10 Reasons I Love Chicago

I am fresh off a vacation to my beloved Chicago. It's great to be back home, because there is something so indulgent about your own bed and hometown water; but Chicago is amazing, so here are some of my favorite things about it. 

1. It's like the less pompous, more relaxed NY. Lots to see, lots of culture, but no one puts on any airs. 

2. Speaking of culture, the museum scene is legit! I am in love with the Art Institute of Chicago (we saw an awesome exhibit called Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity, which had the AIC staples A Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte and Paris Street; Rainy Day!). The Field Museum is also awesome with Sue, the T-Rex.

3. Chicago's walkability is a delightful treat since living in The Twin Cities. I realize not all of Chicago is like this, but the downtown area, the parks, the theater scene, and museums are all easily accessible by foot or bus! (This is great for keeping cost low when traveling.)

4. Soldier Field is a great stadium. I especially love seeing concerts there (as opposed to the more confined theater experience) because the night sky is so beautiful and the "Windy City" ensures a refreshing evening breeze. 

5. Unlike some bigger cities, the streets of downtown Chicago (notably Michigan Ave and intersecting streets like Ontario, Ohio, Huron, and Erie) are immaculate.

6. I very rarely notice cigarette smoking, something that I regularly experience on downtown Minneapolis Streets. Factually, I'm probably wrong, but there seems to be a lower smoking population so you're not inhaling fumes as you walk to dinner. 

7. The name. How fun is it to say Chi-Town? You sound like a total tourist, but it's worth it. 

8. FOOD! The Corner Bakery Cafe and Harry Caray's are both amazing. The latter is great for a fancy dinner and the former is my go-to. This past vacation I ate every breakfast there; they have fantastic Swiss Oatmeal (which is difficult to find) and great coffee. And don't forget Chicago deep dish pizza and dogs.

9. Local spirit is wonderfully vibrant. White Sox versus Cubs runs in the blood of every local. Plus, Wrigley Field is handsome and a true American ball field. 

10. Pedi-cabs are everywhere and they make me smile. I've never gone on one (I'm too afraid to get hit by a car, as they use the same streets!), but they look cute. 

Upcoming Hiatus

Tomorrow, we will be leaving for Chicago to enjoy the Legends of Summer concert at Soldier Field! I am hopelessly excited to see Justin Timberlake and Jay Z live, as they are pretty much mythic figures in the music industry right now. (How jammin' are their new songs "Holy Grail" and "Take Back the Night," right?) I nabbed a leak of their set list, which I'm hoping is pretty accurate for Monday night, because it's an out-of-this-world selection of their very best songs! 

During our vacation, I will not be posting as regularly, but you can stay updated with all things Chicago via my Twitter and Instagram (@sarahcarlsonetc) accounts! Enjoy this beautiful weekend! 

Photos by Abby from our last trip to Chicago.

Coming Home for Summer

Do ever find the transition into summer can be a little weird sometimes? I often am so used to being busy during the school year, that the first week or so I need something to keep me feeling productive. It can be difficult to go from long, productive days to lounge-y weeks that require little to no action. But, after a few days of unpacking & reorganizing all my belongings, baking up new recipes, and making summer goal lists, I settle down. 

And then I wake up to a bustling house in the late morning! 

While I'm at school, I'm considered the early riser between all my roommates. Weekdays I get up at 6:00 am and usually crawl out of bed for coffee by 9:00 am on weekends. But when I come home for the summer, I am the late sleeper, and feel lazy for not starting my days early like my parents. I occasionally even feel guilty for being so sloth-like, despite my mother's kind insistence that I "just relax after such a busy year!" 

I've been on summer vacation for over a month now, and am really feeling settled now. It seems crazy that the transition would take a while, but it can! 

How do you transition from hectic schedules to lazy weeks? I've heard horror stories of college kids not being able to stand living with their parents after living alone at college––could you do it? Should you ever feel guilty for relaxing if not everyone in the house is? 

Summer Sneakers

Last summer, I wrote about some fun options for summer kicks. I was heading to Florida, so I was looking for super light-weight (mostly slip-ons) that would go from beach to park in a few seconds. Bensimon creates beautiful tennis slip-ons that come in great colors, and here are some more affordable similar styles by Old Navy. (I have them; they're awesome!)

However, this summer we're going to Chicago! Instead of beach time, we'll be walking––a lot. I want some tennis shoes that are more durable and have more support for the days we spend several hours on hard pavement. These shoes by Superga look like a great option. I just ordered them! I've seen them in the J.Crew catalog, on Shopbob, and Piperlime (on sale there!). They also have great colors, so they aren't as drab as the typical tenny.

What do you think? Do you have any summer sneakers that you would suggest? I'd love to get the best (most comfortable and still chic) ones I can find!

I'm Busy July 22...

Pretty much everyone I see now knows that I'm busy July 22. I just can't stop saying it!

I've already made summer plans and I still have several weeks left of semester. But this new is simply too exciting not to share! I ordered my tickets for the July 22 Justin Timberlake concert at Soldier Field in Chicago! I'm so pumped to go and even more exciting, I'm going with my family. Abby and I surprised our mom early with the tickets for her birthday (which is in July) and we'll be making a small vacation out of it and will probably listen to The 20/20 Experience the whole way there. 

Needless to say, I have a countdown started for July 22. And by the way, have I said I'm busy July 22?

Photo via

{Weekend Update}...Spring Break!

Snow, glorious snow!

It's spring break over here, but it sure doesn't look like it! As I baked a delicious chocolate buttermilk cake for my dad's birthday yesterday, poor Abby shoveled five inches of snow! And it snowed even more. It may not look (or feel) like Miami, but it's break nonetheless, and I'm just happy to be home with my family relaxing. A vacation is a vacation, right?

Abby, Dad & I checked out Bad Waitress.

A cozy Friday morning before my last class. 

Photos via @sarahcarlsonetc Instagram

{Weekend Update}...Vacation Farewell

So I'm back in Minnesota. It feels like ages since I've been in the city, and while everything is obviously the same, the streets look so different. Perhaps it's the half-melted snow littering the sidewalks...

For my final weekend home on break, I did lots of family stuff. Very specific, I know. My mom and I hauled ourselves out of bed at 5:30 am (yawn!) to drive to my grandma's house in Marshfield, WI. It was so lovely to see her, and the early morning was well worth it. Following out little ritual, mom and I stopped to grab huge coffees for our drive there-so delicious!

Even though dad was a little under the weather - poor guy - we had much fun chilling at home. It's been so long since our family actually went to the movies, and since it was so freezing, we stayed in and watched To Rome With Love, by Woody Allen. It was fantastic, and now I'm on a Woody-kick. I might watch this tonight with Abby.

How was your weekend? I hope you stayed warm and smiled!

Photo via my Instagram @sarahcarlsonetc

Signing Off

At noon today my vacation begins, and I couldn't be more ready for it! It's been a crazy few weeks, but extremely rewarding. I've been so lucky to see wonderful friends, try new things, and see my efforts pay off. But now I'm heading home to spend a relaxing few days with my family. I have to work for Black Friday (yikes!), but that just gives me a reason to drink obscene amount of coffee. What am I looking forward to? Spending the whole day eating sweets, drinking coffee and reading (preferably in a room like this)! I'm picking up some books today, possibly from this list. . . any suggestions? 

Have a cozy holiday with your family and friends! 

P.S Maybe I'll journal over break. 

Photo via