Weekend in the Chizzle

You know you've chosen the right friends when though you haven't seen them for a year, it you feels like you grabbed coffee just yesterday.  I hit up Chicago two weekends ago to begin a week-long work trip with a few days hanging with my college bestie and Austin soul sister, Shani Silver.  She also happens to be the Chicago editor of Refinery 29, so that means she not only knows the best things to do, but I also get to relieve her of a cornucopia of beauty products, clothing, and footwear---thank you for the boots, they saved my life when it started snowing on Thursday and the oxfords didn't cut it.  Here are the highlights of my little adventure.

Hooray!  It's the weekend!  Shani's lovely Wicker Park apartment complete with well-stocked bar.  Shani made an amazing dinner of goat cheese mushroom crostini, spinach parmesean pasta, and bespoke cocktails.  People cook in Chicago!

On Saturday morning I took the bus downtown where I stopped in at Nordstrom Rack to stock up on fun argyle and striped socks (been on my to-do list forever).  Then I walked along Michigan Ave. to Millennium Park and the new contemporary wing of the Art Institute of Chicago.  Here are a few of my favorite works.

 

My favorite color: Yves Klein Blue

I'm usually not into German art, but this Max Beckman self portrait was very striking.

Love Alex Katz.

Are we in Austin or Chicago?  Noshing guac, tacos, and margs at Big Star.  Of course, this was followed by a disco nap.

Check out the tiki mugs at Sable Kitchen + Bar.  You can't not laugh when drinking booze from a shrunken head.

Bacon jam.  Jesus.

Spend Sunday in the burbs doing some outlet shopping.  I have to take advantage of a person with a car.

How kind of them to name their line of wine glasses after me!  I never met a grape I didn't like.

      

Left Coast

I fought it for 28 years.  I don't know why I had a chip on my shoulder towards Los Angeles, but I had absolutely no desire to travel there.  Maybe it was too much paparazzi poopoo on Perez Hilton, or one too many episodes of the original 'Housewives' or The Hills/Laguna Beach.  Whatever stereotypical Paris Hilton circa 2002 view I had of the place did nothing but annoy me.  Now I'm gonna eat my piece of humble pie.  I've been in Southern California twice for work this summer, and I'd lie if I didn't admit to taking quite a liking to it.  Weather = amazing.  Food = how I wish I could eat in NYC all the time.  Architecture & interiors = a breath of fresh air coming from stuffy, over accessorized, Elle Decor obsessed NYC.  Not to say I'll be packing up the tenement and going back to Cali, but it's always nice to have a few little slices of heaven to slip away to every now and then.    

Venice Beach

California Republic

MOCA Downtown

Segment

Close-up.  Poor Britney.

The Golden Gopher - Downtown LA

Figeroa Hotel Lobby

Figeroa Pool-side

Embassy Hotel Apartments - Santa Monica

India Revisited

Sometimes you just need a hiatus.  Well, I'm back, dear readers, with what I imagine will be a more streamlined S*C experience.  To start, us on phase II of our journey, here are some of my favorite pictures from my trip to India and Nepal.  Enjoy!

Bon Voyage!

Off to India and Nepal for the next two weeks.  Wish me safe travels, as little #3 as humanly possible, and an adventure of a lifetime!

xo-

Babs

Free and Discounted Museum Days in New York City

Want to become the most cultured New Yorker ever?  Unemployed and looking for ways to spend these cold February days while your friends are at work?  Think it is highway robbery that museums have admission prices of $20?  Oh wait, this is ME!!!  Here is a shameless pick-up straight from about.com on everyday deals, free days, and discounted rates to the city's top museums.  I guess you now have your Friday night planned out 'till after the thaw.

Enjoy, and huge thanks to Heather's NYC Travel Blog!

Everyday Deals

• Forbes Magazine Galleries
  Admission is always free to this interesting museum featuring collectibles such as toy soldiers, Monopoly games and more.
  62 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street)
  212-206-5548
• Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology
  Admission to the museum displaying articles from the permanent collection, as well as changing exhibits on fashion, is always free.
  Seventh Avenue at 27 Street
  Phone: 212-217-5970
• National Museum of the American Indian
  Admission to the the sixteenth museum in the Smithsonian Institution is always free.
  1 Bowling Green, George Gustave Heye Center
  Phone: 212-668-6624
• Goethe Institut
  Weekdays you can experience German language and culture exhibits for free at the Goethe Institut, which is conveniently located across from the Met.
  1014 Fifth Ave
  Phone: 212-439-8700
• Sony Wonder Technology Lab
  Admission is always free to this entertainment and technology museum located in Midtown.
  Sony Plaza Public Arcade at 56th Street and Madison Avenue
  Phone:212-833-5414

Museums With Suggested Admission
In order to make museums affordable for all, these museums have "suggested" admissions. That means you can pay the amount of admission that you can afford and still enjoy access to the museum.

• Metropolitan Museum of Art Although they raised the "suggested" admission to $20, you can pay what you can afford to see one of the greatest art museums in New York City.
  Address: 1000 Fifth Avenue
  Phone: 212-535-7710
• American Museum of Natural History
  The "suggested" admission at the American Museum of Natural History is $15, you can make whatever contribution you see as appropriate to enter the museum (though you'll have to pay full price for planetarium shows, etc.).
  Address: Central Park West at West 79th Street
  Phone: 212-769-5000

Never Fly Coach Again

What I looked like during a layover in Vancouver from Hong Kong to NYC (Economy class)

I'm heading south of the border for a long weekend, so I thought these tips on how to never fly coach again from Entrepreneur magazine were quite fitting.  I am normally a pretty good sport when it comes to flying coach---oh I'm sorry, economy---but, I had a nightmare experience on American Airlines involving a red-eye to London, 6 inches leg room, and what I thought was mild deep vein thrombosis.  It was the one time since being 13 and at my 8th grade dance that I have hated being tall.  Have any tips of your own or economy class horror stories?  Please share in the comments section.  Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

Here are the tricks :
1- "Get elite status on one of the three global airline alliances by qualifying with the carrier that has the lowest requirement.  Take United Airlines, part of the Star Alliance:  You need 25,000 miles a year to become elite on United, but only 4,000 on its partner Aegean Air."  Looks like it's time for a trip to Greece!  Your newly elite status transfers so you can nab all the perks like upgrades (huge if you have extra long legs or love an in-flight glass of bubbly), no luggage fees, and the crème de la crème: access to the business lounge on any airline in your alliance.

2- Book flights when airlines post their lowest fares -- between Tuesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon.  My, isn't Wednesday a fantastic day to book a flight to a far-off place?

3- Forget Travelocity or or Expedia.  Use websites like ExpertFlyer.com, KvsTool.com, or my favorite, ITASoftware.com.  I also love Bing travel which predicts whether you should buy now, wait to purchase, or if prices are holding steady for specific travel dates.

¡Buen viaje!

Excerpts courtesy of Entrepreneur magazine, November 2010

Palin-Snooki 2012 and Other Highlights from the Rally to Restore Sanity

In honor of this mid-term election, I thought I'd post my pictures from the Rally to Restore Sanity this past weekend.  Remember: The polls are still open and VOTING IS SEXY!

250,000 people looks like this

Favorite sign behind Palin-Snooki 2012

Meep Meep!

Check out this fellow on the traffic signal.

McRib is back!

Perhaps we could discuss this more over sandwiches...

Braaaaaainz!

Check out the low-flying plane at the bottom left.  Not reasonable.

Army parachute man!

Hunter S. Thompson-ish

 Images by Barbara K.