flower power

I'm a firm believer in constantly having fresh flowers in your home, office, or any other space you spend a lot of time in. I love photographing flowers and having them around me because they make me happier; fresh flowers can brighten a dull room or someone else's mood all together. Flower shops are dangerous for me because I get overwhelmed and want every single flower in multiple colors. I'm currently loving peonies and sorbet colored roses. What is your favorite flower?

The Budstop on Union Street

a bouquet of flowers is always a great gift,

especially when paired with jewelry and some bubbly! 

xx

A Week in Review...ish

Just as I found myself feeling settled in at home, starting to unpack, getting back in to my normal routines, catching up with family and friends, and visiting my favorite local spots, I'm on a plane yet again! Off to NYC tomorrow morning for shopping, museums, and visiting friends and family.

Picking up fresh flowers for around the house

Catching up with my girl Sara over brunch at La Boulange will never get old, especially with lattes served in bowls the size of our heads.

Reminded of how amazing my neighborhood is! 

Lunches at the Grove

Mini sweet treats from Kara's Cupcakes! 

Packing while still fully not unpacked is always interesting...

stay tuned for NYC posts! 

xx

six snaps

hello spring!  

Chicago architecture continues to fascinate me. Look at that blue sky! Let's hope for some more of those clear days.

Perks of having a best friend/roommate who works at World Market: she comes home with endless goodies. The raspberry Singoalla cookies are heaven!

I celebrated Earth Day by taking a lovely walk along Lake Michigan with Jaclyn and picking up some trash along the path. Let's continue to celebrate the earth everyday, not solely on one single day where we spare the air or consume less. Reducing should be part of our daily efforts.

And of course after I discuss reducing and consuming less, my friend surprised me with coffee & a doughnut. I couldn't say no to her kind gesture, but it got me thinking, where does my trash go when I'm done with it? Is it actually getting recycled or ending up in a landfill? In caring for the environment, is recycling enough?

Upon reflecting on the recent events in Boston, I have been thinking about the amount of terrible things that happen in our world on a daily basis that we sometimes turn a blind eye to. The aim of this photo is not to make a political comment or target a race or ethnicity for the blame of this terror; rather, it is to suggest how in times of tragedy, we come together and recognize that we are all human beings who need one another. Let's not forget about Boston in a few weeks and move on to the next "story", as we have a tendency to do so when tragedy occurs (think of Sandy Hook, Aurora, Hurricane Sandy...or even Hurricane Katrina! There are still people suffering and recovering from these life changing events). 

I normally try to keep these six photos light and aim for them to serve as reminders for the little things in life that we take advantage of, so the heavy content is only temporary. I've just recently been reflecting upon my actions as an individual in my local community, as well as my role as a member of a global community. 

I'd love to hear some feedback on this. 

Enjoy the rest of your week!

xx

happy spring!

Happy first day of spring! If you're in Chicago, it still feels like January due to the deceiving sun shining brightly and greeting you on your way out the door but quickly being fighting against the wind to make it down the street (if you can't tell, I'm quite ready for some true spring weather). For those of you enjoying the first day of spring in warmer places, get out there and celebrate! Here are some photos of the gorgeous daffodils I bought the other day, reminding myself of my New Year's Resolution to buy fresh flowers on a regular basis.

Despite heaps of snow and ice on the ground still, I ventured out to the Conservatory of Flowers yesterday to get in the spirit of celebrating Spring (and to see how it measures up to San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers). Anyplace where loads of flowers are in one space is already a winner in my book, not to mention Chicago's Conservatory is free and in one of the most beautiful parts of the city, Lincoln Park. I still think San Francisco's Conservatory is my pick out of the two since it has a larger collection, especially of orchids, and is in Golden Gate Park. But, Chicago's still had lots to look at and take it since I could have spent hours in there! 

We walked through the zoo after, also free, and took in some gorgeous views of the skyline

Regardless of my opinions of the SF Conservatory, the Lincoln Park Conservatory is a relaxing escape from the city for a quick walk through or a leisurely stroll with a good friend. It's safe to say that I have completely fallen in love with Chicago and cannot stop exploring all of the experiences this city has to offer. 

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/lincoln-park-conservatory/

How are you celebrating the start of Spring?

xx