Polaroid Love :: Vol. 2

Time for another viewing at my attempts at taking Polaroids. Enjoy!

Stack of pictures

One got stuck in my journal. An attempted self portrait. 

Vietnam History paper writing. 

Cupcake wrapper and an empty espresso cup.

The main stairs at the Art Institute. 

Ft. Sumter. 

Record playing.

Mason jar drinking. 

My Polaroids have started collecting themselves here. Love it!

Surviving Finals With Obsessions.

Blah. Finals. Too many projects and not enough motivation to finish them. Really, all it is is two Power Points and 3 tests. But it's not as bad as it looks. Coffee helps. Riding my bike in 40 degrees helps. Sitting in a coffee shop kind of helps because I feel like I have to do work so no one sees that I'd really rather be on Pintrest.

So, I'm sorry for lack of posts. Exciting things will  be happening soon, but not soon enough. So, in order to tide you over, here are some things that are REALLY distracting me!

Getting REALLY into this show, like the dork I am. 

I want this...

Got these shoes on sale from Urban. Waiting for a nice day to do pictures in.

Urban Outfitters

Vanilla and Lace added new dresses to their collection! I think I need this one.

Vanilla and Lace

Facts.

What's distracting you????

How To Survive Finals

Finals are upon us. It's a dreaded time of stress and poor eating choices. Freaking out sucks. Being overwhelmed with a lot of projects is tough. Here are 6 helpful hints on how to be more relaxed during finals.

1. Be Organized.

My nifty little organizer has a calendar that I can just glance at and know what is due on a specific date. Color coordination helps, too. Lists in the back tell me what I need to do on that specific day. I love lists. No joke. Crossing stuff off of them is the best feeling ever.

2. Eat Well!
Eating chips and chocolate and french fries my be tempting this time of year, but then you feel all sluggish and unmotivated. Instead of reaching for that bag of Cheetos, eat some pineapple or grapes. The sweetness will  satisfy you and fill you up longer than the high processed food will.

3. Stock Up On Caffeine. 
Last year when I was working on a Russian history paper, the Starbucks Double Shots became my best friend. I was able to sit and focus and knock that paper out before 2 AM. It was awesome.

4. Sleep.
Yes, large intakes of caffeine and sleeping don't really mix. But sleep is very, very important. Give yourself a time limit, like going to bed by 1 AM. It helps break up your project or paper or study time so you're not super over whelmed and you get that much needed sleep.

5. Don't Do Too Much At One Time.
Trying to do too much at one time is never a good idea. You get over whelmed by all the things you're trying to do at once and you never get as much done as you would like. If you're gonna study that Bio test and try to write your history paper in the same night, it's probably not going to work out so well. If you want to do that, break it up into hour intervals or 90 minute intervals.

6. Make A Soundtrack To Study Time.
Or just use Pandora. The two that I listen to the most are "Pumped Up Kicks Radio" and "Somebody That I Used To Know Radio". Two different sounds to help break things up. Very wonderful. What do you like to listen to while you study??

Got any study tips? Leave a comment!

Around Town :: Delicious Cafe

I think it's a shame not many people who live in Chicago (or visit Chicago) go up to North Center. I guess because its off the Brown Line Irving Park stop and it may be out of the way for some people. It's super family friendly, though, with plenty of "young people" things to do. One part of North Center that I love is Delicious Cafe. If you walk by it, you already get a sense of how cute it is on the inside. Bright walls, mismatched chairs and vintage tables fill a decent sized cafe area. Local print work, which you can buy, is tastily put up on the walls. A large variety of drinks and a good selection of food (all vegan, by the way) makes it a nice place to stop in for a muffin, or hunker down while you're waiting for a play date to end.

This particular Friday morning is quiet, Bright Eyes plays softly in the background and several people are on their laptops. I settle down at a beautiful vintage table with coffee and a breakfast sandwich. The cheese is vegan yet somehow oh so creamy. The coffee is strong and bold and Counter Culture (a favorite of mine). It's a perfect addition to this already cute neighborhood.  I want to stay here for hours, sipping coffee and people watching from the window seat. The cupcakes from the pastry case look longingly at me and it's taking me everything to not go up and buy one, which I might just do anyways.

Delicious Cafe is located at 3827 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60613


Enjoy!! =]

Books to Read :: Barrel Fever

For anyone that has ever listened to This American Life, you know that David Sedaris is a great writer. He's witty and honest and very easy to relate to. Barrel Fever is a collection of short stories and essays by Sedaris, including his famous essay "The Santa Land Diaries". Reading this on the CTA might have been a bad idea, because I couldn't help but laughing out loud. Sometimes, you think "No, this didn't really happen to him. People aren't really like that." But yeah, people are really like that. People will say mean things to Santa Elves and have a stigma attached to smokers. It's a short read; maybe took me a week to read it. It's been out for a while, so your local book store will surely have it, or the library.

Anything by Sedaris is great though. His radio essays are to die for, as well. I'm reading Me Talk Pretty One Day as well and it's hard to find a good stopping point.

Good work, Mr. Sedaris. Can't wait to see what else you have in store for us!

Obsessed With...

Super into white watches now. I just think they're really great! Those are the only two I have right now, but you have to start somewhere, right?

Totally have jumped on The Hunger Games bandwagon. But how can you not when Josh Hutcherson is so cute?

My friend, Hattie, took this. She's kind of great with a camera.

Hattie's Blog 

It's so catchy!!

Boys wearing suits and riding bikes. What more could a girl want?

Nutella Waffle Sandwich Cookies. Can I have these everyday??

Just A Taste

That Awkward Moment When...

You forget to post pictures from your friends trip a few weeks ago. Sorry, Sean!! (P.S. If you have a friend in town, take them to fun places. The Art Institute, Second City, and Chicago Diner are all great places.)

I actually kind of really love this picture. 

Chicago on St. Patricks Day. It's kind of magical. Or really bizarre. 

He looks so thrilled.

I found this really funny and awkwardly creeped on him so I could get this picture. 

We like art. 

What a great weekend. =]

How To Get Around :: Charleston, SC

Walking
Walking around Charleston is probably the best way to get to know the city. It has this wonderful small town feel to it, despite being a largely populated city. Bring a good pair of walking shoes, because that's pretty much the only way I got around. I brought up in my previous posts about Charleston that most of the things I discovered (Monza, the French cafe, etc) were discovered just by walking around. Most of the locals walk, as well, so sometimes the streets can be a little crowded. They haven't redone them since the 17th century, but that's one of the quirky things about Charleston that you just kind of have to love. If you walk, you can go Geocaching, stop in little shops and take in the scenery, all without having to find a place to park. Most of my pictures that I took were from when I was just walking around, as well. It's great. Good exercise, too.

Pedi-Cabs

There are two major pedi-cab companies in Charleston, but both are all over the downtown area. These young men work day and night to lug people around. There are hardly any regular taxi's in Charleston; it's just so small that it's kind of hard to have so many. But pedi-cabs are great. The drivers are the ones who will charge you, so it just kind of depends on how much it is going to be. They're all really friendly, so don't be afraid to talk to them!

What To See :: Charleston, SC

Charleston is quite historic. Being a history nerd, I loved it. The city itself has a great preservation society, so they can't just tear down a building and put up a new one, they have to go though all these codes and everything in order to keep everything looking so historic. I kind of love that. Charleston has a very small town feel to it. Here are some places you can go,


Fort Sumter
The first shots of the Civil War took place here. It's built on a man made island, and it is a lot smaller than one might think. You're only allowed to spend an hour on the island, and you have to take a little ferry to get out there, but it's still nice. Try and get their earlier, the sun won't be as hot and the crowd is usually a little lighter. All around, it was a very nice visit.

The orange traffic cone makes it super authentic.

The fort from the ferry.

Remains of the powder magazine.

Where To Eat :: Charleston, SC

While visiting Charleston, there was really no wrong place to eat. Southern comfort food is fantastic. But it's also everywhere in the city. Yes, it's tasty and wonderful, but sometimes, shrimp and grits gets a bit boring the 3rd time you've had it during your visit. Mixing it up a bit can be fun and exciting! I mean, how often are you really going to be in Charleston? Might as well try all sorts of things while you're there. This is just a sample of the food that I had while traveling in the Low Country.

Monza
It's this little pizza place off of King. My mom and I stumbled upon it while walking around our first night there. Cute and charming with a beautiful outdoor patio. PLEASE try the Campari pizza. Goat cheese and red peppers with capers and eggplant. Eggplant on pizza? Crazy right? No. Wrong. It was fantastic. My mom got the asparagus salad, which she said was amazing. A group of girls sitting near us saw her get it and decided to get it for themselves. It's that good. Most of their food is local, which is very common in Charleston. Their specials are to die for as well. The pizza special of the day had corn on it! This place is not afraid to take risks. Take a risk and try it out.


Gaulart & Maliclet French Café Fast and French Inc.
My mom and I went here for dessert one afternoon. Very small and cramped, but so worth it. Their apple tart was perfect with ice cream. Especially on a hot day, like it was almost every day in Charleston, iced coffee is a must. They brew each cup in a French Press and the iced coffee is served with a little nutmeg. So perfect. While I didn't try any of the actual food there, it all looked very French and very good. The gentleman sitting next to me had a cheese and fruit plate that looked so good. There wasn't a time where the waiters and waitresses weren't running around, so snag a spot if you can. And be patient. It's worth it.

Slightly North of Broad (SNOB)
It's kind of fancy pants, but good. Very Low Country style cooking. Usually pretty crowded for dinner (you'll need to call ahead for a reservation if you want to eat before 9), but perfect for lunch. Asparagus is in season now, so if you're heading there anytime soon, get a cup of the asparagus soup. Creamy, but not too overpowering. One thing I've noticed while in Charleston is the lack of veggie options. But SNOB has a great veggie wrap. Lots of hummus and yellow squash. The atmosphere was really nice, despite the fact I felt super awkward in there wearing jeans. But, it was really tasty. Lots of seafood options because the harbor and the Atlantic is right there. Anywhere you go in Charleston there is an abundance of seafood. Get that. It'll be fresh and wonderful.


Kudu
One of the first things I asked when I got into the city was where I could get a good cup of coffee that wasn't Starbucks. This is where I was told to go. Nothing against Starbucks, I worked there for almost 2 years. But I've been spoiled rotten by my local coffee places in Chicago. I only stopped here for a moment; grabbed a cup of coffee and bought a pound of beans before taking a walk around the city. It was great, though. The staff was super nice and helpful. The outdoor patio was lit up with Christmas lights (always very charming). Their menu was full of local items: beer, coffee, tasty treats. I wish I had had more time to spend in it. Next time.