Chicago after 1 Month

It snows a lot. Almost as if the snow was waiting for me to move here. I can say with 100% confidence that I am ready for spring. Ready to see this "oh just wait for it to get warm" Chicago. 

first random blizzard experience at Pops
go downstairs for the even better Watershed

another blizzard at the office with the wrong
shoes on.

But as I wait for that warmth I can say, I have enjoyed seeing people I haven't see in a long time and catching up. I completely get how easy it is to stay inside and drink red wine give temperatures with the label feels like -1. 

Still trying to figure out the best places to hang out. Great shops. Hidden bar gems. But for now I found a few places to work out which include a spin class (sadly not Soul Cycle  which I will go into another time) and a new addition of a barre class that leaves my poor, weak muscles in pain for at least 2 days after. 

any other good Chicago tips, send my way. also accepting any tips for making winter end.

me.

Decorating! My Closet.

it's one of my favorite things. not closets, exclusively. but interior design. i've always loved the challenge of the different spaces and places i've lived. i used to move around furniture in my room as a kid and attempt to decorate my furniture with my extravagant attempts to "collage" (used as loosely as possible).

On to my newest decorating venture my first apartment with my fiance. It has everything we wanted new appliances (yeah that's right a dishwasher and laundry NYC), hardwood floors, 2 bedrooms, and close to public transport. So from NYC where we both shared a SMALL one bedroom to this wonderful space where our (my) challenge is how to manage all this space.

yup. i said that.

First up is our separate closets. I chose to take an old dresser that I stole from my sister when I was 17 that has lasted FOREVER and put it in there and use it as the anchor to my decorating. I love the organized madness that it has with the jewelry and my vision boards (get to those ladies later). It's still a work in progress but for now I am proud. 

Dresser: Pier One from like 2001
Jewelry Box Pottery Barn

Necklaces on Key Holder from Target

Door Nobs Anthropologie

Me. 

Wedding Dress Shopping Part I

Yup. I'm nervous. But more from having my first time alone as a Chicagoan to find my way. This obviously meant I didn't eat lunch until 2 pm out of nervously trying to finding a spot. Which, of course, ended up being a wine bar.

I do think a main reason the wedding dress is such a big deal is because it has become the only time you EVER get to wear a gown. Prom doesn't count. It never counts. Because you aren't of a proper fashion mindset to get a gown that's truly worthwhile and from what i can see these days the ladies are just wearing club clothes. 

Back to the point, this kind of one time gown wearing pressure is insane. Mostly because I want more chances to wear gowns. And not just one offs to buy a gown because my friend decided to throw a gown only party (my friend in the scenario is me). But the kind of ability to wear gowns that I can have in my closet and go "Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me Sarah, I will wear THAT one."

I didn't want my dress to be a big deal, but here I am. In Chicago. At BHLDN, trying desperately not to hate how I look in a wedding dress. 

Ultimately I don't think I found my dress in shiny armor yet. Any shop suggestions?? Here are some of my loves from the internet, on the models. 

BHLDN

                   

            Etsy     

random from pintrest

 

Impacts of Jewelry

My ring is the most precious meaningful thing I've ever owned. I got the ring that more than represents my life and my future husband. It is designed by my fiancé. Made by his father. Other materials were collected by both my grandmother and his. I love it. Every time I look at it I am more blown away by the thought, history, and love that it contains. 

However, here's what I've noticed. My thighs didn't get any skinnier  I didn't automatically know how to do my hair. There weren't daily parades in my honor. But mostly, my demon dragons that I've left to resolved didn't get magically slain by the opening of a ring box (or in my case a notebook).  I was still me. Only with a ring.   

I've spent almost the past year being obsessed with Brene Brown's talks and books (and twitter. and website). Here's her TED talk (which if you have 30 mins you should watch both). I cannot agree more with her research on vulnerability, shame, and innovation. All of which I can say because of how hard it was for me to accept how susceptible I am to using and hiding myself behind shame. Including the very basic that I AM ENOUGH. 

It's hard. For me. That some ring didn't come and fix everything. I guess, because, with or without my beautiful ring (as shown below) I have to be enough. 

And, just like that

I got engaged. I spent the last 3 months traveling the nation. I moved from my dream, NYC to Chicago. 

What's great is that it never felt weird. No moment felt like I was forcing myself into one direction but just following what seemed to be the natural progression. 

So that's what this whole thing is about my natural progression. My personal absurd and creative way to lean into myself for who I really am and the things, people, other blogs, workouts, creative diversions, and anything that got me here to the person I am to become. 

so enjoy!