No particular day

That was really good work of me writing in my blog every day during Lent, wasn't it?

I feel like I complain about law school an awful lot, not necessarily out loud because I don't want to be branded a complainer, but definitely in my own head. I recently had a really diverse and different day that reminded me how lucky I am sometimes not to be living the nine-to-five.

8:40ish: Wake up. Drink my morning glass of water and check my email/read the news online.

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9:30-10:30: My favorite class at the gym- muscle work.

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Not really related to the gym, but aren't they the hottest couple?

12:00-1:00: Lunch meeting for work. Got to see the debut of a new product and get a free lunch and the best cupcakes ever.

1:00-4:00: Get some work in.

4:00-5:00: Meet with the head of the Loyola University Museum of Art for a private tour and talk about legal issues and the museum.

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5:30: Meet my boyfriend and parents for dinner at Piccolo Sogno. I pretty much want to live at this restaurant, not only to eat their fabulous authentic Northern Italian food and drink the wine, but because the exposed brick walls and glass chandelier decor are something I want to emulate in my apartment. PS Piccolo Sogno- little dream- could not be a more fitting name.

8:00-9:30: Take a trip to Home Goods where I scour for a miniature ornate, antique-looking mirror which I plan on painting with a lacquer paint to match the one in Piccolo Sogno's bathroom (for $7). Head to Target for some Easter candy. After a long day, I'm falling asleep in line, so I justify opening and eating a bag of Starburst jelly beans in the car so that it keeps me awake on the 5 minute drive home.

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10:00: In my pajamas reading in bed.

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Eye tickle

I like pretty things. I like cute things. I have a little fit in the grocery store every time I walk past the mini-bananas; they get me every time. This website- Lovely Package- is like a whole website of mini bananas and other little pretties and products. Enjoy.

What's your bra size? Are you an apple, orange, grapefruit? Hopefully no grapes or watermelons.

Two Swiss innovations, one sweet product.

Tea that hangs on the edge of your teacup. Equally adorable and functional.

String up some lights

Hello blog! I'm back just in time for Christmas. I have been savoring the past two weeks since finishing my semester (only one semester of law school left and then I am a working woman. Can. Not. Wait.) Though I have failed to decorate you, blog, with pretty Christmas pictures like the rest of the blog-world (I'm sorry that you're kind of like that one house on the block that refuses to go out in the cold to put up Christmas decorations, or, even worse, only has one tree lit, or one measly wreath up), my life the past couple weeks has been full of Christmas. I have...

...attended a Christmas dinner party at my boyfriend's for his dad's law firm, catered by an out-of-this-world chef, Chef Michael. Everyone should visit his French restaurant on the North Shore. His mom is the cutest and we had an ornament exchange- his dad read "The Night Before Christmas" and every time he said the word "and" we would pass the ornament we were holding. I ended up with a sparkle star. Oooh how I love sparkles.

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...sipped afternoon tea and champagne at the Four Seasons. It sounds fancy, but of the five people in our party, one spilled her glass of champagne and the other three poured the tea without the strainer, filling our cups with tea leaves. More than once. And we asked for extra tea sandwiches.

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...did plenty of Christmas shopping on the Mag Mile.

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...decorated our apartment with lots and lots of lights. I have a great idea for any extra lights that hang down from a doorway or mantle- stuff them in a pretty clear glass vase and place it on the floor, a table, or the mantle.

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...finished a Dexter marathon. 1 season, 3 nights. It was wonderful.

...munched on burgers, fries, and shakes at The Counter. Such a fun restaurant.

...viewed the windows at Marshall Field's (fine, Macy's) and saw the gorgeous tinseled tree. The theme this year was believe in Santa.

...baked a coconut cake and made a gingerbread house, all in one night. I was in my kitchen for like 6 hours.

Our gingerbread house did not look anything like this. Lets just say it was sort of a California-style house, as in, it had been through an earthquake and a landslide.

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...went to a cookie baking party with my boyfriend's family. This was no ordinary cookie baking, this was serious cookie baking. All the sprinkles were hand-placed and we made at least 15 different kinds of cookies. My favorite were the spice stars- the pepper flavor was a nice reprieve from all the sweetness! Unfortunately I cannot find the recipe for the life of me.

...went to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Christmas concert for my dad's birthday.

So there, blog, now you have at least a few pretty decorations and some Christmas spirit.

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