ChiTown.

7 weeks and a couple of days until i grace this beautiful city! it's still a little hard for me to grasp the fact that i am moving and not just going for an extended visit. it's really going to be hard to get all of my stuff up there. i'm banking on sending up one package every week until i actually journey north. it's also going to be terribly hard to leave my family ad friends in the south. such a lovely place. 

10 things i'm looking foreword to...

(in no particular order)

1. the beautiful skyline.
 i'm pretty sure it's no. 2 on the world's best skylines.  

2. chinatown.
authentic, quaint, and cheap!

3. the lake michigan lake front and bike trail.
 a truly lovely replacement for a beach. 

4. navy pier.
touristy? probably.
fun? indeed. 

5. the omnipotent chicago-style hotdog.
mustard, relish, tomatoes, onions, pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt
all on a dog and a bun makes for yummy addiction. 

6. lollapalooza.
the epitome of music festivals. 

7. chicago farmer's market.
anything and everything from soaps to turnips to jams. 

8. snow.
call me crazy but i miss the chills of winter. they got guts in chitown.!

9. street art.
just about on every corner. just wish it wasn't illegal.  

10. street style.
what can i say? chicago gets it.!

F21 And H&M Virtual Haul.

i absolutely love rings from Forever 21! 

they are constantly coming up with new designs that are wicked edgy and creative. needless to say they are outrageously cheap ($1 - $5) and, yes, the quality reflects that. hey! if you lose a jewel go buy yourself another adorable replacement. 

ring (Forever 21). it makes me feel so fancy! ^

another ring which is gracing my finger today (F21) ^

my killer ring (F21) ^

another fabulous place i go to find jewelry of equal pricing (with superior quality) is H&M. almost all of their simple long-chained necklaces (love love love!) are under six bucks! 

pineapple necklace! the dots making up this necklace almost forms a cage of sorts.
pineapples are a sign of hospitality

the golden apple necklace. isn't that in some myth or fairytale?

who doesn't need a pair of white ked-ish kicks?

basic striped tee

i also snagged this perfect sweater from F21.
remonds me of Nicole Loher's sweater

a lovely dotted, flowy blouse.

i also picked up a basic cotton dress for the summer months (which are quickly approaching!!) 

hang in there, the warmth is coming!

xoxo

-Mikey

ART BY Sweats.

(wore them with these black suede wedged booties)

(they also go great with my velvet Chinatown mary janes)

(my two most dangerous-looking rings)

(never truly had much of anything to wear these with until now)

popped into h&m today to look for a new pair of kicks when i was stopped in my tracks my these amazingly crasy pants. 'i have to get those' i says to myself. and that i did.

 h&m has begun this new thing called "ART BY". it's where they collaborate  with up-and-coming creative talents to make wonderful works of fashion. this particular piece was designed by illustrator, Saskia Pomeroy. check out her website i really enjoyed looking through her portfolio!

 these sweats are 100% organic cotton and are wicked comfy!

i felt like such a 90's child walking around work last night. like so... 

M.C. Hammer Pants ^

Skin Deep.

went to t.j.maxx a couple nights ago. i recently ran out of face lotion and used this maxx trip to refuel. 

i had a couple of fabulous finds. . . 

first this daily face moisturizer from O2CH.

 i haven't  ever heard of the brand but i love this lotion!

it's natural and organic. yummy!

 i have combination to dry skin and this lotion is substantial enough that it hydrates sufficiently. at the same time it's super light and it just feels so fresh. i don't feel like i'm smearing this heavy, oily paste onto my face. 

4 oz. of natural, organic creaminess. 

they say people can start to use anti-age products as early as 16 and it will benefit you in the future. so i picked up this little gem. i used to use toner on my skin at night just because i felt like if i moisturized before bed then my skin would get clogged and nasty. i came to find that when i used toner my skin would just get super dry and begin to flake in the mornings. so i began the search for a night cream. this is my first one so i don't have anything to campare it to but it seems super oily! maybe that's the way night creams work.  my skin doesn't mind though it drinks it right up. 

 these 1.7 oz. retail at $50. i snatched it for $7!

"All the beauty of the world, 'tis but skin deep."

                                                    -Ralph Venning

This Morning's Breakfast.

i love oatmeal. 

it's such a healthy and filling breakfast or late afternoon snack. half of the fun is discovering yummy topping to enjoy it with. i love making cinnamon-glazed apples or bananas to eat with it.  

just something to satisfy my sweet tooth.  

it's time i share my love. i hope you enjoy it the same. so, here's how it's gonna go down..

what you'll need:

i forgot to capture the cinnamon but you're going to need a sprinkle of that too. 

bring milk to a boil then add oatmeal.

 let oats and milk boil for about 5 minutes until yo get the consistency you wish for. 

then add the cinnamon (~1/2 tsp).

chop up however many bananas your heart desires (i used only one).

plop the mushy oats in your bowl of choice. 

add bananas.

and berries.

enjoy!