Depending on the type of day I have, I find release in the following things:

• Coffee cake in the dark with the TV on
• Getting on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes (and working it like it’s my b*tch)
• Long walk (ANTM strut optional)
• Blasting music and having a dance party in my apartment (screw the neighbors)
• Laying like a beached whale on my couch, zoning out to reality TV (brain goes on vacation and no coffee cake)
• Watching a movie and having a good laugh or cry

Yes, some days, I do many of them in the course of one evening.

Lately, in my effort to not be plumpy anymore, I have been finding release in the walks, dance party and, of course, the elliptical machine. Getting the blood pumping, heart racing and just work out everything that’s bothering you.

That’s one of my favorite things about working out in general, is that endorphine/adrenaline kick that makes you want to scream, “F*CK YES, LET’S GO KICK SOME A**!!!!!” And that’s not steroid-inspired either.

And as much as I complain about going to the gym after work and really want to indulge in laying on my couch like a sea lion, I always feel better when I’m done. Maybe not great, or completely free of the days down turns, but better.

Tonight was one of those nights where I was BBM’ing with my high school best friend about stuff on my mind when I decided to skip the gym because it was too late and I was too tired. But, seeing my gym bag sitting on my chair, challenging me to 30 minutes of cardio, I succumbed to it (mostly because I won’t be at the gym the next two nights) and had, well, an awesome mini-workout.

With sweat dripping down my face and my heart racing, I walked out of there with a small smile on my face and came home and indulged myself in a little couch lounge time. It’s all about balance!

What about you? How do you unwind after a good/bad/long/exhausting day?

I can tell you’re all excited :)

Yes, I watched the Emmys last night, picked my high and low points and scoured the red carpet for the best and worst dressed.

So less talking, more photos and recap, let’s go!

Best dressed:

Flawless from head to toe. Loved all the navy on the red carpet!

Also flawless. The black belt really adds sophistication

Classically dress men. Hot and hotter, hello!

Simple, elegant and age appropriate. Well done!

Yes, the dress is a little frumpy but she had a baby 3 weeks ago and she looks awesome

I swear it’s not an all-Glee fashion recap but I love this look with her red hair and jewelry. So fun

Not so best dressed:

I don’t mind the black & white combo but the top just looks messy

I love her curves but the color of this dress makes it unflattering outside of the boobs

Bold, but it’s just a bit too…much. And the sourpuss look isn’t selling it either

I love Alexander McQueen but there is just too much metal on the chest, not a fan

I actually don’t hate the dress or Mindy but I do hate that hair and how it drags down the look

Show high and low points:

Highs:

• Glee/Jimmy Fallon opener – I’m a huge fan of the 6-Bee segment on Jimmy’s show so to merge it with Glee, that’s like a musical joygasm. It was funny, entertaining and creative, minus the Kate Gosselin cameo. Check it out here
• Intro montages – The bits with the writers and directors answering questions in video responses was pretty hilarious. Of noteworthy mention: Tina Fey and Ryan Murphy
• Modern Family – I love this show and I was so excited to see it win for Best Comedy and Supporting Actor categories. Very well deserved
• Jane Lynch – She is truly awful as Sue but I love that she won, and gave big love to Chicago!

Lows:

• No love for LOST – Yes, Mad Men is amazing, but the LOST finale was really wonderful, so I hoped it would get more love
• FNL loss -Yeah, I’m obsessed with this show, I was also disappointed this went away empty handed after a so deserving nomination
• Tweet the presenters – Leading up to the Emmys, NBC was promoting that Twitter users could send in tweets about certain presenters that will be read on screen. Yes, I entered, but was disappointed to see during the show only two presenters had tweets read as the intro. Sure, things change, but don’t promote it if you can’t back it up

What about you? Did you watch the show? What were your favorite parts or best/worst dressed?

Well, rather than dwell on that, let’s dive into the weekend because I’m holding on to the bliss the weekend brings for a few more hours :)

Movies in the Park

One of my favorite things Chicago does in summer is Movies in the Park, a free event where old and semi-new movies are shown in parks around the city. It’s BYO…everything, from food to drink to chairs.

And when WG2 saw that Julie & Julia was playing, well with one text message, I had a tote bag packed and was on my way to meet her at the park! Sure, our park was near the freeway and didn’t have a bus that was running after the movie, but it was a gorgeous night and a ton of fun.

Here is my tote bag of goodies, yes, that is champagne, white wine, hummus and fresh veggies, which complimented her Pastoral cheese plate deliciously.

But you can see some people take it very seriously, like the group of men behind us. Nice set up.

Watching a movie outside and under the stars is a ton of fun. I cannot believe it took me so long to do this!

Pig Roast

Until this weekend, I have never been to a pig roast. Apparently, we stay true to brats in Wisconsin.

And when my boss told me she was having one at her home and that I was invited, the first thing I said was, “I’ve never been to one, so I’m going to take pictures, but don’t worry, I’m not casing your house.”

Full disclosure.

And we got there just in time to watch that piggy being cut up for the masses.

Yeah, I know, little gross.

But put that baby with some mac and cheese and cornbread (with real corn inside!) and it was a very delicious meal. Fortunately, I had some self control and did not go back for seconds. And I avoided this being an ugly eat too (mostly because co-workers were there).

Yeah the mac and cheese was orgasmic

Other random weekend highlights

I slept until 10 a.m. (NEW RECORD), read Mockingjay and started One Day, laid in bed late each day and did not clean my apartment. But that can always wait for next weekend. Also, if someone else has finished Mockingjay, please email me! I want to talk about it!

How was your weekend? Does your city have Movies in the Park?

Edited 8/30: So in a multitasking FAIL, I forgot to mention I got to FINALLY meet Alexa from Cleveland’s a Plum this weekend. Yeah, angels sang when we met, it was magical. I’ve been hugged by the Plum. We also got to see Wrigleyville’s finest out on a Saturday night, thank goodness it wasn’t game weekend!

People helped her up but I felt bad and heard the guy next to me whisper to someone on the phone, “god this woman just took an ugly fall.”

So I got to thinking about what I call, “the uglies.”

Ugly fall – See example above. When a person bites it hard on the concrete.

Ugly cry – Full out sob fest, accompanied by red eyes and nose, snot running down your face and shaking from the sobs that wrack your body. Examples: Terms of Endearment, Up and Time Traveler’s Wife

Ugly eat - When the simple task of eating becomes more of an episode of Animal Planet, causing you to own it and not hide in shame while eating in public, or causing you to hide at your desk to enjoy your ugly eat in private. Examples: Ribs, Cheetos and cupcakes

Ugly shame – Your single or “home alone” activity that you embrace but do behind closed doors, blinds or rooms. Examples: eating food that falls on your boob or cleavage

I am guilty of ALL OF THESE, sometimes doing more than one in a single day.

The only one I’m actually embarrassed by is the ugly fall. I am very self conscious in public (sometimes) and I hate, more than anything, when I fall or trip over my feet in public. I feel people staring at me, laughing and pointing, or thinking “that poor girl” as they help me off the floor of the bus.

Maybe it’s because I like being independent and not relying on someone to help me all the time, so the thought of someone having to help me up is frustrating and socially crushing, but then again, when I bite it and do it well, someone better help me up.

What about you? Which case of the uglies do you find happens the most?

Review blog update: Hey! I’m updating this again after way too long of a delay. Today I’m talking about a facial cleanser/make up remover I love from Neutrogena.

Dramatic, I know :)

But before I move on from my birthday bliss (okay I might extend it into this weekend, sue me!), I wanted to share some highlights from the weekend, including food and presents!!!

Yes, photos from Saturday night haven’t rolled in yet (I’ll be looking into that tomorrow) but I was a good girl and behaved, so nothing scandalous.

I love good food and dining out, and Chicago is a great place to indulge in this. So I made a list of three places I wanted to dine out for my weekend: Longman & Eagle, Epic and Sunda. I wanted to go to places that have been on my “list” for a while and these won out!

And of course, the food was yummy at all three. No food porn from Longman but here is some from Epic and Sunda:

Epic’s house gnocchi with lamb sausage and swiss chard (even got dad to try and like this!)

NY strip steak

Sunda’s Lemongrass beef lollipops

And then it was dessert time!!! I LOVE cake but last year was the last time I could have my childhood birthday cake because the bakery was closing :( But this year, dad surprised me with cupcakes from Sprinkles, look how cute this is!!!

For presents, I was a little TOO good to myself this year :) I say that I was making up from last year, when I got nada because…well I don’t know why.

So here’s what I got:

• Roomba!!! She’s here!! Be on the watchout for adorable videos coming up
• Dutch oven. It’s risotto time!
• Big Buddha bag (the teal one I posted on my wish list here)
• Mac iLife 09 update. I know, functional

I’m so happy with everything. And I was very fortunate to get a HUGE surprise from my dad:

OMFG. I nearly blacked out when I saw this.

So all in all, it was a great birthday weekend.

How was everyone else’s weekend? Do you like to treat yourself when it’s your birthday?

I have officially survived my first year in my 30s.

How did I do it? Well, there isn’t really one answer, but I did start drinking more :)

Seriously though, another year is gone and suddenly I’m looking back at it wondering how I went from 29 to 30 to now 31. It goes so fast.

So to help usher in 31, I decided to party like I was 21 (giving that milestone memory a fond revisit) and I found that in 10 years, things are dramatically different, which is mostly good, minus the fact that I can’t bounce back from drinking very quickly anymore. Ouch.

But seriously, the first year in your 30s can be tough. I found that everyone looks at you differently when you tell them your age. They either don’t believe you (fingers crossed), look you over closely to see if they believe you or they nod understandingly and pass you sample of anti-aging creme (if you’re not looking for it already).

And while my 30 was a turbulent year, full of high points (solo travel!) and low points (don’t want to talk about it), it really is a time of change, which isn’t so bad.

One big change: I’m not waiting for things I want anymore. I can handle being conservative in my career and finances, but the one thing I’m ready to bust out of is holding back on the things I want personally.

I spent too much of my 20s second guessing what I wanted and day dreaming of what I would do if I had enough time off, money, etc.

NO MORE.

The biggest accomplishment this year: solo travel. Since May, I’ve taken two solo trips: Nola and Napa. I’ve traveled to NYC for BlogHer and Vegas for BISC. And next month, I’m off to Denver for a few days.

My 30s are about celebrating me and after years of insane poverty (thanks college!) I am ready to take some of my disposable income and see the country and eventually, the world.

It’s time to stop holding myself back because I’m scared, I’m ready to embrace me and face my biggest fears, whether they are dining out alone or participating in a dance class with people who clearly know what they’re doing and I don’t.

I feel optimistic and that my insecurities from my 20s are ready to be knocked off one by one.

Sure, there are some days I am depressed beyond belief and stare at friends and family who have homes, families and dogs, wondering if I’m failure. But I’m not. And I can’t compare myself to them. Because I love my life.

I predict there is a lot coming up for me this year. I’m not sure if all of them will succeed, but I’m ready for it. Because if I can survive my 20s and the first year of my 30s with only a few battle scars, I can pretty much handle anything.

And now, I’m ready to celebrate today with some wine :)

JB out.

So here we go: My name is Jessica and I am a gift card hoarder.

HOLD ME!

Yes, it is that bad.

While cleaning out my desk this week, I found a gift card I received a while ago and never used (likely because it was buried in a mound of crap in my drawer, but that is another post).

I went home and looked into it’s value and realized the $50 was now worth $20, thanks AMEX for monthly deduction charges!!!

Disappointed, I remembered that I keep all of my gift cards together on top of my stereo at home, so I couldn’t help but wonder (in my Carrie SATC voice), what else do I have hoarded up there?

The answer was….horrifying.

I found at least $300 worth of gift cards to the following stores:

• JCrew
• Nordstrom
• Macys
• Target
• Sephora
• Lettuce Entertain You (local Chicago restaurant chain)
• Gap

I would not believe I had that many and to so many places, one of which I’ve had for TWO YEARS. I am a gift card hoarder.

Fortunately, none of them have lost value, but the Nordstrom ones need to be re-issued because they did expire, but thanks to a little complaining, that was resolved.

Oh my god, how do I do this???

It’s simple, I get them and think I will find something perfect to spend it on, only to talk myself out of it when I actually find it. For example, if I find a great jacket at JCrew that looks amazing on me and I love, I immediately remember that I have a gift card, but then think, “hmm, I could spend it on this but what if I find something better, then it would be a waste!”

Cue six months to go by and that gift card is still sitting on my stereo and I’ve purchased both dream items at JCrew at full prize (and 9.75% sales tax).

This is a bigger issue of me holding back to find something better, but I cannot believe I had that many.

My new plan is this: I only ask for a gift card to a store I already know I want something from, then when I get it, I FORCE myself to go buy it, no second guessing. Oy.

What about you? Are you good about using gift cards? Or are you a hoarder?

For two years, I diligently counted my calories, which was easy because I never went out. I counted every glass of water, M&M, chip and sandwich I ate. I was obsessed with it and of course, saw the results of it (losing weight).

Then, suddenly I OD’ed on it and stopped. I wouldn’t log for a day, then two days, then a week, then a month, etc. I’m afraid to check when the last time I logged was, because I’m willing to bet, it’s been three months.

I hate doing it, but it worked.

And lately, I’ve been needing a kick in the pants to do it again. Clothes are snug, beer is delicious, I can’t say no to food or snacking (especially when I eat my feelings) and I feel fat all the time. I can barely stand to look at myself in the mirror.

Last week, I finally got that last kick. While checking Facebook, I saw a friend lost 40-60 lbs over the last six months. And she looked fantastic. I commented to her how great she looked, but staring down at my gut, I felt like a total failure.

So I took one last bite of a cookie and logged into Sparkpeople to start logging my calories again, each cookie, salad and sandwich at a time.

And the results were horrifying. I’m allowed 1,550 calories per day and it horrifies me how quickly it adds up. Turns out, reaching 1,550 calories is easy, stopping at that point isn’t.

In the last week, I stayed within my calorie goal three of the seven days. It’s a very small victory. I’m back at the gym, committed to my workouts and I’m feeling better. I still have a lot of work to do but I take it one day at a time.

While logging, I also saw how weak I am in front of food. I can’t say no, especially in an office where there are always snacks and a candy dish three feet away from me. I chew gum, drink lots of water and pinch my wrist when I feel the urge to go snack. Or, I take 1-2 small pieces of candy and cut myself off there.

Oh and logging food when you go out to eat sucks too. There is no easy way to do it except for breaking down what is in there and finding comparable items in the database. Again, it’s painful, but I am really trying not to give up.

So yes, I hate counting calories, but I hate feeling fat more.

What about you? Do you count calories? How do you handle eating well while dining out?

I’ve mentioned before that I love pasta and carbs. So much so that I might become a walking carb myself. Pasta, bread, you name it, I love it.

But in the summer, rather than bake a casserole with pasta, I’m looking to lighten up my food. Something still carby yummy but cool and easy to prepare without heating up the kitchen.

And lately, I’ve been falling in love with two things: quinoa and couscous.

These babies are my new b*tches. I love cooking with them. And after finding success with quinoa, I tried my luck with couscous this weekend. Here was the result:

Yeah, food styling fail. I know.

Couscous Chicken Salad (MyRecipes)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 12  ounces  skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1  (10-ounce) package couscous
• 1  cup  chopped fresh basil
• 1/4  cup  EVOO
• 3  tablespoons  sherry vinegar
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2  cups  halved cherry tomatoes
• 1  cup  sliced green onions
• 1  (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

Directions:

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add chicken; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken using a slotted spoon; set aside. Cool slightly, and coarsely chop.

While chicken cools, add couscous to broth; stir well. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. Place couscous in a large bowl; cool completely. Fluff with a fork. Stir in basil and next 5 ingredients (basil through garlic). Add chopped chicken, tomatoes, onions, and chickpeas; toss gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight (not necessary but good to enhance the flavor).

Verdict: Yummy, yummy, yummy

Okay, I’m still mastering how long to cook this because I overdid the poached chicken and couscous, but it still worked! I also skipped the chickpeas because I only like them in hummus and I still loved this dish.

It was light, super fast to prepare and had a nice sweet flavor without overdoing it. The tomatoes are key to include and really, I could have used a bit more basil. It added such a nice flavor. Feel free to cut back on the EVOO too though, it’s easy to overdo it.

I can’t wait to cook with couscous again.

What do you like to make in the summer to keep the kitchen and house cool? Are you a pasta lover?

Anyhow, this weekend was a busy and fun one. Friday I went out with a friend and bar crawled around the Loop. It was an impromptu crawl that had one goal: Patron.

Yes, I have never had Patron tequila, likely because I don’t really care for tequila unless it’s in a margarita. Let’s just say…the taste brings up bad memories. But my friend, who loves it, told me it tastes like liquid gold. So with an endorsement like that, I HAD to try it. And at $10/shot, it better also cure any germs I have in my body too.

So I tried it, lost my Patron virginity, and immediately chased it with Oberon beer. I can’t be classy ALL the time.

I don’t know if it’s real liquid gold but I will say, it was tasty. Here comes trouble!

Then Saturday, Jamie and Stacey invited me to a book club-themed Nintendo DS party at Pops for Champagne downtown. If I could live there, I would.

Look at the deliciousness we got to indulge in while discussing Pride & Prejudice?

That was some of the best cheese ever.

I also got to catch up with a ton of my Chicago bloggy peeps who I really don’t see regularly enough. And, WG2 and I tried to peer pressure Nic into reading Twilight and the Hunger Games series. I am a teen fiction pusher, I love that stuff.

Finally, I got my pre-birthday hair cut/color and I have a crush on a new hair product: Moroccan Oil. My stylist used it on me to add some shine and strengthen my hair. Color really damages your hair if you don’t take care of it.

I was a little skeptical of it at first, but now I’m really loving it and cannot stop touching my hair. It’s so soft and when the sun hits it, I swear you could land a plane because of the shine. I love it. But it’s a little pricy ($42 for 3.4 ounces) so I’ll have to hold off in buying it for now. I love girly stuff but I just cannot stand spending a lot of money on hair products. Sure, I use Bumble & Bumble shampoo but it lasts for a year, so I’m not rebuying it all the time. I spend a ton on make up, clothing and accessories but my hair is regulated to the drug store aisle. That’s just me.

Oh and since I never change up my haircut, you can see pictures of what it looks like from past ones I put on Flickr here and here.

How was everyone else’s weekend? Do you spend a lot on haircare products? Or are you a big tequila drinker or cheese addict?

I won’t lie, I’m dreading my birthday a little bit (right now) but I’m occupying my fearful thoughts by thinking about something I love…presents!!!!

Yes, I’ve been spending the last few days looking online, getting ideas from magazines and stocking my Amazon cart with several things I have my eye on that have to be in my apartment right away!

That’s right, I buy myself gifts because a) I’m single and b) a girl has to treat herself right!

And, as usual, I have a pretty random list of stuff I want because I can never settle on just one thing, and why not get yourself a lot of random stuff that you can use in multiple places and seasons?

Let’s take a closer look:

I am obsessed with these books and the final one comes out the day after my birthday. It’s fate

I have wanted a Roomba for a LONG time. It will be my new pet! A prelude to a dog! DJ Roomba anyone?

Now that I have all my Napa wine here, I want somewhere fancy to store it. And to help me appreciate wine more

I know AT&T sucks but OMG I want this so badly. PLEASE come to me!

Saw this on Etsy and fell in love. Time to wear my Wisconsin pride on my neck

Dutch oven (in blue to match my kitchen). I have my eye on a bacon risotto recipe that I’m dying to try with this!

A coworker has this bag and it’s gorgeous in person. The color is so bright and screams ME!

Yep, sometimes I’m all about the Benjamins. Cash is a little tacky but when I have big travel plans, this definitely helps!

So that’s what I want for my birthday. My budget definitely won’t cover everything, but a few things will be a reality!

What is the best birthday gift you’ve ever received? What is everyone doing this weekend? Anything fun?

I like to think of myself as a modern, Mary Tyler Moore-like lady, but deep down I’m still a little old fashioned.

So for me, I love when a guy is a gentleman. But maybe that trend is a little dead? Maybe it’s just in a coma? Or has amnesia while sleeping with my long-lost sister who was separated from me at birth?

A gentleman pulls out your chair, holds the door open, pulls your chair back and helps you with your jacket. Maybe I’ve been watching too much Mad Men lately.

What’s funny though is although I like that kind of guy,  I am very uncomfortable around him. Mostly because I’m not used to guys treating me nicely.

I’ve mentioned how the ex Peter never used to pay for dates because he didn’t want to “insult my modern ways.” INSULT ME like you’re Mel Gibson calling my voicemail.

Anyhow, I got to thinking about this after seeing a clip on Yahoo where a girl was hit by a foul ball at an Astros game and her boyfriend ran away from it rather than help or stand in the way. She got nailed in the elbow and then he came back, put his arm around her AND KEPT THE BALL FOR HIMSELF.

What the f*ck?

Now I’ll be honest, he didn’t exactly scream “winner” (more like Jersey Shore in training) and she reacted the same way I do when balls fly at my face…look horrified and curl up to hide.

But to run away like a little b*tch and let your woman get hit and then take it from her while offering only a modicum of support? Lame-o. But her prissy reenactments were hilarious.

What is wrong with this guy?

Now the gentlemanly thing to do would have been to try and shield her or pull her out of the way as well. I’m not saying he should be a martyr for her but really, he didn’t even think to grab her and run? If I was with this guy, I would have taken that ball back and thrown it at his head, after taking the car keys to leave and some cash for a beer.

This isn’t the official sign that gentlemanly behavior is dead, but it makes me question how many are out there.

You can see the full video here. Winner.

What would you do if your boyfriend was this guy? Or do you know any guys who are still gentleman to you?

During BlogHer, we stayed at the New York Hilton on 53rd and 6th. It was a nice hotel, or it was fine for New York (which are notoriously pretty in the lobby but not so much in the rooms).

Anyhow, due to a mix up, my room was moved after I checked in. I got settled in the new room and left to run some errands, but when I came back later, I was locked out.

Thinking the key card had been deactivated because of all the metal I carry in my purse, I went down to get new keys cut. The front desk did so and I battled the elevators to go back up and try again. Still locked.

Annoyed, I go back down to the front desk and ask what’s going on, where the front desk women asks my name and then goes slightly pale and says, “I’ll be right back.” NOT COMFORTING.

She comes back to verify my name again and she tells me that someone came in to the hotel, using my name and saying “I” needed to change hotel rooms again. Fortunately, when they asked her to verify the reservation name, she spelled my last name wrong (thank goodness for an unconventionally spelled last name). And by spelling it wrong consistently, hotel security locked down the room so no one (including me) could get in.

Shocked, she told me to go back and try the locks again because now that the room is verified, I can get in. Yep, turns out I couldn’t because SECURITY had to let me in, which she neglected to tell me. Twenty-five minutes later, security shows up and lets me in. Fortunately, all of my stuff was there and accounted for. But I’m pissed off and late to meet bloggy buddies.

But that’s not the end of the story.

At 12:30 a.m. when I came back from the Nikon party, I could NOT GET IN THE ROOM AGAIN. So after a minor beer- and exhaustion-fueled breakdown at the front desk, security walks me back up and lets me in again.

I never found out who the person was trying to be me but there were no erroneous charges on my card, likely just someone who wanted to try and get a free room.

And even though I was insanely annoyed about the room lock out, I am glad that the hotel was looking out for me.

Has anything like this ever happened to you?

So let’s cut the crap and get to the good stuff!

BlogHer. This is the third time I’ve been fortunate enough to go for work and each time, I go through the same motions: nerves, extreme nerves, shyness, drinking, fun, wondering why I was nervous.

I’m crazy. This year, the conference was pretty big, around 1,800+ and honestly, it kind of felt big. Sitting in the grand ballroom, looking at a sea of people at tables was overwhelming for a minute, but once you got into breakout sessions and wandered around, it felt more comfortable. I got to sit in on some interesting sessions and learned a lot, plus hit the expo area, where I tried not to take everything in sight.

But I did walk away with some cool stuff, like a Pillow (client), Anti-Aging Eye Roller and pseudo electronic toothbrush. The last one shakes, so you can imagine what the TSA may have thought was in there when it accidentally turned on in my suitcase (wink wink).

Oh and I got to meet Padma from Top Chef. She’s absolutely gorgeous in person but a little dry on conversation. Still gorgeous though. I am a Top Chef geek.

And along with BlogHer, I got to see some of my favorite people in the entire world in New York. Another reason I love BlogHer, it lets me see some of my bloggy buddies in person. Sadly, I only see them a few times a year so makes me so grateful we can be together. I also got to know some bloggers better and meet new awesome people too.

We even got a group together for a 20sb meet up Saturday night. Look at us represent!

Photo courtesy of Katelin

Friday night I got to be Katelin’s date to the Brand About Town Nintendo dinner at the Central Park Boathouse too. It was gorgeous and such a great night. Brand About Town even hooked us up with the best transportation ever, pedicabs with drivers dressed like Mario. I mean, adorable, OMG.

Photo courtesy of Katelin

I won’t go into the stories of pounding champagne or being out until 3:30 a.m. or being locked out of my room twice because someone tried to impersonate me at the hotel, but instead I’m focusing on the great time with everyone and wondering how those four days could go by so fast :(

Guess it’s time for another trip back to NYC this fall :)

How was everyone else’s weekend?

Sure, I live in the Windy City, the third-largest city in the US, but my lust for the big city started in New York.

The first time I visited New York was a long time ago with my dad and brother. I wanted to see everything touristy and we almost did. I loved the feeling of the city, the people, the pulse and the noise (minus cars honking). I remember waking up in the middle of the night to see if the Times Square lights were still on (they were) and feeling like this was the most amazing place ever.

I’ve been to New York a bunch of times now but there is something about it that still makes me smile. I love Chicago, I love this city, but sometimes, going to New York is like going on a rollercoaster with your hands up in the air. It’s a rush.

So in prep for my trip, below is a little list of things I love about New York:

• Rockefeller Center
• Broadway shows (the music sounds so amazing)
• Street vendor shopping (pashminas for $5? Three please!)
• Food (last time I was in NY, I went to Perilla, Harold’s place from Top Chef season 1, and it was incredible)
• Central Park (Gorgeous bit of nature)
• Walking the neighborhoods (like Chicago, each has such a great vibe, I love watching the scenery change)
• The Met (this place still blows my mind with all the gorgeous artwork)
• Late night tapings (I’ve seen Conan, Stewart and Letterman live, would give anything to see Colbert!)

If you want the BlogHer play-by-play, follow me on Twitter! If you don’t, well forgive me for the BlogHer-related tweets then. I’ll try to update Twitter as much as I can, pending Sprint’s reception in the hotel.

What about you? What do you love about New York? Have you been before?

YAWN.

Yes, you may call me cheap but bottom line, I don’t f*ck around when it comes to money, especially mine.

I’m one of those girls that balances her checkbook regularly and pre-pays her bills immediately after her paycheck is direct deposited so I know how much money I have to spend.

I get excited for about 10 minutes when my paycheck arrives, screaming “WOOOOOO!,” out loud and then after rent, student loan, etc.  are paid, that scream is tapered down to a meek “woo?” But that’s being an adult.

And I am a little anal retentive when it comes to money because, well my track record with it isn’t so great.

When I was in college…let’s just say I wasn’t the best at managing the little money I did have. That debit card was used and abused until I got the notice of “decline” at the store. Somehow, balancing my checkbook was way too complicated (as most simple addition/subtraction is) and I paid for it.

I once got two calls from my bank about overdraft fees in a week. That…was sad.

I got to thinking about money lately because my ATM card was deactivated (unbeknownst to me) due to a fraud warning (fortunately it was nothing) and I simply didn’t get the new card in the mail.

The shock of that decline really hit me and suddenly the memories of college came flooding back.

Now I try to use my debit card instead of my credit card (to manage spending) and keep my credit score solid. I’ve also become rigid in paying off my credit card right away and never carrying a balance. If I don’t have the money, I don’t charge it.

It may sound militant but seriously, after paying out the nose in interest charges, I do not want to go down that road again!

So call me cheap, boring and anal retentive but you know what? I haven’t had any overdraft charges, interest payments on my credit card or starvation spells because I spent my fun money in a long time.

I’ll take that as a good sign.

What about you? Are you good at managing money? Or did you also have a hard time keeping track of it?

I’ve mentioned before that Nordstrom is my happy place, especially during sale time. So before the Anniversary Sale ended this weekend, my friend Liz and I went to check it out one more time…and I was a bad girl.

Being practical, I got a gorgeous deep purple cardigan and a pearl/gold necklace. Be honest, is the necklace too granny? I saw it in the older adult section on a model and now that’s all I can think about.

Being impractical, I found these adorable fingerless long gloves (cashmere, woo!) for fall and a matching cowl scarf. I cannot wait to wear them!

I fully intend on rocking the 80s that day, complete with Rick Springfield, WHAM and a little Tiffany. If only there were matching legwarmers!

And then I flashed back to another practical purchase I made with TC at the sale last weekend. I found this sweater in the teen section (I have no idea how this could fit me).

No joke, the teen section clothing is not very flattering in the boob area…for obvious reasons

Then some co-workers and I met up Saturday for lunch at Sun Wah BBQ in Uptown, where you can get peking duck and pig and it’s done with tableside presentation. Oh my god this food was incredible. Look at the ducks we got!

Yeah, I had a moment where I felt guilty eating them, but I got over it as soon as I tasted the deliciousness.

Add in some fried rice, bok choy, broccoli, homemade bao, plum sauce and noodles and it was a feast in every since. I needed a nap after.

Finally, after a nice workout today, I decided to hit up Sprinkles Cupcakes downtown because the curiosity to try it was killing me. And when I got there, I was shocked to see a line outside the door and almost wrapped around the block. So after a long wait, I got two cupcakes to bring home and a frosting shot. I’ll likely be awake until I have to go to work tomorrow. But in all seriousness, yeah, Sprinkles Cupcakes are really good. I won’t lie.

How was everyone else’s weekend?

I have an addictive personality and I can get fixated on stuff and then I cannot stop gushing about it. No, that is not meant to sound creepy OR stalkerish.

Let’s take a closer look at what I’m currently obsessed with:

• Longchamp Le Pilage tote – I have this in the medium and large size and LOVE IT. I had to replace my medium one lately because I literally wore it out after three years. They are perfect for travel and everyday
• Red wine – Yes, Napa has made me fall in love with it. I have started enjoying a glass more regularly at dinner (on the weekends for now) and it’s just so…yummy
• Kiehl’s Acai Berry Cleanser - This was an impulse buy and I love it. The foam feels like kisses on your face. KISSES
• Bethenny Getting Married – I love this show, so much that I will rewatch reruns! I would love to go get coffee with her one day, I think we would both have a good laugh
• Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer – I wore this to Pitchfork in 90+ degree weather and it didn’t run down my face while sweating. Obsessed!
• Homemade pizza – I made one this weekend with Mexican Jack cheese, ricotta and sweet onions. OMG it was SO unhealthy but delicious. Isn’t that how it always works?
• Ice cream – Yep, still obsessed with this one. I have a tub of French Silk ice cream in my fridge and I have no idea how I will be able to resist it
• Red velvet cupcakes - My coworker brought some in from Sugar Bliss today and I immediately dove for one of the two available Red Velvets. Yes, I love them that much

Yes, clearly I always have skincare, makeup, food and TV on the brain. That’s normal right?

What are you loving lately? Any big weekend plans?

Movie review: That’s right, another one. This time I’m keeping it lighter with Despicable Me!

Growing up, my grandpa was a master photographer. He took pictures of my brother and me all the time and I loved it. I would faux model and goof around and it was standard that on any birthday or holiday, we all had to take family photos before opening presents or after (if we couldn’t control ourselves).

I look back at those photos now and smile, having fond memories of those times (and a good laugh at my often horrific hair, glasses and outfits).

But on a bad day, I see nothing but flaws when I look at them. The way I hold my head gives me a double chin, my hair laying limp around my face reminds me of a female Cousin It from the Addams Family. And can I give a shout out to the braces? Oh lord.

Now, I have a certain way that I will stand and tilt my head in photos so that my face and body looks slimmer (or as I like to say, keep my stomach from looking three months pregnant). And if I can’t get in that position, I will awkwardly adjust my body to try and mirror parts of it. People may make fun of me, but seriously, knowing your angles works!

Getting my picture taken, especially when it’s for something official, now turns me into a nervous wreck. For example, recently, we had office picture day, where all staff had to come to get their photos reshot for project presentations, etc.

The first time, I didn’t take it seriously, walked in, found my mark, gave a little Blue Steel and then went over to see the results, where I learned two things: I need to lose 40 pounds and my head is freakishly small compared to my big body.

When I heard reshoots were available, I laid out an outfit, applied full make up, washed and styled my hair, put together jewelry and worked out the day before so my arms looked extra “cut.”

In spite of this, I still looked huge and now, PALE. That was…deflating.

I think I’ll stick to being behind the camera or in random candid shots with friends. And I may start randomly getting down to do 10 push ups to get back in shape. Hilarious? You bet. Will I do it? Maybe.

What about you? Do you like getting your picture taken? Or do you have any funny stories about past school or work photographs?

The topic: moving. I hate moving. I hate it more than having my root canal done, more than my annual Pap and more than jeans/swimsuit shopping.

Moving is time consuming, expensive and stressful, especially when you work full-time on top of packing and searching for a new place.

But moving can be cathartic and a good reason to purge all the sh*t you hoard in your apartment and then forget about.

Anyhow, there is a 50/50 chance I have to move in September and I have no idea what to do.

Right now, I rent a condo from an owner who relocated and couldn’t sell the unit (yay housing crisis!) He told me yesterday that he’s willing to renew the lease but, after two years of living here, part of me is itching for a change.

That and I would like to decrease my rent payment. Rent in Chicago is manageable (compared to LA or NY) but it can still be expensive. One bedroom rents range from $900-$1200/month or more and although I’m in range, the thought of decreasing my rent $50-$100/month is really tempting. I know I could find something cheaper, but am I sacrificing a great place in the process?

Here are my current apartment pros and cons:

Pro:

• It’s huge (1,100 sq feet) and more than enough room for one person
• Equal size living, dining, bedroom and kitchen area (most apartments here have one small room)
• Open floor plan
• Close to express bus to work, bank and two grocery stores (trifecta!)

Con:

• Very thin walls, yes, I’ve written about this before
• Communal washer/dryer (the former of which was ruined by some d-bag that washed a rug. A**hat)
• Window AC unit only in the living room (aka, hotter than h*ll sometimes in the bedroom in summer)
• Nosy neighbors (sadly, Hot Neighbor has left)

Yeah, looking at this list, it’s pretty balanced right now.

I’m not UNHAPPY with where I live, but part of me wants to try something new. I would like to have better AC capabilities and, of course, maybe in-unit washer/dryer. I would give up one of my boobs to have that.

One part of my brain says, if the landlord won’t raise your rent and it’s ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But the other part says, cutting your rent by $100, saving $1,200/year is REALLY tempting.

So interwebs help me out, what would you do? Ask for a rent decrease? Move? Do you also hate moving?