A Chill in the Air

September 22 was the first official day of Autumn. While the sun is still shining and the temperature hovers in the high 70s, low 80s, I know that Fall is upon us. Despite all my talk of how amazing Chicago in the Summer is (and it is!), Fall is my favorite all around season. The crispness of the air, the sound of acorns and leaves crunching underfoot...everything seems sharper and in focus.

Maybe it's me holding on to the one part of Fall that held so much excitement for me as a wee lass in Kansas City...Back to School shopping. It was the upside to ending the longer days of play: the anticipation of showing off my back to school clothes months before the weather actually called for my new turtlenecks, jeans, and coats.

One trend that I hope to implement into my nascent Fall wardrobe. Scarves. And thankfully the women at WhoWhatWear Daily have posted a video on just how to wear the trend.

So Topical

I love Someecards, a website full of free sarcastic and witty e-cards. The snarky words mixed with the graphics of yesteryear make it all the more enjoyable.

Deluge

This past weekend was nothing but rain, rain, and more rain. Walking out into the chilly air this morning, I could barely tell that most of my street had been filled with sewage and rain water just two days before. In fact, the sun shining and people commuting almost made me forget the record rain fall (in a calendar day) Chicago had experienced. Until I saw this...


(photo credit: User Aerobat79 from ChicagoTribune.com. For more reader submitted pictures of the flooding in Illinois, click here)

Illinois Governor Ron Blagojevich named 7 counties as disaster areas.

A Return to Good Political Satire

Last night's Saturday Night Live's Premiere opener

"I See Those Flashing Lights..."

(photo credit: People)


Man, these [expletive]s got me
I hate these [expletive]s more than the Nazis
--Kanye West, "Flashing Lights"


Kanye West, rapper, performer and arguably Chicago's favorite native son, was arrested yesterday after a scuffle with a paparazzo at LAX airport. During the skirmish, West reportedly broke a camera valued at $10,000; he was charged with vandalism (really?) and bail was posted at $20,000. West's road manager was also arrested for vandalism and battery.

Now, I love celebrity gossip (even though I like to rationalize that I'm not a part of the problem since I only read the gossip online and don't buy the magazines). I know that love gives the paparazzo reason to stalk celebrities for the photos that fetch thousands for their pockets and millions for gossip magazines. But, I can understand why at 7 in the morning Kanye might have flipped. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing.

I'm pretty disgusted with the celebrity culture we live in that places more importance on what the girls of The Hills are doing over the fact that as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin charged rape victims for the rape kits used to procure the DNA of a victim's assailant. [Opposing viewpoint, for the sake of presenting both sides, here]

Really, the flashing lights should be pointed at the people who are making the decisions (or, as the case may be, poised to make the decisions) that affect policy and the way we live our lives. Not at Kanye West, or any other celebrity, trying to get through airport security and live their normal, everyday lives. They are just like US you know.

Barack Obama on David Letterman

Click here to see Jezebel's write up and clip of Barack Obama's winsome appearance on David Letterman.

Such A Fickle Mistress..

(View of Chicago from Lake Michigan. Photo credit: Me)

Ah, Chicago. How I love her and loathe her all at the same time. She jerks me around, providing the highest of highs (Chicago in the Summer) and the lowest of lows (Chicago in the W-word).

I don't want summer to be over, but every 2-bit radio DJ and random person trying to make conversation seems to take glee in the brisker winds, the shorter days and earlier sunsets. It's September! You just got here, summer! Why did I find myself in shorts during a sudden cold downpour yesterday, shivering and wet in 50 degree weather? Why am I wearing a light-weight sweater and trench coat today? It's not fair.

So hey, Summer. Stick around. Because while I do love the Fall Fashions in every store window I pass, I still want to hold onto carefree days as long as humanly possible.

xoxo,
Me

My People, My People

My parents are from Nigeria, and to be exact, they're Yoruba. So imagine how my cultural pride swelled when I got this email from Good For Party about their latest event. DJ Osunlande will spin an African and Latin house music set at the green friendly bar Lumen (839 W. Fulton Market). RSVP here or pay $10 at the door from 9pm-2am.

"I Just Want to Know!"

By this point, you've already heard about Sarah Palin. How this woman was just a hockey mom from Alaska before being thrust into the national spotlight with an ill-conceived ploy to grab angry Hilary Clinton supporters and social conservatives by being McCain's VP choice. How her 17-year old daughter is 5-months pregnant and plans to marry the father, making Democrats crow over how the abstinence-only sex education her mother supports could have saved her from teen pregnancy (despite the fact Palin does not support sex education, Alaska does offer sex ed in its schools). But this video of Cambell Brown sticking it to Republican strategist Tucker Bounds by asking him a simple question as to Palin's experience in the Alaskan National Guard gives me more reason to believe McCain's decision to make Palin his VP is the first tap on the nail in the McCain Presidency coffin.

Free Bird

(photo courtesy of TimeOut Chicago)

One of my goals for my Single Gal Summer was to attend an outdoor concert. I was back in Kansas City during the muddy debauchery of Pitchfork and couldn't afford the 3-day Lollapalooza fest, but a free concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park is not something to be missed. Especially when it features the many talents of Chicago Native Andrew Bird.

Bird will be performing this Wednesday at 6:30pm. For more info, click here.