Training Club

image from Pinterest

Spring is right around the corner.... right? I sure hope so. With spring comes the promise of summer and the inevitable bathing suit season. If you're like me then you might need a little extra help getting motivated for the gym in 20 degree weather.

Enter the Nike Training Club app. Have any of you heard of this before? My roommate introduced me to it and I love it. It's a free app that acts as your personal trainer. You can focus on specific body areas or overall body workouts. If you have a set of weights you could even do most of these workouts at home. The best part is that your music plays over the audio instructions. Genius.

Happy Feet

I don't know about you, but I am always on the hunt for the perfect pair of flats. Ones that don't tear my ankles/heels apart and can handle rough wear and tear all over the city. I've heard rave reviews about Tieks  and am very tempted to try them out.

 

 

Tieks are designed to fit in your purse so they can go with you anywhere. They are made of 100% leather, custom made in Italy and have a signature blue rubber sole padded for comfort. I appreciate that they are well made and compact because I am certainly a girl on the go. Although on the pricier end (they start at $165), when I think about how much of spent on other shoes, these puppies might just be worth the investment.  

 

 

 

 

Images from Google/Tieks. Last image from here.

Weekend shopping

It was warm enough to venture out this weekend sans head to toe coverage. Who knew 35 degrees could feel so good. Knowing that the 20s are around the corner, I tried to take advantage of the day and headed to the new Bucktown Parisian fragrance and candle shop, Diptyque.

I've heard about these candles countless times before but never actually smelled one. So I popped inside and had the store all to myself. The manager behind the counter was really great. She walked me through the different scents, answers my novice question and never pressured me (these bad boys aren't cheap). I decided on their top seller; Bais in a mini version ($28). It's a floral scent with a hint of sweetness (at least it is to me). The manager even threw in some free sample fragrances for me to enjoy. It was a fun little treat and the store is adorable.

French Cooking Lessons

This weekend I had a great little adventure at The Chopping Block. Have you ever wanted to cook a fancy meal, but just aren't sure where to start? I have and when I saw a Julia Child inspired class I couldn't wait to try it. The kitchen area was simply stunning. I want to have a kitchen like that!  As for the food, the cheese puffs were my favorite and pretty easy to make. The Beef Doube (beef stew) was also very tasty and we learned a lot of tips from the chef. Overall, I loved this place and can't wait to try another class.

Sugar Rush

Last Thursday night I ventured out in the snow and cold for a really great non-profit called Spark. They create apprenticeships for 7th and 8th graders in Chicago to drive interest in their futures and the needed education to get them there. It's a really great organization and I was happy to add my contributions, especially with the treats their event had in store.

Sugar Rush includes some of Chicago's top chefs and their inspired desserts, a carefully curated collection of silent auction items, and a lovely mix of people to mingle with. We made it around to all the tables and my favorite dessert ended up being a goat cheese cheesecake from Blackbird. It was heavenly.

This is turning into quite the food blog. I swear I do more than just eat! But let me show you some more great food...

First off, It was pretty gross out.

But gorgeous inside. The event was at Hotel Allegro downtown.

This was the most stunning table display. Mountains of salt, branches and rosemary created a beautiful winter scape for Popcorn and Rosemary Bon Bons. You heard me right and yes there were delicious with a liquid bursting center. Compliments of Chef Thomas Raquel at Acadia.

Here's Grace enjoying every drop of it.

This was a beautiful huckleberry pop tart with tangerine sorbet from mK The Restaurant. The sorbet was pretty great.

Here's the goat cheese cheesecake with avocado and burnt grapefruit. Sounds weird, tastes decadent.

I did have a favorite dish of the night. An out of this world Potato Gnocchi from The Florentine. It brought be right back to my time in Italy.

Restaurant Week Fail

Maybe that's a little harsh. The third course was amazing and the space was beautiful.

A few girlfriends and I went to Balena in Lincoln Park known for its Italian food and wine.

First up, prosciutto-like pork. Meh. Followed by a perfectly acceptable but not too exciting tuna bruschetta. The third course of chicken thighs was divine, but the chocolate dessert was a let down. Either way it was a fun night with friends. Until next time!