My Latest Obsessions

Margaret and Cate's first day of school (Margaret = 2nd grade and Cate = 4th grade)

The gals started school on Monday. They were super excited - up bright and early and rearing to go. George and I waved goodbye as they walked two blocks to school. George officially starts preschool next week - wahoo!  He is so excited as he wants to be in school too (just like the big girls!). We are slowly but surely getting used to the transition from summer to fall. We have a week or two until our afternoons become nutty w/ afternoon activities and the like.

After school today we are heading to Kinnikinnick Farm in Caledonia, IL. SUPER excited for a little farm and family action. We had an awesome time last year! And Tuesday night PFC and I are heading to see the Book of Mormon. Totally pumped to see it!

Enjoy the long weekend! XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• I just finished a great book, The Chaperone, by Laura Moriarty. I LOVED it. Solid book! I'm now starting The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Excellent reviews. 30 Must Read Books. 
• When the temps drop I want to try this Crock Pot Creamy Tomato Soup. Looks awesome! 
• This Georgia Tech freshman convocation speech is pretty hilarious! 
• The kids had a blast at the various camps they did this summer. How about a camp for adults? This Upper Crust camp looks fun! And what a lovely environment you are in while there. Love it! 
• How fun are these pencils? Love them. 
• How to mix and layer patterns. 
• Love this Legacy Shoulder Bag. Looks like it would last forever. And how fun would it be to have it monogrammed?! 
• Interesting article on what parents should say to their kids as they perform. 
• I can tell this is going to be a book that I gift during the holidays. 
• LOVE these little bronze ballet flats. So cute! And these pointed silver flats are cute too. 
• I'm sure this is a beautiful book = Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fictions Most Beloved Heroines. 
• 10 best store bought appetizers = awesome to know! 
• I'm desperately searching for new recipes to try for the kids. Please send any my way. I think I'm going to try this Easy Ravioli Lasagna soon. On the list! 
• Nate Berkus does a fall collection for Target. Some cute items! I like the arrowhead rug and the braided jute rug and the khaki herringbone sheet set. 
• My mom adores San Miguel in Mexico. Some spots to check out. Doesn't this restaurant look awesome?! 
• LOVE this chelsea boat. Very fun. 
• Some gorgeous flower How Tos. 
• These almond-crisped peaches look AH-MAZING. YUMMY! 
• I think GMC and I need to check out Ugly Mug Cafe one morning for a little breakfast action! 
• This tray and coaster set is pretty rad. Love it! 
• I'm still craving Graeter's ice cream after our trip to Cincinnati. Fortunately, we can buy it at our local grocery stores. How cute are these porcelain ice cream cones?! 
• LOVE this simple dining room table. 

My Latest Obsessions

PFC + the kiddos at The Montgomery Inn (Boathouse) in Cinci

Happy Friday! School starts MONDAY! WOW. Summer is officially over. We just got back from a long weekend in Cincinnati. I had a blast showing PFC and the kiddos where I grew up and some of my fave spots in the Nati. It was fun to drive past the old high school and speaking of Wyoming High School we ranked top in the state! We stayed in an adorable hotel in Mariemont w/i walking distance from Graeter's Ice Cream. That in and of itself was a HUGE perk as we headed there all 3 nights! PFC said that it is the best ice cream he has ever had (he had Butter Pecan every night). I decided that Black Raspberry Chip is my all time fave.

We are off to a Pig Roast tonight and tomorrow we have a friend's son's 3rd birthday tomorrow AM. Saturday evening PFC and I plan to order in and catch up on some episodes of Homeland (before Season 3 comes out)!

Enjoy the weekend! XO - D2


Some of my latest faves:

• Wow! The movie Dirty Dancing turns 26. That is nuts. I remember not being allowed to watch it (but sneaking it one day when I was home "sick" from school). 
•  LOVE this = 8 things worth knowing about sushi. I'm kind of a fake sushi eater after reading this! I remember my first sushi eating experience was at a restaurant in D.C. the year after I graduated from college. I had NO idea what wasabi was - until I put too much ON! HOT! 
• I LOVE these 50 rules of vacation. 
• I guess I'm in between an introvert and an extrovert. Friends and family would most likely say I'm an extrovert but I think I'm secretly an introvert. Here are 23 signs you're secretly an introvert. What about you?  
• Pics of Kate and William and baby George. So cute. Kate is wearing motherhood well. She is simply glowing! And doesn't this Lia Dress look very similar to Kate's wedding dress?! So pretty. 
• Why Women Can't Have it All = interesting article. Well said. 
• LOVE this speech by Ashton Kutcher (or Chris as we come to find out).
• I LOVE wallpaper. I think it can add such character and dimension to a room or wall. A little sneak peek at the Best of Wallpaper.  The Grande Game wallpaper that we used in our powder room makes me smile every time I walk by it. Love it. 
• Some pretty awesome cake stands. 
• I'm a total pattern whore. Check out this travelogue inspiration of patterns galore! 
• Cute and yummy looking apple cupcake donuts for back to school. 
• This article has been all over the web and facebook = Saying goodbye to my child, the youngster. I remember working at a private school downtown and I was one of the staff members welcoming/greeting the new parents when they dropped off their kindergartners. Many of the parents had tears in their eyes. I was not a parent yet and thought to myself that no way would I be crying when I watched my little one/s off to kindergarten. I immediately called my mom and asked her how she felt when we went off to kindergarten. She was emotional. It is a big deal. I now get it years later. I can only imagine what it must feel like to drop off your son or daughter at college. Mixed emotions I'm sure.  
• Interesting topic = Do you feel comfortable naked? 
• I'm very curious about the book, The Big Disconnect. It helps parents and kids navigate the digital world. Relevant topic for sure. 
• A friend had one of these Bonfire Logs burning at her house the other day. Pretty cool. 
• This frozen hot chocolate looks super tasty. 
• I'm on a hunt for a new pair of glasses. I don't wear glasses often as I wear contacts all the time but I always like to have a pair of glasses on hand. I totally dig Warby Parker's collection of glasses. Cheap too. How about the Zagg pair?
• Who knew that H&M had a new home line. Interesting. What a pretty tea towel. Speaking of tea towels, I just bought these adorable 'Do the dishes tomorrow' flour sack kitchen towels as some gifts. Love them. 
• We tried this spaghetti pie last evening. Pretty good and the kids approved it. 
• An old colleague/friend's etsy line of market bags and aprons is really cute. 

My Latest Obsessions

Bottoms up! Just an average evening at our house.
This pic makes me LAUGH. We love us some Georgie! 

Happy Thursday! I've gotta admit that I really love the cooler temps and lower humidity that we've had the last several days here in Chicago. There is nothing better than sleeping w/ the windows open. Love that. So, we are off to Cincinnati tomorrow morning. I'm excited to show Peter and the kiddos where I grew up and hit some of my Cincy faves. I haven't been back in ages as my mom and dad no longer live there (and haven't lived there since I was in college). It was definitely a great place to grow up. And speaking of family we just booked our flights to AZ for Christmas this year. I haven't been home to my mom's for Christmas in over 5 years = EXCITING! We'll be there for just under 2 weeks. FAB!

I am putting together a little book of fun facts for C + M to read en route to Cincinnati. I've included the following facts and places we'll hit: Montgomery Inn and the Boathouse (we'll be there Fri PM for dinner = yummy!); Graeter's Ice Cream (history) and flavor list; Skyline Chili; Wyoming (where I spent my HS years); and Hyde Park Square. We aren't hitting up the Western & Southern Open this trip but we'll be watching the finals on TV for sure. And we are indeed stopping by Fair Oaks Farm tomorrow morning for a little breakfast. I've heard it is a great place to stop.

Have a wonderful weekend! XO - D2

My latest faves:

• These Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas look DIVINE! Yummy! Or how about these Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Banana Bites?! OMG, they look awesome.  
• And these Individual Whole Peach Pie are super yummy. We made them last evening. Super easy too!
• LOVE this necklace w/ vintage brass beads. Very pretty. Love this layering chain in antique gold. 
• Kale has been popping up everywhere lately. This Kale Salad w/ Pecorino and Walnuts looks super yummy. 
• CMC is always making portraits and these People Colors Crayons would be perfect. 
• I've been eating this Watermelon Cucumber Feta salad all week. Love it. Love the salty sweet combo. I stumbled upon these Watermelon Feta bites that not only look gorgeous but look quite tasty. 
• Charleston, SC has been on my travel list of cities for awhile. I would love to go there w/ PFC for a little get away weekend. And even my sisters and my Mom and I have talked about going there for a girls weekend. I've read great things about Husk Restaurant over the years. 
• I LOVE summer but I also enjoy fall in Chicago. I appreciate the leaves changing colors and the cooler temps. One of my evening rituals when it gets cooler out is to have a cup of hot chocolate after the kiddos are in bed. And this article now totally justifies my daily fall/winter habit that much more! 
• Doesn't this historic inn in Albuquerque, New Mexico look awesome?! 
• I LOVE this chambray shirt. Soft and casual. LOVE this Lacebloom Jacket. So pretty. 
• Secrets to a fulfilling life. 
• The kids watch The Pioneer Woman with me from time to time and they want me to make this Sour Cream Noodle Bake. I'm game. I love it because it is one of those dishes that you can make ahead of time and just pop in the oven when you are ready for dinner. 
• We start school two Mondays from now. It is approaching fast. Yikes! Nuts how quickly this summer has flown by. I LOVE this Talk (letter) that Glennon Melton does w/ her children. So great. I plan to do the same w/ C  + M. 
• One of my favorite memories with my dad is us sitting around the table for our Sunday Night dinners. They felt special and we always had to go around the table and tell everyone a highlight of our week. It almost became a joke yet it is something that I appreciate even more now than I did back then. I found myself doing the same thing years later. I specifically remember doing it w/ my best girlfriends from college when we went away for a week in Cabos to celebrate our 30th birthdays. Gals, remember?! This article, The Parent of All Virtues, made me think about those dinners w/ my dad and different ways to incorporate gratitude in to our lives. 
• Cute and easy DIY striped candy jars. I would fill them w/ swedish fish. Just sayin! 
• 5 tips to making any cookie recipe better. 
• I'm getting ready to start The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty. After reading a friend's review on the book I was sold to give it a read. 
• I was reading the latest Vanity Fair magazine the other night. I enjoyed looking through their list of the 25 most romantic movies of all time. I'm surprised that the movie The Notebook didn't make the list! Oh, Ryan Gosling. 
• I had the best time visiting my youngest sister in Brooklyn/NYC this past spring. I was also able to catch up w/ a dear friend of mine from college. I loved hanging out w/ them and seeing them in their worlds. Super fun. Speaking of my sister, I'm so proud of her. My middle sister and I affectionately refer to her as "little pup." She is amazingly talented. She has been getting awesome press on some recent projects = Wrong Chairs by Norman Kelley and Rethinking the Windsor Chair and here. 
• I'm more of a person that appreciates color in one's home however, I really adore this Australian home. Very pretty. 
• Great article on teaching your kids about $. Always an interesting topic. 
• Gorgeous messenger bag. And I love this little polka dot baggu duck bag. Very cute. 

My Latest Obsessions

Cubs Game for GMC's 3rd Birthday

GMC's 1st Banana Split Sundae at Margie's Candies
Happy 3rd Birthday GMC! 

Wilmette Beach

Happy Thursday! We are officially in August and in the back of all of our minds is that the first day of school is fast approaching. We are trying to take advantage of the final days of summer vacation. Last week we headed to Wrigley Field for GMC's 1st Cubs game. It also happened to be his 3rd birthday! Is our little George really 3?! We had a blast. The kids all loved just tossing the peanut shells on the ground. They thought that was so much fun! And on the way home we stopped by Margie's Candies for a sweet treat. I had never been there before and it has been on my list for ages. We all had some version of either a sundae or banana split in one of their white clamshells. YUMMY! And it was kind of fun knowing that the Beatles and the Rolling Stones had been there years ago enjoying sweet treats. Take a look at Margie's favorites!

I caught up w/ a dear friend last evening over dinner. We hit up our usual spot which happens to be one of my all time favorite casual restaurants in Chicago (= the Athenian Room). I love it. It reminds me of my years spent living in Lincoln Park. I order the same thing every time. And even Tina Fey agrees that one must visit the Athenian Room! And tomorrow evening PFC and I are meeting up w/ my sister and her husband and heading to another one of my other Chicago faves = Twin Anchors. I haven't been there in ages and I'm looking forward to some yummy ribs!

Fave quote of the week (from C and M) = "Life would be so boring without our Georgie."

Have a great weekend! XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• I forgot how much I love the movie When Harry Met Sally. We planned a Chick Flick night on the lawn at the tennis club last Friday evening and we chose the late 80's flick. I enjoyed reading some fun facts about the movie. And I TOTALLY forgot that Carrie Fisher plays Sally's good friend in the movie. I only associate her w/ Star Wars as Princess Leia. Speaking of great movies I see that the Ferris Bueller house is back on the market. 
• I love Robin Thicke's song Blurred Lines. It is catchy and fun. Yes, it's a bit overplayed but I love it none the less. And I LOVE the little ditty with Jimmy Fallon, Robin Thicke and The Roots using classroom instruments. So fun! It reminds me of last summer's "it" song, Call Me Maybe. I loved the ditty that Carly Rae did w/ Jimmy Fallon and The Roots - so fun! Speaking of Call Me Maybe here is the link to last year's little ditty that PFC and I did along w/ a few of our buds. 
• I've seen a few teasers about Season 5 of Parenthood. I'm excited! Sonya Walger and Tyson Ritter are joining the cast this season. Looks like the two of them will be spicing things up a bit! And I'm glad to hear that Ray Romano will be back this season. Love him! 
• I kind of dig these Heller Rainbow Mugs. Totally 70's vibe for sure. 
• I haven't had a chance yet to check out the new Fashion Outlets of Chicago that opened last week in Rosemont. I've heard great things. Cannot wait! Here is a post w/ an overview of the outlets and some great pics to boot. 
• We are super excited for our Labor Day camping trip to Kinnikinnick Farm. We had a little taste of camping (beach style!) this past Saturday evening in Wilmette. We met some of our friends up north and camped on the beach (well, George and I headed back home but next year we're in!). 
• George is officially in his "big" (toddler) bed and he LOVES it. We told him when he turned 3 he would get a big boy bed and he remembered us saying it for sure. It was one of those bittersweet moments of realizing that your little baby is not a baby anymore. Speaking of babies I love this yellow/gray Not a Peep crib bedding. 
• Next weekend we are driving to Cincinnati to show the kids where I grew up. We won't be seeing any family members as all of us are spread across the country (Prescott, AZ; Santa Barbara, CA; Bozeman, MT; Brooklyn; and Williamsburg, VA) yet I want to show the girls and GMC where I spent the majority of my time growing up. We'll also get to catch up w/ some of my dear college gal pals who now live in Cinci w/ their own families. I'm for sure going to print out some of these maps for C + M - as the two of them can come up w/ some games for our several hour drive. Someone recommended that we stop at Fair Oaks Farm (halfway between Chicago and Indianapolis) for a little break. We are thinking of stopping there for an early morning breakfast. The kids will get a chance to see some cheese-making in action! 
• I LOVE all the things that Lonny's Market Editor wants in her home. The modernist bowls are fun and my cousin (who lives in SF) totally turned me on to Heath Ceramics. We used Pratt & Larson ceramics for our backsplash in our kitchen and couldn't be happier. 
• Kind of fun to take a peek at Orla Kiely's home. I love all the patterns and colors that she uses. 
• I don't even want to think about cooler temps (just yet) but everywhere you turn you are seeing sweaters and boots in the storefronts. This little hedgehog sweater caught my eye the other day when I was at Target. My two sisters love short boots (especially Rachel Comey's short boots) and this year I would like to rock a pair of them (w/o feeling like I cannot pull them off). I'm gonna try! Um, and how cute is this gray cloak wool coat?! Love. 
• George Saunders's Advice to graduates is excellent. This is a speech that I hope to refer back to one day when talking to our kids about kindness. His biggest regret in life are failures of kindness. 
• There is something about L.L. Bean backpacks that totally takes me back to my days in grade school. I still remember my first L.L. Bean backpack (monogrammed of course w/ my initials DWN). I just ordered both C + M a new one for the coming years. One of them personalized their backpack w/ her name and one just went w/ the first letter of her name. 
• Okay, I think I figured out another ice cream sandwich fave of mine = green sherbet and triple ginger cookies (from Trader Joe's). Divine! Totally different flavor than the Graeter's Black Raspberry Chip ice cream and Almond Florentine Cookie sandwiches (inspired from this Bon Appetit version) that I make but tasty. And I stumbled upon this Ginger Cookie and Lemon Sherbet Cookie Sandwich. I might need to try this version out too!