post-lent binge.

Sooo my creativity has been FAR from flowing lately, as I feel like I'm experiencing a permanent hangover/depression since the return from my trip (not to mention I have been catching up on the abundance of work that I have negelected in my last month and a half of travelling...).

On a happier note...4 day week! Thank the Lord (literally)!

No work on Friday, thanks to the Easter festivities (?) beginning...and banks/markets being closed! Hallelujiah! I will be heading home immediately after work tomorrow, in anticipation of spending my entire weekend being fed and taken care of by ML (can.not.wait). Not to mention, what better place to spend a sunny spring weekend than in the burbs!?

What am I looking most forward to about my weekend (Other than spending some serious QT with the fam)?? My Easter basket...DUH!

Easter candy is fabulous. Not only is it yummy, but it's bright (clearly that portion won me over) and cheery at the same time!

Below entails the contents of my Easter basket (I know this, because ML will ask me to go purchase the goods to go IN the baskets circa 8 pm on Saturday...and NATURALLY, I will pick all of the things that I want!)

1. Teenee Beanee Jelly Beans...The Americana Medley

2. Starburst Jelly Beans (Yes, I LOVE jelly beans. And YES I need both kinds in my Easter basket....don't judge)

3.. Cadbury Mini Eggs (SO yummy...until your mouth starts to hurt from eating so many....details details)

4. Peeps

5. Hershey's Bliss Milk Chocolate Eggs

6. If my cousin that is allergic to peanut butter wasn't going to be there...Reeses' Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures... single tear. (Good thing I bought a package of them last night and devoured nearly the entire thing already...perhaps the reason I was up half the night with a piercing stomach ache?)

7. And last but certainly not least....Haagen Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream. No, I'm not out of my mind...if you recall, I gave up ice cream for my lenten sacrafice this year, and come Sunday, it will have been 40 days and 40 nights since I have last had that deliciousness in my mouth (that's what she said). So, YES, I am going to ask that some ice cream be hidden in my basket. And I thought I would request vanilla, since it will go best with all of the other flavors the Easter Bunny is dropping off for me!

I hope you all have just as much success with your Easter baskets as I plan! (This post really goes to shit if ML decided to one-up me this year, and do the shopping herself...I guess we will find out on Sunday).

I wish you all the best of luck in your last few days of lent!

peaceloveandgchat.

C

Everyone has flaws.

Ok, so as we all know, I am a huge Shopbop shopper. There are times, however, I question Shopbop's buyers. See examples below.

Like this Long Denim Floral Skirt by Kettle Black. C, do I recall you telling me you asked ML to put this in your Easter basket?

Eugenia Kim's Serena Denim Bow Headband. No. Though I do picture C-Mac trying to pull this look off (and quite possibly succeeding).

Most practical jacket ever? Yes.

Heinous.

Sorry Rebecca Minkoff, but I think I'll pass on the leopard jeans. (HLR might disagree. . .)

Hmm. . .Lace Knickers.

These remind me of the platform RocketDog flip flops I wanted in 6th grade. . .pretty nast.

I still don't get these.

There are soo many more fugly things, but I will spare you. . .for now.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Peep Show

Though I am not a huge fan of eating the little bunny marshmallows (kinda freak me out), what's Easter candy season without Peeps?!

Check out the Washington Post's Annual Peeps Diorama Contest - I wish I was this creative!

(Thanks L!)

PEEPSloveandgchat.

R

Why Hello

It was 5:30 a.m. last Friday morning and I was walking through security at the airport, casually checking my work email, making sure I covered everything before taking a week off for a little R&R in FL. Everything seemed to be a-ok until I stumbled upon this email:

Why hello,

I finally remembered to email you about my little problem. i live across the street from your office and a couple of months ago i got my kite stuck in you trees, this happened in October or November, the next day i tried to get my kite, but it was gone. i decided that i would ask you if you have found any purple/blue/yellow kites laying around. if so please tell me. sorry for the tardiness of this letter. it would be great if i could get my kite back, it meant a lot to me. thanks again. ps in the attachments is a really rough sketch of the kite.

(That really is the attachment of the "rough sketch" of the "kite.")

Umm, excuse me, but WHAT?! I can't even comment about this.

I'll let this email sink in with you for a bit.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

We're Baaaaaack!

Wow. We have severly missed COTPG! Not to worry - we're back in action today (after we check our work emails / gmail. . .sorry, but we're just sooo popular).

peaceloveandgchat.

C&R

catlovers anonymous.

It might appear that R and I have a thing for cats, but we really don't. As a matter of facts, I truly despise cats and everything about them. However, apparently there is a whole world of cat lovers out there (Clearly nobody that I am friends with), that want people to know about their weird fetish for a dog's purring enemy.

EJB works for a fashion brand, and has the pleasure of receiving some of the inquiry emails for said brand. Lucky EJB apparently is a victim of the wrath of this weird cat fetish that people have....Here is the ridiculous email that she was given the honor of reading this morning:

"Prob. a dumb question that no-one has any time for but here goes. The Facebook cat loving community has said they hear that "brand" loves Bengals. Is it True? And is there a picture of him with one? We FB catlovers sometimes amuse ourselves by posting celebrity pics with cats to each other..."

WHAT are these people smoking?! Get a life. And a dog.

peaceloveandgchat.

C

Surprise! Happy 100th!

We've made it through 100 posts without you (the people that give us our inspiration for most of our posts) knowing! (looks like C is better at keeping secrets than we thought...). We REALLY wanted to wait until one of you stumbled upon it during your equally as boring work days, but C's patience slowly dwindled. Sorry for keeping it from you! Actually, sorry, we're not sorry. Enjoy!

peaceloveandgchat.

C&R

Mamma C

Due to the fact that I was up for nearly 2 hours in the middle of the night, for no reason at all, I am mentally incapable of writing something remotely witty. That being said, I am going to share an email with you that I wrote 2 days ago (when I felt like I had a few brain cells). I am most certainly the "mom" of our group of friends, and always have been. This email was written in preparation for the girls trip 7 of us are going on next Wednesday to St. Thomas (round 2)!!!! Gotta keep the girls in line, and the information rolling (they'd be lost without me. its true). I'm just glad my mom doesn't write quite as ridiculous emails to me (I may have been slightly delirious at the time). Enjoy:

Hola Bitches!

First things first. 8 DAYS! WAHOO!!!! I seriously cannot wait until we are all together sitting our pale, not so toned bodies on the beach (look out cabana boys!) hahaha!!!

I just wanted to write to everyone with some 411! (Most of you already know the drill, but J and M have yet to experience the glory that is St. Thomas and SB!)

Anyways, this is just another one of my ridiculously detailed "itinerary" emails. M, feel free to print and highlight this one as well!

1. Cell phones DO work down there, but are quite pricey! BBM is still free...sorry EJB!

2. Credit cards-i might suggest calling your credit card companies to tell them youre travelling. When i was there last week I purchased something (bling bling), and they turned my credit card off because of fraud alert (oops...i didnt tell them i was going away). Its another country so its good to prevent it from happening.

3. Money- Most of the bars are cash only, and the cabs are cash only. That being said...the bars are NOT expensive...the cabs ARE. We obviously will only be taking cabs to go out at night, and to the restaurant when we go out to dinner. NY Girls--CC, my moms driver, will be picking us up from the airport on Wednesday. He is going to be $25.00 per person, as his gong to stop at the grocery store and wait for us on the way. M and H-Ster-You will each be $15.00 per person, plus tip!...I would suggest that everyone take money out before leaving...I am going to bring $300.00 in cash (just to be safe!). And we do have a safe with a lock so dont worry about leaving spare or fabulous bling around the condo.

4. Passports- You don't need them, but feel free to bring them if you want.

5. Meals- ML has graciously purchased, marinated and frozen chicken and steak tips for us. That being said, we will have chicken one night for dinner, steak tips another night, and i was thinking we could do TACO NIGHT (with margaritas of course) a third night. Does anyone oppose to this?! And then we can go out to dinner one night! There are a few things that we need to buy ahead of time, and the rest we can get at the store there...M and H-Ster, we will go to the store and you guys can just pay us back! k?! I was thinking cereal for breakfast, to make it easy...and salads or PBJ's for lunch...?! Does anyone have any other requests?! (I'm also thinking I will be sending out a separate email interms of food...bet you can't wait for that to appear in your inbox!)

6. Towels- The beach will supply beach towels for us. However, the towels in the condo are tinyyyy and since they all look the same, it is kinda tough to tell whose is whose. Usually when we have a group this big, I ask that everyone bring one bath towel for themselves so that we dont get things confused, etc! (And so nobody ends up drying their body off with the same towel that CMac uses to dry her nunu)

7.NO BLACK-- This is really directed at AW, seeing as EJB and I have come to the conclusion that Ms. W is a bit confused about beach attire. It is spring break. We have been wearing black all winter. Leave it at home. I don't care if its fabulous and new...black makes us all look pale anyways---and you wouldn't want to ruin the pictures, would you?!! Embrace the sun and the heat and rock a fabulous neon or pastel---(annie those bright colors will look fabulous with your gold nails!)! And don't worry, I will bring "extras" from my ridiculously bright summer wardrobe (similar to dewey beach...)

8. Working out- This should have been done in the weeks BEFORE departing for St. Thomas. You are only fooling yourself if you think you are going to wake up at 6 am (the only time it is cool enough to run without dying of heat exhaustion), after being out drinking until 4 am, to go on a run. (see this picture if there is any confusion...and please note the struggle that they seem to be going through. And as a disclaimer, the 3 of them returned to the condo 8 minutes after departing for their run) J---this means you. I know you are preparing for a half marathon, but I truly think that you would be wasting valuable luggage space if you brought your sneakers. I'm just saying... (photo removed, for the sake of R's dignity)

I'm sure I have a few more pressing details to clutter your brains with, but I can't come up with them at the moment. If anyone has any questions, please let me know, and I will attempt to answer them! Forewarning...I am now (and have been for the last month) mentally (and sometimes physically) on vacation, so bare with me as I attempt to dysfunctionally relay information to you ladies!

I CANNOT wait til next week.

Adios Bitches,

XOXOX

C

Additions and comments were made in response to this email: (I have provided you with my personal input and responses to their comments)

H-ster says:

8. Working out- THANKS FOR THE REMINDER C (We all need a little push sometimes. It's crunch time!--no pun intended)

9. Will G be present next door? (G is a very confused, slightly younger than us boy whose parents own the condo next door. When we did a girls trip senior year, G decided it would be a good idea to show up at our door with a grocery bag of loose Mike's Hard Lemonade's...later (after kindly asking him to come back when we were done with dinner), he peered his head around the partition that separates our porches. He then proceeded to CLIMB over the railing and hop on our side of the porch, and sit down and smoke illicit drugs, while we all just sat and stared. Needless to say, I truly hope G will not be there this time.)

10. Have you made the playlist yet? (working on it)

11. No frowning allowed (duh, frowning is for sissys)

AW says:

7.NO BLACK--FALSE, black makes you look tan! Didn't you see Beyonce in the Single Ladies video?! (While you may be thinking, 'AW, Beyonce is NATURALLY a bit tanner than most,' A is actually kidding. She has just purchased this black Re Collection Bodysuit from the Bop, and wants nothing more than to wear it on this trip with her cutoff JORTS from Jcrew. Unfortunately for her, I will be hiding that package when it comes)

M says:

C, i expect you to take pictures of the clothing that both you and CMac are bringing. please upload to our secret webpage. thanks. (I'm organized, but not THIS organized. Better luck next time, M)

I know, I know. You're either thinking, 'C, you're the best!' or 'C, take it easy.' But then again, I guess R is right, We're All Neurotic!

peaceloveandgchat.

C

Shopping the Bop.

With the weather so incredibly amazing in Chicago right now, I can't help but think about my spring / early summer wardrobe. And what do you know - Shopbop has some great new arrivals and naturally, I want a few things.

This Tibi Josephine Blazer is cool. Granted, not everyone can pull it off (including me), but I love it nonetheless. With the white dress it takes sophisticated to the fun level, which is a pretty good combo.

Milly is my all-time favorite designer. Recently, however, I have not been overly obsessed with anything - which is a new feeling in mine and Milly's relationship. I normally buy a Milly dresses a year - and all have been bright, colorful, fun and I never want to take it off. Though Milly's collections have been a little off in my book lately, I do like this Belted Miniskirt.

This Shoshana dress is cute - maybe for a late afternoon booze cruise on the lake this summer? Looks perfectly nautical.

I live in flats most of the year, and I'd love to add these DVF Nika Sequin Python Print Flats to my collection.

Happy Shopbop shopping!

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Can't.Put.It.Down.

Literally. This book is soo good / interesting / makes you think about things the way you never thought you'd think about them! (Was that a toungue twister?)

Please head out and buy a copy. Or order on Amazon. Now. And if you can't wait until after work to buy it or are impatient for it to come in the mail, head over to the New York Times Freakonomics Blog.

Mindboggling!

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Flirty Fingers

I got a mani / pedi last night and just have to piggy back on C's post a few weeks ago. . .essie's 2009 Neon Collection is where it's AT! I am utterly obsessed with my fingers and toes right now (which is saying a lot because normally I complain that my hands are fat / ugly and that feet are, in general, disgusting).

I went into the nail place last night hoping they'd have essie Short Shorts. Sadly, they did not, so I had to "settle" with Flirty Fuchsia. HA! Settle my bum. I LOVE this color! I love it so much I emailed I picture of my hands to C bright and early this morn (weird, I know) because I just had to share. (I then went on to forward it to my sister L, but that is neither here nor there.)

Now, to be honest, it is really bright. Like, REALLY. A little much, some might say, for March in Chicago. But I figure, I'll be in FL in a mere 2 days (!!) so peeps can calm down and just deal with my flirty fingers until then.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

apparently it IS easy being green.

Every St. Patty's day I am in the same predicament...WHAT am I going to wear to show my Irish pride?! And then, I put on something blue or turquoise and pretend it is green. (Green just really isn't my color) And just as I predicted, I have done the same this year.

...and then, I come into work and am browsing some stores online, only to find the perfect outfits for today's festivities! (Not so much the luck of the irish, eh?). Like this DVF Aggie Dress in Jungle Flower Green. Added to Shopbop today! ($345.00-might have to wait for that to go on sale!)

Or this Milly Palm-Print dress for $320.00 from Bloomies!


A little more in my price range, this Rainforest Morning Shirtdress from Anthro, is only $158.00!

And lastly, I love the color of this Cotton Utility Shirt in "Bright Meadow" from Banana! (also in my price range at $59.50!)

Looks like I will be prepared for March 17th next year!

peaceloveandgchat.

C

Top O' The Mornin' To Ya!

To all of our fellow Leprachauns, HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

(And to those of you who don't have the Luck of the Irish in you, we will make an exception for you on this festive holiday!)

Grab your St. Patty's Day Flare, and hit the bars for some green beer!

peaceloveandgchat.

C&R

A Madness to the Madness

I'm helping out C with her NCAA College Hoops (felt cool saying that) bracket. I placed 2nd in my pool last year, so it is only natural for C to want my expert opinion. There's a real science behind my picks and no matter what, I tend to be biased in one way or another. Excerpts from our gchat convo:

C: clemson vs. missouri. what do you think? clemson has a higher percentage but not by much
R: i picked missouri. because of CMac is from the STL.

C: wtf is UNLV
R: no idea. ugly name
C: seriously. they are the Runnin' Rebels (obviously a reason not to pick them to win the round)

C: this bracket is too stressful

C: michigan st vs maryland?
R: michigan st. i hate maryland for some reason
R: their mascot is ugly.

C: vandy or butler to play syracuse?
R: don't remember what i did, but i say...butler because vandy has some snobs
C: and i dont like their colors

Clearly, I have a great system going and have now taught C how to pick her bracket in a way that makes the absolute most sense.

Let me know if you need any help with yours.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Pushing your Chuck.

It's time for Daily Intel's Gossip Girl Recap! The Highlights:

Realer Than an “Elbow Incident” in the First Official Hookup Between Two Nerds: (I don't really even know what to say about this situation)

• We just had to get this out of the way: The slutty singleton from Lily’s building is a voodoo priestess from an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent! This must mean something. No points, but we assume this means that she'll put a love spell on Rufus in an upcoming episode, and that Lily will have to knock him out of it by splashing a glass of Chardonnay in his face. (I KNEW there was something fishy about this lady--once again, I.do.not.like.her)

• Nate: “But Bart told you your mother died in childbirth!”Chuck: “He also told me kids wear suits to kindergarten and blue-chip stocks are great for birthday gifts.” Plus 2. (TYPical)

“Careful S, you may think you know what’s best, but this time, you might just be pushing your Chuck.” Oh! Gossip Girl! Have you been there the whole time? No points — just, we forgot. (Almost as good as the time that Chuck whispered, "Looks like you've just hooked yourself a Bass.")

Faker Than a College Freshman Having an Uncovered Bowl of Freshly Whipped Cream in His Refrigerator That He Claims He Just Found Out About (SERIOUSLY. WHO happents to have 3 separate bowls of whipped cream, strawberries and chocolate in a refrigerator that they claim to not know existed?!)

• No, seriously, why does everyone on this show constantly eat waffles!? Minus 1. God, to be young again. All we are allowed to eat in the morning now is disgusting cardboard-tasting Kashi cereals that help us not get more fat while still somehow helping maintain the regularity of our poops. Sigh. (I only like this because I was eating my Kashi cereal as I read this. And it does indeed taste like cardboard)

• Are we to believe that Nate and Serena had sex in the kitchen? Why are their clothes still on? And why is Nate’s hair tousled exactly the way it was tousled before? And why, even though Serena is wearing boy shorts, does she wrap herself in a blanket to talk to Blair? And yet leave four of her top buttons unbuttoned? We at least hope they threw out the pair of Nate’s socks they used to clean up with. Minus 6. (No comment)

• Let’s go through what’s fake about this freshman dorm party: (AMEN to each and every one of the following statements. Last time I checked, that was NOT what parties looked like in college)

1. It’s well-lit.

2. There are decorations, and lots of them. The only people who bother to put up elaborate decorations for theme parties like that are student organizations and the school itself, i.e., not the kind of parties where they serve 19-year-olds liquor.

3. People can hear one another.

4. There are no fatties. (Still, Gossip Girl, you owe us more shirtless hotties. It’s been so, so long since we’ve seen firm, peach-fuzzed college-age torsos. That aren’t Eastern European and on the Internet.)

5. Dan is wearing a shirt. Nobody as fit as him would wear a shirt to that party, especially someone who spent all summer after season one working out to look good for a bad thriller remake freshman year.

6. There is someone mixing drinks in a little mixer and pouring them into precious little plastic colored martini glasses, as opposed to people serving themselves from a keg, or some gross punch bowl filled with grain alcohol and Crystal Lite. There are even mojitos being made, with muddled mint leaves. AND STRAWS.

7. It is barely full of people. A semi-nude costume party with free booze freshman year in a huge, decorated room? It would be crowded like the 6 train at rush hour, and just as hot. But in a good way. Minus 50.

• Serena: “Our drinks would be nice, maybe some bread for the table.” Blair: “You haven’t eaten bread since middle school.” Actually, we saw her eat bread last episode. But since it’s a good line, we’ll let it slide. (HA. Was thinking the exact same thing!)

• Why is there all this fuss about Jenny and nobody’s talking about how Serena just up and left and is living at Eleanor’s? Minus only one (Umm yes and why is Serena allowed to jump Nate on Eleanor's living room couch?!)

• Ew, Serena and Nate broke a dresser? That’s impressive — hotel furniture is sturdy for exactly that reason. Minus 4. (Not only is this absurd, but this information was presented to us by Nate as he was consoling Serena about her long lost father. There was just something so wrong about the way Nate went from "I'm so sorry" to "we've been having so much fun that we broke my dresser.")

SO much going on in this episode. Can't wait til next week!

peaceloveandgchat.

C

Totes Toting.

I'm starting to pack. Ehh, actually I'm starting to think about packing. (Clearly, I am sitting here on my couch, writing and watching the premiere of "Pretty Wild" - which by the way is a horribly stupid show and the mom has crazy eyes.)

Anywho. I am having trouble packing for a few reasons. One, I always have trouble packing. So that's a rough start. Two, the weather in Florida has been a little fickle lately. Three, I always end up bringing wayyy too much of one thing - whether it be dresses, beach coverups or bathing suits - I can never figure out a happy medium.

So far, I have a few items I know I'm throwing (actually - folding perfectly - a little OCD when it comes to that. . .) into my L.L. Bean Duffle.

My white J.Crew Ankle Stretch Toothpick Jeans are a must. I LOVE white jeans - so easy to dress up and down.


Possibly throw them on with this Velvet Tatum Tee and gold Jack's for a golf cart ride around town?


I'm excited to wear this Phillipa Dress I picked up at Calypso (on sale - woop!) the other day:



I also know I'll be bringing two (oops) pairs of my favorite sandals - J.Crew's Tabitha metallic Leather T-strap Sandals in gold and black.


Regardless of what I'm sporting on my bod, I'll totes be toting my Lilly Pulitzer Original Tote.


Welp, it's a start. And (sadly) I still have 4 days to figure it out. . .

peaceloveandgchat.

R

holy depression

Your typical hungover, rainy Sunday afternoon (SSS as CMac calls it), and what do my friends and I do?! Head to the nearest movie theater to see the newest love story playing. After an especially drowning weekend (seriously haven't seen that much rain in a LONG time), we chose to see what some of the group thought would be a happy love story, 'Remember Me' with the ever so sexy Robert Pattinson! Those who were under that impression had clearly been steered in the wrong direction. Lucky for me, R told me about the end of the movie thanks to the spoiler she read online. And let me tell you...its a GOOD thing she did, otherwise I would have crawled into the lap of my roomie, A, and cried into her sweatshirt (I may or may not have done this anyways). Bottom line-with the exception of a few steamy sex scenes (R Patz sans shirt certainly puts a smile on my face), and Pierce Brosnan strutting his stuff in some white linen pants, the movie was not quit the happy love story that we needed to pep us up on a depressing Sunday afternoon! I cried like a baby....then headed to the nearest bar for a much needed drink.

If you still plan on seeing it, don't forget your box of tissues!

peaceloveandgchat.

C

4 days. . .

Dear Work Week,

Please go by super fast. Thanks a bunch.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Never Gets Old.

H-Ster sent this to us a few months ago. It is utterly amazing.



You're welcome.

peaceloveandgchat.

C&R

Paper & Fonts.

I LOVE paper products & fonts. Stationery, invitations, cute napkins, cards - all of it. I know we already told you about iomoi, but I am going to bring it up again because it is a definite go-to for me when I am on the prowl for new stationery cards. iomoi makes white cards with great graphics centered on the top of the card - and you can customize them with your name, initals, etc.

Here's their cute Circle Pattern Pink and Orange:

Have a little more fun with the Double Ling Elephants:

Or the Cowboy Boot:

I could totally see my friend B (of Peppermint Bliss!) using the cowboy boot cards, as she is a hardcore Texan. She's actually the one who introduced me to Mr. Boddington back in September. Mr. Boddington's Studio has some amazingly creative ideas for weddings, baby announcements, holiday cards and (of course) stationery. Check out this Miss Bardot Bridal Shower invite and the Mischief in the Crib Baby Announcement! Adorbs!

Paper Source is another fav for stationery. Apparently I'm into elephants right now. . .look at these little guys!

I like this (but I will definitely not like turning 40):

When I'm in the mood to peruse stationery in person, I head straight to All She Wrote, a shop in Lincoln Park and Winnetka. I would love to open a shop like All She Wrote one day - but have it be half stationary and the other half cute clothes. Ha.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Let the Games Begin!

I LOVE games. I have been trying to instill "Game Night" with my friends for quite some time now. (I am having a hard time trying to explain why playing charades for 3 hours would be fun...but trust me, it is!). I do, every once in a while, have some success, and have gotten my friends to admit to enjoying the occasional game (most of the time this is drinking enduced, but to make myself feel better, I will pretend they are doing it willingly). Honestly though, what could be more fun than spending some QT with the ones you love, and getting some good game-laughs out of it?! Some of my more succesful attempts at an impromptu "Game Night":

TableTopics are a GREAT game to play with your friends. Not only do they get the conversation started (not that you should have issues coming up with something to talk about with your BFF's), but they come with different themes, and it's fun to improvise the questions on the cards! Design Darling just about read my mind in her post about this great creation! I have the "Girls Night Out" edition. Not so fun for the boys, but that's where creativity comes into play...R, maybe you could get P the "Golf Table Topics To Go!"

And if you're feeling like challenging yourself a bit more, Bananagrams is the greatest game (and easy to travel with---comes in a small banana like pouch!). And if you get bored with just making words, you can mix this up too! 2 vs. 2. Or even come up with themes for the words. (After a fewwww too many margaritas one afternoon, my friends and I may or may not have played "dirty" Bananagrams....I'm just saying...) Go Bananas!

And I can't forget the crowd pleaser...Catch Phrase! This could keep a group entertained for days! (Be careful when travelling with this game...R once forgot to take the batteries out, and it sounded like a bomb was ticking in her bag...no joke!)

I wish you all more luck than I have had in convincing my friends to spend hours on end practically sitting on top of each other playing these games. And if you do have luck, please invite me!

peaceloveandgchat.

C

Fat Tire & The Best Pizza On Earth

It's only 11 a.m. and I'm already thinking about dinner. Typical.

Tonight I am headed to one of my all-time favorite restaurants in Chicago - Bricks. Located on the cusp of Lincoln Park and Old Town, it is a perfect Thursday night spot. For one, their pizza is to die for, and two, it is half price Fat Tire night. They have the large 22 oz. bottles there - normally $8 - and I will be enjoying a frosty cold one (or two?) for only 4 bucks - pretty good deal!

The pizza isn't Chicago deep dish - it's thinner crust (but not crackery thin or anything) - and is just perfect. My absolute favorite on the menu is the "Painful" - topped with spicy pepperoni, purple onion, fresh jalapeno, garlic, tomato sauce and mozzarella. Considering I put tobasco sauce on everything (even my cottage cheese everyday - yum!), you can see why I adore this pie.

Other delicious pizzas I love are the Red Planet (sausage, red pepper, purple onion, goat cheese, tomato sauce and mozzarella) and the Popeye (fresh spinach, tomatoes, roasted garlic, tomato sauce, feta and mozzarella). Bricks also has awesome baked goat cheese with marinara and garlic toast, and I always can go for a good caprese salad. My stomach is making noises while I type this! (A little awkward for my coworkers who I sit 2 feet away from - sorry I'm not sorry.)

Dinner can't come soon enough!

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Milk-a-What?!

I dont even really have anything to say about this that hasn't already been said. But come ON LL. Get your shit together. Do you really think that you are going to get $100 million for claiming that some chubby blonde baby girl is mocking you?! (News flash. You are an anorexic, freckly red head. That baby does NOT resemble you one bit.) Pipe down crazy lady.

Sidenote: This commercial used to make me laugh every time I watched it. Now I just think of alcoholic LL and her lover, Sa-MAN.

peaceloveandgchat.

C

C Wants Me to Call this Post J.Crook.

Per usual, I was checking out J.Crew yesterday. All I can say is WOW. The J has some BALLS.

Here is their Deco Scallop Shell shirt. For $695.

It's a pretty shirt, don't get me wrong, but I think I'd rather buy a pair of Christian Louboutin's if I had that cash lying around in my clothes / shoes / accessories budget.

How about this La sequin crochet dress. . .would you pay a three night stay at the famed Beverly Hills Hotel ($1,400) for a dress? (I want to stay there sooOOooo badly. Trying to convince P to take a trip with me - I promise we can play golf!!)

And for just a mere $400 more, you can purchase this Leather sequin shift dress! ($1,800.)

I just don't get these designer prices when J.Crew isn't a designer label.

Sigh.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Hold Up.

While I was searching Google images for a Diet Coke can yesterday, I stumbled upon this:

Diet Coke with Bacon?! IS.THIS.FOR.REAL?

If you know any more information, please let me know. kthanks.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Rant.

Sorry, but I need to rant for a hot minute.

I put a Diet Coke in the office fridge before I left last night. When I went to put in my yogurt this morning, it was still there - great. This afternoon, I left my desk for all of TEN MINUTES and came back with a craving for my DC. I head to the fridge and what do I find? Not a Diet Coke, that's for sure (see that one coming?)

Wahhhhhh. I know I sound like a total baby for complaining about this, but seriously? Not only did someone steal my pop (yes, I say pop not soda), but the act seems deceivingly deliberate! The fact that I came back and it was gone. . .that is rather fishy.

I have a suspicion of who took it, and a few minutes ago I heard a can open from her office (coincidence?). . .

I know this happens to people in the workplace all the time, but this is my first, so let me be a baby about it. Thanks.

Ughh.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

The Hurt Locket.

Last night was a big night! Gossip Girl returned after an entirely too long hiatus! And while the epsiode itself was not all that I wanted it to be, I can always count on the Daily Intel Gossip Girl Recap for some hilarity to ensue.

I look forward to Monday's to watch GG, and Tuesdays to mock it. These bloggers really to catch just about every ridiculousness that is a part of this Monday night 1 hour of Upper East Side glamour. Here are a few of my favorites from this week's recap:

• Bart Bass bought his girlfriends lockets with his own face in it. HA. This reminds us of the most amazing piece of gossip we ever heard about Bruce Willis, which is that he once picked up a woman by whispering "Bruce" in her ear. Plus 10, because never underestimate the egoism of the rich and famous. (See: fat cat)

• We were worried that after the hiatus, the writers would try to bamboozle us into thinking that Serena — formerly nationally relevant skabimbo (Definition: cross between a bimbo and a skank. For examples, see Woods, Tiger: Mistresses Of) — had smartened up. But then Serena says "Text me your number" to Damien, even though neither of them appear to have the other's number. Plus 2. (Today's new favorite term: skabimbo. Not naming any names...)

• Ugh, Chuck has a pinkie ring. Plus 2. (ewe to men who wear jewlery that doesn't tell time or signify a marriage...future fat cats, take note)

• Plus 2 for Jenny's terrible pale-pink lipstick, which looks almost exactly like the zinc we wore to the beach in the fifth grade. It's almost as perfect as her Kiss of the Spider Woman dress. (I COMPLETELY disagreed! I loved the pink lipstick. WAY better than the trampy amount of eyeliner she used to wear. At least she doesnt look like a "skabimbo" now)

• Lily is sitting by the fire doing nothing but drinking a glass of Chardonnay when Rufus walks in. Plus 5. (Love this. It is all part of the slow downfall of inevitable alcoholism that is taking over Lily Van der Woodsen/Bass/Humphrey)

• Rufus flies with loose skis and poles, and no ski bag? No, they don't let you do that, even if your baggage claim ticket is for the "Brooklyn" portion of the storage bay. Minus 5. (HAHAHA. SERIOUSLY. I was thinking the exact same thing.)

• Is that slutty singleton from Lily's building carrying around an umbrella over her head when it isn't even raining? Minus 3. (I just appreciate this because that I hate that "slutty singleton." And I hate Rufus for going to her apartment.)

• Why does Blair only wear black and sequins in this episode? Minus 1. (I thought she looked good! It's about time she starts wearing something other than headbands with oversized bows on them)

All in all, the episode was blah, hoping for a bit more next week!

peaceloveandgchat.

C