Tuesday, June 30, 2015

This weekend I:

Watched: FREAKS AND GEEKS...I am more than half way through and am getting sad. 
Listened: to the song 'Roses' by The Chainsmokers
Learned: I can feel like myself in Chicago 
Ate: an avocado biscuit from Bang Bang 
Read: not Of Mice and Men because I couldn't anymore :( 
Drank: iced coffee and it was so yummy!!
Thought: I have only have a 4 day work week 
Wished: my friend Deanna could be here in Chicago with me 
Realized: sometimes you just need to have a dance party on Sunday night while blogging 
Bought: makeup and clothes because I am weak and went to Ulta and Forever 21

Monday, June 29, 2015

Chicago Instagram Spot: Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park

Hello, hello! How are we today? 

I am excited to talk about another one of the amazing places I have been exploring since moving to Chicago. I think the coolest thing about this move is how much Instagram has been a part of it. Instead of buying guidebooks or using Google or Tripadvisor, my main source of info has come from Instagram. Thank goodness for geo-tagging!! 

To keep track of the places I want to visit, I have begun to use Yelp and Pinterest too. I feel like the possibilities are endless exploring with these as my resources. Plus, the info I find won't really go out of date since I can look at the geo-tags in live-time. 


First up, the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park! It is a great little spot to walk, run, and explore nature. It isn't too long but a nice change of scenery, plus it leads you right to the (free) Lincoln Park Zoo! 

The boardwalk was built in 2010 and has become a well-known site in Chicago. If you look hard enough, you can find 17 different species of butterflies...I only saw two so I guess I have to go back to find the rest! 

I first saw this spot on the account of Rach.esq on Instagram and knew I had to go check it out! I knew it would look a little different from her shot because of the change of season, but I was surprised at how small it was. There wasn't a good of a view to the city as I had expected but it was still pretty awesome! 



Keep checking back to see the other spots I found on Instagram that are must-sees in Chicago! 

Monday, June 22, 2015

This weekend I:

It has been almost a year since my last post like this and I missed it....who would have guessed so much would have changed since I was writing that post in London? So crazy! 
Watched: Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood with my nephew
Listened: to people getting upset because our flight was delayed to Chicago 
Learned: that I can live far away from my family and still be a part of it
Ate: veryyyyyyy unheathly 
Read: Of Mice and Men (at least attempted to..it is dragging)
Drank: a peach green tea from Starbucks 
Thought: What will it be like when I go back to my Chicago life after time back home 
Wished: I could be in two places at once, at my new job and with my nephew in PGH
Realized: Just breathe and relax and everything will be better than if you freak out when something goes wrong
Bought: new earbuds in the airport because I lost mine :,( 

Monday, June 15, 2015

Starting my career!

Holy cow...writing that post title was so strange. I am not just starting a new job but starting my career, post-college! How crazy is that? Even with all the change, today I cannot stop smiling. That might change tomorrow. Or the next day. Or next week. But I have decided to just be happy when I feel it rather than preparing for something to go wrong or for me to miss home again.

I have learned so much during my short time at Yelp. I have become stronger and less afraid. I have also become more self-conscious and less sure of who I am. But it all seems to be what I need. I like challenging myself. And, although I complain about it (sorry, mom!) I always seem to push myself beyond my comfort zone and am proud of that.

I'm not sure how this connects but I just feel like it does. I started running again. Chicago seems to be the perfect city for running. The trail by the lake is so motivating and it is a way to get out all my excitement and extra engergy that work has been bringing me. I am not sure if I will keep up with it, but I hope that I do.

Alright, that's enough rambling for today. Check back later this week if you want to know what a Wonut is :)

Friday, June 12, 2015

Exploring: Lakeview

Hello, I am so glad to be all settled into my new Chicago neighborhood, Lakeview. It is a strange feeling to be walking the streets, knowing that I live here and I am not just visiting. In an attempt to let that feeling sink in, I took a walk around the area.

First off, Lakeview is BEAUTIFUL! Second, how do I live here? Haha, okay but seriously, I just want to walk down every street and take a picture of each building.


To just name a few things around me, there is Wrigley Field, Lake Shore Drive, and Belmont Harbor. Plus, there are tons of coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques! The streets are always filled with people (even at night when I am trying to sleep, haha). 

Lastly, I love the green space and art that is incorporated into each street. There isn't a corner without something to look at and I really love that. 


That's all for now but I can't to explore more and share more beautiful neighborhoods with you! 

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Caffeine Kick: Intelligentisa Coffee

All week I have been wanting to try out the Intelligentisa Coffee Bar that is in my new neighborhood! With my first Sunday morning in Chicago being a cold, rainy one...I got coffee, of course, and it was amazing.

Intelligentisa is one of the larger coffee places I have been to. There were plenty of seats, outlets, and room to people watch. I got a brewed coffee (for free with the app "Popular Pays") and a pastry.  Both were delicious. The coffee was quite strong for me, but with a good amount of sugar, it was perfect. To make this place even better, they had awesome music playing! Right as I sat down to enjoy my coffee "Under Pressure" by Queen started playing.



I cannot wait to come back and try a latte and another pastry! I may even have to grab one of their cool mugs with "Intelligentisa" on one side and the Chicago flag on the other.

Sunday, June 7, 2015

My first week in Chicago.

Hello! Long time, no post. At least this time I have a good excuse....I have moved to Chicago. The past few weeks have been filled with sorting, packing, cleaning, planning, and phone calls (many, many calls to Uhaul).

I can't believe I am actually here and everything worked out. Not only that but I have been here a week and worked 40 hours at Yelp (separate post to come about my new job)! That is crazy to me...It hasn't been the easiest week but it most definitely was a week full of learning and adjusting.

One of the hardest things for me is knowing that I have left my family for an indefinite period of time. Studying abroad helped me prepare for leaving home but it didn't help me prepare for moving away and not knowing if I will ever live in the same city as my family again. I mean, I know that I will be home in a few weeks to visit, but it just isn't the same and that is going to take a little while to take used to. One thing that I realized is that the more I accept the fact that I am allowed to feel sad, the less sad I feel.

I also find that the more I get out and explore Chicago, the less I am sad about being here alone. I will find my places here in the city, I just have to look for them. I had a similar feeling in London  (I actually feel a lot better than when I first got to London). I have no doubts that all of this will click and with that experience I think that I will figure this all out faster and more easily.

Below are just photos of how awesome my family is (hehe)! My whole family helped me move into my new place. Then after my first week at my new job, I came home and received flowers from my grandparents!