Dose Market
It’s taken me awhile to write about Dose Market, but it’s fast become one of my favorite things to do on a lazy Sunday. For those of you outside of Chicago, Dose market is a once-a-month event featuring local Chicago vendors selling food, fashion and housewares. While I haven’t made it to the market every month, I knew that I had to go this month because of the Honey Butter Fried Chicken. And I also wanted to get some Christmas shopping out of the way as well…but it was mostly for the fried chicken.
While I didn’t shop much for clothing this time around, there was plenty of food and items from other vendors to peruse. Chicagoans? If you haven’t been to this market, definitely try to make it to the next market. Visitors, this would be a great way to sample some of Chicago’s great local businesses all under one roof. I only took a few pictures with my cell phone during my journey as I was mostly concerned with…yep, finding the fried chicken!
1. Lovely pastries everywhere you turned. 2. The eggnog meringue cookies from Lottie+Doof were delicious. 3. Ran into the ever stylish Nikia of ChiTown Fashionista and her gorgeous Celine bag.
1. Browsing the menu while waiting for the Honey Butter Fried Chicken (can you tell it was my highlight?). 2. I ended up buying a few pastries for some people at Truffle Truffle.
Lately
Things that I’ve been into lately:
-Fall leaves
-Listening to the new Feist album and the latest Little Dragon album on my walks to work.
-At-home facials (minus extractions).
- This Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Ipad app. The app is interactive with sound effects, cool little animations and surprises at almost every page turn. When you have a limited attention span for leisurely reading, sometimes you have to inject some fun.
- Sally Hansen Salon Effects. These should have been invented years ago.
-This gorgeous skirt that I ordered after Chandra at More Modern Modesty pinned it on Pinterest. Can’t wait for this to arrive!
-Exploring this local popular apothecary in Chicago. Merz’s has been around for nearly 135 years and if you are a beauty fanatic, you will love this store. It’s not very big, but it’s packed to the brim with all types of natural beauty, hair and health products. It’s so crowded that you mainly want to get in and out, but go on a weekday and you can peruse (relatively) uninterrupted. I usually go for different hair oils like these:
-Reading everything I can from welikewelove magazine.
-Finding new home decor tips and tricks.
What have you been up to lately?
I’m Still Around
I’m still around. After a summer of doing almost nothing on a daily basis, this fall has been a whirlwind of non-stop activity. The good news is that I’ve found a new job working full time. The bad news is that with working full time and attending graduate school full time, so there is less time for updating my blog. I do plan on updating as much as I can and and I don’t plan on another super long hiatus as I’ve done in the past. The picture of the Converse represent my casual weekend style since I’m not longer able to wear them on weekdays. One day soon, I need to write a post about casual work wear, because I have plenty of questions on that subject!
While most of my weekends are now consumed with homework, I don’t really have much time for the extracurricular. However, I did manage to go to the opening of the infamous Magnolia Bakery here in Chicago. I know that it is a New York staple and it was featured in an episode of Sex and the City. So you can imagine how packed the opening day was with long lines and deluge of people walking around with Magnolia Bakery bags. Overall, I really liked the look and feel of the bakery and while it been open for less than a week, already looks like it fits right in within the Chicago landscape.
As far as the cupcakes? Well, I’ll just say that there are some other shops in the city that are favorites, but since this is right around the corner from my job, I’m sure I’ll be sneaking in periodically for a sugar fix!
Summer 2011: Looking Back
Can you believe that we’re already nearing the end of August already? I know we have a little less than two weeks left, but I feel like fall is pushing its way in very quickly.
I’ve enjoyed this summer much more than previous summers, especially when I compare it to last summer. Last summer, I was pretty stressed out and really didn’t get the chance to do much at all. I mostly attribute that to my decision to return to graduate school, worrying about money, figuring out which graduate school I was going to attend, worrying about money and then turning down a great opportunity for…a not so great one.
This summer? I’m still on my summer break, I’m pretty broke (no shopping splurges here) and I’m more unsure than ever about my future. What I can say is that I am happy, a bit more stress-free and taking in as much as possible before Chicago goes into hibernation mode. To share what I’ve been up to this summer, I decided to share some of the pictures I’ve taken through Instagram:
From Top Left: 1. Taking the train into the city. 2. Road trip to Wisconsin in July. 3. An exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art 4. Cool motorcycles in front of a restaurant.
All of these photos are from Chicago’s Dose Market in July. It was my first time there and I just loved visiting some of my favorite Chicago businesses as well as being introduced to new businesses. Definitely a must-go each month.
From Top Left: 1. The crowd from above at Dose Market. 2. A signature cocktail from the guys at Aviary, Grant Achatz’s bar. 3. A yummy gelato cone from Black Dog gelato. 4. I tried to sneak a picture of Grant Achatz and the guys from The Aviary. They were very focused!
From Top Left: 1. I’ve been stalking this Mason Pearson brush for about a month now. 2. Went to see Blonde Redhead in July in the sweltering heat. I didn’t care because the concert was FREE. 3. Summerfest in Milwaukee. As a first timer, we saw Kanye West put on a wonderful show. 4. On my lunch hour, I’d walk over to Nordstrom and look at the pretty clothes. I’ d only look, though.
How has your summer been? Also, if you’re on Instagram, let me know! You can find me here.
A Whole Lotta Look
I usually don’t write much about my weekends or other extracurricular activities, mainly because I either forget to bring a camera or I never feel that there is anything that exciting happening. I did decide to shake things up a bit. My friend and I habit of taking food pictures whenever we grab dinner, so I thought I would share.
On Saturday evening, I had a scrumptiously delicious dinner with a friend at a place called Carnivale. I indulged in yummy Caipirinhas and had one of the best steaks I’ve had in a long time.
This steak was no help at all in my attempts to stop eating red meat.
I did get one outfit picture before we entered the restaurant. I bought this dress during the great Asos Curve clearance (which is still going strong).
Yes, I know there is a whole lotta print action going on there. At first, I was a bit worried about buying the dress since the print was loud and I almost bought the dress in a much more muted color. However, I decided to go ahead with the loud, poppy print. I mean, it is summer, right?
I hope your week is off to a wonderful start!
Chic Chicago
Being the consistent procrastinator that I am, I waited until the last minute to visit the Chic Chicago exhibit at the Chicago History Museum.  The exhibit has been showing since last year and it will be ending on Monday, so I thought right about now would be a perfect time to take my butt down there before it’s gone forever.  And yes, I’m glad that I went because I was able to take a few pictures before I was politely asked not to take anymore. So that meant I was unable to take a picture of an awesome Comme De Garcons gown that was absolutely breathtaking. Honestly, take my word for it.
An Issey Miyake gown
This 60′s YSL dress
Balenciaga
And this beautiful Charles James gown. Honestly, the picture doesn’t even do this gown justice.
It was really a great exhibit and I’m glad I was able to see it before everything was taken down.  I also visited an exhibit, Chicago: Crossroads of America, which featured the many innovations created in Chicago. One section focused on retail and a small section was dedicated to stylish hat maker, the “Mad Hatter” Bes-Ben.
Overall, I’d say it wasn’t a bad way to spend a portion of my Saturday. Hope everyone has had a good weekend so far!
Mag Hag: CS Magazine
Chicago Social magazine is a part of the Modern Luxury magazine group and I can usually find it throughout the city for free in various locations. It’s not a magazine that I keep an eye out for, but I grab it when I think to do so. Well I was looking through last month’s issue, and I found this editorial titled “Hollywood and Divine”. I love the look of the model they used and the editorial that harks back to the 50′s-60′s glamor.  No comment on the blond wig, though. Either way, I thought I would share some of the images:
Just another day…
Over the weekend, I had the great chance to attend a fashion show for the new Liz Claiborne collection, featuring the designer, Isaac Mizrahi. Believe me, this was a pretty big deal since the event was held at a Midwestern mall by our local Carson’s. Usually, they don’t see much excitement, unless you count the once yearly visits from Santa or the Easter Bunny.  My friend, Negrita Linda, told me about the event, so I decided to round up my mother (who remembers him from Target) and check it out.
When my mother and I got there, we saw a long runway surrounded by white chairs. I didn’t RSVP, so I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get any closer than standing along the outside.  My mother and I saw groups of women standing in line and I asked a nearby assistant what the line was for. She replied that we could stand in line in hopes of being able to sit down and be a part of the fashion show, in case the organizers needed to fill seats. Seeing that I really had nothing to lose, I grabbed my mom’s arm and stood in line.  Well, right before the show, it looked like they definitely needed to fill in some seats and a nice woman escorted us to the 2nd row on the left hand side! Not bad for people that just walked right in.
On to the show: I believe it started a few minutes late, but once things started to move, it was great.  Isaac came out and talked about the looks and his inspiration. He also talked about the woman he designs for “35–no matter if you are actually 25, 15 or 50, the look is for a 35 year-old-woman” and he talked about revitalizing the Liz Claiborne brand. Then he launched into sending out a set of looks. Overall, I believe there were about 17-18 total. He would send out about 6-7 looks, talk for a few minutes and then send out another set.
Before I’d seen any photos of Isaac’s collection for Liz Claiborne, I was not overly excited. Liz Claiborne never moved me as a brand and I thought the updated looks would probably be cute, but nothing to anticipate. Well, seeing the show and being able to see the models wear the looks up close has changed my mind. There were definitely some nice pieces that I could see myself wearing and nothing that would break the bank, either. My personal favorite was the Belted Bateau-Neck Gingham Dress, which is sold for $189 and the finale dress on the runway.
After the runway show, Isaac stuck around for a few minutes for a question and answer session. Many women had questions about the clothing and how it would look on them. One woman asked how she would know if the clothing would be right for her since the models were so thin. Isaac quipped, “Why don’t you try it on for yourself and see”.  He was very warm and funny and gave some great advice for women and clothing in general. We left with a cool goodie bag that included a coupon for the collection, a cute Liz Claiborne journal and a copy of Chicago magazine, who also co-sponsored the event. I’d say, all in all, it wasn’t a shabby way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Sample Sales in…Chicago.
Chicago has been on the fashion map for a lot of things: Michelle Obama’s favored designer Maria Pinto and her boutique of choice, Ikram are located here. We have some very fashion-forward boutiques such as Blake, a boutique very strong on Belgian designers; and Hejfina, a shop that stocks Alexander Wang, Comme de Garcons, Vanessa Bruno and Maison Martin Margiela to name a few. There are mini-shopping districts throughout the city. Our luxury shopping mecca, the Gold Coast, is home to Yves Saint Laurent, Hermes, Jil Sander, and Barneys. So what’s the problem?
Where are the sample sales?
If you live in New York or if you read about fashion in New York, then you hear about tons of fabulous sample sales for just about any designer you can think of. People score items way less than the original retail price.  Cashmere for $100 and runway platforms for $175. Where do you find those deals in Chicago.
We are in some tough economic times and the Chicago sales tax is pretty high, so while the great boutiques I mentioned above stock great designers and collections, it’s always nice to try and score some good designer buys for less. Where to go?
I saw the sign in the picture above while walking back to my office from my lunch break. The name of the shop is Thread Lounge and it is located in Lincoln Park. It is a permanent sample sale location, so you are getting a bargain 24/7.  The clothing and accessories are marked for a fraction of the retail price and features up and coming designers that are most likely featured in a magazine like Lucky.  While passively browsing, I found a very nice leather handbag for $150 and cashmere throws for about $75.
Beta Boutique is another sample sale location. Sales used to be held on a specific date and time, but they have opened a permanent store in Wicker Park that can be visited four days a week.  Prices can start as low as $10 and the boutique carrys all brands such as Three Dots, James Perse, Cynthia Rowley, and Ella Moss.
High Gloss is not a permanent location, but they do have sample sale events four times a year. Supported by Clever Alice boutqiue, the sale stocks designers such as Chaiken, Prarie Underground, and Frenzii at up to 80% off.
So while Chicago isn’t the premier location for sample sales, we are coming around.  While there are no super high-end designer sample sales that I’ve found so far, the market is beginning to thrive. Hopefully, it will continue to do so.
Battle of the Boutiques
Last Thursday, my friend and I attended a fabulously entertaining party put together by Poor Little Rich Girls titled “Battle of the Boutiques.  Participating boutiques in the Chicago area included: Le Dress, vFish, Eliana Lilly, Beta Boutique and Frankie’s on the Park who were to put together five “looks” with no piece of clothing costing more than $100 (except dresses, which counted for two items and had to cost no more than $200).  The guest judges were Ben Molin from Bravo reality show “Shear Genius”, Jes from VH1′s “Rock of Love” and Chicago Sun Times reporter Jessica Sedgwick.
My friend and I arrived somewhat late, but we were still able to catch the tail end of the show Le Dress was declared the winner, but each boutique had some strong looks. The beautiful Chaise Lounge in Chicago hosted the event, and it brought out some very fashionable people. Here are a few images from the runway:
Also, a couple more images that I took: the models in their runway outfits:
And one of a girl rocking a cute blazer/black skirt combo:
My Instagram
