One Year

So I did it. One year since I started my blog.

It seemed like yesterday I was writing up about New Year happenings in Chicago. A lot has happened this year,I had my wedding finally in Macedonia,where my roots are from,and it was a great experience. I turned 30 this year,I huge milestone as I now step into a new decade with great new experiences and new challenges. I have to say,I had it pretty good during my 20s and am proud where I am today,but it doesn't stop here.

I have to definitely thank God for getting me through this year and that I still have my job and most importantly my health,that alone is wealth right there.

One of my New Year's resolution is to promote my blog more out there and take great care of my health,including going to the doctor's and exercising and eat healthy,I know so cliche but I really do mean it(I promise).

To everyone,have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!

My Birthday!

Yesterday,December 2nd,marked my 30th birthday. The big 3-0. Wow. I still can't believe it and it has not hit me yet. I feel that my 20 something years have just gotten lost in the blackhole,nowhere to be found again.

First off,I celebrated pre-birthday over the past weekend at Cuvee lounge. It was really classy,but expensive. It was free for ladies but for guys it was 20 dollars cover. Then to top it off, 12 dollars was the cheapest drink there. I had a great drink called the Kir Royal,which is Chambord and Champagne,that was served in this pretty purple color in a elongated tube-like glass. The music was great. The thing with this place is, if you don't have reservations for one of the booths that are located smack in the middle of the lounge,then you are pretty much standing around the whole time.

Yesterday I went to Pancho Pistolas with my husband in the great neighborhood of Bridgeport. I work in the Northwest suburbs and if I didn't I would be definitely living on the southside. Home of the Sox, this is the first neighborhood that me and my now husband spent frequently since he used to live out there. It's a place where hard-working blue collar families live and it is the neighborhood where Mayor Daley grew up in.

Sure,I love to glam up, and go to shi-shi places,but Pancho Pistolas was a great atmosphere that was relaxing,fun,with great food. I have been to many restaurants,including high-end ones that you can find on Rush St.,but the best places for me are those with a fun atmosphere where you can still get great food without all the pretentious attitude in the air.

Desperate Housewives?

Well,not exactly but...

I am sure many women can relate to this topic-I was talking to a particular woman one day who recently had a baby. She is a young career woman as well as a mother,two roles that are hard to balance,as most of you women with careers know.

As women get married,have babies,get careers,etc,they tend to lose themselves-their social circles become limited since their lives get so busy that they don't have time for the outside world. Things come up where you have other responsibilities and you may have to decline those invitations.

This women that I talked to recently got facebook and although it's got its cons she definitely enjoys it because she was able to reconnect with a lot of her friends and is now able to keep up with the latest events outside her bubble that she had created over the past year or so.

I feel the same way,with facebook and twitter,and even this blog,it is a great way for me to connect with other women and gives me an outlet to the outside world. I also do not want to give up writing as it is one of my favorite activities. I recently got married so with that comes a lot of responsibilities also-saving money,household duties,a career outside the home,etc.

I hope that although I have entered a new lifestyle now that I will still be able to retain my extracurricular activities. Living in Chicago has allowed me to have great opportunities through social networking events and also the fact that there is so many things you can do out here to keep your interests alive. I know many women who after they have gotten married just stopped doing everything altogether and have lost their identity over the years.

For those of you who live in the Chi,search for networking events in your area-and if you are worried about costs have no fear-may of them feature free cocktails and appetizers. Also,many of these events take place usually during after work hours and end pretty early,convenient for those who work 9-5 everyday. Have fun ladies!

Europe vs the US

It's been a few weeks now since I have returned from Europe,Macedonia. It took getting used to as far as readjusting to American life and getting back to the grind of things. As I hopped on the bus coming back from Michigan Ave shopping this past Saturday(and getting a fab pair of Kenneth Cole boots),a stranger had asked my husband what language we were speaking. Russian? He asked which is common in this city since it does sound similar...Of course we told him it was Macedonian,and the conversation then went into America vs Europe,since he has been to Europe himself. Some of the points he made were so true and I knew all along,which have impelled me to finally write this post that I have been putting off for so long. Actually I initially had wanted to write about the country I had visited but I am more interested in this conversation that I had recently and had also wanted to blog about this for quite some time.

Here in the US, people work to live. In Europe,people live to work. I am sure you have heard this many times. Here,especially in Chicago,we are bounded by bills,mortgages,and work in order to have a decent life. We want the best cars,the best house,etc. In Macedonia for instance,things are a little more laid back. People invite each other over for coffee. People are more friendly. They may not have all the money in the world but they will offer everything and anything they have on them. You don't need one week advanced notice just to stop by your friend's place. There is no planning and things are done spontaneously.

Also,in the US, we don't talk to strangers because we were taught that they can possibly be some freak,or someone that may harm us. It is all about "me" in the US and the people here are definitely for themselves for the most part. We are an individualistic society.

Fortunately for us here in Chicago,there are many different ethnic neighborhoods and restaurants where we can relive and reminisce the countries we have visited and experienced. Perhaps though,we can learn a little bit from the Europeans and be a little more friendly to our neighbors,maybe invite them over for coffee from time to time,call that friend you have not talked to in awhile,or perhaps spending tons of money on a luxury car or home may not be necessary but rather enjoy the simple pleasures of life instead.

Maybe major corporations and firms can be more flexible and offer women longer maternity leaves and give us more vacation time so that we can come back to them refreshed, less stressful,and be even more efficient. This may in turn increase productivity and everyone is now happy.

Maybe one day,we will have that same lifestyle that the Europeans have. With the turn of the way the economy is going,maybe people will think twice about what is really important and what is not. That is a great thought.

Macedonia

Greetings from Macedonia!

I am currently in a city in itself called Strumica wedding planning and visiting the motherland.

Although not Chicago,Strumica is hailed as one of the best cities in Macedonia and known for their cafe-bars and nightlife.

Stay tuned as I blog about the differences between the two countries when I return. Also,I will be doing an extensive article on Gal About the Globe which you can click on the link in the lower right side of my page.

Prijatno i cao! (Farewell!)

Dijana

Shoutcast radio-don't stay home without it.

Saturday morning in Chicago. So far,the sun has been shining and I couldn't sleep in any longer. It is now 9:58 am as I write this,summertime in Chicago does not allow you to sleep in,since there is so much going on here. I am sipping on green tea and eating toast and marmalade as I write this. I am also listening to one of Shoutcast radio's house stations. What is Shoutcast you ask?

Shoutcast radio is a website that provides online radio stations 24/7-you can download the toolbar and in an instant you can type in any type of genre of music you want to listen to-ranging from Rock to Pop to Dance to Hip Hop. I love the afternoon mix that features live deep House and soulful music and my other favorite one is Deepvibes that also features House music.

If you got other things going on,just let the radio play behind you,it seems for me that getting tasks/chores done is so much easier when you got some great music playing.

Summertime in Chicago

I just took a picture of this when I was in the south loop area last Friday. For those who haven't been to Chicago, Millenium Park is a must see should you ever visit here. Visit the "Bean", pictured here, for some fun pics and nice memories to take back home. We took a few friends out here to check it out and it was a great day for it. What I love about taking out friends and family from out of town in this city is that I am able to relive the moment when I first came to Millenium Park and in Chicago through the eyes of others. We ended the night with cappucinos at Whisper's Cafe, an outdoor cafe in Mariano Plaza off of Rush St, a great hang out for people and car watching.



For any tips on Chicago and ideas,let me know, I'd be happy to be help!

I'm back!

After 2 grueling weeks without internet,I have finally gotten it back. I have installed another year's worth of anti-virus software and I am good to go.

In the meantime,I have been enjoying summer in the city of Chicago-I finally moved to my new apartment at the beginning of the month. So far I have discovered that I live close to two Ex-Yugoslavian import stores,where I can get my Nutella and Rose Hip jam fix whenever I want now. I also live by Dominick's, your typical corporate supermarket,all within walking distance. Aldi is coming soon and it's just around a corner from me-so I have no excuse not to cook so my mother says(ha!)

I also live around the corner from a hip coffee shop and also next to the coffee shop a dry cleaner's that is way cheaper than the other one that I used to go to that was by my old apartment. The fact that I don't have to drive to the cleaner's and the items are cleaned by the next day is such a big bonus for me.

Even better, I live very close to the lake and by various beaches and parks,which is where I have been doing my jogging and walking lately. To top it off I live smack next to the Red Line train where I can hop on anytime and hit up downtown in minutes. A tad noisy but somehow I sleep right through it(don't ask how).

All in all I like my new place so far and my neighborhood is great-I will let you know how things go for the rest of the summer,as I plan on hitting up festivals,the beach,and Venetian Night, A light boat parade that they do every year on Lake Michigan,something I have yet to see.

Letting go was hard to do,but I had to do it.

We are now in June. This month has just begun and already I know I will be busy,as I mentioned in my last post. I managed to clean out my old room at my parents house and donated two bags worth of clothes to the less fortunate. Rummaging through my closet and drawers brought back memories of the days where I hit up downtown and also all the major events that I attended. It felt good to clean all of that out because it brought back a sense of renewal,a sense of starting out new,even though I went through major changes already over the past year. However, throwing out all the things that I did not need anymore also gave me a sense letting go of the past and moving on with the future. Also,throwing out my old stuff was the remainder of all the things that I let go of over the past year,which included people that were toxic in my life.

Soon it will be July and I hope to not be as busy and start hitting up the beach. I live next to the lake now and will go whenever the weather is warm,but the real action is North Ave beach where all the youngsters hang out,play volleyball,and listen to live 80s music. Also,catch up with some friends that I haven't had time to meet up with is something I want to put on my to do list.

Time is of essence.

So I have been apartment hunting and actually,I may have lucked out. I did my second rounds of apartment hunting today and actually found an apartment with great space,with the amenities that I wanted such as laundry room,elevators,etc, and for a reasonable price. I had to go a little out of my price range but all the utilities are included so it all comes out the same. One block down I live by a major street with grocery stores,coffee shops,restaurants,etc. My favorite Ex-Yugoslavian import store is apparently a few minutes away walking distance as well(I am REALLY excited about this one).Hopefully I won't have to rent any much longer and soon I will be able to own my own condo in the city,something I have been dreaming about for quite some time now. I realized after looking for an apartment not everything you see for rent is "perfect" and unless you own your own place,you really can't be picky.

In the midst of all this I am still planning my wedding,it seems I just am all over the place now. I also have to go to my cousin's wedding in Detroit next month. And of course going to the gym,something I must stick to if I want to be at my ideal weight for the wedding.

One thing I had to let go was my former contributing author gig on GalsGuide. The requirement now is once a week you had to blog,and I had preferred blogging at least twice a week but it turned out that was not what they are looking for anymore. It was kinda a blow to my ego but what can you do? The guidelines seem to be more strict and not as lax as it once was *sigh*.

With my new life right now,I hope to continue my interests,or at least pick them back up once my wedding is all over,but for now everything is just chaotic right now. It's been also my one year anniversary since I began working for the company I have been working for so my performance evaluation is coming up(wish me luck!).

At least I still have my blog,and I may try to focus more on it,if I have the time that is. But at least I can control how often I can post :-)

Book reads that may help your personal life.

So I was chatting away with one of my gal's who lives on the east coast and lately she has been stuck in this rut with men. I was there once. I also have to admit that I am all about self-help books and feel they have an impact on people. You see, some of us learn in various ways-you got the visual learners,who have to see it in written material/video in order to absorb any information that they can apply to in everyday life,then you got learners through practice,and the other way is if someone explains it to you. However,the latter does not always work,you can give someone advice until you are blue in the face and it is sometimes like hitting a brick wall. In one ear and out the other.

Here are some book recommends that I have read that kind of helped me out:

"Why Men Date Bitches"- this book's funny title caught my eye one day so I decided to check it out. Yes, some of the things in their are SO obvious(like all self help books) but it really hit home because I saw it in writing,I don't know,it was pretty insightful. The follow up "Why Men Marry Bitches" is also good.

"The Secret"-Yes again,the stuff in their is so obvious-if you stay positive,positive things will come your way. This is related to the Cognitive Behavioral Theory that I studied in school,but put in more latter terms. Again,to see it in writing and to refer to it is very helpful,reading it just kind of reminds you to stay positive,which can be difficult if you get caught up in being in a rut. This helped me SO much when I took my State Boards,I even did the drawing of the picture of myself passing the test-needless to say I did pass and not only that,the weather was nice and sunny just like my picture! Weird.

"Entre Nous"- A Woman's Guide to Finding her Inner French Girl(whew!). This book is basically about how a woman can stay chic like the French,love life,and don't get fat. Their diet advice was not even about dieting,but about having three square meals a day and non-snacking(duh!). I lost 8 pounds following this.

So if you feel you are in a rut-head to your local bookstore,grab a latte and spend the day reading up these finds or any other books that are insightful-buying a couple of these may not hurt either,you can always refer to them in the comforts of your own place,or better yet,hit up the park and spend the day there.

I joined the gym-sorry Chicago.

April in Chicago,and the weather is just not quite warming up-they even canceled White Sox's baseball game opener because there was snow on US.Cellular Field! It would have been nice to stroll among Bridgeport,home of the White Sox,and head on over to Pancho Pistola's, my favorite Mexican spot,among the Southside Chicago Cops and avid Sox fans.

I have been meaning to jog along the lake once the weather got warmer, and it is April already, and I have just run out of patience. So instead, I decided to join the gym. Yes I know,I probably can still run outdoors,40 degrees is not bad-but for me,it has to be super warm in order for me to tolerate any form of exercise outdoors-so for now I will just hit up the gym. Luckily,it's month-to month membership and I can cancel anytime,so I can be sure to be jogging along our beautiful Lake Michigan in no time,but just not now.

City of Chicago, please,I love you,but we sure hate your schizophrenic weather,and I just about had it hearing it from my east coast fiance...really now,New York has bad weather too I'm sure!

March is Social Work Month!

This post is rather late but better late than never...

March has been dedicated to Social Work month. This is the month where Social Workers are supposed to get recognized and thanked for the work that they do. First of what is Social Work you may ask?

Here is some background on how Social Work even got started. Jane Adams was the founder of Social Work,which believe it or not started out in Chicago in the early 1900's. Jane Adams intention of Social Work first started off as establishing community houses for immigrants that came to this country and needed social services to adjust to their new country. Soon Social Work branched out in different areas such as mental health,child welfare, medical, and so forth. The general idea behind Social Work is to help individuals adjust to their environment whether it's adjusting to a new chronic illness or going through a job loss by connecting them with resources that meets their needs and provide counseling to help them adjust to any life changes.

At one point Social Workers were not recognized as professionals and everyone was calling themselves Social Workers,taking advantage of the profession. Nowadays if you want to be a Social Worker you must have a master's with two years of internship experience and thereafter pass a state board exam to be licensed.

So if you happen to know a Social Worker,thank them in any way for their hard work and dedication to help individuals in time of need. Often times these workers are overlooked and not appreciated enough.

I am not going anywhere-really I am not...

So yesterday I finally was able to meet up with one of my girlfriends and her fiance after playing "phone tag" and what not. Since I got engaged my life has gotten pretty hectic and as we get older it just seems that we would almost have to plan way in advance in order to meet up with friends we haven't seen in a long time. Also with this economy and trying to save up for my big destination wedding this summer I had to also pass up many invites. For the most part my friends,who are also busy bees themselves, accept the fact that I can't come to every outing or event but I too, also understand that there are times where they can not make it out either. No hard feelings right?

I have(or had not sure yet) this one particular friend, "Kim" we will call her, who was really busy last year with her wedding planning and I was cool with it. She skipped out on many invites at that time and I even recall one time when we were planning out a night on the town where she never even called me to say until the next day that she stayed in to watch a tennis tournament. I forgave her no big deal.Whatever.

Friday was one of my days off from work and me and my fiance decided since it was a nice day to take a nice long walk through the city. I was on my way to Barney's New York buying a face wash from Khiel's when I get a text from Kim asking me to stop on by her place. I live on the Northside of Chicago and I was downtown and took the El train,so by the time I was going to go back to my apartment and drive to her place, I would have to turn around and come back because I had to get up really early to take care of some things in Indiana. Kim lives in a Chicago suburb a good 45 minutes to an hour from where I live. I let her know, however, that we were meeting up this past Sunday for dinner and catch up and it would be better if we see each other then.

Unfortunately, "Kim" didn't feel that way. So she text me back saying "if you don't want to be my friend, say it to my face."

Huh?

I text her back telling her that I didn't understand. If I didn't wanted to be her friend why would I invite her out? In fact,why would I even be associating with you at all? I don't know about you, if I don't want to be someone's friend,I just plain don't deal with them. Period.

She then proceeded to tell me that she has invited me several times to her place-if you don't know the Chicago winters right now,you would know that the winter here was so bad that I pretty much layed low,and I told her that,and I told her that once I am ready I can stop by, just not now.

Well this was going back and forth and then after I invited her one more time, it was then when she stopped responding all together.

At this point I am thinking "why do I even bother?"

Honestly if she was truly my friend,she would have understood, me and my other friends have a mutual understanding that we can get extremely busy nowadays and should not take it personal if we decline any invites or outings we may present. Don't take it personally if someone is unable to meet up with you from time to time. It's not you. Trust me. And if they can't accept that then I guess they were not your friend to begin with. I was thinking my other friends and I tend to bail out on invites and what not and we are cool with it-why is she not?

So that was my rant for the weekend. Other than that I had a great weekend, four days off- who can complain? On top of that I got some great Puma leather sneakers with rhinestones that I can't wait to sport this Spring :-) .

Hang in there, America.

For the next several days,I will be finally utilizing my paid time off hours that I have earned while working and take some time off for myself. I am extremely fortunate and thank God everyday that I still have a job. I hear my fiance on numerous calls with his friends saying how "things are slow" and that "there are no jobs out there." My girlfriend from the east coast and I chatted for about an hour and a half today and her significant other also is in the search for a new job since they have reduced his hours severely as well. It's almost everyday that I am hearing someone lost their job or is being threatened that they are going to get laid off.

I really don't know how I can be of help but for awhile I was out of work too,partly because all I had to do was complete my licensure after Graduate school. But with so many graduates also seeking for positions in my field, it was still competitive. I have acquired through research and practice skills that you can use on your next interview,or to snag that potential job. Let me know if you need any tips that I have used to help me land a job.

Save The Date: Dj Colette and Dj Heather, February 28th at Metro Smartbar

I am very excited to announce that two Chicago-based house Djs will be returning to Chicago on February 28th at Metro Smartbar. Dj Colette's hit "Feeling Hypnotized" has been featured in Motorola Commercials and has landed her on the "Devil Wears Prada" soundtrack. Dj Heather is also a local based DJ who will be joining Dj Colette for a night of great Chicago House music. I can't get enough of these two. Their soulful tracks and smooth beats will keep you dancing all night long. These women will also be participating at the Winter Music Conference to take place in March, a huge event that takes place in Miami that attracts DJ from all over the world including great Dj's such as Tiesto and Fat Boy Slim just to name a few. It's a huge honor to participate in this event.

Tickets for Dj Colette and Dj Heather are not expensive at all-$10 dollars before midnight and $15 after, for these two it is so worth it and practically a steal if you ask me. This is what I love about Metro Smartbar. Metro Smartbar is a place where local musicians return and do great live shows at an unbeatable cost. It is not pretentious at all and no specific dress code necessary.

I am going to do my best to go to this show, hopefully my calendar will be clear enough that I will be able to make it. I went to DJ Kaskade, another great local based DJ last February at MetroSmartbar and I had a great time. If you are in the area or happening to be traveling in Chicago that weekend, stop on over, should be a good time.

Visit MetroSmartbar for more details.

Happy Valentine's Day!

As you know, tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Some people gag over the holiday saying that it's a hallmark holiday pretty much. And others feel that you should make your significant other feel like it is Valentine's Day the rest of the year also and not just on February 14th.

For me,it means a lot this year more than others because it will be my first Valentine with my fiance. However,he makes me feel like it's Valentine's Day pretty much all the time. So in this case, Valentine's Day will be a day where we take a break from our busy schedule to do something for us besides running errands all the time(actually we are helping someone move that day also!). Ever since I got engaged, it has been nothing but busy,even if we go for a coffee run or a walk it usually does not last that long because there was always work to be done. This time, we will actually sit, not have to cook,and enjoy each other's company in a romantic setting(or in a fun setting,haven't decided yet,but it will definitely be something on the Northside of Chicago).

For those who are single? One idea I have in mind when I was single and in college was I got together with my roomates, all girls, and ordered in Italian and watched "The Godfather" that turned out to be really fun.Valentine's Day can be applied in many ways-remember as we were kids we would give out those cut out Valentine Day Cards to your classmates whether it was our friends,that boy that used to tease us,or our teacher? So be creative and do something special that does not require a significant other in order to do so.

52F and it's only February in Chicago-what?

For those who are living in or near Chicago,today is a great day to check out some new neighborhoods or do some Michigan Ave shopping and sip on a latte afterwards. It's been a long,long winter and today God blessed the city with some warm weather. Go out there and enjoy yourself and take a walk and check out some city scenery.

Why Do I Blog?

Why do I blog you ask?

Social media has been a popular phenomenon over the years and with this comes a great opportunity to get into my writing again.

Throughout my school years I have always loved to write-essays,writing contests,you name it I did it. For fun I used to write poetry,short stories,and I as a child I remember winning an author contest for a short story book that I have written. In high school I was involved with newspaper and yearbook committees.

Then college came, and with that came academic papers-unless it was a creative writing course, I really did not have time to write about things that I enjoy. My writing became required final papers 15-20 pages long in Grad school as well.

When I got selected to write after submitting a sample on GalsGuide, I was ecstatic. It's something that I just want to get into again. Although my life is hectic right now, I really do hope I can continue to do writing as a hobby. Writing is soothing,and allows you to just get things off your chest. I also just enjoy giving people advice on a variety of things whether it's how to cope with stress(that's the Social Work in me) to where to grab deep dish pizza in the city.

Dress done.

So I finally found a dress. That was probably the most stressful thing I ever had to do! I mean, I have had many stressors in my life by far,but for something as simple as choosing a wedding dress was like a job. I tend to be nit-picky when I try on clothes and I am my own worst critic,and shoe shopping forget it(you will be so surprised,I am not the typical girl who has 1,000 pair of shoes like most girls,because I just get so frustrated!). But this time I had to be a little opened minded.

I was glad I chose a dress finally because the consultant told me that it will arrive in June,and then I will need alterations. So I was cutting it close,I had to choose and I had to choose fast. But I am so glad it's over with. My mom was happy what I chose also,I was going for something traditional and it has some modern touches to it,and it was very close to what I was looking for.

Now,I need to start working out! I hope it warms up in the next couple months, I really want to start jogging along the lake. Or even jog through some Chicago neighborhoods-scenery helps. My fiance and I live 5 min from Clark St, and we were thinking once the weather gets better,to walk/run the entire street,through Wrigleyville, up until the South Loop Target-what a challenge huh? :-p

Coffetalk-growing up is hard to do.

So I just had coffee with one of my fellow GalsGuide contributor authors in downtown Evanston. She also is getting married just like I am and is experiencing the same phase in our life where we are not really "young college girls" anymore but rather "maturing young adults". We are both experiencing that time in our life where we need to buckle down and stablize our life as much as we can.

Although I have been done with school for quite some time and am working in my career,along with of course getting married, I feel that there is so much more I can do-I want to work towards getting a house or condo one day,work towards my clinical license,and work on my writing that I have always loved to do but had not really much time for it because of college. I eventually would like to open some small business one day and get in touch with my creative side as well. I am also slowly adjusting to a lifestyle where I don't go out as much because quite frankly,I need to think about my future-saving money,work towards a home,kids,and so forth.

During your college years are the years where you explore, have fun,and can be a kid a little bit longer. But there comes a time where you eventually have to say "Time to grow up,do something with your life!" A lot of young adults struggle with this and either fail and continue to act like kids even after 30, or just snap out of it and begin to think about what they want going for them for the rest of their life. Family,kids,advancing their careers,etc are all part of life as well.

I do,however,would like to continue to be active and participate in extracurricular activities and organizations,maybe even do some fundraisers(I have always wanted to do one of those fundraisers with a fashion show event or something). I think you should still maintain your interests whether it's writing,making music,sports,etc.

Growing up may be hard to do,but it is something that we just have to deal with. Good luck all that are crossing this path.

Just a few of my favorite things...

Oprah has a list of her "favorite things". I, as well have my list! Here are some of my favorite things:

Beauty/Fashion
Favorite eye shadow: MAC in Satin Taupe

Favorite eye concealer: Erase Paste by Benefit

Favorite conditioner: Aveda

Favorite store to get work gear: Limited,Gap

Favorite store to get "dolled up": H&M,Forever 21, Bebe

Places to go

Favorite coffeehouse: Iguana Cafe (West Loop)

Favorite neighborhood in Chicago for lounging: Fulton Market District

Favorite park: Millenium Park

Favorite spot for House music-Green Dolphin Street Mondays

Favorite radio station: Columbia's CRX radio

Favorite neighborhood for family living: Bridgeport

Favorite Beach: North Ave Beach

Favorite area for shopping: the shops of Michigan Ave

Favorite spot for outdoor coffee and people watching: Mariano Plaza

So there you go, some of my favorite things-check any of them out and I am sure you won't be disappointed.

Wedding Dress Shopping

So today I went to Schaumburg to Demetrios, a bridal salon and got started trying on wedding dresses. I have been engaged since August but really,I was SO busy that I really did not have the time to go right away. I don't know how some girls literally jump the next day and start looking for dresses when their weddings are so far away. My assistant, a really nice girl named Mandi, told me that I am at a perfect time to start looking,considering my wedding is this midsummer.

My experience for the first time was not so bad but let me tell you, it's kind of not cool that you MUST make an appointment to try on these dresses-I just want to get in and get out. It was nice that I had my own assistant to help me with the dresses and all but I don't know,the dresses were pretty heavy to try on your own. Oh, and I had only an hour limit to try on the dresses, I don't know how the other boutiques are but at Demetrios, if you are coming during a weekend, they only give you "an hour" to try on the dresses because they get a lot of customers. If you go during the week, they said they can spend more time helping you out choosing a dress.

Demetrios though will cost you. A lot. And honestly, I have seen dresses that cost way less and just as good. So the search continues.

Northside...Southside...which do you prefer?

Last night,I decided to take a cruise through the northside of Chicago. I haven't had a chance to really navigate the Northside of Chicago since I moved in several months ago,considering I was visiting my now fiance a lot in Bridgeport,which is on the Southside of Chicago. Since he lived close to the South Loop,we spent many summer and fall days down there,especially Michigan Ave and Rush St.

If you don't know already or you are not from Chicago, Chicago has two areas in in which they "rival" each other. There's the Northside,home of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigleyville,and then there is the Southside of Chicago,which is home of the Chicago White Sox,whose US Cellular Stadium is located in Bridgeport. These are the main references to the North and South side,however the North and South side stretch far and wide.

I love and miss Bridgeport because of the family oriented vibe that this neighborhood has and only few steps away from the South Loop. Not often do you find a neighborhood in a city with real houses and sidewalks. You can also catch the red line or orange line in this neighborhood if you ever want to go downtown. Check out Bridgeport Coffeehouse if you ever want to stop by this neighborhood and have a java. There are no words for the South Loop-very metropolitan,and a prime area for tourists from all over the world.

The Northside,primarily the streets of Clark,Addison,and Belmont,has a somewhat different scenario. Here,you will see many young individuals,ranging from students to young businessmen. Especially close to the Cubs stadium,you will see streets stretch painted with bars, trendy boutiques,restaurants,and coffeehouses. And no matter what time or day it is,this area is always buzzing,especially when there is a game going on. Metro Smartbar is highly recommended if you want to see local artists for a small fee ranging from $15-20.

Which side do I prefer? It's hard to say now. I will always have a special place in my heart for Bridgeport and the Southside,but the Northside is sort of growing on me too. Usually when people move to the city they move to the Northside first,Lincoln Park or Lakeview,etc. But I started off in the South Loop first, and have many memories there as well. I loved the fact that I was so close to downtown. I will probably do some more exploring once the weather gets nicer.

Either way,Chicago is Chicago,and the city as a whole is truly a gem.

Resolutions and keeping them...or at least try to...

So 2009 has finally arrived. Winter is half over but we still have a long way to go... I pondered over the last couple days as my computer got cleaned and updated(Tony thank you! Seriously,my computer is running so much faster now). Here are a couple that I am going to try to stick to:

Of course,the typical resolution which is, lose weight,eat better. I just went to visit my parents in Indiana this past weekend and also went to Sam's Club,where I went at it with healthy groceries. I am just waiting for the weather to get better so I can start jogging along the lake,but for now I need to just work out indoors and watch Body By Gilad video's. I believe if you can find your niche and stick with it you can lose weight and be more fit.

Another one is,to be more efficent at work. I have been known to be a procrastinator,writing 15 page papers in Grad school the night before it's due,while keeping MSN on for study breaks. I am trying to get my tasks done ahead of time so I can have more time with my patients doing fun things.

And one more is,get some books on opening a business. I want to open something which I don't want to reveal,right now I just want to do some research and think it through,I do see myself doing Social Work in the future,but on a part-time basis,as it is a field prone for burnouts. I don't know if I can really see myself being a full time social worker for the rest of my life,although I have considered maybe doing Life Coaching,which is becoming popular now,basically it's helping people figure their life out and getting them on the right track,something I have definitely experience in.

So there you go,my New Year's resolutions. Will I keep them? We'll see.