I'm just dorthy following that yellow brick road

I just can’t stop gushing about this dress. It’s by far my most favorite article of clothing I think I have ever worn, and everyone at the Chicago Rita Hayworth Gala Alzheimers Research agreed with me. The compliments, like the booze, were free flowing last night and after a month of dressing like a slob in yoga pants, it felt good that people were finally staring and not looking me over like every other day of the week. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever stop feeling like I’m on the outside looking in during these things. I always kind of feel like someone’s out of town cousin trying to fit in, but in reality is failing miserably. Apparently that’s not the case, but home is just so NOT like this. 

I’m loving the fact that later this week I get to go home for Thanksgiving because even though I won’t admit it to anyone, I really have been getting homesick since John’s hockey season started. Christine is always working shifts at UCMC and obviously John’s wrapped up. I haven’t really had much of an opportunity to make friends here in the city yet, so the loneliness is probably the biggest contributing factor to missing home so much. I’m not gonna lie, I was crying on Skype to my mom a few nights ago because I issued her so much. The nice thing is that it’s only an hour long flight and $100 ticket home. So on Thursday I’ll be eating away my loneliness with my mashed potatoes and pumpkin chiffon pie, followed by burning it off with black friday Christmas shopping at the Mall of America. I. Can’t. Wait. 

Above: The beautiful sparkly, bohemian, old hollywood Franco Kaufman dress I wore to the Chicago Rita Hayworth Gala for Alzheimers Research last night. The hair was long, curly and flowly.

Below: A few pictures from the gorgeous event.

this is so scarily accurate it's ridiculous...

I took this seemingly dumb personality test earlier tonight, but dear God, it's so incredibly accurate.

Introspective You like your own company; you’re a very interesting person. Tracking your own mental processes, knowing what you’re thinking and why you do what you do, is important to you. Often, what’s going on in your mind is more compelling than what’s going on outside. For the most part, those with a high score on the “introspective” trait enjoy reading, taking long walks, learning new things, and other solitary activities.

You are not someone who is constantly looking to be among a group of friends; you never feel bored when you are by yourself.

Aesthetic You appreciate art, beauty, and design; you know that they are not superficial but absolutely crucial to living the good life. You have good taste, and you’re proud of it. Those with a high score on the “aesthetic” trait are often employed in literary or artistic professions, enjoy domestic activities — doing things around the 

house — and are enthusiastic about the arts, reading, and travel.

You don’t think it’s pretentious to be moved by art and beauty. You’re not one of those who believe it doesn’t matter what something looks like as long as it does its job.

Competent You strive to master everything you undertake. You tend to learn quickly and do not shy away from challenges.

You are not a “que sera sera” type of person, nor do you go easy on yourself when attempting to master a new skill or get a job done.

Intellectual You are thoughtful, rational, and comfortable in the world of ideas. People find you interesting to talk to. You’re the living embodiment of the saying “You learn something new every day.” In general, those with a high score on the “intellectual” trait are employed in such fields as teaching and research, and are enthusiastic about reading, foreign films, and classical music.

You do not avoid abstract conversation, experimenting with new ideas, or studying new things. It bores you to stick to the straight and narrow of what you already know.

Original You are constantly coming up with new ideas. For you, the world as it exists is just a jumping-off place; what’s going on inside your mind is often more interesting than what’s going on outside.

You don’t feel that the road to success is to be a realist and stick to the program; you never stop yourself from coming up with new ideas or telling the world what you’re thinking about.

Assertive You behave in a confident and forceful manner, take charge of the situation, raise your hand in class, stand up for what you think is right, and lead others. Among those who have a high score on the “assertive” trait, many have jobs in which they are valued for their organizational skills as well as their talent for supervising others.

You are not interested in fading into the woodwork, leaving everything to fate, taking more time than necessary to accomplish a task, or avoiding confrontation.

Innovative You come up with a lot of ideas; if one doesn’t work out, there’s always another waiting in the wings. You often have interesting solutions to difficult problems. You’re practically a one-person brainstorming session.

You are less interested changing the world than in dealing with things as they are. Unlike those who spend all their time trying to solve problems, you prefer to zero in on things that work and stick with them.

Accessible You’re comfortable expressing yourself in words and actions, with no self-censorship. You believe that if someone doesn’t like what they see it’s not your problem, but theirs. A high score on the “accessible” trait suggests that you have a lot of friends, socialize often, and enjoy rap/hip-hop music.

You don’t see the need to keep your thoughts to yourself, or to have a zone of privacy that encompasses only yourself and a small circle of friends and relatives.

Scrupulous You are an honest, fair person. You don’t lie or cheat to get ahead. You treat others with respect and hope for the same in return.

You do not feel that you are above the rules that everyone else follows; you are definitely not willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead.

Organized You like to think a task through before you embark on it. If it’s the slightest bit complicated, you make a list (even if it’s only in your mind) and methodically work your way through it. When you have a goal in mind, you’re not satisfied until you reach it.

You are not one of those people who ignore the details, and you don’t understand how anyone can get anything accomplished without thoughtful planning ahead of 

time.

Get your psych evaluation at psychcentral.com!

breaking the mold: scrub status

Let me start by saying that I am so happy for once that I’m NOT at home in Minnesota. It’s snowing, sleeting, rainy and cold back home and it’s a lovely 50 degrees at 9PM in Chicago :) Unfortunately, lately I have been almost strictly wearing lululemon athletica yoga pants, Nike jackets, Uggs and oversized sweatshirts from my freshman year of college. That’s right ladies and gentlemen: I have officially reached scrub status. There’s just something about the fall to winter transition that just makes me want to wear sweats and stay in bed all the time (hence why I haven’t been posting outfits lately)!

Tomorrow I will be officially be breaking out of my rut, however. During the afternoon I will be attending the Chicago Blackhawks Fall Luncheon at Tru, a ridiculously luxurious restaurant in Streeterville (seriously, look at the menus). I’ve been addicted to greasy all-American food lately so fresh, quality french cuisine and Moet will be a great change! Later I’m invited to the Chicago Rita Hayworth Gala for Alzheimers Research. I found literally the most beautiful white, sparkly bohemian Kaufman Franco dress in the world. I can’t tell you how excited I am to wear it; i’ll definitely be posting about it on Sunday! 

Above: The gorgeous outfit I’m wearing to the Blackhawks luncheon tomorrow. I can’t stress enough how much I love the army green/python/gold combination together! And how gorgeous is this Gucci dress? :)

the essentials every woman must own: nude pumps

Since I’ve started making them, I’ve been getting lots of positive feedback on my outfit posts! (Thanks you guys!) I’m so happy you like what I put together and I’ll forever continue to make posts on it! A few girls have been asking me to do a series of posts on the essentials I believe every woman should own, and here it is! I have about 10 posts lined up right now and if you have any suggestions of what I should add to the list, message me with them! 

ESSENTIALS EVERY WOMAN SHOULD OWN: Nude Pumps

Nude pumps (of each and every variety) are an absolute must-have in any woman’s closet. The nude pump is a trend that was brought back last spring/summer after almost a decade. Now it’s going stronger than ever. But the nude pump is here to stay, even if not on the runways, because it is such a versatile and slimming shoe. There’s something so sexy about a woman in nude pumps. The nude pump is a great investment for any fashion-conscious woman.

The number one reason you should want a pair (or two) of nude pumps is that they make your legs look like they go on for miles. They are a favorite among petite girls for this reason! However, there are many other benefits to be reaped from nude pumps. They are suitable for many outfits, whether you’re dressing up or down. They transition well from winter to spring because they don’t call for hot or cold weather in particular. Finally, they provide a fresh counterpoint to bold patterns and colors that are popular in the spring and summer.

You’ll want to pair your nude pumps with:

Floral/patterned dresses; jeans, a t-shirt and bright colored dress jacket; dress shorts/pencil skirt and a pleated top; if they’re peep-toed, a little black dress and bright-colored clutch.

all things fall

If you haven't figured it out yet, autumn is my favorite season. The air is the perfect temperature, (I could permanently live 45-60 degree weather) college football and hockey are back, you get to roast pumpkin seeds and carve jack-o-lanterns and the leaves are so beautiful that I believe they even rival those of the north east. On this Halloween, Christine and I are sitting at the apartment passing out candy to little kids from the neighborhood, watching scary movies and eating the "good Halloween candy"out of the bowl of candy (i.e. Reese's, Milky Ways, Dots and Salted Nut Rolls). Unfortunately, because tomorrow's a Tuesday, going out to parties isn't really on the agenda. This past weekend I did hit up a few parties with a few friends as the "rock" from rock, paper, scissors, which was a blast! 

I haven't been too keen on using my camera lately. It's been basically sitting on my counter collecting dust for a month, as well as a few pictures here and there. Now, I'm happy to say I'm back into documenting life with photos! Expect more in the future! I hope you like these fall shots!

Happy Halloween!

My beautiful pumpkin chiffon pie before it chilled in the fridge for a few hours!

Colorful leaves in north Chicago.

Egg's benedict at The Onion Cafe in Hastings, Minnesota a couple weeks back.

Downtown riverfront in Hastings, Minnesota.

Pumpkins and apples from Johnson's Organic Apple Orchard in Hastings.

The Hastings Road Bridge over the Mississippi.

Apple tasting at Saint Croix Vineyard/Apple Orchard in Stillwater, Minnesota.

Wine tasting at Saint Croix Vineyard.

Caramel corn and caramel apples infiltrating all the grocery stores in Chicago.

buh bye indian summer!

The REAL autumn is finally in the air in Chicago. The “80 degree Indian Summer” is out the window for good now and every day from now on ranges from 40-60 degrees. I felt incredibly lazy because of the dramatic temperature change this week and I would have happily stayed home under a few cozy blankets with some popcorn and the Blackhawks on my television screen had I not had some previous plans. October is breast cancer awareness month as most you of know, and tonight was one of the quarterly galas thrown by the American Cancer Society of Chicago to benefit breast cancer research. The cool fall air wasn’t enough to keep me from enjoying a girls night with my +1 and roomie, Christine! John had a game tonight so we decided to get all dolled up for a little quality time since she finally had a night off from working shifts at UCMC. 3 glasses of champagne and a bit of conversation later, we came home early to just chill out, relax and—yikes!—fill out some applications to transfer schools! Okay, I’ll admit it… I’m not thrilled with Loyola. It’s not what I expected for a variety of reasons, and I’m giving in already. I’m transferring to The University of Chicago Law School starting next semester! Overall, it was such a great night! Christine grew up around high society stuff in Connecticut, but she mercilessly mocks it, making it one hilarious event! She has the absolute best one liners!

It’s interesting how Chicago Society works. Go to one A-list gala and you’re suddenly invited to them all. The invitations don’t just come to John’s apartment anymore, they come to mine. All of a sudden people are coming up to me, calling me by name and talking like they’re known me for 10 years when I have no idea who they are. I’ve even gotten into the Sun Times society pages a few times. Toto, we’re not in Minnesota anymore.

Above: Embracing Wiz Khalifa’s Black and Yellow, I wore this beautiful Ralph Lauren one shoulder gown with a low side-bun and all gold jewelry and accessories. While chilly, I was complemented many times on this gorgeous black dress that fit me like a glove—I even heard two women talking about it in the bathroom!

seeing the light

Just when I think I’m not going to have an autumn cold…. Ugh. I hate colds more than anything, and I mean anything. I would personally rather be throwing up as opposed to having a stuffy nose for two weeks. I woke up yesterday with my head feeling like it weighed 100 pounds, my hearing depleted and my nose 100 percent clogged. When I get a cold, it’s a super cold. I’m talking every symptom you could possibly catch + a fever for two weeks. My day consisted of lots of dayquil and kleenex, mixed in with a few classes and thankfully, a massage. So this weekend (no class tomorrow!) consists of spending exuberant amounts of time at the United Center—HOCKEY’S BACK!—and sleeping every chance I get. I’ve also been going through water bottles like no one’s business. Since 10 this morning I’ve had about 13, trying to wash out the crap in my system. 

When you don’t feel great, you obviously don’t feel like dressing up much. Unfortunately, I feel like I constantly have to be on my toes and dressed well for class. I chose this loose fitting, softer ensemble today. The heels were a bad idea with my body swollen from my cold, so unfortunately, I had to switch at lunch to Marc Jacobs mouse flats. The Chloe bag is possibly one of my favorite things in my closet. I got it for my birthday, but haven’t gotten much use out of it since of its coloring and propensity to not go with the rest of my closet. I was pretty happy when I was actually able to pull it out today!

I’m heading to bed soon with nyquil, kleenex, a teddy bear and MY teddy bear ;) Here’s to hopefully feeling better in the morning

excuse you, m'am.

Can I just say how fun Chicago is? Don’t get me wrong, I love MSP, but there’s so much to do in Chicago! So many things to see, places to eat and parties to attend! Last night I partied it up at the Loyola Law Fundraiser/Benefit for Windy City Habitat for Humanity at the Elysian Chicago. Not only was it for a good cause, but I got to network like crazy with professors, PhD students and potential future employers! It’s crazy how competitive law is in this city, I actually got shoved out of the way by another student while talking to one of my profs because she wanted his attention. Can you believe that? Anyway, other than that unfortunate incident, the night went so well! I certainly hope my networking and studies will pay off! 


Above: The outfit I wore to the fundraiser! It’s not a gala, so a floor length dress isn’t really appropriate, but it was black tie, so I decided on this beautiful black and gold dress from Miu Miu and volumized straight hair, and everything else fell into place!

oh, autumn, how i love you!

Today I decided to turn all my stress and my Gopher’s embarassingly terrible loss into a creative outlet. I’ve been dying to start decorating for fall, and I finally had the chance to get crafty! I accomplished quite a bit, from baking a pumpkin chiffon pie and roasting the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkins Christine and I bought yesterday, to making a wreath from leaves and painting pumpkins with glitter. Autumn is my favorite season of the year for a variety of reasons, but the seasonal decorations are for sure the best! I’m on the lookout for more Halloween knick-knacks, (tasteful, of course) so if anyone knows of any cute stores in Chicago that might sell them, or any websites online, message me! Above are all the projects I worked on today: fall flowers in mason jars with ribbon tied around the them, caramel apples in a variety of flavors, pretty leaves tied around small candles, fall potpourri, a colorful fall wreath, pumpkin candle holders and glitter painted pumpkins!

missing this the most.

Since I cut my foot open, my mobility has been a bit limited. It’s almost back to normal now, but some of my nerves got messed up when it was cut, so I have limited feeling in it and total feeling may never come back. I’ve missed dancing the absolute most during the past month. I planned on checking out some companies to dance for in Chicago, but those plans pretty much got shattered. I’ve been going through PT for the past week. It hurts, but it’s getting better. I can’t wait to start 

dancing again. Hoping for quick recovery!

falling into autumn

Life is so busy right now! My routine keeps getting more and more routine, but there’s so many things in it, it’s hard to keep it straight. I’m honestly considering dropping my job at Anthro even though I love it. I just don’t have enough time to do it anymore. I feel like I’m constantly on the move and when I finally get to settle down, I have to get right back up and go again. I hate not finishing what I start however, and my conscience might get the best of me.

The positives of this time of year? Adorable dressing and cold nights ;) I love utilizing my collection of blazers and tights, and this time of year is perfect to do so! (see above) Chicago is much more fashionable than Minneapolis and it’s fun to see what others are wearing and how they’re styling it!

I haven’t slept in my bed at all this week—it’s been too cold to sleep alone, so I’ve set up camp (and a drawer) at John’s apartment. Things have been a little on edge lately, but they’re starting to get better. We’re starting to learn what each other are like when we’re not trying, and it’s been an interesting ride, but a good one!

Above: What I wore yesterday to class and a meeting with a professor about future career opportunities!

september birchbox

Today I got my September Birchbox! (on time this time) This month is supposed to be special because they are celebrating their one year birthday! I didn't cheat and look online this time, so it was extra fun opening it! This month's box was fine, not wonderful, but good. I was expecting more samples because this month was supposed to be special, but what was in it was pretty good.

• Incoco Nail Polish Applique: "We all have a wild side. Eye-catching nail strips are the latest trend--try them on your fingers or toes." I'd never tried nail strips before, but I just put them on, and they're kind of cute. They were pretty easy to put on, but I'm kind worried about them coming off in the shower.
• Jouer Lip Enhancer: "Why settle for plain old lip balm when you can hydrate, plump and condition all in one go? Right, we thought so." I'm not a fan of any cinnamon candy or beauty products, but I might just have to live with this one because my lips feel amazing! Chicago air is super dry during winter and your lips definitely pay the price. I may consider getting a bigger version of this stuff... the sample I got is so small!
• Jurlique Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer: "A must for any urban adventure, Jurlique's sanitizer neutralizes bacteria with Australian mint and hydrates with safflower oil." I'm not big on hand sanitizers. This one smells good, and I'll keep it in my purse, but I'd rather have something else.
• LIV GRN Nautural Eau de Parfum: "Made from sustainable ingredients, this bright scent is laced with orange and neroli. Plus, ten percent of sales go directly to Global Green, an environmental non-profit." I like this! Not just the principals and the sustainable ingredients, it just smells genuinely good! The name definitely fits the smell! 
• Birchbox Friendship Bracelet: It's cute! I know some people don't like it, but I'm definitely going to wear it!

en route to vienna and mauthausen

Prague was beautiful as always, but it was time to move on... to Austria! We took a double-decker bus the 6 hours between Prague and Vienna (with a stop at Mauthausen Labor Camp) and.... well, it was less than comfortable. First of all, since the time I was about 14, I have been experiencing my genetic predisposition to motion sickness from my mother. The bus was constantly moving back and forth and very noticeably doing so. Second, we were a few hours late leaving from Prague so apparently all bathroom and/or food stops were eliminated. I had never had to go to the bathroom so bad in my life. I just wanted to lay on the floor and cry, fitting since we were traveling very near Adolf Hitler's hometown. You could argue that the Austrian public suffered more than the Germans during WWII. Our guide at Mauthausen Labor Camp (one of the most insightful people I have ever met) focused most of our tour on normality and what we consider to be normal. For the Austrian public, Hitler was a national hero with lots of great ideas. Today, we recognize Adolf's ideals with hatred and animosity, but back then, in that time and place, they were normal and heroic. It's not because these people were trying to be bad human beings (quite the opposite in their opinion) it was just normal to them. It poses an interesting discussion, don't you think? Mauthausen is in no way on the scale of other camps I had been to (Auschwitz-Birkenau, Bergen-Belsen, Dauchau, Treblinka) because of the fact that the only purpose was not extermination, but there's no comparison when it comes to the way a place like that makes you feel. I encourage everyone to visit either a Nazi or Communist camp (or both!) in their lifetime if you get the chance. In this day and age we need to be reminded of what is truly important... people. Friends, family, neighbors, a random person on the street. When we start a war or feud, it's only because we don't give mutual respect and try to understand each other. Viewing places like Mauthausen remind us of the potential evils of humanity and gives us a sobering reason to prevent horrible injustice in the future.

Outside walls of Mauthausen. In front on the bottom, the swimming pool the SS Guards built for themselves.

On the raised part of ground on the left side of the picture, formerly sat a soccer arena for SS Guards who played soccer against traveling teams. It was a local event where people from the town in the valley below would come and watch. The lower part of ground covering the rest of the picture is where a sick camp housing as many as 5,000 prisoners at one time were put to die. It's no bigger than what you see in the picture, a hill begins right off the side of the image. They crammed 5,000 people in that tiny space, and held community soccer games 10 feet away.

The labor done at Mauthausen was primarily mining limestone and iron ore. Although taken back by the earth now, this hill was once dug out for a full mining operation. The stairs winding down the hill in the center of the image were the prisoners means of getting down to the mines. They were often referred to as "the stairs of death" by prisoners because of all of the men who were either trampled or crushed by the stones they were carrying up or down them. Work happened from 5:30AM to 10:00PM. If prisoners weren't crushed or trampled, they often died of exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration or lack of food. No bathroom breaks were allowed.

On the right, the SS headquarters for Mauthausen. The entire complex was built with stones from the mine. The pulpit on the right was the Mauthausen Nazi Commander's post to give speeches to SS officers below.

Gas chamber at Mauthausen.

Crematorium oven and mementos from visitors all over the world.

A memorial to the Jews killed at Mauthausen. Stones are significant in Jewish culture as a sign of respect and remembrance. The words on both sides translate to something like "The living shall learn from the dead's fate."

"Good is stronger than evil; love is stronger than hate; light is stronger than darkness; life is stronger than death. Victory is ours, victory is ours, through Him who loves us." -Bishop Desmond Tutu