Summa, Summa, Summa-time drinks

It's FINALLY summer here in Chicago.  And because we don't have a car and use public transportation, we have the luxury of having pre-drinks before heading out to the street festivals that go on every weekend.

Here are few of my favorite new drinks.

Wine Enthusiast gave X-Rated Fusion Liqueur a 96 out of a 100 point rating in the Best Buy category (May 2008 issue).

Here's what they had to say:
"Attractive foggy pink/rose color. The bouquet is highly perfumed with intense fragrances of orange peel, passion fruit, and mango pulp, with a backnote of spice. Entry is lusciously tart and fruit, displaying an ideal balance between the alcohol base, acidity, and fruit. Finishes impeccably balanced, clean and juicy. Bravo!

 

 X-Rated Fusion Liqueur with:

* Sierra Mist

* Lemonade

* Prosecco

Be creative!

Wow, we just tried this at our first Jimmy Buffett concert.  Our friend, Kelsey, mixed this with Coke (Coke Zero, Diet, Pepsi, etc), and I kid you not, it tastes and even SMELLS like Dr. Pepper!

Winner!

And lastly, I've always been a big fan of Asti (sweet and bubbly, perfecto!), but my friend AnnaMaria introduced me to the Rose.  Just as delish.  Drink it straight out of the bottle and enjoy!  The Prosecco is the least sweetest and is great as a mix.  Enjoy!

For the Record:

Hopefully, all of you just finished watching the 201o BET Awards like me! Well, if not, I'm sure you'll be able to YouTube performances tomorrow, but until then, I want to set the record straight. Everyone is voting on the best performance of this year's show, and I must admit there were many outstanding performances with a line-up of celebs such as Chris Brown, Usher, Yolanda Adams, Kim Burrell, Ludacris, Diddy, Kanye, and ALICIA KEYS! But, everyone is saying Chris Brown gave the best performance. I disagree! Normally, I would have hands down said that Alicia Keys was the best performance of the night. And, don't get me wrong...she certainly brought the elegance, soul, and sexiness that only Alicia can bring. BUT, right after her performance Patti LaBelle performed a rendition of Prince's "Purple Rain" as a lifetime tribute to him and it was beyond spectacular. This R&B Queen sings from the depths of her soul, and you can feel the vibrations of her voice long after she stops singing (and I was even watching from home...I can't imagine what she sounded like live!). So, my vote goes to Patti tonight! So much class and such a moving performance!

La Créme de la Créme of Summer 2010!

I love nice candles and I also think candles make a home feel warmer. The scent of a candle can change the whole mood of your house, and I much prefer the smell of a candle to aerosol air freshener or the "plug-in" versions. So, needless to say I'm always on a search for the right candle. I've experimented with a lot of candles and enjoy a nice essential oil candle or a simple scent that is not too overbearing. But, recently, at Wholefoods I found the perfect candles! The brand is Wick'd Bean. These candles are made from 100% natural soybeans coupled with botanical oils. I have two very favorites scents: Coconut or Cilantro Pineapple. These candles burn evenly and they exude a very even beautiful scent. They make nice gifts too!

Another great find at Wholefoods (also carried at Bristol Farms) is my new favorite cracker/crisp. Well, I feel like I'm demoting this fine snack by calling it a cracker, but I'm at a loss for another descriptor. At any rate, if you are a person who loves certain foods for texture you will love this snack! The Lesley Stowe Raincoast Crisp is to die for! With several flavors each one is this perfectly thin crisp with a mix of salty and sweet ingredients that is hand made/baked. These crisps come in several flavors: Original, Rosemary Raisin Pecan, Cranberry Hazelnut, Fig and Olive, Salty Date and Almond (MY FAV!), and Cinnamon Raisin. For one box of these delicious crisps I paid $7 at Wholefoods and $8 at Bristol Farms. And, if you open the box and want to ensure the crispy-ness stays in tact, I take the remaining crisps out of the package and store in a ziploc, but the box also says you can heat them up in the oven to re-crisp them!

And, for those of you not inclined to drink regular milk for whatever reason, may I recommend Almond Milk?! Seriously, I don't drink milk because it is too heavy and I don't feel good after consuming dairy products. So, I've spent a lot of time trying out many brands of soy milk and rice milk. I like soy, and when at a coffee shop I always order my coffee with soy milk, but too much soy is not a good thing. This is true especially for women because soy is a natural source of estrogen, and unless your body is in need of more estrogen, too much soy can throw off your natural hormonal balance. And, I don't really care for rice milk because it is too watery. BUT, I have found my new best friend: Almond Milk! I prefer Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla or Original Almond Milk. And, the best part is that this milk is very creamy and it only has 40 calories in 8 ounces! Yep, you must try it! Oh, and did I mention 1 quart at Trader Joe's is just $1.99?!

au naturale nails, magnifique!

It was that time again to color my hair today (saving that for another blog) and I didn't have a bottle to mix it up in. Lucky for me, I only live about 5 blocks away from Sally Beauty Supply and it was a gorgeous day for the walk at 8:30 am.

The "problem" with Sally's is that I go in for one thing, and walk out with at least 5. Today was no exception. But I guess if there's any store for that to happen, I should be thankful that it's Sally's because I can always try something new and it's all very affordable. Plus, they have a great return policy, so hold to your receipts!

If you are a frequent Sally shopper, you should think about buying investing in their membership that costs $5.00. For all their products, on their sticker label, there are typically 2 prices. One in bigger font and one in smaller. The smaller font, is usually a cheaper price for "members only". The card will easily pay for itself, depending on what you buy. This shopping excursion for example, saved me about $3.

My favorite purchase, and of course, spontaneous purchase, was a nail buffer and Bubble White.

Buff and Shine - $2.29
"A glossy block with two buffing sides; use the gray (600 grit) side first and then the white 4000 grit shiny surface. It is perfect for natural nails and artificial nails. Buffs to a high gloss, long lasting shine without oils or topcoat"

OrigiNails Bubble White - $9.99
"5 minute effervescent nail cleaner and whitener for natural and artificial nails makes even the dullest, dingiest nails sparkling bright and white. Can even remove smoker's stains and hair color from nails. Whitens, brightens and cleans nails in minutes. Bubbles away yellowing stains and discolorations from natural nails."

This is not the best of pics (they were taken on my iPhone for easy upload), but I hope you can see the difference! You honestly have to try it for yourself, you will not believe your eyes!

BEFORE (I just finished buffing it with the grey/grainy side)

AFTER (I buffed it w/the white shiny surface)

I used the Bubble White, but used it after the Buff and Shine, so I couldn't notice any major difference. Must try again, maybe next week.

Have fun and enjoy your natural nails like never before!

"I'm singing in the rain"...but, not yet.

Right now, I'm just wet. Really, really, really wet.

A thunderstorm came through Chicago today. The morning started off beautifully at 72 degrees on my way to work. When I went outside to run an errand, the sun was showing off it's beautiful rays and it was 86 degrees. My boss even left early for a Cubs game with her husband.

And then at 4:15 ish pm, all went gray and the wind kicked up. Chicago got hit hard with big ole raindrops and crazy bouts of wind. I was on the 36 bus and we drove past a Starbucks, with their umbrellas upside down and their tables and chairs on top of it. Kind of surreal feeling. When I got to my stop, I didn't want to get off! I had good reason to be afraid (be very afraid). I rounded the corner of State Division and Clark and got doused by the rain, as if someone took a hose to me. You see, I can't find my umbrella. And I didn't want to buy one, mainly because I ordered one online and it is not here yet. So instead, I was drenched within mere seconds. I look around (through my wet glasses, of course) and I see one umbrella after another, completely lose it's shape and turn inside out. I walked across the street and lost one of my flip flops, which I then proceeded to pick it up and walk the rest of the cross light barefoot. Inside the Jewel, people were huddled around, waiting for the storm to pass. Teenage girls were in their bathing suits, completely taken by surprise at the change of weather.

And me? All I wanted was my umbrella, that is in transit! Tomorow is supposed to be clear, but rain and thunderstorms on Sunday and ALL next week. June 21st can't come soon enough!

Here is my little friend that will keep me safe and dry :o)

This review on Amazon made me smile:
"Old ladies stop me in the street to ask where I got this amazing polka dot umbrella. When I walk with it on campus, other peoples' umbrellas blow themselves inside out in a fit of umbrellan jealousy. Somehow, I'm a better singer when I carry this umbrella. Once, this umbrella shielded me from a bullet. Am planning to take a trip with this umbrella, Mary Poppins-style. "

Isotoner Clear Bubble Umbrella


I'll letcha know how she holds up. I just know I'll be the envy of all the peeps... :o)

iBend , uBend, weBend!

Recently, I'm on a mission to find a new case for my iPhone. The one I have right now is extremely sad lookin', with it's scratches and fadingness (not a word, until NOW!).

Of course, I haven't any luck finding one. HOWEVA...I did stumble across the cutest little thing(s) that I will be purchasing for my F5 and I! (psst, F5, lemme know which one you want, the day or night owls).

Tell me, these aren't the cutest little things? And at $5.99 for 2, you gotta love a good deal when you see one!
"Use your iBend™ on a plane, bus, or train - whilst lifting weights, eating breakfast, waiting at the sushi bar, getting your teeth cleaned, at a business meeting, sitting in traffic, serving on a jury or practicing yoga.

The slenderness of the iBend™ allows you to easily store it in your wallet, pocket or purse so you’ll always have one (or two) handy."

iBend

sigh.love.can't wait.

Memorial Day weekend mLd inspirations!

Over Memorial Day weekend, two of our closest friends, ReRe and KG got married in Quincy, IL. We were so honored to be there and it was seriously one of the best weddings I've ever been to. Friends and family of both the bride and groom were so sweet and man, did they dance the night away! I think it helped that the beautiful bride never skipped a beat and we were just trying to keep up with her! :o)

S0...I have a problem. In the midst of chaos, I tend to get inspired to create, as a mental break of sorts, y'know? So here I was, finishing up my big order for the Bride's gifts to her bridal party. And what do I decide to do? Make a bag for myself. Ok, so the problem is that I can be severely selfish! I had this really cute dress that I bought in Philly, @, of all places, ROSS! I miss ROSS...it reminds me of home. So I have a cute dress and cute shoes, but no bag! You would think that as a handbag designer, I have plenty to choose from! Soo not true! Most of my mLds ended up being either too big, too small, etc. And plus, I wanted to fit my camera (Canon G10, it's quite the beast in size for a point and shoot, though it's not quite a point and shoot either), among all the necessities of a girl at a wedding.

Despite the hecticness of the situation, at the end of it, it's the best feeling holding a finished product. I knew I wanted something with a big base and reinforce it with something sturdy to keep the shape of the bag, especially with my camera in it. But I am most proud that I added a zipper to it! Don't worry, I still left my signature magnetic snaps, which is perfect because I now have 2 options to close it. If I know I will be in and out of it a fair amount of time, I would use the magnets. If I needed everything to be safe and sound, I would use the zipper. Plus, the lining was too darn cute, I liked that the b/w bag had a pop of color!

So here she is:

dimensions:
9.5" base, 9" opening (with 3 pleats), 7 " tall, and 3.5" base

comes with both a zipper and magnetic snap
and of course, 3 pockets - 2 flush against the side, and one big enough to hold a cell phone

single strap

Big and sturdy base to always keep it's shape, even when it's empty!

As of right now, she remains name-less. But open to suggestions :o) No guarantees though! I know namesakes are h*o*t these days.

As you will notice, the title of this blog states that there were TWO designs that emerged from being inspired by our roadtrip to Quincy, IL.

This next design, was made due to sheer NEED, yes, sheer DESPERATION. You see, B and I use electric toothbrushes at home, and being that we are lazy (it brushes our teeth for us!), what's a vacation if you have to do "work"? :o) The problem was, there are NO holders, nor toothbrush head covers (some come with one, but ours did not), made for electric toothbrushes. They are nothing fancy, just those simple ones that come with a charger for $12 at Target.

Previous trips, we've have tried the ziplock bag method. If you have done that before, you will agree with me, whole heartedly, that it is a disaster. The bag is always full of water after you put your wet toothbrush in, and you have to zip it, or else it could fall out, etc, etc, etc.

So...what to do? I wanted to continue my groove with zippers. It needed to be tall and deep enough to fit 2 electric toothbrushes AND a tube of toothpaste. And voila...


Let me tell you, I couldn't love this thing more than I already do! It is perfect with vinyl both inside and out, easy to clean! The zipper is a lifesaver because if the brushes are dry, I zip it all the way. If they are wet, I zip it 3/4 way to let it air dry.

Let me know what you think! ;o)

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The Angelie*Genevive Project (AGP)

My little cousin, Angelie (ok, she isn't so little anymore, but she will ALWAYAS be my little cousin!) is going on a summer mission trip to Vietnam with the Good Samaritan Medical Dental Mission Team in July. I am so proud of her! My Uncle and Aunt #8 and their dedicated family, have been going for over 10 years now and the work that they (along with a team of volunteers, medical support staff, doctors, dentists and surgeons) do for the people of the tiny little villages up in the hillside of Vietnam is amazing. B and I were able to go with them in 2003 and the experience was unbelievably powerful and moving. The lens in which you see your daily live is forever changed. It is both humbling and heart wrenching. But lives are touched and changed every year, which is what keeps the Team going strong!

To help coordinate fund-raising efforts for my little ball of sunshine, mariiLang designs will be releasing 30 genevivies (named in honor of my friend Collette's aunt, whom she lost to Breast Cancer). Here is a preview of some of the different prints.

wheel of genevives

These will mostly be available in Colorado, but she'll have a Facebook page to display them, making them available to everyone (plus $5 shipping and handling).

The genevive measures:

6.5" opening
10" base with reinforced material
4.25" high.

Comes with a pocket for your ID and credit card(s) and a 5.5" strap in the matching material.




More details to come, the debut of the Angelie*Genevive Project fundraiser starts on Wednesday, June 23rd!

Vitamin C to the Rescue!

Friends, this stuff helped B and I get through the winter without getting really sick. When we started to feel any symptoms, we didn't think twice about what to reach for. Funny thing is, I didn't get sick all winter long, but got sick at the start of summer! That was mostly because it would get really hot for a few days and then dip down really low the next few days. Through my body into a frenzy!

In our household, we refer to these as "fuzzies" because they do exactly just that when it first makes contact with water. We also mix it with a chopstick :o) You can mix it with just water or even juice, which I haven't done. It tastes good plan, so I haven't even thought to ever change the flavor of it. In fact, I like it so much, I like it with a shot glass worth of water, so it's nice and concentrated. Wait for all the fizzling to stop, but if you like foam, then go for it.

My most favorite flavor is Raspberry, which I tend to buy from Target. But you can get them at any of these Stores. Beware though, the price difference at each place can be huge. I am blanking on how much I paid for it at Target, but it was way cheaper than at Walgreens, which was $14.99 for a box of 30 packets. If you buy it online, it's $12.99. BUT, if you go to Trader Joe's, be prepared to pay... $7.99! I know, RIGHT!? The only downside is, they don't have my precious Raspberry...oh, the pain! But for that price, the Cranberry Pomegranate will do just fine.

Fuzzie cheers, all around!

Two GREEN Thumbs Up!

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is garden! Like many of the plants I grow at home, I too am a transplant, from Oklahoma to California. Here in Cali there is not a lot of yard space to garden flowering plants or food bearing plants. But, with a little ingenuity, anyone can garden anywhere!

Currently, I am practicing the art of container gardening, which is basically using any pot or container that will hold soil and growing your plants in them. People use everything from tires, to baby swimming pools, to old shoes, to simple gardening pots. I am currently using just some cheap plastic pots to grow tomatoes, yellow bell peppers, and serrano chiles. I am seeing the first of my new fruits in two small baby bell peppers (still green, but will turn yellow eventually).

If these plants seem like too big of a commitment for you, try starting off with some simple herbs in a window. Herbs like basil, cilantro and peppermint do very well inside the house if they get enough sunlight. So, just try to place them in a window that receives at least 6 hours of light each day, and you will be amazed how easy it is to grow your own herbs.

If you are growing food bearing plants or herbs, I recommend using an organic insecticidal soap that will naturally repel little pests that also want a piece of this pie! I use Earth-Tone Insecticidal Soap for Organic Gardening. This spray comes in a 24 oz. orange bottle for about $10 and works well. And, you can even use this spray up to the day of harvest, which means it is will not hurt you if a little is consumed.

If you are looking for other plants that are easy to grow (i.e., hard to kill), I recommend something in the succulent or cacti family. My prima, Sulema, just gave me several starter plants of this kind from flowering succulents to medicinal aloe. I simply put them in a plastic container and placed the end of the starter plants in water. They are already sprouting roots and I will plant them in cactus soil in week or so. Again, these do very well in Cali with lots o' sunshine, but as long as you put them next to a window or on a patio where they receive a good amount of light, it is really hard to kill them!

I think two of my favorite plants from the cacti family are my flowering house cactus, that I affectionately have named Luna, and my Echeveria Lila cactus, which looks like a small rosette. The lila cacti are beautiful little plants native to Nuevo Leon, Mexico and found at any garden store in So Cal.


Finally, if you just don't feel like gardening at home you still have options! At least two viable options to be exact. First, can join a community garden where you have a plot of ground alongside other community members and you go to the garden every few days to maintain your plot and grow your food. Here, you can also share plants and seedlings with other community gardeners, meet new peeps, and find out interesting gardening tips from others who are learning with you! A great community garden in my area is the El Sereno Community Garden located on Huntington Drive. This is a pic of some of their garden plots.

And, option two, maybe my ultimate favorite is called Guerrilla Gardening! This means that you find any plot of land that isn't yours, but is wasted ground (like a bare median plot, a plot of dirt along a public sidewalk, or even ground in a public park) and you plant a little garden there. You can either spend time to till the soil and plant food bearing plants, or you can do this as an art project to spice up the plot a little by adding color with bright flowers. This best website dedicated to this type of gardening is called Guerilla Gardening and they refer to this latter method as "Pimp Your Pavement!" I love this! If you check out the site they have a lot of pics of pavements that have successfully been pimped! They also have an amazing guide to "seed bombs" which are various balls or grenade shaped "bombs" of soil filled with seeds that you can throw into gardens, etc. in order to spontaneously garden!

Make this summer one of growth!

Aveda Me This, Aveda Me That!

I must say, I'm a sucker for a good natural beauty product. With all the studies showing how parabens that are found in most beauty products can lead to breast cancer, I am of the opinion that the less of these products I use the better. When I discovered Aveda a few years ago I liked the company and tried some of their hair products, but wasn't that impressed. However, I'm changing my tone. While I'm still not super impressed with the hair care line, I do love the facial care line and the body care line. Let me tell you about some of my Aveda fav's.

First, there is the Aveda Body Polish . This is an exfoliating scrub that slightly foams. It is made out of walnut shells, kelp, aloe, and lavender, so it definitely brightens your skin, but leaves it smelling nice and clean. An 8.5 oz. tube costs $23, but lasts a long time. I only use this scrub about once a week, but it could be used more frequently. It leaves my skin very soft and takes off any dead skin that is there. This is a MUST for summer, since we have to exfoliate more skin in the summer months!

Second, my new find at Aveda is the Eye Shadow Transformer. This little bottle of liquid works as a primer or a transformer meaning you can use it before you put on your eye shadow to ensure your color stays all day (and it really works to keep the color, much better than the MAC primer!) or you can use the liquid to mix with a darker eye shadow creating a paste you can use as eyeliner. This primer is made from organic palm and larch tree extracts meaning what you put on your eyes will be natural! And, the application brush works very well. It is $25, so a little pricey, but if you wear eye shadow daily, it is worth it.

Third, I love my Aveda Salon! I go to Orpheum Salon in Pasadena, CA. This place has great service with a laid back atmosphere, which is fabulous. My last hair color consisted of bright red highlights and I love them, but we all know how quickly red fades. So, my stylist (Allison) made me a personalized Aveda shampoo. She used the Aveda Brilliant Shampoo, but added in the reds she had colored my hair with so I can replenish the color a little bit each time I shampoo (which is only every 2-3 days!). No one should wash their hair every day! Along with my personalized shampoo, Allison recommended I use the Blue Malva Aveda Conditioner to keep some of the purple tones in my highlights. So, this is the combo I currently use, and I'm loving it!

Fourth, I love the essential oil line offered by Aveda. Currently I have the Lavender Fleurs Oil and the Sandalwood Oil. Both are pure pressed oils that smell amazing! The oil can be applied to the skin directly, put in a bath, or mixed into your lotion. These are called Singular Notes on the Aveda Essential Oils line.

They also have mixes that you can check out as well. But, more importantly, at any Aveda store you can have them personalize your Aveda Body Lotion with these oils, or mix them into the Aveda Pure-Fume spray. Right now, I have the Pure-Fume personalized with Wind Tones that incorporates some Clove Oil and Rose Absolute Oil. Very light and fresh for summer!

Finally, I just became an Aveda Pure Privilege member. The membership was $10, but you accrue points each time you purchase Aveda products. These points rack up quickly because they constantly send you opportunities to get double or triple points with minimal purchases. After only being a member for a couple of months I already have enough points to redeem for a $50 spa treatment at any Aveda salon! But, even better, the membership puts you on the Aveda mailing list for SOOOO many free samples! I think this is what I love the most about it. Even if you only redeemed the samples, the $10 membership will pay itself off in no time! So, I say Aveda me this, Aveda me that! I will try it all!

Oh My Lush!

This is fresh on my mind, because I am almost out of it and need to stop by and get some more on my way home.

What do I speak of? Why, Lush cosmetics. If you've never heard of Lush before, you should definitely try it. It's fresh handmade soap and natural cosmetics. You can find it as a stand alone store in the mall, or if you're in Chicago, there one attached to Macy's in the Water Tower Place. Or, you can order online. http://www.lush.com/

Once again, my F5 is the one who introduced me to their products. Sometimes I wonder, what do I bring to our friendship? Ah well, I'll just consider myself lucky :o) Nothing wrong with riding on the coattails of my better half!

On another lucky note, I literally can walk by the Lush store 2 times a day, if I really wanted to. However, this means walking on Michigan Avenue with thousands and thousands of tourists. Sometimes, it's worth it - other times, not so much. So anyways, on a good day, walking by it makes my heart aflutter. You see, their window display is always full of color, with stacks and stacks of their soap. I'll take a picture of it on my way home. (here it is:)
















I have many favorites here, but today, let me tell you about the goodies I will be bringing home with me today on my way home from work.

Fresh Farmacy - $9.75/3.5 ounce block
"If your skin is troubled, sensitive and reacts to nearly everything you put on it, lather up with this nightly. It's pink because it's packed with calamine, the stuff your mom put on your mosquito bites to calm down your skin and stop it from itching. We also add chamomile and rose to soothe, and a bit of tea tree oil to help cleanse for blemish-free skin. It's soft, creamy and delightfully effective so give it a try, rub the pink frothy foam all over" - Lush website.

*click on Fresh Farmacy to be connected directly to their online store.


This is one of the rare items in the store that you'll have to ask one of the salespeople to help you. They'll take one of those hefty bricks, take it to their cutting table, ask you how much you want, and cut it with a knife! Then, they'll wrap it in their paper and put the sticker with the price tag on it. They sell it by weight, so don't freak out when it says something like $25 a pound. You will only be charged for the amount that was cut.

I also recommend getting one of their tins to keep it soft and fresh.

You don't want it to get too dried out. On the occasion that I have done that, I just add some water and close the lid, and add more water until I get a pasty consistency. Otherwise, I like it in the bar form.


The other product that I just had a hankering for, is their bar soap called Porridge.

Porridge - $6.95/3.5 ounce block

"When you're in a rush on those early mornings you may consider eating breakfast in the shower. At we LUSH prefer feeding our skin in the shower and saving the real food for afterward. We put real oats and fresh organic orange juice in this deliciously nutritious soap, making it a cleansing and exfoliating multi-tasker. Oats soften and slough away dead skin while orange juice and sweet orange oil gently cleanse the skin." - Lush website

Yet, another product you'll need assistance to get. Ok, so if you read the description above, you'll notice real oats and fresh organic orange juice. Using it in the morning is like - breakfast for your skin! It smells a-m-a-z-i-n-g! I have had to refrain from taking a big bite out of it, I will admit.

So there you have it, my two LUSH purchases at the end of today's work day.

As you can/will see, there are TONS and TONS of products, and between my F5 and I, we have barely made a dent! So if you are Lush fan yourselves, pul-lease, share with us what YOU like. Nowadays, this is the only way I'll try new products from people I trust. Saves the guessing game and/or returning things over and over again. I just hate it when I end up keeping something I hate because I forgot to return it.







Anyways, I leave you with this photo of their display, even though it's from a store in another country :o) You get the point.

What's YOUR favorite LUSH product?!

Potbelly's * Wow Bao * Portillo's

My top 3 "fast food" places to eat in Downtown Chicago, and in no particular order:

* Potbelly's
We were so stubborn, and by stubborn, we mean downright silly stubborn. The first time we ever walked into Potbelly's, it was to just get a drink. But it was during a busy time of the day, so the line was forever long. Little did we know, there was good reason why it was so packed. But because we got so frustrated, we walked right out. Fast forward about a year later, B was at the airport when he decided to give it a try. The text that I got was "Potbelly's is SOOO good!" We had missed out on this gem for so long, it's hard to forgive ourselves. Oh well, all the more reason to make up for that now! What makes it so good? The bread is nice and chewy, it's made to your order and then they toast your creation. Their giardiniera peppers are simply amazing. For whatever reason, Potbelly's is the last place I think of, but after the first bite, I have to wonder why - it is just THAT good. My fave - the Wreck on regular with Provolone. You can also order it via skinny (less bread and less meat) . Oh, and if you can, you gotta have their oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! And lastly, their milkshakes....Oh, how I heart you, PB! To drive the point home, we had cousins visiting from California and took them eating all over town. What do they STILL talk about? Potbelly's! My brother, Josh (@ 13) put it best when he called them: "the best sandwiches....IN THE WORLD!!"


$4.50 for regular size, $5.50 for the BIG @ 30% bigger
(image borrowed from panlasangpinoy.com, until I can get a picture of my own!)

* WoW Bao (This one's for you, V!)
My fondest memories of my grandma is helping her make "Banh Bao", Vietnamese ball-shaped dumpling, filled with pork, an egg, chinese sausage and then steamed. They are so light fluffy on the outside, and a little on the sweetened side. I always wished there was more fluffy dough, and less filling. So imagine my GLEE (yes, I threw in an ode to the show) when I saw Wow Bao and their miniature steamed buns! The proportions are perfect and I am pretty full after eating 3 of them. I say that I'm full, but my taste buds still crave for more. My fave: Teriyaki Chicken. It's just the right amount of sweet and savory. Honestly, I haven't had one that I didn't like. I just know which one I like the most, and tend to stick with it. I have yet to try their dessert baos - coconut custard and chocolate. And their ginger ale is homemade with fresh ginger. It definitely takes like fresh ginger, so be prepared. They don't just have baos, they also have rice bowls, salads and potstickers. But when the marketing campaign is "Hot Asian Buns", why waste your time with any of their other stuff?


$1.49 each

* Portillo's
This place is insanely busy at any given lunch time. There are two lines when you walk in, one for the hot dog/hamburger/fries side (Portillo's) and the pasta/salad/ribs side (Barnelli's). While I do have a soft spot for hot dogs, I rarely go to the Portillo's side (I prefer charred dogs, I think they may steam them here). Barnelli's all the way. Every single time, it's a debate between the chopped salad (best ever!) or the Rigatoni Ala Vodka. The salad is so refreshing and I adore the little pasta tubes and the real bacon bits. The house dressing is a.m.a.z.i.n.g. I always ask for extra. It has an itty bitty wave of heat that gets me every time. Man, it's really, really good. The rigatoni has the perfect sauce. It also has some unexpected heat. There is no meat in it, which I think is a shame. So basically, when I go, I always ask if anyone wants to split the salad. No one ever regrets it when they do! Is it sad that I'm such a creature of habit, that I don't eat anything else but those two? I digress..the other thing I MUST eat there - is the fantastic CHOCOLATE. I don't know what they put in it, but it just melts in my mouth every time. They sell by the slice or the whole cake. I dream of buying the whole cake. My latest adventure? The Chocolate Cake Shake. What's that? Exactly what it says! Chocolate cake is blended into the shake that every sip has a chunk of cake. More frosting, please! I prefer the cake all by itself though, the whole cake.


$2.35 a slice/$17.49 whole freakin' cake!

I am sure I'm forgetting some other places, but since these 3 popped up first, I will consider them my faves! Chicago folks, what are your fave "fast food" priced joints, but better than "fast food" quality?

My Oh My, Maya!

Some of you may have seen the recent article about Maya Arulpragasam, AKA M.I.A., in the New York Times Magazine.

This article attempted to trace the rise to stardom that M.I.A. has seen through her hit release song titled "Paper Planes." This article certainly fell short of my expectations. The author of this article, Lynn Hirschberg, after downplaying the role that Maya has had in the media about the civil war happening in her home country of Sri Lanka, says,

"What Maya wants is nearly impossible to achieve: she wants to balance outrageous political statements with a luxe lifestyle; to be supersuccessful yet remain controversial; for style to merge with substance."

Is it really that impossible for style to merge with substance? No one said this about male artists like NAS, Public Enemy, or even John Lennon! Why should it seem impossible that this woman, yes beautiful and well-dressed, can not merge her public appearance with "substance?" I disagree. In fact, I think Maya's flair and artistic genius lies in the fact she is ABLE to do both. This is why the article is able to point to the fact that she wants a stylist who can turn a document about censorship into a fashionable jumpsuit by merging the paper into fabric. She also wears the militant headgear in the photo above to signal she has a political message, and her lyrics clearly tell us about those messages. So, any claim that this artist cannot connect style and substance are hollow! Maya, hats off to you!

Paper Bound!

So, while I definitely consider myself fashionably conscious, I must reveal (yes, here in my first blog) my inner nerd! Okay, here it goes: I Love Grid Paper! I know, I know, only mathematicians and engineers are said to utilize the brilliance of grid paper, but I must say it actually makes me feel like I have more creative freedom than blank paper! So, I wanted to introduce you all to two great quality paper sources that also carry my favorite grid notebooks. First, there is Little Otsu in San Francisco (pic at the left).

This place carries the cutest and most artistic paper goods I have found. They not only carry the basics like notebooks and journals, but they also carry very unique name tags, cards/postcards, calendars, bookmarks, and stationary. They are an independent store certainly worth supporting and they even have their own letterpress! They also carry my number one favorite grid notebooks that are printed in Oakland, CA on 100% recycled papers with soy based inks. The thickness of the paper and the size of the notebook is perfect: 4.25" x 5.25" (which is the best since it fits in most of my Mariilang Design Bags!).

My second favorite grid notebook is made by Rhodia.

You've probably seen these notebooks since they now have a cult following! They are the bright orange notebooks with black font that are made in France. This paper company was founded in Lyon, France in 1934 by two brothers, and these notebooks have stayed true to quality! While I'm a little annoyed that they are now sold everywhere (even at American Apparel and some Target locations), I am pleased that I can get my Rhodia fix when the urge arises! And, Rhodia offers four different rulings (blank, lined, grid or the NEW dot grid) for their notebooks in case all of you are not in touch with your inner nerd like I am! I have yet to try the new dot grid, but will let you all know as soon as I do. For now, I definitely prefer the standard grid, which comes in a variety of sizes. And, to top off these fabulous paper goods, I recommend the usage of the Sharpie Pen (my favorite pen at this time!).

Do the Hanky Panky!

My F5 (favorite, fantastic, fabulous friend forever - the f's change on a daily basis, but always consistently in multiples of 5's) spoiled me one year for Christmas (probably our first Christmas together, and then AGAIN another year) with THEE most comfortable pair of lace thongs - Hanky PankyI know, I know...how can thongs be comfortable? First of all, they are beyond soft and second of all, they "move" in just the right amount, these are the real deal. While they are a bit pricier, they have lasted a 2-3 times longer than the knock-offs that I bought at Marshalls. Those seemed to disintegrate after every wash, plus, the lace was rough and would either stretch too much or not stretch at all.

You can find these at any Nordstrom's or even at Akira here in Chicago. I love them and my f5 for getting me hooked. Once you go HP, you never go back! Thanks F5!






Signature Lace Low Rise Thong $18

"Fits lower on the hips, World's Most Comfortable Thong® has a flattering V waistband, no visible panty line (VPL)" - Hanky Panky

My Two-Week Workout Challenge - Wish me luck!

I am a lazy ass. I will never deny that. In fact, when my partner, B, does his "partner duties" and tries to motivate me to go to the gym with him, I seriously make a pouty face and/or stomp around and/or let out a deep, exasperated sigh, falling back into the couch (that of course, I'm sitting on) as if I am fainting in slow motion. Yes, that is me, the drama queen of the household.

So, after our Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives roadtrip from Chicago->Detroit->Buffalo NY->Boston->Connecticut->Philadelphia->Pittsburgh->Indiana->home to Chicago (that can be another post, but brace yourselves, there will be lots of food pics), my husband and I gained a combined amount of 10 pounds. However, the next weekend, we went to one of our favorite couple's wedding in Quincy, IL (holla @ ReRe and KG!), it was another long weekend of great grub, lots of booze and lots of driving.

We had our weigh in before we left for our roadtrip. But after the Quincy weekend, I had another weigh in - and let me tell you, I thought the scale was broken! So basically, I have some extra poundage that needs to go "siyanara" because the summer is finally here in Chicago! (As I write this, it's gloomy, but at least it's warm @ 78 degrees. Rain is coming though).

It's been over 2 weeks since the wedding, and I just have not been motivated to do anything about this EP (extra poundage). But, last night, B finally got me to go down to the gym with him. And guess what? I was on the elliptical machine for an hour! It didn't even feel that long because, in all honestly, I was so excited and busy jotting down ideas for our HF blog, on my iPhone.

Hooray, I did an hour and felt great! B needed more time in the gym, so I went upstairs and decided to pull out my SHAKE WEIGHT! Yes, your eyes do not deceive you - I got one! I saw the commercials and seriously thought it was a spoof. But when I passed by one while I was at Target, I thought - hey, why not! If it doesn't work, I could always return it (instead of ordering it online/tv and going through the hassle of sending it back).

So, I did the 6 minute workout (foreshadowing: there will be a more extensive review on the Shake Weight, I guarantee it) and was still feeling great! Time to work on 'em abs! I have a really funky neck, so it's hard for me to do crunches. But if I lay on my back and tuck my feet under the couch and use that to counter my weight, the pressure is not so bad on my back and neck. I ended my workout with 100 crunches!

I was stoked. So when B came back upstairs, I declared my "two week workout challenge". That's serious business when those are declared. So there you have it. I have survived day one. I'll be back in 2 weeks to letcha know how I did and also to give you my thoughts on the Shake Weight. It's not pretty, but it has potential....

I leave you with a picture of my burger at Kuma's Corner, here in Chicago. THIS, is the goodness that I'm still trying to work off. But yet, salivate with me...


This is one of the specials - Insect Warefare burger with Pablo crusted goat cheese, bacon, roasted corn and green chili, salsa and a paprika creme fraiche. I guess I should be thankful I didn't gain more LBs from our trip! It was fantastic!

Mirror Mirror on the wall...in my mLd, actually!

For those of you who may be unfamiliar to my term "mLd", it's my mariiLang designs line of handbags and klutches. Not surprisingly, all of them have a little special pocket for my favorite lipgloss - super easy to find to freshen up my pucker.

I always have a hard time keeping any type of lipstick or gloss on. Lipsticks are notorious for having the "feathering" affect, that c'mon now, no one can rock that look. Plus, it's hard to do without having a mirror in front of you. Lipglosses tend to get licked off and have no sustainability. While I am a fan of MAC's lipglass, the same with lipstick, I have no knack for putting it on without a mirror.

Alas, I stumbled upon the one lipgloss to rule them all - and I found it at the MECCA of all cosmetics - SEPHORA ($16.00), Mirror Mirror from Too Faced!

It was on a casual search for cute lipgloss to go with my outfit to Rhea and Kendall's wedding. I wanted something that was easy to put on, on a whim, and would look great with or without lipstick. The applicator helps guide the gloss right onto my lips, no time for painting!

My color of choice: ENVY ME (currant) It looks darker than it really is, tastes and smells really, really good!

The superb benefits of Too Faced's Mirror Mirror Lipgloss (from their site):

Goji Berry Extract - one of the most powerful antioxidants found in nature!
Supreme Shine - so shiny and glossy you will stun the paparazzi!
Non Sticky Formula - nothing sticks to our gloss, except his lips! Our lip gloss has great texture and a cushion-y feel.
Deliciously Flavored - yummy and calorie free!

And this, ladies, is by far my most favorite lipgloss, at least, for now :o)

Tell us what YOUR favorite lipgloss is!

MJ - Favorite Friends, Forever!

Sharing celebratory drinks in Cali, June 2009.


Thanksgiving weekend in Chicago, November, 2007.


In Seattle, getting ready to board our cruise ship to Alaska, August 2006.


Our very first picture (of many!) in West Hollywood, California, August 2004.