Tai Chi Center of Chicago: Tracy Von Kaenel
I’ve been going to yoga classes at the Tai Chi Center of Chicago for almost two years and it is truly my sanctuary. I refuse to go through my stressful work week without attending class with Tracy! I head home afterward a more peaceful, calm, and focused person. Continue Reading →
2010 Awesome
We had quite a busy year and wanted to fill you in on whats been happening with us. We watched 2009 come to a close with a bang – our own Chicago wedding and honeymoon to Mexico was more than we could ever ask for – thank you to those of you who could share our big day with us! Now for the 2010 recap…
Dorothy Argeanton, Jan 12, 1922 – Nov 8, 2010
Today, on the 8th of November, 2010, Dorothy “Dottie” Argeanton passed on from this life on earth. I’m new to the Argeanton family so I didn’t know her as well as everyone else, but she really did make an impression on me with her laughter, smiles, songs, stories and fun-loving personality. Continue Reading →
30th Birthday in Toronto = Excellent
Bobby and I just had a great dinner at the Green Eggplant Restaurant on Queen Street East – with the Hawks game in the background. ;) Nice atmosphere, great service, great food – I highly recommend it for anyone going to the “Beach”.
Florence and The Machine: Rabbit Heart Lyrics
Ever listen to a song about 50 times and then finally after singing loudly in your vehicle to lyrics (that you thought were the words that whole time) happen to NOT be in fact be the words? Well, that’s what happened to me on Saturday during our drive to Toronto, while listening to “Rabbit Heart” by Florence and The Machine. :)
Preloved.ca – Recycled, Reinvented, Sustainable Clothing
Bobby and I aren’t exactly the fashion experts, but today we learned a little bit about smart consumerism and sustainability. Not sure if you’ve ever heard of Preloved clothing line, but we hadn’t yet and now we do. ;)
Oh Happy Day!
I finally got the wedding pictures uploaded to my picassa site so you can all take a look now! Enjoy!
8 days
8 days until I say “I do” to the only man I will be with for the rest of my life. So generous, kind, gentle, handsome, strong, hard-working, passionate, fun, unselfish, + smart. 8 days until I marry my soul mate – the father of my children, my partner in crime, the one that I’ll grow old and gray with – and we’ll be loving every minute of it.
I’m so excited that I feel like my heart is bursting at it’s seams. 4 years has flown by so fast! Words cannot describe the love in my heart for this man…he is truly everything I could ever ask for and more. Thank you Robert Argeanton for all the warmth, love, and happiness you have brought to my life – I promise to give all of that to you for the rest of my life.
The Real Dirt on Farmer John – Must See!
So, I’ve been meaning to post my review of this movie, The Real Dirt on Farmer John on my site for a week now, but haven’t had a chance. My co-worker Heather told me I had to see it because she had just met the main character in person at her local farmer’s market and actually went out to visit his farm. So needless to say, I chucked it on my netflix queue and waited for it to arrive.
The film is about John, the farmer + artist, who is an outcast in his community and overcomes adverse conditions in overall life and in his farming experience. What I find to be the most amazing thing about the film is the amount of digital footage that had been captured over the last 25 years. From 8 mm home movies shot on the farm in the 50’s and 60’s to modern video – you really get this whole-hearted, humorous, heartbreaking and spirited life drama that feels so personal and intimate. You are basically watching his whole life in video snippets with personal narration.
I really don’t want to give away the end, but he ends up finding his way, transforming his land and building upon Angelic Organics – where people work and flourish providing fresh vegetables and herbs to thousands of people every week. People like my friend Heather get a box of veggies and a newsletter every couple weeks and enjoy the benefits of one of the largest Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms in the United States.
You HAVE to watch this movie.
New Addition to Our Home
Bobby and I just got a new plant for our porch at Home Depot! I love it. It’s a winter green boxwood and it stays green in winter and tolerates cold and below freezing temperatures…that’s awesome cause that means I don’t have to have a big green thumb to keep it alive either. Don’t worry I’m going to water it and stuff, but in the past I have had some very sensitive plants that were not making it very far in life due to my lack of proper attention. I’m excited to see something green on our porch, since its so sterile out there at the moment. Hopefully soon we’ll have our chairs and a grill and we’ll be all set.
:) Happy Labor Day weekend my people!
Dallas Trip + Stay at Le Meridian Hotel
Besides the fact that I wanted to write a quick post about what a nice and relaxing time Bobby and I had in Dallas….I also wanted to share with you, some pictures I took of the hotel branding from Le Meridian (where we stayed on Sunday night.) Not only was our room excellent and totally stunning, but I couldn’t help but notice the subtle touches they made with the branding, keys, hotel decor…that really brought the whole experience together.
On the bed in the master bedroom laid a felt-constructed folder to hold the dining menu, important info cards, an adorable do-not-disturb hanger, and a complimentary card with envelope to send something out for business. There were also these great little paper coasters around the room that had funny and/or inspiring quotes on them. My favorite quote in the room was the one lying underneath a water glass illuminated by a chandelier in the master bedroom. It read, “Let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter, sermons and soda water the day after.” -Lord Byron
Ok so onto our great and relaxing trip to Dallas, in which Bobby refused to make any plans (big thank you to him for that considering how awesome the weekend went!)…we got to see Melissa + Juan, Graeme + Geoff, Kris + Jessica, Jason, Jen + Melissa….not in that order or necessarily denoting couples, but you get my drift. lol. Continue Reading →
Great Visit with Jen + Dave
I know its just a photo of Jen and I, but c’mon it’s a pretty dang good photo and I never get to see my sister so I thought I’d put this one up. :) Bobby and I had a blast this weekend and I know Jen and Dave did too. We did all the touristy stuff and made sure to eat some deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati’s, Chicago style hot dogs at the Pier, Rainbow Cones on the South Side, Smoque BBQ and even a little La Pasadita late last night. I think I’m officially on a diet for the rest of my life after this weekend, but it was totally worth all the yummy tastes and obviously the awesome company + conversation.
Redesign of FBC
Pardon my dust. ;) I’m redesigning.
Apologies for falling behind and skipping an entire month, even my new condo and engagement news have not been added to my site…but I assure you I will be getting back on the ball. summer has been really busy with work, travel, and social life. I’m looking forward to the winter I think, just to get some down time.
Really good news is that I just found out I’m going to be participating in the BareWalls2009 Fundraiser at the Art Institute in October. All the fund raising money goes to scholarships for the school and I’m excited to be a part of it. It is actually a live art-making event, where people will be walking around bidding on work that is in progress. Super nervous, but excited nonetheless!
Motion/Vision/Transition Opening – JUNE 26
It’s just about that time…time for the opening - FRIDAY, JUNE 26. I’m so excited that I can hardly contain myself. This is definitely up there with one of the coolest things I’ve done in life – I can remember wanting this back when I was a kid.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m exhausted from working full time and going to the studio about 20 hours a week for the past few months…but I’ll be smiling big next Friday when everything is in place and looking good. :) Continue Reading →
Studio = Success
The studio is a success! This is my second week going there and I’m finally getting into the groove of working there. It’s quiet and perfect to actually relax and concentrate on making art…..this picture above is from my iphone but one of my newest pieces that I’m quite happy about. Cross your fingers for me – hopefully by June 26th I have a whole room full of these. ;)
Warm = Good
Today was awesome. Bobby and I woke up and walked over to Rush Street for some yummy food at the Original Pancake House. It was 72 degrees, sunny, with a little bit of breeze…I had strawberry crepes with whipped cream and Bobby and I did some serious people watching. lol. It was so relaxing to just sit and have breakfast and not have plans for the rest of the day.
After breakfast we walked over to the lake and sat by the water and talked and soaked up some sun. It was literally the most relaxing day I’ve had in 3 months. I hope everybody else out there had a chance to get outside today. :)
Great Weekend, Condo Update, Studio Space ;)
Hello!
Bobby and I (and Kurty) had a great time I had this weekend with Mom + Dad Fiocca! They were literally only here for 1 day but it was really nice to see them and hang out. They stayed in a corner suite at the Dana Hotel and Spa looking down State Street with floor to ceiling windows…it was pretty cool (more pictures here). We spent the day walking around the area and eating good food. We came back to the hotel in the afternoon and watched a movie. haha. It was really fun and I’m so glad we spent time relaxing and hanging out because that’s exactly what I was hoping for. :)
The photo to the right is us standing on the bridge near our new condo building on Saturday. We took a cab over there to show my parents and they were really excited to see it. I almost forgot how excited I was 2 months ago when they pushed back our closing…but since we went back I’m super excited again. :) We are literally a week away from new closing date. WOO HOO. Lets see if we really get to close this time! ha! Continue Reading →
At the ER with Bobby
Got a call while I was making dinner tonight that Bobby was a couple of streets over at Northwestern Memorial Hostpital’s ER…he was playing in a volleyball game with co-workers and came down from a spike on another guy’s foot. He is getting X-rays now to see if its broken or sprained. Cross your fingers that its only sprained! *sent from my phone… :/
**Okay update – he’s got a severe sprain (no fracture – although they said he may have to go back in two weeks and get another Xray to see if there are any minor fractures.) My poor Bobby – I know how he hates to be restrained from moving around and doing his own thing. Hopefully with a lot of ice, ibprofen, and elevation he will be back to normal in 3-4 weeks.
My Paper N Stitch Exhibition
Hi Guys! If you get a chance – check out my shop at the Paper N Stitch Exhibition today thru March 22nd and “favorite me” by clicking the heart on my shop page. The more hearts I get, the more chances I have to win prizes at the end of the month. I hope you enjoy the exhibition and check out all the other talented and amazing artists in the exhibit. :)
Check back for updates as well because I will be uploading more artwork to the site as the weeks go on. Thanks again to all you wonderful people out there that support me. Love like that makes the world go round.
Congratulations to my lovely friends!
BIG news this weekend – Juan & Melissa’s Engagement! Congratulations! Now I have 3 good friends on the marriage train – scratch that – 6 good friends – Melinda, Adam, Amy, John, Melissa, and Juan! I wish the best to you all! I’m so happy to see my friends get married and build their lives together. *happiness tear*
Valentine’s Day 2009
Just got back from grabbing dinner with Bridget and John at Handlebar on North Ave. We walked over there since it’s so close to our place…yummy food and of course good company always makes me happy. :)
Here’s a picture of me and my love at Bin Wine Cafe on Milwaukee on Valentine’s Day. We had an exceptionally good waiter (I gave him a high five lol) and a great experience – including the amazing food/wine flights. Valentine’s Day was packed with fun stuff considering it was Jess’s birthday and the biggest Hallmark Holiday of the year. ;)
Earlier that morning I picked Large up and we went to Pinky Nails to get a manicure/pedicure and then we decided to grab a bagel (and I got a heart shaped mini red velvet cake for Bobby) at Alliance Bakery. Then we went dress shopping for Large’s surprise night out with Sangwoo (at Japonais). I got home just in time to jump on the bus and head downtown to look at an apartment with Bobby and Kurt. (I’ll explain later.)
After apartment looking, Bobby and I did a power nap before our dinner reservations at Bin. Later on after we had our amazing dinner we rushed over to the movie theater on Western to meet Sang-woo and Jess for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans…which I must admit, not exactly my cup of tea, BUT it was Jess’s birthday and I know she loves the scary and bloody vampire movies. LOL
Then we went to Double Door to try and catch the Delta Spirit Show, but found out it was sold out. Boo~! So we went around the corner to another clubby club and danced and drank some drinks instead. :) It was a fun night had by all and I’m glad we did it. I think Jess had a nice birthday and I had a great Valentine’s Day. DING~!
Finally got some work professionally framed
…and I’m very happy with the way they turned out! yay! Now I think I might have to get many more framed and sell them on my etsy shop. This looks so much better than what I’ve done in the past. The Frame Factory did an awesome job and they are super nice there…I highly recommend them!
Congratulations to The Dawes!
Had a great time in Dayton with all the girls for Melinda’s surprise bachelorette party! Wishing Melinda and Adam a beautiful & romantic wedding on St. John on the 20th – may they live a long and happy life together. But first here’s the party pics (on picasa)!
Funny I just remembered their anniversary is on the same day as Melissa Galitz’s birthday – Happy early birthday Liss! :)
Holy effing snow. Snow my god.
So it started two days ago. Woke up yesterday morning and cleaned off my car for an extra 10 minutes before work. Parked really far away from the office (since my permit has expired) & trudged through the non-cleared sidewalks for 4 blocks….and then again when I left to go home that night. Only to find MORE snow to clean off. Then I headed over to pick up Bridget for an AWESOME dinner and drinks at Crust on Divison. This whole time it’s snowing. I get home from dinner and shovel our steps, the sidewalk, the neighbors sidewalks…I think I got a little overzealous. Then this morning there was like 6-7 more inches on the ground. So I went out there and did it again – must’ve shovelled for a whole hour…even the back yard walkway to the trash cans. So I’m sitting here and it’s been 3 hours – and it’s still friggin’ snowing!!!! AAAAH! Can you feel my frustration?
Quick Trip to NYC
Guess what?! I have a few minutes to tell you about my trip to New York - the short version: Flight was good, nice hotel, had some drinks at a neighborhood pub with Andy, Frank, & Jill (photos), got some grrrrreat food at a Landmarc resturant – best filet I’ve ever had in my life (Ding~!), more drinks, zzzzZZZZZ, little dizzy waking up at 7am, showerd in a tiny bathroom, walked down to McCall Pattern Company, had a great design meeting, got the full-on tour of all the inner workings (which was super fun and interesting), ran over to the SOL for a quick photo op, and headed back to Laguardia for a pretzel wrapped hot dog and some juice and a early flight back to Chi with Jill! Quick trip, quick story~haha!
CAD, Updates, MIA, Art Show, Condo, Broccoli Quiche
So, the Growing Up CAD show went really well and everyone had a great time. I’m glad Nick and Lee were able to come – we had a really fun night that night (except for the fact that I bumped my head really hard on Nate’s ceiling LOL) – you can see pictures from that night on my flickr set and you can also see the Chicago Art Department Photos here. Here’s cool shot of a couple checking out my piece. :) Bobby and I were really happy to have won one of the silent auctions and got to take home art from Jen Rosenthal. She was one of the original peeps in my Go Go Video class at CAD 3 years ago.
I’ve been a bit MIA lately – just have a lot going on. Doing artwork at home and selling it on etsy, planning a couple of art shows with a friend at work Nick Haas, working on some really huge projects at work that are taking up every bit of my patience, will power, and focus…in fact tonight I think I’ll be working from 7-10 on more designs that are due tomorrow. What’s fun and exciting is I get to go to New York for the design presentation in December…that will be a blast. :)
I absolutely cannot wait to go home for Thanksgiving and see my family and play with my nephew Alex and relax a bit – I’m hoping to get down to Delaware and visit with Jess and Josh for a night and celebrate their birthdays. Depends on if we have enough time to get down there and back without upsetting my family – it is the first time they’ve seen me in a LONG time. I definitely want to try and make it – I’d love to see you guys!
The condo is looking closer to finished now than I think I expected for November and that’s really exciting. :) We still have to wait until February to move in but some of the lower floors will be moving in in December/January. It’s gonna be so awesome to have our own place! yay!
I’m off to work or I’m never gonna get stuff finished for tomorrow! Hope everybody is doing great. And a big thanks to Kurt for the sweet a$$ brocolli quiche he made tonight. Yum in my tum! lol.
Growing Up CAD 2008!
I’m very excited for tonight’s fundraiser at Chicago Art Department – CAD turns 5 years old tonight! From 6PM-10PM at 1837 S. Halsted, Chicago, IL (google map) – there will be a live auction of 35 artist’s work (including mine), door prizes, a live band, food and drinks. It’s going to be a blast and I’m glad some peeps from Orbit will be able to make it. :) I donated a large collage/drawing to help raise money for their cause. The ultimate goal of CAD is to foster careers of blossoming artists and cultivate a welcome and unpretentious atmosphere to work and interact in. I love the people there and I hope we’re always friends. Come join me tonight and get inspired and have some fun. :)
Best Roommate Ever!
So Bobby and I got home from work today to the house smelling amazing! Walked in the kitchen and Kurt was like, “just in time!” and took the foil off of the dish he had just prepared – homeade enchiladas! Oh my goodness they were so good too. MMMMmmmmm. And on top of that he fed the kitties and bought them more food (that I forgot to get at the grocery two nights ago.) AND he did the dishes. AND he burnt me the new Q-Tip CD! Woo hoo! I win!
Chilly
I’m chilly. My toes and hands are cold and I’m inside the house! Boo to the newly cold and crappy weather season. Especially since I’ve decided running in 30 degrees or below weather is not an option for me – I don’t have the right clothing for it and no money to buy it right now. :( I think I might have to get back on the eliptical but I’m really not looking forward to it – I’ve decided its too boring to work out at the house… I do like the eliptical but its not like being in a gym – there’s nothing going on and less motivation to stay on it. As we speak I’m watching my favorite show The Biggest Loser and sitting on my butt…I think the cold weather is really messing with my attitude. I just want to be warm and cozy. Help!
Running, Sick, Happy Halloween
You heard it here folks…I’m still running. 2 days til I can say it’s been 2 months! ;) It’s October and I’m sick and it’s 36 degrees out and I am still running (big thank you to Melissa G’s playlist because this morning it got me through the cold without giving up.) Today was unusually hard…so I bet I’ll have to take the next couple of days off and drink lots of tea and eat lots of soup. Everybody send me your healthy good energy…send me the good vibes. haha.
Let see, what’s new? It’s winter, I’m running, oh and p.s. Kurt Cruse moved into our basement! Justin flew down to Tampa on Friday and drove back with him and Chloey the cat (who was very unhappy to meet us at first, but I think she might be getting used to us now. ) Kurt and Bobby have both been sick since the beginning of the weekend so I assume that’s where I got it…although it could be my co-workers…everyone is coughing and sneezing around here too. Bring on the Halls and Dayquil…maybe I can wipe this thing out before it gets too much worse.
This weekend – well, actually Thursday – the Halloween parties begin…and I’m not really a costume-dresser-upper…so hopefully I don’t bum people out at these parties. haha. My cousin’s wife Jen is having a costume party for her 30th birthday at Brownstone and then Friday I’m having dinner at Bridget’s place since Linnea is in town, but I’m stopping by another costume party at Chicago Art Department at some point that evening…so I can see the closing show for Night of the Living Artist – Halloween/Closing Party and drop of a piece of art that I’m donating to their annual fund raiser: Growing Up CAD. Should be fun and exhausting weekend!
What’s everybody else doing for Halloween?
Orbitz Go Go Green 5K
So this weekend Bobby, Jess Large, and I got up on Saturday morning and did the Orbitz Go Go Green 5K at the Peggy Notebaert Museum in the freezing cold and rain! It was fun though and I’m glad we went…good cause and some exercise to start the weekend off right. We just got the times back and they were:
68 ROBERT ARGEANTON 337 24:36 7:55
224 JESSICA LARGE 377 31:52 10:16
225 MICHELLE FIOCCA 336 31:52 10:16
This is actually 2 minutes slower than I did the last one but lets face it – it was freezing and raining in our faces! haha. I logged my time on my Nike+ widget though and it showed that Large and I were very consistent throughout the race so I’m glad we stayed at a good pace and didn’t walk at all. Go us! (I did forget to turn off my Nike+ so the down hill spiral at the end is me walking and waiting for the lady to take my chip off and walking to the snack table. haha) Anyway – good times had by all! Next Sunday is the Hot Chocolate 5K/15K that I’m running with Large. Lets see if we can beat our time! I think we might run the 5K and walk the rest. :)
Press on.
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination along are omnipotent.”
This is a quote from my boss’s office – embroidered in a little frame. I’ve loved it since the day I started here…just wanted to share.
Playlist Help Requested…
I have tons of music – for which I love and adore but maybe overplayed to the point that it’s not working out for my morning run. Does anyone have a great “power” song that they like to workout to? I am going to try and compile a new playlist that is just super intense and upbeat and inspirational….this is totally doable. I heard Huey Lewis + The News in the car this morning and decided that one is the first one I’m putting on there, “I Need A New Drug” (Watch the YouTube Video)…I know it’s totally, um, Ghost Busters-esque…maybe I’m a sucker for the oldies. ;)
Anyway let me know what you guys suggest! And thanks in advance!
Bucktown 5K ;)
Today Bobby and I ran in the Bucktown 5K! It was fun and I think we both did good considering our short amount of training or a total lack thereof in Bobby’s case. We both had our Nike+ in our shoes and calibrated them with our ipods yesterday so that we could track our time/miles/calories (the reason my info there says I only ran 4.8K instead of 5 is – I think – because I calibrated it wrong last night. I have to fix it tomorrow or Tuesday morning when I run again.
Also I had a hard time shutting mine off because I didn’t have an armband (I’m not sure Nike has come out with an armband for the new ipod nano – this is the old one) – I was trying to grab it out of a zippered pocket and since it’s the first time I’ve used it I had to fumble with it for a bit…that could be part of my big dip in pace at the end of the race (I had already crossed the finish line and was walking to the food tent)…that is my hypothesis – who knows! ha!.
Anyway long story short – I did the 5K in 30 minutes and Bobby did it in 25 minutes (official times to come later on the website since we had time chips attached to our shoes for this race). We both are happy we did it and know we can do better if we continue to train. This Nike+ thing is super cool because I am able to set up a training schedule for my next 5K and track my progress and goals and calories burnt…its motivation for me, so I’m glad it exists. I am signing up for another race today – The Hot Chocolate 5K – it’s on November 2. Even if I do 30 minutes again I hope I can be more consistent and not struggle as much with my breathing. I want to be stronger.
As an added bonus we saw Sang-woo, Rich, and Mike at the race so we chatted for a bit and decided to walk over to Moonshine and have some breakfast. We walked home a little bit ago and my legs are super sore…ouch!
“Getting Back on the Horse”
Today is the 18th day I’ve gone jogging at 6AM for about 3 miles, since Sept 1, 2008. :D Jessica Large has gone with me a lot of these days but this week she has been sick so Mon, Tues, Wed I went all by myself…which I find to be very fundamentally different and motivational for myself personally! I was smiling this morning when I got halfway around the route just thinking wow I never would’ve thought I could get up and do this THIS early, without hitting snooze, without complaining…but I think I like it. No, I really like it. And I CAN do it, and it’s not so bad! It’s actually refreshing and gets me ready for the day…I need everybody’s support to keep it up though, because usually I don’t make it past two months without “falling off the horse” again. If I can make it past that 2 month mark then I’ll be on my way to a healthy happy body. :)
And kudos to my dad who is doing this with me from Ohio – getting up every day and working out on his Schwin Airdyne Bike for 30-40 minutes! Good work dad!
This map is my jogging route (the point on Bell Ave is my house and the point on Wolcott is Large’s house) – and p.s. google maps rocks for having sweet routing capabilities. Wish me luck – I have to do this!
aaaaah Sunday night, already?!
This weekend was nice and low key…which is what Bobby and I both needed. We had a bit of a lazy day on Saturday and I cleaned the house finally…we really didn’t do much until about 9PM when our new neighbor Janet came down to say hi…we ended up hanging out until 3AM chatting it up and drinking lots of red wine…that was lots of fun. :)
Today I went to the Bridal Walk on Oak Street with J.Large. It’s never too early to start looking for the perfect wedding gown, right? lol. We went to Vera Wang Chicago, Barneys New York and Belle Vie Bridal Couture), tasted lots of little cakes and cookies from local caterers, drank champagne and just generally had a good time (and got lots of fun free stuff)…then we got back to Wicker Park and had dinner at Usagi Ya with Bobby and Sang-woo. YUM! SUSHI!
I can’t believe its Sunday night already, I want one more day to chill. ;)
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Rich + Heidi’s Wedding
Here’s a pic of Bobby and I dancing at Rich + Heidi Martin’s wedding about a month ago…they just got the photos back and I grabbed a screenshot of this one….there are SOOO many great pictures of the wedding…I especially love the pictures of Heidi + Rich together before the ceremony…they really look like a happy couple!
On another note – there are also some especially funny/embarrassing pictures of me and my co-workers dancing like crazy people…I’m keeping those as far away from this blog as possible. LOL.
:)
Just got home from Ohio.
Had a great long weekend…stopped in Dayton (Waynesville) to see Melinda and Adam – sorry we were 2 hours late and only had about an hour and a half to hang out! It was still fun and good to see them and check out the new house. The house is very nice – I love the kitchen and the speakers on the front porch – and the giant yard…its very peaceful and serene out there. :) The kitties were a little freaked out by the big open space of the basement and were acting crazy…course they were acting a little weird all weekend….they are very happy to be home tonight. :)
Then we continued on to Delaware to have dinner with Jess and Josh and finally got to meet Mr. Cameron…we had a really nice time and I’m so glad we got a chance to play with Cam for a bit – he is such a cutie pie – he’s happy and smiling all the time (I think he liked the kitties!) It was a great night and Jess and Josh are very good parents!
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we spent in Findlay with the family and had a lot of fun. We ate a LOT of yummy food, went shopping at the infamous Findlay mall, and played with my nephew Alex a lot! I think Alex has more energy than I have ever had my whole life – we were running around the neighborhood, exploring everything along the way, jumping and stomping in rain puddles, singing and dancing. He is awesome! It was really good to see my clan: mom, dad, and Jen. :)
Oh and my sister and I went out Saturday night with her best friend Heather and we had a really good time…Jen will probably post pics up somewhere so that you guys can see the silly pics of us. :) So! The wild and crazy Fiocca family is doing great and living it up. I miss them already! We just got home and had pizza with Justin and Mandy. I’m going to bed early tonight since I’ll be jogging with Jess Large in the AM tomorrow….gotta get up without hitting the snooze. Cross your fingers for me that I can do it. :) Night!
Indycar Race – Joliet, IL
Had a big day out in Joliet with Bobby, Justin, and Mandy to see my first Indycar Race…fun was had by all and I think we’re all pretty freakin tired tonight from a big day.
I can honestly say now that you have to see this type of racing in person (even if you don’t get into it on TV)…its pretty exciting and way louder than I would have imagined. I wish I had a picture with all four of us in it, but I didn’t get one so here’s the funniest one of the bunch with Justin and Bobby being silly and us all looking funny with our ear plugs. :) Maybe Justin got some good pics and he’ll put them on his blog.
All I can say is I’m tuckered out and ready to start my three day week tomorrow~! Woo hoo! Can’t wait to see Melinda, Kelley, and Jess on Thursday! :)
Night!
Hurricane Gustav: New Orleans Mandatory Evacuation
Looks like New Orleans in in for another disaster…and the mayor has issued a mandatory evacuation – everyone has to get out today because there may be storm surges of 15-20 feet and flooding reaching parts of outer lying cities of up to 4 feet. Which means Mandeville (where Bobby’s brother, mother, and grandmother live) will be in danger. During Hurricane Katrina, Mandeville didn’t have flooding like St. Bernard…but Gustav is reported to be worse especially considering all of the coastal erosion 3 years ago.
Lenny, Susie and Dottie all left yesterday for southern Mississippi and I’m hoping this is far enough away to be safe. We are watching the Weather Channel non-stop right now just trying to see what will happen next. Very scary. :(
I’ll be updating every so often. Maybe we’ll see the Argeantons in Chicago soon.
New Shoes, Zappos, MBT, Cellulite
So I got some new shoes in the mail yesterday (this is the most amazing part about the situation – my order from Zappos.com was expidited at no cost to me to “overnight” status)…I literally ordered the shoes and they were on my doorstep within 24 hours and I didn’t even pay or ask for it. So big kudos to Zappos.com. I mean we all hate paying for shipping and especially for shoes which may not fit and we might have to send back (which is the current situation)…always an annoyance, but in this case not at all. Sweet.
So I ordered these MBT Staka Sandals for one because they are kinda cool and innovative and two because they are supposed to be good for my physical health + strength….they put the weight of my body in the correct position and placement and take stress off of my spine and knees…they are also supposed to burn more calories and as a bonus firm your buttocks. haha! So even though I usually take fashion advice from the Dawes and she told me, “No way these are ugly and look like orthopedic shoes”…I was like you know what I”m gonna go out on a limb here and try them out anyway. lol. (But thanks again to the Dawes for always being as honest as possible so that I can weigh my pros and cons. he he.)
Like I said they showed up in literally 24 hours…they really aren’t bulky looking with jeans (you only see the toe part which is pretty sporty looking) and I took a walk to lunch today and seriously felt a difference…its a weird combination of exercise and stability…its almost like you are floating when you walk but also definately using different leg muscles.
Anyway I believe they are a half size too small because the straps and things are all very tight on the top of my foot in a sort of uncomfortable way…so I think I am going to send them back and try one of the other styles to see what I like best. Especially with free shipping and 365 days to return from Zappos.com. Ding~! I win~!
Got my hair did. lol
Since a lot of you out there don’t see me that often, I thought I’d upload a pic of my new hair cut…got about 3-4 inches cut off…go figure I can never let it grow. It’s always this venture of mine to grow it out to my shoulders but I never make it because the in between phase becomes ponytail phase which is also big forehead phase …which soon becomes strange bangs phase….so I went down to Mirror Mirror to see my favorite stylist Jessica and got my favorite cut: angled bob and some dark low lights. I love it. :) Ding~!
(oooh and here is an added bonus you get to see my sweet office space at Orbit Media Studios).
An Event Apart: Chicago
Oh my gosh I can’t tell you how excited I am to go to An Event Apart Chicago…just got the go ahead from my boss to get some training and I am jumping for joy (well, on the inside). lol. I have really needed some design inspiration for a long time and I know this conference is going to be just what I’m looking for…
Jason Fried from 37signals will be there, Jeffery Zeldman – the founder and executive creative director of Happy Cog Studios will be there, and many more awesome and amazing people that I can learn so much from.
AND it’s right here in Chicago…so I can blissfully be entertained and inspired and instructed about CSS, design, and web standards right in my own city…without flying somewhere or paying for hotel stay. Yay! This is going to be kickass! Ding~! I win.
Friday Night at Home…
:) Just wanted to say hello tonight – I’m having a really nice night. Listening to John Mayor live (thank you kurty), drinking a glass of merlot, making garlic mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and fillet minion (seasoned with chopped onion and garlic). Bobby just came inside from fabricating a metal frame for a digital sign in the backyard. It smells so damn good in here and I still have 10 minutes on the fillets. Just smelling all the good smells and smiling. Wanted to say hi. Hope everybody has a nice night.
Oh, and for those of you who don’t know Justin Winget has a blog. It is here: http://www.justinwinget.com
Digital Printing on Canvas….YAY
So I’m really excited because I just set up a time next week to go meet with Digital Hub Chicago – a print company that does large format digital printing on canvas. They are very eco-friendly which makes me happy as well. My awesome new friend and co-worker Nick Haas brought in one of his printed art pieces (which by the way are awesome and kick ass and all that good stuff) and I am totally sold on trying out the print on canvas thing. It looks amazing and plus I’m thinking I can maybe print some really large pieces to get an idea how they might look for the upcoming art show we are planning.
I finally met Nate Winter (the super cool and talented writer friend of Nick) last night who will also be in the art show. I’m sure if he saw this blog he’d be a little disturbed by my terrible writing and grammer. lol. I have yet to meet Kurt Kreissl – another amazingly talented artist that I am excited to be exhibiting with – I and totally flattered they even asked me. So that’s my brief update…I’m out!
Happy Hoop Day 2008!
Happy Hoop Day 2008 Chicago! August 8, 2008 is the second international World Hoop Day celebration and hundreds of hoopdance enthusiasts around the globe will be making sure thousands of people are introduced (or re-introduced) to the physical and mental benefits of the hula hoop.
HooperPower has planned a fantastic celebration tonight in Wicker Park~!
August 8
Wicker Park
1425 N. Damen Ave.
5-8pm
They will be giving away over 75+ FREE hoops to Chicago WHD participants, DJ Dustin Harris will be spinning tunes and we will have HooperPower merchandise for sale too with proceeds going to WHD, Inc.
World Hoop Day Inc. efforts ensure that children at schools, youth organizations and those living in poverty will have hula hoops to play with and to keep them mentally and physically healthy.