Willis Tower Skydeck Chicago

This weekend my girlfriend was in town visiting from Houston, so we made it a point to do a few touristy things. I hadn't been inside the Sears Tower Wills Tower in YEARS, and had been a bit curious about the much talked about "Ledge."

I'm not necessarily afraid of heights, but when that altitude climbs up a bit I tend to simmer all the way down lol. 1,353 feet above Chicago, my Ledge experience was not much different.

First off - - they CRAM you into the elevator. Well, first they filter you through a few lines, have you go through security, pay your $18 (adult ticket price), then CRAM you into the elevator. I kept thinking to myself, "Damn, you know another elevator will be back to get the rest of these folks." Being stuffed like sardines into an elevator about to go 103 stories up is just not a good look.

After a short ride up (about 60 seconds - - the elevator goes 18 mph #RandomFact), you arrive at the skydeck! The views up here are pretty cool and I'm sure would be even more amazing in the summertime with luscious green and lake views, or even at night with all the lights. It's still winter in Chicago so mostly everything looked like variations of grey and white. Still, it was nice.

Okay - - so the LEDGE! Ahhh... I was so incredibly nervous when I first set eyes on the ledge. Like, fear instantly set over my entire body and was like, "what in the ENTIRE hell are you doing up here? You're not about to really step out on that thing, are you?" I totally chickened out from standing on the Ledge. Like, standing on that thin piece of glass was just something that wasn't about to happen in my life force. I didn't want to be completely paralyzed by fear, so I managed to scoot my butt onto the Ledge and smile for a picture. I assure you my heart was racing the entire time.

Fear aside, I had a great time seeing the Skydeck and ledge. It's easy to pass up on the cool things our city has to offer because it may seem "touristy", but I did have a lot of fun.

Have you experienced the ledge?

Bottle & Bottega: Art Uncorked in the South Loop (@bottlenbottega)

Bottle & Bottega puts a spin on the traditional art studio by hosting BYOB social art parties geared toward nurturing the inner artist in us all. With their latest location having opened last week in the South Loop, some much needed artistic flare has been added to Michigan Ave. Featuring a variety of classes (public as well as private/corporate), anyone looking to get their creative juices flowing and do something different should give Bottle & Bottega a try.

I was looking for something new in my neighborhood and a way to put a spin on date night. I did a little research and learned that Friday's class featured the theme: Couples and BFFs: Face-to-Face portrait painting. Lucas Myers was the featured artist of the night and guided our group as we tried our hand at painting.

It was my first time painting on canvas but it was a blast! We started off with a sketch and then dove in with acrylic paints. A few hours we were able to walk away with personalized artwork and a shared experience.

Our first time painting... 

At first I thought the price was a little steep ($35/person - but this varies depending on the class), but after experiencing the class it was well worth the price. I like that you get to experience something new with friends, it's BYOB, includes the cost of canvas/paint/etc, and at the end of the day you're able to walk away with a new piece of art work for your home! This alone made it well worth the price as I now have 2 new custom pieces on display at my apartment... and they have a fun story to go along with them.

There are many options for how to spend your Friday night, but I'd urge everyone to step outside the box and try something new. The class is the same price as dinner or a movie/drinks, so opt for something different and have some fun.

Overall the class was a nice mix of people and the instruction from Lucas was great. You can go online and view the schedule to pick the class that's right for you.

Who: Bottle & Bottega
What: Art Studio
Where: 1241 S. Michigan Ave.
When: Weekly Classes - check online schedule
Price: Varies (average $35-$45/person)

Summer is Here

Well, technically speaking summer isn't here yet but this past weekend in Chicago felt amazeballs! The heat was in full effect and so were the NATO protesters. I braved the streets to see a real life protest, managed to meet one of my favorite bloggers and go into check-in overload via Yelp! All in all, it was a great weekend.

2012 NATO Protest

Samantha Irby of Bitches Gotta Eat

Fell in love with MAC's "Ruby Woo" - - my 3rd red shade by MAC

Summertime Chi

My husband and I wanted to send a huge thanks to all of our amazing friends and family that made this vacation a memorable time. It's hard to realize how much you're missing out on by not living in a place where you have easy access to the ones you love most, but I made sure to see as many people as possible. I hadn't been home in about a year (longer for my husband), so it was a slight challenge making time for everyone - - and there were a bunch of people I didn't get to see. I try to not feel too bad, but when you're stuffing a year of missed times into a week of activities it's hard.

One of the best things about being back home with my photogenic friends was being able to put my camera to use!!! I've always been the unofficial photographer of my group so capturing our various nights out is high on my list. I put together a small collage of some of my favorite moments of this trip.

On another note being back in Chicago and having an actual social life provided me with tons of blog fodder. On the roster in the coming weeks: 

1. J Bar and the ultimate club come up

2. Bijan's and their foreign exchange program with Russia

3.  Planking - - even the strippers are doing it :/

4. Witness Protection: My mission to save the waitress @ Perez

5. When good crowds go bad - - Educated blacks acting an ass at Sawtooth

6. You know your night is good when you top it off by sleeping in a car

7. Toll Roads - getting ripped off 80 cents at a time (aka the 294 sucks)

8. My quest for a signature drink

Chicago: Free. Fitness. Fun.

Sunday July 11th, Chicago's North Ave Beach is the place to be as Women's Health Magazine rolls into town for a day full of free fitness fun. This is the perfect summer get together for you and your girlfriends to try everything from global dance and self defense to surfboarding and power balance yoga. If you're looking for a way to combine qt with your girlfriends and get in your workout look no further.

The event will kickoff at 10am and run until 4. Registration is free and bound to fill up fast so make sure you don't delay. One of the perks of summertime in Chicago are all the free events... I urge everyone to take advantage of this.

You spent your $ on that?

While I was driving down the Dan Ryan last week with my boyfriend we eyed this monstrosity of a car (which my friend Kelly affectionately deemed an "Automotive Mullet"). I posted this on my facebook but thought I'd share with my blog family as well. I can't believe this man spent his $ on tricking out his car like this. Smh.



Much buzz was generated on my comments section. Some of the highlights:

- $10,000 rims for a car that is worth no more than $5,000 Got to love this shit! LOL

- Whoever is driving that is ugly. He had to do all that to get attention. That's just too much. LOL

- I can't imagine the type of job this dude has. Where in the hell can he pull up in this car and get taken seriously? Lol... I'm drawing a blank.

- I'm guessing street corner hustla, Pimp, rapper...

- He can't be a pimp cause his hoes cant get in the car, lol

- That's player though... lol Seriously, I need to know how he gets in that? Is there a step ladder involved?

After Happy Hour...

After we're done downing drinks at Devon Seafood Grill we're going to continue things at Sortie. You can RSVP for free cover before 9p and know that you'll need to have the confirmation email with you (on your iPhone/Blackberry) because they'll ask to see it.. and keep in mind that at 9:01p they will be charging $20 cover for both men and women. I'll save you a "shit face" and let you know that if you don't want to pay $20 get there around 8:30/8:45 because they aren't going to make any exceptions... and believe me, I got played at 9:30 last weekend thinking it'd be a $10 cover and it was $20 so we left. lol...




Other options for tomorrow night include:

HD Fridays at Libertine 1615 N. Clybourne (Clybourne/North Ave.)
Free before 12 with RSVP to collectiveqwest@yahoo.com



Flaunt Fridays at Vain
2354 N. Clybourne (Clybourne/Fullerton Ave.)
Ladies free before 1130p
Men free before 11p

Tonight...

Thursday is the new Friday and most people are ready to get their weekend started. 312DD always posts the latest happenings around the city so here are her picks for this weekend:

THURSDAY

Long-time party-thrower Lincoln Park Young Professionals hosts its infamous Billionaire bash, this time at the Blackstone Hotel (636 S. Michigan Ave.). Event includes tours of the hotel's $139 mil renovation, appetizers from the highly regarded Mercat a la Planxa, $1 million diamond fashion show, high-end cocktails and more. You get all these golden goodies for $25 if you buy your ticket here. 6-8pm.

Speaking of luxe livin', Barneys New York officially debuts today in its new home, and to celebrate the grand occasion they're doing an open house. Enjoy comp bubbly and donuts 10am-7pm as you check out the multi-level venue. Also, try to get over to Fred's at Barneys New York for a luscious lunch of artisan pizzas, pastas or sandwiches.

We can never get enough of good ole 1980s music, so we're all about Landmark's free wine-tasting party pairing the best of the best. Hope they pull out some Tears for Fears, Thompson Twins and Thomas Dolby! 6:30-8pm.

Don't sleep on the deals going down at Crimson Lounge. Every Thursday you get $3 sparkling wine, draft beers and house wine. And if you're hungry, you'll also get 50 percent off a small plate gourmet menu by Bin 36. Deejays Funky Couture, Mwelwa and Lego spin. 9pm-2am. No cover.

If you're craving some late-night fixins, head over to 44th Ward Dinner Party for Photo Club. Here, you'll get complimentary gourmet grilled cheese (after midnight) and A:M vodka (10-11pm). New Wave party starts at 10pm. Free.

Steam up the dance floor at Coco Restaurant & Lounge, as Planeta Azul performs live. Luciano Antonio leads a dynamic group of musicians accompanied by samba dancers. 10pm-2am. No cover and free parking.


For more information feel free to check out here site by clicking here.

Reason #1 to miss Arizona (or hate Chicago...)

Weather

• Chicago, IL

  Cloudy, 68°

  • Friday

    70° / 58°

  • Saturday

    72° / 60°

  • Sunday

    73° / 60°

  • Monday

    70° / 59°

• Scottsdale, AZ

  Clear 104°

  • Friday

    105° / 75°

  • Saturday

    105° / 77°

  • Sunday

    105° / 77°

  • Monday

    102° / 77°

......ENOUGH SAID.....

After I glanced out of my office window and looked at the doom and gloom that is Chicago weather, I got the idea to check on the weather for my former place of refuge - - Scottsdale, AZ! Of course I was hoping to see some gloomy weather due to it being the monsoon season there...but, to my surprise (or not really) the weather is absolutely gorgeous! Ugghhh...just another reason to miss Scottsdale...(or hate Chicago)

Weekend Wrap-Up

There are many pros to living in a big city - - one is the smorgasbord of clubs/lounges to choose from, especially on a holiday weekend! In an effort to not trick off a ridiculous amount of money I decided on 2 events: Saturday night at Kamehachi Sushi Bar (hosted by 432 Entertainment) and Sunday night at Crimson Lounge (hosted by the Black Alumni Network).


Saturday night - Kamehachi Sushi Bar - 432 Entertainment

Kamehachi of Toyko
240 E. Ontario St.
Chicago, IL 60611
312-587-0600

The flyer stated that the event would be from 9p - 3a. Since it was a holiday weekend we expected most places to be packed and decided to get there earlier than the standard 11p club arrival time. We pulled up around 945p and to our amazement were met with the sights of an empty restaurant and full staff, standing around the bar! Their blank stares were only matched by ours. "I could've sworn the flyer said 9p-3a" I told my friends. I felt solely responsible for leading them on this send off mission...I do not make a habit of selling wolf tickets and had assured my friends that this event would be legit! We went to the bar and ordered some drinks...hoping that the club gods would wave their magic wands and people would begin to trickle in...this never happened. Throughout the night the club had, at MOST, 30-40 people!!! Yes, 30 to 40 including the promoters themselves who didn't show up until close to 11p! I didn't know that promoters were running modern day hood operations! The pros: We got there earlier than the promoters and didn't have to pay a cover... Cons: We got there earlier than the DJ too and had to wait for some music. I felt bad for the restaurant because they could've made way more money staying open for dinner! The staff was bored most of the night and I doubt they made much at the bar. On the other hand the hors d'oeuvres were amazing! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone, as long as there isn't a special event going on.





Sunday night - Crimson Lounge - Black Alumni Network

Crimson Lounge
(In the Hotel Sax)
333 N. Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312-923-2453

After the catastrophic letdown the night before, I was excited to go to the Crimson Lounge! Crimson Lounge is located in the Hotel Sax and is one of my favorite lounges in the city. I had never been there for an urban event so I was looking forward to seeing how it turned out. We had sent our RSVP to the promoter (black alumni network) days before the event and received a confirmation. The email stated that we would receive discounted cover before 1030p (with the event running from 9p-2a). We got to the lounge at 10p and were greeted at the door by Benny. He was actually with the Crimson Lounge and told us that the promoter had yet to arrive or drop off a list. I couldn't believe that AGAIN a promoter was running over an hour late for their own event! This was starting to show signs of a hood operation! Benny proceeded to explain to us that oftentimes promoters would sign people up on their lists only to conveniently fail to drop them off at the door, show up after the cut off time, or hold the lines to reduce the number of people let in for the special price. He said that he'd be charging $10 for everyone until 11p, $20 until 12a, and then upwards of $30 to $40 as the night progressed. We didn't mind paying the $10 and went inside the club. ( I will say that many people chose to wait for the promoter to show up...which I'm not sure what time they appeared or if they even used their list...). The DJ was good, the drinks were nice (though a bit pricey...as to be expected for a lounge like crimson) and getting there early we were able to find a nice table to claim for the night. Besides the promoters being late to their own event, the only other complaint was that the lounge turned on their lights at 130a and left them on until 2a...when they immediately cleared out the club.

I can't say if this weekend was an accurate reflection on how black promoters in Chicago are hosting their events (showing up late, losing the lists, etc...) but I would think that on a holiday weekend, when you stand to double or triple your profits, you'd roll out the red carpet for your guests and be beyond on point with the execution. On the other hand, I learned a valuable lesson in being early: you get in free, discounted, a table, drinks, etc...it's worth it to beat the crowd!

Hop Haus Review

Hop Haus
646 N. Franklin St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312-467-4287



We left Citizen Bar disappointed and hungry and walked to Hop Haus. I had never been there nor heard any feedback on the restaurant, good or bad. We were starving and stopping there turned out to be the best decision! The place was somewhat empty on a Sunday afternoon, but the food was full of flavor in every bite! There are tons of burgers to choose from ranging from something simple all the way to a wild boar burger! I was pleasantly surprised to see a beer pairing recommendation along with every burger selection...it was definitely a nice addition. Our server was spectacular. She remembered everything and was on top of the extras like water, napkins, sauces...we didn't have to wait long nor remind her for anything. After our bad experience at Citizen Bar it was nice to have great service. I would recommend getting the chicken noodle soup if you're a little hungry and don't want to wait the 12-15 mins for your burger to get cooked. It tasted so good...it actually made you wish you'd be sick! The only down side to this restaurant is that the El basically sits on top of it so you'll definitely hear the trains passing by. Other than that, the service was great, the burgers were exceptional, and I'll be going back.

As an added bonus they are open until 4am every night so this should be your late-night eatery, hands down!!

**I must warn you, last night we went there to grab some late night food and were greeted by the slightly unpleasant sounds of like some hip hop/pop/techno trance mash up while we ate our food. If you can stomach listening to this music then please go! The food is so tasty is might distract you...

Citizen Bar Review

Citizen Bar
364 W. Erie St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312-640-1156
http://www.citizenbar.com/


I went this past Sunday afternoon with friends to have drinks and food. Upon entering I was optimistic because of their outdoor patio. However, that quickly changed. The seating upstairs was lackluster and rickety. The table wobbled and the chairs did as well. The menus were water and sun damaged and only 1 of 4 was laminated. The drink menu, on the other hand, was put together nicely in a bound book...but they apparently only had 1 because when another party entered the bus boy asked if he could take it from us to give to them. That was the first problem. If you're a restaurant/bar you should have enough menus to handle your number of guests. Secondly, it was like we were asking too much to have our table wiped down (which had crusted hair...yes, hair from someone's head) stuck on the table. Next, the bartender kept staring at our table, as if he was nervous or irritated or "fill in the blank" but it was not appreciated. Our server was nice and the only thing that was pleasant about the experience but then again, servers work for tips so I didn't expect anything less. After staring at the menu, or lack thereof, for a few minutes...and being disappointed at the food options (definitely DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU'RE HUNGRY...FOR REAL FOOD) we decided to leave. The crowd was pretentious...a mix of Hollywood wanna-bes that seemed to remind me of being stuck in "The Hills" or some other show. There were dogs on the patio, young 20 somethings with attitudes and irrelevant conversation and the sun was going down so it started to get cold. I would not recommend this place to anyone...ever! The service is bad, the menu sucks, and you'd feel better spending your money somewhere else!

Sidenote: I don't like to throw out the race card...but unless you're white washed, can handle the "Scottsdale/LA" type of crowd or like being stared at because you're the only black person in the place, I would not recommend going here!

Yang Restaurant Review

Yang Restaurant
28 E. Roosevelt Rd.
Chicago, IL 60605
312-986-1688

My boyfriend was starving so we dropped into Yang's to try it out. The ambiance was non-existent so we opted for take-out. The prices are affordable and you get a decent amount of food so I'd say it's a good value. The service was fine...until we asked for additional soy sauce packets! The girl at the counter said it'd be an additional 10 cents per packet. We didn't have any change so asked to just buy a bottle of soy sauce for $2.99. They advised us that it was a $6 min. to use your debit/credit card...this was after we spent over $20 on our take-out. It's safe to say that this beyond irritated me. We grabbed our food and went to Jewel where we got a large bottle of soy and sweet and sour sauce for under $4...and were able to use our credit card to pay! I think that the food was good, but due to the service I would not return. I don't like to be nickel and dimed. Times are rough when a restaurant can't spare a soy sauce packet.

Tabu Ultra Lounge Review

Tabu
738 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312-787-9900

http://www.tabuultralounge.com/

One word to describe this club would be Overpriced! I went this past Saturday night with a few friends and it was ridiculous. $20 for valet. $20 for women, $30 for men! 2 drinks - 1 Hennessey on the rocks and 1 Margarita were $30! The crowd consisted of 20-somethings (all under 25) looking to get their itch for a club scratched. Thank God we were in VIP (just a velvet rope with a few tables and seating bordering the dance floor (our section of the rope was flanked by fat chicks...not the best source for eye candy). There was 1 Go-Go dance that did a good job of dancing all night...but her pink, wook leg warmers were a bit humorous. (the 80s called....they want their style back!) I can say that the door guys were really nice...and nicely told my friend that he could not wear his long sleeve shirt in the club. I later found this to be interesting since a girl in the club was wearing gymshoes, jeans and a hoodie...another reason to not go. When a club doesn't set a certain standard for the women they want in there...how can they come down on men? The dj played a pretty nice mix of music and though the drinks are pricey, the bartenders are nice. I personally didn't care for the club, had a decent time, but would never go back!

On a side note: The narrow, steep stairwell leading up to the 2nd floor club is a definite fire hazard waiting to happen. If something were to go wrong it'd be a death trap!

Toss the Hair Salon and Spa Review

Toss the Hair Salon and Spa
60 E. 13th St.
Chicago, IL 60605
312-986-8677



I just relocated back to Chicago (South loop) from Arizona and I was dreading the task of finding a salon that specialized in African-American hair...especially a salon that was in the South Loop and within walking distance --that was until I stumbled upon Toss The Hair salon and spa. The staff is really warm and professional. They accepted me as a walk-in and made sure to stress that it was no problem trying out a few stylists to see who I liked. Well, they hit it out of the ball park by matching me with Phaedra! While all the stylists are good, Phaedra is definitely my favorite! Her personality is so upbeat and her energy is contagious! I walked in there with damaged ends and in need of a magic wand...and I left with shiny, bouncy vivacious hair! In addition to a wonderful team of people, the salon and spa has a great layout and even a boutique section! It was great to browse the racks of trendy clothes/bags while waiting for my hair to dry. If you're looking for a salon that has a great atmosphere, wonderful stylists and is worth every penny...please go here! Request Phaedra and I promise you'll leave tossing your hair!

City Life...

*Originally posted on 7/6/08 on my myspace blog*

I've been adjusting back to the city life in Chicago! I absolutely love being here...and despite the good days, bad days, and cloudy days...things are great! I start my new job tomorrow with a publishing company downtown and am excited! So, like always, I keep my sidekick handy to jot down any blog topic ideas that cross my mind!

1. Thongs - - are sometimes necessary! Walking arond the city I am beyond disappointed to see the vast amount of panty lines. PANTY LINES! People..this is 2008, damn near 2009, and there is NO reason to jet around town with visible panty lines...an ever present reminder that yes, we can ALL see your underwear riding their way up your cheeks...moments away from permanently wedging in your ass!

2. This must stop: Hanging onto "non-quality" hair just to be the girl with the long hair...but you're really the girl with the scraggly, damaged hair! The girl that everyone notices NOT for your luscious locks...but instead your fried, split ends...that girl that makes you cock your head in a 45 degree angle, squint your eyes and ponder WHY in the world doesn't she just cut her hair and look fabulous!

3. While I was at the DMV getting a state ID...my eyes were bombarded with so many fashion choices...gone TERRIBLY wrong! I have to say that the fashion free for all that was displayed at the DMV was none other than a hot ass mess!...sometimes a dress code...or uniforms...are not a bad thing! I'm all about being unique and rocking your own personal style, but your loud shirt, hair style, 10 inch long overly designed nails, etc...are just making everyone's eyes throb...and it doesn't make the waiting time go any better!

4. Neck tattoos...never a good decision! I don't feel it's necessary to expound on this, but unless you're Diddy...you should NOT get a neck tattoo. They aren't professional, cute, or..well, they aren't anything good at all! Just leave the neck tattoo thing alone!