Weekend Recap: Is it South Carolina Yet?

Just like the changing seasons, so does the days of my life.... hahaha (just a little 'Days of Our Lives' for those who remember).

This past weekend I took a long weekend to my second home, i.e. Greenville, SC.

For those of your that frequent this little literary endeavor, you may have read a little bit about my obsession here.

I was attempting to surprise my Dad because I know how much he wanted me home for Easter. Tickets were so expensive for that weekend, so I had to pick another weekend. Everything was going as planned right up until the night before my flight.... when my mom called to tell me my dad was refusing to make the drive from Atlanta as we were expecting 'sh**ty' weather and we had to be back home Sunday for a re-commitment ceremony of some close friends. So, the cover was blown. But I had a ride from the airport at noon on Friday.

It was a great weekend filled with lots of cleaning, organizing, and chilling on the porch/patio. It was a much needed 3-day weekend. 

Sorry for the long dry-spell on entries... things are just crazy with everything going on between work, junior league, and ... LIFE! Stay tuned, as craziness leads to more interesting adventures. :)

Graduation Gift Ideas 2011

As a High School and a College graduate, I've received a humbling amount of graduation gifts in my life (and who knows, maybe I'll get my MBA some day and open up to even more! jk).

Of the times you can give/get, there are (what I believe) 4 main categories:

Category #1 Jewelry - duh, Tiffany is the first place I think of, but I have a slight obsession.

This year Tiffany has a FABULOUS graduation year lock all for $200! You can even get it monogrammed for around $50. I got a lock for my sister around her high school graduation and monogrammed it for sentimental value.

I also received this beautiful Return to Tiffany™ heart tag toggle bracelet from my parents for College graduation. You can find it for $295.

I received these post earrings from a good friend of the family and were perfect for Rush! $100

Category #2: Collegiate theme

Vineyard Vines has some pretty good totes that would be great for any tailgate AND you can personalize for your grad based on their Alma Mater. $95

Tervis Tumblers can be personalized with either collegiate or monogrammed prints, plus you can stuff them with gift cards, in a gift bag, or by themselves. $12

Category #3: Dorm Room/New Apartment supplies
I received my share of the items below. Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, or the Container Store.
- laundry bags/baskets
- quarters for laundry
- fun colored sheets
- magnet boards

- kitchen ware
- Candles
- Closet organizers

Category #4: Bonds, Checks, and Gift Cards
Honestly, I can not be more grateful for the 'education donations' I received over the years (they totally helped me cover at least my first semester of Out-of-State tuition!).
My parents have tried to put a twist on this and give gift certificates to the bookstore of the graduate's school of choice. Typically I would say this is an amazing idea, but you have to be SUPER careful. Exhibit A: my sister changed schools 2 months prior to the beginning of Fall semester (From my Alma Mater, to University of South Carolina).
Gift cards to collegiate local restaurants and stores is also great. Helps with the little 'extras' that pop up outside the standard cost of living.

I hope my brief view has helped in your search for the perfect graduation gift! If you've already purchased your grad a gift and it's not on my list, let me know! I'd love to hear new ideas!

Derby Daze - Party Recap

I believe this weekend's 3rd Annual Kentucky Derby Party went pretty well.

Per my Prep entry I made my Pulled Chicken BBQ (in the crock pot) and the mint Julep Cupcakes.

The BBQ is always good, and I just forget how easy it is!

The cupcakes left much to be desired, for the amount of time it took to make them and how they turned out.... Funfetti is just so much better. 

BF got a little annoyed with me as I completely re-arranged his apartment to accommodate guests and make it acceptably clean.

Additionally, he was kind of weirded out that I took some Martha Stewart to heart, and created some decorations. Nothing overboard, just simple and tasteful to give his kind of dreary apartment some color.

I like them, plus they're super easy! although I don't know if mine are as good as Martha's.

Also, I found out that my Captain Rodney's Cheese bake was a HUGE hit, and that I should make more of that and less chopped vegetables...

Things seemed to go fairly smooth, with the exception of my not feeling very good for the majority of the party... BF and I can't figure out if I handled the chicken and didn't wash my hands all the way or if the 1 Mint Julep I had was just that strong.... either way, next year I'm going to be much more careful!

My hat went to good use, although it probably would've been better had it been sunny and we could actually play outside.

We did get to play a little bit of bags which was fun!

I thought the race was exciting, I never would've guess that Animal Kingdom to come from behind to win! I love it! 

What'd you do for the Derby? What should I do to enhance my party next year?

THOR- A Girl's Comic Book Movie!

Last night BF and I received Sneak Peak tickets to see THOR through my work. I wanted to see it as it was an action movie which was likely to be less gory than what BF would typically go for, and he was excited to see it as well (agreeing on a movie is kind of difficult).

All I can say is HOLY COW.... and swoon. The actor who plays Thor, Chris Hemsoworth, is totally a younger version of Brad Pitt! I have a new leading man... besides BF of course ;)

The film also starred Natalie Portman, in her like 100th movie of the year.... however she was actually believable in this role and made me anxious for the next installment in what is sure to be a successful franchise!

Will you be seeing Thor when it releases on Friday??

Designers I Dig: Salmon Cove

This past weekend I got the PHENOMENAL opportunity to meet with Salmon Cove co-owner Owen. Their office is conveniently based in the loop, just a short Brown line trip away from BF's apartment!

Also a terrific view of the Trump Tower!

I discovered Salmon Cove through my BF and his friend Brandon. They're fraternity brothers who now both live in downtown Chicago. They consider themselves 'preppy' and try to remain 'in the know' about the latest trends. They're both staunch Chicago-ists (Obsessed with all things Chicago), and have been basically BEGGING for a Chicago based Preppy Clothing brand, when they fell upon Salmon Cove!

 Salmon Cove was actually founded by a New York and a Canadian but purchased and re-branded by Owen & Charlie. They just launched their new line of Men's and Women's polos, oxfords, sweaters, and totes.
The Men's line of oxfords are perfect for the golf course, the club house, or the board room. They're 100% cotton, and very stylish. Owen sported his Addison Green Striped shirt for our interview.

The women's shirts are perfect for outdoor activity or socializing. They're 97% cotton, but 3% spandex to provide a giving material that breathes and looks stylish for any event. Owen provided me a beautiful Lavender version of the one below:

The women's polos offer a unique feature that I find fun and creative: They have a cotton underlay to the collar and the logo on the bottom; it pretty much requires you pop your collar... which is pretty amazing!

Check out my stellar shirt!

Both Owen and Charlie are locals from Winnetka, IL, and wanted to create a quality product that could represent their Chicago roots and preppy lifestyle. While chatting, Owen brought up the great point that there aren't any traditionally preppy outfitters created, branded, and marketed in the Chicago area, but there is a huge audience with Chicago being the mecca for recent Big Ten University grads.They've provided a timeless brand that is classic and fun, and I hope to see more of soon!
Additionally, they're large participants in local Philanthropies such as Jeffrey Fashion Cares annual fashion event fighting for civil rights amongst LGBTQ communities and life saving efforts against HIV/AIDs. They've also participated in fundraisers for the American Diabetes Association, and are looking to support local cancer research efforts. Professional Philanthropy and community responsibility is so important to me when I choose to support a brand, and Salmon Cove truly represents both.
Read more about the company, their products, and their work on their site or on their blog. 

I hope to see you all out and about 'Swimming Against the Current'!

Cooler Project: COMPLETE!

I finally finished my cooler project, in true preppy style. Check out the new top design!

What do you think of my project? What would you put on your cooler?

Weekend Recap - Spring into Summer!

This was the seemingly first nice weekend we've had so far this year! The weather was simply gorgeous, birds chirping, nice breeze, and a perfect 65!

I had some tentative plans for the weekend, but the longer I live in Chicago the more I am letting plans come to me. (this is a completely new concept to me, as I'm a complete planner and need excessive amounts of time ahead to verify plans).

Friday night I took a load of party supplies into BF's apartment in Lincoln Park, starting to prep for my Derby Party next weekend. We stayed in Friday night to just relax, save money, and catch up on his newly downloaded movies.

Saturday I had made a few plans. Got up and grab my once-in-awhile Starbucks down the street on my way to a meeting. I ran into my old sorority sister Emily. We passed the vague 'give me a call later, and we'll meet up for drinks', we both continued on our way. Em and I have a funny running-into-each other relationship. We haven't gotten to hang out a ton since college, but she's a pace-leader at a running store down the street from BF's apartment. With their super early morning running schedule, I'm always seeing her walking to and from the store on my way to Purdue for tailgates or on my way to breakfast (she is amazing and has run the marathon like 3 years in a row... I wish I like running...).

I made my way to my meeting (to be discussed in an entry all it's own.... dun dun dun). I didn't realize how quickly the brown line would get me downtown, and had like an hour to kill. I pulled out my trusty iPhone map-app and found a breakfast place close by.

I stopped into Meli Cafe just to have a cup of coffee and kill sometime, and decided to order their fruit plate:

Amazing! Everything was fresh and cold. The fruit came with a little dollop of whipped cream and their house Honey.... Yes, they make their own Honey and Syrup! They have a great juice bar and a friendly staff; I never felt weird for eating alone! As I was enjoying my lite brunch and reading up for my meeting, one of the owners, Yiannis, sat down next to me to enjoy an espresso. He treated me as a long lost friend; I've never felt more welcomed! He gladly shared the secrets of his establishment: how it was originally founded in Greek Town (where he was born and raised), how everything on the menu is Fresh and Natural (organic), and what motivated him to open a second location in the Loop. Overall, the atmosphere was bright and welcoming, the staff was friendly and accommodating, and the Mediterranean cuisine was fresh and delicious! Love this place for breakfast and brunch!

After my meeting I headed back up to Lincoln Park. BF was helping his friend move into the Garden unit of his building; he's more than a little excited, and I'm more than a little afraid it'll turn into the fraternity house all over again...

I stopped off and picked up some Jimmy John's subs for lunch and proceeded home to help out  with the move as well. After a while, I decided to take Emily up on her offer to meet up, and BF and I met her at Corcoran's down the street.

We had a wonderful time, enjoying the nice (albeit cloudy) weather on their patio. I sipped my John Daley, while Emily enjoyed her peno. 

After awhile, BF and I said our good-byes and made our way further north on Lincoln for a house warming party for a friend of ours.

Overall, the weekend was pretty chill and turned out rather nice. 

What'd you do this weekend? Anything fun? 

As always, if you have any suggestions for things to do, please let me know! Thanks!