10 Things I’ve Loved Lately

There was a period October-December where I didn’t have 10 things to say I liked. Thus, no 10 things I’ve loved. However, I’m thrilled to say it was hard to narrow down 10 things. We’re nearing the 90 day review period soon and I just got through reviewing the first 60 days!

30th Birthday Celebration

I remember feeling sorry for those having a birthday post-March in 2020. I thought, “Sure glad I missed that and will be celebrating 30 in Greece in January!” JOKES ON ME! I had a wonderful 30th birthday and welcome a new decade with joy.

I was surrounded by love through the gifts, calls and flowers on my birthday. My favorite part of birthday celebrating was the idea my friend Amy had! We wanted to do something that helped us remain safe but still feel like a night out. How does one stay safely inside in the middle of a Chicago winter? You dress up, rent a limo, pick up two friends and eat the best burger of your life while drinking Veuve and take photos at Chicago landmarks. It was the first time I had been around two people in so long I forgot how to people.

We had a hot driver, limo to ourselves, got honked at and flirted with so honestly it was kind of a dream! On the limo ride home I sat in the car thinking about the joy I felt and how lucky I am to have people who care so much about me.

Self-Discipline

You know that phenomenon where you buy a white car and suddenly you notice allllll the white cars on the road? That’s me when it comes to every time I ride my Peloton and the instructor asks me what I need to create the life I want. Self-discipline is what I say, almost involuntarily because it’s become the motivation for everything I do.

I’m so excited to see where practicing self-discipline while showing up for myself takes me in six months, a year, a decade. But that first check-in of six months is what I’m most excited about.

Style & Beauty

As I was settling into Chicago I started thinking about what would help me feel more polished. One of the things I told myself while living in Wichita was, “You don’t like makeup.” Well, guess what? We are all allowed to change and I like makeup! The first few weeks of learning were rough. I sent a LOT of DMs to friends and some makeup artists I follow. Most of what I didn’t like about makeup came down to I don’t like cheap makeup. You really do pay for what you get.

I’ll do a video with my routine soon. As always, my lash tutorial and tips here are what I do daily, even when I don’t do a full look.

• This dress (wearing above) is one my favorite items in my closet right now. It’s so rare to find long-sleeved dresses but Sea and Ulla Johnson knock it out of the park.
• Thanks to my personal styling, I’ve been wearing almost everything here non-stop. Madewell curvy-fit jeans are what I’m living in when I’m not dressed for work.
• I have LOVED this co-wash Ouidad came out with late last year. I purchased this refreshing spray as well which I will be buying again. I don’t know what the difference is between this and this spray but I like them both!
• My friend Jennifer has started making earrings again!

Mary Tyler Moore

Mary Tyler Moore was brilliant and the more I discover about her, the more I love her. Not only does The Mary Tyler Moore show stand the test of time for its social commentary (in some ways really frustrating that so many topics are still relevant) but also the fashion! Especially starting in season five it’s hard to see a difference between her style and today. I have pulled so much tonal dressing inspiration from the cast. She still inspires designers like Michael Kors and Isaac Mizrahi.

Oh and see that gorgeous wax stamp? My best friend knows how much I love writing notes and ordered me a custom wax stamp set! I am so excited to add an extra special touch to my weekly thank you notes.

Chicago Food

I sincerely thought I had been more diligent about taking photos of the pizza I have been eating. It is a crying shame I do not have any photos of my Cheezus, Mary & Joseph with spicy pepperoni from Parlor but apparently I eat it before I take photos. Anyway, here’s a random snapshot of what I’ve remembered to take photos of!

My current favorite donuts in the city are Pizza Lobo? Yes, the place known for pizza, I’ve only had donuts from. My friend Melissa and I love their outdoor patio (there’s heaters and a fire pit) to enjoy their Sunday morning-donuts. It’s a bit of a secret that they offer fritters and filled donuts (I don’t even like filled donuts and I endorse these) at their walk-up window.

A close second favorite is Do-Rite Donuts. I go to the West Loop location and always get either a glazed chocolate or lemon pistachio. They are so, so, so good. I typically get two donuts and save one for later in the day.

There is a bagel crisis in this city. A Chicago reader was kind enough to understand this crisis and guide me to NYC-authentic delis that wouldn’t anger me. However, I have not managed to try them all yet so I can’t tell you a favorite! In the suburbs NYC Bagel in Naperville is DELICIOUS and the couple running it are so charming. I went in there once and a month later I went back and they remembered my exact order. Absolutely incredible.

My favorite order is an everything bagel, toasted with scallion cream cheese. A runner-up is a salt bagel with jalapeño and cream cheese. Add lox to all of these orders and you’re in business.

I hope my joy in exploring who I want to be comes through these posts. I’ve found an ease and comfort in myself and I always wonder if my readers can tell. I can always tell when I’m in a happy season by how quickly I can write blog posts or jot down prompts and this week it’s been non-stop inspiration for so many posts.