Our Weekend Trip to Chicago

There's so much I could say about our 3-day weekend trip to Chicago, and I'll say a little, but I'll mostly let these photos speak for themselves:

We had lots of fun checking out Chicago's coolest murals!

Ashlyn and her friend, Tyler, showed us some of their favorite spots.

We checked out Lake Shore and saw the sailboats.

Took the metro and walked on the 606.

Took a stroll around the lovely Lincoln Park area (right by an Urban Outfitters Surplus Store — dreams do come true)!

Drank chai at the Chia Chai — I've never seen so many chai varieties in my life (and look how cute it is)!

Had the best brunch of our lives at The Allis — but more on that in a separate post (it was that good).

Stayed in a mansion.

...just kidding, this is a miniature room from the Art Institute (SO cool, also one of the only photos I took at the Art Institute because I was so enthralled with the sights).

Speaking of artsy, I love this sign at Goddess and the Baker. We had a yummy lunch there.

We went out of our way to try Bang Bang Pie, since all of my foodie friends recommended it. Turns out they closed early that day in preparation for Labor Day, but as I was peeking in the window, an employee took pity on us and gave us a whole key lime pie for free! Bang bang!

I had my very first Chicago dog at Portillo's. I didn't even know you were supposed to leave the pickle on it!

We took a stroll around the Chicago Riverwalk.

We rode Divvy bikes to get donuts (I think you're allowed to eat more donuts if you get there via bike).

Did some obligatory shopping around Michigan Ave.

Ate another great brunch at Bongo Room in Wicker Park.

And you know we had to stop by the Bean.

Oh, we ate pizza, too, but I didn't grab a photo of that. What did we miss?! What should we put on our list for next time? I'm already looking forward to our next trip north!

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One Dress, Two Cities

So what do you do if you're shopping with a friend and you both go for the same item? Do you call dibs or let your pal have the coveted item of clothing? I'm sure how teenage you would answer that quiz in an issue of Seventeen says something about your personality.

As for me? I say we can both snag it! And I lucked into having great friends because Ashlyn found this dress first and she was happy to let me jump on her bandwagon.

So you want to talk about the dress? Cool, me too. In case you didn't notice, it's overalls. And a dress/skirt. So if you're super clever like me and Ash, you can call them skoveralls. It's a new word we've invented, but I expect it to be all over New York Fashion Week.

We found the brilliant piece of denim at a Zara in Chicago. We quickly realized we could wear them with just about anything — the perfect transitional piece from late summer to fall. (RIP summer I love you).

So here it is: one dress, two ways — or one dress, two cities — whichever you prefer. I styled mine "fancy" (or as fancy as denim overalls can get). Basically what I'm saying is, I wore mine to church (and coffee beforehand and brunch afterward and Aldi later that day). So, yes. Very fancy.

Ashlyn wore her skoveralls our last day running around Chicago together, so she styled it for more of a city day. A small, over-the-shoulder bag and sneaks are a must when you're walking all day! (RIP summer and RIP our feet, also).

Oh, so I'm sure some of you are wondering who Ashlyn is. She's my boyfriend's sister, and she's the best. She goes to school up in Chicago; last week Austin and I were able to go up and visit her. We had such a sweet time, and if teleportation was a thing and work didn't exist, I'd totally be hanging out in Chicago with her right now.

Oh, and the other sweet thing we found?? This mural in Chicago. That one's just self explanatory.

What do you think of this trend. Are you into it, or over-all it?

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Citrus and Berry Lacroix Popsicles

Does anybody else wish summer would last forever? I love Labor Day weekend and all of the fun it brings, but it always gives me a twinge of remorse for those long, hot days that are about to turn into fall. Don’t get me wrong, I love fall just as much as the next basic girl, but there’s just something magical about summer.

When I was a kid, one of my family friends would babysit me often, and sometimes I could convince her to let us make "Sprite-sicles." The genius concoctions were just Sprite frozen into a popsicle mold, and I LOVED them. I think of them often in the summer, as the season brings the nostalgic memories. But really, reflecting on it as an adult, sucking on frozen Sprite is probably not the best idea. (Hello, cavities!)

So here’s my solution for the end-of-summer blues: Lacroix Popsicles. They’re the perfect refreshing (and healthy) treat to cool off with, and they’re Whole30 approved! 

Here’s the recipe:

Berry Popsicle (makes 6)

- 1/2 can (6 oz.) Passionfruit Lacroix

- 1 cup Cranberry Juice

- 1/3 cup Strawberries

- 1/4 cup Blackberries

Citrus Popsicle (makes 6)

- 1/2 can (6 oz.) Mango Lacroix

- 1 cup Orange Juice

- 1/2 cup Blueberries

- Splash of Lime Juice

For the Berry Popsicles, combine all ingredients in blender. Pour into popsicle molds, freeze overnight, and enjoy!

For the Citrus Popsicles, combine Lacroix, orange juice and lime juice in blender. Drop blueberries into popsicle molds, freeze overnight, and enjoy!

Personally, I liked the Berry Popsicles better, but this recipe is so customizable you could combine nearly any ingredients to make your own perfect healthy-indulgent fruity-flavored taste-bud wonderland. The juice you pair with the Lacroix is going to be the first flavor you notice, but since the sparkling water is carbonated, it adds a really fun, refreshing experience to what would otherwise be just a plain jane popsicle. 

Have you all hopped on the Lacroix train? Would you say you prefer Lacroix over boys?

Happy Labor Day weekend!

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