I won Project Runway!

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In my dream, that is.  Seriously, why do I keep dreaming about Project Runway? 

It was the final day.   Apparently, I had made an entire collection and it was unbelievable.  And let me remind you,  I can't sew to save my life.  Heidi or Tim or Nina weren't around, but Michael Kors was there and we were jolly good friends.  And I kept telling people I know in real life that I was friends with Michael Kors!  (For the record, nobody cared).  My heart was racing as the moment of truth was around the corner.  There was a large audience, filled with some friends of mine (my best friend and her husband were in the front row and I remember I kept high-fiving him over and over).  Everyone I talked to kept telling me there was no way I wasn't going to win.  No way.

Then Badger's alarm went off and I woke up and was so sad that I didn't get to know if I won...

Until I went back to sleep.  And it was one of those amazing things where you actually start to dream the same dream again, that never happens!  The only thing is that it was now post-Project Runway win and I was sitting around eating lunch with my family.  Now that I think about it, this dream is oddly paralelling the wedding.  I high-fived my bff's husband when they announced the bride and groom and I had lunch w/my family every day for many days after the wedding.  Weird.  Anyway, I won.  And you know what I was thinking in my dream?  This is fantastic - now I won't have to figure out what to do with my life/career!

If only that were true.

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Root Beer Float Cupcakes

I've been in the mood to make some mo cupcakes and today's need for groceries really helped me get on the ball.  I saved this recipe from Smitten Kitchen awhile ago and finally tested it out!

The good news:  they're delicious.

The bad news: they really don't taste like root beer (I guess that's good news if you're not so into root beer). They just mainly taste like chocolate and whipped cream.  Nothing wrong with that I suppose!

I even busted out the pastry bag with tips!  Now I just have to find some people to help eat the rest of them.  Any takers?

San Francisco

Finally, we uploaded our photo's from the California trip.  So prepare yourselves for a whirlwind of California photos (even though they're just lame point-and-shoot photos from our sony).

Drum roll please:

We stayed at Hotel Diva in Union Square.  This was the window shade.  It was....interesting.  However, it put us in a very key location for being sans car.  We were able to step outside and be immersed in all the craziness.  We always stumbled into some pretty good spots for breakfast (Jewish diner, David's Delicatessen on Geary St, so gooooood) and were steps away from all the areas we needed to be.  And for the record, we stayed at this hotel through one of those last minute book it websites for a pretty darn good deal.  Patting myself on the back for that one.

We climbed the Coit Tower and took in the panoramic views of the city and the bay...

Took some funny photos down at the Wharf....

 Ate at Scoma's (he finished his entire crab and then the waiter patted him on the back)

Went to the Japanese Tea Gardens...

And finished our picture-taking adventures in Sausalito before a scrumptious Italian dinner and drinks at "Bar". 

Next up: Point Reyes!

Another preview...

We're anxiously awaiting our wedding photo's that dear sweet Raegan is currently working on, but while we're waiting here's some more teasers!

* All photo's by the lovely and talented Sarah Graves-Cohen.


* Plenty more photo's of the entire trip await you!

Mo clothes and accessories

Here's what I would like you to think I'm wearing today (sadly it's not even close)

More Pour La Victoire...

Now, if only I had a plethora of money to buy all this expensive but awesome stuff...
(this is what I do with all my free time apparently)

Oh Jon Stewart...

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I'll admit it - I've got a little bit of a thing for this guy.  Sorry Badger.  But it's for many reasons!  We watch the Daily Show all the time and he never fails to make us laugh.  So last night, out of boredom and curiosity, I read all about him.  And you know what? I like him even more now.  You know how he proposed to his wife of 10 years?  He worked with New York Times' Will Shortz to create a personalized crossword puzzle for her.  Oh Jon Stewart.  Sigh.

Another reason that I can't get him off my mind is this:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Rod Blagojevich Extended Interview Pt. 1
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Blago got burrrrrrrrrned over and over and every last second was so enjoyable to watch. 

Doing some day dreaming, what else is new

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With fall around the corner, I've got some things on my mind. 

1.  I'm terrified of another Chicago winter.  Last winter and the winter before were bad.  I finally understood why people come here and leave.  I don't want to go through it again! I love winter but winter here is something I just don't think I'm built for.  And before I know it, it will be here again.  And here to stay for a six month minimum.  6 MONTHS!

2.  Martha Stewart (uh oh, I'm calling myself out here) is currently cooking some food and giving tips on how to reuse some orange peels.  She puts them in the juicer with her "green juice" the next morning and then gives what's left of that to her chickens.  I want chickens.  I want a goat.  I want...well we're back to that whole thing....


I want to move.  I want to live somewhere with a big backyard, with lots of trees and maybe even a creek or something of the likes.  I want to have a dog that can run around like crazy and for Gus to be able to venture out and do what cats do when they can go outside.  I want to grow vegetables and flowers and be able to provide produce for ourselves in our own backyard.  And I'm pretty sure I'd insist on getting that goat once I'm used to the new lifestyle.  It doesn't mean I want to move somewhere and fall off the face of the earth.  I just want some space!  I want a garage or a shed or somewhere so that the hubs can have the tools he wishes he could have and then we can make things (I have lots of ideas for him but we just can't do them when we live in a second floor apartment and there is no yard, only a shared balcony). 

So that's where my mind is today.  Where this place is is beyond me.  Somewhere beautiful, with close proximity to a big city (because we can't just desert the city life altogether), close proximity to awesome nature for quick day trips and weekend getaways into woods, mountains, lakes, etc.  Somewhere with weather - all 4 season's is preferable, just not the nasty Chicago winter that always overstays its welcome.  Where is this place, eh?

 

Horseshoes

Since I was a little girl, horseshoes have always fascinated me.  I love the way they look, I love the sounds they make when you clonk them together or throw them down the pit to get a ringer.  I love how for me, they symbolize a man I once knew, my grandpa.  We have a pair, just like these, hanging above our front door.  I'm not superstitious about them or anything but I do like that they're supposed to bring good luck.

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When my grandpa passed away, there was a lot of stuff he had that all of us wanted as a reminder of the man he was.  The items I took included these horseshoes and a couple of random tools and some stickers from the team he played horseshoes with in his league.  So every time I look at these (or the other random ones used for decoration) I always get warm and fuzzy with happy thoughts of him.  Do you have anything that makes you feel this way?  I don't know why but today I woke up and can't stop thinking about him and my grandma.  They weren't in my dreams taht I can remember and it's not a particularly special day, so I'm convinced they're just trying to say hello from afar. 

Hankering for Handbags

Now that I'm unemployed and living off my husband's salary...I keep feeling the urge to shop and I need to resist it! I don't deserve to, I am not earning any money.  I just want what I can't have, I guess.  Anyway.   My favorite fossil bag that I carry every day is kind of falling apart (we had to superglue the strap) and I've been carrying it every day for a year and a half.  It's a brown cross-body bag with the most adorable floral lining. The size works perfectly and I can cram just about everything in it.  But I'm not sure how long that superglue will last and I don't want it to break and for me to be ill prepared.  So I'm browsing, and browsing for that perfect replacement.

I found this, have yet to see it in person but I'm interested:

It could be hit or miss, it's hard to tell.

Or there's this one:

It's a lovely neutral, great for fall, but like the color....I'm feeling a bit neutral on it too.

And then, I'm a Greedy Girl went and posted this:

The color! The liner! I'm so in love.  And it's 100% vegan...and it's only $83.

And then I saw this from Post Grad Hair Cut:

So lovely.  But I know I won't be affording this one.

What's a girl to do?