• Favorite Things,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    Netflix #StreamTeam September: Help Yourself!

    I am a member of the Netflix #StreamTeam and will be happily sharing monthly tips and stories about how my family uses Netflix on a regular basis. (Okay, that’s an understatement. I should say CONSTANTLY. We use Netflix CONSTANTLY.) This post is sponsored by Netflix, of course! I’ll admit it: I’m slightly obsessed with “makeover my life/business/family/home” reality shows. I’ve watched many of them over the years, and while they vary widely in presentation, they’re all the same when you take them down to bare bones. On the nanny shows, usually the parents aren’t doing what they need to do to properly discipline their kids and that’s why they’re having…

  • Family Fun,  Favorite Things,  Fun in Chicago

    Blue Man Group Questions and Answers? Got ‘Em!

    Remember how, the last time I saw Blue Man Group Chicago (just a month ago!), I said that I won’t ever get sick of the show? TRUTH. In fact, I just went back last week. I KNOW!! Crazy, right? I was invited to come and see the show and stick around afterwards for a Q&A session with a band member and a Blue Man, and why the heck would I ever pass THAT up? Answer: I would not. Sidenote: Jim wondered how a Blue Man was going to answer questions, since Blue Men don’t talk. Huh. He’s always thinking. Disclosure: we received complimentary tickets to the show as a part…

  • Favorite Things,  Too Funny To Ignore

    Wet Hot American Summer: #StreamTeam Goes To Camp

    I am a member of the Netflix #StreamTeam and will be happily sharing monthly tips and stories about how my family uses Netflix on a regular basis. (Okay, that’s an understatement. I should say CONSTANTLY. We use Netflix CONSTANTLY.) This post is sponsored by Netflix, of course!Everyone’s headed back to school so I figured this would be a GREAT time to talk about summer camp, amirite??? Actually, I had intended to make this post coincide neatly with the July 31st release of “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp” on Netflix, and I DID do the binge-watching in two days so I was ready…but somehow now it’s the third…

  • Best Thing Ever,  Favorite Things,  Fun in Chicago,  Travels

    Homegrown Inspiration at Loews Chicago Hotel

    As many of you know, my dad spent more than forty years in the hospitality industry, as a hotel manager. I loved being the daughter of a hotel manager for many reasons, and I know that spending so much time as a hotel kid contributed greatly to who I am today (someone not fond of camping, for one thing! *insert rim shot here*). I even blogged about my childhood hotel history, if you’re interested in reading it. The links are at the bottom of this post. Since I lived in hotels for months at a time when I was a kid, it’s understandable that I feel right at home in…

  • Family Fun,  Favorite Things,  Fun in Chicago

    Blue Man Group Chicago: Now With Even MORE Awesome!

    I’ve written about Blue Man Group Chicago a few times since I started this blog in 2007. That’s partly because it’s one of the local activities that has consistently remained in our family’s top five (or so) for the last I-don’t-know-how-many years. It’s partly because it’s just a freaking good show and I want everyone to know about it. Jim (who is seriously a BMG FANATIC) and I have seen it so many times we’ve lost count. We LOVE taking visitors to see Blue Man Group. In fact, when Jim and I were recently trying to figure out how he and his boss would entertain their co-workers who were visiting…