Morning Science

Hands down, our favorite Saturday routine is chilling at a cozy nesting spot with good coffee, our dude, and a big plate-o-brekkie, piled high with flapjacks and syrup.  Here’s the challenge: Finding a spot that’s not too crowded but also not so hushed.  Creating a perfectly chill morning routine is quite the intricate science. 

So imagine our delight when we stumbled upon Violet.  It’s a fresh take on the café setting, with citrus-colored walls, pop-art murals and old comic-book ads framed behind tables.  Violet features the best of both worlds; its smaller room has plush couches and a fireplace, while its larger space is set for breakfast and lunch dining.  

We dove into our French toast in the main room—a decadent dish we’ll be ordering religiously from now on (Violet’s chef honed his skills at foodie haven Avec).  Then we settled in beside the fireplace with our laptop (they have free wi-fi and Metropolis coffee, a local company with blends to rival Intelligentsia).  And next time, we’re definitely taking advantage of the BYO policy.  After all, what goes better with breakfast than mimosas? 
 
Violet
3819 N. Southport Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613
773.327.0234

Classic Clothes for the Modern Gal

We appreciate the classics.  Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca.”  Marilyn in “Gentleman Prefer Blondes.”  A slice of apple pie.  The Chevy truck.  They all have a place in our hearts—and now Eskell does, too.   

A modern gal shouldn’t have to sacrifice quality just to show up in this (or next) season’s style.  Owner Elizabeth agrees, and on her custom-made racks you’ll find sexy cigarette jeans from Judi Rosen, shapely jackets (tough enough to withstand a Chicago winter) from Mackage, and bath and body products from Traviata thrown in so your skin’s as soft as the clothes that touch it.  But what sets Eskell apart is its inspired house brand, found only here.  Look for dresses like “Sylvia,” constructed of gorgeous camelhair with ribbons and hook-and-eye closures—note the delicate gold leafing on the extra-fine silk.  It turns the LBD into a tasty confection that our guy will want to remove, posthaste. 

We’ll earn envy from our girlfriends, cubicle-mates and random strangers for our finds here, but here’s something even more important: these clothes will elevate your style—for years to come. 

Eskell
1509 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
773.486.0830
www.eskell.com

Those Three Little Words

Every winter, we’re like, “Us?  Hibernate?  Not a chance in Hades!”  Then winter knocks—err, pounds—on our door, and it dawns on us, “This is Hades!”  We proceed to weigh our options: The bottle of red wine in our living room or the trek to a loud bar four El stops away.  So, voila!  We hit our couch with plans of stocking up on enough canned goods and vino to last us until it's time to daydrink at North Beach again. 

Alas, thank Oprah and the great Chicago fog for the one spot that lures us out of our winter caves.  No, seriously.  If you can’t get us to leave our cozy abode, just utter three pretty little words, and we’ll meet you in twenty.  And those words are “Juicy Wine Co,” our cure for the slush-covered slippery street blues. 

Perfectly cured meats (try the molé-cured salumi), endless cheese flights and wine varied in choice and price—just how we like it. Us?  Hibernate?  Not a chance. 
 
Juicy Wine Co.
694 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
312.492.6620
www.juicywine.com

The Meaning of Life 

Sometimes we wish someone would explain this big ol’ world to us.  Why doesn’t the World Series include the world?  Why don’t we drive electric cars?  Why can’t we all just get along?  

Quandary solved.  Chicago artist Paula Henderson connects life’s dots using—get this—basketball court diagrams to explain social behavior.  (Check out the Hip Happenings to see it for yourself!)  Life as a coherent sports game?  If only navigating our own day-to-day was this fun. 

www.lindawarrengallery.com

Jewel Luck Club

To us, French style and sensibility seems so ... effortlessly chic.  Timelessly fabulous.  Ladylike and unique, like the one and only Coco Chanel herself.  So when we first laid our heavily lined Bridget Bardot-inspired eyes on the Bijoux Luck collection, we were lovestruck. 

In fact, we literally uttered “Je t'aime, Bijoux Luck!” and said “Oui, Oui!” to their Papillon collection.  Designs named after a dog we j'adore?  Oh, how divine!  Trés French, trés lovely, and trés about to be ours.

www.bijouxluck.com

Totally Tubular

Back in high school, we totally used the word “hella.”  Everything was “hella cool” or “hella sucked” and, looking back, we think our overuse of the word made us “hella lame.”

In limited doses, however, we're okay with it.  Which is why we rather like the site Hella Good, which promises incredible goodies and irresistible surprises.  Fortunately, it delivers, with handcrafted jewelry, screen-printed tops, whimsical accessories and more.  Our favorite?  An art print set inspired by “The Royal Tenenbaums”—odd, but hella awesome.

www.hellagoodproducts.com

Smarty Arty Pants

Head to the Museum of Contemporary Art to catch local lady Paula Henderson's work.  You can coax your dude to go with you by explaining what a perfect pairing it is with mid-season basketball madness.  Use the words “zones” and “patterns” to further emphasize your point.  Get your head in the game!  Uh, exhibit—and check it out.

What: Paula Henderson at The Museum of Contemporary Art
When: Jan.5- 27
Where: 220 East Chicago Ave.
Call: 312.280.2660
Visit: www.mcachicago.org

Doolittle Or Do a Lot
 
Catch the longest running musical as it makes the rounds in its 50th-anniversary tour.  Bundle up, wear a pretty frock, and feel free to sing along (after the show, to the soundtrack of course) to "I Could Have Danced All Night."  Go ahead and imagine you’re Eliza Doolittle for an evening—we won’t tell.

What: "My Fair Lady"
When: Jan. 22-Feb. 3
Where: Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W Randolph St.
Call: 312.977.1700
Visit: www.broadwayinchicago.com

Biketopia

We wish we were a little more earthy-crunchy.  We wish we had a wardrobe that was functional, reasonably priced, and not excessive (no comment). We recycle.  We never litter.  And we like to learn about healthy living.  Reason enough to check out the Critical Mass Art Show, a car-free, urban-biketopia exhibit.  Groovy.

What: Critical Mass Art Show
When: Jan. 11-Feb. 29
Where: Mercury Cafe, 1505 West Chicago Ave.
Call: 312.455.9922
Visit: www.chicagocriticalmass.org