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February 15th, 2008
We’ve always been a freak in the streets for delicious smellin’ goods. At one point it was Love’s Baby Soft. Not long after, vanilla frosting lip gloss. Then the Gap scents—remember those? We wore “Om” mixed with “Heaven” and were just so pleased with our cinnamon-sweet-and-fresh selves. Currently, we don’t even go to the grocery store or dry cleaners without a smidge of our Stella perfume. And our cabinets are stocked with Jonathan Adler Palm Beach Sunshine candles, to keep us dreaming of tropical places (available at Art Effect, 934 West Armitage, btw). It all really comes down to knowing what works. What makes everything just a little bit nicer. And what truly makes us feel like we are presenting the best version of ourselves to the world (NARS in “Dragon Girl” red). Which is why you can bet that everything we write about is signed, sealed, and delivered to your inbox with passionate approval. Steadfast love and devotion. And slightly obsessional daily usage. |
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Chicago Picks: |
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| 1 | An Engaging and Kinetic Experience We don’t know what made us do it. The influence of cunning siblings? Possibly. Sheer boredom turned “shear” adventurism? Likely. Snipping our own locks seemed like a great idea when we were seven. But expectations of a fashion-forward 'do quickly fell um, flat. And sort of spiky. And very uneven. For we had single-handedly created a mutation hybrid love child to A Flock of Seagulls and Sideshow Bob. But today, our sassy asymmetrical style is more hip, less mishap. Well-versed in everything ultramod, Plateau Blu's stylists know how to shake things up. Between their witty quips and the ginormous plasma screens, a trim is more of a party than an appointment. We could write a dissertation on how phenomenal the staff is, but let's just say they are just phenomenal. They brew java, pour wine, and are generous with their after-hours. And owner Mary Cruz is so unbelievably sweet that if she were a fashionably late entry into the election she’d have our vote. Plateau Blu |
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| 2 | A Little Bird Told Us For every exotic-themed restaurant and fancy-Nancy (yeah, we heart the books, too) cocktail lounge in which we twitter the nights away, we crave a quiet evening out with our favorite food and drink from the world over. Welcome to The Bluebird, the warmer side of the typical gastropub. The latest venture from the people behind Webster’s Wine Bar, The Bluebird features clean lines and hallway-style seating with rustic wood paneling and warm, intimate lighting (i.e. mini-oil lamps and a fireplace in the back room—yum). The menu follows suit. We devoured the goat’s milk mac’n cheese. Our fave, though? The mussels, served in an impossibly perfect spicy beer marinade that we were soaking up with our bread by the night’s end. Speaking of beer, The Bluebird’s strongest feature is its drink menu, which allows beer and wine to happily coexist. There are more than 50 beer selections—complete with descriptions—from every corner of the world; and the Argentinean pinot noir we had made us want to book a flight to South America. Hmmm… |
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| 3 | It’s My Aeroplane Ah, we so look forward to the day when we travel solely via private jet, curling up in plush leather seats as we nibble on caviar and cocktails and consider taking Josh (Hartnett), our handsome and supremely skilled pilot, up on his offer of dinner one night while we’re both in St. Bart’s. (A girl can dream, right?) Alas, our current reality is the crowded bump and jostle of commercial flying. Lucky for us, Flight 001 is there to make our trips easy and enjoyable. We were greedily grateful to discover the perfectly-sized Frederic Fekkai Bon Voyage travel set, packed with products that are under the TSA’s stern limit of three ounces each (heck, that doesn’t even cover our metallic eyeliner!) In-flight we’ll indulge in Aromaremedy’s Plane Defense, made from rosemary, tea tree and essential oils. Finally, after touching down on the tarmac, we can retire to our hotel with This Works Deep Calm Travel Candles—the best way to forget the beefy businessman who hogged the armrest. So until our flying fantasy comes true, we’ll stick with Flight 001 to keep us stylish, relaxed and looking like members of the Mile-High Club—very, very happy! Flight 001 |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | More Mustard, Please Our apartment is miniature, charming, and warm. And we delight in decorating, which is the best part about the whole no-more-roommates thing. That, and never feeling guilty about the dirty dish stash in the sink. ’Cause now, if we adore a dog-and-guitar painting—it’s going up. The world is our oyster. And Jill Dryer, a fab Chicagoan artist, brings a fantastic array of unique paintings and easy breezy soul and whimsy. |
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| 2 | C is for Cupcake It’s no secret we love, are addicted to, and devour cupcakes. Every day. But that’s okay! It’s okay. Because life is short and cupcakes are small. And they make us happy and fill us with colorful sprinkles. At Molly’s (opened in December), you can build your own cupcake (!) and pair it with a cup of Intelligentsia. Named after his grade-school teacher, owner John Nicolades' schoolhouse theme wins major gold stars with us. A++. |
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| 3 | We Wanna Be Martha Sometimes on “slower” Friday nights we like to do a “re”—recover a chair, reorganize our closets, restyle that forgotten clothing item. (A good bottle of red makes all this that much more fun—trust us!) So while we were sad to hear that Blueprint Magazine was kaput, we were ecstatic to learn that the blog lives on. We love the affordable and creative ideas for the home—a perfect little jolt of can-do for small winter projects. Bookmark it today and get creating, ladies! |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Graffiti For Your Mind The first time poetry graffiti’d our own mentality was Bob Dylan’s de lovely “Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie.” To experience your own poetic reckoning, head to Mental Graffiti, Chicago’s hippest monthly poetry slam/open mic for today’s best poets. John Sands is this month’s primo performer; prepare to be rocked and reckoned, sweets. |
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| 2 | Beer Snob One day we’d like to tour Napa, tasting wines and returning home waxing wine-o-sophic to our friends. Until then, we’ll go with what we know. And that’s beer. It started in high school (sorry Mom) and continued into college. Every Tuesday at Goose Island, there's (some) free beer served and a brewer on hand to learn from. What: Pub Beer Showcase at Goose Island |
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| 3 | Nudey Figurine Day The long Chicago winter can bring a lot of things. Boredom. Cabin fever. Chilly bones. Luckily though, there are plenty of activities to break the mold—if you dare! Such as searching for searching for nudey figures at the Art Institute and winning free tees. G-rated, risqué fun! What: Naked at the Art Institute Scavenger Hunt |
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| We feel like frozen snow kittens, just like you. But drop us a line and tell us what’s going on and the best way to warm up. We’d love to hear about your favorite spots, and love to be added as your Myspace and Facebook pals too! | |||
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