Ch-ch-ch-chia!

Hi friends! Hope you’re having a great day.

If you haven’t already heard, it has been SWELTERING in Chicago these past few days. Seriously, walking outside in the morning is like walking directly into an oven. It has not been fun!

One of the things I really love about my work is that we have the option to work from home every Wednesday as long as we get our work done (obviously). I planned on sleeping in this morning since I was pretty tired from the concert last night, not to mention that it was already like, 800 degrees already by 9am (okay, more like 90 degrees, but still!).

Unfortunately, we got an email from our tech guy saying that the VPN connection was down since our company is still working out some server changes, and everyone who was working from home had to come in. What a bummer, dude. I lost some time commuting since I planned on starting a little late anyway, so I think I’ll have to be at work late tonight. Oh well, it’s too freakin’ hot to do anything outside today anyway…

Millennium Park Crown Fountain...wishing I could be cooling off here!

source: ChicagoNow

Even though it was a BAGILLION degrees when I met up with my brother to head over to the park yesterday, I was super excited for Mr. LaMontagne. After work, I changed into some sweat-wicking workout clothes and couldn’t have been happier that I did.

Of course there were all these girls looking super cute in their colorful sundresses and maxis, but I was perfectly happy in my ratty t-shirt and Nike shorts :) I could have been mistaken for someone who clearly didn’t belong there, but thankfully my brother held up his end of that whole, looking stylish thing.

what a neat venue, huh?

source: PlaybillArts

The show was a blast and I had such a good time hanging out with my big bro. I’m so glad we don’t hate each other anymore like we used to :) He TORTURED me when we were kids…Farting in my face regularly, doing the “I’m not touching you!” game, and just about anything else he knew was guaranteed to drive me insane. Ahhh, siblings…

This morning, I took my time getting ready since I thought I would be working from home, so I decided to brew a fancy cup of Joe with the French press. The AC has been on non-stop (I don’t turn it off when I leave the house on super hot days, because I worry the kitties might overheat — my electricity bill most likely thanks me for this…), so hot coffee wasn’t a dealbreaker, even in Hades Chicago today.

Unfortunately when I got the word that I had to go into the office, I needed to hustle my undressed and unkempt self, so I decided to have Julie’s famous chocolate chia pudding for breakfast. I had prepped it for a post-work snack s. Not my typical yogurt, granola + fruit or cereal + almond milk for breakfast, but at least I started off the day with some protein, fiber and omegas.

I didn’t take a picture because honestly, this stuff looks SUPER nasty, but I swear it tastes amazing and the texture is really neat! As Julie said, it’s sort of like tapioca, but a little crunchier. I love it. In my mix:

• 3-4 tbsp chia seeds (didn’t measure)
• 1/2-3/4 cup original almond milk (didn’t measure either)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tbsp sunflower butter
• packet stevia
• pinch cacao nibs

All you do is mix everything together in a bowl the night before, and the next day, you’ll have a gooey, gelatinous mess to tantalize your taste buds. Oooh yes you will.

I just tried sunflower butter for the first time and this stuff is INCREDIBLE! I can’t believe I waited so long after seeing Tina and Kath having it to try it out. It’s savory and salty and just has this delicious flavor that is really unique. Yum :)

Off to finish some more work. Stay cool, kiddos!

Hey, I put some new shoes on and suddenly everything was right…

Retail therapy, much? (Mr. Paolo Nutini sure knew what he was talking about)

I’m thinking I like ‘em. They’re a little funky/unusual for me, but I kinda dig em. The only issue is that, while you can’t really see it in the photo, they’re feeling a tad bit large. When my foot moves back into that little molded heel-cup thingie, there’s a lot of space between my toes and the rest of the shoe, and I hate how that looks (do you know what I’m talking about? Where there is too much…sole showing…?)

Thankfully, I have this hideously pukey-colored green carpet to walk around on and test em out :)

My other “therapy” plans for the night? Seeing Mr. Ray LaMontagne in Millennium Park with one of my best buddies in the world — my big bro! I CAN’T WAIT!

Ray Lamontagne “Jolene” (Directors Cut) from Ben Unwin on Vimeo.

Cliffhanger

Hi guys.

Sorry to leave you hanging with my last post. It has been a rough few days.

The fella I have previously mentioned a handful of times (not going to link to everything, but the butterflies post may have been particularly memorable) and I broke up on Thursday. It wasn’t really anticipated at all, and it happened while I was at work over the course of a conversation over text message. Needless to say, I was very upset and angry about how it went down. We had only been seeing each other for three months, but we both agreed that we felt close to each other pretty quickly, and cared about each other quite a bit. Even as I’m writing this now, I’m getting sad and tearing up a bit. For the moment, things still feel very unresolved and painful.

Men boys suck.

maybe I should re-read this guy?

source

In true Laura fashion, I drank way too much all weekend (this is both a good and a bad thing, hah) and didn’t really take the best care of myself. I also spent a decent amount of time crying and moping around.

Thankfully, I have some seriously incredible friends that not only talked me through things over and over again, but also put up with my moping, late night phone calls, and tearful moments in completely inappropriate places. One friend, whom I have just met recently and barely know, sat with me late last night after I had had a few too many drinks and smoothed my hair back while I slowly dozed off on my bed. You  know, while I had five or six people over at my house. (I’m a great host).

She is a wonderful person, and I feel lucky to have met her!

I know things are still fresh and that in time, the pain will fade and I will continue to do all the fun things I normally do. And I know that three months isn’t a very long time. But damn. This hurts a lot. I can’t help but feel pretty down on myself right now, even though I know that sometimes often, people just aren’t 100% compatible and need to acknowledge that and move on. But it’s hard not to take it personally. It’s also hard, and very saddening, to suddenly realize that the person you’ve spoken to every day for the past several months is going to be abruptly removed from your life. I miss him.

Did I mention that he gave me that complete bullshit about how incredible I am, and how much he values having me in his life? And still wants to hang out all the time? As friends?

Yeah, dude, I know I’m amazing. I don’t need you to validate that for me. But if you think you are going to still experience that, after some of the shit you pulled here, you are out of your damned mind.

Despite the constant sadness and crying fits, I actually had a pretty fun-packed weekend. Fun-packed doesn’t necessarily mean you’re enjoying every second of it — it just means you know you’re supposed to be. I went out with a few girlfriends to a great bar called Delilah’s (Lady Gaga stopped by there when she was in town last summer!) and had a drunken, singing cab ride home with a best friend. I went to the aptly-named “Sausage Fest” and drank some icy beer and ate some steamy…you guessed it, sausages. And I spent a lot of time with some truly wonderful people who care about me.

Sorry for the long, picture-less, totally bummed-out post. When I get a chance in the next day or so, I’ll share some fun pictures (look out for a sausage made of out a not-so-typical creature…) of my weekend to bring the mood back up around here.

Three weeks until my very first 5k that I am now officially registered for — yippee!!

Now I just need to, you know, be able to run 5k. *GULP*

Have you ever noticed…

…that trying to hide your tears at work just makes it more obvious that you were crying?

I’m not sure what to do with myself right now, I just know that I need to run immediately after work. Fast, and far.

I did it!

2.5 miles down the hatch, plus abs, shoulders + biceps :D

Flip flop

I’ve been doing just that…flip-flopping…a LOT lately. But it’s all gonna stop today. Take a deep breath and prepare yourselves, ladies..

…cause the gym clothes were packed and brought to work today.

Yeah.

What’s that? You’re not really impressed? Well, hmph. I know Carrots ‘n Cake and FoodFitnessFashion are talking about signing up for marathons, but can’t we just be the tinest bit excited that I got my ass up off the couch?

Please?

In slightly more exciting news, I hit up the new Trader Joe’s on Diversey yesterday. I figured the crowds might have died down after being open for a little while, but the 15-deep line at each register proved me wrong.

source: Nibbles of Tidbits

Trader Joe’s Begins Tradin’ in Lincoln Park – Now Open – Racked Chicago.

Regardless, having my beloved purveyor of all things goat cheese in a much more convenient (and bus route-friendly) spot made me a happy girl. I walked out with just shy of $100 in loot, and can’t wait to scarf down every bite of it.

Well, except for the package of organic strawberries that had mold on them when I opened the package at home! Have you guys ever had that happen? I never know what to do, because I often throw out the receipt, or forget to bring the stuff back before it’s pointless and/or too late. But really, shouldn’t somebody be checking this stuff? I don’t think I should have to make sure the fruit I buy isn’t moldy, but maybe I’m wrong…

I also picked up some of these:

source: Girl with the Red Hair

In case it wasn’t obvious….these are. so. good. Omigod.

I have a pseudo-date tonight with my aforementioned fella. We’re still seeing each other, but have yet to reach that ever so elusive “title”… yet we talk every day, have confirmed we are seeing each other exclusively, and see each other very regularly. I don’t understand men. What the hell?

Anyway, this certain fella has several close friends that are ladies, and I will be meeting one of them tonight. She seems to be concerned that he does not spend enough time with her lately (although she has a boyfriend, as I’ve been told). I can’t help but worry that my eyes will be clawed out.

If they are, expect some really awesome typos in my next post :D

PROOF that I’ve been cookin’ up a storm!

egg white, veggie sausage and Muenster breakfast sammie. HEAVEN!

I wasn’t lying, friends…I’m just lazy. Some photos of the past month and a half or so…enjoy!

a recent bowl of greek yogurt, fruit and flax on a sunny day

a curious onlooker

close-up, mmm

steaks from a recent date night with Amy :)

the finished product, with garlic Naan and a rocket + olive oil + mozz salad

packing...there were SO MANY more boxes than this

French press...

...caramel macchiato!

my audience

parsnip and rutabega fries, a la PBFingers!

fish and chips, PLW-ified!

closeup

avocado + goat cheese, magic combination

garlicky Brussels sprouts, emphasis on the garlic :D