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Links (mostly from my Twitter);
Here’s a list of acceptable champagne brands when you’re straddling the line between Andre (too college) and Veuve Clicquot (hey I’m a journalist).
Here are the most popular Pinterest searches of the year, by country. Did your searches make the list? Mine definitely did.
My hood is getting a barcade!
Here are the best iPhone social network apps of all time. #spoileralert: Facebook is No. 1. Do you use any of the other apps?
Have you been reading the Humans of New York Syrian refugee stories? They have been making me bawl my eyes out. At work. No joke. President Obama commented on one of my favorite stories and it (of course) moved me to tears.
Columbia Journalism Review picked the best — and worst — journalistic pieces of the year.
I love everything about this Detroit Free Press A1.
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And my week highlights?
- I fiiiinally finished putting up my Christmas decorations. Hooray!
- My annual hot chocolate party! I had some of my favorite Chicago girlfriends over for a hot chocolate and waffle bar. (Here are photos from last year’s event.) We tried so many different combos of spiked hot cocoa. My favorite is caramel vodka with whipped cream and a caramel drizzle on top. We watched Christmas movies (The Grinch and Love Actually) and played Cards Against Humanity, gossiped and talked about books. It was a great night!
- Some online shopping. I can’t stop taking advantage of holiday sales! I picked up these fair isle socks and this blazer from J. Crew, and this sweater from J. Crew Factory. I also grabbed this skirt, this blazer and this blazer (!!!) from the Limited.
- Dinner at Wood in Lakeview for date night! It was so good!
- Drinks at Uptown’s Fat Cat.
- Mid-week drinks and appetizers downtown at The Commons Club with some of my Loop-working friends.
- Empire binge-watching. I started this last week, and cannot believe it took me so long to get into it! It’s filmed here in Chicago, so everyone here is crazy about it. I’m almost done with season two.
- Homemade Christmas Crack! I’ll get the recipe posted soon.
You can keep up with this stuff as it happens if you follow me on Instagram or on Snapchat at RandiMShaffer.
I’m looking forward to finishing up my Christmas shopping this coming week, and I’m really excited for some weekend visitors! My mom and sister are coming to Chicago this coming weekend to do some shopping — my mom has never stayed in Chicago for longer than a drop-off, pick-up or train transfer before! I’ll be staying in a hotel downtown with the two of them while they’re here. And then as soon as they leave, one of my best college friends will be in town on a flight layover! I’m so unbelievably excited.
How’s your holiday season going so far? Let me know in the comments!
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