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

Time for a Summer BBQ

Hot weather is here and summer is around the corner, but for those living in a city apt or condo finding space to host a BBQ can a real issue. Thankfully companies like Bodum have created the most adorable, practical and small space friendly BBQ grill. The FYRKAT charcoal grill comes in 6 shades and a small size convenient for a city patio or outing at the park. It's easy to transport, clean and anyone can feel like a fashionable cook. This grill is a steal at $49.95 and sure to add some color to your summer activities.

Itchy and Scratchy Show...

After 2 days of fun in the sun I found myself covered with insanely annoying and itchy remnants of mosquito bites. Now, I did a little research and discovered that only female mosquitoes are capable of biting so it's technically correct to call them little bitches. These monsters have wreaked havoc on my skin... destroying my arms and legs in the process - - one even being brazen enough to bite my cheek!

With the holiday weekend quickly approaching I feel like responsible hosts should provide their guests with OFF or at least have the decency to burn citronella candles. Nothing is worse than enjoying the weather, music, food and drinks of an outside event only to spend every other second swatting at your skin. It's a buzz kill. *I just scratched my arm and thigh while writing this... I hate mosquito bites* For some reason I don't remember them ever being this annoying. Maybe they're back with a vengeance because of the late summer weather... I guess they're just making up for lost time.

Because I've been spending all of my free time incessantly scratching my body (yearning to dip myself into a bath of oatmeal and calamine lotion) I did some snooping to find the new products that OFF offers.

1. OFF PowerPad Lamp & Latern - Provides up to 4 hours of bug free enjoyment for an area up to 15' x 15'.

2. OFF Yard & Deck Area Repellent VI - Perfect for your backyard, deck, camping or bbq area. This can be sprayed on your area prior to entertainment and you can enjoy hours of bug free fun.

3. OFF Active - Offers sweat resistant coverage for 6-8 hrs and comes in cans 3-9 oz.

4. OFF Family Care Insect Repellent I (Smooth and Dry) - Up to 6 hours of protection with a smooth a dry feel .

5. OFF Family Care Insect Repellent II (Clean Feel) - For those want the bugs gone but sans the typical "off" odor this is perfect for you. This comes in an odorless formula and doesn't have the typical greasy feel of most insect repellents.

6. OFF Repellent VI Towelettes - Perfect to keep in your car or purse. These offer up to 2 hours of bug free peace of mind and are great for quick trips outside or applying the repellent exactly where you want.

~ Keep in mind that mosquitoes are most active at dusk & dawn
~ OFF can be applied to the face (avoid the eyes/mouth)
~ A mosquito activity forecast for you zip code can be found on the OFF website via weather.com

Here's to hoping everyone can have a bug free weekend!