Moving Madness

Moving.Is.Terrible.

There, I said it. And the thing is, I've moved so many times and it's always irritating. The packing makes you believe you have WAY too much stuff. The photos sidetrack you and next thing you know it's been 35 minutes and you're Indian-style on the floor. The glasses and dishes make you mad as you wrap each platter and wine glass and think you should have entertained more because honestly who needs a 3 tiered glass dessert tray?

Ugh. Enough of that already. So here is what my move was really like. Studying 60 hours a week for the bar exam, my parents came down a couple times to grab clothes, etc. Then the day after the exam my dad and I packed up the rest of my apartment--- no big deal. The next part is where the move takes a turn for the worst.

I went to the White Sox game (Thursday night before Friday's move) with my uncle, mom and cousin. We started off in the Stadium Club and this was our view:

Four people. 8 beers. Necessary?

We then proceeded to our seats to consume more beverages and enjoy the win (12th game win streak! Go SOX!) while my mom and uncle slowed down on their beverage consumption. My cousin Jimmy and I, however, revved up our game. We then celebrated the win by having more drinks in my neighborhood bar, Kasey's.

pic

Here is were I made the wrong decision. Stoli drinks were on special for $4, so thinking I was being economical I had 4 or 5 (I honestly cannot remember and the beer I was drinking all night was $3; not very economical, eh?) Blueberry Stolis & Sprites that were too Stoli heavy. I then stumbled home up the block at 2am (my cousin walked me home, what a gentleman!)

I passed out. Now for me, drunk sleep = no sleep. It's passing out. It's being a different state ala Inception where I'm in limbo. I don't sleep, I don't dream, I'm just unconscious on my bed. Friday morning came WAY too early and the moving men (my brother, dad, and different uncle were there) I was in no shape to move.

Why on earth would I get so mind numbingly intoxicated the night before a move?! Not my best decision of 2010. I'm happy to report that I was able to eat around 3 pm and slowly gained the color back in my cheeks and felt like I had a little bit of life back in me. I also proclaimed I was never drinking again. This, was a blatant lie as I'm going back to the Sox game tomorrow and it's nothing but American to watch baseball and enjoy a beer :)

So with that trip down scary memory lane, I feel nauseous and pathetic...haha

And one last look at the great loft that was my home. So far, the best place I've lived...




HAPPY WEEKEND to ALL! Hope you're doing something really fun and enjoying the time off. I've got a busy day tomorrow but want to blog a great recipe I have, so fingers crossed I get it done :)

Fall Wish List

Ahh, it's almost that time of year again. When the fall styles start rolling out and I wish it was chillier so I could wear a light jacket and a scarf. We're still rocking 90% humidity in Chicago right now, so jackets and scarfs are on the back burner.

Just because I can't wear any fall clothes doesn't mean I'm not coveting any! I'm an early September birthday so for as long as I can remember my birthday presents were fall clothes for back to school.

Here's what I'm currently craving for FALL and will be on my birthday wish list:



1. MICHAEL Michael Kors Tatum Riding Boot $275 I love the color & buckles. Can't decide which color I'd pick because I'd wear either to death!
2. J.Crew Brompton Purse $278 I'm a sucker for crossbody bags that you can wear on your shoulder if you'd like. Plus buttery soft leather? Yes, please!
3. J.Crew Downtown Field Jacket $148 I love the whole military look this season & this jacket looks not only practical, but adorable as well.
4. Anthropologie's Grand Island Dress $98 The color and the buttons really do it for me with the belt. I love belted dresses/blouses, etc.
5. J.Crew Double Studded Belt $58 Need a skinnier studded belt to instantly freshen up my tops and bring me into studded season trend...Might want to find one that's cheaper...
6. Etsy: Kiska Style Mother of Pearl Clover Petal Necklace $32 I've always wanted a Van Cleef necklace like this but it is way out of my price range and this one is very much in the price range!
7. Anthropologie's Lady's Choice Cardigan $88 Love pretty much anything Anthro does and this cardigan is no exception. Ladylike details and I just know I'd wear it with everything

So that's what I'm currently craving for the Fall. Gotta keep an eye out for new styles and hopefully some of this stuff will go on sale. Hopefully ;)

Any specific Fall trend you're wishing was in your closet right now??

New Design For LLT!

So lately I've been scoping out everyone's pages (not just your posts!) and I've been admiring all the blogs out there and how creative everyone is with their own "space". I messed around on Picasa and made a couple collages with some header pictures and then my favorite travel & random pictures. I love my new header but might switch the background color. Still looking to tweak a few things here and there. Want to set up a better way to list my daily blog reads, so if you know of a way, please share!

It was very therapeutic to tinker around with everything after today's bar exam. Totally over it and not going to dwell on it!


Any tips for a better blog format...send them my way!! PursuitOfLLT@gmail.com

Happy Tuesday, Bloggers!!

and I just realized my whole collage didn't show for the background haha only the sides...so here it is, just because!

WINNER of the First Freebie Friday is....

FRIED PINK TOMATO!!



Congratulations, Jaime!! Email me at: PursuitOfLLT@gmail.com with your snail mail address and your Starbucks gift certificate will be on its way :)

Since it was my first giveaway I wasn't sure how to do it so I took all the entries, counted them, and if you had multiple entries then you had multiple # possibilities all in a row. Then I went to random.org plugged it in and voila! I took a screen shot of the screen shot, how OCD, to show you it was taken after the deadline.

Thanks to all who entered and keep your eye out for more Freebie Fridays!




I know I wasn't going to post until tomorrow night but with nerves like these, who can sleep! haha

Grandma's Jewels

Vintage seems to be overtaking the world, at least the fashion world. Fashion has a history of repeating itself and vintage looks are no exception. Either you're buying something that looks old or you're lucky enough to score an original yourself!

My Grandma H. (Dad's Mom) had tons of fun jewelry. My dear Grandma left me all her fun jewels, brooches, and even her diamond wedding ring (I think I'm going to get it reset as a floating diamond necklace...) Let me tell you, all the jewelry is truly unique. I've never seen anything like them (with exception to 2 of the necklaces) and they always make me feel special when I'm wearing them.

My favorite is a very unique gold ring with opals. It's an eye catching piece and I wear it almost daily. I would be incredibly distraught if I ever lost it! I misplaced it for about a week and almost had a panic attack!





Then here's a quick collage of the rest:



-The crystal necklace has an aurora borealis color to it so its color is ever changing.
-The black seed bead necklace is awesome and has a couple possibilities. I usually twist it or wear it flat.
-The charm bracelet has a really sweet story to it. My Grandpa was an inventor/engineer for Nabisco and therefore my Dad's family moved around the country to wherever a Nabisco factory was opening. My Grandpa bought my Grandma a charm for every state they lived in. So sweet! It looks really cute on :)
-The ring is fun and different!
-The other bracelet is gold and pearls. It's very art deco to me. Also wore that to my cousin's wedding :)
-And the brooch is just pretty. Wore it in my hair for my cousin's wedding and dropped it on the floor and a pearl popped out (grrr)

What's your favorite piece of jewelry? Do you have any pieces passed down to you from family members?

I'll have to do a separate post of jewelry my Mom has given to me that my Dad had given to her :)

TOMORROW IS THE BAR EXAM!!! AHHHH!
I'm so nervous but absolutely ready for it to be OVER! I will post the winner of the giveaway tomorrow night but other than that, I'll be MIA until Wednesday evening when it's all over :)

Still time to enter! Enter by 11:59 CST Monday, July 26, 2010

Splurge v. Steal: Maxi Dresses

I have a confession to make. I have a serious dress disorder. Dress, not stress. Remember the vault I was telling you about in The GREAT brick wall? Well it's a huge closet. One entire side is lined with dresses...and this doesn't include the random ones at the cleaner's or folded cotton ones. It's kind of disgusting, actually.

But I digress...the point of today's post is to talk Splurge v. Steal. We've all seen it in magazines, on makeover shows, and even done by our friends. You see something you crave. It's beautiful, it's hand sewn, and it's $595. Ouch. And it always seems to happen that you (well I know I do) gravitate towards the most expensive thing at the store. Not fun. In fact, I think it's a form of punishment.

So my current Splurge v. Steal items I want to showcase today are two beautiful and fun maxi dresses. These dresses are on the dressier side and not your run of the mill 'long jersey dress to throw on for errands'.


If you just saw these, could you guess which one was more $$?

The first is a black halter type dress by Tibi. I cannot tell you how much I love it and how many compliments I have gotten while wearing it. It's equisite. Not only is it cut incredibly well, it has so much detailing. The gold stones on the front, the paisley print throughout (and coming up from the bottom, my fave), plus the T cut of the back topped off with black, shiny buttons.

details, details, details!

Sexy back

It, to me, is almost as close as you can get to dressed up maxi perfection. And it was $620. AHHH! Fear not, bloggers! I did not pay this much. In fact, I stumbled upon this dream in a mid-week, mid-day excursion to Macy's on State Street in Chicago (ugh, I miss you, Marshall Field's). While shopping around in the contemporary section I saw multiple racks that screamed UP TO 80% OFF! Honestly, my first reaction was, WTF? Contemporary designers like Milly, Marc by Marc, Theory, Rebecca Taylor (ok, shut up now) up to 80% off? SO I dove in...and there she was. She fit perfectly (minus a necessary shortening of the hem...and I'm almost 5'8" and it was crazy long) and, wait for it....she was $124. DONE. And there we went, together, out of Macy's and into the streets of Chicago awaiting our first chance to wear the beauty.

Now onto my Steal dress (even though the Tibi was a steal in and of itself) While perusing the racks of dresses at Target, I came across this beauty. Oooh I love the print was the first thing I thought. AND a one shouldered neckline? Booyah, I'm in. It cinched in all the right spots, was a narrow fit without being too tight, and had a fun ruffle. Oh and guess what? It was on clearance for $24.99. Thank you, Target. And a bigger thanks to Liberty of London for making a Target line.

I love ruffles!!!

how fun is this print??

I've worn both dresses a couple times and ALWAYS get compliments. While the Tibi dress holds a special spot in my heart because it felt like fate that we would find each other, I am just as proud, if not more, of my Target dress.

Do you ever like your bargain bought goods better? Don't they feel like more of a treat and an accomplishment? I get more offended when my amazing found Target/Thrift store finds get ruined than a Marc by Marc Jacobs dress. Why? Because you EXPECT the expensive item to last, why else would you pay that much for it?!?

So with that my friends, I leave you with this question: What has been your best Splurge v. Steal? What items do you recommend splurging on and others saving on? Is there any place in particular you ALWAYS find steals? Do share!!

Oh and don't forget...you have until 11:59 CST, tomorrow, MONDAY 7/26/10 to enter my 1st Freebie Friday!!!

All pictures are property of yours truly. If you feel like using them, that's cool, but I suggest you give me credit or put a link back to the page or it might get ugly ;)

Do You See What I See?

Image via Tham &Videgard

This reminds me of those freaky books that were all the rage in the 90s...you know the ones where it's a design and you're supposed to see something else in the picture too, like another shape? Anyone know what I'm talking about? I can't remember the name!!

So anyway, I saw this today online and had to do a double-take. Do you see it? It's a tree house hotel in Sweden that is completely mirrored on the outside. It's like being hidden in the forest but in plain sight. Very cool. And I bet this is making every backyard tree house in America look like a joke!

The idea behind the Eco friendly hotel comes from Tham & Videgard who are wildly talented and inspiring. Seriously, check out their recent works on their website. I had to pick my mouth off the floor after seeing some of their designs. Here are more pics of the hotel:

Chic modern interior with radiant heat floors & incinerating toilet...that sounds a bit scary

A special film is put on the outside only viewable by birds so they won't be slamming into the mirrors!

All images from Tham & Videgard

This tree house hotel is just another of the many eco-friendly hotels and resorts popping up all over the world. And to that I say, Kudos! I am proud to be a bit of a tree-hugger myself but I don't think it's a bad thing. Like you learn in 1st grade, it's our Earth and it's up to us to keep her clean! (that was cheesy, even for me...yikes) I don't think being Green is a fad, I think it's becoming necessary as we go forward. For those who disagree, that's okay. (Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one!)

As hotels are opting to be more environmentally friendly bits and pieces of eco-flair seem to be popping up everywhere. One of the first steps they seem to be taking is in their toiletry department and thank goodness for that. Nothing better than scoring a free oatmeal & honey soap or green tea shampoo!

If you're looking for your next Green hotel for vacay or just want to see what's out there look no further

So my question to you is this: Has anyone been to an eco-friendly resort or hotel? If so, where? What were your thoughts? 'Amazing, I'll do it again?' 'Weird and pretentious?'



If you want the to read the whole article about the Tree House Hotel click ME

F That! It's the First FREEBIE FRIDAY!

F-R-E-E

I love free stuff. I love a free sample while in Starbucks, or iTunes single of the week (thank you iTunes for helping me discover MGMT before they became trendy), or a free download on my Kindle (Pride & Prejudice, whoot whoot!). Free is good. And while we're working our way out of this economic turmoil, free is on a lot of people's minds. Definitely yours truly :)

So I wanted to do something for YOU, my readers. As you know I'm obsessed with Starbucks. I also spend a disgusting amount on iTunes and then curse myself when I see the money come out of my online checking (No cursing about Florence & The Machine...absolutely ZERO cursing) and then there's the whole 1-click power of Amazon and ordering books right away to the Kindle. I am a huge reader so when I finish a good book I want to dive immediately into the next one. And with the power of WiFi and the Kindle, my wishes come true.

So now it's Friday and Fridays are awesome, but you know what would make Friday even better? Something FREE! So bloggers, it's my first Freebie Friday! I'll try to do at least one of these a month and mix it up with a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

Up for giveaway this Friday is a $10 gift certificate to your choice of either STARBUCKS, iTUNES, or AMAZON.COM wooooohoooo! I will snail mail you the gift cards from Starbucks or iTunes and the Amazon one will be delivered via email. If you win, just let me know what your little heart desires

Interested? Dreaming of a grande, sugar free, cinnamon dolce soy latte? Then here's the deal:
Leave a comment telling me your fave of these 3 places. If you don't like any of them, lemme know something better!
AND
Follow my blog (if you already do, then you're good to go!)

For additional entries you can:
5 extra entries: Blog about the giveaway and then let me know by commenting again (or email) & include the link to your blog
3 extra entries: 'Like' my page on Facebook (comment here/email so I know it was your blog...lots of different blog names/facebook names!)
1 extra entry per tweet, per day: Tweet me @PursuitofLLT

Contest will run from NOW until MONDAY @ 11:59PM CST (UPDATED! wanted to make sure there was enough time for people to enjoy their weekend & enter in the giveaway!)

Winner will be chosen by random.org

Get excited, it's Friday and you might be days away from a Freebie Friday gift card!

Image via images.businessweek.com

Image via ibay24.es

Image via thedealdetector.com

I Have a "Following" Problem..

I can't help it! It seems like every time I stumble upon a new blog, I fall in love. Now, I know it's not 100% true because there are many I have never returned to (probably what some of you are thinking right now...) but I've been loving everything lately. Everyone is so darn creative & interesting!

Since I'm new to the blogging world I'm trying to get the hang of it. I absolute LOVE reading all the comments people leave and then heading over and checking out their blogs. Which, guess what, I normally adore.

I've been making lists of things to write and I feel like I'm in creative overload right now. Which is a good thing b/c in 10 days I'm going to be done with the bar exam and waiting for my results and a job. Let's not think about that though...back to happy thoughts :)

I also want to give a shout out to my first follower and the first blog I starting following: http://ilikeitdt.blogspot.com/

She had me at infused vodka ;)

So fellow bloggers, how long have you been blogging for? How do you keep up the inspiration? Are there certain blog posts you love reading about? And more importantly...lemme know some fab blogs to check out!


Happy Blogging, everyone!

The GREAT Brick Wall

I currently live in a loft, I say currently because I'm moving soon and I'm so depressed I can't even bear to talk about it right now... The building is an old printing press in Chicago's Historic Printer's Row. I absolutely LOVE it. I have 12 ft (maybe 14...) ceilings, exposed brick, timber ceilings, 8ft windows, and my own vault! :)

My apartment used to be the office so I have a very large walk-in closet that is completely concrete (and a fabulous storage space...it's the length of the brick wall you're seeing) I only wish they would have left the old vault door on. Now that would have been ahhmazing.

I wanted to do something on the brick wall that juts out from the vault. It's such a large space and the brick is a beautiful color and it really grabs your attention when you walk in. Problem was, I didn't know what to do with all that space. So I looked for inspiration from Crate & Barrel, CB2, Ikea, West Elm, and numerous design magazines. Only problem is everything I wanted was $$$$. I just graduated law school so naturally the only $ I have is in student loans ;) I made the best of what I could with things I found and received from all over.

Here's a shot of the wall from the front entrance (a quick peek at my apt too)



The frames are all different shapes and sizes and have come from Ikea & Hobby Lobby. The console table (that I just adore) was a floor sale at Crate & Barrel. It's the Aldo Console table. I got it for $199 from $600, SCORE! Its sister side table is next to my chaise...$99 from $250!



The pictures are from all over. 3 prints I picked up of Firenze when I lived there. A shadow box filled with the business cards of my favorite Florentine restaurants. Another shadow box with wired flowers from Chait Gallery in Iowa City, IA


(artist is Justine T. Zimmer http://www.thegalleriesdowntown.com/dynamic/artwork_display.asp?ArtworkID=6786)

And of course the pictures are from favorite memories of mine. Blizzard in Denver with a dear friend, Antigua with my random roommate from college (still best friends!!), a kiss with my grandma from when I was 2...ah, memories. It's what I like to call a happy wall. I always stop, look and feel complete.

My bamboo plant is a recent gift from my attorney Uncle who gave it to me as good luck for the bar exam. It's in the shape of a triangle, so 3x the luck. I NEED IT!

The beaded bowl is where I toss a little bit of everything. Mostly my keys but you'll find hair ties, pens, stamps in there.

The glass box to the right of the middle is another fave of mine. A gift from the friend (in the blizzard pic) from the Denver Artisans Center. It's truly beautiful and the glass work is phenomenal. I put a picture from my trip to Prague in the holder on the top. It's a box for any and everything...and b/c it's mine it's full of RANDOM junk (of course I cleaned it out for you guys hehe)



Then I have my art books. I wish I could have 1,000 coffee table books. I love art. I love going through the pages and just staring. I got these books at the Printer's Row Book Fair which is a treat itself. Didn't pay more than $14 for any of the books!




So tell me, how do you like to decorate? What's your style? I feel mine is ever changing and as I stumble across many of the blogs on here I'm in awe and intimidated by the creativity that's out there. A lot of you have an eye for design that I would KILL for! Now I just need to keep a running tab of all your smart DIYs and goodies that you find and implement them into my space. Like I said, my apt is always changing and I never really know what I want.

'Til next time!

Tuesday's Thoughts

It's Tuesday, which for most of us means we've made it through the nasty excuse of a day called Monday. Why are Mondays so brutal?? ANYWAY...

I've been up in my ears lately preparing for the biggest test of my life: THE bar exam. Eek. I dilly-dallied the first month of the summer (like most people) and now it seems like there's not enough time in the day. The exam is 1 week from today and I'm freaking out. So in an attempt to not pass out from sleep deprivation, cry from stress, or blink repeatedly while looking at my outlines, I decided to take a much needed BREAK!

So I sat here and thought about what to write. I've had so many ideas for blog posts and now BOOM! nothing. How depressing. But then I thought, hey, I'll just write about things I'm currently obsessed with.

HERE WE GO...

1. Starbuck's Rewards: Seriously blogger-friends, get in the know with Sbux rewards. Not only are they amazing, but they are necessary! So you go to Starbuck's a lot, huh? Well they've started a program where you pay with a gift card you register online (protects your balance!) and everytime you use this card you get stars. After 5 you get free syrups and soy!! (which is huge for us soy drinkers) After 30 you get your own personalized gold card. Here's a link for the details...everyone seriously CHECK IT OUT. and More importantly...here is my GOLD CARD (your name is on it, but I blurred mine out...) Receiving it was the highlight of my week

https://www.starbucks.com/card/rewards




2. Inception: My oh my. Did anyone else see it? Was hooked from Hans Zimmer's score and the first five seconds of the movie. Dream or reality? Guilt running your life? Affecting your work? It's the small subtle clues here and there that make you second guess everything. The ending, thank you Christopher Nolan, for keeping it as ambiguous as the other 2 hours of the movie. I love movies where YOU, the viewer, get to decide what happens. Yes, maybe the truth is in there, but until I see it again, I'm blissfully happy with my interpretation.






3. Florence + the Machine: Thank You, USA for running a F+M song in your Covert Affairs show. I knew I heard it before and immediately bought the cd on iTunes. Best purchase in months. I love music like this...great beats, amazing lyrics and a chorus that gets stuck in your head forever. I highly recommend heading over to youtube and checking out the full versions of the songs. The 30 second iTunes previews won't do it justice. In fact, here is their song for the song Dog Days are Over


Florence & The Machine: Dog Days are Over

4. Fedoras: I'm Norwegian/Irish so therefore incredibly pale. While I'm not saying I'm basking in the Caribbean sun, I find that Chicago can have some intense rays! Now, I like a good baseball cap...but not when I'm wearing a sundress and wedges. I save baseball hats for White Sox games, jogs along the lake, and dirty hair days! So when fedoras made their way back into the stores, you betcha I was one of the first to grab one. Do you have a cute, chic way to keep the sun out of your eyes and the rays from damaging your skin?

Image via http://www.strawfashion.com/straw-fedoras.php

5. Lululemon: Ms. Lulu, I am forever in your debt. I could live in your relaxed fit pant and your scoop neck tanks are AH-mazing. Thank you for making tanks that actually support those of us who need the extra support! Nothing more uncomfortable then running a couple miles or posing in down dog and feeling like you're flying all over the place.

Images via lululemon

So, sorry for the lame post tonight...But tell me, what are your thoughts for this Tuesday? Any favorites?

Jeweled Inspiration

Yesterday as I sat in Starbuck's drinking my iced latte I noticed two girls animatedly chatting next to me and plotting their day through the city. Then one girl's wrist caught my eye. There it was. The coolest & cutest piece of jewelry I've seen lately.

Ever see a piece of jewelry and instantly wish you had it? I could feel myself turning green with envy. Notorious for my mobile uploads (sneak attack pics of random things/people) I attempted to get a shot of the bracelet. Do you know how hard it is to get a pic of a bracelet when the wrist is flailing about?! Let's just say Plan A= Failed.

I finally thought to myself, screw it...and stood up. I walked over, told her I was sorry if I was being creepy (is this creepy, I don't know?) but I wanted to know where she got her adorable bracelet and if I could take a picture of it. She bought it in Toronto. Of course she did since I'm currently in Chicago! So I snapped a picture and have been thinking about it since.

I used to dabble in jewelry making back in high school. I loved the creativity of it and of course, the benefits. I had so many fun necklaces/bracelets. So it got me thinking...I need to try to make this bracelet!

I'm attaching some pics. Let me know if you've seen something like this or own one similar to it yourself. It feels very etsy to me...and I LOVE LOVE LOVE etsy!

If you're in the know about these stones/materials...let me know!

Perks, Perks, PERKS!

I don't know about you, but I love me some perks. I'm talking frequent flier miles, store memberships, movie points, the works. What's not to love? But then I got to thinking about it and really these companies deserve a huge round of applause for making me spend more than I need. (Please, I am not the first to realize this, as Carter from a rather large airline is basking in the sun at his Hampton's estate courtesy of the bonus that followed his idea to "perk" up his company...)

So then I thought, hmm Why do we love perks so much? And this is what I came up with:

1. The Card--you know what I'm talking about. Standing in line to buy a movie ticket and OH wait, here's my card. The guy behind you thinks, what's that? how did she get that? where do I get one?

2. The Coupons-- ah, yes. The coupons, which let's face it you're going to need b/c you just spent $34 on two movie tickets! A small pop & popcorn for $5? Yes, please!

3. Free, Free, Free-- Wait a minute, you mean if I take tons of flights and spend thousands of dollars flying on AA (not to mention thousands more on bag fees, and the damn sandwich I have to buy on board) I get a free ticket? OOH exciting. Oh wait, I can't use it for that flight at that time on that day? Oh...yeah...hmmph.

4. The Status-- very few of you know what I mean. You reach a certain level and BAM! You're practically famous. While I'll never be George Clooney's character in Up in the Air, I do mooch on those who are (Thanks, Mom!) Priority Boarding? Cutting in line at Security? Free upgrades to First Class?! Oh how I wish I had a job that had to fly me around so I could rack up some FF points!

5. The SPECIAL card-- sure, sure you're one of thousands with a Starbucks rewards card. Now order your latte and move along. Oh wait, I 'm sorry, you have a personalized card? Well step right up, Ms. Special. It's the Starbucks GOLD card. That's right. It's Gold (we're not talking real gold ala the Black Amex Titanium card, come on people! It's a recession!) it has a smart looking cup on the front...and YOUR NAME! You, my friend, have just arrived. Oh and free syrups, soy milk and drinks on your birthday!


Can you think of any other reasons these perks programs are so successful and why it's so easy to become obsessed with them?!

New Beginnings...seem to always come right after an ending.

Ahh, the first blog post. What to write? Who will read? Anyone?

Here I am deciding what to make of this little blog of mine and what the gist of it will be. My thoughts are very simple (and sparse...) so let's dive right in. I wanted to write about something people want to read about. Something that's organic and easy to relate to...something interesting...thought-provoking...inspired. Then I realized, Hmm better just write what's on my mind and put it out there ;)


Thoughts are always welcomed and appreciated.