This Weekend...

This weekend I...

...Finished up my Halloween costume!  I'm going to look like such an awesome pink nightmare...
...Went out for a super romantic burgers and beers date at Hackney's in Printer's Row.  I will never ever get tired of their inside out burger.
..Had my sister stay for the weekend, which surprisingly involved very little Kraft mac & cheese, but did involve quite a lot of crafts and Gilmore Girls.
...Hit up the Lagunitas Taproom for a birthday party.  It is by far the largest brewery I've ever been in and had the highest percentage of babies.  Seriously, babies for days.  We were talking about forming a Lagunitas play group, complete with a schoolbus that drops off the mommies after their day sipping beers.
...Briefly checked out the Chicago Marathon where it went by my place.  We were right by the 26 mile marker and were amazed by how not tired the people looked.  Seriously, I'm bright red and sweating buckets after 3 miles, I cannot imagine 26.
...Went to a dinner party at a friend's house where one of Jeff's college roommates made us the best duck I've ever had.  Seriously, I wanted to lick the plate, but felt that might be inappropriate, considering how adult we are now having dinner parties where duck is served.

I hope you had a good one!

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Current Wishlist

This month, I've been trying to do a little less spending, and therefore have been doing a little more wishing instead.  My current wishlist seems divided into two distinct parts: classic fall, and girly/glam.

Madden Girl Booties - These look amazingly similar to a pair I've been regretting missing out on last fall from Target, but I still can't quite pull the trigger because wedges just aren't very practical for me day-to-day.

Sole Society Plaid Scarf - Plaid?  Check.  Infinity?  Check.  What more do I have to say?

Kate Spade Watch - I've been wanting a watch that feels a little more appropriate for fall and winter, and this one definitely fits the bill.

Target Oversized Scarf - Fran found this adorable scarf, and I'm loving that it's oversized but not totally huge.

Stella & Dot Bracelet - Adorable design, hot pink, and supports women's cancer research?  Sign me up.

Kate Spade Wallet - I've been having some struggles because the bag I'm currently using for work is black and I have a black wallet, so I often find myself in a panic thinking that my wallet is missing.  I'm thinking bright pink might help solve that issue.

Sole Society Circle Scarf - I love that this scarf feels appropriate as outerwear but could also work sans coat.  Plus I'm a total sucker for the mix of black and white.


What's on your wishlist?

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Coated & Jeweled

Tee (similar) - Loft / Jeans (similar) - American Eagle / Heels - Sole Society / Bracelet (similar) - BaubleBar

I feel like I've been having this problem lately, where I feel like I've been neglecting the trendier items in my closet (like these coated jeans), and then feel like I have to wear them.  I give you exhibit A.  I was trying to get dressed for a dinner date with a friend, and decided I had to get some use out of my coated denim.  And then spent forty five minutes in my closet trying to plan an outfit around them.  I should have given up and just worn something else, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.  The struggle is real.

Another problem I've been having is shooting a bunch of pictures, thinking they look fine, and then loading them onto my computer the next day and realizing they were all out of focus.  D'oh.  I should really just check them sooner, but I usually take pictures of my outfits in real time (read: as I'm about to run out the door) so there isn't time.  So sorry about the blurry pics you guys, I'll try to do better!

Linking up with Life & Style and Friday Fab Favorites.

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Irish Carbomb Cupcakes

Yes, you read that title correctly.  These are, in fact, Irish Carbomb Cupcakes, and the ingredients list includes Guiness, Irish Whiskey, and Baileys.  Except, unlike the drink, they don't tend to make you fall off of your barstool, and are super delicious.  

The first time I made these was for a friend's 21st birthday a couple of years ago (okay, it was a younger friend, it has been a loooong time since I was 21). We took a limo into Chicago from the burbs and ended up dancing til 4am at the Hangge Uppe, where we somehow managed not to get kicked out despite being repeatedly told to stop climbing on things and hanging off of the ceiling. 

My life has changed a little bit since then.  I haven't seen 4am in years, and the thought of attempting an Irish Carbomb makes me a little nauseous.  Despite the fact that I'm massively more lame these days, I'm still quite fond of a good old fashioned alcoholic dessert.  

A couple of weeks ago some of our friends decided to plan a progressive dinner through our neighborhood, where we stopped at different houses and had a couple of small plates and a drink at each.  We were the last stop, and so were tasked with making dessert, and I thought it was the perfect time to pull out my favorite recipe once more.

A couple of tips for making these: 

1.  You may be very excited about the idea of making an alcholic cupcake.  You may think, "Hey, there's not much booze in this at all!  I can barely taste it!  Maybe I should add some more..."  You're going to want to ignore that thought.  Don't, whatever you do, add more alcohol.  If there's one thing I've learned after years of making these babies, it's that people really like the idea of eating booze, but don't actually like it in practice.  Really, would you want to take a big bite of something that's normally sipped or shot?  I've made the mistake of adding too much booze before, and they are not fun to eat.  

2.  I don't care what Deb from Smitten Kitchen says, add a normal amount of frosting to them for god's sake.  The frosting is the best part, so don't skimp.  

The original recipe can be found at Smitten Kitchen.

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The Last Shorts of the Year

Blazer - JCrew / Tee (similar) - JCrew Factory / Shorts (similar) - Gap / Flats (similar) - Tory Burch / Necklace (similar) - Baublebar

Shorts and I had a pretty good run this year.  I wore them with blazers, with long sleeves, with graphic tees, and with boots.  But I think it may be time to pack them up until next year, because, well, last weekend, I had to put on a winter coat.  Don't worry shorts, we will definitely meet again.

Have you packed in all of your summer clothes yet, or are you trying to sneak in a few more wears?

Linking up with Style Me Wednesday and Life & Style.

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This Weekend...

This weekend I...

...Went on a little spree in the Halloween section at Target (well really, what visit to Target isn't a spree?) and came away with an adorable pumpkin jar that I promptly filled with four bags of fall M&M's.  Let's just say, Jeff was a bit happier with this Target trip than most.
...Finally watched Neighbors and I don't know why I waited so long.  It was freaking hysterical, I was dying.  While I loved the fighting and whatnot, I think the best part was the relationship between Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne, they were so funny together.
...Went shopping with the boy, and felt like I was in the Twilight Zone - he came away with bags of stuff, and I was empty handed!
...Hit up one of the bars in our neighborhood for one of our favorite types of date nights: beer and wings.  We like to keep it classy.
...Went to a big party at my grandma's house, where it turned out she'd managed to invite tons of family members I've never even met before.  Hanging out with my aunts and laughing about our shared obsession over WGN news ("Did you see the time they reported a fake plane crash?" "Did you see the time they failed on reporting a bridge collapse?") made for quite an amusing evening.

I hope you had a good one!

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Easy Party Snack - Seasoned Oyster Crackers

Are there any foods that really remind you of being a little kid?  For other people it may be pudding cups or a Fruity Pebbles, but for me it's these seasoned oyster crackers.  My family used to serve these at every party, and the kids would pound these down.  They're really addictive, I remember eating them until I felt sick.  I was looking to make a little party snack for a tailgate down at Illinois a couple of weekends ago and I decided to bring them back.  They are just as good now as my childhood brain remembers.

Seasoned Oyster Crackers (makes a ton!)

You'll need:

2 12oz packages oyster crackers

1 cup canola oil (or similar)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1-2 tsp dill weed

1 package Ranch House dressing (use dry, this can be found in the salad dressing aisle)

Mix oil, garlic powder, dill, and Ranch together in a large container with a lid. Add crackers and coat evenly.  Cover and let sit for at least one hour.  Serve!

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