Friendly Confines

This is one of my favorite pictures I've taken of Wrigley. I don't know if it's the cropping, or the fact that I'm never usually on the Clark Street side of things, or the people on the roof with the flags, but I love it. Maybe it has something to do with the Cubs being in first place, but I still love this picture even when we are losing! I don't have a print, I only have this slide that I used for a presentation in college, which adds even more character to the picture. Photographs look so much more amazing when back lit, don't you think? On a related note, I hear the fans cheering at the game as I type this...possibly my favorite part of living where I do.

Happy Mother's Day

Moms are awesome. Don't forget to call yours!

The Metaphorical Sno Cone

Ahh...the introspective blog entry, pardon my rant.
With age comes wisdom, or so they say, so in light of turning another year older I've been doing some thinking.

Someone asked me what I wanted for my birthday and of course I answered aloud something polite like "Oh I don't need anything!" or "Just to have a nice night with friends," but in my mind I couldn't help but think of the gift request that has eluded me all these years: The Snoopy Sno Cone Machine. I'm sure I stopped asking for it during every holiday or event around the age of 8 or so, but clearly I never stopped wanting it. This got me thinking...

I know I will never get it, yet I still hope for it. If only this realization merely applied to shaved ice machines... emails, phone calls, winning the lottery, friendships, relationships, etc etc. Am I optimistic to the point of being perpetually disappointed, or am I really just a pessimist who can't seem to shake the childish ideology that everything will turn out all warm and fuzzy in the end?

I think I try to look for the best in people and situations, but somehow everything seems so cynical in my own head, and when things take a turn for the worse it just confirms my negative thoughts. As much as I hold grudges and feel like it's me against the world sometimes I always have that teeny-tiny voice in my head telling me to keep the hope alive. Clearly I have a problem letting things go!

Does anyone else have this problem?

I guess the only thing to put my world to right is a Snoopy Sno Cone Machine... a metaphorical one of course; though, I'd take a real one too.

Simon Says

It is wise advice to dress for success. This applies to job interviews and dates, and it definitely applies to meeting Simon Doonan, which I had the pleasure of doing on Saturday.

What's a girl to wear when she has 60 seconds to make a good impression on one of the wittiest and most creative powerhouses in the world of fashion and pop culture? What will tell Simon without words that I too am on the same trajectory of coolness that he is? Clearly the answer was my good friend the owl. We chit-chatted for a bit while he signed my book, the usual "It's so nice to meet you, how do you spell your name, I love your philosophy on life, etc" banter that typically occurs at book singings while the people in line behind you eye you to hurry up. After he lifted his pen and returned my book to me Simon said "I LOVE your owl pendant!" SCORE! In my mind I thought "I KNEW you would!" We chatted about how it was my mothers and how I should be wearing it with something long and flowy and then he reiterated his adoration saying "It could be worth a lot of money. It's so groovy!" No Simon, you're groovy.

I'm so smitten with this man! I sort of think we are long lost best friends. I couldn't help but notice an eerie resemblance in our handwriting, and I know we share a love for all things witty and British. Basking in the glow of my compliment and newly autographed book I kept thinking how great Simon was and how much I wanted to just miniaturize him and put him in my pocket. Think of all the fun you could have with a mini Simon Doonan in your pocket making jokes and giving you fashion advice! I think this is a great idea, so I would like to debut the prototype here. I give you Pocket Simon: GENIUS! Pure genius! If Pocket Simon was around today he would probably say "Are you seriously wearing that gray sweater that you have been wearing all winter again??" To which I would reply "Yes, Simon, I am. It's a lovely 30 degree day in late April in Chicago and I think it is perfectly appropriate." Then he would tell me to don the owl necklace and all would be right with the world.

Bon Appétit!

I just finished this book, and it was so wonderful! How adorable is Julia Child?! If you like anything to do with cooking, France, photography, or writing this is definitely an enjoyable read, though I have a feeling if you don't like any of those things you will enjoy this book too. This book focuses more on the behind the scenes art of writing a cook book, while giving a glimpse into the life her and her husband Paul shared as she fostered her love for cooking. Julia was truly a pioneer in her industry, a funny thought considering today we have entire networks devoted to food and cooking, not to mention a slew of celebrity chefs. In the early days it was just Julia and good ol' public tv! I remember watching her as a kid and having no clue what crazy French concoction she was whipping up, but being mesmerized just the same.

This clip is entertaining and reminds me how fun she was to watch in the kitchen. Sandwiches & beer... good call Julia!

Africa In Pictures

A taste of Tanzania...

Kitenge Style

I made a shirt. Seriously.


I had a bunch of amazing kitenge cloth that I brought back from Africa (asante sana SWP!) and it was just dying to be transformed into something. One print will be a future pillow, one has been transformed into a table cloth (not much of a stretch there), and the remainder I will use for sarongs, bedspreads, etc.

This particular fabric I bought with the intention of making something wearable (read: I won't be embarrassed to leave the house with it on, and that includes checking the mail). Remember that episode of The Cosby Show where Denise convinces Theo she can make him a designer shirt for a third of the cost and it ends up looking like this:I was sort of afraid I was going to have a similar outcome when I opened the pattern and felt slightly worried before I had even begun to cut my fabric. Not a good sign of things to come.

The project turned out to be another classic example of a time when I could have made something "simple," yet opted for my first real attempt at using a pattern and sewing machine to involve circular neck lines, gathering, and zippers, ala Denise. I seriously thought I was in over my head, but after 2 days, a gazillion hours of blood, sweat, and tears, and some help from Mom, I had a shirt that pseudo-fit, zipped, and looked pretty darn rad, If I do say so myself.