Looking to Munch it's Time for Lunch!Looking for a nice little Chicago find? Yesterday was my friend Rebecca's birthday! Since we both had the afternoon off we thought what better way to celebrate a birthday then some lunch? We wanted something reasonable, cute, and within our price range. Luckily, we decided to go to The Hampton Social. This little gem, located in River North, is the perfect little nautical getaway that you need, especially if you are missing the beach! The decor whisks you away to a beach-side paradise with it's white and navy decor and signature seafood entrees. Not to mention their swoon worthy signature cocktails. One of my favorite parts of this lovely restaurant is that they have a green wall that reads: Rose all Day. It's perfect for bloggers, friends, or couples that want to have a memorable place to take their pictures at! I always look for fancy little walls when I go out. That way I can commemorate the experience so I was pleased to find this one. I opted on ordering the avocado grilled cheese and let me tell you it was so delicious! With just the right amount of food and side dishes it sustained me to the point where I didn't even crave dinner afterwards. The sandwich came with chips and hearty tomato soup that was seasoned to perfection. The experience was elevated with wonderful staff. We had a wonderful waitress who made sure that we were comfortable and taken care of. The Pink Blouse & Mosaic SkirtI wanted to wear something bright to match the neon 'rose all day' sign. Therefore, I opted for this beautiful neon pink blouse (sadly out of stock) that's seriously so silky to the touch. My favorite part about it is the low back and how it ties around the neck. I love this Lily Pulitzer skirt and for some reason it reminds me of seashells so I had to pair it with this nautical themed restaurant. This outfit can be worn for a nice lunch date or for a girl's night out. If you are looking for a fun place to take pictures, have great drinks (I recommend the frose) and eat some delicious seafood I recommend going to the Hampton Social. Thanks for much for taking the time to read! I hope I inspired some lunch plans.
Until next time! xoxoxo Rachel
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It's Time for a Laugh"A day without laughter is a day wasted."- Charlie Chaplin laughter can be the best medicine in fact it's probably one of my favorite calorie burners. I am always down for a good laugh and I was so excited to be invited to attend The Comedy Bar located on LaSalle Drive. I actually haven't been to a comedy show in quite sometime but they're one of my favorite things to do. This place stood out to me because it was conveniently located inside of a Gino's East. I mean c'mon can you think of anything better? You can laugh, get some good drinks, and have some amazing food on top of it. Not only was the food great, we opted on getting some buffalo cheese sticks and pizza mozzarella sticks, but the service was awesome as well. Our waitress was always there to take our orders and even during the show, she'd come around to take care of us, I don't think I had a dry wine glass all night. The show had great hosts both were equally funny and I don't think I stopped laughing the entire night. I know I am no comedic expert, but I feel like all the hilarious people who entertained us that night needed a gold medal. All their topics were relevant, fresh, and honestly sometimes it's nice to pick fun every once in awhile. I recommend going and checking this place out if you're in need of a good life. They had people from out of town, I was surprised to meet people from Australia! They also had some locals and people who continue to come and support. Either way, I'd recommend checking this hilarious comedy bar out! What to Wear?Now if you're going out especially to a comedy bar, you're probably wondering what to wear? You want to be chic yet comfortable. I opted for one of my favorite things to wear around this time, leather! I paired my mini leather skirt with a graphic T that was sent to me by an online boutique Kirbe! This cute polka dot cardigan is from Target! (I couldn't find the exact same one but linking a similar on Poshmark) I normally wear a bunch of colors but for this type of event I would keep it a bit neutral. I have to admit, I was excited to bring out the knee high leather boots, can't wear them often, but when I do they're so much fun! All in all, if you're looking for a fun date night, girls night out, or just some place to come and get a belly full of laughter, I suggest going to The Comedy Bar! Once again thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog! Have a happy Friday!
Enchanting Night of Wizardry & MagicWhen I was younger I used to believe in magic. It was so easy to get swept up in the world of foreign lands, dashing nights, and the whimsical world of Harry Potter. This series is one of my favorites and I recommend everyone reading, you're never too old to discover a great tale of adventure and self-discovery. I was so excited to get invited to the Yule Gala at Hubbard Inn. The entire event was so thrilling everything was decorated to resemble Hogwarts. In fact, they had fun Harry Potter memorabilia adorning the entire upstairs of the Hubbard Inn. One of my favorites was a giant picture of Dumbledore hanging up on the wall, next to him a little treasure box with iridescent candles setting the perfect magical mood. The drinks also had a splash of magic and I have to admit were pretty tasty. Another one of my favorite areas was decorated with letters hanging from the ceiling made to look like the scene where Harry receives his letter to Hogwarts. There's something so magical about that scene and it brought back this childish feeling inside of me. I mean c'mon who wouldn't want to receive that special letter and be whisked away to a world of magic? A Magical Dress: One to ImpressNow, I have to admit it was quite difficult for me to pick the perfect outfit for this event. I knew that I had to wear something formal (cocktail attire) but I wanted to try and tie it to the movies somehow. Then I started thinking about the actual Yule ball scene from Harry Potter and one of my favorite dresses from that night was the silver ballgown on Fleur Delacour. I started from there and knew that I wanted something resembling her dress. That is when I started asking my friends (which I normally do, perks of having lots of girlfriends). My best friend, Natalie, reminded me of this amazing dress that she got for New Years last year. After trying this dress on I felt magical in it. Not only did it slightly resemble the silver dress that Fleur wore but it added that extra dazzling effect that I was hoping for. This beautiful electric dress is from Urban Outfitters from Silence & Noise. I loved how stretchy it was allowing me to move, dance, and sway throughout the dance floor. It's crisp and sleek texture is that perfect amount of bodacious glamour fit for any gala or formal event. I loved the mesh inlays below the bust, down the length of the sides and at the back topping it off with a halter neck and open back. This can also be a perfect New Years Eve outfit if you are going to a fancy hotel or event. The only issue I ran into with the dress is it's designed for taller people. I had to wear about 5 inch heels (I'm 5'5) for it to not drag on the floor. However, if you are looking for something beautiful and glamorous I recommend getting this gorgeous dress, fit for any magical occasion.
Until next time I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas Eve! xoxo Rachel Making a list and checkin' it twice!Are you making that Christmas list and checkin' it twice because you have no idea what to give people this Christmas? I don't know about you but this has been one of the toughest years to figure out what to gift people. It could be because there's so many things to choose from, along with figuring out who is appropriate to gift to. The holidays are always a bit sporadic and sometimes they come before you can even think. Therefore, I wanted to help and list of some of my favorite gift ideas for family, friends, and even your dear old boss. The FamilyIf you have a massive family (like I do) gifting can be a bit difficult. I feel like the older you get there's this unseen pressure that you have to out do siblings, or other family members, by gifting the best gift. Honestly, that isn't true. You family loves you and they're probably just happy to be around you for the holidays. However, you still want to feel festive and gift them something that they will love. For parents, I normally gift my mom and dad something together. This way it can be a bit more extravagant but be something they can both use. Last year I got them a knife set from Target. It was under 50 dollars and it's something they could utilize in their everyday life. Not only is it a safe choice but it is also something that they can use daily! For the significant other, especially if this is your first Christmas together, can be hard and a bit scary. You never know whether to gift high, low, or in the middle. The best thing to do is be honest. Ask your significant other to list three things that they really want. Out of those three things you can choose which to get. That way it's still a surprise but they can be content with what they receive. However, if you're a veteran dater, or simply don't want to ruin any surprises, a cheat solution is to check out their amazon carts or lists. I cannot tell you how many gifts I've found for my husband that way. Gentlemen, if you're looking for the perfect timeless gift for your lovely lady check out out my collab with Daniel Wellington's watch you can use my code to get a bit off your purchase. Ladies, if you're having a hard time finding something nice for your guy I suggest a nice briefcase. This is perfect for all age groups whether they be in school or in the working world. FriendsFriends can be a bit tricky especially if you have a lot of them all in different groups. One of the things that my friend group does is small little white elephants. Now, you may say that's so vague how do I go about doing that? It's simple, create a budget that everyone has to follow. The norm is at least 20.00, that way no one is left with a smaller or cheaper gift. You know your friend group, they may be goofy, or polite, or glitzy. Customize the gift so you know that no matter who receives the gift they will still enjoy it. Everyone gets a gift and no one is left out. I like to inspire others and my friend group so I gave out a book allows them to list the things that they want to do everyday. This way they can slowly become inspired for the new year. BossThis one is a catch twenty-two (As my mother would say). I would only gift my boss something if you feel like you have that type of relationship. I've been in situations where I have great bosses, and we exchanged rather lavish gifts. However, I've also had bosses where gift-giving would would make them uncomfortable. The safe choice: always go for a Starbucks gift card. It's the perfect memento, everyone loves their morning beverage, and it just gives them the notion that you appreciate them. All in all, don't stress out over gifts. The holidays are meant to celebrate the time that you spend with one another. Appreciate your family, friends, and the people that inspire you everyday. I hope that my Holiday Guide could help shed some light for you this Christmas Holiday! Also, my hat is from the Lovely Target. It can also be a great little gift for those Harry Potter fans out there. My star sweater and skirt (found similar one) is also from Target and can be a perfect outfit to snuggle into during the Christmas time!
Until next time be merry and bright! xoxox Rachel Rockin Around the Santa Baby Bar!Hello loves I hope you all are having a great time leading up to the holidays. There is nothing that I love more than the feeling of nostalgia as the holidays approach. Butterflies assemble in your stomach as you watch cheesy Hallmark movies, bake Christmas cookies, or see the first snow dust the ground. I felt pure bliss as a child because nothing got me more excited than Christmas. It was the time that my mom would make her best dinners, I'd get to stay up a bit later (waiting for Santa of course) and I could see family that I normally don't see often. As you get older it may feel like the magic you once felt gets washed away. Work, school, and adolescence kicks in and time seems to whisk by so quickly that the holidays may seem like any mundane day. That is why I get so excited to be as festive as I can commemorating my favorite holiday. I am not going to lie I followed the Santa Baby Bar for quite sometime so when I finally had the opportunity to go I was extremely excited! Pictures do not do this place justice. If you wish to truly get transported to a Winter Wonderland then Santa Baby is for you. Located in Wrigleyville this pop up is the perfect festive tradition to add to your holiday week. There is no short of holiday cheer here. In fact, the entire bar is decorated from head to toe with beautiful elaborate trees, tinsel, and of course ornaments. Not only is the decor festive but the drinks are pretty awesome as well. We had an enormous hot coco that was filled to the brim with fluffy marshmallows. Oh, did I mention that it was spiked? Nothing says holiday cheer like a bit of spiked coco which tasted so good you simply couldn't stop drinking it. I also love Christmas music and the bar made sure to play not only my favorite holiday tunes (with a dancing remix) but some holiday movies as well. While we were there we could talk, sip hot coco, and watch the old Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. The bar brought back this feeling of home. It's weird how certain songs, movies, or even drinks can conjure the feelings that you loved as a child, it truly is a memorable experience. The outside is the perfect place for photos. There's a fantastic light display and several places for people to go get their holiday shoot on. I of course had fun snapping some shots, I even got my holiday card idea from this pop up bar. If you are late, like myself, and are looking for a festive place to shoot your holiday cards I recommend checking this place out, you'll look like you're in the North Pole. I always love it when the service is up to par with the food and drinks. This bar had some of the best service that I have ever witnessed. Not only were the staff friendly, always checking in on us, but they made us feel like we were apart of their big Christmas family. You can't find that type of hospitality anywhere.
So if you are in the Christmas spirit and are looking for some fun festive things to do I recommend checking out The Santa Baby Bar, there shouldn't be anything ho ho-lding you back. Until next time loves, xoxox Rachel Taste the Rainbow with SushiSushi is one of my favorite meals to eat. It's a growing phenomenon that has swept across America within the last couple years. Places where you thought you'd never be able to find sushi, now has major locations on every other street. I have always found the art of sushi to be interesting because it truly is creating an artwork with food. The flavors are stimulating and Tomi is taking the outside aesthetic to a whole new level. Sushi is already pretty intricate to create but Tomi Chicago is bringing a new name to 'tasting the rainbow'. Think of your favorite color (mine is pink obviously) now imagine decorating your sushi to fit your personality. Imagine having a gender reveal party, or a bachelorette party with matching colored sushi, it seems like such a fantastic idea!
Tomi is conveniently located in Revival Hall downtown in the Loop. It is perfect for that well-deserved lunch, intimate dinner, or that bit of gossip time that you need with your girlfriends. The atmosphere is perfect, with sprouts of color, and a calm and modern design. Did I forget to mention this sushi is made with a freakin' robot? This creates a smaller wait time so you can have your sushi effectively done in a limited amount of time. Meaning, more time to eat, less time to wait. Trisha, one of the brilliant minds behind this concept, wants sushi that is inexpensive, creative, and meaningful for everyone "I want office people, workers, students to be able to afford sushi, but how can I do that without serving trash?” Bun says. 'If I don’t feel comfortable eating sushi, I won’t offer it to anyone. I don’t want to give anyone BS, because I don’t have any tolerance for BS.” I had the pleasure of speaking with Trisha while my husband and I experienced some of their sushi. She is one of the kindest people I have ever met along with being one of the most passionate. It's not every day where you meet someone who truly wants to see people smile and make a difference in their dinning adventure. It was humbling to see that she continued to ask us how we enjoyed the food, making sure we had the best experience possible. The food was also amazing, we tried a variety of different sushi, and accents that they had and it was so difficult to pick a favorite. The entire meal was like a work of art, all coming together to create this dynamic story for our eyes and of course our taste buds. Also, did I mention it's a gluten free menu? Meaning, everyone can enjoy! Tomi was such an amazing sushi place one that I will definitely be frequenting often. If you want to learn more, check out their website, I am linking it here. I hope you all have a fantastic Monday loves! Once again thanks so much for taking the time to read, I appreciate it more than you know! xoxo Rachel Gemma GangThere is nothing better than coming home, after a long day of work, and seeing friends, while getting festive for the fall season. My friend Paula was kind enough to open up her home so that we could decorate pumpkins, eat snacks, and of course drink wine (what could be better than that?). The fall is my favorite season so of course I always get excited to partake in pumpkin carving or decorating. We all decided that we would bring a specific thing to the party and of course I opted for bringing wine, you almost feel like the hero when you do, because let's face it, everyone gets excited when wine gets thrown in the picture, wine not! I wanted to bring a wine that everyone could enjoy and luckily I found the perfect wine! Gemma di Luna's moscato is not only crisp, but embodies so many different flavors that sends your taste buds into a frenzy. I have to admit the bottle alone is gorgeous, I love it's bright Tiffany blue color, it practically stands out against anything you put it next to. It's the goddess of wines. However, everything can have a pretty face (or packaging) but the inside is mostly what counts. My friends and I loved drinking the wine for its fruity fresh aroma. I am also a huge advocate for women and doing some research I found that this wine's motto and story is something wonderful, empowering and promoting women. This wine was designed for the everyday woman, the woman who strives to chase her dreams, who is a mother, sister, daughter, and hero to the people who care about her in everyday life.
All of my friends are different races, backgrounds, occupations, but together drinking Gemma di Luna, we laugh, eat, and feel connected like never before. Taking the time to see one another is difficult. We all have such chaotic lives but it's important to take that time and breathe, do stuff you enjoy, and of course drink a lovely glass of wine. All of us are making such crazy transitions in our lives, I started a new chapter in life, so did a couple of my other friends with jobs, love, and family. I feel as if the smaller things we need to celebrate because so often we focus on the negative. You got a 'good job' at work, you helped someone on the subway, or you just looked in the mirror and thought wow I look good today. It's those small things, that tiny bit of magic in the mundane, that should be celebrated. I had so much fun decorating my pumpkin, in fact, us girls got pretty creative (especially as the drinks flowed). However, it was so nice just to be surrounded by powerful, amazing, and talented women that I am fortunate enough to call my friends. I am so happy and want to say thanks to Gemma di Luna for helping make our pumpkin decorating night a bit more magical and I am thrilled to be apart of the Gemma Gang. If you want to know more about Gemma di Luna I am going to link more information below. Also, if you want to find where the wine is sold I'll link a separate link so you can put in your zip and find the closest store near you! I hope you all have a fantastic Monday and remember that you are fierce, you are beautiful, and you are powerful. xoxox Rachel Link to website: gemmadiluna.com/our-gemma-story/ Link to finding store: gemmadiluna.com/where-to-buy/ Dewy Cel: Beautiful Skin for TomorrowI don't know about you guys but these early mornings will start having a toll on you. When I was a teacher I was sometimes getting up at the crack of dawn, around 5:30 in the morning, and wasn't getting to sleep till around 9. Currently, my schedule is still quite as hectic and sometimes I forget to actually get the recommended sleep that I deserve, I mean who actually sleeps 8 hours? That almost seems like a luxury to me. My skin has always been a sensitive topic. In high-school I was the girl who covered herself in tons of makeup to hide her acne. I know we all go through that awkward faze, where your face looks more like pizza than an actual human but the scarring damage from that still stings a little bit. By any means my skin is so much better than it was then, but part of it is because I make sure to nurture my skin as much as possible. During college I never took the time to actually keep my skin precious. I'd wash my face in the morning and honestly, depending on the night, I'd come home (possibly after a few drinks) and fall right to sleep in my makeup. However, as I've gotten older I compare my face and skin to a flower. The more you water and nourish the better it will be. These early mornings and late nights are no joke, therefore, I wanted to get a product that would nourish my skin and help with those fine lines around my eyes. To me, the eyes are the windows to the soul. Cheesy I know but it's the first thing I normally notice on a person. I felt so honored when I was sent Eye Plus Cream Dewy Cel! I've been using it already for a week and I cannot get enough of it. After a long day there is nothing better than getting in a comfortable robe, after you take a bath or shower, maybe get a glass of wine and pamper yourself. I don't do the pampering often but sometimes it's worth it to show yourself some gratitude. I place the eye cream under my eyes and after a week I've noticed some of those problem spots disappearing.
What I love about Dewy Cell is that it's no animal ingredients or animal testing! It's also not just for eyes but can be used all the way down to the neck. The ingredients are key, they use a unique peptide complex that heals tied skin revealing the healthiest part of our face. Plants are important, we eat them, we sometimes drink them in smoothies, well Dewy Cel uses plant stem cells and healthy cica substances to upgrade skin conditions into plump and glowing skin day after day. I know taking the time out to pamper yourself can be hard because you feel like there's so many things you have to do in the day. However, it's important to stop, breathe and take some minutes to make yourself feel like the best version of yourself. It can be little things, like giving yourself a facial, or painting your nails, it's the smaller things that give you confidence to conquer your day. You deserve it! Thank you to Dewy Cel for sending me this awesome eye cream, I recommend everyone giving it a try! If you want to get more information, or read up on the eye cream, I am listing the product below! WEBSITE: www.dewycel.com/ IG: @Dewycel I'm On A Boat!Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a nice long weekend! It's always nice to get those extra days to spend time with family and friends along with eating your weight in barbecue (I love barbecue). A fun fact about me, I have lived my entire life in Illinois, but I've lived in Chicago about only 4 years now. I love Chicago, it's massive buildings, it's great food, and it's fascinating history. Buildings and architecture has always been fascinating to me so I was delighted when I got invited to do a architecture tour last Friday! I recommend everyone doing one of these cruises, it was breath-taking to see all the beautiful buildings from the Chicago river. I did a night cruise, we sailed off around 7:30, however, if that is a bit past your bedtime there are other times you can do as well. Not only do you get to see amazing sights but you have a wonderful tour guide who can let you know everything about how it was built and how it came to be. The best part was watching the sunset as it hit all the beautiful parts of the building. The volunteer who told us about the history was so passionate about what she does. It was like she was retelling a fairy-tale and we were huddled over a campfire reliving it. Just to prove her dedication during the middle of the cruise it started heavily raining. Not only did the volunteer continue to tell the story (on the top deck) but she kept everyone entertained as they bought their drinks and made their way to the lower level. Despite the rain I still got to see some of the amazing buildings from below deck. I also got to meet so many interesting people who did this cruise for multiple reasons. I had a couple standing to my left, teens with their family standing to my right, and the cutest elderly couple in front of me. It's nice to see so many different people coming together because they are passionate about learning some history! Of course you want to be colorful and comfortable when you do an exciting event like this. Therefore, I decided to wear a highlighter teal romper from Tobi. I love the criss-cross design on the back and how it has a cute little cutout in the front. It's perfect for a cruise like this and drinks after. I found this romper on sale on poshmark, check it out! LINK:poshmark.com/listing/Tobi-Mint-Cut-out-Romper-play-suit-5b7903597386bc95dbb765ee I recommend everyone attending one of these amazing architecture tours. It's always interesting to see the foundation that makes our city such a magnificent one. Besides, we're always allowed some touristy adventures now and again. I am linking the schedule down below! Let me know your favorite part of the tour! LINK TO WEBSITE: www.cruisechicago.com/architecture-tours/schedule Thanks once again for taking the time to read everyone! I appreciate your feedback and subscribing! Until next time!
xoxox Glow Up With GirlfriendsAs we grow up, we realize it becomes less important to have a ton of friends, and more important to have real ones.- Amanda McRae. Friendship is a beautiful thing, it allows you to build a foundation with someone, a bond like no other, as you grow within life together. I was fortunate to always find kind amazing people and I have had a lot of deep friendships over the years. The older I get the more I realized that I am one of the lucky few. Of course as you grow people drift away, it's human nature, but there's that close some that stay and can ultimate become more like family. This whole thing hit me when I attended one of my friend from college daughter's birthday. The birthday was in her backyard and we were all standing around laughing, watching the kids, while some other people were barbecuing. The funny part is that we had my friend's graduation here years ago but it's insane to see how our lives had come a full circle and how drastically they have changed. All together we are no longer those naive college graduates but oddly blooming into mature adults. We talked about our houses, our pets (who seem more like children) and our jobs. I soon realized that the talk about boys, drunken nights, and romantic escapades are all left in the past. As you grow into adulthood a lot of things change, babies happen, new jobs happen, and sometimes friends have to move away. How does one keep a relationship alive with friends? That's the question that I am going to dig into with this article.
Maintaining friendships can definitely be difficult and it's a multifaceted job. However, if you have certain people you truly care about it's worth it. My friends are so important to me, they always have been, and I know I've been lucky to have such a strong group of women in my life. We all contribute to one another and I think anytime you find people who uplift and encourage it's important to keep them in your life. I hope this advice will help you along the twists and turns of life and bring you ever closer to your friends. Until next time! xoxox Rachel Now you get a blast from the past with some old photos! |