My plans for the day got postponed due to rain this afternoon, so instead I got up and walked over to Hewn for a new loaf of aged cheddar bread and a brioche french toast! I love morning walks around in my neighborhood, it's so peaceful, and I should really do it more. After my treats, a cuppa tea and reading up on some legendary college basketball from my beloved KU, while sitting on the balcony watching the clouds roll in. 
10 on 10 { oct 2013 }
I remembered to do my 10 on 10 for the challenge today. AND since I was out and about, you get to see what a travel workday looks like for me. No two are alike, and today was quite the mix! That said ... I failed to see that there was a theme for this month ... sorry no pumpkin spice today. :( Phoned in from Columbia, SC.
[1] photo of the state house in hotel room [2] room service [3] caffeine [4] reviewing signs - and not liking them [5] walking the hospital floor-by-floor [6] skipped lunch and stopped into the Carolina Museum of Art to see the Annie Leibovitz exhibit (no photos allowed) and zipped through the rest of the galleries - loved these two coming from the ground [7] back to the job site to walk all exterior signs with the guys [8] obligatory palmetto tree [9] recharging [10] rockers at the airport - love the south [11] bonus photo of lake murray from the sky
bulb fest
I drove up to the Botanic Garden today with my friend Marcey to check out blub fest. It was the most beautiful Fall day for wandering the gardens. They have loads of mums in yellows and oranges and strategically placed gourds here and there, a hay bale maze and gourd tower. It was lovely.
First tip - if you want bulbs (which I didn't - no yard to put them in) go on Friday or early Saturday or pre-order. They were very picked over today. Second tip - don't expect very many vendors for fun fall goodies. I picked up a couple of mini loaves of peanut butter cookie bread (yep, yum!) and some homemade marshmallows. Marcey picked up some veggies and that was about it ... But it was the most perfect day to be out and about. Perfectly Fall! 
let there be light
This is my home office - where all the photo editing magic happens. (ha!) It's also my KU shrine, but the newest addition to my desk is the amazing gold lamp! I have been looking for just the right lamp for some time now. I don't like traditional "desk lamps" and since I have that shelf above it has to be a very specific size. Well, it's proven to be a difficult thing to find.
I was watching the Today Show one morning during my staycation and they had a style segment that included this lamp. I have seen similar for hundreds of dollars, but when she said this one was $39 at Homegoods, I had to actually rewind to make sure I heard it right. I hopped in the car later that day and popped into Homegoods. There it was! For $39! I love it when I find just the right thing for just the right price.
signature necklace
I have been eying the Brevity Jewelry signature necklace for a while now. I have monogram rings and necklaces, and love them ... but the signature necklace, now that's unique and personal and fabulous!
I spotted is on Fab.com one day and decided I'd go for it! I signed a piece of paper and emailed it to the artist. She sent me a proof full scale so that I cold print and hold up to make sure I liked the size. And then we wait... I was SO excited when this baby showed up in the mail. It's hard to know how it's really going to look from a print proof, but I have to say I love it! Really could not be happier!
chicago in white : trois
This was my third year attending the Chicago in White dinner - a pop up / flash mob style dinner who's secret location is not revealed until we have all gathered at our harmonization points. In years past we have dined in Daley Plaza and along the Chicago River in front of the Merchandise Mart, so the bar was set pretty high. This year our head of table announced we would be dining at the Randolph Street Market there was silence... Yeah, that's because it's not exactly a Chicago landmark ... And, the market is held in a parking lot! I was completely underwhelmed by the venue this year, but enjoyed dining with my friends regardless. Hoping they get back on their game next year and move it back to August ... we were a little chilly! 
staycation : seven
stay : seven
I probably should have named this "apple week" since I have now spent the better part of another day on another apple adventure. Oh well, what can I say? I'm a gadget girl. :) My day started about 5:30AM so that I could be at the Apple store to purchase the new iPhone 5s. I got there about a quarter till 7 and was a good 250 people back from the door. Yikes! By the time they got to me (three hours later), they did not have the phone I wanted (64 gig) so I got another 32gb and have decided to offload my million photos to an app called Loom. More about that in a in another post.
So I get my shiny new phone home, plug it in to get all the data off my old 4s and get a call in the middle of the software update... That stopped the update mid stream and I was stuck in a loop of restoring to factory and restoring from backup for the next three hours or so. Ugh!
That gave me some time to work on website/blogs and such. My yvettefevurly.com domain is back up and running - it's my catchall for the many places I upload my life's data. Here's a screen shot of the page - I think it's kind of fun and playful, and great colors! 
Also while setting things up, I discovered my Flickr account FINALLY passed the coveted 100,000 views - only took me nine years, not bad considering I was banned from explore in like 2006! 
That's all of the randomness for a Friday off. Here's to a fabulous weekend!
staycation : six
stay : six podiatrist history @ the chicago history museum 95 floors above the city @ the john hancock observatory
Let me just start by saying... when I woke up this morning it was POURING rain. Buckets of rain. That is not at all what you want when you're on vacation. Anyway, I had to get out and about and my first stop was the podiatrist. (kind of goes with the anti-vacation thing to do) A quick analysis, a few x-rays and some ace bandages and I was out the door. Apparently I have plantar fasciitis, boo. This is how I walked out of the office ... it's a good look, huh?
A quick stop at home for a shoe change and it was back downtown with me. First stop was the Chicago History Museum. This is the one museum in the city that I have never been to before, so it was fabulous to finally pay a visit! I didn't learn all that much more than what I have learned in my 18 years here, but they do have a very nice display of the "white city" and "chicago fire." They had two really great exhibits - one of Ebony Magazine and the history of their Fashion Fair - and the other, the real reason for me being there, Vivian Maier's Chicago. It was a small, but well done exhibit. I really enjoy her work - she had a great eye for finding interesting subjects from very simple moments. I even broke down and bought the book of her work! Maybe someday someone will make a book of my photos - wouldn't that be something!?!
Enough about me... (ha!).. when I emerged from the museum, the sun had come out so I decided to run into the John Hancock Observatory for a few shots from above the city. I prefer the view from the JH to that of the Wills because you really get the lakefront. And on a day like today - with a little haze in the sky - it was perfect! Just look at that skyline would ya? 
stacation : four
stay : fourcrepes @ the market on the MCA plaza modern art @ the museum of contemporary art shopping @ topshop, west elm and the amazing jayson home and garden
Started the day at the MCA (it's free on Tuesday's for IL residents!) and stumbled on a little farmers market out front. So I picked up a crepe and took in the scene before heading in to see some modern art. Still find most modern art confusing - meaning I do not always understand the statement the artist is making. Even the photography is a stretch sometimes. That said, they had two full rooms devoted to comic strips - that was fun - and a few works by Paul Sietsma that I enjoyed. 
Then I popped into Topshop for the first time - I see outfits online and TV that often reference Topshop, so I wanted to see if they had anything that would appeal to me. I'm not very "trendy" with my style - more sport classic, more Ralph Lauren ... know what I mean. But, I did find a couple of pieces of interest (still in shades of black and white). Then to West Elm where I picked up a couple of kitchen goods - I could really buy everything in that store! 
And Jayson Home ... it's a must for any interior design fan! It's wicked expensive, but beautifully curated and they have even started bringing in Flea market finds. Today's funny flea - life preservers. Now... I want to see where those things end up! 
trampoline time
Spent last Saturday in Chesterton with the Pittmans. We took in the European Market, the Popcorn Fest over in Valpo and a little quality time in the back yard jumping on the trampoline and snapping a few photos. Let me tell you, it's a challenge to focus on a moving object when you are moving too! I couldn't believe how comfortable Sloane was on the trampoline - running, jumping, summer salts - so stinkin' cute! Oh and that hair, OMG that hair! Hello static! 
This photo says it all ... Fun! Fun! Fun! And a little out of focus... oh well still my fav!