Dread those chores? Put some music on.

                                                               

Let's face it. We all hate chores(unless you are Danny Tanner from Full House,who loved cleaning every minute lol). But it must be done. Keeping order in the home is a must to lead a clutter-free, energized positive lifestyle. Knowing where everything is keeps your life organized.

Here is a great tip that I use to get me through those cleaning routines. I recently organized my closet. Now that fall is here and winter is fast approaching,I needed to make room for my sweaters and had to do so by pulling out my summer duds. Fortunately I was able to hold out until late October for this,since Indian Summer in Chicago managed to stick around close to about a month this time. Dreading the task,I put on my favorite podcast called the Deep House Cat Show and let it play away.

 You can choose any genre really that suits your taste. Itunes Podcast would be a great place to find something you like since it can give you hours of good music. Pandora is another great source for nonstop music to get you through those cleaning sessions-try it! Before you know it,you will finish that task without realizing how boring it was. Music makes the world go 'round they say! So true.

Fashion in the city:Chicago Fashion Focus-10/18-10/24

 

Starting this Monday,Chicago's very own fashion week  Chicago Fashion Focus will be highlighting some of the most talented designers ever known from the windy city. Most of the events will take place at Chicago's very own Millenum Park. Come check out what will be in store for the upcoming season.

Chicago may not be LA or NYC but it definitely has some talented designers here. Check out designers such as Kate Boggiano and Maria Pinto,Michelle Obama's go to for fashionable duds.

Events and times vary,as well as admission. For more information check out Chicago Fashion Resource, a site that displays all the latest events related to fashion throughout the city.

Happy Anniversary to us! How I survived the 1st year of marriage.

This coming Monday,October 4th will mark 1 year since I have been married. How time flies! As I gear up to have dinner on a cruise at Navy Pier, I think about how much I have grown and adapted to being a wife in this crazy modern world we live in.

It was difficult at first to adjust to the fact that I am no longer alone. I was so used to being by myself,making my own decisions,coming and going as I please,and so forth. When you fuse your life with someone else,it then becomes where there are two people that you have to consider when it comes to making decisions,anywhere ranging from where you are going to live,to how much money you will be spending,to who will be in and out of your life. We learned each other's quirks and habits which also takes place in the newlywed process.

Of course,one must not get lost in the marriage process. Too often do I see couples isolating themselves where they have no friends whatsoever and start to lose themselves as an individual. Sure you will be spending the most time with your lifetime partner and best friend,your husband/wife,but it definitely should not mean that you cannot have any other outside activities and other friends. Who says you have to give up yoga,hanging out with your girlfriends,or joining that charity just because you are married now?  Time apart will actually strengthen your bond with your other half believe it or not,and is healthy for your well being. We definitely do this and I am very fortunate to be married to someone that allows me to. I think that is a big bonus when seeking a mate because it is only healthy to have time apart.

With both genders in the workforce nowadays,we seek equality in our marriages as well. Yes,this means the husband should also pitch in with the housework duties such as laundry,dishwashing,etc. This is the 21st century after all. Especially with us living in a large city such as Chicago,the hustle and bustle of city life does require both parties to work together to move life right along,not only outside the home but inside the home as well.

Growth through Creativity-New Ways of Reaching Others

This morning,I headed over to Loyola's Watertower campus to partake in a continuing education workshop called Growth through Creativity-New Ways of Reaching others. As a licensed therapist,I am required to collect continuing education credits in order to maintain licensure. I received an invitation from Loyola's Alumni Association regarding this topic and it really intrigued me,and I am still short of credits,so I figured why not. I graduated in 2006 from The School of Social Work here and it really felt good to come back on campus,located in the heart of Michigan Ave. It was great reminiscing the days as I grabbed myself a cappuccino at Argo Tea next door(it started at 10am so I needed a little perk) as I headed upstairs to the 13th floor of the building.

The speakers that were there were excellent. One talked about providing therapy to her brain injury patients through "Dance" which was great. Another speaker uses Drama techniques to assist her Alzheimer's patients. Another used "Adventure Therapy" such as sea kayaking and rock climbing to work with at risk youth. The other one used Yoga to work with her clients that have Depression,Anxiety, Substance Abuse,etc. One clinician started a program devoted to at risk youth on the South Side talking to younger children about staying off the streets and prevent violence.

I had to applaud these clinicians as they chose to "think outside the box" as far as providing therapy. No longer are the days where the only therapy setting provided is the typical Sigmund Freud-laying on the couch- while the therapist speaks aside-from you.Conventional ways may not always work and are found to be very stigmatizing. Creativity and the Arts can provide a great tool to help those patients navigate their lives and improve their inner well-being.

If you or someone you love need a counselor and would rather partake in these such therapies as opposed to traditional therapy,email me and I can refer you to these therapists.

Fashion Night Out 09/10/10. Location:Everywhere.

As summertime in Chicago comes to an end,we are now into the crisp cool days of fall. With that comes along a whole new set of fall season threads waiting to be sported along the city's "public runway".

Another love that I have is my passion for fashion(that rhymes! lol). Tomorrow evening, beautiful people and clothes will be coming together all around the world to participate in the annual Fashion Night Out(FNO). Among the stores participating will range from stores in the Water Tower to Neiman Marcus,to Chanel. This is a one night event that is going to occur at the same time all over the world.

Participating stores will be offering fashion/trunk shows,dj music,cocktails, and much more. The event will go from 5-9,a perfect after hours activity to begin the weekend.

For more details and a list of stores participating,check out Chicago Fashion Resource a site that deals with Chicago's fashion scene. If you are from another city check out events near you.

See you in stilettos!

Dj Colette at Green Dolphin

Dj Colette not only spins but she also sings.

As you have read my previous posts, I love love love house music. Chicago is the House capital of the world no doubt. I have been real busy with the summer and all so this post is a little late.

I went to see one of my favorite dj's ever,Colette,at Chicago's Boom Boom Monday nights at Green Dolphin,a haven for house music and house music lovers alike. Dj Colette is a native Chicagoan who was on a tour called "Second City Sessions" and did her final round in Chicago on August 16th. I actually got to meet Dj Colette after my husband spotted her mingle amongst the locals and told her how much of a big fan I was of hers-imagine how surprised I was! She was sweet and down to earth,which cannot be much said about a lot of these djs these days.

I enjoyed listening to all her classic tracks including "What Would She Do for Love" and "Hypnotized" as well as many others. A little known fact:DJ Colette grow up singing in a choir and has a GREAT voice. She also sings with her tracks which makes her a truly special Dj. Also,she is one of very few women House Djs out there these days,so more power to her.

As I mentioned, Green Dolphin is the place to be on Monday nights. Monday nights is "Boom Boom Room" nights in Chicago that features great underground house music. There is no dress code here so everything goes,and it truly is a place for people to go to listen to great house music and dance the night away(in your Puma sneakers of course). I also love this place because it has such a different vibe to it then your typical club/lounge on Saturday nights. It's mainly local people that go and that's what makes it so great because they are not there to show off,or to act pretentious, but to really enjoy themselves to local music.

What I also love is the diversity of the place. You may be wondering what kind of people attracts to this place and the answer is: everyone! All walks of life come here making it a truly unique experience. I much rather go out here on a Monday nights then on a Saturday nights anyways. You know the saying goes:weekend are for amateurs!(hehe) People are amazed when I tell them that this place is opened until 4am! That's Chicago for you :-)

You must think it's crazy to go out on Monday nights, especially if you work a 9-5 job everyday. Just take a PTO on Tuesdays and check it out,you will not be disappointed-it's totally worth it.

Coming soon-Documentary series on Chicago's House Scene.

Check out this trailer from 5 Magazine,a local publication that focuses on house music. The series will present 40 interviews from Chicago's hottest house music djs. If you have read my previous posts,you know that I love house music,especially underground house from Chicago:

Chicago's House Music Scene