http://www.hulu.com/watch/331283/saturday-night-live-jay-z-and-beyonces-baby (sorry, Hulu wouldn’t let me upload this as a video!)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this SNL skit.  It’s so dead-on. Here are some things I love about this video:

-I need to comment on how hott Maya Rudolph looks (you go girl!). 

-I can’t get enough of Fred Armison’s impression of Prince (if you love him, you should check out his show Portlandia, pretty effing funny).  Especially how he just lurks behind the crib.  Double points for being extra creepy.

-Kristen Wiig as T. Swift.  Just…LOL.  Is anyone else totally over T. Swift?  And yes, she’s cute, she has catchy music, blah blah blah. But really…how old are you now?  Like 22 or 23?  Your Prince Charming isn’t waiting for you on his white horse, and you’re not in high school anymore! Grow up girl friend, and please do something with your hair!  I digress… But it’s true, is she always THAT surprised when she wins another freaking award?? YOU KNOW YOU’RE GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO, DON’T BE SO SURPRISED!!! And, please do something rebellious or crazy?!?! I’m bored of you T. Swift.  The most exciting thing you’ve done in the past three years is write a song about how John Mayer screwed you over.  You should have just pulled an Alanis and cut him with you words. The End.

- I <3 Abby Elliott’s (yes I had to look up her name) on-going hilarious impression of Angelina Jolie.  If you know me well, you know that I am OBSESSED with a past SNL Weekend Update with Kristen Wiig as Madonna and Abby Elliott as Angelina, and they’re talking about their babies (that’s not that crazy….) So kuddos to you, Abby! (Glad I know you’re name now…)

-The Nicki Minaj impression was kind of awesome.

-Justin Timberlake as Bon Iver.  Just. Awesome.  I love it.  Good for you, Justin.  You’re actually funny, and maybe you should just consider joining the SNL cast, and stop making movies like Friends with Benefits or whatever it was called.

On a side note, I am so sad that Kristen Wiig and that other woman didn’t win the Oscar for writing Bridesmaids.  It was one of my favorite movies this year, and I’m always proud of my female comedians!  Hope you all enjoy the video!

Today is February 14th, and every girl from ages 8-35 know exactly what this day is, and may or may not spend time thinking about it…frequently.  Yes, it is VALENTINE’S DAY!  That one holiday that we all love to hate or hate to love.  If there was a Shit People Say On Valentine’s Day, it would include things such as:

-OMG it’s such a Hallmark Holiday.

-I hope I get red roses from a secret admirer!

-I’m just celebrating with my girl friends! SEX AND THE CITY NIGHT!

-Does anyone have an extra copy of The Notebook?

-I guess we should celebrate…only because it’s expected of us.

-SCREW VALENTINE’S DAY! LET’S JUST GET WASTED!!!!

-GIRLS NIGHT!!!!

-Should I get new lingerie?

Etc, etc, etc.  Something that I have learned over the years it that people have such an issue with Valentine’s Day!  People are already dominating my Facebook mini-feed with statuses defending celebrating Valentine’s day, one friend put it, “I am proud I work hard at my relationship.  I deserve to be happy and romantic for one day of the year so sod off and shut up! LOL.” (Thanks, Alex)  Good for you!  You’re in a happy relationship, you should celebrate!  No need to defend you being romantic.  At this point, I think people think it’s “cool” or “trendy” to hate on Valentine’s Day because it’s embarrassing to admit that you want an excuse to be romantic.  It’s so much easier to hate on it.

It’s funny how different people react to a holiday that is notoriously known for being “stupid” “sappy” or “waste of money”.  I get where people are coming from when they say, why should I only have one day be special or romantic?  I remember in college people would host “Anti-Valentine’s Day Parties” where you could only go if you were single and ready to mingle!  My senior year of college, my room mates and I had a party for Valentine’s Day called “Love Lounge”.  Our party was for all people: single, taken, “it’s complicated”, or just wanted an excuse to drink with their friends.  It truly was a glorious and loving party.  It was probably one of our craziest parties we hosted at our house, and it got broken up by the po-po.  It was definitely a night of romance, drinking, and making mistakes at The Tavern (God, I miss college…) 

Basically, it has come down to Valentine’s Day is just another excuse for single people to get wasted and meet other single people, as seen on this flyer below.

It’s so interesting and entertaining that people get SO worked up over this holiday, when it’s supposed to be this sweet little holiday where drug stores, Hallmark, and Godiva make tons of money. Don’t you miss the good-old-days when you made Valentine’s Day mailboxes in elementary school, and you got to decorate them with doilies and glitter?  You’d make your mom take you to Walgreens to buy Disney Princess or Looney Tunes themed valentines to give one to every person in the class.  You may buy one real card to give to your special crush.  I miss that kind of Valentine’s Day!  Where you give everybody a little card that says something cute and cliche, you eat some candy, and you call it a day! I think sometimes we all wish life was that simple again.

Valentine’s Day should be a day to celebrate all kinds of love, not just romantic love.  Love comes in all forms, and should be celebrated as such.  I can’t count the number of times I’ve celebrated Valentine’s Day with good friends and had a blast.  (Excluding Anti-Valentine’s Day gatherings)  I wish that it could just be seen as another day of the year to tell the people you care about how much you love and enjoy them.  Call your parents, call your friends, call your boyfriend/girlfriend and tell them how much you appreciate you having them in your life and wish them a Happy Valentine’s Day.  Maybe even give-in to the holiday, go out for dinner, have some cocktails, and give your friends some of those gross candy hearts. 

(Do people really eat these??)

I swear you’ll enjoy it much more than sitting on your couch wishing you had a special someone in your life, and updating your Twitter and Facebook about how much you hate the holiday.  I hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating, whether that’s sipping cosmos at a swanky bar with your favorite ladies, enjoying a night on the town with a special someone, getting hammered at an Anti-Valentine’s Day party, or sitting in bed watching sappy romantic comedies.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

xoxo (how appropriate… ;-) )

P.S.- Happy 100th Birthday to my favorite crazy-ass state, ARIZONA! Another topic I love to hate on.  #ArizonaIsAHotMess

If you know me in real life or just follow my blog, you’ve come to learn that I love many things in this world, such as Britney Spears, sweet potato fries, brunch, dirty martinis, my dodgeball team, bloody marys, Chicago, and of course my wonderful friends and family.  However, one of the more underground obsessions I have is MTV’s epic reality show,THE CHALLENGE!!!

The Challenge, originally known as the Real World/ Road Rules Challenge, takes all of your past favorite cast members from the Real World and Road Rules, sends them off to a beautiful, exotic location, gives them a never-ending supply of alcohol, and of course, makes them to challenges in order to win money (Because let’s be honest, how do these people make money when they’re not on MTV?  Bar appearances can only get you so far, and how else are you going to pay for your “student loans” aka boob job?)  These challenges have taken us on a journey of Battle of the Seasons, Battle of the Sexes, The Gauntlet, The Inferno, Fresh Meat, The Ruins, Cutthroat, Rivals, and now…BATTLE OF THE EXES! I can’t forget about the fabulously sassy host, T.J. Lavin.  If T.J. tells you did a good job, you can die happy.  But if T.J. calls you out on your dumbass B.S., you should just go home and cry, and possibly give up on life.

The producers of this show are geniuses.  They have single-handedly created the most epic, ridiculous, and wildly entertaining television show.  These people are INSANE. Honestly, who are these people?  Where did they come from?  I digress.  This season is going to be especially entertaining because the partners are “Exes” or some form of it.  Exes can really mean anything to they shared a drunken make-out one time, like Rookies Priscilla and Nate from RW San Diego, or a full-blown serious relationship, like C.T. and Diem.  So, shit is going DOWN.  Here’s the Beccaw Guide to this season of The Challenge: Battle of the Exes!

THE TEAMS!

Paula and Dunbar (aka Dumb and Dumber)

(Thank you MTV.com for the photos)

All I have to say is, HOT MESS.  First of all, Paula, give up.  You hadn’t won a challenge in FOREVER, and then you peaked last season when you were paired up with your “rival”, Evelyn, who is the most bad-ass chick to ever be on this show.  You got lucky, and you won, and you should go enjoy your money and your fake boobs.  But nooo, you’re just going to keep on going!  You’re like that girl who hangs out with the popular girls in high school who no one really likes, but they keep around to use to get gossip from, kind of like the Gretchen Weiners of The Challenge.  You’re just like always there, and those guys ALWAYS screw you over!  Kenny and Johnny Bananas don’t care about you! MOVE ON!  When will you learn, Paula?  And even worse, your “ex” is DUNBAR?! Dummy Bear?  Dunbar is one of the biggest douches to ever appear on these shows, and one of the dumbest.  Like, who are you?  Really?  Does he get laid off the show?  The plus side to this duo is that they will not lack on the entertainment value.  Will they win, doubtful.

Rachel and Aneesa (aka Power Lesbians)

I would never want to be on either of these ladies’ bad sides.  I love both of them for separate reasons.  First of all, Aneesa, you are one of my favorite women to ever be on the Real World.  You represent so much awesomeness in one person, you bisexual, African American, Jew!  People such as yourself make me proud to be an American.  Not only that, but you are just a straight-up bad-ass bitch who won’t take crap from anyone.  You actually really make me miss Coral from Real World New York.  She was another crazy one.  Aneesa is also a fierce competitor and has taken out many bitches in the Gauntlet, Inferno, etc.  Basically, I would not want to be against her one-on-one.  Then there’s Rachel.  Rachel is a BEAST.  Just look at her!  It’s Rachel against the world, and guess what, Rachel wins.  I actually saw Rachel at the Grove in LA., and she was with that ho Veronica.  I opened a door for them as I was leaving a store, and I completely lost it when I saw it was them.  Rachel is even a beast in real life!  I wouldn’t be surprised if these two made it really far.  Although, they could hypothetically being at a disadvantage being two females, but I’m pulling for them!

CT and Diem (aka the Ultimate Good Girl/ Bad Boy)

Oooh the epic love story of CT and Diem.  CT is a monster.  He can and will rip your head off.  He is hands down the best athlete on the show, and is actually pure muscle.  His temper always got him trouble, as seen in past seasons when he beat the crap out of his old cast-mate, Adam.  They ended up being a Dream Team on Rivals, when CT calmed down and got his shit together.  Diem is one of the nicest, most normal, and lovely females to ever be on this show, which makes me wonder why she’s here.  She fought ovarian cancer on one of the last seasons!!  She also fell in love with the ultimate bad boy of the show.  We all watched their romance start through a past challenge, and it was so sweet watching CT be so supportive of her struggle with cancer.  They were like the Barbie and Ken of The Challenge, but eventually she broke up with him after about a year of dating.  These two are both fantastic competitors, but will their sexual tension be the ruin of them?  They haven’t seen each other or spoken since their break-up and clearly have issues that needed to be sorted out.  GREAT TELEVISION!!! If they can get their shit together, and possibly fall back in love, I think they have a great chance of winning the whole thing! 

Abram and Cara Maria (aka Freak and Freakier)

These two are another almost Happily Ever After for the Challenge.  These two weirdos met two seasons ago on The Challenge.  I think they were both happy to find another person as strange and freaky as he or she was.  We watched them lust over one another all over their house, and even dated off the show.  The drama this season seems to be that Abram is still holding a torch for young Cara Maria!  Poor Abram!  Both are good competitors, so we’ll see if they too can work out their issues.  And by the way, who knew Cara Maria had such a hot bod? Good for you, Cara Maria!  Work it!  But maybe take your red dye and single dreads out?  Thanks. (She clearly needs a sassy gay friend!)

Ty and Emily (aka Crazy Pants and Normal Nancy)

Words cannot express how much Ty weirds me out.  Like, really, why are you so upset?  All the time!  Why are so rude to women?  Why are you SO SASSY?!  WHY DID YOU PUSH EMILY ON YOUR SEASON OF REAL WORLD?!! Ty is actually the bitchiest straight male I have ever seen.  He looks like he’d be a great athlete, but he’s always disappointing.  He just doesn’t have the heart that it takes to be on the show.  Emily, on the other hand, is another fierce lady who I have come to love.  She seems completely normal, very athletic, and someone who I’d totally grab after-work drinks with.  I’d love to get her take on all the crazies on this show!  I feel bad for her that she’s paired up with such a moron.  If she can carry the team and find a way to calm his temper, these two can do well for themselves.  But, Ty is so disliked in the house, I’m sure he’ll piss off one of the head honchos, and OFF WITH HIS HEAD!

Dustin and Heather (aka Gay Porn and Girl Who Dated Gay Porn Star)

We met these lovebirds on their season of Real World Las Vegas.  At first they seemed like the All-American, home-grown, cute as a button couple. They were falling in love not only on the Real World, but also in Las Vegas!  That’s impressive.  Then, shit hit the fan when Heather found out from her MOTHER that Dustin was in gay porn.  It broke all of our hearts to see her so upset that her hubby had been around on the block with other dudes and it was on the internet for the world to see!  But even worse, HE DIDN’T TELL HER ABOUT IT FIRST!!!! That bastard!  OF COURSE HE DIDN’T TELL YOU!  They ultimately broke up because she felt so betrayed that he didn’t tell her, not that she was suspicious of his sexual orientation.  However, they did impress me on the first episode of The Challenge, when they were already chatting with the other Rookies and setting up their own alliance. GOOD FOR YOU!  ROOKIES UNITE!!!!! I think they can do well because it’s the typical Brains and Braun, Heather is the brain and Dustin the braun.

Johnny and Camila (aka Mr. and Mrs. Bananas)

I think they’re going to win.  Johnny just came off of winning last season’s Rivals, and let’s face it, he’s an amazing competitor and a master manipulator.  We’ll see how he does this season without his famous wing-men, Kenny and Evan. His main competition is CT and maybe Wes.  Camila is just an odd girl, and I can’t decide if she’s cute or not.  Anyway, they’re both great athletes, and probably don’t have much going for them outside of the show.  I hope they hook-up this season to create more drama!

Leroy and Naomi (aka USE PROTECTION!!!)

Little Le and Naomi are some of my favorite Real World quasi-couples.  They were hook-up buddies on their season of Real World Las Vegas, and she almost got pregnant and had a STD scare, all in one season!  These two are a match made in reality t.v. heaven.  She also loves him, and he may or may not love her back…DRAMA!  He’s a great athlete, and she’s just downright hilarious, so I’m really hoping these two make it far.  At least you know they’ll be high up on the entertainment scale.  I bet she gets into a pretty bad-ass girl fight, maybe with someone annoying like Mandy or Paula.

Robin and Mark (aka Old and Older)

First of all, I cannot believe these people don’t have anything better to do than still be on this television show.  Robin, don’t you have a kid now?!  Mark, HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW?!  I mean, I guess it doesn’t matter because you are looking damn fine.  Mark really is like a fine wine, just gets better with age.  Everyone loves Mark, but Robin…I just don’t understand you.  I feel like she’s always crying about something?  When I think of Robin, all that comes to mind is when she hooked up with one of her cast-mates on Real World San Diego (yes the FIRST season of that), and all you heard come out of the room was “BOOM! BAZOOKA JOE!”  Does anyone else remember that?!  Anyway, he’s an amazing competitor and she at least looks like she’s in shape?  I think her drama may be the downfall for this duo though.

Nate and Priscilla (aka Who?)

Wait, who are these two?  They were on the new Real World San Diego that NOBODY watched? Spoiler Alert: THEY WENT HOME ON THE FIRST EPISODE! Over it.

Vinny and Sarah (aka The Guido and The Hipster)

Sarah! You’re a blonde now!!!! Looking good!  Sarah, you are a fab competitor.  I actually like you, and you seem normal.  But, I am terribly sorry, but your partner is an idiot.  You are screwed.  You should have never hooked up with him.  You should start packing now, and try to go be with the love of your life, Mr. Beautiful, aka Kenny.

Tyrie and Jasmine (aka Why???)

Jasmine, lay off the crazy pills and CONTROL YOUR TEMPER. YOU ARE 80 POUNDS!!! You are not going to hurt ANYBODY. Tyrie, why are you still here?  I can’t even watch this duo, it’s such a shitstorm, and they’re on the line of being entertaining and downright awful. They’re going to go home early, fo sho.

Wes and Mandi (aka I don’t even know because they’re so effing ridiculous!!!)

Just…L-O-L.  Mandi, I guess you’re an OK competitor, but you’re clearly known for sleeping with or trying to sleep with all the bros on this show.  You’re cute, but you need to just like, I don’t know, do something else with your life.  I am embarrassed for you that your ex on this season is Wes.  Wes.  How does one describe Wes.  Wes is actually one of the most entertaining people on this show.  His commentary in the interviews is actually some of the funniest, most narcissistic, entertaining shit I’ve ever seen.  He really does think he’s the best thing to ever be on Earth.  I loved seeing him getting carried up a mountain on the last season by Kenny.  It was such an epic thing to watch.  Wes is known for stirring the pot and being a master manipulator.  I hope these two stay on the show as long as possible, but then get fourth place and win no money.  Wes can’t leave early because without him, the entertainment quality of the show will significantly plummet.

Well that’s all the teams!  I hope you all tune in for this season, BATTLE OF THE EXES!  I do miss some of my favorite past members like Kenny, Laurel, Tyler, Jen, and can we please bring back Tonya and Coral?!?! Please.

Let the games begin!

For the past couple months, Sh*t XYZ Says has been blowing up.  It all started with a man dressed as a young woman who impersonated typical young females with the help of Juliette Lewis in the YouTube sensation, Sh*t Girls Say.  I blogged that video as soon as I saw it, and said, this is going to blow up.  Who called it!?! 

Anyway, little did any of us know that for the next couple months, more videos would follow, such as Sh*t Gay Guys Say, Sh*t Black Girls Say, Sh*t Dudes Say, Sh*t Frat Guys Say, Sh*t Christians Say to Jews, Sh*t Jewish Girls Say, Sh*t No One Says, Sh*t People in L.A. Say, and the my most recent favorite Sh*t Chicagoean’s Say (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofy5gNkKGOo).

After watching this video a couple times, my friends and I realized that although much of it was pretty spot on, the video really should have been called, “Sh*t People in Lincoln Park/ Wrigleyville Say”.  Coming from Wicker Park, I LOLed at the video of course, but if I were to make another Sh*t Someone Says video, it would be “Sh*t People in Wicker Park Say”.   So without further ado, here are is what Sh*t People in Wicker Park Say:

-OMG, every guy at this party looks like Where’s Waldo meets Lumberjack.

-Ew! I had to take the Red Line, it’s so gross.

-Do you know a place I can get prescriptionless glasses?

-Nice beanie!

-Ugh, his jeans were skinnier than mine.

-I don’t drink Starbucks.

-Is this gluten free?

-I’m only smoking this cigarette to look cool.

-You’re going out in Lincoln Park?…ew

-I don’t shop at Urban Outfitters!  This is totally vintage.

-Ugh, the Bongo Room has a hour and a half wait…I guess we could grab coffee at Wormhole while we wait.

-The Red Line is soooo slow.

-You’re going to Wrigleyville?…ew

-I’m going to a concert tonight at the Double Door, you’ve probably never heard of the group.

-We ended up at Flat Iron after Debonair sucked.

-I love house parties.

-PBR!

-Do you have soy milk?

-Everyone’s moving to Logan Square!

-Wait, do you live in actual Wicker Park?  Or do you live in Ukrainian Village?  Bucktown?  West Town?

-You can get anywhere on the Ashland bus.

-The Brown Line is sooo slow.

-Nice mustache!

-There’s a hour wait to get on the hour and a half waiting list for Big Star, we should just get in the 45 minute line at Violet Hour while we wait.

-Ooh, they serve brunch too!

-Why are all the coffee shops always so crowded?

-I love talking to sexually ambiguous guys at bars.

-Do you go to Wicker Park fitness?

-We ended up at Evilolive….shit.

-He has a tattoo of the PBR logo, so cool.

-Well, this bar has a photobooth.

-I can’t tell if that’s a girl or a guy….

-Oh my god, I recognize that guy from Okcupid.

-Do you know Michael at Starbucks?

-It’s right by Six Corners.

-I got it at the Renegade Craft Fair!

-BYOB!

-That poor girl needs pants!

-That restaurant closed!  I guess they couldn’t hack it on Division.

-You don’t have a bike?…Ooh.

-I got this dress at a vintage boutique, definitely NOT Urban Outfitters.

-Does the Damen bus actually exist?

-I’d rather be shot than be seen on Hubbard Street.

-You’re going to Wrigleyville?  Have fun getting thrown up on.

-I can’t tell if he’s gay or not!

-I got another tattoo!

-I love carrying around canvas totes with weird animals on it.

-I love dive bars.

-Do you want to check out this new, underground DJ with me?

-Did you hear there’s a new restaurant opening?

-Bottomless mimosas!

-Everyone at this bar is wearing the same outfit.

-I won’t pay more than $5 for a beer.

-Is it on the Blue Line? Ok good, or else I’m not going.

-That’s so mainstream.

-I don’t have Facebook.

-Why is everyone moving to Wicker Park?! Go back to where you came from!

-You can only tell it’s a bar cause of the Old Style sign outside.

-I’m thinking about becoming a Vegan.

-I’m NOT a hipster, I just have hipster interests.

Maybe one day that will become an actual YouTube sensation!  A girl can dream…

Until next time…

Weekend brunch may actually be my favorite part of the weekend.  Trekking down the street to your local hang out on those particularly rough mornings and being adventurous by trying new neighborhoods and restaurants have become lovely weekly enjoyments of mine.  There are different types of brunching expeditions, mostly depending on how hungover you are. You can’t show up to a fancy brunch that has been rated on the Michelin Guide if you’re in your sweats, still in your outfit from the night before, or you’re pretty sure you have beer in your hair (I have gone to brunch in all of these conditions).  However, even if you’re a mess, doesn’t mean you should have to miss out on brunching!  There’s a different restaurant and brunch experience for everyone every weekend.  Depending on if you want to run in and run out with your coffee and bagel in hand or want to sit down and enjoy your alcoholic beverage and eggs benedict, there’s a spot for you! 

I am lucky enough to live in a neighborhood with many brunch options, and where new ones pop up all the time.  Factors that must be taken into account before brunching are: location (can I walk there if I’m super hungover or if it’s snowing?), Yelp reviews (anything less than 3 stars just won’t do), if they have Bloody Marys or mimosas (Bloody Mary bar is preferable), and I guess the menu/ price (let’s not get too crazy…).   Now that I’ve been living in Wicker Park for about a year and a half, I’ve had all kinds of experiences brunching.  Here is a Beccaw’s Guide to Weekend Brunching for all levels of hungoverness, price, beverages, and overall experience.

Moonshine Restaurant (http://www.moonshinechicago.com/roadhouse/?page_id=32): Moonshine has become one of our go-to brunch spots.  It’s about a 7 minute walk from our apartment and usually doesn’t have a wait.  The menu is pretty standard for brunch, has options like eggs, pancakes, omelettes, breakfast burritos, eggs benedict, and my personal favorite, huevos mexicanos.  This place is great spot for a hungover brunch because the food is good, there’s usually not a wait, very minimal screaming children, and there’s a fabulous BLOODY MARY BAR!!!! They give you a regular, simple Bloody Mary (that’s their own recipe, it’s awesome) and there’s a whole bar/ buffet area off to the side where you have plenty of option of garnish, such as celery, pickles, olives, spices, any kind of hot sauce you could ever imagine, cheese, pepperoni, and much more.  If you’re feeling particular crazy you can order their “Monster Mary”, which is huge!  I’d only suggest this if you’re feeling particularly adventurous and very hungry.  You can also order other drinks, and if you’re feeling like getting a little tipsy, you can get a big mimosa, which has about half a bottle of champagne in it.  I suggest this place if you’re in the mood to get some drinks, eat some standard brunch food, and maybe catch a sports game.

Milk & Honey Cafe (http://www.milkandhoneycafe.com/): Milk & Honey was one of the first brunches that I had in Chicago!  The food is delicious!  You really can’t go wrong here.  Their sandwiches are amazing and always come with a side of their homemade chips and a pickle.  My personal favorite is the tuna melt.  I also really enjoy their breakfast sandwich, granola and yogurt (they make their own granola, which they sell too), and the breakfast burrito special they occasionally have.  I also always enjoy the soups there.  I generally don’t order alcohol here, but they serve bloody marys, mimosas, and different kinds of beer.  I usually opt for their coffee (it’s awesome and free refills!).  Their bakery items also always look delicious.  This restaurant is also very decently priced. The only downside to Milk & Honey is that you usually will have to wait for a table, especially on the weekends, and you can expect there to be young families there with babies and toddlers running around or crying.  I really enjoy going here on off-hours, it’s quiet and quick service.  I highly suggest coming here if you don’t mind waiting in line on the weekends, and of course, not super hungover.

Janik’s Cafe (http://www.janikscafe.com/): In the words of Ja’mie of Summer Heights High, this spot is “like, soooo randum!”  This place is just a cluster-f*ck.  It’s like someones art collection and old toys just like threw up all over the walls and made this delicious brunch spot.  If you didn’t know about Janik’s, I really don’t know how you’d wander in there, although it has a prime location near Damen and Division.  I really don’t know how to describe this place or their menu, but basically ANYTHING you’d ever want, you can order here.  You can choose from all types of breakfast options, sandwiches, pasta, salad, nachos, beer, and other alcoholic beverages (including margaritas?). I love their Chorizo Scramble, that comes with beans, rice, and tortillas. The food here is really good and very well priced.  You can get a very large meal for about $6-$7.  There’s usually not a wait, and I can be hungover and a hotmess in this restaurant, and no one would look twice cause there’s already too much going on as it is (including a fairy barbie doll that flaps its wings behind the counter?).  The staff here is super friendly, and the overall experience is good.

Feast (http://feastrestaurant.com/html/menus/bucktown/BT_breakfast.php):  Feast is a great brunch spot!  It has a prime location right near the 6 corners in Wicker Park.  Their breakfast menu is awesome.  A new favorite item of mine is the Eggs Portobello with a side of their chicken apple sausage, SO GOOD!  My personal go-to item is their black-bean burger and sweet potato fries (those are my kryptonite).  I have come here with my room mates on occasion and have gone a little crazy with their pitchers of Bloody Marys, but hey, when in Rome right?  Going to Feast for weekend brunch is kind of pain though.  Expect to wait anywhere between 10 and 45 minutes for a table.  If you’re feeling up to it, it’s definitely worth checking out.  Their service is very unreliable.  I have had good service there, and I have also had terrible service there.  You usually have to flag your server down to order, get refills, and get the check.  Another issue with feast is that it is also crawling with babies and young children!  I’m sorry if you find this offensive coming from a young woman, but DON’T TAKE YOUR BABIES TO BRUNCH ON A SUNDAY!  I’m hungover and don’t want to deal with it.  I digress.  Feast has delicious brunch food, but I doubt I’d venture here for dinner.

Bongo Room (http://thebongoroom.com/):  Hands down, some of the best brunch food I’ve ever had. Ever.  However, this comes at a price, about a hour to two hour wait on the weekends.  Bongo Room is one of the main reasons people from all over Chicago trek over to Wicker Park.  You really can’t go wrong at this spot.  Their food is absolutely excellent and very well priced.  They also have various coffee and drink options.  A favorite of mine has been their Mango/ Orange Mimosa.  Yum!  I would NOT recommend rolling out of bed on a hungover morning and coming here.  There is always a wait, and this place is too sophisticated to deal with your hotmess state.  The food is also extremely rich, which I would not suggest trying when you’re not at your finest. My last visit there, I tried one of their specialty omelettes with chicken sausage, spinach, butternut squash, and goatcheese.  Heaven.  But if you want to get in around noon on a Saturday or Sunday, prepare to have the host give you a look like “Try Sears”.

Flo (http://www.eatatflo.com/menus/brunch0811.pdf): Flo is my personal heaven of a brunch place, Mexican brunch!  My favorite brunch items usually include chorizo, beans, and salsa (and of course a delicious Bloody Mary to accompany it).  Flo meets all these plus some.  Everything on their brunch menu looks divine.  It also is decently priced, and you definitely get your money’s worth.  The portions are pretty large.  I’ve only had to wait once, and it wasn’t that bad.  The service is hit or miss, and it’s more around Noble Square than Wicker Park.  This place is definitely worth the trek, depending on where you’re coming from.  Coming here with a hangover could be awesome or awful.  It’s your call and your stomach! Flo is muy muy delicioso!

Francesca’s Forno (http://www.miafrancesca.com/Documents/Ctrl_Hyperlink/Forno_Brunch_uid1262011902482.pdf):  We recently discovered this restaurant’s brunch for my room mate’s birthday.  It was such an all-around superb dining experience.  Seven of us came in for Liz’s b-day celebration, and we were easily able to book a reservation only a day early.  All of the staff who we encountered was extremely friendly, and not over the top.  Everyone seemed genuinely nice, and the service was great.  Their Bloody Marys were awesome, and came with a small sample of IPA (bonus points for giving me good free beer!).  We also tried their apple/ coffee cocktail, which was very strong and very yummy.  The food was SO GOOD!  I ordered their eggs benedict, and it was awesome.  Everything about this experience was great, and I’d even recommend coming in here with a hangover (if I can do it, so can you!). 

If you’re thinking about brunching in Wicker Park, hopefully this entry will help you decide where to go.  Whether you’ve barely made it out of bed, you’re still drunk, you want to get drunk again, or you just want to catch up with a friend over good food and coffee, all these places are fabulous options!  Bon Appetit!

It’s official people: it’s actually winter now.  No more beautiful, sunny days that hit 50 degrees, no more layering with just your pea-coat, no more power walking through the streets without fear of slipping and dying, and no more fun?  Never!  As my room mates and I have discussed, people in Chicago just LOVE talking about the weather.  Whether it’s hot, cold, windy, rainy, snowy, beautiful, ugly, people always have something to say about it.  Even as I write this post, everyone is my office is running around looking out different windows, comparing how the snow is falling depending on which side of the wind-tunnel it’s falling from.  The shitshow Chicago winter that everyone talks about has officially begun, about a month and a half late.  What I personally dread is seeing those signs everywhere, “Caution: Falling Ice”.  I’m sorry, is it just me, or is that ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING!??!!?  At any moment, while I’m minding my own business and walking to work, a huge block of ice or an ICICLE can just fall on my head and kill me?  How am I supposed to deal with that?

But anyway…it’s easy to fall into funk and hibernate until May. You haul ass to and from work, head back to your apartment, turn on Bravo or Netflix, get delivery, and go to bed.  This, my friends, is a vicious cycle.  The only way to get through the winter and stay sane is to maintain your social life and embrace the suckyness. Winters should be a bonding time for Chicago-ans.  It sucks for ALL of us, so why don’t we all brace it together?  Preferably at a bar.  Here are some more tips on how to survive these next brutal months. 

Still go out on the weekends!  I know the snow is daunting, and your boots and jacket are so annoying, but there’s a coat check at every bar in this city for a reason.  Man up, call a cab, and go socialize!  Being around friends while you talk about the weather is so much better than updating your Facebook status and Twitter about it (Ex: As I’m at work, I just changed my status bitching about the snow).  Maintain your old traditions with friends, like weekly happy hours or dinner, and just brave the weather.  Man up people!  If you turn into a hermit, you will quickly become depressed and will fall into an unhygienic routine of only showering a couple times a week, and washing your hair only when even baby-powder and dry shampoo can’t make it look better.  So make plans with your friends for this weekend right now!  

Try to still make it to the gym.  I hate going to the gym this time of year, especially right after the New Year when everyone is still trying to fulfill their resolutions of losing that 5 pounds or train for that half-marathon.  I give it another 2-3 weeks before people fall back into their old routines, and I won’t have to wait 10 minutes to use a machine (true story).  I also dislike my gym this time of year because it actually looks like a sweat-box from the outside.  The gym is mostly surrounded by glass-windows, which is great people watching while you’re working out, and people can check you out while you work out.  It really is a creepy and entertaining idea.  Anyway, so this time of year, you literally can’t see out of windows cause they’re so grossly steamy.  I’m always extremely tempted to pull a Kate Winslet in Titanic and slowly run my hand down the steamy window, for dramatic effect.  Like, LOOK HOW HARD I’M WORKING OUT, I NEED TO BANG MY HAND AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE WINDOW TO SHOW HOW INTO THIS I AM! 

But I digress.  Go to the gym.  When you sweat and work out, you sweat out the alcohol you drank last night at happy hour, and you feel better about generally being 10 times more lazy than you are in the summer.  Working out also produces endorphins, and we all know: “Endorphins make you happy!  Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands.” - Elle Woods.  So in this case, happy people won’t kill their room mates. Plus, in your hibernating state, your body is probably storing fat in your ass to keep you warm at night.  While this is nice for right now, come summer, you won’t be so happy about that extra layer of polar bear blubber on your bod. 

Weekend Getaways! Weekend getaways are fabulous no matter what season it is.  Depending on where you go and when you go, there are many activities to do and sites to see.  In college, weekend getaways included fun places like San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Lake Tahoe, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles.  My most recent weekend getaway was MILWAUKEE!!!!  I never thought I’d see the day where the highlight of my month was taking an overnight trip to the city of Milwaukee.  However, Milwaukee is actually a really great city to visit.  There are lots of things to do, like the famous art museum there and sporting events, and the nightlife is actually kind of awesome.  My room mates and I took a trip there last weekend and had a little too much fun.  The bars there are huge and the people are very strange. I highly suggest checking out Milwaukee for a night or weekend, it’s really close to Chicago and we just got a Zipcar.  Other weekend getaways can be to Ann Arbor, Lake Geneva, check out U of I for a weekend (I don’t know why though, unless it’s for a sports game), and there are actually tons of cute Bed and Breakfasts all over Illinois and Michigan (great for romantic getaways too!)

Educate yourself and go to a MUSEUM!  Chicago is known for the numerous high-quality museums.  Most of them are located downtown and are worth checking out.  The Art Institute is one of the top art museums in the world, and now that it’s winter, I believe it has a free night once a week.  It’s huge and kind of over-whelming (I know, that’s what she said), but it’s absolutely worth checking out.  Other spots include the Field Museum, the Planetarium, and Shedd Aquarium, and the Museum of Science and Industry.  It’s fun to learn something new every now and then.  Now that I’m not in college anymore, it’s nice to use my brain again, maybe only once in a while. 

Concerts and In-Door Sports Games!  Chicago has some of the top sports teams in the country, like the Bulls and the Blackhawks (in-door sports!)  Although these games are pricey, and I have yet to go to them, they sound like a total blast.  My room mates and I attempted to go to a Blackhawks game through Groupon, but that was just a hot mess, but it was a fabulous idea!  One of these days, I will make it to a Bulls or Blackhawks game, and maybe I’ll even blog about how awesome it was!  I have, however, gone to some concerts during those cold winter nights.  Always a blast, and there are music venues of over the city that feature all kinds of bands every night. 

(My room mate, Liz, and I at David Guetta last April, which still means winter in Chicago.)

Learn how to Cook.  I should probably take my own advice on this one.  I have learned to rely on microwaveable dinners like Lean Cousine, Amy’s, and some other gems from Trader Joe’s.  A good way to start is to buy a cookbook that has easy recipes, ones that include “for College Students” is always helpful.  If someone can make it in their dorm in college, you can make it at your apartment now.  The internet is also a good source to find new and easy recipes.  Another good way to get into this is to do it as a group activity with room mates, friends, or boyfriends/ girlfriends.  Making it a group activity makes it more bang for your buck, a fun way to catch up with someone, and it helps to have a glass of wine or beer in hand while doing it.

(My other room mate, Mary, and I pleased with our fajitas!)

Happy Winter, everybody!  I hope you all have a great weekend, and please try to brave the 6-10 inches it’s supposed to snow, or something crazy like that.  Take your down jacket and snow boots out of your closet, take a deep breath, and go live it up!

Well everybody, I guess it’s officially 2012, and I’m officially starting to feel kind of old and more mature (kind of…).  As if you all haven’t already read a thousand blog entries on Thought Catalog, Gawker, Hairpin, and other blog sites about the New Year, New Years Resolutions that we may or may not keep, well here’s another one for you.  This one is more of a personal reflection on my year.  

This past year has been one of the most eventful of my life (all 23 and a half years of it!).  I moved to Chicago in August of 2010 and left my comfort zone, the West Coast, where most of my friends and family live.  To ring in the New Year last year, I worked my crappy job as a hostess at a trendy restaurant/bar in River North, which I ended up getting fired from two weeks later.  This year, we had a rager at our apartment and we actually had to start turning people away because we’re just THAT awesome that EVERYONE wants to party with us (or maybe they wanted to save $100 on buying a ticket to a lame bar? It’s a toss up.)  Anyway, to see where I am at now vs. a year ago, is really astonishing.  Here are some of Beccaw’s life lessons from 2011 to carry on with you for the next year to come:

Patience pays off.  It’s amazing what patience, persistence, and positivity (the three P’s) can do for you.  I mean this in every aspect of your life.  To land the job I have now, I had to work a full year in Chicago doing random/low-paying internships and lame jobs just to build my resume.  Last Fall, I accepted an unpaid internship at the non-profit Interfaith Youth Core because I found it inspiring and wanted to be exposed to young people working hard at something that were passionate about.  To make money, I worked at a restaurant in River North as a hostess.  I learned a lot in those four months about working hard and staying positive.  Even though I hated working at the restaurant, I learned customer service skills that are invaluable and developed a thick skin.  After being fired from the restaurant and my internship came to an end, I went on to work at my uncle’s law firm that specializes in personal injury and worker’s compensation.  Although I felt extremely lucky to have a job/ source of income in the tough economy, I was miserable.  Being a paralegal at a personal injury law firm had nothing to do with my life goals and aspirations, not even close.  My ultimate goal was to work in development at a Jewish non-profit, at least until I go to graduate school. I decided to apply to a part-time job at Jewish organization on Michigan Ave, Spertus, that was low-paying and inconsistent hours.  I got the job, and luckily I was able to work there nights, and took on some day shifts when I wasn’t needed at the law firm.  I knew it would look good on my resume, and would open doors for me to other non-profits.  During this whole time-period, I was still applying to jobs that were full-time and salaried like a crazy woman.

Throughout the first year I was in Chicago, I went on about fifteen interviews.  I started to feel jaded and pessimistic.  Every interview felt the same.  More times than not, the employer “loved me” but decided to give it to one of their interns or someone who had an in.  My Santa Clara University degree was not as impressive or as useful in Chicago as my Midwest-graduate competitors.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned about job hunting, it’s all about who you know and using your networks.  In August of 2011, I landed an interview with the job I have now.  During my interview, my now boss was impressed with the Chicago names (Interfaith Youth Core and Spertus), and asked me about my experiences there.  I knew that my unpaid internship with IFYC and my very part-time hourly job with Spertus were key components in my resume, and set me apart from other applicants.  Even though it literally took me a full year of being in Chicago to land a job that’s full-time, salaried, and benefits (that I actually like!), I am happy about the road I took to get here.  Being patient, persistent, and positive got me to where I am now professionally.  

Seek advice from your parents and other family members.  My high school and even college-self would laugh at the idea of asking my parents for advice about my life.  It’s easy to forget when you’re young that your parents are real people and may have gone down a similar path as you are on right now.  Talking to my parents now, as a young adult, about their life choices when they were my age is extremely helpful.  Think about how many times you said in high school to your parents, “BUT YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND!!!” Oooh but they do.  They were once in your shoes, but with age comes more life experience, and when they say, “It’s not a big deal, move on”, they’re probably right.  I don’t remember how many times I called my parents my first year here venting my frustrations about job hunting, and the economy, and how it’s all taking a toll on my confidence and happiness.  They always said they could relate to me, and told me the paths they took after school to land jobs.  I learned that both of them had been fired before, both had been unemployed for months at a time, and both of them moved to a new city from law school (Phoenix) without knowing anyone.  They actually understood everything I was going through, and their words of wisdom gave me a new-outlook.  Both of them are very successful and well-respected lawyers in Arizona, but they both worked from the ground-up to get where they are now. 

Even talking to them about my personal life isn’t as scary as I used to think.  I was always afraid to even mention a male’s name in front of my parents because I knew I’d get interrogated.  I know it’s all out of love, and even talking to each of them about their dating life before they met each other is interesting and very amusing.

I am lucky to have an older sister who is only a couple years older than I am.  Although we’re in very different places in our lives, and have made different decisions post-college, her input and opinion is always helpful and appreciated.  Never underestimate the value of someone’s advice.  Even if you don’t take it, hearing other options or other people’s stories is informative.

People actually date after college (GASP!).  I don’t know if it’s a Midwest boy thing or maybe people do grow up after college, but people actually ask you out here, strange, I know.  It took us a while to get used to the idea.  We’d meet dudes at bars, barely remember exchanging numbers with them, and get a call the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that, actually asking to spend time with them one-on-one and sober. Crazy.  I made the mistake of accepting a date for a guy who I met at gay club on Halloween, that was a low point.  I didn’t even recognize him in normal lighting and not 5 Berlin Bombs deep.  He was not worth recognizing either…so at this breaking point, I decided to give-in to the popular phenomenon of…wait for it…ONLINE DATING!  (Get over it, everyone does it, they just don’t want to admit it).  If any of you out there are ever bored with your dating life, sign up for a dating site like OKCupid.  I guarantee it will provide you with entertainment, amusement, some funny stories, and maybe even a boyfriend or girlfriend!  Almost everyone I know in Chicago who is single is on some kind of dating site or was at some point.  I went out with one guy from a dating site a couple times who was a couple years older and lived in the Suburbs (red flag, I know), and he actually sent me a nine paragraph long “break-up letter” via Facebook.  It has provided many laughs at happy hours for my friends and I, and have even recited it in a “dramatic reading of a break-up letter” fashion.  Online dating to me was a way to get me through my first Chicago winter by being constantly entertained and a way to meet new people.  I never thought I’d actually end up meeting an awesome dude on there (and may still be dating him to this day…) ;) 

But anyway, my room mates have been on their fair share of weird and funny dates in Chicago.  By now, we all know the correct etiquette on a first date, like don’t check your cell phone, make good eye contact, and offer to pay but don’t actually pay.  We’ve also learned, if you’re not into it, don’t go out with him again!  Dating is a fun way to meet new people, try new bars and restaurants, and have great stories to tell your girl friends at happy hour the next day.

Make new friends, but keep the old.  Friends come and go, good friends are worth keeping in touch with through phone calls, text messages, and Facebook posts, but great friends and best friends are few and far between, so don’t let them out of your life!  I take a lot of pride in that I moved to Chicago with my two best friends, and we basically knew no one.  Our goal: MAKE FRIENDS.  Making friends is all about putting yourself out there and knowing when to recognize when you’ve made a good bond with someone.  Moving here reminded me of Freshman year of college again.  If you meet someone cool, you get their number, and ACTUALLY invite them to do stuff with you.  Usually easing in with happy hours and pregames is the way to go.  It has been refreshing meeting new people and being able to start over.  You can have normal getting-to-know-you conversations without knowing all the information already through Facebook. 

Keeping in touch with old friends can be hard.  As we get older, everyone is in their own little world with their new jobs, new cities, and new boyfriends and girlfriends.  But you know someone is truly a great friend when you just pick up right where you left off next time you see or talk to each other.  It’s like no time has passed.  That’s how I will always feel about some of my friends from high school and college.  Even though I don’t see or talk to them as much as I’d like, there will always be a special place in my heart for everyone because they have helped shape me into the person I am today. 

And then there’s my room mates, Mary and Liz.  It’s actually more of a tripod of a lesbian love affair that started in September of 2006.  The fact that we’ve been best friends for this long, survived college together, moved to a new city together, and still live in the same apartment, and are still obsessed with each other is kind of a big deal.  We’ve had each other’s backs through break-ups and make-ups, sicknesses of family members, lay-offs, new jobs, falling in and out of love, graduating, moving, and will always have more to talk about over wine in Snuggies, robes, and onesies.  We’ve celebrated each other’s successes and happiness, and have trekked through all of our hardships with family, friends, romantic interests, and jobs.  I know they will always be there for me as I will to them. 

(Sophomore year of college Halloween…lolz.)

Friendships like these don’t come around every day, so cherish them and treat your friends with the respect and kindness they deserve.  Any issue can always be solved with open communication and honesty.

Those are just some of my life lessons, but all of these were key to the success and happiness that I have today.  As for 2012, I have high expectations of this year.  I know there will be more adventures, more laughter, more tears, and more of my life to live.  Hope everyone had a Happy New Year!