Sunday, February 8, 2009

Charitable Balls


For the sake of spontaneity - and to spend some qt with one of my best friends, Deanna, and her family- I accepted the invitation to attend Children's Memorial's Snow Ball charity event.

As a charity ball virgin, I had no idea what to expect.... but I was not disappointed.

Navy Pier ballroom was decorated to the nines... 1200 Chicagoans and friends of Chicagoans filled the room, looking their best. Restaurants throughout the city, like Trattoria 10, Giordanno's, etc set up booths serving their most popular appetizers. Silent auction items included sailing lessons in Evanston, rooftop seats in Wrigley, Girls' Night Out activities... week stays in Hawaii. All very enticing...all very expensive... but for a great cause.

Honestly, I could have sat at the table all night, with a glass of wine in hand, people-watching all night long.  The dresses were impressing... and the suits were well-tailored. Everything you would expect from a charity event for a Lincoln Park children's hospital.

There was something that I was not expecting... 100s of young 20-somethings. They came in groups... and were determined to drink their moneys worth. But, more importantly, they came. And, with a ticket $125 per person... that was admirable enough to look past the couples making out in the corner, screaming in the bathroom or stumbling over each other in the hallway. Oh, what's it's like to be young ;)

At the end of the night, the announced that the event raised $110,000 for the aids ward of the Children's Hospital. Despite the economic times, they were able to match last year's donations.

Excellent night. Excellent cause. 

Anyone else have experience with charitable balls? Any recommendations for others?

  
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Friday, February 6, 2009

Future Through the Eyes of Facebook


This morning, my friends and I got to talking about former flames... or wanted-to-be flames...reunited through Facebook. There were a lot of different stories, but as a whole, one common thread... they were all extremely disappointing, realistic and, most importantly, ridiculously hilarious.

Because I found myself laughing out loud at these stories... (with their permission) I had to share.

Incident #1:
"So, not only do I continue to find it strange that my dad is on Facebook, and actually updates his status every now and then (ex. "XYZ just finished his taxes and is feeling just fine." What?), but this morning I came into work to find out that the first boy who I ever creepily loved/stalked/obsessed about in high school wants to be my friend.

I've seen him on Facebook before, but I never wanted to request his friendship, because I didn't want him to think I was still obsessed with him 12 years later (because naturally that would be his first thought, I'm sure :)). So, just seeing this guy's name brought back all sorts of creepy memories of the things I used to do to make him notice me:

*He was my mom's student, so I would volunteer to help her grade papers just so I could read his essays, so I could learn about his favorite food, sports, etc. 
*I thought it was fate when our lockers ended up next to each other sophomore year, and began planning the names of our children shortly thereafter
*I took up an interest in golf, since he was an all-state golfer. Interestingly, this turned out well since it turns out I actually really liked golf and wasn't half bad at it.
*I memorized his class schedule so that I could see him all. the. time.
*Instead of actually doing homework in the library, I would sit in front of my locker and do it before/after school, you know, just in case he was around.

Ummm. Fatal Attraction, anyone? Seriously, how did this guy not get a restraining order from me????

Anyway... no real reason for this e-mail except seeing this blast-from-the-past on Facebook sort of made me feel all giddy and awkward like a freshman in high school all over again."

10 minutes later....

"To add to the random e-mail below... I just "friended" this former high-school crush... and of course, analyzed his photos. Excellent news - he is longer hot thanks to a patch of unfortunate chest hair peeking out of his shirt, as well as a creepy smile that says, "i had way too much fun in college with many loose woman and too much booze, and I plan to stay this way until I'm 45."

Incident #2

"Speaking of Facebook randoms, my old next door neighbor, who I had a huge crush on asked to be my friend yesterday!!! He was just a year older than me, but since he went to public school, he seemed way more mature than the catholic school girl I was. I remember watching and waiting for him to go outside and play basketball with his friends. As soon as they were shooting hoops, after about 5 minutes (gotta play it cool), I would in turn go start showing my b-ball moves in my driveway. I always prayed that one day they would see my skills and ask me over to join in. Sad to say, not once.

So since we went to different high schools and I moved to a different street, I thought I would never see him again. Who knew that one day we would be Facebook friends, and I would find out he's married to an older woman and gained about 100 lbs."

Incident #3

"I too had that sort of experience. He was so dreamy - golden blonde hair, bright blue eyes, great baseball player's body (well, for an 8th grader anyway!)! We had all our classes together, lockers next to each other. His baseball team even shared a dugout (quasi) with my softball team bc we played for the same league (yes, i, the uncoordinated and athletically-challenged friend actually played softball. I wasn't half bad!). I thought it was fate. 

My best friend Marissa lived down the street from him, so what did we do EVERY weekend? and i seriously mean, every. We'd have a slumber party at her house Friday night after the games, then really early Saturday morning (when he was getting up for his morning run before practice of course), we would put on our cutest "work out" outfits... which consisted of Abercrombie t-shirts and Nike running shorts and our Vans sneakers... and casually and oh-so-inconspicuously run by his house. Over and over. We never went anywhere else in their huge neighborhood, just around and around his cul de sac.

He never said anything, but we were convinced we'd see him one day. And then it happened, one Monday at school, he asked me why I always run around his street and never go anywhere. I was mortified! To make matters worse, Marissa ended up subsequently kissing...and long-term dating... him!!

He actually ended up working with one of my fellow sorority sisters, so I would see him out occasionally that summer after we all graduated college. He tried to hit on me one time at Humphrey's, and sadly, I was not impressed. Damn.

We are FB friends now. He's engaged and doing his thing... apparently trying to work off his beer belly for the upcoming nuptuals. From the look sof his pics, that battle is not going so well."

So the question is.... should we just leave the past in the past? Why taint these memories of perfection/obsession with reality?

Did the image any other former flames get smothered by Facebook??? Do tell...


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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Notable Quotable...


"The world is full of willing people; some willing to work, the rest willing to let them."
-Robert Frost
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Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Denny's Free Grand Slam/Demise of Groundhog Day


Half of today's blog post comes from one of my best friends (and most avid blog commenter), Katie.. as she experienced something weirder than I did today. Turns out Denny's did a promo (nationwide?) giving away free Grand Slam breakfasts early in the morning. Being a marketer myself, there are several parts of this promotion that intrigued me. 
  • Grand Slam. We just celebrated the Super Bowl... and not the World Series... unexpected promo. Extremely randomly unexpected. On the verge of not making a lot of sense at all.
  • We're in the early stages of what promises to be a long recession... no one is eating out... why are they GIVING food away?? Or perhaps that's WHY they are giving food away?
  • Like Wal-Mart, franchises like Denny's are strictly prohibited from the Chicago. That statement, of course, is not based on any real sound knowledge... merely observation.
Anywho... Denny was the Top Chef of the day... and here is a sip of Katie's city... St. Louis. 

"Well, I was among the estimated 2 million to join in the fun today, braving a 25 minute wait mostly outside in the freezing 9 degree temps. But oh did the Gram Slam taste good. :) 

Here's the skinny on the free Denny's. Way too many homeless-looking people, another bunch of smelly college kids, and only a few "professionals" braving the crowds and long waits for two eggs, two pancakes, sausage and bacon. I did, however, make the 6 p.m. news in the background of a show by News Channel 5. I haven't searched for the clip, but you may be able to find it at www.ksdk.com."

So quick update on Denny and his eggs. Katie... and smelly college kids... are famous tonight in the SLU. Congrats!

On a completely unrelated note... who else is pissed about the lack of Groundhog Day coverage these days? As someone who clearly looks forward to spring/summer, this day means a lot to me... and for the second year, I had NO idea it was yesterday. And I consider myself slightly whorish when it comes to being on top of the media (ha... that metaphor seriously just came to me... sorry, fam... i couldn't resist).

Is it because we live in Chicago? Do they not promote it here like they do in Akron because they know winter clearly will last more than 6 weeks, whether or not a disease-infested rodent sees his shadow?

Did anyone catch the Pennsylvania news? What's the deal with the GH? Shadow? No?? I'm sure Google can answer these questions quicker than a response... but I am curious to find out if anyone actually knows.
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Monday, February 2, 2009

Maneater Lyrics....


Hahahahhaa... I spoke too soon. Has anyone actually looked at the lyrics to Maneater?!

They are completely ridiculous. See below. My favorite lyrics are in bold.

She'll only come out at night.
The lean and hungry type.
Nothing is new, I've seen her here before
Watching and waiting.
OOH... she's sitting with you but her eyes are on the door.
So many have paid to see (is she a stripper? call girl?)
What you think you're getting for free
The woman is wild, a she-cat tamed by the purr of a Jaguar (no words...)
Money's the matter
If you're in it for love, you ain't gonna get too far.
Watch out boy she'll chew you up  (that seems to be where they're getting the "eat" part)
She's a maneater.
I wouldn't if I were you
I know what she can do
She's deadly man, she could really rip your world apart
Mind over matter
Ooh, the beauty is there but a beast is in the heart

How I miss 80s lyrics. How creative :) 
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Maneater... birth song??


Interested in finding out what was #1 on the Billboard charts the day you were born?

Finding out "Maneater" by Daryl Hall & John Oates was on the top charts on Dec. 30th, 1982 is slightly disturbing to me.

I really don't understand the original or remake of that song all that well anyways. What really is a Maneater? Is it a female player? Is it a heart breaker? Or is it a psycho girl?

And could a birthday Billboard hit be indicative of a lifetime cursed by ridiculous dates/dating experiences?

Perhaps a little too deep for a Monday morning.

What's your song?
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Sunday, February 1, 2009

Showing off Chicago...


I've fallen back in love with Chicago... bad weather and all. 

The activities of the past couple weekends sealed the deal for me. Chicago is a keeper. "I do!!"

1) Skiing in Wisconsin. Last weekend, with a high of 10 degrees, a few of us joined Chicago Sport and Social for a day trip to Devil's Head ski resort in Wisconsin. We froze our asses off, but had a blast being bundled up... and then thawing out in the lodge over excessive amounts of beer and pizza.

Coming back to the city, it may have still been cold... but not flying down the hill, can't-feel-your-face cold. We were refreshed and ready for the week.

2) Entertaining. In the four winters that I've lived through in Chicago, I've never had anyone visit me in January. People just don't come to the Antartica of the Midwest unless they live here or are forced to go to one of the many conferences that take place in Jan/Feb downtown.

Two of my best friends from home were in town this weekend... and we had an absolute blast laughing the entire weekend... and running around the city... making the most out of every single minute. Events included....
  • Friday: Homemade dinner at my place then to Old Town for Second City's "America All Better" main stage show. Best Second City performance I've seen yet. LOVED every second of it.
  • Saturday: Shopping downtown (anyone else noticed how picked over Mich Ave stores are on Saturdays??), dinner at Cafe Iberico (heaven-sent tapas restaurant on LaSalle). The weekend was topped off with a crazy night out... involving leftover liquor from NYE, Apples-to-Apples game, crashing an all-you-can-drink party at Schoolyard on Southport (somehow avoiding the wristband... but taking advantage of the deal), Goldslagger shots, flirtatious notes on a napkin (drawings included) and late-night drinking and dancing at Big City (Shitty) Tap on Belmont. 
I've had so much fun... I think I forgot it was still winter. Or just accepted it.

January is like that point in the middle of a marathon/race where you just accept the fact that you are just going to be running for, what seems like, the rest of your life .... so you might as well enjoy the scenery.

And the scenery is great....

Totally wiped out and watching the Super Commericals... I mean, Super Bowl... 
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