rain, rain...

here


It is pouring in Chicago today, and the one block walk I took to get from my car to my office had me so grateful that I had an anorak and an umbrella with me (I have two umbrellas, one of which resides permanently in my car for the inevitable day that starts out blindingly sunny and devolves into a full-blown tropical storm). Other people commuting to work were not as lucky to have an umbrella handy (my guy included), so in case you were in the market for a new one...here are some (fun/pretty/sartorially-approved) practical options. I've actually been looking out for a larger umbrella since the two I own are the short-handled variety... #6 is definitely up my alley (red! stripes! would keep me from getting wet!).

Which would you choose? 

one//two//three (currently sold out)
 
four (modcloth has tons of other options as well)//five//six

seven (comes in other colors, too)//eight//nine

on my nightstand now...

here



a.k.a. things waiting to be read when I find the time. 

Seriously, though, I am dying to read all of these books, preferably back to back to back. Saturday next, perhaps?

What's on your nightstand?

recent purchases: old navy

here


I had some Super Cash to use this weekend at Old Navy, so my guy and I headed over to the North Avenue Old Navy to purchase some springy attire. James spent the bulk of our Super Cash, but I walked away with a handful of spring pieces. Looking at the collage of my purchases clearly shows that I am on red/white/blue/stripes kick. I also purchased the blue version of the red dress in the middle (these dresses were purchased online) and the teal version of the navy/white striped top (I couldn't find that color online). 

Blue and white peasant top: ~$8. Super lightweight with a relaxed  fit. I'm planning on wearing it to death when it's too hot to wear anything thicker. (This shirt is $26.94 online, but I looked at my receipt and it rung up for $10 before the Super Cash on my receipt, so it might be worth it to check it out in store.)

Striped blue fit-and-flare dress: ~$12. The most flattering dress shape for me, so when I saw it, I knew it was coming home with me.

Red sleeveless dress: ~$15 (with online coupon). The picture doesn't quite show it, but it's tipped in a slightly more coral/pink color. I love easy dresses like this for the summer. 

Striped red, white, and grey baseball tee: ~$3.50 (on clearance for $4.99 in store + Super Cash; currently $11 online). I LOVE these shirts. They're soft and fit me like a glove. They're great as pajama tops or as casual shirts to go with jeans. They are a little sheer, so I always wear mine with a cami.

Striped navy and white 3/4 sleeve tee: ~$6. I'm always a sucker for stripes, so this shirt was a no-brainer. I also liked the sleeve length and that it was lightweight.


  Any spring shopping for you? ;).

this weekend

My new bag. It's like a ray of sunshine - I can't help but smile every time I see it, which is a really good reason to get a bag, don't you think? ;).

TGIF! Spring has started to show itself around here in Chicago, and I'm taking the change in season as a catalyst to get out more, starting this weekend. James and I are heading up to the Map Room (our favorite bar) this evening to catch up with some work friends, and then tomorrow, we'll be doing some walking up by Lincoln Park/Wicker Park to enjoy the 65 degree day. There's a chance of rain later in the day, but I'm crossing my fingers that it never comes. 

Instead of calling your attention to amazing things indoors and accessible through your computer screen, try these things instead this weekend:

one: Go for a walk. Anywhere. For any amount of time. It's not only healthy for you, but it's also a great way to soak in some sun now that it's starting to peek out. I walked to work this morning (1.3 miles), and it felt good to walk through my neighborhood as everything's waking up. If mornings are not your thing, do it in the middle of the day as a way to walk away from the desk for a little bit or at night as a post-dinner walkabout.

two: Go to a park. People watch. Pack a picnic. Bring a book. Bring a blanket, your iPad, and start catching up on the shows you missed during the week.

three: Go to a museum. See that exhibit you've been putting off.

four: Go out for brunch. Take a leisurely stroll to get there and then indulge in good food. 

five: Explore a new neighborhood you haven't seen before or haven't visited in awhile. Find new haunts to add to your current favorites.

Have a great weekend!

couch surfing

I've been itching to update our update for the past few months. The first room I'd like to upgrade is our living room. In our one bedroom apartment, more than half of our space is our kitchen/living room combination. Because it takes up so much room and because we spend most of the time at home either cooking or watching tv or both, it's become the most used space in our home. Right now, we're making do with a pair of IKEA chairs, a small IKEA loveseat that doubles as a pull-out bed for visiting friends, our entertainment center, a coffee table, and our bar/hutch.

First up on my list of wished-for updates is a better sofa. A large, comfy, makes-you-want-to-curl-up-all-day-kind of sofa. I'd like it to be a piece that reflects both of our design sensibilities - I favor the clean, strong lines of modern and art deco styles, and James favors mid-century modern. Lucky for us, these styles can and do work really well together with some thought. It helps as well that James and I agree almost completely on our ideal color palette: black, white, and shades of grey with pops of blue and wood to keep the place from being too sterile. Modern and clean, but warm and welcoming. It'll be awhile before our living room looks like the one above (seriously, LOVE), but one thing at a time...starting with that sofa, preferably in an inviting shade of grey.

Some styles that I would love to have in our living room:

Stay tuned...hopefully by summer, we'll have a new sofa on our hands.

What design style/aesthetic do you favor?

images via 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

five things...

James and me. Boston Harbor, 2010.

...that you may not have known about me:

one: James and I are college sweethearts. We met at the University of Chicago - we were in the same dorm and the same house. We met at our dorm's Yule Ball (a winter formal) on a blind date of sorts. A mutual friend had told each of us that the other wanted to go but didn't have a date. When we met, we both thought we were doing the other a favor! Fast forward four (!!!) years later, and we're engaged. He's my best friend.

two: I'm a huge nerd. I love watching Jeopardy, I am anal about grammar and punctuation, and I'm often lost in a book. 

three: Keeping with the nerd theme, I've worn glasses since the first grade. My prescription is almost at -5 for both eyes. 

four: I speak four languages fluently - English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Ilocano. I also know basic German (it's been awhile since I've used it) and am decent at Portuguese. I would love to learn more languages, especially Italian and French.

five: I grew up eating Filipino food almost exclusively at home. I didn't start eating "American" food regularly until I went to college. To this day, I have a hard time having a cold or sweet breakfast since breakfast for me growing up was heated leftovers from the night before and rice. I've been exposed to so many cuisines since then, and I've definitely become a food enthusiast because of it, but looking back at my childhood and the constant of Filipino food makes me smile.

lip service

here

 I find that as the days get sunnier and warmer, my makeup becomes brighter and more colorful but lighter. Some (tinted) moisturizer with spf, mascara, a little bit of concealer, and a swipe of color or sheen on the lips is my summer beauty routine - fast, easy, and carefree, as summer should be. After all, when the weather's that nice, who wants to spend ages on makeup? 

These are the lip products I have tried and tested in anticipation of spring/summer, and I must say, I'm hooked on all of them. For an oh-so-natural lip, I turn to Clarins Instant Light lip perfectors. Not sticky with just the right amount of my-lips-but-better color and a scent to die for, they've quickly become a must-have. Another barely-there option that I love is the Tarte Lipsurgence Skintuitive Lip Tint. The product looks petal pink in the tube but on my lips, the color turns to the loveliest flush of pink, thanks to its "personalized color" properties. I don't know the actual science behind it (I think it has something to do with pH?), but I'm loving the results. Plus, it's conditioning, and the tube twists up, so no sharpening required. 

For a little more color, I've been alternating between the Clinique Chubby Sticks Intense and the Color Whisper tubes from Maybelline. So many shades to choose from for both, but the good news is both of these products are friendlier on the wallet (the Maybelline especially at ~$6 a pop), so I picked up a couple of shades. They both have decent color payoff without the feeling that you're wearing a heavy layer. Most of the time, I forget I'm wearing anything.

And for the beauty spurge, I've been loving YSL for so many things lately. In addition to their Shocking mascara, I've become obsessed with their Rouge Volupte lines. The silver tube is the Sheer Candy version, while the gold tube is the Shine version. The sheer candy line is more of a balm, while the shine line is more of a glossy lipstick. Both come in hefty, gorgeous packaging and lightly smell of mangoes. Since the sheer candy is more of a balm, the staying power is pretty short (1-2 hours) but it does hydrate my lips upon application. The shine version is great for the gloss-over-lipstick look without the mess. If I want the most color, I go for the Rouge Pur Couture glossy stain. It applies like a non-sticky liquid gloss and dries down eventually to a semi-matte lip color over time. I was impressed by how this didn't budge on me for over five hours (there was only the faintest of transfers when I was drinking/eating). 

What's your summer beauty routine? What are some lip products you've been loving? Please do tell. :)

this weekend

This Sunday is Easter, so I'm looking forward to a great Sunday with my family. Here's to resurrection in all forms (you, too, Spring!).

Here's what I'm checking out this weekend:

Watchathon Week is currently going on for Comcast cable customers, so I'm taking this opportunity to have a Girls marathon. I've heard/seen/read so many reactions (including the Man Repeller's) to it that I'd like to see what it's really all about. In the meantime, want to give me your take?

I've been on a necklace kick lately, and I've now turned my eyes to this one. 

I've been on a white sneakers kick for years now, and you can't go wrong with the classic.

Everyone needs a yellow polka dot bikini (it's sexy and adorable).

Like I said, I can't wait to visit Brazil, and this article has me intrigued about Sao Paulo.

 

To those who celebrate, have a blessed and happy Easter! 
Have a great weekend, everybody.

oh, the places we will go

I'm a big believer in lists - there's something about writing everything down on paper, as though seeing it in ink makes all the dreams and hopes and wishes magically transform from the abstract to the tangible. One of the lists I've made so far is one of all the places I'd like to travel to and visit. Don't the pictures just make you want to be there already?

What places are on your travel list? 

Here are nine on mine:

one: spain/two: ireland/three: italy

four: greece/five: the UK/six: prague

seven: brazil/eight: turkey/nine: france

images via one/two/three/four/five/six/seven/eight/nine

gifted

An early Easter present. This necklace is a little bit more than I usually go for bling-wise, but it's lovely and the delicateness of the flowers despite the overall wow-factor is what won me over. 

P.S. How beautiful does the First Lady look?