Weekly Sundown Rundown

Happy Sunday/ Pride Parade day here in Chicago! I’m so bummed that I had to miss the event due to work, but I had a hand in curating our livestream of the event over here at the Trib, so it was like I was basically there, right? 

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Links:

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT GAY MARRIAGE IS NOW JUST MARRIAGE MARRIAGE AND I’M SO EXCITED ABOUT IT. Equality, guys.

Thrillist ranked Michigan as the No. 1 state in the country, thus making me miss my home even more. Mitten love.

This man spent two weeks eating food marketed toward women and detailed the experience.

My friend Angela has super useful meal planning tips. As someone who forgets to grocery shop, runs out of time to pack lunch and ends up eating Chipotle four times a week and vending machine food the other three… yes.

The Chicago Tribune has a list of ice cream places to check out. This has turned into a personal to do list. God bless my employer you guys.

Cat posted a photo of this blueberry pie with an amaretto crust on Instagram and I almost licked my phone screen.

Cat also has advice on making new friends as an adult, when things like blind roommates and student organizations don’t exist anymore.

If you’re getting underpaid, it’s probably costing you in more ways than just your paycheck.

This has been out there on the Internet for a while, but Lifehacker has tips on being a gracious houseguest. (Yes, this is a not so subtle hint to anyone who plans on crashing at my Chicago apartment.)

The Everygirl has a list of ways to style a headboard. I’ve always made my bed the focal point of my bedroom (after advice from my parents), and my gorgeous DIY headboard is one of the most commented-on items in my home.

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And my week’s highlights included…

• A visit to the Dagne Dover popup shop at theWit Chicago! I love my Dagne (you can read an earlier review of it here) and was so excited to check out some of the other products in person for the first time ever.
• Vegetarian enchiladas and guacamole with a friend at XOCO in Wicker Park, and then a visit to a rooftop to take in the most amazing view of my city ever. Photos really don’t do it justice.
• Homemade guac! (Suck it, overpriced Chipotle.)
• A letter in the mail from my Mount Pleasant roommate Elise, who I love and miss way, way too much.
• Dinner at Nha Hang Viet Nam in Uptown with a coworker. (I had Hu Tieu Tom – rice noodle soup with shrimp and vegetables.)
• A tour of the Chicago Pedway. I figured out how to get from the red line Lake station to Trib Tower and back almost entirely sheltered from the rain, snow and cold. January Randi is already thanking June Randi for her forward thinking.
• Dinner and beer at Handlebar in Humboldt Park with my friend Mickey after helping her move (aka mostly just gossiping and talking about boys and drama).
• A new Illinois driver’s license! So bittersweet.
• An attempted trip to the balcony of Trib Tower to take in the view of the lake… but construction has delayed the opening another few weeks. Bummer.

(You can see all this as it happens and more if you follow me on Instagram or on Snapchat: @RandiMShaffer)

And this coming week? I might try breaking onto Trib Tower’s balcony to see that view! (Totally kidding.) In reality, I’m so incredibly excited for this coming weekend. My college friend Emily is coming to visit for the Fourth of July, and we have an awesome weekend full of fireworks, pizza, beach days and mimosas scheduled. Absolutely cannot wait! What’s on your radar lately? Let me know in the comments!