Our dark winter tundra is starting to lighten our space and minds with the anticipation of bocce ball, a cold Miller High Life, rompers, straw hats, and seeing people’s smiling faces vs. cringing winter frost frowns. This was my second winter here, and I will say the month of January was bleak with a side of despair. I had to really rally with the loss of sleep, check my anxiety at the door, uplift others, allow myself to be uplifted, eat more pizza, and reach out to friends with multiple phone dates on the schedule. We are on the home stretch to Lake Michigan boating, food pop-ups, music festivals, and it can’t come fast enough.

We have some new followers, and I wanted to say thank you again for your support, time, suggestions, and love. I am reposting a couple of older adventure pictures that I think you will love this past year! I do love gallivanting, eating, cooking, sipping, live music, and gazing at all things Chicago, so you will see a broad array of pictures from me. No, I don’t own a proper camera; these are all from my phone and amateur at best, but this is my labor of love, and I won’t stray now.

Lately, I’ve been leaning into the art of pickling: strawberries, avocado, mushrooms, and red onions, etc. I dug through my boxes when I moved here and found my “Joy of Pickling” bible. I’m no nutritionist or physician, but I do know that gut health is a top priority in my world. It is essentially our second brain, which can provide certain antioxidants, probiotics, and electrolytes in the prevention of inflammation and other ailments. Stay tuned on what I have in store for you as we approach spring/summer. If you have any tips for me, drop me a message. Cheers, bebes!

Music Cue: Slumber Party by Brigitte Calls Me Baby (Chicago-based obsession | The Killers married Morrissey)