food, friends, Lifestyle, Party, Recipes, women

Easy-Peasy Hosting Tips

September 13, 2017

Looking ahead to fall and the holidays its crazy to think that 2017 is wrapping up and my calendar is already booked! Still when the holidays come around, I get the bug to get my friends and family together over food and fun. Growing up, my Mother taught me a lot about how happiness and memories can become attached to things like eating together. Every effort put forth to make a meal ‘special’ was always acknowledged. Along the way, I picked up a few quick and effortless tips that I use time and time again. These tips are meant to show my guests how much I appreciate them. So with the help of some old school tricks from my Mom paired with the genius hacks of Pinterest (check out our Party Board), here are some dinner party secrets that will make hosting a breeze.

Keep your Liquor Bottles, ALL of them
Piggy backing on the mason jar trend, old bourbon, tequila, and scotch bottles make for great variety and décor on a table top.

Keep it Simple and and Natural
There is nothing like the fragrance of fresh flowers and greenery from the yard. Yep, even if you don’t think you have pretty bushes, you do! With the help of some candles, ALL (yes, all) greenery livens up a table top. Bring the outdoors inside whenever you can. Setting the tone with earthy additions to your décor is trendy and familiar.

Don’t get Overwhelmed
I love either stocking up on readymade family dinner items from the grocery store or catering for a get-together. I have found that catering from a restaurant that you may think is expensive can often times be cheaper than eating there. Make a budget and get a few quotes, I think you will be surprised. Bear in mind that by outsourcing the cooking you stay focused on the decorating and presentation of the meal. Hosting a potluck is another great way to use food as an excuse to bring people together — and cut down the effort you need to put in!

Borrow Don’t Buy
I have made the mistake for years of buying decor for my dinner and cocktail parties, but now I have done away with a stash of decor that I have used over and over again. I borrow items like chargers, runners, and vases from friends and even scoped out a local antique shop that was cool with me renting a few trays for centerpieces (it can’t hurt to ask…right?)

Going the Extra Mile Without Losing your Mind
For a dinner party, I take the extra 5 minutes (literally 5 minutes) to print out the menu onto paper. Then cut the printed paper into narrow sheets, and tape them around the napkin to create a more formal feeling to the evening. Labeling the food is a quick way to feel fancier and show your guests you made an effort.

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The combination of glass bottles, earthy accents from the yard, a proper table setting, and relaxed atmosphere is truly the backbone for a perfect evening. Sometimes, I will hire a bartender and created a signature drink for the evening. Speaking of, if you have not tried a French 75 yet, I highly recommend ordering it on your next date night. We used the recipe from Epicuious to get the party started.

I know hosting can seem overwhelming when you decide to do it. Making a list of things to do and crossing one thing off a day, you won’t need more than two weeks to comfortably throw a fun dinner party where you can focus on the most important thing of all: time with loved ones.

Cheers,
Rina

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Forget Boat Ownership – Why Boat Sharing is Perfect for Me!

September 6, 2017

I’m a Chicago gal….well mostly. Though I was born in Missouri, I’ve spent most of my life in the Chicagoland area. I moved to downtown when I started my undergraduate career at Depaul University in 2001. It wasn’t long before I realized the beauty of living in this not-so-hidden Midwestern gem of a city!

From quaint storefronts, to cute coffee shops, and culinary excellence; I knew what would make this glorious city even more amazing is having or renting a boat. Lake Michigan sits on the shorelines of, arguably, one of the most beautiful skylines in the US. After getting married and doing a brief stint in the suburbs, my husband, two children and I decided to move back to Chicago. Despite awkward questions and wonder of doing what most people don’t, it was one of the best decisions for our family.

One of the things we love the most about this city is all the green spaces, the family friendly events and the accessibility to Lake Michigan and it’s beautiful beaches. We couldn’t help but question the possibility of boat ownership. I feel like it rung in our ears every time we thought of it….the comments of the best days of boat ownership are the “day you buy” it and the “day you sell it.” That’s when we discovered boat shares.

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One thing was certain, we wanted to share our love for the city and Lake Michigan with our children. We chose to work with Pinnacle Yachts as our first boat share. Kudos to my husband who took all the coursework to get certified to get “behind the wheel” of the boat.

Personally speaking, some of the pros of boat sharing are:

-Lifelong memories

-Hosting

-Jumping in the Great Lake Michigan

-The Play Pen

-Being directly under the fireworks as they take off from Navy Pier

-Seeing the beauty of our city from the water day or night

-Cruising the Chicago river

-Tying up to a restaurant for some yummies to share on the boat

-Sleeping on the boat after a long day in the sun

-Joining the likes of others with shared interest of the great outdoors

-Having the option to hire a captain should the driver want to enjoy a cocktail or two with friends and family

-No Mortgage

-No Maintenance

Here are some of the cons:

-Opening and closing the boat

-Scrubbing it down

-Not having first pick on popular dates on the boat

Clearly the pros outweigh the cons and though it’s a luxury, it’s a one to look into for Summer 2018 indeed. The costs for boat sharing vary greatly based on the type of boat, days you would like to spend on the water and amenities you need when you are out there. If you have any more questions or would like to learn more about my experience, email me at [email protected]

See you on the water! Check out our Boat Party for Savvy Chick Vlog here.

Your Party Chick,

Sonia

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Work-Life Balance and Motherhood

August 30, 2017

Summer 2016 — I found myself at the cusp of making a life-altering decision. Should I take a step back from my teaching career or should I keep marching onwards? Should I take this year off? Should I take that time off that I always dreamt of taking? Should I sacrifice a year of providing the second (and minimal) income for my family? So many ifs, but no guarantees. What if I intend on taking only a year off and it turns into ten years off? What if I fail at staying home and running this already busy house-hold? Again, so many ifs and no answers. I needed that magic 8 ball more than ever!

So I took the plunge. In early August, I firmly announced that I have finally made the decision to stay home — to take care of the house, kids, and myself. “Finally…this will be awesome for you and all of us,” my husband replied. Of course, I knew that we would have to knock a few things off of our list of expenses…cleaning services, take-out nights, and of course my own spending (yikes). Running on one income wouldn’t be easy at all, but it’s now or almost never. My kids are young and it would be nice to just be around. I had that notion that you only live once…so why not?

Staying at home meant I could finally fulfill the one thing I always wondered…how does it feel dropping the kids off at school and brunching with my friends, running errands, working out, and even tidying up the house in peace? Throughout my 10 years in the workforce, I always wondered how it felt to just be at home. To have my OWN time to do my OWN things. Things that no one would even know about! I was giving myself a year and I needed to make it count!

So I fulfilled my wonder…I stayed home. I was that mom — I volunteered at school and made sure breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner were all mostly home-made and prepared with ease. I made sure that permission slips were signed on time and activities were scheduled. I made sure that homework was done and both kids were content at drop-off and pick-up. I was a homemaker…probably not the best, but I tried. I worked hard to keep up with the daily chores while juggling sick kids, doctor appointments, and opposite schedules. Did I always succeed? NO! But really, it was on my clock. No one was the boss of me…and that felt amazing.

So then comes May and a possible teaching position is presented to me. Do I go for it or do I stay home for another year? What if I stay at home and regret not even trying for it? Well you only live once, right? Why not? After all — this was the job of my dreams. I went to graduate school knowing I wanted to be as innovative in my teaching methods as possible and this private institution allowed for that. After a few weeks of complete uncertainty, I got the call — I got the offer! My first reaction was disbelief…did I just accomplish this huge life-long goal of mine? WOW.

Then of course, came the mourning period — flashbacks of my year off would pop up out of the blue. The times I was easily able to stay home with a sick child. The times I was able to single-handedly run the household while my husband was out of town. The times I was the boss of me and no one to really answer to! Were these flashbacks strong enough to keep me back from fulfilling my dream of accepting this teaching position? NO. In fact, I look back and realize that while it was a great break, I was always secretly yearning to get back into the classroom. I missed the teaching world. I have this opportunity and the time is NOW.

So now comes the balance. How do I maintain the juggling act of keeping up with all the duties I enjoyed fulfilling when I was home all while achieving my career goals? With every step forward, I would have to let go of some of them. It’s all about trying to attain that balance and learning from what works and what doesn’t. We will be entering a new set of routines — early morning lunch preps (for the kids AND me), school drop offs and pickups, after-school activities, homework, dinner along with my own work now — all while trying squeezing in some ME time.

All I can do now is to hope for the best and keep the momentum up. I’m in my late thirties and finally achieved my lifelong career goal. I spent the last year setting up the foundation and routines of running this household somewhat efficiently…now I just need to keep it up. Now is the time to make it all count and all I can do is to take it one day at a time. I have to keep in mind that you only live once.

Here’s to keeping it real,

Your Brainy Chick,

Komi

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Off The Runway

August 17, 2017

The Chicks were invited to preview Nordstrom’s Off The Runway event and we were in fashion heaven! Maybe it was the delicious hors d’oeuvre’s, or the beautiful ambiance created by live jazz music and live models — that made this event so unique and fun. Our stylist had invited us to check out the latest trends that will be hitting the website in the fall, straight off the runway, and we wouldn’t have missed this chance! We definitely noticed a few things that may be trending this fall:

Pop Of Color is Still A Thing

Look at these rust hue pants — they are stunning and with the loose long fit, they are the most comfortable pants we tried on all night! Our model, lawyer, polo player and horse whisperer Pamela Flannigan went home with these stunning Victoria Beckham pants!

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Black Remains the Chicks Uniform of Choice

This Gucci dress is why we wear black ALL THE TIME, and how can you not? Our Party Chicks shows us how this fit made her feel like a million dollars.

Gucci Dress with details that are worthy of the season.

The Holidays are Around the Corner

I know, I know, its only August, but we could not help but feel like Christmas is coming with the beautiful emeralds and shimmer which were on so many pieces. So its not to soon to start thinking ahead to family get together’s and office parties.

Needless to say, we saw some stellar pieces. Now for the savvy part. I love unique designer pieces and accessories, however being savvy is what makes the whole experience much more exciting. Anyone that knows me understands my love for Nordstrom. It’s the many sides of the brand that I have loved for years. Listed below is how you can enjoy great finds and perks without the guilt and still look like a million bucks.

Get more out of your Nordstrom card; maximize your points by signing up for rewards even if you DO NOT have a Nordstrom CC (yep, you read that right, you don’t have to have the credit card to collect rewards).

By owning a CC, you collected rewards twice as fast and can take advantage of the many perks once you attain certain levels. Now that Trunk club, HauteLook and The Rack are under the Nordstrom umbrella, it’s easier than ever to reach higher levels with the card, thus making it closer to your perks in the form of what Nordstrom calls ‘notes’ which are $20, $50, $100 credits toward future purchases. For me it’s the complimentary alterations of my purchases via HauteLook. I have purchased some amazing dresses from boutique brands such as Oliviasous, TOV, and Tea&Cup; at amazing deals to have them altered to perfection is a huge benefit for when I attend balls, fundraiser, or events.

Being a busy mom of two, an entrepreneur, and running a household leaves me little time to go shopping for upcoming events. SO the idea of having a stylist, who not only knows my budget, and my style by having a glass of champagne or coffee and outfits awaiting me after a hectic afternoon without having to spend hours at the store. Trunk club is also another great option that makes me feel efficient. There are secrets that Nordstrom have that I wasn’t aware of — like the fact they sell Chanel and can overnight what you like and want (Chanel AND triple points, what’s not to love?!?) Even if it’s not out yet, chances are your beloved stylist will get it for you.

Lastly, the customer service I receive is priceless. As a mother of two very active minions, it’s nice to be looked at with a warm smile and “ready to help” attitude no matter how you look or feel at that moment. I’ve had awful experiences where top stores look at you up and down before deciding whether or not it’s worth helping you. (Let’s not judge based of appearances). Long story short my loyalty does go to Nordstrom for creating the best environment for everyone and anyone and whether or I have my swag on or sweatpants I know that customer service at Nordstrom makes me feel like a million bucks.

Your Savvy Chick,

Avani

For a free stylish sesh with us and our Trunk Club stylist (and free champagne!) email [email protected]

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