. Definitely a Samantha.

Then today, a row of women were there together, celebrating the movie, which is great. It wasn't until about halfway through the movie, following a lot of "oh no he didn't," and "you go girls" that I hear glass clinking. GLASS. These women smuggled in champagne and real glasses to the movie! OMG! Then when one got really excited during the movie, we heard one of those glasses break. Oops. Everyone from that row promptly left the theater at the credits.

So that's my SATC Saturday, what did everyone else think? I'm sure the blogosphere is exploding about this so I'm curious to hear other people's thoughts.

Now it's time for a nice smoothie from Bobtail and a little more sun on my pasty skin. 

Movies! Action! Chicago!

This is another reason why I love Chicago in the summer - movie magic! Being a movie buff myself, I can't help but stare as they film movies and TV shows around the city, peeking at the make-up trailers and getting giddy when you see the cameras being set up. It's awesome.

So on this movie-themed post, we'll start with Tyler, my cube-neighbor Laura's boyfriend, who is an up-and-coming actor I can now say I met "back in the day." He came to the office today for a visit while he's in town in the ridiculously cold Midwest and I was more than anxious to meet him. Laura keeps me posted on his acting auditions and gigs, one of which recently included an episode of NCIS. I tease her that if he gets a role on The Office that I'm pretending to be her to go visit the set...but I'm actually not kidding.

Unfortunately, Tyler didn't bring a headshot for me (which I might later sell on eBay when he's in Cannes as a superstar) but I slipped him my card so hopefully it's in the mail once he's back (wink wink.)

So check out the NCIS episode About Face, which I had to link to because CBS.com sucks and won't let me embed it. FYI there's an ad in the beginning so don't jump away too quickly.

Tyler is in the opening scene and he's the guy in the elevator who is super cocky and doesn't talk first in the scene, he's the "other guy." In real life, he's cute, charming, got a great laugh and he smells awesome. Those are all good things in a boy. My cube-neighbor Laura's got a good one. And seriously, he smells really good. Really good.

As I mentioned before, a movie is being filmed in the city again, and today the trailers were lined up on lower Wacker and along the river. I think it's the Johnny Depp movie, because that's the only one still in the city now, according to the Film Office at least.

But yeah, movie magic in Chicago. Since I've lived here I have been able to see the filming of the Break-Up with Vince Vaughn on the river, Flags of Our Fathers at the Drake (they made it rain on one block!) and Fred Claus again with Vince Vaughn on Michigan Avenue. That one was the coolest because I was on a bus going by as they were preparing to film and he was right there. 

Being a film buff and watching them be filmed is awesome thing I never get tired of. It's another plus of living in the super-cool city, almost makes up for the exorbitant food and gas prices here. Not really.