Category — Chicago Is (my kind of town)

Looking for that unique, quality gift that can’t be found in every mall or catalogue? Need a great holiday activity for you and your BFFs to share? Just want to shop in one place without running all over town? Look no further:

I’ve been lucky to attend the annual One-Of -A-Kind Sale in Chicago. I had never heard of it until sr L invited me to accompany her to the Chicago show…she attends every December and had a complimentary pass to admit 2. We cabbed to the Merchandise Mart, (it’s huge: MM has it own zipcode!) and took the elevator to the 8th floor. We checked our coats and accepted some complimentary champagne and cookies, then got to the serious business of shopping.

Shopping with a friend (or family) can be tricky: you can’t both buy the same things, you need to shop at the same pace or not be easily insulted if the other one wanders off.

I’m a wanderer…I like to float from aisle to booth and back again. With over 500 booths, plan to wander all day. Each piece sold at the One of a Kind Sale is hand-made by independent artists who are sharing their talents and wares with you. Every type of artisinal craft can be found there: from paintings to ceramics to jewelry to holiday decorations to clothing to gourmet foods. Sr L found a cool placque made from an old door knob and keys to hang buy her front door and hold her keys! She also bought gifts galore, like clever boot cuffs that change the style of any boot in seconds. Moi bought a reversible pleated silk jacket (for Moi, bien sur!) and some Cub-themed dog leashes, one for all the dogs in the extended family. All price points are represented: the presentation and dazzling displays and creative ideas alone are worth the admission price!

And not to worry: there are plenty of gourment cafés, lounge areas and even a big-screen television so you (or your husband) can rest-up between shopping spurts. Chicago amenities  include a licensed child care center, coat check, complimentary bag check, gift-wrapping and curbside package carryout: everything to make your shopping as convenient and hassle-free as possible: they want you to be happy!

One Of A Kind Show and Sale: Chicago

• Dec 3-6
  • Thursday, Dec 3: 12 – 9pm
  • Friday, Dec 4: 11am – 9pm
  • Saturday, Dec 5: 10am – 7pm
  • Sunday, Dec 6: 10am – 5pm
• Merchandise Mart, Kinzie and Wells Streets, Chicago 60654
• Tickets: (a ticket is good for all 4 days)
  • Adults: $12
  • Senior and Students: $9
  • Children 12 and Under: free

This year, Moi is really lucky: I can’t attend the Chicago show, but for the first time, the One of a Kind Show and Sale is coming to NYC! Offering the same high quality artisans and products that have made the show such a success in Chicago, the NYC show is sure to become an annual event.

One of a Kind Show and Sale: NYC

• Dec 10-13
  • Thursday, December 10: 5 – 9pm
  • Friday, December 11: 11am – 8pm
  • Saturday, December 12: 10am – 7pm
  • Sunday, December 13: 10am – 5pm
• Pier 94, 12th Ave at 55th St
• Tickets: (a ticket is good for all 4 days)
  • Adults: $15 (it’s NYC: everything is more $$)
  • Seniors and Students: $12
  • Children 12 & under: Free

NYC show promises to offer quality amenities, including a food and break lounge, coat check, free shopping package check, package and shipping service, and transportation and shuttle services.

She’ll be shopping soon at the NYC show!

I just like it. Not because I’m from Chicago. Not because my grandparents immigrated from Germany. Not from my years living in France. I just like mustard. Always have. Always will.

Actually I like all things vinegar. Even the smell of Easter eggs being colored. I like balsamic vinegar as a salad dressing: hold the oil. Someone I worked with in Syracuse used to keep a giant bottle of vinegar in her desk drawer to wipe the winter salt off her leather boots: made me hungry.

So when I travel, I visit grocery stores, and I search for mustard. (and vinegar, but that’s a different blog.)

quimper mustard pot

On one of my first trips to France a colleague of TBG’s who lived in Dijon invited us to stay with them for the weekend in their 12th century mas (farm house)…I know, how lucky were we! While the guys went off to golf I, speaking not a word of French, loudly repeated MUSTARD and was quickly escorted to a real Dijon mustard shop, where I purchased a Quimper mustard pot and a jar of Dijon mustard, from Dijon! Voilà! This was the first time it occured to me that I could travel and bring home souvenir mustard. [Read more →]

Halloween is Saturday and the streets will be filled with spooky creatures, fairy princesses, super heros, pirates and every kind of sports and action and cartoon character.

pink satin elephant ears

What’s your Little Bit wearing?

Sunday was Trick or Treat on Southport with shop-to-shop trick or treating and face painting, pumpkin decorating, and lots of games and prizes (and a few cocktails were served for the double-wide stroller pushers). Two of my favorite little party animals strutted their Halloween costumes for the crowds and the cameras.

little panda with shiny red shoes

Baby K’s adorable elephant bunting  for newborns from Annie’s Costumes had pink satin ears big enough to carry her off in a Windy City gust, and her big sister niece M had a panda outfit from Baby Ultimate perfectly set off by her ruby red Dorothy shoes.

Be warned: Saturday these two little tricksters will be full of tricks if you don’t have your treats ready!

                                                                                                                                                       …this photo cracked me up, so I had to include it too, don’t you just love them!

party animals - ready to crash

No caffeine for Mignette! She loves to cuddle up to this Starbarks chew toy, and it even barks! We found it at dog-a-holics on Southport in Chicago. $14.99.

a decaf as big as me

Are you familiar with the Southport shopping area? There are some great boutiques (Krista K!) and restaurants  like local fave Ann Sather, where you can carb and sugar up on world-famous cinnamon rolls… and my personal fave, Anthropologie, where you can check out some Man Shops Globe finds. Yesterday I saw the beaded animals Keith shopped in South Africa. You can catch Keith Wednesdays on the Sundance channel at 9pm est or on the internet. Tonite he shops Turkey.

Moi’s DVR is set!

This weekend we drove up to Vermont to join the throngs of leaf peepers…TBG is a rabid photographer, and this was a by week for ND…and I scored a good last-minute deal at the Equinox Resort in Manchester…loved the cuddly Frette terry robes.

We spent most of the weekend parked on the side of picturesque country roads, each setting looking like a calendar photo or postcard, while TBG shifted between his 3 cameras and happily found each perfect photo op…tumbling down barns, covered bridges, pumpkin fields, fabulous fall folliage.

my fave pic...but not TBG's

We stopped at pretty much any place with the word sugar: sugar house, sugar shak, sugar n spice. We bought maple syrup, fresh hot sugared cider donuts, hot spiced cider, spiced cookies, pumpkins, gourds, mums, indian corn and lots of Christmas gifts…sorry, can’t reveal any secrets yet!

We did not stop at the dozens of outlet stores or antiques shops lining route 7a in Manchester and heading up route 100 to Killington…except one. For TBG. We stopped at his country gentleman fashion mecca: Orvis.

We stopped at the Orvis flagship store. We shopped the Orvis outlet store. We scoured the Orvis tent sale. If you’re not familiar with Orvis, let me explain TBG is very familiar with the stores on 5th Ave in NYC and Michigan Ave in Chicago: this should give you a clue that this store is aspirational. For the guy who aspires to the gracious country lifestyle…and is willing to pay for it. btw… they do have ladies and home and doggie fashions also, not my style; I curled up on the huge leather couch by a crackling fire and checked my emails and twitter and facebook while TBG filled his shopping sac. If you like to browse, fly fishing rods, hunting rifles and knives, canoes and paddles…and all the clothes and accessories to go with them. For a price.

Orvis rhinohide canvas khakis

TBG’s shopping recommendation:
I’m told they’re very comfy, very rugged, and improve with age. They have faux-leather trim, are pre-washed, and come in neutral colors like cement and olive. And are on sale now for $59.

Who knew?

So you go green or are cutting expenses or you need some exercise: whatever the reason, you’re biking it. But you’re still a girlie-girl: and girlie girls have stuff.

And how’s a chic biker chick going to carry all that stuff while keeping both hands on her handlebars and not mess up her outfit?

biker chic bags by Po Campo

Chicago biker chics Maria and Emily are designing tres chic biker bags that attach to your handlebars or back wheel, and come in great colors and cool designs. Po Campo bags come in pretty-girl colors like pink and blue, and funky patterns too.  Fashionable and Functional: that’s they’re motto for these water-resistant and light-weight bags.

They’re sold at a dozen stores in  ChiTown, or on the internet if you’re not lucky enough to be a ChicChick. More stylish and practical biker chic designs coming soon.

Tres cool, tres practical!

If you see me walking down the street any morning you’ll instantly recognize me: dark shades, little white dog on a pink leash, and a Starbucks in my hand.

I try not to vary my order: tall skim chai, extra hot, extra water with a straw. And why do I have to explain my order to every new-to-moi barista:     

• extra water, because too much milk makes it too sweet, and has too many calories
• extra hot, 200°, and no, you can’t burn skim milk
• skim is skim, no matter that the marketing geeks insist on calling it non-fat (and btw prunes are NOT dried plums!)
• a straw because I don’t want to spill hot chai on myself!
• tall because it’s just the right amount for my morning walk, PLEASE don’t complimentary upgrade me to a grande, then I’ll have to find a bathroom, not easy with a small dog in tow

Moi at Starbucks Singapore

What also makes me happy is that Starbucks is hurdling toward world domination of the beverage field. I can (and have!) get my chai or my frappucinno in the US, Paris, Berlin, CPH, Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok, London, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Ireland, Poland and lots of other places I’m too caffeinated to remember at the moment…and no, I don’t need a souvenir Sbux mug from every country!

Why my daily Sbux fix? It makes me happy!