Six Twenty Seven

I never understood the value in choosing the brand name medicine over the generic... that is until I switched my birth control and had pain in the ass side effects!! Breakthrough bleeding/spotting, acne, oh my... I didn't have time for those childhood games and quickly made the switch back to my brand name Ortho Tri Cyclen.

This is my 3rd time covering Apartment Therapy's Small Cool contest on my blog, and like always I'm seeing tons of beautifully quaint additions to the 2013 lineup!  Starting things off is Leslie from Chicago. She has a 300 sq foot apartment that would make most people sweat bullets at the thought of living in such a small space... but she managed to make it cozy and cute.

I'm completely smitten with the feminine elegance of her tufted headboard and nightstand, which is contrasted nicely with the warm nudes in her living area. I always get so inspired seeing how creative someone can be with their small space and after living in a 600 sq ft studio for a year, I can attest that it's not as easy as it may seem to decorate.

What do you think of Leslie's space? Vote for Leslie by clicking here.

Name: Leslie

Location: Chicago, IL

Size: 300 sq ft

Division: Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home: 

I am consistently enchanted about the amount of natural sunlight I get in my space. And even though it is a relatively tiny space, it is perfectly sized for me. I love the older architecture of the building, especially the wainscoting detail and also the archways in the entrance and between my living room to work space area. 

 

Biggest Challenge of Living in a Small Space: 

I feel like the biggest challenge for me was finding a balance between feeling homey without overcrowding, and choosing the right furniture pieces that wouldn't block my window and light, but give me much needed storage. How I went about solving this was pretty simple. I decided that I was going to throw out the idea of choosing elements because they fit a certain style or look and just focused on items that brought me joy to look at. This was key because by living in such a small space, nothing is out of sight.

It was 3 years ago when I did my original review on U by Kotex. At the time I was already a die hard regular Kotex fan, but wasn't really sold on the new line of tampons. Well, shortly after I made my original video review something funny happened... I ended liking the U by Kotex line. Like grew into Love and that Love into absolute adoration! 3 years later it's safe to say I'm still completely loyal to Kotex (the brand) and U by Kotex is my go to choice for tampons.

Take a look at the video below to see why I finally came around. If you want a blast from the past, check out the 2010 video by clicking here.

One of my favorite burgers spots in River North is Epic Burger!! They also have a location in the South Loop, but because I work in River North, the delightful Jr. Epic Burger has hit the spot multiple times during my work day... more than I'd like to admit lol.

If you haven't checked them out yet, you don't know what you're missing! Do yourself a favor and stop in. The burger is amazeballs.

Oh, how I so thoroughly enjoy hanging with my amigos! We hit the streets this weekend to partake in the1st Annual River North Craft Pub Crawl. This was my first time attending a pub crawl, so I didn't know what to expect... and it was rather adventurous for me since I'm not much of a beer drinker. The event lasted about 8 hours (though I only managed to hang in there for about 4 or so) and featured 10 River North Bars: American Junkie, Bull & Bear, English, Epic, John Barleycorn, Hubbard Inn, Mercer, Moe's Cantina, Public House and Rockit Bar & Grill.

So, what were my thoughts on the event? It was just okay. Granted, I had fun spending times with my friends, but each venue only featured 2 beers, none of which were particularly good.. though I've been told Craft Beers are an acquired taste, so it could be something that was too outside the box for my non-beer savvy taste buds to understand lol.

I thought it was a cool enough concept to get a "stamp" on your "passport" at each location, with attendees being eligible for a raffle at the end of the event for going to each location. This definitely made it a bit more interactive and encouraged attendees to go to each location, but I heard rumblings that there wasn't really going to be a raffle. (Insert -__- face). I'm all for advertising, but scheming and lying to get folks involved is not a good look. Again, this was just something I overheard attendees saying so I don't know if it was really true or not.

Would I attend a Pub Crawl again? Maybe. It'd depend on the featured venues and I'd definitely pre-game a bit earlier with my crew. It wasn't the worst experience, but I was happy I didn't pay full price ($20) for my ticket. Oh, and another tip... I'd be sure to bring CASH!!! It was annoying having to use my debit card at each location. My mistake tho... I never keep cash on me.

Here's a little video my friend shot during the day. Told y'all I had the mouth of a sailor lol... I can't even remember who I was referencing lol.

Memorial Day Weekend is approaching and that means it's time to kick off day parties, drinking, warmth, sunshine and roof tops!! Chicago comes alive in the late spring/summer, and any Chicagoan knows we have to go balls to the wall before August comes to an end and Fall starts rearing its ugly head. With that said, there are tons of events to check out this upcoming weekend.

Thursday

What: Radio Killers 4x4 DJ Set featuring DJ A-OH, DJ All Styles, DJ Sean Mac & DJ Jay Illa
When: Thursday, May 23rd
Where: Lumen - 839 W. Fulton Market
Cost: RSVP by texting "Lumen" and FULL names to 773-818-4214




Friday

What: TGIFresh Presents #Flagship
When: Friday, May 24th 9p-2a
Where: Tantrik - 800 W. Superior (entrance on Chicago Ave. side of bldg)
Cost: Mandatory RSVP. Includes Don Julio hosted bar 9p-10p, free cover before 10:30 and reduced cover until 11:30p. RSVP by clicking here


tgifresh 11 | April 13, 2012 from AvriBijon.com on Vimeo.

What: The Turn Up featuring DJ Hero and DJ Sean Mac
When: Friday, May 24th
Where: Bevy - 215 W. Ontario
Cost: RSVP by texting "BEVYFRI" and FULL names to 773-818-4214





Saturday

What: Posh Entertainment "Salute to Summer: The 50/13 Experience" Part I
When: Saturday, May 25th 4:30p-8:30p
Where: Market Bar & Restaurant - 1113 W. Randolph St.
Cost: $10 online. Entry will cost more at the door, so snag the ticket online for cheaper here.



What: Allure - The power of Attraction
When: Saturday, May 25th
Where: Enclave - 220 W. Chicago Ave.
Cost: RSVP by texting "ENCLAVE" and FULL names to 773-818-4214



SUNDAY

What: CircocNation "Life is Best Celebrated before Night" Day Party
When: Sunday, May 26th 3p-8p
Where: Sawtooth Lounge - 1350 W. Randolph St. 
Cost: Free before 4p with RSVP. Click here to RSVP. 
Perks: RSVP includes complimentary food and Ciroc cocktails before 4p 






















What: High Society "Summer of the Sexy" Memorial Day Weekend Party
When: Sunday, May 26th 9p-2a
Where: RSVP Lounge (downstairs portion of Club 858) - 858 W. Lake St.
Cost:  Free Before 11:30p with RSVP. Click here to RSVP for the event.



Summer of the Sexy 2013 - Cinco de Mayo Day Party Recap from Fame Production Group on Vimeo.



What: 2nd Annual "Summertime Chi" Day Party
When: Sunday, May 26th 2p-8p
Where: Market Bar & Restaurant - 1113 W. Randolph St.
Cost: RSVP by texting "ROOFTOP" and FULL names to 773-818-4214
 


What: Posh Entertainment "Salute to Summer: The 50/13 Experience" Part II
When: Sunday, May 26th 2p-6p
Where: Epic - 112 W. Hubbard St.
Cost: $10 online. Entry will cost more at the door, so snag the ticket online for cheaper here.

Abercrombie & Fitch has been in the news recently because of statements the CEO made re: not wanting fat or uncool people rocking his clothes. I've actually never been a fan of Abercrombie & Fitch... it just always had a slightly suburbanite d-bag quality to it (kinda like how I never liked Ed Hardy lol), but I see why his statements have people feeling some type of way. Personally, I don't think he's saying anything folks haven't heard before. Many brands are able to control who rocks their clothes by either pricing them out, limiting selection, sizes, where it's sold - - the list goes on and on.

I remember back in high school folks went hard for Tommy Hilfiger, all the while he had made it rather clear his clothes weren't intended for an urban consumer. While I think the business model Abercrombie & Fitch has isn't politically correct, I see where they're coming from. No, I don't think it makes for "good" business, but his statements aren't shocking.

Nevertheless, I do think the CEO looks like a bit of a tool lol, so I'm all for the following video that was made. Abercrombie & Fitch is NOT the shit... Let's make #FitchForHomeless a success!! lol...