chicago love 2012 // the sights

1.// Chicago from the Skydeck in Willis (Sears) Tower. 2.// It was a little scary stepping out onto the ledge: it helped to look out instead of down! 3.// The husband and I strike a pose. 4.// We took a taxi to Millennium Park. So many beautiful flowers! 5.// The Bean! 6.// Between the park and the Field Museum, we stopped for some Italian Ice. Strawberry + lemon = delish. 7.// Red tongue! 8.// Sue, the largest and best preserved Tyrann0saurus Rex at the Field Museum. 9.// A beautiful shaul in a cultures of the world display. 10.// I love this pottery! It’s inspired a terra cotta painting project. 11.// Hotel for men only–I think the Blues Brothers stayed here.

Our last day in Chicago was spent seeing everything we could see. Our first stop was breakfast at Yolk where I had a delicious eggs benedict. A few blocks later, we found ourselves at Willis Tower where we took a trip up to the 103rd floor to see Chicago from way in the sky. It was an amazing sight to see! It was a little foggy so visibility was down, but it was still worth it. I didn’t come home with any souvenirs though–everything had Willis Tower emblazoned on it, of course, so I’m on the look out of a retro  Sears Tower mug!

Next, we took a cab to Millennium park to see The Bean. It made for some fun photos, and there were so many people milling about, happy to be in the city. On our way to the Field Museum, we snagged some Italian Ice and saw a Segway tour speed by. The Field Museum was my favorite stop of the day–but we only got through two displays! I would have loved to see the Opening the Vaults: Mummies and the Genghis Khan presentations–maybe next time. I know we’ll be back to the city!

Night included another trip to The Bad Apple and some fun with friends from the comic convention. The next day, we made it out of the city by about 9am, and made the long trip back to the ‘ol Springfield, Mo.

But not before we hit up the fabulous Pink Elephant antique store outside of East St. Louis!

1.//The actual pink elephant. 2.// This tea kettle was adorable! 3.// I love this blue scarf. I wish I had bought it now–it was only $3. 4.// Nerd alert: The Exciting World of Metrics lunchbox! 5.// The Tastee Treat! You can shop and get ice-cream!

We had a very good time in Chicago. I hope I get to go back soon–in fact, I might start planning a trip with my friend Molly to hit up the Randolph Street Market! Thanks for following along with us–I hope you enjoyed the photos!

chicago love 2012 // part deux

1.// Broadway Antique Market in Chicago. I actually spent most of my time shopping at Edgewater Antique Mall. Both were fun! 2.// I am searching for affordable vintage globes so I can add some masculine decor around the house. 3.// I nearly bought these shoes, but my feet were so blistery I couldn’t tell if they’d be comfortable or not! 4.// I love collections of things contained in pretty holders. Can anyone come up with a project for all of those old radio/tv dials? 5.// I would have loved to have brought home this owl vase, but it was too pricey! 6.// Geek moment: the Biology major in me went gonzo over this mitosis instructable! 7.// Two fab hand bags I almost came home with. But I couldn’t decide which, so I said neither! 8.//So. Many. Outfit. Possibilities. 9.// After shopping, we had dinner at The Bad Apple. 10.// I had The Frenchie. 11.// Wes had the Red Dragon. Yum!

Wes and I spent Day 2 in Chicago apart, he at the convention and myself shopping the Chicago vintage & antique scene. It was a little challenging to do the driving in such a large place, and the Saturday traffic was pretty thick. Overall, let’s just say thank goodness for Google and the iPhone! Anytime I had any trouble I just whipped it out and typed my question, like “paying for parking in Chicago”. Saved me a lot of fumbling at the meter trying to figure out if it was a quarter only situation and such.

I found some fabulous glassware, a Lucite tray, and a vintage wrap dress. The dress requires a tad bit of repair, so maybe a tutorial is in the future!

Next, we headed downtown so I could venture into Topshop and Urban Outfitters. Before we knew it, we were starving. Wes suggested we eat at The Bad Apple, a bar in northern Chicago. If you are ever in the area, I definitely recommend The Frenchie–brie, spinach, and truffle mayonnaise made for a fabulous burger! We returned for a second time the next night, and while Wes got adventurous and tried a new burger, I had The Frenchie again. It was so delicious, I actually left fries on the plate–both times!

Chicago sights to come!

xoxo Cat

happy birthday bea!

Happy Birthday to the most beautiful, sweet, creative sister in the whole wide world! I love you ever so! We aren’t together to celebrate on the very day, but we did get to celebrate about a month early when I took her to an Avett Brothers concert here in Springfield, Missouri. They are her favorite band, and are quickly becoming mine too!

1.// Bea and I before leaving for the concert. 2.// Bea (and our mommy!) ecstatic before the show even began! 3.// Stage shot. Next time, we’re getting floor tickets!

 So, happy birthday Bea! Next time she logs into post on ceeceeandthebea, she’ll surely see this montage of man-candy I’ve put together for her!

photo c/o of Wikipedia

photo c/o of deathtonormalcy.tumbler.com

 photo c/o of  novemberblue.tumblr.com

1950’s style: dirndl skirts

Traditionally, a dirndl is a type of dress worn by women in places like Germany and Austria. If I described a traditional dirndl, you’d probably imagine a beer maid costume you might see around Halloween, or the garb worn by our favorite governess in The Sound of Music.

photo c/o sfgate.com

One thing I love about fashion is how much a certain style can influence a trend for many years to come. You can see the traditional dirndl in the classic full skirt paired with a crisp button down white shirt of the 1950’s! Nancy Drew probably wore a similar style. Elizabeth Taylor, too. And this style of dress is still worn today although such skirts have definitely taken a backseat to mini’s and maxi dresses and skinny jeans and pajama bottoms…

Dirndl Skirts of Old

photo c/o of  lilithezine.com

photo c/o of  lilithezine.com

Dirndl Skirts for the Modern Gal

photo c/o edithcherry.blogspot.com

photo c/o wkdesigner.wordpress.com

photo c/o of Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing.

Make the cute gingham skirt above with these instructions!

Or, you could snag this one over at OmniaVTG’s Etsy store!

photo c/o omnitavtg.esty.com

love, bea

chicago love 2012 // day one

1.// After driving all night, the sunrise in Joliet, Illinois was so beautiful to watch! 2.// Urban neighborhood right next to the interstate. 3.// Tulips downtown while waiting for breakfast. 4.// Fences and bridges on our way to shop. 5.// Magnificent blue skyscraper. 6.// Walking under a bridge. 7.// Lost in Chinatown. 8.// Amazing mural on 18th street. 9.// This blue door caught my eye on our walk to Knee Deep Vintage.

Our first day in Chicago was spent not according to plan. Wes thought the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo opened at 10am, but it turned out to be 1pm! So we had some time to burn. We decided to walk up 18th street to a store I wanted to visit called Knee Deep Vintage. It was a 3.3 mile walk (one way) that seemed like it would be quick at first but turned out to be quite the blister footed trek! It was so worth it though–I scored a fabulous vintage Chicago tee and saw some beautiful things (liked the Immigration Declaration mural and that bluest of blues front door!) walking through an old neighborhood called Pilsen. We made it back to the McCormick expo center just in time to swap out my flats for some sandals and make it to the “con” as my nerdy husband called it. About 15 minutes in, my phone died, so I didn’t get many snaps. I’m super bummed because there were some great costumes, like Stormtroopers from Star Wars and classic comic-book characters like Catwoman and Spiderman. It was actually a lot of fun! Wes got to meet one of his favorite artists, Steve Bryant, and we bought this comic of his that just got picked by Dark Horse. So we sorta met a celebrity! (I heard that Shia LaBeouf was there . . . incognito).

By the time 3pm rolled around (check in time at the Chicago South Loop Hotel) we were completely knackered. We made it to our hotel room, ordered some Connie’s Pizza  and watched The Princess Diaries 2! Oh–but not before I got completely lost in Chinatown trying to find a Walgreens!

Chicago Love 2012 Part Deux up next: all about my vintage-venutres!

xoxo cat

to do list for wednesday

Starting work in the middle of the week has thrown me for a loop! I figured I better whip up a to do list for tomorrow so that I can be sure to fully recoup from all of our travels.

1. Grocery shop . . . the only thing in our fridge when we returned was some old tuna salad and some Yoplait.

2. Tidy house . . . the cat may have had an encounter with approximately three rolls of toilet paper while we were away.

3. Unpack suitcases . . . bah humbug.

4. Laundry . . . gotta figure out which undies in the suitcase are clean . . . and which ones aren’t.

5. Finish labeling and editing Chicago photos. Check out this surprising shot . . . I didn’t even know I took it! I love all the black and white geometry as the backdrop for this black and white bird!

happy sounds: chicago tunes

There is nothing like a good song to bring back a fond memory or two about a place or a time in your life. That’s why I love love love making soundtracks! They’re great when you’re starting new project and need inspiration, or as a go-to motivator when you’re on a deadline. And of course, a road trip is not a road trip without a fabulous soundtrack!

Here’s the highlights of our Chicago Love 2012 Playlist.

Indiana Jones Theme

We’re an American Band by Grand Funk Railroad

Never Been Any Reason by Head East

Bungle in the Jungle by Jethro Tull

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

I Want You to Want Me by Cheap Trick

Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey

Carry on my Wayward Son by Kansas

The Final Countdown by Europe

Sweet Home Chicago by Foghat

All of our road trip playlists begin with the Indiana Jones theme. Ever symbolic of grand adventures, it was the song we played after we kissed at our wedding! Oooh. And there is nothing better than a little cowbell a la Grand Funk when you first hit the road. Fill in the middle with songs you can sing along to, and throw in “The Final Countdown” when you’re close to your destination and you have a golden soundtrack!

Get it all here!

Check back for my Chicago Love 2012 recap: I took around 300 pictures and I can’t wait to share!

xoxo cat

these are a few of my favorite things: chicago edition

We have had a very, very long day here in Chicago! To honor our epic all-night-drive-a-thon, here are some of my favorite road trip snaps:

Rarin' to go! Photo courtesy of husband of awesomeness.

I'm awake...I promise! Wes was very skeptical about handing the wheel back over just outside of Springfield (Illinois, not Missouri!)

Finally found 'em...Devil's Food Donettes!

"What's the name of the prison in the Blues Brothers?" It's Joliet!

Skyline.

Breakfast at 7am at White Palace Grill. Check it out! http://whitepalacegrill.com/

And the Top 3 things I learned today:

1. 40 blocks is far too long of a walk if you are wearing impractical shoes. i.e.: anything but tennis shoes!

2. 40 blocks outside of the downtown area means there are no cabs to take you back.

3. People really stick it out there and go when it comes to driving here in Chicago. Be aggressive, be be aggressive!

fancy knives need a fancy knife rack DIY

Wes and I recently moved to a new apartment with a super tiny kitchen. Our previous apartment had a kitchen replete with storage space–we even had a built in pantry that was so tall I couldn’t reach the top and so deep I couldn’t see the back! Our new kitchen has four drawers and four cabinets. And we arrived with a lot of Newlywed kitchen goodies that we no longer have space for!

So, as you can imagine, I try to find creative storage solutions that are also fun and pretty. Thus, I give you our fancy new magnetic knife rack!

*Note: If you are a parent of young children, owner of rambunctious, curious pets, etc., please use your discretion with this project. Having knives magnetized to the side of the fridge  could pose a danger to young children/elderly people/curious cats. Please use your own judgement, and know that ceeceeandthebea.wordpress.com is not responsible for any mishaps!

1. Find a piece of steel at your local hardware store that is large enough to hold your knife set (word to the wise: aluminum is not magnetic!)

2. Line one side of the steel with magnetic strips.

3. Select a pretty printed piece of fabric–make sure it’s big enough to fold over the sides to be secured on the back!

5. Using ceramic magnets, begin affixing the material to the back. These magnets will also be what hold your mechanism to the fridge, so they must be ceramic (i.e.: supah-strong!)

4. Make nice, neat folds when securing the corners.

6. Magnet to the fridge

7. Adorn with some cute buttons that have magnets glued to the back…

8. And add your knives!

I wish I could tell you how much this project cost, but we ran the gamut with magnets, as far as supplies go. At first, I tried to use magnetic strips on both sides, but it wasn’t nearly strong enough. So then Wes said he would get what we needed but ended up with something else (hey, the price was right). Finally we sucked it up and made our third magnet purchase (ceramic) and used them in combination with the strips. So we spent a ton of scratch on this project (probably like $35 to $40 dollars!). But for the materials we actually used, I’d say the project totals about $20.

Anyway, it’s in the ballpark of what these cost, and yet so so so so so so (a million times so!) much cuter . . .

Hopefully this helps you solve an itsie bitsie kitschy kitchen problem0!

xoxo cat

confessions of an over-packer

I don’t know about you ladies (and gents!) out there, but I am not a light traveler. I’ve been this way for as long as I’ve been old enough to dress myself.  I remember packing multitudes of pajama separates for sleep-overs that took place right across the street from my own house!

Fast forward to my twenties and I’m still a chronic over-packer. But my philosophy is that I just can’t predict A. the weather, B. my mood, and C. how much pizza I’ll be eating in Chicago.

Wait, what?! Did I just say Chicago?

Yes, yes I did!

Wes and I are leaving for the Windy City tomorrow night! I am so excited. I have never really spent a lot of time in a Big City before. Be prepared for a multi-part recap in the next few days!

Anyway, since I fully intend on taking the Chicago vintage/antique scene by storm, I’ve decided to try super super super hard and only pack what I need.

Surely, the key to light packing is versatility. To combat any weather surprises, I’m taking both a denim vest and a long sleeve motor cycle jacket. To make sure I have clothes that will fit my mood, I chose my “go to” pieces: clothes that aren’t tricky/complicated/only-to-be-worn-on-a-skinny-day. And since we’ll be doing a lot of gallivanting around on le feet, I made sure to have my comfiest pair of flats. To save on space, I’ve decided to take small accessories like my single favorite necklace (that goes with EVERYTHING!) and two of my favorite belts that pack a lot of colorpunch, in lieu of bulky hats or scarves.

The highlights: (unmentionables not included! teehee.)

a. a fun purple clutch in case we go somewhere “nice”. b. my most favorite necklace. c. one pair of sunnies. (I will admit. I had three hanging there. Totally unnecessary!) d. two belts that can be worn with any outfit combination I can devise. Maybe I’ll wear both at the same time! e. an over the shoulder bag . . . are there pickpockets in Chicago, mom? f. three timeless blouses. g. my favorite flats that I’ll wear with my skinny jeans. h. two pairs of skinny jeans that go with every top/shoe/jacket–no reason to take a pair for each day! i. flat sandals to go with my short dress. j. platforms to go with my long dress (I’m only 5′ tall!). k. two bold patterned dresses that don’t call for a lot of accessorizing! l. my denim vest for toasty weather and my motorcycle jacket for breezy weather.

Check back soon to see my new suit cases on their bon voyage and all of my outfits in action. Oh, and for glimpses of the Windy City!

xoxo cat