simplepretty

Okay, summer. I get it. You’re here. No need to remind me with the 90 + heat. This is when I tend to get lazy, and hunker down in the a/c with a good book. (And speaking of books, I’m now five chapters in to The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Excellent read – it’s doing a number on my diet!) But back to the hunkering. I need motivation for places to go when the weather is oppressive. Starbucks is trying to fill that void with its “Let’s Meet at Starbucks” campaign. Just click on the “find summer fun” icon, and select your area to find things to do. In theory, that is. My “Chicago Suburbs” search came up with a blank balloon. (Okay, it works with Firefox. Safari, not so much. Could it be because the site uses Microsoft Virtual Earth?) Check out your local map, click on an E, and get ready for fun.If I lived in Boston, I would be headed over to the JFK Presidential Library & Museum to see “Jacqueline Kennedy Entertains: The Art of the White House Dinner”, which runs through April 3, 2008. We went to her dress exhibition (“The White House Years”) when it came through Chicago, and loved it. This new exhibit is full of table settings, menus, flowers, pretty dresses …. I think it would make a fine way to spend an afternoon! If you’re in Boston (lucky you), check it out.

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Ah, magazines. Love them – need them – hate waiting on the USPS to decide when I should get them! Today, the Tribune published its annual list of the 50 best magazines. Getting into the spirit, here are my top five for 2007: (in no particular order)

1. Domino magazine I love how Domino has made home decor so much fun to read – very handy sources – and Jennifer Rubell’s entertaining ideas are inspiring, and yet seem do-able.
2. Charleston/Charleston Home I could look at Southern homes all day long, and they are happy to oblige with gorgeous photography.
3. New York Love the articles – love the layout – love the vicarious living. And by the way, Chicago magazine, your awful website clearly was intended to rip off New York’s, and it failed miserably.
4. Blueprint I’m a bit geriatric for Blueprint’s demographic, but I love this magazine!
5. Martha Stewart Weddings This is what I wish Martha Stewart Living was more like: full of parties, cute invitations, and gorgeous photography. I could do without the 500 pages of wedding dress ads, but that’s because I’m not getting married. I suspect someday, I’ll be 82, tapping my foot, waiting on the latest Weddings to arrive.Almost there is Cookie – once again, I’m maxing out on the demographic with a son turning 10 in September, but it’s fun to flip through!Haven’t had your fill of magazines? A new one launches today. Organize, available at the usual places, is all about (can you guess?) organizing your home. The cover looks quite lovely – and I can’t pass up a premiere issue!What are your magazine favorites?

Wow! What a gorgeous weekend we had. A baseball game, an outdoor art show, flower shopping, a bakery run ….. I even got my Sunday run in – outside! We had temps in the 60s on Saturday, and 70s on Sunday. And a nice breeze off of the lake to boot. For a minute, I thought I was living in San Francisco, or Portland, Oregon. Eating every dinner outdoors? A girl could get used to living like this …..I spent some time Saturday afternoon reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma. I spent most of my childhood in Iowa, but as a “city” girl, I had no idea of the politics of corn, or the politics of farming in general. The book has been an eye-opener, and I’m only three chapters in. (Stay tuned.)

Finally, I found cute postal-themed site for you to check out: All This Is Mine. Originally, Sugene started All This Is Mine by making Zines, (issue #11 looks especially cute) but it has evolved to include some really cool “stuff” as well. I am smitten with the Postal Parcel. And even though it presently is sold out, I will be watching for more! Did you see what is included? Too adorable!

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Well, yesterday turned out to be a glorious start to summer … perfect weather, freshly picked strawberries, grilling out for dinner, and then eating outside – my favorite thing to do. (We had margarita chicken again, because it is so good and soooo easy, and who doesn’t like that combination?) Plus, Maria’s Port2Port shipment arrived. Almost like a present to welcome the new season!Here are the Five:

1. what I wore 1
2. Postcards
3. hell yes
4. corner of the world
5. pink hydrangea

Enjoy your summer weekend! See you Monday …..

The summer solstice is upon us. Usually, this is where I think to my self (rather crazily, I will admit) that even if the weather gets miserably hot, at least the sun will be getting a little less strong each day …. In my neck of the suburban woods, farmers’ markets are just getting started. Today marks Libertyville’s first; tomorrow Lake Bluff follows. I love picking up a few fruits and vegetables this way. We had grown tomatoes for the past few years, but didn’t this year because they always seem to hit their peak while we’re on vacation, and also because we don’t need a bumper crop of tomatoes, just enough for the three of us to eat. That decision has left an empty spot in our garden – I’m thinking about how to fill it. Probably with something “pretty”, like the hydrangea above.Did you catch Design*Sponge’s feature of Y’all Behave yesterday? I think that their placemats (in the “store”) would be fun for anyone who’s trying to learn how to correctly set the table. My son is a revered god in the ant kingdom, so we’re still focused on crumb reduction, but someday soon we’ll move on, right?And today at noon CDT, the talented Jennifer Murphy updates her site with 4th of July goodies! I’ll be rushing home from Sunday School pickup to check it out …..Hope your longest day is splendid. Feels like much needed rain is on the way here!

Just finished a great NYTimes piece about dog runners. As the owner of a dog that needs to go to doggy day care one day a week to “run it off”, I was glad to see I’m not alone …..

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