(2) what you wore :: Missoni, of course! Apparently I was one of the lucky ones to score a Missoni for Target item ... only got a few and sadly missed out on the throw that I wanted... but these are super cute no?
P.S. sorry for the iPhone photo .. catching up on photo challenge, will try not to use iPhone for future shots. :)
I ran across a photo challenge that I thought I'd do ... why not right? It's 30 days of photos... so here goes.
(1) self portrait :: this shot cracks me up because it's a total mess and that's how I've been feeling lately. So much to do and so little time. I was taking selfies for a photo challenge on Google+ and when I saw this come out of the camera I thought oh boy ...
Hello! Hello! Happy 10 on 10 on a weekend!! I'm always so excited when the 10th falls on a day that I am not in my office - there is only so much to photograph there ... So much easier to find beauty in my city and my travels!!
9 AM :: leaving Chicago and heading to Indiana to spend the day with the Pittman's - I never tire of the Chicago skyline... it's even more dreamy with a little fog
10 AM :: Still on the road to Chesterton ... it was raining and the sun was shining at the same time. Can anyone explain this? Just seems wrong to me! Oh and I love the old Skyway signage!
11 AM :: Bella B shows her cheer spirit at the Trojans game! Now, we didn't have these mini football games complete with cheerleaders when I was a kid, but they are darn cute!
12 PM :: Second half of the game ... Bella's still got the spirit. Sadly neither team scored any points on the field.
1 PM :: Hit the European market to pick up those rosemary flatbreads I love so much! No trip to Chesterton is complete without bringing these home with me!! I love their little market - even picked up some French macarons that were very good. And how delicious do these cupcakes look??
2 PM :: Arrived at the annual Popcorn fest!! Had to get kettle corn and found some adorable little pet toys and holiday decor at a couple of the booths. We buzzed through super quick because there were some sort of flying ant and bees EVERYWHERE. Holly and I were both pulling bugs out of our hair, it was the most disgusting thing!
3 PM :: Finally got Holly's elephant ear - tried on our way in, but they had run out of sugar! Oops! It was super good - worth the wait for sure.
4 PM :: Linus, one of their three dogs, the most adorable great dane. She truly is a gentle giant ...
5 PM :: Slip n' Slide
6 PM :: Still at it ... Don't you sometimes miss being a kid?
7 PM :: Decided to stop off by the museum campus to watch the sun go down behind the city. This is one of my favorite views of the skyline and you can just sit along the lake, people watch, snap a photo or two, enjoy the breeze and watch the lights come on as the sun sets. Lovely.
Hope you had a wonderful day filled with sun, fun, family and friends! So long Summer...
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/scenic/outliers-vol-i-iceland/widget/video.html
I've always wanted to go to Iceland - I think it would literally take my breath away to stand among the crisp blue skies and snow covered mountains. I am not a fan of the cold, but someday ... someday I may just put all that behind me and pay this amazing place a visit. In the meantime, I am supporting a documentary that I think will be nothing short of amazing.
Chicago's first dȊner en blanc took place last night in the heart of the city, Daley Plaza. It was the most beautiful night for The White Pique Nique! (http://dinerenblancchicago.com/) The idea is something out of Paris and has started popping up in other large cities around the world. It's a bit of flash mob meets picnic.
We sat up our tables and as we heard the church bells ring in the eight o'clock hour, we got up and waved our napkins to signal the beginning of dinner. Pretty funny to see people with a napkin in one hand and camera in the other... hence the fuzzy photo. : )
I don't frequent the Air & Water show - the crowds are massive and it's usually hot as balls out... but when Selika suggested we go and the forecast was to be sunny and 80, I thought let's do it! This is the first year I watched from Oak Street Beach - the center point is a tiny bit further north at North Avenue Beach. It was actually quite nice, lots of spots and the aircraft all flew right in front of us. Even crazier was when they flew into the city from over the lake - seriously freaks me out (post 9/11). They get wicked close to the buildings, or at least it seems that way.
The skill these guys have is amazing! I can't decide if my favorite is the guys who skywrite or the fighter jets that go super fast and bob and weave in and out of one another. Even though we got there late, we made it for the good stuff. The lake was lined with boats watching too. Maybe one day I will know someone with a boat so I can watch from there... ha!
As always, we had a great time. I took photos for Selika's fashion blog - she's always super stylish. She's "Posh Spice" to my "Sporty Spice." Ha Ha!
We ended the day with a little treat at a cafe in the bottom of the John Hancock building. Sometimes I take for granted the beauty of the concrete jungle that surrounds me. I need to remind myself to look up more - you just never know when you will see something spectacular!
In anticipation of my return trip to Hawaii, I have changed my desktop to one of my favorite photos from Hawaii back in February. Waimea Bay Beach and the jumping rock. This was my first trip shooting with a BW Polarizer and the blue of the sky is so amped up, I just love it! Aloha!
Today is the reason we live in Chicago ... 75 degrees + sun + winds off the lake = perfection! It's days like today that we will remember come the middle of January!!
I finally decided to try my hand at cake pops! I've been admiring them from a far for some time now and after having one at Starbucks not too long ago, I thought I could give it a go. * side note: The one from Starbucks was not good - the cake was super oily and yuck *
So... I grabbed a box of white cake mix and pre-made french vanilla frosting for the cake and then tapped into my chocolate collection for the shell. I melted 4 oz of Scharffenberger 99% and 6 oz 62% with a tiny little bit of edible wax for the shell (should have made 12 oz total, was two pops short). And then sprinkled with Swedish sugar. The only thing I was missing is some kind of holder to keep the upright. They are super tasty and not overly rich because I kept the cake to frosting ratio more in favor of cake. Overall I'd give myself a B. They taste good, but the cake balls are all different sizes and not perfectly round and I feel like I need to add some kind of flavoring to amp them up a bit - maybe a little orange or lemon or coconut. And next time I might make my own cake and frosting to see how a meringue type might work.
recipe:
1 box cake mix
1 can pre-made frosting
12 oz dark chocolate
1 tiny square of edible wax
decorative toppings
tools:
candy sticks
cake pans
silicone baking mats
baking sheets
upright mixer (optional)
Bake cake according to directions on box. Let cake cool completely. Cut into small sections and break apart (either by hand or in stand mixer). Mix in frosting till mixture forms dough like texture. It should easily form a ball when rolled by hand. Roll balls to about 1-1 1/2" and place on baking sheet with silicone mat. Place entire sheet into freezer or refrigerator till balls are cool (not frozen). Melt chocolate and wax in double boiler, remove from heat as soon as it's all melted. Let the chocolate cool just a bit while stirring. Make sure the chocolate is in a bowl deep enough to fully submerge the cake ball. If you need to transfer bowls, make sure to wipe all water from the bottom of the bowl you used in the double boiler - water will ruin the mix. Once the chocolate is cooled a bit remove the cake balls from the fridge/freezer - dip the end of the candy stick into the chocolate and insert into the cake ball about half way. Put the tray into the fridge to let the chocolate set - only a few minutes. Then fully submerge cake pop into chocolate and let excess drip off while tapping the stick gently. Be patient - you don't want the chocolate dripping (or pooling). Sprinkle with decorative toppings (optional) and let set at room temperature. Now you have delicious cake pops!!
Hooray it's the 10th and that means it's time for the 10 on 10 Challenge! I almost forgot, but saw Yepallmine's post on Twitter this morning just as I was checking all of my social media and having breakfast! Wheew! Would have been totally bummed if I had missed it. Even though it was "just another day at the office."
8 AM : started the day on Google+ even thought the only active participants seem to be photographers ... not sure why that is the case. I still find myself mostly on Facebook and Twitter these days... Are you on Google+? Do you use it? If so, add me !!
9 AM : I rode my bike to work for the first time EVER and seriously about killed myself. I will admit I am much more of a "cruiser" when it comes to biking. You know, a stroll along the lake to enjoy the weather and the sights. I am not a "biker" and with all of my health problems, I am horribly out of shape. By the time I got to the office, I felt like I was going to pass out ... lots of water and slowly walking around the office to catch my breath again. Ridiculously sad shape, I tell you!!!
10 AM : That's my Townie among the other bikes in the office - for some strange cosmic reason, everyone decided to ride their bike today. And as funny as that was - my boss forgot about a meeting he had mid day and had to ride his bike there. Good thing his is the carbon fiber job in the foreground and he is the next Lance Armstrong. If that had been me, I would have called a cab!!!
11 AM : Picking colors for a new project that I am working on. Something only a designer can appreciate. : )
12 : It was simply the perfect day outside today - mid 70's, no humidity, a few puffy clouds. I attempted to have lunch on the deck, but was attacked by all sorts of bug life - first a wasp then some horse fly the size of Texas and the final straw, a cicada!! Back inside...
1 PM : CPK leftovers for lunch ... not great, but it was something.
2 PM : Loving my new Puma's I picked up while in San Francisco. These are seriously the most comfortable fashion sneaker I've ever had. They are light as a feather, but actually have some padding on the bottom. Oh and super breathable too! { love }
3 PM : Got a sample vinyl message that will be put on a mirror at a client office - they have some sloppy people ... apparently we do to! drip. drip.
4 PM : This fraction to decimal chart is my lifesaver! I've had it for 16 years and use it almost daily. You'd think I would have committed this to memory by now ... but sadly no.
5 PM : (well more like 5:45ish) I hit the road home and took the long route via the lake. Terrible view huh? That's the city of Chicago there in the distance. The winds were from the east over the lake so we were getting lots of splashes along the rocks. Pretty to look at and listen to.
6 PM : Lingered long enough to creep into the next hour so thought I'd take a selfie to say hello! I shot all square format with my new Leica D-Lux 5 - it's a dream of a little camera! Hope you had a super day! I'm now off to see all of your 10 on 10 sets!!