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We've got an exciting weekend coming up. My cousin Mona (whose brother, my other cousin, just got married...) is flying in from New York City to visit over the long Columbus Day weekend. After we pick her up at the airport tomorrow, we're going to spend some time in Chicago -- my absolute favorite city in the world. After spending so much time in Chicago when I was young, I feel like I know that city like the back of my hand: The gorgeous lakefront, shops on Michigan Avenue, the Bean in Millennium Park. But what about someone who has only visited the city a few times?
Chicago magazine's Best of Chicago guide has some great ideas, like the city's best pizza, but I'm pulling for the Skydeck atop the Willis Tower. You take an elevator to the 103rd floor for unbelievable views of the bustling city. Yikes alert, though: You take in these views from 1,353 feet in the air. And if you're feeling extra adventurous? You can step out onto one of four glass boxes that extend 4.3 feet from the Skydeck. Would you be brave enough, friends?
Like the new television season, fall is a great time for movies. Tons of new flicks are hitting the big screen, and Entertainment Weekly always has a great round-up of fall films. We saw Pitch Perfect over the weekend and were pleasantly surprised at how much we loved it. The hilarious comedy about the adventures and misadventures of an all-female acapella group as they sing their way to the national championship hit all the right notes (pun intended). And Anna Kendrick just might be my new girl crush...Have you seen Pitch Perfect? What other fall movies are you dying to see? Argo looks pretty good, and of course, I can't wait for Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2. Are you a frequent moviegoer or not so much? xoxo
It started with a single photo. As a sleep-deprived new dad adjusting to life with daughter, Alice Bee, Dave Engledow captured the story of moms and dads everywhere when he snapped a funny photo of himself while he squirted Alice Bee's bottle of milk into his World's Best Father coffee mug and held her tightly under his arm. What began as a joke among family and friends has since blossomed into a viral hit, with Engledow documenting life with Alice on his Facebook page. And, thanks to a Kickstarter campaign, he was able to raise money to turn the photos into a calendar. The goal of the project has always been to create something that, although funny, is also relatable and offers lessons to both parents and non-parents. "The character I portray in this series is intended to be a parody of the father I hope I never become -- distracted, self-absorbed, neglectful, clueless, or even occasionally overbearing," he describes.
But, really, this tongue-in-cheek series has always been about Alice, who was never put in harm's way during photoshoots. "This has been a project that’s for Alice," says Engledow. "I want to be able to have something that I can give to her that she’ll look back on and treasure.”
That's the photo that hangs in my mom's bathroom, just above a framed cover of the UP DVD. She snapped the sign a few years ago while strolling along a nature trail in the South, and since, it's quickly become her mantra. Well, it's sort of become our family's mantra. In fact, I've even found my eyes drifting to those two simple words every night as I brush my teeth.
Indeed, sometimes a little quiet can go a long way. Since my father died, I relish those quiet moments. Not because I'm lonely or depressed, but because I've learned that instead of being uncomfortable, just sitting in the quiet can be the most comfortable thing in the whole world. Those quiet moments can be utterly healing. Still not convinced? Here are a few more ways to enjoy those quiet moments...
Walking to the movies as an event? That sounds pretty good to me.
Good evening, friends, and happy Friday! What are you doing this weekend? As I mentioned, my cousin is coming for a visit, and we're going to spend the day in Chicago tomorrow. Chicago is one city that will always have my heart -- have you ever been there? It's such a magical place. In blog-related news, don't forget to enter the Office Supplies $250 Gift Card Giveaway; you've got until next Thursday to enter. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and here are my favorite finds from the wonderful Web... The most memorable movie princesses.
Growing up, I had 26 surgeries by the time I was 16, so the hospital in Chicago quickly became my second home. To this day, some people are still shocked when I tell them that, despite everything -- all the surgeries, all the hours spent sitting in doctors' waiting rooms, even all the traffic jams -- Chicago is my absolute favorite city in the whole world. Maybe it's because I feel like a piece of me and my past is still there, and it's good to revisit the past every once and awhile. It's also good to visit the city for non-medical reasons, which is exactly what we did last weekend when my cousin Mona flew in from New York City. Her flight came in early, so we spent some time walking around the city a bit. Our first stop...?
The famed John Hancock Center, where we enjoyed lunch overlooking the city from the building's 95th-floor Signature Room (which had the best Mountain Dew I'd ever tasted).
Aren't these views spectacular? We couldn't help but feel like we were on top of the world as we looked out the window. It felt like we could practically reach out through the glass windows and touch the puffy, rolling clouds!
And this was even the view from the bathroom. Can you believe that?
After lunch, we took a walk around Water Tower Place, an amazing mall I used to love going to when I was little. The view from the top -- some seven floors up! -- is something else, isn't it?
We spent the day telling lots of old stories about our days in my favorite city. Like the time I enjoy cheesecake for dessert while I was in the hospital. Or the times my sister would get so sad when she and my dad would go home at night and my mom would stay with me. Or the many times we'd drive to the city at least a few times a month for doctors' appointments. There's a lot of my family's history living and breathing in Chicago, needless to say. It was nice to revisit it. Do you have a favorite city, friends? What memories live there? xoxo