The Paper Doll

It is hard to believe that summer vacation is more than half way over.  Part of me is sad, lamenting the fact that all too soon staying up 'til 3 a.m. and not waking up 'til 9 or 10 will be a thing of the past.  But I have to admit that I am excited, too, to start a new school year;  I especially felt this way when I wandered into the store the other day and saw all the fresh school supplies that were laid out, row after glorious row.Anyway.  It has been a good vacation so far, with nice little trips here and there.
While the Cat and I were in Chicago, on our first day, we all went to a little stationery store called the Paper Doll.  It is a beautiful little shop owned by two sisters with fabulous taste.  Being on vacation, I didn't really have the room to load up on the gorgeous wrapping paper and fun boxed card sets that they carry, but I did manage to nab a couple of cute little buttons because I couldn't walk away completely empty handed.

Kind of blurry, but you get the idea.  I left the other one on a
 little thank you note for Becky and David.  

Here are some of the super cute cards by a couple of the brands the Paper Doll carries.

I adore this whole line of cards from Red Cap

They carry fabulous lines like Snow & Graham, Rifle, and Red Cap.  Too much gorgeousness, I tell you.  Too much!

by Red Cap Cards

I wish I would have seen this while we were there; how perfect is this?!
from Hello Lucky

~Lori

Summer Fun: Chicago

Chicago (as seen from the Lincoln Park Zoo)

The Cat and I recently took a trip to Chicago to visit family.  This was our first time visiting, and it quickly became one of my favorite cities.  As in, I would seriously consider moving there if I didn't have obligations (and family) here in California.  And if my brother and sister-in-law weren't looking to move back to San Francisco in the near-ish future.
One of the first things I noticed about Chicago- besides all of the beautiful architecture and greenery EVERYWHERE- were the people.  Well, the people's clothes, to be more precise.  This is where I feel that I failed as a blogger; The Sartorialist I am not.  I'll blame it on the fact that I have not yet invested in a stellar camera and that my phone is a piece of crap (for lack of a better word).  But from the first day that we were there, from our first outing in Wicker Park, I saw so many stylish people my neck started to hurt from all the head swiveling that I was doing.  Seriously, these Chicagoans care about their outfits and they put together some pretty fabulous ones.  Even in a heatwave.
Even though I cannot provide you with Chicago style outfit inspiration, I can give you a sneak peek into our fabulous vacation.

|1| This is such a nice touch for guests- on the nightstand in the guest room, Becky (my sister-in-law) had pamphlets and maps about Chicago laid out, along with books on Chicago that she checked out especially for the Cat and me. |2| First day out, walking to get brunch, we came upon what looked like an ordinary little yard sale but was, in fact, an "Upscale Garage Sale."  Brilliant.  More like a little store than a yard sale, as it extended into the garage and was beautifully curated and arranged. |3| Becky had long been wanting to try these donuts from Glazed and Infused- we made sure to make it happen.  With flavors like Creme Brulee , S'mores, and Maple Bacon Long John, these are a must if you go to Chicago!  |4| The 4th of July proved so hot after a local parade in Oak Park, we spent the day in the fabulous Museum of Science and Industry (the main building dates back to the Chicago World Fair!) |5| An "I Spy" exhibit at the museum.  |6| Aunt Becky and the Cat chilling out on the tenth floor of the absolutely gorgeous library in downtown Chicago.  |7| The Cat and Uncle Dave going incognito at The Boring Store, the coolest spy shop around.  |8| Travelin' Dan hanging out at Sears Willis Tower.

Hope you enjoyed the peek into our trip, and I hope you have a great weekend!

~Lori

  

Happy Friday; Quote of the Week

Soon the Cat and I will be in Chicago, visiting my brother and sister-in-law.  We are both super excited for our trip (minus the whole making sure you get to the airport on time, get your bags checked, etc., etc.).

The following is a great picture featuring the iconic Marshall Field's clock on State Street in 1947.  The image comes from the Chicago Daily News.

image via

We've got big plans to visit all the touristy type places, take in lots of amazing architecture, explore as many different neighborhoods as we can, and eat our way through Chicago.  Lucky for us, we have two built in tour guides, so we are both looking forward to our visit.  And for those of you who have summer travel plans, I leave you with a little bit of sound advice...

So very, very true!
image via

~Lori