do i dare disturb the universe?

Is it just me, or is it just a tad a lot ridiculous that J. Crew...

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:15:11 -0500

Is it just me, or is it just a ~~tad~~ a lot ridiculous that J. Crew charges $16.50 for a pair of flip flops that is essentially equal in looks and quality to that of Old Navy, which charges only $2.50 for the same item?

I know, I know, many of you are major J. Crew aficionados. I understand, sorta. They have cute clothes. I’ve heard that they make the best suits around… and I may even purchase one myself, when they’re on sale and when my conscience lets me guilt-free, which is probably never…. But, really, overall, I just can’t get into the brand.

To me, J. Crew is a glorified Old Navy or American Eagle, selling cute preppy clothing for a lot of money. But the truth is, I can purchase similar styles to what they sell at many other retailers for a lot less. Those cute patent leather sandals on clearance for $70? Yesterday, I bought a pair equally as cute in store at Target for $5. Heck, I can even purchase a Cashmere sweater for under $100 elsewhere, while they sell it upwards of $200+.

“Quality over quantity” is a common mantra I began to subscribe to recently. And under that thinking, J. Crew could be worth it. But, through my own trial and error, I’m quickly discovering that just because something costs more, does not mean that it’s a better quality or fit. And, vice versa —an expensive item certainly does not signal poor quality and construction.

But when it comes to flip flops, I will not (spare the pun) be ~~flip flopped~~ swayed. A plain pair of regular flip flops should never cost more than $6.

On that note, for fun I visited Bergdorf Goodman’s site, and naturally, they have J. Crew beat. Anyone want a $50+ pair of plain flip flops??? Eye roll.

This would have been such a FANTASTIC show to attend tonight....

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:02:44 -0500

This would have been such a FANTASTIC show to attend tonight. But, time, money and the weather were not on my side. Same with the Crosby, Stills and Nash show tomorrow night in KC.

On the plus side:

— Regina Spektor is coming to KC in November, and I am already excited.

— The thunderstorm passing through tonight is MUCH welcomed in this drought. It’s expected to bring an end to the triple digits that have ravaged KC daily since June. The high tomorrow is only in the mid-90s (only in the mid-90s?! Yes, I said it), and the highs for this weekend are in the 80s. THE EIGHTIES! Life is good.

Google Fiber is coming to KC on July 26! Here’s a short,...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:42:52 -0500

Google Fiber is coming to KC on July 26!

Here’s a short, cute video from Google, thanking Kansas City for being the first city to get Google Fiber. Another reason #KC is great ;)

"On Kansas City, Mo.: “Walt Disney learned art here. Ernest Hemingway learned to write here...."

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 09:39:00 -0500

“On Kansas City, Mo.: “Walt Disney learned art here. Ernest Hemingway learned to write here. Charlie Parker learned the sax here. Kate Spade took to fashion here, Tom Watson took to golf, and Jackie Robinson took to baseball with the Kansas City Monarchs.””

- From: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/07/05/3692313/sam-mellinger-warm-regards-from.html#storylink=cpy

Read this article.

Kansas City, Mo., is really a unique, charming city of its own. And I love having a job that lets me brag about all of the cool things that KC calls home. :)

(And yes, Kate Spade is a Kansas City girl, born and raised)

I almost choked on my liquid-sugar-free coffee when I read this...

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:38:11 -0500

I almost choked on my liquid-sugar-free coffee when I read this label. How is it that our society now considers coffee loaded with tons of creamer and “liquid sugar” the norm?

Case in point: I ordered an iced coffee from Wendy’s last month. The options were vanilla, mocha and caramel flavors (I think). I asked if I could order a plain, black iced coffee. Affirmative. But when I pulled up to the window, I was handed a coffee doused in creamer.

“I’m sorry, but I asked for black iced coffee. Do you offer that option?”

“Oh, yes, ma’am. Wow, it’s just that no one really orders iced coffee black.”

What? Really?

And then, when I ordered this iced coffee at McDonalds, the menu listed iced coffee with cream. That’s the standard. I very carefully explained my order, and hence the label.

Maybe I’m over-reacting. It’s just that I feel like the norm is for the waiter to ask if you’d cream and (liquid) sugar, and not just assume that you do. Maybe it’s the popularity of sugary drinks at Starbucks — Frapps and flavored lattes, etc. But, at least when you order an iced coffee at Starbucks (or another non-fast food establishment selling coffee), they don’t immediately assume cream and sugar as the norm!

The Mix: The Songs Of The Summer, 1962-2012

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:23:58 -0500

The Mix: The Songs Of The Summer, 1962-2012:

Love love love this list. Summer tunes are always the ones that bring back crystal clear summer memories years later. Even the old songs, popular long before I was even alive manage to bring out memories… and smiles. Eye of the Tiger reminds me of the many times my dad and I saw Jim Peterik perform in those free outdoor Chicago concerts. Summer in the City always brings back this memory from the first day of summer in elementary school. I slept in and then turned on some morning talk show: The Today Show or Good Morning America, I forget, but the Lovin’ Spoonful was the guest and they performed their signature summer hit outdoors. I rocked out in my family’s living room, still excited that summer had finally arrived. And those are just two examples.

I have a feeling I’ll be listening to this playlist quite a bit this summer :)

Remember Perks of Being a Wallflower? It’s coming to...

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 21:31:00 -0500

Remember Perks of Being a Wallflower? It’s coming to theaters this fall!

I remember reading that book as a 15 year old. I actually bought it from Barnes and Noble, opposed to taking it out from the library. My friends and I all highlighted the lines that spoke to us… the lines that were so brazenly, refreshingly honest; the lines that reminded us of ourselves. I even got asked to Prom with this book.

I’m so excited to see it in the movies! I hope they do it justice.

Kate Spade’s not quite in my budget right now, but if it...

Thu, 17 May 2012 07:40:07 -0500

Kate Spade’s not quite in my budget right now, but if it were, here’s my top picks from today’s Surprise Sale.

1. Streets of NY Large Flat Pouch, $35

2. Make Waves Bangle, $29

3. Baublebox Bib Necklace, $99

4. Farrel Wedges, $125

5. Cobble Hill Penny, $159

6. Wellesley Quinn, $169

7. Gold Coast Shimmer Medium Serena, $169

8. Montrose Elena, $179

Only $25 today, thanks to the Kate Spade Surprise Sale.

Thu, 17 May 2012 07:26:41 -0500

Only $25 today, thanks to the Kate Spade Surprise Sale.

katespadeny: we’ve extended our surprise sale for one extra day...

Thu, 17 May 2012 07:25:02 -0500

katespadeny:

we’ve extended our surprise sale for one extra day exclusively for friends in our online social circle: http://bit.ly/KQxp8F

tallgirltales: A long/lightweight cardigan is the perfect...

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:11:08 -0500

tallgirltales:

A long/lightweight cardigan is the perfect layering piece as we transition from spring to summer. This Gap cardigan comes in so many colors that I may have to pick up more than one!

Perfect office sweater. Once these go on sale, I’m buying one! :)

tballardbrown: Cute overload on a Monday. 20 Best Friends Who...

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:04:38 -0500

tballardbrown:

Cute overload on a Monday.

20 Best Friends Who Are Planning Their Lives Together

Sooooo cute!

summertime

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:00:13 -0500

There’s something going on nearly every week this summer! It’s gonna be great :)

L’s birthday party
Family visit to KC for Memorial Day festivities
K’s visit to KC
Nelson-Atkins Museum for “Inventing the Modern World” exhibit
Chicago visit to see family, friends and White City exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry
Matt’s move to his gorgeous new apartment
REO Speedwagon/STYX concert (maybe)
Independence Day extravaganza festivities
Working for the All-Star Game
Chicago/Doobies concert (maybe)
Summer Homecoming
Crosby, Stills and Nash concert
P and J’s wedding
Boston concert
A second trip to Chicago??

oh, what a night! (december 1963)

Mon, 14 May 2012 22:27:49 -0500

My earliest memory of music must have taken place when I was 2 or 3, because my family was still living in Glen Ellyn.

I remember sitting in the living room, upset about something silly, most likely throwing a toddler tantrum. My parents were trying to get me to calm down. Finally, one said, “Big Girls Don’t Cry.”

Moments later, they began spinning a record on their record machine. The music that played forever stayed with me. The voice behind the song was something so unique, so unlike anything I had ever heard. It was The Four Seasons’ Frankie Valli singing “Big Girls Don’t Cry.”

That’s all of the memory I have; who knows if the song got me to stop crying. But Valli’s unique voice certainly caught my ear, and The Four Seasons were among my favorite bands growing up.

So I was beyond excited to go to “Jersey Boys” yesterday. In short, it was fantastic. The actors portraying the famous quartet were dead ringers for the originals, as were their voices. The story was very unique. Unlike “Mamma Mia,” which likewise wove the music of a famous band, ABBA, into a musical, the music of The Four Seasons was part of the musical. The musical told the story of the Four Seasons. The music was a part of the history.

A few scenes recalled The Four Seasons’ experiences on live TV, such as American Bandstand. They were performing their songs in front of the American Bandstand video camera on the stage. For an added touch – in the background – actual footage from the 1960s of the real Four Seasons played…. The video footage and the actors on the stage were completely in sync! Even the camera angle was right. Awesome.

One other cool facet of the musical – there were only three female actors in the musical. Yet, there were probably 15 or so female parts, several of which were speaking roles. I was amazed by how these three women were able to transform their appearances so dramatically. I had no idea that three ladies played all the female roles until the grand finale! Amazing.

The only negatives: the female singers’ voices weren’t fantastic, but they didn’t sing much. The story wasn’t very accurate, but I guess they did what they had to do to make the story more interesting. It was approved by the real-life Four Seasons. I wish there had been more dynamic dancing, but this musical didn’t really lend itself to lots of dance. Finally, there was quite a bit of profane language in the musical, but the program – and advertisements – labeled it as “Please note, there will be authentic Jersey language in this show.” What??! If I were from Jersey, I would be offended … so now “Jersey language” is synonymous with “profane language”???

But, overall, Matt and I had an amazing afternoon at the show, and I’ve had those tunes stuck in my head ever since!

Matt and I saw Jersey Boys at KC’s Music Hall yesterday...

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:35:10 -0500

Matt and I saw Jersey Boys at KC’s Music Hall yesterday afternoon. It was fantastic. I’ll try to post more about it later, but per usual, I’m running late for work….. Happy Monday!!!

Wearing a pink checkered Façonnable blouse and Kate Spade pearl...

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:43:00 -0500

Wearing a pink checkered Façonnable blouse and Kate Spade pearl earrings with gold bows today. Who am I??

Disclaimer: All Façonnable and Kate Spade items I own are hand-me-downs from my very generous aunt. I’ve had this pink blouse for about 10 years - really - but I don’t often wear it. Today just seemed like a fun day for pink and pearls :)

Love this chart! I only wish they included the ones I typically...

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:38:58 -0500

Love this chart! I only wish they included the ones I typically see in the grocery store, such as gala, honeycrisp and pink lady.

But then I found this site, which does quite the remarkable job describing how to best use a wider variety of apples.

superseventies: Riviera sunglasses advertisement, March...

Mon, 07 May 2012 11:04:51 -0500

superseventies:

Riviera sunglasses advertisement, March 1973.

These sunglasses are fantastic.

Dining room decorating inspiration… I love this look.

Fri, 04 May 2012 18:15:58 -0500

Dining room decorating inspiration… I love this look.

I live in Kansas City, home of the KC Royals baseball team. So...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:46:00 -0500

I live in Kansas City, home of the KC Royals baseball team.

So why the heck does the grocery store only sell Cubs and Cardinals koozies???

(Not that I mind — I bought the Cubs one, and Matt bought the Cards one.)