I am thankful for...

I was afraid that my previous anti-turkey post would sound too bratty, so I just want to clarify that it was all in good fun and follow up with a thankful post. Though I could never begin to capture it all, I am thankful for...

Food on my table

Family to share moments with

Friends (especially those who I can go for months without seeing but who call me over the holidays and everything picks up just from the last moment we left each other)

My sweet boyfriend

My education

Good health for myself and my loved ones

Our new president

My cozy home

DVR

My trainer at my gym

Warm socks

My kitties

Ice cream

Target

Kindness

Good wine

The internet

Having clothes on my back

Coats to keep me warm

A bed to sleep in (and a TV to fall asleep to and leave on all night so that I wake up to HGTV in the morning)

HGTV

Good books

Sparkly objects

Green tea

Warm showers

Nail polish

Good memories

Lots of love in my life

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No turkey for me, I'm sticking to sweet potatoes

This Thanksgiving I am boycotting turkey. Big words, I know. This is a pretty melodramatic story, I'll admit. So I have spent years trying to convince my mom to buy an organic and/or free-range turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. This year she decided to order a non-frozen, free-range bird from a local meat market. I was really excited about this, so much so that I would drop this in conversation. Anyway, on Sunday she called and I asked, "so you ordered the turkey from the meat market right?" I should have known something was up when she paused, and sort of sighed, and then said, "no, I got one at the grocery store a few days ago. I just thought it would be easier." There was some discussion and raising of voices and then, here is the real kicker, she says "Wait, I compromised with you! I bought you the brown free-range organic eggs that you like!" What? This is a compromise? I think for a few seconds I even briefly wondered if she realized that eggs come from chickens and not turkeys and thus this was not even close to a compromise. So after all this, I made my declaration. I am boycotting the turkey.

Like I said, pretty melodramatic. I'm sure that my mom just rolled her eyes, knowing my tendencies with meat (I was a vegetarian for many years). Plus, I don't even really like Thanksgiving turkey actually. I get all hyped up for it every year, and then every year I take a single bite, remember how dry and bland it is, and immediately regret wasting that valuable real estate on my plate.

I know, it isn't like this boycott will have any real effect on the world, the environment, the turkey industry, or my family. We are having a small Thanksgiving with my grandparents (I am the only child of an only child). My mom will roll her eyes at me again, probably reliving the horrible years when she would have to make separate dinners for her meat-loving husband and vegetarian daughter. My grandma will be beside herself that I am not getting enough to eat, despite the 12 other dishes. My grandpa will probably disregard the fact that I'm not eating turkey and then argue with me about how because he has a Second Amendment right to carry a gun he could go shoot a turkey for us (a major point of contention between me and my NRA card-carrying grandfather). My dad will not have any idea that I'm not eating turkey, even if I specifically tell him, and just be really happy there is more for him.

So I decided to eat my turkey on Monday this week and made a really delicious white chili. Accompanied with goat cheese and almond green beans and a fresh French baguette with roasted garlic, it was better than any frozen grocery store bird. I was planning on including the recipe in this post, but I am home at my parent's in Indiana and the recipe is in my recipe box in Chicago, so maybe later.

In any case, Happy Thanksgiving, whether yours is filled with turkey or not!

It's the little things

Just some Monday eye candy that I have recently purchased/much purchase immediately.

Juicy Couture

Spice up your trousers

Mint candy apple- how perfect is that name?

Loving this old-school timepiece

Flash dance

This weekend has the potential for a lot of fun. And then there was law school. Finals are fast approaching, and though I would love to enjoy the gorgeous day tomorrow/go to the Green City Market/shop with friends at an outlet mall/attend one of three birthday parties tomorrow night, I have a feeling that I might just hang out with my school work.

However, I thought that I would share videos of people who are really having a lot of fun. I kind of became obsessed with flash mobs after seeing one on Oprah in September, and today I was shown a video of a flash mob at my alma mater. It is such a typical occurrence on that campus (while I was in college we would frequently have petting zoos, horse and carriage rides, and ice cream all over campus- the quality of life is pretty high) that it was unsurprising but still so fun.

So until a few weeks from now, flash mob videos it is.

Liverpool Street Station

Bondi Beach

Central Station, Belgium

Wash U

Chicago

In my suitcase

I've decided to create a weekly "in my suitcase" post because a) it's so fun to fake-plan a vacation in your head, and b) it's a fantastic waste of time. This week's destination: Savannah, Georgia. Okay, I have to admit that this isn't actually a fake vacation this time- my parents and I recently decided to swing by Savannah while we spend the Christmas season in Florida. I have heard such wonderful things about this quaint city but haven't ever been, so I am much looking forward to the Squares of Savannah, stopping in the Savannah College of Art and Design, and eating at Paula Dean's restaurant, The Lady and Sons!

Without further ado, this is my vintage hat box suitcase:

And here are its Southern Belle fillings:

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Afternoon thoughts

"I was born with an enormous need for affection,

and a terrible need to give it."

~Audrey Hepburn

Bring on the red cups [holiday season]

The red cups are back! And, sadly enough, the commercial entity that is Starbucks just ushered me into the holiday season. I have been shaking my head at the Christmas decoration merchandise that popped up the day after Halloween, turning a deaf ear to Christmas music in stores, and begging my early-decorator grandma not to put her lawn reindeer out until at least Thanksgiving. But there was something different tonight- maybe that all the storefronts on Michigan Avenue are putting up Christmas displays, that the side streets already have their tree lights up and bright, that the Magnificent Mile Festival of Lights is on Saturday, and that I received the most precious holiday email from Kate Spade this afternoon. I got that tingling feeling of excitement in my stomach though. I officially cannot wait for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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So on the festive note, I began my Christmas list!

1. An eternity scarf. Typical me, can't decide on a color.

2. Tory Burch Reva flat. It's about time- anyone care to choose a color for me? I'm thinking black and gold, but the green or orange is so pretty and deliciously impractical.

3. Lululemon yoga pants, since I'm now a gym class whore with a 7-month pregnant instructor who kicks my butt.

Black and white

This weekend I finally got around to doing some of the crafty things I have been putting off. Perhaps I was inspired by the madness from the sample sale I attended last week (more on that later). In any case, after a visit to Madison to visit some college friends, Sunday was spent going out to breakfast with the boy, watching movies/dozing on the couch, and sprucing up the corner cabinet in my bathroom.

Before (sorry, my only before picture was taken in my tiny bathroom)

And after!

The project was super cheap and simple. The decorative paper on the top of the cabinet is actually Hallmark gift wrap from their "Modern Woman" collection. I adhered it with several layers of Mod Podge (warning: it is really difficult to do a large surface area like this one without those pesky air bubbles and took me several tries before I was satisfied/gave up). Then the edges of the cabinet got a fresh coat of black paint to give the cabinet more structure. This goes perfect in my black and white bathroom, and I'm ignoring the fact that it is a bit girly for my boy's tastes.

Sunshine daydream

Since moving to a shady, albeit pretty, tree-lined street, I have to admit that I have been craving more sunlight to stream in my windows. Of course, the grass is always greener with me- I used to live in a west-facing high-rise apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows and was annoyed that I had to dust every other day (at least in theory) and that my apartment was always about 15 degrees hotter than it should have been. I will eventually find my perfect compromise, but until then here is some pretty eyecandy.

Breaking barriers.

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Naked windows.

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Bring inside, out.

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New York state of mind

How adorable is this suitcase? I feel like I wouldn't mind waiting for my luggage so much if I was waiting for this.

{Samsonite: Viktor & Rolf}

My best friend spent the weekend in New York City, and after sadly having to decline her last-minute invitation to go with, I spent the weekend kitten-sitting for her and wishing I was in NYC. This is what I would fill the suitcase with...

Reunited and it feels so good

My working computer and I are back! Thank goodness for Apple. If you haven't backed up your computer, DO IT RIGHT NOW, and save yourself a mini-heart attack in case something happens.

I have had big plans to get a lot done and be very crafty lately, but alas I have been SO unproductive. On my to-do list, and to be posted soon (I hope):

*Makeover the corner cabinet in my bathroom with some black paint and pretty black and white paper for the shelves

*Line my mini-blinds with ribbon

*Sand and repaint a mirror for my bedroom

*Oh, and possibly begin the horrible process of studying for finals next month, which will inevitably take me away from my sweet blog again : (

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Computer I miss you

My sweet little computer died on Friday (it was quite the traumatic experience for me), so posts will be few/non-existant for the time being. Keeping my fingers crossed that it gets back from Apple with everything intact!